Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
One day Barker is called into a meeting where, because she is unmarried and without children, she is asked to cover the war in Afghanistan. Seeming hesitant, but pulled by a desire to escape her mundane life, she decides to go for it.
When Barker arrives in Afghanistan the journalists that are stationed there basically just party most of the time, which speaks volumes about the ways people may try to avoid the emotional intensity of their surroundings.
Other than that, Barker hangs out with some very calm troops, gets ballsy and captures some crazy footage, and seems to get very wrapped up in the thrill of getting a lead story. It doesn’t seem that Barker ever has any actual interest in the politics of what she is covering. Realizing that it is a comedy, this may be totally fine. But the film is an odd mix. It portrays Barker’s character as somewhat numb to the tragic reality she is immersed in, while at the same time making a joke wherever it can.
I’m not quite sure what genre “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” fits into. It gets close to drama, and it gets close to comedy but it isn’t that funny and it isn’t that touching. It leaves the impression of a dull and desensitized view of war and the challenges reporters face abroad. Perhaps the film is staying true to the memoir, but it is definitely a different approach to describing such an experience.
That being said, it’s not a bad film or a bad story. It’s interesting. It has funny moments, and it makes you want to know what will happen in the end. A few scenes even get close to developing the characters in a way that might make the audience care about them. But overall, there is really no emotional substance to the film and it leaves no big impression.
Worth a watch on Netflix, I give “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2474 KP) rated Love and Death Among the Cheetahs in Books
Aug 7, 2019
Those who are fans of Darcy (like me), will be pleased with his presence in this book. As is befitting a honeymoon, he and Georgie are true partners in figuring out what is happening around them. Not that he steals the show from Georgie, who still figures out just about everything along the way. We do get the usual slow start, which allows us a little time to hear from most of the series regulars before heading down to Kenya. And let me say their trip made me very happy for how travel has advanced since the 1930’s. Even when we arrive in Kenya, it takes a bit of time for the murder to take place, but once it does, the mystery is well worth the wait with some great secrets that Georgie and Darcy must bring to light. I did have a hard time keeping all of the British colonists straight, but that never got in the way of following the mystery. My bigger complaint is an event that takes place in the middle of the book that seems force to have Darcy and Georgie where they are needed for the plot. I appreciated how the book worked in the world politics of the time without feeling out of place in the series. And I also appreciated the ability to be an arm chair traveler since I can’t take a vacation this year, although it really made me want to go on a safari of my own.
Telegraph Newspaper Edition
Magazines & Newspapers and News
App
The daily tablet edition of Britain’s best-selling quality newspaper, delivering unrivalled...
The Prince Who Would be King: The Life and Death of Henry Stuart
Book
Henry Stuart's life is the last great forgotten Jacobean tale. Shadowed by the gravity of the Thirty...
Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring
Book
"Hilarious and Heartbreaking. Comedy shouldn't take courage, but it made an exception for Bassem."...
Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship Between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X
Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith
Book
In 1962, boxing writers and fans considered Cassius Clay an obnoxious self-promoter, and few...
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
9.2
Rate It
Book
The compelling, inspiring, (often comic) coming-of-age story of Trevor Noah, set during the twilight...
Jack Ward Thomas: The Journals of a Forest Service Chief
Book
Jack Ward Thomas, an eminent wildlife biologist and U.S. Forest Service career scientist, was...
Going Global: Bundle Book + Studio Access Card: The Textile and Apparel Industry
Grace I Kunz, Elena Karpova and Myrna B Garner
Book
"Going Global" provides a coherent framework for understanding the textiles and apparel industry in...
Henry Mancini: Reinventing Film Music
Book
Henry Mancini, the first publicly successful and personally recognizable film composer in history,...