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David McK (3425 KP) rated Alien: River of Pain in Books

Jul 21, 2019  
Alien: River of Pain
Alien: River of Pain
Christopher Golden | 2019
7
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The second (or is it third? Audible has it 2nd, but I've also seen it called #3? Maybe 3rd produced, but 2nd set?) of - currently - 3 canon Alien novels, this takes part largely alongside the early parts of the movie Aliens, cutting back and forth between Ripley and the inhabitants of the colony of Hadley's Hope.

Remember I said alongside the start of Aliens? To put that into context, this is - largely - filling in the gaps in the movie, between the point at which Ripley's escape pod is picked up, and the arrival of the Marines (and Ripley, and Burke) to that colony, after all communication with it is lost. As such, there are several scenes in here which are lifted straight from that movie, with some - slightly - expanded upon.

It also gives a reason why Newt is the only survivor found hiding in the air-ducts ("They mostly come at night. Mostly"), why there's Alien Face-huggers in jars in the colony, why the marines are so hyped up when we first meet them in the film (they're just back from R&R), and even why Newt's family went out prospecting in the first place.

Worth a read/listen? Yes, although I have to say that there are elements of this that reminded me quite a bit of the 90s comic/novel "Aliens: Nightmare Asylum" - especially in some of the characters - and that it just seems weird, now, that the presence of Marines on the planetoid, pre Ripley and co, are never mentioned at all!
  
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) in Movies

Aug 8, 2019  
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
2010 | Action, Romance, Sci-Fi
8
6.3 (21 Ratings)
Movie Rating
When so much often goes wrong with movie adaptations of video games, it is always pleasant when the occasional one takes you by surprise and becomes a well written, well acted, adventure of a movie. Prince of Persia, directed by Mike Newell, previously of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, captures much of the fun of the video game while telling a compelling story obviously written for the screen, and not pulled straight from the game itself.

Prince Dastan, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, does a fitting job of balancing the devious and dignified sides of his character. Gemma Arterton plays the role of Tamina with good chemistry with Gyllenhaal, and their dialogue always seems to have a spark of something extra. Ben Kingsley and the rest of the supporting cast do a fantastic job of rounding out the story and providing a degree of comic relief, tension, and reasons to use the special effects budget. The special effects are as expected, coming from producer Jerry Bruckheimer, excellent. Still, they don’t distract or otherwise draw too much attention away from the story itself.

The movie, obviously enough, revolves around Prince Dastan and a mystical dagger that can turn back time for short periods. Despite the plot twists and turns (and there are several), this movie kept me guessing and absorbed in the story, but never confused. If you’re looking for a fun time at the movies to start the summer season, look no further than this lively and fun film.
  
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Crazies (2010) in Movies

Aug 8, 2019  
The Crazies (2010)
The Crazies (2010)
2010 | Action, Drama, Horror
5
6.2 (16 Ratings)
Movie Rating
In the farming community of Ogden Marsh, a small town in middle America where everyone knows their neighbor, unspeakable horror is about to happen.

During a game of baseball local Farmer Rory Hamill arrives interrupting the game with shotgun in tow. This odd incident soon leads to more and shows that that something definitely isn’t right as the locals begin losing their minds.

In the new film “The Crazies”, a remake of the classic original film by horror legend George Romero, the audience is taken on a bizarre trip as a an ideal small community becomes the setting of unimagined terror and chaos.

Before the movie, I researched the original and read a comic series in order to get a better grasp on the source material.

Sadly the final product did not live up to my expectations as the film plays out in a very stale manner and it seems that Director Breck Eisner was unsure what direction he wanted to the film to take.

I felt like I was watching a re-packaged “28 Days later” with a little bit of “Quarantine” mixed in, Honestly the movie was so boring to me that I found myself trying to find anything in it that could keep my attention.

Thankfully the film does have some great special FX which for me is the saving grace of the film. While I had expected a bit more form the source material which was rife with possibilities, “The Crazies” plays out as a rather mundane horror film that offers very little that is new and fresh.