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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) in Movies
Dec 20, 2019 (Updated Jan 22, 2020)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Right then... I definitely need to go and see this again to properly digest it, so my thoughts on it will probably change...
Just like TLJ before it, there are things that I liked about Rise of Skywalker, and plenty that I didn't. There are also parts that I liked overall, but we're executed poorly - this unfortunately seems to be what to expect from Star Wars these days.
The opening act of ROS, so let's say the first 40ish minutes, felt like a complete mess to me. We are thrown from scene to scene without having much time to catch breath. It feels panicky, and not in a good way.
It not really until the-bit-from-the-trailer-where-rey-jumps-over-a-tie-fighter that the narrative seems to just calm down a bit and find it's footing.
What follows is a mixed bag of humour and mild action which is a bit so so, slowly leading up to the films finale.
I have to say, I actually really enjoyed the majority of the third act. The action scene that takes place on Endor is fantastic. It looks amazing, some of the visual shots are great, and the choreography just about resists falling into prequel territory lightsaber battles.
The final battle, again is visually stunning, and though at times corny, I felt it was a suitable end scene for the saga.
In terms of characters - I once again enjoyed Rey, even i was left undecided with how her arc was left off - the same goes for Kylo Ren, and once again, Adam Driver was a massive highlight throughout.
However, I once again found myself struggling to like Finn and Poe, and it seems that after the events of TFA, both of these characters were just a bit of dead weight, still included in the larger narrative because the actors had signed contracts. Finn runs into a group of defective stormtroopers at one point, and the movie sort of half-arses them into the story, but they ultimately serve no real purpose.
The narrative is also guilty of setting up a potentially important plot beat between him and Rey, which is eventually dropped and forgotten without mention.
Leia's story felt a bit unfleshed, and that surely down to the limited footage they had to work with.
There are two moments that stuck out when it comes to bad execution - the reveal of Rey's lineage is sudden and questionable, but the dialogue used when Kylo Ren delivers the revealing line is laughable, and spoils any weight the moment may have otherwise had. The second is when we are inevitably introduced to Luke's force ghost, a moment that has been coming since the events of TLJ, is delivered with a fan-service line referencing the moment where he threw his lightsaber away at the start of said film, and this bring me to one of my main criticisms of ROS.
I was not the biggest fan of TLJ, but as I mentioned in my review for it, I have a lot of respect for Rian Johnson for trying something new, and ROS reverses a lot of what he did. It feels a bit disrespectful, and a bit spineless.
This also happens a few more times in regards to plot points to do with Chewbacca, and C3-PO - the narrative sets up a fairly ballsy move, and then reverses it and plays it safe. It's a little frustrating.
Palpatines return is something that I can just about get behind - he looked suitably terrifying - but I just wish that the groundwork had been put down a bit more in previous films (films, not the TV shows). Instead, it does have a bit of a desperate ret-con feel about it.
But enough moaning from me, have some more positives - the music score is once again fantastic, the visual effects and CGI are pretty damn good (barring a couple of dodgy shots here and there), and I once again enjoyed the locations that we visited.
Rise of Skywalker will no doubt be devisive, just like The Last Jedi, and it's a film filled to the brim with thrilling Star Wars moments, as well as really really stupid moments, but to be honest, I've come to expect no more and no less at this point. Go and see it for what it is, and try and have a good time, because for the most part, it's pretty entertaining sci-fi fluff.
Side note - Everytime Merry from Lord of the Rings popped up, I found it completely distracting...
Just like TLJ before it, there are things that I liked about Rise of Skywalker, and plenty that I didn't. There are also parts that I liked overall, but we're executed poorly - this unfortunately seems to be what to expect from Star Wars these days.
The opening act of ROS, so let's say the first 40ish minutes, felt like a complete mess to me. We are thrown from scene to scene without having much time to catch breath. It feels panicky, and not in a good way.
It not really until the-bit-from-the-trailer-where-rey-jumps-over-a-tie-fighter that the narrative seems to just calm down a bit and find it's footing.
What follows is a mixed bag of humour and mild action which is a bit so so, slowly leading up to the films finale.
I have to say, I actually really enjoyed the majority of the third act. The action scene that takes place on Endor is fantastic. It looks amazing, some of the visual shots are great, and the choreography just about resists falling into prequel territory lightsaber battles.
The final battle, again is visually stunning, and though at times corny, I felt it was a suitable end scene for the saga.
In terms of characters - I once again enjoyed Rey, even i was left undecided with how her arc was left off - the same goes for Kylo Ren, and once again, Adam Driver was a massive highlight throughout.
However, I once again found myself struggling to like Finn and Poe, and it seems that after the events of TFA, both of these characters were just a bit of dead weight, still included in the larger narrative because the actors had signed contracts. Finn runs into a group of defective stormtroopers at one point, and the movie sort of half-arses them into the story, but they ultimately serve no real purpose.
The narrative is also guilty of setting up a potentially important plot beat between him and Rey, which is eventually dropped and forgotten without mention.
Leia's story felt a bit unfleshed, and that surely down to the limited footage they had to work with.
There are two moments that stuck out when it comes to bad execution - the reveal of Rey's lineage is sudden and questionable, but the dialogue used when Kylo Ren delivers the revealing line is laughable, and spoils any weight the moment may have otherwise had. The second is when we are inevitably introduced to Luke's force ghost, a moment that has been coming since the events of TLJ, is delivered with a fan-service line referencing the moment where he threw his lightsaber away at the start of said film, and this bring me to one of my main criticisms of ROS.
I was not the biggest fan of TLJ, but as I mentioned in my review for it, I have a lot of respect for Rian Johnson for trying something new, and ROS reverses a lot of what he did. It feels a bit disrespectful, and a bit spineless.
This also happens a few more times in regards to plot points to do with Chewbacca, and C3-PO - the narrative sets up a fairly ballsy move, and then reverses it and plays it safe. It's a little frustrating.
Palpatines return is something that I can just about get behind - he looked suitably terrifying - but I just wish that the groundwork had been put down a bit more in previous films (films, not the TV shows). Instead, it does have a bit of a desperate ret-con feel about it.
But enough moaning from me, have some more positives - the music score is once again fantastic, the visual effects and CGI are pretty damn good (barring a couple of dodgy shots here and there), and I once again enjoyed the locations that we visited.
Rise of Skywalker will no doubt be devisive, just like The Last Jedi, and it's a film filled to the brim with thrilling Star Wars moments, as well as really really stupid moments, but to be honest, I've come to expect no more and no less at this point. Go and see it for what it is, and try and have a good time, because for the most part, it's pretty entertaining sci-fi fluff.
Side note - Everytime Merry from Lord of the Rings popped up, I found it completely distracting...
Becs (244 KP) rated Beasts of the Frozen Sun in Books
Sep 22, 2019
The plot - so bloody action-packed that leaves you exhausted at times (3 more)
The Villain - makes you want to fall in love with him but then he does something terrible and you want to dismiss him
The enemies to lovers - the MC's are everything
The writing - Jill Criswell does an amazing job with descriptive text and lyrical writing. I was enthralled throughout.
This book is so underrated and it deserves all the hype!
You can also find this review on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
TRIGGER WARNINGS: war, violence, blood, gore, talk of sexual assault, child abuse, emotional abuse, animal violence, animal sacrifice, death of an animal, anger issues, arsony, death, murder, talk of drowning, absent parent, death of a parent, disowning, forced marriage, death of a sibling, manipulation, mind control, slavery, starvation, torture, trauma
REVIEW: First off, I want to say to not let all of those trigger warnings deter you from reading this breathtaking novel. Beasts of the Frozen Sun was extremely well-written and I will keep screaming this from the rooftops for as long as I am alive of how amazing this novel is.
Beasts of the Frozen Sun is loaded with badassery and brutally epic scenes. Also, that cover is one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever seen. There was complexity to the world-building, relatable characters that you just can’t help but fall in love with, brutal wars and men as monstrous as some of the men in the world today. This fantasy novel was defiantly on the darker side, but it D E L I V E R E D ! And it delivered an immersive read that drowned you in the world until the very end.
Beasts of the Frozen Sun follows Lira, the heroine who is gifted from the gods and goddess’. This gift, the ability to read a person’s soul by just touching their chest, was used by others – mainly Lira’s father and uncle. But then a golden-haired giant washes ashore and Lira decides to help him heal. She hides him away and the two of them grow close, forming a bond that is forbidden by both of their clans. But then, the Dragon comes into the story and Lira is left fighting for her life, Reyker’s soul, and her people’s freedom.
Things I loved about Beasts of the Frozen Sun:
1. The main character being a badass heroine who gets angry when her sword is taken from her.
2. The love interest being a tough “bad boy” on the outside, but deep down he’s a big ole softie.
3. Gods/Goddess’ that walk the Earth with humans (even sometimes messing with them)
4. Magical powers that were once used for evil but now are used for good.
5. The whole ‘pretend to be sick so we can get close’ ordeal.
“Looking into his eyes was like gazing at the ocean – swirling shades of deep cobalt and steel gray. Fathomless. Familiar.”
When each of the characters were introduced, I was amazed at how spectacular, unique, and so very strong each of them were! Lira and Reyker’s bond was intense and absolutely addictive. They are literally EVERYTHING. The two are star-crossed lovers but also enemies to lovers and I NEED MORE OF THEM.
The world is out to keep them apart but the two are magnets. And nothing can keep them apart for very long, not even the world no matter how hard it tries too. Reyker is the beast. He was saved from drowning by Lira, who helped him heal by hiding him away. She teaches him her language and she stands by his side. Even when the rest of the world has chewed him up and spit him back out.
Lira battles with being used and caged. She hates feeling like “property” by her father and uncle. She also refuses to believe that Reyker isn’t worth saving. She is one badass heroine and I strive to be her. Smash these two together and you get one powerful couple!
I also want to take a moment to say that Quinlan has my heart and I need to see more of him in book 2 please dear author! I will pay you in my tears and heart if I have too.
“If I die in a cage tomorrow, or I die in a cage in ten years – what is the difference? A cage is not a life.”
The world-building in Beasts of the Frozen Sun was… OMG seriously some of the best I’ve ever read. With history, there is always brutality and this novel does include that. Death, torture, the treatment of woman were all horrible and at times a bit hard to read but Jill Criswell has such raw talent at describing things that she does an amazing job writing those style of scenes. And with this being a story set back in history, those themes are inevitable. But each theme included, made Beasts of the Frozen Sun seem more and more realistic with each passing page.
The plot of this novel is everything!! Wars to villages raids to snuggles between Lira and Reyker. There was never a boring moment within Beasts of the Frozen Sun. It was packed with so much intensity that at times, it left you a bit exhausted. The plot was also dark and brutal but it fit with the story. This was a bloody amazing action-packed novel of magic and redemption, high stakes and brutal fights, powerful woman and monstrous men.
I am on my first ever book hangover. That ending… Jill Criswell is a cruel woman to leave me hanging in the way she did. But OHMAGAWD, I CAN NOT WAIT for book two of this series. Please, if you only ever pick up one book that I recommend, please please please pick this amazing novel up!
“When that dark womb of stillness engulfed him, he embraced it with a flood of relief. Reyker welcomed whatever torments waited him on the other side of this world, knowing it was nothing less than he deserved.”
TRIGGER WARNINGS: war, violence, blood, gore, talk of sexual assault, child abuse, emotional abuse, animal violence, animal sacrifice, death of an animal, anger issues, arsony, death, murder, talk of drowning, absent parent, death of a parent, disowning, forced marriage, death of a sibling, manipulation, mind control, slavery, starvation, torture, trauma
REVIEW: First off, I want to say to not let all of those trigger warnings deter you from reading this breathtaking novel. Beasts of the Frozen Sun was extremely well-written and I will keep screaming this from the rooftops for as long as I am alive of how amazing this novel is.
Beasts of the Frozen Sun is loaded with badassery and brutally epic scenes. Also, that cover is one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever seen. There was complexity to the world-building, relatable characters that you just can’t help but fall in love with, brutal wars and men as monstrous as some of the men in the world today. This fantasy novel was defiantly on the darker side, but it D E L I V E R E D ! And it delivered an immersive read that drowned you in the world until the very end.
Beasts of the Frozen Sun follows Lira, the heroine who is gifted from the gods and goddess’. This gift, the ability to read a person’s soul by just touching their chest, was used by others – mainly Lira’s father and uncle. But then a golden-haired giant washes ashore and Lira decides to help him heal. She hides him away and the two of them grow close, forming a bond that is forbidden by both of their clans. But then, the Dragon comes into the story and Lira is left fighting for her life, Reyker’s soul, and her people’s freedom.
Things I loved about Beasts of the Frozen Sun:
1. The main character being a badass heroine who gets angry when her sword is taken from her.
2. The love interest being a tough “bad boy” on the outside, but deep down he’s a big ole softie.
3. Gods/Goddess’ that walk the Earth with humans (even sometimes messing with them)
4. Magical powers that were once used for evil but now are used for good.
5. The whole ‘pretend to be sick so we can get close’ ordeal.
“Looking into his eyes was like gazing at the ocean – swirling shades of deep cobalt and steel gray. Fathomless. Familiar.”
When each of the characters were introduced, I was amazed at how spectacular, unique, and so very strong each of them were! Lira and Reyker’s bond was intense and absolutely addictive. They are literally EVERYTHING. The two are star-crossed lovers but also enemies to lovers and I NEED MORE OF THEM.
The world is out to keep them apart but the two are magnets. And nothing can keep them apart for very long, not even the world no matter how hard it tries too. Reyker is the beast. He was saved from drowning by Lira, who helped him heal by hiding him away. She teaches him her language and she stands by his side. Even when the rest of the world has chewed him up and spit him back out.
Lira battles with being used and caged. She hates feeling like “property” by her father and uncle. She also refuses to believe that Reyker isn’t worth saving. She is one badass heroine and I strive to be her. Smash these two together and you get one powerful couple!
I also want to take a moment to say that Quinlan has my heart and I need to see more of him in book 2 please dear author! I will pay you in my tears and heart if I have too.
“If I die in a cage tomorrow, or I die in a cage in ten years – what is the difference? A cage is not a life.”
The world-building in Beasts of the Frozen Sun was… OMG seriously some of the best I’ve ever read. With history, there is always brutality and this novel does include that. Death, torture, the treatment of woman were all horrible and at times a bit hard to read but Jill Criswell has such raw talent at describing things that she does an amazing job writing those style of scenes. And with this being a story set back in history, those themes are inevitable. But each theme included, made Beasts of the Frozen Sun seem more and more realistic with each passing page.
The plot of this novel is everything!! Wars to villages raids to snuggles between Lira and Reyker. There was never a boring moment within Beasts of the Frozen Sun. It was packed with so much intensity that at times, it left you a bit exhausted. The plot was also dark and brutal but it fit with the story. This was a bloody amazing action-packed novel of magic and redemption, high stakes and brutal fights, powerful woman and monstrous men.
I am on my first ever book hangover. That ending… Jill Criswell is a cruel woman to leave me hanging in the way she did. But OHMAGAWD, I CAN NOT WAIT for book two of this series. Please, if you only ever pick up one book that I recommend, please please please pick this amazing novel up!
“When that dark womb of stillness engulfed him, he embraced it with a flood of relief. Reyker welcomed whatever torments waited him on the other side of this world, knowing it was nothing less than he deserved.”
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) in Movies
Mar 20, 2021 (Updated Mar 27, 2021)
Beautiful animation and good character design (2 more)
Voice acting/voice actors
Pretty good setup or start of story going into the movie
$29.99 on top of a Disney plus subscription (2 more)
More often than not pretty predictable and not enough surprises
Not enough stakes or characters never really felt like they were ever in danger to me
Raya, A Really Good Movie That Could Have Been Great
This movie was really good. I really liked it, from the character design to the excellent voice-actors and the setup of the story going into it in the beginning, it really had a lot going for it. This movie had a pretty good all-star cast of Asian voice actors and really liked Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina's performances. Awkwafina was really funny to me and her voice fit naturally for her character Sisu. The character designs were interesting to me and I liked the way they differed for the different tribes. I heard a lot of people were giving comparisons to Avatar: The Last Airbender and I can see why people would say that but for me there really isn't that much of a comparison. Avatar is by far a way better show but it also has a lot more episodes to be a better show and tell a better story. I feel this movie wasn't able to live up to the hype and the Disney standard in the long run but that doesn't stop it from trying. I just think that a lot of it is predictable and nothing really surprising, also as likable as the characters were, there wasn't a lot of character development outside of the main character and nothing to really make you feel enough for the other characters to make them really, really matter to the viewer/audience. The beginning like I said was a decent setup of the legend of how the people had the dragons protecting them from these evil spirits and how the last dragons used their power to save everyone. That was a pretty cool concept and I definitely like the way it lead into the introduction of the different tribal lands and tribes which exist in the present. The training scene with Chief Benja and Raya reminded me of something, from another movie but it was pretty cool. There are also some pretty funny and cool characters you meet later like the charismatic young boy Boun, the hilarious little baby Noi and let's not forget the adorable Tuk-Tuk, Raya's best friend. There's a lot more that I want to go over but I'll save it for the spoiler section because I don't want to ruin this movie for those who still want to see it. This movie doesn't get my must-see seal of approval but it did come close. Main reason is the additional $29.99 price tag on top of Disney plus subscription required for most people to see it at home. If you can see it without having to pay that price then I would say it's definitely worth checking out and if you're going to see it in theaters then it's worth taking the family too. But if your short on cash I'd say wait for this one to be free on Disney plus around June 4th. The rating I give for this movie is going to be a 7/10. It was really good but not great but I enjoyed it.
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Spoiler Section Review:
I thought this movie was really good but it definitely had a lot of flaws. One of those wasn't the character designs or animation which were looked awesome. Also the voice actors were really good and Awkwafina's performance really surprised me but was understandably one of the better performance's and reminded me of such great comedians who have leant their voices for roles like Robin Williams as Genie in Aladdin and Eddie Murphy as Mushu in Mulan and Donkey in Shrek. I mentioned in the first part of the review that the opening story of the legend of how the dragons saved everyone was a really cool concept I thought worked well into introducing the different tribes and then the main characters. That opening scene of Raya breaking into the orb chamber and training with her father reminded me of a scene from another movie. Not sure if it was Pacific Rim: Uprising where John Boyega's character Jake is stealing something from one of the giant robots or a scene from Indiana Jones but it felt very familiar. Which brings me to another big thing that I didn't like about this movie, which is that most if not all the movie was pretty predictable for me. Which doesn't necessary make it a bad thing or a bad movie but takes some of the fun out of it. One of the things that I didn't predict was how after making friends with Namaari in the beginning of the movie that she would totally backstab Raya the way she did. That was such a gripping and tense moment where Chief Benja had to come to Raya's rescue as the Fang tribe moves in to steal the orb. I really liked the part where he can see in the reflection of his sword that Raya was ready to continue fighting alongside him against all the enemies even when the other tribes came to steal the orb for themselves as well. The character designs and animation were really awesome too. I liked Raya's costume and how she transitioned from what she wore as a child to the time skip as well as the different attire that the different tribes had. I liked how they all were quite different beside just their clothes too, like how Raya's tribe was the Heart and they wore green and blue but their home was the most full of life, with plants and water, the Fang looked more like a city but like a capital militaristic feel to it, with much being about law and order or rule. The spine was more in the colder region and had big people wearing multiple layer clothing for warmth and Tail which little is known about even though it was the first one we're shown because it has been wiped out by the Druun and it is supposed to be a mainly dried up desert region and have small pockets of villages. The last one, Talon was probably one of the most colorful ones and smart in how they dealt with the Druun as well. They built their houses on stilts right on the water and had a huge marketplace where it seemed like a festival or party was going on because there was so many people going on as if there wasn't any danger. Another thing I liked about the movie was how Raya didn't have to have powers and she didn't have to be the rescued princess but instead was a strong capable person on her own. I also liked how it seemed the more the movie went on, she kept adding people to her group/crew on her journey. Kind of like Magnificent Seven. One thing I didn't like was that it never really felt like their were enough stakes along the way. Characters kept making mistakes but nothing bad really happened or mattered for long enough to impact the characters in a bad way. The part that got me the most was in the very beginning scene where the tribes try to steal the orb and it falls and breaks and Chief Benja gets shot by an arrow in the leg and tries his hardest to save Raya from the Druun as they come back and start devouring everyone turning them to stone. I heard a lot of people say that he didn't need to sacrifice himself and throw Raya into the river to save her if he just kept running; and that he probably could have hopped more on the other leg. If you think about it though he probably made it pretty far even though he had that injury and couldn't go on any further. I admit that this part got me a little emotional but for many people that knew it was a Disney movie and not Pixar figured that it didn't mean everyone would stay as stone. I however thought back to the beginning of the film and remember that even the dragons stayed as stone meaning it was possible that these people might never turn back to normal. The other part that got me was also a part I had a hard time with was when Namaari first sees Sisu and then her actions later after she tells her mother. I felt that Sisu should have told her something or vice-versa but I guess she stayed in shock. Also when she told her mother and the mother already knew I really felt like her Mother was the bad guy of the film but when Raya gives Namaari her pendant back and sets up a meeting with her, I really felt like I knew what would happen next. Namaari's mother, Virana would have a bunch of guards show up and it would be a setup and Namaari wouldn't have known about it and it would be a time for her character to redeem herself. Instead Namaari pulls out a crossbow when she sees Raya has all the pieces of the orb and while Sisu tries to talk her down Raya takes a chance to attack Namaari and Sisu gets struck with an arrow and falls into the river to die. I could totally see this happening but what I couldn't predict was that Namaari would blame it all on Raya and say it was all her fault and none of this would of happened if it wasn't for her. This was like the stupidest line in the movie and made no sense to me because Namaari was the one when she was a girl who backstabbed Raya and betrayed her as soon as she found out the location of the orb. So the scene where Raya is super pissed and trying to kill her was very gratifying to me because it made a lot of sense that Raya was mad and didn't care about anything but revenge in that part. Namaari tells her that she's lost everything already and doesn't care, and Raya decides to help her friends with her orb piece. As the pieces start losing power and they are becoming surrounded by the Druun, what doesn't make sense to me is how Raya chooses to put her faith in Namaari and let's herself become consumed by the Druun. Her friends decide to follow her example and do the same and eventually when Namaari is the only one she's able to put the pieces of the orb back together vanquishing the Druun and bringing everyone back to life including Sisu and all the dragons. I don't know to me it just seemed like Namaari was pretty irredeemable after all that she had done and didn't seem like it was a sure thing and this kind of bothered me. It seemed like the movie had a message about wanting to be able to trust people but showed more and more how sometimes you can't so had me pretty mixed about what the movie was really about. Anyways I think I went off a little too long for this review but it's because it was a fun watch for me. So like I said, I give this movie a 7/10 and say it's a really good movie.
https://youtu.be/3So_GFox4-A
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Spoiler Section Review:
I thought this movie was really good but it definitely had a lot of flaws. One of those wasn't the character designs or animation which were looked awesome. Also the voice actors were really good and Awkwafina's performance really surprised me but was understandably one of the better performance's and reminded me of such great comedians who have leant their voices for roles like Robin Williams as Genie in Aladdin and Eddie Murphy as Mushu in Mulan and Donkey in Shrek. I mentioned in the first part of the review that the opening story of the legend of how the dragons saved everyone was a really cool concept I thought worked well into introducing the different tribes and then the main characters. That opening scene of Raya breaking into the orb chamber and training with her father reminded me of a scene from another movie. Not sure if it was Pacific Rim: Uprising where John Boyega's character Jake is stealing something from one of the giant robots or a scene from Indiana Jones but it felt very familiar. Which brings me to another big thing that I didn't like about this movie, which is that most if not all the movie was pretty predictable for me. Which doesn't necessary make it a bad thing or a bad movie but takes some of the fun out of it. One of the things that I didn't predict was how after making friends with Namaari in the beginning of the movie that she would totally backstab Raya the way she did. That was such a gripping and tense moment where Chief Benja had to come to Raya's rescue as the Fang tribe moves in to steal the orb. I really liked the part where he can see in the reflection of his sword that Raya was ready to continue fighting alongside him against all the enemies even when the other tribes came to steal the orb for themselves as well. The character designs and animation were really awesome too. I liked Raya's costume and how she transitioned from what she wore as a child to the time skip as well as the different attire that the different tribes had. I liked how they all were quite different beside just their clothes too, like how Raya's tribe was the Heart and they wore green and blue but their home was the most full of life, with plants and water, the Fang looked more like a city but like a capital militaristic feel to it, with much being about law and order or rule. The spine was more in the colder region and had big people wearing multiple layer clothing for warmth and Tail which little is known about even though it was the first one we're shown because it has been wiped out by the Druun and it is supposed to be a mainly dried up desert region and have small pockets of villages. The last one, Talon was probably one of the most colorful ones and smart in how they dealt with the Druun as well. They built their houses on stilts right on the water and had a huge marketplace where it seemed like a festival or party was going on because there was so many people going on as if there wasn't any danger. Another thing I liked about the movie was how Raya didn't have to have powers and she didn't have to be the rescued princess but instead was a strong capable person on her own. I also liked how it seemed the more the movie went on, she kept adding people to her group/crew on her journey. Kind of like Magnificent Seven. One thing I didn't like was that it never really felt like their were enough stakes along the way. Characters kept making mistakes but nothing bad really happened or mattered for long enough to impact the characters in a bad way. The part that got me the most was in the very beginning scene where the tribes try to steal the orb and it falls and breaks and Chief Benja gets shot by an arrow in the leg and tries his hardest to save Raya from the Druun as they come back and start devouring everyone turning them to stone. I heard a lot of people say that he didn't need to sacrifice himself and throw Raya into the river to save her if he just kept running; and that he probably could have hopped more on the other leg. If you think about it though he probably made it pretty far even though he had that injury and couldn't go on any further. I admit that this part got me a little emotional but for many people that knew it was a Disney movie and not Pixar figured that it didn't mean everyone would stay as stone. I however thought back to the beginning of the film and remember that even the dragons stayed as stone meaning it was possible that these people might never turn back to normal. The other part that got me was also a part I had a hard time with was when Namaari first sees Sisu and then her actions later after she tells her mother. I felt that Sisu should have told her something or vice-versa but I guess she stayed in shock. Also when she told her mother and the mother already knew I really felt like her Mother was the bad guy of the film but when Raya gives Namaari her pendant back and sets up a meeting with her, I really felt like I knew what would happen next. Namaari's mother, Virana would have a bunch of guards show up and it would be a setup and Namaari wouldn't have known about it and it would be a time for her character to redeem herself. Instead Namaari pulls out a crossbow when she sees Raya has all the pieces of the orb and while Sisu tries to talk her down Raya takes a chance to attack Namaari and Sisu gets struck with an arrow and falls into the river to die. I could totally see this happening but what I couldn't predict was that Namaari would blame it all on Raya and say it was all her fault and none of this would of happened if it wasn't for her. This was like the stupidest line in the movie and made no sense to me because Namaari was the one when she was a girl who backstabbed Raya and betrayed her as soon as she found out the location of the orb. So the scene where Raya is super pissed and trying to kill her was very gratifying to me because it made a lot of sense that Raya was mad and didn't care about anything but revenge in that part. Namaari tells her that she's lost everything already and doesn't care, and Raya decides to help her friends with her orb piece. As the pieces start losing power and they are becoming surrounded by the Druun, what doesn't make sense to me is how Raya chooses to put her faith in Namaari and let's herself become consumed by the Druun. Her friends decide to follow her example and do the same and eventually when Namaari is the only one she's able to put the pieces of the orb back together vanquishing the Druun and bringing everyone back to life including Sisu and all the dragons. I don't know to me it just seemed like Namaari was pretty irredeemable after all that she had done and didn't seem like it was a sure thing and this kind of bothered me. It seemed like the movie had a message about wanting to be able to trust people but showed more and more how sometimes you can't so had me pretty mixed about what the movie was really about. Anyways I think I went off a little too long for this review but it's because it was a fun watch for me. So like I said, I give this movie a 7/10 and say it's a really good movie.
https://youtu.be/3So_GFox4-A
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Thousand Year Curse in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a> towards the end of September).
When I first found out about this book, I was very interested. I couldn't wait to read it! Luckily, it totally delivered.
Ryder is a 17 year old high school student who isn't very popular. Her ex-best friend makes her life a living hell at school. When Ollie arrives, he takes an immediate interest. Ryder is thrilled and feels as if Ollie is her soul mate. Not much later, Ari turns up, and Ryder can't help but feel as if she's known him. There's also some kind of attraction there. Ryder must choose between the two boys. As if that wasn't hard enough, Ryder has just found out her mother is a Greek goddess. Ryder wants to find her mother but doing so may put everyone in danger.
The title is definitely interesting. It does go with what the books about, and I think it's an awesome choice.
To be honest, I'm not really a fan of the cover. I think it's just a personal thing simply because I'm not a big fan of symbolism. I do like the whole pretty flower in the midst of dead things, but I just don't like it for this book. It doesn't really say much about the book.
The world building is alright. There's a few things that hurt the world building. For example, it seemed to me that Ryder just accepted everything she was told at face value. Sure, a few weird things are happening to her, but it's like she's told by a boy she just met, and she believes it all. Her best friend is even worse. He's told that Ryder is a half-goddess, and he just believes it with no questions asked. Also, I don't really think this whole curse is explained well enough. In fact, I'm still a little confused about the curse. So if both guys find her, even if she chooses one, she'll die a horrible death and be reincarnated? I'm just wondering how long she has before she dies because it just seemed like the curse wasn't that imminent. There's also Ryder's powers. She's had super strength since the beginning of the book, yet later on she has another super strength episode, and she acts like it's the first one she's had and is all shocked. Another thing that I found confusing was the whole reincarnation thing. She's been reincarnated by Hades for a thousand years. This life, she is a half goddess which makes things a bit difficult for Hades. Surely if Hades is the one that put the curse on her, then he should've been able to make her human. Saying that, I don't want people to think the world building is horribly written. It's far from it actually. The world is very interesting, but I just tend to over think things, I think. (See what I mean)?
The pacing is great in this book. The pacing really picks up during the Hell scenes, I thought. These were the scenes that held my attention the most although the whole book held my attention. The Hell scenes just made me want to read faster to find out what would happen next!
The plot is definitely an interesting one. I love the infusion of Greek mythology, and Ms. Lavati does an excellent job of making mythology work in her book. I've read a few books where the author tried to use some sort of mythology, and the book was just too boring. However, The Thousand Year Curse is by no means boring! There is a love triangle, and I usually hate them, but this one works in this story. I also like the fact that the plot involved going into Hell. That was definitely a good move on Ms. Lavati's part to include it in her book. There's no cliff hangar ending, but there are questions left unanswered to make way for the second book in the series. I, personally, am looking forward to the next book in the series.
The characters were written really well. I liked Ryder, and I liked how she dealt with her problems. At times, I did get annoyed with her because I just wanted her to choose one guy. However, I would have to remind myself that without this problem, there'd be no series. Ryder felt like a real girl and not just words on a paper. Ollie was written really well, but I just didn't like him. For one, I felt like he was just too serious. I also felt like he was too distant with Ryder a lot of the time. I also wanted to see more about Ollie in the book. My favorite character was Ari. I swooned over Ari! He had enough of that bad boy personality without being too much of an annoying character. I liked how he liked to take chances, and it seemed like he knew how to have fun. I'm Team Ari all the way! I'm hoping that Ryder ends up with Ari in the long run. I can actually feel the chemistry between those two.
There are quite a lot of grammar errors in this book. I feel that it does affect the quality of the book a little bit, but not so much so that it makes it unreadable. However, the dialogue in this book is fantastic especially in the scenes that Ari is in. (Okay, so I'm a bit biased). The characters all speak like they're from this time period even though two of them are gods. I was super thankful the characters spoke like normal people. I've read a book before where the character who is a god spoke rather strangely hence why I was so happy with the dialogue in this book.
Overall, The Thousand Year Curse by Taylor Lavati is an enjoyable read. Sure, it could do with some better editing and the world building could've used a little bit of work, but it's still really interesting. Plus, I've learned that Ms. Lavati wrote this book in 30 days for the NaNoWriMo competition. After learning that, my respect for Ms. Lavati went up a lot! To write a book as good as The Thousand Year Curse in 30 days is no small feat. After saying that, I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 17+ who are after a fantastic book with Greek mythology infusions.
(I was provided with a free paperback copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
When I first found out about this book, I was very interested. I couldn't wait to read it! Luckily, it totally delivered.
Ryder is a 17 year old high school student who isn't very popular. Her ex-best friend makes her life a living hell at school. When Ollie arrives, he takes an immediate interest. Ryder is thrilled and feels as if Ollie is her soul mate. Not much later, Ari turns up, and Ryder can't help but feel as if she's known him. There's also some kind of attraction there. Ryder must choose between the two boys. As if that wasn't hard enough, Ryder has just found out her mother is a Greek goddess. Ryder wants to find her mother but doing so may put everyone in danger.
The title is definitely interesting. It does go with what the books about, and I think it's an awesome choice.
To be honest, I'm not really a fan of the cover. I think it's just a personal thing simply because I'm not a big fan of symbolism. I do like the whole pretty flower in the midst of dead things, but I just don't like it for this book. It doesn't really say much about the book.
The world building is alright. There's a few things that hurt the world building. For example, it seemed to me that Ryder just accepted everything she was told at face value. Sure, a few weird things are happening to her, but it's like she's told by a boy she just met, and she believes it all. Her best friend is even worse. He's told that Ryder is a half-goddess, and he just believes it with no questions asked. Also, I don't really think this whole curse is explained well enough. In fact, I'm still a little confused about the curse. So if both guys find her, even if she chooses one, she'll die a horrible death and be reincarnated? I'm just wondering how long she has before she dies because it just seemed like the curse wasn't that imminent. There's also Ryder's powers. She's had super strength since the beginning of the book, yet later on she has another super strength episode, and she acts like it's the first one she's had and is all shocked. Another thing that I found confusing was the whole reincarnation thing. She's been reincarnated by Hades for a thousand years. This life, she is a half goddess which makes things a bit difficult for Hades. Surely if Hades is the one that put the curse on her, then he should've been able to make her human. Saying that, I don't want people to think the world building is horribly written. It's far from it actually. The world is very interesting, but I just tend to over think things, I think. (See what I mean)?
The pacing is great in this book. The pacing really picks up during the Hell scenes, I thought. These were the scenes that held my attention the most although the whole book held my attention. The Hell scenes just made me want to read faster to find out what would happen next!
The plot is definitely an interesting one. I love the infusion of Greek mythology, and Ms. Lavati does an excellent job of making mythology work in her book. I've read a few books where the author tried to use some sort of mythology, and the book was just too boring. However, The Thousand Year Curse is by no means boring! There is a love triangle, and I usually hate them, but this one works in this story. I also like the fact that the plot involved going into Hell. That was definitely a good move on Ms. Lavati's part to include it in her book. There's no cliff hangar ending, but there are questions left unanswered to make way for the second book in the series. I, personally, am looking forward to the next book in the series.
The characters were written really well. I liked Ryder, and I liked how she dealt with her problems. At times, I did get annoyed with her because I just wanted her to choose one guy. However, I would have to remind myself that without this problem, there'd be no series. Ryder felt like a real girl and not just words on a paper. Ollie was written really well, but I just didn't like him. For one, I felt like he was just too serious. I also felt like he was too distant with Ryder a lot of the time. I also wanted to see more about Ollie in the book. My favorite character was Ari. I swooned over Ari! He had enough of that bad boy personality without being too much of an annoying character. I liked how he liked to take chances, and it seemed like he knew how to have fun. I'm Team Ari all the way! I'm hoping that Ryder ends up with Ari in the long run. I can actually feel the chemistry between those two.
There are quite a lot of grammar errors in this book. I feel that it does affect the quality of the book a little bit, but not so much so that it makes it unreadable. However, the dialogue in this book is fantastic especially in the scenes that Ari is in. (Okay, so I'm a bit biased). The characters all speak like they're from this time period even though two of them are gods. I was super thankful the characters spoke like normal people. I've read a book before where the character who is a god spoke rather strangely hence why I was so happy with the dialogue in this book.
Overall, The Thousand Year Curse by Taylor Lavati is an enjoyable read. Sure, it could do with some better editing and the world building could've used a little bit of work, but it's still really interesting. Plus, I've learned that Ms. Lavati wrote this book in 30 days for the NaNoWriMo competition. After learning that, my respect for Ms. Lavati went up a lot! To write a book as good as The Thousand Year Curse in 30 days is no small feat. After saying that, I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 17+ who are after a fantastic book with Greek mythology infusions.
(I was provided with a free paperback copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Rosie Lewis, presumably a penname, has been a professional foster carer for over seven years. During this time, she has dealt with children and teenagers from all sorts of backgrounds who are usually facing some form of crisis or difficulty. In latter years, Rosie has begun to combine her love of writing with her fostering experiences by writing story-like memoirs. <i>Taken</i> is Rosie’s latest publication, which reveals how emotionally challenging fostering can be.
Rosie first met Megan when she was only a few days old, struggling with the effects of neonatal abstinence syndrome and a cleft plate. Removed from her mother’s care – a drug addict – Megan needs a temporary home to go to. Rosie is more than happy to take care of Megan until her “forever home” can be found.
As time goes on, Rosie and her children become attached to the little girl and include her as part of the family. Megan’s salient recovery turns her into an energetic, slightly precocious toddler who absolutely adores Rosie’s family as much as they love her. But Rosie knows she will eventually have to say goodbye, no matter what her feelings.
Rosie explains to the reader how difficult it is to function properly as a foster carer once strong emotions have got involved. She dreams of being able to keep Megan forever, but when a couple are found who desperately want a child, Rosie has no choice but to say goodbye.
It is heartbreaking to see the effects of the separation on Rosie as well as on Megan, who, despite Rosie’s attempts to elucidate the situation, does not fully comprehend what is going on. Guiltily hoping that Megan’s irascible behaviour, or a cataclysmic event, puts the new parents off adoption, Rosie says goodbye to the little girl she loves with all her heart. However, her hopes are raised when it becomes clear the adoption is not sitting as well with the new parents as much as they originally hoped. Perhaps Rosie has a chance to become Megan’s “forever mummy” after all?
Told from Rosie’s professional perspective, readers are taken on a journey from a child’s unstable beginning, to a time when they are at peace with the world. It is impossible to be unaffected by the events in Megan’s life, or experience versions of Rosie’s own emotions.
Many foster carers, social workers and nurses have put their experiences onto paper to share with the world. Most are good storytellers and are able to create a tale that could almost be fiction, with good use of vocabulary and imagery. At times, it felt like Rosie was attempting to tell a story, but instead ended up with a formal account of events. As the book progressed, however, the reader becomes so invested in Megan’s wellbeing that this issue becomes unnoticeable.
Unlike stories about older children in care, Megan’s life is easier to read about since, being fostered as a new born baby, she has no demoralizing past to overcome. Taken is by far the happier story within its genre, not least because of its satisfying ending, but from the joy Megan brings to the lives of everyone around her, too. Those new to this style of book may find <i>Taken</i> a good way of easing themselves into the genre, rather than jumping in with a story about a child with a background full of unspeakable things.
Rosie Lewis, presumably a penname, has been a professional foster carer for over seven years. During this time, she has dealt with children and teenagers from all sorts of backgrounds who are usually facing some form of crisis or difficulty. In latter years, Rosie has begun to combine her love of writing with her fostering experiences by writing story-like memoirs. <i>Taken</i> is Rosie’s latest publication, which reveals how emotionally challenging fostering can be.
Rosie first met Megan when she was only a few days old, struggling with the effects of neonatal abstinence syndrome and a cleft plate. Removed from her mother’s care – a drug addict – Megan needs a temporary home to go to. Rosie is more than happy to take care of Megan until her “forever home” can be found.
As time goes on, Rosie and her children become attached to the little girl and include her as part of the family. Megan’s salient recovery turns her into an energetic, slightly precocious toddler who absolutely adores Rosie’s family as much as they love her. But Rosie knows she will eventually have to say goodbye, no matter what her feelings.
Rosie explains to the reader how difficult it is to function properly as a foster carer once strong emotions have got involved. She dreams of being able to keep Megan forever, but when a couple are found who desperately want a child, Rosie has no choice but to say goodbye.
It is heartbreaking to see the effects of the separation on Rosie as well as on Megan, who, despite Rosie’s attempts to elucidate the situation, does not fully comprehend what is going on. Guiltily hoping that Megan’s irascible behaviour, or a cataclysmic event, puts the new parents off adoption, Rosie says goodbye to the little girl she loves with all her heart. However, her hopes are raised when it becomes clear the adoption is not sitting as well with the new parents as much as they originally hoped. Perhaps Rosie has a chance to become Megan’s “forever mummy” after all?
Told from Rosie’s professional perspective, readers are taken on a journey from a child’s unstable beginning, to a time when they are at peace with the world. It is impossible to be unaffected by the events in Megan’s life, or experience versions of Rosie’s own emotions.
Many foster carers, social workers and nurses have put their experiences onto paper to share with the world. Most are good storytellers and are able to create a tale that could almost be fiction, with good use of vocabulary and imagery. At times, it felt like Rosie was attempting to tell a story, but instead ended up with a formal account of events. As the book progressed, however, the reader becomes so invested in Megan’s wellbeing that this issue becomes unnoticeable.
Unlike stories about older children in care, Megan’s life is easier to read about since, being fostered as a new born baby, she has no demoralizing past to overcome. Taken is by far the happier story within its genre, not least because of its satisfying ending, but from the joy Megan brings to the lives of everyone around her, too. Those new to this style of book may find <i>Taken</i> a good way of easing themselves into the genre, rather than jumping in with a story about a child with a background full of unspeakable things.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated NMBR 9 in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2020
When I first heard of NMBR 9, I thought it looked like a cool table-top version of Tetris. I was immediately drawn to the bright colors and the abstract concept, and it earned a spot high atop my wishlist. Luckily, I have a birthday every year, and even more luckily, I have great friends who know how to help me celebrate. So shoutout to Travis and his wife Kristin for getting me this gem for my birthday last year!
NMBR 9 is a tile-laying game of abstract strategy in which players are trying to accumulate the most end-game points. Setup is easy – just shuffle the deck of number cards, and you are ready to go! Here’s how you play. Every round, a card is drawn from the deck. Each player then takes the corresponding number tile and adds it to their arrangement following the specified placement restrictions. Those restrictions are as follows: tiles must be placed number-side up, tiles on the same level must be touching orthogonally, a tile placed on a level above other tiles must touch at least 2 tiles beneath it, and a tile placed on a level above other tiles must not have any gaps below it. Once everyone has placed their tile, a new card is drawn and play continues. The deck consists of 2 cards of each number (0-9), and once the deck runs out, the game ends and points are tallied. To count up your points, you multiply the number on each tile by the level on which the tile sits. The bottom-most level (on the table) is level 0, so any tiles there earn you no points. Let’s say you get an 8 tile on your 2nd level, so at the end of the game, that tile earns you 16 points. The highest score wins, so brush up on your multiplication tables!
Does NMBR 9 add up to everything you’d hoped for? Ok, bad pun. But really – how does this game hold up? For a game that is so easy to learn, it takes a lot of thought to play. The idea of tile-laying isn’t new, but because these tiles are all different shapes and have very specific placement restrictions, it takes this game to the next level – literally. The cards dictate the order in which tiles are played, so you are constantly adapting your strategy to fit the given tile into your array. One thing that helps make it a little easier to strategize is knowing that there are exactly 2 cards for every number in the deck. So as the game goes on, you can usually figure out which cards are left and try to set your grid up for maximum points. That being said, it still takes quite a bit more strategy than originally meets the eye. My first play was pretty brutal because I was not expecting to be that challenged!
The biggest drawback for me is that because of the abstract tile shapes and placement restrictions, it can be difficult to build a solid base upon which to earn yourself lots of points. Since you aren’t allowed to leave gaps under tiles, you really need to create as much unbroken space as possible to ensure that you can play any number of tiles on higher levels. That ultimately means that you have to sacrifice some tiles to your Level 0 (which scores no points) to eventually play tiles to any upper levels. If the bottom-most layer was Level 1, it would not feel like a waste to put, for example, a 9 on the table to create a platform for the next level. And another thing that can be rough at first is the scoring. Yeah yeah, simple multiplication isn’t that bad, but it still takes me a hot second to multiply everything and get it added up for my final score. Not a knock on the game necessarily, just a wake-up call for my lack of math skills I guess.
Overall, I think that NMBR 9 is a great game! It’s an easy game to learn, but definitely a tricky one to master. It is fast enough to play many times in a row, and I often find myself asking for one more play just to see if I can do better next time. All in all, it’s a great game, and I am so happy with this birthday gift! Purple Phoenix Games gives NMBR 9 a calculating 15 / 18.
NMBR 9 is a tile-laying game of abstract strategy in which players are trying to accumulate the most end-game points. Setup is easy – just shuffle the deck of number cards, and you are ready to go! Here’s how you play. Every round, a card is drawn from the deck. Each player then takes the corresponding number tile and adds it to their arrangement following the specified placement restrictions. Those restrictions are as follows: tiles must be placed number-side up, tiles on the same level must be touching orthogonally, a tile placed on a level above other tiles must touch at least 2 tiles beneath it, and a tile placed on a level above other tiles must not have any gaps below it. Once everyone has placed their tile, a new card is drawn and play continues. The deck consists of 2 cards of each number (0-9), and once the deck runs out, the game ends and points are tallied. To count up your points, you multiply the number on each tile by the level on which the tile sits. The bottom-most level (on the table) is level 0, so any tiles there earn you no points. Let’s say you get an 8 tile on your 2nd level, so at the end of the game, that tile earns you 16 points. The highest score wins, so brush up on your multiplication tables!
Does NMBR 9 add up to everything you’d hoped for? Ok, bad pun. But really – how does this game hold up? For a game that is so easy to learn, it takes a lot of thought to play. The idea of tile-laying isn’t new, but because these tiles are all different shapes and have very specific placement restrictions, it takes this game to the next level – literally. The cards dictate the order in which tiles are played, so you are constantly adapting your strategy to fit the given tile into your array. One thing that helps make it a little easier to strategize is knowing that there are exactly 2 cards for every number in the deck. So as the game goes on, you can usually figure out which cards are left and try to set your grid up for maximum points. That being said, it still takes quite a bit more strategy than originally meets the eye. My first play was pretty brutal because I was not expecting to be that challenged!
The biggest drawback for me is that because of the abstract tile shapes and placement restrictions, it can be difficult to build a solid base upon which to earn yourself lots of points. Since you aren’t allowed to leave gaps under tiles, you really need to create as much unbroken space as possible to ensure that you can play any number of tiles on higher levels. That ultimately means that you have to sacrifice some tiles to your Level 0 (which scores no points) to eventually play tiles to any upper levels. If the bottom-most layer was Level 1, it would not feel like a waste to put, for example, a 9 on the table to create a platform for the next level. And another thing that can be rough at first is the scoring. Yeah yeah, simple multiplication isn’t that bad, but it still takes me a hot second to multiply everything and get it added up for my final score. Not a knock on the game necessarily, just a wake-up call for my lack of math skills I guess.
Overall, I think that NMBR 9 is a great game! It’s an easy game to learn, but definitely a tricky one to master. It is fast enough to play many times in a row, and I often find myself asking for one more play just to see if I can do better next time. All in all, it’s a great game, and I am so happy with this birthday gift! Purple Phoenix Games gives NMBR 9 a calculating 15 / 18.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated What Richard Did (2013) in Movies
Mar 26, 2018
Could Have Been Better
Teenage Richard Carlsen (Jack Reynor) is faced with terrible consequences after events at a party go awry. What Richard Did makes the mistake of assuming that its plot alone would be enough to hold the interest of the audience. Lack of intrigue is its ultimate downfall.
Acting: 10
One thing that wasn't lacking was strong acting performances. The cast was excellent from the top down. Reynor shines in his role as Richard having to express and master an array of emotions. He effortlessly controls scenes, evoking the proper emotion from the audience.
Beginning: 7
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
A multitude of beautiful one-shots were captured throughout the film. It helps when the ocean and sunsets are your backdrop, but those images still have to be captured just right at an appealing angle. Shot of the cast having an innocent good time at their parties helps you to warm up to the crew instantly and remember similar times.
Conflict: 4
While there is some initial friction when we uncover what the heart of the story is about, things taper out from there. There wasn't enough conflict to keep me interested. The movie moves straightforward towards its resolution like an arrow, not really creating much more intrigue along the way.
Genre: 6
I give it credit for its fork in the road, but I have definitely seen better dramas. Dramatic film is supposed to leave an impact and this one...just left me. There was potential there for more.
Memorability: 2
I would have scored this even lower, however, I like the depths of humanity that were touched on through Richard's character. The film explores the reality of what a crisis would probably look like: Us looking out for ourselves first before we think of others. Besides that, there was nothing else that stood out for me.
Pace: 7
As I stated earlier, the film goes through a long lull that it never fully rebounds from. The lack of conflict slows things way down and makes it hard to remain engaged. Had there been more points of intrigue or crisis depth, the pace would probably have righted itself.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 4
If it's one thing I hate, it's ambiguous endings that leave you scratching your head. Expect that here. I won't ruin it, but I will say that I was hoping to have some questions answered by the time the credits started rolling. Unfortunately, the ending left me completely and utterly in the dark.
Overall: 68
I was hoping to like this a lot more and was sadly disappointed. It's not a top notch drama, but easily could have been with just a few more cogs in the wheel. Definitely one you can skip.
Acting: 10
One thing that wasn't lacking was strong acting performances. The cast was excellent from the top down. Reynor shines in his role as Richard having to express and master an array of emotions. He effortlessly controls scenes, evoking the proper emotion from the audience.
Beginning: 7
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
A multitude of beautiful one-shots were captured throughout the film. It helps when the ocean and sunsets are your backdrop, but those images still have to be captured just right at an appealing angle. Shot of the cast having an innocent good time at their parties helps you to warm up to the crew instantly and remember similar times.
Conflict: 4
While there is some initial friction when we uncover what the heart of the story is about, things taper out from there. There wasn't enough conflict to keep me interested. The movie moves straightforward towards its resolution like an arrow, not really creating much more intrigue along the way.
Genre: 6
I give it credit for its fork in the road, but I have definitely seen better dramas. Dramatic film is supposed to leave an impact and this one...just left me. There was potential there for more.
Memorability: 2
I would have scored this even lower, however, I like the depths of humanity that were touched on through Richard's character. The film explores the reality of what a crisis would probably look like: Us looking out for ourselves first before we think of others. Besides that, there was nothing else that stood out for me.
Pace: 7
As I stated earlier, the film goes through a long lull that it never fully rebounds from. The lack of conflict slows things way down and makes it hard to remain engaged. Had there been more points of intrigue or crisis depth, the pace would probably have righted itself.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 4
If it's one thing I hate, it's ambiguous endings that leave you scratching your head. Expect that here. I won't ruin it, but I will say that I was hoping to have some questions answered by the time the credits started rolling. Unfortunately, the ending left me completely and utterly in the dark.
Overall: 68
I was hoping to like this a lot more and was sadly disappointed. It's not a top notch drama, but easily could have been with just a few more cogs in the wheel. Definitely one you can skip.
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Half Bound (Helheim Wolf Pack Tale #5) in Books
Apr 13, 2021
Thank you, Ms Dawes, for writing these books, I've thoroughly enjoyed delving into this world.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 5 in the Helheim Wolf Pack series, the last book and you do NEED to have read the other books before this one. This one pulls everything together but not everything important is recapped.
I found this one a much darker read than the others. The others are graphic and explicit but I thought this one was so much MORE. The violence Vivian expends to get what she wants is described in great detail, what she does and what she has others do. This is the only reason I gave it. . .oh . . no. . .wait, there is ANOTHER reason. Let me try that again! This is ONE of the reasons I gave it 4 stars. Oh but she does get her comeuppance, she really does!
Saxon is captured and Casey allows herself to be taken, on the condition Saxon is freed. Yeah, right, we did not see that one being double-crossed by Vivian! Vivian breaks Casey, she really does, physically and emotionally. It's painful reading, not just the physical stuff, but when Casey comes to terms with what Vivian does to her, what it means for her future, what it means she can never be. And then. . .not yet. . .I'll say soon.
Across the other side of the story, Brax, who left Rhett a while ago because he was addicted to Indi's bite, has to fetch a new pack member who affects him, and his wolf, deeply. But Andrea is damaged, both inside and out, and she doesn't think anyone will want her now her abusive ex has marked her as he did. Besides, all men are gonna hurt her, so she steers clear. When said ex gets too close, Brax and Drae bond, and when they do? Oh it's so beautiful, their bonding, it really is. Said ex also gets his comeuppance, but not quite how I thought he would!
Back to what Vivian does to break Casey emotionally. This is the other reason I gave it 4 stars. Casey loves Saxon and he loves her. But they never really got to tell each other that. After Casey gets free, I'm not surprised she has the thoughts she does. And then there was that "Besides. . . ." when Vivian was gloating! So now my mind is racing and I want answers! At least I know the questions this time!
A very fitting end, and one that spawns another series about Casey and her brothers. I hope to get my hands on them too.
Thank you, Ms Dawes, for writing these books, I've thoroughly enjoyed delving into this world.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 5 in the Helheim Wolf Pack series, the last book and you do NEED to have read the other books before this one. This one pulls everything together but not everything important is recapped.
I found this one a much darker read than the others. The others are graphic and explicit but I thought this one was so much MORE. The violence Vivian expends to get what she wants is described in great detail, what she does and what she has others do. This is the only reason I gave it. . .oh . . no. . .wait, there is ANOTHER reason. Let me try that again! This is ONE of the reasons I gave it 4 stars. Oh but she does get her comeuppance, she really does!
Saxon is captured and Casey allows herself to be taken, on the condition Saxon is freed. Yeah, right, we did not see that one being double-crossed by Vivian! Vivian breaks Casey, she really does, physically and emotionally. It's painful reading, not just the physical stuff, but when Casey comes to terms with what Vivian does to her, what it means for her future, what it means she can never be. And then. . .not yet. . .I'll say soon.
Across the other side of the story, Brax, who left Rhett a while ago because he was addicted to Indi's bite, has to fetch a new pack member who affects him, and his wolf, deeply. But Andrea is damaged, both inside and out, and she doesn't think anyone will want her now her abusive ex has marked her as he did. Besides, all men are gonna hurt her, so she steers clear. When said ex gets too close, Brax and Drae bond, and when they do? Oh it's so beautiful, their bonding, it really is. Said ex also gets his comeuppance, but not quite how I thought he would!
Back to what Vivian does to break Casey emotionally. This is the other reason I gave it 4 stars. Casey loves Saxon and he loves her. But they never really got to tell each other that. After Casey gets free, I'm not surprised she has the thoughts she does. And then there was that "Besides. . . ." when Vivian was gloating! So now my mind is racing and I want answers! At least I know the questions this time!
A very fitting end, and one that spawns another series about Casey and her brothers. I hope to get my hands on them too.
Thank you, Ms Dawes, for writing these books, I've thoroughly enjoyed delving into this world.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) in Movies
May 9, 2019
"i'm just a kid from brooklyn"
"I'm just a kid from Brooklyn"
A rip-roaring homage to old fashioned serials and comic books. Joe Johnston somehow pulls off the tone and look, firmly planting me into the 1940's time period. As fantastical as it is I still feel the real world within the picture.
Protagonist Steve Rogers makes for an easily likable guy who at the start is a smaller guy, who stands up to bullies even if it means getting his ass beat. His dream is to serve his country and although not meeting physical requirements for the army, he proves the heart and courage to become the specimen of a super soldier syrum. With this experiment, Steve's size, strength and conditioning is greatly enhanced and becomes the face of WW2 propaganda. His desire to fight however gets him involved with the battle against a division of the Nazi's known as Hydra, headed by Johann Schmidt, the "Red Skull".
Red Skull is one of the best villians of the Marvel cinematic universe. I couldn't imagine him played by anyone other than Hugo Weaving who brings such gravitas and personality to the role. Red Skull is an experiment of the soldier syrum himself which gives him a certain connection to Rogers, but chooses to use his power for the service of himself and his evil desires. The film includes the element of Nazi fascination with science and experimentation, taking it a step further. Red Skull discovers other worldly magic, the Tesseract of Asgard, which he utilizes for the use of weaponry. Thus, blending historical events with an exciting dose of imagination. A Nazi more powerful than Hitler? That's pretty scary.
The action comes swift and mighty, combining the fleshy violence of war with creative comic book thrills. It's some of the most entertaining action I've ever seen. I love that the presence of Hitler can be felt even though he is not on screen. It seamlessly connects the future with the past, makes the looming threat of the entire world felt, and contains elements of other Marvel films past and present that only adds to the movie and never detracts. Tony Stark's father has a direct influence on Captain America which adds a layer to the proceeding films. Thor and Loki's place in future events are tied in perfectly. Steve's friendship with Bucky and presumed death is one of the emotional cores to the film that also plays into the sequels. Unbelievable.
Can I just mention the charming romance between Peggy and Steve Rogers? It's so natural and plays out over the duration of the film without anything ridiculous. When Peggy tears up as Steve is speeding toward the unkown in a downed plane, I lose it. I lose it every time. They never got that last dance and my heart is broken.
When Red Skull calls Steve a "simpleton with a shield" I'm like YES!! that's why I love him. I could be Steve Rogers. I could be Captain America. Well, not really, but he's one of the most relatable on screen super heroes. I'd even say he's the one I can see myself in the most. Consider me #TeamCap.
I must make mention of the wonderful musical score and songs written for the film. Very important piece to the puzzle. I listen to "Star Spangled Man" just about every time I take a walk. The costumes and production design deserve all the love in the world as well. Tommy Lee Jones is great and makes me laugh as usual. All performances are great. Points for finding a use for Captain America's vintage comic book costume and re-enacting the punch to Hitler's face from Captain America issue #1.
Who taught Cap how to fight like that though? Guess that's one of the perks of the syrum too.
A rip-roaring homage to old fashioned serials and comic books. Joe Johnston somehow pulls off the tone and look, firmly planting me into the 1940's time period. As fantastical as it is I still feel the real world within the picture.
Protagonist Steve Rogers makes for an easily likable guy who at the start is a smaller guy, who stands up to bullies even if it means getting his ass beat. His dream is to serve his country and although not meeting physical requirements for the army, he proves the heart and courage to become the specimen of a super soldier syrum. With this experiment, Steve's size, strength and conditioning is greatly enhanced and becomes the face of WW2 propaganda. His desire to fight however gets him involved with the battle against a division of the Nazi's known as Hydra, headed by Johann Schmidt, the "Red Skull".
Red Skull is one of the best villians of the Marvel cinematic universe. I couldn't imagine him played by anyone other than Hugo Weaving who brings such gravitas and personality to the role. Red Skull is an experiment of the soldier syrum himself which gives him a certain connection to Rogers, but chooses to use his power for the service of himself and his evil desires. The film includes the element of Nazi fascination with science and experimentation, taking it a step further. Red Skull discovers other worldly magic, the Tesseract of Asgard, which he utilizes for the use of weaponry. Thus, blending historical events with an exciting dose of imagination. A Nazi more powerful than Hitler? That's pretty scary.
The action comes swift and mighty, combining the fleshy violence of war with creative comic book thrills. It's some of the most entertaining action I've ever seen. I love that the presence of Hitler can be felt even though he is not on screen. It seamlessly connects the future with the past, makes the looming threat of the entire world felt, and contains elements of other Marvel films past and present that only adds to the movie and never detracts. Tony Stark's father has a direct influence on Captain America which adds a layer to the proceeding films. Thor and Loki's place in future events are tied in perfectly. Steve's friendship with Bucky and presumed death is one of the emotional cores to the film that also plays into the sequels. Unbelievable.
Can I just mention the charming romance between Peggy and Steve Rogers? It's so natural and plays out over the duration of the film without anything ridiculous. When Peggy tears up as Steve is speeding toward the unkown in a downed plane, I lose it. I lose it every time. They never got that last dance and my heart is broken.
When Red Skull calls Steve a "simpleton with a shield" I'm like YES!! that's why I love him. I could be Steve Rogers. I could be Captain America. Well, not really, but he's one of the most relatable on screen super heroes. I'd even say he's the one I can see myself in the most. Consider me #TeamCap.
I must make mention of the wonderful musical score and songs written for the film. Very important piece to the puzzle. I listen to "Star Spangled Man" just about every time I take a walk. The costumes and production design deserve all the love in the world as well. Tommy Lee Jones is great and makes me laugh as usual. All performances are great. Points for finding a use for Captain America's vintage comic book costume and re-enacting the punch to Hitler's face from Captain America issue #1.
Who taught Cap how to fight like that though? Guess that's one of the perks of the syrum too.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Black and Blue (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
Having seen the film I can confidently say that this has been woefully under screened. Just one screening at my local, luckily at the sensible time of 17.20 every day. Looking at other times it's getting relegated to some late slots which is never good.
Alicia West has come back to her home town and joined the local police department after being deployed. It's not the neighbourhood she remembers, there's distrust and gangs everywhere she looks, even her old friend pretends not to know her.
Taking a double shift as a favour to her partner she goes out on patrol with Officer Brown, he's old school and not going to change his ways... they don't see eye to eye. He takes a private call and says they need to go on a call so he cn meet a CI. He orders her to stay in the car and she waits suspiciously until two shots ring out. She enters the building to investigate, body cam turned on, and comes across a group of police officers who have executed members of a local gang. Thinking on instinct they shoot at her which allows her to escape. She needs to get the footage uploaded to expose the corruption but between her and the station are corrupt police officers and a community that hates cops. Who can she trust?
I found Black And Blue to be a really enjoyable. The action was tense and the story had a consistent pace all the way through and I felt really gripped as I watched it. My only disappointment was that they gave it sickly sweet ending. It brought the story full circle for West but it was so out of place with what we'd already seen. It wasn't necessary and I feel like it detracted from the effort everything else put in.
Naomie Harris is our lead and she handles the role like a seasoned pro. She brings across the optimism of West's character and you can see the intrigue and sadness in her as she realises just how bad things have become in her neighbourhood. Harris adapts well to each scenario and at times you could feel a genuine sense of fear as she's being pursued.
Frank Grillo plays Terry Malone, the leader of our group of corrupt cops. He's a great bit of casting. Towards the end I feel like the character deviates a little from what I might have expected but the performance was so good to watch that I wasn't too bothered by that.
Another face you'll recognise is Mike Colter as Darius, Darius is the head of one of the local gangs and during the course of the story he's also hot on West's heals. He's a very dark character and Colter captures that well, there's a particularly good scene with West where we're preparing for the finale of the film and the way he changes in his split second decisions really elevates the moment.
The last actor I'll mention is Tyrese Gibson as Milo, Milo brings a much softer side to the whole story, he's not about the violence and I think that Gibson had the perfect demeanour for this role. We get some much needed respite from the heavy tension and action with his scenes. I feel like there's some back story we needed to know for him though, he needed some more explaining and that was just missing in everything we saw.
Black And Blue has a strong message about society divided by hate, I'm not the right person to tell ou its accuracy. There are stereotypes knocking around all over the place but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. The film focused on the corruption in the neighbourhood and that's what you see, you wouldn't be getting other walks of life so it fits the idea perfectly.
I genuinely enjoyed watching this and the film kept me on the edge of my seat, this it something I'll look forward to watching again.
What you should do
If you like crime drama then I think you'll enjoy this, there's good action and great characters.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Some of West's kickass moves and super human will to survive.
Alicia West has come back to her home town and joined the local police department after being deployed. It's not the neighbourhood she remembers, there's distrust and gangs everywhere she looks, even her old friend pretends not to know her.
Taking a double shift as a favour to her partner she goes out on patrol with Officer Brown, he's old school and not going to change his ways... they don't see eye to eye. He takes a private call and says they need to go on a call so he cn meet a CI. He orders her to stay in the car and she waits suspiciously until two shots ring out. She enters the building to investigate, body cam turned on, and comes across a group of police officers who have executed members of a local gang. Thinking on instinct they shoot at her which allows her to escape. She needs to get the footage uploaded to expose the corruption but between her and the station are corrupt police officers and a community that hates cops. Who can she trust?
I found Black And Blue to be a really enjoyable. The action was tense and the story had a consistent pace all the way through and I felt really gripped as I watched it. My only disappointment was that they gave it sickly sweet ending. It brought the story full circle for West but it was so out of place with what we'd already seen. It wasn't necessary and I feel like it detracted from the effort everything else put in.
Naomie Harris is our lead and she handles the role like a seasoned pro. She brings across the optimism of West's character and you can see the intrigue and sadness in her as she realises just how bad things have become in her neighbourhood. Harris adapts well to each scenario and at times you could feel a genuine sense of fear as she's being pursued.
Frank Grillo plays Terry Malone, the leader of our group of corrupt cops. He's a great bit of casting. Towards the end I feel like the character deviates a little from what I might have expected but the performance was so good to watch that I wasn't too bothered by that.
Another face you'll recognise is Mike Colter as Darius, Darius is the head of one of the local gangs and during the course of the story he's also hot on West's heals. He's a very dark character and Colter captures that well, there's a particularly good scene with West where we're preparing for the finale of the film and the way he changes in his split second decisions really elevates the moment.
The last actor I'll mention is Tyrese Gibson as Milo, Milo brings a much softer side to the whole story, he's not about the violence and I think that Gibson had the perfect demeanour for this role. We get some much needed respite from the heavy tension and action with his scenes. I feel like there's some back story we needed to know for him though, he needed some more explaining and that was just missing in everything we saw.
Black And Blue has a strong message about society divided by hate, I'm not the right person to tell ou its accuracy. There are stereotypes knocking around all over the place but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. The film focused on the corruption in the neighbourhood and that's what you see, you wouldn't be getting other walks of life so it fits the idea perfectly.
I genuinely enjoyed watching this and the film kept me on the edge of my seat, this it something I'll look forward to watching again.
What you should do
If you like crime drama then I think you'll enjoy this, there's good action and great characters.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Some of West's kickass moves and super human will to survive.
