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Directors Tell the Story: Master the Craft of Television and Film Directing
Bethany Rooney and Mary Lou Belli
Book
Move over, movies: the freshest storytelling today is on television, where the multi-episodic format...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated See You Yesterday (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
A Fresh New Take On Classic Time Travel Film
See You Yesterday is a sci-fi movie directed by Stefon Bristol and written by Stefon Bristol and Fredrica Bailey. It was produced by Spike Lee and production company 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks and distributed by Netflix. The film stars Eden Duncan-Smith, Dante Crichlow, Brian "Stro" Bradley, and Jonathan Nieves.
Two teenage prodigies, C.J. Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith) and her best friend, Sebastian Thomas (Dante Crichlow) spend every spare minute working on their latest homemade invention: backpacks that enable time travel. When one of their older brothers is killed, they put their unfinished project to the test to save him and face the perilous consequences of time travel.
This movie was very emotional. It didn't always make sense but it had a good narrative that sustained the entire film. This movie was equal parts very realistic and fantastically unreal. At its core, it's a story about grief and second chances. Who wouldn't want to go back in time and prevent a tragic event if they could. I mean that's what one of my favorite movies The Time Machine is all about. It also had a lot of social commentary. I believe the writer/director did an awesome job in this their directorial debut. Eden Duncan-Smith's acting was also top notch and really made you feel for her through her struggles and really brought to life a very relatable character. What I didn't like was that as smart as the kids were in the movie, and as good as the time travel logic was in making sense, to me it still wasn't believable that they would have been able to create time travel devices. Also the special effects weren't always the best but seemed to work well. But if you can get past that hiccup it is an emotional roller coaster and a surprising fresh take on a classic sci-fi trope. I give it a 7/10.
Two teenage prodigies, C.J. Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith) and her best friend, Sebastian Thomas (Dante Crichlow) spend every spare minute working on their latest homemade invention: backpacks that enable time travel. When one of their older brothers is killed, they put their unfinished project to the test to save him and face the perilous consequences of time travel.
This movie was very emotional. It didn't always make sense but it had a good narrative that sustained the entire film. This movie was equal parts very realistic and fantastically unreal. At its core, it's a story about grief and second chances. Who wouldn't want to go back in time and prevent a tragic event if they could. I mean that's what one of my favorite movies The Time Machine is all about. It also had a lot of social commentary. I believe the writer/director did an awesome job in this their directorial debut. Eden Duncan-Smith's acting was also top notch and really made you feel for her through her struggles and really brought to life a very relatable character. What I didn't like was that as smart as the kids were in the movie, and as good as the time travel logic was in making sense, to me it still wasn't believable that they would have been able to create time travel devices. Also the special effects weren't always the best but seemed to work well. But if you can get past that hiccup it is an emotional roller coaster and a surprising fresh take on a classic sci-fi trope. I give it a 7/10.
GG
George Gershwin: An Intimate Portrait
Book
George Gershwin lived with purpose and gusto, but with melancholy as well, for he was unable to make...
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Blood Kiss (Black Dagger Legacy, #1) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
I read my first Black Dagger Brotherhood book back in 2010, I think, and fell in love with this group of warriors. I have books 1-12 in paperback and they sit proudly on my bookshelf, as shown below
I guess it's not fair to have favourites but two of them always stick in my head: Rhage and Vishous, though all the guys are memorable. The King, Wrath's second book in the series took me a while to read so I gave up on the series for a while, though I have been buying the rest of the books in this series as Kindle books.
This spin off series - Black Dagger Legacy - is about the original guys finding new recruits who they will train so they can help them take on the lessers and any other threats to their population.
This one follows Paradise, a society heir who wants more from her life than parties so she fills in an application form and hopes her father will give her permission to join the programme and he does, believing she won't make it very far. Paradise proves everyone wrong, though, including Craeg - fellow trainee and the guy she has an intense attraction towards. And the feeling is definitely mutual.
I enjoyed watching this play out, although Craeg's reluctance to start with annoyed me a little. But Paradise certainly wore him down in the end and it was fun watching.
It also focuses on Butch and Marissa's relationship. Both are dealing - or more precisely NOT dealing - with issues from their pasts and it's starting to drive a wedge between them. Then there's the battered female that comes into Safe Place - where Marissa works - on the brink of death that brings up old memories.
I did enjoy seeing a lot of the brothers again, it reminded me why I love this series and I can't wait to read more. I think The Shadows will be my next read.
I guess it's not fair to have favourites but two of them always stick in my head: Rhage and Vishous, though all the guys are memorable. The King, Wrath's second book in the series took me a while to read so I gave up on the series for a while, though I have been buying the rest of the books in this series as Kindle books.
This spin off series - Black Dagger Legacy - is about the original guys finding new recruits who they will train so they can help them take on the lessers and any other threats to their population.
This one follows Paradise, a society heir who wants more from her life than parties so she fills in an application form and hopes her father will give her permission to join the programme and he does, believing she won't make it very far. Paradise proves everyone wrong, though, including Craeg - fellow trainee and the guy she has an intense attraction towards. And the feeling is definitely mutual.
I enjoyed watching this play out, although Craeg's reluctance to start with annoyed me a little. But Paradise certainly wore him down in the end and it was fun watching.
It also focuses on Butch and Marissa's relationship. Both are dealing - or more precisely NOT dealing - with issues from their pasts and it's starting to drive a wedge between them. Then there's the battered female that comes into Safe Place - where Marissa works - on the brink of death that brings up old memories.
I did enjoy seeing a lot of the brothers again, it reminded me why I love this series and I can't wait to read more. I think The Shadows will be my next read.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Baking Me Crazy (Donner Bakery #1) in Books
Jan 8, 2021
So this starts with Levi and his best friend - and love of his life - Joss heading to Donner Bakery where Joss is starting work. He's been in love with her for the past five years but she just sees him as her best friend. It's on her first day at the bakery that she meets an attractive new guy who openly flirts with her and buys her a cupcake and Joss suddenly has all these feelings running through her. Levi eventually finds out about the guy and realises he has to do something to make Joss see him as more than best friend material.
I'll be honest, this took a lot of getting into initially. It was a slow build up. We know he's in love with her, she just sees him as a friend. It took until somewhere around half way through before anything really happened. It was cute after that. And then we have the PT job that Levi applied to a while ago and how that's going to affect their relationship.
I think this may be the first book I've read where a character is in a wheelchair. Joss was having physical therapy to try and help her walk better since she was only paralyzed from the knees down but she was amazing with her chair. She did pretty much every sport that was possible from her chair, worked out regularly with Levi and could pop a wheelie whenever she wanted.
This was a rather sweet story but it took a little too long to properly get going, in my opinion, so my attention had started to wane by the time they did finally even think of turning their friendship into more.
I read a Winston Brothers book a while ago and I have to admit I wasn't the biggest fan but Cletus popping up in this has made me want to read his and Jenn's story at least.
I'll be honest, this took a lot of getting into initially. It was a slow build up. We know he's in love with her, she just sees him as a friend. It took until somewhere around half way through before anything really happened. It was cute after that. And then we have the PT job that Levi applied to a while ago and how that's going to affect their relationship.
I think this may be the first book I've read where a character is in a wheelchair. Joss was having physical therapy to try and help her walk better since she was only paralyzed from the knees down but she was amazing with her chair. She did pretty much every sport that was possible from her chair, worked out regularly with Levi and could pop a wheelie whenever she wanted.
This was a rather sweet story but it took a little too long to properly get going, in my opinion, so my attention had started to wane by the time they did finally even think of turning their friendship into more.
I read a Winston Brothers book a while ago and I have to admit I wasn't the biggest fan but Cletus popping up in this has made me want to read his and Jenn's story at least.
James Bagshaw recommended track It's Raining Today by Scott Walker in Scott 3 by Scott Walker in Music (curated)
Alexis Taylor recommended Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen in Music (curated)
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) in Movies
May 28, 2021
Paul Walker reprises his role as Brian O'Conner as he's recruited to find out how a drug dealer is getting his ill gotten gains out of the country, using the talent of street racing.
I think that 2 Fast 2 Furious is actually slightly better than the first film (the Fast and the Furious), it has many of the same tropes and ideas of the first film, the street racing, cars and crime and it seems to have a better balance between the main elements. In both films Brian is tasked with infiltrating a criminal organisation with the task of finding out information and, from a narrative prospective 2 Fast seems to make a better job of this.
There is slightly less time given over to actual street racing but this is replaced with car chases which seem to use more police cars than 'The Blues Brothers'.
There is some time given over to character development as we find out more about Brian's past with the introduction of his old friend, Roman Pearce which gives us a bit more information as to his actions at the end of the first film.
Brian's relationship with the polices is surprisingly similar to the first film, even though Brian is now a wanted convict he is still aids and trust him. We also have the agent who doesn't trust Brian, this time in the form of customs Agent Markhan which basically gives us the same police set up the first film.
2 Fast 2 Furious does a good job of not being a clone of it's predecessor whilst still keeping the cars, the speed, the races and chases. There are a couple of scenes at the start that are similar to the first film but these are to help re introduce Brian and set the tone of the film. If you liked the first one then you should give the sequel a watch. (But you probably already know that as this is an old film 😊 )
I think that 2 Fast 2 Furious is actually slightly better than the first film (the Fast and the Furious), it has many of the same tropes and ideas of the first film, the street racing, cars and crime and it seems to have a better balance between the main elements. In both films Brian is tasked with infiltrating a criminal organisation with the task of finding out information and, from a narrative prospective 2 Fast seems to make a better job of this.
There is slightly less time given over to actual street racing but this is replaced with car chases which seem to use more police cars than 'The Blues Brothers'.
There is some time given over to character development as we find out more about Brian's past with the introduction of his old friend, Roman Pearce which gives us a bit more information as to his actions at the end of the first film.
Brian's relationship with the polices is surprisingly similar to the first film, even though Brian is now a wanted convict he is still aids and trust him. We also have the agent who doesn't trust Brian, this time in the form of customs Agent Markhan which basically gives us the same police set up the first film.
2 Fast 2 Furious does a good job of not being a clone of it's predecessor whilst still keeping the cars, the speed, the races and chases. There are a couple of scenes at the start that are similar to the first film but these are to help re introduce Brian and set the tone of the film. If you liked the first one then you should give the sequel a watch. (But you probably already know that as this is an old film 😊 )
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Sound (The Last Note #1) in Books
Oct 19, 2020
UPDATE - Sound has now been released by itself and extra added to it. NOW you get the full/part story of Melody. I say full because of the extra and also say part because her story is intertwined with her friends, and rightly so.
I loved the extra that Ms. Daniels added. It really helped to 'flesh out' the story and give some more insight into Melody and Étienne. I am loving grumpy Lucien and can't wait for his story! But then, Moël is so sweet, I want his too! Plus, I really need to find out what has happened to Melody's two friends. Oh, I'm so greedy 🤣
I am thrilled with the additions Maya Daniels has added to Melody's story and I will now impatiently wait for the other two. A gripping story that leaves you wanting more.
Sound is part of the Darkness Rising anthology and, as such, has only part of the story. This is a travesty, I tell you, because I need the rest of it right now! This is the bare bones of the story which leaves me wanting oh so much more.
Melody is in a bit of a pickle and Ethan 😉 is just the vampire to save her. Throw in two friends, two brothers, a wicked witch, and a fish-breathed cat, and you have all the components of this story.
This was a great read but I would definitely recommend you read Last Note first, just to get you up to date with what is going on in here. Fantastic as part of the box set but I really can't wait for the full novel to be released. 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!
I loved the extra that Ms. Daniels added. It really helped to 'flesh out' the story and give some more insight into Melody and Étienne. I am loving grumpy Lucien and can't wait for his story! But then, Moël is so sweet, I want his too! Plus, I really need to find out what has happened to Melody's two friends. Oh, I'm so greedy 🤣
I am thrilled with the additions Maya Daniels has added to Melody's story and I will now impatiently wait for the other two. A gripping story that leaves you wanting more.
Sound is part of the Darkness Rising anthology and, as such, has only part of the story. This is a travesty, I tell you, because I need the rest of it right now! This is the bare bones of the story which leaves me wanting oh so much more.
Melody is in a bit of a pickle and Ethan 😉 is just the vampire to save her. Throw in two friends, two brothers, a wicked witch, and a fish-breathed cat, and you have all the components of this story.
This was a great read but I would definitely recommend you read Last Note first, just to get you up to date with what is going on in here. Fantastic as part of the box set but I really can't wait for the full novel to be released. 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!