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Fred (860 KP) rated Tomb Raider (2018) in Movies
Jul 10, 2018
The acting is top notch (2 more)
Lots of action
Very loyal to the game series
The Story of Lara Croft is an interesting one
Watched this last night. As usual, I try not to see any reviews until I see it, so I'm not swayed by other's opinions. And so, not knowing if the movie was liked or disliked, I was able to watch it & make my own opinion.
I am a fan of the game series & love the new entries. I'm very glad they decided to follow the new games for this film & I found Lara's "origin" to be real interesting. I was not a fan of the Angelina Jolie movies. I found her too snooty & arrogant to like the character. But Alicia Vikander plays the characters perfectly. She plays a young Lara, who's tough, but has some vulnerability to her. She's an underdog we can root for, but she can hold her own too. A perfect balance.
Daniel Wu & Dominic West play their parts well. Although I would have liked to have seen Wu pull off some martial arts moves, like his character on "Into the Badlands", but I'm also glad they didn't fall for the stereotypical Asian.
But. a movie is only as good as it's main villain. And this movie has a great one. Played by Walton Goggins, who doesn't get the credit he deserves. This guy is great. He can make you love him & he can make you hate him too. I've never seen him in a bad role.
There's really not much to say about the story, as it's practically a live-action remake of the last 2 video games stories mashed together. You know what to expect, lots of action, lots of raiding of tombs. I kind of wish there would have been more puzzle solving in it. Some of the puzzles were solved without even showing them. Lara just solves them. I kind of wish I could have figured them out. But I guess I'm just used to playing the game & doing everything myself.
Anyway, the bottom line, it's a fun film, well worth watching.
I am a fan of the game series & love the new entries. I'm very glad they decided to follow the new games for this film & I found Lara's "origin" to be real interesting. I was not a fan of the Angelina Jolie movies. I found her too snooty & arrogant to like the character. But Alicia Vikander plays the characters perfectly. She plays a young Lara, who's tough, but has some vulnerability to her. She's an underdog we can root for, but she can hold her own too. A perfect balance.
Daniel Wu & Dominic West play their parts well. Although I would have liked to have seen Wu pull off some martial arts moves, like his character on "Into the Badlands", but I'm also glad they didn't fall for the stereotypical Asian.
But. a movie is only as good as it's main villain. And this movie has a great one. Played by Walton Goggins, who doesn't get the credit he deserves. This guy is great. He can make you love him & he can make you hate him too. I've never seen him in a bad role.
There's really not much to say about the story, as it's practically a live-action remake of the last 2 video games stories mashed together. You know what to expect, lots of action, lots of raiding of tombs. I kind of wish there would have been more puzzle solving in it. Some of the puzzles were solved without even showing them. Lara just solves them. I kind of wish I could have figured them out. But I guess I'm just used to playing the game & doing everything myself.
Anyway, the bottom line, it's a fun film, well worth watching.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
Oh man, here's another one where I wonder what I missed. I just don't see what a lot of other people see in this one.
Fairly early on I thought to myself that there seems to be a lot going on but nothing happening. My opinion didn't waver much from there.
The music was wonderful but even so it felt like it was oddly misplaced in here. I found myself actively nothing it because it didn't feel right for the setting.
When we come to the acting I found it a bit hit and miss. The only performance that really blew me away was Regina King, she's a consistently good actress and this role has already won her a lot of supporting actress critics awards. I honestly think she's very deserving of the Oscar too. I haven't seen Roma yet (it's on the list, I'm getting to it!) to compare, but Vice and The Favourite don't hold up to the standard of King's acting in this.
A lot of If Beale Street Could Talk felt like it was being artsy for the sake of it. There was a fairly long scene where we see Fonny working a bit of wood. I really couldn't see any need for it to be there, certainly not in that form. It was one of many bits that didn't seem to have much relevance. I'm a little undecided on... well... a lot of things. The voiceovers, the characters that pop up outside the main cast...
All in all it felt like there were too many things it was trying to be. A romance, a crime drama, a discourse on racial inequality? It left me with more questions than answers.
What you should do
Here we are again. I probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone, but yet again I'm in the minority.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'm afraid that I was too bewildered by what was going on to pay attention to any of the things I might want... if invisible fridges really are functional though I'd be interested in one.
Fairly early on I thought to myself that there seems to be a lot going on but nothing happening. My opinion didn't waver much from there.
The music was wonderful but even so it felt like it was oddly misplaced in here. I found myself actively nothing it because it didn't feel right for the setting.
When we come to the acting I found it a bit hit and miss. The only performance that really blew me away was Regina King, she's a consistently good actress and this role has already won her a lot of supporting actress critics awards. I honestly think she's very deserving of the Oscar too. I haven't seen Roma yet (it's on the list, I'm getting to it!) to compare, but Vice and The Favourite don't hold up to the standard of King's acting in this.
A lot of If Beale Street Could Talk felt like it was being artsy for the sake of it. There was a fairly long scene where we see Fonny working a bit of wood. I really couldn't see any need for it to be there, certainly not in that form. It was one of many bits that didn't seem to have much relevance. I'm a little undecided on... well... a lot of things. The voiceovers, the characters that pop up outside the main cast...
All in all it felt like there were too many things it was trying to be. A romance, a crime drama, a discourse on racial inequality? It left me with more questions than answers.
What you should do
Here we are again. I probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone, but yet again I'm in the minority.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'm afraid that I was too bewildered by what was going on to pay attention to any of the things I might want... if invisible fridges really are functional though I'd be interested in one.
As a Downton Abbey enthusiast, I enjoyed this book immensely! Full of romance, sorrow and drama! Just like the beloved show, Downton Abbey. Only, these people, really lived! I admit without shame, that I am an avid Downton Abbey fan. Having been sucked into it by the time the third season aired, I have been in love ever since. As some of you may know I have an obsession with finding out the real history behind stories that I love. Whether the Dark Ages or Contemporary Fiction, I want to know what actually happened. What I found the most intriguing about this book, is that there are many, MANY, similarities between Downton Abbey and the true history of Highclere Castle. (I am pretty sure that was no accident on Julian Fellowes's part.) This was one of my first real experiences with an audiobook, and I honestly wish I had just read the book instead. I am much more of a visual learner, and it was hard for me to retain all the dates and names...Especially since I was always driving as well. I believe I am more suited for novels on audiobook, rather than history. Any fan of Downton Abbey, or of Edwardian history in general, will enjoy this book. It was so much fun to learn about the real people that lived at Highclere one hundred years ago.
So I did not like this book of poetry as much as I have liked the previous ones I have read. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat and did not resonate the same way as the other ones have. While I found the poem and the form to be interesting at times, it was not as cohesive or connected as I typically enjoy. I realize that was probably the design of the writer, but it did not work for me.
The first section was easily understandable. It was pretty straightforward, a woman's husband died and she was mourning for him, going through their memories together. But then the second section was almost unintelligible. Which, again, I understand was most likely what the author wanted to do, being that grief takes reason and understanding and throws them out the window, but still, it did not work for me.
I enjoy being able to actually read what is on the page, not have scraps of words thrown together without much cohesion. Obviously, this is not a poem that I enjoy and I am sorry if you feel the opposite, but these are my thoughts on the matter.
The first section was easily understandable. It was pretty straightforward, a woman's husband died and she was mourning for him, going through their memories together. But then the second section was almost unintelligible. Which, again, I understand was most likely what the author wanted to do, being that grief takes reason and understanding and throws them out the window, but still, it did not work for me.
I enjoy being able to actually read what is on the page, not have scraps of words thrown together without much cohesion. Obviously, this is not a poem that I enjoy and I am sorry if you feel the opposite, but these are my thoughts on the matter.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Imposter (Dr Bloom #4) in Books
Nov 27, 2022
This is the fourth in this series starring Dr Bloom but the first I have read and whilst I feel this worked pretty well as a standalone, I definitely feel I have missed significant backstory and character development which would likely have enhanced my reading experience. Having said that, I found it easy to become engrossed in this engaging story.
There are dual aspects to this which are separate but with some crossover; the hunt for a serial killer and the story of high functioning psychopaths that is clearly the continuation from previous books.
There are quite a lot of characters and this, along with the storylines, means you have to be on the ball and remain focused. I admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the parts relating to the serial killer and I loved the twist; the other parts which follow on from previous books, not as much but I think that is more my fault coming in late rather than the author.
Overall, a really engaging read that is well written and I must thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Imposter.
There are dual aspects to this which are separate but with some crossover; the hunt for a serial killer and the story of high functioning psychopaths that is clearly the continuation from previous books.
There are quite a lot of characters and this, along with the storylines, means you have to be on the ball and remain focused. I admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the parts relating to the serial killer and I loved the twist; the other parts which follow on from previous books, not as much but I think that is more my fault coming in late rather than the author.
Overall, a really engaging read that is well written and I must thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Imposter.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Water for Elephants in Books
May 10, 2018
So I never thought that I would really fall in love with a book about the circus. I found it very difficult to put this book down, unfortunately I had to so I could take care of my family. I can't imagine would life would be like if I ran away with the circus, that's not something I have ever desired.
Jacob Jankowski loses everything in one day. His family, his home and his education. So he runs away with the circus(for real!). There he meets all kinds of interesting people and learns the ways of the circus. He also meets Marlena, the star of the show. He befriends her and her husband August, who is quite abusive to the animals, the roustabouts, and, at times, to Marlena. Shortly after Jacbo joins the Benzini Brothers Circus, they acquire an elephant, Rosie. Together Rosie and Marlena are bringing in the big money for Benzini Brothers. Of course there are a lot of ups and downs to get to that point.
The story is told through Jacob as an old man in a nursing home, waiting for his family to take him to the circus. He remineces about those days in anticipation for the event.
I want to tell so much more about this book, but I don't want to give it away. Please read this book, it will touch your heart and surprise you.
In the ebook version there is a conversation with the author, and she admits to never have gone to a circus before thinking about writing this book. I found that to be an interesting fact.
Jacob Jankowski loses everything in one day. His family, his home and his education. So he runs away with the circus(for real!). There he meets all kinds of interesting people and learns the ways of the circus. He also meets Marlena, the star of the show. He befriends her and her husband August, who is quite abusive to the animals, the roustabouts, and, at times, to Marlena. Shortly after Jacbo joins the Benzini Brothers Circus, they acquire an elephant, Rosie. Together Rosie and Marlena are bringing in the big money for Benzini Brothers. Of course there are a lot of ups and downs to get to that point.
The story is told through Jacob as an old man in a nursing home, waiting for his family to take him to the circus. He remineces about those days in anticipation for the event.
I want to tell so much more about this book, but I don't want to give it away. Please read this book, it will touch your heart and surprise you.
In the ebook version there is a conversation with the author, and she admits to never have gone to a circus before thinking about writing this book. I found that to be an interesting fact.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Chat Love in Books
Oct 2, 2020
I wanted to read this book immediately after reading the synopsis, and I was honoured when the author, Justine Faeth, approached me and sent me an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.
The book synopsis is a very promising one. Lucia is having trouble finding a man. After a few disastrous dates, she chooses to follow her friend’s advice and tries Chat Love, an online dating service.
As promising as the synopsis sounds, this book didn’t quite deliver. With Chat Love, I found the whole setting of the book unrealistic. There is a nice background story and a great idea, but it hasn’t been properly executed.
Lucia is an Italian lady. She is a city girl and a business woman. She is searching for love. See, Lucia is under pressure by her Italian family to get married. And I can completely understand that pressure, being born in a country where I have met people with similar beliefs. Lucia’s family thinks that a woman is made to be a mother, and not have a career. They think that if you are thirty and you haven’t got a boyfriend yet, you are useless and unworthy.
And I completely agree with Lucia when she tries to stand up to them and tell them how it’s important for her to find a man she will really love, not just marry in order to please her family. In some scenes though, it appears as if she hates her family, and has very bad attitude towards them. I understand completely where her frustration comes from.
But then, on the other hand, we have a Lucia that is being a hypocrite.
And while this whole book seems like she is searching for her true love, when someone appears and cares about her, she is acting as if she’s not interested. Woman, WHAT DO YOU WANT? She wants true love, and she doesn’t want to be used as a one-night stand, which is completely acceptable. But going on a date with a man for the first time, and telling him you want to get serious is creepy. Even if that is your long-term goal, you DO NOT say it on the first date. It scares people away. It makes people think you are a creep.
Also, given the fact that the synopsis promises an online app, this left me disappointed. During this book, we don’t get to really see a single chat happen through this app. Apart from a few letters from Jake. Honestly, I expected a back and forth conversations with men before a date happens. In the book, we get to see Lucia dating a lot of men. I didn’t stop to count them, but there must’ve been around twenty dates. And all these men had something wrong with them. But she never screwed up.
I will be honest with you now, and you people need to be honest with yourselves. In your life, you will meet people, and some people will make you giggle. Others might make you gag. But sometimes, the reason for a bad date is you. I am only trying to be honest here. I have screwed up a few dates myself, and you must have done the same thing too. That’s life though. We have to move on and try not to blame others for our mistakes. I wish this been represented in this book.
I really wish I loved this book.
I have mixed feelings, because despite all, this book did make me think and bring up discussions with people around the various topics, from family beliefs, to being creepy on first dates, to finding out what you really like. In a summary, as much as I didn’t enjoy it, I also am grateful for this book, for bringing out a lot of things to think about.
If you love chick-lit and short romance funny novels, you might enjoy it. If you think any of this discussion points is intriguing, you might enjoy it. I would love to have a chat and see what you think of this book.
The book synopsis is a very promising one. Lucia is having trouble finding a man. After a few disastrous dates, she chooses to follow her friend’s advice and tries Chat Love, an online dating service.
As promising as the synopsis sounds, this book didn’t quite deliver. With Chat Love, I found the whole setting of the book unrealistic. There is a nice background story and a great idea, but it hasn’t been properly executed.
Lucia is an Italian lady. She is a city girl and a business woman. She is searching for love. See, Lucia is under pressure by her Italian family to get married. And I can completely understand that pressure, being born in a country where I have met people with similar beliefs. Lucia’s family thinks that a woman is made to be a mother, and not have a career. They think that if you are thirty and you haven’t got a boyfriend yet, you are useless and unworthy.
And I completely agree with Lucia when she tries to stand up to them and tell them how it’s important for her to find a man she will really love, not just marry in order to please her family. In some scenes though, it appears as if she hates her family, and has very bad attitude towards them. I understand completely where her frustration comes from.
But then, on the other hand, we have a Lucia that is being a hypocrite.
And while this whole book seems like she is searching for her true love, when someone appears and cares about her, she is acting as if she’s not interested. Woman, WHAT DO YOU WANT? She wants true love, and she doesn’t want to be used as a one-night stand, which is completely acceptable. But going on a date with a man for the first time, and telling him you want to get serious is creepy. Even if that is your long-term goal, you DO NOT say it on the first date. It scares people away. It makes people think you are a creep.
Also, given the fact that the synopsis promises an online app, this left me disappointed. During this book, we don’t get to really see a single chat happen through this app. Apart from a few letters from Jake. Honestly, I expected a back and forth conversations with men before a date happens. In the book, we get to see Lucia dating a lot of men. I didn’t stop to count them, but there must’ve been around twenty dates. And all these men had something wrong with them. But she never screwed up.
I will be honest with you now, and you people need to be honest with yourselves. In your life, you will meet people, and some people will make you giggle. Others might make you gag. But sometimes, the reason for a bad date is you. I am only trying to be honest here. I have screwed up a few dates myself, and you must have done the same thing too. That’s life though. We have to move on and try not to blame others for our mistakes. I wish this been represented in this book.
I really wish I loved this book.
I have mixed feelings, because despite all, this book did make me think and bring up discussions with people around the various topics, from family beliefs, to being creepy on first dates, to finding out what you really like. In a summary, as much as I didn’t enjoy it, I also am grateful for this book, for bringing out a lot of things to think about.
If you love chick-lit and short romance funny novels, you might enjoy it. If you think any of this discussion points is intriguing, you might enjoy it. I would love to have a chat and see what you think of this book.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Worms Battlegrounds in Video Games
Mar 6, 2018
Funny and nostalgic... for a short period
Worms for me is a game I loved when I was younger, so when I found out they'd updated it for the PS4, I forced my other half to fork out a grand total of £4 to buy it for us despite protesting he hated it. Neither of us were disappointed.
I can't review the single player mode as it doesn't appeal in the slightest, and let's face it, the only reason you play Worms is to unleash tactical warfare against your nearest and dearest, causing numerous arguments in the process. And on this it doesn't disappoint. The gameplay is exactly how I remember, right down to the available weapons and worm characteristics. The movie trailer voiceover option constantly has me in hysterics.
The main fun of this game comes either from killing your opponents in decidedly wicked ways, or from completely messing up your tactics and killing yourself instead. The problem with this is, it gets old very quickly. This isn't a game you can play all day. This is a game you can play for a few rounds and then come back to in a week or so. It also has a few glitches which do get irritating after a while. The automatic camera panning is terrible; you have to force it to pan back to your character after selecting a target and most of the time you never know how much damage you do to an opponent as the camera has moved off elsewhere instead of staying on them. There's also the fact that it gives you multiple game/weapon options, but you have no clue from the startup screen what weapons this includes until you start the round and realise they're all the rubbish ones...
In short, this is still a really fun game as long as you keep it brief and can ignore some of the glitches.
I can't review the single player mode as it doesn't appeal in the slightest, and let's face it, the only reason you play Worms is to unleash tactical warfare against your nearest and dearest, causing numerous arguments in the process. And on this it doesn't disappoint. The gameplay is exactly how I remember, right down to the available weapons and worm characteristics. The movie trailer voiceover option constantly has me in hysterics.
The main fun of this game comes either from killing your opponents in decidedly wicked ways, or from completely messing up your tactics and killing yourself instead. The problem with this is, it gets old very quickly. This isn't a game you can play all day. This is a game you can play for a few rounds and then come back to in a week or so. It also has a few glitches which do get irritating after a while. The automatic camera panning is terrible; you have to force it to pan back to your character after selecting a target and most of the time you never know how much damage you do to an opponent as the camera has moved off elsewhere instead of staying on them. There's also the fact that it gives you multiple game/weapon options, but you have no clue from the startup screen what weapons this includes until you start the round and realise they're all the rubbish ones...
In short, this is still a really fun game as long as you keep it brief and can ignore some of the glitches.
Lindsay (1779 KP) rated The Christmas Blanket in Books
Nov 24, 2021
Are you looking for a book that might help a child or children find the meaning of Christmas? The Christmas Blanket is a good one for children to read. The story starts with a boy named EJ who wants to see the Rockefeller tree.
The way this story signifies told is lovely. It is the view of the EJ. Does your child or children know the meaning of Christmas? The real meaning of Christmas? This book can help a child or children with this question.
The pictures are down wonderful. There is only one error I found in the ebook format, and that was that the sentence on pages 8 and 9 was on the wrong pages. Other than that, it was a pretty good read; This is why I put the rating at 4.5 Moons (stars). If you see a four-star rating, I could not put the rating at four and a half stars.
I loved the pictures. The hand-drawn images are beautiful; I enjoy looking and looking at the pictures. If I had a hard copy or print copy, I would love to reread it and hold it. I probably would read again yearly. It's a good one to do just that. Parents could make that a tradition of reading this book every year or near the holiday season.
I don't want to give away how the plot of the story and how the story ends. Parents and children will enjoy this book. It would be a great gift or even good to have on the bookshelves around the holiday season. You could even use this book in the advent calendar if you wanted to.
The way this story signifies told is lovely. It is the view of the EJ. Does your child or children know the meaning of Christmas? The real meaning of Christmas? This book can help a child or children with this question.
The pictures are down wonderful. There is only one error I found in the ebook format, and that was that the sentence on pages 8 and 9 was on the wrong pages. Other than that, it was a pretty good read; This is why I put the rating at 4.5 Moons (stars). If you see a four-star rating, I could not put the rating at four and a half stars.
I loved the pictures. The hand-drawn images are beautiful; I enjoy looking and looking at the pictures. If I had a hard copy or print copy, I would love to reread it and hold it. I probably would read again yearly. It's a good one to do just that. Parents could make that a tradition of reading this book every year or near the holiday season.
I don't want to give away how the plot of the story and how the story ends. Parents and children will enjoy this book. It would be a great gift or even good to have on the bookshelves around the holiday season. You could even use this book in the advent calendar if you wanted to.
Morgan Sheppard (995 KP) rated The Ultimate Sacrifice (The Gifted Teens #1) in Books
Jan 26, 2021
THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE tells a fast-paced story about what it is like to be born special, even amongst the different. Kassia had problems keeping her emotions under control. This is a bad thing because she is able to cause pain, and even death, just by thinking about it. She has her own little support group in her BFF Mira, Noe, Auralee, Zane, and her love, Daxton.
The title of the book sort of gives away the main part of the story, but like most good books, the fun is getting to that part. This IS fast-paced so you need to read it carefully and not skim, otherwise a month has passed and you missed the reference that told you so.
I found this to be a gripping story that engaged my emotions. It was incredibly well-written and I loved every word. This book is concluded nicely with a small teaser that will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me.
The title of the book sort of gives away the main part of the story, but like most good books, the fun is getting to that part. This IS fast-paced so you need to read it carefully and not skim, otherwise a month has passed and you missed the reference that told you so.
I found this to be a gripping story that engaged my emotions. It was incredibly well-written and I loved every word. This book is concluded nicely with a small teaser that will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me.