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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Thor: Ragnarok (2017) in Movies
Mar 5, 2021
I've got a lot a love for the first Thor movie, but like many others, the second one is probably my least favourite of the whole franchise. So, when one of the mightiest Avengers threatens to become stale, what is the solution? Taika fucking Waititi is the solution.
One of my favourite working directors helming an MCU film is exciting indeed, and manages to deliver a film that injects new life into the Thor series, manages to fit in with other chapters of the franchise without feeling too alien, but still has liberal splashings of Waititi's trademark wit throughout.
The comedy in this entry is thick and fast, but everything lands just right. It's fair to say that it's taken a leaf out the Guardians of the Galaxy playbook, but manages to come across smoother and feel more refined in it's humour than Vol. 2.
Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Mark Ruffalo and Idris Elba are back and as good as ever with MCU newcomers Cate Blanchett, carving a memorable figure as this movies big bad Hela (who I really hope we see again at somepoint), Tessa Thompson as the badass Valkyrie, a wonderful Jeff Goldblum as secondary villain Grandmaster (another that I hope we see again), and Karl Urban as The Executioner. It's a well put together cast.
It's packed full of comic shit too, with references to Man Thing, Beta Ray Bill, and Bi Beast, a tie in appearance from Doctor Strange, the first appearance of Surtur, and Hulk rampaging through Asgard. It has relentlessly entertaining set pieces and an 80s synth style soundtrack that tops everything wonderfully.
Not much to complain about here - easily the best of the Thor trilogy and a solid entry into the wider MCU.
One of my favourite working directors helming an MCU film is exciting indeed, and manages to deliver a film that injects new life into the Thor series, manages to fit in with other chapters of the franchise without feeling too alien, but still has liberal splashings of Waititi's trademark wit throughout.
The comedy in this entry is thick and fast, but everything lands just right. It's fair to say that it's taken a leaf out the Guardians of the Galaxy playbook, but manages to come across smoother and feel more refined in it's humour than Vol. 2.
Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Mark Ruffalo and Idris Elba are back and as good as ever with MCU newcomers Cate Blanchett, carving a memorable figure as this movies big bad Hela (who I really hope we see again at somepoint), Tessa Thompson as the badass Valkyrie, a wonderful Jeff Goldblum as secondary villain Grandmaster (another that I hope we see again), and Karl Urban as The Executioner. It's a well put together cast.
It's packed full of comic shit too, with references to Man Thing, Beta Ray Bill, and Bi Beast, a tie in appearance from Doctor Strange, the first appearance of Surtur, and Hulk rampaging through Asgard. It has relentlessly entertaining set pieces and an 80s synth style soundtrack that tops everything wonderfully.
Not much to complain about here - easily the best of the Thor trilogy and a solid entry into the wider MCU.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Becoming Red (The Becoming #1) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
3.5 stars
love the cover of this and its sequel Becoming Bad; both are amazing and grab your attention straight away.
As for the story, well, I have to admit it took me a while to get into it. I think it was down to all the description and the changes in time at the beginning; Connal’s POV and then switching to Ash’s but it occurring before Connal’s. It was a bit confusing to start with, but it got better as the two met and interacted.
I was intrigued where the story was going from early on and it wasn’t until nearly half way through where I figured it out (maybe I was just slow :S) but after that point I was really into it. The whole chemistry between Connal and Ash was quite fun to read about, how she’d rather not have him following her but at the same time she was attracted to him. The authors’ reference’s to “Little Red” and “Big Bad” also added a bit of humour.
Ash was a woman who didn’t mess around; she carried a knife and told people what she thought of them if they messed around with her and I liked her attitude. Though sometimes, her actions were a bit questionable.
Connal; a dread haired mountain of a man, just seemed to ooze sex and I liked how protective he was of Ash, if only, at the start, because his employer told him to.
It was an interesting story and something different to what I normally read, or should I say a different take on it, and I enjoyed it: A woman being the last carrier of a gene that could mean the repopulation of a dying breed.
love the cover of this and its sequel Becoming Bad; both are amazing and grab your attention straight away.
As for the story, well, I have to admit it took me a while to get into it. I think it was down to all the description and the changes in time at the beginning; Connal’s POV and then switching to Ash’s but it occurring before Connal’s. It was a bit confusing to start with, but it got better as the two met and interacted.
I was intrigued where the story was going from early on and it wasn’t until nearly half way through where I figured it out (maybe I was just slow :S) but after that point I was really into it. The whole chemistry between Connal and Ash was quite fun to read about, how she’d rather not have him following her but at the same time she was attracted to him. The authors’ reference’s to “Little Red” and “Big Bad” also added a bit of humour.
Ash was a woman who didn’t mess around; she carried a knife and told people what she thought of them if they messed around with her and I liked her attitude. Though sometimes, her actions were a bit questionable.
Connal; a dread haired mountain of a man, just seemed to ooze sex and I liked how protective he was of Ash, if only, at the start, because his employer told him to.
It was an interesting story and something different to what I normally read, or should I say a different take on it, and I enjoyed it: A woman being the last carrier of a gene that could mean the repopulation of a dying breed.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated So This is Christmas (The Adrien English Mysteries, #5.5) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
This has been borrowed from the Kindle Unlimited Library.
It has been 8 years - possibly more since I joined Goodreads in 2012 - since I read books five and six in this series - and I should point out, they were the only two books I DID read in this series after getting them free one Christmas from AllRomanceeBooks before the website shut down
did fall in love with Adrien and Jake despite not knowing all the stuff they had been through in the previous books so when I saw this, I had to read it. They do rehash a lot of what happened in the past and god, I was getting emotional reading it - so in a way I'm glad I didn't - but they are such a good couple.
Well this wouldn't be an Adrien English mystery without a mystery and this one involves an old acquaintance whose boyfriend has gone missing after visiting his family for the holidays. His old fashioned, well off family. Both sides are saying the other had something to do with his disappearance and Adrien is tasked with helping to track him down, while Jake is hired by the family to do the same.
There's some other drama going on at Cloak & Dagger, the bookshop Adrien owns and we see some sweet moments and sometimes some hot moments between Jake and Adrien. It had me laughing at times with Adrien's humour.
I do like this series and quite a few of this authors other series like Holmes and Moriarity - of which Moriarity got a mention in this as an ex cop turned author and I will be reading more of his books at a later date.
It has been 8 years - possibly more since I joined Goodreads in 2012 - since I read books five and six in this series - and I should point out, they were the only two books I DID read in this series after getting them free one Christmas from AllRomanceeBooks before the website shut down
did fall in love with Adrien and Jake despite not knowing all the stuff they had been through in the previous books so when I saw this, I had to read it. They do rehash a lot of what happened in the past and god, I was getting emotional reading it - so in a way I'm glad I didn't - but they are such a good couple.
Well this wouldn't be an Adrien English mystery without a mystery and this one involves an old acquaintance whose boyfriend has gone missing after visiting his family for the holidays. His old fashioned, well off family. Both sides are saying the other had something to do with his disappearance and Adrien is tasked with helping to track him down, while Jake is hired by the family to do the same.
There's some other drama going on at Cloak & Dagger, the bookshop Adrien owns and we see some sweet moments and sometimes some hot moments between Jake and Adrien. It had me laughing at times with Adrien's humour.
I do like this series and quite a few of this authors other series like Holmes and Moriarity - of which Moriarity got a mention in this as an ex cop turned author and I will be reading more of his books at a later date.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated This Shining Life in Books
Feb 15, 2021
Ollie's Dad died. Richard had an incurable brain tumour, and before he passed away, he sent everyone a special present. He also told Ollie that "being alive was like a puzzle and it was all falling into place." Ollie is autistic. He thinks his father left him a puzzle to solve. Could it involve the gifts? Why won't anyone help him solve the puzzle?
This Shining Life by Harriet Kline is a heartbreaking tale about a family coming to terms with death. Told from several people's point of view, Kline explores different portrayals of grief. Ollie's mum wants to stay in bed; his aunt wants life to carry on; his maternal grandmother tries to exert control; his paternal grandmother wishes she could understand her grandson; and his grandfather has no idea what is going on. No one has time for Ollie and his obsession with his puzzle.
Before Richard's death, Ollie dominated family life. Ollie had a strict routine, always had a few spare pairs of socks with him because he hated dirty ones, and had meltdowns if his parents used the "wrong" tone of voice. Without his familiar habits, Ollie's life was a mass of confusion - an apt metaphor for the grief the rest of the family experienced.
With a contemporary novel such as This Shining Life, there is no "happy ever after". People do not come back from the dead. There is no answer to the meaning of life. Grief is a long process and different for everyone. It causes depression, anger and confusion, but hidden under all these negative feelings is love.
Harriet Kline takes death and grief seriously but adds a touch of humour to the narrative for the reader's benefit. It is not a light read, nor is it markedly profound. Instead, This Shining Life is painfully honest, and for that reason, it is beautiful.
This Shining Life by Harriet Kline is a heartbreaking tale about a family coming to terms with death. Told from several people's point of view, Kline explores different portrayals of grief. Ollie's mum wants to stay in bed; his aunt wants life to carry on; his maternal grandmother tries to exert control; his paternal grandmother wishes she could understand her grandson; and his grandfather has no idea what is going on. No one has time for Ollie and his obsession with his puzzle.
Before Richard's death, Ollie dominated family life. Ollie had a strict routine, always had a few spare pairs of socks with him because he hated dirty ones, and had meltdowns if his parents used the "wrong" tone of voice. Without his familiar habits, Ollie's life was a mass of confusion - an apt metaphor for the grief the rest of the family experienced.
With a contemporary novel such as This Shining Life, there is no "happy ever after". People do not come back from the dead. There is no answer to the meaning of life. Grief is a long process and different for everyone. It causes depression, anger and confusion, but hidden under all these negative feelings is love.
Harriet Kline takes death and grief seriously but adds a touch of humour to the narrative for the reader's benefit. It is not a light read, nor is it markedly profound. Instead, This Shining Life is painfully honest, and for that reason, it is beautiful.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Thunder Force (2021) in Movies
May 9, 2021
Terrible and unfunny script (1 more)
Wasted talent.
Getting the crabs is never a laugh.
Positives:
- I laughed three times:
o Jason Bateman's "Crab-man" talking about his ironic star-sign;
o Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy's love-making scene: the most
innovative use of butter since "Last Tango in Paris"!
o The duo struggling to get in and out of their Lamborghini supercar: purely
because it looks just like me these days trying to get in and out of my wife's
Mazda MX5!
Negatives:
- It singularly fails my "six laughs" test for a comedy. The script by Ben Falcone - McCarthy's husband - is just eye-rollingly unfunny. The pair must have laughed themselves silly over their own jokes. It's just a shame that their sense of humour diverges so wildly from mine (or indeed anyones?)
- Melissa McCarthy must be an acquired taste - one I've never acquired. "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" proves what a class act she can be.... but this does her reputation no good at all.
- It's criminal to have actors of the quality of Octavia Spencer, Jason Bateman and Melissa Leo and use them in such a poor way. Bateman is actually the funniest turn in the piece, but that's not saying much.
Summary Thoughts on "Thunderforce":
There are some movies that you just wish had been drowned at birth. This is one. I normally don't regret spending two hours watching a movie, but this one felt like wasted time. With "Twist" I thought I might have found my worst film of the year. But no, there's a new contender in town.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/05/09/thunderforce-getting-the-crabs-is-never-a-laugh/ . Thanks).
- I laughed three times:
o Jason Bateman's "Crab-man" talking about his ironic star-sign;
o Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy's love-making scene: the most
innovative use of butter since "Last Tango in Paris"!
o The duo struggling to get in and out of their Lamborghini supercar: purely
because it looks just like me these days trying to get in and out of my wife's
Mazda MX5!
Negatives:
- It singularly fails my "six laughs" test for a comedy. The script by Ben Falcone - McCarthy's husband - is just eye-rollingly unfunny. The pair must have laughed themselves silly over their own jokes. It's just a shame that their sense of humour diverges so wildly from mine (or indeed anyones?)
- Melissa McCarthy must be an acquired taste - one I've never acquired. "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" proves what a class act she can be.... but this does her reputation no good at all.
- It's criminal to have actors of the quality of Octavia Spencer, Jason Bateman and Melissa Leo and use them in such a poor way. Bateman is actually the funniest turn in the piece, but that's not saying much.
Summary Thoughts on "Thunderforce":
There are some movies that you just wish had been drowned at birth. This is one. I normally don't regret spending two hours watching a movie, but this one felt like wasted time. With "Twist" I thought I might have found my worst film of the year. But no, there's a new contender in town.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/05/09/thunderforce-getting-the-crabs-is-never-a-laugh/ . Thanks).
Mark Arm recommended Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus by Nick Cave / Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds in Music (curated)
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Avengers (2012) in Movies
Sep 17, 2020
The first Avengers movie is a real treat - it was at the time of the release and it is now. In 2012, the culmination of the first handful of MCU movies was just glorious, seeing all these heroes together for the first time. Now in 2020, we've become accustomed to that, spoilt by the more recent Infinity War and Endgame, it's easy to forget just how special Avengers is in it's comparative humbleness, especially for people who grew up reading these stories in comic books.
The main bulk of the cast, comprised of Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo (in his first appearance as Bruce Banner/Hulk), Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeremy Renner all bounce off of each other so naturally. The balance of dramatic moments and back and forth humour on display laid the blueprint for many MCU films to come, most notably Guardians of the Galaxy.
Tom Hiddleston steps up his game from the first Thor film and gives us an instantly iconic villain in Loki, one that has only been rivalled since by Thanos in terms of character development and story.
The set pieces are fantastic as well, most memorably, the Hulk and Thor battle on the Helicarrier, and of course the huge and ridiculous final show down in Manhattan, and the CGI still looks great 8 years down the line. A big event movie such as this was only made possible by introducing the individual characters slowly over a number of years, and it's proof that patience pays off. A formula that Marvel Studios have since mastered.
I know that none of these films are The Shawshank Redemption or Citizen Kane, but fuck me, films like Avengers Assemble (it's UK title) are so stupidly entertaining, and everything a kid who grew up reading comics could possibly want.
The main bulk of the cast, comprised of Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo (in his first appearance as Bruce Banner/Hulk), Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeremy Renner all bounce off of each other so naturally. The balance of dramatic moments and back and forth humour on display laid the blueprint for many MCU films to come, most notably Guardians of the Galaxy.
Tom Hiddleston steps up his game from the first Thor film and gives us an instantly iconic villain in Loki, one that has only been rivalled since by Thanos in terms of character development and story.
The set pieces are fantastic as well, most memorably, the Hulk and Thor battle on the Helicarrier, and of course the huge and ridiculous final show down in Manhattan, and the CGI still looks great 8 years down the line. A big event movie such as this was only made possible by introducing the individual characters slowly over a number of years, and it's proof that patience pays off. A formula that Marvel Studios have since mastered.
I know that none of these films are The Shawshank Redemption or Citizen Kane, but fuck me, films like Avengers Assemble (it's UK title) are so stupidly entertaining, and everything a kid who grew up reading comics could possibly want.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020) in Movies
Oct 12, 2020 (Updated Oct 12, 2020)
Starting with the positives for this one...
The three young leads are pretty likable, one of them wears a Ghost shirt at one point which was cool. Method Man plays a priest which is always going to be a good time. It has a diverse cast and deals with the issue of gentrification which you don't see often in movies.
But that was about it for me, everything else is just kind of shoddy. Although the whole cast seem to gel nicely, aside from a few moments that made me smile, none of the humour really landed.
The vampire aspect of this movie was just a bit lame. There's a lot of references to Blade, and a nod to The Lost Boys, but all that does is remind the audience that they could be watching a much better vampire film.
I appreciate that this a family friendly film, but I don't recall seeing a single drop of blood, which is weird considering the subject matter.
There aren't really any set pieces until the end, and honestly, the final showdown is woefully shit. The stakes never seem high throughout, and the twist regarding the vampire leader is telegraphed from the first moment they appear on screen.
Living in the UK, I can't comment on how well Vampires vs The Bronx represents The Bronx itself. In that regard, I've heard positive things, and the closing lines of the movie suggest that this is a film made for those who live there, which is a great thing, but it may somewhat explain why I just didn't connect with it in the way that others have.
As a commentary on several relevant social issues, it's not too bad. As a vampire film, it sucks, pun fully intended.
The three young leads are pretty likable, one of them wears a Ghost shirt at one point which was cool. Method Man plays a priest which is always going to be a good time. It has a diverse cast and deals with the issue of gentrification which you don't see often in movies.
But that was about it for me, everything else is just kind of shoddy. Although the whole cast seem to gel nicely, aside from a few moments that made me smile, none of the humour really landed.
The vampire aspect of this movie was just a bit lame. There's a lot of references to Blade, and a nod to The Lost Boys, but all that does is remind the audience that they could be watching a much better vampire film.
I appreciate that this a family friendly film, but I don't recall seeing a single drop of blood, which is weird considering the subject matter.
There aren't really any set pieces until the end, and honestly, the final showdown is woefully shit. The stakes never seem high throughout, and the twist regarding the vampire leader is telegraphed from the first moment they appear on screen.
Living in the UK, I can't comment on how well Vampires vs The Bronx represents The Bronx itself. In that regard, I've heard positive things, and the closing lines of the movie suggest that this is a film made for those who live there, which is a great thing, but it may somewhat explain why I just didn't connect with it in the way that others have.
As a commentary on several relevant social issues, it's not too bad. As a vampire film, it sucks, pun fully intended.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Hate U Give (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Let me start by saying that this is an incredibly powerful film. There's not a single member of the cast that I didn't believe in their role, and at no point during the film did I stop to wonder why something happened or what was going on. The whole thing flowed perfectly.
There are stellar performances from everyone, but I was really pleased to see Amandla Stenberg in this role. It's a strong lead which was a great relief as I wasn't overly enthusiastic after seeing some of her previous roles. Regina Hall really hit home for me too, I'm used to her as a comedic actor so this break from that was surprising and very welcome. She did still get the chance for moments of humour, they're just not as over the top as we might be used to.
This is an adaptation of the young adult book of the same name by Angie Thomas. While the protagonist is indeed a teenage girl the film certainly doesn't limit itself to that audience. Many adaptations before this have made it difficult to see its success past the intended age group but I can see this being popular on so many levels. It's a tough subject handled in an excellent way. This really feels like something special.
If I have to quibble about something it's that the ending feels a little too "and they all lived happily ever after". I don't know if that's how it ends in the book or not, I'm going to find out. It's still a good ending though, regardless.
What should you do?
See it. No haggling about ticket prices, it's worth every penny.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
The film doesn't quite fall into the category for this part of my post, but I'd really want Starr's determination and courage.
There are stellar performances from everyone, but I was really pleased to see Amandla Stenberg in this role. It's a strong lead which was a great relief as I wasn't overly enthusiastic after seeing some of her previous roles. Regina Hall really hit home for me too, I'm used to her as a comedic actor so this break from that was surprising and very welcome. She did still get the chance for moments of humour, they're just not as over the top as we might be used to.
This is an adaptation of the young adult book of the same name by Angie Thomas. While the protagonist is indeed a teenage girl the film certainly doesn't limit itself to that audience. Many adaptations before this have made it difficult to see its success past the intended age group but I can see this being popular on so many levels. It's a tough subject handled in an excellent way. This really feels like something special.
If I have to quibble about something it's that the ending feels a little too "and they all lived happily ever after". I don't know if that's how it ends in the book or not, I'm going to find out. It's still a good ending though, regardless.
What should you do?
See it. No haggling about ticket prices, it's worth every penny.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
The film doesn't quite fall into the category for this part of my post, but I'd really want Starr's determination and courage.