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Adam White (32 KP) rated Mean Dreams (2016) in Movies
Jun 22, 2020
A new Bonnie and Clyde Feel
Well, let me start by saying this took me a few years to watch this and it wasn't because of the mixed reviews it was because I knew this was one of Bill Paxton last movie rolls. With that being said, I should have watched this years ago, as it was not a let down. Bill Paxton will be truly missed.
This movie is a caring, passionate, modern love story. At some points during the movie It had a Bonnie and Clyde feel to it, which was okay. A lot less killing but you will get the drift if you watch it.
Wayne Caraway (Bill Paxton) plays an over controlling father/policeman with a major hatred towards his daughter Casey Caraway (Sophie Nélisse) new found crush Jonas Ford (Josh Wiggins).
The movie starts off slow but speeds up very quickly, which for me is the only downfall of the movie. You learn about the characters quickly, but I wish we had more backstory and also a future of things to come, by the end you are left wondering what will take place next.
Now with only having about 8 total characters and a dog in the movie, it draws you into each person a lot faster, which I enjoyed too.
All and all it's a good movie, even if you have mixed feelings you should watch it for Bill Paxton, a true legend in the movie world.
Blaise
This movie is a caring, passionate, modern love story. At some points during the movie It had a Bonnie and Clyde feel to it, which was okay. A lot less killing but you will get the drift if you watch it.
Wayne Caraway (Bill Paxton) plays an over controlling father/policeman with a major hatred towards his daughter Casey Caraway (Sophie Nélisse) new found crush Jonas Ford (Josh Wiggins).
The movie starts off slow but speeds up very quickly, which for me is the only downfall of the movie. You learn about the characters quickly, but I wish we had more backstory and also a future of things to come, by the end you are left wondering what will take place next.
Now with only having about 8 total characters and a dog in the movie, it draws you into each person a lot faster, which I enjoyed too.
All and all it's a good movie, even if you have mixed feelings you should watch it for Bill Paxton, a true legend in the movie world.
Blaise
Laura lou (304 KP) rated Insatiable in TV
Dec 18, 2018
Funny (2 more)
Entertaining
Relatable
This show has had a lot of mixed reviews. Some people love it and some people don’t like the way that it represents body issues.
Personally I thought this was a great show. If you don’t think too much about how far fetched some of the story lines are and just take the show for what it is, a show, then it’s very entertaining, funny and a joy to watch.
I found it quite addicting and ended up watching the entire series over a few days. I enjoyed the witty dialogue, quirky characters and personally thought that they approached some touchy subjects in a way that people can relate to but also in a way that made the show fun.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed watching insatiable and am looking forward to the next series.
Personally I thought this was a great show. If you don’t think too much about how far fetched some of the story lines are and just take the show for what it is, a show, then it’s very entertaining, funny and a joy to watch.
I found it quite addicting and ended up watching the entire series over a few days. I enjoyed the witty dialogue, quirky characters and personally thought that they approached some touchy subjects in a way that people can relate to but also in a way that made the show fun.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed watching insatiable and am looking forward to the next series.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Spine of Night (2021) in Movies
Mar 29, 2022
I don't really know enough about rotoscoping or the much loved Heavy Metal and Fire and Ice to make any comparisons, but what I can stay is that I initially found the animation of The Spine of Night really quite jarring. The wonderful painted-like backgrounds felt at odds with the harsh character designs, a point that was further driven when the hyper violence kicked in. However, by the halfway point I was utterly hypnotised by what was unfolding.
The expressions and emotions of these characters come across quite realistic in an oddly surreal way, wrapped up in an epic fantasy narrative that spans centuries, performed by an impressive voice cast.
The Spine of Night surely isn't for everyone, but if you have even a passing interest in animation and don't mind gore, then you'll probably get a kick out of it.
The expressions and emotions of these characters come across quite realistic in an oddly surreal way, wrapped up in an epic fantasy narrative that spans centuries, performed by an impressive voice cast.
The Spine of Night surely isn't for everyone, but if you have even a passing interest in animation and don't mind gore, then you'll probably get a kick out of it.
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.
Sam Hill (23 KP) rated Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle in Video Games
Jun 20, 2019
I purchased the game having viewed only the trailers and being a huge fan of the X-Com series which it looks, and feels, very much like.
I found the graphics and overall visual tone of the game to be fantastic. The merging of Rabbids and Mario themes has been done cleverly in a manner which does not feel forced.
The humour largely works, in a cartoonish and slightly childish way and the story is enough to carry you through the single player despite not being massively deep, and being very linear.
The mechanics also work quite well, with one slight caveat. The levels themselves play more like a puzzle game than a strategy, there very much is a right way to do each level and a wrong way. If you make a wrong step then you may need to restart the level instead of finding a way to fix it as you go.
All in all the game is of a high quality and entertaining, and is well worth its price tag
I found the graphics and overall visual tone of the game to be fantastic. The merging of Rabbids and Mario themes has been done cleverly in a manner which does not feel forced.
The humour largely works, in a cartoonish and slightly childish way and the story is enough to carry you through the single player despite not being massively deep, and being very linear.
The mechanics also work quite well, with one slight caveat. The levels themselves play more like a puzzle game than a strategy, there very much is a right way to do each level and a wrong way. If you make a wrong step then you may need to restart the level instead of finding a way to fix it as you go.
All in all the game is of a high quality and entertaining, and is well worth its price tag
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Desperation in Books
Aug 16, 2019
Rather creepy
Stephen King is known for his scary and horror filled stories, but it isnt often that I find them to be like this. Desperation however is the first story I've actually found to be rather unsettling and really quite creepy.
This is one of King's good multiple character driven books, told from the point of view of each of the well developed yet flawed characters. You can say what you like about King, but he knows how to write to keep you reading. The plot is bonkers but full of unsettling creepiness and gore that you can't help but imagine. It may be slightly too long and drawn out in parts, and I'm not a big fan of the religious aspects. However it's still a very enjoyable tale. I had worried I wouldn't like this as much having already read The Regulators, but both books have their own merits and whilst related, still stand distinctly separate. The character names might be the same, but fortunately as the personalities and appearances were changed so drastically in The Regulators, it makes it much easier for Desperation to stand apart as the original story.
This is one of King's good multiple character driven books, told from the point of view of each of the well developed yet flawed characters. You can say what you like about King, but he knows how to write to keep you reading. The plot is bonkers but full of unsettling creepiness and gore that you can't help but imagine. It may be slightly too long and drawn out in parts, and I'm not a big fan of the religious aspects. However it's still a very enjoyable tale. I had worried I wouldn't like this as much having already read The Regulators, but both books have their own merits and whilst related, still stand distinctly separate. The character names might be the same, but fortunately as the personalities and appearances were changed so drastically in The Regulators, it makes it much easier for Desperation to stand apart as the original story.
Midge (525 KP) rated The Year After You in Books
Feb 19, 2019
A Story Of Hope And Sadness
This is a wonderful, soul-searching, but sad story of hope and grief and it is one of the best books that I have read in a while.
It is set in Hope Hall, a Swiss boarding school located in the Alps. For me, one of the things that Nina de Pass did very cleverly was using the setting to maximum effect in THE YEAR AFTER YOU. Since my childhood, I have loved boarding school settings, as everything is so much more intense when in close proximity, such as romantic liaisons and relationships which tend to run at a different rate.
The main protagonist in this novel is Cara, who I found to be exceptionally frustrating at times, though this did not spoil the story for me in any way. From an honesty point of view, she was pretty unreliable as a narrator, however, I had a great deal of empathy for her because of what happened to her best friend Georgina. I loved that Nina de Pass developed Cara’s character so well.
I really liked all of the characters in THE YEAR AFTER YOU because they were so well formed as people with their own parts to play and were not just added after-thoughts to make the protagonist look better. For me, the story-telling also held some poignant messages about support mechanisms of friends and family and mental health issues.
I think that THE YEAR AFTER YOU is a book that I will remember. I would certainly recommend reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Black & White Publishing and Nina de Pass for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
It is set in Hope Hall, a Swiss boarding school located in the Alps. For me, one of the things that Nina de Pass did very cleverly was using the setting to maximum effect in THE YEAR AFTER YOU. Since my childhood, I have loved boarding school settings, as everything is so much more intense when in close proximity, such as romantic liaisons and relationships which tend to run at a different rate.
The main protagonist in this novel is Cara, who I found to be exceptionally frustrating at times, though this did not spoil the story for me in any way. From an honesty point of view, she was pretty unreliable as a narrator, however, I had a great deal of empathy for her because of what happened to her best friend Georgina. I loved that Nina de Pass developed Cara’s character so well.
I really liked all of the characters in THE YEAR AFTER YOU because they were so well formed as people with their own parts to play and were not just added after-thoughts to make the protagonist look better. For me, the story-telling also held some poignant messages about support mechanisms of friends and family and mental health issues.
I think that THE YEAR AFTER YOU is a book that I will remember. I would certainly recommend reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Black & White Publishing and Nina de Pass for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated Time & Knots in Books
Nov 20, 2019
Time and Knots is a beautiful book of poetry by poet Taran Singh. This collection was published in 2018. The book is broken down into sections y using seasons to lead you from Summer to Spring and ending with Void. Physically this book stunning. If you place it on your coffee table, you are sure to get comments on the exquisitely designed cover and beautiful aesthetic throughout the book. The level of detail given to the book is part of what makes the look so appealing, from the swirling design on the table of contents page to the Gurmukhi calligraphy at the beginning of each section.
The poetry itself throughout the book has a flowing language that sparks gorgeous imagery in your mind as you read. The topics fluctuate from poem to poem but overall look at the themes of time, memory, self, emotion, light, and dark. Reading this book, I simultaneously felt as though I was looking into the mind and heart of the author and exploring feelings and ideas that resonated within myself. I think this is because of the vulnerability that Singh shows in his writing, unafraid to explore any subject as long as he is searching for truth of feeling. It is hard to pick a favorite poem in this book because so many had lines that I found both beautiful and captivating. If I had to choose some of my top choices that I will surely come back to, they would be “Dark days leaving tangled knots,” “Autumn,” “Broken,” “Glow,” and “Void.” I also very much enjoyed that it was the last poem that was titled “Welcome.”
This is an exceptional body of work, and I immensely enjoyed reading each poem. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves deep and resonating poetry written in beautiful language — definitely a five-star read.
The poetry itself throughout the book has a flowing language that sparks gorgeous imagery in your mind as you read. The topics fluctuate from poem to poem but overall look at the themes of time, memory, self, emotion, light, and dark. Reading this book, I simultaneously felt as though I was looking into the mind and heart of the author and exploring feelings and ideas that resonated within myself. I think this is because of the vulnerability that Singh shows in his writing, unafraid to explore any subject as long as he is searching for truth of feeling. It is hard to pick a favorite poem in this book because so many had lines that I found both beautiful and captivating. If I had to choose some of my top choices that I will surely come back to, they would be “Dark days leaving tangled knots,” “Autumn,” “Broken,” “Glow,” and “Void.” I also very much enjoyed that it was the last poem that was titled “Welcome.”
This is an exceptional body of work, and I immensely enjoyed reading each poem. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves deep and resonating poetry written in beautiful language — definitely a five-star read.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated A Spark Of Light in Books
Mar 12, 2019
Serious subject but great characters & story
It starts off as a typical day at the Center, a women's reproductive health care clinic in Mississippi. For Hugh McElroy, it's his 40th birthday, and a day that he hopes will pass by quietly and quickly. But everything changes in a moment when an armed shooter enters the Center--shooting employees and patients on sight. Hugh, a negotiator for the police, is immediately called to the scene. Once there, he comes to the horrifying realization that his sister, Bex, and his only daughter, fifteen-year-old, Wren, are inside. Hugh tries to keep this information to himself, determined to save the people he loves the most. Meanwhile, many inside the clinic are struggling to stay alive, while the shooter is trying to come to terms with the reasons that brought him to the clinic in the first place.
"Here was the one thing all these women had in common: they hadn't asked for this moment in their lives."
Jodi Picoult is known for her powerful books that make you question the world around you, and her latest is certainly no exception. This novel asks interesting, thought-provoking, and timely questions: not just about abortion but about women's rights in general and the power men have over women, including their bodies. It makes you think, and it's certainly not an easy read. I found it to be an eye-opening experience. You may go in with a set view and particular political stance--and while this novel is in no way attempting to change your view--it allows you to see things from all sorts of points of view. The book is filled with complicated people and their stories; nothing is simple here.
The novel is told backward: starting with a shooter entering the clinic and working back from that moment. I'm not always a fan of this format, and it does take some getting used to (for me anyway). I read this one while I was sick and busy at work, so I always had to pause a little bit to get my bearings with each chapter. But the format causes the story to be extremely tense, forcing you to really want to know what happens. I've read some reviews where they thought the backward style left nothing unexplained/nothing left to know, but I found it to be the opposite. The first chapter leaves you with a near cliffhanger, and you spend the rest of the book frantically flipping the pages, trying to find out what happens.
I found this one to be especially poignant and excellent at portraying its characters. Picoult captures moments in time, as our characters remember back on things. It's a lovely look at fatherhood for two sets of families, and Hugh and his daughter, Wren, are a wonderful pair. Picoult does an excellent job paralleling them with another set of characters, too. Then there's Izzy, a nurse, with whom I dare you not to fall in love, and Dr. Louie, the doctor at the clinic. Both are so tough and easy to root for. I also learned so much while reading about them. It was easy to picture these characters and even easier to fall for them--all signs of a well-written novel.
By the end, Picoult has some twists up her sleeve: some surprising, some not. I thought the ending wrapped up a little quickly, but I still was impressed with one. You don't enjoy it, per se--the subject matter is a little rough for that, but you'll find yourself wowed by the characters and their shared story. 4+ stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!)
"Here was the one thing all these women had in common: they hadn't asked for this moment in their lives."
Jodi Picoult is known for her powerful books that make you question the world around you, and her latest is certainly no exception. This novel asks interesting, thought-provoking, and timely questions: not just about abortion but about women's rights in general and the power men have over women, including their bodies. It makes you think, and it's certainly not an easy read. I found it to be an eye-opening experience. You may go in with a set view and particular political stance--and while this novel is in no way attempting to change your view--it allows you to see things from all sorts of points of view. The book is filled with complicated people and their stories; nothing is simple here.
The novel is told backward: starting with a shooter entering the clinic and working back from that moment. I'm not always a fan of this format, and it does take some getting used to (for me anyway). I read this one while I was sick and busy at work, so I always had to pause a little bit to get my bearings with each chapter. But the format causes the story to be extremely tense, forcing you to really want to know what happens. I've read some reviews where they thought the backward style left nothing unexplained/nothing left to know, but I found it to be the opposite. The first chapter leaves you with a near cliffhanger, and you spend the rest of the book frantically flipping the pages, trying to find out what happens.
I found this one to be especially poignant and excellent at portraying its characters. Picoult captures moments in time, as our characters remember back on things. It's a lovely look at fatherhood for two sets of families, and Hugh and his daughter, Wren, are a wonderful pair. Picoult does an excellent job paralleling them with another set of characters, too. Then there's Izzy, a nurse, with whom I dare you not to fall in love, and Dr. Louie, the doctor at the clinic. Both are so tough and easy to root for. I also learned so much while reading about them. It was easy to picture these characters and even easier to fall for them--all signs of a well-written novel.
By the end, Picoult has some twists up her sleeve: some surprising, some not. I thought the ending wrapped up a little quickly, but I still was impressed with one. You don't enjoy it, per se--the subject matter is a little rough for that, but you'll find yourself wowed by the characters and their shared story. 4+ stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!)
