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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Venom (2018) in Movies
Jul 11, 2019
It's... Ok, I guess...
There's not really much to say about Venom to be honest. I didn't hate it, I didn't love it, it just sort of exists.
It's a pretty by the numbers origin film, that veers fairly sharply from the comics due to there being zero Spider-Man.
If you've seen the trailer, then you know the plot. There are no surprises (with the exception of an extremely on the nose tease for future installments near the end).
No one in the cast seems to be too bothered that they are there either, with the exception of Tom Hardy, who does a pretty sterling job of playing Eddie Brock - the dialogue between him and Venom is pretty entertaining throughout.
Surprising absolutely no one, the films climaxes in a CGI heavy face off, with both parties being dark grey in colour - making for a pretty bland showdown.
Venoms ok, worth a watch, even if it's just the one time - the Marvel nerd in me just really wishes that these characters were under the same MCU umbrella (one day... One day)
It's a pretty by the numbers origin film, that veers fairly sharply from the comics due to there being zero Spider-Man.
If you've seen the trailer, then you know the plot. There are no surprises (with the exception of an extremely on the nose tease for future installments near the end).
No one in the cast seems to be too bothered that they are there either, with the exception of Tom Hardy, who does a pretty sterling job of playing Eddie Brock - the dialogue between him and Venom is pretty entertaining throughout.
Surprising absolutely no one, the films climaxes in a CGI heavy face off, with both parties being dark grey in colour - making for a pretty bland showdown.
Venoms ok, worth a watch, even if it's just the one time - the Marvel nerd in me just really wishes that these characters were under the same MCU umbrella (one day... One day)
David McK (3562 KP) rated Guards! Guards! Discworld Novel 8 in Books
Jul 15, 2023
When people ask which Discworld book to start with, I often tell them to skip the first two in the series (The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic), then ask in which direction their interests lie.
Reimagining of famous plays/fairytales? Try any in The Witches series.
Primarily murder whodunnits? The Guards.
Of which this is the first.
So this is the one to introduce the reader to Sam Vimes, Nobby Nobbs, Fred Colon and Carrot Ironfoundersson, as well as featuring a prominent role for The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, and which would lead to perhaps the most-revisited characters in the entire Discworld series - I think Pratchett returned to the Watch a further 7 times, for a total of 8 such novels.
Quick google search: yes, 8 times. Only matched by the Wizards of Unseen University.
Anyway, this is the one that sees a secret society summoning a Dragon in the hopes of installing a puppet ruler to the vacant throne of Ankh-Morpork, before things go awry ...
Reimagining of famous plays/fairytales? Try any in The Witches series.
Primarily murder whodunnits? The Guards.
Of which this is the first.
So this is the one to introduce the reader to Sam Vimes, Nobby Nobbs, Fred Colon and Carrot Ironfoundersson, as well as featuring a prominent role for The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, and which would lead to perhaps the most-revisited characters in the entire Discworld series - I think Pratchett returned to the Watch a further 7 times, for a total of 8 such novels.
Quick google search: yes, 8 times. Only matched by the Wizards of Unseen University.
Anyway, this is the one that sees a secret society summoning a Dragon in the hopes of installing a puppet ruler to the vacant throne of Ankh-Morpork, before things go awry ...
Morgan Sheppard (936 KP) created a post
Feb 19, 2024
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Siege of Abythos in Books
Nov 7, 2017
Poetry battle (2 more)
Poetry battle
Poetry battle
The third instalment in the Chronicles of the Black Gate series is the biggest yet, in terms of page count. The story follows the same PoV characters as previous books but their adventures are now covering so much more of the world and the storyline is becoming quite entangled.
Tharok's attempts to unite the orc-like kragh tribes and invade the human world continue, meanwhile Lady Iskra seeks to rescue her son and take revenge on the Ascendant's empire.
This book covers a lot more political debate and intrigue than the previous two, with prolonged discussion of who should be invaded, and what should be done thereafter. While this is very much a necessity in such an epic tale I felt it was somewhat laboured at times.
I very nearly gave up on this book at one point - where the portly magister Audsley (who has three demons lurking in his soul) was seeking to inveigle his way into the upper echelons of the empire, most of this storytelling centred around the colour of robes to wear, the type and colour of paper to use in sending letters and reciting poetry. Again this was very much laboured but bearable, until it looked like we were heading for what can only be described as a poetry battle, where Audsley (coached by one of his demons) was set to take on a senior government official's poetry representative in a battle of wits to see how would curry favour in the empire.
That's right: a poetry battle.
Think Philip Larkin in 8 Mile.
Will the real Slim Shakespeare please stand up.
Kanye Wordsworth.
NWA (Novelists with Assonance)
At this point I very nearly gave up. Thankfully, so did Audsley and the contest ended abruptly as he refused to let his demon take control of him. Phew. Disaster avoided. If this had been allowed to continue it would have made Tom Bombadil look like a critical plot point.
Other than Audsley's chapters (which in the previous book had been a highlight) the book does roll along at a reasonable pace and there is just about enough action to keep the interest, particularly in the last 100 or so pages.
All in all, a good read and a turning point for the series as a whole, but a lot of nonsense could have been removed, (Edgar Allan) Poe Shizzle.
Tharok's attempts to unite the orc-like kragh tribes and invade the human world continue, meanwhile Lady Iskra seeks to rescue her son and take revenge on the Ascendant's empire.
This book covers a lot more political debate and intrigue than the previous two, with prolonged discussion of who should be invaded, and what should be done thereafter. While this is very much a necessity in such an epic tale I felt it was somewhat laboured at times.
I very nearly gave up on this book at one point - where the portly magister Audsley (who has three demons lurking in his soul) was seeking to inveigle his way into the upper echelons of the empire, most of this storytelling centred around the colour of robes to wear, the type and colour of paper to use in sending letters and reciting poetry. Again this was very much laboured but bearable, until it looked like we were heading for what can only be described as a poetry battle, where Audsley (coached by one of his demons) was set to take on a senior government official's poetry representative in a battle of wits to see how would curry favour in the empire.
That's right: a poetry battle.
Think Philip Larkin in 8 Mile.
Will the real Slim Shakespeare please stand up.
Kanye Wordsworth.
NWA (Novelists with Assonance)
At this point I very nearly gave up. Thankfully, so did Audsley and the contest ended abruptly as he refused to let his demon take control of him. Phew. Disaster avoided. If this had been allowed to continue it would have made Tom Bombadil look like a critical plot point.
Other than Audsley's chapters (which in the previous book had been a highlight) the book does roll along at a reasonable pace and there is just about enough action to keep the interest, particularly in the last 100 or so pages.
All in all, a good read and a turning point for the series as a whole, but a lot of nonsense could have been removed, (Edgar Allan) Poe Shizzle.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Dead Man's Shoes (2006) in Movies
Feb 3, 2019
Brilliantly savage
Finally managed to get a hold of this after borrowing it on DVD from my brother, I’ve been wanting to watch it again for a long time and it’s still a fantastic hard hitting film.
This is a darkly savage and fairly brutal story of revenge that makes for a powerful watch. The plot is straight forward and simple, but it just goes to show that you don’t need a massive budget or fancy Hollywood effects to make an outstanding film. From the effective story telling (colour current day scenes vs black and white flashbacks), to a clever script, bleak, creepy and almost gruesome scenes and some great performances. Paddy Considine is a fantastic actor, and probably deserves a lot more accolades, and Toby Kebbell has an outstanding yet fairly small and moving breakthrough performance as Anthony. The final twist at the end too is one of the few film endings that has always stuck with me. And I will admit to having a bit of a soft spot for films that are set in or around my local area, and Derbyshire isn’t too far away....
This is a darkly savage and fairly brutal story of revenge that makes for a powerful watch. The plot is straight forward and simple, but it just goes to show that you don’t need a massive budget or fancy Hollywood effects to make an outstanding film. From the effective story telling (colour current day scenes vs black and white flashbacks), to a clever script, bleak, creepy and almost gruesome scenes and some great performances. Paddy Considine is a fantastic actor, and probably deserves a lot more accolades, and Toby Kebbell has an outstanding yet fairly small and moving breakthrough performance as Anthony. The final twist at the end too is one of the few film endings that has always stuck with me. And I will admit to having a bit of a soft spot for films that are set in or around my local area, and Derbyshire isn’t too far away....
Midge (525 KP) rated The Colour of Murder in Books
Feb 11, 2019
Clever And Enjoyable
THE COLOUR OF MURDER is the first book by Julian Symons that I've read and I really enjoyed it. Though it is naturally a book of its time, I found it endearing and charming. The characters were fantastic and the book, for me, is reminiscent of a Patricia Highsmith or a Ruth Rendell mystery.
I thought that the story was captivating and engaging and extremely well structured, both leading up to the murder, as told by the accused, as he relates his account of events to a psychologist and in court, with the cases for the defence and prosecution. I loved that the style of writing was slightly different to the usual types of murder mysteries, although there was still a whodunit theme, as well as a look at the nature of justice. It held my interest from start to finish and the way in which Julian Symons brought everything to a conclusion was just fabulous. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
I thought that the story was captivating and engaging and extremely well structured, both leading up to the murder, as told by the accused, as he relates his account of events to a psychologist and in court, with the cases for the defence and prosecution. I loved that the style of writing was slightly different to the usual types of murder mysteries, although there was still a whodunit theme, as well as a look at the nature of justice. It held my interest from start to finish and the way in which Julian Symons brought everything to a conclusion was just fabulous. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales of H.P. Lovecraft in Books
Mar 15, 2019 (Updated Mar 15, 2019)
Dang-near essential for anyone interested in the 20th century horror story, this volume does what it says on the front and collects the most significant fiction of H.P. Lovecraft's career. Lovecraft has a unique and idiosyncratic writing style (and that's putting it mildly) and he's not afraid to insert his deeply unpleasant racist views into his stories. However, no single figure has been more influential in the development of the fantasy-horror genre in the last century.
Lovecraft's best stories take the scientific discoveries of his time and use them to summon up an extraordinary sense of cosmic dread: the vastness of the universe and the primordial origins of the human race become the stuff of genuine nightmare. All the key stories are here - the famous Call of Cthulhu, of course, along with others that are still massively influential, such as The Colour Out of Space and At the Mountains of Madness. Lovecraft wrote the book on a certain kind of horror, and this volume is pretty much it. Some of the stories are minor works, but the best ones here are epochal.
Lovecraft's best stories take the scientific discoveries of his time and use them to summon up an extraordinary sense of cosmic dread: the vastness of the universe and the primordial origins of the human race become the stuff of genuine nightmare. All the key stories are here - the famous Call of Cthulhu, of course, along with others that are still massively influential, such as The Colour Out of Space and At the Mountains of Madness. Lovecraft wrote the book on a certain kind of horror, and this volume is pretty much it. Some of the stories are minor works, but the best ones here are epochal.
Rikki Hammond (33 KP) rated Cards Against Humanity: Red Box in Tabletop Games
May 28, 2019
Three expansions in one box (1 more)
Increases replayability
Same negatives as the base game (2 more)
Not worth it if you own the first three expansions already
Doesn't come with blank cards to create your own questions and answers.
More cards = More hilarity
This is one of three colour boxes for CAH, and this one inparticular contains the first three expansions for the base game, which gives even more black and white cards to add to the collection.
This came out after the initial set of expanrmsions were released separately, so if you already own them, there is no point at all in buying this box. For some reason as well, it doesn't come with blank black and white cards, so you can write your own questions and answers out, which were available in the single expansions. Why they took this feature out is beyond me, as it really showed how twisted you and your friends minds could be.
Aside from that, you can't really go wrong with more cards that add more replayability to an already great party game, so this is definitely worth a purchase.
This came out after the initial set of expanrmsions were released separately, so if you already own them, there is no point at all in buying this box. For some reason as well, it doesn't come with blank black and white cards, so you can write your own questions and answers out, which were available in the single expansions. Why they took this feature out is beyond me, as it really showed how twisted you and your friends minds could be.
Aside from that, you can't really go wrong with more cards that add more replayability to an already great party game, so this is definitely worth a purchase.
Ashley Cresswell (8 KP) rated the PC version of The Sims 4 in Video Games
Jun 3, 2019
Building houses and different walls and floor heights (1 more)
More detailed surroundings
Loading screens when exploring the neighborhood (5 more)
No cars
Cartooney graphics
Not much character customizing
Limited events
Tiny neighborhoods
After being such a Sims fan most of my life, i was really looking forward to the sims 4... Until i downloaded it.
I found out very fast that there wasn't much content to go with the £50 price tag. No toddlers when it was first released, no pools, no cars. Cars still arent even in this game even to this day.
There isnt much in character creation either. Something which the sims is known for is its character creation but in this game its almost non existent. There is no colour wheel and a limited list of facial structures.
The game i think is practically just the sims 1 with updated graphics. There are loading screens while travelling from your street. Cars aren't even available at all. The only saving grace of this game is the building aspect. With curved walls and floor height adjustment it brings a whole new level to building the perfect house.
I found out very fast that there wasn't much content to go with the £50 price tag. No toddlers when it was first released, no pools, no cars. Cars still arent even in this game even to this day.
There isnt much in character creation either. Something which the sims is known for is its character creation but in this game its almost non existent. There is no colour wheel and a limited list of facial structures.
The game i think is practically just the sims 1 with updated graphics. There are loading screens while travelling from your street. Cars aren't even available at all. The only saving grace of this game is the building aspect. With curved walls and floor height adjustment it brings a whole new level to building the perfect house.
David (771 KP) rated Logan (2017) in Movies
Jan 17, 2018
Very different from other X-men films
I sat at home to watch this not knowing much about it except the synopsis on screen. Watched the colour version rather than the film noir version. As my title says it's not like other X-men films with it's bloody violence and bad language as the previous films were aimed at a younger audience (in my opinion). The film was fast paced and gave us a little back story on how Prof X and Wolverine got to where they are now. As I am used to him in humorous roles, Stephen Merchants character was a surprise showing that he can step out of his comfort zone. The actress that played Lauren was fantastic even though she didn't speak for the first half of the film. She would be a great evil spirit in a ghost/horror movie as she has a very good deadpan glare that looks straight through you (chilling). I am not going to do spoilers, I will say that I would watch the film again maybe even the film noir version.