Death Overdue
2.0
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Carrie Singleton is just about done with Clover Ridge, Connecticut until she's offered a job as the...
The Furthest Station (Peter Grant, #5.5)
7.0
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There have been ghosts on the London Underground, sad, harmless spectres whose presence does little...
Erika (17789 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) in Movies
Dec 16, 2017 (Updated May 28, 2018)
Rey's true parentage (if it's not contradicted in the next film), was completely anti-climactic. We got no backstory on Snoke. Who is Snoke? I did like that my favorite force ghost was brought back, and I appreciated that the character wasn't computer generated. I'm still waiting for force ghost Anakin to make an appearance to slap the crap out of Ben Solo. The excursion to Canto Bight was, strange? Unneeded? Laura Dern's character was semi-pointless. The character wasn't really likeable enough to care what she did or didn't do.
I was surprised that they did not take the opportunity to kill off Leia. They let the past die, just not completely.
***After seeing this a second time... I disliked it even more.
The sentence
10.0
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In this stunning and timely novel, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author Louise...
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Ghost in the Shell (2017) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Casting the central lead, The Major, proved even more difficult. When Scarlett Johansson’s name was attached to play the role, Hollywood was once again accused of white-washing, a tag lobbied at Gods of Egypt last year. The finished product is now in cinemas around the globe, but is it the disaster many predicted?
In the near future, Major (Scarlett Johansson) is the first of her kind: a human who has been cyber-enhanced to create a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world’s most dangerous criminals. When terrorism reaches a new level that includes the ability to hack into people’s minds and control them, Major is uniquely qualified to stop it. As she prepares to face a new enemy, Major finds truths about her past that changes her view on the world forever.
The greatest accolade that can be given to Ghost in the Shell is that its pre-release detractors haven’t stopped people from going to see it. The cinema was busy on its opening night, with many itching to see how such a universally loved manga could be fine-tuned for a Western palate.
Visually; the film is absolutely stunning and is best viewed on the biggest screen possible. Each frame is dripping with detail and the naturally heavy use of CGI doesn’t detract from creating a vibrant metropolis that feels every bit alive.
The story is simple to follow and easy to enjoy. It’s exciting, emotional and boosted by a fine, if slightly uninspiring performance from Johansson. The rest of the cast can also be described as fine, with only Juliette Binoche’s mother-like Dr. Ouélet creating any sort of lasting impact.
And this is Ghost in the Shell’s fundamental weakness. Outside of Binoche, the rest of the cast are largely forgettable and that’s a real shame considering the characters in its excellent source material were, for want of a better word, magical. Even the villain is devoid any sort of tyranny.
Thankfully though, the impressive set design and well-choreographed action sequences mask the disappointing array of characters well and steamroll this thrilling adventure to a very satisfying conclusion. It’s also accompanied by a gorgeous soundtrack by Clint Mansell and Lorne Balfe that compliments the futuristic nature of the film beautifully.
Sitting in the theatre, it felt at times like I was watching an updated version of Total Recall, and that’s no bad thing. Comparing it to a cult classic is probably what director Rupert Sanders was trying to achieve and despite its poor characters, Ghost in the Shell has every opportunity to succeed as a film we look back on in 30 years and think “hey, that’s actually pretty good”.
Overall, Ghost in the Shell is one hell of a good-looking film. Couple this with impressive special effects and a rollercoaster ride of a story and you have a big screen experience that’s great for 106 minutes, but probably won’t have any lasting impact once the end credits roll.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/03/31/not-without-its-faults-ghost-in-the-shell-review/
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2336 KP) rated Killer Blonde (A Jaine Austen Mystery, #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-killer-blonde-by-laura.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The Bandersnatch (199 KP) rated Haunted London Underground in Books
Nov 7, 2019
I respect the Authors David Brandon and Alan Brooke for their dedication to the research of each underground station and ghost stories tied to them and putting the information in a coherent way of reading it.
Daniel Defoe's Railway Journey: A Surreal Odyssey Through Modern Britain
Book
Daniel Defoe's Railway Journeys describes the odyssey undertaken by two eccentric pensioners as they...
The X Podcast
Podcast
The X Podcast is a brand new show that shares true stories of shadowy figures, moving objects,...
The Black Reaper: Tales of Terror
Book
Capes' tales of terror show him at his best, and the stories revived by Hugh Lamb will delight all...
Erika (17789 KP) Dec 21, 2017