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Darren (1599 KP) rated The Pelican Brief (1993) in Movies
Jun 21, 2019
Story: The Pelican Brief starts when two Supreme Court Justices are assassinated, bring the country to a stand still in shock. Law student Darby Shaw (Roberts) puts together a theory of who was behind the assassinations, which she presents to her boyfriend and professor Thomas (Shepard), one theory that has turned his head.
After the theory is presented to the people investigating, Darby and Tom start getting targeted, when journalist friend of one of the victims Gray Grantham (Washington) start investigating a bigger conspiracy going on within the government, one that will put both their lives in danger.
Thoughts on The Pelican Brief
Characters – Darby is a law student having an affair with her professor, after the assassinations, she comes up with a theory about who was behind them, which sees her become a target for the people behind it, she doesn’t know who to trust seeing anybody she does get killed, her last resort is Gray. Gray is a journalist that has worked with the victims in the past, he is willing to dig for the truth, he does become Darby’s last resort and works with her to expose the truth which will become the biggest story of his career. Thomas Callahan is the connection between Darby and the people involved, he is a professor, with her theory interesting him at his own risk. We do go through many different political figures in search for the truth here, each one has their own agenda and could be involved.
Performances – Julia Roberts in the leading role is strong as she gives us a strong independent figure that has been running for her life trying to expose the truth. Denzel Washington was a growing star at the time of release, here he makes us believe that he is a star in the role which is filled with the determination and skill to start ahead of the game. The rest of the cast are all strong with them each getting the moments to shine with them all having the importance to the story.
Story – The story follows a law student and journalist that must team up to investigate the assassinations of the two members of the supreme court that puts both their lives in danger as it could bring the political system down. This story does give us plenty of swerves along the way as it does keep us guessing just to where everything will be going, it does show us how a political system will be used to gain an advantage and can be used to cover up anything that will incriminate them. The idea of the cover up shows just how corruption can effect so many lives and is ready to be exposed.
Crime/Mystery – The crime side of the film shows just how the laws can be bent to help the people who want to make the most money, how much they will do to cover up their secrets and how corrupt they will become. The mystery side of the film show just how the corruption needs to be investigated, how far up the chain it could go too.
Settings – The film is set in a couple of major cities in America Washington and New York mostly, which show just how the big companies will use the political power to make the most money.
Scene of the Movie – The video.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is too long, with too many characters at times.
Final Thoughts – This is a political thriller that does keep you guessing, it shows how far up the chain corruption can go and how covering it up can be the only option.
Overall: Political thriller 101
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/19/the-pelican-brief-1993/
After the theory is presented to the people investigating, Darby and Tom start getting targeted, when journalist friend of one of the victims Gray Grantham (Washington) start investigating a bigger conspiracy going on within the government, one that will put both their lives in danger.
Thoughts on The Pelican Brief
Characters – Darby is a law student having an affair with her professor, after the assassinations, she comes up with a theory about who was behind them, which sees her become a target for the people behind it, she doesn’t know who to trust seeing anybody she does get killed, her last resort is Gray. Gray is a journalist that has worked with the victims in the past, he is willing to dig for the truth, he does become Darby’s last resort and works with her to expose the truth which will become the biggest story of his career. Thomas Callahan is the connection between Darby and the people involved, he is a professor, with her theory interesting him at his own risk. We do go through many different political figures in search for the truth here, each one has their own agenda and could be involved.
Performances – Julia Roberts in the leading role is strong as she gives us a strong independent figure that has been running for her life trying to expose the truth. Denzel Washington was a growing star at the time of release, here he makes us believe that he is a star in the role which is filled with the determination and skill to start ahead of the game. The rest of the cast are all strong with them each getting the moments to shine with them all having the importance to the story.
Story – The story follows a law student and journalist that must team up to investigate the assassinations of the two members of the supreme court that puts both their lives in danger as it could bring the political system down. This story does give us plenty of swerves along the way as it does keep us guessing just to where everything will be going, it does show us how a political system will be used to gain an advantage and can be used to cover up anything that will incriminate them. The idea of the cover up shows just how corruption can effect so many lives and is ready to be exposed.
Crime/Mystery – The crime side of the film shows just how the laws can be bent to help the people who want to make the most money, how much they will do to cover up their secrets and how corrupt they will become. The mystery side of the film show just how the corruption needs to be investigated, how far up the chain it could go too.
Settings – The film is set in a couple of major cities in America Washington and New York mostly, which show just how the big companies will use the political power to make the most money.
Scene of the Movie – The video.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is too long, with too many characters at times.
Final Thoughts – This is a political thriller that does keep you guessing, it shows how far up the chain corruption can go and how covering it up can be the only option.
Overall: Political thriller 101
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/19/the-pelican-brief-1993/
Sue (5 KP) rated Gone to Green (Green #1) in Books
Apr 23, 2018
The paper was an unexpected inheritance from a close colleague, and Lois must keep it for at least a year, bringing a host of challenges, lessons, and blessings into her life.
When Lois pulls into Green on New Year’s Day, she expects a charming little town full of smiling people.She quickly realizes her mistake. After settling into a loaned house out on Route 2,
she finds herself battling town prejudices and inner doubts and making friends with
the most surprising people: troubled teenager Katy, good-looking catfish farmer
Chris, wise and feisty Aunt Helen, and a female African-American physician named
Kevin.
Whether fighting a greedy, deceitful politician or rescuing a dog she fears, Lois notices the headlines in her life have definitely improved. She learns how to provide small-town news in a big-hearted way and realizes that life is full of newsworthy moments. When she encounters racial
prejudice and financial corruption, Lois also discovers more about the goodness of
real people and the importance of being part of a community.
While secretly preparing the paper for a sale, Lois begins to realize that God might indeed have a plan for her life and that perhaps the allure of city life and career ambition are not what she wants after all.
When Lois pulls into Green on New Year’s Day, she expects a charming little town full of smiling people.She quickly realizes her mistake. After settling into a loaned house out on Route 2,
she finds herself battling town prejudices and inner doubts and making friends with
the most surprising people: troubled teenager Katy, good-looking catfish farmer
Chris, wise and feisty Aunt Helen, and a female African-American physician named
Kevin.
Whether fighting a greedy, deceitful politician or rescuing a dog she fears, Lois notices the headlines in her life have definitely improved. She learns how to provide small-town news in a big-hearted way and realizes that life is full of newsworthy moments. When she encounters racial
prejudice and financial corruption, Lois also discovers more about the goodness of
real people and the importance of being part of a community.
While secretly preparing the paper for a sale, Lois begins to realize that God might indeed have a plan for her life and that perhaps the allure of city life and career ambition are not what she wants after all.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated L.A. Confidential (1997) in Movies
Mar 3, 2019
Modern film noir at its finest!
Los Angeles in the 1950s is the setting for this amazing film which probably should've won Best Picture in 1997 (although I love Titanic also).
When new cop Ed Exley comes comes to the force, he is immediately greeted with corruption and some hard choices which test his loyalty and willingness to stand to his principles. A murder investigation quickly ensues which potentially pit cop against cop and uncovers the seedy underbelly of Hollywood during that time and everyone looking out for themselves.
Another brazen cop, sticks up for battered women while another enjoys being the technical adviser for everyone's favorite television program at the time.
The 3 men have various run in with each other as their investigation seems to conclude with a resolution, but one or more of them are not convinced the solution is correct and that the real perpetrators are still at large.
The depth of this film as well as the smart, complex characters are really what makes this film work. The acting is all exceptional as is the screenplay.
Any aspiring screenwriter should watch this film as a class as to what to do and how to write.
Very highly recommended.
When new cop Ed Exley comes comes to the force, he is immediately greeted with corruption and some hard choices which test his loyalty and willingness to stand to his principles. A murder investigation quickly ensues which potentially pit cop against cop and uncovers the seedy underbelly of Hollywood during that time and everyone looking out for themselves.
Another brazen cop, sticks up for battered women while another enjoys being the technical adviser for everyone's favorite television program at the time.
The 3 men have various run in with each other as their investigation seems to conclude with a resolution, but one or more of them are not convinced the solution is correct and that the real perpetrators are still at large.
The depth of this film as well as the smart, complex characters are really what makes this film work. The acting is all exceptional as is the screenplay.
Any aspiring screenwriter should watch this film as a class as to what to do and how to write.
Very highly recommended.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Guards! Guards! Discworld Novel 8 in Books
Mar 19, 2018
A great introduction to the City Watch
You've got to hand it to Terry Pratchett, he knows how to write a good fantasy novel.
Guards! Guards! is yet another great Discworld novel, and the first to introduce Captain Vimes and the City Watch. Vimes himself is a loveable anti-hero who develops greatly over the course of the novel and the same too can be said for the other members of the Watch. Carrot the 'dwarf' provides a real introduction to the Watch and also a lot of the humour from his exploits, and I loved seeing a lot more of the Librarian.
The plot itself on the face of it is a fantasy fairy tale filled story of dragons, maidens and heroes. But with every Pratchett novel, beneath it lies dark wit and humour, and a slightly sad social commentary on human greed and corruption. There are a lot of references in this to other media, like The Hobbit, which really poke fun at the myths and lore used in the fantasy genre.
A great read with some very engaging characters. A little rambling at times, but fortunately the rest of the book makes up for it! Discworld books are the only books that can really make me laugh out loud.
Guards! Guards! is yet another great Discworld novel, and the first to introduce Captain Vimes and the City Watch. Vimes himself is a loveable anti-hero who develops greatly over the course of the novel and the same too can be said for the other members of the Watch. Carrot the 'dwarf' provides a real introduction to the Watch and also a lot of the humour from his exploits, and I loved seeing a lot more of the Librarian.
The plot itself on the face of it is a fantasy fairy tale filled story of dragons, maidens and heroes. But with every Pratchett novel, beneath it lies dark wit and humour, and a slightly sad social commentary on human greed and corruption. There are a lot of references in this to other media, like The Hobbit, which really poke fun at the myths and lore used in the fantasy genre.
A great read with some very engaging characters. A little rambling at times, but fortunately the rest of the book makes up for it! Discworld books are the only books that can really make me laugh out loud.
Sue (5 KP) rated Gone to Green (Green #1) in Books
Aug 13, 2018
The paper was an unexpected inheritance from a close colleague, and Lois must keep it for at least a year, bringing a host of challenges, lessons, and blessings into her life.
When Lois pulls into Green on New Year’s Day, she expects a charming little town full of smiling people.She quickly realizes her mistake. After settling into a loaned house out on Route 2,
she finds herself battling town prejudices and inner doubts and making friends with
the most surprising people: troubled teenager Katy, good-looking catfish farmer
Chris, wise and feisty Aunt Helen, and a female African-American physician named
Kevin.
Whether fighting a greedy, deceitful politician or rescuing a dog she fears, Lois notices the headlines in her life have definitely improved. She learns how to provide small-town news in a big-hearted way and realizes that life is full of newsworthy moments. When she encounters racial
prejudice and financial corruption, Lois also discovers more about the goodness of
real people and the importance of being part of a community.
While secretly preparing the paper for a sale, Lois begins to realize that God might indeed have a plan for her life and that perhaps the allure of city life and career ambition are not what she wants after all.
When Lois pulls into Green on New Year’s Day, she expects a charming little town full of smiling people.She quickly realizes her mistake. After settling into a loaned house out on Route 2,
she finds herself battling town prejudices and inner doubts and making friends with
the most surprising people: troubled teenager Katy, good-looking catfish farmer
Chris, wise and feisty Aunt Helen, and a female African-American physician named
Kevin.
Whether fighting a greedy, deceitful politician or rescuing a dog she fears, Lois notices the headlines in her life have definitely improved. She learns how to provide small-town news in a big-hearted way and realizes that life is full of newsworthy moments. When she encounters racial
prejudice and financial corruption, Lois also discovers more about the goodness of
real people and the importance of being part of a community.
While secretly preparing the paper for a sale, Lois begins to realize that God might indeed have a plan for her life and that perhaps the allure of city life and career ambition are not what she wants after all.
ClareR (5869 KP) rated Lying and Dying (Josef Slonsky Investigations #1) in Books
Oct 10, 2018
Prague police procedural
Josef Slonsky is a detective in the Prague police force. He is called to the body of a woman who is discovered at the train station, murdered. His partner, Navratil, is a probationary officer, and seems a little bewildered by Slonsky's methods. To be fair, he has every right to be. Slonsky is irreverent, seems to be incredibly lazy, and therefore does as little as possible. But I think this is all very misleading. Underneath all this is a man who knows exactly what he is doing. He has served on the police force whilst Prague was the capital city in a communist country, and knows all about the systemic corruption.
He's an amusing character though, and seems to have a (usually sarcastic) answer to everything. It's not until the near the end that we see another side to Slonsky. I still can't make up my mind as to whether the ending was rushed, or whether Slonsky really had just had enough. I hope it's the latter - it gives him a bit of an edge.
I enjoyed this book, and I will be reading the next one.
Many thanks to Sapere books for my copy to read and honestly review.
He's an amusing character though, and seems to have a (usually sarcastic) answer to everything. It's not until the near the end that we see another side to Slonsky. I still can't make up my mind as to whether the ending was rushed, or whether Slonsky really had just had enough. I hope it's the latter - it gives him a bit of an edge.
I enjoyed this book, and I will be reading the next one.
Many thanks to Sapere books for my copy to read and honestly review.
Vegas (725 KP) rated Locked Up (2017) in Movies
Jul 16, 2019 (Updated Jul 16, 2019)
Why was she even sent to this place for a minor "crime" (1 more)
Plot holes
Not one to watch with your granny
An American teen in Asia gets bullied and retaliates, causing her to be sent to a correctional facility which was more like a Hellhole prison.
She is forced into situations that are awkward and uncomfortable to watch at times and doesn't make for easy viewing, so isn't a lets relax with a family friendly Sunday afternoon type film
That being said, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either, it is a, watch to pass the time film, but then forget about afterwards.
There are a lot of plot holes especially as to why on earth she ended up in this place, randomly after barely a mention of a "trial" (a 30 second to a minute scene) and how this place, looking like a high tech facility can be a front for the goings on behind the facade with nobody checking on the running of the place, even if corruption is rife i cant see how it got like this... I know we are supposed not to think of things like that but sometimes questions need to be asked of films.
She is forced into situations that are awkward and uncomfortable to watch at times and doesn't make for easy viewing, so isn't a lets relax with a family friendly Sunday afternoon type film
That being said, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either, it is a, watch to pass the time film, but then forget about afterwards.
There are a lot of plot holes especially as to why on earth she ended up in this place, randomly after barely a mention of a "trial" (a 30 second to a minute scene) and how this place, looking like a high tech facility can be a front for the goings on behind the facade with nobody checking on the running of the place, even if corruption is rife i cant see how it got like this... I know we are supposed not to think of things like that but sometimes questions need to be asked of films.
Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated Chocky in Books
Jul 2, 2019
Weird and a bit dated
Contains spoilers, click to show
I picked this book up at work a few days ago and had never heard of it. Seeing as I was looking for filler fiction while I work on university assignments I am delighted I found it. It is well written from the first person perspective of Mathews father. Matthew is an eleven year old boy with an imaginary friend. When his adopted parent become concerned as to the irregularities of Mathews interests and in the way he talks they seek help. As it turns out Chocky is real. An intelligent life form sent to earth to explore the planet to see if it worthy of habitation. Okay, this might sound like a, been there, done that kind of novel but Chocky delves into parental worries about psychological issues. In addition, the character of Chocky looks at Earth from an outsiders point of view and what he/she finds is interesting and worth thinking about. It sheds a light on the way we consume power, on the way we pollute the environment and on greed and corruption. Very cleverly done and nicely concluded.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Ill Wind (Weather Warden, #1) in Books
Aug 5, 2019
Better second time round
Some Weather Wardens control fire, others control earth, water, or wind -- and the most powerful can control more than one element. Without Wardens, Mother Nature would wipe humanity off the face of the earth...
Joanne Baldwin is a Weather Warden. Usually, all it takes is a wave of her hand to tame the most violent weather. But now Joanne is trying to outrun another kind of storm: accusations of corruption and murder. So she's resorting to the very human tactic of running for her life.
Her only hope is Lewis, the most powerful Warden. Unfortunately, he's also on the run having stolen not one but three bottles of Djinn -- making him the most wanted man on earth. Still, Joanne and her classic Mustang are racing hard to find him -- because there's some bad weather closing in fast...
<strong>Second time round</strong>
I remember trying to read this a few years ago and seriously struggled so after finishing the Morganville series I decided to try again. I struggled again at first but actually stick with it and quite enjoyed it. It was fast paced and a bit patchy in places but well worth sticking with.
This time round I will be going on to book 2!
⭐⭐⭐

Joanne Baldwin is a Weather Warden. Usually, all it takes is a wave of her hand to tame the most violent weather. But now Joanne is trying to outrun another kind of storm: accusations of corruption and murder. So she's resorting to the very human tactic of running for her life.
Her only hope is Lewis, the most powerful Warden. Unfortunately, he's also on the run having stolen not one but three bottles of Djinn -- making him the most wanted man on earth. Still, Joanne and her classic Mustang are racing hard to find him -- because there's some bad weather closing in fast...
<strong>Second time round</strong>
I remember trying to read this a few years ago and seriously struggled so after finishing the Morganville series I decided to try again. I struggled again at first but actually stick with it and quite enjoyed it. It was fast paced and a bit patchy in places but well worth sticking with.
This time round I will be going on to book 2!
⭐⭐⭐

Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan
Book
In 1945, as part of the Occupation forces sent to postwar Japan Nick Zappetti, a native of Italian...