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Louise (64 KP) rated Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1) in Books
Jul 2, 2018
Yael is 5 years old and finds herself a prisoner in a Nazi Concentration camp, she has been specifically selected by a doctor for an experiment. The experiment entails a series of injections every few days - their aim.... to make her blonde haired and blue-eyed (an Aryan). These injections are severe and the weak show signs of fever and for most of them death but not for Yael.
1956 Yael is a member of the resistance, her aim in life is to kill Hitler to make the world a better place. With so many assassination attempts Hitler hardly attends social functions, so it's quite difficult to get near him. The resistance have a plan which involves Yael - she must enter the Axis Motorbike race disguised as another young girl who has once had the pleasure of meeting the Führer - if Yael can win, her life's mission will be complete, However she didn't plan for all the backstabbing and love involved in the race or the hidden secrets which are not on file. For this no training would help her, she has to win.
This is one of those books that explores the topic of Hitler winning the war and how the rest of the world would be effected and what other bizarre theories he comes up with. This also covers another serious topic that I myself did not know about was that people were experimented on in the concentration camps which caused death and disfigurements. Which is absolutely brutal and very hard to read about.
I was umming and ahhing over this book for a while,I heard many great things about it but I still wasn't totally convinced. Was it the fact that this book is based on Hitler winning and carrying on with his reign of terror or was it the motorcycle race? I have never read anything about racing before and it doesn't really appeal to me.However my lesson has been learnt...... I think! Always try to read something out of your comfort zone because you never know you might just end up loving it, which is exactly what happened to me with this book.
I loved this book with a passion, I loved the back stories to the wolves and how they become. The authors writing style was beautiful to read, utterly compelling but also hard due to the content and how realistic it was. This is a book that explores identity and reasons that drive Yael on through her mission. The book does go back and forth from the past and present, which I really enjoyed, I think if the book wasn't written this way it could have dragged a bit. The premise of this book is definitely unique and like nothing I have read before. Ryan Graudin has a novella which is called Iron to Iron which I desperately need to read as I just want more.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in historical fiction and young adult.
Overall I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars
1956 Yael is a member of the resistance, her aim in life is to kill Hitler to make the world a better place. With so many assassination attempts Hitler hardly attends social functions, so it's quite difficult to get near him. The resistance have a plan which involves Yael - she must enter the Axis Motorbike race disguised as another young girl who has once had the pleasure of meeting the Führer - if Yael can win, her life's mission will be complete, However she didn't plan for all the backstabbing and love involved in the race or the hidden secrets which are not on file. For this no training would help her, she has to win.
This is one of those books that explores the topic of Hitler winning the war and how the rest of the world would be effected and what other bizarre theories he comes up with. This also covers another serious topic that I myself did not know about was that people were experimented on in the concentration camps which caused death and disfigurements. Which is absolutely brutal and very hard to read about.
I was umming and ahhing over this book for a while,I heard many great things about it but I still wasn't totally convinced. Was it the fact that this book is based on Hitler winning and carrying on with his reign of terror or was it the motorcycle race? I have never read anything about racing before and it doesn't really appeal to me.However my lesson has been learnt...... I think! Always try to read something out of your comfort zone because you never know you might just end up loving it, which is exactly what happened to me with this book.
I loved this book with a passion, I loved the back stories to the wolves and how they become. The authors writing style was beautiful to read, utterly compelling but also hard due to the content and how realistic it was. This is a book that explores identity and reasons that drive Yael on through her mission. The book does go back and forth from the past and present, which I really enjoyed, I think if the book wasn't written this way it could have dragged a bit. The premise of this book is definitely unique and like nothing I have read before. Ryan Graudin has a novella which is called Iron to Iron which I desperately need to read as I just want more.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in historical fiction and young adult.
Overall I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Far Cry (2008) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
On a remote island in the Pacific Northwest, a scientist named Dr. Krieger (Udo Kier) is conducting horrific genetic experiments in his secret facility.
Krieger is attempting to create the ultimate soldier for his financial backers and is not above using his own men as test subjects and fodder for his experiments as the morally lacking Krieger only cares about his work and his funding.
In the film “Far Cry”, Director Uwe Boll has taken the classic 3D shooter from Ubisoft and given it his own unique interpretation.
The film stars Til Schweiger as Jack Carver, a former special forces operative who spends his days as a boat captain chartering tourists on whale watching expeditions when he is not enjoying a beer and sleeping the day away.
Jack is hired by a determined investigative reporter named Valerie Cardinal (Emmanuelle Vaugier), to take her to the island so she can get further proof for her story about the bizarre experiments taking place on the island. Valerie has a personal interest in the story as her uncle Max (Ralf Moeller), is one of those stationed at the island facility.
While Jack is reluctant to go near the island he does agree to anchor of the coast and pick up Valerie in a few hours. Of course things do not go as planned as Valerie is captured and Jack’s boat is destroyed leaving him believed to be dead by the Doctor and his forces.
Jack is not one to let this go, and rescues Valerie and looks to find a way off the island while avoiding the ever present troops. The stubborn Valerie is unwilling to leave until she has the information she needs for her story and ignores the dangers.
As if the Doctor and his soldiers were not trouble enough, the super soldiers have escaped and have caused various factions within the Dr’s forces to turn against one another which results in a pitched battle between the factions and the super soldiers.
What follows is a lot of action that is hampered by a weak plot and bad dialogue, and sadly very disappointing monsters.
The leads in the film have very little chemistry with one another and the characters are wafer thin, even by action movie standards. There are attempts at romance and playful banter that fizzle badly leaving only the action sequences to carry the film. Sadly while they are decent enough, especially a good car chase, they cannot overcome the plot issues and the creatures that do not live up to the hype.
Boll has taken a step back here as his recent films have shown progress especially the solid
“Seed” and “1968 Tunnel Rats”. When I visited the set I learned that the production was not allowed to use large aspects of the game and that aside from names, title, and settings, they had to create a new story that was inspired by the game. While the effort is there, the results come up lacking and do not do justice to the game, premise, or talent assembled.
Krieger is attempting to create the ultimate soldier for his financial backers and is not above using his own men as test subjects and fodder for his experiments as the morally lacking Krieger only cares about his work and his funding.
In the film “Far Cry”, Director Uwe Boll has taken the classic 3D shooter from Ubisoft and given it his own unique interpretation.
The film stars Til Schweiger as Jack Carver, a former special forces operative who spends his days as a boat captain chartering tourists on whale watching expeditions when he is not enjoying a beer and sleeping the day away.
Jack is hired by a determined investigative reporter named Valerie Cardinal (Emmanuelle Vaugier), to take her to the island so she can get further proof for her story about the bizarre experiments taking place on the island. Valerie has a personal interest in the story as her uncle Max (Ralf Moeller), is one of those stationed at the island facility.
While Jack is reluctant to go near the island he does agree to anchor of the coast and pick up Valerie in a few hours. Of course things do not go as planned as Valerie is captured and Jack’s boat is destroyed leaving him believed to be dead by the Doctor and his forces.
Jack is not one to let this go, and rescues Valerie and looks to find a way off the island while avoiding the ever present troops. The stubborn Valerie is unwilling to leave until she has the information she needs for her story and ignores the dangers.
As if the Doctor and his soldiers were not trouble enough, the super soldiers have escaped and have caused various factions within the Dr’s forces to turn against one another which results in a pitched battle between the factions and the super soldiers.
What follows is a lot of action that is hampered by a weak plot and bad dialogue, and sadly very disappointing monsters.
The leads in the film have very little chemistry with one another and the characters are wafer thin, even by action movie standards. There are attempts at romance and playful banter that fizzle badly leaving only the action sequences to carry the film. Sadly while they are decent enough, especially a good car chase, they cannot overcome the plot issues and the creatures that do not live up to the hype.
Boll has taken a step back here as his recent films have shown progress especially the solid
“Seed” and “1968 Tunnel Rats”. When I visited the set I learned that the production was not allowed to use large aspects of the game and that aside from names, title, and settings, they had to create a new story that was inspired by the game. While the effort is there, the results come up lacking and do not do justice to the game, premise, or talent assembled.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Beowulf (2007) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
The classic Epic poem Beowulf has come to the big screen in a stunning CGI extravaganza under the direction of Director Robert Zemeckis.
For those not familiar with the poem, it is an ancient Danish poem that talks of the heroic exploits of the hero Beowulf, as he battles all manner of bizarre creatures. The poem was told orally from generation to generation and eventually became known to many as the source of much of the early great literature from the western world.
I first became familiar with the tale some twenty years ago during my early years in private school where our headmaster had it as required reading for all of his students in honors level English.
The film stays very close to the poem and tells the tale of King Hrothgar (Sir Anthony Hopkins), a troubled leader whose kingdom is under siege by a hideous creature known as Grendel (Crispin Glover).
During a brutal attack by Grendel which results in the loss of many lives, King Hrothgar promises half the gold in his kingdom to any hero who can rid the land once and for all of the foul creature that has caused so much suffering.
In short order, the heroic Beowulf (Ray Winstone), arrives with is army of warriors to take up the challenge. Beowulf is legendary for his exploits in vanishing monsters, but his boastful nature raises the concerns of Unferth (John Malkovich), who thinks that Beowulf ‘s reputation and ability is far more style than substance.
Eventually Beowulf battles Grendel, and accomplishes his goal but learns that the monster has a Demonic mother that to must be destroyed in order for peace to truly be achieved.
Beowulf sets off the kill the demon (Angelina Jolie), but finds himself unable to match her whiles, and enters into a deal that has far reaching repercussions.
The second half of the film deals with the consequences of Beowulf’s decisions and how having is not nearly as important as wanting, which leads to a spectacular and FX filled final segment.
The film is amazing, and for those lucky enough to see the film in 3D, filled with amazing visual treats.
While the film is in no way suitable for children due to the violence it contains, the story holds up very well centuries later, and provides a solidly entertaining tale of heroism, betrayal, and morality that stands the test of time.
I had concerns that the film would be a slap-dashed effort that was attempting to cash in on the success of “The 300”, but in actuality, I found this film to be far more entertaining and satisfying.
The voice work of the cast is solid, but it is clearly the visuals that drive this film, as well as the dynamic effects made possible by the latest advancements in 3D technology as the film literally bursts out of the screen.
Beowulf will not be for everyone as those unfamiliar with the work on which it is based may find it derivative or predictable, but when you consider this is literally the tale that started it all, you could make an argument, that it set the table for all future tales to follow.
For those not familiar with the poem, it is an ancient Danish poem that talks of the heroic exploits of the hero Beowulf, as he battles all manner of bizarre creatures. The poem was told orally from generation to generation and eventually became known to many as the source of much of the early great literature from the western world.
I first became familiar with the tale some twenty years ago during my early years in private school where our headmaster had it as required reading for all of his students in honors level English.
The film stays very close to the poem and tells the tale of King Hrothgar (Sir Anthony Hopkins), a troubled leader whose kingdom is under siege by a hideous creature known as Grendel (Crispin Glover).
During a brutal attack by Grendel which results in the loss of many lives, King Hrothgar promises half the gold in his kingdom to any hero who can rid the land once and for all of the foul creature that has caused so much suffering.
In short order, the heroic Beowulf (Ray Winstone), arrives with is army of warriors to take up the challenge. Beowulf is legendary for his exploits in vanishing monsters, but his boastful nature raises the concerns of Unferth (John Malkovich), who thinks that Beowulf ‘s reputation and ability is far more style than substance.
Eventually Beowulf battles Grendel, and accomplishes his goal but learns that the monster has a Demonic mother that to must be destroyed in order for peace to truly be achieved.
Beowulf sets off the kill the demon (Angelina Jolie), but finds himself unable to match her whiles, and enters into a deal that has far reaching repercussions.
The second half of the film deals with the consequences of Beowulf’s decisions and how having is not nearly as important as wanting, which leads to a spectacular and FX filled final segment.
The film is amazing, and for those lucky enough to see the film in 3D, filled with amazing visual treats.
While the film is in no way suitable for children due to the violence it contains, the story holds up very well centuries later, and provides a solidly entertaining tale of heroism, betrayal, and morality that stands the test of time.
I had concerns that the film would be a slap-dashed effort that was attempting to cash in on the success of “The 300”, but in actuality, I found this film to be far more entertaining and satisfying.
The voice work of the cast is solid, but it is clearly the visuals that drive this film, as well as the dynamic effects made possible by the latest advancements in 3D technology as the film literally bursts out of the screen.
Beowulf will not be for everyone as those unfamiliar with the work on which it is based may find it derivative or predictable, but when you consider this is literally the tale that started it all, you could make an argument, that it set the table for all future tales to follow.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Favourite (2018) in Movies
Jan 18, 2019 (Updated Jan 18, 2019)
Fantastic script (3 more)
Brilliant performances
Clever cinematography
Insanely detailed set design
Strange But Brilliant
To be honest, I am not a huge fan of Yorgos Lanthimos' other movies, I also have a hatred for most period pieces. I am however a huge fan of Olivia Colman and it was her that swayed me to go and see this movie and I am very glad that I did.
Colman absolutely nails her role as a grief stricken, overly dramatic, short tempered Queen Anne. Her acting ability is diverse enough that she can take you from a side splitting remark one moment to a genuinely saddening comment the next and do it flawlessly and convincingly. Rachel Weisz is also pretty good here as Queen Anne's original favourite lady, Anne may be the Queen, but it is Lady Marlborough who is really running the show.
The biggest surpise for me was Emma Stone's performance. I don't hate Emma Stone, but I do feel like she plays the same goofy studenty American girl in everything that she is in, but here she is actually acting and her English accent was brilliant throughout the whole movie. It proves how much a good director is able to get out of their actors performance-wise.
The other main star here is the script. It is jam packed with brilliantly crass lines that are fired out so quickly and with such venom from the respective characters that you really feel the words being said. It is one of the best written scripts I have seen in a film in a while.
I'm not normally one to gush about set design, but my God... This movie goes all out with it's backdrops. I know that for the exterior shots, they shot on location at real palaces and castles and used mostly natural lighting at least for the daytime scenes. While these scenes are impressive, it is the interior scenes that are really mesmerising. The level of detail on the background elements in this movie is insane and anywhere that you look onscreen, there is something new and interesting to catch your eye.
The other great thing about this movie, is that even if you don't care about the competition for favour that is at the centre of the movie's plot, there is enough going on with the filmmaking itself to keep your attention throughout. The odd looking fish eye lenses that Lanthimos uses and the bizarre shot compositions looking up from waist-height at the actors is as fascinating to look at as it is weird. It gives the movie a unique feel that sets it apart from any other period piece I have seen.
Overall, I got way more out of The Favourite than I expected to going in. The movie is funny, witty and pretty unique. The attention to detail is impressive and the performances are great, with Olivia Colman's alone making the film worth the price of admission. The script is great and the direction is oddly interesting. Do be warned though; this movie is very weird and definitely not your typical period piece movie.
Colman absolutely nails her role as a grief stricken, overly dramatic, short tempered Queen Anne. Her acting ability is diverse enough that she can take you from a side splitting remark one moment to a genuinely saddening comment the next and do it flawlessly and convincingly. Rachel Weisz is also pretty good here as Queen Anne's original favourite lady, Anne may be the Queen, but it is Lady Marlborough who is really running the show.
The biggest surpise for me was Emma Stone's performance. I don't hate Emma Stone, but I do feel like she plays the same goofy studenty American girl in everything that she is in, but here she is actually acting and her English accent was brilliant throughout the whole movie. It proves how much a good director is able to get out of their actors performance-wise.
The other main star here is the script. It is jam packed with brilliantly crass lines that are fired out so quickly and with such venom from the respective characters that you really feel the words being said. It is one of the best written scripts I have seen in a film in a while.
I'm not normally one to gush about set design, but my God... This movie goes all out with it's backdrops. I know that for the exterior shots, they shot on location at real palaces and castles and used mostly natural lighting at least for the daytime scenes. While these scenes are impressive, it is the interior scenes that are really mesmerising. The level of detail on the background elements in this movie is insane and anywhere that you look onscreen, there is something new and interesting to catch your eye.
The other great thing about this movie, is that even if you don't care about the competition for favour that is at the centre of the movie's plot, there is enough going on with the filmmaking itself to keep your attention throughout. The odd looking fish eye lenses that Lanthimos uses and the bizarre shot compositions looking up from waist-height at the actors is as fascinating to look at as it is weird. It gives the movie a unique feel that sets it apart from any other period piece I have seen.
Overall, I got way more out of The Favourite than I expected to going in. The movie is funny, witty and pretty unique. The attention to detail is impressive and the performances are great, with Olivia Colman's alone making the film worth the price of admission. The script is great and the direction is oddly interesting. Do be warned though; this movie is very weird and definitely not your typical period piece movie.
Ronnie (304 KP) rated Supernatural - Season 5 in TV
Apr 3, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
Supernatural follows 2 brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, who have been raised by their dad in a lifestyle of moving across country fighting supernatural beings, ever since their mum was killed by a yellow eyed demon in Sam’s nursery when he was only 6months old. At the end of season 4 Sam accidentally frees the devil from his cage in hell, kickstarting the apocalypse and then in season 5 Sam and Dean have to try and stop the apocalypse, but the apocalypse can’t happen without Sam and Dean’s help. Sam’s body is to be the vessel used by the devil, and Dean’s body is to be the vessel of the angel Michael. Once the two angels have gotten Sam and Dean to say “yes” to being the vessels, they are to have a battle, and should the devil win, the apocalypse will begin.
I have very mixed feelings about this season. There were parts of it I loved and parts of it I disliked. The brothers have always had a rocky relationship, but in this season, we see them split up more than once, which I didn’t like, I’ve always enjoyed the two brothers being together. An element of the season that I have very mixed feelings about is the angels. The angel we see the most is Castiel, who has rebelled from heaven and is helping the brothers. He is my favourite character, but that’s where the good parts of the angels stop. The other angel we see frequently throughout the show is Zackariah, who is just annoying. And the third angel, who is only in one episode is Gabriel. He has been in the show multiple times before in earlier seasons, but he was pretending to be a Trickster, and even then, I didn’t like him. Another element I have mixed feelings about is the actual content. The main focus of the season was trying to stop the apocalypse and tracking down the horsemen. In previous seasons a large amount of the episodes were about the brothers’ encounters with supernatural beings that weren’t angels or demons. Two of my favourite episodes were “The End” and “Changing Channels”. In “The End” Dean gets sent five years into the future and in “Changing Channels” Sam and Dean get stuck in Tv shows, or TV Land as they like to call it. Although not obvious at first, these two episodes link back to the angels, which really disappoints me. Something I did like was one of the demons they introduced, called Crowley. He helped the brothers out in a couple of the episodes, and I think he might become a larger part of the show in later seasons. Another thing I liked was that there seemed to be more humour in this season. There has always been bizarre deaths and witty one liners from Dean but there was definitely more humour, which I really enjoyed. Another thing I disliked was the ending. They ended it with Sam in hell and Dean finally having the nice, normal life he always wanted, but you knew that wouldn’t last because there’s 11 more seasons. Overall, I think the season was good, but not hugely enjoyable.
I have very mixed feelings about this season. There were parts of it I loved and parts of it I disliked. The brothers have always had a rocky relationship, but in this season, we see them split up more than once, which I didn’t like, I’ve always enjoyed the two brothers being together. An element of the season that I have very mixed feelings about is the angels. The angel we see the most is Castiel, who has rebelled from heaven and is helping the brothers. He is my favourite character, but that’s where the good parts of the angels stop. The other angel we see frequently throughout the show is Zackariah, who is just annoying. And the third angel, who is only in one episode is Gabriel. He has been in the show multiple times before in earlier seasons, but he was pretending to be a Trickster, and even then, I didn’t like him. Another element I have mixed feelings about is the actual content. The main focus of the season was trying to stop the apocalypse and tracking down the horsemen. In previous seasons a large amount of the episodes were about the brothers’ encounters with supernatural beings that weren’t angels or demons. Two of my favourite episodes were “The End” and “Changing Channels”. In “The End” Dean gets sent five years into the future and in “Changing Channels” Sam and Dean get stuck in Tv shows, or TV Land as they like to call it. Although not obvious at first, these two episodes link back to the angels, which really disappoints me. Something I did like was one of the demons they introduced, called Crowley. He helped the brothers out in a couple of the episodes, and I think he might become a larger part of the show in later seasons. Another thing I liked was that there seemed to be more humour in this season. There has always been bizarre deaths and witty one liners from Dean but there was definitely more humour, which I really enjoyed. Another thing I disliked was the ending. They ended it with Sam in hell and Dean finally having the nice, normal life he always wanted, but you knew that wouldn’t last because there’s 11 more seasons. Overall, I think the season was good, but not hugely enjoyable.
Ronyell (38 KP) rated How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) in Movies
Jul 24, 2020
The Jim Carrey Grinch!
In the town of Whoville, all the Whos were getting ready it celebrate Christmas, but there was one Who that was curious about the true meaning of Christmas and that was Cindy Lou Who herself. Not only was Cindy Lou wondering about the true meaning of Christmas, but she was curious about one person who doesn't live in Whoville and that's the Grinch himself. The Whos almost never talk about the Grinch or want to be reminded of him, but Cindy Lou wanted to be friends with the Grinch and tried to invite him to the Whoville celebration. But, when the Grinch is humiliated at the celebration, he decided that he will steal all the Whos' presents on Christmas Eve.
Wow! I was actually pretty surprised that I enjoyed this movie! I never would have thought that Jim Carrey would do a great job at portraying the Grinch! Jim Carrey made the Grinch's character much more humorous and hammy, which made the film much funnier in tone and the Grinchs' jokes easily land at the right times. Taylor Momsen was fantastic as Cindy Lou Who as Cindy is shown as being a friendly and determined girl who only wanted to be friends with the Grinch and I liked the fact that she truly cares for the Grinch and only wanted to make him happy. James Horner's music was probably the highlight of this film as it surprisingly goes well with the emotional scenes in the movie, such as during the scene where we learn about the Grinch's tragic backstory. The special effects were surprisingly well done for the year 2000 and the film did a fantastic job at showcasing the bizarre yet beautiful world of Whoville and greatly captured the creative style from the original Dr. Seuss book.
My biggest issue with this movie is that the Whos seem to be portrayed in a negative way as they are much more cruel towards the Grinch in this version than in the original book and the 1960s cartoon special. Also, there were times where Jim Carrey's performance as the Grinch got so hammy that I couldn't take his more emotional scenes seriously, like he constantly gets upset whenever the Whos teased him. I also didn't like the fact that Martha, the Grinch's love interest, didn't have much of a role in the film other than just standing around and looking at the scenery and being a love interest.
I always have a problem with certain love interests not having much to do in the film other than just being defined as a love interest to the protagonist and not having a personality of their own. It would have been great if Martha had more scenes with the Grinch so that their relationship would be much more believable to me.
Overall, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is one of the most hilarious interpretations of the Grinch ever made on film and it is definitely worth the watch!
Originally posted on: https://surrealmoviesandtvblog.blogspot.com/2019/03/movie-review-how-grinch-stole-christmas.html
Wow! I was actually pretty surprised that I enjoyed this movie! I never would have thought that Jim Carrey would do a great job at portraying the Grinch! Jim Carrey made the Grinch's character much more humorous and hammy, which made the film much funnier in tone and the Grinchs' jokes easily land at the right times. Taylor Momsen was fantastic as Cindy Lou Who as Cindy is shown as being a friendly and determined girl who only wanted to be friends with the Grinch and I liked the fact that she truly cares for the Grinch and only wanted to make him happy. James Horner's music was probably the highlight of this film as it surprisingly goes well with the emotional scenes in the movie, such as during the scene where we learn about the Grinch's tragic backstory. The special effects were surprisingly well done for the year 2000 and the film did a fantastic job at showcasing the bizarre yet beautiful world of Whoville and greatly captured the creative style from the original Dr. Seuss book.
My biggest issue with this movie is that the Whos seem to be portrayed in a negative way as they are much more cruel towards the Grinch in this version than in the original book and the 1960s cartoon special. Also, there were times where Jim Carrey's performance as the Grinch got so hammy that I couldn't take his more emotional scenes seriously, like he constantly gets upset whenever the Whos teased him. I also didn't like the fact that Martha, the Grinch's love interest, didn't have much of a role in the film other than just standing around and looking at the scenery and being a love interest.
I always have a problem with certain love interests not having much to do in the film other than just being defined as a love interest to the protagonist and not having a personality of their own. It would have been great if Martha had more scenes with the Grinch so that their relationship would be much more believable to me.
Overall, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is one of the most hilarious interpretations of the Grinch ever made on film and it is definitely worth the watch!
Originally posted on: https://surrealmoviesandtvblog.blogspot.com/2019/03/movie-review-how-grinch-stole-christmas.html
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I refrained from doing my review until I'd seen both of the preview screenings on at Cineworld. I had some serious issues with the visuals, and it turns out I wasn't the only one.
I want to talk about the positives first because there really are a lot of things to appreciate. The fact that they've linked the action so directly to the comic book format is wonderful. Having both the storyboard transitions, the lettering and the actual comic books involved brought everything together. Even the "little" things like Spidey-sense and the dot work overlay.
All of that took a back seat to the bizarre background elements at times. In the 2D showing in particular it looked like they were showing a 3D version of the film. The most distracting moments contained areas blurring into double vision, when it wasn't the blurring it just looked like some of it was unfinished.
Spider-Verse had some very good promos in the run up to the film. You see some amazing bits during all of that but luckily they held plenty back for the rest of it. We've already seen the "I love you dad" scene in the trailer, but the extended version is so much better.
Miles' story makes for a great centre piece. Every step of him trying to learn about his new found abilities is done in a humorous and well thought out way and give him a great opportunity to mingle with his spider-friends.
... And those spider-friends... you can't help but love them just a little bit. Noir is probably my favourite, he's taken a leaf out of Pocahontas' book in Ralph Breaks The Internet and has his own personal wind machine, and a confusing relationship with colours that make him a perfectly eccentric character.
Aunt May kicks ass. I can't deny that I'm loving this incarnation of her just a little bit. She definitely could have saved a few Spidey movies for me.
I actually can't believe that Spider-Ham has been in the Marvel Universe since 1983. He featured in a One Shot Marvel Tails originally that featured other Marvel hero parodies including Captain AmeriCat, Hulk-Bunny and Goose Rider. The series definitely requires some further investigation... particularly Ant-Ant, Croctor Strange and Nick Furry: Agent Of S.H.E.E.P.. Honestly there's no end to punny names. Sadly, this amusing back story doesn't save Spider-Ham for me, apart from the issue I had with the graphics he's my low point. He really is just too hammy for the storyline.
What you should do
You should definitely watch this one, there's enough amusement and action for everyone. For the older nerds, wait until the end of the credits for a scene that most of the kids won't understand but you'll appreciate.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Having the ability to stick my hands to things wouldn't be bad. Climbing walls would be good, I'd never need a ladder to paint those hard to reach spots in the house... and I'd never drop my phone. Lots of possibilities there.
I want to talk about the positives first because there really are a lot of things to appreciate. The fact that they've linked the action so directly to the comic book format is wonderful. Having both the storyboard transitions, the lettering and the actual comic books involved brought everything together. Even the "little" things like Spidey-sense and the dot work overlay.
All of that took a back seat to the bizarre background elements at times. In the 2D showing in particular it looked like they were showing a 3D version of the film. The most distracting moments contained areas blurring into double vision, when it wasn't the blurring it just looked like some of it was unfinished.
Spider-Verse had some very good promos in the run up to the film. You see some amazing bits during all of that but luckily they held plenty back for the rest of it. We've already seen the "I love you dad" scene in the trailer, but the extended version is so much better.
Miles' story makes for a great centre piece. Every step of him trying to learn about his new found abilities is done in a humorous and well thought out way and give him a great opportunity to mingle with his spider-friends.
... And those spider-friends... you can't help but love them just a little bit. Noir is probably my favourite, he's taken a leaf out of Pocahontas' book in Ralph Breaks The Internet and has his own personal wind machine, and a confusing relationship with colours that make him a perfectly eccentric character.
Aunt May kicks ass. I can't deny that I'm loving this incarnation of her just a little bit. She definitely could have saved a few Spidey movies for me.
I actually can't believe that Spider-Ham has been in the Marvel Universe since 1983. He featured in a One Shot Marvel Tails originally that featured other Marvel hero parodies including Captain AmeriCat, Hulk-Bunny and Goose Rider. The series definitely requires some further investigation... particularly Ant-Ant, Croctor Strange and Nick Furry: Agent Of S.H.E.E.P.. Honestly there's no end to punny names. Sadly, this amusing back story doesn't save Spider-Ham for me, apart from the issue I had with the graphics he's my low point. He really is just too hammy for the storyline.
What you should do
You should definitely watch this one, there's enough amusement and action for everyone. For the older nerds, wait until the end of the credits for a scene that most of the kids won't understand but you'll appreciate.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Having the ability to stick my hands to things wouldn't be bad. Climbing walls would be good, I'd never need a ladder to paint those hard to reach spots in the house... and I'd never drop my phone. Lots of possibilities there.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Mortal Engines (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I refrained from doing my review until I'd seen both of the preview screenings on at Cineworld. I had some serious issues with the visuals, and it turns out I wasn't the only one.
I want to talk about the positives first because there really are a lot of things to appreciate. The fact that they've linked the action so directly to the comic book format is wonderful. Having both the storyboard transitions, the lettering and the actual comic books involved brought everything together. Even the "little" things like Spidey-sense and the dot work overlay.
All of that took a back seat to the bizarre background elements at times. In the 2D showing in particular it looked like they were showing a 3D version of the film. The most distracting moments contained areas blurring into double vision, when it wasn't the blurring it just looked like some of it was unfinished.
Spider-Verse had some very good promos in the run up to the film. You see some amazing bits during all of that but luckily they held plenty back for the rest of it. We've already seen the "I love you dad" scene in the trailer, but the extended version is so much better.
Miles' story makes for a great centre piece. Every step of him trying to learn about his new found abilities is done in a humorous and well thought out way and give him a great opportunity to mingle with his spider-friends.
... And those spider-friends... you can't help but love them just a little bit. Noir is probably my favourite, he's taken a leaf out of Pocahontas' book in Ralph Breaks The Internet and has his own personal wind machine, and a confusing relationship with colours that make him a perfectly eccentric character.
Aunt May kicks ass. I can't deny that I'm loving this incarnation of her just a little bit. She definitely could have saved a few Spidey movies for me.
I actually can't believe that Spider-Ham has been in the Marvel Universe since 1983. He featured in a One Shot Marvel Tails originally that featured other Marvel hero parodies including Captain AmeriCat, Hulk-Bunny and Goose Rider. The series definitely requires some further investigation... particularly Ant-Ant, Croctor Strange and Nick Furry: Agent Of S.H.E.E.P.. Honestly there's no end to punny names. Sadly, this amusing back story doesn't save Spider-Ham for me, apart from the issue I had with the graphics he's my low point. He really is just too hammy for the storyline.
What you should do
You should definitely watch this one, there's enough amusement and action for everyone. For the older nerds, wait until the end of the credits for a scene that most of the kids won't understand but you'll appreciate.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Having the ability to stick my hands to things wouldn't be bad. Climbing walls would be good, I'd never need a ladder to paint those hard to reach spots in the house... and I'd never drop my phone. Lots of possibilities there.
I want to talk about the positives first because there really are a lot of things to appreciate. The fact that they've linked the action so directly to the comic book format is wonderful. Having both the storyboard transitions, the lettering and the actual comic books involved brought everything together. Even the "little" things like Spidey-sense and the dot work overlay.
All of that took a back seat to the bizarre background elements at times. In the 2D showing in particular it looked like they were showing a 3D version of the film. The most distracting moments contained areas blurring into double vision, when it wasn't the blurring it just looked like some of it was unfinished.
Spider-Verse had some very good promos in the run up to the film. You see some amazing bits during all of that but luckily they held plenty back for the rest of it. We've already seen the "I love you dad" scene in the trailer, but the extended version is so much better.
Miles' story makes for a great centre piece. Every step of him trying to learn about his new found abilities is done in a humorous and well thought out way and give him a great opportunity to mingle with his spider-friends.
... And those spider-friends... you can't help but love them just a little bit. Noir is probably my favourite, he's taken a leaf out of Pocahontas' book in Ralph Breaks The Internet and has his own personal wind machine, and a confusing relationship with colours that make him a perfectly eccentric character.
Aunt May kicks ass. I can't deny that I'm loving this incarnation of her just a little bit. She definitely could have saved a few Spidey movies for me.
I actually can't believe that Spider-Ham has been in the Marvel Universe since 1983. He featured in a One Shot Marvel Tails originally that featured other Marvel hero parodies including Captain AmeriCat, Hulk-Bunny and Goose Rider. The series definitely requires some further investigation... particularly Ant-Ant, Croctor Strange and Nick Furry: Agent Of S.H.E.E.P.. Honestly there's no end to punny names. Sadly, this amusing back story doesn't save Spider-Ham for me, apart from the issue I had with the graphics he's my low point. He really is just too hammy for the storyline.
What you should do
You should definitely watch this one, there's enough amusement and action for everyone. For the older nerds, wait until the end of the credits for a scene that most of the kids won't understand but you'll appreciate.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Having the ability to stick my hands to things wouldn't be bad. Climbing walls would be good, I'd never need a ladder to paint those hard to reach spots in the house... and I'd never drop my phone. Lots of possibilities there.
Ronyell (38 KP) rated Hen, His Wife (1990) in Movies
Aug 4, 2020
My Wife Is a Hen!
Wow! I have to say that even though I have watched lots of surreal shorts over the years, none of them quite compared to how weird this short was! It was interesting to see an animated short that is about domestic problems and one that has so much symbolism to it. There are so many different interpretations about what is really going on in this short and what kind of message it's trying to send to the viewers. So it would be almost impossible for me to describe to you about what I think the ulterior meaning behind this short really is. But, I'm going to give it my best shot and tell you guys what I think that this short is trying to say.
My Interpretation:
So apparently, the couple has been happy together until the husband's friend comes in and tells him that his wife is a hen. Now, it's quite obvious to the audience that the wife is a hen, so how come the husband didn't notice this until his friend told him? Did the wife looked way different when she and her husband first met or did the husband just ignore the obvious signs over the years? So, when the husband finally notices that his wife is a hen, he turns her out of the house. Maybe the husband was more upset about his wife deceiving him for all of these years and that's why he turned her out because she had betrayed his trust in her. So, the husband tried to live life the way it was before, but he missed his wife and he starts hallucinating his situation. It was then that he called her over the phone and begged her to come back to him. But then the ending comes up and... well, you have to see the ending of this short for yourself!
I just loved the way that Igor Kovaliov weaved this bizarre world as all the characters look so strange, what with the blue colored husband and the humanoid hen wife. And let's not forget the half human, half worm pet that the couple has! I also loved the fact that there is so much symbolism and random moments going on in this short as it made the narrative so disoriented yet creative at the same time!
I was a bit thrown off by the mysterious plot of this short. I wasn't sure what to make of the situation that happened between the couple or the various symbolism that jumped out at you with no warning. So, there were times where I was a bit confused about what was really going on and I even had to read several different interpretations from other people who have seen this short in order to understand what was really going on in this short.
Overall, "Hen, His Wife" is a great surreal animated short that gives us a more literal description of marriage problems and anyone who loves watching Russian cartoons or just really weird shorts will definitely enjoy this short!
My Interpretation:
So apparently, the couple has been happy together until the husband's friend comes in and tells him that his wife is a hen. Now, it's quite obvious to the audience that the wife is a hen, so how come the husband didn't notice this until his friend told him? Did the wife looked way different when she and her husband first met or did the husband just ignore the obvious signs over the years? So, when the husband finally notices that his wife is a hen, he turns her out of the house. Maybe the husband was more upset about his wife deceiving him for all of these years and that's why he turned her out because she had betrayed his trust in her. So, the husband tried to live life the way it was before, but he missed his wife and he starts hallucinating his situation. It was then that he called her over the phone and begged her to come back to him. But then the ending comes up and... well, you have to see the ending of this short for yourself!
I just loved the way that Igor Kovaliov weaved this bizarre world as all the characters look so strange, what with the blue colored husband and the humanoid hen wife. And let's not forget the half human, half worm pet that the couple has! I also loved the fact that there is so much symbolism and random moments going on in this short as it made the narrative so disoriented yet creative at the same time!
I was a bit thrown off by the mysterious plot of this short. I wasn't sure what to make of the situation that happened between the couple or the various symbolism that jumped out at you with no warning. So, there were times where I was a bit confused about what was really going on and I even had to read several different interpretations from other people who have seen this short in order to understand what was really going on in this short.
Overall, "Hen, His Wife" is a great surreal animated short that gives us a more literal description of marriage problems and anyone who loves watching Russian cartoons or just really weird shorts will definitely enjoy this short!
Doofus Drop
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Doofus Drop is an addictive game made by weird people for weird people. If you’re into silly games...
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