Oblivion (2013)

"Oblivion – it is a sci-fi movie of one actor, two actresses and at the end - bunch of guys wearing middle Ages outfits… But all those futuristic technologies and drones are good though" - that was my first impression, but then it changed. 

Plot summary.

The plot of this movie is complicated.  Aliens have striked the planet and destroyed countries and cities. They have kidnapped astronauts Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) and Victoria Olsen (Andrea Riseborough), brainwashed and clone them, so they can serve for their purposes. Jack Harper became a technician 49 and Victoria Olsen - a flight officer. They also were lovers (I don’t know was it part of their duties? ;) ). 

After planet's army has lost the battle some of them became dead while other became outlaws – savages. Aliens installed hydro rings to convert water into the fusion energy.  Drones were protecting them and hunting down savages which were hiding in abandoned buildings and tunnels and making diversion at night. 

Savages crashed remains of Jack’s vessel (when he was an astronaut) and that’s where Julia Rusakowa came from. Jack Harper has realized that she is his wife, so he “broke up” with Victoria Olsen, betrayed the aliens, joined savages and made peace on Earth by blowing up alien’s ship on the planet’s orbit. Afterward everybody lived long and happy.    

First impression…

You watch this movie and don’t know what is going to happen next…Special effects are very spectacular. When you see Sky tower 49 you think: “WOW!!!”.

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All those clouds and landscape make you think: “What a great place to live…” and then you see those futuristic technologies and you very impressed. During the movie situation becoming very complicated and try to figure out what is going on.  Where are good guys? Who is bad in this story? Where is truth? You are  just enjoying the movie while waiting what is going to happen next.      

Plot.  Now long version…  

Story and plot. According to survivor – technician 49 Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) who is narrating the story in the beginning of the movie, Earth was attacked by savages. They’ve destroyed Moon which caused of earthquakes, tsunamis and other disasters that swiped off a half of planet’s population. Then savages have made an invasion. Humans used nuclear weapons and won the war which made Earth mostly uninhabited.

Afterwards humans have no choice but to leave the planet. To do that they’ve built gigantic Tetrahedron space station, named Tet which were used as mission control during the evacuation to Titan – Saturn’s moon.

Only two humans stayed on Earth technician 49 Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) and communication officer Victoria Olsen (Andrea Riseborough). They have been living and serving on Sky tower which were located 914 meters (3000 feet) above the ground.  Their mission was to repair drones that provide security and to monitor enemy’s activity.

Drones protected hydro rings that have been converting water to fusion energy for almost sixty years – basically draining Earth’s water supplies.

Except humans on the planet also stayed aliens – savages which attack drones , try to attack hydro rings at night and to kill technician 49 during the day.

But something wasn't ended up in this story from the beginning!!!

The true story was next. In one day a huge alien Tetrahedron space ship has come. And NASA decided to sent a space mission called Odyssey to explore and learn more about that object. Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) and Victoria Olsen (Andrea Riseborough) were an astronauts with others who were in special cryo-chambers in delta sleep. While approaching to the Tetrahedron Jack Harper ejected a module with the sleepers and moved to the opening gate with Victoria Olsen. Then… bright light and oblivion. 

 Alien ship moved from planet to planet and used they resources. From the look of things we can say, that aliens have erased astronauts’ memories then, brainwashed them and cloned them.

Jack Harper and  Victoria Olsen thought that they are working for humans, which need an energy to survive on Titan...

Those creature, that Jack Harper called savs (short from savages) where humans. They were hiding in destroyed,  abandoned buildings and tunnels and using old-fashion stealth technology to stay under alien’s radar.  

During sixty years they were thinking and planning defense and offence strategy. Therefore, they attack drones, steal drones’ power elements to make explosives.  

Once savages have tried to capture Jack Harper, so he can help to install powerful explosive into the drone.  They wanted to sent it into Tetrahedron and make it gone. For that propose, they have landed in uncivilized way (just crash it into the ground) Odyssey’s module with sleepers.

Technician 49 Jack Harper has come to that place and witnessed drones killing them.  He saved only  Julia Rusakova for whom he dreamed all the time.  

After some time Julia Rusakova wanted find out what happened? So they went together to the place of crash. Later, after a little action they were captured by savages and that’s where their leader Malcolm Beech (Morgan Freeman) told them who those savages are. To prove his point he recommended Jack to go to the prohibited  “radiation zone”…

Jack and Julia went to destroyed Empire State Building to call for pick up. In this point Julia tells him all the truth and they hugged. In this moment futuristic Bubbleship has arrived. Flight officer  Victoria Olsen saw them together…  And that’s where jealousy joined in to this movie.

Victoria try to inform mission control that Jack have betrayed all those aliens. But they ordered  drone to kill them all. But after machine did its job by killing Victoria, Julia Rusakowa  screw up the drone by using Bubbleship  gun.

Movie goes on… After a hot pursuit with drones Jack and his wife went to “radiation zone” and met his clone and later clone of Victoria Olsen. So, decided to joint savages, blow up the aliens’ ship on the orbit (Tet).

Unfortunately, they were discovered and drones came to execute them all. During the fight in the abandoned New York public library, captured drone was destroyed. So Jack has decided to put old man - Malcolm Beech with the powerful bomb into the cryo-chamber. After that those men went to gigantic Tetrahedron, fooled most important alien and blow up everything including themselves.

Afterwards harmony came into the Earth. All those savages became civilized and lived long and happy in a peaceful place… looks like some kind of national park or something.  And most important thing that Jack Harper’s clone technician 52 showed up and realized that he is Jack Harper.   

Environment. Movie was shooting in Iceland. This country is famous for its virgin nature and many geysers all over across the land. The surface is amazing. Mountain ranges, plateaus, lowlands everything I mixed up in this country. Landscape is fascinating.

Movie makers chose interesting places have made footage and them and some special computer effects and that how we got East Coast of United States that you have never seen before.

Vehicles 

Bubbleship. One most amazing aircraft with space travel abilities is Bubbleship. At first look it is very similar to helicopter Bell 47 but then you see that it is something new and amazing. This ship is kind of glamorous. It maybe because of its white fuselage or rounding edges who knows? But it looks amazing. It has all civil and military abilities – guns and maneuverability (fast-moving). It is just one piece of great aircraft.  There were a place for additional power elements for drones, repair kit and a motorcycle.

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Drones.  Those are kind of huge bubbles-war-machine. They were made by Tetrahedron superior intelligence to hunt down people and protect hydro rings. Those machines were pretty intelligent during their tasks. Mission control (Tetrahedron) controlled them. But they also responded to Sky tower 49 if needed. They had only one weakness – a little spot in the back. So savages used it as advantage during the fight.   

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Jack’s motorcycle.  It is kind of hi-tech dirt bike. It was convertible. So Jack could unpack it from the Bubbleship’s trunk. He used it just two times: when he was looking for drone 172 and when he and his wife - Julia Rusakova were going to Empire State Building ask for pick up.    

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Objects. 

There like 10 main objects. 

Tetrahedron space ship – it is an alien ship that has attacked the Earth and caused all those damages. That is a working place, maybe a home for superior intelligence which has a shape of  smaller Tetrahedron and a big laser eye in the middle. Also, that is the biggest drone station (probably plant) that you can possibly imagine. In this starship aliens also were making humans’ clones. It stays on orbit in one place for some reason. That is all we know.

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Sky tower 49 – this is the most impressive creation. This tower is located on the three islands and elevated to 914 meters (3000 feets) on the ground. So, all the time it is surrounded by clouds. You can see a wind flow, weather changing and enjoy sunrise and sunset. Special effects have made this picture  very beautiful and glamorous.  As far as we can see there are two ways to get up there: first one on bubbleship or some other aircraft or stairs form the ground to tower.

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Technically Sky tower 49 is a base where Jack Harper and Victoria Olsen live and serve.  Also there is Bubbleship landing pad. One level down there is some kind of shop, where Jack Harper repairs broken drone. 

3 hydro rings – those are very futuristic hi-tech rings that are located far away and protected by drones. They were designed by aliens to drain the water and create fusion energy. 

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Destroyed New York public library – was savages’ base and hideout.  All those who has survive war were there: men, women and children.  In this place savages  tried to  capture Jack Harper at first time. In this place they kept captured drone 172. Also there were last battle with drones before savages and Jack Harper blew up the Tetrahedron space ship. 

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Destroyed Empire State Building – this is just a top floor of this famous building. It is abandoned. There is nothing but remains of past… This object were used two times: one when savages landing last module of Odyssey vessel and second time when Jack Harper was letting to know that he is alive and requesting Bubbleship for pick up. 

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Remains of Golden gate bridge – remains of Golden Gate Bridge which were shown a few times.

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 Cracked football stadium – a place where drone 166 was shot down. Jack Harper came to repair it and was thinking about past…

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Sky tower 52 – this is base where clones of Jack Harper and Victoria Olsen serve. It is located in “radiation zone”, on the mountain range and surrounded by desert.  Landscape from this watch tower not so beautiful like from Sky tower 49 because all you can see is other ranges and sand. 

Odyssey spacecraft – it is some kind of shuttle with an additional module that NASA has sent to explore and learn more about Tetrahedron. It is hard to say how many crew members were there. Sure thing is that Jack Harper, Victoria Olsen and Julia Rusakova were on board of that vessel.  

Family Guy vs. The Simpsons

In this post we are going to talk about two famous cartoon snows on FOX named Family Guy and The Simpsons. One of them is pretty intense cartoon with the strong joke and phrases which make you laugh hard and unexpected. You are never know what is going to be next while other one have smart and delicate jokes that entertains you during the episode. Both of those snows you can watch on Fox or any other channel. 

Family guy is younger cartoon show that The Simpsons. In Season 10, Episode 22 called Family Guy Viewer Mail #2 main characters Brian Griffin and Stewie Griffin said that this show is based on The Simpsons…

Griffins are a family that makes different funny things which many people cannot afford to do in real life. Peter Griffin is retarded in funny way head of family. In every episode he involves in humorous story.

Housewife Louise Griffin seems to be the most reasonable character in this show, except their son Stewie and his dog Brian. Inspire of that, sometimes she has weaknesses and complicated and dirty past.  They also have a daughter Meg. As far as viewer can see whole family hates her…

She was unwanted child in this family and they treat her like a weird person. In many episodes her father and mother and almost everybody humiliate her in different ways, but she is strong and  can handle an embarrassment. 

One of the brightest characters is Stewie, who is a baby-genius. In the beginning of the show he had many gadgets and weapons that he developed by himself, but then he became just an ordinary guy who is a genius. Only dog knows about it.

Brian. He is definitely a thinker, writer and dreamer. Many times he tried to get  famous as a writer, but readers didn't like his books. Whole family laughed at him. His personal life is not going well either... 

It is hard to say who is smarter Stewie or Brain, but looks like first one is more intelligent and got theoretical knowledge while Brain is more than average smart and has practical knowledge.

The show Family Guy has really strong jokes and parodies. All those hilarious stories and cutouts- make you laugh hard. You never know what turn is going to be next. 

Their style is dynamic and they just play with human emotion. There are many situation that you can observe in real life. Authors have noticed people's behavior, way they speak, all kinds of accents, some interesting moment in a relationships and show it to you in really funny way. 

The style of this show is pretty simple: situation, joke, back to story line. If you want to understand it, you should notice disconnect between words and actions. That is how Family Guy made. 

The Simpsons. It is probably one of the oldest shows on FOX. It is about family that always gets into interesting stories. This show has more intelligent and has delicate jokes. It is kind of social sitcom, where you can see a parody of the society.  There are many jokes but they are not very obvious as in Family Guy.

Homer Simpson is a head of the family. He is simple: he does stupid things and then deals with consequences. Almost every episode he has an “idea” that makes viewer laugh.  His wife Marge is also housewife, also reasonable, but she had no dark past like Louise Griffin. She is supportive wife and loving mother. 

This family has kinds. The smallest child Meg never grows up since late 80-s. She is a baby with a pacifier… She doesn't walk, doesn't talk, but  does funny faces and uses body language to communicate. 

Lisa is the smartest kid in this family. Parents love her. She is the best student at school. She is the best at everything she does. Lisa loves animals so much. She is vegetarian. Sometimes she works on different  wild life protection projects. Lisa has a  bother who is totally different... 

Bart – is the oldest kid in Simpsons’ family. He doesn't like school and makes joke on everyone, even on his principal. He doesn't care about education because he likes to have fun. He is kind of bad boy from the good perspective.

Simpsons have pets – retarded dog and  normal cat. They don't talk like Brain Griffin in Family Guy. Santa’s little helper (dog) and Snowball (cat) they are just pets. 

The Simpsons show has funny and pretty entertaining jokes. They are not so dynamic and unexpected like in Family Guy, but they have its own style. All jokes in Simpson's are part of main story. There no cutouts in this show. This show is interesting and has its style.  

What show would you like to watch it depends on your expectations. If you like rough and crude humor with the sexual meaning then Family Guy is for you. But if you like delicate smart jokes about society and family relations then you should probably watch The Simpsons. It is up to you! 

  

Act of Valor

Today we decided to discuss an action called Act of Valor. This movie is about well-known special force –  and their way to fight with the terrorists, kidnappers and all kinds of mafia. If you like to watch colorful films with many effects, explosions, ambushes, gunfights - this movie is for you.

Act of Valor - it is an action with drama elements, just to spice things up a bit. At the beginning we see a man who is writing a letter and tell us about such value an honor, ethos etc…  After that we see a SEALs team make training jump, while in the other part of the world in Philippines merciless fanatic made an explosion at school…

Afterwards camera moves back to United States, where viewer meets all members of the platoon. They were gathered with their families on a nice sandy beach, around the campfire… For them, it was one great evening before the next mission. That is first time when narrator (which is also a SEALS chief) tells us a little information about every member of the team, about their past… That is how this movie begins…     



Story line.  CIA  agent was kidnapped in Costa Rica by the heavily gunned suspects that have been hired by the international criminal of USSR origins named Christo.  Special operations forces (SEALs) were sent to recovery an agent and bring her back home. They did the mission, but during the assault one of the members got wounded…

In this operation they have picked a cell phone which was a clue, as it belonged to a criminal that was responsible for the kidnapping. He had further plans to kill many people by using suicide bombers. 

Two members of SEALs were sent to Africa to collect intelligence about terrorist activities, while other group located main criminal on a luxury yacht somewhere at the sea… After an interrogation and few strong words SEALs Senior Miller got information… 

The group of bad guys was preparing explosive vests in Mexico. They also planned to sneak to United States though the tunnel under Mexican-American border and make explosions in the biggest cities.

That was the reason why SEALs came there to Mexico and took all enemies down.  During this operation one ave was wounded badly, but survived. 

This movie was shot in different countries such as USA, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Ukraine.

 As far as we can see there is a real story behind this movie. It is about courage, valor and heroic sacrifices…It’s about United States Armed Forces in common meaning and in this case it is about United States Navy. 

Some scenes remind you such popular game actions like Call of Duty or Battlefield 3. Especially at the end of the movie, where they had last fight with the terrorists, when chief Dave was wounded badly there was a view exactly like in Battlefield 3…

Viewers have different opinions which are available on imdb.com. For example:

 erol-mehmet-a  thinks that is: “Typical American propaganda movie” while  voyeurn3  wrote that this film has “Unrealistic scene”...

Inspire of those strong comments we are recommend you to watch this movie just to get own opinion. Except that if you like military planes, helicopters, boats - this movie is for you.  

  

Season 24:  Homer Goes to Prep School

According to different sites it was aired on January 06,2013. It is regular, boring episode without new ideas…

Homer and suspicious man

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Looks like main theme came from 90-s movies, based on apocalyptical talks. Many of them shows us riots (usually all over United States, across the big cities like Los Angeles or New York) and social chaos. There were some armed gangs - half punks with colored hair and kind of wild humans (sometimes cannibals) that had merciless leaders. 

In this episode Homer met some suspicious people that were preparing to the end of the world (though the end of the facilities and technologies). They thought that society will be gone and people are going to become wild gangs…

Sure thing, that his family had no idea what is going on. While Homer was preparing himself for surviving, his family lived normal life. In some point, he concentrated too much on training movies, which he was watching at work and didn’t make his duties… Whole city lost the power while all electronic devices were damaged by some neutron wave… 

After that Simpsons were sure that the end of the world came in, they moved to the special (let’s call it) ranch that suspicious people build to survive and protect their food and water supply. After a few hours with those people Homer realized that he got a good heart and he wants to share supplies with other survivals… When he came back to Springfield, he saw that no one got hurt and everything is all right…

It was a typical 90-s theme. This episode was mostly about dialogs… All jokes were usual…but still some of them you may like.

So watch it and judge by yourself.

The Simpson Season 23: The Daughter Also Rises





Lisa Simpson with Nick at the restaurant

Before we get started, I would like to say that first episode of animated sitcom The Simpsons were aired on December 17, 1989. Since then according to Wikipedia, Fox broadcasted 515 episodes. There are no doubts that it was a huge success for the creator - Matt Groening.  

The best thing about this show that it keeps been funny. Where do their ideas come from? Maybe they hired talented script writers or maybe fans send them some interesting thoughts… Who knows? The point is, that no matter how do they do it, as far as this show entertaining the audience – it’s a good thing. But those jokes about Christianity they are not appropriate from the moral point of view.  Even more - screenwriter went too far… but not as far as Family Guy writers who recently make unacceptable parodies.

As it was mentioned The Simpsons are very funny sitcom. In this post we are going to talk about an episode named The Daughter Also Rises, which you can find in Season 23. According to recent sites, it released at February 12, 2012 and then become available on Internet... My opinion is very positive. I love this episode which is full of additional jokes, which make it really enjoyable.

The main story is about well-known family. They were about to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day and… hold on a second! An episode begins with St. Valentine’s atmosphere. Bart and Milkhouse are checking out their greeting cards and sure thing, that Bart got many of them while Milkhouse just two- one from Lisa Simpson (Bart’s sister) and other… it was just a bill, but Milkhouse pretended that was a greeting card from doctor… Few seconds later they decided to watch TV…

In this point Fox showed to viewers a parody of the popular TV series on Discovery Channel called Mythbusters. Just to make it funny, scriptwriters mixed some experiments that Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage   made back of the days on Discovery in funny way. They actually guest starred in this episode.

Mythcrackers on Simpson’s TV were checking “classic” myth that cat always land on his feet… To make long story short – they didn’t check it, because they have made a robotic cat with ballistic gel on it to simulate a real cat… and then shot that thing and blew up the Pumpjack and made gas prices higher…  

Anyway, inspired by this show, Bart and Milkhouse decided to become Mythcrackers.  Camera show us Simpson’s dining room, where Homer were preparing to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day.  He even made a bow on chocolate box… because according to social stereotypes in that day men suppose to do everything possible to make women happy. Therefore Homer is really nervous…but his wife Marge decided that celebration supposes to be natural, so his husband is allowed to do whatever he wants.

Homer and Bart went to have fun, while Marge and Lisa found themselves in a restaurant. Romantic atmosphere was everywhere… Lisa met Nick though wall crack… This  guy loves literature and has an excellent language skills as he read many books. The story shows us, that he looks like a gentleman and beehives like that but… Lisa has felt in love with him… Then she went to a grandpa, who told her a romantic story about yang lovers. After that she asked her grandfather to help her with romantic trip, to find a tree that will make their love timeless.  Three was in the middle of the lake… So they go there and...

In the end of the story viewer will find out that that guy that Lisa has felt in love, his is a poser and they are not ready for a serious relationship... Whole episode is full of funny situation and jokes that can make laugh out loud.  I definitelly would recomment it!