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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Ready Player One (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune.
I might have to take back my negative ramblings about 3D briefly for this one. I was cursing under my breath when I saw the showing go up in the listings. You know my general feelings about the pointless format.
While I'm in no way converted, and out of choice I will always pick a 2D showing, this one was good. But I'm inclined to put that down to the video game nature of much of the film. I would note though that the film was clearer and more crisp to watch. Possibly this is down to the equipment used in the screens, as this was a different one to Tomb Raider which was decidedly fuzzy.
I didn't know anything about this film before going into it. Many people had told me that the book was difficult to read, and potentially that much of it might translate badly to the screen. I'm inclined to think that this film knocked its book out of the park judging by the crowd's reaction.
Most of the time, and compared to many of my friends, I consider myself to be a bit of a nerd. Even so, there were still a lot of references that completely passed me by on this one. It's a perfect film for the nostalgic nerd. At so many points I found myself smiling from memories of something as I saw it on the screen.
I might have to take back my negative ramblings about 3D briefly for this one. I was cursing under my breath when I saw the showing go up in the listings. You know my general feelings about the pointless format.
While I'm in no way converted, and out of choice I will always pick a 2D showing, this one was good. But I'm inclined to put that down to the video game nature of much of the film. I would note though that the film was clearer and more crisp to watch. Possibly this is down to the equipment used in the screens, as this was a different one to Tomb Raider which was decidedly fuzzy.
I didn't know anything about this film before going into it. Many people had told me that the book was difficult to read, and potentially that much of it might translate badly to the screen. I'm inclined to think that this film knocked its book out of the park judging by the crowd's reaction.
Most of the time, and compared to many of my friends, I consider myself to be a bit of a nerd. Even so, there were still a lot of references that completely passed me by on this one. It's a perfect film for the nostalgic nerd. At so many points I found myself smiling from memories of something as I saw it on the screen.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Dyeing Season in Books
Apr 12, 2019 (Updated Apr 12, 2019)
Spring Tornado Leaves Behind a Murder Victim
A sudden spring tornado finds Lucy scrambling to protect her property. When she goes to her elderly neighbor’s place, she finds Dottie alone with no idea where her home health aid is. This isn’t like Eva, so the women are worried. It’s only after the storm has passed that they get an answer when Lucy finds Eva’s body. Even with the tornado having just passed, it is very clear that Eva was murdered. The tornado left behind destruction to Lucy’s crops, so she needs to replant, but she can’t help begin to investigate what happened to Eva. Will she uncover the truth?
Being a wind hating California native, this book hooked me from the opening tornado. That didn’t diminish a bit when the storm ended and Lucy found the body. The plot is strong and, while not a typical cozy formula, held my attention the entire time as I waited to see how Lucy could prove what she was pretty sure was happening and who the killer would turn out to be. It’s wonderful to spend time with these characters again, and I enjoyed getting to know some new ones, too. I suspect we’ll see more of some of them in future books; at least I hope so. I did catch a few annoying editing issues, but they can be easily fixed and don’t impact the story at all; in fact, they vanish as we get further into the book. There are seven recipes at the end, including natural dyes for eggs, perfect for Easter. This is a fast, fun read that will leave cozy fans anxious for their next trip to visit Lucy.
Being a wind hating California native, this book hooked me from the opening tornado. That didn’t diminish a bit when the storm ended and Lucy found the body. The plot is strong and, while not a typical cozy formula, held my attention the entire time as I waited to see how Lucy could prove what she was pretty sure was happening and who the killer would turn out to be. It’s wonderful to spend time with these characters again, and I enjoyed getting to know some new ones, too. I suspect we’ll see more of some of them in future books; at least I hope so. I did catch a few annoying editing issues, but they can be easily fixed and don’t impact the story at all; in fact, they vanish as we get further into the book. There are seven recipes at the end, including natural dyes for eggs, perfect for Easter. This is a fast, fun read that will leave cozy fans anxious for their next trip to visit Lucy.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Ready Player One (2018) in Movies
Sep 30, 2018
Visual magic and Van Halen. What could be better?
I very much dislike when people compare movies to books since most of the time they will say "the book was better". Books and movies are completely different mediums and therefore should be judged individually, not compared to one another.
I remember reading one time John Grisham was interviewed after The Firm was released and said if they had stuck to the book, 45 minutes of the movie would have been the characters making photo copies of important papers.
Books can delve into details better. An author can spend six chapters describing a tree or get into character's heads and know what they are thinking. There can even be 38 main characters.
Movies are completely different and should be judged that way. Some may say filmmakers changed certain elements which worked just fine in print. Truthfully I do not understand why things are changed either; however, just because something is different does not make it worse.
Whew ok.
Ready Player One was old school Spielberg magic, plain and simple. The story was nothing special. The villains were sort of cardboard and one-dimensional, but maybe they were supposed to be like that. I mean, weren't the villains in Real Genius or Biff Tannen just as hokey?
The visual splendor and eye candy I usually rip on were vast this time around and thoroughly kept me engaged the whole way through.
I will hopefully watch again soon so I can pick on some of the Easter eggs I missed the first time around.
This film is for anyone who lived through the 80's as I did and loves movies as I do.
I remember reading one time John Grisham was interviewed after The Firm was released and said if they had stuck to the book, 45 minutes of the movie would have been the characters making photo copies of important papers.
Books can delve into details better. An author can spend six chapters describing a tree or get into character's heads and know what they are thinking. There can even be 38 main characters.
Movies are completely different and should be judged that way. Some may say filmmakers changed certain elements which worked just fine in print. Truthfully I do not understand why things are changed either; however, just because something is different does not make it worse.
Whew ok.
Ready Player One was old school Spielberg magic, plain and simple. The story was nothing special. The villains were sort of cardboard and one-dimensional, but maybe they were supposed to be like that. I mean, weren't the villains in Real Genius or Biff Tannen just as hokey?
The visual splendor and eye candy I usually rip on were vast this time around and thoroughly kept me engaged the whole way through.
I will hopefully watch again soon so I can pick on some of the Easter eggs I missed the first time around.
This film is for anyone who lived through the 80's as I did and loves movies as I do.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Chasing the Dime in Books
Nov 18, 2018
"What Happened to You?" "I Got the Wrong Number."
Henry Pierce is just days away from a patent and a huge meeting with a potential investor at the company he founded. However, he's also just moved into an apartment since he has split with his fiancee. That, of course, means a new land line, and Pierce starts to get phone messages for someone named Lilly. Pierce quickly figures out that Lilly is a prostitute, but how did he get her number? Why would she give it up? Pierce isn't able to let the puzzle go, and he begins to spend his weekend obsessing over finding her instead of doing the last-minute things he should be doing for his company. Will he find her? Will he destroy everything he's worked for in the process?
This book is definitely a departure for Michael Connelly, featuring an everyman and bordering on a technothriller. It starts out well with plenty of intrigue, but it gets bogged down in the second half. The pace gets way too slow at one point before picking up again and racing to the climax. Pierce's reasons for getting as involved as he does are reasonable, but we don't find out until the end. He does make an interesting main character, however, and the rest of the cast are just as strong. Since this book originally came out in 2002, it has some dated elements. It's amazing how much our lives have changed in the last decade and a half. This is one of Connelly's rare stand-alones, and you can read it as much, but fans of the Harry Bosch books will recognize some cool Easter Eggs, including a reference to the ending of City of Bones, the Bosch book that came out just before this book did.
This book is definitely a departure for Michael Connelly, featuring an everyman and bordering on a technothriller. It starts out well with plenty of intrigue, but it gets bogged down in the second half. The pace gets way too slow at one point before picking up again and racing to the climax. Pierce's reasons for getting as involved as he does are reasonable, but we don't find out until the end. He does make an interesting main character, however, and the rest of the cast are just as strong. Since this book originally came out in 2002, it has some dated elements. It's amazing how much our lives have changed in the last decade and a half. This is one of Connelly's rare stand-alones, and you can read it as much, but fans of the Harry Bosch books will recognize some cool Easter Eggs, including a reference to the ending of City of Bones, the Bosch book that came out just before this book did.
Rebecca Billcliff (2409 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Fallout 4 in Video Games
May 12, 2021
Subtle jokes and references (2 more)
Expansion packs
Rich and emersive world
Crashes a lot! (1 more)
Settlement building has so issues
This is my world now.
So I know I am late to the game here, but I finally treated myself to a new console and this game. Oh god was it worth it!
My husband is not exactly thrilled, but looking myself in the Commonwelth has helped me deal with a lot of stress and anxiety. Thanks COVID!
There are sk many ways to play, things to do and tiny details.
There is also the ability to build your own settlement, which is both brilliant, and infuriating in equal measure. It's so cool to display your finds in a player home you built yourself. Though if I find one more random settler in my bed I will shoot him!
Unlike Fallout 3, the enemies seem to get stronger as you do, so getting yourself overpowerd is not an easy thing to do (well, it was not for me anyway), and you will get your a*s handed to you a few times.
There is just so much, you can build your own Mr Handy's (with the expantion), your companions can interact with one another, the law runs deep and there are more Easter eggs than you can shake a bunny at!
Love it, despite the near constant crashes that can occur, the quicksand function helps deal with this, once you get into the habit of doing it regularly.
Quest lines range from funny, sad, disturbing tk just plain nuts! A little something for everyone.
All in all, it has its flaws, but is a great follow up the 3, a must for any fallout fan.
My husband is not exactly thrilled, but looking myself in the Commonwelth has helped me deal with a lot of stress and anxiety. Thanks COVID!
There are sk many ways to play, things to do and tiny details.
There is also the ability to build your own settlement, which is both brilliant, and infuriating in equal measure. It's so cool to display your finds in a player home you built yourself. Though if I find one more random settler in my bed I will shoot him!
Unlike Fallout 3, the enemies seem to get stronger as you do, so getting yourself overpowerd is not an easy thing to do (well, it was not for me anyway), and you will get your a*s handed to you a few times.
There is just so much, you can build your own Mr Handy's (with the expantion), your companions can interact with one another, the law runs deep and there are more Easter eggs than you can shake a bunny at!
Love it, despite the near constant crashes that can occur, the quicksand function helps deal with this, once you get into the habit of doing it regularly.
Quest lines range from funny, sad, disturbing tk just plain nuts! A little something for everyone.
All in all, it has its flaws, but is a great follow up the 3, a must for any fallout fan.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) in Movies
Feb 11, 2021
It might be playing hard to get, but there's plenty to love about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 if you know where to look.
A lot of it's strength lies in its stellar cast once again. All the key players from the first movie are back, with a whole heap of new faces, and expanded roles for side characters. New cast members include Kurt fucking Russell as none other than Ego the Living Planet, which is wild in itself, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, as well as smaller roles for Sylvester Stallone and Elizabeth Debicki. Bigger roles for Karen Gillan and Michael Rooker are also welcome.
In terms of material, it's brimming with Easter eggs, and hints at what's to come in the future - Adam Warlock, the original Guardians roster, The Watchers, Celestials - it has some truly wonderful moments for fans of the comics.
The plot is fun enough, and all leads to the subject of family and parenthood. It has some touching scenes amongst all the space battles. My main issue is with the comedy - the jokes and quips in Vol. 2 are absolutely relentless. Where as the first movie, and plenty of other MCU entries, manage to strike a fine balance in the more comedic side of things, Vol. 2 just throws everything and the kitchen sink at the script hoping that something will stick the landing, and there are plenty of funny lines here, but there's an equal amount of jokes that miss the mark. It becomes a little tiresome, and is the exact same issue I had with Deadpool 2!
However, despite its flaws, Vol. 2 is still a lot of fun, and another decent entry into the cosmic MCU canon, and it's moving closing scene, set to Cat Stevens "Father & Son" is one of my favourites in the entire franchise. Also, Baby Groot.
A lot of it's strength lies in its stellar cast once again. All the key players from the first movie are back, with a whole heap of new faces, and expanded roles for side characters. New cast members include Kurt fucking Russell as none other than Ego the Living Planet, which is wild in itself, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, as well as smaller roles for Sylvester Stallone and Elizabeth Debicki. Bigger roles for Karen Gillan and Michael Rooker are also welcome.
In terms of material, it's brimming with Easter eggs, and hints at what's to come in the future - Adam Warlock, the original Guardians roster, The Watchers, Celestials - it has some truly wonderful moments for fans of the comics.
The plot is fun enough, and all leads to the subject of family and parenthood. It has some touching scenes amongst all the space battles. My main issue is with the comedy - the jokes and quips in Vol. 2 are absolutely relentless. Where as the first movie, and plenty of other MCU entries, manage to strike a fine balance in the more comedic side of things, Vol. 2 just throws everything and the kitchen sink at the script hoping that something will stick the landing, and there are plenty of funny lines here, but there's an equal amount of jokes that miss the mark. It becomes a little tiresome, and is the exact same issue I had with Deadpool 2!
However, despite its flaws, Vol. 2 is still a lot of fun, and another decent entry into the cosmic MCU canon, and it's moving closing scene, set to Cat Stevens "Father & Son" is one of my favourites in the entire franchise. Also, Baby Groot.
Fred (860 KP) rated Hubie Halloween (2020) in Movies
Oct 10, 2020
A new Halloween classic?
First question: Is this a good movie? No
Second question: Is this movie funny? Yes
You can't go into this movie expecting it to be any more than it is. A comedy with Adam Sandler & his friends acting silly.
The story is silly, the characters are silly. It's typical Sandler. People are mean to him but he keeps on keeping on until he's the hero. At the end, I didn't feel his bullies got what they deserved, but Hubie, Sandler's character, gets what he deserves. And that's fine.
His movies are all about his character. The out-of-place loser that everyone hates or makes fun of. So, how does Hubie stack up? He's great. He's the Water Boy character but instead of water, he's into safety, especially during Halloween. But the thing that I really liked is that he was scared of everything, screaming at every little jump scare & some not even that. And every time he screamed, I laughed out loud. In fact, there were lots of things making me laugh at. Every shirt that Hubie's mother & her friend wore had me laugh like a kid. I think the part that made me laugh the loudest was the cat's reaction when Violet insults it. The secondary characters were all funny as well.
There were throw backs & Easter eggs to his other movies too, like the O'Doyles from Billy Madison or Ben Stiller from Happy Gillmore. But I don't want to give away any more of them, including the cameos from famous people.
So, in ending, yeah, it's not actually art, but it's damn funny. I was laughing throughout the whole thing. I could see myself watching this every Halloween. It's a new classic in my house.
Second question: Is this movie funny? Yes
You can't go into this movie expecting it to be any more than it is. A comedy with Adam Sandler & his friends acting silly.
The story is silly, the characters are silly. It's typical Sandler. People are mean to him but he keeps on keeping on until he's the hero. At the end, I didn't feel his bullies got what they deserved, but Hubie, Sandler's character, gets what he deserves. And that's fine.
His movies are all about his character. The out-of-place loser that everyone hates or makes fun of. So, how does Hubie stack up? He's great. He's the Water Boy character but instead of water, he's into safety, especially during Halloween. But the thing that I really liked is that he was scared of everything, screaming at every little jump scare & some not even that. And every time he screamed, I laughed out loud. In fact, there were lots of things making me laugh at. Every shirt that Hubie's mother & her friend wore had me laugh like a kid. I think the part that made me laugh the loudest was the cat's reaction when Violet insults it. The secondary characters were all funny as well.
There were throw backs & Easter eggs to his other movies too, like the O'Doyles from Billy Madison or Ben Stiller from Happy Gillmore. But I don't want to give away any more of them, including the cameos from famous people.
So, in ending, yeah, it's not actually art, but it's damn funny. I was laughing throughout the whole thing. I could see myself watching this every Halloween. It's a new classic in my house.
Merissa (12911 KP) rated The Blacksmith and the Ex-Con (Farthingdale Ranch #2) in Books
May 25, 2021 (Updated Jul 26, 2023)
THE BLACKSMITH AND THE EX-CON is the second book in the Farthingdale Ranch series, although you can read it as a standalone as I have.
Ellis is the ex-con who has had a hard time of it. Now, I'm not excusing what he's done, but he did do it for the right reasons. And given the relationship he did have, I can understand the mutism. My heart ached for him, it really did. Jasper is a big, gruff, sweetie who would do anything for those he lets in. And he certainly lets Ellis in. The romance develops slowly, but compassion and kindness are there from the get-go.
There are easter eggs in here for Honey from the Lion (that I have read) which is part of the Love Across Time series. I'm ashamed to admit that the fate of the ranch that Laurie disappeared from never even entered my mind, so it was great to see this from a different view.
I loved all the characters in this book - even Phil! He was horrible, but exactly as he was supposed to be. Obviously, the biggest growth was Ellis, but Jasper comes along nicely too. The supporting cast provides understanding, love, and humour to our main two.
This book was extremely well-written and paced, and certainly kept my attention from the first word to the very last. I will be reading book one in this series simply down to the characters and Ms North's writing. If that isn't a recommendation, then I don't know what is!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 25, 2021
Ellis is the ex-con who has had a hard time of it. Now, I'm not excusing what he's done, but he did do it for the right reasons. And given the relationship he did have, I can understand the mutism. My heart ached for him, it really did. Jasper is a big, gruff, sweetie who would do anything for those he lets in. And he certainly lets Ellis in. The romance develops slowly, but compassion and kindness are there from the get-go.
There are easter eggs in here for Honey from the Lion (that I have read) which is part of the Love Across Time series. I'm ashamed to admit that the fate of the ranch that Laurie disappeared from never even entered my mind, so it was great to see this from a different view.
I loved all the characters in this book - even Phil! He was horrible, but exactly as he was supposed to be. Obviously, the biggest growth was Ellis, but Jasper comes along nicely too. The supporting cast provides understanding, love, and humour to our main two.
This book was extremely well-written and paced, and certainly kept my attention from the first word to the very last. I will be reading book one in this series simply down to the characters and Ms North's writing. If that isn't a recommendation, then I don't know what is!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 25, 2021
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Ready Player One (2018) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Virtually brilliant with Easter Eggs a plenty.
Of all the Spielberg films of recent years – and possibly with the exception of “The BFG” – this was the film whose trailer disconcerted me the most. It really looked dire: CGI over heart; gimmicks over substance. I was right about ‘The BFG”, one of my least favourite Spielberg flicks. I was definitely wrong about “Ready Player One”: it’s a blast.
The film is fun in continually throwing surprises at you, including those actors not included in the trailer and only on small print on the poster. So I won’t spoil that here for you (you can of course look them up on imdb if you want to: but I suggest you try to see this one ‘cold’).
It’s 2044, and the majority of the population have taken the next logical step of video gaming and virtual reality and retreated into their own headsets, living out their lives primarily as avatars within the fanciful landscapes of “The Oasis”. You can “be” anyone and (subject to gaining the necessary credits) “do” anything there.
When the housing market is stacked against you. Columbus Ohio circa 2044.
The Oasis was the brainchild of a (Steve Wozniak-like) genius called James Halliday (played in enormous style by “Actor R”) and supported by his (Steve Jobs-like) business partner Ogden Morrow (“Actor P”). The two had a big falling out leaving Halliday in total control of the Oasis. But he died, and his dying “game” was to devise a devious competition that left a trail of three virtual keys in the Oasis leading to an ‘easter egg’: which if found would provide the finder with total ownership of the Oasis and the trillions of dollars that it is worth.
But the game is not only played by amateur “gunters” (egg-hunters) like our hero Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan, “X-Men: Apocalypse“) and his in-Oasis flirting partner Samantha (Olivia Cooke, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”); there are big corporate game-hunters involved like IoI (that’s eye-oh-eye, not one-oh-one as I assumed from the trailer) who fill warehouses with combinations of nerd-consultants and professional game players to try to find the keys before anyone else. Which hardly seems fair does it? Ruthless boss Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn, “Rogue One“) and his tough-as-nails hench-woman F’Nale Zandor (Hannah John-Kamen, “Tomb Raider“) really couldn’t give a toss!
In the future, everyone is reaching out for something.
What follows is two-hours of high-octane game-play and eye-popping 3D (it is good in 3D by the way) that melds a baseline of “Avatar” with soupçons of “Tron”, “Minority Report” and Dan Brown novels. But its a blend that works.
I was afraid as I said that CGI would squash flat any hope of character development and story, and – yes – to be sure this is ‘suppressed’ a bit. You never get to really know many of the ‘pack’ members to any great level other than Wade and Samantha. And exactly what drives the corporate protagonists, other than “corporate greed”, is not particularly clear. What gives the film heart though are the performances of “Actor P” and (particularly) “Actor R”, who again steals every scene he is in. For their limited screen time together, the pair bounce off each other in a delightful way.
I have to make a confession at this point that I spent the whole film thinking “Miles Teller is way too old for the part of Wade”! Tye Sheridan (who I think *does* bear a likeness!) is actually much more age appropriate, and is fine in the role. But the star performance for me, out of the youngsters at least, was Oldham’s-own Olivia Cooke, who has a genuinely magnetic screen presence. She is most definitely a name to watch for the future.
Ready Player One
Young star of the show for me – Olivia Cooke as Samantha.
Lena Waithe (“Master of None”) plays Wade’s inventor friend Helen.
The story, although simple and quite one-dimensional, in the main intrigues: there is nothing like a Mario-style chase for keys to entertain when it is done well (I am so old and crusty that in my day it was “Manic Miner” on a ZX-Spectrum!).
He’s iron and he’s just gigantic! Reb’s creation becomes a force to be reckoned with when needed.
And there’s not just one “Easter Egg” in this film: the film is rammed to the rafters with throwbacks to classic pop-culture icons of past decades, and particularly the 80’s…. the film could have been subtitled “I ❤ 80’s”. Some of these are subliminal (Mayor Goldie Wilson anyone?), and others are more prominent but very clever: “The Zemekis cube” and “The Holy Hand Grenade” being prime examples. This is a film that deserves buying on Blu-ray and then slo-mo-ing through! The nostalgia extends to the music by Alan Silvestri, with occasional motifs from his most famous soundtrack!
For me though, the highspot of the film is a journey into a recreation of a classic ’80’s film which – while a scary sequence, earning for sure its 12A UK rating – is done with verve and chutzpah.
Wade’s avatar, Parzival.
Although a little overlong (2 hours 20 mins) and getting rather over-blown and LOTR-esque in the finale, the ending is very satisfying – roll on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
Spielberg’s recent films have been largely solid and well-constructed watches (“The Post” and “Bridge of Spies” for example) but they have been more niche than mainstream box office draws. I firmly predict that “Ready Player One” will change that: here Spielberg has a sure-fire hit on his hands and word of mouth (rather than the ho-hum trailer) should assure that.
The film is fun in continually throwing surprises at you, including those actors not included in the trailer and only on small print on the poster. So I won’t spoil that here for you (you can of course look them up on imdb if you want to: but I suggest you try to see this one ‘cold’).
It’s 2044, and the majority of the population have taken the next logical step of video gaming and virtual reality and retreated into their own headsets, living out their lives primarily as avatars within the fanciful landscapes of “The Oasis”. You can “be” anyone and (subject to gaining the necessary credits) “do” anything there.
When the housing market is stacked against you. Columbus Ohio circa 2044.
The Oasis was the brainchild of a (Steve Wozniak-like) genius called James Halliday (played in enormous style by “Actor R”) and supported by his (Steve Jobs-like) business partner Ogden Morrow (“Actor P”). The two had a big falling out leaving Halliday in total control of the Oasis. But he died, and his dying “game” was to devise a devious competition that left a trail of three virtual keys in the Oasis leading to an ‘easter egg’: which if found would provide the finder with total ownership of the Oasis and the trillions of dollars that it is worth.
But the game is not only played by amateur “gunters” (egg-hunters) like our hero Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan, “X-Men: Apocalypse“) and his in-Oasis flirting partner Samantha (Olivia Cooke, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”); there are big corporate game-hunters involved like IoI (that’s eye-oh-eye, not one-oh-one as I assumed from the trailer) who fill warehouses with combinations of nerd-consultants and professional game players to try to find the keys before anyone else. Which hardly seems fair does it? Ruthless boss Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn, “Rogue One“) and his tough-as-nails hench-woman F’Nale Zandor (Hannah John-Kamen, “Tomb Raider“) really couldn’t give a toss!
In the future, everyone is reaching out for something.
What follows is two-hours of high-octane game-play and eye-popping 3D (it is good in 3D by the way) that melds a baseline of “Avatar” with soupçons of “Tron”, “Minority Report” and Dan Brown novels. But its a blend that works.
I was afraid as I said that CGI would squash flat any hope of character development and story, and – yes – to be sure this is ‘suppressed’ a bit. You never get to really know many of the ‘pack’ members to any great level other than Wade and Samantha. And exactly what drives the corporate protagonists, other than “corporate greed”, is not particularly clear. What gives the film heart though are the performances of “Actor P” and (particularly) “Actor R”, who again steals every scene he is in. For their limited screen time together, the pair bounce off each other in a delightful way.
I have to make a confession at this point that I spent the whole film thinking “Miles Teller is way too old for the part of Wade”! Tye Sheridan (who I think *does* bear a likeness!) is actually much more age appropriate, and is fine in the role. But the star performance for me, out of the youngsters at least, was Oldham’s-own Olivia Cooke, who has a genuinely magnetic screen presence. She is most definitely a name to watch for the future.
Ready Player One
Young star of the show for me – Olivia Cooke as Samantha.
Lena Waithe (“Master of None”) plays Wade’s inventor friend Helen.
The story, although simple and quite one-dimensional, in the main intrigues: there is nothing like a Mario-style chase for keys to entertain when it is done well (I am so old and crusty that in my day it was “Manic Miner” on a ZX-Spectrum!).
He’s iron and he’s just gigantic! Reb’s creation becomes a force to be reckoned with when needed.
And there’s not just one “Easter Egg” in this film: the film is rammed to the rafters with throwbacks to classic pop-culture icons of past decades, and particularly the 80’s…. the film could have been subtitled “I ❤ 80’s”. Some of these are subliminal (Mayor Goldie Wilson anyone?), and others are more prominent but very clever: “The Zemekis cube” and “The Holy Hand Grenade” being prime examples. This is a film that deserves buying on Blu-ray and then slo-mo-ing through! The nostalgia extends to the music by Alan Silvestri, with occasional motifs from his most famous soundtrack!
For me though, the highspot of the film is a journey into a recreation of a classic ’80’s film which – while a scary sequence, earning for sure its 12A UK rating – is done with verve and chutzpah.
Wade’s avatar, Parzival.
Although a little overlong (2 hours 20 mins) and getting rather over-blown and LOTR-esque in the finale, the ending is very satisfying – roll on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
Spielberg’s recent films have been largely solid and well-constructed watches (“The Post” and “Bridge of Spies” for example) but they have been more niche than mainstream box office draws. I firmly predict that “Ready Player One” will change that: here Spielberg has a sure-fire hit on his hands and word of mouth (rather than the ho-hum trailer) should assure that.