Kevin's Watch

Just saw Master and Commander and I must say it was good, damm good!
Amazing effects and sound-I thought that one particular cannonball ripped my head clean off! Close to Dances with Wolves for cinematography and emotion, but easily short of Braveheart. It was a rousing good adventure and Crowe was very close to the best he can be, except for A Beautiful Mind.

Many critics hyped it up a little too much and it didn't live up to that-but definately your moneys worth-worth having in your home-great value lessons for young boys (and girls)-as realistic as Unforgiven and Armistad. Crowe deserves a nod for Academy Award-but won't get it-comes very close to reaching upper ecshalon of great films but doesn't quite make it...

Maybe it was due to the fact that you're supposed to sympathize with the young and very young officers and midshipmen..but for some reason I couldn't-if you can this might be a much better movie for you...

(if you're interested in another great film along these lines I recommend White Squall with Kurt Russell-which is sort of like Breakdown on the ocean)

I really wanna read those books. They look good, and I love Crowe--especially when he's in a role like this!

I can't wait to see this movie!!!!!
And I agree with Lord Mhoram -- the books sound very good from the things I have heard of them.

I read the first 5 or so books in the series, and yes they are pretty good. There is incredible description to detail to life at sea in the books. I own a cookbook, written by a mother and daughter pair smitten by the books, based on the meals described in the books.

In the books the Aubrey character is a man of action, lacking in sublety, but not unintellectual. The Maturin character has a mind like a chess player, thinking several moves ahead, but he is not a Mr. Spock without emotion.

One of my coworkers told me that she was amazed by realizing how they fought battles in that time, and I've heard that the movie is realistic in terms of using the language of the period.

I want to try to get over to see it this week.

I am still waiting to see it myself. If neither one of us gets a chance by the time you get here, maybe can go see it then...depending on what is going on at the jazz clubs...
I am reading the first book in the series now. So far I am finding it to be a good read.

I was inspired by this thread to go out and buy The Ionian Mission today. The point in the series before which I left off.

I had planned to see Master and commander this weekend, but now I have to read the books first.

Well, I still haven't had a chance to go see the movie, but I did finish the first book in the series this weekend and found it to be enjoyable. The author makes the main characters flawed human beings of their time (with the prejudices and flaws you would expect to see in that historical era, such as dueling, and a prejudice of the English against the Irish)...rather than making them modern politically correct heros...the battle scenes made me very happy I was not in the Royal Navy in the Napoeanic era...not to mention the floggings...

Ok, we know what I wrote (and yes I spelled Amistad wrong ) so?...

I have heard that no less than two (2) women appear in this movie. For at least 45 seconds? True/false?

True-Brazilian natives. It's about 2 ships and there were no women on the ships...

I really want to get to see that movie, and the pieces aren't falling into place to get me to see it. I'm picking up O'Brien's book Treason's Harbor with the intent of reading it during my train ride out to Duchess' next weekend.

The covers for the paperbacks for the O'Brian novels in the U.S. are breathtaking. I've noticed that, since the movie, a couple of them have come out with Crowe's mug plastered on them. I don't think that's an improvement.

I thought it was pretty good. The only part I thought was weird, was that those evolution scenes in the middle didn't seem to fit very well to the overall story and seemed out of place.-jay

I started reading book two of the series last night, Post Captain. I am already enjoying it. These are very well written books, and the author very much strives for authenticity both in events and in atmosphere.

I saw in Smithsonian magazine that many of the events depicted in the novels were inspired by a real life British navy captain of the Napoleanic era. Is that kewl or what?

I have started the third book now, HMS Surprise. I am still very pleased, and hope to finally be able to see the movie later this week.

Well, I never did get a chance to see the movie, and its not in the local theaters anymore.
But I have now finished the first three books in the series, and find them to be very, very good. They are well written, with well drawn characters, and have plenty of action and adventure in them. And, yes, there are female characters in the books. The love interest for the Captain (who appears in the second book) is a delightful girl, both very sweet and filled with common sense...the love interest for the Doctor (who also first appears in the second book) is a somewhat trecherous beauty...

saw the movie .. it was ok .. i wouldnt rave about it lol

it was incredibly graphic .. and a real insight into life during those times ..

i feel they could have developed the relationship between the capt. and the naturalist a bit more so we could have had a better appreciation of that relationship .. but as far as the plot and story line goes .. it was just ok .. imho ..

Lord Trevor really really liked it!! LOL .. i liked it .. but not like wow .. that was awesome .. liked it

I thought the relationship was apparent--of course LT loved it! It was a "manly" movie. Girlies just don't get it--just like most of us boylies don't get Sleepless in Seattle Maybe it's a testosterone/estrogen thing...

I can't bring myself to watch Sleepless in Seattle, no matter how many times it has shown on TV, and no matter how much I like Sandra Bullock.

I never did get to see Master And Commander. Meant to <shrug>. I don't relate well to historical sea travel, especially sea battles. I think I was a general of land troops in several past lives, I just don't have a feel for ships in battle.