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Blazing Minds (92 KP) rated A Landscape of Lies (2011) in Movies
Nov 1, 2021 (Updated Nov 3, 2021)
After a fairly violent opening to the film, A Landscape of Lies tells the story of Jacob who is inflicted with PTSD after spending his time in the Gulf war, as he tries to adjust to being back in the UK and is helped along by his former commanding officer, Hilt.
But after Hilt is murdered by a serial killer, Jacob’s reality comes crashing down, Jacob decides that the only thing that he can now do is find out who the killer was and to help bring closure for Louise, Hilt’s widow, after the murder. Jacob then goes head to head with DCI Lane and his partners Sergeant Egan and DC Carter as he tries to discover the killer his life starts to mix with the suspects, such as East End villain and property tycoon Brannigan Woods, Marcus Clancy a workaholic who has put a strain on his marriage to his wife Claire, who is also cheating on him, and their rebellious daughter, Hannah.
But after Hilt is murdered by a serial killer, Jacob’s reality comes crashing down, Jacob decides that the only thing that he can now do is find out who the killer was and to help bring closure for Louise, Hilt’s widow, after the murder. Jacob then goes head to head with DCI Lane and his partners Sergeant Egan and DC Carter as he tries to discover the killer his life starts to mix with the suspects, such as East End villain and property tycoon Brannigan Woods, Marcus Clancy a workaholic who has put a strain on his marriage to his wife Claire, who is also cheating on him, and their rebellious daughter, Hannah.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Twilight Wife in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Kyra Winthrop and her husband, Jacob, are headed to live on a remote island (in the house where Jacob grew up) to get away from it all. Kyra recently suffered a head injury in a diving accident; she hit her head on a rock and while Jacob saved her, she cannot remember the past four years of her life and is having trouble with her current ability to retain things. Kyra and Jacob hope time away, in a quiet place, will let Kyra--and her memory--heal. But once on the island, Kyra begins to remember more and more. About the accident and about her past. She has no one to rely on but Jacob, who tells her much of what she remembers are only dreams. But Kyra is convinced it's more. And what about the shadowy third figure she continually recalls from their diving accident? Kyra isn't sure who to trust, even herself, as she tries to unfold her past and recall not only her accident, but who she has been for the past four years.
This was a fascinating book that really took the premise of the "unreliable" narrator to a whole new level. What I enjoyed the most is that we learned the bits and pieces about Kyra's life, and who she was, just as she did. This made the novel very suspenseful and helped make up for any points where it seemed a little unbelievable (e.g., only forgetting exactly these 4 crucial years, no Internet on the island except at their home, etc.), or where the story felt a bit flat. Kyra is our main character, and she's interesting and complicated, with her memory loss and unknown past. She's truly trying to find out who she is. The others in the novel, mainly Jacob and a few island residents, aren't exactly characters you form an attachment to. Still, I found the book captivating and basically read the second half in one sitting: it's a very fast read, and you become easily drawn into Kyra's world.
I found the ending to be a little easy and pat, but I still enjoyed watching all the pieces come together (even if I'd guessed some of them already). The novel really truly does a masterful job at creating intrigue into Kyra's past and the various parts of her life, and how she has arrived on this remote island with Jacob (don't want to give anything away). It's a little eerie, a little creepy, and a little haunting. It was sort of a fun version of a Lifetime movie--one that had me hooked and enjoying the plot, versus rolling my eyes and changing the channel--and because I so enjoyed seeing everything come together and racing through the end of the book, it pushed my rating up to 4 stars. If you're looking for a quick suspense read, it's definitely worth picking this one up.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 12/27/2016.
This was a fascinating book that really took the premise of the "unreliable" narrator to a whole new level. What I enjoyed the most is that we learned the bits and pieces about Kyra's life, and who she was, just as she did. This made the novel very suspenseful and helped make up for any points where it seemed a little unbelievable (e.g., only forgetting exactly these 4 crucial years, no Internet on the island except at their home, etc.), or where the story felt a bit flat. Kyra is our main character, and she's interesting and complicated, with her memory loss and unknown past. She's truly trying to find out who she is. The others in the novel, mainly Jacob and a few island residents, aren't exactly characters you form an attachment to. Still, I found the book captivating and basically read the second half in one sitting: it's a very fast read, and you become easily drawn into Kyra's world.
I found the ending to be a little easy and pat, but I still enjoyed watching all the pieces come together (even if I'd guessed some of them already). The novel really truly does a masterful job at creating intrigue into Kyra's past and the various parts of her life, and how she has arrived on this remote island with Jacob (don't want to give anything away). It's a little eerie, a little creepy, and a little haunting. It was sort of a fun version of a Lifetime movie--one that had me hooked and enjoying the plot, versus rolling my eyes and changing the channel--and because I so enjoyed seeing everything come together and racing through the end of the book, it pushed my rating up to 4 stars. If you're looking for a quick suspense read, it's definitely worth picking this one up.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 12/27/2016.
Debbiereadsbook (1053 KP) rated Ryker (Owatonna U Hockey #1) in Books
Mar 14, 2019
Not sure I liked Ryker!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
**This review will be short, I really dislike writing the three star reviews!**
Ryker is hockey royalty, coming up as 4th generation championship winning players. Jacob works his family farm with his mum and dad. Both end up at hockey camp for the summer, and are polar opposites in most things. Sharing a room brings them closer, then camp is over and they are on opposite sides of the country. When Ryker switches college to be closer to Jacob, will Jacob let him?
I can't put my finger on why this one didn't work for me, and ya'll know how much that does my head in! So, here's what I DID like.
Both Jacob and Ryker have their say, so we get both sides of the coin. Both voices are clear and very different, and their voice is in the first person. Each change is clearly headed, and comes as the chapter changes.
I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
I tagged it as a short read, because it does NOT seem as long as the billed 196 pages! One sitting read, too.
There are some characters from the series this one spins off, and that makes me want to go back and read THEIR series, or at least, Jared and Ten (Ryker's dad and step dad) stories.
I just . . . .DON'T know what didn't work!
Or at least, that was what I thought when writing this review. Now I'm typing it up, I *think* it might be Ryker himself. I dunno, maybe. Possibly.
So, gonna leave it at that.
3 good solid but maybe not for me, stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
**This review will be short, I really dislike writing the three star reviews!**
Ryker is hockey royalty, coming up as 4th generation championship winning players. Jacob works his family farm with his mum and dad. Both end up at hockey camp for the summer, and are polar opposites in most things. Sharing a room brings them closer, then camp is over and they are on opposite sides of the country. When Ryker switches college to be closer to Jacob, will Jacob let him?
I can't put my finger on why this one didn't work for me, and ya'll know how much that does my head in! So, here's what I DID like.
Both Jacob and Ryker have their say, so we get both sides of the coin. Both voices are clear and very different, and their voice is in the first person. Each change is clearly headed, and comes as the chapter changes.
I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
I tagged it as a short read, because it does NOT seem as long as the billed 196 pages! One sitting read, too.
There are some characters from the series this one spins off, and that makes me want to go back and read THEIR series, or at least, Jared and Ten (Ryker's dad and step dad) stories.
I just . . . .DON'T know what didn't work!
Or at least, that was what I thought when writing this review. Now I'm typing it up, I *think* it might be Ryker himself. I dunno, maybe. Possibly.
So, gonna leave it at that.
3 good solid but maybe not for me, stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
David McK (3169 KP) rated Horrible Histories: The Movie (2019) in Movies
Jan 14, 2020 (Updated Apr 7, 2024)
Effectively a (roughly) 1.5 hour extended edition of one of the skits from the TV show, this - I feel - suffers a bit from the absence of the core cast from that series, although it does try to make up for it with a virtual plethora of famous faces from British TV: off the top of my head including Alexander Armstrong (from Pointless), Warwick Davis, Derek Jacob, Nick Frost and Lee Mack.
This is set in and around the time of Boudiccea's rebellion against Rome, and is clearly aimed (not surprisingly!) at the younger audience, leaving aside the more gory aspects of the time and introducing (just like the TV show) several song and dance numbers throughout its running - a running time that could have been cut, somewhat, if it wasn't so enamoured of toilet humour!
This is set in and around the time of Boudiccea's rebellion against Rome, and is clearly aimed (not surprisingly!) at the younger audience, leaving aside the more gory aspects of the time and introducing (just like the TV show) several song and dance numbers throughout its running - a running time that could have been cut, somewhat, if it wasn't so enamoured of toilet humour!
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
Adam (John Cusack) is a man going nowhere fast. Upon his return home one day, Adam finds his girlfriend gone, his nephew Jacob (Clark Duke) in his basement addicted to playing online games that simulate real life, and his friend Lou (Rob Corddry) in the hospital.
When Adam meets up with his friend Nick (Craig Robinson) at the hospital, Nick attempts to brighten up Lou by offering him a trip to their old ski resort to relive the fun of their youth. With Jacob tagging along, the three friends head back to the site of their past glory, and realize that things have not improved with time.
The scenic town is now run down and largely abandoned and their resort has long since seen better days. Undaunted, the group breaks out the alcohol and heads for the hot tub in an effort to make the most out of their time with one another and to escape their empty lives.
Upon awakening from their stupor the group discovers that they have been whisked back to 1986 and they appear to everyone there as the younger versions of themselves. Jacob flips though when he sees himself as a flickering image and becomes convinced that they must not do anything to alter the future and must relive the weekend of 1986 over exactly as they did the first time.
A quirky repair man (Chevy Chase), indicates that he can fix the tub, but that he will need some time. Adam is thrilled when he meets his old girlfriend and then laments the fact that he has to end their relationship in order to preserve the timeline. Adam has long regretted her leaving the love of his life and is tempted to do things differently this time.
Nick looks to relieve his failed musical debut as a singer, but knows that he must do what is needed to get home. Lou, on the other hand, is the loose cannon of the group and is thrilled to get another chance at glory and chase women since he has become a pathetic loser in the future.
What follows is a madcap and outrageous comedy that lovingly resurrects the classic 80’s movies of old and infuses the modern gross out humor to successfully blend the old with the new as the friends struggle to get through the weekend and return home without altering the future.
The cast is solid, and Crispin Glover is great as the bizarre bellhop destined to have his arm go missing, but the when and how drives Lou insane in anticipation. While Robinson and Cusack do solid work, Corddry steals the film as a scheming, madcap mix of depravity and patheticness that drives the film.
While the movie did drag in a few parts for me there were enough laughs in the film to keep me interested and enjoy the nostalgic look back at my beloved 80s.
When Adam meets up with his friend Nick (Craig Robinson) at the hospital, Nick attempts to brighten up Lou by offering him a trip to their old ski resort to relive the fun of their youth. With Jacob tagging along, the three friends head back to the site of their past glory, and realize that things have not improved with time.
The scenic town is now run down and largely abandoned and their resort has long since seen better days. Undaunted, the group breaks out the alcohol and heads for the hot tub in an effort to make the most out of their time with one another and to escape their empty lives.
Upon awakening from their stupor the group discovers that they have been whisked back to 1986 and they appear to everyone there as the younger versions of themselves. Jacob flips though when he sees himself as a flickering image and becomes convinced that they must not do anything to alter the future and must relive the weekend of 1986 over exactly as they did the first time.
A quirky repair man (Chevy Chase), indicates that he can fix the tub, but that he will need some time. Adam is thrilled when he meets his old girlfriend and then laments the fact that he has to end their relationship in order to preserve the timeline. Adam has long regretted her leaving the love of his life and is tempted to do things differently this time.
Nick looks to relieve his failed musical debut as a singer, but knows that he must do what is needed to get home. Lou, on the other hand, is the loose cannon of the group and is thrilled to get another chance at glory and chase women since he has become a pathetic loser in the future.
What follows is a madcap and outrageous comedy that lovingly resurrects the classic 80’s movies of old and infuses the modern gross out humor to successfully blend the old with the new as the friends struggle to get through the weekend and return home without altering the future.
The cast is solid, and Crispin Glover is great as the bizarre bellhop destined to have his arm go missing, but the when and how drives Lou insane in anticipation. While Robinson and Cusack do solid work, Corddry steals the film as a scheming, madcap mix of depravity and patheticness that drives the film.
While the movie did drag in a few parts for me there were enough laughs in the film to keep me interested and enjoy the nostalgic look back at my beloved 80s.
Sarah Betts (103 KP) rated New Moon (Twilight, #2) in Books
Dec 30, 2019
I remember this book being a lot worse. I was actually pleasantly surprised when, on reading it again, I felt some empathy for Bella.
Here's the story:
Bella and Edward are happy, lalala. Jasper freaks out at her birthday and Edward decides this would be a great time to desert Bella and tell her he doesn't love her anymore. The thing here, is...I understand the motivation, and it kinda makes sense, but it was executed so bady, you have to wonder if Edward actually <i>loves</i> Bella or is just toying with her emotions.
Bella ends up transferring her codependence on Jacob and trying dangerous things so she can hear Edward's voice in her head. Now, in my opinion, this book would have been much better if Edward and Bella were presented as mentally unstable and emotionally damaged, because that's how they come across.
As much as I have been unimpressed with Meyer's writing in the past, the scenes depicting Bella's depression were pretty much on target, and in a way almost painful to read.
I still don't get the swooning over Edward thing. I'm just not that impressed with him. He spent the first book alternately growling, sneering, and laughing at Bella. It makes me want to lock him in a room with Stefan Salvatore and see who whines the most.
To recap: this book would be amazing if it had different characters who acted competely differently. As it stands, it's just "okay".
Here's the story:
Bella and Edward are happy, lalala. Jasper freaks out at her birthday and Edward decides this would be a great time to desert Bella and tell her he doesn't love her anymore. The thing here, is...I understand the motivation, and it kinda makes sense, but it was executed so bady, you have to wonder if Edward actually <i>loves</i> Bella or is just toying with her emotions.
Bella ends up transferring her codependence on Jacob and trying dangerous things so she can hear Edward's voice in her head. Now, in my opinion, this book would have been much better if Edward and Bella were presented as mentally unstable and emotionally damaged, because that's how they come across.
As much as I have been unimpressed with Meyer's writing in the past, the scenes depicting Bella's depression were pretty much on target, and in a way almost painful to read.
I still don't get the swooning over Edward thing. I'm just not that impressed with him. He spent the first book alternately growling, sneering, and laughing at Bella. It makes me want to lock him in a room with Stefan Salvatore and see who whines the most.
To recap: this book would be amazing if it had different characters who acted competely differently. As it stands, it's just "okay".
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Luca (2021) in Movies
Jun 16, 2021
The artists at Disney and Pixar have returned with a new animated film “Luca” which will debut on Disney+ on June 18th.
The film introduces audiences to Luca (Jacob Tremblay); a young Sea Monster who lives with his family and fellow fish off the coast of a small town in Italy. Luca is warned not to go on the surface and to avoid humans at all costs by his parents.
When a rebellious Sea Monster named Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer); happens upon Luca and gets him to the surface; Luca discovers that he and Alberto appear as human boys when their skin is no longer wet.
Fascinated by the rebellious life Alberto leads and amazed by what he sees upon his brief land excursions; Luca looks for new ways to find time on the surface which leads to him being more and more deceptive to his parents.
In time Luca and Alberto head to the village and meet a spunky local girl named Giulia (Emma Berman); who is on a break from school and longs to win a local race in order to get back at the reigning champion and bully.
Luca and Alberto see the race as a chance to win money to buy their own Vespa which they see as the key to exploring the surface world which sets a chain of events into motion as their two worlds are about to collide leading up to the race.
The film is visually appealing, but the story for me dragged and did not have the spark and heart that have made countless PIXAR films enduring classics. While the characters were fine; they did not have the appeal or charisma that I have come to expect with the PIXAR brand.
There have been reports that after “SOUL” was moved from a theatrical release to streaming during the Pandemic that some at PIXAR were upset with the decision to make “Luca” a streaming option. My take is that it was 100% the correct decision as while it is an entertaining film; it is not one that is likely to light up the Box Office and is better suited for a streaming debut.
The biggest issue with “Luca” is that coming from a studio with such a long line of classics; it fails to reach the levels previously set and while entertaining comes up lacking.
3 stars out of 5
The film introduces audiences to Luca (Jacob Tremblay); a young Sea Monster who lives with his family and fellow fish off the coast of a small town in Italy. Luca is warned not to go on the surface and to avoid humans at all costs by his parents.
When a rebellious Sea Monster named Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer); happens upon Luca and gets him to the surface; Luca discovers that he and Alberto appear as human boys when their skin is no longer wet.
Fascinated by the rebellious life Alberto leads and amazed by what he sees upon his brief land excursions; Luca looks for new ways to find time on the surface which leads to him being more and more deceptive to his parents.
In time Luca and Alberto head to the village and meet a spunky local girl named Giulia (Emma Berman); who is on a break from school and longs to win a local race in order to get back at the reigning champion and bully.
Luca and Alberto see the race as a chance to win money to buy their own Vespa which they see as the key to exploring the surface world which sets a chain of events into motion as their two worlds are about to collide leading up to the race.
The film is visually appealing, but the story for me dragged and did not have the spark and heart that have made countless PIXAR films enduring classics. While the characters were fine; they did not have the appeal or charisma that I have come to expect with the PIXAR brand.
There have been reports that after “SOUL” was moved from a theatrical release to streaming during the Pandemic that some at PIXAR were upset with the decision to make “Luca” a streaming option. My take is that it was 100% the correct decision as while it is an entertaining film; it is not one that is likely to light up the Box Office and is better suited for a streaming debut.
The biggest issue with “Luca” is that coming from a studio with such a long line of classics; it fails to reach the levels previously set and while entertaining comes up lacking.
3 stars out of 5
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Dance in Shadow and Whisper (The Marionettes of Myth, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review posted on <a title="Dance in Shadow and Whisper by Sarah Godfrey and Victoria deRubeis" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/09/review-dance-in-shadow-and-whisper-by-sarah-godfrey-and-victoria-derubeis.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Original Rating: 4.5
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> The authors provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.</i>
Basically from the first chapter, I was pretty hooked. Actually, I would say the first sentence, but that could have changed from sentence two or even sentence three.
Though if I said I nearly chucked the book across the room after sentence one, I would be telling a white lie.
So I actually did like Dance in Shadow & Whisper. Really liked it. And I pretty much believed I was in for a good read from sentence one. In fact, I would have recommend it to my school book club but due to language, I would probably get whacked in the head. Literally.
Yeah. Not happening. I'm the last fan of migraines and headaches (and bruises). I'm pretty sure the lot of us are as well.
But here are a few reasons why I really liked the book and labeled it potential book club recommendation:
1. I think this tends to be the very obvious in a lot of books I read: the idea. Demons vs. Vampires. Finally vampires have a new group of people they don't really like that aren't called werewolves.
~ ABOUT TIME in my very humble opinion. Not that anyone cares because they're probably too busy screaming Team Jacob! or perhaps Team Teen Wolf! (I probably made the Team Teen Wolf up. It is about werewolves after all.
2. I loved almost all of the characters' personalities, in which most are humorous and witty. But I particularly liked Kali, who is the main character in the book and seems to be a really fun person to be around (pigtails, lol).
3. Even though there are a few different POV changes throughout the book, it's easy to tell who's POV it is when it's not Kali.
4. The ending. Literally. If I say why I like it, I'll spill the milk and I might get haunted in the middle of the night. Because really...
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PewNyeCe7Do/TcGApe1JtjI/AAAAAAAABeU/2mvFe0wDB4s/s1600/cat-cats-kitten-kitty-pic-picture-funny-lolcat-cute-fun-lovely-photo-images-oh-god-why-would-you-do-that.jpg"; />
It was flawless in the transition. That's all I'm going to say about the ending. But now I'm in another waiting room... just keep waiting.
That's all I'm going to say and I refuse to say any more. But for Sarah Godfrey and Victoria DeRubeis's debut novel, Dance in Shadow & Whisper is definitely worth a read.
Original Rating: 4.5
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> The authors provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.</i>
Basically from the first chapter, I was pretty hooked. Actually, I would say the first sentence, but that could have changed from sentence two or even sentence three.
Though if I said I nearly chucked the book across the room after sentence one, I would be telling a white lie.
So I actually did like Dance in Shadow & Whisper. Really liked it. And I pretty much believed I was in for a good read from sentence one. In fact, I would have recommend it to my school book club but due to language, I would probably get whacked in the head. Literally.
Yeah. Not happening. I'm the last fan of migraines and headaches (and bruises). I'm pretty sure the lot of us are as well.
But here are a few reasons why I really liked the book and labeled it potential book club recommendation:
1. I think this tends to be the very obvious in a lot of books I read: the idea. Demons vs. Vampires. Finally vampires have a new group of people they don't really like that aren't called werewolves.
~ ABOUT TIME in my very humble opinion. Not that anyone cares because they're probably too busy screaming Team Jacob! or perhaps Team Teen Wolf! (I probably made the Team Teen Wolf up. It is about werewolves after all.
2. I loved almost all of the characters' personalities, in which most are humorous and witty. But I particularly liked Kali, who is the main character in the book and seems to be a really fun person to be around (pigtails, lol).
3. Even though there are a few different POV changes throughout the book, it's easy to tell who's POV it is when it's not Kali.
4. The ending. Literally. If I say why I like it, I'll spill the milk and I might get haunted in the middle of the night. Because really...
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PewNyeCe7Do/TcGApe1JtjI/AAAAAAAABeU/2mvFe0wDB4s/s1600/cat-cats-kitten-kitty-pic-picture-funny-lolcat-cute-fun-lovely-photo-images-oh-god-why-would-you-do-that.jpg"; />
It was flawless in the transition. That's all I'm going to say about the ending. But now I'm in another waiting room... just keep waiting.
That's all I'm going to say and I refuse to say any more. But for Sarah Godfrey and Victoria DeRubeis's debut novel, Dance in Shadow & Whisper is definitely worth a read.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Divergent in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">Imagine having to choose only 5 factions when you're sixteen with the knowledge that you might even have to leave your family. Then there's initiation which you have to pass or you're practically homeless (in this case, factionless). I know for one thing that I'll be having a LOT of trouble choosing a faction if our world as we know it were divided into factions.
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">My 2 cents on that? I'm not exactly selfless. And I have to look in the mirror, at least once a day, otherwise how else would I know if there's a ladybug in my hair? Dx Not that there is one. So Abnegation is out for me. I don't tell the truth ALL the time, even if I tend to burst out my honest opinion, therefore, I'm not Candor either. I would most certainly not jump off a train. Breaking a leg is painful. Falling to my death for fun and knowing that is worse. With that thought, I'm not Dauntless. I'm friendly most of the time, but not all the time. And I'm uncomfortable when it comes to hugs. *hides* I guess I'm cut out for Amity as well. I'm probably in Erudite though, drowning (in a good way) books and seeking knowledge. Maybe I'm not. I'm not that nerdy, even if I like hiding in books. I'm probably factionless though.
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm talking too much when I should probably go straight to the point. Whoops. I'm just curious about how the factions were formatted and how it's gonna work because like Four/Tobias says, "I want to be brave, and selfless, and smart, and kind, and honest."
Since I've been babbling randomly about my curiosity on the 5 factions, I should head back to the right trail then. And that is, actually reviewing and not writing away freely (more like typing) about something else (though related). I think that Divergent is quite similar to Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, but different and amazing in it's very own way that makes it just as unique as any other great books out there (whether or not I read them. Sparkly Vampires and Jacob Chihuahua included). :)
I really enjoy the main character Tris, though on some actions I'll disagree on. Why kill Will? He's kinda awesome, you know... he did stick with Tris when she was bullied by the others. (though I see why she had to. If Tris was dead, there would be a different main character instead. And that bounces more curiosity) Dx Christina's gonna murder you later o_o (Hey, if that's even true later, don't tell me because I'm just predicting! I'm not exactly cool with spoilers... lol. o_o) Eric is just plain mean (he was a bit aggressive in training though... too aggressive) and as evil as Jeanine (sorry if I spelled her name wrong). Nuff said. And I have a feeling they'll be causing more trouble in the future, whatever it might be.
Curiosity included or not, I fully enjoyed the plot the author has placed into the series and can't wait to read the next book when I get the chance. :)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-divergent-by-veronica-roth/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">My 2 cents on that? I'm not exactly selfless. And I have to look in the mirror, at least once a day, otherwise how else would I know if there's a ladybug in my hair? Dx Not that there is one. So Abnegation is out for me. I don't tell the truth ALL the time, even if I tend to burst out my honest opinion, therefore, I'm not Candor either. I would most certainly not jump off a train. Breaking a leg is painful. Falling to my death for fun and knowing that is worse. With that thought, I'm not Dauntless. I'm friendly most of the time, but not all the time. And I'm uncomfortable when it comes to hugs. *hides* I guess I'm cut out for Amity as well. I'm probably in Erudite though, drowning (in a good way) books and seeking knowledge. Maybe I'm not. I'm not that nerdy, even if I like hiding in books. I'm probably factionless though.
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm talking too much when I should probably go straight to the point. Whoops. I'm just curious about how the factions were formatted and how it's gonna work because like Four/Tobias says, "I want to be brave, and selfless, and smart, and kind, and honest."
Since I've been babbling randomly about my curiosity on the 5 factions, I should head back to the right trail then. And that is, actually reviewing and not writing away freely (more like typing) about something else (though related). I think that Divergent is quite similar to Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, but different and amazing in it's very own way that makes it just as unique as any other great books out there (whether or not I read them. Sparkly Vampires and Jacob Chihuahua included). :)
I really enjoy the main character Tris, though on some actions I'll disagree on. Why kill Will? He's kinda awesome, you know... he did stick with Tris when she was bullied by the others. (though I see why she had to. If Tris was dead, there would be a different main character instead. And that bounces more curiosity) Dx Christina's gonna murder you later o_o (Hey, if that's even true later, don't tell me because I'm just predicting! I'm not exactly cool with spoilers... lol. o_o) Eric is just plain mean (he was a bit aggressive in training though... too aggressive) and as evil as Jeanine (sorry if I spelled her name wrong). Nuff said. And I have a feeling they'll be causing more trouble in the future, whatever it might be.
Curiosity included or not, I fully enjoyed the plot the author has placed into the series and can't wait to read the next book when I get the chance. :)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-divergent-by-veronica-roth/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Darren (1599 KP) rated Knives Out (2019) in Movies
Nov 26, 2019
Verdict: Pure Fun
Story: Knives Out starts with the apparent suicide of Harlan Thrombey (Plummer) on his 85th birthday, the family Linda (Curtis), Walt (Shannon), Richard (Johnson), Joni (Collette) Meg (Langford), Jacob (Martell) and Ransom (Evans) were all in attendance along with Harlan’s nurse Marta (Armas).
Lieutenant Elliott (Stanfield) lets private investigator Benoit Blanc (Craig) look at the events of the night after he gets an anonymous request to investigate the death believing it was murder, with the whole family have cause to potentially murder.
Thoughts on Knives Out
Characters – Benoit Blanc is a private investigator that has a connection to the family and has been given an anonymous letter to investigate the death, he has his way which unlike the normal police will push the family for the truth, knowing most are lying when they talk to him. Marta Cabrera is the nurse to Harlan, she has the closest relationship to him, knowing most of the family secrets, while just working to make sure her family is secure. Harlan is the self-made millionaire author that has started to get disappointed by the behaviour of his own children. Linda is the eldest daughter who has her own real estate business that she is proud of her work, believing she has done better than the other siblings. Walt is the youngest son who runs the publication of the books, which has always seen him try to push his father into selling the rights to entertainment sources. Richard is the husband to Linda that has been caught by Harlan being forced into telling the truth or being exposed. Joni is the daughter in the law of the deceased son that is an influencer and has been getting an allowance since her husband’s death. Ransom is the black sheep of the family, son of Linda and Richard, he has always lived the life of luxury never having to work on anything himself. Meg is the daughter of Joni that is the closest of any of the younger family members to Marta, she has seen herself be put through school but Harlan. LT Elliott is leading the investigation to the death, he is happy to put it down as suicide, but will let Benoit lead his own investigate.
Performances – The performances here are a pure joy, Daniel Craig gives us a career best, Ana De Armas continues to rise up the Hollywood name list, proving herself with a sweet innocent figure, Chris Evans brings to light a character complete against the type we are used to seeing form him. Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson and Toni Collette are wonderful too showing they can become anybody like we know from them. Everybody in this film is wonderful to watch.
Story – The story here follows a private investigator who decides to investigate an apparent suicide where he will dig up the family secrets to learn there might have been foul play. This story is a who-dun-it where everybody could be a suspect as nobody wants to tell the truth and everybody is hiding the truth too. There is a unique way of telling the story that will surprise you and turn the usual flow on its head, almost pointing out just how predictable certain TV shows involving a murder are. We do have plenty to unpack through the story, though there is a slight drag through the middle of the film.
Comedy/Crime/Mystery – The comedy comes from the colourful characters we get to meet and their actions, while the crime mystery mix together to keep us guessing to the complete truth of what happened, we get plenty of references to other crime stories too.
Settings – The film is mostly set on the grounds of the death, we have the luxury mansion, when we stay in this location everything does feel like ‘Clue’ but whether we leave it does take a little bit away from the quirky style.
Scene of the Movie – Ambulance arrives.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We never learn where Marta is from, with the on running joke she is South American, each character claims she is from a different country.
Final Thoughts – This is a quirky joyful comedy that leaves you guessing to the truth with performances that shine throughout the film.
Overall: Entertaining Mystery.
Story: Knives Out starts with the apparent suicide of Harlan Thrombey (Plummer) on his 85th birthday, the family Linda (Curtis), Walt (Shannon), Richard (Johnson), Joni (Collette) Meg (Langford), Jacob (Martell) and Ransom (Evans) were all in attendance along with Harlan’s nurse Marta (Armas).
Lieutenant Elliott (Stanfield) lets private investigator Benoit Blanc (Craig) look at the events of the night after he gets an anonymous request to investigate the death believing it was murder, with the whole family have cause to potentially murder.
Thoughts on Knives Out
Characters – Benoit Blanc is a private investigator that has a connection to the family and has been given an anonymous letter to investigate the death, he has his way which unlike the normal police will push the family for the truth, knowing most are lying when they talk to him. Marta Cabrera is the nurse to Harlan, she has the closest relationship to him, knowing most of the family secrets, while just working to make sure her family is secure. Harlan is the self-made millionaire author that has started to get disappointed by the behaviour of his own children. Linda is the eldest daughter who has her own real estate business that she is proud of her work, believing she has done better than the other siblings. Walt is the youngest son who runs the publication of the books, which has always seen him try to push his father into selling the rights to entertainment sources. Richard is the husband to Linda that has been caught by Harlan being forced into telling the truth or being exposed. Joni is the daughter in the law of the deceased son that is an influencer and has been getting an allowance since her husband’s death. Ransom is the black sheep of the family, son of Linda and Richard, he has always lived the life of luxury never having to work on anything himself. Meg is the daughter of Joni that is the closest of any of the younger family members to Marta, she has seen herself be put through school but Harlan. LT Elliott is leading the investigation to the death, he is happy to put it down as suicide, but will let Benoit lead his own investigate.
Performances – The performances here are a pure joy, Daniel Craig gives us a career best, Ana De Armas continues to rise up the Hollywood name list, proving herself with a sweet innocent figure, Chris Evans brings to light a character complete against the type we are used to seeing form him. Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson and Toni Collette are wonderful too showing they can become anybody like we know from them. Everybody in this film is wonderful to watch.
Story – The story here follows a private investigator who decides to investigate an apparent suicide where he will dig up the family secrets to learn there might have been foul play. This story is a who-dun-it where everybody could be a suspect as nobody wants to tell the truth and everybody is hiding the truth too. There is a unique way of telling the story that will surprise you and turn the usual flow on its head, almost pointing out just how predictable certain TV shows involving a murder are. We do have plenty to unpack through the story, though there is a slight drag through the middle of the film.
Comedy/Crime/Mystery – The comedy comes from the colourful characters we get to meet and their actions, while the crime mystery mix together to keep us guessing to the complete truth of what happened, we get plenty of references to other crime stories too.
Settings – The film is mostly set on the grounds of the death, we have the luxury mansion, when we stay in this location everything does feel like ‘Clue’ but whether we leave it does take a little bit away from the quirky style.
Scene of the Movie – Ambulance arrives.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We never learn where Marta is from, with the on running joke she is South American, each character claims she is from a different country.
Final Thoughts – This is a quirky joyful comedy that leaves you guessing to the truth with performances that shine throughout the film.
Overall: Entertaining Mystery.