Category: Movie Reviews

Science – and Best Film Car Chase Vote

I have been concentrating on Iron II – sci-fi which is so much easier to work on when I am busy at work. I find writing about religion very draining so Ordo II will have to wait for a while.

The science for Iron I has been fascinating but trying to cram in enough of a framework to make a world or indeed a universe, believable while not boring the reader is quite a challenge. Sometimes I have a very simple idea in my head but in order to make it happen I have to do all sorts of contortions in the book.

Is it possible to have this sentence, about an alien, or does the use of ‘morse-code’ kind of break the illusion, because morse-code is only of our world? Please let me know.

“He tapped the chloro-funnel with his extended thumb-claw, in a kind of irritated morse-code, as if to warn anybody off who might want a conversation.” Continue reading “Science – and Best Film Car Chase Vote” →

My vote – Best drunks in a film

Points Actor
10 Walter Matthau in Earthquake
9 Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now (thanks for suggestion El’Phantasmo)
8 Cary Grant in North by North West
7 Nick Cage in Leaving Las Vegas
6 Olly Reed in Oliver
5 Shelley Winters in Alfie
4 the butler in Dinner for One
3 Lee Marvin in Paint Your Wagons
2 Lee Marvin in Shout at the Devil
1 Peter O’Toole in Murphy’s War

The Bridges at Toko-Ri, Enter the Void and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

I have been busy over the last few weeks. Have finished Chapter 1 of Iron II and also Chapter 1 of the follow up to Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate. It’s all top secret though, so I can’t say anything. Instead here are some reviews of films I have seen lately:

The Bridges of Toko-Ri.
On the face of it just standard 50s Korean War drama starring William Holden and Grace Kelly. But look again. Apparently Holden only took the part on the understanding that the book’s sad ending would not be changed by the Director. And it pays off. I haven’t read the book, but it must be very thoughtful. Holden’s character, Harry Brubaker, was a hero pilot in WWII and then became a lawyer. However he is called up to fly jets in Korea and gets involved in the mission to bomb a set of bridges which are a key supply route from China so consequently very heavily defended. You might think, ‘Aha! 633 Squadron all over again!’ But no, the film veers away from that kind of feat of derring-do. Instead we find out that Holden’s character is afraid of fighting. He has a wife, Nancy – ably played in one of her last films by Grace kelly – and two children, and he just has too much to lose. Also he can’t understand why he has been called up when his status was completely inactive and reservists are still at home. Is it something to do with his ace-status?

Continue reading “The Bridges at Toko-Ri, Enter the Void and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” →