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JT (287 KP) rated Out of the Furnace (2013) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Cast for so long in the trademark cowl of Batman and posing around Gotham City as the slightly disturbed and flamboyant billionaire Bruce Wayne, Christian Bale is back deep in his gritty acting roots.
Bale plays Pennsylvania steel mill worker Russell, a man living a simplistic hard working way of life. His brother on the other hand, Rodney (Casey Affleck), is back from a tour in Iraq. He’s visibly scared and not in the least bit interested in anymore manual labour. Inciting that the country owes him a something for his sacrifice he gets into debt gambling and desperate for cash to pay off his short fall he takes bare knuckle fist fights organised by loan shark friend John Petty Willem Dafoe.
Things move from bad to worse in a surprise addition to the plot, which sees Russell endure some time behind bars and in the process loses his sick father as well as seeing girlfriend Lena (Zoe Saldana) fall into the arms of local cop Forest Whitaker. When Russell steps outside of prison for the first time he has yet another problem facing him, in the form of local drug kingpin and all round nasty, Harlan DeGroat brilliantly played by Woody Harrelson.
DeGroat is not one to be crossed as even the local police keep their distance but Rodney heads straight into the lion’s den when he accepts a fight and then is propositioned to take a dive during it; something that he is not willing to do.
The relationship between the brothers is enthralling and totally believable. Both Bale and Affleck give controlled and sharp performances feeding off each other as the tension between them rises. The film attempts to broach the subject of the working classes, while at the same time portraying the life of the retired marine who has come back home full of nightmares and is left forgotten only to crumble into himself.
It’s a strong cast, with Harrelson’s villain commanding the screen with gusto while the likes of Saldana, Defoe and Sam Shepard play mere bit parts. But with this much talent on show not everyone can feature front and centre. The film’s setting is a perfect post-industrial stomping ground for battles both in the illegal ring and out of it, while a moody soundtrack is a perfect accompaniment to the narrative that is moving and rough around the edges.
Bale plays Pennsylvania steel mill worker Russell, a man living a simplistic hard working way of life. His brother on the other hand, Rodney (Casey Affleck), is back from a tour in Iraq. He’s visibly scared and not in the least bit interested in anymore manual labour. Inciting that the country owes him a something for his sacrifice he gets into debt gambling and desperate for cash to pay off his short fall he takes bare knuckle fist fights organised by loan shark friend John Petty Willem Dafoe.
Things move from bad to worse in a surprise addition to the plot, which sees Russell endure some time behind bars and in the process loses his sick father as well as seeing girlfriend Lena (Zoe Saldana) fall into the arms of local cop Forest Whitaker. When Russell steps outside of prison for the first time he has yet another problem facing him, in the form of local drug kingpin and all round nasty, Harlan DeGroat brilliantly played by Woody Harrelson.
DeGroat is not one to be crossed as even the local police keep their distance but Rodney heads straight into the lion’s den when he accepts a fight and then is propositioned to take a dive during it; something that he is not willing to do.
The relationship between the brothers is enthralling and totally believable. Both Bale and Affleck give controlled and sharp performances feeding off each other as the tension between them rises. The film attempts to broach the subject of the working classes, while at the same time portraying the life of the retired marine who has come back home full of nightmares and is left forgotten only to crumble into himself.
It’s a strong cast, with Harrelson’s villain commanding the screen with gusto while the likes of Saldana, Defoe and Sam Shepard play mere bit parts. But with this much talent on show not everyone can feature front and centre. The film’s setting is a perfect post-industrial stomping ground for battles both in the illegal ring and out of it, while a moody soundtrack is a perfect accompaniment to the narrative that is moving and rough around the edges.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Poltergeist (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
I struggle with my view of this film. Mostly because I want to compare it to the 1982 horror classic it is a remake of. But rather than pick apart how it does or does not compare to the original I realize I must judge this film on its own merit. As such, I feel this film is just…ok. Not bad, not great, just ok.
That isn’t to say this film is not a good time. In fact, It is quite fun. I feel there are more laughs in this film than scares. Fun times indeed. Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt play good spirited parents trying to make the best of their financial burden while moving into a new home. The three kids are the typical modern type. The older teenager concerned with her cell phone, the tech savvy son, Griffin, who seems to be sacred of everything and the “gifted” little daughter, Madison, who is innocent. The film starts lighthearted enough with jokes and everyday family squabbles. But that quickly changes as Madison starts to have conversations with her closet and the television. Yet, the only one who sees these freak events are scardy-cat Griffin, who won’t sleep in his room when there is a squirrel but doesn’t scream for his parents when he notices the electricity doing things it shouldn’t. But I digress.
And here is where the problems of this film arrive. Rather than create its own memorable scenes that sets it apart from the original, it is in such a hurry to give its own take on the classic scenes from the first film. As such, there is no real sense of rhythm to the pacing of this film that is a staple of good horror films with drawn out sense of suspense the help heighten the sense of dread. And so we are left without any real worry for our characters or us as the audience. We have a few jump scares before a long conclusion that feels more like “Classic” made for TV than big budget film.
In the end, we are left with a “popcorn” horror film that is fun but forgettable at best. Fans of the original will be disappointed. Parents who want to take their young teenage kids to their first horror film will appreciate the wholesome family feel.
That isn’t to say this film is not a good time. In fact, It is quite fun. I feel there are more laughs in this film than scares. Fun times indeed. Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt play good spirited parents trying to make the best of their financial burden while moving into a new home. The three kids are the typical modern type. The older teenager concerned with her cell phone, the tech savvy son, Griffin, who seems to be sacred of everything and the “gifted” little daughter, Madison, who is innocent. The film starts lighthearted enough with jokes and everyday family squabbles. But that quickly changes as Madison starts to have conversations with her closet and the television. Yet, the only one who sees these freak events are scardy-cat Griffin, who won’t sleep in his room when there is a squirrel but doesn’t scream for his parents when he notices the electricity doing things it shouldn’t. But I digress.
And here is where the problems of this film arrive. Rather than create its own memorable scenes that sets it apart from the original, it is in such a hurry to give its own take on the classic scenes from the first film. As such, there is no real sense of rhythm to the pacing of this film that is a staple of good horror films with drawn out sense of suspense the help heighten the sense of dread. And so we are left without any real worry for our characters or us as the audience. We have a few jump scares before a long conclusion that feels more like “Classic” made for TV than big budget film.
In the end, we are left with a “popcorn” horror film that is fun but forgettable at best. Fans of the original will be disappointed. Parents who want to take their young teenage kids to their first horror film will appreciate the wholesome family feel.
Escape to Pagan: The True Story of One Family's Fight to Survive in World War II Occupied Asia
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Erika (17789 KP) rated Kindred (2020) in Movies
Jul 10, 2021
Kindred is a psychological thriller/horror about the reluctantly pregnant Charlotte (Tamara Lawrance) after her boyfriend, Ben (Edward Holcroft), dies in a workplace accident. After this accident, Charlotte is taken in by Ben’s mother (Fiona Shaw), and creepy stepbrother, Thomas (Jack Lowden). They proceed to basically torture her and question her sanity.
Prior to the accident, Charlotte and Ben visit the decrepit family home to announce they’re moving to Australia for a new start. It obviously did not go over well. After this visit, Charlotte finds out she’s pregnant, and that news gets passed around the small town, and that's how Ben finds out. Charlotte expresses that she doesn’t necessarily want the baby, but it was pretty much brushed aside – red flag, RUN GIRL!
This is when the main portion of the film begins, and they take her in under the guise of taking care of her and the baby. It was pretty obvious the only reason they took care of her, because she was the incubator for the grandchild.
This was basically a 21st Century version of Gaslight (1940/1944). The film wasn’t necessarily unique, and the ending was as expected. As always with films now, it’s about the journey, since you already know the end. There was very heavy-handed symbolism with the crow, which for me, began to get a little tedious, but I understood why it was there.
Full disclosure, I only watched the film because Jack Lowden was in it. I figured, if it’s not good, at least there was someone pretty to look at. As I watched this, I asked myself, is Thomas just a really beautiful dummy who constantly announces he’s making lunch? Hmm.
Tamara Lawrance was great in the film, she was compelling, and you did hope that she would be successful in escaping from the creepy family, and wallpaper-peeling house. Also, I liked that she correctly portrayed the serious frustration of expressing concern to doctors and other medical personnel, and not being taken seriously because the issues are related to female reproductive organs.
My curiosity was what made me keep watching, but I wasn’t necessarily completely engaged the entire time. The tension didn’t really stay the entire time. Although I did have the issues with the predictability, I did still surprising like the film. I’m glad I didn’t let it Rest in Peace in my Hulu watchlist graveyard.
Prior to the accident, Charlotte and Ben visit the decrepit family home to announce they’re moving to Australia for a new start. It obviously did not go over well. After this visit, Charlotte finds out she’s pregnant, and that news gets passed around the small town, and that's how Ben finds out. Charlotte expresses that she doesn’t necessarily want the baby, but it was pretty much brushed aside – red flag, RUN GIRL!
This is when the main portion of the film begins, and they take her in under the guise of taking care of her and the baby. It was pretty obvious the only reason they took care of her, because she was the incubator for the grandchild.
This was basically a 21st Century version of Gaslight (1940/1944). The film wasn’t necessarily unique, and the ending was as expected. As always with films now, it’s about the journey, since you already know the end. There was very heavy-handed symbolism with the crow, which for me, began to get a little tedious, but I understood why it was there.
Full disclosure, I only watched the film because Jack Lowden was in it. I figured, if it’s not good, at least there was someone pretty to look at. As I watched this, I asked myself, is Thomas just a really beautiful dummy who constantly announces he’s making lunch? Hmm.
Tamara Lawrance was great in the film, she was compelling, and you did hope that she would be successful in escaping from the creepy family, and wallpaper-peeling house. Also, I liked that she correctly portrayed the serious frustration of expressing concern to doctors and other medical personnel, and not being taken seriously because the issues are related to female reproductive organs.
My curiosity was what made me keep watching, but I wasn’t necessarily completely engaged the entire time. The tension didn’t really stay the entire time. Although I did have the issues with the predictability, I did still surprising like the film. I’m glad I didn’t let it Rest in Peace in my Hulu watchlist graveyard.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Baby Driver (2017) in Movies
Jul 11, 2019
After falling into debt with a crime boss, Baby (Ansel Elgort), must pay back what he owes by being the getaway driver for brazen daytime heists. The crime boss, Doc (Kevin Spacey), promises Baby that once the next job is done he will be debt free. Baby does the job and heads home feeling finally free and ready to start doing good things with his life. He meets a beautiful waitress, Debora (Lily James), and plans to drive across the country with her. It may be too good to be true. He soon learns that being debt free may not mean that he gets to walk away from the life of crime. Being an exceptional driver has made him indispensable to Doc. Now Baby has a choice between walking away, which Doc has promised to hurt him and those he cares about if he does, or do one more job, and hope he find a way out of the criminal world and onto the road with Debora.
Writer/Director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) does a masterful job of drawing the audience into the story with the soundtrack in a really fun and original way. From the chase scenes to the mundane task of getting coffee, the music immerses the viewer into Baby’s world. The film starts out with an exciting car chase sequence and keeps moving all the way to the end. All of the chase/driving scenes are really well done, which was expected for a movie with driver in the name, but impressive none the less. The pace of the film was consistent and it flowed all the way to the end. Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, John Hamm, Eliza Gonzalez and the rest of the supporting cast did really well and all brought interesting characters to the film.
I loved the originality of the story and how it was executed. This is definitely a soundtrack I will have to listen to again. There were couple loose ends with some of the characters that didn’t get tied up but that was minimal. It is a fun ride and has a little bit of something for everyone. There is a love story, action, a compelling story, and a mixed in comedy that lightens the mood.
Writer/Director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) does a masterful job of drawing the audience into the story with the soundtrack in a really fun and original way. From the chase scenes to the mundane task of getting coffee, the music immerses the viewer into Baby’s world. The film starts out with an exciting car chase sequence and keeps moving all the way to the end. All of the chase/driving scenes are really well done, which was expected for a movie with driver in the name, but impressive none the less. The pace of the film was consistent and it flowed all the way to the end. Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, John Hamm, Eliza Gonzalez and the rest of the supporting cast did really well and all brought interesting characters to the film.
I loved the originality of the story and how it was executed. This is definitely a soundtrack I will have to listen to again. There were couple loose ends with some of the characters that didn’t get tied up but that was minimal. It is a fun ride and has a little bit of something for everyone. There is a love story, action, a compelling story, and a mixed in comedy that lightens the mood.
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Purple Hearts in Books
Oct 24, 2017
Reimagined History
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
An epic tale of a reimagined World War II comes to an explosive end in this third and final book Purple Hearts. Michael Grant created an alternative history in which women were allowed to enter the army and fight alongside the men on the front lines in Europe. Having earned accolades, promotions and the right to go home to America at the conclusion of the previous book, Rio, Frangie and Rainy decide to stay for the remains of the war. It is 6th June 1944, and the battle on the sands of Omaha Beach is about to begin – D-Day.
The story rushes into the horrors of the D-Day landings where Rio, now a Sergeant, is leading her platoon through the treacherous battleground, whilst Frangie, the medic, tries to patch up fallen comrades. The author teases the reader with the introduction of new characters who promptly get killed during this fateful day and battles further along the line. There is no sugar coating the horrific experience of soldiers and civilians, regardless of whether the scenes are fictionalized or not.
The difficulty with writing a work of fiction about the final years of World War II is that the majority of readers will already know the facts. Therefore, it was impossible for Grant to compose a drastic alternative history. Despite the inclusion of women soldiers, the main events occur exactly as they did in reality, beginning with D-Day before moving on to Liberated France, the Hürtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and, eventually, VE Day.
The three main characters have undergone complete transformations since the beginning of book one. No longer are they the innocent girls mocked for the belief they could be as strong as male soldiers. As horror after horror unfolds, readers are left with only the hope that these three survive.
Throughout book one and two, the narrative was interspersed with a commentary from an anonymous female soldier in a bed at the 107th evacuee hospital in Würzburg, Germany. As promised at the beginning of the series, readers finally find out which character this nameless voice belongs to, although it is dragged out until the final pages of the book.
The title, Purple Hearts, refers to the medal earned by soldiers injured in battle. Rio, Frangie and Rainy have each received one, along with a few other characters. Unfortunately, many are killed in the battles, some who have been in the story from the start, making this an extremely shocking book. It goes to show how dangerous war is and the brutality WWII soldiers experienced. It is a surprise that as many survived as they did.
Although at this point the main focus of the story is the war, there is still the underlying theme of equality, both for women and for black people. Frangie provides the insight into the segregation of blacks, being assigned to black-only patrols and having white patients refuse to be treated by her. However, as the war gets more violent, these lines get blurred until it is (mostly) no longer important the colour of a soldier or medic’s skin.
Purple Hearts is a brilliant end to a challenging series. Readers become invested in the characters and are drawn into a story that is so true to form that it is easy to forget that women did not actually take part in the fighting. Evidently well researched, Michael Grant has penned a series that educates whilst it entertains, opening readers’ eyes to the truth about war. This is nothing like a textbook full of facts and figures, it is a moving, personal (forget the fictional bit) account of what WWII was really like. Written with young adults in mind, this is a great series for both teens and older readers.
An epic tale of a reimagined World War II comes to an explosive end in this third and final book Purple Hearts. Michael Grant created an alternative history in which women were allowed to enter the army and fight alongside the men on the front lines in Europe. Having earned accolades, promotions and the right to go home to America at the conclusion of the previous book, Rio, Frangie and Rainy decide to stay for the remains of the war. It is 6th June 1944, and the battle on the sands of Omaha Beach is about to begin – D-Day.
The story rushes into the horrors of the D-Day landings where Rio, now a Sergeant, is leading her platoon through the treacherous battleground, whilst Frangie, the medic, tries to patch up fallen comrades. The author teases the reader with the introduction of new characters who promptly get killed during this fateful day and battles further along the line. There is no sugar coating the horrific experience of soldiers and civilians, regardless of whether the scenes are fictionalized or not.
The difficulty with writing a work of fiction about the final years of World War II is that the majority of readers will already know the facts. Therefore, it was impossible for Grant to compose a drastic alternative history. Despite the inclusion of women soldiers, the main events occur exactly as they did in reality, beginning with D-Day before moving on to Liberated France, the Hürtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and, eventually, VE Day.
The three main characters have undergone complete transformations since the beginning of book one. No longer are they the innocent girls mocked for the belief they could be as strong as male soldiers. As horror after horror unfolds, readers are left with only the hope that these three survive.
Throughout book one and two, the narrative was interspersed with a commentary from an anonymous female soldier in a bed at the 107th evacuee hospital in Würzburg, Germany. As promised at the beginning of the series, readers finally find out which character this nameless voice belongs to, although it is dragged out until the final pages of the book.
The title, Purple Hearts, refers to the medal earned by soldiers injured in battle. Rio, Frangie and Rainy have each received one, along with a few other characters. Unfortunately, many are killed in the battles, some who have been in the story from the start, making this an extremely shocking book. It goes to show how dangerous war is and the brutality WWII soldiers experienced. It is a surprise that as many survived as they did.
Although at this point the main focus of the story is the war, there is still the underlying theme of equality, both for women and for black people. Frangie provides the insight into the segregation of blacks, being assigned to black-only patrols and having white patients refuse to be treated by her. However, as the war gets more violent, these lines get blurred until it is (mostly) no longer important the colour of a soldier or medic’s skin.
Purple Hearts is a brilliant end to a challenging series. Readers become invested in the characters and are drawn into a story that is so true to form that it is easy to forget that women did not actually take part in the fighting. Evidently well researched, Michael Grant has penned a series that educates whilst it entertains, opening readers’ eyes to the truth about war. This is nothing like a textbook full of facts and figures, it is a moving, personal (forget the fictional bit) account of what WWII was really like. Written with young adults in mind, this is a great series for both teens and older readers.