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David McK (3666 KP) rated Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) in Movies
Jul 25, 2022
The fourth solo outing for Chris Hemsworth's God of Thunder (after "Thor", "Thor: The Dark World" and "Thor: Ragnorak") which double downs on the goofiness that Taika Waititi brought to the prevus instalment.
To this films detriment, I felt: the humour felt, at times, forced, with Thor (again, at times) coming across as more of a buffoon than I would prefer.
This also see's the return of Natalie Portman's Jane Foster - last seen in The Dark World, before dumping Thor off-screen - with elements of the plot heavily influenced by the 2014 run of comics that sees her lifting Mjolnir.
Christian Bale is also suitably menacing as Gorr the God Butcher, but is seemingly in a different movie to everyone else! Those shadow creatures are bound to give kids nightmares ...
In short, the scary bits are scarier than in many a previous Marvel movie, whilst the funny bits (attempt to be) funnier than any previous!
To this films detriment, I felt: the humour felt, at times, forced, with Thor (again, at times) coming across as more of a buffoon than I would prefer.
This also see's the return of Natalie Portman's Jane Foster - last seen in The Dark World, before dumping Thor off-screen - with elements of the plot heavily influenced by the 2014 run of comics that sees her lifting Mjolnir.
Christian Bale is also suitably menacing as Gorr the God Butcher, but is seemingly in a different movie to everyone else! Those shadow creatures are bound to give kids nightmares ...
In short, the scary bits are scarier than in many a previous Marvel movie, whilst the funny bits (attempt to be) funnier than any previous!
Dean (6927 KP) rated Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) in Movies
Feb 25, 2022 (Updated Feb 25, 2022)
Unlikeable characters (2 more)
Very short
A massacre of ideas
Nothing new
Thought I'd give this a go as it's been a while since the previous versions. Other than setting it in the current time with influencers and current technology, this offers nothing new. Just a bunch of unlikeable characters to the predictable slaughter.
Following on the recent Halloween films trend of making a sequel to the original set decades later. We have a cameo from the original film final girl who has gone Linda Hamilton bad ass up for revenge. With some real T2 elements in some scenes. A very weak plot line as she and leatherface must be in their 70's now as nearly 50 years have passed from the original.
Gore fans will probably like it and fans of TCM films in general, for others there is no real depth to it and full of Slasher film clichés. Shame as it had potential but ends up a bit of a mess.
Following on the recent Halloween films trend of making a sequel to the original set decades later. We have a cameo from the original film final girl who has gone Linda Hamilton bad ass up for revenge. With some real T2 elements in some scenes. A very weak plot line as she and leatherface must be in their 70's now as nearly 50 years have passed from the original.
Gore fans will probably like it and fans of TCM films in general, for others there is no real depth to it and full of Slasher film clichés. Shame as it had potential but ends up a bit of a mess.
Dean (6927 KP) rated Fast & Furious 9 (2021) in Movies
Jun 25, 2021 (Updated May 22, 2023)
Big cast (1 more)
Good chase locations
Unbelievable stunts (1 more)
Space?!
Good if not in top gear
Another decent entry which ticks the Fast & Furious check list set by the recent entries. Good to see more of the Fast cast of previous films on show here. There are some good chase scenes in various locations around the globe. We also get a peak at Dom's early life.
On the down side some of the cast deserve more screen time, also feels quite different not having the Rock in this entry.
The franchise in recent entries has had crazy stunts and this has some again which seem far fetched even by the usual standards. Even sending cars into space now.
It will satisfy fans of the series as a whole, even if it's not quite as good as some of the other films. Hopefully Fast 10 will combine the best elements of the franchise altogether to get back on track.
On the down side some of the cast deserve more screen time, also feels quite different not having the Rock in this entry.
The franchise in recent entries has had crazy stunts and this has some again which seem far fetched even by the usual standards. Even sending cars into space now.
It will satisfy fans of the series as a whole, even if it's not quite as good as some of the other films. Hopefully Fast 10 will combine the best elements of the franchise altogether to get back on track.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2464 KP) rated Murder at Beechwood in Books
Feb 7, 2025
Did a Baby Leads to Murder?
In late June 1896, Emma Cross is surprised to find a newborn baby boy left on her doorstep. Her efforts to figure out where he came from lead her to Beechwood and the guests that Mrs. Astor is entertaining. But when a lawn party ends in tragedy, Emma quickly realizes that murder was involved. Does it relate to the baby? Or is another motive involved?
I’ve quickly become addicted to these historical mysteries. One reason is the expert way that real and fictional characters interact seamlessly on the page. All of them are well drawn, and I’ve gotten caught up in their ongoing stories. The plot of this one was good with several ingenious elements. The ending was a bit rushed, but it worked for me. Despite the summer vacation vibes, this book does get serious, but it is worth it. I’m hoping I can book the next in the series soon.
I’ve quickly become addicted to these historical mysteries. One reason is the expert way that real and fictional characters interact seamlessly on the page. All of them are well drawn, and I’ve gotten caught up in their ongoing stories. The plot of this one was good with several ingenious elements. The ending was a bit rushed, but it worked for me. Despite the summer vacation vibes, this book does get serious, but it is worth it. I’m hoping I can book the next in the series soon.
Cops & Robbers (Parker City Mystery #5)
Book
Spring, 1985… Just north of Parker City in the small town of Wakeville, a string of robberies...
Mystery Police Procedural Dual Timeline Elements Series
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Beastly in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I have a small obsession with the classic fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast, so any time a new retelling comes out, I must read it. This version written by Alex Flinn is both modernized and aimed at the Young Adult genre. I was curious to see how closely it would parallel the original fairy tale and still feel like an original story, and I think that it succeeded fairly well. There were parts that felt cliche, and it certainly verged into the realm of fantasy with the presence of the witch, but not so much that I was bothered by these elements. Plus, I liked the ways that the author diverged from the original tale and added new elements, such as the continuing involvement of the witch and the character of Kyle's father.
The plot wraps around the character of Kyle Kingsbury, who becomes the Beast. The book mainly felt like a character study as he progressed from a conceited, self-involved boy to a self-sacrificing, repentant young man. This is certainly a change from most retellings of this tale, since it is usually from the viewpoint of the character who plays the role of "Beauty." Many of the side characters were also just as fascinating, such as the blind tutor who comes to live with Kyle. I love the fascination that Kyle adopted for roses and the details of their care that were included in the book, it gave the book more depth. Probably the most exciting part of the book was his frantic race through New York City and the way that he handled the reactions that he created during this foray.
I know that this book was turned into a movie recently. I have not seen it as of yet, other than the previews, but I do look forward to it. But I already know of one major difference that the movie has from the book, and that is Kyle's beastly appearance is changed to resemble extravagant and disfiguring tattoos. I'll reserve opinion on this until after I've seen the movie.
The plot wraps around the character of Kyle Kingsbury, who becomes the Beast. The book mainly felt like a character study as he progressed from a conceited, self-involved boy to a self-sacrificing, repentant young man. This is certainly a change from most retellings of this tale, since it is usually from the viewpoint of the character who plays the role of "Beauty." Many of the side characters were also just as fascinating, such as the blind tutor who comes to live with Kyle. I love the fascination that Kyle adopted for roses and the details of their care that were included in the book, it gave the book more depth. Probably the most exciting part of the book was his frantic race through New York City and the way that he handled the reactions that he created during this foray.
I know that this book was turned into a movie recently. I have not seen it as of yet, other than the previews, but I do look forward to it. But I already know of one major difference that the movie has from the book, and that is Kyle's beastly appearance is changed to resemble extravagant and disfiguring tattoos. I'll reserve opinion on this until after I've seen the movie.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Sisters Brothers (2018) in Movies
Jan 7, 2019 (Updated Jan 7, 2019)
Cast all give brilliant performances (1 more)
Quirky filming techniques
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
I was dying to see this movie as soon as I saw the first trailer for it, but even though it dropped in the states months ago, it's not coming to UK cinemas until April 2019! However, if you mess around with the location settings on your on-demand website of choice, it is possible to legally watch this movie in Britain without having to wait another 4 months for it to release.
We seem to be at a point cinematically where traditional westerns that follow a gunslinger duelling his way across the west have all been done to death. Instead, it seems like modern westerns have to take a different, more unorthodox approach to the stories that they decide to tell. Take The Hateful Eight for example, as much as I loved that film, it was closer to the Clue movie than it was any of Sergio Leonne's Spaghetti Westerns. Or there is the very recent Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, which I personally enjoyed, but even within that movie, the tone and feel varied wildly throughout and none of it was what I would call a traditional western.
The Sisters Brothers follows this trajectory of oddity. It follows the titular brothers (played by John C. Reilly and Joaquin Pheonix,) who are essentially hitmen working for a Commodore (played by Rutger Hauer,) who have been sent to kill a chemist/gold prospector (played by Riz Ahmed,) with the help of a scout also working for the commodore, (played by Jake Gyllenhall.)
This movie is strange. It was directed by Jacques Audiard and there is a strange tone to the whole thing which feels distinctly French. There are an abundance of odd yet aesthetically pleasing shots that contribute to the film's odd tone and there are some comedic elements thrown in also. The whole thing is a mixing pot of different elements, yet it all strangely works.
Overall, I enjoyed The Sisters Brothers even if it was unconventional and not exactly the movie that I had expected going in and the performances all around are sublime.
We seem to be at a point cinematically where traditional westerns that follow a gunslinger duelling his way across the west have all been done to death. Instead, it seems like modern westerns have to take a different, more unorthodox approach to the stories that they decide to tell. Take The Hateful Eight for example, as much as I loved that film, it was closer to the Clue movie than it was any of Sergio Leonne's Spaghetti Westerns. Or there is the very recent Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, which I personally enjoyed, but even within that movie, the tone and feel varied wildly throughout and none of it was what I would call a traditional western.
The Sisters Brothers follows this trajectory of oddity. It follows the titular brothers (played by John C. Reilly and Joaquin Pheonix,) who are essentially hitmen working for a Commodore (played by Rutger Hauer,) who have been sent to kill a chemist/gold prospector (played by Riz Ahmed,) with the help of a scout also working for the commodore, (played by Jake Gyllenhall.)
This movie is strange. It was directed by Jacques Audiard and there is a strange tone to the whole thing which feels distinctly French. There are an abundance of odd yet aesthetically pleasing shots that contribute to the film's odd tone and there are some comedic elements thrown in also. The whole thing is a mixing pot of different elements, yet it all strangely works.
Overall, I enjoyed The Sisters Brothers even if it was unconventional and not exactly the movie that I had expected going in and the performances all around are sublime.
Marylegs (44 KP) rated The Name of the Wind in Books
Aug 14, 2019
The Name of the Wind can only be classed as an epic fantasy. The first installment in a series of books I will definitely be carrying on with. I am a great lover of fantasy books, I will not compare it to others as I don’t believe it is that similar to others I have read. True, certain elements seem familiar, the loss of loved ones, finding one’s self, falling in love with an unobtainable person, continuing an education above the class of the main character… I could go on but I won’t. However for all these similarities, it still felt new and fresh in its delivery.
The main character Kvothe is likeable and I was really routing for him. The bulk of the story is told from his perspective as he endeavours to tell his story to a scribe who had come seeking the truth about his extraordinary life. We follow his story from his unlikely beginnings as part of traveling troupe to him becoming nothing short of a hero.
As a sucker for love, I have to say some of the most enjoyable sections of the book involved Denna, as soon and the two meet I could feel the glimmerings of hopefully first love. Without giving anything away, this love doesn’t go the traditional way that most stories would travel. But it is obviously there and knowing that there are more books to read I am sure there is more to Kvothe and Denna story together.
My least liked character has to Ambrose (what a silly girly name to begin with). He is petty and unlikeable from the on start. I feel the dislike between Kvothe and Ambrose will culminate into something sinister which no doubt will be an integral part of the tale…. But I really wish he would get his comeuppance…. Soon.
If like me you want to read a fantasy book that has all the elements you would want; love, conflict, revenge, magic, friendship and injustice. But doesn’t play by all the rules and is obviously building strong foundations towards what hopefully will be an impressive ending, then I believe this book is for you.
The main character Kvothe is likeable and I was really routing for him. The bulk of the story is told from his perspective as he endeavours to tell his story to a scribe who had come seeking the truth about his extraordinary life. We follow his story from his unlikely beginnings as part of traveling troupe to him becoming nothing short of a hero.
As a sucker for love, I have to say some of the most enjoyable sections of the book involved Denna, as soon and the two meet I could feel the glimmerings of hopefully first love. Without giving anything away, this love doesn’t go the traditional way that most stories would travel. But it is obviously there and knowing that there are more books to read I am sure there is more to Kvothe and Denna story together.
My least liked character has to Ambrose (what a silly girly name to begin with). He is petty and unlikeable from the on start. I feel the dislike between Kvothe and Ambrose will culminate into something sinister which no doubt will be an integral part of the tale…. But I really wish he would get his comeuppance…. Soon.
If like me you want to read a fantasy book that has all the elements you would want; love, conflict, revenge, magic, friendship and injustice. But doesn’t play by all the rules and is obviously building strong foundations towards what hopefully will be an impressive ending, then I believe this book is for you.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Last Airbender (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
The four elemental nations once got along thanks to the help of the master of the elements, the Avatar. But that was in the past. Long ago the Avatar disappeared and the power hungry Fire Nation has since been destroying all other nations in an attempt to develop their natural element wielding skills. But the discovery of a mysteriously tattooed boy, Aang, found in the ice by a young waterbender, Katara, and her brother, Sokka, may mean there is a way to achieve peace and once again unite the elements.
The first Avatar movie very closely follows the story of the first season, called Book One, of the original television show. However the translation of the beloved Nickelodeon cartoon into film has taken some very serious criticism for changes made in the race of the actors who portray the lead characters.
To make fans further iffy about the film the plot moves so quickly that at times the lead characters directly state the story to one another, a distracting and very obvious plot device. Furthering the film’s strange execution is the poor over-acting that fills almost every “emotional” scene. While this strong form of drama is very accurate to the original cartoon, the impact is lost in the translation to the big screen.
Still some things about seeing “The Last Airbender” as a film are really fun. The costumes and environments are both true to the original story. Adding to the fun are clever real world adaptations of the original show’s details, such as Aang’s Airbender tattoos. But where the film really excels is in the elemental battles that define the frequent and large-scale action sequences. Part fantasy and part martial art inspired, these fight scenes help to define the characters while providing visual speed to the otherwise overly paced film.
Fans will enjoy seeing the ideas of “The Last Airbender” executed in live action, but there is no real need for 3D. The film does show some of the character developing talent M. Night Shyamalan is known for, but the rushed pace and forced drama is hard to ignore.
The first Avatar movie very closely follows the story of the first season, called Book One, of the original television show. However the translation of the beloved Nickelodeon cartoon into film has taken some very serious criticism for changes made in the race of the actors who portray the lead characters.
To make fans further iffy about the film the plot moves so quickly that at times the lead characters directly state the story to one another, a distracting and very obvious plot device. Furthering the film’s strange execution is the poor over-acting that fills almost every “emotional” scene. While this strong form of drama is very accurate to the original cartoon, the impact is lost in the translation to the big screen.
Still some things about seeing “The Last Airbender” as a film are really fun. The costumes and environments are both true to the original story. Adding to the fun are clever real world adaptations of the original show’s details, such as Aang’s Airbender tattoos. But where the film really excels is in the elemental battles that define the frequent and large-scale action sequences. Part fantasy and part martial art inspired, these fight scenes help to define the characters while providing visual speed to the otherwise overly paced film.
Fans will enjoy seeing the ideas of “The Last Airbender” executed in live action, but there is no real need for 3D. The film does show some of the character developing talent M. Night Shyamalan is known for, but the rushed pace and forced drama is hard to ignore.