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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Lockdown (Escape from Furnace, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
<b> My summary: </b> Alex was like any other boy. Go to school, hang out with his group, and control the monkey bars. But when he started stealing, his life changed for the worse. Out of nowhere, his best friend is murdered, and he is framed for it. he is sent to the child prison: a Hell hole. Worse than Hell. Furnace. When he’s there, he is disgusted with the way people live. Kids do hard labor like chipping rock. Gangs kill kids. and he isn’t the only innocent person who was framed. But there’s no hope of escape. Nobody can escape furnace. Or at least, that’s what they all say. <i> But that’s only because nobody ever has… </i>
<b> What I felt: </b> Personally, the first time I looked at the cover, I found it just a little disturbing. I thought “eh, I doubt very seriously I’ll like that book. But hey—they want to send me a free book? I’ll take a free book.” So no, I didn’t really like the cover. They could have done much better, either artistically or graphically or even with the colors. But that’s just me as an artist and a girl :D so I did judge it. boy was that a mistake.
The first sentence of this book seemed to grab me by the neck: “If I stopped running, I was dead.” From there, the entire book held me and wouldn’t let me go, from that first sentence to the very end. In fact, it held me after the end, too. I distinctly remember my blood racing, heart beating, sweating, adrenalin searing through my veins while I read this book! It was breathtaking and riveting to the last word. And even after the last word. I sat there, staring at the blank page, gasping and panting like a dog from lack of oxygen from reading a book. (that doesn’t happen very often, people.)
<b> Characters: </b> The characters in this book were very relatable. They weren’t super people, they were real. They handled the horrific experiences of Furnace the same way I would have—screaming in their sleep, crying, throwing up from the horrors.
<b> Writing: </b> the writing was very good—not one of those books where the author just says what he wants to say. Alexander Gordon Smith followed my creative writing teachers’ first rule: Show, don’t tell. It was an amazing thing to read, the language was very full in vocabulary, and it had good prose. There wasn’t any really bad foul language either, like some of the other teen books I’ve been reading lately.
Recommendation: this book is a thriller, not a horror book, even though it’s mildly graphic (mildly. Not really that bad. Descriptive enough to be kinda gross at times… but hey, it could be just because I’m a girl.). It’s not the most horrific book I’ve ever read, but it’s certainly not for an eight-year-old. Personally I’d recommend it for anyone fourteen and up (but that’s just me).
Here is a link for a giveaway for this book! http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com/2009/09/win-lockdown.html
<b> What I felt: </b> Personally, the first time I looked at the cover, I found it just a little disturbing. I thought “eh, I doubt very seriously I’ll like that book. But hey—they want to send me a free book? I’ll take a free book.” So no, I didn’t really like the cover. They could have done much better, either artistically or graphically or even with the colors. But that’s just me as an artist and a girl :D so I did judge it. boy was that a mistake.
The first sentence of this book seemed to grab me by the neck: “If I stopped running, I was dead.” From there, the entire book held me and wouldn’t let me go, from that first sentence to the very end. In fact, it held me after the end, too. I distinctly remember my blood racing, heart beating, sweating, adrenalin searing through my veins while I read this book! It was breathtaking and riveting to the last word. And even after the last word. I sat there, staring at the blank page, gasping and panting like a dog from lack of oxygen from reading a book. (that doesn’t happen very often, people.)
<b> Characters: </b> The characters in this book were very relatable. They weren’t super people, they were real. They handled the horrific experiences of Furnace the same way I would have—screaming in their sleep, crying, throwing up from the horrors.
<b> Writing: </b> the writing was very good—not one of those books where the author just says what he wants to say. Alexander Gordon Smith followed my creative writing teachers’ first rule: Show, don’t tell. It was an amazing thing to read, the language was very full in vocabulary, and it had good prose. There wasn’t any really bad foul language either, like some of the other teen books I’ve been reading lately.
Recommendation: this book is a thriller, not a horror book, even though it’s mildly graphic (mildly. Not really that bad. Descriptive enough to be kinda gross at times… but hey, it could be just because I’m a girl.). It’s not the most horrific book I’ve ever read, but it’s certainly not for an eight-year-old. Personally I’d recommend it for anyone fourteen and up (but that’s just me).
Here is a link for a giveaway for this book! http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com/2009/09/win-lockdown.html

Glossy Pics – Foto Editor – Shiny Frames And Stickers With Bokeh Photo Effect.s
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Do you like shiny and glossy things? Would you like to cover your favorite photos with sparkly...

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated White House Down (2013) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
They don’t make them like this anymore. White House Down is like watching an action movie from 1988-1994. It is over the top with a weak unbelievable and absurd plot. Not to mention a Scooby-doo like plot twist ending that is trying too hard.
There really is not much to say about this film. Channing Tatum is a police officer who is interviewing for a secret service job to impress his somewhat estranged daughter. While taking her on the tour of the white house, some ho hum bad guys take over the place on some convoluted quest for money, vengeance, power…whatever.
Tatum finds himself protecting the president played by Jamie Fox in which the movie tries to create a buddy dynamic that does not quite work. In fact, in 1990s action film style, Tatum and Fox are such caricatures of the resourceful cop and the idealist president that they possess no depth at all. That would be fine if the action was filled with eye candy explosions, only the action was actually subdued, predictable and unremarkable at best.
As if that was not enough, the one-liners in this film are so bad that they actually become laughably good. Not because of what was said, but rather because they are so ridiculous you cannot help but laugh at them. This may in fact be the film’s saving grace though. If you approach this film with zero expectations and are just looking for mindless fun, you may actually enjoy yourself.
http://sknr.net/2013/06/28/white-house-down/
There really is not much to say about this film. Channing Tatum is a police officer who is interviewing for a secret service job to impress his somewhat estranged daughter. While taking her on the tour of the white house, some ho hum bad guys take over the place on some convoluted quest for money, vengeance, power…whatever.
Tatum finds himself protecting the president played by Jamie Fox in which the movie tries to create a buddy dynamic that does not quite work. In fact, in 1990s action film style, Tatum and Fox are such caricatures of the resourceful cop and the idealist president that they possess no depth at all. That would be fine if the action was filled with eye candy explosions, only the action was actually subdued, predictable and unremarkable at best.
As if that was not enough, the one-liners in this film are so bad that they actually become laughably good. Not because of what was said, but rather because they are so ridiculous you cannot help but laugh at them. This may in fact be the film’s saving grace though. If you approach this film with zero expectations and are just looking for mindless fun, you may actually enjoy yourself.
http://sknr.net/2013/06/28/white-house-down/

Woody Woodmansey recommended track Moonage Daydream by David Bowie in Best of Bowie by David Bowie in Music (curated)

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Adapt (Forgotten Affinities 2) in Books
Feb 24, 2024
35 of 220
Kindle
Adapt ( Forgotten Affinities 2)
By Analeigh Ford
⭐️⭐️
I have three months to prove I can control my powers. This time, I am going to have to do it alone.
The…incident…at Homecoming left the New York Academy of Mages reeling. I don’t mind that Whitney fears me, so long as it means she leaves me alone. But I don’t like the feeling that my best friend might be beginning to become afraid of me as well.
They aren’t the only ones acting strangely.
The principal is suddenly acting on my behalf even though he was the one to try and get my powers stripped in the first place. Draven says he’s out of the mage crime syndicate for good, but even I know that those kinds of organizations don’t let mages like him go. Not really, not ever. I want to believe that the affection Flynn is showing me is genuine, but instead I get the feeling that he’s keeping a secret from me.
Even Kendall is acting distant and brooding, and I don’t know why. Cedric is the only one among them who’s acting normal—until I suggest his father’s uncharacteristic kindness might be rooted in something sinister.
There are plans at work here that I am only beginning to understand. Even now, with everything I know, it may already be too late.
I don’t like giving books 1 star so I settled for 2. It wasn’t awful but it was brilliant either started off on them I just got bored.
Kindle
Adapt ( Forgotten Affinities 2)
By Analeigh Ford
⭐️⭐️
I have three months to prove I can control my powers. This time, I am going to have to do it alone.
The…incident…at Homecoming left the New York Academy of Mages reeling. I don’t mind that Whitney fears me, so long as it means she leaves me alone. But I don’t like the feeling that my best friend might be beginning to become afraid of me as well.
They aren’t the only ones acting strangely.
The principal is suddenly acting on my behalf even though he was the one to try and get my powers stripped in the first place. Draven says he’s out of the mage crime syndicate for good, but even I know that those kinds of organizations don’t let mages like him go. Not really, not ever. I want to believe that the affection Flynn is showing me is genuine, but instead I get the feeling that he’s keeping a secret from me.
Even Kendall is acting distant and brooding, and I don’t know why. Cedric is the only one among them who’s acting normal—until I suggest his father’s uncharacteristic kindness might be rooted in something sinister.
There are plans at work here that I am only beginning to understand. Even now, with everything I know, it may already be too late.
I don’t like giving books 1 star so I settled for 2. It wasn’t awful but it was brilliant either started off on them I just got bored.

Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Destroyer (2018) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
It feels like Nicole Kidman has been making a big screen comeback recently. I enjoyed Aquaman and The Upside, we're also looking forward to seeing her in Boy Erased next month. I was aware that this one was going to be a little... different shall we say? But I hadn't read up much about it. It's a very surprising role to see her in.
Days after seeing Destroyer I'm still not any clearer about the whole thing. It almost felt like it had gritty TV crime drama potential but as a film I was a little underwhelmed.
I spent a long time wondering if I had missed something, the ending caused me the following reaction... "wait... oh... huh." I'm not sure that the way it tied itself up worked. It left me a little confused, not because the story didn't make sense but because of the way the film had been organised.
The main character, Erin, takes some pretty extreme measures during the film because of our bad guy. But out bad guy doesn't seem to warrant that behaviour. Sure he's a little nuts but as a catalyst for the messed up things she does I didn't find it to be very believable.
Kidman puts on a good show as you'd expect, trying to get past that hair and make-up though... I spent the first 30 minutes getting annoyed by it. I honestly don't know if I'm annoyed because it's bad or annoyed because it feels like they've disfigured Nicole Kidman.
The story is very familiar, a cop's past comes back to haunt them isn't new territory. Kidman takes on a very strong role and I can't deny she put some oomph into it but it's just another sort of okay film. Some less dramatic hair and make-up, a more organised timeline and a little more thought for the bad guy and I think I could have seen myself giving this four stars.
[As an after thought... the guy behind me at the screening kept laughing. Proper comedy gaffawing. I have to guess he was laughing at the violence being over the top because there wasn't anything amusing in it. I've seem films that are worse in that aspect though so I'm really just shrugging my shoulders about it.]
What you should do
There are other films that do much the same as this, but seeing Nicole Kidman as Erin Bell was an eye opener that you might benefit from seeing once.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would like whatever Nicole Kidman has that makes her naturally look like she's no older that Sebastian Stan.
Days after seeing Destroyer I'm still not any clearer about the whole thing. It almost felt like it had gritty TV crime drama potential but as a film I was a little underwhelmed.
I spent a long time wondering if I had missed something, the ending caused me the following reaction... "wait... oh... huh." I'm not sure that the way it tied itself up worked. It left me a little confused, not because the story didn't make sense but because of the way the film had been organised.
The main character, Erin, takes some pretty extreme measures during the film because of our bad guy. But out bad guy doesn't seem to warrant that behaviour. Sure he's a little nuts but as a catalyst for the messed up things she does I didn't find it to be very believable.
Kidman puts on a good show as you'd expect, trying to get past that hair and make-up though... I spent the first 30 minutes getting annoyed by it. I honestly don't know if I'm annoyed because it's bad or annoyed because it feels like they've disfigured Nicole Kidman.
The story is very familiar, a cop's past comes back to haunt them isn't new territory. Kidman takes on a very strong role and I can't deny she put some oomph into it but it's just another sort of okay film. Some less dramatic hair and make-up, a more organised timeline and a little more thought for the bad guy and I think I could have seen myself giving this four stars.
[As an after thought... the guy behind me at the screening kept laughing. Proper comedy gaffawing. I have to guess he was laughing at the violence being over the top because there wasn't anything amusing in it. I've seem films that are worse in that aspect though so I'm really just shrugging my shoulders about it.]
What you should do
There are other films that do much the same as this, but seeing Nicole Kidman as Erin Bell was an eye opener that you might benefit from seeing once.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would like whatever Nicole Kidman has that makes her naturally look like she's no older that Sebastian Stan.

I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution
Book
From The New Yorker's fiercely original, Pulitzer Prize-winning culture critic, a provocative...

ClareR (5879 KP) rated the sun and her flowers in Books
Dec 31, 2017
I know this will be controversial, but....
This is written in five parts, like the life cycle of a flower: wilting, falling, rooting, rising and blooming. Some really disturbing, personal poetry is amongst these poems. It's a celebration in all it's forms: romantic, sexual and parental (I may have missed some). I originally wrote that the poems were 'so good', but I wonder in hindsight whether they actually are. In some ways, the poems are all very disjointed. You don't even really know where one ends and another starts (and vice versa). I'm not keen on how the titles of the poems are written at the bottom of the poems, and some are just left hanging in the middle of a page, like a motivational slogan. I read quite a bit of poetry, but this just isn't for me. I wouldn't go by my opinion though. I strongly advise you, if you're interested, to have a go and read Kaur's poetry yourselves.

Christina Tsitlakidou (43 KP) rated The Belko Experiment (2017) in Movies
Jul 13, 2017
Actual Story idea (1 more)
You'll realise what type of person you would be in that situation
Ending was predictable (3 more)
felt like it focused on the wrong character
poorly executed
seemed to lack character development
The story idea was good, but could have been executed far better! Wouldn't watch it again
Contains spoilers, click to show
I was quite disappointed after watching this, when I first heard of The Belko Experiment I was pretty excited, seemed like an interesting aspect.
However I was very disappointed after watching it, I wasn't hooked! You could predict who would turn on their colleagues and there was no real plot twist . I felt myself getting annoyed after a while, especially when Dany (after being lucky enough to hide in the basement and get away from barry the first time) just opted to use the elevator to go to the ground floor, exactly where Barry was ... she basically walked to her death...
It was just a shame given the initial idea had so much potential
However I was very disappointed after watching it, I wasn't hooked! You could predict who would turn on their colleagues and there was no real plot twist . I felt myself getting annoyed after a while, especially when Dany (after being lucky enough to hide in the basement and get away from barry the first time) just opted to use the elevator to go to the ground floor, exactly where Barry was ... she basically walked to her death...
It was just a shame given the initial idea had so much potential

TLW21 (15 KP) rated Rampage (2018) in Movies
Apr 18, 2019
I had a love/hate relationship with this
Contains spoilers, click to show
They could have worked a few things out differently, they definitely overplayed the bad guys in places they should have been more focused on what was actually happening around them with the whole city falling apart and giant creatures attacking everywhere. The action scenes between the animals and The rock was just too much. There should have definitely more action with the animals themselves with all the crazy changes they had gone through it would have been epic