In this day and age, it seems that if you blink you might miss something, especially when it comes to technology. Growing up in the computer age, it is amazing to see where it has gone, from a little green screen that had games that you could only navigate with an arrow button, to what the gaming machines are capable of doing now with life like graphics. But this is not the only technology that is being changed, as Artificial Intelligence is really coming to light and while I am not a 100% behind this, it is amazing to see what happens when a machine can speak for itself. I just hope there are boundaries as to what these machines are able to do, because even though the first rule of robotics is ‘A robot may not injure a human being’, it seems like Skynet has other plans for the human race when it gains enough momentum. 
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After another successful robbery, the nameless leader of an all woman biker gang finds an out of the way bar for her cohorts to sit and gather their bearings. With everything going according to plan, they are four hours from the Mexican border and as long as nothing goes wrong, they will be able to avoid the police and make their escape to a world full of margaritas and pool boys. Letting off some steam and playing some foosball, the hot-headed Layla is greeted by one of the locals who wants more from the ladies than they are willing to give. With the situation dying down a bit, the local does the unmentionable and gives her hind end a squeeze and Layla unleashes her wrath upon him.

With guns drawn on the robbers and locals sides, the women make a strange discovery that the local that was just gunned down is not a person, but a robot of some sort. Watching as all of the locals are shut down to allow them to leave, the women take a bit too long and the order to terminate them comes across the robot’s mouths. Dismantling all of the robots inside the bar comes at a small cost as one of the robbers is hit, but not knowing what awaits them outside may prove to be more costly. Being able to take out the leader robots and spitting up to make their escape, Lady takes one half of the women, while the other half prepares to leave being led by Gretchen, but that does not go according to plan.

Being captured by the fake police force, Gretchen and her ladies are introduced to the mastermind behind the strange robot town. Listening to the disgraced Doctor Elliot Davros expose his plan of world domination, the ladies are trapped in the robotics lab with evil genius, unless of course Lady and the other half of the team are able to find them before time runs out. While waiting to see what the other half will do, Doctor Davros is ready to see how advanced his new breed of robots are and transfers the consciousness of Gretchen into a machine. Watching to see how her friends react, especially to see if they will notice a difference in the robot clone, Davros has no idea who he is dealing with as Lady is able to pull in some personal favors in order to get her crew back.

Well, if you are looking for a movie that has some great female characters and plenty of action, this is one that you do not want to miss. The groups when separated are the best, but the robots that are chasing them are pretty great as well. With one hench-robot being able to withstand much more abuse than the other versions, it was great watching him being taken out. The character interactions in this movie were great as well, especially between Lady and Layla who seem to have a couple of different opinions about what is going on. With plenty of gun fire, some cash in a bag, a town full of robots, an evil genius, some well supplied friends and a finale that is one for the ages, this movie will make you think twice about the benefits of artificial intelligence and what it can really bring. Happy Viewing.

I can only imagine how difficult it is for writers, director and actors to bring a proper President of the United States to life on the silver screen, and I say that, simply because, if you’re going to have a film that makes POTUS the main character, you absolutely, positively have to get it right, or the audience simply won’t buy what they’re seeing in the slightest. Because we all have an image of what is presidential in our mind and I honestly think the pressure that comes with putting together the perfect president is why we see so few films where the commander-in-chief serves as the focus of the story.
 
But once in a while, Hollywood finds a way to get it right and we are treated to a motion picture where the president is the character that reflects the best parts of the office. But for the most part, POTUS is usually an afterthought in cinema, usually appearing in films where his commentary is required when it comes to a massive disaster, or he’s featured in a story that parodies the office, or the character is just there for show. But of the many films that feature the leader of the free world, there’s one that I revisit often, simply because it always manages to suck me in, despite the fact that it shouldn’t due to its outlandish plot in Air Force One.
 
Now, in this particular film we are introduced to President James Marshall, who wants nothing more than a secure and safe world, one that allows for everyone to prosper, and when the opportunity arises to capture a rogue Russian General who wants nothing more than to return the Soviet Union to its former glory, he takes it and unfortunately for the president, his push to make the world a better place has some unintended consequences. For on a return flight home from Moscow, a group of men who are loyal to the now captured General Radek have plans to secure his release by hijacking Air Force One and now it will be up to President Marshall to save the plane, his family and the world from this dedicated and terrifying group of radical mad men. 

​So, if that plot seems incredibly outlandish and over the top, you’re one hundred percent correct. But that is precisely what happens in this motion picture, terrorists manage to hijack the world’s most secure plane and the President has to kick their ass to retake it and well, as cheesy and ridiculous as that sounds, this is that kind of motion picture that you simply cannot look away from because it manages to suck you in with some slick actions sequences. But obviously, action and adventure can only take a film so far and really, what sells this movie is its all-star cast and oddly enough, surprisingly noble ideals.
 
Because how can one go wrong with watching Gary Oldman do his thing since he plays Ivan Korshunov, the leader of this band of terrorists and he brings a terrifying zest and zeal to the role that only he can and he is counterbalanced nicely by Harrison Ford who plays President Marshall and really, Ford is in his element here since he does a fine job of bringing an everyman feel to the office of the President, and of course, his character does a fantastic job of dispensing freedom with his fists in this flick and oddly enough, it’s seeing a fictional sitting president kicking terrorist ass and watching people rally around his plight that makes this movie so enjoyable because it’s surprisingly uplifting. 
 
But, make no mistake about it, there’s no deeper meaning to be found in this motion picture. It’s simply a kick ass ride, one where you get to hear Harrison Ford spout some fine one liners and one where you see the bad guys get their just desserts and well, you simply cannot go wrong with a popcorn flick such as this and as an added bonus, it also features a magnificent score from the late Jerry Goldsmith that leaves your spirits soaring with its unique Americana feel and well, this one is plain fun and if you haven’t seen it, I highly encourage you to do so because there’s nothing wrong with killing a couple of hours of your day by watching POTUS backhand some bad dudes. 

When thinking about the end of the world, most people tend to think about an asteroid striking the planet or nuclear destruction, but there is one other that seems to pass through their minds, a flood. While there is little to nothing that people can do to stop the first two, a flood can be survived as long as there is a boat big enough to survive the initial impact. After that, with enough supplies, those on the boat, or ark, will be able to wait out the flooding until the water decides to recede. Hoping that there is something in the works for this would be nice, mainly because it seems like the world is getting warmer by the year and the polar caps are melting at a record rate, so this might actually be something that could happen in our lifetime.
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Getting pulled away from his work by his fiancé for a few minutes, John is happy that he is about to be starting a family with Tessa, even though the world might be falling apart at that time. But looking to the mountains, the storm that has been flooding other countries is just over the horizon and it seems to be arriving sooner than expected. Getting into the briefing room and finding that the storm is increasing at a faster rate than previously noted, it is time to work double time on his turbine that will power the ark based on water flow and motion, allowing for the boat to have unlimited power after the flood takes over the entire planet. 

With the timeline of the storm’s arrival shortening by the minute, Tessa has a worry of her own and needs to get the DNA samples onto the ark before they are lost forever. Pleading with the Admiral about what needs to be done, Tessa is sent on a mission to recover the bare essentials that will be needed to sustain life on the planet after the storm subsides. With her military escort, Tessa is able to get a majority of what the world will need, but the extraction is cut short as the storm continues to worsen. Dropping one of the rescue tubes that contained half of the samples needed, Tessa knows that the human race will be wiped out in a matter of years after things return to normal. Knowing that the fate of the human race is in her hands, Tessa decides to risk it all to get one last sample that will ensure that life on the planet will not be forced to suffer anymore after the storm subsides.

With time not on his side, John and his assistant are continuing their work on the turbine, but hit a snag when one portion of it burns out. Needing to get a replacement part from a marina states away, John is trying his hardest to remain on the up and up, but that is continuing to get more difficult when the timeline keeps accelerating. Getting the engine up and running and installed into the ark becomes a priority, but as news of other ark stations being overtaken by the flooding arrives, he is forced to worry about Tessa as well. In a race against time, getting the late designs for the engines out to the other ark locations may be the difference between life and death, but their push might also be detrimental to the survival of life on the planet.

Just one of those crazy disaster flicks that people hate to love. The thing that I think I liked most about it was the narrative that everyone who had a chance were gone and that the last ark to be hit with the flooding was the last chance for any type of survival. I know that seems pretty bleak, but it worked well for the story, mainly because everyone needed to stay focused on the task at hand, since the clock was far from their friend. With the oceans rising, an unrelenting storm, some giant ships, plenty of flooding, science type stuff, the need for bees, the need for moths and the need to remain human in the face of being eradicated from the face of the planet, this movie really has it all and while some of the parts may be a little outlandish, I now believe that insects are important to human survival, so I will avoid trying to step on all of them. Happy Viewing.

Shae's Review
I'm not familiar with the book series, or the author, admittedly. But my dad is a huge Tom Clancy fan, so when this novel was revamped into a movie, we had to go see it. Plus, Chris Pine and Keira Knightley!? Yeah. I'm totally down for this movie. So, the original plot line was made modern for the sake of keeping things relevant and people interested. Ryan is a high school kid when the Twin Towers fall. After that, he goes into the Marines. During a tour and trying to help a kid buckle in on a helicopter, they're shot down. Jack survives but might not be able to walk. Enter Dr. Cathy Muller; the spunky intern who challenges Jack to do better. 

In the end, Jack does end up walking, even running, again. And he and Cathy end up dating. Enter, William Harper (Kevin Costner), who recruits Jack for the CIA. He's placed at a bank to be an analyst, searching for hidden accounts. 

Jack just happens to be a better analyst than anyone ever expected him to be. In his search, Jack reveals a plot by Viktor Chervin; a Russian veteran from Dessert Storm. Viktor has several hidden accounts, all of which he plans to sell and bankrupt the U.S. plummeting it into another Great Depression. Jack decides that he can uncover the rest of the accounts and stop the plot, but he needs to go to Russia and have direct access to the accounts. Harper agrees and sends him there. Only, things don't go so smoothly. Viktor's onto Jack; Cathy show's up. In the end Viktor proves a worthy adversary and Jack's analyst status get's updated to Active Agent.

Viktor kidnaps Cathy and nearly kills her, in an attempt to get the Hard Drive that Jack now has of all their hidden accounts. Thankfully, Jack both delivers the drive to Harper and saves Cathy. All's well that ends well. However, the ending leaves an opening for several possible sequels. Sadly, it looks like those aren't going to happen since they never brought another one out and made it into a series on Amazon, but my favorite Captain (Sorry Shatner and Stewart…) sure was fun to watch in this!

Scotty's Review
In the always changing work industry, you will always be asked to do something that is not your responsibility. This is just a fact of life and having a job that you would like to hold on to, you pretty much always do it without asking a question. When the new tasks start to become too much however, do you start to push back on your employer, saying that it is not your job, or do you simply continue? I have always been a firm believer that you should get paid for what you do and when seeing so many people getting away with doing the bare minimum in their jobs, it frustrates me that they are still allowed to continue, when they could be accomplishing so much more.

​While studying abroad, young Jack Ryan hears the news that rocks his world, the Twin Towers have fallen in New York. Wanting to do his duty for his country, Jack joins the Marines and joins the fight against terrorists, both foreign and domestic. When heading out on patrol, his helicopter is hit with a missile and crashes, but Jack being stronger than his injuries he has enough power to pull all of his fellow Marines to safety from the wreckage. With a broken back, Jack is taken off of the front lines and sent back to the states to be rehabilitated, but there is someone watching him.

Thomas Harper, a C.I.A. operative has been watching Jack through his recovery and wants to bring him in to the business, but as an analyst on Wall Street. Knowing that there is something brewing across the ocean, Harper wants Jack to keep his eyes on anything suspicious having to do with Russian accounts. Jack is placed in a large firm and is able to find a long list of accounts that he is not able to access and reports back to Harper about his findings. Being sent to Russia is the last thing Jack expects as he is just an analyst and has very minimal experience in the field. 

Arriving in Russia, Jack is attacked by the driver that is sent to retrieve him from the airport. Falling back on his training from the Marines, Jack is able to subdue the situation, but needs help from the agency and finds out how quickly they are able to work. Getting to his banking destination to audit the records he was not able to access in the states, Jack finds out that the head of the firm, Viktor Cherevin is not a man to be trifled with and will have to form another plan of attack to view the records. With his fiancé showing up unannounced to check on him, Jack now has the perfect decoy in place to distract Viktor, but will it be enough to get away with both his and his fiancé’s lives?

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit follows Jack Ryan as he grows up following the attack on New York. Knowing that there is always a threat against the United States, the C.I.A. is starting to follow money trails as they know that the U.S. dollar should be falling drastically in the market but is holding its own. Thinking that the Russians are planning something, they enlist Jack’s help in finding out who is behind it and what they are planning. Just being an analyst, Jack thinks that he will be okay with just moving stealthily around the offices but finds out that there is much more to it than that. Becoming a field agent very quickly, Jack has to find a way to see the accounts that he was not able to access while in the states and working on Wall Street. Meeting with the head of the trading firm in Russia, Viktor Cherevin, Jack finds out that he is being followed by more than his own people. Needing to find out what Cherevin’s plan is with his hidden holdings, Jack stumbles upon a plot that is not only time sensitive, but deadly for more than just him and his fiancé Cathy Muller.

This is the fastest paced Jack Ryan movie to date and it is a reboot. One thing that I like about this movie is that it followed the lines of the first movie that came out, The Hunt for Red October, on his military past. The thing I did not like about it were the dates being called out in huge numbers.  Besides that, this is a great re-start to the series and there are plenty of questions that have not been answered and, oh yeah, the action is just fantastic. I liked how the story played out as well, since Jack is suspicious of everyone that he talks to and has to put his trust in someone that may eventually become an enemy in the future. I must admit that I liked the villain in this story as well, probably my favorite one to date as Cherevin has a plan and is willing to stop at nothing to make his country rise to the top of the world power once again. It has some of the original flair from the first movie but is up to date with how the world has changed and shows how technology can be a greater threat than we could ever know. Happy Viewing.

Some people have powerful gut feelings about some situations and they know that if they follow it, it will be right. I am not one of these people, my gut is silly and gets me into more trouble than it is worth, but if I could get it to think the right way, and I might follow it more often. But for those people that listen to their gut and are successful, it is a very powerful trait to have and I envy every one of them. There is nothing better than knowing what is right and what is wrong in a situation before you come involved in it, and knowing right off the bat, well, it seems to be a sixth sense that more people need.

Young C.I.A. analyst Jack Ryan is living his life to the fullest. With the perfect job that requires no field time at all, he is all about having a good time with his co-workers, along with his new girlfriend Cathy Muller. Even though he has not told her the truth about what he really does, the two are quickly falling in love with each other and he will eventually have to spill the beans. Wanting to wait for the perfect time is not an option for Jack however, as the president of Russia falls dead on the steps of his home and a new leader is appointed to the superpower.

Tensions are still running high between the United States and Russia as all of the war games that are played have the same enemies. But the game is about to change as President Nemerov rises to power but does not have any control over his military. Having to take credit for all of his general’s rogue acts of violence, Nemerov needs to find out who he can trust from the old regime, but time is running thin before the U.S. government will step in. Meeting with William Cabot and his traveling partner, Jack Ryan, Nemerov shows that he has power at his fingertips, and tells them to relay the message to the President of the United States that he is in control of his county and to stay out of their affairs, but when the acts of terrorism get to be too much, America will have to prepare for war.

But in Russia, another plot is slowly unfolding that will bring the world to the brink. As a small group of different country men have acquired a nuclear device and are ready to use it on the United States. Not being affiliated with any specific government, they know that the Russians will be blamed for the act and there will be a war that will take out the two nuclear superpowers and leave the world free for them to rule. Being able to transport the device into the United States with no issue, they have found a way to make the world tremble at the fear of nuclear winter when the bomb goes off at a football game. With tensions high between the U.S. and Russia already, it is only a matter of time before the world gets a face lift, unless Jack Ryan can find out who is really behind the attack.

The Sum of All Fears follows C.I.A. analyst Jack Ryan as he is trying to put all of the pieces together when a new leader has risen to power in Russia. Having written a report about the new President Nemerov, Jack feels as if he knows the man personally and wants to make sure that the U.S. government understands what they are up against. But nobody on the President's staff believes what they are hearing when reports arrive of the Russian military are moving into different countries and taking what they want. Nemerov will not deny any of the actions that his military are taking publicly but has requested his rogue commanders be removed for their actions. With tensions running high between the two superpowers, another group is looking to take over the world by having the U.S. and Russia destroy each other with their arsenal of nuclear weapons. Knowing that they will not be found out, the set off an atomic device at a football game in Baltimore. Jack Ryan has to find a way to prove to his government that Nemerov is not behind the attack before all of the silos are warmed up and an attack of apocalyptic nature is unleashed on the world. 

We go back in time with the fourth installment of the Jack Ryan series here. Before he was married, Jack was still doing the same thing, but you can see where he found the passion for his job. Always being asked to give his opinion, but never being listened to, Jack has had to stay with what his gut is telling him to make sure people understand the point he is getting across. This is definitely a frightening story as a bomb goes off on U.S. soil, at a football game nonetheless. Seeing where Jack came from is a nice intro to the series, but I would have wished to have some of his fellow characters, even the names carry over into the series that were brought forth many years prior. I still like the movie and only barely touched the plot lines, as I left John Clark off of the books on this, but he had a great impact in the movie and how the story line ended…with a bang. Happy Viewing.

How far would you go to do something that you believe to be right? Would you break the law if that is what it takes? Or would you depend on the powers that be to take care of it? It is a hard question to ask if you have been wronged at any point and if you feel like the law has let you down when dispensing justice. Trying to determine what the right thing is could prove to be very costly in your life and if you are willing to accept the consequences, would you sacrifice your freedom to ensure that your opinion of justice is done?

C.I.A. analyst Jack Ryan is being thrown to the wolves on Capitol Hill once again. After a yacht has been seized by the Coast Guard belonging to one of the President’s best friends, Ryan has to determine the reason behind the family’s deaths. As Ryan shares his findings on why the travesty has happened, he is sent down to Columbia to take his investigation even further, but his heart is not in it when he loses friends in front of his very eyes. Wanting to expose one of the largest drug cartels in the region, Ryan is thrown into a political mess when he promises that the money the government has given his team will be used to stop the drug trafficking on the South American side, rather than starting a secret war.

John Clark has been given the keys to the kingdom when receiving word that he will be in charge of a secret task force to stop the drug trafficking in Columbia. Being able to recruit his team for the undocumented missions, John has his marks and takes every liberty to end them. But when his tactics are called into question, John knows that there will be more questions about what he is doing but will not stop until his job is completed. When his team is cut off from the resources of the United States government however, he needs to take things into his own hands to ensure that his men are being taken care of and will make it back to the states before they are all killed. Not knowing what kind of man Ryan actually is, John is forced to find out first hand and is pleased with the results. 

The Escobedo drug cartel has been thriving for many years without a hiccup. Ernesto Escobedo has been very happy with his partnership with Felix Cortez, his main advisor, but things are slowly starting to diminish between the two. Felix has a focus of his own that Ernesto has not found out about yet and with a mole in the United States government, Felix is privy to much more information than he is willing to let out. Knowing that the Americans have made their way into Columbia to battle his boss' drug trade, Felix is able to install fear into Ernesto, causing him to make mistakes, but when he finds out that the drug kingpin has made a deal with those that are hunting him, Felix has to take matters into his own hands to ensure his survival, along with the survival of the business.

Clear and Present Danger follows three different stories as you get to see Jack Ryan trying to do what he thinks is best for the country, John Clark as he tries to do what he is being directed to do and Ernesto Escobedo as he is trying to protect what is in his best interest. All three storylines intersect in Columbia where the drugs are being produced and while some are making it out of the country, most are being seized by the American government. Ryan is on his own as his mentor has fallen ill and Ryan is forced to be in the middle of a war that he has funded but is not aware of. With so much anarchy around him, Ryan is forced to come back home, but when he finds out what is really happening in Columbia, he makes himself go back and finish what he started. With enemies on both sides of the fence, Ryan does not know who he can trust, but with his beliefs coming into play, he will do what he thinks is right, no matter the cost.

With the third installment of the Jack Ryan saga, you get to see more of a darker side when it comes how the government may actually work. With so many things being said, without being said, it is hard to follow who the bad guy really is. As the movie progresses you are able to side with the people you think are doing the right thing, but with a President at the helm that does not want to be held accountable for his actions, it might seem to be a more of a fact-based story than you really want to believe. It may be hard to believe that there are secret missions going on in the world that nobody will admit to, but with all of the blacked out pages the government releases to the public, would you really be surprised? This is a great story of one man’s revenge, while there are several others being held in the crossfire when only doing the job they have been assigned to do. Next up, The Sum of All Fears. Happy Viewing.

There are times when people are put into situations where they just choose to watch or walk away. But there are some people that can step up and if there is something happening that is not right, they will make sure to make it right. Although this action is not for everyone, there is no shame in looking for someone else to help out in these situations. If someone is being unjustly hurt for any reason, it is good to know that most people are willing to lend a hand, or at least get someone to intervene. 

While working in the United Kingdom, Jack Ryan and his family are also trying to take in the sights. Even though Ryan has left the C.I.A., he still has a little bit left in the tank of his old self. While walking to meet up with his wife and daughter, Ryan sees a plot unfolding in front of him and even though it is not his job, he steps in. Being able to unarm one of the masked attackers, Ryan subdues all three that are trying to assassinate a member of the royal family. When killing one of the masked men, Ryan feels sorry for his actions, but knows it was the right thing to do at the time.

Being tried in London, Ryan is accused by the opposition for killing an innocent bystander, but that is not what one man is focused on, as Sean Miller is eyeing the old analyst with revenge in his eyes. Returning home, Ryan finds out that his wife is pregnant with their second child, but the good news is short lived as he receives word that Miller has escaped custody. Being told not to worry, Ryan finds that he is being followed around and there might be trouble on the horizon. As Miller and his crew try to kill Ryan and his family, Ryan decides to resume his position at the C.I.A. to find the disgruntled I.R.A. member before he can cause harm to anyone else.

Sean Miller and his disgruntled I.R.A. faction have other plans in store for the crown as they are trying to build up their numbers once again, but Miller is still mourning the loss of his little brother. Blaming Ryan for his death, Miller will stop at nothing to avenge him and when he finds out that the previous attempt on Ryan and his family was unsuccessful, he comes up with another plan. Caring less about what could happen to him, Miller takes control of his men and comes back to America for one final try to end the feud between the two and make things right, but Ryan may have more resources than the Irishman extremist expects. 

The second installment of the Jack Ryan saga and it is a doozy. Just focusing on the main two stories of this one seems to be more than enough, but you still have to recognize that there is still so much more to the story. As Ryan is a very resourceful individual, he is able to fall back on his friends and co-workers for help and advice, but when there is a mad man that cannot be tamed by his own friends and family, there is nothing they can do to help him. I especially liked the Sean Miller aspect of the story as you get to see him battling for power and control of his faction for one reason, to avenge the death of his little brother. Losing respect for his cause and only focusing on this one thing changes him completely and if his friends and brothers are not going to help him accomplish his goal, they are of no use to him and he will leave them in the dust. To date, this is my favorite Jack Ryan movie with a powerful story, great actors and a storyline of revenge that will make you feel the pain of losing a loved one. Next up, Clear and Present Danger. Happy Viewing!

Throughout life you have met at least one person that prides themselves on being right all the time and while it can be annoying, it can also be true. Listening to these people may prove to be more valuable in the long run, since they seem to have a pretty good pulse on the world in which we live. Knowing what they do, most of these people are willing to share their insights and while they may seem a bit pompous when speaking to you, they may have a good message for you to follow. It can be difficult to put your ego aside and listen to one of these people, but in the long run it may help you out more than you will ever know.
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While out taking readings in the ocean, Andrus comes across a familiar signal that he never thought he would see again, so he gives a call to J.P. Roth, his longtime partner and former head of programming for the Armada project, to give him the heads up that he will need to be brought in. Knowing that he was right that these attacks could happen again, Roth jumps into action and is taken to Armada facility. With everything changed from his time there in the past, Roth is forced to work in high gear to get the programming back up to fighting levels before another city is lost to the Hedomorphs. 

With the training programs being built around his programming, Roth is able to get the Armadas back up to speed, but there is a problem in lag time between the brain and the robots that could cost the pilots their lives. With this being made very apparent, the general orders the pilots to head into battle regardless. With three simulator seasoned pilots at the helm, they face off against the largest Hedomorph that they have ever seen. After losing their leader in the fight, Bugs and Badger are able to take down the monster, but after the Hedomorph hits the ground, it unleashes a little surprise of its own.

With thousands of smaller spider looking Hedomorphs running around the city, Roth needs to get the Armada bots back to functioning while Dr. Horowitz looks to find a scientific way to eradicate the new threat. Trying to locate a straggler spider on the ground to see what really makes these creatures tick, a member of the ground crew is taken out, but the group is able to secure a sample. Seeing that these creatures are not of this planet, Dr. Horowitz is able to come up with an aerosol that should kill the creatures in one fell swoop, however there are more creatures coming out of the egg infested ocean and if the plan falls through, so does humanity.

Not going to lie here, I have been waiting to see this movie ever since it was announced and it did not disappoint in the slightest. I really have a weak spot in my heart for these Asylum movies overall and most of the time they hit the mark like this one did. The characters really drove this movie and the power struggle between Dr. Horowitz and Dr. Roth was not petty enough to keep them from working together to save the world. The young pilots were a fun addition to the story, even though it was pretty short lived in the scheme of things. With a game of Jenga, free drinks, inexperienced pilots, an ousted programmer, giant monsters, giant robots, explosions, large spiders and a need to find out where the creatures are coming from, this is just a fun movie overall. I know that I am not really one that likes to go to the beach very much and this movie has just made it apparent that I should not live in a coastal town altogether. Happy Viewing.

The quest for military superiority has been happening throughout time. Wanting to develop the next big thing that will give your side the advantage on the battle field is what every general is looking for. When accomplishing this however, there is a fear that your new technology can be lost to your opponent and they can use it to their advantage. It is difficult to gauge if they will be able to recreate your greatest weapon for their own purposes, but if they do, you no longer hold the advantage. 

Jack Ryan is a C.I.A. desk jockey that is not looking for greatness, just to help his country. When he receives news that there is a new Russian sub hitting the water however, he is striving to find out all he can about their new vessel. Not being an engineer, Jack has to turn to his old friends to help him understand what is happening with the never before seen sub and with the minimal information he has been able to gather, he has to brief the U.S. government on what threat it could possibly be. But Jack is not solely focused on the sub as much as he is focused on the captain of the boat, Marko Ramius.

Marko Ramius is nearing the end of his days with the Russian fleet and wants to do something to make his last voyage a memorable one. Knowing that his new sub has the capabilities that no other sub on the planet has, he devises a plan to make his way to America...to defect. When the naval leaders of Russia get word of this, they send the entire fleet after him to try to sink the ship before the tenured captain is able to turn the sub over to the Americans. But Ramius is not sure if he can trust anyone from the U.S. as well, since the diplomatic relations between the two countries are still heated, he has to find the right American to talk to, to make his true intentions known. With time working against him, Ramius has to stay afloat long enough for someone to rise to the occasion and listen to his plea. 

Ryan has a long road ahead of him when he discovers what Ramius is trying to do and needs to convince the chiefs of staff that the old Russian is trying to come to America for a new life, rather than litter it with a hundred warheads, which the sub was designed to do. Only based on a hunch, Ryan is willing to put his name on the line and is able to find a ride on the only submarine that is able to locate the new killing machine. Being able to contact the old captain, Ryan has to formulate a plan of how to get the boat safely into the United States hands. But he is in a race against time as the Americans and Russians are pushing their engines to the max, trying to locate and sink the sub before it falls into the hands of the enemy, or worse, starts the next world war.

Ah, the story of Jack Ryan starts off with a bang. This is the first of the series and all it does is make you want to believe we have someone this smart working in the government. The thing that I love about this movie is that you have so many strong characters. I am only focused on two in this, but there are oh, so many more. My personal favorite is Jones, the sonar operator since he is able to make something out of nothing and find the sub that was never supposed to be found. The list goes on and on about how good the characters are in this movie and the performances all around are just fantastic. I would be shocked if anyone has never seen this movie, and if you have not, plug it in right now. It was an instant classic when it came out and it still holds its values today. Up next, Patriot Games. Happy Viewing.

Never forget. Those are two words that are engrained in the minds of several generations simply because, we really try to do our best to keep the importance of this time of year at the top of our minds. Because September 11, 2001 was a day that changed our lives and our understanding of the world and it’s difficult to forget where we were on that fateful day and our own individual experiences during that trying time as we tried to get the straight story as to what was happening in New York City and whether or not our loved ones were safe if they were in that city, or serving abroad because the unknown was everywhere that day, as was fear.
 
But, despite our emotions that day, and the stories we share with one another when we ponder upon that fateful Tuesday from seventeen years ago, our experiences will always pale in comparison to those who were directly involved in the nightmare at hand. The heroic first responders, and the innocent people who lost their lives or managed to survive this senseless and cruel attack are the ones who truly understand the terror of what unfolded on 9/11 and after all this time, it has in many ways remained a day that cinema and television have tried to avoid chronicling out of respect for the dead. However, there are some films out there that truly do their best to encapsulate the toughest stories from one of America’s darkest moments and one film that fits that category is one that I usually revisit this time of year, United 93.
 
This film, which chronicles the story of the crew and the passengers of the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania on that fateful day is unique simply because, it does its best to steer clear of any political messages or agendas in telling its story. This is a motion picture that flat out tries to plunge us back into the middle of this dark day and tell a tale of unexpected heroism with whatever facts are at hand, and how it accomplishes this, is by reminding us of the fact that this was a day like any other and as we meet the people on that flight, and the other people involved in this story, it truly feels like any other day. The story is mired with the mundane as these people board the flight while others get to work and that instantly takes you back to your own memories of 9/11 and what you were doing that day. 

Which in turn, makes you uncomfortable and you’re supposed to be. Because this motion picture doesn’t pull any punches, and we are plunged right back into every harrowing moment of that stunning day and well, it’s a humbling and sobering experience to see this day unfold once again, and there’s a gravity to this part of the story that comes by way of the fact that Writer/Director Paul Greengrass cast real life people that were behind the scenes with the FAA and the Air Force on that fateful day, something that gives me pause every single time I watch this film because this is a tough day for all of us to remember, so it must have taken some serious guts for these brave souls to recreate everything they witnessed and felt that morning. 
 
But truly, the most powerful part of this story, are the events that unfold aboard United 93, because the same brutal and raw style of storytelling is present in this part of the film as well and while this part of the story features some dramatization, it’s still unsettling since the hijacking and subsequent crash of the plane did happen, and we see the genuine terror on the passengers faces when the hijackers take over and the horror of the moment washes over the audience because once they take the plane, you realize you’ve reached a point of no return, and we know how this story ends and despite the heroism present from the crew and the passengers, knowing what they are going to do and knowing what is going to happen wears you down as you watch, and it definitely gives you pause when the powerhouse and earth shattering ending arrives.
 
Yet, while this is a hard movie to watch, it’s an important piece of cinema as well. Because regardless of any dramatization for effect, a lot of this story is incredibly genuine. The fear, the pain, the terror, it’s all real, and we all endured our own little slice of it and it’s important to remember the emotions this attack on American generated and despite the fact that it has been nearly two decades since this fateful day, this motion picture is still incredibly relevant. Because it does stand for something special, since it does feature genuine heroics since those forty souls gave their lives so others could endure and that’s why it is an important film to revisit. Because while it shows a day when America watched the skies in fear, it also represents the wonders we are capable of, when the cause is just and true…