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Dust: An Elysian Tail
Games and Entertainment
App
"This is one of the best games I've played on iOS this year." 5/5 - Touch Arcade The award-winning,...
The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World
Book
A visionary exploration of the life and times of Joseph Conrad, his turbulent age of globalization...
history
Checkers 10x10
Games and Entertainment
App
PLAY CHECKERS 10x10 LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHER PLAYERS around the world and join a network of 100K's...
Graphic: Inside the Sketchbooks of the World's Great Graphic Designers
9.5
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Book
We are constantly surrounded by design—in advertisements, in books and magazines, on the Internet,...
A Square Meal
8.0
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Book
James Beard Foundation Book Award Winner From the author of the acclaimed 97 Orchard and her...
Great depression FDR food history
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) in Movies
Sep 5, 2021 (Updated Oct 2, 2021)
The latest entry into the MCU is a definitely a ride, both in terms of quality and in what unfolds on screen. The things I disliked about Shang-Chi are very clear cut - it's pacing is all over the place, there's an unholy amount of exposition dumps, and the humourous moments didn't always land. I have nothing against Awkwafina, but her character here is a constant quip-machine, and takes up a hefty amount of screen time, whilst simultaneously feeling a little pointless when all is said and done.
However, the things I did like about Shang-Chi are also extremely clear cut. For a starter, I'm just generally stoked that the character himself has his own movie. We've come a long way since X-Men blew the superhero genre wide open back in 2000.
It has a great cast, including lead Simu Liu, as well as the likes of Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh. The inner comic book nerd in me was beyond excited to see minor villains such as Razor Fist and Death Dealer on screen, and then of course (no spoilers!) a third act villain that is a true deep cut from the comics. Tony Leung's Wenwu aka The Mandarin strikes an imposing presence as the main big bad, and the subsequent theme of power and family gives the movie a beating, if tragic, heart.
Pretty much all of the fight scenes are great, and any flaws that I found were completely obliterated by the batshit insane final third, that honestly verges on live action anime at times.
The general tone of this movie feels like something new for the MCU. From street level fighting, to crazy fantasy style set pieces, to the exploration of Asian culture, Shang-Chi is a fresh new entry for the MCU, as the studio steps a little further out of its comfort zone. Please try to see it on the big screen if you can!
However, the things I did like about Shang-Chi are also extremely clear cut. For a starter, I'm just generally stoked that the character himself has his own movie. We've come a long way since X-Men blew the superhero genre wide open back in 2000.
It has a great cast, including lead Simu Liu, as well as the likes of Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh. The inner comic book nerd in me was beyond excited to see minor villains such as Razor Fist and Death Dealer on screen, and then of course (no spoilers!) a third act villain that is a true deep cut from the comics. Tony Leung's Wenwu aka The Mandarin strikes an imposing presence as the main big bad, and the subsequent theme of power and family gives the movie a beating, if tragic, heart.
Pretty much all of the fight scenes are great, and any flaws that I found were completely obliterated by the batshit insane final third, that honestly verges on live action anime at times.
The general tone of this movie feels like something new for the MCU. From street level fighting, to crazy fantasy style set pieces, to the exploration of Asian culture, Shang-Chi is a fresh new entry for the MCU, as the studio steps a little further out of its comfort zone. Please try to see it on the big screen if you can!
The Messenger of Luci
10.0
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Book
Have you ever felt as though you were being watched? Have you ever had the feeling that there was...
Self-help Family Personal development
Saffron & Stories: A Culinary and Poetic Fusion
10.0
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Embark on a sensory journey through the heart of Persian culture with "Saffron & Stories: A Culinary...
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Shoplifters (Manbiki Kazuko) (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Last month I had the opportunity to attend a screening of Shoplifters, following its huge success at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film was written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, and follows a large, multi-generational family who are living on the brink of poverty. They live in a cramped, very basic apartment in the heart of Tokyo, where those able to work all band together in a desperate attempt to keep the family sheltered and fed.
As the title suggests, some members are petty criminals and frequently shoplift from local supermarkets and convienience stores in order to survive. It’s become a talent in the family, passed down from father to son and almost feels like a bonding exercise when you witness the way they work together. The family leads a simple life, justifying their actions by telling themselves if the theft doesn’t bankrupt the store owner, then they can survive without the items they took. It’s a way of clearing their conscience and seems to work very well. Osamu and and his son, Shota are the major players in the art of shoplifting, and are literally partners in crime.
Their lives change when they encounter Yuri, a young child who is outside in the freezing cold and looks malnourished. Despite the fact they already have too many mouths to feed, Osamu makes the decision to take her home and give her food and shelter. It soon becomes clear that Yuri has suffered abuse, based on the marks on her arm and her very quiet and timid behaviour. They decide to keep her as part of the family, fearing for her wellbeing.
This decision makes life even harder for the family as they have to evade the police both when shoplifting, and when going out in public with Yuri, as she soon becomes a missing person. This selfless act forms the rest of the film, resulting in a gorgeous 2 hours of cinema.
I was completely blown away by Shoplifters and its intimate portrayal of family life. As the film progressed, I found myself bonding with the characters as an audience member. I enjoyed seeing them on screen and going with them as they went about their daily lives. Each character has so much depth, their own wants and desires and their own secrets, to the point where they feel real. It could have easily been a documentary based on how close we are to the subjects, and how much we learn from them. Their character development is just stunning, and events in the third act left me in a stunned silence as we discover some harsh truths about the family.
The visual style varies from scene to scene, switching from clean and clinical streets to the cramped, messy apartment and back again. We are given a well-rounded and contrasting look at Japan’s capital and the people that live in it. The family have next to nothing but their bond is strong, doing everything they can to keep each other happy and healthy. We see them enjoying a day at the beach and watching the fireworks, activities that are both free and a lot of fun. The film certainly places a strong focus on life’s simple pleasures, and gives you a sense of gratitude throughout. Though harrowing in places, the happier moments radiate from the screen and leave you smiling to yourself because of how beautiful and convincing they are. It’s truly an emotional rollercoaster.
I have never seen a film quite like Shoplifters and though its pacing is slow, the bonds between characters and the deep exploration of their lives is enough to keep you glued to the screen throughout. It is certainly deserving of its Cannes win, because of its deep, thorough and complex exploration of family life. It will warm your heart and break it soon after, leaving you wanting to stay in their lives by the time the credits roll. This is a must-see.
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2018/11/25/my-thoughts-on-the-2018-palme-dor-winning-film-shoplifters/
As the title suggests, some members are petty criminals and frequently shoplift from local supermarkets and convienience stores in order to survive. It’s become a talent in the family, passed down from father to son and almost feels like a bonding exercise when you witness the way they work together. The family leads a simple life, justifying their actions by telling themselves if the theft doesn’t bankrupt the store owner, then they can survive without the items they took. It’s a way of clearing their conscience and seems to work very well. Osamu and and his son, Shota are the major players in the art of shoplifting, and are literally partners in crime.
Their lives change when they encounter Yuri, a young child who is outside in the freezing cold and looks malnourished. Despite the fact they already have too many mouths to feed, Osamu makes the decision to take her home and give her food and shelter. It soon becomes clear that Yuri has suffered abuse, based on the marks on her arm and her very quiet and timid behaviour. They decide to keep her as part of the family, fearing for her wellbeing.
This decision makes life even harder for the family as they have to evade the police both when shoplifting, and when going out in public with Yuri, as she soon becomes a missing person. This selfless act forms the rest of the film, resulting in a gorgeous 2 hours of cinema.
I was completely blown away by Shoplifters and its intimate portrayal of family life. As the film progressed, I found myself bonding with the characters as an audience member. I enjoyed seeing them on screen and going with them as they went about their daily lives. Each character has so much depth, their own wants and desires and their own secrets, to the point where they feel real. It could have easily been a documentary based on how close we are to the subjects, and how much we learn from them. Their character development is just stunning, and events in the third act left me in a stunned silence as we discover some harsh truths about the family.
The visual style varies from scene to scene, switching from clean and clinical streets to the cramped, messy apartment and back again. We are given a well-rounded and contrasting look at Japan’s capital and the people that live in it. The family have next to nothing but their bond is strong, doing everything they can to keep each other happy and healthy. We see them enjoying a day at the beach and watching the fireworks, activities that are both free and a lot of fun. The film certainly places a strong focus on life’s simple pleasures, and gives you a sense of gratitude throughout. Though harrowing in places, the happier moments radiate from the screen and leave you smiling to yourself because of how beautiful and convincing they are. It’s truly an emotional rollercoaster.
I have never seen a film quite like Shoplifters and though its pacing is slow, the bonds between characters and the deep exploration of their lives is enough to keep you glued to the screen throughout. It is certainly deserving of its Cannes win, because of its deep, thorough and complex exploration of family life. It will warm your heart and break it soon after, leaving you wanting to stay in their lives by the time the credits roll. This is a must-see.
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2018/11/25/my-thoughts-on-the-2018-palme-dor-winning-film-shoplifters/
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Isla Dorada in Tabletop Games
Jun 24, 2021
I have always wanted to be an explorer. Not that I ever really would: I hate sweating, I need at least daily showers, I’m allergic to all the poison plants, and honestly, walking all that way in boots seems like such a drag. BUT! I will play games about exploring and totally get into the themes and mythos. I love them! How does a 10 year old game about exploring hold up to today’s gaming standards? Read on, weary traveler.
Isla Dorada is a set collection, hand management, bidding, exploration, adventure card and board game from a team of designers including Bruno Faidutti and Alan R. Moon. The players are a cohesive exploration team which has crash landed on an island, and they seek the riches within. To do this, the players will be traveling around the island attempting to satisfy their Destinies and pick up treasures along the way. But not every player wants to go where the others want to go. What to do, what to do…
Follow the setup instructions in the rule book until you have a board with turn tracker discs and the players’ shared totem pawn upon the crash site. Each differently-backed card deck will be shuffled and each player will receive cards drawn from these decks as their starting collection. The youngest player will receive the first player marker and will start the game by placing the totem on a path heading away from the crash site where they would like to go and announce the amount of cards they are willing to bid (even zero cards) in order to convince the party to travel there. The game is now on!
Players will be collecting Adventure cards to be used as currency when bidding on party travel in order to fulfill goals on their personal Destiny cards. When traveling each turn, a turn marker disc will be placed on the location the party has visited in order to track the movements for said Destiny cards, which mostly have lists of areas to be visited. They will also be attempting to avoid certain areas of the island which will trigger their Curse card that awards negative points at the end of the game. During two turns of the game players will be able to draw and choose cards from the Treasure deck that will help award points at game end as well. The winner is the player who best collects a combination of completed Destiny cards, Treasures, money, and considerations for negative points from Curses.
Components. People, Isla Dorada boasts some of the best components in a game we have seen. The totem pawn and Bigfoot/Leviathan pawns are simply amazing. The art throughout the game is mesmerizing and gorgeous. So much attention to little details have gone into this production and the final product is a stunning game that you want to keep playing because the component are just so fabulous.
But the game play? It is awesome with the right game mates. If you can play this with your enthusiastic friends, each turn will be simply exciting and joyous to play. Getting friends and family members to shout at each other their bids to move the party toward Septris instead of Methritis because their Curse card is brutal is downright great entertainment. Watching paths being cut off by the Bigfoot and Leviathan and having people visibly create alternate pathways and tactics can be enjoyable as well.
So do I like this game? Yep! It has beautiful components, is somewhat easy to teach to players of all experience levels, and leaves you satisfied when the game is over. This is not a serial, “play every game night” sort of title, but with the right group and mood, this can be a dynamite experience. If you are looking for a high-energy adventure game with lots of player interaction, set out to find a copy. I do wish you good luck, though, as a copy may be hard to come by. Alas, Purple Phoenix Games gives Isla Dorada a totemic 15 / 18. At least we will always have Kilitiping…
Isla Dorada is a set collection, hand management, bidding, exploration, adventure card and board game from a team of designers including Bruno Faidutti and Alan R. Moon. The players are a cohesive exploration team which has crash landed on an island, and they seek the riches within. To do this, the players will be traveling around the island attempting to satisfy their Destinies and pick up treasures along the way. But not every player wants to go where the others want to go. What to do, what to do…
Follow the setup instructions in the rule book until you have a board with turn tracker discs and the players’ shared totem pawn upon the crash site. Each differently-backed card deck will be shuffled and each player will receive cards drawn from these decks as their starting collection. The youngest player will receive the first player marker and will start the game by placing the totem on a path heading away from the crash site where they would like to go and announce the amount of cards they are willing to bid (even zero cards) in order to convince the party to travel there. The game is now on!
Players will be collecting Adventure cards to be used as currency when bidding on party travel in order to fulfill goals on their personal Destiny cards. When traveling each turn, a turn marker disc will be placed on the location the party has visited in order to track the movements for said Destiny cards, which mostly have lists of areas to be visited. They will also be attempting to avoid certain areas of the island which will trigger their Curse card that awards negative points at the end of the game. During two turns of the game players will be able to draw and choose cards from the Treasure deck that will help award points at game end as well. The winner is the player who best collects a combination of completed Destiny cards, Treasures, money, and considerations for negative points from Curses.
Components. People, Isla Dorada boasts some of the best components in a game we have seen. The totem pawn and Bigfoot/Leviathan pawns are simply amazing. The art throughout the game is mesmerizing and gorgeous. So much attention to little details have gone into this production and the final product is a stunning game that you want to keep playing because the component are just so fabulous.
But the game play? It is awesome with the right game mates. If you can play this with your enthusiastic friends, each turn will be simply exciting and joyous to play. Getting friends and family members to shout at each other their bids to move the party toward Septris instead of Methritis because their Curse card is brutal is downright great entertainment. Watching paths being cut off by the Bigfoot and Leviathan and having people visibly create alternate pathways and tactics can be enjoyable as well.
So do I like this game? Yep! It has beautiful components, is somewhat easy to teach to players of all experience levels, and leaves you satisfied when the game is over. This is not a serial, “play every game night” sort of title, but with the right group and mood, this can be a dynamite experience. If you are looking for a high-energy adventure game with lots of player interaction, set out to find a copy. I do wish you good luck, though, as a copy may be hard to come by. Alas, Purple Phoenix Games gives Isla Dorada a totemic 15 / 18. At least we will always have Kilitiping…
