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Great voice actors (2 more)
Brilliant dungeon master
Hysterically innovative problem solving
Dungeons, Dragons, Drama, Hysteria, and Mischievous Gay Energy
New and experienced Dungeons and Dragons players will find plenty here to keep them in fits of laughter. For anyone who thinks that D&D is just for nerds - prepare to be schooled.
Brilliant characters, with some of the oddest accents you've ever heard;an awesome (and handsome) dungeon master, who occasionally sounds strangely like Richard Ayoade; hopefully a great many story arcs to come; and drama and hilarity running as amok as the cast will have you binging the first episodes and then wondering what in Baphomet's name you can do for the week until the next installment of this wonder of podcastery drops into your list!
Brilliant characters, with some of the oddest accents you've ever heard;an awesome (and handsome) dungeon master, who occasionally sounds strangely like Richard Ayoade; hopefully a great many story arcs to come; and drama and hilarity running as amok as the cast will have you binging the first episodes and then wondering what in Baphomet's name you can do for the week until the next installment of this wonder of podcastery drops into your list!
Awix (3310 KP) rated Theatre of Blood (1973) in Movies
Feb 14, 2018 (Updated Feb 14, 2018)
The Play's the Thing
Indisputably the best of the Vincent Price 'madman on a vengeful killing spree' movies from the early 70s, allowing Price to give full reign to his remarkable talents. Ham actor Edward Lionheart gets his own back on pretentious critics by performing various gory Shakespearean scenes for real; this gives him the opportunity to disguise himself as such diverse characters as a chef, a policeman, Butch the gay hairdresser, and many more; Price is having a whale of a time throughout, as you'd expect.
Notable also for an astonishingly good cast of British character actors, most of whom are only in a couple of scenes before they get murdered. Consistently witty and inventive, even a little moving in parts as well. Point knocked off for not letting Price get away with it!
Notable also for an astonishingly good cast of British character actors, most of whom are only in a couple of scenes before they get murdered. Consistently witty and inventive, even a little moving in parts as well. Point knocked off for not letting Price get away with it!
Elski (281 KP) rated Love, Simon (2018) in Movies
Nov 12, 2018
A teen angst rom-com for the modern age. It follows formula plot points well trodden except that Simon (played charmingly by Nick Robinson) is gay. This was a big step forward for a major studio such as 20th Century Fox to give it the mainstream film treatment it deserves.
There's some great music and a likeable cast, and plenty of humour.
On first watch you're kept guessing on who the mystery love interest Blue is and end up just as relieved/pleased as Simon when the truth is revealed.
Jennifer Garner as Simon's Mum gives a perfect speech at one point that makes me well up each time I see it. It stands up well to repeat viewings. A recommendation for anyone to watch, not just for teens.
Thanks to Smashbomb for the dvd!
There's some great music and a likeable cast, and plenty of humour.
On first watch you're kept guessing on who the mystery love interest Blue is and end up just as relieved/pleased as Simon when the truth is revealed.
Jennifer Garner as Simon's Mum gives a perfect speech at one point that makes me well up each time I see it. It stands up well to repeat viewings. A recommendation for anyone to watch, not just for teens.
Thanks to Smashbomb for the dvd!
Erika (17788 KP) rated Voyeur (2017) in Movies
Dec 22, 2019
It seems as though the only thing that Netflix does well is true crime documentaries and series.
This was an interesting one, it was about this dude who bought a hotel in the 1960s to spy on guests and satisfy his voyeuristic tendencies. Interpret that as you see fit. The dude's a creepy dirt bag and it made me feel slightly sick to my stomach hearing about his adventures.
This documentary follows the journalist who is writing the story, Gay, and features interviews with the creep. It's very interesting to see the process that this old-school journalist takes, and his wariness about the whole thing.
Is the voyeur telling the truth? Or just making this stuff up?
If you can stomach the disgusting dude's exploits, it's an interesting watch.
This was an interesting one, it was about this dude who bought a hotel in the 1960s to spy on guests and satisfy his voyeuristic tendencies. Interpret that as you see fit. The dude's a creepy dirt bag and it made me feel slightly sick to my stomach hearing about his adventures.
This documentary follows the journalist who is writing the story, Gay, and features interviews with the creep. It's very interesting to see the process that this old-school journalist takes, and his wariness about the whole thing.
Is the voyeur telling the truth? Or just making this stuff up?
If you can stomach the disgusting dude's exploits, it's an interesting watch.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Full Tilt (Full #2) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
2.5 stars.
There were a few things that I just didn't particularly like about this: Max was good at EVERYTHING, and I do mean everything; hand to hand combat, survival skills, hacking, attacking alligators, knowing how to disarm bombs etc. Just all seemed so OTT. As did Deedee? and Beenie. They were so annoying in their cliché-ness. Gay best friend of pampered, spoilt rich girl. Ugh. And then Jamie's reaction to every dangerous thing they encountered; to squeal like a banshee and tell Max to move away from the threat while staying by his side the whole time??
That being said, I am a little intrigued as to what might happen next with these two and own the next book but I might give it a while before I jump in.
There were a few things that I just didn't particularly like about this: Max was good at EVERYTHING, and I do mean everything; hand to hand combat, survival skills, hacking, attacking alligators, knowing how to disarm bombs etc. Just all seemed so OTT. As did Deedee? and Beenie. They were so annoying in their cliché-ness. Gay best friend of pampered, spoilt rich girl. Ugh. And then Jamie's reaction to every dangerous thing they encountered; to squeal like a banshee and tell Max to move away from the threat while staying by his side the whole time??
That being said, I am a little intrigued as to what might happen next with these two and own the next book but I might give it a while before I jump in.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Love, Simon (2018) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Time to Exhale.
I saw this as a Cineworld “Secret Unlimited Screening” event (for non-UK readers, Cineworld is one of the main movie-theater chains), so went in – like the majority of the audience I suspect – predicting early sight of Lara Croft in skin tight shorts! This was a bit different! A secret screening is an interesting concept, and really tests the metal of a film in engaging its audience early. This one failed to some degree, with seven people (I was counting) walking out in the first 10 minutes. (To be fair on those seven, the film’s first 20 minutes are rather laborious; and to be fair on the film, this was a pretty full auditorium so as a percentage drop out it was low).
Teen heartthrob Nick Robinson (the older brother from “Jurassic World“) plays the eponymous hero who has a well-buried secret: he’s gay. Growing up in Pleasantville (I almost expected someone to yell “Cat!” and the fire brigade turn up) he feels unable to come out to either his high-school friends or his loving family (“Apple pie cooling on the window-sill anyone?”). But striking up an email relationship with another closeted male from the same high school – nicknamed “Blue” – allows him to explore his feelings about his sexuality and fall in love all at the same time. But neither coming out or love run terribly smoothly for Simon…
Happy families. From left, Nick Robinson, Talitha Bateman, Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel.
I am forty years adrift from being able to directly relate to the stresses and strains of modern high-school life (though I AM still 17 on the inside people!) But even to me, this film doesn’t feel like it should be set in the present day. While it needs to be for its tweeting and blogging story-line, surely there are few backwaters in either America or Western Europe where gay people have to stay so silent? An 80’s or early 90’s setting would, I think, have worked so much better. (Ironically, its not his gay-ness or otherwise that his friends get upset by, but something far more fundamental in the human condition).
Definitely set in the present day.
That aside, this is a sweet and ultimately quite engaging film that I’m sure will be a big hit with a teenage audience. While for me it didn’t come close to ticking all of the coming-of-age boxes that the inestimable “Lady Bird” did, it does cover old ground in a new and refreshing way, and I’m sure it WILL be very helpful for many gay people in getting the courage to come out. Times are different today, but I still can imagine few things requiring more bravery than declaring you are gay to your parents and closest friends (even though, deep down, they surely already suspect).
So, it’s sweet, but also for me (although far from its target audience) rather flat. As a comedy drama, the moments of comedy are few and far between, with only one or two of the lines making me chuckle rather than smile. A quiet auditorium is not a good sign for a film with “Comedy” in its imdb description. It does however occasionally break through with something memorable: a full on college “La La Land” scene (“Not that gay” – LoL) is a case in point. And all of the scenes featuring comedy actress Natasha Rothwell as drama teacher Ms Allbright add much needed energy and humour to the film.
Someone should tell him… regardless of gender preference, sex is never going to work like this.
Of the teen actors, Robinson is fine but it is Katherine Langford as Simon’s friend Leah who stood out for me. Talitha Eliana Bateman (“The 5th Wave“; looking a whole lot younger than her 16 years!) is also impressive as Simon’s culinary sister Nora. Simon’s parents are played by Jennifer Garner (“Dallas Buyers Club“) and Josh Duhamel (a new one on me… he’s been in the “Transformers” films apparently).
Simon says walk this way. From left, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Nich Robinson, Alexandra Shipp and Katherine Langford.
The screenplay is by movie virgins Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker, and is a slightly patchy affair. There are scenes that worked well (a cringe inducing sports stadium scene for example) but other times where it seems to be trying too hard for T-shirt captions…. a line from Ethan (Clark Moore) about hate crime was a “Ye-what?” moment.
Some of the characters really don’t quite work either: Tony Hale (so memorable as the useless PA in “Veep”) plays almost a school-ified version of Stephen Stucker’s Johnny from “Airplane”. Perhaps that would work as some sort of whacky hall monitor guy… but it transpires that he is the headmaster. No, I don’t think so.
A bit OTT. Veep’s Tony Hale as the principal with a surfeit of bonhomie.
So, in summary, after a bit of a bumpy start, its a pleasant watch that culminates in a feel-good ending. Feel good, that is, providing you have liberal views: I can’t see it pleasing many Trump supporters. I also can’t see it getting a cinema release in Gambia or Nigeria, though God only knows they could use one. If I could give half stars I would give this one an extra half as I applaud both the theme its trying to promote and for bringing something fresh to the screen…
Teen heartthrob Nick Robinson (the older brother from “Jurassic World“) plays the eponymous hero who has a well-buried secret: he’s gay. Growing up in Pleasantville (I almost expected someone to yell “Cat!” and the fire brigade turn up) he feels unable to come out to either his high-school friends or his loving family (“Apple pie cooling on the window-sill anyone?”). But striking up an email relationship with another closeted male from the same high school – nicknamed “Blue” – allows him to explore his feelings about his sexuality and fall in love all at the same time. But neither coming out or love run terribly smoothly for Simon…
Happy families. From left, Nick Robinson, Talitha Bateman, Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel.
I am forty years adrift from being able to directly relate to the stresses and strains of modern high-school life (though I AM still 17 on the inside people!) But even to me, this film doesn’t feel like it should be set in the present day. While it needs to be for its tweeting and blogging story-line, surely there are few backwaters in either America or Western Europe where gay people have to stay so silent? An 80’s or early 90’s setting would, I think, have worked so much better. (Ironically, its not his gay-ness or otherwise that his friends get upset by, but something far more fundamental in the human condition).
Definitely set in the present day.
That aside, this is a sweet and ultimately quite engaging film that I’m sure will be a big hit with a teenage audience. While for me it didn’t come close to ticking all of the coming-of-age boxes that the inestimable “Lady Bird” did, it does cover old ground in a new and refreshing way, and I’m sure it WILL be very helpful for many gay people in getting the courage to come out. Times are different today, but I still can imagine few things requiring more bravery than declaring you are gay to your parents and closest friends (even though, deep down, they surely already suspect).
So, it’s sweet, but also for me (although far from its target audience) rather flat. As a comedy drama, the moments of comedy are few and far between, with only one or two of the lines making me chuckle rather than smile. A quiet auditorium is not a good sign for a film with “Comedy” in its imdb description. It does however occasionally break through with something memorable: a full on college “La La Land” scene (“Not that gay” – LoL) is a case in point. And all of the scenes featuring comedy actress Natasha Rothwell as drama teacher Ms Allbright add much needed energy and humour to the film.
Someone should tell him… regardless of gender preference, sex is never going to work like this.
Of the teen actors, Robinson is fine but it is Katherine Langford as Simon’s friend Leah who stood out for me. Talitha Eliana Bateman (“The 5th Wave“; looking a whole lot younger than her 16 years!) is also impressive as Simon’s culinary sister Nora. Simon’s parents are played by Jennifer Garner (“Dallas Buyers Club“) and Josh Duhamel (a new one on me… he’s been in the “Transformers” films apparently).
Simon says walk this way. From left, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Nich Robinson, Alexandra Shipp and Katherine Langford.
The screenplay is by movie virgins Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker, and is a slightly patchy affair. There are scenes that worked well (a cringe inducing sports stadium scene for example) but other times where it seems to be trying too hard for T-shirt captions…. a line from Ethan (Clark Moore) about hate crime was a “Ye-what?” moment.
Some of the characters really don’t quite work either: Tony Hale (so memorable as the useless PA in “Veep”) plays almost a school-ified version of Stephen Stucker’s Johnny from “Airplane”. Perhaps that would work as some sort of whacky hall monitor guy… but it transpires that he is the headmaster. No, I don’t think so.
A bit OTT. Veep’s Tony Hale as the principal with a surfeit of bonhomie.
So, in summary, after a bit of a bumpy start, its a pleasant watch that culminates in a feel-good ending. Feel good, that is, providing you have liberal views: I can’t see it pleasing many Trump supporters. I also can’t see it getting a cinema release in Gambia or Nigeria, though God only knows they could use one. If I could give half stars I would give this one an extra half as I applaud both the theme its trying to promote and for bringing something fresh to the screen…
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Mist (2007) in Movies
Nov 30, 2020
"It appears we may have a problem of some magnitude."
The Mist is flat out fantastic for a handful of reasons.
Firstly, it has a ridiculously good cast - Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Andre Braugher, Tony Jones, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn, William Sadler, Alexa Davalos, Sam Witwer...there isn't a weak link at all, and it's a damn good job - The Mist isn't a straight forward creature feature. Although it's does have it's fair share of monster moments, it's main focus is on the dangers of fanatacism, and the delusions of human beings, as a lot of regular Joes who are just scared of the events unfolding, start to blindly follow the words of Mrs. Carmody, someone who is truly unhinged, and truly believes what she preaches - it's a concept all too familiar in today's real world, and Marcia Gay Harden puts in a show stopping performance, and is one the easiest-to-hate horror antagonists ever put to screen.
The titular Mist is realised superbly, and also does a good job at hiding the CGI monsters effectively. What we do get shown is just enough for a decent payoff, and there are some breathtaking shots during the films climax. For the most part though, it's a masterclass in stimulating the audiences imagination, and is scary in what you don't actually see.
And the of course there is THAT ending. If you somehow haven't seen The Mist yet, then go in with as little knowledge as possible, and let that ending just destroy your very soul. Its propels what is a good horror, into an all timer, even if it is a straight up depression simulator.
Really worth a look for any fans of horror, sci-fi, monsters, or Stephen King, and seek out the black and white version for extra satisfaction!
The Mist is flat out fantastic for a handful of reasons.
Firstly, it has a ridiculously good cast - Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Andre Braugher, Tony Jones, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn, William Sadler, Alexa Davalos, Sam Witwer...there isn't a weak link at all, and it's a damn good job - The Mist isn't a straight forward creature feature. Although it's does have it's fair share of monster moments, it's main focus is on the dangers of fanatacism, and the delusions of human beings, as a lot of regular Joes who are just scared of the events unfolding, start to blindly follow the words of Mrs. Carmody, someone who is truly unhinged, and truly believes what she preaches - it's a concept all too familiar in today's real world, and Marcia Gay Harden puts in a show stopping performance, and is one the easiest-to-hate horror antagonists ever put to screen.
The titular Mist is realised superbly, and also does a good job at hiding the CGI monsters effectively. What we do get shown is just enough for a decent payoff, and there are some breathtaking shots during the films climax. For the most part though, it's a masterclass in stimulating the audiences imagination, and is scary in what you don't actually see.
And the of course there is THAT ending. If you somehow haven't seen The Mist yet, then go in with as little knowledge as possible, and let that ending just destroy your very soul. Its propels what is a good horror, into an all timer, even if it is a straight up depression simulator.
Really worth a look for any fans of horror, sci-fi, monsters, or Stephen King, and seek out the black and white version for extra satisfaction!
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Call Me By Your Name in Books
Apr 21, 2018
Very moving
I don’t know what I’d expected from this book, but I hadn’t anticipated liking it as much as I did. And I haven’t seen the film yet either.
This is a beautifully written tale of a kind of love story between a young teenager and his family’s summer house guest. The confusion, frustration and heartbreak of his first gay relationship really comes across throughout the entire novel, and you really feel for him. Elio is an endearing protagonist and I was really invested in the outcome although I feel like the ending and the summary of the 20 years following that summer were a little too short and very sad. I would’ve happily read on for longer for a slightly happier ending. But that said, it’s still a well written book and a very interesting plot.
This is a beautifully written tale of a kind of love story between a young teenager and his family’s summer house guest. The confusion, frustration and heartbreak of his first gay relationship really comes across throughout the entire novel, and you really feel for him. Elio is an endearing protagonist and I was really invested in the outcome although I feel like the ending and the summary of the 20 years following that summer were a little too short and very sad. I would’ve happily read on for longer for a slightly happier ending. But that said, it’s still a well written book and a very interesting plot.
Cori June (3033 KP) rated Smoke and Mirrors in Books
Mar 22, 2019
Smokey (2 more)
real characters
mildly racy (she's a prostitute)
When did this happen moments (1 more)
mildly racy (she's a prostitute)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Racy in that yes the main character is a prostitute there are sex scenes. The book opens with her at work. The scenes are tame, Lindskold gives just enough information for you to fill in the blanks as wanted, so no porn on paper.
The characters have real reactions. Although sometimes you feel like "oh this is now happening or when did this happen?" exspecially when it comes to Clarence and Smokey's relationship.
I think Bonny's nicknamesare cute however some people may not feel the same.
There are gay and lesbian characters (normally I won't say but I have a friend that wanted to.know of more books that had such characters)
Plus my favorite scene is Smokey dancing with Fox.
The characters have real reactions. Although sometimes you feel like "oh this is now happening or when did this happen?" exspecially when it comes to Clarence and Smokey's relationship.
I think Bonny's nicknamesare cute however some people may not feel the same.
There are gay and lesbian characters (normally I won't say but I have a friend that wanted to.know of more books that had such characters)
Plus my favorite scene is Smokey dancing with Fox.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Atomic Blonde (2017) in Movies
Feb 11, 2018 (Updated Feb 11, 2018)
Blondes Have More Gratuitous Nudity (Apparently)
Self-consciously stylish action thriller in which Charlize Theron swanks around 1980s Berlin for two hours in a series of thigh-flashing outfits, pausing only to beat the living daylights out of groups of grown men, engage in a little modish girl-on-girl hot action, and interrupt revivals of Andrei Tarkovsky movies (for shame!).
Quite good fun if you like this kind of movie: the plot is rather secondary to the look of the thing, but it has a good cast and the action is very well-staged. Can't help thinking it's just a little bit exploitative - don't imagine the studio would have been quite as keen on the main character being gay, or indeed so frequently naked, were they male - but it doesn't come across as offensively so.
Quite good fun if you like this kind of movie: the plot is rather secondary to the look of the thing, but it has a good cast and the action is very well-staged. Can't help thinking it's just a little bit exploitative - don't imagine the studio would have been quite as keen on the main character being gay, or indeed so frequently naked, were they male - but it doesn't come across as offensively so.