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Ronyell (38 KP) rated James and the Giant Peach (1996) in Movies
Aug 4, 2020 (Updated Aug 4, 2020)
A Boy and His Giant Sized Bugs
Now, I was practically introduced to "James and the Giant Peach" through Roald Dahl's original book and I instantly fell in love with this story! So, I was definitely excited to see Roald Dahl's classic novel come to life in animation and I must say that I practically enjoyed this bizarre yet creative version of the classic children's story. I absolutely loved all of the characters, with my favorite characters being Miss Spider and the Centipede. I loved Miss Spider because she was quite an unusual character as she is considered frightening by the other bugs due to her literally eating other bugs, but I loved the fact that she cares so much for James and was willing to help him out no matter how horrifying the situation is. The Centipede was a truly fun character as he might be a little rude and annoying to the other bugs, but I loved his courageous nature and the fact that he is also willing to help James out of his situation. The voice acting was fantastic, especially Susan Sarandon as the quiet and serious Miss Spider and Richard Dreyfuss as the fun loving Centipede, as they fit the characters extremely well and they bring so much life to the characters. The story was truly creative, especially about the idea of a group of friends (giant insects in this case) coming together inside a giant peach and traveling around the world with it! I found that idea to be a bit strange yet creative at the same time and even though I have an intense fear of bugs, I definitely would have loved to be friends with giant bugs!
The major problem I had with this movie was that there seemed to be so many plot holes within this film that there were times that I did not understand what was going on in this film. Like for example, how did Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker drive their car through the ocean and how can a mechanical shark appear out of nowhere in the ocean?
Overall, "James and the Giant Peach" is definitely one treat that fans of Roald Dahl's works and fans of surreal animation should definitely check out!
The major problem I had with this movie was that there seemed to be so many plot holes within this film that there were times that I did not understand what was going on in this film. Like for example, how did Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker drive their car through the ocean and how can a mechanical shark appear out of nowhere in the ocean?
Overall, "James and the Giant Peach" is definitely one treat that fans of Roald Dahl's works and fans of surreal animation should definitely check out!
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Murder House in Books
May 10, 2018
7 Ocean Drive also known as The Murder House, gives Detective Jenna Murphy the creeps. She used to play on the beaches right outside this house when she was little. Since she has been away from Southhampton Township for so long, she can't recall why. When two dead bodies are found in the house, Detective Murphy is on the case to find the killer. The number one suspect, Noah Walker has strong ties to the house and is known for his past crimes. The story behind the house is a good setting for any haunted house, but this house isn't exactly haunted as it is just strange for all the death in encapsulates.
The Murder House is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You get to a point where you think you know what is going to happen next, and chances are you will be wrong. You don't know who to route for to be the bad guy or the good guy. I found myself yelling at the book and gasping on a few occasions because I couldn't believe what was happening. I thought I had it all figured out from the beginning. It's been a while since I've read a James Patterson book where I was wrong about who the killer was going to be. I was really stumped on this one. I was truly immersed in the story. I have always been a big James Patterson fan and this book I will have to say will be one of my favorites. It has everything you want from a good thriller. I always will recommend a book by James Patterson, they are usually quick to read and entertaining, but this one is highly recommended.
The Murder House is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You get to a point where you think you know what is going to happen next, and chances are you will be wrong. You don't know who to route for to be the bad guy or the good guy. I found myself yelling at the book and gasping on a few occasions because I couldn't believe what was happening. I thought I had it all figured out from the beginning. It's been a while since I've read a James Patterson book where I was wrong about who the killer was going to be. I was really stumped on this one. I was truly immersed in the story. I have always been a big James Patterson fan and this book I will have to say will be one of my favorites. It has everything you want from a good thriller. I always will recommend a book by James Patterson, they are usually quick to read and entertaining, but this one is highly recommended.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Slither (2006) in Movies
Jan 9, 2018
Cheesy gruesome goodness (1 more)
Practical effects
Before writer/director James Gunn made us familiar with Star Lord and Rocket, he wrote and directed this fantastic creepy gory thriller starring Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks and Michael Rooker.
The film starts out with a similar first act to The Blob, then quickly goes its own way. Slowly, little, juicy caterpillar creatures make their way through the small town and infect the inhabitants while the main creature infects another group of townspeople.
You have to like B movie quality cheese and gore to enjoy this movie, but I thought it was a lot of fun. The actors definitely do not take it too seriously, but you find yourself squirming in your seat once all hell has broken loose.
I return to the film often when I need to lighten my mood.
The film starts out with a similar first act to The Blob, then quickly goes its own way. Slowly, little, juicy caterpillar creatures make their way through the small town and infect the inhabitants while the main creature infects another group of townspeople.
You have to like B movie quality cheese and gore to enjoy this movie, but I thought it was a lot of fun. The actors definitely do not take it too seriously, but you find yourself squirming in your seat once all hell has broken loose.
I return to the film often when I need to lighten my mood.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Faith & Fidelity (Faith, Love, & Devotion, #1) in Books
Sep 6, 2019
3.25 stars.
I'm kinda torn with this. I liked the characters; all of them, kids included, but the storyline annoyed me a little. The big wedge where they weren't together, all because of some crazy notion. It peed me off a bit. Yeah, you're scared because it's all new to you and you don't know how others will react to the news, but if you'd only talked about it!
<spoiler>I know you're both new to the whole gay thing but you didn't even try anal sex; even when you got sent a copy of the Gay Kama Sutra!</spoiler>
I liked James and I'm intrigued enough by his situation to read the next book in the series
I'm kinda torn with this. I liked the characters; all of them, kids included, but the storyline annoyed me a little. The big wedge where they weren't together, all because of some crazy notion. It peed me off a bit. Yeah, you're scared because it's all new to you and you don't know how others will react to the news, but if you'd only talked about it!
<spoiler>I know you're both new to the whole gay thing but you didn't even try anal sex; even when you got sent a copy of the Gay Kama Sutra!</spoiler>
I liked James and I'm intrigued enough by his situation to read the next book in the series
Tim McGuire (301 KP) rated 1922 (2017) in Movies
Nov 2, 2019
Old Movie Revisited: 1922. Another sweet Netflix made Stephen King movie, within less than a month of Gerald's Game, another awesome sauce flick. This one brings back Thomas Jane into the King fold for at least the third time, a trend I hope he continues, seems to fit in well... a roll in the Dark Tower perhaps, well, isn't he already... In this one, taking place sometime before WW2 ;) we have farmer Wilfred James and his wife, Arlette, and son Henry. Now Arlette wants out of the midwest farm crap fest and move to the big city, sell the farm, get a divorce... Wilfred, well doesnt really seem to care about the divorce part, but losing the farm and Henry, cause of course the boy will go off with mommy, isnt going to happen. So what is a dad to do, duh, convince your 14 year old son to help murder your wife, invent a tale she ran off and expect everything to go well. You may have guessed, it doesn't... Hell, even little Henry becomes a outlaw. Good flick, bringing in some old Stephen King landmarks to tie in his universe a little tighter, takes place near Hemingford Home, where a few well known King characters hail from, big one being Abagail Freemantle, of The Stand... But more recently in theatres... IT, one little fat boy named Ben Hanscom also once roved it roads! Thomas Jane was awesome, if a Shining remake was ever in the works to be more true to the book, I'd love to see Mr. Jane as Jack, i think he'd be insane :) Filmbufftim on FB
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
This one belongs to James Spader
I doubt that Joss Whedon and the team down at Marvel knew just how successful 2012’s Avengers Assemble would go on to be. After just a few months of release it became the third highest-grossing film of all time, by no means an easy feat to achieve.
Therefore, Whedon and co had their work cut out trying to build on the solid foundations they had laid when it came to producing a sequel. However, three years and $250m later Avengers: Age of Ultron hits our screens. But is it the follow-up everyone was asking for?
Age of Ultron follows the dynamic team of superheroes as they continue to save the world following the near cataclysmic events of the 2009 predecessor and of course every Marvel film released since. Here however, they are tasked with taking down a robot hell bent on destroying the world – a tough day at the office to say the least.
All the fan favourites return as well as some new faces in a film that is technically spectacular but a little overambitious at times. There are 11, count them 11, major characters vying for screen time in Age of Ultron and while Whedon manages to give each of them their own story arc, at times it feels a little rushed.
Joining the cast is James Spader as the voice of Ultron, a robot accidentally created by Tony Stark, and he is by far the most intriguing character in an already impressive line-up. Robert Downey Jr. continues to be on fine form as the wise-cracking Iron Man/Stark with Chris Hemsworth providing the eye-candy as Thor.
It’s also nice to see Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner’s Black Widow and Hawkeye get some much-needed fleshing out after their fairly limited roles in previous Marvel films, and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk is a joy to watch.
Kick-Ass’ Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Godzilla’s Elizabeth Olsen also join the cast as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, two characters fans of the X-Men universe will recognise. However, due to legal requirements their origins are changed and the fact that they are mutants is never revealed, unfortunately limiting their appeal.
When it comes to special effects, Whedon has made sure every sequence is brimming with the highest quality CGI, and despite a couple of lapses early on in the film, the majority of the picture is flawless with some stunning global locations beautifully juxtaposed with the characters doing their thing.
What stands out in Age of Ultron however is the plot. Avengers Assemble was a fine film right up until the generic city-levelling, headache inducing climax that looked like it could have come straight out of a Michael Bay movie.
Thankfully, whilst the action is dialled up a few notches here, the plot is much more detailed and the final scenes are utterly breath-taking.
Overall, Avengers: Age of Ultron had a massive amount to live up to and in some respects it falls a little short, its overambitious nature is its downfall with too many characters needing screen time. However, as a good-time blockbuster it’s hard to find one better and James Spader is genuinely mesmerising as Ultron.
Is it the best film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Well, it’s definitely an improvement on its predecessor – but for me, Guardians of the Galaxy just takes that title by a whisker.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/04/26/this-one-belongs-to-james-spader-avengers-age-of-ultron-review/
Therefore, Whedon and co had their work cut out trying to build on the solid foundations they had laid when it came to producing a sequel. However, three years and $250m later Avengers: Age of Ultron hits our screens. But is it the follow-up everyone was asking for?
Age of Ultron follows the dynamic team of superheroes as they continue to save the world following the near cataclysmic events of the 2009 predecessor and of course every Marvel film released since. Here however, they are tasked with taking down a robot hell bent on destroying the world – a tough day at the office to say the least.
All the fan favourites return as well as some new faces in a film that is technically spectacular but a little overambitious at times. There are 11, count them 11, major characters vying for screen time in Age of Ultron and while Whedon manages to give each of them their own story arc, at times it feels a little rushed.
Joining the cast is James Spader as the voice of Ultron, a robot accidentally created by Tony Stark, and he is by far the most intriguing character in an already impressive line-up. Robert Downey Jr. continues to be on fine form as the wise-cracking Iron Man/Stark with Chris Hemsworth providing the eye-candy as Thor.
It’s also nice to see Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner’s Black Widow and Hawkeye get some much-needed fleshing out after their fairly limited roles in previous Marvel films, and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk is a joy to watch.
Kick-Ass’ Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Godzilla’s Elizabeth Olsen also join the cast as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, two characters fans of the X-Men universe will recognise. However, due to legal requirements their origins are changed and the fact that they are mutants is never revealed, unfortunately limiting their appeal.
When it comes to special effects, Whedon has made sure every sequence is brimming with the highest quality CGI, and despite a couple of lapses early on in the film, the majority of the picture is flawless with some stunning global locations beautifully juxtaposed with the characters doing their thing.
What stands out in Age of Ultron however is the plot. Avengers Assemble was a fine film right up until the generic city-levelling, headache inducing climax that looked like it could have come straight out of a Michael Bay movie.
Thankfully, whilst the action is dialled up a few notches here, the plot is much more detailed and the final scenes are utterly breath-taking.
Overall, Avengers: Age of Ultron had a massive amount to live up to and in some respects it falls a little short, its overambitious nature is its downfall with too many characters needing screen time. However, as a good-time blockbuster it’s hard to find one better and James Spader is genuinely mesmerising as Ultron.
Is it the best film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Well, it’s definitely an improvement on its predecessor – but for me, Guardians of the Galaxy just takes that title by a whisker.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/04/26/this-one-belongs-to-james-spader-avengers-age-of-ultron-review/
Dave Mustaine recommended Long Live Rock 'n' Roll by Rainbow in Music (curated)
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Mister in Books
Sep 1, 2019 (Updated Sep 3, 2019)
I'll start by saying that I enjoyed the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy. Yes, the sex scenes got a little repetitive after a while but I skipped a lot of it anyway because BDSM is not one of my favourite subgenres. BUT for the romance aspect, that's the bit I enjoyed.
So now I'm trying The Mister and let's see...
So Maxim Trevelyan has just inherited a noble title after the death of his older brother, a job he never wanted or expected to hold. Maxim has been a bit of a playboy up until this point, never having a proper job, sleeping with a new women almost every other day...and now he has responsibilities. He struggles with it all. And then he meets his new daily--his illegal immigrant cleaner/home help--and has an instant fascination with her that just grows every day.
The romance was slow going--a little too slow since it took nearly half the book before they slept together. I'm not sure about Albanian customs and stuff but Alessia seemed very prim and proper, very innocent having never even kissed a man. Her thoughts got a little annoying after a while when she kept thinking of her disapproving parents back home.
I also wasn't a fan of the constant switching between viewpoints. We could have one or two paragraphs--yes, paragraphs!--from Alessia's POV and then we'd switch back to Maxim for a few pages and then we'd switch back and forth for each others view on whatever was happening. It got a little tiring after a while.
Honestly, I struggled to get to the half way point but I flicked through waiting for Alessia's traffickers to find them again or for something to happen that didn't involve sex and luckily it was only about 70 pages away. And then it got a little more exciting. We had a little showdown or two but it wasn't enough to truly get my attention. I think the book could have been half as many pages if the beginning had been shortened where he's a bit of a man-whore and the middle with all sex.
On a side note: I loved how British this was, seeing familiar swearing like "f*ck a duck", "f*cking hell" and "b*llocks". Most of the books I read tend to be set in the US so this was a nice change in that respect. Cornwall seems to be a popular setting for books lately, with The Last Piece of My Heart being set there too.
If E.L. James releases another book, I'm not sure if I'll be reading it.
So now I'm trying The Mister and let's see...
So Maxim Trevelyan has just inherited a noble title after the death of his older brother, a job he never wanted or expected to hold. Maxim has been a bit of a playboy up until this point, never having a proper job, sleeping with a new women almost every other day...and now he has responsibilities. He struggles with it all. And then he meets his new daily--his illegal immigrant cleaner/home help--and has an instant fascination with her that just grows every day.
The romance was slow going--a little too slow since it took nearly half the book before they slept together. I'm not sure about Albanian customs and stuff but Alessia seemed very prim and proper, very innocent having never even kissed a man. Her thoughts got a little annoying after a while when she kept thinking of her disapproving parents back home.
I also wasn't a fan of the constant switching between viewpoints. We could have one or two paragraphs--yes, paragraphs!--from Alessia's POV and then we'd switch back to Maxim for a few pages and then we'd switch back and forth for each others view on whatever was happening. It got a little tiring after a while.
Honestly, I struggled to get to the half way point but I flicked through waiting for Alessia's traffickers to find them again or for something to happen that didn't involve sex and luckily it was only about 70 pages away. And then it got a little more exciting. We had a little showdown or two but it wasn't enough to truly get my attention. I think the book could have been half as many pages if the beginning had been shortened where he's a bit of a man-whore and the middle with all sex.
On a side note: I loved how British this was, seeing familiar swearing like "f*ck a duck", "f*cking hell" and "b*llocks". Most of the books I read tend to be set in the US so this was a nice change in that respect. Cornwall seems to be a popular setting for books lately, with The Last Piece of My Heart being set there too.
If E.L. James releases another book, I'm not sure if I'll be reading it.
Lindsay (1693 KP) rated The Moonlight School in Books
Mar 11, 2021
Are you looking for a book that is based on illiteracy? This book called "The Moonlight School" is about that, and a little mystery is popped in as well. It seems like this is mostly about the mountain people that are in Rowen County.
This book is a few main characters, Cora Wilson, Lucy Wilson, Angie Copper, and Finley James. One other one that name is Brother Watt. The author pops a little romance in this book as well. However, most of this book is about learning to read and write.
Will they be able to get the folks' help in the hills to learn to read and write? Will the Moonlight School campaign be stopped in its tracks? Will Lucy find her sister, or will she accept god answer? There seems like there some romance going on, and will Lucy choose Andrew or Watt?
My favorite is learning about how the night schools started. I love the fact that we know about illiteracy and how it the solution came about. This book seems to occur based on actual historical events. That seems like a good idea.
If you are a book fan, well, this is a book you may want to read, It about books and teaching an adult to read. There some mystery in the plot, The author wrote a perfect story plot.
This book is a few main characters, Cora Wilson, Lucy Wilson, Angie Copper, and Finley James. One other one that name is Brother Watt. The author pops a little romance in this book as well. However, most of this book is about learning to read and write.
Will they be able to get the folks' help in the hills to learn to read and write? Will the Moonlight School campaign be stopped in its tracks? Will Lucy find her sister, or will she accept god answer? There seems like there some romance going on, and will Lucy choose Andrew or Watt?
My favorite is learning about how the night schools started. I love the fact that we know about illiteracy and how it the solution came about. This book seems to occur based on actual historical events. That seems like a good idea.
If you are a book fan, well, this is a book you may want to read, It about books and teaching an adult to read. There some mystery in the plot, The author wrote a perfect story plot.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Corralled (Blacktop Cowboys, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
Cowboy rodeo erotica? You have my interest. From the moment I saw this book on goodreads bookswap, I could not wait to read it. I love me some erotica. Add some cowboys in the mix and I am happy as a clam. Until I read it.
Because I dont really have much to say about this book, here goes.
The good: the erotic scenes, the character development, the dialogue,
the writing
The bad: the plot (which bored me senseless), the favoritism
The ugly: the situation
While there is nothing actually wrong with the novel, I just could not get into it. James has a great easy style to read. The erotic scenes were great, some of the best I have read, especially when dealing with such an awkward situation. And oh was it awkward. The dialogue was realistic and had me not only laughing, but cringing as well. The characters and the emotions were also very believable. I found myself becoming attached to them
The plot seemed a little lackluster, however. I will gave James points for having one of the few erotic novels with a well developed plot in the first place. As I said before, however, it was just not a story I was interested in. It was clear from the beginning who the lead female was going to end up with. I dont think James did it on purpose, but her clear favoritism for one man over the other was apparent from the beginning.
This was not an easy book to read in the first place due to the circumstances of the love triangle. All of the ménage a trios novels I have read before, the couples were into it as a threesome. In this novel, two men are vying the attention and love of one woman. It was awkward at best, especially since the men were childhood friends.
Because I dont really have much to say about this book, here goes.
The good: the erotic scenes, the character development, the dialogue,
the writing
The bad: the plot (which bored me senseless), the favoritism
The ugly: the situation
While there is nothing actually wrong with the novel, I just could not get into it. James has a great easy style to read. The erotic scenes were great, some of the best I have read, especially when dealing with such an awkward situation. And oh was it awkward. The dialogue was realistic and had me not only laughing, but cringing as well. The characters and the emotions were also very believable. I found myself becoming attached to them
The plot seemed a little lackluster, however. I will gave James points for having one of the few erotic novels with a well developed plot in the first place. As I said before, however, it was just not a story I was interested in. It was clear from the beginning who the lead female was going to end up with. I dont think James did it on purpose, but her clear favoritism for one man over the other was apparent from the beginning.
This was not an easy book to read in the first place due to the circumstances of the love triangle. All of the ménage a trios novels I have read before, the couples were into it as a threesome. In this novel, two men are vying the attention and love of one woman. It was awkward at best, especially since the men were childhood friends.