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Underworld: Blood Wars (2017)
Underworld: Blood Wars (2017)
2017 | Action, Fantasy, Horror
Action (0 more)
Story (2 more)
First 3 minutes
Too much betrayal and backstabbing
Fun to watch, but story could have been better
The start of this movie was a little off putting. I started with a recap of the series so far. These work so much better in TV shows because you most likely have seen the previous episode within two weeks. Movies not so much, I haven't seen any of the Underworld movies in about 2 years, so the recap really didn't help me understand what was going on. I knew the story a bit and that got me through the movie.

After the first 5 minutes it started to make more sense, but the whole plot of the movie really didn't have much too it. Keep everyone one away from Selene's daughter. Which she didn't know where she was anyway.


The rest of the story line really didn't make much sense either, so much un-need betrayal and backstabbing, I feel like vampires just can't get along with each other. At this point we should start seeing them as the bad guys and the werewolves as the good guys. But I am sure that will never happen.


Really the only good part of the movie was the action and fighting. It kept me awake and engaged in the movie.


I see they are making a 6th Underworld Movie, hopefully someone with a good story telling background can pick up the script and make a better story.


If you like Underworld, see it. Just to keep up with what is going on. Otherwise, just watch it for fun without looking to get something out of it.
  
Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)
Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)
2017 | Biography, Crime, Documentary
Such a bizarre story, sensitively told
The story of how the Broberg family sleepwalked into their eldest daughter being abducted is truly bizarre. I think a large part of their logical progression and how they didn't react to the red flag warnings stems from their being part of the church of latter-day saints and how the community aspect of the church would give them a false sense of security. I think this was played down quite a lot, possibly being sensitive not to criticise religious beliefs, but does tend to sensationalise the story a little.
The first half of this documentary brilliantly shows how a series of truly weird decisions by the family allowed a manipulative, charismatic man to gradually isolate their daughter from them and allow him to abduct her. There are some moments when you can't help but shout "WTF" (the full version) at the TV.
The second half continues this theme but I felt like I was past the point of disbelief and stupid decision upon stupid decision had left me numb to it.
The story is sensitively told, by the family themselves (and at times by "B", the abductor in his own words). While their actions are clearly stupid and irresponsible, their thought processes are clearly explained and they admit themselves how stupid they were. The family come across as a lovely, sensitive, emotional group that went through a terrible time in the mid-70s.
Some unpleasant sections when it gets into the detail of the abduction, which serve as a real wake-up after the somewhat comedic elements leading up to the abduction.
  
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Sarah (7799 KP) created a post

Oct 29, 2018  
On Saturday evening I went to see Symphonic Fantasy at the Manchester Bridgewater Hall. This featured songs from a number of films and tv shows, performed by the Manchester Concert Orchestra and the Canzonetta choir, led by conductor Toby Purser.

Whilst the thought of going to see a standard orchestra doesn’t particularly appeal, getting to see an orchestra performing film scores was very enticing and I have to admit, I was not disappointed - I loved it. Some of the scores were a little more obscure or less well known (like Hook, Chronicles of Narnia and Dragonheart), but there were some fantastic choices in here from Harry Potter, Game of Thrones (the Rains of Castamere & the title score the main draws) The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. My favourite by far though was the Jurassic Park theme, it’s one of my all time favourites so seeing this performed live by an orchestra was truly brilliant.

The Bridgewater Hall itself is a great venue for such a show and admittedly we had brilliant seats - close enough without being too close to not be able to see the entire orchestra. I also liked that they didn’t bother with any flashy extras like video screens or special effects, it was purely about the music and without any other distractions, it really let you appreciate the music itself.

My only criticism is around a small number of the music choices, and that they could’ve chosen some better more well known scores. There’s lots out there to choose from! That said, it was still a fantastic civilised night out and definitely something worth considering if you like film scores. 9/10
     
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Andy K (10823 KP) Oct 29, 2018

Sounds great Sarah!

Orphan Black  - Season 1
Orphan Black - Season 1
2013 | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Unique plot line (1 more)
Fantastic actors
Hooked!
I was originally drawn to the series after reading the synopsis, and was hooked in the first 10 minutes. The story centres around Sarah, who assumes the identity of a woman who looks identical to her, trying to escape her own troublesome past, but instead finding she has just stepped into more trouble. As the story develops, we find out that they are actually clones of each other, and are not alone in the world.
The plot thickens quickly as the series develops, becoming more sinister as Sarah tries to protect her foster family and young daughter. In all, I could the plot line unique and refreshing in comparison to what is currently out their.

The clones are played by Tatiana Maslany, who acts each one individually, the fact that she is able to demonstrate a clear identity of several characters at the same time, is a credit to her acting career.

The show itself does have a lot of drama, suspense and a little violence throughout the series, however it never takes itself too seriously, with regular breaks to add a little light heartedness into the show. The clone Alison/ soccer mom, in particular adds an air of humour to the show, particularly with her turbulent relationship with her husband and the stark contrast between herself and Sarah.

The series itself is worthy of a complete box set binge, and is definitely not one that you want to stop until the very end. This has made it to my list of favourite TV shows of all time.
  
The Life and Trials of Oscar Pistorius (30 for 30)
The Life and Trials of Oscar Pistorius (30 for 30)
2020 | Documentary, Sport
I love ESPN's 30 for 30 series (the Tonya Harding documentary is one of my favorite sports docs). When I saw that they had done a series about Oscar Pistorius, I was all in.

This series consists of 4 episodes, that are nearly 2 hours each. To clarify, these TV shows with really long eps are not the norm in the USA, like they are elsewhere.

I had watched the Dateline ep on the Pistorious murder a few weeks before I watched this series. Of course, the narrative is of that one was skewed towards the story of domestic violence, and justice for Reeva. This is the story that's peddled all over the world. Not that it's wrong, I'm a supporter of women in domestic situations, but it's always struck me as extremely biased.

This doc did focus on Oscar, his upbringing, and his quest to complete in the able-bodied (sheesh - that's awful) Olympics. His side of the story is highly plausible, and his actions were a product of his upbringing. The documentary films really shed like on the social situation in South Africa at the time. Honestly, I only took one history class that dealt with continent in general, so there wasn't really a focus on the country itself. Seriously, the only things that stood out in my mind regarding South Africa were their incredibly odd accents, Mandela, and District 9. So, I found the additional information extremely interesting.

Overall, I found it to be far more balanced than anything I had seen in the past regarding the case, which was refreshing.