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RəX Regent (349 KP) rated Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) in Movies
Feb 25, 2019
Underrated
Contains spoilers, click to show
This is the third and final installment of the iconoclastic Transformers franchise. By the law of diminishing returns, this should have fallen well below the par from the excellent first outing; well, has it? The answer is a definite no. First off, it's not as good as good as Transformers, lacking much of the comedy and puerile action, but it would be on par with the Revenge Of The Fallen, which is not up to much in many critic's opinions, which was overly smashy, confused and missed some of the pacing of the first.
Dark Of the Moon carries on the tradition of complex back stories, tying in to U.S. Space Race history, this time, right back to 1962 and the inception of the Apollo programme. Here, they postulate that NASA's moon race was purely conceived to get to the Moon first to recover a massive Cybertron based space craft, which had crashed in the Moon after the final battle on the doomed Transformer planet.
At the crash site, Sentinel Prime is discovered and years later, Optimus Prime recovers him, as he was the true leader of the Autobots in their war with the Decepticons. Also, there are a collection of what are referred to as Pillars, very 3D friendly, yet still plausibly so, floating metallic rod styled devices which would play a pivotal role later. Meanwhile, Sam, Shia LaBeouf, has moved on from his Megan Fox girlfriend and has now, somewhat inexplicably, moved in with Victoria Secrets model, though in the film, she's supposed to be some form a P.A., played by the inept Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, which is simply ridiculous. This point is also brought up in the script as his own mother warns him that he would not get so lucky a third time!
The world is has now been invaded by Decepticons and Sam, along with his collection of mis-matched allies and seven remaining Autobots are all that stands between them and total destruction. Sounds like a good setup but with a typical running time 157 minutes, the plot was simply too thin to sustain itself, leading to patchy pacing and moments that begin to plod. I didn't find this to be all that bad but others felt that the word boring would more than a little apt.
You see for me, the pay off of robots beating the hell out of each other and taking the world down with them is worth the wait and the flaws in the narrative, but for others, this will not be the case. Leonard Nimoy's voice portrayal of Sentinel Prime was fine, but the constant need to remind us that it was Mr. Spock wasn't. This culminated in a completely unnecessary piece of dialogue where Sentinel reprises Spock's line from Star Trek II, "...The needs of the many, out way the needs of the few". This was a quote to far in my opinion, certainly when justifying some questionable and immoral acts...
Then there was the 3D, and what 3D it was! This finally proved that a blockbuster can be produced in 3D without sacrificing the cinematography for cynical dimensional gestures. The film looked as I would expect any 2D blockbustering actioner to look, with sweeping aerial action and objects flying towards the audience but the 3D effect only amplified this, and didn't make it. This was well conceived and I take my hats of to them. This is what 3D should look like and it was visually arresting.
Overall, the film provided all the thrills and spills that you would expect from Transformers, with acceptable acting for a film of this genre, with the gross exception of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who should stick to modeling and as acting or even speaking would seem to be light years beyond her. John Malkovich and Frances McDormand, deliver great cameos and bring some of the only really decent acting to the film, with the further exceptions of the returning John Turturro and the addition of Alan Tudyk, who both deliver most of the belly laughs in this outing.
It was fun but not as much fun as the previous films. DOTM was clearly trying to shift the tone and in doing so it succeeded at moving the film into a slightly darker, more action film place. This felt more like a straight forward 12 rated actioner such as Bay's other efforts, The Rock and Armageddon and a little less of the lighter more child friendly overtones of the previous two. Still, I enjoyed this and feel very strongly that the naysayers who would rate this film so lowly that you'd have to look for it in the gutter, have allowed themselves to take this way too seriously.
Is this the end of for Transformers? I hope so, but the door is still open and with the vast profits that it's already made, Transformers 4 could be just around the next corner. If that's the case, it is not what i would prefer, feeling that they've gone as far as they came but I would certainly run out to watch it!
Dark Of the Moon carries on the tradition of complex back stories, tying in to U.S. Space Race history, this time, right back to 1962 and the inception of the Apollo programme. Here, they postulate that NASA's moon race was purely conceived to get to the Moon first to recover a massive Cybertron based space craft, which had crashed in the Moon after the final battle on the doomed Transformer planet.
At the crash site, Sentinel Prime is discovered and years later, Optimus Prime recovers him, as he was the true leader of the Autobots in their war with the Decepticons. Also, there are a collection of what are referred to as Pillars, very 3D friendly, yet still plausibly so, floating metallic rod styled devices which would play a pivotal role later. Meanwhile, Sam, Shia LaBeouf, has moved on from his Megan Fox girlfriend and has now, somewhat inexplicably, moved in with Victoria Secrets model, though in the film, she's supposed to be some form a P.A., played by the inept Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, which is simply ridiculous. This point is also brought up in the script as his own mother warns him that he would not get so lucky a third time!
The world is has now been invaded by Decepticons and Sam, along with his collection of mis-matched allies and seven remaining Autobots are all that stands between them and total destruction. Sounds like a good setup but with a typical running time 157 minutes, the plot was simply too thin to sustain itself, leading to patchy pacing and moments that begin to plod. I didn't find this to be all that bad but others felt that the word boring would more than a little apt.
You see for me, the pay off of robots beating the hell out of each other and taking the world down with them is worth the wait and the flaws in the narrative, but for others, this will not be the case. Leonard Nimoy's voice portrayal of Sentinel Prime was fine, but the constant need to remind us that it was Mr. Spock wasn't. This culminated in a completely unnecessary piece of dialogue where Sentinel reprises Spock's line from Star Trek II, "...The needs of the many, out way the needs of the few". This was a quote to far in my opinion, certainly when justifying some questionable and immoral acts...
Then there was the 3D, and what 3D it was! This finally proved that a blockbuster can be produced in 3D without sacrificing the cinematography for cynical dimensional gestures. The film looked as I would expect any 2D blockbustering actioner to look, with sweeping aerial action and objects flying towards the audience but the 3D effect only amplified this, and didn't make it. This was well conceived and I take my hats of to them. This is what 3D should look like and it was visually arresting.
Overall, the film provided all the thrills and spills that you would expect from Transformers, with acceptable acting for a film of this genre, with the gross exception of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who should stick to modeling and as acting or even speaking would seem to be light years beyond her. John Malkovich and Frances McDormand, deliver great cameos and bring some of the only really decent acting to the film, with the further exceptions of the returning John Turturro and the addition of Alan Tudyk, who both deliver most of the belly laughs in this outing.
It was fun but not as much fun as the previous films. DOTM was clearly trying to shift the tone and in doing so it succeeded at moving the film into a slightly darker, more action film place. This felt more like a straight forward 12 rated actioner such as Bay's other efforts, The Rock and Armageddon and a little less of the lighter more child friendly overtones of the previous two. Still, I enjoyed this and feel very strongly that the naysayers who would rate this film so lowly that you'd have to look for it in the gutter, have allowed themselves to take this way too seriously.
Is this the end of for Transformers? I hope so, but the door is still open and with the vast profits that it's already made, Transformers 4 could be just around the next corner. If that's the case, it is not what i would prefer, feeling that they've gone as far as they came but I would certainly run out to watch it!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Benevolent in Books
Aug 25, 2019
I first heard of Benevolent by Erin A. Jensen through the blogging community. It sounded very interesting especially the more I heard about it. When an opportunity to review Benevolent came about, I jumped at the chance. Although Benevolent does mention the television show Supernatural throughout the book, you don't have to be a fan of Supernatural or know anything about the show to enjoy this novel. I will admit that I've only seen a few episodes of Supernatural back when it first began, but my limited knowledge of Supernatural did not take away my enjoyment of Benevolent. I'm really glad I got the chance to read Benevolent because it truly is a gem of a book!
The plot of Benevolent was a truly interesting one that really tugged at my heartstrings throughout. Benevolent begins with a teenage girl, Abigail (or Abbie as she's sometimes called) losing her best and only friend to cancer. She is comforted by an angel who appears in the form of Castiel from the television show Supernatural (her and her best friend's favorite). The reader is then taken through a journey throughout Abbie's life including all the ups and downs. Her angel, Castiel, plays a big role in her life's journey, and Abbie's left wondering if Castiel is real or if he's just a figment of her imagination. Benevolent is more than just that though. It's a gripping and emotional love story, but not in the romantic sense.
I could not put Benevolent down! In fact, I pretty much read this book in one sitting. It's a fairly short story, but the pacing was absolutely perfect throughout. I love how each chapter title was a song title. In fact, it makes for a great playlist whilst reading the chapter that features it or before and/or after that chapter. I was pulled into Abigail's world as soon as I started reading the first page. I loved how every loose end is tied up before Benevolent ends, and every question I had was answered. The world building is fantastic, and I can't fault anything about it. Erin A. Jensen is such a talented writer based on Benevolent!
I absolutely enjoyed every character in Benevolent. Abigail felt like an old friend. In fact, I felt like I was reading a true life biography about Abigail instead of just a work of fiction. Everything about Abigail's character was just laid bare for everyone to read about, and I think that's what made me love her so much. She had been through a lot, and I could relate to her on so many levels. The character of Castiel was written perfectly too. Like I said, I had only watched a few episodes of Supernatural before they introduced the character of Castiel, so I can't comment on how much Benevolent's character of Castiel was like the one on Supernatural. However, it is mentioned in the beginning of Benevolent that Abigail's angel took on the form of Castiel and his name and mannerisms to make Abbie feel more comfortable. It is said that he isn't the actual Castiel from Supernatural. We also get to know Danny, Abbie's childhood best friend, through Abbie's memories. Danny seemed like such an awesome person, and even I was saddened by his death.
Trigger warnings for Benevolent include death, cancer, attempted suicide, overdosing, drug use, alcohol, and some profanity but nothing too bad.
Overall, Benevolent is one of those books that will stick with you long after you've stopped reading. It's a book that tugs on your heart strings and won't let go until the very end. Benevolent has such a fantastic plot with such a relatable main character that it just makes for an awesome read. What makes Benevolent even more awesome (which is saying something since Benevolent is highly awesome already) is that 100 percent of the profits from its sales will be donated to Random Acts charity. I would wholeheartedly recommend Benevolent by Erin A. Jensen to everyone aged 15+ no matter what genre of book they like. I feel like this book will touch everyone who gives it a read.
--
(A special thank you to Erin A. Jensen for providing me with a paperback of Benevolent in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot of Benevolent was a truly interesting one that really tugged at my heartstrings throughout. Benevolent begins with a teenage girl, Abigail (or Abbie as she's sometimes called) losing her best and only friend to cancer. She is comforted by an angel who appears in the form of Castiel from the television show Supernatural (her and her best friend's favorite). The reader is then taken through a journey throughout Abbie's life including all the ups and downs. Her angel, Castiel, plays a big role in her life's journey, and Abbie's left wondering if Castiel is real or if he's just a figment of her imagination. Benevolent is more than just that though. It's a gripping and emotional love story, but not in the romantic sense.
I could not put Benevolent down! In fact, I pretty much read this book in one sitting. It's a fairly short story, but the pacing was absolutely perfect throughout. I love how each chapter title was a song title. In fact, it makes for a great playlist whilst reading the chapter that features it or before and/or after that chapter. I was pulled into Abigail's world as soon as I started reading the first page. I loved how every loose end is tied up before Benevolent ends, and every question I had was answered. The world building is fantastic, and I can't fault anything about it. Erin A. Jensen is such a talented writer based on Benevolent!
I absolutely enjoyed every character in Benevolent. Abigail felt like an old friend. In fact, I felt like I was reading a true life biography about Abigail instead of just a work of fiction. Everything about Abigail's character was just laid bare for everyone to read about, and I think that's what made me love her so much. She had been through a lot, and I could relate to her on so many levels. The character of Castiel was written perfectly too. Like I said, I had only watched a few episodes of Supernatural before they introduced the character of Castiel, so I can't comment on how much Benevolent's character of Castiel was like the one on Supernatural. However, it is mentioned in the beginning of Benevolent that Abigail's angel took on the form of Castiel and his name and mannerisms to make Abbie feel more comfortable. It is said that he isn't the actual Castiel from Supernatural. We also get to know Danny, Abbie's childhood best friend, through Abbie's memories. Danny seemed like such an awesome person, and even I was saddened by his death.
Trigger warnings for Benevolent include death, cancer, attempted suicide, overdosing, drug use, alcohol, and some profanity but nothing too bad.
Overall, Benevolent is one of those books that will stick with you long after you've stopped reading. It's a book that tugs on your heart strings and won't let go until the very end. Benevolent has such a fantastic plot with such a relatable main character that it just makes for an awesome read. What makes Benevolent even more awesome (which is saying something since Benevolent is highly awesome already) is that 100 percent of the profits from its sales will be donated to Random Acts charity. I would wholeheartedly recommend Benevolent by Erin A. Jensen to everyone aged 15+ no matter what genre of book they like. I feel like this book will touch everyone who gives it a read.
--
(A special thank you to Erin A. Jensen for providing me with a paperback of Benevolent in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
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Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) in Movies
Dec 20, 2019
Young ensemble cast actually ensembling! (1 more)
Adam Driver on great form
After 42 years - does it leave with a bang or a whimper?
This review will be spoiler-free.
And so we come to the grand conclusion of George Lucas's nine-film vision, and someone can at last put the multi-limbed behemoth in a coffin and nail down the lid. It's certainly been a bumpy ride for this latest trilogy under Disney's stewardship, with rabidly negative fan-boys getting very hot under the collar about 'their baby' being despoiled by the evil empire!
We left the end of the last film with the Rebellion in tatters, reduced to a tiny fleet of ships. (It was truly fortunate that our key players were not on any of the lost ships wasn't it?) Rey (Daisy Ridley) is progressing her Jedi-training under the guidance of a new teacher. But the presence of Kylo-Ren (Adam Driver) is forever there, and their long-distance "psycho-chats" are becoming ever more 'substantial' as the bond between them grows.
But a dark presence from the past has returned, and both are drawn to it in different ways. A showdown between the forces of good and evil is inevitable.
The pace of the film is frenetic and totally exhausting. The first 30 minutes hardly pause for a breath as we zap around from location to location. Where the film really worked better for me was in the quieter and more reflective moments. Kylo Ren is in many of these moments: one, where he visits a very dark place, is well done; and one, where he receives a special visitor, is an interlude that is surprisingly effective. Adam Driver really is in excellent form here; he's never been my favourite actor in the world, but here truly impresses.
One of the problems of the first two films in the trilogy is that it sent all the young leads off in multiple different directions. The result was that there was very little of the interplay of the first films (between Han, Luke and Leia) that made them so memorable. Here that issue is rectified and Poe (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) develop a close onscreen bond with much resultant banter. Ridley's Rey also gets thrown into the mix, with the result that a group hug feels at last normal and right. It's bizarre, but you suddenly realise what was missing here when - FOR THE FIRST TIME - two of the characters get introduced to each other!
A welcome inclusion is that of the late Carrie Fisher as Leia. It's actually extraordinary that they had enough unused footage to be able to weave in a full role for the character into the story. It never feels forced and there were only a few 'hugs' where I found myself thinking "I bet that's not her".
C3PO (Anthony Daniels) also gets much more screen time and has some really nice and comical scenes in here. And a new uni-wheeled robot (voiced by director J.J. Abrams) adds to both the comic potential (and the available Disney merchandise!).
One of the new characters on show is the physically impressive Naomi Ackie as the horse (or something!) riding Jannah. But she's given little to do in the plot.
Elsewhere, there are a whole bunch of famous faces cropping up. Watching the end credit roll is an "OH! That was who that was" revelation in some cases. I won't list them here, since it is delicious to go in blind and have the surprise of seeing them. But some are famous actors from screen and TV, and one is an Abrams' favourite from a past TV glory. The biggest cheer though was reserved for a certain X-wing fighter near the end of the film. A blink-and-you'll-miss-him moment, it was a white-haired appearance to treasure.
What the film does very well (or very badly if you read some reviews) is hark back to the glories of the earlier films, and particularly Episodes IV to VI. Many places are revisited or scenes re-enacted until the place is just SOGGY with nostalgia (to use an old Tom Lehrer line). Although greatly contrived, I enjoyed these scenes immensely.
Making maximum use of the opportunity, John Williams bashes out theme after theme from most of the nine films. The soundtrack really is a "John Williams Greatest Hits" collection. Williams also actually gets a cameo as well - apparently as an eye-patch wearing bar-tender in the Nepalese-like town, though I must admit I missed it. (I've seen comment online that this is his first on-screen appearance: actually not true... he was conducting the orchestra in the "bird-lady's concert hall" in "Home Alone 2").
There are also a huge number of similarities I saw in certain scenes with other cinematic releases outside of the Star Wars universe:
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" - in two particular scenes;
"Dunkirk" - but done properly!
"Dora and the Lost City of Gold" - it doesn't make any physics sense here either!
"Power Rangers" - just because of one of the characters - you'll know the one
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" - but to say more would be a spoiler!
And there are probably others I've forgotten!
One of my key issues with "The Last Jedi" was the way in which it invented mad-cap tasks, objects and people that had to be completed/found for the plot to be moved forwards. A massive and pointless diversion to a casino planet, for example, was made just to get into a secure area of an imperial vessel: something in this film they 'just do'!
This movie also suffers to a degree from the disease of 'McGuffinitis'. Where's the beacon? There's a dagger that must be found; Where's the interpreter?; etc. It's all very formulaic. But at least in this case, there is a certain logical flow that follows within the plot.
The LP soundtrack of "Star Wars" got me into a lifelong love of film music. One of the last tracks on the soundtrack of the first film was called "The Last Battle". Well, THAT wasn't true! There have been so many space battles since then that we've all lost count. But we all knew this would build to a doozy of a finale, and the film doesn't disappoint. There is utter mayhem in the skies: WILL NOBODY THINK OF THE HENCHMEN'S FAMILIES?
It all drives to a satisfying ending for me and feels like a good closure to the saga. Is it perfect? No, not at all. It really sets itself with too much to do, and then tries to do it all within the available running time. The film will - and has by looking at the volume of IMDB 1* ratings - upset a lot of the fan-boys. But, you know what? Stuff 'em! The film should be judged on how it makes YOU feel as a standalone piece of entertainment, rather than as a part of some sort of pseudo-religious cult. And I personally think Abrams did a pretty decent job here of trying to please most of the people most of the time.
(For the full graphical review, please visit One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2019/12/20/one-manns-movies-film-review-star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-2019/ )
And so we come to the grand conclusion of George Lucas's nine-film vision, and someone can at last put the multi-limbed behemoth in a coffin and nail down the lid. It's certainly been a bumpy ride for this latest trilogy under Disney's stewardship, with rabidly negative fan-boys getting very hot under the collar about 'their baby' being despoiled by the evil empire!
We left the end of the last film with the Rebellion in tatters, reduced to a tiny fleet of ships. (It was truly fortunate that our key players were not on any of the lost ships wasn't it?) Rey (Daisy Ridley) is progressing her Jedi-training under the guidance of a new teacher. But the presence of Kylo-Ren (Adam Driver) is forever there, and their long-distance "psycho-chats" are becoming ever more 'substantial' as the bond between them grows.
But a dark presence from the past has returned, and both are drawn to it in different ways. A showdown between the forces of good and evil is inevitable.
The pace of the film is frenetic and totally exhausting. The first 30 minutes hardly pause for a breath as we zap around from location to location. Where the film really worked better for me was in the quieter and more reflective moments. Kylo Ren is in many of these moments: one, where he visits a very dark place, is well done; and one, where he receives a special visitor, is an interlude that is surprisingly effective. Adam Driver really is in excellent form here; he's never been my favourite actor in the world, but here truly impresses.
One of the problems of the first two films in the trilogy is that it sent all the young leads off in multiple different directions. The result was that there was very little of the interplay of the first films (between Han, Luke and Leia) that made them so memorable. Here that issue is rectified and Poe (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) develop a close onscreen bond with much resultant banter. Ridley's Rey also gets thrown into the mix, with the result that a group hug feels at last normal and right. It's bizarre, but you suddenly realise what was missing here when - FOR THE FIRST TIME - two of the characters get introduced to each other!
A welcome inclusion is that of the late Carrie Fisher as Leia. It's actually extraordinary that they had enough unused footage to be able to weave in a full role for the character into the story. It never feels forced and there were only a few 'hugs' where I found myself thinking "I bet that's not her".
C3PO (Anthony Daniels) also gets much more screen time and has some really nice and comical scenes in here. And a new uni-wheeled robot (voiced by director J.J. Abrams) adds to both the comic potential (and the available Disney merchandise!).
One of the new characters on show is the physically impressive Naomi Ackie as the horse (or something!) riding Jannah. But she's given little to do in the plot.
Elsewhere, there are a whole bunch of famous faces cropping up. Watching the end credit roll is an "OH! That was who that was" revelation in some cases. I won't list them here, since it is delicious to go in blind and have the surprise of seeing them. But some are famous actors from screen and TV, and one is an Abrams' favourite from a past TV glory. The biggest cheer though was reserved for a certain X-wing fighter near the end of the film. A blink-and-you'll-miss-him moment, it was a white-haired appearance to treasure.
What the film does very well (or very badly if you read some reviews) is hark back to the glories of the earlier films, and particularly Episodes IV to VI. Many places are revisited or scenes re-enacted until the place is just SOGGY with nostalgia (to use an old Tom Lehrer line). Although greatly contrived, I enjoyed these scenes immensely.
Making maximum use of the opportunity, John Williams bashes out theme after theme from most of the nine films. The soundtrack really is a "John Williams Greatest Hits" collection. Williams also actually gets a cameo as well - apparently as an eye-patch wearing bar-tender in the Nepalese-like town, though I must admit I missed it. (I've seen comment online that this is his first on-screen appearance: actually not true... he was conducting the orchestra in the "bird-lady's concert hall" in "Home Alone 2").
There are also a huge number of similarities I saw in certain scenes with other cinematic releases outside of the Star Wars universe:
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" - in two particular scenes;
"Dunkirk" - but done properly!
"Dora and the Lost City of Gold" - it doesn't make any physics sense here either!
"Power Rangers" - just because of one of the characters - you'll know the one
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" - but to say more would be a spoiler!
And there are probably others I've forgotten!
One of my key issues with "The Last Jedi" was the way in which it invented mad-cap tasks, objects and people that had to be completed/found for the plot to be moved forwards. A massive and pointless diversion to a casino planet, for example, was made just to get into a secure area of an imperial vessel: something in this film they 'just do'!
This movie also suffers to a degree from the disease of 'McGuffinitis'. Where's the beacon? There's a dagger that must be found; Where's the interpreter?; etc. It's all very formulaic. But at least in this case, there is a certain logical flow that follows within the plot.
The LP soundtrack of "Star Wars" got me into a lifelong love of film music. One of the last tracks on the soundtrack of the first film was called "The Last Battle". Well, THAT wasn't true! There have been so many space battles since then that we've all lost count. But we all knew this would build to a doozy of a finale, and the film doesn't disappoint. There is utter mayhem in the skies: WILL NOBODY THINK OF THE HENCHMEN'S FAMILIES?
It all drives to a satisfying ending for me and feels like a good closure to the saga. Is it perfect? No, not at all. It really sets itself with too much to do, and then tries to do it all within the available running time. The film will - and has by looking at the volume of IMDB 1* ratings - upset a lot of the fan-boys. But, you know what? Stuff 'em! The film should be judged on how it makes YOU feel as a standalone piece of entertainment, rather than as a part of some sort of pseudo-religious cult. And I personally think Abrams did a pretty decent job here of trying to please most of the people most of the time.
(For the full graphical review, please visit One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2019/12/20/one-manns-movies-film-review-star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-2019/ )
Lee (2222 KP) rated Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) in Movies
Sep 15, 2020
Back in 1991, I thought that Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey was the greatest movie of all time. Sure, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure was pretty incredible too, but with the addition of Death… Station… evil robot Bill & Ted… it was all just genius as far as I was concerned. My movie watching habits since the nineties have shown me that neither of those films is actually the greatest of all time (well, maybe top 50), but that certainly didn't stop me from getting ridiculously giddy with excitement at the prospect of a third outing. Even more so after successfully introducing my youngest daughter to both movies recently, at which point I also concluded that Excellent Adventure was, in fact, the better of the two!
So, here we are. 29 years on from Bogus Journey, and we find Bill & Ted at a very difficult time in their lives. Dwindling popularity and record sales mean that their destiny of uniting the world with a single song is now becoming increasingly unlikely. A wedding reception where Bill & Ted are unveiling their latest musical creation to a less than lukewarm reception gives us a nice nostalgic chance to see some familiar faces from the previous movies and also brings us quickly up to speed on the lives of our two heroes. Still married to the medieval princesses (Jayma Mays and Erinn Hayes), they now both have grown-up daughters, Thea (Brigette Lundy-Paine) and Billie (Samara Weaving). Both girls are like younger versions of their fathers, making heavy use of the word ‘dude’, and with extensive musical tastes and knowledge. They worship their fathers though and truly believe in their music.
Following the wedding reception, a trip to couples therapy shows us that it's not just their music career that's heading for the rocks. There's even talk of breaking up the band - “We’ve spent our entire lives trying to unite the world. And I’m tired, dude” Ted confesses to Bill. And as their destiny begins to fracture, reality also starts to unravel, with historical figures randomly being sucked from their own time and dumped into another.
Arriving just in the nick of time is a traveller from the future. Kelly (Kristen Schaal) lands in an egg-shaped time machine and whisks the boys into the future where they find that they are now no longer being worshipped in the same way as they were before. They are told in no uncertain terms that they have just 77 minutes to come up with the song they were destined to write, or the past, present and future are all going to collide, resulting in the world collapsing in on itself. Whoah!
Resigning themselves to the fact that if they haven't been able to come up with the song in the last couple of decades, they're unlikely to come up with it in the next 77 minutes, Bill & Ted land on the genius idea that they can simply go to the future and steal the song from their future selves. So, they begin jumping forward to various points in time and meeting up with different versions of themselves. We get overweight rock star Bill & Ted, complete with dodgy British accents, muscular prison inmate Bill & Ted and even OAP nursing home Bill & Ted.
Meanwhile, daughters Thea and Billie come up with a slightly more solid plan of action that involves picking up prominent musicians from history and forming them into the ultimate band, in the hopes that their combined talents will come up with the song that saves the world. It's a race against time as both missions play out simultaneously, taking in a trip to hell, recruiting ex-band member Death (William Sandler) and trying to outwit a robot who's out to kill them. It's basically a greatest hits remix of the first two movies.
It took some time for me to adjust to seeing Keanu Reeves outside of his role as John Wick, clean-shaven and considerably less dangerous. Both he and Alex Winter are obviously much older than when we last saw them as Bill & Ted, but it was surprising just how well they slipped right back into the roles. It honestly felt so good to be back in the company of these guys. The daughters are also a welcome addition, although they feel underused, and being separated from their fathers for much of the movie means that everything feels a lot more chaotic than we’re used to.
Bill & Ted Face the Music rattles along at a fairly brisk pace and the ending felt very rushed and abrupt. Something about the whole thing just doesn’t feel right and I didn’t feel as though we were ever getting very much time to explore or experience a particular scene before we were straight onto the next. It’s funny at times, but with most of it essentially reworking themes and ideas from earlier movies it ends up as the weakest of the trilogy, which is a real shame.
I’ve got so much love for these characters and movies that I feel bad about being negative in any way. However, I can’t help feeling that Face the Music teeters on the edge of ‘maybe they should have just left alone with the last movie’ a little too often. At the end of the day though, I can't really knock a movie that's essentially all about harmless fun and, more importantly, carries with it a message about uniting the world, being excellent to each other. I think we all could appreciate that philosophy in our lives right now.
So, here we are. 29 years on from Bogus Journey, and we find Bill & Ted at a very difficult time in their lives. Dwindling popularity and record sales mean that their destiny of uniting the world with a single song is now becoming increasingly unlikely. A wedding reception where Bill & Ted are unveiling their latest musical creation to a less than lukewarm reception gives us a nice nostalgic chance to see some familiar faces from the previous movies and also brings us quickly up to speed on the lives of our two heroes. Still married to the medieval princesses (Jayma Mays and Erinn Hayes), they now both have grown-up daughters, Thea (Brigette Lundy-Paine) and Billie (Samara Weaving). Both girls are like younger versions of their fathers, making heavy use of the word ‘dude’, and with extensive musical tastes and knowledge. They worship their fathers though and truly believe in their music.
Following the wedding reception, a trip to couples therapy shows us that it's not just their music career that's heading for the rocks. There's even talk of breaking up the band - “We’ve spent our entire lives trying to unite the world. And I’m tired, dude” Ted confesses to Bill. And as their destiny begins to fracture, reality also starts to unravel, with historical figures randomly being sucked from their own time and dumped into another.
Arriving just in the nick of time is a traveller from the future. Kelly (Kristen Schaal) lands in an egg-shaped time machine and whisks the boys into the future where they find that they are now no longer being worshipped in the same way as they were before. They are told in no uncertain terms that they have just 77 minutes to come up with the song they were destined to write, or the past, present and future are all going to collide, resulting in the world collapsing in on itself. Whoah!
Resigning themselves to the fact that if they haven't been able to come up with the song in the last couple of decades, they're unlikely to come up with it in the next 77 minutes, Bill & Ted land on the genius idea that they can simply go to the future and steal the song from their future selves. So, they begin jumping forward to various points in time and meeting up with different versions of themselves. We get overweight rock star Bill & Ted, complete with dodgy British accents, muscular prison inmate Bill & Ted and even OAP nursing home Bill & Ted.
Meanwhile, daughters Thea and Billie come up with a slightly more solid plan of action that involves picking up prominent musicians from history and forming them into the ultimate band, in the hopes that their combined talents will come up with the song that saves the world. It's a race against time as both missions play out simultaneously, taking in a trip to hell, recruiting ex-band member Death (William Sandler) and trying to outwit a robot who's out to kill them. It's basically a greatest hits remix of the first two movies.
It took some time for me to adjust to seeing Keanu Reeves outside of his role as John Wick, clean-shaven and considerably less dangerous. Both he and Alex Winter are obviously much older than when we last saw them as Bill & Ted, but it was surprising just how well they slipped right back into the roles. It honestly felt so good to be back in the company of these guys. The daughters are also a welcome addition, although they feel underused, and being separated from their fathers for much of the movie means that everything feels a lot more chaotic than we’re used to.
Bill & Ted Face the Music rattles along at a fairly brisk pace and the ending felt very rushed and abrupt. Something about the whole thing just doesn’t feel right and I didn’t feel as though we were ever getting very much time to explore or experience a particular scene before we were straight onto the next. It’s funny at times, but with most of it essentially reworking themes and ideas from earlier movies it ends up as the weakest of the trilogy, which is a real shame.
I’ve got so much love for these characters and movies that I feel bad about being negative in any way. However, I can’t help feeling that Face the Music teeters on the edge of ‘maybe they should have just left alone with the last movie’ a little too often. At the end of the day though, I can't really knock a movie that's essentially all about harmless fun and, more importantly, carries with it a message about uniting the world, being excellent to each other. I think we all could appreciate that philosophy in our lives right now.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Dishonored 2 in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
In a tale of revenge that would be worthy of Shakespeare, Dishonored 2 has arrived and is one of the best games of 2016.
Players have the option to play as Corvo or his daughter Emily, and each has their own unique abilities that will come in handy as the game is loaded with challenges.
Once a player has selected the persona they wish to play as, they will be forced to make a daring escape after a faction brutally seizes power and forces the player to exact no small measure of revenge as they strive to restore order in the kingdom.
Like the previous game in the series, players will have a very open and detailed world to explore and will have multiple options for combat, problem solving, and exploration. There are numerous things to explore and players will have the option to take a more stealth approach and avoid combat, or come in guns blazing. They will also have the option to help locales such as giving coins to a bagger, and so on.
There are numerous notes and journals as well along the way which allow the player a greater awareness of the world in which they are in as well as the overall story and the characters within them.
I am a more run and gun style player so the stealth gameplay that is at times needed took some getting used to, but once I was in the third chapter of the game, I was deeply engaged and found myself adapting to the demanding challenges that the game presented at times.
Ammunition such as bullets, crossbow bolts, and such are in short supply, so using your blade in hit and run tactics is the best bet, but at times when you must engage multiple enemies, being crafty pays off.
I loved to call up a swarm of rats using one of my abilities that players are able to select and modify as they find artifacts in game. Watching from a distance while the swarm decimates a pack of enemies and then swinging in for the kill was great fun.
However with various traps and enemies, this was not always practical. I found one area that was loaded with dangerous enemies and with no ammunition and only my blade; several futile attempts resulted in my demise time and again.
In a feat of inspiration, I remembered a Whale Oil dispenser at the earlier stage of the level so I backtracked and obtained a container which I then filled with oil and used as a highly explosive projectile by throwing this into masses of enemies. I repeated this tactic four or five times, saving the game after each run and was able to successfully clear away the hostiles.
Once inside the building my tactics had to change again as there was much danger lurking in the dark halls.
Dishonored 2 was a very enjoyable and challenging game with deeply engrossing story. I really enjoyed the brutal combat as well as the ability to find multiple solutions to the challenges the game presented. Graphically the game is solid but not cutting edge, but thanks to the great story and setting, you should not mind this or the at times monotone voice work of the game.
The game offers two free DLC modes to date for players who complete the game and with the ability to have new abilities playing as a different character, there is great replay value.
In the end, Dishonored 2 is a real bright spot and as such, is easily a game of the year candidate as it is some of the best gameplay of 2016 or any other year and is not to be missed.
http://sknr.net/2016/12/22/85969/
Players have the option to play as Corvo or his daughter Emily, and each has their own unique abilities that will come in handy as the game is loaded with challenges.
Once a player has selected the persona they wish to play as, they will be forced to make a daring escape after a faction brutally seizes power and forces the player to exact no small measure of revenge as they strive to restore order in the kingdom.
Like the previous game in the series, players will have a very open and detailed world to explore and will have multiple options for combat, problem solving, and exploration. There are numerous things to explore and players will have the option to take a more stealth approach and avoid combat, or come in guns blazing. They will also have the option to help locales such as giving coins to a bagger, and so on.
There are numerous notes and journals as well along the way which allow the player a greater awareness of the world in which they are in as well as the overall story and the characters within them.
I am a more run and gun style player so the stealth gameplay that is at times needed took some getting used to, but once I was in the third chapter of the game, I was deeply engaged and found myself adapting to the demanding challenges that the game presented at times.
Ammunition such as bullets, crossbow bolts, and such are in short supply, so using your blade in hit and run tactics is the best bet, but at times when you must engage multiple enemies, being crafty pays off.
I loved to call up a swarm of rats using one of my abilities that players are able to select and modify as they find artifacts in game. Watching from a distance while the swarm decimates a pack of enemies and then swinging in for the kill was great fun.
However with various traps and enemies, this was not always practical. I found one area that was loaded with dangerous enemies and with no ammunition and only my blade; several futile attempts resulted in my demise time and again.
In a feat of inspiration, I remembered a Whale Oil dispenser at the earlier stage of the level so I backtracked and obtained a container which I then filled with oil and used as a highly explosive projectile by throwing this into masses of enemies. I repeated this tactic four or five times, saving the game after each run and was able to successfully clear away the hostiles.
Once inside the building my tactics had to change again as there was much danger lurking in the dark halls.
Dishonored 2 was a very enjoyable and challenging game with deeply engrossing story. I really enjoyed the brutal combat as well as the ability to find multiple solutions to the challenges the game presented. Graphically the game is solid but not cutting edge, but thanks to the great story and setting, you should not mind this or the at times monotone voice work of the game.
The game offers two free DLC modes to date for players who complete the game and with the ability to have new abilities playing as a different character, there is great replay value.
In the end, Dishonored 2 is a real bright spot and as such, is easily a game of the year candidate as it is some of the best gameplay of 2016 or any other year and is not to be missed.
http://sknr.net/2016/12/22/85969/
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Fledgling (Afterlife #1) in Books
Nov 13, 2019
With the increasing population and growing evils of the world, the guardian angels are struggling to keep up and have started to recruit human souls to be angels. Those that meet the criteria are then trained to fight evil - quite literally.
The heroine of the story (unnamed for very nearly half the book) is one such recruit, She is sent on missions to protect innocent souls from evil people and to insert a conscience into their attackers so they will change their ways. But the new angel is worried about the side effects of the new conscience and this causes her to break the rules and to question if what the archangels have taught is correct.
Despite the premise, this book is neither religious nor do the angels behave exactly as guardian angels are traditionally supposed to. They are more like an angelic version of Thunderbirds as they are despatched from their secret island base around the planet to protect those in trouble. And they don't fight evil with a kind word and good deeds, these angels are trained in martial arts and are very much not afraid to use it.
This book reminded me most of a computer game where each mission granted new powers, but also the end of level opponent gets tougher. Every chapter raises the thrill another notch and the fight scenes are very impressively written and choreographed. It is like The Matrix with angels.
The characters are well written. The angels - both the new recruits and the archangels - are well formed and each has their strengths and weaknesses and are certainly not in any way perfect. The heroine in particular is someone the reader can empathise with as she struggles with the dilemmas of her new life (and her old human one). Some pages I didn't want to turn as it was clear that something unpleasant was going to happen to her. But with the help of her friends and their combined strengths they win through.
Given that the main character is female angel and that there is a romantic sub plot this might not appeal to teenage males but that would be overlooking a terrific book for a very superficial reason. The tale of a feisty angel who always does what she believes is right is ultimately a good read for anybody.
The heroine of the story (unnamed for very nearly half the book) is one such recruit, She is sent on missions to protect innocent souls from evil people and to insert a conscience into their attackers so they will change their ways. But the new angel is worried about the side effects of the new conscience and this causes her to break the rules and to question if what the archangels have taught is correct.
Despite the premise, this book is neither religious nor do the angels behave exactly as guardian angels are traditionally supposed to. They are more like an angelic version of Thunderbirds as they are despatched from their secret island base around the planet to protect those in trouble. And they don't fight evil with a kind word and good deeds, these angels are trained in martial arts and are very much not afraid to use it.
This book reminded me most of a computer game where each mission granted new powers, but also the end of level opponent gets tougher. Every chapter raises the thrill another notch and the fight scenes are very impressively written and choreographed. It is like The Matrix with angels.
The characters are well written. The angels - both the new recruits and the archangels - are well formed and each has their strengths and weaknesses and are certainly not in any way perfect. The heroine in particular is someone the reader can empathise with as she struggles with the dilemmas of her new life (and her old human one). Some pages I didn't want to turn as it was clear that something unpleasant was going to happen to her. But with the help of her friends and their combined strengths they win through.
Given that the main character is female angel and that there is a romantic sub plot this might not appeal to teenage males but that would be overlooking a terrific book for a very superficial reason. The tale of a feisty angel who always does what she believes is right is ultimately a good read for anybody.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Perfect Betrayal in Books
May 22, 2019
'I THOUGHT SHE WAS OUR FRIEND. I THOUGHT SHE WAS TRYING TO HELP US.'
After the sudden death of her husband, Tess is drowning in grief. All she has left is her son, Jamie, and she'll do anything to protect him - but she's struggling to cope.
When grief counselor Shelley knocks on their door, everything changes. Shelley is beautiful, confident and takes control when Tess can't bear to face the outside world.
But when questions arise over her husband's death and strange things start to happen, Tess begins to suspect that Shelley may have an ulterior motive. Tess knows she must do everything she can to keep Jamie safe - but who can she trust?
***
WOW!!! What a fantastic book!!!
I am struggling with what to write as I will not give any of the plot away to you!
This was a really interesting read for me , I really thought I knew what was happening , and then wow what a twist at the end .
This book slowly builds to a great ending. Hard to say anymore without giving things away. The story is mainly from Tess points of view in terms of flashbacks to the past 2 months and occasional points of view of Ian and Shelley.
The characters are so well written and you just find yourself right there with them seeing what they see.
The plot was phenomenal.
The ending ... wow did not see that coming!
If I could give more than 5 stars I would!!!
Highly highly recommend!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC in return for an honest review .
After the sudden death of her husband, Tess is drowning in grief. All she has left is her son, Jamie, and she'll do anything to protect him - but she's struggling to cope.
When grief counselor Shelley knocks on their door, everything changes. Shelley is beautiful, confident and takes control when Tess can't bear to face the outside world.
But when questions arise over her husband's death and strange things start to happen, Tess begins to suspect that Shelley may have an ulterior motive. Tess knows she must do everything she can to keep Jamie safe - but who can she trust?
***
WOW!!! What a fantastic book!!!
I am struggling with what to write as I will not give any of the plot away to you!
This was a really interesting read for me , I really thought I knew what was happening , and then wow what a twist at the end .
This book slowly builds to a great ending. Hard to say anymore without giving things away. The story is mainly from Tess points of view in terms of flashbacks to the past 2 months and occasional points of view of Ian and Shelley.
The characters are so well written and you just find yourself right there with them seeing what they see.
The plot was phenomenal.
The ending ... wow did not see that coming!
If I could give more than 5 stars I would!!!
Highly highly recommend!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC in return for an honest review .