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Mayhawke (97 KP) rated 12 Monkeys (1995) in Movies
Feb 9, 2018
I'll have a Monkey on the rocks, with a twist...
The time is the future; The world has been ravaged by a bio-engineered plague,and the powers-that-be have decided it's time to do something about it.
Their decision? Put the half-nelson on a poor, unhappy convict (Willis) and tell him he's going back in time to hunt down the source, and kill the lunatic that released the bug before he can do it, thus changing history. Armed with just the knowledge that he's looking for a group called 'The 12 Monkeys', he is dispatched, only to find himself in an unforseen conflict with the local law and a Section 8.
Great performance from Willis, but it was while watching this film that I realised that Brad Pitt is actually more than a pretty face.
One of the best twists in the end of a tale I have ever seen.
This is definitley one of my desert island films, so I'm not really good at objectivity when discussing it but if you like slighty off-the-wall film entertainment I'd say this is a must.
Their decision? Put the half-nelson on a poor, unhappy convict (Willis) and tell him he's going back in time to hunt down the source, and kill the lunatic that released the bug before he can do it, thus changing history. Armed with just the knowledge that he's looking for a group called 'The 12 Monkeys', he is dispatched, only to find himself in an unforseen conflict with the local law and a Section 8.
Great performance from Willis, but it was while watching this film that I realised that Brad Pitt is actually more than a pretty face.
One of the best twists in the end of a tale I have ever seen.
This is definitley one of my desert island films, so I'm not really good at objectivity when discussing it but if you like slighty off-the-wall film entertainment I'd say this is a must.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The New Avengers in TV
Mar 5, 2018
Polyester-era sequel to The Avengers has an ostensibly more serious approach than the parent show - 'a straight show with comic undertones, rather than a spoof with serious overtones' was how Brian Clemens compared the two. Somehow the same magic isn't quite there - it's customary to blame Gareth Hunt as Gambit for being a spare wheel, but it's not Hunt's fault that he isn't Patrick Macnee. You could also argue that the stories are often formulaic and repetitive, but then so were the ones in the original series too. Some of the shows filmed abroad - 'The New Avengers in Canada!' - are definitely a mistake, though.
The worst episodes are dull, but the best ones are at least within spitting distance of the original series and have some of the same kind of offbeat charm - an automated shooting range (where the targets fire back) is infiltrated by enemy agents to lethal effect, a chemical spill causes sewer wildlife to grow to giant size, a enormous knock-out gas bomb is dropped on the centre of London. Still very watchable in a campy sort of way.
The worst episodes are dull, but the best ones are at least within spitting distance of the original series and have some of the same kind of offbeat charm - an automated shooting range (where the targets fire back) is infiltrated by enemy agents to lethal effect, a chemical spill causes sewer wildlife to grow to giant size, a enormous knock-out gas bomb is dropped on the centre of London. Still very watchable in a campy sort of way.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated Nightfall: Keeper of the Lost Cities in Books
Mar 9, 2018
This book picks up moments after book five in the series ends as Sophie is dealing with the fact that the Neverseen have kidnapped her human parents. After getting her human sister hidden away, Sophie begins to hunt for them. The only clue is Nightfall, a clue that leads to Keefe’s mother, Lady Gisela. But can she be trusted? Or is she using Sophie and her friends for her own purpose?
I’ve been waiting a year to get the next chapter in Sophie’s story after the cliffhanger of the last book, and I wasn’t disappointed. This really is a next chapter, so if you haven’t read these books, don’t start here since you will be lost. But fans will quickly find themselves turning the 800 pages in this book. The plot really stalls only once about two thirds of the way, but it isn’t too long before we are ramping up for the climax. Meanwhile, all our favorite characters get some development and their moments to shine while we meet a fantastic new character.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/11/book-review-nightfall-by-shannon.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I’ve been waiting a year to get the next chapter in Sophie’s story after the cliffhanger of the last book, and I wasn’t disappointed. This really is a next chapter, so if you haven’t read these books, don’t start here since you will be lost. But fans will quickly find themselves turning the 800 pages in this book. The plot really stalls only once about two thirds of the way, but it isn’t too long before we are ramping up for the climax. Meanwhile, all our favorite characters get some development and their moments to shine while we meet a fantastic new character.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/11/book-review-nightfall-by-shannon.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Gail (4 KP) rated Havoc (A Silent Sons MC #2) in Books
Jun 4, 2018
Havoc by Ambere Sabo
Five Stars
Havoc was an intriguing read. I found myself sad and ready to defend him at every turn. Angel was so feisty and stubborn. They made an interesting pair. I felt bad for Havoc when his sister turned to Gunner over him. But on the other hand he left on a man hunt to find their father not thinking of the other people who cared about him. Bikers always fascinated me the loyalty they have for each other and the lengths they go to protect their families. The visuals the author gave painted a clear picture of a young man wishing to free his family from the pain and stress his father brought upon them. You get a clear picture of how fierce and scared Angel was through out the whole story. Their relationship was hot and short but I guess once you know what you want you go for it and don’t let it go. Havoc was really just a soft teddy bear inside with the means to kill and protect all those he loved. The perfect blend of alpha male and sensitive.
Five Stars
Havoc was an intriguing read. I found myself sad and ready to defend him at every turn. Angel was so feisty and stubborn. They made an interesting pair. I felt bad for Havoc when his sister turned to Gunner over him. But on the other hand he left on a man hunt to find their father not thinking of the other people who cared about him. Bikers always fascinated me the loyalty they have for each other and the lengths they go to protect their families. The visuals the author gave painted a clear picture of a young man wishing to free his family from the pain and stress his father brought upon them. You get a clear picture of how fierce and scared Angel was through out the whole story. Their relationship was hot and short but I guess once you know what you want you go for it and don’t let it go. Havoc was really just a soft teddy bear inside with the means to kill and protect all those he loved. The perfect blend of alpha male and sensitive.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated With a Little Bit of Blood in Books
Jun 20, 2018
Henry and Eliza Must Solve a House Party Murder
Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins have been invited to the first house party thrown by the new Lord and Lady Ashford (she the former Clara Eynsford-Hill). The timing is perfect since a couple of strange things have forced the duo to look for a place to stay. However, the first morning a fellow guest is killed during the rabbit hunt. Henry is sure it was a hunting accident, but Eliza isn’t so sure. Who is right?
This is another fun mystery with the characters made famous by Pygmalion and My Fair Lady. The plot did seem to start slowly, however by the end I realized how things played into the overall story. A few of the regulars are reduced to cameos, but it was still nice to catch up with them. We have a rather large cast of characters, but it was always easy to keep them straight as the story unfolded. We get some fun with new (for 1913) things like airplanes and cars as well as mentions of the more serious things unfolding in the world at the time.
This is another fun mystery with the characters made famous by Pygmalion and My Fair Lady. The plot did seem to start slowly, however by the end I realized how things played into the overall story. A few of the regulars are reduced to cameos, but it was still nice to catch up with them. We have a rather large cast of characters, but it was always easy to keep them straight as the story unfolded. We get some fun with new (for 1913) things like airplanes and cars as well as mentions of the more serious things unfolding in the world at the time.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Witch's Betrayal in Books
Jul 7, 2019
Great instalment
Contains spoilers, click to show
I know who I really am. But if my coven finds out, they’ll hunt me down until I’m erased from history.
Seth, the arrogant demon hunter, is dangerously close to knowing too much. If that prick gets anywhere near one of my demons, there will be Hell to pay. Unfortunately, he’s also the one teaching me shadow magic.
Secrets hide in the shadows. And some secrets should never be known. But I won’t stop looking for who killed my birth mother. If I must face trauma from my previous lives, so be it.
I have my lovers. I have my coven. But I still need answers.
I really enjoy Crystals approach to demons and angels, heaven and hell! Her character development is so good and she writes her sex scenes making you want more without it overpowering the story! This is the 3rd book and i flew through it! Her style has such a nice flow from one book to another!
I'm lookin forward to seeing where things go from here now the 4 are about to become 5 while contending with the witches hunting them!!
Seth, the arrogant demon hunter, is dangerously close to knowing too much. If that prick gets anywhere near one of my demons, there will be Hell to pay. Unfortunately, he’s also the one teaching me shadow magic.
Secrets hide in the shadows. And some secrets should never be known. But I won’t stop looking for who killed my birth mother. If I must face trauma from my previous lives, so be it.
I have my lovers. I have my coven. But I still need answers.
I really enjoy Crystals approach to demons and angels, heaven and hell! Her character development is so good and she writes her sex scenes making you want more without it overpowering the story! This is the 3rd book and i flew through it! Her style has such a nice flow from one book to another!
I'm lookin forward to seeing where things go from here now the 4 are about to become 5 while contending with the witches hunting them!!
David McK (3734 KP) rated The Dark Tower (2017) in Movies
Jul 7, 2019
Well, that was nothing at all like I expected.
I've read the first book in Stephen King's Dark Tower series, and (honestly) hadn't really thought it was all that great or understood what all the fuss was about - for my money, David Gemmell did a far better job in his Jon Shannow trilogy of novels.
Having said that, I recognise that Gemmell's name may not have quite the same resonance, the same 'pull' as Stephen King.
I wanted to see this when it came in the cinema, and now haven't watched it on Netflix, honestly? I'm glad I didn't waste my money.
Having only read the first book in Stephen King's series, I can't say how true (or otherwese) this is to the novel(s), but I've always thought the best book and movie adaptations compliment each other: watching (or reading) one, say, would make you want to hunt out the other. This was far from the ideal: only an hour and a half long, but felling MUCH longer, I found this to be slow, plodding, and lacking any real originality or flair or excitement.
One to avoid!
I've read the first book in Stephen King's Dark Tower series, and (honestly) hadn't really thought it was all that great or understood what all the fuss was about - for my money, David Gemmell did a far better job in his Jon Shannow trilogy of novels.
Having said that, I recognise that Gemmell's name may not have quite the same resonance, the same 'pull' as Stephen King.
I wanted to see this when it came in the cinema, and now haven't watched it on Netflix, honestly? I'm glad I didn't waste my money.
Having only read the first book in Stephen King's series, I can't say how true (or otherwese) this is to the novel(s), but I've always thought the best book and movie adaptations compliment each other: watching (or reading) one, say, would make you want to hunt out the other. This was far from the ideal: only an hour and a half long, but felling MUCH longer, I found this to be slow, plodding, and lacking any real originality or flair or excitement.
One to avoid!
Awix (3310 KP) rated Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020) in Movies
Feb 7, 2020 (Updated Feb 7, 2020)
Garish and frantic comic book movie basically does your head in for nearly two hours. Never mind doing a Batman movie without Batman, now they've done a Joker movie without the Joker: annoying homicidal pole-dancer Harley Quinn breaks up with he of the green hair and gets mixed up in a hunt for a diamond-shaped McGuffin involving various other obscure and mostly female Batman characters. Full of movement and some not bad action choreography, but the plot is a disjointed mess and it's hard to escape the impression that the producers are treating you like an idiot.
Robbie's performance is basically just irritating; not sure whether this is entirely intentional or not. Ewan McGregor is definitely just bad, but the script is to blame anyway: when the writers appear to believe it's cool and funny to break someone's legs on a whim, it's hard to take them seriously when they try to take the high ground on any moral issue, as they also do. Amoral, superficial, and sadistically violent in places; generally quite dim-witted and depressing. Undoes all the good work of recent movies in detoxifying the DC brand: come back Zach Snyder, all is forgiven.
Robbie's performance is basically just irritating; not sure whether this is entirely intentional or not. Ewan McGregor is definitely just bad, but the script is to blame anyway: when the writers appear to believe it's cool and funny to break someone's legs on a whim, it's hard to take them seriously when they try to take the high ground on any moral issue, as they also do. Amoral, superficial, and sadistically violent in places; generally quite dim-witted and depressing. Undoes all the good work of recent movies in detoxifying the DC brand: come back Zach Snyder, all is forgiven.
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated What Women Want (2001) in Movies
Mar 8, 2020
This film was so profoundly bad, I am so surprised I managed to sit through the whole thing. I watched its counterpart (?) or maybe it's a reboot, who knows, "What Men Want" last year with Taraji P. Hensen and it made me eager to watch the original that it was based on.
The best thing about this film was the cast and it wasn't even the main characters I was impressed with - Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. The ones that surprised me and I was happy to see were Ashley Johnson, Marisa Tomei, Judy Greer, Sarah Paulson, Lisa Edelstein, Brooke Elliot made an appearance, really just great women popped up in this film from left to right and I was really impressed. I've followed their careers down their various paths and it's always cool to see them trackback to films together.
Overall, I think the plot of this movie is interesting, I just think that it was done badly and the ending was literally the worst. Am I glad I watched it? I don't know. I don't think I'll ever watch it again either. Maybe it was a waste of time. Hmm.
The best thing about this film was the cast and it wasn't even the main characters I was impressed with - Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. The ones that surprised me and I was happy to see were Ashley Johnson, Marisa Tomei, Judy Greer, Sarah Paulson, Lisa Edelstein, Brooke Elliot made an appearance, really just great women popped up in this film from left to right and I was really impressed. I've followed their careers down their various paths and it's always cool to see them trackback to films together.
Overall, I think the plot of this movie is interesting, I just think that it was done badly and the ending was literally the worst. Am I glad I watched it? I don't know. I don't think I'll ever watch it again either. Maybe it was a waste of time. Hmm.
Xanderath (690 KP) rated the Xbox 360 version of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition in Video Games
Mar 31, 2020
As a fan of rpg games ive heard alot about the witcher series so i was excited to get into this game. Storywise i thoroughly enjoyed it, i love the alternative choices you can make and how that affects gameplay later on. Having completed the game once im currently attempting to play through on "dark mode" which i would not recommend as it is exasperatingly difficult. Mainly just because geralt responds so slowly to commands. I enjoyed the scenery in the game and the progression through the different chapters has lots of areas to explore. If you do only the main missions you could complete the game moderately quickly but fortunately there are lots of side quests and interesting things to find. I would probably enjoy the game more if it allowed me to travel back to places previous and had a fast travel system but as it is, was a great piece of work and i look forward to playing through number 3. Not sure if the choices made in this game affect how the story plays in the wild hunt but i hope so.