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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated News of the World (2020) in Movies
Dec 24, 2020
Tom Hanks and Director Paul Greengrass have combined to create a truly moving and memorable western which is one of the best films of 2020.
Hanks stars as Captain Kidd; a former Confederate Captain making his way in occupied Texas in the post-Civil-War era. Kidd travels from town to town reading various newspaper stories of interest to gathered locals who are too busy or unable to read the news and look forward to his lively interpretations of news of interest on a local and national level.
On his way to his next location; Kidd comes upon a fair skinned blonde girl wearing Native American clothing and speaking a tribal dialect he does not understand. The fact that their cart has been overturned and a lone male is hanging from a tree leads Kidd to uncover the tragic history of the child.
According to documents he discovers in the wreck; she was taken during a raid and her parents and sibling killed. The tribe that raised her was subsequently killed leaving her an orphan twice over. As such; the girl named Johanna (Helena Zengel); is to be taken to a nearby town and remanded to a local agency for transportation to an Aunt and her husband over 600 miles away.
Kidd sees it as his duty to take her to the nearby town which is confirmed by some passing Union soldiers who occupy the area during the Reconstruction era much to the scorn of the locals who are stinging from losing the Civil War.
Things do not go as planned as Kid is told that the authority in charge of such cases is away for three months so he must either wait or deliver the girl himself.
Thanks to the help of a former soldier under his command, Kidd sets out on the road to Dallas and then to the very dangerous areas beyond as he attempts to take Johanna to safety.
Along the way the two will face danger, challenges, and bond on a very memorable journey.
Hanks is very solid in the role and his character is compassionate yet complex. There is a reason for his generosity and he attempts to make peace with the pain and regret in his life by trying to do what is right and coming to terms with what has plagued him.
The film moves at a steady pace and does not have many extended action sequences but when action does arrive it is central to the story and never seems gratuitous.
Zengel is a great pairing with Hanks as the young German actress will be one to watch going forward. She is able to convey so much without an abundance of lines and you can clearly see how well she and Hanks clicked.
The visuals of the film are scenic as the audience really gets a look at the rugged beauty of the land and life during this era. It was fascinating to see what Dallas and San Antonio looked like in the 1860s after knowing them as the modern cities that they are today.
There is much to like about the film and I am eagerly putting “News of the World” on my best of 2020 list and I truly hope this film gets the recognition it deserves come awards time as it is truly a wonderful and inspiring film that is cinema at its finest.
4.5 stars out of 5
Hanks stars as Captain Kidd; a former Confederate Captain making his way in occupied Texas in the post-Civil-War era. Kidd travels from town to town reading various newspaper stories of interest to gathered locals who are too busy or unable to read the news and look forward to his lively interpretations of news of interest on a local and national level.
On his way to his next location; Kidd comes upon a fair skinned blonde girl wearing Native American clothing and speaking a tribal dialect he does not understand. The fact that their cart has been overturned and a lone male is hanging from a tree leads Kidd to uncover the tragic history of the child.
According to documents he discovers in the wreck; she was taken during a raid and her parents and sibling killed. The tribe that raised her was subsequently killed leaving her an orphan twice over. As such; the girl named Johanna (Helena Zengel); is to be taken to a nearby town and remanded to a local agency for transportation to an Aunt and her husband over 600 miles away.
Kidd sees it as his duty to take her to the nearby town which is confirmed by some passing Union soldiers who occupy the area during the Reconstruction era much to the scorn of the locals who are stinging from losing the Civil War.
Things do not go as planned as Kid is told that the authority in charge of such cases is away for three months so he must either wait or deliver the girl himself.
Thanks to the help of a former soldier under his command, Kidd sets out on the road to Dallas and then to the very dangerous areas beyond as he attempts to take Johanna to safety.
Along the way the two will face danger, challenges, and bond on a very memorable journey.
Hanks is very solid in the role and his character is compassionate yet complex. There is a reason for his generosity and he attempts to make peace with the pain and regret in his life by trying to do what is right and coming to terms with what has plagued him.
The film moves at a steady pace and does not have many extended action sequences but when action does arrive it is central to the story and never seems gratuitous.
Zengel is a great pairing with Hanks as the young German actress will be one to watch going forward. She is able to convey so much without an abundance of lines and you can clearly see how well she and Hanks clicked.
The visuals of the film are scenic as the audience really gets a look at the rugged beauty of the land and life during this era. It was fascinating to see what Dallas and San Antonio looked like in the 1860s after knowing them as the modern cities that they are today.
There is much to like about the film and I am eagerly putting “News of the World” on my best of 2020 list and I truly hope this film gets the recognition it deserves come awards time as it is truly a wonderful and inspiring film that is cinema at its finest.
4.5 stars out of 5
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Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated The Crow (1994) in Movies
Apr 19, 2017
Close to the source material (2 more)
Great Cast
A powerful and emotional film
A Powerful Classic
The Crow is one of my all time favourite films as well as one of my all time favourite graphic novels.
This Gothic, fantasy action film has a tragic story that's powerful to behold as we witness what the power of revenge can do to a person. However, this isn't your typical revenge plot, because SPOILERS!
Eric Draven, portrayed by the incredible Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee), is actual brought back from the dead as an avenging angel, after he and his fiance were murdered by a group of thugs on Devils Night (the night before Halloween).
If you've read the graphic novel you'll know just how great this film is, and the only downside to it is knowing it was Brandon Lee's last after an accident that happened on set.
However, the film sticks close to the source material, especially since James O'Barr, the creator of the characters and the graphic novel worked closely with the cast and crew of the film to ensure it was done correctly.
The tone of the film is, for obvious reasons, dark but there is still humour in it which lightens the mood and gives you a sense of Eric Draven's mind because let's face it, coming back from the dead with the ability to heal any wound, and the opportunity to get revenge on those who wronged you, it's enough to send a sensible man insane, and we see that shine through Brandon Lee performance with jokes and laughter, whilst still remaining eerily dark and twisted. When the bad guys realise he heals any wounds and can't die...You can see how much Eric enjoys seeing the fear grow in their faces, and as the strong unfolds we learn that the group of thugs who committed the crime, were just pawns to a bigger villain leading a crime syndicate in the city.
We see emotion as Eric tries to find out the truth of what really happened that night, and why he and his fiance lost their lives, and we see him trying to connect to his past through Sarah, a young girl that he and his fiance looked after and cared for. We also see the truth unfold through Officer Albrecht who was in charge of the investigation.
The characters are all brilliantly written, from Sarah's childhood innocence becoming a more mature sense of realising that the world can't always be a happy place, to Eric's lust for revenger and being sidetracked by emotions of his former life, trying to remain a good person whilst committing these acts of murder for revenge.
The music in the film really fits the scenes and the feel of the entire story with bands like The Cure, Pantera, Rage Against The Machine and Stone Temple Pilots among others, its soundtrack is brilliantly dark.
Also the main aspect that you have to love is Brandon Lee in the crow makeup and clothing. He looks menacing, he looks like he has a lust for revenge, most importantly he looks badass! One of the greatest comic book characters in film that I have ever seen, and whilst I was a little wary of the talks to remake this film in 2016/2017, I would be curious to see the character brought to life again and given a fresh look but I don't know if anyone can beat Brandon Lee in that portrayal because he looks incredible.
This film is dark, powerful, moving and poetic and will remain one of my top 5 films of all time. Maybe even top 3.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a comic book movie, especially if you like movies with action and drama with a Gothic overtone.
R.I.P Brandon Lee (1965-1993)
This Gothic, fantasy action film has a tragic story that's powerful to behold as we witness what the power of revenge can do to a person. However, this isn't your typical revenge plot, because SPOILERS!
Eric Draven, portrayed by the incredible Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee), is actual brought back from the dead as an avenging angel, after he and his fiance were murdered by a group of thugs on Devils Night (the night before Halloween).
If you've read the graphic novel you'll know just how great this film is, and the only downside to it is knowing it was Brandon Lee's last after an accident that happened on set.
However, the film sticks close to the source material, especially since James O'Barr, the creator of the characters and the graphic novel worked closely with the cast and crew of the film to ensure it was done correctly.
The tone of the film is, for obvious reasons, dark but there is still humour in it which lightens the mood and gives you a sense of Eric Draven's mind because let's face it, coming back from the dead with the ability to heal any wound, and the opportunity to get revenge on those who wronged you, it's enough to send a sensible man insane, and we see that shine through Brandon Lee performance with jokes and laughter, whilst still remaining eerily dark and twisted. When the bad guys realise he heals any wounds and can't die...You can see how much Eric enjoys seeing the fear grow in their faces, and as the strong unfolds we learn that the group of thugs who committed the crime, were just pawns to a bigger villain leading a crime syndicate in the city.
We see emotion as Eric tries to find out the truth of what really happened that night, and why he and his fiance lost their lives, and we see him trying to connect to his past through Sarah, a young girl that he and his fiance looked after and cared for. We also see the truth unfold through Officer Albrecht who was in charge of the investigation.
The characters are all brilliantly written, from Sarah's childhood innocence becoming a more mature sense of realising that the world can't always be a happy place, to Eric's lust for revenger and being sidetracked by emotions of his former life, trying to remain a good person whilst committing these acts of murder for revenge.
The music in the film really fits the scenes and the feel of the entire story with bands like The Cure, Pantera, Rage Against The Machine and Stone Temple Pilots among others, its soundtrack is brilliantly dark.
Also the main aspect that you have to love is Brandon Lee in the crow makeup and clothing. He looks menacing, he looks like he has a lust for revenge, most importantly he looks badass! One of the greatest comic book characters in film that I have ever seen, and whilst I was a little wary of the talks to remake this film in 2016/2017, I would be curious to see the character brought to life again and given a fresh look but I don't know if anyone can beat Brandon Lee in that portrayal because he looks incredible.
This film is dark, powerful, moving and poetic and will remain one of my top 5 films of all time. Maybe even top 3.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a comic book movie, especially if you like movies with action and drama with a Gothic overtone.
R.I.P Brandon Lee (1965-1993)
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated A Distant Melody (Wings of Glory, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Allie has never been able to please her parents, so she’ll do anything to make them happy, even if it means marrying a man she doesn’t love. But when she goes to visit her best friend for her wedding, she meets Walter Novak, flyer in the Air Force, and her heart begins to open to him. Allie and Walter write letters while he’s oversees, and Allie tries to anticipate her wedding with her promised fiancé, but as she gets to know Baxter more and more, she begins to have doubts about God’s will for her life—obey and honor her parents and marry a non-Christian in hopes of leading him to Christ, or disobey her parents and refuse to be “unevenly yoked?” And the fact that she’s falling in love with Walt isn’t helping things any.
I adored A Distant Melody. From the second I opened it, it captured my imagination and swept me away.
The plot seemed simple at first, but it kept taking little twists and turns that I didn’t expect. It was suspenseful, but not in a thriller kind of way. There were times when Walt was flying that were very exciting and thrilling, but it wasn’t enough to put it in that genre. It had just enough. The pacing itself was perfect—nothing felt rushed. I hate a rushed romance, it’s implausible. A Distant Melody is the perfect speed. I devoured it within a few hours.
I love these characters! I want more with them!!! One awesome aspect about A Distant Melody is it is not a victim of “happy-land syndrome,” or “perfect plot” syndrome. The story didn’t seem to work out just perfect with everyone happy all the time, and everyone talking about God all the time, and everyone acting like perfect Christians all the time. No, they were real people who sinned and suffered the consequences, both from other people and from their guilt and grief. There were times and parts where you say “Oh no! Now he’s going to think this!” or “Oh no she hasn’t gotten his letter yet!” and so on. However, their confessions of said sins were also such a key part of the story, and made you love them so much more.
I liked the writing a lot. Sundin has a clear concise way with words, and paints a picture without being poetic. I also loved her wit and humor, and those Sarah-Dessen-like running jokes. You have to love those running jokes that run through the whole book, that make you feel like you’re part of the character’s life.
I know I usually don’t say anything about the cover because generally I don’t care about the cover. In this case, the cover is perfect. It has every detail mentioned in the book, from the right clothing and hairstyles of the characters to the detail work on the air plane.
A very important thing about a Christian novel is it shouldn't feel like it’s preaching at you. There was prayer, Bible verses, hymns and such. But it didn’t feel cheesy and fake: partially because of the characters (as I mentioned above) and partially because although they were mentioned and discussed, they weren’t hammered. Basically, this was not Sundin’s way of publishing a theology book. It’s a novel, and it feels like one.
I think I loved everything about this book. I loved the characters, I loved the writing, I loved the plot and the pacing, I loved the jokes, I even love the cover. I can’t think of one thing that I didn’t like, or that distracted me from the story. I devoured A Distant Melody, thoroughly enjoyed every part of it, and I cannot wait for the next book.
I adored A Distant Melody. From the second I opened it, it captured my imagination and swept me away.
The plot seemed simple at first, but it kept taking little twists and turns that I didn’t expect. It was suspenseful, but not in a thriller kind of way. There were times when Walt was flying that were very exciting and thrilling, but it wasn’t enough to put it in that genre. It had just enough. The pacing itself was perfect—nothing felt rushed. I hate a rushed romance, it’s implausible. A Distant Melody is the perfect speed. I devoured it within a few hours.
I love these characters! I want more with them!!! One awesome aspect about A Distant Melody is it is not a victim of “happy-land syndrome,” or “perfect plot” syndrome. The story didn’t seem to work out just perfect with everyone happy all the time, and everyone talking about God all the time, and everyone acting like perfect Christians all the time. No, they were real people who sinned and suffered the consequences, both from other people and from their guilt and grief. There were times and parts where you say “Oh no! Now he’s going to think this!” or “Oh no she hasn’t gotten his letter yet!” and so on. However, their confessions of said sins were also such a key part of the story, and made you love them so much more.
I liked the writing a lot. Sundin has a clear concise way with words, and paints a picture without being poetic. I also loved her wit and humor, and those Sarah-Dessen-like running jokes. You have to love those running jokes that run through the whole book, that make you feel like you’re part of the character’s life.
I know I usually don’t say anything about the cover because generally I don’t care about the cover. In this case, the cover is perfect. It has every detail mentioned in the book, from the right clothing and hairstyles of the characters to the detail work on the air plane.
A very important thing about a Christian novel is it shouldn't feel like it’s preaching at you. There was prayer, Bible verses, hymns and such. But it didn’t feel cheesy and fake: partially because of the characters (as I mentioned above) and partially because although they were mentioned and discussed, they weren’t hammered. Basically, this was not Sundin’s way of publishing a theology book. It’s a novel, and it feels like one.
I think I loved everything about this book. I loved the characters, I loved the writing, I loved the plot and the pacing, I loved the jokes, I even love the cover. I can’t think of one thing that I didn’t like, or that distracted me from the story. I devoured A Distant Melody, thoroughly enjoyed every part of it, and I cannot wait for the next book.