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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Stand (The Spread #3) in Books
Nov 14, 2021
What another great sequel to the previous 2 in the series ... you really have to have read them in order to understand the characters and the story otherwise you will be totally lost.
Once again, we are treated to an alternative take to the usual zombie story and the impact of an "invasion" on humanity. I was gripped and itching to find out how my favourite characters will fair - remember, with Iain's books, no one is safe and just when you think things are going to work out, once again, Iain throws a giant spanner in the works and everything goes to pot.
With excellent characters, both old and new, tension, thrills and definitely spills, The Stand is a great addition to the story of The Spread and my thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for providing me with a copy in return for comments and an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Once again, we are treated to an alternative take to the usual zombie story and the impact of an "invasion" on humanity. I was gripped and itching to find out how my favourite characters will fair - remember, with Iain's books, no one is safe and just when you think things are going to work out, once again, Iain throws a giant spanner in the works and everything goes to pot.
With excellent characters, both old and new, tension, thrills and definitely spills, The Stand is a great addition to the story of The Spread and my thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for providing me with a copy in return for comments and an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
The Fourth State of Matter (The Valence Chronicles #1)
8.0
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Earth is dead. Humanity survives by selling the only resource available—themselves. 2689 has...
MM Science Fiction Multiple Partners Romance
A Cure For Everything: A Vampire Novella
7.0
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Book
Never get sick. Never get old. It’s great being a vampire… If you can afford it. ...
Galaxy Wars:Empire
Games, Entertainment and Stickers
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In the year 2503, humanity exhausted Earth's resources. In desperation, humanity sent their colonial...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Great Wall (2016) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
Universal Studios and Legendary’s latest monster film is from the brilliant mind of Zhang Yimou. I must say that though this was a Yimou film I was not really intrigued with the trailer and almost skipped it however I’m glad that I didn’t!
William (Matt Damon) and Toval (Pedro Pascal) are mercenaries trying to make it rich. They are on a mission in China on the lookout for legendary exploding black powder. Instead they find a huge Great Wall and are mystified as to why it was built and what it is trying to keep out. The Tao Tei, are prehistoric looking monsters who are a danger to all of humanity and the only thing stopping them is the wall. William is a skilled archer and Toval a witty fighter. With their help they might be able to save humanity from the onslaught of the Tao Tei.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film and found it extremely entertaining. The action and unexpected humor is what sold it for me. The casting of Matt Damon and Pedro Pascal was brilliantly thought out and kept the audience laughing with the duos chemistry and how well they played off of each other.
Despite all of the controversy about having Matt Damon as the lead in a Chinese film is crazy and I think Zhang has made the right choice in doing so. To be successful in the American film industry sometimes you have to use a big star to bring in big results. Though the story and script are basic and easy to follow the action, scenery, costumes and humor are fantastic and what makes the film great. This film should definitely be viewed with the 3D option as it fully immerses the audience into and becomes a part of the story. A lot of CGI was used and though normally I am not a fan of a lot of CGI, it works with the film rather than against it. I would definitely recommend this film but the monsters might be too much for kids to handle in 3D.
William (Matt Damon) and Toval (Pedro Pascal) are mercenaries trying to make it rich. They are on a mission in China on the lookout for legendary exploding black powder. Instead they find a huge Great Wall and are mystified as to why it was built and what it is trying to keep out. The Tao Tei, are prehistoric looking monsters who are a danger to all of humanity and the only thing stopping them is the wall. William is a skilled archer and Toval a witty fighter. With their help they might be able to save humanity from the onslaught of the Tao Tei.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film and found it extremely entertaining. The action and unexpected humor is what sold it for me. The casting of Matt Damon and Pedro Pascal was brilliantly thought out and kept the audience laughing with the duos chemistry and how well they played off of each other.
Despite all of the controversy about having Matt Damon as the lead in a Chinese film is crazy and I think Zhang has made the right choice in doing so. To be successful in the American film industry sometimes you have to use a big star to bring in big results. Though the story and script are basic and easy to follow the action, scenery, costumes and humor are fantastic and what makes the film great. This film should definitely be viewed with the 3D option as it fully immerses the audience into and becomes a part of the story. A lot of CGI was used and though normally I am not a fan of a lot of CGI, it works with the film rather than against it. I would definitely recommend this film but the monsters might be too much for kids to handle in 3D.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Hostiles (2017) in Movies
Jan 28, 2018
Bring westerns back!
I love Christian Bale and I love westerns, so it is no surprise I found this an immensely entertaining film.
It is hard to believe humanity even survived the relentless, bleak, hostile and morose period in American history when native Americans were hunted down, slaughtered and removed from their land. They became equally brutal in retaliation and defending their property.
When Bale (Capt. Joseph J. Blocker) is ordered to transport a dying Indian Chief and former adversary and his family back to Montana based on his dying wish, Bale reluctantly agrees.
Their journey would be marked with heartache, sacrifice and brutality. Bale and his men come under attack and have to band together to survive.
I have seen few westerns which showcase the brutality of the Old West better than this film. Your heart goes out to the men and women left to survive with very little left in their lives to look forward to. Somehow, they manage to carry on and should be inspiring to the rest of us to do the same.
It is hard to believe humanity even survived the relentless, bleak, hostile and morose period in American history when native Americans were hunted down, slaughtered and removed from their land. They became equally brutal in retaliation and defending their property.
When Bale (Capt. Joseph J. Blocker) is ordered to transport a dying Indian Chief and former adversary and his family back to Montana based on his dying wish, Bale reluctantly agrees.
Their journey would be marked with heartache, sacrifice and brutality. Bale and his men come under attack and have to band together to survive.
I have seen few westerns which showcase the brutality of the Old West better than this film. Your heart goes out to the men and women left to survive with very little left in their lives to look forward to. Somehow, they manage to carry on and should be inspiring to the rest of us to do the same.
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated After The Cure in Books
Feb 1, 2018
A non-traditional zombie book that stays with you.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I loved this book. It had such a unique take on the zombie genre, rivaled perhaps only by M.R. Carey's The Girl with all the Gifts . Even compared to Carey's book, it's still in a league of its own. Just read the title. After the Cure.
Can you imagine what that would be like for the 'zombies'? To be cured, but have memories of all the horrible things they did while they were infected? To try to pick up again, to reintegrate into life? How positively horrifying.
Then there's the research to build a case against the jerks that started it all. There's intrigue, twists, horror, and discoveries, all told from the viewpoint of after the world almost ended, but humanity managed to save itself just in the nick of time. ...Right?
I haven't read the rest of this series, so I can't speak for it all...but I can speak for this book. This was, is, an awesome book that I highly recommend for zombie fans!
Can you imagine what that would be like for the 'zombies'? To be cured, but have memories of all the horrible things they did while they were infected? To try to pick up again, to reintegrate into life? How positively horrifying.
Then there's the research to build a case against the jerks that started it all. There's intrigue, twists, horror, and discoveries, all told from the viewpoint of after the world almost ended, but humanity managed to save itself just in the nick of time. ...Right?
I haven't read the rest of this series, so I can't speak for it all...but I can speak for this book. This was, is, an awesome book that I highly recommend for zombie fans!
Awix (3310 KP) rated Godzilla Vs Mothra (1992) in Movies
Mar 1, 2018 (Updated Mar 1, 2018)
Barnstorming monster movie delivers everything you want from this kind of film, as well as reintroducing Mothra for a new generation. Meteorite manages to stir up Godzilla, Battra, and Mothra simultaneously (crikey, that's unlucky); explorer Takuya must help the benevolent Mothra and its fairy spokespersons protect humanity (while also sorting out his family problems: it's that kind of a movie).
Essentially a remake of both Mothra (1961) and Mothra Vs Godzilla (1964); as such Godzilla doesn't turn up properly until quite near the end. The storyline with Mothra and Battra is still very engaging, though, and the various call-backs to the 60s movies are fun. Excellent special effects, banging soundtrack, and the tone is pitch-perfect for this kind of film - dramatic without being absurdly serious. You could possibly argue that Battra is a fairly dull monster and superfluous to proceedings; apart from that, in every area that matters this is as good a Godzilla (or Mothra) movie as you can find. A highlight of the franchise.
Essentially a remake of both Mothra (1961) and Mothra Vs Godzilla (1964); as such Godzilla doesn't turn up properly until quite near the end. The storyline with Mothra and Battra is still very engaging, though, and the various call-backs to the 60s movies are fun. Excellent special effects, banging soundtrack, and the tone is pitch-perfect for this kind of film - dramatic without being absurdly serious. You could possibly argue that Battra is a fairly dull monster and superfluous to proceedings; apart from that, in every area that matters this is as good a Godzilla (or Mothra) movie as you can find. A highlight of the franchise.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated The Dead Lands in Books
Feb 21, 2018
***NOTE: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
The Dead Lands is at its core a story of survival in the face of apparently insurmountable obstacles - survival not just of a few individuals, but of humanity itself.
The story starts out in Sanctuary, and then hops back and forth between there and the group of escapees who have set off in the hopes of discovering something better. Each member of the scouting party has his or her own personal reason for fleeing Sanctuary. For some, the struggle with their decision to leave causes them almost as much grief as the monsters, inhospitable climates, and other people they meet along the way.
This book had both the horror-road-trip feel of The Talisman, by Stephen King and Peter Straub, and the find-other-survivors-and-keep-the-human-race-going vibe of The Passage, by Justin Cronin. (Both of which I highly recommend if you have not already read them!) It was a suspenseful, thought-provoking tale and I really enjoyed it.
The Dead Lands is at its core a story of survival in the face of apparently insurmountable obstacles - survival not just of a few individuals, but of humanity itself.
The story starts out in Sanctuary, and then hops back and forth between there and the group of escapees who have set off in the hopes of discovering something better. Each member of the scouting party has his or her own personal reason for fleeing Sanctuary. For some, the struggle with their decision to leave causes them almost as much grief as the monsters, inhospitable climates, and other people they meet along the way.
This book had both the horror-road-trip feel of The Talisman, by Stephen King and Peter Straub, and the find-other-survivors-and-keep-the-human-race-going vibe of The Passage, by Justin Cronin. (Both of which I highly recommend if you have not already read them!) It was a suspenseful, thought-provoking tale and I really enjoyed it.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Threads (1984) in Movies
Jan 12, 2019
Bleak and uncompromising...
I read about this film online and thought it sounded interesting. I had never heard of it but purchased anyways and I was not disappointed.
Maybe some of you British people may remember this film which aired on BBC 2 in 1984 and was basically about what would happen if Britain was caught in the crossfire between the US and USSR and the effects of not only the atomic bombs used, but the torturous unrelenting aftermath. Portions of the 2nd half of the film were reminiscent of scene's from Schindler's List or even a WWII holocaust documentary. The ravages of war make humanity do unspeakable things to each other and this film depicts it all.
The contrast of the "before" and "after" are what are the most striking. How the filmmaker sets a tone at the beginning and then turns everything on its end mid way through. I wasn't entirely sure where it was going or how things would end up; however, I was intrigued throughout.
Watch it if you are able.
Maybe some of you British people may remember this film which aired on BBC 2 in 1984 and was basically about what would happen if Britain was caught in the crossfire between the US and USSR and the effects of not only the atomic bombs used, but the torturous unrelenting aftermath. Portions of the 2nd half of the film were reminiscent of scene's from Schindler's List or even a WWII holocaust documentary. The ravages of war make humanity do unspeakable things to each other and this film depicts it all.
The contrast of the "before" and "after" are what are the most striking. How the filmmaker sets a tone at the beginning and then turns everything on its end mid way through. I wasn't entirely sure where it was going or how things would end up; however, I was intrigued throughout.
Watch it if you are able.