Search
Search results
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Surf's Up (2007) in Movies
Jul 28, 2018
Surprisingly Great
I feel like I'm fairly "In the Know" when it comes to films. I make it my business to know all the upcoming films, but this one definitely snuck under my radar even all these years later. A solid film for the entire family, I only wish I had caught this one sooner. It's the story of penguin Cody Maverick (Shia LaBeouf)and his journey to win top surfer at the World Surfing Championship in Hawaii.
Acting: 10
Great cast of voice actors led by LaBeouf. The voices breathe life into each character giving them their own flair. Jeff Bridges seems to always find a way to be the shining moment in almost every film he's in.
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Some of the best animation I have seen in film, hands down. The colors are bright and vivid, teeming with life. Where the visuals really shine are during the surfing scenes. There appears to be so much care that went into the water and wave animation and it pays off on screen. I can't wait to watch this film on a 4K television.
Conflict: 10
Genre: 8
Memorability: 6
Pace: 8
Plot: 10
If a penguin surfing isn't original enough for you, the story as a whole is enough to keep you entertained. Has there ever been an animated film about surfing period, let alone surfing animals? Not sure, but this film captured its essence well while respecting the sport.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 92
With a hilarious opener, classic characters, and Joe the Chicken (trust me, you'll love him), this film is a home run. Great movie for a family night.
Acting: 10
Great cast of voice actors led by LaBeouf. The voices breathe life into each character giving them their own flair. Jeff Bridges seems to always find a way to be the shining moment in almost every film he's in.
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Some of the best animation I have seen in film, hands down. The colors are bright and vivid, teeming with life. Where the visuals really shine are during the surfing scenes. There appears to be so much care that went into the water and wave animation and it pays off on screen. I can't wait to watch this film on a 4K television.
Conflict: 10
Genre: 8
Memorability: 6
Pace: 8
Plot: 10
If a penguin surfing isn't original enough for you, the story as a whole is enough to keep you entertained. Has there ever been an animated film about surfing period, let alone surfing animals? Not sure, but this film captured its essence well while respecting the sport.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 92
With a hilarious opener, classic characters, and Joe the Chicken (trust me, you'll love him), this film is a home run. Great movie for a family night.
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Kill List (2012) in Movies
Sep 7, 2018
Performances are strong (1 more)
Gruesome and Violent in a very effective way
The ending is very divisive (1 more)
Lots of elements are left unexplained
Intense, memorable but lacks clarity
Contains spoilers, click to show
Kill List is a very British Horror, that follows a clearly damaged ex-soldier that is drawn into the world of hit-men and assassinations in order to earn his way out of financial trouble.
Featuring a number of recognizable British tv actors, and a interesting edit style that chops out extraneous seconds here there and everywhere, often overlaying conversational narrative over a shot displaying a different scene, effectively giving you two informational elements at the same time.
It has some brutal violence, as the two hitman proceed to move down their list discovering generally bad people, which allows the viewer to avoid the moral conflict that might otherwise complicate the premise.
There are nods that the people hiring them know more than they are letting on, and the film builds to a slightly confusing crescendo with an ending similar to another very controversial horror film of recent years, that will shock some and disappoint others.
Overall it is an enjoyable but challenging film, that would have benefited from signposting a few more of the confusing elements more clearly, though the ending and its insinuations are more than likely intended to be of a vague and open nature by design.
Violent, upsetting and very dark in theme, Kill List is definitely a horror, and definitely not one for those of a weak constitution...it is flawed, and not a classic but it certainly is a solid choice for a rainy evening.
Featuring a number of recognizable British tv actors, and a interesting edit style that chops out extraneous seconds here there and everywhere, often overlaying conversational narrative over a shot displaying a different scene, effectively giving you two informational elements at the same time.
It has some brutal violence, as the two hitman proceed to move down their list discovering generally bad people, which allows the viewer to avoid the moral conflict that might otherwise complicate the premise.
There are nods that the people hiring them know more than they are letting on, and the film builds to a slightly confusing crescendo with an ending similar to another very controversial horror film of recent years, that will shock some and disappoint others.
Overall it is an enjoyable but challenging film, that would have benefited from signposting a few more of the confusing elements more clearly, though the ending and its insinuations are more than likely intended to be of a vague and open nature by design.
Violent, upsetting and very dark in theme, Kill List is definitely a horror, and definitely not one for those of a weak constitution...it is flawed, and not a classic but it certainly is a solid choice for a rainy evening.
Fun and great for trivia
I won an IOS App Store Voucher on a Smashbomb giveaway and I purchased the ultimate version of this app using this voucher. I also bought the extra question packs to make it a little more challenging.
I’m a sucker for quizzes and trivia. I love being able to prove my knowledge on topics (or for the most part proving how bad my general knowledge is!) and I can spend hours playing standard and app trivia games. The Chase is one of the better quiz shows on tv at the moment, and my family have quite a soft spot for it. Whenever I go round to my mums, we always have to take time out to watch it and usually end up shouting at the contestants for taking the lower offer...
The app does well to recreate the show. It’s always going to be difficult to exactly copy a quiz show that’s reliant on contestants knowing the answers in some of the rounds, but the app recreates these by giving you multiple choice. Whilst this should make it slightly easier, this isn’t always the case. The chase portion of the show itself is identical to the tv version and is done very well. It’s a very fun game to play, the only downside is that if you play it quite often or a lot, it doesn’t take long for some of the questions to seem familiar and repeat themselves, and it becomes less of a test of what you know, more what you can remember when you’ve answered the question before! But this is a fairly standard problem with all sorts of trivia games.
I’m a sucker for quizzes and trivia. I love being able to prove my knowledge on topics (or for the most part proving how bad my general knowledge is!) and I can spend hours playing standard and app trivia games. The Chase is one of the better quiz shows on tv at the moment, and my family have quite a soft spot for it. Whenever I go round to my mums, we always have to take time out to watch it and usually end up shouting at the contestants for taking the lower offer...
The app does well to recreate the show. It’s always going to be difficult to exactly copy a quiz show that’s reliant on contestants knowing the answers in some of the rounds, but the app recreates these by giving you multiple choice. Whilst this should make it slightly easier, this isn’t always the case. The chase portion of the show itself is identical to the tv version and is done very well. It’s a very fun game to play, the only downside is that if you play it quite often or a lot, it doesn’t take long for some of the questions to seem familiar and repeat themselves, and it becomes less of a test of what you know, more what you can remember when you’ve answered the question before! But this is a fairly standard problem with all sorts of trivia games.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Killing Eve in TV
Oct 22, 2018 (Updated Oct 22, 2018)
Good script (1 more)
Great cast
A Solid Spy Thriller With Laughs
Killing Eve is a BBC series based on the novel, 'Codename: Villianelle.' It stars Sandra Oh as Eve and Jodie Comer as Villianelle. Both are brilliant in their respective roles and are the main players in driving the show forward. They are supported by a very strong supporting cast as well, with everyone selling their character convincingly.
There are a few twists and turns that keep you guessing, but there are also a lot of spy story clichés present in the series. These aren't too offensive though, as I don't think that the show's main focus is to break the mould when it comes to spy thrillers, but instead to take its audience in an exciting espionage story while giving us some laughs along the way.
Speaking of which, the humour in this show doesn't take away from the gripping narrative, but instead adds to the show's charm. I will admit that it took me a while to get fully on-board with the show's off-kilter tone and quirky humour, but thankfully more of it lands than misses.
I am not familiar with the source material, so I am not sure how accurately it has been adapted. I don't even know if the novel contains the same odd tone or humour. It has intrigued me enough to go and read the book though, which is always a good sign.
Overall, this is a fun spy thriller. It is not going to break the rules of the genre, but it will keep you engaged throughout and give you a couple of laughs for good measure.
There are a few twists and turns that keep you guessing, but there are also a lot of spy story clichés present in the series. These aren't too offensive though, as I don't think that the show's main focus is to break the mould when it comes to spy thrillers, but instead to take its audience in an exciting espionage story while giving us some laughs along the way.
Speaking of which, the humour in this show doesn't take away from the gripping narrative, but instead adds to the show's charm. I will admit that it took me a while to get fully on-board with the show's off-kilter tone and quirky humour, but thankfully more of it lands than misses.
I am not familiar with the source material, so I am not sure how accurately it has been adapted. I don't even know if the novel contains the same odd tone or humour. It has intrigued me enough to go and read the book though, which is always a good sign.
Overall, this is a fun spy thriller. It is not going to break the rules of the genre, but it will keep you engaged throughout and give you a couple of laughs for good measure.
Debbie (52 KP) rated Glitter Bomb in Books
Nov 24, 2018
I received this book from GoodReads give away. I was actually surprised that I finally won a book from them. This book came out on the 2nd of October of 2018. I am a bit behind on giving a review on this book. I actually didn't finish this book until this month. It is considered a cozy mystery and usually they are quick reads for me but the last few months have been real busy for me and I am trying to play catch up.
I have read most of her other series called Cackleberry Club Mysteries. This is the first book from her New Orleans Scrapbooking Mystery series. I did enjoy this book even though it wasn't the first book. I was able to figure out who was who without too much trouble.
This takes place during Mardi Gras. Just before the big day during one of the many parades one of the floats explodes and kills someone. The main Characters Ex- Husband happens to be on this float so ends up being a suspect. He convinces her to help him out since she is engaged to the investigator.
She comes up with a whole lot of other people who could have wanted to kill the person who died.
I don't want to say too much about this book because it is a mystery and I don't want to give anything away. It is a good read and I recommend you read it. You might want to read the books in order so you can understand the main characters a little better but you really don't have to. I gave this book 4 stars.
I have read most of her other series called Cackleberry Club Mysteries. This is the first book from her New Orleans Scrapbooking Mystery series. I did enjoy this book even though it wasn't the first book. I was able to figure out who was who without too much trouble.
This takes place during Mardi Gras. Just before the big day during one of the many parades one of the floats explodes and kills someone. The main Characters Ex- Husband happens to be on this float so ends up being a suspect. He convinces her to help him out since she is engaged to the investigator.
She comes up with a whole lot of other people who could have wanted to kill the person who died.
I don't want to say too much about this book because it is a mystery and I don't want to give anything away. It is a good read and I recommend you read it. You might want to read the books in order so you can understand the main characters a little better but you really don't have to. I gave this book 4 stars.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Caught by Surprise (Apart From the Crowd, #3) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
This story may very well be my favorite of Jen Turano's to date. Temperance is my favorite wallflower. Her artistic abilities endear her to me in a special way. But beyond that, this story is so full of plot twists you will want to read this in one sitting. (Which is easier to do on audio for me.)
Gilbert Cavendish likes order and organization. He lives by his lists and well thought out plans. So when Temperance Flowerdew comes barreling back into his life, he is shaken to his core. Temperance Flowerdew is just the slightest bit stubborn. Which I, of course, can't relate to in the slightest...*cough*cough*...😏 She has survived so much heartache. By God's grace, she is finding life and purpose again. And oh! What a life it is! Full of color, love, spirit, and confidence.
There were numerous times while reading I was found laughing out loud and then gasping in shock then next minute, it's a wonder my husband doesn't think I'm crazy (well...we won't get into that). Jen Turano is by far one of the most talented authors that I know. To weave humor, romance, subterfuge, and danger so seamlessly is brilliant! Not to mention several twists that will catch you by surprise.
If you are looking for a good story that will give you laughs while giving you a grand adventure, you won't want to miss this book.
I received a complimentary copy of Caught by Surprise from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Gilbert Cavendish likes order and organization. He lives by his lists and well thought out plans. So when Temperance Flowerdew comes barreling back into his life, he is shaken to his core. Temperance Flowerdew is just the slightest bit stubborn. Which I, of course, can't relate to in the slightest...*cough*cough*...😏 She has survived so much heartache. By God's grace, she is finding life and purpose again. And oh! What a life it is! Full of color, love, spirit, and confidence.
There were numerous times while reading I was found laughing out loud and then gasping in shock then next minute, it's a wonder my husband doesn't think I'm crazy (well...we won't get into that). Jen Turano is by far one of the most talented authors that I know. To weave humor, romance, subterfuge, and danger so seamlessly is brilliant! Not to mention several twists that will catch you by surprise.
If you are looking for a good story that will give you laughs while giving you a grand adventure, you won't want to miss this book.
I received a complimentary copy of Caught by Surprise from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Innkeeper's Daughter (The Bow Street Runners #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
A story filled with intrigue, smugglers, ventriloquist, spies, romance, heartbreak, and a traitor. Travel back in time to 1808 in The Innkeepers Daughter.
This story has so many moving parts that you just want to keep reading to figure out WHAT IS GOING ON??? Also, there were several times our hero needed a good purse whomping. I absolutely LOVED this story. The romantic tension between Alex and Johanna...*whew*...And the climax of that tension in their kiss(es)...Make sure you keep a fainting couch nearby...and possible smelling salts.
The common thread throughout this story is all about giving over the control of our lives to God. It is easy to SAY that we trust God to see us through things...And yet we can still be found trying to fix all the little things that go wrong on our own...Trying to make it all better...in our own power. Instead of trusting for a door to open from God...we pry open the cellar door into destruction and chaos and say, "LOOK! I found a way!!! It isn't a GOOD way...but I did it ALL ON MY OWN!" Michelle Griep addresses the need to trust in our Lord so well. And it really rings true.
If you love a good romance that is clean and passionate, sprinkled with mystery and intrigue, this is definitely a book that you will enjoy!
I received a complimentary copy of The Innkeeper's Daughter from the publishers through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
This story has so many moving parts that you just want to keep reading to figure out WHAT IS GOING ON??? Also, there were several times our hero needed a good purse whomping. I absolutely LOVED this story. The romantic tension between Alex and Johanna...*whew*...And the climax of that tension in their kiss(es)...Make sure you keep a fainting couch nearby...and possible smelling salts.
The common thread throughout this story is all about giving over the control of our lives to God. It is easy to SAY that we trust God to see us through things...And yet we can still be found trying to fix all the little things that go wrong on our own...Trying to make it all better...in our own power. Instead of trusting for a door to open from God...we pry open the cellar door into destruction and chaos and say, "LOOK! I found a way!!! It isn't a GOOD way...but I did it ALL ON MY OWN!" Michelle Griep addresses the need to trust in our Lord so well. And it really rings true.
If you love a good romance that is clean and passionate, sprinkled with mystery and intrigue, this is definitely a book that you will enjoy!
I received a complimentary copy of The Innkeeper's Daughter from the publishers through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Bird Box (2018) in Movies
Jan 7, 2019 (Updated Jan 7, 2019)
Fantastic direction and cinematography, full of great shots (3 more)
Great ensemble cast
Vague enough to keep you guessing while still giving you enough to care about the players involved
Fantastic use of tension
The Movie That A Quiet Place Wishes It Was
For me, A Quiet Place was one of the biggest let downs of the year. I was so hyped based on the trailers beforehand and I was ultimately left extremely underwhelmed.
This movie hit the mark that A Quiet Place missed in my opinion and is an example of a stellar horror/thriller that does it's job of keeping it's audience on the edge of their seat throughout.
Sandra Bullock puts in one of the greatest performances of her career here and proves that her remarkably consistent career hasn't just happened by accident, she is an actress at the top of her game and has stood the test of time for a reason. The rest of the cast are also great, with Sarah Paulson, Trevante Rhodes, Tom Hollander and John Malkovich standing out as highlights.
I loved the way that the filmmakers built legitimate tension and dread without resorting to bog standard lazy modern horror techniques such as throwing in an abundance of jumpscares and hoping that at least a couple of them work. The movie does a fantastic job at keeping you the edge of your seat throughout and throwing in a few twists to keep the momentum going until the end.
I don't want to say too much more as you are best going into this movie as blind as possible (pun intended,) but it is a brilliant thriller that is definitely worth your time.
This movie hit the mark that A Quiet Place missed in my opinion and is an example of a stellar horror/thriller that does it's job of keeping it's audience on the edge of their seat throughout.
Sandra Bullock puts in one of the greatest performances of her career here and proves that her remarkably consistent career hasn't just happened by accident, she is an actress at the top of her game and has stood the test of time for a reason. The rest of the cast are also great, with Sarah Paulson, Trevante Rhodes, Tom Hollander and John Malkovich standing out as highlights.
I loved the way that the filmmakers built legitimate tension and dread without resorting to bog standard lazy modern horror techniques such as throwing in an abundance of jumpscares and hoping that at least a couple of them work. The movie does a fantastic job at keeping you the edge of your seat throughout and throwing in a few twists to keep the momentum going until the end.
I don't want to say too much more as you are best going into this movie as blind as possible (pun intended,) but it is a brilliant thriller that is definitely worth your time.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Love Don't Let Me Down by Bishara in Music
Jun 21, 2019
Bishara is a 16-year-old singer based in Linköping, Sweden. Not too long ago, he released a music video for his “Love Don’t Let Me Down” single.
“Never wanted to be friends. Never thought it could be more than stories when I saw it made no sense. Better safe than sorry. Didn’t want to play pretend. I stayed back hoping you’d ignore me. Now, I’m off the deep end. Oh, Lord have mercy.” – lyrics
‘Love Don’t Let Me Down’ tells an interesting tale of a young guy who is fearful of giving his heart to someone who he desires to be with.
Apparently, he’s seen a million hearts break before, so he doesn’t want that to happen to him. Later, he admits that he is ready for love if what he feels is considered real love.
‘Love Don’t Let Me Down’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and stripped instrumentation scented with sentimental elements.
Check out Bishara’s music video for his “Love Don’t Let Me Down (Remix)” single.
Not too long ago, Bishara competed in the Swedish Melodifestivalen with his second single, entitled, “On My Own”.
His performance in the TV Show was the first time he ever stood on a stage. In the end, he received an honorable second place in the competition.
Shortly afterward, the song went straight to #2 on the Swedish Spotify Top 50. Also, it was added on Sweden’s biggest radio channels and has today reached gold status.
Bishara’s latest performance was with Benjamin Ingrosso at Gröna Lund where they performed ‘On My Own’ in front of a crowd of 11,000 people.
“Never wanted to be friends. Never thought it could be more than stories when I saw it made no sense. Better safe than sorry. Didn’t want to play pretend. I stayed back hoping you’d ignore me. Now, I’m off the deep end. Oh, Lord have mercy.” – lyrics
‘Love Don’t Let Me Down’ tells an interesting tale of a young guy who is fearful of giving his heart to someone who he desires to be with.
Apparently, he’s seen a million hearts break before, so he doesn’t want that to happen to him. Later, he admits that he is ready for love if what he feels is considered real love.
‘Love Don’t Let Me Down’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and stripped instrumentation scented with sentimental elements.
Check out Bishara’s music video for his “Love Don’t Let Me Down (Remix)” single.
Not too long ago, Bishara competed in the Swedish Melodifestivalen with his second single, entitled, “On My Own”.
His performance in the TV Show was the first time he ever stood on a stage. In the end, he received an honorable second place in the competition.
Shortly afterward, the song went straight to #2 on the Swedish Spotify Top 50. Also, it was added on Sweden’s biggest radio channels and has today reached gold status.
Bishara’s latest performance was with Benjamin Ingrosso at Gröna Lund where they performed ‘On My Own’ in front of a crowd of 11,000 people.
James Koppert (2698 KP) rated The Porpoise in Books
Oct 30, 2019
Could have been so special
The Porpoise is a difficult book to review. It is indeed an accomplished piece of work, well written, engaging and very clever. It's just a little schizophrenic. The Porpoise is the name of a boat. Well not a boat, various boats throughout time. The book begins set in modern times with a plane crash leaving a very rich man with a daughter and no mother where an unhealthy relationship begins. This is a great engrossing story, brave and strong and you become completely invested in the story and characters and just as one of them boards a boat called the porpoise it becomes a retelling of the ancient story of Pericles, a story Shakespeare also retold, and its Shakespeare's retelling that in combined in future and past. Confused? You may be. And again, his retelling of Pericles set in ancient times is expertly done, bold, extravagant and inspired. It is just that, what happened to the girl from the plane crash, and now where has Pericles daughter got to...and...and...?
I have read all three of Haddon's novels, and he is a great storyteller and this novel just feels like an opportunity missed. It's not that it's badly done, and I am sure the critics adored it but in terms of being absorbed and invested in characters that just disappear as we disappear back in time and never really giving you the meat to any of their adventures to digest, it is a little like having a gourmet meal but not filling your tummy up enough to leave your stomach satisfied.
I have read all three of Haddon's novels, and he is a great storyteller and this novel just feels like an opportunity missed. It's not that it's badly done, and I am sure the critics adored it but in terms of being absorbed and invested in characters that just disappear as we disappear back in time and never really giving you the meat to any of their adventures to digest, it is a little like having a gourmet meal but not filling your tummy up enough to leave your stomach satisfied.