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Scythe
Scythe
2016 | Civilization, Economic, Fighting, Miniatures, Science Fiction
So, so much (0 more)
Can be a bit daunting to take on the rulebook (0 more)
The best mix of many board games
This game has so much going for it and by far is my favorite game on my shelf right now. First off, just looking at and opening the box, the artwork is fantastic. I bought the artbook for the game just because I wanted more of the art. Next, mechanics of the game. Each player has a choice of what unique pair of actions they will take in a turn. A turn consists of:
 1) Choosing a block of actions that said player had not chosen last turn
2) Choosing a top level action from chosen block
3) choosing a bottom level action of chosen block.


These action range from creating and placing workers, mechs or buildings, resource generation, or doing something that would initiate combat (usually moving). There are many different strategies to win, whether through ecnomics or military domination. Each play through is unique.
I highly recommend getting all expansions for uncreased play variety as well as the Broken Token organizer, which reduces setup time for 30 minutes to 5 minutes. Other items that really enhance the gameplay are metal coins as well as realistic resources from stonemaier games
  
Above and Below
Above and Below
2015 | Adventure, Book, City Building, Economic, Exploration
The Art is exceptional (3 more)
the gameplay itself
the characters you use to build your village
The story aspect for exploring
I Love this game.... Ryan Laukat does amazing work.
This game is a great mix of a lot of ingenious aspects. You are leader of a village, and you have people in your village that not only have different skills and also look different. You want to utilize them to do the things they are good at, but just like in life sometimes you have to send a suboptimal person to accomplish something the village needs. And the exploration aspect is so much fun. each time to go exploring is a different short story predicated on the drawing of a card. then then you have to make a choice about what to do on that journey, and it might have dire consequences or or it might be light and fluffy. So it's sometimes hard to make a decision based on how many resources to send down to make sure everything works out, but then you can't do as much on the surface. The game is relatively short and makes us want to keep playing. which is the sign of a great game. Also check out near and far which is the sequel to this game.
  
Show all 3 comments.
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Akward (448 KP) Aug 4, 2018

I'm in the opposite boat: I've played Above and Below, and I'm interested in how it compares to Near and Far.

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The Marinated Meeple (1848 KP) Aug 4, 2018

Now that I’ve played near and far. Near and far is better. But has more going on and more storytelling. Above and below focuses more on above with below as an add-on. It’s definately the precursor. Near and far is far better.

Words of Radiance: Book Two of The Stormlight Archive
Words of Radiance: Book Two of The Stormlight Archive
Brandon Sanderson | 2014 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
No spoilers below.

4 stars: Super long, sometimes details about dumb stuff where I wish I had more details about other stuff

4 stars: sometimes hard to imagine some of the scenery.

4 stars: Interludes? what the heck?

5 stars: every 80-100 pages has some sweet art that helps you visualize things

5 stars: incredible world and intriguing story and characters

5 stars: good ups and downs - mix of excitement, sadness, awesomeness, character fails and character growth

1 star (kind of joking but not really): 3rd book isn't out yet!! Plus I have to buy some Arcanum Unbounded to read book 2.5? NO WAY. I'm saving up for the 3rd book haha

overall rating: 5 stars

I would like my wife to read these but the stories are just so dang LONG. I bet if all 3 books were released in an abridged format that I'd re-read them (and get her to read them for once) and it would be so fun to get down to the nitty gritty without going through 1000+ pages per book (although some people are in to that). In this case, I didn't mind it too much, as the writing is well done and the story is awesome. Kaladin is my bro!
  
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Mass Effect: Andromeda
2017 | Role-Playing
A Perfect Continuation of the Mass Effect Series
I could seriously gush like a fan-girl about this game for hours, so I'll try to keep it brief :p The graphics are astounding, the storyline is a work of art and the characters are really awesome. There are tons of side missions to keep you busy after you finish the main story line, all aspects are really fantastic, the game mechanics are great, shooting, jumping, running, driving, it's all aces. You can be any type of Ryder you like, romantic, logical, casual, professional, or a mix of all. Romances for both male and female Ryder are good, probably the best (or my favourites at least) are Jaal and Vetra. The downside are the romance cut scenes. You can tell Bioware put more effort into some and others not so much (particularly Cora, Jaal and Peebee had the best romance scenes). Disappointments? Not many. The romance scene for Vetra was bs, I was really pissed that they didn't put much effort into it. Also, three characters I fell in love with but couldn't romance, Evfra, Kandros, and Drack. So Bioware, if ya'll are listening, give me my Krogan romance damnit! The biggest disappointment? That the game had to end. I LOVED it! Can't wait for the DLC!
  
Welcome to Marwen (2018)
Welcome to Marwen (2018)
2018 | Biography, Drama
Cap’t Hogie (Steve Carell) is saved from of Nazi’s, after his plane crashed in a swamp in Belgium, by a squad women. They are able to take the beaten and battered Hogie back to their town of Marwen. Or at least that the story Mark Hogancamp (also Steve Carell) has conjured in his art installation outside his trailer home. Mark himself was found by a bartender, Wendy (Stefanie von Pfetten), after he was beaten with an inch of his life by a group of white supremacist. Hogancamp was a successful sketch artist and now can hardly write his own name. He also has little to no memory of the life before the beating. But he is still and artist and now his art lives in the dolls he uses to create a fantasy story that mirrors his real life.

The group of women dolls that seem to always save his Hogie character are all based on the women his life. There is G.I. Julie, aka Julie (Janelle Monae), his rehab partner after his accident and Roberta (Merritt Wever), the friendly neighborhood hobby story clerk. Plus there is Anna (Gwendoline Christie) nurse who brings Hogie his mail and supplies in real life and Carlala (Eiza Gonzalez) his coworker in real life. These make up the majority of his bad ass Nazi killing crew in Marwen. The newest addition is his neighbor Nicole (Leslie Mann) who he think might help him defeat the Nazi’s in Marwen for good and be a special new friend in real life. He will need both his Marwen crew and his real life friends as the sentencing for his real life attackers gets closer and his fragile mental health is pushed to a stressful breaking point.

This unique story is based on the real life of world famous photographic artist Mark Hogancamp. Mark was brutally beaten because he made a smart comment about liking to wear women’s shoes. It’s also a story of overcoming addiction and mental health issues. He turned the disaster into a passion for creating art and using fantasy to cope with tragedy.

This was a really interesting way of telling a one of a kind true story. I thought that director, Robert Zemeckis (Forest Gump, Flight) used both real life and the fantasy world of Marwen to create one story. There were times when the story really didn’t flow great between the two worlds but overall was really original filmmaking. The pace and flow were a little off with the transitions. I thought the animation was exceptionally done. The story also had a bunch of topics it tackled, from mental health and memory loss to addiction but also had a good mix of humor. Carell dual performances were really well done and the supporting cast was also good. Films that are original and try new and interesting things are always worth a view in my opinion. I could see the content not really being for everyone but I thought the overall story left me feeling good.
  
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
2019 | Horror
Contains spoilers, click to show
Scary Stories to tell in the dark is a film based on a series of children’s books famed for its terrifying art work. The film tells of what happens when a group of children discover the story book of Sarah Bellows, the town’s urban legend who is supposed to have poisoned and killed the children who heard her stories.
Scary Stories is one of those films that takes a mix of different horror elements, put’s them through a blender and sees what comes out; it is part Slasher, as a number of the children get attacked and killed in a variety of different ways, part J-Horror as the children have to find out what it will take to stop Sarah (in a similar style to the Ring or The Grudge), and part monster movie as a variety of creatures are set out after the children.
The one thing Scary Stories isn’t is a children’s film, the monsters are heavily based upon the art work from the original books and, after a slow beginning the tension and atmosphere are ramped up. There are a few jump scares but the film does not rely solely on these and the ones there are, are well crafted, you know something is going to happen but not when. Some of the children do died, although not in bloody ways.
For a film based on a series of stories ‘Scary Stories to tell in the dark’ doesn’t quite become an anthology movie which is a bit surprising, each monster has its own back story however, these back stories quickly become secondary as the hunt for the truth about Sarah takes over.
I think, at its heart, Scary Stories is mostly a classic ghost story, the book is a classic cursed item like the video tape in the ring or the mirror in mirror mirror (the horror film not the Disney one) which is fuelled by Sarah’s anger at the injustices she suffered when she was alive and which can be negated when something is put right. Of course anyone who has seen more than a few horror movies knows that a bad spirit can’t be kept down for long and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark does leave the way open for a sequel.
  
Please Fix the Teleporter
Please Fix the Teleporter
2020 | Action, Kids Game, Racing, Real-time, Science Fiction
Captain Gerf and Emperor Korlax are trapped inside the teleportation beam? Again? Who forgot to install the upgrade module? Uh oh, it was me… Well now I need to get to work fixing this infernal teleporter because my captain and his captured enemy keep coming aboard all different. They are all shouting at me, “PLEASE FIX THE TELEPORTER!”

Please Fix the Teleporter is a quick real-time action/dexterity card game for 1-4 players, but in this preview I will be tackling it as a solo experience. In it players are teleportation specialists charged with repairing a malfunctioning teleportation beam that is displaying strange mix-and-match features of the two persons attempting to board the craft. By matching the images on the display six times the Captain and his quarry can board safely and in one piece.

DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. You are invited to back the game through the Kickstarter campaign,or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T


To setup for a solo game choose one color of body part tiles and place them in front of the player. Shuffle the deck of scrambled cards and deal six face-down. Have a timer handy (Alexa, Siri, or Google also work well) and the game may begin!
Gameplay is simple: flip over one card, match the card with the body tiles to recreate the image and then flip over the next card. Repeat these steps until all six cards have been matched and then stop the timer. Based on the table on the back of the rulesheet the player may determine how well they fared. For example, the highest score that may be achieved is five stars, which is earned by completing the game in under 30 seconds.

Once the game is over, the player will most certainly wish to play again, so multiple games may be played in order to earn that glorious five star rating.


Multiplayer rules are almost exactly the same except instead of dealing six cards at the beginning, the first player to match and claim five cards will be the winner.
Components. This game is a bunch of cards and four tiles per player. The cards are nice squares and the tiles are chunky cardboard. What sets this game apart for me is the art style. The art here, as you have seen, is so crazy and wonky and I just love it! The colors used are some of my favorites and it just looks amazing on the table. I have zero complaints for components and art.

Gameplay is similarly loved. This one is so quick and easy that anyone can play and be great at it. It takes mere seconds to teach and each player will want to play more and more, even the solo player. I cannot really comment on strategy, as this game really doesn’t lend itself to any sort of strategic play. It is a free-for-all to match the cards and move on to the next. I like being frantic.

So if you are at all like me and love these little “refreshers,” as I like to call them, check this one out. It will fit perfectly between two heavy hitters to refresh the players for the next game. Or will perfectly balance your night of solo play. Are you into theme nights? I am. What a great addition to an outer space themed game night! Quick and easy with excellent art. This one is a winner, even if I never manage to actually fix the dang teleporter.
  
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Bobby Gillespie recommended On the Corner by Miles Davis in Music (curated)

 
On the Corner by Miles Davis
On the Corner by Miles Davis
1972 | Rock
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This is very similar to the Sly record in terms of concrete, abstract funk. When you hear it, it sounds really dense and dark. It doesn't sound organic, it sounds like it's from a concrete jungle. It never goes anywhere; it's in perpetual stasis, almost meditative. A few years ago, they released the sessions and takes, which is a bad thing to do because Miles would jam with his band and then carry on, sit and cut them up, mix them and turn it into Miles albums. It was very well arranged, and that was part of the fucking part of the aesthetic. Then to release the jam sessions for me was a bad idea because it's like releasing the out-takes of somebody's film. Whereas what Miles achieved with On The Corner was incredible. It's a big favourite of Primal Scream, we always used to play it on the tour bus. Miles was never about high energy, he's always cool and there's always a distance with him. All funk records are visceral and in-your-fucking-face, but On The Corner is quite cold too. It's an art funk record. He knew jazz music was old and didn't want to be stuck in the past. Miles was interested in young people and wanted to evolve with what young people were listening to. He was an open and receptive artist – that's the only way you can move forward with new energies and new ideas. We've learned from Miles Davis as a band, too: when you make music, you've got to make it for the future, even if you're not aware that you are."

Source
  
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Sheridan (209 KP) rated Life (2017) in Movies

Jul 9, 2017  
Life (2017)
Life (2017)
2017 | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Highly Intelligent Characters (4 more)
A Fresh Feel to Sci Fi Horror
Highly Intelligent Alien Species with an Unconventional Look
Fast Pace
1950s Noir Ending
Calvin...Really?! - The only part of this movie I hated... (0 more)
Holy S**t!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Many people didn't like this movie, but I freaking loved it! Here's why: The most popular character kicks the bucket first: This for me was a huge deal, you always expect the highest billing actor to be the main character but no, first to die, it was excellent because it gave a tone to the movie that absolutely anything could happen. Another reason to love it: The pure claustrophobia you are trapped in a metal tube in the middle of the vacuum of space with a highly intelligent killer alien, some people may say it's already been done which yes it has but the pace of the movie kept it interesting, in the first half of the movie the majority of the characters are either injured or dead, you barely have time to process each death before someone else is gone, it's exciting. The occasional glimmer of hope: Every time you think they are going to make it something else goes wrong. You know a regular horror you usually spend half the time yelling at the characters for being utter morons, but this movie, these people are highly intelligent and do everything possible to stop the alien without being utterly dumb, it's truly chilling to watch. The ending was a work of art: You get your hopes built up only to realise at the last possible second that everything has gone to s**t and the world is doomed. It was a beautiful 1950s noir film feel which was perfectly executed. No happy ending and endless speculations as to what would happen to the human race. Will it reproduce? How quickly? Just how evolved will it get with endless water and food supplies? Will conventional weapons work on it or will humanity be helpless? A perfect mix of science fiction, thriller, and horror. Will definitely watch again!
  
Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)
Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)
2019 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Ever since Netflix have proven themselves as a fantastic streaming platform, everyone gets hyped about their ‘Originals’. Velvet Buzzsaw was no exception, and when the first trailer dropped I was so excited to watch it. Everything about it seemed great; it was written and directed by Dan Gilroy (the guy who gave us the fantastic Nightcrawler), and the cast was incredible. Who could say no to Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo AND Toni Collette? Not me. Unfortunately, this wonderful mix didn’t live up to my expectations at all and left me feeling very disappointed.

The main issue I had with Velvet Buzzsaw is that the pacing is horrendously slow. The first 45 minutes felt like nothing but exposition, when it was a relatively simple concept for the audience to grasp. The film follows a bunch of art critics, artists and patrons of the arts as they uncover a series of paintings from an unknown artist. However, they’re not your normal paintings because a supernatural force lurks within them waiting to enact revenge. That’s it, that’s the synopsis. So why waste so much screen time dragging things out? The trailer made this look like a fast paced, intense thriller, but the reality is nothing like that.

It’s a shame the pacing and screenplay is so weak, because Velvet Buzzsaw does have a few redeeming features. The quality of acting is very good, and visually it’s beautiful to look at, particularly the locations and the paintings that appear throughout. I especially enjoyed the characters Rhodora Haze (Rene Russo) and Gretchen (Toni Collette), as they embody the typically powerful, ruthless and bitchy personas one would expect from this industry. They satirise art lovers perfectly, which is partially why I haven’t rated this film lower. In all honesty, these actors deserved better than the script they were dealt, and it’s a shame such talent was wasted here. I’m having trouble understanding how you can take such an interesting concept and brilliant actors, and make it so boring.

Even the inevitable death scenes are pretty dull, and play like a straight to TV horror film that doesn’t quite hit the mark. Velvet Buzzsaw fails to execute any sort of suspense, or even terror, so when people eventually die you’re just sat there like “Huh, is that it?”. After such a slow first act, you expect some kind of payoff, but it never arrives. Again, the trailer had some pretty scary moments that made me expect a few jump scares or intense moments. I’m confused about why this was even marketed as a horror-thriller, when it lacks so many of the aspects that make both those genres great. I didn’t feel scared at all, and even when the characters we were supposed to hate met their demise, there was no morbid satisfaction in it. To be completely honest, I was apathetic towards the whole thing. I just wanted it to end.

If you are a fan of slow-burning films that take a while to get going, then you might enjoy Velvet Buzzsaw more than I did. I don’t necessarily have a problem with these types of films, but you still need to keep the audience gripped somehow. You need to give people a reason to keep watching.

Gilroy’s attempt to show the horrors of the art world falls flat, and certainly doesn’t live up to the expectations based on the success of Nightcrawler. Part of me even wondered how this was the same man, it felt so vastly different to his other work. Netflix Originals rarely let me down, but this time, they really did.

https://jumpcutonline.co.uk/review-velvet-buzzsaw-2019/