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    Dungeon Survival

    Dungeon Survival

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    [*] Game Features ·Randomly generated cave levels provide a different game experience every time! ...

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David McK (3425 KP) rated Star Trek (2009) in Movies

Aug 23, 2020 (Updated Jan 22, 2023)  
Star Trek (2009)
Star Trek (2009)
2009 | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
JJ Abrams prepares for Star Wars
"Space. The Final Frontier. These are the voyages ..."

2009 big screen reimagining of the iconic 60s TV series, and I use that as the touchpoint deliberately: we're back to a (recast) Kirk and co instead of the Next Generation crew, or even those from Voyager/Enterprise/Discovery.

In retrospect, it also somewhat comes across as director JJ Abrams pitch for making a Star Wars movie: this is also lens flare and slow motion, with the action ramped up considerably from the TV series or even most of the previous movies. it's also the first of the three Kelvin-verse Star Trek movies: I'm unsure whether we'll get any more in that timeline, what with the tragic death of some of the (young) key actors - I'm looking at you, Anton Yelchin (Chekov) - and with others of the cast moving on to other bigger (?) sci-fi things - yep, that's you Zoe Saldana (Uhura).

The plot, as alluded to above, involves time travel, with the events thus kicking off an entire new timeline, that here sees Chris Pine taking on the role of James T Kirk - initially introduced as a kid, driving his step fathers classic car off a cliff (talk about setting out your stall early!) - and Zachary Quinto (then more famous as the villain Sylar from TVs 'Heroes') talking on the role of a younger Spock.

Most of the cast, I felt, was pretty much spot on - the only one that really rubbed me up the wrong way was Simon Pegg as Scotty, although even he grew on me a bit (I'm also not entirely sold on the aesthetics of the USS Enterprise here - more like USS Chibiprise!). We also have the 'passing of the torch' (as it were) from one character to another, with the inclusion of a certain key half-human actor who will forever be associated with that role ...
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated The Truth We Hide in Books

Apr 12, 2023 (Updated Apr 12, 2023)  
The Truth We Hide
The Truth We Hide
Liz Milliron | 2023 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Betty Searches for the Truth About Her New Client
It’s May 1943, and Betty Ahern has quit her job at Bell Aircraft to pursue her dream of becoming a private investigator. She’s still studying for her license, but she’s been hired by Edward Kettle to find out who got him fired from his job at American Shipbuilding. Supposedly, he leaked secrets to a reporter, but he claims he is innocent. Then, the next morning, Betty learns that Edward was murdered during the night. It’s only then that Betty learns Edward was a homosexual. Was that the motive for his murder? Or was it something else?

The series has taken a step away from the initial premise, but it is a natural step thanks to the growth we’ve been seeing in Betty. And I also appreciate how it allows Betty to focus on the case, which keeps the pacing strong. There are plenty of suspects who could have done it. I figured it out, but only a few pages before Betty made the same deduction I did. I did miss the supporting characters, who take a back seat here, but Betty is still a great main character, and the suspects are good. I was worried that this book was going to turn into a lecture, but I didn’t find any anachronistic attitudes when it comes to Edward. We do see plenty of negative attitudes, but they are treated as they should be without feeling out of character for our heroes or the time. There are a couple of interesting threads introduced here, and I can’t wait to see if they are continued in future books. As always, the period came fully to life as I read. If you are looking for a strong historical series, be sure to pick this one up. If you are new to the series, you are in for a treat.
  
    Wonder Book

    Wonder Book

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    Tabletop Game

    Oniria — the world of an ancient dragon civilization. Tales describe the land as an idyllic...

Lake Placid (1999)
Lake Placid (1999)
1999 | Action, Comedy, Horror
Betty White Steals This Film
I have to admit, I actually saw LAKE PLACID in the movie theaters when it came out in 1999. I am a huge JAWS fan and am a sucker for any film that takes the elements of Jaws (or some of them, anyway) and tries to rip-off that classic film.

And, that is what Lake Placid does (is). It’s “Jaws with a Crocodile”. The residents of Black Lake are being picked off one-by-one by a killer croc and a ragtag group of heroes put aside their differences to save the day.

The “ragtag group” features an a few “B-Listers” (at the time) and one “up-and-comer”. Bill Pullman (fresh off INDEPENDENCE DAY) scores a lead role while Bridget Fonda (beginning to fade from view) is the “femme-fatale” and character actor Oliver Platt (currently on CHICAGO MED) eats the screen as the “eccentric, philanthropist Croc hunter” (I can’t think of a philanthropist croc hunter that isn’t eccentric). It also features a then unknown Brendan Gleeson (a few years before his turn as Mad-Eye Moody in the Harry Potter series) as the Sherriff of the town - the Roy Scheider/Sherriff Brody role from Jaws.

But the character that steals this film is, of course, Betty White as a foul-mouthed resident of the community. Flipping the coin on her wholesome image garnered from her turns on THE GOLDEN GIRLS and THE MARY TYLER MOORE show, Ms. White is - as should be expected - hilarious in her raunchiness.

While this movie is the very definition of “B-Movie” (maybe even “C” flick), it’s worth watching just for Betty White’s turn.

Rest in Peace, Ms. White. And THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES.

Letter Grade on Lake Placid: B (and I’m being generous)

Letter Grade on Betty White: A+

And you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)