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Rikki Hammond (33 KP) rated Drakon (fourth edition) in Tabletop Games
May 24, 2019
Quick to teach and learn (2 more)
Fast Turns, little downtime
Player powers are balanced
Higher player counts can be too chaotic (2 more)
Infinite loops can become annoying
Some games are more exciting than others
A Simple, Light Filler of a Dungeon Game
The best way that I can describe Drakon is that it is 'Carcassonne in a dungeon.' It's just as easy to pick up and play, but adds the concept of building your own dungeon as you progress through the game.
Each player will have 4 tiles in their hand, and on their turn, they can either place a tile (drawing a new one afterwards) or move their character into an adjacent chamber. Each tile has a door or an arrow on each side. You can place a tile door to door or arrow to door, but never arrow to arrow. Once a player moves through a door, you can't go back the eay you came (by the usual means anyway.) The goal of the game is to collect 10 coins through entering a chamber with gold in it, or by stealing them from another player. Each coin will have a value between 1 and 3, and the players keep them secret from the others.
A chamber might have an effect associated with it, which is activated when someone mives into it, such as allowing you to rotate a chamber, removing one from the game entirely, teleporting to another part of the dungeon, or even unleashing Drakon the dragon into the dungeon.
Once Drakon is in the dungeon, whoever next lands on her space can move her up to 3 spaces, ignoring doors and arrows along the way. If she ends on a space with a character, that player must put back a random coin into the stack and return to the entrance chamber.
Once someone collects 10 coins total, they win the game. If the tile stack runs out, the game automatically ends, and the player with the most coins at the end will be the winner.
For the base game, I would say that Drakon is TOO simple, and I highly recommend playing with the alternate methods, which gives each character it's own unique power to use once per game, and whoever collects 10 coins must then either make it back to the entrance chamber, make it to a teleport tile, or use an escape tile. This makes the game a lot more fun in my opinion, and also adds the element of the other players trying to stop you if they suspect you are trying to escape.
Drakon can be a mixed bag. Sometimes the games are really enjoyable, as the chambee effects can really play havoc with other players, esoecially if Drakon comes out. Other times, it can be rather boring, and sometimes a player can build an infinite loop of collecting coins, with no way of stopping them, which isn't really fun for anyone. I also feel that anything over 4 players makes the game a little too chaotic, and it can make the game overstay it's welcome. Generally though, Drakon is a quick, light filler game that can hold up well in anyones collection.
Each player will have 4 tiles in their hand, and on their turn, they can either place a tile (drawing a new one afterwards) or move their character into an adjacent chamber. Each tile has a door or an arrow on each side. You can place a tile door to door or arrow to door, but never arrow to arrow. Once a player moves through a door, you can't go back the eay you came (by the usual means anyway.) The goal of the game is to collect 10 coins through entering a chamber with gold in it, or by stealing them from another player. Each coin will have a value between 1 and 3, and the players keep them secret from the others.
A chamber might have an effect associated with it, which is activated when someone mives into it, such as allowing you to rotate a chamber, removing one from the game entirely, teleporting to another part of the dungeon, or even unleashing Drakon the dragon into the dungeon.
Once Drakon is in the dungeon, whoever next lands on her space can move her up to 3 spaces, ignoring doors and arrows along the way. If she ends on a space with a character, that player must put back a random coin into the stack and return to the entrance chamber.
Once someone collects 10 coins total, they win the game. If the tile stack runs out, the game automatically ends, and the player with the most coins at the end will be the winner.
For the base game, I would say that Drakon is TOO simple, and I highly recommend playing with the alternate methods, which gives each character it's own unique power to use once per game, and whoever collects 10 coins must then either make it back to the entrance chamber, make it to a teleport tile, or use an escape tile. This makes the game a lot more fun in my opinion, and also adds the element of the other players trying to stop you if they suspect you are trying to escape.
Drakon can be a mixed bag. Sometimes the games are really enjoyable, as the chambee effects can really play havoc with other players, esoecially if Drakon comes out. Other times, it can be rather boring, and sometimes a player can build an infinite loop of collecting coins, with no way of stopping them, which isn't really fun for anyone. I also feel that anything over 4 players makes the game a little too chaotic, and it can make the game overstay it's welcome. Generally though, Drakon is a quick, light filler game that can hold up well in anyones collection.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Despicable Me 3 (2017) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
A disjointed third outing
They’re back. After the ridiculous success of Minions in 2015, Universal pressed ahead with a sequel to their other ridiculously successful animated franchise, Despicable Me.
The first two films were a delightful, if uneven adventure with everybody’s favourite yellow tic-tacs getting their standalone movie that grossed over $1billion. I know, I can’t believe it either.
Now, supervillain turned doting dad Gru is back for another round of animated mayhem. But is this third outing as enjoyable as its predecessors? Or are we starting to feel franchise fatigue?
The mischievous yet hopelessly adorable Minions hope that boss Gru (Steve Carell) will return to a life of crime after the Anti-Villain League fires him. Instead, he travels to Freedonia to meet his long-lost twin brother for the very first time. The siblings soon find themselves in a bickering alliance to take down supervillain Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), a child star from the 1980s who seeks revenge against the people who ended his career.
Universal have, rightly or wrongly, not messed with the formula that made the first two films such smash hits. That means you get the same uniquely animated world and characters with a reasonably engaging story that doesn’t ask too much of its audience. There is one difference however, the Minions. After the success of their own film, their presence here is notably jacked up – they’re given their own side quest and that is where we run into some problems.
The sacrifice made to accommodate this extra plot is a disjointed film that switches quite jarringly between each particular story point. One minute we’re tracking unicorns with Agnes, Margot and Edith, the next we’re joining the Minions and five minutes later we’re watching Gru strut his stuff against Balthazar Bratt.
Kids will love it, there’s no doubt about it and it’s sure to bring in the big bucks for Universal, but children’s films have become so much more than just bright colours, fart jokes and fragmented story points. Take 2015’s Inside Out for example or How to Train Your Dragon 2, the very pinnacle of animation.
There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with Despicable Me 3, the voice cast are all on point, Kristen Wiig is a joy as Lucy, and the animation is slick and colourful, but the bar has been set extraordinarily high.
Nevertheless, Trey Parker’s turn as villain Balthazar Bratt is great fun and he’s a brilliant antagonist throughout. See Marvel, it can be done.
There are moments of excellence here. Mature themes about growing up creep in to genuinely sweet moments, but they’re few and far between as the film steamrolls into a fun if generic final act.
Overall, there’s no doubt that Despicable Me 3 is going to be one of the biggest hits of the year. Packed with lovely animation, a great retro soundtrack, Minions and wonderful voice acting, it’s got all the ingredients for success; I just wish it had the guts to change the formula a little.
Cue the Minion memes in 3, 2, 1…
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/07/01/despicable-me-3-review/
The first two films were a delightful, if uneven adventure with everybody’s favourite yellow tic-tacs getting their standalone movie that grossed over $1billion. I know, I can’t believe it either.
Now, supervillain turned doting dad Gru is back for another round of animated mayhem. But is this third outing as enjoyable as its predecessors? Or are we starting to feel franchise fatigue?
The mischievous yet hopelessly adorable Minions hope that boss Gru (Steve Carell) will return to a life of crime after the Anti-Villain League fires him. Instead, he travels to Freedonia to meet his long-lost twin brother for the very first time. The siblings soon find themselves in a bickering alliance to take down supervillain Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), a child star from the 1980s who seeks revenge against the people who ended his career.
Universal have, rightly or wrongly, not messed with the formula that made the first two films such smash hits. That means you get the same uniquely animated world and characters with a reasonably engaging story that doesn’t ask too much of its audience. There is one difference however, the Minions. After the success of their own film, their presence here is notably jacked up – they’re given their own side quest and that is where we run into some problems.
The sacrifice made to accommodate this extra plot is a disjointed film that switches quite jarringly between each particular story point. One minute we’re tracking unicorns with Agnes, Margot and Edith, the next we’re joining the Minions and five minutes later we’re watching Gru strut his stuff against Balthazar Bratt.
Kids will love it, there’s no doubt about it and it’s sure to bring in the big bucks for Universal, but children’s films have become so much more than just bright colours, fart jokes and fragmented story points. Take 2015’s Inside Out for example or How to Train Your Dragon 2, the very pinnacle of animation.
There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with Despicable Me 3, the voice cast are all on point, Kristen Wiig is a joy as Lucy, and the animation is slick and colourful, but the bar has been set extraordinarily high.
Nevertheless, Trey Parker’s turn as villain Balthazar Bratt is great fun and he’s a brilliant antagonist throughout. See Marvel, it can be done.
There are moments of excellence here. Mature themes about growing up creep in to genuinely sweet moments, but they’re few and far between as the film steamrolls into a fun if generic final act.
Overall, there’s no doubt that Despicable Me 3 is going to be one of the biggest hits of the year. Packed with lovely animation, a great retro soundtrack, Minions and wonderful voice acting, it’s got all the ingredients for success; I just wish it had the guts to change the formula a little.
Cue the Minion memes in 3, 2, 1…
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/07/01/despicable-me-3-review/
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Good Dinosaur (2015) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Is it as good as Inside Out?
2015 has been a great year for film. From long-awaited sequels to the conclusion of epic franchises, it’s been one of the best and most successful movie seasons in recent memory, and with Star Wars: the Force Awakens out in December, it can only finish on a high.
It also marks the first time that Pixar has released two films in the same year. Summer saw the release of instant-classic Inside Out and now animation fans get to enjoy another movie from the studio, The Good Dinosaur, but has Pixar bitten of more than it can chew?
The Good Dinosaur follows the story of a young Apatosaurus named Arlo, voiced beautifully by Raymond Ochoa, as he comes to terms with growing up in an ever-changing world where dinosaurs never met their well-documented fates.
He, alongside human child Spot suddenly find themselves embroiled in a dangerous journey after getting lost a long way from their homes.
If this all sounds a little formulaic to you, then that’s because it is. The Good Dinosaur has a plot more akin to Paramount animation, rather than the exceptional storytelling we have come to expect from Pixar. There’s nothing particularly special or unique about the plot and this is a real shame.
Thankfully, Pixar’s usual gut-punches are out in full force and The Good Dinosaur is among one of the emotional films in the studio’s roster. Personal tragedy is never an easy thing to convey in a movie meant to be enjoyed by the whole family, but here it is dealt with in a beautiful and tasteful manner.
Scenes in which Arlo and Spot share their circumstances with each other hit home hard and are deeply saddening to watch.
The cinematography too is absolutely exceptional. The breath-taking prehistoric landscapes are rendered in such stunning animation, they almost feel real. From raging white-water to beautiful sun-flooded forests, everything is a joy to behold and this is where The Good Dinosaur excels – a firefly swarm in particular is spectacular and propels the film into How to Train Your Dragon territory for sheer spectacle.
However, the entire film feels like a show reel, albeit a mesmerising one, for the talents at Pixar. Each shot of scenery is lingered on for a little too long and agoraphobic Arlo’s plight can sometimes take a backseat to this beauty.
Nevertheless, there are some wonderful characters here. A trio of T-Rex, who turn out to be cowboys – or should that be cowdinos, provide The Good Dinosaur with some of its more standout moments and it’s the lack of these sequences where the film is found wanting.
Overall, Pixar has created another excellent piece of animation with The Good Dinosaur. Though not quite at their ‘gold standard,’ the film is a wonder to behold and shows just how gorgeous animated features can be.
Unfortunately, the lack of an original story ensures it’ll prove second best to Inside Out in this year’s battle despite its deeper emotional resonance.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/11/29/is-it-as-good-as-inside-out-the-good-dinosaur-review/
It also marks the first time that Pixar has released two films in the same year. Summer saw the release of instant-classic Inside Out and now animation fans get to enjoy another movie from the studio, The Good Dinosaur, but has Pixar bitten of more than it can chew?
The Good Dinosaur follows the story of a young Apatosaurus named Arlo, voiced beautifully by Raymond Ochoa, as he comes to terms with growing up in an ever-changing world where dinosaurs never met their well-documented fates.
He, alongside human child Spot suddenly find themselves embroiled in a dangerous journey after getting lost a long way from their homes.
If this all sounds a little formulaic to you, then that’s because it is. The Good Dinosaur has a plot more akin to Paramount animation, rather than the exceptional storytelling we have come to expect from Pixar. There’s nothing particularly special or unique about the plot and this is a real shame.
Thankfully, Pixar’s usual gut-punches are out in full force and The Good Dinosaur is among one of the emotional films in the studio’s roster. Personal tragedy is never an easy thing to convey in a movie meant to be enjoyed by the whole family, but here it is dealt with in a beautiful and tasteful manner.
Scenes in which Arlo and Spot share their circumstances with each other hit home hard and are deeply saddening to watch.
The cinematography too is absolutely exceptional. The breath-taking prehistoric landscapes are rendered in such stunning animation, they almost feel real. From raging white-water to beautiful sun-flooded forests, everything is a joy to behold and this is where The Good Dinosaur excels – a firefly swarm in particular is spectacular and propels the film into How to Train Your Dragon territory for sheer spectacle.
However, the entire film feels like a show reel, albeit a mesmerising one, for the talents at Pixar. Each shot of scenery is lingered on for a little too long and agoraphobic Arlo’s plight can sometimes take a backseat to this beauty.
Nevertheless, there are some wonderful characters here. A trio of T-Rex, who turn out to be cowboys – or should that be cowdinos, provide The Good Dinosaur with some of its more standout moments and it’s the lack of these sequences where the film is found wanting.
Overall, Pixar has created another excellent piece of animation with The Good Dinosaur. Though not quite at their ‘gold standard,’ the film is a wonder to behold and shows just how gorgeous animated features can be.
Unfortunately, the lack of an original story ensures it’ll prove second best to Inside Out in this year’s battle despite its deeper emotional resonance.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/11/29/is-it-as-good-as-inside-out-the-good-dinosaur-review/
Inky Books (3 KP) rated Eon: Dragoneye Reborn (Eon, #1) in Books
Jun 21, 2018
When I was young and impressionable (well, not really impressionable, I’ve actually always been the stubborn and fiery redhead I am now, just a little more shy) I read a book about a sixteen year old girl, in a man’s world, pretending to be a twelve year old boy. In this same book there were also dragons, no not the ones you hunt to steal their treasure, but the kind that you bond with and can gain amazing powers from.
Of course it has dragons; how could I resist? Ever since reading Eargon I’ve had a thing for books with dragons in them, though it is rather hard to find some where it isn’t all about dragon hunting. Anyone have any suggestions?
Anyway, so this book was one of my favorites as a teenager because of the world building as well as the secrets and powers that the characters have. And I really do like it, though I’m probably going to say more bad things than I will good for a reason I will explain later.
So, the good things:
Main character, Eona. I guess I feel like she is similar to me in a way. She can be stubborn but also knows when to hold herself back when she needs to. She can be rather forceful and hostile while also having a nicer, sweeter side. She struggles with much through the book and it gives the book a more realistic feeling.
The world of the Dragoneyes. It’s ancient Chinese mythology, and mythology is something I like to read and learn about. It is very interesting to read about, and the author did her research on the subject.
And the bad things:
The book moved rather slowly. Yes, there was a lot that happened, but there was also a large amount of the politics of the world that got involved to. Politics isn’t something I like, it’s actually something I am starting to hate in recent years. So this doesn’t appeal to me. When I got closer to the end I skimmed, half because I knew what was happening for the most part, half because I was getting so bored with the back and forth of the characters.
The characters. Most of the characters had a fake feeling to them. They seemed one sided and all kind of reacted in similar ways when faced with these situations. They were almost flat and didn’t seem real.
Eona. Yes I know she is in the good things too, but I really dislike her fatal flaw. It took her most of the book to figure out (even though she wasn’t even the one who figured it out in the end) what the secret was to her power. It was rather annoying and I wish the author would have allowed Eona to figure it out a bit soon and have some more of the awesome power in there.
The good aspects of this book do outweigh the bad ones, but it still caused me to think hard about the rating I would give it.
Of course it has dragons; how could I resist? Ever since reading Eargon I’ve had a thing for books with dragons in them, though it is rather hard to find some where it isn’t all about dragon hunting. Anyone have any suggestions?
Anyway, so this book was one of my favorites as a teenager because of the world building as well as the secrets and powers that the characters have. And I really do like it, though I’m probably going to say more bad things than I will good for a reason I will explain later.
So, the good things:
Main character, Eona. I guess I feel like she is similar to me in a way. She can be stubborn but also knows when to hold herself back when she needs to. She can be rather forceful and hostile while also having a nicer, sweeter side. She struggles with much through the book and it gives the book a more realistic feeling.
The world of the Dragoneyes. It’s ancient Chinese mythology, and mythology is something I like to read and learn about. It is very interesting to read about, and the author did her research on the subject.
And the bad things:
The book moved rather slowly. Yes, there was a lot that happened, but there was also a large amount of the politics of the world that got involved to. Politics isn’t something I like, it’s actually something I am starting to hate in recent years. So this doesn’t appeal to me. When I got closer to the end I skimmed, half because I knew what was happening for the most part, half because I was getting so bored with the back and forth of the characters.
The characters. Most of the characters had a fake feeling to them. They seemed one sided and all kind of reacted in similar ways when faced with these situations. They were almost flat and didn’t seem real.
Eona. Yes I know she is in the good things too, but I really dislike her fatal flaw. It took her most of the book to figure out (even though she wasn’t even the one who figured it out in the end) what the secret was to her power. It was rather annoying and I wish the author would have allowed Eona to figure it out a bit soon and have some more of the awesome power in there.
The good aspects of this book do outweigh the bad ones, but it still caused me to think hard about the rating I would give it.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Trial By Fire (Going Down in Flames, #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
It goes without saying that the <i>Going Down in Flames</i> series and I have had a rocky history I wasn't a fan of the <a title="Going Down in Flames review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-going-down-in-flames-by-chris-cannon"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">first book</a> (but I totally saw potential!) and I became a little more fond by the second book.
The latest installment in the series doesn't make too much of a blip aside from the fortunate fact the series does <em>not</em> get worse. The series is very slow paced and <i>Trial by Fire</i> doesn't get any faster, but there are other aspects of the book that are much more redeeming and there is definitely plenty of excitement going around for the dragon shifters at the Institute.
In the midst of trying to figure out her love life (which is about as sad as mine if not sadder), trying not to get killed/attacked by rebels, and trying to figure out her connection to Valmont (her knight), Brynn continues to attempt changes to the Directorate's values that have been around for hundreds of years. Bryn actually <em>starts</em> some of those changes in the second book, <a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-bridges-burned-by-chris-cannon"; target="_blank" rel="noopener tag">Bridges Burned</a>, but further progress is definitely made in <i>Trial by Fire</i> as her peers slowly begin to support her including Jaxon himself.
Jaxon is the Draco Malfoy of <i>Going Down in Flames</i> I'm serious. This dude <em>worships</em> his father and just has a Draco air about him ever since the very beginning of the series (it does not help that he occasionally says, "MY FATHER WILL HEAR OF THIS."). But as the series progresses, Jaxon is beginning to shape himself into a memorable character he's certainly not a jerk as he was depicted in the first book. And his hate relationship with Bryn?
It's really gotten to the point where their jabs are hilarious and entertaining to the book overall, because Jaxon's feathers get ruffled <em>so</em> easily. Clint and Ivy are fantastic side characters who provide Bryn with an overwhelming amount of support and I just adore love how they continue to play major roles in the series (YOU CAN NOT KILL THEM, CHRIS CANNON). Valmont just adds to the whole, "Jaxon's feathers get ruffled so easily."
And Byrn? Well... Bryn's okay as the main character. Still worries about her love life a lot, but it's not overshadowing the plot anymore. And since <i>Trial by Fire</i> further proves the slow progression of the revolution in the series, I'm sure it'll be well worth the wait by the time the last book comes out.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-trial-by-fire-by-chris-cannon-arc-review-and-giveaway/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
It goes without saying that the <i>Going Down in Flames</i> series and I have had a rocky history I wasn't a fan of the <a title="Going Down in Flames review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-going-down-in-flames-by-chris-cannon"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">first book</a> (but I totally saw potential!) and I became a little more fond by the second book.
The latest installment in the series doesn't make too much of a blip aside from the fortunate fact the series does <em>not</em> get worse. The series is very slow paced and <i>Trial by Fire</i> doesn't get any faster, but there are other aspects of the book that are much more redeeming and there is definitely plenty of excitement going around for the dragon shifters at the Institute.
In the midst of trying to figure out her love life (which is about as sad as mine if not sadder), trying not to get killed/attacked by rebels, and trying to figure out her connection to Valmont (her knight), Brynn continues to attempt changes to the Directorate's values that have been around for hundreds of years. Bryn actually <em>starts</em> some of those changes in the second book, <a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-bridges-burned-by-chris-cannon"; target="_blank" rel="noopener tag">Bridges Burned</a>, but further progress is definitely made in <i>Trial by Fire</i> as her peers slowly begin to support her including Jaxon himself.
Jaxon is the Draco Malfoy of <i>Going Down in Flames</i> I'm serious. This dude <em>worships</em> his father and just has a Draco air about him ever since the very beginning of the series (it does not help that he occasionally says, "MY FATHER WILL HEAR OF THIS."). But as the series progresses, Jaxon is beginning to shape himself into a memorable character he's certainly not a jerk as he was depicted in the first book. And his hate relationship with Bryn?
It's really gotten to the point where their jabs are hilarious and entertaining to the book overall, because Jaxon's feathers get ruffled <em>so</em> easily. Clint and Ivy are fantastic side characters who provide Bryn with an overwhelming amount of support and I just adore love how they continue to play major roles in the series (YOU CAN NOT KILL THEM, CHRIS CANNON). Valmont just adds to the whole, "Jaxon's feathers get ruffled so easily."
And Byrn? Well... Bryn's okay as the main character. Still worries about her love life a lot, but it's not overshadowing the plot anymore. And since <i>Trial by Fire</i> further proves the slow progression of the revolution in the series, I'm sure it'll be well worth the wait by the time the last book comes out.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-trial-by-fire-by-chris-cannon-arc-review-and-giveaway/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Your Highness (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
For all you minotaur lovers out there, the movie Your Highness is the film for you. Not that the movie is about them but it has the most unique minotaur I have ever seen in a movie. Your Highness takes place long ago in a land far away in a kingdom that has two princes. The oldest and heir-to-the-throne is Prince Fabious (the fabulous James Franco). He is a prince’s prince, a knight’s knight, he enjoys protecting the innocent, he slays evil cyclops and other evil things that should be slayed.
The youngest is Prince Thadeous (film co-writer Danny McBride), he is a slacker’s slacker, a player’s player, he enjoys booze and other mind-altering stuff, he lays with easy maidens and…well, you get the point. Even though the two brothers are so very different they still love each other, even if Thadeous won’t admit it. So when Prince Fabious was to be married to the beautiful yet naive Belladonna (the enchanting Zooey Deschanel) he wanted none other than his younger brother to be his best man.
But fate had other plans and what should have been the happiest of wedding days was ruined when the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux) kidnaps Belladonna so he can produce an evil dragon offspring that he would use to rule the world. The two brothers vow to save her and kill Leezar. Ok, technically Thadeous is told by their father the King (Charles Dance) that either he goes with his older brother or he will be kicked out of the kingdom and it is Fabious who does the vowing. So they ride out with their most trusted knights and along the way they meet the Great Wize (not a typo) Wizard (voiced by Mario Torres. Jr.), the highly skilled fighter Isabel (played by a pretty intimidating Natalie Portman), the Minotaur (Brian Steele, a surprisingly fitting name), forest people (I loved the forest people!). Epic adventure and treachery ensue – dun dun dunn! Will they save Belladonna and the world? Will Thadeous become a respectable prince? Will the minotaur live happily ever after?
The movie is funny but the humor is on par with middle-school-aged male humor so approximately 80% of all adult males will probably find the movie funny and a lot of wives will be wondering why they married them. It also had some decent fight scenes sprinkled throughout the movie. I’ll be honest, there were a couple of scenes in the film that I wish I could un-see… the kind of stuff that never happened in any dice role-playing game that I have ever played.
Now I am sure we have all seen movies where one person’s performance was so well done that it made the other people’s performances seem lacking (whether they truly were or not). To me this movie fell victim to that problem. After all with people like Charles Dance, Natalie Portman, James Franco, Zooey Deschanel and Damian Lewis, who plays Boremont, one of the trusted Knights, it was bound to happen. Overall, a very entertaining and funny movie.
The youngest is Prince Thadeous (film co-writer Danny McBride), he is a slacker’s slacker, a player’s player, he enjoys booze and other mind-altering stuff, he lays with easy maidens and…well, you get the point. Even though the two brothers are so very different they still love each other, even if Thadeous won’t admit it. So when Prince Fabious was to be married to the beautiful yet naive Belladonna (the enchanting Zooey Deschanel) he wanted none other than his younger brother to be his best man.
But fate had other plans and what should have been the happiest of wedding days was ruined when the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux) kidnaps Belladonna so he can produce an evil dragon offspring that he would use to rule the world. The two brothers vow to save her and kill Leezar. Ok, technically Thadeous is told by their father the King (Charles Dance) that either he goes with his older brother or he will be kicked out of the kingdom and it is Fabious who does the vowing. So they ride out with their most trusted knights and along the way they meet the Great Wize (not a typo) Wizard (voiced by Mario Torres. Jr.), the highly skilled fighter Isabel (played by a pretty intimidating Natalie Portman), the Minotaur (Brian Steele, a surprisingly fitting name), forest people (I loved the forest people!). Epic adventure and treachery ensue – dun dun dunn! Will they save Belladonna and the world? Will Thadeous become a respectable prince? Will the minotaur live happily ever after?
The movie is funny but the humor is on par with middle-school-aged male humor so approximately 80% of all adult males will probably find the movie funny and a lot of wives will be wondering why they married them. It also had some decent fight scenes sprinkled throughout the movie. I’ll be honest, there were a couple of scenes in the film that I wish I could un-see… the kind of stuff that never happened in any dice role-playing game that I have ever played.
Now I am sure we have all seen movies where one person’s performance was so well done that it made the other people’s performances seem lacking (whether they truly were or not). To me this movie fell victim to that problem. After all with people like Charles Dance, Natalie Portman, James Franco, Zooey Deschanel and Damian Lewis, who plays Boremont, one of the trusted Knights, it was bound to happen. Overall, a very entertaining and funny movie.
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#1 Children's Book on iPhone and iPad (August, 2011) Featured in New & Noteworthy Books by Apple ...
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018) in Movies
Oct 2, 2019
Characters – Lisbeth Salander is the famous hacker that will stand up against any man that is causing a woman abuse, she will leave her brand on them. She is called for difficult hacking jobs, which sees her take something from the Americans, this makes her a wanted suspect in Sweden and her on the run looking for answers to clear her name. Mikael Blomkvist is still the only person that Lisbeth will trust, he tries to operate from a distant and investigates the trust behind what is happening. Ed Needham is the American that has his system hacked, a government man, he heads to Sweden to get it back and finds nothing but barriers from the Swedish government. Camilla Salander is the long lost sister of Lisbeth, she thought to be dead, but now she is involved in a criminal gang known as The Spiders, targeting Lisbeth for what she wants.
Performances – Claire Foy does feel mis-cast in this role, she doesn’t seem to have a tough enough look to make this character effect as the two previous stars. Sverrir Gudnason had large shoes to fill and he doesn’t do a strong enough job in the Mikael role, while Sylvia Hoeks does what she can with her role without being anything overly special, while LaKeith Stanfield doesn’t seem to feel like the character he is meant to be playing.
Story – The story here is the fourth story in the Dragon Tattoo world, the second in English and is the first not written by the original author. We follow Lisbeth who once again finds herself needing to take on secret organisation that what something that could put the world in danger and this time it becomes more personal, with her sister being the enemy. This story does feel like it has borrowed from many other films and while it still puts Lisbeth is an anti-hero role, we only seem to find ourselves in one direction where Lisbeth is always one step ahead of everything happening, despite the fact we get to see just how twisted the Spiders are, it paints one image of them only to leave us facing a different softer enemy.
Action/Crime – The action was pretty much all given away in the trailer, we have the motorbike chase across the ice, the car chases and shoot outs, each feels very similar and doesn’t have the suspense required in a thriller.
Settings – The film does try to bring everything back to Lisbeth’s backstory with the settings showing the off the grid life she current lives compared to the one she could have lived, the snowy roads add a little to the chases, but not that much overall.
Scene of the Movie – Ice lake escape.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The Spider’s not hinting at wanting to do to what they did to the guy without a nose, to the new Lisbeth group.
Final Thoughts – This does feel like a cash grab on a franchise that has never taken off on the American side of things, we get everything scaled back leaving us feeling disappointed by the end of the film.
Overall: No thrills to be seen here.
Performances – Claire Foy does feel mis-cast in this role, she doesn’t seem to have a tough enough look to make this character effect as the two previous stars. Sverrir Gudnason had large shoes to fill and he doesn’t do a strong enough job in the Mikael role, while Sylvia Hoeks does what she can with her role without being anything overly special, while LaKeith Stanfield doesn’t seem to feel like the character he is meant to be playing.
Story – The story here is the fourth story in the Dragon Tattoo world, the second in English and is the first not written by the original author. We follow Lisbeth who once again finds herself needing to take on secret organisation that what something that could put the world in danger and this time it becomes more personal, with her sister being the enemy. This story does feel like it has borrowed from many other films and while it still puts Lisbeth is an anti-hero role, we only seem to find ourselves in one direction where Lisbeth is always one step ahead of everything happening, despite the fact we get to see just how twisted the Spiders are, it paints one image of them only to leave us facing a different softer enemy.
Action/Crime – The action was pretty much all given away in the trailer, we have the motorbike chase across the ice, the car chases and shoot outs, each feels very similar and doesn’t have the suspense required in a thriller.
Settings – The film does try to bring everything back to Lisbeth’s backstory with the settings showing the off the grid life she current lives compared to the one she could have lived, the snowy roads add a little to the chases, but not that much overall.
Scene of the Movie – Ice lake escape.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The Spider’s not hinting at wanting to do to what they did to the guy without a nose, to the new Lisbeth group.
Final Thoughts – This does feel like a cash grab on a franchise that has never taken off on the American side of things, we get everything scaled back leaving us feeling disappointed by the end of the film.
Overall: No thrills to be seen here.
Skateboard Party 2 Lite
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Skateboard Party 2 brings all the fun of skateboarding to your mobile device allowing you to ride in...