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Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) created a video about Last Battleground: Survival in Apps
Nov 22, 2017
Peter G. (247 KP) rated The Martian (2015) in Movies
Jun 12, 2019
A retelling of Robinson Crusoe for the modern Era that is well acted and executed.
The struggle is very real given that a deserted island has been substituted for Mars and Matt Damon is the Math genius/astronaut that finds ingenious ways to make food until he can be rescued!
The struggle is very real given that a deserted island has been substituted for Mars and Matt Damon is the Math genius/astronaut that finds ingenious ways to make food until he can be rescued!
Amber Tamblyn recommended Unfamiliar Fishes in Books (curated)
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Six Days, Seven Nights (1998) in Movies
May 15, 2020
Survivor This Island
Six Days, Seven Nights- is a decent adventure, romance, drama with some action in it.
The plot: In the South Pacific island of Makatea, career-driven magazine editor Robin Monroe (Anne Heche) is on a week-long vacation getaway with her boyfriend, Frank Martin (David Schwimmer). A work assignment in neighboring Tahiti requires Robin to hire a cargo plane piloted by the cantankerous Quinn Harris (Harrison Ford). But when a powerful storm forces Quinn to make an emergency landing on a nearby deserted island, the dissimilar pair learn to set aside their differences in order to find rescue.
Its downfall is david schwimmer he is not a good actor and personality i dont like him as a actor. Other than that, its a decent movie.
The plot: In the South Pacific island of Makatea, career-driven magazine editor Robin Monroe (Anne Heche) is on a week-long vacation getaway with her boyfriend, Frank Martin (David Schwimmer). A work assignment in neighboring Tahiti requires Robin to hire a cargo plane piloted by the cantankerous Quinn Harris (Harrison Ford). But when a powerful storm forces Quinn to make an emergency landing on a nearby deserted island, the dissimilar pair learn to set aside their differences in order to find rescue.
Its downfall is david schwimmer he is not a good actor and personality i dont like him as a actor. Other than that, its a decent movie.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Battle Royale (2000) in Movies
Mar 24, 2018
Fun piece of cinema
I had heard about this film from other and the internet, so I spent some Best Buy reward Bucks and gave it a shot.
Certainly interesting and fun storytelling with a lot of Hunger Games thrown in. Nothing like a bunch of teenagers trying to kill each other on a deserted island to keep me entertained for two hours.
Not too much of a point, but if you are just looking for amusing entertainment, you can certainly do a lot worse than this.
Certainly interesting and fun storytelling with a lot of Hunger Games thrown in. Nothing like a bunch of teenagers trying to kill each other on a deserted island to keep me entertained for two hours.
Not too much of a point, but if you are just looking for amusing entertainment, you can certainly do a lot worse than this.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Circe in Books
Apr 26, 2018
Circe was my April Book of the Month club pick, and WOW was it epic. I haven't read Song of Achilles, but I just put a hold on it with my library, because this book was amazing. So amazing, in fact, that it sent me into a bit of a reading slump - what book could follow up this masterwork?
This is actually going to be a pretty short review because I'm just in awe of this book. Circe begins as a somewhat naive child in her father's household, unaware of her own power until her brother points it out to her. For those powers, she is banished to a deserted island, but her powers only grow from there. We meet many figures of Greek mythology - from gods and goddesses to mortals and monsters like Scylla and the Minotaur.
I just don't even know how to properly review this book other than it was amazing. If you like Greek mythology at ALL, you should read this book. It's captivating.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
This is actually going to be a pretty short review because I'm just in awe of this book. Circe begins as a somewhat naive child in her father's household, unaware of her own power until her brother points it out to her. For those powers, she is banished to a deserted island, but her powers only grow from there. We meet many figures of Greek mythology - from gods and goddesses to mortals and monsters like Scylla and the Minotaur.
I just don't even know how to properly review this book other than it was amazing. If you like Greek mythology at ALL, you should read this book. It's captivating.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
This was another Greek mythology story that completely captured my heart. I was iffy about this one when I started it because it is written in present tense, first person. I loathe reading first person, and present tense just sounds so awkward that I dont even attempt to read anything written as such. However, from page one, I was hooked.
The story is narrated by one of the 50 mytholgical mermaids, Sirena. She lives with ten of her sisters on an island where they are protected and guided by three guardian birds. The sole purpose of Sirenas and her sisters existence is to somehow make human males fall in love them so that the mermaids can become immortal like their ancestors. They live simple lives, dressing up in starfish and pearls and singing to lure ships towards their island where their ship will wreck on the reef just offshore. What makes Sirena different than her sisters, however, is her conscience. Whereas her sisters are only concerned with becoming immortal, Sirena actually cares about the welfare of the men whose lives they put in danger.
When the story begins, Sirena is preening herself before singing to lure not one, but three ships to her sisters island. The men on the ships fall under their spell and two of the three ships crash upon the reef. Most of the men die because they do not know how to swim. While the ones who know how to swim make it safely to shore, the mermaids try to save as many of the others as they can. Only eleven men initially survive. They eventually die because of lack of resources on the island, but not before they beat one of Sirenas sisters, Cecilia, to death for trying to save a drowning sailor.
Shortly after, Sirena runs away to the island of Lemnos to escape the life she has been subjected to. There, she tries to help heal Philoctetes who has been bitten by a serpent sent by Hera. From there, their relationship blossoms and they come to love each other despite their differences, including Sirenas newly acquired immortality. Eventually however, Odysseus comes to obtain Hercules bow and arrows from Philoctetes so that the Greeks can win the Trojan War. The book ends with Philoctetes leaving with Odysseus, leaving Sirena on the deserted island of Lemnos.
This book completely crushed my heart. All in all, the book was actually pretty graphic for what I thought was an independent reader novel. Whenever Cecilia is killed by the sailors, Napoli gruesomely describes the mermaids smashed in face. Sirena makes multiple references to their beautiful breasts. While Napoli had enough decently to leave out any sex scenes, it is blatantly alluded to.
The majority of the novel is Sirena and Philoctetes bonding and building their relationship. Napoli takes us through the two learning about each other, bantering playfully, and falling in love. Only to rip them apart. It was so anticlimactic and soul-crushing, I almost started crashing.
All in all, it was a great novel. Despite being written in first person, it was expertly written. I love the simplicity of Sirenas thinking. It is clear that she lacks any education beyond her island world. Reading about Sirena and Philoctetes developing relationship was enchanting.
Definitely worth the heart break at the end.
The story is narrated by one of the 50 mytholgical mermaids, Sirena. She lives with ten of her sisters on an island where they are protected and guided by three guardian birds. The sole purpose of Sirenas and her sisters existence is to somehow make human males fall in love them so that the mermaids can become immortal like their ancestors. They live simple lives, dressing up in starfish and pearls and singing to lure ships towards their island where their ship will wreck on the reef just offshore. What makes Sirena different than her sisters, however, is her conscience. Whereas her sisters are only concerned with becoming immortal, Sirena actually cares about the welfare of the men whose lives they put in danger.
When the story begins, Sirena is preening herself before singing to lure not one, but three ships to her sisters island. The men on the ships fall under their spell and two of the three ships crash upon the reef. Most of the men die because they do not know how to swim. While the ones who know how to swim make it safely to shore, the mermaids try to save as many of the others as they can. Only eleven men initially survive. They eventually die because of lack of resources on the island, but not before they beat one of Sirenas sisters, Cecilia, to death for trying to save a drowning sailor.
Shortly after, Sirena runs away to the island of Lemnos to escape the life she has been subjected to. There, she tries to help heal Philoctetes who has been bitten by a serpent sent by Hera. From there, their relationship blossoms and they come to love each other despite their differences, including Sirenas newly acquired immortality. Eventually however, Odysseus comes to obtain Hercules bow and arrows from Philoctetes so that the Greeks can win the Trojan War. The book ends with Philoctetes leaving with Odysseus, leaving Sirena on the deserted island of Lemnos.
This book completely crushed my heart. All in all, the book was actually pretty graphic for what I thought was an independent reader novel. Whenever Cecilia is killed by the sailors, Napoli gruesomely describes the mermaids smashed in face. Sirena makes multiple references to their beautiful breasts. While Napoli had enough decently to leave out any sex scenes, it is blatantly alluded to.
The majority of the novel is Sirena and Philoctetes bonding and building their relationship. Napoli takes us through the two learning about each other, bantering playfully, and falling in love. Only to rip them apart. It was so anticlimactic and soul-crushing, I almost started crashing.
All in all, it was a great novel. Despite being written in first person, it was expertly written. I love the simplicity of Sirenas thinking. It is clear that she lacks any education beyond her island world. Reading about Sirena and Philoctetes developing relationship was enchanting.
Definitely worth the heart break at the end.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Friday in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
Game nights with the group are some of my favorite nights, but pesky schedules and “personal lives” often get in the way. Not being able to play with the group hasn’t slowed my gaming roll though, and I am always on the lookout for good, solo-able games! So when I saw ‘Friday – A Solo Adventure’ at my local used game sale, I knew I had to grab it.
Picture this – you live on a tropical island. One day as you’re walking down by the ocean, you see something on the shore. As you approach, you realize it is a grown man! Turns out this castaway is Robinson Crusoe. You decide to help Crusoe learn the ways of the jungle, combat hazards, build up his strength, and eventually escape your island via a nearby pirate ship. The island is a rough place, though, so you must be diligent in your guidance! Otherwise your newest comrade may not survive…
A cute little card drafting game of survival on a deserted island – how hard can it be, right? I seriously underestimated how tough this game actually is – I have never won a game to date. The premise of the game is simple enough (draw cards, overcome hazards, and build your deck), but successful execution is the tricky part.
It all really comes down to the luck of the draw. Some cards are excellent for fighting hazards, while others can seriously negatively impact a fight. Success or failure depends on how well you shuffle and where the cards end up in your draw pile. That is to be expected though – if all the cards were helpful, the game would be so easy! The balance (or should I say imbalance?) of positive and negative cards is what makes the game so difficult. There are almost as many negative cards as there are positive, which makes every fight feel completely random to me. It is hard to strategize because each turn is almost a 50/50 shot as to whether your next card is positive or negative. The game is supposed to last 3 phases, but I am lucky to survive into phase 2.
Friday will stay in my collection, for the time being, while I continue trying to formulate a working strategy. Overall, though, it is not my go-to solo game. Purple Phoenix Games gives it a 8 / 12. (Josh and Bryan haven’t played it yet!)
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/12/friday-a-solo-adventure-review/
Picture this – you live on a tropical island. One day as you’re walking down by the ocean, you see something on the shore. As you approach, you realize it is a grown man! Turns out this castaway is Robinson Crusoe. You decide to help Crusoe learn the ways of the jungle, combat hazards, build up his strength, and eventually escape your island via a nearby pirate ship. The island is a rough place, though, so you must be diligent in your guidance! Otherwise your newest comrade may not survive…
A cute little card drafting game of survival on a deserted island – how hard can it be, right? I seriously underestimated how tough this game actually is – I have never won a game to date. The premise of the game is simple enough (draw cards, overcome hazards, and build your deck), but successful execution is the tricky part.
It all really comes down to the luck of the draw. Some cards are excellent for fighting hazards, while others can seriously negatively impact a fight. Success or failure depends on how well you shuffle and where the cards end up in your draw pile. That is to be expected though – if all the cards were helpful, the game would be so easy! The balance (or should I say imbalance?) of positive and negative cards is what makes the game so difficult. There are almost as many negative cards as there are positive, which makes every fight feel completely random to me. It is hard to strategize because each turn is almost a 50/50 shot as to whether your next card is positive or negative. The game is supposed to last 3 phases, but I am lucky to survive into phase 2.
Friday will stay in my collection, for the time being, while I continue trying to formulate a working strategy. Overall, though, it is not my go-to solo game. Purple Phoenix Games gives it a 8 / 12. (Josh and Bryan haven’t played it yet!)
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/12/friday-a-solo-adventure-review/
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Alvin and the Chipmunks are back in an all new adventure along with Dave and the Chipettes. Directed by Mike Mitchell, this is the third installment in the new Chipmunk franchise. The voices of the Chipmunks and Chipettes include none other than Justin Long (Alvin), Matthew Gray Gubler (Simon), Jesse McCartney (Theodore), Amy Poehler (Eleanor), Anna Faris (Jeanette), Christina Applegate (Brittany), Alan Tudyk (Simone), David Cross (Ian ) and of course we can’t forget Jason Lee (Dave) . This installment, like the other two, are jam-packed with great actors and comedians who together have made an entertaining film not only for children but for adults as well.
The Chipmunks and the Chipettes are on their way to performing at the International Music Awards and are taking a small vacation before their big show to relax. At least that is what the plan was, until good ol’ Alvin, who always has to be the risk taker, changes the plans. Because of his crazy antics he ends up causing himself, his brothers, the Chipettes, Dave and the ships pelican mascot to go over board and get subsequently marooned on a deserted island. Dave and the pelican mascot end up on a different part of the island than the Chipmunks and Chipettes and both groups think they are doomed and will never be found. As luck would have it, they meet Zoe (Jenne Slate). Zoe has been on the island for quite a few years after being marooned herself and has made it her home. When the island is in trouble when a sleeping volcano begins to wake up; it is up to everybody to get over their inhibitions and help each other get to safety. Along the way everybody learns some life lessons but will Dave ever get to see the Chipmunks again and make it to the music awards?
The plot of this film is very simple and a bit short, but you have to remember that it is geared mainly to children. I still enjoy the Chipmunks and it is such a treat after having grown up watching the cartoons and seeing what modern filmmaking offers a new generation of kids. Most adults may not like the new songs and may find it annoying. I on the other hand love it, with some of the songs being performed better by chipmunks than the actual artists. This movie is recommended for families and the young at heart for a great afternoon movie. Although the first two movies in the franchise are my favorite, this installment is entertaining and will for sure put a smile on your face.
The Chipmunks and the Chipettes are on their way to performing at the International Music Awards and are taking a small vacation before their big show to relax. At least that is what the plan was, until good ol’ Alvin, who always has to be the risk taker, changes the plans. Because of his crazy antics he ends up causing himself, his brothers, the Chipettes, Dave and the ships pelican mascot to go over board and get subsequently marooned on a deserted island. Dave and the pelican mascot end up on a different part of the island than the Chipmunks and Chipettes and both groups think they are doomed and will never be found. As luck would have it, they meet Zoe (Jenne Slate). Zoe has been on the island for quite a few years after being marooned herself and has made it her home. When the island is in trouble when a sleeping volcano begins to wake up; it is up to everybody to get over their inhibitions and help each other get to safety. Along the way everybody learns some life lessons but will Dave ever get to see the Chipmunks again and make it to the music awards?
The plot of this film is very simple and a bit short, but you have to remember that it is geared mainly to children. I still enjoy the Chipmunks and it is such a treat after having grown up watching the cartoons and seeing what modern filmmaking offers a new generation of kids. Most adults may not like the new songs and may find it annoying. I on the other hand love it, with some of the songs being performed better by chipmunks than the actual artists. This movie is recommended for families and the young at heart for a great afternoon movie. Although the first two movies in the franchise are my favorite, this installment is entertaining and will for sure put a smile on your face.
Lee (2222 KP) rated The Red Turtle (2016) in Movies
Mar 19, 2018
Mesmerisingly Beautiful
I'd not heard a great deal about this Studio Ghibli movie, other than some fairly positive buzz online, so when it hit Amazon Prime at Christmas last year, I quickly added it to my watch list. It's taken all this time, until a cold and wintry Sunday afternoon in March, for me to finally sit down and watch it.
A man is washed up on a deserted island and after exploring his surroundings, sets about trying to escape. He builds a number of rafts from the trees but each time his escape is thwarted by an unknown force breaking his raft apart from beneath. On the third time this happens, the man discovers the cause of the destruction to be a large red turtle and when he later sees the turtle shuffling up the beach, he seeks revenge, overturning it and leaving it to suffer in the heat of the sun as it fails to correct itself.
Eventually the man feels remorse, but it appears to be too late...
Not a single word is spoken throughout the whole movie (other than the occasional 'Hey!'). It's a simple, beautiful tale that drew me in and left me feeling totally mesmerised and emotional with it's profound ideas and messages. Simply wonderful.
A man is washed up on a deserted island and after exploring his surroundings, sets about trying to escape. He builds a number of rafts from the trees but each time his escape is thwarted by an unknown force breaking his raft apart from beneath. On the third time this happens, the man discovers the cause of the destruction to be a large red turtle and when he later sees the turtle shuffling up the beach, he seeks revenge, overturning it and leaving it to suffer in the heat of the sun as it fails to correct itself.
Eventually the man feels remorse, but it appears to be too late...
Not a single word is spoken throughout the whole movie (other than the occasional 'Hey!'). It's a simple, beautiful tale that drew me in and left me feeling totally mesmerised and emotional with it's profound ideas and messages. Simply wonderful.