Search

Search only in certain items:

40x40

ClareR (5726 KP) rated Little Women in Books

Dec 11, 2018  
Little Women
Little Women
Louisa May Alcott | 2012 | Children
8
7.9 (75 Ratings)
Book Rating
An enjoyable classic!
The thing with Classics, is that they don't tend to stand up to modern scrutiny. I've seen far too many people slating this book because the women had such low aspirations: wife, mother, to be well-behaved, well-mannered at all times. Did they read the bits with Jo in? Ok, so Meg is happy to marry and stay at home with the children, something which would have been expected of her at the time anyway. She doesn't make any complaints about wanting to do anything different though. The majority of women had different expectations at this time - and Jo butts heads against these expectations. She isn't an obedient daughter to a large extent (although her parents recognise her needs and pretty much let her run with it). She isn't an obedient daughter to a large extent. She makes her own money with her writing and goes away to work. Even after marriage she continues to work at the school she and Professor Behr open. So there was some indication that doors would open to those who were forceful and outgoing enough. But why can't we just enjoy these books for what they are? It's a good story that people still enjoy reading, with the added bonus of a bit of social history!
This is the second time that I've read this (which is a rare thing in itself), and I have to say that I really enjoyed it!
Many thanks to Jellybooks for giving me the impetus to read it again!
  
    Troll Face Quest TV Shows

    Troll Face Quest TV Shows

    Games and Entertainment

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    The ultimate pranking game is back with a new victim of choice: TV shows! With more than 50 million...

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
2018 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The music is back, the dinosaurs are back, the chaos is back!
Jurassic Park is one of my all time favorite movie series. There are so many iconic moments in the original movie and I love that this latest addition to the series makes some of those moments come alive for both long-time fans and a new generation of fans. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom brings fans all of the music and action they've fallen in love with over the years and mixes into that a whole new conundrum. With an active volcano threatening to wipe out all of the dinosaurs that have been abandoned on Isla Nublar, the world must decide if they want to step in and rescue the dinosaurs or let nature run its course.

Jeff Goldblum returns to the franchise as the famous mathematician, Dr. Ian Malcolm, and if you've seen any of the original movies you can probably guess where he stands on the matter. Chris Pratt and Dallas Bryce Howard also resume their former roles, Owen Grady and Claire Dearing respectively. The pair disagrees on what the outcome for the dinosaurs should be, but they team up nonetheless and their romantic tension provides a lot of comic relief throughout the movie.

Overall, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom does a wonderful job of blending the old with the new (in terms of themes, characters, etc). A number of well-placed twists keeps the audience in suspense. There are heart-wrenching moments that make you want to cry, celebratory moments that make you want to cheer, action-filled moments that make your heart rate skyrocket, and plain old funny moments that make you laugh. What more can you ask for in movie? Flock to a nearby theater, hold onto your butts, and watch it today!
  
Taken 2 (2012)
Taken 2 (2012)
2012 | Mystery
7
5.9 (10 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Today, we’ve got a review of “TAKEN 2” … YES …. believe it or not, they made a sequal to “TAKEN”.
You’d think that after all the bad guys Liam Neeson’s character, former C.I.A. operative Bryan Mills,
killed in the original “TAKEN” there would be none left …. WRONG …. I guess even in action
movies, the bad guys have families, friends, and fellow criminals who would want revenge and despite the fact that they are villains and deserve whatever sort of punishment the protagonist can dish out.

It is a year after the events in “TAKEN” and retired intelligence agent Bryan Mills (Neeson), is trying to

adjust to life as a civilian security expert working in the private sector while dealing with the fact that his daughter is dating and attempting to pass her driver’s test (for the third time). After Maggie’s step-father walks out on Maggie and Lenore, Bryan invites them to spend time with him in Istanbul after completing a job there.

However, before the vacation begins the happy reunion is ruined when Murad Hoxha (Rade Serbedzia)
the father of the main antagonist in “TAKEN”, kidnaps Lenore and attempts to kidnap
Maggie as well in retaliation for the death of his son.

The film does require some at times absurd leaps of faith and knowledge to drive the story but If you are

coming for acting, a complex story, and such, your simply in the wrong place.

If a fresh batch of bad guys just itching to get their collective butts kicked by Neeson is what you want,

then it will deliver. At the end of the screening the crowd at the theater stood up and gave the film a standing ovation while coincidentally the audience screamed ‘AWESOME’!
  
Lion (2017)
Lion (2017)
2017 |
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Upon discovering this short film, I was impressed with how well it had performed. During its first year of distribution, it has won 126 awards at a variety of film festivals which is quite the selling point. Walking in to the film, I didn’t know much about it but the air of mystery made my viewing experience even better. The film is set in an isolated cabin, on a snowy night, which creates the perfect backdrop for a horror tale…

From the very first scene you can tell this cabin is not a happy place to be. Straight away we’re created with sounds of domestic violence, making the viewer feel instantly uncomfortable. The father in the film is repulsive and lives in a squalor, with cigarette butts, leftover pizza and empty cans of beer dotted everywhere. Michael Segal really brought this character to life, showing us that not all villains are supernatural or machete wielding psychopaths. Some evil can be found in the average home, behind closed doors, where violence takes over. Sometimes humans can be more terrifying than anything else.

The way Lion deals with domestic violence, particularly against children, was done incredibly well. It’s not an easy topic to cover but this short makes an impact without going too far and making it gratuitous. Part of what makes this film so good is what you don’t see on screen, and how your imagination runs wild. It has a slow burning narrative that builds up the suspense and finally unleashes the climactic moment with only a few minutes to spare, providing closure and satisfaction for the spectator.

I really liked the use of special effects throughout the film, because they blended in nicely with the rest of the scene and weren’t overdone at any point. Cinematically it hits all the right notes for a horror film through it’s use of low-lighting, tense creeping moments, and an excellent use of music. Jump scares and gore weren’t needed in Lion, because it manages to deliver real horror in a much more subtler, but effective way. The presence of the lion throughout was a good motif to use as well, as they’re synonymous with courage and being a fighter. You’ll see what I mean when you watch it.

Lion is an incredibly important short film that I believe is a must watch, even for those who don’t tend to reach for horrors. The final card at the end reiterates the important message that is present throughout the film, and it really resonated with me. It’s a film with fantasy elements, yet still deep rooted within reality that it makes you want to stand up and take action in any way you can.

https://jumpcutonline.co.uk/lion-short/
  
    Scrabble

    Scrabble

    8.2 (33 Ratings) Rate It

    Tabletop Game

    Scrabble, the classic crossword game, is full-on fun for friends and family. You can feel the...

Battleship (2012)
Battleship (2012)
2012 | Action, Sci-Fi
Pure cheesy, gooey fun
Battleship is a guilty pleasure of mine. It’s pure cheesy fun. It’s got a great cast of actors who over-act their butts off in it. Pretty much everything in the movie is delightfully overdone. It might not be the most intellectually stimulating film, but if you need an excuse for popcorn and beer it’s perfect. It has a bit of a Starship Troopers feel to it, what with the bad dialogue and the aliens that look like bugs. Hell, it’s even got the token slightly odd-looking red-headed guy being a mouth-off.

It’s pretty much the perfect B-movie, except we got lucky this time and had decent actors and enough money for good special effects. I loved watching the alien ships moving around and getting ready to fire at things. I’m always able to get completely into the film and nothing about the CGI throws me off at all. The dialogue might be horrible, but the action is perfectly paced. It takes me about 40 minutes longer than the movie actually is to finish watching it. Simply because I go back and re-wind and re-watch my favorite parts constantly. And yes, it does have some proper battleship game scenes that will make you grin with nostalgia if you used to love the game.

Liam Neeson’s role isn’t much, but he gives the appropriate note of seriousness to the film. He really just has a bit role though. Alexander Skarsgård does a good job as Stone Hopper (and what kind of name is that?!). He’s the serious older brother, and the true hero that does everything he can. Rhianna didn’t exactly do a bang up job, but she sold her emotions rather well at a few key parts. Taylor Kitsch certainly does a great job as coming across as an immature punk who needs some sense knocked into him.

It’s interesting to note, whatever your reasoning for it might be, that the aliens don’t really seem to be overly destructive in Battleship. Everything they do seems very tactical and deliberate. They have the firepower to lay waste to everything, but they seem to be more able disabling and containment. At one point, when one of the destroyers put away its weapons, the alien ship lowers its weapons too. People die, but not nearly as many as you would expect. Given other events in the movie, I feel like they were trying to take over with as little damage as possible. Maybe they needed humans for slave labor?

Cool Tidbits: The wounded warriors you see in the rehabilitation center scene in Battleship? Actual wounded warriors. The old vets referenced in regards to the USS Missouri are vets that served on that ship. And Mick – who is completely awesome – is also played by a vet. Props to the producers of this movie for making sure to include so many veterans in it. I totally cheered near the end of the movie when all the veterans do the slow hero walk and it’s clear they’re ready to help.

Overall, Battleship is just a fun popcorn movie that doesn’t deserve the razzing it gets. As long as you don’t go into it expecting something highly intellectual or some ground-breaking work, you’ll enjoy yourself.