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Adam Hawker (2 KP) rated Deadpool 2 (2018) in Movies
May 25, 2018
Ryan Reynolds is even more assured in the role he was born to play. (3 more)
The jokes are relentless and full of the pop culture references and meta four wall breaks you'd expect from Deadpool.
Josh Brolin is great as Cable. Stoic and monosyllabic without being boring.
Zazie Beetz is brilliant as Domino. The portrayal of her Luck superpower is great and her back and forth with Deadpool matches the comics pretty well.
Vanessa is under served a little. As she was in the first film. (1 more)
You could argue some of the structure is too similar to the first film. Cab rides to battles etc.
Solid sequel full of meta laughs and some surprising emotional depth
David McK (3248 KP) rated Flashpoint in Books
Jan 28, 2019
So, Flashpoint.
One of the most famous Flash stories - recently covered (briefly) in the DC TV series of the same name, during season 2.
In which Barry Allen wakes up at his desk to find the world he knows has changed drastically: there's no 'Man of Steel, nobody has ever heard of The Flash, and Wonder Woman and Aquaman are at war with each other.
All of which, over the course of the story, eventually comes to be because of a single change in the past, with that oen chagne leading to a domino effect and creating this world.
Reading this, it's also not hard to see why it is one of the more famous Flash stories and is (currently) rumoured to be the foundation for The Flash's upcoming Big Screen debut ...
One of the most famous Flash stories - recently covered (briefly) in the DC TV series of the same name, during season 2.
In which Barry Allen wakes up at his desk to find the world he knows has changed drastically: there's no 'Man of Steel, nobody has ever heard of The Flash, and Wonder Woman and Aquaman are at war with each other.
All of which, over the course of the story, eventually comes to be because of a single change in the past, with that oen chagne leading to a domino effect and creating this world.
Reading this, it's also not hard to see why it is one of the more famous Flash stories and is (currently) rumoured to be the foundation for The Flash's upcoming Big Screen debut ...
Gene Simmons recommended Chubby Checker's Greatest Hits by Chubby Checker in Music (curated)
Gruff Rhys recommended Eureka by Jim O'Rourke in Music (curated)
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated Dressed to Confess (Costume Shop Mystery, #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
It’s time for the annual Sagebrush Festival, and this year, the theme is board games, inspired by the opening act, the Domino Divas. This local group is reuniting after something broke them up 50 years ago. But the reunion isn’t going that well. After a bad rehearsal, group member Ronnie Cass doesn’t show up for their first performance. That’s when costume shop owner Margo Tamblyn finds Ronnie dead in her trailer. Did her murder have anything to do with what broke the group up 50 years ago?
As Margo investigates, she finds a bit of a conspiracy surrounding this murder, which just adds to the fun of the mystery. A couple of things get glossed over in the climax, but for the most part, everything is wrapped up well. I love this setting, a town that goes all out for every occasion, including throwing costume parties. And the characters are fantastic, just like they are in the earlier books in the series.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/08/book-review-dressed-to-confess-by-diane.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
As Margo investigates, she finds a bit of a conspiracy surrounding this murder, which just adds to the fun of the mystery. A couple of things get glossed over in the climax, but for the most part, everything is wrapped up well. I love this setting, a town that goes all out for every occasion, including throwing costume parties. And the characters are fantastic, just like they are in the earlier books in the series.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/08/book-review-dressed-to-confess-by-diane.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated X-Force, Vol. 2: Old Ghosts in Books
Nov 30, 2020
Wow, I can't believe I stopped reading this incarnation of X-FORCE around Issue 3! Mind you, I was going through personal issues, and a darker, edgier comic was more angst than I could handle at the time. However, now that I have it all in digital and I am in a better state - mentally, physically, spiritually - I couldn't have picked a better opportunity to dive back in from the beginning.
Volume Two is as good as, if not better than, the first Volume. The continuity throughout is seamless, not missing a beat, carefully tapping into old "big bads", with end-result being a high-tension, white-knuckle thrill-ride that manages to inject some humorous dialogue (Oh, Domino, you always says some snarkiest remarks sometimes, but ah, that timing! *grin*) every so often but never enough to break the mood.
Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost were the perfect choice for the writers of the series revision. They get in the characters' heads when the write, presenting us with the ones we knew rather than badly-plotted inconsistent shadows of their former selves.
Especially good, I remarked on this review of Volume One, is their treatment of X-23/Laura Kinney. She wants to be part of something, a "family" of sorts. It shows as her involvement in the team progresses. She watches out for them, tapping into techniques learned during her time in the Weapon X Project, working to ensure that everyone should remain alive, thus remaining a "family" of sorts.
Logan is still watching over from a distance, but close enough that if things get really bad, I imagine he's pull her. The way Yost and Kyle write it, I took it that Logan was still not comfortable with Cry-clops' decision for to be on the team, but as befits a father, he wants to give her the room to find herself
The only thing I didn't like about Laura/X-23 was the art. Facially? Nailed it, you seemed to be late 16, early-ish 17. However, her body was leaning towards objectification. From the noticeable breast enhancement to the bared mid-riff (Domino was not drawn as such) to the super-tight, two sizes too small uniform, I was, to say the least, disappointed that was how Marvel (and artist Mike Choi) chose to present her! X-23 illustration quibbles aside, the art overall was solid!
Again, I can't say enough good about the overall story, art, etc. If you are looking for a good X-read, look no further, for you have one right here! Enjoy.
Volume Two is as good as, if not better than, the first Volume. The continuity throughout is seamless, not missing a beat, carefully tapping into old "big bads", with end-result being a high-tension, white-knuckle thrill-ride that manages to inject some humorous dialogue (Oh, Domino, you always says some snarkiest remarks sometimes, but ah, that timing! *grin*) every so often but never enough to break the mood.
Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost were the perfect choice for the writers of the series revision. They get in the characters' heads when the write, presenting us with the ones we knew rather than badly-plotted inconsistent shadows of their former selves.
Especially good, I remarked on this review of Volume One, is their treatment of X-23/Laura Kinney. She wants to be part of something, a "family" of sorts. It shows as her involvement in the team progresses. She watches out for them, tapping into techniques learned during her time in the Weapon X Project, working to ensure that everyone should remain alive, thus remaining a "family" of sorts.
Logan is still watching over from a distance, but close enough that if things get really bad, I imagine he's pull her. The way Yost and Kyle write it, I took it that Logan was still not comfortable with Cry-clops' decision for to be on the team, but as befits a father, he wants to give her the room to find herself
The only thing I didn't like about Laura/X-23 was the art. Facially? Nailed it, you seemed to be late 16, early-ish 17. However, her body was leaning towards objectification. From the noticeable breast enhancement to the bared mid-riff (Domino was not drawn as such) to the super-tight, two sizes too small uniform, I was, to say the least, disappointed that was how Marvel (and artist Mike Choi) chose to present her! X-23 illustration quibbles aside, the art overall was solid!
Again, I can't say enough good about the overall story, art, etc. If you are looking for a good X-read, look no further, for you have one right here! Enjoy.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Unfaithful (2002) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
A deceitfully simple erotic thriller that goes from idle 0 to 100 so suddenly it could cause whiplash. A lot of things I love about this one: the trio of stellar performances from Gere, Lane, and Martinez; the way it reaches its cold tendrils into numerous different genres; and while it isn't as visually attractive as 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘭 (still looks great though, as is standard with Lyne) it's eight billion times more subtle. Though perhaps the highest nuance for a film that so easily could have been another anemic dump into the ever-sterilizing late-90s-esque trashy erotic thriller genre is how all of these events and the subsequent domino effect they set in motion don't really start out from your standard 'nondescript failing marriage' trope. This is a relatively happy, normal, even healthy family which still ends up... in an Adrian Lyne movie. It gives a false sense of hope and thus almost this feeling of normalcy, like even though you're a model citizen something of this severity could still somehow happen to you or someone you're close with, which quickly becomes rather traumatizing. Has a lot of solid banter and shit-your-pants "get me the fuck out of here" moments strung together nicely. Wasn't sure where it was going at first, but it all made sense in the end.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Final Destination 2 (2003) in Movies
Oct 16, 2020
The deaths up the ante to such ludicrously satisfying levels - the double-whammy of the pipe forehead impaling and the dude getting sliced to pieces by the barbed wire fence less than a minute apart from one another is so righteous - but the talking stuff between them is pure radio static, empty space in comparison to the first one which had weaker + less deaths but actually semi-intriguing writing. This opens with the potential to be a cross-examination of the different ways in which we all react to death, but instead we get junk acting and shit characters doing a lesser repeat of the first film with absolutely zero emotional weight. But really who cares, Tony Todd comes back and that lady got her head cut off by an elevator. Watching these practical effect dummies get tossed around in hilariously explosive vehicle wrecks, blowing up, getting smashed, burning, and getting skewered is a blast even with the occasional spurt of CGI blood from time to time. Rory the cokehead is the clear MVP here, his sincerely funny (and... get this, not forced) comedic relief along with the deeply comedic barbeque ending is the only time this movie even attempts to have any fun outside of the no-joke genius domino-effect deaths even when Ellis' direction is as dull as always.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Deadpool 2 (2018) in Movies
Oct 18, 2019
Deadpool 2 sits firmly and comfortably somewhere between 'good' and 'average'.
The main problem is that it's not as funny as it thinks it is. The first 30 minutes or so just seem like a constant barrage of recycled jokes from the superior first film, and a lot of the jokes don't land that well.
That being said, there are some genuinely laugh out loud moments when the film eventually finds it feet, but it does feel like the writers just threw everything toward the audience to see what would stick.
Humour is only one element of Deadpool though.
The action exceeds the first film in every way, and the movie really shines in this aspect when Cable is introduced. Josh Brolins portrayal of the badass mutant from the future is pretty engaging. His serious nature gels fantastically with Ryan Reynolds quippy Deadpool.
It's nice to see Domino turn up for the ride as well. Everyone else is (quite literally) pretty disposable, but the inclusion of X-Force gives us a fantastic blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo.
The narrative leans towards a message of accepting people for who they are, which is a nice spin in a superhero blockbuster, and of course keeps the R rating good and present with some stupidly violent moments.
Overall, Deadpool 2 is a perfect example of more not always meaning better, but is still an enjoyable ride.
The main problem is that it's not as funny as it thinks it is. The first 30 minutes or so just seem like a constant barrage of recycled jokes from the superior first film, and a lot of the jokes don't land that well.
That being said, there are some genuinely laugh out loud moments when the film eventually finds it feet, but it does feel like the writers just threw everything toward the audience to see what would stick.
Humour is only one element of Deadpool though.
The action exceeds the first film in every way, and the movie really shines in this aspect when Cable is introduced. Josh Brolins portrayal of the badass mutant from the future is pretty engaging. His serious nature gels fantastically with Ryan Reynolds quippy Deadpool.
It's nice to see Domino turn up for the ride as well. Everyone else is (quite literally) pretty disposable, but the inclusion of X-Force gives us a fantastic blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo.
The narrative leans towards a message of accepting people for who they are, which is a nice spin in a superhero blockbuster, and of course keeps the R rating good and present with some stupidly violent moments.
Overall, Deadpool 2 is a perfect example of more not always meaning better, but is still an enjoyable ride.