Search
Search results
Fred (860 KP) rated The Grinch (2018) in Movies
Dec 26, 2019
Dr. Seuss lite
Everyone knows & loves Chuck Jones' animated version from the 60s & I'm sure most people know the live-action Jim Carrey version as well. Whether you like that one or not is up to you. I did like it. Anyway, here we get a new animated version, full-length movie. How is it? Well, it's hit & miss.
Let's start with the Grinch himself. He's kind of toned down in this version & not really as mean as he should be. Yeah, sure he tries to stop Christmas, but his reasoning for it is different than the original. But we deal with it because he still wants to stop Christmas from coming. He almost seems like he's a nice guy pretending to be mean.
One of the greatest things in the original animated version is the song "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" sung by Thurl Ravenscroft. Even the Jim Carrey version, was good. But the version in this film is absolutely horrendous. It borders on annoying. Actually, it may have crossed the border. The only thing saving it was they only used about 4 lines from the song.
My main problem with the movie is it's Dr. Seuss lite. What I mean by that is that they hardly use any of Seuss' crazy language. I remember words like floo-floobers, kazay, zoozits, tar-tinkers & things like that. There was nothing like that in this film. Even lines from the book were hardly used. It doesn't feel like Dr. Seuss at all. It's almost like they never read the book. They changed the story, the ending & add useless characters like Fred the reindeer.
As for the good. Well, the voice acting is good & the animation is very good. The story works well enough, even with the changes. All in all, it is enjoyable. It's not as good as the Jim Carrey version & nowhere near as good as the Chuck Jones version. Would I watch it again. Maybe. But I'd watch the others before this one.
Let's start with the Grinch himself. He's kind of toned down in this version & not really as mean as he should be. Yeah, sure he tries to stop Christmas, but his reasoning for it is different than the original. But we deal with it because he still wants to stop Christmas from coming. He almost seems like he's a nice guy pretending to be mean.
One of the greatest things in the original animated version is the song "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" sung by Thurl Ravenscroft. Even the Jim Carrey version, was good. But the version in this film is absolutely horrendous. It borders on annoying. Actually, it may have crossed the border. The only thing saving it was they only used about 4 lines from the song.
My main problem with the movie is it's Dr. Seuss lite. What I mean by that is that they hardly use any of Seuss' crazy language. I remember words like floo-floobers, kazay, zoozits, tar-tinkers & things like that. There was nothing like that in this film. Even lines from the book were hardly used. It doesn't feel like Dr. Seuss at all. It's almost like they never read the book. They changed the story, the ending & add useless characters like Fred the reindeer.
As for the good. Well, the voice acting is good & the animation is very good. The story works well enough, even with the changes. All in all, it is enjoyable. It's not as good as the Jim Carrey version & nowhere near as good as the Chuck Jones version. Would I watch it again. Maybe. But I'd watch the others before this one.
Unstuck: A Story About Gaining Perspective, Creating Traction, and Pursuing Your Passion
Jon Gordon, Dan Webster and Randy Gravitt
Book
Untwist the question mark from your life to start living authentically UNSTUCK offers a path forward...
SummerLGrant (185 KP) rated Marvel's Luke Cage - Season 1 in TV
Aug 11, 2017
Luke Cage - obviously (2 more)
Claire Temple gets some more screen time
More back story
Slower with less tension (1 more)
I feel Luke deserved a better story
Another decent Marvel show
Contains spoilers, click to show
I was all hyped up for this one but was left feeling a little disappointed and I'm not sure why. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great show with some brilliant action scenes and puts forward Luke's backstory. After being a side character in Jessica Jones it's good to see a bit more about his life and how he settles into Harlem.
It's possible that his story, while nice to see, wasn't as good as it could have been - the backstory is but what he went through in the present day was far too slow and could've picked up a bit. The ending unravelled a bit but I like the idea that his past caught up with him and for someone who seems to have such a good heart it's nice to see that he's happy to accept that and serve the time he owes.
I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops in The Defenders, especially since he'll be reunited with Jessica Jones after the development of his relationship with Claire.
It's possible that his story, while nice to see, wasn't as good as it could have been - the backstory is but what he went through in the present day was far too slow and could've picked up a bit. The ending unravelled a bit but I like the idea that his past caught up with him and for someone who seems to have such a good heart it's nice to see that he's happy to accept that and serve the time he owes.
I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops in The Defenders, especially since he'll be reunited with Jessica Jones after the development of his relationship with Claire.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019) in Movies
May 3, 2019
Well done and gripping
I can't lie, whilst I know of Ted Bundy I dont know the details about everything he did, so I found this film to be really gripping and informative. Ted Bundy is truly a fascinating individual, its almost unbelievable that after so many years on death row he wa still proclaiming his innocence. Zac Efron isn't someone you'd usually associate with being a good actor but he plays Ted very well. He has the right amount of charm and looks but beneath that you can still see the simmering sinister murderous side. Just goes to show Efron can act in something serious after all.
The rest of the supporting cast too are very good, and the entire film moves along a fairly decent pace. This is one film that definitely can't be accused of dragging, but for me its maybe a little too short. I feel like they could have elaborated or gone into more details, especially those that didnt occur during the timeline of the film. However I suppose that wouldn't make sense as this is the story of Liz and her time with Bundy. But still, for me I would've liked a little bit more although its still a very intriguing and enthralling film with some very good acting.
The rest of the supporting cast too are very good, and the entire film moves along a fairly decent pace. This is one film that definitely can't be accused of dragging, but for me its maybe a little too short. I feel like they could have elaborated or gone into more details, especially those that didnt occur during the timeline of the film. However I suppose that wouldn't make sense as this is the story of Liz and her time with Bundy. But still, for me I would've liked a little bit more although its still a very intriguing and enthralling film with some very good acting.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Split (2016) in Movies
Feb 4, 2018
2/3 of a good movie
Contains spoilers, click to show
Normally I don't do spoilers, but I don't think it avoidable with this film.
The career of M. Night Shyamalan has produced one classic, a few pretty good, a few just all right and a few pieces of garbage. I guess I feel this film is in the pretty good category.
As with a lot of thrillers, the set up and character introduction is the easy part and this film does that well setting the stage of the kidnappings, the unknown, interesting world in which the girls now live and the unusual kidnapper the ladies are presented with. His relationship with them is mostly curiosity as with the psychiatrist.
Where the film kind of loses it for me was in the third act. Two of the women are completely tossed aside with no remorse after you are given to care about them. The "beast" is borderline unbelievable and sticks out as somewhat contrite.
I had read or been told the film had ties to "Unbreakable", but that vision didn't slap you in the face and i liked that. The appearance of Bruce Willis at the end was a bunch of fun.
Still enjoyed the film enough to recommend
.
The career of M. Night Shyamalan has produced one classic, a few pretty good, a few just all right and a few pieces of garbage. I guess I feel this film is in the pretty good category.
As with a lot of thrillers, the set up and character introduction is the easy part and this film does that well setting the stage of the kidnappings, the unknown, interesting world in which the girls now live and the unusual kidnapper the ladies are presented with. His relationship with them is mostly curiosity as with the psychiatrist.
Where the film kind of loses it for me was in the third act. Two of the women are completely tossed aside with no remorse after you are given to care about them. The "beast" is borderline unbelievable and sticks out as somewhat contrite.
I had read or been told the film had ties to "Unbreakable", but that vision didn't slap you in the face and i liked that. The appearance of Bruce Willis at the end was a bunch of fun.
Still enjoyed the film enough to recommend
.
Deborah (162 KP) rated Richard III in Books
Dec 21, 2018
Baldwin has written extensively about this period, so I had high expectations of his latest offering. The illustrations in this volume are great and the portrait of Richard is one which I don't believe I've seen before. The author also makes some sensible comments. So far so good, but I do feel that it doesn't go quite far enough. It's not a long book and a very easy read, but Baldwin seems a bit too keen to been seen as objective to commit himself as having too much of an opinion either way. Most of what is presented is done in a factual way and without a lot of analysis, I felt. Most of the evidence I felt was on the positive side, or at least not damning.
Beyond saying he thinks it unlikely that Richard has his nephews murdered (even his detractors agree that he was not stupid), he doesn't really go into this a lot, or examine Elizabeth Woodville's reasons for letting her daughters out of sanctuary or her later reaction to the Simnel rebellion. I know he has written separate volumes on both Elizabeth Woodville and Richard of York, the younger of her sons, but the issue is almost completely sidestepped here which is interesting, as this is really the question lying at the heart of The Great Debate.
So, my overall opinion was this this was very readable, fantastically illustrated and good, as far as it went. It would make a good introduction to the subject. Personally, I would have liked it to have gone a bit further. I couldn't help but compare it to Paul Murray Kendall's book. It's some time since I read it, but I was left with an enormous feel for the period and a sense of colour and life and I didn't quite get that from Baldwin.
Beyond saying he thinks it unlikely that Richard has his nephews murdered (even his detractors agree that he was not stupid), he doesn't really go into this a lot, or examine Elizabeth Woodville's reasons for letting her daughters out of sanctuary or her later reaction to the Simnel rebellion. I know he has written separate volumes on both Elizabeth Woodville and Richard of York, the younger of her sons, but the issue is almost completely sidestepped here which is interesting, as this is really the question lying at the heart of The Great Debate.
So, my overall opinion was this this was very readable, fantastically illustrated and good, as far as it went. It would make a good introduction to the subject. Personally, I would have liked it to have gone a bit further. I couldn't help but compare it to Paul Murray Kendall's book. It's some time since I read it, but I was left with an enormous feel for the period and a sense of colour and life and I didn't quite get that from Baldwin.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Doom: Annihilation (2019) in Movies
Feb 7, 2020
Doom Annihilation is not a good film, no sir, but it's honestly not as terrible as I expected it to be.
The main problem stems from the low budget - a low budget doesn't always mean a bad end product, but when that end product is a sci-fi horror based on a hyper violent video game, there are going to be issues.
The whole film has a plastic cheap look to it. It works to a certain degree - it does have a kind of Starship Troopers-esque aesthetic (a good thing), but the cheap looking weapons and re used sets are a glaring eyesore.
The monsters a very generic for the most part, but I do respect that the bulk of them are practical. The CGI that is used is mostly awful, with a few exceptions - the occasional exterior shots of the base are passable, and the ending sequence doesn't look too bad - but otherwise, it's used infrequently, and for good reason.
The actors involved all do the best with what they're given - lead Amy Manson is likable enough - but the poor character writing provides us with a group of cliché ridden Marines and scientists that feel like cannon fodder.
The only concrete connection to the Doom game series that I noticed was the character of Dr Betruger, but that's it. The fact that Bethesda and id Software stayed well away from this, and that the production team were not allowed to use anything from the 2016 Doom reboot onwards, shows that maybe this shouldn't have been a thing.
As a schlocky B-movie sci-fi horror, it's not completely terrible, but I can't help but feel it shouldn't have the Doom brand attached to it, and even a cheeky Wolfenstein reference won't change my mind on that.
The main problem stems from the low budget - a low budget doesn't always mean a bad end product, but when that end product is a sci-fi horror based on a hyper violent video game, there are going to be issues.
The whole film has a plastic cheap look to it. It works to a certain degree - it does have a kind of Starship Troopers-esque aesthetic (a good thing), but the cheap looking weapons and re used sets are a glaring eyesore.
The monsters a very generic for the most part, but I do respect that the bulk of them are practical. The CGI that is used is mostly awful, with a few exceptions - the occasional exterior shots of the base are passable, and the ending sequence doesn't look too bad - but otherwise, it's used infrequently, and for good reason.
The actors involved all do the best with what they're given - lead Amy Manson is likable enough - but the poor character writing provides us with a group of cliché ridden Marines and scientists that feel like cannon fodder.
The only concrete connection to the Doom game series that I noticed was the character of Dr Betruger, but that's it. The fact that Bethesda and id Software stayed well away from this, and that the production team were not allowed to use anything from the 2016 Doom reboot onwards, shows that maybe this shouldn't have been a thing.
As a schlocky B-movie sci-fi horror, it's not completely terrible, but I can't help but feel it shouldn't have the Doom brand attached to it, and even a cheeky Wolfenstein reference won't change my mind on that.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated The Lies We Told in Books
Jun 20, 2019
This one was engaging and a good read overall. I read this one in nearly one sitting because it was that good. The plot itself is engaging and the mystery aspect of it kept you guessing and wondering until nearly the end of the book - and even then there’s still potential after that.
Although the plot was really good, and the writing itself was also well done, I didn’t think much about the characters. Which goes to show how well the writing is. You shake your head at some of the decisions made by some of these characters (all in the name of putting on a good face) but you just feel compelled to follow along to see what will happen. There’s plenty of twists here and there and a breadcrumb trail of clues to follow but what you think might happen, might actually surprise you.
You may, or may not sympathize with Hannah. She had it pretty rough after finding out a life changing truth. On the other hand her actions and personality made you see red. She was awful to the core. If you have ever read Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage, you’ll find similarities between the two girls who are ironically, both named Hannah (spelling varies).
There is room for a sequel, although I think it should end here. Sure, there’s an open ending but it’s not a cliffhanger. It may leave you with some questions but it’s a good enough ending to let things lie. A sequel may be overdoing it and stretching this story unnecessarily.
Such an engrossing read. Give yourself time to read this. Once you open it, you won’t be able to stop reading until it’s done.
Although the plot was really good, and the writing itself was also well done, I didn’t think much about the characters. Which goes to show how well the writing is. You shake your head at some of the decisions made by some of these characters (all in the name of putting on a good face) but you just feel compelled to follow along to see what will happen. There’s plenty of twists here and there and a breadcrumb trail of clues to follow but what you think might happen, might actually surprise you.
You may, or may not sympathize with Hannah. She had it pretty rough after finding out a life changing truth. On the other hand her actions and personality made you see red. She was awful to the core. If you have ever read Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage, you’ll find similarities between the two girls who are ironically, both named Hannah (spelling varies).
There is room for a sequel, although I think it should end here. Sure, there’s an open ending but it’s not a cliffhanger. It may leave you with some questions but it’s a good enough ending to let things lie. A sequel may be overdoing it and stretching this story unnecessarily.
Such an engrossing read. Give yourself time to read this. Once you open it, you won’t be able to stop reading until it’s done.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated It's Not Summer Without You (Summer, #2) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Everything changed after Susannah died. Her two sons, both of whom Belly loves in different ways, have changed. Jeremiah is older. Conrad is empty. Belly's mother is different. And Belly is different, too. After her painful break-up with Conrad, she isn't expecting to enjoy summer, she just wants to get through it. But when Jeremiah calls her and tells her that Conrad has vanished from summer school, she goes with him to find him… and try to make things write. But Conrad has his own agenda, and his own idea of what is right. Belly has to decide if she's willing to let her heart get torn and healed by Conrad's ever-changing emotions in relation to her—as changing as the sea at her summer house—or if she's ready to let go.
After having just finished It's Not Summer Without You, I'm not sure if I feel like smiling, or if I feel smug, or if I want to kill Conrad—or at least hit him—or maybe I want to kill Jeremiah, or maybe I want to cry. I think I feel like Belly. I feel sorry for her, that's for sure.
It's Not Summer Without You is beautiful in a painful kind of way. I loved the way the story was woven, but I'm not sure I liked the way it turned out. It's the kind of story that starts looking scary, because you know that in the end everyone is going to get hurt, and that someone is going to have to choose between two good things, and you'll never be completely satisfied with the choice. But then, maybe that's the way it is in the real world. That's what makes this story good: it's real.
I read it in one sitting, on the same day I got it, and I couldn't put it down. Just like The Summer I Turned Pretty, the main aspect of the book is the characters. They are what keep you reading, they are what makes you care about the book. I care about Belly, I care about Conrad, I care about Jeremiah. I just don't care about them in the same ways I used to.
The writing felt smooth, poetic, and lyric, but the entire book had a negative energy to it. It felt depressing to read. I don't feel like I just read a summer romance, I feel like I just read a sad book and I need a light summer romance to cheer me up. That's not to say I didn't like it, but it was rather depressing to read.
The whole thing, from start to finish, felt like a lost cause with a possible hopeful end—meaning Belly and Conrad would never be together again, everything is falling apart after Susannah's death, and nothing will ever be good again…unless, unless, unless—and I'm not quite sure if it had that end. It wasn't enough of an ending for me. There wasn't enough closure between the characters, I'm still not exactly sure what happened and where everyone stands, and the epilogue wasn't enough to decode what was being said. Hopefully, more was added to the epilogue in the finished copy of the book. That's the only reason I gave it four stars and not five: I didn't enjoy it enough. It was good, it was just hard to read and hard to enjoy.
All in all, I did like it, I liked most of what happened, and I liked how real it was. It's Not Summer Without You evokes real emotions because it plays out in the real world.
Content: Some language
Recommendation: Ages 16+
After having just finished It's Not Summer Without You, I'm not sure if I feel like smiling, or if I feel smug, or if I want to kill Conrad—or at least hit him—or maybe I want to kill Jeremiah, or maybe I want to cry. I think I feel like Belly. I feel sorry for her, that's for sure.
It's Not Summer Without You is beautiful in a painful kind of way. I loved the way the story was woven, but I'm not sure I liked the way it turned out. It's the kind of story that starts looking scary, because you know that in the end everyone is going to get hurt, and that someone is going to have to choose between two good things, and you'll never be completely satisfied with the choice. But then, maybe that's the way it is in the real world. That's what makes this story good: it's real.
I read it in one sitting, on the same day I got it, and I couldn't put it down. Just like The Summer I Turned Pretty, the main aspect of the book is the characters. They are what keep you reading, they are what makes you care about the book. I care about Belly, I care about Conrad, I care about Jeremiah. I just don't care about them in the same ways I used to.
The writing felt smooth, poetic, and lyric, but the entire book had a negative energy to it. It felt depressing to read. I don't feel like I just read a summer romance, I feel like I just read a sad book and I need a light summer romance to cheer me up. That's not to say I didn't like it, but it was rather depressing to read.
The whole thing, from start to finish, felt like a lost cause with a possible hopeful end—meaning Belly and Conrad would never be together again, everything is falling apart after Susannah's death, and nothing will ever be good again…unless, unless, unless—and I'm not quite sure if it had that end. It wasn't enough of an ending for me. There wasn't enough closure between the characters, I'm still not exactly sure what happened and where everyone stands, and the epilogue wasn't enough to decode what was being said. Hopefully, more was added to the epilogue in the finished copy of the book. That's the only reason I gave it four stars and not five: I didn't enjoy it enough. It was good, it was just hard to read and hard to enjoy.
All in all, I did like it, I liked most of what happened, and I liked how real it was. It's Not Summer Without You evokes real emotions because it plays out in the real world.
Content: Some language
Recommendation: Ages 16+