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Consumer Psychology in a Social Media World
Claudiu V. Dimofte, Curtis P. Haugtvedt and Richard F. Yalch
Book
Consumer Psychology in a Social Media World seeks to illustrate the relevance of consumer psychology...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Dune (2021) in Movies
Oct 24, 2021
The Definitive Film Version for the Fans
Fans of the 1965 Frank Herbert Sci-Fi Fantasy Masterpiece DUNE can finally rejoice - the definitive film version of this novel (at least the first 1/2 of the novel) has made it’s way onto the screen.
Lush, dense, rich, well cast and acted with eye-popping visuals that should be seen on the big screen, Directer Denis Villaneuve’s DUNE is everything that a fan of the book (that would include me) has been waiting for in a film version. It IS the “Peter Jackson LORD OF THE RINGS” version of this book - finally!
The question is, how does this film work for casual fans of the book - or for the myriad moviegoers that have never read the novel it is based on.
And, I’m afraid, the answer there is “not as well”. For Dune is a dense novel, filled with mythology that does go somewhat deep in the movie. This makes the pacing of this film problematic - especially at the beginning, for the novice - but is “deep enough” for those that have read the books.
Let’s start with what works - and that is the visuals that Director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) and his crew put on the screen. They are incredible. Unfortunately, most casual on-lookers to this film will decide to check out this 2 hour and 35 minute epic at home for free on HBO MAX, and that would be too bad. This film needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible to totally immerse you in this world.
Villeneuve perfectly cast this film from top to bottom starting with Timothy Chalamet as the hero of this book (and series) Paul Atreides. He brings the right balance of cockiness and unease to Paul who grows into something more than the “perfect prince” as the story progresses.
He is joined by some of the finest performers working today. Rebecca Ferguson and Josh Brolin bring their star power to the roles of Paul’s Mother (who is something more than Paul’s mother) and the head of the military (who is something more than the head of the military). Both of these roles needed to be played by a strong force - and both fill this need admirably.
The always good Oscar Isaac is the right choice for the role of Paul’s father, Duke Leto Atreides, who - by story necessity - is underwritten and, therefore, this film/role does not showcase his talents.
However, Jason Mamoa SHINES as Warrior Duncan Idaho. This is one of my favorite characters from the book and Mamoa brings his “A” game to this charismatic warrior/mentor to Paul. It was the largest pleasant surprise of the performances for me.
Alas, the villains of this piece - Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) and his nephew, Beast Rabban Harkonnen (Dave Bautista) are relegated to background “mustache twirling” villains, they were not able to showcase their talents in this film. But, at least, we did not get the “golden speedo” that Sting wore in the 1984 David Lynch film version.
Also, not being able to showcase their talents is Javier Bardem and Zendaya as members of the Freman (the subjugated native people of the “Dune” planet). They are both in this film, briefly, as their characters rise and shine in the 2nd half of the book - so, hopefully, we’ll get to see more of them, then.
Which is the other part of this film that will turn off the casual viewer - it only covers (by necessity) the first half of the book, so only tells half a story with no real emotional payoff. For me, a fan of the books, I was fine with this as I am eagerly anticipating the 2nd film - but as a viewer who is just gonna “check this one out”, I’m not so sure that the visuals of this film will be enough to satisfy them.
Come for the visuals, stay for the performances and the dense story and prepare for Dune: Part 2.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Lush, dense, rich, well cast and acted with eye-popping visuals that should be seen on the big screen, Directer Denis Villaneuve’s DUNE is everything that a fan of the book (that would include me) has been waiting for in a film version. It IS the “Peter Jackson LORD OF THE RINGS” version of this book - finally!
The question is, how does this film work for casual fans of the book - or for the myriad moviegoers that have never read the novel it is based on.
And, I’m afraid, the answer there is “not as well”. For Dune is a dense novel, filled with mythology that does go somewhat deep in the movie. This makes the pacing of this film problematic - especially at the beginning, for the novice - but is “deep enough” for those that have read the books.
Let’s start with what works - and that is the visuals that Director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) and his crew put on the screen. They are incredible. Unfortunately, most casual on-lookers to this film will decide to check out this 2 hour and 35 minute epic at home for free on HBO MAX, and that would be too bad. This film needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible to totally immerse you in this world.
Villeneuve perfectly cast this film from top to bottom starting with Timothy Chalamet as the hero of this book (and series) Paul Atreides. He brings the right balance of cockiness and unease to Paul who grows into something more than the “perfect prince” as the story progresses.
He is joined by some of the finest performers working today. Rebecca Ferguson and Josh Brolin bring their star power to the roles of Paul’s Mother (who is something more than Paul’s mother) and the head of the military (who is something more than the head of the military). Both of these roles needed to be played by a strong force - and both fill this need admirably.
The always good Oscar Isaac is the right choice for the role of Paul’s father, Duke Leto Atreides, who - by story necessity - is underwritten and, therefore, this film/role does not showcase his talents.
However, Jason Mamoa SHINES as Warrior Duncan Idaho. This is one of my favorite characters from the book and Mamoa brings his “A” game to this charismatic warrior/mentor to Paul. It was the largest pleasant surprise of the performances for me.
Alas, the villains of this piece - Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) and his nephew, Beast Rabban Harkonnen (Dave Bautista) are relegated to background “mustache twirling” villains, they were not able to showcase their talents in this film. But, at least, we did not get the “golden speedo” that Sting wore in the 1984 David Lynch film version.
Also, not being able to showcase their talents is Javier Bardem and Zendaya as members of the Freman (the subjugated native people of the “Dune” planet). They are both in this film, briefly, as their characters rise and shine in the 2nd half of the book - so, hopefully, we’ll get to see more of them, then.
Which is the other part of this film that will turn off the casual viewer - it only covers (by necessity) the first half of the book, so only tells half a story with no real emotional payoff. For me, a fan of the books, I was fine with this as I am eagerly anticipating the 2nd film - but as a viewer who is just gonna “check this one out”, I’m not so sure that the visuals of this film will be enough to satisfy them.
Come for the visuals, stay for the performances and the dense story and prepare for Dune: Part 2.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Affections
Rodrigo Hasbun and Sophie Hughes
Book
Winner of an English PEN Award 'He is not a good writer, thank goodness. He is a great one' Jonathan...
The Importance of Pawns (Chronicles of the House of Valois)
Book
Based on historical events and characters in sixteenth-century France, this timeless tale pits envy,...
Historical Fiction
The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece
Book
Lord Byron described Greece as great, fallen, and immortal, a characterization more apt than he...
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Havana Sleeping in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>Havana Sleeping</i> is a historical mystery novel by British author Martin Davies, which is based on real events that occurred in Cuba during the 1850s. Although the Slave Trade had been abolished in England, there were still people in America and Cuba who would be happy for slavery to remain legal. George Backhouse was posted to Havana, Cuba as a British Judge to take a stand against the illegal slave trading.
Backhouse ends up getting involved in a lot of complicated situations that could potentially spark a devastating war. His path also becomes tied up with the other main character, Leandra Leigh. Whilst most of the characters are real historical figures, Leandra appears to be fictional. A dear friend of hers, a watchman, was murdered during a supposed robbery and although the matter has been closed for a couple of years Leandra is determined to find out the truth – something of limited value in Havana. To begin with Backhouse and Leandra’s investigations seem unrelated, but a connection begins to build up as the story goes on.
In all honesty, the novel was very difficult to get into. There is nothing wrong with the actual writing as such, it is in fact written well and grammatically correct, however there was a lack of excitement in the narrative. It was also difficult to keep track of the characters – admittedly that may have been the point in the case of a couple of people, but as a result it was impossible to connect story. There were a few attempts of showing emotion, mostly surrounding Leandra’s character, yet this failed to arouse much interest.
From a historical point of view, those interested in Cuban and British history of this time period may be interested in reading <i>Havana Sleeping</i> and the author also includes some factual notes at the end of the book, but anyone hoping to get a story of some kind is bound to be disappointed.
<i>Havana Sleeping</i> is a historical mystery novel by British author Martin Davies, which is based on real events that occurred in Cuba during the 1850s. Although the Slave Trade had been abolished in England, there were still people in America and Cuba who would be happy for slavery to remain legal. George Backhouse was posted to Havana, Cuba as a British Judge to take a stand against the illegal slave trading.
Backhouse ends up getting involved in a lot of complicated situations that could potentially spark a devastating war. His path also becomes tied up with the other main character, Leandra Leigh. Whilst most of the characters are real historical figures, Leandra appears to be fictional. A dear friend of hers, a watchman, was murdered during a supposed robbery and although the matter has been closed for a couple of years Leandra is determined to find out the truth – something of limited value in Havana. To begin with Backhouse and Leandra’s investigations seem unrelated, but a connection begins to build up as the story goes on.
In all honesty, the novel was very difficult to get into. There is nothing wrong with the actual writing as such, it is in fact written well and grammatically correct, however there was a lack of excitement in the narrative. It was also difficult to keep track of the characters – admittedly that may have been the point in the case of a couple of people, but as a result it was impossible to connect story. There were a few attempts of showing emotion, mostly surrounding Leandra’s character, yet this failed to arouse much interest.
From a historical point of view, those interested in Cuban and British history of this time period may be interested in reading <i>Havana Sleeping</i> and the author also includes some factual notes at the end of the book, but anyone hoping to get a story of some kind is bound to be disappointed.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Fire and Bone (Otherborn, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<strong>I can't tell if I'm <em>actually</em> disappointed with <em>Fire and Bone</em> or if I <em>feel</em> disappointed with the book.</strong>
I started Rachel A. Marks's new book right after I finished <a href="http://theartsstl.com/rin-chupeco-the-heart-forger-sourcebooks-fire/"><em>The Heart Forger</em></a>, and I was very much ruined for other books at the moment in time because Rin Chupeco's book was <em>that</em> good.
<strong><em>Fire and Bone</em> is the first novel in Marks's <em>Otherborn</em> series, which is based on Celtic mythology and set in modern-day Los Angeles.</strong> The story follows Sage, who struggles to live on her own in the streets and has the urge to burn things until she finds out she is the daughter of a Celtic goddess.
Sage is very independent - we've got the kid goes through a rough childhood and gets shifted around from foster home to foster home until they say, "Screw it!" and go off on their own (because who has time for rough homes?) trope. The one friend in her life is Ziggy, at least until she is plucked into the Otherworld where she eventually has to pledge her allegiance to one of the five main deities, known as houses.
I'm a huge fan of books that focus on character, plot and action, so <em>Fire and Bone</em>, being the first in a series, won't be a novel that I will enjoy as much compared to my reactions when (and if because so many books) I read the sequels. <strong>This novel is more of a setup - there is a lot of information about the world</strong> (though certainly not an information overload) that is revealed as Sage navigates the Otherworld and is getting attention from her bodyguard and a prince. She also tries to uncover the past that is revealed to her through dreams.
There's no surprise that <strong>there seems to be a love triangle of sorts that will most likely reveal itself</strong> in future novels. The interactions between Kieran, Faelan and Sage are telltale signs that there is probably going to be one, though I could be wrong. Assuming this <em>will</em> be a love triangle though, I'm not shipping any of them and feel it is out of place to the overall plot of the story.
<strong>I love the side characters Marks introduces to us</strong> in <em>Fire and Bone</em>. It was hard to like the characters early on, but as I continued reading the book, some of the characters had hilarious lines. I'm curious how the characters will develop in book two, so <strong>character development will be one of the things I'll be looking forward to.</strong>
Along with character development, I'm looking forward to how the plot will unfold. While a major plot point was predictable, I did <em>not</em> guess the ending of the story, and <strong>I want to KNOW what happens next</strong>. If anything, <em>Otherborn #2</em> will tear my heart to pieces and ruin me for whatever book is read next like <em>The Heart Forger</em> did.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/fire-and-bone-by-rachel-a-marks-review/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<strong>I can't tell if I'm <em>actually</em> disappointed with <em>Fire and Bone</em> or if I <em>feel</em> disappointed with the book.</strong>
I started Rachel A. Marks's new book right after I finished <a href="http://theartsstl.com/rin-chupeco-the-heart-forger-sourcebooks-fire/"><em>The Heart Forger</em></a>, and I was very much ruined for other books at the moment in time because Rin Chupeco's book was <em>that</em> good.
<strong><em>Fire and Bone</em> is the first novel in Marks's <em>Otherborn</em> series, which is based on Celtic mythology and set in modern-day Los Angeles.</strong> The story follows Sage, who struggles to live on her own in the streets and has the urge to burn things until she finds out she is the daughter of a Celtic goddess.
Sage is very independent - we've got the kid goes through a rough childhood and gets shifted around from foster home to foster home until they say, "Screw it!" and go off on their own (because who has time for rough homes?) trope. The one friend in her life is Ziggy, at least until she is plucked into the Otherworld where she eventually has to pledge her allegiance to one of the five main deities, known as houses.
I'm a huge fan of books that focus on character, plot and action, so <em>Fire and Bone</em>, being the first in a series, won't be a novel that I will enjoy as much compared to my reactions when (and if because so many books) I read the sequels. <strong>This novel is more of a setup - there is a lot of information about the world</strong> (though certainly not an information overload) that is revealed as Sage navigates the Otherworld and is getting attention from her bodyguard and a prince. She also tries to uncover the past that is revealed to her through dreams.
There's no surprise that <strong>there seems to be a love triangle of sorts that will most likely reveal itself</strong> in future novels. The interactions between Kieran, Faelan and Sage are telltale signs that there is probably going to be one, though I could be wrong. Assuming this <em>will</em> be a love triangle though, I'm not shipping any of them and feel it is out of place to the overall plot of the story.
<strong>I love the side characters Marks introduces to us</strong> in <em>Fire and Bone</em>. It was hard to like the characters early on, but as I continued reading the book, some of the characters had hilarious lines. I'm curious how the characters will develop in book two, so <strong>character development will be one of the things I'll be looking forward to.</strong>
Along with character development, I'm looking forward to how the plot will unfold. While a major plot point was predictable, I did <em>not</em> guess the ending of the story, and <strong>I want to KNOW what happens next</strong>. If anything, <em>Otherborn #2</em> will tear my heart to pieces and ruin me for whatever book is read next like <em>The Heart Forger</em> did.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/fire-and-bone-by-rachel-a-marks-review/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
A Fine Balance
Sudha Bhuchar and Kristine Landon-Smith
Book
Based on the Booker-shortlisted novel by Rohinton Mistry and adapted by Sudha Bhuchar and Kristine...
RAVENMARK: Scourge of Estellion
Games
App
50% OFF FOR WWDC! Experience the award-winning wargame, Ravenmark: Scourge of Estellion, where epic...