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    Solunar Table

    Solunar Table

    Sports and Utilities

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    Solunar Table for the Best Hunting and Fishing Times. If you like bird watching, hunting, or...

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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Apr 25, 2022 (Updated Apr 25, 2022)  
Sneak a peek at the contemporary romance/women's fiction novel COMFORT ZONE by Kimberly Fish, Author on my blog. There's an amazing giveaway going on there for a chance to win an autographed copy of the book, a hand-painted note card from artist Elaine McMillan, and a NFL official Silver Series football signed by Jack Moses. Be sure to enter!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2022/04/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-comfort.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
The award-winning author of Comfort Songs, Comfort Plans, and Comfort Foods digs into the life of single-mom Anna Weber, an appraiser who gives value to other people’s found treasures. On assignment to research a handwritten sheet of music, Anna helps a stranded motorist, only to discover she’s rescued retired NFL quarterback Jack Moses. His confidence and fascination for solving problems makes him impossible for Anna to ignore even as they both dart along separate deadlines to save the finances at an inner-city school. Little does Anna know that as she wrestles with secrets from her past and a suspicious approach to people, Jack is running too—dodging women, pro athletes, and a future with no definable end zone.

As a nemesis threatens Anna’s young daughters, these two unlikely partners discover that it’s in stepping back from years of self-sufficiency that Anna and Jack can find the best treasure of all: a series of sweet, second chances.
     
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
1988 | Comedy
A Jolly Good Time
A member of my family mentioned when discussing the 1988 John Cleese comedy A FISH CALLED WANDA that you can tell much about a person over what part of this film that you like the most. Do you like:

a). The John Cleese/Jamie Lee Curtis love story

b). The "caper"

c). The beleaguered, unsuccessful hit-man Ken

d). The old lady and her 3 dogs

e). Kevin Kline as Otto

For me, that's easy - ALL OF IT! I find that A FISH CALLED WANDA is a very funny, richly acted comedy/caper that brings forth 4 characters that are easy to spend 2 hours with. Starting with John Cleese as Barrister Archie Leach. Cleese conceived, wrote, starred-in and (at times) directed this film and his "British humor" (honed from years as a member of the MONTY PYTHON comedy troupe) is in full force here. He has a reserved appearance about him that covers a wild man underneath yearning to break free.

Jamie Lee Curtis is quite good as the center of the film, Wanda Gershwitz, a cunning conman who will stop at nothing - and step over everyone - to get what she wants. I find that Curtis is under-rated as an actress and a comedienne and this picture shows that she can hold her own against 3 comedy greats at the top of their game.

The 2nd member of the Monty Python troupe to appear in this film is the remarkable Michael Palin as hapless hit-man, Ken. He becomes increasingly frustrated and frantic -and increasingly funny - as he attempts to complete his assignment throughout the course of this film.

But...the real star of this film...and the actor/character that steals the film away from everyone else...is Kevin Kline's Oscar winning performance as Otto, Wanda's erstwhile love who has a very high opinion of himself. It is rare that a comedic performance wins an Oscar - Kline's win is the the last one to do so - but it is easy to see why the Academy decided to reward Kline for it is a committed performance that is wild, wacky and over-the-top, but not overtly so. Kline has been very good in many other pictures/performances before and after this film, but he never reached the height that he reached in this film.

The film has veteran director Charles Crichton listed as Director with Cleese listed as co-Director (though Cleese insisted that Crichton did all the work and he only put his name on it to assuage the fears of studio executives over Crichton's advanced age). Well...Crichton does a wonderful job of letting the lunacy explode on the scene while keeping a lid on it and moving the action along at a brisk pace.

Wanda is one of those films that people remember fondly, but do not revisit. I would highly recommend you do, it's a jolly good time.

Letter Grade A-

8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021)
Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021)
2021 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
6
6.8 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The latest film in the G.I. Joe cinematic universe has arrived with “Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins”. The film was originally planned to arrive in March of 2020 but faced delays due to cinematic closures during the Pandemic.

The film opens with a young boy being orphaned after a group of thugs kills his father. Years later the man is still obsessed with finding out who killed his father and earns a living in underground fighting known as Snake Eyes (Henry Golding)

His exploits get the attention of Kenta (Takehiro Hira); who hires him into his organization with a promise to help him find the man who killed his father.

 

Snake Eyes soon finds himself working on the docks where he smuggles guns into fish bound for Japan. Despite his misgivings working for criminals, he befriends a man named Tommy (Andrew Koji); who teases him about his demeaning work by calling him “Fish Boy”.

When Kenta forces Snake Eyes to kill Tommy for being a spy; Snake Eyes refuses and the two make a daring escape to Japan. It is learned that Tommy is next in line to run his clan and that Kenta was banished years prior and plans revenge.

Despite mistrust from a trusted associate named Akiko (Hakura Abe); Snake Eyes begins his training in the Ninja Arts which should he survive will make him a valued part of the Clan which Tommy believes is correct thanks to his Blood Debt to Snake Eyes.

The film focuses on various aspects of training before branching into the larger story of divided loyalties and honors which results in a few battles and chases along the way.

While the film does space the action out; it does provide some great cinematography and the action is entertaining even if it lacks much tension.

 

The biggest issue is that the G.I. Joe/COBRA connection seems a bit forced as The Baroness (Ursula Corbero) arrives to move things along but it is mainly for the purpose of getting characters to do this and get that so the film can move towards the climactic action.

Samara Weaving does show up as Scarlett but she does not have a very large part in the story and aside from a few limited action moments; she seems to be more of the token G.I.Joe representation.

Golding and Hira are very good and their intertwined and complicated relationship is giving plenty of time to develop as their past is a large part of their futures and the film does a good job in explaining their past and future motivations.

The film blends Asian and Western film styles and in doing so creates an enjoyable film that for me was more enjoyable than the prior films in the series. To me those films focused mainly on action and this one was focused on developing characters.

While it remains to be seen what direction future films in the franchise will take; it would be interesting to see more of Snake Eyes story down the line.

3 stars out of 5
  
    ZooKazam

    ZooKazam

    Entertainment and Education

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    This is what we’ve all been waiting for, a beautiful Augmented Reality app that does not require a...

    Barbecue Recipes HD

    Barbecue Recipes HD

    Food & Drink and Lifestyle

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    The trick to making your BBQ food tasting great is using flavors that you like as well as using good...

    4000+ Indian Recipes

    4000+ Indian Recipes

    Food & Drink and Reference

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    Love Indian Food? Make your own versions of take-out favorites, with these 4000+ recipes. Indian...

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  - Season 2
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 2
1997 | Horror
Der Kinder Stood (5 more)
Whistler
Angelus
Lie to Me
SPIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Judge
Ted (2 more)
Innca Mummy Girl
Go Fish
The competely love an episode or hate an episode season
This series has some of my favorite episodes and some of my least.
 It also introduced us to Spike so forever grateful to that.
It has my favorite one time character in the Whistler. When Glenn Quinn left i so wanted Whistler to replace Doyle in Angel.
Season 2 has my favorite one of There are some amazing moments in this series and some fantastic quotes.

“Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted, unbidden, it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us. Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank. Without passion, we'd be truly dead.”



"Bottom line is, even if you see them coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So, what are we, helpless? Puppets? Nah. The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are."