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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Masterminds (2016) in Movies

Jul 15, 2019

Masterminds (2016)

2016 | Comedy

5.2

(5 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Masterminds features a star studded cast led by Zack Galifianakis as he portrays David Ghantt, an armored car delivery man who is stuck in a boring, monotonous life. When his partner played by Kristen Wiig is fired she begins to hang out with a sordid group of degenerates who hatch a scheme to rob Loomis Fargo so they can live the “good life.”

After convincing and seducing David into pursuing the robbery, all players and bandits find themselves swept up in a storm of confusion and wild escapades. David’s haul of over $17 million becomes the largest heist in American history which has the FBI, Interpol, and a hitman hot on his trail.

Masterminds finds its genius in the continuous jokes and ability to take a basic heist story and turn it into a fun-filled romp similar to Raising Arizona or We’re the Millers. There are moments that may cause audiences to pause and reflect on the events of the film and even question if and how any of them could have happened, but the interplay of the characters takes your mind off of the serious crime committed and you find yourself laughing at some of the most simple things in the film.

Galifianakis, Wiig, Owen Wilson, and Jason Sudeikis, will have you laughing throughout the film and possibly chuckling to yourself later at some of the one-liners and awkward moments delivered. This could quickly become a cult hit.

Kudos

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Girl in the Shadows (Cirque American) in Books

Nov 16, 2019

Girl in the Shadows (Cirque American)

Gwenda Bond | 2019 | Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Eighteen-year-old Moira Mitchell grew up in the shadows of Vegas's stage lights while her father's career as a magician soared. More than anything, Moira wants to be a magician too, but her father is dead set against her pursuing magic.

When an invitation to join the Cirque American mistakenly falls into Moira's possession, she takes action. Instead of giving the highly coveted invitation to its intended recipient, Raleigh, her father's handsome and worldly former apprentice, Moira takes off to join the Cirque. If she can perform alongside its world-famous acts, she knows she'll be able to convince her dad that magic is her future.

But when Moira arrives, things take on an intensity she can't control as her stage magic suddenly feels like...real magic. To further distract her, Raleigh shows up none too pleased at Moira's presence, all while the Cirque's cocky and intriguing knife thrower, Dez, seems to have it out for her. As tensions mount and Moira's abilities come into question, she must decide what's real and what's an illusion. If she doesn't sort it out in time, she may forever remain a girl in the shadows.

I forgot how much I had enjoyed the first book. So this book was like slipping back into that world. Was lovely to see old characters and meet the new. Also seeing the history and journey of this magical coin. Gwenda Bond brings us magic you could believe existed.
Recommended

⭐⭐

Kudos

Ross (3284 KP) rated You Die When You Die in Books

Jan 21, 2020

You Die When You Die

Angus Watson | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

10.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Fantastic witty pre-historic Viking / Native American fantasy

This is the alternative-reality story of the Hardworkers, a small clan of Viking descendants in pre-Columbian North America. A mentally-damaged young boy in the clan has a premonition that the village will be attacked and they should head west. When the village is indeed attacked by natives (who themselves had a premonition of these Vikings ending the world), the clan quickly up-sticks and head off.
There follows a brilliant, exciting, funny story of this small clan with mixed abilities (some well trained warriors, some powerful yet cowardly warlocks, some useless wastes of space) travelling across North America, hunted by the magically-enhanced warriors sent to end them, and meeting numerous clans and tribes along the way.
The wonderful merging of plausible pre-history America and a more familiar fantasy setting (prophecies, evil empires, warriors) results in this superb story. The dialogue is witty and funny, the world is familiar yet strange enough to make you think, and the action sequences are fantastically narrated, often from different viewpoints.
The characters are all very well crafted and unique, and their interactions and conflicts really spur this story on.
I would urge anyone keen on fantasy to read this book. While the cover, and title, may suggest it is a brutal slobberknocker of a book, it is actually very clever, funny and thrilling.
I cannot wait to jump in to the next book in this trilogy. Wootah!!!