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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) in Movies
Aug 6, 2020
Much like Eurovision itself, this film shouldn’t be entertaining in any way, but after watching it for ten minutes it becomes a compelling car crash you kinda have to see out to the end. It doesn’t really matter what you think of the songs, you are watching it waiting for the one thing you can make fun of, rubbing your eyes in disbelief that anything so camp and lame can exist.
Will Ferrell understands this of course. There is so much about the weird world of Eurovision to make fun of. The naff music, the costumes, the lost in translation moments from obscure countries trying their best and mostly failing to realise how daft they look. Enjoying this film depends on how funny you find Ferrell, not on any love of cheesy pop songs. Fortunately, I find him usually hilarious.
Not that every joke lands, or even makes sense at all. It is as bizarre as the contest itself; you just have to leave your brain at the door and go with it. There is a lot to like. Not least the adorable and consistently watchable Rachel McAdams who seems the perfect choice to play Sigrit, the girl dreaming of having the world hear her sing and strive for her spirit note. There is also an odd turn from Pierce Brosnan, who makes no effort whatsoever to make it good, and comes full circle in being so bad it’s amazing.
The joke is that they are from Iceland, who never win the thing, or ever come close. The country itself doesn’t want to win, as they would have to pay for it next year, so, after a bizarre accident where every other candidate explodes, they turn to the naive duo of Fire Saga, who are guaranteed to be a joke. And they are. But of course we are on their side, as they live the dream and go for underdog glory. What can go wrong does, and every comedy trope in the book is trotted out, along with a huge dose of sentimentality.
Naturally there is music. Ranging from the excruciating to the actually not too bad, to the hmmm, I actual like that! One highlight is a montage piece in the middle, as all contestants jam at a pre-final party – just so much fun and a totally catchy song. I am not entirely ashamed to say that it kinda got me. The pathos leading up to the climax hit me in the vulnerable feels, as I lay on a Sunday morning helpfully hung-over and tender. This is the way to watch it, I feel, or, you know, with young kids, who will lap up the silliness and talent show sensibility.
Look, it’s terrible on any artistic or serious level. The script is a mess, the direction could have been phoned in by a chimp, and the plot serves to say nothing new or inciteful, but it doesn’t matter. Watch it, have a chuckle and then throw it away. I can think of many less innocent comedies that are far less worthy of attention. And at the very least, there is a bit with elves that had me pressing pause till I got all my laughs out.
Pick a day when you have no energy to fight the world or string two thoughts together and just enjoy it.
Decinemal Rating: 63
Will Ferrell understands this of course. There is so much about the weird world of Eurovision to make fun of. The naff music, the costumes, the lost in translation moments from obscure countries trying their best and mostly failing to realise how daft they look. Enjoying this film depends on how funny you find Ferrell, not on any love of cheesy pop songs. Fortunately, I find him usually hilarious.
Not that every joke lands, or even makes sense at all. It is as bizarre as the contest itself; you just have to leave your brain at the door and go with it. There is a lot to like. Not least the adorable and consistently watchable Rachel McAdams who seems the perfect choice to play Sigrit, the girl dreaming of having the world hear her sing and strive for her spirit note. There is also an odd turn from Pierce Brosnan, who makes no effort whatsoever to make it good, and comes full circle in being so bad it’s amazing.
The joke is that they are from Iceland, who never win the thing, or ever come close. The country itself doesn’t want to win, as they would have to pay for it next year, so, after a bizarre accident where every other candidate explodes, they turn to the naive duo of Fire Saga, who are guaranteed to be a joke. And they are. But of course we are on their side, as they live the dream and go for underdog glory. What can go wrong does, and every comedy trope in the book is trotted out, along with a huge dose of sentimentality.
Naturally there is music. Ranging from the excruciating to the actually not too bad, to the hmmm, I actual like that! One highlight is a montage piece in the middle, as all contestants jam at a pre-final party – just so much fun and a totally catchy song. I am not entirely ashamed to say that it kinda got me. The pathos leading up to the climax hit me in the vulnerable feels, as I lay on a Sunday morning helpfully hung-over and tender. This is the way to watch it, I feel, or, you know, with young kids, who will lap up the silliness and talent show sensibility.
Look, it’s terrible on any artistic or serious level. The script is a mess, the direction could have been phoned in by a chimp, and the plot serves to say nothing new or inciteful, but it doesn’t matter. Watch it, have a chuckle and then throw it away. I can think of many less innocent comedies that are far less worthy of attention. And at the very least, there is a bit with elves that had me pressing pause till I got all my laughs out.
Pick a day when you have no energy to fight the world or string two thoughts together and just enjoy it.
Decinemal Rating: 63
Disney Magic Kingdoms
Games and Entertainment
7.0
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WELCOME TO THE MOST MAGICAL PLACE ON MOBILE! When Maleficent casts an evil spell on the Kingdom,...
Merissa (12894 KP) rated Bitten By Fate (Regent's Park Pack #6) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
Bitten By Fate (Regent's Park Pack #6) by Annabelle Jacobs
Bitten by Fate is the sixth and final book in the Regent's Park Pack series, and we see how Cam is still trying to bring together both sides of his new pack. Calling in the big guns, he sends two units, plus two betas to 'oversee', off to a couple of weeks "bonding session", held by the Alpha Council. Daryl and Jason are the two betas there as support. Their time together has some unexpected side-affects for both of them.
I am so sad to see this series come to an end, but I am supremely happy with how it was done. Daryl and Jason are complete opposites in nearly every way, but this is what makes them so perfect for each other. Their characters are written so well that even when one of them acts like a d*ck, you can understand the whys of it! With laughs at the bonding activities and tension (both sexual and otherwise), there is something here for everyone.
Exceedingly well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, I am sad to leave this Regent's Park Pack. Their world is clear and concise, with strong characters, both main and supporting. I would love to hear more about how they are getting on further down the line, but I will just have to read this author's other books in the meantime. ? It's a hard job, but someone's got to do it!
Absolutely recommended by me. This is one of my favourites of the series, although Cam and Gareth still hold the highest honour.
* 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!
I am so sad to see this series come to an end, but I am supremely happy with how it was done. Daryl and Jason are complete opposites in nearly every way, but this is what makes them so perfect for each other. Their characters are written so well that even when one of them acts like a d*ck, you can understand the whys of it! With laughs at the bonding activities and tension (both sexual and otherwise), there is something here for everyone.
Exceedingly well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, I am sad to leave this Regent's Park Pack. Their world is clear and concise, with strong characters, both main and supporting. I would love to hear more about how they are getting on further down the line, but I will just have to read this author's other books in the meantime. ? It's a hard job, but someone's got to do it!
Absolutely recommended by me. This is one of my favourites of the series, although Cam and Gareth still hold the highest honour.
* 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!
The Jewish Law Annual: Volume 18
Book
Volume 18 of The Jewish Law Annual contains six comprehensive articles on various aspects of Jewish...
Bread Beauty Revolution: Khwaja Ahmad Abbas 1914-1987
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, Iffat Fatima and Syeda Hameed
Book
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas distinguished himself by his ceaseless passion for revolutionary politics, which...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Avengers: Endgame (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
End of a Generation
Marvel's Avengers: Endgame is a 2019 superhero movie produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film was directed by the Russo brothers (Anthony and Joe), written by Christopher Markus and Stephen Mcfeely and starred an All-star cast of actors. It is a sequel to Avengers: Infinity War and is the 22nd film in the MCU.
Three weeks after the events of Avengers: Infinity War, what's left of the Avengers are coping with their loss in their own ways. With so many gone, the world itself has changed and become a different place. Many struggle to move on or move forward, others try to keep busy continuing to fight crime/criminals. Thanos is gone and his location can't be found by any deep space satellite or advanced technology that Earth has. However in their darkest moment a glimmer of hope emerges when information outside of Earth comes into play with Thanos possible location. They form a plan and maybe just maybe, have a chance to get their hands on the Infinity stones and bring their friends back. But this time there will be even less of them to fight the all powerful Thanos.
This movie was epic. This film definitely lived up to all the hype. Already a phenomenal success financially, it made 1.2 billion opening weekend. This film was also a success in story telling being the finality of a story being told in over 20 films. It was very emotional with lots of action and pretty satisfying. Very somber in the beginning, especially with how the last installment in the franchise went. I really thought that i knew how the beginning of the film would play out but they really gave the audience some twists early on and throughout. And they also made sure it had plenty of "fan service", giving the fans a lot of what they wanted. Not a lot more that i can say without spoilers but I was really thrown for a loop with a couple of characters mainly Thor and Hulk. This movie gets my "Must See Seal of Approval" and I give it an 8.
I almost gave it a 9, but I felt Infinity War was better and certain Avengers acted out of character. Also a pretty confusing plot device that plays a very important role in how the movie unfolds.
Three weeks after the events of Avengers: Infinity War, what's left of the Avengers are coping with their loss in their own ways. With so many gone, the world itself has changed and become a different place. Many struggle to move on or move forward, others try to keep busy continuing to fight crime/criminals. Thanos is gone and his location can't be found by any deep space satellite or advanced technology that Earth has. However in their darkest moment a glimmer of hope emerges when information outside of Earth comes into play with Thanos possible location. They form a plan and maybe just maybe, have a chance to get their hands on the Infinity stones and bring their friends back. But this time there will be even less of them to fight the all powerful Thanos.
This movie was epic. This film definitely lived up to all the hype. Already a phenomenal success financially, it made 1.2 billion opening weekend. This film was also a success in story telling being the finality of a story being told in over 20 films. It was very emotional with lots of action and pretty satisfying. Very somber in the beginning, especially with how the last installment in the franchise went. I really thought that i knew how the beginning of the film would play out but they really gave the audience some twists early on and throughout. And they also made sure it had plenty of "fan service", giving the fans a lot of what they wanted. Not a lot more that i can say without spoilers but I was really thrown for a loop with a couple of characters mainly Thor and Hulk. This movie gets my "Must See Seal of Approval" and I give it an 8.
I almost gave it a 9, but I felt Infinity War was better and certain Avengers acted out of character. Also a pretty confusing plot device that plays a very important role in how the movie unfolds.
Principles of Solar Engineering
Book
An Engineering-Based Survey of Modern Solar Energy Concepts and Practical Applications Reflecting...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Coming of Age at the End of Days in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Anna is a depressed teenager living with her parents in a conventional California suburb. One day, she finds herself pulled out of her "melancholia" by meeting Lars, another teen who moves into her neighborhood, and his parents. Lars and his family introduce Anna to the world of his "church," which is more of religious cult that has a forceful prophecy about the upcoming end of days.
As Anna becomes more and more drawn into this religious world, she finds herself beset by visions and otherwise withdrawing from life around her, including her parents, who are confused and upset by her religious fervor. Anna's only other real contacts are her neighbor, Jim, a mid-20-something who has returned home to live with his parents after a string of disgraces, and Jim's crush/sweetheart, Clara, who also teaches chemistry at Anna's high school.
I'll be honest - I just didn't like this book. It wasn't what I was expecting from this author, or even the description of the novel. I loved LaPlante's "Turn of Mind," but this was nothing like that novel. The plot was odd, disjointed, and really seemed to make no sense. Anna is not a sympathetic character to me -- I completely empathized with her bewildered parents. There really seems to be no reason why Anna would become so drawn into this religion (which perhaps may be the point, but if so, it's not really made well). There are odd plot twists and turns that seem just to pop up out of nowhere, for no reason, including the oddly inserted ending and epilogue. Even's Anna's visions aren't really explained well.
I don't know; I was disappointed by this read. Perhaps I just missed a greater point this book was trying to make, but it didn't do it for me.
(Note I received an ARC of this book from Negalley in return for an unbiased review.)
As Anna becomes more and more drawn into this religious world, she finds herself beset by visions and otherwise withdrawing from life around her, including her parents, who are confused and upset by her religious fervor. Anna's only other real contacts are her neighbor, Jim, a mid-20-something who has returned home to live with his parents after a string of disgraces, and Jim's crush/sweetheart, Clara, who also teaches chemistry at Anna's high school.
I'll be honest - I just didn't like this book. It wasn't what I was expecting from this author, or even the description of the novel. I loved LaPlante's "Turn of Mind," but this was nothing like that novel. The plot was odd, disjointed, and really seemed to make no sense. Anna is not a sympathetic character to me -- I completely empathized with her bewildered parents. There really seems to be no reason why Anna would become so drawn into this religion (which perhaps may be the point, but if so, it's not really made well). There are odd plot twists and turns that seem just to pop up out of nowhere, for no reason, including the oddly inserted ending and epilogue. Even's Anna's visions aren't really explained well.
I don't know; I was disappointed by this read. Perhaps I just missed a greater point this book was trying to make, but it didn't do it for me.
(Note I received an ARC of this book from Negalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Rachel Howser Roberts (96 KP) rated Crazy Rich Asians in Books
Jun 21, 2018 (Updated Jun 21, 2018)
Modern Cinderella
Imagine if Cinderella lived today, she was a college professor, and she was already dating the Prince Charming of Singapore. That’s what Kwan’s debut novel reminded me of. Rachel Chu agrees to visit her boyfriend’s family in Singapore over the summer, only to slowly realize that they are crazy rich and live a lifestyle very different from how Rachel and Nick live in New York. I found the novel to be a fresh take on the Cinderella-type story. I also enjoyed learning how the crazy rich Asians of the title live.
I found the main character, Rachel, to be quite relatable. Despite the fact, that her mother immigrated from mainland China, Rachel is thoroughly American. She was thrown into this world of the crazy rich with no warning from her boyfriend. I liked that she behaved with dignity, even if she was often unaware of what was happening around her or how to act in a particular social situation.
The character of Nick, Rachel’s boyfriend, is not quite as fleshed out as Rachel’s. The reader sees him being generally a good guy (not participating in drugs and prostitutes brought in for a bachelor party), but I would have liked to see him realize and react to the way his family and family friends behave towards the woman he loves. It does not occur to him that they are treating her abhorrently until near the end of the novel.
The pacing of the novel was quick. Each chapter is from a different point of view, quickly switching from one experience to another. Although the book focused on relationships, and I’m more of a Sci-Fi or suspense girl, I found myself unable to put the book down. I read it in a day.
I honestly picked up this book, because many of my friends are excited about the upcoming movie. After reading the book, I’m excited to see it, too. But as with any movie, I would recommend reading the book first.
Most of all, the book made me want to visit Asia again! I’ve been to Mainland China and Taiwan, but never Singapore. The crazy rich people did not sound pleasant to be around, but I would love to experience the culture. I would love to visit the food stalls Rachel visits as soon as she lands in Singapore.
I found the main character, Rachel, to be quite relatable. Despite the fact, that her mother immigrated from mainland China, Rachel is thoroughly American. She was thrown into this world of the crazy rich with no warning from her boyfriend. I liked that she behaved with dignity, even if she was often unaware of what was happening around her or how to act in a particular social situation.
The character of Nick, Rachel’s boyfriend, is not quite as fleshed out as Rachel’s. The reader sees him being generally a good guy (not participating in drugs and prostitutes brought in for a bachelor party), but I would have liked to see him realize and react to the way his family and family friends behave towards the woman he loves. It does not occur to him that they are treating her abhorrently until near the end of the novel.
The pacing of the novel was quick. Each chapter is from a different point of view, quickly switching from one experience to another. Although the book focused on relationships, and I’m more of a Sci-Fi or suspense girl, I found myself unable to put the book down. I read it in a day.
I honestly picked up this book, because many of my friends are excited about the upcoming movie. After reading the book, I’m excited to see it, too. But as with any movie, I would recommend reading the book first.
Most of all, the book made me want to visit Asia again! I’ve been to Mainland China and Taiwan, but never Singapore. The crazy rich people did not sound pleasant to be around, but I would love to experience the culture. I would love to visit the food stalls Rachel visits as soon as she lands in Singapore.
Fruzo – Free Video Chat & Dating Social Network
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Welcome to Fruzo, a unique video chat and dating social network which helps you connect with people...