Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Longest Yard (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
The film stars Adam Sandler as Paul Crewe, a former NFL star quarterback who was banned from the league after allegedly throwing a game. As the film opens, Crewe is spending his time as a boy toy for a snobby socialite who is happy to capitalize on being seen with him, and parading Paul through various promotional ventures.
After reaching his breaking point, Paul lashes back by “borrowing” her car and leading several police officers on a high speed, and drunken chase through the streets. The resulting carnage is not only captured on live television, but awards Paul a three year prison term.
Upon arriving in the remote prison location, Crewe is introduced to Warden Hazen (James Cromwell), who attempts to recruit Crewe to help him with his semi-pro team. Crewe declines as he was urged to forcibly by Captain of the Guards Captain Knauer (William Fitchtner).
Paul eventually meets a helpful inmate known as Caretaker (Chris Rock), who shows him the ropes of prison life, and becomes a good friend for Crewe, who certainly needs friends, as there are more than a few guards and prisoners who lost money on the game he through years ago.
In time, Crew is forced by the Warden to organize a team of prisoners for a tune up game with the guards. In a series of comedic moments, Paul and Caretaker have to take drastic measures in order to organize a team from the prisoners including a game of basketball that is rougher than most games Paul had to face on the playing fields of the NFL.
Onboard to assist Paul is Coach Nate Scarborough (Burt Reynolds), who provides a much needed spark and wisdom to the team and as a former football great, allows Paul to unload some of the burden of getting the team and himself ready to play.
Of course there will be some subterfuge afoot, and the guards are not about to allow the prisoners any sense of hope, which all leads to a very funny series of point/counterpoint moves on the part of both teams to undermine the other.
When news of the game gets out, it is not long before ESPN 2 wants to televise the return of Paul Crewe, and the game soon becomes a national showcase. Since Warden Hazen has political aspirations, the outcome of the game in his favor becomes paramount forcing him to increase the pressure, and forces Paul to make a very important choice.
While the film follows the basic premise of the original, it has been updated to take advantage of modern humor and fine supporting cast. Many ex-NFL players ranging from Brian Bosworth, Michael Irvin, Bill Romanowski, and Bill Goldberg are in the film as well as wrestlers Steve Austin, Kevin Nash, and rapper Nelly.
While some may say the film is predictable, Sandler and the supporting cast do a great job in mixing humor with some of the more serious issues of prison life which results in a film that masterfully mixes humor, sports action, and human drama to create one of the better sports films in recent memory.
Gloria (27 KP) rated Prison Break - Season 4 in TV
Jul 18, 2017
I find the new season and the out of prison setting actually fresh. You really cannot trust any of the characters here. You think they're on the good side, but it turns out you're wrong. Still managed to be kept entertained, despite the suspension of disbelief required.
Sadly, in this season, a million little things have to fall in place every time for the plot to go on. Other times they just don't. Yet, they were able to keep appearances. But this season has gone a little overboard. Some events aren't justified or aren't build up to them; they just happen. And if you don't accept them, too bad, cause that's how it is. Almost as if they are throwing as much as they can at you. Still filled with many twists and backstabs. That can either cause engagement or head spin. What used to be a band of criminals is now the best covert ops group in the world, pulling multiple Mission Impossible's (c) per episode and randomly navigating through a web of confusing conspiracies.
But, it still manages to keep one wanting to find out what comes next. So it didn't lose that touch.
Up Front
Book
Kerry's life in recent years has been bedevilled by problems with gambling, drugs and, worst of all,...
Dennis Nilsen: Conversations with Britain's Most Evil Serial Killer
Book
In February 1983, civil servant Dennis Nilsen was arrested after body parts were found to be...
Love and War in the Apennines
Book
Hailed as Newby's 'masterpiece', 'Love and War in the Apennines' is the gripping real-life story of...
So Much Wasted: Hunger, Performance, and the Morbidity of Resistance
Patrick Anderson, Jack Halberstam and Lisa Lowe
Book
In So Much Wasted, Patrick Anderson analyzes self-starvation as a significant mode of staging...
Outlaws
Book
In the late 1970s, as Spain was adrift between the death of Franco and the rebirth of democracy,...
ClareR (5950 KP) rated Boys Don’t Cry in Books
May 18, 2021
Joe at 17, is the brother left to deal with the death of his 12 year old brother. His father manages to get himself in to trouble, and in to prison. His mother can’t cope. And Joe is struggling too. He is in an environment where it is all too easy for him to take the wrong path and end up like his father. Involved with the wrong people and in prison.
We see flashbacks to Finn as he is diagnosed with Leukaemia and how he copes with the treatment. He is such a happy, generous boy, who worries more about everyone else than about himself.
I don’t want to give much away, but Fiona Scarlett has created two boys who are wonderful human beings, despite the hand that has been dealt to them.
I adored this book. It still gives me a lump in my throat when I’m writing about it, never mind speaking to people about it - I’ll point them in this direction, I think.
It’s like the meme that says “This book has destroyed me and broken my heart. You MUST read it”
So yeah, just read it.
The Lucifer Effect: How Good People Turn Evil
Book
In The Lucifer Effect, the award-winning and internationally respected psychologist, Philip...
Dog Rose Dirt
6.0
Rate It
Book
When prodigal daughter Heather Evans returns to her family home after her mother's baffling suicide,...