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PTL: The Rise and Fall of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker's Evangelical Empire
Book
In the early months of 1987 Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker had it all-a popular Christian talk show,...

Jonathan Donahue recommended track Second Skin by The Chameleons UK in Script of the Bridge by The Chameleons UK in Music (curated)

Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Avengers (2012) in Movies
Mar 9, 2019 (Updated Jun 20, 2019)
A Blast
I remember the trepidation of going to see Marvel’s The Avengers. Could they really pull a team-up like this off? Could the whole really be a sum of some awesome parts? I wasn’t sure. That trepidation turned into utter lack of interest. X-Men: The Last Stand left a bad taste in my mouth, but the Avengers crew was regaining my interest in the superhero world movie by movie. Good thing I gave the movie a chance because I ended up having the time of my life.
In Marvel’s The Avengers, Earth’s mightiest heroes take on the evil Loki who is hell-bent on world domination.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
The gang’s all here and what a gang. I appreciate that each of these superheroes are battling their own inner demons which affects how their characters interact with the other heroes. it’s what makes them a good team. They come to understand each other’s dysfunctions and deal with it. This is the first movie where you start to see the team use their strengths in tandem and work together as a team. Their initial lack of chemistry is hilarious to watch as they are forced into a unit.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Genre: 10
Bringing all these characters on the big screen at once was a monumental accomplishment. It was a risk that paid off. A damn good movie was made here and deserves a ton of credit for setting a standard in the way superhero movies should be done.
Memorability: 10
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
The story weaves together the backstories of the other characters in seamless fashion. While there aren’t many twists and turns to throw you off or keep you guessing, I would also argue that twists weren’t necessary for a film like this. Tell the story you need to tell and if we can see some awesome superpowered battles along the way, great! Job well done here.
Resolution: 10
Solid ending capped off with some fun end-credit scenes that pave the way for films to come. The entire movie is meant to entertain and I was happy that they finished strong. It’s a capper that leaves you wanting to see these guys team up again.
Overall: 100
Seven years later and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still going as strong as ever. I’m going to see Captain Marvel tomorrow, a film that wouldn’t even be possible without the success of The Avengers and other lesser-known properties like Guardians of the Galaxy. Seven years later and this movie still never ceases to excite me and make me laugh at the same time.
In Marvel’s The Avengers, Earth’s mightiest heroes take on the evil Loki who is hell-bent on world domination.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
The gang’s all here and what a gang. I appreciate that each of these superheroes are battling their own inner demons which affects how their characters interact with the other heroes. it’s what makes them a good team. They come to understand each other’s dysfunctions and deal with it. This is the first movie where you start to see the team use their strengths in tandem and work together as a team. Their initial lack of chemistry is hilarious to watch as they are forced into a unit.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Genre: 10
Bringing all these characters on the big screen at once was a monumental accomplishment. It was a risk that paid off. A damn good movie was made here and deserves a ton of credit for setting a standard in the way superhero movies should be done.
Memorability: 10
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
The story weaves together the backstories of the other characters in seamless fashion. While there aren’t many twists and turns to throw you off or keep you guessing, I would also argue that twists weren’t necessary for a film like this. Tell the story you need to tell and if we can see some awesome superpowered battles along the way, great! Job well done here.
Resolution: 10
Solid ending capped off with some fun end-credit scenes that pave the way for films to come. The entire movie is meant to entertain and I was happy that they finished strong. It’s a capper that leaves you wanting to see these guys team up again.
Overall: 100
Seven years later and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still going as strong as ever. I’m going to see Captain Marvel tomorrow, a film that wouldn’t even be possible without the success of The Avengers and other lesser-known properties like Guardians of the Galaxy. Seven years later and this movie still never ceases to excite me and make me laugh at the same time.

City Centre
Simon J. Halliday and Clive Woodward
Book
Simon Halliday has tackled everything that life has thrown at him, be it on the rugby field, or in...

Write 2 Lite - Note Taking & Writing
Productivity and Business
App
Write 2 Lite is an ultimate note taking, writing & markdown editing app. It utilizes all of its...

Lee (2222 KP) rated Instant Family (2019) in Movies
Jan 24, 2019 (Updated Jan 24, 2019)
A very funny, heartwarming drama about adoption
On paper, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Instant Family is going to be just like so many other movies you've seen over the years. A couple without children of their own decides to adopt and end up with three troubled siblings of varying ages. And when you read that it's from director/co-writer Sean Anders, along with Mark Wahlberg, who worked together on both of the 'Daddy's Home' movies, you'll think you've got a pretty good idea of the tone and direction this movie is going to follow. Luckily though, while there are some genuinely very funny moments in this movie, it also manages to successfully blend it with some serious human drama and emotion and a fantastic set of characters.
Instant Family is based on the real life experience of the director Sean Anders and the adoption process he went through with his wife. In the movie, the couple are called Pete and Ellie (Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne), who earn their living by flipping houses (buy, renovate, sell). After Ellie has an argument with her sister regarding kids, they begin thinking about having children of their own. Worried about their age, they begin looking into fostering, with a view to eventually adopting an older child.
They visit an adoption agency, where they are joined by a number of other couples and single parents all looking to find out more and begin their journey to becoming parents. Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro are social workers, there to guide them all through the process. A very funny double act, providing a lot of the movies hilariously well timed lines. In fact, all of the other potential adopters are well written and funny, continuing to crop up throughout the movie as we revisit how everyone is getting on with their fostered children. None of this is zany, particularly goofy or over the top though - it's made very clear that many of the children in the foster system have had a pretty awful life so far, and this honest piece of reality is never downplayed.
At a meet-and-greet with potential adoptive children, organised as an outdoor event in a park, Pete and Ellie are drawn to Lizzie (Isabela Moner), a fiery teenage girl who is hanging out with the other older kids - separated from the main gathering, having resigned themselves to the notion that they're never going to get chosen by the prospective parents. When the couple mark her down as a potential for fostering, they learn that she actually comes as part of a package, having a younger brother Juan and even younger sister Lita. Pete and Ellie decide to go for it and foster all three, convinced they can make a difference in these kids lives.
There follows a period of new parents being thrown in at the deep end - the stressful night time routine, the problems with getting kids to eat and dress properly, problems at school etc. But again, it's not over the top - rooted in reality and successfully managing to walk the line between comedy and drama without resorting to exaggerated comedy set pieces. The problems experienced are made all the more challenging as the couple trying to care for and raise children who haven't had a great start in life, and have been used to a very particular way of living. Made even more difficult when the children's birth mother appears on the scene later in the movie.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this movie as much as I did. There are more laugh out loud moments than any movie I've seen in recent years that bills itself as a comedy, but at the same time it's also a really heartwarming feel-good drama. So many enjoyable characters too, and with a sharp script that brings out the best in them all. Hugely enjoyable.
Instant Family is based on the real life experience of the director Sean Anders and the adoption process he went through with his wife. In the movie, the couple are called Pete and Ellie (Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne), who earn their living by flipping houses (buy, renovate, sell). After Ellie has an argument with her sister regarding kids, they begin thinking about having children of their own. Worried about their age, they begin looking into fostering, with a view to eventually adopting an older child.
They visit an adoption agency, where they are joined by a number of other couples and single parents all looking to find out more and begin their journey to becoming parents. Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro are social workers, there to guide them all through the process. A very funny double act, providing a lot of the movies hilariously well timed lines. In fact, all of the other potential adopters are well written and funny, continuing to crop up throughout the movie as we revisit how everyone is getting on with their fostered children. None of this is zany, particularly goofy or over the top though - it's made very clear that many of the children in the foster system have had a pretty awful life so far, and this honest piece of reality is never downplayed.
At a meet-and-greet with potential adoptive children, organised as an outdoor event in a park, Pete and Ellie are drawn to Lizzie (Isabela Moner), a fiery teenage girl who is hanging out with the other older kids - separated from the main gathering, having resigned themselves to the notion that they're never going to get chosen by the prospective parents. When the couple mark her down as a potential for fostering, they learn that she actually comes as part of a package, having a younger brother Juan and even younger sister Lita. Pete and Ellie decide to go for it and foster all three, convinced they can make a difference in these kids lives.
There follows a period of new parents being thrown in at the deep end - the stressful night time routine, the problems with getting kids to eat and dress properly, problems at school etc. But again, it's not over the top - rooted in reality and successfully managing to walk the line between comedy and drama without resorting to exaggerated comedy set pieces. The problems experienced are made all the more challenging as the couple trying to care for and raise children who haven't had a great start in life, and have been used to a very particular way of living. Made even more difficult when the children's birth mother appears on the scene later in the movie.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this movie as much as I did. There are more laugh out loud moments than any movie I've seen in recent years that bills itself as a comedy, but at the same time it's also a really heartwarming feel-good drama. So many enjoyable characters too, and with a sharp script that brings out the best in them all. Hugely enjoyable.

Andy K (10823 KP) rated Clerks (1994) in Movies
May 6, 2019
Dante and Randal - together forever
I had the pleasure of meeting Kevin Smith when he appeared at the Hollywood Video manager's meeting in Las Vegas in the summer of 1999. Clerks was revered at that time by all of us since we were living the life of Randal to a certain extent being video store managers. We could all relate to the examples of stupid customers and things we wanted to say to them, but couldn't since "the customer is always right".
Smith's appearance at our meeting must've shocked the Mormon founder, Mark Wattles, when Smith began using excessive profanity and talking about giving blow jobs in the bathroom for cash.
My own experiences as a video store manager were reflected in a lot of what Randal says especially when it came to movie recommendations. I'll never forget being asked "Which is better, Booty Call or Schindler's List" or arguing with customers during the "full screen" vs. "widescreen" debate explaining widescreen was better because you could see the entire picture instead of the side of the film being cut off.
Every time I rewatch Clerks it always reminds me of those times and how I reflect fondly on them now so many years later.
Smith was a funny guy and he certainly tells good stories if you have ever seen one of his stand-up specials where he talks about meeting Prince, Bruce Willis or his experiences writing a Superman draft.
Jay and Silent Bob are iconic too even getting their own reboot movie now.
Clerks is a comedy cinema cult classic having lived far beyond its original $27,000 budget where Smith had to sell his comic book collection and its characters will live on forever due to some classic screenwriting.
Smith's appearance at our meeting must've shocked the Mormon founder, Mark Wattles, when Smith began using excessive profanity and talking about giving blow jobs in the bathroom for cash.
My own experiences as a video store manager were reflected in a lot of what Randal says especially when it came to movie recommendations. I'll never forget being asked "Which is better, Booty Call or Schindler's List" or arguing with customers during the "full screen" vs. "widescreen" debate explaining widescreen was better because you could see the entire picture instead of the side of the film being cut off.
Every time I rewatch Clerks it always reminds me of those times and how I reflect fondly on them now so many years later.
Smith was a funny guy and he certainly tells good stories if you have ever seen one of his stand-up specials where he talks about meeting Prince, Bruce Willis or his experiences writing a Superman draft.
Jay and Silent Bob are iconic too even getting their own reboot movie now.
Clerks is a comedy cinema cult classic having lived far beyond its original $27,000 budget where Smith had to sell his comic book collection and its characters will live on forever due to some classic screenwriting.

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2336 KP) rated Murder in Red in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Can Jessica Solve One Friend’s Murder to Save Another?
When Jessica Fletcher’s friend Mimi Van Dorn collapses, Jessica is naturally concerned, but when Mimi passes away later that night, Dr. Seth Hazlitt thinks she had help. Naturally, Jessica starts investigating, and she quickly finds evidence that Mimi was indeed murdered. Does the new clinic outside town hold the answers to Mimi’s death? Or is a secret from her past responsible for her murder? Jessica will have to figure it out fast since another old friend has checked into the new clinic and could be in mortal danger himself.
Yes, we are once again in Cabot Cove and environs for much of the book, although Jessica finds herself traveling quite a bit as she tries to piece together this puzzle. Things start off a bit slowly, but they gain speed as the book progresses, and by the end I was completely hooked. Part of the early slowness are attempts to develop Jessica with her thoughts about life, but they come across as forced and don’t add much to the book. Still, I was turning pages quickly at the end to see just how Jessica would bring everything together. I was happy to find that the foul language that has bothered me in the last two books wasn’t present here, which is much more like the franchise of old. I was also happy to find that Jessica’s relationships with Seth and Sheriff Mort Metzger were much closer to how I remember them from the TV series. George Sutherland, a recurring character in the books, is present here and I enjoyed getting to meet him for the first time. Fans of the franchise will be very happy with this book. I know I was.
Yes, we are once again in Cabot Cove and environs for much of the book, although Jessica finds herself traveling quite a bit as she tries to piece together this puzzle. Things start off a bit slowly, but they gain speed as the book progresses, and by the end I was completely hooked. Part of the early slowness are attempts to develop Jessica with her thoughts about life, but they come across as forced and don’t add much to the book. Still, I was turning pages quickly at the end to see just how Jessica would bring everything together. I was happy to find that the foul language that has bothered me in the last two books wasn’t present here, which is much more like the franchise of old. I was also happy to find that Jessica’s relationships with Seth and Sheriff Mort Metzger were much closer to how I remember them from the TV series. George Sutherland, a recurring character in the books, is present here and I enjoyed getting to meet him for the first time. Fans of the franchise will be very happy with this book. I know I was.

Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Caution - Single by Celeste Arrazolo in Music
Jun 17, 2019
Celeste Arrazolo is a singer-songwriter from Houston, Texas. Not too long ago, she released a lyric video for her debut single, entitled, “Caution”.
“I’m not going. I’m not leaving this bar or this place. I came here for answers. Made so many mistakes. I’ve been down, I’ve been low, I’ve been high every chance that I get. It’s been such a lonely road ain’t got no relief yet.” – lyrics
‘Caution’ tells a bittersweet tale of a girl with sad eyes who doesn’t want to leave a bar because she’s searching for answers to her problems.
The bartender is sympathetic to her cause and offers her one last drink before the bar closes.
Lost in the moment, the girl reveals that religion has deserted her, and God has forgotten her name.
Later, she admits that no smart person should want any part of her because she’s a mess. Also, she’ll bring them down and hurt them with lies to survive. Therefore, they should proceed with caution when dealing with her.
‘Caution’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and melodic instrumentation flavored with emo-soul and R&B elements.
“‘Caution’ is a climax in an internal struggle. It’s about losing your way. I want listeners to be able to meet me in that moment.” – Celeste Arrazolo
Celeste Arrazolo flew to Los Angeles as soon as she had her diploma in hand. Shortly afterward, she encountered hard times, and her life spiraled out of control.
She turned to music for solace and eventually discovered a path to redemption and freedom. Through endless hours of studying powerhouse singers and songwriters, Arrazolo learned to translate her experience into her music.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/celeste-arrazolo-caution/
“I’m not going. I’m not leaving this bar or this place. I came here for answers. Made so many mistakes. I’ve been down, I’ve been low, I’ve been high every chance that I get. It’s been such a lonely road ain’t got no relief yet.” – lyrics
‘Caution’ tells a bittersweet tale of a girl with sad eyes who doesn’t want to leave a bar because she’s searching for answers to her problems.
The bartender is sympathetic to her cause and offers her one last drink before the bar closes.
Lost in the moment, the girl reveals that religion has deserted her, and God has forgotten her name.
Later, she admits that no smart person should want any part of her because she’s a mess. Also, she’ll bring them down and hurt them with lies to survive. Therefore, they should proceed with caution when dealing with her.
‘Caution’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and melodic instrumentation flavored with emo-soul and R&B elements.
“‘Caution’ is a climax in an internal struggle. It’s about losing your way. I want listeners to be able to meet me in that moment.” – Celeste Arrazolo
Celeste Arrazolo flew to Los Angeles as soon as she had her diploma in hand. Shortly afterward, she encountered hard times, and her life spiraled out of control.
She turned to music for solace and eventually discovered a path to redemption and freedom. Through endless hours of studying powerhouse singers and songwriters, Arrazolo learned to translate her experience into her music.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/celeste-arrazolo-caution/

Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Making It Up by Kathryn Legendre in Music
Jun 17, 2019
Kathryn Legendre is a rising singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas. Not too long ago, she released a lovely country tune, entitled, “There You Go”.
“I try to keep myself at bay, but I miss you every day. You took off when I needed you the most. All I’ve got to get me through are these memories of you. It’s easier believing in a ghost. There you go again and here I am alone.” – lyrics
‘There You Go’ tells an interesting tale of a young woman who doesn’t like saying goodbye to her significant other.
Apparently, he has to travel on the road again. Therefore, he has to leave the love-of-his-life all by her lonesome.
After his emotional departure, she washes dishes in the sink, hangs with her friends, and counts the hours down to when she will see her partner’s smiling face again.
Later, she admits that it still feels like he just left, and all she has to get her through this lonely period are the memories of him.
‘There You Go’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and vibey instrumentation scented with a country fragrance.
“I have a dear friend who lost her fiancé in a car accident while he was out on tour. ‘There You Go’ is a song about the fear of your loved one leaving and the fear of them never coming back.” – Kathryn Legendre
Kathryn Legendre drives around Austin with a ‘God Bless Merle Haggard’ sticker on her bumper.
The rising country artist thrives the most when she feels that something is missing. Also, she takes pride in the ability to relate to the human condition
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/kathryn-legendre-there-you-go/
“I try to keep myself at bay, but I miss you every day. You took off when I needed you the most. All I’ve got to get me through are these memories of you. It’s easier believing in a ghost. There you go again and here I am alone.” – lyrics
‘There You Go’ tells an interesting tale of a young woman who doesn’t like saying goodbye to her significant other.
Apparently, he has to travel on the road again. Therefore, he has to leave the love-of-his-life all by her lonesome.
After his emotional departure, she washes dishes in the sink, hangs with her friends, and counts the hours down to when she will see her partner’s smiling face again.
Later, she admits that it still feels like he just left, and all she has to get her through this lonely period are the memories of him.
‘There You Go’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and vibey instrumentation scented with a country fragrance.
“I have a dear friend who lost her fiancé in a car accident while he was out on tour. ‘There You Go’ is a song about the fear of your loved one leaving and the fear of them never coming back.” – Kathryn Legendre
Kathryn Legendre drives around Austin with a ‘God Bless Merle Haggard’ sticker on her bumper.
The rising country artist thrives the most when she feels that something is missing. Also, she takes pride in the ability to relate to the human condition
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/kathryn-legendre-there-you-go/