Movie Review: Edge of Tomorrow

I’m sure you’ve all seen the commercials for Edge of Tomorrow.  If you haven’t, watch it right now.

When I saw trailers, I expected it to be fairly good, but I was skeptical that it would be done well.  As it turns out, my skepticism was unfounded.

I saw a pre-screening of Edge of Tomorrow, and it more than lived up to the trailers.  The exo-suits were awesome, the ‘Live, Die, Repeat’ theme was used expertly, both for comedic and dramatic purposes, and the acting was (surprisingly) very good.  Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt put on an excellent performance with well-written dialog, in a world full of amusing characters.

One big problems a lot of science-fiction has is over-explaining things.  No, I don’t want to spend twenty minutes listening to you explain the backstory of the aliens and how we’ve developed weapons to stop them.  Edge of Tomorrow doesn’t have that problem.  It drops you into the story and lets you figure things out alongside Tom Cruise’s character.

The movie has a few holes in it (though to be fair, what movie doesn’t?), but it manages to maintain the suspension of disbelief and immersion throughout.  I also avoids the sort of deus ex machina that these movies tend to end with.  It was close to two hours of non-stop entertainment, with action and comedy and sheer sci-fi awesomeness.

I would recommend everyone go see Edge of Tomorrow.  95/100

Movie Review: Jack the Giant Slayer

“Fee. Fi. Fo. Fum.

Ask not whence the thunder comes.”

So begins Jack the Giant Slayer, a movie coming out on March 1st, which I was fortunate enough to pre-view tonight.

First thing I’ll say is, this is not the Jack your parents read you nursery stories about.  As the name might imply, this movie is the big-brother version of “Jack and the Beanstalk”, and should be treated accordingly. No profanity that I remembered, and no sexuality (the two of which would make me recommend this movie even if it had only been mediocre).  What makes this movie mature is the violence.

Now, it’s not overly gory (though there is some small amount of squick factor), but, as we all know, giants ‘grind your bones for their bread’ and the like. That’s a part of this movie, though not ever explicitly shown on screen.

With that disclaimer out of the way, I will say that Jack the Giant Slayer is one of the best movies I’ve seen recently, certainly far better than the commercials made it out to be.  It built up to an initial conflict about half an hour into the movie, while giving back story and character exposition, and the action doesn’t let down until the end.  Surprisingly, it manages to hold the thrill all the way through and even escalate it for the final confrontation.

I’d also like to recognize Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan in Star Wars II and III, the only decent actor in those movies), for his excellent supporting role in this movie.  He made me laugh and cheer at all the right times.

I won’t go into too much more detail without spoiling it, but suffice it to say that this children’s bedtime story has been retold as an epic fantasy adventure that would rank high on any list I make.  10/10

Book Review: No He Can’t

No He Can’t is a clear, undistorted look at the Obama administration by Kevin McCullough, a renowned blogger and author who was also one of the first pundits to predict Obama’s ascension to the presidency.

Kevin McCullough discusses how Obama lied his way from the Chicago Senate all the way to the White House. It wasn’t unintentional or accidental, either.  Obama knew full well that what he was saying was false, even as he said it.

The book isn’t just a right-wing bash on Obama, either. He uses clear facts and evidence to make his points. Everything he says is logical, making solid points about Obama’s lies and deceptions.

Everyone needs to read this book.  His writing style is intelligent and easy to read, and the information he gives is critical.  Five out of five stars for content, and five out of five stars for style.

What in the World is Going On? Book Review

Hello, wyrms!

What in the World is Going on? is an explanatory book, written by Dr. David Jeremiah, in which he uses Biblical prophecies to explain the world today.

Dr. Jeremiah focuses on ten aspects of the world today, ranging from the economy to the coming of the Anti-Christ, going back to the Biblical prophecies and showing how everything is falling into place for the events of Revelation.

It is a very well written, concise book. Dr. Jeremiah has a very engaging and informative style of writing, and uses numerous quotes, both from the Bible and various other sources. He discusses how the balance of power in the world is lining up perfectly with the Biblical prophecies, and how the shifting of the world’s economy and the drift toward a one-world government are necessary for the prophecies to unfold.

I would give this book five out of five stars, as much as for his attention to detail as his clarity of thought and engaging writing. I felt this book accomplished its intended purpose very well, and feel that everyone who is involved in the world should read it.

This book was received from the publisher for the purposes of this review. The opinions contained herein to not necessarily represent the opinions of Franklin House or its affiliates.

Until next time, wyrms!