Search

Search only in certain items:

Charlie Thorne and the Lost City
Charlie Thorne and the Lost City
Stuart Gibbs | 2021 | Children, Mystery
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Tracking Darwin Through the Amazon
It's been a few months since Charlotte “Charlie” Thorne has gone missing. While she was initially presumed dead, she took advantage of the confusion of the situation to slip away. She’s currently hiding out in the Galapagos Islands, which turns out to be very fortunate. One day, she is approached by Esmerelda, a researcher from the Darwin Institute who thinks she’s found a message left behind by Charles Darwin almost 200 years ago. Unfortunately, it’s in code, and Esmerelda needs Charlie to help her figure it out. Suddenly, Charlie finds herself on another wild ride that will take her deep into the heart of the Amazon pursued by people out to get the treasure first. But what did Darwin leave behind?
 
When I realized that Charles Darwin was going to be the featured scientist in this book, I was worried. As expected, there are some jabs taken at people like me, Christians who believe in microevolution (which Darwin clearly observed) but not the theory of macroevolution. I realize that will only be an issue for some readers. The rest will be thrilled with the action, danger, and twists that Charlie finds herself caught up in once again. I do struggle a bit with Charlie’s characters since she comes across as too perfect, but there are others in the book who are more realistic. I appreciated the rising tension we got while traveling through the Amazon as well as the humor that helped lighten the mood at times. There are some great seeds planted, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they pay off in future books. Fans of Stuart Gibbs will certainly enjoy this book.
  
Like Flies On Sherbert by Alex Chilton
Like Flies On Sherbert by Alex Chilton
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I heard this record in Minus Zero record shop in Portobello Road - it was an old shop that had been there since the early 70s or early 80s, and it stocked a lot of Bob Dylan, Beatles and The Beach Boys. Kind of power-pop albums. I used to go in there to buy Big Star and Big Star-related records, and it was the best place in the UK where I could do that. I'd gotten all the Big Star that I really needed in my life, but I wanted more Alex Chilton records. I asked the store to play me Like Flies On Sherbert. They put it on after saying it was rubbish, and the first thing I heard was the sound of tape stopping and re-starting; the record is full of lots of those sounds. It's a pretty lo-fi, raggedy-sounding record in terms of the production and the performances. It just sounded really unlike anything else I've ever heard before. Really loose and groovy. It's full of life - like a punk record with soul. You can tell that they were probably very high and drunk while they were making it - mistakes and everything are included in it. That's why I made a second About Group record called Start And Complete with Charles Hayward, Pat Thomas and John Coxon, in one day without anyone knowing the songs before we played them. I wanted to capture spontaneity. The record I made with About Group is much softer than this, as my style is very different, but this album is definitely an inspiration on me."

Source
  
40x40

Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) in Movies

Jul 27, 2019 (Updated Jul 27, 2019)  
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
2019 | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Overhyped and disappointed
Contains spoilers, click to show
This review will contain spoilers.... and this is my opinon.

Once upon a time in hollywood is Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film and has a large ensemble cast.

This to me didnt seem like a quentin tarantino film, i mean it had some elements that he does but overall it didnt seem like a tarantino film, it was missing all of elements pervious used in his other films. There are only three storylines in this film. Rick's storyline, Cliff's storyline and Sharon's storyline and thats it. When in reservoir dogs, pulp fiction, jackie brown and four roons their were more than three storylines. Its also missing all the blood and gore like in his other films. Yes that sence at the end, and one of Rick's movies he has a flamflower but thats it. When as the other films that tarantino did had alot of blood and gore and violence and swearing. This movie seemed like it had none of that.

I was very disappointed because iam a huge quentin tarantino fan, i think he is one of the best directors of all time and like his other movies. So i was very excited for this movie and turns out i was very disappointed.

It didnt seem like it was a 2h and 40min movie.

Also lets talk about charles manson and his family throwed into this movie. I thought the movie was going to be about Rick and Cliff invisagating the murder of sharon taron and invisagating the manson family. Their are only three sences that have to do with the manson family.

1. The scene were charles introduces himself to polanski home.

2. When cliff goes to Spahn ranch run by the manson family and thier meanching charlies and cliff should meet him. This sence right here is the best part of the movie. Its myserious, dramatic, you dont know if the family is going to murder cliff or not. So your questioning if thats going to happen. But unfourtaly this sence is only like 5-15 mins long and at no point charles comes. You think something is going to happen than boom sence ends.

3. The end, were some of the manson family are about to kill tate and her friends and then thier try to kill rick and cliff because cliff was mad at them for being hillbillys and being on privite property. Which was like a unexpected turn but why??? Cliff fights them off and kills two of them and then rick kills one with a flameflower.

Thats it, three sences with the manson family and one with charles what a let down.

This whole movie was a let down,

Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Luke Perry , Damian Lewis, Timothy Olyphant and micheal madsen all had one sence and these are big movie stars. To waste all of this talent is sad. Basically most of the supporting cast was wasted and only had one sence.

Also the ending, after rick and cliff fight off some of the manson family, cliff is being taking off to the hostipal and rick finally meets sharon tate then the movie's title comes on and then boom movie off. I thought that cant be it, that wasnt 2h and 40mins. It didnt feel like it, but it was. I thought why are the credits showing. Their should be more, but no the credits are showing.

Once upon a time in hollywood, is alternate timeline movie about the late 1960's in hollywood. But why have the manson family in it when your not going to use them that much. Why develop this alternate storyline, when their is a real life story and your using the real life people in the movie. Stupid it.

I can go on and on how this movie was very disappointed but i think i did this movie its justice.

Overall, once upon a time in hollywood is a very dissappointed movie.

:(
  
40x40

Katarzyna Krasuska (81 KP) rated Find Her in Books

Aug 15, 2018 (Updated Aug 16, 2018)  
Find Her
Find Her
Lisa Gardner | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.2 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Very strong female character (2 more)
Very gripping
Female Charles Bronson
Make this into a movie!
This is definitely a book that should be made into a film.
I saw this interview with Reese Witherspoon, where she talks about books, that she has made into films, because they're female driven. Yet the books she focuses her attention on are not strong or interesting enough, like "Gone girl " or "Husband's secret" . Here we have a female author, a female kick ass character, that is not just strong, but smart, brave and I would happily say dangerous. Not just that, I genuinely believe men would like to watch this too.
The main character of this book was abducted by a psycho and kept in a box for 472 days. When she gets rescued, instead of just trying to move on with her life, she goes into avenger mode. She learns how to fight, reads awful lot about self defense and decides to get the justice herself.
Amazing story, that I think all women should read.
  
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
1992 | Family, Sci-Fi
I love the Muppets.
This film is the best of many retellings of Dickens classic ghost tale.
Gonzo is my favourite as Charles Dickens, his narration along with Rizzlo the rat is humorous and fun.
Kermit as Bob Crachit as the lead book keeper is amusing and his team of rats are hilarious.
Michael Caine plays Scrooge who's path of redemption is believable as he is visted by three ghosts who show Scrooge the errors of his ways.
Also, the songs are catchy.
Disney tried other versions but none can top this one. A true Christmas classic to watch every year.
  
The Last Berserker
The Last Berserker
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
First entry in Angus Donald's new 'Fire Born' Viking series, in which the main character is what we would term as a Berserker (although never named as such).

This is set in an even earlier time period than his 'Holcroft Blood' series (set during the time of Charles II) or even his even-earlier set 'Outlaw' series (about Robin Hood), but - unfortunately - I found it to be inferior to both.

That's not to say that it's bad; just that it didn't resonate (with the twists not really hitting home) as much with me as this earlier series did.
  
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
1955 | Drama, Mystery
9.0 (5 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"All this talk about bonus features has made me think we need to talk about extras! I apologize, but I’m gonna deep-dive for a sec. It’s just that the special features are such key ingredients to some of these amazing Criterion titles and have become such an essential part of my own viewing experiences. There are stunning extras in the Criterion Collection that I often think about as important additions to the history of movies. So don’t get me started, or I’m going to start blabbing about the piles of amazing extras on Barry Lyndon (which fill two Blu-rays!). Or the amazing documentaries on 8½ and Seven Samurai and Brazil. Or The Game, with its eight different audio commentaries. Or that concert film in the edition of Inside Llewyn Davis. Or every Andrea Arnold short film on Fish Tank. Or that Cronos supplement where Guillermo del Toro gives a nerdgasm tour of his bonkers house. (I told you: don’t get me started.) But I think my all-time favorite bonus feature is Charles Laughton Directs “The Night of the Hunter,” a two-and-a-half-hour documentary that has to go down as one of the most interesting behind-the-scenes films ever made. I had never even heard of this until I picked up the Night of the Hunter disc. It literally shows something that I’ve never seen before: tons of footage of a director in the midst of working with his actors during takes. While actors are performing, you hear Charles Laughton (a legendary actor directing his only film) guiding the cast through every line in basically every shot, take after take after take. It’s like being on set next to a perfectionist director while he meticulously sculpts the performances in his masterpiece. (And oh, poor Shelley Winters. “Do it again! Do it again! Less air in between! Go ahead Mitch! Look at her! Shelley, look up now and say ‘blessss ussss all.’ Yes, that’s it, Shelley!!”)"

Source