Search
Search results
Lost - Season 1
8.5
Rate It
TV Season Watch
Oceanic Air flight 815 tore apart in mid-air and crashed on a Pacific island, leaving 48 passengers...
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Mountain Between Us (2017) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
A film not quite sure what it’s trying to be.
Idris Elba after scoring a mammoth hit with UK TV’s “Luther” has really struggled to make a breakthrough as a leading man into A-grade movies. Although he’s had some strong supporting roles (“Molly’s Game” and “Star Trek Beyond” for example) and small bit parts in the Marvel universe, when he has landed a lead role they are in films best forgotton (e.g. “Bastille Day”; “The Dark Tower”). This is seldom down to his performance. Here he is given more of a chance to shine, in what is almost a two-hander with Kate Winslet for most of the film. And he is the best thing in the film: lots of the brooding look that he is so famous for.
Elba plays Ben Bass, a neuro-surgeon stranded at Boise airport who has to get back to Baltimore for an important operation. Winslett playing Alex Martin, a famous photo-journalist, is stranded with him and equally desperate to travel as she is due to get married in New York the following day. The two club together to hire a plane from charter pilot Walter (Beau Bridges, “Homeland”, “The Descendents”). But in terrible conditions, and with a medical emergency, the plane crash lands in the snow of the Rockies, and Ben and Alex (together with Walter’s Labrador) need to struggle to survive in the wilderness. The problem is that they are an odd couple, and constantly wind each other up the wrong way.
It’s a well-worn tale that has been portrayed many times before in films like “Alive” and “The Grey”, so what makes the film live or die is the quality of the screenplay and the chemistry between the characters. Unfortunately the former by Chris Weitz (co-writer on “Rogue One“) is rather clunky, and in the latter case I just didn’t feel it. Winslett’s character is just so goddamn whiney and annoying that the thought of Ben doing anything with her other than hitting her with the shovel and feeding her to the dog seems unlikely! Winslett seems to sense that too, since I never felt she was completely invested in her character. Aside from one (impressive) monologue, I found it to be a so-so performance from her.
Aside from Elba the other star of the show is the landscape of the High Uintascape in North East Utah of the which is beautifully filmed, on location by Mandy Walker (“Hidden Figures“).
The story leaps from improbability to improbability and raises more questions than it answers: in a survival situation should you walk or stay put? If you have a dog, should you eat it* and what condiments are appropriate? Does an iced-over river have any current flowing under the ice? If they both died, would the audience care?
No spoilers with answers to any of these (*apart from the dog… just joking, they don’t!) , but the ending is as corny as you can get… but it still gave me a lump in my throat. #suckered!
Directed by Hany Abu-Assad, overall if you have a rainy afternoon you need to fill then this a perfectly pleasant movie to veg in front of, but it neither completely satisfies as a romance nor as an adventure flick but falls rather uncomfortably between the two stools.
Elba plays Ben Bass, a neuro-surgeon stranded at Boise airport who has to get back to Baltimore for an important operation. Winslett playing Alex Martin, a famous photo-journalist, is stranded with him and equally desperate to travel as she is due to get married in New York the following day. The two club together to hire a plane from charter pilot Walter (Beau Bridges, “Homeland”, “The Descendents”). But in terrible conditions, and with a medical emergency, the plane crash lands in the snow of the Rockies, and Ben and Alex (together with Walter’s Labrador) need to struggle to survive in the wilderness. The problem is that they are an odd couple, and constantly wind each other up the wrong way.
It’s a well-worn tale that has been portrayed many times before in films like “Alive” and “The Grey”, so what makes the film live or die is the quality of the screenplay and the chemistry between the characters. Unfortunately the former by Chris Weitz (co-writer on “Rogue One“) is rather clunky, and in the latter case I just didn’t feel it. Winslett’s character is just so goddamn whiney and annoying that the thought of Ben doing anything with her other than hitting her with the shovel and feeding her to the dog seems unlikely! Winslett seems to sense that too, since I never felt she was completely invested in her character. Aside from one (impressive) monologue, I found it to be a so-so performance from her.
Aside from Elba the other star of the show is the landscape of the High Uintascape in North East Utah of the which is beautifully filmed, on location by Mandy Walker (“Hidden Figures“).
The story leaps from improbability to improbability and raises more questions than it answers: in a survival situation should you walk or stay put? If you have a dog, should you eat it* and what condiments are appropriate? Does an iced-over river have any current flowing under the ice? If they both died, would the audience care?
No spoilers with answers to any of these (*apart from the dog… just joking, they don’t!) , but the ending is as corny as you can get… but it still gave me a lump in my throat. #suckered!
Directed by Hany Abu-Assad, overall if you have a rainy afternoon you need to fill then this a perfectly pleasant movie to veg in front of, but it neither completely satisfies as a romance nor as an adventure flick but falls rather uncomfortably between the two stools.
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume eight
Book
A town is held hostage by an unholy bargain made by some of the inhabitants; a party game on...
BO
Boats on the Marne: Jean Renoir's Critique of Modernity
Book
Boats on the Marne offers an original interpretation of Jean Renoir's celebrated films of the 1930s,...
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Rust Creek (2018) in Movies
Aug 3, 2020 (Updated Aug 3, 2020)
it calls its self a psychological horror film when its not. (1 more)
The GPS
Survival Of The Fitnest
Contains spoilers, click to show
Rust Creek- call its self a psychological horror film when its not. It is psychological but not horror. I would call it drama, suspense, thrilling and survival but not horror. I mean it is scary to see the main charcter get abused by the other charcters but not pops out and scaries you. Other than that it is a good survival movie.
The plot: Sawyer is an ambitious, overachieving college student who has a seemingly bright future. While on her way to a job interview, a wrong turn leaves her stranded deep in the frozen forest. Suddenly, the young woman who has everything to live for finds herself facing her own mortality as she's punished by the elements and pursued by a band of ruthless outlaws. With nowhere left to run, she is forced into an uneasy alliance with an enigmatic loner who has shadowy intention.
My only problem with this movie is the GPS. So in the movie the GPS reroute's her to the middle of no where and thats how this whole movie happens. Is because her GPS reroute's her. I thought that GPS story would go somewhere, like the charcters that abused her or policeman hacked her GPS to go to the middle of nowhere and that why he GPS rerouted her. Nope, it just reroutes her and thats it. It borthers me, cause if the GPS didnt reroute her, than the whole would of never happen, but since the GPS did reroute the movie happened.
Other than that its a really good survival movie.
The plot: Sawyer is an ambitious, overachieving college student who has a seemingly bright future. While on her way to a job interview, a wrong turn leaves her stranded deep in the frozen forest. Suddenly, the young woman who has everything to live for finds herself facing her own mortality as she's punished by the elements and pursued by a band of ruthless outlaws. With nowhere left to run, she is forced into an uneasy alliance with an enigmatic loner who has shadowy intention.
My only problem with this movie is the GPS. So in the movie the GPS reroute's her to the middle of no where and thats how this whole movie happens. Is because her GPS reroute's her. I thought that GPS story would go somewhere, like the charcters that abused her or policeman hacked her GPS to go to the middle of nowhere and that why he GPS rerouted her. Nope, it just reroutes her and thats it. It borthers me, cause if the GPS didnt reroute her, than the whole would of never happen, but since the GPS did reroute the movie happened.
Other than that its a really good survival movie.
Shattered World
6.5
Rate It
Book
Shattered World, the exciting sequel to Broken World, follows a group of survivors as they struggle...
Post Apocalyptic Apocalypse Dystopia Dystopian Zombies
Debbiereadsbook (1783 KP) rated Abandon Station (Dyson Bridge #1) in Books
May 6, 2024
it finishes on a cliffhanger I did not see coming at me, and I was not prepared!!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
So, here's the thing, right?
I am mighty, MIGHTY annoyed at this book. Why? Because I thought it was a complete story, and it's not: it finishes on a cliffhanger I did not see coming at me, and I hate that! I wasn't prepared, I really wasn't, when it ended, and I am not happy.
It was a great read, though! I was fully engrossed in Merida and her people.
In the now Earth, it was a bit technical,but I kinda read those bits and glanced over the technical jargon used. In the NEW Earth, things were more understandable and I could even follow the politics! There's a lot going on that she isn't privy to, and her people are in danger of being stranded.
But peeps? That cliffhanger means I gotta wait to find out if Merida can get home, if she can find all her people from across the globe, and if her ex gets whatever he deserves!
A quick glance, and I cannot see when I might get my hands on book 2, either. So now, I'm doubly annoyed, with a review to write. Why do I put myself through this, you ask? Let me tell you.
To find books and authors like this: out of my comfort zone and new to me. I loved this book, bar that ending and I'm very pleased, as well as annoyed, that I got to read it.
4 most EXCELLENT stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
So, here's the thing, right?
I am mighty, MIGHTY annoyed at this book. Why? Because I thought it was a complete story, and it's not: it finishes on a cliffhanger I did not see coming at me, and I hate that! I wasn't prepared, I really wasn't, when it ended, and I am not happy.
It was a great read, though! I was fully engrossed in Merida and her people.
In the now Earth, it was a bit technical,but I kinda read those bits and glanced over the technical jargon used. In the NEW Earth, things were more understandable and I could even follow the politics! There's a lot going on that she isn't privy to, and her people are in danger of being stranded.
But peeps? That cliffhanger means I gotta wait to find out if Merida can get home, if she can find all her people from across the globe, and if her ex gets whatever he deserves!
A quick glance, and I cannot see when I might get my hands on book 2, either. So now, I'm doubly annoyed, with a review to write. Why do I put myself through this, you ask? Let me tell you.
To find books and authors like this: out of my comfort zone and new to me. I loved this book, bar that ending and I'm very pleased, as well as annoyed, that I got to read it.
4 most EXCELLENT stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Melting His Grumpy Heart
10.0
Rate It
Book
Gruff and grumpy meets sunshine and smiles. Stranded in a lonely farmhouse, sparks flare then...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Apr 3, 2022
Lindsay (1812 KP) rated An Amish Family Christmas: Heart of Christmas\A Plain Holiday in Books
Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)
I enjoyed both stories in this book. They are quite sweet and it will put you in the holiday spirit. Can Susannah forgive her former love Toby Unger? Toby has two little children who are new students for Susannah. Susannah will need to help her new to students that needs some help with them being a little trouble but will it work? Will they find the love before Christmas? Toby two little children are having a little trouble adjusting to their new surrounding. The handsome Amish man needs desperately needs some help with his two children. Susannah had gotten a broken heart ten years ago when Toby left. Can Susannah find the forgiven him? Will they find they are a true match for each other before Christmas? You can find out by reading the book called "Heart of Christmas" by Marta Perry.
Sally Yoder left her community during her teen years. Her heart is back at home and she believes that her young man named Ben Lapp will not love a bold woman like her. There are some surprises in the book. Sally and her charges are to spend time with their grandmother. The children and Sally are going to experience what an Amish Christmas is. Sally and Ben and the children are going on a sleigh ride to pick out a tree and visit the children Great Grandmother. They get stranded in a snowstorm. Will Sally and Ben find Love? Will the children learn that they can have fun with a plain holiday with no modern electronics? You can read about this story in the book called "A Plain Holiday" by Patricia Davids. You could read both these stories in the book called "An Amish Family Christmas" by Martha Perry and Patricia Davids.
Sally Yoder left her community during her teen years. Her heart is back at home and she believes that her young man named Ben Lapp will not love a bold woman like her. There are some surprises in the book. Sally and her charges are to spend time with their grandmother. The children and Sally are going to experience what an Amish Christmas is. Sally and Ben and the children are going on a sleigh ride to pick out a tree and visit the children Great Grandmother. They get stranded in a snowstorm. Will Sally and Ben find Love? Will the children learn that they can have fun with a plain holiday with no modern electronics? You can read about this story in the book called "A Plain Holiday" by Patricia Davids. You could read both these stories in the book called "An Amish Family Christmas" by Martha Perry and Patricia Davids.