Search
Search results
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Dunkirk (2017) in Movies
Aug 1, 2017
Brilliant & Very Intense
I have to start off by admitting that Nolan is my favourite director, and although this film is quite different to his previous ones, I'm pleased to say I still loved it.
Visually spectacular, it was so nice to see real effects for a change as opposed to cgi. Story wise it was also refreshing to see a war film not bogged down with erroneous subplots and romantic side stories. Nolan just jumps straight in to the action & carries on throughout, with an impressive run time of less than 2 hours. Some great casting here, although I feel like Tom Hardy could've been given more to do. Even Harry Styles was well cast & I was expecting him to be awful! Hans Zimmer does his usual great job on the score, building up a lot of tension. Nolan also does a fantastic job making the film quite harrowing without feeling the need to go ridiculously violent and gory. And there are also a few typical Nolan plot movements thrown in which made it slightly more than your average war film.
My only negative would be that a little bit of backstory might have been nice, as I personally don't know a lot about the lead up to Dunkirk, and that could've helped the ignorant like me!
Visually spectacular, it was so nice to see real effects for a change as opposed to cgi. Story wise it was also refreshing to see a war film not bogged down with erroneous subplots and romantic side stories. Nolan just jumps straight in to the action & carries on throughout, with an impressive run time of less than 2 hours. Some great casting here, although I feel like Tom Hardy could've been given more to do. Even Harry Styles was well cast & I was expecting him to be awful! Hans Zimmer does his usual great job on the score, building up a lot of tension. Nolan also does a fantastic job making the film quite harrowing without feeling the need to go ridiculously violent and gory. And there are also a few typical Nolan plot movements thrown in which made it slightly more than your average war film.
My only negative would be that a little bit of backstory might have been nice, as I personally don't know a lot about the lead up to Dunkirk, and that could've helped the ignorant like me!
Callum John Hunter (0 KP) rated England Is Mine (2017) in Movies
Sep 20, 2017
Just watched the film England Is Mine based on Steven Patrick Morrissey before he formed The Smiths with Johnny Marr and I have to say it was a brilliant film I never truly knew a lot of the stuff that Morrissey went through in his younger life with his depression and how his friends did help him to shape his ability to perform I know that a lot of people dislike Morrissey and he has said some controversial things but I do sympathise with the whole depression side because I know what it is like to suffer from it, the film starts at a nice pace and gradually builds with some nice music the actor chosen to represent Morrissey was a really good choice he perfected Morrissey's tone the whole cast was pure perfection and I am truly glad that I watched it, it gave me more of an understanding to how Morrissey thinks and where a lot of the lyrics gained there inspiration from such as his love of Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde and how he used such stylings to mould his way of singing, so in short it was a truly great film and I enjoyed it immensely.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Descent Part 2 (2009) in Movies
Feb 2, 2019
Should never have been made
I’ve put off watching this film for years as I resented the fact that it had ever been made, and it turns out I probably should have kept on putting it off. The original Descent was brilliant, but this sequel is just plain awful.
For starters, it looks cheap. The entire thing from the cinematography, the visual effects (the blood looks like fruit juice), and the look of the monsters just looks so horrendous and as bad, if not worse, than a SyFy original film. Then there’s the plot itself, which is so ridiculously stupid it’s laughable. It completely ignores the ambiguous and very good ending from the original and uses a cliched overused trope (memory loss) to get Sarah back into the caves. The new characters are underdeveloped and cliched stereotypes (the brass moronic cop who can’t leave his gun behind). And then there’s the fact that it seems an identical copy of the original, using the same scenes, ideas (seeing through the video camera) that were used in the first film. This loses any of the suspense and atmosphere generated in the first film, and it doesn’t use the music to any good effect whatsoever. It’s not scary, it’s not interesting and it looks horrendous. Avoid at all costs.
For starters, it looks cheap. The entire thing from the cinematography, the visual effects (the blood looks like fruit juice), and the look of the monsters just looks so horrendous and as bad, if not worse, than a SyFy original film. Then there’s the plot itself, which is so ridiculously stupid it’s laughable. It completely ignores the ambiguous and very good ending from the original and uses a cliched overused trope (memory loss) to get Sarah back into the caves. The new characters are underdeveloped and cliched stereotypes (the brass moronic cop who can’t leave his gun behind). And then there’s the fact that it seems an identical copy of the original, using the same scenes, ideas (seeing through the video camera) that were used in the first film. This loses any of the suspense and atmosphere generated in the first film, and it doesn’t use the music to any good effect whatsoever. It’s not scary, it’s not interesting and it looks horrendous. Avoid at all costs.
Merissa (12995 KP) rated For Fox Sake (Fetish Alley #1) in Books
Feb 6, 2019
For Fox Sake (Fetish Alley #1) by Susan Mac Nicol
Featuring a couple of characters from the Men of London series, For Fox Sake is the first book in the Fetish Alley series, which I am sure is going to provide me with lots of excellent reading.
Clay and Tate are happy together, and with their investigation business. When an old flame of Clay's calls him with details of a suspicious death that the police have ruled as natural, it opens up a whole new 'alley' for them.
The heat is high in this book - both in and out of the sheets. It was fantastic to hear references to the 'Unholy Trinity', and it made me want to reacquaint myself with them all over again. Clay and Tate are perfect for each other, even when they have issues. There is no lack of communication between them, which made this a delight to read.
There is mystery, wit aplenty, excellent characters, brilliant scene-setting - all wrapped up in Susan Mac Nicol's writing style. With no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, this is a wonderful addition to Ms. Mac Nicol's repertoire, and definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
Clay and Tate are happy together, and with their investigation business. When an old flame of Clay's calls him with details of a suspicious death that the police have ruled as natural, it opens up a whole new 'alley' for them.
The heat is high in this book - both in and out of the sheets. It was fantastic to hear references to the 'Unholy Trinity', and it made me want to reacquaint myself with them all over again. Clay and Tate are perfect for each other, even when they have issues. There is no lack of communication between them, which made this a delight to read.
There is mystery, wit aplenty, excellent characters, brilliant scene-setting - all wrapped up in Susan Mac Nicol's writing style. With no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, this is a wonderful addition to Ms. Mac Nicol's repertoire, and definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
Sam (228 KP) rated Venom (2018) in Movies
Mar 9, 2019
Action (2 more)
Realistic CGI
Amazing Acting
Weak Ending (1 more)
Missing Something
Great Start, Great Action, Weak Finish
I absolutely loved this film up until the last half hour. This film had a strong beginning, strong middle, and a weak ending. The action scenes were absolutely beautiful and watching Brock, the main character, slowly getting taken over by this monster (Venom) was a masterpiece of acting. I loved watching them interact together, however their relationship went from being absolutely terrifying and brilliant to quickly fast formed friends. I would have liked to see this transition better rather than the fast switch that took place. Considering this to be a key part within the formation of the film I can't in good conscious give it more than rate it at a 7/10 as it made the ending weak and clunky. If this transition was more smooth and played out then I would rate it much higher. In my opinion, Venom is a monster bent on taking over the planet, however in this film he went from villianous to superhero in the matter of minutes. If the time had been taken to smooth out these kinks the film would have been perfect. This being said the action scenes were outstanding, the acting beautiful, and the CGI which played heavily given the film was actually very well done.
Ross (3284 KP) rated A Time of Blood in Books
Mar 11, 2019
Exciting, action-packed fantasy
** Disclosure - I received a free advance copy of this from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **
A Time of Blood is the second book in John Gwynne's second series and I can happily say this is his best yet in my opinion.
The action carries on from the previous book with the evil Kadoshim minions rising up and trying to get back to power. The forces of good also start to muster, though there are still divisions and suspicions between the various groups which hamper their successes.
Drem, the trapper, really develops into a brilliant hero character without any prophecy nonsense for once, and surrounds himself with a strong cast of enjoyable diverse companions.
The first half of the book sees Drem and his companions travelling to escape the evil horde and warn others of the uprising they have witnessed. This journey is non-stop action and a thrill to read.
Meanwhile we have the recently airborne Riv who is battling with politics and prejudice to retake her place in the army. These chapters are much slower paced but vital.
The balance between chapters and characters in the book allow Gwynne to fit the story in while keeping the action flowing at a good pace.
A very enjoyable and exciting read.
A Time of Blood is the second book in John Gwynne's second series and I can happily say this is his best yet in my opinion.
The action carries on from the previous book with the evil Kadoshim minions rising up and trying to get back to power. The forces of good also start to muster, though there are still divisions and suspicions between the various groups which hamper their successes.
Drem, the trapper, really develops into a brilliant hero character without any prophecy nonsense for once, and surrounds himself with a strong cast of enjoyable diverse companions.
The first half of the book sees Drem and his companions travelling to escape the evil horde and warn others of the uprising they have witnessed. This journey is non-stop action and a thrill to read.
Meanwhile we have the recently airborne Riv who is battling with politics and prejudice to retake her place in the army. These chapters are much slower paced but vital.
The balance between chapters and characters in the book allow Gwynne to fit the story in while keeping the action flowing at a good pace.
A very enjoyable and exciting read.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Secretary in Books
Mar 15, 2019
Day after day, year after year, Christine has been there, invisiblewatching, listening, absorbing all the secrets floating around her. Keeping them safe.
Christine is trusted. But those years of loyalty and discretion come with a high price. And eventually Christina will pay.
Yet, it would be a mistake to underestimate such a steadfast woman. Because as everyone is about to discover, theres a dangerous line between obedience and obsession...
"The Secretary" is Renee Knight's second novel. This story has an explosive plot and a very surprising twist at the end.
This story revolves and explores the relationship between the employer and the employee. The author has done a fabulous job of exploring the loyalty of an employee to her employer. The story is completely gripping and I was glued to it.
The characters are completely and utterly convincing and I developed a love/hate relationship with them.
The underlying tension is apparent from the start and it just adds to the suspense going forward.
Some may call this a slow burn but I felt the pace of the story is just perfect. This is an intelligent, twisted, psychological thriller.
Very believable characters and brilliant plot! Perfect story in my opinion.
Highly Recommend!
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
Christine is trusted. But those years of loyalty and discretion come with a high price. And eventually Christina will pay.
Yet, it would be a mistake to underestimate such a steadfast woman. Because as everyone is about to discover, theres a dangerous line between obedience and obsession...
"The Secretary" is Renee Knight's second novel. This story has an explosive plot and a very surprising twist at the end.
This story revolves and explores the relationship between the employer and the employee. The author has done a fabulous job of exploring the loyalty of an employee to her employer. The story is completely gripping and I was glued to it.
The characters are completely and utterly convincing and I developed a love/hate relationship with them.
The underlying tension is apparent from the start and it just adds to the suspense going forward.
Some may call this a slow burn but I felt the pace of the story is just perfect. This is an intelligent, twisted, psychological thriller.
Very believable characters and brilliant plot! Perfect story in my opinion.
Highly Recommend!
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
Sam (74 KP) rated One Hundred Names in Books
Mar 27, 2019
I was in an awful reading slump and I finally started reading this, knowing Cecelia Ahern always makes me love reading again, and I wasn’t wrong.
I loved Kitty so, so much. She’s a character whose life has been ruined by her mistakes but she still won’t let it completely take over her life. True, what she did wasn’t right when she didn’t collect all of the facts before outing a man. However, this sort of mistake could have ruined her career. But she uses the death of her best friend to fuel her to succeed and move on from her past. Her ability to eventually laugh with others over what happened is admirable, and what makes her such a brilliant character.
I also love the realism here. Kitty has her flaws and has made her mistakes, but so has every single other character in the novel. Everyone has their flaws and nothing is sugar-coated, giving a really strong realistic image.
There were a few moments when Kitty’s decisions annoyed me slightly, mainly later on in the novel where there is one occasion where she is quite spiteful, but in the end it all turns around and her spiteful decision actually helps the person she has a grudge against. I love that this spreads the message of sharing kindness instead of hatred.
I loved Kitty so, so much. She’s a character whose life has been ruined by her mistakes but she still won’t let it completely take over her life. True, what she did wasn’t right when she didn’t collect all of the facts before outing a man. However, this sort of mistake could have ruined her career. But she uses the death of her best friend to fuel her to succeed and move on from her past. Her ability to eventually laugh with others over what happened is admirable, and what makes her such a brilliant character.
I also love the realism here. Kitty has her flaws and has made her mistakes, but so has every single other character in the novel. Everyone has their flaws and nothing is sugar-coated, giving a really strong realistic image.
There were a few moments when Kitty’s decisions annoyed me slightly, mainly later on in the novel where there is one occasion where she is quite spiteful, but in the end it all turns around and her spiteful decision actually helps the person she has a grudge against. I love that this spreads the message of sharing kindness instead of hatred.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy #3) in Books
Apr 1, 2019
The Winter of the Witch is the conclusion to the Winternight trilogy that began with The Bear and The Nightingale (enjoyable, but a little overhyped) and continued in The Girl in the Tower (fantastic). And ooooohhh what a conclusion it is! Vasya truly comes into her own in this book, dealing with the Russian fae with a confidence and conviction she didn't quite have before. The war between the twin brother spirits - the Bear and the Winter King - comes to a head, with Vasya in the middle. While that war is heating up, so is the war between the Tatars and the Russians, with its climax in a version of the real-world Battle of Kulikovo.
The whole of Vasya's family history is finally revealed, which has surprises of its own. Previously unknown family members appear, and Vasya is no longer as alone in her powers as she thought she was.
It can be very hard to review books in a series - especially concluding books - without spoiling things, so I'll just say this was an epic conclusion to the trilogy and was just as enchanting as the other books. I cried at more than one point in this book, because Vasya's heartbreak is so poignant. Gorgeous book. Beautiful use of Russian mythology. This entire trilogy is just brilliant.
You can read all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
The whole of Vasya's family history is finally revealed, which has surprises of its own. Previously unknown family members appear, and Vasya is no longer as alone in her powers as she thought she was.
It can be very hard to review books in a series - especially concluding books - without spoiling things, so I'll just say this was an epic conclusion to the trilogy and was just as enchanting as the other books. I cried at more than one point in this book, because Vasya's heartbreak is so poignant. Gorgeous book. Beautiful use of Russian mythology. This entire trilogy is just brilliant.
You can read all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Merissa (12995 KP) rated Venus Trap (Hidden Portals Trilogy #1) in Books
Apr 13, 2019
Venus Trap (Hidden Portals Trilogy #1) by Maya Daniels
Venus Trap is the first book in the Hidden Portals series, and we start off with a storm, a death, and a mad king. Sounds good, right? Wrong! This is brilliant.
Artemis is a Fae, Raphael is a vampire. We also meet with other Fae, Humans, Witches, Vampires, and Demons are mentioned. So right there, we have different species, all with their own history and thoughts, and pitted against each other. Who is telling the truth? Who will fight with who?
We find out more about Artemis' history as the story progresses, and the reasons she has for feeling the way she does. Raphael has distanced himself from the rest of his race, partly due to his friend, Claude, otherwise known as the mad king.
With intrigue, steam, action, wit, and a strong, sassy female paired with a strong, opinionated male, this book has something for everyone. There were no editing or grammatical errors I noticed, and I thoroughly enjoyed every word.
With an epic finishing line, this will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* 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!
Artemis is a Fae, Raphael is a vampire. We also meet with other Fae, Humans, Witches, Vampires, and Demons are mentioned. So right there, we have different species, all with their own history and thoughts, and pitted against each other. Who is telling the truth? Who will fight with who?
We find out more about Artemis' history as the story progresses, and the reasons she has for feeling the way she does. Raphael has distanced himself from the rest of his race, partly due to his friend, Claude, otherwise known as the mad king.
With intrigue, steam, action, wit, and a strong, sassy female paired with a strong, opinionated male, this book has something for everyone. There were no editing or grammatical errors I noticed, and I thoroughly enjoyed every word.
With an epic finishing line, this will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* 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!