Search

Search only in certain items:

The Naughty List
The Naughty List
Thomas Conway | 2019 | Children, Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
9
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
My thoughts seem to be hitting the mark on with is one. A really good book for the season. It is also good for everyone that wants to read it. It will tell the history of Christmas and how it differs for each person and Santa Claus.

It is for young adults and adults. I do not believe it is limited to them; it could go to children and teens as well. You will go on an adventure and a journey. There seem to be a group of kids that end up on a mission to rescue Santa. You will be surprised at each turn of the page.

There are surprises as to what the author puts into this story. I was surprised to learn about the history of Santa Claus and Christmas. This is told through the eyes of the children. They are from around the world. Christmas seems like it got a different meaning and Santa Claus has different names. You may learn something.

Did you know that Christmas has been around for many years? There seem to be different versions of it. We learn about the different Christmas traditions that happen around the world through the children and their families. We also learn about the meaning of Christmas and Santa Claus.

There are some actions and battles. Will good beat Evil? I was not expecting what I learned through this book but what a happy surprise and twist. There is plenty of action and adventure in this book. There a modern take on our favorite Christmas traditions. Everyone will love this book.
  
    Darwin's Journey

    Darwin's Journey

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    Tabletop Game

    When all you can identify in the horizon for many long days is the line that detaches the sea from...

40x40

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated The General’s Gold in Books

Oct 29, 2024 (Updated Oct 29, 2024)  
The General’s Gold
The General’s Gold
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hunting for a Golden Treasure
This book introduces us to Avery Turner, a new tech billionaire, and Carter Mosley, an internet famous adventure junkie. The two met when Carter taught Avery to scuba dive. But things really kick off when Avery learns of her friend, fellow tech billionaire, Mark Hawkins’s death. The police are ruling it an accidental drug overdose. There’s just one problem with that – Avery has never seen Mark take anything stronger than an aspirin. She goes to investigate herself, and she finds a few puzzling things that Mark left behind. Soon, she’s is on the trail of a rumored treasure that dates back to the 1700’s, pulling Carter in along the way. Can they find it?

I’ve heard good things about both of these authors but hadn’t had a chance to read them before I picked up this book. I’m glad I did give their collaboration a try. While I did find the series setup a bit slow, I was still entertained. Once the plot really kicked off, I was completely hooked and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I appreciated the logic behind things when I reached the climax. I also enjoyed the main trio of characters (Avery, her assistant, and Carter). I can’t wait to spend more time with them. The violence and language was kept to a minimum, which I appreciated. A couple of things felt like they got glossed over, but that’s a minor complaint. I’m looking forward to reading more. If you are looking for an action, adventure series, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
  
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
2017 | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Returning cast, soundtrack is great, special effects and action, cameos (1 more)
Baby Groot
Some parts can be a bit slow, but are few and far between (0 more)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Writer/director James Gunn takes us back to Knowhere to join Star-Lord, Drax, Gamora, Rocket and Baby Groot in the follow-up to the unexpected smash Guardians of the Galaxy.
Taking up where we left off from the last movie, albeit a few years later, the Guardians are in the groove now and start the movie with a spectacular set piece with the super popular Baby Groot showing off some dance moves while the rest of them fight a gigantic intergalactic beast.
All the original cast return and have settled into the characters so the movie cracks straight on with the story. As rumours had it, this film is all about family and charts the discovery of Star-Lord’s father’s origin and how this relates to Star-Lord. Without giving too much away, Star-Lord meets his father (Kurt Russell) and has to choose between his dysfunctional family or his birth father. Another character arc of interest is in a returning character Yondu who also faces another dilemma over family.
Family pervades the movie in Gamora’s case too as Nebula (Karen Gillen) returns to provide a reluctant support to the Guardians while trying to fight them. Some impressive cameos including Sylvester Stallone and, get this, David Hasselhoff!!!
Guardian’s 2 is a fantastic (if not even better) than the first instalment and Gunn has already said he is on board for film 3. The quirkiness, the humour and the action from the first is ramped up in this one and doesn’t let you down.
There’s a shock and no less than 5 after credits scenes, so be sure to stay until the end of the movie to get your money’s worth.
A recommended movie if you like sci-fi, action or just a good exciting adventure story. It’s out now at all good cinemas.
(From @paulandpopcorn - https://popcornpaul.blogspot.co.uk/)
  
65 (2023)
65 (2023)
2023 | Sci-Fi
6
6.0 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Driver is Heads and Shoulders above this material
Whoever decided to cast Adam Driver as an alien spaceperson (who looks and acts suspiciously like a 21st Century American) who crash-lands on prehistoric Earth and has to battle Dinosaurs equipped with only his alien technology (including his laser-blaster) is a GENIUS for Driver is EXTREMELY watchable in this film - the best thing (by far) in this so-so sci-fi/dinosaur mash-up.

The rest of the movie? Not so much.

Basically Jurassic Park with a spaceman twist, 65 (so named for the spaceman that crash lands on Earth at around 65 million years B.C. - just before the “dinosaur killing” asteroid hits the Earth) tells the tale of said Spaceman, MIlls (Driver) who crashes on Earth and (along with another survivor, Koa played by Ariana Greenblatt) must make their way across unfriendly, hungry Dinosaur territory to their escape ship and get off the planet before the asteroid hits.

You’ve seen the humans vs. dinosaur action before in all of the Jurassic Park films - so there’s nothing new here. Writer/Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods put together a fairly standard “man vs. beast” action flick. It felt like that these two were playing with their Jurassic Park and Astronaut toys in their bedroom and this was the adventure they came up with.

The differentiator in this film is the performance of Driver who puts his all into his portrayal of Mills as he (mostly) silently, but professionally, makes his way across hostile territory to gain access to rescue. Driver (who I don’t think has ever given a bad performance) is head and shoulders above the material here and he, alone, is worth spending an hour and a 1/2 of your time on this film.

Roll your eyes at the Dinosaur action, marvel at the Adam Driver performance.

Letter Grade: C+ (Driver “A”, the rest of the film “D”)

6 stars (out of 10) - and that’s being generous - and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)