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Kevin Phillipson (9967 KP) rated Talons of Weng Chiang in TV
Jul 18, 2020
Tom baker (1 more)
Louise Jameson
Classic who probably my favourite 4th doctor story of all time it has everything the doctor dressed Sherlock Holmes Fu man Chu type villain part jack the ripper phantom of the opera what's not to love about this story. Only gripe white actors made up as Chinese characters in this day and age wouldn't happen classic all the way
Steve Buscemi recommended Billy Liar (1963) in Movies (curated)
The Basic Book of Digital Photography by Tom and Michele Grimm
Genre: Educational, Artistic
Rating: 4.5/5
Tom and Michele Grimm have compiled a magnificent handbook for any photographer, beginner or otherwise. This book has everything in it—from how to pick the best camera for you, to when and where to shoot, to editing, to timing… the list goes on and on.
The book is packed with photos, both color and black and white, examples, footnotes, and easy to read and understand text. At first glance it may seem intimidating, but it is so incredibly reader friendly that it’s suitable for almost any age.
The only thing about this book that I didn’t like was that there were only some pictures that were color, and most of them were black and white.
Recommendation: Ages 10+ to anyone interested in digital photography, whether they have been snapping photos for years or whether they’ve never even picked up a digital camera.
**Thank you to FSB Associates for providing my review copy!**
Genre: Educational, Artistic
Rating: 4.5/5
Tom and Michele Grimm have compiled a magnificent handbook for any photographer, beginner or otherwise. This book has everything in it—from how to pick the best camera for you, to when and where to shoot, to editing, to timing… the list goes on and on.
The book is packed with photos, both color and black and white, examples, footnotes, and easy to read and understand text. At first glance it may seem intimidating, but it is so incredibly reader friendly that it’s suitable for almost any age.
The only thing about this book that I didn’t like was that there were only some pictures that were color, and most of them were black and white.
Recommendation: Ages 10+ to anyone interested in digital photography, whether they have been snapping photos for years or whether they’ve never even picked up a digital camera.
**Thank you to FSB Associates for providing my review copy!**
Frank Black recommended Franks Wild Years by Tom Waits in Music (curated)
David McK (3233 KP) rated Devotion (2022) in Movies
Feb 12, 2023 (Updated Feb 12, 2023)
I saw this on Amazon Prime (I don't think it got a theatrical release), and heard good things about it, with a few of the reviewers saying it was even better than Top Gun: Maverick.
Unfortunately, I think they watched a different film than me.
This is set during the Korean War, and tells the story of the friendship between Naval aviators Tom Hudner and Jesse Brown; the latter one of the first non-white aviators in the air force at the time.
Personally, I found the film to be quite long and drawn-out, with even the vaunted flight scenes looking just not-quite right!
Unfortunately, I think they watched a different film than me.
This is set during the Korean War, and tells the story of the friendship between Naval aviators Tom Hudner and Jesse Brown; the latter one of the first non-white aviators in the air force at the time.
Personally, I found the film to be quite long and drawn-out, with even the vaunted flight scenes looking just not-quite right!
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Big (1988) in Movies
Mar 3, 2020
The film that made us realise Tom Hanks wasn’t just a goon, but had some really big acting chops! Personally, I think this should have been his first Oscar; so perfect is his body / age swap interpretation (that was in vogue but never matched at the time) that you can see the younger Josh at all times during this wonderful performance. So much fun, but always grounded in the idea that being a grown up is horrible, and we shouldn’t do it! There is the iconic giant piano playing; the shimy, shimy, cocopop song, the trampoline sleepover and the white tux caviar scenes, amongst so many good moments. In the end it is his mother’s joy to have him back that breaks the heart!
David McK (3233 KP) rated The Last Samurai (2003) in Movies
Feb 6, 2021
Who is The Last Samurai?
In the early noughties, following the success of Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator', there was a rash of historical epic films - 'Alexander', 'Troy', 'Kingdom of Heaven'.
And this.
Which is a strong contender for one of the best of those films.
The film stars Tom Cruise (who, for once, is not playing Tom Cruise) and Ken Wattanabe, with the former a world weary US Civil War veteran (suffering from PTSD?) who is hired to train the modernising Japanese army, and the latter a Samurai leader who thinks Japan is losing its identity; moving too fast into the future.
Captured by that Samurai leader following an early battle, Algren (Cruise's character) soon finds himself beginning to wonder is he fighting in the right side...
Yes, the plot is somewhat akin to 'Dances with Wolves' (or even 'Avatar'), and I've heard the charge of the film being a White Saviour story - a charge, I have to say, that I do NOT find any merit in: indeed, I would argue the opposite (that Cruise's character is saved rather than the one doing the saving) is more true.
And this.
Which is a strong contender for one of the best of those films.
The film stars Tom Cruise (who, for once, is not playing Tom Cruise) and Ken Wattanabe, with the former a world weary US Civil War veteran (suffering from PTSD?) who is hired to train the modernising Japanese army, and the latter a Samurai leader who thinks Japan is losing its identity; moving too fast into the future.
Captured by that Samurai leader following an early battle, Algren (Cruise's character) soon finds himself beginning to wonder is he fighting in the right side...
Yes, the plot is somewhat akin to 'Dances with Wolves' (or even 'Avatar'), and I've heard the charge of the film being a White Saviour story - a charge, I have to say, that I do NOT find any merit in: indeed, I would argue the opposite (that Cruise's character is saved rather than the one doing the saving) is more true.
Brian Fallon recommended track Crime Scene Part One by The Afghan Whigs in Black Love by The Afghan Whigs in Music (curated)
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated The Mummy (2017) in Movies
Jun 19, 2018
Blech
The Mummy was a completely awesome movie! Filled with perfectly timed comedy, a strong female heroine, a somewhat sinister Mummy, and great lines! I’m talking, of course, about the 1999 version of The Mummy. The one starring Brendan Fraser and the wonderful Rachel Weisz.
The remake tried to be a great movie and slid in somewhere around “mediocre at best”. As one might expect, this was Tom Cruise playing Tom Cruise. (Does the man ever actually try to play someone other than himself? Serious question.) Sofia Boutella is blandly proficient as the scantily clad mummy who couldn’t ooze menace or evil if her life depended on it. Given that we’re supposed to accept that this chick killed her baby half-brother and her father, you’d think there’d be something in the way of evil there. Instead she just comes across as your typical vengeful, wanton female. Annabelle Wallis was about as good as Boutella was. And I did not buy Crowe’s Jekyll/Hyde at all.
Why was there a wet white t-shirt scene in The Mummy? Did not a single person making it go “You know, maybe we should have her put on a different color shirt?” Because it’s not like the wet white t-shirt is a blatant aim to give guys something to beat off to or anything. Between Boutella’s outfit and the “Lookit! Boobies!” of that particular scene, it was obvious that the film crew wasn’t exactly confident of their success in the movie being popular on it’s premise or the actors’ abilities alone.
Now, I do give them credit for the hiring of Sofia Boutella. She looked right for the role. However, why did we have to do the contrast of the evil foreign female against the stereotypical white female again. (Blonde hair, blue eyes, etc. etc. You really can’t get more white.) This is, admittedly, more predominant in my mind since seeing the criticism that Wonder Woman got for the very minor role African Americans played in the film. I couldn’t help but think “Really, how hard would it have been to hire an African American female for Jenny’s role?” And then it would have avoided the white girls vs the other girls thing. But, yeah, no, that’s too difficult a concept for the people making the casting decisions to understand.
(On a lighter note: A blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jenny meant every time she was on screen, I kept expecting Forest Gump to yell for her from off screen.)
The action was fine, with nothing new thrown in. Some of the scenes are recognizable from the better The Mummy. The dialogue was acceptable, but nothing to write home about.
Do yourself a favor and just watch The Mummy movie from 1999. It’s by far the better film experience. This one wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t very good.
The remake tried to be a great movie and slid in somewhere around “mediocre at best”. As one might expect, this was Tom Cruise playing Tom Cruise. (Does the man ever actually try to play someone other than himself? Serious question.) Sofia Boutella is blandly proficient as the scantily clad mummy who couldn’t ooze menace or evil if her life depended on it. Given that we’re supposed to accept that this chick killed her baby half-brother and her father, you’d think there’d be something in the way of evil there. Instead she just comes across as your typical vengeful, wanton female. Annabelle Wallis was about as good as Boutella was. And I did not buy Crowe’s Jekyll/Hyde at all.
Why was there a wet white t-shirt scene in The Mummy? Did not a single person making it go “You know, maybe we should have her put on a different color shirt?” Because it’s not like the wet white t-shirt is a blatant aim to give guys something to beat off to or anything. Between Boutella’s outfit and the “Lookit! Boobies!” of that particular scene, it was obvious that the film crew wasn’t exactly confident of their success in the movie being popular on it’s premise or the actors’ abilities alone.
Now, I do give them credit for the hiring of Sofia Boutella. She looked right for the role. However, why did we have to do the contrast of the evil foreign female against the stereotypical white female again. (Blonde hair, blue eyes, etc. etc. You really can’t get more white.) This is, admittedly, more predominant in my mind since seeing the criticism that Wonder Woman got for the very minor role African Americans played in the film. I couldn’t help but think “Really, how hard would it have been to hire an African American female for Jenny’s role?” And then it would have avoided the white girls vs the other girls thing. But, yeah, no, that’s too difficult a concept for the people making the casting decisions to understand.
(On a lighter note: A blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jenny meant every time she was on screen, I kept expecting Forest Gump to yell for her from off screen.)
The action was fine, with nothing new thrown in. Some of the scenes are recognizable from the better The Mummy. The dialogue was acceptable, but nothing to write home about.
Do yourself a favor and just watch The Mummy movie from 1999. It’s by far the better film experience. This one wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t very good.
Ross (3282 KP) rated Designated Survivor - Season 1 in TV
Feb 15, 2018
Right from the first episode we are thrown into the thick of it as Tom Kirkman, an architect appointed to the US cabinet, is the appointed "designated survivor" - a member of government securely housed elsewhere during important events in case of a large scale attack. As he is watching the State of the Union Address, the unthinkable happens and the capitol building, with every other serving member of government inside, is blown up.
The first few episodes show Kirkman try and acclimatise with his new role and the task of reassuring citizens and finding those responsible. The series quickly adds a 24-style anti-terror task force to the mix, and the action flows thick and fast from there.
This is one of the more interesting, gripping and original series of recent years. A few annoying little plot holes in the last episodes (no CCTV in the white house?!, security checkpoints fail, boats vanishing) but otherwise excellent.
The first few episodes show Kirkman try and acclimatise with his new role and the task of reassuring citizens and finding those responsible. The series quickly adds a 24-style anti-terror task force to the mix, and the action flows thick and fast from there.
This is one of the more interesting, gripping and original series of recent years. A few annoying little plot holes in the last episodes (no CCTV in the white house?!, security checkpoints fail, boats vanishing) but otherwise excellent.