Search
Search results
Geoffrey Rush recommended City Lights (1931) in Movies (curated)
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Secret of Monkey Island in Video Games
May 8, 2020
Point and Click Away
The Secert of Monkey Island- is a 1990 point-and-click graphic adventure game developed and published by Lucasfilm Games.
It takes place in a fictional version of the Caribbean during the age of piracy. The player assumes the role of Guybrush Threepwood, a young man who dreams of becoming a pirate and explores fictional islands while solving puzzles.
The early releases of the game came with copy-protection. A cardboard wheel, named "Dial-a-Pirate", was provided, and the player had to match the pirate shown on-screen with that of the wheel.
The Secret of Monkey Island is a 2D adventure game played from a third-person perspective. Via a point-and-click interface, the player guides protagonist Guybrush Threepwood through the game's world and interacts with the environment by selecting from twelve verb commands (nine in newer versions) such as "talk to" for communicating with characters and "pick up" for collecting items between commands and the world's objects in order to successfully solve puzzles and thus progress in the game.
The in-game action is frequently interrupted by cutscenes.
Like other LucasArts adventure games, The Secret of Monkey Island features a design philosophy that makes the player character's death nearly impossible (Guybrush does drown if he stays underwater for more than ten minutes.
Its a excellent and classic game.
It takes place in a fictional version of the Caribbean during the age of piracy. The player assumes the role of Guybrush Threepwood, a young man who dreams of becoming a pirate and explores fictional islands while solving puzzles.
The early releases of the game came with copy-protection. A cardboard wheel, named "Dial-a-Pirate", was provided, and the player had to match the pirate shown on-screen with that of the wheel.
The Secret of Monkey Island is a 2D adventure game played from a third-person perspective. Via a point-and-click interface, the player guides protagonist Guybrush Threepwood through the game's world and interacts with the environment by selecting from twelve verb commands (nine in newer versions) such as "talk to" for communicating with characters and "pick up" for collecting items between commands and the world's objects in order to successfully solve puzzles and thus progress in the game.
The in-game action is frequently interrupted by cutscenes.
Like other LucasArts adventure games, The Secret of Monkey Island features a design philosophy that makes the player character's death nearly impossible (Guybrush does drown if he stays underwater for more than ten minutes.
Its a excellent and classic game.
AmyBee (4 KP) rated The Damnation Game in Books
Sep 6, 2018
This novel has to be one of, if not THE sickest, goriest horror novels I have ever read. For that reason, I LOVED it! The plot is strong, the characters are entertaining and the scare-factor is off the scale!
It soon becomes clear that the author of this novel is the same guy who wrote and directed the first HELLRAISER film. His ability to 'think outside the box' in his writing is evident with certain tropes in this novel that I wouldn't have even thought existed but are absolutely terrifying. I was blown away.
I love the way that horror and comedy seem to be interchanged in this novel in a way that makes the horror even sicker. As the reader, once you realise that certain scenes are actually making you chuckle, it makes YOU feel like the sick one for daring to laugh at such a grim scene. It takes a great writer to be able to do this and to pull it off without coming across like they are just trying to cash in a cheap gag and Barker has this skill down to a T. Excellent stuff!
Just one thing annoyed me about this and that is the two young Jehovah's Witnesses who make an appearance somewhere like halfway through the novel. I thought their characters were far more 2D than all the rest were, and they could have been written much better. To me, they were just not believable at all.
It soon becomes clear that the author of this novel is the same guy who wrote and directed the first HELLRAISER film. His ability to 'think outside the box' in his writing is evident with certain tropes in this novel that I wouldn't have even thought existed but are absolutely terrifying. I was blown away.
I love the way that horror and comedy seem to be interchanged in this novel in a way that makes the horror even sicker. As the reader, once you realise that certain scenes are actually making you chuckle, it makes YOU feel like the sick one for daring to laugh at such a grim scene. It takes a great writer to be able to do this and to pull it off without coming across like they are just trying to cash in a cheap gag and Barker has this skill down to a T. Excellent stuff!
Just one thing annoyed me about this and that is the two young Jehovah's Witnesses who make an appearance somewhere like halfway through the novel. I thought their characters were far more 2D than all the rest were, and they could have been written much better. To me, they were just not believable at all.
Steph Freeman (26 KP) rated Black Panther (2018) in Movies
Feb 21, 2018 (Updated Feb 21, 2018)
Excellent character development within the movie. (3 more)
No need to be a comic book "nerd", this story has something for everyone.
Accuracy in the culture (as much as can be expected for the genre).
Cinematography and costumes were superb.
Not Just Another Origin Story
As someone who knew nothing about comic books, their stories, and their characters prior to the last 15 year influx of Marvel and DC movies, I love the origin stories. It allows me to learn about the character, the world, and the connections between them without having to figure it out between punches or laser beams. This story delivered all of the above, with a fair amount of ass kicking in the meantime.
Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o, and Danai Gurira were an amazing protagonist team, with Martin Freeman and Michael B. Jordan rounding out the character archetypes beautifully. The costumes, make up, and cinematography were gorgeous, but the real star of the movie for me was Letitia Wright. Her comedic timing and her elegance made Shuri the best supporting role I have watched in a long time.
I don't know a lot about the culture in Africa, a terrible oversight of my American education, but I do have friends from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Togo who were very excited to see their culture represented in such a blockbuster film. It was refreshing to see something so beautiful that will hopefully inspire young Americans to learn about a culture outside of our borders.
Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o, and Danai Gurira were an amazing protagonist team, with Martin Freeman and Michael B. Jordan rounding out the character archetypes beautifully. The costumes, make up, and cinematography were gorgeous, but the real star of the movie for me was Letitia Wright. Her comedic timing and her elegance made Shuri the best supporting role I have watched in a long time.
I don't know a lot about the culture in Africa, a terrible oversight of my American education, but I do have friends from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Togo who were very excited to see their culture represented in such a blockbuster film. It was refreshing to see something so beautiful that will hopefully inspire young Americans to learn about a culture outside of our borders.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
I saw Alita twice in two days, once in 3D and once in 2D. As far as I'm concerned it's another Valerian... where there's a lot of detail on the screen the 3D makes it unwatchable. There are also several artsy shots that have characters in the foreground and scenery to look at in the background but finding something to easily rest your eye on is challenging, your focus is drawn backwards and forwards and it became a little frustrating.
There was one major problem for me, it's quite a big problem... Alita. Firstly I really don't like the animation of her, I was hoping it was just the trailer but there wasn't really any change between that and the final version. They've tried to keep the manga characteristics, specifically her large eyes that are popular for the style, but what works for illustration and regular animation doesn't have the same effect in this "realistic" animation.
Secondly, I find her character to be chaotic? I think that's the word I'm looking for. Despite her body knowing she's a warrior it somehow doesn't remember that she's not a petulant teenager? She has also lost any common sense when it comes to boundaries and verges on being a stalker in her relationship with Hugo. He's definitely got an overly attached girlfriend problem.
I was particularly impressed with Mahershala Ali who was clearly channelling some vintage Wesley Snipes from Blade. He plays the bad guy, technically two bad guys, and his last scene of the film was quite an amusing affair... maybe that's just me thinking that though.
The action side of the film is exciting to watch, if it hadn't been then there would have been something seriously wrong. Fight scenes are occasionally interrupted by flashes of Alita's previous life, and yet that doesn't phase her at all. Maybe I'm just assuming that's the way it should be having seen it so often in other films.
Motorball is great fun to watch (although I keep wanting to call it murderball) and I'm glad that they mixed up some of the Alita manga to get this in here. It's lined up to be quite an important plot point so I'm a little nervous about how they might go forward with this if they make a second film.
Those last words are what give me reservations though, "if they make a second film". It leaves a very obvious opportunity at the end for the next instalment and they've spoken about wanting more films to happen. In my opinion it's not a film that can stand on its own, we're either going to be disappointed by no second film or have to wait years for the next one. Had it been condensed down into one film we'd have been presented with a much more satisfying production.
What you should do
It's a good bit of sci-fi action and worth seeing in 2D. I'm not sure how I feel about the 12A rating though, that's potentially something to think about if you're taking your kids to see it.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'm totally here for some cybernetic enhancements, I can't quite decide which ones but I don't think I need to go full motorball.
There was one major problem for me, it's quite a big problem... Alita. Firstly I really don't like the animation of her, I was hoping it was just the trailer but there wasn't really any change between that and the final version. They've tried to keep the manga characteristics, specifically her large eyes that are popular for the style, but what works for illustration and regular animation doesn't have the same effect in this "realistic" animation.
Secondly, I find her character to be chaotic? I think that's the word I'm looking for. Despite her body knowing she's a warrior it somehow doesn't remember that she's not a petulant teenager? She has also lost any common sense when it comes to boundaries and verges on being a stalker in her relationship with Hugo. He's definitely got an overly attached girlfriend problem.
I was particularly impressed with Mahershala Ali who was clearly channelling some vintage Wesley Snipes from Blade. He plays the bad guy, technically two bad guys, and his last scene of the film was quite an amusing affair... maybe that's just me thinking that though.
The action side of the film is exciting to watch, if it hadn't been then there would have been something seriously wrong. Fight scenes are occasionally interrupted by flashes of Alita's previous life, and yet that doesn't phase her at all. Maybe I'm just assuming that's the way it should be having seen it so often in other films.
Motorball is great fun to watch (although I keep wanting to call it murderball) and I'm glad that they mixed up some of the Alita manga to get this in here. It's lined up to be quite an important plot point so I'm a little nervous about how they might go forward with this if they make a second film.
Those last words are what give me reservations though, "if they make a second film". It leaves a very obvious opportunity at the end for the next instalment and they've spoken about wanting more films to happen. In my opinion it's not a film that can stand on its own, we're either going to be disappointed by no second film or have to wait years for the next one. Had it been condensed down into one film we'd have been presented with a much more satisfying production.
What you should do
It's a good bit of sci-fi action and worth seeing in 2D. I'm not sure how I feel about the 12A rating though, that's potentially something to think about if you're taking your kids to see it.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'm totally here for some cybernetic enhancements, I can't quite decide which ones but I don't think I need to go full motorball.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Ready Player One (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune.
I might have to take back my negative ramblings about 3D briefly for this one. I was cursing under my breath when I saw the showing go up in the listings. You know my general feelings about the pointless format.
While I'm in no way converted, and out of choice I will always pick a 2D showing, this one was good. But I'm inclined to put that down to the video game nature of much of the film. I would note though that the film was clearer and more crisp to watch. Possibly this is down to the equipment used in the screens, as this was a different one to Tomb Raider which was decidedly fuzzy.
I didn't know anything about this film before going into it. Many people had told me that the book was difficult to read, and potentially that much of it might translate badly to the screen. I'm inclined to think that this film knocked its book out of the park judging by the crowd's reaction.
Most of the time, and compared to many of my friends, I consider myself to be a bit of a nerd. Even so, there were still a lot of references that completely passed me by on this one. It's a perfect film for the nostalgic nerd. At so many points I found myself smiling from memories of something as I saw it on the screen.
I might have to take back my negative ramblings about 3D briefly for this one. I was cursing under my breath when I saw the showing go up in the listings. You know my general feelings about the pointless format.
While I'm in no way converted, and out of choice I will always pick a 2D showing, this one was good. But I'm inclined to put that down to the video game nature of much of the film. I would note though that the film was clearer and more crisp to watch. Possibly this is down to the equipment used in the screens, as this was a different one to Tomb Raider which was decidedly fuzzy.
I didn't know anything about this film before going into it. Many people had told me that the book was difficult to read, and potentially that much of it might translate badly to the screen. I'm inclined to think that this film knocked its book out of the park judging by the crowd's reaction.
Most of the time, and compared to many of my friends, I consider myself to be a bit of a nerd. Even so, there were still a lot of references that completely passed me by on this one. It's a perfect film for the nostalgic nerd. At so many points I found myself smiling from memories of something as I saw it on the screen.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Love, Death & Robots in TV
Apr 4, 2019 (Updated Apr 4, 2019)
A breezy pace throughout the series (1 more)
Some incredible animation work
Now For Something Completely Different
Love Death & Robots is an animated anthology series from David Fincher and Tim Miller, made up of 18 short films, with each one done in a completely different animation style, ranging from stylistic 2D to hyper realistic 3D. I felt compelled to watch this series, not only as a fan of Fincher's and Miller's previous respective works, but as an aspiring animator myself.
My favourite thing about this series is how brief each episode is. Even if there is a story that you aren't enjoying so much, it is over promptly and you are onto the next one. I also like the idea of this series perhaps being a way for filmmakers to pitch their ideas in the form of these short stories and then, - if they are well received, - they could maybe go on to be developed into a longer more fleshed out feature length movie.
The style of animation varies wildly and everyone who watches the series will no doubt have their own personal preference. My favourite of the series was episode 13, which was titled "Lucky 13." It was based around a spaceship owned by a pilot played by Samira Wiley, who gave an phenomenal performance throughout the short film.
If you are looking for something fresh and different to anything else on Netflix, give this one a go. You may not enjoy every single episode, but I guarantee you there will be at least a few that you like. I really hope that this gets a second series and I am looking forward to anything else that is coming in the future from this creative team.
My favourite thing about this series is how brief each episode is. Even if there is a story that you aren't enjoying so much, it is over promptly and you are onto the next one. I also like the idea of this series perhaps being a way for filmmakers to pitch their ideas in the form of these short stories and then, - if they are well received, - they could maybe go on to be developed into a longer more fleshed out feature length movie.
The style of animation varies wildly and everyone who watches the series will no doubt have their own personal preference. My favourite of the series was episode 13, which was titled "Lucky 13." It was based around a spaceship owned by a pilot played by Samira Wiley, who gave an phenomenal performance throughout the short film.
If you are looking for something fresh and different to anything else on Netflix, give this one a go. You may not enjoy every single episode, but I guarantee you there will be at least a few that you like. I really hope that this gets a second series and I am looking forward to anything else that is coming in the future from this creative team.
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Night At The Museum: Secret of the Tomb, is a new movie (rated PG) starring Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Dan Stevens, and Rebel Wilson.
It is the third installment in the ‘Night At The Museum’ series.
The movie begins in time before any of the movies take place in time, throwing us back to the discovery of the magical tablet that brings the museum to life after sunset.
We then flash forward to current day,
and Ben Stillers character, Larry Daley, is the ‘special effects’ manager, in charge of all the magic of the museum.
Things go awry, and the rest of the movie is spent wrapped up in an attempt to first find out how to stop the erosion of the tablet, and then how to implement the information that is discovered.
The movie is fast paced, and it did draw me in. It is likely I was more emotionally invested in this film because it is the last film I will see Robin Williams in, and that was definitely at the forefront of my mind while watching the movie.
Some of the scenes between Rebel Wilson and Ben Stiller were less than funny to me, and some of the jokes were definitely groan worthy.
It was fairly predictable, but Dan
Stevens as Sir Lancelot did throw a few curve balls that mixed it up a bit.
It seems, based on some of the scenes, that Night at The Museum might be better in 3D than it was in 2D.
Over all, I liked the movie, but wouldn’t bother to take my son, who is 6 to see it ‘at the theatre’. It is one of those movies where the best parts seem to be in the previews.
http://sknr.net/2014/12/19/night-museum-3/
It is the third installment in the ‘Night At The Museum’ series.
The movie begins in time before any of the movies take place in time, throwing us back to the discovery of the magical tablet that brings the museum to life after sunset.
We then flash forward to current day,
and Ben Stillers character, Larry Daley, is the ‘special effects’ manager, in charge of all the magic of the museum.
Things go awry, and the rest of the movie is spent wrapped up in an attempt to first find out how to stop the erosion of the tablet, and then how to implement the information that is discovered.
The movie is fast paced, and it did draw me in. It is likely I was more emotionally invested in this film because it is the last film I will see Robin Williams in, and that was definitely at the forefront of my mind while watching the movie.
Some of the scenes between Rebel Wilson and Ben Stiller were less than funny to me, and some of the jokes were definitely groan worthy.
It was fairly predictable, but Dan
Stevens as Sir Lancelot did throw a few curve balls that mixed it up a bit.
It seems, based on some of the scenes, that Night at The Museum might be better in 3D than it was in 2D.
Over all, I liked the movie, but wouldn’t bother to take my son, who is 6 to see it ‘at the theatre’. It is one of those movies where the best parts seem to be in the previews.
http://sknr.net/2014/12/19/night-museum-3/
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
So this was my midnight screening... I threw caution to the wind again and dragged myself out of bed when normal people were sleeping. I rocked up at 11:45 thinking I was actually running a bit late... but as it turned out, I was the first one there. I tried my best to sneak down the side so I didn't have to have my picture taken with some extras who were doing some promo shots out front. Unfortunately I wasn't channelling my ninja skills enough due to lack of sleep and I was trapped against my will for snaps.
When I went to see Last Jedi the whole screen was packed out. I had been toying with when to see this one, I wasn't overly bothered so a midnight screening seemed a bit over the top. But LJ had been such a great atmosphere that I went for it. I was very surprised to find that when I went to book there were only two other seats booked for the 3D screening, and when I checked the 2D there were maybe 20 tickets booked.
No one had very high hopes for this one, and I for one didn't think it was as good as Force Awakens or Last Jedi, but it did have its moments. There were a lot of nostalgic references, I don't know if they were things that was already know in the fandom, but to me they were new and I appreciated them.
Beyond that I wasn't overly impressed by it. Paul Bettany was woefully under used and the rest didn't really feel very convincing, even when taking into account the fictional nature of everything. The one thing that actually got me in the feels was Lando and L3. Still brings a tear to my eye now.
When I went to see Last Jedi the whole screen was packed out. I had been toying with when to see this one, I wasn't overly bothered so a midnight screening seemed a bit over the top. But LJ had been such a great atmosphere that I went for it. I was very surprised to find that when I went to book there were only two other seats booked for the 3D screening, and when I checked the 2D there were maybe 20 tickets booked.
No one had very high hopes for this one, and I for one didn't think it was as good as Force Awakens or Last Jedi, but it did have its moments. There were a lot of nostalgic references, I don't know if they were things that was already know in the fandom, but to me they were new and I appreciated them.
Beyond that I wasn't overly impressed by it. Paul Bettany was woefully under used and the rest didn't really feel very convincing, even when taking into account the fictional nature of everything. The one thing that actually got me in the feels was Lando and L3. Still brings a tear to my eye now.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) in Movies
May 21, 2020
The Last Classic Monster
Creature From The Black Lagoon- is the last monster of the classic universal monsters. And its sad. Its sad, to see the classic universal monster, last movie. This creature is scary, terrorfying and horrorfying.
The plot: Remnants of a mysterious animal have come to light in a remote jungle, and a group of scientists intends to determine if the find is an anomaly or evidence of an undiscovered beast. To accomplish their goal, the scientists (Antonio Moreno, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell) must brave the most perilous pieces of land South America has to offer. But the terrain is nothing compared to the danger posed by an otherworldly being that endangers their work and their lives.
Creature from the Black Lagoon was filmed in 3D and originally projected by the polarized light method. The audience wore viewers with gray polarizing filters, similar to the viewers most commonly used today. Because the brief 1950s 3D film fad had peaked in mid-1953 and was fading fast in early 1954, many audiences actually saw the film "flat", in 2D. Typically, the film was shown in 3D in large downtown theaters and flat in smaller neighborhood theaters.
For marketing reasons, a comedic appearance with Abbott and Costello on an episode of The Colgate Comedy Hour aired prior to the film's release. The appearance is commonly known as Abbott and Costello Meet the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Ben Chapman reprised his role as the Gill-Man for the program.
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
2001: AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills – Nominated
2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains:
Gill-man – Nominated Villain
Iike i said a classic universal monster.
The plot: Remnants of a mysterious animal have come to light in a remote jungle, and a group of scientists intends to determine if the find is an anomaly or evidence of an undiscovered beast. To accomplish their goal, the scientists (Antonio Moreno, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell) must brave the most perilous pieces of land South America has to offer. But the terrain is nothing compared to the danger posed by an otherworldly being that endangers their work and their lives.
Creature from the Black Lagoon was filmed in 3D and originally projected by the polarized light method. The audience wore viewers with gray polarizing filters, similar to the viewers most commonly used today. Because the brief 1950s 3D film fad had peaked in mid-1953 and was fading fast in early 1954, many audiences actually saw the film "flat", in 2D. Typically, the film was shown in 3D in large downtown theaters and flat in smaller neighborhood theaters.
For marketing reasons, a comedic appearance with Abbott and Costello on an episode of The Colgate Comedy Hour aired prior to the film's release. The appearance is commonly known as Abbott and Costello Meet the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Ben Chapman reprised his role as the Gill-Man for the program.
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
2001: AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills – Nominated
2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains:
Gill-man – Nominated Villain
Iike i said a classic universal monster.