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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Old Guard (2020) in Movies
Jul 22, 2020
Theron makes this film watchable
In this time, where new cinematic experiences are limited to home viewing, it is fun to take a break from watching (or re-watching) classic films to check out a new movie.
And this one, THE OLD GUARD, is a fun enough and well worth checking out.
Starring Charlize Theron and based on a limited-run comics series from 2017, THE OLD GUARD tells the tale of a group if immortals (beings who cannot die) who bond together to serve the greater good of humanity.
While the plot is rather "by-the-book": young, hip, ego-maniacal mega-industrialist uses nefarious methods to capture the immortals to use for his own (money making) purposes, the star power of Theron holds this piece together in interesting ways.
Make no mistake - this is Theron's film (as the oldest of the immortals) and she is terrific. She demands attention anytime she is on the screen and when she shares the scene with strong actors like Chewitel Ejiofor(12 YEARS A SLAVE) and young Kiki Lane (IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK), it makes for an interesting film, indeed. Unfortunately, the rest of the Immortals (Luca Marinelli, Marwan Kenzari and - especially - Matthias Schoenaerts) are rather bland and the "big bad" (played by Dudley Dursley himself, Harry Melling) and his generic henchmen just aren't interesting enough.
The Direction, by Gina-Prince Bythewood, and the fight choreography is professional, but nothing special, which adds to the "meh" I was feeling whenever Theron was not on the screen.
But there is enough going right in this film that in this day where there is a dearth of new entertainment available, THE OLD GUARD fills the void quite well.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
And this one, THE OLD GUARD, is a fun enough and well worth checking out.
Starring Charlize Theron and based on a limited-run comics series from 2017, THE OLD GUARD tells the tale of a group if immortals (beings who cannot die) who bond together to serve the greater good of humanity.
While the plot is rather "by-the-book": young, hip, ego-maniacal mega-industrialist uses nefarious methods to capture the immortals to use for his own (money making) purposes, the star power of Theron holds this piece together in interesting ways.
Make no mistake - this is Theron's film (as the oldest of the immortals) and she is terrific. She demands attention anytime she is on the screen and when she shares the scene with strong actors like Chewitel Ejiofor(12 YEARS A SLAVE) and young Kiki Lane (IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK), it makes for an interesting film, indeed. Unfortunately, the rest of the Immortals (Luca Marinelli, Marwan Kenzari and - especially - Matthias Schoenaerts) are rather bland and the "big bad" (played by Dudley Dursley himself, Harry Melling) and his generic henchmen just aren't interesting enough.
The Direction, by Gina-Prince Bythewood, and the fight choreography is professional, but nothing special, which adds to the "meh" I was feeling whenever Theron was not on the screen.
But there is enough going right in this film that in this day where there is a dearth of new entertainment available, THE OLD GUARD fills the void quite well.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Friends: The Reunion (2021) in Movies
Jun 19, 2021
I'm not the biggest fan of Friends to walk the earth, but I watched it enough growing up in the 90s for it to mean something to me in some capacity. This reunion is a mixed bag - on the one hand, it has a whole load of legitimately touching moments. I genuinely think the main cast enjoyed being in each others company again, and it does a good job at diving behind the scenes in its 100 minute runtime.
However, it doesn't go far enough. It threatens to really get into the nitty gritty on several occasions, but pulls back. It feels cut up to the point where I think that, considering just how beloved Friends is, the reunion would have been better suited to a limited series, where it could have been the ultimate celebration with all the main players involved.
If nothing more, The Reunion is a fun throwback to arguably the most popular comedy show to ever air, and is undoubtedly a nostalgic treat for fans of Friends, and they're the people who this is for. Matt Le Blanc is a treasure.
However, it doesn't go far enough. It threatens to really get into the nitty gritty on several occasions, but pulls back. It feels cut up to the point where I think that, considering just how beloved Friends is, the reunion would have been better suited to a limited series, where it could have been the ultimate celebration with all the main players involved.
If nothing more, The Reunion is a fun throwback to arguably the most popular comedy show to ever air, and is undoubtedly a nostalgic treat for fans of Friends, and they're the people who this is for. Matt Le Blanc is a treasure.
MelanieTheresa (997 KP) rated Daisy Jones & the Six in Books
Apr 4, 2019
I adored this book.
It's so completely different from anything I've recently read. I do love my psychological thrillers, but sometimes it's nice to jump into a totally different world. Daisy Jones & The Six perfectly fits the bill.
There's been so much hype surrounding this book that I'm sure you know the premise by now: set in the mid-sixties through late seventies, Daisy Jones & The Six is about the rise and eventual fall of a fictional rock band. It reads like a Rolling Stone interview, or an episode of Behind the Music, which is an interesting and effective approach to the subject matter. I was immediately immersed in the story, but this also means I flew through it so quickly that I was sad when it was over. It drew me in so completely that I actually forgot this was not a real band.
Sex? ✔ Drugs? ✔ Rock 'n' Roll? ✔
Daisy Jones & The Six has all this and more. I've heard that it bears more than a passing resemblance to Fleetwood Mac's history, which makes sense as the author herself states that she was very much influenced by Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks (a living goddess if there ever was one). Every character is flawed, because, life. The descriptions of the songs, the music, are so complete, I could almost hear them in my head.
Last summer, Amazon ordered a 13-episode limited series of the book. The series will be co-produced by Amazon Studios and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine banner. ALSO: Amazon will be distributing original music from the television adaptation exclusively through Amazon Music. ?
And I.Can't.Wait.
?
It's so completely different from anything I've recently read. I do love my psychological thrillers, but sometimes it's nice to jump into a totally different world. Daisy Jones & The Six perfectly fits the bill.
There's been so much hype surrounding this book that I'm sure you know the premise by now: set in the mid-sixties through late seventies, Daisy Jones & The Six is about the rise and eventual fall of a fictional rock band. It reads like a Rolling Stone interview, or an episode of Behind the Music, which is an interesting and effective approach to the subject matter. I was immediately immersed in the story, but this also means I flew through it so quickly that I was sad when it was over. It drew me in so completely that I actually forgot this was not a real band.
Sex? ✔ Drugs? ✔ Rock 'n' Roll? ✔
Daisy Jones & The Six has all this and more. I've heard that it bears more than a passing resemblance to Fleetwood Mac's history, which makes sense as the author herself states that she was very much influenced by Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks (a living goddess if there ever was one). Every character is flawed, because, life. The descriptions of the songs, the music, are so complete, I could almost hear them in my head.
Last summer, Amazon ordered a 13-episode limited series of the book. The series will be co-produced by Amazon Studios and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine banner. ALSO: Amazon will be distributing original music from the television adaptation exclusively through Amazon Music. ?
And I.Can't.Wait.
?
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Big Little Lies in TV
Dec 16, 2018
The best thing about good programming is good writing!
I just finished binge watching all 7 episodes of this fantastic HBO limited series featuring a mostly female cast (I'm sure everyone knows of this by now).
The story centers around three women, all raising children trying to lead "normal" lives, but have hidden scars and emotional baggage in their relationships they are trying to work through. Tensions continue to escalate through a series of confrontations and slow burn emotional scenes, but the payoff is ultimately worth it. I am much more a fan of vague endings than most people, so I would say I thought they could have left out the final scene and left us to wonder what happened, but I'm sure I'm in the minority on that.
The acting is certainly stellar all around; however, the real royalty here is the screenplay. too often great writing gets overlooked since it's not the flashiest of production values, but this one should not be ignored. It shows that everyone you encounter in life is a human being with strengths and weaknesses. You have to take the good with the bad sometimes, or make the tough choices to save your situation and make a better life for yourself.
After finishing I read they are doing a second season. Not sure how I feel about that. It would be all right maybe if it was a completely separate story, but this is going to be a continuation. They are adding Meryl Streep so I guess that's a good start.
I will have to wait and see!
The story centers around three women, all raising children trying to lead "normal" lives, but have hidden scars and emotional baggage in their relationships they are trying to work through. Tensions continue to escalate through a series of confrontations and slow burn emotional scenes, but the payoff is ultimately worth it. I am much more a fan of vague endings than most people, so I would say I thought they could have left out the final scene and left us to wonder what happened, but I'm sure I'm in the minority on that.
The acting is certainly stellar all around; however, the real royalty here is the screenplay. too often great writing gets overlooked since it's not the flashiest of production values, but this one should not be ignored. It shows that everyone you encounter in life is a human being with strengths and weaknesses. You have to take the good with the bad sometimes, or make the tough choices to save your situation and make a better life for yourself.
After finishing I read they are doing a second season. Not sure how I feel about that. It would be all right maybe if it was a completely separate story, but this is going to be a continuation. They are adding Meryl Streep so I guess that's a good start.
I will have to wait and see!
Marylegs (44 KP) rated The Walking Dead: v. 1: Days Gone Bye in Books
Aug 14, 2019
So I have finally got started on reading these graphic novels. I have been an avid fan of the TV remake and am fully aware that the series and graphic novels do not run exactly scene for scene. Some characters have had longer roles or shorter roles, other characters added or omitted. That is not what I am concerning myself with whilst reading this novel.
What I am concerned with is how the book felt as I read it. I thought the frames were well drawn, if you take the time to look over each picture you really feel the emotions of each of the characters. At no point does it feel lacking from the sole use of greyscale, colour is unnecessary in this story. Considering there is limited writing used, the conversations between characters have been orchestrated to portray all the information and emotions needed.
It always takes me a few pages to get into a graphic novel, the switch to reading pictures and not written descriptions takes some getting used to, but this story is so gripping that it isn’t hard to get lost in it. Nothing is too gruesome or overdone (not that I mind gruesome) but some people may be put off as it is a tale set in a zombie ridden world, but actually this is a story about the effect on the people left standing. How they cope in this new harsh existence, and how they decide to make a new future for themselves. This is a great start to a series and I will be carrying on gladly and with a great deal of enthusiasm.
What I am concerned with is how the book felt as I read it. I thought the frames were well drawn, if you take the time to look over each picture you really feel the emotions of each of the characters. At no point does it feel lacking from the sole use of greyscale, colour is unnecessary in this story. Considering there is limited writing used, the conversations between characters have been orchestrated to portray all the information and emotions needed.
It always takes me a few pages to get into a graphic novel, the switch to reading pictures and not written descriptions takes some getting used to, but this story is so gripping that it isn’t hard to get lost in it. Nothing is too gruesome or overdone (not that I mind gruesome) but some people may be put off as it is a tale set in a zombie ridden world, but actually this is a story about the effect on the people left standing. How they cope in this new harsh existence, and how they decide to make a new future for themselves. This is a great start to a series and I will be carrying on gladly and with a great deal of enthusiasm.
David McK (3236 KP) rated Obi-Wan Kenobi in TV
Jun 24, 2022
"Hello there"
For many viewers at the time, Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi was the highlight of the prequel trilogy.
Back before the dark days. Back before the Mouse House.
(sorry, couldn't resist).
The last of those movies - Revenge of the Sith - was released way back in 2005, with McGregor distancing himself from the role for a good decade and a half or so afterwards due to the flack he received. Time, however, has been kind to the prequel trilogy (well, that and the dumpster-fire that was the sequel trilogy, with The Last Jedi in particular being hugely divisive (I don't particularly rate it myself)), with McGregor agreeing to reprise the role in this limited-series on Disney+.
A series which, I've heard, has had the highest viewing figures of any yet-released on that platform (although I've no idea if that claim is accurate or not).
But the big question is, of course, was it worth the wait?
Absolutely yes - this blows The Book of Boba-Fett out of the water completely; even managing to over-shadow The Mandalorian. Which is impressive when you consider that most of the main characters - Obi-Wan, Vader, Luke, Owen and Beru - all benefit from having plot armour; all appearing in the original trilogy ...
Yes, it's not perfect - Moses Ingram Reva, in particular annoys at first - and may be a bit slow in the first episode or two, but the finale plays off beautifully, tying in perfectly with A New Hope and even adding another layer to Obi-Wan's claim that "From a certain point of view ..."
Back before the dark days. Back before the Mouse House.
(sorry, couldn't resist).
The last of those movies - Revenge of the Sith - was released way back in 2005, with McGregor distancing himself from the role for a good decade and a half or so afterwards due to the flack he received. Time, however, has been kind to the prequel trilogy (well, that and the dumpster-fire that was the sequel trilogy, with The Last Jedi in particular being hugely divisive (I don't particularly rate it myself)), with McGregor agreeing to reprise the role in this limited-series on Disney+.
A series which, I've heard, has had the highest viewing figures of any yet-released on that platform (although I've no idea if that claim is accurate or not).
But the big question is, of course, was it worth the wait?
Absolutely yes - this blows The Book of Boba-Fett out of the water completely; even managing to over-shadow The Mandalorian. Which is impressive when you consider that most of the main characters - Obi-Wan, Vader, Luke, Owen and Beru - all benefit from having plot armour; all appearing in the original trilogy ...
Yes, it's not perfect - Moses Ingram Reva, in particular annoys at first - and may be a bit slow in the first episode or two, but the finale plays off beautifully, tying in perfectly with A New Hope and even adding another layer to Obi-Wan's claim that "From a certain point of view ..."
Merissa (11800 KP) rated Thawed Fortunes (Guadel Chronicles #2) in Books
Apr 7, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
This is the second book in a fantastic Fantasy series that is getting better and better. I gave Frozen Prospects 4 out of 5 stars but Thawed Fortunes is definitely worth a 5!
The story continues where it left off and Va'del is still trying to find his niche. He has Javin, Mar'li and On'li in his corner but their hands are being increasingly tied by political manoeuvrings. Jain is still with him and their relationship is becoming stronger as they both accept each other, flaws and all. They think that their time may be limited though as both are aware that the council will have the ultimate say in whether they can be married or not. If Va'del doesn't become a Candidate then it isn't even an option.
There is a lot more political wrangling and power plays in this book and unfortunately, Va'del is always smack in the middle of it. The politicians are playing with his life, hopes and dreams and he doesn't know how much more he can take.
This book is action-packed, both physically and mentally. Va'del as a character is a delight to read as he is very complex and you never know how he will react to a given situation. Jain is solid and stronger than she thinks. I really hope that these two are able to marry at some point!
A brilliant book that takes the series to the next level. Can't wait for the next one.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 11, 2016
The story continues where it left off and Va'del is still trying to find his niche. He has Javin, Mar'li and On'li in his corner but their hands are being increasingly tied by political manoeuvrings. Jain is still with him and their relationship is becoming stronger as they both accept each other, flaws and all. They think that their time may be limited though as both are aware that the council will have the ultimate say in whether they can be married or not. If Va'del doesn't become a Candidate then it isn't even an option.
There is a lot more political wrangling and power plays in this book and unfortunately, Va'del is always smack in the middle of it. The politicians are playing with his life, hopes and dreams and he doesn't know how much more he can take.
This book is action-packed, both physically and mentally. Va'del as a character is a delight to read as he is very complex and you never know how he will react to a given situation. Jain is solid and stronger than she thinks. I really hope that these two are able to marry at some point!
A brilliant book that takes the series to the next level. Can't wait for the next one.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 11, 2016
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Aug 20, 2022
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Beyond Broadhall in Books
Aug 24, 2020
A fitting sequel
I was that excited to read this book that I’ve read and finished it across the space of 2 evenings, and that was purely because I made myself put it down on the first evening!
Like the first book, i struggled to put this down. It’s full of humour and heartwarming relationships, whilst Craig Pelling again tries to repair his damaged and broken life. I actually nearly shed a tear or two on more than one occasion. After the ending of the first book there’s really only a limited number of ways this sequel can pan out and this is the only real negative - unlike the first book which shocked me with how it ended, Beyond Broadhall is a tad predictable. That said, it’s the journey that matters in this book. Not everything pans out the way you’d expect and the entertainment stems from the investment you have in Craig. He really is a lovable and endearing character. I will admit that the ending of this book is making a tad cheesy and overly sweet and schmaltzy, but it’s nice to read how it turns out for Craig in the end. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed reading a book series as much as this one!
Like the first book, i struggled to put this down. It’s full of humour and heartwarming relationships, whilst Craig Pelling again tries to repair his damaged and broken life. I actually nearly shed a tear or two on more than one occasion. After the ending of the first book there’s really only a limited number of ways this sequel can pan out and this is the only real negative - unlike the first book which shocked me with how it ended, Beyond Broadhall is a tad predictable. That said, it’s the journey that matters in this book. Not everything pans out the way you’d expect and the entertainment stems from the investment you have in Craig. He really is a lovable and endearing character. I will admit that the ending of this book is making a tad cheesy and overly sweet and schmaltzy, but it’s nice to read how it turns out for Craig in the end. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed reading a book series as much as this one!
David McK (3236 KP) rated Moon Knight in TV
May 8, 2022
If you'd asked me ion the 90s to name a Marvel superhero, I'd probably been able to name you Spiderman. Maybe Captain America.
In the 00's? Expand that to include Daredevil before the MCU came into being, then (once it did) the likes of Iron Man, Thor, The Incredible Hulk (may have been able to name him in the 90s due to the 70s TV show).
2010s? Even further to include Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, The Guardians of the Galaxy.
Basically, as MCU films with those characters were released.
At no pint prior to late 2021, however, would I have been able to name 'Moon Knight'.
That changed with the release of this 'limited series' on Disney+ in 2022, with Oscar Isaacs taking the lead role of a character suffering from Dissociative identity disorder (DID) - a mental disorder where a patient has two or more personalities - who also becomes a superhero after making a deal with an Egyptian god.
And he's actually very good at portraying which identity is in control at any one time, all down to mannerisms, accents and body language.
Unusually for an MCU project, there's no end credit stings until the very last episode (where it is worth staying for that sting).
In the 00's? Expand that to include Daredevil before the MCU came into being, then (once it did) the likes of Iron Man, Thor, The Incredible Hulk (may have been able to name him in the 90s due to the 70s TV show).
2010s? Even further to include Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, The Guardians of the Galaxy.
Basically, as MCU films with those characters were released.
At no pint prior to late 2021, however, would I have been able to name 'Moon Knight'.
That changed with the release of this 'limited series' on Disney+ in 2022, with Oscar Isaacs taking the lead role of a character suffering from Dissociative identity disorder (DID) - a mental disorder where a patient has two or more personalities - who also becomes a superhero after making a deal with an Egyptian god.
And he's actually very good at portraying which identity is in control at any one time, all down to mannerisms, accents and body language.
Unusually for an MCU project, there's no end credit stings until the very last episode (where it is worth staying for that sting).