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Paul Tyrrell (139 KP) rated The Grudge (2004) in Movies
Apr 19, 2020
Sleeping with the lights on at 30
Watched this again for the first time in years yesterday. Didn't seem half as scary when watching it with other people so didn't have to sleep with the light on this time (true story).
Sarah Michelle Gellar plays it well and some of the jumps and scares are brilliantly done. Raimi was going through a little horror spell with this and Drag me to Hell which also was pretty good, but did have a slightly more comedic tone than The Grudge.
Good supporting cast and well worth a watch, as its o e of the few American/Japanese updates that hasn't ruined the original story
Sarah Michelle Gellar plays it well and some of the jumps and scares are brilliantly done. Raimi was going through a little horror spell with this and Drag me to Hell which also was pretty good, but did have a slightly more comedic tone than The Grudge.
Good supporting cast and well worth a watch, as its o e of the few American/Japanese updates that hasn't ruined the original story
Duncan Jones recommended Yojimbo (1961) in Movies (curated)
David McK (3402 KP) rated Pearl Harbor (2001) in Movies
Oct 24, 2021
Movie set around the events of the surprise Japanese attack on the US naval base of Pearl Harbo(u)r in 1941, that mixes the action around that attack with a love triangle between Kate Beckinsale, Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck with the latter two playing two best friends in love with the same girl, and with both Hartnett's Danny and Kate's Evelyn believing Ben's Rafe to be dead - at least, for about the first half hour or so - after he is shot down in Europe.
Of course, he returns from the dead after Danny has fallen for Evelyn and she for him, and just before the attack on Pearl Harbour begins ...
Obvious how said love triangle is going to end.
Of course, he returns from the dead after Danny has fallen for Evelyn and she for him, and just before the attack on Pearl Harbour begins ...
Obvious how said love triangle is going to end.
David McK (3402 KP) rated Midway (2019) in Movies
Mar 26, 2023
When I was at school, the Battle of Midway was barely touched upon.
The Somme? Yep.
The Battle of Britain? Absolutely.
Pearl Harbour? Briefly.
That, I'm guessing, would be completely different if I lived in America (instead of, as I do, Great Britain).
So Midway, itself, was a battle that I really only learnt about in later life and then really only in the most general of terms.
This movie seeks to retell the events that led up to, and occurred within, that battle after the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbo(u)r that led to the US joining the Second World War, Unfortunately, it's largely forgettable (and largely bloodless), with none of the cast really making all that much of an impact.
The Somme? Yep.
The Battle of Britain? Absolutely.
Pearl Harbour? Briefly.
That, I'm guessing, would be completely different if I lived in America (instead of, as I do, Great Britain).
So Midway, itself, was a battle that I really only learnt about in later life and then really only in the most general of terms.
This movie seeks to retell the events that led up to, and occurred within, that battle after the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbo(u)r that led to the US joining the Second World War, Unfortunately, it's largely forgettable (and largely bloodless), with none of the cast really making all that much of an impact.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Hacksaw Ridge (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
In God, and Doss, we Trust.
Those dreaded words – “Based On A True Story” – emerge again from the blackness of the opening page. Actually, no. In a move that could be considered arrogant if it wasn’t so well researched, here we even lose the first two words.
When a war film is described as being “visceral” then you know you need to steel yourself mentally for what you might see. But given that this film is based around the horrendously brutal combat between the Americans and the Japanese on the Pacific island of Okinawa in 1945 this is a warning well-founded. For the battle scenes in this film are reminiscent of the opening scenes of “Saving Private Ryan” in their brutality: long gone are the war films of John Wayne where there would be a shot, a grasp of the stomach and a casual descent to earth.
But before we get to the battle itself, the film has a leisurely hour of character building which is time well spent (although it could have perhaps been trimmed a tad tighter). Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield, “The Amazing Spiderman”, “Never Let Me Go”) grows up a God-fearing youngster in the beautiful surroundings of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. His alcoholic father (Hugo Weaving, “The Lord of the Rings”, “The Matrix”) has been mentally traumatised by the First World War, further strengthening Desmond’s fervent belief in following the Ten Commandments; most notably “Thou Shalt Not Kill”. But his patriotic sense of duty is also strong, and Doss signs up after Pearl Harbor and is posted to a rifle brigade that – given his refusal to even touch a rifle – puts him on a collision course with the US Army. It also (obviously) disrupts his romance with nurse sweetheart Dorothy (Teresa Palmer).
This is really two films in one, with the first half setting up extremely well the characters that make the second half so effective. For you care – really care – for what happens to most of the characters involved, especially the zealous and determined Doss who has nothing to face the Japanese hoards with but a medical bag. The feelings that comes to top of mind are awe that these real people actually had to go through this horror and hope that in today’s increasingly unstable political world we will never need to again face such inhumanity of man against man again.
Andrew Garfield really carries this film, and his Best Actor Oscar nomination is well-deserved. He is perfectly cast as the (onward) Christian soldier. Also outstanding is Hugo Weaving in an emotional and persuasive role playing opposite Rachel Griffiths (“Saving Mr Banks”) his wife. But the real acting surprise here for me was Vince Vaughn (“The Wedding Crashers”) who plays the no-nonsense platoon Sergeant Howell: never one of my favourite actors, here he brings in a warm and nuanced performance that ends with a memorable action scene.
Also worthy of specific note is Dan Oliver (“Mad Max: Fury Road”) and his team of special effects technicians, the stunt teams (led by Kyle Gardiner and Mic Rodgers), production designer Barry Robinson and the hair and makeup team, all of who collaborate to make the final half of the film so gripping.
The film marks a comeback from the film society ‘naughty step’ of Mel Gibson after his much publicised fall from grace in the mid-noughties. A Best Director Oscar nomination would appear to cement that resurrection. For this is a phenomenal achievement in direction and one that should be applauded.
The film bears closest comparison with the interesting two-film combo from Clint Eastwood – “Flags of our Fathers” (from the American viewpoint) and “Letters from Iwo Jima” (from the Japanese viewpoint). While all three films share the same blood and guts quotient, with “Hacksaw Ridge” edging this award, the Eastwood films tend to have more emotional depth and a more thought-provoking treatment of the Japanese angle. In “Hacksaw Ridge”, while the war crimes of the Japanese are clear, the war crimes of the Americans are quietly cloaked behind a cryptic line (“They didn’t make it”).
That being said, there is no crime in a rollicking good story well told, and “Hacksaw Ridge” is certainly that. This was a film I did not have high hopes for. But I was surprised to be proved wrong. Recommended.
When a war film is described as being “visceral” then you know you need to steel yourself mentally for what you might see. But given that this film is based around the horrendously brutal combat between the Americans and the Japanese on the Pacific island of Okinawa in 1945 this is a warning well-founded. For the battle scenes in this film are reminiscent of the opening scenes of “Saving Private Ryan” in their brutality: long gone are the war films of John Wayne where there would be a shot, a grasp of the stomach and a casual descent to earth.
But before we get to the battle itself, the film has a leisurely hour of character building which is time well spent (although it could have perhaps been trimmed a tad tighter). Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield, “The Amazing Spiderman”, “Never Let Me Go”) grows up a God-fearing youngster in the beautiful surroundings of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. His alcoholic father (Hugo Weaving, “The Lord of the Rings”, “The Matrix”) has been mentally traumatised by the First World War, further strengthening Desmond’s fervent belief in following the Ten Commandments; most notably “Thou Shalt Not Kill”. But his patriotic sense of duty is also strong, and Doss signs up after Pearl Harbor and is posted to a rifle brigade that – given his refusal to even touch a rifle – puts him on a collision course with the US Army. It also (obviously) disrupts his romance with nurse sweetheart Dorothy (Teresa Palmer).
This is really two films in one, with the first half setting up extremely well the characters that make the second half so effective. For you care – really care – for what happens to most of the characters involved, especially the zealous and determined Doss who has nothing to face the Japanese hoards with but a medical bag. The feelings that comes to top of mind are awe that these real people actually had to go through this horror and hope that in today’s increasingly unstable political world we will never need to again face such inhumanity of man against man again.
Andrew Garfield really carries this film, and his Best Actor Oscar nomination is well-deserved. He is perfectly cast as the (onward) Christian soldier. Also outstanding is Hugo Weaving in an emotional and persuasive role playing opposite Rachel Griffiths (“Saving Mr Banks”) his wife. But the real acting surprise here for me was Vince Vaughn (“The Wedding Crashers”) who plays the no-nonsense platoon Sergeant Howell: never one of my favourite actors, here he brings in a warm and nuanced performance that ends with a memorable action scene.
Also worthy of specific note is Dan Oliver (“Mad Max: Fury Road”) and his team of special effects technicians, the stunt teams (led by Kyle Gardiner and Mic Rodgers), production designer Barry Robinson and the hair and makeup team, all of who collaborate to make the final half of the film so gripping.
The film marks a comeback from the film society ‘naughty step’ of Mel Gibson after his much publicised fall from grace in the mid-noughties. A Best Director Oscar nomination would appear to cement that resurrection. For this is a phenomenal achievement in direction and one that should be applauded.
The film bears closest comparison with the interesting two-film combo from Clint Eastwood – “Flags of our Fathers” (from the American viewpoint) and “Letters from Iwo Jima” (from the Japanese viewpoint). While all three films share the same blood and guts quotient, with “Hacksaw Ridge” edging this award, the Eastwood films tend to have more emotional depth and a more thought-provoking treatment of the Japanese angle. In “Hacksaw Ridge”, while the war crimes of the Japanese are clear, the war crimes of the Americans are quietly cloaked behind a cryptic line (“They didn’t make it”).
That being said, there is no crime in a rollicking good story well told, and “Hacksaw Ridge” is certainly that. This was a film I did not have high hopes for. But I was surprised to be proved wrong. Recommended.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Mothra (1961) in Movies
Feb 11, 2018 (Updated Feb 11, 2018)
You're going to need some bigger mothballs
The film that sets the standard for rampaging-giant-mystic-butterfly pictures is one of the best Toho monster movies, clearly owing a debt to King Kong but adding a lovely veneer of charming Japanese weirdness to the recipe. Evil Rosilicans (i.e., Americans) gatecrash a Japanese expedition to a mysterious island and end up kidnapping the twin fairies in charge of the place and forcing them to appear in a stage musical (this film has some banging tunes, by the way). Disgruntled natives wake up Mothra, butterfly-god protector of the island, who promptly heads for Japan to express displeasure as only a 180 metre long larva can.
Much more of a fantasy movie than the rest of the Godzilla series (with which it is in continuity; Mothra and Godzilla have been fighting together and against each other for over fifty years), and also with an unambiguously sympathetic monster, this is probably a more technically adept and simply enjoyable film than any of its immediate predecessors from Toho. The story is vaultingly peculiar in some ways, but at least it has originality on its side. The attempt to disguise where Rosilica is really supposed to be falls flat as soon as we learn one of its major cities is called New Kirk, but you can't fault one of these movies for being just a little bit odd. Perhaps the lack of another monster for Mothra to fight at the end is a weakness in the story, but if so it is less obvious than is usually the case in this sort of film. An endearing and engaging piece of entertainment.
Much more of a fantasy movie than the rest of the Godzilla series (with which it is in continuity; Mothra and Godzilla have been fighting together and against each other for over fifty years), and also with an unambiguously sympathetic monster, this is probably a more technically adept and simply enjoyable film than any of its immediate predecessors from Toho. The story is vaultingly peculiar in some ways, but at least it has originality on its side. The attempt to disguise where Rosilica is really supposed to be falls flat as soon as we learn one of its major cities is called New Kirk, but you can't fault one of these movies for being just a little bit odd. Perhaps the lack of another monster for Mothra to fight at the end is a weakness in the story, but if so it is less obvious than is usually the case in this sort of film. An endearing and engaging piece of entertainment.
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Tokoyo, The Samurai's Daughter in Books
Feb 1, 2018
This was a good kids fantasy read
Contains spoilers, click to show
Tokoyo, The Samurai’s Daughter is a middle grade fantasy novel inspired by The Tale of the Oki Islands. It is a swift read that flows like the water that has so large of a presence in it. It was an enjoyable story featuring a young woman who has to be extremely brave and save her father.
I loved that Tokoyo, The Samurai’s Daughter was all about Tokoyo. Her abilities and determination were what carried her through. There was no male figures that interceded to provide help to get her through the difficult parts. She did it all herself, with only the caring, mental support and encouragement of the Ama. Though there has definitely been a surge of girls being front and center on action and adventure tales lately, it’s still not enough. This book was a welcome addition.
Now, I don’t know anything about Japanese culture, but the representation in here felt respectful and real. (The notes in the back indicate that the author has done plenty of research!) There was nothing about it that was included for laughs. Tokoyo, The Samurai’s Daughter will hopefully provide young readers of Japanese descent another role model they can look up to situated in the history of their country.
Overall, the pace of the novel is fantastic, the prose is near perfect, and the story was an engaging one. Faith L. Justice has done a great job with Tokoyo, the Samurai’s Daughter. And Kayla Gilliam provides simple illustrations that spice up the text every few chapters and provide a treat for the eyes.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book free from the author for review consideration as part of Rosie's Book Review Team
I loved that Tokoyo, The Samurai’s Daughter was all about Tokoyo. Her abilities and determination were what carried her through. There was no male figures that interceded to provide help to get her through the difficult parts. She did it all herself, with only the caring, mental support and encouragement of the Ama. Though there has definitely been a surge of girls being front and center on action and adventure tales lately, it’s still not enough. This book was a welcome addition.
Now, I don’t know anything about Japanese culture, but the representation in here felt respectful and real. (The notes in the back indicate that the author has done plenty of research!) There was nothing about it that was included for laughs. Tokoyo, The Samurai’s Daughter will hopefully provide young readers of Japanese descent another role model they can look up to situated in the history of their country.
Overall, the pace of the novel is fantastic, the prose is near perfect, and the story was an engaging one. Faith L. Justice has done a great job with Tokoyo, the Samurai’s Daughter. And Kayla Gilliam provides simple illustrations that spice up the text every few chapters and provide a treat for the eyes.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book free from the author for review consideration as part of Rosie's Book Review Team
Ghost (30 KP) rated Sword Art Online: 1: Aincrad in Books
Jun 30, 2017
An epic adventure into the world of Virtual Reality gaming
This is the first instalment of the Sword Art Online series, originally written in Japanese but translated into English in the form of a light novel. The first book introduces you to the world and some of the players, the plots, side plots and the different factions that form. Most players team up to the defeat the game, but the main character decides to go it alone. Thousands of players die, thousands are still trapped but once the game has been completed you might be fooled into thinking that this is the end. This is not the case, so far I have read 17 of the books in the main series and a few other side stories. This is an epic world and an epic story.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated The Man in the High Castle in Books
Sep 15, 2017
Classic dystopian novel about the US and if the Germans had won the war
Philip K. Dick is the godfather of Science Fiction, especially creating alternative realities and dystopian futures. In this case, he puts the point what would the world look like if Hitler had won the Second World War?
In this version, citizens of Jewish origin begin to be hunted down alongside those with ethnic minorities, except for the Japanese, given their support during the war. Amid this turmoil, is a mysterious and controversial book floating around, that explains what America would look like if they had won.
This is a bit of mind trip as a result, and it does end rather abruptly. However, the writing is gripping and you're desperate to find out how the man in the high castle connects to the story.
In this version, citizens of Jewish origin begin to be hunted down alongside those with ethnic minorities, except for the Japanese, given their support during the war. Amid this turmoil, is a mysterious and controversial book floating around, that explains what America would look like if they had won.
This is a bit of mind trip as a result, and it does end rather abruptly. However, the writing is gripping and you're desperate to find out how the man in the high castle connects to the story.