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Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated V for Vendetta in Books
Jul 10, 2018
I picked up V for Vendetta because my book club wanted to read it. I will admit, graphic novels are not my usual flavor, but every now and then it is nice to have something new. I tend to like reading books without having to analyze the photos. I like having more detail in the writing itself. With graphic novels, the pictures are the details. This can be great and I love the additional media but I found it a little lacking.
<blockquote> ÛÏEverybody is special. Everybody. Everybody is a hero, a lover, a fool, a villain. Everybody.Û </blockquote>
Ultimately, I want to read the details and not have to scour a picture for them. The artwork was beautiful in a grungy way. David LloydÛªs talent really did captivate me. But, I also found the artwork frustrating at times. When reading/viewing this graphic novel I found that the facial expressions were sometimes too similar to pick out. Someone could be crying in despair or screaming in rage, and it looked nearly identical. Also, there were some characters that just seemed to blend together. I discussed this book with the rest of the book club and we all tended to agree that the characters were too similar in their appearance. One member blended two characters together. Looking back at the novel, I definitely understand where he was coming from. I even had some problems interpreting one of the characters. I actually thought that one of the wives was the mother. I was quite surprised (I almost spit out my coffee) when there was a sexual scene between the mother and the sonÛ_ luckily, I went back in the novel and realized that she was the wife.
<blockquote> ÛÏThey made you into a victim, Evey. They made you into a statistic. But thatÛªs not the real you. ThatÛªs not who you are inside.Û </blockquote>
What I really liked about V for Vendetta was the fact that it was different from my typical books. The book was very political. I found it fascinating to see MilgramÛªs study discussed along with the concept of happiness. There were many times that I took a picture of the page so that I wouldnÛªt forget a certain passage. I also really loved the concepts of the book. I found myself enthralled by the thoughts and ideas in regards to social standing, political ideas, and the dystopian ideals that were present. I do wish that they would have continued with some of them. One amazing member of the Denver Coffeehouse Book Club summed up my frustrations about this beautifully: ÛÏThatÛªs a great conceptÛ_ *Shrug*Û. It seemed like every time Alan Moore and David Lloyd came up with a great idea they just shrugged and left it hanging in the air, leaving the reader with the hope that they might revisit it laterÛ_ *Spoiler* later never came.
<blockquote> ÛÏHappiness is the most insidious prison of all.Û </blockquote>
All in all, I enjoyed V for Vendetta and I will most likely read it again. ItÛªs like a cup of gas station coffee that you add a cinnamon stick to in hopes that the flavor may change. I liked the plot, the ideas, the concepts, but I do wish that the concepts were more flushed out. It seemed that they had great ideas that they just didnÛªt follow through with. Perhaps that was part of their ultimate concept. They could have wanted the reader to explore their own thoughts and draw their own conclusions. Ultimately, I found the graphic novel form fascinating, beautiful, and at times quite frustrating. It was great, just not my usual flavor.
<blockquote> ÛÏEverybody is special. Everybody. Everybody is a hero, a lover, a fool, a villain. Everybody.Û </blockquote>
Ultimately, I want to read the details and not have to scour a picture for them. The artwork was beautiful in a grungy way. David LloydÛªs talent really did captivate me. But, I also found the artwork frustrating at times. When reading/viewing this graphic novel I found that the facial expressions were sometimes too similar to pick out. Someone could be crying in despair or screaming in rage, and it looked nearly identical. Also, there were some characters that just seemed to blend together. I discussed this book with the rest of the book club and we all tended to agree that the characters were too similar in their appearance. One member blended two characters together. Looking back at the novel, I definitely understand where he was coming from. I even had some problems interpreting one of the characters. I actually thought that one of the wives was the mother. I was quite surprised (I almost spit out my coffee) when there was a sexual scene between the mother and the sonÛ_ luckily, I went back in the novel and realized that she was the wife.
<blockquote> ÛÏThey made you into a victim, Evey. They made you into a statistic. But thatÛªs not the real you. ThatÛªs not who you are inside.Û </blockquote>
What I really liked about V for Vendetta was the fact that it was different from my typical books. The book was very political. I found it fascinating to see MilgramÛªs study discussed along with the concept of happiness. There were many times that I took a picture of the page so that I wouldnÛªt forget a certain passage. I also really loved the concepts of the book. I found myself enthralled by the thoughts and ideas in regards to social standing, political ideas, and the dystopian ideals that were present. I do wish that they would have continued with some of them. One amazing member of the Denver Coffeehouse Book Club summed up my frustrations about this beautifully: ÛÏThatÛªs a great conceptÛ_ *Shrug*Û. It seemed like every time Alan Moore and David Lloyd came up with a great idea they just shrugged and left it hanging in the air, leaving the reader with the hope that they might revisit it laterÛ_ *Spoiler* later never came.
<blockquote> ÛÏHappiness is the most insidious prison of all.Û </blockquote>
All in all, I enjoyed V for Vendetta and I will most likely read it again. ItÛªs like a cup of gas station coffee that you add a cinnamon stick to in hopes that the flavor may change. I liked the plot, the ideas, the concepts, but I do wish that the concepts were more flushed out. It seemed that they had great ideas that they just didnÛªt follow through with. Perhaps that was part of their ultimate concept. They could have wanted the reader to explore their own thoughts and draw their own conclusions. Ultimately, I found the graphic novel form fascinating, beautiful, and at times quite frustrating. It was great, just not my usual flavor.
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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Hacksaw Ridge (2016) in Movies
Dec 6, 2017
Good but too Hollywood-ised
This is yet another true life story I've never heard about until watching the film, but its a fascinating and harrowing story.
Andrew Garfield gives a great performance as Desmond, and his story is truly an intriguing one. The second half of the film during the actual war was very well done, it seemed very realistic and graphic without being too ott gory. And the documentary footage at the end of the real Desmond Does nearly had me in tears.
The main problem is this film has been Hollywood-ised, with over the top and out of place acting from some actors (my other half pointed this out early on and it was something I couldn't then unsee!) to irritating slow motion and patchy CGI. If they could just tell the real story without embellishing, it'd be so much better.
Andrew Garfield gives a great performance as Desmond, and his story is truly an intriguing one. The second half of the film during the actual war was very well done, it seemed very realistic and graphic without being too ott gory. And the documentary footage at the end of the real Desmond Does nearly had me in tears.
The main problem is this film has been Hollywood-ised, with over the top and out of place acting from some actors (my other half pointed this out early on and it was something I couldn't then unsee!) to irritating slow motion and patchy CGI. If they could just tell the real story without embellishing, it'd be so much better.
Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) in Movies
Jul 20, 2017
Taron Egerton Excels in the Lead Role (3 more)
Samuel Jackson Makes a Memorable Villain
Stylized Action & Humor Abounds
Intriguing, Well-Written Story
R-Rated Homage to Classic James Bond
If you've ever thought that only problem with James Bond is a lack of black humor and bloody violence, then Kingsman: The Secret Service. Essentially, it does for the spy genre what Kick-Ass did for the superhero genre (oddly enough, Mark Strong stars in both movies). It's a wild and very fun ride; each scene feels fun and exciting. One in particular is most memorable to me, where graphic violence is used to an extreme inside a Westboro Baptist-type Church. I do feel a bit bad for anyone drawn in by the promise of Colin Firth alone though (particularly older folks), they may be more than a little shocked by what they witness.
SummerLGrant (185 KP) rated The Limehouse Golem (2016) in Movies
Sep 10, 2017
Fantastic Victorian thriller
If you go in wanting to be blindsided about who did it then you're going to be disappointed, it's pretty obvious straight away who the Limehouse Golem is. Other than that this is a gripping film exploring the dregs of society in Victorian London as two cases come together for Scotland Yard's John Kildare (Bill Nighy) and George Flood (Daniel Mays). The story is constantly bubbling beneath the surface and as it rushes towards its conclusion the violence and gore gets more and more graphic, a lot of it doesn't add anything to the story but the dramatics of it does put the state of mind of the murderer into context.
Olivia Cooke, who plays Lizzie Cree a woman on trial for the murder of her husband, is fantastic in the role and has really put on display how good an actress she is.
Olivia Cooke, who plays Lizzie Cree a woman on trial for the murder of her husband, is fantastic in the role and has really put on display how good an actress she is.
A really good start to a new series!
I thoroughly enjoyed this and read it over two days, not actually wanting to put it down!
Danny Sanchez is a reporter working in Spain for an ex-Pats newspaper, and by chance finds himself investigating a murder. It’s paced really well, it isn’t bogged down in detail - but there is enough to keep your interest. The murders are pretty macabre, and Danny is clearly traumatised by having seen one of them. I didn’t think it was gratuitously graphic though.
I really liked the character of Danny - he’s very likeable, and I would be interested to read more books in the series.
And a rather unexpected ending after we were kept guessing at the identity of the murderer. It was definitely worth it though.
Many thanks to Sapere Books for my copy of this to read and review!
Danny Sanchez is a reporter working in Spain for an ex-Pats newspaper, and by chance finds himself investigating a murder. It’s paced really well, it isn’t bogged down in detail - but there is enough to keep your interest. The murders are pretty macabre, and Danny is clearly traumatised by having seen one of them. I didn’t think it was gratuitously graphic though.
I really liked the character of Danny - he’s very likeable, and I would be interested to read more books in the series.
And a rather unexpected ending after we were kept guessing at the identity of the murderer. It was definitely worth it though.
Many thanks to Sapere Books for my copy of this to read and review!
Awix (3310 KP) rated Capernaum (2018) in Movies
Mar 21, 2019 (Updated Mar 21, 2019)
Astoundingly powerful and almost unbearably bleak social-realist drama from Lebanon. A young boy, in prison for a violent crime, takes his parents to court to sue them for giving birth to him. What has led him to this point? The film tells the story.
Basically a succession of horrors - never especially graphic, but relentless in its detail of the tribulations faced by the boy and those around him as they slip through the cracks of society. It probably sounds unwatchable, and it's not the kind of film you skip away from whistling, but it draws you in thanks to a near-total lack of sentimentality and a remarkable performance from 12-year-old Zain Al Rafeea as the main character. Makes Roma look very precious, dainty and bloodless; I'm not in a hurry to watch this film again, but I'm glad I did.
Basically a succession of horrors - never especially graphic, but relentless in its detail of the tribulations faced by the boy and those around him as they slip through the cracks of society. It probably sounds unwatchable, and it's not the kind of film you skip away from whistling, but it draws you in thanks to a near-total lack of sentimentality and a remarkable performance from 12-year-old Zain Al Rafeea as the main character. Makes Roma look very precious, dainty and bloodless; I'm not in a hurry to watch this film again, but I'm glad I did.
Rickey A. Mossow Jr. (689 KP) rated The Perfection (2019) in Movies
Jun 1, 2019
Allison Williams commands every scene, (1 more)
Well-paced.
Allison Williams is captivating and propels this film.
Watched this trailer a few times, and just from that, I wasn't sure if I wanted to see this movie. But I decided to take a leap of faith and watch it. Firstly, Allison Williams is incredible. Visually captivating, she commands every scene she's in and pulls you into each one. Beautifully paced, the film grabs you early on and doesn't let you go. The sexual encounter/musical performance scene early on is truly art and beautifully done. Everything is graphic and visceral, not allowing you the opportunity to alleviate the pressure of the gore and violence, nor the underlying messages of the film. Filled with enough twists to keep you guessing until the bloody end, I think this was one of Netflix's best efforts to date.
David McK (3372 KP) rated Batman: Arkham Origins in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Hmmm … what to make of this?
I picked this up on a whim when I spotted it on sale in a local 'Works' (basically, bargain books) shop, with fond memories of playing the game on which it is based.
I thought it would be, basically, a comic/graphic novel retelling the plot of that game.
I was wrong.
A few pages into this, I realised it's actually a 'Choose-your-own-adventure' style of story, set (as the name suggest) back at the very start of Batman's career as a vigilante crime-fighter, with little-to-no links to that console game.
It was interesting for a diversion, however it did only take a couple of attempts to reach the 'good' ending (and even that was not that great), after a few dead-ends.
An interesting experiment, maybe, but nothing to set the world alight.
I picked this up on a whim when I spotted it on sale in a local 'Works' (basically, bargain books) shop, with fond memories of playing the game on which it is based.
I thought it would be, basically, a comic/graphic novel retelling the plot of that game.
I was wrong.
A few pages into this, I realised it's actually a 'Choose-your-own-adventure' style of story, set (as the name suggest) back at the very start of Batman's career as a vigilante crime-fighter, with little-to-no links to that console game.
It was interesting for a diversion, however it did only take a couple of attempts to reach the 'good' ending (and even that was not that great), after a few dead-ends.
An interesting experiment, maybe, but nothing to set the world alight.
David McK (3372 KP) rated Superman: Birthright in Books
Jan 30, 2019
It's funny, but while - like, I'm sure, most people out there - I may know (of) the origin of the Man of Steel, I've never actually seeing it written down anywhere.
Thinking about it, I think that knowledge comes from the Christopher Reeve Superman films, and the more recent TV series Smallville.
That TV series was still running when this graphic novel series was released.
This goes back to Superman's earliest days in Metropolis, with a brief flash-back to his high school Smallville days, to present a new take on the origin of the character - Jimmy Olsen? Check. Ma and Pa Kent? Check. Perry White? Check. Lois Lane? Check. Lex Luthor? Also check!
As such, I found this an interesting take on the character, with some dynamic action sequences and some stand-out visuals (Clark Kent soaring over a herd of stampeding Zebra's, for instance).
Thinking about it, I think that knowledge comes from the Christopher Reeve Superman films, and the more recent TV series Smallville.
That TV series was still running when this graphic novel series was released.
This goes back to Superman's earliest days in Metropolis, with a brief flash-back to his high school Smallville days, to present a new take on the origin of the character - Jimmy Olsen? Check. Ma and Pa Kent? Check. Perry White? Check. Lois Lane? Check. Lex Luthor? Also check!
As such, I found this an interesting take on the character, with some dynamic action sequences and some stand-out visuals (Clark Kent soaring over a herd of stampeding Zebra's, for instance).