October Sky: This is an oldie but a goodie. A movie from 1999 presently on Netflix, but with a really good cast including Chris Cooper, Laura Dern and a young Jake Gyllenhaal. This was Jake’s fifth movie at the time and his first in a lead role. The story is based on a true story of a group of high school aged young men in West Virginia living in a small coal mining town in the mid 1950s. The movie starts with the news announcement of the Soviet sputnik being launched above the earth. It was a captivating time post WWII, and the perception that the Soviets were looking to begin the Cold War with domination of space, and drop downs and use surveillance above the US with no opposition. Homer Hickam, played by Gyllenahaal, is energized by the story and thoughts of space. He lives with his older, football playing brother, and his Mom and Dad, head of the union at the local coal mine (Chris Cooper). The mine is struggling financially to extract more coal from the ground, but still incurring the costs of labour and equipment.
Young Homer decides that he wants to make rockets, and sets upon himself to learn as much as he can about rockets and building them. Dad doesn’t improve, Mom cares only that he doesn’t “blow himself up”. Most encouragement comes from his young teacher, Miss Riley who wants at least some of her students to have a future that doesn’t involve being a miner, wants these boys to enter a local Science Fair and have the possibility of a college education and a life outside this little town.
The performances are all good. Cooper can play a tough Old Man as well as anyone, and has his heart set on his older boy getting a football scholarship and younger son following in his footsteps in the mine and leading the men below. Mining is a dangerous pursuit, and Dad takes the protection of his men seriously. Father and son butt heads with respect to his career ambitions, with harsh words and tension. Still there is an underlying respect and love between them. Mom chips in as well, lending some support when it is needed. It is a feel good story as the boys learn from their mistakes, which are many, and have some guidance from locals who know a thing or two about metalurgy among other things. The town, once there is some notoriety, rally around the boys as they find materials and forge cylinders to make the body of their rockets as well as try new fuels. I enjoyed watching this again after many years, but it still has some emotional impact. I like the characters. Sadly the town and Dad don’t see what is plain to teacher and young Homer that the days of the mine are numbered. It’s good to see young people get inspired, work hard to learn and advance. Enjoy.
Rebel Moon: Part 2 – The Scargiver: This is part 2 of the series on Netflix, which was not memorable for me in the first episode. This continues in the story. The Scargiver refers to the character Kora played by Sofia Boutella.
Much of this story I had forgotten, but basically in a Star Wars theme, there was an evil empire who comes upon a farming planet and the resident Grand Moff Tarkin character, decides he wants to extract a lot of supplies from the people to replenish his large spacecraft. There is a rebellion among the farming community using some local people with a beef against the Empire people.
What I can say is that the second half of this part two is really just one big battle, with plenty of characters fighting and dying for their respective causes. The principal rebel character, Kora is a former member of the Empire and has decided to leave to be on her own. She has been brought into the farmer’s battle and will work to lead them as an insider. But does it all really matter? I cannot really answer that. I find the visuals here to be competent, but the story along the leaders and rebels is weak. There is a Part III, which is not something I look forward to, to be honest. Ed Skrein plays Atticus Noble as the bad Empire guy with the Hitler-like haircut and outfits. He tends to play these bad chanracters, as he did in Deadpool, but for me he was better in Midway as a hero. I just find that he is a little over-the-top on the bad side and it takes away from the story. Boutella as the heroine, is adequate but that is how I feel about the whole exercise. It is adequate, and I think that money could be spent on a project that has more to offer the viewer. It is quite a commitment for the viewer to watch all of this, but with no real underlying message. I cannot recommend.
Jimmy Carr – Natural Born Killer: This 2024 Netflix special has just been released. I saw in May 2023 Jimmy in Toronto for his Terribly Funny tour. Much of the material in this latest special was covered in what I saw. I like Jimmy Carr, the British comedian but he can be an acquired taste. He expects his audience to pick up on his quite deadpan delivery and doesn’t pause for those to catch up.
He covers off plenty of taboo subjects including rape, and pedophiles, step-fathers, dating, relationships etc with the same vigour. He engages with the audience from time to time and it can lead to some good improv laughs. He has other specials on netflix and each of them is worth checking out if you like his brand of humour and delivery. I highly recommend for me and those with that same sense of humour. For others, your mileage may vary!!
Mondays With Robbie 