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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated We Hunt The Flame (Sands of Arawiya #1) in Books
Jul 23, 2019
This is the first book in a planned duology, and I NEED THE SECOND ONE RIGHT NOW. Zafira is a firecracker, and Nasir is a precious gumdrop, and Altair is a mystery, while I can't help but read Kifah as Valkyrie from Avengers. (Seriously, if this ever gets made into a movie and Tessa Thompson DOESN'T get cast as Kifah, I'll be upset.)
These characters, and this setting, and this worldbuilding, and this plot...Faizal has blown me away with this book. There are twists I saw coming, and some I did not, so I'm not going to go into much detail about the plot, but Zafira and a few other people are searching for a magical artifact to restore magic to their kingdom, after it was locked away many years ago. I don't remember exactly how long it's been; Zafira can't remember having magic, but she does mention at one point that her mother was a healer. So sometime during her mother's lifetime? The kingdom has been cursed in the absence of magic, different curses for the different districts, and the Arz is a magical forest encroaching on the borders. Almost no one who goes into the Arz ever comes out again, so it's incredibly dangerous for anyone who isn't Zafira. Zafira has the unique ability to always know which direction she needs to go to reach her goal, and it's this ability that brings her to the attention of the Silver Witch, who sets her on the path to find the artifact. The artifact is, of course, on the enchanted island that serves as a prison for all the magical objects and creatures, so Zafira and her companions face all kinds of unknown dangers.
I really enjoyed basically everything about this book. There was character development, a touch of romance, a team learning to work as a team, secrets, magic, ancient evils, trauma and emotional work...just a lot. (Also enemies-to-lovers, if you're into that.) It is a brilliant epic fantasy, and I cannot WAIT for the second book. I need to know what happens! (It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, exactly, but things are definitely NOT. RESOLVED.)
You can find all my reviews and more at http://goddessinthestacks.com
These characters, and this setting, and this worldbuilding, and this plot...Faizal has blown me away with this book. There are twists I saw coming, and some I did not, so I'm not going to go into much detail about the plot, but Zafira and a few other people are searching for a magical artifact to restore magic to their kingdom, after it was locked away many years ago. I don't remember exactly how long it's been; Zafira can't remember having magic, but she does mention at one point that her mother was a healer. So sometime during her mother's lifetime? The kingdom has been cursed in the absence of magic, different curses for the different districts, and the Arz is a magical forest encroaching on the borders. Almost no one who goes into the Arz ever comes out again, so it's incredibly dangerous for anyone who isn't Zafira. Zafira has the unique ability to always know which direction she needs to go to reach her goal, and it's this ability that brings her to the attention of the Silver Witch, who sets her on the path to find the artifact. The artifact is, of course, on the enchanted island that serves as a prison for all the magical objects and creatures, so Zafira and her companions face all kinds of unknown dangers.
I really enjoyed basically everything about this book. There was character development, a touch of romance, a team learning to work as a team, secrets, magic, ancient evils, trauma and emotional work...just a lot. (Also enemies-to-lovers, if you're into that.) It is a brilliant epic fantasy, and I cannot WAIT for the second book. I need to know what happens! (It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, exactly, but things are definitely NOT. RESOLVED.)
You can find all my reviews and more at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
If you hear the sound of a million screaming girls coming from your local theater, then you already know that the newest film in the Twilight Saga, “New Moon” is here. Picking up where “Twilight” left off is the love triangle between emo babe, Bella (Kristen Stewert), her star-crossed boyfriend/vampire, Edward (Robert Pattinson), and the heartfelt affectionate werewolf, Jacob (Taylor Lautner). But this film isn’t just about this century’s most discussed love triangle. “New Moon” takes Twilighters deeper into the history and mythos of these loveable monsters. Further expanding the Twilightverse is the introduction of the Volturi, the vampire royalty, who keep their kind a global secret, with serious consequences for those who break their code.
If you were bored during the slow buildup of “Twilight” then “New Moon” should be an exciting change, filled with fast cars and strong CGI. And the visuals don’t stop there, with backdrops ranging from the rainy forests of Washington to the sunny streets of Tuscany, this film goes far beyond the scope of the last.
Most impressively the acting has improved, especially on the part of Jacob Black who is charming in “New Moon”, a significant improvement from his irritating portrayal in the first film. Did I mention that he has gained a six pack? No, not just the abs, but also in the form of his wolf tribe (yes, I know there are only five wolves, but who can resist a good six pack turn of phrase?).
I only wish there had been more interaction with the Volturi. Surely there was a way to skip an unnecessary emotional Bella scene for a better understanding of the cruel nature of these creatures. Still the chemistry between Bella and the two men of her dreams is undeniably heart wrenching in this cinematic chapter.
Lovers of Twilight will also rejoice over the clever dialogue, which immediately took me back to key moments in the books. Moreover, the action-filled storytelling might just be the final straw for the remaining people out there on the fence about tackling the hefty novels.
If you were bored during the slow buildup of “Twilight” then “New Moon” should be an exciting change, filled with fast cars and strong CGI. And the visuals don’t stop there, with backdrops ranging from the rainy forests of Washington to the sunny streets of Tuscany, this film goes far beyond the scope of the last.
Most impressively the acting has improved, especially on the part of Jacob Black who is charming in “New Moon”, a significant improvement from his irritating portrayal in the first film. Did I mention that he has gained a six pack? No, not just the abs, but also in the form of his wolf tribe (yes, I know there are only five wolves, but who can resist a good six pack turn of phrase?).
I only wish there had been more interaction with the Volturi. Surely there was a way to skip an unnecessary emotional Bella scene for a better understanding of the cruel nature of these creatures. Still the chemistry between Bella and the two men of her dreams is undeniably heart wrenching in this cinematic chapter.
Lovers of Twilight will also rejoice over the clever dialogue, which immediately took me back to key moments in the books. Moreover, the action-filled storytelling might just be the final straw for the remaining people out there on the fence about tackling the hefty novels.
Elli H Burton (1288 KP) rated Mermaids Singing in Books
Nov 22, 2019
See below...
Contains spoilers, click to show
Okay so I finished this book a few nights back but it's taken me until now to be able to write my review down.
I really enjoyed it, couldn't put it down and it has good plot lines that make you NEED to know whats next. You really start to root for most characters and loathe the others. Theres plenty of twists that are completely unexpected, which in some cases you can see a twist coming a mile off so thats a plus.
The reason I put that this contains spoilers is because of how I felt at the end, resulting in my rating only being a 7.
The ending is frustrating!!! I know some writers write their books in sequences (Rosie Goodwin: Days of the week, Annie Murray: Birmingham, Narrowboat Girl etc) so when i reached the ending (AT 1AM BECAUSE I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN) I assumed it had a sequel. IT DOESNT. So many questions, so many plot lines left unfulfilled. For example, Bella was in love with her step son Edward but he is now married and his father dead. The new Lady Mableton wants to adopt Bellas daughter after discovering she cannot have children and wants an heir to the mableton estate, she will stop at nothing to get this child. Kitty tries her hardest to get hold of Bella after she ran off to be with a man she was sold to when she was younger whom she thought was awful (dont even get me started) you never find out if Bella gets contacted!! Her daughter is left with her mother who says she will not let Lady Mableton have her granddaughter under no circumstances. THATS THE END OF THE BLUMMIN BOOK?!! How do they stop this woman from getting the child? Does bella and her beau come back and save the day? Does Edward put a stop to it? Also will Bellas mother (who was known to not be a very nice woman) give the child over at a price, since it would be of character?
DILLY COURT - PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL AAARGHHH.
I really enjoyed it, couldn't put it down and it has good plot lines that make you NEED to know whats next. You really start to root for most characters and loathe the others. Theres plenty of twists that are completely unexpected, which in some cases you can see a twist coming a mile off so thats a plus.
The reason I put that this contains spoilers is because of how I felt at the end, resulting in my rating only being a 7.
The ending is frustrating!!! I know some writers write their books in sequences (Rosie Goodwin: Days of the week, Annie Murray: Birmingham, Narrowboat Girl etc) so when i reached the ending (AT 1AM BECAUSE I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN) I assumed it had a sequel. IT DOESNT. So many questions, so many plot lines left unfulfilled. For example, Bella was in love with her step son Edward but he is now married and his father dead. The new Lady Mableton wants to adopt Bellas daughter after discovering she cannot have children and wants an heir to the mableton estate, she will stop at nothing to get this child. Kitty tries her hardest to get hold of Bella after she ran off to be with a man she was sold to when she was younger whom she thought was awful (dont even get me started) you never find out if Bella gets contacted!! Her daughter is left with her mother who says she will not let Lady Mableton have her granddaughter under no circumstances. THATS THE END OF THE BLUMMIN BOOK?!! How do they stop this woman from getting the child? Does bella and her beau come back and save the day? Does Edward put a stop to it? Also will Bellas mother (who was known to not be a very nice woman) give the child over at a price, since it would be of character?
DILLY COURT - PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL AAARGHHH.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Casquette Girls in Books
Jan 23, 2020
What an interesting read! The Casquette Girls is centered shortly after Hurricane Katrina, and of course, New Orleans, where the unexplainable happens.
Part One is a bit slow, with Adele coming back from Paris, reconstruction in the city after the hurricane, and the occasional unexplainable situation happening (aka dead people on the rise, and I don't mean zombies) but Part Two is when things really pick up.
Part Two and a bit of Part Three actually goes back to the past as Adele is reading her ancestor's diary, trying to figure out what happened in the early 1700s after being lead to a completely shut and by completely shut, I mean nailed in attic of the local convent. Of course, she's not lead to the diary until she accidentally "breaks" open a shutter of said convent and unleashes a threat to her entire town.
(I was sort of disappointed when the end of the diary was reached. *sigh*)
What's really neat is said threat is confined within a specific part of the city based on a curse from centuries ago it's usually either vampires or witches. If they are together, chances are there's a pack of werewolves running around or they're with others. Plus, everyone hates vampires by then, not that it isn't the case here.
The Casquette Girls was a neat read based on a hurricane, centering around vampires and witchcraft, although Alys really could have added in a translation of the many French words used (Italian was no problem for me). I wouldn't have felt as though I'm reading fragments by then, and I'm sure the translation guide would help other non-French speaking readers too!
<img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mvEgVOM_JGs/U3FfeZceS7I/AAAAAAAADQc/Omh5mPoZ6Gc/s1600/Translation_Please_.jpg"; height="320" width="301">
----------------------
Review copy provided by the author via Xpresso Book Tours
Original Rating: 4.5
This review and more can be found over at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/06/review-the-casquette-girls-by-alys-arden.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Part One is a bit slow, with Adele coming back from Paris, reconstruction in the city after the hurricane, and the occasional unexplainable situation happening (aka dead people on the rise, and I don't mean zombies) but Part Two is when things really pick up.
Part Two and a bit of Part Three actually goes back to the past as Adele is reading her ancestor's diary, trying to figure out what happened in the early 1700s after being lead to a completely shut and by completely shut, I mean nailed in attic of the local convent. Of course, she's not lead to the diary until she accidentally "breaks" open a shutter of said convent and unleashes a threat to her entire town.
(I was sort of disappointed when the end of the diary was reached. *sigh*)
What's really neat is said threat is confined within a specific part of the city based on a curse from centuries ago it's usually either vampires or witches. If they are together, chances are there's a pack of werewolves running around or they're with others. Plus, everyone hates vampires by then, not that it isn't the case here.
The Casquette Girls was a neat read based on a hurricane, centering around vampires and witchcraft, although Alys really could have added in a translation of the many French words used (Italian was no problem for me). I wouldn't have felt as though I'm reading fragments by then, and I'm sure the translation guide would help other non-French speaking readers too!
<img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mvEgVOM_JGs/U3FfeZceS7I/AAAAAAAADQc/Omh5mPoZ6Gc/s1600/Translation_Please_.jpg"; height="320" width="301">
----------------------
Review copy provided by the author via Xpresso Book Tours
Original Rating: 4.5
This review and more can be found over at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/06/review-the-casquette-girls-by-alys-arden.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated His Frozen Heart in Books
Feb 3, 2020
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
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<b><i>His Frozen Heart pulled me into an idyllic winter paradise and made me want to cuddle up with a warm blanket and a hot chocolate in my bed.</i></b>
This is the most romantic novel by Georgia Le Carre I have read so far. Don’t you worry, the steamy scenes are there too, but for the first time, they are not the main focus of the book.
Cade lives alone on the mountain side. He is there to escape both his reality and his troubled past. When a woman crashes her car and a blizzard is coming up, she needs to spend a few days in his cottage.
Sometimes, you only need a few days with a person to know whether they are right for you. What begins as a lust turns into a deep relationship, full of love and caring.
But with an unexpected twist, I started doubting everything I had read and all the characters involved. With an even more unexpected ending, I felt so disappointed…
When you find out a dark secret that makes you double-check your feelings, you need to talk to the other person. You need to get face to face and bloody talk. No matter your decision, whether you’re going to stay or go. No matter if you have already made your mind, you need to say something. If nothing is said, how can it be a happy ending?
Despite the ending though, and my emotional reaction, this is so far the most thrilling book I read by this author. Unpredictable and satisfying, she did manage to keep me on my toes, and actually managed to get me to care about the characters.
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
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<b><i>His Frozen Heart pulled me into an idyllic winter paradise and made me want to cuddle up with a warm blanket and a hot chocolate in my bed.</i></b>
This is the most romantic novel by Georgia Le Carre I have read so far. Don’t you worry, the steamy scenes are there too, but for the first time, they are not the main focus of the book.
Cade lives alone on the mountain side. He is there to escape both his reality and his troubled past. When a woman crashes her car and a blizzard is coming up, she needs to spend a few days in his cottage.
Sometimes, you only need a few days with a person to know whether they are right for you. What begins as a lust turns into a deep relationship, full of love and caring.
But with an unexpected twist, I started doubting everything I had read and all the characters involved. With an even more unexpected ending, I felt so disappointed…
When you find out a dark secret that makes you double-check your feelings, you need to talk to the other person. You need to get face to face and bloody talk. No matter your decision, whether you’re going to stay or go. No matter if you have already made your mind, you need to say something. If nothing is said, how can it be a happy ending?
Despite the ending though, and my emotional reaction, this is so far the most thrilling book I read by this author. Unpredictable and satisfying, she did manage to keep me on my toes, and actually managed to get me to care about the characters.
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) in Movies
Feb 10, 2020
I firmly believe that this is one of the best movies on the face of the planet. Anyone who knows me and knows my reviews knows how much it bothers me when film adaptations are so bad or so off or they just lose everything the book had. The exact opposite happens here. I think what makes this movie so good and so well put together is that it's still Stephen's story. He wrote the book, then the screenplay, then he directed it so it was his entire vision coming to life on screen and it worked. I think if anyone else would've directed or wrote the script, it wouldn't have translated so well.
Additionally, this cast is phenomenal. Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Nina Dobrev, Mae Whitman, Kate Walsh, Paul Rudd, it just works. There are some parts from the book that didn't make it to the screen and that definitely bummed me out - I wish we could've seen Bill and Charlie's relationship more because it was really important in the book and it provided a lot for Charlie in terms of safety and comfort. I also wish some of the lines were verbatim. When Sam gets mad at Charlie after truth or dare, in the book she says, "what the fuck is wrong with you?" while in the movie she says, "what the hell is wrong with you?" I know that it's not a huge difference but I think that would've landed so much better. Also when Charlie defends Patrick. In the book, he says, "If you ever do this again, I'll tell everyone and I'll tell everyone for real. If you come after him again, I'll blind you." or something along those lines and I think that would've been great, especially with how low and solid Logan gave the line in the film. Just small things like that, I wish would've made it to screen.
Regardless, this film and this story are incredible and worth watching at least once for everyone. The same goes for the book. A must-read.
Additionally, this cast is phenomenal. Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Nina Dobrev, Mae Whitman, Kate Walsh, Paul Rudd, it just works. There are some parts from the book that didn't make it to the screen and that definitely bummed me out - I wish we could've seen Bill and Charlie's relationship more because it was really important in the book and it provided a lot for Charlie in terms of safety and comfort. I also wish some of the lines were verbatim. When Sam gets mad at Charlie after truth or dare, in the book she says, "what the fuck is wrong with you?" while in the movie she says, "what the hell is wrong with you?" I know that it's not a huge difference but I think that would've landed so much better. Also when Charlie defends Patrick. In the book, he says, "If you ever do this again, I'll tell everyone and I'll tell everyone for real. If you come after him again, I'll blind you." or something along those lines and I think that would've been great, especially with how low and solid Logan gave the line in the film. Just small things like that, I wish would've made it to screen.
Regardless, this film and this story are incredible and worth watching at least once for everyone. The same goes for the book. A must-read.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Shadow Of The Jaguar (A Leine Basso Thriller) in Books
Apr 12, 2020
I'm a bit of a broken record when it comes to this particular series but I make no apologies for that as each one is as good, if not better, than the last and once again I am struggling to find new words to describe how much I enjoyed this book and I have found myself delving into my thesaurus to come up with some new ones ...love, relish, savour, delight in ... all work but mean the same thing in that this book is one of the many containing Leine Basso that shouldn't be missed.
In this, the ninth instalment, we find Leine and her daughter April in the midst of a kidnapping case deep in the Amazon jungle ... sounds straight forward enough however, things are never as they seem and Leine and April soon have to bring to the fore all of their training and instincts to get to the bottom of what's going on and survive coming into contact with all manner of creatures - both human and animal!
D.V. Berkom literally immerses you on their journey through the Amazon and although I've never had that pleasure unfortunately, I could feel the cloying humidity, the mosquitoes biting and hear the jungle noises in my living room such was the excellent writing and vivid descriptions used throughout this book.
There is plenty of adventure, action and twists to make anyone happy but there is also an educational element thrown in for good measure ... I have learnt a thing or two about Shamans and I'm off to find out what my spirit animal is now! [it's a cat by the way 😺]. Although this is the ninth book in the series, you don't particularly have to have read all the preceding books but I would recommend reading at least a few in order to understand Leine a little better as she is a complex character.
Once again, I have not been disappointed and I want to thank D.V. Berkom for providing me with an advance copy in return for an honest and unbiased review and I can't wait for the next adventure.
In this, the ninth instalment, we find Leine and her daughter April in the midst of a kidnapping case deep in the Amazon jungle ... sounds straight forward enough however, things are never as they seem and Leine and April soon have to bring to the fore all of their training and instincts to get to the bottom of what's going on and survive coming into contact with all manner of creatures - both human and animal!
D.V. Berkom literally immerses you on their journey through the Amazon and although I've never had that pleasure unfortunately, I could feel the cloying humidity, the mosquitoes biting and hear the jungle noises in my living room such was the excellent writing and vivid descriptions used throughout this book.
There is plenty of adventure, action and twists to make anyone happy but there is also an educational element thrown in for good measure ... I have learnt a thing or two about Shamans and I'm off to find out what my spirit animal is now! [it's a cat by the way 😺]. Although this is the ninth book in the series, you don't particularly have to have read all the preceding books but I would recommend reading at least a few in order to understand Leine a little better as she is a complex character.
Once again, I have not been disappointed and I want to thank D.V. Berkom for providing me with an advance copy in return for an honest and unbiased review and I can't wait for the next adventure.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) in Movies
Jul 31, 2019
Over the top hyperbole is nothing new for the “Fast and the Furious:” franchises as ever since the series shifted gears from Street Racing to action series with the fourth film; the stunts keep getting larger and more outrageous with each offering.
With the 9th film in the series currently filming; the first Spin-Off film “Hobbs and Shaw” has arrived and combines Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), with his rival Shaw (Jason Statham) as they are reluctantly forced to work with one another to stop a deadly viral agent from being unleashed on the world.
The fact that an enhanced individual with a score to settle named Brixton (Idris Elba) is intent on stopping them no matter what leads is pretty much all the plot viewers are going to get as it provides the reason for the cast to race and punch through London and other locales along the way.
The film has some glaring plot holes which are so large you could drive any of the tricked out vehicles the film features through and one in particular seems to over complicate the narrative when it is clear that a certain character that has been monitoring them all along knows the truth and can easily clear things up.
The two stars work well with one another but are not really given much to do other than glare and chest thump with each other early on but as the film goes on they are allowed to display a bit more comedy which does help the film along with a two-hour run time.
The film does have tons of over the top stunts many of which strain plausibility even by action film standards but you know what you are getting into when you sign on and if you are coming to a Fast and Furious film expecting realism than you obviously have not seen any of the prior films in the series.
That being said the finale is absurd and clearly pandering to Dwayne Johnson but it was nice to see some new wrinkles to his character and some diversity to the series added in.
http://sknr.net/2019/07/31/hobbs-and-shaw/
With the 9th film in the series currently filming; the first Spin-Off film “Hobbs and Shaw” has arrived and combines Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), with his rival Shaw (Jason Statham) as they are reluctantly forced to work with one another to stop a deadly viral agent from being unleashed on the world.
The fact that an enhanced individual with a score to settle named Brixton (Idris Elba) is intent on stopping them no matter what leads is pretty much all the plot viewers are going to get as it provides the reason for the cast to race and punch through London and other locales along the way.
The film has some glaring plot holes which are so large you could drive any of the tricked out vehicles the film features through and one in particular seems to over complicate the narrative when it is clear that a certain character that has been monitoring them all along knows the truth and can easily clear things up.
The two stars work well with one another but are not really given much to do other than glare and chest thump with each other early on but as the film goes on they are allowed to display a bit more comedy which does help the film along with a two-hour run time.
The film does have tons of over the top stunts many of which strain plausibility even by action film standards but you know what you are getting into when you sign on and if you are coming to a Fast and Furious film expecting realism than you obviously have not seen any of the prior films in the series.
That being said the finale is absurd and clearly pandering to Dwayne Johnson but it was nice to see some new wrinkles to his character and some diversity to the series added in.
http://sknr.net/2019/07/31/hobbs-and-shaw/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Bad Teacher (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Recently jilted by the sugar daddy of her dreams apathetic schoolteacher Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz) must return to her day job. Just as Elizabeth has settled in to her listless career reality, a single and wealthy substitute teacher (Scott Delacorte played by Justin Timberlake) appears. Elizabeth must now prove that she is the best teacher in the school to win Delecorte’s attention and wallet. However her nemesis the overachieving and oddly bubbly educator, Amy Squirrel (Lucy Punch) also has eyes for the new faculty member.
Rounding out the eccentric cast of characters is the shy teacher Lynn Davies (Phyllis Smith), the lazy yet funny gym teacher Russell Gettis (Jason Segel), and the dolphin obsessed principal Wally Snur (John Michael Higgins). Further supporting the leads are a number of up and coming child-actors such as Kaitlyn Dever who plays know-it-all student Shasha Abernathy to crush obsessed sad sack Garrett Tiara (Matthew J. Evans).
Despite the strong cast, “Bad Teacher” will likely become associated with Cameron Diaz who uses her intense and direct comedic strength to shine in the nefarious role. Portrayed by Diaz, the character of Elizabeth comes across as wickedly manipulative yet manages to remain likeable.
But, “Bad Teacher” will not have you gasping for air between fits of laughter. The film has slow moments and a number of letdowns. Among the worst is the lackluster comical styling of Justin Timberlake as Scott Delacorte. While the role is critical to the film’s plot, the character is underdeveloped. Moreover Justin Timberlake does nothing for the part which is an unwelcome shock to audiences who associate his name with some of the funniest moments in recent “Saturday Night Live” history as well as his impressive performance in “The Social Network”.
Brimming with vulgar language and shockingly bold comedic scene choices “Bad Teacher” will surely offend bashful audiences. Still, the film is funnier than “There’s Something About Mary” and the recently disappointing “The Hangover: Part II”.
It is not a slam-dunk but “Bad Teacher” will give audiences some unexpected summer laughs, if they are prepared for the onslaught of vulgarity that this film hinges upon.
Rounding out the eccentric cast of characters is the shy teacher Lynn Davies (Phyllis Smith), the lazy yet funny gym teacher Russell Gettis (Jason Segel), and the dolphin obsessed principal Wally Snur (John Michael Higgins). Further supporting the leads are a number of up and coming child-actors such as Kaitlyn Dever who plays know-it-all student Shasha Abernathy to crush obsessed sad sack Garrett Tiara (Matthew J. Evans).
Despite the strong cast, “Bad Teacher” will likely become associated with Cameron Diaz who uses her intense and direct comedic strength to shine in the nefarious role. Portrayed by Diaz, the character of Elizabeth comes across as wickedly manipulative yet manages to remain likeable.
But, “Bad Teacher” will not have you gasping for air between fits of laughter. The film has slow moments and a number of letdowns. Among the worst is the lackluster comical styling of Justin Timberlake as Scott Delacorte. While the role is critical to the film’s plot, the character is underdeveloped. Moreover Justin Timberlake does nothing for the part which is an unwelcome shock to audiences who associate his name with some of the funniest moments in recent “Saturday Night Live” history as well as his impressive performance in “The Social Network”.
Brimming with vulgar language and shockingly bold comedic scene choices “Bad Teacher” will surely offend bashful audiences. Still, the film is funnier than “There’s Something About Mary” and the recently disappointing “The Hangover: Part II”.
It is not a slam-dunk but “Bad Teacher” will give audiences some unexpected summer laughs, if they are prepared for the onslaught of vulgarity that this film hinges upon.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey) is a criminal defense attorney who works out of his Lincoln Town Car in Los Angeles, hence the title of the movie and book “The Lincoln Lawyer” by Michael Connelly. Mickey defends all kinds of criminals and all he expects from his clients is that they pay him. While he may be a rather shifty lawyer, he is a loving father to his daughter Hayley (Mackenzie Aladjem) and he obviously still cares for her mother Maggie McPherson (Marisa Tomei).
Now although he has many clients, none are really big money clients. That changes one day when Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe), a rich Beverly Hills playboy, is arrested for assault & attempted rape and he wants Mick to defend him. At first Mick believes that he will be able to easily get his client acquitted, but as he and his investigator Frank Levin (William H. Macy) dig deeper, they discovery disturbing information about the case and it’s possible link to another.
In his quest to win the all mighty “Not Guilty” verdict, Mick has many obstacles (both professional and personal) placed before him that he must successfully navigate around, and treachery hiding in the shadows that he must bring into the light or else he may lose more than just a case.
While the entire cast was incredible, Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Phillippe gave equally amazing performances (this is especially true for any scene that they were both in). The characters were well-developed, believable and for the most part likable, heck I even liked the biker Eddie (Trace Adkins). The storyline was intriguing with a twist or two that I did not see coming and it also had some very nice humor sprinkled in. I did find that in a few scenes the dialogue seemed to be a bit unnatural for what was going on but it didn’t really detract from the overall scenes in question. Personally I hope this film does well enough that they make a sequel (I believe the book’s sequel is The Reversal) because I would like to see more of these characters in action.
Now although he has many clients, none are really big money clients. That changes one day when Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe), a rich Beverly Hills playboy, is arrested for assault & attempted rape and he wants Mick to defend him. At first Mick believes that he will be able to easily get his client acquitted, but as he and his investigator Frank Levin (William H. Macy) dig deeper, they discovery disturbing information about the case and it’s possible link to another.
In his quest to win the all mighty “Not Guilty” verdict, Mick has many obstacles (both professional and personal) placed before him that he must successfully navigate around, and treachery hiding in the shadows that he must bring into the light or else he may lose more than just a case.
While the entire cast was incredible, Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Phillippe gave equally amazing performances (this is especially true for any scene that they were both in). The characters were well-developed, believable and for the most part likable, heck I even liked the biker Eddie (Trace Adkins). The storyline was intriguing with a twist or two that I did not see coming and it also had some very nice humor sprinkled in. I did find that in a few scenes the dialogue seemed to be a bit unnatural for what was going on but it didn’t really detract from the overall scenes in question. Personally I hope this film does well enough that they make a sequel (I believe the book’s sequel is The Reversal) because I would like to see more of these characters in action.