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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019 (Updated Jun 21, 2019)
Tina Shepard isn't your normal, everyday girl. When she was younger, she overheard her parents having a heated argument that got really ugly. Tina decided to run out onto a boat in the nearby lake. Her father runs out to try and talk her into coming back to shore and that's when Tina's extraordinary abilities are revealed. Her father winds up dying in an accident caused by Tina's telekinetic powers.
In the present day, Tina and her mother are off to a cabin in the woods with Tina's psychologist, Dr. Crews, in hopes of making progress so Tina won't have to return to an institution. A group of young twenty somethings are gathered next door for a surprise birthday party. Both houses just happen to be in the Camp Crystal Lake area. Tina gets upset at Dr. Crews during one of their sessions and runs out to the lake. Her emotions get the best of her and she winds up resurrecting Jason, who's still chained to the bottom of the lake, with telekinesis. Not too long afterward, Tina starts having premonitions of people being gruesomely murdered by a man in a hockey mask. Is she going crazy or are these terrifying visions a reality?
As it stands, this is my guilty pleasure of the franchise. I love the concept and think it would be a really solid Friday the 13th sequel if it wasn't for the MPAA butchering this film. Most of the gore has been cut and it really hurts the film as a whole. This also begins Kane Hodder's reign as the masked serial killer for the franchise, who seems to be a cult favorite as the best Jason.
Speaking of Jason, he looks the best in this film. It may just be my opinion, but in addition to loving undead Jason, the make-up effects and his costume are just phenomenal in this one. As ugly as he looks when his mask gets ripped off, this is the film that makes him look the most flattering. That's not saying much for a guy who's been chained down at the bottom of a lake for ten years and killed multiple times, but at least he doesn't look like he has down syndrome this time around. If an uncut or director's cut of some kind ever makes the light of day, it'll probably wind up being in my top three F13 films. Easily. Here's an idea of what was cut from the film:
In the present day, Tina and her mother are off to a cabin in the woods with Tina's psychologist, Dr. Crews, in hopes of making progress so Tina won't have to return to an institution. A group of young twenty somethings are gathered next door for a surprise birthday party. Both houses just happen to be in the Camp Crystal Lake area. Tina gets upset at Dr. Crews during one of their sessions and runs out to the lake. Her emotions get the best of her and she winds up resurrecting Jason, who's still chained to the bottom of the lake, with telekinesis. Not too long afterward, Tina starts having premonitions of people being gruesomely murdered by a man in a hockey mask. Is she going crazy or are these terrifying visions a reality?
As it stands, this is my guilty pleasure of the franchise. I love the concept and think it would be a really solid Friday the 13th sequel if it wasn't for the MPAA butchering this film. Most of the gore has been cut and it really hurts the film as a whole. This also begins Kane Hodder's reign as the masked serial killer for the franchise, who seems to be a cult favorite as the best Jason.
Speaking of Jason, he looks the best in this film. It may just be my opinion, but in addition to loving undead Jason, the make-up effects and his costume are just phenomenal in this one. As ugly as he looks when his mask gets ripped off, this is the film that makes him look the most flattering. That's not saying much for a guy who's been chained down at the bottom of a lake for ten years and killed multiple times, but at least he doesn't look like he has down syndrome this time around. If an uncut or director's cut of some kind ever makes the light of day, it'll probably wind up being in my top three F13 films. Easily. Here's an idea of what was cut from the film:
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Thirteen in Books
Sep 24, 2020
More reviews on https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com
The story is told from a dual perspective – Eddie’s and Kane’s. These two characters would be our protagonists. Eddie is a defence attorney, a man with a very messed up personal life, who keeps making very dangerous decisions, and that is what makes him so awesome. Eddie has his faults and is not perfect, but at the same time, he is so intriguing and incredibly smart! Kane is a genius psychopath, (Hannibal Lecter could be his inspiration 😀 ), who can steal any identity he chooses. So, when you have these two amazingly developed personalities, the story can’t be boring. 😀
And of course, it is not! The narrative is very well paced, creating optical illusions and mind games in every chapter. It has plenty of twists, turns and unexpected findings, and the plot absolutely absorbed me. I love when authors include murderers and their thoughts in the thrillers, Kane’s actions and thoughts gave so much depth and intrigue to this book, and it was an absolute joy to read it. I really enjoyed Eddie’s smart moves while solving this case, but he was pretty lucky to get all the information delivered to him, without the help, I don’t think he could’ve succeeded as much. I really liked, that Steve Cavanagh utilized his knowledge of courts and jury in this book, there were plenty of new things I learned, and I am very grateful for that.
I loved the writing style of this book, it is easy and understandable, and this book can easily be read as stand alone. The characters used from the past are well explained and didn’t leave me confused. The chapters are pretty short, and due to constant change between the characters, the pages just fly by. I do have to throw in a disclaimer that there are plenty of blood, graphic murders, and other gross things described in this book, so before reading, make sure you can stomach that. 😀 I really enjoyed the ending and all the surprises it brought, I think it rounded up the story very nicely.
So, to conclude, Steve Cavanagh definitely knows what he is doing when it comes to writing. He is a master of crime novels, and even though this book was my first encounter with this author’s work, it definitely will not be the last. He chose perfect characters for this book, and the plot kept me guessing and always intrigued. I thoroughly enjoyed this court thriller, and it is an absolute must-read. I do hope you will like it as much as I did. Enjoy 🙂
The story is told from a dual perspective – Eddie’s and Kane’s. These two characters would be our protagonists. Eddie is a defence attorney, a man with a very messed up personal life, who keeps making very dangerous decisions, and that is what makes him so awesome. Eddie has his faults and is not perfect, but at the same time, he is so intriguing and incredibly smart! Kane is a genius psychopath, (Hannibal Lecter could be his inspiration 😀 ), who can steal any identity he chooses. So, when you have these two amazingly developed personalities, the story can’t be boring. 😀
And of course, it is not! The narrative is very well paced, creating optical illusions and mind games in every chapter. It has plenty of twists, turns and unexpected findings, and the plot absolutely absorbed me. I love when authors include murderers and their thoughts in the thrillers, Kane’s actions and thoughts gave so much depth and intrigue to this book, and it was an absolute joy to read it. I really enjoyed Eddie’s smart moves while solving this case, but he was pretty lucky to get all the information delivered to him, without the help, I don’t think he could’ve succeeded as much. I really liked, that Steve Cavanagh utilized his knowledge of courts and jury in this book, there were plenty of new things I learned, and I am very grateful for that.
I loved the writing style of this book, it is easy and understandable, and this book can easily be read as stand alone. The characters used from the past are well explained and didn’t leave me confused. The chapters are pretty short, and due to constant change between the characters, the pages just fly by. I do have to throw in a disclaimer that there are plenty of blood, graphic murders, and other gross things described in this book, so before reading, make sure you can stomach that. 😀 I really enjoyed the ending and all the surprises it brought, I think it rounded up the story very nicely.
So, to conclude, Steve Cavanagh definitely knows what he is doing when it comes to writing. He is a master of crime novels, and even though this book was my first encounter with this author’s work, it definitely will not be the last. He chose perfect characters for this book, and the plot kept me guessing and always intrigued. I thoroughly enjoyed this court thriller, and it is an absolute must-read. I do hope you will like it as much as I did. Enjoy 🙂
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Smoulder ( Anita Blake book 29) in Books
Mar 27, 2023
Contains spoilers, click to show
‼️‼️ spoiler in review ‼️‼️
37 of 235
Book
Smoulder ( Anita Blake book 29)
By Laurell K Hamilton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vampire hunter Anita Blake is no stranger to killing monsters. It’s part of her job as a Preternatural U.S. Marshal, after all. But even her experience isn’t enough to stop something that is bent on destroying everything—and everyone—she loves.
Anita Blake is engaged to Jean-Claude, the new vampire king of America. Humans think she’s gone over to the side of the monsters. The vampires fear that their new king has fallen under the spell of the most powerful necromancer in a thousand years.
In the midst of wedding preparations—including getting Edward, aka U.S. Marshal Ted Forrester, fitted as best man—Anita gets a call that the local police need her expertise at a brutal murder scene linked to a nationwide slaughter of vampires and humans, dubbed the Sunshine Murders.
But there is more than just a murderer to catch: an ancient evil has arrived in St. Louis to challenge Jean-Claude for his crown, his life, Anita, and all they hold dear. Even with Jean-Claude’s new powers as king and Anita’s necromancy, it isn’t enough; they must embrace their triumvirate or allow primeval darkness to spread across the country, possessing first the vampires and then the humans. Evil will triumph unless Jean-Claude and Anita can prove that love conquers all.
Omg this book has had me going crazy!!! The first 4 chapters were not good and I was seriously worried for the rest of the book. Then we had a little case and a bit of drama at Guilty Pleasures the Bang! Richard makes his entrance yes I am one of those very few that love him and I think although he was a bit kiss’assy he turned it round for me. I normally hate the relationship bull crap and I don’t like Nathaniel at all but even he impressed me.
So then we get to the new big bad and honestly he sounds bloody awesome I mean what’s not to love a demigod Dragon! I can’t wait to see how and if they take him down!
I do have a few issues one my god Peter is annoying! And two why are Asher and Kane still alive??? I mean the end has pissed me off! Why on earth didn’t they just wipe them both out? Oh and take Rosina with them!!
37 of 235
Book
Smoulder ( Anita Blake book 29)
By Laurell K Hamilton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vampire hunter Anita Blake is no stranger to killing monsters. It’s part of her job as a Preternatural U.S. Marshal, after all. But even her experience isn’t enough to stop something that is bent on destroying everything—and everyone—she loves.
Anita Blake is engaged to Jean-Claude, the new vampire king of America. Humans think she’s gone over to the side of the monsters. The vampires fear that their new king has fallen under the spell of the most powerful necromancer in a thousand years.
In the midst of wedding preparations—including getting Edward, aka U.S. Marshal Ted Forrester, fitted as best man—Anita gets a call that the local police need her expertise at a brutal murder scene linked to a nationwide slaughter of vampires and humans, dubbed the Sunshine Murders.
But there is more than just a murderer to catch: an ancient evil has arrived in St. Louis to challenge Jean-Claude for his crown, his life, Anita, and all they hold dear. Even with Jean-Claude’s new powers as king and Anita’s necromancy, it isn’t enough; they must embrace their triumvirate or allow primeval darkness to spread across the country, possessing first the vampires and then the humans. Evil will triumph unless Jean-Claude and Anita can prove that love conquers all.
Omg this book has had me going crazy!!! The first 4 chapters were not good and I was seriously worried for the rest of the book. Then we had a little case and a bit of drama at Guilty Pleasures the Bang! Richard makes his entrance yes I am one of those very few that love him and I think although he was a bit kiss’assy he turned it round for me. I normally hate the relationship bull crap and I don’t like Nathaniel at all but even he impressed me.
So then we get to the new big bad and honestly he sounds bloody awesome I mean what’s not to love a demigod Dragon! I can’t wait to see how and if they take him down!
I do have a few issues one my god Peter is annoying! And two why are Asher and Kane still alive??? I mean the end has pissed me off! Why on earth didn’t they just wipe them both out? Oh and take Rosina with them!!
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) in Movies
Dec 13, 2019
Sleepaway Hell Camp 1993
Since its Friday the 13th today, im going to review, the one that couldnt have the Friday the 13th title because new line couldnt have the title. The one that teased Freddy vs. Jason at the end of the movie, and then didnt happen for anethor 10 years. The one that was the ninth one. This one continued teenagers being teenagers. The one with Jason being blowed up in the beginning and transfering his soul from people to people, wait what??? Why???
The Plot: After being blown away by a team of FBI agents, Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder) needs to find a way to overcome certain death. When his bloodied remains are sent to the morgue, his heart, still intact, is able to hypnotize a coroner and take over his body. After brutally dispatching a couple of FBI agents, he heads back to his favorite stomping grounds: Crystal Lake. Jason commences another teen massacre while a bounty hunter (Steven Williams) discovers the only way to kill him.
Tony Todd auditioned for the role of Creighton Duke, which went to Steven Williams. He should of been in it.
In November 2017, Adam Marcus revealed that an overlooked plot-point of the movie is that Jason Voorhees is actually connected to the Evil Dead franchise. The filmmaker stated, “Pamela Voorhees makes a deal with the devil by reading from the Necronomicon to bring back her son. It’s not like I could tell New Line my plan to include The Evil Dead, because they don’t own The Evil Dead. So it had to be an Easter egg, and I did focus on it…there’s a whole scene that includes the book, and I hoped people would get it and could figure out that’s what I’m up to. So yes, in my opinion, Jason Voorhees is a Deadite. He’s one of The Evil Dead.”
Marcus revealed Creighton Duke's intended backstory, "A teenage Creighton was out on Crystal Lake with his girlfriend. Jason capsized their small boat and pulled the girl down into the lake. Creighton tried to save her but could not. She was never seen again. Creighton vowed revenge and from that moment on he spent his life in the study and pursuit of Jason. He became a bounty hunter just to fund his work in taking down his nemesis.
Im not sure why this movie excist, but it does. A question is unanswered is how did Jason go from a kid at the end of part 8 to a full adlut in this one. Also how did Jason get back to Crystal Lake from Manhattan? Question that will not have a answer too.
Its still entertaining kind-of, its still a popcorn horror film kind-of. Its Jason Goes to Hell.
The Plot: After being blown away by a team of FBI agents, Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder) needs to find a way to overcome certain death. When his bloodied remains are sent to the morgue, his heart, still intact, is able to hypnotize a coroner and take over his body. After brutally dispatching a couple of FBI agents, he heads back to his favorite stomping grounds: Crystal Lake. Jason commences another teen massacre while a bounty hunter (Steven Williams) discovers the only way to kill him.
Tony Todd auditioned for the role of Creighton Duke, which went to Steven Williams. He should of been in it.
In November 2017, Adam Marcus revealed that an overlooked plot-point of the movie is that Jason Voorhees is actually connected to the Evil Dead franchise. The filmmaker stated, “Pamela Voorhees makes a deal with the devil by reading from the Necronomicon to bring back her son. It’s not like I could tell New Line my plan to include The Evil Dead, because they don’t own The Evil Dead. So it had to be an Easter egg, and I did focus on it…there’s a whole scene that includes the book, and I hoped people would get it and could figure out that’s what I’m up to. So yes, in my opinion, Jason Voorhees is a Deadite. He’s one of The Evil Dead.”
Marcus revealed Creighton Duke's intended backstory, "A teenage Creighton was out on Crystal Lake with his girlfriend. Jason capsized their small boat and pulled the girl down into the lake. Creighton tried to save her but could not. She was never seen again. Creighton vowed revenge and from that moment on he spent his life in the study and pursuit of Jason. He became a bounty hunter just to fund his work in taking down his nemesis.
Im not sure why this movie excist, but it does. A question is unanswered is how did Jason go from a kid at the end of part 8 to a full adlut in this one. Also how did Jason get back to Crystal Lake from Manhattan? Question that will not have a answer too.
Its still entertaining kind-of, its still a popcorn horror film kind-of. Its Jason Goes to Hell.
Adam Ant recommended New York Dolls by New York Dolls in Music (curated)
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Vertigo (1958) in Movies
Oct 20, 2019
An ex cop is asked to surveil the wife of a friend who seems to be exhibiting erratic behavior. Unfortunately, Scottie had to retire from active duty after an incident of vertigo caused the death of another officer. He takes the job and wanders with the woman as she visits an art gallery and cemetery among others. She inexplicably one day decides to hurl her body into San Francisco Bay and luckily he is there to retrieve her.
Once revived, Madeleine is no worse for wear, but does not remember the incident or the circumstances of her rescue at the hands of Scottie. They form a quick friendship that turns quickly into lust and a deepening feeling of obsession for Scottie. One day, they take a trip to Mission San Juan Bautista based on a nightmare vision described by Madeleine. She climbs the bell tower, but Scottie is unable to follow restrained by his vertigo and, unfortunately, has to just watch as she plunges to her death.
Afterwards, an investigation reveals Madeleine had been exhibiting irrational behavior which was the cause of her husband's concern in hiring Scottie, so her death is ruled a suicide. Scottie is distraught over the loss and takes consolation in his friend, Midge. On the mend, Scottie frequents locations Madeleine had visited previously hoping this would offer consolation to his grief. He meets a familiar, yet strange woman there.
Vertigo is usually not only considered Hitchcock's best film, but also on many critic lists as the greatest film of all time alongside Citizen Kane and Casablanca.
The movie does have a lot to admire including its complicated, intriguing screenplay which had smart discussions with its characters with lots of exposition given at various points challenging the audience to keep up. The film's situations are interesting and the plot keeps going at a vicious pace through the twists to the end.
I learned recently Hitchcock diva Vera Miles was initially cast for the role of Madeleine, but had to withdraw as she became pregnant before filming so Kim Novak replaced her. Due to several unforeseen delays, Miles had given birth and could've been available; however Hitchcock forged ahead with Novak anyways.
The harrowing initial scene where Scottie chases a random perpetrator across blackened rooftops only to stumble and discover his title affliction really sets the tone for the film both with the cinematography which is stunning and the blistering score at full pace.
Picking an absolute favorite Hitchcock movie has always been difficult for me. Vertigo would probably rank 3rd behind Psycho and The Birds, but still all masterpieces. I love the fact as in other Hitchcock classics, you think you know where the story is going, but he always keeps you guessing.
A magnificent performance by Jimmy Stewart as well. Well deserved of the praise he has gotten over the years for it. He is intense, charming and morose throughout the film which makes him electrifying to watch. His work with Hitchcock including Rope and Rear Window is among his best work.
A masterpiece.
Once revived, Madeleine is no worse for wear, but does not remember the incident or the circumstances of her rescue at the hands of Scottie. They form a quick friendship that turns quickly into lust and a deepening feeling of obsession for Scottie. One day, they take a trip to Mission San Juan Bautista based on a nightmare vision described by Madeleine. She climbs the bell tower, but Scottie is unable to follow restrained by his vertigo and, unfortunately, has to just watch as she plunges to her death.
Afterwards, an investigation reveals Madeleine had been exhibiting irrational behavior which was the cause of her husband's concern in hiring Scottie, so her death is ruled a suicide. Scottie is distraught over the loss and takes consolation in his friend, Midge. On the mend, Scottie frequents locations Madeleine had visited previously hoping this would offer consolation to his grief. He meets a familiar, yet strange woman there.
Vertigo is usually not only considered Hitchcock's best film, but also on many critic lists as the greatest film of all time alongside Citizen Kane and Casablanca.
The movie does have a lot to admire including its complicated, intriguing screenplay which had smart discussions with its characters with lots of exposition given at various points challenging the audience to keep up. The film's situations are interesting and the plot keeps going at a vicious pace through the twists to the end.
I learned recently Hitchcock diva Vera Miles was initially cast for the role of Madeleine, but had to withdraw as she became pregnant before filming so Kim Novak replaced her. Due to several unforeseen delays, Miles had given birth and could've been available; however Hitchcock forged ahead with Novak anyways.
The harrowing initial scene where Scottie chases a random perpetrator across blackened rooftops only to stumble and discover his title affliction really sets the tone for the film both with the cinematography which is stunning and the blistering score at full pace.
Picking an absolute favorite Hitchcock movie has always been difficult for me. Vertigo would probably rank 3rd behind Psycho and The Birds, but still all masterpieces. I love the fact as in other Hitchcock classics, you think you know where the story is going, but he always keeps you guessing.
A magnificent performance by Jimmy Stewart as well. Well deserved of the praise he has gotten over the years for it. He is intense, charming and morose throughout the film which makes him electrifying to watch. His work with Hitchcock including Rope and Rear Window is among his best work.
A masterpiece.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Moulin Rouge! (2001) in Movies
Apr 15, 2020
In My "ALL TIME TOP 10"
If one would look at the BankofMarquis "All Time Top 10" film list, you will see such stalwarts as THE GODFATHER, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and CITIZEN KANE. It also would contain a "more modern" film that doesn't, necessarily, find itself on these types of lists - Baz Luhrman's MOULIN ROUGE from 2001.
Yes...it's that good.
Set at the turn of the century (the 19th to the 20th century) during the Bohemian Revolution in Paris, MOULIN ROUGE tells the tale of the...you guessed it...the Moulin Rouge theater/club where a young writer (Ewan McGregor) gets pulled into the lives of the artists and others trying to make a living, falling in love with a young courtesan, Satine (Nicole Kidman) all under the watchful eye of Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent).
But it is not the story, but the telling of the story that sets this film apart. It is chaotic, wild, colorful, sexy, grimy, loving, alcoholic and spectacular - all things that not only describe this film, but the Moulin Rouge itself. Directer Baz Luhrman really shines in his vision of this picture that juxtaposes colorful sets and costumes, unique characters and songs and dance and music that tells the tale in a a unique way.
Oh...did I mention that most of this music is MODERN music? From Elton John's YOUR SONG to Roger's and Hammerstein's THE SOUND OF MUSIC to LADY MARMALADE to the ingenious use of Sting's ROXANNE (in a tango scene no less), this film is an amalgam of song that fits each scene perfectly. At what first seems incongruous, upon further viewings, the songs are slyly picked to accent the emotions and dramatic purpose of each scene.
As for the acting, McGregor and Kidman are beautifully cast (pun intended) as the young lovers. Their good looks radiate across the screen and I thought they had great chemistry. John Leguzamo and the other "Bohemians" pop in and out and are uniquely outrageous without being annoying. Richard Roxburgh's antagonist, "the Duke", came across in this viewing as not nearly as annoying as I have found him to be previously. Maybe there is more to this character/performance than meets the eye.
But it is Jim Broadbent's portrayal of the Master Shoman, Harold Zidler, that steals this film for me. He is a cunning and ingenious showman who (more than once) proves that he will stop at nothing for the "show to go on", but there are many notes to Zidler, at once in control and at the same time trying to KEEP control of events spiraling out of his control that actually shows a desperate man doing whatever he can to survive.
Add all these ingredients up and you have a film that gets deeper and richer with each subsequent viewing. I have yet to get tired of this film - and I am looking forward to the next time I immerse myself into this world.
Letter Grade: A +
10 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Yes...it's that good.
Set at the turn of the century (the 19th to the 20th century) during the Bohemian Revolution in Paris, MOULIN ROUGE tells the tale of the...you guessed it...the Moulin Rouge theater/club where a young writer (Ewan McGregor) gets pulled into the lives of the artists and others trying to make a living, falling in love with a young courtesan, Satine (Nicole Kidman) all under the watchful eye of Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent).
But it is not the story, but the telling of the story that sets this film apart. It is chaotic, wild, colorful, sexy, grimy, loving, alcoholic and spectacular - all things that not only describe this film, but the Moulin Rouge itself. Directer Baz Luhrman really shines in his vision of this picture that juxtaposes colorful sets and costumes, unique characters and songs and dance and music that tells the tale in a a unique way.
Oh...did I mention that most of this music is MODERN music? From Elton John's YOUR SONG to Roger's and Hammerstein's THE SOUND OF MUSIC to LADY MARMALADE to the ingenious use of Sting's ROXANNE (in a tango scene no less), this film is an amalgam of song that fits each scene perfectly. At what first seems incongruous, upon further viewings, the songs are slyly picked to accent the emotions and dramatic purpose of each scene.
As for the acting, McGregor and Kidman are beautifully cast (pun intended) as the young lovers. Their good looks radiate across the screen and I thought they had great chemistry. John Leguzamo and the other "Bohemians" pop in and out and are uniquely outrageous without being annoying. Richard Roxburgh's antagonist, "the Duke", came across in this viewing as not nearly as annoying as I have found him to be previously. Maybe there is more to this character/performance than meets the eye.
But it is Jim Broadbent's portrayal of the Master Shoman, Harold Zidler, that steals this film for me. He is a cunning and ingenious showman who (more than once) proves that he will stop at nothing for the "show to go on", but there are many notes to Zidler, at once in control and at the same time trying to KEEP control of events spiraling out of his control that actually shows a desperate man doing whatever he can to survive.
Add all these ingredients up and you have a film that gets deeper and richer with each subsequent viewing. I have yet to get tired of this film - and I am looking forward to the next time I immerse myself into this world.
Letter Grade: A +
10 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Proving Grounds in Tabletop Games
Aug 23, 2021
Maia Strongheart sees the eight opponents surrounding her and knows exactly how to handle each one. She makes a dash for #4, a simpleton Warrior in Training, and whoosh – misses. “Huh, that’s never happened to me before,” she thinks. Performing a daring backflip whilst targeting the Clan Elder in the #6 position with a well-placed finishing blow and whoosh – her armor seems to part like the Red Sea as the Clan Elder finds its weakness and delivers a wound to our heroine. “WHO IS PLAYING ME?” Maia wonders. It’s me. Travis. The worst player of Proving Grounds. Poor Maia.
Proving Grounds is a solo fighting dice game with real-time phases. Players will win by defeating eight opponents in battle and will lose (often, in my case) if the heroine suffers too many wounds. The game is played over several rounds, and Renegade has provided an app to act as a timer during the rolling dice phase. Obviously I am terrible at the game, but how does it play and do I feel like continuing to suffer subsequent losses?
To setup a basic game, place the Encounter Board in the middle of the table. Shuffle the enemy cards (with swords & board backs) and deal one per slot around the Encounter Board. These are the first set of enemies Maia will be fighting. Place Battle Markers (silver ninja stars that track wounds inflicted to enemies) in the outlined spaces of the enemy cards. Place Maia’s health token (a heart) on the tracker and one each of the green, yellow, and blue dice on the health area in the space with a rainbow surround. Fill the exhaustion track with one white die per space (on the right side of the Encounter Board), and take the rest of the dice into hand to use as the dice pool. For this review I also used the Dragonling Die module.
As mentioned, Proving Grounds is played solo over a series of rounds. Each round consists of three phases: Roll Dice, Resolve Attacks, and Recover. The first phase of the game, Roll Dice, is also the most chaotic. During this phase the app timer (or your phone or sand timer or sun dial) will allow 60 seconds to roll the dice and arrive at a final result. The interesting aspect of this mechanic at play here is that only sets of dice may be rerolled, not singles. So players may only roll that set of four 3s and not the solitary 1 sitting there all alone. This causes some brain freeze because many games utilize this in reverse, where only singles may be rerolled. Factor that into a 60 second frenzy to get the greatest results and brains will smoke.
Once the timer is up or players are satisfied with the rolled results, they move to the next phase: Resolve Attacks. Each number rolled on the dice correspond to the enemy’s position around the Encounter Board. So that solitary 1 that was rolled earlier is assigned to the enemy in position #1. Here’s the kick in the rear though: any single dice assigned to an enemy will result in a wound dealt to Maia, and would require the player to sacrifice one of the dice to the exhaustion track! Should an enemy require three or more dice but only two are assigned, or if zero dice are assigned, nothing happens to Maia nor the enemy. But those dang single dice will come back to haunt the player. A lot, if they play like I do. Some enemies will require at least one of the dice to be the blue/green/yellow die in order to be successful while others are just straight number of dice. Calculating everything that is needed during the Roll Dice phase is something that I have yet to master.
After attacks are resolved, players enter the Recover phase. During this phase players will gather all assigned dice from the round as well as any dice on the lowest spot of the exhaustion track to be used for the next round. Any enemies that were defeated have left an empty slot on the Encounter Board, so a new enemy will now fill that void. Play continues in this fashion of three phases per round until either eight enemies have been defeated or Maia suffers too many wounds to continue.
Components. I am fascinated by how few components are needed to put a game like this together. Yes, the Encounter Board is mostly unnecessary, but a great way to organize the game and keep everything spacially relevant for those of us that need that. The cards are fine quality and the game has great art. The dice are very cool, but I am unsure how the colors pop for our colorblind gamer friends. While the game doesn’t necessarily refer to the damage markers as “ninja stars” I cannot get over the fact that they are ninja stars. They are certainly out of place in a game like this where I encountered zero ninjas in my plays. Everything else, though, is great and it comes in a nice-sized box: a little smaller than my Century: Golem Edition box.
It was Kane Klenko’s birthday recently, so I wished him a happy birthday on social media and informed him that I was celebrating by playing Proving Grounds. His response was absolutely perfect: “Good luck!” Well, Kane, I never have good luck with this one! It is certainly a combination of poor dice rolling, poor decision making whilst rolling dice, and just dumb luck (emphasis on dumb). I love playing this game but it is infuriating that I have yet to beat it! Even with just the first Dragonling Die module! Gahhhhhh!!!
However, Proving Grounds is an excellent dice game that breaks out of the Yahtzee clone mold and into something fresh and exciting. The twist of only being able to reroll sets instead of singles makes for interesting decisions when you really need to defeat enemy #5 but just cannot roll ANY 5s to save your life (in the game). I just want to beat it once with the Dragonling Die so I can start adding in other modules (oh yes, there are several other modules to add). When games force me to WANT to play them more and more, even for the sheer hope of victory, I consider that a mark of distinction and a sign of a great game.
So if you are like me and enjoy the pain of defeat over and over again then I invite you to try Proving Grounds. It will not be easy. But if you happen to beat it, especially on your first try, please let me know. I need all the cheat codes I can get here. It will stay in my collection probably forever because I just need to overcome it, and then once I figure it out completely, I will just need to wallop it over and over to teach it a lesson. Enjoy Proving Grounds everyone!
Proving Grounds is a solo fighting dice game with real-time phases. Players will win by defeating eight opponents in battle and will lose (often, in my case) if the heroine suffers too many wounds. The game is played over several rounds, and Renegade has provided an app to act as a timer during the rolling dice phase. Obviously I am terrible at the game, but how does it play and do I feel like continuing to suffer subsequent losses?
To setup a basic game, place the Encounter Board in the middle of the table. Shuffle the enemy cards (with swords & board backs) and deal one per slot around the Encounter Board. These are the first set of enemies Maia will be fighting. Place Battle Markers (silver ninja stars that track wounds inflicted to enemies) in the outlined spaces of the enemy cards. Place Maia’s health token (a heart) on the tracker and one each of the green, yellow, and blue dice on the health area in the space with a rainbow surround. Fill the exhaustion track with one white die per space (on the right side of the Encounter Board), and take the rest of the dice into hand to use as the dice pool. For this review I also used the Dragonling Die module.
As mentioned, Proving Grounds is played solo over a series of rounds. Each round consists of three phases: Roll Dice, Resolve Attacks, and Recover. The first phase of the game, Roll Dice, is also the most chaotic. During this phase the app timer (or your phone or sand timer or sun dial) will allow 60 seconds to roll the dice and arrive at a final result. The interesting aspect of this mechanic at play here is that only sets of dice may be rerolled, not singles. So players may only roll that set of four 3s and not the solitary 1 sitting there all alone. This causes some brain freeze because many games utilize this in reverse, where only singles may be rerolled. Factor that into a 60 second frenzy to get the greatest results and brains will smoke.
Once the timer is up or players are satisfied with the rolled results, they move to the next phase: Resolve Attacks. Each number rolled on the dice correspond to the enemy’s position around the Encounter Board. So that solitary 1 that was rolled earlier is assigned to the enemy in position #1. Here’s the kick in the rear though: any single dice assigned to an enemy will result in a wound dealt to Maia, and would require the player to sacrifice one of the dice to the exhaustion track! Should an enemy require three or more dice but only two are assigned, or if zero dice are assigned, nothing happens to Maia nor the enemy. But those dang single dice will come back to haunt the player. A lot, if they play like I do. Some enemies will require at least one of the dice to be the blue/green/yellow die in order to be successful while others are just straight number of dice. Calculating everything that is needed during the Roll Dice phase is something that I have yet to master.
After attacks are resolved, players enter the Recover phase. During this phase players will gather all assigned dice from the round as well as any dice on the lowest spot of the exhaustion track to be used for the next round. Any enemies that were defeated have left an empty slot on the Encounter Board, so a new enemy will now fill that void. Play continues in this fashion of three phases per round until either eight enemies have been defeated or Maia suffers too many wounds to continue.
Components. I am fascinated by how few components are needed to put a game like this together. Yes, the Encounter Board is mostly unnecessary, but a great way to organize the game and keep everything spacially relevant for those of us that need that. The cards are fine quality and the game has great art. The dice are very cool, but I am unsure how the colors pop for our colorblind gamer friends. While the game doesn’t necessarily refer to the damage markers as “ninja stars” I cannot get over the fact that they are ninja stars. They are certainly out of place in a game like this where I encountered zero ninjas in my plays. Everything else, though, is great and it comes in a nice-sized box: a little smaller than my Century: Golem Edition box.
It was Kane Klenko’s birthday recently, so I wished him a happy birthday on social media and informed him that I was celebrating by playing Proving Grounds. His response was absolutely perfect: “Good luck!” Well, Kane, I never have good luck with this one! It is certainly a combination of poor dice rolling, poor decision making whilst rolling dice, and just dumb luck (emphasis on dumb). I love playing this game but it is infuriating that I have yet to beat it! Even with just the first Dragonling Die module! Gahhhhhh!!!
However, Proving Grounds is an excellent dice game that breaks out of the Yahtzee clone mold and into something fresh and exciting. The twist of only being able to reroll sets instead of singles makes for interesting decisions when you really need to defeat enemy #5 but just cannot roll ANY 5s to save your life (in the game). I just want to beat it once with the Dragonling Die so I can start adding in other modules (oh yes, there are several other modules to add). When games force me to WANT to play them more and more, even for the sheer hope of victory, I consider that a mark of distinction and a sign of a great game.
So if you are like me and enjoy the pain of defeat over and over again then I invite you to try Proving Grounds. It will not be easy. But if you happen to beat it, especially on your first try, please let me know. I need all the cheat codes I can get here. It will stay in my collection probably forever because I just need to overcome it, and then once I figure it out completely, I will just need to wallop it over and over to teach it a lesson. Enjoy Proving Grounds everyone!
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Purge (2013) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Ethan Hawke is no stranger to the horror genre, in 2009 he starred in the Australian vampire flick Daybreakers, a film which promised so much, and delivered relatively little. Now he teams up with director James DeMonaco in a horror film that promises to be anything but ordinary; The Purge, but can it live up to its exciting trailer?
The Purge plays out like a poor-man’s Hunger Games. In the year 2020, America is prospering, crime is at an all-time low and unemployment is at 1%. The reason? Once a year, for twelve hours, all crime is legal and people across US can commit any atrocities they wish.
Ethan Hawke plays James Sandin, a security salesman who has capitalised on the public’s fear of being ‘purged’ by selling hi-tech safety equipment to the rich to ensure they stay safe. Lena Headey plays his wife Mary and his two children, Charlie and Zoe are played by Max Burkholder and Adelaide Kane respectively. In a moment of madness after the commencement of the annual purge, a ‘target’ (Edwin Hodge) is let into their home causing all hell to break loose.
Borrowing heavily from other ‘home invasion’ horror films such as When a Stranger Calls and The Strangers, The Purge really ‘gets going’ about two-thirds in when an army of killers swoop on Ethan Hawke’s impressive property looking for their ‘target.’ The family have one hour to reply before they all become ‘targets.’
Unfortunately, an exciting and unique premise is completely lost in a film that is riddled with many horror clichés, some of them blatantly obvious, (woman opening fridge door, door closes and harmless child shocks woman), some not so obvious. This is a terrible shame as the idea of all crime being legal is ridiculously exciting, but after about 40 minutes, we are locked in the Sandin’s home as they play cat and mouse with an array of forgettable serial killers and the original story is lost.
Another problem is the acting. Competent is the only word to describe it; Ethan Hawke is good in his role and his stern demeanour which has earned him so many acting jobs in the past is in full force here, but you can’t help feeling he was a budgetary decision rather than being who the producers actually wanted. Lena Headey seems to phone in a rather wooden performance, whilst the two kids do marginally better. By far the stand-out here is Rhys Wakefield, credited only as ‘Polite Stranger’ who is excellent and terrifying as equal measure; his facial expressions are enough to make you wince.
Overall, The Purge is an exciting film that delivers some unique thrills and spills mixed in with the usual horror clichés. Unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver on its unique and exciting starting point and delves into a generic slasher film around 45 minutes in. A stand-out performance from one of the cast isn’t enough to lift the acting above mediocre and the Sandin family are as characters, frightfully dull. It’s definitely worth a watch, but don’t let the trailer fool you; it’s not as unique as you might expect.
The new review system breaks down the film into categories allowing you, as the readers to see just where I have awarded points to the film. It is still in a testing stage, so if there are any categories you think could improve it, please let me know.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2013/05/31/the-purge-review-2013/
The Purge plays out like a poor-man’s Hunger Games. In the year 2020, America is prospering, crime is at an all-time low and unemployment is at 1%. The reason? Once a year, for twelve hours, all crime is legal and people across US can commit any atrocities they wish.
Ethan Hawke plays James Sandin, a security salesman who has capitalised on the public’s fear of being ‘purged’ by selling hi-tech safety equipment to the rich to ensure they stay safe. Lena Headey plays his wife Mary and his two children, Charlie and Zoe are played by Max Burkholder and Adelaide Kane respectively. In a moment of madness after the commencement of the annual purge, a ‘target’ (Edwin Hodge) is let into their home causing all hell to break loose.
Borrowing heavily from other ‘home invasion’ horror films such as When a Stranger Calls and The Strangers, The Purge really ‘gets going’ about two-thirds in when an army of killers swoop on Ethan Hawke’s impressive property looking for their ‘target.’ The family have one hour to reply before they all become ‘targets.’
Unfortunately, an exciting and unique premise is completely lost in a film that is riddled with many horror clichés, some of them blatantly obvious, (woman opening fridge door, door closes and harmless child shocks woman), some not so obvious. This is a terrible shame as the idea of all crime being legal is ridiculously exciting, but after about 40 minutes, we are locked in the Sandin’s home as they play cat and mouse with an array of forgettable serial killers and the original story is lost.
Another problem is the acting. Competent is the only word to describe it; Ethan Hawke is good in his role and his stern demeanour which has earned him so many acting jobs in the past is in full force here, but you can’t help feeling he was a budgetary decision rather than being who the producers actually wanted. Lena Headey seems to phone in a rather wooden performance, whilst the two kids do marginally better. By far the stand-out here is Rhys Wakefield, credited only as ‘Polite Stranger’ who is excellent and terrifying as equal measure; his facial expressions are enough to make you wince.
Overall, The Purge is an exciting film that delivers some unique thrills and spills mixed in with the usual horror clichés. Unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver on its unique and exciting starting point and delves into a generic slasher film around 45 minutes in. A stand-out performance from one of the cast isn’t enough to lift the acting above mediocre and the Sandin family are as characters, frightfully dull. It’s definitely worth a watch, but don’t let the trailer fool you; it’s not as unique as you might expect.
The new review system breaks down the film into categories allowing you, as the readers to see just where I have awarded points to the film. It is still in a testing stage, so if there are any categories you think could improve it, please let me know.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2013/05/31/the-purge-review-2013/
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Brazen (Gilded, #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
I love <i><a title="Gilded review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-gilded-by-christina-farley"; target="_blank" rel="noopener tag">Gilded</a></i> and all (<i>Silvern</i> is my least favorite), but <i>Brazen</i> is either a tie or my favorite of the entire series.
The third and final book in the <i>Gilded</i> series takes off shortly after <i>Silvern</i> when Jae Hwa signs a contract with Kud, Lord of Darkness and Chaos, to leave behind her family and past life in exchange to save Marc's life. Under Kud's control, Jae Hwa finds ways to save Korea and possibly the world from Kud's potential rule.
There is never a dull moment in <i>Brazen</i> the book is more action-packed and exciting than the first two books combined (those were exciting in and of themselves, but <i>Brazen</i> is so much more). Jae Hwa's seriously kick butt side also appears as Jae Hwa runs against time to find the Black Turtle orb and returning it to the Heavenly Chest before she loses her humanity or Kud finds the orb for himself. With the contract between Kud branded on her arm, Jae Hwa basically has no one on her side the Guardians want her head on a platter, Marc is cold and indifferent towards her as expected from the Guardians, and Kud holds the constant threat of harming her loved ones on her head.
But even though almost everyone is against her, Jae Hwa is slowly losing her humanity, and Kud seems to be onto her act sometimes, Jae Hwa still manages to evade revealing her true intentions to the lord of Darkness.
Farley also introduces readers to a little bit of Chinese mythology and history on Jae Hwa's search for the final orb, with plenty of life-threatening trials and obstacles that consist of mercury, tombs, and skeletons (plus, drowning). It also promptly demanded me to suggest that Christina pull a Rick Riordan and collide Chinese and Korean mythology together in a spin-off series (I just read the Percy Jackson/Kane Chronicles crossover at the time...). Fangirl me squealed when Christina said she loved the idea. (Now I'm really going to start counting my lucky book stars for that to happen.)
In reality, the idea is partially for a selfish reason and I honestly don't want to be done with the entire series. Even though I had a few bumpy occurrences with the characters a few times in Gilded and <i><a title="Silvern review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-silvern-by-christina-farley"; target="_blank" rel="noopener tag">Silvern</a></i>, I've actually grown to like Jae Hwa and company. All of them have grown so much in the three books that it's really hard to let them all go and carry on with their happily fictional lives.
I also envy anyone who hasn't reached the final book yet. >_< (But I wouldn't have been able to "shove" the book in a friend's face if I didn't get introduced to the series.)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-brazen-by-christina-farley/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I love <i><a title="Gilded review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-gilded-by-christina-farley"; target="_blank" rel="noopener tag">Gilded</a></i> and all (<i>Silvern</i> is my least favorite), but <i>Brazen</i> is either a tie or my favorite of the entire series.
The third and final book in the <i>Gilded</i> series takes off shortly after <i>Silvern</i> when Jae Hwa signs a contract with Kud, Lord of Darkness and Chaos, to leave behind her family and past life in exchange to save Marc's life. Under Kud's control, Jae Hwa finds ways to save Korea and possibly the world from Kud's potential rule.
There is never a dull moment in <i>Brazen</i> the book is more action-packed and exciting than the first two books combined (those were exciting in and of themselves, but <i>Brazen</i> is so much more). Jae Hwa's seriously kick butt side also appears as Jae Hwa runs against time to find the Black Turtle orb and returning it to the Heavenly Chest before she loses her humanity or Kud finds the orb for himself. With the contract between Kud branded on her arm, Jae Hwa basically has no one on her side the Guardians want her head on a platter, Marc is cold and indifferent towards her as expected from the Guardians, and Kud holds the constant threat of harming her loved ones on her head.
But even though almost everyone is against her, Jae Hwa is slowly losing her humanity, and Kud seems to be onto her act sometimes, Jae Hwa still manages to evade revealing her true intentions to the lord of Darkness.
Farley also introduces readers to a little bit of Chinese mythology and history on Jae Hwa's search for the final orb, with plenty of life-threatening trials and obstacles that consist of mercury, tombs, and skeletons (plus, drowning). It also promptly demanded me to suggest that Christina pull a Rick Riordan and collide Chinese and Korean mythology together in a spin-off series (I just read the Percy Jackson/Kane Chronicles crossover at the time...). Fangirl me squealed when Christina said she loved the idea. (Now I'm really going to start counting my lucky book stars for that to happen.)
In reality, the idea is partially for a selfish reason and I honestly don't want to be done with the entire series. Even though I had a few bumpy occurrences with the characters a few times in Gilded and <i><a title="Silvern review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-silvern-by-christina-farley"; target="_blank" rel="noopener tag">Silvern</a></i>, I've actually grown to like Jae Hwa and company. All of them have grown so much in the three books that it's really hard to let them all go and carry on with their happily fictional lives.
I also envy anyone who hasn't reached the final book yet. >_< (But I wouldn't have been able to "shove" the book in a friend's face if I didn't get introduced to the series.)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-brazen-by-christina-farley/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>