David McK (3562 KP) rated The Postman (1997) in Movies
Jun 21, 2022
It sunk at the box office.
This was a few years later, based on the highly-respected David Brin novel of the same name.
I'm sure he wasn't expecting this one to flop either. Set in the far-off future of 2013, following a un-named catastrophe of some sort (no, not Trump)
The problem, I feel, is simply the length at nearly 3 hours long - there's some good ideas in here, and some good scenes, and a refreshing society-is-now-getting-better-again thread, after the unnamed events that led to the dystopian future shown at the start of the movie, but I do feel that the first act (in particular), playing up the threat of the fascist army led by General Bethlehem, could have been excised somewhat.
I understand why it's there - it needs to give Costner's character something to push against - but I think the book (and from what I remember) handled that aspect better than the movie does.
So, yeah, Costner plays a drifter who - after his escape from that army - discovers an old Postman uniform, initially putting it on only to become warm and then 'delivering the mail' simply as a scam to get food and shelter. However, over the course of that movie, that scam takes on a life of its own and more and more becomes the truth, finally ending with a code in the late 2040s after his death and where - going by dress, etc, - things seem to be back to 'normal'.
A Fashionably French Murder
8.0
Rate It
Book
American expat Tabitha Knight has found a new life in postwar Paris, along with a delightful friend...
Katie Guinn (34 KP) rated My Husband's Wife in Books
Dec 7, 2018
*sigh* I’m getting really burned out on “domestic thrillers,” guys. The kind that center around husbands and wives with secrets and strained relationships, that focus on the minutiae of everyday life than on any real action. The kind that likes to tout themselves as “the next Gone Girl.” Give me a good suspenseful serial killer novel, with a twisty plot and an actual likable main character!
That’s one of my biggest problems with these sorts of books, every character is just so hard to like that it’s difficult to connect with anyone or really feel invested in the story. Lily and Ed Macdonald are two people who honestly shouldn’t have married in the first place; they barely knew each other and neither of them knows how to communicate unless it’s in the form of an argument. Their nine-year-old neighbor, Carla, gains some sympathy at first as she copes with bullies and the feeling of being “different,” Unfortunately, when the story picks up more than a dozen years later, Carla hasn’t changed very much. She still thinks and acts like a child, turning out to be, in my opinion, the least likable character in the book. A note to all the thriller authors out there: it’s not a crime to write characters that people like.
I gave this one three stars because while the writing and plotting was decent, it’s ultimately a forgettable novel. Also, it’s no Gone Girl.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Lost Light (Harry Bosch #9) in Books
Jan 26, 2019
I enjoyed seeing Bosch working without his badge, overcoming the added obstacle of not having any official business looking into this case. While he may not be a cop, we still did get cameos by many of the series regulars, and it was great to check in with them. The characters are strong as always, with Bosch leading the pack. I was surprised to find that this book was narrated first person, something I always enjoy. I hadn't run across that in a Harry Bosch book yet. The case itself was gripping with plenty of twists and turns to keep us engaged up until the end. I listened to the audio version narrated by Len Cariou, who does a great job except for one character. Fortunately, that character isn't a major player in the action of the book.
Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock
Book
For over 30 years, Sammy Hagar has been a fixture in heavy metal music. Beginning with his...
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir
8.0
Rate It
Book
Emma Watson's Book Club pick for July and August 2016 Before Carrie Brownstein became a music icon,...
Leon: Naturally Fast Food: Book 2
John Vincent and Henry Dimbleby
Book
'The dream is to bring really good food at a good price to as many people as possible. It makes LEON...
Starring New York: Filming the Grime and the Glamour of the Long 1970s
Book
Starring New York considers twenty-one films in detail, and more generally discusses many others,...
Kati Horna
Jean-Francois Chevrier, Estrella de Diego, Petar Baki and Kati Horna
Book
On the occasion of the centenary of the birth of photographer Kati Horna. The Museo Amparo in Puebla...
Another Earth (2011)
8.7
Rate It
Movie
A young woman named Rhoda Williams seeks out the man whose life she shattered in a car accident...