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Darren (1599 KP) rated 2 Guns (2013) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Verdict: Easy to Watch Action Film
Story: 2 Guns starts as we see Bobby (Washington) & Stig (Wahlberg) planning their latest bank robbery before flashing back to one week earlier. We learn that Bobby has been undercover working for his handler Deb (Patton) in the DEA who are trying to take down Papi Greco (Olmos). We also find out Stig’s real motives as he is also undercover but with the military.
When the two find themselves being betrayed they must re-team up to take out the people that framed them making everything right with all the people they have stolen from.
2 Guns is an action comedy that is a real jumper because we start in the middle before going to beginning before getting to the end which automatically doesn’t help pull us in. We never really get the idea of how the two first meet and then when everything happens it all become overly complicated. If you want a simple action film this isn’t going to be for you but in the end this will need you to keep attention. Having too many people involved works for a flat out comedy but the overly serious side of certain moments pulls it all down.
Actor Review
Denzel Washington: Bobby is the undercover DEA agent that is trying to take down a drug cartel with his young partner Stig. When he gets betrayed by Stig he finds himself needing to make up for the crime only to find out he is involved in a bigger picture and having to work with Stig once more. Denzel is good in this role but it won’t be one you will remember.denzel
Mark Wahlberg: Stig is the young partner of Bobby, but he is secretly undercover for the military. When the money is stolen he learns the truth that only puts his own life at risk. He must re-team with Bobby to stop the people out to kill the both of them. Mark is good in this role which is what you would expect him to be in.stuif
Paula Patton: Deb is the former lover and connection with the DEA for Bobby, she has to supporting him whenever he gets the next part of the information. Paula is a solid supporting performance without doing too much.
Edward James Olmos: Papi Greco is the drug lord that both men are trying to take down. He has a reputation of being deadly that makes him one of the deadliest men after our leading men. Edward is solid but is just one of the main villains.
Support Cast: 2 Guns has a big supporting cast that all help with the final outcome of the film without being overly memorable or original.
Director Review: Baltasar Kormakur – Baltasar gives us a solid action film that could be enjoyed through the eyes of the audience.
Action: 2 Guns has a mix of action sequence which involves car chase, fights and fire fights.
Comedy: 2 Guns has good laughs between the two leads but otherwise doesn’t have much.
Crime: 2 Guns puts us through a crime world where we have a group of different men after the money.
Thriller: 2 Guns tries to keep us on the edge throughout but isn’t enough to pull us in.
Settings: 2 Guns has small town settings which are hard to keep on top of where we actually are.
Special Effects: 2 Guns has a couple of needs to effects but not the best when used.
Suggestion: 2 Guns is one for the action fans to try but otherwise you can miss it. (Try It)
Best Part: Car chase between Bobby and Stig.
Worst Part: Too many characters.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: Maybe.
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $61 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 49 Minutes
Tagline: 2 Guns, 1 Bank.
Overall: Overly complicated action film that doesn’t have enough to pull us in.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/05/24/2-guns-2013/
Story: 2 Guns starts as we see Bobby (Washington) & Stig (Wahlberg) planning their latest bank robbery before flashing back to one week earlier. We learn that Bobby has been undercover working for his handler Deb (Patton) in the DEA who are trying to take down Papi Greco (Olmos). We also find out Stig’s real motives as he is also undercover but with the military.
When the two find themselves being betrayed they must re-team up to take out the people that framed them making everything right with all the people they have stolen from.
2 Guns is an action comedy that is a real jumper because we start in the middle before going to beginning before getting to the end which automatically doesn’t help pull us in. We never really get the idea of how the two first meet and then when everything happens it all become overly complicated. If you want a simple action film this isn’t going to be for you but in the end this will need you to keep attention. Having too many people involved works for a flat out comedy but the overly serious side of certain moments pulls it all down.
Actor Review
Denzel Washington: Bobby is the undercover DEA agent that is trying to take down a drug cartel with his young partner Stig. When he gets betrayed by Stig he finds himself needing to make up for the crime only to find out he is involved in a bigger picture and having to work with Stig once more. Denzel is good in this role but it won’t be one you will remember.denzel
Mark Wahlberg: Stig is the young partner of Bobby, but he is secretly undercover for the military. When the money is stolen he learns the truth that only puts his own life at risk. He must re-team with Bobby to stop the people out to kill the both of them. Mark is good in this role which is what you would expect him to be in.stuif
Paula Patton: Deb is the former lover and connection with the DEA for Bobby, she has to supporting him whenever he gets the next part of the information. Paula is a solid supporting performance without doing too much.
Edward James Olmos: Papi Greco is the drug lord that both men are trying to take down. He has a reputation of being deadly that makes him one of the deadliest men after our leading men. Edward is solid but is just one of the main villains.
Support Cast: 2 Guns has a big supporting cast that all help with the final outcome of the film without being overly memorable or original.
Director Review: Baltasar Kormakur – Baltasar gives us a solid action film that could be enjoyed through the eyes of the audience.
Action: 2 Guns has a mix of action sequence which involves car chase, fights and fire fights.
Comedy: 2 Guns has good laughs between the two leads but otherwise doesn’t have much.
Crime: 2 Guns puts us through a crime world where we have a group of different men after the money.
Thriller: 2 Guns tries to keep us on the edge throughout but isn’t enough to pull us in.
Settings: 2 Guns has small town settings which are hard to keep on top of where we actually are.
Special Effects: 2 Guns has a couple of needs to effects but not the best when used.
Suggestion: 2 Guns is one for the action fans to try but otherwise you can miss it. (Try It)
Best Part: Car chase between Bobby and Stig.
Worst Part: Too many characters.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: Maybe.
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $61 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 49 Minutes
Tagline: 2 Guns, 1 Bank.
Overall: Overly complicated action film that doesn’t have enough to pull us in.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/05/24/2-guns-2013/
Nothing is Sacrosanct: No One Can Hide from Their Sins Forever
Book
Nothing is Sacrosanct: Intense, Raw Novel Takes Calculated Revenge on Child Abuse Aggressors;...
Lee (2222 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) in Movies
Dec 20, 2019
I have very mixed feelings following The Rise of Skywalker, the concluding chapter of not just another trilogy of Star Wars movies but also the conclusion of the Skywalker saga. Starting this trilogy, I was comforted by the familiarity presented in The Force Awakens and I felt that movie got the balance right between it's handling of the past and the introduction of new characters, scenarios and threats. But, I’m one of those people that was ultimately disappointed by The Last Jedi. Not the kind that fanboy rages about Star Wars and my entire childhood being ruined, as there are actually a lot of things I liked about it, but I do feel it deviated too much from some of the direction introduced in the previous movie and the movies prior to that. So I went into The Rise of Skywalker not quite as excited as I've been previously, but still cautiously optimistic following a trailer which managed to give me goosebumps pretty much every time I saw it.
As a final chapter, The Rise of Skywalker has a lot resting on it's shoulders. Concluding, and wrapping things up, while not completely ignoring the ideas put forth in The Last Jedi, JJ Abrams is however clearly more interested in revisiting some of his own ideas from The Force Awakens. But I felt that maybe he was relying a little too much on that familiarity aspect at times, as he tries to please everyone.
In The Rise of Skywalker, the resistance are still outnumbered by the First Order and Kylo Ren is now Supreme Leader. Meanwhile, Rey is training with Leia, becoming more confident and powerful, while Finn, Poe and Chewie are out in the Millennium Falcon gathering intel from spies. But an old threat from the past has returned, as a message goes out across the galaxy from an unknown region - Emperor Palpatine is warning of revenge, supported by a powerful fleet of ships.
To go into much more detail would involve spoilers, but lets just say that the first half of the movie involves a search to find something which is going to help them find something else, which is going to lead to the location of the emperor. The quest takes us from location to location, with the odd rescue along the way and the occasional new character popping up. Rey and Ren still have a bond which means that they can manipulate and battle each other from anywhere in the galaxy as Ren and his knights seek out Rey and her team in order to destroy them. There's a lot going on in that first half, and it all felt a bit messy. It's fair to say, I was very bored by this first half.
Around that half way mark though, the journey takes us to a world in the Endor system, where the remains of the second Death Star lies out at sea, among towering waves. It's there that an epic battle between Rey and Ren takes place, which you no doubt will have seen snippets of in the trailers or marketing material. Waves crash around them and the visuals, the choreography, the score, it all came together and really kick started the second half off for me. I still can't quite put my finger on it, but from that point on I felt a real shift (in the force?) and I began to really enjoy the rest of the movie, right up until the huge, inevitable and breathtaking final battle.
As mentioned earlier, there are certainly a lot of characters to take care of in this movie, including plenty of newcomers, all fighting for attention and screen-time. Some of the seemingly important characters introduced to us previously in this trilogy feel a bit lost at times, while we do still manage to find time for a very welcome return by Landon Calrissian. Rey and Ren are both outstanding once again and a special mention goes out to Richard E Grant, who I thought was brilliant as head of the First Order fleet, Allegiant General Pride. Scenes involving Carrie Fisher are beautifully handled, but I felt that the fan service went a little bit too far with some of the scenes involving Luke Skywalker.
The level of craftsmanship and design that goes into a Star Wars movie is always incredible and The Rise of Skywalker is no exception, elevated by a powerful John Williams score and some amazing visuals. I'm really not sure what I was expecting from this final chapter but, despite it all coming good for me in the end, I do feel slightly disappointed overall by the wildly differing halves of the movie. Still, there's nothing quite like seeing a new Star Wars movie on the big screen at Christmas time!
As a final chapter, The Rise of Skywalker has a lot resting on it's shoulders. Concluding, and wrapping things up, while not completely ignoring the ideas put forth in The Last Jedi, JJ Abrams is however clearly more interested in revisiting some of his own ideas from The Force Awakens. But I felt that maybe he was relying a little too much on that familiarity aspect at times, as he tries to please everyone.
In The Rise of Skywalker, the resistance are still outnumbered by the First Order and Kylo Ren is now Supreme Leader. Meanwhile, Rey is training with Leia, becoming more confident and powerful, while Finn, Poe and Chewie are out in the Millennium Falcon gathering intel from spies. But an old threat from the past has returned, as a message goes out across the galaxy from an unknown region - Emperor Palpatine is warning of revenge, supported by a powerful fleet of ships.
To go into much more detail would involve spoilers, but lets just say that the first half of the movie involves a search to find something which is going to help them find something else, which is going to lead to the location of the emperor. The quest takes us from location to location, with the odd rescue along the way and the occasional new character popping up. Rey and Ren still have a bond which means that they can manipulate and battle each other from anywhere in the galaxy as Ren and his knights seek out Rey and her team in order to destroy them. There's a lot going on in that first half, and it all felt a bit messy. It's fair to say, I was very bored by this first half.
Around that half way mark though, the journey takes us to a world in the Endor system, where the remains of the second Death Star lies out at sea, among towering waves. It's there that an epic battle between Rey and Ren takes place, which you no doubt will have seen snippets of in the trailers or marketing material. Waves crash around them and the visuals, the choreography, the score, it all came together and really kick started the second half off for me. I still can't quite put my finger on it, but from that point on I felt a real shift (in the force?) and I began to really enjoy the rest of the movie, right up until the huge, inevitable and breathtaking final battle.
As mentioned earlier, there are certainly a lot of characters to take care of in this movie, including plenty of newcomers, all fighting for attention and screen-time. Some of the seemingly important characters introduced to us previously in this trilogy feel a bit lost at times, while we do still manage to find time for a very welcome return by Landon Calrissian. Rey and Ren are both outstanding once again and a special mention goes out to Richard E Grant, who I thought was brilliant as head of the First Order fleet, Allegiant General Pride. Scenes involving Carrie Fisher are beautifully handled, but I felt that the fan service went a little bit too far with some of the scenes involving Luke Skywalker.
The level of craftsmanship and design that goes into a Star Wars movie is always incredible and The Rise of Skywalker is no exception, elevated by a powerful John Williams score and some amazing visuals. I'm really not sure what I was expecting from this final chapter but, despite it all coming good for me in the end, I do feel slightly disappointed overall by the wildly differing halves of the movie. Still, there's nothing quite like seeing a new Star Wars movie on the big screen at Christmas time!
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated I Am Not Okay With This in TV
Mar 3, 2020
Proof that Netflix can rule your life, in an OK way, I guess. Every time I have dropped in for the last two weeks, this is the show they went out of their way to push on me. I watched the trailer and thought hmm, I don’t get it… but after relentless publicity I ended up watching the entire first series within 36 hours of its release on February 26th. Which is easy enough to do, as the entire first series only lasts 2 1/2 hours, in 7 x 23 minute easy to swallow episodes. Another nice tactic for the attention deficient generation.
Based on the graphic novels of Charles Forsman, who also gave us The End of the F***ing World – an equally dark edged teen angst story, that has had 2 full seasons of similarly short episodes. It also continues the partnership of that series’ main director, British born Jonathon Entwistle, who seems happily stuck with this genre on his, as yet, limited CV. It stars the quirky charm of Sophia Lillis, best known from the It reboot movies, and Wyatt Oleff, also plucked from that franchise. And, oh yeah, it shares production credits with a small show called Stranger Things; so it has a pop culture pedigree 100% guaranteed to attract a young audience.
In terms of tone and direction, it does wobble at the beginning, but also shows a lot of promise, thanks largely to the watchability of Lillis, who is perfectly cast as a nervy, nerdy teen with a lot of smarts, but not too many friends. The humour is black, the satire subtle, and the delivery is disarmingly adult; on the surface this is a high school comedy, but underneath it is a fucked up, biting exploration of grief, paranoia and anger (mis)management – it pushes boundaries on content, visually and in use of language that only Netflix can endorse and get away with. Which of course is what audiences want!
The premise is that after the suicide of her father, 17 year old Sydney Novak is having some emotional issues beyond the normal teenage stuff of zits on your thighs. As she keeps a secret journal to document her worries and thoughts (heard in voice-over consistently, giving it a definite graphic novel thought bubble vibe) we are in from the start on the possibility she may have a dubious superpower linked to being pissed off.
It takes a while for that aspect to kick in, however, so don’t expect big, showy, superhero set pieces; this is a comedy drama that borrows from every teenage trope available, and is focussed more on the troubles of high school, a single mom and general growing pains. It is funny – I laughed, and found it a charming mix of something really modern feeling, but with retro vibes; it is clearly 2020, but could be 1985, a trick Stranger Things has taught them well.
Really, it is almost all over before it gets started, with these brief episode times – which is smart; no time to waste, so it moves along, and is always endearingly entertaining. In essence, what we have here is a 2 1/2 hour pilot show, chopped into bite sized chunks and released as a tease for the main show, which will be series 2. Think of it as an origin story, if you will. Undoubtedly, that 2nd series is already on the way. Early critical response is solid, and in about another month you will be hearing everyone and their cat talking about it, for sure.
The lack of originality didn’t massively bother me, as you could see what they were trying to do with it, and the large appeal is to recreate a teen world that feels familiar and comfortable, and then play with those preconceptions, choosing the right moments to flip it upside down. Which eventually it does. The final episode of seven is an absolute doozy! Talk about teasing cliff-hangers! They really know how to keep us hooked!
The best thing about it, by a country mile, is the obvious star quality of Sophia Lillis, who must surely use this as a stepping-stone to a fine career, if she can master the emotional scenes as well as the charming quirky ones, at which she already excels. She reminds me a lot of Ellen Page, without the unlikely gravitas… yet. There is time to mature. I will be there for season 2 for sure, so it will be exciting to find out where it all goes next – this is a big opportunity for a BIG little show. I am only half sure they won’t fuck it up…
Based on the graphic novels of Charles Forsman, who also gave us The End of the F***ing World – an equally dark edged teen angst story, that has had 2 full seasons of similarly short episodes. It also continues the partnership of that series’ main director, British born Jonathon Entwistle, who seems happily stuck with this genre on his, as yet, limited CV. It stars the quirky charm of Sophia Lillis, best known from the It reboot movies, and Wyatt Oleff, also plucked from that franchise. And, oh yeah, it shares production credits with a small show called Stranger Things; so it has a pop culture pedigree 100% guaranteed to attract a young audience.
In terms of tone and direction, it does wobble at the beginning, but also shows a lot of promise, thanks largely to the watchability of Lillis, who is perfectly cast as a nervy, nerdy teen with a lot of smarts, but not too many friends. The humour is black, the satire subtle, and the delivery is disarmingly adult; on the surface this is a high school comedy, but underneath it is a fucked up, biting exploration of grief, paranoia and anger (mis)management – it pushes boundaries on content, visually and in use of language that only Netflix can endorse and get away with. Which of course is what audiences want!
The premise is that after the suicide of her father, 17 year old Sydney Novak is having some emotional issues beyond the normal teenage stuff of zits on your thighs. As she keeps a secret journal to document her worries and thoughts (heard in voice-over consistently, giving it a definite graphic novel thought bubble vibe) we are in from the start on the possibility she may have a dubious superpower linked to being pissed off.
It takes a while for that aspect to kick in, however, so don’t expect big, showy, superhero set pieces; this is a comedy drama that borrows from every teenage trope available, and is focussed more on the troubles of high school, a single mom and general growing pains. It is funny – I laughed, and found it a charming mix of something really modern feeling, but with retro vibes; it is clearly 2020, but could be 1985, a trick Stranger Things has taught them well.
Really, it is almost all over before it gets started, with these brief episode times – which is smart; no time to waste, so it moves along, and is always endearingly entertaining. In essence, what we have here is a 2 1/2 hour pilot show, chopped into bite sized chunks and released as a tease for the main show, which will be series 2. Think of it as an origin story, if you will. Undoubtedly, that 2nd series is already on the way. Early critical response is solid, and in about another month you will be hearing everyone and their cat talking about it, for sure.
The lack of originality didn’t massively bother me, as you could see what they were trying to do with it, and the large appeal is to recreate a teen world that feels familiar and comfortable, and then play with those preconceptions, choosing the right moments to flip it upside down. Which eventually it does. The final episode of seven is an absolute doozy! Talk about teasing cliff-hangers! They really know how to keep us hooked!
The best thing about it, by a country mile, is the obvious star quality of Sophia Lillis, who must surely use this as a stepping-stone to a fine career, if she can master the emotional scenes as well as the charming quirky ones, at which she already excels. She reminds me a lot of Ellen Page, without the unlikely gravitas… yet. There is time to mature. I will be there for season 2 for sure, so it will be exciting to find out where it all goes next – this is a big opportunity for a BIG little show. I am only half sure they won’t fuck it up…
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Between Burning Worlds (System Divine #2) in Books
Mar 31, 2020
Sky Without Stars launched me onto another planet last year with the authors’ retelling of Les Misérables in space.
I’m super excited to get the chance to read the sequel in the System Divine trilogy because the first book promised some shenanigans are going to be in store. And I definitely don’t remember what happened in the first book, so cracking open to an overview of the first book is a blessing. If you’re like me and you reread maybe 1% of the time, you’re in good hands.
The second book in the System Divine trilogy starts right where Sky Without Stars ends, with each of the characters on their own path:
🚀 Marcellus secretly working with the Vanguarde, with the desire to stop General Bonnefacon from overthrowing the Patriarche of Laterre and taking the planet for his own.
🚀 Chatine ends up on Bastille’s harsh working conditions and wants to get out; even if it means getting herself indirectly involved with the Vanguarde.
🚀 Alouette is searching for the answers of her past with what little information she has; she’s not thrilled she’s been lied to by the sisters her entire life… but let’s be honest: who’s ever thrilled?
Much of Between Burning Worlds is further building up the world Brody and Rendell first introduced us to in Sky Without Stars, taking us to other planets and unknown places of Laterre. While it may seem the trio are on different paths, they’re more intertwined than they think.
Brody and Rendell kept me on my feet constantly.
I never liked General Bonnefacon, and if you want my honest opinion, he deserves charred bacon and nothing but charred bacon. Everyone just gets screwed over by him for his own gain. But Marcellus’ grandfather is seriously one of the most cunning characters of the series; he’s always upending everyone’s plans. It’s no wonder he’s still going. In this sequel to Sky Without Stars, the General continues being a key character constantly plotting his next move.
What a strategist and sharp mastermind. If I had to stan villains, he would be one of them. 11/10 would not mess with grandpa.
I’m in love with the new characters.
Between Burning Worlds introduces us to quite a few new characters in addition to the returning cast: Cerise, Gabriel, Etienne. I loved every second they were on the page; there are moments of banter and humor involved and it made this whopping sequel go by much quicker. 600+ pages felt like nothing. Someone protect Gabriel though, he’s such a cinnamon roll and I’m worried about what will happen to him in the third book. 🥺
Then again, none of the characters get a break or room to breathe, not with General Bonnefacon around at least. While Chatine and Alouette grow as characters from when we first meet them in book one, Marcellus undergoes the most character development here as he goes head to head with his grandfather. (Gabriel should still be protected though.) I’m hoping for the chance to see the three of them again in the next book.
Between Burning Worlds is an absolute trip, and it’s a good type of trip.
With new characters to the series and a brewing revolution on a corrupted planet, Brody and Rendell continue bringing readers on a trip through space while constantly keeping them on their toes until the very end.
I’m super excited to get the chance to read the sequel in the System Divine trilogy because the first book promised some shenanigans are going to be in store. And I definitely don’t remember what happened in the first book, so cracking open to an overview of the first book is a blessing. If you’re like me and you reread maybe 1% of the time, you’re in good hands.
The second book in the System Divine trilogy starts right where Sky Without Stars ends, with each of the characters on their own path:
🚀 Marcellus secretly working with the Vanguarde, with the desire to stop General Bonnefacon from overthrowing the Patriarche of Laterre and taking the planet for his own.
🚀 Chatine ends up on Bastille’s harsh working conditions and wants to get out; even if it means getting herself indirectly involved with the Vanguarde.
🚀 Alouette is searching for the answers of her past with what little information she has; she’s not thrilled she’s been lied to by the sisters her entire life… but let’s be honest: who’s ever thrilled?
Much of Between Burning Worlds is further building up the world Brody and Rendell first introduced us to in Sky Without Stars, taking us to other planets and unknown places of Laterre. While it may seem the trio are on different paths, they’re more intertwined than they think.
Brody and Rendell kept me on my feet constantly.
I never liked General Bonnefacon, and if you want my honest opinion, he deserves charred bacon and nothing but charred bacon. Everyone just gets screwed over by him for his own gain. But Marcellus’ grandfather is seriously one of the most cunning characters of the series; he’s always upending everyone’s plans. It’s no wonder he’s still going. In this sequel to Sky Without Stars, the General continues being a key character constantly plotting his next move.
What a strategist and sharp mastermind. If I had to stan villains, he would be one of them. 11/10 would not mess with grandpa.
I’m in love with the new characters.
Between Burning Worlds introduces us to quite a few new characters in addition to the returning cast: Cerise, Gabriel, Etienne. I loved every second they were on the page; there are moments of banter and humor involved and it made this whopping sequel go by much quicker. 600+ pages felt like nothing. Someone protect Gabriel though, he’s such a cinnamon roll and I’m worried about what will happen to him in the third book. 🥺
Then again, none of the characters get a break or room to breathe, not with General Bonnefacon around at least. While Chatine and Alouette grow as characters from when we first meet them in book one, Marcellus undergoes the most character development here as he goes head to head with his grandfather. (Gabriel should still be protected though.) I’m hoping for the chance to see the three of them again in the next book.
Between Burning Worlds is an absolute trip, and it’s a good type of trip.
With new characters to the series and a brewing revolution on a corrupted planet, Brody and Rendell continue bringing readers on a trip through space while constantly keeping them on their toes until the very end.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Outside In (Insider, #2) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
***Possible spoiler alert concerning <b>Inside Out</b>***
<b>2.5 stars</b>
A rather disappointing end to the duet after the very enjoyable first book, [b:Inside Out|7059135|Inside Out (Insider, #1)|Maria V. Snyder|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327883282s/7059135.jpg|6662880]. Suffering from too many subplots that connected to the central story, the book just had too much going on. Each subplot that popped up was quickly taken care of in order to move on to the next scene and felt like the author was going down a checklist, "Okay, that's done, on to the next." It just wasn't very smooth at all. Most of the action was indicative of Chicken-with-its-head-cut-off Syndrome (yes, I did just make that up), so there was way too much confusion and running around, and I wanted it to slow. The. Heck. Down. This lead to my confusion of what in the world was going on, because I couldn't visualize much at all. The more hectic the story became, the more sketchy the details were. Not a good thing to do as an author. Since there was a lot more action than interaction this installment, the characters suffered and I found I didn't care for anyone at all or what happened to them, even Trella. While this book started off well enough, it quickly became more of a chore than a joy to read, and unfortunately, there was more tell than show in the writing. A very weak ending to what was a fun and exciting story arc. As I'm sure there isn't going to be another book in this series, there are many questions left dangling that should have been answered. Like who are the "Insiders" really, where are they from, what are they, who are the "Outsiders," etc., etc. I wasted time reading two books and am left without a real ending explaining most everything, if not all. One of the worst aspects about this sequel was the missed potential. It was already there but it was left ignored. The author would have done better to have created a slow, tension-filled build-up than the fast-paced mess of running around here, there, and everywhere, that ultimately was a big let-down and a disservice to the plot and characters.
<b>2.5 stars</b>
A rather disappointing end to the duet after the very enjoyable first book, [b:Inside Out|7059135|Inside Out (Insider, #1)|Maria V. Snyder|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327883282s/7059135.jpg|6662880]. Suffering from too many subplots that connected to the central story, the book just had too much going on. Each subplot that popped up was quickly taken care of in order to move on to the next scene and felt like the author was going down a checklist, "Okay, that's done, on to the next." It just wasn't very smooth at all. Most of the action was indicative of Chicken-with-its-head-cut-off Syndrome (yes, I did just make that up), so there was way too much confusion and running around, and I wanted it to slow. The. Heck. Down. This lead to my confusion of what in the world was going on, because I couldn't visualize much at all. The more hectic the story became, the more sketchy the details were. Not a good thing to do as an author. Since there was a lot more action than interaction this installment, the characters suffered and I found I didn't care for anyone at all or what happened to them, even Trella. While this book started off well enough, it quickly became more of a chore than a joy to read, and unfortunately, there was more tell than show in the writing. A very weak ending to what was a fun and exciting story arc. As I'm sure there isn't going to be another book in this series, there are many questions left dangling that should have been answered. Like who are the "Insiders" really, where are they from, what are they, who are the "Outsiders," etc., etc. I wasted time reading two books and am left without a real ending explaining most everything, if not all. One of the worst aspects about this sequel was the missed potential. It was already there but it was left ignored. The author would have done better to have created a slow, tension-filled build-up than the fast-paced mess of running around here, there, and everywhere, that ultimately was a big let-down and a disservice to the plot and characters.
Keith and The Girl comedy talk show
Podcast
If you're easily offended, this podcast is not for you. Keith and The Girl (KATG) is a fast-paced...
Darren (1599 KP) rated A Ghost Story (2017) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: A Ghost Story starts as we follow couple C (Affleck) and M (Mara), they live a happy life in their home even though they are planning to move, but when C dies the perfect world becomes shattered. M dealing with the loss of her husband but C not going into the light and returning home to watch over his wife with a bed sheet covering him.
When M leaves the home, C is seemingly stuck bound to the house for all time as he goes through different households and his only communication comes from a fellow ghost trapped in the neighbouring house, but C is determined to stay for the one he loves even through all the changes the environment around him goes through.
Thoughts on A Ghost Story
Characters – C is the husband of M that dies, he finds himself coming back as a ghost to watch over his wife but soon finds himself alone once she leaves their home, he sees different lives enter his as he waits for her to return. M is the wife that can’t cope with her husband’s death, she tries to move on but without any hope, so to get away completely she leaves the home. The two do make for a good screen couple.
Performances – Rooney Mara is good in her role even if she is only in part of the film, it is Casey Affleck who must wear a sheet for the most part of this movie that doesn’t say anything but lives a lonely life watching other lives.
Story – The story here is difficult to describe as for the most part we just follow C the ghost with the bed sheet over his head watching every moment of this one location, wait for a chance to be with his love again. This isn’t a horror though it plays into deeper meanings that when you watch the full film you will get rewarded by, but it can be slow getting there. This is a story that will make you think about life and death which is one you need to watch to enjoy.
Fantasy/Romance – The fantasy elements of this film come on strong for the second half as we see the journey the sheeted C goes on, the romance side of the film looks at the idea of eternal love that people could have.
Settings – The whole film is set in once location, the background may well change but our character can’t leave the area he finds himself bound too.
Special Effects – Not many effects are used but the ones that are do help the films journey.
Scene of the Movie – The Beginning?
That Moment That Annoyed Me – There is a really long scene of Rooney Mara eating, I think it could have been near 10 minutes long.
Budget: $100,000
Final Thoughts – This is a very different movie, it shows the idea of eternal love from the side of a deceased character. It will make you think and by the end you will feel like you experienced something different.
Overall: Interesting movie that makes you think.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/09/24/a-ghost-story-2017/
When M leaves the home, C is seemingly stuck bound to the house for all time as he goes through different households and his only communication comes from a fellow ghost trapped in the neighbouring house, but C is determined to stay for the one he loves even through all the changes the environment around him goes through.
Thoughts on A Ghost Story
Characters – C is the husband of M that dies, he finds himself coming back as a ghost to watch over his wife but soon finds himself alone once she leaves their home, he sees different lives enter his as he waits for her to return. M is the wife that can’t cope with her husband’s death, she tries to move on but without any hope, so to get away completely she leaves the home. The two do make for a good screen couple.
Performances – Rooney Mara is good in her role even if she is only in part of the film, it is Casey Affleck who must wear a sheet for the most part of this movie that doesn’t say anything but lives a lonely life watching other lives.
Story – The story here is difficult to describe as for the most part we just follow C the ghost with the bed sheet over his head watching every moment of this one location, wait for a chance to be with his love again. This isn’t a horror though it plays into deeper meanings that when you watch the full film you will get rewarded by, but it can be slow getting there. This is a story that will make you think about life and death which is one you need to watch to enjoy.
Fantasy/Romance – The fantasy elements of this film come on strong for the second half as we see the journey the sheeted C goes on, the romance side of the film looks at the idea of eternal love that people could have.
Settings – The whole film is set in once location, the background may well change but our character can’t leave the area he finds himself bound too.
Special Effects – Not many effects are used but the ones that are do help the films journey.
Scene of the Movie – The Beginning?
That Moment That Annoyed Me – There is a really long scene of Rooney Mara eating, I think it could have been near 10 minutes long.
Budget: $100,000
Final Thoughts – This is a very different movie, it shows the idea of eternal love from the side of a deceased character. It will make you think and by the end you will feel like you experienced something different.
Overall: Interesting movie that makes you think.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/09/24/a-ghost-story-2017/
Data Mining for Business Analytics: Concepts, Techniques, and Applications with JMP Pro
Galit Shmueli, Nitin R. Patel, Peter C. Bruce and Mia L. Stephens
Book
Data Mining for Business Analytics: Concepts, Techniques, and Applications with JMP Pro(R) presents...
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Chalk Man in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Big thanks to Janel @ Keeper of Pages for sending me her copy of the book!
This is one of those books that’s been getting a lot of attention in the bookish world, so of course, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about! While it only took me a couple of sessions to get through the whole thing, I wasn’t that thrilled by it. The hype wasn’t worth it for me.
I immediately knew this novel wasn’t going to be a 5 star read because I didn’t like the way it was written from page 1. It’s one of those novels that’s told in flashbacks, but rather than transporting us back in time to live the events as they happened, we were told it as though we were being read a story. I feel like this way of writing really makes you take a step back from the events and you don’t get the chance to experience them along with the characters. So anything that’s meant to be tense or exciting didn’t feel that way for me.
As for characters, I honestly didn’t have an opinion on any of them. You would have thought that our main character / narrator Eddie would have left some kind of impression on me, but he didn’t. I genuinely have nothing to say about him… he was unforgettable. The only thing I can think to mention is that his relationship with his housemate Chloe seriously cringy.
<spoiler>For me, there were too many characters in this book that were irrelevant. Including Mr. Halloran – “The Chalk Man”. He was literally only a character to make the title make sense and to have an extremely obvious ‘distraction’ to the real bad guy.</spoiler>
I didn’t mind the story in this one, but the synopsis had me ready for something so much more exciting and sinister. It kept me interested for the most part, but I wasn’t enthralled. I had the ‘baddie’ sussed in a matter of chapters, so from there, all I was trying to work out was their motive. It was pretty good at keeping you on your toes in that sense.
Some books try so hard to be exciting and this is one of them. It seemed to me, that each chapter had new drama in it. Less is sometimes more! Don’t forget that! We don’t need drama, after drama, after drama to keep us entertained. It got tedious and took any realism away from the story.
In the end, this novel was extremely underwhelming for me. I didn’t find it exciting and I didn’t think the story was particularly unique. I think this would be a good novel for non-mystery readers, but I’ve just read too many similar stories.
This is one of those books that’s been getting a lot of attention in the bookish world, so of course, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about! While it only took me a couple of sessions to get through the whole thing, I wasn’t that thrilled by it. The hype wasn’t worth it for me.
I immediately knew this novel wasn’t going to be a 5 star read because I didn’t like the way it was written from page 1. It’s one of those novels that’s told in flashbacks, but rather than transporting us back in time to live the events as they happened, we were told it as though we were being read a story. I feel like this way of writing really makes you take a step back from the events and you don’t get the chance to experience them along with the characters. So anything that’s meant to be tense or exciting didn’t feel that way for me.
As for characters, I honestly didn’t have an opinion on any of them. You would have thought that our main character / narrator Eddie would have left some kind of impression on me, but he didn’t. I genuinely have nothing to say about him… he was unforgettable. The only thing I can think to mention is that his relationship with his housemate Chloe seriously cringy.
<spoiler>For me, there were too many characters in this book that were irrelevant. Including Mr. Halloran – “The Chalk Man”. He was literally only a character to make the title make sense and to have an extremely obvious ‘distraction’ to the real bad guy.</spoiler>
I didn’t mind the story in this one, but the synopsis had me ready for something so much more exciting and sinister. It kept me interested for the most part, but I wasn’t enthralled. I had the ‘baddie’ sussed in a matter of chapters, so from there, all I was trying to work out was their motive. It was pretty good at keeping you on your toes in that sense.
Some books try so hard to be exciting and this is one of them. It seemed to me, that each chapter had new drama in it. Less is sometimes more! Don’t forget that! We don’t need drama, after drama, after drama to keep us entertained. It got tedious and took any realism away from the story.
In the end, this novel was extremely underwhelming for me. I didn’t find it exciting and I didn’t think the story was particularly unique. I think this would be a good novel for non-mystery readers, but I’ve just read too many similar stories.