Countdown – Review

Countdown – Budget of $6.5 million – 1 hour and 30 minutes

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Quinn, a registered nurse, searches the hospital for Evan.  She finds him hiding in a condemn section of the hospital.  Evan downloaded the Countdown app.  It’s an app that displays the exact second you are going to die.  Quinn tells him to ignore it, she downloaded the app and it gave her 2 days to die.  She says its no big deal.  However, Evan tells her she needs to be concerned.  The night of his accident, his girlfriend Courtney downloaded the app.  It told her she would die that night.  Seeing he was drunk, she refused to let him drive her home.  He got in a crash and a tree branch went through the seat she would have been sitting.  He thought she was ok.  When he called her, she was dead via a freak accident.  She died the moment the app said she would.  Now, the app is telling him he will die during surgery.  He knows its true and fears the worst.  Quinn starts to believe the stories.  She cancels plans and heads home to do research.  The app sends her a notification that she broke the user agreement.  She is freaked out when she starts to see and hear things.  Quinn tried to delete the app but it won’t go away.  So, Quinn tries to get a new phone with a new number, a new carrier, and a new SIM card.  But before she can walk out of the store, the app is downloaded.  She freaks out and asks the store manager Derrick why it’s back.  He can’t explain it.  She runs out of the store and causes an accident after being attacked by a shadowy creature.  Matt comes to her rescue.  He overheard her conversion and had an issue with the same app.  He has fewer hours to live than her.  They decide to work together to beat the app and save their lives.

Yes, there is an app for death.  One lesson from this movie: read the user agreement.  This movie tries to be Final Destination with the modern twist of Unfriended (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  However, with the app giving the users a 2-minute notification, some of the jump scares are reduced.  Most horror fans can predict how this movie is going to end based solely on the premise.  They have to beat the clock.  There are several ways to do it.  Last longer than the clock or kill someone before they are supposed to die.  Wait for Vudu (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  If you see this movie, stay until after the end credits.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars

Casey, welcome back. We have cake for you – Dr. Sullivan

Yes, I read every word – Matt

I’ll see you soon – Quinn

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The Current War – Review

The Current War – Budget of $30 million – 1 hour and 47 minutes

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Thomas Edison created the light bulb and a Direct Current to send electricity from home to another.  He has presented his idea to J.P. Morgan to gain financing for his future endeavors.  The married father of two never leaves home without his secretary, Samuel Insull.  Edison describes Insull as himself, only human.  With J.P. Morgan’s money, Edison plans to bring electricity to homes all over the United States.  However, two men see a flaw in his design.  George Westinghouse created breaks for trains but he has always been in the shadow of Edison.  After seeing Edison’s design, George realizes Edison can only provide electricity in a one-mile radius.  In the city’s, with homes so close together, this is ok.  But in rural areas, this will be a problem.  Rural areas will look like a checkboard with light and dark patches.  Westinghouse has created an Alternating Current method.  Power can travel across wires attached to large poles.   Westinghouse’s design will provide more homes with power at a cheaper cost.  Edison tells the press Westinghouse design is dangerous and could kill people.  His solution may be more expensive but it is safer.  Nikola Tesla, after working for Edison, believes that both men are thinking too small.  He wants to turn water into an energy source.  Also, he believes the currents can do more than power lightbulbs, it can power machines.  Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse will battle the current wars for over a decade.  And the winner will be declared by who runs the Chicago World’s Fair.

The Current War spawned great inventions, companies, and deadly consequences.  Inventions like the phonograph and motion pictures were created during this war.  J.P Morgan and General Electric took off.  It is shocking how a race to be first caused Thomas Edison to go back on his morals and create a device under the Westinghouse name.  When they couldn’t settle their problems in court, they went to the papers.  Their wives were behind them every step of the way.  However, Edison and Westinghouse understood they were only as good as their latest invention.   Edison hated that Westinghouse used is lightbulb design.  Westinghouse hated that Edison didn’t respect his work.  Your eyes will be opened by this movie and its detail to history.  You will learn a great deal about modern technology we often take for granted.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

Which one? He’s also Mr. Edison – Thomas Edison

What did the boy say – J. P. Morgan

Do you not love us anymore – Dash and Dot

I was digging my own grave – Nikoli Tesla

I stole the papers – Westinghouse

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