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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Paper Towns in Books
Apr 9, 2019
"I suppose I never found boredom very boring"
Quentin is a senior in high school. Graduation is right around the corner and then he's off to Duke. When his next door neighbor, Margo knocks on his bedroom window late one night, he's reminded of a time when they were younger and used to truly be friends. Margo is extremely upset about the current status of her relationship with her boyfriend and is looking for someone to help her pull of the ultimate revenge. When Margo goes "missing" the next day, Quentin will stop at nothing to use her breadcrumbs and find her.
I decided to read this book for two reasons. Reason 1: It was coming on HBO and of course I had to read the book before I could watch the movie. Reason 2: I loved The Fault in Our Stars and when I enjoy a book by a particular author, I like to read everything they have written. Now I'm looking forward to watching the movie.
This whole book is based around a group of high school seniors who are out searching for their quirky friend, Margo. I liked the book because it was a quick easy read. It kept my attention throughout and I had to know how it was going to end. The book brought me back to my high school years(especially with my 20 year reunion coming up) with the references to poetry and prose I read during that time. During my 11th grade year we read a lot of poetry and classic literature. Interpreting poetry either as the author intended or by your own life experiences. Also this book made me thing about how far I would go to help someone else. Quentin and Margo are neighbors, but as time has gone on and their lives have changed, they aren't close friends, more like acquaintances. So when she disappears for yet another time, why does he feel it's his duty to be the one to find her?
This is a good YA book that may make some more interested in the poetry and classic literature featured in this and other John Green books.
Quentin is a senior in high school. Graduation is right around the corner and then he's off to Duke. When his next door neighbor, Margo knocks on his bedroom window late one night, he's reminded of a time when they were younger and used to truly be friends. Margo is extremely upset about the current status of her relationship with her boyfriend and is looking for someone to help her pull of the ultimate revenge. When Margo goes "missing" the next day, Quentin will stop at nothing to use her breadcrumbs and find her.
I decided to read this book for two reasons. Reason 1: It was coming on HBO and of course I had to read the book before I could watch the movie. Reason 2: I loved The Fault in Our Stars and when I enjoy a book by a particular author, I like to read everything they have written. Now I'm looking forward to watching the movie.
This whole book is based around a group of high school seniors who are out searching for their quirky friend, Margo. I liked the book because it was a quick easy read. It kept my attention throughout and I had to know how it was going to end. The book brought me back to my high school years(especially with my 20 year reunion coming up) with the references to poetry and prose I read during that time. During my 11th grade year we read a lot of poetry and classic literature. Interpreting poetry either as the author intended or by your own life experiences. Also this book made me thing about how far I would go to help someone else. Quentin and Margo are neighbors, but as time has gone on and their lives have changed, they aren't close friends, more like acquaintances. So when she disappears for yet another time, why does he feel it's his duty to be the one to find her?
This is a good YA book that may make some more interested in the poetry and classic literature featured in this and other John Green books.
Good Risks: Discovering the Secrets to Orix's 50 Years of Success: Inside an Invisible Global Behemoth
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Get inside Japan's invisible behemoth to see the future of global business Good Risks is a...
How to Solve Our Human Problems, Pt. 1 by Belle & Sebastian
Album Watch
A new Belle and Sebastian release is always something to cheer. So three new releases leads to the...
alternative rock
Wind Vane Pro
Weather and Utilities
App
All the great things you have loved about Wind Vane is now available with additional professional...
Mahjong Journey®
Games and Entertainment
App
Embark on a magical journey in this addictive Mahjong Solitaire adventure! Enjoy a new take on...
Merissa (13600 KP) rated Down to the Sea (Mystic Beach, #1.5) by Aislinn Archer in Books
Jun 17, 2022 (Updated Jun 19, 2023)
DOWN TO THE SEA is an overlap story in the Mystic Beach series. It tells the story of Aedan and Brighid - how they meet, how they become lovers and friends (and I use that order specifically), and how they both have trials to face.
Events that happened in Once Upon a Dream from Hunter's perspective, we now see from Brighid or Aedan's. This definitely helped fill the gaps and you see the reasons now for things Brighid did or said.
Aedan has his own love who hasn't 'woken up' yet and he and Brighid decide to pass the time with each other. He is a priest for a Manx Sea God - Manannán mac Lir. This means he has his own insights but he certainly doesn't see everything.
Apart from Brighid's visions, there isn't much paranormal here yet, although I'm sure that's coming in future books. I am loving this story and how the characters change and grow throughout the story.
One thing I have to say - and I know I will be in the minority here - but I got bored with the sex scenes between Aedan and Brighid. It says in the blurb the steam factors are high, and they are. It's just... I discovered I wanted more of the connection, the mysticism, between the two of them, rather than the sex. I found myself skipping over the sex scenes (unlike me) to get the visions or OoB experiences at the end. I loved it when the author changed it slightly near the end so we knew what they were doing but didn't need everything laid out.
As I say, this is my opinion, and it certainly didn't stop me from enjoying the rest of the story! I am now waiting (im)patiently for the continuation of Hunter and Brighid's story, content with waiting for Aedan's simply because I know it's coming.
If you love Ireland and the Irish Gods, I definitely recommend this book and series.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 12, 2022
Events that happened in Once Upon a Dream from Hunter's perspective, we now see from Brighid or Aedan's. This definitely helped fill the gaps and you see the reasons now for things Brighid did or said.
Aedan has his own love who hasn't 'woken up' yet and he and Brighid decide to pass the time with each other. He is a priest for a Manx Sea God - Manannán mac Lir. This means he has his own insights but he certainly doesn't see everything.
Apart from Brighid's visions, there isn't much paranormal here yet, although I'm sure that's coming in future books. I am loving this story and how the characters change and grow throughout the story.
One thing I have to say - and I know I will be in the minority here - but I got bored with the sex scenes between Aedan and Brighid. It says in the blurb the steam factors are high, and they are. It's just... I discovered I wanted more of the connection, the mysticism, between the two of them, rather than the sex. I found myself skipping over the sex scenes (unlike me) to get the visions or OoB experiences at the end. I loved it when the author changed it slightly near the end so we knew what they were doing but didn't need everything laid out.
As I say, this is my opinion, and it certainly didn't stop me from enjoying the rest of the story! I am now waiting (im)patiently for the continuation of Hunter and Brighid's story, content with waiting for Aedan's simply because I know it's coming.
If you love Ireland and the Irish Gods, I definitely recommend this book and series.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 12, 2022
From The Ashes (Redwood Bay Fire #2)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Love is never lost COLT Walking away from Zahir Delacroix was the worst mistake I ever made....
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Searching (2018) in Movies
Oct 24, 2018 (Updated Oct 24, 2018)
Stylish (2 more)
Well acted
Good script
The Surprise Hit Of 2018
I eventually got around to seeing Searching a couple of nights ago and I liked it way more than I thought I would. By all accounts, I should have hated this movie. I am not a fan of gimmicky webcam style movies, from the trailer this movie looked cheap and one-dimensional and possibly the most offensive aspect of the trailer was how unoriginal it came across. The marketing basically sold this movie as a Taken clone shot on a webcam.
There are a few times a year when I am absolutely delighted to be proven wrong and this is one of those rare times.
Searching is innovative, gripping and strikingly original. Unfortunately the movie doesn't really follow the formula that the academy looks for when handing out their nominations, but if John Cho doesn't get a nod come Oscar season for this performance, it will be a travesty. He carries this entire project on his shoulders and acts as the link that could make or break it throughout. Thankfully, he uses his impressive skills as an actor and pulls off a flawless performance while making it look effortless. The supporting cast do a decent job too.
The best thing about a movie that uses a gimmick well, is that you forget that the gimmick is even present after a while because it is so expertly woven into the narrative. That is the case here. The unfolding narrative is so engaging and the decision to tell it though PC and phone screens actually greatly helps the urgency and personalisation of the story, it really allows the audience to be right in the main character's shoes every step of the way.
The only slight negatives that I have is that I didn't love the ending and I seen some of the twists coming. However, this is very much down to my personal taste and I can't knock the movie too much for it. Also the marketing team for this movie should all be fired, like immediately. The only reason that I bothered to seek this film out was because of the positive response it was getting via word of mouth. If I was just going based on the movie's trailers I would have avoided this thing like the plague and missed out on an exciting, fun ride. Also when the movie dropped it was lucky if it was getting 3 showings per day in my local cinema and it was only showing in one cinema in my area, the distributors should really have done a better job of getting this film in front of an audience. It was as if they were putting this thing out to die to some extent.
Overall, Searching is the sleeper hit of the year. Sadly it will probably fly under a lot of people's radar due to the piss poor marketing, but I implore you to seek this one out, as it is an exciting, edge-of-your-seat thriller that is well worth your time.
There are a few times a year when I am absolutely delighted to be proven wrong and this is one of those rare times.
Searching is innovative, gripping and strikingly original. Unfortunately the movie doesn't really follow the formula that the academy looks for when handing out their nominations, but if John Cho doesn't get a nod come Oscar season for this performance, it will be a travesty. He carries this entire project on his shoulders and acts as the link that could make or break it throughout. Thankfully, he uses his impressive skills as an actor and pulls off a flawless performance while making it look effortless. The supporting cast do a decent job too.
The best thing about a movie that uses a gimmick well, is that you forget that the gimmick is even present after a while because it is so expertly woven into the narrative. That is the case here. The unfolding narrative is so engaging and the decision to tell it though PC and phone screens actually greatly helps the urgency and personalisation of the story, it really allows the audience to be right in the main character's shoes every step of the way.
The only slight negatives that I have is that I didn't love the ending and I seen some of the twists coming. However, this is very much down to my personal taste and I can't knock the movie too much for it. Also the marketing team for this movie should all be fired, like immediately. The only reason that I bothered to seek this film out was because of the positive response it was getting via word of mouth. If I was just going based on the movie's trailers I would have avoided this thing like the plague and missed out on an exciting, fun ride. Also when the movie dropped it was lucky if it was getting 3 showings per day in my local cinema and it was only showing in one cinema in my area, the distributors should really have done a better job of getting this film in front of an audience. It was as if they were putting this thing out to die to some extent.
Overall, Searching is the sleeper hit of the year. Sadly it will probably fly under a lot of people's radar due to the piss poor marketing, but I implore you to seek this one out, as it is an exciting, edge-of-your-seat thriller that is well worth your time.
JT (287 KP) rated Escape Plan (2013) in Movies
Mar 23, 2020
Arnie and Stallone (1 more)
Entertaining
80s action icons join forces
For those of us that grew up watching action films in the 80s, one can only stand by and admire that Stallone and Schwarzenegger were still going well into their 60s at the time of shooting. Clearly, they’re having fun, which is a good thing as we’re not expecting Oscar material here and those that are may as well leave now.
Escape Plan gives the two giants top billing opposite each other for the first time the whole way through a film (not counting The Expendables), but ultimately they’re on the same side. Ray Breslin (Stallone) breaks out of prisons for a living, making sure that those who are put behind bars have no way of ever getting out.
When a job comes up to test out a top-secret facility Breslin gleefully accepts despite his partners thinking otherwise, it leads him on to a collision course with Arnie who he needs to get onside in order to get out.
Of course once inside its clear that some people have no intention of letting him see the light of day, and Breslin is trapped behind a prison that encompasses everything he wrote the book on.
He teams up with fellow inmate Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger) in an attempt to break out and bring those responsible for setting him up, to justice, and that is where the fun begins. Schwarzenegger is enjoying himself even if the dialogue is not the best as we said, we’re not expecting Oscar material. He does, however, get the good lines and pretty much acts as the diversion as Breslin scampers around looking for breaks in the system.
Jim Caviezel is Hobbs, the warden of the facility, in what is actually quite a good turn as the classic pantomime villain, a throwback to the baddies of the mid-eighties. He plays it cold and calculating, which in some parts feels like he’s going a bit OTT. Beneath him is Vinnie Jones, typecast as the bog-standard henchmen who is not particularly needed and to make matters worse probably gets one of the worst henchmen deaths. We don’t regard that as a plot spoiler as most villain sidekicks end up biting the bullet as the stopgap between the hero and the classic ending battle.
There are no illusions going into this, you know exactly what you’re going to get right down to the obvious plot twist that you can see coming a mile off. A subplot is only touched on briefly but it’s a subplot that has been a staple part of any revenge plan. The film has a strong third act once everything has been set up and it unfolds in a pulsating twenty-minute finale which includes quite possibly the best slow motion shot for some time, nodding itself to most classic action films of the Arnie era.
It’s meat and two veg action of maybe not the highest order but certainly better than some of its more recent predecessors, Stallone and Schwarzenegger bring their action A-game and don’t disappoint for a second.
Escape Plan gives the two giants top billing opposite each other for the first time the whole way through a film (not counting The Expendables), but ultimately they’re on the same side. Ray Breslin (Stallone) breaks out of prisons for a living, making sure that those who are put behind bars have no way of ever getting out.
When a job comes up to test out a top-secret facility Breslin gleefully accepts despite his partners thinking otherwise, it leads him on to a collision course with Arnie who he needs to get onside in order to get out.
Of course once inside its clear that some people have no intention of letting him see the light of day, and Breslin is trapped behind a prison that encompasses everything he wrote the book on.
He teams up with fellow inmate Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger) in an attempt to break out and bring those responsible for setting him up, to justice, and that is where the fun begins. Schwarzenegger is enjoying himself even if the dialogue is not the best as we said, we’re not expecting Oscar material. He does, however, get the good lines and pretty much acts as the diversion as Breslin scampers around looking for breaks in the system.
Jim Caviezel is Hobbs, the warden of the facility, in what is actually quite a good turn as the classic pantomime villain, a throwback to the baddies of the mid-eighties. He plays it cold and calculating, which in some parts feels like he’s going a bit OTT. Beneath him is Vinnie Jones, typecast as the bog-standard henchmen who is not particularly needed and to make matters worse probably gets one of the worst henchmen deaths. We don’t regard that as a plot spoiler as most villain sidekicks end up biting the bullet as the stopgap between the hero and the classic ending battle.
There are no illusions going into this, you know exactly what you’re going to get right down to the obvious plot twist that you can see coming a mile off. A subplot is only touched on briefly but it’s a subplot that has been a staple part of any revenge plan. The film has a strong third act once everything has been set up and it unfolds in a pulsating twenty-minute finale which includes quite possibly the best slow motion shot for some time, nodding itself to most classic action films of the Arnie era.
It’s meat and two veg action of maybe not the highest order but certainly better than some of its more recent predecessors, Stallone and Schwarzenegger bring their action A-game and don’t disappoint for a second.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
I'm in danger of spouting praise all the way through this review. I honestly can't bring to mind anything that I didn't like about the film.
Even before it started you're gearing up for the main event with the 20th Century Fox tune rejigged in the Queen style, which I thought was a nice touch.
So much of this made me smile, genuinely grinning from ear to ear. The sequences they put together throughout were fun and done in a way that they flowed really well. With no dialogue in the compilation pieces, just the background of music and characters, there's always a danger that something won't make sense or it's done too fast to keep track of. I didn't feel that was an issue at all here.
I really enjoyed the way the creation of the songs were shown on the screen. It's difficult to explain without the visuals, but you could see the thought processes coming to life through the actors. The connection you get between the band members and the music feels very real, especially when you see the tension dissipate when there's a new beat to explore. One scene in particular gave me goosebumps, and that was seeing Freddie looking out over the fields as the hint of a piano tune is playing in the background... we all know that tune, and the anticipation of what's coming next is electric.
Rami Malek really did something stunning with this role. His reactions felt so real in all the scenes. Seeing Freddie react to the crowds singing their songs back at them was such a powerful moment.
All the cast members were great. The band in particular. At some points I was astonished that I wasn't watching a documentary with the actual people in it.
I wasn't sure how they were going to handle Freddie's illness in the film, but I'm relieved that it was done in a sensitive way. The serious note it take when showing him watching a report about AIDs on the television really takes hold when you hear Who Wants To Live Forever playing in the background. It gives you time to realise just how bad the diagnosis was back then. It also makes you realise just how far medicine has come in such a short time.
Rounding out the film with the Live Aid set is amazing. It brings the joy of music, performance, and fandom to life. I genuinely can't wait to go and see this one again.
What you should do
The only reason not to see this film is if you don't like Queen's music.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
That live music feeling, those goosebumps, the singing at the top of your lungs. That good vibe is what everyone needs in their life.
Even before it started you're gearing up for the main event with the 20th Century Fox tune rejigged in the Queen style, which I thought was a nice touch.
So much of this made me smile, genuinely grinning from ear to ear. The sequences they put together throughout were fun and done in a way that they flowed really well. With no dialogue in the compilation pieces, just the background of music and characters, there's always a danger that something won't make sense or it's done too fast to keep track of. I didn't feel that was an issue at all here.
I really enjoyed the way the creation of the songs were shown on the screen. It's difficult to explain without the visuals, but you could see the thought processes coming to life through the actors. The connection you get between the band members and the music feels very real, especially when you see the tension dissipate when there's a new beat to explore. One scene in particular gave me goosebumps, and that was seeing Freddie looking out over the fields as the hint of a piano tune is playing in the background... we all know that tune, and the anticipation of what's coming next is electric.
Rami Malek really did something stunning with this role. His reactions felt so real in all the scenes. Seeing Freddie react to the crowds singing their songs back at them was such a powerful moment.
All the cast members were great. The band in particular. At some points I was astonished that I wasn't watching a documentary with the actual people in it.
I wasn't sure how they were going to handle Freddie's illness in the film, but I'm relieved that it was done in a sensitive way. The serious note it take when showing him watching a report about AIDs on the television really takes hold when you hear Who Wants To Live Forever playing in the background. It gives you time to realise just how bad the diagnosis was back then. It also makes you realise just how far medicine has come in such a short time.
Rounding out the film with the Live Aid set is amazing. It brings the joy of music, performance, and fandom to life. I genuinely can't wait to go and see this one again.
What you should do
The only reason not to see this film is if you don't like Queen's music.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
That live music feeling, those goosebumps, the singing at the top of your lungs. That good vibe is what everyone needs in their life.