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Smashbomb (4687 KP) created a post in Smashbomb Partners

Mar 18, 2020  
Hey Partners!

I think we're all very aware of the current situation with Coronavirus and how it's going to have a huge effect on people's social lives. So I was thinking - can we all come up with some of the best items in any/every category for everyone to watch/read/play if we are all stuck inside?

It would be a great way to get people talking - and what's better to talk about than a good book or movie!

If anyone has any other ideas or suggestions please feel free to drop a comment below!

Smashbomb Team :)
  
Show all 3 comments.
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Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) Mar 18, 2020

I think this is a great idea. Is there a way that we partners can help?

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Smashbomb (4687 KP) Mar 19, 2020

@Night Reader Reviews At the minute, with the influencers, we're coming up with lists of items for different groups of people in isolation such as families, couples, individuals, etc. So if you can think of anything to add to those lists that would be great - or even to come up with some new ideas on how we can get people talking! :)

My Sweet Revenge
My Sweet Revenge
Jane Fallon | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
From the first pages of the book I thought to myself “well this is going to be a good laugh”. And it absolutely was! Paula is an overweight housewife of a well known actor. Accidentally she finds out, that her husband Robert is cheating on her. She doesn’t want just to finish the relationship, she wants to make Robert to fall in love with her again and then ditch him. But it’s not that easy as it might sound. What I really liked about this book was, the way author picked the characters. All the characters were really diverse and very believable. We have an overweight Paula and her opposite, skinny Saskia. We have grumpy Robert and his opposite - sweet and calm Josh. I really enjoyed Paula’s journey in this book, and I’ll tell you that, after reading this novel It made me want to exercise and start eating healthy. If Paula can do it, why I couldn’t? I really enjoyed, that author gave the voice to more than one character in the book. It really helped to understand the characters better and added some fuel to the fire.

When you start reading the book, the whole plot looks a little bit unbelievable. Celebrities, movie shoots sounds not very relatable for common man. But after reading about the author of this book, I understood that this is a perfect insight into filming industry. Author has plenty of experience in this area and I believe that was her way to share it with us. The plot of this book is really well thought through. When you think that it will get boring and repetitive, author throws some well planned turn or twist. They were so unexpected and it kept the whole book like emotional roller coaster. The whole book is really funny and I had that silly smirk on my face while reading it, it lifted my mood. Nevertheless there were some important themes discussed in this book e.g. how weight loss makes you feel or how a divorce can influence you and the ones around you. I loved the ending of the book, it concluded the story very nicely and left me really satisfied. So to conclude, if You like “Bridget Jones”, you will definitely love this light hearted, easy to read and very enjoyable book, with lots of twists and turns and so very sweet revenge.
  
In the Tall Grass (2019)
In the Tall Grass (2019)
2019 | Drama, Horror, Thriller
Patrick Wilson (0 more)
Everything except Patrick Wilson (0 more)
Great concept Terrible execution
It Stephen King... What’s not to Love???

Answer: This Movie.

The trailer had me hooked, this looked like a great thriller based on kings work, surely a slam dunk in most people’s book. No not this one. Truly the saving grace and the reason I stuck till the end was Patrick Wilson, who’s commitment to this truly outlandish and ridiculous character was utterly commendable so props to him.

Everything else was just Bad Bad Bad
  
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
2015 | Romance
remember thinking, after reading the first couple of chapters of Fifty Shades of Grey two years ago, “Is this guy a vampire?” E.L. James’ description of Christian Grey brought to mind Edward of the Twilight series and the heroine, Anastasia Steele’s clumsy entrance into Grey’s office reminded me of Bella. I was so certain I would find out Grey was a vampire in the following chapters.

So it wasn’t too much of a surprise for me when I learned the book started out as Twilight fan fiction. The hero and heroine were clearly patterned after Bella and Edward. So whenever someone asked me what the book was about, I would tell them, “It’s an awfully written Twilight with a lot of sex and some bondage and spanking. “ That being said, I’m hardly a book snob. I’ll read just about anything, and while I may complain the whole time, I’ll finish the series if one exists. But even casual readers should be able to recognize badly written fiction when it smacks them in the face like Fifty Shades of Grey.

When I heard they were making a movie, I figured it would be a Rated R or NC-17 version Twilight. I played the game along with other millions of women on who should be the leads. I picked Anna Kendrick and Ian Somerhalder. I wasn’t too disappointed with the actual picks (I think that required actually caring), but the trailers did not endear Dakota Johnson to me at all. On the way to the screener, I joked with my husband, Gareth, that I expected to see Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan doing a lot of gasping or scowling with mouth agape since that seemed to be their go-to reactions in the book. (James is fond of writing about jaw-drops and sharp intakes of breath in her books).

I had to make him promise to refrain from making Mystery Science Theater 3000 commentary during the movie, but within the first 5 minutes he recognized some landmarks and leaned over to ask “Wait. She went to WSU?” When I nodded, Gareth, a proud UW Husky, leaned back, shook his head and muttered, “Already disappointed.” We both actually enjoyed seeing the Seattle backdrop, all shiny and urbane, at least in Grey’s world. I thought Gareth was talking about the ridiculousness of Christian Grey’s wealth when he whispered, “This movie is so full of it.” I raised my eyebrows at him and he said, “You know you can’t find parking that easily in Seattle.”

Being familiar with the books, I knew what to expect and for the most part, director Sam Taylor-Johnson, greatly improved on weak source material. Dakota Johnson was a pleasant surprise, making Anastasia smart, witty and much more relatable than the book Ana. Jamie Dornan was very easy to look at. Listening to? Not so much. It’s been reported that E. L. James’ insisted the dialogue from her books remain unchanged. One wonders if she also insisted Dornan deliver his parts as if he were reading her book. Reluctantly and under great duress.

Fans of the books will notice a few changes, and of course it won’t be as graphic as the book, but there are at least 25 minutes of steamy scenes. All in all, this may be one of those rare times the movie is better than the book. Like the books, now that I’m invested, I will watch the next two in the trilogy. Mainly thanks to Dakota Johnson. If nothing else, I have to give Fifty Shades of Grey credit for inspiring passion – in debates about abusive relationships, true BDSM and the age-old bad boy vs. good men attraction. I don’t think I’ve engaged in this many debates with friends and coworkers about a non-sci-fi movie before. It could very well inspire all kinds of other passion for those who give in and escort their significant other to this movie this weekend. But hopefully, unlike the leads in the movie, those inspired will reach a satisfying finish rather than a stylized fade-out to the morning after.
  
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw this graphic novel I knew that I just had to read it. Beauty and the Beast is and will always be my favorite Disney story. With all of that said, I will admit I was a little disappointed. I felt like it was a complete copy of the new movie with no new motivations attributed to the characters. I would have loved to have had the inside perspective of Belle and unfortunately this book did not give me that.

The artwork was well done but not awe inspiring. Ultimately, it was a very quick and pleasant read but I do not feel the need to read the next one.
  
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Chloe (514 KP) rated The Blind Side (2009) in Movies

Jan 31, 2019 (Updated Jan 31, 2019)  
The Blind Side (2009)
The Blind Side (2009)
2009 | Comedy, Drama, Sport
It's a good movie that shows compassion
I really enjoyed this it had some sad parts and I believe it had a great message in it and that is to be compassionate if you can and to share what you have with those who can't afford it .
The main character Mike is what you would call a gentle giant and this in a way is another possible message about not judging a book by it's cover.
Leigh Anne is such a kick ass women as well it's nice to see so much of this bad ass character who at times made me laugh.
One thing I can say though is that I cheered on both these characters throughout the movie.
  
Eli’s high school friend Jake is in town making a movie about a magician who dies during a performance of the dangerous bullet catch illusion. Only Jake thinks that someone is going to kill him when they film that scene, and he asks Eli, a magician, to help prevent that from happening. Meanwhile, Eli reconnects with his high school crush, Trish, as their reunion only to have Trish’s husband be murdered the next morning. Can Eli solve the crime?

With two mysteries happening at once, this book never slows down. Both stories feature some great twists along the way to a logical conclusion. The book is filled with outstanding characters as well, both returning and new. About the only thing that bothered me was Eli’s crippling fear of heights, which never seemed to bother him at home.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/09/book-review-bullet-catch-by-john.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Ready Player One
Ready Player One
Ernest Cline | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.9 (161 Ratings)
Book Rating
Writing (2 more)
Character development
80's references
This is one of the most fun reads I've ever had.
I kinda love this book, and the Audio Book is read by Wil Wheaton which is kinda perfect. I even love the dystopian future aspect, where everyone spends all the time online, plugged in to the Oasis. And here within it in a big mystery, with shades of willy wonka. Here is this everyday geek, who through hard work, determination and cunning deciphering of the codes and clues makes a run at the greatest prize of his time. Once agai on fo the most fun books I've ever read, and I really hope the movie coming out soon lives up to the feel, I already know it won't have everything as no movie is ever a complete version, but I feel that steven spielberg at least has the chops to take it on and do it justice. I hope I'm not wrong.
  
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Lumos (380 KP) Mar 23, 2018

I love, love this book! I wish there were slightly fewer inappropriate moments because I know my students would enjoy it.

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Connie (244 KP) Jun 10, 2018

Agreed Lumos! My 4th graders would love to hear this. Maybe I can find a way to skip some of it without taking away from the story...?