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Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) in Movies

Sep 28, 2021  
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
1998 | Action, Family, Sci-Fi
6
7.1 (23 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
This is the Trek movie that I’ve probably seen least often. It’s one that is very “planet-bound” ones (another of those is still to come in the series), and as such it has never grabbed my interest in the same way as many of the others. Having watched it again, it’s actually better than I remember it. The rejuvenating capabilities of the planet on Geordi LeForge’s eyes leads to a genuinely moving sunset scene. And love is in the air too. Firstly, between Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the ‘older woman’ Anij (Donna Murphy): very tastefully and nicely done. And secondly, the relationship is also rekindled between Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Riker (Jonathan Frakes), though you have to wonder if Frakes pulled ‘director’s privilege’ in getting the naked bath scene with Sirtis – lucky dog!

That being said, and despite the heavyweight involvement of F. Murray Abraham and Anthony Zerbe. the “First Contact” magic is rather missing here. There’s a sense of desperation when a previously unknown ‘Captain’s Yacht’ hoves into view (as if!) and when the Enterprise’s “manual steering column” (a PS/2 joystick!) pops up!

So, will the TNG era end with a bang or a whimper?
  
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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Day After Tomorrow (2004) in Movies

Feb 27, 2022  
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
2004 | Action, Drama, Mystery
6
7.2 (61 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
The Day After Tomorrow is probably one of the better big-disaster-blockbusters out there. Roland Emmerich manages to show a sliver of artisctic restraint for once, by which I mean that this one doesn't have a scene where a small dog Crash Bandicoots its way to safety. There's still a fair chunk of unnecessary silliness here and there, the scene with the wolves for example, but for the most part TDAT is well paced and engaging. The big disaster moments are well crafted. Los Angeles getting torn apart by massive tornadoes is suitably horrifying to watch unfold, and the massive flash flooding of Manhattan Island is well built up. They forgo the more cooky elements of other Emmerich projects and are all the better for it.
As per usual, it's hard to give two shits about any of the human characters in these things, but Jake Gyllenhaal at least provides a sniff of acting chops.

The Day After Tomorrow isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it's entertaining enough, and provides the weird catharsis that comes with watching Earth get destroyed to a satisfying degree.
  
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David McK (3496 KP) rated The Last of us in TV

Mar 14, 2023  
The Last of us
The Last of us
2023 | Drama, Horror
9
9.0 (5 Ratings)
TV Show Rating
Stellar adaptation of a very good game
Some adaptations stick too closely to their source material for their own good.

Some are barely recognisable.

This is neither. Based in the video game of the same name by Naughty Dog (as an aside, I actually always preferred their Uncharted games over TLOU), this sticks incredibly closely to the source game, although there are some noticeable differences (particularly in the third episode, which Joel and Elly are barely in).

For this unfamiliar with the game, it is set in the USA after an apocalyptic event that sees those bit turn into zombie-like creatures (note: they're not technically zombies), with Joel (here, played by The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal) hired to accompany Elly on a dangerous cross-country trek, as she is immune to the disease.

Initially distant, along the way he grows closer and closer to Elly, leading to a finale where you're not sure he has done the right thing or not ..

Superbly cast and directed, this is definitely one of the better adaptations I have ever seen. Of course, it helps that the original is also held up as one of the best narrative games ever created ...
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2273 KP) rated The Marlow Murder Club in Books

Feb 22, 2025 (Updated Feb 22, 2025)  
The Marlow Murder Club
The Marlow Murder Club
Robert Thorogood | 2022 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Murder and New Friends
When Judith Potts is out for her evening swim, she hears a gun shot at her neighbor’s place. The police don’t find anything, so Judith goes over the next morning and find her neighbor shot to death. Not trusting the police to solve the crime, she starts to investigate, along the way meeting Becks, the vicar’s wife, and Suzie, a local dog walker. Can the three of them solve things when the police can’t?

I bought this book last year, and then found out a mini-series version was being made. I watched and enjoyed that, but I gave it a little bit of time so the story wouldn’t be fresh in my mind. While I did still remember many of the plot points, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was delightful seeing how everything was planted remembering how it ended. The characters are also delightful. Becks could be a little annoying at times, but her character growth was great. I loved watching the trio build their friendship. And some of the situations they got into made me laugh. I’m looking forward to spending more time with these ladies, hopefully soon.