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Merissa (12894 KP) rated The Cowboy and the Hoodlum (Farthingdale Valley #2) in Books
Jun 6, 2023
THE COWBOY AND THE HOODLUM is the second book in the Farthingdale Valley series. Gabe and Blaze are still around but it is the turn of Royce and Jonah to find their happiness.
Oh, man. Where to start? First of all, I liked that Royce was fussy and acknowledged it. I liked that the others saw it too. Jonah is the typical bad boy who, when given the opportunity, finds peace in nature and sees the possibility of a different life. But this story isn't just about Royce and Jonah, it's also about Beck. And, oh boy, he's a character!!! As much as I wanted to dislike him, I could understand his feelings.
Royce is the right man for Jonah, being just what he needs. Having a partner who was loud and obviously disagreed with Jonah's choices wouldn't have worked. Instead, Jonah tries to please Royce just for one of his smiles. Let me just say, Royce is a better character than I am! He was way too easy-going and forgiving in my mind but then, I 'may' be able to hold a grudge, or so I've been told. đ
Very different and very good. I definitely recommend this or any of the books by this author!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 6, 2023
Oh, man. Where to start? First of all, I liked that Royce was fussy and acknowledged it. I liked that the others saw it too. Jonah is the typical bad boy who, when given the opportunity, finds peace in nature and sees the possibility of a different life. But this story isn't just about Royce and Jonah, it's also about Beck. And, oh boy, he's a character!!! As much as I wanted to dislike him, I could understand his feelings.
Royce is the right man for Jonah, being just what he needs. Having a partner who was loud and obviously disagreed with Jonah's choices wouldn't have worked. Instead, Jonah tries to please Royce just for one of his smiles. Let me just say, Royce is a better character than I am! He was way too easy-going and forgiving in my mind but then, I 'may' be able to hold a grudge, or so I've been told. đ
Very different and very good. I definitely recommend this or any of the books by this author!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 6, 2023
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Doctor Strange (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Well multiversed.
In the latest Marvel film (notably now available with the snazzy new Marvel production logo at the start) Benedict Cumberbatch (âSherlockâ, âStar Trek Into Darknessâ) plays the titular hero: a neurosurgeon with exceptional skills, an encyclopedic knowledge of discographies and an ego to rival Donald Trump.
After an horrific car crash (topically addressing the dangers of mobile use while driving) Strange loses the ability to practice his craft, and descends into a spiral of self-pity and despair. Finding a similar soul, Jonathan Pangborn (Benjamin Bratt, â24: Live Another Dayâ) whoâs undergone a miracle cure, Strange travels to Katmandu in search of similar salvation where he is trained in spiritual control by âThe Ancient Oneâ (Tilda Swinton, âHail Caesarâ, âThe Grand Budapest Hotelâ) ably supported by her assistant Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor, â12 Years a Slaveâ) and librarian Wong (Benedict Wong, âThe Martianâ). So far so âBatman Beginsâ.
As always in these films though there is also a villain, in this case a rogue former pupil turned to the dark side (have we not been here before Anakin?) called Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelssen, âQuantum of Solaceâ). The world risks total destruction from spiritual attack (ââŚthe Avengers handle the physical threatsâŚâ â LOL) and the team stand together to battle Kaeciliusâs attempts to open a portal (âZuuuulâ) and âlet the right one inâ.
Followers of this blog will generally be aware that I am not a great fan of the Marvel and DC universes in general. However, there is a large variation in the style of films dished out by the studios ranging from the pompously full-of-themselves films at the âBatman vs Supermanâ (bottom) end to the more light-hearted (bordering on âKick-Ass-styleâ) films at the âAnt Manâ (top) end. Along this continuum I would judge âDoctor Strangeâ to be about a 7: so it is a lot more fun than I expected it to be.
The film is largely carried by Cumberbatch, effecting a vaguely annoying American accent but generally adding acting credence to some pretty ludicrous material. In particular he milks all the comic lines to maximum effect, leading to some genuinely funny moments: yes, the comedy gold extends past Ejioforâs (very funny) wi-fi password line in the trailer.
Cumberbatch also has the range to convincingly play the fall of the egocentric Strange: his extreme unpleasantness towards his beleaguered on/off girlfriend (the ever-reliable Rachel McAdams (âSherlock Holmesâ)) drew audible gasps of shock from a few of the âCumberbitchesâ in my screening. (As Iâm writing this on November 9th, the day of Trumpagedden, we might have already found a candidate able to play the new President elect!)
In fact, the whole of the first half of the film is a delight: Strangeâs decline; effective Nepalese locations; a highly entertaining âtrainingâ sequence; and Cumberbatch and Swinton sparking off each other beautifully.
Where the film pitches downhill is where it gets too âBIGâ: both in a hugely overblown New York morphing sequence (the â remember â human heroes suffer skyscraper-level falls without injury) and where (traditionally) a cosmic being gets involved and our puny heroes have to defend earth against it. Once again we have a âbig CGI thingâ centre screen with the logic behind the (long-term) defeating of the âbig CGI thingâ little better than that behind the defeat of the âbig CGI thingâ in âBatman vs Supermanâ (but without Gal Gadotâs legs unfortunately to distract the male audience).
Music is by Michael Giacchino, and his suitably bombastic Strange theme is given a very nice reworking over the end titles. By the way, for those who are interested in âMonkeysâ (see glossary) there is a scene a few minutes into the credits featuring Strange and one of the Avengers (fairly pointless) and a second right at the end of the credits featuring Pangborn and Mordo setting up (not very convincingly I must say) the potential villain for Strange 2.
Not Shakespeare, but still an enjoyable and fun night out at the movies and far better than I was expecting.
After an horrific car crash (topically addressing the dangers of mobile use while driving) Strange loses the ability to practice his craft, and descends into a spiral of self-pity and despair. Finding a similar soul, Jonathan Pangborn (Benjamin Bratt, â24: Live Another Dayâ) whoâs undergone a miracle cure, Strange travels to Katmandu in search of similar salvation where he is trained in spiritual control by âThe Ancient Oneâ (Tilda Swinton, âHail Caesarâ, âThe Grand Budapest Hotelâ) ably supported by her assistant Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor, â12 Years a Slaveâ) and librarian Wong (Benedict Wong, âThe Martianâ). So far so âBatman Beginsâ.
As always in these films though there is also a villain, in this case a rogue former pupil turned to the dark side (have we not been here before Anakin?) called Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelssen, âQuantum of Solaceâ). The world risks total destruction from spiritual attack (ââŚthe Avengers handle the physical threatsâŚâ â LOL) and the team stand together to battle Kaeciliusâs attempts to open a portal (âZuuuulâ) and âlet the right one inâ.
Followers of this blog will generally be aware that I am not a great fan of the Marvel and DC universes in general. However, there is a large variation in the style of films dished out by the studios ranging from the pompously full-of-themselves films at the âBatman vs Supermanâ (bottom) end to the more light-hearted (bordering on âKick-Ass-styleâ) films at the âAnt Manâ (top) end. Along this continuum I would judge âDoctor Strangeâ to be about a 7: so it is a lot more fun than I expected it to be.
The film is largely carried by Cumberbatch, effecting a vaguely annoying American accent but generally adding acting credence to some pretty ludicrous material. In particular he milks all the comic lines to maximum effect, leading to some genuinely funny moments: yes, the comedy gold extends past Ejioforâs (very funny) wi-fi password line in the trailer.
Cumberbatch also has the range to convincingly play the fall of the egocentric Strange: his extreme unpleasantness towards his beleaguered on/off girlfriend (the ever-reliable Rachel McAdams (âSherlock Holmesâ)) drew audible gasps of shock from a few of the âCumberbitchesâ in my screening. (As Iâm writing this on November 9th, the day of Trumpagedden, we might have already found a candidate able to play the new President elect!)
In fact, the whole of the first half of the film is a delight: Strangeâs decline; effective Nepalese locations; a highly entertaining âtrainingâ sequence; and Cumberbatch and Swinton sparking off each other beautifully.
Where the film pitches downhill is where it gets too âBIGâ: both in a hugely overblown New York morphing sequence (the â remember â human heroes suffer skyscraper-level falls without injury) and where (traditionally) a cosmic being gets involved and our puny heroes have to defend earth against it. Once again we have a âbig CGI thingâ centre screen with the logic behind the (long-term) defeating of the âbig CGI thingâ little better than that behind the defeat of the âbig CGI thingâ in âBatman vs Supermanâ (but without Gal Gadotâs legs unfortunately to distract the male audience).
Music is by Michael Giacchino, and his suitably bombastic Strange theme is given a very nice reworking over the end titles. By the way, for those who are interested in âMonkeysâ (see glossary) there is a scene a few minutes into the credits featuring Strange and one of the Avengers (fairly pointless) and a second right at the end of the credits featuring Pangborn and Mordo setting up (not very convincingly I must say) the potential villain for Strange 2.
Not Shakespeare, but still an enjoyable and fun night out at the movies and far better than I was expecting.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Watching Edie in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also find my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/watching-edie-by-camilla-way
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<b>TRIGGER WARNING: <spoiler>Rape</spoiler></b>
Firstly IÂd like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the opportunity to read this book in an exchange for a review.
<b><i>"... they do remain a part of us, those people who have hurt us very deeply, or who we have hurt, never letting us go, not entirely."</b></i>
This is the tale of a fractured friendship between two young ladies from broken families. Edie is popular and beautiful, Heather is awkward and shy. To begin with they seem to be the best of friends, but one night, something terrible happens that tears them apart. Fast forward 17 or so years and Edie is alone, working as a waitress and struggling to cope with new motherhood. Luckily, Heather steps out of EdieÂs past and into her present, just at the right time to keep Edie afloat. But, somethingÂs not right, thereÂs a darkness in their past that canÂt be overlooked in the future.
From the get go, I thought this wasnÂt going to be my sort of book, IÂm not really into thrillers where the past and present are skipped between and an intense love story is the main focus. I tend to find them samey and cringey - the love of an 18 year old still haunting lives at the age of 33 just seems to only happen in novels. But, this one intrigued me a little more than the others have done. At 50% I started getting a little more excited at what was going to happen next. In the end, I actually got quite into the book, reading it in 24 hours.
Our two main characters of the novel, Edie and Heather, have really terrible stories attached to them and we can sympathise with them both, but itÂs difficult to pick a side . LetÂs just say that what youÂre thinking throughout the book may be completely turned on its head once the twist has come out.
There were aspects of this book that were very predictable and for a while the only reason I wanted to continue reading was because I wanted to know the full details of what happened that night at the quarry, so it had me more interested than <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1474373840">In a Dark, Dark Wood.</a> But then <b>BAM</b> weÂre smacked with the truth of that awful night and we have to take the book and its characters in a whole new light. The twist in the novel is so far from what I was expecting it to be, itÂs absolutely brutal in comparison to other novels with the same kind of plot.
I ended up really enjoying this after being so skeptical to begin with and I think itÂs an excellent fast paced, twisty-turny read but I know it wonÂt be for everybody, it features too many dark subjects for all psychological thriller lovers to enjoy.
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<b>TRIGGER WARNING: <spoiler>Rape</spoiler></b>
Firstly IÂd like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the opportunity to read this book in an exchange for a review.
<b><i>"... they do remain a part of us, those people who have hurt us very deeply, or who we have hurt, never letting us go, not entirely."</b></i>
This is the tale of a fractured friendship between two young ladies from broken families. Edie is popular and beautiful, Heather is awkward and shy. To begin with they seem to be the best of friends, but one night, something terrible happens that tears them apart. Fast forward 17 or so years and Edie is alone, working as a waitress and struggling to cope with new motherhood. Luckily, Heather steps out of EdieÂs past and into her present, just at the right time to keep Edie afloat. But, somethingÂs not right, thereÂs a darkness in their past that canÂt be overlooked in the future.
From the get go, I thought this wasnÂt going to be my sort of book, IÂm not really into thrillers where the past and present are skipped between and an intense love story is the main focus. I tend to find them samey and cringey - the love of an 18 year old still haunting lives at the age of 33 just seems to only happen in novels. But, this one intrigued me a little more than the others have done. At 50% I started getting a little more excited at what was going to happen next. In the end, I actually got quite into the book, reading it in 24 hours.
Our two main characters of the novel, Edie and Heather, have really terrible stories attached to them and we can sympathise with them both, but itÂs difficult to pick a side . LetÂs just say that what youÂre thinking throughout the book may be completely turned on its head once the twist has come out.
There were aspects of this book that were very predictable and for a while the only reason I wanted to continue reading was because I wanted to know the full details of what happened that night at the quarry, so it had me more interested than <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1474373840">In a Dark, Dark Wood.</a> But then <b>BAM</b> weÂre smacked with the truth of that awful night and we have to take the book and its characters in a whole new light. The twist in the novel is so far from what I was expecting it to be, itÂs absolutely brutal in comparison to other novels with the same kind of plot.
I ended up really enjoying this after being so skeptical to begin with and I think itÂs an excellent fast paced, twisty-turny read but I know it wonÂt be for everybody, it features too many dark subjects for all psychological thriller lovers to enjoy.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Spy Club in Tabletop Games
Aug 12, 2021
You guys have heard of âWhere in the World is Carmen Sandiego?â The globetrotting super-spy who is hard to pin down? Well imagine what she may have been like as a young person. I bet she had her own spy club. And now we have a game to play to emulate what it may have been like in such a club. **This game has nothing to do with Carmen Sandiego.
Spy Club is a cooperative memory and deduction card game utilizing an action point system and sharing of resources. It is set in any neighborhood where kids can gather in groups and snuff out a mystery. The goal is to whittle the clues down to the correct Motive, Suspect, Location, Crime, and Object of the Crime. Are you intrepid youths up to the task?
To setup, place the main board on the table, and the Escape Marker upon it at the bottom of the track. Shuffle the Movement Deck cards separately by backs, remove one from each differently-backed set, and place them in day â sunset â night order in its space. Each player receives a play board according to the number of players and a spyglass in their favorite color to go upon their play board. The Idea markers can be in a rough pile near everything else. The Clue Deck is to be shuffled and placed face-down (or face-up, whichever you prefer; they are double-sided) and each player is dealt a number of Clues equal to the number of spaces on their play boards. Clues will also be dealt to an âIncoming Cluesâ area (an offer row or âmarketâ). DO NOT LOOK AT THE BACKS OF THE CARDS. Like, EVER. Unless you use an action to do so. The Suspecteeple will be placed on the right-most Clue Card of the starting playerâs board. The game of sleuthing may now begin!
A playerâs turn will consist of three main steps with different phases in those steps. Step 1 is Use Actions. Players will be able to use three Actions on their turn. These Actions are: Investigate, Shift Focus, Confirm, and Scout. To Investigate the active player will flip a Clue Card from their collection to its back. They may then continue flipping their cards or stop at any time. To Shift Focus a player will simply move their spyglass to a different Clue and collect Ideas equal to the number of Clues whose aspects match the newly-focused one (two Ideas if moving to a Location and a player has two Location Clues). Skipping Confirm, to Scout simply means purchasing a card from the Incoming Clues area to a playerâs board, with a discard of an existing card already there.
Confirming is where the main action in Spy Club lies. Players will be attempting to Confirm five Clues of matching aspect (Location, Motive, etc) in order to hone in on the correct aspect. To Confirm, a player can submit a Clue from their collection (hand) to the main board. The cost, in Ideas, depends on where the spyglass lies. If the spyglass is directly under the Clue to be submitted the cost is nothing. However, if a player wishes to complete three Confirm actions and they have matching Clues on either side of their spyglass, they would need to spend two Ideas for each Clue resting one space away from the spyglass.
There are also rules for taking âTeamwork Bonus Actions,â but I will let you discover those on your own.
After these Actions are carried out, Step 2 is Refill. Firstly the active playerâs hand will need to be refilled from the Incoming Clues row, and more Incoming Clues come out to fill that row.
Step 3 is Move the Suspect. Drawing from the Movement Deck the active player will match up the Movement cards from the previous round and the current round to find out how many spaces the Suspecteeple will be moving through playersâ cards. Depending upon which aspect Clue the Suspecteeple lands a negative action will be levied against the players. In some ways the Suspect could land on cards that trigger no negative action, but I will leave that for you to discover as well. I am a bit⌠distracted.
Play continues in this fashion of players Using Actions, Refilling the Clue cards, and Moving the Suspect until players win by solving all five aspects of the crime, the Suspect escapes, the players run out of Idea markers, the Suspect escapes due to running out of Movement cards, or there are insufficient Incoming Clues to refill a playerâs hand. So there are four ways to lose and one way to win.
Components. I find the components in Spy Club to be good overall. Nothing really stands out as amazing, either in design or quality. The art is very good, though. One thing I will say about the components as a whole is that once the game is setup and in play it looks fascinating on the table. I love the way it looks and certainly assists with full immersion. Always a plus in my book.
There are so many things I love about this game. And there are so many things I didnât even explain here! Ok Iâll tell you one. Spy Club can be played as a one-shot game night medium-length (60 minutes) game, or can be converted into a campaign game where players will play five connected scenarios using a giant stack of cards that are not in use for the one-shots. That is simply fabulous! I can play one game of this to get people hooked, then reel them in by offering to continue this as a campaign to see what the main story arc is really trying to tell us. Oh man, thatâs just special and I love it!
I feel like I have been playing a lot of really great games lately, and Spy Club is certainly a GREAT game. In fact, I told the rest of the team that this one is a contender for my Top 10 Games of All Time list. It has everything I love in a game: it is difficult (my first game I would have lost had it lasted one more turn) without being too heavy, it is inviting me to play more games (especially with the campaign mode active), I just like looking at it on the table, and creates a stunning amount of tension as we race against the game clock to figure out the crime aspects.
I have had this in my collection for too long without it being played, and I am so sorry that it took me so long to get into it. I will certainly be playing this a LOT more, and introducing as many people to it as I can. I think in the gaming world it is flying under the radar, but I will be one of its champions and suggest it as much as possible. If you like certain aspects (hehe) of Clue, 13 Dead End Drive, Carmen Sandiego, and even Jaipur, then take a look at Spy Club. Purple Phoenix Games gives this a super-sleuth 11 / 12. I actually might go play it right now. Yes, at 11:07pm.
Spy Club is a cooperative memory and deduction card game utilizing an action point system and sharing of resources. It is set in any neighborhood where kids can gather in groups and snuff out a mystery. The goal is to whittle the clues down to the correct Motive, Suspect, Location, Crime, and Object of the Crime. Are you intrepid youths up to the task?
To setup, place the main board on the table, and the Escape Marker upon it at the bottom of the track. Shuffle the Movement Deck cards separately by backs, remove one from each differently-backed set, and place them in day â sunset â night order in its space. Each player receives a play board according to the number of players and a spyglass in their favorite color to go upon their play board. The Idea markers can be in a rough pile near everything else. The Clue Deck is to be shuffled and placed face-down (or face-up, whichever you prefer; they are double-sided) and each player is dealt a number of Clues equal to the number of spaces on their play boards. Clues will also be dealt to an âIncoming Cluesâ area (an offer row or âmarketâ). DO NOT LOOK AT THE BACKS OF THE CARDS. Like, EVER. Unless you use an action to do so. The Suspecteeple will be placed on the right-most Clue Card of the starting playerâs board. The game of sleuthing may now begin!
A playerâs turn will consist of three main steps with different phases in those steps. Step 1 is Use Actions. Players will be able to use three Actions on their turn. These Actions are: Investigate, Shift Focus, Confirm, and Scout. To Investigate the active player will flip a Clue Card from their collection to its back. They may then continue flipping their cards or stop at any time. To Shift Focus a player will simply move their spyglass to a different Clue and collect Ideas equal to the number of Clues whose aspects match the newly-focused one (two Ideas if moving to a Location and a player has two Location Clues). Skipping Confirm, to Scout simply means purchasing a card from the Incoming Clues area to a playerâs board, with a discard of an existing card already there.
Confirming is where the main action in Spy Club lies. Players will be attempting to Confirm five Clues of matching aspect (Location, Motive, etc) in order to hone in on the correct aspect. To Confirm, a player can submit a Clue from their collection (hand) to the main board. The cost, in Ideas, depends on where the spyglass lies. If the spyglass is directly under the Clue to be submitted the cost is nothing. However, if a player wishes to complete three Confirm actions and they have matching Clues on either side of their spyglass, they would need to spend two Ideas for each Clue resting one space away from the spyglass.
There are also rules for taking âTeamwork Bonus Actions,â but I will let you discover those on your own.
After these Actions are carried out, Step 2 is Refill. Firstly the active playerâs hand will need to be refilled from the Incoming Clues row, and more Incoming Clues come out to fill that row.
Step 3 is Move the Suspect. Drawing from the Movement Deck the active player will match up the Movement cards from the previous round and the current round to find out how many spaces the Suspecteeple will be moving through playersâ cards. Depending upon which aspect Clue the Suspecteeple lands a negative action will be levied against the players. In some ways the Suspect could land on cards that trigger no negative action, but I will leave that for you to discover as well. I am a bit⌠distracted.
Play continues in this fashion of players Using Actions, Refilling the Clue cards, and Moving the Suspect until players win by solving all five aspects of the crime, the Suspect escapes, the players run out of Idea markers, the Suspect escapes due to running out of Movement cards, or there are insufficient Incoming Clues to refill a playerâs hand. So there are four ways to lose and one way to win.
Components. I find the components in Spy Club to be good overall. Nothing really stands out as amazing, either in design or quality. The art is very good, though. One thing I will say about the components as a whole is that once the game is setup and in play it looks fascinating on the table. I love the way it looks and certainly assists with full immersion. Always a plus in my book.
There are so many things I love about this game. And there are so many things I didnât even explain here! Ok Iâll tell you one. Spy Club can be played as a one-shot game night medium-length (60 minutes) game, or can be converted into a campaign game where players will play five connected scenarios using a giant stack of cards that are not in use for the one-shots. That is simply fabulous! I can play one game of this to get people hooked, then reel them in by offering to continue this as a campaign to see what the main story arc is really trying to tell us. Oh man, thatâs just special and I love it!
I feel like I have been playing a lot of really great games lately, and Spy Club is certainly a GREAT game. In fact, I told the rest of the team that this one is a contender for my Top 10 Games of All Time list. It has everything I love in a game: it is difficult (my first game I would have lost had it lasted one more turn) without being too heavy, it is inviting me to play more games (especially with the campaign mode active), I just like looking at it on the table, and creates a stunning amount of tension as we race against the game clock to figure out the crime aspects.
I have had this in my collection for too long without it being played, and I am so sorry that it took me so long to get into it. I will certainly be playing this a LOT more, and introducing as many people to it as I can. I think in the gaming world it is flying under the radar, but I will be one of its champions and suggest it as much as possible. If you like certain aspects (hehe) of Clue, 13 Dead End Drive, Carmen Sandiego, and even Jaipur, then take a look at Spy Club. Purple Phoenix Games gives this a super-sleuth 11 / 12. I actually might go play it right now. Yes, at 11:07pm.
Dino Hunter: Deadly Shores
Games and Entertainment
App
Hunt or be hunted! Embark on the hunting expedition of a lifetime in pursuit of the ultimate game in...
Lee (2222 KP) rated Greyhound (2020) in Movies
Sep 2, 2020
Snore...
Based on a C.S. Forester novel The Good Shepherd, and a screenplay by Mr Tom Hanks himself, Greyhound is the latest movie to feature Hanks in the role of brave Captain, returning once more to World War II territory. Any hopes that this might be a return to the grand heights of Saving Private Ryan though are soon laid to rest.
Set in 1942, Hanks plays Captain Ernest Krause, responsible for one of only a handful of warships as they escort and protect an even larger number of merchant vessels making the journey across the Atlantic Ocean with vital supplies for England. They will be entering whatâs known as âthe black pitâ â a stretch of Ocean too far out at sea for any aerial cover to be provided by the countries on either side. For a few days, they will be on their own, and at the mercy of any German U-boats they may encounter.
Greyhound wastes no time in landing us right in the thick of it all, joining the crew as they enter the black pit, and sticking with them while they attempt to make it to relative safety on the other side. Obviously, itâs not long before a number of U-boats target the fleet of vessels and begin trying to pick them off in a tense game of cat and mouse at sea.
There is a LOT of nautical jargon in Greyhound and twenty minutes in, I was already feeling exhausted just trying to follow it all and gain any kind of enjoyment out of the movie. Despite throwing the occasion title up on screen to tell us which vessel weâre looking at out on the gloomy CGI seas, itâs also not always clear which ship is which, or whoâs firing at who either. That attention to detailed dialogue really doesnât let up one bit either, making what is only a 91 minute movie feel so much longer.
By throwing us straight into the action, weâre also given no time to learn or even care about any of the characters. Krause is only given a couple of brief flashback scenes, showing us with his partner two months earlier, played by Elizabeth Shue. Other than knowing this is his first Atlantic crossing, and that he is fully committed to the job in hand, refusing to eat any of the hot meals regularly brought to him by the shipâs cook, weâre provided very little information about our Captain.
The crew are also there just to fire off updates to their Captain and respond to his commands, providing no character development whatsoever for them either and giving us nothing to feel invested in, other than a desire for them all to make it safely to England.
With the focus of the movie entirely on the crew and setting of the Greyhound, we only hear from other characters via radio â calls for support from the other vessels, or psychological jaunts from the Germans on the U-boat. Again, by not giving us the viewpoint of any other side or vessel, it all makes for a very one dimensional and dull ride. Definitely not one of Tom Hanks finest.
Set in 1942, Hanks plays Captain Ernest Krause, responsible for one of only a handful of warships as they escort and protect an even larger number of merchant vessels making the journey across the Atlantic Ocean with vital supplies for England. They will be entering whatâs known as âthe black pitâ â a stretch of Ocean too far out at sea for any aerial cover to be provided by the countries on either side. For a few days, they will be on their own, and at the mercy of any German U-boats they may encounter.
Greyhound wastes no time in landing us right in the thick of it all, joining the crew as they enter the black pit, and sticking with them while they attempt to make it to relative safety on the other side. Obviously, itâs not long before a number of U-boats target the fleet of vessels and begin trying to pick them off in a tense game of cat and mouse at sea.
There is a LOT of nautical jargon in Greyhound and twenty minutes in, I was already feeling exhausted just trying to follow it all and gain any kind of enjoyment out of the movie. Despite throwing the occasion title up on screen to tell us which vessel weâre looking at out on the gloomy CGI seas, itâs also not always clear which ship is which, or whoâs firing at who either. That attention to detailed dialogue really doesnât let up one bit either, making what is only a 91 minute movie feel so much longer.
By throwing us straight into the action, weâre also given no time to learn or even care about any of the characters. Krause is only given a couple of brief flashback scenes, showing us with his partner two months earlier, played by Elizabeth Shue. Other than knowing this is his first Atlantic crossing, and that he is fully committed to the job in hand, refusing to eat any of the hot meals regularly brought to him by the shipâs cook, weâre provided very little information about our Captain.
The crew are also there just to fire off updates to their Captain and respond to his commands, providing no character development whatsoever for them either and giving us nothing to feel invested in, other than a desire for them all to make it safely to England.
With the focus of the movie entirely on the crew and setting of the Greyhound, we only hear from other characters via radio â calls for support from the other vessels, or psychological jaunts from the Germans on the U-boat. Again, by not giving us the viewpoint of any other side or vessel, it all makes for a very one dimensional and dull ride. Definitely not one of Tom Hanks finest.
Zero Chance (The Seven #5)
10.0
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There are perks to being an invisible nobody when youâre a socially deficient introvert. You...
Paranormal Romance
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Limehouse Golem (2016) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
The community of Limehouse in Victorian London have been rocked by a series of murders. They have called the mudered the Golem, as only such a creature could have done these heinous acts.
Elizabeth Cree, the music hall star, has been arrested for the poisoning of her husband John Cree on the same night as the last Golem murder. But when evidence is found by Inspector John Kildare that links John Cree to the murders, he sets about trying to solve both cases so that he might save Elizabeth from hanging for her crime.
Their investigation leads them to an exclusive reading room at the library, and a book on the art of murder. Within its pages are hand written notes chronicling the Golem murders to date. Only four men entered the reading room when the last entry was made; Dan Leno, Karl Marx, George Gissing and John Cree. Can the inspector eliminate the other three men and prove Cree is the Golem in order to save Elizabeth?
I was looking forward to this one. Some top actors were involved, and I love a bit of Victorian era murder. The film itself was good throughout, I can't fault it for the scenery and acting.
But...
Those of you that know me, know that I don't think about films. I'm sure I keep saying this. I watch them to have some fun, to escape reality, so what's the point in picking apart something that's made as a fiction to entertain you?
Even with me suspending my brain function for the duration of the film, I paused and thought... oh, this is what's going to happen... and it did. It felt a bit cliche, like the twist had been overused in every film like this that I'd seen. I don't think it was designed that way though. There was a clear moment in the film where they want you to know what is happening, but the realisation of the ending cam much earlier than this. And it was disappointing. I was enjoying the film a lot until I realised what was coming. Talking to my movie buddy I discovered that I wasn't the only one who had this feeling. It's such a shame, but the twist felt so obvious to me that I was suddenly very disappointed.
I have taken to looking at Rotten Tomatoes after seeing a film, and this one is currently sitting at 77% with critics and 61% with the audience. I'd say that's about right. I've left the major spoiler out of here, but if you're familiar with this sort of story then I don't think you'd be hard pressed to work it out. It is an excellent film in it's genre, but it was let down, for me, by the obvious direction it went in.
Elizabeth Cree, the music hall star, has been arrested for the poisoning of her husband John Cree on the same night as the last Golem murder. But when evidence is found by Inspector John Kildare that links John Cree to the murders, he sets about trying to solve both cases so that he might save Elizabeth from hanging for her crime.
Their investigation leads them to an exclusive reading room at the library, and a book on the art of murder. Within its pages are hand written notes chronicling the Golem murders to date. Only four men entered the reading room when the last entry was made; Dan Leno, Karl Marx, George Gissing and John Cree. Can the inspector eliminate the other three men and prove Cree is the Golem in order to save Elizabeth?
I was looking forward to this one. Some top actors were involved, and I love a bit of Victorian era murder. The film itself was good throughout, I can't fault it for the scenery and acting.
But...
Those of you that know me, know that I don't think about films. I'm sure I keep saying this. I watch them to have some fun, to escape reality, so what's the point in picking apart something that's made as a fiction to entertain you?
Even with me suspending my brain function for the duration of the film, I paused and thought... oh, this is what's going to happen... and it did. It felt a bit cliche, like the twist had been overused in every film like this that I'd seen. I don't think it was designed that way though. There was a clear moment in the film where they want you to know what is happening, but the realisation of the ending cam much earlier than this. And it was disappointing. I was enjoying the film a lot until I realised what was coming. Talking to my movie buddy I discovered that I wasn't the only one who had this feeling. It's such a shame, but the twist felt so obvious to me that I was suddenly very disappointed.
I have taken to looking at Rotten Tomatoes after seeing a film, and this one is currently sitting at 77% with critics and 61% with the audience. I'd say that's about right. I've left the major spoiler out of here, but if you're familiar with this sort of story then I don't think you'd be hard pressed to work it out. It is an excellent film in it's genre, but it was let down, for me, by the obvious direction it went in.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Creed II (2018) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Fighting fit
#creed2 ups the stakes & hits the viewer hard right in the #feels. I was so pumped for this as the first is probably one of my favourite #boxing movies & yet while the second isnt quite as good it still manages to pack an extremely impressive #punch. The thing about #Creed 2 that was instantly noticeable right from its powerful opening is just how god damn good it is at creating relatable/believable #emotion. This is done by creating such a strong believable bond between all of the main characters be it by #love/ passion or rivalry ensuring we care about everyone & really feel the struggles/#pain they experience (which almost lead to me tearing up at times). I also loved how they showed more from the #Drago perspective this time & how he he maybe an unstoppable force in the ring but in real life he's bullied & pushed around like a nobody, this was so refreshing to see & left me rooting for him just as much as Creed in the final #fight. Drago is a man clearly fuelled by #hate & anger kept under control by discipline & respect for his #father yet Creeds motivations are more cloudy, muddled & reckless fuelled more by #revenge & anger than focus/control & I found this to be by far the most interesting/intricate part of the movie. More of a drama than a #brawling film Creed 2 deals with incredibly depressing, realistic & tuff themes of overcoming mental torture, loss, revenge, neglect, conditioning, humiliation, passion, loyalty & at times I found it extremely heavy going with all of the cast delivering some strong & memorable performances adding to the realism. Sound design was also punchy giving tremendous weight to the fights & the soundtrack is a perfect balance between epic & sombre. Camera work is graceful & never hides any of the action & there's some #beautiful imagery that combine with clever set design make for some brilliantly deep symbolism. Only let down by its predictable & cliched second half/some cheesy scenes every now & then Creed 2 is a must watch, its #inspiring, uplifting yet hard hitting & at times emotionally draining. A second round thats well worth a shot. #limitless #sylvesterstallone #fighting #fightnight #rocky #michaelbjordan #rockybalboa
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
The Arthurian legend: but with Cockneys.
So, bit difficult to describe this one⌠so I asked my bloke Alfie from Londinium to explain whatâs it all aboutâŚ
ââEre, OK bruv. So this is dun by that geezer Guy Ritchie â yer know, the one that dun that Sherlock Holmes with the Iron Man geezer Robert Junior Downey, that one. His new film is a rip-roarinâ acshun movie what retells da Arfurian legend in a novel new way.
That Hulk bloke Eric Bana is Arfurâs farfer anâ âeâs âavinâ a few problems wiv âis bruvver Vortigern (Jude Law, whoâs a biâ ov a cockney âimself, but âere speaks like a posh bloke. Know what I mean?) So âe (Vortigern dat is) gets some magical âelp from some slippery watery bints in a puddle and so âis dad puts âis God Forbid in a boat anâ sends âim down da river ter The Smoke ter live wiv some prozzies.
But âe grows up big anâ strong anâ âandy wiv a sword. His friends tell âim ter get aaaht ov town as da Kingâs blokes are lookinâ fer da young geezer who would be king. Anâ e says like âScapa Flow sowf ov da river at dis time ov night. Are yew mad?â. So e gets caught like anâ gets tested by some famous football bloke ter pull a big sword aaaht ov just a random biâ ov stone (nod, nod, wink wink, nice twist â ssshhh!).
The Vortigern bloke is very cross anâ tries to kill âim but âe gets rescued by some bird who can make birds, lol, anâ other fings do what she wants. So can Arfur beat âis uncle? Gawdon Bennet, Iâm not gonâa tell yew da whole darn fing! Yerâll âave ter go anâ watch iâ ter find out.â
Thanks Alfie. Couldnât have said it better myself!
The quirky style of Guy Ritchie isnât one that you would think would translate well to the Arthurian setting, and as the film starts you tend to think you were right! But if you give it a chance it wears you down into acceptance and then â ultimately â a lot of enjoyment.
Jude Law is deliciously evil mixed with a heavy dose of mad, and delivers the goods.
Charlie Hunnam who plays Arthur (no, I hadnât heard of him either but he was in the âLost City of Zâ) does a decent job as the medieval hunk, although he seems at time to have taken voice coaching in âOlde-Englishâ from Russell Crowe, since the ladâs Geordie accent seems to wander from Cockney through central southern England to Liverpudlian at one point (definitely channelling a young John Lennon)! Relative newcomer, the Spanish actress Astrid Bergès-Frisbey is effectively weird as the mage.
Particularly noteworthy (no pun intended) is the superb action soundtrack by Daniel Pemberton (âSteve Jobsâ, âThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.â) which propels the action really well and contains some standout moments.
Also a standout in the technical categories is the editing by James Herbert, who did both of Downey Juniorâs âSherlock Holmesâ films (in a similar style) and also âEdge of Tomorrowâ. The style is typified with Arthurâs growth to manhood in the streets of London which is stylishly done.
I saw the film in 3D â not a particularly favourite format â but quite well done, although falls into the âtrying too hardâ category at times with lots of drifting embers⌠you know the sort.
Itâs not bloody Shakespeare. Itâs not even the bloody Arthurian legend as you know it. But it is bloody good fun if you let it in.
ââEre, OK bruv. So this is dun by that geezer Guy Ritchie â yer know, the one that dun that Sherlock Holmes with the Iron Man geezer Robert Junior Downey, that one. His new film is a rip-roarinâ acshun movie what retells da Arfurian legend in a novel new way.
That Hulk bloke Eric Bana is Arfurâs farfer anâ âeâs âavinâ a few problems wiv âis bruvver Vortigern (Jude Law, whoâs a biâ ov a cockney âimself, but âere speaks like a posh bloke. Know what I mean?) So âe (Vortigern dat is) gets some magical âelp from some slippery watery bints in a puddle and so âis dad puts âis God Forbid in a boat anâ sends âim down da river ter The Smoke ter live wiv some prozzies.
But âe grows up big anâ strong anâ âandy wiv a sword. His friends tell âim ter get aaaht ov town as da Kingâs blokes are lookinâ fer da young geezer who would be king. Anâ e says like âScapa Flow sowf ov da river at dis time ov night. Are yew mad?â. So e gets caught like anâ gets tested by some famous football bloke ter pull a big sword aaaht ov just a random biâ ov stone (nod, nod, wink wink, nice twist â ssshhh!).
The Vortigern bloke is very cross anâ tries to kill âim but âe gets rescued by some bird who can make birds, lol, anâ other fings do what she wants. So can Arfur beat âis uncle? Gawdon Bennet, Iâm not gonâa tell yew da whole darn fing! Yerâll âave ter go anâ watch iâ ter find out.â
Thanks Alfie. Couldnât have said it better myself!
The quirky style of Guy Ritchie isnât one that you would think would translate well to the Arthurian setting, and as the film starts you tend to think you were right! But if you give it a chance it wears you down into acceptance and then â ultimately â a lot of enjoyment.
Jude Law is deliciously evil mixed with a heavy dose of mad, and delivers the goods.
Charlie Hunnam who plays Arthur (no, I hadnât heard of him either but he was in the âLost City of Zâ) does a decent job as the medieval hunk, although he seems at time to have taken voice coaching in âOlde-Englishâ from Russell Crowe, since the ladâs Geordie accent seems to wander from Cockney through central southern England to Liverpudlian at one point (definitely channelling a young John Lennon)! Relative newcomer, the Spanish actress Astrid Bergès-Frisbey is effectively weird as the mage.
Particularly noteworthy (no pun intended) is the superb action soundtrack by Daniel Pemberton (âSteve Jobsâ, âThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.â) which propels the action really well and contains some standout moments.
Also a standout in the technical categories is the editing by James Herbert, who did both of Downey Juniorâs âSherlock Holmesâ films (in a similar style) and also âEdge of Tomorrowâ. The style is typified with Arthurâs growth to manhood in the streets of London which is stylishly done.
I saw the film in 3D â not a particularly favourite format â but quite well done, although falls into the âtrying too hardâ category at times with lots of drifting embers⌠you know the sort.
Itâs not bloody Shakespeare. Itâs not even the bloody Arthurian legend as you know it. But it is bloody good fun if you let it in.