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Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Changed (The Made Ones Saga #2) in Books
Jun 4, 2022
loving this series!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in The Made Ones Saga, and you really should read book one, Altered, before this one. It does overlap/intertwine some with this one, and you need to hear from Kit at points along the way where it does.
Bree is Kit's sister. She has awakened on Eleutia, and finds herself at Catamount. Gato is Alpha Cat. These two butt heads a lot here, especially in the beginning but Gato soon becomes wise to Bree and her antics.
We catch up with Kit and Rafe, and what their scientists have discovered, and some more information about why Eleutia is dying, and more importantly, HOW comes to light. Still can't quite see where THAT's all going though!
Gato and Bree are perfect for each other, they really are, especially as Bree bonds with the cubs, which is unheard of for a non-cat. I loved that it took time for them to come together, to fully form their friendship, before they jump into bed with each other.
Gato does something here, which wasn't ideal, but all parties were in agreement and I'm intrigued as to how Kes manages to get free, hoping we find in the next book!
We discover what has happened to the third sister, Sybi, and how she comes to be in the land of the CastOuts. And her story begins right at the end of this one.
It's been a while since I read the first book (Aug 2019) so it took me a little bit of time to catch up with who all the major players were, and what was going on, but not long, and I thoroughly enjoyed Bree and Gato's story.
Wonderful series so far, I can't wait for Sybi's book!
4 stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in The Made Ones Saga, and you really should read book one, Altered, before this one. It does overlap/intertwine some with this one, and you need to hear from Kit at points along the way where it does.
Bree is Kit's sister. She has awakened on Eleutia, and finds herself at Catamount. Gato is Alpha Cat. These two butt heads a lot here, especially in the beginning but Gato soon becomes wise to Bree and her antics.
We catch up with Kit and Rafe, and what their scientists have discovered, and some more information about why Eleutia is dying, and more importantly, HOW comes to light. Still can't quite see where THAT's all going though!
Gato and Bree are perfect for each other, they really are, especially as Bree bonds with the cubs, which is unheard of for a non-cat. I loved that it took time for them to come together, to fully form their friendship, before they jump into bed with each other.
Gato does something here, which wasn't ideal, but all parties were in agreement and I'm intrigued as to how Kes manages to get free, hoping we find in the next book!
We discover what has happened to the third sister, Sybi, and how she comes to be in the land of the CastOuts. And her story begins right at the end of this one.
It's been a while since I read the first book (Aug 2019) so it took me a little bit of time to catch up with who all the major players were, and what was going on, but not long, and I thoroughly enjoyed Bree and Gato's story.
Wonderful series so far, I can't wait for Sybi's book!
4 stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Zoom in Barcelona
8.0
Rate It
Tabletop Game
Travel around the city of Barcelona and take the best photos to win the game! In Zoom in...
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Dark Within (2019) in Movies
Jun 21, 2019
Story: The Dark Within starts after an experiment goes wrong leading to Marcus (Flannery) growing up facing troubled visions and illnesses, in search for answers his doctor, Dr Norton (Styles) is trying to find answers to his past, which sends him to his parent’s cabin in a remote woodland area.
In the cabin the memories come running back to Marcus through visions and he is joined by his ex-girlfriend Sarah (Carelli) that is willing to help him put his life back together, but the truth itself will be too shocking for Marcus to handle.
Thoughts on The Dark Within
Characters – Marcus is a disturbed man with unknown psychic abilities, he spends times in therapy trying to piece together the pieces of his past to understand just what happened to him as a child, he has made himself distant from his loved ones and in a final attempt to unlock the truth, he heads to his parent’s old cabin, which soon starts to unlock the shocking truth about his childhood, as he starts to lose sense of reality. Sarah is the ex-girlfriend that has a restraining order against Marcus, she decides to put that aside to help Marcus find answers, being the only person that will be there for him. Dr Norton is the lady that is trying to help Marcus understand his past, she suggests the cabin as a location in which could hold the answers he requires. Andrew is the father of Marcus, the man that was performing the experiment which saw him leave Marcus as a young child, he knew the value of his idea and the consequences once things started to go wrong.
Performances – Paul Flannery in the leading role is great to watch, he gives us a performance of a man that is losing sense of his reality, with moments of desperate hope, while others are filled with fear and moments where he tries to remain calm, he pulls us through the film with his performance that is needed to help carry the film. Kendra Carelli does get time to shine, but like most of the supporting cast they are only used when required and make the most of their screen time.
Story – The story here follows a man that has been losing sense of reality because of a childhood trauma, he goes in search for answers that will only leave him feeling shocked and needing to battle evil. One of the easiest ways to describe the story at times would be like watching ‘The Evil Dead’ one man trapped in a cabin trying to remain sane, while a host of different paranormal incidents come in his direction, this story does go deeper than just that though, because we get involved in a scientific experiment which has caused the events to unfold. There could be one side of the story which does get overused, which does frustrate, though it does only add to the unknown about what is going on. For a story that does revolve around the unknown mindset, this is one that does keep you guessing and does make you question everything you are seeing.
Horror – The horror in the film does comes from the unknown hauntings Marcus is experiencing, each one of these become more shocking as the events of the film do unfold, with moments that are meant to disturb along the way.
Settings – The film does use the one location for the setting, which is the remote cabin in the woods, which does create the isolation required for the film.
Special Effects – The effects do show the budget the film is working with, they do work well for the film, when we get to the creature it will leave people feeling scared by the end of the film.
Scene of the Movie – The creature’s first appearance.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The Evil Dead laugh.
Final Thoughts – This is an entertaining shock filled horror that is very enjoyable, we get a story that will keep you guessing and a creature that could strike the fear into the audience.
Overall: Horror to enjoy.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/17/the-dark-within-2019/
In the cabin the memories come running back to Marcus through visions and he is joined by his ex-girlfriend Sarah (Carelli) that is willing to help him put his life back together, but the truth itself will be too shocking for Marcus to handle.
Thoughts on The Dark Within
Characters – Marcus is a disturbed man with unknown psychic abilities, he spends times in therapy trying to piece together the pieces of his past to understand just what happened to him as a child, he has made himself distant from his loved ones and in a final attempt to unlock the truth, he heads to his parent’s old cabin, which soon starts to unlock the shocking truth about his childhood, as he starts to lose sense of reality. Sarah is the ex-girlfriend that has a restraining order against Marcus, she decides to put that aside to help Marcus find answers, being the only person that will be there for him. Dr Norton is the lady that is trying to help Marcus understand his past, she suggests the cabin as a location in which could hold the answers he requires. Andrew is the father of Marcus, the man that was performing the experiment which saw him leave Marcus as a young child, he knew the value of his idea and the consequences once things started to go wrong.
Performances – Paul Flannery in the leading role is great to watch, he gives us a performance of a man that is losing sense of his reality, with moments of desperate hope, while others are filled with fear and moments where he tries to remain calm, he pulls us through the film with his performance that is needed to help carry the film. Kendra Carelli does get time to shine, but like most of the supporting cast they are only used when required and make the most of their screen time.
Story – The story here follows a man that has been losing sense of reality because of a childhood trauma, he goes in search for answers that will only leave him feeling shocked and needing to battle evil. One of the easiest ways to describe the story at times would be like watching ‘The Evil Dead’ one man trapped in a cabin trying to remain sane, while a host of different paranormal incidents come in his direction, this story does go deeper than just that though, because we get involved in a scientific experiment which has caused the events to unfold. There could be one side of the story which does get overused, which does frustrate, though it does only add to the unknown about what is going on. For a story that does revolve around the unknown mindset, this is one that does keep you guessing and does make you question everything you are seeing.
Horror – The horror in the film does comes from the unknown hauntings Marcus is experiencing, each one of these become more shocking as the events of the film do unfold, with moments that are meant to disturb along the way.
Settings – The film does use the one location for the setting, which is the remote cabin in the woods, which does create the isolation required for the film.
Special Effects – The effects do show the budget the film is working with, they do work well for the film, when we get to the creature it will leave people feeling scared by the end of the film.
Scene of the Movie – The creature’s first appearance.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The Evil Dead laugh.
Final Thoughts – This is an entertaining shock filled horror that is very enjoyable, we get a story that will keep you guessing and a creature that could strike the fear into the audience.
Overall: Horror to enjoy.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/17/the-dark-within-2019/
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Jumanji: The Next Level (2019) in Movies
Dec 27, 2019
Ensemble cast (1 more)
Plain good fun
Rebooted again, and just as fun.
One of the pleasant movie surprises of Christmas 2017 for me was "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle". I expected it to be a tired retread of the original classic, but instead it turned into a highly entertaining action comedy. Reading my review again, I was rather po-faced about it and scored it with a rather measly 7/10. But this rather belies my secret love of the movie: it is a film that I can invariably watch and enjoy again and again.
This was also a film that raked in a HUGE return at the box office, getting close to the billion dollar number on its $90 million budget. During the spring of 2018, this was an almost permanent resident at the multiplexes (until "The Greatest Showman" and "Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again" took over the residence for the rest of the year!) . A sequel was inevitable
We rejoin the cast some time after the events of the first film, and the geeky teenage lovers - Spencer and Bethany - are trying, unsuccessfully, to carry on their long distance relationship while at separate colleges. Spencer is struggling mentally; lacking in confidence and momentum and desperate to feel like 'Smoulder' Bravestone again.
On returning to his home town for the holidays, Spencer fixes the shattered game. But the console is unpredictable and when the game sucks people into Jumanji this time it's not just Spencer and two of his friends that go in, but Spencer's Grandpa Eddie (Danny DeVito) and his old friend Milo (Danny Glover).
When they get there though, things have changed and the mission is a different one. A "next level" indeed!
This is very much 'much of the same' from the first film. Yes, there's a different backdrop with desert and mountain 'levels' to play through. But the same fun, with exploding avatars and dangerous cake, is to be had again. The script team had to do something different here, and they did that by mixing up the avatars (including a surprising equine player) and throwing in the 'pensioners' to the mix. There is new fun to be mined here from the now nimble-again Eddie and the slow-talking and laconic Milo never quite getting to the point in time.
The stars were all persuaded back for another ride. The four avatar leads (Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Jack Black and Kevin Hart) all return, together with the young teens (Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser'Darius Blain and Madison Iseman). Nick Jonas and his older real-life player Colin Hanks are back. Even Nigel "Welcome to Jumanji" Billingsley (Rhys Darby) returns, this time swapping his jeep for a plane.
The newcomers to the cast are also welcome. Glover and DeVito are at their cranky best, and introduce a genuinely touching moment into the film. And a new avatar - Ming Fleetfoot - is fabulous in the form of Awkwafina, so brilliant in this year's "The Farewell".
There's not much more to say on this. If you liked the original, you'll enjoy this one too. Many of the same jokes are trotted out again. The villain (here Rory McCann) is as forgettable as in the first film. It's not breaking any records in terms of originality, but the producers won't mind about that as long as it drags the crowds in again. At the time of writing it has made $320K on its $125K budget, so that seems to be working.
Jake Kasdan is again at the helm. But I really hope enough is enough, and they leave it at this. The mid-credits scene might suggest though that greed is going to dictate a Jumanji 4 (or 5 in some people's books). The returns, I fear, from the franchise will be ever diminishing from this point forwards.
(For the full graphical review go here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2019/12/27/one-manns-movies-film-review-jumanji-the-next-level-2019/ .)
This was also a film that raked in a HUGE return at the box office, getting close to the billion dollar number on its $90 million budget. During the spring of 2018, this was an almost permanent resident at the multiplexes (until "The Greatest Showman" and "Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again" took over the residence for the rest of the year!) . A sequel was inevitable
We rejoin the cast some time after the events of the first film, and the geeky teenage lovers - Spencer and Bethany - are trying, unsuccessfully, to carry on their long distance relationship while at separate colleges. Spencer is struggling mentally; lacking in confidence and momentum and desperate to feel like 'Smoulder' Bravestone again.
On returning to his home town for the holidays, Spencer fixes the shattered game. But the console is unpredictable and when the game sucks people into Jumanji this time it's not just Spencer and two of his friends that go in, but Spencer's Grandpa Eddie (Danny DeVito) and his old friend Milo (Danny Glover).
When they get there though, things have changed and the mission is a different one. A "next level" indeed!
This is very much 'much of the same' from the first film. Yes, there's a different backdrop with desert and mountain 'levels' to play through. But the same fun, with exploding avatars and dangerous cake, is to be had again. The script team had to do something different here, and they did that by mixing up the avatars (including a surprising equine player) and throwing in the 'pensioners' to the mix. There is new fun to be mined here from the now nimble-again Eddie and the slow-talking and laconic Milo never quite getting to the point in time.
The stars were all persuaded back for another ride. The four avatar leads (Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Jack Black and Kevin Hart) all return, together with the young teens (Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser'Darius Blain and Madison Iseman). Nick Jonas and his older real-life player Colin Hanks are back. Even Nigel "Welcome to Jumanji" Billingsley (Rhys Darby) returns, this time swapping his jeep for a plane.
The newcomers to the cast are also welcome. Glover and DeVito are at their cranky best, and introduce a genuinely touching moment into the film. And a new avatar - Ming Fleetfoot - is fabulous in the form of Awkwafina, so brilliant in this year's "The Farewell".
There's not much more to say on this. If you liked the original, you'll enjoy this one too. Many of the same jokes are trotted out again. The villain (here Rory McCann) is as forgettable as in the first film. It's not breaking any records in terms of originality, but the producers won't mind about that as long as it drags the crowds in again. At the time of writing it has made $320K on its $125K budget, so that seems to be working.
Jake Kasdan is again at the helm. But I really hope enough is enough, and they leave it at this. The mid-credits scene might suggest though that greed is going to dictate a Jumanji 4 (or 5 in some people's books). The returns, I fear, from the franchise will be ever diminishing from this point forwards.
(For the full graphical review go here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2019/12/27/one-manns-movies-film-review-jumanji-the-next-level-2019/ .)
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated What Happens Now? in Books
Feb 3, 2020
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/WhatHappensNow_BTB.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1"/>;
<b><i>I am so excited to be part of the Blog Tour for What Happens Now by Sophia Money-Coutts! Thank you to the team at HQ, for being so kind to send me a copy of this book!
Without further delays, let’s see what I thought…</i></b>
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Book-Review-Banner-12.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1"/>;
What Happens Now by Sophia Money-Coutts is a wonderful story that features Lil, who is a normal lady, living a normal life. She thought she has found ”the one”, but after so many years, this fellow dumps her for a twenty-year old blonde girl.
Doing what everyone should do, she moves on, and tries to find a new match, choosing a dating app and swiping right. She finds a handsome man that seems to like her and arranges a date. She gets ready, meets this guy, has a few drinks and spends the night at his apartment.
<b><i>What is the worse thing that can happen?</i></b>
Well – firstly, he doesn’t seem to respond to her messages at all. And then, she discovers that he is, in fact, the famous mountaineer Max, who is currently out there somewhere, climbing a mountain and can’t actually see her messages, the Max who is possibly Prince William’s best friend. But on top of it all, after weeing on a stick, she discovers she is pregnant with his baby.
So now Lil is single, thirty-one and living in a small flat in London, and this is not how she expected to become a mum. But our lady Lil here is probably the bravest woman I have ever encountered in my books, and she decides to do this whole motherhood thing on her own. Yes – she really likes Max, and it would be amazing if he gets involved too, but she doesn’t need him really. She can do this!
Throughout this book I felt so empowered to read about Lil’s daily challenges and I was cheering for her all the way through. She, and all women in the world that had the courage to give birth to and raise a child on their own should be praised, and I can’t think of any words to describe how brave these people are and how much I admire them!
Lucky for Lil, she has her mother and her stepdad along her way throughout the whole journey, and these two people are the friendliest and kindest people in the world.
And then there’s Jess – Lil’s best friend, who is, by the way, THE BEST FRIEND anyone wants. She was EVERYTHING and I loved her so much! She was always there for Lil, giving the best advises in the world. We all need a Jess in our lives!
And to be honest, given my low opinion on Sophia’s first book, The Plus One, I didn’t have high expectations on this one, but I think she outdid herself and created a masterpiece! The writing style has improved so much, that you wouldn’t notice these two books have been written by the same author.
I loved reading about Lil’s journey – I truly did. The writing was gorgeous and I couldn’t put the book down. Very empowering, but at the same time a very light summer read. I recommend it to all of you – read What Happens Now? this summer, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/WhatHappensNow_BTB.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1"/>;
<b><i>I am so excited to be part of the Blog Tour for What Happens Now by Sophia Money-Coutts! Thank you to the team at HQ, for being so kind to send me a copy of this book!
Without further delays, let’s see what I thought…</i></b>
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Book-Review-Banner-12.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1"/>;
What Happens Now by Sophia Money-Coutts is a wonderful story that features Lil, who is a normal lady, living a normal life. She thought she has found ”the one”, but after so many years, this fellow dumps her for a twenty-year old blonde girl.
Doing what everyone should do, she moves on, and tries to find a new match, choosing a dating app and swiping right. She finds a handsome man that seems to like her and arranges a date. She gets ready, meets this guy, has a few drinks and spends the night at his apartment.
<b><i>What is the worse thing that can happen?</i></b>
Well – firstly, he doesn’t seem to respond to her messages at all. And then, she discovers that he is, in fact, the famous mountaineer Max, who is currently out there somewhere, climbing a mountain and can’t actually see her messages, the Max who is possibly Prince William’s best friend. But on top of it all, after weeing on a stick, she discovers she is pregnant with his baby.
So now Lil is single, thirty-one and living in a small flat in London, and this is not how she expected to become a mum. But our lady Lil here is probably the bravest woman I have ever encountered in my books, and she decides to do this whole motherhood thing on her own. Yes – she really likes Max, and it would be amazing if he gets involved too, but she doesn’t need him really. She can do this!
Throughout this book I felt so empowered to read about Lil’s daily challenges and I was cheering for her all the way through. She, and all women in the world that had the courage to give birth to and raise a child on their own should be praised, and I can’t think of any words to describe how brave these people are and how much I admire them!
Lucky for Lil, she has her mother and her stepdad along her way throughout the whole journey, and these two people are the friendliest and kindest people in the world.
And then there’s Jess – Lil’s best friend, who is, by the way, THE BEST FRIEND anyone wants. She was EVERYTHING and I loved her so much! She was always there for Lil, giving the best advises in the world. We all need a Jess in our lives!
And to be honest, given my low opinion on Sophia’s first book, The Plus One, I didn’t have high expectations on this one, but I think she outdid herself and created a masterpiece! The writing style has improved so much, that you wouldn’t notice these two books have been written by the same author.
I loved reading about Lil’s journey – I truly did. The writing was gorgeous and I couldn’t put the book down. Very empowering, but at the same time a very light summer read. I recommend it to all of you – read What Happens Now? this summer, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Darren (1599 KP) rated For Love or Money (2019) in Movies
Jun 25, 2019
Story: For Love or Money starts when former bullied school kid Mark (Kazinsky) meets the former love of his life Connie (Barks) at her boyfriend’s funeral, when Connie and her business partner Johnny (Speleers) learn Mark might become mega rich, Connie gets involved in dating Mark hoping to get half his money once he gets it.
When Mark learns about Connie’s plan, he decides to go on his own mission to make her life a living hell until he can finally break her giving away her plan.
Thoughts on For Love or Money
Characters – Mark is the average joe, he has worked hard to get where he is, he doesn’t have much luck with the women though, he finds a way to be awkward around them, he thinks his life has turned around when he meets an old school friend, only to learn the truth about her intentions, forcing him to go out to get revenge with on her. Connie is the gold digger that is using Mark for a big payday, she is pretending to love Mark and even agrees to marry him, only she finds herself being put through the ringer, once he learns the truth. Kendra was once Connie’s best friend who was left embarrassed by Connie, she is willing to help with the revenge as she wants to be involved too, only she starts to question just how far they are going. Johnny is the business partner of Connie, he gives her the idea to use Mark for money, he is the kind of guy that you just look at and go, what an asshole, calling every single woman sugar tits. Tim is the best friend to Mark, that gets laughs of plenty through the film, along with his dog Ducky, he is dry to everything that happens in the film.
Performances – Robert Kazinsky is great in the leading role, he gets to show comic timing and enjoyment for what his character puts Connie through, in a way where we support him. Samantha Barks is great in this role, she manages to give us a character that we hate, but also sympathise for. Rachel Hurd-Wood does get plenty of strong moments in the film, with her character getting the important moments in the film. Ed Speleers does seem to have a lot of fun with his role in the film where he gets to play a complete asshole, it could be argued the Tony Way is a scene stealer in this film nailing the comedy every time in the film.
Story – The story here follows a man that starts dating his school crush, only to learn that she is only dating him to get to his money, where he decides to use this against her to get revenge. This story does put everything on the table early on which does give the story a nice spin on what we are used to seeing. It is nice to see a story where the victim gets to turn the tables, having fun knowing that the truth is only going to hurt them, seeing how far he can push things before breaking her. It would be fair the story doesn’t paint love in a very god way, though it does show how difficult it can be to move on with life when you believe somebody is perfect for you.
Comedy – The comedy in the film will give you plenty of laughs, Tim gets most of the laughs, while Johnny is the one you laugh at the most.
Settings – The film gives us an everyday setting which shows how life can keep on going even if the big plan is going on in the background, no location is used for an iconic moment.
Scene of the Movie – Camping.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The final moments.
Final Thoughts – This is a funny romantic comedy that gets to show just how life can go in different directions, it turns a gold digger character on its head too.
Overall: Funny comedy that will leave you laughing most of the time.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/24/for-love-or-money-2019/
When Mark learns about Connie’s plan, he decides to go on his own mission to make her life a living hell until he can finally break her giving away her plan.
Thoughts on For Love or Money
Characters – Mark is the average joe, he has worked hard to get where he is, he doesn’t have much luck with the women though, he finds a way to be awkward around them, he thinks his life has turned around when he meets an old school friend, only to learn the truth about her intentions, forcing him to go out to get revenge with on her. Connie is the gold digger that is using Mark for a big payday, she is pretending to love Mark and even agrees to marry him, only she finds herself being put through the ringer, once he learns the truth. Kendra was once Connie’s best friend who was left embarrassed by Connie, she is willing to help with the revenge as she wants to be involved too, only she starts to question just how far they are going. Johnny is the business partner of Connie, he gives her the idea to use Mark for money, he is the kind of guy that you just look at and go, what an asshole, calling every single woman sugar tits. Tim is the best friend to Mark, that gets laughs of plenty through the film, along with his dog Ducky, he is dry to everything that happens in the film.
Performances – Robert Kazinsky is great in the leading role, he gets to show comic timing and enjoyment for what his character puts Connie through, in a way where we support him. Samantha Barks is great in this role, she manages to give us a character that we hate, but also sympathise for. Rachel Hurd-Wood does get plenty of strong moments in the film, with her character getting the important moments in the film. Ed Speleers does seem to have a lot of fun with his role in the film where he gets to play a complete asshole, it could be argued the Tony Way is a scene stealer in this film nailing the comedy every time in the film.
Story – The story here follows a man that starts dating his school crush, only to learn that she is only dating him to get to his money, where he decides to use this against her to get revenge. This story does put everything on the table early on which does give the story a nice spin on what we are used to seeing. It is nice to see a story where the victim gets to turn the tables, having fun knowing that the truth is only going to hurt them, seeing how far he can push things before breaking her. It would be fair the story doesn’t paint love in a very god way, though it does show how difficult it can be to move on with life when you believe somebody is perfect for you.
Comedy – The comedy in the film will give you plenty of laughs, Tim gets most of the laughs, while Johnny is the one you laugh at the most.
Settings – The film gives us an everyday setting which shows how life can keep on going even if the big plan is going on in the background, no location is used for an iconic moment.
Scene of the Movie – Camping.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The final moments.
Final Thoughts – This is a funny romantic comedy that gets to show just how life can go in different directions, it turns a gold digger character on its head too.
Overall: Funny comedy that will leave you laughing most of the time.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/24/for-love-or-money-2019/
BackToTheMovies (56 KP) rated Child's Play (2019) in Movies
Jun 21, 2019
After moving to a new city, young Andy Barclay receives a special present from his mother. A seemingly innocent Buddi doll that becomes his best friend. When the doll suddenly takes on a life of its own, Andy unites with other neighborhood children to stop the sinister toy from wreaking bloody havoc.
For months I’ve been hating on this reboot. Whilst I still don’t necessarily agree with the politics of how this film came to be. I left the theatre quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. Child’s Play is reimagined for a modern generation. Whilst this film is an alternate timeline twist to the original it still manages to throw in that classic Chucky humor we all know and love. Here’s my Child’s Play 2019 review.
Lars Klevberg tells the story of Buddi, an artificial intelligence robot that can control your home appliances and become your best friend. He will play with you, interact with you like a real human being and you can do activities together. After a man is fired at the Buddi factory he reprograms one of the dolls to disobey its commands and the reign of Chucky begins when it falls into the hands of young Andy (Gabriel Bateman) given to him as a present by his mum Karen (Aubrey Plaza). What follows is a thoroughly enjoyable feature that flies by. Chucky’s murderous rage ramps up to artificial intelligence warfare with epic results.
Disregarding the original storyline of a serial killer whose soul inhabits a Good Guys doll the new Child’s Play tells a more chilling tale. The movie runs a very close to home social commentary about our reliance on technology and the implications that could follow. Buddi is your walking, talking Amazon Echo. Every home device is controlled at his fingertips from TV’s to telephones and even as far as automated cars. You can only imagine the terror that unfolds as Chucky learns to utilize his technological surroundings for evil.
Chucky starts off innocent enough. He’s programmed to be Andy’s best friend but what starts out as a unique interaction between boy and robot instantly changes when Chucky becomes sentient. Influenced by those around him and watching horror movies with Andy suddenly Buddi becomes more sinister in nature. Instead of a treasured companion, Chucky becomes possessive and will protect Andy by any means necessary. Quite the different approach from that of previous installments. Even when Chucky begins his reign of terror Andy is still loyal to him to some degree. Whilst he cannot understand why Chucky is doing the things he does there’s a loneliness about Andy’s character that almost seems to justify Chucky’s behavior. He doesn’t agree with it but at the same time, he has a friend, albeit a murderous little rampaging doll.
Child’s Play has some incredible humour mixed in throughout which allows the film to flow freely. Whilst Seed of Chucky and Bride of Chucky had free-speaking souls it’s harder to convey this type of humour within a robotic doll. Instead, the doll spills one-liners and is influenced by those around him leading to some comical results. Chucky’s infamous one-liners come to the fold and various facial expressions on the doll are hysterical.
The vocal work and comedic delivery from Mark Hamil is nothing short of wonderful. There is nothing this man cannot do. The force is strong with him even in a Chucky movie. Whilst more robotic in nature the way the lines are delivered with such dry-pan straight-faced edge is just brilliant. But once again we cannot compare this new Chucky to the sublime work of Brad Dourif. Brad is delivering dialogue as a human being whereas Mark is delivering lines as a robotic entity. They just cannot be compared and it would be a stupid comparison to make. All in all the voice work is great It’s just a shame I can’t take this ugly doll seriously for one second!
Whoever designed the Buddi doll in pre-production needs a serious talking to! I’m not quite sure what look they were going for with this but it certainly isn’t a good one. The film becomes even more of a comedy the more you look at it. The old dolls had that look of innocence in the originals, this one is just so damn weird. I can’t picture a production meeting where everyone in the room agreed that this is the final look of the doll without intense laughing involved. It’s like the production team are openly fucking with us. No one on this planet can take this doll seriously and for me, Child’s Play is way more of a comedy than it will ever be a horror movie.
For the most part, casting within Child’s Play is very strong. Gabriel Bateman (Andy) puts in a strong performance single-handedly carrying the film. Brian Tyree Henry (Mike) who plays a neighbor/detective is also a nice comedic relief within the feature. Ty Consiglio, Beatrice Kitsos and Carlease Burke also play strong supporting roles. Where casting failed for me however was Aubrey Plaza. I’ve seen Aubrey in comedies where her humor never really hits home in any roles she’s in.
Arrogant and annoying in many roles this cookie cutter casting has her playing the same role in every film she’s in. Playing Andy’s mum in this film doesn’t work for me whatsoever. There’s no conviction, no depth, no family dynamic feel of any sort. She almost plays an annoying older sister rather than a mother. Thankfully, she doesn’t play a key role as such to Andy’s arc and thus I can overlook her involvement as such. I think Aubrey should have played a sister role or similar, it would have played to her on-screen strengths.
When Chucky starts killing is when this movie comes into its own. It has nothing to compare it to previous Chucky films. Our new technologically manipulative little doll runs havoc on the millennial generation of mobile phone and gadget addicted humans. The death scenes are gory and for the most part, all have comedy elements to them. Whilst the kills are unimaginative it’s how Chucky delivers those kills that really add that star gore power to proceedings.
Endearing, gory and mostly hilarious. The contrast of tone in Child’s Play may even persuade the die-hard fans to enjoy this one. It shouldn’t really be compared to the originals in any way shape or form although it does have an 80’s flair to it. Child’s Play has taken a new direction but has stayed relevant to modern times and whilst it’s taking a different path than the upcoming TV series, it’s safe to say Chucky really is back!
Thanks for checking out my Child’s Play 2019 review. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
https://backtothemovies.com/childs-play-2019-review/
For months I’ve been hating on this reboot. Whilst I still don’t necessarily agree with the politics of how this film came to be. I left the theatre quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. Child’s Play is reimagined for a modern generation. Whilst this film is an alternate timeline twist to the original it still manages to throw in that classic Chucky humor we all know and love. Here’s my Child’s Play 2019 review.
Lars Klevberg tells the story of Buddi, an artificial intelligence robot that can control your home appliances and become your best friend. He will play with you, interact with you like a real human being and you can do activities together. After a man is fired at the Buddi factory he reprograms one of the dolls to disobey its commands and the reign of Chucky begins when it falls into the hands of young Andy (Gabriel Bateman) given to him as a present by his mum Karen (Aubrey Plaza). What follows is a thoroughly enjoyable feature that flies by. Chucky’s murderous rage ramps up to artificial intelligence warfare with epic results.
Disregarding the original storyline of a serial killer whose soul inhabits a Good Guys doll the new Child’s Play tells a more chilling tale. The movie runs a very close to home social commentary about our reliance on technology and the implications that could follow. Buddi is your walking, talking Amazon Echo. Every home device is controlled at his fingertips from TV’s to telephones and even as far as automated cars. You can only imagine the terror that unfolds as Chucky learns to utilize his technological surroundings for evil.
Chucky starts off innocent enough. He’s programmed to be Andy’s best friend but what starts out as a unique interaction between boy and robot instantly changes when Chucky becomes sentient. Influenced by those around him and watching horror movies with Andy suddenly Buddi becomes more sinister in nature. Instead of a treasured companion, Chucky becomes possessive and will protect Andy by any means necessary. Quite the different approach from that of previous installments. Even when Chucky begins his reign of terror Andy is still loyal to him to some degree. Whilst he cannot understand why Chucky is doing the things he does there’s a loneliness about Andy’s character that almost seems to justify Chucky’s behavior. He doesn’t agree with it but at the same time, he has a friend, albeit a murderous little rampaging doll.
Child’s Play has some incredible humour mixed in throughout which allows the film to flow freely. Whilst Seed of Chucky and Bride of Chucky had free-speaking souls it’s harder to convey this type of humour within a robotic doll. Instead, the doll spills one-liners and is influenced by those around him leading to some comical results. Chucky’s infamous one-liners come to the fold and various facial expressions on the doll are hysterical.
The vocal work and comedic delivery from Mark Hamil is nothing short of wonderful. There is nothing this man cannot do. The force is strong with him even in a Chucky movie. Whilst more robotic in nature the way the lines are delivered with such dry-pan straight-faced edge is just brilliant. But once again we cannot compare this new Chucky to the sublime work of Brad Dourif. Brad is delivering dialogue as a human being whereas Mark is delivering lines as a robotic entity. They just cannot be compared and it would be a stupid comparison to make. All in all the voice work is great It’s just a shame I can’t take this ugly doll seriously for one second!
Whoever designed the Buddi doll in pre-production needs a serious talking to! I’m not quite sure what look they were going for with this but it certainly isn’t a good one. The film becomes even more of a comedy the more you look at it. The old dolls had that look of innocence in the originals, this one is just so damn weird. I can’t picture a production meeting where everyone in the room agreed that this is the final look of the doll without intense laughing involved. It’s like the production team are openly fucking with us. No one on this planet can take this doll seriously and for me, Child’s Play is way more of a comedy than it will ever be a horror movie.
For the most part, casting within Child’s Play is very strong. Gabriel Bateman (Andy) puts in a strong performance single-handedly carrying the film. Brian Tyree Henry (Mike) who plays a neighbor/detective is also a nice comedic relief within the feature. Ty Consiglio, Beatrice Kitsos and Carlease Burke also play strong supporting roles. Where casting failed for me however was Aubrey Plaza. I’ve seen Aubrey in comedies where her humor never really hits home in any roles she’s in.
Arrogant and annoying in many roles this cookie cutter casting has her playing the same role in every film she’s in. Playing Andy’s mum in this film doesn’t work for me whatsoever. There’s no conviction, no depth, no family dynamic feel of any sort. She almost plays an annoying older sister rather than a mother. Thankfully, she doesn’t play a key role as such to Andy’s arc and thus I can overlook her involvement as such. I think Aubrey should have played a sister role or similar, it would have played to her on-screen strengths.
When Chucky starts killing is when this movie comes into its own. It has nothing to compare it to previous Chucky films. Our new technologically manipulative little doll runs havoc on the millennial generation of mobile phone and gadget addicted humans. The death scenes are gory and for the most part, all have comedy elements to them. Whilst the kills are unimaginative it’s how Chucky delivers those kills that really add that star gore power to proceedings.
Endearing, gory and mostly hilarious. The contrast of tone in Child’s Play may even persuade the die-hard fans to enjoy this one. It shouldn’t really be compared to the originals in any way shape or form although it does have an 80’s flair to it. Child’s Play has taken a new direction but has stayed relevant to modern times and whilst it’s taking a different path than the upcoming TV series, it’s safe to say Chucky really is back!
Thanks for checking out my Child’s Play 2019 review. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
https://backtothemovies.com/childs-play-2019-review/
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated They Feed in Books
Feb 21, 2019
Jason Parent’s They Feed has been on my radar for quite some time. A few months ago I snagged a galley of it. Things got in the way, but I finally found the time to sit down and straight up devour this title.
Set in Galveston National Park in Kansas, They Feed is the terrifying story of a what goes bump in the night. When a few groups, for completely different reasons, end up stranded in the dark, they quickly find themselves pitted against an unknown enemy that seems almost invincible, and every bit vicious. Can they survive until sunrise?
Let’s face it. When it comes to horror books, characters are dispensable. It’s hard to really get attached to anyone because we expect them to die. Therefore I’m always pleasantly surprised when there’s any amount of character development–and Parent’s stuffed this book with it. We’ve got a loathsome woman that, despite not being able to stand, I found myself cheering for. An angsty, delinquent teenager with redeemable qualities. A former convict. A group of frat boys behaving stupidly. All of these are present in this book, and Parent writes them in a way that had me both loving and hating several of them. (I cheered more than once.)
Plotwise, the book is pretty straightforward. It does switch perspectives, but thankfully it doesn’t alternate between past and present. This made the story flow really well, alongside perfect pacing on Parent’s part. There were also times I found my heart racing as I hoped for certain outcomes, and having that edge-of-your-seat thrill is one of my favorite feelings.
This is the first book I’ve read by Jason Parent, but it definitely won’t be the last. Let me put it this way: I’m even less likely to go camping now than I would have been last week. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Sinister Grin Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/02/20/book-review-they-feed-by-jason-parent/
Set in Galveston National Park in Kansas, They Feed is the terrifying story of a what goes bump in the night. When a few groups, for completely different reasons, end up stranded in the dark, they quickly find themselves pitted against an unknown enemy that seems almost invincible, and every bit vicious. Can they survive until sunrise?
Let’s face it. When it comes to horror books, characters are dispensable. It’s hard to really get attached to anyone because we expect them to die. Therefore I’m always pleasantly surprised when there’s any amount of character development–and Parent’s stuffed this book with it. We’ve got a loathsome woman that, despite not being able to stand, I found myself cheering for. An angsty, delinquent teenager with redeemable qualities. A former convict. A group of frat boys behaving stupidly. All of these are present in this book, and Parent writes them in a way that had me both loving and hating several of them. (I cheered more than once.)
Plotwise, the book is pretty straightforward. It does switch perspectives, but thankfully it doesn’t alternate between past and present. This made the story flow really well, alongside perfect pacing on Parent’s part. There were also times I found my heart racing as I hoped for certain outcomes, and having that edge-of-your-seat thrill is one of my favorite feelings.
This is the first book I’ve read by Jason Parent, but it definitely won’t be the last. Let me put it this way: I’m even less likely to go camping now than I would have been last week. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Sinister Grin Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/02/20/book-review-they-feed-by-jason-parent/
BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated Rule of One in Books
Sep 23, 2018
Book review by Cari Mayhew. Rating 9/10.
With every chapter having its own climax, this YA dystopian novel is set to be a bestseller!
I had the opportunity to read this before its official release date thanks to Amazon First Reads. It’s set in the future in the USA. The country is deemed overpopulated, and the country follows the Rule of One, which is that couples can only have one child. Everyone has identity microchips implanted into their wrists, and rations of food are obtained from 3D printers.
Ava and Mira are hiding a secret. They are identical twins, who’ve been taking turns each day to live as one person. One day they are found out and they’re forced to go on the run! They had been well practised in pretending to be one person, but they were ill prepared to handle being discovered.
The plot is fraught with tension and there’s trouble at every turn. They leave with little more than a map and a name, and face plenty of obstacles along the way.
They eventually hear rumours of a resistance, and people who can help them, and they are given new identities. But, in turn, they are asked to help the cause directly. Meanwhile their father is taken into custody and tortured. At this point, the twins no longer see eye to eye.
Some scenes are a little cliché, but the fast pace more than makes up for it.
The blurb in the description says that it’s set in the near future. Technology-wise it could be, but not in terms of the USA becoming so over populated that it would need such a rule, although this was recently the case in China.
I loved this book - as I said, each chapter has its own climax, which makes it quite the page-turner! IMO, it’s exactly as a dystopian thriller should be – a tense but light read and not all dreary. I have already ordered the sequel, which is due to be released in 2019 – I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here!
For more book news and reviews, check out bookblogbycari.com
With every chapter having its own climax, this YA dystopian novel is set to be a bestseller!
I had the opportunity to read this before its official release date thanks to Amazon First Reads. It’s set in the future in the USA. The country is deemed overpopulated, and the country follows the Rule of One, which is that couples can only have one child. Everyone has identity microchips implanted into their wrists, and rations of food are obtained from 3D printers.
Ava and Mira are hiding a secret. They are identical twins, who’ve been taking turns each day to live as one person. One day they are found out and they’re forced to go on the run! They had been well practised in pretending to be one person, but they were ill prepared to handle being discovered.
The plot is fraught with tension and there’s trouble at every turn. They leave with little more than a map and a name, and face plenty of obstacles along the way.
They eventually hear rumours of a resistance, and people who can help them, and they are given new identities. But, in turn, they are asked to help the cause directly. Meanwhile their father is taken into custody and tortured. At this point, the twins no longer see eye to eye.
Some scenes are a little cliché, but the fast pace more than makes up for it.
The blurb in the description says that it’s set in the near future. Technology-wise it could be, but not in terms of the USA becoming so over populated that it would need such a rule, although this was recently the case in China.
I loved this book - as I said, each chapter has its own climax, which makes it quite the page-turner! IMO, it’s exactly as a dystopian thriller should be – a tense but light read and not all dreary. I have already ordered the sequel, which is due to be released in 2019 – I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here!
For more book news and reviews, check out bookblogbycari.com
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Magic - Single by ABC Dialect in Music
Jun 17, 2019
Abc Dialect is an electronic duo based in Barcelona, Spain. Not too long ago, they released a lovely music video for their “Magic” single.
The audiovisual tells an interesting tale of a young man who purchases a bird from a pet store.
Later, the video follows him as he adapts a loving companionship between him and his new pet.
‘Magic’ contains a relatable storyline, pleasing vocals, and groovy instrumentation flavored with funky synthesizers, glistening keys, clean guitar chords, and enchanting flute.
Also, the likable tune showcases the group’s harmonically bright production which evokes a sense of smooth laidback euphoria.
“For this track, we’ve decided to go with a more organic approach. Recording live drums together with keyboards and bass and then adding some guitars, synths, flute, and vocals. We tried to keep the instrumental as simple and groovy as possible in order to give more space to the vocals and the flute which are the key elements on this track. The lyrics are simple but effective and relatable. The song had started being much more electronic and fast until we understood that it was meant to be much more real and pure.” – Abc Dialect
Abc Dialect formed in 2017 by London-based Argentinians, Tomás Susevich and Luca Oliva Knight.
The origin of their name was inspired by a trip to Japan, where they realized the dialect of their music was different than that of other cultures on the eastern side of the world.
This was a defining moment for the songwriters as they knew that they wanted their music to extend past the western hemisphere.
Therefore, they selected their name as a play on words addressing the dialect in which their music is created. Their goal is to have their music universally accepted by all.
Abc Dialect cites influences from both the past and present and draws inspiration from legacy acts such as Kool & The Gang, The Whispers, The Whitest Boy Alive, and Jamiroquai.
‘Magic’ is the first single from their upcoming EP, entitled, “Real Life”, available on June 13, 2019, via Casablanca Sunset.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/abc-dialect-magic/
The audiovisual tells an interesting tale of a young man who purchases a bird from a pet store.
Later, the video follows him as he adapts a loving companionship between him and his new pet.
‘Magic’ contains a relatable storyline, pleasing vocals, and groovy instrumentation flavored with funky synthesizers, glistening keys, clean guitar chords, and enchanting flute.
Also, the likable tune showcases the group’s harmonically bright production which evokes a sense of smooth laidback euphoria.
“For this track, we’ve decided to go with a more organic approach. Recording live drums together with keyboards and bass and then adding some guitars, synths, flute, and vocals. We tried to keep the instrumental as simple and groovy as possible in order to give more space to the vocals and the flute which are the key elements on this track. The lyrics are simple but effective and relatable. The song had started being much more electronic and fast until we understood that it was meant to be much more real and pure.” – Abc Dialect
Abc Dialect formed in 2017 by London-based Argentinians, Tomás Susevich and Luca Oliva Knight.
The origin of their name was inspired by a trip to Japan, where they realized the dialect of their music was different than that of other cultures on the eastern side of the world.
This was a defining moment for the songwriters as they knew that they wanted their music to extend past the western hemisphere.
Therefore, they selected their name as a play on words addressing the dialect in which their music is created. Their goal is to have their music universally accepted by all.
Abc Dialect cites influences from both the past and present and draws inspiration from legacy acts such as Kool & The Gang, The Whispers, The Whitest Boy Alive, and Jamiroquai.
‘Magic’ is the first single from their upcoming EP, entitled, “Real Life”, available on June 13, 2019, via Casablanca Sunset.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/abc-dialect-magic/