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Doctor Sleep (2019)
Doctor Sleep (2019)
2019 | Horror
I have to say, like others before me, that I wish I had re-watched The Shining before seeing this film. I think then I could have made more of a connection between both and appreciated the story more. I did enjoy the concept, but, for me personally, it felt as though this film had nothing to do with The Shining. Or that maybe my idea of what the shining was, was in actual fact, completely and utterly wrong! Which is more than likely 😂 but I just found the whole idea of the soul eaters, well off base. Although, I have not read the books and having spoken with someone that had, they have said that its pretty much how it goes...

Anyway, even though I struggled to find the connection between the two films, I have to say that the idea itself really drew me in. And the execution was beautiful, it was so visually pleasing at times! The acting was also brilliant and I am pleased I went to see it. Wish it had been a little creepier, I remember not being able to sleep soundly after watching The Shinning! But fascinating film nonetheless, a definite must see.
  
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Nick Beaty (70 KP) rated The Grinch (2018) in Movies

Dec 8, 2019 (Updated Dec 8, 2019)  
The Grinch (2018)
The Grinch (2018)
2018 | Animation, Family, Sci-Fi
Unnecessary to say the least...
Where to start with Illuminations take on this classic Christmas tale. It felt very uninspiring, underwhelming and unnecessary.

From the get go the narration from Pharrell Williams was very poor and don't get me started on the music. Every time I felt like I could get into this movie the next awful track came on and ruined the moment.

There were very few likeable Characters, with the exception of Max the dog and a screaming goat that had my 3 year old laughing, I believe this is very much their target audience though.

It is very hard not to compare it to Jim Carrey's version or even the 1966 original short which are much darker, creepier and grumpier, all of the things you would expect from The Grinch. This version looks too clean cut, the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch is too friendly in my opinion and the whole thing just feels like a sugar coated version aimed at very young children.

I personally believe there was no real need for this movie to have ever been made other than to cash in on a brilliant Christmas story, that has already been told in much better ways than this.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated 1917 (2020) in Movies

Jan 13, 2020  
1917 (2020)
1917 (2020)
2020 | Drama, War
Powerful war movie is much more than just a one-shot-wonder gimmick picture. Two ordinary soldiers are sent to deliver a message across enemy territory; one of them is experienced but far from keen, the other is strongly motivated - he has a brother whose life will be in peril if he fails in his mission. Their journey takes them across no-man's-land, fields, forests and through ruined towns, with the horror of the war constantly around them.

It's obvious from early on that this is not actually a movie shot in one or two takes (to paraphrase Eric and Ernie, you can see the joins) but the important thing is not whether it was made in one take, but whether it has the same kind of immersive effect as a one-take movie. And mostly it succeeds: after a while you almost forget the virtuoso display of camera control and focus on the characters and their story. There are no very new ideas here about the war in the trenches - brave Tommies are led by officers of questionable effectiveness and intelligence in a futile meatgrinder war - but the quality of the sensory experience draws you in and makes you understand and care about what happened. A technically brilliant, very fine film.
  
Ricochet (The Wolfborne Saga #2)
Ricochet (The Wolfborne Saga #2)
Cheree Alsop | 2018 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ricochet is the second book in The Wolfborne Saga and we return to Zev and Alia, plus family. As the blurb says, Zev knows that fighting back one wave of wolves isn't the end of it, and his view becomes fact when the wolf he let go before shows back up, with dire warnings to Zev and his newfound family and friends.

This really is a great take on wolves and vampires. I know I've said it before, and no doubt, I'll say it again, but it is! As the book moves on you find out about different types of vampire. And the wolves start to make a pack, something they had been denied.

There is one scene - I'll call it the spaghetti and naming scene - that really stood out to me. So many different parts to it, all fantastically written. And can I just say? Naming something and then it dying is NOT good!! LOL

A brilliant addition to the series and I really can't wait to see where it goes next. I just hope Zev finds someone for himself!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Dracula in TV

Jan 4, 2020  
Dracula
Dracula
2020 | Drama, Horror
7
6.1 (14 Ratings)
TV Show Rating
Somewhat predictably, the Sherlock team's take on Dracula proves to be a studied piece of unfaithfulness - although, given just how well-known and iconic this particular story is, it's hard to see quite what else they could have done. It starts off looking deceptively faithful, turns into a bizarre inversion of an Agatha Christie-type murder mystery, and then really goes for broke with a third-act twist the likes of which have not been seen since AD 1972. Guaranteed to upset purists, but hey - at least they were still allowed to cast a man as Dracula.

Claes Bang is indisputably very good as the Count, mixing cool flippancy with genuine menace. The rest of it is a bit of a curate's egg, with brilliant moments mixed thoroughly with things that don't quite work. If you like Moffat and Gatiss' approach to scripting - sketch show and conjuring performance in equal measures, with big set pieces and reveals taking precedence over logic and cohesion - then you will obviously enjoy this. Otherwise, then the sound of Dracula is not so much the music of the children of the night, as that of the writers winking at the audience non-stop for four and a half hours.
  
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
1994 | Drama
I have heard so many things about this movie over the years, I was wondering if it would live up to the hype. I was a little worried it wouldn't, so I've been avoiding it for so long. And it hasn't been available to watch anywhere for free until it came out on Netflix.

I am so glad I watched this film. There is nothing about it I didn't like. It felt like every character was important, there was a story to tell. I loved Morgan Freeman's narration and his performance as Red. Andy is brilliant and kind and cunning and a good friend and a great teacher. Norton is everything the criminal justice system is and shouldn't be. I am floored.

There are very few movies that after I see it, I have to own it. It's only happened a few times and the bar is very high. This film is one of those. I can't recommend it enough. It is a great watch with a great plot and a rolling story that never leaves you hanging. This is easily moving to the top 10 movies I adore - it might even hold the number one spot right now. Watch. This. Film.
  
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Barry Newman (204 KP) Mar 2, 2020

One of my favourite movies of all time. Nice to hear about the joy of someone experiencing it for the first time.

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Jackjack (877 KP) rated Elite in TV

Mar 14, 2020  
Elite
Elite
2018 | Crime, Drama, International, Mystery, Romance
High school drama (1 more)
Mystery murder
Filmed in Spain but English voiced takes a while to get used to it (0 more)
Hooked!
This dramatic Spanish program couldn't be more gripping. Although it is filmed in Spain the voices are spoken over in English and as annoying as it is it's subtitled too and they don't always match up to what they are saying, but all the same its kept me hooked.

It all starts when three poor students school collapsed and they are sent off to a rich private school where they are clearly not welcomed. Season one is all about a murder and trying to figure out who did it and why they died, it's a brilliant story and I managed to get lost in it, there is something for everyone to relate to. Typical high school drama between popular kids poor kids and a murderer. Season two was equally as good and gripping as the first one with the story unravelling and people are breaking and the truth comes out. I have just started season three and again couldn't be more engrossed.

If you've seen share your thoughts

I had to make this myself as it wasn't under the TV review section. Netflix Original
  
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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Venom (2018) in Movies

Feb 14, 2020 (Updated Feb 14, 2020)  
Venom (2018)
Venom (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
They Ain't Gonna Know What Hit 'em
Venom- was okay, i mean we finally got a venom movie. We finally got a good looking venom. We got a small cameo by she-venom which was nice, but hopefully in the sequel we get more than 5-10 seconds of screen time of she-venom. Also in the sequel we are getting carange, which was teased in the post-credit sence at the end of this movie, with Woody Harrison weird and fake red wig. Tom Hardy was a better eddie brock than Topher Grace. So thats good. Just feel like both Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams were both wasted in this film. Their are such both great/excellent actors, and their just wasted in this film.

The plot: Journalist Eddie Brock is trying to take down Carlton Drake, the notorious and brilliant founder of the Life Foundation. While investigating one of Drake's experiments, Eddie's body merges with the alien Venom -- leaving him with superhuman strength and power. Twisted, dark and fueled by rage, Venom tries to control the new and dangerous abilities that Eddie finds so intoxicating.

I cant really anything else about Venom, its just okay overall and hopefullt venom 2 is better.