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Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
14,000,605:1 …. or perhaps 50:50!
So, it’s been a week of full-on work and family commitments…. which means it’s also been a week of ducking and dodging of film reviews in case of spoilers! (Actually, all my favourite bloggers have been pretty good!). This review will also be spoiler free,but there is just SO MUCH that can be discussed there will be a Spoiley McSpoiler section after the trailer video.

Upfront I have to admit that I’m not the world’s greatest MCU fan, but even I felt a twinge of anticipation on going into this 19th instalment: a film that has had fan-boys frothing at the loins for years. And the film doesn’t disappoint, drawing together most (but not all) threads of the disparate MCU universe into a sprawling epic adventure.

Thanos (which inappropriately always seems to autocorrect to “Thanks”!) is played by a CGI’d Josh Brolin, first glimpsed as a “monkey” after the original “Avengers” movie where his quest for the “infinity stones” was first mooted. This particular McGuffin has been revealed in parts throughout the series, with others being surreptitiously slipped into this instalment. With all six stones, Thanos will be able to fully exercise his God fixation over the Universe. Will the Avengers and their new Guardian friends (“Who the hell are you guys?” LOL) be able to stop him?

There are shocks and surprises aplenty. Most of these come courtesy of Thanos who, although like all megalomaniac Bond villains is as mad as a box of frogs, has a backstory and a depth of character that is several cuts above most movie villains.

All of the cast seem to have great fun bouncing off each other. The only performance I found out of kilter was Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner who (to me) seemed to be really off his game and false, at least for the early scenes in the movie.

The special effects are – naturally – top-notch and are clever in trying to smooth the joins between the ‘traditional’ view of the Avengers world and the garish world of the Guardians of the Galaxy crew.

Cinema staff must hate a Marvel movie as they have to wait til the very end of the credits before they can move in to clean! And there is a “monkey” (and a good one) at the very end of the credits here, but the credits are very, very long!

So, in summary, it’s complete nonsense as normal, but it’s high-class nonsense, well-written, suitably humorous and provides excellent popcorn entertainment. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo are to be congratulated in pulling off what could have been a disaster. Recommended.
  
    The Mongolian Mining Journal

    The Mongolian Mining Journal

    Business and Magazines & Newspapers

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    The Mongolian Mining Journal (MMJ), now eight years old, was the first bilingual journal to provide...

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ClareR (6250 KP) rated Unclean Spirits (Gods and Monsters #1) in Books

Feb 20, 2018 (Updated Feb 20, 2018)  
Unclean Spirits (Gods and Monsters #1)
Unclean Spirits (Gods and Monsters #1)
Chuck Wendig | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Low down and dirty Mythology!!
Carson Cole escapes his life of servitude when a bomb destroys his boss, Mr E. Rose. Yes, if you say it quickly it sounds like Eros, and that’s because it IS Eros. Carson learns that he is embroiled in the world of the Gods from every pantheon. They have all been cast out of the heavens by ‘The Usurper’ and are having to scratch out a life on Earth. Not many of them actually like it.
Carson had lost his life five years previously to Eros’ whims, and his wife and son hate him. He goes on a journey with Frank (who is frankly, a horrific character) to find out why this is. It’s a ‘100mph’ book: non-stop action pretty much, and if you like Gods (and monsters!) you’ll like this. It has a very dark, menacing atmosphere: dirty, unclean, violent. I enjoyed it! There was a bit (a huge!) twist at the end.
I also enjoyed the short story at the end by Pat Kelleher (Drag Hunt) featuring Coyote. This story isn’t set completely in the US, but does start there and ends in London and it’s environs. Coyote has lost a rather important part of himself, and is determined to find it. A very enjoyable story, again, with a great selection of Norse, Celtic, Egyptian and other Gods that I have probably forgotten in it! I find myself very much enjoying these stories with Coyote in. He’s very much the Loki of the North American native people. Got to love a trickster!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book!
  
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Laini Taylor | 2016 | Children
10
8.9 (26 Ratings)
Book Rating
I loved this book and series so much and honestly, there are very few writers who know how to world build as well as Laini Taylor does and her writing just sucks you into this amazing universe she created.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone hooks you in from beginning to end with its amazing characters and a plot that is engaging and just so well constructed even though you know where it's going you still just can't help but want to go along for the ride.