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Merissa (13006 KP) rated Second Wind in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Second Wind by Aimee Nicole Walker
Second Wind is a feel good book, with plenty of sweetness, but without that sickly feeling you sometimes get with a sweetness overload.
Both men are wonderfully enough in their forties - which makes a nice change from twenty-somethings lol. However, through a series of memories, you find out about their youth, and the decisions they made, bringing you up to the current day. This is a complete story, without anything being missed out, but all necessary to the story.
This is a low-angst story that is very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The pacing was smooth, and all the characters were well fleshed out and completely believable. If you are looking for a sweet story about second chances, then I can definitely recommend this one.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Both men are wonderfully enough in their forties - which makes a nice change from twenty-somethings lol. However, through a series of memories, you find out about their youth, and the decisions they made, bringing you up to the current day. This is a complete story, without anything being missed out, but all necessary to the story.
This is a low-angst story that is very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The pacing was smooth, and all the characters were well fleshed out and completely believable. If you are looking for a sweet story about second chances, then I can definitely recommend this one.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
KatieLouCreate (162 KP) rated Zombieland (2009) in Movies
Jun 13, 2018
light-hearted film (2 more)
dark comedy
Good Story
Great film
I love this film. I love this film so much. I can quote it word for word.
If you like zombie films and dark comedy, this is your film. Despite the fact the film is a dark comedy, and it is hilarious, it does also have some soft, more intimate, spots in it which make you connect with the characters on a more personal level, something comedy films do not traditionally do, I feel.
The film isn't serious which is why I like it so much. But it is well performed and well made piece, with a good pace and story line to it. There is character development. There is also plot development to an extent but that is not essential to the story line. The story is about four characters on an adventure through a zombie apocalypse where they learn and grow from each other and not about the zombie apocalypse itself.
Overall, well worth the watch.
And let's not forget it has Bill f**king Murray!
If you like zombie films and dark comedy, this is your film. Despite the fact the film is a dark comedy, and it is hilarious, it does also have some soft, more intimate, spots in it which make you connect with the characters on a more personal level, something comedy films do not traditionally do, I feel.
The film isn't serious which is why I like it so much. But it is well performed and well made piece, with a good pace and story line to it. There is character development. There is also plot development to an extent but that is not essential to the story line. The story is about four characters on an adventure through a zombie apocalypse where they learn and grow from each other and not about the zombie apocalypse itself.
Overall, well worth the watch.
And let's not forget it has Bill f**king Murray!
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) in Movies
Jul 4, 2018
Avengers meets John Wick
Having been completely unfamiliar with the source comic book material, I was unsure the tone or visuals I viewed in this film are consistent with that or not, so I just have to judge on their own merits.
Anyone who follows my reviews knows I am not the hugest fan of nonsense or robust excessive CGI in place of good acting story and screenplay, so I have to say this film suffered from a little bit of that. Some of the kill scenes bordered on a little silly, having been done much better and more realistic in John Wick.
Having said that, I was never bored while watching and thought the acting, especially that of Samuel L. Jackson, was pretty good for the most part.
It definitely feels like more style than substance in some parts, but maybe that was the point. I will always side with realism over hyper-realism unless done very well, and I feel this film falls a bit short.
Anyone who follows my reviews knows I am not the hugest fan of nonsense or robust excessive CGI in place of good acting story and screenplay, so I have to say this film suffered from a little bit of that. Some of the kill scenes bordered on a little silly, having been done much better and more realistic in John Wick.
Having said that, I was never bored while watching and thought the acting, especially that of Samuel L. Jackson, was pretty good for the most part.
It definitely feels like more style than substance in some parts, but maybe that was the point. I will always side with realism over hyper-realism unless done very well, and I feel this film falls a bit short.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Open Earth in Books
Oct 3, 2018
R-Rated and Pretty Good
When I was browsing Netgalley, I came across this graphic novel and the description caught my eye. I loved the idea of the graphic novel tand I'm glad that I was able to read it.
Obviously, this book isn't going to be for pruder individuals. The reason I say this is because at times the graphics were definitely R-rated. This isn't something that you could handsell to a teen or recommend for someone that is younger. With that said, the graphics were very well done and I loved the cutesy artistic style that they portrayed.
Something else that I liked was the integration of spanish in the book. It was done sporadically and it added to the story. I enjoyed the book though I wish it was longer and would have delved into deeper depths of the characters. I felt like I was thrown into a story and didn't feel like I knew anything about any of the characters.
All in all it was a quick good steamy read.
Obviously, this book isn't going to be for pruder individuals. The reason I say this is because at times the graphics were definitely R-rated. This isn't something that you could handsell to a teen or recommend for someone that is younger. With that said, the graphics were very well done and I loved the cutesy artistic style that they portrayed.
Something else that I liked was the integration of spanish in the book. It was done sporadically and it added to the story. I enjoyed the book though I wish it was longer and would have delved into deeper depths of the characters. I felt like I was thrown into a story and didn't feel like I knew anything about any of the characters.
All in all it was a quick good steamy read.
Merissa (13006 KP) rated Old Acquaintance in Books
Nov 30, 2018
Old Acquaintance by Annabelle Jacobs
Old Acquaintance is a semi-seasonal story about two men who reunite after many years apart. Their separation was caused by life, and jobs, and the fact they never got on when they were at school, for reasons only known to one of them.
The story takes place on the build up to Christmas (hence the semi-seasonal), but it doesn't focus on the season! Instead, quite rightly, it focuses on Sam and Charlie. You stay with them as they work through their attraction, and communication issues, and even bring up history from the past.
There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. This is a lovely book, with a real feel-good vibe to it. Funny in places, and low-angst in others, this was the getaway-from-everything book I needed. Most definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was received by me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The story takes place on the build up to Christmas (hence the semi-seasonal), but it doesn't focus on the season! Instead, quite rightly, it focuses on Sam and Charlie. You stay with them as they work through their attraction, and communication issues, and even bring up history from the past.
There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. This is a lovely book, with a real feel-good vibe to it. Funny in places, and low-angst in others, this was the getaway-from-everything book I needed. Most definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was received by me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Rachel Maria Berney (114 KP) rated Christmas With the Kranks (2004) in Movies
Dec 4, 2018
Funy Family Christmas Film
If you re looking for a funny Christmas film, then this is it. If you go into this with the expectation of a funny, family Christmas film, where you can all laugh together, even if it is at the ridiculousness, you won't be dissapointed. This is not Shakespeare. Don't expect that.
The acting is good, it's Jamie Lee Curtis and TIm Allen, with Dan Akroyd supporting, so of course it is. They all have a great rapport with each other which makes the film not so ridiculous.
The storyline is typical and stupid, but that's what the best Christmas films have. You know, the ones we watch over and over every Christmas (like National Lampons Christmas Vacation).
If you go in with your eyes open, not expecting Romeo and Juliet to declare their love and kill themselves (you do get some neighbourhood feuding so that won't dissapoint those Shakespeare fans), then you will enjoy a pleasent Christmas evening and feel good at the end of it.
The acting is good, it's Jamie Lee Curtis and TIm Allen, with Dan Akroyd supporting, so of course it is. They all have a great rapport with each other which makes the film not so ridiculous.
The storyline is typical and stupid, but that's what the best Christmas films have. You know, the ones we watch over and over every Christmas (like National Lampons Christmas Vacation).
If you go in with your eyes open, not expecting Romeo and Juliet to declare their love and kill themselves (you do get some neighbourhood feuding so that won't dissapoint those Shakespeare fans), then you will enjoy a pleasent Christmas evening and feel good at the end of it.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Spectre (2015) in Movies
Jan 2, 2019
Sometimes when you make a cake using an unexpected or unusual ingredient and it turns out to be a really good cake, you jump to the wrong conclusion and assume the success is just down to that one thing. So with the next cake you pile the secret ingredient in recklessly and, probably, are very surprised when something rather less palatable is the result. So it is with Skyfall and SPECTRE; a little bit of psychological complexity and gravitas undeniably adds something to the Bond formula. Going overboard on these things just produces a film which feels joyless and slow. This is before we even get to the preposterous revelations about Bond's long-lost adoptive brother.
Some quite good action bits and of course it all looks nice, but all the elements that feel like classic Bond are handled in an oddly perfunctory way and the ending really doesn't work at all. One gets the feeling, not for the first time in recent years, that the makers of this film would rather be working on something other than an actual Bond movie.
Some quite good action bits and of course it all looks nice, but all the elements that feel like classic Bond are handled in an oddly perfunctory way and the ending really doesn't work at all. One gets the feeling, not for the first time in recent years, that the makers of this film would rather be working on something other than an actual Bond movie.
Dean (6927 KP) rated The Lion King (2019) in Movies
Jul 19, 2019 (Updated Jul 19, 2019)
Same story with different visuals
Yet another re-imaging update of a Disney classic. People will always have quite varied reactions to these films depending in how high regard they hold the original. So far they have been a bit hit and miss, with Dumbo the worst for me. This is more in line with the Jungle book, with the same director. The story is pretty much exactly the same as the original. The difference is the amazing life like animation of the animals. So good it will feel like a nature documentary at times, waiting for David Attenborough to narrate over.
The voice cast is OK with only James Earl Jones voice standing out as he has such a commanding tone. The songs were just ok for me and I think this is where most people might be disappointed with this version. Overall it's a good story still given a technically excellent make-over. Just maybe lacking a little charm here and there.
The voice cast is OK with only James Earl Jones voice standing out as he has such a commanding tone. The songs were just ok for me and I think this is where most people might be disappointed with this version. Overall it's a good story still given a technically excellent make-over. Just maybe lacking a little charm here and there.
Vegas (725 KP) rated See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) in Movies
Mar 16, 2020
Gene Wilder (3 more)
Richard Pryor
Some great one liners
The bar fight
Classic comedy from a classic pairing
This never fails to put a smile on my face
Wally (Pryor) hears a murder and smells the murderer whilst working for Dave (Wilder) who saw of the murderer leaving, through a series of misunderstandings they become suspects for the murder, being chased by both the police and the villains this duo must survive, not get arrested and prove their innocence...
Dave is deaf, and owns a magazine stand, Wally is blind and approaches Dave for a job, which is when the mayhem begins. Both actors play their parts brilliantly and you could almost believe they are blind and deaf, even with the slightly non pc subject matter and the fact it is a comedy, you don't feel they are mocking deafness or blindness.
This is strangely not considered as good as their two previous outings, Silver Streak and Stir Crazy but I think it is equally as good if not slightly better
Wally (Pryor) hears a murder and smells the murderer whilst working for Dave (Wilder) who saw of the murderer leaving, through a series of misunderstandings they become suspects for the murder, being chased by both the police and the villains this duo must survive, not get arrested and prove their innocence...
Dave is deaf, and owns a magazine stand, Wally is blind and approaches Dave for a job, which is when the mayhem begins. Both actors play their parts brilliantly and you could almost believe they are blind and deaf, even with the slightly non pc subject matter and the fact it is a comedy, you don't feel they are mocking deafness or blindness.
This is strangely not considered as good as their two previous outings, Silver Streak and Stir Crazy but I think it is equally as good if not slightly better
Calling Major Tom
Book
Calling Major Tom is a heartwarming, quirky and ultimately life-affirming story of friendship,...