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Movie review: 'A Quiet Place' is tense, thrilling and the best kind of scary
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Millicent Simmonds plays Regan Abbott in A Quiet Place." - photo by Josh Terry
A QUIET PLACE 3 stars Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Noah Jupe, Millicent Simmonds, Cade Woodward; PG-13 (terror and some bloody images); in general release

A Quiet Place is a gem of a horror film. Its high on tension, low on gore and a great option for a night out with friends or anyone else who enjoys a big screen scare.

The plot follows a small family as it tries to survive an apocalyptic invasion of man-eating monsters. The year is 2020, and what we see of the world has been mostly cleared of human beings. We see a wall of missing persons flyers in a small town and a discarded New York Post front page that reveals the invaders hunt by sound.

To survive, the family tries to exist in absolute silence. The father is Lee Abbott, played by John Krasinski, who also directed the film. Krasinskis real-life wife Emily Blunt plays Lees spouse, Evelyn. In a gripping opening scene at an abandoned grocery store, the youngest of their three children snatches an electric toy spaceship, then gets snatched himself by an inhuman apparition that slashes across the screen.

From here A Quiet Place skips ahead a year, as the Abbotts have managed to settle down in a remote farmhouse surrounded by rolling hills and, judging by the nightly beacons, a handful of other survivors. An underground workroom shows the fruit of Lees efforts to solve their predicament various newspaper clippings, a whiteboard, a table full of equipment. Lees convinced that the creatures are blind, but a true weakness is still beyond his grasp.

We watch the Abbotts go about their daily business, barefoot and on alert at all times. The only respite is on regular fishing trips to a nearby river, where the rushing water is loud enough to allow for some quiet conversation and contemplation.

Evelyn is pregnant and due soon, but she and Lee understand that babies arent known for their quiet lifestyles. Combined with the depressed state of Regan (Utah's Millicent Simmonds), who blames herself for the loss of her younger brother, and Marcus (Noah Jupe), who is just young enough to be petrified at the idea of venturing out of his fathers immediate vicinity, its clear that the familys relative peace isnt going to last.

Its hard to think of a lot of recent examples that can match A Quiet Place in terms of tension. Krasinskis movie is so tense, in fact, that it can keep a whole movie theater silent in anticipation for long stretches, and these days, thats no small thing. The constant state of tension makes the periodic jump scares feel effective instead of cheap, and the decision to steer away from the usual blood and guts makes the film much more accessible without compromising frights at all.

Krasinski also does a fantastic job of bringing multiple story threads together into moments that will accelerate your heart rate and put a smile on your face at the same time. This is a fun, fun movie.

One of the things that makes the movie so effective is the decision to base the story around a family. Its easy to imagine the same dont make a sound concept built around a typical teen slasher movie. But rather than just let the bad guy work through the cast one by one, Krasinskis family scenario raises the stakes considerably: Everyone is crucial. No one is expendable. The early loss of their youngest was catastrophic, not just a checkmark on a list.

If you have to make any complaints, you could argue that the third act isnt quite as satisfying as the rest of the film. But even if A Quiet Place isnt tied into a perfect knot at the end, it does finish with a smile. Krasinskis film is a tense ride from start to finish, and whether you watch it with a date, with some friends or on your own, its a ride you wont forget anytime soon.

A Quiet Place is rated PG-13 for terror and some bloody images; running time: 90 minutes.
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New Medicare cards are in the mail and scammers are on the prowl
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun mailing new Medicare Health Insurance ID cards. The program no longer uses Social Security numbers to identify people. - photo by Lois M Collins
The federal government is beginning to send out new ID cards to the 58 million Americans who benefit from Medicare. But since many of the people who will receive them don't know they're coming or why, scammers are already gearing up to take advantage.

An AARP survey shows as many as three-fourths of Americans 65 and older have no idea the cards are coming, so some individuals may be duped with claims that they're supposed to pay a fee or provide personal information that will be used, instead, to defraud them.

The new cards are the first reissue in years, and the most striking part of the redesign is that the cards no longer carry the beneficiary's Social Security number. Congress mandated the removal of that number as an identifier for Medicare beneficiaries by next April. Instead, the card has a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier number, an 11-digit combination of numbers and letters.

The new Medicare cards are now being mailed out in batches, starting with the Eastern seaboard and moving west. Most Medicare beneficiaries will receive their cards over the next six months, as long as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has their correct mailing address. Once the cards are in hand, people can share the new identification number with their health care providers. During a transition period, either card is valid.

The old cards, which used Social Security numbers as the personal identification number, should be destroyed.

AARP recently launched an education campaign to warn consumers about scams related to the new Medicare cards.

The membership organization's "Fraud Watch" consultant, Frank Abagnale reformed con man, scammer and the subject of the movie and book "Catch Me If You Can" tells senior citizens the only time they need to carry the actual Medicare card is to health care appointments. Otherwise, it should be left in a safe place. If they want to carry one in their wallet or purse, he says, make a copy and black out the first seven numbers.

Since the cards were announced, scammers have already:

  • Called seniors and asked for their bank account information so that money on their old card could be returned. There is no money on the old card and CMS never asks for personal information over the phone.
  • Offered to send the new card after Medicare beneficiaries pay a $25 fee to cover expenses related to the card. The card is free.
  • Said the card will be mailed out as soon as the older person verifies his or her Social Security number, mailing address and other personal information. CMS already knows the beneficiary's Social Security number and it's no longer being used in conjunction with health care.
AARP and the Federal Trade Commission will hold a free online seminar about the cards and the fraud attempts they have spawned on Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register at: www.aarp.org/FraudWebinar. CMS also offers a "frequently asked questions" guide to the new cards.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network says consumers can sign up for its Watchdog Alert emails that deliver breaking scam information, or call a free helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with volunteers trained in fraud counseling. Abagnale also hosts a weekly podcast for AARP, called The Perfect Scam.
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