All Is Lost (2013)(Minor Spoilers)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No major reveals**

A rocky disturbance disrupts a sailor’s voyage one morning. The Sailor (Robert Redford) awakes on the Virgina Jean to find puddles of water on the floor, and a large hole in the hull. A shipping container is stuck in the boat, so the sailor uses emergency equipment to free the ship. After a quick touch up repair job on the damaged hull, The Sailor stops the flooding temporarily, but he runs into another big problem during a fierce storm.

After the storm, the Virgina Jean is damaged beyond repair, so The Sailor uses a life raft for transportation. The remnants of the Virgina Jean sink to the bottom of the ocean, and The Sailor is stuck on the raft without a reliable form of shelter. As time passes, The Sailor is running out of options and supplies, and The Sailor runs into some trouble during a fishing break in shark infested waters…….

It’s all about Robert Redford here. With the exception of a reaching arm, Redford is the only human character you’ll see here. There’s a soliloquy at the beginning for The Sailor’s last good-byes to the world in a farewell letter, but Redford speaks his first words in real time at the twenty-two minute mark to make an SOS call.

Redford barely speaks here, but that’s not a problem. Redford’s remarkable ability to convey The Sailor’s frustrations, his anger, and a crushing sense of hopelessness with facial expressions and body language deserves admiration. For one hour and forty-five minutes, Redford is the only human being you’ll see in full view, but his captivating performance hooks you in. You’re rooting for this resourceful and clever man to survive, you’re waiting on his rescue, and I lost track for counting the “edge of your seat” close calls here (sharks, the storm, etc.).

What’s missing in this year’s list of Oscar nominees? A Best Actor nomination for Robert Redford. All Is Lost received one nomination for Best Sound Editing, but that’s it. A little while ago, Robert Redford pointed the finger at Lionsgate in an interview. Redford blamed poor marketing and a lack of distribution for Oscar snubs.

I’m still working my way through all the Oscar nominated stuff for 2013, but Redford deserved a nomination for Best Actor, and there’s no denying it. I won’t go on a rant for J.C. Chandor, because I can think of more deserving choices for Best Director (Spike Jonze for Her, Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity, etc.), but Redford is a noticeable snub for this year’s Academy Awards. Is Redford’s snub a grave tragedy? No, but he deserved the recognition.

All Is Lost is a captivating and emotional survival film, featuring a superb performance from Robert Redford. Redford’s performance hooks you in, and you’ll have a  hard time taking your eyes off the screen for the main attraction, and the only living character in full view throughout the movie. And kudos to director/writer J.C. Chandor for his steady and precise work behind the camera. Also, Chandor deserves credit for a dreary roller coaster ride to the end, with enough ups and downs to keep you on the edge of your seat during The Sailor’s fight for survival.

Rating: 9/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

All Is Lost (2013)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

A rocky disturbance disrupts a sailor’s voyage one morning. The Sailor (Robert Redford) awakes on the Virgina Jean to find puddles of water on the floor, and a large hole in the hull. A shipping container is stuck in the boat, so the sailor uses emergency equipment to free the ship. After a quick touch up repair job on the damaged hull, The Sailor stops the flooding temporarily, but he runs into another big problem during a fierce storm.

After the storm, the Virgina Jean is damaged beyond repair, so The Sailor uses a life raft for transportation. The remnants of the Virgina Jean sink to the bottom of the ocean, and The Sailor is stuck on the raft without a reliable form of shelter. As time passes, The Sailor is running out of options and supplies, and The Sailor runs into some trouble during a fishing break in shark infested waters…….

It’s all about Robert Redford here. With the exception of a reaching arm (more on that later), Redford is the only human character you’ll see here. There’s a soliloquy at the beginning for The Sailor’s last good-byes to the world in a farewell letter, but Redford speaks his first words in real time at the twenty-two minute mark to make an SOS call.

Redford barely speaks here, but that’s not a problem. Redford’s remarkable ability to convey The Sailor’s frustrations, his anger, and a crushing sense of hopelessness with facial expressions and body language deserves admiration. For one hour and forty-five minutes, Redford is the only human being you’ll see in full view, but his captivating performance hooks you in. You’re rooting for this resourceful and clever man to survive, you’re waiting on his rescue, and I lost track for counting the “edge of your seat” close calls here (sharks, the storm, etc.).

We’re in the final stages of the movie, and The Sailor is losing his will to fight. Two passing freighter ships missed The Sailor’s flare signals for help. At night, The Sailor spots another boat, but he’s out of flares, so he starts a fire using his journal and pieces of paper for a signal. The fire is out of control, and in a matter of seconds, flames engulf the life raft.

The Sailor jumps into the water to escape the burning raft. He’s trying to keep his head above water, but The Sailor throws in the towel. He willingly sinks to the bottom, but a passing boat spots the burning raft. Using his last ounce of strength, The Sailor swims to the top, and to close out the movie, you see an arm from the boat reaching towards The Sailor. The Sailor grabs the arm, the unknown boater pulls him up, and the screen cuts to black to end the movie.

Great stuff. Throughout the movie, you’re waiting for that one uplifting moment for The Sailor. Writer/director J.C. Chandor did a good job of constantly teasing the audience with the close calls (i.e. the passing freighter ships). And I have no shame in saying I believed in The Sailor’s demise at the end 100% with no questions asked, because Redford sold the moment with a devastated and defeated look on his face.

The Sailor’s swim to the boat takes the top spot for nerve-racking moments in All Is Lost, because you’re holding your breath until the last second, and Chandor pulled the plug at the right moment. The second The Sailor grabs the boater’s hands, the screen immediately cuts to black, so your imagination has a chance to run wild with possibilities for The Sailor’s rescue. It’s a satisfying finale, because The Sailor had to suffer through eight days of hell out in the middle of nowhere, but he made it to the end.

What’s missing in this year’s list of Oscar nominees? A Best Actor nomination for Robert Redford. All Is Lost received one nomination for Best Sound Editing, but that’s it. A little while ago, Robert Redford pointed the finger at Lionsgate in an interview. Redford blamed poor marketing and a lack of distribution for Oscar snubs.

I’m still working my way through all the Oscar nominated stuff for 2013, but Redford deserved a nomination for Best Actor, and there’s no denying it. I won’t go on a rant for J.C. Chandor, because I can think of more deserving choices for Best Director (Spike Jonze for Her, Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity, etc.), but Redford is a noticeable snub for this year’s Academy Awards. Is Redford’s snub a grave tragedy? No, but he deserved the recognition.

All Is Lost is a captivating and emotional survival film, featuring a superb performance from Robert Redford. Redford’s performance hooks you in, and you’ll have a  hard time taking your eyes off the screen for the main attraction, and the only living character in full view throughout the movie. And kudos to director/writer J.C. Chandor for his steady and precise work behind the camera. Also, Chandor deserves credit for a dreary roller coaster ride to the end, with enough ups and downs to keep you on the edge of your seat during The Sailor’s fight for survival.

Rating: 9/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Black Rock (2013)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers, no major surprises, or twists are revealed in this review**

In an attempt to heal some old wounds, Sarah (Kate Bosworth), Abby (Katie Aselton), and Lou (Lake Bell) take a trip to a remote island off the coast of Maine. After crossing paths with three deer hunters named Henry (Will Bouvier), Derek (Jay Paulson), and Alex (Anslem Richardson), the trio agrees to share the island with no resistance. But after a seemingly harmless campfire gathering, the friendly vacation takes a turn for the worst. And with no communications to the outside world, Sarah, Abby, and Lou are forced to fight for their lives.

Funny, I thought Kate Bosworth would provide the best performance (going by the trailers) here. Instead, it’s a toss up between Aselton (who also directed the movie) and Bell. Not saying Bosworth was bad or anything like that, but she’s overshadowed by Aselton and Bell. Aselton’s Abby is an annoying whiner, who complains about everything at first, but as the movie progresses, Aselton’s Abby emerges as the leader in the pack. Aselton is fearless, as a more aggressive version of Abby, and she brought some believable intensity to this character. Bell is able to feed off of Aselton’s performance as Lou. Lou is the more fragile member of the trio, so Abby has to push the courage out of her. Still, Bell deserves a lot of credit for being able to pull off the transformation, as Lou breaks out of her shell to become a scrappy fighter, who won’t quit.

It’s too bad the male side of the cast can’t match the quality of the performances from Bell, Aselton, and Bosworth. Of course, it’s easy to have feelings of anger for their despicable actions, BUT the actual performances from Bouvier, Paulson, and Richardson are mediocre at best. That’s one of my bigger pet peeves for Black Rock: when you compare the women to the men, the painfully obvious imbalance for the quality of performances is impossible to ignore.

I’ll admit, this one took me by surprise, but Black Rock isn’t without its problems. First of all, WHY would you trust three creepy guys you don’t know on a remote island? Unfortunately, Black Rock features a few stupid character decisions, and it’s a shame, because without them, Black Rock could’ve been a much better film.

Still, I really enjoyed Black Rock. Black Rock is a bloody and gritty tale of survival, friendship, forgiveness, and with the help of some strong performances from Bell and Aselton (especially Aselton), you can really feel the heartbreak and misery from the main characters, as they‘re forced to endure and outsmart the hunters. Black Rock isn’t a groundbreaking entry in the survival horror genre, but at the same time, Black Rock isn’t some unbearable and frustrating abomination. Believe me, that’s saying a lot, when you compare Black Rock to other awful survival style horror films (i.e. Wolf Creek, A Perfect Getaway, The Divide,  and those shitty straight-to-video Wrong Turn films).

Rating: 8/10

Looking for a change from Batman, Spider-Man, and Iron Man? Then get know the world's newest superheroine Freechelle Fantabulous for only $0.99 by following the link- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in my book of short stories, also only $0.99-  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

And remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

Follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

And don't forget to like both of my Facebook pages, because the Mitch MacReady 2 Facebook page includes quotes from both ebooks that can't fit into Tweets-

https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitch-Macready-2/439846799459035?ref=hl

Black Rock (2013)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**


Sarah (Kate Bosworth) devises a plan to reunite her two best friends, Abby (Katie Aselton) and Lou (Lake Bell). Abby is still holding a grudge against Lou for a one-night stand with an old ex-boyfriend, so Sarah tricks both of them into going on a vacation together. With one last desperate attempt to reunite the trio, Sarah leads a camping trip to a remote island off the coast of Maine. Abby, reluctant to go at first, decides to give Lou another chance after some prodding from Sarah.

Using nostalgia from past trips (Sarah, Abby, and Lou frequently visited the island as kids), Sarah relies on childhood memories as a source of healing for Lou and Abby, but Abby is still too bitter to let go of the grudge. One day, the trio crosses paths with three local deer hunters on the island: Henry (Will Bouvier), Derek (Jay Paulson), and Alex (Anslem Richardson) are ex-soldiers, who received a dishonorable discharge from the Army.

During a campfire gathering one night, a drunk (and married) Abby flirts with Henry, and eventually, Abby lures Henry into the woods alone. Abby, realizing her mistake before it’s too late, rejects Henry’s advances, but Henry tries to rape her. Abby is able to grab a rock and smash Henry in the head with it, and Abby kills Henry in self-defense. Furious over their friend’s death, Derek and Alex pummel Sarah, Abby, and Lou into unconsciousness. The next morning, Sarah, Abby, and Lou awake tied to each other, while Derek and Alex discuss a systematic execution, starting with Abby. But Abby is able to goad Derek into releasing her for a one on one fight, giving Sarah the opportunity to throw sand at Derek and Alex. The trio is able to escape, but the fight is far from over. With intentions to kill in honor of Henry, Derek and Alex hunt Sarah, Abby, and Lou, and with no communications to the outside world, the fight for survival becomes more difficult with each passing minute.

Funny, I thought Kate Bosworth would provide the best performance (going by the trailers) here. Instead, it’s a toss up between Aselton (who also directed the movie) and Bell. Not saying Bosworth was bad or anything like that, but she’s overshadowed by Aselton and Bell, and Sarah’s screen time is cut short (more on that later). Aselton’s Abby is an annoying whiner, who complains about everything at first, but as the movie progresses, Aselton’s Abby emerges as the leader in the pack. Aselton is fearless, as a more aggressive version of Abby, and she brought some believable intensity to this character. Bell is able to feed off of Aselton’s performance as Lou. Lou is the more fragile member of the trio, so Abby has to push the courage out of her. Still, Bell deserves a lot of credit for being able to pull off the transformation, as Lou breaks out of her shell to become a scrappy fighter, who won’t quit.

It’s too bad the male side of the cast can’t match the quality of the performances from Bell, Aselton, and Bosworth. Of course, it’s easy to have feelings of anger for their despicable actions (taunting and beating up defenseless women, attempted rape, etc.), BUT the actual performances from Bouvier, Paulson, and Richardson are mediocre at best. That’s one of my bigger pet peeves for Black Rock: when you compare the women to the men, the painfully obvious imbalance for the quality of performances is impossible to ignore.

I’ll admit, this one took me by surprise, but Black Rock isn’t without its problems. First of all, WHY would you trust three (well, two I guess, because Henry is the younger brother of an old high school friend, who knew Sarah, Lou, and Abby) creepy guys you don’t know on a remote island?

Also, there’s a scene at night, where Abby comes up with a plan to crawl across the beach,  so the trio can jump on the hunter’s boat for safety. Uncharacteristically, Sarah, completely freaks out, and as she makes more noise, Derek or Alex (it’s unclear, who took the shot) kill Sarah with one shot to the head. So Sarah is easily the most calm and level-headed member of the group, who plays the role of peacemaker between Abby and Lou, but she has a meltdown out of nowhere?

It’s a double-edge sword moment. Sarah’s death was genuinely shocking for me, because with Lou’s panicky behavior, I thought she would be the first one to go. But at the same time, it’s an incredibly stupid mistake from Sarah. You know two hunters fueled by revenge are watching your every move, and Sarah is supposed to be the sensible leader, so why would she make so much noise all of the sudden?

On top of that, after Sarah blows their cover, Lou and Abby still jump in the water to swim, but the water is too cold, so they have to get out, and hide on a different side of the island? Eh, they all knew the water was too cold to swim in beforehand, so in a lot of ways, the plan was doomed from the start. Unfortunately, Black Rock features a few stupid character decisions, and it’s a shame, because without them, Black Rock could’ve been a much better film.

Still, I really enjoyed Black Rock. The fight to the death between Abby, Lou, and Derek (Abby killed Alex on the beach after he injured his leg) is a real nail-biter, because as the fight unfolds, it’s not so easy to pick a clear cut winner. Black Rock is a bloody and gritty tale of survival, friendship, forgiveness, and with the help of some strong performances from Bell and Aselton (especially Aselton), you can really feel the heartbreak and misery from the main characters, as they‘re forced to endure and outsmart the hunters. Black Rock isn’t a groundbreaking entry in the survival horror genre, but at the same time, Black Rock isn’t some unbearable and frustrating abomination. Believe me, that’s saying a lot, when you compare Black Rock to other awful survival style horror films (i.e. Wolf Creek, A Perfect Getaway, The Divide,  and those shitty straight-to-video Wrong Turn films).

Rating: 8/10

Looking for a change from Batman, Spider-Man, and Iron Man? Then get know the world's newest superheroine Freechelle Fantabulous for only $0.99 by following the link- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in my book of short stories, also only $0.99-  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

And remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

Follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

And don't forget to like both of my Facebook pages, because the Mitch MacReady 2 Facebook page includes quotes from both ebooks that can't fit into Tweets-

https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitch-Macready-2/439846799459035?ref=hl