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Rafe Jadison (9 KP) rated Water Weaver (Wraidd Elfennol #2) in Books
Nov 27, 2017
Phenomenal
Somewhere between Oz and Narnia, and not that far from the little alley that takes you to Hogwart’s, is a beautiful island called Wraidd Elfennol. The way that Rick Riordan brings to life the traditions of the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Norse, Morgan Sheppard pulls her readers into the not so forgotten world of the Welsh, where magic is a way of life, and nature is something strong and powerful that must be kept in order. With strong characters and magnificent details, Sheppard takes her readers on an odyssey that leaves them laughing, gasping, and begging for more. A story that appeals to old and young alike, Water Weaver is as educational as it is page turning as it follows young and gifted Marella on her journey to discover who she is and what she is made of when she and the other Chosen of Wraidd Elfennol must travel to mystical lands in a desperate attempt to save their tranquil world from all the harm that can come from a world out of balance. Sheppard does her own weaving as she blends humor, fact, and poignant life lessons into a piece that reads like an articulate friend telling you a fascinating story in front of a cozy fire. She had hooked me with Marella, the first book in this series, but now I am an addict. Water Weaver is an extraordinary read that leaves you craving exotic foods, a warm cup of tea, and her next book.
Rodney Barnes (472 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) in Movies
Mar 22, 2019 (Updated Mar 22, 2019)
Very Disappointed
Contains spoilers, click to show
I am one of the biggest Star Wars fans you would meet. I have been to theaters to see all movies. As a kid I saw A New Hope in the theater. The Last Jedi however was an abomination. What you have in this movie was a director that did whatever he wanted and hardly addressed anything in The Force Awakens; which now in my opinion is irrelevant.
In the old canon Luke was such an awesome powerful character and leader. Instead of that we get some crazy old guy who has lost connection with the force because his nephew has turned to the dark side (Hmmm A gifted force user turning to the dark side never heard this type of storyline before). The Knights of Ren was not addressed. Luke confining himself to an island and force projecting himself was just plain dumb to me (Hmmm a Jedi Master exiling himself...never heard that storyline before either). The revelation of Rey's parents was anti climatic. The Canto Byte scene was unnecessary. The the thing I was most disappointed in was when Snoke was killed. He was a character I was really interested in. I have heard the people that like this movie say most are mad because this movie was not a "fan service". That is inane reasoning because without fans you have nothing. If this was just another type of Sci fi movie it would have worked. As a Star Wars movie.....just plain bad
In the old canon Luke was such an awesome powerful character and leader. Instead of that we get some crazy old guy who has lost connection with the force because his nephew has turned to the dark side (Hmmm A gifted force user turning to the dark side never heard this type of storyline before). The Knights of Ren was not addressed. Luke confining himself to an island and force projecting himself was just plain dumb to me (Hmmm a Jedi Master exiling himself...never heard that storyline before either). The revelation of Rey's parents was anti climatic. The Canto Byte scene was unnecessary. The the thing I was most disappointed in was when Snoke was killed. He was a character I was really interested in. I have heard the people that like this movie say most are mad because this movie was not a "fan service". That is inane reasoning because without fans you have nothing. If this was just another type of Sci fi movie it would have worked. As a Star Wars movie.....just plain bad
Zach Smith (62 KP) rated Tomb Raider (2018) in Movies
Mar 23, 2019
Three tries and I finally got through it.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I was intrigued when the reboot became a reality, however I believe they dropped the ball in advertising and the movie no longer became a priority. I finally had the opportunity to view it and stopped the viewing withing fifteen minutes. I tried again several times later and on the third try today I made it through the entire movie. The secret is getting through the initial boring begining. You want to pay attention to the narration at the begining where Laura Crofts father is narrating, after that feel free to check out for awhile. This generally is used for character development, which they do, kind of, its just not very interesting.
Once Laura sets off following her fathers footsteps looking for this forbidden island its like a new movie. The pace of the movie picks up and we finally get moving towards the plot of the movie. The new acotr playing Laura Croft Alicia Vikander fits the role well, however you will grow tired of her "wimper" whe she is in distress or fighting which I believe "weakens" her character. So go out and give it a try, my Snore Factore raiting is 6/10 for the first 30 minutes and that is adjusted once the movie actually starts to a 3/10.
Once Laura sets off following her fathers footsteps looking for this forbidden island its like a new movie. The pace of the movie picks up and we finally get moving towards the plot of the movie. The new acotr playing Laura Croft Alicia Vikander fits the role well, however you will grow tired of her "wimper" whe she is in distress or fighting which I believe "weakens" her character. So go out and give it a try, my Snore Factore raiting is 6/10 for the first 30 minutes and that is adjusted once the movie actually starts to a 3/10.
Jessi Bone (48 KP) rated A Call To Haiti's Awakening in Books
Mar 25, 2019
Little Haiti History Book
“The uniquely tragic history of the land is marked by the slavery, struggles, suffering and striving for betterment”
Ernst Etienne in his a very small ninety pages book takes on the Nation of Haiti. Haiti is actually one of two nations on the Island of Hispaniola. He covers from the beginning of the nation when it was a set of different tribes all the way to what Haiti is today and what the nation can look like in the future. Mr. Etinne in his search of the past even covered the five different chiefdom's of the Taino Indians and their culture, beliefs, and values with unequally distinctive tribes. The actions he took on covering the history both negative and positive with slavery, pirates and struggling of the countries past and. His bravery with being willing to show all of it both positive and negative is unique in today's world where we want to forget the parts of our pasts we do not like. He is kind of bad stuff and shows how people will a lot of times make bad decisions when striving for betterment. The photographs and photographic documents were a wonderful bonus to accompany the text throughout. The information he gives is historical in nature but is in by no means boring. I found it interesting and fun and at parts quit surprising. I had no interest in Haiti but with the help of Mr. Etienne, I want to learn more about this small nation.
Ernst Etienne in his a very small ninety pages book takes on the Nation of Haiti. Haiti is actually one of two nations on the Island of Hispaniola. He covers from the beginning of the nation when it was a set of different tribes all the way to what Haiti is today and what the nation can look like in the future. Mr. Etinne in his search of the past even covered the five different chiefdom's of the Taino Indians and their culture, beliefs, and values with unequally distinctive tribes. The actions he took on covering the history both negative and positive with slavery, pirates and struggling of the countries past and. His bravery with being willing to show all of it both positive and negative is unique in today's world where we want to forget the parts of our pasts we do not like. He is kind of bad stuff and shows how people will a lot of times make bad decisions when striving for betterment. The photographs and photographic documents were a wonderful bonus to accompany the text throughout. The information he gives is historical in nature but is in by no means boring. I found it interesting and fun and at parts quit surprising. I had no interest in Haiti but with the help of Mr. Etienne, I want to learn more about this small nation.
Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) rated Adrift (2018) in Movies
May 25, 2019
Confusing (1 more)
Grim
Contains spoilers, click to show
You are immediately thrown into the action of Tami coming to after being tossed about below deck from the hurricane. Had I not been reading a play-by-play on IMDB, I might have been more confused than I was but I was intrigued by what I read so I wanted to see how it all played out onscreen. I would have preferred to see the hurricane shown because I'm a fan of disaster films, but instead, we are shown the aftermath and flashbacks of the couple's first meeting and the romance that followed. I would also have liked to see more of the actual rescue and her telling her story to the Japanese sailors and/or people in Hawaii when she was taken to the island instead of brief and vague glimpses of it.
The doldrums of trying to survive aboard a broken vessel and all the boredom of hours upon hours of being adrift is shown.
The acting is decent enough.
There is very little excitement to hold one's interest. I was disappointed that in the movie but it wasn't my story to tell. This is based on the true story of Tami Oldham Ashcraft, who is listed as one of the writers and is shown briefly at the end of the movie.
It's not great. Reading about the actual story online is more satisfying. I am curious about Ashcraft's book but it's probably as boring as the movie.
The doldrums of trying to survive aboard a broken vessel and all the boredom of hours upon hours of being adrift is shown.
The acting is decent enough.
There is very little excitement to hold one's interest. I was disappointed that in the movie but it wasn't my story to tell. This is based on the true story of Tami Oldham Ashcraft, who is listed as one of the writers and is shown briefly at the end of the movie.
It's not great. Reading about the actual story online is more satisfying. I am curious about Ashcraft's book but it's probably as boring as the movie.
Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) rated Kiddo by Jessie Reyez in Music
Feb 6, 2018 (Updated Feb 6, 2018)
"I told you I'm a loco Colombian, now" Toronto-raised Jessie Reyez proclaims on "F**k It," the opening track of her new EP, Kiddo.
New school R&B tends to operate in this kind of "profanity as verisimilitude" mode, but whether one subscribes to that performance method or not, it's not hard to find something to like on the singer-songwriter's much anticipated, seven-track release.
Kiddo deals in equal parts emotional availability, intelligence and vulnerability. Previously heard tracks "Shutter Island" and "Figures" are multifaceted echoes of her soul, glimpses of emotion and reason that depict a fully realized individual who's greater than the sum of her parts. The EP follows along this wavelength, as Reyez expounds her forthright views on life, love and the connective emotional tissue in-between.
"Toronto is my city," she declares, setting the locale on the anthemic energizer that is "Blue Ribbon." The boom-bap of "Gatekeepers" explores the potential price of fame, symbolically and literally speaking, taking its lyrical and melodic cues from House of Balloons-era Abel Tesfaye. Closing things out are the interlude "Voice Mail" and the pop-minded "Great One," its piano strains underscoring its all-or-nothing metric when it comes to love.
With Kiddo, Reyez proves she's musically fearless yet frank, ripping open emotional convention to mine the prickly realities that lie beneath. It's the reason she is generating buzz and momentum as she works towards her inevitable and anticipated full-length release.
Critic - Ryan B. Patrick
Original Score - 8
Read the Original Review Here - https://exclaim.ca/music/article/jessie_reyez-kiddo
Kiddo deals in equal parts emotional availability, intelligence and vulnerability. Previously heard tracks "Shutter Island" and "Figures" are multifaceted echoes of her soul, glimpses of emotion and reason that depict a fully realized individual who's greater than the sum of her parts. The EP follows along this wavelength, as Reyez expounds her forthright views on life, love and the connective emotional tissue in-between.
"Toronto is my city," she declares, setting the locale on the anthemic energizer that is "Blue Ribbon." The boom-bap of "Gatekeepers" explores the potential price of fame, symbolically and literally speaking, taking its lyrical and melodic cues from House of Balloons-era Abel Tesfaye. Closing things out are the interlude "Voice Mail" and the pop-minded "Great One," its piano strains underscoring its all-or-nothing metric when it comes to love.
With Kiddo, Reyez proves she's musically fearless yet frank, ripping open emotional convention to mine the prickly realities that lie beneath. It's the reason she is generating buzz and momentum as she works towards her inevitable and anticipated full-length release.
Critic - Ryan B. Patrick
Original Score - 8
Read the Original Review Here - https://exclaim.ca/music/article/jessie_reyez-kiddo
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Little Black Lies in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Catrin Quinn is still reeling from the loss of her two sons nearly three years ago. Her grief and anger is exacerbated by the fact that Catrin blames her (now former) best friend, Rachel, for their deaths. Catrin lives on the isolated community of the Falkland Islands, where people generally know one another - and everyone's business. When several children go missing over a short period of time, even the tight-knit community must admit that something is going on. Catrin finds herself drawn into the search for the latest missing boy, despite the fact that she just wishes to wallow in her grief as the third anniversary of her sons' death approaches.
This was a great book - I love all of Bolton's Lacey Flint novels, but this standalone is excellent, too. It's told from the varying viewpoints of three people - Catrin, her ex-best friend Rachel, and Catrin's acquaintance, Callum, a former solider who was once stationed on the island. Bolton goes back and forth over a short time period, slowly unraveling events, first from Catrin, then Callum, and finally Rachel. It's a mesmerizing approach, as we try to decipher how much to trust each of our narrators. During each character's turn, I found myself completely enthralled and wrapped up in their life. I eventually stayed up far too late the final night, frantically finishing the book to find out what happened. Bolton has created yet another fascinating mystery that will have you guessing the entire time.
(Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
This was a great book - I love all of Bolton's Lacey Flint novels, but this standalone is excellent, too. It's told from the varying viewpoints of three people - Catrin, her ex-best friend Rachel, and Catrin's acquaintance, Callum, a former solider who was once stationed on the island. Bolton goes back and forth over a short time period, slowly unraveling events, first from Catrin, then Callum, and finally Rachel. It's a mesmerizing approach, as we try to decipher how much to trust each of our narrators. During each character's turn, I found myself completely enthralled and wrapped up in their life. I eventually stayed up far too late the final night, frantically finishing the book to find out what happened. Bolton has created yet another fascinating mystery that will have you guessing the entire time.
(Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Orient in Books
Mar 15, 2018
There are some books that manage to transcend their genres to become something else altogether, and while "Orient" is ostensibly a mystery, it is also one of the finer literary works likely to be published this year. It follows Mills Chevern, a foster kid who has bounced in and out of several families on his way from Modesto, California to the titular town of Orient on New York's Long Island. While a handful of the townspeople feel sympathetic to him and try to help him adjust to the community's somewhat insular nature, most are suspicious of anyone new. Shortly after his arrival, strange creatures begin washing up onshore and residents being dying. Mills and recently returned native Beth begin to search for answers in places that the locals, who are all to happy to point the finger at the new and unfamiliar resident, refuse to look, and in the process learn about the dark secrets hiding beneath the veneer of the seemingly idyllic coastal community. There are more than enough twists and surprises to keep fans of the mystery and suspense genres happy, but there is so much more here. It goes into tremendous detail about the lives of its characters, really giving you a sense of the town, and really making you care for the people you're reading about. The prose itself flows beautifully and contains countless quotable moments. This is a gorgeously entertaining read that is very likely to wind up on more than a few year-end best lists.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Healer's Apprentice (Hagenheim, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
It was a little over a year ago that I first read a Melanie Dickerson book. I fell instantly in love with her gift for stories! This year I have resolved to read more of the books that have piled up on my To-Be-Read pile (island...OK, it's a planet!) and I am making good progress so far. The Healer's Apprentice is a retelling of The Sleeping Beauty, which is my ALL TIME favorite fairy tale.
Rose is a kind and gentle young woman with a gift for storytelling, and a passion for life and Lord Hamlin, however, he is already betrothed. She struggles find her destiny. She thinks she knows what she wants in life, but it isn't until she lets go and hands her future path over to God that she begins to feel peace. Wilhelm, Lord Hamlin, has never had a problem fulfilling his duty as the future Duke. But when he meets Rose his life is turned upside down and he is conflicted by the pull of his heart and his responsibility as his father's heir.
A sweet romance and a life lesson, that when we follow God's calling and do the right thing, He will bless our path. Although it may be in a way we least expect.
I am so glad I finally read this story and look forward on catching up on the rest of the Hagenheim series in the near future. Don't miss A Noble Servant, book 3 of the THornbeck series, releasing in May!
Rose is a kind and gentle young woman with a gift for storytelling, and a passion for life and Lord Hamlin, however, he is already betrothed. She struggles find her destiny. She thinks she knows what she wants in life, but it isn't until she lets go and hands her future path over to God that she begins to feel peace. Wilhelm, Lord Hamlin, has never had a problem fulfilling his duty as the future Duke. But when he meets Rose his life is turned upside down and he is conflicted by the pull of his heart and his responsibility as his father's heir.
A sweet romance and a life lesson, that when we follow God's calling and do the right thing, He will bless our path. Although it may be in a way we least expect.
I am so glad I finally read this story and look forward on catching up on the rest of the Hagenheim series in the near future. Don't miss A Noble Servant, book 3 of the THornbeck series, releasing in May!
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Pinocchio (1940) in Movies
Dec 5, 2019
An Actor's Life For Me
Pinocchio- was the second animated feature film produced by Disney, made after the first animated success Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).
The Plot- When the woodworker Geppetto (Christian Rub) sees a falling star, he wishes that the puppet he just finished, Pinocchio (Dickie Jones), could become a real boy. In the night, the Blue Fairy (Evelyn Venable) grants Geppetto's wish and asks Jiminy Cricket (Cliff Edwards) to serve as the wooden boy's conscience. But the naive and trusting Pinocchio falls into the clutches of the wicked Honest John (Walter Catlett), who leads him astray to the sinful Pleasure Island.
Critical analysis of Pinocchio identifies it as a simple morality tale that teaches children of the benefits of hard work and conventional values. Although it became the first animated feature to win a competitive Academy Award – winning two for Best Music, Original Score and for Best Music, Original Song for "When You Wish Upon a Star" – it was initially a box office disaster, due to World War II. It eventually made a profit in its 1945 reissue, and is considered one of the greatest animated films ever made, with a 100% rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes.
All the songs are great and fanstastic, classics and you remember till this day. When You Wish Upon a Star, Little Wooden Head, Give A Little Whistle, Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee and I've Got No Strings. All classics and all excellent.
A must watch film.
The Plot- When the woodworker Geppetto (Christian Rub) sees a falling star, he wishes that the puppet he just finished, Pinocchio (Dickie Jones), could become a real boy. In the night, the Blue Fairy (Evelyn Venable) grants Geppetto's wish and asks Jiminy Cricket (Cliff Edwards) to serve as the wooden boy's conscience. But the naive and trusting Pinocchio falls into the clutches of the wicked Honest John (Walter Catlett), who leads him astray to the sinful Pleasure Island.
Critical analysis of Pinocchio identifies it as a simple morality tale that teaches children of the benefits of hard work and conventional values. Although it became the first animated feature to win a competitive Academy Award – winning two for Best Music, Original Score and for Best Music, Original Song for "When You Wish Upon a Star" – it was initially a box office disaster, due to World War II. It eventually made a profit in its 1945 reissue, and is considered one of the greatest animated films ever made, with a 100% rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes.
All the songs are great and fanstastic, classics and you remember till this day. When You Wish Upon a Star, Little Wooden Head, Give A Little Whistle, Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee and I've Got No Strings. All classics and all excellent.
A must watch film.