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Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Avengers: Endgame (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Endgame or endlame?
#avengersendgame is a fitting, risk taking & satisfying conclusion to the #marvel #infinitysaga that treats every cherished character with the fan service, #love & respect they deserve. #Endgame is a great well made film that has lulls but delivers on all its #superhero promises. As it goes I did enjoy #Infinitywar more but AE is the more human, heartfelt, emotionally powerful, ambitious, meaningful & maturer film. A complete #nostalgia fest from start to end #avengers4 is not just a love letter to all your favourite characters its a tribute to cinema itself & how films become timeless in our hearts & minds. #Beautiful references to classic films are effortlessly intertwined here from #Terminator to #starwars, Indiana Jones, #aliens & even Casablanca its so magical & a great reminder of how warm & important film is to our lives #inspiring & moving us as people. As the stakes are now at the highest everyone has stepped up their acting game with poweful perfomances from everyone. Cgi is truly increadible (hulks face ?) & a fantastic technical achievement. Tone is bleak/morbid & a good chunk of the runtime is dialog heavy character building which may really test lesser fans/kids patience. Endgame takes these films in a darker direction too with its themes of loss & grieving explored really well. Theres great depth too which helps spark some great questions about the human psyche/spirit & what drives/motivates us to push on during our lowest & most desperate times (also how sacrifice, selfishness & the need to be #happy can weigh/take an exausting toll on our #mentalheath). #Thanos owns here & I found him extremely likable with great motives, interesting theories & memorable dialog. Action delivers eventually with badass memorable set pieces too. Endgame wraps things up nicely & its done with such passion/love for all its source material & characters that as a fan its hard not to enjoy it. A slow/long film with a fitting end that feels human, respectful & satisfying. Endgame proves #hope really is the strongest super power of them all. #mcu #avengers #comic #stanlee #spiderman #captainmarvel #captainamerica #blackpanther #comicon #thor #ironman #marvelstudios
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Predator (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
What the hell are you
#predatormovie ultimately is a huge let down, that being said it does have its moments of #fun & is worth seeing if your a #fan of the #franchise. My biggest problem with this film is that it just doesnt slow down at all. From the start action is so frantic that its jarring & you just dont have a chance at all to really see whats going on either. What made the #original #predator so #terrifying & effective was the quiet down time moments, the slow tension building & character building scenes so when we finally do see the alien its tense, unnerving, shocking & has huge impact. This latest instalment although copies alot from the original is void of everything that makes it so great. Its brainless, action packed, #silly & uses way to much crap/blurry cgi (making the hunter predator especially feel less threatening). For the first hour i wont lie i was entertained, its so #hilarious i was #laughing out loud, the actors are all great (except when forced to repeat lines from the original) & the #violence is awesome/grizzly, but then once we hit the second hour things dive bomb. Not only is the second half a complete mess but i grew #bored of the action too & wished we could just sit down with its characters more. #jacobtremblay & #trevanterhodes are so good here they are just both such fantastic actors anyway & really do light up & steal every scene they are in. @themcdave hit the nail on the head when he said to me "its a good action film but its not a good predator film" & i came out feeling the same. Oh boy & the last 5 minutes possibly contain my biggest #WTF moment of the year so far (without spoiling anyghing I really wish it was just a #xenomorph instead of what we did get). Overall an its an ok ride but not the one us Predator/film fans hoped it would be. #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmcritic #alienvspredator #gore #horror #predator2018movie #thursdaythoughts #arnoldschwarzenegger #80s #classic #hunter #thepredator
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Upgrade (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
Reboot
#upgrade #upgrademovie is insane & possibly the biggest surprise of the year. Its dark, dirty, gritty, raw & I absolutely #loved every second of it. Upgrade clearly wears its influences on its sleeve right from the start, there's elements of #Dredd, #Robocop, #TheMatrix & also #Terminator & its style is a straight #nostalgic mash up of #80s & #90s #scifi. What's so good about it however is amongst all this influence is an intricately woven style of its own. Its a low budget #film but you wouldn't know it as cgi is fantastic/minimal & works so well with some of the best #practicaleffects I've seen in ages. Gore is so realistic/#savage & shocking at one point I almost stood up out my seat in sheer shock. Cinematography is #beautiful/creative & at times wouldnt look out of place in a #bladerunner film. Environments look nasty, hostile & damn right grimy giving the film such a raw & depressing quality like it too is also a character. Ive always loved #loganmarshallgreen his physical acting here is next level. How he moves his body in this movie is out of this world impressive (especially when the system takes over his body). He plays the role perfect making his body act robotic while his face reacts with sheer fear & panic (its not only hilarious but terrible & utterly fascinating too). Camera work when he's moving is seriously impressive too moving in almost a robotic kind of way twisting, turning & jolting with every move #logan makes. With an unnerving/memorable score & an over all message of #technology enslaving us all/how no matter how much we hate machines we all eventually become reliant on them in some way Upgrade is a must see. Its not very often a small film like this comes along so we must all go see it to encourage directors to make more. One hell of a great time & a film I can't wait to own. #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmcritic #filmreview #saturdaynight #horror #gore #violent #cyberpunk #grindhouse
Kaz (232 KP) rated Three Things About Elsie in Books
May 16, 2019
This book has received a lot of praise in the last couple of years. So, I was a bit dubious as to whether this novel was all hype and not actually going to be as good as people claimed it was.
The true is, this is a gem of a book.
One of the things that is special about this book, is the writing. ‘Three Things about Elsie’ had likeable, believable characters and even the secondary characters were as equally well-formed, as the main ones. I loved Handy Simon and Miss Ambrose and was pleased to find that both young and old characters, were equal in the story.
I also adored the brilliant, often profound observations of ageing, loneliness and life in general. This book pulled me into its story and even now, I still think about it.
Joanna Cannon’s turn of phrase, even when writing about the simplest of things, had me laughing out loud at times. Her descriptions of the landscape in which the story is set, were very good and I could easily imagine what the characters were seeing.
Another thing I really loved about the plot, was its success at building tension and intrigue throughout. This was a book which dealt with ageing, but it also had a gripping mystery, weaving its way throughout. At no point during this book, did I guess what was going to happen and that kept me reading.
On face value, most people would think that a novel about a octogenarian, wouldn’t appeal to a wide range of readers. However, Joanna Cannon’s story of finding your place within the world, speaks to all ages
‘Three Things About Elsie’ is a humorous, entertaining and wonderful read, which I absolutely loved. This is the best book I have read in a LONG time. It also has one of the best covers too!
The true is, this is a gem of a book.
One of the things that is special about this book, is the writing. ‘Three Things about Elsie’ had likeable, believable characters and even the secondary characters were as equally well-formed, as the main ones. I loved Handy Simon and Miss Ambrose and was pleased to find that both young and old characters, were equal in the story.
I also adored the brilliant, often profound observations of ageing, loneliness and life in general. This book pulled me into its story and even now, I still think about it.
Joanna Cannon’s turn of phrase, even when writing about the simplest of things, had me laughing out loud at times. Her descriptions of the landscape in which the story is set, were very good and I could easily imagine what the characters were seeing.
Another thing I really loved about the plot, was its success at building tension and intrigue throughout. This was a book which dealt with ageing, but it also had a gripping mystery, weaving its way throughout. At no point during this book, did I guess what was going to happen and that kept me reading.
On face value, most people would think that a novel about a octogenarian, wouldn’t appeal to a wide range of readers. However, Joanna Cannon’s story of finding your place within the world, speaks to all ages
‘Three Things About Elsie’ is a humorous, entertaining and wonderful read, which I absolutely loved. This is the best book I have read in a LONG time. It also has one of the best covers too!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) in Movies
May 21, 2019
Good but could've been so much better
I need to be honest, Pokemon has never been a big thing for me. I've never been able to get into the games and whilst I happily watched the show when it was on, I never went out of my way. I did however take my little brother to watch Pokemon: The Movie when it came out, so I cannot tell you how unbelievably happy I was to see Mew 2 in this.
The idea behind this film is genius. Humans and Pokemon living together in the same world, and not only that but these aren't silly awful looking CGI characters, these are truly impressively done creatures that look so realistic and really fit in with the setting of the film. And you can tell they've gone all out on Pikachu, he looks fantastic and so real and adorably cute. Also Ryan Reynolds voicing Pikachu is another smart move. I can't imagine anyone else being able to pull this off quite like he can. And his pairing with Justice Smith works really well. Those two are what keep this film going. And I can't lie, the scene with the Pokemon theme song had me in hysterics it was that funny.
But despite all this, this film felt like it had squandered some of its potential. I was hoping it'd be like Christopher Robin and full of heartwarming, funny and witty moments, but sadly it fell short in all of these areas. There were some moments of humour and some heartwarming scenes but not enough, and I dont think its helped by a patchy script and a mostly (but not completely) predictable plot.
Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this film. It's an adorably cute piece of nostalgia with some funny moments, it just didnt have quite the magic I was expecting. It has however made me want a cuddly Pikachu toy...
The idea behind this film is genius. Humans and Pokemon living together in the same world, and not only that but these aren't silly awful looking CGI characters, these are truly impressively done creatures that look so realistic and really fit in with the setting of the film. And you can tell they've gone all out on Pikachu, he looks fantastic and so real and adorably cute. Also Ryan Reynolds voicing Pikachu is another smart move. I can't imagine anyone else being able to pull this off quite like he can. And his pairing with Justice Smith works really well. Those two are what keep this film going. And I can't lie, the scene with the Pokemon theme song had me in hysterics it was that funny.
But despite all this, this film felt like it had squandered some of its potential. I was hoping it'd be like Christopher Robin and full of heartwarming, funny and witty moments, but sadly it fell short in all of these areas. There were some moments of humour and some heartwarming scenes but not enough, and I dont think its helped by a patchy script and a mostly (but not completely) predictable plot.
Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this film. It's an adorably cute piece of nostalgia with some funny moments, it just didnt have quite the magic I was expecting. It has however made me want a cuddly Pikachu toy...
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Kingdom of Exiles (The Beast Charmer, #1) in Books
Jun 6, 2019
If you read one fantasy romance this year, make it this one!
When I saw this book up for review on Bookish First, I knew then and there I needed to read it. Fantasy and romance are my favorite genres, so I knew I needed to pick up this book immediately. I was fortunate enough to have enough points to guarantee me a spot on the ARC review team, and I waited not so patiently to get this book.
When this book arrived, I nearly fell over in excitement simply because the cover is so incredibly beautiful. I couldn't wait to dive in & see if the story lived up to the cover. Fortunately for me, the story was gorgeous. Kingdom of Exiles is the first book in the Beast Charmer series, and it set up a beautiful world that I can't wait to explore in more books. The description of the world itself is enough to keep me coming back. Maxym M. Martineau knows how to make it feel like you're there exploring the cities and forests side by side with the characters.
Not only were the descriptions on point, but the characters had depth. Each character was well written and added fantastic elements to the story. They each had a reason to be there, and I loved seeing the chemistry between Leena & Noc. Leena's character arc was probably one of my favorite storylines that I have read this year. I felt so deeply for her. It was as if she was my best friend. I rooted for her, I cried for her, and I laughed with her. I also really loved Noc. He was a mystery that I wanted to solve. I enjoyed each character and loved the relationship between all of them.
All in all, this is one of my favorite books that I have read this year. The characters were well developed, and the plot was fun and unique. I loved everything about it. If you like fantasy & romance, this is the book for you.
When this book arrived, I nearly fell over in excitement simply because the cover is so incredibly beautiful. I couldn't wait to dive in & see if the story lived up to the cover. Fortunately for me, the story was gorgeous. Kingdom of Exiles is the first book in the Beast Charmer series, and it set up a beautiful world that I can't wait to explore in more books. The description of the world itself is enough to keep me coming back. Maxym M. Martineau knows how to make it feel like you're there exploring the cities and forests side by side with the characters.
Not only were the descriptions on point, but the characters had depth. Each character was well written and added fantastic elements to the story. They each had a reason to be there, and I loved seeing the chemistry between Leena & Noc. Leena's character arc was probably one of my favorite storylines that I have read this year. I felt so deeply for her. It was as if she was my best friend. I rooted for her, I cried for her, and I laughed with her. I also really loved Noc. He was a mystery that I wanted to solve. I enjoyed each character and loved the relationship between all of them.
All in all, this is one of my favorite books that I have read this year. The characters were well developed, and the plot was fun and unique. I loved everything about it. If you like fantasy & romance, this is the book for you.
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Poison Song in Books
Jun 6, 2019
Fantastic conclusion to a great series
*** Disclosure - I received a free advance copy of this book from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
The finale of this trilogy has some ground to cover. The Jure'lia (an alien type race of beings with a connected consciousness) have been beaten back and are in hiding, licking their wounds. The humans and Eborans have an uneasy truce with the knowledge that their common enemy can be beaten, if only temporarily.
The first half of this book continues developing the story, the opening is a really enjoyable revenge visit to her old prison by Noon, and the others are trying to plan how to try and track down the Jure'lia to beat them once and for all. And then we have Hestilion, the immoral immortal, who seems to have sided with the Jure'lia simply out of curiosity or for something to do.
I'll admit I struggled to remember some of the terms and previous storylines and these are possibly recapped less than in the later books of other series. Given the weirdness of the world Williams has built, this did make it a steep remembering-curve (if that's a thing, which it isn't).
However the second half of the story is truly epic. A thoroughly engaging, action-packed assault on the reader's sleep pattern and emotions. There are highs and there are lows, and there are great character interactions throughout.
I'll confess to being slightly disappointed with the final act, I had it in my head that the Jure'lia would be beaten in a certain way, but this did not pan out, and what happened was significantly more simplistic and route one than I had thought.
That said, I really enjoyed the closing half-book of this series and on the whole it has been a really great read of a story in a very unusual and creative world.
The finale of this trilogy has some ground to cover. The Jure'lia (an alien type race of beings with a connected consciousness) have been beaten back and are in hiding, licking their wounds. The humans and Eborans have an uneasy truce with the knowledge that their common enemy can be beaten, if only temporarily.
The first half of this book continues developing the story, the opening is a really enjoyable revenge visit to her old prison by Noon, and the others are trying to plan how to try and track down the Jure'lia to beat them once and for all. And then we have Hestilion, the immoral immortal, who seems to have sided with the Jure'lia simply out of curiosity or for something to do.
I'll admit I struggled to remember some of the terms and previous storylines and these are possibly recapped less than in the later books of other series. Given the weirdness of the world Williams has built, this did make it a steep remembering-curve (if that's a thing, which it isn't).
However the second half of the story is truly epic. A thoroughly engaging, action-packed assault on the reader's sleep pattern and emotions. There are highs and there are lows, and there are great character interactions throughout.
I'll confess to being slightly disappointed with the final act, I had it in my head that the Jure'lia would be beaten in a certain way, but this did not pan out, and what happened was significantly more simplistic and route one than I had thought.
That said, I really enjoyed the closing half-book of this series and on the whole it has been a really great read of a story in a very unusual and creative world.
Michael Packner (32 KP) rated Strangers: Prey at Night (2018) in Movies
Jun 15, 2019 (Updated Jun 21, 2019)
The tone is surprisingly similar to the original given the change in director. (9 more)
The continued use of music as another character.
Turning the Strangers' truck into a 4th villain.
80s music.
The beautiful sets and cinematography.
The epic pool scene.
The evolution of the Strangers as characters while still respecting their mystery.
The 20 minute or so climax from the pool scene up until right before the final scene.
Damian Maffei's imposing performance as Man in the Mask, especially in his 3 big scenes.
Emma Bellomy's psychotic evolution of the Dollface killer.
The cut scenes we'll never get to see that should've been left in. (5 more)
The weak cop out ending.
Kinsey as a character.
The film's choice for a victor in the game of deadly cat and mouse.
The criminal underuse of Pinup Girl, although I know the unfortunate reason.
The runtime was way too short.
This film is truly a unique film, as while it is a polar opposite of the original Strangers, it is also awesomely familiar. Even with some of the glaring mistakes, I still give this film 5 ☆ because it takes it's own path and stands on its own in the franchise and doesn't try to mimic the first one, which could've been disastrous. Plus, I waited 10 freaking years for this film, and damnit I had a BLAST! While the original pays homage to 70s horror and the Hitchcock style as well as early Carpenter, Prey at Night chooses to pay straight homage to 80s slasher films and 80s Carpenter, and does a fantastic job. The film's 20 or so minute climax is more than worth the wait and contains the greatest pool scene in horror film history. The first film is dark and foreboding while the sequel is balls to the wall slasher fun. I can't wait to see what's in store next for my favorite horror franchise. ??
Kyera (8 KP) rated Forest of a Thousand Lanterns in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is a fantasy inspired by East-Asian culture and the Evil Queen's story. We are drawn into a complex world and watch the main character as she develops into someone who is willing to do anything to achieve her goals. Not for a man, but for the power she has been promised is rightfully hers for her entire life.
I don't normally enjoy books as much when they have an anti-hero that I don't like or connect with, but this book was so fantastic that it didn't bother me. Xifeng is complex and we watch her evolve over the course of the novel. I kept hoping that she would choose the right path, but couldn't help but watch in fascination as she dove further into the darkness. I loved getting to experience a villain's origin story and can't wait to see where the plot goes in future books.
The supporting characters were also well developed and some were characters that you could relate to (if that's something that you prefer in your books). You could see their hearts breaking as the anti-heroine's story played out.
The world was so beautifully developed and richly described. You could visualize each element and it was so lovely. I cannot wait to see more of this world. There were a few times when I felt that there was a jump in the plot that was not adequately explained, but overall the pacing was steady. It built slowly at the beginning and is definitely more of a character-driven story than one of fast-paced action. I kept being drawn back to the book as I wondered what would happen next. The end was a little more rushed to me, but you could see all of the threads being woven into the story to set up the next book.
I would definitely recommend this book and can't wait until the sequel is released!
I don't normally enjoy books as much when they have an anti-hero that I don't like or connect with, but this book was so fantastic that it didn't bother me. Xifeng is complex and we watch her evolve over the course of the novel. I kept hoping that she would choose the right path, but couldn't help but watch in fascination as she dove further into the darkness. I loved getting to experience a villain's origin story and can't wait to see where the plot goes in future books.
The supporting characters were also well developed and some were characters that you could relate to (if that's something that you prefer in your books). You could see their hearts breaking as the anti-heroine's story played out.
The world was so beautifully developed and richly described. You could visualize each element and it was so lovely. I cannot wait to see more of this world. There were a few times when I felt that there was a jump in the plot that was not adequately explained, but overall the pacing was steady. It built slowly at the beginning and is definitely more of a character-driven story than one of fast-paced action. I kept being drawn back to the book as I wondered what would happen next. The end was a little more rushed to me, but you could see all of the threads being woven into the story to set up the next book.
I would definitely recommend this book and can't wait until the sequel is released!
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Moon Called in Books
Jan 18, 2018
Thank you, Patricia Briggs for proving to me that there is still some amazing urban fantasy/paranormal fiction out there. I am so used to reading paranormal romance that I was actually pleasantly surprised that I became so completely wrapped up in the plotline that I didn’t even notice the lack of sex scenes and romance.
There are so many things to love about this novel. From the fantastic world the Briggs creates to the even more interesting characters that fill the pages. Briggs took the time to explain the world just enough for us to understand the races and world without making us bored from over description. There were some things that I felt Briggs could have left out bit what’s a little background info?
I also enjoyed that Briggs’ female protagonist, Mercy, was not the stereotypical lead. She was smart enough to take care of herself and keep herself out of trouble, or call people who could. In no way was she kind of woman who, while enjoying her independence, thought she was a superwoman who could take on anything and everything by herself and come out on top. I loved her sarcasm without the bitchiness and her wit without the “know it all” attitude.
It wasn’t just Mercy that made the storyline interesting, it was all the characters. I found myself interested in all the characters from different races that befriended or aided her, not to mention the entire werewolf pack.
I do have one complaint about this the novel, but it has more to do with Briggs than the story. While the storyline was intriguing and kept me turning the pages, Briggs writing style irked me. At times, it felt dry and I was just reading words. Briggs also liked to throw in random words that I had never heard of in my life. I am a fairly intelligent girl and I know me some vocabulary, but I had no idea where Briggs pulled these words from. At least they were easy to figure out from context clues.
There are so many things to love about this novel. From the fantastic world the Briggs creates to the even more interesting characters that fill the pages. Briggs took the time to explain the world just enough for us to understand the races and world without making us bored from over description. There were some things that I felt Briggs could have left out bit what’s a little background info?
I also enjoyed that Briggs’ female protagonist, Mercy, was not the stereotypical lead. She was smart enough to take care of herself and keep herself out of trouble, or call people who could. In no way was she kind of woman who, while enjoying her independence, thought she was a superwoman who could take on anything and everything by herself and come out on top. I loved her sarcasm without the bitchiness and her wit without the “know it all” attitude.
It wasn’t just Mercy that made the storyline interesting, it was all the characters. I found myself interested in all the characters from different races that befriended or aided her, not to mention the entire werewolf pack.
I do have one complaint about this the novel, but it has more to do with Briggs than the story. While the storyline was intriguing and kept me turning the pages, Briggs writing style irked me. At times, it felt dry and I was just reading words. Briggs also liked to throw in random words that I had never heard of in my life. I am a fairly intelligent girl and I know me some vocabulary, but I had no idea where Briggs pulled these words from. At least they were easy to figure out from context clues.