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I have had three people in the last three days leave a comment on posts of mine, in particular the reviews I wrote for 20/20 filmsight.
The first one, left three days ago now by "Mia", on my "New In Town" review, I read and responded to, then later on it had disappeared completely, I thought she had deleted it herself for some reason.
Then today, I got notice that two people had commented on my other film post, "Knowing", on 20/20filmsight, yet when I went to read them today, they had disappeared too.
Has this happened to anyone else?
By the way, when I tried to remove my response to the first commenter, "Mia", on my "New In Town" post on 20/20 filmsight, all I could do is remove the text, not my avatar and so it appears with a blank comment space, yet, the other three people's comments have disappeared completely.
What is going on in Orble? Is it being hacked?
Only Morgan Bell's comments remain on my two film posts, which also seems strange. The comment counter still shows, on the Knowing review, seven comments, so it is still counting the disappeared comments....bizarre huh?
Has this happened to anyone else on Orble?
cheers
and I'd really appreciate some feedback.
fog
What would be the worst nightmare for a Miami dwelling, corporate ladder climbing, big city lifestyle obsessed young executive? Probably it is being sent to live in an isolated country township, while overseeing staff cutbacks at the local factory.
It doesnt immediately sound like a recipe for humour, however, the support cast who populate this township provide most of the laughs, as they battle yet another attempt to downsize their factory. These folks are frozen in time, place and attitude!
Lucy Hill (Renée Zellweger) is a career obsessed junior executive who gets the job no one wanted; to live in an isolated and snowbound small township, to oversee the automation of the locals main source of employment, the food factory. Along the way, as she gathers enemies amongst the kooky townsfolk, she falls in love with the local union rep, Ted Mitchell (played by the still stunningly handsome Harry Connick jnr).
(L) Dan Augusta as Billy and (R) Wayne Nicklas as Harve Gunderson (photo credit: Rebecca Sandulak)
After much angst, in trying to keep the workforce on side by becoming a friend with some of the local key players, all to no avail, Hill becomes her companys biggest problem, as her loyalties and objectives change, leaving her, and the townsfolk, with the task to create a win for all, in no time at all.
Renée Zellweger as Lucy Hill (photo credit: Rebecca Sandulak)
Such is the lot of Lucy Hill (Renée Zellweger), who has to deal with kooky, oddball town folk, (reminiscent of those folks in Fargo), some of whom try their hardest to please, like her secretary, Blanche Gunderson (Siobhan Fallon Hogan), who is so desperate for Hills approval, she takes Hills photo as Hill drives to her new bolthole, then tries to entertain Hill with her mini scrapbook, full of photos of her dead pets, complete with appalling detail of their decline, and all this within minutes of meeting her.
Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Blanche Gunderson (photo credit: Rebecca Sandulak)
The part of Blanche Gunderson, (Siobhan Fallon Hogan), is one of the kookier and more endearing characters, in this gently entertaining film. In fact, it is one of those rarer films where the supports, and bit part roles, tend to make the film a success, instead of the stars.
(back of) Renée Zellweger as LUCY HILL and Harry Connick jnr. as Ted Mitchell. (photo credit: Rebecca Sandulak)
Both Zellweger and Harry Connick jnr are competent, but do not shine, as their love interest does seem to appear more perfunctory, than passionate. However, it is the stars telegraphed, over-cooked attempts at slapstick, which momentarily detract from the general feel good reality of the film. Mercifully, the director Jonas Elmer has not flooded the film with his poor attempts at slapstick, which should appear spontaneous, unexpected and believable.
J.K. Simmons as Stu Kopenhafer (centre) (photo credit: Rebecca Sandulak)
The homespun good nature and deadpan delivery of the support cast, such as J.K.Simmons performance as the frosty foreman Stu Kopenhafer, Nancy Drake as the imperious waitress, Frances Conroy as Trudy Van Uuden and especially Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Blanche Gunderson, among others, all combine to create an enjoyable film.
Good for a snuggle in with your partner or pals.
Run: 96mins
Production by: Gold Circle Films and The Safran Company
Australian Distributor: ICON
Stars: Renée Zellweger, Harry Connick jnr
Writers: Kenneth Rance and C. Jay Cox
© 2008 Summit Entertainment N.V. All rights reserved
'Knowing'
A professor of astrophysics, John Koestler (Nicholas Cage) discovers that a bizarre item his son Caleb (Chandler Canterbury) brings home from school has a terrifying significance, not only for his family, but for the rest of humanity.
Caleb's school was celebrating its 50th anniversary, the climax of the celebrations was to open the time capsule, embedded in the school grounds. Inside the capsule were letters to the future, that the students of the 1950s had written, for today's kids to read. Most letters contained colourful drawings, of space ships and a happy colourful future, yet one did not.
The letter Caleb opened was not a drawing, but a sheet of paper completely filled with numbers, created (as we see at the start of the film) by a disturbed school girl 50 years ago. As Caleb stared at the nonsensical numbers, another world subtly begins to make its presence known to him. Instead of handing the opened letter back to the teachers, as all the others did, Caleb takes his strange note home with him.
Later, Caleb's father notices the odd list poking out of his son's school bag and investigates. It is not long before his mathematical mind discovers something that perturbs him.
As the disastrous action mounts, Koestler, the estranged atheist son of a preacher and single dad, battles his own scientific reality based mind-set, in order to understand what the bizarre list of seemingly random number sequences mean, then, through a series of horrifying ordeals, Koestler realizes he is on a countdown and needs to find answers, and find them quickly.
Nicholas cage as Professor Koestler in Knowing.
(photo credit Vince Valitutti) © 2008 Summit Entertainment N.V. All rights reserved.
This film begins as a spooky, supernatural thriller, that soon becomes a maelstrom of major disasters that Koestler keeps associating with the enigmatic list. This bizarre list of numbers, written by an even more bizarre little girl 50 years ago, is starting to unnerve Koestler; the disturbing effect on him worries his university colleague and friend Phil Beckman (Ben Mendlesohn) who suggests that, maybe, Koestler is finally having a breakdown, after the death of his much loved wife.
But Koestler continues to explore the number sets and how they relate to dates of disasters, all of which had occurred in the previous 50 years. But there are a few dates still unattributed at the end of the list. In attempts to discover their meaning, Koestler meets the daughter of the lists creator, Diana Wayland (Rose Byrne) who now must reluctantly face her torturous past, in order to help solve the riddle of the numbers.
Rose Byrne as Diana Wayland with Nicholas cage as Prof. John Koestler.
(photo credit © 2008 Summit Entertainment N.V. All rights reserved.)
As the hunt for meaning continues its relentless and disastrous course, Koestlers son Caleb and Waylands daughter Abby (Lara Robinson) become aware of a supernatural force at work, but no one knows if they are benevolent, or, a danger to their children and perhaps the real cause of the disasters.
The subtextural themes of what this film touches upon will be debated by many audience members, as various standpoints may be taken, depending on the individual's belief system and psychological nature. The film certainly rears many mental spectres that haunt people today; the supernatural, our collective existence and its end, even the debate regarding the nature of alien life, may be pondered.
Chandler Canterbury as Caleb Koestler in Knowing
(photo credit © 2008 Summit Entertainment N.V. All rights reserved.)
KNOWING is one of the first feature films to be shot with the "Red One Camera", a lightweight camera using high resolution digital technology. The great advantage of the "Red One Camera", over the film motion camera, is its ability to allow the director to immediately review what he has just shot, on set, then re-shoot if necessary.
With the film motion cameras, you must wait till the next day for the film reel's developing to see what you shot the previous day, then wait yet again for another arduous process, the colourization of each scene by man operated technology, and the inclusion of any special effects, often done bya process called "Blue Screen".
As producer Jason Blumenthal noted, It (Red One Camera) made things move very quickly. We were able to do so much more on set than when we used to have to wait to do it in post, like tweaking colour.
The Director of Photography (DOP), Simon Duggan, stated that With the Red One Camera, we didnt have to wait overnight just to see if a lighting scheme worked out. Its all immediate, and we ended up having more confidence in pushing the limits of what we were doing.
'Knowing' air crash site
(photo credit © 2008 Summit Entertainment N.V. All rights reserved.)
This technology is the future of picture making today and unlike other technological innovations of the past, is here to stay. The special effects in this film are both fantastic and yet realistic. It wasnt till I checked the credits that I realized this film was made in Melbourne, Australia, for the most part, which is a credit to our battling film industry and its talented technicians.
Nicholas Cage as John Koestler in Knowing.
(photo credit: © 2008 Summit Entertainment N.V. All rights reserved.)
The DOP, award winning Simon Duggan, creates a balanced view that doesnt impose itself upon the audience's consciousness, allowing the atmosphere created to seamlessly flow between the big disaster shots and the more intimate moments, leaving the viewing audience to marvel and immerse themselves in the film.
While some slight criticism could be considered, regarding some of Cages reactions, they are but fleeting and do not derail the momentum of the film. Well art directed, edited and shot, this is a mixed bag of roller coaster treats for the movie goer, sure to deliver satisfaction on the ticket price!
KNOWING
Run: 121mins
Production: Summit Entertainment;
Escape Artists Productions in association with Mystery Clock Cinema
Director: Alex Proyas
Australian/New Zealand Distributor: ICON Film Distribution
Stars: Nicholas cage, Rose Byrne, Ben Mendleson, Chandler Canterbury
Herein lies another instalment of my famous, and infamous, quotes from all walks of life, however, this particular series is devoted to the Presidents of the United States of America. Why just them? Because Australia barely rates a mention overseas; unless it is on fire, in flood, or, we find another "Crikey" type to wrestle dangerous animals.
Of course, this nature aspect of Australia is played up far too much by overseas countries, leaving their collective populaces frightened about coming here, lest they be dragged from their sky scraper five star hotel room by a voraciously hungry crocodile, to then be tossed into a pit swarming and seething with poisonous spiders and snakes! We would never allow this, well, not too often, and only if you insult us! (Warning to Aussie haters; keep away from the crocodile luggage in hotel lobbies!)
[ Click here to read more ]
This entry in "Quote me no Quotes!" covers some of the insightful comments made by presiding Presidents of America. Some of these surprised me, and made me reflect on how far we have been fooled, lied to and led by the nose, by our collective Governments.
President James Madison
[ Click here to read more ]
George Bernard Shaw
This is the first of many posts on the subject of great quotes in history. It spans from the ancient Greeks and Romans, to this very day. Of course, some will be full of import and cause one to reflect as the knell of familiarity chimes deep within our dusty brain corridors, others will merely entertain, for we are but briefly visiting, in this present incarnation, so there is no time to lose in having a good old laugh, and a ponder, upon the bon mots of the wise, the humorous and the ludicrous. Enjoy! And, if you have any pet quotes, feel free to add them to the list
[ Click here to read more ]
Well, as it seems hardly anyone wants to stretch their brains to come up with some newly coined collective nouns, it is, once again, left up to me. And so, I shall oblige with this list for today...enjoy...whomever can be bothered to read it...anyone out there?...(echo..echo..)
A hatful of milliners. [ Click here to read more ]
So here I go again, continuing to ride this WILD wave of blogging success, or, should that be excess? Anyhoo, here are a few more that slopped down to my fingers from my partly petrified preservative and additive bathed frontal lobes. Enjoy..or else..umm...err... sorry.
A dumpster of Bin Ladens.
[ Click here to read more ]
Yes, here I go again, after my recent RAGING success, when I posted my first foray into the amusing world of collective nouns, some of course, would be more bemused, than amused, with my suggestions. To them, I say, each his/her own!
A prevarication of attorneys.
[ Click here to read more ]
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Comments (5)
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Comment by Mountain Fog
on Les Diaboliques
Infognito
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
a review well done David, love your wrap up too!
I have seen this film, but oh so long ago. I must try and track it down.
cheers
fog