Category: movies

Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

On By Rick McIn movies, travel, travel IndiaLeave a comment

… the sequel to the 2012 sleeper hit film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and features an ensemble cast consisting of stars Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Tina Desai, Lillete Dubey, Maggie Smith, Celia Imrie, Rajesh Tailang, Ronald Pickup, Dev Patel and Richard Gere.

Gere was a good addition to the fantastic cast.

But this is Maggie Smith’s film. She’s excellent.

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

It’s near impossible to match the magic of a surprise hit with a sequel. This was about as good an attempt as possible. I enjoyed the film and hope for a third.

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has received mixed to positive reviews from critics.

… Rotten Tomatoes reported a 62% approval rating, based on 149 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. …

On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating, the film has a score of 51 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews”

Pitch Perfect 2 – “You are the kicker of ass?”

On By Rick McIn humour, movies, musicLeave a comment

Pitch Perfect 2 is a 2015 … sequel to the 2012 film Pitch Perfect, which was loosely adapted from Mickey Rapkin’s non-fiction book, titled Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory. …

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a rating of 66%, based on 154 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. The site’s critical consensus reads, “Pitch Perfect 2 sings in sweet comedic harmony, even if it doesn’t hit quite as many high notes as its predecessor.” …

A sequel, Pitch Perfect 3 is set to be released on July 21, 2017.

Yep. It’s not near as good as the charming original.

Still … I’d say Perfect is worth watching.

Keegan-Michael Key was great. As always.

And John Michael Higgins as the sexist pig a capella competition commentator is a joy to watch.

“This is what happens when you send girls to College.” 🙂

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Fat Amy was disappointing, I thought. But nonstop cameo appearances keep you trying to remember the names of comic actors.

Pitch Perfect 2 quotes:

Flo: There’s only one thing to do: Fake your own death and flee the country.

Kommissar: I’m sorry, I don’t speak loser.

Fat Amy: There’s gonna be a whole lot of haters out there, people asking, “Hey, why is the most talented one in the group Australian?” But hey, I’m fat, so that’s close enough.

book – The Desert Spear – review

On By Rick McIn books, moviesLeave a comment

I downloaded The Warded Man (2009) on a single recommendation I heard at a party.

Good call.

Book 2 – The Desert Spear – I liked much, much better.

The novel continues the story of mankind’s battle against demons known as “corelings”, which rise from the planet’s core each night to feast upon humans.

The Desert Spear is book two of the Demon quintet. The Deliverer has returned, but who is he?

Arlen Bales, formerly of the small hamlet of Tibbet’s Brook, learned harsh lessons about life as he grew up in a world where hungry demons stalk the night and humanity is trapped by its own fear. He chose a different path; chose to fight inherited apathy and the corelings, and eventually he became the Painted Man, a reluctant saviour. But the figure emerging from the desert, believed by many to be “The Deliverer”, is not Arlen. He is a friend and betrayer, and though he carries the spear from the Deliverer’s tomb, he also heads a vast army intent on a holy war against the demon plague and anyone else who stands in his way. …

Desert Spear

I’m hooked. I’ve already downloaded books 3 and 4. Book 5 is scheduled to arrive in the near future.

Game of Thrones Season 5

On By Rick McIn books, movies, product endorsementsLeave a comment

Excellent.

Overall I feel the TV series is better than the books.

This is the first season that contains original content not found in George R. R. Martin’s novels.

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

For the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards, the series received 24 nominations, the most of any series.

I’m looking forward to season 6.

Tyrion better than ever
Tyrion better than ever

Men Who Stare at Goats

On By Rick McIn moviesLeave a comment

I always enjoy anti-war movies. And this is a terrific cast.

The Men Who Stare at Goats is a 2009 British-American war parody comedy film …

… a fictionalized version of Jon Ronson’s 2004 book of the same name, an account of an investigation by Ronson and John Sergeant into attempts by the U.S. military to employ psychic powers as a weapon. The film stars George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey …

The film received mixed reviews from film critics. Review website Rotten Tomatoes reports that 52% of 206 critics have given the film a positive review …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Scientology exposé – Going Clear (film)

On By Rick McIn ethics, movies, product complaintsLeave a comment

I’ve long assumed Scientology was a cult. Their spiritual leader a scam artist.

The 2015 documentary Going Clear confirmed that. Convincingly. It got very high marks on Rotten Tomatoes.

No doubt some members of this organization (Travolta, Cruise for example) believe it’s been positive for their lives. But the “religion” itself is based on irrational nonsense. Scientology should no be getting religious status under any tax code.

lronhubbard_globeL. Ron Hubbard … often referred to by his initials, LRH, was an American author and the founder of the Church of Scientology. After establishing a career as a writer, becoming best known for his science fictionand fantasy stories, he developed a system called Dianetics which was first expounded in book form in May 1950. He subsequently developed his ideas into a wide-ranging set of doctrines and rituals as part of a new religious movement that he called Scientology.

He was, in fact, a troubled man. Charismatic. But quite possibly mentally ill himself. Paranoid. Sometimes a danger to his family and followers.

No genius.

David Miscavige ( born April 30, 1960) is now the leader. A good buddy of Tom Cruise.

david-miscavige-3

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

related – John Travolta Speaks Out on Scientology Documentary Going Clear

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

On By Rick McIn moviesLeave a comment

I see very few films in a theatre. Even fewer Hollywood Summer BLOCKBUSTERS.

So Tom Cruise and popcorn were a bit of a rare treat for me.

… It is the fifth installment in the Mission: Impossible series

Hunt is on the run from the U.S. government as he tries to prove the existence of the Syndicate, an international criminal consortium. …

Tom was good. The plot  far better than the average for Hollywood. But the highlight was probably little known Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust.

Isla FaustBy May 2015, Paramount was developing a sixth Mission: Impossible film. Hopefully she’ll be back.

The Warded Man (2009) – a review

On By Rick McIn books, movies1 Comment

The Painted Man (titled The Warded Man in the US) is a fantasy novel written by American writer Peter V. Brett. It is the first part of the Demon Cycle. …

… a world plagued by the attacks of demons known as corelings, which rise from the planet’s core each night to feast upon humans. …

The ongoing attrition of these attacks have reduced humanity from an advanced state of technology to a ‘dark age’. The only defense against the corelings are wards (magical runes) that can be drawn, painted, or inscribed to form protective barriers …

As the novel progresses, the protagonists each embark upon their own “hero’s journey” in an effort to save humanity. …

As of now the series is planned to be 5 books long. …

It has been confirmed that the Demon Cycle has been optioned for film production by director Paul W. S. Anderson …

thepaintedman

Ambitious.

I can’t really compare it to anything else I’ve read.

There are many things you could complain about in book 1. But I’ll be downloading book 2 – The Desert Spear. The main characters have got me interested. And the plot of book 2 sounds fascinating. Almost something out of Dune.

EX_MACHINA

On By Rick McIn books, internet, movies, things getting worseLeave a comment

There’s much talk of when the first computer will gain consciousness. And supersede mankind.

EX_MACHINA is a 2015 British science fiction thriller film written and directed by author and screenwriter Alex Garland, making his directorial debut. The film stars Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander and Oscar Isaac. …

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

Ex Machina has received widespread critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 91%, based on 174 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. …

On Metacritic, the film has a score of 78 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews”.

Garland is the guy who wrote that terrible 1996 novel – The Beach. 😦

Here’s the state of the art in 2015, a Toshiba humanoid named Aiko Chihira.Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Humans have a few years left, obviously. 🙂

related – Uncanny valley

Philip Seymour Hoffman – A Most Wanted Man

On By Rick McIn books, moviesLeave a comment

A Most Wanted Man is a 2014 British espionage thriller film based on the novel of the same name by John le Carré …

The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright …

It is the last of Hoffman’s films released in his lifetime. …

A Most Wanted Man received positive reviews and has a … score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

I was reminded just how terrific Hoffman was as an actor. Very believable. Never cliché. This film is recommended, if only as a tribute to his memory.

Philip Seymour Hoffman died of combined drug intoxication. Age-46. 😦

Hoffmann

related – NY Times obituary

He appeared in more than 50 films over 25 years.