Its been awhile since I posted anything. During this year I have not been well, and my hands did not like typing for very long. I have now been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and on proper medication I am feeling better, but my hands still are protesting when I type for very long. This has meant that the Movie Reviews did not get done. Oh yes I kept going to the movies, even when it was difficult to get up out of the seats, my movie going friend Trish has had to help me out of the chair several times...but I learned, go early in the day when my energy was good and therefore I could get myself up. I have loved doing my movie reviews, and I missed doing them.
One day, watching The View, I saw a young man give a review of a play he had just seen via YouTube and thought I could that. So now I have done a few, took me a few times to get the hang of it, and I will endeavor to do them this way, and see how it goes.
This link will take you to my YouTube account and latest movie review The Theory of Everything, plus several others. I'm also inserting the link for you.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW2xIhiWkPShkY8GnFTToAw/videos
Please let me know what you think of this way of doing them and I trust you will enjoy these as much as you have told me you enjoy the written word ones. Email me at norma@normacowie.com
Blessings
Norma
Monday, December 1, 2014
Saturday, August 16, 2014
The Giver
I approached seeing The Giver with some trepidation. I had heard it was ‘dark’ and controversial. This I’m sure is because the book had been banned from schools and it had taken Jeff Bridges 18 years to bring it to the screen. However long it took him, it was worth it. This is a movie which leaves you ‘thinking’. The theme is people living in a ‘perfect’ community, without emotion. Having no differences or choices and at the age of graduation the young are placed in a ‘job’ chosen for them. One boy, Jonas is placed with an elderly man The Giver, to learn about true pain and pleasure of the ‘real’ world.
Then the fun begins as Jonas, played adeptly by Brenton Thwaites wants to share what he is learning with his friends, mostly with Fiona played by Odeya Rush and Aser, played by Cameron Monahan. Jeff Bridges plays the older man The Giver, while Meryl Streep is Chief Elder, Alexander Skarsgard plays Jonas’s Dad, while Katie Holmes, his mother.
As mentioned this movie is worth seeing only for the conversation about society, and whether not being controlled is better than having all our feelings/emotions. Is it worth having to obey whatever is said by a governing body or not. The story is really about how Jonas is ‘freed’ and thereby ‘frees’ everyone. The result of that freeing we do not know. Is it good news how everything can go from black and white to ‘color’ when emotions are released. Or is it better to live in ignorance in a black and white world. The Giver is a movie which asks this question. An important one. It does make you think about our society and how many of us live.
4 out of 5.
Then the fun begins as Jonas, played adeptly by Brenton Thwaites wants to share what he is learning with his friends, mostly with Fiona played by Odeya Rush and Aser, played by Cameron Monahan. Jeff Bridges plays the older man The Giver, while Meryl Streep is Chief Elder, Alexander Skarsgard plays Jonas’s Dad, while Katie Holmes, his mother.
As mentioned this movie is worth seeing only for the conversation about society, and whether not being controlled is better than having all our feelings/emotions. Is it worth having to obey whatever is said by a governing body or not. The story is really about how Jonas is ‘freed’ and thereby ‘frees’ everyone. The result of that freeing we do not know. Is it good news how everything can go from black and white to ‘color’ when emotions are released. Or is it better to live in ignorance in a black and white world. The Giver is a movie which asks this question. An important one. It does make you think about our society and how many of us live.
4 out of 5.
The Expendables 3
As a fan of the Expendables, I was at an early showing to see how the ‘guys’ did this one. As usual, Expendables 3 is full of shooting, great stunts, and lots of well known actors. I think that is the part I love the most. Who is going to show up next. You have the usual, Sylvester Stalone, Barney and Jason Statham, Christmas along with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Trench, Dolph Lundgren, Gunner Jenson, Randy Couture, Toli Road and Terry Crew as Ceaser, who gets hurt and is only in it in the beginning and very end. Jet Li as Yin Yang from the previous two Expendables shows up near the end.
This time around they added some other well known names Harrison Ford, as Drummer (taking over Bruce Willis’s role) Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes (so glad to see him again, and there is a priceless line near the beginning of the movie which had me laughing really early - if you know the history of Wesley Snipes you will get it. If not, ask me and I will advise you). Kelsey Grammar has a part in helping Barney find the new ‘young’ crew - Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Kellan Lutz, and Ronda Rousey. Each actor plays a contributing part and I enjoyed everyone.
The story line is usual, bad man (Mel Gibson) has to be taken out and the Expendables have to do it. Barney (Stallone) goes after a new team (the young ones) and they get captured and so its up to the old team (yeah - so happy to see them involved) to go save them. Then the ten of them work together to fight the bad guy and an army. Impossible odds, but heh this is the Expendables. Lots of great stunts as previously said, and if you don’t mind the noise of things being blown up then you will enjoy the Expendables once again.
Personally, I enjoyed it. I like love seeing the older actors, they are like a familiar family member. Now I’m attached to the new ones. I do hope they do an Expendables 4 with both teams alive and well once more.
3 ½ out of 4.
This time around they added some other well known names Harrison Ford, as Drummer (taking over Bruce Willis’s role) Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes (so glad to see him again, and there is a priceless line near the beginning of the movie which had me laughing really early - if you know the history of Wesley Snipes you will get it. If not, ask me and I will advise you). Kelsey Grammar has a part in helping Barney find the new ‘young’ crew - Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Kellan Lutz, and Ronda Rousey. Each actor plays a contributing part and I enjoyed everyone.
The story line is usual, bad man (Mel Gibson) has to be taken out and the Expendables have to do it. Barney (Stallone) goes after a new team (the young ones) and they get captured and so its up to the old team (yeah - so happy to see them involved) to go save them. Then the ten of them work together to fight the bad guy and an army. Impossible odds, but heh this is the Expendables. Lots of great stunts as previously said, and if you don’t mind the noise of things being blown up then you will enjoy the Expendables once again.
Personally, I enjoyed it. I like love seeing the older actors, they are like a familiar family member. Now I’m attached to the new ones. I do hope they do an Expendables 4 with both teams alive and well once more.
3 ½ out of 4.
The Hundred Foot Journey
Every now and again we are given a movie which is absolutely ‘delightful’ to see. The Hundred-Food Journey is one of those movies. Slowly paced, but not too slow, character and story line building so you come to understand the main characters and their nuances. This is a movie which talks about bravery of leaving what you know to go to the unknown. Of courage of being able to go after what you want and achieve it. And most of all a movie of honoring what is really important to yourself.
Helen Mirren plays Madam Mallory a proprietress of a celebrated French restaurant. Om Puri plays Papa, the head of the Indian family who opens an Indian restaurant right across the street from Madam Mallory. Tmanish Dayal plays Hassan, the son who is a gifted chef, who trains under Madam Mallory and Charlotte LeBon plays the beautiful Marguerite. These characters form the square upon which the movie is built upon. Oh yes there are others, but the dynamics between these four is what makes this movie work.
You may wonder why you would want to see a movie about French and Indian food, but it is really a movie about relationships, around food. I said to myself at the end ‘delightful’ and it is. A delightful movie, reminding us of hope, achievement of goals is possible and underneath everything love.
4 out of 5. (Go see this and be delighted).
Helen Mirren plays Madam Mallory a proprietress of a celebrated French restaurant. Om Puri plays Papa, the head of the Indian family who opens an Indian restaurant right across the street from Madam Mallory. Tmanish Dayal plays Hassan, the son who is a gifted chef, who trains under Madam Mallory and Charlotte LeBon plays the beautiful Marguerite. These characters form the square upon which the movie is built upon. Oh yes there are others, but the dynamics between these four is what makes this movie work.
You may wonder why you would want to see a movie about French and Indian food, but it is really a movie about relationships, around food. I said to myself at the end ‘delightful’ and it is. A delightful movie, reminding us of hope, achievement of goals is possible and underneath everything love.
4 out of 5. (Go see this and be delighted).
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy - movie review
First showing of the day in our local movie house, myself and two friends were there (it was already getting hot outside and my car was in the garage getting its tune-up) so off to Guardians of the Galaxy we went. We have been watching the advertising for it for quite a while and we were waiting for this movie to be here.
First of all, I enjoyed it. It was different from the other Marvel comic movies though. It was humours, not sure if it was meant to be, but the writing sure made it like that. The comments between each of the 'stars' had you laughing. I also felt it was very much for teenagers, as it was not overly deep and certainly not intense, although I'm sure it was supposed to be tense. I did not feel it like that.
Other interesting bits was the different colored skin. Zoe Saldana, as Gamora, the assassin skin color is Green, but there were lots of people around with pink skin, blue skin, black skin, you name it people seemed to have it. I found that concept interesting - skin color coming from different planets in the universe with people living, marrying (there is one scene with a white man, pink woman and their pink little girl) getting along. Yeah for acceptances of differences!
Chris Pratt is excellent as Peter Quill, Star Lord. He had just enough sass, fun and yet determination about him to be the unherald leader of the group. Zoe Saldana was great as usual in her action role.
Bradley Cooper's voice (was that really Bradley Cooper's voice) as Rocket the angry raccoon. Mind you he gives the most laughs and is the hero of the hour (after Star Lord). Vin Diesel as Groot, the tree man who basically says only the same three words manages, thanks to the magic of computers has some wonderful expressions. Apparently, he had to record "I AM GROOT" over 1,000 times to get the 'right' intonation. And finally, to round out the five, Dave Bautista who plays Drax, what a make up, or transfer job he had on him. Took me awhile to 'get' him during the movie, but in the end I found him acceptable (I can't say adorable - but he showed his softer side).
Worth going to see. Well its not a movie I would say you have to see, but its well done, has a sci-fi story-line and definitely has action. You go from one action scene to anther with a little of non action in between. I enjoyed the ease of this movie, not over intense, yet lots of action, explosions and of course the destructive of a city in the end. In a hot summer day, in a cool movie house, yes worth seeing, and know I will go see the next one, which has already been ordered up. Perhaps we will get to find out who Star Lord's Father is.
3 out of 5.
First of all, I enjoyed it. It was different from the other Marvel comic movies though. It was humours, not sure if it was meant to be, but the writing sure made it like that. The comments between each of the 'stars' had you laughing. I also felt it was very much for teenagers, as it was not overly deep and certainly not intense, although I'm sure it was supposed to be tense. I did not feel it like that.
Other interesting bits was the different colored skin. Zoe Saldana, as Gamora, the assassin skin color is Green, but there were lots of people around with pink skin, blue skin, black skin, you name it people seemed to have it. I found that concept interesting - skin color coming from different planets in the universe with people living, marrying (there is one scene with a white man, pink woman and their pink little girl) getting along. Yeah for acceptances of differences!
Chris Pratt is excellent as Peter Quill, Star Lord. He had just enough sass, fun and yet determination about him to be the unherald leader of the group. Zoe Saldana was great as usual in her action role.
Bradley Cooper's voice (was that really Bradley Cooper's voice) as Rocket the angry raccoon. Mind you he gives the most laughs and is the hero of the hour (after Star Lord). Vin Diesel as Groot, the tree man who basically says only the same three words manages, thanks to the magic of computers has some wonderful expressions. Apparently, he had to record "I AM GROOT" over 1,000 times to get the 'right' intonation. And finally, to round out the five, Dave Bautista who plays Drax, what a make up, or transfer job he had on him. Took me awhile to 'get' him during the movie, but in the end I found him acceptable (I can't say adorable - but he showed his softer side).
Worth going to see. Well its not a movie I would say you have to see, but its well done, has a sci-fi story-line and definitely has action. You go from one action scene to anther with a little of non action in between. I enjoyed the ease of this movie, not over intense, yet lots of action, explosions and of course the destructive of a city in the end. In a hot summer day, in a cool movie house, yes worth seeing, and know I will go see the next one, which has already been ordered up. Perhaps we will get to find out who Star Lord's Father is.
3 out of 5.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - movie review
After putting off going to see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, I decided yesterday afternoon I would go. They had a 2D showing at 4pm, it was a very hot day, so what better time than to visit the movie theatre.
The question often asked of me when I see a movie is "Did you enjoy it?". I can't say I enjoyed it, but I am glad I saw it. Andy Serkis as Caesar is phenomenal, and Jason Clarke as Malcolm I thought played his part well. Of course Gary Oldman gave his usual stellar performance in his role as Dreyfus.
So what did I come away with. A few things. Near the beginning of the movie, the humans make the comment amongst themselves stating they want their lives to go "back to the way it was". This struck me as absolutely silly. You don't go backwards, you go forward. It was the wanting to get a hydro-dam back working that had the humans getting into contact with the Apes.
Then the following: fear and guns are not good together. Hatred, especially bottled up hatred, distorts and creates all sorts of problems. Rejecting anything which is different from oneself can lead to misunderstanding and therefore problems. You could say this is a anti-gun movie. As it is guns which begin the problem and keep on creating the problem.
You have two different groups, with some of them really wanting peace between them, while others either filled with fear, hatred and do not understand differences escalate the problems. I would not recommend that this is a movie you 'have' to see. But all the Apes were done wonderfully, the directing, editing etc, was done well. But I left thinking "how sad we cannot respect differences and listen to each other". And is that not happening in our world right now. Perhaps we truly need to learn to respect and honor each other once again. I will await the next sequel and see what they do with that.
I give this movie 3 out of 5.
The question often asked of me when I see a movie is "Did you enjoy it?". I can't say I enjoyed it, but I am glad I saw it. Andy Serkis as Caesar is phenomenal, and Jason Clarke as Malcolm I thought played his part well. Of course Gary Oldman gave his usual stellar performance in his role as Dreyfus.
So what did I come away with. A few things. Near the beginning of the movie, the humans make the comment amongst themselves stating they want their lives to go "back to the way it was". This struck me as absolutely silly. You don't go backwards, you go forward. It was the wanting to get a hydro-dam back working that had the humans getting into contact with the Apes.
Then the following: fear and guns are not good together. Hatred, especially bottled up hatred, distorts and creates all sorts of problems. Rejecting anything which is different from oneself can lead to misunderstanding and therefore problems. You could say this is a anti-gun movie. As it is guns which begin the problem and keep on creating the problem.
You have two different groups, with some of them really wanting peace between them, while others either filled with fear, hatred and do not understand differences escalate the problems. I would not recommend that this is a movie you 'have' to see. But all the Apes were done wonderfully, the directing, editing etc, was done well. But I left thinking "how sad we cannot respect differences and listen to each other". And is that not happening in our world right now. Perhaps we truly need to learn to respect and honor each other once again. I will await the next sequel and see what they do with that.
I give this movie 3 out of 5.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Hercules - movie review
Setting off to see Hercules I did not have any expectations of what I was going to see. If there were any, they weren't very high. I was pleasantly surprised. Should have realized Dwayne Johnson was not going to be in something which did not have some substance. Plus Brett Ratner as director usually spins a good, tight story. This they did.
At the end of the movie, I turned to my movie companion Trish and "I enjoyed that". This movie has all what you expect in a myth tale. It contains great stunts, and you did not feel you were watching generated ones, you thought you were watching real people doing them. A story line of betrayal and heroism. The good guys definitely win, when you think they may lose. Of course the hero has to come out on top. Hercules and his group of friends save the day in more ways than one.
The line up of actors supporting Dwayne Johnson was good. John Hurt as Lord Cotys, always plays a bad guy well. Ian McShane as Amphiaraus was great as the 'seer' of the bunch. He supplies the most humor with his comments. Rufus Sewll as Autolycus (I always love his eyes) as Hercules's longest friend. Reece Ritchie who plays Iolaus, Hercules's nephew - the constant story teller gives a sense of humanity to the story.
If you like adventure, if you like good stunts, if you like a myth coming alive then you will enjoy this movie. I did. Oh yes, Dwayne Johnson must have worked out considerably to get his muscles to be that big!!!! Forget Arnold is his day, Dwayne wins!
4 out of 5 for entertainment.
At the end of the movie, I turned to my movie companion Trish and "I enjoyed that". This movie has all what you expect in a myth tale. It contains great stunts, and you did not feel you were watching generated ones, you thought you were watching real people doing them. A story line of betrayal and heroism. The good guys definitely win, when you think they may lose. Of course the hero has to come out on top. Hercules and his group of friends save the day in more ways than one.
The line up of actors supporting Dwayne Johnson was good. John Hurt as Lord Cotys, always plays a bad guy well. Ian McShane as Amphiaraus was great as the 'seer' of the bunch. He supplies the most humor with his comments. Rufus Sewll as Autolycus (I always love his eyes) as Hercules's longest friend. Reece Ritchie who plays Iolaus, Hercules's nephew - the constant story teller gives a sense of humanity to the story.
If you like adventure, if you like good stunts, if you like a myth coming alive then you will enjoy this movie. I did. Oh yes, Dwayne Johnson must have worked out considerably to get his muscles to be that big!!!! Forget Arnold is his day, Dwayne wins!
4 out of 5 for entertainment.
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