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The Turn of The Key
7.7
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'Will hold you captive until the brilliant ending' SHARI LAPENA, author of The Couple Next Door ...
Awix (3310 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Feb 8, 2019
Another case of 'visionary film-makers' getting together to produce something visually lavish but also very derivative and hobbled by a goosey-goosey-gander plot. Cyber-surgeon and part-time bounty hunter (you can tell it's a comic book movie) finds a brain in a can and installs it in his dead daughter's robotic body; she turns out to be Alita, who looks like Gollum's better groomed little sister but fights like a CGI'd version of Bruce Lee. Alita tries bounty hunting, also has a go at roller-boogie, falls in love (somewhat unconvincingly). Some good actors are saddled with unrewarding parts.
Looks good (as you would expect) and the action sequences are impressive (ditto) but it's not especially involving and the shapeless story in particular is a problem. It all feels a bit cool and mechanical, without much of a sense of humour - the one really funny moment is unintentional. Not an outright bad movie but spending $200 million on an adaptation of a relatively obscure comic book with someone equally little-known in the title role is a mistake, unless you end up with a film that people are really going to get excited about. Alita is not that movie: it's just another good-looking but vacuous comic-book film.
Looks good (as you would expect) and the action sequences are impressive (ditto) but it's not especially involving and the shapeless story in particular is a problem. It all feels a bit cool and mechanical, without much of a sense of humour - the one really funny moment is unintentional. Not an outright bad movie but spending $200 million on an adaptation of a relatively obscure comic book with someone equally little-known in the title role is a mistake, unless you end up with a film that people are really going to get excited about. Alita is not that movie: it's just another good-looking but vacuous comic-book film.
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** Featured by Apple, New York Times, Wired, Fast Company, and more! ** Weathertron is a live...
Contempt (Renzo & Lucia #3)
10.0
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How much is too much? Five years—that was the deal. Renzo Zulla gave up five years of his life...
Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated Yellowbrickroad (2011) in Movies
Dec 29, 2019
Even weirder the second time around
When I sit down to do one of these things, I like to try and do something I haven't seen before...
But I couldn't resist reviewing this little piece of WTF.
The story goes like this. In 1940, the inhabitants of a small New Hampshire town vanished one day. All pf them jist walked into the woods and never came back. All but 1. He came back saying everyone else was dead and all he could hear was some music that drove them all insane.
Fast forward 70 years.
A group of dumbasses decide to take it amongst themselves to investigate what happened.
What follows is a mishmash of bad writing, fucking horrible acting and some pretty shotty camera work.
The one saving grace of this film are the effects.
While simple, they bring a certain flair to an otherwise boring and uneventful film.
Paying attention to an already dismal movie is even harder when you add in the horrible saxophone music that drives the party nuts enough to kill. Hell, I even looked in my wife's direction a few times while it was playing...
I gave it a 7 on effects alone. If that's what you're into then this movie is for you... If not... Skip it, forget it, and throw any thought of it straight to the ground... This is not OZ, Dorothy...
But I couldn't resist reviewing this little piece of WTF.
The story goes like this. In 1940, the inhabitants of a small New Hampshire town vanished one day. All pf them jist walked into the woods and never came back. All but 1. He came back saying everyone else was dead and all he could hear was some music that drove them all insane.
Fast forward 70 years.
A group of dumbasses decide to take it amongst themselves to investigate what happened.
What follows is a mishmash of bad writing, fucking horrible acting and some pretty shotty camera work.
The one saving grace of this film are the effects.
While simple, they bring a certain flair to an otherwise boring and uneventful film.
Paying attention to an already dismal movie is even harder when you add in the horrible saxophone music that drives the party nuts enough to kill. Hell, I even looked in my wife's direction a few times while it was playing...
I gave it a 7 on effects alone. If that's what you're into then this movie is for you... If not... Skip it, forget it, and throw any thought of it straight to the ground... This is not OZ, Dorothy...
Make Me (Make or Break, #1)
8.0
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"Make me, Channing. Make me fall. Push me, shove me, just make sure I get there.” I shout at him,...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2340 KP) rated Frosted Yuletide Murder in Books
Dec 19, 2021
Delectable Christmas Fun
Emory Martinez and her twin sister Carrie are not happy to discover that their mystery client for a Christmas party is Blair, an old high school nemesis. As the evening progresses, Blair continues with her abuse of Carrie, but she gets into fights with others at the party as well. When Emory and Carrie return to the location of the party the next morning, they find Blair’s dead body. The rumors and evidence seem to be pointing to the sisters. Can Emory figure out what happened before either of them spends the holiday in jail?
Before we go any further, I do want to issue a warning – this book spoils some events in the lives of the characters from previous books in the series. If you aren’t up to date, don’t start here. As a Southern California resident, I enjoyed this book’s setting since its depiction of weather in December made me feel right at home. The plot is filled with events that kept me engaged. I did feel the climax was a bit weak, but overall, I still enjoyed the book. One reason is the characters. Yes, the suspects are strong, but I’m talking the series regulars. I love getting to spend time with all of them, and fans of the series will be interested in seeing the latest developments in Emory’s life. You’ll want to work this Christmas cozy into your reading schedule as soon as you can.
Before we go any further, I do want to issue a warning – this book spoils some events in the lives of the characters from previous books in the series. If you aren’t up to date, don’t start here. As a Southern California resident, I enjoyed this book’s setting since its depiction of weather in December made me feel right at home. The plot is filled with events that kept me engaged. I did feel the climax was a bit weak, but overall, I still enjoyed the book. One reason is the characters. Yes, the suspects are strong, but I’m talking the series regulars. I love getting to spend time with all of them, and fans of the series will be interested in seeing the latest developments in Emory’s life. You’ll want to work this Christmas cozy into your reading schedule as soon as you can.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2340 KP) rated Chocolate Can Be Deadly in Books
Feb 15, 2025
Death By Chocolate is Real
Emory has reluctantly agreed to cater a post Valentine’s Day bash. The hostess is horrible to Emory since she has a long-standing feud with Emory’s friend Tillie. The theme also puts her off since Dying for Chocolate hits a little too close to home given all the murders Emory has found herself involved in. Just as she is thinking that she might pull off the event, the hostesses new finance is found dead clutching one of Emory’s cupcakes. With the rumors of poison in a cupcake destroying her business, not to mention a cop that wants to arrest her, Emory has to find the killer. Can she do it?
I was so happy to be revisiting these characters. We don’t see much of a couple of the regulars, but the updates with the ones we did get to see were lots of fun. The mystery was engrossing, including good suspects and a climax I couldn’t put down. I did figure out one aspect early, but I didn’t have it all figured out. I enjoy the slightly different setting of Orange County since I’m in Southern California myself, but everything else still feels like a cozy. The book includes ten delicious sounding chocolate themed recipes, many of them gluten free. This book will find you turning pages and craving chocolate. If you want a good culinary cozy series, I highly recommend it.
I was so happy to be revisiting these characters. We don’t see much of a couple of the regulars, but the updates with the ones we did get to see were lots of fun. The mystery was engrossing, including good suspects and a climax I couldn’t put down. I did figure out one aspect early, but I didn’t have it all figured out. I enjoy the slightly different setting of Orange County since I’m in Southern California myself, but everything else still feels like a cozy. The book includes ten delicious sounding chocolate themed recipes, many of them gluten free. This book will find you turning pages and craving chocolate. If you want a good culinary cozy series, I highly recommend it.
Debbiereadsbook (1429 KP) rated A Murder of Convenience in Books
Apr 1, 2025
I liked that we heard from everyone!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, i was gifted my copy of this book.
When Lydia is found dead in a locked room, Ellen becomes the prime suspect. Lydia is, after all, her husband's mistress. Sir Hugh is sent to investigate. He might be the only one to save her from the hangman's noose.
For the most part, I really did enjoy this. It's a step out my comfort zone, and I do like to step out from time to time. This one, though, was a tad too far. Let me tell you why.
There are hints, and clues along the way as to whodunnit. many clues. MANY MANY hints. So many, that I started to get mighty confused with it all and I could not see the bigger picture, nor who might have committed this crime. I'm still not 100% certain who actually did it, or why! It doe tell you, in the book, but I was so flummoxed by it all, I lost the plot, literally.
What I did like, though, was got to hear from all the major parties. I liked the level of drama (murder suspect notwithstanding!)
I liked the way it was written, and how the story was delivered, apart from the overwhelming amount of things to process. And that was the ony reason I gave it . .
4 solid stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere.
When Lydia is found dead in a locked room, Ellen becomes the prime suspect. Lydia is, after all, her husband's mistress. Sir Hugh is sent to investigate. He might be the only one to save her from the hangman's noose.
For the most part, I really did enjoy this. It's a step out my comfort zone, and I do like to step out from time to time. This one, though, was a tad too far. Let me tell you why.
There are hints, and clues along the way as to whodunnit. many clues. MANY MANY hints. So many, that I started to get mighty confused with it all and I could not see the bigger picture, nor who might have committed this crime. I'm still not 100% certain who actually did it, or why! It doe tell you, in the book, but I was so flummoxed by it all, I lost the plot, literally.
What I did like, though, was got to hear from all the major parties. I liked the level of drama (murder suspect notwithstanding!)
I liked the way it was written, and how the story was delivered, apart from the overwhelming amount of things to process. And that was the ony reason I gave it . .
4 solid stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere.
Tammy (5 KP) rated Wuthering Heights in Books
Aug 19, 2018
Epic love story
Contains spoilers, click to show
I have a list of my top ten favourite books and wuthering heights is at the top of that list.
Not only is it beautifully written but the story itself got into my very soul when I first read it when I was 12 and I've read it every year since. Heathcliffe is the long suffering, misunderstood, brooding young man that I had hoped to meet when I was younger, his passion for Cathy was so intense and it still breaks my heart the lines written as he looks down at her dead body. I related to Cathy as a young woman, in so many ways. The wild at heart wanderer that wanted to be free and had a heart full of passion and adventure but also knew that at some point she had to conform to what was expected of her as a young woman. There are so many deeper meaning to this book and the struggles of growing up and whether to go with your heart or your head, you can see why it's in so many people's hearts.
Not only is it beautifully written but the story itself got into my very soul when I first read it when I was 12 and I've read it every year since. Heathcliffe is the long suffering, misunderstood, brooding young man that I had hoped to meet when I was younger, his passion for Cathy was so intense and it still breaks my heart the lines written as he looks down at her dead body. I related to Cathy as a young woman, in so many ways. The wild at heart wanderer that wanted to be free and had a heart full of passion and adventure but also knew that at some point she had to conform to what was expected of her as a young woman. There are so many deeper meaning to this book and the struggles of growing up and whether to go with your heart or your head, you can see why it's in so many people's hearts.