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Post by MagdaFR on Apr 4, 2021 17:08:11 GMT
The Australian critics helped raise the tomatometer. Now, I've been searching news on the boxoffice and apparently it isn't showing anymore?
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Post by roverpup on Apr 4, 2021 17:49:00 GMT
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Post by MagdaFR on Apr 4, 2021 19:18:56 GMT
Good! When I look at boxofficemojo it wasn't there or in The Numbers weekend's chart.
Not going to open new thread on this, but could you believe that Matthew Goode is almost two years younger than BC? Yesterday was his 43rd birthday. I thought he was at least two years older than BC!
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Post by sgev1977 on Apr 4, 2021 23:46:50 GMT
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Post by mllemass on Apr 11, 2021 20:48:20 GMT
These are just a few thoughts about the movie, so not really a review. I won’t say anything about the plot that hasn’t already been made public.
Even though I already had a good idea of what was going to happen, I was genuinely afraid for Greville Wynne. I think the movie did such a great job drawing us into his life that we start to experience what he’s experiencing. I found myself holding my breath for a lot of the movie. I can imagine that most viewers will know very little about the real story, so they will feel even more afraid for Greville than I was. Maybe that’s not a huge thing, but I’ve been disappointed so many times by the show/movies I’ve watched lately because I just don’t care about the characters.
I love the music they used. I often don’t even notice the music in movies, but this was really good.
I had read many complaints that his wife’s character didn’t have much to do, but she was in a lot more of the movie than I was expecting. She was excellent, as were all the actors.
I totally believed the friendship between Greville and Oleg Penkovsky. And you have to believe it to understand the decisions they make.
The scene in prison near the end, where we see just how skinny he’s become, really is startling. We’ve seen Benedict skinny before, in the early Sherlock episodes, but he was younger then. Now, though, the older thinner skin on his face seems like it’s stretched over his cheekbones. I found myself wondering what Sophie and the rest of his family thought about him losing so much weight.
I will try watching it again tomorrow.
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Post by mllemass on Apr 13, 2021 3:38:26 GMT
I just watched it again. Just like with anything else Benedict is in, the first viewing is just for looking at him. I was able to catch a lot more this time. It’s so good! And he’s so good!
I waited until it was dark to watch it this time, so the room was in total darkness. It helped a lot because so many scenes were in darkness and they were a bit difficult to see in a sunny room.
I’ve been watching The Americans for the past few weeks, which I’m enjoying, so some of the spy stuff was the same. One spy thing I don’t understand is the chalk mark the spy puts on a fence post or mail box. They do that in The Americans all the time, too. And then, in the next scene they’re meeting secretly with someone. But how was that chalk mark a signal for someone to meet you somewhere? I would make a terrible spy!
It occurred to me that we had another behind-the-scenes photo of Benedict that wasn’t in the movie. There’s a photo of him in a phone booth (as part of an article in EW) but the movie doesn’t have that scene.
I am hoping to watch it one final time, if it allows me!
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Reviews
Apr 13, 2021 12:06:09 GMT
via mobile
Post by roverpup on Apr 13, 2021 12:06:09 GMT
About the chalk mark: From Wikipedia:
"A dead drop or dead letter box is a method of espionage tradecraft used to pass items or information between two individuals (e.g., a case officer and an agent, or two agents) using a secret location. By avoiding direct meetings, individuals can maintain operational security."...
"Spies and their handlers have been known to perform dead drops using various techniques to hide items (such as money, secrets or instructions) and to signal that the drop has been made. Although the signal and location by necessity must be agreed upon in advance, the signal may or may not be located close to the dead drop itself. The operatives may not necessarily know one another or ever meet."...
"The location and nature of the dead drop must enable retrieval of the hidden item without the operatives being spotted by a member of the public, the police, or other security forces—therefore, common everyday items and behavior are used to avoid arousing suspicion. Any hidden location could serve, although often a cut-out device is used, such as a loose brick in a wall, a (cut-out) library book, or a hole in a tree."
"Signaling devices can include a chalk mark on a wall, a piece of chewing gum on a lamppost, or a newspaper left on a park bench. Alternatively, the signal can be made from inside the agent's own home, by, for example, hanging a distinctively-colored towel from a balcony, or placing a potted plant on a window sill where it is visible to anyone on the street."
So the chalk mark is part of a prearranged signal system that the two operatives use to say (in an inconspicuous way) "The drop has been made." or "The message has been passed." or "The meeting has been arranged." etc. It's an incognito way of communicating. Not so obvious to draw a lot of public attention and yet obvious enough to someone who knew enough to be looking for it. It also wasn't naturally occurring, so it had to be purposely put there. And something like a chalk mark could be removed easily until it was time again to signal once more.
In the Watergate investigation Bob Woodward left out a flowerpot with a flag in it on his balcony when he wanted to signal to Deep Throat that he wanted to meet with him in the parking garage that night.
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Post by MagdaFR on Apr 13, 2021 13:17:16 GMT
I’ve been watching The Americans for the past few weeks, which I’m enjoying, so some of the spy stuff was the same. The Americans is so good!
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Post by mllemass on Apr 13, 2021 16:27:40 GMT
Thanks for the explanation of the spy chalk mark! I was able to catch on about a lot of the signalling things they do in the Americans, but the calk thing had me baffled, and then they did it in The Courier, too.
I guess the jobs of spies got a lot easier when computers and cell phones came out!
(By far, my favourite thing about The Americans is the how they change their appearance. It’s hard to believe that a wig, glasses and clothing can make people look so different!)
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Reviews
Apr 14, 2021 14:47:03 GMT
via mobile
Post by sgev1977 on Apr 14, 2021 14:47:03 GMT
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