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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated Who is The Mystery Reader? in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Reading is a Superpower!
This book is broken up into many parts. The main story involves Zoom Squirrel who gets some help in reading for The Mystery Reader, a costumed superhero. But who is the masked man, er squirrel? And can Zoom enter the world of masked superheroes? After the main story, we get a couple of terrible (and by that, I mean delightful) puns and jokes related to reading. There’s also a section where we see the work that goes into creating a book.
As an adult, I don’t find these picture books as delightful as some of Mo’s other works. They are missing the humor and charm. However, I can see the appeal to young readers, and if the addition of superheroes to reading encourages kids to read, I’m all in favor of it. The multiple sections can make the book disjointed, especially if you are reading the book to a group of kids, but it would be great for kids ready to expand their reading beyond the traditional easy readers.
As an adult, I don’t find these picture books as delightful as some of Mo’s other works. They are missing the humor and charm. However, I can see the appeal to young readers, and if the addition of superheroes to reading encourages kids to read, I’m all in favor of it. The multiple sections can make the book disjointed, especially if you are reading the book to a group of kids, but it would be great for kids ready to expand their reading beyond the traditional easy readers.
Dean (6927 KP) rated The Irishman (2019) in Movies
Nov 17, 2019 (Updated Nov 18, 2019)
I heard you paint houses
With an awesome cast featuring Pacino, De Niro, Pesci and directed by Scorsese you get excited about another Mafia film with these guys. Although weighing in at a hefty 3 hours 20 minutes run time you hope it will be entertaining as their other Mafia films. For the first couple of hours it does a good job. It gets a little bogged down in the politics of Union business and competing presidents at times. It shows the Story of the Irishman played by De Niro and how over the years he becomes involved working for the mafia in a few roles. If they left out the final hour I would score it higher. Sadly at this point the film drags quite badly without the extra hour really adding anything to the story. Watch it for the cast if you are a fan but this is no @GoodFellas (1990) or @Casino (1995)
Ronnie (304 KP) rated I Was Here in Books
Jan 26, 2020
Cody and Meg were inseparable, they knew each other inside out. But how well did Cody really know Meg? And what happens when your best friend leaves you behind?
Cody searches desperately for answers to why Meg would take her own life. Surely she could never do that?
I have been looking forward to reading this book for a long time and was really excited to finally start it. Usually I would only take a couple of days to read a book like this, but I took a lot longer than that for me.
I think this is an amazing idea for a book but something about the way it was written put me off. About halfway through I started to enjoy it more but that quickly faded away. I’m usually disappointed by endings but I was more disappointed by this one than I usually am.
I felt this book was quite boring and badly written. I wish I could say I had enjoyed it, but I can’t.
Cody searches desperately for answers to why Meg would take her own life. Surely she could never do that?
I have been looking forward to reading this book for a long time and was really excited to finally start it. Usually I would only take a couple of days to read a book like this, but I took a lot longer than that for me.
I think this is an amazing idea for a book but something about the way it was written put me off. About halfway through I started to enjoy it more but that quickly faded away. I’m usually disappointed by endings but I was more disappointed by this one than I usually am.
I felt this book was quite boring and badly written. I wish I could say I had enjoyed it, but I can’t.
_RainAllTheTime (17 KP) rated A Quiet Place (2018) in Movies
Jan 9, 2020
So I am very late into the game of watching this film and honestly, I'm so glad I did!
This film was not at all what I expecting.
Firstly, the whole film has only two short scenes of actual dialogue.
The film centres around a couple and their kids trying to survive in a post apocalyptic world with creatures that will eat you if you make a sound.
The creatures are blind but have supersonic hearing so will hear the littlest of sounds, even from very far away, and will devour anything in their path.
Even with the lack of dialogue, the film hits a very emotional punch, but honestly, the film doesn't need any dialogue as it already portrays the perfect atmosphere without them.
The family communicate through sign language, something I assume they knew post apocalypse, as their daughter is deaf.
Everyone in the film plays such great parts and conveys such raw emotions.
If you are a horror or even a thriller fan, I HIGHLY recommend this film.
This film was not at all what I expecting.
Firstly, the whole film has only two short scenes of actual dialogue.
The film centres around a couple and their kids trying to survive in a post apocalyptic world with creatures that will eat you if you make a sound.
The creatures are blind but have supersonic hearing so will hear the littlest of sounds, even from very far away, and will devour anything in their path.
Even with the lack of dialogue, the film hits a very emotional punch, but honestly, the film doesn't need any dialogue as it already portrays the perfect atmosphere without them.
The family communicate through sign language, something I assume they knew post apocalypse, as their daughter is deaf.
Everyone in the film plays such great parts and conveys such raw emotions.
If you are a horror or even a thriller fan, I HIGHLY recommend this film.
David Betteridge (327 KP) rated The Stranger in TV
Feb 28, 2020 (Updated Feb 29, 2020)
Acting (3 more)
Interwoven story
Mystery
Giles!
Ending (2 more)
Slightly unbelievable actions
Under use of some great actors
Good short season, with a slight dip at the end
I started to watch this because people at work were talking about it, I'd never read the book so had no concept of the story or characters. Once I started watching episode 1 I was hooked and would find myself just letting another episode start even though it was way passed midnight!
I think The Stranger does keep you genuinely guessing with all the mysteries and secrets, and only let's you in, when it wants to, the acting was great and they do keep you intrigued until the final episode. However the final episode is where I have my issue, so much happens here that it could have done with splitting out into a couple more episodes, this would have fleshed out characters that could have had a bigger emotional impact and wouldn't have felt so rushed.
I think it would be nice if they have left things set up for another season.
I think The Stranger does keep you genuinely guessing with all the mysteries and secrets, and only let's you in, when it wants to, the acting was great and they do keep you intrigued until the final episode. However the final episode is where I have my issue, so much happens here that it could have done with splitting out into a couple more episodes, this would have fleshed out characters that could have had a bigger emotional impact and wouldn't have felt so rushed.
I think it would be nice if they have left things set up for another season.
David McK (3562 KP) rated Sharpe's Devil (Sharpe, #21) in Books
Mar 5, 2020
The final (*sniff*) of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe books, this is set 5 years after the battle of Waterloo (so, in 1820) and sees Richard Sharpe - now happily settled and living with Lucille in Normandy, and his particular friend Patrick Harper (now running a bar in Dublin) off to Chile in a quest to find an old friend (from all the way back in Sharpe's Rifleswho is missing, reported dead - a report his wife refuses to believe.
While at first it seems that the 'pit-stop' in Saint Helena to meet/gawk at the defeated Emperor Napoleon - pretty daring of Cornwell to put such a famous historical personage in the novel! - is just that, this actually later proves to be an essential part of the plot: I'm not going to give anything away by saying how!
Bit sad that the series is finished now; I guess I'm just going to have to go back and (re)read them all again, as I have been doing over the last couple of years!
While at first it seems that the 'pit-stop' in Saint Helena to meet/gawk at the defeated Emperor Napoleon - pretty daring of Cornwell to put such a famous historical personage in the novel! - is just that, this actually later proves to be an essential part of the plot: I'm not going to give anything away by saying how!
Bit sad that the series is finished now; I guess I'm just going to have to go back and (re)read them all again, as I have been doing over the last couple of years!
gouge my eyes out with a spork. please.
This godforsaken book. It took everything in me to finish this book. I had to read it for a class - Intro to American Studies: The 1920s and I thought it was going to be great. I was really looking forward to it. And then I started. The first couple of chapters are great. The introduction? Amazing! And then it just takes a turn for the worse.
I think this was the most poorly constructed book I've read in a long time. The chapters didn't have any sort of fluidity whatsoever and it felt like it was all over the place. I was reading about so many different people in really different orders and then 3 chapters later, we'd find ourselves back to those people and it just made no sense. Literally none.
I am almost proud of myself for finishing this book. It really was that hard. I had such high hopes and it just flopped. If my reviews mean anything to anyone, please don't read this book. Don't waste time.
I think this was the most poorly constructed book I've read in a long time. The chapters didn't have any sort of fluidity whatsoever and it felt like it was all over the place. I was reading about so many different people in really different orders and then 3 chapters later, we'd find ourselves back to those people and it just made no sense. Literally none.
I am almost proud of myself for finishing this book. It really was that hard. I had such high hopes and it just flopped. If my reviews mean anything to anyone, please don't read this book. Don't waste time.
Kelly Rettie (748 KP) rated Animal Crossing: New Horizons in Video Games
Mar 23, 2020
Still a fab game....
I have loved all the animal crossing games so when the new one came out on the switch it was inevitable that I would get it. You move to a dessert island and start by living in a tent which obviously Nook Store will upgrade for you for a fee. It's the same as previous games in that you are still collecting resources and selling items you find, though now when you are shopping there are Nook miles which you can redeem for objects. You also access alot of info on a nook phone which is a nice addition. The only annoying thing which has annoyed me with past versions is it plays in real time, so when Nook says you will get something tomorrow, or your new house will be ready tomorrow, that's exactly when it will be. Overall great game to pick up and play either for a couple of hours of just to pass a little bit of time.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Current War (2017) in Movies
Jul 30, 2019 (Updated Jul 30, 2019)
Striking historical drama; unfortunate enough to get caught on the fringes of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, which is why it has sat on the shelf for a couple of years since it was finished. Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse engage in a battle of wills to bring electric light to America, but will victory go to the more principled man, or the more ruthless? And who is who?
Lots of good material here for a really interesting film about, essentially, the birth of the modern world; perhaps too much. The film's problem is really that it tries to cover everything - not just the rivalry between the two men, but also incidents from Edison's private life, the development of the electric chair, and the career of the much-mythologised but enigmatic inventor Nikola Tesla. As a result everything gets covered in a somewhat cursory manner and it often feels somewhat rushed. Still, it's a handsome looking film, the performances are excellent, and the direction is sometimes as inventive as the characters. Not entirely successful by any means, but a very distinguished failure.
Lots of good material here for a really interesting film about, essentially, the birth of the modern world; perhaps too much. The film's problem is really that it tries to cover everything - not just the rivalry between the two men, but also incidents from Edison's private life, the development of the electric chair, and the career of the much-mythologised but enigmatic inventor Nikola Tesla. As a result everything gets covered in a somewhat cursory manner and it often feels somewhat rushed. Still, it's a handsome looking film, the performances are excellent, and the direction is sometimes as inventive as the characters. Not entirely successful by any means, but a very distinguished failure.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Stir of Echoes (1999) in Movies
Apr 20, 2020
Good, if not a tad predictable
Considering this film came out in 1999, I'm rather surprised I've never seen it. Watching it back now, I'm afraid to say my enjoyment of it may have been spoilt by not watching it when it was originally released.
For the most part this is a fairly enjoyable supernatural thriller. It's entertaining and there are a couple of decent scares, and the premise is straightforward. The problem however is that I've seen similar stories to this many times before, whether it be on tv (e.g. Supernatural), or films (e.g. What Lies Beneath) etc. I cant say more without spoiling the story, but I'm sure many people watching this would recognise a similar story. It's a shame as this film probably came out before most of the ones I've seen before, but as I watched this 20 years late it just seems like nothing new.
I'm probably being rather unfair with this film, but I cant pretend it doesnt remind me of many others!
For the most part this is a fairly enjoyable supernatural thriller. It's entertaining and there are a couple of decent scares, and the premise is straightforward. The problem however is that I've seen similar stories to this many times before, whether it be on tv (e.g. Supernatural), or films (e.g. What Lies Beneath) etc. I cant say more without spoiling the story, but I'm sure many people watching this would recognise a similar story. It's a shame as this film probably came out before most of the ones I've seen before, but as I watched this 20 years late it just seems like nothing new.
I'm probably being rather unfair with this film, but I cant pretend it doesnt remind me of many others!