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Paul Kellett (118 KP) rated This War of Mine: The Board Game in Tabletop Games
May 27, 2019
Very immersive experience (4 more)
Great solo game
Stands out as a piece of art
Great teaching tool
Great storytelling game
Brutally hard (1 more)
Adult and disturbing depictions of war
Brutal Survival game
This War of Mine is a game of civilians struggling to survive in the middle of a war. It is harsh, brutal and contains scenes that some players might find distressing.
It is gritty, realistic and very hard. It's a remarkable game that really makes you think and can stand as a piece of art, capable of teaching about the harsh realities of war and humanity.
You play as a group of 3 (or 4) civilians trying to survive. You have to rebuild your shelter to try and barricade against the cold and other raiding groups.
A fully cooperative game, no player controls a single character but takes turns deciding what the group will do and resolving situations.
Split into phases, you spend the day building up your shelter, adding beds, workshops and other items that might ease your struggles.
You will try different combinations of things to try and work out the most efficient and vital components to build first. Depending on the whim of the various encounter and event cards as to how well these things will work.
The night phase is the main part of the game. You need to send people out to scavenge the nearby ruined buildings, post a guard to protect your shelter and try to get some rest. This is a fine balancing act and you will be forced to push the survivors to breaking point in order to do any of these things.
Scavenging brings danger from snipers, soldiers and other aggressive survivors trying to defend their property.
You pick one of 3 locations to investigate and build an encounter deck. As you explore, you reveal cards, find valuable resources, food, medicine, bandages, weapons and parts crucial to building better items in your shelter.
While scavenging, you will be told to reference numbered paragraphs in the Book of Scripts. This tells the story of what and who you find and it is this that brings home the grim reality of what you are doing.
You will have to make some terrible decisions - do you return home empty handed and risk one of your group dying from hunger or illness or do you steal the supplies you need from the old couple you found hiding in the ruined apartment?
This game is definitely not for everyone but I firmly believe that everyone should experience it at least once.
I borrowed a copy from someone in my game group and played a couple of short games before handing it back but I found myself thinking about it a lot afterwards and ended up buying it myself.
This War of Mine is definitely much more than just a boardgame. It is art. It is a lesson in humanity and the harsh reality of war.
It is gritty, realistic and very hard. It's a remarkable game that really makes you think and can stand as a piece of art, capable of teaching about the harsh realities of war and humanity.
You play as a group of 3 (or 4) civilians trying to survive. You have to rebuild your shelter to try and barricade against the cold and other raiding groups.
A fully cooperative game, no player controls a single character but takes turns deciding what the group will do and resolving situations.
Split into phases, you spend the day building up your shelter, adding beds, workshops and other items that might ease your struggles.
You will try different combinations of things to try and work out the most efficient and vital components to build first. Depending on the whim of the various encounter and event cards as to how well these things will work.
The night phase is the main part of the game. You need to send people out to scavenge the nearby ruined buildings, post a guard to protect your shelter and try to get some rest. This is a fine balancing act and you will be forced to push the survivors to breaking point in order to do any of these things.
Scavenging brings danger from snipers, soldiers and other aggressive survivors trying to defend their property.
You pick one of 3 locations to investigate and build an encounter deck. As you explore, you reveal cards, find valuable resources, food, medicine, bandages, weapons and parts crucial to building better items in your shelter.
While scavenging, you will be told to reference numbered paragraphs in the Book of Scripts. This tells the story of what and who you find and it is this that brings home the grim reality of what you are doing.
You will have to make some terrible decisions - do you return home empty handed and risk one of your group dying from hunger or illness or do you steal the supplies you need from the old couple you found hiding in the ruined apartment?
This game is definitely not for everyone but I firmly believe that everyone should experience it at least once.
I borrowed a copy from someone in my game group and played a couple of short games before handing it back but I found myself thinking about it a lot afterwards and ended up buying it myself.
This War of Mine is definitely much more than just a boardgame. It is art. It is a lesson in humanity and the harsh reality of war.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Game Players in Books
Jun 5, 2019
When a group of children hiding in their secret den see someone burying drugs in a hole in the ground, they collectively decide to do the right thing – dig it up and take it to their local police station. Unfortunately, before they’ve had time to hand in the drugs, they discover the dead body of a local small-time dealer where the drugs would have been, had they not dug them up.
Eventually they decide to tell the police about the body they’ve found but not that they’ve got the drugs, because they don’t want to be blamed for the death of murdered man. To avoid getting into trouble, and having their secret den taken away from them, the kids make up a story of discovering the body whilst playing a game of hide-and-seek. But of course, kids lying to the police can only get them into more trouble, right?
Are they now responsible for someone’s death? If they hadn’t of meddled with the drugs, would the man still be alive? These are just some of the questions raised in the book Game Players by Anita Waller, which highlights how a group of innocent children get caught up in a major drug dealing racket, and become stuck with a heap of drugs that people are killing for! These guys mean business and they’ll stop at nothing to get their stash back. It’s worth a lot of money.
This is a great book, and I read it super-fast. The children find themselves having to grow up overnight when their childish actions come with deadly serious consequences. This believable story shows how one act of naive kindness can turn their lives upside down as events spiral out of control and their own lives, and those of their families, are put in danger.
The kids were great to read about, as they were really good friends who looked out for each other. I loved how they worked together to get themselves out of trouble, just like those in Stephen King’s The Stand. They’re a team and think they’ll be together forever. Just like kids thinking the hot summer holidays are never-ending. I also enjoyed reading how one boy’s dad was involved in a way which made me dislike him, but when things got really bad, he had a change of heart and stepped up to become the concerned father he should have been all along. This is just one, of many plot threads, which made this book a worthy read.
This is an entertaining and believable thriller, which I found both gripping and incredibly moving. It’s about the true bond of friendship, decisions having consequences and the games people play with their lives. I enjoyed it immensely and will look into reading more of Anita Waller’s books from now on. Superb!
Eventually they decide to tell the police about the body they’ve found but not that they’ve got the drugs, because they don’t want to be blamed for the death of murdered man. To avoid getting into trouble, and having their secret den taken away from them, the kids make up a story of discovering the body whilst playing a game of hide-and-seek. But of course, kids lying to the police can only get them into more trouble, right?
Are they now responsible for someone’s death? If they hadn’t of meddled with the drugs, would the man still be alive? These are just some of the questions raised in the book Game Players by Anita Waller, which highlights how a group of innocent children get caught up in a major drug dealing racket, and become stuck with a heap of drugs that people are killing for! These guys mean business and they’ll stop at nothing to get their stash back. It’s worth a lot of money.
This is a great book, and I read it super-fast. The children find themselves having to grow up overnight when their childish actions come with deadly serious consequences. This believable story shows how one act of naive kindness can turn their lives upside down as events spiral out of control and their own lives, and those of their families, are put in danger.
The kids were great to read about, as they were really good friends who looked out for each other. I loved how they worked together to get themselves out of trouble, just like those in Stephen King’s The Stand. They’re a team and think they’ll be together forever. Just like kids thinking the hot summer holidays are never-ending. I also enjoyed reading how one boy’s dad was involved in a way which made me dislike him, but when things got really bad, he had a change of heart and stepped up to become the concerned father he should have been all along. This is just one, of many plot threads, which made this book a worthy read.
This is an entertaining and believable thriller, which I found both gripping and incredibly moving. It’s about the true bond of friendship, decisions having consequences and the games people play with their lives. I enjoyed it immensely and will look into reading more of Anita Waller’s books from now on. Superb!
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Hitman: Agent 47 (2015) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Clinical and incomprehensible
The transition from video game to movie is notoriously difficult to get right. From box-office disasters like Super Mario Bros. to the poorly received Resident Evil franchise, it appears no film is spared from either financial woe or critically panning.
Hitman has become one of the most popular game series’ ever but the 2007 film of the same name failed to kick-start the franchise’s transition to the silver screen. Now, eight years later, Rupert Friend stars as the red tie-wearing assassin in Hitman: Agent 47, but does it succeed as a reboot?
Friend stars as the titular character, an emotionless killer hell-bent on tracking down the creator of the ‘Agent Program’ from which he was created. Alongside him for the ride is Hannah Ware’s Katia Van Dees, a young fearful woman searching for a man she does not know.
The usually excellent Zachary Quinto (Star Trek) also stars as a clichéd villain in a thankless role blighted by stilted dialogue and cardboard emotions. This most certainly isn’t his finest work.
The story is incredibly simple, barely fitting into the film’s slender 96 minute running time and the clinical filming style of director Aleksander Bach really doesn’t help. Beautiful locations like Berlin and Singapore are wasted in favour of sleek office sets, populated by one-dimensional characters that we couldn’t care less about.
Nevertheless, Friend plays the emotionless Agent 47 with ease and is one of the highlights in a film lacking in any real punch – it’s all been done before, and better.
Ware is disappointingly wooden, though her veneer seems to crack towards the finale and we get to see the character she could have played. It’s a shame that for the majority of Hitman’s running time we see no real prowess in her performance.
The action sequences are slick and nicely choreographed but Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation did them only last month and in a more detailed and ultimately successful style.
However, clever gun-work is mixed nicely with the film’s 15 certificate and each barrel discharge feels much more real. It’s certainly more interesting than the two sequels to Taken and many other action thrillers that sport the 12A rating.
The climax leaves things wide open for a sequel, but the ending is incomprehensible to anyone who hasn’t played the games and leaves a bad taste in the mouth – probably not a great thing when trying to get audiences excited for a follow up.
Overall, Hitman: Agent 47 is much like its titular character. A slick outer shell hides not a lot underneath with a cast of wasted talent and a been-there-done-that attitude to the stunts. There’s some great sequences, but you’ll have to dig deep to find any real merit here.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/08/30/clinical-and-incomprehensible-hitman-agent-47-review/
Hitman has become one of the most popular game series’ ever but the 2007 film of the same name failed to kick-start the franchise’s transition to the silver screen. Now, eight years later, Rupert Friend stars as the red tie-wearing assassin in Hitman: Agent 47, but does it succeed as a reboot?
Friend stars as the titular character, an emotionless killer hell-bent on tracking down the creator of the ‘Agent Program’ from which he was created. Alongside him for the ride is Hannah Ware’s Katia Van Dees, a young fearful woman searching for a man she does not know.
The usually excellent Zachary Quinto (Star Trek) also stars as a clichéd villain in a thankless role blighted by stilted dialogue and cardboard emotions. This most certainly isn’t his finest work.
The story is incredibly simple, barely fitting into the film’s slender 96 minute running time and the clinical filming style of director Aleksander Bach really doesn’t help. Beautiful locations like Berlin and Singapore are wasted in favour of sleek office sets, populated by one-dimensional characters that we couldn’t care less about.
Nevertheless, Friend plays the emotionless Agent 47 with ease and is one of the highlights in a film lacking in any real punch – it’s all been done before, and better.
Ware is disappointingly wooden, though her veneer seems to crack towards the finale and we get to see the character she could have played. It’s a shame that for the majority of Hitman’s running time we see no real prowess in her performance.
The action sequences are slick and nicely choreographed but Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation did them only last month and in a more detailed and ultimately successful style.
However, clever gun-work is mixed nicely with the film’s 15 certificate and each barrel discharge feels much more real. It’s certainly more interesting than the two sequels to Taken and many other action thrillers that sport the 12A rating.
The climax leaves things wide open for a sequel, but the ending is incomprehensible to anyone who hasn’t played the games and leaves a bad taste in the mouth – probably not a great thing when trying to get audiences excited for a follow up.
Overall, Hitman: Agent 47 is much like its titular character. A slick outer shell hides not a lot underneath with a cast of wasted talent and a been-there-done-that attitude to the stunts. There’s some great sequences, but you’ll have to dig deep to find any real merit here.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/08/30/clinical-and-incomprehensible-hitman-agent-47-review/
Kyera (8 KP) rated Frozen (Heart of Dread, #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
The story Frozen, by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston, is a tale about a girl with powers who lives in a world unlike our own. In post-apocalyptic New Vegas, Nat fins the one object that might allow her to escape the frozen landscape. The map to help her find the Blue, a promised land untainted by the cold and destruction her world knows. A place that maybe she can live a good life and not spend each day fearful that she will be discovered.
For an established YA writer, this book is surprisingly wrought with errors and would make an English major cringe. It was a poorly written novel with a multitude of punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors. Those completely detracted from the book and made it difficult to read the novel fluidly. There was an overuse of commas, "For days upon days she had been left in the room, alone, in total silence, with little food and water, the weight of solitude becoming ever more oppressive, the silence a heaviness that she could not shake, punishment for refusing to do as she was told, punishment for being what she was." I ran out of breath just reading that incredibly long, run on sentence. It also illustrates another example, the banal repetitiveness. Some examples would be, "She walked down the road, the road that was smooth." Or "The fire that raged within her. The fire that destroyed and consumed. The fire that would destroy and consume her..." How many times does one need to write the fire? Many of the sentences are just reworded versions of the one that came before it. Unnecessarily repetitive and it makes the book sound like a novice writer threw it together in a slap-dash manner with no editor to speak of.
It also cannot decide what genre it wishes to fall under. The magical elements and new species lend itself to a label of fantasy, like books about faeries or nymphs. Paranormal romance perhaps, for the love story that blossoms over the course of the novel? Or the more recently popular zombie novels, with their diseases and alterations of the human dNA, like Forest of Teeth and Bones? Perhaps its a post-apocalyptic or dystopian style novel, akin to Divergent or the Hunger Games - with its frozen world, scarce resources, and tyrannical governments. Whatever it is, the fact that it cannot decide makes the book quite confusing. It does not flow well as a result of the colliding and conflicting worlds. There also is no world-building, which is incredibly important to me in a book. And character building, or even character personalities? Almost non-existent. I would recommend this book to young teen readers, but not anyone who finds themselves frequently noticing errors in novels (even minor ones)as this will drive you crazy. I almost didn't finish the first chapter because the book was so poorly written, but I wanted to see if it would improve.
For an established YA writer, this book is surprisingly wrought with errors and would make an English major cringe. It was a poorly written novel with a multitude of punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors. Those completely detracted from the book and made it difficult to read the novel fluidly. There was an overuse of commas, "For days upon days she had been left in the room, alone, in total silence, with little food and water, the weight of solitude becoming ever more oppressive, the silence a heaviness that she could not shake, punishment for refusing to do as she was told, punishment for being what she was." I ran out of breath just reading that incredibly long, run on sentence. It also illustrates another example, the banal repetitiveness. Some examples would be, "She walked down the road, the road that was smooth." Or "The fire that raged within her. The fire that destroyed and consumed. The fire that would destroy and consume her..." How many times does one need to write the fire? Many of the sentences are just reworded versions of the one that came before it. Unnecessarily repetitive and it makes the book sound like a novice writer threw it together in a slap-dash manner with no editor to speak of.
It also cannot decide what genre it wishes to fall under. The magical elements and new species lend itself to a label of fantasy, like books about faeries or nymphs. Paranormal romance perhaps, for the love story that blossoms over the course of the novel? Or the more recently popular zombie novels, with their diseases and alterations of the human dNA, like Forest of Teeth and Bones? Perhaps its a post-apocalyptic or dystopian style novel, akin to Divergent or the Hunger Games - with its frozen world, scarce resources, and tyrannical governments. Whatever it is, the fact that it cannot decide makes the book quite confusing. It does not flow well as a result of the colliding and conflicting worlds. There also is no world-building, which is incredibly important to me in a book. And character building, or even character personalities? Almost non-existent. I would recommend this book to young teen readers, but not anyone who finds themselves frequently noticing errors in novels (even minor ones)as this will drive you crazy. I almost didn't finish the first chapter because the book was so poorly written, but I wanted to see if it would improve.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Maze Runner in Books
Jan 31, 2018
I wanted to read this book before the movie came out. One usually hears, "The book is better than the movie." And I always make the effort to read the book first. I haven't seen the Fault in Our Stars yet (sorry) because I haven't read the book - but plan to!
I honestly didn't know the plot of this book prior to reading it and I'm glad. It's a dystopian-style novel akin to Divergent or the Hunger Games. The unique premise sparked my interest and compelling narrative kept it, rapt, for the two days it took me to "read" it. (The first copy I could get my hands from my library on was the audio version, so it's takes longer to read and forces me to review it differently.)
Unlike some novels, I found myself enjoying the speaker of the novel rather than being taking out of the story by their voice acting. It's always amusing to hear the reader do the opposite gender. Despite the quality of the audiobook, my advice? Read the physical book. There are intricacies and conversations that you may wish to reread, which can't happen easily with the audio. Simply, you miss things.
The main characters were quite enjoyable: witty, flawed, cunning, and volatile. Although the explanation of their thoughts or feelings might be redundant, even sometimes being repeated on numerous occasions, verbatim... The characters could have been developed a little better, but I do feel like they evolved. After a time, the characters came into their own. Each had a unique voice and personality. As with all good books, the reader develops a connection to a certain character or characters. That is a sign that the book is worthy of the notice and devoted readers that it receives. (You know the book where a main/supporting character dies and you think, 'that's sad...' and then the other one that caused you to break down in tears. Looking at you J.K.)
The slang? Not my cup of tea. You could tell what the words were supposed to represent if you paid attention to the context, and they weren't incredibly inventive. I could have done without that aspect of it.
I think that the revealing of important information could have been approached better, rather than an "info dump". The book would have been stronger if various characters worked out the why or how and together they determined what was happening. Unfortunately, the main character is the one who manages to "figure" everything out, solely by recalling every important detail when it is finally needed.
The plot was fantastic. I never found my attention wandering and highly recommend it for most teen readers. It's certainly an enjoyable, easy read (middle school level and above, generally) but one that has a degree of quality to substantiate it.
And in case you've been living under a rock, the Maze Runner is being released soon - so go read the book! Then you have my permission to see the movie.
I honestly didn't know the plot of this book prior to reading it and I'm glad. It's a dystopian-style novel akin to Divergent or the Hunger Games. The unique premise sparked my interest and compelling narrative kept it, rapt, for the two days it took me to "read" it. (The first copy I could get my hands from my library on was the audio version, so it's takes longer to read and forces me to review it differently.)
Unlike some novels, I found myself enjoying the speaker of the novel rather than being taking out of the story by their voice acting. It's always amusing to hear the reader do the opposite gender. Despite the quality of the audiobook, my advice? Read the physical book. There are intricacies and conversations that you may wish to reread, which can't happen easily with the audio. Simply, you miss things.
The main characters were quite enjoyable: witty, flawed, cunning, and volatile. Although the explanation of their thoughts or feelings might be redundant, even sometimes being repeated on numerous occasions, verbatim... The characters could have been developed a little better, but I do feel like they evolved. After a time, the characters came into their own. Each had a unique voice and personality. As with all good books, the reader develops a connection to a certain character or characters. That is a sign that the book is worthy of the notice and devoted readers that it receives. (You know the book where a main/supporting character dies and you think, 'that's sad...' and then the other one that caused you to break down in tears. Looking at you J.K.)
The slang? Not my cup of tea. You could tell what the words were supposed to represent if you paid attention to the context, and they weren't incredibly inventive. I could have done without that aspect of it.
I think that the revealing of important information could have been approached better, rather than an "info dump". The book would have been stronger if various characters worked out the why or how and together they determined what was happening. Unfortunately, the main character is the one who manages to "figure" everything out, solely by recalling every important detail when it is finally needed.
The plot was fantastic. I never found my attention wandering and highly recommend it for most teen readers. It's certainly an enjoyable, easy read (middle school level and above, generally) but one that has a degree of quality to substantiate it.
And in case you've been living under a rock, the Maze Runner is being released soon - so go read the book! Then you have my permission to see the movie.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Mortal Kombat 11 in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
The latest entry in the long-running Mortal Kombat series has arrived and Mortal Kombat 11 brings all the bone crushing gore and actions that fans have come to expect from the series.
With an impressive roster of characters for fans to select to play, there are of course the brutal multiplayer options where gamers can play each other for bragging rights and there is also a great mode of Konquer Klassic Towers.
The towers are a throwback to the earlier games where players would fight a tower of enemies where each level represented a greater challenge and intensity. In Mortal Kombat 11 this mode serves as a great tutorial and way for players to hone their skills before taking on more deadly and challenging enemies.
The game has a solid core story which again pits the forces of good and evil in a series of battles for the fate of the Earth. The cut scenes are cinematic in scale and give a nice intro to the characters and their story. Some may say that they run a bit long and take away from the action at times but they do frame the story very well and give players a context to all of the carnage.
The action is fast and intense and there are a dazzling number of moves players can do aside from the special moves complete with slow-motion looks at the impact of the hits and the blood that is shed from the furious exchanges.
Of course it would not be Mortal Kombat without Fatalities and they are as graphic and extreme as ever which is sure to delight fans of the series.
The game does have a great share of customization options so players looking for new looks for their characters will be able to indulge this wish but for those who are content to take what the game offers; there is a very impressive roster of characters and more will become available via DLC at a later date.
The campaign has players play as different characters which is good as it forces players to move out of their comfort zone and learn how to play different characters. This will cause players to adapt their style as they differ in speed and style as naturally a bigger character will move slower than one of the more agile characters. Naturally they both have differing attacks as one may rely more on power while another uses speed to evade attacks and release combo attacks.
The sound and graphics of the game are first-rate and it is amazing to see how much the game has evolved from the original title. The movement and variety of options for players is amazing and Mortal Kombat 11 once again shows why they are the top fighting game franchise on the market.
http://sknr.net/2019/05/14/mortal-kombat-11/
With an impressive roster of characters for fans to select to play, there are of course the brutal multiplayer options where gamers can play each other for bragging rights and there is also a great mode of Konquer Klassic Towers.
The towers are a throwback to the earlier games where players would fight a tower of enemies where each level represented a greater challenge and intensity. In Mortal Kombat 11 this mode serves as a great tutorial and way for players to hone their skills before taking on more deadly and challenging enemies.
The game has a solid core story which again pits the forces of good and evil in a series of battles for the fate of the Earth. The cut scenes are cinematic in scale and give a nice intro to the characters and their story. Some may say that they run a bit long and take away from the action at times but they do frame the story very well and give players a context to all of the carnage.
The action is fast and intense and there are a dazzling number of moves players can do aside from the special moves complete with slow-motion looks at the impact of the hits and the blood that is shed from the furious exchanges.
Of course it would not be Mortal Kombat without Fatalities and they are as graphic and extreme as ever which is sure to delight fans of the series.
The game does have a great share of customization options so players looking for new looks for their characters will be able to indulge this wish but for those who are content to take what the game offers; there is a very impressive roster of characters and more will become available via DLC at a later date.
The campaign has players play as different characters which is good as it forces players to move out of their comfort zone and learn how to play different characters. This will cause players to adapt their style as they differ in speed and style as naturally a bigger character will move slower than one of the more agile characters. Naturally they both have differing attacks as one may rely more on power while another uses speed to evade attacks and release combo attacks.
The sound and graphics of the game are first-rate and it is amazing to see how much the game has evolved from the original title. The movement and variety of options for players is amazing and Mortal Kombat 11 once again shows why they are the top fighting game franchise on the market.
http://sknr.net/2019/05/14/mortal-kombat-11/
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated The Belko Experiment (2017) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
A group of Americans and other foreign Nationals have been hired to work for a multi-national company in Columbia for a company named Belko. The Company offers housing, a car, company credit card and great benefits so people are more than willing to sign up even when company policy mandates that any foreign workers must get a microchip to help track them in the event of a kidnapping.
In the new film “The Belko Experiment” audiences are taken on a psychological thrill ride about what happens when corporate life takes a nightmare turn.
Michael Milch (John Gallagher Jr.), heads to work one morning and finds that the local employees are being sent home by a new and very stern faced and heavily armed security force.
One in their modern high rise office, he and his other workers guess it is some sort of security drill and nothing to worry about. His boss Barry Norris (Tony Goldwyn) claims to be unaware of any changes and what is behind them but promises to look into it.
When the building’s security shutters unexpectedly close and all communications go down, the staff thinks that it is simply another security drill or a test. However a voice over the communication system tells the workers that they must kill two of their group in thirty minutes or suffer the consequences. The group thinks this is all some kind of prank until four people drop dead from the implants in their head which also contain an explosive.
Factions soon form as people are unsure what to do next and whom to trust. In a nod to Lord of the Flies, we see what happens when conventions of society break down and how people often revert to a base and brutal nature for survival. When the mysterious voice then tells them that 30 of the group must die or 60 will be killed, the stakes and the action really kick into high gear.
The film is at times brutal but not as gratuitous as other films. What it does well is mix characters that many might be able to relate to so you can find yourself wondering how you would react in a situation like the one presented. As the body count and tensions rise, the characters do become a bit like cannon fodder as we are not given enough to care about their survival.
The film was written by James Gunn who said the idea came to him in a dream. Gunn is clearly busy with his work on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series so Director Greg McLean directed the film and has created an interesting film that does borrow from other films, as it does bring to mind “The Hunger Games” and “Cube” but it does deliver a good dose of escapist entertainment.
http://sknr.net/2017/03/19/the-belko-experiment/
In the new film “The Belko Experiment” audiences are taken on a psychological thrill ride about what happens when corporate life takes a nightmare turn.
Michael Milch (John Gallagher Jr.), heads to work one morning and finds that the local employees are being sent home by a new and very stern faced and heavily armed security force.
One in their modern high rise office, he and his other workers guess it is some sort of security drill and nothing to worry about. His boss Barry Norris (Tony Goldwyn) claims to be unaware of any changes and what is behind them but promises to look into it.
When the building’s security shutters unexpectedly close and all communications go down, the staff thinks that it is simply another security drill or a test. However a voice over the communication system tells the workers that they must kill two of their group in thirty minutes or suffer the consequences. The group thinks this is all some kind of prank until four people drop dead from the implants in their head which also contain an explosive.
Factions soon form as people are unsure what to do next and whom to trust. In a nod to Lord of the Flies, we see what happens when conventions of society break down and how people often revert to a base and brutal nature for survival. When the mysterious voice then tells them that 30 of the group must die or 60 will be killed, the stakes and the action really kick into high gear.
The film is at times brutal but not as gratuitous as other films. What it does well is mix characters that many might be able to relate to so you can find yourself wondering how you would react in a situation like the one presented. As the body count and tensions rise, the characters do become a bit like cannon fodder as we are not given enough to care about their survival.
The film was written by James Gunn who said the idea came to him in a dream. Gunn is clearly busy with his work on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series so Director Greg McLean directed the film and has created an interesting film that does borrow from other films, as it does bring to mind “The Hunger Games” and “Cube” but it does deliver a good dose of escapist entertainment.
http://sknr.net/2017/03/19/the-belko-experiment/
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
Adam (John Cusack) is a man going nowhere fast. Upon his return home one day, Adam finds his girlfriend gone, his nephew Jacob (Clark Duke) in his basement addicted to playing online games that simulate real life, and his friend Lou (Rob Corddry) in the hospital.
When Adam meets up with his friend Nick (Craig Robinson) at the hospital, Nick attempts to brighten up Lou by offering him a trip to their old ski resort to relive the fun of their youth. With Jacob tagging along, the three friends head back to the site of their past glory, and realize that things have not improved with time.
The scenic town is now run down and largely abandoned and their resort has long since seen better days. Undaunted, the group breaks out the alcohol and heads for the hot tub in an effort to make the most out of their time with one another and to escape their empty lives.
Upon awakening from their stupor the group discovers that they have been whisked back to 1986 and they appear to everyone there as the younger versions of themselves. Jacob flips though when he sees himself as a flickering image and becomes convinced that they must not do anything to alter the future and must relive the weekend of 1986 over exactly as they did the first time.
A quirky repair man (Chevy Chase), indicates that he can fix the tub, but that he will need some time. Adam is thrilled when he meets his old girlfriend and then laments the fact that he has to end their relationship in order to preserve the timeline. Adam has long regretted her leaving the love of his life and is tempted to do things differently this time.
Nick looks to relieve his failed musical debut as a singer, but knows that he must do what is needed to get home. Lou, on the other hand, is the loose cannon of the group and is thrilled to get another chance at glory and chase women since he has become a pathetic loser in the future.
What follows is a madcap and outrageous comedy that lovingly resurrects the classic 80’s movies of old and infuses the modern gross out humor to successfully blend the old with the new as the friends struggle to get through the weekend and return home without altering the future.
The cast is solid, and Crispin Glover is great as the bizarre bellhop destined to have his arm go missing, but the when and how drives Lou insane in anticipation. While Robinson and Cusack do solid work, Corddry steals the film as a scheming, madcap mix of depravity and patheticness that drives the film.
While the movie did drag in a few parts for me there were enough laughs in the film to keep me interested and enjoy the nostalgic look back at my beloved 80s.
When Adam meets up with his friend Nick (Craig Robinson) at the hospital, Nick attempts to brighten up Lou by offering him a trip to their old ski resort to relive the fun of their youth. With Jacob tagging along, the three friends head back to the site of their past glory, and realize that things have not improved with time.
The scenic town is now run down and largely abandoned and their resort has long since seen better days. Undaunted, the group breaks out the alcohol and heads for the hot tub in an effort to make the most out of their time with one another and to escape their empty lives.
Upon awakening from their stupor the group discovers that they have been whisked back to 1986 and they appear to everyone there as the younger versions of themselves. Jacob flips though when he sees himself as a flickering image and becomes convinced that they must not do anything to alter the future and must relive the weekend of 1986 over exactly as they did the first time.
A quirky repair man (Chevy Chase), indicates that he can fix the tub, but that he will need some time. Adam is thrilled when he meets his old girlfriend and then laments the fact that he has to end their relationship in order to preserve the timeline. Adam has long regretted her leaving the love of his life and is tempted to do things differently this time.
Nick looks to relieve his failed musical debut as a singer, but knows that he must do what is needed to get home. Lou, on the other hand, is the loose cannon of the group and is thrilled to get another chance at glory and chase women since he has become a pathetic loser in the future.
What follows is a madcap and outrageous comedy that lovingly resurrects the classic 80’s movies of old and infuses the modern gross out humor to successfully blend the old with the new as the friends struggle to get through the weekend and return home without altering the future.
The cast is solid, and Crispin Glover is great as the bizarre bellhop destined to have his arm go missing, but the when and how drives Lou insane in anticipation. While Robinson and Cusack do solid work, Corddry steals the film as a scheming, madcap mix of depravity and patheticness that drives the film.
While the movie did drag in a few parts for me there were enough laughs in the film to keep me interested and enjoy the nostalgic look back at my beloved 80s.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Never Have I Ever in Books
Jul 8, 2019
After a childhood where she never felt good enough, Amy Whey finally has her perfect life. A loving husband, a feisty fifteen-year-old stepdaughter, and a sweet baby boy. She even has a best friend, Charlotte, to hang out with in her suburban neighborhood. It's at Charlotte's book group when everything changes: with the appearance of Roux, a new neighbor. Roux is gorgeous and charming and soon all the book group ladies are happily drinking wine and spilling their secrets during Roux's Never Have I Ever game. But Amy can sense Roux's sinister side from the start. And sure enough, before she knows it, Roux comes to Amy. She knows Amy isn't so perfect after all. She knows a big, dark secret about Amy's past. And if Amy doesn't give Roux exactly what she wants, she's going to make Amy pay, tearing down the perfect life she's so carefully built.
"The game was Roux's idea. More than an idea. A plan. She made it up herself, this shotgun of a game. She packed it tight with salt and metal, counting on collateral damage, too, but she aimed it straight at me. She said it was like Never Have I Ever, but not any version I'd ever played."
Well, this was an interesting one, I must say. It's the epitome of domestic thriller, I suppose: a mix of character-driven fiction and thriller/mystery. The beginning was tough for me: it felt slow, as I waited for things to heat up. The language is rather flowery at times, making some scenes seem long. And some of the real action felt bogged down by Amy and Roux's interactions, as they chattered and bantered--either in person or in Amy's head--while they played their twisted little games. Enough, enough, just get to the point!
"Her hands were not empty after all. They were holding my history, invisible but so very heavy. I could almost see it in her hands."
That said, once things picked up, I enjoyed this much more. When the twists arrive, they are very twisty and fun, and often quite surprising. Roux is appropriately hateful, and Amy is a bit whiny, but it's okay when everything is collapsing and you're trying to figure out where this is all going. This one trailed dangerously close to my pet peeve of "main character with secret, where the book would have no point if they'd just man up and tell someone," but once some of the twists came out, I could at least understand Amy's point of view, if not exactly empathize with her. Jackson gives us a rather dark tale, which, you know, is appreciated. If these two women are going to battle each other, it might as well be grim, right?
Overall, this book starts slow, but once it gets going it's enjoyable twisty, dark, and macabre. It was a different sort of tale, but worth the read. 3.5 stars.
"The game was Roux's idea. More than an idea. A plan. She made it up herself, this shotgun of a game. She packed it tight with salt and metal, counting on collateral damage, too, but she aimed it straight at me. She said it was like Never Have I Ever, but not any version I'd ever played."
Well, this was an interesting one, I must say. It's the epitome of domestic thriller, I suppose: a mix of character-driven fiction and thriller/mystery. The beginning was tough for me: it felt slow, as I waited for things to heat up. The language is rather flowery at times, making some scenes seem long. And some of the real action felt bogged down by Amy and Roux's interactions, as they chattered and bantered--either in person or in Amy's head--while they played their twisted little games. Enough, enough, just get to the point!
"Her hands were not empty after all. They were holding my history, invisible but so very heavy. I could almost see it in her hands."
That said, once things picked up, I enjoyed this much more. When the twists arrive, they are very twisty and fun, and often quite surprising. Roux is appropriately hateful, and Amy is a bit whiny, but it's okay when everything is collapsing and you're trying to figure out where this is all going. This one trailed dangerously close to my pet peeve of "main character with secret, where the book would have no point if they'd just man up and tell someone," but once some of the twists came out, I could at least understand Amy's point of view, if not exactly empathize with her. Jackson gives us a rather dark tale, which, you know, is appreciated. If these two women are going to battle each other, it might as well be grim, right?
Overall, this book starts slow, but once it gets going it's enjoyable twisty, dark, and macabre. It was a different sort of tale, but worth the read. 3.5 stars.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Mask of Shadows in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>Review copy provided by SourcebooksFire via Netgalley</b></i>
I don’t think I follow enough people on social media, because I rarely see Mask of Shadows running around in my timeline and it deserves more hype if it hasn’t. I’ve also been reading a lot of “fluffy” reads with very little blood involved.
Mask of Shadows is a complete 180 from that. It is absolutely bloody and there are assassins involved, and sad to say, it is completely up my very dark alley of reading preferences.
My mother should be worried about me. “You’re a good kid compared to most of those I’ve seen out there. You don’t do drugs, don’t party, hang out with good people….”
I mean, has she seen the books I enjoy reading? (She would be very concerned.)
I honestly thought of The Hunger Games as an assassin edition while reading, even though the novel is pitched as Sarah J. Maas meets Leigh Bardugo. Our main character, Sal, finds an invitation to become one of the queen’s personal assassins, and sets off to audition in the hopes to get a new life. The auditions are full of trials and are a fight to the death – each of which are varied so there is never a dull moment. I’ve never read Maas, but I personally don’t see any comparisons to Bardugo unless we’re talking world building. The world building is absolutely amazing and stunning, and if I could actually draw some of the descriptions, I would totally do it. (Alas, I am just a graphic design minor.)
Emerald, a vision of steel and green silk, glided through the doorway. She was lithe and muscled, arms bare and flexed, streaked in scars with a pale silver dust twinkling over her skin like stars scattered across the evening sky. She walked past me in a breeze of perfume and peppermint, the apothecary scents clinging to her like the old, black ink of the dead runes scrawled across her. The silk layered and draped over her shoulders matched her high-cheeked, mouthless emerald mask perfectly. Beetle wings stitched into the train of her dress glittered in the light.
That is actually one of my favorite descriptions in the book. It is gorgeous.
Mask of Shadows is the first book I’ve read featuring a gender fluid character. Miller does a really good job of handling Sal’s character well, but the beginning seemed a little rocky, almost as though the author was trying to find the right foothold in the story. But after those rough patches, the story went along smoothly.
2017 was a fantastic reading year for me, and I am extremely happy to say that Mask of Shadows is one of my favorite books for the year. Miller’s debut novel is action packed and fast paced, and it will leave you turning the pages until the very end.
<a href="https://thatbookgal.wordpress.com/2018/03/23/guest-book-review-mask-of-shadows/">This review is originally posted on That Book Gal</a>
I don’t think I follow enough people on social media, because I rarely see Mask of Shadows running around in my timeline and it deserves more hype if it hasn’t. I’ve also been reading a lot of “fluffy” reads with very little blood involved.
Mask of Shadows is a complete 180 from that. It is absolutely bloody and there are assassins involved, and sad to say, it is completely up my very dark alley of reading preferences.
My mother should be worried about me. “You’re a good kid compared to most of those I’ve seen out there. You don’t do drugs, don’t party, hang out with good people….”
I mean, has she seen the books I enjoy reading? (She would be very concerned.)
I honestly thought of The Hunger Games as an assassin edition while reading, even though the novel is pitched as Sarah J. Maas meets Leigh Bardugo. Our main character, Sal, finds an invitation to become one of the queen’s personal assassins, and sets off to audition in the hopes to get a new life. The auditions are full of trials and are a fight to the death – each of which are varied so there is never a dull moment. I’ve never read Maas, but I personally don’t see any comparisons to Bardugo unless we’re talking world building. The world building is absolutely amazing and stunning, and if I could actually draw some of the descriptions, I would totally do it. (Alas, I am just a graphic design minor.)
Emerald, a vision of steel and green silk, glided through the doorway. She was lithe and muscled, arms bare and flexed, streaked in scars with a pale silver dust twinkling over her skin like stars scattered across the evening sky. She walked past me in a breeze of perfume and peppermint, the apothecary scents clinging to her like the old, black ink of the dead runes scrawled across her. The silk layered and draped over her shoulders matched her high-cheeked, mouthless emerald mask perfectly. Beetle wings stitched into the train of her dress glittered in the light.
That is actually one of my favorite descriptions in the book. It is gorgeous.
Mask of Shadows is the first book I’ve read featuring a gender fluid character. Miller does a really good job of handling Sal’s character well, but the beginning seemed a little rocky, almost as though the author was trying to find the right foothold in the story. But after those rough patches, the story went along smoothly.
2017 was a fantastic reading year for me, and I am extremely happy to say that Mask of Shadows is one of my favorite books for the year. Miller’s debut novel is action packed and fast paced, and it will leave you turning the pages until the very end.
<a href="https://thatbookgal.wordpress.com/2018/03/23/guest-book-review-mask-of-shadows/">This review is originally posted on That Book Gal</a>