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Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Sherlock Frankenstein & The Legion of Evil #4 in Books
Nov 30, 2020
So, if you've read my reviews of Vols 1-2 of Jeff Lemire's BLACK HAMMER, then it goes without saying that SHERLOCK FRANKENSTEIN.. would be a win, right? Not so. Let me elaborate..
The writing was top notch, nothing less than the almost always exemplary writing that we've come to expect from Jeff Lemire. The art, however, not good. I was not previously familiar with David Rubin's art, but after this, I have no interest in seeking works by him.
The art was silly, almost cartoon. Not like Dean Ormston's. It took away from the story as a whole, making it feel like a pantomime or something. Again, not a good artist choice for any future BLACK HAMMER-related projects! If not the disappointing art, I would definitely have given this five stars!
The writing was top notch, nothing less than the almost always exemplary writing that we've come to expect from Jeff Lemire. The art, however, not good. I was not previously familiar with David Rubin's art, but after this, I have no interest in seeking works by him.
The art was silly, almost cartoon. Not like Dean Ormston's. It took away from the story as a whole, making it feel like a pantomime or something. Again, not a good artist choice for any future BLACK HAMMER-related projects! If not the disappointing art, I would definitely have given this five stars!
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated Benjamin's Parasite in Books
Jun 16, 2018
Black comedy wrapped in body horror
I love body horror. I always have. And I like Jeff Strand. He's funny and articulate, and his stories pack a hell of a punch. Benjamin's Parasite is no different. Benjamin, an unassuming English teacher, is infected by a parasite that both ravages his body and makes him want to do Bad Things. He's kidnapped by Julie, a beautiful but inept bounty hunter, as they're tracked across the country by people who want the specimen back.
Imagine Nick Cutter's "The Troop" if it was written by Simon Pegg. This is a really fun read, and I recommend it to anyone who isn't too squeamish and loves a good horror comedy.
Imagine Nick Cutter's "The Troop" if it was written by Simon Pegg. This is a really fun read, and I recommend it to anyone who isn't too squeamish and loves a good horror comedy.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated R.I.P.D. (2013) in Movies
Oct 24, 2018
So bad it’s actually vaguely enjoyable
I remember watching this when it first came out at the cinema and I wasn’t particularly impressed, however on watching it again recently I can admit that this is definitely one of those films that’s so bad it’s actually quite entertaining. Mostly due to Jeff Bridges.
Let’s start with this obvious: I know this is based on a comic, but this is such a blatant rip off of Men in Black, it’s just a shame it comes off as a much poorer relation. Everything about this from the plot progression to the deados just echoes MIB, and that’s high expectations to live up to.
The main humour from this film comes from how the characters look normally versus how they appear in the real world, which admittedly is pretty hilarious but this is the only decent attempt at humour. The plot is completely dull and the Kevin Bacon as the villain is uninteresting too. The special effects are surprisingly good in parts, but then ruined by the downright terrible effects used on the deados. The true saviours of this film are Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds. The relationship and communication between their characters is the most entertaining thing about this film and Jeff Bridges is in fine form hamming it up to the max as Roy. He may be going a little over the top, but it’s damn funny to watch. Just a shame they couldn’t have put more effort into the rest of the story.
Let’s start with this obvious: I know this is based on a comic, but this is such a blatant rip off of Men in Black, it’s just a shame it comes off as a much poorer relation. Everything about this from the plot progression to the deados just echoes MIB, and that’s high expectations to live up to.
The main humour from this film comes from how the characters look normally versus how they appear in the real world, which admittedly is pretty hilarious but this is the only decent attempt at humour. The plot is completely dull and the Kevin Bacon as the villain is uninteresting too. The special effects are surprisingly good in parts, but then ruined by the downright terrible effects used on the deados. The true saviours of this film are Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds. The relationship and communication between their characters is the most entertaining thing about this film and Jeff Bridges is in fine form hamming it up to the max as Roy. He may be going a little over the top, but it’s damn funny to watch. Just a shame they couldn’t have put more effort into the rest of the story.
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Giver (2014) in Movies
Aug 27, 2018
Watch this for the story, not for the cast
A very good premise in this film, following a community generations after the decision has been made to strive for a eutopia of bland polite sameness. No longer do people see colours (literally), all phrases have to be precise (something I think we could gain a lot by bringing in now!) and there are strict rules around curfews and behaviour, with everything being watched and lives pre-ordained.
The film follows three young people as they turn 18 and are allocated their jobs for life. Jonas has been selected to be the next Receiver of Knowledge - a role where he will receive all knowledge before the new world (of colours, wars, love, emotions, sledging).
Gripping dystopian vision of a future dreamworld and how wrong it would all be, and how, like religion, some good ideas become wrongly used as a strict framework for living life.
Needless to say, Jonas goes a bit daft with all this new knowledge (he somehow understood some of Jeff Bridges's incoherent mumbling) and looks to change the world for the better.
A short, enjoyable, family friendly version of Black Mirror with a slightly disappointing though happy ending.
The film follows three young people as they turn 18 and are allocated their jobs for life. Jonas has been selected to be the next Receiver of Knowledge - a role where he will receive all knowledge before the new world (of colours, wars, love, emotions, sledging).
Gripping dystopian vision of a future dreamworld and how wrong it would all be, and how, like religion, some good ideas become wrongly used as a strict framework for living life.
Needless to say, Jonas goes a bit daft with all this new knowledge (he somehow understood some of Jeff Bridges's incoherent mumbling) and looks to change the world for the better.
A short, enjoyable, family friendly version of Black Mirror with a slightly disappointing though happy ending.
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Clerks (1994) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
CLERKS
Clerks is an indie comedy shot in black and white about dante hicks (Brian O'Halloran) a man reluctantly left in charge of the Quick Stop. His place of work...on his day off! Working with his best friend Randall (Jeff Anderson) at the adjoined video store (when it suits him) who's hate for his job and its customers become problematic for dantes attempt at a customer service a nice guy,
Problems continue as dantes continuous fight with girlfriend veronica and feeble attempts at getting back with his ex caitlyn, not to mention local dealers Jay (jason mewes) and silent Bob (kevin smith).
Released in 1994, and spawning a sequel and multiple spin offs, written and directed by Kevin Smith, CLERKS is a magic cult hit with characters we can all identify ourselves with.
Problems continue as dantes continuous fight with girlfriend veronica and feeble attempts at getting back with his ex caitlyn, not to mention local dealers Jay (jason mewes) and silent Bob (kevin smith).
Released in 1994, and spawning a sequel and multiple spin offs, written and directed by Kevin Smith, CLERKS is a magic cult hit with characters we can all identify ourselves with.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Artifice in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I had been meaning to read this graphic novel for a while, having heard good things about how it used a sci-fi / action story to talk about homophobia, racism, free will, first love, and self-acceptance; and in light of recent current events, it seemed like the perfect time. The artwork is absolutely wonderful, and perfectly captures all the nuances of the story, which is pretty great in itself. While it can occasionally feel a little predictable, the tale of Deacon and Jeff was sweetly romantic and contained many moments that I found very relatable, in spite of the science fiction setting and sporadic bursts of violence. In a way, this story is similar to recent British hit anthology show "Black Mirror", in that it uses its sci-fi setting to tell a deeply human story to great effect. While it may fall a little short of being a masterpiece, it is a great comic, and one I would love to see continued.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Taken (2009) in Movies
Mar 10, 2021
Liam Neeson (1 more)
The Best One
He Will Find You and Kill You
Taken- is a excellent action packed thriller. Liam Neeson is excellent in this.
The plot: Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), a former government operative, is trying to reconnect with his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). Then his worst fears become real when sex slavers abduct Kim and her friend shortly after they arrive in Paris for vacation. With just four days until Kim will be auctioned off, Bryan must call on every skill he learned in black ops to rescue her.
Its the best one out of the trilogy, should of there been 2 more sequels, no. But $$$.
Intresting fact: Jeff Bridges was first cast as Bryan Mills, but after he dropped out of the project, Liam Neeson accepted the part, desiring to play a more physically demanding role than he was used to. Neeson at first thought the film to be no more than a "little side road" for his career, expecting it to be released directly to video.
Only watch this one.
The plot: Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), a former government operative, is trying to reconnect with his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). Then his worst fears become real when sex slavers abduct Kim and her friend shortly after they arrive in Paris for vacation. With just four days until Kim will be auctioned off, Bryan must call on every skill he learned in black ops to rescue her.
Its the best one out of the trilogy, should of there been 2 more sequels, no. But $$$.
Intresting fact: Jeff Bridges was first cast as Bryan Mills, but after he dropped out of the project, Liam Neeson accepted the part, desiring to play a more physically demanding role than he was used to. Neeson at first thought the film to be no more than a "little side road" for his career, expecting it to be released directly to video.
Only watch this one.
Ari Augustine (10 KP) rated Aliens Abroad (Katherine "Kitty" Katt, #16) in Books
May 4, 2020
I have just four words for you: GO READ THIS BOOK.
Katherine Kitty-Katt is a force to reckon with and her determination to save the world is why I enjoyed her character so much. It's a lot like a superhero comic where the character themselves is so invested in their cause that you can't help but be invested in it too. Not to mention, the main character is married woman who makes matrimony sexy - proving that it's not the end of Independence for a woman. If anything, she and Jeff were a power couple and I love how well they worked together while maintaining separate identities.
Im serious, people. Aliens Abroad brought fresh elements to the science-fiction novel and it drew me in like the gravitational pull of a black hole. Its the kind of story that left me anxiously chewing the inside of my cheek as my heart raced and I couldnt (much to my own disdain) read fast enough. From the first page, I was tangled in the story and invested in all the characters. Nothing is more important than that for me, and its why I recommend you launch yourself into this book.
Katherine Kitty-Katt is a force to reckon with and her determination to save the world is why I enjoyed her character so much. It's a lot like a superhero comic where the character themselves is so invested in their cause that you can't help but be invested in it too. Not to mention, the main character is married woman who makes matrimony sexy - proving that it's not the end of Independence for a woman. If anything, she and Jeff were a power couple and I love how well they worked together while maintaining separate identities.
Im serious, people. Aliens Abroad brought fresh elements to the science-fiction novel and it drew me in like the gravitational pull of a black hole. Its the kind of story that left me anxiously chewing the inside of my cheek as my heart raced and I couldnt (much to my own disdain) read fast enough. From the first page, I was tangled in the story and invested in all the characters. Nothing is more important than that for me, and its why I recommend you launch yourself into this book.
Merissa (13197 KP) rated Seven Hundred Beachfront in Books
Jul 25, 2025
SEVEN HUNDRED BEACHFRONT is a story about a house, if the title didn't clue you in. This is not the usual genre I go for, but the blurb had me intrigued.
It is a cosy read that takes place over a couple of months during the summer, when Bec rents the house while she looks after her five-year-old brother, Bobby. Their summer stay becomes more interesting when the house starts making her opinions known, and both Bobby and Bev are able to understand her.
With a small town cast of supporting characters, there is a love interest in Jeff, the next door neighbour, plus some angst in the most un-mother I've ever had the displeasure of reading about.
Told from Bev's perspective throughout, this was a sweet read that I enjoyed. The intimate scenes are either very low spice or fade-to-black. If you want a story with a beach setting while you're sat at the beach, then I can definitely recommend this one.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 25, 2025
It is a cosy read that takes place over a couple of months during the summer, when Bec rents the house while she looks after her five-year-old brother, Bobby. Their summer stay becomes more interesting when the house starts making her opinions known, and both Bobby and Bev are able to understand her.
With a small town cast of supporting characters, there is a love interest in Jeff, the next door neighbour, plus some angst in the most un-mother I've ever had the displeasure of reading about.
Told from Bev's perspective throughout, this was a sweet read that I enjoyed. The intimate scenes are either very low spice or fade-to-black. If you want a story with a beach setting while you're sat at the beach, then I can definitely recommend this one.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 25, 2025
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Call of Duty: Black Ops III in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
The latest in the incredibly popular Call of Duty Series has arrived and Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is a nice mix of old and new that goes a long way to combating those who say that each game is basically the same thing with new maps.
Set in a future where combat technology is now imbedded into soldiers, allowing them to hack systems, control machines, and release all manner of electronic warfare, Black Ops 3 is a very ambitious entry into the series. The game also has a great feature that allows players to customize their appearance, weapons, and special features in the campaign instead of just relegating that feature to the multiplayer portion.
As if that was not enough, the game also allows up to four human players to play through the campaign as one unit, which is great for those with new players in the Call of Duty universe in tow.
The campaign is a mixed bag as at times the story is convoluted and the virtual reality based campaigns towards the end become frustrating as well as at times overly difficult.
Graphically the game shines and it is clear that the artists spent considerable love and effort on the game. Just walking around the ready room before missions alone lets one see the incredible level of detail in the game. The levels are pretty impressive as well from secret laboratories in Singapore to high rise locales in Egypt; the future is truly captivating and terrifying as envisioned by Treyarch.
The campaign despite the issues I had with it is not really the selling point of the series, as the multiplayer is where the game truly shines. With multiple formats of online play available as well as numerous maps and the ability to once again customize your weapon loadouts and killstreak rewards, comes a new class system. This allows players to play as a unique character with a special weapon or ability that becomes available to them after a certain amount of time.
While lots of fun, the old Call of Duty imbalances are there which become highly annoying. For instance, you unload a magazine into the chest of an oncoming enemy point blank. You hear the hits taking place, and while being hit, they can stop, draw a bow, and shoot you dead, all the while taking a barrage of machine gun fire. This sort of thing becomes highly frustrating as does the never ending barrage of hackers with their aim bots and other annoyances.
The Zombie mode of the game is a true classic With Jeff Goldblum and other Hollywood stars providing their voices and likenesses to a retro-locale where players can battle the undead.
In all, the game is a nice step forward as if the story of the campaign matched the customization it would really be something epic. But fans of the series know what to expect and Black Ops 3 gives them what they love about the series as well as some new features to push the series forward.
http://sknr.net/2015/11/21/call-of-duty-black-ops-3/
Set in a future where combat technology is now imbedded into soldiers, allowing them to hack systems, control machines, and release all manner of electronic warfare, Black Ops 3 is a very ambitious entry into the series. The game also has a great feature that allows players to customize their appearance, weapons, and special features in the campaign instead of just relegating that feature to the multiplayer portion.
As if that was not enough, the game also allows up to four human players to play through the campaign as one unit, which is great for those with new players in the Call of Duty universe in tow.
The campaign is a mixed bag as at times the story is convoluted and the virtual reality based campaigns towards the end become frustrating as well as at times overly difficult.
Graphically the game shines and it is clear that the artists spent considerable love and effort on the game. Just walking around the ready room before missions alone lets one see the incredible level of detail in the game. The levels are pretty impressive as well from secret laboratories in Singapore to high rise locales in Egypt; the future is truly captivating and terrifying as envisioned by Treyarch.
The campaign despite the issues I had with it is not really the selling point of the series, as the multiplayer is where the game truly shines. With multiple formats of online play available as well as numerous maps and the ability to once again customize your weapon loadouts and killstreak rewards, comes a new class system. This allows players to play as a unique character with a special weapon or ability that becomes available to them after a certain amount of time.
While lots of fun, the old Call of Duty imbalances are there which become highly annoying. For instance, you unload a magazine into the chest of an oncoming enemy point blank. You hear the hits taking place, and while being hit, they can stop, draw a bow, and shoot you dead, all the while taking a barrage of machine gun fire. This sort of thing becomes highly frustrating as does the never ending barrage of hackers with their aim bots and other annoyances.
The Zombie mode of the game is a true classic With Jeff Goldblum and other Hollywood stars providing their voices and likenesses to a retro-locale where players can battle the undead.
In all, the game is a nice step forward as if the story of the campaign matched the customization it would really be something epic. But fans of the series know what to expect and Black Ops 3 gives them what they love about the series as well as some new features to push the series forward.
http://sknr.net/2015/11/21/call-of-duty-black-ops-3/