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Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Matched (Matched #1) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I loved, LOVED this book! I've had it sitting in my "to read" pile for quite awhile now & decided it was time to read it. Now I'm pissed off at myself that I waited so long!!!
The book was engaging. I didn't want to put it down. It was an easy, quick read. Kind of a mixture between the Twilight books & the Hunger Games series...but don't take that as being it is the same. Some of elements of those great series show up in this one, but it is by NO means a copy.
Cassia, Ky, & Xander are all very well developed, easy to like characters. They add a great depth to the story which is, in some ways a typical teenage love triangle story, but different from the usual too.
I am very much looking forward to jumping into the 2nd book in the series to find out what happens to all 3 of them. It left me feeling the need to say, "Do not go gentle into that good night." ;)
The book was engaging. I didn't want to put it down. It was an easy, quick read. Kind of a mixture between the Twilight books & the Hunger Games series...but don't take that as being it is the same. Some of elements of those great series show up in this one, but it is by NO means a copy.
Cassia, Ky, & Xander are all very well developed, easy to like characters. They add a great depth to the story which is, in some ways a typical teenage love triangle story, but different from the usual too.
I am very much looking forward to jumping into the 2nd book in the series to find out what happens to all 3 of them. It left me feeling the need to say, "Do not go gentle into that good night." ;)
Awix (3310 KP) rated Witchfinder General (1968) in Movies
May 10, 2018
Famously nasty cult horror movie looks a bit like another Poe-Corman-Price adaptation (and was marketed as such in the States) but is really the work of a much darker sensibility. No actual supernatural elements, just people being sadistic to each other in the middle of a vicious civil war.
The story is a pretty standard revenge melodrama, made distinctive by the sheer bleakness of tone throughout the movie. At a time when pretty much every Hammer movie concluded with the defeat of the forces of evil (at least until the next sequel) the sheer amoral nihilism of Witchfinder General is distinctive.
Notable for the closest thing to a completely straight performance you will ever find Vincent Price contributing as the star of a horror movie, and also for the censor-troubling levels of violence and general grisliness. As is standard for British horror films of this period, fun is also to be had spotting youthful appearances by people who went on to have rather distinguished appearances in less extreme material.
The story is a pretty standard revenge melodrama, made distinctive by the sheer bleakness of tone throughout the movie. At a time when pretty much every Hammer movie concluded with the defeat of the forces of evil (at least until the next sequel) the sheer amoral nihilism of Witchfinder General is distinctive.
Notable for the closest thing to a completely straight performance you will ever find Vincent Price contributing as the star of a horror movie, and also for the censor-troubling levels of violence and general grisliness. As is standard for British horror films of this period, fun is also to be had spotting youthful appearances by people who went on to have rather distinguished appearances in less extreme material.
Marqees (17 KP) rated Kingdom Hearts III in Video Games
Feb 10, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
I waited 14+ years for Kingdom Hearts 3 and for the most part it delivered. Overall the game is incredible, high octane action, intense story elements, and a fluid control system. The game picks up after Dream Drop Distance. Sora has lost a bit of power and is on a trek with Donald and Goofy to power up again. The game is stunning and beautiful running on the Unreal engine for the first time. Combat is way easier as now block and dodge are already activated. It is crazy fun summoning attractions like Splash Canyon and the Tea Cups. The huge worlds are fun to traverse and look for items, hidden emblems, and recipe ingredients. However, there are some downfalls, for starters the game is a way to short. Though the worlds were large there are fewer of them. The attraction combos happen way too often and kill combos. There is no Arena and no Sephiroth fight. Overall a good game.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Men O'War (1929) in Movies
Feb 21, 2019
Early L&H sound film finds Stan and Ollie not quite yet in their imperial phase of effortless brilliance, but looking good. They play sailors on shore leave doing what sailors on shore leave do (i.e., attempting to pick up girls). There's a misunderstanding about clothing; Stan and Ollie have to buy a round of drinks despite not having enough money; they cause an impressive pile-up on a boating lake.
You can tell that the formula's not quite there yet, for there is much less emphasis on gleeful property damage and Ollie ending up the victim of Stan's various mishaps than you tend to find in their later films. Instead, there's more reliance on verbal comedy and elements of farce - the first part of the film revolves around a (for 1929) slightly saucy gag about a woman losing her underwear. Suffers a bit from the technical limitations of the period (the lengthy boat sequence at the end is filmed entirely in long shot) but still an ambitious and very funny film.
You can tell that the formula's not quite there yet, for there is much less emphasis on gleeful property damage and Ollie ending up the victim of Stan's various mishaps than you tend to find in their later films. Instead, there's more reliance on verbal comedy and elements of farce - the first part of the film revolves around a (for 1929) slightly saucy gag about a woman losing her underwear. Suffers a bit from the technical limitations of the period (the lengthy boat sequence at the end is filmed entirely in long shot) but still an ambitious and very funny film.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Freedom's Price (Keys of Promise #3) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
I'm new to Ms. Johnson's work, but I won't be for long! I truly enjoyed this beautifully written novel. It's the 3rd book in her Keys Of Promise series, but it was still highly enjoyable, despite not reading the first two books.
In this novel, Ms. Johnson weaves the perfect combination of faith, hope, and love, along with beautifully depicted historical elements. I was instantly captivated from page one and this book took me on a whirl wind ride until the end. Catherine and Tom both stole my heart for the long run, and I loved following their story!
Ms. Johnson created a story well worth 4 stars, for sure! This is a quick, beautiful read and I am already anxious for more! I can't wait to go back and read the first two books in this wonderful series, and I look forward to adding Ms. Johnson among my favorite authors list! Well done, and bring on the next! <a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/?p=13719"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
In this novel, Ms. Johnson weaves the perfect combination of faith, hope, and love, along with beautifully depicted historical elements. I was instantly captivated from page one and this book took me on a whirl wind ride until the end. Catherine and Tom both stole my heart for the long run, and I loved following their story!
Ms. Johnson created a story well worth 4 stars, for sure! This is a quick, beautiful read and I am already anxious for more! I can't wait to go back and read the first two books in this wonderful series, and I look forward to adding Ms. Johnson among my favorite authors list! Well done, and bring on the next! <a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/?p=13719"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
Awix (3310 KP) rated Cold Pursuit (2019) in Movies
Feb 28, 2019
Latest Hollywood remake of a film with the gall not to be in English (the horror!) is a better-not-call-it-black comedy thriller about a snowplough driver whose rampage of vengeance gets out of control. Liam Neeson drives a plough, murders a bunch of drug dealers, and doesn't think enough about what he says on the publicity tour; the quality of the film kind of vanishes into the backdrop as a result.
After a horribly choppy opening - is it a serious drama about grieving parents or another thickheaded Neeson revenge melodrama? - the film settles down to feel like a pastiche of the sort of thing the McDonagh brothers make, with genre elements drolly deconstructed with offbeat humour and a knowing provocativeness. It's just not quite quirky, funny, or intelligent enough; Neeson underplays it too much and film doesn't seem to have any real point to make. Some good jokes and it passes the time, but it would have slipped into obscurity fairly quickly if only Liam had kept his mouth shut on the junket.
After a horribly choppy opening - is it a serious drama about grieving parents or another thickheaded Neeson revenge melodrama? - the film settles down to feel like a pastiche of the sort of thing the McDonagh brothers make, with genre elements drolly deconstructed with offbeat humour and a knowing provocativeness. It's just not quite quirky, funny, or intelligent enough; Neeson underplays it too much and film doesn't seem to have any real point to make. Some good jokes and it passes the time, but it would have slipped into obscurity fairly quickly if only Liam had kept his mouth shut on the junket.
Awix (3310 KP) rated GoldenEye (1995) in Movies
Mar 16, 2019 (Updated Mar 16, 2019)
Probably the best action thriller named after a duck ever. There was a time when a long gap between Bond films was highly unusual, and the six year absence of the commander from the big screen led some to suggest that maybe the series had had its day. The main achievement of GoldenEye is to take all the classic elements of a Bond film, spruce them up a bit, and produce a film which is fresh and entertaining.
Everyone is clearly working very hard to make this film a success, particularly Pierce Brosnan (even if his hair isn't quite right yet). Makes the obligatory attempt at updating Bond for the 'modern world' but doesn't get dogmatic about it and mostly just worries about entertaining the audience, which is surely as it should be. The tank chase surely features on anyone's list of great Bond sequences; director Martin Campbell would go on to make the hard-edged Casino Royale, which is probably a better film, but this is much more fun.
Everyone is clearly working very hard to make this film a success, particularly Pierce Brosnan (even if his hair isn't quite right yet). Makes the obligatory attempt at updating Bond for the 'modern world' but doesn't get dogmatic about it and mostly just worries about entertaining the audience, which is surely as it should be. The tank chase surely features on anyone's list of great Bond sequences; director Martin Campbell would go on to make the hard-edged Casino Royale, which is probably a better film, but this is much more fun.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated The Shootist (1976) in Movies
May 4, 2019
The final film starring John Wayne
Who knew that John Wayne's final film would star "The Duke" opposite Ron Howard? Also great performances by Lauren Bacall and James Stewart.
An notorious aging gunslinger learns he has inoperable cancer and decides to try and live out his final days in peace. Unfortunately, not to be as elements from his past come back to haunt him or just won't let him enjoy his final moments. He befriends a widow and her son as he rents a room from them. He wants to tie up some loose ends in his life before his time on Earth ends.
Still being a John Wayne novice, I thought his performance here was miraculous. He showed his usual toughness and charisma, but also real heart and vulnerability at times. You could see he felt remorse for some of his past actions and wanted to atone for them; however, life had other obstacles for him to overcome and to draw his relationships to their conclusion.
Very pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it.
An notorious aging gunslinger learns he has inoperable cancer and decides to try and live out his final days in peace. Unfortunately, not to be as elements from his past come back to haunt him or just won't let him enjoy his final moments. He befriends a widow and her son as he rents a room from them. He wants to tie up some loose ends in his life before his time on Earth ends.
Still being a John Wayne novice, I thought his performance here was miraculous. He showed his usual toughness and charisma, but also real heart and vulnerability at times. You could see he felt remorse for some of his past actions and wanted to atone for them; however, life had other obstacles for him to overcome and to draw his relationships to their conclusion.
Very pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it.
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated The Homecoming in Books
May 30, 2019
Dark family thriller - not for the faint hearted
There’s not a lot I want to say about this book plot wise, going into it blind is a real thrill, but the opening hook is:
Following the death of their father siblings Aaron, Franny and Bridge, along with their mother are brought to the Belfountain estate for the reading of his will. It turns out he had a lot more money than they thought but also an odd sense of humour. To get there share of the inheritance they have to stay at Belfountain with no contact with the outside world for 30 days. Sounds crazy but who wouldn’t when there are millions up for grab?
What follows is the ever increasing occurrence of creepy stuff and the realisation that none of them know who their father really was. It’s a very dark suspense tale once it gets going, with some strong horror elements.
By the end I felt I’d just read a great Black Mirror episode, so recommended for fans of that.
Following the death of their father siblings Aaron, Franny and Bridge, along with their mother are brought to the Belfountain estate for the reading of his will. It turns out he had a lot more money than they thought but also an odd sense of humour. To get there share of the inheritance they have to stay at Belfountain with no contact with the outside world for 30 days. Sounds crazy but who wouldn’t when there are millions up for grab?
What follows is the ever increasing occurrence of creepy stuff and the realisation that none of them know who their father really was. It’s a very dark suspense tale once it gets going, with some strong horror elements.
By the end I felt I’d just read a great Black Mirror episode, so recommended for fans of that.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Tanners by Tanners in Music
Jun 7, 2019
Tanners is an indie-electro/alternative singer based in Brooklyn, New York. Not too long ago, she released an attractively beautiful self-titled debut EP.
“HOLY WATER“
The video finds Tanners in holy water surrounded by a pink-filtered fog. Also, the following scene shows her in a white revealing outfit alongside two performers.
“Holy Water” is Tanners’ debut single and the first song on her EP. It was produced by Julie Hardy, Mike MacAllister, and Tanners.
“EMPRESS IN REVERSE“
“Empress in Reverse” consists of psychedelic instrumentation, dreamy melodies, and charming vocals that you won’t be able to get out of your head. It’s smooth, delicious, and ear-welcoming.
“THIS CRAZY“
“This Crazy” contains hypnotic instrumentation, attractive vocals, and dreamy and charismatic melodies. Also, its funk and ‘80s elements perfume the atmosphere with audio ecstasy and eargasmic funk.
“WHAT YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR“
“What You’ve Been Waiting For” contains lush instrumentation embedded with heavy drums, dreamy melodies, and an engaging storyline.
CONCLUSION
Tanners’ self-titled debut EP is a solid body of work with heavy replay value.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/tanners-ep/
“HOLY WATER“
The video finds Tanners in holy water surrounded by a pink-filtered fog. Also, the following scene shows her in a white revealing outfit alongside two performers.
“Holy Water” is Tanners’ debut single and the first song on her EP. It was produced by Julie Hardy, Mike MacAllister, and Tanners.
“EMPRESS IN REVERSE“
“Empress in Reverse” consists of psychedelic instrumentation, dreamy melodies, and charming vocals that you won’t be able to get out of your head. It’s smooth, delicious, and ear-welcoming.
“THIS CRAZY“
“This Crazy” contains hypnotic instrumentation, attractive vocals, and dreamy and charismatic melodies. Also, its funk and ‘80s elements perfume the atmosphere with audio ecstasy and eargasmic funk.
“WHAT YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR“
“What You’ve Been Waiting For” contains lush instrumentation embedded with heavy drums, dreamy melodies, and an engaging storyline.
CONCLUSION
Tanners’ self-titled debut EP is a solid body of work with heavy replay value.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/tanners-ep/