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Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated The Key to Death's Door in Books
Jun 6, 2019
The Key To Death’s Door by Mark Tilbury is a tense, mystery, thriller novel interwoven with supernatural and horror aspects, which reminded me of Stephen King style reads.
When Teenager Lee Hunter and his best friend Charlie Finch go on a fishing trip, Lee drowns only to discover that when he awakes he has travelled back in time about 30 years and is now living the life of another lad called Paul Collins. To his horror, he, his family and his best friend are at the mercy of the evil and sadistic Daryl Finch, Charlie Finch’s father and they are all about to be killed.
After being successfully resuscitated by Charlie, Lee comes back as himself – to the current time period – knowing the horrific truth about Charlie’s father, Daryl, and what he is capable of. With his newfound knowledge Lee sets out to avenge the death’s of the Collins’ family. But where to start? Who is going to believe Lee knows what happened all those years ago, when he wasn’t even born then?
The Key to Death’s Door is a clever story, and raises serious issues of child abuse, wife beating, animal cruelty and murder in such vivid detail, I totally wanted justice for what had happened, and for Daryl Finch to get his comeuppance for his past and present atrocities. There’s no way he could be allowed to get away with what he’s done, surely?
I loved the relationship of best friends Lee and Charlie, they were portrayed realistically for their ages, and their characters were fun to read. They might not always have been able to say what they really meant to each other, but they had each other’s back, and at times their conversations were even quite funny and endearing. Contrast this with the scenes in the Collins’ house, which were utterly brutal and horrifying and you’re in for a thrilling ride with a supernatural twist. I certainly enjoyed The Key to Death’s Door and will look for more of Mark Tilbury’s work from now on.
When Teenager Lee Hunter and his best friend Charlie Finch go on a fishing trip, Lee drowns only to discover that when he awakes he has travelled back in time about 30 years and is now living the life of another lad called Paul Collins. To his horror, he, his family and his best friend are at the mercy of the evil and sadistic Daryl Finch, Charlie Finch’s father and they are all about to be killed.
After being successfully resuscitated by Charlie, Lee comes back as himself – to the current time period – knowing the horrific truth about Charlie’s father, Daryl, and what he is capable of. With his newfound knowledge Lee sets out to avenge the death’s of the Collins’ family. But where to start? Who is going to believe Lee knows what happened all those years ago, when he wasn’t even born then?
The Key to Death’s Door is a clever story, and raises serious issues of child abuse, wife beating, animal cruelty and murder in such vivid detail, I totally wanted justice for what had happened, and for Daryl Finch to get his comeuppance for his past and present atrocities. There’s no way he could be allowed to get away with what he’s done, surely?
I loved the relationship of best friends Lee and Charlie, they were portrayed realistically for their ages, and their characters were fun to read. They might not always have been able to say what they really meant to each other, but they had each other’s back, and at times their conversations were even quite funny and endearing. Contrast this with the scenes in the Collins’ house, which were utterly brutal and horrifying and you’re in for a thrilling ride with a supernatural twist. I certainly enjoyed The Key to Death’s Door and will look for more of Mark Tilbury’s work from now on.
ierce Fighters: Predators Nature's Toughest Go Head to Head by Lee Martin, and Paul Beck is a neat documentary on animals that brings their characteristic and put them face to face. The photographers who captured these magnificent creatures in these brief moments did a wonderful job of showcasing that predatory instinct that makes your skin shiver knowing you are about to be on the bottom of Mother Nature’s food chain.
The reader is provided a wealth of information; such as, the battles and animal statics along with where the various creatures live, their habitats. The reader learns about animal weapons, as in their body parts, which help them attack or defend themselves.
This is a great book for children who love animals and facts about animals.
The reader is provided a wealth of information; such as, the battles and animal statics along with where the various creatures live, their habitats. The reader learns about animal weapons, as in their body parts, which help them attack or defend themselves.
This is a great book for children who love animals and facts about animals.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Da 5 Bloods (2020) in Movies
Jun 19, 2020
Delroy Lindo shines in a mostly good film
Over the years, I have become a fan of Spike Lee. I think he has a singular vision as a filmmaker with his films putting a spotlight on the black experience and the prejudices and injustices that prevail.
DA 5 BLOODS - Lee's Vietnam War movie - is no exception.
Set in present(ish) day and in the memories of the main characters from their time "in country", DA 5 BLOODS tells the tale of 4 Vietnam Veterans who return to find the body of their squadron leader - and the gold that they buried under his body.
Part Vietnam war flick, part gold heist (and the cost of this theft on the hearts and minds of the participants) and part reflection on the treatment of the black soldiers, Lee reaches high to combine 3 separate - and complex - films into one (any one of which could have been a film of their own) and it is here that this films succeeds - and fails. For this film is at moments riveting, at moments unflinching and hard to watch, at moments confusing and at moments...surprisingly... dull. Spike had a lot of movie to tell and he took 2 and a 1/2 hours to tell it. He would have been better suited to cut some of this down to a more palatable 2-ish hour length. The film bogs down on itself at times.
But when it crackles - it crackles. Especially when the 4 veteran soldiers interact with each other. Led by the great Delroy Lindo (TV's THE GOOD FIGHT). I hope that this film gets a theatrical release sometime (to make it eligible for the Oscars) for Lindo's portrayal of MAGA Hat wearing, PTSD suffering Paul is powerful and captivating. I was riveted by his performance and I was willing to follow him to the ends of the Earth. Also standing out is Clarke Peters as Otis - the heart and soul of this group and Norm Lewis, the pigeon-toed Eddie who has a secret that he is hiding. Both of these characters shine at moments - but are not in the spotlight nearly often enough. The same can be said for Isaih Whitlock Jr as Melvin, a character that is undeserved until the end and by then I felt myself wanting more of him. (Side Note: Lee named these characters after members of THE TEMPTATIONS).
Lee makes an interesting choice in the flashback scenes of the war. Instead of casting younger actors or spending the $$ on "de-aging" the actors (Lee would say that the de-aging was "cost prohibitive"), Lee chooses to have these old guys just play their younger versions of themselves just as they are now, claiming that these are not flashbacks, but "memories" of these soldiers - and I gotta admit that this tactic works very, very well - especially when these 4 older gentlemen are in the Vietnam War scenes with their Platoon Leader played, charismatically, by the much younger Chadwick Boseman. His character is killed in action and since these scenes are memories, it works well that he is younger (he never got a chance to grow old) while all the others are older. Boseman has a an attraction to him that helps the audience buy into the fact that all these years later these 4 men still hold him front and center in their memories. Unfortunately, the combat scenes looks to me like they were done on a shoe-string budget, so Lee has to use "tricks" to pull these scenes off and these tricks bring these scenes down a peg.
As I've stated, this film is really 3 films in one and the effects of the gold on the men is the most interesting part of this film for me, it touches on the desires of the human soul and brings some of the strongest acting and emotions.
This being a Spike Lee joint, this film is peppered with scenes from the black experience - from Martin Luther KIng to Malcom X to "Hanoi Hannah" telling the black troops that their country is abandoning them. These are important events in the lives and psyche of these men (and African Americans) and Mr. Lee is uniquely positioned to bring the attention of the public to these events, and he does it well.
DA 5 BLOODS in now streaming on Netflix.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
DA 5 BLOODS - Lee's Vietnam War movie - is no exception.
Set in present(ish) day and in the memories of the main characters from their time "in country", DA 5 BLOODS tells the tale of 4 Vietnam Veterans who return to find the body of their squadron leader - and the gold that they buried under his body.
Part Vietnam war flick, part gold heist (and the cost of this theft on the hearts and minds of the participants) and part reflection on the treatment of the black soldiers, Lee reaches high to combine 3 separate - and complex - films into one (any one of which could have been a film of their own) and it is here that this films succeeds - and fails. For this film is at moments riveting, at moments unflinching and hard to watch, at moments confusing and at moments...surprisingly... dull. Spike had a lot of movie to tell and he took 2 and a 1/2 hours to tell it. He would have been better suited to cut some of this down to a more palatable 2-ish hour length. The film bogs down on itself at times.
But when it crackles - it crackles. Especially when the 4 veteran soldiers interact with each other. Led by the great Delroy Lindo (TV's THE GOOD FIGHT). I hope that this film gets a theatrical release sometime (to make it eligible for the Oscars) for Lindo's portrayal of MAGA Hat wearing, PTSD suffering Paul is powerful and captivating. I was riveted by his performance and I was willing to follow him to the ends of the Earth. Also standing out is Clarke Peters as Otis - the heart and soul of this group and Norm Lewis, the pigeon-toed Eddie who has a secret that he is hiding. Both of these characters shine at moments - but are not in the spotlight nearly often enough. The same can be said for Isaih Whitlock Jr as Melvin, a character that is undeserved until the end and by then I felt myself wanting more of him. (Side Note: Lee named these characters after members of THE TEMPTATIONS).
Lee makes an interesting choice in the flashback scenes of the war. Instead of casting younger actors or spending the $$ on "de-aging" the actors (Lee would say that the de-aging was "cost prohibitive"), Lee chooses to have these old guys just play their younger versions of themselves just as they are now, claiming that these are not flashbacks, but "memories" of these soldiers - and I gotta admit that this tactic works very, very well - especially when these 4 older gentlemen are in the Vietnam War scenes with their Platoon Leader played, charismatically, by the much younger Chadwick Boseman. His character is killed in action and since these scenes are memories, it works well that he is younger (he never got a chance to grow old) while all the others are older. Boseman has a an attraction to him that helps the audience buy into the fact that all these years later these 4 men still hold him front and center in their memories. Unfortunately, the combat scenes looks to me like they were done on a shoe-string budget, so Lee has to use "tricks" to pull these scenes off and these tricks bring these scenes down a peg.
As I've stated, this film is really 3 films in one and the effects of the gold on the men is the most interesting part of this film for me, it touches on the desires of the human soul and brings some of the strongest acting and emotions.
This being a Spike Lee joint, this film is peppered with scenes from the black experience - from Martin Luther KIng to Malcom X to "Hanoi Hannah" telling the black troops that their country is abandoning them. These are important events in the lives and psyche of these men (and African Americans) and Mr. Lee is uniquely positioned to bring the attention of the public to these events, and he does it well.
DA 5 BLOODS in now streaming on Netflix.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) in Movies
Nov 5, 2020
Peter Crushing (1 more)
Christopher Lee
The Monster Inside
The Curse of Frankenstein- is a great movie. Hammer films is a excellent studio, cause their brought back the universal monsters and put their own spin on it. And with The Curse of Frankenstein their put their own spin on Frankenstien. And did it work, yes.
The plot: Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is a brilliant scientist willing to stop at nothing in his quest to reanimate a deceased body. After alienating his longtime friend and partner, Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart), with his extreme methods, Frankenstein assembles a hideous creature (Christopher Lee) out of dead body parts and succeeds in bringing it to life. But the monster is not as obedient or docile as Frankenstein expected, and it runs amok, resulting in murder and mayhem.
It was Hammer's first colour horror film, and the first of their Frankenstein series.
Professor Patricia MacCormack called it the "first really gory horror film, showing blood and guts in colour".
Peter Cushing, who was then best known for his many high-profile roles in British television, had his first lead part in a movie with this film. Meanwhile, Christopher Lee's casting resulted largely from his height (6' 5"), though Hammer had earlier considered the even taller (6 '7") Bernard Bresslaw for the role.
Unlike the Universal Frankenstein series of the 1930s and 1940s, in which the character of the Monster was the recurring figure while the doctors frequently changed, it is Baron Frankenstein that is the connective character throughout the Hammer series, while the monsters change.
Its a excellent film.
The plot: Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is a brilliant scientist willing to stop at nothing in his quest to reanimate a deceased body. After alienating his longtime friend and partner, Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart), with his extreme methods, Frankenstein assembles a hideous creature (Christopher Lee) out of dead body parts and succeeds in bringing it to life. But the monster is not as obedient or docile as Frankenstein expected, and it runs amok, resulting in murder and mayhem.
It was Hammer's first colour horror film, and the first of their Frankenstein series.
Professor Patricia MacCormack called it the "first really gory horror film, showing blood and guts in colour".
Peter Cushing, who was then best known for his many high-profile roles in British television, had his first lead part in a movie with this film. Meanwhile, Christopher Lee's casting resulted largely from his height (6' 5"), though Hammer had earlier considered the even taller (6 '7") Bernard Bresslaw for the role.
Unlike the Universal Frankenstein series of the 1930s and 1940s, in which the character of the Monster was the recurring figure while the doctors frequently changed, it is Baron Frankenstein that is the connective character throughout the Hammer series, while the monsters change.
Its a excellent film.
Matt Geiger (15 KP) rated Da 5 Bloods (2020) in Movies
Jun 27, 2020
Da 5 Bloods: Spike Lee Asks Us "What's Going On?"
Spike Lee could not have possibly known that current events and major progresses made in the Black Lives Matter movement would more than likely affect the way audiences perceive Da 5 Bloods, but it’s these developments that, for all of the film’s flaws, imbue it with a sense of urgency befitting of Lee’s filmmaking talents and the beliefs that his filmography has been expounding for decades. In the process of expressing such powerful statements, Lee, in turn, provides a long-overdue voice for the African American experience in the Vietnam War, a conflict that has been portrayed in popular film for about as long as it has been over, and yet strangely, has not been properly balanced in its representation of those who made up the largest percentage of those who served in it.
Continuing Lee’s trend of fusing the past and present together to show that things are definitely still yet to change, Da 5 Bloods finds four African American veterans returning to Vietnam to search for the remains of their commanding officer, “Stormin’” Norman (Chadwick Boseman), and the stash of gold that they found and collectively buried, gold that was initially offered to the indigenous Southern Vietnamese by the CIA as payment for their support of US troops, but taken by the “Bloods” as compensation for their needless sacrifices for a country that has never given them the treatment they deserve despite the fact that they played a pivotal role in helping to make it what it is today. The ultimate goal is nothing that hasn’t been depicted before, but the controversy of the Vietnam War and the experience of combat and violence spills over into today; some of the film’s most striking messages are effectively relayed through a handful of very committed performances from the well-casted ensemble, with Delroy Lindo serving as the beating emotional heart of the film. It’s a career-defining showcase for Lindo, who, as the PTSD-stricken Trump supporter Paul, carries the most weight on his shoulders. He wrestles with personal demons and survivor’s guilt for more than half of his life because of the choices he made during his time in the service, time he and the other Bloods couldn’t avoid because, unlike the privileged white men of America, they were not given the same opportunities to dodge the draft. The disenfranchisement and aimlessness that Lindo merely alludes to through his heart-wrenching performance provides the foundation for the complicated relationship Paul shares with his estranged son, David (Jonathan Majors in the film’s other award-worthy performance), who tags along for the ride in an effort to heal old wounds and bury a deeply-lodged hatchet.
The natural chemistry Lindo shares with the other Bloods (Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, and Isiah Whitlock, Jr.) is palpable in both the past and present, which blend into one as the screen slides from one aspect ratio to another, shifting from flashbacks of one wartorn world to the present day, in which we find ourselves fighting a different, yet altogether similar kind of war. That these changes in aspect ratios never appear as visually perceived cuts is simply another one of the ways in which Spike Lee seamlessly reminds us that then and now are cut from the same cloth, complete with the same heart-wrenching tragedies that give way to the camaraderie that is necessary to ensure that the proper names get written back into history where they belong. How the four vets are visually represented in their recollections of their commander, which are stripped of the psychedelic imagery associated with previous Vietnam War films in order to cut deeper into understanding what the Bloods’ place in Vietnam is supposed to mean (if it means anything at all), further adds to Lee’s ability to find the haunting parallels between the two time periods that comprise the film.
Spike Lee gets at so many unique and timely concepts that seem perfectly applicable to what’s going on in the world, but where he stumbles is how he goes about explicating these ideas. As a storyteller, Lee is at his best when his narratives gradually develop at a reasonably decisive pace until the tension is fully amplified by the story’s climactic boiling point, at which point there’s no turning back. Such was the nature of Do the Right Thing and, more recently, BlacKkKlansman. The same cannot entirely be said for Da 5 Bloods, which struggles to find a consistent pace and tone during its first act, in which it tries to introduce all of the central ideas at once, along with some unnecessary side stories that carry little to no weight in comparison to the central task and are ultimately resolved in schmaltzy, unsatisfying ways. Moreover, while investment in the film can be maintained throughout, too often is this investment reinforced by the unnecessary moments that serve as detriments to the sequences of dramatic consequence and just might take you out of the story, causing you to restart your investment. Every act has at least one of these moments, with the final result unfortunately falling short of the expectations of some of the genres that are molded into the Bloods’ journey through the Vietnamese jungle. The overtly patriotic and quite distracting score from Terence Blanchard (regardless of whether or not its inclusion was intended as irony) does not help the matter, with many of the best scenes occurring either in silence or alongside the soulful tracks of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On album.
Even when Spike Lee stumbles in the execution of his argument, what ultimately matters is the argument itself; while the film begins and ends rather heavy-handedly, telling the viewer things they are bound to already know and incorporating footage that doesn’t need to be there for the point to get across, the sacrifices that Lee chooses to detail and their ramifications for the state of our country to today give the film a degree of value at a time like this, and he is the only director who could bring these issues to the forefront in such an entertaining way. It may not be as good or accessible as his best work, but the calls to action that he has long been affiliated with echo through jungles and cities in equal measure.
What did you guys think of Da 5 Bloods? Agree? Disagree?
Continuing Lee’s trend of fusing the past and present together to show that things are definitely still yet to change, Da 5 Bloods finds four African American veterans returning to Vietnam to search for the remains of their commanding officer, “Stormin’” Norman (Chadwick Boseman), and the stash of gold that they found and collectively buried, gold that was initially offered to the indigenous Southern Vietnamese by the CIA as payment for their support of US troops, but taken by the “Bloods” as compensation for their needless sacrifices for a country that has never given them the treatment they deserve despite the fact that they played a pivotal role in helping to make it what it is today. The ultimate goal is nothing that hasn’t been depicted before, but the controversy of the Vietnam War and the experience of combat and violence spills over into today; some of the film’s most striking messages are effectively relayed through a handful of very committed performances from the well-casted ensemble, with Delroy Lindo serving as the beating emotional heart of the film. It’s a career-defining showcase for Lindo, who, as the PTSD-stricken Trump supporter Paul, carries the most weight on his shoulders. He wrestles with personal demons and survivor’s guilt for more than half of his life because of the choices he made during his time in the service, time he and the other Bloods couldn’t avoid because, unlike the privileged white men of America, they were not given the same opportunities to dodge the draft. The disenfranchisement and aimlessness that Lindo merely alludes to through his heart-wrenching performance provides the foundation for the complicated relationship Paul shares with his estranged son, David (Jonathan Majors in the film’s other award-worthy performance), who tags along for the ride in an effort to heal old wounds and bury a deeply-lodged hatchet.
The natural chemistry Lindo shares with the other Bloods (Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, and Isiah Whitlock, Jr.) is palpable in both the past and present, which blend into one as the screen slides from one aspect ratio to another, shifting from flashbacks of one wartorn world to the present day, in which we find ourselves fighting a different, yet altogether similar kind of war. That these changes in aspect ratios never appear as visually perceived cuts is simply another one of the ways in which Spike Lee seamlessly reminds us that then and now are cut from the same cloth, complete with the same heart-wrenching tragedies that give way to the camaraderie that is necessary to ensure that the proper names get written back into history where they belong. How the four vets are visually represented in their recollections of their commander, which are stripped of the psychedelic imagery associated with previous Vietnam War films in order to cut deeper into understanding what the Bloods’ place in Vietnam is supposed to mean (if it means anything at all), further adds to Lee’s ability to find the haunting parallels between the two time periods that comprise the film.
Spike Lee gets at so many unique and timely concepts that seem perfectly applicable to what’s going on in the world, but where he stumbles is how he goes about explicating these ideas. As a storyteller, Lee is at his best when his narratives gradually develop at a reasonably decisive pace until the tension is fully amplified by the story’s climactic boiling point, at which point there’s no turning back. Such was the nature of Do the Right Thing and, more recently, BlacKkKlansman. The same cannot entirely be said for Da 5 Bloods, which struggles to find a consistent pace and tone during its first act, in which it tries to introduce all of the central ideas at once, along with some unnecessary side stories that carry little to no weight in comparison to the central task and are ultimately resolved in schmaltzy, unsatisfying ways. Moreover, while investment in the film can be maintained throughout, too often is this investment reinforced by the unnecessary moments that serve as detriments to the sequences of dramatic consequence and just might take you out of the story, causing you to restart your investment. Every act has at least one of these moments, with the final result unfortunately falling short of the expectations of some of the genres that are molded into the Bloods’ journey through the Vietnamese jungle. The overtly patriotic and quite distracting score from Terence Blanchard (regardless of whether or not its inclusion was intended as irony) does not help the matter, with many of the best scenes occurring either in silence or alongside the soulful tracks of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On album.
Even when Spike Lee stumbles in the execution of his argument, what ultimately matters is the argument itself; while the film begins and ends rather heavy-handedly, telling the viewer things they are bound to already know and incorporating footage that doesn’t need to be there for the point to get across, the sacrifices that Lee chooses to detail and their ramifications for the state of our country to today give the film a degree of value at a time like this, and he is the only director who could bring these issues to the forefront in such an entertaining way. It may not be as good or accessible as his best work, but the calls to action that he has long been affiliated with echo through jungles and cities in equal measure.
What did you guys think of Da 5 Bloods? Agree? Disagree?
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Jason Bourne (2016) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
It is hard to believe that 2007 was the last time Matt Damon portrayed Jason Bourne. The series continued with Jeremy Renner playing a character set in the same universe in the 2012 release “The Bourne Legacy”, but fans have longed for more from the series originator.
Thankfully Writer/Director Paul Greengrass has returned with Damon to in the new film “Jason Bourne” The film opens with Bourne in hiding and living off the grid in Greece. He sustains himself by taking part in full contact matches and has regained more of the memories he has forgotten since the events prior to the first film.
His former associate Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) has managed to hack into the government and has obtained numerous files about covert operations including a new and greater program as well as information about Bourne and his father.
The leak catches the attention of Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) and he tasks ambitious Agent Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander) to find and stop Bourne and Parsons.
At the same time, Dewey is working with a software developer to ensure that the government has unlimited access to all the users of his software in order to maintain surveillance upon them. Uncomfortable with this arrangement the developer (Aaron Kalloor) threatens to expose what the government has been up to at a big software expo in Las Vegas before a worldwide audience.
With this new threat and Bourne resurfaced, a cold and deadly assassin is dispatched and in locales ranging from Greece, Berlin, London, and Las Vegas as Bourne attempts to get the answers he wants and to settle some old scores with danger all around him.
The film takes a bit to get up to speed but once it does it delivers the action and political intrigue that fans of the series have come to expect. Naturally it does at times require a few leaps of faith but in the end, Bourne is back better than ever and Damon reminds us of how much he owns this character with her performance. Here is hoping we do not have as long a wait for him to return in a new Bourne adventure.
http://sknr.net/2016/07/29/84102/
Thankfully Writer/Director Paul Greengrass has returned with Damon to in the new film “Jason Bourne” The film opens with Bourne in hiding and living off the grid in Greece. He sustains himself by taking part in full contact matches and has regained more of the memories he has forgotten since the events prior to the first film.
His former associate Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) has managed to hack into the government and has obtained numerous files about covert operations including a new and greater program as well as information about Bourne and his father.
The leak catches the attention of Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) and he tasks ambitious Agent Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander) to find and stop Bourne and Parsons.
At the same time, Dewey is working with a software developer to ensure that the government has unlimited access to all the users of his software in order to maintain surveillance upon them. Uncomfortable with this arrangement the developer (Aaron Kalloor) threatens to expose what the government has been up to at a big software expo in Las Vegas before a worldwide audience.
With this new threat and Bourne resurfaced, a cold and deadly assassin is dispatched and in locales ranging from Greece, Berlin, London, and Las Vegas as Bourne attempts to get the answers he wants and to settle some old scores with danger all around him.
The film takes a bit to get up to speed but once it does it delivers the action and political intrigue that fans of the series have come to expect. Naturally it does at times require a few leaps of faith but in the end, Bourne is back better than ever and Damon reminds us of how much he owns this character with her performance. Here is hoping we do not have as long a wait for him to return in a new Bourne adventure.
http://sknr.net/2016/07/29/84102/
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) in Movies
Nov 4, 2018
Come for the music, stay...for the music
My musical tastes end somewhere in the late 1970's/early 1980's. Billy Joel, ELO and, especially, Queen were in constant rotation on my turntable. So it was with a mixture of excitement and nervousness that I checked out BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, the "Queen movie".
Fortunately, this film rekindled my love for the music of Queen. I gotta admit, I was cranking Queen tunes in the car on the ride home. Unfortunately, the storytelling is weak, so I really did not gain any insight into Freddy, his family, the group, his marriage, his bi-sexuality, his drug use, the times they lived in or the AIDS epidemic of the '80's. All these items were touched upon in the movie, but not delved into, leaving a void in the part of my brain that craves a good, meaningful and touching story with my movie/musicals. It certainly doesn't help this story that I have the wonderful A STAR IS BORN sitting in my recent memory.
But the music, the musical performances and the acting performances of all involved almost make up for this void, leaving a very satisfying experience at the movies.
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY follows young Farrokh Bulsara as he joins the band SMILE, changes the bands name to QUEEN, changes his name to Freddie Mercury and becomes an International Superstar leading up to the inevitable fall and resurgence at the Live Aid concert in the 1980's.
In the lead, Rami Malik is wonderful. He has the essence of the superstar we know down well. He is a winning, watchable presence on screen and I wouldn't be surprised if he is mentioned when Oscar nominations roll around. Joining him as members of the band are Ben Hardy as Roger Taylor, Joe Mazzello as John Deacon and Gwilym Lee as Brian May. All are effective enough in their roles - and believable in the musical scenes - with Lee standing out just a bit more than the others.
Also along for the ride are Lucy Boyton as Freddy's wife, Mary Austin and Tom Hollander, Mike Myers and Aidan Gillen as music execs aiding and attempting to guide Queen to the top. Only Allen Leech as Paul Prenter is unconvincing on the screen. But, I blame this more to the decisions of the screenwriters and directors for Paul is the "villain" of this piece - and a not-too-subtle villain at that.
But, Director Bryan Singer (X-MEN, THE USUAL SUSPECTS) is forgiven his lapses in content and subtlety as the music scenes are strong - and the film finishes with a 20 minute recreation of Queen at the Live Aid concert that is worth the price of admission all on it's own.
All in all, a good time at the movies. If you like Queen, you'll be entertained by this film.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Fortunately, this film rekindled my love for the music of Queen. I gotta admit, I was cranking Queen tunes in the car on the ride home. Unfortunately, the storytelling is weak, so I really did not gain any insight into Freddy, his family, the group, his marriage, his bi-sexuality, his drug use, the times they lived in or the AIDS epidemic of the '80's. All these items were touched upon in the movie, but not delved into, leaving a void in the part of my brain that craves a good, meaningful and touching story with my movie/musicals. It certainly doesn't help this story that I have the wonderful A STAR IS BORN sitting in my recent memory.
But the music, the musical performances and the acting performances of all involved almost make up for this void, leaving a very satisfying experience at the movies.
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY follows young Farrokh Bulsara as he joins the band SMILE, changes the bands name to QUEEN, changes his name to Freddie Mercury and becomes an International Superstar leading up to the inevitable fall and resurgence at the Live Aid concert in the 1980's.
In the lead, Rami Malik is wonderful. He has the essence of the superstar we know down well. He is a winning, watchable presence on screen and I wouldn't be surprised if he is mentioned when Oscar nominations roll around. Joining him as members of the band are Ben Hardy as Roger Taylor, Joe Mazzello as John Deacon and Gwilym Lee as Brian May. All are effective enough in their roles - and believable in the musical scenes - with Lee standing out just a bit more than the others.
Also along for the ride are Lucy Boyton as Freddy's wife, Mary Austin and Tom Hollander, Mike Myers and Aidan Gillen as music execs aiding and attempting to guide Queen to the top. Only Allen Leech as Paul Prenter is unconvincing on the screen. But, I blame this more to the decisions of the screenwriters and directors for Paul is the "villain" of this piece - and a not-too-subtle villain at that.
But, Director Bryan Singer (X-MEN, THE USUAL SUSPECTS) is forgiven his lapses in content and subtlety as the music scenes are strong - and the film finishes with a 20 minute recreation of Queen at the Live Aid concert that is worth the price of admission all on it's own.
All in all, a good time at the movies. If you like Queen, you'll be entertained by this film.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Michael Barker recommended The Killers (1964) in Movies (curated)
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) in Movies
Feb 9, 2022 (Updated Feb 9, 2022)
Visual effects (4 more)
Casting choices
Over enthusiastic plot
Missing key plot points
Characteristic changes
The beginning of the end...
Contains spoilers, click to show
OK first of all I watched this movie with hope, after the original 6 Paul W.S Anderson movies were very hit and miss (although RE Apocalypse was epic) I had faith that this would be done right, and although I'd never thought I'd be one of those fans who points out numerous flaws in a videogame movie adaption, here we are...
Set in the fictional destination of Racoon City, the movie quickly introduces characters Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield, Leon. S. Kennedy, Jill Valentine and Albert Wesker amongst others.
The plot trotts along nicely for a short while before it begins racing between Two crammed together story's, RE1 & RE2 (with traces of RE3 plotted around).
Jumping between Claire and Leon wandering around RPD and Chris, Wesker and Jill lost wandering the halls of Spencer Mansion.
The visual effects are rather shoddy in places and the characters other than Claire seem to have a low IQ and a hard-on for danger.
The characters origin story's are unnecessary and mostly pointless, especially Leon's making them all seem like post grad high-school students.
There was no big bad showdown and no explanation or hint for the city's destruction other than 'umbrella fucked up'.
The direction is sloppy at best and everything is rushed, the characters looked almost nothing like their videogame counterparts and key plot points were missing throughout and the final scene looked like something from a teenage expendables movie...
I was unsure what to rate this but an overall out of 10, for me it's a 2.5.
As for this movie, my name is Lee, and I remember everything, lol.
Set in the fictional destination of Racoon City, the movie quickly introduces characters Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield, Leon. S. Kennedy, Jill Valentine and Albert Wesker amongst others.
The plot trotts along nicely for a short while before it begins racing between Two crammed together story's, RE1 & RE2 (with traces of RE3 plotted around).
Jumping between Claire and Leon wandering around RPD and Chris, Wesker and Jill lost wandering the halls of Spencer Mansion.
The visual effects are rather shoddy in places and the characters other than Claire seem to have a low IQ and a hard-on for danger.
The characters origin story's are unnecessary and mostly pointless, especially Leon's making them all seem like post grad high-school students.
There was no big bad showdown and no explanation or hint for the city's destruction other than 'umbrella fucked up'.
The direction is sloppy at best and everything is rushed, the characters looked almost nothing like their videogame counterparts and key plot points were missing throughout and the final scene looked like something from a teenage expendables movie...
I was unsure what to rate this but an overall out of 10, for me it's a 2.5.
As for this movie, my name is Lee, and I remember everything, lol.
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Cop Out (2010) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Jun 23, 2019)
Jimmy Monroe (Bruce Willis) and Paul Hodges (Tracy Morgan) have been working as partners at the NYPD for the past nine years. They have a reputation at the precinct for doing things their own sporadic and wreckful way that isn't normal procedure and usually winds up getting them into hot water with the captain. A suspect is brought in for interrogation and when he finally spills the beans on a drug deal happening that afternoon, Jimmy and Paul think it's best to act on it right then and there. After their plan fails, their suspect is killed and months of work is flushed down the drain. Jimmy and Paul are suspended for 30 days without pay, which isn't good news for Jimmy since his daughter is getting married and has the typical expensive wedding of her dreams in mind. Jimmy plans on selling a collectible baseball card that could pay for his daughter's wedding and then some, but the card is stolen by some crackheads before he can get the chance. Now Jimmy's just trying to get the card back to pay for his daughter's wedding, but him and Paul, who's too distracted with his wife's possible infidelity to really concentrate on the task at hand, are thrown into something much deeper.
To tell the truth, I wasn't looking forward to this film at all. I'm a pretty big fan of most of Kevin Smith's work, but he didn't write the film. It could be argued that he did write Jersey Girl and that could be considered a bomb, but his films usually average about $25-$30 million anyway. A Kevin Smith film isn't really about bringing in a large amount of money at the box office. His charm is in his writing, especially the dialogue and interaction between characters. There's a very specific audience his films will appeal to and none of them have really branched away from that. But him not writing this one made me think, "Eh. Not sure what that'll be like since he didn't write it." When it comes to Bruce Willis, I've never talked to anyone who dislikes him entirely. There always seems to be at least one of his films everybody enjoys. Die Hard, The Fifth Element, and Sin City are just a few off the top of my head. The real buzz-killer for me though was Tracy Morgan. He's just never been funny to me. He was beyond lame on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock has never been able to hold my attention for very long. Not to mention all the trailers for Cop Out didn't make me laugh. Thankfully though, first impressions can be so very wrong.
One of Cop Out's biggest charms is that it feels like a buddy cop comedy you've seen before, but have forgotten how much you enjoy it. The film feels similar to a 48 Hrs or Beverly Hills Cop film. Bulletproof is also a good example. Cop Out is pretty much what you expect when it comes to roles Bruce Willis chooses as it's pretty much no different than his role as John McClane on the surface, but he's a lot funnier this time around. As far as Tracy Morgan goes, the funniest thing I could remember him saying was his one line in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back ("Man... I don't know what the f--- you just said, Little Kid, but you're special man, you reached out, and you touched a brother's heart.") until this film. He was downright hilarious at times. The only person who was funnier than Morgan was Seann William Scott who stole every scene he was in. Even though Kevin Smith didn't pen the script this time around, it still feels like a Kevin Smith film. It could be due to the fact that Jason Lee has a small role in the film, but I like to think it's because Cop Out offers the same kind of comedy you'd find in a Kevin Smith film with a bit more action. It also took me forever to place Scarface from Half Baked as Poh Boy.
Cop Out is surprisingly funny and incredibly entertaining. Give this film a chance even if the trailers may not be doing anything for you. I felt the same way and wound up thoroughly enjoying the film. After a long, stressful day at work, an R-rated comedy with a lot of laughs is one of the best ways to relax and this film offers just that. It's a great film to go into with no expectations other than to just have a good time.
To tell the truth, I wasn't looking forward to this film at all. I'm a pretty big fan of most of Kevin Smith's work, but he didn't write the film. It could be argued that he did write Jersey Girl and that could be considered a bomb, but his films usually average about $25-$30 million anyway. A Kevin Smith film isn't really about bringing in a large amount of money at the box office. His charm is in his writing, especially the dialogue and interaction between characters. There's a very specific audience his films will appeal to and none of them have really branched away from that. But him not writing this one made me think, "Eh. Not sure what that'll be like since he didn't write it." When it comes to Bruce Willis, I've never talked to anyone who dislikes him entirely. There always seems to be at least one of his films everybody enjoys. Die Hard, The Fifth Element, and Sin City are just a few off the top of my head. The real buzz-killer for me though was Tracy Morgan. He's just never been funny to me. He was beyond lame on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock has never been able to hold my attention for very long. Not to mention all the trailers for Cop Out didn't make me laugh. Thankfully though, first impressions can be so very wrong.
One of Cop Out's biggest charms is that it feels like a buddy cop comedy you've seen before, but have forgotten how much you enjoy it. The film feels similar to a 48 Hrs or Beverly Hills Cop film. Bulletproof is also a good example. Cop Out is pretty much what you expect when it comes to roles Bruce Willis chooses as it's pretty much no different than his role as John McClane on the surface, but he's a lot funnier this time around. As far as Tracy Morgan goes, the funniest thing I could remember him saying was his one line in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back ("Man... I don't know what the f--- you just said, Little Kid, but you're special man, you reached out, and you touched a brother's heart.") until this film. He was downright hilarious at times. The only person who was funnier than Morgan was Seann William Scott who stole every scene he was in. Even though Kevin Smith didn't pen the script this time around, it still feels like a Kevin Smith film. It could be due to the fact that Jason Lee has a small role in the film, but I like to think it's because Cop Out offers the same kind of comedy you'd find in a Kevin Smith film with a bit more action. It also took me forever to place Scarface from Half Baked as Poh Boy.
Cop Out is surprisingly funny and incredibly entertaining. Give this film a chance even if the trailers may not be doing anything for you. I felt the same way and wound up thoroughly enjoying the film. After a long, stressful day at work, an R-rated comedy with a lot of laughs is one of the best ways to relax and this film offers just that. It's a great film to go into with no expectations other than to just have a good time.