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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Inherit the Bones (Detective Gemma Monroe, #1) in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Gemma Monroe is a police detective in a small town nestled in the mountains of Colorado. Early in her career, while skiing, Gemma found the long-buried bodies of two young boys who disappeared in the mid-1980s. The boys were murdered; their killer never found; and their disappearance and the subsequent crime has haunted the town. Now, in the present day, Gemma is called upon to investigate the gruesome murder of a teenage circus worker who was part of a circus traveling through town. Soon though, Gemma will come to realize that this murder is connected to the disappearance of the boys. She'll uncover a dark past that haunts her town--and discover that someone desperately wants her to leave the past alone.
This was an excellent and well-plotted mystery novel. The story reels you in immediately and never lets you go with its strong, complex narrative. Gemma is a likeable, fairly deep, and interesting lead character. I took to her quickly and found myself wrapped up in her life. Gemma is six months pregnant - something you don't always find in detective novels, and you see her grappling with not only the case, but her personal life. Working in a small town, she finds quickly that she can't really trust anyone, and Littlejohn gives us good insight into her squad dynamics. She also captures small town living fairly well. This is a town wrapped up in its past, unable to move on from a web of secrets and lies that have tormented it for years.
Indeed, the secrets continue to unfold, but in a completely believable manner, which I really appreciated. I guessed a part of the plot early on, but there were still so many pieces to the story that I was very much riveted until the very end. There's a strong supporting cast here as well, without the usual simple stock characters who sometimes support a rural detective. Goodreads is telling me that this is the first in a Gemma Monroe series, which I hope is true. While I think the series could hit a wall--as many others do--with the small town aspect (only so much murder and mayhem can happen in a small town: see Linda Castillo's excellent Kate Burkholder series, where you eventually start to fear for the poor townspeople of Painter's Mill), but I would certainly love to see more of Gemma.
Overall, a well-done mystery. Originally rated at 3.5 stars, but pushing up to 4 as I write this review and realize how much I enjoyed it. Always nice to have a new face in the mystery world.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 11/01/2016.
This was an excellent and well-plotted mystery novel. The story reels you in immediately and never lets you go with its strong, complex narrative. Gemma is a likeable, fairly deep, and interesting lead character. I took to her quickly and found myself wrapped up in her life. Gemma is six months pregnant - something you don't always find in detective novels, and you see her grappling with not only the case, but her personal life. Working in a small town, she finds quickly that she can't really trust anyone, and Littlejohn gives us good insight into her squad dynamics. She also captures small town living fairly well. This is a town wrapped up in its past, unable to move on from a web of secrets and lies that have tormented it for years.
Indeed, the secrets continue to unfold, but in a completely believable manner, which I really appreciated. I guessed a part of the plot early on, but there were still so many pieces to the story that I was very much riveted until the very end. There's a strong supporting cast here as well, without the usual simple stock characters who sometimes support a rural detective. Goodreads is telling me that this is the first in a Gemma Monroe series, which I hope is true. While I think the series could hit a wall--as many others do--with the small town aspect (only so much murder and mayhem can happen in a small town: see Linda Castillo's excellent Kate Burkholder series, where you eventually start to fear for the poor townspeople of Painter's Mill), but I would certainly love to see more of Gemma.
Overall, a well-done mystery. Originally rated at 3.5 stars, but pushing up to 4 as I write this review and realize how much I enjoyed it. Always nice to have a new face in the mystery world.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 11/01/2016.
Let me start off by saying that I love Marissa Meyer's writing so much, but this book wasn't as good for me as The Lunar Chronicles.
This was a really cute and quirky book with so many puns! I loved all of the puns about baking, they gave me life. Especially since I love puns and I love baking, so putting those two things together made me so happy!
This had a very interesting story, one we all know the end of, just not how the story will get to that point. If you have read or even know of Alice in Wonderland, you know that the Queen of Hearts is a villain, so it was interesting to see how she got to be that way. I am always a little hesitant to read the villain backstories because a lot of times, authors will make them out to be the heroes and completely go against what the audiences know about these beloved villains. While Meyer does have some instances of this, she also is able to build up the story enough to the point where it may be believable.
So there are going to be some plot spoilers in this paragraph, so if you do not want to read them, skip to the next paragraph! Okay, so the plot goes like this: Catherine doesn't want to be queen, she wants to bake, but the King of Hearts, as well as her parents, want her to be the queen. Cue the Joker, Jest, who is the wrong guy to fall for, but she does it anyway which eventually gets him killed and will make Cath want revenge and become the killer we know her as. There were a lot of moments throughout the plot that I was not as engaged with because they felt like they had been too much. Of course Cath would fall for Jest and of course a man would be her turning point. I was not the biggest fan of those aspects of the story. I wanted her to have more agency in why she becomes the Queen of Hearts, not just that she wants to use her power to avenge her lost love.
There was a prophecy in this book, I won't say what it was, but I will say that it wasn't my favorite because it takes any and all tension out of the story.
I loved the play on names from Meyer. Hatta being the Mad Hatter and Haigher being the March Hair, loved it!
The characters were pretty interesting, but they weren't as gripping or memorable as I would have like them to be.
I usually adore Marissa Meyer's books, but this one fell a little flat for me. Overall, it was enjoyable, but I am not sure if I would read it again.
This was a really cute and quirky book with so many puns! I loved all of the puns about baking, they gave me life. Especially since I love puns and I love baking, so putting those two things together made me so happy!
This had a very interesting story, one we all know the end of, just not how the story will get to that point. If you have read or even know of Alice in Wonderland, you know that the Queen of Hearts is a villain, so it was interesting to see how she got to be that way. I am always a little hesitant to read the villain backstories because a lot of times, authors will make them out to be the heroes and completely go against what the audiences know about these beloved villains. While Meyer does have some instances of this, she also is able to build up the story enough to the point where it may be believable.
So there are going to be some plot spoilers in this paragraph, so if you do not want to read them, skip to the next paragraph! Okay, so the plot goes like this: Catherine doesn't want to be queen, she wants to bake, but the King of Hearts, as well as her parents, want her to be the queen. Cue the Joker, Jest, who is the wrong guy to fall for, but she does it anyway which eventually gets him killed and will make Cath want revenge and become the killer we know her as. There were a lot of moments throughout the plot that I was not as engaged with because they felt like they had been too much. Of course Cath would fall for Jest and of course a man would be her turning point. I was not the biggest fan of those aspects of the story. I wanted her to have more agency in why she becomes the Queen of Hearts, not just that she wants to use her power to avenge her lost love.
There was a prophecy in this book, I won't say what it was, but I will say that it wasn't my favorite because it takes any and all tension out of the story.
I loved the play on names from Meyer. Hatta being the Mad Hatter and Haigher being the March Hair, loved it!
The characters were pretty interesting, but they weren't as gripping or memorable as I would have like them to be.
I usually adore Marissa Meyer's books, but this one fell a little flat for me. Overall, it was enjoyable, but I am not sure if I would read it again.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Mayfly (Charlie Priest #1) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
There was something about The Mayfly that attracted me, even though it doesnt really fit in with my tastes. I dont like books where the main character is ex-police turned lawyer/journalist/PI etc, but the fact that this was to do with a secret society and it drew in links back from history made me too intrigued to not request it.
Charlie Priest is our main character, hes a successful lawyer, after being a successful Detective Inspector and hes troubled (like they always are). Priests brother is a serial killer and he has dissociative disorder, but despite this, hes stellar at his job and hes a bit of a laugh. Priest certainly is an interesting and likable character, so no doubt I will check out the next in this series, just to revisit his character.
In terms of the plot, you can tell this was really well researched. The plot, as a whole, is pretty unique, and the ties to WWII and the Nazis was definitely the reason I picked this one up, so I felt a little let down that there werent that many flashbacks to that era and there wasnt an awful lot of explanation as to how and why the secret society was born. Dont me wrong, it doesnt just leave you up in the air, it does explain, but it could have been developed and done better.
There is no doubt that this book is fast paced and keeps you on your toes. The first half of the novel, I flew through. The second half of the book then pulls in some romance and things begin to get a little cheesy. From the feelings felt by the characters, to conversations, there were a couple of eye-roll moments, but it wasnt all that bad.
While I thought the plot, the crimes, the victims and all the rest, was good, it did get a little confusing at times. There were so many paths being drawn into this one investigation that I got a little lost at some points, and for this reason, guessing the bad guy can be tricky but really, its very easy.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book. If the romance parts were removed, this could have been a 5 star read for me, because that would have taken away all the cheese. This is a good 4 star read for me, and like I said, I will definitely look into the next book in this series.
<i>Thanks to Readers First & Bonnier Zaffre for sending me an ARC copy of this book. And also to Netgalley for my eARC copy.
Charlie Priest is our main character, hes a successful lawyer, after being a successful Detective Inspector and hes troubled (like they always are). Priests brother is a serial killer and he has dissociative disorder, but despite this, hes stellar at his job and hes a bit of a laugh. Priest certainly is an interesting and likable character, so no doubt I will check out the next in this series, just to revisit his character.
In terms of the plot, you can tell this was really well researched. The plot, as a whole, is pretty unique, and the ties to WWII and the Nazis was definitely the reason I picked this one up, so I felt a little let down that there werent that many flashbacks to that era and there wasnt an awful lot of explanation as to how and why the secret society was born. Dont me wrong, it doesnt just leave you up in the air, it does explain, but it could have been developed and done better.
There is no doubt that this book is fast paced and keeps you on your toes. The first half of the novel, I flew through. The second half of the book then pulls in some romance and things begin to get a little cheesy. From the feelings felt by the characters, to conversations, there were a couple of eye-roll moments, but it wasnt all that bad.
While I thought the plot, the crimes, the victims and all the rest, was good, it did get a little confusing at times. There were so many paths being drawn into this one investigation that I got a little lost at some points, and for this reason, guessing the bad guy can be tricky but really, its very easy.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book. If the romance parts were removed, this could have been a 5 star read for me, because that would have taken away all the cheese. This is a good 4 star read for me, and like I said, I will definitely look into the next book in this series.
<i>Thanks to Readers First & Bonnier Zaffre for sending me an ARC copy of this book. And also to Netgalley for my eARC copy.
Steph Freeman (26 KP) rated Altered Carbon in TV
Feb 19, 2018
Excellent character development (2 more)
Phenomenal special effects
Edge of your seat action throughout the plot line, never felt the story lagging.
Phenomenal Show
Contains spoilers, click to show
In this age of technology I am rarely singularly glued to the television when a show is playing; I'm playing Candy Crush, surfing Etsy, creating new glassware designs... From the moment Takeshi Kovacs is apprehended from the Protectorate until the very last scene of the series this show had me glued to the screen. It combines the "locked room" mystery Agatha Christie made famous with a sci-fi Game of Thrones feel that evokes the Red Rising trilogy sense of Golds vs. Reds.
The lack of regard for anyone below them (literally as well as figuratively) makes it easy to hate the Meths and the decadence that surrounds them. Their wealth allows a god-like immortality, and a lack of respect for life and "real death". Kovacs was detained for crimes against the Protectorate and his stack placed "on ice" for 250 years until the meth Laurens Bancroft pays for his release and a new skin. As Kovacs accepts the offer to find Bancrofts murder, and as he searches for the killer he finds friendship in an AI Edgar Allen Poe (one of the best characters in the whole show), a former military drunk and his wife and daughter, who is damaged emotionally trapped in virtual life, and a police officer. There are also several people after Elias Ryker (a police officer who was a little too curious), which causes issue for Kovacs because that is the skin Bancroft selected when he was taken off ice.
The locked room mystery portion of the season ends in episode 7, but that is far from the end of the action. As we learn more about Kovacs' history his interest in the Envoy mission of recapturing humanity and forcing real death on the world is made more evident, as is his love for Quell. His sister, Rei, did not believe in the mission as much as spending eternity with her big brother. While Kovacs was on ice his sister built a meth empire, acquiring wealth and power, becoming everything Quell and Kovacs fought against. The final moments with his sister, and his decision to find Quell's stack were gripping.
The cinematography, costuming, and CGI in this show are phenomenal, and the attention to detail is obvious. As Netflix is transitioning to big budget productions it's clear they have the right people handling the decisions. I didn't realize this series was also a book trilogy written by Richard Morgan, this series has definitely peaked my interest and I will be reading the books before the next season drops.
The lack of regard for anyone below them (literally as well as figuratively) makes it easy to hate the Meths and the decadence that surrounds them. Their wealth allows a god-like immortality, and a lack of respect for life and "real death". Kovacs was detained for crimes against the Protectorate and his stack placed "on ice" for 250 years until the meth Laurens Bancroft pays for his release and a new skin. As Kovacs accepts the offer to find Bancrofts murder, and as he searches for the killer he finds friendship in an AI Edgar Allen Poe (one of the best characters in the whole show), a former military drunk and his wife and daughter, who is damaged emotionally trapped in virtual life, and a police officer. There are also several people after Elias Ryker (a police officer who was a little too curious), which causes issue for Kovacs because that is the skin Bancroft selected when he was taken off ice.
The locked room mystery portion of the season ends in episode 7, but that is far from the end of the action. As we learn more about Kovacs' history his interest in the Envoy mission of recapturing humanity and forcing real death on the world is made more evident, as is his love for Quell. His sister, Rei, did not believe in the mission as much as spending eternity with her big brother. While Kovacs was on ice his sister built a meth empire, acquiring wealth and power, becoming everything Quell and Kovacs fought against. The final moments with his sister, and his decision to find Quell's stack were gripping.
The cinematography, costuming, and CGI in this show are phenomenal, and the attention to detail is obvious. As Netflix is transitioning to big budget productions it's clear they have the right people handling the decisions. I didn't realize this series was also a book trilogy written by Richard Morgan, this series has definitely peaked my interest and I will be reading the books before the next season drops.
Louise (64 KP) rated Izombie: Volume 1: Dead to the World in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I first heard about this book from Elena reads books and was instantly intrigued!This book sounded fun, I haven’t read much about zombies and also just wanted to read more comics/graphic novels. It was totally fascinating from the start and definitely different.
Gwen appears to be you average everyday person at the start, other than working as a gravedigger she is normal, except she’s not! She is a zombie! but not your stereotypical zombie – she doesn’t walk around groaning, her face and body are not decaying. As long as she eats one brain per month she will not turn full zombie. However eating brains comes at a cost, first of all the brain has to be pretty fresh (hence being a gravedigger), she obviously can’t get caught, they taste bad….oh and she gets stuck with the deceased’s memories for a period of time. The last brain she ate was from a young family man who was killed by a serial killer. Gwen takes it upon herself to investigate why the man was murdered. Also there are a group of female vampires who don’t kill their victims they just feed little and often from men that attend paint balling in the woods. However there is always one that can’t play by the rules and is starting to attract attention from these ancient monster hunters.
There were so many different types of character/monsters in this book, we had zombies (obvs)Ghosts, Vampires and even a WereTerrier which I thought was kind of cute. This is a more of a fluffy zombie book and totally different from the walking dead. I liked all the individual characters but there wasn’t a lot of development and I think this was because there was too much trying to happen in one volume. We had the story of Gwen, it would then jump to the Vampires and then to the hunters, which made the plot line a bit disjointed. Some of the characters….Mainly Dixie was portrayed as being self-centred, all she thinks about is herself and Gwen is unable to rely on her even though she is her best friend. All the females in the book all seemed to have perfect bodies… I wish they just made some females different shapes and sizes. I really liked the art style and colours that were used to set the tone of the book. This was a great introduction to the story and I will be continuing on with the second volume.
Also there is a series on Netflix adaptation that is loosely based on the comic, I might start watching it as my partner has watched it and said it’s alright. Have you watched izombie? whats your thoughts on it?
Overall I rated this 3.75 out of 5 stars
Gwen appears to be you average everyday person at the start, other than working as a gravedigger she is normal, except she’s not! She is a zombie! but not your stereotypical zombie – she doesn’t walk around groaning, her face and body are not decaying. As long as she eats one brain per month she will not turn full zombie. However eating brains comes at a cost, first of all the brain has to be pretty fresh (hence being a gravedigger), she obviously can’t get caught, they taste bad….oh and she gets stuck with the deceased’s memories for a period of time. The last brain she ate was from a young family man who was killed by a serial killer. Gwen takes it upon herself to investigate why the man was murdered. Also there are a group of female vampires who don’t kill their victims they just feed little and often from men that attend paint balling in the woods. However there is always one that can’t play by the rules and is starting to attract attention from these ancient monster hunters.
There were so many different types of character/monsters in this book, we had zombies (obvs)Ghosts, Vampires and even a WereTerrier which I thought was kind of cute. This is a more of a fluffy zombie book and totally different from the walking dead. I liked all the individual characters but there wasn’t a lot of development and I think this was because there was too much trying to happen in one volume. We had the story of Gwen, it would then jump to the Vampires and then to the hunters, which made the plot line a bit disjointed. Some of the characters….Mainly Dixie was portrayed as being self-centred, all she thinks about is herself and Gwen is unable to rely on her even though she is her best friend. All the females in the book all seemed to have perfect bodies… I wish they just made some females different shapes and sizes. I really liked the art style and colours that were used to set the tone of the book. This was a great introduction to the story and I will be continuing on with the second volume.
Also there is a series on Netflix adaptation that is loosely based on the comic, I might start watching it as my partner has watched it and said it’s alright. Have you watched izombie? whats your thoughts on it?
Overall I rated this 3.75 out of 5 stars
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Visitor Q (2001) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Visitor Q is Takashi Miike's take on reality television. If you've never seen a Takashi Miike film, then prepare yourself to be shocked and to see things you've never seen in a movie before. Visitor Q focuses around the Yamazaki family. Kiyoshi, the father, used to be a television broadcaster and is trying to come up with ideas for a new reality television show. Keiko, the mother, is verbally and physically abused by her son. She and Kiyoshi pretty much allow it to happen, but her only rule is that her son doesn't mess up her face. Takuya, the son, is picked on by bullies even while he's at home. A visitor shows up at the house after hitting Kiyoshi over the head with a rock...twice. Their lives get even more screwed up as he shows up and it's all caught on camera.
If you watch this movie, you might as well know what you're getting yourself into. This movie not only contains "strong aberrant sexual and violent content, language and drug use" as stated by the MPAA when giving the movie an R rating, but it also contains incest, necrophilia, and just things that people will find disturbing in general. Like a woman lactating from her nipples and having it squirt all over the place. I'm just trying to give you fair warning just in case you're thinking about watching a movie that you won't be able to finish. It's not for everybody and just know that you're in for a wild ride.
That's not to say that the movie isn't enjoyable though. Even though it deals with a lot of disturbing material, there's some comedy in there. The fact that the visitor(he never really says what his name is) bashes people over the head with a rock just because he can is kind of hilarious. To tell the truth, it kept me watching because this family was so messed up. And the way Kiyoshi lost his broadcasting job will be remembered...forever.
Takashi Miike is known quite well in the horror community for pushing the envelope in movies like Ichi the Killer and Imprint, so horror fans know that if they know they're watching a movie done by Miike that they're going to see some material they won't see anywhere else. Casual movie fans may not be interested in shock value or movies that are this disturbing. Visitor Q not only pushes the envelope, it pays for postage and insurance as well.
The bottom line is that if you want to be grossed out or have a bunch of wtf moments, rent Visitor Q or any Takashi Miike film for that matter.
If you watch this movie, you might as well know what you're getting yourself into. This movie not only contains "strong aberrant sexual and violent content, language and drug use" as stated by the MPAA when giving the movie an R rating, but it also contains incest, necrophilia, and just things that people will find disturbing in general. Like a woman lactating from her nipples and having it squirt all over the place. I'm just trying to give you fair warning just in case you're thinking about watching a movie that you won't be able to finish. It's not for everybody and just know that you're in for a wild ride.
That's not to say that the movie isn't enjoyable though. Even though it deals with a lot of disturbing material, there's some comedy in there. The fact that the visitor(he never really says what his name is) bashes people over the head with a rock just because he can is kind of hilarious. To tell the truth, it kept me watching because this family was so messed up. And the way Kiyoshi lost his broadcasting job will be remembered...forever.
Takashi Miike is known quite well in the horror community for pushing the envelope in movies like Ichi the Killer and Imprint, so horror fans know that if they know they're watching a movie done by Miike that they're going to see some material they won't see anywhere else. Casual movie fans may not be interested in shock value or movies that are this disturbing. Visitor Q not only pushes the envelope, it pays for postage and insurance as well.
The bottom line is that if you want to be grossed out or have a bunch of wtf moments, rent Visitor Q or any Takashi Miike film for that matter.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) in Movies
Oct 31, 2019
The battle for the future is about to unfold and if you think that “Terminator: Dark Fate” is dancing around to a familiar tune; you would be right to a certain point. Once again a killer cyborg from the future is dispatched to our timeline in order to destroy someone who will play a part in the downfall of an A.I. system in the future.
As before; a protector is sent back and this time around it is a woman named Grace (Mackenzie Davis); who will need every bit of her augmented abilities to stop a deadly new Terminator (Diego Luna), from killing a young girl named Dani (Natalia Reyes).
Grace is soon joined by Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), who has been waging a war on Terminators for most of her life and now has an even bigger reason to hate them. Sarah clashes with Grace as she tells her that she was Dani at one point and knows all too well what is going on even though Grace’s future does not include the exploits of Sarah and her son.
The crew eventually join forces with an older Terminator model (Arnold Schwarzenegger); to try to stop the new threat and what follows are some amazing action sequences along with some light comedic moments.
While the film opens with epic battles and chases which bring back memories of the earlier films it is the breakneck intensity that sets this film apart. While audiences are not in awe with a liquid metal Terminator as they were in the second film, it is done in a new and creative way to keep you guessing.
The film also cleverly throws some unexpected twists which helps explain the divergence from the futuristic timeline that was displayed in the prior films.
However this time around we get a fresh new wrinkle with a new A.I., new Terminator, new characters, but the same intense action sequences that have been missing from the series.
Creator James Cameron has returned to the franchise as a Producer and story contributor, and Director Tim Miller using the earlier Cameron films to set a tone that makes this film stand out from the recent sequels.
The return of Hamilton is great and she shows off a gritty and tough Sarah that has been missing greatly from the series. Luna plays his role with an icy efficiency but also has some good lines in the process showing how his model is an even more skilled and deadly infiltration unit.
While it will not be in the same class as the first two films in the series; it is much more enjoyable and much better than the subsequent films as Cameron and Miller have created an intense and relentless action spectacle.
4 stars out of 5
As before; a protector is sent back and this time around it is a woman named Grace (Mackenzie Davis); who will need every bit of her augmented abilities to stop a deadly new Terminator (Diego Luna), from killing a young girl named Dani (Natalia Reyes).
Grace is soon joined by Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), who has been waging a war on Terminators for most of her life and now has an even bigger reason to hate them. Sarah clashes with Grace as she tells her that she was Dani at one point and knows all too well what is going on even though Grace’s future does not include the exploits of Sarah and her son.
The crew eventually join forces with an older Terminator model (Arnold Schwarzenegger); to try to stop the new threat and what follows are some amazing action sequences along with some light comedic moments.
While the film opens with epic battles and chases which bring back memories of the earlier films it is the breakneck intensity that sets this film apart. While audiences are not in awe with a liquid metal Terminator as they were in the second film, it is done in a new and creative way to keep you guessing.
The film also cleverly throws some unexpected twists which helps explain the divergence from the futuristic timeline that was displayed in the prior films.
However this time around we get a fresh new wrinkle with a new A.I., new Terminator, new characters, but the same intense action sequences that have been missing from the series.
Creator James Cameron has returned to the franchise as a Producer and story contributor, and Director Tim Miller using the earlier Cameron films to set a tone that makes this film stand out from the recent sequels.
The return of Hamilton is great and she shows off a gritty and tough Sarah that has been missing greatly from the series. Luna plays his role with an icy efficiency but also has some good lines in the process showing how his model is an even more skilled and deadly infiltration unit.
While it will not be in the same class as the first two films in the series; it is much more enjoyable and much better than the subsequent films as Cameron and Miller have created an intense and relentless action spectacle.
4 stars out of 5
365Flicks (235 KP) rated The Ice-Cream truck (2017) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
Going into the Ice Cream Truck I have to admit I had some lofty expectations for the movie. When I read this movie was directed by the grand-daughter of one Elmore Leonard (if you have to ask, leave the room). Now yes, I know I shouldn’t let that factor into how I choose my viewing but its a good place to start.
Ice Cream Truck didn’t disappoint me, I mean sure yeah if you watch the trailer and expect to be watching some gore filled serial killer horror (Which from the trailer you could well expect that) then you may be a little disappointed. However stick with this flick because what you actually get is a well placed slow burning psychological thriller that waits till the last 10-15 minutes to ratchet up the action. Oh and there is a few pretty neat deaths. At first I felt fairly disjointed with the flick, people where dying and no one in the neighborhood seemed to give a shit or even know, but Director Megan Freels Johnston is taking her time and building towards something, all the while having Deanna Russo deliver an incredibly layered performance in a movie that is only a sharp 90 minutes.
So the movie sees Deanna Russo (Being Human, Gossip Girl) as Mary, Mary has had to relocate to some suburban neighborhood after her husband being offered a new job. She makes her way to the new house a few days before the rest of the family and meets all the local neighborhood stereotypes on offer including the Step-ford wives, the Local Hunky yard cleaner and the Ice Cream Man. She is about to find that they have moved to a suburban hell hole.
The Ice Cream Truck also stars Dana Gaier (Despicable Me 3), John Redlinger (Thirst, Banshee), Emil Johnsen (Isolerad), Hilary Barraford (Go For Sisters), Jeff Daniel Phillips (31), and Lisa Ann Walter (War of the Worlds).
Im not going to say this is the worlds best movie but its a definite recommend. Was I expecting something else? Yes. Did I like what was presented? Yes. Johnston has given us a well constructed thriller. The only place it really falls apart is that… Well the kills are pretty easy, I personally like some cat and mouse. However Emil Johnson as the Ice Cream Man is creepy as shit. Deanna Russo is great in the lead so no complaints on that front and we got a cheeky little twist that made me go… HUH.
Not the strongest recommend I have given but you should give this flick a go and like I say at only 90 minutes your in and out before you know it. Personally I think you will get a kick from this movie.
Ice Cream Truck didn’t disappoint me, I mean sure yeah if you watch the trailer and expect to be watching some gore filled serial killer horror (Which from the trailer you could well expect that) then you may be a little disappointed. However stick with this flick because what you actually get is a well placed slow burning psychological thriller that waits till the last 10-15 minutes to ratchet up the action. Oh and there is a few pretty neat deaths. At first I felt fairly disjointed with the flick, people where dying and no one in the neighborhood seemed to give a shit or even know, but Director Megan Freels Johnston is taking her time and building towards something, all the while having Deanna Russo deliver an incredibly layered performance in a movie that is only a sharp 90 minutes.
So the movie sees Deanna Russo (Being Human, Gossip Girl) as Mary, Mary has had to relocate to some suburban neighborhood after her husband being offered a new job. She makes her way to the new house a few days before the rest of the family and meets all the local neighborhood stereotypes on offer including the Step-ford wives, the Local Hunky yard cleaner and the Ice Cream Man. She is about to find that they have moved to a suburban hell hole.
The Ice Cream Truck also stars Dana Gaier (Despicable Me 3), John Redlinger (Thirst, Banshee), Emil Johnsen (Isolerad), Hilary Barraford (Go For Sisters), Jeff Daniel Phillips (31), and Lisa Ann Walter (War of the Worlds).
Im not going to say this is the worlds best movie but its a definite recommend. Was I expecting something else? Yes. Did I like what was presented? Yes. Johnston has given us a well constructed thriller. The only place it really falls apart is that… Well the kills are pretty easy, I personally like some cat and mouse. However Emil Johnson as the Ice Cream Man is creepy as shit. Deanna Russo is great in the lead so no complaints on that front and we got a cheeky little twist that made me go… HUH.
Not the strongest recommend I have given but you should give this flick a go and like I say at only 90 minutes your in and out before you know it. Personally I think you will get a kick from this movie.
JT (287 KP) rated American Reunion (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Alot of time has passed since 1999, and in that time there have been a long line of spin off American Pie films, if you don’t count the sequel and American Pie: The Wedding. Of those films only Jim’s Dad (Eugene Levy) has starred in every single one, so it was brilliant to see all the old gang back together again, and how we have missed them all.
The gang is back together – but was it worth it?
Grown up and with adult lives, they head back to where it all began for a high school reunion which of course involves a whole heap of laughter, and there is plenty of that.
Jim and Michelle are now married with a small child and stuck in a rut of a no sex marriage, Oz now a hot shot sports reporter has trouble controlling his high maintenance girlfriend. Kevin is seemingly happy as a house husband and Finch is still very much the enigma of the group, and then of course there’s Stifler, probably the only character not to have changed at all.
There are some outrageous moments, right from the opening scene, even giving a hint of what is going to happen would suck any laughter out of you so for that I am not going to reveal too much. Let’s just say it is once again Jim who pretty much steals the show.
The group start to look at themselves and realise that they are very much all grown up with things never able to be the same again, as Jim harshly points out to Stifler in one scene.
There is through all the hilarity some touching moments, in particularly featuring Jim’s Dad who is getting over the passing of his wife and takes some advice from Jim himself to get back onto the dating horse. This of course results in some more outlandish behaviour at another Stifler party.
The American Pie franchise is very much an icon of teenage angst, at least for those films that matter to us. I doubt anyone would have sat through any of the American Pie Presents films.
American Reunion manages to get the whole cast back together, even if they are only on screen for a brief few minutes its like seeing an old friend once again. It’s almost as if we can resonate with every character and are pleased that their lives have turned out or are going to turn out for the better.
The film climaxes with a killer piece of revenge courtesy of Stifler, one which in the back of our minds we knew was coming and involves a well cast cameo.
It might not be everyone’s chosen comedy of 2012, but its sure as hell going to be up there!
The gang is back together – but was it worth it?
Grown up and with adult lives, they head back to where it all began for a high school reunion which of course involves a whole heap of laughter, and there is plenty of that.
Jim and Michelle are now married with a small child and stuck in a rut of a no sex marriage, Oz now a hot shot sports reporter has trouble controlling his high maintenance girlfriend. Kevin is seemingly happy as a house husband and Finch is still very much the enigma of the group, and then of course there’s Stifler, probably the only character not to have changed at all.
There are some outrageous moments, right from the opening scene, even giving a hint of what is going to happen would suck any laughter out of you so for that I am not going to reveal too much. Let’s just say it is once again Jim who pretty much steals the show.
The group start to look at themselves and realise that they are very much all grown up with things never able to be the same again, as Jim harshly points out to Stifler in one scene.
There is through all the hilarity some touching moments, in particularly featuring Jim’s Dad who is getting over the passing of his wife and takes some advice from Jim himself to get back onto the dating horse. This of course results in some more outlandish behaviour at another Stifler party.
The American Pie franchise is very much an icon of teenage angst, at least for those films that matter to us. I doubt anyone would have sat through any of the American Pie Presents films.
American Reunion manages to get the whole cast back together, even if they are only on screen for a brief few minutes its like seeing an old friend once again. It’s almost as if we can resonate with every character and are pleased that their lives have turned out or are going to turn out for the better.
The film climaxes with a killer piece of revenge courtesy of Stifler, one which in the back of our minds we knew was coming and involves a well cast cameo.
It might not be everyone’s chosen comedy of 2012, but its sure as hell going to be up there!
JT (287 KP) rated Predators (2010) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Fans of the original Predator will no doubt have been excited to see the trailers for Predators, a script pulled from a filing cabinet in 1994 and given a 2010 make over by Robert Rodriguez, who produces, with Nimród Antal directing.
It was always going to be hard to top Schwarzenegger’s 1987 hit; John McTiernan had little special effects to work with but delivered an action/sci-fi masterpiece with a cast of mercenaries. When the sequel came along Schwarzenegger wanted no part of it, and so it was up to Danny Glover (I’m still getting to old for this shit) to battle on home turf, unsuccessfully in many people’s eyes.
In 2010 we’re back in the jungle only this is no ordinary jungle, this is home field advantage for the Predators. Again, a bunch of unknowns from different specially selected backgrounds are dropped in together to face a new breed of Predator, seemingly engaged in their own tribal turf war.
The story follows some similar paths to the original, macho heroes must work together to fight back, while at the same time avoid being picked off one at a time. The script is disjointed with no prior background as to why these bunch of cut throats have been pooled together, or who is behind it all.
That said those of us who can remember back as far as 1987 will enjoy a homage to the original with scenes like a spectacular waterfall jump, a Yazuka Vs Predator battle which gives us an insight as to what might have happened when Billy stayed behind on the bridge with nothing more than a huge knife for protection. All that and the immortal line “Kill me I’m here!”
Adrien Brody may not seem like your stereotypical action hero but he does do a half decent job, following along the action hero code of A) getting some serious gym time, B) lowering voice to a low growl and C) not giving a shit, then coming back and giving a shit!
The others, well they’re no Dutch, Mac, Billy or Zane but they are a new breed. There is the quiet and yet deadly Yakuza (Louis Ozawa Changchien), who is dressed for the most part in a smart grey suit and performs the sword-moves in a well choreographed human vs. Predator duel.
The rest are walking talking archetypal thugs, a Russian beef cake (Oleg Taktarov), a death row serial murderer (Walton Goggins), an African Death Squad killer (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali) and a cocaine cartel hatchet man (the legend that is Danny Trejo). There is also a rather pointless guest appearance which might lead us into a false sense of security as it is all but cut short, shame!
It was always going to be hard to top Schwarzenegger’s 1987 hit; John McTiernan had little special effects to work with but delivered an action/sci-fi masterpiece with a cast of mercenaries. When the sequel came along Schwarzenegger wanted no part of it, and so it was up to Danny Glover (I’m still getting to old for this shit) to battle on home turf, unsuccessfully in many people’s eyes.
In 2010 we’re back in the jungle only this is no ordinary jungle, this is home field advantage for the Predators. Again, a bunch of unknowns from different specially selected backgrounds are dropped in together to face a new breed of Predator, seemingly engaged in their own tribal turf war.
The story follows some similar paths to the original, macho heroes must work together to fight back, while at the same time avoid being picked off one at a time. The script is disjointed with no prior background as to why these bunch of cut throats have been pooled together, or who is behind it all.
That said those of us who can remember back as far as 1987 will enjoy a homage to the original with scenes like a spectacular waterfall jump, a Yazuka Vs Predator battle which gives us an insight as to what might have happened when Billy stayed behind on the bridge with nothing more than a huge knife for protection. All that and the immortal line “Kill me I’m here!”
Adrien Brody may not seem like your stereotypical action hero but he does do a half decent job, following along the action hero code of A) getting some serious gym time, B) lowering voice to a low growl and C) not giving a shit, then coming back and giving a shit!
The others, well they’re no Dutch, Mac, Billy or Zane but they are a new breed. There is the quiet and yet deadly Yakuza (Louis Ozawa Changchien), who is dressed for the most part in a smart grey suit and performs the sword-moves in a well choreographed human vs. Predator duel.
The rest are walking talking archetypal thugs, a Russian beef cake (Oleg Taktarov), a death row serial murderer (Walton Goggins), an African Death Squad killer (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali) and a cocaine cartel hatchet man (the legend that is Danny Trejo). There is also a rather pointless guest appearance which might lead us into a false sense of security as it is all but cut short, shame!