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David McK (3557 KP) rated Jurassic World (2015) in Movies

Aug 16, 2020 (Updated Jun 21, 2022)  
Jurassic World (2015)
Jurassic World (2015)
2015 | Adventure, Sci-Fi
It's now over 20 years from the original Jurassic Park film, and time has moved on.

In both the real world and the fictional world of this movie.

Set back in the original location of Isla Sorna, this imagines that John Hammond's park has been open to the public for over 20 years: to a public that has largely grown inured to the Dinosaurs and demands a new attraction every 2 years or so.

Enter the genetically engineered hybrid Indominus Rex, which (of course) causes chaos when it gets free of its paddock...

This movie definitely takes its cue from the original film, complete with a pair of siblings lost in the wilderness as the Dino's run amok! For some reason, the effects also seem less impressive than the earlier film (perhaps just because we've gotten used to them? Yes, just like the visitors to the island...), which mixed animatronics with its Special Effects, to great effect.
  
Queen of Always (Stolen Empire, #3)
Queen of Always (Stolen Empire, #3)
Sherry D. Ficklin | 2015 | History & Politics, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
7
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book was the conclusion to the series. As the title would suggest this is the book where we see Catherine take the throne and finally become queen.

This book started a few months after the last one finished which meant the first part was spent catching up on what had happened.

Unfortunately there becomes a love triangle in this book which is something I just don’t enjoy and became frustrated with Catherine and her inability to just pick and commit to one person.

This book was a great conclusion to the series and tied the story up nicely. It left at a good point and where history would be able to fill in. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed and didn’t like the one chapter change in POV although I do know why it happened.

Personally I still enjoyed this book just not quite as much as the previous two.
  
AG
Arcadia's Gift (Arcadia Series #1)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say, this book really held my attention from start to finish. The prologue alone had me freaking out, ready to know just what in the heck was going on, and I definitely wasn't disappointed. Arcadia (Cady) is a wonderful character, as are her family and friends, and the dialogue between them sounded just like something that would happen with high-schoolers and their family.

The overall writing was just incredible. I really felt connected to the characters, to their pain, anguish, and even the happy times, especially between Cady and Bryan. I was almost late for work because I was so engrossed in the story, I lost track of time! I can't wait to see what happens in everyone's lives, and I'm waiting (not so) patiently for the next installment. =)

5 stars (is all they'd let me give)
  
Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)
Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)
Marissa Meyer | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.4 (36 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am huge fan of the lunar chronicles series. Just as the first book, scarlet surpassed my expectations. It's a refreshing and unique take on the fairy tale of little red riding hood. The book also continues with the story of Cinderella from the first novel of the series. The story keeps you interested the entire time and has simple twists and turns to keep you coming back for more. The characters are good kids but flawed in a way that lets you remember they are just like us, you cant help but love them all. The villain of the series is so vile the reader just cant wait to see her get what she deserves. I would recommend this series to anyone who loves the ya genre. It is also clean enough for my ten year old to read. I can not wait to read the next novel in the series: Cress.
  
TR
The Regulars
Georgia Clark | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was SO excited to read this book, it was on a ton of hottest/best books of the summer lists so I figured it just had to be great. Not so much. I was very disappointed when I finally finished it. It started out good enough but as it progressed the characters just got on my nerves. I couldn't relate to any of them and the things they did often made little sense. The constant feminism was annoying and felt like all there was to that particular character, another was flakey to the extreme and while somewhat funny at first it became grating as, again, that's all there was to her character, and the remaining protagonist was just strange. She was perhaps the least flat of the three but I found it impossible to relate or identity with her. The plot was intriguing and unlike anything I've read before but it seemed to be more afterthought than integral. A serious let down :(
  
Vampire Girl (Vampire Girl, #1)
Vampire Girl (Vampire Girl, #1)
Karpov Kinrade | 2016 | Paranormal
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
DNF @ 34%

I struggled with this from the start. It didn't flow that easily and it seemed to take forever for something exciting to happen. It was about 28% before she even headed off to Hell or wherever it was Asher was taking her and I'd just kind of lost interest by then. I like something that's going to keep my attention and this didn't.

The interaction between the main character and her friends at the hospital after her mum had fallen into her coma just seemed rather awkward. And then the fact they let her "leave" so easily when they know how poorly her mum was...?

I liked the idea of her owing the Princes of Hell a favour and having to spend time with what were personifications of the 7 deadly sins to see who she would end up with but it just wasn't quite quick enough or written enough to my tastes for me to continue with it.
  
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Jason Dohring recommended Ishtar (1987) in Movies (curated)

 
Ishtar (1987)
Ishtar (1987)
1987 | Action, Comedy

"It’s so funny, I was literally laughing out loud. I heard it was on Quentin Tarantino and Ed Norton’s list of top movies ever of all time, and I didn’t even know what it was. I’d never heard of it. I heard it was a huge box office flop, and then I saw it and wondered why it isn’t more known. I think people just don’t know what it is or don’t understand the idea. These guys are in North Africa, in these awful situations, with the mafia involved. It was totally over the top. For me, it was so funny. Such a great story, so original, just hilarious. I have very rarely laughed this much in a movie. I have no reason why it wasn’t a huge smash success, in the top five funniest movies ever. It’s Dustin Hoffman — I could make a Top Five just around him. Like Rain Man. Watch that again. It will touch your soul."

Source
  
...For the Whole World to See by Death
...For the Whole World to See by Death
2009 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"They were a black punk band from America. I love this record because it's kind of… erudite in its expression but it's fucking brutal. It's razor sharp. It's also gloriously anarchic. It's kind of punk but it's got real rock & roll lineage to it. The titles are brilliant: there's one called 'Politicians In My Eyes', another one called 'Rock-N-Roll Victim', 'Let The World Turn', 'You're A Prisoner'. It's just a real lost classic, and it's got real power. I can't remember if they're from Detroit or not - it would make sense, because so much has come out of Detroit - but it's one of those records I've just picked up and been astounded by it. I was always really good at picking up stuff in the margins of punk history, but I'd never heard anything about this band, and I love the idea that there's still stuff out there that's going to get credit after its time; that people who didn't get credit in their lifetime eventually get it if they're good enough. You can tell this band could have gone on to be utterly amazing; there's an articulacy there, a brutality there, a real rock & roll lineage, but a little off-kilter jazz edge to little bits of the playing. And the cover's absolutely lovely, it's almost like art deco Buck Rogers. It's just one of those records that's a little surprise in life; to stay in love with music, you need to have those little surprises, something that's been locked in a vault and it comes at you and it's such a surprise. And if you're ready to take on those surprises, it just shows you're still in love with the romance of music, that something's going to hit you in the middle of the eyes. And that's what this record did to me two years ago. I found it in Spillers in Cardiff, which was good because I really don't engage in the digital world - not through any kind of arch Ludditeness or anything, I just can't be arsed. So I listen to lots of radio and read lots of press and that's how I get my new records. That's why I love going to Spillers; sometimes there'll just be that bit of advice behind the counter. "Why don't you try this?" I just love that moment."

Source