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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated World's Greatest Dad (2009) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019
Lance Clayton is a pretty well-established writer, in a sense. He's written several novels and children's books. The problem is none of his work has ever been published. Every submission to publishers has been denied. So Lance tells himself that if his next novel is rejected, he'll give up writing. Lance is also a high school poetry teacher that's on the verge of losing his course due to not having enough student interest. During all of this, Lance has his hands full with his son Kyle. Kyle doesn't seem too interested in much of anything other than the most disturbing type of pornographic videos while continually acting out at school and is on the verge of being transferred to a school for students with special needs. Then, as if that wasn't enough, Lance is seeing the art teacher, Claire, who wants to keep their relationship a secret while not getting too serious. So, it's safe to say that Lance has his hands full. On top of it all though, he's afraid of dying alone. Lance winds up getting everything he's ever wanted after a certain situation presents itself, but soon realizes having all of that doesn't automatically make you happy.
World's Greatest Dad hooked me the first time I read about it debuting at Sundance. I heard, "dark comedy," and, "Robin Williams," and was instantly interested. Then the trailer and plot summary really reeled me in. The result is a film that not only surpassed expectations, but also went in an unexpected direction. When a film is described as a dark comedy, it has usually still stuck to specific guidelines. Maybe it still followed a similar formula to what other comedies did before it. These other films that are labeled as dark comedies don't really break any new ground. World's Greatest Dad goes beyond that. It breaks any ground rules that were laid before it and doesn't follow any sort of formula. When they say, "dark," they aren't kidding. The subject content is pretty disturbing yet is somehow still humorous.
Robin Williams plays the role of a dad who's trying to do his best with the obstacles life has thrown at him incredibly well. With everything that's going on in his life, even in the moments of the film where he doesn't speak, it looks like he's constantly thinking about something. Always dwelling on what's going on around him with the people who are close to him in his life and trying to decide how he's going to handle this situation he's gotten himself into. While his role does show a bit of his comedic side, Robin Williams proves he can handle serious roles rather well with this performance.
While I obviously can't say much about what direction the film goes in without completely spoiling the film, I will say that the trailer does a good job of not giving any of that away. Once the film makes that turn though, it really follows through with it and doesn't let up. One of the best parts of the experience of watching this film for the first time is seeing how far the concept of the film is going to go. As Lance buries himself in this, people begin to say the actions that were taken changed their life for the better. If you told a lie that did that to not just one person, but practically an entire high school...how would you tell them the truth?
World's Greatest Dad is not going to be for everyone. Some people will love it and others will just downright hate it. The film isn't just dark, it's DARK. That and it's a very different kind of comedy with an unexpected turn of events. Most of the humor is very dry, so if that's not your thing then I wouldn't recommend it. For me personally though, it's one of the most interesting films I've seen in quite some time.
World's Greatest Dad hooked me the first time I read about it debuting at Sundance. I heard, "dark comedy," and, "Robin Williams," and was instantly interested. Then the trailer and plot summary really reeled me in. The result is a film that not only surpassed expectations, but also went in an unexpected direction. When a film is described as a dark comedy, it has usually still stuck to specific guidelines. Maybe it still followed a similar formula to what other comedies did before it. These other films that are labeled as dark comedies don't really break any new ground. World's Greatest Dad goes beyond that. It breaks any ground rules that were laid before it and doesn't follow any sort of formula. When they say, "dark," they aren't kidding. The subject content is pretty disturbing yet is somehow still humorous.
Robin Williams plays the role of a dad who's trying to do his best with the obstacles life has thrown at him incredibly well. With everything that's going on in his life, even in the moments of the film where he doesn't speak, it looks like he's constantly thinking about something. Always dwelling on what's going on around him with the people who are close to him in his life and trying to decide how he's going to handle this situation he's gotten himself into. While his role does show a bit of his comedic side, Robin Williams proves he can handle serious roles rather well with this performance.
While I obviously can't say much about what direction the film goes in without completely spoiling the film, I will say that the trailer does a good job of not giving any of that away. Once the film makes that turn though, it really follows through with it and doesn't let up. One of the best parts of the experience of watching this film for the first time is seeing how far the concept of the film is going to go. As Lance buries himself in this, people begin to say the actions that were taken changed their life for the better. If you told a lie that did that to not just one person, but practically an entire high school...how would you tell them the truth?
World's Greatest Dad is not going to be for everyone. Some people will love it and others will just downright hate it. The film isn't just dark, it's DARK. That and it's a very different kind of comedy with an unexpected turn of events. Most of the humor is very dry, so if that's not your thing then I wouldn't recommend it. For me personally though, it's one of the most interesting films I've seen in quite some time.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Mulan (1998) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
"Dishonour on you! Dishonour on your cow!" This is probably the only thing from Mulan that I can identify beyond some of the characters. I think that's generally how Disney goes though, they become viral so easily that you recognise things without ever having seen the films... even worse in this case though... I actually own it but took myself to the cinema to see it anyway. If you're gonna do it you've gotta do it right because it doesn't matter how close I sit to the 50 inch TV at home it's not like watching it on the big screen.
At 21 years old (which is crazy to me) it is looking a little dated. That's not me saying it's bad though, the animation is lovely it's classic Disney, what I am saying is that animation these days has come so far. In such a short space of time we're seeing amazingly high detail in animated films. The fact it doesn't have cluttered frames actually means that you're less distracted, I didn't notice myself straying from the main action. While modern offerings may be glitzy they should probably revisit simplicity.
The story itself is a nice one, although it does vary from the traditional telling. They've tried to keep the original elements in it in some way but I would imagine it's not ideal if you're looking for the authentic touch. But then I think it's the additional things in it that are my favourites.
The voice cast for the human contingent has some pretty big names in it. Scrolling through IMDb I did a lot of ooohh yeahs and ahhhhs at all of them. Most you recognise just from their voice in the film but Mulan had me stumped, so much so that I had to look her up during the movie because it was bothering me... how did I not recognise Ming-Na Wen? Melinda May! Dishonour on me!
Of all the characters though it's the animals that shine through. Generally in human dominated movies the animal sidekicks get to be the comic relief and it's always very entertaining.
Mushu is genius, and travel-sized for Mulan's convenience, very handy if you ask me! Eddie Murphy definitely gets some of the best lines in this role, from his Frankenstein's monster resurrection to the line "There are a couple of thinks I know they're bound to notice!", we're treated to a lot of entertaining interactions. Surprisingly the double act of Mushu and the cricket works well, probably because one doesn't talk and the other doesn't stop... and the cricket sounding like a typewriter was the cutest scene I'd seen in a while.
I don't know how I haven't watched this before, it was thoroughly enjoyable and I'm glad that I already own it. It's left me intrigued for the live action version next year. Several of the scenes were very powerful and I can see them translating well to a live action version, with all the the CGI advancements I have my fingers crossed that they nail the scenes in the mountains. But what about Mushu? There are things going round the internet about his inclusion in the film but what are they going to do with him? After those Genie pictures I'm nervous, but I guess we'll just have to see.
What you should do
This should absolutely be one of your go to.. I was going to say "family" films but everyone should watch it. It's such a great all-round movie.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I could do with my own Mushu, who wouldn't want a dragon protector?
At 21 years old (which is crazy to me) it is looking a little dated. That's not me saying it's bad though, the animation is lovely it's classic Disney, what I am saying is that animation these days has come so far. In such a short space of time we're seeing amazingly high detail in animated films. The fact it doesn't have cluttered frames actually means that you're less distracted, I didn't notice myself straying from the main action. While modern offerings may be glitzy they should probably revisit simplicity.
The story itself is a nice one, although it does vary from the traditional telling. They've tried to keep the original elements in it in some way but I would imagine it's not ideal if you're looking for the authentic touch. But then I think it's the additional things in it that are my favourites.
The voice cast for the human contingent has some pretty big names in it. Scrolling through IMDb I did a lot of ooohh yeahs and ahhhhs at all of them. Most you recognise just from their voice in the film but Mulan had me stumped, so much so that I had to look her up during the movie because it was bothering me... how did I not recognise Ming-Na Wen? Melinda May! Dishonour on me!
Of all the characters though it's the animals that shine through. Generally in human dominated movies the animal sidekicks get to be the comic relief and it's always very entertaining.
Mushu is genius, and travel-sized for Mulan's convenience, very handy if you ask me! Eddie Murphy definitely gets some of the best lines in this role, from his Frankenstein's monster resurrection to the line "There are a couple of thinks I know they're bound to notice!", we're treated to a lot of entertaining interactions. Surprisingly the double act of Mushu and the cricket works well, probably because one doesn't talk and the other doesn't stop... and the cricket sounding like a typewriter was the cutest scene I'd seen in a while.
I don't know how I haven't watched this before, it was thoroughly enjoyable and I'm glad that I already own it. It's left me intrigued for the live action version next year. Several of the scenes were very powerful and I can see them translating well to a live action version, with all the the CGI advancements I have my fingers crossed that they nail the scenes in the mountains. But what about Mushu? There are things going round the internet about his inclusion in the film but what are they going to do with him? After those Genie pictures I'm nervous, but I guess we'll just have to see.
What you should do
This should absolutely be one of your go to.. I was going to say "family" films but everyone should watch it. It's such a great all-round movie.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I could do with my own Mushu, who wouldn't want a dragon protector?
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated After.Life (2010) in Movies
Jun 23, 2019
Anna (Christina Ricci) and Paul (Justin Long) have been together for quite some time. Although Anna seems to be pulling away, Paul is still madly in love with her. When his job offers him a promotion that would require him to move, Paul intends to ask Anna to come with him and be his wife. Anna, however, takes his lead-in as a break-up proposal before he can finish and leaves. After getting into a car accident, Anna wakes up in a funeral home where the director Eliot Deacon (Liam Neeson) tries to convince her that she's dead. Anna struggles with whether or not she has passed on and is merely in transition to the afterlife in the hands of a man with an incredible gift or is still alive and being held captive by a a lunatic.
When a film like After.Life is released theatrically, the part of me that loves horror films gets the best of me. It's true that most horror films turn out to be more terrible than you could ever imagine, but are pretty fantastic every once in a while. Fans of the genre live for the times a horror film not only lives up to expectations, but surpasses them. After.Life certainly looked to have potential, but wound up being another mediocre and predictable horror film.
The story is the film's biggest flaw. Although that is probably what will interest people and is what reeled you in (or pushed you away) judging by the trailer. The most interesting aspect of the film can really only go one of two ways. There's a 50/50 chance you already know how it ends. The film attempts to swerve you in a different direction once or twice, but is disproved as soon as the thought crosses your mind that something may happen you weren't expecting. It's like the film didn't wait long enough to let the swerve(s) sink in. Its predictability is too obvious to ignore even if you're somebody who doesn't try to figure out the ending before it happens.
I've always been picky when it comes to the use of CGI in films. Most of the time special effects that are used turn out looking cheap and take you out of the film since it's obvious the actor(s) is standing in front of a green screen and/or reacting to something that isn't there. I see movies to escape reality and it's hard to do that when crummy CGI takes me out of the film. As spectacular as the effects were in Avatar, they set the new standard as far as special effects go. While the special effects in After.Life are minimal, the scene featuring them is probably the weakest in the film.
Justin Long was pretty surprising. Judging by the trailer, his role seemed nearly identical to his role as Clay Dalton in Drag Me To Hell. While his role as Paul is similar, he showed a lot more emotion this time around. Long proved that he has more skill and is more talented than a lot of people (including myself) have ever given him credit for in the past.
After.Life isn't a terrible film, but is disappointing in comparison to what it could have been. Justin Long manages to outshine both Liam Neeson and Christina Ricci while the film's low budget is noticeable in its cheap but minimal use of CGI. While its premise may seem promising, After.Life is just another run of the mill horror/thriller. You do, however, get to see Christina Ricci bare it all for a good portion of the film. So it's not all bad.
When a film like After.Life is released theatrically, the part of me that loves horror films gets the best of me. It's true that most horror films turn out to be more terrible than you could ever imagine, but are pretty fantastic every once in a while. Fans of the genre live for the times a horror film not only lives up to expectations, but surpasses them. After.Life certainly looked to have potential, but wound up being another mediocre and predictable horror film.
The story is the film's biggest flaw. Although that is probably what will interest people and is what reeled you in (or pushed you away) judging by the trailer. The most interesting aspect of the film can really only go one of two ways. There's a 50/50 chance you already know how it ends. The film attempts to swerve you in a different direction once or twice, but is disproved as soon as the thought crosses your mind that something may happen you weren't expecting. It's like the film didn't wait long enough to let the swerve(s) sink in. Its predictability is too obvious to ignore even if you're somebody who doesn't try to figure out the ending before it happens.
I've always been picky when it comes to the use of CGI in films. Most of the time special effects that are used turn out looking cheap and take you out of the film since it's obvious the actor(s) is standing in front of a green screen and/or reacting to something that isn't there. I see movies to escape reality and it's hard to do that when crummy CGI takes me out of the film. As spectacular as the effects were in Avatar, they set the new standard as far as special effects go. While the special effects in After.Life are minimal, the scene featuring them is probably the weakest in the film.
Justin Long was pretty surprising. Judging by the trailer, his role seemed nearly identical to his role as Clay Dalton in Drag Me To Hell. While his role as Paul is similar, he showed a lot more emotion this time around. Long proved that he has more skill and is more talented than a lot of people (including myself) have ever given him credit for in the past.
After.Life isn't a terrible film, but is disappointing in comparison to what it could have been. Justin Long manages to outshine both Liam Neeson and Christina Ricci while the film's low budget is noticeable in its cheap but minimal use of CGI. While its premise may seem promising, After.Life is just another run of the mill horror/thriller. You do, however, get to see Christina Ricci bare it all for a good portion of the film. So it's not all bad.
Debbiereadsbook (1554 KP) rated The Strength Of His Heart (Enhanced #4) in Books
Jul 15, 2019
my fav of the four!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted the AUDIO version of this book.
This is book 4 in the Enhanced series, and it’s not necessary to have read/listened to the other three books, but it might help give you a better picture of what it means to be Enhanced, and what this team means to Vance.
All Vance wanted to do, as a child, was follow in his father’s footsteps and join the police force. Waking up with the mark on his face put pays to that, but he was one of the lucky ones. His family did not treat him any differently, and they love Vance, period. Sam’s upbringing is very different, never knowing his father, and his mother dying when was he was a small child. Joining the DEA as an undercover agent helped him get over that, but now he wants out. Meeting Vance and the members of HERO is a dream come true, and Vance himself is a wet dream come true for Sam. But Sam won’t be drawn into anything with the much bigger man, he suffered before and will not again. But when Sam is kidnapped and Vance’s undercover gig is blown, they have to trust each other’s heart will be strong enough to get them out of this.
Vance is a sweetheart! Oh, I loved him here, once we get into his head. He really just wants to look after people, even though his gift was size and strength, he doesn’t want to use it. And Sam? Sam pushes all of Vance’s buttons and then some, he really does. Vance is smitten, right from when we met Sam in book three, and being partnered with Sam here? Vance is in heaven. At least till Sam and Vance have an encounter that ends all kinds of wrong for all kinds of reasons and neither man will talk to the other.
Sam’s past comes back to kidnap him here, and when it’s discovered WHO? I did NOT see that one coming, let me tell ya! But what they are doing with Enhanced adults and indeed some children, is awful, and it’s difficult reading, it really is.
This is far less explicit than the other three books, but I think it didn’t need to be. There is enough of Vance and Sam’s emotions to keep you going!
We meet Vance’s brother here. And while I had him pegged as the partner of a certain nurse, it turns out I am wrong and one of the team is strangely affected by Daniel. Their story, I *think* is next and I cannot wait to read it! Or listen, rather, cos I don’t like to flip between listening and reading in a series!
Nick J. Russo again narrates.
I am loving the combination of Ms Sue and Mr Russo, I really am!
Russo’s voices are clear and consistent across all four books, and his reading voice is deep and even. I have no trouble keeping up with multiple person conversations.
It’s the EMOTIONS I find, that Russo gets across. You can’t always pick that up when you read a book, no matter how well it’s written (and these books are VERY well written!) but hearing someone’s voice, telling you about their rotten childhood and what they had to do to survive, it gets you, right in the heart. I had to stop what I was doing many times, just to LISTEN, you know?? I had to concentrate on what was being said, cos it got to me so much.
I hope that Russo will continue to narrate the books that Victoria Sue continues to write! Cos you know, everyone needs to be happy, and they ain’t right now!
5 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
5 stars overall
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 4 in the Enhanced series, and it’s not necessary to have read/listened to the other three books, but it might help give you a better picture of what it means to be Enhanced, and what this team means to Vance.
All Vance wanted to do, as a child, was follow in his father’s footsteps and join the police force. Waking up with the mark on his face put pays to that, but he was one of the lucky ones. His family did not treat him any differently, and they love Vance, period. Sam’s upbringing is very different, never knowing his father, and his mother dying when was he was a small child. Joining the DEA as an undercover agent helped him get over that, but now he wants out. Meeting Vance and the members of HERO is a dream come true, and Vance himself is a wet dream come true for Sam. But Sam won’t be drawn into anything with the much bigger man, he suffered before and will not again. But when Sam is kidnapped and Vance’s undercover gig is blown, they have to trust each other’s heart will be strong enough to get them out of this.
Vance is a sweetheart! Oh, I loved him here, once we get into his head. He really just wants to look after people, even though his gift was size and strength, he doesn’t want to use it. And Sam? Sam pushes all of Vance’s buttons and then some, he really does. Vance is smitten, right from when we met Sam in book three, and being partnered with Sam here? Vance is in heaven. At least till Sam and Vance have an encounter that ends all kinds of wrong for all kinds of reasons and neither man will talk to the other.
Sam’s past comes back to kidnap him here, and when it’s discovered WHO? I did NOT see that one coming, let me tell ya! But what they are doing with Enhanced adults and indeed some children, is awful, and it’s difficult reading, it really is.
This is far less explicit than the other three books, but I think it didn’t need to be. There is enough of Vance and Sam’s emotions to keep you going!
We meet Vance’s brother here. And while I had him pegged as the partner of a certain nurse, it turns out I am wrong and one of the team is strangely affected by Daniel. Their story, I *think* is next and I cannot wait to read it! Or listen, rather, cos I don’t like to flip between listening and reading in a series!
Nick J. Russo again narrates.
I am loving the combination of Ms Sue and Mr Russo, I really am!
Russo’s voices are clear and consistent across all four books, and his reading voice is deep and even. I have no trouble keeping up with multiple person conversations.
It’s the EMOTIONS I find, that Russo gets across. You can’t always pick that up when you read a book, no matter how well it’s written (and these books are VERY well written!) but hearing someone’s voice, telling you about their rotten childhood and what they had to do to survive, it gets you, right in the heart. I had to stop what I was doing many times, just to LISTEN, you know?? I had to concentrate on what was being said, cos it got to me so much.
I hope that Russo will continue to narrate the books that Victoria Sue continues to write! Cos you know, everyone needs to be happy, and they ain’t right now!
5 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
5 stars overall
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Darren (1599 KP) rated Prospect (2018) in Movies
Jul 22, 2019
Verdict: Slow Paced
Story: Prospect starts when a father Damon (Duplass) and his daughter Cee (Thatcher) are travelling through space, looking to make a big discovery, thrown off path they land on an alien moon, setting out to explore the area.
When the pair run into Ezra (Pascal) another prospector on the moon, things turn to deals with the tension amped up to see who will leave the moon with the treasure on the moon, or whether leaving is a better option and soon they will learn of the other dangers on the moon.
Thoughts on Prospect
Characters – Cee is the teenager girl that has been travelling through space with her father, she does want to make a place her home, always wondering if she can get home, she must work with her father and a stranger to survive her time on this latest moon, proving she is ready to step up to do the more difficult tasks in life. Damon is Cee’s father, he has been searching space for valuable treasures so he can get out of this desperate lifestyle, his greed is his biggest weakness. Ezra is a stranger that the two run into, he is after the same thing and must earn their trust to survive and trust them to get survive the threats the moon has to offer.
Performances – Sophie Thatcher as the teenager does everything she can in her role, she doesn’t get to shine on the levels she could, but this falls back into the writing, Jay Duplass really doesn’t get the time to make an impact in this film, while Pedro Pascal is the highlight of the acting, because he must carry large parts of the dialogue in the film.
Story – The story follows a father and daughter prospector pairing that land on a new moon in search for their own richest only to find themselves in a battle to survive against rivals and the moon itself. This story is easily borrowing the idea of the early days of prospectors around the world, people that travelled great distances in hope of becoming rich, we get to see what is more important, riches or family, all in a position which has threats around every corner. The weakness of this story comes from the idea that moon is dangerous, though we only get environmental issues, with all the other problems being human, it would also have been nice to understand just how big the travelling is in this universe, we just casually follow on ship, is this one of the absolute poorest, is Earth uninhabitable now, there are so many questions about the universe we are entering that feel unanswered.
Sci-Fi – The sci-fi side of the film does just seem to be the characters wearing helmets, we barely get anything that makes this as ambitious as it could be.
Settings – The settings are beautiful though, the opening spaces, the closed woodland, yes it could easily be anywhere on Earth, but the visuals make this look like an alien moon in every shot.
Special Effects – The effects are used to add environment to the mon, but outside of this for a space based movie, we get very little to work with.
Scene of the Movie – First exploring of the moon.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is very slow.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the films that could have been a lot more interesting that we get, the pacing of the film does hold everything up and the fact we don’t learn more about the universe doesn’t help us understand just what is going on.
Overall: Keep searching for the treasure.
Rating
Story: Prospect starts when a father Damon (Duplass) and his daughter Cee (Thatcher) are travelling through space, looking to make a big discovery, thrown off path they land on an alien moon, setting out to explore the area.
When the pair run into Ezra (Pascal) another prospector on the moon, things turn to deals with the tension amped up to see who will leave the moon with the treasure on the moon, or whether leaving is a better option and soon they will learn of the other dangers on the moon.
Thoughts on Prospect
Characters – Cee is the teenager girl that has been travelling through space with her father, she does want to make a place her home, always wondering if she can get home, she must work with her father and a stranger to survive her time on this latest moon, proving she is ready to step up to do the more difficult tasks in life. Damon is Cee’s father, he has been searching space for valuable treasures so he can get out of this desperate lifestyle, his greed is his biggest weakness. Ezra is a stranger that the two run into, he is after the same thing and must earn their trust to survive and trust them to get survive the threats the moon has to offer.
Performances – Sophie Thatcher as the teenager does everything she can in her role, she doesn’t get to shine on the levels she could, but this falls back into the writing, Jay Duplass really doesn’t get the time to make an impact in this film, while Pedro Pascal is the highlight of the acting, because he must carry large parts of the dialogue in the film.
Story – The story follows a father and daughter prospector pairing that land on a new moon in search for their own richest only to find themselves in a battle to survive against rivals and the moon itself. This story is easily borrowing the idea of the early days of prospectors around the world, people that travelled great distances in hope of becoming rich, we get to see what is more important, riches or family, all in a position which has threats around every corner. The weakness of this story comes from the idea that moon is dangerous, though we only get environmental issues, with all the other problems being human, it would also have been nice to understand just how big the travelling is in this universe, we just casually follow on ship, is this one of the absolute poorest, is Earth uninhabitable now, there are so many questions about the universe we are entering that feel unanswered.
Sci-Fi – The sci-fi side of the film does just seem to be the characters wearing helmets, we barely get anything that makes this as ambitious as it could be.
Settings – The settings are beautiful though, the opening spaces, the closed woodland, yes it could easily be anywhere on Earth, but the visuals make this look like an alien moon in every shot.
Special Effects – The effects are used to add environment to the mon, but outside of this for a space based movie, we get very little to work with.
Scene of the Movie – First exploring of the moon.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is very slow.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the films that could have been a lot more interesting that we get, the pacing of the film does hold everything up and the fact we don’t learn more about the universe doesn’t help us understand just what is going on.
Overall: Keep searching for the treasure.
Rating
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Good Girl, Bad Girl in Books
Aug 8, 2019
While browsing the books in my local library, I stumbled across Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham. I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis. A teenager with a mysterious past, yes please! A murder mystery, heck yes! Good Girl, Bad Girl did not disappoint.
I felt like the synopsis was wrong a little. The story doesn't focus on Evie as much as the synopsis makes it seem. Good Girl, Bad Girl does start out focused on Evie though. No one knows Evie's past or even how old Evie really is. All anyone knows is that Evie knows when another person is lying. From there, the book seemed like it was going to be a paranormal read, but it wasn't. Not very long after we are introduced to Evie, we learn about Jodie Sheehan, a 15 year old girl who was a very talented figure skater and the girl next door type. When Jodie is found murdered, psychologist Cyrus Haven starts to piece together Jodie's life before her murder and realizes that she wasn't as squeaky clean as everyone thought she was which puts Cyrus and others in danger. Jodie Sheehan's life and murder is what Good Girl, Bad Girl mainly focuses on throughout the novel.
I did enjoy the plot, and I found it to be very intriguing. There were quite a few plot twists peppered throughout Good Girl, Bad Girl that I never predicted. I would think I had the story figured out, but then there would be another fantastic twist that always had me second guessing myself. All my questions were answered about Jodie's disappearance and murder, but I still was left wondering about Evie and her past. Michael Robotham leaves Evie a mystery on purpose, but I would have liked some closure on knowing Evie's past. It's obvious she remembers somewhat. (Goodreads has Good Girl, Bad Girl as a series, but I can't find anything on the actual cover of the book or on any book retailer that has this book as part of a series. I really hope it will be a series though so I can learn more about Evie.) One good thing about this book is that there are no cliff hanger endings. Also, the pacing is done fantastically throughout Good Girl, Bad Girl. This was one book that I really couldn't put down. I'd say it could even be read in one sitting. It is just so good, and it flows so well!
I felt like all the characters, even the supporting ones, were very well written and very fleshed out in Good Girl, Bad Girl. I liked the character of Evie. I liked the fact she was this mysterious force to be reckoned with. She was pretty hardcore, yet she still had that childlike vulnerability about her. I really enjoyed the character of Cyrus. He was such a fantastic main character. He had been dealt a bad hand, but he was able to rise above it. I thought it was fantastic to read about how much he cared for Evie as well as his perseverance to learn the truth about Jodie even when the police were ready to close the case.
Trigger warnings for Good Girl, Bad Girl include violence, drugs, drinking (both adult and underage), sexual references, profanity, death, abduction, attempted murder, and attempted rape.
Overall, Good Girl, Bad Girl is such a fun and thrilling read! I can't fault this book at all. It's got such a great plot as well as fantastic characters with interesting backstories. The plot twists will definitely keep you guessing throughout. I would wholeheartedly recommend Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham to those aged 17+ who love thrilling and suspenseful novels. You will not be disappointed.
I felt like the synopsis was wrong a little. The story doesn't focus on Evie as much as the synopsis makes it seem. Good Girl, Bad Girl does start out focused on Evie though. No one knows Evie's past or even how old Evie really is. All anyone knows is that Evie knows when another person is lying. From there, the book seemed like it was going to be a paranormal read, but it wasn't. Not very long after we are introduced to Evie, we learn about Jodie Sheehan, a 15 year old girl who was a very talented figure skater and the girl next door type. When Jodie is found murdered, psychologist Cyrus Haven starts to piece together Jodie's life before her murder and realizes that she wasn't as squeaky clean as everyone thought she was which puts Cyrus and others in danger. Jodie Sheehan's life and murder is what Good Girl, Bad Girl mainly focuses on throughout the novel.
I did enjoy the plot, and I found it to be very intriguing. There were quite a few plot twists peppered throughout Good Girl, Bad Girl that I never predicted. I would think I had the story figured out, but then there would be another fantastic twist that always had me second guessing myself. All my questions were answered about Jodie's disappearance and murder, but I still was left wondering about Evie and her past. Michael Robotham leaves Evie a mystery on purpose, but I would have liked some closure on knowing Evie's past. It's obvious she remembers somewhat. (Goodreads has Good Girl, Bad Girl as a series, but I can't find anything on the actual cover of the book or on any book retailer that has this book as part of a series. I really hope it will be a series though so I can learn more about Evie.) One good thing about this book is that there are no cliff hanger endings. Also, the pacing is done fantastically throughout Good Girl, Bad Girl. This was one book that I really couldn't put down. I'd say it could even be read in one sitting. It is just so good, and it flows so well!
I felt like all the characters, even the supporting ones, were very well written and very fleshed out in Good Girl, Bad Girl. I liked the character of Evie. I liked the fact she was this mysterious force to be reckoned with. She was pretty hardcore, yet she still had that childlike vulnerability about her. I really enjoyed the character of Cyrus. He was such a fantastic main character. He had been dealt a bad hand, but he was able to rise above it. I thought it was fantastic to read about how much he cared for Evie as well as his perseverance to learn the truth about Jodie even when the police were ready to close the case.
Trigger warnings for Good Girl, Bad Girl include violence, drugs, drinking (both adult and underage), sexual references, profanity, death, abduction, attempted murder, and attempted rape.
Overall, Good Girl, Bad Girl is such a fun and thrilling read! I can't fault this book at all. It's got such a great plot as well as fantastic characters with interesting backstories. The plot twists will definitely keep you guessing throughout. I would wholeheartedly recommend Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham to those aged 17+ who love thrilling and suspenseful novels. You will not be disappointed.
Natacha (374 KP) rated The Name of the Wind in Books
Jan 19, 2019 (Updated Jun 23, 2019)
Unfortunately, it seems that I have a very unpopular opinion about this book.
Contains spoilers, click to show
This was the first book I decided to read when I got back into reading 1.5years ago, and it took me around 2 months to actually finish it and throughout it made me wonder if maybe reading wasn't my thing any more. But after reading other books that I really enjoyed I realized that it's not that I don't like reading, I just didn't enjoy that book.
Yes, it looks like I have an unpopular opinion on this one...
Things I like:
-The way the story is told: I like that the main character is retelling his adventure.
-”Old” Kvothe: He is mysterious, broken and flawed. I wish the whole book was about him and not about his younger self.
-Auri: She is also a very interesting character and through the book I wanted to learn more about her. She actually got her own novella and I’m planning on reading it.
Things I didn’t like:
-Young Kvothe: Unfortunately he was my main issue and what made me dislike this book. To me, he was a Gary-Sue. Flawless. He was the best musician, the best craftsman, the best at using magic and even when he didn’t know something he would learn it half the time than other (he would also mention it, saying things like: “I learn this skill in a month while it takes a year for other students to learn it”). All girl will fall in love with him of course. And his biggest flaw? Being naive… This is what gets him in trouble or his eagerness to learn. Which in my opinion this is not a flaw and even if we want to consider it a flaw it doesn’t balance all his perfectness in everything else.
- Nothing really happens: In the first part of the book we what happened to him and his family and also we get a glimpse of how his life is now… and the rest of the book is about how he always manages to find the money to pay his university fees and how he is the best at everything and how he learns all the needed skills in a week while it takes months for the other students to learn.
We had some action happened towards the end but right when you think that a big bad lizard is going to destroy everything it turns out it is just drunk/high…
-Convenience. Kvothe fees are exactly the amount of money that he has right now and he will have a little remaining to pay for a room. Kvothe need a huge amount of money to buy a horse he meets an old lady that fancies young underage boy and gives him all the money he needs. Kvothe need to be in 3 days somewhere but it normally takes a week to get there? He buys a horse that is capable of running days without stopping or die. And then he needs to get rid of the horse to get his money back? Oh here is a merchant lets sell the horse just as easily as that. Something terrible happened in a village everybody is dead but the love interest of Kvothe how by the way he didn't know was there but went looking for her just because he thought she might be there. grr!
-We see nothing that’s mention in the synopsis: the stole princesses, the burned town, the night with Felurian etc. Maybe it's for the next book but don't put it in the synopsis if it's not in this book! I was so anticipating to see at least some of those mentions but no. Nothing. Just the school days and finding the money.
Yes, it looks like I have an unpopular opinion on this one...
Things I like:
-The way the story is told: I like that the main character is retelling his adventure.
-”Old” Kvothe: He is mysterious, broken and flawed. I wish the whole book was about him and not about his younger self.
-Auri: She is also a very interesting character and through the book I wanted to learn more about her. She actually got her own novella and I’m planning on reading it.
Things I didn’t like:
-Young Kvothe: Unfortunately he was my main issue and what made me dislike this book. To me, he was a Gary-Sue. Flawless. He was the best musician, the best craftsman, the best at using magic and even when he didn’t know something he would learn it half the time than other (he would also mention it, saying things like: “I learn this skill in a month while it takes a year for other students to learn it”). All girl will fall in love with him of course. And his biggest flaw? Being naive… This is what gets him in trouble or his eagerness to learn. Which in my opinion this is not a flaw and even if we want to consider it a flaw it doesn’t balance all his perfectness in everything else.
- Nothing really happens: In the first part of the book we what happened to him and his family and also we get a glimpse of how his life is now… and the rest of the book is about how he always manages to find the money to pay his university fees and how he is the best at everything and how he learns all the needed skills in a week while it takes months for the other students to learn.
We had some action happened towards the end but right when you think that a big bad lizard is going to destroy everything it turns out it is just drunk/high…
-Convenience. Kvothe fees are exactly the amount of money that he has right now and he will have a little remaining to pay for a room. Kvothe need a huge amount of money to buy a horse he meets an old lady that fancies young underage boy and gives him all the money he needs. Kvothe need to be in 3 days somewhere but it normally takes a week to get there? He buys a horse that is capable of running days without stopping or die. And then he needs to get rid of the horse to get his money back? Oh here is a merchant lets sell the horse just as easily as that. Something terrible happened in a village everybody is dead but the love interest of Kvothe how by the way he didn't know was there but went looking for her just because he thought she might be there. grr!
-We see nothing that’s mention in the synopsis: the stole princesses, the burned town, the night with Felurian etc. Maybe it's for the next book but don't put it in the synopsis if it's not in this book! I was so anticipating to see at least some of those mentions but no. Nothing. Just the school days and finding the money.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Starship Troopers (1997) in Movies
Jul 7, 2019 (Updated Nov 25, 2019)
Verdict: Instant Classic
Story: Starship Troopers starts in a world where humans are not at war with a bug planet across the galaxy, students and young people are expected to join the federal service to become citizens. Johnny Rico (Can Dien), Dizzy (Meyer), Carl (Harris) and Carmen (Richards) all have their sights set on enlisting, Johnny and Dizzy are mobile infantry, while Carmen has bigger sights of being a pilot and Carl has his sights set on military intelligence, with his mind reading ability.
While Rico is going through his training and constant battles with the flashy Ace (Busey) battling for squad leader, Carmen is flourishing in the flight academy, but this is just training, now they must go into combat against the giant deadly bugs.
Thoughts on Starship Troopers
Characters – Johnny Rico comes from a wealthy family that want to send him to Harvard, but he has other plans, he wants to become a citizen, which means he must join the military, here he excels in training until a mistakes sees him disgraced. He loses his family and will remaining fighting under a new squad leader, proving himself as one of the best soldiers in the infantry. Dizzy has spent her school life crushing over Rico, she follows him to mobile infantry, proving herself as one of the best soldiers. Carmen is the girlfriend of Johnny’s through school, she has set her sights on becoming a pilot in the Starfleet, something her grades could make easy for her, she proves an asset to the fleet rising up the ranks with ease. Ace is the rival of Rico’s in training, they both want squad leader and with the rivalry they become brothers in arms.
Performances – Casper Van Dien in the leading role makes himself remember forever with his character, this will define his career without question. Dina Meyer shines too, while this cast is fantastic and understands just what movie they are in. Denise Richard has been criticised before, but here she works in the modern future world and Jake Busey add more comedy as times to his role.
Story – The story here takes us to the future where humans are waged in a war with bugs from across the galaxy, we see how the soldiers and pilots are dealing with the increasing threat they are going to be facing. This story does present itself in a satirical look at the military behaviour and how it can become a propaganda machine forcing young people into joining under false promises, it also shows how humans will always look to conquer another area no matter how outnumbered or out of place they are in their invasion behaviour. Plenty of this story over accentuates the idea of what is going on, which will add moments of comedy.
Action/Sci-Fi – The action in the film is war style military attacks with laser bullets flying literally everywhere and the bugs ripping bodies apart. The sci-fi side of the film shows us just how far the human race has come with transportation across the galaxy, despite not giving them the brains when it comes to war.
Settings – The world created is fantastic with Earth looking futuristic without being all that different, while the bug planet feels like a battleground.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are also flawless, with a mix of practical and CGI which barely look like they have dated even after being over 20 years old.
Scene of the Movie – The first battle shows the scale of the war.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Nothing really.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the best sci-fi films you will see, it is wildly over the top and doesn’t miss a beat with style that knows just what the film is meant to be.
Overall: Fun, Brilliant and Entertaining.
Story: Starship Troopers starts in a world where humans are not at war with a bug planet across the galaxy, students and young people are expected to join the federal service to become citizens. Johnny Rico (Can Dien), Dizzy (Meyer), Carl (Harris) and Carmen (Richards) all have their sights set on enlisting, Johnny and Dizzy are mobile infantry, while Carmen has bigger sights of being a pilot and Carl has his sights set on military intelligence, with his mind reading ability.
While Rico is going through his training and constant battles with the flashy Ace (Busey) battling for squad leader, Carmen is flourishing in the flight academy, but this is just training, now they must go into combat against the giant deadly bugs.
Thoughts on Starship Troopers
Characters – Johnny Rico comes from a wealthy family that want to send him to Harvard, but he has other plans, he wants to become a citizen, which means he must join the military, here he excels in training until a mistakes sees him disgraced. He loses his family and will remaining fighting under a new squad leader, proving himself as one of the best soldiers in the infantry. Dizzy has spent her school life crushing over Rico, she follows him to mobile infantry, proving herself as one of the best soldiers. Carmen is the girlfriend of Johnny’s through school, she has set her sights on becoming a pilot in the Starfleet, something her grades could make easy for her, she proves an asset to the fleet rising up the ranks with ease. Ace is the rival of Rico’s in training, they both want squad leader and with the rivalry they become brothers in arms.
Performances – Casper Van Dien in the leading role makes himself remember forever with his character, this will define his career without question. Dina Meyer shines too, while this cast is fantastic and understands just what movie they are in. Denise Richard has been criticised before, but here she works in the modern future world and Jake Busey add more comedy as times to his role.
Story – The story here takes us to the future where humans are waged in a war with bugs from across the galaxy, we see how the soldiers and pilots are dealing with the increasing threat they are going to be facing. This story does present itself in a satirical look at the military behaviour and how it can become a propaganda machine forcing young people into joining under false promises, it also shows how humans will always look to conquer another area no matter how outnumbered or out of place they are in their invasion behaviour. Plenty of this story over accentuates the idea of what is going on, which will add moments of comedy.
Action/Sci-Fi – The action in the film is war style military attacks with laser bullets flying literally everywhere and the bugs ripping bodies apart. The sci-fi side of the film shows us just how far the human race has come with transportation across the galaxy, despite not giving them the brains when it comes to war.
Settings – The world created is fantastic with Earth looking futuristic without being all that different, while the bug planet feels like a battleground.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are also flawless, with a mix of practical and CGI which barely look like they have dated even after being over 20 years old.
Scene of the Movie – The first battle shows the scale of the war.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Nothing really.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the best sci-fi films you will see, it is wildly over the top and doesn’t miss a beat with style that knows just what the film is meant to be.
Overall: Fun, Brilliant and Entertaining.
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Ring (2002) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
Characters – Rachel is a single mother and reporter that starts investigating the mysterious death of her niece, this leads her to a VHS tape which puts her in the same seven day warning, forcing her to investigate the tape, she uses her connections and skills as a reporter to unlock this truth, while become more desperate after her son watches the same tape. Noah is the ex-partner and father to Aidan, he is still dating college students, which is why they no longer date, he is however an expect on video, which sees him being used to help break down the tape, which does including him watching it, he doesn’t come off like a nice guy, but we get the scene which shows why he is the way he is. Aidan is the son of the two, he seems to be the most grounded of the three, he is always prepared for the day, knowing that his mother will be late, only he watches the video making him one of the targets for the curse within the video. Richard is the adopted father of Samara, his love for the horses as seen his life destroyed even with his connection to Samara being the reason for the curse.
Performances – Naomi Watts in the leading role is great, she gets to show us just how difficult being a single mother can be, while trying to face a life and death situation with trying to find the answers. Martin Henderson is solid enough in his role which sees him being a bad father that could learn over this week. David Dorfman does give us a creepy kid performance, while Brian Cox in his limited screen time makes a big impact.
Story – The story here follows a reporter that is investigating the death of a family member that is connecting a video tape which will give any viewer seven days to live. This story is a remake of Ringu and does fall into one of my favourite sub-genres of horror, the ghostly haunting investigation one, which is looking to solve a mystery and isn’t afraid to give us a moment of hauntings to push everything in the right direction. It is strange that part of this film has dated with the technology advances which could see the VHS side of the film going over people’s heads, but away from that seeing just how everything is connected, with glimpses of the video appearing through the film needing to be solved by both the character and audience gives this an interesting element for the audience to get involved in.
Horror/Mystery – The horror comes from the horrific imagines we see on the tape, we also know early on what will happen to anybody that watches the tape, by seeing just how the first opening kill looks. The mystery comes from just what we are seeing in the tape, it is a host of clues which will unlock the truth.
Settings – The film shows us the settings through the tape, each one has a connection to everything going on and makes us want to know just what the connection is going to be.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are fantastic to watch, with one of the greatest effects scenes in the closing of the film which will shock and wonder how it was done.
Scene of the Movie – The Horse on the boat is a horrific scene to watch.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – VHS has dated out now.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the greatest horror remakes, it remains scary through the years along with giving us the time scale everything is going to be revealed.
Overall: Wonderful horror remake.
Performances – Naomi Watts in the leading role is great, she gets to show us just how difficult being a single mother can be, while trying to face a life and death situation with trying to find the answers. Martin Henderson is solid enough in his role which sees him being a bad father that could learn over this week. David Dorfman does give us a creepy kid performance, while Brian Cox in his limited screen time makes a big impact.
Story – The story here follows a reporter that is investigating the death of a family member that is connecting a video tape which will give any viewer seven days to live. This story is a remake of Ringu and does fall into one of my favourite sub-genres of horror, the ghostly haunting investigation one, which is looking to solve a mystery and isn’t afraid to give us a moment of hauntings to push everything in the right direction. It is strange that part of this film has dated with the technology advances which could see the VHS side of the film going over people’s heads, but away from that seeing just how everything is connected, with glimpses of the video appearing through the film needing to be solved by both the character and audience gives this an interesting element for the audience to get involved in.
Horror/Mystery – The horror comes from the horrific imagines we see on the tape, we also know early on what will happen to anybody that watches the tape, by seeing just how the first opening kill looks. The mystery comes from just what we are seeing in the tape, it is a host of clues which will unlock the truth.
Settings – The film shows us the settings through the tape, each one has a connection to everything going on and makes us want to know just what the connection is going to be.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are fantastic to watch, with one of the greatest effects scenes in the closing of the film which will shock and wonder how it was done.
Scene of the Movie – The Horse on the boat is a horrific scene to watch.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – VHS has dated out now.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the greatest horror remakes, it remains scary through the years along with giving us the time scale everything is going to be revealed.
Overall: Wonderful horror remake.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Goldfinch (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
Theo Decker's life is changed forever when a terrorist attack on the Metropolitan Museum of Art destroys everything he holds dear. In the debris he finds a man who pleads with him to take his ring and go to a shop, the last words before he dies.
After leaving the museum he is brough to the home of the Barbours, the only place he seems to be able to think of and they take him in rather than see him become part of the system.
Things should slowly be getting back on track for Theo but the ring wasn't the only thing he took from the museum, in his possession he has The Goldfinch, a priceless painting that will have a hold on him his whole life.
Much like the book the film is not for the faint hearted, 880 pages has become 2 hours and 29 minutes on screen. You could probably cut another chunk off this but that change would inevitable mess with the pace, which I don't think would suit the story all that well.
I wrote a lot of notes as I sat in this film and I've had to reread them all because I can remember the film/story but I can't remember anything about how I felt about it. I left myself a handy note though... "I am incredibly bored by this."
I know that I will never make it through the book, even before the film it wouldn't have been a possibility, but I would like to know what amendments were made to cram the story into that relatively small time frame.
The thing that threw me was Luke Wilson, I don't think I've ever seen him in a dramatic role before, plenty of comedy that I really enjoy but no drama. I can't say this made me want to watch him in this sort of role again. I didn't find him convincing as Theo's dad Larry, at least not convincingly through the film. Alongside him there's Sarah Paulson, she's a great actress but I felt that (while entertaining) her show of Xandra was too over the top for a film with this tone.
Nicole Kidman always brings a character to life and this was no exception but I found the relationship between Mrs Barbour and the kids, particularly Theo, to be confusing and difficult to navigate.
Where do I start with Ansel Elgort... I saw him in Baby Driver, I wasn't a fan, I watched him in this and I wanted to see something better, I don't feel like I got that. Even with the restrained characters actors can still give the role a little glimpse of something to click with but I don't get that from Elgort. There was the briefest flicker when he's confronted by a customer but soon enough it was back to the base level.
On the plus side I found the younger incarnation of Theo, Oakes Fegley, to be very engaging on screen. He worked well with the others and added something a little lighter to the heavy aspects of the film. He worked particularly well with Finn Wolfhard as Boris, though that's another part of the film that stuck out as strange and seemed to hold little meaning other than to allow for the ending to come together.
I'm sure that this is for someone out there, that person was not me though. While it did have a few touching moments here and there I just couldn't make it past the long run time and the slow story.
What you should do
I would only recommend this to people who have read the book.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
A large antiques store to explore.
After leaving the museum he is brough to the home of the Barbours, the only place he seems to be able to think of and they take him in rather than see him become part of the system.
Things should slowly be getting back on track for Theo but the ring wasn't the only thing he took from the museum, in his possession he has The Goldfinch, a priceless painting that will have a hold on him his whole life.
Much like the book the film is not for the faint hearted, 880 pages has become 2 hours and 29 minutes on screen. You could probably cut another chunk off this but that change would inevitable mess with the pace, which I don't think would suit the story all that well.
I wrote a lot of notes as I sat in this film and I've had to reread them all because I can remember the film/story but I can't remember anything about how I felt about it. I left myself a handy note though... "I am incredibly bored by this."
I know that I will never make it through the book, even before the film it wouldn't have been a possibility, but I would like to know what amendments were made to cram the story into that relatively small time frame.
The thing that threw me was Luke Wilson, I don't think I've ever seen him in a dramatic role before, plenty of comedy that I really enjoy but no drama. I can't say this made me want to watch him in this sort of role again. I didn't find him convincing as Theo's dad Larry, at least not convincingly through the film. Alongside him there's Sarah Paulson, she's a great actress but I felt that (while entertaining) her show of Xandra was too over the top for a film with this tone.
Nicole Kidman always brings a character to life and this was no exception but I found the relationship between Mrs Barbour and the kids, particularly Theo, to be confusing and difficult to navigate.
Where do I start with Ansel Elgort... I saw him in Baby Driver, I wasn't a fan, I watched him in this and I wanted to see something better, I don't feel like I got that. Even with the restrained characters actors can still give the role a little glimpse of something to click with but I don't get that from Elgort. There was the briefest flicker when he's confronted by a customer but soon enough it was back to the base level.
On the plus side I found the younger incarnation of Theo, Oakes Fegley, to be very engaging on screen. He worked well with the others and added something a little lighter to the heavy aspects of the film. He worked particularly well with Finn Wolfhard as Boris, though that's another part of the film that stuck out as strange and seemed to hold little meaning other than to allow for the ending to come together.
I'm sure that this is for someone out there, that person was not me though. While it did have a few touching moments here and there I just couldn't make it past the long run time and the slow story.
What you should do
I would only recommend this to people who have read the book.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
A large antiques store to explore.