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Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future (1985)
1985 | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
My entire childhood
So funny how seeing a "decked out" DeLorean in a Target parking lot the other day made me want to rewatch Back to the Future again soon. It had been on my rewatch list ever since I purchased the trilogy on Blu Ray on Black Friday, but just hadn't gotten around to it yet.

To say this movie (and the original Star Wars trilogy) defined my childhood is an understatement. The year 1985 meant I was 14 years old and lived within biking distance of the theatre where it was showing. Only Back to the Future and The Empire Strikes Back have the distinction of being movies I saw at least fifteen times during their initial run; at one point every day for a week straight.



The story of how the film got made is an interesting as the perfect screenplay itself. Basically Bob Zemeckis and Bob Gale shopped the movie around after they had made a few films, including Used Cars (good movie), but studios weren't interested. Except Spielberg. Unfortunately, the duo had just worked with Spielberg on 1941 and it was a dud.

Luckily, Zemeckis directed Romancing the Stone in 1984, so they finally went back to Spielberg with that clout and got the deal done. BTTF was actually the first film released under Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment (with the E.T. logo) that Spielberg himself did not direct.

Then, casting. Filmmakers really wanted Michael J. Fox, but he was not available due to his TV schedule filming sitcom Family Ties. They had to move on, so they cast Eric Stoltz and filmed for 5 weeks.



Zemeckis felt like something wasn't right and asked Spielberg to take a look at the dailies. They agreed Stoltz was a good actor, but not right for the part of Marty McFly. They begged the Family Ties people to let Michael do both and they finally agreed. I can't believe how Michael did two full time jobs during production, but he did and managed to create an unforgettable character that will live forever in movie history.

If anyone ever decides it is a good idea to remake, reboot and/or get a sequel going I will personally go to their house and punch them in the face! ?

  
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Kevin Phillipson (10072 KP) Jul 29, 2020

Going to see it next week at my local cinema

Private Investigations (Bob Skinner Series, Book 26)
Private Investigations (Bob Skinner Series, Book 26)
Quintin Jardine | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
MoMo’s Book Diary loved Quintin Jardine’s Private Investigations and eagerly recommends this as a thrilling 5 star read

I have read most of the “Skinner” books, starting from the first one published back in the early 90s when I lived in Edinburgh. Now I live in the northern isles but am always drawn to books about southern and central Scotland.

In this instalment we find former Chief Constable Bob Skinner has moved into the world of private investigation.

Eden Higgins is Bob Skinner’s first client. Eden, the brother of an ex-girlfriend of Skinner, wants him to look into the police investigation into the theft of his very expensive, luxury yacht. The police were unable to trace the very large yacht and the insurance company are refusing the pay out the full amount.

Whilst on his way to meet Eden Higgins, Bob’s car is bumped by another as he is reversing from a parking space. The driver of the other car leaves the vehicle and takes off immediately on foot. Bob Skinner then finds the body of a young girl in the otherwise empty boot of the now driverless car. Bob quickly finds himself involved in both cases.

There are many twists and turns in this fast paced instalment where each chapter brings new developments in one or other of the cases. There is reference to the changing Police Force set-up we have faced in Scotland over recent years and this fits with the bigger picture of Skinners backstory and the tension between him and some of his ex-colleagues.

The author expertly leads the reader through the investigations and has a way of bringing each character to life with enough backstory that even if you have never read any other “Skinner” book you will be able to relate to the characters and the personal and professional relationships they share with Bob Skinner. I would say that if you have never read any other Skinner book you will want to change that after you have read this one – I am now going to go back to my bookshelf and re-read them again. If you can, then do read them in order – it adds to the enjoyment being able to follow his private life and life within the Police service.

I would like to thank Headline and BookBridgr for the ARC received prior to publication.

This review is also published on my blog - momobookdiary.com and amazon
  
Zootopia (2016)
Zootopia (2016)
2016 | Action, Animation, Comedy
In the city of Zootopia, animals live together in peace and harmony in bustling city or anyone can become anything. At least this is what Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), hopes for as she leaves her rural community to chase her dreams of becoming the first ever rabbit officer on the Zootopia please force. Despite her size disadvantage and opposition from other officers, Judy graduates from the top of her class and soon makes her way to the big city to start her career. Unfortunately the other officers are so thrilled about having a rabbit on the force; especially her Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), who assigns Judy to lowly parking duty in the hopes that she will simply just go away. When a missing person’s case accidentally lands in her lap, Judy makes an agreement with her cheap that she will crack the case or be forced to resign from the force. With the clock ticking, Judy crosses paths with a Fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), who despite his seemingly sketchy way of conducting himself, may have a crucial clue towards cracking the case.

Naturally things are not as cut and dry as they might at first seem, and the two reluctantly are forced to partner up in order to get to the bottom of the mystery that threatens to shake the very essence of Zootopia to the core.

Disney has once again crafted a film filled with bright colors, great characters, dazzling visuals, and above all a story that is extremely entertaining throughout and also contains very good messages without being preachy. The cast is first-rate and the jokes fly fast even though it is at its core a mystery. Bateman and Goodwin are fantastic as the leads, and the supporting cast is an exceptionally strong performance.

I would be hard-pressed to find anything to fault in the film although parents may want to exercise a bit of caution with extremely young viewers as there are a couple of intense moments one of which made my wife jumped in her seat. That being said Disney has got another classic on their hands and I hope that we see some future adventures from this crew in the future as I was captivated from beginning to end and with this charming and magical tale.

http://sknr.net/2016/03/02/zootopia/
  
Dreamland
Dreamland
Sarah Dessen | 2000 | Fiction & Poetry
8
6.6 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
"Dreamland" by Sarah Dessen tells the story of Caitlin O'Koren as she navigates her first love with a boy named Rogerson as her family is going through the crisis of her older sister Cass running away. Caitlin finds a home in Rogerson when her parents start to treat Caitlin like Cass, putting her schedule on the refrigerator, going to every game Caitlin cheers at, packing snacks for the team. But when Caitlin discovers that Rogerson isn't the man she met in the parking lot that night, she starts to pull away from those closest to her - ditching school, avoiding her best friend, missing cheer practice, smoking weed, pushing her parents away. Caitlin then has to figure out what's more important, her relationship with Rogerson or her relationship with her friends and family.

I loved this novel. I think it was beautifully written. When the ball drops about Rogerson and Caitlin's relationship, you don't expect it at all. You are so involved in the book and the characters, rooting for the relationship, wondering if Cass is going to come home, questioning Caitlin's parent's motives, that when it all happens, it feels like it's not only happening to Caitlin, but to you too. I think that Sarah Dessen did a wonderful job of putting this type of relationship on paper and having it be relatable while still being realistic.

In contrast, I didn't like how rushed the ending was. There's this point of 2 to 3 pages being a couple weeks to a month long and it just feels rushed. I wish I could've gotten a little more development when it came to the end of the novel, but I don't think it injured the story or the plotline in any way. Secondly, I wish there was more character development on Rogerson. I think that for someone that Caitlin is supposedly in love with, we don't really know much about him. And maybe that's because he just naturally wasn't very open with Caitlin, or if that was the author's choice. Either way, I wish there was a little more.

I would 1000% recommend this book to young adults as well as adults. I think that this novel does a wonderful job of giving you an insight into unhealthy relationships and shows how hard they are to get out of. Without revealing too much, I think that this book could really start a conversation.
  
The Last Stand (2013)
The Last Stand (2013)
2013 | Action, Mystery
It’s 2013 and Arnold Schwarzenegger is back in his first leading role in 10 years in
“The Last Stand”
Directed by legendary South Korean director Kim Ji-w oon, The Last Stand stars
Schwarzenegger as Ray Owens, a former LAPD narcotics officer who has left the
violence and bloodshed of the big city to become the sheriff of a sleepy border town
in Arizona called Sommerton Junction where the biggest crime is the town’s mayor
parking in the firezone on main street.

Meanwhile in Las Vegas, Gabriel Cortez, the most vicious and ruthless drug lord
since Pablo Escobar, stages a spectacular escape from FBI custody and takes off
in a stolen/modified Chevrolet Corvette C6ZR1.

With a FBI agent held hostage and a group of mercenaries, Cortez races towards
the Mexican border at over 200 mph and Sommerton Junction. Counted out by the FBI
and the military as just another ‘small town sheriff’ with a group of inexperienced
deputies, Sherriff Owens reluctantly accepts the truth that the only thing standing
between Cortez and his escape and the safety of the people of Sommerton Junction is
Ray.

Co-starring Forrest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville, Jaimie Alexander, Luis Guzman,
Peter Stormare, and Genesis Rodriguez, “The Last Stand” is a great action film
with an ensemble cast that follows the formula of the ‘action film’ but follows it
well. A basic/solid plot with plenty of spectacular stunts and explosions. After the
first 5 minutes, you don’t have a chance to leave the theater. The story unfolds
quickly, and you really don’t have the chance to look away. With plenty of comic
relief (most of it courtesy of Johnny Knoxville and Luis Guzman) and no romantic
scenes (except for one or two couples lip locking) I though the movie was a great
film. After 10 years, it was honestly a relief to see Schwarzenegger back in movies
as the lead and as part of an ensemble cast.

If there is one thing you can count on,
it is because Arnold always delivers when it comes to action movies no matter the scale,
and after so much time in politics it doesn’t look like he’s skipped a beat
and it’s a great escape from the winter chaos outside.

Welcome back Mr. Schwarzenegger!
  
    Poncho: Wake Up Weather

    Poncho: Wake Up Weather

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Jeff Nichols recommended Cool Hand Luke (1967) in Movies (curated)

 
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
1967 | Classics, Comedy, Drama

"Now we’ll start with the Paul Newman ones. The three Paul Newman ones. I guess I’ll start with Cool Hand Luke. I think it’s the first time I ever started to recognize metaphor. Or I guess allegory, because it’s a bit of a Christ allegory, I think. After he eats those 50 eggs and he’s laid out on that table it’s the same way that he’s laid out at the end after he’s shot. His legs are crossed, and his arms are out. I didn’t know when I first saw that film that that’s what was going on, or I didn’t know how that affected the rest of the story, but I recognized it, I know that. Because Cool Hand Luke is a strange film where I grew up with it on TV every weekend. It was just one of those films that always played on cable on the weekends growing up. It’s just always there, so you never really consider it. My dad loves that film. Then you go back and sit and watch it when you’re older and you realize that in the background of your life there was this amazing piece of artwork playing. Obviously its depiction of the south and the character behavior in it is just so rich and the cast amazing. Also I’m really drawn to this idea of a square peg in a round hole. That’s what Cool Hand Luke was. Luke was this guy, he wasn’t a bad person but he just didn’t fit in the world around him and he was persecuted as a result. Yeah, he was responsible, he was cutting the heads off parking meters. He was always culpable in the things that he did. But it was more a result that he probably just never belonged anywhere and he was restless as a result, unsettled. What that says to me: it’s not like that’s the way I felt in my life — quite the opposite actually. What I recognized in that is that is an archetype of a man, that person exists. To be able to take a personality type like that and make it so realistic, make it not cliché, make it not generic, but at the same time represent this type of person — I’m really impressed by that. It’s kind of what you strive for in ultimate storytelling in my mind. Both specificity and universality all at the same time."

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