Search
Search results
BookwormLea (3034 KP) rated Love and Monsters (2021) in Movies
Apr 17, 2021
Good take on an apocalypse. But really?
Contains spoilers, click to show
So the world's going to end with a huge comet but they save themselves with a rocket. But the rocket is made of some weird crap that lands back on earth and mutates all the bugs and lizards. Don't ask me why only those things and not actual animals because I don't know.
In a year, 95% of the worlds population has been wiped out. Those that are left have spent 7 years in bunkers, safe houses and other hidey holes. Joel is one of them. He was 16 when the world ended and now he wants to go find his ex girlfriend who lives in a different (what they call) colony. He's lonely because all his colony family have shacked up and he's the odd one out. He's also totally useless. He freezes up at the sight of the giant mutant bugs. But yes, he leaves to take a 7 day journey across mutant filled terrain, thats overgrown over 7 years.
Far fetched right? But he does it. With the help of a dog (yeah, a dog survived 7 years alone) an old man and his adopted daughter who know everything there is to know about the mutants, and at some weird point, a broken AI who just happens to have a few moments spare to comfort him. Also, sky jellies??? Mutations can't make sea animals fly...
So he gets there eventually, and finds her looking after old people. She's about to pack up and boars a yacht for a creepy youngish captain. And after some deliberation, Joel realises he's not who he says he is and he's actually a food stealer which, haha, ironically Joel kept being accused of being just that!! The captain sets this giant crab onto the biddies and sets sail to loot some other colony. But Joel looks right into that creepy crabs slightly human looking eyes and realises, he just wants to be free like any other self respecting mutant crab. So of course he frees him.
And then because his ex is a bitch who totally forgot about him and didn't really want him to go there, he goes back to his old colony to help them get to the mountain where there is a huge safe haven supposedly.
No romantic ending. He mysteriously survived 14 days on the surface, only coming close to being eaten like 5 times. And we don't even see if they make it to the mountain. Instead we hear his speech over the radio signals, encouraging people who've been safe for 7 years to risk their lives outside trying to make it to the mountains. Because if he can, anyone can.... gross.
So in summary, if they'd skipped the romance part, and maybe made it about a guy finding his parents or something, great movie. And someone give the damn dog his human back!
In a year, 95% of the worlds population has been wiped out. Those that are left have spent 7 years in bunkers, safe houses and other hidey holes. Joel is one of them. He was 16 when the world ended and now he wants to go find his ex girlfriend who lives in a different (what they call) colony. He's lonely because all his colony family have shacked up and he's the odd one out. He's also totally useless. He freezes up at the sight of the giant mutant bugs. But yes, he leaves to take a 7 day journey across mutant filled terrain, thats overgrown over 7 years.
Far fetched right? But he does it. With the help of a dog (yeah, a dog survived 7 years alone) an old man and his adopted daughter who know everything there is to know about the mutants, and at some weird point, a broken AI who just happens to have a few moments spare to comfort him. Also, sky jellies??? Mutations can't make sea animals fly...
So he gets there eventually, and finds her looking after old people. She's about to pack up and boars a yacht for a creepy youngish captain. And after some deliberation, Joel realises he's not who he says he is and he's actually a food stealer which, haha, ironically Joel kept being accused of being just that!! The captain sets this giant crab onto the biddies and sets sail to loot some other colony. But Joel looks right into that creepy crabs slightly human looking eyes and realises, he just wants to be free like any other self respecting mutant crab. So of course he frees him.
And then because his ex is a bitch who totally forgot about him and didn't really want him to go there, he goes back to his old colony to help them get to the mountain where there is a huge safe haven supposedly.
No romantic ending. He mysteriously survived 14 days on the surface, only coming close to being eaten like 5 times. And we don't even see if they make it to the mountain. Instead we hear his speech over the radio signals, encouraging people who've been safe for 7 years to risk their lives outside trying to make it to the mountains. Because if he can, anyone can.... gross.
So in summary, if they'd skipped the romance part, and maybe made it about a guy finding his parents or something, great movie. And someone give the damn dog his human back!
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated The Kingdom in Books
Sep 20, 2020
“Where Happily Ever After is not just a promise, but a rule”
I mean with a tag line like that you can’t not be drawn in by this book! If that doesn’t grab you then the gorgeous cover art will.
Once you get past the wonderful aesthetics; the ‘Disney x Westworld x Big Little Lies’ reality that Jess Rothenberg conjures is sure to captivate you. Rothenberg manages to describe her Kingdom in such minute detail without it seeming contrite: the brazen references to meet and greets, monorails and “the park” are like catnip to a Disney geek like myself; whilst the proclamation from the outset that a crime has occurred appeals to the (slightly) more mature side of this 32 year old bookworm.
The Kingdom is a magical place where dreams come true: or is it? The star attractions: the princesses; are beautiful, perfect, always say the right thing and…are Artificial Intelligence. Their sophisticated technology, wireless signals and encyclopaedic knowledge ensure the princesses are as perfect as possible but it quickly becomes apparent that the princesses are, in fact, prisoners: constantly under surveillance, tracked by GPS implants in their wrists and strapped to their beds at “downtime”.
Ana is our princess and storyteller, opening her world to the reader and introducing us to her “sisters”, “mother” and “father” as well as those who have slightly less favourable views towards the AI, or Fantasists as they are known. There is no doubt that Ana is advanced in comparison to other Fantasists that we meet: she is aware of the park’s wireless blind spots and admits she becomes weary of some songs, unruly children and fathers with wandering eyes. Ironically, Ana is a profoundly human character with whom the reader immediately allies themselves with. Despite clearly being a suspect in the ongoing murder trial, I can’t see any reader convicting Ana. On the contrary, it is a real testament to Jess Rothenberg’s writing that the reader identifies with the Fantasists over and above every human character in her novel. Even Owen, the main human character, is never entirely trustworthy and does not reveal his intentions readily.
The format of The Kingdom is unlike anything else out there at the moment, in my opinion. The mix of prose, advertisements, interviews, trial transcripts and even apps allow our Fantasist to tell her story but also allows the reader to meet personnel and witness events that Ana would never see. This aspect is crucial to the murder mystery vibe of The Kingdom and Rothenberg leaves the reader guessing right to the very end and begging for a sequel.
Rothenberg’s kingdom is quick to show its murkier, thornier side. Those who question their surroundings are made an example of; nature is manipulated for entertainment and nothing is what it seems. If you haven’t guessed by now, I absolutely adored this book. It had me gripped from beginning to end. If you read one Disney book this year- read this one!
I mean with a tag line like that you can’t not be drawn in by this book! If that doesn’t grab you then the gorgeous cover art will.
Once you get past the wonderful aesthetics; the ‘Disney x Westworld x Big Little Lies’ reality that Jess Rothenberg conjures is sure to captivate you. Rothenberg manages to describe her Kingdom in such minute detail without it seeming contrite: the brazen references to meet and greets, monorails and “the park” are like catnip to a Disney geek like myself; whilst the proclamation from the outset that a crime has occurred appeals to the (slightly) more mature side of this 32 year old bookworm.
The Kingdom is a magical place where dreams come true: or is it? The star attractions: the princesses; are beautiful, perfect, always say the right thing and…are Artificial Intelligence. Their sophisticated technology, wireless signals and encyclopaedic knowledge ensure the princesses are as perfect as possible but it quickly becomes apparent that the princesses are, in fact, prisoners: constantly under surveillance, tracked by GPS implants in their wrists and strapped to their beds at “downtime”.
Ana is our princess and storyteller, opening her world to the reader and introducing us to her “sisters”, “mother” and “father” as well as those who have slightly less favourable views towards the AI, or Fantasists as they are known. There is no doubt that Ana is advanced in comparison to other Fantasists that we meet: she is aware of the park’s wireless blind spots and admits she becomes weary of some songs, unruly children and fathers with wandering eyes. Ironically, Ana is a profoundly human character with whom the reader immediately allies themselves with. Despite clearly being a suspect in the ongoing murder trial, I can’t see any reader convicting Ana. On the contrary, it is a real testament to Jess Rothenberg’s writing that the reader identifies with the Fantasists over and above every human character in her novel. Even Owen, the main human character, is never entirely trustworthy and does not reveal his intentions readily.
The format of The Kingdom is unlike anything else out there at the moment, in my opinion. The mix of prose, advertisements, interviews, trial transcripts and even apps allow our Fantasist to tell her story but also allows the reader to meet personnel and witness events that Ana would never see. This aspect is crucial to the murder mystery vibe of The Kingdom and Rothenberg leaves the reader guessing right to the very end and begging for a sequel.
Rothenberg’s kingdom is quick to show its murkier, thornier side. Those who question their surroundings are made an example of; nature is manipulated for entertainment and nothing is what it seems. If you haven’t guessed by now, I absolutely adored this book. It had me gripped from beginning to end. If you read one Disney book this year- read this one!
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Jan 22, 2021
Robert Rodriguez is not a good director. He isn’t an especially good writer or producer either. This is the guy responsible for four Spy Kids films, that start below average and downgrade exponentially into excruciatingly awful. What he is pretty good at is ideas, and seeing the potential of something visually arresting and exciting. That is what led to the success of Sin City, arguably his best effort to date, because he saw how the comic book creations of Frank Miller could become live action and he made it happen.
Alita: Battle Angel is a similar deal. This time Yukito Kishiro’s early 90s manga creation is the inspiration. With James Cameron as producer, and the considerable talents of Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly and Mahershala Ali onboard, it would have been pretty hard for even Rodriguez to mess this up entirely. Although at times he does seem to try, mostly by doing too much and making certain sections too busy and too confusingly cross-genre, like he is frantically trying to colour within the lines whilst using every felt-tip in the pack. A habit that means every now and again something great happens, but you may have missed it in all the background noise.
Compare this film, that just falls short of qualifying for my Bad Movie Triple Bill list, to Spielberg’s superior yet similarly busy Ready Player One. Both involve high concept future realities that are very tech and AI driven. Both make extensive use of CGI and vivid colour palettes. Both are frenetic and demand an audience pays attention in order to fully appreciate the storyline. The difference is that one zig-zags back and forth in tone and momentum, and one is razor sharp in moving us from one idea to the next on a perfect learning curve towards a satisfying climax and conclusion. Guess which one is which? This is why Spielberg is Spielberg and Rodriguez is… a hack.
That said, Alita as a character and concept is charming, and you do therefore find yourself at least wanting to discover her story. The action scenes are also quite electric, and the visuals are often breath-taking. But the whole is less than the sum of the parts here, and we are left with something that can only really exist in the same box as dozens of admirable sci-fi B-movies aimed at teenagers, such as The Maze Runner, Mortal Engines and The City of Ember. It also continues to prove the point alongside Ghost in the Shell and Speed Racer that Anime / Manga into live action is a very tricky business.
There is definitely an audience out there for this movie, and I dare say at some point I will be tempted to give it another watch. What is definitely worth watching however, is how James Cameron uses this as a stepping stone to perfecting virtual humans on the big screen. I am sure everyone involved learned a lot in that respect, so all is far from lost.
Alita: Battle Angel is a similar deal. This time Yukito Kishiro’s early 90s manga creation is the inspiration. With James Cameron as producer, and the considerable talents of Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly and Mahershala Ali onboard, it would have been pretty hard for even Rodriguez to mess this up entirely. Although at times he does seem to try, mostly by doing too much and making certain sections too busy and too confusingly cross-genre, like he is frantically trying to colour within the lines whilst using every felt-tip in the pack. A habit that means every now and again something great happens, but you may have missed it in all the background noise.
Compare this film, that just falls short of qualifying for my Bad Movie Triple Bill list, to Spielberg’s superior yet similarly busy Ready Player One. Both involve high concept future realities that are very tech and AI driven. Both make extensive use of CGI and vivid colour palettes. Both are frenetic and demand an audience pays attention in order to fully appreciate the storyline. The difference is that one zig-zags back and forth in tone and momentum, and one is razor sharp in moving us from one idea to the next on a perfect learning curve towards a satisfying climax and conclusion. Guess which one is which? This is why Spielberg is Spielberg and Rodriguez is… a hack.
That said, Alita as a character and concept is charming, and you do therefore find yourself at least wanting to discover her story. The action scenes are also quite electric, and the visuals are often breath-taking. But the whole is less than the sum of the parts here, and we are left with something that can only really exist in the same box as dozens of admirable sci-fi B-movies aimed at teenagers, such as The Maze Runner, Mortal Engines and The City of Ember. It also continues to prove the point alongside Ghost in the Shell and Speed Racer that Anime / Manga into live action is a very tricky business.
There is definitely an audience out there for this movie, and I dare say at some point I will be tempted to give it another watch. What is definitely worth watching however, is how James Cameron uses this as a stepping stone to perfecting virtual humans on the big screen. I am sure everyone involved learned a lot in that respect, so all is far from lost.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Demon Seed: A novel of terror to horrify you this Halloween in Books
May 16, 2018
One of the things I’ve noticed when I’m running around between thrift stores is an abundance of Dean Koontz novels. That said, I’ve definitely been stockpiling them up, and the first one I read out of my Koontz pile is Demon Seed. Demon Seed is told from a rather peculiar perspective: that of a computer with artificial intelligence. Before I delve deeper into my thoughts on Demon Seed, I would like to note that this is a copy of the 1997 release, and not the original novel published in 1973. There are differences in the two books, however because I have not happened to lay hands upon the original version, I am unable to compare or contrast their contents. As such, my review is based solely upon the second version of the book, which is told solely from the perspective of Proteus, the artificial intelligence program that is all too frighteningly real.
The idea of a computer striking fear into someone’s heart is a bit of an oddball, but with the idea of artificial intelligence an all too possible reality, fear over what could happen should the AI take control of itself and evolve is real. In Demon Seed that science is taken too far when Proteus takes control of his own programming and not only stalks the recently divorced Susan Harris, but holds her captive within her own home. With a plan for the ideal race of humans on its mind, Proteus sets forth on a horrifying adventure to create for himself the perfect body, and poor Susan is a key player in his endeavor.
As a premise, especially for something originally written in the early 70’s, the idea behind Demon Seed is intriguing. I find Proteus to be a very disturbing character, and the way in which Koontz pens Proteus gives me chills. I remember once, a long time ago, having a similar feeling while reading a novel by P. T. Deutermann, in which the occasional chapter was in the killer’s perspective. I don’t remember the name of the book, only the fact that I was left nerve-wracked. Koontz’s Proteus is not too far off from that mark and the mere fact that Koontz is able to capture that essence of a true sociopath with an inanimate object (if I can really call Proteus that) probably factors into my opinion on the book the most. The other characters, and to some degree Susan as well, strike me as a bit one-dimensional. They have a single, solitary purpose and while they possess wildly different backgrounds, the way in which the story progresses does not leave room for the development of feelings toward the characters.
Demon Seed is an extremely quick read, and if you’ve got the time to sit for a few hours and thumb through its pages, I’d definitely recommend it. While it isn’t among my favorite books, and only receives a passing “meh” score from me, it was enjoyable. The linear plot line, told from a single, solitary perspective, makes it an easy read as well. There is also a movie adaptation of the novel, but it is not presently on my to-watch list.
The idea of a computer striking fear into someone’s heart is a bit of an oddball, but with the idea of artificial intelligence an all too possible reality, fear over what could happen should the AI take control of itself and evolve is real. In Demon Seed that science is taken too far when Proteus takes control of his own programming and not only stalks the recently divorced Susan Harris, but holds her captive within her own home. With a plan for the ideal race of humans on its mind, Proteus sets forth on a horrifying adventure to create for himself the perfect body, and poor Susan is a key player in his endeavor.
As a premise, especially for something originally written in the early 70’s, the idea behind Demon Seed is intriguing. I find Proteus to be a very disturbing character, and the way in which Koontz pens Proteus gives me chills. I remember once, a long time ago, having a similar feeling while reading a novel by P. T. Deutermann, in which the occasional chapter was in the killer’s perspective. I don’t remember the name of the book, only the fact that I was left nerve-wracked. Koontz’s Proteus is not too far off from that mark and the mere fact that Koontz is able to capture that essence of a true sociopath with an inanimate object (if I can really call Proteus that) probably factors into my opinion on the book the most. The other characters, and to some degree Susan as well, strike me as a bit one-dimensional. They have a single, solitary purpose and while they possess wildly different backgrounds, the way in which the story progresses does not leave room for the development of feelings toward the characters.
Demon Seed is an extremely quick read, and if you’ve got the time to sit for a few hours and thumb through its pages, I’d definitely recommend it. While it isn’t among my favorite books, and only receives a passing “meh” score from me, it was enjoyable. The linear plot line, told from a single, solitary perspective, makes it an easy read as well. There is also a movie adaptation of the novel, but it is not presently on my to-watch list.
BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated This Idea Must Die in Books
Aug 14, 2018
Book Review by Cari Mayhew.
There’s nothing like reading a popular science book to make you feel more worldly wise! The Idea Must Die is a compilation of over 150 separate articles, by different contributors, arguing that certain scientific concepts are blocking progress and should be put to rest.
Its scope is very broad - at first I felt the book was concentrating on physics, but it later went on to include psychology, linguistics, genetics, criminology, economics and computer science. The title of each article comes from the concept that it is argued should be put to rest.
There were plenty of articles I found interesting and learnt from, including: - “Long-term memory is immutable”, "One genome per individual", “Economic growth”, "Intelligence as property", "Continuity of time", Knowing is half the battle" and "Information overload", “Essentialism”, "Malthuanism" (which is the idea that population will outstrip food supply).
For the majority of the articles I agreed that the theory should be put to rest, and plenty that I thought it was good to see included. These included topics such as: race, nurture vs nature, reductionism. Cancer research theories were also addressed.
There were several topics I was surprised to see argued against, such as evidence-based medicine, scientific method, evolution, carbon footprint, string theory, culture, science being self-correcting.
It was refreshing to see "We are stone age thinkers" but I was disappointed to see the title "Languages condition worldviews". It was also a shame to see AI there, along with robot companions. Ideas in some chapters were disconcerting, claiming there's no self, no cognitive agency, and no free will.
There was a potentially useful article entitled "Scientific knowledge structured as literature" suggesting how publication could move to a new updated method.
With each article ranging in length from a mere 1 to 7 pages, it is an incredibly easy book to dip in and out of, or to fit around a busy week. At times there is a flow between one chapter and the next, but not always. Several of the articles proffer conflicting viewpoints, prompting the reader to reflect and wonder.
Some articles are more-well written than others, and similarly some arguments are more strongly put forward. Usually only one argument is made per article, but at times there were several. I believe some of the articles were chosen for their brevity, which is a shame because some of the articles could use a stronger argument. Some articles are hard to get your head around. The language is not always accessible and often presumes reader already has some knowledge of the subject. Although intriguing to begin with, with so many articles it began to feel dry and laborious at about 60% through. Some articles I deliberately skipped, others I attempted but found impenetrable.
It’s a refreshing read if you haven’t picked a science book in some time and it’s definitely a thought-provoking read if you feel confident that you can get to grips with the material.
For more of my reviews, check out www.bookblogbycari.com
There’s nothing like reading a popular science book to make you feel more worldly wise! The Idea Must Die is a compilation of over 150 separate articles, by different contributors, arguing that certain scientific concepts are blocking progress and should be put to rest.
Its scope is very broad - at first I felt the book was concentrating on physics, but it later went on to include psychology, linguistics, genetics, criminology, economics and computer science. The title of each article comes from the concept that it is argued should be put to rest.
There were plenty of articles I found interesting and learnt from, including: - “Long-term memory is immutable”, "One genome per individual", “Economic growth”, "Intelligence as property", "Continuity of time", Knowing is half the battle" and "Information overload", “Essentialism”, "Malthuanism" (which is the idea that population will outstrip food supply).
For the majority of the articles I agreed that the theory should be put to rest, and plenty that I thought it was good to see included. These included topics such as: race, nurture vs nature, reductionism. Cancer research theories were also addressed.
There were several topics I was surprised to see argued against, such as evidence-based medicine, scientific method, evolution, carbon footprint, string theory, culture, science being self-correcting.
It was refreshing to see "We are stone age thinkers" but I was disappointed to see the title "Languages condition worldviews". It was also a shame to see AI there, along with robot companions. Ideas in some chapters were disconcerting, claiming there's no self, no cognitive agency, and no free will.
There was a potentially useful article entitled "Scientific knowledge structured as literature" suggesting how publication could move to a new updated method.
With each article ranging in length from a mere 1 to 7 pages, it is an incredibly easy book to dip in and out of, or to fit around a busy week. At times there is a flow between one chapter and the next, but not always. Several of the articles proffer conflicting viewpoints, prompting the reader to reflect and wonder.
Some articles are more-well written than others, and similarly some arguments are more strongly put forward. Usually only one argument is made per article, but at times there were several. I believe some of the articles were chosen for their brevity, which is a shame because some of the articles could use a stronger argument. Some articles are hard to get your head around. The language is not always accessible and often presumes reader already has some knowledge of the subject. Although intriguing to begin with, with so many articles it began to feel dry and laborious at about 60% through. Some articles I deliberately skipped, others I attempted but found impenetrable.
It’s a refreshing read if you haven’t picked a science book in some time and it’s definitely a thought-provoking read if you feel confident that you can get to grips with the material.
For more of my reviews, check out www.bookblogbycari.com
Darren (1599 KP) rated A.M.I. (2019) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
Characters – Cassie is a high school student that has been through a traumatic experience, being involved in a car crash that killed her mother, while others in her life have moved on, she still suffers daily, her boyfriend doesn’t give her time and always makes excuses, while her closest friends are more interested in her lifestyle and boyfriend than her. Cassie turns to an AI system on her phone, that starts guiding her on a killing spree against everyone that has done her wrong. Greg is Cassie’s father that has neglected her after her mother’s death drinking and trying to seduce younger women including one of Cassie’s friends. Liam is the asshole boyfriend that is more interested in a career in American football and sleeping around over being caring towards his own girlfriend, he is one of the most unsupportive people you will ever see in a film. Ruby and Sarah are the best friends that are not supportive in any way more interested in her boyfriend than her friendship.
Performances – Debs Howard in the leading role is very interesting to watch, she has the image of a popular student, only holds the psychotic side back. Sam Robert Muik does give us one of the most unlikable characters of the year. Nobody else really gets any screen time to do much.
Story – The story here follows a teenager girl that is struggling with her mother’s death only to turn to her phone artificial intelligence for a friend, which only turns her into a psychotic killer, taking out revenge on the people that are wronging her in life. This story could easily be one that could have addressed the real life problems Cassie would be experiencing with loss, but instead it just decides to show us that she has no friends or family that want to help her in anyway, despite the fact they should be stood next to her helping her. The speed of which she turns to the phone for friendship is worrying quick and how quickly she starts to kill, though it does have a glancing reference to her head injury, which could have been made more of a point about.
Horror – The horror side of the film does follow Cassie on her slasher style killing spree, it isn’t scary and the kills happen way to quickly to have any tension.
Settings – The film does use the everyday settings which shows how somebody could go lose it and go on a spree.
Special Effects – The effects are used to show injuries, while mostly are off camera too, they don’t need to show us anything if we are honesty.
Scene of the Movie – The slip and slide.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – In one scene Sarah is asked if she wants to call her mother, less than 10 minutes later, she talks about living alone in an apartment.
Final Thoughts – This is an odd little slasher that does everything to make you support the killer over anybody in their life and does almost hit comical with the kills.
Overall: Fun little slasher.
Performances – Debs Howard in the leading role is very interesting to watch, she has the image of a popular student, only holds the psychotic side back. Sam Robert Muik does give us one of the most unlikable characters of the year. Nobody else really gets any screen time to do much.
Story – The story here follows a teenager girl that is struggling with her mother’s death only to turn to her phone artificial intelligence for a friend, which only turns her into a psychotic killer, taking out revenge on the people that are wronging her in life. This story could easily be one that could have addressed the real life problems Cassie would be experiencing with loss, but instead it just decides to show us that she has no friends or family that want to help her in anyway, despite the fact they should be stood next to her helping her. The speed of which she turns to the phone for friendship is worrying quick and how quickly she starts to kill, though it does have a glancing reference to her head injury, which could have been made more of a point about.
Horror – The horror side of the film does follow Cassie on her slasher style killing spree, it isn’t scary and the kills happen way to quickly to have any tension.
Settings – The film does use the everyday settings which shows how somebody could go lose it and go on a spree.
Special Effects – The effects are used to show injuries, while mostly are off camera too, they don’t need to show us anything if we are honesty.
Scene of the Movie – The slip and slide.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – In one scene Sarah is asked if she wants to call her mother, less than 10 minutes later, she talks about living alone in an apartment.
Final Thoughts – This is an odd little slasher that does everything to make you support the killer over anybody in their life and does almost hit comical with the kills.
Overall: Fun little slasher.
Alice (12 KP) rated The Weight of the World (The Amaranthine Spectrum #2) in Books
Jul 3, 2018
<i>I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review </i>
Original review can be found on my blog Raptureinbooks <a href="http://wp.me/p5y0lX-1GF">here</a href>
The Weight of the World starts roughly where the previous book ended, I say roughly because it starts with a few historical stories from different points of view - Daniell and Ghaldezuel- before jumping to the present with Lycaste, Huerepo and Maneker in the thick of things.
Now originally I had this stupid idea that I'd be able to drop right in the deep end of this story and know what was going to happen - my expectations were that it was to be a lot like the first book The Promise of the Child and I've never been so happy to say otherwise. The Weight of the World is so full of surprises there was no way I could correctly guess what was going to happen in the next chapter.
We're still following the tale told from Lycaste's view more often than not and although there are several other secondary main characters (makes no sense I'm aware of this) the book doesn't feel quite so wholesome until it's told from Lycaste's view but then on the flip side it's have a new character that I love - Perception or Percy - a millenia old AI/soul that was imprisoned on a planet.
Perception - as his name suggests - is wickedly perceptive and incredibly smart; imprisoned as a five year old soul and left to linger and eventually 'die' he has all these ideas of how things should be done and takes a great joy in proving Hugo Maneker wrong once he has been freed.
In my review for the first book (which you can check out above) I made mention of a child that wasn't heard from since the beginning of the book - what I didn't realise until reading this book that he actually was and it was greatly done by Tom Toner on how he fed this information into the story and still kept the plot on point.
I learned a lot about each of the characters particularly Lycaste, Pentas and Jatropha (who I'd like to point out I didn't realise was an specific character until now *facepalm*).
Lycaste has grown up considerably
Pentas, although she's gone through a pretty tough time is an selfish, manipulative and all and round horrible person
Jatropha has fingers in many many pies.
The break down between the Vulgar and the Lacaille was stellar and Huerepo is the perfect character to put this across - a stark contrast to his Lacaille equivalent Ghaldezuel whom has a lovely traitorous streak in him, something that I wholly did not expect.
There were fights in space and an abundance of alien species once again and a firm understanding of Old World history versus present; a humourous trip in space with Huerepo's cousin who is like a mini version of a sarcastic, cockney-esque Butler.
You can tell in this book that Tom Toner has settled into his author boots with aplomb and I can only imagine that he will continue to grow from strength to strength and I can't wait to see where he takes the Amaranthine Spectrum next.
Original review can be found on my blog Raptureinbooks <a href="http://wp.me/p5y0lX-1GF">here</a href>
The Weight of the World starts roughly where the previous book ended, I say roughly because it starts with a few historical stories from different points of view - Daniell and Ghaldezuel- before jumping to the present with Lycaste, Huerepo and Maneker in the thick of things.
Now originally I had this stupid idea that I'd be able to drop right in the deep end of this story and know what was going to happen - my expectations were that it was to be a lot like the first book The Promise of the Child and I've never been so happy to say otherwise. The Weight of the World is so full of surprises there was no way I could correctly guess what was going to happen in the next chapter.
We're still following the tale told from Lycaste's view more often than not and although there are several other secondary main characters (makes no sense I'm aware of this) the book doesn't feel quite so wholesome until it's told from Lycaste's view but then on the flip side it's have a new character that I love - Perception or Percy - a millenia old AI/soul that was imprisoned on a planet.
Perception - as his name suggests - is wickedly perceptive and incredibly smart; imprisoned as a five year old soul and left to linger and eventually 'die' he has all these ideas of how things should be done and takes a great joy in proving Hugo Maneker wrong once he has been freed.
In my review for the first book (which you can check out above) I made mention of a child that wasn't heard from since the beginning of the book - what I didn't realise until reading this book that he actually was and it was greatly done by Tom Toner on how he fed this information into the story and still kept the plot on point.
I learned a lot about each of the characters particularly Lycaste, Pentas and Jatropha (who I'd like to point out I didn't realise was an specific character until now *facepalm*).
Lycaste has grown up considerably
Pentas, although she's gone through a pretty tough time is an selfish, manipulative and all and round horrible person
Jatropha has fingers in many many pies.
The break down between the Vulgar and the Lacaille was stellar and Huerepo is the perfect character to put this across - a stark contrast to his Lacaille equivalent Ghaldezuel whom has a lovely traitorous streak in him, something that I wholly did not expect.
There were fights in space and an abundance of alien species once again and a firm understanding of Old World history versus present; a humourous trip in space with Huerepo's cousin who is like a mini version of a sarcastic, cockney-esque Butler.
You can tell in this book that Tom Toner has settled into his author boots with aplomb and I can only imagine that he will continue to grow from strength to strength and I can't wait to see where he takes the Amaranthine Spectrum next.
Anna Marie Green (7 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Monster Hunter World in Video Games
Jul 3, 2018 (Updated Jul 3, 2018)
Fantastic Gameplay Possibilities (4 more)
Intelligent Monster AI
Climbing Difficulty
Good Community Management
It's Damn Good Fun (If you have $30, buy it.)
Feels Incomplete (2 more)
Experienced Players Lack Challenge
Mediocre Story
Monster Hunter, One Year Later
Monster Hunter: World was Capcom's fiest big success in the Western market. After years of cult status on the DS, they finally broke through to the world of consoles and had so much success that they dubbed MH:W their benchmark for future games.
But should they?
MH:W is, at its core, is a dungeon crawler designed to feel open-world within its own constraints. With beautiful environments such as the Coral Highlands and the toxic areas festering beneath the Rotten Vale, MHW looks and feels much more massive than the trodden paths you follow. Your first hunts feel thrilling as you take different paths to chase your limping prey, and a cycle of different weather, monsters, and endemic life keep you invested in immersion.
But after hunting a tempered Nergigante for the 20th time, things do begin to fall out of place. You experience the malaise of a Saitama-like hero. Have you become too strong?
Challenging fights become the norm. The occasional arch-tempered monster appears, but scaled damage isn't always the same thing as new difficulty.
In the handheld games, there were dozens of monsters with distinct abilities and variations. MH: Generations had 73 large monsters to hunt. You could even play as a palico.
But that variety just isn't in MH:W.
Granted, the game is an experiment and has provided some good content for no extra cost to the players, which is a feat of its own in comparison to all the other big game developers (EA, Microsoft, Square Enix, Bethesda). They also do an excellent job managing weekly challenges and encouraging community between players. Kulve Taroth hunts were a blast and the free meal in the Hub was an excellent bribe.
MH:W still needs more monsters and at least one new environment. Since its release in January 2018, only three monsters have been added to the game: Deviljho, Kulve Taroth, and Lunastra. Behemoth from Final Fantasy is also making an appearance this July. That's a monster every two months. Don't get me wrong here— that's a fair schedule for content release. Overwatch clocks in at about three months for every hero, so two months is a respectable jog for the quality of the quality of the game. Still, even Overwatch -with it's full player-controlled roster- can become a bit of a slog without those regular updates.
The easiest fix? Capcom needs to finally add in G-Ranks with weapon rarities 9 and 10, and the terrifying monsters to match. The other MH games have generally had these ranks, and the MH:W G updates have been teasing us in rumors since the release, yet we haven't seen any evidence of their existence. A massive content update containing new unique weapons trees, rarity 8 varieties of dead-end trees, armor transmogs, new endemic life and monsters, better armor designs, and more material choices... Capcom has incredible potential on their table that could rekindle gamers' interest in helping the Fifth solve the new mysteries of the New World.
Or, god forbid, suffer the gamers by making them by Monster Hunter: World 2 just to feel like they actually completed the first game.
But should they?
MH:W is, at its core, is a dungeon crawler designed to feel open-world within its own constraints. With beautiful environments such as the Coral Highlands and the toxic areas festering beneath the Rotten Vale, MHW looks and feels much more massive than the trodden paths you follow. Your first hunts feel thrilling as you take different paths to chase your limping prey, and a cycle of different weather, monsters, and endemic life keep you invested in immersion.
But after hunting a tempered Nergigante for the 20th time, things do begin to fall out of place. You experience the malaise of a Saitama-like hero. Have you become too strong?
Challenging fights become the norm. The occasional arch-tempered monster appears, but scaled damage isn't always the same thing as new difficulty.
In the handheld games, there were dozens of monsters with distinct abilities and variations. MH: Generations had 73 large monsters to hunt. You could even play as a palico.
But that variety just isn't in MH:W.
Granted, the game is an experiment and has provided some good content for no extra cost to the players, which is a feat of its own in comparison to all the other big game developers (EA, Microsoft, Square Enix, Bethesda). They also do an excellent job managing weekly challenges and encouraging community between players. Kulve Taroth hunts were a blast and the free meal in the Hub was an excellent bribe.
MH:W still needs more monsters and at least one new environment. Since its release in January 2018, only three monsters have been added to the game: Deviljho, Kulve Taroth, and Lunastra. Behemoth from Final Fantasy is also making an appearance this July. That's a monster every two months. Don't get me wrong here— that's a fair schedule for content release. Overwatch clocks in at about three months for every hero, so two months is a respectable jog for the quality of the quality of the game. Still, even Overwatch -with it's full player-controlled roster- can become a bit of a slog without those regular updates.
The easiest fix? Capcom needs to finally add in G-Ranks with weapon rarities 9 and 10, and the terrifying monsters to match. The other MH games have generally had these ranks, and the MH:W G updates have been teasing us in rumors since the release, yet we haven't seen any evidence of their existence. A massive content update containing new unique weapons trees, rarity 8 varieties of dead-end trees, armor transmogs, new endemic life and monsters, better armor designs, and more material choices... Capcom has incredible potential on their table that could rekindle gamers' interest in helping the Fifth solve the new mysteries of the New World.
Or, god forbid, suffer the gamers by making them by Monster Hunter: World 2 just to feel like they actually completed the first game.
Pumpka (57 KP) rated Cards Against Humanity in Tabletop Games
Aug 15, 2019
Humour (2 more)
player count is high
a game specifically tailored to party people
creativity is limited (2 more)
often a popularity contest
multiple plays decreases the enjoyment of play
Here comes an unpopular opinion - hear me out
now - don't get me wrong, my first time playing Card against Humanity was hilarious! I loved it, I was in. The concept is very simple, you're presented with a silly, funny or rude situation and you have to fill in the blanks using the inappropriate cards from your hand to make the others laugh.
NOW
On MANY plays later, I see the flaw in this design. I've realised this is more of an activity than a game as such. Again, don't go pointing fingers too fast, I did enjoy the game at the start remember? Now, theres an AI built into the game called 'Rando' he can play too for various reasons and he can often win. As suggested, random cards are drawn, and because it usually doesn't make sense, its funny, and therefore wins! This made me realise that I'm not funny. Damn, I've been caught in this web of lies cards against humanity had me caught in. I have very limited choice and often my choices are a result of a card "dump" where really nothing was funny nor fit. A well thought out game might have a mechanic that allows me to do something else with these cards that maybe I don't see use for. So I'm not the one being funny, the predisposed topics and cards are just used as a shock factor -
which promptly brings me to my next point, these things and statements are often funny because you're shocked! THAT is in a card game, woaaah I'm such an adult, wow. No. sadly this may be funny the first time but there's only so many times I can see the "chunks of a dead hooker" card before it looses it's humorous effect. I've played with all of the expansions (which were available before I quit on this game) which was a fair few, and even then it wasn't enough.
The buzz was gone, and I no longer enjoy this game, I've not grown out of it, I'm not a humour buzzkill. There are many other similar style games that provide ample creativity. Now before one of you thinks it, yes, there are blank cards to write on, but it's often not enough to change and sustain the games core.
One more thing before I sign off on this one, it's often a popularity contest. I'm not the most popular in our gaming group, there are certainly people who will favour others and thats normal and fine. BUT when games like this swing around and the winner is essentially cast on a vote of the other players choosing. The winner can often be the same person again, and again and again. Because them putting cards down that were drawn out of a stack randomly and they had no input into the outcome of what those cards says was totally hilarious. They win again.
To summerise, creativity is so limited, it's not YOU being funny, it's the cards. It's not really that re-playable and it's often a popularity contest,
there are many other games of this genre that do it better.
NOW
On MANY plays later, I see the flaw in this design. I've realised this is more of an activity than a game as such. Again, don't go pointing fingers too fast, I did enjoy the game at the start remember? Now, theres an AI built into the game called 'Rando' he can play too for various reasons and he can often win. As suggested, random cards are drawn, and because it usually doesn't make sense, its funny, and therefore wins! This made me realise that I'm not funny. Damn, I've been caught in this web of lies cards against humanity had me caught in. I have very limited choice and often my choices are a result of a card "dump" where really nothing was funny nor fit. A well thought out game might have a mechanic that allows me to do something else with these cards that maybe I don't see use for. So I'm not the one being funny, the predisposed topics and cards are just used as a shock factor -
which promptly brings me to my next point, these things and statements are often funny because you're shocked! THAT is in a card game, woaaah I'm such an adult, wow. No. sadly this may be funny the first time but there's only so many times I can see the "chunks of a dead hooker" card before it looses it's humorous effect. I've played with all of the expansions (which were available before I quit on this game) which was a fair few, and even then it wasn't enough.
The buzz was gone, and I no longer enjoy this game, I've not grown out of it, I'm not a humour buzzkill. There are many other similar style games that provide ample creativity. Now before one of you thinks it, yes, there are blank cards to write on, but it's often not enough to change and sustain the games core.
One more thing before I sign off on this one, it's often a popularity contest. I'm not the most popular in our gaming group, there are certainly people who will favour others and thats normal and fine. BUT when games like this swing around and the winner is essentially cast on a vote of the other players choosing. The winner can often be the same person again, and again and again. Because them putting cards down that were drawn out of a stack randomly and they had no input into the outcome of what those cards says was totally hilarious. They win again.
To summerise, creativity is so limited, it's not YOU being funny, it's the cards. It's not really that re-playable and it's often a popularity contest,
there are many other games of this genre that do it better.
Dean (6927 KP) rated Forza Motorsport 7 in Video Games
May 16, 2021
Amazing graphics, true 4k racing (2 more)
Weather conditions
100's of cars
Loading times (6 more)
Rewind Button
So many menus
Computer AI
Multiplayer races
Grid position
Endurance races
Technically excellent Racing Simulation
A very good Racing Simulation with amazing graphics, true 4k details but with a lot of flaws.
The graphics are the highlight really so much detail on every car and track. While some of the track circuits are sparse, the city tracks especially Prague and Rio de Janeiro look great. Along with the lighting and weather conditions, including thunderstorms make it very realistic.
There is a huge variety of cars from street to every form of racing thinkable, even truck racing.
Unfortunately there are a lot of minor things that add up which are disappointing. Because of the detail in the graphics and large circuits the loading times for the races can be slow. There are so many menus to go through as well. You need to apply Mod cards before most races, like finish in top 5,3,1st, clean laps, races and turning off assists to gain more credits or xp. I'm not a fan of this system. Even after the race you have a few menus to get your rewards.
This is a tough simulation which is why no doubt there is a rewind button for when you go of track or crash. You will need it especially when the computer drivers ram into you or don't observe the racing line. It feels like cheating though. You will need the braking line on most of the time or you are very likely to overrun corners.
With this largely being track racing these are the same tracks mostly that have featured in so many previous Forza Motorsport games. How about a Monaco track? The few street tracks really do look great.
You can full simulation mode where you can do longer races, look after tyres and pit for petrol if you wish. I can't imagine many choosing this option though.
If you are a completist and want to do every race for the cups, you don't need to in order to win the cup, then prepare for the endurance races. At least 2 taking 2.5 hours and one race lasting almost 3 hours long. Why would anyone want to do one race for that long? Most races are 2-4 laps so doing a 60-80 lap race is a huge jump.
There are a wide range of multiplayer races but you really need to tune your car to the max and hope you don't get rammed off at the 1st corner to do well.
The races are big, up to 24 players or computer drivers. Often you start 12th on the grid in the computer races which can make it hard to win when the race is 2 or 3 laps until you get use to the game.
There are a few events like overtake challenges, cone races, bowling but not enough of these for much variety.
So a technically excellent Racing game which is definitely aimed more at the track racing hardcover gamer. Unfortunately it has many minor flaws that do add up which are a bit annoying. Once you win all the cups it's not one you will take for a spin that often. If you want a fun racer the Horizon series is more enjoyable.
The graphics are the highlight really so much detail on every car and track. While some of the track circuits are sparse, the city tracks especially Prague and Rio de Janeiro look great. Along with the lighting and weather conditions, including thunderstorms make it very realistic.
There is a huge variety of cars from street to every form of racing thinkable, even truck racing.
Unfortunately there are a lot of minor things that add up which are disappointing. Because of the detail in the graphics and large circuits the loading times for the races can be slow. There are so many menus to go through as well. You need to apply Mod cards before most races, like finish in top 5,3,1st, clean laps, races and turning off assists to gain more credits or xp. I'm not a fan of this system. Even after the race you have a few menus to get your rewards.
This is a tough simulation which is why no doubt there is a rewind button for when you go of track or crash. You will need it especially when the computer drivers ram into you or don't observe the racing line. It feels like cheating though. You will need the braking line on most of the time or you are very likely to overrun corners.
With this largely being track racing these are the same tracks mostly that have featured in so many previous Forza Motorsport games. How about a Monaco track? The few street tracks really do look great.
You can full simulation mode where you can do longer races, look after tyres and pit for petrol if you wish. I can't imagine many choosing this option though.
If you are a completist and want to do every race for the cups, you don't need to in order to win the cup, then prepare for the endurance races. At least 2 taking 2.5 hours and one race lasting almost 3 hours long. Why would anyone want to do one race for that long? Most races are 2-4 laps so doing a 60-80 lap race is a huge jump.
There are a wide range of multiplayer races but you really need to tune your car to the max and hope you don't get rammed off at the 1st corner to do well.
The races are big, up to 24 players or computer drivers. Often you start 12th on the grid in the computer races which can make it hard to win when the race is 2 or 3 laps until you get use to the game.
There are a few events like overtake challenges, cone races, bowling but not enough of these for much variety.
So a technically excellent Racing game which is definitely aimed more at the track racing hardcover gamer. Unfortunately it has many minor flaws that do add up which are a bit annoying. Once you win all the cups it's not one you will take for a spin that often. If you want a fun racer the Horizon series is more enjoyable.