Search
Search results
Mothergamer (1546 KP) rated Final Fantasy XIV Online: Stormblood in Video Games
Jul 17, 2017
Main story quests are great (2 more)
Music for the different areas and the game are great overall
Variety of job classes to choose from
Duty Finder wait time can be really long for damage dealer job classes (2 more)
End game can be a bit of a boring grind
Some of the dungeons are hit or miss
Fun MMORPG
I played Final Fantasy XI for a long time and loved it, then made the switch to Final Fantasy XIV after they revamped it with A Realm Reborn. I really enjoy the game. There are a variety of job classes to choose from and with the addition of Samurai and Red Mage for Stormblood it increased. Playing the game with friends is definitely more fun. With a good Free Company (guild) and linkshell you can get a lot of the story quest and side quest dungeons done in no time. The music for the game itself is beautiful and the areas in the game look great. Some of the dungeons are hit or miss and sometimes they can be a bit boring, but it helps to go with friends who make it fun. There's other things you can do besides questing and leveling like crafting and mini games so there's always something to do.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Home Front in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I have read several Kristin Hannah books and enjoyed every one that I've read to date. I must say that this one takes the cake however. I don't think there was a chapter in the entire book that didn't bring tears to my eyes or have me laughing or even cussing out one of the characters.
This book tells the story of Jolene & Michael. He is a successful criminal defense attorney, she is a Black Hawk helicopter pilot in the National Guard. Michael has always thought Jo's involvement in the service was strange to say the least. Like many couples, Jo & Michael were watching their marriage crumble to pieces. After Michael makes a particularly heart wrenching admission, Jo finds out that she is being deployed with her Raptor unit to Iraq, which of course includes Jo's best friend & next door neighbor Tami. The book centers around this deployment and the effects it has on Jo, Michael, & their 2 young daughters. It is both heart breaking and encouragining. You will find yourself rooting for Michael and Jo, but for very different reasons.
I will warn you however, it is not all happy endings. Of course how could it be when war is involved?
Bottom line....READ IT!
This book tells the story of Jolene & Michael. He is a successful criminal defense attorney, she is a Black Hawk helicopter pilot in the National Guard. Michael has always thought Jo's involvement in the service was strange to say the least. Like many couples, Jo & Michael were watching their marriage crumble to pieces. After Michael makes a particularly heart wrenching admission, Jo finds out that she is being deployed with her Raptor unit to Iraq, which of course includes Jo's best friend & next door neighbor Tami. The book centers around this deployment and the effects it has on Jo, Michael, & their 2 young daughters. It is both heart breaking and encouragining. You will find yourself rooting for Michael and Jo, but for very different reasons.
I will warn you however, it is not all happy endings. Of course how could it be when war is involved?
Bottom line....READ IT!
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Skyscraper (2018) in Movies
Feb 21, 2019
Not the Worst, But...
When a former FBI hostage team leader is hired to survey the security of a skyscraper, he finds himself in a battle to save himself and his family after terrorists take over the building.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 2
I remember watching the first ten minutes of the film thinking, “Is this ever going to pick up?” I could have showed up late and missed nothing. No intrigue, no strong plot advancement. Just…blah.
Characters: 7
Cinematography/Visuals: 2
Conflict: 10
If nothing else, Skyscraper succeeds by moving the story along with action. There is always something happening from death defying leaps to shootouts with thugs. It’s never really a boring film, just more flat than anything. For the most part, I appreciated the consistency of movement.
Genre: 4
Memorability: 2
Pace: 9
Plot: 8
Resolution: 6
Overall: 60
I honestly thought I would end up scoring Skyscraper lower. It does what it sets out to do, lull you into a mindless stupor with action, but so does the Transformers franchise and that’s not very good either. It’s a brainless movie with no real substance. If you can deal with a movie that has too many over-the-top scenes to count, Skyscraper might be worth your time.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 2
I remember watching the first ten minutes of the film thinking, “Is this ever going to pick up?” I could have showed up late and missed nothing. No intrigue, no strong plot advancement. Just…blah.
Characters: 7
Cinematography/Visuals: 2
Conflict: 10
If nothing else, Skyscraper succeeds by moving the story along with action. There is always something happening from death defying leaps to shootouts with thugs. It’s never really a boring film, just more flat than anything. For the most part, I appreciated the consistency of movement.
Genre: 4
Memorability: 2
Pace: 9
Plot: 8
Resolution: 6
Overall: 60
I honestly thought I would end up scoring Skyscraper lower. It does what it sets out to do, lull you into a mindless stupor with action, but so does the Transformers franchise and that’s not very good either. It’s a brainless movie with no real substance. If you can deal with a movie that has too many over-the-top scenes to count, Skyscraper might be worth your time.
Sam (74 KP) rated Where am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame in Books
Mar 27, 2019
I think I actually expected this to be one of those books that I sort of like but don’t really go mad on but I was wrong.
I always wanted to find out more about the actor behind Matilda and this really gave me the dose I needed.
Mara Wilson is brutally honest about how her acting career when she was younger took its toll on her mental health and even goes into detail about all of the mental health issues she has had. I loved how honest she is – she doesn’t try to sugar-coat it or turn her memoir into a self-help book. Instead she says everything as it is and exactly how it felt for her.
I loved reading about her friendships with other actors, especially Danny DeVito and Robin Williams. I’d previously heard quite a bit about her friendship with Danny DeVito and was really interested in how much he had looked after her while she was working on Matilda.
The only reason that it didn’t make it to five stars from me is that I hoped for a bit more on Matilda, but she seemed to glaze over it a lot.
Overall though, it’s a really interesting read and definitely worth picking up.
I always wanted to find out more about the actor behind Matilda and this really gave me the dose I needed.
Mara Wilson is brutally honest about how her acting career when she was younger took its toll on her mental health and even goes into detail about all of the mental health issues she has had. I loved how honest she is – she doesn’t try to sugar-coat it or turn her memoir into a self-help book. Instead she says everything as it is and exactly how it felt for her.
I loved reading about her friendships with other actors, especially Danny DeVito and Robin Williams. I’d previously heard quite a bit about her friendship with Danny DeVito and was really interested in how much he had looked after her while she was working on Matilda.
The only reason that it didn’t make it to five stars from me is that I hoped for a bit more on Matilda, but she seemed to glaze over it a lot.
Overall though, it’s a really interesting read and definitely worth picking up.
Mariafrancesca (30 KP) rated Gemina: The Illuminae Files: Book 2 in Books
Mar 30, 2019
I really don't know what it is about this series. If I think about it, it just a collection of all the biggest and most common themes in sci-fi, but somehow it works. I couldn't put this book down!
The story starts 5 seconds after the end of the first book, and it focuses on the events happening on the station where the Kady and the Hypatia are headed. There is no need to say that things goes as wrong as they can.
I have to say that I found this book a bit slower than the first one, and if readers thought that characters in the first book were fake, they will probably found the ones in this second book even more so (even though I think that the problem is the narration more than anything else, we always see these characters through a filter, we never know how the feel directly from them). However the more you get into the story the more gripping and eventful it gets, there are a lot of plot twists (again they may be cliches but the do work inside the story) and the book ends with a huge cliffhanger. I can't wait for part 3!
The story starts 5 seconds after the end of the first book, and it focuses on the events happening on the station where the Kady and the Hypatia are headed. There is no need to say that things goes as wrong as they can.
I have to say that I found this book a bit slower than the first one, and if readers thought that characters in the first book were fake, they will probably found the ones in this second book even more so (even though I think that the problem is the narration more than anything else, we always see these characters through a filter, we never know how the feel directly from them). However the more you get into the story the more gripping and eventful it gets, there are a lot of plot twists (again they may be cliches but the do work inside the story) and the book ends with a huge cliffhanger. I can't wait for part 3!
Danielle Chaplin (81 KP) rated Uprooted in Books
Jun 4, 2019
Just yes!
I was a bit skeptical about this book but thought I'd give it a go because it sounded a bit like a take on St George and the Dragon or Beauty and the Beast and I am so glad I did as this is now one of my favourite books to re-read!
I loved that it wasn't easy for the main character to learn magic, that the characters progressed in a more likely timeline than other books I've read and that it wasn't always a happy ending for the characters in the book. I don't like to give spoilers away but I nearly ripped apart the prince in the book for what he was about to do and for how pig headed he is in sacrificing so many for one person that is very likely heavily corrupted and unsaveable.
The world is incredibly vivid without over explaining or being over descriptive. I know what is going to happen in the book but I am constantly in suspense over what is going to happen next in the book every time I read it... I will have to re-read it again soon after this review as I now have it on my mind.
I loved that it wasn't easy for the main character to learn magic, that the characters progressed in a more likely timeline than other books I've read and that it wasn't always a happy ending for the characters in the book. I don't like to give spoilers away but I nearly ripped apart the prince in the book for what he was about to do and for how pig headed he is in sacrificing so many for one person that is very likely heavily corrupted and unsaveable.
The world is incredibly vivid without over explaining or being over descriptive. I know what is going to happen in the book but I am constantly in suspense over what is going to happen next in the book every time I read it... I will have to re-read it again soon after this review as I now have it on my mind.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Black Mirror - Season 5 in TV
Jun 15, 2019
Not up to it’s usual high standard
Black Mirror is known for having a dark and futuristic take on modern society, and this is why it has always succeeded. It’s bleak and harrowing at times and whilst it’s not a happy programme to watch, it’s bloody good. The problem with series 5 is that it feels like an entirely different show, and not for the better.
Whilst each episode has it’s own take on modern society and technology (VR, social media and musical pop culture), none of this felt particularly new or unique. Don’t get me wrong, the episodes aren’t bad at all. But they’re just not brilliant. There are good performances (Andrew Scott especially) and the storylines are vaguely interesting, they just don’t get pushed far enough into the dark and bleak Black Mirror world we’re used to. Not only that, but none of these stories have particularly bad endings. It all just feels a little bit meh and after the rather wonderful Bandersnatch, I’d been looking forward to another great season. Sadly, it’s been a bit of a letdown. I’m really hoping that this is just a blip and that the next series is back on form, and not a sign that Black Mirror has run out of decent ideas...
Whilst each episode has it’s own take on modern society and technology (VR, social media and musical pop culture), none of this felt particularly new or unique. Don’t get me wrong, the episodes aren’t bad at all. But they’re just not brilliant. There are good performances (Andrew Scott especially) and the storylines are vaguely interesting, they just don’t get pushed far enough into the dark and bleak Black Mirror world we’re used to. Not only that, but none of these stories have particularly bad endings. It all just feels a little bit meh and after the rather wonderful Bandersnatch, I’d been looking forward to another great season. Sadly, it’s been a bit of a letdown. I’m really hoping that this is just a blip and that the next series is back on form, and not a sign that Black Mirror has run out of decent ideas...
Mayhawke (97 KP) rated Wyatt Earp (1994) in Movies
Feb 26, 2018
In a shootout with Tombstone this would be heading for Boot Hill
The film is very worthy. It tells the story of Earp preceeding, and beyond the events at the OK Corral. There seems to be a reasonable amount of legitimacy to the story, but as always Earp's character - and his relationship with Jospehine - is pretty whitewashed, and hyped for drama.
But that's not actually what's wrong with the film, after all we expect that from Hollywood. The single largest failing of this film is that it plods. It's a plodding film that could have been a t least half an hour shorter than it is. Even that failing probably wouldn't have been so pronounced if this film hadn't bee released at almost exactly the same time as Tombstone, a film with as much historical accuracy in the Earp tale, but which was an hour shorter.
Then there was the cast. Wyatt Earp had a fabulous cast, as did Tombstone but the latter had breath-taking, career-high performances , a script that zinged and considerably more clarity of story and character.
Without Tombstone this film could have been a stand-out historical drama. But it isn't.
Worthy, but not brilliantly engaging
But that's not actually what's wrong with the film, after all we expect that from Hollywood. The single largest failing of this film is that it plods. It's a plodding film that could have been a t least half an hour shorter than it is. Even that failing probably wouldn't have been so pronounced if this film hadn't bee released at almost exactly the same time as Tombstone, a film with as much historical accuracy in the Earp tale, but which was an hour shorter.
Then there was the cast. Wyatt Earp had a fabulous cast, as did Tombstone but the latter had breath-taking, career-high performances , a script that zinged and considerably more clarity of story and character.
Without Tombstone this film could have been a stand-out historical drama. But it isn't.
Worthy, but not brilliantly engaging
Andy K (10821 KP) rated First Blood (1982) in Movies
Jun 23, 2018 (Updated Jun 23, 2018)
They drew First Blood, not me!
Sylvester Stallone will probably always be best remembered for his portrayal of boxer Rocky Balboa, but a close second is his role and character of troubled Vietnam War veteran John Rambo.
All he wanted to do was stop and settle in a small, rural town, but the local sheriff would have none of that. Rambo, the drifter, was arrested and booked for just wanting to have a hot meal somewhere. Thus, this is when the ordeal began. Rambo quickly escaped his captors as well as the police station and set forth a sequence of events, like a game of cat and mouse, whereas the authorities try to bring him back into custody.
After their initial attempt are unsuccessful they even try bringing in his former commanding officer, Colonel Trautman, to try and talk him in.
Stallone's portrayal of Rambo in First Blood shows real depth and emotion. Subsequent Rambo sequels show him as more of a huklish, strongman, badass, one man army, but First Blood shows his emotional scars come to the surface several times. You feel empathy for him and realize his actions were defensive and only used because of his intense training.
It's one of the great chase movies ever made.
All he wanted to do was stop and settle in a small, rural town, but the local sheriff would have none of that. Rambo, the drifter, was arrested and booked for just wanting to have a hot meal somewhere. Thus, this is when the ordeal began. Rambo quickly escaped his captors as well as the police station and set forth a sequence of events, like a game of cat and mouse, whereas the authorities try to bring him back into custody.
After their initial attempt are unsuccessful they even try bringing in his former commanding officer, Colonel Trautman, to try and talk him in.
Stallone's portrayal of Rambo in First Blood shows real depth and emotion. Subsequent Rambo sequels show him as more of a huklish, strongman, badass, one man army, but First Blood shows his emotional scars come to the surface several times. You feel empathy for him and realize his actions were defensive and only used because of his intense training.
It's one of the great chase movies ever made.
Jewels (684 KP) rated The One and Only Ivan in Books
Jun 23, 2018
Quick Read (1 more)
Good Lesson
My 3rd grader asked me to read this book after he read it. I loved it and couldn't put it down.
Ivan is a silverback gorilla that has been living and working in a show at the mall. The show owner brings in a new elephant named Ruby to bring in more visitors. Stella, the older injured elephant asks Ivan to help Ruby get a better life. Ivan's life begins to change as he tries to fulfill his promise to Stella. Ivan learns that while you may settle for what life hands you, there may always be something better for you.
This story is a great lesson for kids that you don't have to settle for what life hands you. It also serves as a good reminder for adults that we don't have to settle either, we can work towards new goals, and we can achieve them.
I would recommend this book for everyone, kids to adults. It would be great to read this as a kid, then again as a teen, and again as an adult. Rereading this on can help us remember to not settle for what life hands, but to make life ours.
Ivan is a silverback gorilla that has been living and working in a show at the mall. The show owner brings in a new elephant named Ruby to bring in more visitors. Stella, the older injured elephant asks Ivan to help Ruby get a better life. Ivan's life begins to change as he tries to fulfill his promise to Stella. Ivan learns that while you may settle for what life hands you, there may always be something better for you.
This story is a great lesson for kids that you don't have to settle for what life hands you. It also serves as a good reminder for adults that we don't have to settle either, we can work towards new goals, and we can achieve them.
I would recommend this book for everyone, kids to adults. It would be great to read this as a kid, then again as a teen, and again as an adult. Rereading this on can help us remember to not settle for what life hands, but to make life ours.