tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813677615829049392024-03-06T20:48:09.587+13:00Wine, Ink, Sweat, and FearsJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.comBlogger196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-70821745069307460732016-10-31T12:20:00.000+13:002016-10-31T12:20:09.274+13:00The promise gets political.The Promise is a new film starring Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac and Charlotte Le Bon about the Armenian genocide that occurred between 1915 and <a href="http://www.armenian-genocide.org/genocidefaq.html">1918</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Based on the trailer it seems to a story of love and survival amongst a terrible tragedy. Oscar bait.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now I know little about the film or it's story or the historical event that this film is set in, however, this film is interesting as according to <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-promise-film-christian-bale-armenian-genocide-imdb-turkey-oscar-isaac-a7378881.html">The Independent </a> as of 25 October 2016, there had been only three public screenings of this film, but IMDB had 55,126 1-star ratings? Now that seems a bit skew-wif to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I checked IMDB today and noted that as of today there were 89,450 ratings for this film. Of which, 62% (56,061) were a rating of 1. That seems pretty off base to me. I checked the reviews and found this gem:</span><br />
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<i>"You are currently falling for the Jewish trickery into believing these kind of propeganda movies. I didn't watch the Movie nor the Trailer, call me patriotic or an idiot, i do not care.</i><br />
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<i>What i do care about is the History lessons from my very own Great Grandfather telling me about the Armenian Tricks trying to backstab us with Russian support in order to expand there clay in the end of the Ottoman Empire. We Turks did not fall for this meme and WILL NOT FALL for heathen tricerkys just as these."</i><br />
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That review was titled "Sh#tty zionist tricks".<br />
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Now, IMDB has had criticism in the past for their rating system to be skewed by fake reviews from the studios, but I have never seen anything like this. There really does seem to be some sort of political agenda here to discredit this film. Unfortunately for those who are trying to discredit this film they are only drawing attention to it and giving it more publicity.<br />
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Good!<br />
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I do not know much about the history of these events but I do object to some sort of clumsy overt attempt to discredit it for political reasons. If it is a bad film then that will come out in due course. The audience should, and will decide!<br />
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Personally, and I know this will seem ironic, but I rarely read reviews before seeing a film. I like to go in with an open mind and see the film with no preconceptions. If you want good sites to look at whether a film is tracking I recommend <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/"> Rotten Tomatoes </a> and <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/movie">Metacritic </a>. These two sites can give you a good indication of how a film is faring. But, don't discount IMDB, it is a great site, and you can find marvellous reviews and information there. I love IMDB, and this won't stop me using it.<br />
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Here is a link to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwut1DUXaZc">trailer</a> so you can make your own mind up.<br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-73037772457232809132016-04-06T18:55:00.001+12:002016-04-06T18:55:39.349+12:00Batman v Superman, Dawn of Justice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There are few Superheroes as iconic as Superman and Batman. To their fans, and the wider community, the combination of these characters not only sharing the big screen but in conflict is (or was) both exciting and terrifying. Exciting as a premise, and terrifying that it will all go horribly wrong.</div>
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A few gentle spoilers follow.</div>
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The film starts during the epic (and exhaustingly gratuitous) battle between Zod and Superman from <i>Man of Steel</i>. However, the perspective is that of Bruce Wayne as he desperately attempts to evacuate his employees from a burning Metropolis. I imagine that a few New Yorkers might find this sequence unsettling as they draw parallels to events fifteen years ago. Wayne’s opinion of Superman is set as he kneels in the wreckage of Metropolis while two entities battle blithely on in the heavens. I liked this and it gave a degree of redemption to the first film.</div>
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This sets the scene for a build-up of conflict between the two. Superman, who through trying to help people is learning that for every positive action there are negative consequences, believes that the ‘Bat’ is a vigilante who acts as if he is above the law and the consequences of his actions. Batman is cynically assessing this new arrival’s potential to turn the world into ash.</div>
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The Superman plotline was interesting. Holly Hunter played a senator who was part of a committee to investigate the collateral damage caused by Superman’s heroics. Now that he is here does he help, or does he, in fact, make things worse through his intervention? People were killed and maimed in the battle in Metropolis, and the people demand answers. Henry Cavill is a very good Superman, and a worthy successor to Christopher Reeve. He has the compassion, the strength and by god is he a beautiful man. Seriously, he is beautiful. There was a nice focus on Clark Kent the man and the journalist, and a wonderful reference to the origin of Superman as well which I liked. Clark Kent also gets his own dream sequence (with a nice cameo from Kevin Costner), and it contained all the pathos and emotion that they tried to reach with Bruce Wayne’s dreams but failed. Cavill also had a nice chemistry with Adams, although the women in this film do steal the scenes a lot. I am more than ok with that. I did feel that Cavill was a little constrained, though.</div>
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Holly Hunter, like the rest of the female cast, did very well in my opinion. Lois Lane (Amy Adams) was actually an investigative reporter for once, and while she was rescued more than once by her boyfriend, it did not detract from her character or depict her as some sort of damsel in distress. Could we have seen even more depth to the female characters, sure but then we would be heading towards bloat of Hobbit-like proportions?</div>
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Gal Gadot as Wonder woman was exceptional, and they set up her movie really well. She is certainly not second fiddle to either male lead, and I am genuinely excited to see her own film. For all those who were disappointed that the Black Widow did not get her own movie, then this is one to watch out for, and it is well overdue.</div>
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The Batman plotline follows Bruce Wayne’s investigation into a mysterious new crime lord and his growing paranoia over Superman. This was more of a slow grind, interposed with several dream sequences playing on Wayne’s fears and neurosis. I didn’t mind these sequences as much and enjoyed their place in the narrative. Zack Snyder, the director, enjoys utilising dream sequences as plot devices, and they worked well for me.</div>
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I was one of those that were wary of Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne. I always thought it was a weird argument that he must be a good Batman as he has two academy awards. However, as neither of these were for acting, I never saw the justification for this argument. Although I went into this film trying to be as open-minded as possible, I thought he would be the weak link in this movie. I was wrong. </div>
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While Affleck was an average Batman, he certainly wasn’t the worst I have seen (not as good as Lego Batman, but not as bad as Clooney). His portrayal was of an older, wearier Batman, cynical that after 20 years fighting crime, his world is as grim as it always has been.</div>
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I think one element that was missing was a depiction of Batman’s genius, Batman is many things but his brain is his greatest weapon. He also was missing a degree of humanity. For me, Batman is a dark, even brutal hero. However, he has a strong personal code, and despite being a physically superior, billionaire, genius, he is also very human. His strength comes from his pain, and his humanity. From Bruce Wayne’s sense of loss comes Batman’s unrelenting fight against evil, so that no one else has to suffer has he does. There was only one sincere moment when this came through in the movie, and I thought it was a very clever piece of storytelling. Another criticism of Affleck was that I just didn’t buy into his paranoia about Superman. It seemed forced to me.</div>
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One thing really missing from both Cavil’s and Affleck’s performances was a drop of humour. Jeremy Irons, as Alfred, did insert a couple of quips but not enough. He was a very good Alfred as well, easily on par with Michael Caine’s.</div>
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There is an overt deific theme running through them, which continues from <i>Man of Steel</i>. Not only through the way Superman’s scenes were shot but the constant references to Superman as God. </div>
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This leads me to Jessie Eisenberg as the Riddler(Joke attributed to J. Hopgood the man is a genius), His depiction of the Riddler was excellent and helped me understand the distinction between the concept of the Riddler and the Joker. His frenetic and irrational psychosis was right on-par for what I understood the Riddler to be. Which is a shame as Eisenberg was actually playing Lex Luther. Eisenberg’s performance starts out rational enough as the young genius who has inherited a large multinational corporation. He quickly descends into a weird lunatic characterisation which pretty much ruined any scene he was in. He was atrocious.</div>
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The plot was good, but a little drawn out and poorly executed as an actual story. Luther’s evil plan once revealed could have been recognition of his genius, but ended up seeming like a plot hole. The action sequences were epic, tighter than <i>Man of Steel, </i>and better paced. Batman is portrayed as a tactical and intelligent fighter and his fight scene in the warehouse is one of the best in the movie.</div>
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The very end of the film is drawn out, unnecessary and tiresome. I can see how it could detract from the rest of the movie as any enjoyment is sucked out of you. <i>Batman v Superman</i> is an overly ambitious epic which needed a more charm and an injection of well-placed humour, but not the abomination that the critics portray.</div>
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For fans of the DC comic universe, this movie will probably cause a lot of dialogue, in a good way. For everyone else I suspect that is you go in with an open mind a bit of patience you might enjoy it, but if you go in expecting <i>The Avengers</i> you will probably hate it. <i>Batman v Superman </i>is not what I would call ‘fun’, it is a film that will divide audiences into liking it, or hating it.</div>
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6 Monkeys. </div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-78711888819617278172016-03-06T19:38:00.000+13:002016-03-06T19:41:35.840+13:00For fans of Neil Gaiman's Sandman<br />
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So I just saw this post from Joseph Gordon-Levitt.</h5>
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"So, as you might know if you like to follow these sorts of things, a while back, David Goyer and I made a producing deal with Warner Brothers to develop a movie adaptation of Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN. Neil himself came on as an executive producer, we hired the excellent screenwriter, Jack Thorne, and we started in on the ambitious task of adapting one of the most beloved and boundary-pushing titles in the world of comics. I was pleased with the progress we were maki<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">ng, even though we still had quite a ways to go.</span></div>
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Recently, as you also might know if you like to follow these sorts of things, the sorta "ownership" (for lack of a better term) of the Sandman material changed hands when Warner Brothers shifted the entire catalogue of Vertigo comics (an imprint of DC) to their subsidiary, New Line. And a few months ago, I came to realize that the folks at New Line and I just don't see eye to eye on what makes Sandman special, and what a film adaptation could/should be. So unfortunately, I decided to remove myself from the project. I wish nothing but the best for the team moving forward.</div>
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I'd like to thank all the great people I've had the opportunity to work with on this one. I've had a blast with and learned a ton from David and Jack. Niija Kuykendall, Greg Silverman, and everyone at Warner Brothers have been fantastic, as have Geoff Johns and everyone at DC. And it's been a particular privilege as well as a rocking good time getting to know Mr. Gaiman, whose generous insights and masterful work have certainly convinced me that the Lord of Dreams and the Prince of Stories are one and the same Endless pattern.</div>
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I am not sure what this means going forward, or even if this is a bad thing. I have been excited, and nervous about a Sandman adaptation. Stories like this could be made into fantastic films, however, would they? Consider The recent Hobbit films, or any film about Greek Mythology. Gordon-Levitt was the driving force behind his film Don Jon, which I really liked. He was also a producer on Looper, which I also liked, so I was more excited than worried when I heard that he was behind this project. He was the one that brought on Gaiman, and was very passionate about the Sandman film. </div>
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Admittedly as a brand new father my movie options are very few at the moment. But this is one I would see. Neil Gaiman is still involved, so we can only bide our time and see. But I for one am a little sad as I would have liked to see Gordon-Levitt remain with the movie. </div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.38;">Night everybody. </span></div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-3653791179272939952016-01-17T10:55:00.000+13:002016-01-17T10:55:13.072+13:00The problems with pregnancy<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I actually started to write this last December, but the end of the year and the impending birth of my first child is a bit of a distraction. But here we are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Disney paid $4 Billion dollars for the Star wars Franchise and that is a lot of investment to risk on one film. </span>Yes,<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> it does mean that they get the profits from the toys and marketing and other revenue, but even in today’s money $4,000,000,000 is still a sizeable sum. But unlike other films which may or may not succeed at the box office, Disney has a </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">plan to earn revenue off a series of movies set in the Star Wars universe long after you and I are dead. If The Force Awakens had flopped then that plan was on shaky ground.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of the films they are working on is the origin story of Han Solo. Yes, one of films greatest pilots and rogues is getting his own film. But who would play him? Harrison Ford was 35 when he played Han, so realistically we are looking at someone who is or looks like they are in their 20’s, and who could carry such an iconic role.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Looking around the various film websites, I have found sever contenders, some serious, others which seem ludicrous. According to <a href="http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/12/disney-has-auditioned-over-2500-actors-to-play-han-solo-in-anthology-film/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">consequence of sound</span></a> Disney has auditioned 2500 actors for the role. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some of the contenders are; Chris Pratt, Chris Pine, James Franco, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ryan Gosling</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">, Zac Effron and Robert Pattinson. I think you would have to instantly rule out Pine and Pratt because they have their own franchises already, and I just don’t think they would gel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Franco’s too old and he doesn’t have the right je ne sais quoi for me. The same for Gordan Levitt, who I really like as an actor but I am not sure could fill the role. Gosling is too smug, Pattinson is too sparkly, and I’m be damned if he sets foot on the Falcon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Zac Effron. Now bear with me here. Your first thought would be “isn’t he that guy from High School musical?” Yeah he is, but he moved on from that a while ago, and hasn’t played a role in a sparkly vampire movie. I think out of the list so far he could, but to be honest he is a little too good looking to be Han Solo (no offense Mr Ford).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have seen some other actor’s names thrown around so I will cover them off quickly:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now here is my list of people who might be able to fill the role. Dylan O’Brian, Aaron Taylor Johnson, and Anthony Ingruber. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I really like Aaron Taylor-Johnson;</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> he is a good actor with a range that stretches from Kickass to Anna Katarina to Avengers. He certainly has the acting chops to pull it off, but I am not entirely sold on the concept.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is highly unlikely that you would have ever heard of Anthony Ingruber. But for me he is the best prospect. Here is his impersonation of </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bba_wPdLxp4" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Han Solo</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have no idea who they will choose, and given my success at choosing the next Dr Who maybe I am not that skilled at these sorts of pics. But if I had any choice I would choose Mr Inguber. </span></div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-55691131501616250642015-12-17T17:47:00.001+13:002015-12-17T17:47:30.885+13:00STARWARS The Force Awakens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I liked it.</div>
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I am not going to talk about anything specific, but JJ Abrams makes this film work. The Force Awakens is definitely a Star Wars movie. </div>
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The story is the swashbuckling adventure that fans both want and need. It is both poignant and funny in all the right places, with plenty of action. New characters are introduced and they work. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega’s performances are great and they not only fit seamlessly into the canon, but they are appealing. You care about them. The old favourites are back with a vengeance. Harrison Ford steals every scene as Han Solo, and there seemed to be a genuine affection between Solo and Leia (Carrie Fisher) which fans will find endearing.</div>
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Abram used little CGI and lots of physical sets and costumes which gave the movie a verisimilitude the prequels just did not have. He also made a film that could appeal to a younger audience without resorting to making it about kids (apparently Lucas intended to make the same mistakes he made with Episode one by focusing on children. This is Star Wars, not Goonies for space dammit!). Abrams has really focused on bringing this film, and the franchise back to its roots.</div>
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Episode VII; The Force Awakens is a story about family, the legacy of family and the impact and struggle that children can have with defining their own identity while living up to the expectation of the new generation.</div>
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My one criticism is that Abrams may have played it too safe and that at a certain point in the film it became a little predictable.</div>
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The crowd I was with seemed happy, and I think that Abrams’ has set up a successful franchise for the future. It was definitely entertaining and fun. </div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-14034818991902440682015-11-18T21:12:00.003+13:002015-11-18T21:12:49.974+13:00<div class="MsoNormal">
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Many people are talking about Paris. First there was shock
and sadness as we became aware that 129 people were killed, and more wounded. </div>
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But not just Paris, two days before that horrible night
suicide bombers in Beirut killed 43 people and wounded 249 people. <o:p></o:p></div>
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What can I say? What can I say that hasn’t been said by more
eloquent people or by those more directly involved than I? <o:p></o:p></div>
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I wasn’t going to say anything to be honest, but then I
started to notice little things, like articles about how some states in America
are refusing to take in any Syrian refugees because of the attacks. Articles
about how if you exhibit any sympathy for Paris you are probably a narcissist, or
insensitive because you do not acknowledge what happened in Beirut, or if you
do you are still insensitive because, what about Africa? and the list goes on. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are my thoughts, for what they are worth. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A few months ago I was on my honeymoon in Paris with my beautiful
wife. We scrimped and saved and went
without so we could have a dream honeymoon together, and I am pleased to say
that we did have a fantastic trip. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrdXO40FsO-9ydXxSD5GPdeI2jrhsjEDzlIGPWLRq5ubiwP_Mwmk7E-2JYJseEGn4q7HZ4-hjTC3NxwA_BISz7pZO0GEZEPm84y9KmAckqVSxr-Wj3JTxLhqUJdT3h8Qybpfb-tnoeApa/s1600/f1640677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrdXO40FsO-9ydXxSD5GPdeI2jrhsjEDzlIGPWLRq5ubiwP_Mwmk7E-2JYJseEGn4q7HZ4-hjTC3NxwA_BISz7pZO0GEZEPm84y9KmAckqVSxr-Wj3JTxLhqUJdT3h8Qybpfb-tnoeApa/s400/f1640677.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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However after seeing where the attacks were,
I realised that had the timing had been different, that could have been us. One
or both of us could have killed, and that makes me think. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I love Paris, it is
everything it promises. I have never
been to Beirut, but I know it shares a couple of things with Paris. The first
was that once, in happier times, it was once known as the Paris of the
Mediterranean, until it was torn apart by war. The second and most important
thing Beirut shares with Paris are that it is filled with people. 43 of whom did not deserve to have their lives stolen by a couple of idiots. </div>
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One person
who died was Adel Termous, a young father of two, who tackled one of the
suicide bombers and saved dozens of people when the bomber prematurely set off
his bomb. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFegUq9wiyWzxbkcX-voezp9xCO-7gNbg6x7ntZ9THIjdJWnqWrPsv6ANZRu4LElT7FZzpU2ZGBx0JR60a8rxltz9X5o8m2Hy5uwPxUeIW84SmD9lNCdU2DxOWU6gL8ZHZRfx0VOsYDwm-/s1600/tumblr_inline_nxq2159tAl1t4fuje_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFegUq9wiyWzxbkcX-voezp9xCO-7gNbg6x7ntZ9THIjdJWnqWrPsv6ANZRu4LElT7FZzpU2ZGBx0JR60a8rxltz9X5o8m2Hy5uwPxUeIW84SmD9lNCdU2DxOWU6gL8ZHZRfx0VOsYDwm-/s320/tumblr_inline_nxq2159tAl1t4fuje_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mr Termous’ life mattered, everyone else that was killed in
Beirut and Paris, their lives mattered.
If you think what happened in Beirut and Paris was horrific and you want
to donate to various charities to provide assistance you can. <o:p></o:p></div>
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What happened in the last few days is horrible and it can
seem that there isn’t much we can do to help or to show we care. But we can, we
can light a candle in the dark, hug our loved ones, be nice to our friends,
be nicer to strangers, just be courteous is a good start. <o:p></o:p></div>
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That is why if you want to show people that you wish to show
solidarity to the people of Lebanon by posting stuff on FB or twitter then do
it. If you want to post a picture of peace, or prayer or whatever, then do it. Any
symbol or act that shows that you care about the people in our world is a
positive act. <o:p></o:p></div>
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People may say that you are jumping on a band wagon but so
what? Have you ever been on a band wagon? I haven’t but it sounds amazing. One,
it’s a wagon, and who doesn’t love a good wagon. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnkx8-F8Dunka723Q6hCxWbL6sxzXI2y3OARPdN9isMADKH7fh_Zq6KhtphNQ_95l1CqJ04E4t22APTqBKGaX8q6MdSt3AyE2GXBJBi-Xz66-58IRt0z921NTj0jJ-ruQ4ost8TlvFr9m/s1600/728500a6cef46e190f6d2a892d16ccdb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnkx8-F8Dunka723Q6hCxWbL6sxzXI2y3OARPdN9isMADKH7fh_Zq6KhtphNQ_95l1CqJ04E4t22APTqBKGaX8q6MdSt3AyE2GXBJBi-Xz66-58IRt0z921NTj0jJ-ruQ4ost8TlvFr9m/s1600/728500a6cef46e190f6d2a892d16ccdb.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: left;"> Bill Watterson rocks</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Two, it has a band on it! How
awesome does that sound! I mean think of an awesome band, and you are on their
wagon! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOvXWKkxzz1SBPXwLqe5jvxvv1H5t8s-YC6wH0yFPfTLGH66rpdGVfjxQPgy8FqwcL99rKG6UHn05ESaCtrARGdNu9IMgUWFtDTwfErIHrLPskduJugg8GAgO-_Q7dfqQlsqK_B_1d6dL/s1600/1424531587262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOvXWKkxzz1SBPXwLqe5jvxvv1H5t8s-YC6wH0yFPfTLGH66rpdGVfjxQPgy8FqwcL99rKG6UHn05ESaCtrARGdNu9IMgUWFtDTwfErIHrLPskduJugg8GAgO-_Q7dfqQlsqK_B_1d6dL/s320/1424531587262.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So let’s take a moment to care about people, and ignore
those petty comments or articles that might try and sabotage you. <o:p></o:p></div>
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On a more fun note if you are feeling a little blue from all the horror in the world watch an uplifting movie. Here are some suggestions: </div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">The Muppet Movie</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Zombieland</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">The Lion King</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Amelie</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Love Actually </span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">T</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">he Breakfast Club</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">The Princess Bride</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">The Blues Brothers</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Dirty Dancing (my wife's suggestion)</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">The Lego Movie</span></li>
</ul>
Just remember people matter, you matter, and as Bill, that great philosopher said “Be Excellent to each other.”<br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-15969821438078115352015-10-23T16:11:00.000+13:002015-10-23T16:11:09.445+13:00The Martian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAubnF_F6keK_Qbgx3j7Rqs_yaedEr8uhyphenhyphenRv9aorSWH9WnMMN13eGBhcoz_2GRT2zbd7DV7ZB4D0fz35qVpNKRRdl93acqlIFeEKSHy7lPNVSxs_URW2mkYiE9IjB2xK8ndtuITv944q9/s1600/the-martian-wadi-rum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAubnF_F6keK_Qbgx3j7Rqs_yaedEr8uhyphenhyphenRv9aorSWH9WnMMN13eGBhcoz_2GRT2zbd7DV7ZB4D0fz35qVpNKRRdl93acqlIFeEKSHy7lPNVSxs_URW2mkYiE9IjB2xK8ndtuITv944q9/s640/the-martian-wadi-rum.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Has Ridley Scott finally made a decent Sci film? Let us see.<br />
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Synopsis:<br />
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During the manned Aries three mission to Mars, a freak storm causes the mission commander (Jessica Chastain) to abort the mission early and leave Mars. But while the team is evacuating Mars one of the team, Botanist Mark Whately (Matt Damon), is supposedly killed. The rest of team reluctantly leave and head for Earth.<br />
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Except Mark survived the storm. After taking stock of his situation, Mark determines that he might be able to survive until the next manned mission to Mars if he can contact NASA.<br />
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Ensue Martian hijinx.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsHsUW4VgFr6dh79ZvW9hC5bbTuFEmTqAavroaoTVYzf5umgZbDS6du2njFuFKqLBBl5ikOuhkji-gNVdZaCdGG0zbu3-8eAghOHf1nk-dsYMzVjE2Vl0nIQa5YEJhxnpaNivnb1fyNeU/s1600/marvin-the-martian1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsHsUW4VgFr6dh79ZvW9hC5bbTuFEmTqAavroaoTVYzf5umgZbDS6du2njFuFKqLBBl5ikOuhkji-gNVdZaCdGG0zbu3-8eAghOHf1nk-dsYMzVjE2Vl0nIQa5YEJhxnpaNivnb1fyNeU/s320/marvin-the-martian1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I find Matt Damon is one of those actors whose characterisations are for the most part all pretty similar regardless of his role. I don't necessarily have an issue with this, it is just if you like Matt Damon then you will enjoy this film. The film does have a very strong ensemble cast with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain and firm favorite Sean Bean. Here's a spoiler Sean DOESN'T DIE! The supporting cast gives reasonable performances, however, the film's focus is firmly on Damon and his trials on Mars and you might find that rest of cast a little subdued. </div>
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The Martian is a science fiction castaway story which focuses on a balance of science and politics. While Mark Whately "Sciences the shit" out of his problems, NASA has to weigh and balance public opinion with its fragile budget. But I think what make<i> The</i> <i>Martian </i>work is that the film is all about problem-solving. How do I do this, or how can we make this happen. It is interesting and highly engaging, and Damon does give a good blend of drama and humour to keep it interesting. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPWrggnKIUfWb8z0A5A5VUnJ_9G3sutgAzavwX56aTscOa69iZrbmUoAw6qr6NWQynbPEhvMIRqGNkCXmym57d9istSvKpApIL0aSKp5tbANOapLgNO7LdzTu7jH8E7OLCNZSSgbR9gSq/s1600/Matt+Damon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPWrggnKIUfWb8z0A5A5VUnJ_9G3sutgAzavwX56aTscOa69iZrbmUoAw6qr6NWQynbPEhvMIRqGNkCXmym57d9istSvKpApIL0aSKp5tbANOapLgNO7LdzTu7jH8E7OLCNZSSgbR9gSq/s400/Matt+Damon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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While the plot doesn't contain a lot of surprises the story still manages to carry tension and avoids melodrama. Mark does not have a wife and children waiting for him at home, so we thankfully avoid any cliches. As for the science, well if Neil deGrasse Tyson is on board, then that is good enough for me. It has drama, and elements of humour and it keeps you fully entertained until the end credits.</div>
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As it is directed by Ripley Scott it is beautiful well-crafted film and as such worth seeing on the big screen. Scott effectively turns the deserts of Jordan into the alien face of Mars. </div>
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I really enjoyed this film, and I think that it is worthy of the hype. </div>
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-61930674163660188422015-09-29T22:35:00.001+13:002015-09-29T22:35:49.342+13:00Chappie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It has been two months since I have written a post and I apologise
to you, both my readers, for my tardiness. However, I have not been to the
movies for a while as I am about to become a father.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Huzzah us!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Unfortunately as I am not independently
wealthy I have had to cut back on a lot of luxuries in order to prepare for a
wee mouth to feed; wine that costs more than $11, leaving the house other than to go
to my public service job, and sadly, regular visits to the movies. But speaking of bringing new life in the world I just watched<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Chappie. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Synopsis:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In a dystopian future the Johannesburg police
department has deployed robots to help them manage skyrocketing crime (although this sounds more like a Utopia for J-berg really).
The deployment of the "Scouts" is incredibly successfully, and Devon (Dev Patel), who created the
Scouts, is now looking at the next step in robotics and computing, Artificial
Intelligence (A.I.). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y7clCBfiK87T07tzzzhM_Am9fBQOsWsB9-vS2CDh8L8z_ZFc1JOqzIAuJvMWgpRa5wa9XvnzZQxj3F9SInOVnqShwaljGVjPfp2GU6NnoOMKl4pYy13-hfnqSzy3EfrdCPOTNblEg1F8/s1600/CHAPPIE-Official-Trailer-2-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y7clCBfiK87T07tzzzhM_Am9fBQOsWsB9-vS2CDh8L8z_ZFc1JOqzIAuJvMWgpRa5wa9XvnzZQxj3F9SInOVnqShwaljGVjPfp2GU6NnoOMKl4pYy13-hfnqSzy3EfrdCPOTNblEg1F8/s400/CHAPPIE-Official-Trailer-2-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Devon, frustrated by his employers refusal to recognise his dream, steals a broken Scout and drives off to test if his A.I. programme would work.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> However a gang of thieves kidnap Devon as he is leaving with the stolen Scout, in the hope that they can use him to disable the robotic police force. Devon
explains that he can’t ‘turn off the Scouts remotely’ but if he lets them
activate the broken Scout with his test programme it could help them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ensue Robotic hijinks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Chappie </span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is written and directed by Neill Blomkamp who previously
brought us the magnificent <i>District 9, </i>and
the exceedingly disappointing <i>Elysium. </i> Thus it was with mixed feelings that I sat down
to watch Blomkamp’s next film. I have to
say I was surprised how film drew me in. Blomkamp’s depiction of Chappie from
the moment he was turned on, all the way through his development was, for a
lack of a better word, enchanting. You cannot help but love Chappie. I felt the
same way about Chappie as I did about Wall-E, it was hard to justify the affection
I had for this childlike robot but there it was. Blomkamp’s depiction of
Chappie learning and experiencing life as a new sentient being was truly inspiring. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This was helped by</span><span style="font-size: 18px;">Yo-Landi, a </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">gang member who even though she
is a violent thief, Yo-Landi recognises that Chappie is a vulnerable child, and
her maternal instincts kick in. Yo-Landi
starts to love Chappie so do we as the audience. </span><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">However while I watched and enjoyed this I couldn’t help but find
this film starting to seem very familiar. Then the parallels with the 1986 film
<i>Short Circuit</i> became more and more
apparent. If you haven’t seen it, <i>Short Circuit</i> is a 1986 comedy about an
experimental military robot that gets hit by lightning and comes alive. Sure
the premise is similar, and I can forgive that, but about a third of the way
through <i>Chappie</i>, I felt as if I was now watching <i>Short circuit. </i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And the similarities to other films do not stop there. There is
also the obvious parallel to the 1987 Sci-fi classic <i>RoboCop, </i>which<i> </i>is about a cop, </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">who after being mortally injured has most of his body is replaced by robotic parts. But overcomes his robotic programming and regains his humanity. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sure, this is a little familiar, but not that similar. However the bad guy in </span><i style="font-size: 13.5pt;">RoboCop </i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(well one of them) was a big
merciless robot known as the Ed-209. The bad guy in </span><i style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Chappie </i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is Devon’s rival at Tetravaal, Vincent Moore (Hugh
Jackman). Vincent is an ex-soldier turned engineer who has developed a huge
robotic drone, the Moose, to be deployed by the police. The Johannesburg’s
Police, though, are happy with the Scouts and feel that Moore’s Moose is to over powered
(it can shoot down planes.) The thing is the Moose bears a striking resemblance
to the Ed-209.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BqtIP3eP5s_0_1r9pN_MVfX_cl2u2AvYWkADkIJH0tw1RjcqP4cTEm5uLB42cKQizteZPXvFamor3M8JrB3cOtHwndnWzO_Nat08HjsIWmFjZUSFEa26D8B456T2ZY4D-amJrFSFH8V7/s1600/Robocop-2014-ED-209-Painted-Prototype-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BqtIP3eP5s_0_1r9pN_MVfX_cl2u2AvYWkADkIJH0tw1RjcqP4cTEm5uLB42cKQizteZPXvFamor3M8JrB3cOtHwndnWzO_Nat08HjsIWmFjZUSFEa26D8B456T2ZY4D-amJrFSFH8V7/s200/Robocop-2014-ED-209-Painted-Prototype-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>ED-209</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwk4ErI-uAbA5_fkgy5oVR5zF8TfV17tfbEKaG1mGNu-sbnggDxwGz-PHFvU8uhtem1EkQ-OnAJ6dHPbBHRL2NTnB4vs1A2YXJ2pG6UN9EbzkmMRuCNA31TzF8EIGgl_QqwfgvNSyqzyF/s1600/chappie4-e1428028470983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwk4ErI-uAbA5_fkgy5oVR5zF8TfV17tfbEKaG1mGNu-sbnggDxwGz-PHFvU8uhtem1EkQ-OnAJ6dHPbBHRL2NTnB4vs1A2YXJ2pG6UN9EbzkmMRuCNA31TzF8EIGgl_QqwfgvNSyqzyF/s320/chappie4-e1428028470983.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Moose</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now all of these are slightly minor criticisms. Of course a movie
about a robot policeman becoming sentient is going to be compared to any movie
about robots. Is the Moose modelled after the Ed-209? Probably, and while <i>Chappie’s</i> similarities
to both these films is more than obvious and a little jarring it is not it’s biggest
problem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Blomkamp is a great action director and his sympathetic portrayal
of Chappie is simply marvellous. However his focus on Chappie’s story come at
the expense of most of the other characters. Dev Patel is a simple two
dimensional caricature of Chappie's creator. Patel is a great actor and his
talent is simply squandered. The same goes for Sigourney Weaver. Michelle is a
bit part, and apart from attaching Weaver’s name to the movie there seems
little point from her being in it. Which is a crime really, as Weaver is a good
actress who gets no scope or opportunity to show it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hugh Jackman is the same. His character, Moore, seems lacking, and his
motivations confused and simple. He resents Devon because of the Scout's success
at the expense of the Moose, sure, but given the current climate and scientific
debate about the future deployment of Robots in combat situations over human
controlled drones I feel that Blomkamp missed a major thematic opportunity here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That
aside Moore’s Moose is a ridiculously overpowered weapon with little practical application
in urban police work, but it seems perfect for the military. It seems weird and
stupid that a company that specialises in manufacturing weapons doesn’t think
to approach the military with the Moose? "Hey boss I have created his heavily weaponised drone that can level a medium sized town. Let's make it a policeman!" </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Chappie also suffers from villain overload, with Moore and
Hippo vying for the top spot, with Hippo becoming quickly irrelivant to the plot. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The end, which I will not discuss here, makes no sense at all.
Thematically or logically. Yes the premise of the film asks us to suspend our disbelief
with Robots and A.I., which we do because the narrative gives us a world in which
we can believe this is the reality. However the end goes completely off the reservation
buth plot wise and thematically. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Blomkamp made what could have been a great film
about A.I. and sentience and also compassion and then ruins it by bringing up
the theme of what is consciousness? It is almost like he didn’t know quite know
how to end the movie at all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">While it starts strong and
Blomkamp depiction of Chappie is probably the best example of the genre ever,
the movie suffers from plot holes, wasted actors and a ludicrous finale. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Four Monkeys. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-28706015061533711132015-07-08T22:04:00.001+12:002015-07-08T22:04:21.605+12:00Fury, or how I felt when I watched this film<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Brad Pitt stars in and produces this David Ayer movie about a tank crew in World War II. I was not going to write a review about this movie as I watched it ages ago on a flight to London. However now it has appeared in the DVD stores (my first instinct was to write video store) I feel I should.<br />
<br />
Warning this review contains spoilers.<br />
<br />
Synopsis:<br />
<br />
It is 1945, and Sergeant Don 'Wardaddy' Collier (Brad Pitt) and his crew operate a Sherman tank in the final push to Berlin. Even though the Nazi's are losing the war, the allied tanks are still suffering terrible losses against the superior enemy tanks. After a recent battle Don lost a member of his crew who has been replaced by Norman (Logan Lerman), a young green soldier who was trained in administration. Don has to bring Norman up to speed to ensure the success of the mission and safety of his crew.<br />
<br />
<i>Fury </i>feels like a cross between <i>Saving Private Ryan </i> and <i>Inglorious Bastards. </i>But it can't quite reach the heroism of Ryan, or be as entertaining as Tarantino's Bastards. Instead, you have a group of characters who you have little sympathy for, with suspect and highly ludicrous motives.<br />
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Norman's first experience in combat is to (unsurprisingly) freak out. When he is ordered to shoot a lot of bodies, he panics and freezes. Determined to make a man out of Norman, Don forces Norman to murder an unarmed German prisoner of war. I imagine the scene was to add some 'grit' to film, or to show how even good men do bad things for the greater good, or maybe a visualisation of the "horrors of war". But it was just a pointless murder.<br />
<br />
Next the crew enter a town which is controlled by child soldiers and their merciless SS masters. The inclusion of child murdering SS officer is a feeble distraction to the vile thugs inside the tank. Ayer hopes that by presenting the audience with a more horrible person that Wardaddy and his murderous and rapey crew will seem more heroic. They don't.<br />
<br />
There is also a weird scene in a village where after the allies 'liberate' it from the SS, the US soldiers go on a bit of a rampage. Don decides to take Norman through another initiation of manhood. He takes the young soldier into the home of a pair of young women. There he sets up house and has a shave. Then after some fear and awkwardness Don says to Norman, referring to a young German girl, <span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0240001678467px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"If you don't take her into that bedroom, I will". I suppose this is meant to be a scene where Don is seen to be civilised man and a father figure to Norman. And for killing a bunch of Germans as they entered the village, Norman now gets to have a girl as a reward. However no matter how the film portrays this scene, Brad Pitt's character is threatening to take the girl if Norman doesn't! While the girl pulls Norman into the bedroom, does she really have a choice? To compound this the rest of the crew turn up angry that they were not invited to this party. One of the crew tells a weird rambling story about killing horses while the there is a palatable tension reminiscent of the rape scene in <i> Deliverence. </i>It is a horrible scene and highlightsthe characters vileness. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0240001678467px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0240001678467px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oddly the highlight of this field trip of nastiness is Shia Labeouf! Yes he is the solid moral compass of the group, and also gives a stand out performance. The best thing about <i>Fury</i> is his character. I think that says a great deal. The other highlight is a tank battle between four US Sherman tanks, and one German Tiger tank. The scene was exciting and well shot. I am not sure that it was very accurate, but it was great action. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0240001678467px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0240001678467px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0240001678467px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The final scene is a battle between Don and his now broken tank and a large company of elite Nazi soldiers. It is ludicrous and tiresome. I remember reading Commando comics as a young boy which were based on more feasible outcomes. The elite Nazi forces, shown to be armed with specific anti tank weapons decide to battle the immobile tank by apparently packing away their anti tank weapons and then running in a column towards the main guns over and over again. It is only after most of the Nazi's are killed that the decide to take out the antitank weapons and use them ineffectively at a large stationary object. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0240001678467px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0240001678467px;">I found the movie to be stupid, cliched, ludicrous, but most of all horrible. It was just a tiresome piece of theatre which failed on almost every level. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0240001678467px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0240001678467px;">Two Monkeys from me</span>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-42712558092213177252015-06-22T21:50:00.000+12:002015-06-22T21:50:10.136+12:00Jurassic World<br />
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<br />
<br />
Great Freya's braids another sequel? According to the <a href="http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/movie-sequels/35837/139-movie-sequels-currently-in-the-works" target="_blank">Den of Geek</a> there are currently 139 movie sequels in the works.<br />
<br />
Yes the studio in it's infinite wisdom is carrying on the Jurassic Park Franchise with <i>Jurassic world</i>. Although now that I have seen the film I have to admit that <i>Jurassic World </i>is different from most movies which are number four in a franchise.<br />
<br />
Jurassic world is great!<br />
<br />
Let me give you a synopsis.<br />
<br />
It is has been twenty years since the first film. Ingen (the company behind Jurassic Park) has taken control of the islands and has been successfully running Jurassic World, a living breathing dinosaur theme park for the whole family. But while the company has finally realised John Hammond's original dream, the world is now used to the spectacle of "real" dinosaurs. The park is losing money slowly, and in an attempt to bring in more visitors to the park, Ingen has decided to make their own dinosaurs. Bigger, and scarier than any nature could make.<br />
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What could possibly go wrong?<br />
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Enuse screaming and bloody hi-jinx!</div>
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<i>Jurassic World </i>is marvellously fun. And while the movie has come under a lot of <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3120652/Jurassic-Park-simply-dumb-monster-movie-Paleontologists-slam-Hollywood-blockbuster-glaring-errors.html" target="_blank">criticism </a> about the way dinosaurs are depicted, the movie is unapologetic. It is explained that the dinosaurs in the park are genetically designed to appeal to the public, and have been made to a look a certain way to boost the company's profits. Given that this is made quite clear in the movie I don't really undertsand the criticisms about the movie. The whole premise of the story is that the company is playing god with genetics for profit, not science. </div>
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Like any classic sci-fi movie, the ironic warning about man meddling with science to his detriment (read monsters eating people) has been the over all theme of the Jurassic Park franchise. Certainly with the first movie. However, despite the re-appearance of the wonderful Sam Neil (yes I have a cultural bias here), the franchise severly lost it's way with the third installement (dumb Spinosaur) . </div>
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But like <i>Batman Begins</i>, <i>Jurassic World </i> succesfully breathes life into a dying idea. But unlike Batman it doesn't start from scratch, it recaptures all the brilliance of the first film. <i>Jurassic World </i>is a homage to <i>Jurrasic Park. </i> And unashamadly so. In fact if you want to go see <i>Jurassic World, </i> I seriously suggest you watch <i> Jurrassic Park </i> before you do, so you can see and appreciate all the little nods to the first film. </div>
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To sum up, the movie is a giant blockbuster spectacle with Dinosaurs and Chris Pratt. It is funny, scary and full of redemption. If you loved <i>Jurrasic Park </i> go see <i>Jurassic World </i> on the big screen. And take the kids because who doesn't like dinosuars devouring people!</div>
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Seven and a half Monkeys from me.</div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-25925590558669122932015-05-28T21:43:00.000+12:002015-05-28T21:43:05.739+12:00FURY ROAD<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8666667938232px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
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In 1979 the first Mad Max film rocketed onto our screens. An Australian grindhouse cult classic set in a dystopian future where lawlessness prevailed over the attempts of the road warriors to keep the peace. Next was Mad Max 2 in 1981 where the world has moved on from social collapse to a full on post nuclear apocalypse wasteland, and then Beyond the ThunderDome in '85 continued Max’s story. Twenty years later and with Tom Hardy as Max we get the next instalment of Max’s adventures.<u></u><u></u><br />
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Some spoilers follow....</div>
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Synopsis<u></u><u></u></div>
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Max is captured by a desert culture run by a warlord known as Imortan Joe. Joe has access to a reservoir of water which he uses to control the local people. The majority of the population are dying of radiation exposure due to the historical nuclear war, and Joe hopes to breed a healthy legacy with a large harem of girls he has imprisoned. One of his warlords Imperator Fury (Thoron) recuses some of Joe's “brides” and escapes into the wasteland. Joe, desperate to have his property back sends out his army of ‘war-boys’ packed into a high octane vehicles. Nux (Holt) is a sickly war Boy and is using Max’s using Max as a living blood bag, to keep himself alive. Not wanting to be left out of the bloody flaming glory that awaits, Nux straps Max to the front of his car and joins the war boys in trying to stop Furiosa, and bring Joe back his brides. After losing the main war band in a massive desert storm. Max escapes Nux and joins up with Furiousa.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Ensue a visual assault full of hijinks<u></u><u></u></div>
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At first glance the plot of Fury road appears to be very similar to Mad Max 2. While both films centred around a war band of post-apocalyptic raiders chasing Max as he tries to escape in a truck through the desert, the films are really quite different. While Mad Max 2 (or the road warrior in some countries) was a straight forward narrative, Fury Road has a subtext. Furiosa’ s liberation of Joe’s brides and eventual redemption reflects how women can escape abuse and take control of their own lives. Over the course of the film the brides have escaped their fate as chattels for the purpose of breeding to become free. I can see how this film is empowering to women, especially any that have been the target of abuse, bullies or other scumbags.<u></u></div>
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However while <i>Fury Road</i> has that subtext it is also a wild and wonder assault on the senses. Writer and Director George Miller has created a highly stylised film full of non stop action. In a way it is every film Michael Bay has wanted to make, but can't because he has too many hang ups and tries too hard. <i>Mad Max Fury Road </i>is utterly relentless in it's pace and story. I think the best analogy is if Jack Black made a live action version of <span style="font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 16.8666667938232px;">wacky racers set in the world of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8666667938232px;">his game </span><i style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8666667938232px;">Brutal Legend</i><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8666667938232px;">!</span><br />
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I must admit I was horrified when I first heard about this film. But that was when I thought this was a terrible remake. It isn't. It is the same writer and director that brought you Max, and he is continuing Max's adventures in the best possible way. Tom Hardy is a great Max, and he has signed up for more movies. <i>Fury Road </i> will stun you, and possible make you wonder if you had a good time, or you just got carjacked.<br />
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I say both!<br />
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8 Monkeys</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-69698490571406298992015-05-20T18:05:00.001+12:002015-05-20T18:05:21.775+12:00Mean Teddies rocks!<br />
In an age where the remake is standard fair many of my friends ask me the same question "have people run out of ideas?"<br />
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My answer is no, but with the ever constant fear of failure, studios often go with what they see as a safe bet. Much in the same way as our free to air TV is flooded with Reality TV. This is reflected in the many sequels and remakes that are in production currently. The remake of Gremlins for example.<br />
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But all is not lost, while cruising the Internet I found this cool short animated film created by Tyler Novo, on Jake Vipers cool site <a href="http://epicstream.com/videos/While-Children-Sleep-Stuffed-Animals-Battle-Horrors-Under-Their-Beds-Short-Film" target="_blank">Epicstream</a><br />
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There are artists out there creating, and while they create we will always have cool things to watch and enjoy.<br />
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I love it and hope you do too.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-72492252829839846492015-05-16T14:33:00.001+12:002015-05-16T14:33:36.472+12:00Avengers 2<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
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Controversial, classic, and a reasonable sequel.<u></u><u></u></div>
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The Marvel series of films has, for the most part, been highly successful. The Avengers series has taken a group of comic book superheroes and created not only one successful franchise, but successful franchises for the individual members of the Avengers team (excluding Black Widow and Hawkeye who the studio have not felt fit to give them their own movies). This is the second of the Avengers films.<u></u><u></u><br />
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Please note there are some small spoilers.<u></u><u></u><br />
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Synopsis<u></u><u></u></div>
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Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Thor are officially the Avengers team, battling bad guys around the world. During a mission fighting HYDRA in the fictional eastern bloc country of <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Sokovia</span>, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) AKA Iron Man has a spell placed on him by the Scarlett Witch, who with her brother Quicksilver, are fighting the Avengers.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Tony has a vision that the Avengers will be killed and he is responsible. With that vision firmly in his mind he wants to develop a self-aware super android who can replace the Avengers, and thus ensure Earth's safety. Sadly, like Dr Victor Frankenstein before him, his dream goes awry and Ultron turns out not to be Earth's saviour, but the vehicle of its destruction. Only the Avengers can defeat Ultron, but Ultron creates rifts in the team which might not be able to be healed.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Dun dun DUN!<u></u><u></u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFIbGIG9492mVtlvUhklr1sjcmq_BfypXaBPQb2oGrRtUWKkcoGvbhkr7HXIvcZEV7KXhsrSjLtNag5STLcCP1sMwHVCBbu6ZQ-y9tpT5a9qTWB_Mrvh-kf7Z5G6v1AbSZU6o0iU7NZu4/s1600/avengers-age-of-ultron-marvel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFIbGIG9492mVtlvUhklr1sjcmq_BfypXaBPQb2oGrRtUWKkcoGvbhkr7HXIvcZEV7KXhsrSjLtNag5STLcCP1sMwHVCBbu6ZQ-y9tpT5a9qTWB_Mrvh-kf7Z5G6v1AbSZU6o0iU7NZu4/s320/avengers-age-of-ultron-marvel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am not sure as to how true this story is to the comic books, but from my understanding the current line-up of Avengers is not the classic line up. With the introduction of new characters such as Vision and the Scarlett Witch, Avengers 2 is a return to the fundamental ‘historical’ avengers of the Comics. The whole film as more of a comic feel to it as well with the cinematography of the major fight sequences.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Wheldon has tried to right the imbalance with Hawkeye and Blackwidow by giving them a sizable part of the story over Thor and Captain America. I liked this and it fleshed out the two characters for me. Also it was clear that Whedon intended to kill Hawkeye as soon as you were introduced to his wife and family. Whedon was setting Hawkeye up like Goose from TopGun, who got cooked later on. How that plays was clever, but may leave hearts broken.<u></u><u></u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bhfcoPSQKIyiCMQtiwh0fWYVB6m1QCpIfkuH9gxDbP-aMVK9d47VerWJTEt_rId2EW24d2FDXyEOO4G48TSRJyH2jmaTAsmWjNukj-aVGd6znhnP-_92aEWGALRTfEAFqwyTTGoYdWpL/s1600/avengers-feb4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bhfcoPSQKIyiCMQtiwh0fWYVB6m1QCpIfkuH9gxDbP-aMVK9d47VerWJTEt_rId2EW24d2FDXyEOO4G48TSRJyH2jmaTAsmWjNukj-aVGd6znhnP-_92aEWGALRTfEAFqwyTTGoYdWpL/s320/avengers-feb4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The script retains some of the humour from the first film to counter the drama. The moment between Captain America and Thor was very well done. James Spader as the voice of Ultron was cool, he was the perfect choice as the villain and despite being just a voice brought a nice presence to his scenes.<u></u><u></u></div>
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All in all the film was a good sequel, and set the ground work to continue the franchise(s) onward. However I am unsure what Avengers 3 will be about or look like. If there is a new set of Avengers I will not be as keen to see it. I am simply not invested in those characters.<u></u><u></u></div>
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7 monkeys.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-64509599019269783002015-05-15T17:47:00.002+12:002015-05-15T18:11:37.422+12:00I'm ba-ackWell yes slacky McSlackerson is back. A hiatus due to taking my beautiful wife to Europe on our Honeymoon and then suffering with post Honeymoon doldrums (this is a real thing by the way not like Smurfs, Fibromialgia or the trickle down effect.) and general laziness has lead to a lack of posts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUv1xgi9AFsq5Me229IPFAe-uiPqZ5rnv1KX3In1Hyryge-pIGw3Ke1FwOfEs3AhZF0ZipVWlaS7zuiXI4btO8C1kFCUwps7Nnyk7eE19aSNPCuTKreqjgJa4AJU9Fg1OoEE_Xfzp45d5/s1600/f0300261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUv1xgi9AFsq5Me229IPFAe-uiPqZ5rnv1KX3In1Hyryge-pIGw3Ke1FwOfEs3AhZF0ZipVWlaS7zuiXI4btO8C1kFCUwps7Nnyk7eE19aSNPCuTKreqjgJa4AJU9Fg1OoEE_Xfzp45d5/s320/f0300261.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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But I am back and will soon post my opinion about the new Avengers movie. But to tide you over until then here is a picture of a comic that I think I can get my teeth into!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8K74kBI3NW0RqYa41AOWaLHPhFJdXvzYsyW7xydjNX1eopwPC8yQzRu46ncagYhGmt2S893h-YloY_zsJPC5AonGTt2MPtXsQ6NRtRW0v_CJKV3d-r8VsKhyg6ZioIRtB0zDi37D_Ubx/s1600/archie-exclusive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8K74kBI3NW0RqYa41AOWaLHPhFJdXvzYsyW7xydjNX1eopwPC8yQzRu46ncagYhGmt2S893h-YloY_zsJPC5AonGTt2MPtXsQ6NRtRW0v_CJKV3d-r8VsKhyg6ZioIRtB0zDi37D_Ubx/s640/archie-exclusive.jpg" width="416" /></a></div>
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Yes according to this <a href="http://www.12news.com/story/opinion/the-pull-list/2015/05/14/phoenix-comicon-dark-horse-archie-vs-predator/27224453/" target="_blank">post</a> Dark Horse comics have created this wonder of the modern age. I for one will be looking out for it. </div>
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And for the record I always preferred Betty. </div>
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-50849042578155502902015-03-05T20:59:00.001+13:002015-03-05T21:41:06.718+13:00Bayghazi or Fifty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Movies are a wonderful medium to convey ideas. Through spectacular visuals, evocative music and sound, a well written and intelligent movie can do more than entertain us. We can be moved, and inspired. We can love, hate, laugh and cry. Sometimes all from the same film. A great film can be more than fun, it can enrich us.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwpDJEeKo4zWQcRhrIUs2kR7nkiPvHBW-4pAvYHbOiIQc5lFuNqBfP2V7uKPvj2ne2kmZKaGbAYzpvmVkp7P262hkuBS_qzPTa63Ud3Uui4l2p6pS4A8rI-lkky99mdvndvz6Ty3YYwPEv/s1600/Philomena-gfds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwpDJEeKo4zWQcRhrIUs2kR7nkiPvHBW-4pAvYHbOiIQc5lFuNqBfP2V7uKPvj2ne2kmZKaGbAYzpvmVkp7P262hkuBS_qzPTa63Ud3Uui4l2p6pS4A8rI-lkky99mdvndvz6Ty3YYwPEv/s1600/Philomena-gfds.jpg" height="286" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Important films tackle important events or issues, social, political, cultural or historical. They can shine lights on dark places, or educate us through empathy and informed dialogue. This is what films can do. However we all know that some films are simply tell an entertaining story, and that is very important too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today I am not going to be disccussing either of these sorts of movie. </span><br />
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<i>American Sniper</i> was a popular film. No let me rephrase that.<i> American Sniper</i> was a successful movie. I have not seen it, but by all accounts it was well crafted and had great performances from Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller. However while many liked the film and saw it as a man who had blind faith in a cause at the expense of his family, it has also been equally criticised for being a fairy tale account of the Iraqi war and the man the film depicts. Some of my friends who have seen said the film said that it made them angry about it being a propaganda piece and a justification for the Iraqi invasion. </div>
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Personally I can’t really comment as I have not seen it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w8u81Ojji_vXZa-IXpwPACxlT4jIZwQPUT3aP-aQ_zgQvBMvRunjx44nDKyVFscCryTQ3fPp1FcI3_QR-r2CfMkkRCHFTTWdYIb8AFSsg3ZzyPd4x1CRBkUmDbYoQt2e39V-CP3jWsp_/s1600/29906170001_3953057174001_video-still-for-video-3953034660001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w8u81Ojji_vXZa-IXpwPACxlT4jIZwQPUT3aP-aQ_zgQvBMvRunjx44nDKyVFscCryTQ3fPp1FcI3_QR-r2CfMkkRCHFTTWdYIb8AFSsg3ZzyPd4x1CRBkUmDbYoQt2e39V-CP3jWsp_/s1600/29906170001_3953057174001_video-still-for-video-3953034660001.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">On 11 September 2012, a large group of militants attacked the US compound in Benghazi, Libya, and a second US compound nearby. Four men were killed including </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">The events of those events still resonate through American politics today.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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When studios or big producers see a formula then they quickly capitalise on it.The financial success of <i>American Sniper</i> is instrumental in events like Benghazi being made into a movie. If <i>American Sniper</i> was, at best, a high dramatized version of real events, then what can we expect to see with the upcoming two (yes two) films about Benghazi. Obviously people have decided to make movies about the tragic events of that day, and who will be creating a film about this unfortunate event? Well the <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/american-sniper-effect-rival-benghazi-774349" target="_blank">Hollywood Reporter </a>writes that there are two people who have purchased the rights so far, and they are.....</div>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Michael Bay</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dana Brunetti</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You are probably still reeling from the prospect of Bumble Bee and Optimis Prime battling with Libyan Militants to wonder who<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0116232/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank"> <span style="color: blue;">Dana Brunett</span></a><span style="color: blue;">i</span> is? If you just clicked on the link you have just learnt that Mr Brunetti is one of the people that brought you <i> Captain Phillips </i> and <i>Fifty Shades of Grey. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wicked!</span><br />
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Michael Bay has experience with depictions of historical events. He previous created his <span style="font-family: inherit;">highly successful '</span>version' of the attack on Pearl harbour, and I see no reason why he won't treat the events at Benghazi in September 2012, with the same respect. Although now that he is more successful and influential, I can definitely envision that the Libyan Militants are actually members of the foot clan who are ruled over by Shredder aka Megatron. <br />
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Of course if you feel that you want a depiction of Bayghazi (working title) with less Giant Robots ( I know the concept of less giant robots seems insane, but consider Transformers 3), then perhaps we can consider the alternative?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMfRjaxj5MXuhf7dsABcAeYzlkgwrBXMVpctx042dOrYzcyagalB4nbNPk-Gs9zdH8HIxYV4Q80KUbQzYL9aZ0L-5SJjE9RRs5Td4__ii17wlgiygJd9aFTLGT_R0AvGhqC_kQ3YyN4O-/s1600/Optimus-Prime-Riding-Grimlock-Transformers-Extinction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMfRjaxj5MXuhf7dsABcAeYzlkgwrBXMVpctx042dOrYzcyagalB4nbNPk-Gs9zdH8HIxYV4Q80KUbQzYL9aZ0L-5SJjE9RRs5Td4__ii17wlgiygJd9aFTLGT_R0AvGhqC_kQ3YyN4O-/s1600/Optimus-Prime-Riding-Grimlock-Transformers-Extinction.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is Optimus Prime with a sword riding a dragon! How can this not be cool? Oh wait they Bay'd it. </td></tr>
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The more human story of a young female intern, <strike>Bella Swan</strike>, no <strike>Anna Steele</strike>, no Um Betty Iron, being taken hostage by a cool charismatic <strike>vampire</strike>, no um <strike>Businessman</strike> Um no I mean Militant leader. After he takes her hostage he shows her his dangerous world of sadomasochistic ideologies. But <strike>Bella</strike> DAMMIT, I mean Betty cracks through that cold exterior and releases love and exposes his humanity to the world. And then I guess he kills the ambassador? I understand that the <strike>fan fiction</strike> I mean screen play is under way now. </div>
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Fifty Twilights of Benghazi makes more sense to me as a story. I mean you have a stalkerish misogynistic male character monitoring and trying to control the female characters every movement and there will be cables ties!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0afb-5WD8dSEaPIB6FmDrrgjLotjqe9eBJLHyMQPmyq8TV63pqCa5FBj1K76TZgyA3pXs0bXGpYQ8xE4lE4F7qONvjYASYKjFSf9J9WwHcIHmEvg63-OZQfZN-eFIGGKXYn9dJrW0E0N/s1600/Fifty_Shades_of_Grey_releases_new_poster_of_Anastasia_Steele_biting_her_lip.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0afb-5WD8dSEaPIB6FmDrrgjLotjqe9eBJLHyMQPmyq8TV63pqCa5FBj1K76TZgyA3pXs0bXGpYQ8xE4lE4F7qONvjYASYKjFSf9J9WwHcIHmEvg63-OZQfZN-eFIGGKXYn9dJrW0E0N/s1600/Fifty_Shades_of_Grey_releases_new_poster_of_Anastasia_Steele_biting_her_lip.jpg" /></a><br />
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So the first story is going to be brought to you by a man whose concept of inventive narrative is a petrol bomb, and has the overt agenda of destroying the childhood of an entire generation. The second man brought you the creative retelling of a Captain Blighesque character into a sympathetic and empathetic <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://nypost.com/2013/10/13/crew-members-deny-captain-phillips-heroism/">hero</a>,</span> and in a innovative sweep provided audiences with a movie that was simultaneously creepy and disturbing while at the same time ludicrously cheesy and boring. To be fair that take some talent. <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So yay boom crash yawn. I suspect that one or both of these films will be released just in time for the 2016 US presidential election. Given Hilary Clinton's position as Secretary of State at the time of the attack in Bangahzi, these films will be an interesting foil to her campaign. Although it could backfire and make her look like a genius. Who knows? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am probably making a big call but I suspect that despite the events behind these films neither of them will convey any important evocative messages, or even be entertaining. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But do not dispair, do not frown. Help is on the way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">and here it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAUoeqvedMo" target="_blank">is</a>! and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWNWi-ZWL3c" target="_blank">this</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok I am off to Europe this weekend with my wonderful and darling wife. We intend to eat drink and be awesome. Thus I will be away for a while so please watch films, watch great films. And if you can't watch great films, watch dumb movies that are so bad they are awesome with your friends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And to all those who read this, I hope that every day you watch something, or read something that makes you be or feel awesome. </span></div>
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Leonard Nimoy has passed away at 83. Nimoy was a writer, director, poet, photographer, singer (of sorts) and last, but not least, actor.<br />
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He appeared to me to be a gentile man, who was enthusiastic about his work and his fans. Of course he is best know for his iconic role as Spock in Star Trek, and also for writing one of the readings at my wedding. He may not have had intended that poem for my wedding, but I am sure he would not have minded.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4AAXzCh_Js6euVd2Nv5M4MVdizyjEaRNO_TaxbwwJ3NFRW1D5uUNPQgDFwS-1qwmUsXjIHIfezXZ5fS8Zsgvl1di6FjTjaC5l-ZGATZN1zYXTFiBfaJvMc9zVsH4WhQKg1H5fB8rtzwb/s1600/nimoy-1964-buick+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4AAXzCh_Js6euVd2Nv5M4MVdizyjEaRNO_TaxbwwJ3NFRW1D5uUNPQgDFwS-1qwmUsXjIHIfezXZ5fS8Zsgvl1di6FjTjaC5l-ZGATZN1zYXTFiBfaJvMc9zVsH4WhQKg1H5fB8rtzwb/s1600/nimoy-1964-buick+(1).jpg" height="400" width="336" /></a></div>
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<i>"<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">My folks came to the US as immigrants, aliens, and became citizens. I was born in Boston, a citizen, went to Hollywood and became an alien."</span></i><br />
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Nimoy seemed to have a certain gravitas and cool that he retained despite who was sharing the screen with. But he was certainly more than a on screen presence. He had a masters degree in Education, and his writing was sensitive and insightful and witty. No doubt a reflection of the man himself.<br />
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Here is his final tweet:<br />
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<a class="ProfileTweet-originalAuthorLink u-linkComplex js-nav js-user-profile-link" data-user-id="128956175" href="https://twitter.com/TheRealNimoy" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0084b4; text-decoration: none !important;"><img alt="" class="ProfileTweet-avatar js-action-profile-avatar" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1858927432/color_nimoy_headshot_normal.jpg" style="border-radius: 4px; border: 0px; float: left; height: 24px; margin: 0px 6px 0px 0px; width: 24px;" /><span class="ProfileTweet-originalAuthor u-floatLeft u-textTruncate js-action-profile-name" style="display: block; float: left !important; max-width: 95%; overflow: hidden !important; text-overflow: ellipsis !important; white-space: nowrap !important; word-wrap: normal !important;"><b class="ProfileTweet-fullname u-linkComplex-target" data-aria-label-part="" style="color: #292f33;">Leonard Nimoy</b> <span class="ProfileTweet-screenname u-dir" data-aria-label-part="" dir="ltr" style="color: #8899a6; direction: ltr !important; font-size: 13px; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span class="at">@</span>TheRealNimoy</span></span></a><span class="u-floatLeft" style="float: left !important;"> · </span><span class="u-floatLeft" style="float: left !important;"><a class="ProfileTweet-timestamp js-permalink js-nav js-tooltip u-textUserColor" href="https://twitter.com/TheRealNimoy/status/569762773204217857" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.15s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: rgb(0, 132, 180) !important; display: inline-block; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.15s; white-space: nowrap;" title="11:36 PM - 22 Feb 2015"><span class="js-short-timestamp " data-aria-label-part="last" data-long-form="true" data-time="1424677005">Feb 22</span></a></span></div>
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A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; white-space: normal;">Leonard Nimoy leaves behind a wife, two children, six grand children, and a horde of saddened friends and loyal fans. </span></div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-67649971988437459492015-02-22T18:59:00.000+13:002015-02-22T18:59:21.437+13:00A selection of DVDs<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Having just watched episode one of Vikings, (which if you have not watched yet you should) I thought I had better catch up on my blog. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJpP3-6WIVkEukcS1zyalxofHxFSiXuJ5OXNdKo_p0JmIHfBsjUYKxkgFOyrwLxfH5ths5oMFaXLr2dQwMrTX3MCfF-44hiMARhgcwqm_SPscfeQFdAgZMhlOjSHyrpAf1ToUFlg9tgXh/s1600/vikings_season3_cast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJpP3-6WIVkEukcS1zyalxofHxFSiXuJ5OXNdKo_p0JmIHfBsjUYKxkgFOyrwLxfH5ths5oMFaXLr2dQwMrTX3MCfF-44hiMARhgcwqm_SPscfeQFdAgZMhlOjSHyrpAf1ToUFlg9tgXh/s1600/vikings_season3_cast.jpg" height="178" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huzzah!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.6666669845581px;">My lovely lady and I had a night in and watched a few DVDs. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b>Calvary (</b>not Cavalry)</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Calvary</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> is</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">John McDonagh's new film. He previously wrote and directed </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The Guard</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">, starring Brendan Gleeson. I really enjoyed the wit and style of </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The Guard</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">, and when I saw that McDonagh had a new film starring</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-decoration: none;">Brendan Gleeson</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #252525;">, </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-decoration: none;">Chris O'Dowd</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #252525;">, </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-decoration: none;">Kelly Reilly</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #252525;">, and</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #252525;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-decoration: none;">Dylan Moran<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">, I could not wait to watch this new and clever Irish comedy. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">I was horribly horribly wrong! </span></span></span></span><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Calvary</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> is dark reflection of modern Ireland. The film takes place in a small Irish coastal town, which is plagued by unemployment, and what businesses remain face the threat of foreclosure by the banks. Gleeson plays Father James, a good priest who struggles to hold his community together as they question the purpose of the Church in modern times. James is also trying to reconnect with his suicidal daughter. On top of all that a man has threatened to kill him in seven days time. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Gleeson is excellent, and while his journey is bleak it is still a wonderful film. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">McDonagh may paint a depressing picture of modern Ireland, but it is still a work of love. The film is highlighted by Ireland's natural beauty, and at it's core<i> Calvary</i> is a film of hope. But only after great sacrifice. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbcTJLeshqfscU28wgMdF_FvJqlwVdUAZ9OrPk84J3galKLZCHu-o3QIyJiBfngWCbpJ2HnHgT8Eeoc1Nc86xhT-MvIibs3f8MA8GFN5IB5XD4AS5iC32B1USK6YTymj79NndfYHK8So6/s1600/calvary_still-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbcTJLeshqfscU28wgMdF_FvJqlwVdUAZ9OrPk84J3galKLZCHu-o3QIyJiBfngWCbpJ2HnHgT8Eeoc1Nc86xhT-MvIibs3f8MA8GFN5IB5XD4AS5iC32B1USK6YTymj79NndfYHK8So6/s1600/calvary_still-12.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I completely recommend it, but do not make the same mistake I did, that just because a film stars an ensemble cast of great comedians, that it is a comedy. I suspect that misreading the title was instrumental.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b> Magic in the Moonlight</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The most recent film by Woody Allen. With the success and acclaim of Midnight in Paris, Allen's new film is set in the roaring Twenties and stars Colin Firth, and Emma Stone. Firth plays an accomplished stage magician who spends his free time unmasking frauds and spiritualists. His friend Howard comes to him with the tale of a young girl (Stone) who Howard believes might be the real thing. Stanley travels to the south of France to investigate this girl before she marries the son of a wealthy American family. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0lRb2AEJKam19eUWcCw3BUNp8jl1_fH8olmemlLRs3C1Z8VpBkK5o4-AXxc-tF2JhKFGjcYUvu_wwFZgk4SOIL9n0Us78U9L6imnbqt5y5-tHYtbXhBaOrXx_D6mZJFUEvxstP55ZtHA/s1600/BmfNQxAIEAErdjK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0lRb2AEJKam19eUWcCw3BUNp8jl1_fH8olmemlLRs3C1Z8VpBkK5o4-AXxc-tF2JhKFGjcYUvu_wwFZgk4SOIL9n0Us78U9L6imnbqt5y5-tHYtbXhBaOrXx_D6mZJFUEvxstP55ZtHA/s1600/BmfNQxAIEAErdjK.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Emma I am not jumping in the bloody fountain. </td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Stone and Firth carry this film in their performances. Firth follows Allen's frenetic directing style of leading men well, but remains sympathetic. Firth did a really excellent job, and was the perfect choice as Stanley. The scenes are colourful and romantic and Allen uses the beauty of the South of France to every advantage. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">At it's best </span><span style="color: #222222;"><i>Magic in the Moonlight</i> is a light and whimsical romantic comedy that is simple fun. I am not really a fan of Allen's films, and I didn't overly enjoy it. But if you are a fan of Woody Allen, you probably find it charming and fun. Certainly after the heavy drama of <i>Calvary, </i>my lady definitely needed a film like this. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b>Dracula Untold</b></span><br />
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This movie is the origin story of the infamous Count Dracula, before he was a vampire he was a prince. But <span style="color: #222222;"><i>Dracula Untol</i></span><span style="color: #222222;"><i>d</i></span> is neither a horror nor a historical film. Luke Evans plays Prince Vlad Tepes who balances the welfare of his people with the demands of The Ottoman Empire. Young Vlad was taken hostage by the Turks, and raised by them until he returns home. This is of course pretty much true. However there are several departures from the real Vlad Tepes history.<br />
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But I am not going to discuss the historical inaccuracies because this is not an historical film. What it is is a simple attempt at an origin story. With such an iconic character the creators were really taking a risk with this story, and I don't think it paid off. The story was average and undeserving of the real<br />
Vlad, and the Count.<br />
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The appeal of this film is solely in its cast. Luke Evans outstripped the script and story as the young prince determined to save his people at any cost, and once his shirt was off, his abilities were obvious. Glib comments aside he really was very good. Charles Dance, who is making the most of his time on Game of Thrones, camps it up with an enjoyable performance as the monster. Dominic Cooper as the evil Turkish prince also looks like he is having fun.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRSdShIk7-_KRCQTBBVz2psA4lctNtnwqaF_MtEtiedDMEcaRqSWTlJghBo0fGdN-jNxwo4eBjCheWgFCy4XiBM-LzOMHua78SEeeu-lrgDvJIrTmdWApdXnPvAWSS3UQVaYpaf1obiR6/s1600/dracula-untold-new-wave-of-vampire-legend-video-1428-elm-horror-movie-news-site-from-fansided.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRSdShIk7-_KRCQTBBVz2psA4lctNtnwqaF_MtEtiedDMEcaRqSWTlJghBo0fGdN-jNxwo4eBjCheWgFCy4XiBM-LzOMHua78SEeeu-lrgDvJIrTmdWApdXnPvAWSS3UQVaYpaf1obiR6/s1600/dracula-untold-new-wave-of-vampire-legend-video-1428-elm-horror-movie-news-site-from-fansided.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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As entertainment it was fine, simple movie fun. The cast were good, the action and cgi effects were entertaining. I imagine that devoted fans of history or Dracula might not agree, but over all it was OK Yes the story was average and could have been much better, and <i><span style="color: #222222;">Dracula Untold</span> w</i>on't win any Oscars<i>, </i>but if you want to just relax and switch off . and it might keep you from having to watch <i>Jack and Jill </i> which can only be a good thing.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-83669816423595042672015-02-13T19:16:00.000+13:002015-02-13T19:17:02.196+13:00A fun opportunity HELLOOOOOOOO<br />
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Just letting my reader know a wee bit of news.<br />
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I have been invited to review a series of books. Now I don't know much about what I will be reviewing, however I will be reviewing them on a podcast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLksYXkUam-8fiqOK71e3yQOc4kTmwDoHHeOdaxcg7A-9gVH8_Rbe-kkwBfubKtuD4aFdLKFiUMMHXMcAY6iHB0cu5vIOar-8IUREG-_7RxuxaKTgsHQKaM0iE_w5Ln3SZRCeMXZT9Ds1V/s1600/critic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLksYXkUam-8fiqOK71e3yQOc4kTmwDoHHeOdaxcg7A-9gVH8_Rbe-kkwBfubKtuD4aFdLKFiUMMHXMcAY6iHB0cu5vIOar-8IUREG-_7RxuxaKTgsHQKaM0iE_w5Ln3SZRCeMXZT9Ds1V/s1600/critic.jpg" height="314" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The perfect face for Radio</td></tr>
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I will give more details later once I know more, and I will post my reviews here. I believe they will be science fiction books, but as I said I will let you know.<br />
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I will post some DVD reviews shortly.<br />
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And enjoy your Friday the 13th.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7OIEEbmLTKOr2MGzmBO-LdNdrdo7IdsCg7Q8u5wJDmM15As95aaVojZpbntKsYh212OQZaj_bVrSj-E5AHg5A1NeYq7kO-Rt4q1VzlWTDjnH6Uk9SFUN_3S1HYERkLUoaK-GMBRFOo6S/s1600/chickenfriday13_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7OIEEbmLTKOr2MGzmBO-LdNdrdo7IdsCg7Q8u5wJDmM15As95aaVojZpbntKsYh212OQZaj_bVrSj-E5AHg5A1NeYq7kO-Rt4q1VzlWTDjnH6Uk9SFUN_3S1HYERkLUoaK-GMBRFOo6S/s1600/chickenfriday13_8.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image courtesy of www.savagechickens.com</td></tr>
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-39126724509355261582015-02-10T22:15:00.000+13:002015-02-10T22:15:05.458+13:00I was told not to. <div>
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Yes, I was told not to. I said I wouldn't. I was told not to again by someone who watched it. </div>
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But then I caved and I watched..</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXG3eLbiUHOzY89oqVqllFnNx2VXnnbm8WvSwUQSMfHvdw2W5XSKujsvBjBuSdCI4wEaPY5cL3aRA_u08j3rMU7GsiCQM7gNNS4z34Tkfc1VfsZh4FvFyU_blR1a3ssvbEEvnACGB2YyO/s1600/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-movie-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXG3eLbiUHOzY89oqVqllFnNx2VXnnbm8WvSwUQSMfHvdw2W5XSKujsvBjBuSdCI4wEaPY5cL3aRA_u08j3rMU7GsiCQM7gNNS4z34Tkfc1VfsZh4FvFyU_blR1a3ssvbEEvnACGB2YyO/s1600/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-movie-2014.jpg" height="400" width="385" /></a></div>
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<div>
Many of you will be wondering why I watched this. I am not sure I can answer that question. I can only speculate that it was partly curiosity, partly rage, and well, curiosity. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And here is what I thought. I will try (and fail) not to compare this film to the TMNT canon, and just focus on the movie. But we all know that basically I am weak. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Oh yes spoilers follow. Well hardly spoilers, I doubt there is much I will be saying that will actually make this movie any worse.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
The movie starts off with a poor imitation of the cartoon sequences you have in the Marvel movies and then the movie proper starts where it is revealed that New York is under threat from the secret Ninja 'foot clan'.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Hang on a minute, how secret is this secret Ninja clan if <u>everyone</u> knows about it? Right moving on. April O'Neil (Megan Fox) is trying to be taken seriously as a reporter. However, her editor (Whoopi Goldberg) just sees her as a pretty face only good for fluff pieces. I imagine Whoopi saw her performance in <i>Transformers 2. </i></div>
<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8b9vzlmsXyPUvvK5mjQfF_STGQ_87aJfY_LhB9J6P1x81J0DlSTGN8l67VGs2JcsmfT8_FiNOGYL-W7HYzoZ6MUxa9Zg9g0_4ZgIRCQVklBbzqjJkIW_nYL1s5cFDTMKiWuLzzpNCgDA/s1600/selfie.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8b9vzlmsXyPUvvK5mjQfF_STGQ_87aJfY_LhB9J6P1x81J0DlSTGN8l67VGs2JcsmfT8_FiNOGYL-W7HYzoZ6MUxa9Zg9g0_4ZgIRCQVklBbzqjJkIW_nYL1s5cFDTMKiWuLzzpNCgDA/s1600/selfie.jpeg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">April still hasn't mastered the selfie yet. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But April is determined to unmask the Foot clan. Why I don't know as everyone knows about the Foot - they operate in plain sight. In her search for the Foot Clan, and maybe her self esteem, April discovers a super human vigilante who is fighting back against the Foot. April starts to track down the vigilantes, and when she does they introduce themselves straight off the back as mutant teenage turtle ninjas. They also instantly remove their masks?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
This is of course the big reveal when we get to see the 2014 Ninja turtles!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_jW4Cyx110RmJVu9Ph4mo3Ct-uGqFsBDcDCkLuF8CYleOLRYepcfXO6mVlV0aTTZgb6rYD_FPH2CZBSt0Vs8Fd7XtlPvV8U8kkKkAYmTsfnYgWccyxyDDOqUJR4cuHFGG3i6YMU9dt57/s1600/Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles-Movie-Trailer-2014-Michelangelo-No-Mask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_jW4Cyx110RmJVu9Ph4mo3Ct-uGqFsBDcDCkLuF8CYleOLRYepcfXO6mVlV0aTTZgb6rYD_FPH2CZBSt0Vs8Fd7XtlPvV8U8kkKkAYmTsfnYgWccyxyDDOqUJR4cuHFGG3i6YMU9dt57/s1600/Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles-Movie-Trailer-2014-Michelangelo-No-Mask.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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Huh?</div>
<div>
No really what the hell? </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKr9LbJrYTHQC9xk0xHh5b6DgclDHSLPwz93DEcCOYPsD_JTr_BvUtPdJTcIwzbX6y8geQS1ZeXoxLJ0qMbxUrLqyicYoHNu2KDFxIYtFZLqXlMMBb6o8j53LyKQ-dNFrL1qqta-2m8RI/s1600/gasp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKr9LbJrYTHQC9xk0xHh5b6DgclDHSLPwz93DEcCOYPsD_JTr_BvUtPdJTcIwzbX6y8geQS1ZeXoxLJ0qMbxUrLqyicYoHNu2KDFxIYtFZLqXlMMBb6o8j53LyKQ-dNFrL1qqta-2m8RI/s1600/gasp.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dude that is totally not me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
Lips? LIPS? and what is with the nose and the crazy brows, and their brutish overly muscled bodies, and the lips! They look the twisted love children of Yoda and the Hulk!</div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;">This
for me is one of the (many, many) problems of the film. It just has no idea who it is
aimed at. Is it a kids movie? Well then why is it rated M (in New Zealand at any rate). </span>The story is an over complicated mess, but while the story is a mess it is also lacking in any substance or sophistication for anyone over 10? </div>
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Here is a piece; the Turtles were actually a science experiment of April's father, and she gave them their names, and apparently their color schemes. When there was a fire in the science lab, she rescued them (and Splinter who looks like Capybara with a mustache), then she dumped them on the street and left them. Presumably this rescue was occurring as her father died in the same fire. </div>
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And lets just ride on past the love story between Mikey and April. </div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">While Michael Bay only produced this film, you can see his influence.
Explosions, more explosions, gratuitous </span>slow motion sequences,
explosions, Megan Fox’s arse and stuttered acting, explosions and an overblown
chase sequence that is very reminiscent of the action films of the 80’s but
just comes across as tired. The action was over the top and typical Bay. We have seen these sorts of sequences time and time again. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Oh and the final Bayism is that they turned Shredder into Megatron. </div>
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The film is mostly about April, her dad, her career, her ass, and less about the Turtles. The Turtles needed to have more screen time, after all it is about them. </div>
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TMNT is meant to be fun. Even the early comics were essentially fun. They were about a bunch of mutant teenage turtles being martial arts, ninja, crime fighters. They used their skills, team work and heroism to defeat the bad guys. They were not hulked out monsters, who threw shipping containers around. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVGKHYnzy__cfB1EpY9jUxznsUOd2blsqMHrc8Jtk5MkCm93sM9c6FPpY9tlo2FJWJMeKcxtIIYn219GHDVJbf-bUEbWXFKROeH5n4-HlI104FLB1edi9Pm5IFaNlPPFVf42csblculjf/s1600/Tmnt1cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVGKHYnzy__cfB1EpY9jUxznsUOd2blsqMHrc8Jtk5MkCm93sM9c6FPpY9tlo2FJWJMeKcxtIIYn219GHDVJbf-bUEbWXFKROeH5n4-HlI104FLB1edi9Pm5IFaNlPPFVf42csblculjf/s1600/Tmnt1cover.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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I didn't even enjoy the action. The choreography was chunky and boring. Sure the main characters are CGI, but we have the technology in 2014 to do better. </div>
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<div>
If you are a fan of the Turtles and want to see them in action. I recommend that you check out the Cartoon from Nickeodeon. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljBnyDEE9JESKdD0eCE2Sr36mAhOj-jTkGfpaIyjIE-9Z-cAxEeGG5oHpuLavdneb0VDTX6MxioGVgN5bR1CLWPfaVnJ7SAjyC3AHMT4jQpaUCTs84GjE7B3pf4ABvD0CGLcdCUx8U4y1/s1600/TMNT_brandsplash_712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljBnyDEE9JESKdD0eCE2Sr36mAhOj-jTkGfpaIyjIE-9Z-cAxEeGG5oHpuLavdneb0VDTX6MxioGVgN5bR1CLWPfaVnJ7SAjyC3AHMT4jQpaUCTs84GjE7B3pf4ABvD0CGLcdCUx8U4y1/s1600/TMNT_brandsplash_712.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Otherwise I would avoid this film like an ex-girlfriends/boyfriends text asking if they can come over. Just say NO!</div>
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<div>
3 out of ten. </div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-49319839558925869152015-01-30T21:11:00.000+13:002015-01-30T21:11:01.169+13:00Look out for the best picture Oscar for 2016<br />
I have seen quite a few films in my time. My love of film covers the broad spectrum of the silent classics of the 20's to the hi tech digital marvels that brought Tolkien to life before our very eyes. I love dramas, independent film, fun comedy and a good old Arnie action film. I can appreciate the beautiful aesthetic of good cinematography, to a simple well written story.<br />
<br />
This film I think may be the best film ever! Yes I called it.<br />
EV-ER.<br />
<br />
Forget classics like <i>Citizen Kane</i>, <i>The Godfather, Ben Hur, </i> or the dramatic sweeping urban operatic masterpiece that is <i> The Blue Brothers. </i> This film is just amazing.<br />
<br />
I could keep talking but I think the trailer speaks for it'self.<br />
<br />
I present to you the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72RqpItxd8M" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">best film EVER!</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
hope you liked the trailer. </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Disclaimer: this is only a trailer so I have not actually seen the whole film. But I'm still excited!</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-5693346683102079642015-01-25T14:58:00.001+13:002015-01-25T14:58:49.310+13:00I'm back HobbitsHelloooo<br />
<br />
Well it it has been a month since my last, which is a bit rubbish. Lovely sunny weather, long hard days at work and being a terrible procrastinator have contributed to that.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6cdaXHlyzVPPKBzhsPhpfoHg2NUgebIixY2XHlPma5nfw0aI9fWjXK5qhYJeqCmMH5LUuYmayJUelAuUVSDIAccviIeaF3AhE7JBUn3zZoOB13zXDflHhmOA-Hxq4L7rYTOSRYT_7hy-/s1600/17mtz3rq3oj52jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6cdaXHlyzVPPKBzhsPhpfoHg2NUgebIixY2XHlPma5nfw0aI9fWjXK5qhYJeqCmMH5LUuYmayJUelAuUVSDIAccviIeaF3AhE7JBUn3zZoOB13zXDflHhmOA-Hxq4L7rYTOSRYT_7hy-/s1600/17mtz3rq3oj52jpg.jpg" height="221" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am sure I am meant to do some work....sometime...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Well, let us get started..<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgk-QoOYqLgrhW7z6EZ3eeTRTY07urdCxejkmk8O54NOmCeX-ZxFQPH0ULqOBn5d0NnUohghVq1XjGLvSf0XKJql37U3cqtB2BdPCskX4a9gg7A9YkrHTOoZwXaxtiEqLNlcSDdI5p8sQ/s1600/The-Hobbit-Battle-of-the-Five-Armies.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgk-QoOYqLgrhW7z6EZ3eeTRTY07urdCxejkmk8O54NOmCeX-ZxFQPH0ULqOBn5d0NnUohghVq1XjGLvSf0XKJql37U3cqtB2BdPCskX4a9gg7A9YkrHTOoZwXaxtiEqLNlcSDdI5p8sQ/s1600/The-Hobbit-Battle-of-the-Five-Armies.png" height="376" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
This is the last of the trilogy, and of the LOTR series. At the beginning of the film Sir Pete has a wee short with cast and crew talking about their experiences and how wonderful New Zealand is. That was nice.<br />
<br />
Some mild spoilers follow.<br />
<br />
<i>The Battle of the Five Armies </i> is the strongest and best film of the trilogy. With regards to pacing and time, Jackson finally gets it right. There was no point in the film where I was bored with "too much" Hobbit.<br />
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The action and fight choreography was at the level you now expect from the franchise; entertaining and dazzling fights, battles and heroes. There were some Legolas sequences that seemed noticeably CGI, and surprisingly a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrG4g6yNLJU" target="_blank">Shai Hulud moment?</a> I wondered what sort of weapons the Orcs would bring out of the deep desert? Would they start using Bilbo's name as a killing word? <br />
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<br />
They (thankfully) didn't, but they did have weird, mutilated and tortured trolls, some missing eyes, and limbs. Given the more child friendly films Jackson seemed to be making with the previous two movies, these creatures seemed an odd choice? But all in all the action sequences were cool.<br />
<br />
Given that this part of the trilogy is the climatic battle of <i> The Hobbit</i>, the story was possibly the best written of the three. I really liked the love story between Kili and Tauriel. While some purists might loathe this addition, I thought it added well needed depth to the film. The madness of Thorin was also well done. For a moment I thought the scene was going down some sort of sixties mind warp, but it ended at just the right time before we entered the realm of <i>2001, A Space Odyssey. </i><br />
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<br />
Two complaints I do have about the story though; Afrid, and the lack of character development of the Dwarves. The whole story arc with Alfrid seemed stupid and pointless. Yes Bard is good, yes his children are good, you do not need to expound on this by consistently comparing them to a sniveling coward. It seemed an unnecessary addition. I imagine that in the director's edition there may be more that makes this aspect make sense.<br />
<br />
The other thing that irritated me was the lack of character development and interaction with the other Dwarves. I don't mean add another 20 minutes, but a few moments or lines here or there wouldn't hurt surely. Some viewers who have not read the book would be forgiven for wondering who they are and why the hell are they there?<br />
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<br />
I think we could have gotten away with less focus on the others if there had been more in the previous two films? I mean there was plenty they could have culled from the first and second movies. But it is probably just me.<br />
<br />
The acting and direction were fine, and the scenery wonderful. Watch out for Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett kicking arse!<br />
<br />
Over all it was a fun film, not spectacular but a fine ending to the series.<br />
<br />
Seven hobbits from me.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-33404594828603644282014-11-29T13:54:00.000+13:002014-11-29T21:48:43.226+13:00I am a bit giddy with excitment<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
OOh the first teaser Huzzah<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/OMOVFvcNfvE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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This is not an official trailer but I liked it. </div>
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<br />
I have so much hope.<br />
<br />
I have so much fear.<br />
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I simply must hope. </div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-47719507428095370462014-11-15T21:45:00.000+13:002014-11-15T21:45:29.470+13:00Weird...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have a bit of a odd topic today, I want to write about the weird film. In literature there is (arguably) a sub genre of horror stories which are weird rather that scary, macabre rather than gory. I write arguably because in essence the weird story is not confined to horror, it is just more prevalent in that genre and most often contains a supernatural element to it. </div>
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H. P. Lovecraft wrote in his essay <a href="http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/essays/shil.aspx" target="_blank">Supernatural Horror in Literature </a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><i>"The true weird tale has something more than secret murder, bloody bones, or a sheeted form clanking chains according to rule. A certain atmosphere of breathless and unexplainable dread of outer, unknown forces must be present; and there must be a hint, expressed with a seriousness and portentousness becoming its subject, of that most terrible conception of the human brain--a malign and particular suspension or defeat of those fixed laws of Nature which are our only safeguard against the assaults of chaos and the daemons of unplumbed space."</i></span></div>
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But while it would be easy to reference the works of writers such as: Lovecraft, M.R. James, Lord Dunsany, and Clive Barker, for example, there is more scope than horror stories. Look at the works of Ray Bradbury, Franz Kafka and the wonderful books by China Mieville, there are dozens if not hundreds of well written stories which are "weird" but not really horror. The weird can disturb and challenge you, it leaves you with questions, maybe questions you do not want the answer to.<br />
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I think a lot of writers from the 40's through to the 70's wrote what could be described as weird stories because they wanted to challenge and raise questions about society and the direction of humanity.<br />
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But what about movies? Has the weird tale made it's way onto the silver screen? I am not referring to films where art and expression have replaced a narrative plot, or films that are bizarre just for sake of it. No, more films that have carried on the tradition of the weird tale into a new medium. Here is a selection of a few films I think qualify.<br />
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1: Freaks</h3>
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Tod Browning's compelling tale of love and betrayal in a travelling freak show. Disturbing but also full of empathy and compassion, Freaks does not make this list due to the nature of it's cast, but because of it's eerie finale.<br />
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2: Donnie Darko</h3>
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The film that introduced the world to Jake Gyllenhaal, <i> Donnie Darko</i> is a tale of a teenage angst, somnambulism, paradoxes, and Frank the strange Rabbit from the future. Wonderfully dark and haunting, <i>Donnie Darko </i>is, at it's heart, a strange love story, albeit a very weird one.</div>
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3: The Stepford Wives</h3>
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The 1975 version with the beautiful Katherine Ross not the terrible remake. The very weird story of a couple moving into a quaint neighborhood where all the women are the "perfect" suburban housewife. Based on a novel by Ira Levin. <i>The Stepford Wives</i> is still a very creepy film. </div>
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4: The City of Lost Children</h3>
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One of my all time favorite films ever! A magnificent fairy tale of a sideshow strongman and a cynical sneak thief trying to rescue a little boy from a mad scientist who invades the dreams of stolen children to try and find his soul. </div>
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5: Delicatessen</h3>
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Jean-Pierre Jeunet directed this and my previous choice. Jeunet and Besson are two of my favorite French directors. <i> Delicatessen </i>is a strange tale of Love, murder and sausages in a dystopian future where food is scarce. </div>
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6: Pan's Labyrinth</h3>
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Guillermo del Toro's fable set in Spain in 1944. Many people I know easily write off the fantastic elements of this story to the delusions of a young and lonely girl. However if that is true how did Ofelia escape from the locked room?</div>
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7: In the Mouth of Madness</h3>
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In any list of the weird you have to include John Carpenters homage to H.P. Lovecraft. </div>
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8: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory</h3>
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Gene Wilder's performance of this adaptation of Roald Dahls's book is wonderfully weird and creepy. It is rumored that Dahl loathed this film, however there is evidence that this is just a Hollywood myth</div>
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9: The 5,000 fingers of Dr T.</h3>
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Dr Suess on the big screen, a wonderful tale of a boy who hates learning the Piano. </div>
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10: Dune </h3>
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No list would be complete without a film by David Lynch. With Sting, Giant Worms, Kyle Maclachlan and music by Toto this space Opera can still confuse and stimulate. <span style="background-color: white;"><i>"<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Now remember, walk without rhythm, and we won't attract the worm."</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Obviously there are many more films which might or should be on this list. But these are the first ten I thought of. You might know of some others, let me know your favorites. </span></span></span><br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-55117210842460116062014-11-03T18:24:00.000+13:002014-11-03T18:24:26.567+13:00Afflicted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As this weekend was Halloween, my girl and I decided to watch some Horror movies. My lady had never seen <i> American Werewolf in London</i>, so we started on that. Then we went in search of exciting new horror. Neither of us were optimistic to be honest. The most we hoped for was an amusing monster vs monster movie with some aging teen star trying to keep his rotting career alive. What we found were <i> Avalanche Sharks, </i> the indie film <i>You can't kill Stephen King</i><i>, </i> and <i>Afflicted. </i><br />
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<i>Avalanche Sharks </i>was awful. We had hoped for so bad it was fun, but it was nonsensical rubbish. <i>You can't kill Stephen King, </i>was a fun little indie horror film that is a homage to the horror writer Stephen King.<br />
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<i>Afflicted </i> was a complete surprise, and I enjoyed it so much that I had to blog about it.<br />
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Synopsis:<br />
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Derek loves travel, and recently discovered that he has a condition which could debilitate him at any time. Against the wishes of his doctor and family Derek has decided that he doesn't want to waste another minute of his life, So along with his best friend Cliff, Derek starts a year long trip around the world. Cliff is documentary film maker and is going to chronicle their journey.<br />
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But just as their trip begins Derek contracts a strange illness which slowly affects his ability to travel Cliff is torn by his friends desire to continue their journey on what could be his last trip ever, or convince him to seek help. As time progresses Derek's condition deteriorates in a disturbing way.<br />
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<i>Afflicted </i> is a indie horror production, but it's creators and stars managed to make a professional and clever little movie for only $300,000. We were completely taken by surprise not only it's quality but by it's well crafted story. The main two characters are also the writers and directors, and this is their first feature length film. I was a little concerned by the documentary element of the film, but it is cleverly done and much superior to similar films like <i>The Blair Witch Project. </i><br />
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<i>Afflicted </i> is the best new horror I have seen in ages. Yes it was made on a tiny budget by a couple of guys, but the quality of the this production and the enthusiasm behind it made it exceptionally enjoyable. Also the little epilogue at the end of the film was fun and unexpected.<br />
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Like horror and want something new and fun, I recommend <i>Afflicted.</i><br />
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<i>7 monkeys</i>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381367761582904939.post-83822138907774940882014-10-31T19:57:00.000+13:002014-10-31T20:12:49.620+13:00It's HALLOWEEN<span style="background-color: white;">It's Halloween the traditional holiday where pretty girls dress like tarts and small children terrorize the neighborhood in ghoulish sugar thirsty packs. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">While many people in my home country might still be confused about Halloween, I embrace it. I will jump at the chance to dress in costume and eat lollies. When I was single my brother, and my friend Doug, would dress up and celebrate "International Speak like a Pirate Day!". Sadly I could not convince my colleagues at my serious government job to do the same. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Being the sort of chap that I am I embrace the sheer fun of it, and part of the fun for me is to have a few friends over and watch some horror movies. Here is a list of some of my favorites in no particular order. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"> 1: An American Werewolf in London </span><br />
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Arguably the best Werewolf movie ever made, this film will always have a soft spot in my heart due to the fact I stayed up to watch it one night with my brother who had confused it with <i> Teen Wolf. </i> Needless to say this was not the laugh riot I thought it was. However its special effects still stand the test of time, and the story balances humor, frights and gore in an entertaining way. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">2: Alien</span></div>
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I seriously remember watching this from behind the couch. The original film embraced the idea that less is more. A fantastic cast and a terrifying monster that spawned one great sequel, two terrible sequels and a thousand poor copies. Alien for me is a fantastic horror film. Sadly its greatness is also its downfall as it has been copied and referenced so much that it has lost much of its impact for new generation of audiences. But still a classic.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">3: Halloween</span><br />
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In my opinion John Carpenters Halloween started that whole slasher trend that came about in the 80's. And while I am not a fan of those films in general, the story, and cinematography of Halloween is truly eerie. The mythology of Michael Myers embodies the urban legends such as the hook man, and the disturbing imagery of Hitchcock's Psycho. The end is still one of the best endings of a horror film ever.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">4: Fright Night</span><br />
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I probably should have chosen a classic Hammer Horror such as The Horror of Dracula, but Fright Night embodies all the classic cinematic Vampire mythology without taking itself too seriously. Roddy McDowall is awesome as a second rate Peter Cushing. The 80's spawned a revival of horror, and this is my favorite vampire film of that generation.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">5: Let the right One In</span><br />
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In the recent renaissance of Swedish cinema Let the Right One in was a blessed relief to those of us that enjoy Vampire stories. Let the Right One is is both endearing and disturbing. It is dark and compassionate and weirdly beautiful.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">6: Night of the Living Dead</span><br />
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George A. Romero's first and classic Zombie horror. It set the bench mark for modern Zombie films from Sean of the Dead, to Zombieland. Psychologically still compelling.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">7: Evil Dead II</span><br />
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Sam Raimi's and Bruce Campbell's comedy sequel to Evil Dead. Sure in a list like this I should be referencing The Omen or the Exorcist, but I love Evil Dead II. Crazy and creepy it is still great 27 years later.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">8: In the Mouth of Madness</span><br />
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John Carpenter's homage to H.P. Lovecraft. In my opinion closer to any of Lovecraft's works than any other film made, yes even Re-animator. Sam Neil, Jurgen Prochnow and the cameo with Charlton Heston is great. Not overly popular but a firm favorite for fans of Lovecraft.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">9: The Thing</span><br />
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This is the last of the three John Carpenter films on my list. This was not intentional but it turns out I am a massive fan. I love this film, and I love people watching it for the first time. Infinitely better than the remake, this is classic modern horror at it's best.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">10: Braindead</span><br />
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Peter Jackson at his best. If you haven't seen it you will feel like you need an apron for the amount of gore that will virtually wash over you. But in saying that it is accompanied with a sense of humor and style which has turned this little kiwi movie into a horror classic. The fact that a character from the Norwegian horror Dead Snow is wearing a Brain dead t-shirt is marvelous.<br />
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These are not necessarily the best horror films ever, I have not included Psycho or Invasion of the Body Snatchers or the Exorcist, but these after much pressure to decide were my top ten.<br />
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Love to hear your favorites as well. Happy Halloween everybody.<br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598647838886888244noreply@blogger.com1