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Darren (1599 KP) rated Villain (1971) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: Villain starts as we see how gangster Vic Dakin (Burton) controls London, he has people that will grass on him to the cops with Inspector Bob Matthews (Davenport) trying to bring down the criminal.
Vic continues to use his business connections to stay ahead of the police, with Wolfe Lissner (McShane) being the latest person the inspectors are turning to try and give up Vic’s secrets.
Thoughts on Villain
Characters – Vic Dakin runs London with his criminal activities, he is feared by most people and if you cross him, you will get hurt if not killed. He has become over confident that he can get away with anything, making him one of the prime targets for everyone involved in law. Wolf Lissner works for Vic, he is one of the youngster members of the crew and the one that the police are trying to use to turn on him, even if he the one person that Vic will always turn to. Bob Matthews is the inspector that has been trying to bring down Vic for years, he has risen up the ranks, got the people in the gang, but never been able to get the conviction. Gerald Draycott is the politician that is being blackmailed to keep the business under wraps for Vic.
Performances – We do have two big names in his film, first Richard Burton that doesn’t get to show the skill he could bring to a film, while a younger Ian McShane shows us that he could be set for a career in this sidekick gangster role. The rest of the cast are doing all they need to without being in anyway stand out through the film.
Story – The story follows a gangster that has the power over London, the police have been hunting him for years, but he always finds a way to get out of trouble. This time they get closer than ever before and could finally take down one of the biggest gangsters in London. When it comes to the gangster genre, we don’t really ever get much different when it comes to where the story goes, this one is based loosely on the Kray brother, but for some reason only one of the twins. It does feel like we have seen everything before, we don’t get drawn into support either side of the battle and end up feeling like it is just another gangster film.
Crime – The crime world we enter shows us just where the criminals operate and just where the police will need to turn to, in any hope of bringing him down.
Settings – The film is mostly set in London which see just how the criminals operate, where they can get away from crime.
Scene of the Movie – The opening scene as we see just how Vic can operate.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The final shot.
Final Thoughts – This is a typical British gangster film that starts with an intense opening, only to become a drag as the film unfolds.
Overall: British Gangster 101.
Vic continues to use his business connections to stay ahead of the police, with Wolfe Lissner (McShane) being the latest person the inspectors are turning to try and give up Vic’s secrets.
Thoughts on Villain
Characters – Vic Dakin runs London with his criminal activities, he is feared by most people and if you cross him, you will get hurt if not killed. He has become over confident that he can get away with anything, making him one of the prime targets for everyone involved in law. Wolf Lissner works for Vic, he is one of the youngster members of the crew and the one that the police are trying to use to turn on him, even if he the one person that Vic will always turn to. Bob Matthews is the inspector that has been trying to bring down Vic for years, he has risen up the ranks, got the people in the gang, but never been able to get the conviction. Gerald Draycott is the politician that is being blackmailed to keep the business under wraps for Vic.
Performances – We do have two big names in his film, first Richard Burton that doesn’t get to show the skill he could bring to a film, while a younger Ian McShane shows us that he could be set for a career in this sidekick gangster role. The rest of the cast are doing all they need to without being in anyway stand out through the film.
Story – The story follows a gangster that has the power over London, the police have been hunting him for years, but he always finds a way to get out of trouble. This time they get closer than ever before and could finally take down one of the biggest gangsters in London. When it comes to the gangster genre, we don’t really ever get much different when it comes to where the story goes, this one is based loosely on the Kray brother, but for some reason only one of the twins. It does feel like we have seen everything before, we don’t get drawn into support either side of the battle and end up feeling like it is just another gangster film.
Crime – The crime world we enter shows us just where the criminals operate and just where the police will need to turn to, in any hope of bringing him down.
Settings – The film is mostly set in London which see just how the criminals operate, where they can get away from crime.
Scene of the Movie – The opening scene as we see just how Vic can operate.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The final shot.
Final Thoughts – This is a typical British gangster film that starts with an intense opening, only to become a drag as the film unfolds.
Overall: British Gangster 101.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Catch it or run away?
#detectivepikachu is more Pokemeh than #Pokemon, sure the ideas are there but the execution isn't leaving us with a movie that's simply just ok. I was really #hyped for this movie, I loved the neon flair, underground, mature & almost seedy look it pitched us in the trailer & very much to its credit all that is still there VISUALLY but in almost every other aspect it sadly fails. Ok so this film is #gorgeous, pokemon feel like living breathing #creatures with tremendous cgi texture detail almost making some of the feel like practical effect rather than computer imagery. Pokemon also interact with not just the world/scenery but with the actors too flawlessly keeping the immersion grounded/realistic just like #bumblebee did. World wise it nails it the city #feels so alive & lived in by both humans & pokemon with the grimy smokey alleyways, radiant forest areas & the neon glows of street signs adding character & dimension as they glisten beautifully off the characters fur & concrete. Its all very #bladerunner/#ghostintheshell #inspired & overflows with human technological progression. Accompanying the visuals is a simply awesome soundtrack that invokes a sense of wonder & #fantasy esc dream states only adding to its world building. Here then lies my problem we have the perfect world & these incredible creatures that inhabit it so why dont we spend more time with them exploring not only the world but the #relationship/bond between us & pokemon & how we cope with sharing the world together. Instead we are forced to follow such a dull, bland, paint by numbers plot with a twist thats so frustratingly obvious within the first 15 minutes that I was annoyed it took so long to reveal it. Adding to its tedium & dullness are the human actors who (aside from #Kenwatanabe & #ryanreynolds who carry the film) are unlikable, soulless, emotionless drones that seem to only be there to explain/advance the mundane plot. Detective #pikachu is one extremely well marketed/over #hyped missed opportunity & I cant help but feel if they'd focused more on the things we were all there to see (the pokemon) it might of had a bit more #heart. #nintendo #pokeball #pokemongo #cute #anime #manga
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Zoo in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Working in a library it's hard not to notice how popular (and prolific) James Patterson is. While I was skeptical of just how good anything could be when it's written by someone who spits out books at a dizzying pace, and who is probably handing much of the actual writing off to one of the other authors he seems to employ, I still figured at some point I should read something of his just to see what I thought. Being a completely standalone story, and of somewhat more interest to me than his typical "murder-of-the-month" fare, "Zoo" seemed like a good way to dip my toes in the water. It tells the story of the world's population falling victim to an uprising of animal violence and the scientist who is trying to warn everybody of the coming problem and its cause. It's a somewhat simple story, but it's told briskly and has a number of memorably suspenseful scenes. The science behind everything sounds relatively plausible, whether or not it really is I couldn't tell you, though I have my doubts. Either way, it was good enough to sell the rather dire and dramatic circumstances that unfold over the course of the novel. The characters are likable enough, but don't really feel all that fleshed out. On some other negative notes; the dialogue is sometimes quite bad and there are too many times where people make horrifically stupid decisions for reasons that I found it hard to believe would have been enough to get them to make them. That aside, it was fast paced and suspenseful enough to keep me reading. The short chapters make it feel like it's propelling along at a higher speed, even if it does seem like some sequences were ended too abruptly, negating any chance of building up real suspense. The end in particular, while logical to the story, felt pretty abrupt and left me feeling just a little unsatisfied. I enjoyed reading Mr. Patterson more than I expected I might, but I don't know that I'll be coming back for more any time soon.
Lee Ronaldo recommended Meet The Beatles! by The Beatles in Music (curated)
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Housemates in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I cant put it into words how much I enjoyed this book. There are only a select few books that I cant help talking about with my family and work colleagues, whether they want to hear about it or not, but this is one of them
I just couldnt help myself!
Be warned, there is gratuitous violence throughout!
Im not going to give anything away about the story-line but basically, its a twisted Big Brother with a bit of Saw thrown in for good measure where the contestants have to take part in tasks and eliminations with the last person standing having the chance of walking away with £2 million.
The contestants inside the house are a mix of characters some of which more likeable than others and some thoroughly despicable we learn more about each person as time goes on and it can be a bit of an eye-opener in some cases.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this is going to put your brain cells to work extra hard nor am I going to say that the twist is a massive surprise but what I will say is that if you, like me, are a little bit sick of the raft of reality TV programmes being rammed down our throats and just wish they would up the anti just a little, then this is the book for you!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review. I will, most definitely, read more from Mr Wright as I do like a bit of gore every now and then 😃.
Be warned, there is gratuitous violence throughout!
Im not going to give anything away about the story-line but basically, its a twisted Big Brother with a bit of Saw thrown in for good measure where the contestants have to take part in tasks and eliminations with the last person standing having the chance of walking away with £2 million.
The contestants inside the house are a mix of characters some of which more likeable than others and some thoroughly despicable we learn more about each person as time goes on and it can be a bit of an eye-opener in some cases.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this is going to put your brain cells to work extra hard nor am I going to say that the twist is a massive surprise but what I will say is that if you, like me, are a little bit sick of the raft of reality TV programmes being rammed down our throats and just wish they would up the anti just a little, then this is the book for you!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review. I will, most definitely, read more from Mr Wright as I do like a bit of gore every now and then 😃.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Little (2019) in Movies
May 17, 2019
Just a Few Tweaks and I Would Have Loved it
When April’s (Issa Rae) boss gets turned into a child by a curse, April has to hold down the fort at work while trying to figure out a way to reverse the curse. It’s not a great movie that will leave a long impression, but I can definitely say that I liked it a whole lot more than I expected to.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 7
The movie begins with the audience getting a view into the lives of April and her boss Jordan Sanders (Regina Hall). It’s a little formulaic as you can tell it’s solely for the purpose of introducing the characters, but still manages to be enough to jumpstart the movie. It was enough to get me laughing and looking forward for more.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 6
Conflict: 6
Genre: 5
Memorability: 7
Pace: 8
While not the end of the world, I think the movie suffered from being longer than it needed to be. The pacing was scattered at times and could have been managed by tightening the story. The comedic moments were enough for the most to part to mask the pacing shortcomings.
Plot: 7
Twists? Turns? You won’t find any of that here. The story is as linear as they come. Still, the ride you are taken on just happens to be a fun one so it’s pretty forgivable. Just don’t expect to say, “Didn’t see that coming” at any point.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 76
You could do worse this year than checking out Little. Some won’t like it while others, like myself, will take its entertainment value for what it is. Had the story been a little more inventive, I might be singing a different tune.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 7
The movie begins with the audience getting a view into the lives of April and her boss Jordan Sanders (Regina Hall). It’s a little formulaic as you can tell it’s solely for the purpose of introducing the characters, but still manages to be enough to jumpstart the movie. It was enough to get me laughing and looking forward for more.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 6
Conflict: 6
Genre: 5
Memorability: 7
Pace: 8
While not the end of the world, I think the movie suffered from being longer than it needed to be. The pacing was scattered at times and could have been managed by tightening the story. The comedic moments were enough for the most to part to mask the pacing shortcomings.
Plot: 7
Twists? Turns? You won’t find any of that here. The story is as linear as they come. Still, the ride you are taken on just happens to be a fun one so it’s pretty forgivable. Just don’t expect to say, “Didn’t see that coming” at any point.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 76
You could do worse this year than checking out Little. Some won’t like it while others, like myself, will take its entertainment value for what it is. Had the story been a little more inventive, I might be singing a different tune.
Louise (64 KP) rated Horrorstör in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I was super excited about reading this book, when I first read the synopsis of a haunted Ikea style superstore I was instantly intrigued and couldn’t wait to pick it up. I showed my friend the book and she too wanted to read this book on the synopsis alone. There is something quite thrilling about a superstore being haunted especially as I have an Ikea around the corner from where I live.
Lets talk about the design of this book first of all, when I picked it up it looked and felt just like a shopping catalogue,the book also had french flaps and on the inside of the cover there was a layout of the store and list of areas, such as kitchens, bedrooms, wardrobes etc etc. Every chapter had a product advertisement that become more and more sinister throughout the book.
This book was definitely intense and got very creepy and definitely scary in parts but I didn’t feel any connection with the characters, This could be that it was told from a third person perspective or that none of them had personalities.All of the characters were just boring. The reason why it was haunted was quite interesting and I really liked that aspect of the story. The ending, I think is a bit 50/50 you are either going to love it or hate it and I didn’t like it.When I finished this book there was one question on my mind WHY? This book is described as a parody/humor which I found wasn’t the case at all and I perhaps sniggered once.
Overall I enjoyed the book and loved the aesthetic side of it but it just didn’t blow me away. I recommend this for people who want a quick read with elements of horror.
I rated this 2.5 out of 5 stars
Lets talk about the design of this book first of all, when I picked it up it looked and felt just like a shopping catalogue,the book also had french flaps and on the inside of the cover there was a layout of the store and list of areas, such as kitchens, bedrooms, wardrobes etc etc. Every chapter had a product advertisement that become more and more sinister throughout the book.
This book was definitely intense and got very creepy and definitely scary in parts but I didn’t feel any connection with the characters, This could be that it was told from a third person perspective or that none of them had personalities.All of the characters were just boring. The reason why it was haunted was quite interesting and I really liked that aspect of the story. The ending, I think is a bit 50/50 you are either going to love it or hate it and I didn’t like it.When I finished this book there was one question on my mind WHY? This book is described as a parody/humor which I found wasn’t the case at all and I perhaps sniggered once.
Overall I enjoyed the book and loved the aesthetic side of it but it just didn’t blow me away. I recommend this for people who want a quick read with elements of horror.
I rated this 2.5 out of 5 stars
Debbiereadsbook (1757 KP) rated Becoming Magic (Sleight of Hand #5) in Books
Dec 10, 2018
Not really one for me :-(
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I'm jumping straight in here, because this is one of those reviews that is going to be difficult to write!
Overall, I liked this book. Mostly.
It's reasonably well written, from both Carole and Connor's points of view, so that was good. I didn't see any spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
It just didn't grab me! I found myself wanting more, from Connor, about that break up with his ex-co-star. From Carole about what happened all those years ago in Hollywood. From them both, about each other, their feelings. . . . I. . . . just . . . .
Wanted MORE!!!! And I can't word just WHAT I wanted, and that's why this is a hard review to write, cos I cannot, for the life of me, find the right words, and you know how much that PAINS me!
It does deal with some difficult topics: being drugged and a sexual assault. It deals with these in a sensitive manner, but needs to be mentioned. I also found the assault story arc a little bit too much like what's going in the the REAL Hollywood right now, with the growing list of high powered Hollywood men being accused of various assaults. Maybe that's where the author got the inspiration from, I dunno, but I found it a little too much like it, you know??
This is book 5 in the Sleight of Hand series, and I have not read the others. I did not feel I was missing anything, by not reading them And although Sabrina and Walter (book4) play a huge part here, I didn't feel I HAD to have read their story before this one.
So, I'm sorry, but not one for me.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I'm jumping straight in here, because this is one of those reviews that is going to be difficult to write!
Overall, I liked this book. Mostly.
It's reasonably well written, from both Carole and Connor's points of view, so that was good. I didn't see any spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
It just didn't grab me! I found myself wanting more, from Connor, about that break up with his ex-co-star. From Carole about what happened all those years ago in Hollywood. From them both, about each other, their feelings. . . . I. . . . just . . . .
Wanted MORE!!!! And I can't word just WHAT I wanted, and that's why this is a hard review to write, cos I cannot, for the life of me, find the right words, and you know how much that PAINS me!
It does deal with some difficult topics: being drugged and a sexual assault. It deals with these in a sensitive manner, but needs to be mentioned. I also found the assault story arc a little bit too much like what's going in the the REAL Hollywood right now, with the growing list of high powered Hollywood men being accused of various assaults. Maybe that's where the author got the inspiration from, I dunno, but I found it a little too much like it, you know??
This is book 5 in the Sleight of Hand series, and I have not read the others. I did not feel I was missing anything, by not reading them And although Sabrina and Walter (book4) play a huge part here, I didn't feel I HAD to have read their story before this one.
So, I'm sorry, but not one for me.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Merissa (14020 KP) rated Ignited (Daywalker Academy #6) in Books
Aug 4, 2020
Ignited is the sixth and final book in the Daywalker Academy series and it is certainly a case of light blue touch paper and retire. I sincerely hope you spare however long it takes you to read this book on one go because, trust me, you will not want to put it down!
Secrets and betrayal, it's still going down and Franky is still in the middle of it. You see less of other characters in this one as Franky, Zoltan, and Soren take the lead. Zoltan is still growly and grumbly and Soren is still a pain in the ass (Franky's words, not mine).
Reading this book makes me think of what it must be like travelling by tornado. You are whipped around from place to place, never knowing what will happen when your feet touch the ground. Poor Franky. Although I like reading about it, to live your life that way must be exhausting. No wonder she wanted to sleep!
I have loved this series and am sad to see it come to an end. I really need to know about Fenrir and Myst, plus Leo. I found it a tad upsetting that the gang has split up but that just gives me more reasons to hound Ms. Daniels into follow up stories.
A brilliant end to the series that I highly recommend - but just remember to keep your mitts off Tenebris and Zoltan! Yes, I am greedy and I don't share! 😉🤣
One final thought just because I can - oh, Daren!!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Secrets and betrayal, it's still going down and Franky is still in the middle of it. You see less of other characters in this one as Franky, Zoltan, and Soren take the lead. Zoltan is still growly and grumbly and Soren is still a pain in the ass (Franky's words, not mine).
Reading this book makes me think of what it must be like travelling by tornado. You are whipped around from place to place, never knowing what will happen when your feet touch the ground. Poor Franky. Although I like reading about it, to live your life that way must be exhausting. No wonder she wanted to sleep!
I have loved this series and am sad to see it come to an end. I really need to know about Fenrir and Myst, plus Leo. I found it a tad upsetting that the gang has split up but that just gives me more reasons to hound Ms. Daniels into follow up stories.
A brilliant end to the series that I highly recommend - but just remember to keep your mitts off Tenebris and Zoltan! Yes, I am greedy and I don't share! 😉🤣
One final thought just because I can - oh, Daren!!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Bird Box (2018) in Movies
Mar 18, 2019
Not a Huge Fan
In a post-apocalyptic world where medusa-like creatures can kill you if you look at them, a woman is trying to get her two kids to one of the only safe zones left in the world.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
A strong choice of characters creates an interesting dynamic, starting with main character Malorie (Sandra Bullock). Malorie is so beaten down by the new life she has entered that she can’t even stand to name her children. The things that she has done and seen have hardened, but underneath all that is a person lost and ready to crack. It’s not hard to empathize with her throughout the story. Outside of Malorie, it’s interesting watching the characters inside the home (where most of the story takes place) interact. Some are scared, others rational, others resigned to their fate. You put them together in different scenarios and it was interesting watching the outcomes play out.
Cinematography/Visuals: 5
Conflict: 8
Like a lot of films with a similar gimmick, the movie succeeds by giving you a sense of terror throughout. Much like the characters themselves, you’re in a constant state of worry that something terrible is lingering around the corner. You spend pretty much the entire movie wondering just what that something is. If it’s not creatures, it’s humans on the attack. While some of it is for the sake of shock value, there are some delightfully intense moments that keep things interesting.
Genre: 7
Memorability: 1
Bird Box falls short because there is a lot of much ado about nothing. I don’t want to spoil things for those of you that still haven’t seen it, but it is absolutely missing that “punch” that makes a movie worth rewatching. I left post-credits thinking, “Why was this done this way?” In the end, there was no real message to be had or no point of excitement that makes a typical classic stand the test of time.
Pace: 7
Plot: 5
Resolution: 6
Overall: 69
Bird Box has a great concept, but it doesn’t pack the same punch like films like A Quiet Place managed to do. Because I wasn’t as emotionally connected to the characters as I wanted to be and there was a little bit too much shock value with no real value, I can’t recommend the movie. I wanted it to be better and, with a few tweaks, it definitely could’ve been. Alas.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
A strong choice of characters creates an interesting dynamic, starting with main character Malorie (Sandra Bullock). Malorie is so beaten down by the new life she has entered that she can’t even stand to name her children. The things that she has done and seen have hardened, but underneath all that is a person lost and ready to crack. It’s not hard to empathize with her throughout the story. Outside of Malorie, it’s interesting watching the characters inside the home (where most of the story takes place) interact. Some are scared, others rational, others resigned to their fate. You put them together in different scenarios and it was interesting watching the outcomes play out.
Cinematography/Visuals: 5
Conflict: 8
Like a lot of films with a similar gimmick, the movie succeeds by giving you a sense of terror throughout. Much like the characters themselves, you’re in a constant state of worry that something terrible is lingering around the corner. You spend pretty much the entire movie wondering just what that something is. If it’s not creatures, it’s humans on the attack. While some of it is for the sake of shock value, there are some delightfully intense moments that keep things interesting.
Genre: 7
Memorability: 1
Bird Box falls short because there is a lot of much ado about nothing. I don’t want to spoil things for those of you that still haven’t seen it, but it is absolutely missing that “punch” that makes a movie worth rewatching. I left post-credits thinking, “Why was this done this way?” In the end, there was no real message to be had or no point of excitement that makes a typical classic stand the test of time.
Pace: 7
Plot: 5
Resolution: 6
Overall: 69
Bird Box has a great concept, but it doesn’t pack the same punch like films like A Quiet Place managed to do. Because I wasn’t as emotionally connected to the characters as I wanted to be and there was a little bit too much shock value with no real value, I can’t recommend the movie. I wanted it to be better and, with a few tweaks, it definitely could’ve been. Alas.