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LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Brawl In Cell Block 99 (2017) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
Cold, hard filmmaking at some of its most insatiably cruel. My coveted "I told you so" moment for anyone who said Vince Vaughn couldn't act and one hell of a provocation in the process (Zahler might be the closest thing we have right now to a grindhouse Neil LaBute). The film equivalent of a rusted pair of brass knuckles of dubious origin with dried blood on them. Realistically could have skimmed 10 or so minutes off of itself but I think the gruelingly elongated scenes aid in the merciless hellscape this paints, and the fights don't waste a single second - Vaughn (who is God-tier in this, plays the role like one giant piece of battered meat) eats barbell swings, nightsticks, debilitating electric zaps, and brute punches like a champ. And that gore? I verbally screamed out loud multiple times, here I'd thought I'd seen it all but to quote Mark Wahlberg's dad from đđŚđĽ (which I routinely do) "Jesus H Fuck!" A trillion times better than đđ°đŻđŚ đđ°đŽđ˘đŠđ˘đ¸đŹ and even that was wildly good in its own right. One thing I love about the guy is how successfully he subverts the "feel-horrible filmmaking for the sake of feel-horrible filmmaking" junk that has seen a bit of a resurgence lately. When he's bleak, he fucking means it. Guaranteed this will scare you away from even the most petty crime, you'll flinch in fear if you even think about littering. Plus it's funny as fuck. Unique and unflinchingly nasty - almost exactly what you'd want out of a movie with this title.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Devil's Due in Books
Sep 6, 2019
3.5 stars.
So I finally finished it and it was a good conclusion to the duet.
I grew to like Lucia but I still feel we didn't learn as much about her as we did Jazz in the first book, she's still a bit of a mystery in regards to her previous work. She's done work for the government? Very vague, Lucia.
As for Ben, I really liked him too. He came across as being a really nice guy in the end, though some of his decisions seemed a little doubtful at times. And his feelings for Lucia were sweet.
It was great to see Jazz, Borden, Manny and Pansy in this one too; like seeing the Red Letter Days family back together again. There were a few other reappearances too and some new characters that we came to know and lost.
The storyline was a continuation of the first but at the same time there were different crimes to investigate and cases to work. Different ways for them to get shot and into trouble, and I think they found every single one lol.
Once again, I'll say this isn't the usual Rachel Caine book. It doesn't have a particularly paranormal feel. It's more P.I firm getting mixed up with some psychics about the fate of the world with some kick arse heroines as the P.I.'s.
I liked it anyway!
So I finally finished it and it was a good conclusion to the duet.
I grew to like Lucia but I still feel we didn't learn as much about her as we did Jazz in the first book, she's still a bit of a mystery in regards to her previous work. She's done work for the government? Very vague, Lucia.
As for Ben, I really liked him too. He came across as being a really nice guy in the end, though some of his decisions seemed a little doubtful at times. And his feelings for Lucia were sweet.
It was great to see Jazz, Borden, Manny and Pansy in this one too; like seeing the Red Letter Days family back together again. There were a few other reappearances too and some new characters that we came to know and lost.
The storyline was a continuation of the first but at the same time there were different crimes to investigate and cases to work. Different ways for them to get shot and into trouble, and I think they found every single one lol.
Once again, I'll say this isn't the usual Rachel Caine book. It doesn't have a particularly paranormal feel. It's more P.I firm getting mixed up with some psychics about the fate of the world with some kick arse heroines as the P.I.'s.
I liked it anyway!
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Merissa (12963 KP) rated Dawn's Desire (Prairie Smoke Ranch #1) in Books
Aug 16, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)
DAWN'S DESIRE is the first book in the Prairie Smoke Ranch series and we are introduced to a whole host of characters, but we focus on Nathan and Bishop. Nathan is the foreman of the ranch and is older (although I don't think we actually ever get his age). Bishop is a twenty-eight-year-old, newly-minted professor of Palaeontology and is on the ranch due to the discovery of possible dinosaur bones.
There is a lot going on in this story - trouble with the ranch next door, bone poachers, European tours, and a possible thief working on the ranch. Because of this, I didn't feel like this was a character-led story and I didn't really feel the connection between our two MCs.
Nathan and Bishop get an HFN ending and there is definitely no conclusion to any of what's gone on during their story, so I hope more answers will be available in the next books.
This is the first book and I am looking forward to reading book two. This series has a lot to offer and I love V.L. Locey's writing. Although it didn't tick my boxes in the way her stories usually do, I still thoroughly enjoyed this beginning and have no hesitation in recommending it.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Aug 16, 2021
There is a lot going on in this story - trouble with the ranch next door, bone poachers, European tours, and a possible thief working on the ranch. Because of this, I didn't feel like this was a character-led story and I didn't really feel the connection between our two MCs.
Nathan and Bishop get an HFN ending and there is definitely no conclusion to any of what's gone on during their story, so I hope more answers will be available in the next books.
This is the first book and I am looking forward to reading book two. This series has a lot to offer and I love V.L. Locey's writing. Although it didn't tick my boxes in the way her stories usually do, I still thoroughly enjoyed this beginning and have no hesitation in recommending it.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Aug 16, 2021
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated The Bootleggerâs Daughter in Books
May 2, 2024
Danger in Prohibition-era Los Angeles
Itâs 1927, and Letty Hart is struggling to keep the family vineyard afloat on the outskirts of Los Angeles. When their contract to provide sacramental wine is canceled abruptly, the discovery of some illegal alcohol her father left behind seems too good to pass up. Meanwhile, Annabel Forman is trying to prove she deserves the promotion to detective in the LAPD. She is assigned a joke of a case, but she quickly begins to think sheâs stumbled on a connection between several murdered bootleggers.
Obviously, these two women are destined to meet. The story along the way is enjoyable, and the further I got into the book, the more I wanted to keep reading. There are some surprises on the way to a suspenseful climax. I did feel like a few aspects of the plot were rushed, but thatâs a minor complaint overall. We get the story from three different characterâs points of view, Letty in first person and the other two in third person. These changes happen at chapter breaks and are all clearly labeled. The book is written in present tense, and once my brain got used to it, it didnât matter. Many of the supporting characters donât get much page time to be fully developed, but they feel real in the time they have. Letty and Annabel, however, are wonderful characters, and I enjoyed watching them deal with what life has given them. If you are looking for a historic crime story, youâll be glad you picked this one up.
Obviously, these two women are destined to meet. The story along the way is enjoyable, and the further I got into the book, the more I wanted to keep reading. There are some surprises on the way to a suspenseful climax. I did feel like a few aspects of the plot were rushed, but thatâs a minor complaint overall. We get the story from three different characterâs points of view, Letty in first person and the other two in third person. These changes happen at chapter breaks and are all clearly labeled. The book is written in present tense, and once my brain got used to it, it didnât matter. Many of the supporting characters donât get much page time to be fully developed, but they feel real in the time they have. Letty and Annabel, however, are wonderful characters, and I enjoyed watching them deal with what life has given them. If you are looking for a historic crime story, youâll be glad you picked this one up.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Thunder Force (2021) in Movies
May 23, 2021
I love Octavia Spencer's versatility, so a superhero type of film was intriguing, and the combination of her and Melissa McCarthy felt right. Then they throw in Bobby Cannavale and Jason Bateman too? There appears to be a lot to love about this film.
Lydia and Emily, once the best of friends, are brought back together by a school reunion. But things take a turn as the serum devised by Emily to help their city ends up accidentally changing their lives in a way they hadn't planned for.
We start with a wonderful comic book opening that give a very succinct review of how the whole has shaped the tale we're about to hear. That then drops us into Lydia and Emily's friendship. I really did enjoy this part, and the young Lydia's were particularly good. It gave a solid start to the film and I was feeling optimistic about what was to come after having enjoyed the trailer.
But at this point it starts to show a few issues.
Grown-up Emily (Spencer) feels a little inconsistent. She's reserved initially but it fluctuates a lot throughout, which doesn't feel right for a woman in her position.
Lydia seemed to be much more believable, and the outlandish behaviour was quite amusing while still cementing the caring person that she is, and what we can expect from her going forward.
Spencer and McCarthy do work well together, and the back and forth when it's there is really good, but Emily is never as strong in scenes that they share.
Bobby Cannavale as The King makes an excellent baddie, and Pom Klementieff as a henchwoman is too. They're backed by some wonderfully comedic "muscle", and as a team they work well together. But... while every character is a little quirky, The Crab is where my problems begin. Jason Bateman acts well during the "serious" scenes, but the humour that is attached to his character just didn't land. I was pleased they added in crab-like characteristics, but its amusement was short-lived.
The main problem with the humour in Thunder Force is something I see in other Melissa McCarthy films. It rushes up to the line of going too far, stops briefly, and the crab scuttles straight across it and far off into the distance. Why make one joke when you can make five in a row? This is particularly evident in Lydia and The Crab's interactions, and its repetition became a little tiresome.
The script didn't just mess with these characters, it also ruined a perfectly good (though mildly inexplicable) scene where The King and Laser come face to face with Lydia and Emily. It was going so well and then it jumped over that line. It does do some good things though. There's an ongoing joke with Lydia and her training that did land well every time, and it had some lovely moments of bonding with Tracy and Lydia. How all these things made it into the same film I don't know.
My time watching this didn't feel wasted, but I don't think I'd need to watch it again anytime soon. And that's a shame, because there's a really good film hiding in Thunder Force.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/05/thunder-force-movie-review.html
Lydia and Emily, once the best of friends, are brought back together by a school reunion. But things take a turn as the serum devised by Emily to help their city ends up accidentally changing their lives in a way they hadn't planned for.
We start with a wonderful comic book opening that give a very succinct review of how the whole has shaped the tale we're about to hear. That then drops us into Lydia and Emily's friendship. I really did enjoy this part, and the young Lydia's were particularly good. It gave a solid start to the film and I was feeling optimistic about what was to come after having enjoyed the trailer.
But at this point it starts to show a few issues.
Grown-up Emily (Spencer) feels a little inconsistent. She's reserved initially but it fluctuates a lot throughout, which doesn't feel right for a woman in her position.
Lydia seemed to be much more believable, and the outlandish behaviour was quite amusing while still cementing the caring person that she is, and what we can expect from her going forward.
Spencer and McCarthy do work well together, and the back and forth when it's there is really good, but Emily is never as strong in scenes that they share.
Bobby Cannavale as The King makes an excellent baddie, and Pom Klementieff as a henchwoman is too. They're backed by some wonderfully comedic "muscle", and as a team they work well together. But... while every character is a little quirky, The Crab is where my problems begin. Jason Bateman acts well during the "serious" scenes, but the humour that is attached to his character just didn't land. I was pleased they added in crab-like characteristics, but its amusement was short-lived.
The main problem with the humour in Thunder Force is something I see in other Melissa McCarthy films. It rushes up to the line of going too far, stops briefly, and the crab scuttles straight across it and far off into the distance. Why make one joke when you can make five in a row? This is particularly evident in Lydia and The Crab's interactions, and its repetition became a little tiresome.
The script didn't just mess with these characters, it also ruined a perfectly good (though mildly inexplicable) scene where The King and Laser come face to face with Lydia and Emily. It was going so well and then it jumped over that line. It does do some good things though. There's an ongoing joke with Lydia and her training that did land well every time, and it had some lovely moments of bonding with Tracy and Lydia. How all these things made it into the same film I don't know.
My time watching this didn't feel wasted, but I don't think I'd need to watch it again anytime soon. And that's a shame, because there's a really good film hiding in Thunder Force.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/05/thunder-force-movie-review.html
Darren (1599 KP) rated Stephen King's A Good Marriage (2014) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: A Good Marriage starts with the anniversary party of Darcy (Allen) and Bob Anderson (LaPaglia) with their grown up children Petra (Connolly) and Donnie (Stockman). Everything on the outside looks like it is going great for the couple and what could possibly be shocking about them? The couple seem to have a follower in Holt Ramsey (Lang) but why?
Darcyâs life takes a sudden change when searching for batteries she finds a hidden box with the drivers licences of woman who are found dead. As Darcy struggles to deal with the realisation that she is married to a serial killer we watch how Bob is tracking down him latest victim while away on business. We have to watch how Bob and Darcy try to work through the problems because spilling the secret could ruin the family.
A Good Marriage really does end up coming off very dull, the concept sounds very interesting. I feel this story should have been a hell of a lot tenser because of the action of the husband especially with the idea that the wife doesnât want to destroy her childrenâs lives with the secret. I can honestly say I was expecting a look into the husbandâs killing and an actual confrontation rather than just a calm talking about his actions. Overall the story doesnât come off very well at all and I can honestly say this will disappoint any and all the Stephen King Fans out there. (2/10)
Actor Review
Joan Allen: Darcy Anderson is the loving mother and wife who discovers her husbandâs secret. Darcy has to try and figure out what to do because talking will destroy the family but she also knows the next victim will now be here fault. Joan does a solid job but doesnât reach the levels you would expect to make you feel like her character is scared or keeping a brave face. (5/10)
Anthony LaPaglia: Bob Anderson is the account husband of Darcy who has been living a different life behind his familyâs back as a serial killer. When his wife discovers his secret he has to convince her not to go to the cops and ruin the life the children think they have had. Anthony is an actor I would expect to be able to play this role really well but he doesnât seem to get into the role enough to make us believe he is a killer. (3/10)
Support Cast: A Good Marriage has a supporting cast that are mostly people Darcy is trying to protect from the truth, but it also has a man trying to find out the truth about the killer.
Director Review: Peter Askin â Peter doesnât give us enough tension in a film that should be filled to the rim with tension because of the subject matter. (3/10)
Thriller: A Good Marriage is a film that should be filled with tension but this manages to let it all go without capitalising on the idea. (2/10)
Settings: A Good Marriage keeps the settings great because the idea would be that the killer is in plain sight living a normal life. (9/10)
Suggestion: A Good Marriage has to go down as one to avoid because it really does disappoint trying to tell an easy story. (Avoid)
Best Part: Hard to find anything.
Worst Part: No Tension.
Improve Ideas: High tension level.
Believability: The idea does come from a real serial killer but the outcome on film doesnât really work. (3/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 42 Minutes
Trivia: This is Stephen Kingâs first self-adapted screenplay since âPet Sematary,â which was released 25 years earlier. The last feature film script he wrote was âSleepwalkers,â released in 1992. Since then he has written TV movies, mini-series and shows, such as âThe Stand,â âThe Shiningâ and âKingdom Hospital.â
Overall: Very disappointing thriller with no actual tension.
https://moviesreview101.com/2015/06/04/a-good-marriage-2014/
Darcyâs life takes a sudden change when searching for batteries she finds a hidden box with the drivers licences of woman who are found dead. As Darcy struggles to deal with the realisation that she is married to a serial killer we watch how Bob is tracking down him latest victim while away on business. We have to watch how Bob and Darcy try to work through the problems because spilling the secret could ruin the family.
A Good Marriage really does end up coming off very dull, the concept sounds very interesting. I feel this story should have been a hell of a lot tenser because of the action of the husband especially with the idea that the wife doesnât want to destroy her childrenâs lives with the secret. I can honestly say I was expecting a look into the husbandâs killing and an actual confrontation rather than just a calm talking about his actions. Overall the story doesnât come off very well at all and I can honestly say this will disappoint any and all the Stephen King Fans out there. (2/10)
Actor Review
Joan Allen: Darcy Anderson is the loving mother and wife who discovers her husbandâs secret. Darcy has to try and figure out what to do because talking will destroy the family but she also knows the next victim will now be here fault. Joan does a solid job but doesnât reach the levels you would expect to make you feel like her character is scared or keeping a brave face. (5/10)
Anthony LaPaglia: Bob Anderson is the account husband of Darcy who has been living a different life behind his familyâs back as a serial killer. When his wife discovers his secret he has to convince her not to go to the cops and ruin the life the children think they have had. Anthony is an actor I would expect to be able to play this role really well but he doesnât seem to get into the role enough to make us believe he is a killer. (3/10)
Support Cast: A Good Marriage has a supporting cast that are mostly people Darcy is trying to protect from the truth, but it also has a man trying to find out the truth about the killer.
Director Review: Peter Askin â Peter doesnât give us enough tension in a film that should be filled to the rim with tension because of the subject matter. (3/10)
Thriller: A Good Marriage is a film that should be filled with tension but this manages to let it all go without capitalising on the idea. (2/10)
Settings: A Good Marriage keeps the settings great because the idea would be that the killer is in plain sight living a normal life. (9/10)
Suggestion: A Good Marriage has to go down as one to avoid because it really does disappoint trying to tell an easy story. (Avoid)
Best Part: Hard to find anything.
Worst Part: No Tension.
Improve Ideas: High tension level.
Believability: The idea does come from a real serial killer but the outcome on film doesnât really work. (3/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 42 Minutes
Trivia: This is Stephen Kingâs first self-adapted screenplay since âPet Sematary,â which was released 25 years earlier. The last feature film script he wrote was âSleepwalkers,â released in 1992. Since then he has written TV movies, mini-series and shows, such as âThe Stand,â âThe Shiningâ and âKingdom Hospital.â
Overall: Very disappointing thriller with no actual tension.
https://moviesreview101.com/2015/06/04/a-good-marriage-2014/
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Triple Frontier (2019) in Movies
Apr 4, 2019 (Updated Apr 4, 2019)
Felt Kinda Pointless...
When I saw the trailer for Triple Frontier, I was reminded of the extremely fun recent Ghost Recon game, Wildlands and I was also reminded of the surprisingly brilliant Sicario sequel, Day Of The Solado. Unfortunately the movie lives up to neither of those other properties and is instead a middle of the road, hollow way to waste 2 hours.
The cast were a big selling point here for me, I am a fan of every single one of the 5 lead actors in this thing and they all did a pretty great job. The problem was the material that they were working with; a generic bland script and mediocre at best action scenes.
The whole thing just felt unremarkable and forgettable throughout and I kept waiting for it to kick into high gear and get good, unfortunately I am still waiting. That is the worst thing about this film, is that it isn't anything offensively bad and it's not good or even memorable either, it's just meh for it's entirety.
Overall, you can give this one a skip, unless you are a die hard fan of any of the main cast. The way that the plot wraps up in the end makes the whole drawn-out, pretty dull adventure that we have just been on feel extremely pointless and leaves the viewer feeling unfulfilled as the credits roll.
The cast were a big selling point here for me, I am a fan of every single one of the 5 lead actors in this thing and they all did a pretty great job. The problem was the material that they were working with; a generic bland script and mediocre at best action scenes.
The whole thing just felt unremarkable and forgettable throughout and I kept waiting for it to kick into high gear and get good, unfortunately I am still waiting. That is the worst thing about this film, is that it isn't anything offensively bad and it's not good or even memorable either, it's just meh for it's entirety.
Overall, you can give this one a skip, unless you are a die hard fan of any of the main cast. The way that the plot wraps up in the end makes the whole drawn-out, pretty dull adventure that we have just been on feel extremely pointless and leaves the viewer feeling unfulfilled as the credits roll.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Hate u Give in Books
Apr 7, 2019
Good but a little one sided
This is one of those books that has been lauded because itâs relevant and moving subject matter, and for this Iâd have to agree with them. it features a very emotive subject and deals with it in a fairly appropriate manner. Starr and her family are well rounded characters all likeable and flawed in their own ways, and there are a lot of conversations and family interactions during the book that had me smile or laugh out loud. I do have an issue with Starr herself, as she can be an irritating petulant teenager at times. I also have a general issue with this book. Itâs about racism and raises a lot of valid issues and points, however it sometimes come across as very one sided. There is no justification for any actions of the police in this, however racism is a wide ranging issue and this book only tackles one side. It doesnât address or even acknowledge when any of the main characters are being racist towards white people, or people are being accused of racism even when that may not be the case. Police brutality and racism is a big problem and thereâs no denying that, and this book does a good job in tackling and raising some of these issues. But I feel like the true solution to racism is equality for all, and it doesnât really address any thing like this.
An uncomfortable, yet compelling, novel
On the face of it, you would think that Adèle has it all: a good job as a reporter, a handsome surgeon husband, a young son, sheâs slim and sheâs beautiful. But this all masks another side to Adèle. Sheâs dissatisfied with her life: she controls what and how much she eats, and she engages in risky sexual behaviour with strangers. The sex is an addiction. When sheâs not doing it, sheâs thinking about it, and she wants a lot of it. Thereâs no eroticism in the telling of these encounters - itâs function, pure and simple, and quite violent sometimes. Itâs like the drug addict getting their hit. You can feel the self-loathing emanating from the pages.
This is a dark, uncomfortable to read book, but itâs also compelling. Thereâs nothing voyeuristic about this book, no titillation, itâs just sad. And if youâre into books with a final resolution, then this is not the book for you.
It sounds as though no one could possibly enjoy this book, but strangely enough, I really did. I thought that the atmosphere of the book was really well written (and kudos to the excellent translator, Sam Taylor), and the main characters feelings of being trapped made for a really claustrophobic read. I think itâs definitely worth a read, if youâre in the mood for something as, dare I say, depressing, as this. I use the word âdepressingâ, but honestly, it was a good read!
This is a dark, uncomfortable to read book, but itâs also compelling. Thereâs nothing voyeuristic about this book, no titillation, itâs just sad. And if youâre into books with a final resolution, then this is not the book for you.
It sounds as though no one could possibly enjoy this book, but strangely enough, I really did. I thought that the atmosphere of the book was really well written (and kudos to the excellent translator, Sam Taylor), and the main characters feelings of being trapped made for a really claustrophobic read. I think itâs definitely worth a read, if youâre in the mood for something as, dare I say, depressing, as this. I use the word âdepressingâ, but honestly, it was a good read!