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Clown (2016)
Clown (2016)
2016 | Horror
6
7.0 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Well made creature feature, with good effects and high quality visuals (0 more)
Classic Horror Movie decision making (0 more)
This guy ain't clowning around...
Clown is like a classic twilight-zone style curse movie, where a dad puts on an antique clown suit, which turns out to have dire consequences that essentially turn him into a child eating killer clown.

There are some great comedic moments, as you would expect, some gross body horror, gruesome kills and actually pretty good performances.

Despite the b-movie plot, the acting is very solid, and the whole feel is of a well-made, well budgeted horror film, that would not have been out of place on a decent cinema release.

There are plenty of plot holes, bad decisions and parts that drag on a little, but overall this is a pretty entertaining movie, which provides a throwback experience to an 80's style slasher but with modern production values, so what is not to like?
  
The Predator (2018)
The Predator (2018)
2018 | Action, Horror
Gore (3 more)
Special Effects
Jokes
Plot
Rushed in parts (2 more)
Dark shooting
Camera angles
Carry on Predator!
Well! I have been looking forward to this film for so long and although I enjoyed it as a whole, I felt it could've been a lot better.

It felt more of a comedy sci-fi than your usual Predator film with laughable moments all the way through it.

I understand that there were some requirements to cut parts of the film and edit a lot of the scenes because of this so I think I would've been happier with a delayed release than the final product if it meant honing a few things but it won't stop me from buying it when it comes out and it made for a good night out to the cinema.

Overall it is well worth the watch and is a good film but I just feel that if people are going to compare to the original then they are going to be upset!
  
Girls & Boys
Girls & Boys
Dennis Kelly | 2018 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Gut Wrenching
Review I just finished this book and I'm not even sure what to think. This review might just be a spew of words on a page because right now, I'm processing.

I got this audiobook from Audible through their audible originals program. I probably would have never in my life picked this up if it weren't for getting it for free. This book started off with a cute story about the main characters meeting and ends with a horrific gut wrenching ending. This is not a cute love story. This is not uplifting. It is heart wrenching but it is so beautifully done that I wasn't able to put it down.

The narrator truly put on a wonderful performance. She had a way to force you into the story & make you feel like this was a friend telling you the story.

All in all, it was good. Heart wrenching but good.
  
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
Hank Green | 2018 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
9.2 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cliffhanger (0 more)
I read this because I'm a big fan of John Green. I love his writing style and have watched him and Hank on YouTube. I hoped Hank would be as good at writing as his brother. I was not disappointed.

This book, however, is nothing like a John Green story. The characters are in their twenties rather than their teens and the storyline is science fiction. Hank's writing style is also different, however, it is different in a good way. It is captivating, easy to understand and makes you think and feel a whole variety of things.

So, if you like John Green and want to see what Hank can do, you won't be disappointed. Likewise, if you're not John Green fan, you'll still love An Absolutely Remarkably Thing. It's a win-win situation.

The only negative? A cliffhanger. The story ends on a BIG question mark and it is unlikely we will ever find out what happened. I guess it's up to our own imaginations.
  
Amazon Fire TV Stick
Amazon Fire TV Stick
TV & Video > Streaming Media Players
You can stream content easily (3 more)
Various apps are supported
No loud noises coming from the device
Alexa is a nice touch, although a bit of a gimmick to me personally
It can feel quite slow at times (1 more)
Some of the apps designs are often trudged and unappealing. But that's not the devices fault
Good price for a good product
I use the fire stick every day and it has relived much stress from my life. I grew up watching things on my laptop, then xbox 360, then ps4. So, to have something that isn't constantly blowing hot air in to the room is pure relief.
Typing in to the search bar is a pain in the a*** when you use the accompanying remote, so I downloaded the Fire TV app and it has made the experience a hell of a lot easier. Especially considering my phone is always by my bedside, and the remote always seems to get lost in the sheets.
  
Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes?
Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes?
Holly Bourne | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
8
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A moving insight into mental health
While it has a fairly fun and playful sounding title, this book is far from being fun and playful. It’s a very interesting but definitely serious take on mental health in teenagers. I’d dare anyone to read this and not find something in common with one of the characters currently residing at Camp Reset. Olive herself is a tormented yet intriguing main character, however she does make for difficult reading at times. As a reader, you can see what’s going on with her even thought she can’t see it herself, and it makes reading quite frustrating, although this is the true reality of mental illness. The book also has a very good message, and almost had me in tears at the end, especially with the letter from the writer Holly Bourne. This is definitely not a feel good story, but definitely one that gets you thinking.
  
40x40

CKD (37 KP) rated The Good House in Books

Dec 7, 2018  
TG
The Good House
Ann Leary | 2013
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hildy Good is a real estate broker in Wendover, MA - a (fictional) town located north of Boston. Her husband left her for a man and she has 2 daughters with him. She is a grandmother. This story starts after she's been released from rehab for drinking (her daughters put her in rehab). It tells Hildy's story once she's home and trying to work and get through the day without drinking. Rebecca and her husband move to Wendover and Rebecca and Hildy become good friends. Hildy is happy (although she's started drinking secretly) until she discovers a secret about Rebecca and someone else in town. When the secrets start to unravel and there is a mysterious disappearance in town, Hildy begins to question some of her actions. At times funny, sad and poignant, the book is well written and you feel for all of the characters in the story. Ann Leary is the wife of Denis Leary, the comedian.
  
The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House
2018 | Horror
Good, dislikable characters (1 more)
So fun to try and spot the background ghosts
The ending was a bit weak. (1 more)
The dad's contact lenses
Tense and has lots of Easter eggs.
I haven't read the book, so sadly I can't compare (though I'm just going to assume the book is better.)

The show is less about scaring you with cheap jumpscares and more a character analysis and what their fears look like, what their own ghosts look like.
It's slow and patient, showing each characters best and worst qualities, making them dislikable in a very good way. Plus the great acting helps you construct your own opinion on each family member.

There are some things I didn't enjoy so much, the ending didn't feel the same as the rest of the show and the fact the younger version of the dad has really, really bad contact lenses threw me off Every time he was on scenes.
  
When You Disappeared
When You Disappeared
John Marrs | 2017 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A very good thriller
I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few of John Marrs books and couldn’t resist reading this when I spotted it on Kindle Unlimited, and I’m glad I did as it’s a rather enjoyable thriller.

As with all of John Marrs books, it’s definitely well written and as you get into this it’s very difficult to put down. The characters are well developed and interesting, even though neither of them are particularly likeable. Simon especially is rather a conflicted character and I developed a rather intense dislike of him by the end of the book, and I do love when a story can make you really feel something for the characters. There is a slightly unpredictable twist in this, but I couldn’t say it’s a massive surprise and it doesn’t really matter as this book is all about the journey to find out what happened to the characters over the 28 years. The ending is just a good resolution to a rather intriguing story.
  
The Land That Time Forgot  (1975)
The Land That Time Forgot (1975)
1975 | Adventure, Fantasy
First of the Amicus-Kevin Connor-Doug McClure fantasy adventure films is an unexpectedly classy genre movie. A U-boat carrying a mix of British and German sailors (it's 1916, so tensions abound), led by a beefy American (McClure), pitches up in a lost world inhabited by the usual rubber dinosaurs and ape men.

Pulp, but superior pulp: good production values and unexpectedly thoughtful in places. Even the dinosaurs are a cut above (the pterodactyls still leave a bit to be desired). The look and feel of the thing is very good indeed, but the plot is a touch underpowered and linear. The book's ideas about the strange way evolution works in the lost world are faithfully reproduced, but not really explored enough, and don't contribute anything significant to the plot. The film's weaknesses are those of the source material, but its fidelity to Burroughs is commendable; its strengths are all its own.