The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian, the second movie released by Walt Disney studios, is a brilliant and breath taking adaptation of the C.S Lewis book, that was fourth in a seven book series,
The movie is a perfect visual adaptation of what C.S. Lewis wrote nearly 50 years ago, and like The Lord of the Ring series, draws the viewer in with fine acting, and a subtle musical score that adds to the scenes, without being intrusive.
Prince Caspian must flee for his life, when a son is born to Miraz, a man who wishes to be king of all the lands of Narnia, and must kill Caspian , who is the rightful heir to his fathers' throne.
The four Pevensie children, who had come to Narnia in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, are brought back, but to a land that is alien to them, trees do not dance, bears do not talk, all that was magical about Narnia seems to have vanished, and Caspian, Prince Caspian knows nothing of the world that had been before him.
The story moves rapidly, and visually is stunning. When Asland the talking lion does enter the story, it is hard to believe that this is a computer generated lion, for it is so real in its appearance and movements you forget that it is just a computer representation.
Although this film has been out for two years, it is still worth viewing, whether at home on DVD, or if you are fortunate to find it playing at a theater, it is well worth seeing. You will be on the edge of your seat all the way through.
If you have the book, it too is worth sitting down and reading again. C.S. Lewis wrote the books in such a manner, that no matter your age, you will enjoy them and find something new each time you open the book and feel the cool breeze of Narnia call to you
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Book 'em Danno... The Return of HAWAII FIVE O
Each episode, you were taken inside the mind of Steve McGarrett, and you watched as he and his team solved a crime or saved Hawaii from some interntional incident.
Recently I began watching the reruns of this series on Hulu, and found myself enjoying the series all over again. I wasn't sure if I could get into the new series, and after seeing several clips, I doubted, actually wrote off the series without even giving it a chance. That chaged this morning.
I went to Hulu, thinking I would watch another episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, but wasn't interested. I went to see Hawaii Five O and foun that the first two episodes of the new series were available. I was in shock, I mean the last thing you think of is that a series that is brand new would be on Hulu so fast, yet here it is.
I decided to take a chance, what was the worst that could happen.
I began to like the series from the opening set up, unlike the original series, where the team was in place, we got to see how this team came together and and also unlike the original series, not everyone gets along perfectly. One scene midway in the pilot episode, was where Danny Williams decks McGarrett, and then the two get into a fight,
We all know that there was tension between Jack Lord and the actor who played Danny Williams in the originl series, and this scene was something many of us wanted to see for years.
The dialogue is well crafted. we have real characters, none are perfect, but none are victims. Each is unique and brings something to the plate.
There are a few misses in the series.
The opening credits and main titles are rushed.
The incidental music is bland and borrowed from every other show on the air.
There are scenes where rap music is used, which really does not fit the scene, but it used as a ploy to bring in younger viewers.
Over-all though I like this version of Five O and look forward to hearing that line. Book em Danno.
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/hawaii_five_0/video/?pid=cWGJ6X9Z0hoGerSEHe6MSSrsHLRzinRN&vs=Default&play=true
Thursday, September 30, 2010
World War Two, the Greatest Conflict.
This is a very long overview of a series, called War Chronicles. The DVD using archival footage from the conflict overwhelms. There are no commercial break, no interviews purely images of the battles with narrative.
Although the DVD provides information, some not known, because it chronicles the entire war from 1937 with Japan's invasion of China, to the ends of the war in Germany and Japan, one feels exhausted and as I said previously very overwhelmed.
If anything this is too much information and too much of the same visual references to absorb. The pace is too rapid and crushing. Unlike the BBC Themes production "The World At War" which was produced in the early 1970's, War Chronicles aka World War Two the Greatest Conflict, has none of the human face of the conflict.
This is fine if you like nothing but battle footage and dry narrative. However if you really want to understand what lead to the conflict, the consequences, the toll and even the positive moments, then this is not the DVD for that.
I can not recommend World War Two, the Greatest Conflict, for it left me empty and not caring about perhaps one of the most significant aspects of history.
Although the DVD provides information, some not known, because it chronicles the entire war from 1937 with Japan's invasion of China, to the ends of the war in Germany and Japan, one feels exhausted and as I said previously very overwhelmed.
If anything this is too much information and too much of the same visual references to absorb. The pace is too rapid and crushing. Unlike the BBC Themes production "The World At War" which was produced in the early 1970's, War Chronicles aka World War Two the Greatest Conflict, has none of the human face of the conflict.
This is fine if you like nothing but battle footage and dry narrative. However if you really want to understand what lead to the conflict, the consequences, the toll and even the positive moments, then this is not the DVD for that.
I can not recommend World War Two, the Greatest Conflict, for it left me empty and not caring about perhaps one of the most significant aspects of history.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Only Drive In Movie I have ever seen. Avoid at all costs...
When I was around 5 years old, my parents took me to a drive in movie, correction; to the only drive in movie I ever saw.
The movie starred Nat King Cole as a singing narrator and Jane Fonda as the lead character.
I still have nightmares, that someone, someday will attempt to make a remake of this movie.
If you have the courage, here is a clip from this dread movie. I warn you, watch at your own risk.
The movie starred Nat King Cole as a singing narrator and Jane Fonda as the lead character.
I still have nightmares, that someone, someday will attempt to make a remake of this movie.
If you have the courage, here is a clip from this dread movie. I warn you, watch at your own risk.
A film still worth seeing... It's Dispicable
A Fun film for one and all.
Today, July 10th, my wife and I went to see perhaps the best movie of the year. What was the movie?
Despicable Me. This movie was one we had decided we would see a year ago, because of the very cleaver ads that were running at the movie theatres, of course the face that they did a satire of the old opening to Alfred Hitchcock presents, in the ads had nothing to do with me wanting to see the movie.
This is an animated film where you forget that it is animated. The dialogue is clever, and very believable for the characters, and the movie moves at a rapid pace.
The hardest thing you will find, is not laughing. You will laugh more in this movie, than you have since Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase made "Foul Play" back in 1978.
The plot involves an old villain who wants to get in the good graces of the villain community, but most importantly, wants to impress his mother as a success. his name is Dr. Gru.
He goes up against a young upstart named Vector, who is slick and has stolen the Great Pyramid,
The two villains square off and in the process Gru ends up with three orphans, who are part of his master plan to... no not take over the world, but steal the moon.
To say more would ruin the fun of this movie. I give DESPICABLE ME 10 STARS,
Today, July 10th, my wife and I went to see perhaps the best movie of the year. What was the movie?
Despicable Me. This movie was one we had decided we would see a year ago, because of the very cleaver ads that were running at the movie theatres, of course the face that they did a satire of the old opening to Alfred Hitchcock presents, in the ads had nothing to do with me wanting to see the movie.
This is an animated film where you forget that it is animated. The dialogue is clever, and very believable for the characters, and the movie moves at a rapid pace.
The hardest thing you will find, is not laughing. You will laugh more in this movie, than you have since Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase made "Foul Play" back in 1978.
The plot involves an old villain who wants to get in the good graces of the villain community, but most importantly, wants to impress his mother as a success. his name is Dr. Gru.
He goes up against a young upstart named Vector, who is slick and has stolen the Great Pyramid,
The two villains square off and in the process Gru ends up with three orphans, who are part of his master plan to... no not take over the world, but steal the moon.
To say more would ruin the fun of this movie. I give DESPICABLE ME 10 STARS,
Is it Alfred Hitchcock I see? No, it's Disposable Me...
The Minions
It's Vector, the super Villain???
A Powerful Movie... With Connary, Sean Connary and not as James Bond
A Powerful Movie
My wife and I watched a movie today, on video, the movie was MEDICINE MAN, with Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco. It had been many years since last I had seen this film, and in all reality it had been since this movie had been on HBO, since I had last seen it.
I remembered bits and pieces of this movie, and was surprised by the humor that wound its' way through this intense film about Connery, a lone scientist who is living in the Amazon rain forest and has discovered the cure for cancer.
The film is still stunningly beautiful as well as powerful in the story that it weaves, and keeps you on the edge of your seat to the end, which is both tragic, but with hope.
If you have not seen this movie, or haven't seen it in ages, it is well worth the time to rent, neigh buy this movie. If you have concern for this world, have friends over, make it a movie night and then find out what is happening now in the Amazon, and what you can do.
My wife and I watched a movie today, on video, the movie was MEDICINE MAN, with Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco. It had been many years since last I had seen this film, and in all reality it had been since this movie had been on HBO, since I had last seen it.
I remembered bits and pieces of this movie, and was surprised by the humor that wound its' way through this intense film about Connery, a lone scientist who is living in the Amazon rain forest and has discovered the cure for cancer.
The film is still stunningly beautiful as well as powerful in the story that it weaves, and keeps you on the edge of your seat to the end, which is both tragic, but with hope.
If you have not seen this movie, or haven't seen it in ages, it is well worth the time to rent, neigh buy this movie. If you have concern for this world, have friends over, make it a movie night and then find out what is happening now in the Amazon, and what you can do.
The Last Precinct... A spell binding tale of Kay Scapaletta...
The Last Precinct, By Patricia Cornwell
The Last Precinct, is a nail biting book in the Kay Scapaletta series that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat from page one.
This time, the book picks up just minutes after the end of Black Notice, in which Dr. Scapaletta nearly dies at the end.
Within minutes, Scapaletta is surrounded by police who are at her residence to secure the scene. Only her good friend and confidant Pete Morano is looking out for her interests, or is he.
For from the beginning of The Last Precinct, things are now what they appear. People are not themselves, and Scapaletta finds herself suddenly, not as the victim of nearly being murdered, but a suspect of being a murderer of the former police chief.
Old friends are actually gathering information for a possible Grand Jury investigation, and a person thought to be dead, may not be.
Who can Dr. Scapaletta trust, and will she discover in time what is happening, and a shocking truth that could unsettle her world?
To find out you have to read the book, and then be ready for the next book that will lead you into even stranger situations BLOW FLY.
The Last Precinct, is a nail biting book in the Kay Scapaletta series that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat from page one.
This time, the book picks up just minutes after the end of Black Notice, in which Dr. Scapaletta nearly dies at the end.
Within minutes, Scapaletta is surrounded by police who are at her residence to secure the scene. Only her good friend and confidant Pete Morano is looking out for her interests, or is he.
For from the beginning of The Last Precinct, things are now what they appear. People are not themselves, and Scapaletta finds herself suddenly, not as the victim of nearly being murdered, but a suspect of being a murderer of the former police chief.
Old friends are actually gathering information for a possible Grand Jury investigation, and a person thought to be dead, may not be.
Who can Dr. Scapaletta trust, and will she discover in time what is happening, and a shocking truth that could unsettle her world?
To find out you have to read the book, and then be ready for the next book that will lead you into even stranger situations BLOW FLY.
INCEPTION... A journey into the mind and soul.
Inception, is perhaps one of the most complex movies that has come out in a long time. The film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Michael Caine and Marion Cotillard is a film that has many layers to it. You can not leave this movie once it begins, because if you do, you will miss out on a major aspect of the film.
DiCaprio acts as the team leader, Mr. Cobb. DiCaprio is a man who along with his team members can enter into the unconscious mind of a person and either extract information, or plant an idea, Inception.
DiCaprio is hired to do just this, to plant an idea in the mind of wealthy son, who holds the remains of his fathers empire, a corporation so powerful and large that it could end up crushing its one main opponent, that has fallen on hard times.
The payoff offered? A chance for DiCaprio, Cobb, to be set free from his past, a chance for him to return to the United States and be with his children, all he has to do is simply put the idea in Robert Fisher's mind. Yet nothing is ever as simple as it sounds, there are inherent dangers to going so deep into another persons' mind and the worst, if you die that deep inside the mind, you could be lost there.
Yet Cobb is willing to take the chance, to be reunited with his children, it is worth the risk. He assembles a team and plans the mission, each step takes him deeper into a shadow world involving his wife and what had happened to her, and how this had kept Cobb on the run for years, and away from his children.
Once inside the mind of Robert Fisher the dangers get more intense and there is the possibility that no one may survive. For Cobbs' deceased wife Mal, Marion Cotilland, is trying to disrupt the mission, trying to force Cobb to come back to her. Only Ariadne, (Ellen Page) knows the truth about Inception and Mal, and what has been behind Cobb taking on this mission.
The pacing is rapid fire and you will have to keep track of where reality really is, because in the end game, so much is happening all at once you begin to wonder about where the reality is. It reminds one of Renee Discartes tretus on what is real, I think therefore I am? Does the Candle exist when I sleep? Do I exist when I sleep, or am I just a projection of God?
Be prepared to go on a journey into shifting aspects of reality and be ready to ask a lot of questions when you come out of the movie. This film did what Matrix took three movies to do. INCEPTION, is a nail biting fast paced roller coaster ride that will have you needing to see it again, to just begin to peel off the first layer and see more deeply the layers of illusion and reality that are around us every day... or are they?
Cobb with Fisher.
 |
| All we want is for you to plant an idea, then we will set you free... |
Mal, Cobb's dead wife, who is still haunting him from beyond the grave.
 |
| Cobb, aka DiCaprio, What has he done? |
 |
| Will she help Cobb set himself free??? |
Inside the world of dreams, anything is possible, or is it???
INCEPTION... Be prepared for ....Inception, is perhaps one of the most complex movies that has come out in a long time. The film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Michael Caine and Marion Cotillard is a film that has many layers to it. You can not leave this movie once it begins, because if you do, you will miss out on a major aspect of the film.
DiCaprio acts as the team leader, Mr. Cobb. DiCaprio is a man who along with his team members can enter into the unconscious mind of a person and either extract information, or plant an idea, Inception.
DiCaprio is hired to do just this, to plant an idea in the mind of wealthy son, who holds the remains of his fathers empire, a corporation so powerful and large that it could end up crushing its one main opponent, that has fallen on hard times.
The payoff offered? A chance for DiCaprio, Cobb, to be set free from his past, a chance for him to return to the United States and be with his children, all he has to do is simply put the idea in Robert Fisher's mind. Yet nothing is ever as simple as it sounds, there are inherent dangers to going so deep into another persons' mind and the worst, if you die that deep inside the mind, you could be lost there.
Yet Cobb is willing to take the chance, to be reunited with his children, it is worth the risk. He assembles a team and plans the mission, each step takes him deeper into a shadow world involving his wife and what had happened to her, and how this had kept Cobb on the run for years, and away from his children.
Once inside the mind of Robert Fisher the dangers get more intense and there is the possibility that no one may survive. For Cobbs' deceased wife Mal, Marion Cotilland, is trying to disrupt the mission, trying to force Cobb to come back to her. Only Ariadne, (Ellen Page) knows the truth about Inception and Mal, and what has been behind Cobb taking on this mission.
The pacing is rapid fire and you will have to keep track of where reality really is, because in the end game, so much is happening all at once you begin to wonder about where the reality is. It reminds one of Renee Discartes tretus on what is real, I think therefore I am? Does the Candle exist when I sleep? Do I exist when I sleep, or am I just a projection of God?
Be prepared to go on a journey into shifting aspects of reality and be ready to ask a lot of questions when you come out of the movie. This film did what Matrix took three movies to do. INCEPTION, is a nail biting fast paced roller coaster ride that will have you needing to see it again, to just begin to peel off the first layer and see more deeply the layers of illusion and reality that are around us every day... or are they?
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