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Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated Dead Chest Island (The Secrets Begin #1) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I had the pleasure of meeting [J.J. Parsons] at the Savannah Children's Book Festival. I told her I had picked up her book [Dead Chest Island] at a local book seller. She kindly gave me the second book. That said, this is an unsolicited and honest review.
[Dead Chest Island] is a throw back to the mysteries of the 1950's. It made me think of The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Young children getting into adventure after hearing a story about an island that leads to solving a international crime, or foiling it, rather.
[Parson's] writing has a good flow and is well thought out. The characters are well developed. I am looking forward to reading the second book and hearing more of Edison'd adventures and see if his sister is still a pest. Highly recommend this book to school libraries.
[Dead Chest Island] is a throw back to the mysteries of the 1950's. It made me think of The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Young children getting into adventure after hearing a story about an island that leads to solving a international crime, or foiling it, rather.
[Parson's] writing has a good flow and is well thought out. The characters are well developed. I am looking forward to reading the second book and hearing more of Edison'd adventures and see if his sister is still a pest. Highly recommend this book to school libraries.
David McK (3236 KP) rated Men in Black (1997) in Movies
Dec 23, 2019
"Protecting the earth from the scum of the universe"
The second of the mid-to-late 90s of Will Smit's one-two rapid ascension to movie super stardom (following Independence Day), which sees him recruited by Tommy Lee Jones to join the Men in Black: a top-secret government organisation set up to monitor alien presence on earth.
While we're now up to four entries in the series as a whole following this summer's (2019) by-all-account-disappointing Men in Black: International, it's easy to forget just how well this movie still holds together, alongside some classic exchanges such as:
"Why the big secret? People are smart"
"A person is smart. People are dumb panicky dangerous animals and you know it"
"You do know Elvis is dead, right?"
"No, Elvis is not dead. He just went home"
The second of the mid-to-late 90s of Will Smit's one-two rapid ascension to movie super stardom (following Independence Day), which sees him recruited by Tommy Lee Jones to join the Men in Black: a top-secret government organisation set up to monitor alien presence on earth.
While we're now up to four entries in the series as a whole following this summer's (2019) by-all-account-disappointing Men in Black: International, it's easy to forget just how well this movie still holds together, alongside some classic exchanges such as:
"Why the big secret? People are smart"
"A person is smart. People are dumb panicky dangerous animals and you know it"
"You do know Elvis is dead, right?"
"No, Elvis is not dead. He just went home"
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated Men in Black III (2012) in Movies
Feb 17, 2020
How is it possible that this is the best of the three films?! I'm utterly shocked. I feel like if this film was the first film in the franchise or even the second, it would've made it so much better! This is the film that you really see Kay for who he is and you see a deeper side of Jay where he isn't just the token black man like the first film OR an idiot in the second one!
I still don't think it was very good as a whole film but in comparison to the entire series and the first two? This is the one that stands out as the best. I think in this movie, Griffin was my favorite and I liked Will Arnett's brief appearance in the beginning. Let's see how MIB International holds up.
I still don't think it was very good as a whole film but in comparison to the entire series and the first two? This is the one that stands out as the best. I think in this movie, Griffin was my favorite and I liked Will Arnett's brief appearance in the beginning. Let's see how MIB International holds up.
A.O. Scott recommended Spy (2015) in Movies (curated)
Rebecca Billcliff (2409 KP) rated Colour Brain Mini in Tabletop Games
Mar 9, 2022
Simple, but interesting. (1 more)
Fun
Fantastic Game of Colours!!!
This game is fab. Another example of this company understanding how people play games. You can go all bells and whistles, or keep it simple. Either way, great fun.
In a nutshell, you have a question about the colour if something (from flags to bands, there are topics for everyone) and your team answer by putting down the apropreare colour card(s).
Not only was it fun, I actually learned a fair few things while playing. Did you know the Golden Gate Bridge arrived painted in a burnt red primer, but the architect decided it looked good and wanted to keep it that way. The bridge's color is officially called international orange!
Boom!
Ages 14+
2+ players
Around 30 min play time
In a nutshell, you have a question about the colour if something (from flags to bands, there are topics for everyone) and your team answer by putting down the apropreare colour card(s).
Not only was it fun, I actually learned a fair few things while playing. Did you know the Golden Gate Bridge arrived painted in a burnt red primer, but the architect decided it looked good and wanted to keep it that way. The bridge's color is officially called international orange!
Boom!
Ages 14+
2+ players
Around 30 min play time
Candid view on organising one of the largest protests in US history
This is both thoughtful and inspiring. Reading about one of the largest protests in US history is truly wonderful.
What makes this book so interesting is its in-depth look into the importance of intersectionality and why it has failed to be addressed for so long. The organisers of the march are open and candid about all the issues that arose while bringing this together, including permits, and lack of inclusivity - but they also speak about how they corrected these problems and learnt from it.
From anecdotes of participants from Antarctica and a one-woman protest in Singapore, to important voices of our age such as Gloria Steinem and Roxane Gay - the book itself is a memento for one of the most significant moments of our time and worth going out and purchasing it on International Women's Day.
What makes this book so interesting is its in-depth look into the importance of intersectionality and why it has failed to be addressed for so long. The organisers of the march are open and candid about all the issues that arose while bringing this together, including permits, and lack of inclusivity - but they also speak about how they corrected these problems and learnt from it.
From anecdotes of participants from Antarctica and a one-woman protest in Singapore, to important voices of our age such as Gloria Steinem and Roxane Gay - the book itself is a memento for one of the most significant moments of our time and worth going out and purchasing it on International Women's Day.
Ross (3282 KP) rated Captain Marvel, Volume 1: Higher, Further, Faster, More in Books
Sep 17, 2018
Captain Marvel is not a superhero I am familiar with, but with a free Kindle Unlimited trial and an upcoming movie about her, I thought I should give it a try.
Some really good artwork here, being slightly cartoony in nature but not too twee. Some good interaction with Guardians of the Galaxy.
But in general, just a bit flimsy and dull. A lot of the book falls into Phantom Menace-esque international trade tariff discussions which take up quite a large proportion of the page count.
I don't feel like this really shows off one of the most powerful superheroes in all their glory, rather being a strong independent woman sorting things out through political discussion and diplomacy before eventually resorting to her powers. While this was right for the story being told, I found it a boring one. I may not be the target market for this.
Some really good artwork here, being slightly cartoony in nature but not too twee. Some good interaction with Guardians of the Galaxy.
But in general, just a bit flimsy and dull. A lot of the book falls into Phantom Menace-esque international trade tariff discussions which take up quite a large proportion of the page count.
I don't feel like this really shows off one of the most powerful superheroes in all their glory, rather being a strong independent woman sorting things out through political discussion and diplomacy before eventually resorting to her powers. While this was right for the story being told, I found it a boring one. I may not be the target market for this.
Jenni Olson recommended Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) in Movies (curated)
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Men in Black International (2019) in Movies
Jan 6, 2021
Fun Characters, Fun Ride
In this sequel of sorts, two secret agents set out to stop an intergalactic threat. Oh, the reviews for this thing were just plain horrible. Honestly, I didn’t think it was bad. Good? No. Decent enough to watch while folding laundry? Sure.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 8
While the first ten minutes won’t blow you away, it was definitely enough to get my attention. I didn’t watch it and get turned off from the rest of the movie. Not perfect, but still fun.
Characters: 10
Men In Black typically knocks it out of the park with an array of unique characters and Men In Black International is no exception. It’s fun knowing that any and everything could be an alien and watching those lines get blurred is always fun. Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) and Agent M (Tessa Thompson) also make a great combo in their reuniting.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
I love the advancements they have expanded on since the third film. The forcefields blocking an intergalactic scene of the crime is a particularly nice touch. These type of sci-fi movies require much attention to detail and this movie doesn’t disappoint. From the all-white confines of the chic MIB offices to an interspecies card game, the movie is a visual feast.
Conflict: 10
Action you say? Not bad at all. Again, very consistent and fun to watch. The stakes were high enough to keep me engaged. The battles were sprawling and sharp. It really is a good time.
Entertainment Value: 6
Memorability: 1
Pace: 10
Plot: 4
Resolution: 2
Overall: 71
While I liked some of the twists Men In Black International tried to throw in, there was really nothing separating it from being your average, run-of-the-mill action movie. Fun? Sure, but it doesn’t have staying power or hold with stronger movies in the genre. Definitely doesn’t deserve the 22% Rotten Tomatoes gave it, but also not the strongest of the series.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 8
While the first ten minutes won’t blow you away, it was definitely enough to get my attention. I didn’t watch it and get turned off from the rest of the movie. Not perfect, but still fun.
Characters: 10
Men In Black typically knocks it out of the park with an array of unique characters and Men In Black International is no exception. It’s fun knowing that any and everything could be an alien and watching those lines get blurred is always fun. Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) and Agent M (Tessa Thompson) also make a great combo in their reuniting.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
I love the advancements they have expanded on since the third film. The forcefields blocking an intergalactic scene of the crime is a particularly nice touch. These type of sci-fi movies require much attention to detail and this movie doesn’t disappoint. From the all-white confines of the chic MIB offices to an interspecies card game, the movie is a visual feast.
Conflict: 10
Action you say? Not bad at all. Again, very consistent and fun to watch. The stakes were high enough to keep me engaged. The battles were sprawling and sharp. It really is a good time.
Entertainment Value: 6
Memorability: 1
Pace: 10
Plot: 4
Resolution: 2
Overall: 71
While I liked some of the twists Men In Black International tried to throw in, there was really nothing separating it from being your average, run-of-the-mill action movie. Fun? Sure, but it doesn’t have staying power or hold with stronger movies in the genre. Definitely doesn’t deserve the 22% Rotten Tomatoes gave it, but also not the strongest of the series.