Author: pnea

chronicler, explorer of nature, anthroposophist
movies

1074 – Saving Private Ryan (1998)

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timespace coordinates: 1944 – Invasion of Normandy

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Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic war film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. Set during the Invasion of Normandy in World War II, the film is notable for its graphic portrayal of war, and for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which includes a depiction of the Omaha Beach assault during the Normandy landings. It follows United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks) and a squad (Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Adam Goldberg, and Jeremy Davies) as they search for a paratrooper, Private First Class James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), who is the last surviving brother of four servicemen.

Since its release, Saving Private Ryan has been widely lauded as an influential film in the war film genre. It has been credited for renewing interest in old and new World War II films, video games, and novels. In 2014, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” (wiki)

imdb

movies, series

1071 – Unbreakable (2000 – 2019 film series)

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DvhNGtvUwAEPh7LThe Unbreakable trilogy, also known as the Eastrail 177 Trilogy, is an American superhero thriller and psychological horror film series. The films were written, produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The trilogy consists of Unbreakable (2000), Split (2016), and Glass (2019).

All of the films feature the character David Dunn. The series has been noted for its differences to more traditional superhero movies, with Shyamalan’s work referred to as “the first auteur shared superhero universe”. It is the first superhero franchise that is written and directed by one person, in comparison to other popular films in the genre.  Shyamalan has noted that while it is based on comic book superheroes, and refers to comic books, it is not actually derived from comic book material itself. In contrast to most superhero films, the series is also generally grounded in reality, and is seen as a deconstruction of the superhero genre. The series is thus considered to be a unique take on the superhero genre. 

The filmmaker has stated that the films are origin stories, of people with unique gifts, with the intent being to acknowledge that every person has something special about them. Unbreakable has been labeled the first grounded superhero film, while Split has been called the first solo supervillain origin story, and Hollywood’s first stealth sequel. Although the series is slated as a trilogy, Shyamalan mentioned that he would be open to a continuation if the inspiration came to him. (wiki)

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imdb:  Unbreakable, Split, Glass

movies

1069 – The Head Hunter (2018)

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A medieval warrior goes around hunting monsters that threaten mankind. Through his many battles, he’s been able to amass a collection composed of the heads of his victims. To finish his collection, he searches for the monster that killed his daughter years ago. (rt)sqQ9WfTr4BpF6bJjz4GMS4BuLhbShot in and around the remote village of Soutelo Mourisco in the countryside of northern Portugal. Composer Nick Soole approached the film’s score as if it took place on a medieval planet. Director: Jordan Downey (imdb)

“Created by a skeleton crew on a meager budget with limited supplies, [The Head Hunter] is overflowing with imagination and atmosphere.” Jonathan Barkan

 

movies

1068 – Destroyer (2018)

pnea

timespace coordinates: 2000’s – 2010’s LA

Destroyer is a 2018 American crime film directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. It stars Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Scoot McNairy, Bradley Whitford, and Sebastian Stan, and follows an undercover LAPD officer who must take out members of a gang, years after her case was blown.

imdb