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Cassie (47 KP) rated Dunkirk (2017) in Movies

Jul 31, 2017

Dunkirk (2017)

2017 | Action, History, War

8.0

(197 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Direction, duh (3 more)

Cinematography

Score, bless you, Hans Zimmer

Cast/Acting

Nothing?? (0 more)

The Stuff of Nolan Dreams

If you're a fan of Christopher Nolan, this is the stuff of your dreams. The film may be about WWII, but it is a departure from war films as we've come to know them, and this is a good thing! The film keeps you on the edge of your seat with it's amazing score and sound design and without any gratuitous shots of death. Nolan's decision to *purposely* omit backstories for the characters works because it has nothing to do with their lives before we meet them. This is a film about humanity and survival and I didn't feel any less connected to the characters because I "didn't know" them. If anything, it's a testament to Nolan's writing and intuition that you can feel so connected to characters without prior backstory.

Kudos

Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated The Meaning of Human Existence in Books

Mar 15, 2018

This book may not be very long, but it does leave you with a lot to think about. The title is somewhat misleading, as of course that answer isn't really provided. I can't say I expected it would be as that is possibly something we can't ever really "know". That being said, the essays within leave you with a lot of pieces of the puzzle to help you piece it together as best as possible for yourself. Much of the book focuses on the scientific reasons for our existence, meaning evolution, but not just of the physical variety, but also the sociological, which provided for many of the book's most fascinating moments. I don't know that I feel all that much closer to understanding the meaning of human existence, but I do feel I learned some interesting things about the very nature of humanity, and that's something.

Kudos

David McK (3557 KP) rated T2: The Future War (Gollancz) in Books

Jan 30, 2019 (Updated Dec 13, 2020)

T2: The Future War (Gollancz)

S.M. Stirling | 2004 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

5.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Final part of S.M. Stirling's trilogy of books that present an alternate story than that told in T3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator: Salvation.

Unlike the previous two entries (T2: Infiltrator and T2: Rising Storm), this is not so much the one-on-one of the Connors versus a single Terminator, but is rather humanity versus Skynet which, remember, had become sentient at the end of the last novel. While the beginning of the novel does take place pre-Judgement day, the bulk of it actually takes place during the war itself: a war only hinted at in the first two films.

I quite enjoyed this read, and how it tied into both the films and earlier novels. In short, one of the better expanded universe novels out there (though you would have to read the first two first).

Kudos

The Marinated Meeple (1853 KP) rated 1917 (2020) in Movies

Jan 29, 2020

1917 (2020)

2020 | Drama, War

8.8

(56 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

The Cinematography! WOW, just wow.... seemingly all one cut (0 more)

That the theater wasn't full. (0 more)

Truly a movie worth seeing in the theater, best of this year by far!

I don't love war movies and I was hesitant to see it, as watching large amounts of people shooting and killing each other doesn't make me happy. But this movie is about surviving, and going on, and making the best of things, and doing your job. It's also about heroism, and humanity. Yes it is beautiful and gritty and uncomfortable, it's all things you think it should be. This might even be one of the best movies I've seen in multiple years.... I'd have to think on it some more, but this is one of the most satisfied times I've ever left a movie theater feeling. And a great date night film, ripe for discussion afterwards over dinner, or dessert.