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Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Shining (1980) in Movies
Oct 31, 2018
Horror film royalty
Kubrick. Overlook. Vague. The Gold Room. Danny. Twins. Macabre. Bourbon on the rocks. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Burial ground. 1980. Redrum. Room 237. Chilling. Lighting. Composition. Wendy. Snowcat. Hedge maze. 1921. Unnerving. Tony. Masterpiece. Lloyd. Delbert Grady. Axe. Here's Johnny. Carpeting. Apollo 11. Steadicam. Big wheel. Helicopter. Blood. Chilling. Annual October 30th.
Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) in Movies
Jan 4, 2018
Why Rum Gone
Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) plays our beloved pirate to love and hate in this adaption of a Disney ride. The movie from the word go is filled with action,comedy and suspense as we follow our captain take possession of a powerful boat with the help of Orlando bloom and try to rescue our damsel in distress Nightly and recover the last gold coin of a lost treasure to try and break and long time curse. This movie storyline took time and patience to make sure everything flowed right and it does. To me there is not a moment of down time and my favorite line when marooned on an island is "Why Rum Gone" Enjoy
Merissa (12051 KP) rated Tricked Into It (War Of The Myth #3) in Books
Dec 16, 2019
Tricked Into It is the third book in the War of the Myth series, and we get Charlie and Jack's story. Charlie is a human being held captive by Sebastian, her son, Tony, being used to ensure her compliance. Jack is Jack, the ultimate trickster with a secret and a heart of gold, even though he hides it well.
I found this to be extremely well-written, with Charlie's emotions when rescued being spot on. As a mum, I would have tried anything to get back to my child, which is just what Charlie did. Jack does what he can, bending the rules where possible, to help her. He is fighting a losing battle with the 'thing' inside him, and now finding Charlie, he feels like he is losing it.
As always, the characters are brilliant. I did take some time to reconnect with them as it has been a while since the first two books came out. This just meant that I got to learn their witticisms and quirks all over again, which is not a bad thing in my book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story AND the epilogue. If I had anything 'bad' to say it would be that it finished all too quickly for my liking. It certainly left me with questions unanswered! Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I found this to be extremely well-written, with Charlie's emotions when rescued being spot on. As a mum, I would have tried anything to get back to my child, which is just what Charlie did. Jack does what he can, bending the rules where possible, to help her. He is fighting a losing battle with the 'thing' inside him, and now finding Charlie, he feels like he is losing it.
As always, the characters are brilliant. I did take some time to reconnect with them as it has been a while since the first two books came out. This just meant that I got to learn their witticisms and quirks all over again, which is not a bad thing in my book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story AND the epilogue. If I had anything 'bad' to say it would be that it finished all too quickly for my liking. It certainly left me with questions unanswered! Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Invisible Man (1933) in Movies
Mar 4, 2020
Universal Monster
This movie is such a classic, it came out after dracula, frankenstein and the mummy. Out of all the universal monster movies, i like this one the most. It combines sci-fi, horror, psychological espects, and overall the invisible man just being a dick/asshole to everybody in his pathway. This classic movie is based off of a H.G. Wells novel, and if you dont know who that is, look him up..."The War of the Worlds".
The plot: While researching a new drug, Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) stumbles on a potion that can make him invisible. When he reveals his new ability to his old mentor (Henry Travers) and his fiancée (Gloria Stuart), it's clear that a side effect of the potion is insanity. Jack goes on a violent rampage, and the police struggle to hunt him down, unable to see their target, while his mentor and his former partner (William Harrigan) desperately try to devise a plan to capture him.
You have Claude Rains playing "The Invisible Man", he is excellent in this film. Cause like i said his charcter is just a dick/asshole to everybody in his pathway but has a heart of gold for his love.
If you havent seen this film, i would highly recordmend it, cause it is fantasic and phenomenal.
The plot: While researching a new drug, Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) stumbles on a potion that can make him invisible. When he reveals his new ability to his old mentor (Henry Travers) and his fiancée (Gloria Stuart), it's clear that a side effect of the potion is insanity. Jack goes on a violent rampage, and the police struggle to hunt him down, unable to see their target, while his mentor and his former partner (William Harrigan) desperately try to devise a plan to capture him.
You have Claude Rains playing "The Invisible Man", he is excellent in this film. Cause like i said his charcter is just a dick/asshole to everybody in his pathway but has a heart of gold for his love.
If you havent seen this film, i would highly recordmend it, cause it is fantasic and phenomenal.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Lost Christmas Memories (Gold Country Cowboys #4) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
A witness with amnesia Can she trust this Gold Country Cowboy with her life? Tracy Wilson witnessed a murder—but after a head injury, she can’t remember what she saw. Now someone plans to silence her for good, and only cowboy Keegan Thorn believes her. With a killer after her at Christmas, Tracy is running out of time to remember…and falling dangerously hard for the cowboy who could break her heart.
My Thoughts: In this book, we find the Thorn family preparing for the double wedding of Jack and Owen. The storyline centers around the fourth son Keegan. Keegan learns the value of a close family and learning how to let his heart truly love, as he lets go of past hurts.
Dana Mentink has written another gripping story of suspense, with a mix of romance. Readers will truly enjoy this novel. This book will is a great novel for the Christmas season.
A great novel of love and forgiveness.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Thoughts: In this book, we find the Thorn family preparing for the double wedding of Jack and Owen. The storyline centers around the fourth son Keegan. Keegan learns the value of a close family and learning how to let his heart truly love, as he lets go of past hurts.
Dana Mentink has written another gripping story of suspense, with a mix of romance. Readers will truly enjoy this novel. This book will is a great novel for the Christmas season.
A great novel of love and forgiveness.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Year One (2009) in Movies
Aug 9, 2019
I had no idea what to expect with “Year One”. Would it be another flop like “Nacho Libre”? How does Michael Cera fit into this kind of film? Could this be unexpected comedy gold reminiscent of the 1981 Mel Brook’s classic “History of the World: Part I”?
“Year One” follows the journey of two cavemen, Zed (Jack Black) and Oh (Michael Cera), through a comedic adaptation of early mankind. Zed and Oh are lowly members of their tribe rebuffed by the women they desire. Desperate to be something more Zed consumes the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge and is immediately out casted from his tribe. Oh joins Zed and the two begin a trip encountering fractured Biblical stories and characters.
Eventually our heroes are led into the lecherous city of Sodom, where they find the tribe and their ladyloves have been taken as slaves. As the two attempt to free the women from a life of slavery eccentric vaguely plotted comedy ensues.
The cast, filled with the usual silly suspects, includes Paul Rudd as Abel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Issac, and Vinnie Jones as Sargon. But do not expect their normal brand of comedy because it has been replaced with visually graphic potty humor.
The sets and costumes are well created but near impossible to notice when there is a pile of sheep innards being interpreted by Oliver Platt, who plays the High Priest. The few interesting one-liners fail to save “Year One” from an aura similar to “Austin Powers in Goldmember“.
Why after great films like “School of Rock” and “Be Kind Rewind” is Jack Black purposely trying to end his career? Moreover, why has he decided to take Michael Cera with him? As for Michael Cera this awful sort of humor is not going to lead him out of the valley of “Juno” fandom.
The flick is better than “Nacho Libre”, but it is not comedy gold. If you enjoy simple potty humor you should definitely see the film, but if not plan to borrow the DVD from a friend only to be happy you did not purchase it.
“Year One” follows the journey of two cavemen, Zed (Jack Black) and Oh (Michael Cera), through a comedic adaptation of early mankind. Zed and Oh are lowly members of their tribe rebuffed by the women they desire. Desperate to be something more Zed consumes the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge and is immediately out casted from his tribe. Oh joins Zed and the two begin a trip encountering fractured Biblical stories and characters.
Eventually our heroes are led into the lecherous city of Sodom, where they find the tribe and their ladyloves have been taken as slaves. As the two attempt to free the women from a life of slavery eccentric vaguely plotted comedy ensues.
The cast, filled with the usual silly suspects, includes Paul Rudd as Abel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Issac, and Vinnie Jones as Sargon. But do not expect their normal brand of comedy because it has been replaced with visually graphic potty humor.
The sets and costumes are well created but near impossible to notice when there is a pile of sheep innards being interpreted by Oliver Platt, who plays the High Priest. The few interesting one-liners fail to save “Year One” from an aura similar to “Austin Powers in Goldmember“.
Why after great films like “School of Rock” and “Be Kind Rewind” is Jack Black purposely trying to end his career? Moreover, why has he decided to take Michael Cera with him? As for Michael Cera this awful sort of humor is not going to lead him out of the valley of “Juno” fandom.
The flick is better than “Nacho Libre”, but it is not comedy gold. If you enjoy simple potty humor you should definitely see the film, but if not plan to borrow the DVD from a friend only to be happy you did not purchase it.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Call Of The Wild (2020) in Movies
Feb 25, 2020
Rather too big-budget Jack London adaptation is long on CGI and short on grit, but remains engaging and dignified entertainment. Pampered house dog Buck is abducted from his California home and packed off to Alaska during the gold rush, slowly getting in touch with his wild side. Harrison Ford plays the main human part - there was something oddly familiar about seeing the star team up with a huge, hairy, almost totally non-verbal partner and then I remembered the Russian word for dog is sowbacca and it all made a bit more sense.
The harder edges of London's book have been sanded down considerably, and this does verge on the sentimental and cutesy in places - for one ghastly moment I thought the dogs were going to start talking to each other - and the fact it's made with a CGI dog (Terry Notary has been mo-capped) will probably put some people off. But it's solid, likeable stuff, lifted considerably by performances from Ford and Omar Sy. I still think it was madness to spend over $120 million on a film which will probably struggle to find an audience, but it has a definite charm to it.
The harder edges of London's book have been sanded down considerably, and this does verge on the sentimental and cutesy in places - for one ghastly moment I thought the dogs were going to start talking to each other - and the fact it's made with a CGI dog (Terry Notary has been mo-capped) will probably put some people off. But it's solid, likeable stuff, lifted considerably by performances from Ford and Omar Sy. I still think it was madness to spend over $120 million on a film which will probably struggle to find an audience, but it has a definite charm to it.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Bag Man (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Sometimes it sucks to be a delivery guy when you don’t know what you are
carrying in a tightly sealed leather bag. Anything can happen when too many
people are interested in what The Bag Man is carrying when it gets a
limited theatrical run starting Feb 28th.
When Jack (John Cusack) is a fixer/hitman under the employ of Dragna
(Robert De Niro), a crime lord — tasked to bring a leather bag to a seedy
hotel — the people he runs into are more shadier than he is. All he has to
do is to wait for the arrival of this gangster and not look at what’s
inside.
Both the movie and night is long while Jack fends for himself. His dealings
with the motel manager (beautifully played by Crispin Glover) is far more
interesting than the lady of the night, Rivka (Rebecca Da Costa), he meets.
Together what they end up in is a cat and mouse game of nearly everybody
from this sleepy hole-in-the-wall after them. Everyone is interested in
what the bag contains, and this Macguffin never strays far from the plot.
Even though the concept of what’s in the bag is hardly original, this
narrative device will keep some people — characters included — invested
in wondering what’s so important about it. When the contents are revealed,
will what’s revealed be King Midas’ gold or the evils from Pandora’s Box?
This loose thriller has its moments where viewers will be glued to the
suspense but ultimately, it’s this movie’s pacing that slows the action
down. Losing 10-15 minutes might help in keeping the tale tight.
That can help everyone, audience included, from not losing interest. Sooner
or later, the cat has to be let out of the bag.
carrying in a tightly sealed leather bag. Anything can happen when too many
people are interested in what The Bag Man is carrying when it gets a
limited theatrical run starting Feb 28th.
When Jack (John Cusack) is a fixer/hitman under the employ of Dragna
(Robert De Niro), a crime lord — tasked to bring a leather bag to a seedy
hotel — the people he runs into are more shadier than he is. All he has to
do is to wait for the arrival of this gangster and not look at what’s
inside.
Both the movie and night is long while Jack fends for himself. His dealings
with the motel manager (beautifully played by Crispin Glover) is far more
interesting than the lady of the night, Rivka (Rebecca Da Costa), he meets.
Together what they end up in is a cat and mouse game of nearly everybody
from this sleepy hole-in-the-wall after them. Everyone is interested in
what the bag contains, and this Macguffin never strays far from the plot.
Even though the concept of what’s in the bag is hardly original, this
narrative device will keep some people — characters included — invested
in wondering what’s so important about it. When the contents are revealed,
will what’s revealed be King Midas’ gold or the evils from Pandora’s Box?
This loose thriller has its moments where viewers will be glued to the
suspense but ultimately, it’s this movie’s pacing that slows the action
down. Losing 10-15 minutes might help in keeping the tale tight.
That can help everyone, audience included, from not losing interest. Sooner
or later, the cat has to be let out of the bag.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated New Jack City (1991) in Movies
Mar 21, 2018
Good Movie
Released in 1991, New Jack City takes place in the late 80's with the perfect vibe to boot. A time during which Kangol hats and "gold ropes" were in and rap needed a hard bass beat to be considered car system-worthy. New Jack is a solid groove of a film that remains timeless even to this day.
While a handful of spots were farfetched, I appreciate the grit and realness of the film as a whole. It's an open awareness into the crack epidemic and how badly it damaged black communities. It's hard watching people destroy the lives of those in their community knowing full well their lives gave them little choice to do much else. In one of my favorite scenes, antagonist Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) is having a meaningful conversation with an older man. At the heart of the conversation, they talk about how black people haven't gotten far from a societal progression standpoint since Martin Luther King Jr. died. No matter which side of the argument you're on, both had strong points that made you think.
The lead roles were consistently strong throughout. Chris Rock excelled in his role as Pookie, a crackhead trying to get his life together. You come to sympathize with his character hoping for a happy ending, but knowing the fate he is destined for. And you can't mention lead roles without giving Wesley Snipes his proper due as Nino Brown. Nino is smooth, a speaker for the people. His presence oozes with power in the criminal circuit yet the law sees him as just another delinquent. I give Rock the nod, but Snipes is a very close second.
Ice-T plays the role of Appleton, a cop hired to take a bite out of the crack epidemic by taking out one of its largest suppliers: Nino. The film as a whole is not without its faults as it lacks cohesiveness in certain spots. While the main actors are outstanding, the supporting roles are ghastly at best. I could definitely have done without Keisha (Vanessa Williams). If I heard "Rockabye baby" one more time, I'm pretty sure I would have lost it.
Not a classic for me, but still a consistent watch. I give New Jack City a 75.
While a handful of spots were farfetched, I appreciate the grit and realness of the film as a whole. It's an open awareness into the crack epidemic and how badly it damaged black communities. It's hard watching people destroy the lives of those in their community knowing full well their lives gave them little choice to do much else. In one of my favorite scenes, antagonist Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) is having a meaningful conversation with an older man. At the heart of the conversation, they talk about how black people haven't gotten far from a societal progression standpoint since Martin Luther King Jr. died. No matter which side of the argument you're on, both had strong points that made you think.
The lead roles were consistently strong throughout. Chris Rock excelled in his role as Pookie, a crackhead trying to get his life together. You come to sympathize with his character hoping for a happy ending, but knowing the fate he is destined for. And you can't mention lead roles without giving Wesley Snipes his proper due as Nino Brown. Nino is smooth, a speaker for the people. His presence oozes with power in the criminal circuit yet the law sees him as just another delinquent. I give Rock the nod, but Snipes is a very close second.
Ice-T plays the role of Appleton, a cop hired to take a bite out of the crack epidemic by taking out one of its largest suppliers: Nino. The film as a whole is not without its faults as it lacks cohesiveness in certain spots. While the main actors are outstanding, the supporting roles are ghastly at best. I could definitely have done without Keisha (Vanessa Williams). If I heard "Rockabye baby" one more time, I'm pretty sure I would have lost it.
Not a classic for me, but still a consistent watch. I give New Jack City a 75.
Lenard (726 KP) rated The Call Of The Wild (2020) in Movies
Feb 24, 2020
It Wears Its Heart in the Right Place
I love Jack London's writing. It is so nice to read a story with language that is so straightforward. Caught between the romantic period, when writers used flowery prose and were paid per word, and the stream-of-consciousness movement, where narrators spoke in a manner of events as they were happening right at that moment, London's naturalism was a change of pace for readers.
Buck is the housebroken dog of a San Francisco judge who was indulged as any child of wealth would be in the 1890s. Alaska was harsh environment for man and beast. When money was offered for dogs who could work in Alaska as sled dogs for supplies to mining outposts, Buck is kidnapped. Along the way, Buck begins to learn the lineage of his forebears, the wolves, as he adapts to his new life in the frozen tundra.
The movie itself as adapted in 2020 avoids a lot of the hardships that Buck faces in his new life, but he is given a kindly old sage who looks out for him throughout the movie. It also includes a Snidely Whiplash-like literal gold-digger who comes to Alaska with little knowledge of Alaska or gold prospecting. This character is two-dimensional and portrayed as "evil." Also, the character of Spitz, an Alaskan malamute who leads the sled team and serves as an antagonist for Buck, is given very little screentime.
Last observation, during the film, as Harrison Ford lay on the ground in one of the final scenes, I looked into his eyes and saw not the 77-year-old Harrison Ford who has become a mentor to the film community, but the 30-year-old carpenter who just wanted to drag race a teenager in American Graffiti. He still has within his eyes, the look of hunger that acting feeds. And, he didn't need de-aging SPX to look younger than he is.
Buck is the housebroken dog of a San Francisco judge who was indulged as any child of wealth would be in the 1890s. Alaska was harsh environment for man and beast. When money was offered for dogs who could work in Alaska as sled dogs for supplies to mining outposts, Buck is kidnapped. Along the way, Buck begins to learn the lineage of his forebears, the wolves, as he adapts to his new life in the frozen tundra.
The movie itself as adapted in 2020 avoids a lot of the hardships that Buck faces in his new life, but he is given a kindly old sage who looks out for him throughout the movie. It also includes a Snidely Whiplash-like literal gold-digger who comes to Alaska with little knowledge of Alaska or gold prospecting. This character is two-dimensional and portrayed as "evil." Also, the character of Spitz, an Alaskan malamute who leads the sled team and serves as an antagonist for Buck, is given very little screentime.
Last observation, during the film, as Harrison Ford lay on the ground in one of the final scenes, I looked into his eyes and saw not the 77-year-old Harrison Ford who has become a mentor to the film community, but the 30-year-old carpenter who just wanted to drag race a teenager in American Graffiti. He still has within his eyes, the look of hunger that acting feeds. And, he didn't need de-aging SPX to look younger than he is.