Film Review: Uncharted

 "Nuns. Why did it have to be Nuns?" 

I've been looking forward to seeing this film for such a long time. I'm not a gamer but I've watched some of the Uncharted stories from the games plus the fan-made short with Nathan Fillion as Nathan Drake - so I know a little but not enough to enrage me if there are deviations from the game plots. 

I watched this with someone who knew nothing about Uncharted at all. For example, he asked what sort of film it is and I said that it was a little bit like Indiana Jones. 

The main characters are Nate (Tom Holland) and Sully (Mark Wahlberg) whose connection is Nate's brother, Sam (missing, presumed dead). The film begins with the brothers as naughty boys, Sam leaves younger brother Nate to be raised in an orphanage by nuns. Eventually Nate comes of age, leaves the orphanage and gets a job as a barman, supplementing his income by stealing stuff. 

Sully finds Nate and, after some cat-and-mouse games, they team up to search for Magellan's gold. Of course, they are not the only ones on the trail so they encounter some rough enemies, including the woman who shot Sam. 

At the end, as with Indy's adventures, there is a wistful but not unhappy ending to the film, followed by a teaser for a sequel which, at the end of 2023, we are still waiting to hear if/when it's to be given the green light. I hope so.

I enjoyed this film and the person with whom I watched it also enjoyed it (possibly not as much as me though). If I had to name one thing that niggled me, it was the destruction of two perfectly preserved, centuries-old sailing ships. But then, I have to remember that it's not real, just a story.

 

Review - Ready Player One - The Book

First of all, it's hard to believe that this is the author's first novel. Secondly - how will Ernest Cline follow that! Almost ten years later, we're still waiting to find out.

For anyone who is not a 'gamer', I'd recommend reading the book before trying the film. I was given this excellent advice because the book explains references to games in the story-line in a way that the film doesn't, because it's focusing on the action. Special effects are a substitute for imagination, I guess. I was totally absorbed in the book - and I'm one of those weird freaks who has never, ever played a video game and I have no intention of doing so.

The story is futuristic, set a couple of decades hence, but the over-riding theme is inspired by the 1980s. There are many references to that era to keep the interest of people born before then. Not just gamers and not just Americans - the story includes British and Japanese culture from around that decade. Rock and pop music, fantasy-world book authors, such as Terry Pratchett, plus many, many film references, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which made me smile - yes I remember the '80s.

The film, directed by Steven Spielberg, was released in 2018. I've not seen it yet but I have discussed it with a couple of people who have watched the film but not read the book... READ THE BOOK! If there is a downside, it's that the font size used in the book is minuscule. It's all small print that required me to use a combination of reading glasses and bright sunlight or, in the evenings, I tried a daylight torch and a magnifying glass - neither of which were ideal. And I don't have enough hands to use both and hold the book open and turn the pages.

It's a well-written book but the genre isn't for everyone. I loved it and I'm looking forward to watching the film in the near future.

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p.s. I read Good Omens quite some time ago and recently watched the series on TV. And now I'm going to re-read the book...

DVD Film Review: I Love You, Man.

I Love You, Man (2009)

A John Hamburg Film

Starring Paul Rudd & Jason Segal
Co-starring Rashida Jones 

Mike from Friends meets Marshall from HIMYM

Paul Rudd's character is an Estate Agent who proposes to his girlfriend and the wedding planning begins...

The groom-to-be has no male friends and is not close to his much older brother. He overhears the bride-to-be discussing his lack of friends with her friends and he sets out on a quest to find a best man.

After some desperate attempts to 'man-date', he is hosting an Open House to sell Lou (The Hulk) Ferrigno's property and starts chatting to Jason Segal's character about the food. They get along well and, despite Paul Rudd's character trying too hard to be cool, they become good friends but the friendship begins to affect the engagement.

There was a point where we were not quite sure if Jason Segal's character was trustworthy, as he asks for money for an investment but it was a valid, although unusual and interesting, investment.

The girlfriend, played by Rashida Jones, was charming throughout and everything works out well with the wedding going ahead at the end of the film. And we hope they all lived happily ever after.

Beebopalula

Reviews of Recent Films, Summer 2014

Films viewed: A Long Way Down, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Postman Pat, The Amazing Spider-man 2, Captain America: the Winter Soldier.

1. A Long Way Down

Based on the book by Nick Hornby. Starring Pierce Brosnan (007), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Imogen Poots, Toni Collette.

I enjoyed A Long Way Down - despite the story being about suicide attempts which, in real life, are not funny. Four people determined to jump off a roof in London on New Year's Eve are surprised to find that they are not alone. The characters are sympathetic and the dialogue was often amusing. I just wish that I could remember some of the amusing quotes... sorry, you'll have to watch it yourselves.

2. The Grand Budapest Hotel

Cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel (but not Johnny Depp).

Wes Anderson's quirky film is an interesting recount of the hotel's ownership over 50-ish years and how the current and previous owners came to own it. A gentle, amusing comedy-drama; well acted, well made.

3. Postman Pat: The Movie

You will recognise the voices of David Tennant, Stephen Mangan, Jim Broadbent, Ronan Keating and perhaps Rupert Grint. Quite a few plot holes but the under-7s will probably overlook them. Look out for the guest appearance by a Dalek.

I think I may have become slightly de-geeked, reaching saturation point for superhero films, but here goes...

4. The Amazing Spider-man 2

I really like Andrew Garfield as Spiderman and this is a great film.
Familiar storyline of Peter Parker losing the girl and having to battle with his best friend. If you've not overdosed on Spidey films during the past decade, you should enjoy this one.

5. Captain America: the Winter Soldier

Starring Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Redford.
High-level shenanigans in the USA as SHIELD is infiltrated by Hydra and can no longer be trusted. The mysterious Winter Soldier emerges to battle with Captain America. Good, exciting storyline but how will they rebuild the city, yet again, in time for the next film - and where's the money coming from? Still, not as much devastation and destruction as in the Superman vs Zod battle.

BP2

Review - The Butler

On IMDB, The Butler has only 3.5 stars. Forest Whitaker's performance alone is worth another star.

The story is based on a real one and shows how the USA has progressed from apartheid to the election of President Barack Obama, as experienced by the lead character, Cecil. His family worked in the southern cotton fields and were brutalised by the owners. As a boy, Cecil was taken to the house as a servant and subsequently perfected those skills throughout his life to become a respected member of staff at The White House.

The story of his career is interlaced with his family life. He had a long, solid relationship with his wife (played by Oprah Winfrey) and a difficult relationship with his rebellious first son. He was proud of his younger son who was killed in the Vietnam war. Snippets of Cecil's life at The White House reveal insights into the administrations of several presidents over a number of years.

In Cecil's later years, he and his eldest son are reconciled and, towards the end of the film, they celebrate Obama's victory together.

Why Forest Whitaker's performance was incredible: I really believed he had become a frail old man in his 90s and found myself wondering if he was still alive in real life... he's only in his early 50s!

Other films to watch with Forest Whitaker: The Last King of Scotland, Good Morning Vietnam & The Color of Money.

A last minute Wannabe Guide to the Fringe of the Edinburgh Festival

Suddenly inspired, penniless and without any sponsors, you decide to wander up to the Edinburgh Fringe and try your stuff, for free, on an audience that is likely to be receptive. As long as it isn’t raining, The Meadows is a great place to find people relaxing with their picnics.

Tip#1. Your material must be suitable for a family audience - nothing rude, lewd, illegal and no swearing.

Tip#2. Keep your act short and have some variations so people seeing you for a second time are not immediately bored.

Tip#3. Don’t force people to watch you by invading their space or interrupting whatever they are doing - let them find you.

Tip#4. Ensure that you stand out from the crowd. This isn’t easy in a city full of wannabes who are also trying to get noticed. Try a number of ‘looks’ to find out what works best. For example, heckling Tim Vine whilst dressed as a tomato will allow him to use you in his act – let’s face it, you won’t even need to heckle if he can see you in the audience.

Male, female or a duo, here’s a brilliant ‘family audience’ costume that you can wear with ease…

TWISTER DRESS | TWISTER JUMPSUIT   

Finally, here are some useful links for visiting the Fringe:

Survival Guide http://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/2014/features/a_guide_to_visiting_2014_edinburgh_fringe/

What’s On http://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/2014/

Tickets https://www.edfringe.com/

Back to the Future Rebel without a Cause

Recently, I watched Rebel without a Cause, a 1955 film, the year that Marty McFly travelled back to in the original Back to the Future.

I have to admit that the lifestyles portrayed were getting on my nerves; James Dean played a teenager of 16/17 years of age whose parents bickered constantly and the girl-next-door, played by Natalie Wood, was physically pushed away by her father for hugging him. Both families seemed 'middle-class' and were the antithesis of the usual happy families from films of the era - and maybe that was the point.

The main character, Jim (James Dean) was a good guy whose biggest flaw was that he couldn't resist a challenge if he was called 'chicken' (ring any bells, BTTF fans?) therefore when Buzz / Biff made the call, Jim McFly responded.

There ensued a 'chicken' car driving contest, similar to the duel that was revived in Grease. This one involved driving stolen cars off the edge of a cliff and jumping out at the last second.

Throughout the film, I was appalled that 16/17 year olds were roaming the streets all night with no evidence of parental concern - maybe that was the Wild West legacy - and that didn't seem very realistic to me... until the news reminds me that this is happening in UK inner cities, almost 60 years later.

I'm glad I've finally seen the film and I'd probably recommend that film fans should see it but don't expect to love it. 

More Film Reviews...

The 39 Steps - stage play adaptation

I've seen a couple of the film versions, years ago, and recently read the book by John Buchan. Yesterday, I saw the stage play adaptation of The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow, performed in the West End by a cast of four.

It was cleverly funny, with numerous references to Alfred Hitchcock (director of the 1935 film) including his silhouette, some birds, a rear window, vertigo, the man who knew too much and a 'psycho' moment.

One of the many highlights was delivered by 'Mr Memory':

"Who won the cup in 1926? The Tottenham Hotspurs won the cup in 1926 defeatin’ the Arsenal Gunners by Five goals to nil in the presence of His Majesty King George the Fifth. Am I right, sir?"

According to theFA.com, he wasn't:

• Tottenham Hotspur won the cup in 1921, beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0
• Bolton Wanderers beat Manchester City in 1926, 1-0
• Arsenal reached the final in 1927, losing to Cardiff, 1-0

But who cares? We'll take that win! ;-)

3BPs

Passion vs Perfection in music

Quite often, my favourite songs from an artist or a band are their early ones where the enthusiasm and excitement comes across. As an example, listen to '5 colours' from McFly and compare it with their later recordings which are very good but less exciting.



Going way back, other examples include Cliff Richard and David Essex. An exception to this is Queen whose synergy grew to the heights of unparalleled entertainment, both visually and musically. Many 'entertainers' have tried, including Elton John and Robbie Williams, but none have come close (in my opinion) to those four talented people in a harmonious direction.

Except, perhaps, The Beatles with their song-writing talents and harmonies, who exempted themselves by shifting their style (and possibly the LSD was a factor in that). But, unlike Queen, The Beatles were talented people with ambitions in different musical directions.

And the other exception: the constantly shape-shifting David Bowie.

This theory is more difficult to prove for 'mentored' artists but if we think back to the X-factor final between Joe McElderry with a perfect voice that won him the competition and Olly Murs whose voice was good and gave him in second place - who really won? Olly Murs had the energy and obvious enjoyment of performing for his audience and is as popular as Joe McElderry is obscure - thus illustrating that passion beats perfection.

Beebopalula

Doctor Who's Birthdays

A truly random post. Here is a list of Doctor Who's birthdays - well, the birthdays of all the actors who have been Doctor Who. Might be handy in some sort of weird quiz!

• 8 January 1908 - William Hartnell (Capricorn)
• 20 January 1934 - Tom Baker (Capricorn)
• 22 January 1940 - John Hurt (Aquarius)
• 16 February 1964 - Christopher Eccleston (Aquarius)
• 25 March 1920 - Patrick Troughton (Aries)
• 13 April 1951 - Peter Davison (Aries)
• 14 April 1958 - Peter Capaldi (Aries)
• 18 April 1971 - David Tennant (Aries)
• 26 May 1913 - Peter Cushing (Gemini)
• 8 June 1943 - Colin Baker (Gemini)
• 7 July 1919 - Jon Pertwee (Cancer)
• 20 August 1943 - Sylvester McCoy (Leo)
• 28 October 1982 - Matt Smith (Scorpio)
• 14 November 1959 - Paul McGann (Scorpio)

Additional Comic Relief Doctors* not included!
*Rowan Atkinson, Richard E Grant, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant & Joanna Lumley.

3BPs

Film Reviews: Action & Comedy Genres

In 2014, so far, I've watched these films:

• About Time
• Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
• Iron Man Three
• Man Of Steel
• Red 2
• The Hangover Part III
• The Internship
• The World's End
• We're The Millers

About Time is based in London and Cornwall. It's the story of nice middle class family, headed up by Bill Nighy's character who passes on a secret to his son. This is where the film declares itself to be charmingly silly rather than sinister... the men in the family can travel back in time for a do-over, by hiding in a dark cupboard, clenching fists and concentrating on the time and place to be visited, which has to be within their own timeline.
Summary: a little bit of sadness and a lot of laughs. Excellent casting by a 'Withnail' and 'Uncle Monty' fan? Nighy was brilliant.

Alpha Papa is as good as the Alan Partridge TV series so if you are a fan, you will like it. I thought it was quite good.

Iron Man Three had a few moments of over-doing the destruction of Tony Stark's house otherwise the film was first-rate, with the usual brand of humour and Stan Lee cameo. Overly long credits worth sitting through for the post-credit scene with... well, you'll find out if you stick with it.

The story, casting and Superman's costume in Man Of Steel are great. Enjoyable until the battle between Kal-El and General Zod gets out of hand and destroys every building within three miles then has to step up so half the Earth gets destroyed (I'm not sure really because after what seemed like hours of samey fighting and simulated destruction, my mind had wandered). It ended well, though. Does Superman look a bit like Andy Murray?

Red 2 seemed very similar to the original but never mind because it was played for laughs all the way. Special mention to Helen Mirren's performance - she surely had some of the best lines in the film and delivered them brilliantly.

The Hangover Part III was missing a hangover!!! A more mature approach from most of the cast and a funny film that seemed to underline the message 'no more hangover sequels'.

I only saw half of The Internship but I was really getting into it and will have to watch it again, to the end. It's about two experienced out-of-work sales guys who fluke their way onto an Internship challenge at Google. Formulaic but fun.

The World's End was quite good. I will need to watch it again but on DVD so that I can pause to fully recognise parts of Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City. Weird ending.

We're The Millers was a bit of fun. A grittier start for Jennifer Aniston who plays a stripper who then, as the film progresses, turns back into the typical sweet caring Jennifer Aniston character we're used to. A 'real life Ned Flanders' and his family adds to the comedy. Entertaining - definitely on the winding-down watch-list.

BP2

Book Reviews 2013

I downloaded a number of books this summer, including some classics. The ones I have read most recently are still in my memory and will be briefly reviewed here:

• Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
• Rushed - Brian Harmon
• Officer Jones - Derek Ciccone
• The Travel Auction - Mark Green

I had the Treasure Island book as a child but couldn't get into it. As an adult, I enjoyed reading it. Possibly some of the hero's feats are dubious but a good story and a happy ending puts this on my recommended book list. (UK)

The humorous telephone banter in Rushed kept me company during my journey with the main character, who was on a mystery quest that came to him in a recurring dream. The story itself was mostly interesting, as were most of the other characters who were introduced in the story-telling. Personally, I thought that the mystery should have been left as such at the end of the book because I felt that the explanation was a let-down. However, the 'hero' is worth getting to know and I would recommend this book as a worthy read - you may even like the ending. (USA)

A well-written novel about a TV news journalist who travels to the world's trouble spots and decides to cover one more job... after which he returns to his home town and the story focuses on Officer Jones, an exemplary cop with a perfect military and police background, apparently. It's a good investigative journalist story with a bit of a love interest. Formulaic, perhaps, but don't let that put you off, it's a good read and the characters in the book are so well described that they become people you feel you know. I wouldn't be surprised to see this as a TV mini-series. (USA)

The Travel Auction by Mark Green is a breath of fresh air. It's boy meets girl with a difference. I felt like a privileged friend to both as they shared their travel experiences and thoughts throughout the book. Amazingly, no - brilliantly - there was no gratuitous sex throughout the book, which some authors feel compelled to use in lieu of confident story-telling (I'm not saying that there's no sex). It has humour, drama and plot set in a travellers' guide to South America. I loved this book and thoroughly recommend it. According to the author's website, the paperback version may be available now/soon - a great stocking filler! (UK)

Reading Sir ACD's Sherlock Holmes

Thanks to a free download from Amazon book store to my kindle, I've been reading through the full Sherlock Holmes stories for a while now and I'll be sorry when I'm finished (which I nearly have, so I've slowed down) because I'll miss the companionship of Holmes and Watson. Sounds odd, I know.

Another odd thing I noticed while reading was that, in my head, Sherlock Holmes' dialogue was delivered in the style and voice of Jonny Lee Miller (from the SkyTV series "Elementary") yet my head-based Watson was played by Martin Freeman.

Of note: Moriarty barely featured in the books, same with Irene Adler, both hyped up from the original stories. I also recognised a few expressions that had been 'borrowed' from the stories, too. Not so many as from Shakespeare's works, of course, but interesting (I never could get to grips with Will's style of writing). Thumbs up for ACD!

Here's a link to the free downloadable version: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1661

Film Review: The Watch

Not to be confused with The Watch in the Discworld novels. 

Starring: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Richard Ayoade and Jonah Hill.
Synopsis: four men form a Neighbourhood Watch group, the local police are rude, there are aliens.

Two of us watched this film and had contrasting opinions. It began with the CostCo night-watchman irresponsibly getting drunk then murdered, the police didn't take it seriously. His manager and friend, played by Stiller, appeals for help to find the killer and the other 3 co-stars turn up to half-heartedly form the Watch, the police didn't take them seriously. The Watch members get drunk but not killed, although someone else does, which is when the Watch discover an alien.

At some point, there's an orgy and a separate episode involving a teenage daughter and her gross boyfriend. The film ends where it began - at CostCo. I won't describe how it ends as the last half an hour was the most engaging of the whole film and, should you watch it, I don't want to spoil it for you.

Summary:
Him: "after the first half hour, it was quite good".
Me: "75% was total rubbish, the end bit was OK".

Psychosis - short film

A 5-minute 'film noir' mystery with a sting... keep watching after the credits!



This was one of a series of short films by NHC media students, shown at the Broadway Cinema in Letchworth (aka Mermaid in Worlds End), June 2013.

The story features a detective and introduces Malum, a character inspired by adversaries such as Moriarty and the Riddler.

The end is a one-on-one, each with a gun. Off camera, we hear a shot. Roll credits... Who survives? Keep watching.

No Weddings & Three Funerals

I went to see a kids' drama club's annual showcase. The senior group wrote and performed a modern snippet of a Shakespeare play.

Juliet, an actor, is betrothed to Paris, a director, but tells him that she wants to call off the wedding because she and the light-and-sound technician, Romeo, have fallen in love.

Romeo is responsible for an accidental death and runs off. Meanwhile, Juliet plots to escape from clingy Paris by pretending to be dead. Paris is angry and, blaming Romeo for Juliet's death, Paris shoots and kills Romeo. Juliet, not really dead, awakes to discover the murder weapon next to Romeo's body and uses it to kill herself.

New setting, same tragic result. Adapted and performed by Brodie (Romeo), Chris (Paris), Katy (Juliet) and support cast from Market Theatre, Hitchin. Performed at the Queen Mother Theatre,  Summer 2012.

 

This balcony in Verona, Italy, is known as Juliet's balcony.