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JT (287 KP) rated District 9 (2009) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
When you’ve seen one alien film you’ve probably seen them all. That is until District 9 came along, and a chance to put a new spin on the arrival of extra extraterrestrial beings from another world.
Director Neill Blomkamp who also co-wrote the script lands the aliens in a scenario that they might not have ever expected to be in, as refugees living in poverty amongst the human race who just want to see them pack up ship and leave.
Its clever and well shot, keeping it away from America and setting it in the dusty backdrop of Johannesburg was a stroke of genius. The use of the faux-documentary style kept things interesting and original, and for that Blomkamp must be commended.
The depths of the story arises thus, an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology. Agent Wikus Van De Merwe superbly played by new comer to the big league, Sharlto Copley, is a by the books, loving wife sort of guy.
Excited by the prospect of their arrival he thrives on and becomes overly excited in seeing how ‘the prawns’ live their life scavenging for food and seemingly resulting to crime in a bid to survive. But when he’s exposed to a chemical that has disastrous results he must befriend the alien race in an attempt to get his life back. His transformation from government bureaucrat to a lone freedom fighter with a selfish streak (you’ll find out what I mean without giving the plot away here) is perfect.
The overall outlook of the film is not what you would call beautiful, but there is something weirdly picturesque about it. The massive ship that has been hanging overhead for the last two decades is spectacular, not to mention some explosive action sequences which have a fantastic injection of shaky cam to give it a real sense of reality.
It’s certainly gory, so the more squeamish might find some scenes hard to watch. There is plenty of exploding bodies at the hands of an alien weaponry as well as a machine gun firing, missile toting exoskeleton that would make both Robo Cop and Iron Man green with envy! There is an aura of black comedy about it with a few surprising laugh out loud moments from time to time which adds a nice touch.
The aliens for the most part have it tough, while we don’t ever find out the reason for their invasion the realism of them being beaten, exploited and abused by a somewhat corrupt higher power certainly puts into perspective a more sinister and much closer to home reality.
When District 9 really gets going its plain to see that this is an exceptional piece of film making and a must see!
Director Neill Blomkamp who also co-wrote the script lands the aliens in a scenario that they might not have ever expected to be in, as refugees living in poverty amongst the human race who just want to see them pack up ship and leave.
Its clever and well shot, keeping it away from America and setting it in the dusty backdrop of Johannesburg was a stroke of genius. The use of the faux-documentary style kept things interesting and original, and for that Blomkamp must be commended.
The depths of the story arises thus, an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology. Agent Wikus Van De Merwe superbly played by new comer to the big league, Sharlto Copley, is a by the books, loving wife sort of guy.
Excited by the prospect of their arrival he thrives on and becomes overly excited in seeing how ‘the prawns’ live their life scavenging for food and seemingly resulting to crime in a bid to survive. But when he’s exposed to a chemical that has disastrous results he must befriend the alien race in an attempt to get his life back. His transformation from government bureaucrat to a lone freedom fighter with a selfish streak (you’ll find out what I mean without giving the plot away here) is perfect.
The overall outlook of the film is not what you would call beautiful, but there is something weirdly picturesque about it. The massive ship that has been hanging overhead for the last two decades is spectacular, not to mention some explosive action sequences which have a fantastic injection of shaky cam to give it a real sense of reality.
It’s certainly gory, so the more squeamish might find some scenes hard to watch. There is plenty of exploding bodies at the hands of an alien weaponry as well as a machine gun firing, missile toting exoskeleton that would make both Robo Cop and Iron Man green with envy! There is an aura of black comedy about it with a few surprising laugh out loud moments from time to time which adds a nice touch.
The aliens for the most part have it tough, while we don’t ever find out the reason for their invasion the realism of them being beaten, exploited and abused by a somewhat corrupt higher power certainly puts into perspective a more sinister and much closer to home reality.
When District 9 really gets going its plain to see that this is an exceptional piece of film making and a must see!
JT (287 KP) rated Argo (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Does making a film based on a true story make it any more endearing to the Oscar big wigs? Possibly, but one thing is for sure, Ben Affleck’s third film Argo is an outstanding piece of film making with exceptional attention to detail and sense of realism.
In 1979 Iran was overrun by Iranian revolutionaries, these revolutionaries stormed the American embassy taking several Americans hostage. Six of those managed to escape to the official residence of the Canadian Ambassador where the CIA was eventually ordered to get them out of the country by whatever means necessary.
Led by Tony Mendez (Affleck) a CIA expert in exfiltration he puts together an elaborate plan to go in as a film producer and rescue the six who’ll pose as a film crew on a location hunt for new sci-fi flick, Argo. Even if this was fiction it would be a pretty daring plan in an environment that was so hostile for its time they’re hanging people by cranes in the street, and women carry machine guns!
In order to make the film seem as real as possible Mendez enlists the help of John Chambers (John Goodman) a Hollywood make-up artist whose helped the CIA out before and film producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin). Between them they put the film into fake production, concoct false identities for the six and set about taking them out directly though the Iranian airport in a daring escape.
Affleck gets the cinematography spot on, creating a grainy perspective for that era and using some real footage as well. It all helps convey the narrative and plot that this was one of the most dangerous missions of its time and one what would live long in CIA and American history.
Goodman and Arkin add a humorous element to the proceedings “if it’s going to be a fake film I want it to be a fake hit” Lester claims when he’s approached about the project. The other side feels like a 70s version of 24 with the political suits in boardrooms arguing about the best way to execute the plan.
The tension is built slowly with everything climaxing to a pulsating last act which will have your heart pounding and seat gripped. Personally I didn’t endear to any of the six escapees, their stories are not built up enough other than they’re all unsure if they can trust Mendez to get them back on home soil safely.
Argo got the best picture Oscar over a lot of other seemingly worthy nominees, but you couldn’t deny Affleck his moment in the spotlight and cementing him as one of the best actor to director transitions. While the film might not be entirely accurate, Affleck just wants to get to the heart of this espionage thriller and does so while finding a perfect balance between comedy and drama.
In 1979 Iran was overrun by Iranian revolutionaries, these revolutionaries stormed the American embassy taking several Americans hostage. Six of those managed to escape to the official residence of the Canadian Ambassador where the CIA was eventually ordered to get them out of the country by whatever means necessary.
Led by Tony Mendez (Affleck) a CIA expert in exfiltration he puts together an elaborate plan to go in as a film producer and rescue the six who’ll pose as a film crew on a location hunt for new sci-fi flick, Argo. Even if this was fiction it would be a pretty daring plan in an environment that was so hostile for its time they’re hanging people by cranes in the street, and women carry machine guns!
In order to make the film seem as real as possible Mendez enlists the help of John Chambers (John Goodman) a Hollywood make-up artist whose helped the CIA out before and film producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin). Between them they put the film into fake production, concoct false identities for the six and set about taking them out directly though the Iranian airport in a daring escape.
Affleck gets the cinematography spot on, creating a grainy perspective for that era and using some real footage as well. It all helps convey the narrative and plot that this was one of the most dangerous missions of its time and one what would live long in CIA and American history.
Goodman and Arkin add a humorous element to the proceedings “if it’s going to be a fake film I want it to be a fake hit” Lester claims when he’s approached about the project. The other side feels like a 70s version of 24 with the political suits in boardrooms arguing about the best way to execute the plan.
The tension is built slowly with everything climaxing to a pulsating last act which will have your heart pounding and seat gripped. Personally I didn’t endear to any of the six escapees, their stories are not built up enough other than they’re all unsure if they can trust Mendez to get them back on home soil safely.
Argo got the best picture Oscar over a lot of other seemingly worthy nominees, but you couldn’t deny Affleck his moment in the spotlight and cementing him as one of the best actor to director transitions. While the film might not be entirely accurate, Affleck just wants to get to the heart of this espionage thriller and does so while finding a perfect balance between comedy and drama.
Weaphones: Firearms Simulator Mini Armory Vol 1
Games and Entertainment
App
Welcome to the world of Weaphones, the ultimate firearms simulator for your iPhone, iPod and iPad. ...
SampleTank
Music and Photo & Video
App
***NEW AVAILABLE INSTRUMENT COLLECTIONS: ART DECO PIANO, NANOTUBE AND ELEKTRONIKA – MINIMAL*** ...
Fantashooting
Games and Entertainment
App
No. 1 iPhone game in Hong Kong, No. 1 iPhone game in Taiwan, No. 1 iPhone game in Singapore, No. 1...
Weaphones: Firearms Simulator Volume 1
Games and Entertainment
App
Welcome to the world of Weaphones, the ultimate firearms simulator for your iPhone, iPod and iPad. ...
Lantern (Danubian #1)
8.0
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Book
In the black night, I alone uphold the shrine of the seven lantern gods. The year is 2448....
MM Paranormal Romance
postapocalypticplayground (27 KP) rated The Last Namsara in Books
Jan 9, 2018
Where the Namsara brings life the Iskari brings death. Asha is the Iskari, death bringer and dragon hunter. Cursed with a lifetime of knowing it was her fault that dragons had come to ransack her town when she was a child, she is feared and reviled. It was her mother telling her the Old Stories of dragons that brought them, a balm to her nightmares with horrendous consequences. Asha has dedicated her young life to slaying the dragons, although now with them dwindling in numbers she must take drastic action to ensure a successful hunt. Asha must tell the outlawed Old Stories again.
The last Namsara is very much a book of revelations for Asha. The dragon attack when she was a child left her without a mother and also horrible scarred from the burns she suffered. Having to not only live with the fact that she is hated she also has to deal with the stares associated with her disfigurement, the armour she wears is both necessary for her hunt and for her emotional wellbeing. When her secret is out following an accident during a hunt, she is tended to by Torwin, her betrothed’s slave, who seemingly is willing to keep her secret, but at what cost to both of them?
Through a series of cruel acts she finds herself visited by the first Namsara who starts her on a path that will not only unravel the truth about what happened the day of the dragon attack, but also a much deeper and long running deception. Asha must therefore right the wrongs.
I very much liked Asha as a character, I found that she was written with both strength and vulnerability, she has always been the Iskari and that has given her an opportunity to hide behind a persona. She is however still a teenager and she has the same hopes and fears as everyone, but her hardened act is thankfully easy to scratch beyond the surface of. The book was an easy flowing read and I particularly liked how the Old Stories were interwoven into the pages, completing parts of the story and acting almost like a running prologue. It was a great way of explaining a complicated back story without being an info dump on the reader. I also found that there was a great deal of realism about the aftermaths of events, the fact that laws can’t be changed to suit the sovereign and that one persons change for the better will always be anothers change for the worse. It didn’t shy away from the ugly side of things and that always gets good marks from me.
That being said, I found the Last Namsara lacked a certain spark. I enjoyed reading it very much don’t get me wrong, but it didn’t have my pulse racing and I found it easy to put down of an evening. I would still recommend this to anyone who is a fan of dragons and kick ass female protagonists as it really does have a lot to like.
The last Namsara is very much a book of revelations for Asha. The dragon attack when she was a child left her without a mother and also horrible scarred from the burns she suffered. Having to not only live with the fact that she is hated she also has to deal with the stares associated with her disfigurement, the armour she wears is both necessary for her hunt and for her emotional wellbeing. When her secret is out following an accident during a hunt, she is tended to by Torwin, her betrothed’s slave, who seemingly is willing to keep her secret, but at what cost to both of them?
Through a series of cruel acts she finds herself visited by the first Namsara who starts her on a path that will not only unravel the truth about what happened the day of the dragon attack, but also a much deeper and long running deception. Asha must therefore right the wrongs.
I very much liked Asha as a character, I found that she was written with both strength and vulnerability, she has always been the Iskari and that has given her an opportunity to hide behind a persona. She is however still a teenager and she has the same hopes and fears as everyone, but her hardened act is thankfully easy to scratch beyond the surface of. The book was an easy flowing read and I particularly liked how the Old Stories were interwoven into the pages, completing parts of the story and acting almost like a running prologue. It was a great way of explaining a complicated back story without being an info dump on the reader. I also found that there was a great deal of realism about the aftermaths of events, the fact that laws can’t be changed to suit the sovereign and that one persons change for the better will always be anothers change for the worse. It didn’t shy away from the ugly side of things and that always gets good marks from me.
That being said, I found the Last Namsara lacked a certain spark. I enjoyed reading it very much don’t get me wrong, but it didn’t have my pulse racing and I found it easy to put down of an evening. I would still recommend this to anyone who is a fan of dragons and kick ass female protagonists as it really does have a lot to like.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Relentless and action packed
The Mission: Impossible franchise has had something of a resurgence over the course of its five films. The first film in the series was praised for its thrilling action and commanding turn from Tom Cruise.
The following two films failed to recapture what made the original such a hit, despite being popular at the box-office. 2011’s Ghost Protocol ensured the franchise still had a pulse and four years later Cruise returns in Rogue Nation. But does it continue the upward trend?
Series newcomer Christopher McQuarrie directs a slick if massively overlong film that is supported by the strengths of its leading stars and Cruise in particular proves there’s no limits to his prowess as an action hero.
Rogue Nation follows Cruise’s Ethan Hunt as he tries to prove the existence of a criminal syndicate, intent on destroying the hard work the IMF has done over the last films.
It’s a nice twist on a story that has been done to death in Rogue Nation’s predecessors and ensures the wheels keep turning nicely on this ever-popular franchise, though at times it can feel a little like the plot is steamrolling ahead and leaving you behind to fill in the missing pieces.
Cruise stars alongside Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin and the ever-beautiful Rebecca Ferguson as he goes about avoiding thugs and the CIA across what feels like every country on the planet.
At 131 minutes, McQuarrie manages to cram in a lot of action and a lot of scenery and the result is a film that feels overstuffed and a little like a very expensive tourist brochure. There’s also some blatant product placement for BMW that smacks you in the face with its lack of subtlety.
This is a real shame as the action sequences are slickly shot and beautifully choreographed and the fact that Cruise does the majority of his own stunt-work gives a sense of realism not matched by many other films – there’s just too much of it.
Nevertheless, Ferguson and Cruise have real chemistry and their scenes together are positively sizzling, helped in part by an almost operatic soundtrack that punches above what the genre asks for.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Rogue Nation is its lack of predictability. There are numerous red herrings making it nearly impossible to plan where the film is going and where it is going to end – a real plus point in my eyes.
The ending is a little anti-climactic after two hours of non-stop car chases, motorcycle races and explosions but it leaves itself open for yet another sequel, which is more than likely.
Overall, Rogue Nation is a relentless film that is very well filmed and for the most part, exceptionally paced. It’s not quite up there with the original, but in sequel terms, it’s one of the best and your mission, should you choose to accept it is to go and watch it too.
Gosh that theme tune is catchy!
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/08/02/relentless-and-action-packed-mission-impossible-rogue-nation-review/
The following two films failed to recapture what made the original such a hit, despite being popular at the box-office. 2011’s Ghost Protocol ensured the franchise still had a pulse and four years later Cruise returns in Rogue Nation. But does it continue the upward trend?
Series newcomer Christopher McQuarrie directs a slick if massively overlong film that is supported by the strengths of its leading stars and Cruise in particular proves there’s no limits to his prowess as an action hero.
Rogue Nation follows Cruise’s Ethan Hunt as he tries to prove the existence of a criminal syndicate, intent on destroying the hard work the IMF has done over the last films.
It’s a nice twist on a story that has been done to death in Rogue Nation’s predecessors and ensures the wheels keep turning nicely on this ever-popular franchise, though at times it can feel a little like the plot is steamrolling ahead and leaving you behind to fill in the missing pieces.
Cruise stars alongside Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin and the ever-beautiful Rebecca Ferguson as he goes about avoiding thugs and the CIA across what feels like every country on the planet.
At 131 minutes, McQuarrie manages to cram in a lot of action and a lot of scenery and the result is a film that feels overstuffed and a little like a very expensive tourist brochure. There’s also some blatant product placement for BMW that smacks you in the face with its lack of subtlety.
This is a real shame as the action sequences are slickly shot and beautifully choreographed and the fact that Cruise does the majority of his own stunt-work gives a sense of realism not matched by many other films – there’s just too much of it.
Nevertheless, Ferguson and Cruise have real chemistry and their scenes together are positively sizzling, helped in part by an almost operatic soundtrack that punches above what the genre asks for.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Rogue Nation is its lack of predictability. There are numerous red herrings making it nearly impossible to plan where the film is going and where it is going to end – a real plus point in my eyes.
The ending is a little anti-climactic after two hours of non-stop car chases, motorcycle races and explosions but it leaves itself open for yet another sequel, which is more than likely.
Overall, Rogue Nation is a relentless film that is very well filmed and for the most part, exceptionally paced. It’s not quite up there with the original, but in sequel terms, it’s one of the best and your mission, should you choose to accept it is to go and watch it too.
Gosh that theme tune is catchy!
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/08/02/relentless-and-action-packed-mission-impossible-rogue-nation-review/
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated My Sister's Bones in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/my-sisters-bones-by-nuala-ellwood
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<b>Trigger warnings are noted in the first paragraph.</b>
<b><i>Were all of us, every day, just a hairbreadth away from evil. If Ive learnt anything from fifteen years of reporting, its that. But I couldnt expect these people to understand.</b></i>
This is a really heavy read as it deals with some really dark and depressing subjects, <b>such as the war and refugees in Syria, domestic & child abuse, rape, death, mental illness, alcoholism and miscarriages.</b> Dont read this if youre having a low period in your life because this is not going to make you feel any better, throughout its a rather distressing and upsetting story.
Each character in this novel was well developed, no matter how small a part they played in the plot. Ellwood has done a fantastic job with her research into PTSD as Kates fears and anxieties seem so real to the reader. Though Ive never experienced anything even close to PTSD, I can really imagine how terrifying and disturbing it would be, from reading this book. Its definitely the best and most harrowing description of the condition Ive ever read in a fiction novel.
This was a really well presented novel and Im amazed that its a debut! It was excellently written and thought out. My only issue being that sometimes, the timings in this book felt a little off. When Kate and Paul were together, one minute they'd be serving dinner and the next, after a small 5 lined conversation, it would be midnight and time for Paul to leave and Kate to get into bed. It seemed like large chunks of the day would just disappear.
Maybe I shouldnt have read some other peoples reviews on this beforehand, but because I was expecting all these super duper amazing twists, I kind of didnt feel that they were super duper amazing. I also found some of them to be a little far fetched and silly, rather than surprising.
I can definitely see why this has gained so many 5 star ratings, but its all down to personal preference at the end of the day, and this one was just a little too dark for my liking. That's not to say I didn't like this...I enjoyed this a lot, hence the 4 stars. I found myself not wanting to put it down, even when my eyes were telling me it was definitely time for sleep. It was certainly a thrilling and page turning read, but I dont know if I could recommend this to anyone because of all the dark subject matters. It seems like the sort of book some people are going to love for its dark realism and others are going to hate that and find it too distressing to read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<b>Trigger warnings are noted in the first paragraph.</b>
<b><i>Were all of us, every day, just a hairbreadth away from evil. If Ive learnt anything from fifteen years of reporting, its that. But I couldnt expect these people to understand.</b></i>
This is a really heavy read as it deals with some really dark and depressing subjects, <b>such as the war and refugees in Syria, domestic & child abuse, rape, death, mental illness, alcoholism and miscarriages.</b> Dont read this if youre having a low period in your life because this is not going to make you feel any better, throughout its a rather distressing and upsetting story.
Each character in this novel was well developed, no matter how small a part they played in the plot. Ellwood has done a fantastic job with her research into PTSD as Kates fears and anxieties seem so real to the reader. Though Ive never experienced anything even close to PTSD, I can really imagine how terrifying and disturbing it would be, from reading this book. Its definitely the best and most harrowing description of the condition Ive ever read in a fiction novel.
This was a really well presented novel and Im amazed that its a debut! It was excellently written and thought out. My only issue being that sometimes, the timings in this book felt a little off. When Kate and Paul were together, one minute they'd be serving dinner and the next, after a small 5 lined conversation, it would be midnight and time for Paul to leave and Kate to get into bed. It seemed like large chunks of the day would just disappear.
Maybe I shouldnt have read some other peoples reviews on this beforehand, but because I was expecting all these super duper amazing twists, I kind of didnt feel that they were super duper amazing. I also found some of them to be a little far fetched and silly, rather than surprising.
I can definitely see why this has gained so many 5 star ratings, but its all down to personal preference at the end of the day, and this one was just a little too dark for my liking. That's not to say I didn't like this...I enjoyed this a lot, hence the 4 stars. I found myself not wanting to put it down, even when my eyes were telling me it was definitely time for sleep. It was certainly a thrilling and page turning read, but I dont know if I could recommend this to anyone because of all the dark subject matters. It seems like the sort of book some people are going to love for its dark realism and others are going to hate that and find it too distressing to read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.