Movie Review – Subservience – When artificial intelligence blends into the human world, where do you draw the line between robot and human?

I haven't watched many films for a very long time, my attention span has gone out the window and I can't keep my concentration on anything long enough to actually finish watching something. Example – I've been watching The Good Place for weeks. I've only got 5 episodes left, but do you think I can summon the attention to actually watch them? Nope. 

Anyway, this was the first film that I've watched in literal months. So enjoy my review!

Megan Fox stars as Alice, a lifelike artificially intelligent android, who has the ability to take care of any family and home. Looking for help with the housework, a struggling father (Michele Morrone) purchases Alice after his wife becomes sick. Alice suddenly becomes self-aware and wants everything her new family has to offer, starting with the affection of her owner -- and she'll kill to get it.

My Review!

Nick isn't against admitting that he's struggling. He's home alone with his two young children, while his beloved wife is stuck in hospital, awaiting a heart transplant.

To make matters worse, with artificial intelligence on the rise, and lifelike 'sims' becoming more and more popular, his job as a construction worker seems to have a ticking clock on it. The sims are much more efficient, can work without tiring, and don't make mistakes.

But what difference will buying one for his house make? He won't have to cook, or clean, which will make more time for him to spend with his children, and visiting his wife – right? The sim his daughter chooses is a top of the range household sim, designed to be good with children and to learn from their environment and adapt to be the best as possible at the task designated to them. 

But Alice takes her role a little too seriously.

When I decided to watch this film, I did not realise it was so newly released. It has only been out for a couple of months. One thing I did notice almost instantly is it's similarities to the game, Detroit: Become Human. Even down to the book Alice in Wonderland, there are a lot of similarities between the game and this movie. If you liked the game, which I certainly do, this movie can certainly be enjoyed. It brings a whole new level to the idea of lifelike androids gaining sentience, and starting to make their own decisions. 

Nick is a character that I was fairly conflicted on. He is incredibly loyal to his family, but he also struggles in his day to day life. There are more than a few things playing on his mind, and with his wife in hospital awaiting life-saving surgery, you can’t exactly expect him to be on top form. He does, however, make some decisions in this film that make you want to grab him and give him a good shake, for he does things without thinking at times, and lets his emotions rule his thoughts, rather than thinking logically. He does, however, make you feel sympathetic towards him, and it is difficult not to like him to some degree. 

The world of artificial intelligence in this movie is something to be feared, but also marvelled over. The degree of efficiency achieved by computers over humans is impressive, and yet poses a threat to many. If a computer can do the job better, why hire a human to do it? A computer does not have the emotional capacity to need time off, and can get things done a lot faster, and without the margin for error. Humans are becoming jobless due to the rise in advanced AI, and what’s worse, is it is difficult to tell who is human and who is not. Until they do something entirely robotic, the sims in this film are portrayed as incredibly realistic, and and so integrated with society that even those who don’t like their involvement have no choice but to rely on them.

Alice, in this film, is supposed to follow Nick’s every order, and work to make his life as easy as possible, and yet, as she begins to rewrite her own code in an attempt to become as human as she can, she begins to read into things incorrectly. She may present as having her own emotions, but they are still incredibly computerised and her reactions are not that of an emotional decision, but rather of a carefully planned choice, and yet are illogical, for she lacks the ability to properly understand how her actions will affect others. Her only goal is to try and make Nick happy by eliminating the stresses in his life – she does, however, fail to understand how important the things causing the stress might be to him.

There is certainly action in this film, and tense enough scenes to make you sit on the edge of your seat. As the film progresses, the level of danger Nick and his family face increases dramatically, and you can’t help but hope that everything will be alright for his family, and that Alice will somehow be stopped. Even in some of the calmer scenes, you can’t help but feel tense, for it is clear that something is about to happen, and that it won’t be good. There are some scenes in this film that are entirely predictable, and yet, they do still create tension.

Although Nick’s lack of ability to make properly, informed choices at times, and that no one suspects anything untoward from Alice sooner in the film can be highly frustrating, this is a good film. It does keep your interest, and pose some serious threats with AI taking over the world from the humans. If you have played Detroit: Become Human, this could almost be considered a story from the other perspective, although of a significantly more violent nature. This is a story from the human’s perspective, of AI taking over the world and cornering them. Although very similar to the game, it does have some differences, and fans of the game are likely to enjoy the film.

And done!

This film did remind me of how much I enjoyed playing Detroit: Become Human – I think I might have to play it again. I still haven't played through a lot of the different pathways!

For the first film I've watched in a few months, it definitely wasn't an awful one!

Anyway, that's all for now...

Bye!

A Review – Devoured: vampire action horror scifi by Cassie Carnage

So, Spooky Season Week didn't go exactly to plan...

First off, I started a day late, so I was going to be finishing a day late. But my seven days worth of posts was almost impossible to keep up with. I barely had any time all week to make the posts anyway, as it was a particularly busy week with work, but by Sunday, I had nothing ready, and there was no way I could possibly finishing reading this book and write the review in the ten minutes I had before I had to start work. So, Spooky Season Week ended abruptly on day 5.

But, I do want to finish it, so this post will be day 6, and the final post will go out on Saturday (hopefully!)

So, now I have explained myself, let me get going with the post!

Jonah, a newly turned vampire, must fight the National Center for Rejuvenation (NCR), a company that is hellbent on filling the world with more of his kind. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, he discovers that NCR is experimenting on creating unstoppable mutant werewolves.

In order to save his ex, and the world, he must join an uneasy truce with a group of deadly mercenaries as they fight to destroy the source of evil that NCR is hiding.

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

A newly-turned vampire, Jonah has to acclimatise himself to a lot of change very quickly. Firstly, he is now a killing machine, with a hunger for blood that it seems he can never quite fully satisfy. Secondly, there is an evil vampire queen hellbent on controlling him and making him a part of her brood. And thirdly, there is a man who was supposedly his fiancé, although he has lost all the memories he ever had of Doctor Mallory Conrad, who is involved in secret organisations he never knew existed, even before he was a vampire. 

Jonah finds himself taking lots of different sides, going against Mullo, the vampire queen, and finding himself among a group of highly trained mercenaries, fighting to rid the world of all vampires and werewolves, and to stop the organisation that’s trying to fill the world with the supernatural, and mutating vampires and werewolves with a hidden evil, to make them much more deadly. 

Jonah is not your typical newly turned vampire. He doesn’t have an identity crisis, or struggle morally as he realises he must kill to survive. A killer instinct sets in, and he adapts to survive in an instant. This book very much portrays vampires as having a hunting instinct that takes over almost immediately, and it is clear that Jonah’s entire personality changes. He is not a human who must drink blood to survive, but a human who has been turned into an entirely different species. This was a very interesting portrayal of vampires, and one that comes across as much more real in the telling than other, more moral, vampires. 

Something I particularly loved in this book was the way Mal and Jonah’s relationship changed so dramatically. They were betrothed, but being turned into a vampire took away all of Jonah’s memories of Mal, as well as changing him as a person. Mal knows that Jonah is different, but when he looks at him, he still sees the man he wanted to marry. For Mal, it seems infinitely harder to be around Jonah, for he still has the memories of their relationship before Jonah was turned. Throughout the book, though, their relationship continues, although it is much more toxic than before. Their relationship becomes an addiction, rather than love, with Jonah feeding off Mal and the both of them getting a high from it. As the book progresses, this grows worse for both of them, and it definitely added a layer to the story, with both needing the other, and both struggling with the memory of their human love in the past, showing how much they have both been affected by Jonah’s vampirism. 

With the different organisations, either fighting vampires and trying to rid the world of them, or trying to create more, and mutate them, there are a lot of characters who you are not sure are trustworthy. Not many people trust Jonah, but he doesn’t trust a lot of them either. Most of the vampires can’t think for themselves, they are controlled by Mullo, but Jonah has his own mind, although the more time that passes, the more animalistic he becomes, the more memories of his past life he loses, and the less people trust him. It’s incredibly rare that the vampires in this novel are, for lack of a better word, sentient, so Jonah is a mystery in himself. The entire portrayal of vampires in this novel is original in itself, I have never come across a lot of aspects that the vampires in this book possess. The author has done a fabulous job at making these vampires incredibly believable. In my opinion, they are a lot more believable than mainstream vampires. 

While Jonah is a killer, although that is not exactly his own choice, he is still a rather likeable character. He doesn’t exactly detest the fact that he must kill to survive, but he doesn’t agree with vampirism, or that vampires and werewolves should be free to roam and kill as they please. He wants to destroy them as much as the mercenaries do, and his supernatural abilities certainly help him in his mission to rid the world of the supernatural evil. And as much as his relationship with Mal is toxic, there is still an element of care between them, to the point where it’s difficult to figure out if Jonah is really a good guy, or if he himself is evil and is ruining Mal's life by being around him.

This is an incredibly unique vampire novel, and certainly one I enjoyed reading. This book has been sat in my e-reader for months, and I definitely wish I read it sooner.

And done!

Even now, catching up with the posts for Spooky Season Week, this post is going up several hours late.

Oh well.

Anyway, that's all for now...

Bye!

Movie Review – In Time – a film where you pay for things with your lifespan

I actually watched this film a while ago. By that, I mean at least two weeks. Actually, I wrote this review in my notes app, and it's dated. I watched this film, and wrote this review, fifteen days ago.

And now I'm finally making the post!

Let me introduce the film, and then I can (finally) share my review!

Welcome to a world where time has become the ultimate currency. You stop aging at 25, but there's a catch: you're genetically-engineered to live only one more year, unless you can buy your way out of it. The rich "earn" decades at a time (remaining at age 25), becoming essentially immortal, while the rest beg, borrow or steal enough hours to make it through the day. When a man from the wrong side of the tracks is falsely accused of murder, he is forced to go on the run with a beautiful hostage. Living minute to minute, the duo's love becomes a powerful tool in their war against the system.

My Review!

A society that deals in time. Lives in time. Time is the very essence and structure of everyone’s lives. And while some people have all the time in the world, others are running out of time. Time is both a currency, and a life force. If you run out of time, you die. But with the cost of living rising, and wages decreasing, more people are running out of time and dying. 

Will Salas grew up in Dayton, a poor time zone. Ever since his clock started, on his 25th birthday, he has been living day to day, barely keeping up with time. It is all he knows. So, when he runs into a stranger at a bar, the century on his clock clear for all to see, Will knows the man is in danger. Where he lives, that kind of time doesn’t stay with the owner for long. 

When Will wakes up after saving the man with over a century on his clock, he doesn’t know what to do. For the first time in his life, Will has time to spend, can sit around without worrying. But, there are still people on the cusp of running out. So why should he get to keep it? The class system is corrupt, with some people living forever, and giving no thought to the countless dying each day. Justice is one word for what Will wants. And justice he strives for. 

Will finds himself hunted by the Timekeepers, enforcers of the system who accuse him of stealing the century he was given. He goes on the run, taking the overprotected daughter of one of the richest men in the world with him. Together, as they evade the timekeepers, they work to bring down the elite while raising up the poor. 

There is obviously a very clear social class injustice portrayed in this film. The rich live forever, and the poor can barely make it a day. Will becomes a Robin Hood of sorts, taking from the rich to give to the poor. No matter how high the reward for turning Will in may raise, why bother if he will give them more than the reward? 

I loved the concept of this film. There is the class system, and everything must be paid in time. Something may cost four minutes, something else an hour. There are some wonderful lines, such as a young girl approaching Will and asking ‘have you got a minute?’ Except, she is literally after a minute, rather than a moment of his time. On top of the Timekeepers, enforcing the law, there are Minutemen, thugs who are more than happy to steal whatever’s on your clock and time you out. Time is everywhere and everything. It creates a very interesting dystopian fantasy world. 

While obviously the Timekeepers are the bad guys, I couldn’t truly hate them. The leader, Raymond Leon, is determined to catch Will, but he is not simply driven without any other reason. Leon has his reasons for everything he does, and while Will’s view on things is the one I most sympathise with, I could understand Leon’s. He’s worked for fifty years maintaining the time. Will could cause all that work to crumble, could destroy the system. 

While the concept is incredibly interesting, there were scenes that I thought fell completely flat. Some of the dialogue and events seemed rushed and unfinished, like (ironically) there wasn’t enough time to make them as perfect as they could be. The ending in particular is not one that will stay with you for a long time, it was, unfortunately, rather disappointing. I think this may have been what caused me not to completely hate the Timekeepers. Well, that and Leon is played by Cillian Murphy.

All in all, this is an enjoyable movie, but not the kind of film I would call spectacular, which is a shame, because the idea is so good. This is, though, a great film to watch casually if you are after some action, drama, and an interesting dystopian future. Like I said, the concept is fascinating, and it’s a great new spin on the story of Robin Hood that we all know. 

And done!

I don't really remember if I had any plan of things to talk about down here, since it's been so long since I actually watched the film. Just pretend I said something really witty.

That's all for now...

Bye!

Movie Review – Infinate – What happens when a man realises that his hallucinations are actually memories from past lives?

I sometimes spend ages trying to decide what movie to watch. I look at movie description after movie description, skip from genre to genre, simply trying to find something that I feel like watching.

Of course, sometimes I will simply click on the first movie I find, and watch that one. That was today's case. So, let me introduce today's movie, and then we can get into my review!

Evan McCauley has skills he never learned and memories of places he has never visited. Self-medicated and on the brink of a mental breakdown, a secret group that call themselves "Infinites" come to his rescue, revealing that his memories are real.

Watch here!

My Review!

Background checks are making it impossible for Evan McCauley to get a job. He has violent behaviour in his past, something he might be able to explain, but that employers cannot risk. On top of that, he is suffering from schizophrenia, and his only way of controlling it is medication he gets as part of deals. When he forges a katana, the whole deal goes badly, and he ends up arrested, only to be broken out by someone after an interrogation that could not possibly have been carried out by someone working for the law.

Evan finds himself among a group called the Infinites, people who are reincarnated when they die, and whom all remember their past lives. But, Evan’s life thus far has caused some kind of block in his memory, stopping him from remembering anything from his past lives. All he gets are glimpses, visions that were the cause of his schizophrenia diagnosis in the first place. The Infinates are desperate, though. They have an enemy, the Nihilists, who, although they are also Infinites, do not believe they come back to life for a reason, and who simply want it all to be over. Their solution? If you destroy everything, there is nothing to return to. Their ‘bomb’, as it were, is something called the Egg, which Evan stole from them in his previous life. But, Evan hid the Egg before he died, and without any of his memories, no one knows where the Egg is.

Working to try and find the Egg before Bathurst, the leader of the Nihilists, can get to Evan becomes a mission, retraining every aspect of Evan’s body so that his mind may remember. This film has its fair share of action scenes, and the whole concept is certainly an intriguing one. The Infinites are not reborn as the same person each time, but rather as the same soul, bouncing between different people. They grow up in different countries, in different situations, in different families each time they come back, and it is only when they reach 14 years old that they remember who they are, and their past lives. While this was interesting, I couldn’t see any real reason for their coming back to life. Some believed they were blessed with this, that they had a purpose, and that each life would teach them something different, something that would be important in the future, but there didn’t seem to be anything they had to fix, or work to make better. Their goal, as it were, seemed unclear.

There are definitely some plot holes in this film. I will not list them, as they will give away major points of the plot, but the hiding place of the Egg, while at first not entirely obvious in the movie, would surely have been the only possible explanation, should the characters be real. Come to think of it, it was not even hidden all that well. One of the redeeming factors, though, was that the past life Evan was played by Dylan O’Brien, so whenever we get a glimpse back at that life, and slowly learn about the Egg and Evan’s role in finding and hiding it, we get to spend some time with Dylan O’Brien as well.

This isn’t the kind of film you will need to watch with entirely rapt attention. It is not difficult to keep up with, or one that is difficult to understand, and I do sometimes have trouble keeping up with action films. However, there are gaping holes in the plot, some that might have been closed up by a few additional sentences of dialogue, and some that seem impossible to close with the way the story went. If you are after a science-fiction film with some scenes of intense action and an interesting premise, definitely check this one out. Although, do not expect a story masterpiece. The visuals are good, but the story makes it a film you might put on in the background, rather than pay your full attention to.

And done!

I was a bit wary about writing this review, because I usually try to keep all my reviews positive, but there were some things I really couldn't help but mention, and I figured only posting wholly positive reviews doesn't give an entirely rounded sense of me as a reviewer. Not everything can be perfect.

That's all for now...

Bye!

A Review – Carrier

Carrier
By QCODE
A Review

At this point, I know I enjoy these podcast stories, especially considering the fact that they are immersive. This was, if I remember correctly, the third of these kinds of podcasts I listened to.

And, if I remember correctly, I have listened to this at least twice now. I have been meaning to write a review for this for ages, hence listening to it more than once, to get back into the feel of it, and am only just getting around to it.

So, now that we're finally here, let's get into it!

What happens when a truck driver picks up a loaded trailer, but has no idea what’s really inside? Tony, Grammy, and Emmy award winner Cynthia Erivo journeys down a dark and lonely highway in this original scripted thriller from QCODE and creator Dan Blank. With immersive audio techniques that create a dimensional listening experience, the audience is strongly advised to use caution, wear headphones if possible, and listen... carefully.

Apple Podcasts • Spotify


My Review!

Some forms of storytelling do exceptionally well when the story is creepy and suspenseful. This story is certainly both of those, and combined with the whole auditory experience that puts you in the cab of a truck, not entirely sure what cargo you are hauling, this is a story worth listening to.

Turning up barely past when she was due, Raylene quickly finds herself stuck, far from home, without a trailer to haul home. Without one, the journey will simply cost her money on fuel, rather than making her money with work. Her boss cannot find her a paid gig, and so, she takes matters into her own hands. She might have taken over work for her father, while he is unwell, but that doesn't mean she didn't have access to his contacts, people who will certainly have something she can haul.

But, when she hooks up to the trailer, and starts on her journey, she starts to suspect things aren't all that they seem. She wasn't allowed to inspect the trailer, which was bolted shut, and she wasn't exactly given a clear answer of what was actually inside. All that she knows, is that she must make sure the trailer stays at a constant temperature, and that she will have to routinely check it to make sure everything is running smoothly.

Raylene is the kind of character who is stuck where she should not be. Her children are at home, and she hasn't seen them for far too long, and with her father sick, she should be near, in case something happens. Instead, she must put her trust in her boyfriend, looking after her children, and her brother, looking after her father. She is trying to get home, but making the progress she needs to make grows difficult as her worries about what she might be hauling intensifies.

The whole trucking business is one that, in this podcast, Raylene finds difficult as a woman. At times, she feels incredibly unsafe, especially so when she is parked around other truck drivers, and not alone out on the road. Her frustration towards some of the treatment she receives, and her inability to do anything other than her job, when things happen at home, comes across incredibly clearly.

There is a whole element of mystery in this podcast. It is clear that whatever is in Raylene's trailer, it is not good, and it is certainly not food produce, but the whole question of what it might actually be goes unanswered throughout most of the story. As the story progresses, the truth starts to come to light, and Raylene must stop simply driving, and start fighting to make it through this journey alive.

The ending of this podcast was a little confusing the first time I heard it. There is a lot of chaos, and we almost lose Raylene's voice as more sounds are added. While the rest of the story works well as an auditory story, the last scene almost seemed like it needed visuals for me to understand it. Other than that, though, the audio was incredibly immersing, pulling you into the story and making you feel like you are actually there. I enjoyed listening to this, proven by the fact that I listened to the whole thing twice through, and I would certainly listen to it again.

Do not, though, listen to this while driving. It begins with a very loud lorry horn being sounded, and I can easily see it scaring people while behind the wheel. After all, the audience is strongly advised to use caution, wear headphones if possible, and listen... carefully.

And done!

In case you are keeping up with my podcast/colouring notes at the end of these podcast reviews, I actually did not do any colouring while listening to this, instead I listened to it mostly while out walking, or while doing some work. This does mean, though, that I still have to finish my colouring.

Who am I kidding, I'm probably never going to finish it.

Never mind!

Bye!

Movie Review – Skjelvet (The Quake) – the sequel to a movie I greatly enjoyed

When I was looking up the cover for Bølgen (The Wave), I came across a second film, with the same actors staring as the same characters. A sequel.

And so, I took another trip to Prime Video, bought film number 2, and sat down to watch it.

Let me briefly introduce it, and we shall get into the review!

(Read my review of Bølgen (The Wave) HERE. It does provide a little backstory if you haven't watched either film, and don't know what they're about.)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link.

In 1904 an earthquake of magnitude 5.4 on the Richter scale shook Oslo, with an epicenter in the "Oslo Graben" which runs under the Norwegian capital. There are now signs that indicate that we can expect a major future earthquake in Oslo.

My Review

After the disaster that occurred in Geiranger, Kristian Eikjord was labeled a hero. His efforts in the face of danger saved many people's lives, including those of his family. But, the label of 'hero' isn't something that Kristian particularly wants, nor does he truly believe it. He saved people, but what about the 250 people who lost their lives? Could he have done something to save them as well? How could he be called a hero, living when 250 people died?

The aftereffects the Geiranger tsunami took their toll on Kristian. Struggling to keep his sanity after the trauma, Kristian loses his family, when his wife, Idun, takes their two children, Sondre and Julia, and moves to Oslo, leaving him in Geiranger. He pushes them away, preferring them not to see him struggle as he does. But when he sees a news report, telling of the death of one of his colleagues, Kristian finds himself travelling to Oslo, determined to find out what caused the collapse of the Oslofjord Tunnel, killing his colleague.

After going through what he did in Geiranger, it is no surprise that Kristian's mental health was greatly impacted. The survivors guilt crippled him for years, and when the idea pops into his head that his family, in Oslo, are unsafe, that there will be a repeat of the disastrous earthquake from 1904, Kristian will once again stop at nothing to do what he can to save people, especially his family. Unfortunately, many are well aware that Kristian suffered after the tsunami, and when he broaches the subject of his worries with those monitoring the earth's movement in Oslo, they dismiss his concerns. Surely he is simply overthinking things, that he is seeing danger where there is none.

As Kristian slowly finds his family again, trying to fit back in place, the concerns he has draws them away from them once more. There is always a different side to the story – whereas his family see him not being where he said he would, and turning up late at night instead, Kristian sees himself putting them first, investigating the state of Oslo, and the likelihood of another devastating earthquake. In this movie, as in the last, I felt greatly for Kristian. He tries to do everything he can, but he is not in charge, and those who have the power to do something do not believe him.

Bølgen (The Wave) followed all four members of Kristian's family, whereas Skjelvet (The Quake) is focused much more on Kristian. In a way, it isolates the viewer from Idun, Sondre and Julia as Kristian has isolated himself, only giving the viewer the insight into their lives that Kristian has. We only see Sondre at university after he tells Kristian that he goes there. We only see what Julia is up to after Kristian is informed. The viewer is entangled with Kristian's story, and the attention given to him makes the viewer connect with him more so than was possible in Bølgen.

While the earthquake in this film is inevitable, without it there would be no purpose to the film, very little of the actual film is about the earthquake. In Bølgen, a majority of the film was full of the changes that warned of the coming tsunami, and of the actual event, including the intensity of the characters trying to survive. In Skjelvet, however, not much of the film is dedicated to the earthquake, instead focusing on Kristian in the lead-up to it. Without anyone believing him, or taking in his warnings, Kristian even admits it himself – perhaps he is simply seeing disasters where there are none. Maybe he has simply grown over precautious. It is clear how those around him have experienced his intense concerns since the tsunami, by the way even his family, even his children, ignore his warnings and pleas as he tries to keep them safe. His declining mental stability has turned him into the boy who cried wolf, but now it is not merely the small village of Geiranger at stake – it is the city of Oslo, and it will not only be 250 dead, it will be thousands.

Despite this film not showing as much of the disaster as Bølgen did, it is not without drama and action. We follow Kristian as he uses the research of the colleague who died, along with the help of his colleague's daughter, Marit, to uncover the danger lurking, and it is not difficult to start feeling the intense need, alongside Kristian, for someone to simply listen and believe.

Once again, there was a message at the end of this film that the events the occurred will eventually happen again. At some point, there will be a devastating earthquake, and people will lose their lives to it. But no one can know when it will happen. It is a terrifying thing to think about, that people will be going about their normal day, and not know if it might be the day that everything falls to pieces around them.

And done!

I think, personally, I preferred Bølgen to Skjelvet, but Skjelvet was still a very good movie, and I greatly enjoyed watching it.

Again, this movie made me want to learn Norwegian, as did the last one, and I think I may just have to get onto Duolingo and see if I can last longer learning Norwegian than I have learning all the other languages I started!

That's all for now...

Bye!

Movie Review – Bølgen (The Wave) – a movie that I hope never becomes a reality

Believe it or not, I was not prepared for today's post at all.

Seriously, me? Not prepared? It's practically unheard of! (Sarcasm alert!)

So, since I just watched this movie, and really liked it, here is a review of it!

Although anticipated, no one is really ready when the mountain pass above the scenic, narrow Norwegian fjord Geiranger collapses and creates an 85-meter high violent tsunami. A geologist is one of those caught in the middle of it.






I don't know where you can actually find this movie. I bought it on Prime Video.

My Review

Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. This film is called Bølgen, which is Norwegian for 'The Wave'. The entire film is in Norwegian. I do not speak Norwegian. Fortunately, there is a wonderful thing called subtitles, and since I watch every single movie with subtitles on anyway, I got along just fine. Also, I learnt a little bit of Swedish a while ago (how to say hello, yes, no, cheers, and strawberry), and both Swedish and Norwegian are fairly similar. Not that this really helped, but I understood one or two words here and there!

The format for many disaster films are very similar. An expert warns that an event will occur, and no one will properly listen to them. This happens to Kristian Eikjord, a geologist, who is in the process of moving out of the village Geiranger. It is his last day of work when the machines start to show some unusual readings, and with the thought of past disasters, past avalanches and rockfalls leading to massive and deadly tsunamis in the back of his mind, Kristian cannot simply walk away. Instead of boarding the ferry that would take him to his new life, Kristian turns around, and heads back to Geiranger.

Along with his wife, Idun, and two children, Sondre and Julia, Kristian stays in Geiranger for another night, a night where everything will change, and throw their lives into turmoil. As more sensors start to detect things going wrong, it becomes clear that Kristian's earlier warning would have given them much more time to prepare. As it is, everyone must get at least 80 metres above sea level. It is clear to everyone, now, that a tsunami is coming, and those who don't get high enough will not make it.

This film is the kind that has you rooting for the main characters, and you almost feel the fear alongside them. Kristian and Idun are separated when the alarms start, with Kristian at their empty house with his daughter, Julia, and Idun at work in a hotel, with Sondre staying in one of the rooms. Both parents work to save their children, first and foremost, but as they hurry to get to safety, they help those they can as well. Kristian shouts orders to people, as they run up the mountains, getting them moving, and Idun wakes sleeping hotel guests up to get them onto a bus.

But, danger befalls all of them, and with Julia the only one whose safety is practically confirmed, the family must all fight to stay alive as the mountain attacks, to wash away all that it can.

Kristian is a character who is easy to fall in love with. With everything he does, he always tries to do what is right, even though he sometimes overlooks one thing to focus on another. He is not the kind of person who would leave someone behind, and can't simply stand by while people are in danger, least of all when he knows his family needs him. There are some truly heartbreaking scenes, as Kristian stands alone shouting 'Hallo?' into the void and receiving no answer.

This film truly shows the love of a parent, with just how much both Kristian and Idun are willing to sacrifice to save Julia and Sondre. If needs be, they would lay down their own lives to make sure Julia and Sondre are unharmed. The emotion, the fear that Idun and Kristian have over their children's safety, and their desperation to keep those they love alive and safe, comes across perfectly on the screen, keeping in mind that I was also watching the movie in a language I do not speak. Humans have compassion, and it does not matter whether or not I understood the words they were speaking (I did have subtitles, though), as it was perfectly clear by their expressions and the tone of their voice just how they felt, which just goes to show how incredible the acting in this film is.

Another aspect I truly appreciated was that while Julia escapes most of the trauma, Sondre receives more than his fair share and it affects him. Too often in movies and books, a character will go through something traumatic and will walk away absolutely fine. After everything he goes through, it is crystal clear that Sondre will never, ever, go near water again, and the fact that this came across so clearly means that a great deal of thought, as well as time, effort, and immense talent from all involved (apparently all the actors did their own stunts?!), went into the making of this movie.

This movie explores the dangers of the area depicted in great detail. Norway has experienced multiple rockslides that led to tsumanis in the past, and many have lost their lives to the events. At the end of the movie, there is some text stating that while it is inevitable there will eventually be another rockfall tsunami event, when it will happen is unpredictable, as is the amount of warning people will get. In this film, they barely get ten minutes. Knowing that this is not fictitious, that it is a real threat, and that people have gone though, and will go through, the pure horror of running for their lives, knowing that it is up to them alone to get to safety, that no one will be there in time to help, is chilling.

And done!

I really loved this movie, although there were one thing in particular that confused me (although it might be my lack of understanding of how things work!) At one point (keeping it spoiler free!) some people are trapped chest high in water, in a basement, and they turn the generator on. Does this not create a risk of electrocution? Or do I know nothing of electrics?!

Anyway, I was thoroughly impressed with this movie, and if I wasn't afraid of drowning before, I certainly am now! Really, though, I recommend you check it out, if you can find it somewhere to watch. If you speak Norwegian as well, bonus! (Also, if you speak Norwegian, will you teach me??? Pretty please?!)

I have used a lot of brackets in this post.

I need to stop.

Bye!

Movie Review – Snowpiercer – can humanity survive anything...?

 

Movie Review

Snowpiercer

I saw an edited clip of this movie on one of those Facebook videos, where it shows a very dramatic part and then doesn't tell you the name of the movie. Luckily, the comments helped me out, and I found the film. Within an hour, I was sat down watching it. Two hours later, and here I am.

Let me show you the cover, and let you know what it's about, and then we can get to chatting!

After a failed global-warming experiment, a post-apocalyptic Ice Age has killed off nearly all life on the planet. All that remains of humanity are the lucky few survivors that boarded the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe, powered by a sacred perpetual-motion engine. A class system has evolved aboard the train, fiercely dividing its population—but a revolution is brewing. The lower-class passengers in the tail section stage an uprising, moving car-by-car up toward the front of the train, where the train’s creator and absolute authority resides in splendor. But unexpected circumstances lie in wait for humanity’s tenacious survivors... 

Amazon UK

It's also available for free on Prime Video!

My Review

There is quite a bit to unload about this film. It covers some incredibly topical subjects, as well as including some themes that are incredibly prevalent in society.

A solution was found to global warming, a way to reverse the effects that humans have had on the planet, and to reverse the climate to it's natural state – a way to cool down the planet to the optimal temperature. Of course, such a perfect fix would be too easy, and instead, the solution caused a massive problem. The creation of a new Ice Age, the kind of thing that could wipe humans off the planet and rid the Earth of them once and for all.

Fortunately, humans are pesky things, and simply refuse to be wiped out. Although a low number, some survive aboard the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the world, never stopping, keeping it's inhabitants safe from the freezing conditions outside. It all seems idillic – but, again, not so.

There is a very clear class divide, with the lower classes at the tail end of the train, and the rich at the front. While the rich feast, party, and enjoy life, the poor starve in poor conditions, with little room, their lives controlled entirely by those with power.

And yet, there are those who simply cannot stand for it. This movie is about a revolt, the revolt to end all revolts. It's about taking back power, and Curtis is one of those who can't sit by and watch as children are torn away from their parents, as people are beaten and punished, as his friends slowly starve around him.

The rebellion leads Curtis and a group through the train, moving along the carriages. The carriages are almost like stages, complete one and then you can move on. But Curtis loses people along the way, and what ensues as the rebels clash with the guards trying to quell the rebellion is pure carnage.

Curtis is a clearly troubled man. He has spent seventeen years of his life trapped inside the dingy, ignored part of the train, surrounded by desperate people. The horrors that he has seen and experienced is enough to give someone the determination to want to seek justice and revenge, but at times Curtis can be incredibly cold towards those who are supposedly on his side. There is on scene in particular (if you've seen the movie, you know) where I was almost screaming at the screen. I actually said out loud 'don't you dare'. He dared. I was very upset.

There are many other characters in this movie that I liked. I loved Namgoong Minsu and Yona, and they played an incredibly interesting part in the plot. They are not from the tail end of the train, but the prison. But, if Curtis wants to open any of the carriage doors, he needs them. Yona was one of my absolute favourite characters, especially since you can usually see her doing something in the background, and it's usually rather amusing.

Another character I adored was Edgar, who just wants to help Curtis, and to be his friend, and yet, Curtis doesn't seem to care about the determination Edgar has to help. Edgar made me chuckle a couple of times, as he is young compared to most of the people he is around, at only seventeen, and all he really wants is to be able to eat a steak like those at the front of the train.

I have had a look at some other reviews for this movie, those on Amazon, and there seems to be a mixed opinion about it, with some people loving it and some people absolutely hating it. While I wouldn't say it was the best movie I have ever watched, it certainly wasn't bad, and I enjoyed watching it. I won't spoil the ending, but whew. I don't think the characters planned that!

And I'm done!

I haven't sat down to watch a new movie in ages, and I'm glad this popped up in one of those strange Facebook videos, because otherwise I wouldn't have looked in the comments for the title, then wouldn't have looked the movie up, and certainly wouldn't have found it by accident to watch.

If you've seen it, I'd love to know what you thought of it!

Okay, that's all.

Bye!

Movie Review – The Devil's Own – My favourite movie!

 

Movie Review

The Devil's Own

I am fairly sure at one point I said I would review both books and movies on here, and so far it has only books... oops.

I promise I watch movies! I actually watch quite a lot. When I write posts vs when I post them is a whole bag of cats I don't want to open, but as I write this, I am planning on writing a post about my relationship with movies. I may add in a link if it has already gone live.

As I'm writing this, I'm actually having a bit of a lovers tiff with books, and I can't think of anything to write about them, I don't particularly feel like writing my own stories and I'm not in the mood for reading. To movies it is!

What better to start off with, but my favourite movie?!

I can't actually find a 'blurb' for this movie, but I found this and it fits the bill. I don't know if it's a part of a review, or something else, but it'll do!

Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt star in this crime drama directed by Alan J. Pakula. When senior IRA member Frankie McGuire (Pitt) arrives in New York on a mission to buy Stinger missiles he uses the alias Rory Devaney and finds lodgings with NYPD cop Tom O'Meara (Harrison Ford). Despite liaising with fellow terrorists in New York to secure his deal, Frankie finds peace with Tom's family and a strong bond begins to form between the two men. How will Tom react when he finds out the true identity of his house guest?

Amazon UK

(Yes, I gave you a DVD link. Yes, I still watch things on DVD. It's also on Netflix right now, if that's preferable.)

My Review

First off, Brad Pitt.

Now, let's get into it properly. Frankie is a part of the IRA. He is also the main character. His entire goal is to travel to America to obtain Stinger missiles and sail them back to Ireland, to give the IRA the edge it needs to make everyone else listen. This would, therefore, suggest that you should not like Frankie.

This is not the case.

While he is technically the bad guy, I would call him an anti-hero (if that is the right term). He is a bad guy you can't help but feel sorry for and you find yourself coming up with reasons for why he is doing what he is doing, to excuse him. He saw his father gunned down in front of him when he was a child, and his actions from then seem to be in retaliation, to get revenge. He has people counting on him, and while his morals are not exactly in the right place, he is not one to break a promise.

His relationship with Tom is an interesting one. In America, Frankie calls himself Rory and is placed in the home of Tom O'Meara, a Sergeant at the New York Police Department. Tom has a wife and three daughters, the kind of family you wouldn't expect to be housing a terrorist, even if they didn't know it. The way Frankie fits into the home is almost like it was meant to be. The bond that forms between him and Tom is like that of a father and son, as if Frankie was finally learning what it is to have a father after so many years, what it is like to have someone care about you like that. He becomes like a brother to Tom's daughters, especially the youngest, Annie, who looks up to him like he is a saint. As you watch, you can't help but think that if Frankie abandoned his plans, he could fit in so well with this family, could start a new life for himself.

There is violence and action, which is another reason why I love this film so much. My favourite genres are action and thrillers, and I would pin this movie as both. I have watched this so many times, granted I only watched it the first couple of times because of Brad Pitt, that I have reached the point in that I no longer have to be paying attention to know what is going on. I can have it on in the background while I tidy, or sit down to start watching it half way through and know exactly what is happening at all times. Although, not much cleaning actually got done the time I tried that, because I kept getting distracted by the screen.

Nonetheless, I really enjoy watching this movie, although the first time I saw that ending, it had me rewinding and rewatching multiple times before I fully comprehended what had happened. My hand was over my mouth and I felt tears behind my eyes. I'm not one for crying at movies, so the tears never showed themselves, but I felt them there, ready.

So yeah, first movie review of my life. I think it went pretty well. There was no critical, in depth analysis of the actors or the script, and I have no idea who directed it, but I think I covered the basics!

Also, I am not sure entirely how good Brad Pitt's Irish accent was, I liked it (I am a sucker for an Irish accent) but others have said it wasn't great. Who knows.

That's it for now then.

Bye!