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More fun than Words With Friends and more addicting than Scrabble, WORD CHUMS: the highest rated...
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Father (2020) in Movies
Jun 12, 2021
Dementia twists the strands of Anthony’s personal multiverse
Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) is elderly and living in his flat. His daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) keeps dropping by to check he is OK. But is this right? Strange things keep happening to him, from losing his watch to having strange people turn up at the flat. For Anthony is battling against dementia, and reality and fantasy are not quite as distinct as they once were.
Positives:
- I was one of those disappointed that Chadwick Boseman didn’t posthumously win the Best Actor Oscar for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”. But, boy oh boy, after seeing this I am fully supportive of the Academy’s position. Anthony Hopkins has delivered some astonishingly powerful performances during his career – from the tortured ventriloquist in “Magic”, to Hannibal Lector to the elderly pope in “The Two Popes”. But he really excels himself here, tapping both your emotions and your sympathies as the confused and terrified old man.
- The Oscar- and BAFTA-winning screenplay by Florian Zeller, based on his stage play, is devastating, subtly twisting the knife. It will be particularly telling/upsetting for those who are getting on in years and/or have/had elderly parents affected by dementia. I would personally not have included (being deliberately vague) the “Williams entry” scene in the trailer, since it is a jolt of a twist in the film. But there are so many other clever devices in the screenplay that you don’t see coming. The ending in particular is brutal on the emotions.
- The production design (an Oscar nomination for Peter Francis and Cathy Featherstone) is ingenious, as the set subtly and progressively transforms. Almost a ‘spot the difference’ in movie form.
- The score by Ludovico Einaudi uses atonal strings to great effect, as Anthony’s reality keeps shifting from under him.
Negatives:
- I’ve nothing here, hence my 10-bomb rating. I’ve seen some reviews that have thought that the movie was too “stagey” (which is a criticism I have levelled before at a bunch of “stage to screen” adaptations such as “Fences” and – more recently – “One Night in Miami” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom“). But I really didn’t feel that way about “The Father”. The claustrophobic nature of the plot was well served I thought by the (largely) single set location.
Summary Thoughts on “The Father”: Dementia is a cruel and heartless disease that robs any affected elderly person of their memories, logic and – ultimately – their dignity. I thought the movie was extremely clever in reflecting this decline, anchored by the astonishing career-best performance from Sir Anthony Hopkins. But this in turns makes this a very hard watch indeed!
(For the full graphical review, check out the One Mann's Movies post here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/12/the-father-dementia-twists-the-strands-of-anthonys-personal-multiverse/ . Thanks.
Positives:
- I was one of those disappointed that Chadwick Boseman didn’t posthumously win the Best Actor Oscar for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”. But, boy oh boy, after seeing this I am fully supportive of the Academy’s position. Anthony Hopkins has delivered some astonishingly powerful performances during his career – from the tortured ventriloquist in “Magic”, to Hannibal Lector to the elderly pope in “The Two Popes”. But he really excels himself here, tapping both your emotions and your sympathies as the confused and terrified old man.
- The Oscar- and BAFTA-winning screenplay by Florian Zeller, based on his stage play, is devastating, subtly twisting the knife. It will be particularly telling/upsetting for those who are getting on in years and/or have/had elderly parents affected by dementia. I would personally not have included (being deliberately vague) the “Williams entry” scene in the trailer, since it is a jolt of a twist in the film. But there are so many other clever devices in the screenplay that you don’t see coming. The ending in particular is brutal on the emotions.
- The production design (an Oscar nomination for Peter Francis and Cathy Featherstone) is ingenious, as the set subtly and progressively transforms. Almost a ‘spot the difference’ in movie form.
- The score by Ludovico Einaudi uses atonal strings to great effect, as Anthony’s reality keeps shifting from under him.
Negatives:
- I’ve nothing here, hence my 10-bomb rating. I’ve seen some reviews that have thought that the movie was too “stagey” (which is a criticism I have levelled before at a bunch of “stage to screen” adaptations such as “Fences” and – more recently – “One Night in Miami” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom“). But I really didn’t feel that way about “The Father”. The claustrophobic nature of the plot was well served I thought by the (largely) single set location.
Summary Thoughts on “The Father”: Dementia is a cruel and heartless disease that robs any affected elderly person of their memories, logic and – ultimately – their dignity. I thought the movie was extremely clever in reflecting this decline, anchored by the astonishing career-best performance from Sir Anthony Hopkins. But this in turns makes this a very hard watch indeed!
(For the full graphical review, check out the One Mann's Movies post here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/12/the-father-dementia-twists-the-strands-of-anthonys-personal-multiverse/ . Thanks.
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You can listen almost all New Zealand Radios in the app. Radio New Zealand for iPhone/iPad allows...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Red Notice (2021) in Movies
Nov 19, 2021
Good (enough) Entertainment for the Entire Family
Around the Holidays, I always get asked to recommend a film “Good for the Entire Family”, something that the kids as well as the adults - including Gramma and Grampa - can enjoy.
For Thanksgiving, 2021 (and beyond) the answer is simple - look no further than the Netflix film RED NOTICE starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds.
Written and Directed by frequent “The Rock” collaborator, Rawson Marshall Thurber, RED NOTICE pits the 3 stars each other as Master Thieves and the Law Enforcement Agent that is chasing them. It is a light-hearted, fun, action, adventure treasure hunt film reminiscent of the Nicholas Cage NATIONAL TREASURE movies.
Don’t be expecting hard-hitting, gritty action in this one. Instead, expect light-hearted action with fast banter, faster cars and bullets that - to no one’s surprise - fails to land in any human being. Automobiles, equipment and buildings are destroyed - but humans…? Not so much. They just pick themselves up, dust themselves off and start all over again.
The acting in this is “as expected”. The Rock is tough, muscular and charming. Ryan Reynolds is fast-talking, conniving and charming. Gal Gadot is mysterious, tougher-than-she-looks and charming. They play off together well and add a little higher level of quality to this film than it probably deserves.
That’s because the script, plot machinations, twists, turns, double-crosses and banter are all pretty much run-of-the-mill. It is not anything special, but nor is it bad. It is “fine” and with these 3 talented performers at the forefront of this, it lifts itself to “better than fine”, it’s a good family film that all can enjoy.
The Direction and Action sequences by Thurber are just as pedestrian and run-of-the-mill but just as entertaining none-the-less. I think the charm of this film is it’s predictability. It’s like putting on an old pair of sweatpants. Your’e not going to wear them to the Oscars, but for sitting on the couch after a full family dinner on Thanksgiving, it fills the bill very well.
The film is light enough for kids (though they do drop the “f-bomb” once or twice). It’s just edgy enough for tweens/teens (hence the “f-bombs”) and a rollicking good time for the adults with enough self-awareness of what they are doing that the actors (first and foremost Reynolds) almost looks like they are going to address the camera to comment on what’s going on at any moment.
And that, too, is part of it’s charm.
Letter Grade A- (it’s probably a B+, but since it is my answer for “Family Film of the Holidays”, I’ll give it an A-).
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
For Thanksgiving, 2021 (and beyond) the answer is simple - look no further than the Netflix film RED NOTICE starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds.
Written and Directed by frequent “The Rock” collaborator, Rawson Marshall Thurber, RED NOTICE pits the 3 stars each other as Master Thieves and the Law Enforcement Agent that is chasing them. It is a light-hearted, fun, action, adventure treasure hunt film reminiscent of the Nicholas Cage NATIONAL TREASURE movies.
Don’t be expecting hard-hitting, gritty action in this one. Instead, expect light-hearted action with fast banter, faster cars and bullets that - to no one’s surprise - fails to land in any human being. Automobiles, equipment and buildings are destroyed - but humans…? Not so much. They just pick themselves up, dust themselves off and start all over again.
The acting in this is “as expected”. The Rock is tough, muscular and charming. Ryan Reynolds is fast-talking, conniving and charming. Gal Gadot is mysterious, tougher-than-she-looks and charming. They play off together well and add a little higher level of quality to this film than it probably deserves.
That’s because the script, plot machinations, twists, turns, double-crosses and banter are all pretty much run-of-the-mill. It is not anything special, but nor is it bad. It is “fine” and with these 3 talented performers at the forefront of this, it lifts itself to “better than fine”, it’s a good family film that all can enjoy.
The Direction and Action sequences by Thurber are just as pedestrian and run-of-the-mill but just as entertaining none-the-less. I think the charm of this film is it’s predictability. It’s like putting on an old pair of sweatpants. Your’e not going to wear them to the Oscars, but for sitting on the couch after a full family dinner on Thanksgiving, it fills the bill very well.
The film is light enough for kids (though they do drop the “f-bomb” once or twice). It’s just edgy enough for tweens/teens (hence the “f-bombs”) and a rollicking good time for the adults with enough self-awareness of what they are doing that the actors (first and foremost Reynolds) almost looks like they are going to address the camera to comment on what’s going on at any moment.
And that, too, is part of it’s charm.
Letter Grade A- (it’s probably a B+, but since it is my answer for “Family Film of the Holidays”, I’ll give it an A-).
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Wild, creepy & a little stressful
When Joe Lynch and his young son, William, spot his wife's car while out driving, they decide to surprise her. Instead they see his wife, Melissa, fighting with a friend, Ben. Joe knows he should help Melissa, but when he goes to confront Ben, it goes horribly wrong. The two fight and after Ben hits him, Joe pushes him back and Ben falls and hits his head. At the same time, his son has an asthma attack--and realizing he doesn't have William's inhaler--Joe has to make a choice: race home for the inhaler or stay and make sure Ben is okay. He chooses his son, setting off a chain of crazy events that will forever alter the course of his life.
"I put the car in gear. Made a spur-of-the-moment decision that would change my life. 'Let's go and surprise Mummy.'"
This was an odd book that messes with your head as much as all the insane events seem to do to Joe's. It got off to a slow start for me, and I almost didn't keep reading, but I have a terrible time putting any book in a "DNF" pile, and of course, this one picked up and got pretty exciting about halfway through. (This only adds to my inability to ever not finish a book.)
The main shtick with this one is sort of an unreliable narrator/unreliable plot, as you really don't know who or what to believe as you read. Hence the title, obviously. As it all happens we have Joe, who sort of bumbles along, our hapless narrator, who seems to think he's in control, but really, just no. Poor guy, he's certainly not the brightest--just this clueless guy whom I had a tough time rooting for, hence my inability to really get into the book.
Yes, most of the cast of characters around him are lying to him in some fashion, but still. After Joe leaves Ben in the parking garage to save William, he finds some weird and cryptic posts on his Facebook page, because (of course) he lost his (unlocked) cell phone during his altercation with (obviously tech-savvy) Ben who runs (wait for it) a technology firm. Then Melissa reveals to him that the wealthy Ben has been pining after her for ages, despite that fact that Ben's wife, Beth, is Melissa's best friend. Things unravel from there. I'll admit that they don't necessarily happen predictably, but they do happen in a crazy fashion, so be prepared to suspend a lot of your disbelief.
The book is kind of wild, a little creepy, and there's a good twist at the end, which bumped my rating up a half bomb. This wasn't a particularly fun read for me--it sort of stressed me out--and I didn't really like any of the characters, but once it picked it up, it was at least interesting.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
"I put the car in gear. Made a spur-of-the-moment decision that would change my life. 'Let's go and surprise Mummy.'"
This was an odd book that messes with your head as much as all the insane events seem to do to Joe's. It got off to a slow start for me, and I almost didn't keep reading, but I have a terrible time putting any book in a "DNF" pile, and of course, this one picked up and got pretty exciting about halfway through. (This only adds to my inability to ever not finish a book.)
The main shtick with this one is sort of an unreliable narrator/unreliable plot, as you really don't know who or what to believe as you read. Hence the title, obviously. As it all happens we have Joe, who sort of bumbles along, our hapless narrator, who seems to think he's in control, but really, just no. Poor guy, he's certainly not the brightest--just this clueless guy whom I had a tough time rooting for, hence my inability to really get into the book.
Yes, most of the cast of characters around him are lying to him in some fashion, but still. After Joe leaves Ben in the parking garage to save William, he finds some weird and cryptic posts on his Facebook page, because (of course) he lost his (unlocked) cell phone during his altercation with (obviously tech-savvy) Ben who runs (wait for it) a technology firm. Then Melissa reveals to him that the wealthy Ben has been pining after her for ages, despite that fact that Ben's wife, Beth, is Melissa's best friend. Things unravel from there. I'll admit that they don't necessarily happen predictably, but they do happen in a crazy fashion, so be prepared to suspend a lot of your disbelief.
The book is kind of wild, a little creepy, and there's a good twist at the end, which bumped my rating up a half bomb. This wasn't a particularly fun read for me--it sort of stressed me out--and I didn't really like any of the characters, but once it picked it up, it was at least interesting.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
I am not really sure where to start with this review. There are so many great aspects to this book. I loved the characters, the plot, and even the heartbreak.
The story that crosses the pages of this book is one of heart break, loss, love, and inspiration. These characters are so realistic they fly off the page and into your heart. The story of Bright Side and all her friends is moving, raw, and emotional and literature at its finest. I don���t want to say too much and ruin the book for anyone who hasn���t read it. So with that all I will say is that this book is best served with a hot cup of tea and a box of Kleenex.
Kate, Gus, and Keller were PHENOMENAL main characters! I absolutely adored them all for their own reasons. Let���s start with the fellas shall we?
Keller is a great character with so many different levels. He���s sweet, sensitive, doting, and absolutely genuine. He meets Kate when they are both completely vulnerable. Kate drops a bomb on him and he doesn���t miss a beat. He just rolls with it. He is her rock, and everything she needs at this point in her life. He has his own life, but the way he molds his life around Kate is impressive. He changes completely from the moment you meet him until the end of the book. He grows in leaps and bounds.
Kate, well, she���s just amazing. ���She doesn���t just look on the Bright Side, she lives there.��� This is a perfect description of Kate and the way she lives her life. She changes the lives of every person she meets regardless of the battle she is fighting. She���s led a horrible life, but because of all of that she���s managed to become an absolutely resilient, astoundingly well rounded, and extremely brave individual. I cried a lot with Kate. Not so much for her but with her. She is by far my favorite book heroine ever.
Gus���Swoon! I absolutely loved Gus! If I had to choose between him and Keller, I would be team Gus all the way. I didn���t necessarily want him to be a love interest for Kate, but I just found myself cheering for him throughout the whole book. I felt like he was alone. Though he was surrounded by his band and the new friends he made through Kate, I felt like he was incredibly alone. I���ve been in that position and I think that���s why I gravitated so much toward his character.
These three characters together make for one magical story. This is a story that forced me to look at my life a little differently, and made me want to live on the Bright Side.
Kim is a dear friend, and a masterful storyteller who weaves the lines of this book together to create alluring, evocative, and inspiring characters that will change the way you look at life, and experience the written word. I hope that I can one day be half the writer she is, I could only be so lucky! Phenomenal job my friend!
The story that crosses the pages of this book is one of heart break, loss, love, and inspiration. These characters are so realistic they fly off the page and into your heart. The story of Bright Side and all her friends is moving, raw, and emotional and literature at its finest. I don���t want to say too much and ruin the book for anyone who hasn���t read it. So with that all I will say is that this book is best served with a hot cup of tea and a box of Kleenex.
Kate, Gus, and Keller were PHENOMENAL main characters! I absolutely adored them all for their own reasons. Let���s start with the fellas shall we?
Keller is a great character with so many different levels. He���s sweet, sensitive, doting, and absolutely genuine. He meets Kate when they are both completely vulnerable. Kate drops a bomb on him and he doesn���t miss a beat. He just rolls with it. He is her rock, and everything she needs at this point in her life. He has his own life, but the way he molds his life around Kate is impressive. He changes completely from the moment you meet him until the end of the book. He grows in leaps and bounds.
Kate, well, she���s just amazing. ���She doesn���t just look on the Bright Side, she lives there.��� This is a perfect description of Kate and the way she lives her life. She changes the lives of every person she meets regardless of the battle she is fighting. She���s led a horrible life, but because of all of that she���s managed to become an absolutely resilient, astoundingly well rounded, and extremely brave individual. I cried a lot with Kate. Not so much for her but with her. She is by far my favorite book heroine ever.
Gus���Swoon! I absolutely loved Gus! If I had to choose between him and Keller, I would be team Gus all the way. I didn���t necessarily want him to be a love interest for Kate, but I just found myself cheering for him throughout the whole book. I felt like he was alone. Though he was surrounded by his band and the new friends he made through Kate, I felt like he was incredibly alone. I���ve been in that position and I think that���s why I gravitated so much toward his character.
These three characters together make for one magical story. This is a story that forced me to look at my life a little differently, and made me want to live on the Bright Side.
Kim is a dear friend, and a masterful storyteller who weaves the lines of this book together to create alluring, evocative, and inspiring characters that will change the way you look at life, and experience the written word. I hope that I can one day be half the writer she is, I could only be so lucky! Phenomenal job my friend!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Scary Movie 4 (2006) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Anna Faris returns as Cindy Campbell in the fourth installment of the popular “Scary Movie” franchise and your favorite horror films will never be the same.
Continuing the tradition of lampooning the horror genre that was established in the three previous segments, Scary Movie 4 takes aim at SAW, War of the Worlds, The Grudge and The Village while countless other pop culture shows and events are lambasted.
The film is pretty much a collection of scenes that are designed to mimic other films for comedic results so as such, only a very minimal plot is in place. In this case, the story follows War of the Worlds where a down and out father named Tom Ryan (Craig Bierko), must stay one step ahead of an alien invasion and protect his two estranged children from the devastation unleashed by the invaders.
Without the concerns of a plot to follow, the movie jumps from one locale to another in order to parody the various genre films. One segment has Cindy escaping the aliens by leaving her “Grudge” inspired house to reunite with her friend Brenda (Regina Hall), only to be thrust into an extended parody of The Village while Tom and company continue their parody of War of the Worlds”. While this may seem hectic to some, the film pulls it off very well as there are other subplots to follow such as Leslie Nielsen’s hilarious take as the President who is more concerned over the outcome of a children’s book then the fact that aliens are destroying the country.
Once again directed by David Zucker who took over the franchise after Scary Movie 2, the film uses the same style that made Zucker’s Airplane and Naked Gun series such box office favorites. Jokes ranging from the crude to the absurd fly at record pace inundating the audience with a torrent of jokes. As before, some jokes are truly inspired such as the Shaq and Dr. Phil parody of SAW and others take the crude road such as a sponge bath from hell and a Viagra overdose. While there is nothing that is truly fresh or original to the film, some of the jokes work very well, and make up for the jokes that bomb.
This is not the type of film where there is anything you can say about acting, plot, character development, and chemistry as those aspects are all non-existent as the focus is on parody. In that regard Scary Movie 4 works as despite the fact that much of the film is silly and dumb, it is by and large funny. If you do not mind wading through the jokes that fail to get to the ones that work, you will be rewarded as there are some very good bits in the film.
If you are a fan of the series then you know what you are in for and are likely to get some laughs, but if you are new to the franchise, then you might want to wait for the DVD release.
Continuing the tradition of lampooning the horror genre that was established in the three previous segments, Scary Movie 4 takes aim at SAW, War of the Worlds, The Grudge and The Village while countless other pop culture shows and events are lambasted.
The film is pretty much a collection of scenes that are designed to mimic other films for comedic results so as such, only a very minimal plot is in place. In this case, the story follows War of the Worlds where a down and out father named Tom Ryan (Craig Bierko), must stay one step ahead of an alien invasion and protect his two estranged children from the devastation unleashed by the invaders.
Without the concerns of a plot to follow, the movie jumps from one locale to another in order to parody the various genre films. One segment has Cindy escaping the aliens by leaving her “Grudge” inspired house to reunite with her friend Brenda (Regina Hall), only to be thrust into an extended parody of The Village while Tom and company continue their parody of War of the Worlds”. While this may seem hectic to some, the film pulls it off very well as there are other subplots to follow such as Leslie Nielsen’s hilarious take as the President who is more concerned over the outcome of a children’s book then the fact that aliens are destroying the country.
Once again directed by David Zucker who took over the franchise after Scary Movie 2, the film uses the same style that made Zucker’s Airplane and Naked Gun series such box office favorites. Jokes ranging from the crude to the absurd fly at record pace inundating the audience with a torrent of jokes. As before, some jokes are truly inspired such as the Shaq and Dr. Phil parody of SAW and others take the crude road such as a sponge bath from hell and a Viagra overdose. While there is nothing that is truly fresh or original to the film, some of the jokes work very well, and make up for the jokes that bomb.
This is not the type of film where there is anything you can say about acting, plot, character development, and chemistry as those aspects are all non-existent as the focus is on parody. In that regard Scary Movie 4 works as despite the fact that much of the film is silly and dumb, it is by and large funny. If you do not mind wading through the jokes that fail to get to the ones that work, you will be rewarded as there are some very good bits in the film.
If you are a fan of the series then you know what you are in for and are likely to get some laughs, but if you are new to the franchise, then you might want to wait for the DVD release.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Midway (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
The events of December 7th 1941 left an indelible mark on the psyche of America and became a date that truly has lived in infamy. Though historians, authors, and filmmakers have attempted to analyze the events during and leading to the attack on Pearl Harbor; there is still a great deal of interest about the attack and the aftermath.
While Pearl Harbor was for many the opening shots of the U.S. entry into World War II; some would say that the stage was set earlier when the United States attempted to curtail what they saw as an aggressive and Imperialistic Japan by placing restrictions on their vital resources such as oil and the tonnage of their Navy.
In the new film “Midway” we are given a glimpse into this when four years before the attack, when Edwin Layton (Patrick Wilson) meets with Admiral Nagumo (Jun Kunimura) who lets him know that hardline factions in his government have been buoyed by their invasion of China and will do what is needed to make sure the vital oil that is supplied by the U.S. remains constant.
Flash forward to the day of the attack and Layton who has warned that an attack was possible at Pearl Harbor is seeing his worst predictions come true. In the aftermath he is assigned to Admiral Nimitz (Woody Harrelson); who has been given the thankless task of taking charge of what is left of the Pacific Fleet and finding a way to stop the Japanese fleet.
The U.S. finds themselves outnumbered, outgunned, and waging war with ships and planes that are inferior to the Japanese but they must find a way to overcome the great obstacles before them and defeat a relentless enemy.
Layton and a team of code breakers are convinced the Japanese intend to attack the island of Midway and go all in to set a trap with the goal of destroying the enemy carriers so the U.S. can gain an aerial advantage in the Pacific.
With a strong cast which features Luke Evans, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Aaron Eckhart, Nick Jonas and a fine supporting cast, Director Roland Emmerich has given audiences a gripping war movie that despite the impressive visual effects; never loses site of the fact that this is a story of real people who found themselves in pivotal moments of history.
The film also shows how the Japanese commanders had differing views of the Americans they fought. Some considered them to lack braveness while others admired their tenacity and were grateful that they had what they saw as inferior and outdated planes to attack them in.
The film also does a great job showing the Doolittle Raid and how what from a military standpoint caused minor damage yet was a huge psychological boost as Japan believed they were immune from attack yet the American forces found a way to bomb Tokyo by the impossible task of using land based bombers off a carrier.
The film is a great mix of human drama that shows not only the terrible toll of war but how a group of extraordinary individuals gave their all.
While Pearl Harbor was for many the opening shots of the U.S. entry into World War II; some would say that the stage was set earlier when the United States attempted to curtail what they saw as an aggressive and Imperialistic Japan by placing restrictions on their vital resources such as oil and the tonnage of their Navy.
In the new film “Midway” we are given a glimpse into this when four years before the attack, when Edwin Layton (Patrick Wilson) meets with Admiral Nagumo (Jun Kunimura) who lets him know that hardline factions in his government have been buoyed by their invasion of China and will do what is needed to make sure the vital oil that is supplied by the U.S. remains constant.
Flash forward to the day of the attack and Layton who has warned that an attack was possible at Pearl Harbor is seeing his worst predictions come true. In the aftermath he is assigned to Admiral Nimitz (Woody Harrelson); who has been given the thankless task of taking charge of what is left of the Pacific Fleet and finding a way to stop the Japanese fleet.
The U.S. finds themselves outnumbered, outgunned, and waging war with ships and planes that are inferior to the Japanese but they must find a way to overcome the great obstacles before them and defeat a relentless enemy.
Layton and a team of code breakers are convinced the Japanese intend to attack the island of Midway and go all in to set a trap with the goal of destroying the enemy carriers so the U.S. can gain an aerial advantage in the Pacific.
With a strong cast which features Luke Evans, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Aaron Eckhart, Nick Jonas and a fine supporting cast, Director Roland Emmerich has given audiences a gripping war movie that despite the impressive visual effects; never loses site of the fact that this is a story of real people who found themselves in pivotal moments of history.
The film also shows how the Japanese commanders had differing views of the Americans they fought. Some considered them to lack braveness while others admired their tenacity and were grateful that they had what they saw as inferior and outdated planes to attack them in.
The film also does a great job showing the Doolittle Raid and how what from a military standpoint caused minor damage yet was a huge psychological boost as Japan believed they were immune from attack yet the American forces found a way to bomb Tokyo by the impossible task of using land based bombers off a carrier.
The film is a great mix of human drama that shows not only the terrible toll of war but how a group of extraordinary individuals gave their all.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Conduit (The Gryphon Series) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I am making progress in the 2014 TBR Pile Challenge and cleaning out my Kindle. Of course, the latter will take quite a long time, but... I'll get there. ;) *rubs hands together as though ready to make an evil potion*
<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SQb9SIzFTks/U0LIMksTnDI/AAAAAAAAC9Q/SY6SL5DMywI/s1600/I+Put+a+Spell+on+You.gif"; height="144" width="320">
Celeste Garrett just wants to be a normal teenager getting ready to go to college. But shortly after she and her siblings move to a small town in Tennessee with their Grandmother, strange things start happening to them. They later found out about a deal one of their ancestors made with a mythical creature called "the Gryphon" and that Celeste is the Chosen One to stop a war from happening.
The Conduit is a really fun book lots of LOL moments, and a bookwyrming confession: It's really hard to make feel things crying, laughing, etc when it comes to writing. Speaking's another story, and that is exactly how I got the name Giggles back in 6th grade (vocal variations, come on! Some people make things sound funny, okay?!). At least for me it is.
But let's just say my very first worry after reading the prologue was the last few sentences:
<blockquote>Gainesboro, Tennessee. Thats where it all happened. Thats where I learned the truth. Thats where everything changed. Thats where my destiny found me. And now, its where I would die.</blockquote>
NOOOOO. Want to know why I was worried? Take a look *points to a particular book* Yeah. THAT book. When you hear the word die, you get worried. Very worried. Of course, in that other case, it was a bomb.
The characters go really great together Celeste (I've been wondering how to pronounce her name CORRECTLY, and even though I have a guess, I'm not 100% sure) and her siblings Gabe and Kendall are like the 3 Stooges. I even had to be really careful not to wake up my mom because of those random scenes that just pop in and made me laugh.
<blockquote>I was cold, tired , confused , scared, overwhelmed, and I kind of had to pee.</blockquote>
And that, my friends, is the perfect time to toss in those TMI moments. All so serious and then tossing in something completely random and sort of out of whack. Maybe I'm just a weird person. :p
Even Grams was a fun character in her own way, though she actually reminded me of a certain Super Bowl commercial from Taco Bell with those old people dancing (and partying) my speech teacher showed to us in class while talking about persuasion. She's like a teenager stuck in the wrong age or something. (Eye candy! *oggles* at Zeke Crosse)
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Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This Review and more posted on <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-the-conduit-by-stacey-rourke.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
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Celeste Garrett just wants to be a normal teenager getting ready to go to college. But shortly after she and her siblings move to a small town in Tennessee with their Grandmother, strange things start happening to them. They later found out about a deal one of their ancestors made with a mythical creature called "the Gryphon" and that Celeste is the Chosen One to stop a war from happening.
The Conduit is a really fun book lots of LOL moments, and a bookwyrming confession: It's really hard to make feel things crying, laughing, etc when it comes to writing. Speaking's another story, and that is exactly how I got the name Giggles back in 6th grade (vocal variations, come on! Some people make things sound funny, okay?!). At least for me it is.
But let's just say my very first worry after reading the prologue was the last few sentences:
<blockquote>Gainesboro, Tennessee. Thats where it all happened. Thats where I learned the truth. Thats where everything changed. Thats where my destiny found me. And now, its where I would die.</blockquote>
NOOOOO. Want to know why I was worried? Take a look *points to a particular book* Yeah. THAT book. When you hear the word die, you get worried. Very worried. Of course, in that other case, it was a bomb.
The characters go really great together Celeste (I've been wondering how to pronounce her name CORRECTLY, and even though I have a guess, I'm not 100% sure) and her siblings Gabe and Kendall are like the 3 Stooges. I even had to be really careful not to wake up my mom because of those random scenes that just pop in and made me laugh.
<blockquote>I was cold, tired , confused , scared, overwhelmed, and I kind of had to pee.</blockquote>
And that, my friends, is the perfect time to toss in those TMI moments. All so serious and then tossing in something completely random and sort of out of whack. Maybe I'm just a weird person. :p
Even Grams was a fun character in her own way, though she actually reminded me of a certain Super Bowl commercial from Taco Bell with those old people dancing (and partying) my speech teacher showed to us in class while talking about persuasion. She's like a teenager stuck in the wrong age or something. (Eye candy! *oggles* at Zeke Crosse)
---------------
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This Review and more posted on <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-the-conduit-by-stacey-rourke.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>