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Awix (3310 KP) rated Fathom (1967) in Movies
Apr 13, 2019 (Updated Apr 13, 2019)
Light-as-a-soufflé-but-not-as-nourishing swinging 60s spy thriller. Big-haired competitive sky-diver Raquel Welch gets recruited to help recover a priceless Chinese treasure while visiting Spain. Naturally, this involves her wearing a lot of short skirts and bikinis. It soon turns out nearly everyone she meets is lying to her, so who can she trust? (The hunky guy with his name above hers on the poster might be a safe bet.)
Riffs somewhat on the style of Charade, but without the charm or acting ability of the stars in that film. Mostly feels a bit exhausting by modern standards: there's no denying Raquel Welch was a very beautiful woman, but did she really inspire such extremes of instant condescending lechery in every man she ever met? Even Richard Briers can barely keep his tongue in his mouth. Thorough-going chauvinism extends behind the camera, too, as noted - despite being in every scene, and playing the lead role, Welch doesn't even warrant top billing. It kind of passes the time in a very superficial way but it's extremely dated.
Riffs somewhat on the style of Charade, but without the charm or acting ability of the stars in that film. Mostly feels a bit exhausting by modern standards: there's no denying Raquel Welch was a very beautiful woman, but did she really inspire such extremes of instant condescending lechery in every man she ever met? Even Richard Briers can barely keep his tongue in his mouth. Thorough-going chauvinism extends behind the camera, too, as noted - despite being in every scene, and playing the lead role, Welch doesn't even warrant top billing. It kind of passes the time in a very superficial way but it's extremely dated.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Pacific Rim (2013) in Movies
Feb 25, 2018
Brave and comparatively rare (these days) attempt to do a blockbuster that isn't a remake nor based on a novel, comic book, toy line, TV show or theme park attraction. Which is not to say this isn't a tremendously derivative movie; clearly inspired by tokosatsu movies, manga, and anime, just with most of the actual Japanese characters replaced by Americans and Australians. (Hmmm, isn't this cultural appropriation?)
Anyway: big monsters lumber out of the sea, get smacked in the mouth by giant robots. Story isn't really anything special, but the background details of this slightly cartoony world are engaging, as are some of the supporting performances. Film subscribes to the prevailing American dogma, which is that giant monster fights must take place at night and preferably in bad weather: apparently this makes them much more believable. The Hong Kong battle is terrific, the others not so much. In the end I think the premise of this movie is really much better than the way it is realised; maybe the sequel will address some of the shortcomings here.
Anyway: big monsters lumber out of the sea, get smacked in the mouth by giant robots. Story isn't really anything special, but the background details of this slightly cartoony world are engaging, as are some of the supporting performances. Film subscribes to the prevailing American dogma, which is that giant monster fights must take place at night and preferably in bad weather: apparently this makes them much more believable. The Hong Kong battle is terrific, the others not so much. In the end I think the premise of this movie is really much better than the way it is realised; maybe the sequel will address some of the shortcomings here.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Chasing the Italian Dream in Books
May 12, 2023
61 of 235
Book
Chasing the Italian Dream
By Jo Thomas
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A summer escape she'll never forget . . .
Lucia has worked hard as a lawyer in Wales, aiming for a big promotion she hopes will shortly come her way. Finally taking a well-earned break at her grandparents' house in southern Italy, the sunshine, lemon trees and her nonna's mouth-watering cooking make her instantly feel at home.
But she's shocked to learn that her grandfather is retiring from the beloved family pizzeria and will need to sell. Lucia can't bear the thought of the place changing hands - especially when she discovers her not-quite-ex-husband Giacomo wants to take it over!
Then bad news from home forces Lucia to re-evaluate what she wants from life. Is this her chance to carry on the family tradition and finally follow her dreams?
I liked this more than I thought I would it’s not something I normally pick up and thought I’d be bored with it but it was a pleasant read. Definitely for those who love a summer romance.
Book
Chasing the Italian Dream
By Jo Thomas
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A summer escape she'll never forget . . .
Lucia has worked hard as a lawyer in Wales, aiming for a big promotion she hopes will shortly come her way. Finally taking a well-earned break at her grandparents' house in southern Italy, the sunshine, lemon trees and her nonna's mouth-watering cooking make her instantly feel at home.
But she's shocked to learn that her grandfather is retiring from the beloved family pizzeria and will need to sell. Lucia can't bear the thought of the place changing hands - especially when she discovers her not-quite-ex-husband Giacomo wants to take it over!
Then bad news from home forces Lucia to re-evaluate what she wants from life. Is this her chance to carry on the family tradition and finally follow her dreams?
I liked this more than I thought I would it’s not something I normally pick up and thought I’d be bored with it but it was a pleasant read. Definitely for those who love a summer romance.
ClareR (5577 KP) rated The Death of Mrs Westaway in Books
Jul 6, 2018
You'll be on the edge of your seat!
Suspenseful. This is my first Ruth Ware novel, and it was definitely suspenseful. It reminded me a lot of the Agatha Christie films - a family shut away in a big old house with a mystery to solve. But this has a very modern edge to it. The house is still spooky though: I expected it to go full on James Herbert (it didn't)!
Hal gets a letter to tell her that she has come in to some money, after the death of a rich grandmother she has never known about. Up to this point, she has been living hand to mouth with loan sharks after her. She reads tarot cards on Brighton pier (not the good one). She goes to her grandmothers funeral and decides that she is going to try and 'blag' the money out of the will. She can't possibly be related to these people! This is where it gets very interesting and all twisty-turny.
Great characters and a great story. I didn't see the end coming at all!
Thanks to The Pigeonhole and the author for my copy of this book.
Hal gets a letter to tell her that she has come in to some money, after the death of a rich grandmother she has never known about. Up to this point, she has been living hand to mouth with loan sharks after her. She reads tarot cards on Brighton pier (not the good one). She goes to her grandmothers funeral and decides that she is going to try and 'blag' the money out of the will. She can't possibly be related to these people! This is where it gets very interesting and all twisty-turny.
Great characters and a great story. I didn't see the end coming at all!
Thanks to The Pigeonhole and the author for my copy of this book.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) in Movies
Jul 4, 2021
"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 - 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘐 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦."
Stupid people doing stupid things, a blistering lampoon of the 2000s brand of American exceptionalism mixed with the male ego. Every male performance in this is (intentionally) of one big man-child, delivering every sentence like a Kindergartener who has to pause to consciously think about each word before he says it - paired with open-mouth, leering looks of misunderstanding where you can physically see the gears shift around in their heads. Ferrell, Baron Cohen, and C. Reilly make a formidable trio of barking caricatures who chew up the scenery until there's nothing left in their collective warpaths. Like most McKay fare it suffers in the third act but everything prior is so goddamn funny, there's hardly ever a full minute that isn't filled with laughter. Few films wear their immaturity on their sleeves so proudly, gotta love it. And Cohen + Ferrell's shared kiss to Pat Benatar's "We Belong"? Come on, that was next level. Adam bro please ditch the surface-level political mock-ups and get another screenplay together with Ferrell, we need you back.
Stupid people doing stupid things, a blistering lampoon of the 2000s brand of American exceptionalism mixed with the male ego. Every male performance in this is (intentionally) of one big man-child, delivering every sentence like a Kindergartener who has to pause to consciously think about each word before he says it - paired with open-mouth, leering looks of misunderstanding where you can physically see the gears shift around in their heads. Ferrell, Baron Cohen, and C. Reilly make a formidable trio of barking caricatures who chew up the scenery until there's nothing left in their collective warpaths. Like most McKay fare it suffers in the third act but everything prior is so goddamn funny, there's hardly ever a full minute that isn't filled with laughter. Few films wear their immaturity on their sleeves so proudly, gotta love it. And Cohen + Ferrell's shared kiss to Pat Benatar's "We Belong"? Come on, that was next level. Adam bro please ditch the surface-level political mock-ups and get another screenplay together with Ferrell, we need you back.
Dakota Morrill (17 KP) rated Horizon Zero Dawn in Video Games
Mar 4, 2018
Post Apocalypse without zombies and gangs
Where do I start on this game?
When I first saw it was announced, I was hyped. Then my hype died upon seeing gameplay and as time went by. I eventually decided I was going to take a risk and play it upon release. The next 3 days I was nowhere to be found as I put 50 hours into the game. Its so easy to fall in love with the characters and become invested in the story while still getting happily lost in the vast open world of post-apocalyptic Utah.
Even when you finish the main game, there are very likely plenty of side missions (many of which are unique in their own right) to complete. I first discovered an enemy AFTER I'd beaten the main game and had to figure out which method of attack would be best to tackle the beast. There is so much variety in your attacks from tying enemies down and running at them with your spear to tearblasting their armor off and hitting some carefully placed precision arrows. My favorite takedown is shooting the blaze canisters on enemies' bodies with fire arrows and watching as they detonate with a big kaboom.
I had to really think about what would keep this game from being a 10/10 and I realized that there are some enemies that just got on the nerves. Oftentimes Glinthawks would never come near the group and would constantly be moving, shooting ice at you. I had to learn through a mission a good way into the game that Glinthawks are susceptible to fire which will knock them down pretty quickly for some spear attacks. Also, the wonderful Ashley Burch's voice would often sound much differently than it would if they went by the mouth movements that Aloy made.
When I first saw it was announced, I was hyped. Then my hype died upon seeing gameplay and as time went by. I eventually decided I was going to take a risk and play it upon release. The next 3 days I was nowhere to be found as I put 50 hours into the game. Its so easy to fall in love with the characters and become invested in the story while still getting happily lost in the vast open world of post-apocalyptic Utah.
Even when you finish the main game, there are very likely plenty of side missions (many of which are unique in their own right) to complete. I first discovered an enemy AFTER I'd beaten the main game and had to figure out which method of attack would be best to tackle the beast. There is so much variety in your attacks from tying enemies down and running at them with your spear to tearblasting their armor off and hitting some carefully placed precision arrows. My favorite takedown is shooting the blaze canisters on enemies' bodies with fire arrows and watching as they detonate with a big kaboom.
I had to really think about what would keep this game from being a 10/10 and I realized that there are some enemies that just got on the nerves. Oftentimes Glinthawks would never come near the group and would constantly be moving, shooting ice at you. I had to learn through a mission a good way into the game that Glinthawks are susceptible to fire which will knock them down pretty quickly for some spear attacks. Also, the wonderful Ashley Burch's voice would often sound much differently than it would if they went by the mouth movements that Aloy made.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Viper in Books
Jan 15, 2018
This book was engaging from the very first page. I was left guessing right up to the very end! Some books in the crime/suspense genre leave a bitter taste in your mouth when you finish, but this one did not.
I was intrigued from page one because right off the bat one of the main characters is in the hospital in a semi-coma. Fredrik is lying there & his detective partner is talking to him while his wife looks on. Then suddenly they are in the middle of the investigation into a billionaire's death. The plot bounces back & forth between the present time & the past few months when the investigation was taking place. It wasn't hard to follow at all despite the jumps in time frame. In fact, I think that part was a big reason why the book was so engaging.
There was also plenty of blood & gore, but it wasn't to the point that I was grossed out. It fit seamlessly in with the plot. The characters are well written & believable, not too out in left field. The plot was suspenseful & there was a lot of great police work mixed in with a healthy dose of luck, just like a real investigation. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
I was intrigued from page one because right off the bat one of the main characters is in the hospital in a semi-coma. Fredrik is lying there & his detective partner is talking to him while his wife looks on. Then suddenly they are in the middle of the investigation into a billionaire's death. The plot bounces back & forth between the present time & the past few months when the investigation was taking place. It wasn't hard to follow at all despite the jumps in time frame. In fact, I think that part was a big reason why the book was so engaging.
There was also plenty of blood & gore, but it wasn't to the point that I was grossed out. It fit seamlessly in with the plot. The characters are well written & believable, not too out in left field. The plot was suspenseful & there was a lot of great police work mixed in with a healthy dose of luck, just like a real investigation. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Merissa (11704 KP) rated Quantico - Season 1 in TV
Jan 29, 2019
Quantico Season 1
I only found this when I was surfing Prime for something to watch, so I took a chance and I'm so very glad I did.
This is a twisted, intriguing story involving FBI trainees, or NATs as they are known. The timeline flashes between present and past in quite a stylised manner, but if you can get past that AND keep up with the when of what you're watching, then you are in for a treat.
I loved how this series kept you on your toes right to the very end. Every character is more than they first show, and it takes you through each of them, as you learn more about them and their lives.
If I had to say anything bad, it would be I got a bit bored between Ryan and Alex, and found it to be repetitive as the season moved on. This did NOT affect my overall enjoyment of it though, and I was still sat with my heart in my mouth for the grand finale. I also had a big box of kleenex as my eyes kept leaking, but I won't go into that!
I binge-watched this series, and loved all of it. Absolutely recommended by me!
This is a twisted, intriguing story involving FBI trainees, or NATs as they are known. The timeline flashes between present and past in quite a stylised manner, but if you can get past that AND keep up with the when of what you're watching, then you are in for a treat.
I loved how this series kept you on your toes right to the very end. Every character is more than they first show, and it takes you through each of them, as you learn more about them and their lives.
If I had to say anything bad, it would be I got a bit bored between Ryan and Alex, and found it to be repetitive as the season moved on. This did NOT affect my overall enjoyment of it though, and I was still sat with my heart in my mouth for the grand finale. I also had a big box of kleenex as my eyes kept leaking, but I won't go into that!
I binge-watched this series, and loved all of it. Absolutely recommended by me!
Nikki Massey (8 KP) rated The Wish List in Books
Feb 7, 2019
I picked up this book after deciding I wanted to read an easy, light hearted and humorous novel. This ticked all the boxes.
It was the blurb on the rear cover that swayed it for me - Emma is approaching her thirties and realised she wanted to achieve so much more by this age. So she sets off on an experience adventure to ensure she ticks off as many of her bucket list wish items by her birthday.
I'm almost 6 months away from my thirties too and thought this book might give me the reassurance needed to approach this big birthday with a little less trepidation.
As some of the other reviews say, this book is laugh out loud funny. On one occasion I had quite a few odd stares when I burst out laughing in my work canteen during lunch. Other times I had to stifle my laughing with my hand over my mouth and even one time I had to put the book down and walk away as I felt like suffocation from laughter was imminent.
It is just the author's descriptive way with words and the hapless ways of the main character that got me giggling.
It is definitely worth a read just to brighten up a lazy day or any day for that matter.
It was the blurb on the rear cover that swayed it for me - Emma is approaching her thirties and realised she wanted to achieve so much more by this age. So she sets off on an experience adventure to ensure she ticks off as many of her bucket list wish items by her birthday.
I'm almost 6 months away from my thirties too and thought this book might give me the reassurance needed to approach this big birthday with a little less trepidation.
As some of the other reviews say, this book is laugh out loud funny. On one occasion I had quite a few odd stares when I burst out laughing in my work canteen during lunch. Other times I had to stifle my laughing with my hand over my mouth and even one time I had to put the book down and walk away as I felt like suffocation from laughter was imminent.
It is just the author's descriptive way with words and the hapless ways of the main character that got me giggling.
It is definitely worth a read just to brighten up a lazy day or any day for that matter.
