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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Tangled (Tangled, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
4.5 stars. 5 for Drew and his witty commentary to, us, the reader. 4 star for the rest of the story.
This was fun at times and seeing everything from a male POV was new to me. It was entertaining.
So let's start with Drew. He started off as a bit of a d*ck really but seeing him change as his feelings for Kate developed was really nice and by the end of it--after all the swoon-worthy stuff he did--I have to admit that, like Kate, I fell for him too.
And then to Kate. From the start she seemed like a perfect match for Drew, both work-wise and relationship-wise, and seeing the sparks flying between them was fun.
When they finally hooked up I was grinning like an idiot. And then it was like boarding a roller-coaster with all the ups and downs my feelings and emotions went through as I equally willed them to get together and for Kate to smack Drew or something. I don't think it was an easy ride for any one of us (Drew, Kate or me) for that last 40% or so. I just kept urging Drew to do something!
I loved the pictures the author had added to the story. They added a fun angle to what was being described; the drink for example.
I certainly think I will be continuing the story at some point :)
This was fun at times and seeing everything from a male POV was new to me. It was entertaining.
So let's start with Drew. He started off as a bit of a d*ck really but seeing him change as his feelings for Kate developed was really nice and by the end of it--after all the swoon-worthy stuff he did--I have to admit that, like Kate, I fell for him too.
And then to Kate. From the start she seemed like a perfect match for Drew, both work-wise and relationship-wise, and seeing the sparks flying between them was fun.
When they finally hooked up I was grinning like an idiot. And then it was like boarding a roller-coaster with all the ups and downs my feelings and emotions went through as I equally willed them to get together and for Kate to smack Drew or something. I don't think it was an easy ride for any one of us (Drew, Kate or me) for that last 40% or so. I just kept urging Drew to do something!
I loved the pictures the author had added to the story. They added a fun angle to what was being described; the drink for example.
I certainly think I will be continuing the story at some point :)
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Skyfire (2019) in Movies
Mar 28, 2021
On a whim I put this one on, a disaster movie at just an hour and a half long felt like a good way to start my day.
Years after the volcano on Tianhuo Island erupts, businessman Jack Harris builds a paradise resort and theme park in the shadow of the volcano. Because no story that started that way ever ended badly...
Skyfire struck me in a very peculiar way that I want to address later, but for now let me just say that this is a classic sort of disaster movie. A classic with a lot of borrowing.
A state of the art resort is built on an out of the way island. But when disaster strikes, everybody is in danger... If I read that to you and asked you which film I was talking about, what would your answer be? Jurassic Park or Jurassic World? It won't be the only time you find something to reminisce on. I didn't write down all the connections I thought I saw, but if you took Jurassic World, Dante's Peak and Shape Of Water (a little odd I know, but I'm sure you'll see it too) you'll be most of the way there.
I feel like I'm about to do this film a disservice, but I don't really want to talk much about the acting in it. This is nothing against the actors, try all do a good job, chemistry is there, there's the balance of serious and light-hearted... it all works, but it's not the thing that makes this movie for me.
The effects throughout are pretty good on the scale of disaster movies. To look at it all in the heat of the moment it very rarely comes across as unbelievable (which given this scenario is quite impressive), and those scenes that could have crossed over into looking bad are blended in with some great action sequences... so they might be bad, but I really didn't notice.
What sold me on Skyfire is just how well it works visually. In my opinion (I'm going to exercise this phrase more often I think), you don't need to listen to this film to understand what's going on. If you cut out the dialogue and just had the reactions and the ambient sounds you'd still perfectly understand what was going on.
That may say to you it isn't a very complex film, but it makes for a very enjoyable watch, and whole the familiarities did occasionally verge on frustrating I did begin the enjoy the game of spotting them. Mix those things together and it might not become my go to disaster film over Geostorm, but I will absolutely watch it again if the mood takes me.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/03/skyfire-movie-review.html
Years after the volcano on Tianhuo Island erupts, businessman Jack Harris builds a paradise resort and theme park in the shadow of the volcano. Because no story that started that way ever ended badly...
Skyfire struck me in a very peculiar way that I want to address later, but for now let me just say that this is a classic sort of disaster movie. A classic with a lot of borrowing.
A state of the art resort is built on an out of the way island. But when disaster strikes, everybody is in danger... If I read that to you and asked you which film I was talking about, what would your answer be? Jurassic Park or Jurassic World? It won't be the only time you find something to reminisce on. I didn't write down all the connections I thought I saw, but if you took Jurassic World, Dante's Peak and Shape Of Water (a little odd I know, but I'm sure you'll see it too) you'll be most of the way there.
I feel like I'm about to do this film a disservice, but I don't really want to talk much about the acting in it. This is nothing against the actors, try all do a good job, chemistry is there, there's the balance of serious and light-hearted... it all works, but it's not the thing that makes this movie for me.
The effects throughout are pretty good on the scale of disaster movies. To look at it all in the heat of the moment it very rarely comes across as unbelievable (which given this scenario is quite impressive), and those scenes that could have crossed over into looking bad are blended in with some great action sequences... so they might be bad, but I really didn't notice.
What sold me on Skyfire is just how well it works visually. In my opinion (I'm going to exercise this phrase more often I think), you don't need to listen to this film to understand what's going on. If you cut out the dialogue and just had the reactions and the ambient sounds you'd still perfectly understand what was going on.
That may say to you it isn't a very complex film, but it makes for a very enjoyable watch, and whole the familiarities did occasionally verge on frustrating I did begin the enjoy the game of spotting them. Mix those things together and it might not become my go to disaster film over Geostorm, but I will absolutely watch it again if the mood takes me.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/03/skyfire-movie-review.html
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated 28 Days Later (2002) in Movies
Nov 27, 2017
Majority of performances are great (2 more)
Solid direction from Boyle
Decent SFX for its era
Scary Good
Re-watched this recently and it's just as visceral and as brilliant as it was fifteen years ago. Danny Boyle is one hell of a filmmaker and this is one of the best zombie movies ever made.
It's a unique take on a now tired genre, with just as much fleshed out characterisation as there is brutality and gore. There's a few edge of your seat moments towards the movie's climax and the movie feels like a journey with all of the ups and downs that you would expect in a zombie chase movie across England.
Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, Naomi Harris and Christopher Eccleston are all great in the movie and the only weak link in the cast is the actress playing Hannah, but that can be forgiven as the rest of the cast around her are so good.
Brilliant direction, really good SFX for its time and definitely worth a watch if you have never seen it.
It's a unique take on a now tired genre, with just as much fleshed out characterisation as there is brutality and gore. There's a few edge of your seat moments towards the movie's climax and the movie feels like a journey with all of the ups and downs that you would expect in a zombie chase movie across England.
Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, Naomi Harris and Christopher Eccleston are all great in the movie and the only weak link in the cast is the actress playing Hannah, but that can be forgiven as the rest of the cast around her are so good.
Brilliant direction, really good SFX for its time and definitely worth a watch if you have never seen it.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Knit the Sky: Cultivate Your Creativity with a Playful Way of Knitting in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Knit the sky was whimsical and exciting. The book is quite different from the traditional knitting book, in that it doesn’t give step-by-step instructions, specific patterns, or have photos. Instead, it has colorful watercolor illustrations and beautiful inspiring text that paints a picture in the mind and leads the knitter to the place the writer wants them to be. The idea of giving inspiration for a project but not a specific pattern was challenging and new to say the least… but it worked for the book. It can be for a beginner knitter who wants the freedom to explore and not fit themselves into a pattern (just to grow as an artist) or for a free-former like myself, who doesn’t really follow patterns anyway and just wants the basic idea, or for an advanced knitter or pattern maker ready to push their creativity to the next level. It would even work for a crocheter (since most of it is make-up-as-you-go anyway).
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Truly, Madly (Lucy Valentine, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
TRULY, MADLY is mystery, romance, chick-lit and a bit of paranormal all wrapped up in one delightful little package. Lucy Valentine is a nice, normal, and a little bit quirky protagonist who never got on my nerves. It's nice to have a main character who isn't totally self-absorbed, ditzy, neurotic, clumsy and just plain irritating, basically just about every female you run across in lighter fiction books these days. All the other characters added to the story seamlessly and there wasn't one who was unnecessary. I enjoyed the psychic angle and thought that it was used in a fresh and interesting way. The plot was engaging and moved swiftly, and everything was well-written in an easy and smooth manner. I don't really have any major complaints and look forward to the next in the series.
The best word to use in describing this book is cute. So if you like cute, check it out, it's a nice piece of brain candy that won't offend your intelligence.
The best word to use in describing this book is cute. So if you like cute, check it out, it's a nice piece of brain candy that won't offend your intelligence.
Sam (74 KP) rated The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2) in Books
Mar 27, 2019
A Series of Unfortunate Events is my favourite series on Netflix, so a few months ago I decided I was finally going to buy the books and read the whole series, and I don’t regret that decision.
The Reptile Room is the second book in the series and is much better than the Netflix series.
The book opens with Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire on their way to live with their uncle, Dr Montgomery Montgomery, a semi-successful herpetologist with a large collection of reptiles.
Dr Montgomery’s assistant, Gustav, left him without any notice just before the Baudelaire orphans arrive, and his replacement, Stephano is strangely like Count Olaf.
The thing I love about The Reptile Room is the dark humour running throughout it. There are constant jokes that are definitely not aimed towards children which make it such a fun book to read.
It’s funny, sad and entertaining all at the same time and I really do wish I’d have read it when I was younger because it’s just the ideal book for me.
The Reptile Room is the second book in the series and is much better than the Netflix series.
The book opens with Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire on their way to live with their uncle, Dr Montgomery Montgomery, a semi-successful herpetologist with a large collection of reptiles.
Dr Montgomery’s assistant, Gustav, left him without any notice just before the Baudelaire orphans arrive, and his replacement, Stephano is strangely like Count Olaf.
The thing I love about The Reptile Room is the dark humour running throughout it. There are constant jokes that are definitely not aimed towards children which make it such a fun book to read.
It’s funny, sad and entertaining all at the same time and I really do wish I’d have read it when I was younger because it’s just the ideal book for me.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Deepest Desires of a Wicked Duke (The Wicked Dukes, #3) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
Oh man I love me some historical erotica. Something about it makes the sex especially delicious. And make no mistake, this book is HIGHLY erotic. If you dont like that than you should look elsewhere. Its not fair to give the book a low rating for being explicit when it is plain and clear in the descriptions just how erotic it is going to be. If sex isnt your things, thats fine. But dont shame being who do enjoy it, however gratuitous it is.
Dont be fooled though. As insignificant as it is, there is a plot. Enough to keep it the story moving between the erotic scenes. There is also some depth to the characters although it is not anything original as far as historical romances go. There is the hero with a troubled past the woman so deep in love with him, she couldnt fall for anyone else.
Overall, the plot and characters werent spectacular, just interesting enough to keep me invested the HEA.
Dont be fooled though. As insignificant as it is, there is a plot. Enough to keep it the story moving between the erotic scenes. There is also some depth to the characters although it is not anything original as far as historical romances go. There is the hero with a troubled past the woman so deep in love with him, she couldnt fall for anyone else.
Overall, the plot and characters werent spectacular, just interesting enough to keep me invested the HEA.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #6) in Books
Jul 10, 2018
Review Updated as of 12/21/2017:
J. R. Ward has a way of making you love and hate characters. Lover Enshrined infuriated me and made me cry tears of happiness. This is the story of Phury which is about as messed up as anyone would expect. You see a lot of the addict in him and you get to know him better in this novel.
I liked this book just like all of the others in this series but I will say that it frustrated me to the point of having to change back to reading the book instead of listening. The narrator did a great job but there is just something about reading while frustrated vs. listening while frustrated.
This book brings you new characters to fall in love with and relate to. The characters are well thought out and are still unique and interesting. J.R. Ward definitely knows how to make characters that you will fall in love with and relate to.
All in all, it's a good book.
J. R. Ward has a way of making you love and hate characters. Lover Enshrined infuriated me and made me cry tears of happiness. This is the story of Phury which is about as messed up as anyone would expect. You see a lot of the addict in him and you get to know him better in this novel.
I liked this book just like all of the others in this series but I will say that it frustrated me to the point of having to change back to reading the book instead of listening. The narrator did a great job but there is just something about reading while frustrated vs. listening while frustrated.
This book brings you new characters to fall in love with and relate to. The characters are well thought out and are still unique and interesting. J.R. Ward definitely knows how to make characters that you will fall in love with and relate to.
All in all, it's a good book.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Animals (2019) in Movies
Jul 23, 2019
As sponsored by Jacob’s Creek.
Laura (Holliday Grainger) and Tyler (Alia Shawkat) are two late twenty-somethings partying their way to an early death through drink, drugs and lack of sleep in Dublin. They are co-habiting best friends, with Laura a hugely unsuccessful part-time novelist and Tyler a barista. But these “professions” are just to fill the day and provide cash (SURELY not enought!?) to fuel their nights. They are swimming against the current of convention, but when Laura falls for concert pianist Jim (Fra Fee), and ‘settling down’ starts to look like an option, then this begins to put a terrible strain on their friendship.
A well made film, but I just found all the characters hateful and unrelatable to. Didn't enjoy it.
For the full review, please visit One Mann's Movies on https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2019/07/18/one-manns-movies-film-review-animals-2019/.
A well made film, but I just found all the characters hateful and unrelatable to. Didn't enjoy it.
For the full review, please visit One Mann's Movies on https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2019/07/18/one-manns-movies-film-review-animals-2019/.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019) in Movies
Jan 29, 2020
Misses the mark
The trailer made this film out to be a wonderfully eclectic humorous look at the life of David Copperfield, but I'm afraid to say the trailer was very misleading.
I've never read the book and to be honest, I really hope it's different to this mess. Yes this film is definitely rather eclectic and seems to swing from attempts at humour (that really miss the mark) to rather sombre drama and seriousness, and it also just feels a little jumbled. The script too is not what you'd expect from a film that feels so obviously British and there's nothing particularly clever or witty about it.
The cast are great, there really is a stellar line up of British stars in this and Dev Patel is a wonderfully charismatic choice as Copperfield and he's well supported by Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie. It's just a shame the rest of the cast are let down by the dodgy script and plot.
I really wanted to like this, but sadly it's missing virtually everything you'd expect and want, especially some decent British humour.
I've never read the book and to be honest, I really hope it's different to this mess. Yes this film is definitely rather eclectic and seems to swing from attempts at humour (that really miss the mark) to rather sombre drama and seriousness, and it also just feels a little jumbled. The script too is not what you'd expect from a film that feels so obviously British and there's nothing particularly clever or witty about it.
The cast are great, there really is a stellar line up of British stars in this and Dev Patel is a wonderfully charismatic choice as Copperfield and he's well supported by Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie. It's just a shame the rest of the cast are let down by the dodgy script and plot.
I really wanted to like this, but sadly it's missing virtually everything you'd expect and want, especially some decent British humour.
