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Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Psycho (1960) in Movies
Jan 6, 2021
Contains spoilers, click to show
Ah Psycho, the granddaddy of slashers and a film that I find somehow modern and dated at the same time.
Psycho is a slow burn, at the beginning even the dialogue is sparse as the film builds up to the confrontations with Norman Bates (argued by most as the first modern slasher) and this is part of what makes it dated (and modern), the lack of action and the main character driving around gives Psycho the feel of something that Tarantino might make but it lacks 'something' . It's hard to explain but, by todays standards, parts of Psycho are a bit bland, not necessarily boring but bland. The best example I can think would be the scenes in the car, Psycho has just one character in the car who is imagining what others are saying about her and lots of silence which are filled with dramatic music, where as something like Pulp Fiction you get two characters who are just talking, the music seems to take you out of the situation because, in a modern film it would just be in the background.
As the film progresses we start to pick up on some of the slasher tropes, Norman is strange, again we can't quite explain why but that is sometimes the same in a modern film, we see him spy, once, on Marion and, in a more modern film this would probably be stretched out a bit more.
The kills aren't actually as graphic as most modern day slashers but this doesn't matter as Hitchcock has a talent for making the viewer see what he wants and not just what is happening.
The character of Norman is quite interesting but a lot of 'fleshing out' is just told to the viewer in exposition near the end, however you can see how Norman/Mother could easily be an inspiration for the Jason/Pamela dynamic in the first 'Friday 13th'
Psycho has a lot to answer for, sighted by many as the first modern 'Slasher' movie it caused an uproar for other reasons, the first time a toilet was seen flushing on screen, the first time a 'Leading Lady' was killed off halfway through the film (still a slight oddity now as we normally have one 'final girl') and the fact that the stolen money is just thrown away when it is no longer needed to push the plot along. It is these firsts that help to make the film feel dated, we are used to more graphic kills, toilets are almost irrelevant and there is normally more nudity/sex in a modern slasher.
Apart from being a little dated Psycho is a pretty good and entertain film which has put some thought into it's story and characters
Psycho is a slow burn, at the beginning even the dialogue is sparse as the film builds up to the confrontations with Norman Bates (argued by most as the first modern slasher) and this is part of what makes it dated (and modern), the lack of action and the main character driving around gives Psycho the feel of something that Tarantino might make but it lacks 'something' . It's hard to explain but, by todays standards, parts of Psycho are a bit bland, not necessarily boring but bland. The best example I can think would be the scenes in the car, Psycho has just one character in the car who is imagining what others are saying about her and lots of silence which are filled with dramatic music, where as something like Pulp Fiction you get two characters who are just talking, the music seems to take you out of the situation because, in a modern film it would just be in the background.
As the film progresses we start to pick up on some of the slasher tropes, Norman is strange, again we can't quite explain why but that is sometimes the same in a modern film, we see him spy, once, on Marion and, in a more modern film this would probably be stretched out a bit more.
The kills aren't actually as graphic as most modern day slashers but this doesn't matter as Hitchcock has a talent for making the viewer see what he wants and not just what is happening.
The character of Norman is quite interesting but a lot of 'fleshing out' is just told to the viewer in exposition near the end, however you can see how Norman/Mother could easily be an inspiration for the Jason/Pamela dynamic in the first 'Friday 13th'
Psycho has a lot to answer for, sighted by many as the first modern 'Slasher' movie it caused an uproar for other reasons, the first time a toilet was seen flushing on screen, the first time a 'Leading Lady' was killed off halfway through the film (still a slight oddity now as we normally have one 'final girl') and the fact that the stolen money is just thrown away when it is no longer needed to push the plot along. It is these firsts that help to make the film feel dated, we are used to more graphic kills, toilets are almost irrelevant and there is normally more nudity/sex in a modern slasher.
Apart from being a little dated Psycho is a pretty good and entertain film which has put some thought into it's story and characters
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Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Hacksaw Ridge (2016) in Movies
Nov 26, 2017
Vivid and brutal
I usually can't stomach war movies or Mel Gibson, but the story of Desmond Doss is an incredible one to behold. Doss is the only conscientious objector during the Second World War to have received America's top military award - the Medal of Honor. His refusal to bear arms gained him notoriety during training, being bullied by his commanding sergeants and fellow soldiers. But at the brutal battle in Hacksaw Ridge against the Japanese, Doss single-handedly went back into a warzone retrieving 75 injured soldiers, at a time when all hope was thought to be lost.
The film itself is in two halves. The first part is a little saccharine, portraying Doss as an innocent doe-eyed boy trailing a beautiful nurse who ends up becoming his wife. At the same time, his father, a tortured military man, is seen as abusive after witnessing horrors in France. Director Mel Gibson tries to connect this relationship to why Doss may not be keen on weapons. Overall, the war scenes are well-shot, extremely graphic to the point it is a completely immersive experience. If Gibson made the first half a little less Hollywood, it would be a skilfully made film. The best part by far is the end where you get to meet the real hero Doss speaking about his experiences. A harrowing watch.
The film itself is in two halves. The first part is a little saccharine, portraying Doss as an innocent doe-eyed boy trailing a beautiful nurse who ends up becoming his wife. At the same time, his father, a tortured military man, is seen as abusive after witnessing horrors in France. Director Mel Gibson tries to connect this relationship to why Doss may not be keen on weapons. Overall, the war scenes are well-shot, extremely graphic to the point it is a completely immersive experience. If Gibson made the first half a little less Hollywood, it would be a skilfully made film. The best part by far is the end where you get to meet the real hero Doss speaking about his experiences. A harrowing watch.
tapestry100 (306 KP) rated Angel Catbird, Volume 1 in Books
Aug 2, 2017
This is an unfortunate disappointment for me. I haven't read much of Atwood, but I'm familiar with her and her significance as an author so I was more than intrigued by the idea of a graphic novel written by her. Well, imagine my disappointment in what she gave us: from her rather self-serving foreword, where in the first paragraph she reminds us that she is “an award-winning nice literary old lady” and then goes on to great lengths about her lifelong interest in comics, to the flat story that is nothing but one overused superhero trope and bad pun after another, to the lackluster art (sorry, but Johnnie Christmas' art just didn't save this enough for me), to the interjected facts about the number of cat and bird deaths in Canada, the US, and the UK that occur each year, I was shocked that this got published. I would assume that had anyone other that Margaret Atwood presented this project, it would have been shot down. This is nothing to me but a vanity project and one that I just can't see myself continuing. The only reason I can't give it 1 star is because it is Margaret Atwood, after all, and it seems sacrilegious to do so.
Midge (525 KP) rated Star Collector Volume 1 in Books
Feb 23, 2019
Great Story And Fantastic Artwork!
This is the first time I have read any Manga and this particular comic/graphic appealed to me because of the fascinating description and I wanted to try something new that sounded entertaining.
I am very glad I chose “Star Collector” because it was so enjoyable to read. I think it was a great first choice for trying this genre because it had a straightforward story-line, which made it no bother for me to master the Manga style which needs to be read from right to left.
For me, the story was tender and sweet and the artwork was absolutely gorgeous. I could feel the characters’ emotions and each one had their own individuality and distinctiveness.
I can’t say much else on the quality of the artwork since I am not at all artistic but I did appreciate how the story progressed through the artwork as well as the dialogue.
I will definitely be reading Volume 2 in this series to see how their relationship progresses.
I would recommend this story to anyone who wants to try Manga and is after a quick and light-hearted read.
{Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
I am very glad I chose “Star Collector” because it was so enjoyable to read. I think it was a great first choice for trying this genre because it had a straightforward story-line, which made it no bother for me to master the Manga style which needs to be read from right to left.
For me, the story was tender and sweet and the artwork was absolutely gorgeous. I could feel the characters’ emotions and each one had their own individuality and distinctiveness.
I can’t say much else on the quality of the artwork since I am not at all artistic but I did appreciate how the story progressed through the artwork as well as the dialogue.
I will definitely be reading Volume 2 in this series to see how their relationship progresses.
I would recommend this story to anyone who wants to try Manga and is after a quick and light-hearted read.
{Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
MasterSolace (19 KP) rated Mega Man 11 in Video Games
May 30, 2019
It's Mega Man. (4 more)
Old school with new school graphics
The stages are twice as long as normal
Double Gear gives you options
New Weapons change Mega Man's appearance physically
Double Gear makes me LONG for a Mega Man X9(Capcom!!!!) (1 more)
Some of the Robot Master boss fights are stranger than they should be.
Somehow old school is new(Switch)
Mega Man 11. The 11th true entry into the Blue Bomber's flagship series.
After 9 and 10 going back to the EXTREME difficulty and the 8-bit graphic, Capcom decided to show Mighty No. 9 how it SHOULD be done.
The Double Gear system changes things up. One Gear allows you to slow time down, great for precision jumps. The other Powers up your weapons, like the X-Buster upgrade in the X series. Makes me wonder why they didn't make Mega Man X9(CAPCOM!!!!!!). The stages are twice as long as normal, so that is actually really cool. And the boss fights are VERY diverse, so much so going into the first one, you think the others will be similar, but they aren't... which isn't a BAD thing. But it mimics the changes in the boss fights from X8(CAPCOM!!!!!!!!!!)
Mega Man 11 rekindles my love for the core series, but MAKES ME WANT MEGA MAN X9 THAT MUCH MORE!!!!
And it scratch the itch.
After 9 and 10 going back to the EXTREME difficulty and the 8-bit graphic, Capcom decided to show Mighty No. 9 how it SHOULD be done.
The Double Gear system changes things up. One Gear allows you to slow time down, great for precision jumps. The other Powers up your weapons, like the X-Buster upgrade in the X series. Makes me wonder why they didn't make Mega Man X9(CAPCOM!!!!!!). The stages are twice as long as normal, so that is actually really cool. And the boss fights are VERY diverse, so much so going into the first one, you think the others will be similar, but they aren't... which isn't a BAD thing. But it mimics the changes in the boss fights from X8(CAPCOM!!!!!!!!!!)
Mega Man 11 rekindles my love for the core series, but MAKES ME WANT MEGA MAN X9 THAT MUCH MORE!!!!
And it scratch the itch.
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated Upgrade (2018) in Movies
Jun 15, 2018
The best William Gibson movie not written by William Gibson
My boyfriend and I saw this the other day, and I can't believe how poorly it's doing at the box office! This was a great movie. The feel of it was very cyberpunky, but not so in-your-face as the very awful Ghost in the Shell adaptation. Leigh Whannell directed and produced, so it has some of the same Saw graphic violence, which I think sits well with the cyberpunk genre. The entire concept is based around human and machine adaptation, and where the line should be drawn--or rather, the dangers of letting it go too far.
The atmosphere is really well developed: we see the poor parts of the city being grungy and dangerous, while the upper crust benefits from the best technology. Almost all humans have been modified in some way, except for our protagonist. In the beginning, anyway. Anyone who has watched the trailers knows that he becomes paralyzed, and then his spinal cord is "reattached" using Stem, a "widget" that allows his brain to communicate with his limbs. It also makes him a ninja.
But that's not really the core of the story. At its heart, Upgrade is a mystery wrapped in a cautionary tale. I'll take this over Johnny Mnemonic any day.
The atmosphere is really well developed: we see the poor parts of the city being grungy and dangerous, while the upper crust benefits from the best technology. Almost all humans have been modified in some way, except for our protagonist. In the beginning, anyway. Anyone who has watched the trailers knows that he becomes paralyzed, and then his spinal cord is "reattached" using Stem, a "widget" that allows his brain to communicate with his limbs. It also makes him a ninja.
But that's not really the core of the story. At its heart, Upgrade is a mystery wrapped in a cautionary tale. I'll take this over Johnny Mnemonic any day.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Chasing Darkness in Books
Aug 18, 2018
Cole’s Latest Client – His Reputation
When the body of Lionel Byrd is found in his rental house, the police also find a photo album with pictures of murder victims. One of those victims was someone that Lionel had been arrested for killing three years ago, and Elvis Cole was hired by his defense attorney to help get him off. Elvis did thanks to an ironclad alibi. Was Elvis wrong then? Or is something else going on now?
This is a compelling case that moves quickly from one plot point to another. I followed Elvis down a couple of blind allies and wrong turns before he figured things out. While we don’t get all the answers we might like, the book isn’t set up to give them to us. However, the conclusion is still satisfying. The characters we meet here are strong. This is really Elvis’ story, so we don’t see too much of his partner Joe Pike. Another couple of regulars appear here, and they are definitely the best versions of themselves. Do take the title of the book seriously; some of what we learn along the way is more graphic than I felt it needed to be, and we don’t get as much of Elvis’ trademark wit here. Still, this was a book well worth reading.
This is a compelling case that moves quickly from one plot point to another. I followed Elvis down a couple of blind allies and wrong turns before he figured things out. While we don’t get all the answers we might like, the book isn’t set up to give them to us. However, the conclusion is still satisfying. The characters we meet here are strong. This is really Elvis’ story, so we don’t see too much of his partner Joe Pike. Another couple of regulars appear here, and they are definitely the best versions of themselves. Do take the title of the book seriously; some of what we learn along the way is more graphic than I felt it needed to be, and we don’t get as much of Elvis’ trademark wit here. Still, this was a book well worth reading.
Mini (45 KP) rated Jonathan (2018) in Movies
Jun 17, 2019 (Updated Jun 17, 2019)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Hey friends, this is a review of "Jonathan" also entitled "Duplicate" in other countries. It is a movie about D.I.D though it is referred to as 'multi-consciousness' in the movie. The movie is about the lives of two alters, Jonathan and John, brothers who share the same body. It follows their struggle to live the lives they want whilst sharing a body. As someone who has a friend with DID I thought I'd check out this film that I found on Netflix. While there are some very relatable moments in the film, it has a bittersweet ending that doesn't represent the reality of DID at all! For example, in the film, Jonathan discusses the 'removal'/death of alters. This can't happen with DID. Sure, alters can go 'dormant' which means they just don't front, but alters cannot 'die'.
For those with DID the triggers in this film are as follows: medical/hospital scenes, manipulation by a bad doctor/psychiatrist, brief mentions of sexual situations. There are also a few scenes involving self-harm, suicide attempts and urges, graphic self-removal of a brain implant/chip, gaps in memory, rapid switching, and the threat of suicide from an alter.
This film has a few good indications of DID but is sensationalised and gives the wrong impression. But hey, at least they aren't depicted as serial killers!!!
For those with DID the triggers in this film are as follows: medical/hospital scenes, manipulation by a bad doctor/psychiatrist, brief mentions of sexual situations. There are also a few scenes involving self-harm, suicide attempts and urges, graphic self-removal of a brain implant/chip, gaps in memory, rapid switching, and the threat of suicide from an alter.
This film has a few good indications of DID but is sensationalised and gives the wrong impression. But hey, at least they aren't depicted as serial killers!!!
Often cited as one of the most influential comic-books/graphic novels, alongside the likes of [b:V for Vendetta|5805|V for Vendetta|Alan Moore|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1343668985s/5805.jpg|392838]'V for Vendetta' and [b:Batman: The Dark Knight Returns|59960|Batman The Dark Knight Returns (The Dark Knight Saga, #1)|Frank Miller|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327892039s/59960.jpg|1104159]'The Dark Knight Returns', this was, if I'm honest, one such that I'd never even heard of until the 2009 movie of the same name.
Set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superhero's are (were) real but have since been outlawed, there's a definite argument to be made that this would inspire the Pixar film The Incredibles: family drama, costumed superheroes coming out of retirement, conspiracies afoot ... see what I mean?
But whereas The Incredibles is aimed at a family audience, this is anything but: violent throughout, slow (at times seemingly glacial) moving and even dealing with the effects of (and fallout from) rape, this is definitely not one for the younger reader!
On the plus side, it does have a stunningly realised world alongside a compelling backstory to several of the characters: like several other literary classics, this is one that I can now say that I've read but wouldn't really be rushing back to do so again anytime soon.
Set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superhero's are (were) real but have since been outlawed, there's a definite argument to be made that this would inspire the Pixar film The Incredibles: family drama, costumed superheroes coming out of retirement, conspiracies afoot ... see what I mean?
But whereas The Incredibles is aimed at a family audience, this is anything but: violent throughout, slow (at times seemingly glacial) moving and even dealing with the effects of (and fallout from) rape, this is definitely not one for the younger reader!
On the plus side, it does have a stunningly realised world alongside a compelling backstory to several of the characters: like several other literary classics, this is one that I can now say that I've read but wouldn't really be rushing back to do so again anytime soon.