Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Dragon Marked (Supernatural Prison, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Erm… it could go both ways.
What I Liked:
~ Jessa has spunk and no filter. She has no problems giving people her two cents.
Dragon shifters are awesome, hands down.
~ The concept – a supernatural community just to guard a prison for supernatural criminals? Oh, and those prisons are being broken into and no one knows <em>how</em>? Plus, the main character is dragon marked (prophesized to raise some sort of dragon king of a thousand years ago) and the Quads (aka four brothers who turn heads everywhere they turn) are <em>supposed</em> to hunt and kill her? Grabby hands ensues. <del>Because I just adore potential best friends turned murderer type of stories.</del>
~ Possessiveness: I normally really hate possessiveness, but Jaymin Eve doesn’t <em>overplay</em> it. Possessiveness is a part of the culture for the supernaturals, but Jessa isn’t sheltered.
What I Didn’t Like:
~ Does anyone have a problem with an entire family ruling most of the American Supernatural council? I mean, there’s a scuffle or two that carries as the main plot of the first book, but for the most part, almost everyone is completely okay with the Quads taking over 4/5 of the council.
~ Every page or two (maybe a little more), there’s a bomb of information about the supernaturals. Some are repetitive with the usual tropes, but I <em>might</em> be okay with that. Just a little.
~ Eve has humor throughout the book, but um… too much information sometimes. It doesn’t clash too well with Jessa’s personality. No filter humor? Little kid guilty of peeking at the wrong time.
All in all,<em> Dragon Marked</em> does have potential. But while there might be one plot in just one book, the overall arc of the story is primarily set up with lots of information.
And tootles to everyone who handles a no filter main character with the occasional weird humor better than me.
JT (287 KP) rated Richard Jewell (2019) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
When he discovers a backpack containing a pipe bomb at a celebratory music concert at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, his quick thinking saves countless lives. Unfortunately for Richard, he becomes the prime suspect in the investigation and with it, his life is turned upside down as he’s thrust into the media spotlight.
Directed by Clint Eastwood Richard Jewell follows in similar vein to films like American Sniper and The 15:17 to Paris where the central characters struggle with the media attention they receive in the aftermath of events.
The scene during the concert is recreated with meticulous precision and attention to detail and there is genuine tension as you realise that at any point the bomb is going to explode. The investigation is led by FBI agent Tom Shaw (Jon Hamm) who with little to go on places Richard in the spotlight and will stop at nothing to prove his guilt, using every trick in the book to get Richard to confess.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution journalist Kathy Scruggs played by Olivia Wilde was portrayed unfairly for implying that she traded sex for stories. Having died in 2001 she was not around to defend herself, which is a black mark for Eastwood on an otherwise very well directed film.
The journal ran the story much to the delight of Scruggs, but it painted Jewell as the villain causing considerable pain to him and his mother Bobi (Kathy Bates) who delivers another acting masterclass in her supporting role. Scruggs realised her error later on but it was too little too late as the damage to Jewell’s reputation had already been done.
One of the highlights of the film is the relationship between Richard and attorney Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell). It’s very heartwarming as Watson stood by him until the end even right up to the point of passing on that the real bomber, Eric Rudolph, had confessed to the crime. Richard Jewell is not a gripping film outside of the first half but it’s a powerful watch heightened by excellent acting.
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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Training Day (2001) in Movies
Jun 11, 2020
The plot: Police drama about a veteran officer who escorts a rookie on his first day with the LAPD's tough inner-city narcotics unit. "Training Day" is a blistering action drama that asks the audience to decide what is necessary, what is heroic and what crosses the line in the harrowing gray zone of fighting urban crime. Does law-abiding law enforcement come at the expense of justice and public safety? If so, do we demand safe streets at any cost?
In June 2003, the American Film Institute named Alonzo Harris the 50th greatest screen villain of all time in its list AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains.
Also excellent quotes like..
"You gotta be a wolf to catch a wolf."
"You gotta control your smiles & cries because that's all you have & nobody can take that away from you."
"You wanna go to jail or you wanna go home?"
"To protect the sheep you gotta catch the wolf, and it takes a wolf to catch a wolf."
"I've been planning this all week, son. You talk that crazy shit, I'll make sure that blood gets to the lab. You wanna walk your baby nuts around the block, you won't make it to the corner, but if you're cool, if you're cool... then you're a hero. You're a virgin shooter above suspicion."
"You don't know any stories? Okay, I'll tell you a story. This is a newspaper. It's 90 per cent bullshit, but it's entertaining. That's why I read it, because it entertains me. You won't let me read it, so you entertain me with your bullshit. Tell me a story, right now."
"This shit's chess, it ain't checkers."
"You got a dick. You do have a dick, don't you? Okay, the dick lines up straight like that right? To the right of it and to the left of it are pockets, right? In those pockets are money. Look in either one of 'em, pay the bill."
And of course..
"Aww, you motherfuckers. Okay. Alright. I'm putting cases on all you bitches. Huh. You think you can do this shit... Jake. You think you can do this to me? You motherfuckers will be playing basketball in Pelican Bay when I get finished with you. SHU program, nigga. 23 hour lockdown. I'm the man up in this piece. You'll never see the light of... who the fuck do you think you're fucking with? I'm the police, I run shit around here. You just live here. Yeah, that's right, you better walk away. Go on and walk away... 'cause I'm gonna' burn this motherfucker down. King Kong ain't got shit on me. That's right, that's right. Shit, I don't, fuck. I'm winning anyway, I'm winning... I'm winning any motherfucking way. I can't lose. Yeah, you can shoot me, but you can't kill me."
Its a excellent, phenomenal movie and a must watch film.