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Ross (3284 KP) rated The Staircase in TV
Jun 28, 2018
The story of what happened to Kathleen Peterson is compelling. Her husband claims to have found her after a fall at the bottom of a narrow staircase bleeding to death.
The documentary follows the investigation from very early on, through the original trail and subsequent appeals. It still smacks of being quite one-sided (which is natural when the filmmakers are given access to one side of the legal battle and not the other). As with other similar programs, it is somewhat failed as an idea when the burden of formulating a story of what happened and of proof is on the estate, and the defence (by far the more vocal side in the program) only have to cast enough doubt on aspects of those stories to allow a jury to have "reasonable doubt" and therefore a conviction cannot be made.
Once again, this documentary shows that the state will do anything to convict, and once convicted it is very unlikely any appeals would be successful - they cast aspersions over the judge and prosecutors' professional ethics which they won't allow.
This one is rare in that the judge does appear to suggest there was a miscarriage of justice at the end of the final episode.
There is more closure in this story when compared to the likes of Evil Genius and Making a Murderer, but there still remains some doubt over what happened to Kathleen (I have now read there was a theory she was attacked by an owl on the way in to the house!).
Compelling but a little more drawn-out than its peers.
The documentary follows the investigation from very early on, through the original trail and subsequent appeals. It still smacks of being quite one-sided (which is natural when the filmmakers are given access to one side of the legal battle and not the other). As with other similar programs, it is somewhat failed as an idea when the burden of formulating a story of what happened and of proof is on the estate, and the defence (by far the more vocal side in the program) only have to cast enough doubt on aspects of those stories to allow a jury to have "reasonable doubt" and therefore a conviction cannot be made.
Once again, this documentary shows that the state will do anything to convict, and once convicted it is very unlikely any appeals would be successful - they cast aspersions over the judge and prosecutors' professional ethics which they won't allow.
This one is rare in that the judge does appear to suggest there was a miscarriage of justice at the end of the final episode.
There is more closure in this story when compared to the likes of Evil Genius and Making a Murderer, but there still remains some doubt over what happened to Kathleen (I have now read there was a theory she was attacked by an owl on the way in to the house!).
Compelling but a little more drawn-out than its peers.
Hotel Mogul: Las Vegas HD
Games and Entertainment
App
Itโs time to up the ante in Hotel Mogul: Las Vegas! If you thought monopolizing the real estate...
Unruly: The Highs and Lows of Becoming a Man
Book
Ja Rule, actor, singer, songwriter, and one of the most multi-dimensional rap artists of his time,...
Autodesk Revit Architecture 2016 Essentials: Autodesk Official Press
Ryan Duell, Tobias Hathorn and Tessa Reist Hathorn
Book
Put Autodesk Revit Architecture 2016 to work for you with this real-world focused guide Autodesk...
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Identity (2003) in Movies
Sep 22, 2020 (Updated Nov 26, 2020)
"๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ต ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฆ?! ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ต ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฆ!"
*or*
"๐๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฆ, ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ฅ๐ฆ, ๐'๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐บ ๐ง๐ถ๐ค๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ฅ-๐ถ๐ฑ, ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ต, ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ง๐ถ๐ค๐ฌ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฅ๐ข๐บ."
True "What the fuck is going on? Huh? What..? Who?? ... wait what the fuck is that I- um, did they just? What the hell, but...where? Why? Uh, how?" cinema. This sort of exasperatingly looney, balls-planted-firmly-to-the-wall thriller with like 60 twists is sort of played these days - but I'd imagine that in its day it was quite revelatory. This was honestly a hoot and a holler but sadly its greatness is sunk by James Mangold - for the most part - being a hack who has no clue how to dramatize, have any definable mark as a director, or make inherently compelling things at all very compelling unless the studio has a firm grip on the project. His films mostly look like flat TV movies and play like no one behind the camera has much of a clue on what they're doing beyond maybe an introductory film guide on the back of a cereal box. This one isn't all that different either, but material with *this* low of a regard for any sense of subtlety or earthly realism and with a gleeful eagerness to throw all of its cards violently onto the table any chance it gets has a pass from me - especially when it's acted by a banging troupe of crackerjack character actors and reliable leads like this one. Really, really fun and sincerely manic - Agatha Christie meets a line of coke at a gas station bathroom. Plus the uninterrupted, heaping downpour is a helluva gimmick and it works where Mangold doesn't.
*or*
"๐๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฆ, ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ฅ๐ฆ, ๐'๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐บ ๐ง๐ถ๐ค๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ฅ-๐ถ๐ฑ, ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ต, ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ง๐ถ๐ค๐ฌ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฅ๐ข๐บ."
True "What the fuck is going on? Huh? What..? Who?? ... wait what the fuck is that I- um, did they just? What the hell, but...where? Why? Uh, how?" cinema. This sort of exasperatingly looney, balls-planted-firmly-to-the-wall thriller with like 60 twists is sort of played these days - but I'd imagine that in its day it was quite revelatory. This was honestly a hoot and a holler but sadly its greatness is sunk by James Mangold - for the most part - being a hack who has no clue how to dramatize, have any definable mark as a director, or make inherently compelling things at all very compelling unless the studio has a firm grip on the project. His films mostly look like flat TV movies and play like no one behind the camera has much of a clue on what they're doing beyond maybe an introductory film guide on the back of a cereal box. This one isn't all that different either, but material with *this* low of a regard for any sense of subtlety or earthly realism and with a gleeful eagerness to throw all of its cards violently onto the table any chance it gets has a pass from me - especially when it's acted by a banging troupe of crackerjack character actors and reliable leads like this one. Really, really fun and sincerely manic - Agatha Christie meets a line of coke at a gas station bathroom. Plus the uninterrupted, heaping downpour is a helluva gimmick and it works where Mangold doesn't.
Maddie (37 KP) rated Oxenfree in Video Games
Nov 16, 2017
Actions have consequences (2 more)
Great characters
Art was beautiful
Short to play, but incredibly fun
Oxenfree was a beautifully styled coming-of-age story that pulled the player into the relationships between characters as much as into the drama of the ghost story. At times intense and a little scary (I'm a baby about stuff like that though), but also sweet and compelling. I really wanted everyone to be okay, although I fudged a bunch and not everyone made it out alive.
The actions have consequences aspect is great. The choices felt like realistic situations for the teenagers and each bad/good decision was believable.
Plan on playing this again in the near future to try and better improve my favorite character's chances!
The actions have consequences aspect is great. The choices felt like realistic situations for the teenagers and each bad/good decision was believable.
Plan on playing this again in the near future to try and better improve my favorite character's chances!
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Predator (1987) in Movies
Apr 28, 2018
If a ever go deaf, it will be because of Predator!
I found a used Blu Ray at a local shop for $1.99 so I decided to upgrade my existing DVD and boy was it worth it. The picture and sound quality was amazing (deafening).
Almost everything about the film holds up given this is my 20+ viewing. Has to be in the top 5 action films of all time right along side Die Hard and Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
The remote setting, characters, musical score, tension, slow burn reveal and screenplay all lend to the pristine action and compelling storytelling here.
A have to admit a few optical effects and the Predator suit do look a bit dated now, but that does not impact my review.
Such a classic!
Almost everything about the film holds up given this is my 20+ viewing. Has to be in the top 5 action films of all time right along side Die Hard and Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
The remote setting, characters, musical score, tension, slow burn reveal and screenplay all lend to the pristine action and compelling storytelling here.
A have to admit a few optical effects and the Predator suit do look a bit dated now, but that does not impact my review.
Such a classic!
Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Wizard of Lies (2017) in Movies
Mar 8, 2018
Captivating...
Bernie Madoff. What can you say? His Ponzi scheme was so complex, far-reaching and of epic proportions, it ruined many people's lives. Tore their life savings from them based on the betrayal of trust.
"Rain Man' director, Barry Levinson, successfully captures the intrigue, suspense, and also the interesting family dynamics in this compelling true story.
If the family dynamics are to be believed as his wife and sons did not know about any of the lies and fraudulent trading, they were either incredibly naive, incredibly stupid or just living the good life..
De Niro gives one of his most memorable recent performances and almost makes you sympathize with him. The actual reporter who wrote the book plays herself well in the film also.
Was Madoff a sociopath?
"Rain Man' director, Barry Levinson, successfully captures the intrigue, suspense, and also the interesting family dynamics in this compelling true story.
If the family dynamics are to be believed as his wife and sons did not know about any of the lies and fraudulent trading, they were either incredibly naive, incredibly stupid or just living the good life..
De Niro gives one of his most memorable recent performances and almost makes you sympathize with him. The actual reporter who wrote the book plays herself well in the film also.
Was Madoff a sociopath?
RPGMP3 (211 KP) rated Monster Manual (Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition) in Tabletop Games
Mar 19, 2018
A menagerie of deadly monsters for the worldโs greatest roleplaying game
The Monster Manual presents a horde of classic Dungeons & Dragons creatures, including dragons, giants, mind flayers, and beholdersโa monstrous feast for Dungeon Masters ready to challenge their players and populate their adventures.
The monsters contained herein are culled from the D&D gameโs illustrious history, with easy-to-use game statistics and thrilling stories to feed your imagination.
The leader in providing contemporary fantasy entertainment, Dungeons & Dragons is the wellspring for the entire modern game industry, digital as well as analog. This newest edition draws from every prior edition to create a universally compelling play experience, and exemplifies the true spirit of a game that holds captive the hearts and minds of millions of players worldwide.
The Monster Manual presents a horde of classic Dungeons & Dragons creatures, including dragons, giants, mind flayers, and beholdersโa monstrous feast for Dungeon Masters ready to challenge their players and populate their adventures.
The monsters contained herein are culled from the D&D gameโs illustrious history, with easy-to-use game statistics and thrilling stories to feed your imagination.
The leader in providing contemporary fantasy entertainment, Dungeons & Dragons is the wellspring for the entire modern game industry, digital as well as analog. This newest edition draws from every prior edition to create a universally compelling play experience, and exemplifies the true spirit of a game that holds captive the hearts and minds of millions of players worldwide.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Passion of the Christ (2004) in Movies
Apr 1, 2018
Still holds up years later
While I would not consider myself to be a religious person, I did enjoy Mel Gibson's film quite a bit. I was able to follow along with the story despite not knowing the events through many recent churchgoing experiences.
I have no problem with subtitled films either. Just like an English-speaking movie, the story just has to be interesting or compelling and this film is both.
I understand those who find this film controversial or do not enjoy, but, as with all movies, this is just one man's interpretation of events like any movie. The subject matter is what some people object to if their beliefs differ from Gibson's.
If you disliked originally, give it another chance.
I have no problem with subtitled films either. Just like an English-speaking movie, the story just has to be interesting or compelling and this film is both.
I understand those who find this film controversial or do not enjoy, but, as with all movies, this is just one man's interpretation of events like any movie. The subject matter is what some people object to if their beliefs differ from Gibson's.
If you disliked originally, give it another chance.