I would like to review an interesting and fun movie I watched yesterday.

Late Night. A 2019 movie with the always amazing Emma Thompson as a famous, well-awarded talk show host who is loosing her touch as the years go by, and he is about to lose her job and her most loving person he has in her life.

Late Night narrates a compelling story. All the roles (especially the leading ones) feel authentic to their actors and I always enjoy the performance of Emma Thompson (maybe this is the reason I saw this movie)

Thompson is Katherine Newbury, a successful late-night host known for her sharp wit and uncompromising standards. Katherine refuses to adapt to the changing world around her, and this leads to a gradual decline in her career.

As she becomes more and more in pressure, and just before she loses her job, a new writer, Molly Patel, enters the scene. Nor English or American but of Indian heritage, Molly comes armed with honesty and authenticity, challenging Katherine’s approach in unexpected ways.

The film balances English humor with moments of emotion, creating a relatable and entertaining movie. Perhaps a female audience would enjoy it the most, but maybe not :)

The movie category is a drama and a comedy, and I believe that both are correct. It’s a thought-provoking and entertaining watch that captures the challenges of evolving in a rapidly changing world.

Its overall rating is 6.5 and I would agree in putting it between 6-6.5

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6107548/

Let me know if you have seen it or if you plan to!

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Last night I decided to watch something new after getting my pending bucket list already low enough so everyone have been talking about Carry On (2024) by Netflix and I have to say it took me a little while to get into it. The first 30 minutes of the movie are so slow that I almost turned it off, not that the movie is bad but I wasn't getting any excitement out of it bu, things get interesting real quick, its when Jason Bateman shows up. Die Hard and Phone Booth elements are thrown into this Christmas themed airport action thriller, with some success and some failure until you get to the end and realize its an ok one time watch movie.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21382296/
• Platform: NETFLIX

Rottentomatoes Rating

The movie starts at LAX airport on Christmas Eve, as one of the worst days to be at an airport and develops around TSA officer Ethan Kopek played by Taron Egerton who I think did a good job, its my impression that the target was to develop a character who is afraid of challenges in life but the do or die situation starts to reveal what he is capable of. The setup of the movie is pretty basic, Ethan just failed to make it into the police academy and his girlfriend Nora played by Sofia Carson just told him she is pregnant, but their relationship feels off for the movie, neither one of them having the advantage or chemistry of any sort. Egerton is lost most of the time and Carson comes off a bit bossy, so their scenes together feel a little more awkward than romantic, she looks like this trophy doll girlfriend and he has this lucky guy "I don't deserve you" impression, really weird if I have to describe it.

Ethan gets his hands on a mysterious earpiece, ""left"" but someone on a bin but latter on we find out who she was, things start to pick up and that's when Jason Bateman shows up as the movie's villain, whose name is only the Traveler. From here on the movie becomes more exciting than a slow burning airport drama, Bateman brings his usual stone cold face and sarcastic tone to the role, and every threat and interaction with Ethan is more interesting having this kinda of web of lies and chess game at the same time to manipulate Ethan into doing what he wants.

There is nothing complicated to the story and after watching the movie I notice that some mention The Commuter (2018) where Liam Neeson goes through a similar situation. On the movie there are some logic defying moments , like how you get into a moving plane's cargo hold and some deaths that didn't seem so messy as they should have, like Phil's death scene, the kind of things that are sin in other genres like Racing Theme movies, going back to Fast and Furious, for example when Brian's Eclipse drops a bottom plate from the car for no reason, that type of nonsense.

As for the cast, Taron Egerton does the best he can with what he’s got but his American accent at times felt odd but that is just a minor detail, no biggie. As the movie progresses his performance gets stronger and when the action scenes start to kick in his performance really starts to shine, goes from the guy that will do anything to keep Nora safe, meaning doing what ever the Traveler says to the point of he is all in willing to take risks. Jason Bateman steals the show in here because he is the man in control and same as Taron starts slow just putting pressure on Ethan by just talking until the time to go full throttle comes in and show Ethan he is not joking around. While Sofia Carson’s Nora doesn't quite get the most out of her role, her character is somewhat under develop and their relationship just doesn't have that spark we need to fully get on board with their love story, she is the least important, sorry but its true, to the story she is just a pressure target to get Ethan do what the Traveler says, nothing else.

Carry On isn't perfect, but let’s face it, it's easy to see how unrealistic it is for the Traveler and his associates; hitman "Watcher" played by Theo Rossi, to move through the airport with weapons and poisons, so quickly on a busy Christmas Eve at LAX. From the get go having Ethan intimidated so easy when they were not even close to Nora, I think most people would actually call her no matter what or drop the ear piece and run to her, because if they kill her on the airport everything is going to shut down is its counterproductive for their plan. Lastly there is one more scene that got me to say WTF, that's when Ethan jumps into the cargo area of a moving plane, I bet those are locked once they start moving. This are just a few moments that got me to remember older movies like Die Hard with all the very unrealistic stunts.

While the movie’s finale is exciting, it gets absurd but if you are like me, a tolerable person when it comes to movies because at the end of the day its just entertainment and instead of getting mad at the absurd moments you actually laugh at it then I would say its worth watching.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #netflix, #thriller, #action, #airport, #christmas, #bateman, #egerton, #tsa, #terrorism, #novichok, #airplane, #bomb, #plot, #suspense, #deadwyler, #carson, #villain, #earpiece, #detective, #police, #poison, #lax, #security, #hostage, #parachute, #flixfinder

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Catching up with TV series I sat down again with Silo and Season 2 Episode 5 while Episode 6 air and we getting closer to the end of the season, while pacing is still as slow as ever compared to Season 1, the show is still building tension and revealing secrets in ways that keep me interested on keep watching even if not everyone is on board with where it’s taking the source material, especially book readers who seem to be shouting a lot about the differences made to the original source material, this is something at this point we should be use to, specially anyone who was there when the books and game adaptations kinda explode, I think this was with LOTR. My point is that the TV series is for entertaining not a direct port of the book to video so yes there is part of the story that has been modified for sure.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28100083/
• Platform: AppleTV+

Its funny how you have been asking and waiting for something to happen but once it does realize its way more bigger that you have though, its the case of Sims on Episode 5, he gets home, as Bernard makes himself at home in Sims' kitchen and proceeds to swear him in as the new Judge right there while having some coffee, this shows once again that Bernard is a very calculated and cold person who will do anything to maintain control, follow the pact and the whole thing really showcases the way that Tim Robbins can be menacing without even having to raise his voice or threatening, big guy just gives you a good look and I don't want to imagine when the day comes and he has to throw some punches. Meanwhile over Silo 17, Juliette continues to struggle with Solo, his story is not straight up but this time it grows more and more complicated by the minute as she start to peal off across the inconsistencies in his story, culminating in one of the most intense performances I’ve seen from Steve Zahn in a while, when he completely loses it in response to being confronted about his true identity, he really look like a mad man when he snap and Rebecca Ferguson nail it at looking scared and independence instead of going at him.

Knox and Shirley continue to try to make their way back to Mechanical as the rebellion story line continues to grows too, with help from an unexpected source Camille; Sim's wife, who it seems has her own thoughts going on behind the scenes, she might still believe what is right and I doubt its about going out as Juliette rather than knowing the truth, this just adds to the complexity of the political situation of the silo that I find very interesting as we begin to see how even those closest to power might not be as loyal as they appear, I believe this is the part that got people bored but it is a close space series with a few who has the grip of power. I have to admit that Juliette being stuck in Silo 17 for so long has sort of muted other character stories, the series have done an interesting job of balancing multiple story lines, it's like they are trying to keep too many plates spinning at once and some are starting to wobble but somehow they still manage to keep me enough interested to want to see what happens next but once Juliette comes back probably on next season its going to be a power house with everyone together again.

The visual side of the series remains impressive as the Silo is so massive with all kind of tunnels and places to hide but eventually it is a close space, how it makes the confined spaces of the silo feel both claustrophobic and vast at the same time and the lighting and camera work in the scenes where Knox and Shirley make their escape by jumping into the void with their DIY harness and the cable they manage to drill down into the stairs, it felt great specially while watching on VR, its been a while but there are series that I watch only on VR to try to get as much out of the scenes and not bust about the drama, its the case of Silo although others like Dune I'm OK watching on my computer.

Episode 5 also gave more hints about the mysterious Salvador Quinn and the encoded message he was sending, something that the series have not gone deep into it but as Bernard has Lukas working on the hard drive that Juliette had, they going to unbury this secrets but its going to take some time as the hard drive is very beat up, it just looks like besides Juliette this other aspects are building towards something big, I’m curious how it all ties into the power source Solo mentioned and the external lines powering IT that Lukas found in the blueprints, so there is way much more that we haven't seen yet, in fact Silo has been renew by AppleTV+ for Season 3 and 4.

The episode ends things out with a few intense moments that will set up a lot of conflicts for the rest of the season, Juliette collapses from a badly infected wound on her arm, probably from when she retrieved the fireman's suit underwater in the previous episode, to find the missing helmet she desperately need. It's a dangerous situation for her because she's alone in Silo 17 with a unstable person as is Solo and she is completely vulnerable. Solo true identity is still unknown but so far the series has given out that he was probably very young when he got locked up, after his very explosive reaction to being accused of being the man in the photo that Juliette found with a different man named Solo and a woman named Tiny its the first time that he really snap. On the other side in Silo 18, Bernard tries in vain to keep Knox and Shirley from getting back to mechanical as they both are leaders of this section of the Silo but in a desperate escape they do get back, so the growing rebellion sparks up with this escape been a success and residents break through Raiders' barrier to so everything possible going bad for Bernard.

Things have started to boil up for Sims without even knowing because when Bernard learns Camille assisted Knox and Shirley in their escape that's going to be a pivotal time for Sims and lets see if he is really on the Pact side of just his personal interest. The episode ends with a good amount of cliffhangers include Juliette down, rebellion rising, Solo's identity in question and Bernard pursuing Quinn's secrets. While Juliette's story still moves at a much slower pace in Silo 17, the things in Silo 18 are pretty much reaching a boiling point so it might be a bit desperate to watch how Silo 18 situation has gone from 0 to 100 real quick while it does feel like Juliette has not done anything significant so far other than getting Solo to open the Vault but that's it.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #silo, #juliette, #bernard, #solo, #rebellion, #mechanical, #infection, #helmet, #resistance, #raiders, #knox, #shirley, #survival, #mystery, #conspiracy, #vault, #flooding, #control, #escape, #tension, #betrayal, #survival, #power, #secrets, #underground, #flixfinder

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You know what you have to do

Sabes lo que tienes que hacer

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After four episodes of political drama and mystic powers because to be hones we still don't know where Desmond powers come from, Episode 5 brings everything together and is what I think is the best episode yet, that's the problem with good series that you think every other episode is the best one although got to say Prophecy did start a bit slow. The slow burning plot suddenly bursts into flames with major revelations about Desmond Hart’s true identity and who he really is and what he can do, but it all unfolds with the same calculated, methodical pace that makes this show so interesting for those who take the time to appreciate the art of political maneuvering, its like Valya has an answer to everyone but I think this time Tula play her dirty but it is still to be proven, this is just a theory.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29580967/
• Platform: MAX

Desmond is promoted to warlord on the Dune Universe its called Bashar and given command of an elite military unit in the opening of the episode in which Emperor Corrino performs the ceremony to show off and let know others he wont be tolerating any kind of treason. We start seeing the tension between the different power players increase, with the Emperor having a growing trust in Desmond and Princess Ynez clearly disagree with him, she knows the power her father is giving to basically an unknown who can stab them back at any time. To make this men; Emperor Corrino, world more complex we got Sister Francesca's arrival adding to the political landscape and her presence affect everyone, from young Constantine, to Empress Natalya, its funny how all of the sudden all eyes are on her. I got to admit Tabu is just gorgeous, if I was the emperor would totally loose it for her, mouth dripping.

There is a lot of juggling of story lines throughout this episode, but not at the expense of a single focus as everything stays interconnected, the most towards the end when blood lines come together. On one side we have the political drama in the Imperial Palace and on Wallach IX, the Sisterhood continues their investigation into Desmond’s origins and the mysterious virus that's seem to be affecting their acolytes although its not a virus, hey call it a virus, it has to be a power way farther to their comprehension, I have read online that this could be God Emperor from the future but I don't want to speculate or mention things that have not appear yet on the series, if HBO takes and stick the story to the books they can pull easy five season out of this but then it might be too expensive to keep it alive and all the same amount of pair of eye balls pointing at it. Some might find its pacing slow, but honestly that pace mimics the painfully slow schemes of the Bene Gesserit perfectly, everything perfectly calculated to the point of having the talent to generate plans over failed plans on the fly.

Desmond Hart continues to be a mystery and intriguing figure played by Travis Fimmel, especially in the scenes where he is working out rebel connections at the nightclub, trying to caught one that he could squeeze and make it sing the tunes he wants to listen. When he survives what should have been a devastating explosion in his confrontation with Mikaela in her nightclub, we see both his ruthlessness and his strange immunity to conventional attacks, not only he has powers beyond comprehension but he also is slick to be prepare for most of the outcomes. His new black uniform adds some menace to an already intimidating character and the way he carries himself in it, its like this time is on, I'm coming for you.

This episode is very much like early Game of Thrones, every conversation has multiple layers of meaning and outcomes like everything been said has certain value although it depends on whose hands it lands and alliances change like the wind, cant predict who is going to be your next enemy or friend. Desmond has now a firm grip of the Emperor through the use of mind control attack over his enemies that's all the Emperor cares about but I guess there is going to be shift of thought after Sister Francesca arrive, Valya wants to get the Sisters into his good side, a truth saying back into the Emperor Court and who would have a better oportunity than Francesca, Corrino melts for that women and is willing to do anything for her, its up to Francesca to show her true colors, is Francesca Sisterhood Above All?!

Going a bit deeper into the ending of the episode, learning that Desmond is both Atreides and Harkonnen from the last scene its possible that he is Tula's son with Orry Atreides, is fascinating and helps explain his deep seated hatred for the Sisterhood, he does "not know" who his mother is although all he knows is part of the Sisterhood but more questions comes in like who train him? or are his powers just a natural talent that he is just discovering?. This twist works especially well because it directly relates back to things we saw in those earlier episodes, the most to the emotionally heavy third episode which was all about Tula's past and how she murder a bunch of Atreides just to keep the same target in sight as Valya, make Harkonnen great again and abolish Atreides.

Once again there are cliffhangers but nothing that would make you mad about it but want more out of the series, the episode culminate in a perfect storm for this weekend finale, Desmond and Empress Natalya's alliance against the Sisterhood, in fact kiss and who knows what else, how Constantine gets promoted and then arrest Keiran after he found out about his plans, the scans that he had about the palace, and Tula's horrifying discovery of who Desmond really is, will she tell Valya? or hide it from her...AGAIN!!. Tula figure this out after she analyze his blood sample, Tula learns Desmond's heritage through the genetic testing and Olivia Williams; who plays Tula, gives a great performance without a word being spoken.

The acolytes still having dreams and they keep calling it a virus like the one used in humanity war against the thinking machine, this scene is so intriguing because it's another example of how the show handles genetic memory and knowledge of ancestors, and it's how we get this revelation, when Mother Superior Raquella Berto Anirul takes over Lila and start working on to identify the reason for the nightmares, Lila is becoming this key element to the series but its wild and not under control at the moment, I always keep asking myself when will Dorotea take over her body and make it seen its all ok, like the perfect camouflage to get Valya and Tula.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #dune, #prophecy, #sisterhood, #emperor, #valya, #desmond, #atreides, #harkonnen, #politics, #intrigue, #betrayal, #bloodlines, #revelation, #power, #conspiracy, #rebellion, #identity, #loyalty, #conflict, #survival, #secrets, #influence, #alliance, #destiny, #revenge, #flixfinder

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La obra creada por Dave Gibbons y Alan Moore a mediados de los 80' puede ser de las más influyentes en la historia de los comics y con más de 30 años de su estreno, "Watchmen" nuevamente cuenta con una producción cinematográfica, aunque en este caso, cuenta con dos películas completamente animadas que relatan la historia de como la investigación de un asesinato en una alterna ciudad de Nueva York a mediados de los 80' con la amenaza de comenzar la tercera Guerra Mundial, llevará a un vigilante enmascarado y retirados héroes a descubrir un complot que amenaza a todo el planeta.

The work created by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore in the mid 80' may be one of the most influential in the history of comics and with more than 30 years of its release, "Watchmen " again has a film production, although in this case, has two fully animated films that tell the story of how the investigation of a murder in an alternate New York City in the mid 80's with the threat of starting World War III, will lead a masked vigilante and retired heroes to uncover a plot that threatens the entire planet.

Entre WB Animation, Paramount Pictures y DC Comics, se estrena dos películas, dos capítulos que relatan todos los acontecimientos de la serie de comics conocidos como "Watchmen", está no es la primera vez que vemos a estos personajes en este formato, ya que en 2009, Zack Snyder dirigió un film al cual considero como uno de sus mejores trabajos. En esta oportunidad el director Brandon Vietti en su segundo largometraje cumpliendo dicho rol, nos ofrece una historia muy conocida lo cual es completamente fiel al material de origen, es agradable ver a cada personaje portar su manto original, en especial el de "Night Owl" y de "Ozymandias"; también pude apreciar la ciudad con un estilo retro futurista lo cual hace parecer que se divide en dos épocas, todo esto por el uso del estilo sombreado 3D, lo cual hace resaltar mucho las características antes citadas, pero a la vez se comporta como un inconveniente para las escenas de acción o ciertos movimientos en los personajes; cabe destacar que el estilo de animación también invita al uso de colores fuertes y brillantes lo cual me pareció genial y acertado para una historia tan oscura como esta.

El guion escrito por J. Michael Straczynski el cual divide está historia en dos capítulos me pareció una buena decisión; personalmente me gusta que en la primera parte se desarrolla desde el punto de vista de "Rorschach", todo es referente a la investigación sumando las subtramas de los otros personajes, pero justamente al ser una historia relatada por un vigilante, quien con su voz va narrando su investigación, dando esa sensación de ser un film noir, algo que siempre me agradó y por eso es entretenido esa primera parte de la historia; con respecto al segundo episodio y final, el relato o protagonismo lo toman los otros personajes que muestran aspectos de la humanidad, sean el querer vivir una relación amorosa, tener la satisfacción de ser un salvador o conectar con la humanidad, buscar una razón para creer en una sociedad que parece no importar nada; esto también es fascinante porque de los sueños o metas normales de la vida o la desconexión de la misma, podemos convertirnos en víctimas o victimarios; creo que es un trabajo correcto en adaptar 12 tomos en una producción que por completo dura 3 horas.

Between WB Animation, Paramount Pictures and DC Comics, two movies are released, two chapters that tell all the events of the comic book series known as "Watchmen", this is not the first time we see these characters in this format, since in 2009, Zack Snyder directed a film which I consider one of his best works. This time the director Brandon Vietti in his second feature film in this role, offers a very familiar story which is completely faithful to the source material, it is nice to see each character wearing their original mantle, especially the "Night Owl" and "Ozymandias"; I could also appreciate the city with a retro futuristic style which makes it look like it is divided into two eras, all this by the use of 3D shading style, which greatly highlights the above features, but at the same time behaves as a drawback for the action scenes or certain movements in the characters; note that the animation style also invites the use of strong and bright colors which I found great and successful for a story as dark as this.

The script written by J. Michael Straczynski which divides this story into two chapters seemed to me a good decision; personally I like that in the first part is developed from the point of view of "Rorschach", everything is related to the investigation adding the subplots of the other characters, but just being a story told by a vigilante, who with his voice is narrating his investigation, giving that feeling of being a film noir, something that I always liked and that's why it is entertaining that first part of the story; with respect to the second and final episode, the story or protagonism is taken by the other characters that show aspects of humanity, be it the desire to live a loving relationship, to have the satisfaction of being a savior or to connect with humanity, to look for a reason to believe in a society that seems not to care about anything; this is also fascinating because from the dreams or normal goals of life or the disconnection from it, we can become victims or victimizers; I think it is a correct work in adapting 12 volumes in a production that lasts 3 hours.

Disfruto ver a los personajes de "Dr. Manhattan" y "Rorschach", ambos son muy diferentes en sus comportamientos o actitudes, en su conexión con el mundo y creo que comparten  similitudes como por ejemplo el ver lo peor de la sociedad, pienso que la manera de hacer justicia o lo correcto es lo que más le diferencia. El "Dr Manhattan" es formidable, pareciera que está por encima de todo, una divinidad, pero la realidad es que todo ese poder, se convierte en un arma de doble filo lo cual junto a su desconexión con la humanidad le priva de ver la realidad y lo hace vulnerable, si pausa o paciencia se corrompe cuando no tiene control y son esas escenas que más me gusta ver. "Rorschach" es impresionante, no es un héroe, no es un villano y tampoco me atrevo a llamarle un antihéroe; es un personaje con una convicción brutal, una que lo empuja a realizar cosas impensadas, sus pensamientos son extremos, es egoísta aunque aprecia a quienes se consideran su amigo, es frontal, violento, no es alguien agradable y tampoco quiere hacerlo, es el personaje que más me gusta en Watchmen porque es el comienzo y posiblemente el fin de todo.

I enjoy watching the characters of "Dr. Manhattan" and "Rorschach", both are very different in their behaviors or attitudes, in their connection with the world and I think they share similarities such as seeing the worst of society, I think the way to do justice or the right thing is what differentiates them the most. "Dr Manhattan" is formidable, it would seem that he is above all, a divinity, but the reality is that all that power, becomes a double-edged sword which together with his disconnection with humanity deprives him of seeing reality and makes him vulnerable, if he pauses or patience is corrupted when he has no control and are those scenes that I most like to see. "Rorschach" is awesome, he is not a hero, he is not a villain and I dare not call him an anti-hero either; he is a character with a brutal conviction, one that pushes him to do unthinkable things, his thoughts are extreme, he is selfish although he appreciates those who are considered his friend, he is frontal, violent, he is not someone nice and neither does he want to be, he is the character I like the most in Watchmen because he is the beginning and possibly the end of everything.

A pesar de que considero que el film de Snyder es una producción completa (la versión extendida es mucho mejor), estas dos producciones también es un buen trabajo en su animación lo cual da movimiento a las viñetas del cómic, pero más que nada en como se divide el relato y los puntos de vista de cada personaje; creo que eso crea un conglomerado de críticas hacia la sociedad más que nada la necesidad de que exista un salvador sin importar las medidas que debe tomar para ser considerado como tal, sea por la misma sociedad que lo pide o por pensamiento propio. Seguramente en un futuro cuando exista otra producción que se base en este comic, de igual manera lo veré, ya que seguramente habrá algo que comparar ese comic estrenado en los 80' con la época actual, creo que es el verdadero poder de esta historia así como sucede con "V for Vendetta"; esa lamentable comparación o la línea que divide la sátira a la realidad cada vez se hace más delgada y así como dice el personaje The Comedian… "Es una broma, todo es una broma".

Although I consider the Snyder film to be a complete production (the extended version is much better), these two productions are also a good job in their animation which gives movement to the comic vignettes, but mostly in how the story is divided and the points of view of each character; I think this creates a conglomerate of criticism towards society more than anything the need for there to be a savior regardless of the measures to be taken to be considered as such, either by the same society that asks for it or by their own thinking. Surely in the future when there is another production based on this comic, I will watch it, because surely there will be something to compare that comic released in the 80's with the present time, I think that is the true power of this story as well as it happens with "V for Vendetta"; that unfortunate comparison or the line that divides the satire to reality is becoming thinner and thinner and as the character The Comedian says... "It's a joke, it's all a joke".

Cover image edited in canva; the image was taken from the following source

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It was one of those movies that sell itself pretty good on the trailer, so I went in prepared for another attempt at a multiverse story, something that has been proven not so easy to pull off, recently after watching Dark; the TV series, I realize its not so easy but can pick up so pace after time. It turns out that Parallel is a low budget sci fi film that delivers an exciting narrative that is engaging from beginning to end, with the concept being simple as it is and a cast of three talented actors, but even with such good cast is not as great as you might expect, the movie still manage to explore some profound themes on loss and grief and the importance of choice.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18177528/
• Platform: AppleTV+

Rottentomatoes Rating

Vanessa played by Danielle Deadwyler is buried in grief after her son Obe died in a car accident, although her husband Alex played by Aldis Hodge and his brother Martel by Edwin Hodge both try to as much as they could to comfort her, she is incapable of letting go of her grief and the tension between the two brothers is at first sight as a result of Alex's attempts to help his wife heal from her loss.

This movie is not about boring drama, its the sci fi elements what makes it stand out, not the flashy special effects or convoluted explanations, it stays grounded and focuses on the emotional weight of discovering different versions of reality and the forest itself becomes a character that amplifies the unsettling scenario, making everything more weird, with a minimalist approach to the multiverse and not been the flash multiverse travels back and forward, it brings the multiverse theme into the characters’ personal struggles.

Vanessa's journey in the movie will show us how she develops a greater understanding of these parallel universes, with each separate universe that she experiences reveals the possible alternate outcomes of her life, some in which her son is still alive, others where he never existed and still others where his death happened differently, this study in alternate realities takes the sci fi out of the sci fi and into a metaphor for how we torture ourselves with "what if" scenarios after a tragedy happens to us, making the sci fi elements feel far more personal than just being cool, the kind of situation that blows your mind in every possible way, I feel how some people might have issue with the entire multiverse fever that we experience with the MCU but is still cool watch a movie with similar concept with regular people and not super heroes.

Danielle Deadwyler I think took this movie on her shoulders and really brings an emotional side to her performance of a woman in pain and its not only about the death of her son but the guilt she has and how that has effected her relationship with Alex; her watching these different versions of herself wondering through several side split realities each with their own pile of problems and baggage is where her performance keeps you wondering whats next for her and how long would it take for her to take drastic action on the story, it was evident she had a great chemistry with Aldis Hodge who matches her passion with the multiple versions of the same man each just different enough to distinguish themselves withing the core of who Alex is.

Edwin Hodge had a great acting as Martel, who is Alex's brother and attempts to help his brother and sister in law cope with their grief and the real life brotherhood between Aldis and Edwin Hodge adds a natural and believable feel to their scenes together and the chemistry between the three actors makes their family feel lived in and genuine, so when the more sci fi oriented elements of the story come in, it's easy to buy it as the story unfolds.

The ending of Parallel is where things get really interesting and honestly it is the kind of ending that will have you thinking about it long after its done, after Vanessa has explored multiple realities and meet different versions of herself and her family, she finally reaches what she believes to be her home reality but the movie doesn’t leave us wondering if this truly is where she belongs or if she has picked a different reality, she wakes up to a dead bird just like the opening scene and Alex repeating the same words about his mother’s belief that dead birds mean the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, but its when Vanessa enters a room and discovers toys and children's clothes, followed by the sound of Obe calling for his mom, this ending for me at first was kinda hard to interpret or figure out where did she really end up, it circles back to the themes of grief, acceptance and the choices we make when confronted with impossible situations, either Vanessa has made her way back to a reality where Obe never died or she's stayed in a parallel universe where he is alive or maybe it is all happening in her mind as a coping mechanism to her loss, what a way to fuck with your mind, its not a cliff hanger but it is at the same time "sorry but not sorry" type of thing. Well that's what I thought at first but after a rewind she actually never goes back to her reality and that is how most of the multiverse theme series or movies end up because its almost impossible if it was real, its like time travel almost impossible to make things happen your way, she actually did return to a universe where Obe is still alive.

The end result is that Parallel proves you don’t need a huge budget or a bunch of special effects to tell a good story about parallel universes, all it requires is a good concept, good actors and a clear vision, I know its easier said than done but what could have been a simple sci fi low budget movie becomes a touching look at grief, choice and the roads not taken, I'm not trying to say its a perfect multiverse movie but it is a great movie that takes the multiverse into something else than an action movie, it gets personal to each of the few characters, so if you are into drama, sci fi and specifically multiverse theme movies then this might be for you, I totally recommend it with a 7/10 for a great one time watch and ratings out there are just extremely low.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #parallel, #multiverse, #grief, #doppelganger, #forest, #universe, #alternate, #portals, #timelines, #reality, #scifi, #loss, #paranormal, #thriller, #suspense, #deadwyler, #hodge, #vancouver, #minimalist, #mystery, #wormhole, #supernatural, #physics, #dimension, #haunting, #flixfinder

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Its been quite a few busy days where it was hard to keep posting as I wanted although did had some time to sit down and watch a few movies, besides Roman theme movies I do love a movie that tells the story of something build, in this case it was a game called Tetris Tetris and I have got to say, this is not what I expected at all, it's actually a pretty wild ride about how this iconic game came to be and all the crazy stuff that went down behind the scenes. The movie opens in the late '80s, showing us this Dutch guy trying to make it big in the video game world, his name Henk Rogers. At a trade show, he stumbles across Tetris and immediately knows it's gonna be huge, I guess that's sometimes people get with experience and others just have that natural instinct to know its going to be great but I think its also some luck into it since there is nothing that guarantee it will be big. The problem for him was getting the rights to this game is a lot more complicated than just signing a few papers. It’s international intrigue, shady deals and even the KGB, that's fkn insane. In some ways it’s like a Cold War spy thriller mixed up with a business drama and somehow it works.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12758060/
• Platform: AppleTV+

Rottentomatoes Rating

The real hook for me was that the movie made all of this legal and business stuff actually exciting and complex that makes you feel you want to know more about it. Who knew watching people argue over distribution rights could be so entertaining? well this is the same concept at the core of the movie "The Social Network" and it was damn interresting, from the moment this hole situation start you will want Henk to pull it off or lose everything. There is also the way they contrast the glitzy world of video game conventions and the grim reality of late '80s Soviet Union is pretty darn cool, because at the end what the hell do they have in common? its all about power and control.

The movie also at times have this 8 bit graphics through scenes, not like they putting the audience into the game but making reference to the original game and the 80s at the same time as much as they could to create a deeper feel and meaning to the scenario at hand, same goes for the audio and sound track with music from the 80s playing to keep the Tetris vibes during the entire movie.

Before I could recommend this movie to anyone there is one aspect I need to make clear, there were times I got a little lost in all that back and forth about who owned what rights and whose company was trying to screw over whose company, its a tricky situation to track down and this might push away some viewers or even make them enjoy less the movie. I wasn't 100% sure what was going on, but the movie does a pretty good job of keeping things moving so it does not turn into a boring legal battle. Taron Egerton who plays Henk, really carries the movie on his shoulders, very energetic guy, never say die attitude that makes you want to root for him even when he’s making some pretty questionable decisions, this movie is very similar; not the same, but similar to Blackberry, to a certain point not the movie itself but the story after all both are about screwing up others while making a ton of money.

There is this scene with Henk where you can see the passion in his eyes there, when he's trying to explain Tetris to his family. It's like he's talking about the most beautiful thing in the world, not just falling blocks. Egerton's talent really sells the desperation and fear, but never overdoes it, and when things are going south. Nikita Efremov plays Alexey Pajitnov, the guy who created Tetris and he is got this quiet intensity that works really well, you can see that he is torn between his love of the game he invented and his loyalty to the Soviet system. There is a moment where he and Henk are bonding over games and it’s so natural that almost felt real like they actually are those two guys having a passionate talk about games, this reminds me of my 20's when I was very passionate about gaming, specifically Stafcraft and the Korean league. On the opposite end you have Roger Allam and Anthony Boyle playing the Maxwell Family, Roger Allam as Robert Maxwell and Anthony Boyle plays his son Kevin Maxwell, who are trying to steal Tetris outright. Kevin Maxwell got a spoiled rich kid thing going on where you just want to grab him by the neck and smack him.

Oleg Stefan who played the Soviet official in charge of negotiating the Tetris rights, was one performance that really made an impact on the movie, a very strict guy who does everything by the book bureaucrat, but as the movie progresses you begin to see these little cracks in his character.As it always happen in the movies and I would say in real life during that time, you get the feeling that you can actually see the whole weight of the Soviet system and his own conscience of the hole situation, with the game rights and who Alexey came up with a revolutionary idea from a kids game that he saw on display, in real life nothing ground braking but in digital, it was pure gold, the key aspect is that by this game been created as a Soviet Government employee it was not actually his, he didn't own it so he could not sell it, everything a Soviet Government employee did back then was never theirs. You might think like well what if it was done at home and not during work hours, its almost a fact that it it was big enough the Soviets would find a way to have as much grip as they could.

Towards the end of the movie it really tunrs into the cat and mouse game, Henk finally gets the rights to Tetris and so he's gotta get out of Moscow before the KGB catches up with him, there is this crazy car chase through the streets of Moscow, which is like something out of a Bond movie, there were many things that were actually bring excitement and action to the movie, meaning things that are not part of the true story, this is a movie "BASED ON A TRUE STORY. During the chase the Tetris theme is used as the soundtrack, which is both ridiculous and kinda cool, reminds you like a Super Mario action part of the game, after all it was a great addition to the movie

When Henk comes back to Japan and surprises his wife with a check for $5 million, this is a great moment of triumph after all the stress and danger he has been through, finally Henk and Alexey reunite in San Francisco, a cool moment that proves how their friendship outpaced all the political and business craziness, something that works for the movie as a good reminder that all this drama was born from two guys who really loved making games, Henk and Alexey, but the truth about this meeting is that in real life it happens in Seattle, not San Fracisco, everyone knows how movie trolls are about things when they are not lore or factual like in these but I really dont care as long as its entertaining.

In the end the movie is not just about who gets rich or who wins the rights to the game, its about doing the right thing even when it’s risky. Henk could have just taken the money and run but instead helps Alexey and makes sure he receives the recognition and rewards he deserves for creating Tetris. The movie also does a good job of showing what was happening with the fall of the Soviet Union, we see Nikolai knowing the old way of doing things is not going to last much longer, there is the breaking of the Iron Curtain, of the capitalist entertainment, Tetris work out as a symbol of change.

The movie makes me think how even the fight for the rights of a game could be a pivotal point and can cause these huge world changing events. Who would have thought that such a simple little puzzle game would spark international politics, corporate espionage and the be during the times of the fall of communism?, the movie is also prove that innovation and creativity can and will come from anywhere and sometimes the smallest things can have the biggest impact. A movie about taking the chances, following what you love doing and saying what you mean, when people tell you it won't work out, because to be hones everything starts as a dream, from nothing to something important but at first its just a thought, an idea, the movie is also about friendship that don't care about borders or ideologies. I would have been cool if this movie came out during the early 2000s when phones still had this old block games, would make you imagine what went into creating that snake game on your Nokia, just as everything that happen on Tetris, probably not as a dramatic story but would spark that curiosity for sure.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #tetris, #henk, #alexey, #nintendo, #soviet, #kgb, #egerton, #maxwell, #capitalism, #communism, #gameboy, #rights, #moscow, #espionage, #blocks, #pixels, #addiction, #cold, #war, #puzzle, #licensing, #elorg, #corruption, #friendship, #nostalgia, #flixfinder

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A couple of weeks ago I saw The Queen's Gambit Mini Series and I wanted to share my review with you.

Orphaned at the tender age of nine, prodigious introvert Beth Harmon discovers and masters the game of chess in 1960s USA. But child stardom comes at a price.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10048342/

Plot Overview (No Spoilers)

The Queen’s Gambit is a beautifully created miniseries that follows the life of Beth Harmon. Beth is a young chess prodigy. We follow her life (with some flashes) from her childhood in the orphanage and we follow her as she navigates through the male-dominated world of competitive chess.

The movie takes place in the 1960s, and the director has done a great job with the costumes, the style and the atmosphere.

The series dives deep into Beth's personal growth, resilience, and struggles, blending her brilliant strategy of chess with the complexities of her emotion, ambitions, skills but also weaknesses.

At the same time, the story skillfully floats around the challenges of addiction and the strength required to overcome personal demons.

Be ready for powerful messages of hope, belief, confidence and success.

Who should see this story: Anyone who is passionate about mastering their craft. Anyone who enjoys a well-made series (it only has 6 one hour episodes) and anyone who also likes chess of course.

The series is characterized as a drama. Creators: Scott Frank -Allan Scott Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chloe Pirrie - Bill Camp

I agree with the 8.5 star rating and I highly recommend it.

Have you watched this; Let me know what you think!

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The darkness that took them away has returned

La oscuridad que se los llevó ha vuelto

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