This blog post is not a review or a plot description, this is a record of how the movie made me feel.
I had not seen this movie before, nor even heard of it. I found it in a second hand shop and the price was low enough that if it totally goes South, I could just put it in the trash.
Helen, (Kara Glover), looks like an Arquette. You have to give it violence points, not surprising, the main theme is arms smuggling. However, it was less violent than I expected.
The screenplay says it is in Belize. I like some of the scenery. It reminds me of a cross between Kauai and Cable Beach Australia. The waterfall and small boat scene was great.
I enjoyed the discussion between Helen and Jeff, (John Savage, British intelligence) up in the really cool ruined building on the top of the mountain which they call a pyramid.
And then reality is suspended :) the wood dugout canoe chases the motorized barge up the river. Next, Helen, an accountant, rigs a set of explosives like an expert. But the wick is noticed and put out. Next, the barge full of explosives catches on fire. big time, and does not explode. And Jeff gets shot two different times in the jungle, once in the shoulder the other in the leg, and lives even though he has no antiseptics. It was an OK section of the movie, but when it is not believable, it is hard to really ride in the adventure.
Favorite line in the movie, after Jeff is shot in the leg, has no weapons and tells Helen to run ahead and blow up the barge and he would stop the bad guy. Helen says, "oh yeah, what are you going to do, bite him in the knee".
Bottom line, to me this is a bit like holding McDonalds stock in 2013, it is OK, but there are better opportunities. Kathy says she would watch it again, I would prefer not to. I have a friend that is planning to move to Belize, maybe I can mail him the DVD.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Hackers - 1995
This blog post is not a review or a plot description, this is a record of how the movie made me feel.
I have seen this movie several times, when you are in the business of cyber security it is always fun to be able to insert a quote from the movie into a conversation. This was the third movie that was on the Angela Jolie and the main reason I bought the DVD. The other two were Love is all there is and Original sin.
I had to smile when the movie opened saying Seattle 1998, I am in the Seattle area :). When the storm troopers run into the house, I had to laugh, soon as they are in the door they are shouting "upstairs". Really? You can tell from a modem what floor it is on? I certainly never learned that.
Of course the movie is a bit dated, but the social engineering in the second scene of the movie was awesome and just as valid to day as it was then. And dumpster diving, (looking for sensitive information that has not been shredded), is just as effective today. There are also some tibits that are very far reaching, "The FBI has files on 20 million people"; close. "You need an army, an electronic army".
I had forgotten how Dade, (Jonny Lee Miller), was so cynical with his mother, I didn't like that. I understand what they are trying to do from a plot perspective, but I found myself identifying more with his long suffering mother than Dade when the two of them are talking in the apartment in New York. In fact, I was amazed at how many of the details I had forgotten.
I really enjoyed the interplay between Dade and Kate, (Angelina Jolie). I thought the hacking contest to harass FBI Agent Richard Gill was very well done.
And love the ending though I have no intention of being a spoiler.
I have seen this movie several times, when you are in the business of cyber security it is always fun to be able to insert a quote from the movie into a conversation. This was the third movie that was on the Angela Jolie and the main reason I bought the DVD. The other two were Love is all there is and Original sin.
I had to smile when the movie opened saying Seattle 1998, I am in the Seattle area :). When the storm troopers run into the house, I had to laugh, soon as they are in the door they are shouting "upstairs". Really? You can tell from a modem what floor it is on? I certainly never learned that.
Of course the movie is a bit dated, but the social engineering in the second scene of the movie was awesome and just as valid to day as it was then. And dumpster diving, (looking for sensitive information that has not been shredded), is just as effective today. There are also some tibits that are very far reaching, "The FBI has files on 20 million people"; close. "You need an army, an electronic army".
I had forgotten how Dade, (Jonny Lee Miller), was so cynical with his mother, I didn't like that. I understand what they are trying to do from a plot perspective, but I found myself identifying more with his long suffering mother than Dade when the two of them are talking in the apartment in New York. In fact, I was amazed at how many of the details I had forgotten.
I really enjoyed the interplay between Dade and Kate, (Angelina Jolie). I thought the hacking contest to harass FBI Agent Richard Gill was very well done.
And love the ending though I have no intention of being a spoiler.
Original Sin - 2001
This blog post is not a review or a plot description, this is a record of how the movie made me feel.
Our neighbor was in the hospital and is in a rehabilitation center for a couple of weeks. He called and asked is there was mail in his mailbox; it was so full I filled a Trader Joe's shopping bag with the contents. Today we drove up to Enumclaw to deliver the mail. On the way back we stopped at Buckley, and there was a second hand store. We found they had DVDs for $3.00 and one of them was Angelina Jolie movie collection with three movies. Kathy and I already watched Love is all there is.
I had not seen this movie before or read about the plot. I now know this is a remake of Mississippi Mermaid - 1969.
Loved the opening scene, they are an arranged marriage, (hope that is the right term, she appears to be a mail order bride). The have both lied in their letters to one another, but the logic in both cases is reasonable. However, Julia AKA Bonny, (Angelina Jolie), says something that ignites my curiosity, "we have something in common, we both can't be trusted".
Early on I start to sense this will be a dark film. When Luis, (Antonia Banderas), signs over this bank accounts to Julia, I was immediately concerned. To put it simply, it is clear this is not going to be a comedy.
The movie is sad and it is gripping. If is also a reminder of the importance to be careful in relationships. However, it does explore the idea of total commitment and love.
Parents, there is nudity,violence etc in this film. I would not show it to my kids. I doubt seriously I will watch the movie again, but it certainly is suspenseful.
Our neighbor was in the hospital and is in a rehabilitation center for a couple of weeks. He called and asked is there was mail in his mailbox; it was so full I filled a Trader Joe's shopping bag with the contents. Today we drove up to Enumclaw to deliver the mail. On the way back we stopped at Buckley, and there was a second hand store. We found they had DVDs for $3.00 and one of them was Angelina Jolie movie collection with three movies. Kathy and I already watched Love is all there is.
I had not seen this movie before or read about the plot. I now know this is a remake of Mississippi Mermaid - 1969.
Loved the opening scene, they are an arranged marriage, (hope that is the right term, she appears to be a mail order bride). The have both lied in their letters to one another, but the logic in both cases is reasonable. However, Julia AKA Bonny, (Angelina Jolie), says something that ignites my curiosity, "we have something in common, we both can't be trusted".
Early on I start to sense this will be a dark film. When Luis, (Antonia Banderas), signs over this bank accounts to Julia, I was immediately concerned. To put it simply, it is clear this is not going to be a comedy.
The movie is sad and it is gripping. If is also a reminder of the importance to be careful in relationships. However, it does explore the idea of total commitment and love.
Parents, there is nudity,violence etc in this film. I would not show it to my kids. I doubt seriously I will watch the movie again, but it certainly is suspenseful.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Love is all there is - 1996
This blog post is not a review or a plot description there are plenty of those, this is a record of how the movie made me feel.
I had not seen the movie before and didn't know anything about the plot line. It was a a far piece into the movie when I finally figured where they were taking the movie.
I loved the opening. The narration is very well done. Listen carefully to the opening, she says "subtle" in a way we used as an inside joke.
Some of the outfits Sadie and Mona are wearing in the beginning are just a scream, clearly the folks putting this on have a sense of humor. The naked candles were another hilarious touch. The interplay between Sadie, (Lainie Kazan, from Big Fat Greek Wedding), and Mona, (Renee Taylor, who co-wrote the script and plays the psychic.
The movie does make me laugh. It is not the funniest thing I have ever seen, in fact it gets a bit slow from time to time. That said, I love remakes of the great themes, I think I have five or six Camelot/King Arthur films and three Robin Hoods. It never occurred to me someone would attempt a comedy version of the Romeo and Juliet.
There are some great dialog scenes in the kitchen catering that is a high point of the movie. If you liked My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you might like this. If you are Italian, you probably will enjoy the movie.
We paid $3.00 at a second hand shop for a 3 movie DVD with Angela Jolie, this was one of them. I think I will watch it again. Oh, by the way, some of the reviews say there is nudity in the film. Not to say they are wrong, but I sure did not see any. However, there is a sense of pre-marital sex that parents should be aware of.
I had not seen the movie before and didn't know anything about the plot line. It was a a far piece into the movie when I finally figured where they were taking the movie.
I loved the opening. The narration is very well done. Listen carefully to the opening, she says "subtle" in a way we used as an inside joke.
Some of the outfits Sadie and Mona are wearing in the beginning are just a scream, clearly the folks putting this on have a sense of humor. The naked candles were another hilarious touch. The interplay between Sadie, (Lainie Kazan, from Big Fat Greek Wedding), and Mona, (Renee Taylor, who co-wrote the script and plays the psychic.
The movie does make me laugh. It is not the funniest thing I have ever seen, in fact it gets a bit slow from time to time. That said, I love remakes of the great themes, I think I have five or six Camelot/King Arthur films and three Robin Hoods. It never occurred to me someone would attempt a comedy version of the Romeo and Juliet.
There are some great dialog scenes in the kitchen catering that is a high point of the movie. If you liked My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you might like this. If you are Italian, you probably will enjoy the movie.
We paid $3.00 at a second hand shop for a 3 movie DVD with Angela Jolie, this was one of them. I think I will watch it again. Oh, by the way, some of the reviews say there is nudity in the film. Not to say they are wrong, but I sure did not see any. However, there is a sense of pre-marital sex that parents should be aware of.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Cocacola Kid - 1985
I love this movie. There are some inappropriate scenes, but I taught classes for SANS over ten times in Australia and this maps to ground truth in many ways. This movie quite fairly makes fun of the US and I think of Coca Cola corp as well. The interplay between Eric Roberts and Greta Scacchi is all smiles.
Appreciate the opening scene when they are spraying the plane after it has landed to eliminate bugs. They really did used to do that. Kathy and I have been sprayed. Fantastic choice of the first office scene with the Sydney opera house in the background.
A US marine, coming down to change sodapop drinking habits in rural Australia is a recipe for humor, (and heartbreak). I enjoy seeing him be kind to Greta's daughter at the copy machine.
The first visit to Anderson valley is a gas. A bunch of surprises. Can't say one is above another, but even after viewing the movie multiple times, I smile on that series of scenes.
I am very glad to have this one in our library. In fact, this is the second copy. This movie is not for everyone, but Kathy and I were in Australia in the late 90s and we sort of "get it".
Appreciate the opening scene when they are spraying the plane after it has landed to eliminate bugs. They really did used to do that. Kathy and I have been sprayed. Fantastic choice of the first office scene with the Sydney opera house in the background.
A US marine, coming down to change sodapop drinking habits in rural Australia is a recipe for humor, (and heartbreak). I enjoy seeing him be kind to Greta's daughter at the copy machine.
The first visit to Anderson valley is a gas. A bunch of surprises. Can't say one is above another, but even after viewing the movie multiple times, I smile on that series of scenes.
I am very glad to have this one in our library. In fact, this is the second copy. This movie is not for everyone, but Kathy and I were in Australia in the late 90s and we sort of "get it".
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Ghostbusters - 1984
This blog post is not a review or a plot description, this is a record of how the movie made me feel.
I have seen this movie many times before, and was in the mood for a laugh, so I stuck it in the player.
I forwarded it to the scene where Dana Barrett, (Sigourney Weaver), comes to the firehouse to talk about her kitchen. The earlier scenes do a fine job of casting Peter Venkman, (Bill Murray), as a creep, and there are some funny scenes, but for me the rest of the movie is funnier than the beginning.
I picked up a bit more about the interplay between Dana and Peter this time. But really enjoyed the scene where Dana is overtaken by Zuul.
This time I noticed some of the special effects are a bit dated, doesn't lessen my enjoyment, but it shows how much they have progressed over the years.
For me, it is still a hoot after probably 15 different viewings. I am glad it is in the library and I am certain, that I would enjoy seeing it again.
Gran Tourino - 2008
This blog post is not a review or a plot description, this is a record of how the movie made me feel.
I have never seen this movie before. Walt Kowalski, (Clint Eastwood) is a combat veteran and a very cynical person. I suppose the intent is to have us not like the character, but I have seen him as a grumpy, dangerous person before and I kind of like the way he plays the role. I can almost hear him say, "Do you feel lucky punk".
I enjoyed seeing him stand up to the first gang with an M1 Garand and the second, with an M911A1. I love all the dialogs between Walt and Sue, (Ahney Her), his neighbor that ignores all the slights and dishes them right back. He has a similar relationship with his barber. Kind of reminds me of Grumpy Old Men.
I felt serious empathy with the relationship between Walt and the young boy next door, Thao, (Bee Vang), that they are trying to induct into a local gang. I loved the "I take the top or I'm out of here" line where Thao finally shows some pluck. That warmed my heart.
By the time we get to the barber ship scene where Walt and Martin teaching Thao, "man talk", I am really loving the movie and the interplay. To be honest I did not expect it to be either heart warming or funny, that is in between scenes of violence.
I don't like spoilers, but I will say that the movies packages its ending up very well. I am glad this one in in our library and will look forward to seeing this again.
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