Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (1123)

Content

DEVICE 6

Games and Book

(0 Ratings) Rate It

App

** Winner of Apple Design Award 2014 ** A surreal thriller in which the written word is your map,...

Beach Buggy Racing

Games and Entertainment

(0 Ratings) Rate It

App

Drive into an action-packed, surprise-filled world of off-road kart racing mayhem! Race against a...

Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Up (2009) in Movies

Jan 30, 2018

Up (2009)

2009 | Action, Animation, Comedy

8.5

(83 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Pixar Does it Again

Up is one of those films that sticks with you long after the credits are done rolling. It hits you on a number of different levels, bordering close to perfection. I don't think I've seen a film that manages to switch from hurt to hilarious in such an effortless fashion.

In the beginning you meet Ellie, a cute little girl full of adventure. Her energy and excitement bleed off the screen and you can't help but smile at her. She's perfect for Carl, an innocent kid who barely says more than a few words. Their imaginative adventures get you into the story immediately. It's a relationship that makes the first ten minutes that much harder to watch. There are moments in the film that never lose impact which is testament to the film's power to stand the test of time.

For a child's film, there are a lot of layers that really make the film special. It isn't long before we get to meet Russell, an innocent boyscout turned star of the movie. He's just trying to earn another badge by helping the elderly. Underneath this unassuming kid is hurt from all the painful things happening in his life. Each character has their own respective backstory that makes them relatable and lovable.

There's good ole Doug the runt of a talking dog pack who can't seem to do right even when he tries his best. He's an outcast amongst the other dogs while still harboring those wonderful dogs traits that humans can't help but love. And how can you not love the colorful snipe Kevin whose only goal is to take care of her kids (yes, HER name is Kevin)? All of these characters are worthy of their own standalone film which is why bringing them all together for one story makes the film spectacular.

At the core of the story is the odd couple relationship between Kevin and Russell. Young and old meet and it couldn't be funnier to see the two try and operate together. As they try and understand each other, they form an unlikely bond, a closeness that was lost from both of their lives. At the risk of sounding like a teenager, it will give you all the feels.

There could be some missteps in this wonderful adventure about a man who decides to fly away in his house using thousands of balloons, but those missteps are minute. Not only are the visuals amazing, but the message is also a strong one: Don't get stuck in the past. Live life for the now.

Up is a classic. I give it a 99.

Kudos

Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated The Fifth Doll in Books

Oct 1, 2018

*3.5 stars, rounded up to 4*

I originally requested this after coming across it on Netgalley during a random browse thru the sci-fi/fantasy category. The description sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a shot. It sat on my Kindle carousel for a good while (so many books, so little time…) so it was a few days after it was released before I actually got around to starting it. I had seen The Fifth Doll mentioned in several posts and compared to Naomi Novik's Uprooted and Catherynne Valente's Deathless, two books that I love dearly. I decided to go back and check the Goodreads reviews to get an idea of the accuracy of that comparison and from there decided to read the first chapter or two to see if it hooked me like those two had. I was about 40% thru before I realized that it absolutely did have that “unputdownable” quality like the others and had to force myself to put it down and go to bed lol. After finishing it, I can say with certainty that the comparisons do indeed fit.

I have a weak spot for anything 'fairytale-esque’ and this definitely falls into that category, as it is a retelling of the origin of Russian matryoshka dolls. The mc’s name, Matrona, is a nod to this as well. This story is very well written and so imaginative. It definitely kept me guessing until close to the end when the truth about Slava, the creator of the dolls, is revealed. I liked that the Japanese nesting doll is where Slava found the inspiration to create his dolls, it's a small detail but one that ties this retelling to the real history of the matryoshka dolls.

I thought Matrona was developed pretty well but others, especially Slava, could have used a little more fleshing out. I would have also liked a little more backstory on Pavel and Oleg and the symbolism of the white horse. The writing style was solid and the pacing was just right in my opinion. The romance was subtle and didn't overshadow the main plot, which was nice for a change. The main thing I wasn't really happy with was the magic system. There's very little explanation of any of it or how it really works, only that it does. As a fan of fantasy and fairytales, I appreciate a well developed magic system as part of solid world building and that was sorely lacking here for me. Overall, it was an enjoyable read but I feel there was potential for it to be more.

**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.**