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Darren (1599 KP) rated The Plague of the Zombies (1966) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: The Plague of the Zombies starts when Sir James Forbes (Morell) takes his daughter Sylvia (Clare) to Cornwell, to help a for student of his Dr Peter Tompson (Williams) with a string of cases which can’t be explained by the normal science.
When Peter’s wife Alice (Pearce) dies, the two try to figure out what killed her, only what they discover isn’t human. Soon it appears the village is being over run by the zombies and they must hunt down the master controlling them.
Thoughts on The Plague of the Zombies
Characters – Sir James Forbes is the respected doctor that gets called upon to help with an unknown medical case, he will help his former student uncover the case, he does believe something unusual is going on and starts to worry about his daughter. Sylvia is the daughter that goes on the journey, she becomes the target from the master who wants her to become his bride. She is the typical 60’s damsel in distress. Dr Peter Tompson is the one who called for help knowing his mentor wouldn’t let him down when it comes to figuring out the unexplainable. Alice is Peter’s wife that is the latest to become cursed with what is happening within the village, she makes it feel more personal for the two doctors.
Performances – Andre Morell as the more experienced doctor is entertaining to watch through the film, he fits the wiser role with ease. Diane Clare fits your typical 60’s horror figure for the era, never doing much more than screaming. Brooke Williams doesn’t make his character feel like a doctor though.
Story – The story follows a doctor that is asked to investigate a new outbreak of a disease in a small village, only to learn it has connection to voodoo and zombies. We must think that this story was put together before zombie movies had over taken the world, the idea behind voodoo and zombies was always a connection which works for the ideas being used in this story. the story might not be the most intense and does end up being rather safe with how everything being handled, never managing to reach any level of creepiness which could be associated with voodoo zombie creation.
Horror – The horror in this film comes from the ideas of zombies and voodoo, which for the time, was one of the scarier elements of horror, even if it has been watered down in the modern era.
Settings – The film is set in a small Cornwell village, which shows us how the community has become considered, while also showing how the community could stick together with a more evil idea going on.
Special Effects – The effects in the film comes from the zombie creations, which show us a wonderful use of make-up, with other elements of the film coming from how injuries are inflicted.
Scene of the Movie – Alice rises.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not as creepy as it could be.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that when released would have gotten more scares, now it has dated and just doesn’t connect the audience in the same way it once did.
Overall: Hammer horror 101
When Peter’s wife Alice (Pearce) dies, the two try to figure out what killed her, only what they discover isn’t human. Soon it appears the village is being over run by the zombies and they must hunt down the master controlling them.
Thoughts on The Plague of the Zombies
Characters – Sir James Forbes is the respected doctor that gets called upon to help with an unknown medical case, he will help his former student uncover the case, he does believe something unusual is going on and starts to worry about his daughter. Sylvia is the daughter that goes on the journey, she becomes the target from the master who wants her to become his bride. She is the typical 60’s damsel in distress. Dr Peter Tompson is the one who called for help knowing his mentor wouldn’t let him down when it comes to figuring out the unexplainable. Alice is Peter’s wife that is the latest to become cursed with what is happening within the village, she makes it feel more personal for the two doctors.
Performances – Andre Morell as the more experienced doctor is entertaining to watch through the film, he fits the wiser role with ease. Diane Clare fits your typical 60’s horror figure for the era, never doing much more than screaming. Brooke Williams doesn’t make his character feel like a doctor though.
Story – The story follows a doctor that is asked to investigate a new outbreak of a disease in a small village, only to learn it has connection to voodoo and zombies. We must think that this story was put together before zombie movies had over taken the world, the idea behind voodoo and zombies was always a connection which works for the ideas being used in this story. the story might not be the most intense and does end up being rather safe with how everything being handled, never managing to reach any level of creepiness which could be associated with voodoo zombie creation.
Horror – The horror in this film comes from the ideas of zombies and voodoo, which for the time, was one of the scarier elements of horror, even if it has been watered down in the modern era.
Settings – The film is set in a small Cornwell village, which shows us how the community has become considered, while also showing how the community could stick together with a more evil idea going on.
Special Effects – The effects in the film comes from the zombie creations, which show us a wonderful use of make-up, with other elements of the film coming from how injuries are inflicted.
Scene of the Movie – Alice rises.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not as creepy as it could be.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that when released would have gotten more scares, now it has dated and just doesn’t connect the audience in the same way it once did.
Overall: Hammer horror 101
AU
A User's Guide to Pyramid Analytics
Book
This book is a comprehensive look at the BI Office suite of tools from Pyramid Analytics. BI Office...
Vectornator Pro
Productivity and Photo & Video
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Vectornator Pro is the best professional vector graphic software that allows you to create...
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Dial M for Murder (1954) in Movies
Sep 15, 2019
An unsavory proposition
When ranking Hitchcock's elite films, Dial M For Murder doesn't usually get mentioned in the top 5 including Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo North By Northwest and maybe The Birds, but it should be. I went through a Hitchcock phase myself a few years back (I would think most serious film fans would at some point). Although, I still have several to go, most still hold up as suspense/thriller classics definitely including this film.
Ex tennis pro Tony Wendice, now married to beautiful and wealthy Margot, has discovered her secret, she's been seeing another man. Months earlier he discovered a love letter from her lover in her handbag and secretly blackmailed for with this information.
Tony decides to invite an old college acquaintance, currently an unsavory character over to their home to explain his plot for this man killing his wife. He would then stand to inherit her fortunes as he is the beneficiary of her will. The man agrees so the plot is set.
The next evening, Tony is out with friends (to ensure his alibi) and phones Margot late in the evening so she rises to answer with the perpetrator waiting for her. After he slips a stocking around her neck to strangle her, a struggle ensues. Instead of her murder, Margot manages to stab the assailant in the back with a pair of nearby scissors. The man falls to the ground in pain driving the scissors deeper within finishing the job for him instead.
The ensuing police investigation initially feels the facts just don't add up since there was no break in and the man did not have a key on him, but he did have the love letter Tony planted on him before the police initially arrived. Fingers eventually point toward Margot as the killer since the facts seem to lead that way.
The 3rd act is brilliant in the way the eventual plot is discovered and how the police ensure Tony incriminates himself as the true antagonist.
Hitchcock's use of camera framing and movement to reveal certain scene elements only when he wants you to see them is one of my favorite elements of his films. He obviously chose source materials which suited his natural abilities to tell sinister or suspenseful stories and this one works just as well as some of his more famous classics.
Ray Milland is charming and diabolical as Tony, never letting on to his beautiful wife (the gorgeous Princess Grace Kelly) the dastardly scheme he has cooked up for her demise or his initial deeds of blackmail. The reveal at the beginning of the murder plot takes the audience on maybe a typical Hitchcock suspense route, but you never know where or when the twists are going to come, but you are willing to go along for the ride.
Your emotions turn from shock having seen the murder to disgust when Margot is eventually blamed for it and then finally to delight when Tony performs just as the police want him to in the end.
Ex tennis pro Tony Wendice, now married to beautiful and wealthy Margot, has discovered her secret, she's been seeing another man. Months earlier he discovered a love letter from her lover in her handbag and secretly blackmailed for with this information.
Tony decides to invite an old college acquaintance, currently an unsavory character over to their home to explain his plot for this man killing his wife. He would then stand to inherit her fortunes as he is the beneficiary of her will. The man agrees so the plot is set.
The next evening, Tony is out with friends (to ensure his alibi) and phones Margot late in the evening so she rises to answer with the perpetrator waiting for her. After he slips a stocking around her neck to strangle her, a struggle ensues. Instead of her murder, Margot manages to stab the assailant in the back with a pair of nearby scissors. The man falls to the ground in pain driving the scissors deeper within finishing the job for him instead.
The ensuing police investigation initially feels the facts just don't add up since there was no break in and the man did not have a key on him, but he did have the love letter Tony planted on him before the police initially arrived. Fingers eventually point toward Margot as the killer since the facts seem to lead that way.
The 3rd act is brilliant in the way the eventual plot is discovered and how the police ensure Tony incriminates himself as the true antagonist.
Hitchcock's use of camera framing and movement to reveal certain scene elements only when he wants you to see them is one of my favorite elements of his films. He obviously chose source materials which suited his natural abilities to tell sinister or suspenseful stories and this one works just as well as some of his more famous classics.
Ray Milland is charming and diabolical as Tony, never letting on to his beautiful wife (the gorgeous Princess Grace Kelly) the dastardly scheme he has cooked up for her demise or his initial deeds of blackmail. The reveal at the beginning of the murder plot takes the audience on maybe a typical Hitchcock suspense route, but you never know where or when the twists are going to come, but you are willing to go along for the ride.
Your emotions turn from shock having seen the murder to disgust when Margot is eventually blamed for it and then finally to delight when Tony performs just as the police want him to in the end.
Imperial: War of Tomorrow
Games
App
Welcome to the military world following a global apocalypse that splintered the map into factions...
XX is actually an anthology of 4 short films, all of which were directed by women.
Overall, the film is superbly directed and the acting is top notch too (the ever wonderful Melanie Lynskey delivers an outstanding performance in particular), but a couple of little niggles slightly lower my overall score.
First film, ‘The Box,’ is the best of them all - creepy and mysterious throughout, with all the elements needed for a thorough horror experience.
Next up is ‘The Birthday Party’ in which, as previously stated, Melanie Lynskey gives an amazing performance. I wouldn’t class this as a horror, more of a very dark comedy, but it’s still a superb piece of work.
‘Don’t Fall’ is where things begin to wane a little - it’s still a really good piece of work, just a little too short to make much of an impact.
Finally, ‘Her Only Living Son’ just doesn’t quite match the quality of the first three films. The storyline is good, but does get a bit confusing, and the acting is great too, but something just doesn’t sit right and I felt disappointed with this one.
Between each short film are sections which make up another little tale, but I found these a bit pointless and just seemed to pad out the overall running time.
All in all, XX is definitely worth a watch, it’s certainly had a lot of thought and effort go into the making of it, and I’d like to see more work by the very talented directors involved here.
Overall, the film is superbly directed and the acting is top notch too (the ever wonderful Melanie Lynskey delivers an outstanding performance in particular), but a couple of little niggles slightly lower my overall score.
First film, ‘The Box,’ is the best of them all - creepy and mysterious throughout, with all the elements needed for a thorough horror experience.
Next up is ‘The Birthday Party’ in which, as previously stated, Melanie Lynskey gives an amazing performance. I wouldn’t class this as a horror, more of a very dark comedy, but it’s still a superb piece of work.
‘Don’t Fall’ is where things begin to wane a little - it’s still a really good piece of work, just a little too short to make much of an impact.
Finally, ‘Her Only Living Son’ just doesn’t quite match the quality of the first three films. The storyline is good, but does get a bit confusing, and the acting is great too, but something just doesn’t sit right and I felt disappointed with this one.
Between each short film are sections which make up another little tale, but I found these a bit pointless and just seemed to pad out the overall running time.
All in all, XX is definitely worth a watch, it’s certainly had a lot of thought and effort go into the making of it, and I’d like to see more work by the very talented directors involved here.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Heart Of A King: The Loves Of Solomon in Books
Apr 30, 2019
When it comes to Biblical Fiction, I’ve said it before, I am a picky reader. Only a select few can truly take a Biblical story, keep it true to the Bible and add in in the fictional elements and make it come to life. Jill Eileen Smith is one of those authors. She has been a long time favorite author of mine and will forever be one. So, when I got the chance to read The Heart Of A King, I jumped on it. I was not disappointed!
Her characters, once again, are chiseled beautifully. Full of depth and emotion. Every emotion they felt became mine while I read this. I fell in love with Solomon and didn’t want his story to end. The love he had for our God, the love he had for his wives, was beautifully portrayed in the words of Smith’s writing.
With tenderness and hopefulness, this story will wrap you up and put you in the center of a time, that is only read about in the Bible, of a time many have forgotten to remember. The rich historic detail is vivid and captivating and Smith has once again managed to make me fall in love with yet another amazing book. This is beyond 5 star worthy and I hope you, too, will fall in love with the story of Solomon and his loves.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Her characters, once again, are chiseled beautifully. Full of depth and emotion. Every emotion they felt became mine while I read this. I fell in love with Solomon and didn’t want his story to end. The love he had for our God, the love he had for his wives, was beautifully portrayed in the words of Smith’s writing.
With tenderness and hopefulness, this story will wrap you up and put you in the center of a time, that is only read about in the Bible, of a time many have forgotten to remember. The rich historic detail is vivid and captivating and Smith has once again managed to make me fall in love with yet another amazing book. This is beyond 5 star worthy and I hope you, too, will fall in love with the story of Solomon and his loves.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Bring Me Back in Books
Jul 18, 2018 (Updated Jul 18, 2018)
Quick Thriller
First of all I will not look at Russian Dolls the same again. They’ve greatly increased in the creep factor thanks to this book. (It’s a good thing!)
I enjoyed reading this one as throughout the novel you’re always second guessing yourself and just when you think you got it right, something else happens and you’re guessing again. Loved the twists and endless possibilities with this plot! I thought it enhanced quite a few things once Layla’s point of view is introduced because this is where it gets more complex and things start going a bit darker and uglier.
Ellen’s behavior was frustrating. You felt right up there with Finn sometimes because of her bouncing back and forth in opinions and it added more to Finn’s stress (although, it now makes sense as you head towards the ending) It’s definitely felt as it takes its’ toll on Finn. It’s hard to sympathize with him. He does have a temper and his personality and reasoning makes it hard to like him. He rather treats Ellen as a means to an end and his obsession with Layla reaches a disturbing factor.
The book is a quick read and engages the reader. I enjoyed the last bit in the end of the book, it’s well thought out and brings everything to a nice close. I liked how it kept me guessing and the thriller elements are well placed to keep the reading going.
Definitely recommended for a good thriller read!
I enjoyed reading this one as throughout the novel you’re always second guessing yourself and just when you think you got it right, something else happens and you’re guessing again. Loved the twists and endless possibilities with this plot! I thought it enhanced quite a few things once Layla’s point of view is introduced because this is where it gets more complex and things start going a bit darker and uglier.
Ellen’s behavior was frustrating. You felt right up there with Finn sometimes because of her bouncing back and forth in opinions and it added more to Finn’s stress (although, it now makes sense as you head towards the ending) It’s definitely felt as it takes its’ toll on Finn. It’s hard to sympathize with him. He does have a temper and his personality and reasoning makes it hard to like him. He rather treats Ellen as a means to an end and his obsession with Layla reaches a disturbing factor.
The book is a quick read and engages the reader. I enjoyed the last bit in the end of the book, it’s well thought out and brings everything to a nice close. I liked how it kept me guessing and the thriller elements are well placed to keep the reading going.
Definitely recommended for a good thriller read!
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Pulled Up - Single by LOLO BX in Music
Jun 18, 2019
LOLO BX (Brett Foran) is a bass producer and graphic artist from Bathurst, Australia. Not too long ago, he released an 8-bit animation video for his “Pulled Up” single featuring Brooklyn-based rapper Yuneer Gainz.
“Gucci bandana like I’m 2 Chainz. Flexing and finessing I got two ways. Recording or touring I got two ways for the bands to keep on coming. That’s why today I just pulled up in that Bentley Bentayga.” – lyrics
The 8-bit music video finds an animated LOLO BX and Yuneer Gainz on an adventure inside a video game. Also, they cruise inside their brand-new Bentley down graffiti-plagued blocks.
The audiovisual showcases LOLO’s artistic vision and skill as a graphic artist. His creative flair extends beyond the music world as he creates an immersive experience for the audience across different platforms.
‘Pulled Up’ contains a prosperous narrative, harmonious rap vocals, and bass-heavy instrumentation flavored with electronic, trap, and hip-hop elements.
LOLO BX grew up on hip-hop, punk, and metal. He breathes music and has spent a good portion of his life creating it in one form or another.
With online plays in the hundreds of thousands, he continues to make waves both locally and internationally with his enriched cocktail blend of melodic bass music.
Also, he has taken on remix duties for label powerhouses such as Mad Decent, Ministry of Sound, and the prestigious Aussie crew Sweat It Out.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/lolo-bx-pulled-up-yuneer-gainz/
“Gucci bandana like I’m 2 Chainz. Flexing and finessing I got two ways. Recording or touring I got two ways for the bands to keep on coming. That’s why today I just pulled up in that Bentley Bentayga.” – lyrics
The 8-bit music video finds an animated LOLO BX and Yuneer Gainz on an adventure inside a video game. Also, they cruise inside their brand-new Bentley down graffiti-plagued blocks.
The audiovisual showcases LOLO’s artistic vision and skill as a graphic artist. His creative flair extends beyond the music world as he creates an immersive experience for the audience across different platforms.
‘Pulled Up’ contains a prosperous narrative, harmonious rap vocals, and bass-heavy instrumentation flavored with electronic, trap, and hip-hop elements.
LOLO BX grew up on hip-hop, punk, and metal. He breathes music and has spent a good portion of his life creating it in one form or another.
With online plays in the hundreds of thousands, he continues to make waves both locally and internationally with his enriched cocktail blend of melodic bass music.
Also, he has taken on remix duties for label powerhouses such as Mad Decent, Ministry of Sound, and the prestigious Aussie crew Sweat It Out.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/lolo-bx-pulled-up-yuneer-gainz/
Marylegs (44 KP) rated The Walking Dead, Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars in Books
Aug 14, 2019
Once again really interesting story progression. I find it really interesting to compare and notice the plot elements that differ in the TV show to this graphic novel series. It has been really hard to displace the feeling I have for the TV show characters and how they come across in this novels. Carol’s character is one that I have been finding it hard to come to grips with. However I am still so early on in the overall story that I am sure my opinion will change as the characters develop. So in this issue they have been clearing out the prison and trying to work out if this could be a safe place to live after leaving Hershel’s farm at the end of the second volume. Ricks group have to try and live side by side with the group of prisoners they find camped out in the prison cafeteria but then stuff begins to go wrong in this place they thought was safe. Due to this they have to set their own code to live by which shows how their world is changing with every passing day.
As always the drawings are so good and the story flows so well. It is so easy to read and become absorbed into this world that is changing all the characters personalities. I still stand by the main story being how people adapt to this changing world rather than it being about zombies. They are just a catalyst to bring out peoples raw behaviours when put into dire situations.
As always the drawings are so good and the story flows so well. It is so easy to read and become absorbed into this world that is changing all the characters personalities. I still stand by the main story being how people adapt to this changing world rather than it being about zombies. They are just a catalyst to bring out peoples raw behaviours when put into dire situations.