Search results matching tag 'action'

"Awake" an amazing TV show, cancelled after tonight

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:48:00 GMT

I'm not a fan of hyperbole...but Awake is, without a doubt, the best show I've seen on TV in a long time.

However, the bean counters at NBC have already cancelled the show. Tonight's season finale will also be the series finale.

Detective Michael Britten survives a horrific car crash with his wife and son as passengers. Following the accident, Michael finds himself living in two realities: one in which his wife survived but his son didn't, and one where his son survived but his wife didn't.

Michael alternates between the two realities every morning when he wakes. Happenings in one reality become clues for the other.

Definitely an interesting concept. But it's the writing, acting, and emotion that make the show so great. The cinematography is excellent as well, always alerting the viewer to which reality they are currently seeing (except for a few scenes that are intentionally vague).

Is one of the realities a dream? Are both? What is going on? We should find out tonight as the 13th and final episode airs.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this series (if you couldn't tell already), but you must watch them in order. They are available for viewing on Hulu.

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My Favorite Sleep/Dream Related Movies

So all this talk about Awake made me think about movies involving sleep & dreaming. Below are 3 of my favs, and as I previously declared my love for all things Christopher Nolan it should be no surprise that two of these are his.

Inception (2010) - Check our catalog

Ambiguous Plot Description: In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job to date: Inception. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, & Ellen Page.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) - Check our catalog

Ambiguous Plot Description: A couple undergo a procedure to erase each other from their memories when their relationship turns sour, but it is only through the process of loss that they discover what they had to begin with. Starring Jim Carrey & Kate Winslet.

Insomnia (2002) - Check our catalog

Ambiguous Plot Description: Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to an Alaska town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the murder of a local teen. Starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, & Hilary Swank.

Visiting Another World - Welcome to Westeros

kiya@evpl — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:57:00 GMT

Lately, my reading time has been spent in Westeros, a world created by George R. R. Martin for his series, A Song of Ice and Fire. My son is a longtime Martin fan, and many library customers are as well: all are anxiously awaiting Book 5 in the set. Meanwhile, HBO is producing a TV series based on Martin's works. Called A Game of Thrones (also the title of the first book), the first episode airs April 17, and the first season is supposed to roughly correspond to the first book. I decided it was time to read the books - before the TV show airs. I'd been putting it off, because these are big books, and I have to be in the mood to read fantasy. I was soon captivated by the world of Westeros, and the intrigue and complications of life in a somewhat medieval society.

Martin has lots of realistic, complicated characters. It isn't easy to tell the heroes and villains apart. The heroes have flaws and make mistakes, and even the worst villains have some redeeming qualities (well, maybe not one of them...). Entranced by the first book, I started the second as soon as I finished the first. I enjoy piecing together bits of information to figure out something, and that happens in these books.

When I finished reading the books, I listened to the audiobooks and caught some details I had missed. Roy Dotrice, who performs the first 3 audiobooks, is marvelous; he brings the characters to life. Realistic characters I can care about are very important to my enjoyment of a book, and Martin's books are well and intricately plotted, too. There is profanity in the books, as well as graphic violence and sex. If that isn't a problem, then I highly recommend these books for folks who like to spend some time in another world.

Writing this, I‘ve remembered some of the other worlds I have loved to visit. I was in junior high when I discovered Sylvia Louise Engdahl, and her 3-book Children of the Star series, as well as her Enchantress from the Stars/The Far Side of Evil set. These are favorites which I reread every few years. Mercedes Lackey has written several related series taking place in a world she calls Valdemar. Marion Zimmer Bradley created a world called Darkover, and even invited readers in to play. Along with Bradley's books, there are collections of short stories by other writers which take place in the world Bradley created.

I love getting immersed in another place and time, and seeing the world from that different point of view. J. K. Rowling created a wonderful magical world with her Harry Potter series. In his Artemis Fowl series, Eoin Colfer created another magical world, just as wondrous, and completely different from the Potter world. I enjoyed Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, and am hoping that the sequel, The Wise Man's Fear, will be just as wonderful when it comes out this week.

"Hot Fuzz" a modern spoof film worth watching

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:20:00 GMT

While channel surfing several weekends ago, I happened upon Naked Gun 33 1/3 airing on Comedy Central. I used to love the Naked Gun series, with Leslie Nielsen portraying a bumbling Lieutenant Frank Drebin. It made me recall some of the other "classic" (I use that word subjectively) spoof films of the late 80s and early 90s, like Spaceballs, Hot Shots!, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Okay, so none of these movies are all that great, but I still enjoy them to this day. And it's not just from nostalgia-goggles...the lame, in-your-face comedy cracks me up.

I then thought about the current state of the spoof movie...and it's a bit painful. From the Scary Movie's to Meet the Spartans to Superhero/Date/Epic/Disaster Movie, things have come a long way. In my opinion (and on IMDB & Rotten Tomatoes), most of these movies are unwatchable. But someone's watching them, as they all make millions (and Sci-Fi Movie & Scary Movie 5 are in the works).

It was there, in the midst of that frightening darkness, that I recalled a beacon of hope...a 2007 film called Hot Fuzz. I rewatched it to get the bad taste out of my mouth and was amazed...a modern spoof movie that's witty & funny!

Hot Fuzz, in a nutshell, is a spoof on the "buddy cop" movie (i.e. Rush Hour, Bad Boys) from the guys that created Shaun of the Dead (a romantic comedy, with zombies!). Here's the official plot summary, better than what I could come up with:

Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is the finest cop London has to offer, with an arrest record 400% higher than any other officer on the force. He's so good, he makes everyone else look bad. As a result, Angel's superiors send him to a place where his talents won't be quite so embarrassing - the sleepy and seemingly crime-free village of Sandford.

Once there, he is partnered with the well-meaning but overeager police officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). The son of amiable Police Chief Frank Butterman, Danny is a huge action movie fan and believes his new big-city partner might just be a real-life "bad boy," and his chance to experience the life of gunfights and car chases he so longs for. Angel is quick to dismiss this as childish fantasy and Danny's puppy-like enthusiasm only adds to Angel's growing frustration.

However, as a series of grisly accidents rocks the village, Angel is convinced that Sandford is not what it seems and as the intrigue deepens, Danny's dreams of explosive, high-octane, car-chasing, gunfighting, all-out action seem more and more like a reality. It's time for these small-town cops to break out some big-city justice.

This movie is absolutely hysterical! Pegg & Frost always work great together, and Hot Fuzz continues that trend. Their dialogue, characterization, everything is A+! Every "buddy cop" and over-the-top action movie cliche is taken on here. Whether it's the humorously-overdone gore, the hilariously-brilliant plot you won't see coming, the insane gunfight at the end, the FOUR cliffhanger endings, or "firing your gun in the air and yelling 'aaaahhhhh!!!'" (ala Point Break), you will laugh profusely while watching this movie. Unless you have a condition that prevents you from laughing.

Below is a short clip of one of my favorite scenes. If you find yourself laughing, you owe it to yourself to watch the whole movie!

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More Information

Library Catalog: Check the availability of Hot Fuzz on DVD. The EVPL has widescreen and fullscreen versions.
Theatrical Trailer: Check out the theatrical trailer for a glimpse of the humor, guns, & gore.
User Reviews: The movie has an 8.0/10 rating on IMDB and a 90% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

For all you "Da Vinci Code" fans out there ...

myzticrhythmz@evpl — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:30:00 GMT

... Dan Brown's latest installment in the Robert Langdon series, The Lost Symbol, will hit your local library's shelves tomorrow.

Enjoy, and let us know what you think!

Not so Fast, and you may leave Furious

E-Ville Librarian@evpl — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:00:00 GMT

First off, I don't care how tough of a rear wheel-drive car you have, wheelies are pretty much impossible in a car that has an engine under the hood. Even Fieros don't do wheelies, let alone V-8 muscle cars from the 70's, so you can understand my initial disbelief while watching the most recent of street rod action in Fast & Furious. Couple the physics-bending wheelmanship with Vin Diesel's even less believable portrayal of anything other Van Diesel (aka Mark Vincent), and you have a recipe for another bad movie. I have to admit that I skipped Tokyo Drift, so maybe I missed some important back plot that is key to my understanding of this flick However, If such is the case, I'll stay blissfully ignorant.

Pay Attention!

kiya@evpl — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:42:00 GMT

I had never heard of Vantage Point (2008) when my son brought it home. He had seen previews on other DVDs, and thought it looked interesting. I wasn't even planning to watch it, figuring I'd just continue reading my book. Well, it caught me right away, and 90 minutes later, it was over, and I don't think I'd looked at my book once.

The movie tells the story of an assassination attempt on the President of the US (the Secret Service guys call him POTUS, which is an unfortunate acronym). Dennis Quaid plays Secret Service Agent Thomas Barnes, back on his first assignment after taking a bullet for the president six months ago. They are at a counter-terrorism conference in Spain as events unfold. And unfold again. And again. And again. Our understanding of what really happened grows as we see the same events from another vantage point. There is a Spanish undercover cop, a TV news director (Sigourney Weaver), the President (William Hurt), an American tourist complete with camcorder (Forest Whitaker) among others. The action never stops, only pausing while the clock rewinds and starts again. It takes paying attention to follow all the twists and turns, so don't try to watch this while you do something else. The story and the acting really held my attention - when it was over I was astonished that 90 minutes had gone by.

This won't ever be my favorite action movie, or my favorite puzzle movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent watching it, and have found myself thinking of it again several times over the last few days. What do you think?

Lots of violence and intensity in the scenes, no sex or nudity, a little cursing. The MPAA rated this film PG-13.

"Chuck" is about a nerd that becomes a spy...essentially my life story

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:50:00 GMT

In the television show Chuck, Charles "Chuck" Bartowski plays your typical 20-something computer-geek, stuck in a dead-end job at Buy More's Nerd Herd (a less-than-subtle parody of Best Buy's Geek Squad). He lives an uneventful life with his sister Ellie, until one day when he receives an email from his long-lost friend Bryce. Turns out Bryce is a rogue CIA agent, and his email contains an entire government database of top secret info, which embeds itself into Chuck's brain upon viewing.

Both the NSA and CIA want the intelligence returned to them and dispatch agents of their own - Major John Casey and Sarah Walker - to "retrieve" that data. When the original database is destroyed, Chuck has the only copy of that data, so he is forced to become a spy. Chuck's decision to keep his new-found occupation a secret from his family and friends, and to live his life as normally as possible, forces Casey and Walker to establish an uneasy alliance and secret identities (Walker poses as Chuck's girlfriend and takes a cover job at the local restaurant next to the Buy More while Casey gets a job at the Buy More), with the shared goal of protecting Chuck at all costs.

Seeing specific people/things causes Chuck to "flash", subliminally retrieving data about the person/object from the government database in his mind. Chuck uses this ability to help John & Sarah thwart evildoers and save the entire world from impending doom.

Sarah is an incredibly attractive female spy, and as they continue their "fake" relationship Chuck's feelings for her become real. There is lots of romantic tension, often mocked by smart-aleck comments by John (portrayed by Adam Baldwin, of Full Metal Jacket & Firefly/Serentity fame).

This show is brilliant, tied with The Office as my favorite current TV show. The cast is excellent, with real chemistry. The plots, while far-fetched, are extremely well-thought out, always resulting in hilarity and the unexpected. And the emotion evoked by the tension between Chuck & Sarah (not helped by Ellie's constant "I'm so happy you finally found a girlfriend" remarks), his belief that Sarah is way out of his nerd-league, the experiences with his ex-girlfriend (who re-appears in season 2), and his quest for more (a normal life and better job, for starters) creates endearing, genuine characters.

Season 1 was released on DVD & Blu-ray a couple months ago, and season 2 (which is even better than season 1) is currently airing on Monday nights at 7pm on NBC. It's a show you really need to watch in order, so check out the season 1 DVDs, catch up on the previous season 2 episodes at NBC.com, and watch the latest episode every Monday night!

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check on the availability of Chuck: The Complete First Season on DVD at EVPL libraries.
NBC.com: Official website of Chuck. Find out more about the show, and watch full episodes from season 2!
Amazon: Buy Chuck: The Complete First Season on DVD or Blu-ray using these links, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!

Doomsday, wrathful robots, other cheerfulness in "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:38:00 GMT

Being a self-proclaimed sci-fi geek, I love the Terminator movies. With three theatrical movies, and a fourth coming in 2009 (Terminator Salvation, starring Christian Bale!), Fox decided to capitalize on the series' success with a spin-off television series. Season 1 of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles began airing in January of 2008, and was recently released on DVD & Blu-ray.

Explaining the TV show requires a bit of backstory from the movies, so here goes...

The Terminator (1984) - In 1997, a computer system called Skynet becomes self-aware, unleashes a nuclear apocalypse on humanity, and builds an army of robots to destroy the few surviving humans that have formed a resistance. The leader of this resistance is John Connor, and under his command they are able to keep humanity alive.

In 2029, Skynet decides to send an indestructible Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back in time, to the year 1984, to kill John's mother, Sarah. If they kill Sarah, John will never be born, thus never organizing the resistance. Upon learning of Skynet's plan, the resistance sends one of their own to the year 1984, to protect Sarah from the Terminator. Fortunately, Sarah stays alive and the Terminator is destroyed.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - It's now 1993. Sarah Connor is in a mental institution for "delusions". John Connor is a rebellious youth, living with foster parents. Skynet decides to send a more advanced Terminator to kill John. Future-John (in 2029) has reprogrammed a T-100 (Arnold) and sent him to 1993 to protect young-John. They bust Sarah out of the institution and destroy Cyberdyne, a company creating robotic endoskeletons (used in the future for the robot armies). This successfully delays the nuclear apocalypse.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) - Forget about this one. Has no correlation with this TV show.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles takes place in 1997. Sarah & John have been on the run for four years, pursued by the FBI for charges of terrorism. While at school one day, John discovers that his substitute teacher is a Terminator sent back in time to kill him. And guess what?

The resistance has sent a female Terminator named Cameron, played by Summer Glau (best-known for her role in Firefly & Serenity), to protect him. Cameron transports Sarah & John to the year 2007, as that is now the year that Skynet takes over. Agent Ellison of the FBI picks up the case, after it remained stagnant for the previous 10 years.

Sarah, John, & Cameron are on a mission to discover what Skynet is and to destroy it. Turns out that an advanced chess computer, that has garnered military interest, is the prime suspect. As Agent Ellison investigates Sarah's record, including visiting her former psychiatrist from the mental institution, he slowly begins to realize that she wasn't lying. The final episode features an epic battle, to Johnny Cash's "When the Man Comes Around" (one of his last songs, containing many references to the Book of Revelations), which literally gave me goosebumps.

While a bit cheesy at times, as most TV shows are, I found the acting and plot to be top-notch. It was also fascinating to see concepts, never fully explained in the movies, fleshed out. Fans of the Terminator films, good sci-fi, and thought-provoking storylines should definitely check it out!

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check availability of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles at EVPL libraries.
Amazon.com: Buy Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on DVD or Blu-ray using this link, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase.
Internet Movie Database: Find out more about the show at IMDB.
Fox.com: View the official website of the TV show.

"Hancock" worth watching

MediaPhile@evpl — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:44:00 GMT

How can a movie gross $625,000,000 worldwide and yet get a 38% rating at Rotten Tomatoes? One could say that there's no accounting for taste, but in this case I agree with the general public.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of this DVD before its official release date on Tuesday. What I remembered hearing about this action thriller was that the first half was okay, the last half a let-down.

Well, I beg to differ. I didn't think it really got interesting until the twist that came at midpoint. I was as usual only half-watching while working away on my laptop. I sensed an attraction betwen Hancock (Will Smith) and Mary (Charlize Theron) but was surprised at what developed. Suffice it to say that there is something lurking under that beautiful surface.

Which brings me to the point that I could barely recognize Charlize. I have always considered her to be flawless, but evidently she and her plastic surgeon didn't think so. There is some buzz about this on the Net.

But getting back to the movie, this is another one that I wish I had seen on the big screen. In fact, I should have shelled out the money and seen it on IMAX. The special effects were pretty amazing. Oh, well....

"Hancock" is inventive, quirky and funny...and Will Smith does his usual superb job...so count me with thumbs up on this one. I even watched it twice!

"Redbelt" not your typical karate movie

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:38:00 GMT

Redbelt, written & directed by David Mamet, is not your typical martial arts movie...it has very few action scenes. In fact, calling it a "martial arts movie" is a bit belittling, as it is first and foremost a drama. While it started extremely slowly, I ended up getting drawn in and loving it.

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Mike Terry, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor barely making ends meet. A series of unfortunate events increase the financial burden on Mike and his wife, Sondra. While Mike is a talented fighter, he refuses to participate in any kind of fighting competitions, as they have commercialized something he deems pure.

While seeking Sondra's brother (who just so happens to be a fight promoter) to ask for another loan, Mike is able to defend actor Chet Frank (well-played by Tim Allen) in a bar fight. The two become friends and Mike is hired on as producer of Chet's latest movie.

The rest of the story involves extremely-surprising twists & turns, which force Mike to enter the ring in competition. I am refraining from detail to avoid any possible spoilers...there are a number of different sub-plots, but the masterful storytelling really shines as things never become convoluted.

The acting is top-notch as well. This film is Chiwetel Ejiofor's first lead performance, and he proves he is more than capable. After seeing him in Dirty Pretty Things, Four Brothers, Serenity (where he plays the most mild-mannered, evil villain I have EVER seen), & Children of Men, I must say that I am a fan of his. Tim Allen does a great job with his first serious role (no Tim "The Toolman" here!), and Emily Mortimer does a great job as a quirky lawyer who becomes entangled in the plot after some odd occurrences.

After seeing some of the forum posts on IMDB (i.e. "worst movie ever", "Garbagebelt", "This movie is PURE CRAP", etc.), I understand that this is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of movie. If you're expecting a brain dead beat-em-up, you will be disappointed with Redbelt. However, if you're able to enjoy slow-paced, thought-provoking movies, I think you will enjoy it. With its story of fighter honor & dignity, similar to the old Kurosawa films, I cannot recommend it highly enough!

More Information

YouTube: Check out the theatrical trailer.
EVPL Catalog: Check the availability of Redbelt at EVPL libraries.
Buy it at Amazon: Purchase your own copy at Amazon using this link to support the Public Library Friends.
Movie info @ IMDB: More info about the movie, including WORST MOVIE EVAH opinions, available at the Internet Movie Database.
Chiwetel Ejiofor @ IMDB: View the biography & filmography of this promising actor.