One cold weekend day Mike and I made it to a showing of Leo DiCaprio’s latest Oscar attempt The Revenant. The story is an embellished telling of the Hugh Glass story. They gave him a son and wife that in history didn’t exist. Still the core of the story is real – Hugh was attacked by a bear (no not raped nor was Leo) buried for dead and came after the men that left him. It happened in Spring/Summer not Winter. But oh well, Hollywood has to up the stakes and pull the heartstrings, I get getting inspired by a true story and building upon it. Now to the movie itself. Do I think Leo pinned his Oscar here? (more…)
Back in September we discovered this movie on Netflix. Mike started it, rewound it, and called me in to watch it. I’m glad he did. This sci-fi (or is it syfy or science fiction) movie with the tension of the first Alien combined with questions about humanity similar to those in 2001. (more…)
Back in the heat of August Mike and I were looking for something to do on a hot Sunday afternoon. We opted for a movie. The choices when we wanted to go were Ant-Man and Man From U.N.C.L.E. I wasn’t so avid to see Ant-Man (I never liked the character) but would choose Marvel as a default setting. So I let Mike pick since he was going and it was Man From U.N.C.L.E. or as I like to think of it the movie that was bored with itself. (more…)
Yes we are hammering away at our recorded movie backlog. I mean really what else are you going to do on a cold March evening? Looking for something light, we chose RIPD. It fit the bill for light entertainment.
We have a lot of movies to watch at our house. You see our cable company gave all subscribers a free month of HBO. Top this great offer with Mike’s love of movies and that gives us an 80% full recording cable box. He even taped a plethora of chick flicks and I don’t like chick flicks. Apparently he does or he’s trying to get in touch with his softer side. Either way, it just about a movie a night around here.
One he taped I’d never heard of Being Flynn. (more…)
What does one do when at the beach and the temp is over 100F with feels-like temps over 110F? Well go see a movie in a nice air conditioned movie theater that’s what. We did exactly that one hot evening in Norfolk. Mike wanted to see Lone Ranger. I vetoed that very quickly the badly CGI’d rubbery looking horse on top of the train in the commercial turned me off. Also I’m not into westerns much and prefer gritty ones or comedy – think Blazing Saddles.
Aaron had seen WWZ and said it was good. If a bio-chemist with epidemiology emphasis and loves actions flicks says it’s good we’re game. Besides I adore zombies from Walking Dead (comic or TV show) to Shaun of the Dead. I’m up for zombies. Heck even in bad movies zombies are good.
I wasn’t sure what to expect since I had read part of the book and liked it. It was a cyber check out and returned itself before I had time to finish it. That was a busy time and I’ve not put myself back on the waiting list for the kindle edition or paper one. I went in aware that there were changes from the book. First Brad Pitt made the movie for his son who loved the book so he wanted the hero he played to have a more family focus and in the end make it back to his family. Understandable, I can take differing stories (The Walking Dead does that) if both are well done.
Let me say up front WWZ did not disappoint in the action department. Then again when it is a true World War action is a requirement. The zombies being fast moving and traveling in insect swarms was well done and chilling. It really dehumanized them fast and made them things instead of Uncle Billy gone wrong. The moral issues of can we save them goes out the window very fast when they are doing things like piling up to rip helicopters out of the air.
The special effects were good. I’d heard that the swarms were a struggle to get a non rubbery look to them. They were decent and shown in quick flashes so they couldn’t be over scrutinized. Which honestly when running from zombies – that’s all you’d take in any way fast flashing looks to think “Holy shit they just tore my ride from the sky!” and run off to find a good hole to hide in and defend.
Over all it was a great Summer action flick with a very smart ending. It doesn’t resolve all the issues but it’s a nice chapter closing one. It gives room for sequels and I read that one is in the works. Unlike the book where it’s a series of characters telling their WWZ stories and from that we get the history of the incident it appears the movies are going to follow Pitt’s character. If you like zombies, action flicks, or both this is a good movie for you.
Now that said here are some spoilers that are issues I had with the movie. If you don’t want spoilers then don’t go below the jump.
Mary Louise Eklund 