Search
Search results
Luke (12 KP) rated Castlevania in TV
Oct 2, 2017
Great Animation (2 more)
A-list voice cast.
Faithful to the lore of the video games
Really short (1 more)
Enemy design is a little boring
Castlevania (Netflix) is a 2017 animation series based on the video games of the same name. Based on Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse, with some elements of Symphony of the Night included, the series follows Trevor Belmont, voiced by Richard Armitage, as he investigates the incident in Wallachia after the townsfolk murdered the wife of Dracula. It's very clear that the Belmont family has had a history with the local church and that Trevor is clearly an outcast in this sleepy little town. Normally with these types of shows, Dracula is usually seen as the villain. However, the first episode shows that he might have just a little bit of humanity left in him, as shown by the voice work done by Graham McTavish. The animation here is abosulutely beautiful. Some of the action scenes are really well done, especially one in particular in the fourth episode. If I had any gripes with this series, I would say that the design of the gargoyle like creatures is a little uninspired. And right now, the series is only four episodes long. But they are currently working on a second season which will be much longer, so that is definitely something to look forward to. Overall, I would say that Castlevania on Netflix is a great series for both fans of the games and of vampire fiction in general. And this might be the best video game adaptation to date. This is definitely a great night to have a curse.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Daily Guideposts 2011 in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I grew up in church, so the name of Guideposts has been familiar to me my whole life. This book of devotionals lives up to its familiar name. Guideposts has become synonymous with quality in materials for prayer and reflection, and this book is no exception. The Introduction tells me that the theme for this collaborative effort is "Growing in Love." Each day in the book is one page, with a Bible verse at the beginning and a short prayer at the end, with a true, first-person narrative in between. Each month is preceded by a lovely black-and-white photograph of a lighthouse, with a Bible verse somewhere in the picture. The end of each month has a blank section titled "Seeds of Love" in which the reader can record something God has been doing in his or her life on one line for each day of that month. The end of the book contains a section titled "Fellowship Corner," which lists all of the fifty-five contributors for this devotional, complete with pictures of the people and their thoughts of the past year.
I can really appreciate the collaborative effort put into this book, as each devotional is unique and well thought out. The various viewpoints of the different writers are quite interesting, especially since I know they can all be depended on to believe in and write about the Word of God. While I obviously have not read through every page in this devotional since the time I received it from the publisher, I plan on continuing to use it in the coming new year as part of my personal time with Jesus.
I can really appreciate the collaborative effort put into this book, as each devotional is unique and well thought out. The various viewpoints of the different writers are quite interesting, especially since I know they can all be depended on to believe in and write about the Word of God. While I obviously have not read through every page in this devotional since the time I received it from the publisher, I plan on continuing to use it in the coming new year as part of my personal time with Jesus.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Machete (2010) in Movies
Jan 19, 2018
Fun Watch
Machete was a bit of a miss for me. I understood the direction that directors Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez were heading for. I just didn't quite...get it. As a salesperson, I'm taught to push the "why", not the "how". For me, the "why" of this film left a lot to be desired.
It's not that I didn't like Machete, rather it didn't hook me. Half cheesy action film, half telenovela, it definitely has some shining moments. Danny Trejo (Machete) plays a tough badass as he does in most films. His hardcore attitude makes him instantly lovable and they give him more attitude than ever in this role. Not only does he destroy a lot of tough guys, he manages to find time to slay the ladies as well. Oh yes, the ladies love Machete and Machete loves the ladies.
Props to Robert De Niro as well in his role as The Senator. Hearing his country accent makes you almost forgot this was the same guy that said, "You talkin' to me?" (Taxi Driver is on my list for this October!). You're supposed to hate him as he plays a villain, but you can't help but love him at the same time.
A handful of action sequences left me with raised eyebrows. My favorite in particular was Cheech Marin in the church with the double shotgun action. Talk about money!
Fun movie and worth at least one watch. Seeing Machete seek revenge on The Senator after being double-crossed (the plot) managed to keep me entertained but not quite jumping-for-joy excited. I give it a solid 76.
It's not that I didn't like Machete, rather it didn't hook me. Half cheesy action film, half telenovela, it definitely has some shining moments. Danny Trejo (Machete) plays a tough badass as he does in most films. His hardcore attitude makes him instantly lovable and they give him more attitude than ever in this role. Not only does he destroy a lot of tough guys, he manages to find time to slay the ladies as well. Oh yes, the ladies love Machete and Machete loves the ladies.
Props to Robert De Niro as well in his role as The Senator. Hearing his country accent makes you almost forgot this was the same guy that said, "You talkin' to me?" (Taxi Driver is on my list for this October!). You're supposed to hate him as he plays a villain, but you can't help but love him at the same time.
A handful of action sequences left me with raised eyebrows. My favorite in particular was Cheech Marin in the church with the double shotgun action. Talk about money!
Fun movie and worth at least one watch. Seeing Machete seek revenge on The Senator after being double-crossed (the plot) managed to keep me entertained but not quite jumping-for-joy excited. I give it a solid 76.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Poet X in Books
Aug 8, 2019
Xiomara Batista is a 15 year old Dominican American living in New York. She has a twin brother and lives with both of her parents. She's at the point in her life where boys are an interest, but her parents would never approve of her dating a boy. They are strict Catholics and Xiomara's mother tells her Jesus is the only man she needs to worry about. But Xiomara needs a way to express herself that she is unable to do with her family, so she writes poems. Her teacher thinks she is talented and encourages her to share her writing. But with her mother always on her about church, will Xiomara be able to find an outlet for her writing.
This book has been on my TBR and I have heard great things about it. This is a great road trip audio book to listen to. Since it's on 3.5 hours long, you can listen to the whole thing on a plane ride or long drive which is what I did.
I liked Xiomara character. I can understand how it feels to be a misunderstood teenager. Where you want to do the things you want to do, but also you don't want to disappoint your family. How do you live in both of those worlds? How do you please your parents and yourself? Being a teenager is tough, especially when you don't have someone who you can trust to share your problems with. Writing is a good outlet to get out the emotions that are hard to share with others.
This is the first book I've read by Elizabeth Acevedo. I look forward to reading her next book,
This book has been on my TBR and I have heard great things about it. This is a great road trip audio book to listen to. Since it's on 3.5 hours long, you can listen to the whole thing on a plane ride or long drive which is what I did.
I liked Xiomara character. I can understand how it feels to be a misunderstood teenager. Where you want to do the things you want to do, but also you don't want to disappoint your family. How do you live in both of those worlds? How do you please your parents and yourself? Being a teenager is tough, especially when you don't have someone who you can trust to share your problems with. Writing is a good outlet to get out the emotions that are hard to share with others.
This is the first book I've read by Elizabeth Acevedo. I look forward to reading her next book,
The Diaries of Charles Greville
Book
Charles Greville (1794-1865) made his first occasional diary entries in 1814, but the diary only...
CO
Confession of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the Btk Killer
Book
In 1974, Dennis Lynn Rader stalked and murdered a family of four in Wichita, Kansas. Since...
Letters from a Life: The Selected Letters of Benjamin Britten, 1913-1976: v. 6: 1966-1976
Book
The sixth and final volume of the annotated selected letters of Benjamin Britten, edited by Philip...
N.F.S. Grundtvig: An Introduction to His Life & Work
Book
N F S Grundtvig (1783-1872) was a prominent preacher, poet, scholar and politician, who played a...
BI
Believing in Order to See: On the Rationality of Revelation and the Irrationality of Some Believers
Jean-Luc Marion and Christina M. Gschwandtner
Book
Faith and reason, especially in Roman Catholic thought, are less contradictory today than ever. But...
EA
Embodiment and Black Religion: Rethinking the Body in African American Religious Experience
Book
This volume builds on scholarship by scholars of African American religion that emphasizes the...