THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US (2017) – My rating: 8/10

The Mountain Between Us is an adventurous love story written by Chris Weitz and J. Mills Goodloe, based on a novel written by Chris Weitz and directed by Hany Abu-Assad. Played by two very popular, seasoned actors from different backgrounds whose characters are in a situation that otherwise would have taken them in very different directions. The story became a suspense thriller because of the situation in which they found themselves. The audience were involved in the couple’s survival even more than their potential love affair. I loved the story, especially the outcome.

After the cancellation of their flight, due to an incoming major storm, Dr. Ben Bass (Idris Elba) and photojournalist Alex Martin (Kate Winslet) solicit a local pilot, Walter (Beau Bridges) in order to get to Alex’s wedding and Ben’s scheduled surgery of a 10 year old child the next day. They board an uncharted flight with Walter and his dog. During the flight, the pilot (Walter) suffers a stroke. Unable to save Walter, the plane crashes on top of a mountain in the High Uintas Wilderness with Ben, Alex and the dog surviving with injuries and harsh weather conditions. Ben tends to Alex’s wounds and realizes they must come down from the mountaintop for any hope of survival. Alex asks Ben to leave her behind as he has a better chance of surviving to which Ben refuses. Instead, he climbs a peak in order to see if there are any structures nearby. On his descent he nearly falls off a cliff.  While Ben was away, Alex and the dog are discovered and attacked by a cougar.  The dog tries to defend Alex but is no match for the cougar and is wounded as the cougar enters the plane wreckage with bigger prey in mind. Fortunately, Alex fires a flare into the cougar before it attacks her. Ben returns to find a blood trail. Realizing Alex is in danger, he rushes towards the plane and finds Alex and the dog alive. He provides medical attention to the dog and later retrieves the body of the cougar which he uses as food. Stranded alone together for days and with little food, they find strength in each other to keep pressing forward in the freezing cold and snow. Realizing help is not coming Alex and Ben get into a heated argument about the best way to proceed.   She wants to move forward and he wants to stay with the wreckage for protection.  She ends up leaving with the dog at first daylight.  Once Ben awakens and discovers Alex is gone, he has to make a decision.

From here the journey continues, does Ben go after Alex and the dog?  Do they ever name the dog, do they fall in love, do they die or do they get rescued?  Does Alex marry her fiancé, Mark (Dermot Mulroney), whom she talks about constantly during their ordeal or do Ben and Alex get married?  How does it all end?  Check it out, all questions will be answered — it’s really a good love story, right to the last scene!

 

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PURE GENIUS – My rating: 9/10

What a refreshing new series. While it’s not perfect, it is different enough in the category of  hospital series to consider Pure Genius a keeper. I’m willing to bet most people feel when one is faced with a fatal disease, the FDA’s bureaucratic rules only stand in the way when there’s a potential treatment out there they won’t allow you to participate in because they haven’t done the years of testing they feel is necessary for approval. When you only have a few weeks or months or even just year to live, does it matter?  If it does, say no, if it doesn’t, say yes.

Pure Genius is about the cutting edge of technology. Originally called Bunker Hill, it’s not about defying the FDA, it’s about thinking outside the box and saving lives. The staff is often at odds with the FDA, trying to get them to approve treatments using new techniques that shows promise toward a cure for a patient that has some awful, otherwise incurable disease. James Bell, (Augustus Prew) who just so happens to have a fatal, degenerate disease (GSS) only one doctor knows about, is dedicated to saving lives and has a heart bigger than anyone you’ll probably ever meet, is also a  Silicon Valley tech billionaire and the founder of Bunker Hill.  Dr. Walter Wallace (Dermot Mulroney) has come on board since getting fired for administering a non-FDA approved procedure on a dying 8 year old in order to save his life, except the child died anyway.  Dr. Talaikha Channarayapatra, (Reshma Shetty) is a brilliant Neurosurgeon and a former Miss Indiana.  Dr. Zoe Brockett, (Odette Annable) is a double board-certified doctor of pediatrics and critical care.   Dr. Malik Verlaine, (Aaron Jennings) is head of the Ehub, which does remote monitoring of patients.  Dr. Scott Strauss, (Ward Horton) is also a Catholic Priest.   Angie Cheng, (Brenda Song) can build almost anything, be it on a 3D printer or just a mechanical device made by hand.   This staff actually goes out scouting for rear cases — the harder, the better.

The ratings are not so high on this series, which means it may not be around for long.  I read somewhere, the personal stories surrounding the supporting characters was not strong enough to develop the concept and message being created.  Despite what critics say, I really like Pure Genius.  It often gives me warm fuzzes and new information about the latest technology.  Pure Genius is currently airing on CBS.  I urge folks to at least, check it out.

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CRISIS – My rating: 7/10

Crisis is about the abduction of a school bus fully loaded with children, including the President of the United State’s son, while on a field trip.  The children are taken to a rather large and beautiful building where they are held captive.  The kidnappers make demands of the parents that include murder, extortion, resetting of satellites and much more.  The theme is “what will you do for your children”.  One newly trained Secret Service Agent, played by Lance Gross, was able to rescue one student and kill one of the captors.  Dermot Mulroney plays the master mind behind the whole plan and is also the father of one of the abducted students.

This series has the potential to bomb because the concept is absolutely ridiculous.  It’s saving grace is it’s so exciting and well acted that it may forge on to stardom.  There’s lots of drama and twist and turns amid the parents and the students.  One of the CIA agents working on the case is the mother of one of the students, only the student doesn’t know the women she calls mom is really her aunt.  This is so new, I can’t say much.  Watch it for yourself — it’s not bad! This series currently airs on NBC. Unfortunately, Crisis has been cancelled!