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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019) in Movies
May 28, 2019
Boring Mansion Mystery
Sleuth Nancy Drew (Sophia Lillis) is tasked with getting to the bottom of a haunting mystery at the Twin Elms mansion.
Acting: 9
For the most part, Lillis’ performance is solid in her role as Nancy. She shows her range throughout the movie and you can easily understand why she was given the leading role. Fortunately she is at the helm of the majority of the movie because most of the actors were just “meh” in their roles. Their cardboard delivery gave the movie more of a Lifetime movie feel than a feature film.
Beginning: 10
Characters: 8
Cinematography/Visuals: 2
Conflict: 5
Genre: 1
Memorability: 2
Memorable? The main thing I remember is falling asleep not once but TWICE while watching the movie. There is nothing here that really stuck out for me, neither good nor bad. Wait, I do remember one thing: Waiting for the movie to be over.
Pace: 5
The movie had a tendency to drag on, shot for shot. You think you’re going to get to delve mostly into the mystery, but it somehow devolved into a “daily life” routine type of movie. There was a lot of Much Ado About Nothing as the film drags on. Weak pacing was a huge contributor in killing the whole vibe.
Plot: 2
Resolution: 2
Overall: 46
Yikes. Talk about a movie that is hard to stomach. If your kids ask to see Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, suggest something else. By the time you get to the meat of this movie, you won’t care anymore.
Acting: 9
For the most part, Lillis’ performance is solid in her role as Nancy. She shows her range throughout the movie and you can easily understand why she was given the leading role. Fortunately she is at the helm of the majority of the movie because most of the actors were just “meh” in their roles. Their cardboard delivery gave the movie more of a Lifetime movie feel than a feature film.
Beginning: 10
Characters: 8
Cinematography/Visuals: 2
Conflict: 5
Genre: 1
Memorability: 2
Memorable? The main thing I remember is falling asleep not once but TWICE while watching the movie. There is nothing here that really stuck out for me, neither good nor bad. Wait, I do remember one thing: Waiting for the movie to be over.
Pace: 5
The movie had a tendency to drag on, shot for shot. You think you’re going to get to delve mostly into the mystery, but it somehow devolved into a “daily life” routine type of movie. There was a lot of Much Ado About Nothing as the film drags on. Weak pacing was a huge contributor in killing the whole vibe.
Plot: 2
Resolution: 2
Overall: 46
Yikes. Talk about a movie that is hard to stomach. If your kids ask to see Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, suggest something else. By the time you get to the meat of this movie, you won’t care anymore.
Dean Gregory (18 KP) rated Tsuro in Tabletop Games
Jun 2, 2019
Quick to play (3 more)
Simple to learn
Interesting concept
Charming
Very little scope for strategy (1 more)
Not much replay value
A Path Into Gaming
Tsuro is a game with a very simple concept: be the last player on the board. You do this by laying tiles which link to create winding paths around the board, which inevitably end up running off the board altogether. But be careful - colliding with another player results in a double elimination.
Because it boasts such trivial mechanics, it is very easy to pick up and play a few rounds quickly (some games can last under 10 minutes including setup), as well as being one that young children could enjoy. The player meeples have a good quality feel, and it can be satisfying watching the winding paths in the game board grow.
However, it very quickly becomes obvious just how simple this game is - winning is often less about trying to run your opponents off the board as it is trying to keep yourself in play for as long as possible, until you inevitably take yourself out of the game.
Tsuro, then, is an inviting game for introducing regular folk to the mad world of tabletop gaming, and is a solid option for beginning a proper games night with its simplicity and charm. I used it recently myself as a sweetner to help ease a new player into game night, and it worked a treat. It probably won't make regular appearances however.
I like it. Worth a look.
Because it boasts such trivial mechanics, it is very easy to pick up and play a few rounds quickly (some games can last under 10 minutes including setup), as well as being one that young children could enjoy. The player meeples have a good quality feel, and it can be satisfying watching the winding paths in the game board grow.
However, it very quickly becomes obvious just how simple this game is - winning is often less about trying to run your opponents off the board as it is trying to keep yourself in play for as long as possible, until you inevitably take yourself out of the game.
Tsuro, then, is an inviting game for introducing regular folk to the mad world of tabletop gaming, and is a solid option for beginning a proper games night with its simplicity and charm. I used it recently myself as a sweetner to help ease a new player into game night, and it worked a treat. It probably won't make regular appearances however.
I like it. Worth a look.
BadgerMuffin (48 KP) rated Judge Dredd in Tabletop Games
Jun 3, 2019
Judge Judge Dredd? Sure, I'll do that.
Unfortunately I've only played this game for about an hour, and yet it's something I intend on spending a lot more time on in the near future.
The Judge Dredd RPG is simple, but adds things many RPG's don't have. For example, say you were trying to investigate someone's emails, you would add together your computer dice (2d6) and your investigation dice (1d6) rolling for a total of 3d6. This is a nifty feature which totally makes sense and means you really think about who does what in your games.
Now I do have a problem with Sci Fi games. Namely you can do almost anything, nothing stops you but the laws of physics. This can really derail a game. If you play with the right group then this isn't a problem, but finding those players can be hard.
On the outside of the DM's screen it contains a list of crimes and what their punishment is, which is rather useful as a player. They also contain many useful stats for vehicles.
The paper quality this book is printed on is ~130gsm and as such has a good feel to it.
I personally would look to buy it, but maybe not at full price. They are releasing new expansions and as such this many change with time. But currently I'd look to spend maybe a maximum of £35 on this book.
TL;DR
-Expansive book and screen
-Fun to Play
-Cool Mechanics
-Maybe wait until it's on sale.
The Judge Dredd RPG is simple, but adds things many RPG's don't have. For example, say you were trying to investigate someone's emails, you would add together your computer dice (2d6) and your investigation dice (1d6) rolling for a total of 3d6. This is a nifty feature which totally makes sense and means you really think about who does what in your games.
Now I do have a problem with Sci Fi games. Namely you can do almost anything, nothing stops you but the laws of physics. This can really derail a game. If you play with the right group then this isn't a problem, but finding those players can be hard.
On the outside of the DM's screen it contains a list of crimes and what their punishment is, which is rather useful as a player. They also contain many useful stats for vehicles.
The paper quality this book is printed on is ~130gsm and as such has a good feel to it.
I personally would look to buy it, but maybe not at full price. They are releasing new expansions and as such this many change with time. But currently I'd look to spend maybe a maximum of £35 on this book.
TL;DR
-Expansive book and screen
-Fun to Play
-Cool Mechanics
-Maybe wait until it's on sale.
Lindsay (1760 KP) rated Bianca's Vineyard in Books
Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)
We learn about what life was like in Italy at that time. You can read the book in a form of a diary or as someone is telling a story in a storytelling. You can learn the secrets of this family. You also learn a bit about Italian culture. You will learn what Italian culture was at that time in history.
Most of this story is about Egisto and his wife that he married before going to America. Tough as soon as her children when to school. She decided to go back to Italy. The book really does teach us lessons that were going on in Italy.
You also see the family deals with her and the rest of the family. Egisto father was fond of his niece Bianca. Egisto knew the war was coming to Italy. We learn about Armida and her what she decides. She is going to need to make a choice. I feel bad for Armida and Egisto children especially when Armida gets a bit strange.
We learn what the vineyard is about and it meaning to the family. I really like the fact it was told somewhat in a form of a diary. You also learn about each family member that's in Egisto life. It mostly takes place in Italy and his Italian family members. The author did a really good job of showing us what it was like during World War 2 era. You see the reliant of the Italians after the war and shows how the family was back together when Egisto returns.
Most of this story is about Egisto and his wife that he married before going to America. Tough as soon as her children when to school. She decided to go back to Italy. The book really does teach us lessons that were going on in Italy.
You also see the family deals with her and the rest of the family. Egisto father was fond of his niece Bianca. Egisto knew the war was coming to Italy. We learn about Armida and her what she decides. She is going to need to make a choice. I feel bad for Armida and Egisto children especially when Armida gets a bit strange.
We learn what the vineyard is about and it meaning to the family. I really like the fact it was told somewhat in a form of a diary. You also learn about each family member that's in Egisto life. It mostly takes place in Italy and his Italian family members. The author did a really good job of showing us what it was like during World War 2 era. You see the reliant of the Italians after the war and shows how the family was back together when Egisto returns.
Dana (24 KP) rated The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns, #1) in Books
Mar 23, 2018
This book was very good. I enjoyed listening to it when I had a free chance. I gave it a four out of five because there were a few moments, especially in the beginning, where I found it hard to connect to the characters. Elisa seemed like she was just self-deprecating for a lot of the book and that got tiresome after a while. When she started to grow as a character, I started to like it more. I wish there wasn't that love triangle in the story, but I understand why it had to be there. I just feel like these love triangles are in most books and I want there to be more without it (That's just a personal note) There were even some relationships between characters that I thought were going to pan out to be romantic, but didn't. But who knows, there are other books in the series after all! Some of the puzzles that the characters had to solve I felt were kind of predictable but others were genuinely surprising. I fell in love with so many side characters and I wish we had been able to see more of them throughout the story. While Elisa is a compelling narrator, I felt like the other characters had more to them. This was a great break from the myriad of historical or classic novels that I have had to read recently. If you like fantasy and adventure stories, pick this up. I really recommend it.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Star Trek (2009) in Movies
Jun 8, 2018
A Bad Reboot Production
Relaunch of the Trek movie franchise ties itself up horrendous knots trying to be all things to all Trekkies: they want to give a free hand to their shiny new creative team, so they don't want to be beholden to the original continuity - on the other hand, they don't want to upset the fans, so they feel obliged to kind-of keep the continuity anyway. In the end they decide to respect and honour the original universe by apparently obliterating it, which is a curious approach to take (this is how time travel always worked in Trek, as anyone familiar enough with the series to be scripting a movie based on it should have known).
The film is so busy being wholly-faithful-yet-provocatively-new that there isn't a great deal of space for plot, beyond the original characters getting back together again for the first time. The recasting is reasonably effective, but as most of them are playing somewhat different versions of the characters it's hard to be completely sure. Production values are good, but it's a $150 million movie from a major studio, so this is hardly a surprise. I did quite enjoy this movie the first time I saw it, but that was in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, dubbed into Russian. Once someone had explained the plot to me I felt somewhat differently about it - this is one of those rare films I dislike more each time I see it. Ultimately a pointless and quite patronising movie.
The film is so busy being wholly-faithful-yet-provocatively-new that there isn't a great deal of space for plot, beyond the original characters getting back together again for the first time. The recasting is reasonably effective, but as most of them are playing somewhat different versions of the characters it's hard to be completely sure. Production values are good, but it's a $150 million movie from a major studio, so this is hardly a surprise. I did quite enjoy this movie the first time I saw it, but that was in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, dubbed into Russian. Once someone had explained the plot to me I felt somewhat differently about it - this is one of those rare films I dislike more each time I see it. Ultimately a pointless and quite patronising movie.
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated The Last Showing (2014) in Movies
Jul 22, 2018
Robert Englund (3 more)
Interesting premise
Self-referential, Feels like a homage to Wes craven
Creepy moments
Manipulative, suspenseful and an iconic horror actor!
Why are there only 2 people going to the cinema? I understand it's midnight but surely there would be more. A cinema wouldn't stay open just for 2 people right?
Not believable but I understand this is a low budget movie with a small cast. I went into this with low expectations and I have to say it was better than I expected.
It has now cemented the fear of going to the cinema of a night time so the movie did a good job with that.
Robert Englumd is incredible as this manipulative psychotic creep. He is sinister yet he brings so much depth to the role that you feel some kind of understanding as to why he's doing this. The other male lead was not that likeable. He was outsmarted time and time again and the female lead had little screen time sadly.
Premise is simple about a guy sick of the current cheesy horror movies about now, gets fired so decides to makes his own horror movie. I would really call this a horror though, more a suspenseful thriller. It was interesting to see the story play out through so much manipulation and planning by the sinister Stuart.
Full of suspense throughout but could have had more, it kind of lose me towards the end but I must say the ending was very satisfying.
Not believable but I understand this is a low budget movie with a small cast. I went into this with low expectations and I have to say it was better than I expected.
It has now cemented the fear of going to the cinema of a night time so the movie did a good job with that.
Robert Englumd is incredible as this manipulative psychotic creep. He is sinister yet he brings so much depth to the role that you feel some kind of understanding as to why he's doing this. The other male lead was not that likeable. He was outsmarted time and time again and the female lead had little screen time sadly.
Premise is simple about a guy sick of the current cheesy horror movies about now, gets fired so decides to makes his own horror movie. I would really call this a horror though, more a suspenseful thriller. It was interesting to see the story play out through so much manipulation and planning by the sinister Stuart.
Full of suspense throughout but could have had more, it kind of lose me towards the end but I must say the ending was very satisfying.
Merissa (12911 KP) rated Aboard the Wishing Star in Books
Jul 26, 2018
Aboard the Wishing Star by Debra Parmley
Aboard the Wishing Star is a romantic suspense that is high on romance, and low on suspense, as it is clear from the very beginning who the 'big bad' is. Kara has won a week's cruise, and has taken her best friend for many years with her. It starts off stressful as the airline loses Kara's luggage. She is also phobic about the water, so maybe a cruise wasn't the best idea. However, things look up when she meets Nate, a scuba diving instructor, who takes her under his wing.
I have mixed feelings about this story as I'm afraid I just can't see a man like Nate - self-confident and assured - with a woman like Kara. Although she has nice qualities, she is also quite weak, although she appears to gain some strength at the end. She is also incredibly naive, unbelievably so. She lets her boss and best friend walk all over her. And there are no reasons given for why her best friend's behaviour has suddenly changed within the past year. I didn't feel this made much impact on the story at all, and wasn't really relevant in any way.
However, saying that, it was a nice enough read, with plenty of descriptions. For a story set mainly on a Caribbean cruise, this was a nice getaway read.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I have mixed feelings about this story as I'm afraid I just can't see a man like Nate - self-confident and assured - with a woman like Kara. Although she has nice qualities, she is also quite weak, although she appears to gain some strength at the end. She is also incredibly naive, unbelievably so. She lets her boss and best friend walk all over her. And there are no reasons given for why her best friend's behaviour has suddenly changed within the past year. I didn't feel this made much impact on the story at all, and wasn't really relevant in any way.
However, saying that, it was a nice enough read, with plenty of descriptions. For a story set mainly on a Caribbean cruise, this was a nice getaway read.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
ClareR (5879 KP) rated The Scarlet Letter in Books
Sep 29, 2018
Not a book I'd normally choose to read...
This book came up on the list of recommended reading for my 14 year old son in preparation for his GCSE English course. What a way to make a child hate reading - I was in danger of it myself! It's long-winded, convoluted (same thing, I know), dreary and the language is so complicate! How can anyone actually read this with even an ounce of enjoyment?!
It's interesting to see how times have changed: Hester Prynne (rhymes with 'sin' - you'll see what I mean in a minute) is forced to wear a bright red 'A' for 'Adulterer' on her dress for the rest of her life, for the crime that is/ was sex out of marriage. And she had the cheek to have a baby. But where I though her life would be made unbearable, she is ignored and eventually, even accepted. Not very '17th century Puritan' I feel. Not that I wanted blood and gore, you understand, but a bit of accuracy wouldn't have gone amiss. It would've been a much shorter book though - and that's not a bad thing. I got caught up with reading the authors introduction, which was interminable, and time that I'll never get back.
So, in conclusion, I won't be forcing the 14 year old boy to read this. I'm not that cruel. I have however noticed that Good Omens is on the list. Now that IS a book he'll probably like when he gets over the fact that it's a book recommended by a teacher!
It's interesting to see how times have changed: Hester Prynne (rhymes with 'sin' - you'll see what I mean in a minute) is forced to wear a bright red 'A' for 'Adulterer' on her dress for the rest of her life, for the crime that is/ was sex out of marriage. And she had the cheek to have a baby. But where I though her life would be made unbearable, she is ignored and eventually, even accepted. Not very '17th century Puritan' I feel. Not that I wanted blood and gore, you understand, but a bit of accuracy wouldn't have gone amiss. It would've been a much shorter book though - and that's not a bad thing. I got caught up with reading the authors introduction, which was interminable, and time that I'll never get back.
So, in conclusion, I won't be forcing the 14 year old boy to read this. I'm not that cruel. I have however noticed that Good Omens is on the list. Now that IS a book he'll probably like when he gets over the fact that it's a book recommended by a teacher!
Merissa (12911 KP) rated Queen Wolf (Triad Mates #1) in Books
Oct 15, 2018
Queen Wolf (Triad Mates #1) by Erin M. Leaf
Queen Wolf is the first book in the Triad Mates series, and we start off with a boom! Quite specifically, the boom that follows something being set alight. Avery has decided to burn her ex's old porn magazines, and takes great delight in doing so. Although part of a pack, Avery doesn't feel like she belongs, for a number of reasons. However, times are a-changing for the pack, and that has a major impact on Avery and her life too.
I love Erin M. Leaf's books, and always look forward to reading them. This book was no different. We have wolves, we have a triad, and we have sneaky stuff going on that is causing trouble for them all. What could be better?
First books in a new series can always be tricky. It's hard getting the world building just right without info-dumping on the poor reader. However, this is set in 'our' world, which means the author has been able to concentrate on the pack and how it works, including the problems it now finds itself with.
I loved the world building in this book, and that, coupled with strong characters and no editing or grammatical errors, means I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can't wait for the next book in the series. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I love Erin M. Leaf's books, and always look forward to reading them. This book was no different. We have wolves, we have a triad, and we have sneaky stuff going on that is causing trouble for them all. What could be better?
First books in a new series can always be tricky. It's hard getting the world building just right without info-dumping on the poor reader. However, this is set in 'our' world, which means the author has been able to concentrate on the pack and how it works, including the problems it now finds itself with.
I loved the world building in this book, and that, coupled with strong characters and no editing or grammatical errors, means I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can't wait for the next book in the series. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!