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Andy K (10823 KP) rated Only The Brave (2017) in Movies
Mar 21, 2018
You need to see this...
The true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots is compelling in every way and should not be missed.
Their triumphs and tragedies make for enriching, adventurous drama as well as seat-gripping adventure.
Jeff Bridges has the quote of the film saying : "If you're looking for sympathy, the only place you're going to find it is in the dictionary, somewhere between shit and syphilis."
The bravery of these men running into fire while the rest of us run away should make us average folk not so worried about our cell phone batteries or what you are having for dinner tonight.
The film is not only about the men, but their relationships, families and the hard choices they must make in order to be a part of this daredevil profession lifestyle.
I loved this film.
P.S. How does Jennifer Connelly keep getting more beautiful ? I looked it up and she's actually older than me and I look like a dried up turd. Unbelieveable!
Their triumphs and tragedies make for enriching, adventurous drama as well as seat-gripping adventure.
Jeff Bridges has the quote of the film saying : "If you're looking for sympathy, the only place you're going to find it is in the dictionary, somewhere between shit and syphilis."
The bravery of these men running into fire while the rest of us run away should make us average folk not so worried about our cell phone batteries or what you are having for dinner tonight.
The film is not only about the men, but their relationships, families and the hard choices they must make in order to be a part of this daredevil profession lifestyle.
I loved this film.
P.S. How does Jennifer Connelly keep getting more beautiful ? I looked it up and she's actually older than me and I look like a dried up turd. Unbelieveable!
Dana (24 KP) rated The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2) in Books
Mar 23, 2018
Again, I listened to the BBC radio play for this book and again it did not disappoint. I love it when there can be plays of the books because the actors get really into it and the sound effects make it that much more fun. I do want to, at some point, go back and read the physical copies of the books, but this is doing just fine!
I love Pippin, he will forever be my favorite, but all of the characters in these books are so compelling. It is really fun to read the godfather of modern fantasy and see how much of what he wrote is influencing the books written today. I can say that this is my favorite genre of all and I could not be any more pleased to be reading these books. I just have to wait until my library has the last book opened up and I will be reading that so fast!
Honestly though, so good. If you have the chance, listen to the radio plays. They are very well produced and just phenomenal!
I love Pippin, he will forever be my favorite, but all of the characters in these books are so compelling. It is really fun to read the godfather of modern fantasy and see how much of what he wrote is influencing the books written today. I can say that this is my favorite genre of all and I could not be any more pleased to be reading these books. I just have to wait until my library has the last book opened up and I will be reading that so fast!
Honestly though, so good. If you have the chance, listen to the radio plays. They are very well produced and just phenomenal!
Mekkin B. (122 KP) rated Wynonna Earp - Season 1 in TV
Feb 21, 2018
If Buffy grew up and moved to the wild west
I stumbled across this show on Netflix and almost immediately fell in love.
Wynonna Earp is a hard drinking, hard living 27 year old. She's the black sheep and the town fuck-up. She's spent years avoiding her family and her responsibilities, but when she finally returns to her home town of Purgatory, she finds that she can't outrun the family curse.
Now, if she ever hopes to break the curse and save her family, she must battle the seventy seven revenants of the Ghost River Triangle and send them back to hell. But at least she doesn't have to do it alone.
If you've been dying to find an at least decently written fantasy/supernatural TV show with witty dialogue and compelling relationships, this one is definitely for you.
Also if you're like me and will watch anything that has adorable and fully fleshed out lesbian relationships, this one is also for you. Wynonna's younger sister Wavery and the dashing town deputy are SO GAY in the BEST possible way.
Wynonna Earp is a hard drinking, hard living 27 year old. She's the black sheep and the town fuck-up. She's spent years avoiding her family and her responsibilities, but when she finally returns to her home town of Purgatory, she finds that she can't outrun the family curse.
Now, if she ever hopes to break the curse and save her family, she must battle the seventy seven revenants of the Ghost River Triangle and send them back to hell. But at least she doesn't have to do it alone.
If you've been dying to find an at least decently written fantasy/supernatural TV show with witty dialogue and compelling relationships, this one is definitely for you.
Also if you're like me and will watch anything that has adorable and fully fleshed out lesbian relationships, this one is also for you. Wynonna's younger sister Wavery and the dashing town deputy are SO GAY in the BEST possible way.
Mekkin B. (122 KP) rated Writing Excuses in Podcasts
Feb 22, 2018
15 Minutes Long, Because You're in a Hurry and They're Not That Smart
I've been an avid follower of this podcast for years. Every episode is a concise 15 to 20 minutes surrounding a discrete topic on the subject of writing and storytelling. All four authors are fairly well known sci-fi, fantasy and horror genre authors, so the advice does tend to be more geared towards those interested in writing genre fiction, but perfectly applicable to anyone who wants to learn how to write a compelling story.
I love the format. I'm not a huge fan of the rambly format of some other hour + long podcasts. I feel like I zone in and out listening to podcasters attempt to make a point. That's never the case with Writing Excuses. Ironically, the short format that probably accounts for this also makes me wish there was more!
Plus they include a book recommendation and a writing exercise as "homework" every week, which I have found to be particularly useful.
If you're interested in writing, I would definitely give Writing Excuses a listen.
I love the format. I'm not a huge fan of the rambly format of some other hour + long podcasts. I feel like I zone in and out listening to podcasters attempt to make a point. That's never the case with Writing Excuses. Ironically, the short format that probably accounts for this also makes me wish there was more!
Plus they include a book recommendation and a writing exercise as "homework" every week, which I have found to be particularly useful.
If you're interested in writing, I would definitely give Writing Excuses a listen.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Dying for Strawberries (A Berry Basket Mystery #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Marlee Jacob has settled nicely back into her home town of Oriole Point, and she is quite happy running her business, The Berry Basket. However, she quickly finds herself in trouble when her good friend goes missing, a surprise announcement rattles all the local business owners, someone tries to kill her, and then she finds a dead body. What is going on?
I enjoyed this book with how it played with some cozy mystery tropes early on while still providing us with a compelling cozy mystery. There’s plenty happening to keep us entertained all the way through, and the twists of the plot come together for a logical climax. Some of the supporting characters are still a bit thin, but we can get to know them better in later books. Marlee herself is wonderful, and the rest of the suspects are also viable characters.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-review-dying-for-strawberries-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I enjoyed this book with how it played with some cozy mystery tropes early on while still providing us with a compelling cozy mystery. There’s plenty happening to keep us entertained all the way through, and the twists of the plot come together for a logical climax. Some of the supporting characters are still a bit thin, but we can get to know them better in later books. Marlee herself is wonderful, and the rest of the suspects are also viable characters.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-review-dying-for-strawberries-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This is just one of those books that stays with you for a long time after reading it as it's so compelling, emotional and so different from other young teen fantasy stories. I remember reading this one in school and very much enjoying it and so when I had the chance to borrow it from a friend and re read it I jumped at the chance as I knew it would take me back to my childhood. The story touches on family issues that may arise in a young persons life that are very difficult to deal with, yet this book explores these issues with a sensitive and caring nature but without distorting the truth about how hard those times may be. It allows a young child to escape into fantasy whilst trying to deal with 'grown up' family problems and unexpected illnesses. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages, even though it is more aimed at younger teens I believe we can all learn something from this book.
David McK (3562 KP) rated Marines (Crimson Worlds #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The first in [a:Jay Allan|1024374|Jay Allan|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s 'Crimson Worlds' series, which - unfortunately - I struggled to really connect with.
I can see what the author was aiming for, with hints of a better, more compelling story peeking through every so often but I'm afraid, for me, this particular entry didn't really grip me all that much.
I don't know whether that's a result (probably) of the conscious decision to tell this entirely in the first person, meaning that there is, of necessity, a very tight focus on the central character or Erik Cain. If you do that, however, you have to make that character in and of themselves interesting and somebody you want to follow the trials and tribulation of: for me, Eric Cain just doesn't cut the mustard.
I may read the second entry (told, apparently, in the third person) to see if it gets any better, but - based on this - I'm afraid I'm not really holding out any high hopes.
I can see what the author was aiming for, with hints of a better, more compelling story peeking through every so often but I'm afraid, for me, this particular entry didn't really grip me all that much.
I don't know whether that's a result (probably) of the conscious decision to tell this entirely in the first person, meaning that there is, of necessity, a very tight focus on the central character or Erik Cain. If you do that, however, you have to make that character in and of themselves interesting and somebody you want to follow the trials and tribulation of: for me, Eric Cain just doesn't cut the mustard.
I may read the second entry (told, apparently, in the third person) to see if it gets any better, but - based on this - I'm afraid I'm not really holding out any high hopes.
Merissa (12889 KP) rated Arandora Star in Books
Dec 17, 2018
This is a fictional story set around a factual event and to put it in a few descriptive words, it is poignant, heart-rending, thought provoking and disturbing. I could go on but I won't. What I will do is recommend that you read for yourself this amazing story that certainly sheds a different light on the whole affair.
The story unfolds at a steady pace and you are given time to empathise with the characters in the different situations they find themselves in. This is a gripping and compelling novel that will keep you glued to the pages until the end and will then leave you with a book-hangover as you ponder what you have read. I was filled with "what-ifs, maybes and should haves" for a fictional character but the ending was perfect for the book.
This is an amazing book and I really can't recommend it highly enough. Prepare to be immersed in history.
I bought this book as part of the Kindle Daily Deal on 10th February 2014.
The story unfolds at a steady pace and you are given time to empathise with the characters in the different situations they find themselves in. This is a gripping and compelling novel that will keep you glued to the pages until the end and will then leave you with a book-hangover as you ponder what you have read. I was filled with "what-ifs, maybes and should haves" for a fictional character but the ending was perfect for the book.
This is an amazing book and I really can't recommend it highly enough. Prepare to be immersed in history.
I bought this book as part of the Kindle Daily Deal on 10th February 2014.
TheDefunctDiva (304 KP) rated Hereditary (2018) in Movies
Jul 1, 2019
Irving Did it Better
Contains spoilers, click to show
Couldn’t write a proper heading without mentioning the headless. I enjoy all incarnations of Sleepy Hollow and Alice in Wonderland better than this half-developed plot. Like Gabriel Byrne, the movie had so much potential, but what exactly is it doing there? They could have gotten a bargain actor for all the lack of dialogue Byrne’s character had. And the creepy little girl could have been used so much more as a jump scare and plot device, she was decapitated so early on that it seemed pointless. It was a long movie but it didn’t focus on one horrific vision, it was really kind of all over the place. There was a heavy creepiness factor in certain scenes that could have been explored more, like during the fun and funky family seance. Toni Collette’s performance was very compelling, however. It finally unified a bit at the end but I found it anticlimactic. And a bit less focused on the hereditary and more about bringing back some rando hell lord.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Expendables 2 (2012) in Movies
Nov 22, 2019
Mumble Mumble Mumble Part 2
This one, this one to me is the best one out of all three of them. It has more action, more comedy, more one-liners and more mumbling is that a good thing probley not because you cant understand one who that their saying.
The Plot: Mercenary leader Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) and the rest of the Expendables team reunite when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) hires them for a seemingly easy job. But things go terribly wrong, compelling the mercenaries to seek revenge for a comrade's murder. With the odds against them, Barney and his team are hell-bent on payback and cut a path of destruction through opposing forces, only to encounter an unexpected threat: six pounds of weapons-grade plutonium.
Is Bruce and Arnold in this one more yes their are and their say each other's one-liner's to each other. Its really funny.
So which 80's star is in this one? Liam Hemsworth, who? Oh the brother of Chris Hensworth.
Anways its a great time and fun to watch.
The Plot: Mercenary leader Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) and the rest of the Expendables team reunite when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) hires them for a seemingly easy job. But things go terribly wrong, compelling the mercenaries to seek revenge for a comrade's murder. With the odds against them, Barney and his team are hell-bent on payback and cut a path of destruction through opposing forces, only to encounter an unexpected threat: six pounds of weapons-grade plutonium.
Is Bruce and Arnold in this one more yes their are and their say each other's one-liner's to each other. Its really funny.
So which 80's star is in this one? Liam Hemsworth, who? Oh the brother of Chris Hensworth.
Anways its a great time and fun to watch.