Review

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Starring:

Tom Hanks

Mark Rylance

Alan Alda

Plot:

During the Cold War, an American lawyer is recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy in court, and then help the CIA facilitate an exchange of the spy for the Soviet captured American U2 spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers.

Review:

Love me some Tom Hanks, he’s so phenomenal, probably my favorite actor of all time.

Didn’t expect to get so angry while watching this, I ended up getting so frustrated and eventually depressed that nothing ever seems to change.

Still, I liked the movie a lot. It was about a time period I’m interested in and talked about something I wasn’t familiar with. There were a few parts where I feel that Spielberg went over the top, the end with the boys climbing over the fence was too much and didn’t need to be there.

Looking at the Oscars this movie has been nominated for I’m kind of surprised. There was so much silence in the movie I’m not sure why it’s being considered for Best Original Score or Sound Mixing. Honestly the only Oscar nomination I agree with is the Best Supporting Actor, but I’d have to see who he’s up against. Of course, I don’t watch the Oscars, they never seem to nominate anything I like or go to the “right” winner, it seems like a lot of politics involved.

Anyway, really liked it, loved Hanks, world please learn from our history.

4.5/5

Vacation (2015)

Vacation

Vacation (2015)

Director:

John Francis Daley & Jonathan M. Goldstein

Starring:

Ed Helms

Christina Applegate

Skyler Gisondo

Plot:

Rusty Griswold takes his own family on a road trip to “Walley World” in order to spice things up with his wife and reconnect with his sons.

Review:

I watched the original National Lampoons Vacation years ago in high school and really just remember not liking it. Too many awkward situations I think, but not totally sure why I didn’t like it.

This movie certainly stood on its own and I liked it a lot better. There were of course awkward moments but they were so funny it didn’t bother me.

I liked the dynamic between Helms and Applegate and thought their characters were much more relatable than the original version of the movie. The kids were good, though I thought the youngest was channeling the kids from Talladega Knights a bit too strongly. James Griswold, Skyler Gisondo, was ridiculously cute and I thought his character was adorable.

Overall, I liked the movie. It was funny and off the wall but not outright stupid. Would watch another in the series.

4/5

Second Chance (2016-?)

Second Chance

Second Chance (2016-?)

Network:

Fox

Starring:

Robert Kazinsky

Adhir Kalyan

Dilshad Vadsaria

Tim DeKay

Plot:

A billionaire and a bioengineer bring a dead police officer back to life.

Review:

I actually thought I’d already written this review, but apparently not. I’ve seen all the episodes that have aired so far, and my current plan is to finish out the season. The show’s interesting and I like Tim DeKay from White Collar, but to be honest I’m hoping that more develops.

The premise is kind of cool, reminds me of Now and Again from back in the day, but I want more to happen. There is the whole corrupt FBI angle but I guess I want more than that.

Acting is fine, some of the relationships are more interesting that others. You could watch worse.

3/5

Croc’s Return (Bitten Point #1) By: Eve Langlais

Crocs Return

Croc’s Return (Bitten Point #1) By: Eve Langlais

Plot:

Coming home doesn’t always solve things … but it does pave the way for second chances. Take one deadly bite and, bam, a man’s life is changed forever, or so Caleb discovers when a loss of control leads to him joining the military and leaving everything behind. Time goes by … years spent silent and alone, cut off from those he loves. Until it’s time to come back, a scarred veteran, in many ways broken and looking for a meaning to his life. Perhaps it’s not too late to right some wrongs. Make amends. Kiss a certain pair of sweet lips one more time. If only Renny would damned well let him. It doesn’t take Caleb long to realize Renny’s just the thing this croc needs to bring him back to life. Yet, what if he loses control again? He doesn’t want to take nibbling on her thighs to a whole new level. Too bad, he can’t stay away, especially not when he discovers her secret. Add in a strange creature stalking the townsfolk and there is no way he’s leaving her alone. Years ago it just about killed him to leave, but Caleb’s a changed man now. A darker kind of animal, and this retired soldier is ready to kill so he can stay. Welcome to Bitten Point, where the swamp doesn’t just keep its secrets, it sometimes eats them.

Review:

I was a little emotionally raw when I read this, leftover from Sweep in Peace, and I ended up crying more than this book probably warranted.

Caleb is a returning soldier that dealt with the evil from the Kodiak Point books. He’s scared in more ways than one and ready to put his life back together. Of course things are never that easy.

Lots of reveals and a new evil to fight, I’m excited to see what comes next.

4/5

Legends of Tomorrow (2016-)

Legends-of-Tomorrow-102-2

Legends of Tomorrow (2016-)

Network:

CW

Starring:

Victor Garber

Brandon Routh

Caity Lotz

Arthur Darvill

Ciara Renee

Franz Drameh

Dominic Purcell

Wentworth Miller

Falk Hentschel

Casper Crump

Plot:

Focuses on time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter, who has to recruit a rag-tag team of heroes and villains to help prevent an apocalypse that could impact not only Earth, but all of time.

Review:

I waited until the second part of the pilot was aired before writing my review and that’s the only reason this is so late. Only reason. Right.

Anyway, I’ve been hyped about this since I found out Arthur Darvill was going to be in it, then I saw the trailer and my hype levels grew. I’m happy to say that the pilot delievered on everything I was hoping for. It was an epic time travel superhero TV show, with characters I’m already familiar with and enjoy.

Rip Hunter, Darvill, has pretty clichéd reasoning for doing what he’s doing but I enjoyed when he told the “Legends” why they were chosen for the mission.

I liked the look and feel of the show and loved the cheesiness. Thought the villains might be my favorite part, they’re funny and provide a new point of view.

4.5/5