In Time (2011)

Release Date: 28 October 2011 (USA) Runtime: 109 min
Taglines: Time Is Money Genre: Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

In a future where people stop aging at 25, but are engineered to live only one more year, having the means to buy your way out of the situation is a shot at immortal youth. Here, Will Salas finds himself accused of murder and on the run with a hostage - a connection that becomes an important part of the way against the system.

Directed by  Andrew Niccol       
Writing credits:  Andrew Niccol    
Cast overview: Cillian Murphy, Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried , Shyloh Oostwald, Johnny Galecki , Colin McGurk, Olivia Wilde, Will Harris, Michael William Freeman
Storyline
In the not-too-distant future the aging gene has been switched off. To avoid overpopulation, time has become the currency and the way people pay for luxuries and necessities. The rich can live forever, while the rest try to negotiate for their immortality. A poor young man who comes into a fortune of time, though too late to help his mother from dying. He ends up on the run from a police force known as 'time keepers'.
Review
A great film that sadly many will not be able to follow
Author: Ed Carden from United States

IN TIME is a modern day spin on ROBIN HOOD in Orwells 1984. Director Andrew Niccol shows a future society in which literal time is the commodity of the age, used to pay for anything and everything. Want a cup of coffee, that will be 5 minutes; it was only 4 minutes just a few days ago.
IN TIME shows us just what our world might look like if everyone stopped aging at 25 and was able to live forever so long as they could afford it. For those with great wealth, time is a valued and guarded surplus; something to allow the lessers in society to have in small controllable amounts. For those in the ghetto who live day by day time is life and most would do anything get just a little more time.
While the acting is on par with what you'd expect there are a few let downs but mostly due to the direction of the character and not by any fault on the part of the actor. Cillian Murphy is awesome as a Timekeeper, the 'IN TIME' verse-esque equivalent of the current day detective. His job, to keep track of time and when necessary , re-posses it.
Justim Timberlake, the protagonist of the story does a wonderful job of portraying the "live one day at a time" Will Sallas. A 2 time 25 year old (will make sense when you seethe film) who lives life one day at a time literally. He also represents what we all would like to believe we would be if we were in his shoes, alway6s willing to give others a little more time, even those who would do harm.
In the end IN TIME makes one ask What is wealth? What is living? Do we miss life in the pursuit of wealth? Some will find IN TIME unbearable because its not the Mid-fall, mindless SciFi action flick they were hoping for. Others will find it offensive and preachy since the rich and wealthy are shown to be selfish and uncaring.
What IN TIME does, it does well and thats giving us a glimpse at just how precious time really is because in the real world you don;t know how much time you do have but you do know with certainty that you will not get any more if it so you better spend it wisely.
If your still in doubt about IN TIME then catch an early morning showing or the matinée and save your self a few bucks.

Other Details
Original Music by Craig Armstrong       
Cinematography by Roger Deakins       
Film Editing by Zach Staenberg       
Casting by  Denise Chamian       
Production Design by  Alex McDowell       
Costume Design by Colleen Atwood  
Filming Locations: 1100 S Hope St, Los Angeles, California, USA
Box Office
Opening Weekend: $12,050,368 (USA) (30 October 2011) (3122 Screens)
Gross: $12,050,368 (USA) (30 October 2011)
Production Co: Regency Enterprises, New Regency Pictures, Strike Entertainment
Sound Mix: Dolby

TRAILER WATCH

   

»»  read more

The End of Normal by Stephanie Madoff Mack /Review

The End of Normal
by Stephanie Madoff Mack

Description

An explosive, heartbreaking memoir from the widow of Mark Madoff and daughter-in-law of Bernard Madoff, the first genuine inside story from a family member who has lived through- and survived-both the public crisis and her own deeply personal tragedy.
When the news of Bernard Madoff 's Ponzi scheme broke, Americans were shocked and outraged, perhaps none more so than the unsuspecting members of his own family. After learning that their father's legendarily successful wealth management company was "all just one big lie," Mark and Andrew Madoff turned their father in and cut off all communication with both parents. Mark and his wife, Stephanie, strove to make a fresh start for the sake of their two young children, but Mark could not overcome his sense of betrayal and shame-he and other family members were sued for $200 million in October of 2009. He hung himself on the two-year anniversary of his father's arrest. Left to raise her children as a single mother, Stephanie wrote this memoir to give them a sense of who their father really was, defend his innocence, and put her personal statement on record once and for all. In this candid insider account, she talks about her idyllic wedding to Mark on Nantucket, what it was really like to be a part of the Madoff family, the build-up to Bernard's confession, and the media frenzy that followed. It is about the loss of the fairytale life she knew, adjusting to life with a man she hardly recognized anymore, and the tragic and final loss of her husband.

Details
    Hardcover: 253 pages
    Publisher: Blue Rider Press (October 20, 2011)
    Language: English
    ISBN-10: 0399158162
    ISBN-13: 978-0399158162
    Genre: Health, Relationships , Marriage
Praise

"[An] explosive memoir...[Madoff Mack] reveals what it was like to marry into the Madoff family and how she coped when it imploded."

-People

"[P]erhaps the most truly 'insider' account of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme to date...engrossing from the start...Madoff Mack's account contains personal details that make the book worth reading....[F]ascinating."

- Forbes

"The End of Normal gives an intimate account of Mark Madoff's two years of torment over the infamous swindle that wiped out thousands of investors and-by his wife's account-left him a man broken beyond repair."

- Associated Press

"This is a love story wrapped up in a news story, and that's tricky to tell, because there is a really deep bond between these two people, Stephanie and Mark....Stephanie is just coming forward because she wants people to hear her, and her husband's, version of what their life has been. It's as pure and as simple as that."

- ABC's 20/20

Review
This is a beautifully written book full of pain and love and loss. It is a very personal look at the deepest pain caused by Bernie Madoff. Of all the many people that Bernie hurt and the pain and loss that he caused, those who suffered the most were his family. He took their money and their futures (as he did with many people) but he also stole their past and their foundations. I knew Mark and never for one minute believed that he had any knowledge of his father's evil until he confessed in December 2008.
Stephanie gives voice to the agony that she and Mark went through at the hands of Bernie, as well as how the media, bloggers, and public exacerbated that pain. Mark was unable to share his story with the public and very much wanted to let the world know his truth. I had hoped that he would one day be in a place emotionally and legally to be able to tell his story. Sadly, that was not to be, but Stephanie does a fantastic job of letting the world into their private space and painting a true picture of Mark.
The book also shows the heartache and pain that suicide brings to those left behind. Stephanie does an excellent job of conveying the questions, pain, and process that suicide of a loved one brings. Her journey is sad and her loss is real, but the book also manages to be a beautiful love letter to Mark and his children.

»»  read more

The Rum Diary (2011)/Review

Taglines: One part outrage. One part justice. Three parts rum. Mix well.
Release Date: 28 October 2011 (USA) Runtime: 120 min
Genres: Drama | Mystery | Thriller

American journalist Paul Kemp takes on a freelance job in Puerto Rico for a local newspaper during the 1950s and struggles to find a balance between island culture and the expatriates who live there.

Director: Bruce Robinson
Writers: Bruce Robinson (screenplay), Hunter S. Thompson (novel)
Cast overview: Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Rispoli, Amber Heard, Richard Jenkins, Giovanni Ribisi, Amaury Nolasco, Marshall Bell , Bill Smitrovich, Julian Holloway, Karen Austin

Storyline

Paul Kemp is a freelance journalist who finds himself at a critical turning point in his life while writing for a run-down newspaper in the Caribbean. Paul is challenged on many levels as he tries to carve out a more secure niche for himself amidst a group of lost souls all bent on self-destruction.

Filming Locations: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Budget: $45,000,000 (estimated)
Production Co: Dark & Stormy Entertainment, FilmEngine, GK Films
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Review

Rum Diary was an interesting movie that told the story of a writer at a crossroads in his life who flees to Puerto Rico in 1960 to either find something better in himself or get lost in a river of rum.
Johnny Depp goes a good job as a failing novelist who takes to journalism for the San Juan Star in hoping that writing something will help him ultimately succeed at writing novels. Depp is captivating in every scene, as his character falls into endless trouble but finds ways out. Ultimately, the chaos around him helps Depp's character find focus and purpose.
Michael Ribosi does an outstanding job as Depp's sidekick and American guide to Puerto Rico. Ribosi's character survives on rum and the occasional hamburger. Despite his character's self-destructive nature, his character adds warmth and humanity to the film.
I initially went to see Rum Diary for its setting in Puerto Rico. I have lived in Puerto Rico and visited many times. The rural settings accurately depict the rural Puerto Rican lifestyle even today. And the beauty of the island and Old San Juan is captured nicely throughout the movie, albeit less than I hoped.
The Rum Diary is a captivating look into a fascinating and flawed character in a unique time and place. 

TRAILER

»»  read more

The Christmas Wedding /Review

James Patterson & Richard DiLallo

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (October 17, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 031609739X
ISBN-13: 978-0316097390

Description

The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. Since her husband died three years ago, Gaby's four children have drifted apart, each consumed by the turbulence of their own lives. They haven't celebrated Christmas together since their father's death, but when Gaby announces that she's getting married--and that the groom will remain a secret until the wedding day--she may finally be able to bring them home for the holidays.
But the wedding isn't Gaby's only surprise--she has one more gift for her children, and it could change all their lives forever. With deeply affecting characters and the emotional twists of a James Patterson thriller, The Christmas Wedding is a fresh look at family and the magic of the season.

Review

By Brenda Casto (US)

Gaby Summerhill's family hasn't been together for Christmas since her husband Peter died, but that's about to change. You see Gaby has been proposed to by three men, and the thing is she is going to have a Christmas wedding, and she isn't going to to disclose who the groom will be until the wedding.So the only way her children, Emily, Claire Lizzie and Seth will know who she is marrying is to come home for Christmas.
I loved getting to know Gaby's children. Each of them were dealing with their own issues making this an interesting story. One was having marital troubles, one had a husband fighting cancer, another is a very successful lawyer who is married but puts in way to much time at her job, and finally one is trying to get a book published. Each child's story would have made for an interesting book in itself but roll them together and it made the plot of this book move along nonstop. I loved the plan Gaby came up with to get her children home, an idea that was totally new, hooking me, making me wonder myself who she would marry. There was even a twist thrown in that actually surprised me.
Overall if you enjoy family stories where the family seems as real as a your next door neighbors, and want to feel a bit of the magic of the holiday season then your going to want to pick this book up. Normally when I think of James Patterson I think of action packed thrillers, but he can certainly pull of a nice Christmas time family story as well. Highly recommended!

»»  read more

Trespass (2011)

Review   

Unrealistic to the point of absurdity; a tad melodramatic

Trespass is so unrealistic and outrageous that at times it becomes absurd and outrageously melodramatic. It tries to sweep away with one grand stroke all of the logical flaws in the script by simply claiming that the burglars are psychotic and insane. On the whole it insults the intelligence of the viewer by expecting the viewer to believe things would happen like they did in Trespass. In other movies of this genre there are always twists and somewhat unrealistic scenes that one can overlook if there is a cleverness or a presiding intelligence behind the story, but Trespass lacks this sharpness and edginess. The outrageousness, lack of realism, and madness of the story is simply too much to ask the viewer to believe and look past.

The movie does have its moments and isn't entirely worth ignoring however. The acting of Nicole Kidman is excellent and to see how she and Nicholas Cage are on-screen together is also very intriguing. The house where it is set has a very interesting modern design that comes off as very stylish and aesthetically appealing. A few of the twists and surprises in the movie are clever and there are a handful of good moments in the movie where I was surprised and satisfied with the cleverness of a certain turn of events.

Overall however, the movie turned into not the fascinating, intense, and intelligent thriller I hoped it would be, but a merely average movie that I couldn't possibly believe that got worse and worse as it climaxed to near complete absurdity. If the movie is worth a view at all it is simply to see the chemistry between Cage and Kidman and to appreciate the architectural design of the house where the movie is set. The ideas in the writing aren't wholly absurd, but clearly the writing and ideas aren't the strong point of Trespass.
DETAILS
Release Date: 21 October 2011 (Bulgaria) Runtime: 91 min
Genres: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Taglines: When terror is at your door, you can run, or you can fight.

As they're held for ransom, a husband and wife's predicament grows more dire amid the discovery of betrayal and deception.

Director:Joel Schumacher
Writer:Karl Gajdusek

Cast

Nicolas Cage,  Nicole Kidman,  Ben Mendelsohn, Liana Liberato, Cam Gigandet , Jordana Spiro Dash Mihok , Emily Meade, Nico Tortorella, Terry Milam , Nilo Otero
Music by David Buckley       
Cinematography by Andrzej Bartkowiak       
Film Editing by Bill Pankow       
Casting by Jessica Kelly    & Suzanne Smith  
Filming Locations: Shreveport, Louisiana, USA

Box Office Budget: $35,000,000 (estimated)

Production Co: Millennium Films, Nu Image Films, Winkler Films See
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

TRAILER

»»  read more

Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse /Book Review

James Wesley Rawles (Author)
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Atria Books; 1St Edition edition (October 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1439172803
ISBN-13: 978-1439172803
Genre:Literature & Fiction, Action & Adventure,  Mystery & Thrillers

Description

WHAT IF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT ENDED TOMORROW?
The America we are accustomed to is no more. Practically overnight the stock market has plummeted, hyperinflation has crippled commerce, and the fragile chains of supply and high-technology infrastructure have fallen. The power grids are down. Brutal rioting and looting grip every major city. The volatile era known as “the Crunch” has begun, and this new period in our history will leave no one untouched. In this unfamiliar environment, only a handful of individuals are equipped to survive.
Andrew Laine, a resourceful young U.S. Army officer stationed overseas in Afghanistan, wants nothing more than to return home to Bloomfield, New Mexico. With the world in turmoil and all air and sea traffic to America suspended, Laine must rely on his own ingenuity and the help of good Samaritans to reach his family. Andrew will do whatever it takes to make it home to his fiancée, no matter how difficult the circumstances.
Major Ian Doyle is a U.S. Air Force pilot sta-tioned in Arizona with his wife, Blanca. Their young daughter, Linda, is trapped in the North- eastern riots. Three teenage orphans, Shadrach, Reuben, and Matthew Phelps, have no choice but to set out on their own when their orphanage closes at the beginning of the Crunch. Then there is Ignacio Garcia, the ruthless leader of the criminal gang called La Fuerza, who will stop at nothing to amass an army capable of razing the countryside. And over everything looms the threat of a provisional government, determined to take over America and destroy the freedoms upon which it was built. The world of Survivors is a terrifyingly familiar one. Rawles has written a novel so close to the truth, readers will forget it’s fiction. If everything you thought you knew suddenly fell apart, would you survive?
About the Author
Former U.S. Army intelligence officer and survivalist James Wesley, Rawles is a well-known survival lecturer and author. Rawles is the editor of SurvivalBlog.com—the nation's most popular blog on family preparedness. He lives in an undisclosed location west of the Rockies. He is the author of the bestselling Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse and a nonfiction survival guide, How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It.

Review
I'm a Survivor,   By  F. Harrison

If Patriots was a great survival manual in novel format, Survivors is a great novel with a survivalist theme. If you read his first successful novel, you'll be glad to hear that author John Wesley Rawles has made dramatic improvement from the standpoint of fiction writing. The latest (not really a sequel, but based on the same setting of a post collapse world), has a much more fluid story and much more interesting characters. I couldn't tell you one thing about the characters from Patriots, but there are some memorable ones in Survivors.
The lead character, Anders, is a soldier in Afghanistan, who gets stuck after the US cuts off fuel supplies during the collapse. He has to make it back to his wife and brother back in America and uses his technical and survival skills to do so.
Other story lines intersect as Rawles showcases how people in different parts of the country try to cope with the shocking collapse of the economic system. While all of the protagonists in Patriots were survivalists, some of the characters in Survivors aren't, making for a compelling plot. Not only do they have to deal with a shattered economy, but the entire country has turned into a Mad-Max-esque free for all with roving gangs becoming dominant.
If you enjoy dystopian or political fiction like Orwell or the excellent Gods of Ruin, you must read this book!

»»  read more

I Never Thought I'd See the Day!: Culture at the Crossroads

David Jeremiah (Author)
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: FaithWords (October 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446565954
ISBN-13: 978-0446565950
Genre: Religion & Spirituality
 
Description

Is Western civilization in an accelerating decline? And if it continues will it eventually weaken and cause us to come to the end of cultured civilization as we now know it? "Yes," says David Jeremiah, and in his book, I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THE DAY! he details numerous signs of this cultural decay including:
Can this downward spiral be reversed? Yes, but only if one person at a time returns to God with our heart, our manner of life, our dedication to genuine worship of God, in serving God by helping others, in our giving, and in prayer.

 Reviews
What To Believe and Do In These Serious Times,
By  Dr. DAVID P. CRAIG "Life Coach 4 God" (Tustin, California)

This is the fourth book written by Dr. Jeremiah based on a prophetic series given at his church in San Diego over the past several years. The author (who has been in ministry for five decades and counting) writes about what he never thought he'd see happening in America and in the World by way of cultural ramifications that impact Christians and the world.

He bases the book on two specific Bible passages. Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. And 1 Chronicles 12:32, "Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do." In other words, Dr. Jeremiah is concerned that we as Christians are not overwhelmed by the times we find ourselves living in - that we are knowledgeable about what is going on; and encouraged in the truth, so that we can effectively apply the Scriptures and make an impact on an ever increasing attack on God and His people around the globe.
Dr. Jeremiah tackles the following 9 specific developments in these times we are living in:
1) The rise of angry atheists and how they seek to intimidate believers in God at every level of society.
2) The intensification of spiritual warfare - the more the gospel spreads - the more the enemy attacks.
3) The dethroning of Jesus Christ as God come in the flesh and King of Kings and Lord of Lords in whom is salvation and the only hope for the world.
4) The redefining of marriage as articulated by God's definition in the Bible.
5) The moral deterioration of society both privately and publicly - especially among our so-called leaders.
6) Dr. Jeremiah writes, "Intertwined with this free fall in morality is the growing marginalization of the Bible, which has moved from the center of political and cultural discourse to the far edges--from providing the founding principles of our nation to becoming a resource for token verses as ornamental platitudes. Sadly, many Christians and a growing number of churches have followed the lead of the culture and pushed the Word of God away at the center of their lives."
7) The growing irrelevance of the Body of Christ in our society.
8) The growing influence of rogue nations.
9) The decline of America's loyalty and allegiance to Israel.
This book is very relevant, and provides historical and biblical ways to be prepared to know what we believe, why we believe it, and how to stand firm in God's truth and to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we as Christians may be faithful in serving our Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ - until He returns. I highly recommend this book as informative, alarming, but also full of biblically helpful solutions and encouragement from a brilliant communicator of God's Word and how it applies to the times in which we are living.

»»  read more

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date:  21 October 2011 (India)  Genre:  Horror
Tagline:  It Runs In The Family

In 1988, young sisters Katie and Kristi befriend an invisible entity who resides in their home.

Directors:  Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Writers:  Christopher B. Landon, Oren Peli (characters)
Credited cast:
Katie Featherston, Sprague Grayden, Lauren Bittner, Chloe Csengery , Christopher Nicholas Smith, Jessica Tyler Brown, Brian Boland, Dustin Ingram, Mark Fredrichs
Executive Producer : Akiva Goldsman  
Cinematography by Magdalena Gorka Bonacorso       
Film Editing by Gregory Plotkin       
Casting by Terri Taylor       
Production Design by Jennifer Spence       
Art Direction by David Batchelor Wilson          
Costume Design by  Leah Butler    
Production Co: Blumhouse Productions, Paramount Pictures
User Review

Much like its predecessors, "Paranormal Activity 3" is a slow-building, stealthily creepy supernatural thriller that takes a teasingly indirect approach to generating suspense and escalating dread. The threequel is actually a prequel, time-warping back to 1988 to show how siblings Katie (Katie Featherston in the first film) and Kristi (Sprague Grayden in the second) were traumatized at an early age by things that go bump in the night. Slightly slicker and more densely populated than earlier pics in the franchise, the Oct. 21 Paramount release should play well with any fans who haven't already tired of the found-footage gimmick.

Although Featherston and Grayden make token appearances in a portentous prologue, preteen newcomers assume their roles throughout the rest of "Paranormal Activity 3." Pic details how Dennis (Chris Smith), the girls' videographer dad, becomes obsessed with discovering the source of latenight noises that echo throughout their spacious suburban home -- and learning the true nature of an imaginary playmate who may not be so imaginary after all.

Again like its predecessors, the film pivots on the conceit that its elliptical narrative has been culled from videos shot by someone (or a couple of someones) who cannot be called upon to provide any sort of explanatory narration. (It's interesting to consider whether some future sequel will identify just who's been editing together all this spooky stuff.)

MOVIE TRAILER

»»  read more

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson/Book Review

Walter Isaacson (Author)

Hardcover: 656 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (October 24, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1451648537
ISBN-13: 978-1451648539
Genre: Biographies, Memoirs & Business

Description
Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.
At a time when America is seeking ways to sustain its innovative edge, and when societies around the world are trying to build digital-age economies, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in the twenty-first century was to connect creativity with technology. He built a company where leaps of the imagination were combined with remarkable feats of engineering. 
Although Jobs cooperated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written nor even the right to read it before it was published. He put nothing off-limits. He encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. And Jobs speaks candidly, sometimes brutally so, about the people he worked with and competed against. His friends, foes, and colleagues provide an unvarnished view of the passions, perfectionism, obsessions, artistry, devilry, and compulsion for control that shaped his approach to business and the innovative products that resulted.
Driven by demons, Jobs could drive those around him to fury and despair. But his personality and products were interrelated, just as Apple’s hardware and software tended to be, as if part of an integrated system. His tale is instructive and cautionary, filled with lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values.
About the Author
Walter Isaacson, the CEO of the Aspen Institute, has been chairman of CNN and the managing editor of Time magazine. He is the author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life and of Kissinger: A Biography, and the coauthor of The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and daughter.

»»  read more

My Song: A Memoir /Book Review

By Harry Belafonte with Michael Shnayerson
    Hardcover: 480 pages
    Publisher: Knopf (October 11, 2011)
    Language: English
    ISBN-10: 0307272265
    ISBN-13: 978-0307272263
    Genre: Biographies, Memoirs, Literature

Description

Harry Belafonte is not just one of the greatest entertainers of our time; he has led one of the great American lives of the last century. Now, this extraordinary icon tells us the story of that life, giving us its full breadth, letting us share in the struggles, the tragedies, and, most of all, the inspiring triumphs.

Belafonte grew up, poverty-ridden, in Harlem and Jamaica. His mother was a complex woman—caring but withdrawn, eternally angry and rarely satisfied. His father was distant and physically abusive. It was not an easy life, but it instilled in young Harry the hard-nosed toughness of the city and the resilient spirit of the Caribbean lifestyle. It also gave him the drive to make good and channel his anger into actions that were positive and life-affirming. His journey led to the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he encountered an onslaught of racism but also fell in love with the woman he eventually married. After the war he moved back to Harlem, where he drifted between odd jobs until he saw his first stage play—and found the life he wanted to lead. Theater opened up a whole new world, one that was artistic and political and made him realize that not only did he have a need to express himself, he had a lot to express.
He began as an actor—and has always thought of himself as such—but was quickly spotted in a musical, began a tentative nightclub career, and soon was on a meteoric rise to become one of the world’s most popular singers. Belafonte was never content to simply be an entertainer, however. Even at enormous personal cost, he could not shy away from activism. At first it was a question of personal dignity: breaking down racial barriers that had never been broken before, achieving an enduring popularity with both white and black audiences. Then his activism broadened to a lifelong, passionate involvement at the heart of the civil rights movement and countless other political and social causes. The sections on the rise of the civil rights movement are perhaps the most moving in the book: his close friendship with Martin Luther King, Jr.; his role as a conduit between Dr. King and the Kennedys; his up-close involvement with the demonstrations and awareness of the hatred and potential violence around him; his devastation at Dr. King’s death and his continuing fight for what he believes is right.
But My Song is far more than the history of a movement. It is a very personal look at the people in that movement and the world in which Belafonte has long moved. He has befriended many beloved and important figures in both entertainment and politics—Paul Robeson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sidney Poitier, John F. Kennedy, Marlon Brando, Robert Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro, Tony Bennett, Bill Clinton—and writes about them with the same exceptional candor with which he reveals himself on every page. This is a book that pulls no punches, and turns both a loving and critical eye on our country’s cultural past.
As both an artist and an activist, Belafonte has touched countless lives. With My Song, he has found yet another way to entertain and inspire us. It is an electrifying memoir from a remarkable man.

About the Authors

Harry Belafonte’s 1956 album Calypso made him the first artist in history to sell more than one million LPs. He has won both a Tony Award and an Emmy, and he was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton. He has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and is the recipient of Kennedy Center Honors for excellence in the performing arts. He currently resides in New York City with his wife, Pamela.
Michael Shnayerson, a longtime contributing editor to Vanity Fair, is the author of Irwin Shaw; The Car That Could; The Killers Within, coauthored with Mark J. Plotkin, and Coal River, which recounted the efforts of Appalachian lawyers and grassroots groups to stop the devastating practice of mountaintop coal removal in southern West Virginia. Shnayerson’s passion for those environmental activists was one reason Harry Belafonte chose him to collaborate on his autobiography. Shnayerson lives in Bridgehampton, New York, with his daughter, Jenna.

Review
Amazing story of an extra ordinary man's life and struggles By Isaac Miller

As a younger man I believe I was jealous of Belafonte. All the girls, and not a few older women, swooned at his good looks. I think I realized that Banana Boat told the story of the farm workers I saw in cotton fields and peach orchards. I knew something of his close association with Martin Luther King, and of his broader fundraising for the Movement as a whole. I saw his movies, and think I recall his sitting in for Johnny Carson. I knew of his involvement in Africa and his work on behalf of the UN. I had no idea of the depth of his involvement or the skill he brought as a negotiator in behalf of so many causes. In an age in which celebrity, it seems, is sought by any means necessary, he shows, perhaps more than any one I can think of, how such notoriety can be put to the service of worthy ends.
Will he make it past the scars of early poverty and other demons of his growing up? Will he make it past grief at the deaths of heroes and close friends and the break up of marriages, the loss of dear friendships? Will he maintain the integrity that is threatened in this culture by both wealth and celebrity? Will he throw in the towel? There is an element of suspense in My Song that makes it a gripping companion to Taylor Branch and the work of others As I read I found myself almost praying for him. Strike the "almost".
In a sense the prayers are not just for Harry Belafonte, but for all of us. Handsome or not, known to many or just a few, something about Belafonte's story says that we can step up, and he encourages us, all of us, to continue to struggle to do so.
For those who seek to keep the legacies of King and Robeson, Mandela and Fannie Lou Haimer, Ella Baker and Malcolm X alive, this is a book to be cherished. For folks of faith there is much to be learned about how we can all be used by God.
Church folk of a certain stripe will be celebrating All Saints soon. I would suggest this is a highly appropriate book for this season in these times. It is a book that is probably necessary for all of us in all times.

»»  read more

The Three Musketeers (2011)/Review

Release Date: 21 October 2011 (USA) Runtime: Germany: 110 min
Genres: Action | Adventure | Romance

The hot-headed young D'Artagnan along with three former legendary but now down on their luck Musketeers must unite and defeat a beautiful double agent and her villainous employer from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war.

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Writing credits (WGA): Alex Litvak , Andrew Davies & Alexandre Dumas père     (novel "Les Trois Mousquetaires")
Cast overview:
Matthew Macfadyen, Milla Jovovich, Luke Evans, Helen George, Christian Oliver     , Ray Stevenson Til Schweiger, Markus Brandl , Orlando Bloom, Logan Lerman, Dexter Fletcher, Jane Perry Mads Mikkelsen, Andy Gathergood , Ben Moor
Original Music by Paul Haslinger       
Cinematography by Glen MacPherson       
Film Editing by Alexander Berner       
Casting by  Suzanne Smith       
Filming Locations: Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany
Budget: $75,000,000 (estimated)
Production Co: Constantin Film Produktion, Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF), New Legacy Show
Sound Mix: Dolby

Review
Leave your sensible head in the foyer
Author: imbigmo from Bristol

I've read other reviews lambasting the historical inaccuracies, the deviation from the original book and the technological impossibilities.....get a grip guys it's a fantasy/adventure movie and I loved it. It's beautifully stylised, the 3D works well and the action sequences are extremely well choreographed. I didn't give a "stuff" that there were a combination of accents that bore no relation to the geography, that the dialogue was campy and that it strayed well away from the original novel, which in fairness has been done to death anyway. It was fun, well made and rattling good entertainment. I read a gazillion reviews telling me how good "Drive" was........that really did bore the pants off me!

TRAILER

»»  read more

The Walking Dead: Rise of The Governor/Book Review

Robert Kirkman &  

Jay Bonansinga

 Hardcover: 320 pages
 Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (October 11, 2011)
 Language: English
 ISBN-10: 0312547730
    ISBN-13: 978-0312547738
    Genre: Literature & Fiction / Horror

“If the comic book writer Robert Kirkman were a superhero, his name might be the Midas Touch.” —The New York Times

Description

In the Walking Dead universe, there is no greater villain than The Governor. The despot who runs the walled-off town of Woodbury, he has his own sick sense of justice: whether it’s forcing prisoners to battle zombies in an arena for the townspeople’s amusement, or chopping off the appendages of those who cross him. The Governor was voted “Villain of the Year” by Wizard magazine the year he debuted, and his story arc was the most controversial in the history of the Walking Dead comic book series. Now, for the first time, fans of The Walking Dead will discover how The Governor became the man he is, and what drove him to such extremes.

Review
Engaging and interesting backstory
By   N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA)

With The Walking Dead achieving mammoth amounts of popularity thanks to the long running comic and the smash hit TV series adaptation, creator Robert Kirkman teams up with horror writer Jay Bonansinga to detail the backstory of The Governor, who may be one of the most evil villains to ever appear in the pages of a comic book ever. Just how did The Governor get to be how he was in the pages of The Walking Dead? Well, this novel The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor, picks up a few days into the zombie apocalypse, as estranged brothers Philip and Brian, along with Philip's young daughter Penny and a couple others, try to survive the perils of plague-stricken rural Georgia. Along the way they come across other survivors and hordes of undead, with some major shocking events taking place that set the stage for the birth of the cruel man who is way more dangerous than an onslaught of zombies could ever be. With some twists aplenty and a gut-punch of a final act, The Walking Dead: Rise of The Governor is engaging and page-turning, but it doesn't do anything else than tell an origin story, and even at that, by the time the big twist at the end happens, it feels like a bit of a cheat. All that aside, Rise of the Governor is more than worth your time if you're a Walking Dead fanatic, and it is a nice companion piece to the prolific survival horror series.

»»  read more

The Thing (2011)

Release Date: 14 October 2011 (India) Runtime: USA: 103 min
Genres: Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Taglines: It's not human. Yet.

At an Antarctica research site, the discovery of an alien craft leads to a confrontation between graduate student Kate Lloyd and scientist Dr. Sander Halvorson.

Director: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.
Writers:  Eric Heisserer, John W. Campbell Jr. (short story "Who Goes There?")
Cast overview

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen, Eric Christian Olsen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Paul Braunstein, Trond Espen Seim, Kim Bubbs, Jørgen Langhelle, Lars Jan Gunnar Røise , Stig Henrik Hoff, Kristofer Hivju , Jo Adrian Haavind, Carsten Bjørnlund Jonathan Walker

Produced by J. Miles Dale , David Foster & Gabrielle Neimand
Original Music by Marco Beltrami     
Cinematography by Michel Abramowicz        
Film Editing by  Peter Boyle, Julian Clarke & Jono Griffith
Storyline

At an Antarctica research site, the discovery of an alien craft leads to a confrontation between graduate student Kate Lloyd and scientist Dr. Sander Halvorson. While Dr. Halvorson keeps to his research, Kate partners with Sam Carter, a helicopter pilot, to pursue the alien life form. Written by IMDb Editors 

Filming Locations: British Columbia & Ontario, Canada
Budget:  $35,000,000 (estimated)
Production Co:  Morgan Creek Productions, Strike Entertainment See more »
Sound Mix:  Dolby Digital  | DTS (as Datasat Digital Sound) | SDDS
Review
Truly a film for the fans
Author: gbi09403 from United States

John Carpenter's version of "The Thing" is a classic. The makers of this film clearly recognize that. So instead of doing the typical thing of this generation and "rebooting" a series/film, they did something classy- they expanded on a story. And they pulled it off exceptionally well. Yes, this movie has MUCH more CGI effects, but it wasn't overboard. The tie-ins to Carpenter's version are spot on. Set designs were great. The acting went way beyond my expectations- Winstead was amazing as the lead. The story was tight. As its first week of release showed, I'm certain this film - like Carpenter's - will go under-appreciated. But I would bet the farm this movie will find its place right next to Carpenter's on your movie shelf at home. Give it a chance!!

TRAILER

»»  read more

Ranger's Apprentice: The Lost Stories by John Flanagan/Review

 

John Flanagan (Author

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Philomel (October 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399256180
ISBN-13: 978-0399256189
Genre : Science Fiction, Fantasy , Horror , Magic, Action & Adventure

Amazon Price    
Kindle Edition     $10.54 / Hardcover     $8.99      

Description

The secret history of the New York Times bestselling Ranger's Apprentice

Unconfirmed accounts of a group of Araluen warriors - tales of adventure, battle, and triumph over evil - have spread for centuries throughout the known world. Most notable is a clan shrouded in mystery, phantom warriors known as the Rangers.

Two names pass the lips of every storyteller: Halt, and his apprentice, Will. They and their comrades in arms are said to have traveled throughout the kingdom and beyond its borders, protecting those who needed it most. If true, these rumors can be only part of the story.

Only now, centuries after these men and women walked the earth, do we have confirmation of their existence. Behold The Lost Stories.

Inspired by questions and letters his loyal readers have sent over the years, John Flanagan offers a gift in response: a collection of "lost" tales that fill in the gaps between Ranger's Apprentice novels. For the first time, readers can learn the truth behind how Will came to be orphaned and what his real relationship to Halt is, or watch Alyss in action as the young Araluen diplomat disguises herself and becomes the perfect spy.

Review

By  Dadinator (Wisconsin)

The story behind this book are that these are stories that have been found while historians are exploring the ruins of Castle Redmont and its nearby village. The book is a collection of short stories that fills in some of the blanks that didn't fit into the original books. eg. Gilan hunting down Foldor who is mentioned as Halt is banished from Araluen).

The ton of the book is different; some parts are more sad/somber and others are just shortened adventure stories. I think some younger readers may be bothered by the thought of a time when Castle Redmont lies in ruins and they realize this world has moved on.

As a stand alone book, I still prefer the full stories to a collection of short stories. Still this is a very fun read and for fans of the series, I think you will love it. If you haven't read the entire series, there will be a name or two you may not recognize, but it won't be a big deal. I, for one, am not ready for this world to move on.

»»  read more

Footloose (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date:  14 October 2011 (USA) Runtime: 113 min
Genres: Musical/Drama
official site: www.footloosemovie.com

City kid Ren MacCormack moves to a small town where rock 'n' roll and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.

Director: Craig Brewer
Writers: Dean Pitchford & Craig Brewer

Cast overview
Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid , Andie MacDowell, Miles Teller, Ray McKinnon Patrick John Flueger, Kim Dickens, Ziah Colon, Ser'Darius Blain, L. Warren Young, Brett Rice, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, Mary-Charles Jones, Enisha Brewster

Executive Producers : Timothy M. Bourne & Dean Pitchford  
Original Music by Deborah Lurie       
Cinematography by Amy Vincent       
Film Editing by Billy Fox       
Casting by Laray Mayfield & Julie Schubert  
Storyline:    

Ren MacCormack is transplanted from Boston to the small southern town of Bomont where he experiences a heavy dose of culture shock. A few years prior, the community was rocked by a tragic accident that killed five teenagers after a night out and Bomont's local councilmen and the beloved Reverend Shaw Moore responded by implementing ordinances that prohibit loud music and dancing. Not one to bow to the status quo, Ren challenges the ban, revitalizing the town and falling in love with the minister's troubled daughter Ariel in the process.

Filming Location: Georgia, USA
Budget:  $30,000,000 (estimated)
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Dylan Sellers Productions, MTV Films
Sound Mix:  Dolby Digital  | SDDS  | DTS (as Datasat Digital Sound)

Review by Entertainment Weekly

Actor Kenny Wormald arrives in Craig Brewer's thoroughly winning remake of Footloose with a lot to prove, just like his character, Ren MacCormack. Ren's a big-city high school rebel who relocates to a small town, takes up the right to dance to loud, groovin' music as his cause (laws on the books forbid it), and eventually wins over everyone from the town preacher's trouble-making daughter, Ariel (Julianne Hough), to the reverend himself (Dennis Quaid). Wormald, meanwhile, a former backup dancer for Justin Timberlake, is also an outsider choice to play Ren in this energized redo of the beloved 1984 Flashdance-era classic. Yet stepping into sacred shoes once worn by Kevin Bacon, Wormald handily owns the role for a new audience. Same goes for a terrific Miles Teller (Rabbit Hole) in the sidekick role of Willard so memorably originated by the late Chris Penn.

Guardians of the '80s flame will approve of the production's sincere respect for the original; church still matters, and so do Ariel's red cowboy boots. But Brewer, who previously put his high-intensity spin on Hustle & Flow and Black Snake Moan, displays his coolest moves in the way he smartly unties this Footloose from its 1980s moorings. He matter-of-factly integrates the townsfolk. And he establishes a timeless zone in which children of all colors always yearn for freedom, and wise parents learn how to hand over the dance floor to the next generation

TRAILER

»»  read more

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes/Book Review

Julian Barnes (Author)
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Knopf (October 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307957128
ISBN-13: 978-0307957122
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers > Literature & Fiction 

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize [2011]

“The David Cohen Prize is in effect a UK version of the Nobel Prize for Literature, open to writers of fiction and non-fiction, comedy and tragedy. . . . What is remarkable about Julian Barnes is that he has excelled in all these areas. The already extraordinary list of David Cohen Prize–winning authors has been fittingly extended.”
—Mark Lawson, David Cohen Prize citation

Editorial Reviews

“Barnes builds a powerful atmosphere of shame and silence. . . . As ever, Barnes excels at colouring everyday reality with his narrator’s unique subjectivity, without sacrificing any of its vivid precision. . . . Novel, fertile and memorable.” —The Guardian
“Compelling. . . . His reputation will surely be enhanced by this book. Do not be misled by its brevity. Its mystery is as deeply embedded as the most archaic of memories.”
—The Telegraph

“Short and sharp. . . . A true master of his craft, Barnes’s precise and economic prose is often a delight, and he packs in some vivid characterisation, scene-drawing and emotional insight within his brief 150 pages.” —The List

“Barnes has effectively doubled the length of the book by giving us a final revelation that obliges us to reread it. Without overstating his case in the slightest, Barnes’s story is a meditation on the unreliability and falsity of memory. . . . Such a slyly subversive book.” —London Evening Standard

“Julian Barnes is one of those marvelously inventive authors who writes a very different book each time. He experiments with historical and contemporary fiction, memoir, biography and essays, seamlessly moving from genre to genre. . . . His prose is rich without being showy; he has a precision and economy of language that at times recalls William Trevor.” —The Oregonian

“Barnes is among the most adventurous writers—in style, versatility and narrative structure—of his Amis-McEwan-Hitchens generation.” — The New York Times Book Review

Description

By an acclaimed writer at the height of his powers, The Sense of an Ending extends a streak of extraordinary books that began with the best-selling Arthur & George and continued with Nothing to Be Frightened Of and, most recently, Pulse.
This intense new novel follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he has never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance, one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. Tony Webster thought he’d left all this behind as he built a life for himself, and by now his marriage and family and career have fallen into an amicable divorce and retirement. But he is then presented with a mysterious legacy that obliges him to reconsider a variety of things he thought he’d understood all along, and to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.
A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single sitting, with stunning psychological and emotional depth and sophistication, The Sense of an Ending is a brilliant new chapter in Julian Barnes’s oeuvre.

Review
Dirk Sinnewe "books galore" (Germany)

If Barnes's novel was only a philosophical treatise on themes such as, for example, the constructedness of history, memory, love or remorse, then only a few people would read it, so the author offers us some kind of mystery story which the main protagonist Webster has to solve: the deceased mother of his former girlfriend Veronica has left him 500 pounds as well as the diary of his friend Adrian. Why does Veronica's mother do this and will the content of Adrian's diary shed some light on his suicide?
This "mystery story" only works because Veronica remains more or less silent throughout the second part of the book. She may fall into the category of the mysterious woman; after all Barnes is at pains to portray her as a woman that is surrounded by an air of secrecy, so it may seem in keeping with her character that she does not immediately tell Webster all she knows, her monosyllabic replies may also just be credible, but her continuous repetition of the set phrase "You just don't get it, do you?" when she meets Webster after so many years is just not credible at all. For me this is the central weakness of the plot, resulting from a flawed character-construction. Either that or the unreliable narrator may have, once again, constructed his very own version of the past.

»»  read more

Heroes of Olympus, The, Book Two: The Son of Neptune/Book Review

Rick Riordan (Author)
Hardcover: 544 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (October 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1423140591
ISBN-13: 978-1423140597
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Literature & Fiction

In The Lost Hero, three demigods named Jason, Piper, and Leo made their first visit to Camp Half-Blood, where they inherited a blood-chilling quest:
Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Who are the other four mentioned in the prophesy? The answer may lie in another camp thousands of miles away, where a new camper has shown up and appears to be the son of Neptune, god of the sea. . .
With an ever-expanding cast of brave-hearted heroes and formidable foes, this second book in The Heroes of Olympus series offers all of the action, pathos, and humor that Rick Riordan fans crave.
From the Roman demigod camp to the prison of Death himself, The Son of Neptune reunites readers with old friends and introduces them to a whole new cast of characters. The Roman camp is a far cry from Camp Half-Blood, but it’s every bit as fascinating to explore. Our heroes battle up and down the West Coast with impossibly few days before disaster is unleashed, fighting new foes and finding new friends along the way. Some of the mysteries from The Lost Hero are solved, while others loom even larger. Rick Riordan is a master at balancing just the right amount of seriousness and levity in every situation, and his three teen narrators point out the strangeness of the iterations of ancient myths in the modern world with spot-on accuracy. With page-turning adventure, witty dialogue, and fun, fascinating characters, this second installment of the Heroes of Olympus series is a must-read for any fan of myths and fables.

Review
Two books in and still a promising series,
By Vivamus

Excellent read! The book flowed fantastically and Riordan really has improved his writing skill since the days of "The Lightning Thief." I was not able to put the book down for the entire time I was reading. The book has some obvious challenges, being the 2nd of 5 books, however Riordan stands to the challenge well and does a good job by allowing this adventure to be (mostly) stand alone, while fleshing out character's and plot for subsequent books. Our new characters, Hazel and Frank are amusing narrators who are fully capable of bring in new perspectives to the 7 Demigod team.
My main complaint is that this book clearly does follow Riordan's typically outline (get quest, work under time constraint, travel the world/USA, get into trouble along the way, save the day) and, after reading the Percy Jackson Series and the Kane Chronicles, this can get a little repetitive. Despite this predictability, I still find Riordan's writings incredibly entertaining and it is always exciting to learn which geographical locations and Greek/Roman gods he will bring in next
I am excited to say that the series as a whole looks like it is headed for an excellent conclusion. When Riordan started this series I was initially worried that the series could only be an underdeveloped disappointment. However, upon finishing the second book I have become optimistic about the series. The characters and series plot is growing to be well developed, original, and interesting.
As a warning to any readers: the book has a very frustrating cliffhanger! I was very disappointed when I realized I had just finished the book.
My largest complaint, as I think someone has already noted, is that the Kindle version is filled with unnecessary typos and errors. While this isn't reflected in my star ratings since it doesn't reflect Riordan's writing, it was extremely disappointing that Amazon published such a low quality adaptation.

»»  read more

Shock Wave (A Virgil Flowers Novel) /Book Review

By John Sandford
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (October 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399157697
ISBN-13: 978-0399157691
Mystery & Thrillers >Suspense

Book Description

The thrilling new Virgil Flowers novel from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author.
The superstore chain PyeMart has its sights set on a Minnesota river town, but two very angry groups want to stop it: local merchants, fearing for their businesses, and environmentalists, predicting ecological disaster. The protests don't seem to be slowing the project, though, until someone decides to take matters into his own hands.
The first bomb goes off on the top floor of PyeMart's headquarters. The second one explodes at the construction site itself. The blasts are meant to inflict maximum damage-and they do. Who's behind the bombs, and how far will they go? It's Virgil Flowers's job to find out . . . before more people get killed.
About the Author
John Sandford is the author of twenty-one Prey novels, most recently Buried Prey; the Virgil Flowers novels, most recently Bad Blood; and six other books. He lives in Minnesota.

Review
Outstanding entry in Sandford's Virgil Flowers series ! 
By  Gerald M. Bull (Fairview, TN United States)

We are big fans of Sandford, having read every single one of his Kidd, Lucas Davenport, and Virgil Flowers novels. These latter stories are similar to, but usually less violent than, the "Prey" novels, as Virgil is inclined to let the "regular" cops do most of the dirty work while he contemplates things quietly and often draws clever conclusions from just talking to people.
"Shock Wave" is aptly named, as it involves a plot about a very busy bomber who has it in for "Pye-Mart", obviously a Walmart knockoff, that is in the early construction phase in Butternut Falls (MN), and expected to destroy the local merchants and pollute the river with runoff, etc., etc. While that's not exactly an original premise, the one or two bombings per day keep everyone hopping to an insane degree, with a similar increase in suspense to the reader. Not surprisingly, there appears to have been illegal payoffs to local politicos to make the approval for the new megastore a reality; and while he's trying to discover the identity of the bomber, Virgil uncovers those crimes as well, nicely cleaning up the local scene. Meanwhile, Virgil seems to be telephonically breaking up with his new sheriff sweetheart, which slows down his tendency to womanize key characters, but that only added to the "off-screen" fun.
We don't award many books all five stars, but this one seems quite deserving -- a terrific protagonist in an exciting and suspenseful plot combine for a thrill-charged entertaining novel -- highly recommended!

»»  read more

Blackthorn (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date: USA 7 October 2011  Runtime:  98 min 

Genre: Western  

In Bolivia, Butch Cassidy (now calling himself James Blackthorne) pines for one last sight of home, an adventure that aligns him with a young robber and makes the duo a target for gangs and lawmen alike.

Credited cast: Sam Shepard, Eduardo Noriega, Stephen Rea, Magaly Solier, Dominique McElligott , Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Padraic Delaney, Daniel Aguirre, Luis Bredow, Fernando Gamarra    
Cristian Mercado    

Director: Mateo Gil
Writer: Miguel Barros
Original Music by Lucio Godoy        
Cinematography by Juan Ruiz Anchía        
Film Editing by David Gallart        
Casting by  Wendy Alcázar & Jina Jay        
Art Direction by  Juan Pedro De Gaspar          
Costume Design by  Clara Bilbao   

Filming Locations: La Paz, Bolivia
Production Co: Arcadia Motion Pictures, Aiete-Ariane Films S.A., Quickfire Films

Review   
An Unusual Western Set in Beautiful Bolivia,
Author: Alison from Montreal, Quebec, Canada

An aging Butch Cassidy (Sam Shepard), now calling himself Blackthorn and living a quiet life in 1920s Bolivia, learns that Etta Place has died in San Francisco, living her young son behind, to whom Butch has long been writing in the guise of "Uncle Butch." He decides to travel back to the States to see his "nephew," and sets off with the blessings of his indigenous girlfriend Yana (Magaly Solier). Early on, however, he comes across Eduardo (Eduardo Noriega), a young Spanish man on the run from a posse after he stole a lot of money from an evil mine-owner. Eduardo's horse is dead and he is lost, and he begs Blackthorn to help him; somewhat against his will, Blackthorn does so, and they set off on a last grand adventure, together. But Eduardo isn't all that he seems, and in addition to the posse, an old broken-down Pinkerton man, Mackinley (Stephen Rea), is also aware that Butch Cassidy didn't die all those years ago....
I'm not big on Westerns usually, but this is an exception. Beautifully filmed on location in Bolivia, and employing numerous indigenous actors, we are also treated to flashback scenes of a younger Butch (played as a young man by Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau, who looks very much like a younger Sam Shepard), his friend the Sundance Kid (Padraic Delaney) and their mutual love Etta Place (Dominique McElligot), which deepen and enrich the larger story. I'm not sure why this screened at FantAsia, as it's not really genre, but perhaps it's because the director, Mateo Gil (making his English-language debut here), is known for earlier Spanish thrillers that were screened in earlier years. In any event, I'm very glad that I saw this unusual Western, which I believe will get a regular release later this year.

»»  read more

The Ides of March (2011)

Release Date:  7 October 2011 (USA) Runtime: 101 min
Genre:  Drama

An idealistic staffer for a newbie presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail. Based on the play by Beau Willimon.
Cast overview,  Ryan Gosling, George Clooney , Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti     , Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright , Max Minghella , Jennifer Ehle, Gregory Itzin Michael Mantell , Yuriy Sardarov   

Directed by George Clooney       
Writing credits  George Clooney     , Grant Heslov    & Beau Willimon       
Original Music by Alexandre Desplat       
Cinematography by Phedon Papamichael       
Film Editing by Stephen Mirrione       
Casting by Ellen Chenoweth       
Production Design by Sharon Seymour
Production Co:  Cross Creek Pictures, Exclusive Media Group, Smoke House
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital  | DTS (as Datasat Digital Sound) | SDDS
Filming locations Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, Covington, Kentucky, USA, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA, Michigan, USA, Newport, Kentucky, USA, Oxford, Ohio, USA (as Miami University), Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Review       
I'd suggest you see Ides, film buffs; although more of a triple than a home run, the cast is superlative and the direction very fine
Author: Amy Adler from Toledo, Ohio

Stephen (Ryan Gosling) is a razor-sharp, rising star political media consultant. Presently, he is working on Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris' (George Clooney) campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Steve-o has only one man above him, overall campaign manager Paul (Philip Seymour Hoffman). The two consult each other daily. The governor has a single chief competitor, an Arkansas senator with his own astute adviser, Tom (Paul Giamatti). At the moment, the Ohio primary is looming and the staff is working out of Cincinnati. One of the governor's lower-level workers is beautiful Molly (Evan Rachel Wood), the daughter of the present head of the National Democratic Party. Only 20, she is just learning the ropes. One day, she makes a pass at Stephen and he responds positively. But, he makes it clear to her that politics is his passion and, especially, Mike Morris, his idol. Indeed, Morris is handsome, smart, and appears to speak sincerely and clearly to potential voters. Yet, very soon after their first encounter, Molly drops a bombshell on Stephen. It is a stunning piece of news, one that could knock the earth off its axis. Also, amazingly, Tom has been courting Stephen to "switch sides" while a respected, determined journalist, Ida (Marisa Tomei) is eager for any and all campaign stories. A cauldron of conflicting genuine and perceived realities is brewing. What will be the result? This is a fine film, based on a stage play, and directed by Mr. Clooney. While the story is more predictable in nature, the script has some great lines and Clooney's direction is quite, quite admirable. This is particularly true of the performances he draws from the cast, with Gosling, Hoffman, Giamatti, Tomei, Clooney himself, and especially Wood giving great turns. All the film's amenities, from sets, costumes, and camera work, are also nice. If you are a discriminating film buff, who loves quality flicks with ample discussion points, then I'd suggest you see Ides at your earliest convenience.

The Ides of March ~ Trailer

»»  read more