Across the Endless River
8.0
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From the acclaimed bestselling author of The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, a historical novel about...
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Silver Orphan in Books
May 10, 2018
Brooke Blake is a young beautiful drug-rep, whose only concern is herself. One day when stopped to avoid an elderly man from stepping into traffic, he steps into her car. Thus begins a very unusual relationship between Brooke and Frank Moretti. As Brooke becomes Frank's personal assistant, Frank becomes Brooke's history teacher. Trips to the grocery store and the bank are what most of their days entail. Talks of Frank's past and Brooke's present dominate the conversation.
When Frank passes away, Brooke is left with the task of claiming his body from the morgue and finding his next of kin.
I think this book may have been better written as a memoir. I did learn a lot from this book about WWII history so in that regard I liked it. Before I started reading this book I recommended it to my mom's senior center book club. After reading, I'm not so sure. The book didn't flow very smoothly, at times it was wordy and the word, extirpate was used too many times. These things may all be corrected in editing and I'd be interested to skim through the finished published product.
In the Spirit of French Murder
5.0
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After moving to France, Tabitha Knight has a new friend in fellow expat and Cordon Bleu student...
Laduree: Sucre: The Recipes
Phillipe Andrieu and Sophie Tramier
Book
From biscuits to cakes, and from tarts to pastries, the classics of the House of Laduree are...
Unhappy Union: How the Euro Crisis- and Europe - Can be Fixed
10.0
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The euro was supposed to create an unbreakable bond between the nations and people of Europe. But...
Smart Banking Slovakia for iPad
Finance and Business
App
UniCredit Smart Banking pre iPad Našu populárnu aplikáciu pre iPhone môžete teraz využívať...
Smart Banking for iPad
Finance and Business
App
UniCredit Smart Banking pro iPad Naší populární aplikaci pro iPhone můžete nyní využít...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Point Break (1991) in Movies
Jan 17, 2018
Point Break can be a bit over the top at times. One scene in particular involving a chase scene where someone literally threw a dog at Keanu Reeves left me scratching my head and chuckling, but I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to be laughing at that point. The plot holes threw me off just as much. Spoiler Alert In the Form of a Question: After Johnny Utah's cover is blown, why the hell is he still hanging out with the bankrobbers?
After a slow start, I managed to find myself engaged in what was unfolding. Keanu Reeves got off to a slow start as well in his role as Johnny Utah, but found his way midway through. It was almost like this was the film where he learned how to act, but director Kathryn Bigelow didn't notice until they were well past the point of reshoots. It doesn't kill the movie, not by a longshot, especially considering its setting.
The ending was extremely ambiguous and, ten years ago, probably would have ruined the entire film for me. Now, it left me asking myself, "What does this mean exactly?" My answer in a sec...
For those of you like me that are new to the film, Point Break is the story of a detective trying to take down a gang of surfers that have become notorious on the bank-robbing circuit as the Ex-Presidents. The film has some fun action sequences, including a house raid midway through that I really enjoyed. I also thought Bigelow captured some powerful shots when it came to expressing the love and power of the ocean. I would love to see this film shot in IMAX today. And I said this film, not the god-awful remake. My favorite shot takes place at a gas station. Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) is burning a car (destroying evidence) to the ground using a gas pump and a lighter. For some reason, it reminded me of the one scene I enjoyed in Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice where the courtroom explodes and just Superman is left among the flames. Scenes like this, no matter how good or bad a film is, stay etched in your memory for a long time.
So what were my thoughts on the ending? I feel like the waves got the better of Utah and he succumbed to their call. He got a taste of a life that was more easygoing and peaceful. Less rules and restrictions. Ultimately, it was enough for him to throw everything else (badge included) away. And yes, I think he does end up staying with Tyler (Lori Petty).
Glad I saw this film. I give it a 77.
The Ultimate Book of Heroic Failures
Book
This book was the winner of the Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year. Anyone can be a success, but...