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Dr. Panda Train

Education

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Dr. Panda Train has pulled into the station! Put on your conductor hat and take passengers on a...

Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated The Polaris Uprising (Polaris, #1) in Books

Jan 12, 2018

[The Polaris Uprising] has a similar plot line of many teen dystopian novels. It seems that the author [Jennifer Ibarra] borrowed the best parts of many and created her own. This is not a bad thing. In fact it helps to get YA readers to try new books.

The plot is set after a war in which the current leadership came to power and had promised to keep the people from want. Although the leader is called a president he is not democratically elected, in fact it represents a monarchy as he is prepping his youngest daughter to take his place when she come of age. His oldest daughter is a doctor who has just come of age and will marry her 'match'.

In this novel the idea that the state takes care of everything including your decisions is a driving force. It has let to the uprising as people want some freedom back. The sisters get entangled in this conflict. The question is what side will they take?

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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Serenity (2019) in Movies

Mar 7, 2019 (Updated Mar 7, 2019)

Serenity (2019)

2019 | Drama, Thriller

5.1

(8 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Not what I expected

I really don’t see what they were trying to do with this film. From the trailer it looks like it should be a dark and gritty thriller with a fantastic cast, and it all honesty it probably should have stuck with that. Instead it has such a bizarre and unexpected twist that really throws off the balance of the entire film. It’s unpredictable (which is unusual for a twist), but it is just so odd and out of place that I spent the rest of the film trying to figure out whether I actually liked the twist or not. In the end, I decided I didn’t.
And as great as the cast are, some of the acting felt a little too over the top and some are a little underused (Djimon Hounsou and Diane Lane). There are also parts of this film where Matthew McConaughey is driving past corn fields in a pickup truck that made me feel like I was watching Interstellar. I really wish I had been watching that instead.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2171 KP) rated Mrs. Pollifax Pursued (Mrs. Pollifax, #11) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

The last thing Mrs. Pollifax expected to find that day was a young woman hiding in her closet. Kadi is afraid of the men who have been driving by in a van for the last couple of days, and Mrs. Pollifax’s efforts to sneak her out of the house end with both of them on the run. A call to Carstairs at the CIA leads them to an unusual safe house and another mystery. Are the two related?

This is a bit of an unusual entry in the series since it takes place mostly in the US and Carstairs plays a much more active part in the story. However, I like it for that change of pace. The plot relies a bit more on coincidence than is normal for the series (which is saying something), but all the various threads do wind up playing a part in the end. Overall, another great entry in the series.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/07/book-review-mrs-pollifax-pursued-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

Kudos

HLD (99 KP) rated Baby Driver (2017) in Movies

Jul 3, 2018

Baby Driver (2017)

2017 | Action, Comedy

8.2

(159 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

The soundtrack (2 more)

Recognisable faces - and not just for 2 minute cameos

Ansel Elgort is strangely appealing. Even if he barely freaking speaks

Kevin Spacey (1 more)

I had friends that 'couldn't get into it', but it's the kind of film that's not everyone's taste

So good. So. So. So good.

Went into this not knowing a thing about it. Except, I assumed, there would be some driving involved. Just the poster alone made me think I'd like it, and I did.
It's just such a fun experience. The story isn't overly serious or convoluted, yet Baby's obsession over music and, the reasoning for it, add depth to him that really make the character a touch more loveable.
Action scenes aren't boring Michael Bay-esque. There is an element of fear for the characters safety, but more-so intrigue and respect at how those shots were created.

Without spoiling anything; I enjoyed the ending. It was a touch unrealistic, but the entire film dips its toe in that realm.

I left feeling satisfied, happy, and most of all, entertained. That's what it is all about!