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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated It's Blunderful in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019 (Updated Jun 12, 2019)
Party games. We all have them, and our families all want to play them. But how many times can you stomach Apples to Apples or its harem of vomit-inducing copycat clones? Maybe you have a gamer family that can handle the Werewolf/Mafia/The Resistance line (Avalon ftw, homies). But if you just cannot get them to connect on something more gamer-y, maybe try putting them into awkward scenarios and see how they fare.
This is a straight up party game where you are bidding your VPs to answer questions about the person reading the question cards. We have all played games like this, right (Say Anything, anyone)? Well, this is in a similar vein, but the situations and scenarios printed on the cards here are a little more updated and unique. The genre and playstyle are not at all unique, mind you, but this may still have some value for some families.
On your turn you read a card that has an awkward scenario and three answers that you will need to answer for yourself how you would/or probably could see yourself reacting. Choose your answer card (A, B, C) and place it face-down in front of you. Every other player will have a score board that they will wager 5, 10, or 15 of their points to match your answer. Get it right and you gain the amount of wagered points. Get it wrong, and you fall that many points. The first player to reach 100 points is the winner!
Components: this game has a few different components, but the vast majority is a whomping stack of question cards. The cards are great Bicycle quality cards, and are easy to read. You also receive in the box eight dual-layered scoreboards with notches to keep your translucent scoring cube safe and bump-proof. The boards are great quality and the cube is a normal smoke-colored translucent cube (see below). No problems with components at all here.
I am going to just admit that I am not a huge fan of party games. Maybe once upon a time I liked them quite a bit, but it seems to me that many party games are just variations of the same game over and over. This one doesn’t really break the mold here, either, but it is enjoyable. The awkward situations are unique and the answers are mostly humorous. When we were playing my brother, Bryan, mentioned that he liked this game because it gave him alternatives to how he would normally react in these situations, so it was somewhat educational for him. I wouldn’t necessarily go that far, but I believe if you are a fan of party games, you can’t really go wrong with this one. Purple Phoenix Games gives this title an positively awkward 12/18
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/its-blunderful-review/
This is a straight up party game where you are bidding your VPs to answer questions about the person reading the question cards. We have all played games like this, right (Say Anything, anyone)? Well, this is in a similar vein, but the situations and scenarios printed on the cards here are a little more updated and unique. The genre and playstyle are not at all unique, mind you, but this may still have some value for some families.
On your turn you read a card that has an awkward scenario and three answers that you will need to answer for yourself how you would/or probably could see yourself reacting. Choose your answer card (A, B, C) and place it face-down in front of you. Every other player will have a score board that they will wager 5, 10, or 15 of their points to match your answer. Get it right and you gain the amount of wagered points. Get it wrong, and you fall that many points. The first player to reach 100 points is the winner!
Components: this game has a few different components, but the vast majority is a whomping stack of question cards. The cards are great Bicycle quality cards, and are easy to read. You also receive in the box eight dual-layered scoreboards with notches to keep your translucent scoring cube safe and bump-proof. The boards are great quality and the cube is a normal smoke-colored translucent cube (see below). No problems with components at all here.
I am going to just admit that I am not a huge fan of party games. Maybe once upon a time I liked them quite a bit, but it seems to me that many party games are just variations of the same game over and over. This one doesn’t really break the mold here, either, but it is enjoyable. The awkward situations are unique and the answers are mostly humorous. When we were playing my brother, Bryan, mentioned that he liked this game because it gave him alternatives to how he would normally react in these situations, so it was somewhat educational for him. I wouldn’t necessarily go that far, but I believe if you are a fan of party games, you can’t really go wrong with this one. Purple Phoenix Games gives this title an positively awkward 12/18
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/its-blunderful-review/
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Finishing School in Books
Feb 13, 2018
It has been 20 years since Kersti Kuusk set foot on the grounds of the Lycée, the prestigious boarding school she attended as a teen. Kersti was a scholarship student from Canada at the elite school, and she left abruptly in her senior year, after her best friend, Cressida, fell from her balcony one evening. The school declared the event an accident, but now, Kersti finds herself unconvinced. A timely letter from another of her school friends brings up more questions: was Cressida pushed, or did she attempt suicide? Kersti knows that Cressida had become increasingly obsessed with a secret society within the Lycée--banned since the 1970s when two of its members were expelled. As the school plans a celebration of its 100th anniversary, Kersti considers returning. She also starts looking further into Cressida's fall. However, some secrets are meant to stay buried.
THE FINISHING SCHOOL is told in alternating chapters between the present day and Kersti's school years, leading up to Cressida's fall from the balcony. This effective technique certainly creates tension and suspense, leading you to madly flip the pages, trying to figure out what happened - particularly to Kersti's group of friends at the Lycée twenty years ago. The novel pulls you in fairly quickly and hooks you rather rapidly. Goodman is quite adept at capturing the voices of her characters, especially the teens, and the boarding school passages are rather effective. (They are also great at making you want to never send your child to boarding school. Parts of it reminded me of Tana French's THE SECRET PLACE in that way.)
For me, the only thing that held this book back was that some of the plot was a little weird: mostly some of the things relating to Kersti's personal life and her obsession with Cressida. They didn't necessarily seem required for the story to be successful, but they bothered me. It's a shame, because overall I liked Kersti, and I felt a connection with her. Present-day Kersti is suffering from infertility, and, as someone who has been there, I can say that Goodman captures that angst very well. I just wasn't sure about some of her choices.
At times, some of the school drama gets a little tedious, but it picks up as the novel gains momentum, especially near the end. I figured out parts of the plot, but not all of it, and I was quite frantic to finish the last portions of the book to put it all together. It's quite a dark and twisted tale, overall. Certainly worth a read. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 04/11/2017.
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THE FINISHING SCHOOL is told in alternating chapters between the present day and Kersti's school years, leading up to Cressida's fall from the balcony. This effective technique certainly creates tension and suspense, leading you to madly flip the pages, trying to figure out what happened - particularly to Kersti's group of friends at the Lycée twenty years ago. The novel pulls you in fairly quickly and hooks you rather rapidly. Goodman is quite adept at capturing the voices of her characters, especially the teens, and the boarding school passages are rather effective. (They are also great at making you want to never send your child to boarding school. Parts of it reminded me of Tana French's THE SECRET PLACE in that way.)
For me, the only thing that held this book back was that some of the plot was a little weird: mostly some of the things relating to Kersti's personal life and her obsession with Cressida. They didn't necessarily seem required for the story to be successful, but they bothered me. It's a shame, because overall I liked Kersti, and I felt a connection with her. Present-day Kersti is suffering from infertility, and, as someone who has been there, I can say that Goodman captures that angst very well. I just wasn't sure about some of her choices.
At times, some of the school drama gets a little tedious, but it picks up as the novel gains momentum, especially near the end. I figured out parts of the plot, but not all of it, and I was quite frantic to finish the last portions of the book to put it all together. It's quite a dark and twisted tale, overall. Certainly worth a read. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 04/11/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Suicide Club in Books
Aug 18, 2018
Deep read but worth reading
I enjoyed the world building and setting here in this book. It’s set in the future, people now live much longer than normal. They are pumped up with various implants (e.g. Diamondskin) and follow a strict diet and exercise program, and even go as far as to reducing various activities that activate cortisol levels that put them on overdrive. It may seems appealing, because you live longer than the normal life span and you’re looking like a supermodel but at the same time there’s an underlying dictatorial tone where you have to follow the rules or you’ll be seen ‘different’ and won’t be qualified to have these perks anymore. Everything is dictated by the “Ministry” and once you fall off the path you’ll be observed by the men in black which could lead to potentially drastic results.
It’s an interesting world, where suddenly everything that you thought was normal isn’t anymore and is frowned upon. These special perks are not always granted to everyone because it’s also based on your genetics, your job, and your social standing as well. It’s appealing but at the same time it doesn’t sound so fun and it feels like you’re a drone.
The plot itself was interesting and follows two points of view. Lea and Anja. I prefer Anja’s point of view because she’s part of the underground Suicide Club movement for various reasons. She’s a carefree spirit who does what she wants despite society and its’ demands because she’s seen the other side of things and how it’s affected people she cares about (her mom in this instance). The two characters offer two very different perspectives in the novel and it all comes together nicely and seamlessly.
I rather enjoyed the part with Lea and Kaito on the boat. You feel the emotion and the sadness of what’s to come. You feel the regret of moments missed in life and although it can’t be made up in just one sitting, that one moment together still creates a powerful memory that stays with you - which no one can take away. It’s a bittersweet moment and the most memorable in the book.
Although the plot flowed through nicely, I can’t really say I like the writing style. It drags in some parts and it shows an attempt to be lyrical and poetic with way too many descriptions of smells and sights. I understand the point of it being that instead of becoming a drone like everyone else, stop and just live the moment and take in your surroundings. However it bogs down the reading flow and I found myself struggling to keep the pace. Less lyrical prettiness and let’s just get down to the basics shall we? It would have made the reading more enjoyable.
Overall, a great interesting idea and a good deep read. Worth the time to go through.
It’s an interesting world, where suddenly everything that you thought was normal isn’t anymore and is frowned upon. These special perks are not always granted to everyone because it’s also based on your genetics, your job, and your social standing as well. It’s appealing but at the same time it doesn’t sound so fun and it feels like you’re a drone.
The plot itself was interesting and follows two points of view. Lea and Anja. I prefer Anja’s point of view because she’s part of the underground Suicide Club movement for various reasons. She’s a carefree spirit who does what she wants despite society and its’ demands because she’s seen the other side of things and how it’s affected people she cares about (her mom in this instance). The two characters offer two very different perspectives in the novel and it all comes together nicely and seamlessly.
I rather enjoyed the part with Lea and Kaito on the boat. You feel the emotion and the sadness of what’s to come. You feel the regret of moments missed in life and although it can’t be made up in just one sitting, that one moment together still creates a powerful memory that stays with you - which no one can take away. It’s a bittersweet moment and the most memorable in the book.
Although the plot flowed through nicely, I can’t really say I like the writing style. It drags in some parts and it shows an attempt to be lyrical and poetic with way too many descriptions of smells and sights. I understand the point of it being that instead of becoming a drone like everyone else, stop and just live the moment and take in your surroundings. However it bogs down the reading flow and I found myself struggling to keep the pace. Less lyrical prettiness and let’s just get down to the basics shall we? It would have made the reading more enjoyable.
Overall, a great interesting idea and a good deep read. Worth the time to go through.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Wrong Stars in Books
Aug 26, 2018 (Updated Aug 26, 2018)
Diversity (2 more)
World-building
Amazing alien species
I've watched my fair share of Space Opera (Firefly, Dark Matter, Farscape, Star Trek, Star Wars - don't try to tell me those last two aren't Space Opera, THEY TOTALLY ARE) - but I haven't read much of it. I picked up The Wrong Stars mostly because reviews said it had a demisexual main character, rather than because it's a Space Opera. Regardless, I am SO GLAD I DID. The book is excellent.
First off, the diversity! Over the course of the story, we meet people who are, in no particular order, gay, bisexual, demisexual, asexual, transgender, and non-binary. The story is set 500 years after Earth sends out its first colony ships, and in that time, culture has evolved. Marriage is not common, but contractually-bound relationships exist. Promiscuity and non-monogamy aren't viewed any different than monogamy, and in the same way, the distinctions between gay, straight, and bi don't carry any negative connotations. It's not a complete utopia - it's still a capitalist society, and there is still scarcity - but socially, at least, it has definitely evolved a lot from the present!
Elena, one of our main characters, was a biologist sent out on one of the first colony ships. Stocked with seeds, crude replicators, and cryo-sleep pods, a small crew was sent out, in stasis, on a five-hundred year journey to a system with probable life-supporting planets. They were called Goldilocks ships, in the hope they'd find a planet that was "just right." What humanity didn't expect was that in the intervening five hundred years, they would make contact with an alien species and be given the means for true space travel via wormholes. Some of the ships arrived at their destinations to find human colonies already thriving on their target planets! Elena, however, found something quite different, and it's a very disconcerting difference. She is rescued by the motley crew of the White Raven, and they quickly get drawn into the mystery.
I really enjoyed the world-building and characterization in The Wrong Stars. The science of it made sense to me, but I'm not very versed in science, so I can't really say how realistic it is. It was at least pretty internally consistent. I'd like to learn more about how the AIs are created, though. Luckily, there is a sequel coming! The Dreaming Stars should be coming out this September, and I'm DEFINITELY going to read it.
If you like Dark Matter, Firefly, or Farscape, you should definitely read The Wrong Stars. There's a little bit of light romance threaded into the larger plot, and one fade-to-black sex scene. It's definitely not the focus of the book. There is some violence, but nothing incredibly graphic. I would put it at about the same maturity level as Star Trek.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
First off, the diversity! Over the course of the story, we meet people who are, in no particular order, gay, bisexual, demisexual, asexual, transgender, and non-binary. The story is set 500 years after Earth sends out its first colony ships, and in that time, culture has evolved. Marriage is not common, but contractually-bound relationships exist. Promiscuity and non-monogamy aren't viewed any different than monogamy, and in the same way, the distinctions between gay, straight, and bi don't carry any negative connotations. It's not a complete utopia - it's still a capitalist society, and there is still scarcity - but socially, at least, it has definitely evolved a lot from the present!
Elena, one of our main characters, was a biologist sent out on one of the first colony ships. Stocked with seeds, crude replicators, and cryo-sleep pods, a small crew was sent out, in stasis, on a five-hundred year journey to a system with probable life-supporting planets. They were called Goldilocks ships, in the hope they'd find a planet that was "just right." What humanity didn't expect was that in the intervening five hundred years, they would make contact with an alien species and be given the means for true space travel via wormholes. Some of the ships arrived at their destinations to find human colonies already thriving on their target planets! Elena, however, found something quite different, and it's a very disconcerting difference. She is rescued by the motley crew of the White Raven, and they quickly get drawn into the mystery.
I really enjoyed the world-building and characterization in The Wrong Stars. The science of it made sense to me, but I'm not very versed in science, so I can't really say how realistic it is. It was at least pretty internally consistent. I'd like to learn more about how the AIs are created, though. Luckily, there is a sequel coming! The Dreaming Stars should be coming out this September, and I'm DEFINITELY going to read it.
If you like Dark Matter, Firefly, or Farscape, you should definitely read The Wrong Stars. There's a little bit of light romance threaded into the larger plot, and one fade-to-black sex scene. It's definitely not the focus of the book. There is some violence, but nothing incredibly graphic. I would put it at about the same maturity level as Star Trek.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Spiral (2007) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Mason isn't exactly your everyday joe. He's an artist. A sketcher and a painter, but he's also incredibly quiet and tends to keep to himself. He has an office job where he tries to sell car insurance, but he doesn't exactly fit in with others. His only friend(if that's what you want to call him) is Berkeley, the boss. Berkeley comes off like he cares about Mason, but his compassion is overshadowed by the fact that he's a prick. Things start looking up for Mason as he meets Amber. After seeing Mason's sketches and getting to know him a little better, she decides she wants him to paint her. Mason's...odd side starts to reveal itself as he won't let Amber see his sketches. "There are rules," he says, "You can't see it until it's done." As Amber gets closer to Mason, what can he be hiding? Why is he such an "enigma," as Amber put it? Why does he keep having disturbing dreams about another woman?
Where do I start? I actually really liked this. I was expecting to as Adam Green and Joel David Moore were both involved with Hatchet, which is a guilty pleasure of mine. While Hatchet is half comedy and half gorefest, Spiral is more of a dramatic thriller that builds towards the ending. Spiral, while being low budget, is shot in superb fashion. The way its shot is actually its charm. I love the way the camera gets shaky during the scenes where Mason seems like he's going to lose it or when he finally does. Joel David Moore is also in top form here. His talent truly shines in this role. Everything from his body language to the way he chomps his teeth when he gets nervous, he sucks you in. You wind up feeling sorry for Mason even though you know he's twisted in some way. Witnessing his character unveil how dark really is is just amazing. The other actor I was really impressed with was Zachary Levi. I wound up becoming a fan of his with Chuck, but I've never seen him like this. He's basically a prick with a heart(even though that side of him is really only shown to Mason). While his role is a little small, he's still able to steal a few scenes...especially in the last half of the film. The other element that really adds to the film is the jazz music used. It fits perfectly with Mason's personality. Jazz music accentuates Mason's insanity that nothing else could. I really have nothing bad to say about the film.
This may surprise a few people, but Spiral is actually quite enjoyable. The acting is top notch and it's written incredibly well. For a movie that went straight to DVD, it's quite surprising how good it actually is. Even if you hated Hatchet, you should give Spiral a chance as it's a completely different kind of film.
Where do I start? I actually really liked this. I was expecting to as Adam Green and Joel David Moore were both involved with Hatchet, which is a guilty pleasure of mine. While Hatchet is half comedy and half gorefest, Spiral is more of a dramatic thriller that builds towards the ending. Spiral, while being low budget, is shot in superb fashion. The way its shot is actually its charm. I love the way the camera gets shaky during the scenes where Mason seems like he's going to lose it or when he finally does. Joel David Moore is also in top form here. His talent truly shines in this role. Everything from his body language to the way he chomps his teeth when he gets nervous, he sucks you in. You wind up feeling sorry for Mason even though you know he's twisted in some way. Witnessing his character unveil how dark really is is just amazing. The other actor I was really impressed with was Zachary Levi. I wound up becoming a fan of his with Chuck, but I've never seen him like this. He's basically a prick with a heart(even though that side of him is really only shown to Mason). While his role is a little small, he's still able to steal a few scenes...especially in the last half of the film. The other element that really adds to the film is the jazz music used. It fits perfectly with Mason's personality. Jazz music accentuates Mason's insanity that nothing else could. I really have nothing bad to say about the film.
This may surprise a few people, but Spiral is actually quite enjoyable. The acting is top notch and it's written incredibly well. For a movie that went straight to DVD, it's quite surprising how good it actually is. Even if you hated Hatchet, you should give Spiral a chance as it's a completely different kind of film.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Widows (2018) in Movies
Jan 31, 2019
Loved it
A film with Viola Davis and Liam Neeson? Yep, count me in! Solid drama about a crew of women planning to finish the heist that their deceased husbands started.
Acting: 10
Viola Davis. Viola Davis. Viola Davis. The power behind her acting is so evident, so purposeful. She plays the role of Veronica, a hard-ass who is also trying to mask her vulnerability. Her words are few, but her impact carries the film. She isn’t alone in her strong performance as Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Erivo also held their own. I appreciated the way Debicki showed her character’s growth from the beginning of the film to the end. Once passive and weak, she emerges as one that’s willing to do what she needs to survive.
I didn’t mention Michelle Rodriguez for a reason. I wasn’t impressed with her role this time around. Kind of a lame duck. Sorry, Michelle.
Beginning: 10
Widows gets off to a really hot start as it moves back and forth between the daily life of the main character Veronica and the heist that went wrong. It sets the tone that the film will be conflict-driven and entertaining. Watching the first ten minutes had me really excited to see the rest.
Characters: 9
Cinematography/Visuals: 5
There’s nothing that really stood out for me and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Widows was shot plainly and in forgettable fashion. Fortunately the story and the conflict that moves the story are both extremely strong. At the end of the day, if you tell a good story the right way, you don’t have to go overboard with cinematic flare.
Conflict: 8
Solid action here. The movie benefits by having strong antagonists that actually make you fear for the lives of the main characters. You can’t really predict what is going to happen from one scene to the next. The intensity picks up even more when the characters arrive at the main heist. Very strong scene that will have you on the edge of your seat as you anticipate things going horribly wrong.
Genre: 8
I give credit to stories that are told in unique fashion. There aren’t enough heist films starring women so I’m hoping this is the beginning of what could be a very popular trend. From a dramatic standpoint, Widows absolutely holds its own.
Memorability: 8
Pace: 9
Plot: 10
Again, much credit is given to originality. The story moves quickly and is believable, only really slowing down in one spot. I also appreciate the twists that add some flare to the story without overdoing it. Sometimes twists can cause a hug eyeroll. Not this time.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 87
My expectations were minimal, but I must say that I was thoroughly impressed with how Widows turned out. It’s a fun ride from beginning to end. You won’t be disappointed.
Acting: 10
Viola Davis. Viola Davis. Viola Davis. The power behind her acting is so evident, so purposeful. She plays the role of Veronica, a hard-ass who is also trying to mask her vulnerability. Her words are few, but her impact carries the film. She isn’t alone in her strong performance as Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Erivo also held their own. I appreciated the way Debicki showed her character’s growth from the beginning of the film to the end. Once passive and weak, she emerges as one that’s willing to do what she needs to survive.
I didn’t mention Michelle Rodriguez for a reason. I wasn’t impressed with her role this time around. Kind of a lame duck. Sorry, Michelle.
Beginning: 10
Widows gets off to a really hot start as it moves back and forth between the daily life of the main character Veronica and the heist that went wrong. It sets the tone that the film will be conflict-driven and entertaining. Watching the first ten minutes had me really excited to see the rest.
Characters: 9
Cinematography/Visuals: 5
There’s nothing that really stood out for me and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Widows was shot plainly and in forgettable fashion. Fortunately the story and the conflict that moves the story are both extremely strong. At the end of the day, if you tell a good story the right way, you don’t have to go overboard with cinematic flare.
Conflict: 8
Solid action here. The movie benefits by having strong antagonists that actually make you fear for the lives of the main characters. You can’t really predict what is going to happen from one scene to the next. The intensity picks up even more when the characters arrive at the main heist. Very strong scene that will have you on the edge of your seat as you anticipate things going horribly wrong.
Genre: 8
I give credit to stories that are told in unique fashion. There aren’t enough heist films starring women so I’m hoping this is the beginning of what could be a very popular trend. From a dramatic standpoint, Widows absolutely holds its own.
Memorability: 8
Pace: 9
Plot: 10
Again, much credit is given to originality. The story moves quickly and is believable, only really slowing down in one spot. I also appreciate the twists that add some flare to the story without overdoing it. Sometimes twists can cause a hug eyeroll. Not this time.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 87
My expectations were minimal, but I must say that I was thoroughly impressed with how Widows turned out. It’s a fun ride from beginning to end. You won’t be disappointed.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I'm terrible with watching films in sequence, but I've been seeing the trailers for War for the Planet of the Apes repeatedly and really wanted to watch it. I saw the first one when it came out in some fashion, the second one has eluded me though.
The films begins with the Alpha-Omega paramilitary group laying down an attack on Caesar's ape clan. There is heavy resistance and several of Alpha-Omega's team are captured. Caesar, wanting to bring some form of peace to his clan, sends back the captured soldiers to the Colonel with a message, they did not start this war and that they want to live in peace together.
Caesar's son, Blue Eyes, returns from searching for a safe haven, and has found a place across the desert for them all to live. Thinking that they need more time to prepare, Caesar puts off their departure with tragic consequences. During the night the Colonel and a team of men infiltrate their camp, and her slaughters Blue Eyes and Caesar's wife, believing it was him.
Seeking revenge, Caesar leaves the camp to hunt down the Colonel, accompanied by a small group. Along the way they encounter a single soldier with his daughter in a camp, who Caesar kills when he goes for his gun. The girl doesn't speak and deciding not to leave her there alone, they take her with them on their journey.
The group make their way to the Border with the help of Bad Ape and Caesar discovers that the rest of their clan has been captured and is imprisoned below. After being captured they must plan their escape from both inside and outside the walls of the Border any way they can...
Quite simple put, this was an epic feat, and well worth the watch. At some point while it was on I honestly forgot that what I was seeing wasn't real. The effects are magnificent, and the emotions in Caesar in particular are just incredible. Those alone should be sure fire reasons to watch it, but if you're not convinced, then the story line isn't bad either.
I always think it's amazing how well movies manage to match up the emotion of the actor with their digitised counterpart. That takes an amazingly skilled group behind the scenes. My first reaction when I saw Woody Harrelson in the trailer was not a good one. He's amusing, but I couldn't name a film of his that I've enjoyed him in. I'm happy to say that this one has changed all of that. I thoroughly enjoyed his performance, you see his character go from one end of the spectrum to the other, and Harrelson does it all so well. Amiah Miller who plays Nova was amazing too, barely any lines and acting at something that gets put in the scene after the fact must be incredibly difficult and she managed to pull it off with real emotion.
The films begins with the Alpha-Omega paramilitary group laying down an attack on Caesar's ape clan. There is heavy resistance and several of Alpha-Omega's team are captured. Caesar, wanting to bring some form of peace to his clan, sends back the captured soldiers to the Colonel with a message, they did not start this war and that they want to live in peace together.
Caesar's son, Blue Eyes, returns from searching for a safe haven, and has found a place across the desert for them all to live. Thinking that they need more time to prepare, Caesar puts off their departure with tragic consequences. During the night the Colonel and a team of men infiltrate their camp, and her slaughters Blue Eyes and Caesar's wife, believing it was him.
Seeking revenge, Caesar leaves the camp to hunt down the Colonel, accompanied by a small group. Along the way they encounter a single soldier with his daughter in a camp, who Caesar kills when he goes for his gun. The girl doesn't speak and deciding not to leave her there alone, they take her with them on their journey.
The group make their way to the Border with the help of Bad Ape and Caesar discovers that the rest of their clan has been captured and is imprisoned below. After being captured they must plan their escape from both inside and outside the walls of the Border any way they can...
Quite simple put, this was an epic feat, and well worth the watch. At some point while it was on I honestly forgot that what I was seeing wasn't real. The effects are magnificent, and the emotions in Caesar in particular are just incredible. Those alone should be sure fire reasons to watch it, but if you're not convinced, then the story line isn't bad either.
I always think it's amazing how well movies manage to match up the emotion of the actor with their digitised counterpart. That takes an amazingly skilled group behind the scenes. My first reaction when I saw Woody Harrelson in the trailer was not a good one. He's amusing, but I couldn't name a film of his that I've enjoyed him in. I'm happy to say that this one has changed all of that. I thoroughly enjoyed his performance, you see his character go from one end of the spectrum to the other, and Harrelson does it all so well. Amiah Miller who plays Nova was amazing too, barely any lines and acting at something that gets put in the scene after the fact must be incredibly difficult and she managed to pull it off with real emotion.
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Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated The Queen's Consorts in Books
Sep 10, 2019
“We should feel nothing toward her, yet I’m drawn to her– as powerfully as I’m drawn to you.”
If you’ve been reading Lover’s Quarrel reviews, then you know how much I love plot and character with my sex scenes. I mean, look at how much I hate The Doctor’s Slave compared to Mine for Tonight when they (very) roughly have the same concept. The scarcity of plot in erotica can be particularly vexing when I’m in the mood for a MMF threesome. (Doesn’t happen often, but even then I want some plot and good characters.)
The Queen’s Consorts definitely delivered. “In the days before the darkness the sun shone so brightly flowers grew right out of the ground,” Sari said softly. “Just like magic.”
Like everyone else on the planet of Auroria, Sari has never seen sunlight, and she never will unless the Queen returns to her Consorts and takes her proper place on the throne. But she doubts that will ever happen. After all, the young Queen has been missing since infancy, separated from her Consorts who were kept away from the world in the Sacred City, the palace in the Capital.
It took me a little bit to get used to Auroria. It’s common in this world for a woman to have two husbands, who will love and please her. With women so rare, they are valuable and meant to be cherished. Or they are meant to be extremely profitable sex slaves.
Sari resisted the urge to take Aria to a shelter, knowing there was usually a far worse fate than a life on the streets for young, unclaimed females. Being much more rare than males, if a girl was unfortunate enough to be orphaned and alone, they were usually seized for the underground sex market that was saturated with males.
Pretty crazy for a Queendom, where women are revered, huh? But it’s actually not a flaw. It just goes to show how out of whack everything is without the Queen there.
Unfortunately, the scarcity of women get Aria and Sari hunted down by a pack of teenaged boys, looking to make some quick money. Sari is able to fight them off enough for them to run, but she takes a bad beating. She only lives when a Sacred City guard recognizes her as a Rayian Sister. The guard takes her into the Sacred City, where she’s left to the care of the Consorts, Taryen and Calder, in their private chambers. After years of being abused by the Rayian Sisters, Taryen and Calder are used to only relying on and trusting each other. But it isn’t long before they realize Sari isn’t like the other Sisters.
Both Taryen and Calder are extremely sexy in their own way. Right away I had Taryen pegged as the kinder one who would freely love Sari first and Calder would take longer to learn to love and trust Sari.
“I want to care for her,” the other man said before his friend Calder could answer. “It’s not fair for her to suffer for misdeeds of others, Cal. I know you know that.”
“She’s Rayian, Taryen. Her needs will be the same as the rest of them.”
Calder is definitely the more wary of the two. He’s incredibly protective of Taryen, and he doesn’t trust Rayians for good reason. I knew he’d come around eventually, but for the time being I enjoyed Taryen’s amazingness. He was quick to take care of Sari, even at his own risk.
“She will be angry and inclined to punish if others of our sex have abused her.”
“That’s all right,” Taryen whispered a breath away from Sari. “I will bear their punishment for them if that’s what she needs to heal.”
Can I also just say that I love it when authors know that “alright” isn’t a word and they use the correct form? Good editing gets to me just as much as good characters.
If you’re thinking Taryen’s character is over the top and unrealistic, then you would be right. But that’s explained! He was born with a defect that makes him pure of heart. He’s unable to hold onto negative feelings and he’s incredibly selfless because of it. And damn, he’s pretty wonderful. Just perfectly wonderful.
Calder’s not pure of heart and like most people who have been sexually abused for years, he’s angry and resentful. The only person he trusts is Taryen. I was hoping for a long love story between him and Sari, honestly. He needs to work through trust issues, and even if he is attracted to her, he can’t bring himself to fall in love with a Rayian after what he’s been through. Right?
No.
Calder is wary of Sari… for like an hour. I know that the laws of nature have demanded that he love her and everything, but it was still too insta-love. Taryen is pure of heart and doesn’t have the emotional baggage Calder and Sari has. Of course Taryen is going to fall in love quicker. Calder, however, should have held out a little longer. I wanted one of them to take his time falling in love with her.
But I love Calder and Taryen together. They are beautiful without a doubt, and their love for each other actually made it really difficult for me to imagine them loving Sari just as much.
“Never treat me like one of them,” Calder growled as if the words themselves were hurting him. “I’m your lifemate. You’re allowed to take pleasure from me.”
Taryen’s groan was breathy in a way that betrayed his desire. “I’m sorry. It just slipped out.”
Don’t apologize.” Calder’s tone softened as his touch became gentle, his fingers tracing the line of Taryen’s jaw. “Just tell me what you want. Tell me what you think about when you’re with them. What thought makes it bearable?”
“I think of you.”
I was swooning in the college library when I read this. SWOONING!
I mean seriously, Calder and Taryen have way too much heat and love for me to handle. They alone can put the entire erotica industry to shame, let alone adding Sari into the mix. I mean, it’s like having both Sayid and Sawyer from Lost in all their sexiness.
My biggest problem with the story was the question of who the Queen was. After all, the Queen is the only woman the Consorts are supposed to be attracted to, she’s the same age as them, and because she was missing, she would be a Rayian without a clear past. And yet it’s not until over a third of the way through the book that Taryen and Calder figure out who she is. Seriously? It’s not like there are many Rayians running around who are their own age and have a clear past. It also irritates me that everyone believed Laysa when she claimed to be the Queen. Of course she would claim credit when the sun came back because she’s an opportunistic bitch. But if she was really the Queen, then wouldn’t she have brought the sun back when she started using the Consorts? Years ago?
The only other thing that bothered me was the sound effect when they were performing, um… fellatio. Whenever the action is completed, it’s completed with a soft popping sound. What the hell is that? That’s not sexy. No. Stop it. Sound effects are never appreciated in sex scenes.
But all in all, this book rocks. I loved the world of Auroria and the political war. The love story was fantastic, all things considered. And if you’re looking for a substantial erotica book with good writing and a well-developed plot, then you really need to check out The Queen’s Consorts.
If you’ve been reading Lover’s Quarrel reviews, then you know how much I love plot and character with my sex scenes. I mean, look at how much I hate The Doctor’s Slave compared to Mine for Tonight when they (very) roughly have the same concept. The scarcity of plot in erotica can be particularly vexing when I’m in the mood for a MMF threesome. (Doesn’t happen often, but even then I want some plot and good characters.)
The Queen’s Consorts definitely delivered. “In the days before the darkness the sun shone so brightly flowers grew right out of the ground,” Sari said softly. “Just like magic.”
Like everyone else on the planet of Auroria, Sari has never seen sunlight, and she never will unless the Queen returns to her Consorts and takes her proper place on the throne. But she doubts that will ever happen. After all, the young Queen has been missing since infancy, separated from her Consorts who were kept away from the world in the Sacred City, the palace in the Capital.
It took me a little bit to get used to Auroria. It’s common in this world for a woman to have two husbands, who will love and please her. With women so rare, they are valuable and meant to be cherished. Or they are meant to be extremely profitable sex slaves.
Sari resisted the urge to take Aria to a shelter, knowing there was usually a far worse fate than a life on the streets for young, unclaimed females. Being much more rare than males, if a girl was unfortunate enough to be orphaned and alone, they were usually seized for the underground sex market that was saturated with males.
Pretty crazy for a Queendom, where women are revered, huh? But it’s actually not a flaw. It just goes to show how out of whack everything is without the Queen there.
Unfortunately, the scarcity of women get Aria and Sari hunted down by a pack of teenaged boys, looking to make some quick money. Sari is able to fight them off enough for them to run, but she takes a bad beating. She only lives when a Sacred City guard recognizes her as a Rayian Sister. The guard takes her into the Sacred City, where she’s left to the care of the Consorts, Taryen and Calder, in their private chambers. After years of being abused by the Rayian Sisters, Taryen and Calder are used to only relying on and trusting each other. But it isn’t long before they realize Sari isn’t like the other Sisters.
Both Taryen and Calder are extremely sexy in their own way. Right away I had Taryen pegged as the kinder one who would freely love Sari first and Calder would take longer to learn to love and trust Sari.
“I want to care for her,” the other man said before his friend Calder could answer. “It’s not fair for her to suffer for misdeeds of others, Cal. I know you know that.”
“She’s Rayian, Taryen. Her needs will be the same as the rest of them.”
Calder is definitely the more wary of the two. He’s incredibly protective of Taryen, and he doesn’t trust Rayians for good reason. I knew he’d come around eventually, but for the time being I enjoyed Taryen’s amazingness. He was quick to take care of Sari, even at his own risk.
“She will be angry and inclined to punish if others of our sex have abused her.”
“That’s all right,” Taryen whispered a breath away from Sari. “I will bear their punishment for them if that’s what she needs to heal.”
Can I also just say that I love it when authors know that “alright” isn’t a word and they use the correct form? Good editing gets to me just as much as good characters.
If you’re thinking Taryen’s character is over the top and unrealistic, then you would be right. But that’s explained! He was born with a defect that makes him pure of heart. He’s unable to hold onto negative feelings and he’s incredibly selfless because of it. And damn, he’s pretty wonderful. Just perfectly wonderful.
Calder’s not pure of heart and like most people who have been sexually abused for years, he’s angry and resentful. The only person he trusts is Taryen. I was hoping for a long love story between him and Sari, honestly. He needs to work through trust issues, and even if he is attracted to her, he can’t bring himself to fall in love with a Rayian after what he’s been through. Right?
No.
Calder is wary of Sari… for like an hour. I know that the laws of nature have demanded that he love her and everything, but it was still too insta-love. Taryen is pure of heart and doesn’t have the emotional baggage Calder and Sari has. Of course Taryen is going to fall in love quicker. Calder, however, should have held out a little longer. I wanted one of them to take his time falling in love with her.
But I love Calder and Taryen together. They are beautiful without a doubt, and their love for each other actually made it really difficult for me to imagine them loving Sari just as much.
“Never treat me like one of them,” Calder growled as if the words themselves were hurting him. “I’m your lifemate. You’re allowed to take pleasure from me.”
Taryen’s groan was breathy in a way that betrayed his desire. “I’m sorry. It just slipped out.”
Don’t apologize.” Calder’s tone softened as his touch became gentle, his fingers tracing the line of Taryen’s jaw. “Just tell me what you want. Tell me what you think about when you’re with them. What thought makes it bearable?”
“I think of you.”
I was swooning in the college library when I read this. SWOONING!
I mean seriously, Calder and Taryen have way too much heat and love for me to handle. They alone can put the entire erotica industry to shame, let alone adding Sari into the mix. I mean, it’s like having both Sayid and Sawyer from Lost in all their sexiness.
My biggest problem with the story was the question of who the Queen was. After all, the Queen is the only woman the Consorts are supposed to be attracted to, she’s the same age as them, and because she was missing, she would be a Rayian without a clear past. And yet it’s not until over a third of the way through the book that Taryen and Calder figure out who she is. Seriously? It’s not like there are many Rayians running around who are their own age and have a clear past. It also irritates me that everyone believed Laysa when she claimed to be the Queen. Of course she would claim credit when the sun came back because she’s an opportunistic bitch. But if she was really the Queen, then wouldn’t she have brought the sun back when she started using the Consorts? Years ago?
The only other thing that bothered me was the sound effect when they were performing, um… fellatio. Whenever the action is completed, it’s completed with a soft popping sound. What the hell is that? That’s not sexy. No. Stop it. Sound effects are never appreciated in sex scenes.
But all in all, this book rocks. I loved the world of Auroria and the political war. The love story was fantastic, all things considered. And if you’re looking for a substantial erotica book with good writing and a well-developed plot, then you really need to check out The Queen’s Consorts.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Annabelle (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Annabelle is the newest demon-based spooky fright film produced by James Wan (producer Saw II-IV & director Insidious 1&2). The trailers would have you believe that it is a prequel to the Conjuring. Well I suppose it is, although a very loose prequel.
Annabelle, the possessed doll, is mentioned a few times in “The Conjuring,” but it doesn’t contain any of the cast from the original . The film takes place in the 1970s and focuses on a married couple who have just moved in to a new house and the wife, Mia (Annabelle Wallis) is pregnant. Her husband (played extremely woodenly by actor Ward Horton) buys her a long sought after custom doll named Annabelle. Shortly after, the couple is attacked by their neighbors who we find are satanic cult members. Mia is stabbed in her belly (threatening the life of her child); the female Satanist neighbor dies clutching the Annabelle doll, her blood dripping and seemingly sucked into the eye socket of the doll, ushering in the demonic reign of Annabelle.
You’d assume that this is a standard “killer doll” horror flick, you’d also be a bit misled, and that’s a good thing in my opinion. This isn’t Chucky. You won’t see Annabelle speaking or running around the house brandishing a knife. That isn’t to say that the movie doesn’t have its share of genre tropes, it has plenty of those.
As so many other possession/haunting movies involving a couple, for the most part the lonely wife is preyed upon while the husband is away at work. Throughout the film the writers find multiple ways of keeping Mia at home alone with the demon. John is called away on a business trip on one of the more traumatic encounters Mia has with Annabelle, resulting in Mia being placed on bed rest, giving her a reason to stay at home in the demons clutches. Later John is placed on the night shift, once again placing him out of the way so the demon can terrorize Mia at night where things are scary. It is inevitable that a scene takes place where her husband doesn’t believe her and thinks she’s going crazy. I can think of so many films that go this same route. The prerequisite priest comes along to help the family figure out their demonic happenings and oh yes, let’s not forget the sagely African American that needs to help Mia find her way and lead her both in knowledge of the demon and its demise. The story manages to throw in some mysterious children to once scene just to make sure that the trope is checked off the list. The remainder of the movie after the introductory attack by the satanic neighbors has Mia and later her child being threatened by the demon possessing Annabelle, the search for what it is, and what it wants and then its climax and disposal. Nothing new to this genre found here.
Annabelle does come with its share of scares (most of these can be seen in the previews), however the pacing is bad. I found myself bored out of my mind by the plot between the scares. So bored and disinterested that once the scary scenes occurred which seemed to be paced almost on a timer there wasn’t enough scare to raise the adrenaline needed to make it to the next fright. I will say that having a child endangered and threatened by the demonic spirit does bump up the tension and nerves and was a necessary inclusion to raise the stakes and pull out some reason to care about the victims by the audience.
Mia and John are so one-imensional that one would be hard-pressed to care about what happens to either of them. The demon effects are about as scary as a guy in a rubber suit lurking around a two-bit horror house, I mean pretty bad. I’ve seen a scarier demon on a TV episode of “Unsolved Mysteries” from 1988. Annabelle is good for a fright or two, and a reason to grab some popcorn and pig-out, but just be prepared to take a siesta three or four times in-between bouts of popcorn binge.
Annabelle, the possessed doll, is mentioned a few times in “The Conjuring,” but it doesn’t contain any of the cast from the original . The film takes place in the 1970s and focuses on a married couple who have just moved in to a new house and the wife, Mia (Annabelle Wallis) is pregnant. Her husband (played extremely woodenly by actor Ward Horton) buys her a long sought after custom doll named Annabelle. Shortly after, the couple is attacked by their neighbors who we find are satanic cult members. Mia is stabbed in her belly (threatening the life of her child); the female Satanist neighbor dies clutching the Annabelle doll, her blood dripping and seemingly sucked into the eye socket of the doll, ushering in the demonic reign of Annabelle.
You’d assume that this is a standard “killer doll” horror flick, you’d also be a bit misled, and that’s a good thing in my opinion. This isn’t Chucky. You won’t see Annabelle speaking or running around the house brandishing a knife. That isn’t to say that the movie doesn’t have its share of genre tropes, it has plenty of those.
As so many other possession/haunting movies involving a couple, for the most part the lonely wife is preyed upon while the husband is away at work. Throughout the film the writers find multiple ways of keeping Mia at home alone with the demon. John is called away on a business trip on one of the more traumatic encounters Mia has with Annabelle, resulting in Mia being placed on bed rest, giving her a reason to stay at home in the demons clutches. Later John is placed on the night shift, once again placing him out of the way so the demon can terrorize Mia at night where things are scary. It is inevitable that a scene takes place where her husband doesn’t believe her and thinks she’s going crazy. I can think of so many films that go this same route. The prerequisite priest comes along to help the family figure out their demonic happenings and oh yes, let’s not forget the sagely African American that needs to help Mia find her way and lead her both in knowledge of the demon and its demise. The story manages to throw in some mysterious children to once scene just to make sure that the trope is checked off the list. The remainder of the movie after the introductory attack by the satanic neighbors has Mia and later her child being threatened by the demon possessing Annabelle, the search for what it is, and what it wants and then its climax and disposal. Nothing new to this genre found here.
Annabelle does come with its share of scares (most of these can be seen in the previews), however the pacing is bad. I found myself bored out of my mind by the plot between the scares. So bored and disinterested that once the scary scenes occurred which seemed to be paced almost on a timer there wasn’t enough scare to raise the adrenaline needed to make it to the next fright. I will say that having a child endangered and threatened by the demonic spirit does bump up the tension and nerves and was a necessary inclusion to raise the stakes and pull out some reason to care about the victims by the audience.
Mia and John are so one-imensional that one would be hard-pressed to care about what happens to either of them. The demon effects are about as scary as a guy in a rubber suit lurking around a two-bit horror house, I mean pretty bad. I’ve seen a scarier demon on a TV episode of “Unsolved Mysteries” from 1988. Annabelle is good for a fright or two, and a reason to grab some popcorn and pig-out, but just be prepared to take a siesta three or four times in-between bouts of popcorn binge.