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Debbiereadsbook (1441 KP) rated Smith's Corner: Hunter and Holden (The Heartwood Series #6) in Books
May 13, 2022
Long time coming, but these boys do not disappoint, no ma'am they do not!
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Book 6 in the Heartwood series, and Lord has it been a wait for these two!
Hunter is best friends to Faith (book 4, Faith and Fox) but he's been a constant in this group since the beginning. As has Holden. Hunter knows Holden is straight, but his heart wants Holden and his heart will wait Holden out. Because Holden starts to feel something for the annoying bigger man who laid claim to him, even if he doesn't want to. And then all of a sudden, Holden questions everything he ever knew about himself.
Long time coming, but these boys do not disappoint, no ma'am they do not!
We knew Hunter had a thing for Holden, waaaaaay back in book one, and there is some overlap here with the later books. So I'd suggest you read all the other books before this one, to get the full picture of these two and how everyone else can see what's going on, even if Holden can't quite get it. They are, however M/F books, and might not be your thing, but they are so good! Most of the other pairings are crash condensed in this one, though.
There is anger here, with Holden fighting how he feels, how Hunter makes him feels. The thing is though, Holden does not ever say NO to Hunter. He pushes him away, sure, and he fights himself so freaking hard, but not once, does he utter the words NO to Hunter.
There is so much love too. Hunter does love Holden, even if Holden rejects him at first and Hunter cannot be with anyone else. Coco, Holden's daughter, can see how Hunter makes Holden feel, once they actually decide to do this thing between them, and she is a real delight here, loving that Hunter knows he can't just take Holden, he gotta take Coco too.
There is smexy times: so much with the smexy times, even if we do have to wait for the main event! But I loved being made to wait, I really did, and the epilogue? Oh! I loved the epilogue, I really did. It shows just how much Hunter loved Holden, and how he would wait for Holden to be ready to fully consummate their relationship.
There is pain here, too. Mostly on Hunter's part. A part he hides from a lot of people, but Holden sees it in Hunter, when he least expects to, and Holden does not do tears!
I think what I especially liked here, is that all the angst comes BEFORE they get together, you know? Once they decide to be a couple, they are all in and I loved that.
Loved watching the other pairings from both Holden and Hunter's point of view.
Who is next? No idea since all the brothers are now spoken for. Dakota (from the clothes store) needs a story, and Monty (the chef in the bar) oh I wanna know why Monty is so angry with the world (for most of the time, but he does come good here for Holden!) But I don't really care who comes next, I will read it!
5 full and shiny stars! I honestly think the best was saved for last!
** 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. *
Book 6 in the Heartwood series, and Lord has it been a wait for these two!
Hunter is best friends to Faith (book 4, Faith and Fox) but he's been a constant in this group since the beginning. As has Holden. Hunter knows Holden is straight, but his heart wants Holden and his heart will wait Holden out. Because Holden starts to feel something for the annoying bigger man who laid claim to him, even if he doesn't want to. And then all of a sudden, Holden questions everything he ever knew about himself.
Long time coming, but these boys do not disappoint, no ma'am they do not!
We knew Hunter had a thing for Holden, waaaaaay back in book one, and there is some overlap here with the later books. So I'd suggest you read all the other books before this one, to get the full picture of these two and how everyone else can see what's going on, even if Holden can't quite get it. They are, however M/F books, and might not be your thing, but they are so good! Most of the other pairings are crash condensed in this one, though.
There is anger here, with Holden fighting how he feels, how Hunter makes him feels. The thing is though, Holden does not ever say NO to Hunter. He pushes him away, sure, and he fights himself so freaking hard, but not once, does he utter the words NO to Hunter.
There is so much love too. Hunter does love Holden, even if Holden rejects him at first and Hunter cannot be with anyone else. Coco, Holden's daughter, can see how Hunter makes Holden feel, once they actually decide to do this thing between them, and she is a real delight here, loving that Hunter knows he can't just take Holden, he gotta take Coco too.
There is smexy times: so much with the smexy times, even if we do have to wait for the main event! But I loved being made to wait, I really did, and the epilogue? Oh! I loved the epilogue, I really did. It shows just how much Hunter loved Holden, and how he would wait for Holden to be ready to fully consummate their relationship.
There is pain here, too. Mostly on Hunter's part. A part he hides from a lot of people, but Holden sees it in Hunter, when he least expects to, and Holden does not do tears!
I think what I especially liked here, is that all the angst comes BEFORE they get together, you know? Once they decide to be a couple, they are all in and I loved that.
Loved watching the other pairings from both Holden and Hunter's point of view.
Who is next? No idea since all the brothers are now spoken for. Dakota (from the clothes store) needs a story, and Monty (the chef in the bar) oh I wanna know why Monty is so angry with the world (for most of the time, but he does come good here for Holden!) But I don't really care who comes next, I will read it!
5 full and shiny stars! I honestly think the best was saved for last!
** 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. *
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Our Kind of Cruelty: A Novel in Books
May 15, 2018
Eerily mesmerizing & creepy thriller
Mike Hayes had a terrible childhood, where he was neglected by his drunken mother and beaten by her string of hapless boyfriends. At ten, he was taken into care, eventually winding up with a nice couple. With their help, Mike went on to a good university, where he met Verity (V), with whom he fell madly in love. V helped Mike learn the ways of the world and society. They also played a sexual game called the Crave that brought them even closer together. However, after Mike went to New York for two years for work, their relationship ended. Even worse, Verity is now getting married to another man, Angus. At first, Mike is devastated. But soon, he realizes that V's wedding invitation is just another piece of Crave. As such, he must watch her, track her, and prepare his home for her inevitable return--all parts of the tense and careful game that is Crave.
Well, this was an interesting one. It was a pretty quick read, yet sometimes felt a bit long. It was definitely creepy, for sure. Hall has created a slow-burning thriller here, and you become eerily mesmerized by Mike's crazy. In fact, at times, I almost found myself rooting for him, despite the fact you knew he was unreliable, delusional, and not at all good for anyone in the novel. The book is less "edge-on-your-seat" thriller and more a character-driven study. Be prepared for Mike, Mike, and more Mike. The novel is told from his perspective and we're reliant entirely on his mindset. Because we know we can't trust said mindset, we're constantly waiting for something bad to happen. It's like watching a train wreck. A very twisted one.
That being said, the novel can be fascinating at times, but it also hard to know where it's going. As you're constantly waiting for something terrible to occur, you're waiting. And waiting. The novel moves slowly, with its intense focus on Mike, and his thoughts on Verity. I would have liked more insight to V, for instance, or the other people in Mike's life. So at that point, things can get feel drawn out. Not to mention, is Mike really this delusional, you wonder? Can he really believe what he's spouting? Needless to say the book is very effective at making you feel uncomfortable. It captures anger, longing, tension, and more (stalking?!) very well.
Overall, this novel drew me in with its creepy tone and compelling character of Mike. It's definitely slow-moving at times, but oddly fascinating as well.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Well, this was an interesting one. It was a pretty quick read, yet sometimes felt a bit long. It was definitely creepy, for sure. Hall has created a slow-burning thriller here, and you become eerily mesmerized by Mike's crazy. In fact, at times, I almost found myself rooting for him, despite the fact you knew he was unreliable, delusional, and not at all good for anyone in the novel. The book is less "edge-on-your-seat" thriller and more a character-driven study. Be prepared for Mike, Mike, and more Mike. The novel is told from his perspective and we're reliant entirely on his mindset. Because we know we can't trust said mindset, we're constantly waiting for something bad to happen. It's like watching a train wreck. A very twisted one.
That being said, the novel can be fascinating at times, but it also hard to know where it's going. As you're constantly waiting for something terrible to occur, you're waiting. And waiting. The novel moves slowly, with its intense focus on Mike, and his thoughts on Verity. I would have liked more insight to V, for instance, or the other people in Mike's life. So at that point, things can get feel drawn out. Not to mention, is Mike really this delusional, you wonder? Can he really believe what he's spouting? Needless to say the book is very effective at making you feel uncomfortable. It captures anger, longing, tension, and more (stalking?!) very well.
Overall, this novel drew me in with its creepy tone and compelling character of Mike. It's definitely slow-moving at times, but oddly fascinating as well.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Chalk Man in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Big thanks to Janel @ Keeper of Pages for sending me her copy of the book!
This is one of those books that’s been getting a lot of attention in the bookish world, so of course, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about! While it only took me a couple of sessions to get through the whole thing, I wasn’t that thrilled by it. The hype wasn’t worth it for me.
I immediately knew this novel wasn’t going to be a 5 star read because I didn’t like the way it was written from page 1. It’s one of those novels that’s told in flashbacks, but rather than transporting us back in time to live the events as they happened, we were told it as though we were being read a story. I feel like this way of writing really makes you take a step back from the events and you don’t get the chance to experience them along with the characters. So anything that’s meant to be tense or exciting didn’t feel that way for me.
As for characters, I honestly didn’t have an opinion on any of them. You would have thought that our main character / narrator Eddie would have left some kind of impression on me, but he didn’t. I genuinely have nothing to say about him… he was unforgettable. The only thing I can think to mention is that his relationship with his housemate Chloe seriously cringy.
<spoiler>For me, there were too many characters in this book that were irrelevant. Including Mr. Halloran – “The Chalk Man”. He was literally only a character to make the title make sense and to have an extremely obvious ‘distraction’ to the real bad guy.</spoiler>
I didn’t mind the story in this one, but the synopsis had me ready for something so much more exciting and sinister. It kept me interested for the most part, but I wasn’t enthralled. I had the ‘baddie’ sussed in a matter of chapters, so from there, all I was trying to work out was their motive. It was pretty good at keeping you on your toes in that sense.
Some books try so hard to be exciting and this is one of them. It seemed to me, that each chapter had new drama in it. Less is sometimes more! Don’t forget that! We don’t need drama, after drama, after drama to keep us entertained. It got tedious and took any realism away from the story.
In the end, this novel was extremely underwhelming for me. I didn’t find it exciting and I didn’t think the story was particularly unique. I think this would be a good novel for non-mystery readers, but I’ve just read too many similar stories.
This is one of those books that’s been getting a lot of attention in the bookish world, so of course, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about! While it only took me a couple of sessions to get through the whole thing, I wasn’t that thrilled by it. The hype wasn’t worth it for me.
I immediately knew this novel wasn’t going to be a 5 star read because I didn’t like the way it was written from page 1. It’s one of those novels that’s told in flashbacks, but rather than transporting us back in time to live the events as they happened, we were told it as though we were being read a story. I feel like this way of writing really makes you take a step back from the events and you don’t get the chance to experience them along with the characters. So anything that’s meant to be tense or exciting didn’t feel that way for me.
As for characters, I honestly didn’t have an opinion on any of them. You would have thought that our main character / narrator Eddie would have left some kind of impression on me, but he didn’t. I genuinely have nothing to say about him… he was unforgettable. The only thing I can think to mention is that his relationship with his housemate Chloe seriously cringy.
<spoiler>For me, there were too many characters in this book that were irrelevant. Including Mr. Halloran – “The Chalk Man”. He was literally only a character to make the title make sense and to have an extremely obvious ‘distraction’ to the real bad guy.</spoiler>
I didn’t mind the story in this one, but the synopsis had me ready for something so much more exciting and sinister. It kept me interested for the most part, but I wasn’t enthralled. I had the ‘baddie’ sussed in a matter of chapters, so from there, all I was trying to work out was their motive. It was pretty good at keeping you on your toes in that sense.
Some books try so hard to be exciting and this is one of them. It seemed to me, that each chapter had new drama in it. Less is sometimes more! Don’t forget that! We don’t need drama, after drama, after drama to keep us entertained. It got tedious and took any realism away from the story.
In the end, this novel was extremely underwhelming for me. I didn’t find it exciting and I didn’t think the story was particularly unique. I think this would be a good novel for non-mystery readers, but I’ve just read too many similar stories.
theVman (16 KP) rated Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) in Movies
Jun 1, 2018 (Updated Jun 1, 2018)
Supporting Actors (1 more)
Director manged to pull together a watchable film
The two leads actors (1 more)
Clunky Script
A Good Lead Casting is Far Far Away
Its not The Last Jedi bad, but it nowhere close to being The Force Awakens good. Its main problem being that its leading actors struggle to bring a shred of charisma to the screen. Luckily the supporting cast did their job brilliantly and its the support that the film so desperately needed. Much like Rouge One did, Solo director Ron Howard delivers a very different looking Star Wars story and that is made very clear from the first shot. Visually, Solo invokes it inner Ridley Scott, and uses a very mixed bag in the use of it colour and lighting palettes that in any other movie might feel as if its been jigsawed together by three different directors. Somehow Solo has made this work to its advantage and by offering us answers to the key questions we might have about Hans Solo past “How did he meet Chewy?” and “How did he get the Millennium Falcon?” we can get through a very clunky and disjointed script with the end result being something watchable – just.
I cant shake the fact that i thought Alden Ehrenreich, facially, looks alot more like a young Jack Back than Harrison Ford. In fairness every now and again Alden captures a small something that made Star Wars fans fall in love with Hans Solo in the first place, but he mainly offers an uneven performance that made me forget that i was supposed to be watching a younger version of the charming rouge. Emilia Clarkes portrayal as the love interest, was as emotional barren as the plot offered through out the entire first act of the film, and combined, almost destroys the audiences ability to invest in the rest of the film at all.
However, the second act brings the arrival of Donald Glover pretty much nailing his role as a younger Lando Carlrissian, unfortunately the script makes this Lando feel like a bit of a character of obligation as oppose to a character of substance and necessity. The action scenes pick up, the usual special effects and musical score make things a little more “Star Wars-y” and the film becomes way more enjoyable. Knowing that these are its strengths, the film over indulges in them way to much, leading to lengthy action scenes over staying their welcome and forgetting to develop the subplots.
After an action heavy middle, the script tries do too much in the final act to reclaim its grasp on a story leading to a very laborious and tedious climax.
I cant shake the fact that i thought Alden Ehrenreich, facially, looks alot more like a young Jack Back than Harrison Ford. In fairness every now and again Alden captures a small something that made Star Wars fans fall in love with Hans Solo in the first place, but he mainly offers an uneven performance that made me forget that i was supposed to be watching a younger version of the charming rouge. Emilia Clarkes portrayal as the love interest, was as emotional barren as the plot offered through out the entire first act of the film, and combined, almost destroys the audiences ability to invest in the rest of the film at all.
However, the second act brings the arrival of Donald Glover pretty much nailing his role as a younger Lando Carlrissian, unfortunately the script makes this Lando feel like a bit of a character of obligation as oppose to a character of substance and necessity. The action scenes pick up, the usual special effects and musical score make things a little more “Star Wars-y” and the film becomes way more enjoyable. Knowing that these are its strengths, the film over indulges in them way to much, leading to lengthy action scenes over staying their welcome and forgetting to develop the subplots.
After an action heavy middle, the script tries do too much in the final act to reclaim its grasp on a story leading to a very laborious and tedious climax.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Allied (2016) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Allied starts as Canadian Intelligence Officer Max Vatan (Pitt) lands in Morocco to work with French Resistance Fighter Marianna Beausejour (Cotillard) as they pretend to be married as they complete their mission. The two fall in love for real and return to London to get married against the his superior Frank Heslop (Harris) opinion.
After a year of marriage Heslop comes to Max believing Marianna is indeed a spy, this leaves Max questioning, which side of the story to believe and what is the truth.
Thoughts on Allied
Characters – Max Vatan is Canadian intelligence working in Africa, highly skilled he can blend into his environment, but he does fall in love with his undercover wife. When he gets informed she could well be a spy, his life is turned upside down with doubts about what is the truth. Marianna is the French resistance fighter working with the Canadian Max as his fake wife, but she also falls in love with Max and returns to start a family with him. We don’t learn too much apart from that she is a loving wife and mother though.
Performances – Brad Pitt is good for the opening mission, you believe his every decision, but when he becomes the family man, he just doesn’t reach the levels you know he can. Marion Cotillard is good without being her breath-taking best in this role.
Story – The story here follows love and spies during World War II, we see how two people from different sides of the war fall in love and they must decide which side of the war they are supporting. This film doesn’t become as intense as it could be because seeing it from both sides could have heighted the experience and by the end it just doesn’t feel like it reaches the levels it should.
Action/Romance/War – The action during the film is tame with very little being used or looking overly real. The romance doesn’t feel whirlwind like you think it should be either, but the war side comes off strong as we see how the tension between the sides cause most of the issues in the lives.
Settings – The settings look authentic for the time, which does work well for the film.
Scene of the Movie – The truth.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Just fizzles out in the second half of the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a war romance film that just never reaches the levels it should do, it just seems to go on and becomes one of the average films that you forget by the end.
Overall: Average and disappointing.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/02/01/abc-film-challenge-oscar-nomination-a-allied-2016/
After a year of marriage Heslop comes to Max believing Marianna is indeed a spy, this leaves Max questioning, which side of the story to believe and what is the truth.
Thoughts on Allied
Characters – Max Vatan is Canadian intelligence working in Africa, highly skilled he can blend into his environment, but he does fall in love with his undercover wife. When he gets informed she could well be a spy, his life is turned upside down with doubts about what is the truth. Marianna is the French resistance fighter working with the Canadian Max as his fake wife, but she also falls in love with Max and returns to start a family with him. We don’t learn too much apart from that she is a loving wife and mother though.
Performances – Brad Pitt is good for the opening mission, you believe his every decision, but when he becomes the family man, he just doesn’t reach the levels you know he can. Marion Cotillard is good without being her breath-taking best in this role.
Story – The story here follows love and spies during World War II, we see how two people from different sides of the war fall in love and they must decide which side of the war they are supporting. This film doesn’t become as intense as it could be because seeing it from both sides could have heighted the experience and by the end it just doesn’t feel like it reaches the levels it should.
Action/Romance/War – The action during the film is tame with very little being used or looking overly real. The romance doesn’t feel whirlwind like you think it should be either, but the war side comes off strong as we see how the tension between the sides cause most of the issues in the lives.
Settings – The settings look authentic for the time, which does work well for the film.
Scene of the Movie – The truth.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Just fizzles out in the second half of the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a war romance film that just never reaches the levels it should do, it just seems to go on and becomes one of the average films that you forget by the end.
Overall: Average and disappointing.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/02/01/abc-film-challenge-oscar-nomination-a-allied-2016/
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Color Out of Space (2019) in Movies
Feb 8, 2020
You had me at Nicolas Cage.
The Gardners are settling into the secluded family home nicely, no city hustle and bustle to bother them. That peaceful life is shattered when a curious meteorite crashes into their garden. Far from a normal bit of space debris, the rock seems to be changing everything around it. It's taking over, the plants, pace and time, even the family themselves.
Briefly hearing Richard Stanley before this screening made me feel this adaptation of Lovecraft's work of the same name was in good hands, he clearly has an appreciation for what he's was working on and the imagery he creates makes for incredible viewing.
So, straight to Nic Cage... he doesn't quite go full Cage, but he's pretty close. It's the usual insanity we've all come to love.
This film is a little crazy on many levels, the family as a whole are very off before we even get to the magical meteorite. Each member seemingly has their own little corner of crazy town mapped out, and yet when you look at them as a whole you'd wouldn't put them in the same family.
As the film progresses and things get even more bizarre the family feel even less connected than at the beginning. The alien influence is pushing them further apart, but on top of that the script falls away in the middle and chaotic devolving of sanity replaces it. Each member of the family has their own experience with the meteorite, apart from chaos and the underlying cause none of it feels connected.
To say it plainly, there's some really messed up stuff. I would love to see how some of it was achieved because if Richardson is doing half the things it appears she is then she deserves some kind of award. I've got the short story to read so I can compare the two because honestly I can't visualise the written version of this story.
The creatures that evolve are made to be terrifying, and they do scare, but the comedy moments that come through from the performances (mostly unintentionally I guess) detract from it being all that shocking.
Our meteorite has a great influence over the sets for most of the movie, the colours and the growth are used to good effect. The progression is clear and well balanced, it might not always look realistic but the fact that that's the point helps.
When you look at Color Out Of Space as a whole it's all over the place, interesting but ambling, understandable and confusing. Despite that, it's an experience that I enjoyed having.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/02/color-out-of-space-movie-review.html
The Gardners are settling into the secluded family home nicely, no city hustle and bustle to bother them. That peaceful life is shattered when a curious meteorite crashes into their garden. Far from a normal bit of space debris, the rock seems to be changing everything around it. It's taking over, the plants, pace and time, even the family themselves.
Briefly hearing Richard Stanley before this screening made me feel this adaptation of Lovecraft's work of the same name was in good hands, he clearly has an appreciation for what he's was working on and the imagery he creates makes for incredible viewing.
So, straight to Nic Cage... he doesn't quite go full Cage, but he's pretty close. It's the usual insanity we've all come to love.
This film is a little crazy on many levels, the family as a whole are very off before we even get to the magical meteorite. Each member seemingly has their own little corner of crazy town mapped out, and yet when you look at them as a whole you'd wouldn't put them in the same family.
As the film progresses and things get even more bizarre the family feel even less connected than at the beginning. The alien influence is pushing them further apart, but on top of that the script falls away in the middle and chaotic devolving of sanity replaces it. Each member of the family has their own experience with the meteorite, apart from chaos and the underlying cause none of it feels connected.
To say it plainly, there's some really messed up stuff. I would love to see how some of it was achieved because if Richardson is doing half the things it appears she is then she deserves some kind of award. I've got the short story to read so I can compare the two because honestly I can't visualise the written version of this story.
The creatures that evolve are made to be terrifying, and they do scare, but the comedy moments that come through from the performances (mostly unintentionally I guess) detract from it being all that shocking.
Our meteorite has a great influence over the sets for most of the movie, the colours and the growth are used to good effect. The progression is clear and well balanced, it might not always look realistic but the fact that that's the point helps.
When you look at Color Out Of Space as a whole it's all over the place, interesting but ambling, understandable and confusing. Despite that, it's an experience that I enjoyed having.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/02/color-out-of-space-movie-review.html
JT (287 KP) rated Contraband (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
This is an action film of epic underrated proportion, director Baltasar Kormákur, who was a producer on the original film Reykjavik-Rotterdam, gives us a good old fashioned heist where you root for the bad guys, or in this case the good guys.
When Chris Faraday (Whalberg) has to help out his brother-in-law Andy, after his attempts at smuggling in drugs for Giovanni Ribisi’s excellent villain go pear shaped, Faraday must go back to his criminal roots in order to save him and his family.
Do you feel lucky?
It certainly isn’t as slick as Ocean’s Eleven but it has a similar impact, in that you are desperate for these guys to succeed and pull off the job, and what a job it is! The heist or smuggle as you want to call it is as elaborate as anything that Danny Ocean himself could have put together, its all just a little rushed and certainly not all that conventional.
Whalberg’s crew, a band of misfits, all work on board a container ship heading to Panama where they will pick up a van and fill it with counterfeit bank notes, a plan which would seem simple enough. They’ve even gone to great lengths to make sure the ship stays in port long enough for them to get the job done.
Of course it doesn’t all go to plan, and in the mean time Briggs (Ribisi) is terrorizing Faraday’s wife Kate (Beckinsale) and his family. Andy still manages to try and pull off (and f*** up) his own job mid way through, and Faraday’s best friend Sebastian (Foster) has a little more about him that meets the eye.
The plot has a distinct Gone in 60 Seconds feel to it, with a relative coming to the aid of another family member which results in them racing against time to pay off the bad guys. The action is OK, an elaborate car chase and shootout is probably the most notable sequence, while the rest of the time we watch and wait as Faraday plans the heist.
I enjoyed this quite a lot, its a format that I find if done right works well which in this case it was. Ribisi was a standout for me, not just in his mannerisms as a psycho drug lord but his voice and look about him made me think he put some real effort into this role. Wahlberg is an action hero at the end of the day and here, he is out doing what he does best, Beckinsale is left out in the cold a bit but as a supporting role she does alright.
When Chris Faraday (Whalberg) has to help out his brother-in-law Andy, after his attempts at smuggling in drugs for Giovanni Ribisi’s excellent villain go pear shaped, Faraday must go back to his criminal roots in order to save him and his family.
Do you feel lucky?
It certainly isn’t as slick as Ocean’s Eleven but it has a similar impact, in that you are desperate for these guys to succeed and pull off the job, and what a job it is! The heist or smuggle as you want to call it is as elaborate as anything that Danny Ocean himself could have put together, its all just a little rushed and certainly not all that conventional.
Whalberg’s crew, a band of misfits, all work on board a container ship heading to Panama where they will pick up a van and fill it with counterfeit bank notes, a plan which would seem simple enough. They’ve even gone to great lengths to make sure the ship stays in port long enough for them to get the job done.
Of course it doesn’t all go to plan, and in the mean time Briggs (Ribisi) is terrorizing Faraday’s wife Kate (Beckinsale) and his family. Andy still manages to try and pull off (and f*** up) his own job mid way through, and Faraday’s best friend Sebastian (Foster) has a little more about him that meets the eye.
The plot has a distinct Gone in 60 Seconds feel to it, with a relative coming to the aid of another family member which results in them racing against time to pay off the bad guys. The action is OK, an elaborate car chase and shootout is probably the most notable sequence, while the rest of the time we watch and wait as Faraday plans the heist.
I enjoyed this quite a lot, its a format that I find if done right works well which in this case it was. Ribisi was a standout for me, not just in his mannerisms as a psycho drug lord but his voice and look about him made me think he put some real effort into this role. Wahlberg is an action hero at the end of the day and here, he is out doing what he does best, Beckinsale is left out in the cold a bit but as a supporting role she does alright.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Captive State (2019) in Movies
Jul 6, 2020
Not Captivating Enough - 6/10
Captive State is a 2019 sci-fi/thriller movie directed by Rupert Wyatt and co-written by Rupert Wyatt and Erica Beeney. It was produced by Amblin Partners and Participant Media with producers Rupert Wyatt and David Crockett. The film stars John Goodman, Ashton Sanders, Jonathan Majors, and Vera Farmiga.
In 2019, Chicago is placed under Martial Law as extraterrestrials invade Earth. Attempting to flee the city, the Drummond family, breaks through a barricade to a tunnel exit. Before they can back up and reverse, the aliens attack, vaporizing both parents, with the children having survived in the backseat. Nine years later, 2028, the world has surrendered to the conquering alien forces, who have now become the governing authority. They are called "The Legislators" because all rules of governance and subsequent laws come from them. Walled off from the rest of the city and deep beneath the ground, they've had conscripted humans build them suitable habitats called "Closed Zones" where only high government officials are granted access. Gabriel Drummond (Ashton Sanders), the younger son of the Drummond family is confronted by Chicago Police Commander William Mulligan (John Goodman) who believes he is a part of the resistance. Gabriel's brother Rafe Drummond (Jonathan Majors) was part of the resistance but died on a mission and murals are painted of him in Pilsen, the poor part of town, where Gabriel lives. Mulligan however is not convinced the resistance group, called Phoenix has been neutralized as believed and continues to work towards bringing them down.
This movie was not at all what I expected. I thought it was going to be better than what it was and that's because I didn't even have high expectations going into it. So from the previews/trailers it looked like it was going to be a bigger scale resistance. When I hear resistance fighting, I guess I picture more like fighting like Fallen Skies or like the resistance fighters in Star Wars. This was more of a political/spy thriller going back and forth between the point of view from members of the resistance and those tasked with bringing them down. It had sprinkling of sci-fi and aliens but was too grounded in reality to make it entertaining. It seemed very "done before" and lacked originality. John Goodman did a good job and so did Ashton Sanders but I feel this movie suffered from a bad plot to begin with. Or maybe it sounds good on paper but the delivery failed. Visually it was appealing, the aliens and ships and things looked wonderful but after watching seemed like it wasn't enough to leave the audience satisfied. I give it a 6/10.
In 2019, Chicago is placed under Martial Law as extraterrestrials invade Earth. Attempting to flee the city, the Drummond family, breaks through a barricade to a tunnel exit. Before they can back up and reverse, the aliens attack, vaporizing both parents, with the children having survived in the backseat. Nine years later, 2028, the world has surrendered to the conquering alien forces, who have now become the governing authority. They are called "The Legislators" because all rules of governance and subsequent laws come from them. Walled off from the rest of the city and deep beneath the ground, they've had conscripted humans build them suitable habitats called "Closed Zones" where only high government officials are granted access. Gabriel Drummond (Ashton Sanders), the younger son of the Drummond family is confronted by Chicago Police Commander William Mulligan (John Goodman) who believes he is a part of the resistance. Gabriel's brother Rafe Drummond (Jonathan Majors) was part of the resistance but died on a mission and murals are painted of him in Pilsen, the poor part of town, where Gabriel lives. Mulligan however is not convinced the resistance group, called Phoenix has been neutralized as believed and continues to work towards bringing them down.
This movie was not at all what I expected. I thought it was going to be better than what it was and that's because I didn't even have high expectations going into it. So from the previews/trailers it looked like it was going to be a bigger scale resistance. When I hear resistance fighting, I guess I picture more like fighting like Fallen Skies or like the resistance fighters in Star Wars. This was more of a political/spy thriller going back and forth between the point of view from members of the resistance and those tasked with bringing them down. It had sprinkling of sci-fi and aliens but was too grounded in reality to make it entertaining. It seemed very "done before" and lacked originality. John Goodman did a good job and so did Ashton Sanders but I feel this movie suffered from a bad plot to begin with. Or maybe it sounds good on paper but the delivery failed. Visually it was appealing, the aliens and ships and things looked wonderful but after watching seemed like it wasn't enough to leave the audience satisfied. I give it a 6/10.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
A Really Great Video Game Movie
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu is a 2019 video game film adaptation directed by Rob Letterman with screenplay written by Letterman, Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit and Derek Connolly from a story by Hernandez, Samit, and Nicole Perlman. The movie is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures and The Pokemon Company, in association with Toho Co., Ltd. It's based on the Pokemon franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri and the 2016 video game Detective Pikachu. The movie stars Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Suki Waterhouse, Ken Watanabe, and Bill Nighy.
Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) is a 21-year-old insurance salesman who gave up on training Pokemon at a young age. While hanging out with his friend Jack, he receives a call that his father Harry died while investigating a case. He travels to Ryme City, where his father was a detective and where Pokemon fighting is outlawed. It is a metropolis that pushes the bonds of humans and Pokemon by not conforming to some of the usual Pokemon world rules, such as battles or pokeballs. Tim is there to collect his father's belongings and encounters a Pikachu that can speak and he can somehow understand it. And together they try to uncover why Tim's father was killed.
This movie was lots of fun and very enjoyable, even for people that might not know anything about Pokemon. Ryan Reynolds did a great job in portraying the coffee drinking Pikachu detective. The plot was a little weak and could have been better, but I didn't hold that against it too hard since its kind of a kids movie. The CGI was beautiful in a lot of ways, somethings like the city and the skin and texture on Pokemon were phenomenal, but kinda fell short in a few scenes. Some of the human actors were definitely better than others and it shows but doesn't kill the whole movie or vibe. I really liked seeing Ryme City though, it was just so awesome to see all the Pokemon and people interacting and the world building done to make it look real, like it could exist in real life. I think they could of used Ken Watanabe more in the movie, he's a pretty good actor I feel was under utilized. This was a really great video game movie though and I think one that breaks the stigma that video game movies aren't good or successful. I give this movie a 7.
I almost gave it an 8 but I feel that it's nostalgia and my love for the Pokemon games and cartoon movies that are behind that. But I do give it my seal of approval, that you should go see this movie in theaters, especially if you are a Pokemon fan or if you have kids who are.
Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) is a 21-year-old insurance salesman who gave up on training Pokemon at a young age. While hanging out with his friend Jack, he receives a call that his father Harry died while investigating a case. He travels to Ryme City, where his father was a detective and where Pokemon fighting is outlawed. It is a metropolis that pushes the bonds of humans and Pokemon by not conforming to some of the usual Pokemon world rules, such as battles or pokeballs. Tim is there to collect his father's belongings and encounters a Pikachu that can speak and he can somehow understand it. And together they try to uncover why Tim's father was killed.
This movie was lots of fun and very enjoyable, even for people that might not know anything about Pokemon. Ryan Reynolds did a great job in portraying the coffee drinking Pikachu detective. The plot was a little weak and could have been better, but I didn't hold that against it too hard since its kind of a kids movie. The CGI was beautiful in a lot of ways, somethings like the city and the skin and texture on Pokemon were phenomenal, but kinda fell short in a few scenes. Some of the human actors were definitely better than others and it shows but doesn't kill the whole movie or vibe. I really liked seeing Ryme City though, it was just so awesome to see all the Pokemon and people interacting and the world building done to make it look real, like it could exist in real life. I think they could of used Ken Watanabe more in the movie, he's a pretty good actor I feel was under utilized. This was a really great video game movie though and I think one that breaks the stigma that video game movies aren't good or successful. I give this movie a 7.
I almost gave it an 8 but I feel that it's nostalgia and my love for the Pokemon games and cartoon movies that are behind that. But I do give it my seal of approval, that you should go see this movie in theaters, especially if you are a Pokemon fan or if you have kids who are.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Holmes and Watson (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
This film wasn't without some laughs. With its witty caption at the very beginning followed by quite an entertaining scene where Holmes and Watson first meet I had some hopes that the feedback I'd been hearing was a little over played. By the end of the film however... well I can count the amount of times I laughed out loud on one hand. As a 90 minute film with two of those laughs coming right at the beginning it's not exactly amazing.
But... there's always a but... I'm not really a fan of repetetive humour. There are a few scenes that rely on the same gag over and over, that's just not my sort of thing. There is certainly an audience out there for this film, it just wasn't me.
I'm not particularly a fan of Will Ferrell or John C Reilly, they produce entertaining characters but they're not generally names that will have me running out straight away to see something. In such a mediocre film though John C Reilly has managed to pull out a great performance. It doesn't feel like he's hamming it up quite as much as Ferrell and for the most part he's great on screen.
There are a few cameo parts involved. Steve Coogan was given quite a good part to play, and Pam Ferris as Queen Victoria seemed to come out of it alright too. It's coming again... but... Hugh Laurie's piece, well it's not what we're used to from him or Mycroft.
One of the things I love is the mid-air mind calculations in Holmes related things and thankfully this film does them in a rather amusing way. We're treated to a few, although my personal favourite came from the mind of Watson. From his solution I'm going to say that there's a little bit of Watson in most of us.
Mini spoiler alert... there's a musical number. I slumped in my seat a bit when it started. Don't panic though, it was actually quite good. I feel like they might be able to get a music video out of it somewhere.
What you should do
My gut reaction is that this sort of film is a bit Marmite. If you enjoy their sort of humour then you'll enjoy it, if not then you'll probably get a handful of laughs out of it like I did. It's definitely a streamer, get some friends over, order some pizza and pour some drinks. In that scenario I think most people would find it amusing.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would honestly love the picture that Millie draws for Holmes.
But... there's always a but... I'm not really a fan of repetetive humour. There are a few scenes that rely on the same gag over and over, that's just not my sort of thing. There is certainly an audience out there for this film, it just wasn't me.
I'm not particularly a fan of Will Ferrell or John C Reilly, they produce entertaining characters but they're not generally names that will have me running out straight away to see something. In such a mediocre film though John C Reilly has managed to pull out a great performance. It doesn't feel like he's hamming it up quite as much as Ferrell and for the most part he's great on screen.
There are a few cameo parts involved. Steve Coogan was given quite a good part to play, and Pam Ferris as Queen Victoria seemed to come out of it alright too. It's coming again... but... Hugh Laurie's piece, well it's not what we're used to from him or Mycroft.
One of the things I love is the mid-air mind calculations in Holmes related things and thankfully this film does them in a rather amusing way. We're treated to a few, although my personal favourite came from the mind of Watson. From his solution I'm going to say that there's a little bit of Watson in most of us.
Mini spoiler alert... there's a musical number. I slumped in my seat a bit when it started. Don't panic though, it was actually quite good. I feel like they might be able to get a music video out of it somewhere.
What you should do
My gut reaction is that this sort of film is a bit Marmite. If you enjoy their sort of humour then you'll enjoy it, if not then you'll probably get a handful of laughs out of it like I did. It's definitely a streamer, get some friends over, order some pizza and pour some drinks. In that scenario I think most people would find it amusing.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would honestly love the picture that Millie draws for Holmes.