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Fifty Shades Freed (2018)
Fifty Shades Freed (2018)
2018 | Drama
The third and final entry in the “Fifty Shades” series has arrived with the release of “fifty Shades Freed”. The story opens with the wedding of Anastasia (Dakota Johnson), and Christian (Jamie Dornan), and follows their honeymoon in the lavish locales of France.

There getaway is cut short by an act of sabotage at Christian’s company and it soon becomes clear that a person from their past has taken things to a dangerous level which requires Christian to implement security measures for Anastasia and their extended family.

In between the intrigue presented by the threat, we also have numerous scenes of nudity and eroticism as Christian is not going to give up his dominating needs anytime soon.

Combine this with a new revelation that threatens to disrupt the crafted and controlled world he has created for himself and Anastasia; the tensions rise between them making a dangerous and stress-filled situation even more complicated.

While the film does have a better plot and is more engaging than the previous films in the series it is hampered by many of the same issues that hindered the series. The two leads have zero chemistry with one another and their supposedly highly erotic scenes are so routine and by the numbers they lack any form of excitement or real titillation. The film also has this message that behavior that would be considered highly unacceptable in others seems to get a pass for Christian as he is a handsome billionaire. He is a very selfish and controlling individual who demands obedience. While Anastasia does have a strong enough character to stand up to him, she tolerates behavior that would be considered unacceptable by many and seems very quick to give him a pass when lavish gifts and trips are bestowed upon her. I wonder how romantic and acceptable his behavior would be if he was a struggling musician who did not have the financial resources to create fantasies and buy his apologies. I know the film is supposed to be romantic fantasy but this really annoys me as he exhibits much of the behavior that is considered unacceptable and to be avoided at all costs, yet it is all wrapped up in a sweet bow of forgiveness.

That aside the series does seem to be losing steam as the last film earned less than the original film and “Fifty Shades Freed” is tracking to open well below the last film as well. Fans of the series will likely enjoy it as a satisfying finale, but I really expected more from the final moments of the series as after following the characters, the ending seemed very anti-climactic.

http://sknr.net/2018/02/08/fifty-shades-freed/
  
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Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian
Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian
E.L. James | 2015 | Erotica, Fiction & Poetry
4
6.1 (22 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was under the impression Grey would be all three Fifty Shades kind of thrown into one book, only in Christian's point of view. That misconception was my own fault. I was still disappointed, though. I felt bored reading most of it, especially because it felt like there wasn't much difference between reading it and reading Fifty Shades again. There weren't many scenes without Anastasia, so it was almost as if everything was just flipped, instead of feeling like I was experiencing it for the first time. Also, it was nowhere near as "down and dirty" as other readers made it out to be - at least, not in my opinion. Overall, I wasn't too happy with Grey.
  
Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe #2)
Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe #2)
Neal Shusterman | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.1 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
Characters (4 more)
Plot
Pacing
Worldbuilding
That ending
A great sequel
I picked up Scythe in a challenge to myself to read something I wasn't interested in, and I chose two books popular on my feeds. One with a cover I hated (Throne of Glass) and one with a cover I liked (Scythe). I really didn't expect to love Scythe as much as I did (check out its review through my profile!) but I did! So I immediately picked up the even prettier Thunderhead. This cover is just beautiful, and as an illustrator, seeing her thank her cover artist on one of the first pages was wonderful. This review may contain minor spoilers for Scythe, so don't read it unless you've read Scythe!
    
   We pick up where Scythe left off, after Citra gives Rowan immunity, sparing him from being gleaned even though she is chosen and takes the name, Scythe Anastasia. He goes on the run instead of being imprisoned by the Scythdom until his immunity runs out. After leaving his self imposed exile with Scythe Faraday, Rowan dons a cloak of his own, becoming a vigilante and killing (and burning) Scythes who abuse their power. The world dubs him Scythe Lucifer and everyone is trying to find him. Scythe Anastasia is learning her place in the Scythedom, a beacon of hope for the old guard, they hope she will inspire the new Scythes to turn away from the new order. Following Rowan's disposal of Scythe Goddard, the new order has made a martyr of him. The Schism amongst the Scythedom continues to grow, and all is not well. Scythe Curie and Scythe Anastasia are targetted by unknowns, attempting to kill them (permanently). Meanwhile, the Thunderhead reflects on its choice to be separate from the Scythes, Fearing what is becoming of the Scythedom, but unable to do anything, it inlists a boy, Greyson, who was essentially raised by it, to act as a liaison, never telling him to do anything in particular, but implying enough that Greyson sacrifices everything to try and help Scythe Curie and Anastasia and fulfill the Thunderhead's goals. This sacrifice doesn't go unnoticed, as a reader it felt palpable, I felt for him. On top of all this, something is stirring, ghosts are coming back to haunt the Scythedom and a shift of power puts Anastasia and Marie in the crosshairs of danger, forcing them to not only stand up for MidMerica but the entire Scythedom, even if that means facing the Grandslayers.
   
   Shusterman does a wonderful job of continuing the story. Sticking to the world that he previously laid out and delving deeper with new perspectives like Greyson, and rather than the Scythe Journal interludes we have Thunderhead interludes which are exceptionally interesting. We learn more about this "perfect world" they now live in, and we see actual character development as both Rowan and Citra come to terms with their new lives. On top of this, the plot just continues to thicken and brew, building upon itself until it finally explodes in the finale. Holy Moley the finale. I let out an audible noise at that cliffhanger, so audible my partner checked to makes sure I was okay. I also IMMEDIATELY bought the next book. That was the cliffhangers of cliffhangers.

   One of the things I applaud in these books is the romance between Citra and Rowan, it's so understated (at times, too understated) not lusting after each other, or thinking about how hot each other are. This is just an honest two people coming together who have been through crap together. It's a deep connection, and while I found it eh and slightly too understated in the first book, I grew to appreciate it's the subtlety in the second.

  At times this book had larger than life moments, but even these Shusterman was able to write so well I didn't mind them, they didn't make me roll my eyes. He made his world believable, even if it sounds ridiculous when I try and explain the plot to others. This book made me cry, it made me gasp and it made me feel a full gamut of emotions. Things I didn't know a YA book could make me feel. Also, did I mention that freakin CLIFF HANGER?

 Good job Shusterman, Good Job.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Fifty Shades Freed (2018) in Movies

Feb 12, 2018 (Updated Feb 12, 2018)  
Fifty Shades Freed (2018)
Fifty Shades Freed (2018)
2018 | Drama
Mercifully brief compared to the other two (1 more)
A good advert for celibacy
Once More Unto the Sex Dungeon
(Hey, I know no shame, I will admit to watching this.) Yet more underwhelming shenanigans from the crayon of E.L. James, as thinly-characterised everygirl Anastasia and mysteriously alluring ripped billionaire Christian Grey embark upon married life together.

More of the same mixture of blandly aspirational low-octane soap opera and profoundly unerotic softcore porno; difficult to say which is more boring. Scores somewhat over the second one by actually having a sort of thriller subplot, which means there are moments which approach being dramatic. Supposedly edgy and transgressive saga concludes with the most conventional image of domestic happiness imaginable; says it all really. One quite funny line: too involved to repeat here, alas.