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Reviews
How the States Got Their Shapes (2011)
Very Entertaining Series
When we sit down to watch television as a family, we choose documentaries.
In addition, we are Americans living in Canada so it is important for us that our daughter (now 13, moved here when she was not quite 8) get some American History in addition to the Canadian and Quebecois history she gets in school.
I downloaded the first episode to gauge her reaction and interest. To my delight, she immediately requested I download the rest of the series.
Told in a fun conversational style, and using some footage that I am pretty sure was part of "The Story of US" , it takes you through different angles of just how the United States ended up looking the way it looks.
To Date we have seen the first three covering how Water, Transportation and Forces of Nature have impacted the shapes of the United States. In between the segments, I have shared stories about where I was born (Wheeling West Virgina) as well as being a little girl in Jacksonville North Carolina in the early 1970's with no air conditioning in sight - something that seems almost inconceivable today.
Listen, when you can hook a 13 year old and get her to ask for More? You are doing something right.
Seconds Apart (2011)
Well - that was enjoyable!
I have learned better than to simply take a good or poor IMDb score as proof that a movie may be enjoyable.
I grabbed this movie, not expecting a whole lot, honestly. Having recently tortured myself with Anthony Hopkins in the laughable "The Rite", I figured this couldn't be nearly as bad.
And I was right. Sure, the plot is a bit predictable - but very well shot. Color palate of the film matched the surroundings, and points for the use of the creepy Gothic Southern manor.
The actors portraying the twins were really quite good, as were most of the student roles. I don't really have an opinion one way or the other about Orlando Jones, expect to say that he didn't annoy me in his police officer role - neither over the top, nor dead in the water.
For a Tuesday night film, this far exceeded my expectations.
Well done!
Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
I expected Better
I was deeply disappointed. Without having to go blow for blow with others who have reviewed this film, all I can say is that the story was no where near as original as others I have seen ( and loved). Even the Chaser was more original in its story arc.
As far as acting, after my love of his performance in OldBoy, I expected More from Choi.
But is this the fault of the actors? I doubt it.
The story line was so thin and derivative that I could practically predict the lines before they were said. (Um, Handphone anyone?)
I found the characters to be undeveloped and even cartoonish in their reactions and dialogue.
The gore and sex scenes were needlessly long and drawn out.
I actually ended up apologizing to my husband for this as my choice for movie night.
I realize that others may love this, and I "got" where the story was going...I just think they could have told a Far more compelling story if they fine tuned the story rather than finding new ways to showcase blood spurting or ways to rape women or dismember them.
Go Watch Old Boy again rather than invest the 2.5 hours in this film.