The ongoing saga or insanity of my family, writing, living post stroke, and the world in general...I'd spend all my time writing if LIFE didn't get in the way.
Okay, so my downtime wasn't totally without some fun. #3 and #4 daughters and I went to see World War Z. We didn't want to fight the crowds opening weekend so we went on Monday after the opening at lunch time.
To say I was anticipating this movie was an understatement. I'd watched all the trailers and clips since they started filming it. Having read the book, I'm sorry to say I was disappointed by the film.
The high points were covered in the previews and clips. It wasn't a snoozer or boring because there was a lot of action going on. There were a couple of scenes where my paralyzed arm jerked...it does that when startled in an extreme motion. I'd peg this movie more as an action adventure than a zombie movie.
Part of my problem is I always read the books before seeing the movie. I'm always destined to be disappointed by the film versions. While a picture can paint a thousand words, there are just a limit to what you can show in 120 pages of script verses the novel.The exceptions were the Harry Potter and Tolkien's Middle Earth series.
Don't get me wrong. The movie is great and the special effects are awesome. It just wasn't what I expected from reading the book.
There is a buzz going on about a sequel. But unless the sequel is more book based, I'll spend my money on the book instead of the sequel.
It's time to kick back and relax. It's Friday Fun time. TGIF, do you remember when that acronym came into being? It was a 1978 disco movie. I rented it for a blast from the past.
The time was 1978. The heyday of disco dancing, mirrored balls, Donna Summer and the Beegees topped the charts, the Vietnam War,Fantasy Island debuted on television, and the cost of a Super Bowl ad was $162,000.
Thank God It's Friday 1978 PG 89 minutes
Genre:
Contemporary Movie Musicals, Disco, Music & Musicals, Comedy
Cast:
Donna Summer, Jeff Goldblum, Valerie Landsburg, Terri Nunn, Debra Winger, Chick Vennera, Ray Vitte, Commodores
It's
Friday night and time to head to the hottest disco in town for the big
dance contest in this 1970s groove-fest. A wild assortment of crazy
characters shows up, and the Commodores supply the music. Singer Nicole
(Donna Summer) is convinced she's going to get her big break, while Marv
"Leather Man" Gomez (Chick Vennera) wanders the club dispensing advice.
Thank God It's Friday won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for the song
"Last Dance."
I watched this my children. One of whom I was pregnant with when this movie first hit the theaters. The script was still hopelessly hokey, but the music was fabulous. I still have the soundtrack on 8-track tape and a player to play it on.
"Woman! Don't you throw anything away?" Hahaha, nope! Why should I? It still works!
We followed that movie up with Saturday Night Fever.and had a disco marathon going.
Saturday Night Fever1977 R 118 minutes
Genres:
Drama, Classic Dramas, Disco, Dance, Blockbusters
Cast:
John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney, Barry Miller, Joseph Cali, Paul Pape, Donna Pescow, Bruce Ornstein, Julie Bovasso, Fran Drescher, Martin Shakar, Sam Coppola
Director
John Badham's musical ushered in the disco craze with the character of
19-year-old Tony Manero (John Travolta). By day, Tony's a paint store
clerk, but at night he's a polyester-clad stallion who rules a Brooklyn
nightspot with his partner, Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney). Although the
plot addresses socioeconomic themes, it's the Bee Gees soundtrack and
Travolta's strutting, Oscar-nominated moves that have made the film
iconic.
After dinner, the grandchildren wanted to try their feet to some of the dance moves they had seen. We have the 8-track of both movies so we couldn't resist playing them while they practiced. Now my husband and I are old disco dancing pros because we lived the era. My husband broke out his wide collared polyester shirts and pants and I put on one of my floaty polyester dresses, and we set up shop as instructors. Well sort of, neither of us can do all the moves like when we were much younger.
We had an impromptu dance competition going with even one-year old James getting into the act. He could shake his booty with the rest of them. Our #2 grandson and #1 granddaughter had the best moves as a couple, while our #4 grandson had the best John Travolta disco stance shown above in the movie cover.
Great fun was had be all. So much for the blast from the past. All together now we are doing the boxcar. Er, um the disco line dance. Er, um the electric slide. Oh heck, every generation has a version.
I spend a great deal of time watching films in Netflix or on television. There's a reason for that, my husband's deaf. What's the sense of going to the movies if I can't go with my best beau? I think the last movie I saw in a movie theater was when I took my #2 daughter to see Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollow Part 1 for her birthday.
Today's review is on a home viewing of...
Against the Dark 2009 "R" 94 minutes
Cast:
Steven Seagal, Tanoai Reed, Jenna Harrison, Danny Midwinter, Emma Catherwood, Stephen Hagan, Daniel Percival, Skye Bennett, Linden Ashby, Keith David
After
vampires overrun planet Earth, it's up to a special ops squad leader to
stamp out the bloodsuckers and save humanity. But for those who've
survived and taken refuge in an abandoned hospital, hope is running out
-- along with food and supplies.
My Grade
"C" for content
"D" for Acting
"No" for will I watch this again
All I've got to say is I should have known better. While Steven Seagal was fine for his usual kick-butt martial arts, he has not aged well. The older, paunchy "savior" was found lacking with few spoken lines and heavy reliance on special effects tricks.
While keywords such as "virus," "vampires," "horror," and "action" drew me to watch. The only interesting part was the marriage of zombie eat flesh and behaviors, and the blood sucking vampire nature of the virus's mutation.
Say "pass" on this one unless your into martial arts and sword play for its own sake.It even gives "B" movies a bad rap.
Cast:
Josh Duhamel, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, Vincent D'Onofrio, 50 Cent, Richard Schiff, Vinnie Jones, Bonnie Somerville
Genre:
Crime Action, Crime Dramas, Action & Adventure
Synopsis
After
witnessing the brutal murders of a convenience store owner and his son;
firefighter Jeremy Coleman barely escapes with his life. As he is
forced to testify against the crime lord, Hagan, he is placed in the
witness protection program. When his new identity becomes compromised,
Jeremy is forced to take an unexpected course of action in order to get
his life back and save the lives of those he loves.
My Grade
A+for content
A+ for acting
"Yes" A must see and would definitely see again
This movie has enough action to keep this action junky riveted. While Josh Dunhamel plays the lead, Bruce Willis plays a more minor roll as a detective. I've been a fan of Bruce Willis since he starred opposite Cybil Shepherd in "Moonlighting" way back in 1985. He doesn't disappoint in this movie with his attitude and demeanor.
Man against man and the question, what would you do if you had no other options to keep your loved ones safe. The answer, what wouldn't you do.
Synopsis NASA's cancelled trip to the moon in the 1970s is the basis for this
found-footage-style picture exploring if the urban legend were true that
the mission actually did occur and the proof of extraterrestrial life
exists on film.
My grade:
"A" for content
"A" for acting
"Yes" for would I watch it again. In fact, I've watched it 3 times so far.
My eclectic tastes are showing because this movie is science fiction, conspiracy theory, and a thriller all rolled into one. The film maker would have you believe that the movie was spliced together footage of a secret Apollo mission. Having had watched the news of all televised segments of the Apollo missions in real life this movie comes pretty darn close.
The tension is felt as is the fear. Exploring a Russian capsule on the moon was riveting filmed by headlamps so you only get tiny glimpses of what is going on so it up the watcher in the astronaut's point of view. Everything was true to the 1970s because I can remember back that far.
Filmed in black and white adds to the "authenticity" of the footage shown.It is believable. The action sequences are true to life. The website they show at the end...don't bother going to it...it's a ploy. I was gullible enough to try.The movie has enough action and scares enough to jerk by paralyzed arm up. A reflex reaction like when I sneeze not positive/active movement.
My recommendation- See it and believe it or not.
Speaking of the Apollo missions did you know Neil Armstrong is often misquoted for his famous line?
He actually said, "This is one small step for a man. One giant leap for mankind."
Just a bit of trivia from a person who actually met him.
Danielle Harris, Kelly McGillis, Connor Paolo, Michael Cerveris, Bonnie Dennison, Chance Kelly, Sean Nelson, Nick Damici, Adam Scarimbolo, Marianne Hagan
Genre:
Vampires, Horror
Synopsis
This
genre-bending thriller combines vampires, religious fanatics and
post-apocalyptic horrors with a coming-of-age tale that finds drifter
Mister (Nick Damici) training young Martin (Connor Paolo) to survive the
nightmare that has become America as they journey to New Eden. While
they combat the mutated bloodsuckers and vicious humans seeking to rule
the land, Mister and Martin rescue other wanderers and become a tightly
knit family of warriors.
My grade:
"B" for content
"A" for the acting
"Maybe" for watching it again
Okay, I'm back into horror this week. I know I',m way behind the times this movie has been out for a few years. I actually misread the title when I first looked at it. I was wondering what does skating have to do with vampires? LOL Anyhow, what drew me in was the post-apocalyptic premise more than actual vampires. I don't necessarily consider myself a vampire fan. I'm more into zombies. After all, that's what I write.
For a vampire movie it wasn't half bad. Enough gore to hold my interest. No real make-me-want-to-pee-my-pants shocks. Good action sequences. The story line was interesting. I loved the unexpected changes of attitude in the character of Mister. All the characters were believable. I became invested in what happened within the family group. The mysterious Mister appeared in the beginning and disappeared in the same way at the end leaving the watcher to wonder what happened to him.
All in all, a decent movie for vampire fans or not. But it's one of those movies, if you've seen it once...it's enough.
When a journalism student interviews a college hockey star, she learns
that he doesn't believe science is compatible with religion.
I'd give this movie:
"A" for content.
"B" for acting with exception of Ernest Borgnine who was superb as the boy's grandfather.
"Definitely" in watch again category.
I was drawn in by the title when I was looking for something to watch the other evening. I wasn't in the mood for horror, an overly played romance, or a sit on the edge of my seat thriller. I get in one of my moods and just want to watch something different. So I clicked "play" and was pleasantly surprised.
As you know, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I'm a minister as well as an author. One of the greatest conjecture points between Nonchristians and even Christians is the beginning of Genesis. How God created the Earth in six days. Science can clearly show that it took millions of years to create Earth, right?
I don't mean to get on a preacher's soap box here. It's just of fact.The movie marries science and the Bible, and does it beautifully. Taking a bunch of physics geeks, hockey players, an anthropology professor, and a minister. The minister's kids are one of the physics geeks and the other a journalist. Although, I personally believed that God's time and ours is a difference of perspective I couldn't have explained it half as well as this movie did. It was a real eye opener.
If you get a chance, rent it. Or if you have NetFlix, watch it. It will be well worth your time.
Part of my problem is I always read the books before seeing the movie. I'm always destined to be disappointed by the film versions. While a picture can paint a thousand words, there are just a limit to what you can show in 120 pages of script verses the novel.The exceptions were the Harry Potter and Tolkien's Middle Earth series.
