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trowland-52024
Reviews
All Is Lost (2013)
Real sailors hate this movie
Disclaimer: I own and cruise on my 42 foot sailboat mostly single handedly. I started sailing with my Daddy in 1954 and have gone to the Olympic trials in windsurfing. I also frequent multiple sailing sites on the internet.
I have never seen anything but disapproval for this movie from real sailors. The only upside I have seen mentioned is All Is Lost shows things a sailor should not do and brings to light the problems with how many containers fall off ships. While some critics have noted a flaw in the movie is that Redford never wears a life jacket truth be told anytime I am in the open ocean I use what are called jacklines; jacklines are lines attached to a vest I wear and then to something solid on the boat so I can not move far enough to fall off the boat. I have a VHF radio installed on my boat along with two mobile handheld sets not to mention a Garmin InReach that is waterproof and allow communications worldwide; not to mention not having an EPIRB (kinda like an automatic box that calls for emergency rescue if it gets wet) and my insurance requires (as an aside try and get a slip in a marina without insurance, the answer is a big no).
Point is before a boat leaves the dock real sailors prepare for the worst; something Redford/the script obviously did not do. In fact I did not see one thing Redford did in the movie that I would describe as good seamanship; a view that is widely shared in sailing websites on the internet. Most of the awards this movie got nominated for or won were for sound. Having a budget of around $US9,000,000 and a gross of just under $US7,000,000 says more about this movie than any dissing I could post.
The Mighty Quinn (1989)
I really like it
As others have posted this movie is not really a great movie but it is a very enjoyable movie to watch. It has lots of elements that really work together well. The music is definitely Caribbean but done in a laid back easy to listen to style. There are lots of very funny lines inserted in what is basically a murder mystery. But the whole flavor of the movie never lets you forget it is happening in a third world country with a very different (and at least to me very enjoyable) culture. No question Washington does a bang up job as the star but there is also a very strong supporting cast and while Washington is not up to the level of musical talent as some of the other supporting actors he does credible work when singing and playing the piano. I agree with several other posters that it is one of the movies that I can watch again and again and enjoy it.
Miami Vice: Glades (1984)
Rewatching the entire Miami Vice series.
I was always a fanboy of Miami Vice and grew up in Miami and lived through the hey day of the series. Unlike most of the other episodes this one spends little time in Miami and most of the action takes place in the Everglades with something of a Deliverance aspect including Clem (Al Cox) playing his fiddle early on. Unlike the pastel clothes in most of the other episodes the actors are dressed in redneck costumes. As in most of the shows in this era there is a clear good verses evil and of course Crockett (Don Johnson) saves the day and gets the missing witness to the court in the nick of time. If you like Miami Vice this episode is a refreshingly different one I still enjoy.