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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2097 KP) rated The Murder Pit in Books
Apr 22, 2020
Body in the Coal Chute
Life is going well for Daisy Savage. Recently remarried, she, her husband, and their blended family are settling into the old fixer upper they just bought. While her husband, Jake, bemoans the work, Daisy fell in love with the place despite the work. The house seems to have quite a few secrets, and Daisy finds one in their basement’s crawl space – an old coal chute. Unfortunately, that discovery also comes with a dead body, and the victim is someone that Daisy recognizes. With the small-town rumor mill kicking in, Daisy finds herself as a suspect. Can she figure out who really killed the victim and why he was dumped in their basement?
The plot started out well, and I enjoyed the added puzzle about why the victim was left in Daisy’s basement. There were some good twists before we reached the end. Sadly, I did have some issues with the book. The characters are a bit thin. I get that some of them were supposed to be comedic, but they still could have been stronger. Daisy’s kids seemed to act younger than they were supposed to be. She homeschools most of the kids, but she seems to justify letting them play and not actually doing any work with them. (Yes, I get that in a cozy, the main character spends all their time on the case instead of their job, but that’s not the case here.) There were some timelines issues as well, nothing that affected the plot, but the author clearly lost track of time. On the other hand, I loved Daisy and Jake’s relationship, and I laughed quite a bit at the character’s interactions. I’ve read other books from Jeff Shelby in the past and enjoyed them, so I will read one of his books again. Hopefully, this was just an off book. Overall, I enjoyed it, but there are some issues that need to be resolved.
The plot started out well, and I enjoyed the added puzzle about why the victim was left in Daisy’s basement. There were some good twists before we reached the end. Sadly, I did have some issues with the book. The characters are a bit thin. I get that some of them were supposed to be comedic, but they still could have been stronger. Daisy’s kids seemed to act younger than they were supposed to be. She homeschools most of the kids, but she seems to justify letting them play and not actually doing any work with them. (Yes, I get that in a cozy, the main character spends all their time on the case instead of their job, but that’s not the case here.) There were some timelines issues as well, nothing that affected the plot, but the author clearly lost track of time. On the other hand, I loved Daisy and Jake’s relationship, and I laughed quite a bit at the character’s interactions. I’ve read other books from Jeff Shelby in the past and enjoyed them, so I will read one of his books again. Hopefully, this was just an off book. Overall, I enjoyed it, but there are some issues that need to be resolved.
Architects' Homes
Book
This stunning book takes a rare glimpse into the intriguing and unique homes of some of the world's...
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Cursed Films - Season 1 in TV
Oct 7, 2020
Cursed Films is a 5 part series focusing on the ins and outs of film productions that were deemed cursed for one reason or another - the 5 parts concentrate on The Exorcist, The Omen, Poltergeist, The Crow, and The Twilight Zone movie respectively.
When this series is focused on the films themselves, it's a real treat. Some of the interviews are moving as hell - in particular the conversations with Richard Sawyer, Lance Anderson, Jeff Most, and Gary Sherman. These guys are to this day still affected by some of the things that happened during their film productions.
The Twilight Zone episode includes footage of the infamous on set accident which is genuinely haunting, and is honestly a really powerful part of the documentary having Sawyer's interview running alongside it.
The Crow episode is great as well, and the look we get at Anderson's relationship with Brandon Lee is so human and raw.
These moments really shine a light on how ridiculous the curse theories are, when in fact, they are just tragic events that effected real people, people who then had to deal with a following media circus.
The big thing I really didn't like about this series is only really relevant to The Omen and Exorcist episodes. It's almost like they didn't have enough material to fill the runtime of these segments, and so opt to pad it out with interviews with real exorcists, or magicians that practice black magic. I'm sure that there are interesting stories to be told by these people, but it feels really out of place and forced here. It's even cringe inducing at times and feels like very obvious filler. It detracts somewhat from what is otherwise a pretty solid documentary series.
Cursed Films is certainly an interesting watch, and is easy to digest in the 30 minute episodes that are presented. Also, that theme music is wild (found out it's by an Italian space-prog band from the 70s called I Signori Della Galassia!)
Worth a watch for sure, just ignore the silly filler parts.
When this series is focused on the films themselves, it's a real treat. Some of the interviews are moving as hell - in particular the conversations with Richard Sawyer, Lance Anderson, Jeff Most, and Gary Sherman. These guys are to this day still affected by some of the things that happened during their film productions.
The Twilight Zone episode includes footage of the infamous on set accident which is genuinely haunting, and is honestly a really powerful part of the documentary having Sawyer's interview running alongside it.
The Crow episode is great as well, and the look we get at Anderson's relationship with Brandon Lee is so human and raw.
These moments really shine a light on how ridiculous the curse theories are, when in fact, they are just tragic events that effected real people, people who then had to deal with a following media circus.
The big thing I really didn't like about this series is only really relevant to The Omen and Exorcist episodes. It's almost like they didn't have enough material to fill the runtime of these segments, and so opt to pad it out with interviews with real exorcists, or magicians that practice black magic. I'm sure that there are interesting stories to be told by these people, but it feels really out of place and forced here. It's even cringe inducing at times and feels like very obvious filler. It detracts somewhat from what is otherwise a pretty solid documentary series.
Cursed Films is certainly an interesting watch, and is easy to digest in the 30 minute episodes that are presented. Also, that theme music is wild (found out it's by an Italian space-prog band from the 70s called I Signori Della Galassia!)
Worth a watch for sure, just ignore the silly filler parts.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Iron Man (2008) in Movies
Oct 24, 2019
Characters – Tony Stark is a billionaire playboy engineer who has been developing the latest weapons to defend the home land, he looks down on most the people he meets including the soldiers showing around the warzone. He gets captured and designs a weapon that sees him escape, he makes himself Iron Man which will keep him alive, which sees him looking at life through different eyes, where he doesn’t want to supply weapons in conflict. Rhodey is the military best friend of Tony’s he uses the weapons created to help his men, he can get tired of Tony’s partying lifestyle. Obadiah Stane ran Stark enterprise after Tony’s parents death, he has mentored Tony in business, but is left with a difficult decision after Tony’s decision to stop making weapons. Pepper Potts is Tony’s assistant, she handles the affairs while he gets on with his business.
Performances – Robert Downey Jr is fantastic in the leading role, we can believe his confidence and cocky nature that he is showing through the film. Terrence Howard is playing a more grounded character, he would go onto be replaced in this role, he just doesn’t have the complete opposite against that Robert brings. Jeff Bridges is strong as the villainous businessman who is controlled by greed. Gwyneth Paltrow does a solid job as Pepper, where she is going to become a character we get to know through the franchise.
Story – The story shows us how Tony Stark went from businessman to Iron Man after learning the cost of his weapons which are being used on both sides of the war and must stop the man running his family’s company into the ground with these action. For origin stories we get to see the change in Tony’s mentality over the course of the story which is what will make somebody a hero. We don’t get the completely over the top destruction, with most of the fight scenes blending into the story where we see Tony learning how to control his suit. We get the first steps into the Marvel Cinematic Universe which brings the franchise to life with this just needing to give the hero an early villain that will make him a new hero in the world.
Action/Sci-Fi – The action in this film comes war sequences and how Tony learns about his suits capabilities, the first mission shows what we are going to see in the future. The sci-fi elements in this film comes from how the suit is created to keep Tony alive and the new levels of technology involved.
Settings – The film takes us to a couple of locations, Miami where Tony lives shows his playboy lifestyle, the Afghan locations show how the war is being fought with the two different sides and the same weapons.
Special Effects – The effects used in this film show us the scale of what Tony will have do to survive, we have the idea of his heart that never looks out of place.
Scene of the Movie – Iron Man’s first mission.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Rhodey isn’t the most interesting character in this film.
Final Thoughts – This is a wonderful beginning to the franchise which would go onto change how cinema is experienced, it has the origin of an unknown character to the casual fans of comic book movies, which works for laughs and action, without being a comedy.
Overall: Fun, entertaining and enjoyable.
Performances – Robert Downey Jr is fantastic in the leading role, we can believe his confidence and cocky nature that he is showing through the film. Terrence Howard is playing a more grounded character, he would go onto be replaced in this role, he just doesn’t have the complete opposite against that Robert brings. Jeff Bridges is strong as the villainous businessman who is controlled by greed. Gwyneth Paltrow does a solid job as Pepper, where she is going to become a character we get to know through the franchise.
Story – The story shows us how Tony Stark went from businessman to Iron Man after learning the cost of his weapons which are being used on both sides of the war and must stop the man running his family’s company into the ground with these action. For origin stories we get to see the change in Tony’s mentality over the course of the story which is what will make somebody a hero. We don’t get the completely over the top destruction, with most of the fight scenes blending into the story where we see Tony learning how to control his suit. We get the first steps into the Marvel Cinematic Universe which brings the franchise to life with this just needing to give the hero an early villain that will make him a new hero in the world.
Action/Sci-Fi – The action in this film comes war sequences and how Tony learns about his suits capabilities, the first mission shows what we are going to see in the future. The sci-fi elements in this film comes from how the suit is created to keep Tony alive and the new levels of technology involved.
Settings – The film takes us to a couple of locations, Miami where Tony lives shows his playboy lifestyle, the Afghan locations show how the war is being fought with the two different sides and the same weapons.
Special Effects – The effects used in this film show us the scale of what Tony will have do to survive, we have the idea of his heart that never looks out of place.
Scene of the Movie – Iron Man’s first mission.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Rhodey isn’t the most interesting character in this film.
Final Thoughts – This is a wonderful beginning to the franchise which would go onto change how cinema is experienced, it has the origin of an unknown character to the casual fans of comic book movies, which works for laughs and action, without being a comedy.
Overall: Fun, entertaining and enjoyable.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Final Girls in Books
Jan 21, 2018
Disappointing, especially after all the hype
In college, Quincy Carpenter goes on vacation to a remote cabin (Pine Cottage) with a group of friends and ends up being the lone survivor to a massacre. The horrific event puts Quincy in the "Final Girls club"--so deemed by the press--a group of women who are also lone survivors of other similar massacres. Lisa survived a bloodbath at her sorority house and Samantha a brutal attack at a motel. The women have never met, but Quincy and Lisa have spoken on the phone. They all share two things--being a "final girl"--and trying to move on with their lives. And Quincy is really trying. With the help of Xanax, she has a successful baking blog and a good relationship with her understanding boyfriend, Jeff. But Quincy's attempts at moving past Pine Cottage are derailed when she receives a call that Lisa has died, found with her wrists cut in her bathtub. Shortly after, Samantha shows up at Quincy's apartment. Reporters are breathing down Quincy's neck and between Samantha and the press, Quincy feels forced to confront the past she's tried so hard to leave behind. But once she does, what will she really discover?
I had really high expectations for this novel, as the "first great thriller of 2017" blurb from Stephen King is prominently placed on the cover, and its been highly reviewed in a variety of magazines. Maybe I'm just a cynical soul, but it just didn't live up to the hype. For about the first 3/4 of the book, I just couldn't get into it, and I almost decided not to finish it. I actually started and finished another book between starting (and finishing) this one. The book switches between present day and flashbacks to Pine Cottage; the Pine Cottage portions were far more intriguing, and I just kept wanting to flip forward to those pieces.
Thankfully, the last fourth or so of this novel is much better: things pick up, the various parts come together in fairly dramatic fashion, and the story grows much more tense and hard to put down. It's the last portion of the book that makes it difficult to give it a truly negative review, even if I did find a few parts of it a tad unbelievable.
Indeed, you definitely have to suspend disbelief a bit for this one. Quincy is a pretty good character herself, but once Sam arrives, she sends Quincy on a path that is just hard to stomach. Quincy's reactions to Samantha and the actions she takes once she arrives irked me and often, I found them almost implausible. (Also, how gullible and unaware was Jeff?) Samantha was an unlikable character and she seemed to cloud everything she touched.
So, overall, I was a little disappointed by this one. I had to slog through a lot to get to the payout at the end and even then, it all seemed a little crazy and hard to buy. I liked Quincy well-enough, but no other characters in the novel were of much redeeming, or interesting, value. The story was fairly engaging, especially at the end, but not the shocking, amazing novel I'd hoped for. Alas. On to the next one! (And most people loved this, so take my review with a grain of salt!)
I had really high expectations for this novel, as the "first great thriller of 2017" blurb from Stephen King is prominently placed on the cover, and its been highly reviewed in a variety of magazines. Maybe I'm just a cynical soul, but it just didn't live up to the hype. For about the first 3/4 of the book, I just couldn't get into it, and I almost decided not to finish it. I actually started and finished another book between starting (and finishing) this one. The book switches between present day and flashbacks to Pine Cottage; the Pine Cottage portions were far more intriguing, and I just kept wanting to flip forward to those pieces.
Thankfully, the last fourth or so of this novel is much better: things pick up, the various parts come together in fairly dramatic fashion, and the story grows much more tense and hard to put down. It's the last portion of the book that makes it difficult to give it a truly negative review, even if I did find a few parts of it a tad unbelievable.
Indeed, you definitely have to suspend disbelief a bit for this one. Quincy is a pretty good character herself, but once Sam arrives, she sends Quincy on a path that is just hard to stomach. Quincy's reactions to Samantha and the actions she takes once she arrives irked me and often, I found them almost implausible. (Also, how gullible and unaware was Jeff?) Samantha was an unlikable character and she seemed to cloud everything she touched.
So, overall, I was a little disappointed by this one. I had to slog through a lot to get to the payout at the end and even then, it all seemed a little crazy and hard to buy. I liked Quincy well-enough, but no other characters in the novel were of much redeeming, or interesting, value. The story was fairly engaging, especially at the end, but not the shocking, amazing novel I'd hoped for. Alas. On to the next one! (And most people loved this, so take my review with a grain of salt!)
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) in Movies
Feb 5, 2020
Ian Malcolm Should Have Left Them On the Island
Thoughts before watching The Lost World: Jurassic Park as a twelve-year-old in 1997: “Oh man, I can’t wait to check out all this dino action! Raptors for life!” Thoughts before watching The Lost World: Jurassic Park as a thirty-five-year-old in 2019: “Why the hell are they going back to the island? These people clearly have a death wish!” Yes, the sequel to one of the greatest movies ever made sees a return to the dinosaur madness as a special team led by Jeff Goldblum’s Ian Malcolm goes on a mission for Jurassic Park’s creator John Hammond (Richard Attenborough).
Acting: 10
Jeff Goldblum has a way of captivating any screen he’s on. He has charm, wit, and an erratic nature that’s absolutely hilarious. He has a strong cast backing him up with guys like Vince Vaughn and Julianne Moore helping to run the show.
Beginning: 10
Strong start as we see there are still idiots out there that don’t know how to stay away from these islands. The movie is immediately entertaining while also letting you know it’s going to be a different kind of movie than the first. Definitely piqued my interest.
Characters: 6
One of my biggest issues with the entire movie. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t score it lower. For the most part, I hated these characters outside of Ian Malcolm. I almost wish he had left the rest of them to stew on the island by themselves. Julianne Moore’s character Sarah Harding was obnoxious and pretty annoying. Then again, I can say that for a lot of the characters including Malcolm’s daughter Kelly Curtis (Vanessa Lee Chester). At times, it really made it hard for me to enjoy the movie.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
The dino special effects were taken to new heights in this one. I particularly love the extra work they put into the velociraptors showing off their incredible jumping ability and rogue-like stealth. I also appreciated the multitude of dinos you get in this one as well from the stegosaurus down to the tiny compies. I can’t remember their names, but my particular favorite dino was the one with the bone head. His hard skull could crash through just about anything. I enjoyed watching it wreak havoc on a number of doors and people.
What bothered me just a bit was the choice of a darker color tone throughout the movie. It was almost as if they were trying to purposefully differentiate from the first by doing this. It takes some getting used to, but ultimately didn’t kill the movie for me.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 4
Pace: 8
Plot: 4
What a stupid story. Who in their right mind after hearing all the craziness that went down at the original park would ever go back to face off against these dinos? Rescue mission my ass, not this guy! Had they followed the book, I feel it would have been a lot more believable.
Resolution: 9
Overall: 77
Let’s be honest, no way this movie was going to match the first in any way. Jurassic Park set an amazing standard that is just hard to follow. However, I will say that, while not perfect, The Lost World: Jurassic Park does have its moments that make it a decent enough watch.
Acting: 10
Jeff Goldblum has a way of captivating any screen he’s on. He has charm, wit, and an erratic nature that’s absolutely hilarious. He has a strong cast backing him up with guys like Vince Vaughn and Julianne Moore helping to run the show.
Beginning: 10
Strong start as we see there are still idiots out there that don’t know how to stay away from these islands. The movie is immediately entertaining while also letting you know it’s going to be a different kind of movie than the first. Definitely piqued my interest.
Characters: 6
One of my biggest issues with the entire movie. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t score it lower. For the most part, I hated these characters outside of Ian Malcolm. I almost wish he had left the rest of them to stew on the island by themselves. Julianne Moore’s character Sarah Harding was obnoxious and pretty annoying. Then again, I can say that for a lot of the characters including Malcolm’s daughter Kelly Curtis (Vanessa Lee Chester). At times, it really made it hard for me to enjoy the movie.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
The dino special effects were taken to new heights in this one. I particularly love the extra work they put into the velociraptors showing off their incredible jumping ability and rogue-like stealth. I also appreciated the multitude of dinos you get in this one as well from the stegosaurus down to the tiny compies. I can’t remember their names, but my particular favorite dino was the one with the bone head. His hard skull could crash through just about anything. I enjoyed watching it wreak havoc on a number of doors and people.
What bothered me just a bit was the choice of a darker color tone throughout the movie. It was almost as if they were trying to purposefully differentiate from the first by doing this. It takes some getting used to, but ultimately didn’t kill the movie for me.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 4
Pace: 8
Plot: 4
What a stupid story. Who in their right mind after hearing all the craziness that went down at the original park would ever go back to face off against these dinos? Rescue mission my ass, not this guy! Had they followed the book, I feel it would have been a lot more believable.
Resolution: 9
Overall: 77
Let’s be honest, no way this movie was going to match the first in any way. Jurassic Park set an amazing standard that is just hard to follow. However, I will say that, while not perfect, The Lost World: Jurassic Park does have its moments that make it a decent enough watch.
Essential Windows Phone 8
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"Shawn has created a guide that is easy to read, up-to-date, and comprehensive-covering the entire...
Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service
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The moving, entertaining, never-before-told story of how one man found his calling. "The book is...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) in Movies
Feb 13, 2019
Great Mystery
A strange mystery unfolds at a seedy motel that resides on the border of California and Nevada.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The cinematics of Bad Times At the El Royale are both vibrant and dark at the same time. The El Royale hotel itself is captured in a nostalgic sense where you get the feel that it’s full of history and not all good history either. There is a seedy undertone that’s unshakeable throughout. I love how director Drew Goddard plays with different elements like rain and close spaces. The two-way mirror scenes definitely increase the intensity of the film. There is so much to appreciate here, I will probably have to watch this again to get the full grasp.
Conflict: 7
While the film definitely could have used more action, the scenes that do exist are pretty solid. It leaves you guessing as you have no idea how things are going to play out. Who will die next? Will this person find what they’re looking for? The conflict is not always driven through direct action, but tension as well. There is one scene in particular involving Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, and Dakota Johnson that is easily my favorite in the entire movie.
Genre: 9
The characters really contribute in making this a strong mystery. Most times, it’s hard to tell up from down and you get just a little bit closer as you learn the backstory of each of the motel residents. From beginning to end, you wonder how things will ultimately play out amongst the group. Clever twists and turns along the way help to give the film life.
Memorability: 8
Never quite seen anything like it which makes Bad Times memorable in and of itself. It all goes back to the one scene I mentioned above, a scene that paralyzed me and had me on the edge of my seat. It was masterfully crafted and I can think of about three other scenes (at least) that come almost as close. Much discussion was had on the drive home.
Pace: 7
Although the twists keep things interesting the movie does get slow in some spots. It’s almost like it’s lulling you to sleep before picking up the pace yet again, like a car shifting gears. Some may have balked at the singing interludes, but I welcomed them. Erivo’s voice is captivating and heartwarming.
Plot: 10
Great storytelling here filled with intrigue and misdirection. From beginning to end, I felt pretty entertained for the most part. Watching everything unfold and all the stories collide was a definite treat.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 91
Great beginning that hooks you immediately. A shady cast of characters. Solid performances from the likes of Bridges and Chris Hemsworth. Solid ending. Bad Times At the El Royale is an awesome movie that is well worth your time.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The cinematics of Bad Times At the El Royale are both vibrant and dark at the same time. The El Royale hotel itself is captured in a nostalgic sense where you get the feel that it’s full of history and not all good history either. There is a seedy undertone that’s unshakeable throughout. I love how director Drew Goddard plays with different elements like rain and close spaces. The two-way mirror scenes definitely increase the intensity of the film. There is so much to appreciate here, I will probably have to watch this again to get the full grasp.
Conflict: 7
While the film definitely could have used more action, the scenes that do exist are pretty solid. It leaves you guessing as you have no idea how things are going to play out. Who will die next? Will this person find what they’re looking for? The conflict is not always driven through direct action, but tension as well. There is one scene in particular involving Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, and Dakota Johnson that is easily my favorite in the entire movie.
Genre: 9
The characters really contribute in making this a strong mystery. Most times, it’s hard to tell up from down and you get just a little bit closer as you learn the backstory of each of the motel residents. From beginning to end, you wonder how things will ultimately play out amongst the group. Clever twists and turns along the way help to give the film life.
Memorability: 8
Never quite seen anything like it which makes Bad Times memorable in and of itself. It all goes back to the one scene I mentioned above, a scene that paralyzed me and had me on the edge of my seat. It was masterfully crafted and I can think of about three other scenes (at least) that come almost as close. Much discussion was had on the drive home.
Pace: 7
Although the twists keep things interesting the movie does get slow in some spots. It’s almost like it’s lulling you to sleep before picking up the pace yet again, like a car shifting gears. Some may have balked at the singing interludes, but I welcomed them. Erivo’s voice is captivating and heartwarming.
Plot: 10
Great storytelling here filled with intrigue and misdirection. From beginning to end, I felt pretty entertained for the most part. Watching everything unfold and all the stories collide was a definite treat.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 91
Great beginning that hooks you immediately. A shady cast of characters. Solid performances from the likes of Bridges and Chris Hemsworth. Solid ending. Bad Times At the El Royale is an awesome movie that is well worth your time.