Author: anthony

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2 Weeks to go!

Well its two weeks since I’ve posted and it’s also just under two weeks to Christmas. Can’t believe it’s approaching this fast to be honest. Plenty to do so I’m going to be up to my eyes over the next while. Went to a party for Helen’s fiancé, Eamonn, who’s back from Liberia on the 4th. Good to see him back and they’re looking forward to the wedding in February.

Ordered some gifts online at the start of last week. Just hoping that they arrive on time as there seems to be some sort of delay in postage of parcels over the past month or so. Haven’t seen any films of late, there hasn’t been much on to be honest and the prospect of seeing a crap Christmas movie doesnt excite me at all. 🙂 Planning on taking a couple of days off work soon to get the last bits of shopping done too.

Here’s something which I quite enjoyed and dug up from my bookmarks: Stand up and be counted: Edinburgh’s 50 best jokes

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Recommended

The Incredibles

The IncrediblesWas a bit apprehensive going to this after seeing the trailers as it doesn’t give you much to go on. There’s the obvious fact that its about a family of superheros which is a change from the usual buddy comedies that Pixar produce. It’s obvious that Pixar took a risk in straying into untried territory but its a risk that has paid off. The Incredibles lives up to its name with a solid story detailing the Parr family led by Bob who, after being sued for saving someone, retires into suburbia and lives a fairly ordinary life while trying to cope with not using his powers.

The whole family are brilliantly animated and the team at Pixar once again inject them with humour and depth while maintaining the cartoonish illusion. There’s a sense in this film that they have strayed a bit further away from the “kiddie” movie and its not as “kiddish” as Toy Story or Monsters Inc. The story remains solid throughout and theres some genuine cracking set-pieces. The graphics are fantastic and they really went for it in creating realistic humans, fire and water. Overall, its a fantastic addition to Pixar’s library and a certainty to be in my DVD drive come the middle of next year.

Tony’s Rating: 8/10

Plot Synopsis: Mr. Incredible is a superhero; or he used to be, until a surge of lawsuits against superheroes submitted by the people they’ve saved forced the government to hide them in witness protection programs so they could lead normal, anonymous lives. Now known exclusively by his secret identity, Bob Parr, he lives with his wife Helen, formerly Elastigirl, and their three children Violet, Dash, and Jack Jack. He works as an insurance claims specialist, and he’s fed up with his pushy boss and his immoral profession, but his wife’s worked too hard to build a normal life for her family to abide his nostalia for heroism. When Mr. Incredible’s offered the chance to play the role of hero again by a mysterious informant, he jumps at the opportunity, but when it turns out to be a trap set by an old nemesis he had a hand in corrupting, the whole family must reveal themselves to save Mr. Incredible and countless innocents.

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Movies Recommended

Finding Neverland

Finding Neverland: Went to see this with Anne-Marie last week as it was a choice between this and Hero. It details the story of J. M. Barrie who wrote the story of Peter Pan. Essentially it elaborates on his interaction with a well-to-do family lead by Kate Winslet who has been recently widowed. Her sons provide the inspiration for Barrie’s story and they feed his imagination when other aspects of his life serve to bring him back down to earth. A superb performance from Johnny Depp could lead to an Oscar nomination in March.

Tony’s Verdict: 8/10

Plot Synopsis: The movie details the experiences of ‘Peter Pan’ author J.M. Barrie, which lead him to write the children’s classic. He got to know four children who have no fathers. Drawing from his time with the kids, he writes a story about children who don’t want to grow up.

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Movies Recommended

Hero

HeroSaw this last week and have to say it was one of the best films I’ve seen in ages. A solid story detailing the story of a warrior who kills three assasins who have vowed to kill the king and how he is rewarded for his deeds. It takes a few twists and turns along the way but the imagery and use of colour are fantastic. Definitely one to see.

Tony’s Verdict: 9/10

Plot Synopsis: In ancient China, before the reign of the first emperor, warring factions throughout the Six Kingdoms plot to assassinate the most powerful ruler, Qin. When a minor official defeats Qin’s three principal enemies, he is summoned to the palace to tell Qin the story of his surprising victory.

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Movies Recommended

The Manchurian Candidate

Went to see this last night in Ster Century after dinner in daVinci’s in Leixlip. Have to say that I was slightly underwhelmed by it. By all accounts its a good, solid political thriller with all the required elements and some genuine moments of tension. Denzel Washington played the part well and was complemented by a superb performance from Meryl Streep as the politically headstrong mother. However, I felt there was something missing that I just couldn’t put my finger on. 😕 Definitely a good movie but not a masterpiece.

Tony’s Verdict: 7/10

Plot Synopsis: When his army unit was ambushed during the first Gulf War, Sergeant Raymond Shaw saved his fellow soldiers just as his commanding officer, Major Ben Marco, was knocked unconscious. Brokering the incident for political capital, Shaw eventually becomes a vice-presidential nominee, while Marco is haunted by dreams of what happened — or didn’t happen — in Iraq. As Marco investigates, the story begins to unravel, to the point where he questions if it happened at all. Is it possible the entire unit was kidnapped and brainwashed to believe Shaw is a war hero as part of a plot to seize the White House? Some very powerful people at Manchurian Global corporation appear desperate to stop him from finding out.