Based on the tv series Mission: Impossible by Bruce Geller
Cast: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin
Ethan Hunt, his IMF crew return to the big screen to face one of their biggest threats yet in the sixth installment of the franchise.
Two years after the event of the previous film - Rogue Nation (2015) - Hunt and his team go after a terrorist group known as The Apostles who have taken three plutonium cores after a botched mission.
During that mission, Hunt and his team - played by Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, and Simon Pegg respectively again - are trying to pick it up from another person but after a shootout, Rhames is held hostage and Hunt chooses to save him instead of keeping an eye on the plutonium.
Because of that the team, along with CIA Operative August Walker (Henry Cavill) go after the group. The events involve them dealing with a more-than-eccentric black market dealer (Vanessa Kirby), an old ally (Rebecca Ferguson), and the return of an old foe - anarchist Solomon Lane (Sean Harris).
I've been a fan of this film series. I remember watching the first film from 1996 directed by Brian De Palma when I was younger and I enjoyed it. Since then I've enjoyed all the other films in their own way, except the second one directed by John Woo.
Despite my enjoyment of the franchise, I will admit the trailer for this movie didn't hook me in for some reason.
Then the reviews were coming out and people kept saying it was one of the best action films ever. Having seen it now, I can say that this really is an amazing action flick! Best of all time? Eh, give me time to think on that. But this is an amazing one that should be enjoyed on the big screen.
Every action scene is amazing in every aspect: choreographed, editing, shooting, and so on.
You've got a car chase, a motorcycle chase in heavy traffic, a helicopter chase in a snowy mountain range, a foot chase, fist fights, gun fights, nail-biting stunts and so many close calls that if not you're literally on the edge of your seat then I'm not sure what's wrong with you. These are some amazing f**king action sequences!
This GIF kind of summarizes me watching it.
Not only it is amazing from the physical aspect of the stunt and choreography - by the way, there needs to be an Oscar category for this two - but director and writer Christopher McQuarrie does a great job at the classic action plot - the ticking clock.
The stories to these movies have never been the highlights of them. They've always been serviceable for the movie. But in this case, we've got a really good story with a returning villain with a vendetta against him and he basically plans on doing it with nuclear bombs.
But I do like how they put emphasis on how the IMF team doesn't just put the big picture on top priority. In other words, the needs of the few are just as important as the needs of the many.
Now, like previous entries, there's a lot of double-crossing moments and trickster moments. So, much so that it can get a bit exhausting and take away a bit the suspense. But that's a minor complaint.
The only other major complaint I have is that there are moments where Tom Cruise's ego takes over a bit - he has produced all these movies. Mainly, in the way of characters going, "Ethan just cares so f**king much about people. He's just so caring damn it! Look at how caring he is about lives of others! PRAISE CRUISE... er, I mean Hunt."
But thankfully it's not as bad as it was with the second film. And I do have to give credit to Cruise for doing his own stunts, and there are stunts in the movie that are on the same level as Jackie Chan's most dangerous stunts.
Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope!
Also, I'd like to talk more about Cavill's character but that would go into spoiler territory about the plot and I'd rather you see it and experience it.
I will say there are clever hints about his identity that I just now picked up on and Cavill's does a pretty good job.
This and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015, dir. Guy Ritchie) feature my favorite performances from him. Maybe he should do more movies based on 60s spy shows.
With the other characters, of course, there's great chemistry between Cruise, Pegg, Rhames, and Ferguson.
Ferguson gets to really shine and I'd love to see her in more films. I can't remember where but someone called the breakout star of this film and I certainly hope so.
I also like how Pegg's gets to show off his action chops. Normally in this kind of film, his character probably would've just been at a computer in a safe location speaking to the lead through an earpiece. But as seen in Hot Fuzz (2007, dir. Edgar Wright), Pegg is more than capable of doing action scenes.
All in all, I'm not sure if I'd rank this as one of the best action films of all time right now, but it's certainly an amazing film to watch on the big screen.
RATING: 4/5
Thanks for reading. What did you think of the movie? Share your thoughts! Share the post, and feel free to follow me on Twitter - @DocJohn90.
Before I continue with the TV retrospective - the first one can be found here - I've decided to highlight Doctor Who audio dramas.
The main reason I decided to do this because there are plenty of great stories released by Big Finish that in a lot of cases are better than some of the TV stories. This case will especially be the case when we get to the Sixth Doctor. And when it comes to the Eighth Doctor, there's not too much to write about outside two TV appearances.
So, let's talk about audio dramas that are set around the first season.
The Beginning
(takes place before An Unearthly Child)
W: Marc Platt
D: Lisa Bowerman
PLOT: When the First Doctor and his granddaughter Susan escape through the cloisters of Gallifrey to an old Type 40 Time Travel capsule, little do they realize the adventures that lie ahead... And little do they know, as the TARDIS dematerializes and they leave their homeworld behind, there is someone else aboard the ship. He is Quadrigger Stoyn, and he is very unhappy...
This is part of a series known as Companion Chronicles where a companion recalls an adventure they had with the Doctor. In this case, its Susan recalling the very first adventure she goes on with the Doctor. That adventure is when they first leave Gallifrey.
Now, sadly, that's just the first few moments of the story. The rest has the Doctor, Susan, and a Time Lord engineer named Stoyn (voiced by Terry Molloy - who also played Davros in the TV show) dealing with an alien race called Archaeons. Now, the latter half isn't bad, but a part of me wishes more was focused on them leaving Gallifrey. But then again, that may ruin the mystery of why the Doctor left and we're being told the story from Susan's point of view who may not know.
Another aspect I like is that we seed the seeds of Susan's growth as a character and moving away from being just the Doctor's granddaughter. Definitely worth a listen.
Farewell, Great Macedon
(takes place between The Keys of Marinus and The Aztecs)
W: Morris Farhi
Adapted by Nigel Robinson
D: Lisa Bowerman
PLOT: The TARDIS materializes in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, in the year 323 BC. The Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Susan meet Alexander the Great – but their excitement is tempered by the realization that these are the final days of Alexander's life. As the travelers become embroiled in the tragic events, the inevitability of history unfolds around them.
But can they – and should they – change it?
This is part of a subseries called The Lost Stories. This series is where Big Finish adapts scripts or "story treatments" that were proposed to the BBC but never made it to production.
Listening to this, I'm amazed that this wasn't produced because it is so damn good! My only guess is the budget. Considering how this season consisted of a seven-part epic with big moving creatures, a six-parter involving Marco Polo, and a four-parter involving ancient Aztecs its not too surprising.
In regards to the topic, this is one of the historical figures that I knew about before checking this out and the script really nailed down the topics.
John Dorney is fantastic as Alexander the Great in regards to his larger-than-life character and his infamously short temper. To give an idea of how hot-headed Alexander was, he literally killed a friend after a very heated argument. Seriously. It's a good thing there were no guns or internet comment sections back then.
One of the most compelling things about the story is the conflict the TARDIS crew. In the story, they discover they've landed close to Alexander the Great's death. Obviously, as they hang out with him they don't want him to die. So, they battle with the idea of whether to let history take its course or try to change it.
There's also keep bits of the script that show that this was being written in the very early days of the show because they refer to the Doctor as a straightforward physician and he says he took the Hippocratic oath. Obviously, this idea was chucked out the window given how in later episodes the Doctor would say things like, "my Doctorate is purely honorary."
There's a second story on here called The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance which is:
But you won't go wrong with Macedon, trust me!
The Transit of Venus
(takes place between The Sensorites and The Reign of Terror)
W: Jacqueline Rayner
D: Nigel Faris
PLOT: The year is 1770, and daring explorer Captain James Cook and his crew on the Endeavour are navigating the Pacific Ocean.
Into their midst come strangers: the First Doctor and Ian Chesterton, who are believed to have come from Venus. But the TARDIS is lost to them — along with both Susan and Barbara — and Ian makes an enemy of the ship's chief scientist, Joseph Banks. Why is Banks acting strangely? Could it be that the travelers are not the only visitors from the stars?
Another companion chronicle, this time told by Ian. I could easily see this story being made for the show.
Also, there's some residue from The Sensorites that play a part in the story. I won't spoil it but I can at least say that it took something from one of my least favorite episodes and made something worthwhile. It's a good one.
"Let me get this straight. A thing that looks like a police box, standing in a junkyard, it can move anywhere in time and space?" - Ian Chesterton
On Nov. 23, 1963, the first part of An Unearthly Child aired. Thus begins one of the biggest sci-fi phenomenons ever - Doctor Who! Now, I know I'm not the first person to do a retrospective on this show. But I've been wanting to go back and watch it from the beginning and share my thoughts on each episode. I especially want to do this since this year will mark the beginning of a new Doctor - Jodie Whittaker! Personally, I'm very excited about this new chapter. I look forward to seeing how Whittaker plays this mysterious and eccentric time traveler. I can't wait to see what kind of companions Tosin Cole, Mandip Gill, and Bradley Walsh will be. It'll also be interesting to see what direction Chris Chibnall takes the show as the new showrunner. I am planning on sharing my thoughts about the new season when it comes around. I definitely won't be done with the retrospective when the new season premiers but I'll try to give my thoughts on both at the same time. Each of these will include a quote from the episode, the plot synopsis from Tardis Wikia, and a rating out of 5. But let's start with the VERY first season of the show. The season ran from Nov. 23, 1963 to Sept. 12, 1964. Producer - Verity Lambert Story Editor - David Whitaker
AN UNEARTHLY CHILD
(four parts) W: Anthony Coburn D: Waris Husein
"Have you ever thought what it's like to be wanderers in the Fourth Dimension? Have you? To be exiles? Susan and I are cut off from our own planet - without friends or protection. But one day we shall get back. Yes, one day." - The Doctor
PLOT: Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton, two humble teachers during 1963, are surprised by a bright student named Susan Foreman. Confused by the contradictions in Susan's knowledge, Barbara had decided to visit her home, only to learn that the address on record is a junkyard. She and Ian decide to wait at the location until Susan or her grandfather show up. There, they discover a junkyard inhabited by her grandfather, simply known as "the Doctor", and he doesn't want them lurking about.
When the teachers refuse to leave, they discover that an ordinary police box is actually bigger on the inside. The Doctor decides they know too much about his and Susan's otherworldly origins and takes them on a journey across space and time in his TARDIS, the place he and Susan now call home. Everything you ever heard about this episode is true. The first episode is absolutely perfect. The build-up and mystery surrounding the Doctor and Susan is spot on. I can only imagine what it was like to be watching this when it first aired.
Now, a fair warning for those of you used to the Doctor being the happy kind with a few hints of anger, this one is not quite like that. He's definitely more grumpy to say the least. Now, he does get better as time goes on but I won't be surprised if some are turned off by his gruffer nature. A part of me wouldn't be surprised if some of you thought Ian was supposed to be the Doctor.
But I'm certain you will grow to like him.
Now, I'm about to repeat what a lot of others have said. The next three episodes are just average at best. It's mostly caveman politics involving fire. That's it.
But I do recommend this, at least for the very first episode. I'm more than certain you will grow to love Ian and Barbara. By the way, I've met William Russell who played Ian at ReGeneration Who this year and it was amazing.
I got to ask him about another project he was a part of - one of my favorite movies, The Great Escape (1963).
In the film, he played British POW Sorrell who was in charge of diversions during the escape planning. You can't miss him. He's the one with the pipe.
Another fun fact about Russell: his son Alfred Enoch played Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter films.
I've also met Waris Husein at L.I. Who in 2017. Splendid fellow.
So, yeah, in case you can't tell, this one is worth a watch - at least the first episode.
RATING: 3.5/5
The Daleks
(seven parts)
W: Terry Nation
D: Christopher Barry and Richard Martin
"We do not have to adapt to the environment. We will change the environment to suit us." - Dalek
PLOT: The TARDIS has brought the travelers to the planet Skaro where they meet two indigenous races — the Daleks, malicious mutant creatures encased in armored travel machines, and the Thals, beautiful humanoids with pacifist principles.
Now, we move on from one legendary episode to another! The Daleks! Yes, the famous Nazi-like mutant trashcans made their first appearance in the second story ever.
Much like the last story, the build-up is spot on. The Tardis crew discovering the desolate planet that was the victim or a terrible nuclear holocaust, but discover what seems to be a thriving city. In that city, they are captured by the infamous pepper pots. The first one captured is Barbara, leading to one of the best cliffhangers in the show's history.
Let me just address this real quick: Yes, this was the basis of the movie version Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965, dir. Gordon Flemyng) starring Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars). And no I will not be talking about it in this retrospective because it's not cannon.
The only massive fault I can find with the story is that there are parts that seem to drag a bit. Mainly in scenes where the Tardis crew and the Thals walk around trying to infiltrate the Dalek city. It's not entirely bad as it does give us some time to know and like these characters more but I think if you cut out or condensed these parts then it wouldn't have been a terrible loss.
RATING: 4/5
The Edge of Destruction
(two parts)
W: David Whittaker
D: Richard Martin and Frank Cox
"As we learn about each other, so we learn about ourselves." - The Doctor.
PLOT: As they slowly recover from the shock of being thrown to the TARDIS floor, the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara all seem to be acting strangely. Unexplained events occur and suspicions are raised that an alien force may have entered the ship.
Now we go from a sprawling epic (at least for TV standards) to a small scale psychological tale. And it's because of the last's story sprawling epicness that made them cut down to this smaller story confined in the TARDIS.
This episode has gotten flack by some fans mainly because of the reveal of what caused the TARDIS to malfunction.
I'm split on how I feel about it. I dislike how almost contrived it seems. But on the other hand, it does add to the mythos of the show and is the start of a trend that basically continues to this day. That being that the TARDIS is a living being.
Yeah, the TARDIS caused it for whatever reason. See what I mean?
But the ending doesn't ruin it for me and I do still really like how the episode plays out.
RATING: 3.5/5
Marco Polo
(six parts/all missing)
W: John Lucarotti
D: Waris Hussein and John Crockett
"We're always in trouble! Isn't this extraordinary - it follows us everywhere!" - The Doctor
PLOT: Arriving in Central Asia in 1289, the Doctor and his companions join the caravan of the famous Venetian explorer Marco Polo as it makes its way from the snowy heights of the Pamir Plateau, across the treacherous Gobi Desert and through the heart of imperial Cathay.
With this story, we have two milestones. The first one - this is the first pure historical episode, as in there's no sci-fi elements outside of the Doctor, the companions, and the TARDIS. The second - this is the first lost episode.
What do I mean by lost? Well, the BBC had this "brilliant" policy back in the day where instead of preserving them for future generations, they destroyed them. Seriously.
The First and Second Doctor tenures were hit hard by this policy resulting in many of their episodes being lost for good.
But thankfully there is still a way to enjoy these episodes - through audio. Yes, the BBC has compiled audio recordings of the episodes and present them like a radio program. And in animation form but more on that later.
But enough about that, let's talk about this episode.
It's a real shame all the episodes of this story are lost because just from the still shots I've seen, it looks like a lot of effort went into creating the amazing looking sets.
When I first listened to it, I got bored with it. I don't know if I was in a sour mood that day or it just didn't click that time, but listening to it a second time I really dig it.
It really does show that a purely historical story can be great. This isn't a story that is, "Oh the Doctor lands in a certain time period and there's a monster." No, the story has the Doctor and his companions be involved directly in a historical setting. I think we need more of that.
I should also point out that Mark Eden who plays Polo, does a fantastic job in this story.
Now, obviously, listening to a production that was originally made for a visual medium is tough to adjust to but once you get into it you'll do fine.
RATING: 4/5
The Keys of Marinus
(six parts)
W: Terry Nation
D: John Gorrie
"I don't believe that man was made to be controlled by machines. Machines can make laws, but they can not preserve justice. Only human beings can do that." - The Doctor.
PLOT: The TARDIS arrives on the planet Marinus on an island of glass surrounded by a sea of acid. The travelers are forced by the elderly Arbitan to retrieve four of the five operating keys to a machine called the Conscience of Marinus, of which he is the keeper. These have been hidden in different locations around the planet to prevent them falling into the hands of the evil Yartek and his Voord warriors, who plan to seize the machine and use its originally benevolent mind-influencing power for their own sinister purposes.
This is the first story that made me feel "meh" about it. When I first watched it years ago, I thought it was fun. But rewatching it now, it almost seems like they rushed it. Like, they forgot to write a complete story but instead through a bunch of stories together.
Now, the actual plot of it - the Doctor and companions traveling around finding keys of a mystical item - but there were times where I kind of forgot there were supposed to do that in the first place. I think that problem can be boiled this down the TARDIS crew being separated. I don't know it could be me.
This episode is notable for the BBC trying to make another nemesis like the Daleks. This comes in the form of the Voord and... there's really nothing that remarkable about them. They got funky looking heads and wear wetsuits.
Now, that being said, this episode does have good moments. There's an interesting courtroom scene where the Doctor has to defend Ian in a murder trial. There's another part where the crew's visual perception is messed - everyone except Barbara's.
All in all, it's a "meh" episode. Give a watch if you want, but you won't be sorry if you skip it.
RATING: 2.5/5
The Aztecs
(four parts)
W: John Lucarotti
D: John Crockett
"You can't rewrite history. Not one line!" - The Doctor.
PLOT: The arrival of the TARDIS in 15th century Mexico leads the crew to the doomed Aztec people, a mixture of high culture and brutal savagery. Matters are further complicated when Barbara is mistaken for a god and the Doctor becomes engaged to be married.
Now, we're talking! I LOVE this story. This is a purely historical story where not only the TARDIS crew getting involved in ancient Aztec times, but it brings up the recurring topic of interfering with history. AND NONE OF THE EPISODES ARE LOST!
With this we get the crew landing in Aztec times where Barbara is mistaken as a reincarnation of a God - not hard to believe actually - and she decides to take advantage of this by trying to make the Aztecs stop their practice of sacrificing people to please the gods.
One would think the Doctor would be all for this... not quite. Because it is a fixed point in Earth's history. Changing it could result in catastrophic means. This presents the moral conflict that pops up time and time again. I'm sure we'd all love to go back and time and fix the atrocities of history but then the question of what will happen in the future pops up. Of course, there's also the whole different timeline things and such... but that's a different topic.
I forgot to mention with Marco Polo, but when the show was produced they wanted to use as a way to teach kids about science and history. Just going off this episode, they seem to do a good job with it. Admittedly, I don't know a lot about the ancient Aztecs but it's still nice that this episode gave me a basis to go off of.
Also, Jacqueline Hill steals the show as she takes Barbara to the center stage. The conversations and conflicting feelings between her and the Doctor present some splendid writing and acting moments.
This is a brilliant episode.
RATING: 5/5
The Sensorites
(six parts)
W: Peter R. Newman
D: Mervyn Pinfield and Frank Cox
"Grandfather and I don't come from Earth. Oh, it's ages since we've seen our planet. It's quite like Earth, but at night the sky is a burned orange, and the leaves on the trees are bright silver." - Susan
PLOT: The Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Susan arrive in the TARDIS on board a spaceship. Their initial concern is for the ship's human crew, who are suffering from telepathic interference from the Sensorites, but Susan communicates with the Sensorites and finds the aliens fear an attack by the humans and are just defending themselves.
Tedius. That's the best way to describe this six-parter. I found it dull and repetitive when I first watched it, and I feel the same way now.
The only things worth noting we get the first description of Gallifrey (which wasn't named yet), there are some good lines like this one from the beginning from the Doctor, "It all started out as a mild curiosity in the junkyard, and now it's turned out to be quite a great spirit of adventure," and the Sensorites would go on to the be the influence for the Ood.
I found myself turning into Tom Servo at one point when watching this.
That's about it. This is the first really big dud of the show, in my opinion. Not the worst episode but still nothing I'll rush back to watch.
RATING: 2/5
The Reign of Terror
(six parts/two parts missing)
W: Dennis Spooner
D: Henric Hirsch
"I can't decide whether you're a rogue, a halfwit or both!" - The Doctor
PLOT: The TARDIS materializes not far from Paris in 1794 — one of the bloodiest years following the French Revolution of 1789. The travelers become involved with an escape chain rescuing prisoners from the guillotine and get caught up in the machinations of an English undercover spy, James Stirling — alias Lemaitre, governor of the Conciergerie prison.
The season finale and we end on another historical. And it's probably the weakest of the three we had, but it's not bad.
The worst quality is that there are points where it feels a bit lagging in some areas. Like, you could've cut a scene out and it wouldn't have hurt the story at all. Main example: The Doctor gets taken arrested, forced to work on a change gang, and escapes shortly after.
But this is still a pretty solid episode that gives us a cool French Revolution espionage vibe.
This episode does have three notable things: 1. We see the Doctor and companions dress to fit the time period, the Doctor uses this to an advantage at one point. 2. The first time they did on-location shooting. 3. This is the first story that would animate the missing episodes for the home release.
BBC commissioned some artists to animate the missing episodes. Now, the way I experienced the story was the audio version so I can't judge the animated too much. Looks like fine to me though.
Overall, it's an okay story that's worth your time.
RATING: 3/5
OVERALL SEASON RATING:
3/5
The show is still clearly trying to find it's stepping and while there are slip-ups there are plenty of great classic moments that make it obvious why the show was a hit.
As I stated earlier, I'm sure some people will be turned off by Hartnell's gruffer almost anti-hero persona in the beginning. But I'm sure if you keep watching you'll see why so many love the old man.
For the companions, Ian and Barbara are absolutely fantastic as companions. I promise you'll love them. Susan can be a bit annoying sometimes with her screaming "Grandfather!" almost constantly, but she can be endearing and you do see her grow as a character in the latter half.
It's not a perfect season but its got a lot of gems that fans should see.
"Our lives are important — at least to us — and as we see, so we learn... Our destiny is in the stars, so let's go and search for it." - The Doctor (The Reign of Terror)
Thank you all for reading. If you've seen these episodes, share your thoughts on them.
Share the post and follow me on Twitter @DocJohn90
It looks fun. Yeah, it looks fun. Look, after the emotional punch in the gut we got from Avengers: Infinity Wars, I can use just some pure fun.
Sorry to Bother You (dir. Boots Riley)
I'm not sure what can I say about this movie. It looks good but so out there and yet so relevant.
Bleeding Steel (dir. Leo Zhang)
Jackie Chan movie. Do I need to say anything else?
Skyscraper (dir. Rawson Marshall Thurber)
So, basically we have Dwayne Johnon and The Towering Inferno (1974), I'm cool with that!
Shock and Awe (dir. Rob Reiner)
I haven't heard of this movie until now. I do like a good journalism movie. I liked The Post and I LOVED Spotlight. This movie though, I'm not entirely certain. That's not because the topic isn't important - it is - but it seems to be really hitting the audience over the head with it. Also, Reiner's recent track record of movies hasn't been the best. But I will keep an open mind going into it, and hope for the best.
A Midsummer Night's Dream (dir. Casey Wilder Mott)
Well, this looks like an interesting version of the Shakespeare play. I'm always up for interesting adaptions of the Bard.
Equalizer 2 (dir. Antoine Fuqua)
I thought the first one was okay. Truth be told, when it comes to Washington-Fuqua collaborations, I'd like to see a Magnificent Seven sequel. But this could be a fun movie. Washington has shown his action chops.
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again (dir. Ol Parker)
Ooooohhhh dear. I did not like the first one. I thought it was fairly annoying and it was baffling at points to me. And don't get me started on Pierse Brosnan's "singing." So, seeing this sequel I can't help but wonder... why? Also, Cher is Meryl Streep mom? Hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... no. I could be wrong though, this could be okay. We'll just have wait and see. But please don't let Brosnan sing I beg of you please!
Blindspotting (dir. Carlos Lopez Estrada)
I hadn't heard about this movie until recently and wow this looks pretty great!
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (dir. Christopher McQuarrie)
You know, I've enjoyed the previous Mission: Impossible films but this time I'm not so sure. Something just isn't clicking with me about it. Hopefully, that's just the trailer's fault and not the movie.
Hot Summer Nights (dir. Elijah Bynum)
Doesn't look bad. It seems like a weird combination of a coming of age comedy and a rise and fall story with a pot dealing. Also, William Fichtner is in it. I'm always up for him!
Puzzle (dir. Marc Turtletaub)
I haven't seen too much of Irrfan Khan's movies - I did see him in Jurrasic World and I thought he was cool there - but I love Kelly Macdonald. So, count me in on this movie.
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (dir. Matt Tyrnauer)
The 12th Man (2017) D: Harald Zwart W: Petter Skavlan (under the pseudonym Alex Boe). Based on the book Jan Baalsrud and Those Who Saved Him by Tore Haug and Astrid Karlsen. C: Thomas Gullestad, Jonathan Rhys Meyers Norwegian resistance fighter Jan Baalsrud (Thomas Gullestad) is the only survivor of a failed twelve man operation to sabotage Nazi military facilities. Now, he must trek aross the brutal Norway winter landscape with very limited resources, and an injured foot that's only getting worse. All this while being tracked by the brutal Nazi SS offcer Kurt Stage (Jonathan Rhys Meyers).
After watching this film, I want to read as much as can about Ballsrud and the citizens of Norway who put their lives at risk by protecting him.
I, sadly, never knew about this story. Even sadder, I don't know that much about Norway's involvement with World War II - outside of them being an ally against the Nazis.
I found out that there was a movie about this made in 1957 by Arne Skouen called Nine Lives, which was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars that year. This film has now been added to my neverending to-watch list.
At first, I thought this film was going a bit too slow. Like, gruelingly slow. But then again, this is a movie that wanted to emphasize two things: 1. Those that helped Baalsrud. 2. The rough environment he went through.
If you think The Revenant (2015, dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu) was a tough film, this almost puts it to shame. Hell, the lead actor (Gullestad) actually suffered from "frost damage" on his hands while filming, according to IMDB.
This is a movie that really takes no prisoners in showing how difficult it was for this man. In this movie, our hero suffers from a gunshot wound while trying to flee the Nazis at the beginning and they do not forget about that.
You see him limping and basically unable to walk at some points. He even develops gangrene around his wound and takes off one of his toes to prevent it from spreading. I'm not joking! It was one of two moments where I had to look away. The other moment was when the Nazis were torturing one of the Norwegian prisoners. Trust me, it'll make you want to look away.
Moving away from that, let's talk about the second point I brought up. The movie puts a lot of emphasis on telling us about the average civilians who helped this man. These people faced the possibility of being executed if they were caught helping him. But they did it anyway.
While some may have involvement with the resistance, some of these are just average people. Farmers, fishermen, nurses, and doctors. Not only do we need to acknowledge the armed service members who fought against the Nazis, we need to acknowledge and show respect towards to the civilians who put themselves at great risk to help.
Sidenote: according to IMDB, one of the background actors - Ottar Pedersen - was one of those who actually helped Baalsrud in real life. Pedersen was 14 at the time when it happened.
This also takes the time to show that Nazis were not only evil but are also stupid. Hopefully a good chunk of my readers just went "well, no duh!"
First of all, they barely seem to care about tracking down Baalsrud. One of them, is basically like "yeah, whatever he probably drowned or died from the cold". Apparently, they thought stopping this operation put an end to the entire Norway resistance. Nope!
The leader, Stage, seems to only care about finding him because he wants to look like a good little Nazi to his superiors. He doesn't want to be made a fool (too late).
There was a moment where they almost caught Baalsrud in the movie at a farm, but just when Stage gets closer to him, his Nazi button gets knocked off his jacket which distracts him. The guy was literally a few steps away from Baalsrud but cared more about his appearance then he did about doing his job.
So, in case you can't tell, I highly recommend this film. Not only is a great story but props need to be given to the actors - especially Gullestad.
It's available to rent on iTunes now.
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Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) D: Ron Howard W: Jonathan and Lawrence Kasdan C: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, Paul Bettany
Cinema's most famous smuggler gets his own movie with Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Here we see Han (Alden Ehrenreich) meet his future co-pilot and pal Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), and joins a grand heist that leads to the famous Kessle Run! On this heist he joins up with the rogue Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson) - that's probably the most normal name I've seen in Star Wars, his former lover Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke), the activist droid LC-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), and, of course, the smoothest smuggler in the galaxy - Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover).
When I first heard about this film, I was rather hesitant about it. Mainly, because I wasn't sure if I wanted to see a pre-New Hope Han.
Even after seeing the cast I was getting slightly more optimistic but still hesitant - if that makes sense.
I like just about everyone in it and when they announced Ehrenreich as Solo, I started to come around just a bit more.
But my fears came back after the original directors - Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Lego Movie) - left the project citing "creative differences" with Lucasfilms. It's always disheartening to hear about behind the scenes trouble like this. But they then announced that Ron Howard would be taking the wheel and I thought "well, okay, that's not a bad choice".
This isn't the first time Howard has directed a Lucas-related film.
For the record: I enjoy this film.
So, by the time I went, I was to keep a fairly optimistic mind. Coming out, my reaction is that it's a fun film. And I think that's all it needed to be.
When it comes to Solo's early days, obviously there was going to be some hardship. Those hardships would ultimately lead him to become the loner pirate we meet in the Mos Eisley cantina.
But the movie doesn't give us a moody and bleak film. It gives a movie that combines a lot of fun elements. And thank goodness for that! In this bleak and troubling world, we can use some plain pulpy fun.
In his early days, we see Han and Qi'ra in this almost Dickensian like environment. They're under the watchful eye of criminal gang lead by Lady Proxima (voiced by Linda Hunt). This has some parallels to Fagan and pickpocketers from Oliver Twist. While this scene is bleak and dark - literally and figuratively - it does still have some fun elements including a hot rod chance.
The relationship that Han has with Beckett is strikingly similar to the relationship young Jim Hawkins has with Long John Silver in Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Without going getting into spoilers, with these two, there's obviously a connection forming - out of respect at least - but it's hard to tell if you can trust the older one.
Of course, there's definitely some Western elements in this film. If you've seen the trailers you know what I'm talking about.
All of these elements work in the same magical way that really only works in the Star Wars universe.
Now, what about Ehrenreich as Solo? I've only seen this guy in a handful of films. He was in Blue Jasmine (2013, dir. Woody Allen) but I had to remind myself who he played - for the record, I only watched this film because of Cate Blanchett's Oscar-winning performance. He did a good job in Warren Beatty's Rules Don't Apply (2016). But it was in the Coen Brothers film Hail, Caesar! (2016) where he really shined. And now, I can add his performance here as another example of his talents.
There's were couple moments where his Solo lapses, but overall I felt like I was watching a younger version of the scruffy looking nerf herder.
Oh, sorry.
There a lot of moments where he conveyed the smug, overconfident, yet charming space captain. He nails the Solo smirk pretty damn well.
The rest of the cast is pretty good too. Harrelson is great. Clarke is always a welcomed presence in a movie. Suotamo is really cementing himself as the new Chewbacca. L3-37 continues the new tradition of being a scene-stealing droid, thanks in part to Waller-Bridge's performance. I also really like the performances from Thandie Newton and Jon Favreau who sadly play rather smaller parts.
Paul Bettany plays a pretty awesome villain. It's a shame we never got to see what Michael K. Williams would've been like in the role - he was originally cast in the role but due to schedule conflict during reshoots, they cast Bettany.
None the less, he does a great job at playing a rather peculiar crime lord. Seriously, he bring a lot of flavor to the character.
But of course, the actor who stole the show completely was Childish Gambino himself as Lando. I can't properly describe how awesome he is in the role. You have to see it to get the full experience of it.
Are there problems with films? Yes, but these don't ruin the film for me. Mainly I wish we got more time spent with Newton and Favreau's characters. Also, there's a revelation about one of the main characters that seem... almost out of nowhere and I don't know what exactly the plan is with it.
Without spoiling it too much, it involves a character we had seen in the prequels and had been seen in the Clone Wars animated series. They do good job foreshadowing it but I'm still uncertain about how including this one aspet on it in the film.
Again, it's hard to talk about it without spoiling.
But again, these don't ruin the film for me. I still think it's a worthwhile film to check for a fun trip to the movies.
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There are some historical topics that keep coming up in films. The Normandy Invasion, the crime waves of the 1920s and 30s, and the Battle of the Alamo. It's actually kind of amazing how this one historical event has been adapted and talked about more than others. There are so many that there's even a book that talks about it.
By the way, yes, I do have a copy of this book.
In 2004, we got the Ron Howard produced The Alamo (dir. John Lee Hancock) which to date is probably the most accurate version to date.
This obviously didn't sit well with some since this movie was a bomb at the box office and the critics didn't show favor towards it.
My guess for that is a lot of people wanted it to be like John Wayne's version where there's a ton of men in raccoon skin caps and Crockett goes down in, I guess you could say, a literal blaze of glory.
I would give a spoiler warning but, for one thing, this movie is nearly 60 years old and its based on an event that I think most people know about already.
Same thing with the '04 film. That's the closest to a spoiler warning you're going to get.
With the '04 film, we see our heroes acting uncertain about themselves and not always in the best light. The main highlight of this is with Billy Bob Thornton's portrayal of Crockett.
In the film, we see Thornton's version of David Crockett (he prefers that according to his friend and fellow volunteer Micajah Autry) able to put on his "King of the Wild Frontier" persona for the masses. But there's something eating away at him.
This scene basically summarizes the tragedy of David Crockett. He was a simple man from Tennessee who wanted a fresh start on things but could never escape it. At least in this film.
Sure, he's still a people-person and enjoys a good chat. But you get a sense that he's tired putting on that dime store version of himself.
The first time we see him in the movie is during a big party where there's also a show based around the legendary tales of Crockett starring an actor named James Hackett - played by the late Lynn Mathis in what would be his last feature film.
As the actor takes the stage he acknowledges Crockett's presence by saying "Good evening, Mr. Crockett." Crockett in return, playfully says, "Good evening, Mr. Crockett." A foreshadow to how the actual Crockett won't escape his folk hero status.
Even when he arrives in San Antonio he almost instantly gets put on the stage to chat and tell stories. He's asked for autographs and asked to recite lines from the aforementioned show that he had no involvement with.
Throughout the film, many shots almost give scenes at the Alamoa an almost stage-like vibe. This could possibly symbolize how the fort basically became the center stage for the Texas Revolution and a major symbol for the state.
Probably the biggest indication of this is during the final stand in the chapel when it's just Crockett and four other defenders.
At this point, Crockett and others have been trapped in the fort for 13 days and are exhausted and scared. Crockett, in particular, has a very uncertain look on his face but he looks down and sees the son of fellow defender Gregorio Esparza looking up at him. He looks at him almost like he wants Crockett to save them. So, he puts on his hero face one more time in this final moment.
But that was not his final moment. Later we see Crockett as the only surviving garrison member and even the last moments of his life just before his execution he's put on a stage. In those final moments, he caves in and becomes gives in to what people expect. He knows that he can't escape and that he never could escape.
Personally, I've grown to really appreciate this film and it truly is a shame that this movie did so poorly. It's stuff like this that made me like it more. I highly recommend this film, especially if you're a history buff - this may be the closest we get to a completely historically accurate Alamo film.
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