Cortical Blindness is a partial or full loss of vision caused by a damage to a visual area in occipital cortex in the brain. The eyes themselves remain intact, and pupils of cortically blind eyes still react to changes in light.
Some patients suffering from cortical blindness can not see stationary objects, however are able to see moving ones - although often having difficulty to see their colour and shape. This phenomenon is called Riddoch phenomenon. Another symptom sometimes associated with cortical blindness is Anton-Babinski syndrome, in which a cortically blind patient denies being blind. In some cases, patients may also suffer from hallucinations.
Cortical blindness may occur for many reasons. Occipital cortex may be damaged due to head trauma or to lesions, which may be caused by neurodegenerative diseases, tumours, meningitis etc. It is also a side effect of the long term use of some anticonvulsants: drugs used to treat epileptic seizures.
When cortical blindness is not total, it is referred to as a cortical visual impairment (CVI). The symptoms may be aversion to light, discrepancy in visual ability between the eyes (in which case the depth perception may be impaired), photophobia or narrow vision field.
Inability to perceive a picture as a whole, instead seeing only its separate parts. For example, when looking at a picture of a house, a person would perceive a wall, a door, a window etc. - but not the house in its entirety.
Defect or complete absence of a controlled eye movement, i.e. ability to focus. Patients would have to turn their head in order to follow an object. The term apraxia is debatable in relation to this impairment; apraxia is typically an inability to perform a skilled or learned action, while eye movements are not considered to be neither.
Inability to reach accurately for an object in front of a patient. It makes it hard for patients to rely on their visual function in order to navigate in space, and they have to use other senses instead. For example, they might have to hold on to a sink in a bathroom in order to know where it is.
Balint Syndrome is caused by a damage to both parietal lobes, most commonly due to two or more subsequent strokes; other causes might be neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer's) or tumour.
There is no treatment available for Balint's syndrome, partly to the complicated combination of three seemingly independent symptoms. The patients normally undergo Occupational Therapy, during which they learn to cope with everyday life situations. In case with Balint Syndrome, techniques used for blind people are often in use - such as learning to use audiobooks instead of reading, etc.
Achromatopsia is, in a nutshell, a loss of 'cone vision', which means that a patient's vision depends solely on rod photoreceptors. Rods are situated at the periphery of an eye retina, and do not provide colour or fine detail vision; they saturate when illumination increases. Thus, achromats are colourblind (entirely in case of complete achromatopsia or partially - in case of incomplet one: dyschromatopsia); their vision decreases as illumination level increases, forcing achromats to wear dark tinted sunglasses during the day time.
Achromatopsia can be either acquired or congenital. The cause for the acquired condition is most commonly a damage to the thalamus or cerebral cortex (tumour or head trauma are the most frequent causes). Congenital achromatopsia is normally caused by a malfunction of a retinal phototransduction pathway, which means that cones fail to respond to the light input properly.
The condition is very rare, thus misdiagnosis is common. Public awareness of the condition increased sinceOliver Sacks published his book The Island of the Colorblind, which then was made into a film. All of it is available on YouTube for free, first part HERE.
Currently, there is no treatment for achromatopsia. In 2003, a device called eye-borg was introduced, which allows achromats to 'see' colours through the sound waves. As it senses the colours in front of it, it converts them into sound waves; a person memorises a particular sound for each colour. The first one to use the device was the artist Neil Harbisson (follow the link to visit his website, its awesome! Some argue he should officially be recognised as a cyborg..). Watch his TED talk below, fascinating!
4. Inability to distinguish right from left.
In addition, many patients also experience some level of aphasia (impairment of speech comprehension or production).
Gerstmann Syndrome occurs when the left parietal lobe in the region of the angular gyrus is damaged. It most commonly occurs due to a stroke or in association with damage to the parietal lobe.
For unknown reasons, a variant of Gerstmann Syndrome called Developmental Gerstmann Syndrome is sometimes diagnosed in children, normally when they reach school age. Children with the disorder exhibit poor handwriting and spelling skills, and difficulty with math functions, including adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. An inability to differentiate right from left and to discriminate among individual fingers may also be apparent. In addition, many children also suffer from constructional apraxia, an inability to copy simple drawings.
There is no treatment for Gerstmann Syndrome, however occupational and speech therapies might help to minimise the negative effects of apraxia and dysgraphia.


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TAPE A L'ŒIL co-builds Chakar School: the school bus that comes to meet children in Dacca's slums
7. Community involvement
Sector Business / Distribution
Country Bangladesh
Founded in 1996, Tape à l'œil is a French brand of ready-to-wear clothing and accessories for children. Aware of current social issues, Tape à l'œil has an active and committed CSR approach towards "consuming better, producing better, managing better".
Through its Foundation, the Tape à l'œil teams are committed to helping children in distress. In the area, they carry out concrete actions that cover three major priorities: meeting basic needs, developing their confidence (with fun activities) and revealing their talent (access to education).
Aware of its responsibility towards the populations in its production countries, the Foundation is particularly active in Bangladesh.
In Bangladesh, education is a real issue. Not all children can move to reach schools that are sometimes very far away. On the spot, the association It's Humanity Foundation contributes to the empowerment of local populations, to the development of skills and to education. For the past two years, the Foundation Tape à l'oeil has been working in partnership with the association to create and build a school bus, the "Chakar School", to bring school to the children.
Ensure access to basic education where it is most needed
Contribute to the development of the most vulnerable children
To develop their skills and offer them prospects for the future, to escape the cycle of poverty
To support Bangladeshi community development projects
The aim of the Chakar School is to bring schooling to isolated children in the outskirts of Dacca, right in the centre of their slums. The school bus travels the streets of certain neighbourhoods, with teachers on board who organise classes on the spot. It is equipped as a classroom and allows isolated children to benefit from primary education. It regularly accommodates groups of 10 pupils, who learn the alphabet, hygiene awareness and extracurricular activities.
This school bus is particularly well adapted to the problems of the area: children from these neighbourhoods sometimes have to work, sometimes have to stay at home to look after their brothers and sisters... The bus then comes to their place of living, and they can go there for half days and then go home to help their families; this agile solution facilitates their access to school.
Shortly after the school bus was introduced, Covid-19 emerged, hindering the development of the programme. Once the health situation improves, more pupils should be able to attend.
From the modelling of the bus to its launch, the project was co-constructed by the two foundations. The teams from Tape à l'œil went to the site several times to understand the association and its project and to be as close as possible to the communities. In addition to TAO's essential financial support, they worked together to design the bus, its equipment, its layout and its exterior design to make it practical and attractive. From the chassis to the paintwork, the entire project was monitored by Fabrice Bouley, a TAO employee in Bangladesh.
Initially built in "lab" mode, the Chakar School, if it works and attracts enough children, should be able to be duplicated with other buses in other sensitive slums in Dacca.
Financial support of €30,000
Team building around projects that benefit the community
Contribution of volunteer employees to these philanthropic actions
270 children benefited
Privileged access to education for children caught in a spiral of poverty and isolation
Contribution to the development of Bangladeshi communities
Raising employee awareness of the Foundation's activities
172 M€ (2019)
Tape à l oeil
24 Avenue du Grand Cottignies
www.t-a-o.com/
Gaëlle DERBESSE
Care leader
Other Best Practices corresponding to the thematic "7. Community involvement"
CEMEX – Training and empowering youth for building a sustainable future
RUTOPÍA, the Mexican Airbnb at the service of indigenous communities
LOMBARD ODIER, a pioneering bank in sustainable asset management
ECO2LIBRIUM supports projects for the rehabilitation of the Kakamega Forest in Kenya
Comment HARMONIE MUTUELLE améliore continuellement la sante et le bien-être de ses adhérents et collaborateurs (Groupe Harmonie Mutuelle)
KIABI lutte contre le gaspillage de ses invendus grâce à un magasin solidaire
TOYOTA ONNAING soutient les projets associatifs du territoire grâce à la Fondation Toyota Valenciennes
SUBSEA7 : la formation au service de l'économie locale
SYLVA FOOD SOLUTION, Renforcer les compétences des agriculteurs locaux pour lutter contre les problèmes de malnutrition.
Comment CREPES & WAFFLES allie développement économique et actions locales durables ?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Tag Archives: DEA
Greg Kinnear makes his point to Gary Oldman.Cinema
(2021) Drama (Quiver) Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer, Evangeline Lilly, Greg Kinnear, Michelle Rodriguez, Kid Cudi, Indira Varma, Lily-Rose Depp, Mia Kirshner, Guy Nadon, Michael Aronov, Adam Tsekhman, Veronica Ferres, Nicholas Jarecki, John Ralston, Martin Donovan, Marcel Jeannin, Eric Bruneau, Duke Nicholson, Ellora Torchia, Daniel Jun, Luke Evans, Billy Bryk, Meghan Allen. Directed by Nicholas Jarecki
One of the major problems facing our country right now – and yes, there are many – is the opioid epidemic. Something like 100,000 people die every year of overdoses of opioid painkillers, most of which began as prescriptions and moved on into full blown addictions.
Claire (Lilly) had been an addict, hooked on oxycodone. She'd managed to kick the habit, though, and had a career as a successful architect in Detroit. She asks her hockey-mad son (Bryk) to stop by the corner grocery on his way home from practice and pick up some tortillas. He never arrives back home. She goes out looking for him with her sister (Kirshner) but can't find him; then she gets the news every mother dreads – her son is dead, of a drug overdose. Claire is stunned. "If he was an addict, I'd know!" she blurts out. Something doesn't sit right about this whole affair and she is determined to get down to the bottom of it and figure out what happened to her boy.
Jake (Hammer) is a hard-bitten DEA agent who is trying to stem the flow of opioids coming into the country. He's currently working on some Armenian gangsters who are importing them from Canada, and they are particularly interested on obtaining Fentanyl, which looks to be the new hot opioid-of-choice for the discriminating addict. He arranges a buy with Montreal-based drug kingpin Mother (Nadon) who turns out to be a lot more bloodthirsty than his name implies. Jake is under pressure from his boss (Rodriguez) to make a quick arrest; he's been undercover for a year now with nothing to show for it. Jake is also trying to hide the fact that his own sister (Depp) is also an addict in rehab.
College professor Tyrone Brower (Oldman) has brought in a healthy revenue stream for the university by testing new products for Big Pharma in his lab. When on of the more unscrupulous companies touts a new wonder drug that is a non-addictive painkiller, the FDA is falling all over itself to approve the drug and stem the tide on the opioid crisis. But as Dr. Brower discovers that far from being non-addictive Klaratol is actually far more addictive and leads to death among his test subjects, he wants to blow the whistle, but the FDA doesn't want to hear about it, the drug company will do anything to squelch his research and his obsequious dean (Kinnear) tries to convince him to forget his research. A crisis of morality beckons.
The three stories all parallel but only two of them converge – that of Claire and Jake. The Dr. Brower story, while interesting, never really touches what's going on in the other two stories and seems like it should have been an entirely separate movie, but that kind of laxness in execution characterizes Crisis which has the advantage of being timely – the opioid crisis is certainly on the minds of many.
The cast is stellar and they all do pretty good jobs, particularly Lilly who has an excellent scene with Kirshner early on in the movie as her grief overwhelms her. The former Lost actress who is better known for her work in the MCU these days has always been a fine actress, but she rarely gets the opportunity to show off her mad skillz and so this is a refreshing change.
Jarecki cuts between the three stories rapidly and without any sort of linking device, so the changes are often jarring and inorganic. All of these stories have a certain amount of dramatic tension built in but Jarecki scuttles it by moving from story to story so quickly and so often that whatever momentum he builds up gets lost and the audience loses interest.
That's not to say that the movie isn't worthwhile; it is certainly well-acted and has a compelling subject, but the stories are so interesting that you want to spend more time on them, which Jarecki fails to do, ending up giving short shrift to all of them. He probably could have eliminated the Brower story completely and padded out the other two with further character development and made a more effective movie – and kept the Brower story as a separate, stand-alone movie. That would have been a more satisfactory solution. Perhaps he can still do that with a director's cut, someday. I wouldn't mind if he did.
The film is currently playing in limited release around the country but will be available starting Friday on most major streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime, Vudu and Google Play, to name just a few. Check their website (click on photo above) for further information on where the film can be streamed on Friday.
REASONS TO SEE: A timely exploration of different viewpoints of the opioid crisis.
REASONS TO AVOID: The dramatic tension is sabotaged by the quick cutting between stories.
FAMILY VALUES: There is plenty of drug content, profanity and some violence.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: The film was originally titled Dreamland.
BEYOND THE THEATERS: AppleTV
CRITICAL MASS: As of 3/3/21: Rotten Tomatoes: 26% positive reviews, Metacritic: 43/100.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Traffic
NEXT: 'Til Kingdom Come
Posted in New Releases, VOD Review | Tagged addiction, architect, Armie Hammer, avenging angel, Big Pharma, border crossing, Canadian cinema, cinema, Cinema365, college professor, couriers, cover-up, crisis, DEA, Detroit, Drama, drug abuse, drug trade, Evangeline Lilly, FDA, fentanyl, Films, Gary Oldman, Greg Kinnear, grieving mother, gun battle, Guy Nadon, informant, Kid Cudi, Luke Evans, Martin Donovan, Mia Kirshner, Michelle Rodriguez, Montreal, movies, Nicholas Jarecki, opiate crisis, overdose, Quiver Distribution, reviews, test lab, undercover agent, VOD Reviews | Leave a reply
Attack of the Unknown
Posted on September 6, 2020 by carlosdev
Don't look behind you.
(2020) Science Fiction (Gravitas) Richard Grieco, Tara Reid, Robert LoSardo, Jolene Andersen, Tania Fox, Douglas Tait, Robert Donavan, Ben Stobber, Scott Butler, Margo Quinn, Gerardo de Pablos, Dee Cutrone, Tamara Solomson, Mia ScozzaFave, Paul Gunn, Navin P. Kumar, Johnny Huang, Elizabeth Noelle Japhet, Al Burke, Rachel Christenson. Directed by Brandon Slagle
I'm not sure when H.G. Wells wrote The War of the Worlds or when Orson Welles broadcast a version of it on the radio that they realized that someday there would be several alien invasion movies every year of varying production values and quality. I sort of doubt it. And had they known, they might well have had a good laugh.
Vernon (Grieco) is the taciturn, tough-as-nails leader of an elite SWAT team of the LAPD. They have staked out cartel leader Miguel "Hades" Aguirre (LoSardo) and after a bloody gunfight, capture the drug lord. Their triumph is tempered by the loss of one of their members and the sudden intrusion of the Feds who insist on taking over the case.
The day gets worse for Vernon as his wife serves him with divorce papers and to make matters even worse, he receives word that he has terminal myeloma. What's next, an invasion of bloodthirsty aliens hellbent on sucking the blood of every last human being in Los Angeles?
Funny you should mention that. It's exactly what happens, to everyone's surprise except for maybe Vernon. He holes up with the remains of his team and a few civilians, including Hades in the detention center which is not as well-stocked with guns and ammo as you might think. They know that they can't stay there but there's a possibility of getting to a nearby high rise for a helicopter rescue, but first they're going to have to fight their way through a swarm of seemingly indestructible aliens.
On paper, it sounds like the genesis of what could be a wild and fun ride, and certainly that was what director Brendan Slagle was after – at least, he has a lot of elements that are working in that direction, from a frenetic, breathless pace to a marvelous Clint Eastwood on Zen-like performance by Grieco, who is grizzled enough now that the one-time 21 Jump Street babyface has a shot at a new career doing gritty action films like this one.
Like most B-movies, this one has a budget that would cause Kevin Feige (the producer of Marvel movies, for those wondering who he is) hysterics. The best-known actors are Grieco and Tara Reid, who is in a blink-and-you-missed-it flashback of a previous alien invasion – apparently there were no Sharknado movies in production at the time. The CGI is okay, not great but the aliens are actually laughable; guys in felt suits with headpieces left over from This Island Earth that Ed Wood would have loved.
There are a few needless subplots that probably should have been jettisoned to streamline this a bit more, but as they say, it's all in good fun and it's mostly harmless, unless you object to seeing bad things happen to good cops. This isn't going to make anybody forget Independence Day but if you like your sci-fi cheesy, gritty and violent, this might just be for you.
REASONS TO SEE: Cheesy in kind of a good way.
REASONS TO AVOID: The aliens are really unconvincing.
FAMILY VALUES: There is a ton of violence, some nudity and sex, as well as a fair amount of profanity.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Slagle took several concepts in the film from a short story he wrote in middle school called "Blood is the Cure."
BEYOND THE THEATERS: Amazon, AppleTV, Fandango Now, Google Play, Microsoft, Vudu, YouTube
CRITICAL MASS: As of 9/6/20: Rotten Tomatoes: No score yet: Metacritic: No score yet
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Assault on Precinct 13
NEXT: Psychomagic: A Healing Art
Posted in VOD Review | Tagged action, alien invasion, Attack of the Unknown, bloodsucking aliens, cinema, Cinema365, DEA, divorce, drug cartel, druglord, Films, Gravitas Ventures, gun battle, Jolene Andersen, LAPD, Los Angeles, medicine, Mexican myths, movies, myeloma, Richard Grieco, Robert LoSardo, Science Fiction, SWAT, Tara Reid, vampires from space, VOD Reviews | Leave a reply
Miss Bala (2019)
Posted on June 8, 2020 by carlosdev
Doing the cartel crouch.
(2019) Action (Columbia) Gina Rodriguez, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Anthony Mackie, Cristina Rodio, Damián Alcázar, Matt Lauria, Ricardo Abarca, Sebastián Cano, Aislinn Derbez, Lilian Guadalupe Tapia Robles, Erick Rene Delgadillo, Mikhail Plata, Jorge Humberto Millan Mardueño, Thomas Dekker, José Sefami, Gaby Orihuela, Roberto Sosa, Vivian Chan. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke
For those in the know, Mexico has a thriving cinematic scene that has produced such luminaries as Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuaron, as well as some amazing films, like Y tu mama tambien and Amores perros, not to mention a stark thriller called Miss Bala.
That movie, Mexico's official submission for the 2012 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, had a lot going for it but was ultimately flawed, largely due to the somewhat one-dimensional nature of the lead character, although the actress playing her did a pretty good job considering that she didn't have a whole lot to work with. In the American remake, Gloria Fuentes (Rodriguez) is an American make-up artist who returns to the place of her birth, Tijuana to help her best friend Suzu (Rodio) with her make-up for the upcoming Miss Baja pageant.
They go to a local nightclub so that Suzu has an opportunity to mingle with the judges, particularly Police Chief Salazar (Alcázar) whose vote is crucial to winning the pageant. However, while Gloria has excused herself to the bathroom, a group of heavily armed cartel thugs shoot up the nightclub. Gloria escapes but in the confusion can't find Suzu. When Suzu hasn't appeared by the next morning – and is not among the dead – she realizes that Suzu has been taken, but by who?
Gloria is kidnapped herself by the Las estrellas gang whose leader Lino (Córdova) who wants to make use of Gloria and promises to find Suzu if she does what she's told. There are, as you might expect, plans within plans, plots stirring and double crosses across the board. A gruff DEA agent (Lauria) also wants to use Gloria to infiltrate the gang, and an American gangster (Mackie) warns that there is a DEA mole in the gang. What's a girl to do?
Rodriguez, who was so good in Jane the Virgin in a comic role, shows leading lady presence not to mention some pretty decent action chops, although I kinda wish she had more opportunity to use them. She has "star" written all over her; unfortunately, in the time period we are currently enduring, her Hispanic background may be an issue with a segment of the moviegoing crowd which is a shame; she is absolutely terrific here.
The rest of the movie is basically a pretty rote action film which gets points for getting made with a predominantly Hispanic cast in the age of "Build that wall" but loses points for not displaying a ton of originality. A lot of the best elements of the original film were taken out, but one critical new element was added in; Gloria is no victim, regardless of her circumstances. That's pretty refreshing to see a female in an action movie as strong and as capable as this one and not be played by Sigourney Weaver or Linda Hamilton.
REASONS TO SEE: Rodriguez is a terrific action star/leading lady.
REASONS TO AVOID: Would have been more effective with an "R" rating.
FAMILY VALUES: There is a fair amount of violence, drug and sexual content and plenty of profanity.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: A remake of a 2011 Mexican movie of the same title.
BEYOND THE THEATERS: Amazon, AMC On Demand, AppleTV, Fandango Now, Google Play, Microsoft, Movies Anywhere, Redbox, Sling TV, Starz, Vudu, YouTube
CRITICAL MASS: As of 6/8/20: Rotten Tomatoes: 22% positive reviews, Metacritic: 41/100
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Columbiana
NEXT: Parkland Rising
Posted in VOD Review | Tagged action, Aislinn Derbez, Anthony Mackie, beauty pageant, cinema, Cinema365, Columbia Pictures, DEA, drug cartels, drug mule, executions, Films, Gina Rodriguez, gun battle, Jane the Virgin, make-up artist, massacre, Matt Lauria, Miss Bala, mole, movies, nightclub, reviews, Tijuana, turf war, War on Drugs, white slavery | Leave a reply
The Mule (2018)
The look you get when everything you've spent a lifetime building falls apart.
(2018) Drama (Warner Brothers) Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Dianne Wiest, Alison Eastwood, Taissa Farmiga, Andy Garcia, Ignacio Serricchio, Loren Dean, Diego Cataño, Daniel Moncada, Victor Rasuk, Ashani Roberts, Lobo Sebstian, Devon Ogden, Cesar De Léon, Richard Herd, Clifton Collins Jr., Jackie Prucha. Directed by Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood is something of a folk hero, and has made a career playing other folk heroes. His latest is Earl Stone, a man driven to the wall when his business fails and he falls into a job delivering coke for the cartel. It's the perfect front; on the surface, he appears to be a harmless geriatric and that's pretty much what he is. But it's a dangerous game he's playing, with a magnanimous cartel boss (Garcia) overseeing suspicious and ambitious underlings (Serricchio) and a driven DEA agent (Cooper) all on the hunt after Earl.
Eastwood was pushing 90 when he made this film (he'll become a nonagenarian on May 31st of this year) but still retains the gruff charm that has carried him through the late stages of his career. While his character is not so admirable – he essentially has alienated his entire family, choosing work over ,loved ones at every turn, is a serial womanizer and a not-so-subtle racist – but Eastwood has always made guys like these seem not-quite-so-bad. He's also still a skilled director who builds up a strong tension throughout the film; will he get caught? Will that police dog find the drugs? Stay tuned.
Currently on iMDB Eastwood has no projects lined up either as a director as an actor; this is very likely his swan song in front of the camera (although we have learned to never say never in that regards – 2008's Gran Torino was supposed to be his last acting role but he has appeared in several films since then) as last year's Richard Jewell is likely his final film as a director. While this film isn't a disgrace to his legacy, neither does it enhance it much. It's reasonably entertaining, elevated by the presence of one of the last authentic stars of Hollywood.
REASONS TO SEE: Eastwood is always watchable. A "so bizarre it has to be true" story.
REASONS TO AVOID: Some of the racist remarks Earl says made me a little uncomfortable.
FAMILY VALUES: There is plenty of profanity and some sexuality.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: The Earl Stone character is based on Leo "Tata" Sharp who was also a horticulturist who became a drug mule for the Sinaloa cartel from 2001-2011.
BEYOND THE THEATER: Amazon, AMC On Demand, AppleTV, Fandango Now, Google Play, Microsoft, Movies Anywhere, Redbox, Vudu, YouTube
CRITICAL MASS: As of 5/14//20: Rotten Tomatoes: 70% positive reviews. Metacritic: 58/100
COMPARISON SHOPPING: The Old Man & the Gun
NEXT: Bombshells and Dollies
Posted in VOD Review | Tagged Alison Eastwood, Andy Garcia, Bradley Cooper, cinema, Cinema365, Clifton Collins Jr., Clint Eastwood, cocaine, DEA, Dianne Wiest, dysfunctional family, Earl "Tata" Sharp, Films, Laurence Fishburne, Loren Dean, making amends, Michael Pena, movies, Sinaloa cartel, Taissa Farmiga, tension, The Mule, true-life drama, Victor Rasuk, VOD Reviews, Warner Brothers | Leave a reply
The True Memoirs of an International Assassin
Posted on January 9, 2017 by carlosdev
Kevin James, badass!
(2016) Action Comedy (Netflix) Kevin James, Andy Garcia, Zulay Henao, Kim Coates, Ron Rifkin, Maurice Compte, Rob Riggle, Leonard Earl Howze, Yul Vazquez, Andrew Howard, P.J. Byrne, Kelen Coleman, Jeff Chase, Katie Couric, G-Rod, Daniel Zacapa, Al Hamacher, Jordi Caballero, Lauren Shaw, Emilie Ullerup. Directed by Jeff Wadlow
Some things in life are less likely than others; Donald Trump having an extramarital affair, for example – with Rosie O'Donnell. Or PETA opening up a barbecue restaurant.
Right up there with those is Kevin James morphing into an action hero, although he has done a few action films in his time. The portly sitcom star is actually fairly fit for a man his size, but he certainly doesn't fit the mold of a classic action hero.
Still, he has a very likable screen persona and plenty of charisma on both the big screen and small. He hasn't always gotten great movies and good roles but he has always been a trooper and does his best even when the material is less than scintillating. Here he plays Sam Larson, a cubicle cowboy who dreams of being a bestselling author, but unlike most of us with such ambitions he's actually doing something about it. He's writing a James Bond-meets-Die Hard spy story in which the hero, Mason Carver a.k.a. The Ghost is his own alter ego. Sometimes when Sam gets stuck for inspiration, Mason Carver and the other characters in the scene stand around, twiddling their thumbs and waiting expectantly for direction – which may be a metaphor for what the actors in this film were doing.
His energetic and somewhat conniving E-Publisher (Coleman) thinks she's got a winner on her hands when he submits the manuscript and promises not to change a word. In fact, she doesn't – she adds one to the title though, changing The Memoirs of an International Assassin to The True Memoirs of an International Assassin and marketing it as biographical.
This infuriates not only Sam but his buddy Amos (Rifkin) who has been advising him on some of the finer points of international espionage and had urged him not to print certain aspects of Mason Carver's exploits. During an interview with Katie Couric (herself) on Yahoo, Sam gets cold feet and runs out of the studio – and straight into the arms of kidnappers who turn out to be agents of El Toro (Garcia), a Venezuelan revolutionary. He wants the Venezuelan president (Coates) dead, and essentially tells Sam – who he believes is really The Ghost – that if the president isn't murdered, Sam will be.
Of course, Sam gets arrested and brought before the President who also believes Sam is The Ghost – and urges him to kill drug kingpin Anton Masovich (Howard) who then kidnaps Sam and suggests he murders El Toro. Maybe Sam should just nuke Venezuela and be done with it, no? Well, that wouldn't make for a very long movie so Sam, with the help of comely DEA agent Rosa Bolivar (Henao) he figures out a way to get out of this with his skin more or less intact but not everything here is on the up and up.
Incomprehensibly, this script ended up on the Black List of unproduced screenplays a couple of years ago, which leads me to believe that either this was extensively rewritten or the standards for quality of Black List screenplays has taken a serious hit. The plot is pretty pedestrian and has been done before and better in other films; in fact, this feels throughout like you're watching a sitcom in which the Fonz plays an international spy. Or Ray Romano. Or Doug Heffernan (James' character in King of Queens) for that matter.
The movie also suffers from really poor CGI throughout, from the explosion to the blood splatters. It all looks fake. To make matters worse, there are several running jokes – like various characters musing "Maybe he really is The Ghost" about Sam, or in the third act for some incomprehensible reason the filmmakers chose to pepper the soundtrack with Spanish language version of pop hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Once or twice is okay but it was a good five or six occasions. Brevity is the soul of wit; repetition doesn't make a joke any funnier in general. Just sayin'.
Don't get me wrong – there is some entertainment value here but it's mainly due to James' work. And let's face it; compared to the Adam Sandler comedies that Netflix has released thus far, this is Mel Brooks-level work (and believe it or not, Sandler's production company Happy Madison had nothing to do with this which was surprising to me considering how close Sandler and James are). Still, this is little more than a 90 minute time-killer that will have little more value than that to you. Me, I'd recommend that you wait for a movie that is more worthy of Mr. James' talents.
REASONS TO GO: Kevin James is always engaging and likable.
REASONS TO STAY: There is a sitcom-like feel to this and some of the running jokes are pretty damn annoying.
FAMILY VALUES: A fair amount of violence and some rude humor.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: The film is a remake of the 1973 French action film Le Magnifique.
BEYOND THE THEATER: Netflix
CRITICAL MASS: As of 1/8/17: Rotten Tomatoes: 0% positive reviews. Metacritic: 38/100.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Spy
NEXT: Passengers
Posted in VOD Review | Tagged action comedy, Andy Garcia, book tour, car chase, CIA, cinema, Cinema365, contract murder, cubicle cowboy, DEA, e-publishing, Films, gun battle, helicopter, Katie Couric, Kevin James, Kim Coates, mistaken identity, movies, Netflix, non-fiction book, P.J. Byrne, remake, reviews, Rob Riggle, Ron Rifkin, spy comedy, The True Memoirs of an International Assassin, Venezuela, video interview, Yahoo | Leave a reply
Miss Bala
Posted on June 18, 2014 by carlosdev
The life of a beauty queen is harder in some places than others.
(2011) Drama (Fox Searchlight) Stephanie Sigman, Irene Azuela, Miguel Coururier, Gabriel Heads, Noe Hernandez, James Russo, Jose Yenque, Juan Carlos Galvan, Lakshmi Picazo, Javier Zaragoza, Leonor Vitorica, Hugo Marquez, Eduardo Mendizabal, Sergio Gomez Padilla, Felipe Morales, Sergio Miguel Martinez, Gabriel Chavez, Leticia Huijara Cano. Directed by Gerardo Naranjo
Innocence is a commodity that falls by the wayside in a corrupt society. It is hard not to take sides when absolute power rules with brutality and intimidating force and often the side you take is not one taken of your own free will.
Laura Guerrero (Sigman) is a sweet and unassuming teenager who works selling secondhand clothes with her father (Zaragoza) and little brother (Galvan). On a whim she and her close friend Suzu (Picazo) decide to enter their names for the Miss Baja beauty pageant. That night they decide to go to a local night club and party.
During the evening, a group of thugs shoot up the club. Laura, who was in the bathroom at the time, escaped but witnessed the whole thing, being one of the few survivors. Her ordeal is just beginning; she is kidnapped the very next day and taken to Lino Valdez (Hernandez), the head of the drug cartel. Lino. Rather than executing the witness however, he uses her as a courier to ferry money across the border into the United States, bringing back arms and ammunition.
Lino and his gang use her brother and father to control her, threatening to execute them if she doesn't do as they say and so she becomes a part of the gang. When they figure she can be useful for them as a pageant winner, they get her into the Miss Baja pageant and bribe the judges into letting her win. Her high profile allows them to use her as a means of seducing the powerful General Salomon Duarte (Couturier) and gaining control over him by that means. However, when she discovers that Suzu had not survived the shooting at the club (they assured her that she had), she realizes that nobody is getting out of this alive and she is left with a big decision to make.
As thrillers go this one is raw and gritty and sometimes not so pretty, even given the beauty pageant background. It displays the effects that intimidation, violence and brutality have on the lives of those caught in the crossfire and does so very effectively. Although it didn't make the final short list, it was submitted as Mexico's entry into the Best Foreign Language Film for the 2012 Academy Awards.
There's a gritty realism that shows not only the desperation and poverty of the people who live in Baja but also the arrogance, the brutality and the opulence of those in power. The consequences of our war on drugs have never had such a human face as this.
Sigman is not well known to me as an actress; she has mainly appeared in Mexican films and since this movie was made has had a recurring role on the F/X TV series The Bridge. She certainly has the beauty and the innocent look but there isn't a lot of emotion that we get from her other than terror which isn't necessarily a deficiency on her part – the role doesn't really call for much else and therein lies the main problem with the movie.
We really don't get to know Laura at all before the massacre and kidnapping. She seems like a fairly sweet kid, a typical Mexican teenager trying to help her family make ends meet. However, the movie gets into the action so quickly (which isn't normally an issue for me) that by the time we really know what's happening Laura is already in victim mode, and that's really the only way we know her throughout the film all the way to its ambiguous ending.
Sometimes the ins and outs of the politics of the movie can be a bit confusing as to who is on who's side, who is screwing who and who is at war with who. Things do come out of left field seemingly and while that keeps us off-balance a little bit, some further explanation might have been helpful, particularly for us gringos.
Where the movie excels is in its suspense and tension. From the moment the massacre starts most viewers will be on the edge of their seats, and not really sure what's going to come at them next. Think of it as riding a roller coaster blindfolded and never sure if you're going to go flying out of your seat. Some might find that an unpleasant experience but for the purposes here that does satisfy the Type A personality in me.
Despite the recent upsurge in quality Mexican films, this one didn't get a great deal of attention when it was released back in the early months of 2011 which is a bit of a shame. While it isn't as good as, say, Y tu mama tambien or Amores perros it is as good as any thriller that has come out from Hollywood in recent years.
WHY RENT THIS: Raw and gritty. Raises the thriller bar up a notch..
WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: Don't really connect with Laura as much as we should. Occasionally confusing.
FAMILY VALUES: Plenty of rough language, a goodly amount of sometimes strong and bloody violence as well as some sexuality.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Loosely based on Laura Zuniga, the former Miss Sinaloa, beauty queen and model who was arrested on December 22, 2008 for narcotics trafficking.
BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE: Unavailable.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Maria, Full of Grace
FINAL RATING: 7.5/10
NEXT: Being Flynn
Posted in DVD Review | Tagged arms dealer, beauty pageant, cinema, corruption, courier, DEA, drug cartel, drug mule, drugs, DVD Reviews, executions, Films, forced prostitution, Fox Searchlight, James Russo, kidnapping, mass murder, Mexican cinema, Miss Bala, movies, murders, nightclub massacre, poverty, seduction | Leave a reply
Homefront (2013)
Posted on December 14, 2013 by carlosdev
When they told Jason Statham he was getting a Mustang for this movie, this wasn't what he was expecting.
(2013) Action (Open Road) Jason Statham, James Franco, Kate Bosworth, Winona Ryder, Frank Grillo, Izabela Vidovic, Clancy Brown, Marcus Hester, Omar Benson Miller, Rachelle Lefevre, Chuck Zito, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Linda Edwards, Austin Craig, Owen Harn, Stuart Greer, Joe Chrest, Christa Campbell, Billy Slaughter, Nicole Andrews. Directed by Gary Fleder
Small towns have a habit of being different things to different people. For some, they are an escape from city life. For others they are cherished reminders of how life used to be. For still others, they are a place where they can conduct their affairs in relative anonymity.
Phil Broker (Statham) used to be a DEA agent. He specialized in undercover operations and in his last one which was counted successful by the agency, he took down a powerful biker gang leader named Danny T (Zito) but in the process the biker's psychotic son went down in a hail of bullets. Phil walked away from the Agency and not long afterwards, his wife passed away from an undisclosed illness. He took his precocious daughter Maddy (Vidovic) to Rayville, a small town in the Louisiana bayous not far from where Phil's wife grew up.
At first things couldn't be going better. Phil has found a beautiful property on the river and while the house itself is a bit of a fixer upper, there's enough land to own horses and it's far enough off the beaten path that he can live his life in relative peace.
Then a bully (Craig) in Maddy's school picks a fight with her and true to her dad's training she stands up for herself, bloodying the bully's nose. This doesn't sit well with the bully's mom, the excitable meth-head Cassie (Bosworth) and she screeches at her husband Jimmy (Hester) to do something about it, so he picks a fight with Phil. Bad idea. Phil kicks Jimmy's butt in front of Cassie and his son, putting the already irritable Cassie in a rage. Seeking revenge, she goes to her brother Gator (Franco).
Gator is the local meth dealer who has a mean streak a country mile wide. He wants to throw a scare into Phil but the plan goes awry once he breaks into Phil's house and finds, in a kind of basement, boxes and boxes of case files from Phil's DEA days. Now that just don't sit right with good ol' Gator who doesn't want a retired DEA agent in his neighborhood – why, that will just screw up the property values something wicked but it might put a bit of a kink in his illegal drug manufacturing gig.
However, Gator discovers a way out of the situation that could wind up being enormously lucrative as well. He sees that Phil was the undercover agent on the Danny T case and lo and behold, his girlfriend Sheryl (Ryder) happens to know Danny's lawyer. Sheryl, herself a drug addict, a prostitute and a cocktail waitress (in this economy one has to have multiple jobs) sets up a meeting with Cyrus (Grillo), Danny's psychotic right-hand man. You just know things are going to get ugly from that point forward.
Written by Sylvester Stallone and based on a novel by Chuck Logan, Statham's new action film follows a tried and true formula that fans of the genre will find comforting and familiar. The problem is that there isn't much here that pushes the boundaries any from the lone highly-trained specialist trying to protect his family to the evil drug-dealing biker gang. For the record most biker gangs don't engage in any criminal activity although if you watched Hollywood's versions of them you probably feel uncomfortable every time you see one on the highway next to you.
Statham may well be the most consistent action star in the world. It is truly rare for him to turn in a poor performance. This is essentially his show and his fans won't be disappointed by this effort and he may add a few more to the growing list. While there is a romantic subplot (with the comely Rachelle Lefevre), very little screen time is devoted to it and you get the sense that Statham's Phil Broker is pretty awkward with the ladies. It also makes sense that a recent widower may not necessarily be looking for someone to fill his late wife's pumps. In any case, Statham does well with the child actress who plays his daughter which is not always as easy as it sounds.
Franco is an Oscar nominated actor whom you might think is slumming in a role like this, a Southern-fried drug dealer with a gator tattooed on his arm but like any good actor playing a villain you get a sense he's having a real good time with it. He also adds several layers to the role; at one point in the final reel in a conversation with Cyrus when he's told that Cyrus must do something particularly despicable while Ryder's Sheryl looks shocked and disgusted, Franco affects a blank expression with very haunted eyes – he knows the act is necessary but he doesn't particularly like doing it. It's just a little detail that takes about three seconds of screen time but it's the kind of thing a great actor does to add depth to a part. Franco is becoming just that – a great actor.
Ryder and Bosworth are both playing drug addicted women and in their own ways add some flavors to roles that are badly under-written. Bosworth's Cassie has to make an about-face from screeching harpy to concerned parent in a way that doesn't make sense but whatever – she does the best she can with it. Ryder, normally a beautiful woman, allows herself to be skanky in a role that most actresses of her caliber turn their noses up at. It's interesting to see what she does with it.
There are more than a few plot holes and contrivances here, the worst being that Gator discovers Phil's DEA identity through finding boxes and boxes of case files in the cellar of his home. First of all, case files for any law enforcement agency never leave the offices of said agencies and certainly not in the possession of a retired agent. He would have no reason for having them – except to reveal his identity to a drug dealer who will then in turn inform those whom he sent to jail and would like to see him and his daughter dead, preferably with brutal painful torture in the mix. That's just lazy writing, Sly.
Still, if you can put up with a precocious kid and plot holes, this is a pretty decent action movie and Statham elevates it as he does with most of his action films. This may not be the kind of thing you want to go and see when all these blockbusters and Oscar contenders are in the theaters but if you prefer action to drama and long lines, this isn't a bad alternative.
REASONS TO GO: Statham is solid and Ryder and Bosworth do some fine supporting work. Some nice action sequences.
REASONS TO STAY: Far too predictable. Too much precocious kid-ism. Lapses in simple logic.
FAMILY VALUES: There's a lot of violence, some drug use, sensuality and plenty of bad language.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Although based on an unrelated novel, Stallone originally envisioned this as the final Rambo movie and wrote it with John Rambo as the retired dad. However he couldn't get the movie made and eventually it was rewritten to be closer to the original story and with Statham in mind for the lead role.
CRITICAL MASS: As of 12/14/13: Rotten Tomatoes: 39% positive reviews. Metacritic: 39/100.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: The Mechanic
NEXT: Delivery Man
Posted in New Releases | Tagged action, based on a novel, bayou, biker gang, birthday party, bully, cat, cinema, Clancy Brown, DEA, doll, drug dealers, Films, Frank Grillo, Gary Fleder, gun battle, Homefront, horseback riding, James Franco, Jason Statham, Joe Chrest, Kate Bosworth, kidnapping, Louisiana, meth lab, movies, open road, precocious child, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Rachelle Lefevre, reviews, school guidance counselor, small town, undercover, widower, Winona Ryder | Leave a reply
Posted on September 30, 2013 by carlosdev
Mr. Nice strikes a serious pose,
(2009) Biography (MPI) Rhys Ifans, Chloe Sevigny, David Thewlis, Luis Tosar, Crispin Glover, Omid Djalili, Christian McKay, Elsa Pataky, Jack Huston, Jamie Harris, Sara Sugarman, William Thomas, Andrew Tiernan, Kinsey Packard, Ania Sowinski, James Jagger, Howell Evans, Ken Russell, Ferdy Roberts, Nathalie Cox, Olivia Grant. Directed by Bernard Rose
The 60s and 70s were the era when drug culture became widespread and suddenly there was a worldwide demand for narcotics. It took all kinds to make sure the supply kept up with the demand – and some drug dealers were the most unlikely souls indeed.
Howard Marx (Ifans) was an honest and well-adjusted boy from Wales who managed to earn himself an education at Oxford. He's studying alone in his room one night when exchange student Ilze Kadegis (Pataky) bursts into his room looking for a secret passageway. When she finds it, a curious Howard follows her to an old storage room where Graham Plinson (Huston), the university's biggest dope dealer, hides his stash. Ilze seduces Howard and introduces Howard to the joys of cannabis. From that point on, Howard is hooked and becomes one of Graham's best customers with his academics suffering predictably as a result.
When Plinson and Howard's friends start experimenting with harder drugs, tragedy ensues and Howard vows not to touch the serious stuff ever again and rededicates himself to his studies, passing by the skin of his teeth (and with a bit of underhanded chicanery). He marries Ilze and takes a job as a teaching assistant (what they called a teacher training position back then) at the University of London. By now, the swinging '60s were in full flower and Carnaby Street was the bloom on the rose. Howard was fully into the scene, prompting a reprimand for long hair and flashy suits.
When Plinson gets arrested after plans to transport a shipment of hashish from Germany to England go awry, Howard – his marriage on the ropes, his job rapidly going down the toilet – figures he has nothing to lose and steps in to help. Because he's not a known drug dealer, he sails through the customs checkpoints without so much as a second glance. Howard finds that the adrenaline rush of smuggling drugs appeals to him and he decides to take it up as a vocation He eventually becomes one of the world's largest marijuana traffickers – at one point controlling a fairly large percentage of the world's supply.
However, the problem with this kind of lifestyle is that eventually people start gunning for what you have, and soon Howard finds himself playing a dangerous game. It's one that will get him arrested and dropped into one of the nastiest prisons in the United States.
This is based on the autobiography of Howard Marks (uh huh, this is a true story) and Marks served as a consultant on the film, proclaiming it as accurate even though there were some differences between his book and the movie. One gets the sense that there are a few brain cells not functioning quite up to optimum for ol' Howard these days.
The same might be said of the filmmakers. The movie often feels like it was written by one stoned, and directed while the same. Plenty of stoner clichés – half-naked chicks rolling around on a bed full of cash, slow-mo shots of the arrest and so on – mar the film. While I liked that the first part of the movie was shot in black and white, switching to color when Howard takes his first psychedelic, at times one gets the sense that the film is stuck in neutral waiting for the GPS to kick in and send it somewhere.
Ifans is an engaging actor and as he did in Notting Hill he does a good job of playing the stoner. Although the Nice of the title refers to the city in France, it is also apt to the demeanor of Marks as portrayed by Ifans. I'm pretty sure the intent here was to portray Marks as a counterculture Robin Hood-sort, fighting the battle of worldwide weed, but I keep getting the sense that we're seeing very much a self-promotion more than an accurate portrayal. While honestly I have nothing against Marks, I wonder if I wouldn't have appreciated the movie more if he had a few more warts here.
The rest of the cast is pretty decent, although Sevigny has a truly terrible English accent. She's a fine actress but I found the accent distracting and thought the film would have been better served if she hadn't attempted it, or if they'd hired a British actress instead.
The era is captured nicely and we get a sense of the wide-open era that was the '60s and '70s. This is more of a throwback to films of that era in many ways – the drug dealer is the hero and unlike the modern version of heroic Hollywood drug dealers these days, he doesn't have automatic rifles, machine pistols or military training. Howard is no Rambo by any stretch of the imagination.
Those who dislike movies about drugs and drug dealers should give this a wide berth. You'll only give yourself an aneurysm. Stoners will find this to be excellent entertainment with a hero they can get behind. As for the rest of us, this doesn't really distinguish itself much – but it doesn't disgrace itself overly much either. A lot of how you'll find this movie will depend on your attitudes towards cannabis to begin with. Me, I'm allergic to the stuff so that should give you some insight to where I'm coming from.
WHY RENT THIS: Pretty decent performance by Ifans. Nicely immersed in the era it's set.
WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: Kind of runs together and loses cohesion. Sevigny's accent is atrocious.
FAMILY VALUES: A ton of drug use and foul language as well as some sexuality and violence (and a bit of nudity).
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: In Marks' autobiography on which the film is based, he claimed to have been betrayed to the American authorities by Lord Moynihan but that isn't brought up in the film here for legal reasons.
NOTABLE HOME VIDEO EXTRAS: None listed.
BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE: Not available.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Savages
NEXT:The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Posted in DVD Review | Tagged 60s, 70s, 80s, based on an autobiography, betrayal, biography, British cinema, Chloe Sevigny, Christian McKay, cinema, Crispin Glover, David Thewlis, DEA, drug dealer, drug smuggling, drug trafficking, DVD Reviews, Elsa Pataky, Films, Jack Huston, Jamie Harris, lecture tour, London, LSD, Luis Tosar, marijuana, movies, MPI, Mr. Nice, Omid Djalili, overdose, Oxford, Rhys Ifans, Wales | Leave a reply
Posted on August 8, 2013 by carlosdev
Denzel Washington can smile because his name comes first in the credits.
(2013) Crime Action (Universal) Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, Edward James Olmos, James Marsden, Fred Ward, Robert John Burke, Greg Sproles, Patrick Fischler, Edgar Arreola, Derek Solorsano, Kyle Russell Clements, Christopher Matthew Cook, Tim Bell, Tate Fletcher, Azure Parsons. Directed by Baltasar Kormakur
There is room in this world for testosterone-infused crotch-scratching knuckle-dragging action movies. We men need them, as much as we need beer, 24 hour sports networks, grilled meat and babes. They are endemic to our manhood. They make us feel good and get past all the crap we have to take for being men.
Here is a movie that will make your penis swell with pride and put a smile on your manly unshaven face. Two guys – Bobby (Washington), a natty well-dressed guy who "knows people" and Stig (Wahlberg), a skirt-chasing loudmouth who never misses – are planning to rob a bank. Unfortunately, this particular bank is across from a diner that serves the best donuts in three counties and a word to the wise – never rob a bank across from a diner that serves the best donuts in three counties. Easy fix though; they burn the diner to the ground.
It turns out they are robbing this particular bank because Mexican cartel kingpin Papi Greco (Olmos) keeps a goodly load of his cash there, about $3 million worth. It's not generally a good idea to rob a drug lord but it's okay – Bobby is DEA and this robbery is a good way to link Papi to tax evasion.
However, when they get to doing the deed it turns out that there's more like $40 million in the safety deposit boxes. And it's not Papi's – it belongs to a corrupt CIA whose sweaty agent Earl (Paxton) wants his money back – payments from Papi and other drug lords who give a small percentage of their profits to the CIA as protection for letting them operate. Whoops.
And it turns out that Stig isn't a mindless thug after all – he's Naval Intelligence. But both of them have been set up. Stig and Bobby aren't exactly a match made in heaven but they are forced to work together to get out of the mess they're in with the CIA, the U.S. Navy and a vicious drug cartel all chasing them and none of them too particular about due process.
This is the kind of movie that Michael Bay fans are going to love. The chemistry between Washington and Wahlberg is excellent, as good as the Glover-Gibson pairing a couple of decades ago. The two bicker and trade barbs as well as bullets but when the rubber hits the road they have each other's back. Exactly the kind of relationship men like to see.
There is a whole lot of carnage – lots of bullets flying and rarely do any of them strike the heroes but they sure do strike the flunkies of the bad guys with abandon. I can imagine there was a squib shortage in Hollywood when this baby was shooting.
The script will hold no surprises for veteran action film aficionados. Those you think are probably going to end up as villains do. Those you think are going to get shot do. Twists you think the plot is going to take happen. But that's not why real men see a movie like this. We see a movie like this to affirm that we're still men. There's no exploring their feelings, no tender moments of self-expression, no issues of the day – just bullets flying, fists pumping and things going boom. And when that's what you need, that really is all you need.
REASONS TO GO: Nice chemistry between Washington and Wahlberg.
REASONS TO STAY: Doesn't add anything new to the genre.
FAMILY VALUES: All sorts of violence, a bit of nudity (briefly) and a fair amount of cussing.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: At one point in the film's development this was intended to be a vehicle for Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson to team up but they elected to pass.
CRITICAL MASS: As of 8/8/13: Rotten Tomatoes: 60% positive reviews. Metacritic: 55/100; as with many movies this summer the critics can't make up their minds..
COMPARISON SHOPPING: The Losers
NEXT: Star Trek: Insurrection
Posted in New Releases | Tagged 2 Guns, bank robbery, barbecue, based on a comic book, Bill Paxton, Boom Studios, chickens, cinema, DEA, Denzel Washington, donuts, drug cartel, Edgar Arreola, Edward Jams Olmos, Films, Fred Ward, gun battle, hotel rendezvous, James Marsden, Mark Wahlberg, movies, naval base, Paula Patton, reviews, sniper, Texas, U.S. Naval Intelligence, U.S. navy, undercover, Universal, waitresses, winking | 2 Replies
Posted on July 8, 2013 by carlosdev
Some pictures say a thousand words; this one just says "say WHAT?!?"
(2013) Buddy Cop Comedy (20th Century Fox) Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Demian Bichir, Marlon Wayans, Michael Rapaport, Jane Curtin, Spoken Reasons, Dan Bakkedahl, Taran Killam, Michael McDonald, Tom Wilson, Peter Weireter, Erica Derrickson, Kaitlin Olson, Joey McIntyre, Michael Tucci, Bill Burr, Nathan Corddry, Jessica Chaffin, Jamie Denbo. Directed by Paul Feig
It is 2013 in Hollywood and after decades of inspired (and uninspired) Odd Couple buddy cop pairings, America gets its first all-woman cop buddy duo. I would think that just for being a trailblazer The Heat should get props, and it does particularly since they cast the two roles perfectly.
Sarah Ashburn (Bullock) is an ambitious but uptight FBI agent. She's very successful at closing cases but her people skills are a bit lacking. She's smarter than most of the men around her and she knows it but what's worse she likes to show it off. She's eager for a promotion that she's probably richly earned but her boss (Bichir) isn't so sure; he instead sends her from New York to Boston to take down a mysterious drug lord who is pushing his way into the city.
Shannon Mullins (McCarthy) is a rude, crude and lewd Boston cop who intimidates her colleagues with her foul mouth, her nasty attitude and her hair-trigger temper. When she's not abusing her boss (Wilson) – who bears more than a passing resemblance to Biff Tannen – she's having one night stands with clingy men and bickering with her family. She's so tough she arrested her brother Jason (Rapaport) and sent him to prison, from which he's just emerging.
The two are more or less after the same guy. At first, of course, they are competing but when ordered to work together these lone wolves find out that there is some benefits from working in a pack. However they're up against a very male-oriented culture which doesn't take them seriously and to make matters worse, Mullins family is at risk from a sadistic killer (McDonald).
Melissa McCarthy broke out as a big star in a supporting role in Paul Feig's Bridesmaids and it's no accident that he's behind the camera for the role that may make her a superstar. This is the perfect part for McCarthy – foul-mouthed, physical with a tender side that really makes better use of her talents than this year's earlier hit Identity Thief did. Some of her zingers were the kind that made you laugh so hard that you missed dialogue that came out after it.
She is paired perfectly with Bullock who has played tough cops before but here she allows a little prissiness to set in. She's so lonely that her cat isn't even hers – it's her neighbor's who is vexed that the cat visits "the weird lady next door." Bullock is one of the best at playing socially awkward but extremely competent women – remember her boss from Hell in The Proposal? – and nobody does book-smart-but-people-dumb like Bullock. The chemistry between her an McCarthy is on the level of Nick Nolte/Eddie Murphy and Mel Gibson/Danny Glover in the annals of cop buddies.
Although the film is groundbreaking, it's a shame they couldn't give the two leading ladies a groundbreaking script to work with. Despite the terrific performances of Bullock and McCarthy (and of the cast in general), the plot is such that it feels like it was written in a Screenwriting 101 class. If you're going to have two women leading a cop buddy movie, play to the strengths of women in general instead of just having them referring to their lady parts in a series of crude jokes. Cagney and Lacey and Rizzolli and Isles were both able to do this successfully on television; while I get those shows are both more procedurals than this one, I don't think they needed to give the women ugly male characteristics to make this funny, unless of course they're trying to make the point that the two sexes are more alike than unalike which I can appreciate.y
In any case, this is superior summer entertainment that has that element of familiarity that Hollywood thinks American movie audiences yearn for. It bodes well for the future of McCarthy to take the throne as America's reigning film comedienne superstar with her two big hits this year. She is clearly the reason to go see this movie and clearly looks to be as funny if not funnier than some of her highest-paid male colleagues right now.
REASONS TO GO: Bullock plays surprisingly well against type and for her part this is right in McCarthy's wheelhouse.
REASONS TO STAY: Beyond the novelty factor of two women in the lead roles, the movie doesn't really add much to the buddy cop genre.
FAMILY VALUES: A buttload of bad language. Some of the content is on the crude side, and there's a bit of violence to top it all off.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Was originally set for a late spring release, but the studio, encouraged by early reception to the film, decided to move it into the summer.
CRITICAL MASS: As of 7/8/13: Rotten Tomatoes: 62% positive reviews. Metacritic: 59/100; the reviews are pretty much split but leaning towards the positive.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: The Other Guys
NEXT: The Lone Ranger (2013)
Posted in New Releases | Tagged 20th Century Fox, albinos, ambition, Boston, Boston Police Department, cat lady, cinema, comedy, cop buddy movie, DEA, Demian Bichir, drug lord, drug smuggling, drunk, FBI, Films, Jane Curtin, Jessica Chaffin, Joey McIntyre, loneliness, Marlon Wayans, Melissa McCarthy, Michael McDonald, Michael Rapaport, movies, Nathan Corddry, odd couple, one night stands, Paul Feig, police procedural, reviews, Sandra Bullock, The Heat, Thomas Wilson | Leave a reply


New Delhi: The FIH (International Hockey Federation) Executive Board has confirmed the nomination of Indian men's hockey team captain PR Sreejesh to the FIH Athletes' Committee.
FIH Athletes' Committee comprises a total of eight current and former hockey players who have the responsibility to act as a liaison between the FIH and the athletes and make sure the athletes have voice in the FIH decision making process.
Speaking about his nomination, PR Sreejesh who led the Indian team to a historic silver medal feat at the FIH Champions Trophy in London last year, said, "It's a great honour to be part of the FIH Athletes' Committee which comprises of legendary players like Moritz Fuerste and other international greats. I am looking forward to this new responsibility."
While Sreejesh' role will also cover seeking and providing feedback to the FIH on behalf of all athletes, the Committee also gets to interact with the current Athletes' in a number of ways including; post event surveys for the athletes and coaches to get direct feedbacks from the FIH events.
Organised meetings are also scheduled with the national teams at several events. The aim being to communicate with the players, to update them on the different activities but also to hear from them. "We get to work together to develop the game and put forth players concerns and suggestions. It's a great initiative by the FIH to directly involve the players and I look forward to giving my suggestions with the inputs of our coaching staff, my team who I am sure will support me in this new endeavor. I see this as a great responsibility in terms of helping FIH develop the game globally," stated Sreejesh who is gearing up to play for the Uttar Pradesh Wizards in the Coal India Hockey India League slated to begin on January 21.


Mark Wnek and Domenico Vitale had one of those chemistry things a few years ago.
The pair ran together at Lowe, pitching and winning accounts such as Outback Steakhouse and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Vitale left in late 2008 to start his own shop and now—after a successful trial reunion—Wnek is reuniting with his ex-partner at People Ideas & Culture. They're on the hunt together again.
Wnek, 53, takes a 50 percent stake in the New York agency and assumes the role of chief idea craftsman to Vitale's chief idea architect. Vitale, 41, owns the other half.
The move comes as PI&C develops its first campaign for Mohegan Sun—its largest account with revenue estimated at $2 million. The shop won the business in February.
Before landing the casino account, PI&C primarily handled strategic and creative projects for companies such as Samsung, Morgans Hotel Group and Colavita olive oil. And while its staff has grown to about 25 amid the recent wins, PI&C's collective model depends on partnerships with specialty shops such as T.A.G. (production services), Naked (communications strategy) and Horizon Media.
"We bring together the best people that money can buy," Wnek said of the approach, adding, "It doesn't force clients into something they'll never use.


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Massive Attack Music •4.7/5
English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol by Robert "3D"...
Hans Zimmer Music •4.8/5
German film score composer and record producer.
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text:
Q: Disabling VisualStates in code behind - WP8 How can I disable VisualState animations on ListBox in code behind? I've created Selected and Unselected VisualState storyboard animation for ListBoxItem but when my ListBox ItemsSource changes ListBox Selected and Unselected animation is performed (I think all items get selected and unselected for a second automatically).
EDIT:
Found workaround solution - if you're getting Selected and Unselected animations on items source changing you can use it. Seems like this automated selection changes doesn't even raise SelectionChanged event.
public class ListBoxSelectedFoldersAnimationBehaviour : Behavior<ListBox>
{
    protected override void OnAttached()
    {
        base.OnAttached();
        AssociatedObject.SelectionChanged += ListBoxOnSelectionChanged;
    }

    protected override void OnDetaching()
    {
        base.OnDetaching();
        AssociatedObject.SelectionChanged -= ListBoxOnSelectionChanged;
    }

    private void ListBoxOnSelectionChanged(object sender, SelectionChangedEventArgs selectionChangedEventArgs)
    {
        foreach (var item in selectionChangedEventArgs.AddedItems)
        {
            var listBoxItem = AssociatedObject.ItemContainerGenerator.ContainerFromItem(item) as ListBoxItem;
            if (listBoxItem != null)
                SetItemSelectedAnimation(listBoxItem);
        }

        foreach (var item in selectionChangedEventArgs.RemovedItems)
        {
            var listBoxItem = AssociatedObject.ItemContainerGenerator.ContainerFromItem(item) as ListBoxItem;
            if (listBoxItem != null) // listboxitem can be null after removing item from ListBox.ItemsSource
                SetItemUnselectedAnimation(listBoxItem);
        }
    }

    private void SetItemSelectedAnimation(ListBoxItem item)
    { // sample opacity animation
        var storyboard = new Storyboard();
        var fadeOutAnimation = new DoubleAnimation()
        {
            EasingFunction = new CubicEase() { EasingMode = EasingMode.EaseOut },
            Duration = new Duration(TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(200)),
            From = 1.0,
            To = 0.6
        };
        storyboard.Children.Add(fadeOutAnimation);
        Storyboard.SetTarget(storyboard, item);
        Storyboard.SetTargetProperty(storyboard, new PropertyPath(ListBoxItem.OpacityProperty));
        storyboard.Begin();
    }

    private void SetItemUnselectedAnimation(ListBoxItem item)
    { // sample opacity animation
        var storyboard = new Storyboard();
        var fadeInAnimation = new DoubleAnimation()
        {
            EasingFunction = new CubicEase() { EasingMode = EasingMode.EaseIn },
            Duration = new Duration(TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(200)),
            From = 0.6,
            To = 1.0
        };
        storyboard.Children.Add(fadeInAnimation);
        Storyboard.SetTarget(storyboard, item);
        Storyboard.SetTargetProperty(storyboard, new PropertyPath(ListBoxItem.OpacityProperty));
        storyboard.Begin();
    }
}

xaml:
<Page xmlns:i="clr-namespace:System.Windows.Interactivity;assembly=System.Windows.Interactivity"
      xmlns:classNamespace="clr-namespace:YourProjectName.NamespaceOfBehaviourClass">
...

<ListBox>
    <i:Interaction.Behaviors>
        <classNamespace:ListBoxSelectedFoldersAnimationBehaviour/>
    </i:Interaction.Behaviors>
</ListBox>

I haven't checked does it leaks memory yet (cause i'm not stopping storyboards) so keep that in mind.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A new tool has been released in the past few days that will likely be a lot of help in proofing the code that goes.
CSSLint checks CSS (cascading style sheet) code. CSS is how you control the formatting of a webpage or ebook. It won't tell you what code works in Epub or Kindle, but it will point out the typos and other basic errors.
Before you use them, please keep something in mind. These tools will only check your code for errors. They cannot tell if if the code will do what you want. That's much more complicated and usually requires some degree of trial and error.
They're also web based, so you'll need to copy and paste your code before running the tools.


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Pour boiling water over tea bag in your cup or teapot (1 bag per cup) and infuse for 5 – 7 minutes. If you prefer, sweeten with sugar or honey.


text:
Maritime Database
Shipping and maritime industry companies and information
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Naval Officer Ranks
FEMAS
Training the Trainer to Keep Knowledge Afloat
Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding invests to maintain its skilled workforce. Shipbuilding, like other industries that rely on a skilled workforce, faces a serious problem: an alarming "knowledge loss" in the area of specialized machining.
Chesapeake Section Members Visit Naval Academy —Paper On Floating Nuclear Power Plants Presented
The April meeting of the Chesapeake Section of The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers included a tour of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., and a technical session at which the "External Effects Considerations in
Offshore Floatel To Accommodate 600 Workers
The first purpose-built accommodation platform in the world, ordered by Consafe Offshore AB of Goteborg, was recently named Safe Astoria at Gotaverken Cityvarvet, Goteborg, Sweden. The Safe Astoria was named by Mrs. Lorraine Henderson, wife of J.
R.L. Lanier Elected Vice President At Martin Logicon Energy
The board of directors of Martin Logicon Energy Company of Pine Bluff and North Little Rock, Ark., recently announced the election of Roger L. Lanier as vice president of Martin Logicon Energy Company, Martin Terminals Company, and Logicon, Inc.
Overview Of Coast Guard's Fiscal Year 1991 Request
As tensions ease abroad, the U.S. Coast Guard's role in defense readiness increases in importance. In addition, the service has a central role in several of the most crucial topics facing the U.S. today—marine safety, oil spill prevention and drug smuggling.
Minimizing the risk of a water-borne or delivered terrorist attack is no small responsibility. Maritime Reporter visited recently with U.S. Coast Guard LCDR Stephen M. Midas. Chief, Planning and Risk Management Department, Marine Safety Office Hampton Roads, for some insights.
New Service Frees Ships From Hostile Situations
Vessel Extractions LLC (VessEx) has launched a service to free ships from hostile situations and sail them to safety. Although the company focuses on repossessing ships for mortgagees, it also assists owners whose ships have been seized, detained, abandoned or stolen.
75-Page Book On How To Survive Abandoning Ship Offered By Viking
Having the right safety equipment aboard is the most effective way of reducing the life-threatening aspects of abandoning ship at sea. Add a thorough knowledge of survival techniques and the possibilities of living to tell about such an adventure increase dramatically.
U.S. Maritime Operations Cited For Outstanding Safety Records
Some two dozen United States maritime enterprises, including operators of ocean tankers, general cargoliner vessels, stevedoring and marine terminal facilities, towboats and military ships and shipyards were cited for outstanding records in industry safety.
A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PASSENGER VESSEL OWNERS
Public policy was the focus of the National Association of Passenger Vessel Owners' (NAPVO) activities in 1988. Led by a newly appointed Public Policy Committee, the association addressed several important issues relating to marine transportation.
roll-on/roll-off RoPax ROV royal RS safety sales satellite satellite navigation Security senior
© 2020 Maritime Activity Reports, Inc. | links


text:
Start Over You searched for: Date 1938 ✖Remove constraint Date: 1938
1. Comunitatea Israelită a Templului coral din Bucureşti
High Holiday seating ticket for the Templul Coral (Choral Temple) in Bucharest, including a black-and-white illustration of the synagogue's exterior. The synagogue is a replica of the Leopoldstädter Tempel in Vienna.
2. Charleston Yearbook, 1938
A report from the mayor, city council, and various governmental departments of Charleston, S.C. for the year 1938. ??The Year Book opens with an address from the mayor, Henry W. Lockwood, followed by reports from various departments.
3. Firenze - Il tempio Israelitico
Black-and-white photographic postcard of the exterior of the Great Synagogue in Florence.
4. Lučenec--Synagoga.
Black-and-white photographic postcard of the exterior of the synagogue in Lučenec.
5. Book Lovers' Club, Thirty-First Annual Program, 1938
Book Lovers' Club's Thirty-First Annual Program.
6. [Der ewige Jude]
Postcard with a black-and-white photograph of the building housing Der ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew), a Nazi exhibition of degenerate art held in Vienna in 1938.
7. Lwów. Synagoga Złotej Róży.
Black-and-white photographic postcard of the exterior of the Golden Rose Synagogue in Lviv.
8. Warszawa. Synagoga. / Varsovie. Sinagogue.
Black-and-white postcard of the exterior of the Great Synagogue of Warsaw.
9. 219. Family Tree -- 1938
Marshall - Chanler family tree
10. Portrait photograph of Gertrude Legendre
Black-and-white portrait photograph of Gertrude Legendre taken by George Platt Lynes for a 1938 Harper's Bazaar article.
13. Plantations, Chicora Wood
18. Monthly Report for the Coming Street Y.W.C.A., June and July 1938
Monthly Report for the Coming Street Y.W.C.A. for June and July 1938.
19. Committee of Management for 1938, Coming Street Y.W.C.A.
List of officers for the Committee of Management for the Coming Street Y.W.C.A. for 1938.
20. Der ewige Jude
Postcard with a color reproduction of a poster for Der ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew), a Nazi exhibition of degenerate art held in Vienna in 1938.
21. Looking South on Church Street After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of Church Street, looking south from the corner of Broad Street at 49 Broad (right foreground), showing the scene on the street after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938. Fallen tree lies across the street; debris and water cover the street. Onlookers are on the street. 105 Church and 107 Church can also be seen.
22. 19 King Street After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of Lamboll Street elevation of 19 King Street [Thomas Lamboll House] after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the piazzas and roof. Men are standing on the roof.
23. City Hall After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of City Hall after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. Men stand on the landing at the entry to the building.
24. St. Michael's Church After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of St. Michael's Church after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the steeple.
25. Overturned Car at 57 Broad Street After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of an overturned car in front of 57 Broad Street, after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938.
26. The National City Bank of New York
Work on paper, 47.5cm x 24cm. A sketch of a suggested marquee for the National City Bank of New York at 9 West 51st Street, New York, New York for Walker & Gillette Architects.
27. "Y.W.C.A. and Girl Reserves Notes.," 1938
Y.W.C.A. and Girl Reserves Notes regarding upcoming Committee of Management meetings.
28. Wooden Building After the 1938 Tornado
Photograph of wooden building demolished by the first tornado of September 29, 1938. The photograph is marked with a small green X to show the location of the body of a man killed by the tornado. Handwritten on back of photo: "1st tornado came in by Battery near Miller's junk yard - Laurence [Laurens?] Street. This shed is on top of small Negro house. The Negro was dead when found. Sept. 29, '38."
29. Demolished Warehouse on Concord Street After the 1938 Tornado
Photograph of the Viohl Hay & Grain warehouse demolished by the tornado of September 29, 1938. Located at the northwest corner of Vendue Range and Concord Street (address 14 Vendue Range). Portion of the building across the street can be seen at left. Steeple of St. Michael's Church in the distance at right. Handwritten on back of photo: "Taken in front of the Clyde Line Steam Ship Co. on Concord Street. Vohls Grain Place. Tornado - Sept. 29, 1938. In distance is St. Michael's Church steeple."
30. I.M. Pearlstine Building After the 1938 Tornado
Photograph of the I.M. Pearlstine Building (203 East Bay Street), located on the southwest corner of East Bay Street and Street, after the tornado of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. Also shows 205 East Bay Street, located on the northwest corner of East Bay and Cumberland. "Bay City" heavy equipment vehicle (excavator?) parked in front of building. Pedestrian and a street worker walking on the sidewalk; repairman on the utility pole on the street corner.
31. Plantations, Harrietta
34. Plantations, Otranto Plantation
35. Silcox Center
Cornerstone of the Willard A. Silcox Physical Education and Health Center, 20 George St. Built in 1939 as a WPA project, it served as the Athletic Center until 1985.
36. Looking West on Broad Street After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of Broad Street, looking west, showing the scene on the street after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938. South side of the 60 block of Broad Street in foreground; St. Michael's Church and the Charleston County Courthouse in the background. Onlookers and vehicles are on the street.
37. Fiddlers Green Dwellings After the 1938 Tornado
Photograph showing several dwellings in Fiddlers Green damaged or destroyed by the tornado of 1938. Handwritten on back of photo: "1st tornado hit Fiddlers Green, Negro section by Ashley Bridge, Hilly Street [should be Lilly Street], Sept. 29, '38."
38. Fishburne Street House After the 1938 Tornado
Photograph of a house on Fishburne Street demolished by the tornado of 1938. Neighboring house in view at left. (Both houses would have been on the north side of the 200 block of Fishburne Street.) Handwritten on back of photo: "2nd tornado on Fishburne Street near President Street. Demolished about 60 houses here. This 2nd tornado damage about $6,000,000. 300 houses condemned. Sept. 29, '38."
Pencil on paper, 28.5cm x 36cm. Sketch of the exterior of the National City Bank of New York featuring trees and people.
41. Charleston County Courthouse After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of the Charleston County Courthouse after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. View of the corner elevation (Meeting Street and Broad Street). People who are standing inside the building at the second and third story windows can be seen. To the left of the Courthouse, the Hebrew Orphanage (88 Broad Street) is also in view.
42. Church Street Store After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of a commercial building on a Church Street corner after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. Probably located at the corner of Church and North Market Street or South Market Street. Onlookers stand on sidewalk.
43. Washington Square Park After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of Washington Square Park after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing debris and fallen trees in the foreground; Washington Light Infantry monument in the middle; and the Meeting Street fire tower and Chalmers Street buildings in the background.
Photograph of City Hall after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. Infantry patrolmen and other men stand in front of building.
Photograph of St. Michael's Church after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the roof and the steeple.
Photograph of St. Michael's Church after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building.
47. Wreckage of Calvary Baptist Church After the 1938 Tornado
Photograph of the wreckage of the Calvary Baptist Church, an African-American church demolished by the tornado of September 29, 1938. Located at the corner of Sumter Street and Ashley Avenue; address may have been 387 Sumter Street. Handwritten on back of photo: "Old Negro church on Sumter Street, corner of Ashley Avenue. This was done by second tornado that hit 2 miles from the other one. Sept. 29, 1938."
48. I.M. Pearlstine Building After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of the I.M. Pearlstine Building on Cumberland Street, located between East Bay and State Street, after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. Portion of signage is visible at the right of the photograph, "I.M." and "Budwe[iser]"; signage for "Rex" is also on building (at left). Onlookers stand among the debris on the street.
49. First Scots Presbyterian Church After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of First Scots Presbyterian Church [57 Meeting Street] after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. The Nathaniel Russell House can be seen in the background. Cars are parked on the street in front of the church.
50. Ruins on King Street After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of the ruins of a building on King Street after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938. Shows the debris of a completely demolished structure and the damaged roof of the neighboring building. Based on newspaper accounts, this is probably the site of the Rectory of the Church of the Sacred Heart at King and Huger Streets. Three men stand on the sidewalk facing the debris; other men are standing on a pile of debris.
51. Market Street After the 1938 Tornadoes
Looking east on Market Street after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the Market Sheds in ruins. A damaged car is parked along side of the debris. The Old Church of the Redeemer can be seen in the background.
52. 38-42 South Battery After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of 38 South Battery and 40 South Battery [Frederick Heinz Houses] and a portion of 42 South Battery, after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the houses.
Photograph 19 King Street [Thomas Lamboll House] after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the house. King Street elevation.
Onlookers stand by piles of debris on Market Street after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938.
55. Plantations, Fenwick Hall
Photograph of City Hall after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. Two trucks, including an Automatic Grocery truck, are parked in front of building. Onlookers are on the sidewalk in front of building; men stand at doorways and windows.
60. United Fruit Company Dock After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of the United Fruit Company dock after the September 29, 1938, tornadoes. (Based on Sanborn Maps, the dock was located at the foot of Laurens Street, Southern Railway Pier 2.)
61. Timrod Hotel After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of the Timrod Hotel [ca. 101 Meeting Street], after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. View of the hotel looking north on Meeting Street (southeast elevation). Infantry patrolmen stand on sidewalk by a car. Signage for Byars Drug Store is on the south elevation. [Note: The hotel was later demolished in the 1960s.]
62. Looking East on Broad Street After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of Broad Street, looking east at the 60 block, showing the scene on the street after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938. The Daniel Ravenel House (68 Broad Street), the Confederate Home, and the People's Building can be seen at the right; the Old Exchange Building is visible in the background. Onlookers, cars, and a person riding a bicycle are on the street.
Photograph of the Timrod Hotel [ca. 101 Meeting Street], after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. East elevation. Men are sitting on the second story piazza ledge. Men stand on the sidewalk by a truck that is carrying debris. [Note: The hotel was later demolished in the 1960s.]
Looking northwest on Market Street from the U.S. Custom House on East Bay Street, after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing damaged and ruined Market Sheds. Also shows the damaged buildings on North Market Street. Onlookers and cars are in the street. Partial view of ca. 225 East Bay Street (now gone) is on the left.
65. Sing Lee Laundry (133 King Street) After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of the Sing Lee Laundry (133 King Street) after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the building. Signs for the Robbins Bros. Circus (on Sept. 26) are posted in the windows.
66. Ruins of 45 State Street After the 1938 Tornadoes
Photograph of the ruins of a building, after the September 29, 1938, tornadoes. Based on newspaper accounts, it is probably the site of 45 State Street. Infantry patrolman stands in foreground.
67. Avery Cheerleader
Photograph of Cynthia "Cinny" McCottry, an Avery cheerleader, dressed in her uniform which is embellished with a large "A" on the chest. Cinny is posed in front of a backdrop of the night sky with stars and a large half moon with a face.
76. Mathilde Mondschein
Aunt of Martha Bauer. According to Martha's 2000 letter to Eileen Chepenik, the exact fate of her aunt is unknown.
78. Joe and Peseach Engel (brother), Zakroczym, Poland, 1938
Photograph of 11-year old Joe Engel (left) with his 9-year old brother Peseach (Psach) taken in Zakroczym, Poland in 1938. Peseach would not survive the war. Photograph also appeared in a Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) article dated April 23, 1998.
79. Engel family portrait, Zakroczym, Poland, 1938
Engel family photograph taken in a garden in Zakroczym, Poland in 1938 shortly before his aunt and cousin, Ruth and Fay Kadish, left for the states. Of the family members shown in the photograph only Joe, Ben Engel (brother), Irene Engel (sister) and Ruth and Fay Kadish would survive the war. Photograph also appeared in a Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) article dated April 23, 1998. 1st row, left to right: Joe Engel,__Bernstein (nephew, son of Rosa Bernstein),__Bernstein (nephew, Rosa's son),Peseach Engel (brother),Fay Kadish (cousin),__Engel (nephew, son of Raffi),Esther Engel (mother, nee Zylberstin),Chava Engel (sister-in-law, wife of Raffi). 2nd row, left to right: Hinda Engel (sister),Abraham Bernstein (brother-in-law, husband of Rosa),Rosa Bernstein (sister),__Engel (nephew, baby boy of Raffi's),Moishe Engel (father),Ben Engel (brother),Ruth Kadish (aunt),Raffi Engel (brother),Irene Engel (sister).
Photograph of St. Michael's Church after the tornadoes of September 29, 1938, showing the damage done to the roof.
83. Fennie Hamel-DeVries, Abraham Hamel, and Dientje Krant, 1938
This 1938 photograph was taken at Dientje Krant's grandparents' home in Hilversum. Pictured, left to right: Fennie Hamel-DeVries, Dientje's maternal grandmother; Dientje Krant; Abraham Hamel, Dientje's uncle.
84. Dientje Krant and Jacob Hamel, 1938
This 1938 photograph was taken at Dientje's grandparents' home in Hilversum. It shows Dientje Krant with her maternal grandfather, Jacob Hamel.
85. Frances A. Robb Photograph Album
1940, 1938, and 1939
A photograph album created by William Muckenfuss for Mrs. Frances A. Robb, in the 1940s. Album contains photographs of various Charleston buildings, houses, landmarks, sites, events, battleships, and people as well as other Lowcountry places. Mrs. Robb lived on Wentworth Street and several photographs are of her home and neighborhood.
86. Plantations, Archdale Hall
94. Plantations, Arundel
100. Plantations, Chicora Wood
Charleston Museum Plantation Photographs48
1938 Tornado Photograph Collection37
William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection - Postcards8
Gertrude Sanford Legendre Papers, 1844-19966
College of Charleston Buildings and Grounds Photograph Collection3
Dientje Krant Kalisky Adkins Photographs, 1938-19963
The Joseph Mordecai Hirschmann Collection3
YWCA of Greater Charleston, Inc., Records, 1906 - 20073
Joe Engel Papers, 1938-20062
Martha Mondschein Bauer Papers, 1940-20012
The Charleston Museum Archives48
Historic Charleston Foundation39
College of Charleston Libraries32
Plantations -- South Carolina48
Tornado damage--South Carolina--Charleston37
Dinners and dining23
Meetings23
Gardens20
Historic buildings--South Carolina--Charleston16
Persons16
Lost architecture--South Carolina--Charleston15
Porches13
Folding chairs10
more Subject (Topic) »
Low Country51
Charleston (S.C.)--Buildings, structures, etc.40
Charleston County (S.C.)27
Harrietta Plantation (S.C.)24
Georgetown County (S.C.)16
Chicora Wood Plantation (S.C.)13
Charleston (S.C.)7
Dorchester County (S.C.)4
Johns Island (S.C.)3
Vienna (Austria)3
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1938✖[remove]124
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Set of 4 leg extensions fit on the Neater Feeder Medium Deluxe. They will add an additional 2.5" to the height of the feeder, raising the feeding height (at the rim of the bowl) from 5" to 7.5".
Medium Leg extensions also compatible with the Neater Pets Big Bowl.
Please note these do not fit the Neater Feeder Express or the Giant Bowl.


Featuring the top 10 sales from the Mecum auction.
A look at 10 of the best Corvettes to be sold at Mecum Auction.
Counting down the top 10 exotics to run through Mecum.
The best collection of drag race cars up for sale.
A look at the top Fords and Shelbys to come across the Mecum block.
The top 10 motorcycle sales from auction.
Cataloging the best GM cars to hit the Mecum auction block.
The 10 most preeminent Mopars to ever hit the gavel at Mecum.
The top 10 Chevrolet sales from auction.
The meanest and baddest street rods to roll through Mecum.
A look at the most exquisite pre-war cars to be sold at the Mecum auction.
A look at the 10 best trucks to come across the block at Mecum.
The 10 restomods that define the category.
The most elegant cars to ever be sold at Mecum Auction.
Mecum Top 10 on YouTube TV.