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Furthermore (Furthermore, #1)
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This captivating and colorful adventure that reads like a modern day fairy tale, from the...
Jamie (131 KP) rated 1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four in Books
Jun 4, 2017
Overwhelmingly bleak (1 more)
Stars slow and a little bit didactic
A true nightmare world, a dystopian classic
Winston is our everyman, a middle aged average male living under the heel of a totalitarian regime. His work is bland, his food is bland, his every day routine is bland. Winston is losing it, he wonders about the world that was before the party and resists in small ways. He ponders about the subtle ways that the party exerts it’s control, by perpetual war, by rewriting history, by lying so blatantly that the members of the party have to accept the lies as truth. Winston dreams of revolution and finds himself seeking out others likes him.
Nineteen Eighty-Four was not an easy ready by any means, it’s startlingly brutal. The beginning starts off rather slow as the readers gets to know Winston, the way he thinks and learns about his every day routine and are introduced to key characters. The middle of the book picks up, but it breaks up the pacing of the novel due to the fact that it essentially turns into an essay that outlines the structure of the party and the moral implications of it’s actions. While info dumps can be a bit disjointing to read, I could bear with it for this novel. The third half of the novel caught me off guard and it spun wildly out of control. I loved it, even when I found it difficult to digest. This is what made the book so brilliant, it doesn’t just tell you about right and wrong and then wrap things up nicely, the horrible reality of the book comes crashing down on both Winston and the reader’s head in full force.
The power structure of the party is just downright diabolical. I could think of any other way to describe it; the method of control, the reasons for maintaining such a strict social order, the sheer scale of the party’s reach – all of it was terrifying when taken as a whole. There were points in the second half of the novel where I had to put the book down because it was stressing me out too much, and this was a first for me. I now understand fully what folks mean when they label something as “Orwellian,” and why this novel is hailed as one of the very best of the dystopia genre. Hell, there are others that I read that I thought were bleak, but none quite to this degree. Nineteen Eighty-Four makes other books in the dystopia genre seem like lighthearted adventures novels.
The novel is extremely effective in the delivery of it’s core message about government control and humanity by creating a potential future that is harrowing, particularly because of it’s plausibility, as a warning to all. This is the type of book that will stick with me for a long time and I’m glad I finally sat down to read it.
Nineteen Eighty-Four was not an easy ready by any means, it’s startlingly brutal. The beginning starts off rather slow as the readers gets to know Winston, the way he thinks and learns about his every day routine and are introduced to key characters. The middle of the book picks up, but it breaks up the pacing of the novel due to the fact that it essentially turns into an essay that outlines the structure of the party and the moral implications of it’s actions. While info dumps can be a bit disjointing to read, I could bear with it for this novel. The third half of the novel caught me off guard and it spun wildly out of control. I loved it, even when I found it difficult to digest. This is what made the book so brilliant, it doesn’t just tell you about right and wrong and then wrap things up nicely, the horrible reality of the book comes crashing down on both Winston and the reader’s head in full force.
The power structure of the party is just downright diabolical. I could think of any other way to describe it; the method of control, the reasons for maintaining such a strict social order, the sheer scale of the party’s reach – all of it was terrifying when taken as a whole. There were points in the second half of the novel where I had to put the book down because it was stressing me out too much, and this was a first for me. I now understand fully what folks mean when they label something as “Orwellian,” and why this novel is hailed as one of the very best of the dystopia genre. Hell, there are others that I read that I thought were bleak, but none quite to this degree. Nineteen Eighty-Four makes other books in the dystopia genre seem like lighthearted adventures novels.
The novel is extremely effective in the delivery of it’s core message about government control and humanity by creating a potential future that is harrowing, particularly because of it’s plausibility, as a warning to all. This is the type of book that will stick with me for a long time and I’m glad I finally sat down to read it.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Wrong Stars in Books
Aug 26, 2018 (Updated Aug 26, 2018)
Diversity (2 more)
World-building
Amazing alien species
I've watched my fair share of Space Opera (Firefly, Dark Matter, Farscape, Star Trek, Star Wars - don't try to tell me those last two aren't Space Opera, THEY TOTALLY ARE) - but I haven't read much of it. I picked up The Wrong Stars mostly because reviews said it had a demisexual main character, rather than because it's a Space Opera. Regardless, I am SO GLAD I DID. The book is excellent.
First off, the diversity! Over the course of the story, we meet people who are, in no particular order, gay, bisexual, demisexual, asexual, transgender, and non-binary. The story is set 500 years after Earth sends out its first colony ships, and in that time, culture has evolved. Marriage is not common, but contractually-bound relationships exist. Promiscuity and non-monogamy aren't viewed any different than monogamy, and in the same way, the distinctions between gay, straight, and bi don't carry any negative connotations. It's not a complete utopia - it's still a capitalist society, and there is still scarcity - but socially, at least, it has definitely evolved a lot from the present!
Elena, one of our main characters, was a biologist sent out on one of the first colony ships. Stocked with seeds, crude replicators, and cryo-sleep pods, a small crew was sent out, in stasis, on a five-hundred year journey to a system with probable life-supporting planets. They were called Goldilocks ships, in the hope they'd find a planet that was "just right." What humanity didn't expect was that in the intervening five hundred years, they would make contact with an alien species and be given the means for true space travel via wormholes. Some of the ships arrived at their destinations to find human colonies already thriving on their target planets! Elena, however, found something quite different, and it's a very disconcerting difference. She is rescued by the motley crew of the White Raven, and they quickly get drawn into the mystery.
I really enjoyed the world-building and characterization in The Wrong Stars. The science of it made sense to me, but I'm not very versed in science, so I can't really say how realistic it is. It was at least pretty internally consistent. I'd like to learn more about how the AIs are created, though. Luckily, there is a sequel coming! The Dreaming Stars should be coming out this September, and I'm DEFINITELY going to read it.
If you like Dark Matter, Firefly, or Farscape, you should definitely read The Wrong Stars. There's a little bit of light romance threaded into the larger plot, and one fade-to-black sex scene. It's definitely not the focus of the book. There is some violence, but nothing incredibly graphic. I would put it at about the same maturity level as Star Trek.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
First off, the diversity! Over the course of the story, we meet people who are, in no particular order, gay, bisexual, demisexual, asexual, transgender, and non-binary. The story is set 500 years after Earth sends out its first colony ships, and in that time, culture has evolved. Marriage is not common, but contractually-bound relationships exist. Promiscuity and non-monogamy aren't viewed any different than monogamy, and in the same way, the distinctions between gay, straight, and bi don't carry any negative connotations. It's not a complete utopia - it's still a capitalist society, and there is still scarcity - but socially, at least, it has definitely evolved a lot from the present!
Elena, one of our main characters, was a biologist sent out on one of the first colony ships. Stocked with seeds, crude replicators, and cryo-sleep pods, a small crew was sent out, in stasis, on a five-hundred year journey to a system with probable life-supporting planets. They were called Goldilocks ships, in the hope they'd find a planet that was "just right." What humanity didn't expect was that in the intervening five hundred years, they would make contact with an alien species and be given the means for true space travel via wormholes. Some of the ships arrived at their destinations to find human colonies already thriving on their target planets! Elena, however, found something quite different, and it's a very disconcerting difference. She is rescued by the motley crew of the White Raven, and they quickly get drawn into the mystery.
I really enjoyed the world-building and characterization in The Wrong Stars. The science of it made sense to me, but I'm not very versed in science, so I can't really say how realistic it is. It was at least pretty internally consistent. I'd like to learn more about how the AIs are created, though. Luckily, there is a sequel coming! The Dreaming Stars should be coming out this September, and I'm DEFINITELY going to read it.
If you like Dark Matter, Firefly, or Farscape, you should definitely read The Wrong Stars. There's a little bit of light romance threaded into the larger plot, and one fade-to-black sex scene. It's definitely not the focus of the book. There is some violence, but nothing incredibly graphic. I would put it at about the same maturity level as Star Trek.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Last of Us Remastered in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
There are those who think that remakes of films and games are a bad idea
as they believe that they show a lack of creativity and originality.
However when a game is remastered it can be another story entirely.
Many classics from the past have had a graphical update especially PS 1-2
classics that were brought up to modern standards for the PS 3.
However when a game is remastered less than a year after the original game
was released, many are sure to have questions.
With The Last of Us Remastered, Naughty Dog has given Playstation 4 fans
what they have wanted, a top-flight game with a winning online component
and the amazing DLC that extended the story behind the award winning
original game for the PS 3.
The original game was a defining statement for the PS 3 but the game
pushed the system to the limits and with the PS 4 following soon after and
not being backwards compatible, a PS 4 version of the game was the best
option.
The game shines as the graphics have been taken to an even higher level
and the faster frame rates and smooth play let you really enjoy the
immersive world of the game as well as taking the horror to the next
level.
Playing as survivors from a Zombie like outbreak, players embark on an
escort mission to take a young girl to safety who may just hold the fate
of humanity in her blood.
The horror, violence, weapon crafting, and great narrative are all here,
and better than ever.
As a fan of the game, I had wondered if remastered graphics would be
enough to get players to want to play through a game again or if it was
mainly for those who had yet to purchase the game.
I have enjoyed the multiplay although I did have some long waits in my
connection, which thankfully have been addressed in the latest patch.
My wife had a interest in the PS 3 version of the game although horror
games are not her thing. When I started up the PS 4 version of the game
she was riveted to the tense opening scenes and narratives.
In the end there will be those who say that they do not want to play for a
game they have only recently purchased but Naughty Dog reduced the price $10.00 and added on the bonus content to make the investment a much better deal.
When you look at all the DLC content, episodes, as well as the ability to
screen cap and stream your action on the PS 4, to say nothing of the jaw
dropping visuals, The Last of Us Remastered is a must own for PS 4 fans as
they have made a near perfect game even better.
http://sknr.net/2014/08/12/the-last-of-us-remastered/
as they believe that they show a lack of creativity and originality.
However when a game is remastered it can be another story entirely.
Many classics from the past have had a graphical update especially PS 1-2
classics that were brought up to modern standards for the PS 3.
However when a game is remastered less than a year after the original game
was released, many are sure to have questions.
With The Last of Us Remastered, Naughty Dog has given Playstation 4 fans
what they have wanted, a top-flight game with a winning online component
and the amazing DLC that extended the story behind the award winning
original game for the PS 3.
The original game was a defining statement for the PS 3 but the game
pushed the system to the limits and with the PS 4 following soon after and
not being backwards compatible, a PS 4 version of the game was the best
option.
The game shines as the graphics have been taken to an even higher level
and the faster frame rates and smooth play let you really enjoy the
immersive world of the game as well as taking the horror to the next
level.
Playing as survivors from a Zombie like outbreak, players embark on an
escort mission to take a young girl to safety who may just hold the fate
of humanity in her blood.
The horror, violence, weapon crafting, and great narrative are all here,
and better than ever.
As a fan of the game, I had wondered if remastered graphics would be
enough to get players to want to play through a game again or if it was
mainly for those who had yet to purchase the game.
I have enjoyed the multiplay although I did have some long waits in my
connection, which thankfully have been addressed in the latest patch.
My wife had a interest in the PS 3 version of the game although horror
games are not her thing. When I started up the PS 4 version of the game
she was riveted to the tense opening scenes and narratives.
In the end there will be those who say that they do not want to play for a
game they have only recently purchased but Naughty Dog reduced the price $10.00 and added on the bonus content to make the investment a much better deal.
When you look at all the DLC content, episodes, as well as the ability to
screen cap and stream your action on the PS 4, to say nothing of the jaw
dropping visuals, The Last of Us Remastered is a must own for PS 4 fans as
they have made a near perfect game even better.
http://sknr.net/2014/08/12/the-last-of-us-remastered/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Creed (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Life for Adonis Johnson (Michael B Jordan) has always been a struggle. He has moved from one facility to another under the care the state constantly fighting for his place in society. When he is adopted by Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad), he learns that his father was actually legendary fighter Apollo Creed who had a dalliance with his mother and died before Adonis was born. Flash forward year’s later, despite a life of privilege and a good job, Adonis yearns to be a boxer and follow in his father’s footsteps. Unable to secure fights, he travels across the border to fight on the circuit in Mexico where he is undefeated. When able to quench his conflicting emotions, Adonis moves to Philadelphia to live a simpler life. He hopes to take pointers from his father’s chief rival and longtime friend Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), but is at first hesitant to reveal his true connection to Creed. This is the promise of the new film “Creed”, which is a very worthy and in joy of all entry into the popular “Rocky” series. In older, more cautious and world beaten Balboa is hesitant to go back into the world that made him a household name, but eventually is determined to train the young boxer and in doing so both of them learn what it is to be a champion in and out of the ring.
There is the uplifting training and human stories that made the series so popular but what really keeps this from being a retread is the solid work of Jordan and Stallone. Jordan is very much his own character and not trying to copy his father. He is headstrong, impulsive, quick to anger, but also willing to listen to the wisdom of Rocky. Stallone does perhaps his best work in a very long time in a supporting role by playing a more vulnerable and wise character that is not afraid to show his humanity. This is a very welcome change for the actor who is best known as larger-than-life and unstoppable in many of the roles that he portrays. I know it would be considered a long shot but this is the type of performance that veteran actors get award nominations for in a supporting role.
Of course Johnson is leading up to his big fight with destiny that will either make or break him against an overwhelmingly unstoppable opponent but the well-choreographed and paste fight sequences will have you on the edge of your seat and captivated much like the best sequences from the earlier Rocky films.
This was a very solid and entertaining film that should delight fans of the series as well as sports films in general and was one of the most enjoyable surprises of the year.
http://sknr.net/2015/11/23/creed/
There is the uplifting training and human stories that made the series so popular but what really keeps this from being a retread is the solid work of Jordan and Stallone. Jordan is very much his own character and not trying to copy his father. He is headstrong, impulsive, quick to anger, but also willing to listen to the wisdom of Rocky. Stallone does perhaps his best work in a very long time in a supporting role by playing a more vulnerable and wise character that is not afraid to show his humanity. This is a very welcome change for the actor who is best known as larger-than-life and unstoppable in many of the roles that he portrays. I know it would be considered a long shot but this is the type of performance that veteran actors get award nominations for in a supporting role.
Of course Johnson is leading up to his big fight with destiny that will either make or break him against an overwhelmingly unstoppable opponent but the well-choreographed and paste fight sequences will have you on the edge of your seat and captivated much like the best sequences from the earlier Rocky films.
This was a very solid and entertaining film that should delight fans of the series as well as sports films in general and was one of the most enjoyable surprises of the year.
http://sknr.net/2015/11/23/creed/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Repo Men (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
What does it mean to be both alive and dead?
Based on the novel “The Repossession Mambo” by Eric Garcia, Repo Men is a dark sci-fi action film from director Miguel Sapochnik. It is an oddly sadistic film that begins as a fantastic black comedy/drama, loses its way in the second act with well-shot but mindless action and predictable plot elements, yet still finds its way back before the credits roll.
Remy and Jake, played by Jude Law and Forest Whitaker, are both Repo Men for The Union, an alarming combination of loan shark and artificial organ manufacturer. Those unfortunate patients that fall too far behind on their payments have their artificial parts removed and reclaimed, often accompanied by grisly special effects. Through an accident at a routine repossession, Remy ends up needing a new heart. In the process of trying to pay for it, he realizes that he can no longer find the moral ambivalence necessary to take the life of a stranger in order to earn the money to save his own. This film is definitely not for the squeamish, and many scenes were not unlike watching a surgery in progress.
This film will certainly attract more than a nod from those clamoring for universal healthcare in the United States, as well as those railing against corporate greed at the expense of human life. The Union is everything we love to hate in a corporation. Nothing, from duping emotionally compromised patients, to putting profits above all else, to even killing people, is out of bounds for this corporation. It’s uncommon to see corporate evil of this magnitude in a film, and with Liev Schreiber manning the helm, this evil is personified and delivered with such panache that he becomes an enjoyable caricature to watch.
This movie would be nothing without Remy’s path from classic amoral psychopath to redeemed soul, but the journey at times becomes muddy and obscure. Law plays the part somewhat stiffly, but still manages to shine in his interactions with Whitaker and Schreiber. Whitaker, however, is fantastic as Remy’s uncompromisingly unsympathetic partner Jake, who holds on tightly to what he knows and believes, however unprincipled. By the film’s end, Whitaker’s performance as the frustrated partner becomes even more impressive when compared to Law’s movement from perpetrator to victim to agent of retribution.
For years, Remy had no moral compunction against repossessing organs, nearly always from those who will die without them. But when his heart is removed, he suddenly empathizes with the victims of his profession. An odd paradox: that becoming less human can impart more humanity. Remy is both more genuinely alive after receiving his artificial heart, and more certain he will be dead when he can no longer pay. This is the crux of the film, and on this basis a clever story is told about the intersection of making a living, being alive, and the entanglements they create.
Based on the novel “The Repossession Mambo” by Eric Garcia, Repo Men is a dark sci-fi action film from director Miguel Sapochnik. It is an oddly sadistic film that begins as a fantastic black comedy/drama, loses its way in the second act with well-shot but mindless action and predictable plot elements, yet still finds its way back before the credits roll.
Remy and Jake, played by Jude Law and Forest Whitaker, are both Repo Men for The Union, an alarming combination of loan shark and artificial organ manufacturer. Those unfortunate patients that fall too far behind on their payments have their artificial parts removed and reclaimed, often accompanied by grisly special effects. Through an accident at a routine repossession, Remy ends up needing a new heart. In the process of trying to pay for it, he realizes that he can no longer find the moral ambivalence necessary to take the life of a stranger in order to earn the money to save his own. This film is definitely not for the squeamish, and many scenes were not unlike watching a surgery in progress.
This film will certainly attract more than a nod from those clamoring for universal healthcare in the United States, as well as those railing against corporate greed at the expense of human life. The Union is everything we love to hate in a corporation. Nothing, from duping emotionally compromised patients, to putting profits above all else, to even killing people, is out of bounds for this corporation. It’s uncommon to see corporate evil of this magnitude in a film, and with Liev Schreiber manning the helm, this evil is personified and delivered with such panache that he becomes an enjoyable caricature to watch.
This movie would be nothing without Remy’s path from classic amoral psychopath to redeemed soul, but the journey at times becomes muddy and obscure. Law plays the part somewhat stiffly, but still manages to shine in his interactions with Whitaker and Schreiber. Whitaker, however, is fantastic as Remy’s uncompromisingly unsympathetic partner Jake, who holds on tightly to what he knows and believes, however unprincipled. By the film’s end, Whitaker’s performance as the frustrated partner becomes even more impressive when compared to Law’s movement from perpetrator to victim to agent of retribution.
For years, Remy had no moral compunction against repossessing organs, nearly always from those who will die without them. But when his heart is removed, he suddenly empathizes with the victims of his profession. An odd paradox: that becoming less human can impart more humanity. Remy is both more genuinely alive after receiving his artificial heart, and more certain he will be dead when he can no longer pay. This is the crux of the film, and on this basis a clever story is told about the intersection of making a living, being alive, and the entanglements they create.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Operation Finale (2018) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Fifteen years after the end of World War II there are still high ranking Nazi officials who have not been brought to justice. One of the biggest names to yet be captured is Adolph Eichmann (Ben Kingsley), the so called Architect of the Final Solution. Then in May 1960 someone in Argentina tips off the Israeli government that Eichmann may be hiding out in near Buenos Ares, Argentina. When the leader of an Israeli special unit finds out he sends an agent, Zvi Aharoni (Michael Aronov), to confirm the identity of the war criminal. When they determine that this has to be their man, a unit of operatives led by Peter Malkin (Oscar Isaac) set out to bring Eichmann to justice. In the past the unit has been able to deliver swift justice and in most cases there was no trial. But for a man that brought so much pain to so many Jewish people they must bring him to justice in the newly established state of Israel for all the world to see. Unfortunately the Argentine government would object to such an operation on its soil. So risky and daring plan for Peter to grab Eichmann near his home and get him to a safe house nearby. The would then have disguise him and Doctor Hanna Elian (Melanie Laurent) would have to keep him drugged all the way to the airport and on to awaiting plane out of the country. All of this will dodging Nazi sympathizers both in the police and roaming the streets. But for the 6 million of their people who died at the hands of men like Eichmann they must try.
This is the incredible true story of the capture of one of the top Nazi officials. The story is set up well by Director Chris Weitz (About a Boy, The Golden Compass). Ben Kingsley and Oscar Isaac give outstanding performances. Kingsley’s character and how his story develops is interesting. The entire supporting cast does well and Nick Kroll (Sing, The House) brings a surprising bit of fun to a heavy story line. Some may say the bits of humor might be a little odd given the subject matter but I thought it brought a realness and humanity to the film. The balance between the humor and showing the horror of World War II was really well done. At a little over two hours it does run a little long and there are flashback scenes that are at inconsistent times.
I was pleasantly surprised by this film. Not having heard this story before I enjoyed how this film was laid out for the audience. It definitely made me want to learn more about this unique true story. I think this is a film that shows the importance of people fighting to bring truth and justice to the world regardless of the odds.
This is the incredible true story of the capture of one of the top Nazi officials. The story is set up well by Director Chris Weitz (About a Boy, The Golden Compass). Ben Kingsley and Oscar Isaac give outstanding performances. Kingsley’s character and how his story develops is interesting. The entire supporting cast does well and Nick Kroll (Sing, The House) brings a surprising bit of fun to a heavy story line. Some may say the bits of humor might be a little odd given the subject matter but I thought it brought a realness and humanity to the film. The balance between the humor and showing the horror of World War II was really well done. At a little over two hours it does run a little long and there are flashback scenes that are at inconsistent times.
I was pleasantly surprised by this film. Not having heard this story before I enjoyed how this film was laid out for the audience. It definitely made me want to learn more about this unique true story. I think this is a film that shows the importance of people fighting to bring truth and justice to the world regardless of the odds.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated A Blink of the Screen: Collected Shorter Fiction in Books
Nov 8, 2019
For someone who was as prolific at writing novels as Terry Pratchett he didn't write much in the way of short stories. As he himself comments in this collection of his work this is because 'they cost blood' to write and he wondered how others such as Neil Gaiman could write so many short stories. This is all the more surprising given his grounding in journalism, something that demands producing a story withing a set number of words.
The basis for this seems to be that the nugget of an idea behind a Pratchett book was rarely simple enough to be encapsulated neatly in the short story form; his characters and ideas took time to develop and that's before the addition of the amusing footnotes and his skill at producing pastiche, parody and satire of many different things without the narrative stumbling or swerving.
This collection shows that although relatively few in number, the Pratchett short story was just as fine as could be expected. Sometimes they could be a little rushed to get to the point before the end (best seen in his tale of a gnome from the country that finds other gnomes in a department store - the story that was later rewritten fully as Truckers)
This is also a somewhat eclectic mix. There is the first story that he was paid for about the devil wanting to promote hell, which he wrote at school but it is clear that he already had the flair for writing even then. A few science fiction stories including the prescient and dark #ifdefDEBUG "world/enough" "time" about someone retreating to a virtual reality world. There is the story that formed the first ideas that would eventually become The Long Earth and of course some Diskworld shorts and related notes.
Taken together they show that over a long span of time Pratchett was coming up with great ideas. There is a little uneveness but part of this is due to his writing style being different between Diskworld and his more science fiction based stories (something that confused a lot of Diskworld readers when they read The Long Earth, but goes back even to The Dark Side of the Sun and Strata both of which are very different to Diskworld in tone.
To this end the editors have been wise to have the Diskworld stories as the second half with the 'other' stories at the beginning. This avoids the tone changing too much between stories.
This sounds like it might be for the Pratchett 'completist', like one of those greatest hits albums that comes out with just one or two rare tracks, but really this is a great collection of short stories by any measure. A couple of these are fairly well known - Troll Bridge and Theatre of Cruelty - but there is nothing gratuitous here. And of course there are plenty of laughs and subtle takes on society and humanity.
The basis for this seems to be that the nugget of an idea behind a Pratchett book was rarely simple enough to be encapsulated neatly in the short story form; his characters and ideas took time to develop and that's before the addition of the amusing footnotes and his skill at producing pastiche, parody and satire of many different things without the narrative stumbling or swerving.
This collection shows that although relatively few in number, the Pratchett short story was just as fine as could be expected. Sometimes they could be a little rushed to get to the point before the end (best seen in his tale of a gnome from the country that finds other gnomes in a department store - the story that was later rewritten fully as Truckers)
This is also a somewhat eclectic mix. There is the first story that he was paid for about the devil wanting to promote hell, which he wrote at school but it is clear that he already had the flair for writing even then. A few science fiction stories including the prescient and dark #ifdefDEBUG "world/enough" "time" about someone retreating to a virtual reality world. There is the story that formed the first ideas that would eventually become The Long Earth and of course some Diskworld shorts and related notes.
Taken together they show that over a long span of time Pratchett was coming up with great ideas. There is a little uneveness but part of this is due to his writing style being different between Diskworld and his more science fiction based stories (something that confused a lot of Diskworld readers when they read The Long Earth, but goes back even to The Dark Side of the Sun and Strata both of which are very different to Diskworld in tone.
To this end the editors have been wise to have the Diskworld stories as the second half with the 'other' stories at the beginning. This avoids the tone changing too much between stories.
This sounds like it might be for the Pratchett 'completist', like one of those greatest hits albums that comes out with just one or two rare tracks, but really this is a great collection of short stories by any measure. A couple of these are fairly well known - Troll Bridge and Theatre of Cruelty - but there is nothing gratuitous here. And of course there are plenty of laughs and subtle takes on society and humanity.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Free State of Jones (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
When we look at the Civil War period, we are often confronted with numbers: the numbers of the dead, the numbers of those fighting, the pay, the amount of bullets and munitions used. One thing we rarely discuss is depth with regard to the people and circumstances surrounding the war. We are concerned with particular battles and what major leaders were victorious or fell. We, either through school or the collective of movies created about the period, do not get to see the people for who they are and the variables surrounding their existence during this period. We do not have the ability to comprehend how the war affected them in losing their property, loved ones, or even how they face starvation and violence. We don’t get the chance to see slaves other than a myopic, generalized representation that doesn’t show us how they were able to survive in the face of danger multiple sides. The Free State of Jones corrects many of the mistakes and missed opportunities of previous films, of which there are many, that deal with slavery, the Civil War, the Reconstruction Era, and the South.
In The Free State of Jones, Matthew McConaughey plays Newt Knight a southerner who begins to see the hypocrisy of the Civil War and deserts from the Confederate Military. Upon his return he seeks to support his relatives and neighbors who are being taken advantage of by the Confederacy. His movement grows to where he and an army of men and women of different backgrounds begin fighting back against the Confederacy in the attempt to assert their autonomy and sovereignty.
The film is beautifully shot and allows for the display of serenity during all of the chaos that is shown throughout. One strength that director Gary Ross demonstrates is his ability to demonstrate that there were many layers to the War. Slavery is the central theme and he goes beyond this to show how much race played into the war and its lasting effect that we are still dealing with today. He points out through the film that we had a moment to be a transformative nation, but there were so many people who wanted to the status quo to remain that they prevented any and all social progress that seemed to threaten their perceived social standing. With respect to slavery, Free State gives voices to slaves and Freedmen during the period rather than having them on the periphery or invisible all together. The film offers an authenticity and depth that many films of this period are fearful or reluctant to engage in. There is warfare, there is violence, there is struggle, but the film offers more. It shows humanity. It demonstrates how people recognized what was wrong and took a stand. It also does not play with the history in order to have issues romanticized. It is honest in its application and for some, that will not sit well.
In The Free State of Jones, Matthew McConaughey plays Newt Knight a southerner who begins to see the hypocrisy of the Civil War and deserts from the Confederate Military. Upon his return he seeks to support his relatives and neighbors who are being taken advantage of by the Confederacy. His movement grows to where he and an army of men and women of different backgrounds begin fighting back against the Confederacy in the attempt to assert their autonomy and sovereignty.
The film is beautifully shot and allows for the display of serenity during all of the chaos that is shown throughout. One strength that director Gary Ross demonstrates is his ability to demonstrate that there were many layers to the War. Slavery is the central theme and he goes beyond this to show how much race played into the war and its lasting effect that we are still dealing with today. He points out through the film that we had a moment to be a transformative nation, but there were so many people who wanted to the status quo to remain that they prevented any and all social progress that seemed to threaten their perceived social standing. With respect to slavery, Free State gives voices to slaves and Freedmen during the period rather than having them on the periphery or invisible all together. The film offers an authenticity and depth that many films of this period are fearful or reluctant to engage in. There is warfare, there is violence, there is struggle, but the film offers more. It shows humanity. It demonstrates how people recognized what was wrong and took a stand. It also does not play with the history in order to have issues romanticized. It is honest in its application and for some, that will not sit well.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Full disclosure, I grew up a huge X-Men fan. As a kid it was one of the few comics that I would try read as often as I could. I would borrow my friends books, convince my mom to buy me an issue every chance I got and like so many growing up in the early 90s, never miss a Saturday morning episode of the fantastic X-Men cartoon.
As such, I have been waiting for the films to capture the X-Men team dynamic while creating interesting fleshed out characters for the mass audiences to appreciate. I felt the franchise was headed in that direction with the last two films, X-Men: First class and X-Men: Days of Futures Past. Unfortunately, X-Men: Apocalypse takes a bit of a stumble in this department when it tries to introduce several fan favorite characters to this X-Men Universe. However it sacrifices solid character development in order to introduce them all in this one story. That’s not to say that this decision makes a bad film, it’s just that the characters are somewhat hollow and we never really connect with any of them. Not even the older characters who we already know. In the 2016 landscape of superhero/comic movies, when you have too many hollow characters the film often feels like we are just going through the motions of fan service, rather than telling a good story though film. This shallow character development makes me wish that instead of making more X-Men movies, Fox would team up with Netflix and produce an episodic series that can really dig down into the story of these characters and the missions they go on to help all of humanity…sigh…one can hope.
As for the rest of this film, it is safe to say that it is a fun popcorn adventure just in time for the summer blockbuster season. The first act suffers from a bit of pacing issues, but once the film starts to pick up steam, it becomes a full action packed adventure filled with all the mutant powers you would expect from an X-Men film. We receive excellent performances we have come to expect from James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and the rest of the standard cast. As far as the new characters added to this film, Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones) is the stand out as Jean Gery. She delivers one of the few nuanced performances of the whole film and I look forward to her continuing to build on the roll in future X-Men films.
X-Men: Apocalypse is more of what you would expect from the X-Men series. Not terrible but not all that great either. Fans will be exited and enjoy this entry to the series while casual viewers will enjoy the blockbuster elements.
As such, I have been waiting for the films to capture the X-Men team dynamic while creating interesting fleshed out characters for the mass audiences to appreciate. I felt the franchise was headed in that direction with the last two films, X-Men: First class and X-Men: Days of Futures Past. Unfortunately, X-Men: Apocalypse takes a bit of a stumble in this department when it tries to introduce several fan favorite characters to this X-Men Universe. However it sacrifices solid character development in order to introduce them all in this one story. That’s not to say that this decision makes a bad film, it’s just that the characters are somewhat hollow and we never really connect with any of them. Not even the older characters who we already know. In the 2016 landscape of superhero/comic movies, when you have too many hollow characters the film often feels like we are just going through the motions of fan service, rather than telling a good story though film. This shallow character development makes me wish that instead of making more X-Men movies, Fox would team up with Netflix and produce an episodic series that can really dig down into the story of these characters and the missions they go on to help all of humanity…sigh…one can hope.
As for the rest of this film, it is safe to say that it is a fun popcorn adventure just in time for the summer blockbuster season. The first act suffers from a bit of pacing issues, but once the film starts to pick up steam, it becomes a full action packed adventure filled with all the mutant powers you would expect from an X-Men film. We receive excellent performances we have come to expect from James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and the rest of the standard cast. As far as the new characters added to this film, Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones) is the stand out as Jean Gery. She delivers one of the few nuanced performances of the whole film and I look forward to her continuing to build on the roll in future X-Men films.
X-Men: Apocalypse is more of what you would expect from the X-Men series. Not terrible but not all that great either. Fans will be exited and enjoy this entry to the series while casual viewers will enjoy the blockbuster elements.