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Showing posts from February, 2017

Patriots Day: Average Guy Movie Review

In their third collaboration, Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg are once again bringing a real life event to the silver screen. On 15th April 2013 the Tsarnaev brothers detonated two improvised explosive devices at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. This is the story of that day, the joint FBI/Police investigation and the four-day manhunt that followed. Even though you know it's coming, you can feel the tension build as you await the inevitable explosions. From there, slow burn turns to high octane as the cops deal with the aftermath and the manhunt begins.  Mark Wahlberg plays Sgt. Tommy Saunders, an amalgamation of three cops who were either present at the time of the bombing or involved in the subsequent investigation and manhunt. Also involved are Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman) and FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon).   The splicing of real CCTV footage into the movie adds a creepy vibe. That being said, Patriots Day stil

Hacksaw Ridge: Average Guy Movie Review

Mel Gibson is back in the driver seat with Hacksaw Ridge . The movie tells the story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), a conscientious objector who wanted to serve but refused to carry a weapon. Doss served as an army medic in the Pacific during World War 2. His actions during the Battle of Okinawa - where it's estimated he saved 75 men single-handed - would earn him the Medal of Honor. If you've seen We Were Soldiers ; then Hacksaw Ridge may look oddly familiar. Gibson has clearly taken inspiration from his previous war movie, with the two sharing a very similar look - certainly in the battle scenes. Much like Randall Wallace did with We Were Soldiers , Gibson has managed to show the horrors of such a battle in a way that is respectful of all that those men did, and the camaraderie  they shared, without ever glamorising war. To that end, as much as this is Doss' story, the actions of his fellow soldiers are not overlooked, thanks in part to some brilliant performan

Breathe Easy: Average Guy Movie Review

Breathe Easy is an independent film, shot in multiple locations throughout ten countries. This global accomplishment took more than 20 directors roughly a year to make.  Strange clouds have appeared in the sky across the globe and people are starting to behave in very strange ways. Governments are scrambling to deal with the crisis, but without knowing the cause, what can they do except...Breathe Easy?  In a time when Hollywood studios can afford to film all over the world, it's easy for us to become indifferent. But an independent film shooting in ten countries including the UK, US, Australia and Hong Kong is an incredible achievement. And the results speak for themselves. Instead of focusing on one region or group during a global disaster - with small updates of events occurring elsewhere - the action is shared pretty much equally across all locations. It's an interesting look at how different people react to the same situation. Some will run, some will hide. Some wi