Posts tagged cold
Jane Eyre – Movie Trailer
Sep 9th
Raised by her aunt Sarah (Sally Hawkins) after her parents die of typhus, young Jane Eyre (Amelia Clarkson) is later shipped off to a stark boarding school as the result of her perceived insolence, and suffers greatly at the hands of the cold, unusually strict administration. Upon turning 18 and completing her education, Jane (Mia Wasikowska) finds work as a governess for Adle Varens (Romy Settbon Moore), the ward of Edward Fairfax Rochester (Michael Fassbender), master of Thornfield Hall. It doesn’t take long for the young Adle to warm to Jane, and upon returning home the charming Rochester, too, falls under the spell of his modest yet captivating governess. On what was supposed to be the happiest day of Jane’s life, however, a scandalous secret is revealed, and the emotionally shattered governess takes flight…
Get Low – Movie Trailer
Aug 24th
Inspired by the true story of Tennessee recluse Felix “Bush” Breazeale, who planned his funeral while he was still alive, director Aaron Schneider’s dramatic period thriller stars Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, and Lucas Black. Few folks have spoken with Felix Bush (Duvall) since he disappeared into the Tennessee woods 40 years ago, and the ones who have don’t necessarily have the kindest things to say about him. Gruff, confrontational, and ill-tempered, Felix has been the source of many malicious rumors over the years. Some say he’s a cold-hearted killer and his penchant for walking into town with a shotgun, a wild beard, and threadbare clothes doesn’t exactly give the impression of a man who seeks to make friends. When Felix walks into Frank Quinn’s (Murray) funeral parlor and announces his intentions to throw himself a massive party before he passes away, word quickly spreads through town and anticipation starts to run high. Before long the big day has finally arrived, and Felix surprises everyone by revealing exactly why he shunned society to lead a life of solitude in the deep woods.
“Extraordinary Measures” Feel-Good Weepie
Jan 28th
Feel-Good Weepie
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES starts off by stating that it is “Inspired by true events,” and you wonder how that knowledge is supposed to make us feel about the movie.
Is that simply a label of truth in advertising, or have we become so bombarded by so-called “reality television” shows that filmmakers believe that audiences will be more respectful than if the source material were just pure fiction?
At any rate, Brandon Fraser plays John Crowley, who really does exist, and this movie is based on the story of him, his family, and their struggles to achieve something remarkable, whereas Harrison Ford gets second billing in the credits, and his character, Dr. Robert Stonehill, is a composite of the doctors who helped Crowley achieve what he did.
You may even be surprised at how Ford pulls out his acting chops and shows some true emotions.
The movie begins with the birthday party of eight-year-old Megan Crowley, the daughter of John and his wife, Aileen, played by Keri Russell.
Megan is confined to a wheelchair, because she has Pompe disease, a form of muscular dystrophy, which tends to be fatal in children by the time they are nine or ten years old.
Megan gets a cold the next day, but has to go to the hospital, where the doctor tells her parents that she is not responding well.
So, Crowley does some research, and he learns about a scientist in Lincoln, Nebraska, who is working on a cure for Pompe disease. Dr. Stonehill has unusual work habits, and Crowley eventually travels to Nebraska to meet with Stonehill personally.
When Crowley finally manages to find him and tell him about his daughter, Dr. Stonehill says gruffly, “I do research. I don’t see patients.”
Crowley also has a six-year-old son who suffers from the disease, too, and when Stonehill says that half of his grants don’t even get approved, Crowley makes the rash promise that he will raise the necessary $500,000 for Stonehill to complete his laboratory work.
Then the rest of the movie is about how the two men set up their own bio-tech company and their race against time to save Crowley’s children, overcome their difficulties working with each other, and raise the money to become successful.
EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES is a feel-good weepie, but it is a good feel-good weepie.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”