jamuckley
Joined May 2008
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jamuckley's rating
"Finch" is a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi about doing everything you can to take care of those you love.
The film stars Tom Hanks as Finch, who builds an AI-learning robot (Caleb Landry Jones) to take care of Goodyear (Seamus), his dog, after he is gone.
The film is directed by Miguel Sapochnik (Game of Thrones) and is written by Craig Luck and Ivor Powell. The film features some epic "wasteland" shots of a dying world, including some realistic views of what the city of Denver would look like if it were the end of the world as we know it. The strength of the film, however, were Finch's moments with his robot, Jeff, as he teaches him to care for his dog, Goodyear.
The earth has been ravaged by a solar flare that has rained down cosmic radiation on the ozone layer punching holes in it and causing surface temperatures to rise to around 140 °F, mere exposure to the sun now leaves painful first-degree sunburns. Finch is slowing dying of the radiation poisoning from the sun, but he animates a robot with AI-learning capabilities to take care of his dog upon his impending death.
As Finch teaches his robot how to take care of his dog, how to stay "alive," and the new rules to live by, I couldn't help but see the parallels of parenting, raising kids, and how you want to pass on your beliefs, your values, and what you found most important in this life to your loved ones that remain behind. From learning to walk to playing fetch with Goodyear, it is interesting to see how learning these basic skills are absorbed by a robot, but it also demands an introspective look on one's own values in life.
It begs the question, "Why?"
Throughout the film it is actually the relationship between Goodyear and Jeff the robot, that is evolving and growing. The dog at first is completely afraid and wary of the robot. It is constantly growling and barking at it. At one point Jeff convinces himself that he taught himself "dog language" and imitates dog sounds he has heard (or learned), but that only leads to the conclusion that Goodyear hates him. Jeff has to learn of both Finch and Goodyear's limitations with the hazardous environment they live in. He has to learn what they need and how to help them.
The most important and difficult concept that Jeff has to learn is trust. Goodyear needs to trust Jeff if he wants to be able to protect the dog. Trust is not something easily explained, but rather it is a concept one knows by experience.
Ultimately, Tom Hanks puts in a typical stellar performance. There are some humorous moments. There are also some touching moments to reflect on the "human experience." In the bigger picture, the film asks the question, "What is it we are passing on, and how will we do that."
The film stars Tom Hanks as Finch, who builds an AI-learning robot (Caleb Landry Jones) to take care of Goodyear (Seamus), his dog, after he is gone.
The film is directed by Miguel Sapochnik (Game of Thrones) and is written by Craig Luck and Ivor Powell. The film features some epic "wasteland" shots of a dying world, including some realistic views of what the city of Denver would look like if it were the end of the world as we know it. The strength of the film, however, were Finch's moments with his robot, Jeff, as he teaches him to care for his dog, Goodyear.
The earth has been ravaged by a solar flare that has rained down cosmic radiation on the ozone layer punching holes in it and causing surface temperatures to rise to around 140 °F, mere exposure to the sun now leaves painful first-degree sunburns. Finch is slowing dying of the radiation poisoning from the sun, but he animates a robot with AI-learning capabilities to take care of his dog upon his impending death.
As Finch teaches his robot how to take care of his dog, how to stay "alive," and the new rules to live by, I couldn't help but see the parallels of parenting, raising kids, and how you want to pass on your beliefs, your values, and what you found most important in this life to your loved ones that remain behind. From learning to walk to playing fetch with Goodyear, it is interesting to see how learning these basic skills are absorbed by a robot, but it also demands an introspective look on one's own values in life.
It begs the question, "Why?"
Throughout the film it is actually the relationship between Goodyear and Jeff the robot, that is evolving and growing. The dog at first is completely afraid and wary of the robot. It is constantly growling and barking at it. At one point Jeff convinces himself that he taught himself "dog language" and imitates dog sounds he has heard (or learned), but that only leads to the conclusion that Goodyear hates him. Jeff has to learn of both Finch and Goodyear's limitations with the hazardous environment they live in. He has to learn what they need and how to help them.
The most important and difficult concept that Jeff has to learn is trust. Goodyear needs to trust Jeff if he wants to be able to protect the dog. Trust is not something easily explained, but rather it is a concept one knows by experience.
Ultimately, Tom Hanks puts in a typical stellar performance. There are some humorous moments. There are also some touching moments to reflect on the "human experience." In the bigger picture, the film asks the question, "What is it we are passing on, and how will we do that."
"King Richard" is a biopic of Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena Williams, and his plan to turn his youngest daughters into the greatest tennis players of all time.
"King Richard" will be released in theaters and on HBO Max on November 19, 2021, but I was given prescreening passes by Warner Bros to see the film ahead of its release.
The film stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, Saniyya Sidney as Venus Williams, Demi Singleton as Serena Williams, and Aunjanue Ellis as Brandi Williams. Other stars in the film include Jon Bernthal, Tony Goldwyn, Dylan McDermott among others. The film was written by Zach Baylin and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green.
Will Smith shined brightest in the film. His portrayal of Richard Williams was excellent. Alongside him, Aunjanue Ellis portraying his wife, Brandi Williams was a perfect counterbalance. She added fierce pushback when Smith played a fearful father, not wanting to see his daughters fail.
The most inspirational part of the movie was really the improbable story. That a dedicated father instilled in his daughter a strength and resilience and confidence that they could do anything, become number one in the world, and in Serena's case, become the greatest player who ever lived. Training day and night, rain or shine, he kept pushing them towards greatness, when many people scoffed at his claims about his girls, when many refused to train them, when they saw something insignificant, he saw their full potential.
That belief in them, their dedication to training, and ultimately their resiliency in the face of adversity become the perfect trifecta that propelled them to unprecedented success that was never realized by any other player before them. When they went onto the court, they truly believed that no one could beat them. Then they went out and proved it. Not only were they out there proving to themselves, but also to every person who went to see them. They then became role models for every other African American girl (and boy) who wanted to follow in their footsteps.
It is possible.
We can do this too.
As a father myself of two girls, and a boy, the film struck a chord in me about fatherhood, about empowering my kids to succeed, about instilling in them confidence in themselves and in what they are capable of. It was a powerful film that really tugs on your heartstrings at the right time. You see the long odds they faced. You see the backbone not to back down. You see the timely truths spoken when one parent falters to encourage the other.
I really appreciated this film. The inspirational true story it is based on was amazing. The positive messages for young people and parents alike are so important.
"King Richard" will be released in theaters and on HBO Max on November 19, 2021, but I was given prescreening passes by Warner Bros to see the film ahead of its release.
The film stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, Saniyya Sidney as Venus Williams, Demi Singleton as Serena Williams, and Aunjanue Ellis as Brandi Williams. Other stars in the film include Jon Bernthal, Tony Goldwyn, Dylan McDermott among others. The film was written by Zach Baylin and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green.
Will Smith shined brightest in the film. His portrayal of Richard Williams was excellent. Alongside him, Aunjanue Ellis portraying his wife, Brandi Williams was a perfect counterbalance. She added fierce pushback when Smith played a fearful father, not wanting to see his daughters fail.
The most inspirational part of the movie was really the improbable story. That a dedicated father instilled in his daughter a strength and resilience and confidence that they could do anything, become number one in the world, and in Serena's case, become the greatest player who ever lived. Training day and night, rain or shine, he kept pushing them towards greatness, when many people scoffed at his claims about his girls, when many refused to train them, when they saw something insignificant, he saw their full potential.
That belief in them, their dedication to training, and ultimately their resiliency in the face of adversity become the perfect trifecta that propelled them to unprecedented success that was never realized by any other player before them. When they went onto the court, they truly believed that no one could beat them. Then they went out and proved it. Not only were they out there proving to themselves, but also to every person who went to see them. They then became role models for every other African American girl (and boy) who wanted to follow in their footsteps.
It is possible.
We can do this too.
As a father myself of two girls, and a boy, the film struck a chord in me about fatherhood, about empowering my kids to succeed, about instilling in them confidence in themselves and in what they are capable of. It was a powerful film that really tugs on your heartstrings at the right time. You see the long odds they faced. You see the backbone not to back down. You see the timely truths spoken when one parent falters to encourage the other.
I really appreciated this film. The inspirational true story it is based on was amazing. The positive messages for young people and parents alike are so important.
Blue Bayou written and directed by Justin Chon is a powerful new film about a Korean-American, Antonio LeBlanc, played by Justin Chon, who is fighting for his family and his status as a US citizen.
Adopted from Korea at the age of 3, Antonio lives in Louisiana. He speaks fluid English. He is married to a US citizen, and he and his wife are expecting their first child. He is a stepfather to Jessie (Sydney Kowalske), the daughter of his wife, Kathy, played by Alicia Vikander, who calls him daddy.
Victim of racial profiling by a police officer, he is arrested and then his immigration status is called into question. Kathy and Antonio seek the counsel of a lawyer, played by Vondie Curtis-Hall, who informs them that before the year 2000, US foreign adoption laws were very ill defined, and in many cases immigration paperwork was never filed by adopting parents. In Antonio's case, his adopting family abandoned him after 6 months and he bounced around in foster care for much of his young life after coming to the US.
The film was a powerful representation of the uncertainty and difficulty many immigrants face in the US. It was both deeply saddening and moving as you watch the turmoil the family endures, especially the child affected by it all. The film brings awareness to an important issue that has yet to be addressed and has been the cause of many, many deportations of adults who have lived in the US for 30 to 40 years and some times longer, do not even know the language of their country of origin, who are deported to this foreign land without any family connections or similar ties to the country they are being sent.
Blue Bayou is an official selection of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. The film contains some beautiful cinematography of the Louisiana bayou and breathtaking sunset shots taken around New Orleans. The screenplay also stood out in the way that he portrayed both the struggle and impossible choices the protagonist faces. Also, his own identity as an Asian American, looking for his past and a cultural touchstone and comparing it to the over thirty years he spent in Louisiana feeling like an outcast as the "other."
Adopted from Korea at the age of 3, Antonio lives in Louisiana. He speaks fluid English. He is married to a US citizen, and he and his wife are expecting their first child. He is a stepfather to Jessie (Sydney Kowalske), the daughter of his wife, Kathy, played by Alicia Vikander, who calls him daddy.
Victim of racial profiling by a police officer, he is arrested and then his immigration status is called into question. Kathy and Antonio seek the counsel of a lawyer, played by Vondie Curtis-Hall, who informs them that before the year 2000, US foreign adoption laws were very ill defined, and in many cases immigration paperwork was never filed by adopting parents. In Antonio's case, his adopting family abandoned him after 6 months and he bounced around in foster care for much of his young life after coming to the US.
The film was a powerful representation of the uncertainty and difficulty many immigrants face in the US. It was both deeply saddening and moving as you watch the turmoil the family endures, especially the child affected by it all. The film brings awareness to an important issue that has yet to be addressed and has been the cause of many, many deportations of adults who have lived in the US for 30 to 40 years and some times longer, do not even know the language of their country of origin, who are deported to this foreign land without any family connections or similar ties to the country they are being sent.
Blue Bayou is an official selection of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. The film contains some beautiful cinematography of the Louisiana bayou and breathtaking sunset shots taken around New Orleans. The screenplay also stood out in the way that he portrayed both the struggle and impossible choices the protagonist faces. Also, his own identity as an Asian American, looking for his past and a cultural touchstone and comparing it to the over thirty years he spent in Louisiana feeling like an outcast as the "other."
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