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JT (287 KP) rated The Reef (2010) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
“You’re gonna need a bigger boat!” those few words struck terror into the hearts of cinema goers who got a first glimpse of Steven Spielberg’s monster rising out of the water in Jaws. Others have attempted to recreate that fear.
Open Water saw two divers float around for ages before finally becoming lunch for a pack of hunting tiger sharks. Deep Blue Sea used CGI technology to create massive predators with a smart enough brain to devour the hapless crew of a scientific research station. And Shark Night 3D gave us blood curdling horror with half naked women thrown in for good measure. The Reef, encompasses most of the above minus the CGI. Here it’s replaced with clever and careful editing of one of the most beautiful but sinister creatures of the ocean….the Great White Shark.
A small group of friends, some with a past, get together on a yacht and hit the clear blue waters to deliver it to a waiting recipient. When it capsizes they are faced with the choice, swim for it to the nearest land miles away or wait it out on a potentially sinking vessel. Four members venture out leaving one behind, who after confessing he fishes the waters has no desire to get his feet wet, but excelling in scaring the shit out of his friends by telling them they all look like seals ready for the slaughter.
For any low budget indie film such as this creating tension when you have a location that looks exactly the same for miles in each direction is always going to be hard. But to his credit Andrew Traucki does extremely well in building up the entrance of our finned friend. Capturing the underwater viewpoint from Luke (the only one with a face mask) he dives down now and again to check the murky undertow for signs of life at the request of some very distressed friends. You’re always half expecting to see something but it never comes, until you finally catch a glimpse of the tail, and then your heart will race.
Of course this tension has to be sustained for the next forty-five minutes which is pretty hard. The acting is OK, made all the more effective by the fact that the cast is a bunch of relative unknowns. It’s hardly a surprise ending however, but given what Traucki has to work with he’s a produced good effort. There’s enough here to keep anyone happy, more so if you’re afraid of being left to die in miles of open water….oh, and you hate sharks!
Open Water saw two divers float around for ages before finally becoming lunch for a pack of hunting tiger sharks. Deep Blue Sea used CGI technology to create massive predators with a smart enough brain to devour the hapless crew of a scientific research station. And Shark Night 3D gave us blood curdling horror with half naked women thrown in for good measure. The Reef, encompasses most of the above minus the CGI. Here it’s replaced with clever and careful editing of one of the most beautiful but sinister creatures of the ocean….the Great White Shark.
A small group of friends, some with a past, get together on a yacht and hit the clear blue waters to deliver it to a waiting recipient. When it capsizes they are faced with the choice, swim for it to the nearest land miles away or wait it out on a potentially sinking vessel. Four members venture out leaving one behind, who after confessing he fishes the waters has no desire to get his feet wet, but excelling in scaring the shit out of his friends by telling them they all look like seals ready for the slaughter.
For any low budget indie film such as this creating tension when you have a location that looks exactly the same for miles in each direction is always going to be hard. But to his credit Andrew Traucki does extremely well in building up the entrance of our finned friend. Capturing the underwater viewpoint from Luke (the only one with a face mask) he dives down now and again to check the murky undertow for signs of life at the request of some very distressed friends. You’re always half expecting to see something but it never comes, until you finally catch a glimpse of the tail, and then your heart will race.
Of course this tension has to be sustained for the next forty-five minutes which is pretty hard. The acting is OK, made all the more effective by the fact that the cast is a bunch of relative unknowns. It’s hardly a surprise ending however, but given what Traucki has to work with he’s a produced good effort. There’s enough here to keep anyone happy, more so if you’re afraid of being left to die in miles of open water….oh, and you hate sharks!
MelanieTheresa (997 KP) rated The Wife Who Knew Too Much in Books
Mar 10, 2020
From the moment I finished It's Always the Husband, Michele Campbell quickly became one of those authors whose books are added to my TBR pile immediately. The two titles that followed, She Was the Quiet One and A Stranger on the Beach, were similarly excellent. Now, with The Wife Who Knew Too Much, Michele Campbell has solidified her position among my favorite authors.
Rich boy meets middle-class girl at his country club and embarks upon a summer fling that becomes a little more. Rich boy can't bear the thought of giving up his money for the love of the middle-class girl, and so their summer fling is unceremoniously concluded. Some years later, middle-class girl is waitressing when rich boy (now married, still rich, but with his wife's money instead of his grandmother's) pops back up in her life (is this orchestrated somehow, or fate?), and the ride truly begins.
"I'm writing this to raise an alarm in the event of my untimely death. This is hard to admit, even to myself. For obvious reasons. He's in love with someone else. And he wants my money."
Connor's wife, Nina, is a rich widow whose diary entries we are privy to, detailing what she believes to be the plot between her husband and his mistress to kill her and inherit her millions, and this is what immediately sucked me in to the story, because of course I wanted to know if he/they killed her! The author almost manages to make Nina a sympathetic character, but never quite gets there; she's quite unpleasant, but she probably didn't deserve to die.
Tabitha (middle-class girl) can be a semi-annoying character. She makes questionable decisions and justifies them to herself all for her love of Connor (rich boy). Half the time you can almost see the hearts in her eyes. I understand being in love, but being so completely besotted that you disregard some major red flags? That's something else entirely.
And Connor? Well, Connor's kind of a dick, while also being clueless in many ways. As a teen, he "loves" Tabby but gives her up for his grandmother's money. As an adult, he "loves" Tabby but can't quite leave his rich wife just yet. Come ON.
I do have to say that I saw the big reveal coming, so it was a bit predictable in that way, but everything builds to a satisfying conclusion. See for yourself June 9th!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the digital ARE!
Rich boy meets middle-class girl at his country club and embarks upon a summer fling that becomes a little more. Rich boy can't bear the thought of giving up his money for the love of the middle-class girl, and so their summer fling is unceremoniously concluded. Some years later, middle-class girl is waitressing when rich boy (now married, still rich, but with his wife's money instead of his grandmother's) pops back up in her life (is this orchestrated somehow, or fate?), and the ride truly begins.
"I'm writing this to raise an alarm in the event of my untimely death. This is hard to admit, even to myself. For obvious reasons. He's in love with someone else. And he wants my money."
Connor's wife, Nina, is a rich widow whose diary entries we are privy to, detailing what she believes to be the plot between her husband and his mistress to kill her and inherit her millions, and this is what immediately sucked me in to the story, because of course I wanted to know if he/they killed her! The author almost manages to make Nina a sympathetic character, but never quite gets there; she's quite unpleasant, but she probably didn't deserve to die.
Tabitha (middle-class girl) can be a semi-annoying character. She makes questionable decisions and justifies them to herself all for her love of Connor (rich boy). Half the time you can almost see the hearts in her eyes. I understand being in love, but being so completely besotted that you disregard some major red flags? That's something else entirely.
And Connor? Well, Connor's kind of a dick, while also being clueless in many ways. As a teen, he "loves" Tabby but gives her up for his grandmother's money. As an adult, he "loves" Tabby but can't quite leave his rich wife just yet. Come ON.
I do have to say that I saw the big reveal coming, so it was a bit predictable in that way, but everything builds to a satisfying conclusion. See for yourself June 9th!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the digital ARE!
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Moana (2016) in Movies
Mar 20, 2020
A delightful journey
In what is probably not a surprise to those of you that know me well, I keep a list of films that I have seen and a list of "top films I need to catch up with." (I know, that makes me a "film nerd" and I wear that badge proudly). In perusing the list, I saw that I had yet to see the 2016 Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Disney animated flick Moana, so thought I'd check it out.
And...I'm glad I did...for I was thoroughly entertained by the story, the characters, the visuals and the music. How is this film not mentioned in the same breath with FROZEN? It is terrific.
Set in the South Pacific, MOANA, the 56th Disney Animated film, tells the tale of...well...Moana...who works with the Demigod Maui to reverse a curse that he started.
Hawaii native Auli'l Cravalho was perfectly cast as the voice of Moana, she is the perfect blend of perky, smart and grounded with a singing voice that is strong and bold. But this film belongs to Dwayne Johnson as Maui. His demigod is brash, egotistical, and cocky...but there is a tenderness and vulnerability to his character that makes Maui lovable and not arrogant and annoying. This is a delicate balance to make and Johnson balances it perfectly. He has a natural charm and charisma that shines through his characterization. I couldn't think of anyone else that could have pulled this role off - oh...did I mention - he sings!
And that is another part of this film that I was surprised by. The music is first rate. As written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Broadway's HAMILTON) and Opetaia Foa'i and Mark Mancina, the songs are joyous, fun and drive the plot and the characterizations forward. AS does the direction by Ron Clements and John Musker. It is a fast paced film that doesn't really slow down for audiences to think too much about the plot or plot machinations...and that is a good thing.
Is it a perfect film? Well..no. I found the character of the Sea Creature Tamatoa (Jermaine Clement) and the accompanying song to be..."meh"...it was a bump in a fun road. And...the way the plot was resolved was not entirely satisfying for me.
But...these are nits...for MOANA is more focused on the journey - and the relationship between Maui and Moana - than the destination. And this journey is a delightful one to go on.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars (out of 10) and you can take this to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And...I'm glad I did...for I was thoroughly entertained by the story, the characters, the visuals and the music. How is this film not mentioned in the same breath with FROZEN? It is terrific.
Set in the South Pacific, MOANA, the 56th Disney Animated film, tells the tale of...well...Moana...who works with the Demigod Maui to reverse a curse that he started.
Hawaii native Auli'l Cravalho was perfectly cast as the voice of Moana, she is the perfect blend of perky, smart and grounded with a singing voice that is strong and bold. But this film belongs to Dwayne Johnson as Maui. His demigod is brash, egotistical, and cocky...but there is a tenderness and vulnerability to his character that makes Maui lovable and not arrogant and annoying. This is a delicate balance to make and Johnson balances it perfectly. He has a natural charm and charisma that shines through his characterization. I couldn't think of anyone else that could have pulled this role off - oh...did I mention - he sings!
And that is another part of this film that I was surprised by. The music is first rate. As written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Broadway's HAMILTON) and Opetaia Foa'i and Mark Mancina, the songs are joyous, fun and drive the plot and the characterizations forward. AS does the direction by Ron Clements and John Musker. It is a fast paced film that doesn't really slow down for audiences to think too much about the plot or plot machinations...and that is a good thing.
Is it a perfect film? Well..no. I found the character of the Sea Creature Tamatoa (Jermaine Clement) and the accompanying song to be..."meh"...it was a bump in a fun road. And...the way the plot was resolved was not entirely satisfying for me.
But...these are nits...for MOANA is more focused on the journey - and the relationship between Maui and Moana - than the destination. And this journey is a delightful one to go on.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars (out of 10) and you can take this to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated I Know Who You Are in Books
Aug 5, 2019
Aimee Sinclair is an actress. She's not really famous yet, but you might have heard of her. Aimee is working on her latest film when she comes home and discovers that her husband, Ben, has vanished without his wallet, phone, keys, coat, or shoes. Initially she isn't too worried as the two had a large fight the night before. But he isn't home the next morning, and Aimee's card is declined when she tries to use it. The bank tells her her account has been emptied. She immediately suspects Ben, but the bank tells her it was her. Aimee has a history of "forgetting," but she's sure she would remember this. Soon the police are at Aimee's door, and her world starts to turn upside down.
"My husband is gone"
I really enjoyed Alice Feeney's first book, SOMETIMES I LIE, and this one lived up to expectations. I have to say that Feeney has cornered the market on confusing books with unreliable narrators who bring along messed up backstories. (How's that for a mouthful?) Aimee is an interesting character--an actress with a spotty past and flitty mentions of her "forgetting"--yet you can't help but feel somewhat drawn to her. Things go south pretty quickly once Ben disappears, and we are sucked down with her. Yet Aimee is tough, and she's pretty determined to figure out what is going on.
"Acting is easy; it's being me that I find difficult"
Like Feeney's first book, this one will leave you feeling confused and disjointed as you read, much like Aimee's brain. What is going on? Can we trust her? Can we trust anyone? Complicating things is the fact that Aimee's story alternates with that of a young girl who wanders away from home and, well, let's just say that doesn't end well. These two storylines are oddly captivating, motivating you to madly flip the pages. Eventually, I found myself caring not so much about what actually happened to Ben, but just caught up in Aimee's overall story and saga.
"Sometimes it's the people who love us the most that hurt us the hardest; because they can."
Now, be warned. This is not just a befuddling tale, but a twisted one. Feeney goes dark, very dark with our story here. Oh man, but it's a really good surprise, and while I saw hints of it, I loved it, and quite enjoyed how everything came together. (Or, conversely, fell apart?) The book keeps you guessing, that's for sure.
Overall, this is a really twisted, mesmerizing thriller that keeps you engaged. I will definitely be reading anything Alice Feeney writes. 4+ stars.
"My husband is gone"
I really enjoyed Alice Feeney's first book, SOMETIMES I LIE, and this one lived up to expectations. I have to say that Feeney has cornered the market on confusing books with unreliable narrators who bring along messed up backstories. (How's that for a mouthful?) Aimee is an interesting character--an actress with a spotty past and flitty mentions of her "forgetting"--yet you can't help but feel somewhat drawn to her. Things go south pretty quickly once Ben disappears, and we are sucked down with her. Yet Aimee is tough, and she's pretty determined to figure out what is going on.
"Acting is easy; it's being me that I find difficult"
Like Feeney's first book, this one will leave you feeling confused and disjointed as you read, much like Aimee's brain. What is going on? Can we trust her? Can we trust anyone? Complicating things is the fact that Aimee's story alternates with that of a young girl who wanders away from home and, well, let's just say that doesn't end well. These two storylines are oddly captivating, motivating you to madly flip the pages. Eventually, I found myself caring not so much about what actually happened to Ben, but just caught up in Aimee's overall story and saga.
"Sometimes it's the people who love us the most that hurt us the hardest; because they can."
Now, be warned. This is not just a befuddling tale, but a twisted one. Feeney goes dark, very dark with our story here. Oh man, but it's a really good surprise, and while I saw hints of it, I loved it, and quite enjoyed how everything came together. (Or, conversely, fell apart?) The book keeps you guessing, that's for sure.
Overall, this is a really twisted, mesmerizing thriller that keeps you engaged. I will definitely be reading anything Alice Feeney writes. 4+ stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Black Mass (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
He was one of the most dangerous men and most notorious gangsters in American history. For over sixteen years he evaded the FBI and law enforcement until his eventual capture in 2011. Black Mass tells the story of James “Whitey” Bulger and his alliance with the FBI. The film delves deep into the relationship that is built between Bulger and FBI agents which allows him to expand his power beyond the Boston area. Audiences will be awestruck by the actions permitted and overlooked on the part of FBI agents working with Bulger which fall in line with the advice that Bulger gives his son: “If no one saw it, it didn’t happen.”
Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands) assumes the role of Bulger and audiences will not be able to take their eyes off of him in this film. Every movement, word, and action that he provides on screen demonstrates his versatility and ability to wear the skin and assume identity of those that he portrays. His portrayal of Whitey Bulger separates him from the “Jack Sparrow” identity that his audiences have become accustomed to. Even more impressive about his acting is the way in which the film’s direction displays more of a human element to this monster. The audience is shown countless acts of brutality undertaken by Bulger or on his orders, but there are moments in which you feel a sense of sorrow for the character. In no way do the moments allow for redemption or offer excuses for his actions, but it allows for the portrayal of a more human element. Humanizing Bulger allows for a much fuller picture of what took place during his life and demonstrates that crime was not the only factor.
The film takes all of us into a very dark place. We see a monster in action. We see countless people fall victim to Bulger and his organization. Depp intimidates not only the other characters being portrayed, but the audience in the way that his eyes always seem so cold and heartless. It is said that when you look into someone’s eyes, you can see their soul. With Whitey Bulger, his soul is absent whenever he is portrayed onscreen. This helps to solidify Depp’s portrayal of Bulger and the way that he lived his life. He was a cold, heartless monster. The only sense of a soul or any humanity comes with the direction of the film to make this monster human.
Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands) assumes the role of Bulger and audiences will not be able to take their eyes off of him in this film. Every movement, word, and action that he provides on screen demonstrates his versatility and ability to wear the skin and assume identity of those that he portrays. His portrayal of Whitey Bulger separates him from the “Jack Sparrow” identity that his audiences have become accustomed to. Even more impressive about his acting is the way in which the film’s direction displays more of a human element to this monster. The audience is shown countless acts of brutality undertaken by Bulger or on his orders, but there are moments in which you feel a sense of sorrow for the character. In no way do the moments allow for redemption or offer excuses for his actions, but it allows for the portrayal of a more human element. Humanizing Bulger allows for a much fuller picture of what took place during his life and demonstrates that crime was not the only factor.
The film takes all of us into a very dark place. We see a monster in action. We see countless people fall victim to Bulger and his organization. Depp intimidates not only the other characters being portrayed, but the audience in the way that his eyes always seem so cold and heartless. It is said that when you look into someone’s eyes, you can see their soul. With Whitey Bulger, his soul is absent whenever he is portrayed onscreen. This helps to solidify Depp’s portrayal of Bulger and the way that he lived his life. He was a cold, heartless monster. The only sense of a soul or any humanity comes with the direction of the film to make this monster human.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Winter's Tale (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
“Winter’s Tale”, starring Colin Farrell (Peter Lake), Jessica Brown Findlay (Beverly Penn), Russell Crowe (Pearly Soames), William Hurt (Isaac Penn), Jennifer Connelly (Virginia Gamely) and Will Smith (The Judge) is a fantastic love story, although the beginning was a little slow. It did help define the three different timelines involved in the plot
After a brief scene set in 1895, where we see a set of parents put their baby in a model ship, lower him down into the Hudson River and set him afloat, the timeline jumps to 1916. In this timeline we meet Peter Lake and Pearly Soames for the first time, and are drawn into their story of good versus evil. As Pearly hunts for Peter, in order to destroy him, Peter is assisted by a beautiful white horse named Athansor. The horse is absolutely stunning and along with the incredible use of light throughout the movie, it is possibly one of the most memorable things about the film. The stallion is the guardian angel of the adult Peter – and he flies! The CGI was seamless and beautiful.
As Peter tries again and again to escape Pearly, he ends up meeting Beverly who is ill with consumption. Of course, it’s a love story and they fall in love. Farrell and Penn’s portrayal of their characters’ romance was so poignant, you will need to have tissues on hand. Throughout the movie a voiceover says “inside each of us is a miracle, a miracle intended for one person alone.” The plot twists connected to that statement were just enough to keep me guessing – often incorrectly.
It was a total and complete shock to see Will Smith play an antagonist so well. Russell Crowe was great as Pearly, very believable as a demon obsessed with getting his way and wreaking vengeance on someone who he saw as having “done him wrong.”
When the storyline jumped to present day New York, 2014, the imagery of the lights and stars helped with the transition but the magic of the film seemed to disappear afterwards. While the last third of the movie was not hard to follow, it was still a bit hard to understand its point right away. I definitely felt like the movie lost some momentum after the jump to present day. In the end, it just felt like there was something missing – possibly left in the editing room. Maybe we’ll find it on the DVD extras.
I would give this movie 3.5 out of 5 stars.
After a brief scene set in 1895, where we see a set of parents put their baby in a model ship, lower him down into the Hudson River and set him afloat, the timeline jumps to 1916. In this timeline we meet Peter Lake and Pearly Soames for the first time, and are drawn into their story of good versus evil. As Pearly hunts for Peter, in order to destroy him, Peter is assisted by a beautiful white horse named Athansor. The horse is absolutely stunning and along with the incredible use of light throughout the movie, it is possibly one of the most memorable things about the film. The stallion is the guardian angel of the adult Peter – and he flies! The CGI was seamless and beautiful.
As Peter tries again and again to escape Pearly, he ends up meeting Beverly who is ill with consumption. Of course, it’s a love story and they fall in love. Farrell and Penn’s portrayal of their characters’ romance was so poignant, you will need to have tissues on hand. Throughout the movie a voiceover says “inside each of us is a miracle, a miracle intended for one person alone.” The plot twists connected to that statement were just enough to keep me guessing – often incorrectly.
It was a total and complete shock to see Will Smith play an antagonist so well. Russell Crowe was great as Pearly, very believable as a demon obsessed with getting his way and wreaking vengeance on someone who he saw as having “done him wrong.”
When the storyline jumped to present day New York, 2014, the imagery of the lights and stars helped with the transition but the magic of the film seemed to disappear afterwards. While the last third of the movie was not hard to follow, it was still a bit hard to understand its point right away. I definitely felt like the movie lost some momentum after the jump to present day. In the end, it just felt like there was something missing – possibly left in the editing room. Maybe we’ll find it on the DVD extras.
I would give this movie 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Guilt Trip (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
If you’re like me, as soon as you saw Seth Rogan was the lead in a road trip movie you probably billed it as another one of his comedies and put it on the eventually-will-see list. That was me, I would not have bought tickets to see this in the theater and I probably wouldn’t have rented it either until much later after a Blu-Ray/DVD release (I still haven’t seen Knocked Up). After watching this though I’ve changed my mind.
We start with Andy Brewster, Seth Rogan, getting many voicemails from his mother Joyce Brewster, Barbra Streisand. It starts earlier than he gets up in the morning and continues on into the evening. They’re to show she cares but she nags, a lot. making sure he’s ready for his meeting with Kmart. He’s an organic chemist trying to sell his all natural, safe, cleaning product. He is trying to sell his product to a big name distributor and after this meeting he’s planned a road trip to get as many distributors as he can. His trip starts by flying to the east coast and driving back; his mother lives on the east coast and when he flies in she picks him up for a little visit.
While visiting with her before she tells him something about her past she’s never told him. It affected her deeply and he decides to help her with this situation by inviting her on the trip with him. I’d like to say here, the title of this movie is misleading. As you can imagine comedy ensues but there’s very little if any guilt involved, at least I didn’t really see it. There’s a range of emotions too and you really feel them. Mostly due to the play between Seth Rogan and Barbra Streisand they both did great and really suck you in.
Obviously they learn things about each other and themselves on this road trip, but it’s not over the top, either in its emotional moments or its happy moments. The ending is a very nice heartwarming surprise that goes with the tone of the movie. It was extremely enjoyable and I would recommend this movie to anyone. It’s definitely a renter and I will be buying it but if you want to wait until it’s released on Blu-Ray/DVD I don’t believe anything will be lost in waiting. If you see it in theaters you won’t feel like you’ve wasted your time or money.
We start with Andy Brewster, Seth Rogan, getting many voicemails from his mother Joyce Brewster, Barbra Streisand. It starts earlier than he gets up in the morning and continues on into the evening. They’re to show she cares but she nags, a lot. making sure he’s ready for his meeting with Kmart. He’s an organic chemist trying to sell his all natural, safe, cleaning product. He is trying to sell his product to a big name distributor and after this meeting he’s planned a road trip to get as many distributors as he can. His trip starts by flying to the east coast and driving back; his mother lives on the east coast and when he flies in she picks him up for a little visit.
While visiting with her before she tells him something about her past she’s never told him. It affected her deeply and he decides to help her with this situation by inviting her on the trip with him. I’d like to say here, the title of this movie is misleading. As you can imagine comedy ensues but there’s very little if any guilt involved, at least I didn’t really see it. There’s a range of emotions too and you really feel them. Mostly due to the play between Seth Rogan and Barbra Streisand they both did great and really suck you in.
Obviously they learn things about each other and themselves on this road trip, but it’s not over the top, either in its emotional moments or its happy moments. The ending is a very nice heartwarming surprise that goes with the tone of the movie. It was extremely enjoyable and I would recommend this movie to anyone. It’s definitely a renter and I will be buying it but if you want to wait until it’s released on Blu-Ray/DVD I don’t believe anything will be lost in waiting. If you see it in theaters you won’t feel like you’ve wasted your time or money.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated J. Edgar (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
When I first heard about this movie, it intrigued me. When I heard that it starred Leonardo Dicaprio and was directed by Clint Eastwood, I was hooked. And I must say, that with a few small exceptions, the film definitely lived up to expectations for me.
J. Edgar is the story of Hoover’s rise to “power”, as told by J. Edgar Hoover. The movie takes place during three different time periods: when Hoover was just a budding employee of the Department of Justice and his involvement in the creation of the Bureau of Investigation; flash forward to Kennedy’s time in the office of the President of the United States of America, and finally during Nixon’s short-lived administration.
Throughout the film we see the influence that Hoover had in the government at the time. Of course, at the beginning of his career, he had very little. But through lies, deceit and manipulation he quickly became very influential. He began building his “personal files” very early on, which he used to blackmail and coerce government officials into many things, but most of all to keep his position as head of the FBI.
Throughout the film we see J. Edgar Hoover’s struggle with his controlling mother, his sexuality and his political opponents. His mother, Annie Hoover, played by Dame Judi Dench, saw Hoover as the savior of their family name. It had been disgraced in her eyes by his mentally ill father. She was his guiding voice in all areas of his life, including appearance, stature and his sexuality.
We see Hoover make advances towards Helen Gandy, played by Naomi Watts, who is a typist who becomes his personal assistant his entire life. Hoover’s demeanor around her is awkward at best, and she makes it very clear that she is focusing on her career. Shortly after the creation of the Bureau of Investigations he meets Clyde Tolson, played by Armie Hammer of The Social Network fame. It quickly becomes obvious that there is chemistry between these two.
The film takes us all the way to Hoover’s death and the many things he has accomplished, or perhaps did not accomplish, in between. Remember that I said that this a story of J. Edgar Hoover as told by the man himself. This plays into the film in a very great way. Overall, this is definitely a must-see film as it is a great drama sprinkled with spots of humor. I can see a trio of Oscar nominations with this film for Clint Eastwood in directing, and for Leonardo Dicaprio and Armie Hammer in acting.
J. Edgar is the story of Hoover’s rise to “power”, as told by J. Edgar Hoover. The movie takes place during three different time periods: when Hoover was just a budding employee of the Department of Justice and his involvement in the creation of the Bureau of Investigation; flash forward to Kennedy’s time in the office of the President of the United States of America, and finally during Nixon’s short-lived administration.
Throughout the film we see the influence that Hoover had in the government at the time. Of course, at the beginning of his career, he had very little. But through lies, deceit and manipulation he quickly became very influential. He began building his “personal files” very early on, which he used to blackmail and coerce government officials into many things, but most of all to keep his position as head of the FBI.
Throughout the film we see J. Edgar Hoover’s struggle with his controlling mother, his sexuality and his political opponents. His mother, Annie Hoover, played by Dame Judi Dench, saw Hoover as the savior of their family name. It had been disgraced in her eyes by his mentally ill father. She was his guiding voice in all areas of his life, including appearance, stature and his sexuality.
We see Hoover make advances towards Helen Gandy, played by Naomi Watts, who is a typist who becomes his personal assistant his entire life. Hoover’s demeanor around her is awkward at best, and she makes it very clear that she is focusing on her career. Shortly after the creation of the Bureau of Investigations he meets Clyde Tolson, played by Armie Hammer of The Social Network fame. It quickly becomes obvious that there is chemistry between these two.
The film takes us all the way to Hoover’s death and the many things he has accomplished, or perhaps did not accomplish, in between. Remember that I said that this a story of J. Edgar Hoover as told by the man himself. This plays into the film in a very great way. Overall, this is definitely a must-see film as it is a great drama sprinkled with spots of humor. I can see a trio of Oscar nominations with this film for Clint Eastwood in directing, and for Leonardo Dicaprio and Armie Hammer in acting.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
My anticipation for the second part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, much like my anticipation of Part 1, was accompanied by great reluctance to witness the culmination of 10 years of storytelling.
Opening exactly where Part 1 left off, we find Harry, Hermione and Ron continuing on their quest to locate the remaining Horcruxes, objects in which Harry’s nemesis, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has implanted a part of his soul. Destruction of these Horcruxes help weaken Voldemort. Polyjuice, goblins and a dragon ride provide some humor and thrills and eventually leads to the trios’ return to Hogwarts, where Alan Rickman’s Severus Snape is now the hated headmaster. Voldemort has attained the powerful Elder Wand and has turned his evil sights on the school in hopes of drawing Harry out. Along with his questionably loyal Deatheaters, they surround Hogwarts and prepare to attack.
At times the storytelling is a bit slow, at times too abrupt. While the special Harry Potter 3D glasses were amusing, I didn’t notice any spectacular effects that would warrant the extra charge to watch this movie in 3D. As is the case for converted 3D movies, the effects are more of a distracting afterthought than a real enhancement. For those not familiar with the books, the storylines may be a bit convoluted but your patience will be rewarded. Daniel Radcliffe’s matured Harry Potter is grim and resolute, his best friends Hermione and Ron (Emma Watson and Rupert Grinch) are aptly desperate but determined. Taking a stand with them, wile making their cinematic curtain call, are many of their Hogwarts professors, their classmates in Dumbldore’s Army and their mentors in the Order of the Phoenix. There are more heartwrenching moments than heartwarming parts as Harry learns more about the events surrounding his existence and what he must do to defeat Voldemort.
Few books, and far fewer movie adaptations, have captured the hearts of such a loyal and enthusiastic fanbase. The valiant attempts by directors Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell and, lastly, David Yates, to recreate the vast, enchanting wizarding world imagined by J.K. Rowling, have deservedly garnered the franchise a loyal and enthusiastic fanbase. Yet, as lush and vivid as the movies have been, they only touched on some of the best parts of the books. Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting perfection. But what I saw in Part 2 was pretty darn close. While movie adaptations of beloved stories will always leave serious fans wanting more, Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a fitting finale to this epic tale.
Opening exactly where Part 1 left off, we find Harry, Hermione and Ron continuing on their quest to locate the remaining Horcruxes, objects in which Harry’s nemesis, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has implanted a part of his soul. Destruction of these Horcruxes help weaken Voldemort. Polyjuice, goblins and a dragon ride provide some humor and thrills and eventually leads to the trios’ return to Hogwarts, where Alan Rickman’s Severus Snape is now the hated headmaster. Voldemort has attained the powerful Elder Wand and has turned his evil sights on the school in hopes of drawing Harry out. Along with his questionably loyal Deatheaters, they surround Hogwarts and prepare to attack.
At times the storytelling is a bit slow, at times too abrupt. While the special Harry Potter 3D glasses were amusing, I didn’t notice any spectacular effects that would warrant the extra charge to watch this movie in 3D. As is the case for converted 3D movies, the effects are more of a distracting afterthought than a real enhancement. For those not familiar with the books, the storylines may be a bit convoluted but your patience will be rewarded. Daniel Radcliffe’s matured Harry Potter is grim and resolute, his best friends Hermione and Ron (Emma Watson and Rupert Grinch) are aptly desperate but determined. Taking a stand with them, wile making their cinematic curtain call, are many of their Hogwarts professors, their classmates in Dumbldore’s Army and their mentors in the Order of the Phoenix. There are more heartwrenching moments than heartwarming parts as Harry learns more about the events surrounding his existence and what he must do to defeat Voldemort.
Few books, and far fewer movie adaptations, have captured the hearts of such a loyal and enthusiastic fanbase. The valiant attempts by directors Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell and, lastly, David Yates, to recreate the vast, enchanting wizarding world imagined by J.K. Rowling, have deservedly garnered the franchise a loyal and enthusiastic fanbase. Yet, as lush and vivid as the movies have been, they only touched on some of the best parts of the books. Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting perfection. But what I saw in Part 2 was pretty darn close. While movie adaptations of beloved stories will always leave serious fans wanting more, Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a fitting finale to this epic tale.
