Search
Search results
Dawn Rising
Games
App
Magical 2.5D Classical PC Element Masterpiece of the Year The journey of the magical MMORPG begins ~...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Amistad (1997) in Movies
Aug 13, 2020
Give Us Us Free
Slaves are put on trial when they start a mutiny on the ship bringing them over to America. Although a little long in the tooth, Amistad is a memorable movie that gives you something to root for.
Acting: 10
This was the first time I got to see a performance from Djimon Hounsou. I was blown away by his tenacity. You felt his passion in every single line he utters. This movie wouldn’t have been the same without him. I would argue the same for Anthony Hopkins playing the role of John Quincy Adams. Hopkins is no secret to blockbuster performances so it’s no surprise that he knocks this one out of the park.
Beginning: 10
This is how you start a movie! For me, it has one of the top ten beginning of all time for any movie. It’s riveting and terrifying at the same time. The way Spielberg shot it was genius.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
No surprise here with one of the most iconic directors of all time at the helm. He always has a way of choosing the best angle for the greatest impact. I could spend a whole entry talking about the subtle things he does to leave large impacts. It’s a cinematic treat.
Conflict: 7
The struggle here is the movie mostly revolves around two major cases. The courtroom can be boring in spots on the big screen if not done right. Even in the case of Amistad where things are done right, it can still be a bit much to consume. You feel like nothing is happening when actually there is a whole lot happening at once.
Entertainment Value: 8
I was intrigued to see how this story would unfold from beginning to end. I loved the character development and the understanding of what got both sides to their respective points. Again, despite its length, you will be engaged throughout.
Memorability: 6
Pace: 1
Plot: 10
Resolution: 9
Overall: 81
Improve the pacing here and you have a masterpiece point blank. Despite its length, Amistad is definitely worth the time spent. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Acting: 10
This was the first time I got to see a performance from Djimon Hounsou. I was blown away by his tenacity. You felt his passion in every single line he utters. This movie wouldn’t have been the same without him. I would argue the same for Anthony Hopkins playing the role of John Quincy Adams. Hopkins is no secret to blockbuster performances so it’s no surprise that he knocks this one out of the park.
Beginning: 10
This is how you start a movie! For me, it has one of the top ten beginning of all time for any movie. It’s riveting and terrifying at the same time. The way Spielberg shot it was genius.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
No surprise here with one of the most iconic directors of all time at the helm. He always has a way of choosing the best angle for the greatest impact. I could spend a whole entry talking about the subtle things he does to leave large impacts. It’s a cinematic treat.
Conflict: 7
The struggle here is the movie mostly revolves around two major cases. The courtroom can be boring in spots on the big screen if not done right. Even in the case of Amistad where things are done right, it can still be a bit much to consume. You feel like nothing is happening when actually there is a whole lot happening at once.
Entertainment Value: 8
I was intrigued to see how this story would unfold from beginning to end. I loved the character development and the understanding of what got both sides to their respective points. Again, despite its length, you will be engaged throughout.
Memorability: 6
Pace: 1
Plot: 10
Resolution: 9
Overall: 81
Improve the pacing here and you have a masterpiece point blank. Despite its length, Amistad is definitely worth the time spent. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Square (2017) in Movies
Aug 29, 2020
The Movie That Never Ends
Artsy-fartsy movies are very hit or miss for me. Artsy-fartsy movies about art are almost always going to be a no. Enter The Square, a movie about an art curator who is preparing to launch his next exhibit called…The Square. I wish I could simply tell you to just not watch the movie, but I need to tell you why so here goes…
Acting: 10
How phenomenal is Elisabeth Moss? I appreciate the roles she takes on and I appreciate the obvious time and energy she puts into each. While she is supporting here, I certainly felt the most impact from her role. Sure Claes Bang was solid in the lead role as Christian, but this movie would have been damn near unbearable without Moss. The acting definitely didn’t hinder the success of this movie.
Beginning: 4
Characters: 9
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
For all of its flaws, the movie is at the very least gorgeous. I loved the dark and ominous tones throughout that represented a certain foreshadowing. Bright colors and shadows are played with perfectly. Director Ruben Ostlund does a magnificent job of creating an off-putting effect that casts a cloud over the movie (in a good way).
Conflict: 5
Entertainment Value: 3
From the beginning of this movie to its lackluster conclusion, I was just bored throughout. Like really bored. Like “When does this end? Oh my God, it’s almost 2 1/2 hours!” bored. Moss was great, but she wasn’t enough to save a work of art that is so boring and unmoving. Snoozefest.
Memorability: 3
Sure the Human Monkey Scene stands out as something to remember, but even that ultimately became annoying after watching three minutes of it. Nothing stood out in the entire 142 minutes of The Square. It suffers from no edification or value overall.
Pace: 5
Plot: 4
Resolution: 2
Overall: 54
Rule of Thumb: If you’re going to make a movie that’s well over two hours, you have to keep people interested right out of the gates. Otherwise, what’s really the point? That’s what I found myself asking every second of The Square. Not recommended in the least.
Acting: 10
How phenomenal is Elisabeth Moss? I appreciate the roles she takes on and I appreciate the obvious time and energy she puts into each. While she is supporting here, I certainly felt the most impact from her role. Sure Claes Bang was solid in the lead role as Christian, but this movie would have been damn near unbearable without Moss. The acting definitely didn’t hinder the success of this movie.
Beginning: 4
Characters: 9
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
For all of its flaws, the movie is at the very least gorgeous. I loved the dark and ominous tones throughout that represented a certain foreshadowing. Bright colors and shadows are played with perfectly. Director Ruben Ostlund does a magnificent job of creating an off-putting effect that casts a cloud over the movie (in a good way).
Conflict: 5
Entertainment Value: 3
From the beginning of this movie to its lackluster conclusion, I was just bored throughout. Like really bored. Like “When does this end? Oh my God, it’s almost 2 1/2 hours!” bored. Moss was great, but she wasn’t enough to save a work of art that is so boring and unmoving. Snoozefest.
Memorability: 3
Sure the Human Monkey Scene stands out as something to remember, but even that ultimately became annoying after watching three minutes of it. Nothing stood out in the entire 142 minutes of The Square. It suffers from no edification or value overall.
Pace: 5
Plot: 4
Resolution: 2
Overall: 54
Rule of Thumb: If you’re going to make a movie that’s well over two hours, you have to keep people interested right out of the gates. Otherwise, what’s really the point? That’s what I found myself asking every second of The Square. Not recommended in the least.
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Trouble With Peace in Books
Sep 28, 2020
Superb dialogue, plotting and war
I received an advance copy of this book from netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in Abercrombie's second proper trilogy in the world of The First Law. I will admit to having issues with the first book, A Little Hatred, but they were mainly a result of the book building on from the previous trilogy (and the standalone books) but being a significant amount of time later. I had felt the characters had been left as "so-and-so's son/daughter" with minimal introduction otherwise.
Those issues are now long-forgotten, as in this book all characters receive enough attention to embed themselves and find their voices (no longer are Vick and Savine the same in my head, likewise Leo and Orso, although I have to admit that Clover and Broad still cross over in my mind).
The plot follows some gentle political and social manipulations, both in the capital Adua, and also in the North. Things quickly develop into a much stronger and very possible uprising against the throne, and more importantly against the corrupt financier and magician controlling the throne.
There are some truly superb action sequences in this book, where the action flows seamlessly from one character's PoV to another, almost as if watching a film, where the camera follows an arrow and watches the intended target until they stab at someone, who the camera then follows. This allows the action to unfold across both sides of the conflict and give the story from multiple angles. One of these scenes was one of the best told battle scenes I think I have ever read.
The plot is strong, the characters similarly, and the dialogue and narration is Abercrombie at his best. The crossing, double-crossing and triple-crossing is a joy to read. It is rare in a "grimdark" book to see one of the nastiest characters getting their comeuppance but at the end this is delivered in a fairly shocking manner.
This may just be Abercrombie's best book yet, in my humble opinion.
This is the second book in Abercrombie's second proper trilogy in the world of The First Law. I will admit to having issues with the first book, A Little Hatred, but they were mainly a result of the book building on from the previous trilogy (and the standalone books) but being a significant amount of time later. I had felt the characters had been left as "so-and-so's son/daughter" with minimal introduction otherwise.
Those issues are now long-forgotten, as in this book all characters receive enough attention to embed themselves and find their voices (no longer are Vick and Savine the same in my head, likewise Leo and Orso, although I have to admit that Clover and Broad still cross over in my mind).
The plot follows some gentle political and social manipulations, both in the capital Adua, and also in the North. Things quickly develop into a much stronger and very possible uprising against the throne, and more importantly against the corrupt financier and magician controlling the throne.
There are some truly superb action sequences in this book, where the action flows seamlessly from one character's PoV to another, almost as if watching a film, where the camera follows an arrow and watches the intended target until they stab at someone, who the camera then follows. This allows the action to unfold across both sides of the conflict and give the story from multiple angles. One of these scenes was one of the best told battle scenes I think I have ever read.
The plot is strong, the characters similarly, and the dialogue and narration is Abercrombie at his best. The crossing, double-crossing and triple-crossing is a joy to read. It is rare in a "grimdark" book to see one of the nastiest characters getting their comeuppance but at the end this is delivered in a fairly shocking manner.
This may just be Abercrombie's best book yet, in my humble opinion.
The World in 2017
News and Business
App
The World in 2017 app contains The Economist’s annual collection of detailed, numerate and...
Terra Mystica
Games
App
Short Summary: ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ In a world of fantasy, called Terra Mystica,...
How to Hold a Grudge: From Resentment to Contentment—The Power of Grudges to Transform Your Life
Book
The first and only comprehensive examination of the universal but widely misunderstood practice of...
Bonnie and Clyde: Radioactive
Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall
Book
THE REVENGE OF BONNIE AND CLYDE Saving the future by exploding the past It's January 1945, six...
thriller Bonnie & Clyde Bonnie and Clyde adult fiction
ClareR (6129 KP) rated The Island of Missing Trees in Books
Sep 28, 2021
How come this is only the first book I’ve read by Elif Shafak?! This is a book full of heart, feeling and imagination - it’s just beautiful. The Island of Missing Trees has taught me far more about what happened in Cyprus and the war/ dispute between Cypriots and the Turkish invasion.
There’s a feel of Romeo and Juliet about this: a Greek-Cypriot boy (Kostas), and a Turkish-Cypriot girl (Defne) fall in love - something forbidden in the climate they’re living in. They meet in secret in a tavern that has a fig tree growing through the centre of it. This is a significant tree - it’s one of the main narrators of this story. And what a story it has to tell. It talks about the natural world in which it lives, the humans that it comes into contact with, the conflict it lives through, the sorrow, the loss.
This book describes the fracturing of a country, people forced to leave the country they love. Kostas is one of these people. He moves to London to live with his uncle, but he never seems to feel as though he fits in in there. He does follow his passion though, and becomes an expert in Natural History: the trees and plants around him, around the world, and in his native Cyprus. Which is what brings him and Defne back together, and reunites them with the fig tree.
The three of them return to London together, all cast adrift from their homeland.
Later, Kostas and Defne’s daughter carries this feeling of not quite belonging as well, but her father doesn’t seem to be able to give her what she needs. She knows nothing of her roots: she has no contact with her Cypriot family - until the day her aunt arrives.
The way that Shafak writes about loss and the pain of loss is visceral, but there’s a great deal of hope and the promise of healing. This book just has it all. I was completely enveloped in this story, and I’ve been left with a pressing need to read everything else that Elif Shafak has written!
Many thanks to Jellybooks and Penguin for providing me with a copy of this book to read.
There’s a feel of Romeo and Juliet about this: a Greek-Cypriot boy (Kostas), and a Turkish-Cypriot girl (Defne) fall in love - something forbidden in the climate they’re living in. They meet in secret in a tavern that has a fig tree growing through the centre of it. This is a significant tree - it’s one of the main narrators of this story. And what a story it has to tell. It talks about the natural world in which it lives, the humans that it comes into contact with, the conflict it lives through, the sorrow, the loss.
This book describes the fracturing of a country, people forced to leave the country they love. Kostas is one of these people. He moves to London to live with his uncle, but he never seems to feel as though he fits in in there. He does follow his passion though, and becomes an expert in Natural History: the trees and plants around him, around the world, and in his native Cyprus. Which is what brings him and Defne back together, and reunites them with the fig tree.
The three of them return to London together, all cast adrift from their homeland.
Later, Kostas and Defne’s daughter carries this feeling of not quite belonging as well, but her father doesn’t seem to be able to give her what she needs. She knows nothing of her roots: she has no contact with her Cypriot family - until the day her aunt arrives.
The way that Shafak writes about loss and the pain of loss is visceral, but there’s a great deal of hope and the promise of healing. This book just has it all. I was completely enveloped in this story, and I’ve been left with a pressing need to read everything else that Elif Shafak has written!
Many thanks to Jellybooks and Penguin for providing me with a copy of this book to read.
Starkiller_Prime (39 KP) rated Star Wars: The Clone Wars in TV
Oct 18, 2022
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
(7 Seasons)
2008-2020
Star Wars: The Clone Wars the TV show first aired on Cartoon Network in 2008. The series aired following the release of a movie by the same title. The series bridges a gap from the prequel movies Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The amazing storytelling and digital animation reignited the imagination and love of thousands of Star Wars fans as well as newcomers. While the release of episodes wasn’t in chronological order later seasons; such as, Seasons 2 and 3, fill some of the story arcs already told.
The series expands on the conflict known as the Clone Wars towards the very stages of Revenge of the Sith. The series has been an all time favorite for much of the Star Wars fan base. The series was able to use multiple story arcs that answered long awaited questions from the prequel trilogy; such as, the identity of the Jedi who commissioned the clone army and the origins of Order 66.
The Clone Wars introduces new characters as well as established ones with a focus on further expanding the Star Wars Universe.
The series has major character developments for Anakin Skywalker, Asajj Ventress, Ahsoka Tano, and many more. One of the major criticisms of the prequels was the overall writing of the characters but this show further expands them and while the series is not a straight character study in most cases the characters grew with the audiences. The tone of the show shifted as the seasons progressed and as a enormous Star Wars fan I can safely say it was something that aged well. While the first few seasons where more childish once you get to season 4 a clear tone change begins to prevail.
I greatly recommend to anyone who is a Star Wars fan or new to the fan base to give the series a watch but to ensure you watch the original and prequel trilogies first to truly grasp the world building aspect and undertone.
(7 Seasons)
2008-2020
Star Wars: The Clone Wars the TV show first aired on Cartoon Network in 2008. The series aired following the release of a movie by the same title. The series bridges a gap from the prequel movies Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The amazing storytelling and digital animation reignited the imagination and love of thousands of Star Wars fans as well as newcomers. While the release of episodes wasn’t in chronological order later seasons; such as, Seasons 2 and 3, fill some of the story arcs already told.
The series expands on the conflict known as the Clone Wars towards the very stages of Revenge of the Sith. The series has been an all time favorite for much of the Star Wars fan base. The series was able to use multiple story arcs that answered long awaited questions from the prequel trilogy; such as, the identity of the Jedi who commissioned the clone army and the origins of Order 66.
The Clone Wars introduces new characters as well as established ones with a focus on further expanding the Star Wars Universe.
The series has major character developments for Anakin Skywalker, Asajj Ventress, Ahsoka Tano, and many more. One of the major criticisms of the prequels was the overall writing of the characters but this show further expands them and while the series is not a straight character study in most cases the characters grew with the audiences. The tone of the show shifted as the seasons progressed and as a enormous Star Wars fan I can safely say it was something that aged well. While the first few seasons where more childish once you get to season 4 a clear tone change begins to prevail.
I greatly recommend to anyone who is a Star Wars fan or new to the fan base to give the series a watch but to ensure you watch the original and prequel trilogies first to truly grasp the world building aspect and undertone.
