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Lee (2222 KP) rated Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) in Movies
Jul 3, 2018
Not quite as good as the original
Before watching Sicario 2, I really wanted to try and watch the original movie again, but never got a chance. I remember it being brutal and intense, with outstanding performances from Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro. I remember it gripping me from beginning to end. But, strangely, I couldn't remember very much about it at all other than basic plot details. I know I would recommend it in a heartbeat though, so I was excited for what the sequel would bring.
In Sicario: Day of the Solado (or just Sicario 2: Soldado here in the UK...), the brutal intensity is introduced right from the start. A suicide bomber blows himself up at the U.S. - Mexican border. Then, in a Kansas supermarket, terrorists enter and detonate two bombs, followed by a third which is detonated while a woman and child plead to be set free. It's shocking, upsetting, and sticks with you uncomfortably for a while, serving as a push to get you behind federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) as he's brought in to start a war between the Mexican drug cartels. The plan has something to do with securing the border from terrorists, which kind of doesn't make much sense, but after the events in the opening scenes, you just want somebody to get out there and kick some ass. And with the promise that he's allowed to play things "dirty", you know that Josh Brolin is more than capable. He locates and recruits Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) to help him out, with the promise of getting revenge against the family responsible for the death of his own family. They kidnap the daughter of a top gang boss, and attempt to blame it on a rival gang. But things don't go according to plan.
Like the original, there are plenty of intense, well executed scenes, but this just didn't grip me in the same way as the first movie did. Benicio Del Toro is just brilliant, but the lack of Emily Blunt was noticeable. Still a very enjoyable movie though.
In Sicario: Day of the Solado (or just Sicario 2: Soldado here in the UK...), the brutal intensity is introduced right from the start. A suicide bomber blows himself up at the U.S. - Mexican border. Then, in a Kansas supermarket, terrorists enter and detonate two bombs, followed by a third which is detonated while a woman and child plead to be set free. It's shocking, upsetting, and sticks with you uncomfortably for a while, serving as a push to get you behind federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) as he's brought in to start a war between the Mexican drug cartels. The plan has something to do with securing the border from terrorists, which kind of doesn't make much sense, but after the events in the opening scenes, you just want somebody to get out there and kick some ass. And with the promise that he's allowed to play things "dirty", you know that Josh Brolin is more than capable. He locates and recruits Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) to help him out, with the promise of getting revenge against the family responsible for the death of his own family. They kidnap the daughter of a top gang boss, and attempt to blame it on a rival gang. But things don't go according to plan.
Like the original, there are plenty of intense, well executed scenes, but this just didn't grip me in the same way as the first movie did. Benicio Del Toro is just brilliant, but the lack of Emily Blunt was noticeable. Still a very enjoyable movie though.
Invisible: The History of the Unseen from Plato to Particle Physics
Book
If you could be invisible, what would you do? The chances are that it would have something to do...
Carma (21 KP) rated Second Chances (Second Chances, #1) in Books
Jun 17, 2019
Carter wishes he could go back in time, 10 years, and make a whole lot of changes. At the top of the list is never letting Kenzie go. He was stupid for choosing work over her. If only there was a way to get a do over. McKenzie is in town for a book signing and Carter decides its time to try again.
After getting help from a holiday spirit, Carter finds himself back in time with a perfect do over. Unfortunately his new (old) life is less than perfect. He has made most of the same mistakes only this time he is married to Kenzie with 2 small children. Will he finally be able to right the wrongs and win back the love of his life.
Solid 4 star read for a magical story full of hope and promise, I really enjoyed this first read by the author.
After getting help from a holiday spirit, Carter finds himself back in time with a perfect do over. Unfortunately his new (old) life is less than perfect. He has made most of the same mistakes only this time he is married to Kenzie with 2 small children. Will he finally be able to right the wrongs and win back the love of his life.
Solid 4 star read for a magical story full of hope and promise, I really enjoyed this first read by the author.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Nomads (1986) in Movies
Aug 11, 2019
Excitable LA-set horror-fantasy. A French anthropologist (Brosnan) becomes obsessed with his discovery that Los Angeles is infested with evil Eskimo spirits, apparently disguised as bikers and punks, one of whom is played by Adam Ant. (Yes, this really is the plot.)
Starts off showing signs of promise but becomes thoroughly unravelled well before the end; the presence of a frame story about a doctor (Down) investigating the French guy's death clutters rather than deepens the story. Stylish in a very mid-80s way: lots of drum machines, synth music, and indiscriminate use of slow motion. Brosnan's allo-ah-ahm-Fronsh performance is, well, interesting; he does the accent about as well as he sings. It just about stays watchable but isn't quite bad enough to be fun. Apparently Arnie saw it and was impressed enough to hire McTiernan to do Predator, which probably justifies its existence.
Starts off showing signs of promise but becomes thoroughly unravelled well before the end; the presence of a frame story about a doctor (Down) investigating the French guy's death clutters rather than deepens the story. Stylish in a very mid-80s way: lots of drum machines, synth music, and indiscriminate use of slow motion. Brosnan's allo-ah-ahm-Fronsh performance is, well, interesting; he does the accent about as well as he sings. It just about stays watchable but isn't quite bad enough to be fun. Apparently Arnie saw it and was impressed enough to hire McTiernan to do Predator, which probably justifies its existence.
Genomics, Circuits, and Pathways in Clinical Neuropsychiatry
Thomas Lehner, Bruce Miller and Matthew State
Book
This foundational work comprehensively examines the current state of the genetics, genomics and...
Radio Frequency Identification Technologies: A Workshop Summary
Committee on Radio Frequency Identification Technologies and B. Computer science and telecommunications
Book
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is gaining rapid acceptance as a means to track a...
The Shadow Girls
Henning Mankell and Ebba Segerberg
Book
Tea-Bag, a young Nigerian girl, has fled a refugee camp in Spain for the promise of a new life in...
Christmas on Primrose Hill
Book
Christmas on Primrose Hill is a spellbinding, emotional and romantic tale from the best-selling...
Peter G. (247 KP) rated Angel Heart (1987) in Movies
Jul 11, 2019
Dark and brooding occult movie that reveals its hand pretty early on and throughout its runtime, but you may miss this due to being totally engrossed by the fine performances especially from Mickey Rourke who turns in what I believe is a career best as the detective who decends into madness whilst investigating a case.
It's quite an effective thriller/detective story dripping with genuine dread and its share of disturbing and intricate scenes that will still spook you, even in today's era of CGI trickery.
Rourke really surprises here and you wonder what really happened to his star over the years as he showed real promise as an emerging new talent at the time and showed some glimpses of this greatness in 'The Wrestler' much later on in his career.
Robert De Niro plays only a small but extremely memorable and effective role that will chill you to the bone.
It's quite an effective thriller/detective story dripping with genuine dread and its share of disturbing and intricate scenes that will still spook you, even in today's era of CGI trickery.
Rourke really surprises here and you wonder what really happened to his star over the years as he showed real promise as an emerging new talent at the time and showed some glimpses of this greatness in 'The Wrestler' much later on in his career.
Robert De Niro plays only a small but extremely memorable and effective role that will chill you to the bone.
