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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.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Rosemary's Baby (Rosemary's Baby, #1) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
<b><i>This is no dream, she thought. This is real, this is happening.</i></b>
<b>Note to self and others:</b> beware of overly friendly neighbours.
This is amazing. At just over 200 pages, this novel takes you on a hell (excuse the pun) of a journey that you wont forget anytime soon. Levin has managed to make a novel so witty, and at the same time, so terrifying. In a way, the tone of this book is reminiscent of American Psycho (or rather American Psycho is reminiscent of this as it came out afterwards), but rather than in-your-face vulgar gore, this is far more psychologically disturbing. Never has such a mundane life, as Rosemarys and Guys, ever been so horrifying.
Id already watched the movie when I picked this up, so I knew what this novel was about and what happened, and I think, maybe, that made me enjoy this <i>more.</i> When you know how the story plays out, the tension in this really grips you and you find yourself angry and empathetic towards Rosemarys naivety. I think if I went into this novel not knowing, Rosemary would have simply pissed me off, shes that sort of weak and dependant woman I oh-so hate in books, but it was a different experience for me, knowing what I know. Thats not to say you wont like this going into it blind, Im sure the tension and horror of this will affect you just the same way <i>and</i>_ you'll get the pleasure of the pure shock of the discovery, something I didn't.
Ive said previously that I find it hard to really <i>hate</i> a character in a book, as I often find things to like about them, despite all their bad ways, but thats not the case in this one. Lets just say there is one specific character in this I hate more than anyone (in any other book ever, so far) for their betrayal, all for their own selfish gain.
The ending of this novel is one of the hardest, if not <i>the</i> hardest to swallow. Its <i>so</i> distressing and <i>so</i> upsetting. I cant say anything more than that, but its truly awful.
Im really trying not to give too much away with this review, its hard not to say so many things, but I think its OK to mention the fact this book is about devilry (its written on the book as a quote from Capote so it cant exactly be ignored)! This is a truly terrifying novel, and if you had qualms about having children before, youll definitely have more after reading this book.
This is a one-sitting read for me and Im actually excited to re-read it sometime in the future. This work is a masterpiece. Levin is an incredible writer and Im now aiming to read the rest of his work by the end of the year (yes, even <i>Son of Rosemary</i>, even though it has the worst ratings ever).
P.S. Even if you dont like horror, youll most likely enjoy this book as its not openly trying to freak you out. Its far more a suspense novel that gets in your head.
<b>Note to self and others:</b> beware of overly friendly neighbours.
This is amazing. At just over 200 pages, this novel takes you on a hell (excuse the pun) of a journey that you wont forget anytime soon. Levin has managed to make a novel so witty, and at the same time, so terrifying. In a way, the tone of this book is reminiscent of American Psycho (or rather American Psycho is reminiscent of this as it came out afterwards), but rather than in-your-face vulgar gore, this is far more psychologically disturbing. Never has such a mundane life, as Rosemarys and Guys, ever been so horrifying.
Id already watched the movie when I picked this up, so I knew what this novel was about and what happened, and I think, maybe, that made me enjoy this <i>more.</i> When you know how the story plays out, the tension in this really grips you and you find yourself angry and empathetic towards Rosemarys naivety. I think if I went into this novel not knowing, Rosemary would have simply pissed me off, shes that sort of weak and dependant woman I oh-so hate in books, but it was a different experience for me, knowing what I know. Thats not to say you wont like this going into it blind, Im sure the tension and horror of this will affect you just the same way <i>and</i>_ you'll get the pleasure of the pure shock of the discovery, something I didn't.
Ive said previously that I find it hard to really <i>hate</i> a character in a book, as I often find things to like about them, despite all their bad ways, but thats not the case in this one. Lets just say there is one specific character in this I hate more than anyone (in any other book ever, so far) for their betrayal, all for their own selfish gain.
The ending of this novel is one of the hardest, if not <i>the</i> hardest to swallow. Its <i>so</i> distressing and <i>so</i> upsetting. I cant say anything more than that, but its truly awful.
Im really trying not to give too much away with this review, its hard not to say so many things, but I think its OK to mention the fact this book is about devilry (its written on the book as a quote from Capote so it cant exactly be ignored)! This is a truly terrifying novel, and if you had qualms about having children before, youll definitely have more after reading this book.
This is a one-sitting read for me and Im actually excited to re-read it sometime in the future. This work is a masterpiece. Levin is an incredible writer and Im now aiming to read the rest of his work by the end of the year (yes, even <i>Son of Rosemary</i>, even though it has the worst ratings ever).
P.S. Even if you dont like horror, youll most likely enjoy this book as its not openly trying to freak you out. Its far more a suspense novel that gets in your head.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Iron Man 3 (2013) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
For Tony Stark, (Robert Downey Jr.), life has become very complicated for the self-proclaimed genius, philanthropist, billionaire, and playboy. In the new film “Iron Man 3”, Stark is wracked by insomnia and dread following the battle he waged to save New York in “The Avengers”.
Stark throws himself into his work and endlessly creates new Iron Man suits as well as system upgrades which currently have him at the Mark 42 version which is a huge jump from the Mark VII he was last seen in which was itself a prototype.
When a terrorist named The Mandarin (Sir Ben Kingsley), has unleashed a series of bizarre bombings on the world and has opening challenged the President (William Sadler), Stark is caught up in his own fears, most notably protecting his beloved Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow).
When his friend Happy (John Farveau) is caught in an explosion, Stark openly challenges the Mandarin which results in a devastating helicopter upon Stark and Potts. With the world thinking he has died, Stark sets out to stop the Mandarin at all costs and find a way to battle his inner demons and fears to save the ones he loves and do what he knows is right.
The movie is big on laughs and character as we see a more well-rounded Stark this time out. He is haunted by demons of his past yet committed to improving himself and doing what is right. The film takes a bit of time to get up to speed, but thanks to Downey’s performance you maintain your interest as you are always waiting for what he will do next as he is in total command of the character and never lets the quirks or humor of his situation overshadow his humanity or undermine his performance.
I would have liked to have seen Downey is his armor more kicking butt and taking names, but thankfully the finale is very enjoyable. The converted 3D in the film is very good as although I am not a fan of 3D conversions this was the best I have seen to date as ash, snow, and debris did seem to float into the audience the way it does in films that are shot properly in the new 3D technology.
The supporting cast for the film is very strong especially Kingsley and Guy Pearce and I enjoyed the effort that Writer/Director Shane Black put into allowing the characters time to grow. I was a bit disappointed that Don Cheadle was not given a lot to do in his role especially when playing Iron Patriot/War Machine. The battle at the end of “Iron Man 2” where he and Iron Man took on legions of bad guys had me hoping for more this time out.
That being said, this is a very enjoyable summer movie that shows the franchise is not slowing down or taking the easy road out. There has been discussion that Downey Jr. may step away after the next Avengers film but hopefully that is not to be the case as I could not imagine another actor capturing the role as perfectly as he has.
Following a bonus post credits scene, we are told in the best James Bond style that Tony Stark will return, and you can bet legions of fans will be waiting.
http://sknr.net/2013/05/03/iron-man-3/
Stark throws himself into his work and endlessly creates new Iron Man suits as well as system upgrades which currently have him at the Mark 42 version which is a huge jump from the Mark VII he was last seen in which was itself a prototype.
When a terrorist named The Mandarin (Sir Ben Kingsley), has unleashed a series of bizarre bombings on the world and has opening challenged the President (William Sadler), Stark is caught up in his own fears, most notably protecting his beloved Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow).
When his friend Happy (John Farveau) is caught in an explosion, Stark openly challenges the Mandarin which results in a devastating helicopter upon Stark and Potts. With the world thinking he has died, Stark sets out to stop the Mandarin at all costs and find a way to battle his inner demons and fears to save the ones he loves and do what he knows is right.
The movie is big on laughs and character as we see a more well-rounded Stark this time out. He is haunted by demons of his past yet committed to improving himself and doing what is right. The film takes a bit of time to get up to speed, but thanks to Downey’s performance you maintain your interest as you are always waiting for what he will do next as he is in total command of the character and never lets the quirks or humor of his situation overshadow his humanity or undermine his performance.
I would have liked to have seen Downey is his armor more kicking butt and taking names, but thankfully the finale is very enjoyable. The converted 3D in the film is very good as although I am not a fan of 3D conversions this was the best I have seen to date as ash, snow, and debris did seem to float into the audience the way it does in films that are shot properly in the new 3D technology.
The supporting cast for the film is very strong especially Kingsley and Guy Pearce and I enjoyed the effort that Writer/Director Shane Black put into allowing the characters time to grow. I was a bit disappointed that Don Cheadle was not given a lot to do in his role especially when playing Iron Patriot/War Machine. The battle at the end of “Iron Man 2” where he and Iron Man took on legions of bad guys had me hoping for more this time out.
That being said, this is a very enjoyable summer movie that shows the franchise is not slowing down or taking the easy road out. There has been discussion that Downey Jr. may step away after the next Avengers film but hopefully that is not to be the case as I could not imagine another actor capturing the role as perfectly as he has.
Following a bonus post credits scene, we are told in the best James Bond style that Tony Stark will return, and you can bet legions of fans will be waiting.
http://sknr.net/2013/05/03/iron-man-3/
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Toy Story (1995) in Movies
Jan 1, 2021
A masterpiece
Film #9 on the 100 Movies Bucket List: Toy Story
When Toy Story was first released in 1995, it was groundbreaking. The first ever fully computer animated film and the first released by Disney Pixar, this was also one of the first films I saw at the cinema as an 8 year old child. Admittedly at that age I was concentrating more on the colourful animated toys rather than appreciating the sheer wizardry on offer, but from repeated watches over the decades, I’ve come to fully recognise the sheer genius of this film.
Toy Story centres around the idea that toys are alive, a concept that most children would love to be true. It follows Woody, a cowboy voiced by Tom Hanks, who’s cushy existence as the top dog of Andy’s toys is disrupted by a new space ranger doll, Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Tim Allen. As Buzz soon becomes Andy’s favourite toy, Woody’s jealousy drives him to desperate measures that wind up with the pair of them becoming ‘lost toys’ and captives of evil neighbour Sid. And together with Buzz and Woody are a whole host of colourful and wacky toy characters, including Mr Potato Head (Don Rickles), Slinky Dog (Jim Varney), Etch-a Sketch and a bucketful of toy soldiers to name but a few of the childhood throwbacks on offer here.
Watching this back 25 years later, it’s hard to believe this film was released in the mid-90s. Whilst you can tell that more recent Disney Pixar releases have improved massively on the animation since Toy Story, the standard of the animation in this is hugely impressive. There are some studios that can’t master this level of detailed animation even now as we move into 2021. The feature and intricacies on show here is impressive, especially with the toy characters - you need to look no further than the scales on Rex (voiced memorably by Wallace Michael Shawn) as a shining example of this.
It isn’t just the animation that that makes Toy Story so brilliant though, it’s the entire package. It’s a heartwarming and often hilarious buddy story of sorts, with some strangely adult messages hidden in the childlike story (Buzz’s disillusionment at being a toy rather than a real space ranger is particularly poignant). As a child this made me believe my toys were alive, and as an adult I’m still hesitant about donating or throwing away old cuddly toys. It’s also full of what we’ve all come to know and love about Disney Pixar: a film suitable for kids but full of grown up innuendos and adult jokes that makes it appropriate for all ages. Alongside this it has a fantastic voice cast in household names Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, and of course brought us the first of many characters voiced by the unforgettable John Ratzenberger. And what further rounds this off is the catchy and touching original songs by Randy Newman. I doubt there are many people who haven’t heard “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”, a song that evokes such a warm and fuzzy feeling inside and is fully deserving of the ‘Best Original Song’ Oscar nomination.
Toy Story is undoubtedly a masterpiece in animation. Whilst it may not have aged incredibly well when comparing it with more recent releases, this is the film that first introduced us to the world of Disney Pixar and paved the way for all of those that have followed.
When Toy Story was first released in 1995, it was groundbreaking. The first ever fully computer animated film and the first released by Disney Pixar, this was also one of the first films I saw at the cinema as an 8 year old child. Admittedly at that age I was concentrating more on the colourful animated toys rather than appreciating the sheer wizardry on offer, but from repeated watches over the decades, I’ve come to fully recognise the sheer genius of this film.
Toy Story centres around the idea that toys are alive, a concept that most children would love to be true. It follows Woody, a cowboy voiced by Tom Hanks, who’s cushy existence as the top dog of Andy’s toys is disrupted by a new space ranger doll, Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Tim Allen. As Buzz soon becomes Andy’s favourite toy, Woody’s jealousy drives him to desperate measures that wind up with the pair of them becoming ‘lost toys’ and captives of evil neighbour Sid. And together with Buzz and Woody are a whole host of colourful and wacky toy characters, including Mr Potato Head (Don Rickles), Slinky Dog (Jim Varney), Etch-a Sketch and a bucketful of toy soldiers to name but a few of the childhood throwbacks on offer here.
Watching this back 25 years later, it’s hard to believe this film was released in the mid-90s. Whilst you can tell that more recent Disney Pixar releases have improved massively on the animation since Toy Story, the standard of the animation in this is hugely impressive. There are some studios that can’t master this level of detailed animation even now as we move into 2021. The feature and intricacies on show here is impressive, especially with the toy characters - you need to look no further than the scales on Rex (voiced memorably by Wallace Michael Shawn) as a shining example of this.
It isn’t just the animation that that makes Toy Story so brilliant though, it’s the entire package. It’s a heartwarming and often hilarious buddy story of sorts, with some strangely adult messages hidden in the childlike story (Buzz’s disillusionment at being a toy rather than a real space ranger is particularly poignant). As a child this made me believe my toys were alive, and as an adult I’m still hesitant about donating or throwing away old cuddly toys. It’s also full of what we’ve all come to know and love about Disney Pixar: a film suitable for kids but full of grown up innuendos and adult jokes that makes it appropriate for all ages. Alongside this it has a fantastic voice cast in household names Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, and of course brought us the first of many characters voiced by the unforgettable John Ratzenberger. And what further rounds this off is the catchy and touching original songs by Randy Newman. I doubt there are many people who haven’t heard “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”, a song that evokes such a warm and fuzzy feeling inside and is fully deserving of the ‘Best Original Song’ Oscar nomination.
Toy Story is undoubtedly a masterpiece in animation. Whilst it may not have aged incredibly well when comparing it with more recent releases, this is the film that first introduced us to the world of Disney Pixar and paved the way for all of those that have followed.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Good Kind of Bad in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Firstly Id like to thank Netgalley and Rita Brassington for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
<b>3.5 stars!
<i>Secrets don't stay secret for long.</i></b>
This was definitely slow to start. After getting into my last read almost instantly <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1637742966">;(All The Ugly and Wonderful Things)</a> this one didnt seem like it was going to be my cup of tea, but after I got to around the 20% mark things started getting a little more interesting. I did enjoy reading this book, it was a much lighter read than my previous so it was nice to not really feel anything <b>I really do mean that in the nicest way possible btw!</b> For me, this book was an easy & quick read that was entertaining but just a little bit OTT. I think this book has a lot of cliches, all very predictable, things I guessed rather easily and so if it hadnt been for that, this would have probably been rated higher, but I prefer books that challenge and shock me.
Another problem I had with this book was that I felt like there are whole chunks of time missing from the story that either really could have helped with character and plot development or could have been explained better so we realised it had disappeared before our eyes... <spoiler>eg. she runs to Ninas apartment (which she says is only a short distance), sees Nina die, then runs away to the police station, stays outside for a little bit pondering what she should do (and obviously she doesnt choose the right thing) then ends up a cafe, only for Evan to walk in a claim shes been gone hours? Like where the <i>heck</i> did all those hours go?</spoiler>
Everything in this book was <i>massively</i> over the top. Ive said before in a review that books are supposed to take you away from everything and land you into something fictional and exciting. But there does get a point where things become too fictional. The crazy storyline wouldnt have mattered so much if it wasnt for the fact that all the characters were completely unrealistic people.
However the biggest downfall for this book was the characters. To love a book, youve got to love the characters, and I didnt.
Our main lady (we never find out her first name) of the book was beyond irritating. I felt like every single little thing she did was the wrong thing. She faced some really awful stuff throughout the book and then went about sorting it out in all the wrongs ways! She wanted you to think she was a high class, intelligent, independant lady, but in actual fact she was airheaded, weak and damn right ridiculous. What annoyed me most about her was the fact that she was ready to believe <i>anyone.</i> She knew all the people in this book for 3 months tops and she always just believed what they said, no questions asked. <spoiler>Also no questions asked as to why Evan was calling her honey & baby all of a sudden!</spoiler>
As for Joe, its pretty obvious why you wouldnt like him. Hes a cock from the start of the relationship, I dont understand what she saw in him to begin with to be honest.
Then theres Evan, the good guy cop who comes to save the damsel in distress how predictable he is. Hes the easiest character to work out in the world of fictional characters. I mean cmon, there was no mystery to him at all.
After all my complaining, this was still an enjoyable read for me. It wasn't one of those books I try and force myself to read just to finish it, I actually wanted to find out what was happening. I will say that I <b>hadnt</b> predicted the <i>ending</i> ending. I had predicted most of what was going to happen but there were elements I hadnt been expecting. Thats definitely what gave it the extra point 5 of a star, otherwise it would have just remained a mediocre 3 stars. I would recommend this to people who like fast paced thrillers. I think this is the perfect holiday book!
<b>3.5 stars!
<i>Secrets don't stay secret for long.</i></b>
This was definitely slow to start. After getting into my last read almost instantly <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1637742966">;(All The Ugly and Wonderful Things)</a> this one didnt seem like it was going to be my cup of tea, but after I got to around the 20% mark things started getting a little more interesting. I did enjoy reading this book, it was a much lighter read than my previous so it was nice to not really feel anything <b>I really do mean that in the nicest way possible btw!</b> For me, this book was an easy & quick read that was entertaining but just a little bit OTT. I think this book has a lot of cliches, all very predictable, things I guessed rather easily and so if it hadnt been for that, this would have probably been rated higher, but I prefer books that challenge and shock me.
Another problem I had with this book was that I felt like there are whole chunks of time missing from the story that either really could have helped with character and plot development or could have been explained better so we realised it had disappeared before our eyes... <spoiler>eg. she runs to Ninas apartment (which she says is only a short distance), sees Nina die, then runs away to the police station, stays outside for a little bit pondering what she should do (and obviously she doesnt choose the right thing) then ends up a cafe, only for Evan to walk in a claim shes been gone hours? Like where the <i>heck</i> did all those hours go?</spoiler>
Everything in this book was <i>massively</i> over the top. Ive said before in a review that books are supposed to take you away from everything and land you into something fictional and exciting. But there does get a point where things become too fictional. The crazy storyline wouldnt have mattered so much if it wasnt for the fact that all the characters were completely unrealistic people.
However the biggest downfall for this book was the characters. To love a book, youve got to love the characters, and I didnt.
Our main lady (we never find out her first name) of the book was beyond irritating. I felt like every single little thing she did was the wrong thing. She faced some really awful stuff throughout the book and then went about sorting it out in all the wrongs ways! She wanted you to think she was a high class, intelligent, independant lady, but in actual fact she was airheaded, weak and damn right ridiculous. What annoyed me most about her was the fact that she was ready to believe <i>anyone.</i> She knew all the people in this book for 3 months tops and she always just believed what they said, no questions asked. <spoiler>Also no questions asked as to why Evan was calling her honey & baby all of a sudden!</spoiler>
As for Joe, its pretty obvious why you wouldnt like him. Hes a cock from the start of the relationship, I dont understand what she saw in him to begin with to be honest.
Then theres Evan, the good guy cop who comes to save the damsel in distress how predictable he is. Hes the easiest character to work out in the world of fictional characters. I mean cmon, there was no mystery to him at all.
After all my complaining, this was still an enjoyable read for me. It wasn't one of those books I try and force myself to read just to finish it, I actually wanted to find out what was happening. I will say that I <b>hadnt</b> predicted the <i>ending</i> ending. I had predicted most of what was going to happen but there were elements I hadnt been expecting. Thats definitely what gave it the extra point 5 of a star, otherwise it would have just remained a mediocre 3 stars. I would recommend this to people who like fast paced thrillers. I think this is the perfect holiday book!
Bill & Hillary : So This Is That Thing Called Love
Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince
Book
On the campus of Yale University, in 1970, an "odd couple," Hillary Rodham and Bill ("Bubba")...
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Jurassic World (2015) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
A Trip down memory lane
Can you believe it’s been 14 years since genetically modified dinosaurs rampaged across our screens in Joe Johnston’s underwhelming Jurassic Park III?
After being stuck in development hell for over a decade, Steven Spielberg handpicked indie director Colin Trevorrow to helm the fourth instalment of the popular adventure franchise, Jurassic World, but can it return the much-loved series to form?
Man of the moment Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village), Ty Simpkins (Iron Man 3) and Omar Sy (X-Men: Days of Future Past) lead a cast of characters in a visually spectacular film that whilst paying homage to 1993’s Jurassic Park, lacks a little of the original’s soul.
Jurassic World is now a fully functioning theme park taken over from John Hammond’s InGen by Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan in a pleasingly comedic performance). Welcoming over 20,000 visitors a day, the park sees the need to create something bigger, louder and with more teeth to sustain visitor interest – the Indominus Rex.
Naturally, this doesn’t go quite to plan.
The performances from all of the cast are on-point with Bryce Dallas Howard being a particular highlight. There were worries that her ability would match Tea Leoni from Jurassic Park III rather than Laura Dern’s brilliant Ellie Sattler from the original. Thankfully, this isn’t the case.
Her story arc is particularly intriguing if predictable with her uptight corporate image being shed throughout the film’s succinct 123 minute running time.
Chris Pratt proves why he is the man every director wants to work with. His less comedic side comes out in Jurassic World and proves that he has the acting chops to go with his good looks.
Vincent D’Onofrio stars as the obligatory villain but his side story is never really explored – possibly setting up for a sequel should the film perform well at the box office and with it making up 90% of global ticket sales this weekend, things look promising.
Music wise, Jurassic World treads a very careful path. Make no mistake, this is a standalone movie, but the references to the original are there for all to hear. Michael Giacchino, one of the best composers of the moment, takes over from Don Davis of Jurassic Park III and provides the series with its best score since John Williams’ original.
Special effects too are top notch with the park looking stunning and the dinosaurs, on the whole, faring the same way. There are a couple of moments where things start to look a little video game like, but this never takes away from the beauty of this film.
Unfortunately, whilst the last 30 minutes are breath-taking, edge of your seat stuff, it’s difficult to differentiate Jurassic World from the plethora of high budget blockbusters that litter the cinema these days and whilst Trevorrow chooses references to the original carefully, it lacks a little of that film’s soul and ultimately charm.
Overall, Jurassic World is better than the majority of blockbusters that have come and gone from cinemas over the last year and it tops The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III to become a sequel worthy of the original.
Yes it’s not perfect, with the gorgeous finale lacking substance, but after waiting 14 years it comes pretty darn close and will no doubt be, along with Star Wars: Episode VII, one of the most memorable films of the noughties.
Do you remember seeing Jurassic Park for the first time? That’s the question everyone asks, and whilst Jurassic World won’t be making anywhere near the same impact, it’s a film worthy of the brand.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/06/14/a-trip-down-memory-lane-jurassic-world-review/
After being stuck in development hell for over a decade, Steven Spielberg handpicked indie director Colin Trevorrow to helm the fourth instalment of the popular adventure franchise, Jurassic World, but can it return the much-loved series to form?
Man of the moment Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village), Ty Simpkins (Iron Man 3) and Omar Sy (X-Men: Days of Future Past) lead a cast of characters in a visually spectacular film that whilst paying homage to 1993’s Jurassic Park, lacks a little of the original’s soul.
Jurassic World is now a fully functioning theme park taken over from John Hammond’s InGen by Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan in a pleasingly comedic performance). Welcoming over 20,000 visitors a day, the park sees the need to create something bigger, louder and with more teeth to sustain visitor interest – the Indominus Rex.
Naturally, this doesn’t go quite to plan.
The performances from all of the cast are on-point with Bryce Dallas Howard being a particular highlight. There were worries that her ability would match Tea Leoni from Jurassic Park III rather than Laura Dern’s brilliant Ellie Sattler from the original. Thankfully, this isn’t the case.
Her story arc is particularly intriguing if predictable with her uptight corporate image being shed throughout the film’s succinct 123 minute running time.
Chris Pratt proves why he is the man every director wants to work with. His less comedic side comes out in Jurassic World and proves that he has the acting chops to go with his good looks.
Vincent D’Onofrio stars as the obligatory villain but his side story is never really explored – possibly setting up for a sequel should the film perform well at the box office and with it making up 90% of global ticket sales this weekend, things look promising.
Music wise, Jurassic World treads a very careful path. Make no mistake, this is a standalone movie, but the references to the original are there for all to hear. Michael Giacchino, one of the best composers of the moment, takes over from Don Davis of Jurassic Park III and provides the series with its best score since John Williams’ original.
Special effects too are top notch with the park looking stunning and the dinosaurs, on the whole, faring the same way. There are a couple of moments where things start to look a little video game like, but this never takes away from the beauty of this film.
Unfortunately, whilst the last 30 minutes are breath-taking, edge of your seat stuff, it’s difficult to differentiate Jurassic World from the plethora of high budget blockbusters that litter the cinema these days and whilst Trevorrow chooses references to the original carefully, it lacks a little of that film’s soul and ultimately charm.
Overall, Jurassic World is better than the majority of blockbusters that have come and gone from cinemas over the last year and it tops The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III to become a sequel worthy of the original.
Yes it’s not perfect, with the gorgeous finale lacking substance, but after waiting 14 years it comes pretty darn close and will no doubt be, along with Star Wars: Episode VII, one of the most memorable films of the noughties.
Do you remember seeing Jurassic Park for the first time? That’s the question everyone asks, and whilst Jurassic World won’t be making anywhere near the same impact, it’s a film worthy of the brand.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/06/14/a-trip-down-memory-lane-jurassic-world-review/
Multi-Asset Investing: A Practitioner's Framework
Pranay Gupta, Sven R. Skallsjo and Bing Li
Book
Despite the accepted fact that a substantial part of the risk and return of any portfolio comes from...
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated You Said You Could Draw in Tabletop Games
Apr 23, 2021
Excuse me, title of game, but I NEVER said I could draw. Is it just me or does nearly everyone feel the need to preface every drawing game with a declaration that they are horrible artists and will probably perform disastrously? I have found this to be the case, as least for myself and about 90%+ of the people with whom I play, and it is especially rampant with the tongue-out drawers in the world. But we all still enjoy the old favorites like Pictionary and Win, Lose, or Draw! How about if we add another gimmick to these classics in order to turn the games on their ears? Enter You Said You Could Draw.
In You Said You Could Draw (I will just acronymize to YSYCD) players are attempting to win the game by scoring the most points. The provided score board has space for each player to earn 20 points, though agreements could be made by players to stop at any number of points.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, but to give an idea of how the game is played. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign launching May 8, 2021, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup a game of YSYCD place the score board anywhere on the table and players choose which color board they wish to represent themselves. Players are also given a dry erase marker. The large deck of cards is placed somewhere near the score board, along with the blindfold. Players will roll the die to determine the first player, and the game may now begin!
YSYCD is played in turns until a player reaches the aforementioned ending score. On a turn a player will draw a card, roll the die, then draw. On each card is a list of six prompts to be drawn by the player and the result of the die roll determines which prompt the player must draw. Once the player is ready they will don the blindfold and begin drawing on the large board. When the masterpieces is complete the artist will write the name of the player they believe will guess correctly. Both the drawing process and the name writing are secret – no lookyloos! When the artist reveals their labor each player will secretly write their guess on their player boards, to be revealed simultaneously once all players have finished. The artist reveals their choice and the other players reveal their hilarious guesses. Points may now be awarded.
The artist will receive one point if at least one player has guessed correctly, with a bonus one point earned if the player they wrote on their board guessed correctly. Each player who guessed the prompt correctly also scores one point. If ALL players guess correctly except for one lonely player, the lonely player will earn a painful NEGATIVE two ( -2 ) points!
Players will notice that one prompt on each side of the card includes a star icon. Should this prompt be rolled for the turn the points awarded for the artists and correct guessers are three, versus the typical one. Play continues in this fashion until a player has reached the agreed score threshold and claims victory!
Components. This game boasts two large and eight smaller dry erase boards with eight dry erase markers. The boards are fine, but the markers (at least in this prototype version) are very low quality, especially the erasers. We resorted to using napkins for our erasing needs, as they did not smear as much. The 1d6 is fine, and the blindfold is very comfortable (thank you, JPN Games!). The cards are fine quality and there are 100 double-sided cards, offering 1200 prompt options to draw! I normally also cover art direction and theming here, but there is very little art, with most of it on the box cover. The box cover in this version features two players having a great time playing the game in a color VERY close to our logo’s Volt color. So I’m a fan of that for sure.
The rulebook is a simple folded cardstock that could easily become a duplexed sheet of paper or stock. The rules are incredibly simple to learn and teach, which makes this a great entry for families.
I recently broke this one out to play with my brother-in-law, his wife, and their twin 10-year-old children. When I say that it has been a long time since I laughed so hard while playing games, I certainly mean it. Most drawing games favor the talented artists of the group, but YSYCD offers the great equalizer – that blindfold. Sure, someone could be able to draw an excellent Sonic the Hedgehog (not a sponsor), but once you take away the spacial awareness drawing becomes a lot more difficult. And having a 10-year-old look into your eyes and tell you they drew a Chef instead of your guess of Quasimodo makes for a very interesting adult-child dynamic.
All in all I have had a great time with this game. The blindfold is what makes this special, and rolling the die to select the prompt causes each player to begin their turns on the same artistry level as their opponents. I dig that. A lot. I will be honest here – this is not a game that I would see at a store and be interested in buying or playing. But I gave it a shot with the family and I now have a party game that differs from my other party games in my collection and I am all the happier for it. You Said You Could Draw is not for the hard core gamer. It is for the gamer who needs a break from the brain burning and is able to relax a bit and have fun – even at their own expense. If this sounds interesting to you, I urge you to check out the Kickstarter campaign, launching May 8, 2021. Pick up a copy or two or twelve and give some away. The holidays are always just around the corner. Also, be warned that some children cannot accept that their Chef looks like Quasimodo. I learned this the hard way.
In You Said You Could Draw (I will just acronymize to YSYCD) players are attempting to win the game by scoring the most points. The provided score board has space for each player to earn 20 points, though agreements could be made by players to stop at any number of points.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, but to give an idea of how the game is played. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign launching May 8, 2021, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup a game of YSYCD place the score board anywhere on the table and players choose which color board they wish to represent themselves. Players are also given a dry erase marker. The large deck of cards is placed somewhere near the score board, along with the blindfold. Players will roll the die to determine the first player, and the game may now begin!
YSYCD is played in turns until a player reaches the aforementioned ending score. On a turn a player will draw a card, roll the die, then draw. On each card is a list of six prompts to be drawn by the player and the result of the die roll determines which prompt the player must draw. Once the player is ready they will don the blindfold and begin drawing on the large board. When the masterpieces is complete the artist will write the name of the player they believe will guess correctly. Both the drawing process and the name writing are secret – no lookyloos! When the artist reveals their labor each player will secretly write their guess on their player boards, to be revealed simultaneously once all players have finished. The artist reveals their choice and the other players reveal their hilarious guesses. Points may now be awarded.
The artist will receive one point if at least one player has guessed correctly, with a bonus one point earned if the player they wrote on their board guessed correctly. Each player who guessed the prompt correctly also scores one point. If ALL players guess correctly except for one lonely player, the lonely player will earn a painful NEGATIVE two ( -2 ) points!
Players will notice that one prompt on each side of the card includes a star icon. Should this prompt be rolled for the turn the points awarded for the artists and correct guessers are three, versus the typical one. Play continues in this fashion until a player has reached the agreed score threshold and claims victory!
Components. This game boasts two large and eight smaller dry erase boards with eight dry erase markers. The boards are fine, but the markers (at least in this prototype version) are very low quality, especially the erasers. We resorted to using napkins for our erasing needs, as they did not smear as much. The 1d6 is fine, and the blindfold is very comfortable (thank you, JPN Games!). The cards are fine quality and there are 100 double-sided cards, offering 1200 prompt options to draw! I normally also cover art direction and theming here, but there is very little art, with most of it on the box cover. The box cover in this version features two players having a great time playing the game in a color VERY close to our logo’s Volt color. So I’m a fan of that for sure.
The rulebook is a simple folded cardstock that could easily become a duplexed sheet of paper or stock. The rules are incredibly simple to learn and teach, which makes this a great entry for families.
I recently broke this one out to play with my brother-in-law, his wife, and their twin 10-year-old children. When I say that it has been a long time since I laughed so hard while playing games, I certainly mean it. Most drawing games favor the talented artists of the group, but YSYCD offers the great equalizer – that blindfold. Sure, someone could be able to draw an excellent Sonic the Hedgehog (not a sponsor), but once you take away the spacial awareness drawing becomes a lot more difficult. And having a 10-year-old look into your eyes and tell you they drew a Chef instead of your guess of Quasimodo makes for a very interesting adult-child dynamic.
All in all I have had a great time with this game. The blindfold is what makes this special, and rolling the die to select the prompt causes each player to begin their turns on the same artistry level as their opponents. I dig that. A lot. I will be honest here – this is not a game that I would see at a store and be interested in buying or playing. But I gave it a shot with the family and I now have a party game that differs from my other party games in my collection and I am all the happier for it. You Said You Could Draw is not for the hard core gamer. It is for the gamer who needs a break from the brain burning and is able to relax a bit and have fun – even at their own expense. If this sounds interesting to you, I urge you to check out the Kickstarter campaign, launching May 8, 2021. Pick up a copy or two or twelve and give some away. The holidays are always just around the corner. Also, be warned that some children cannot accept that their Chef looks like Quasimodo. I learned this the hard way.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Miami Vice (2006) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
In 1984 a show arrived on NBC that instantly became a media sensation and set new standards for television dramas, as well as for music and fashion as it soon became a cultural icon.
The show was Miami Vice, and up until the final episode in 1989, legions of viewers tuned in every Friday night for a heady mix of action, music, color, and sex making series stars Philip Michael Thomas and Don Johnson some of the most identified and emulated celebrities in the world.
As time passed, the fickle television audience cooled on the show and it passed to television history, but not before leaving an indelible mark upon pop culture as to this day, the mere mention of the show unleashes a flood of memories and images from fans the world over.
Now close to two decades after the show went off the air, the creative talent behind the show, Michael Mann, has unleashed a cinematic version of his hit series, and it has arrived awash in the trademark neon colors, action, and style that made the series such a hit.
This time out, Oscar winner Jaime Foxx and Colin Farrell are Tubs and Crockett respectively, and they soon find themselves deep undercover posing as drug runners while trying to get to the bottom of a leak inside one of the law enforcement agencies. As troublesome as the leak, is, the fact that leaked information caused the deaths of undercover agents, by suspected white supremacists armed with the latest in high tech weaponry.
The deadly game of cloak and dagger unfolds as Tubbs and Crockett find themselves deep into a major criminal organization, and to add to the tension, Crockett finds himself drawn to an attractive member of the organization (Li Gong), who “belongs” to the head of the criminal plot.
As the plot unfolds, the danger of being discovered as well as becoming lost in the parts they are playing becomes a growing danger for Tubbs and Crockett, as they not only battle to keep their cover, but to stay alive and protect those closest to them.
The film has a plot that is a bit muddled at first, but like the world in which Tubbs and Crockett find themselves, there are not always clearly defines parameters as well as individuals. As simplistic as the basic plot may seem, the varying layers of characters, locales, and motivations keeps Miami Vice, a changing mystery, yet one that is lacking tension and deep drama.
The first hour of the film plods along with plenty of sex and setup, but surprisingly little action. I noted that there were five scenes of sex, and at least two more implied sex scenes before one of the lead characters even fired a weapon, which surprisingly came at 1 Hour and 40 minutes into the film.
While the film may take a while to get to the action, when it does come, it is surprisingly effective without falling victim to the usual Hollywood Traps of numerous gigantic explosions, car chases, stunts, and an abundance of C.G.I.
The violence in the film is also very graphic as there are numerous headshots, as well as splatter moments and gaping exit wounds. Despite this, it does not seem gratuitous but rather realistic as it portrays the brutality of the characters as well as the world in which they live and work.
The surprisingly effective finale confrontation satisfies and like any good director, Mann knows when to pull back, and when to go full out, without letting the action dominate the characters and the story.
Farrell and Foxx do a solid job with their characters without having the luxury of a deep back story. Mann’s script takes the approach that the viewers will know the characters and their history and omits things like Crockett’s ex wife, son, houseboat and pet alligator Elvis.
While this may seem trivial for a film that is over two hours in length, it does provide viewers with a better understanding of the characters and their actions and motivations, which I hope will be fully explored should a second film in the series be made.
That being said, despite the long setup, and a somewhat muddles plot, Miami Vice is a stylish and refreshing film, that should entertain fans of the original show.
The show was Miami Vice, and up until the final episode in 1989, legions of viewers tuned in every Friday night for a heady mix of action, music, color, and sex making series stars Philip Michael Thomas and Don Johnson some of the most identified and emulated celebrities in the world.
As time passed, the fickle television audience cooled on the show and it passed to television history, but not before leaving an indelible mark upon pop culture as to this day, the mere mention of the show unleashes a flood of memories and images from fans the world over.
Now close to two decades after the show went off the air, the creative talent behind the show, Michael Mann, has unleashed a cinematic version of his hit series, and it has arrived awash in the trademark neon colors, action, and style that made the series such a hit.
This time out, Oscar winner Jaime Foxx and Colin Farrell are Tubs and Crockett respectively, and they soon find themselves deep undercover posing as drug runners while trying to get to the bottom of a leak inside one of the law enforcement agencies. As troublesome as the leak, is, the fact that leaked information caused the deaths of undercover agents, by suspected white supremacists armed with the latest in high tech weaponry.
The deadly game of cloak and dagger unfolds as Tubbs and Crockett find themselves deep into a major criminal organization, and to add to the tension, Crockett finds himself drawn to an attractive member of the organization (Li Gong), who “belongs” to the head of the criminal plot.
As the plot unfolds, the danger of being discovered as well as becoming lost in the parts they are playing becomes a growing danger for Tubbs and Crockett, as they not only battle to keep their cover, but to stay alive and protect those closest to them.
The film has a plot that is a bit muddled at first, but like the world in which Tubbs and Crockett find themselves, there are not always clearly defines parameters as well as individuals. As simplistic as the basic plot may seem, the varying layers of characters, locales, and motivations keeps Miami Vice, a changing mystery, yet one that is lacking tension and deep drama.
The first hour of the film plods along with plenty of sex and setup, but surprisingly little action. I noted that there were five scenes of sex, and at least two more implied sex scenes before one of the lead characters even fired a weapon, which surprisingly came at 1 Hour and 40 minutes into the film.
While the film may take a while to get to the action, when it does come, it is surprisingly effective without falling victim to the usual Hollywood Traps of numerous gigantic explosions, car chases, stunts, and an abundance of C.G.I.
The violence in the film is also very graphic as there are numerous headshots, as well as splatter moments and gaping exit wounds. Despite this, it does not seem gratuitous but rather realistic as it portrays the brutality of the characters as well as the world in which they live and work.
The surprisingly effective finale confrontation satisfies and like any good director, Mann knows when to pull back, and when to go full out, without letting the action dominate the characters and the story.
Farrell and Foxx do a solid job with their characters without having the luxury of a deep back story. Mann’s script takes the approach that the viewers will know the characters and their history and omits things like Crockett’s ex wife, son, houseboat and pet alligator Elvis.
While this may seem trivial for a film that is over two hours in length, it does provide viewers with a better understanding of the characters and their actions and motivations, which I hope will be fully explored should a second film in the series be made.
That being said, despite the long setup, and a somewhat muddles plot, Miami Vice is a stylish and refreshing film, that should entertain fans of the original show.