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Kevin Phillipson (9923 KP) rated Gus (1976) in Movies
Sep 13, 2022
Books Editor (673 KP) shared own list
Dec 7, 2017
From Monty Don’s best-selling guide to gardening principles to peeking into the plots of the rich and famous, there’s much to enjoy:
The Secret Gardeners: Britain's Creatives Reveal Their Private Sanctuaries
Victoria Summerley and Hugo Rittson-Thomas
Book
The Secret Gardeners is a captivating photographic portrait of the private gardening passions of 25...
The Thoughtful Gardener: An Intelligent Approach to Garden Design
Book
'Jinny's genius is to marry a beautiful vision to an extraordinary empathy with the landscape into...
Winter Gardens: Reinventing the Season
Book
Cedric Pollet is the author / photographer of the acclaimed book Bark: An Intimate Look at the...
Head Gardeners
Ambra Edwards and Charlie Hopkinson
Book
What is Britain's greatest contribution to world culture? Ambra Edwards suggests it is the garden....
Beth Chatto's Shade Garden: Shade-Loving Plants for Year-Round Interest
Beth Chatto and Steven Wooster
Book
First published as Beth Chatto's Woodland Garden by Cassell in 2002, this Pimpernel Classic edition...
and 3 other items
Movie Critics (823 KP) rated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) in Movies
Apr 25, 2017
can a second adventure starring Marvel’s most bizarre band of misfits retain the same quirky charm, sense of freshness, and overall weird and cosmically comedic tone of the first movie, while pushing the franchise forward? The answer is both yes and no.
Critic: Don Kaye - Den of Geek
Original score: 4 out of 5
Read review: http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2/264108/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2-review
Original score: 4 out of 5
Read review: http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2/264108/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2-review
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Fickle in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Read my full review here! https://bookbumzuky.wordpress.com/2017/01/06/fickle-by-peter-manus/
AVAILABLE NOW!
Like most other reviewers, Im digging the way this was laid out. Its set up as if were reading a blog, we get the post and then we get the comments too. Its fun and informal. My only issue with the blogging aspect of this is that the characters type like idiots and occasionally use abbreviations I dont understand.
There are a number of characters in this novel when you include all the blog family. Our main characters are Fickel, Mysterious Hottie and Burly Bear and I didnt particularly like any of them...
AVAILABLE NOW!
Like most other reviewers, Im digging the way this was laid out. Its set up as if were reading a blog, we get the post and then we get the comments too. Its fun and informal. My only issue with the blogging aspect of this is that the characters type like idiots and occasionally use abbreviations I dont understand.
There are a number of characters in this novel when you include all the blog family. Our main characters are Fickel, Mysterious Hottie and Burly Bear and I didnt particularly like any of them...
ArecRain (8 KP) rated A Bride Most Begrudging in Books
Jan 18, 2018
After falling in love with Maid To Match, I decided to try another novel from Deeanne Gist. I have always enjoyed books about people trying to make it in the harsh frontiers, so I figured this would be a good choice.
Like Maid To Match, the characters of A Bride Most Begrudging live simple lives in simple times where the most they worry about is keeping peace with the Indians and keeping their young girls from learning math. It was like being taken to another world. Deeanne Gist is such a master at creating realistic historical worlds that its hard to not be drawn in.
Its not just the world that Gist creates that is realistic, but also the characters. They have their faults, glaring and obvious, and they have their strengths that keep them driving forward. They have their struggles and the trials, and, while the situations dont always end up they way they want or plan, they still survive...mostly.
Like Maid To Match, the characters of A Bride Most Begrudging live simple lives in simple times where the most they worry about is keeping peace with the Indians and keeping their young girls from learning math. It was like being taken to another world. Deeanne Gist is such a master at creating realistic historical worlds that its hard to not be drawn in.
Its not just the world that Gist creates that is realistic, but also the characters. They have their faults, glaring and obvious, and they have their strengths that keep them driving forward. They have their struggles and the trials, and, while the situations dont always end up they way they want or plan, they still survive...mostly.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Sexy Beast (2000) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: Sexy Beast starts as we meet retired safecracker Gal (Winstone) living the life of luxury in a Spanish villa which he enjoys relaxing by the pool enjoying his retirement. His retirement is put to the test when brutal gangster Don Logan (Kingsley) arrives in Spain to try and force him into doing one more job for him, he won’t take no for an answer.
Reluctantly taking the job, Gal returns to London and as most heist style movies, things don’t go to plan.
Thoughts on Sexy Beast
Characters – Gal was once the go to safecracker, now he is in retirement in Spain loving his life in the sun with his pool and friends, he has zero interest in returning to the game even after Don Logan pushes him. He stays relaxed through each scene because he knows his answer will always be no. he does reluctantly return for this last job mostly to get rid of Don. Don Logan is the brutal gangster, he knows who he wants for the jobs and this time it is Gal, he will not take ‘No’ as an answer, he will get violent and his outbursts will be the things you remember the most. Teddy is the man that the job is for, a fellow gangster that wants the best men for the job. DeeDee is the wife of Gal, she will stand by Gal in every decision even after the endless insults thrown their way.
Performances – Ray Winstone is great in this leading role, he is the perfect choice for a cockney criminal who knows there is a better life out there away from London. Ben Kingsley clearly steals every single scene in this movie with his performance that is filed with so much anger and aggression, you won’t be able to take your eyes off him. Ian McShane is great too where he brings us a calmer gangster who is also filled with anger. These three take most of the spotlight away from any other performers in the film.
Story – The story follows a retired criminal that gets forced to return to the game for one final job by an aggressive gangster, where this film does stand out from the other films in this genre, is that our hero Gal is 100% not interested in returning as most film give us the idea of ‘ok, I will do it’ on an easier formula. The story does have a nice twist on how things go and gives us the characters we could believe are from this world. if you are looking for a heist storyline, you will be disappointed though as this film focuses on the idea of getting the man to do the job.
Crime/Thriller – The crime world we enter giving us gangsters which will not take no for an answer, we don’t learn enough of their previous lives in the world though, only going on reputations.
Settings – The film uses Spain for the setting which gives us the retirement feel for a Brit to take, the sun increases the idea of the heat in the scenes.
Scene of the Movie – The heated argument.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The lack of heist action.
Final Thoughts – This is a true British crime film, it has great characters and a stunning performance from Ben Kingsley.
Overall: British Crime 101
Reluctantly taking the job, Gal returns to London and as most heist style movies, things don’t go to plan.
Thoughts on Sexy Beast
Characters – Gal was once the go to safecracker, now he is in retirement in Spain loving his life in the sun with his pool and friends, he has zero interest in returning to the game even after Don Logan pushes him. He stays relaxed through each scene because he knows his answer will always be no. he does reluctantly return for this last job mostly to get rid of Don. Don Logan is the brutal gangster, he knows who he wants for the jobs and this time it is Gal, he will not take ‘No’ as an answer, he will get violent and his outbursts will be the things you remember the most. Teddy is the man that the job is for, a fellow gangster that wants the best men for the job. DeeDee is the wife of Gal, she will stand by Gal in every decision even after the endless insults thrown their way.
Performances – Ray Winstone is great in this leading role, he is the perfect choice for a cockney criminal who knows there is a better life out there away from London. Ben Kingsley clearly steals every single scene in this movie with his performance that is filed with so much anger and aggression, you won’t be able to take your eyes off him. Ian McShane is great too where he brings us a calmer gangster who is also filled with anger. These three take most of the spotlight away from any other performers in the film.
Story – The story follows a retired criminal that gets forced to return to the game for one final job by an aggressive gangster, where this film does stand out from the other films in this genre, is that our hero Gal is 100% not interested in returning as most film give us the idea of ‘ok, I will do it’ on an easier formula. The story does have a nice twist on how things go and gives us the characters we could believe are from this world. if you are looking for a heist storyline, you will be disappointed though as this film focuses on the idea of getting the man to do the job.
Crime/Thriller – The crime world we enter giving us gangsters which will not take no for an answer, we don’t learn enough of their previous lives in the world though, only going on reputations.
Settings – The film uses Spain for the setting which gives us the retirement feel for a Brit to take, the sun increases the idea of the heat in the scenes.
Scene of the Movie – The heated argument.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The lack of heist action.
Final Thoughts – This is a true British crime film, it has great characters and a stunning performance from Ben Kingsley.
Overall: British Crime 101
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Home on the Range (2004) in Movies
Mar 12, 2021 (Updated Jul 4, 2021)
Worthless, if this is what murdered the prospect of more hand-drawn 2D animated films from Disney then you know what... that was a fair reaction. No contest one of the most obnoxious movies they've ever put out - it's hard to believe that the most powerful entertainment juggernaut of today was putting out the equivalent of 4th party direct-to-dvd misfires as their major year releases just 15 or so years ago. I mean fuck this is somehow worse than their live action remakes... the shot at a more traditional 2D movie is noble but it's handled with zero clarity and the attempts at 3D/2.5D are dire - so the entire thing looks repugnant, *real* violently butt-ugly shit. Don Bluth was already doing this stuff colossally better half a decade before with the aesthetically glorious 𝘛𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘈.𝘌. but you all let that bomb and this make money. Roseanne Barr's phoned in voice acting is somehow still more tolerable than Cuba Gooding Jr's objectionable Chris Rock impersonation. Lame, inauthentic "old west" tropes smeared carelessly onto an empty script full of platitudes. My least favorite kind of movie, and the food puns make me want to die.
I know I recently did a review for another one of Andersons novel, but I was able to download this for free and it was a quick read.
I still dont know how I feel about this novel. I felt like the sex scenes in Claimed were much hotter, but Masks didnt lack heat. However, she jumped into bed with him so quickly that it was mind-boggling. I am not saying anything against anonymous sex, but it seemed out of character for her. The author spends so many pages enforcing what a mouse she was, and then she has sex with him almost immediately. Honestly, I skipped most of the beginning because it was just Zoe and Chloe interacting, and it wasnt very interesting, nor progressive to the storyline.
The synopsis make the novel out to be BDSM erotica, but the closest it comes to BDSM is he ties her to a St Andrews Cross (only to immediately untie her) and leather everywhere. I am not saying it shouldnt be classified as BDSM. Just dont expect any more than some light bondage.
Not to mention I was annoyed with Zoe. She is a horrible sister and I would furious with her.
All in all, it wasnt terrible. It came nowhere near the level that Claimed was. Like I said, it was a quick read with a realistic ending that I appreciated.
I still dont know how I feel about this novel. I felt like the sex scenes in Claimed were much hotter, but Masks didnt lack heat. However, she jumped into bed with him so quickly that it was mind-boggling. I am not saying anything against anonymous sex, but it seemed out of character for her. The author spends so many pages enforcing what a mouse she was, and then she has sex with him almost immediately. Honestly, I skipped most of the beginning because it was just Zoe and Chloe interacting, and it wasnt very interesting, nor progressive to the storyline.
The synopsis make the novel out to be BDSM erotica, but the closest it comes to BDSM is he ties her to a St Andrews Cross (only to immediately untie her) and leather everywhere. I am not saying it shouldnt be classified as BDSM. Just dont expect any more than some light bondage.
Not to mention I was annoyed with Zoe. She is a horrible sister and I would furious with her.
All in all, it wasnt terrible. It came nowhere near the level that Claimed was. Like I said, it was a quick read with a realistic ending that I appreciated.
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Your Daily Brain: 24 Hours in the Life of Your Brain in Books
Jun 24, 2019
View the original review on my blog: https://bookmarkedreading.wordpress.com/2015/09/29/book-review-your-daily-brain-24-hours-in-the-life-of-your-brain/
I dont usually read non-fiction books, but Im a science geek at heart and couldnt resist requesting a copy of this in return for my honest review.
It was definitely an interesting read. I loved the humour within the writing, and the combination of complicated scientific terms along with more simplified ones. It was easy to understand for the most part, and I hope I can truthfully say that Ive learned something over the past two days from reading this.
Due to my habit of reading books at the speed of light, I dont think the information in this book has sunk in as much as it could have. I personally found it a little hard to follow sometimes, though it was definitely better than skimming a textbook.
This is aimed at an older audience in my opinion, but I was still fascinated by what I read. A lot of it was information that Id never even considered learning. The effect having a child has on a mans brain? I can honestly say that it has never crossed my mind.
I did enjoy this book, even though I sped through it and am probably a little too young to fully appreciate some of the references. Id say Your Daily Brain deserves a strong 3.5 stars, maybe edging up near 4.
I dont usually read non-fiction books, but Im a science geek at heart and couldnt resist requesting a copy of this in return for my honest review.
It was definitely an interesting read. I loved the humour within the writing, and the combination of complicated scientific terms along with more simplified ones. It was easy to understand for the most part, and I hope I can truthfully say that Ive learned something over the past two days from reading this.
Due to my habit of reading books at the speed of light, I dont think the information in this book has sunk in as much as it could have. I personally found it a little hard to follow sometimes, though it was definitely better than skimming a textbook.
This is aimed at an older audience in my opinion, but I was still fascinated by what I read. A lot of it was information that Id never even considered learning. The effect having a child has on a mans brain? I can honestly say that it has never crossed my mind.
I did enjoy this book, even though I sped through it and am probably a little too young to fully appreciate some of the references. Id say Your Daily Brain deserves a strong 3.5 stars, maybe edging up near 4.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Faking It (Losing It, #2) in Books
Sep 6, 2019
4.5 stars
Cade may have been sweet in Losing It but I totally fell for him in this one. To see him try and be happy for Bliss when he loves her; you feel sorry for him and then Max enters his life and, well I dont want to spoil it but they are perfect for each other. Max is completely different to every other New Adult female character Ive read about (and Ive read a fair few) shes tattooed, pierced, has dyed red hair and is in a band. She is completely alternative and a tough nut but you find yourself relating to her in one way or another and I found myself quickly liking her.
Theyre story is very up and down and I found myself willing them on from early on. Sure I guess when stood together they look a little odd but who cares about what others think when you love someone? (I am such a romantic!) They are perfect for each other.
Cora has this way of writing that is both fun and emotional and it is so easy to fall under the spell she weaves. I am so going to read everything else she writes. I am most definitely a fan!
If youre looking for a fun, sexy read then I recommend this book. You dont necessarily have to read Losing It first but it would help you get the gist of where Cades head is at the beginning.
It is amazing!
Cade may have been sweet in Losing It but I totally fell for him in this one. To see him try and be happy for Bliss when he loves her; you feel sorry for him and then Max enters his life and, well I dont want to spoil it but they are perfect for each other. Max is completely different to every other New Adult female character Ive read about (and Ive read a fair few) shes tattooed, pierced, has dyed red hair and is in a band. She is completely alternative and a tough nut but you find yourself relating to her in one way or another and I found myself quickly liking her.
Theyre story is very up and down and I found myself willing them on from early on. Sure I guess when stood together they look a little odd but who cares about what others think when you love someone? (I am such a romantic!) They are perfect for each other.
Cora has this way of writing that is both fun and emotional and it is so easy to fall under the spell she weaves. I am so going to read everything else she writes. I am most definitely a fan!
If youre looking for a fun, sexy read then I recommend this book. You dont necessarily have to read Losing It first but it would help you get the gist of where Cades head is at the beginning.
It is amazing!