Die Hard with a Vengeance

Third time's the charm? I liked Samuel Jackson in this. And some of the bit about the gold and how clever the bad guys were. John Maclane bugged me a bit. And he was a bit too super hero here and there - surviving the leap from the bridge to the ship for instance. I don't know. I did enjoy it overall. The first is still the best, but this is second. I still have one more to go. Yippee?

I chose this Italian DVD cover because it was the only one which had Samuel L. Jackson on it.

Die Harder

The second one. Wow, this one was completely forgettable. The inside of the airport luggage moving stuff was cool. And that was about it. Also, the guy who was in Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blues (Dennis Franz - did he stop making things?) had a decent roll as the head of Airport security. Snow, airport, good guys gone bad. Just not that great. But yes, I did have a little fun watching it. Guilty pleasure?

Die Hard

Yes, I broke down and bought the collection of Die Hard movies. I had fond memories of them. I am watching them in order. The first is still the best in many ways. Best Villain, best plot, best comedic lines, best pathos. A little slower than I remembered in place, but still worth a watch. I might just add this to my list of Christmas movies to watch each year. We'll see.

Allied

I remember seeing trailers for this. Brad Pitt looked really young in the movie. Isn't he like my age? I just looked, he is two years younger. Why do I keep forgetting that? Anyway, there are some good bits about this movie. First, it is a historical drama - set in WWII - a period that I always am interested in exploring. Perhaps because my parents lived through it and there were a lot of movies and TV shows about it as I was growing up. Hogan's Heroes anyone? Second, I do like Brad Pitt. He is like my generation's Robert Redford, don't you think? And third, it looked like it had something of an interesting plot. I was surprised by the graphical-ish sex scenes! Brad Pitt is a spy and falls in love with another spy who might be a German agent! Eeeek! If you like any of the above reasons, this is a decent movie to see! I saw it on Amazon Prime!

Cooties

A sort of Zombie movie starring Elijah Wood and Rainn Wilson. Fun but not great movie. And ends weirdly, I think - the world has ended apparently but our heroes drive off in the stoner van...Anyway, worth a watch if you are an Elijah Wood or Rainn Wilson fan.

Byzantium

I did not know what this movie was going to be having forgotten the trailer which made me think to add it to my list. It turned out to be a Vampire movie and a decent one at that. Two Vampires, mother and daughter, are doing their best to survive for 200+ years. Fun stuff, interesting rake on Vampires and overall and interesting movie. Not for everyone, but fans of the genre should like it ok. Or if you like any of the main actors.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

I never read TMNT as a kid. They were in my brain somehow, maybe because I saw ads for their cartoon on Saturdays? Anyway, I saw the earlier movie and enjoyed it, so thought I would try this one as well. It was fun. TMNT save New York and the world. With the help of Megan Fox who seemed to play a parody of herself. I would recommend this for anyone who likes them, likes super hero movies or enjoys action films.

Fireflies in the Garden

I will watch anything with Ryan Reynolds in it. I mean, I even watched a few episodes of Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place. (Full disclsure, I had the name almost completely wrong...) (Who the heck is Richard Ruccolo?) This had a pretty good cast in addition to him. Family drama surrounding Reynold's and the relationship with his abusive father. I am not going to give away the ending, though I felt that it was not a good one. Overall, I enjoyed it, though.

The Driftless Area

This is a movie that I saw on Trailers and decided to get from Netflix. It stars Anton Yelchin, who ran himself over (how weird is that). I liked him. And Zooey Deschanel - who is still alive and who I still like. It is a weird movie about a woman who dies in an arsonist's fire and the boy who loves her (after she is dead) and does his best to avenge her. Overall, quirky and enjoyable.

Advantageous

I added this movie to my list a longish time ago and never watched it. So I finally pulled the trigger. I had added it because the graphic was intriguing - a woman with all sorts of fiber optic looking cables coming out of her head. Turns out it was a sort of dystopian story of a future where there isn't enough work to go around (sound familiar) and people, especially women, have to do everything they can to keep their jobs or to get a job. Some good thought provoking ideas here. If you are a fan of dystopian science fiction, this would be a good movie for you.

The Steps

This was supposed to be a feel good movie. And I guess it was in the end. Dad has gotten remarried and the kids are not thrilled. They are invited to a weekend at the new lake house that the couple has purchased to meet the whole family. Turns out that Dad has turned over a new leaf thanks to new mom and is trying to love everyone, including adopting a Chinese waif. Hilarity ensues. Ok, not so much hilarity. Jason Ritter plays the son and is part of the reason I decided to watch the film. The whole thing just felt forced to me. As if it were trying too hard. Only watch this if you are really, really, really bored or are a die hard fan of any of the actors.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

I decided to watch Rogue Nation again because I enjoyed it the first time I saw it. I can’t recall if I saw it in a movie theatre or I rented it. Hmm. Anyway, despite Tom Cruise, I thought this was a fun entry in the Mission Impossible Universe. I was a huge fan of the show when it was on TV. And the movies done by TC although not really MI enough generally, do have high production values. One reason I like this entry is because ther is more Simon Pegg. Yay Simon Pegg!

Dear Eleanor

I guess that I saw this movie as a trailer on some other movie and decided it was cute enough to put on my list. Which it was. Barely. The story of two teens who take a road trip to meet Eleanor Rosevelt in 1962. Lots of adventures, no tragedies. A bit on the silly and light side, but fun.

Justice League

I saw this movie the same Weekend that I saw Thor: Ragnorok. Which left Justice League a little wanting. Still, it wasn't bad. I like Ben Affleck's older Batman. And I can never get enough of Gal Gadot doing anything. Amy Adams, always a favorite, does a nice little turn as well. Earth is threatened, Superman is dead, so Batman decides to get some other super heroes together to try to stop the threat. The humor wasn't as good as in Thor. Nor were the fight scenes all that great. Good, but not great is my overall evaluation.

Thor: Ragnorok

The latest offering from the Marvel Universe according to Disney. This was fairly light hearted, despite all the death and destruction. Most people don't realize that the Hulk has a lighter side. Anyway, Thor has to save the universe from his older sister, played well by Cate Blanchett. Loki returns which is always a good thing. I thought it was a good mixture of tongue in cheek humor and rocking action. Fun stuff, especially if you like Super Hero movies!

The Muse - Book

The second of three books that Alice gave me to read. This is by the same author as The Miniaturist. Also good. Completely different from the other book. This one has two time lines - one in the Thirties and one in the 60s. Both are well drawn and interesting. And there was a twist that I didn't think anyone would see coming (is that too much of a spoiler?). Anyway, if you like novels, historical novels, novels about Art and Creativity, then this might be a good read for you. I certainly enjoyed it!

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - Book

This is the first book in the Kingdoms Trilogy. Very cool world that she has created - great characters interesting magic and a good plot. We follow a young woman who is thrust into the ruling elite out of the blue and struggles to stay on her feet throughout a lot of difficult events. If you like fantasy novels, this is a good one!

The Brothers Grimsby

Wow. I really dislike Sacha whatevers movies. Really a lot. I watched this one because I like the genre it was spoofing - Super Spy movies. But it was typically thin and crude. Yes, I did laugh outload once. For a 90 minute comedy, though, that isn't much of a compliment. If you like him and his movies, you might like this one. I am sorry I wasted my time with it. Sigh.

The Broken Kingdoms - Book

This book is almost a direct sequel to the first book in the series. It follows Oree Shoth, a blind woman who takes Impetus, one of the Three from the first book. Lots of interesting characters, good story and a surprising ending made this an enjoyable second book. Very different from the first which makes it even better. Good read!

The Kingdom of Gods - Book

The last book in the "Kingdom" Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin. This book focused on Sieh, the son of two of the Three (the first three "gods"). As with the other books in the series, it is interesting to be in a world where gods walk amongst the people. Someohw, Sieh gets turned mortal, discovers that he has a psychopathetic son and tries to save the world (and the universe). On the cover it sats it is a magic-filled thriller. I don't know if I would go that far, but it was worth the read.

The Meddler

Having seen Doris recently, I thought I would try this Susan Sarandon one woman movie. It wasn't as good as Doris. I thought her accent was a bit over the top. Not a lot happened in the movie. Lots of contrived occurrences. Not terrible, mind you, but not great at all. Focuses on a few weeks of Susan's life after her beloved husband has died. She has moved to LA to be near her only daughter, and is basically smothering the daughter. She gets involved in other people's lives to help her avoid the pain in her own life. Some funny bits, but as I said, not as good as Doris.

Running with Scissors

I came back from CR to find this movie sitting in my mail. I don't know when I added it to my list, but I am glad I did. Not a great movie, but interesting for sure. Great cast. It is the story of Augusten Burroughs upbringing during the seventies. I enjoyed the movie - Evan Rachel Wood and Gwyneth Paltrow both have small fun parts in the movie. Annette Benning was interesting as Augusten's driven but ultimately not talented mother. Alec Baldwin had a small roll as Augusten's alcoholic father. The Finch household was fun. It was also interesting to see a little of the original Dark Shadows. All in all, an entertaining film. There were some weak moments, but nothing that can't be overlooked.

Despicable Me 3

I started to watch this on my flight down to Costa Rica but the wifi on the plane was so slow, it just didn't happen. So I got to watch it on my way back to the US. Huzzuh. I liked the first one very much. The second, I don't really remember. The third was sort of fun, but the whole series is getting a bit thin. Add to that Steve Carrell playing two roles, well. Gru gets kicked out of the organization because he didn't catch a bad guy. Turns out that Gru has a twin brother, Dru, who wants to be an evil doer - like their father was. Gru has to redeem himself so that he can get his job back. And the minions abandon Gru because he is no longer evil. Some fun bits - there is a whole 10 minutes or so of the minions in jail. Overall fun, but not something I would watch unless I was sitting on a plane for a few hours and had absolutely nothing else to do!

Cars 3

Another fun Pixar/Disney movie. I don't recall the first two. I may never have seen the second one, come to think of it. But, given the chance, I will always watch a Pixar movie. My mom actually owned some pixar stock at one point. Anyway, this was a fairly straightforward movie. The lead car is trying to stay relevant as younger cars start to dominate the races. There is some of the underdog trying to ake good about this movie. And then there is a teeny twist. The voice acting is first class, animation excellent, plot - meh. Fun but not worth watching unless you like this sort of thing, which I do!

The Miniaturist - Book

Alice gave me this book to read, along with a second one by the same author and a third book that she said is one of her favorites. This one and the other one by Jessie Burton she had never read and was hoping for a review before reading them herself.

I liked this book almost immediately. It is written in the present tense, which is not common, I have found. A historical novel written about the 1600s in Amsterdam, it focuses on Nella Brandt and her husband's family. The period is one I only know a little teeny bit about before reading this book. And I still don't know a lot. But the author drew a good mind picture of the environment. Nella is a young wife to a rich merchant. His house consists of himself, his unmarried sister, two servants, Cordelia, an orphan girl and Otto, a black man. There are also two dogs. As a wedding present, Johannes gives Nella a dollhouse and Nella starts to populate it with miniatures from the title character. The Miniaturist's miniatures cause Nella to rethink her world. All in all, an appealing book, with lots of twists and good character development. I am looking forward to her the next book by the same author - Jessie Burton.

No Toads in Heaven - Book

I found this book at Karacters. It was the end of my stay in Costa Rica and I had read most everything that had looked of interest to me. This book had an inscription to an ex pat. My guess is that it is a self published book. The book follows Gene Florian, and antihero of sorts, who is trying to avenge the murder of a friend of his. Part of the reason that I pick this up is because a large part of the book takes place in Central America. I don't know that I will look for another book by this author. Not terrible but not great.

Room - Book

It occurs to me that I ought to include the author in my book reviews. Oh well. If someone wants to find the book badly enough they can find it. Or they can ask me and maybe I will remember. Ha ha Ha ha ha! Anyway, I was looking in Carol's book case for something to read and I found Room. When I was working at The Smith, Room was one of the movies I showed. I think I even watched it. Because the book seemed pretty familiar. Come to think of it, I think I rented it (got it from the library or from Netflix). It is the story of a young boy who has grown up entirely in an 11 x 11 room, thinking it was the entire world. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I thought at times there were a few inconsistencies in the logic, but I for gave those. I'm not sure that I will rush out to find another book by this author, since this one was a little on the gimmicky side.

Spoiler: I just had a realization - the mom gets severely depressed and I couldn't figure out why. I just realized, it was because she had her own realization - after the TV interviewer asks why the mom hadn't asked her captor to take the baby and give him away she realizes that she could have done that. True, she was young, desperate for a connection, for company, for love, but the truly selfless choice probably would have been to let the child go rather than to keep him in trapped in the room with her. Wow. Makes me like the book a bit better, actually...

Cross My Heart - Book

It seems that when I have more than one space in a title that I have typed blogger on my phone crashes. Joy and rapture. Just as I am filled with joy and rapture about this book. OK, not really. I am a little on the angry side actually. It was a cliffhanger. Leading to the next book in the series, no doubt. One set of murders does get solved in a less than satisfactory way. But in this book bad things happen that are not resolved at the end. Grrr

Killshot - Book

My second Elmore Leonard book. This one I liked too. Not great but ok. Features two bad guys trying to kill a couple who witnessed them committing a crime. I learned a little bit about a lot of things: ironwork, tug boats, air craft carriers, and the Witness Security program.

Chiefs - Book

I picked this book up because it looked interesting. And I was not incorrect. Spanning 40 years or so it tells the tale of some police chiefs in a small town in Georgia and a serial killer in their neighborhood. Good characters, interesting historical stuff, some thriller aspects, all made for this to be an enjoyable read. I may have to find another Stuart Woods book and see if his writing is consistent.

Double Cross - Book

Another James Patterson book. And another Alex Cross book. I think that my next James Patterson book might be my last for a while. This book contained to psychopaths. Or maybe even three. Depending on how you count psychopaths. What is a group of psychopaths called? Not a murderer. That is crows. Anyway, Alex has a girlfriend named Bree and there is a murderer killing people in front of audiences. Wow another serial killer that Alex had arrested, has escaped from jail. Death and mayhem and A few not scintillating twists follow. Good but not great. Worth a read if you are reading all of the Alex cross books. Or just need to read something.

Flight of Eagles - book

I have heard of other books written by Jack Higgins. And I think I have read seen a movie or two made from his books. I hadn't realized that when I picked up the book. This story seemed fairly contrived. The story of twins who fought on separate sides of world war two. It also felt very dry. But that could be because he is a British author. If you are a fan of the author, or World War II, then this might be a good book for you.

Disclosure - Book

Michael Crichton has written some great stories. This was good at best. The protagonist is a mid level manager who gets entangled in some corporate intrigue during the early 90s. Sexual harassment, corporate scheming, and technical advancements were interwoven well. I just didn't love the book.

Judge & Jury - Book

I decided to look for more James Patterson books. I found this one on Carol's bookshelf. The story focuses on two characters or rather three characters. The first is an FBI agent named NIck. The second is an aspiring actress named Andy. And the last is a Mafia Don named Coviello. NIck catches the bad guy and a trial in Sue's. And he is a juror and somehow NIck and Andy get together. There is a bit more to the book, but that is the most important bit, I guess. If you like James Patterson, and legal best thrillers, then this would be a good book for you. I apologize for the weirdness says in my recent and coming posts. Blogger is Miss behaving.

Split Second - Book

I have read other David Baldacci books. I think. I can't recall any of the other titles or plots at this moment. And I don't know how long I will remember this book either. The characters in this book were apparently interesting enough to spawn a series of books. And a TNT television series. This book tells the story of two semi disgraced secret service agents trying to solve to mysteries eight years apart. A decent thriller with some good twists and some good action.

Second Honeymoon - Book

I seem to recall seeing a few James Patterson books around hither and yon. Some in my mom's collection, I think. Some in bookstores and libraries. And a few here the lending libraries here in Costa Rica. I picked one up because it had large text. Yes, I am getting old! Anyway, this one was co-written with Howard Roughan. Never heard of him. Patterson has a conversational style, or at least that was the case in this book. The protagonist is John O'Hara, who I am thinking might be one of Patterson's heroes from previous books. This story was definitely a sequel, since it referenced an earlier case that he was on. There is someone murdering honeymooning couples - and there is a murderer after John O'Hara. Thrills and spills ensue. Fun stuff. Easy read. I think I will pick up a few more James Pattersons if I can find them down here.

Swag - Book

I haven't read many books where you root for the bad guys - a few here and there, and a few movies. This was a gritty sort of crime novel about two men who team up to be armed robbers. I was kinda hoping they would get away with it. Ups and downs, a few close calls, and a few twists. The two leads weren't especially likable but they weren't detestable either. All in all a decent read. I thought, though, that Elmore Leonard wrote cowboy fiction. Guess I was wrong!

In Secret Service - Book

This novel is based on the idea that Ian Fleming left a manuscript for later generations that detailed a secret of great importance to the British Royal family (amongst others). I don't know much about Ian Fleming but this book made me want to go out and read some of his books - having seen the movies. Just seems like a good idea. This book took place in at least two time frames - the present and the 30s and 40s. Well written, just enough technical detail for me and a good amount of action. A good read for sure.

Unspeakable - Book

From the cover, I thought this book might be a romance in disguise - which it was. See, you can judge a book by its cover. The story is about a boy who meets a girl and they fall in love. See, a romance. The side stories were: the man has a secret troubled past, the woman is deaf and a has a child and her husband has conveniently died tragically. There is a slimy bank guy trying to buy the ranch. A psychopath or three or four are rampaging and have it out for the family of the deaf girl (her included). A retired sheriff needs closure on a case that has been bugging him for 22 years. And on and on and on. Ok, I am making out to be more formulaic than it is. It was a decent book. Not great. I don't know that I would go out of my way to read another Sandra Brown book, but I also wouldn't kick one out of bed.

The Enemy - Book

I read a Jack Reacher book a long while ago. I may have even mentioned it in a blog post. And then Tom Cruise made a movie about him. Which is weird because Tom is about 5'4" and Jack is supposed to be 6'3". And Tom weighs about 5 pounds sopping wet and Jack is 280 pounds dry. I still liked the movie ok. But...Anyway, this book is much earlier in Jack's life (there are 22 Reacher books, I think - or more) when he was still an MP. A general dies in a motel room and Jack is told to forget about the event. Then another soldier is killed. And he is told to forget about that one as well. But Jack, though good at following orders, isn't good about following those two. A decent crime procedural/thriller ensues. Not a bad read at all!

Cold Pursuit (Book)

I guess the difference between a murder mystery and a crime novel is that...nope, can't think of one. I was going to say that in a crime novel the focus is on a police person solving the crime - but there are many mystery novels where the crime solver is a policeman, aren't there? Maybe I am hallucinating. Anyway, this book was a crime novel by T. Jefferson (Thomas?) Parker, an author I had never heard of. Just a book on a shelf. I don't really understand the title as it relates to the book, either. The story starts with a murder of an older person (no one is old to me anymore at this point in my life)(ok, maybe someone who is 103 might be considered old...) who got bashed in the head by person or persons unknown. The protagonist is a police sargeant, the original prime suspect is, wait for it, a beautiful blond woman, who he falls for, of course. So in that respect it was a bit predictable. But other than that, it was a good crime story.

Final Flight (Book)

After reading one Stephen Coonts book, I was happy to find another one in the piles of books on the lending library shelf in one of the places I am frequenting in Costa Rica. This one is about Jake Grafton, a secondary character (sort of) in the Tommy C. book I recently read. I wanted to see what made him so revered by his fellows. This book is about an attempted hijacking of some nuclear weapons from an American aircraft carrier. Great details about all the workings of the big ship, good action, a little bit of romance mixed in, spies and subterfuges galore. Even a crazy Middle Eastern dictator thrown into the mix. I thought Jake Grafton in this book wasn't presented as a super heroically as I had thought he would be. He made mistakes and was slow on the uptake here and there. Overall, an enjoyable read. If I stumble on more of them (Stephen Coonts books), I will probably read them.

The Fourth Protocol (Book)

Wow, there couldn't have been a much bigger difference between two books that are both considered "thrillers." This book, by the author of The Day of the Jackal was filled with technical details, clever coincidences, logical decisions and a slow ramping up of suspense. Great stuff. The plot revolves around a rogue(ish) plan to set off a backpack nuke in England. John Preston is the protagonist, an MI5 agent who is tenacious, clear thinking, decisive in action and a generally all around nice person. Great read if this is your sort of thriller.

Book - Run for the Money

The book jacket's base color was pink. It looked like it was from a Romance Novel publishing company. But I read it anyway. Did I mention that I have thought of writing Romance Novels? I started one once, but got nowhere quickly. I wonder if I lived in Paradise if I would write more and might be able to crank out one for two or a dozen of them eventually. Hmm. Anyway, this book was a combination Romance and thriller. The protagonist is one "Pink" Pearl, a CPA who gets framed for embezzling and for killing an arch rival. And it gets crazier from there. As a thriller, there were too many deus ex machina's for me - the heroine keeps getting rescued by external people, some of whom we know, others we don't. Also, too much reliance on people's poor observation skills - four of the main characters, well, five if you include pink, make themselves over so well as to be basically unidentifiable, even to people close to them. Two lead complete double lives. Two lead a main life and a secondary life. And pink dresses up as someone else well enough to fool one of the others. Ok, this is why I didn't love this book. Was it ok? Sure. Good, no. Great, definitely now. If someone likes romance novels or simplistically written books, this would be a good read. With its convoluted plot, its outrageous contrivances, it just wasn't the best book for me. Which means, that if I find the first one lying around somewhere, I will probably read it. And I am interested to know who she resolves the love triangle (two not to be believed men are both crazy in love with her, as she is with them - sigh). 

Book - Liars & Thieves

Not sure the title is right, but it really doesn't matter all that much. This thriller by Stephen Coonts certainly kept my attention. Apparently he has been writing thrillers for quite some time. A lot about a Jake Grafton. This one centered on a character that was introduced in one of those stories (according to a blurb I read somewhere) name Tommy Carmellini, a once thief, now turned CIA agent specializing in bugs and break-ins. Tommy is sent to do guard duty at a safe house and finds two dead guards. The ride gets crazy after that. If you like thrillers and wise cracking protagonists, this would be a good summer read. I read it in a day. Too much time on my hands, I guess...

Book - Rasputin's Shadow

One of the cool things about Neuvo Arenal is that because of the large-ish population of expats there are a few places that have lending libraries of books in English (and maybe other languages - but since I can read best in English...). My friend has a bunch of books as well. So, since I am media poor (my laptop's sound has given up the ghost for some reason) I am getting to flex my reading muscles. This time, I read a thriller by Raymond Khoury called Rasputin's Shadow. Lots of things of interest to me in this book. Being a little bit of a Russophile, anything about Russia is cool by me. And Rasputin has always held a bit of fascination. Also, I like thrillers. So there we are. This book is sort of part of a series. The books obviously stand alone since I didn't feel like I was missing anything too important by not having read the previous installments. These characters are interesting and, if I am really bored and in a reading mood, I will look for more of these books when I return stateside. This particular book is about Reilly, an FBI agent who is trying to find out who messed up his kid and at the same time trying to figure out what happened to a Russian Agent who was thrown out of a six floor apartment window. Mind control plays a large part in this book. And the bad guy is pretty bad. All in all a good fun read!

The Princess Bride (Island Movie)

If I could only have one movie on my island, this would be it. Just about the perfect movie in my eyes. Yes, it is not particularly pithy, but that is fine by me. I think I own about four copies of the film. Can't put my fingers on my bluray, but I think I saw my beta max version lying around somewhere. (Ok, not really, no beta max version...) Anyway, if you like funny movies, if you like clever movies, if you like adventure movies, romantic comedies, er, movies in general, you will probably like this movie. It is the story of Wesley and Buttercup who have found true love, only to be torn apart and eventually reunited. Love, death, giants, killer eels - what's not to love! Again, this is a movie I would watch with anyone, anytime, anyplace, in any language on any size screen. Huzzuh!!

Book - The Water Clock

Interesting thriller set in rural England (I think that is where the Fens are (is?). I liked the writer's style and the story was good. It focuses on Philip Dryden, newspaper reporter and sometimes slueth trying to get answers to two questions: what happened to him and his wife two years ago and what happened during a crime 30 years ago. Good characters, well paced. Some oddities here and there, but overall a decent read. Good for people who like murder mysteries, or are they called Crime Fiction now?

Serenity (An Island Movie)

I thoroughly enjoyed the Firefly series. It had its issues, as all shows do, but overall it was well conceived and executed. Sadly, Fox didn't think so. It lasted only one season. There was a huge outpouring of outrage and requests that the show be continued. Somehow, Fox agreed to do a movie, which is Serenity. This is one of the movies that I have seen at least five times and will gladly watch anytime, anywhere with anyone, in any language, on any size screen. Yes, this is an Island Movie.

Is it great art? No. Is it culturally important, doubtful. What it is, is a great (albeit sad in places) story that gives fans of Firefly some sort of closure.

It starts with River being rescued from the government. And ends with River rescuing the crew. Well, sort of. I can't really tell too much of the story without giving the whole thing away. If you like science fiction, I would highly recommend watching this movie. It is fine as a standalone piece, but better understood after watching the extant episodes of the Firefly TV series.

Island Movie! How many do I get? I thought it was five, but maybe it was ten? We shall see. With the advent of huge storage devices, I am sure we could get ten on the island, couldn't we? Hmm? Please?

The Losers

What a fun action film/comic movie! This is not a comic book series with which I was familiar. The protagonists are a bunch of soldiers gone rogue after the CIA tried to kill them and blew up a helicopter filled with kids instead. Decent story, fun characters, over the top action. All around a fun film. And some sexy kick-ass Zoe Saldana bits as well. Fun if you like this sort of thing. As it is an origin story, there is quite a bit of exposition, but it is handle nicely. Sad they didn't make more of these.

Beauty and the Beast - Live action Disney

Netflix is losing its Disney properties soon, so why not watch them while one can. I heard about this movie while it was being made. I was surprised that Emma Watson was chosen to play bell. Not that she isn't attractive. But Belle Beautiful? Not in my eyes. And was that actually her singing? I thought somehow that there were more songs in the movie. I saw the play a couple of times. Oh well. It was entertaining, good effects, Be Our Guest was pretty spectacular. The beast as a beast was good and looked suitably beastly. For some reason, Kevin Kline doesn't often appeal. And his perofrmance here was no different. The guy who played Gaston was good, but not nearly burly enough. Anyway. Worth a watch if you like Disney, or Emma Watson, or musicals.

Book - Basilica

When abroad, I usually don't have a lot of time for reading. This trip is significantly different. Luckily, my friend(s) have accumulated some reading material. The first book to be finished was Basilica by William D. Montalbano. I wonder if he is related to Ricardo Montalban...The book is described as a thriller. It definitely fit the genre. The protagonist is a hard lifed Brother living in Rome helping out himself and his friend the Pope. Long story. Fun read. A little too heavy on the faith aspect (I think at least three miracles is a bit much for one book). Still, despite missing a few pages in the middle, which did nothing I guess to advance the story too much, it was a fun, quick read. I wouldn't object to reading another with the same characters.

In Dubious Battle

Not a great movie but not a bad movie either. James Franco directed and acted in this adaptation of one of Steinbeck's dust bowl novels (the one that few people have heard of). Lots of great actors. Good story. And one that ought to resonate with a lot of people today. Downtrodden apple pickers are infiltrated by workers' rights people who get them to stand up for themselves. Mayhem ensues. Love and death occur as well. All ends. It is a good period piece and a good movie because of today's huge income inequality. Yes, things were even more terrible back then. Thank goodness for all the people who fought and died so that we could have at least what we have now. But we have become so complacent. I wonder what it would take for the people to fight back like they fought in the thirties...

So, if you like any of the actors in the film, if you like Franco, if you like period pieces, if you like Steinbeck, then watch this movie. It isn't going on the island with me, but I am glad I saw it!

(Picture one day...)

Swamp Thing

I came upon a list of Science Fiction movies the other day (I think I have mentioned it elsewhere) and decided to see as many of them as I could. The last 8 or so were animated movies and I have chosen to put those on the back burner for now. One I did not choose to back burner was Swamp Thing. When I was younger, much younger, and reading a lot of comics and collecting a few, I read one or two issues of Swamp Thing. Not the best but not the worst. The movie version was ok. It was very 80s, so if that is something you like, this might be a movie for you. It is an origin story, so there is a lot of exposition and not a lot of plot. Just girl meets boy, boy gets turned into a monster, bad people want to steal the research and capture girl so monster saves the day and the girl. Fun stuff. My main complaint about the movie was the Swamp Thing just wasn't slimy enough. Maybe it is time for a modern treatment so that Swamp Thing can be just as awesomely messy as he was in the comics.

(Poster Coming one day perhaps when I once again have zippy internet)

Two Night Stand

Miles Teller, I am mostly a fan. And this movie did not detract from my fandom. There is just something comfortable to me when he performs. A sincerity and a realness. His costar, Analeigh Tipton, in this movie, who was actually the main character, so I guess he is technically her costar,  didn't appeal to me as much. I don't know if it is actually her that I didn't warm up to, or her character. Either way, I wasn't so turned off that I didn't enjoy the movie. In other words, I did enjoy the movie. Analeigh's character has a bad break-up and so she seeks a one night stand. She ends up in Brooklyn (from Manhattan) with Mile's character. Their evening passes pleasantly enough. The morning finds them snowed in so they have to stay together, even though they had had a melt down of their budding relationship. Hilarity (of sorts) ensues. Some fun stuff. A couple of twists I didn't see coming, which is always good. Definitely worth a watch if you like either of the actors or if you like Romantic Comedies.

Hitman

This was an earlier version of the Hitman 47 video game movie. It starred someone whose face I know - I think he was on Vegas or something. Oh, Timothy Oliphant, who I loved on Deadwood. Which as a show I enjoyed very much. I think that was the first show I binge watched on Netflix. I digress. This Hitman movie also had a lot of carnage - a bit less than the other, later version. And the base story was different - in this one, 47 is set up after he kills a Russian Oligarch and everyone is after him. He teams up with the Russian's ex-girlfriend and mayhem ensues. For some reason, Oliphant, who was fine in the movie, just seemed to be too familiar for me to feel totally comfortable with him in that role. And do not watch the alternate ending. Too depressing. For fans, this is a dandy movie - not great, but fun.

The Great Wall

Matt Damon alway makes me look into a movie. That is how I came to watch The Great Wall. His accent was weird, sort of a Boston accent - maybe he was a brigand from Massachusetts. Who knows? Anyway, this was a movie that was an interesting combination of a Occidental action movie and a Chinese action movie. Lots of amazing acrobatics, great fight scenes. The story was ok at best. I did end up liking Matt's character - his compatriot not as much. Willem Defoe was not great in this either. But, overall, a visual feast and a fun movie. I don't know why it got panned so badly. Perhaps because a lot of people don't get Chinese cinema? Quick synopsis - Matt and friends are heading to China to get "black powder" so they can be rich and powerful back West. The stumble onto the real reason behind the Great Wall - a 60 year incursion of monsters led by an all powerful queen. Right. Anyway, it was good fun. Rent it for Matt or for the Chinese movie-ness or for the plain old action. And Matt is wicked good with the bow in this movie! :)

Hitman: Agent 47

Fun video game adaptation movie. There are at least two of these (Hitman) out in the world. I happened to watch this one first. Overall, a fun film. Hitman 47 is trying to find the man who created him with the help of the man's daughter. Lots of action, though overall forgettable. If you like action films or video game films this i a good rental. Otherwise, a don't rush out to watch this one. 

Russian Dolls

French love story film. I watched this one because I saw a trailer for it. Apparently it is the sequel to an earlier movie that I have not seen and probably won't go out of my way to watch. Not that this one was bad in any way. It was actually quite entertaining. A young man tries to figure out if he can find happiness with just one woman. Decent romantic comedy for those who like that sort of thing, like me. Audrey Tatou is in it (of Amelie fame) though with too small a part.

A History of Violence

Viggo Mortensen was the reason that I first chose to watch this film. It started as a bucolic fairytale seeming movie then took a sharp turn into an action/mystery film. Over all, I enjoyed the film. If you are a Mortensen fan or in actions/mystery van then this might be a good movie for you to watch. Poster to follow.

Snow Cake

I love Alan Rickman. So sad that he died. He and Sigourney Weaver did a great job in this film. A story of a man and an adult Autistic woman dealing with their lives as best they can in Wintery Canada. Good acting, well written story, good cinematography. All in all, a good watch! Oh, and Carrie Ann Moss was enjoyable too.

The Exception

Very interesting story. I don't know how much of it is true. About Kaiser Wilhelm being sequestered on a mansion in Holland after WWI and a German who comes to be in charge of his protection detail during WWII. Probably only the part about the Kaiser being in Holland...The movie has a love story in the middle of a political/spy story. But Lily James makes the whole thing even more enjoyable. Good acting. And I love period pieces - yay costumes! The actor who played the lead German was unfamiliar to me. And Christopher Plummer rocked his Wilhelm. All in all an enjoyable (to me) film!

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Surprisingly enjoyable. The reviews for this movie are pretty bad. As an Arthurian story, it does get a bit far from the traditional story. But as an action/sword and sorcery movie, it was pretty good. Arthur escapes death and floats down the river (like Moses?). Some nice prostitutes take him in and he is raised on the wrong side of the tracks where he learns to be a bad ass and at the same time a good leader. His evil Uncle, played by a scenery chewing Jude Law (not always, but a few times during the movie) is searching for the "born king." Mayhem ensues. Enjoyable mayhem. If you like Sword and Sorcery Adventure movies, you might like this film. If you are a diehard, true to the accumulated myths Arthur fan, I would definitely steer clear of this one. Not an island movie, yet good fun.

Slow West

As far as Westerns are concerned, this one was pretty good. I like Westerns generally. I like the Wild West. There was some grittiness to this movie that I appreciated. The leads were both good - is it me or does Michael Fassbender seem to be in a lot of movies lately? The story is about a young guy from England seeking his beloved who has fled to the West of the US. And the semi-moralistic bounty hunter who helps him out. Kind of a buddy movie. Kind of a typical Western. A good see. (Nope, not on the island.)

Blood Ties

I liked this movie more than I thought I would. Another trailer find, I think. Clive Owen was in it, who I usually enjoy. Mila Kunis who has never thrilled me. Marion Cotillard who I know from somewhere was good. Overall the acting was decent. And the story of two brothers who end up on different sides of the law, although not by any stretch of imagination is a new thing, was handled decently. A little predictable at the end, though. Not a terrible waste of time for sure!

The Expendables 2

The second one was actually better, at least more enjoyable than the first one. I don't think that it was good enough to make me endure the 3 and 4 installments, though. The really good thing about this one was that they added bigger roles for Arnold Schwarzeneger and Bruce Willis. And parts for Chuck Norris and Jean Claude Van Damme. And this one had more of a sense of fun and a sense of the ridiculousness of the whole thing. If you must watch one of the Expendables, this would be the one. And Jason Statham!

The Expendables

Sylvester Stallone wrote, starred in and directed this action hero mash-up. When I watched the extra material for the second one, I discovered that my perception of the first movie was similar to Sly's - that it didn't really know what genre it wanted to be. It had a lot of splattering blood. And a few moments of humor. A few of seriousness. Who knows? Anyway, glad I won't have to watch it again. I have never been a huge Sylvester Stallone fan...

Dark Shadows

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp worked together to create a movie version of the TV show (about which I only know the name). I have mixed feelings about both Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. When the work gels, it is excellent. This movie just felt a bit off somehow. Maybe it was the 20 minutes of exposition at the beginning, which, though necessary was still long. I didn't really like any of the characters in the movie. And the plot sort of lumped along. Good effects. I don't know, just not a huge fan of this movie. Yes, it was an origin story, and maybe the original had characters that people grew to love. I just didn't like any of them. Oh well. Chloe was in it, so that was a good thing. I think that might have been how I came upon this movie...

Nowhere Boy

This is a John Lennon early days biopic. I saw a trailer for it and thought "Heck, I would like to know more about John Lennon's time before The Beatles." So I got it out of the library. Not a bad film. I sort of had learned some things about John's life through osmosis. I don't know how accurate Nowhere Boy is, but it was interesting and enjoyable to me.

Burnt

Third movie of the night and I saved the best for last! Burnt, starring Bradley Cooper (who I have a soft spot for) was the lead - a chef who had flamed out a few years before the start of the movie and burned a lot of bridges. Movies about food are one of my favorites. I think they ought to be a genre unto themselves. Has there been a tragic food movie? I know there have been comedies and thrillers (Rabbit anyone?). Good acting all around, great looking food (I wish I could afford to eat like that once a month) and a script that was fresh enough that it mostly kept me interested. If you like Bradley Cooper, or food movies then this will be a particularly tasty treat for you. Still not an island movie - though it was close.

The Sweet Life

I had no idea what this movie was about beyond the little blurb on Netflix and that it told me it was a 94% match whatever the heck that means. (And then there was dementia - probably Alzheimers.) I liked both of the lead actors. A few predictable bits. A few unpredictable as the two leads travel across the country with plans to commit suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Good enough for government work, meaning that it is a good watch in my book. But not an island movie.

The Outcasts

I love coming of age films. And high school movies. And this was both of those. As an example of the genre it was fun but not great. I liked a few of the actors and characters. A bunch of outcasts try to turn their high school hierarchy around with mixed results. Not for everyone unless you like the genres mentioned above. Certainly won't be on the island with me, but not devastated that I watched it.

Love, Rosie

I watched this because of Lily Collins. Not ashamed to admit it. I wonder if she and Liv Tyler et al hang out together. Am I the only person who thinks that all celebrities hang out together? The movie turned out to be entertaining. It was a romanic comedy, one of my favorite genres, along the lines of When Harry Met Sally but with a few twists here and there. The other characters were interesting. And the script was good. Overall, I give it a good, but not an island movie score.

After the Wedding

Yay! Another movie with dying in it. And not the silly kind like in action movies. Sigh. Death is every where. Anyway, this film had a lot of twists in it, which is a good thing. I like when films are not predictable. Started off with a man who was helping orphans in India having to fly to Denmark to meet a potential benefactor - but everything isn't as it seems. The lead is invited to a wedding at the benefactor's house and it just goes off in tangents from there. Good stuff overall. If you are a fan of foreign films, or like well written and well acted dramas, this just might be a movie you would like to watch. Not an island movie, but good.

X-Men: Apocalypse

Comic movies! Rah! As such, this wasn't too bad. A few plot holes here and there, a little bit of scenery chewing. Good effects and a decent story overall - the young mutants have to fight a super mutant from Egyptian times. Jennifer Lawrence had a biggish part, which made me happy. I think the actor who plays Professor X is a bit, I don't know the right word, smarmy perhaps? Anyway, good action sequences for the most part and a fun movie. Especially if you like that sort of thing. If you are lukewarm to comic book movies, give this one a pass. Oh, and Olivia Munn! Not great role for her in terms of onscreen time but I do enjoy seeing her.

Life of Crime

Despite a decent cast, I just found almost nothing to like about this movie. It is a sort of black comedy I guess. Some people kidnap a woman only to find out that her husband isn't so interested in ransoming her. Right. So. Watch it only if you absolutely love some of the actors. Otherwise, watch something else.

The Last Witch Hunter

Vin Diesel is not my favorite. Oh well. I like things about magic (which includes witches) and action movies so it checked those two boxes. Elijah Wood was in the movie but didn't seem like his was that substantial a role. Michael Caine is always enjoyable. And an actress named Rose Leslie who I vaguely recalled from somewhere. Looking her up on IMDB reveals that she was on Downton Abbey! Ah, I remember her now. She was the one who wanted to become a secretary. Anyway, quick synopsis - Vin Diesel kills a witch and then is cursed with immortality - and he keeps on killing witches. I don't want to give way too much, so I will leave it there. Ok at best overall. Definitely not going anywhere near the island, despite Michael Caine and Rose Leslie.

Private Fears in Public Places (Coeurs)

Hearts is a much simpler title. The English title comes from Alan Ayckbourn's play. There were some good performances in this darkish comedy about love and missed connections. And some oddities - like the kinky life of the rental agency worker. And again, it had some resonances with me - the bartender character took care of his mother till she passed and then took in his estranged father to do his best at taking care of him too. It is hard looking for one's own relationship when one is a caregiver, or at least that was my experience. I would recommend this film for people who like Alan Ayckbourn or movies about love (even the missed sort of love...) Still not an island film yet. How many of those do I get, BTW? I was thinking five...

American Ultra

Kristen Stewart. Again. And I still don't find her intriguing. Jesse Eisenberg I have a soft spot for. I don't know why. This movie had potential - a laid back Bourne Identity sort of movie. And there were a few good bits here and there - though Jesse did a bit of scenery chewing when he was playing angst. But it just missed the mark for me. Topher Grace was a pleasant surprise for me - I always like to see him. And Connie Britton. Not an A-Lister, is she, but I still like to see her in things. So, not a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Maybe more of an aloha sort of had gesture thingy.

You Kill Me

Took me a while to recognize Ben Kingsley, which is a good thing I guess. Interesting movie about a mob's hitman who gets sent to SF for rehab. Good acting all around. OK story. Ben Kingsley's accent was a bit confusing to me. I always like Téa Leoni for some reason. And I always enjoy SF settings. My old stomping grounds. All in all, worth a watch if you like any of the leads or enjoy dark comedies about assassins.

Okja

Why did I watch this? The second disturbing movie of the night. What a great way to spend a Sunday night - watching two movies that make me feel guilty for eating. Sigh. This was an odd film and I am not really sure what its message was supposed to be. Some company creates a super pig program and farms the piglets out all over the world. One ends up in remote Korea where a young girl and the superpig grow up together and form a special bond. Then the evil company wants to slaughter the pig. Sigh. Glad I was finished dinner by the time I watched this. Ack, even. Not a bad movie, just not something I would willing watch again or suggest to anyone to watch, unless you have "thing" for CGI super pigs.

Sausage Party

A little too much potty mouth - and I am not a huge Seth Rogen fan (who played the lead), this animated adult feature was quite disturbing. Looking at food from the food's perspective made eating dinner (which I happened to be doing while watching the film) odd. There was a bit too much scatological and sexual for my tastes. Others might enjoy it much more than I did.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Hit home a bit with someone dying and all. Oops, that is a bit of a spoiler, sort of. Anyway, I enjoy independent films. This one had a few actors none of whom I recognized. The two main leads were both enjoyable to watch. I think I would have liked to have seen a bit more of the movies that Earl and Greg created. I didn't think much of the movie that they made for the dying girl. Grief is a powerful force. Opportunities to cry a bit seem to everywhere just now.