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DiscoStu (6 KP) rated Bright (2017) in Movies
Jan 8, 2018 (Updated Jan 8, 2018)
“A competent buddy cop movie that offers solid pacing and character portrayals at the expense of building up the films (admittedly) interesting universe”.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Netflix’s ‘Bright’, directed by David Ayer (Suicide Squad) and starring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton, brings the big budget box office trappings of a fully fledged cinema release to their home streaming subscription service and arguably the end result is a fun and enjoyable, if slightly flawed, buddy-cop-movie-with-a-twist that sets up a universe you’ll likely want to see more of.
Smith plays Daryl Ward, a weary veteran L.A. cop reluctantly partnered with orc partner Nick, the first and only orc to make the force in this alternate earth story. The film opens with Ward taking a round of buckshot from an orc thug whilst Nick looks on waiting for a burrito from a street vendor. The incident leaves a distrust between Ward and Nick, with Ward unsure whether his partner really has his back after Nick not only failed to step up and prevent the shooting but also failed to apprehend the orc perpetrator during the ensuing foot chase. Ward also finds himself at odds with other members of the force who don’t share the police’s ‘progressive’ attitudes of allowing orcs into the force.
The film briefly touches on a two thousand year old conflict between the nine armies and the Dark Lord who was defeated when various races allied to defeat him. In the established lore the orcs allied with the Dark Lord and have been subjugated ever since. The film attempts to portray the orcs through a social commentary that reflects the black community today and how heavy handed the film tackles the subject will probably depend on the viewer. For me it was handled sensitively enough without being too in your face.
The film sees the two protagonists dispatched to a disturbance that quickly escalates to a situation that goes from bad to worse. Finding themselves on the run with a Bright, the film’s titular white haired magic wielders, and a coveted magic wand Ward and Nick have to navigate hostile L.A. gang land environments whilst pursued by Inferni (the magic version of the Illuminati), the police and human and orc gangsters, all who have their own plans for the wand.
The film is shot well, with plenty of scenery that builds up the shared world of humans, orcs, elves , centaurs and the other races that we don’t get to spend any time with. A montage at the start of the film shows various L.A. scenery graffiti tagged with striking imagery depicting the struggle of orcs in an oppressed landscape. Evidently, orc lives matter. The film also doesn’t struggle for pacing. The two hour runtime services the story well enough, even if some of the world building and character exploration suffers as a result. I would have liked to have spent more time exploring the shared history of the various races and understanding the motivations of the stories’ villains but sadly these elements are undersold in favour of a shorter runtime that hurries the narrative along. To the credit of the writers and the director this world bares revisiting and at the time of writing it sounds like Netflix know this too with a sequel already greenlit.
Bright is a fun jaunt in a world I’d like to get to know better. Smith and Edgerton are strong leads who share a strong chemistry and make you care about their characters. The bad guys don’t fare as well here, especially disappointing given that Noomi Rapace is the lead antagonist but hopefully a sequel will correct some of these missteps. Bright feels like a £20 cinema ticket movie and gives enough to the viewer that you’ll want to discuss it with friends afterwards. As a film bundled with your Netflix subscription it’s hard to be too critical.
Smith plays Daryl Ward, a weary veteran L.A. cop reluctantly partnered with orc partner Nick, the first and only orc to make the force in this alternate earth story. The film opens with Ward taking a round of buckshot from an orc thug whilst Nick looks on waiting for a burrito from a street vendor. The incident leaves a distrust between Ward and Nick, with Ward unsure whether his partner really has his back after Nick not only failed to step up and prevent the shooting but also failed to apprehend the orc perpetrator during the ensuing foot chase. Ward also finds himself at odds with other members of the force who don’t share the police’s ‘progressive’ attitudes of allowing orcs into the force.
The film briefly touches on a two thousand year old conflict between the nine armies and the Dark Lord who was defeated when various races allied to defeat him. In the established lore the orcs allied with the Dark Lord and have been subjugated ever since. The film attempts to portray the orcs through a social commentary that reflects the black community today and how heavy handed the film tackles the subject will probably depend on the viewer. For me it was handled sensitively enough without being too in your face.
The film sees the two protagonists dispatched to a disturbance that quickly escalates to a situation that goes from bad to worse. Finding themselves on the run with a Bright, the film’s titular white haired magic wielders, and a coveted magic wand Ward and Nick have to navigate hostile L.A. gang land environments whilst pursued by Inferni (the magic version of the Illuminati), the police and human and orc gangsters, all who have their own plans for the wand.
The film is shot well, with plenty of scenery that builds up the shared world of humans, orcs, elves , centaurs and the other races that we don’t get to spend any time with. A montage at the start of the film shows various L.A. scenery graffiti tagged with striking imagery depicting the struggle of orcs in an oppressed landscape. Evidently, orc lives matter. The film also doesn’t struggle for pacing. The two hour runtime services the story well enough, even if some of the world building and character exploration suffers as a result. I would have liked to have spent more time exploring the shared history of the various races and understanding the motivations of the stories’ villains but sadly these elements are undersold in favour of a shorter runtime that hurries the narrative along. To the credit of the writers and the director this world bares revisiting and at the time of writing it sounds like Netflix know this too with a sequel already greenlit.
Bright is a fun jaunt in a world I’d like to get to know better. Smith and Edgerton are strong leads who share a strong chemistry and make you care about their characters. The bad guys don’t fare as well here, especially disappointing given that Noomi Rapace is the lead antagonist but hopefully a sequel will correct some of these missteps. Bright feels like a £20 cinema ticket movie and gives enough to the viewer that you’ll want to discuss it with friends afterwards. As a film bundled with your Netflix subscription it’s hard to be too critical.
Kyera (8 KP) rated A Court of Thorns and Roses in Books
Jan 31, 2018
After reading the Throne of Glass series, I didn't think that I could love SJM's next series as much. How could it compare? It doesn't, but not in a bad way. While it's also a book about the Fae, a Court of Thorns and Roses is set in an entirely different world with its own set of unique characters. It is also vaguely a retelling, or reimagining, of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale, which I loved. The human and Fae worlds are separated by an invisible wall and a Treaty that was crafted after a brutal war which took place 500 years earlier.
We are first introduced to Feyre, a girl who tries to take care of her family as best she can despite being the youngest. It is on one of her trip into the forest to feed her family when she stumbles across the path of a wolf whilst hunting a deer. After shooting and killing both animals, she skins the wolf and carries the deer home for food. Unfortunately for her, the wolf was actually a Fae male and her actions force her to make a choice. Either be killed or live forevermore in the Fae realm.
It is not much of a choice and Feyre chooses to go with Tamlin to his estate in Prythian, the land of the Fae. Tamlin, she later discovers is not only a High Fae, but the Lord of the Spring Court and much more powerful than she realized. He is joined by Lucien, another High Fae who is originally from the Autumn Court and not much else besides a few workers. The large estate seems empty and a little bit sad.
As one can expect from a Beauty and the Beast retelling, the girl must fall in love with the shapeshifting Fae beast to break a curse. the curse is not known to the reader or Feyre until the end of the book. She must fight to prove her love under the most harrowing of situations and trials.
A must read, especially if you wish to find out what happens. Highly recommended for teen/young adult readers who like fantasy, supernatural creatures and magic. The world building is amazing, the magic is awe inspiring and the lands are populated by a variety of characters from the heroes to the villains, the cowards, the friends and the just plain misunderstood.
Reread Feelings:
Slight spoiler warning for ACOTAR and ACOWAR.
A second read-through of a Court of Thornes and Roses let me to notice a lot more details that I had missed during my first introduction to the world. The inspiration that the novel drew from Beauty and the Beast was also more prevalent than I had realized. Her family life and desire to protect those she loves is directly pulled and inspired by the original novel. Tamlin’s beast form and temper are also reminiscent of the Beast in the story.
Knowing how the book ends and what happens in ACOMAF, you can more clearly see the actions and personality of Tamlin. He is very protective of Feyre and a little bit controlling, but without any direct threat to her life it is not as apparent. The events that occurred Under the Mountain pushed him over the edge and turned that protectiveness dark. It became corrupted and too strong to be overlooked. He also has an explosive temper and anger, but you see it less frequently as the book goes on. That doesn’t mean it goes away, so his personality in the second book is not as surprising as I thought it was my first time reading the series. It still like him in this series, but I don’t love him as much as I did during the first read through.
The incredible world of Prythian is just so packed with different faeries, Courts, and intense story that you can’t focus on everything the first time you read it. You discover more magic the second, or third, time you read through the book because you know the story and can now also focus on the read of the world building and character development. To me, that is fantastic writing when you can always discover something new hidden in a book you love.
I fell in love with the series even more on the second read-through, especially Rhysand. You truly appreciate just how much he did for Feyre, not just healing her arm when she was on death’s door but mentally and emotionally supporting her when she was ready to give up. He puts on a dark front, but his every action belies his true feelings. Rhys lies to Amarantha about the identity of Tamlin’s human love, even though it could mean his end and his people’s if she discovers the truth. On multiple occasions, he plays the bad guy to maintain a façade but secretly does good. I appreciated and recognized his acts a lot more the second time reading, and it made me fall in love with his character even more.
Even though I know what happens in the book, the emotions are still so prevalent. You ride the story’s highs and lows, feel yourself filling with light when there is goodness, and fear for the dark. I can’t even describe my feelings. I was walking around my room reading the final pages as Feyre is being hurt – and someone calls out her name. I just sort of collapsed to the ground, with my hand on my heart and my feelings bursting from my chest about that particular Fae male. You could almost hear the pain and horror in his voice as he cried out for her, and it destroyed me. The final moments of the book were so beautiful and made me a little teary.
We are first introduced to Feyre, a girl who tries to take care of her family as best she can despite being the youngest. It is on one of her trip into the forest to feed her family when she stumbles across the path of a wolf whilst hunting a deer. After shooting and killing both animals, she skins the wolf and carries the deer home for food. Unfortunately for her, the wolf was actually a Fae male and her actions force her to make a choice. Either be killed or live forevermore in the Fae realm.
It is not much of a choice and Feyre chooses to go with Tamlin to his estate in Prythian, the land of the Fae. Tamlin, she later discovers is not only a High Fae, but the Lord of the Spring Court and much more powerful than she realized. He is joined by Lucien, another High Fae who is originally from the Autumn Court and not much else besides a few workers. The large estate seems empty and a little bit sad.
As one can expect from a Beauty and the Beast retelling, the girl must fall in love with the shapeshifting Fae beast to break a curse. the curse is not known to the reader or Feyre until the end of the book. She must fight to prove her love under the most harrowing of situations and trials.
A must read, especially if you wish to find out what happens. Highly recommended for teen/young adult readers who like fantasy, supernatural creatures and magic. The world building is amazing, the magic is awe inspiring and the lands are populated by a variety of characters from the heroes to the villains, the cowards, the friends and the just plain misunderstood.
Reread Feelings:
Slight spoiler warning for ACOTAR and ACOWAR.
A second read-through of a Court of Thornes and Roses let me to notice a lot more details that I had missed during my first introduction to the world. The inspiration that the novel drew from Beauty and the Beast was also more prevalent than I had realized. Her family life and desire to protect those she loves is directly pulled and inspired by the original novel. Tamlin’s beast form and temper are also reminiscent of the Beast in the story.
Knowing how the book ends and what happens in ACOMAF, you can more clearly see the actions and personality of Tamlin. He is very protective of Feyre and a little bit controlling, but without any direct threat to her life it is not as apparent. The events that occurred Under the Mountain pushed him over the edge and turned that protectiveness dark. It became corrupted and too strong to be overlooked. He also has an explosive temper and anger, but you see it less frequently as the book goes on. That doesn’t mean it goes away, so his personality in the second book is not as surprising as I thought it was my first time reading the series. It still like him in this series, but I don’t love him as much as I did during the first read through.
The incredible world of Prythian is just so packed with different faeries, Courts, and intense story that you can’t focus on everything the first time you read it. You discover more magic the second, or third, time you read through the book because you know the story and can now also focus on the read of the world building and character development. To me, that is fantastic writing when you can always discover something new hidden in a book you love.
I fell in love with the series even more on the second read-through, especially Rhysand. You truly appreciate just how much he did for Feyre, not just healing her arm when she was on death’s door but mentally and emotionally supporting her when she was ready to give up. He puts on a dark front, but his every action belies his true feelings. Rhys lies to Amarantha about the identity of Tamlin’s human love, even though it could mean his end and his people’s if she discovers the truth. On multiple occasions, he plays the bad guy to maintain a façade but secretly does good. I appreciated and recognized his acts a lot more the second time reading, and it made me fall in love with his character even more.
Even though I know what happens in the book, the emotions are still so prevalent. You ride the story’s highs and lows, feel yourself filling with light when there is goodness, and fear for the dark. I can’t even describe my feelings. I was walking around my room reading the final pages as Feyre is being hurt – and someone calls out her name. I just sort of collapsed to the ground, with my hand on my heart and my feelings bursting from my chest about that particular Fae male. You could almost hear the pain and horror in his voice as he cried out for her, and it destroyed me. The final moments of the book were so beautiful and made me a little teary.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Demoni Vankil (Hobin Luckyfeller's Fieldguides, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
Review also found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>.
I loved this book! I loved the intrigue and mystery...and it had a gnome!!!! I love gnomes!!!
Hobin Luckyfeller is a fishis (want to know what that is, then look it up in the book, lol). He comes across fourteen letters sent from a husband to his wife that talk about a major project that has to do with runes and how to trap the Dark Lord. Hobin must try to read in between the lines to figure out what everything means.
The title definitely suits the book! I won't say too much because of spoilers, but once you read the book, you'll definitely know why. It's a perfect title!!
The cover is very ominous looking! I like the way it looks like it's made of leather. I think the cover suits the book because of the three runes on it which, the whole book mentions the runes throughout. I don't really get the yellow face on the cover though. That takes away from it a bit, but I kind of like the yellow face for some odd reason.
The pacing of this book was perfect! As I said, it's only a short story, and sometimes it's difficult to get the pacing right in short stories, however Mr. Buckley gets the pacing spot on! I found myself wanting to know more before I had even finished the chapter I was on!
The dialogue was easy to understand especially since there's a glossary type thing in the back of the book which helps with the pronunciation of words and what they mean as well as who people and places are in the book. I found this to be most useful because with some of the words, I had a difficult time pronouncing them!
I loved the character of Hobin Luckyfeller. I'm not just saying that because he's a gnome! I loved his thirst for knowledge and how he wanted to figure everything out. He wouldn't stop for anything. As for Eamon, the author of the letters, I felt so bad for him. I felt his pain at not being able to see his wife and children.
My favourite part of the book was after the end. No, not because the book was over, but because there was information on the authors. Yes, I said authors! It lists Hobin Luckyfeller as one of the authors along with Jaime Buckley. I found this to be quite humouress!
Jaime Buckley definitely has a way with words. I thought this story was very well written. It's definitely piqued my interest in the Wanted: Hero series that Jaime Buckley has written.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 15+ especially those who love fantasy, mystery, dwarves, goblins, etc.
I loved this book! I loved the intrigue and mystery...and it had a gnome!!!! I love gnomes!!!
Hobin Luckyfeller is a fishis (want to know what that is, then look it up in the book, lol). He comes across fourteen letters sent from a husband to his wife that talk about a major project that has to do with runes and how to trap the Dark Lord. Hobin must try to read in between the lines to figure out what everything means.
The title definitely suits the book! I won't say too much because of spoilers, but once you read the book, you'll definitely know why. It's a perfect title!!
The cover is very ominous looking! I like the way it looks like it's made of leather. I think the cover suits the book because of the three runes on it which, the whole book mentions the runes throughout. I don't really get the yellow face on the cover though. That takes away from it a bit, but I kind of like the yellow face for some odd reason.
The pacing of this book was perfect! As I said, it's only a short story, and sometimes it's difficult to get the pacing right in short stories, however Mr. Buckley gets the pacing spot on! I found myself wanting to know more before I had even finished the chapter I was on!
The dialogue was easy to understand especially since there's a glossary type thing in the back of the book which helps with the pronunciation of words and what they mean as well as who people and places are in the book. I found this to be most useful because with some of the words, I had a difficult time pronouncing them!
I loved the character of Hobin Luckyfeller. I'm not just saying that because he's a gnome! I loved his thirst for knowledge and how he wanted to figure everything out. He wouldn't stop for anything. As for Eamon, the author of the letters, I felt so bad for him. I felt his pain at not being able to see his wife and children.
My favourite part of the book was after the end. No, not because the book was over, but because there was information on the authors. Yes, I said authors! It lists Hobin Luckyfeller as one of the authors along with Jaime Buckley. I found this to be quite humouress!
Jaime Buckley definitely has a way with words. I thought this story was very well written. It's definitely piqued my interest in the Wanted: Hero series that Jaime Buckley has written.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 15+ especially those who love fantasy, mystery, dwarves, goblins, etc.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated The Girl on the Train (2016) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Rachael (Emily Blunt) is a woman who has hit rock bottom. Her downward spiral has cost her a marriage, her career, and everything else she cherished and left her a severe alcoholic. Rachael is so far gone that she rides the commuter train into New York every day secretly drinking along the way. There is some method to this madness as the train goes by her former home and this allows Rachael a look in at the woman who replaced her and the new family her ex now enjoys.
In the new film “The Girl on the Train”, based on the book of the same name by Paula Hawkins, the locale has been changed from London to New York but much of the content has been left unchanged which should thrill fans of this highly popular novel.
Rachael has become fascinated with a couple two houses down from her old home and she watches and fantasizes about the perfect life she imagines they have.
The reality is that Megan (Haley Bennett) is living in a controlling and abusive relationship and holds a dark secret of her own which she reveals to her therapist as well as her desire to run away and also take him as a lover.
When Rachael sees Megan in an embrace with someone other than her husband one day, she decides to confront Megan and express her anger over her assumed infidelity even though Rachael has never met her much less learned her name and only knows of her from being in the same workout class and seeing her on the train.
Rachael awakens one morning covered in blood and in a have and is unable to remember what has happened. To make matters worse, Megan has gone missing and her husband is the primary suspect in the disappearance.
Despite being warned away numerous times by her ex Tom (Justin Theroux) and his wife Anna (Rebecca Ferguson), Rachael continues to regain her memories of what happened that evening even though she continues to have issues differentiating reality from fantasy in a situation with high stakes and dire consequences.
What follows is a compelling thriller that kept me interested even though I was able to unravel the mystery 30 minutes or so before the conclusion of the film. I had not read the book or much on the film going in as I wanted to try to crack the mystery without any additional help, but still found it an interesting and entertaining film. There was more eroticism than one may expect at first glance but the film weaves a great story of multiple characters all with various degrees of dysfunction.
The cast is very strong and take what could at first be a routine mystery and turned it into one of the best and most entertaining Dramas of the year.
http://sknr.net/2016/10/07/the-girl-on-the-train/
In the new film “The Girl on the Train”, based on the book of the same name by Paula Hawkins, the locale has been changed from London to New York but much of the content has been left unchanged which should thrill fans of this highly popular novel.
Rachael has become fascinated with a couple two houses down from her old home and she watches and fantasizes about the perfect life she imagines they have.
The reality is that Megan (Haley Bennett) is living in a controlling and abusive relationship and holds a dark secret of her own which she reveals to her therapist as well as her desire to run away and also take him as a lover.
When Rachael sees Megan in an embrace with someone other than her husband one day, she decides to confront Megan and express her anger over her assumed infidelity even though Rachael has never met her much less learned her name and only knows of her from being in the same workout class and seeing her on the train.
Rachael awakens one morning covered in blood and in a have and is unable to remember what has happened. To make matters worse, Megan has gone missing and her husband is the primary suspect in the disappearance.
Despite being warned away numerous times by her ex Tom (Justin Theroux) and his wife Anna (Rebecca Ferguson), Rachael continues to regain her memories of what happened that evening even though she continues to have issues differentiating reality from fantasy in a situation with high stakes and dire consequences.
What follows is a compelling thriller that kept me interested even though I was able to unravel the mystery 30 minutes or so before the conclusion of the film. I had not read the book or much on the film going in as I wanted to try to crack the mystery without any additional help, but still found it an interesting and entertaining film. There was more eroticism than one may expect at first glance but the film weaves a great story of multiple characters all with various degrees of dysfunction.
The cast is very strong and take what could at first be a routine mystery and turned it into one of the best and most entertaining Dramas of the year.
http://sknr.net/2016/10/07/the-girl-on-the-train/
Darren (1599 KP) rated Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Alice Through the Looking Glass starts as Alice (Wasikowska) returns from one of her voyages around the world only to find her dreams of seeing the world have been taken from her. Escaping the real world Wonderland calls Alice back with Queen Mirana (Hathaway) and the rest of the characters need Alice to bring the Hatter (Depp) back to his senses after he falls through memories of his loss.
Alice must travel back through time to save the Hatter’ family and bring him back to his colourful ways. Alice finds herself having to go to Time (Cohen) himself to find a way to save the Hatter where she finds herself coming across an old foe Iracebeth (Carter) who wants to use time to control the kingdoms regaining her crown.
Alice Through the Looking Glass does what Oz the Great and Powerful and Wicked have done to The Wizard of Oz by making us want to sympathise with the villainous characters by showing us how they got driven into evil ways because of the bad decisions by the good one. The travel through time works because it does explain certain moments from the story like why Hatter and co have been waiting so long for the tea party. In the end this just tries slightly too much to not bring any new villainous threat to the world to show Alice the important lesson in the real life she is living.
Actor Review
Johnny Depp: Hatter Tarrant Hightopp has gone into a deep depression when he learns to remember the fate of his family, Alice is trying to go through his past to stop this event so we get to meet Hatter as he was younger and struggling to decide whether to follow in his father’s footsteps. Johnny continues his streak of quirky roles but does get over shadowed by Mia.
Mia Wasikowska: Alice is now an adventurer who travels the world only to return home and find her future gone and being forced to give up her dreams. When she returns to Wonderland she must battle the forces of time to save her old friend Hatter and learn to accept her own changes in her life. Mia is good in this role but it is strange seeing an older version of Alice.
Helena Bonham Carter: Iracebeth is the evil queen who lost her crown in the first film, she wants to use time to change the past keeping her power over the kingdoms, but this time we learn about what drove her to be the way she is. Helena continues her blatant rip off performance from Queenie in Blackadder.
Anne Hathaway: Mirana is the good queen of the kingdom who asks Alice to help the Hatter only for us to learn about her younger ways. Anne is very basic in this supporting performance where she doesn’t get much to work with.
Support Cast: Alice Through the Looking Glass has a big supporting cast with Sacha Baron Cohen shining as Time itself chasing Alice down through time.
Director Review: James Bobin – James gives us a solid sequel but seems to mix Oz the Great and Powerful with time travel.
Adventure: Alice Through the Looking Glass does put Alice on an adventure she could only dream of through time itself.
Family: Alice Through the Looking Glass does feel slightly too dark for the youngest members of family to enjoy.
Fantasy: Alice Through the Looking Glass builds on the fantasy world created on the first outing looking deeper into the backstory of the characters involved.
Settings: Alice Through the Looking Glass brings us back to the Wonderland location with the inclusion of the time warehouse location.
Special Effects: Alice Through the Looking Glass is a film you can almost feel the green screen behind the actors.
Suggestion: Alice Through the Looking Glass is only one to try really I don’t think it is one that is that special. (Try It)
Best Part: Time is a good character.
Worst Part: Just feels like a copy of Oz the Great and the Powerful with time travel.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $170 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 53 Minutes
Tagline: This spring, it’s time for a little madness.
Overall: Simple sequel that offers nothing new to the overall Wonderland world.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/06/23/alice-through-the-looking-glass-2016/
Alice must travel back through time to save the Hatter’ family and bring him back to his colourful ways. Alice finds herself having to go to Time (Cohen) himself to find a way to save the Hatter where she finds herself coming across an old foe Iracebeth (Carter) who wants to use time to control the kingdoms regaining her crown.
Alice Through the Looking Glass does what Oz the Great and Powerful and Wicked have done to The Wizard of Oz by making us want to sympathise with the villainous characters by showing us how they got driven into evil ways because of the bad decisions by the good one. The travel through time works because it does explain certain moments from the story like why Hatter and co have been waiting so long for the tea party. In the end this just tries slightly too much to not bring any new villainous threat to the world to show Alice the important lesson in the real life she is living.
Actor Review
Johnny Depp: Hatter Tarrant Hightopp has gone into a deep depression when he learns to remember the fate of his family, Alice is trying to go through his past to stop this event so we get to meet Hatter as he was younger and struggling to decide whether to follow in his father’s footsteps. Johnny continues his streak of quirky roles but does get over shadowed by Mia.
Mia Wasikowska: Alice is now an adventurer who travels the world only to return home and find her future gone and being forced to give up her dreams. When she returns to Wonderland she must battle the forces of time to save her old friend Hatter and learn to accept her own changes in her life. Mia is good in this role but it is strange seeing an older version of Alice.
Helena Bonham Carter: Iracebeth is the evil queen who lost her crown in the first film, she wants to use time to change the past keeping her power over the kingdoms, but this time we learn about what drove her to be the way she is. Helena continues her blatant rip off performance from Queenie in Blackadder.
Anne Hathaway: Mirana is the good queen of the kingdom who asks Alice to help the Hatter only for us to learn about her younger ways. Anne is very basic in this supporting performance where she doesn’t get much to work with.
Support Cast: Alice Through the Looking Glass has a big supporting cast with Sacha Baron Cohen shining as Time itself chasing Alice down through time.
Director Review: James Bobin – James gives us a solid sequel but seems to mix Oz the Great and Powerful with time travel.
Adventure: Alice Through the Looking Glass does put Alice on an adventure she could only dream of through time itself.
Family: Alice Through the Looking Glass does feel slightly too dark for the youngest members of family to enjoy.
Fantasy: Alice Through the Looking Glass builds on the fantasy world created on the first outing looking deeper into the backstory of the characters involved.
Settings: Alice Through the Looking Glass brings us back to the Wonderland location with the inclusion of the time warehouse location.
Special Effects: Alice Through the Looking Glass is a film you can almost feel the green screen behind the actors.
Suggestion: Alice Through the Looking Glass is only one to try really I don’t think it is one that is that special. (Try It)
Best Part: Time is a good character.
Worst Part: Just feels like a copy of Oz the Great and the Powerful with time travel.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $170 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 53 Minutes
Tagline: This spring, it’s time for a little madness.
Overall: Simple sequel that offers nothing new to the overall Wonderland world.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/06/23/alice-through-the-looking-glass-2016/
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Grimworld: Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock in Books
Oct 10, 2019
Lately, I've been reading more Middle Grade books. There's just something refreshing about them. When the opportunity to read Grimworld by Avery Moray arose, I just couldn't say no. I love Middle Grade books as I've just said, and I love books that have a creepy, spooky factor. Grimworld checked both of those boxes. I will say that I enjoyed this short read for sure.
Thirteen year old Henry Bats lives in an eccentric world where all sorts of paranormal creatures lurk. Most of the time, he isn't really scared as this is just a normal thing to him. When one of these paranormal creatures scares him into helping it as well as promising him whatever he wants in return, Henry agrees. This turns out to be a deadly mistake because in return, instead of the comic book he wanted, Henry is now stuck with a pocket watch around his neck telling him when he will die. Part of Henry's life has been stolen away, and now he must figure out a way to get his life back or die in the process.
The plot for Grimworld was definitely intriguing and original. I loved all the crazy creature names and the world in which Henry lived. It sort of reminded me of the Harry Potter world in a way. There is plenty of action throughout the book, and I found myself really rooting for Henry and his friends. There's definitely some scary scenes in there, but I don't think it would be overly scary for middle graders who love horror. There are a few minor plot twists in there which aren't too predictable which is great! Although there is no real cliff hanger, Avery Moray does leave this book open for a sequel.
For the most part, Moray does a fantastic job at pitching to her target age group of around 11 - 13 years of age. She uses silly words throughout which children are sure to enjoy. However, sometimes the language may be a bit difficult for that age group due to more difficult words or as I like to call them "big words." Luckily, this doesn't happen that often. Also, there is a point in the book where Moray mentions pay phones and receivers which young kids may not know about in this day and age. Another thing I found a wee bit strange was that Henry's parents are always referred to by their actual names, Gobbert and Mildred, instead of mom and dad. While I know that some kids refer to their parents by their actual names, the majority of children do not. I felt it would have been a bit easier for children to reference Henry's parents as mom and dad instead of as Mildred and Gobbert.
The pacing is done beautifully in Grimworld. Although this is a middle grade read, this book still held my attention throughout. I was always looking forward to how the story would progress. I had to know if Henry and his friends would escape their horrible fate of the life that was stolen from them. This is also a short read, so I think children will have no problem reading Grimworld.
Character development was on point throughout Grimworld, and I really did feel as if every character acted their age. I admired Henry's determination to not only help himself but his other friends that were facing the same problem as him. I loved his quest to stop at nothing to find a solution. Lang was one of my favorite characters. I felt bad for what he had been through, and I guess that made me really bond with him. It was interesting to hear about his life. Hattie, Henry's younger sister, was also a great character. It was obvious she cared a lot about her brother all throughout the book. Persi was also a favorite of mine simply because I loved her dress sense and personality!
Trigger warnings for Grimworld include death (although it's nothing too heavy), minor violence, and paranormal creatures. However, this is a fantasy horror book so keep that in mind. I don't think it's too dark or overly scary when it comes to the age group it's written for.
Overall, Grimworld is a spooky read with fantastic characters and a great plot which will suck you right in! I would recommend Grimworld by Avery Moray to those aged 11 to 13 years of age who love a quirky spooky read. I'd also recommend it to adults as well who enjoy middle grade fantasy horror. You'll definitely be entertained by this book!
--
(A special thank you to Avery Moray for providing me with a paperback of Grimworld in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Thirteen year old Henry Bats lives in an eccentric world where all sorts of paranormal creatures lurk. Most of the time, he isn't really scared as this is just a normal thing to him. When one of these paranormal creatures scares him into helping it as well as promising him whatever he wants in return, Henry agrees. This turns out to be a deadly mistake because in return, instead of the comic book he wanted, Henry is now stuck with a pocket watch around his neck telling him when he will die. Part of Henry's life has been stolen away, and now he must figure out a way to get his life back or die in the process.
The plot for Grimworld was definitely intriguing and original. I loved all the crazy creature names and the world in which Henry lived. It sort of reminded me of the Harry Potter world in a way. There is plenty of action throughout the book, and I found myself really rooting for Henry and his friends. There's definitely some scary scenes in there, but I don't think it would be overly scary for middle graders who love horror. There are a few minor plot twists in there which aren't too predictable which is great! Although there is no real cliff hanger, Avery Moray does leave this book open for a sequel.
For the most part, Moray does a fantastic job at pitching to her target age group of around 11 - 13 years of age. She uses silly words throughout which children are sure to enjoy. However, sometimes the language may be a bit difficult for that age group due to more difficult words or as I like to call them "big words." Luckily, this doesn't happen that often. Also, there is a point in the book where Moray mentions pay phones and receivers which young kids may not know about in this day and age. Another thing I found a wee bit strange was that Henry's parents are always referred to by their actual names, Gobbert and Mildred, instead of mom and dad. While I know that some kids refer to their parents by their actual names, the majority of children do not. I felt it would have been a bit easier for children to reference Henry's parents as mom and dad instead of as Mildred and Gobbert.
The pacing is done beautifully in Grimworld. Although this is a middle grade read, this book still held my attention throughout. I was always looking forward to how the story would progress. I had to know if Henry and his friends would escape their horrible fate of the life that was stolen from them. This is also a short read, so I think children will have no problem reading Grimworld.
Character development was on point throughout Grimworld, and I really did feel as if every character acted their age. I admired Henry's determination to not only help himself but his other friends that were facing the same problem as him. I loved his quest to stop at nothing to find a solution. Lang was one of my favorite characters. I felt bad for what he had been through, and I guess that made me really bond with him. It was interesting to hear about his life. Hattie, Henry's younger sister, was also a great character. It was obvious she cared a lot about her brother all throughout the book. Persi was also a favorite of mine simply because I loved her dress sense and personality!
Trigger warnings for Grimworld include death (although it's nothing too heavy), minor violence, and paranormal creatures. However, this is a fantasy horror book so keep that in mind. I don't think it's too dark or overly scary when it comes to the age group it's written for.
Overall, Grimworld is a spooky read with fantastic characters and a great plot which will suck you right in! I would recommend Grimworld by Avery Moray to those aged 11 to 13 years of age who love a quirky spooky read. I'd also recommend it to adults as well who enjoy middle grade fantasy horror. You'll definitely be entertained by this book!
--
(A special thank you to Avery Moray for providing me with a paperback of Grimworld in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Switched (Trylle, #1) in Books
Apr 20, 2020
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2886475888">Switched</a>; - ★★★★★
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3257360720">Torn</a>; - Not Read Yet
<img src="https://i2.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Book-Review-Banner-29.png?w=1920&ssl=1"/>;
<b>Wendy Everly knew she was different the day her mother tried to kill her…</b>
Her mother told her she has been switched at birth. Unable to fit anywhere, bored and frustrated by her small-town life, she also has to hide her secret - the fact that she can somehow influence people’s decisions, without knowing how or why she does it.
When the dark and handsome Finn shows up at her bedroom window one night, her life changes forever! The secret she has been waiting for has finally been revealed. Finn holds the key to her past and has an answer to her strange ability. He is also about to introduce her to a place she never imagined could exist: Forening, the home of Trylle.
Among the Trylle she is not different, but she is special. But being special also brings danger wherever she goes and with everything around her being new, Finn is the only person she can trust. But will trusting him be enough to stay alive?
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<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_20200330_022115_989.jpg?ssl=1&w=510"/>;
<b><i>My Thoughts:</i></b>
I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Switched, and I need to buy the second book in the series as soon as possible!
Wendy is a girl that you immediately want to be friends with. Witty, honest and caring, willing to do everything for the people she loves - she is so precious and I wouldn’t let anyone touch her!
Finn - he is the fiction version of my boyfriend… Dark, handsome, brutally honest and his ego can sometimes get in the way. He is a tracker - and his job is to find other people like Wendy, who have special powers. Finn is a sort of a body-guard. And because Wendy is special and the future Queen, she cannot be with anyone that is not the same or similar rank as her. Which means that being with Finn is impossible.
<b>Not allowed.</b>
Frowned upon and could result in banishment for both. Loss of crown type of bad.
From the first chapter I was into Wendy’s world and this book was so quick to read. I read it in less than a day and it felt too short! It’s a page-turner in every sense of the world.
The world building as well as the Trylle people were quite interesting and unique. I also loved the fact that even though Wendy and Finn were amazing characters, we met so many other characters, who were also very well portrayed in their own way and all left a mark: Elora, Rhys, Matt, Tove, Rhiannon, Willa… All of them had their own uniqueness, and I can imagine how hard it can be to give life to so many characters in such a small book.
I rooted for Wendy and Finn’s romance, as you can imagine, and I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the ending. However, I knew that was the right choice for Wendy at the time, and also, it left a great cliff-hanger for the second book, for me to read. I think that in the second book, a few old things will open up again and maybe, this time, the ending will go as I wanted it to go in the first book.
<b><i>I recommend this book with all my heart to all of you that love fantasy and young-adult romance. You will read it fast and you will fall in love with it even faster. Switched is definitely a book I am adding to my favorites.</i></b>
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2886475888">Switched</a>; - ★★★★★
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3257360720">Torn</a>; - Not Read Yet
<img src="https://i2.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Book-Review-Banner-29.png?w=1920&ssl=1"/>;
<b>Wendy Everly knew she was different the day her mother tried to kill her…</b>
Her mother told her she has been switched at birth. Unable to fit anywhere, bored and frustrated by her small-town life, she also has to hide her secret - the fact that she can somehow influence people’s decisions, without knowing how or why she does it.
When the dark and handsome Finn shows up at her bedroom window one night, her life changes forever! The secret she has been waiting for has finally been revealed. Finn holds the key to her past and has an answer to her strange ability. He is also about to introduce her to a place she never imagined could exist: Forening, the home of Trylle.
Among the Trylle she is not different, but she is special. But being special also brings danger wherever she goes and with everything around her being new, Finn is the only person she can trust. But will trusting him be enough to stay alive?
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-VtJ8ZAUlF/">View this post on Instagram</a>
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_20200330_022115_989.jpg?ssl=1&w=510"/>;
<b><i>My Thoughts:</i></b>
I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Switched, and I need to buy the second book in the series as soon as possible!
Wendy is a girl that you immediately want to be friends with. Witty, honest and caring, willing to do everything for the people she loves - she is so precious and I wouldn’t let anyone touch her!
Finn - he is the fiction version of my boyfriend… Dark, handsome, brutally honest and his ego can sometimes get in the way. He is a tracker - and his job is to find other people like Wendy, who have special powers. Finn is a sort of a body-guard. And because Wendy is special and the future Queen, she cannot be with anyone that is not the same or similar rank as her. Which means that being with Finn is impossible.
<b>Not allowed.</b>
Frowned upon and could result in banishment for both. Loss of crown type of bad.
From the first chapter I was into Wendy’s world and this book was so quick to read. I read it in less than a day and it felt too short! It’s a page-turner in every sense of the world.
The world building as well as the Trylle people were quite interesting and unique. I also loved the fact that even though Wendy and Finn were amazing characters, we met so many other characters, who were also very well portrayed in their own way and all left a mark: Elora, Rhys, Matt, Tove, Rhiannon, Willa… All of them had their own uniqueness, and I can imagine how hard it can be to give life to so many characters in such a small book.
I rooted for Wendy and Finn’s romance, as you can imagine, and I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the ending. However, I knew that was the right choice for Wendy at the time, and also, it left a great cliff-hanger for the second book, for me to read. I think that in the second book, a few old things will open up again and maybe, this time, the ending will go as I wanted it to go in the first book.
<b><i>I recommend this book with all my heart to all of you that love fantasy and young-adult romance. You will read it fast and you will fall in love with it even faster. Switched is definitely a book I am adding to my favorites.</i></b>
<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wi7amb">Wishlist</a>; | <a
<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>;
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated The Princess of Aenya in Books
Jul 20, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Princess Radia is struggling to rule Aenya, a once-mighty kingdom now all but cut off from the rest of the world. But her adopted brother, Zaibos, leader of Aenya’s army, rebels against her until she’s forced to go into hiding while he rules as a sadistic tyrant. Now Radia and her bodyguard Demacharon have to hide until they can take back Tyrnael. But Radia isn’t all that she seems. She might possess power greater than anything she or her allies imagined.
The Princess of Aenya by Nick Alimonos was a good book, but I think I would enjoy it more reading it a second time. From the beginning, there’s an onslaught of action and story coming from multiple characters at once. The main storyline follows Radia and Demacharon as they fight to survive. But Hugo and Esse, a soldier and a servant, are introduced, as well as Ugh, a Bogren, and Eros, an assassin hired to kill Radia.
Through alternating chapters, the reader has to follow all of these storylines before they eventually intertwine in the end of the book and, for me at least, this was difficult. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the individual storylines and characters.
Hugo and Esse deserve their own book. I would love for a companion novel to be made about them leading the rebellion in Tyrnael while Radia had to be in hiding. Esse was bred to be a servant, someone designed to not stand out or aspire to anything more than serving others. But she fought against that lifelong training to lead a rebellion against a sadistic tyrant. Before Zaibos, Tyrnael was at peace for a thousand years. No one had any experience protesting or rebelling because there wasn’t a need. But Esse stepped up and started to lead! Honestly, her story is just as fascinating as Radia’s, and a lot more relatable. I love stories about people who take their fate into their own hands so Esse’s story would be a great one.
I really liked Eros as well. He represents the dark side of Tyrnael. Just because there was peace doesn’t mean everyone was happy. Sexual intercourse is forbidden in Tyrnael. Eros was born from sexual intercourse so he and his mother were branded and ostracized. He was forced to become an assassin to support and protect his mother. Honestly, I wanted him to fail and succeed at the same time because succeeding meant killing Radia but it also meant the brand getting lifted from his mother.
However, while I enjoyed the characters and could follow and enjoy the plot overall, there’s still a lot I’m confused about. There are five storylines to juggle, six if you count Demarchon’s flashbacks. Not only are we following Radia, but we are also following Eros, Ugh, Esse, and Zaibos through their stories. It’s a lot to take in and keep straight.
The Princess of Aenya was an enjoyable read and the ending was satisfying. However, I would get a lot more out of the story if I reread it.
Get The Princess of Aenya on Amazon.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Princess Radia is struggling to rule Aenya, a once-mighty kingdom now all but cut off from the rest of the world. But her adopted brother, Zaibos, leader of Aenya’s army, rebels against her until she’s forced to go into hiding while he rules as a sadistic tyrant. Now Radia and her bodyguard Demacharon have to hide until they can take back Tyrnael. But Radia isn’t all that she seems. She might possess power greater than anything she or her allies imagined.
The Princess of Aenya by Nick Alimonos was a good book, but I think I would enjoy it more reading it a second time. From the beginning, there’s an onslaught of action and story coming from multiple characters at once. The main storyline follows Radia and Demacharon as they fight to survive. But Hugo and Esse, a soldier and a servant, are introduced, as well as Ugh, a Bogren, and Eros, an assassin hired to kill Radia.
Through alternating chapters, the reader has to follow all of these storylines before they eventually intertwine in the end of the book and, for me at least, this was difficult. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the individual storylines and characters.
Hugo and Esse deserve their own book. I would love for a companion novel to be made about them leading the rebellion in Tyrnael while Radia had to be in hiding. Esse was bred to be a servant, someone designed to not stand out or aspire to anything more than serving others. But she fought against that lifelong training to lead a rebellion against a sadistic tyrant. Before Zaibos, Tyrnael was at peace for a thousand years. No one had any experience protesting or rebelling because there wasn’t a need. But Esse stepped up and started to lead! Honestly, her story is just as fascinating as Radia’s, and a lot more relatable. I love stories about people who take their fate into their own hands so Esse’s story would be a great one.
I really liked Eros as well. He represents the dark side of Tyrnael. Just because there was peace doesn’t mean everyone was happy. Sexual intercourse is forbidden in Tyrnael. Eros was born from sexual intercourse so he and his mother were branded and ostracized. He was forced to become an assassin to support and protect his mother. Honestly, I wanted him to fail and succeed at the same time because succeeding meant killing Radia but it also meant the brand getting lifted from his mother.
However, while I enjoyed the characters and could follow and enjoy the plot overall, there’s still a lot I’m confused about. There are five storylines to juggle, six if you count Demarchon’s flashbacks. Not only are we following Radia, but we are also following Eros, Ugh, Esse, and Zaibos through their stories. It’s a lot to take in and keep straight.
The Princess of Aenya was an enjoyable read and the ending was satisfying. However, I would get a lot more out of the story if I reread it.
Get The Princess of Aenya on Amazon.
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