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Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Curiously Terrible
Disney is set for a bumper year of takings. 2016 is dominated by the House of Mouse in all of their guises, whether Marvel, Pixar or Disney itself. We’ve already had the fantastic live-action remake of The Jungle Book and now Alice returns to Wonderland in Through the Looking Glass.
Tim Burton took us to the murky depths of “Underland” in the 2010 predecessor; a film that was hugely overrated with a box-office return of $1billion. Naturally a sequel was greenlit soon after, but is Through the Looking Glass another case of style over substance?
Yes is the short answer. Muppets director James Bobin takes over from Burton and recreates his vision of Wonderland with visual panache, but the story is so poor, and lacking in any real connection to Lewis Carroll’s charming 1871 novel that you’ll leave the cinema sorely disappointed.
We join the film three years after the events of its predecessor as Alice, played by an unappealing Mia Wasikowska, returns from a voyage on the high seas to her home in London. After a brief catch up, she returns to a far more colourful “Underland” where Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter yearns for his family.
In order to reunite the Hatter with his estranged loved ones, Alice must turn back the hands of time to find out their fate. Story wise, that’s pretty much it as we follow Wasikowska’s Alice from one poorly executed set piece to another with no real consequence on the final result.
Even more frustrating is the complete wastage of Through the Looking Glass’ talented cast. The majority of the series’ stars return with Anne Hathaway and Stephen Fry being underused as the White Queen and Cheshire Cat respectively. Sacha Baron Cohen plays another one of his caricatures in the vaguely written villain, Time – I say vaguely written because his motives for stopping Alice in her quest are unclear to say the least.
Helena Bonham Carter and her massive head also make a comeback as does Matt Lucas’ hideous incarnation of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
However, the worst part is the use of Alan Rickman’s passing as ticket bait. Rickman’s iconic voice was a highlight in Alice in Wonderland, with him taking a central role as narrator in the trailers for this sequel. My worst fear was confirmed however – his character is only in the finished product for five minutes.
Elsewhere, the special effects are decent and Bobin brings a brighter colour palette to the table than Burton did with his bleak, murky wasteland. Scriptwriter Linda Woolverton injects a dash of humour here and there but it’s not enough to save a bland and indifferent script that plods along despite the film’s succinct length.
Through the Looking Glass should have been a recipe for success. A promising director, huge budget, amazing source material and a talented cast all bode well for any film which makes the finished product even more appalling. Good special effects can sometimes successfully mask a wafer-thin story but creating such a poor plot out of Lewis Carroll’s novel is unforgivable.
Please don’t return us to “Underland” any time soon, I haven’t got the stomach for it, and Disney, if you’re listening, don’t let The BFG end up like this.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/06/04/curiously-terrible-through-the-looking-glass-review/
Tim Burton took us to the murky depths of “Underland” in the 2010 predecessor; a film that was hugely overrated with a box-office return of $1billion. Naturally a sequel was greenlit soon after, but is Through the Looking Glass another case of style over substance?
Yes is the short answer. Muppets director James Bobin takes over from Burton and recreates his vision of Wonderland with visual panache, but the story is so poor, and lacking in any real connection to Lewis Carroll’s charming 1871 novel that you’ll leave the cinema sorely disappointed.
We join the film three years after the events of its predecessor as Alice, played by an unappealing Mia Wasikowska, returns from a voyage on the high seas to her home in London. After a brief catch up, she returns to a far more colourful “Underland” where Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter yearns for his family.
In order to reunite the Hatter with his estranged loved ones, Alice must turn back the hands of time to find out their fate. Story wise, that’s pretty much it as we follow Wasikowska’s Alice from one poorly executed set piece to another with no real consequence on the final result.
Even more frustrating is the complete wastage of Through the Looking Glass’ talented cast. The majority of the series’ stars return with Anne Hathaway and Stephen Fry being underused as the White Queen and Cheshire Cat respectively. Sacha Baron Cohen plays another one of his caricatures in the vaguely written villain, Time – I say vaguely written because his motives for stopping Alice in her quest are unclear to say the least.
Helena Bonham Carter and her massive head also make a comeback as does Matt Lucas’ hideous incarnation of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
However, the worst part is the use of Alan Rickman’s passing as ticket bait. Rickman’s iconic voice was a highlight in Alice in Wonderland, with him taking a central role as narrator in the trailers for this sequel. My worst fear was confirmed however – his character is only in the finished product for five minutes.
Elsewhere, the special effects are decent and Bobin brings a brighter colour palette to the table than Burton did with his bleak, murky wasteland. Scriptwriter Linda Woolverton injects a dash of humour here and there but it’s not enough to save a bland and indifferent script that plods along despite the film’s succinct length.
Through the Looking Glass should have been a recipe for success. A promising director, huge budget, amazing source material and a talented cast all bode well for any film which makes the finished product even more appalling. Good special effects can sometimes successfully mask a wafer-thin story but creating such a poor plot out of Lewis Carroll’s novel is unforgivable.
Please don’t return us to “Underland” any time soon, I haven’t got the stomach for it, and Disney, if you’re listening, don’t let The BFG end up like this.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/06/04/curiously-terrible-through-the-looking-glass-review/
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Brotherhood of Olympus and the Deadliest Game (Book 1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog at <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I really, really thought the synopsis of The Brotherhood of Olympus and the Deadliest Game by Guy T. Simpson Jr. sounded very interesting. This was a book that I knew I would have to read. Luckily, I was able to read it, and it was very interesting!
The Fraiser boys lose their favourite uncle in car crash on Friday the thirteenth. After the accident, weird things start happening so the boys consult a spirit board. Is the spirit board helping the boys or is it actually evil? Also, Drake learns through a dream that he is destined to be a king and a leader. Will Drake live long enough to see that day?
I think the author picked a fantastic title for his book!! A lot of people consider a spirit board a game, so I believe this is where the deadliest game bit comes in.
I'm not overly keen on the cover of this book. I mean, it fits the book as it's a photo of the Fraiser boys wither their uncle Wally, but it's just too plain for my liking. However, this could just be a personal thing since I'm a harsh judge of covers.
The world building was done fantastically well!! The setting (1978-1979) was quite believable. I wasn't around at that time, but although there's not really many references about it being the late 70's besides the chapter telling you. I could imagine myself being part of this whole story!
The pacing was really good. Each chapter was full of action and suspense, and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. The chapters flow into each other, and not once did I find myself bored whilst reading this story.
For a middle grade read, I'd say that there were some words that might be hard for younger kids to understand, and to be honest, there were some big words I didn't understand. Context clues are important sometimes to figure out what words mean in the story. I did feel that the two younger brothers spoke as if they were much older than eight and ten. There is mild swearing so it's not bad at all when it comes to bad language.
All the characters were well formed and each had their own unique personality which definitely shown through during the story. Martin is the oldest boy, and it's obvious by how much he looks after his younger brothers. Mark is the second oldest, followed by Drake who is the brainy one in the family. Dennis is ten and Albert is 8. As I said in the previous paragraph, the two youngest boys came across as being older then they actually were especially Dennis. However, besides that, they were all believable characters, and I'm sure we all have at least one friend who has one of the boys' personality.
I did feel that the last chapter in the book was a bit repetitive of what the story already told us. I didn't really learn anything I didn't know from the last chapter besides a mention of Wally. However, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it is very well-written. Oh, and I must say that I really enjoyed enjoy individual drawing at the beginning of each chapter!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 12+.
(I was provided a free ebook copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
I really, really thought the synopsis of The Brotherhood of Olympus and the Deadliest Game by Guy T. Simpson Jr. sounded very interesting. This was a book that I knew I would have to read. Luckily, I was able to read it, and it was very interesting!
The Fraiser boys lose their favourite uncle in car crash on Friday the thirteenth. After the accident, weird things start happening so the boys consult a spirit board. Is the spirit board helping the boys or is it actually evil? Also, Drake learns through a dream that he is destined to be a king and a leader. Will Drake live long enough to see that day?
I think the author picked a fantastic title for his book!! A lot of people consider a spirit board a game, so I believe this is where the deadliest game bit comes in.
I'm not overly keen on the cover of this book. I mean, it fits the book as it's a photo of the Fraiser boys wither their uncle Wally, but it's just too plain for my liking. However, this could just be a personal thing since I'm a harsh judge of covers.
The world building was done fantastically well!! The setting (1978-1979) was quite believable. I wasn't around at that time, but although there's not really many references about it being the late 70's besides the chapter telling you. I could imagine myself being part of this whole story!
The pacing was really good. Each chapter was full of action and suspense, and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. The chapters flow into each other, and not once did I find myself bored whilst reading this story.
For a middle grade read, I'd say that there were some words that might be hard for younger kids to understand, and to be honest, there were some big words I didn't understand. Context clues are important sometimes to figure out what words mean in the story. I did feel that the two younger brothers spoke as if they were much older than eight and ten. There is mild swearing so it's not bad at all when it comes to bad language.
All the characters were well formed and each had their own unique personality which definitely shown through during the story. Martin is the oldest boy, and it's obvious by how much he looks after his younger brothers. Mark is the second oldest, followed by Drake who is the brainy one in the family. Dennis is ten and Albert is 8. As I said in the previous paragraph, the two youngest boys came across as being older then they actually were especially Dennis. However, besides that, they were all believable characters, and I'm sure we all have at least one friend who has one of the boys' personality.
I did feel that the last chapter in the book was a bit repetitive of what the story already told us. I didn't really learn anything I didn't know from the last chapter besides a mention of Wally. However, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it is very well-written. Oh, and I must say that I really enjoyed enjoy individual drawing at the beginning of each chapter!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 12+.
(I was provided a free ebook copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Bethany Fletcher (17 KP) rated Beyond a Darkened Shore in Books
Jun 25, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
I had serious mixed feelings about this book. It promised Viking’s and magic and adventure and that was all there no doubt but not really well.
The book opens straight up with a raid. This is great as it shows us Ciara’s abilities and lets us get a feel for the story to come and our characters in general. But then it didn’t live up to this great introduction. There are plenty of action sequences, battles for Dubhlinn, battles with giants, battles with sea serpents, battles with gods, but they were all so short. Seriously almost every battle was over in about three-four pages. It felt like the author had all these great ideas and then didn’t know how to execute them.
The mythology. I was excited for this book as it was a mixture of Celtic and Norse mythology. It definitely had these elements but maybe too much? There were gods and goddesses, fairy tunnels, each-uisch, giants, magic, the wild hunt, sea serpents, Valhalla, these would have all been fine if they had a purpose. Most of these things appear for 5 pages and then are never mentioned again. It read like the author was trying to throw all of the mythology she knew at us and was trying so hard to prove, Look! Magic is real in this world. It wasn’t all necessary.
The characters. I loved Ciara. She stood up for herself, she didn’t care what anyone else thought, she was strong and independent.
Leif. I liked him to start. He was sassy, sarcastic, he stood up for those he thought were getting mistreated. But then, he did some things that made me seriously question his judgement. There is a scene where Ciara cannot sleep so decides to go and find the Viking mage. When she walks into the room full of drunk Viking men on of them attempts to rape her. Leif does help but then blames her for it saying she shouldn’t have put herself in a dangerous situation. Ciara immediately calls him out and says it’s not my fault I almost got raped because I am female. He quickly tries to backtrack but she is having none of it. This made me love Ciara more and start to question Leif.
Another questionable scene is after Ciara finds out something drastic about Leif’s family. She is understandably upset and leaves. Leif proceeds to chase her, threaten to break down her door and then forces himself on her when she opens it. Again Ciara shuts him down asking how her dare kiss her at that moment. He simply wanted her and didn’t want her to be angry. HOW ABOUT DON’T FORCE YOURSLEF ON HER THEN IDIOT?
The ending. The ending felt so rushed. Seriously we fight the giants and goddesses, sail all the way back to Ireland, have another battle and get established back at Ciara’s home all wishing about 50 pages. It was so rushed. Like the writer was nearing a page count and couldn’t go over or something.
Having said all of this I did really enjoy reading the book. It didn’t take very long was a pleasant reading experience. If it sounds like something you would like then go check it out.
The book opens straight up with a raid. This is great as it shows us Ciara’s abilities and lets us get a feel for the story to come and our characters in general. But then it didn’t live up to this great introduction. There are plenty of action sequences, battles for Dubhlinn, battles with giants, battles with sea serpents, battles with gods, but they were all so short. Seriously almost every battle was over in about three-four pages. It felt like the author had all these great ideas and then didn’t know how to execute them.
The mythology. I was excited for this book as it was a mixture of Celtic and Norse mythology. It definitely had these elements but maybe too much? There were gods and goddesses, fairy tunnels, each-uisch, giants, magic, the wild hunt, sea serpents, Valhalla, these would have all been fine if they had a purpose. Most of these things appear for 5 pages and then are never mentioned again. It read like the author was trying to throw all of the mythology she knew at us and was trying so hard to prove, Look! Magic is real in this world. It wasn’t all necessary.
The characters. I loved Ciara. She stood up for herself, she didn’t care what anyone else thought, she was strong and independent.
Leif. I liked him to start. He was sassy, sarcastic, he stood up for those he thought were getting mistreated. But then, he did some things that made me seriously question his judgement. There is a scene where Ciara cannot sleep so decides to go and find the Viking mage. When she walks into the room full of drunk Viking men on of them attempts to rape her. Leif does help but then blames her for it saying she shouldn’t have put herself in a dangerous situation. Ciara immediately calls him out and says it’s not my fault I almost got raped because I am female. He quickly tries to backtrack but she is having none of it. This made me love Ciara more and start to question Leif.
Another questionable scene is after Ciara finds out something drastic about Leif’s family. She is understandably upset and leaves. Leif proceeds to chase her, threaten to break down her door and then forces himself on her when she opens it. Again Ciara shuts him down asking how her dare kiss her at that moment. He simply wanted her and didn’t want her to be angry. HOW ABOUT DON’T FORCE YOURSLEF ON HER THEN IDIOT?
The ending. The ending felt so rushed. Seriously we fight the giants and goddesses, sail all the way back to Ireland, have another battle and get established back at Ciara’s home all wishing about 50 pages. It was so rushed. Like the writer was nearing a page count and couldn’t go over or something.
Having said all of this I did really enjoy reading the book. It didn’t take very long was a pleasant reading experience. If it sounds like something you would like then go check it out.
Fred (860 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 in Video Games
Jul 12, 2018
Tons of characters from the Marvel comics (2 more)
Cool story
Cool locales
Voice acting is meh (1 more)
Lots of glitches
More of the same, but different & glitchy
I've played all of the Lego games & I've seen some good ones, like the Star Wars one & I've seen some bad ones. (Looking at you Indiana Jones) I'm a fan of these games, as they're mindless fun, plus they're easy platinum trophies.
Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 is one of those good ones, although it does have some problems.
Let's start with the good. There are tons & I mean TONS of characters to unlock in this one. Mostly based on the comic book versions of the characters, with some from the MCU of course. It was so fun to play some of my favorite lesser-known characters, like the Spider-Man Noir version or the Kronan in the Planet Hulk arena.
The story is an original, with Kang the Conqueror as the main villain of the story. Because he's altering lime-lines, along with different dimensions, we have a world mixed with different worlds. We have Asgard, Manhattan Noir (a 30s-40s version of New York), Wild West Town, Avenger's Mansion, & many many more. Just like the mall in the movie The Blues Brothers, this place has got everything. It's so much fun jumping around from place to place.
Now the bad. Let's start with the voice acting. There are no famous voices in the game & it shows. Supposedly, the game was made during an actor's strike & so we got what they can get. Now, not saying the voice acting is bad, but it's just so-so. Some voices seem out of place for some characters. Captain America doesn't sound like he should. Doctor Strange doesn't sound like he should. Now, I may be ruined by the actors from the movies, but if you hear them in the game, you'll agree. It has less to do with their live-action counterparts & more of "Yeah, I never pictured Tony Stark sounding like...that."
And now my main complaint. Lots of glitches. Even after the update, I find lots of glitches in the game. The most annoying one is finding one of your characters stuck in a spot, dying over & over in an endless loop, such as falling off a platform to his/her death or stuck on some radioactive material. I found myself more than a few times having to exit the level & start all over due to this happening. Another glitch was in the arena, where Hulk turned himself back to Bruce Banner & would not turn back into the Hulk. Now maybe this was meant to happen, like in the Infinity War movie, when he was scared to turn to the Hulk, but I don't think so. Reason being towards the end of the fight, they have Hulk talking, while he was still as Bruce Banner. Luckily I didn't need Hulk to beat the level, as I would have had to start over. Other glitches include characters switching by themselves & audio cutting out.
This being said, I still want to play this game. While not one of the best Lego games, it's still fun & it's very cool, especially if you're a comic book fan.
Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 is one of those good ones, although it does have some problems.
Let's start with the good. There are tons & I mean TONS of characters to unlock in this one. Mostly based on the comic book versions of the characters, with some from the MCU of course. It was so fun to play some of my favorite lesser-known characters, like the Spider-Man Noir version or the Kronan in the Planet Hulk arena.
The story is an original, with Kang the Conqueror as the main villain of the story. Because he's altering lime-lines, along with different dimensions, we have a world mixed with different worlds. We have Asgard, Manhattan Noir (a 30s-40s version of New York), Wild West Town, Avenger's Mansion, & many many more. Just like the mall in the movie The Blues Brothers, this place has got everything. It's so much fun jumping around from place to place.
Now the bad. Let's start with the voice acting. There are no famous voices in the game & it shows. Supposedly, the game was made during an actor's strike & so we got what they can get. Now, not saying the voice acting is bad, but it's just so-so. Some voices seem out of place for some characters. Captain America doesn't sound like he should. Doctor Strange doesn't sound like he should. Now, I may be ruined by the actors from the movies, but if you hear them in the game, you'll agree. It has less to do with their live-action counterparts & more of "Yeah, I never pictured Tony Stark sounding like...that."
And now my main complaint. Lots of glitches. Even after the update, I find lots of glitches in the game. The most annoying one is finding one of your characters stuck in a spot, dying over & over in an endless loop, such as falling off a platform to his/her death or stuck on some radioactive material. I found myself more than a few times having to exit the level & start all over due to this happening. Another glitch was in the arena, where Hulk turned himself back to Bruce Banner & would not turn back into the Hulk. Now maybe this was meant to happen, like in the Infinity War movie, when he was scared to turn to the Hulk, but I don't think so. Reason being towards the end of the fight, they have Hulk talking, while he was still as Bruce Banner. Luckily I didn't need Hulk to beat the level, as I would have had to start over. Other glitches include characters switching by themselves & audio cutting out.
This being said, I still want to play this game. While not one of the best Lego games, it's still fun & it's very cool, especially if you're a comic book fan.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Wrong Girl (Return to Fear Street #2) in Books
Oct 19, 2018
One Dimensional Characters (2 more)
Unbelievable Plot
Slow Pacing
Skip this One
I've always been a huge fan of R.L. Stine. I grew up with all of his books especially the original Fear Street series, so when I heard Stine had released a Return to Fear Street series, I knew I had to read it. I loved You May Now Kill the Bride, the first book in the series. However, The Wrong Girl was not very good.
The pacing for The Wrong Girl was incredibly slow save for a few chapters where it actually sped up to a decent pace. I found myself wondering how much longer I'd have to read before the action started. This book just drones on and on, and I found myself becoming very bored quickly. In fact, I only really finished The Wrong Girl because I felt like I had to since I wanted to read the next book in the series even though these are stand alone novels.
The plot for The Wrong Girl sounds like it has the potential to be really interesting judging by the book synopsis. However, it was a major yawn fest. I really found it hard to believe most of the plot. Poppy, the main character, and her circle of friends decide to form a prank club and put their pranks online. The pranks get more wild each time. Eventually, her friends are attacked and some are killed. Really, the pranks and the harming of her friends are not related. I have trouble believing that Poppy and her friends would not be in any trouble after the pranks they committed especially as the pranks were uploaded live for all to see. The police in Shadyside must be very relaxed and not mind crime very much. There is a plot twist that I didn't see coming, I will admit that. Oh, and the person murdering/causing harm to Poppy's friends, well, that was pretty obvious. I know this is a teen read, but I'm pretty sure even a young teen could figure it out. Another thing that bothered me was although this is part of the Return to Fear Street series, The Wrong Girl mentions Fear Street in one chapter only a couple of times, and it's only mentioned because one of the characters lives on that street. It's like Stine added the whole Fear Street element in as a quick afterthought.
The characters weren't very great. They all felt very shallow, petty, immature, and one dimensional. Poppy was extremely spoiled and annoying as were most of the characters in this story with the exception of Manny and Mr. Harlowe (both of whom I actually liked). I didn't really understand why the character of Lucas was in the book. There was really no need for him. I felt like none of the characters in The Wrong Girl were real representations of teenagers. I had a hard time relating to any of the characters. There was no back story on the characters either which made the characters even less relatable.
Trigger warnings include underage drinking, murder, violence (although not graphic), self harm (cutting), and breaking the law.
Overall, The Wrong Girl left me feeling disappointed. Nothing about the book held my attention, and it just felt like it was written by an eleven year old in a rush to get his/her English homework done, not a great author like R.L. Stine. Sadly, I would not recommend The Wrong Girl by R.L. Stine to anyone. I really hope the next book in the series is much better.
The pacing for The Wrong Girl was incredibly slow save for a few chapters where it actually sped up to a decent pace. I found myself wondering how much longer I'd have to read before the action started. This book just drones on and on, and I found myself becoming very bored quickly. In fact, I only really finished The Wrong Girl because I felt like I had to since I wanted to read the next book in the series even though these are stand alone novels.
The plot for The Wrong Girl sounds like it has the potential to be really interesting judging by the book synopsis. However, it was a major yawn fest. I really found it hard to believe most of the plot. Poppy, the main character, and her circle of friends decide to form a prank club and put their pranks online. The pranks get more wild each time. Eventually, her friends are attacked and some are killed. Really, the pranks and the harming of her friends are not related. I have trouble believing that Poppy and her friends would not be in any trouble after the pranks they committed especially as the pranks were uploaded live for all to see. The police in Shadyside must be very relaxed and not mind crime very much. There is a plot twist that I didn't see coming, I will admit that. Oh, and the person murdering/causing harm to Poppy's friends, well, that was pretty obvious. I know this is a teen read, but I'm pretty sure even a young teen could figure it out. Another thing that bothered me was although this is part of the Return to Fear Street series, The Wrong Girl mentions Fear Street in one chapter only a couple of times, and it's only mentioned because one of the characters lives on that street. It's like Stine added the whole Fear Street element in as a quick afterthought.
The characters weren't very great. They all felt very shallow, petty, immature, and one dimensional. Poppy was extremely spoiled and annoying as were most of the characters in this story with the exception of Manny and Mr. Harlowe (both of whom I actually liked). I didn't really understand why the character of Lucas was in the book. There was really no need for him. I felt like none of the characters in The Wrong Girl were real representations of teenagers. I had a hard time relating to any of the characters. There was no back story on the characters either which made the characters even less relatable.
Trigger warnings include underage drinking, murder, violence (although not graphic), self harm (cutting), and breaking the law.
Overall, The Wrong Girl left me feeling disappointed. Nothing about the book held my attention, and it just felt like it was written by an eleven year old in a rush to get his/her English homework done, not a great author like R.L. Stine. Sadly, I would not recommend The Wrong Girl by R.L. Stine to anyone. I really hope the next book in the series is much better.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Aftermath 2017 (2017) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Aftermath starts as construction worker Roman (Schwarzenegger) is looking forward to the arrival of his wife and pregnant daughter from Kiev for Christmas. Making himself extra smart with flowers at hand he arrives at the airport to find the flight delayed but there is no good news, the plane was involved in a tragic accident killing both his wife and daughter.
On the other side of the story flight controller Jake Bonaos (McNairy) leaves his wife and son to arrive at work that very same day, on a night shift where he finds the himself distracted trying to fix a phoneline as two planes collided mid-air, the same flights that had Roman’s family on.
Both men’s lives are completely shattered, Roman broken, alone and spending days and nights at the cemetery. While Jake is branded a murderer by the public finding it impossible to function or being the husband and father he needs to be.
With the airline company waving money in Roman’s face to stop them being sued and Jake on the verge of suicide brings us to one year later where both are still living in the tragedy but both are attempting to move on.
Thoughts on Aftermath
Characters/Performance – Roman is a hard-working construction worker, he has work long hours to make sure his family can move to live with him in America, when he loses them his life is shattered but all he wants is an apologise not the airlines money. Jake is a flight controller who makes an honest mistake that cost the lives of everyone on the flights, his life is ruined, he loses his family, his job and must change his name and start again, living the rest of his life with regret.
Performance wise, Schwarzenegger is brilliant in this role where is he no action hero, he is an everyday man that loses everything, this is by far one of his best acting performances of his career. Scoot McNairy is also fantastic in this role showing just how capable of an actor he is.
Story – The story is based on a real incident that followed a mid-air collision but turned into an American story for it to unfold in. This story is very powerful because you are now left to wonder just what would happen if you were in either of these men’s shoes. The story also isn’t just a revenge film it follows these two men trying to rebuild their lives after what happened and mostly just wanting a human response from somebody involved.
Thriller – From the moment this film starts you are left to wonder from the edge of your seat to where this film will go.
Settings – The settings used through the film focus on making both our main characters feel like everyday people whose lives have been ruined by the events which is all you need from the film.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the best and most intense slow burning stories you will see this year. The performances are fantastic as well as being one of the most interesting stories out there.
Overall: One of the most powerful stories you will see this year.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/04/10/aftermath-2017/
On the other side of the story flight controller Jake Bonaos (McNairy) leaves his wife and son to arrive at work that very same day, on a night shift where he finds the himself distracted trying to fix a phoneline as two planes collided mid-air, the same flights that had Roman’s family on.
Both men’s lives are completely shattered, Roman broken, alone and spending days and nights at the cemetery. While Jake is branded a murderer by the public finding it impossible to function or being the husband and father he needs to be.
With the airline company waving money in Roman’s face to stop them being sued and Jake on the verge of suicide brings us to one year later where both are still living in the tragedy but both are attempting to move on.
Thoughts on Aftermath
Characters/Performance – Roman is a hard-working construction worker, he has work long hours to make sure his family can move to live with him in America, when he loses them his life is shattered but all he wants is an apologise not the airlines money. Jake is a flight controller who makes an honest mistake that cost the lives of everyone on the flights, his life is ruined, he loses his family, his job and must change his name and start again, living the rest of his life with regret.
Performance wise, Schwarzenegger is brilliant in this role where is he no action hero, he is an everyday man that loses everything, this is by far one of his best acting performances of his career. Scoot McNairy is also fantastic in this role showing just how capable of an actor he is.
Story – The story is based on a real incident that followed a mid-air collision but turned into an American story for it to unfold in. This story is very powerful because you are now left to wonder just what would happen if you were in either of these men’s shoes. The story also isn’t just a revenge film it follows these two men trying to rebuild their lives after what happened and mostly just wanting a human response from somebody involved.
Thriller – From the moment this film starts you are left to wonder from the edge of your seat to where this film will go.
Settings – The settings used through the film focus on making both our main characters feel like everyday people whose lives have been ruined by the events which is all you need from the film.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the best and most intense slow burning stories you will see this year. The performances are fantastic as well as being one of the most interesting stories out there.
Overall: One of the most powerful stories you will see this year.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/04/10/aftermath-2017/
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Immortal Writers in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Words are the most powerful form of magic. Jill Bowers creates a unique fantasy concept in this soon to be published adventure novel. When <i>Immortal Writers</i> begins, the genre is similar to many contemporary novels: characters living normal day-to-day lives. Eighteen-year-old Liz has just landed back in her hometown after touring to promote her new novel, the next in a popular fantasy series that won her the Best Young Fantasy Award. All she wants is to return to her apartment and go to bed, so being kidnapped was not part of her plan. Especially not being kidnapped by the formidable William Shakespeare.
What Liz and readers both learn next is a brilliant, awe-inspiring idea. Imagine that all the world’s most famous authors were immortal and lived together in a magical castle manipulated by the science fiction novelists. That is what Liz suddenly has to come to terms with. Although she is only young, her books show so much potential that she is already initiated into the Immortal Writers. But it is not only legendary writers inhabiting this fortress. When an author becomes immortal, their characters become real. Liz is shocked to come face to face with the handsome hero of her story as well as a few of her supporting characters. However that is not all that has crossed over into reality.
As well as the goodies, the evil characters have also been brought into the world. Kenric, Liz’s antagonist, has hidden himself nearby with hundreds of dragons. He wants dominion over the entire planet and the only person that can stop him is Liz herself. So begins an adventure of learning to use magic, sword fights, dragon attacks and inevitable, heart wrenching causalities.
As a writer, Jill Bowers has not quite got the level of standard that the top authors have achieved. This is evident from the lack of description and awkwardness of the prose throughout the first few chapters. Once the storyline is well under way it becomes a lot easier to read; whether her writing improves is debatable, but her imagination captures the readers attention and provides a thoroughly entertaining narrative.
It is not solely the plot, characters and action that will stay in readers’ minds – the overall concept is fantastic. Who would not want their favourite authors to live forever? I would love to meet a William Shakespeare who has adapted himself to modern day living. Even more exciting is the possibility of meeting fictional characters. Each reader is bound to start daydreaming about which of their most loved books they would like to become real. How great would it be to meet Harry Potter, or see a unicorn, or eat some chocolate made by Willy Wonka, or… the possibilities are endless.
<i>Immortal Writers</i> is the first novel in a series so there will be more books that focus on this amazing idea. From the preview at the end of this copy, it appears that the following book will be about different authors/characters, therefore will provide a whole new outline to wrap our heads around.
Fantasy fans should definitely seek out this series. The writing may not exactly be up to par, but the general storyline is unquestionably worth it. Encompassing, contemporary, adventure and romance genres, <i>Immortal Writers</i> is an incredible fantasy story based in the “real” world.
Words are the most powerful form of magic. Jill Bowers creates a unique fantasy concept in this soon to be published adventure novel. When <i>Immortal Writers</i> begins, the genre is similar to many contemporary novels: characters living normal day-to-day lives. Eighteen-year-old Liz has just landed back in her hometown after touring to promote her new novel, the next in a popular fantasy series that won her the Best Young Fantasy Award. All she wants is to return to her apartment and go to bed, so being kidnapped was not part of her plan. Especially not being kidnapped by the formidable William Shakespeare.
What Liz and readers both learn next is a brilliant, awe-inspiring idea. Imagine that all the world’s most famous authors were immortal and lived together in a magical castle manipulated by the science fiction novelists. That is what Liz suddenly has to come to terms with. Although she is only young, her books show so much potential that she is already initiated into the Immortal Writers. But it is not only legendary writers inhabiting this fortress. When an author becomes immortal, their characters become real. Liz is shocked to come face to face with the handsome hero of her story as well as a few of her supporting characters. However that is not all that has crossed over into reality.
As well as the goodies, the evil characters have also been brought into the world. Kenric, Liz’s antagonist, has hidden himself nearby with hundreds of dragons. He wants dominion over the entire planet and the only person that can stop him is Liz herself. So begins an adventure of learning to use magic, sword fights, dragon attacks and inevitable, heart wrenching causalities.
As a writer, Jill Bowers has not quite got the level of standard that the top authors have achieved. This is evident from the lack of description and awkwardness of the prose throughout the first few chapters. Once the storyline is well under way it becomes a lot easier to read; whether her writing improves is debatable, but her imagination captures the readers attention and provides a thoroughly entertaining narrative.
It is not solely the plot, characters and action that will stay in readers’ minds – the overall concept is fantastic. Who would not want their favourite authors to live forever? I would love to meet a William Shakespeare who has adapted himself to modern day living. Even more exciting is the possibility of meeting fictional characters. Each reader is bound to start daydreaming about which of their most loved books they would like to become real. How great would it be to meet Harry Potter, or see a unicorn, or eat some chocolate made by Willy Wonka, or… the possibilities are endless.
<i>Immortal Writers</i> is the first novel in a series so there will be more books that focus on this amazing idea. From the preview at the end of this copy, it appears that the following book will be about different authors/characters, therefore will provide a whole new outline to wrap our heads around.
Fantasy fans should definitely seek out this series. The writing may not exactly be up to par, but the general storyline is unquestionably worth it. Encompassing, contemporary, adventure and romance genres, <i>Immortal Writers</i> is an incredible fantasy story based in the “real” world.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
“Violence always gets results.” But at what cost? Victoria Sadler’s dystopian novel <i>Darkness</i> explores and all too realistic scenario set in a not so distant future. The western world has fallen due to war and economic collapse. London has become a ghost city due to the death of thousands of people. Those not killed by bombs or deadly virus succumb to suicide or death by natural causes – if the cold and starvation can be labeled natural.
Laura Lewis is the sole survivor in her block of flats and now needs to make her way through the dangerous streets to St Paul’s Cathedral where what remains of the State will provide her with safety. However before she reaches her final destination she is ambushed by an army of women, a threat to the nation, known as RAZR – Resistance Against State Reformation. Jane, the leader of the resistance, believes she has saved Laura from a fate worse than death. But, as Laura discovers, RAZR may result in an even crueler future.
RAZR was born from a hatred of men, a guerilla feminist movement seizing the opportunity to obliterate the patriarchal society. Since the beginning of time men have oppressed women, regarding them as possessions with which they can do as they please. Despite the apparent equality achieved through past protests, the government, i.e. men, still control the lives of women. RAZR particularly focus on women’s rights to their own body, and are angry at the State’s current use for women: to procreate.
<i>Darkness</i> is full of radical violence, often ending in the mass death of male soldiers. With barely a break to take a breath, the narrative goes from one action scene to the next, heightening the excitement as the novel reaches its climax. As the reader learns more about RAZR and the State, opinions are constantly changed. Who is good, who is bad? Who can Laura trust? Then, to confuse things even more, Laura is not who she initially appears to be at all.
The amount of violence in this novel is disturbing, particularly as the majority of deaths are caused without guilty conscience. <i>Darkness</i> highlights the horrors of war and the wild nature of humanity. Without men and women being able to live in harmony there is no peace, on the other hand, complete equality is not possible. Furthermore, are RAZR feminists or terrorists? It is an obvious fact that the human race cannot survive with merely one gender of the species, so is RAZR doing more harm than good by fatally punishing all men?
Overall, <i>Darkness</i> poses more questions than it answers, yet it is such a griping novel. Women, particularly feminists will enjoy the powerful messages expressed by RAZR, but equally, readers will understand Laura’s hesitation. With so many plot twists to get your head around, you will never get bored of this story. With such an ambiguous ending, it is unclear whether <i>Darkness</i> will remain a standalone novel, or be continued with a sequel. Whatever the case, it will be interesting to read what the feminist, Victoria Sadler, comes up with next.
“Violence always gets results.” But at what cost? Victoria Sadler’s dystopian novel <i>Darkness</i> explores and all too realistic scenario set in a not so distant future. The western world has fallen due to war and economic collapse. London has become a ghost city due to the death of thousands of people. Those not killed by bombs or deadly virus succumb to suicide or death by natural causes – if the cold and starvation can be labeled natural.
Laura Lewis is the sole survivor in her block of flats and now needs to make her way through the dangerous streets to St Paul’s Cathedral where what remains of the State will provide her with safety. However before she reaches her final destination she is ambushed by an army of women, a threat to the nation, known as RAZR – Resistance Against State Reformation. Jane, the leader of the resistance, believes she has saved Laura from a fate worse than death. But, as Laura discovers, RAZR may result in an even crueler future.
RAZR was born from a hatred of men, a guerilla feminist movement seizing the opportunity to obliterate the patriarchal society. Since the beginning of time men have oppressed women, regarding them as possessions with which they can do as they please. Despite the apparent equality achieved through past protests, the government, i.e. men, still control the lives of women. RAZR particularly focus on women’s rights to their own body, and are angry at the State’s current use for women: to procreate.
<i>Darkness</i> is full of radical violence, often ending in the mass death of male soldiers. With barely a break to take a breath, the narrative goes from one action scene to the next, heightening the excitement as the novel reaches its climax. As the reader learns more about RAZR and the State, opinions are constantly changed. Who is good, who is bad? Who can Laura trust? Then, to confuse things even more, Laura is not who she initially appears to be at all.
The amount of violence in this novel is disturbing, particularly as the majority of deaths are caused without guilty conscience. <i>Darkness</i> highlights the horrors of war and the wild nature of humanity. Without men and women being able to live in harmony there is no peace, on the other hand, complete equality is not possible. Furthermore, are RAZR feminists or terrorists? It is an obvious fact that the human race cannot survive with merely one gender of the species, so is RAZR doing more harm than good by fatally punishing all men?
Overall, <i>Darkness</i> poses more questions than it answers, yet it is such a griping novel. Women, particularly feminists will enjoy the powerful messages expressed by RAZR, but equally, readers will understand Laura’s hesitation. With so many plot twists to get your head around, you will never get bored of this story. With such an ambiguous ending, it is unclear whether <i>Darkness</i> will remain a standalone novel, or be continued with a sequel. Whatever the case, it will be interesting to read what the feminist, Victoria Sadler, comes up with next.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Hancock (2008) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Throughout the annals of cinema, the big screen has been home to some of the most larger-than-life heroes ever to spring from the pages of comic books. Recent adaptations of Spider-Man, Batman, and Superman, all went on to box office gold and with several more character adaptations in the works, there seems to be no end to the public’s desire to see tales based on costumed heroes with amazing powers.
In one of the more original twists on the hero genre, Will Smith stars as Hancock, a surly lush, who is more concerned about his next drink than he is about saving the day. Despite being blessed with amazing strength, invulnerability, and the ability to fly, Hancock is looked upon with disdain by most of the people of Los Angeles because his attitude is second only to the amazing amount of damage he causes in bringing local hoodlums to justice.
Shortly after causing nine million dollars in damage after his latest crime fighting effort, the mayor of L.A. places a warrant out for Hancock, having decided it was time for Hancock to be held accountable for the mayhem he has caused. At the same time, publicist Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) is returning home after failing in his pitch to get a major pharmaceutical company to donate their new wonder drug in an effort to make the world better.
When danger arises during a traffic jam, Ray is saved by Hancock in the nick of time and is grateful for the efforts of the hero. Unfortunately a group of bystanders are convinced that Hancock could have saved Ray without making wreaking such havoc. In the midst of some heated verbal exchanges, Ray steps up for Hancock and expresses his gratitude to the hero and invites him home for dinner with his son and wife Mary (Charlize Theron). Undaunted by the gruff mannerisms of Hancock, Ray eventually convinces Hancock to let Ray represent him and sets out on a plan to remake Hancock’s image more positive and civic-friendly.
While this scenario presents several comedic moments, the film eventually changes tact, and becomes much darker in tone, and mired in a subplot of fate and mysticism that honestly seems greatly out-of-place with the tone established in the first three quarters of the film.
While it is notable that the filmmakers decided to try something different, the final result is a muddled effort that greatly undermines the laughs and momentum that were established earlier in the film. Smith does a great job but when he is not unleashing his sardonic quips, he seems to be disinterested and going through the motion for much of the last half of the film. Bateman does the best he can with a stock part and Theron seems woefully underused in a role that, while promising, really is not worthy of an actress of her skills.
Director Peter Berg does a solid job with the action and FX of the film, and clearly shows he has a knack for humor. Unfortunately the script by “X-Files” alum Vince Gilligan and Vince Ngo fails to live up to the potential of the premise and in the end leaves “Hancock” grounded.
In one of the more original twists on the hero genre, Will Smith stars as Hancock, a surly lush, who is more concerned about his next drink than he is about saving the day. Despite being blessed with amazing strength, invulnerability, and the ability to fly, Hancock is looked upon with disdain by most of the people of Los Angeles because his attitude is second only to the amazing amount of damage he causes in bringing local hoodlums to justice.
Shortly after causing nine million dollars in damage after his latest crime fighting effort, the mayor of L.A. places a warrant out for Hancock, having decided it was time for Hancock to be held accountable for the mayhem he has caused. At the same time, publicist Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) is returning home after failing in his pitch to get a major pharmaceutical company to donate their new wonder drug in an effort to make the world better.
When danger arises during a traffic jam, Ray is saved by Hancock in the nick of time and is grateful for the efforts of the hero. Unfortunately a group of bystanders are convinced that Hancock could have saved Ray without making wreaking such havoc. In the midst of some heated verbal exchanges, Ray steps up for Hancock and expresses his gratitude to the hero and invites him home for dinner with his son and wife Mary (Charlize Theron). Undaunted by the gruff mannerisms of Hancock, Ray eventually convinces Hancock to let Ray represent him and sets out on a plan to remake Hancock’s image more positive and civic-friendly.
While this scenario presents several comedic moments, the film eventually changes tact, and becomes much darker in tone, and mired in a subplot of fate and mysticism that honestly seems greatly out-of-place with the tone established in the first three quarters of the film.
While it is notable that the filmmakers decided to try something different, the final result is a muddled effort that greatly undermines the laughs and momentum that were established earlier in the film. Smith does a great job but when he is not unleashing his sardonic quips, he seems to be disinterested and going through the motion for much of the last half of the film. Bateman does the best he can with a stock part and Theron seems woefully underused in a role that, while promising, really is not worthy of an actress of her skills.
Director Peter Berg does a solid job with the action and FX of the film, and clearly shows he has a knack for humor. Unfortunately the script by “X-Files” alum Vince Gilligan and Vince Ngo fails to live up to the potential of the premise and in the end leaves “Hancock” grounded.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Longest Yard (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Continuing the current trend of remakes, Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production company set their sights on remaking the classic prison football film The Longest Yard. Like most projects that Sandler puts his Midas touch upon, this too has some moments of true gold.
The film stars Adam Sandler as Paul Crewe, a former NFL star quarterback who was banned from the league after allegedly throwing a game. As the film opens, Crewe is spending his time as a boy toy for a snobby socialite who is happy to capitalize on being seen with him, and parading Paul through various promotional ventures.
After reaching his breaking point, Paul lashes back by “borrowing” her car and leading several police officers on a high speed, and drunken chase through the streets. The resulting carnage is not only captured on live television, but awards Paul a three year prison term.
Upon arriving in the remote prison location, Crewe is introduced to Warden Hazen (James Cromwell), who attempts to recruit Crewe to help him with his semi-pro team. Crewe declines as he was urged to forcibly by Captain of the Guards Captain Knauer (William Fitchtner).
Paul eventually meets a helpful inmate known as Caretaker (Chris Rock), who shows him the ropes of prison life, and becomes a good friend for Crewe, who certainly needs friends, as there are more than a few guards and prisoners who lost money on the game he through years ago.
In time, Crew is forced by the Warden to organize a team of prisoners for a tune up game with the guards. In a series of comedic moments, Paul and Caretaker have to take drastic measures in order to organize a team from the prisoners including a game of basketball that is rougher than most games Paul had to face on the playing fields of the NFL.
Onboard to assist Paul is Coach Nate Scarborough (Burt Reynolds), who provides a much needed spark and wisdom to the team and as a former football great, allows Paul to unload some of the burden of getting the team and himself ready to play.
Of course there will be some subterfuge afoot, and the guards are not about to allow the prisoners any sense of hope, which all leads to a very funny series of point/counterpoint moves on the part of both teams to undermine the other.
When news of the game gets out, it is not long before ESPN 2 wants to televise the return of Paul Crewe, and the game soon becomes a national showcase. Since Warden Hazen has political aspirations, the outcome of the game in his favor becomes paramount forcing him to increase the pressure, and forces Paul to make a very important choice.
While the film follows the basic premise of the original, it has been updated to take advantage of modern humor and fine supporting cast. Many ex-NFL players ranging from Brian Bosworth, Michael Irvin, Bill Romanowski, and Bill Goldberg are in the film as well as wrestlers Steve Austin, Kevin Nash, and rapper Nelly.
While some may say the film is predictable, Sandler and the supporting cast do a great job in mixing humor with some of the more serious issues of prison life which results in a film that masterfully mixes humor, sports action, and human drama to create one of the better sports films in recent memory.
The film stars Adam Sandler as Paul Crewe, a former NFL star quarterback who was banned from the league after allegedly throwing a game. As the film opens, Crewe is spending his time as a boy toy for a snobby socialite who is happy to capitalize on being seen with him, and parading Paul through various promotional ventures.
After reaching his breaking point, Paul lashes back by “borrowing” her car and leading several police officers on a high speed, and drunken chase through the streets. The resulting carnage is not only captured on live television, but awards Paul a three year prison term.
Upon arriving in the remote prison location, Crewe is introduced to Warden Hazen (James Cromwell), who attempts to recruit Crewe to help him with his semi-pro team. Crewe declines as he was urged to forcibly by Captain of the Guards Captain Knauer (William Fitchtner).
Paul eventually meets a helpful inmate known as Caretaker (Chris Rock), who shows him the ropes of prison life, and becomes a good friend for Crewe, who certainly needs friends, as there are more than a few guards and prisoners who lost money on the game he through years ago.
In time, Crew is forced by the Warden to organize a team of prisoners for a tune up game with the guards. In a series of comedic moments, Paul and Caretaker have to take drastic measures in order to organize a team from the prisoners including a game of basketball that is rougher than most games Paul had to face on the playing fields of the NFL.
Onboard to assist Paul is Coach Nate Scarborough (Burt Reynolds), who provides a much needed spark and wisdom to the team and as a former football great, allows Paul to unload some of the burden of getting the team and himself ready to play.
Of course there will be some subterfuge afoot, and the guards are not about to allow the prisoners any sense of hope, which all leads to a very funny series of point/counterpoint moves on the part of both teams to undermine the other.
When news of the game gets out, it is not long before ESPN 2 wants to televise the return of Paul Crewe, and the game soon becomes a national showcase. Since Warden Hazen has political aspirations, the outcome of the game in his favor becomes paramount forcing him to increase the pressure, and forces Paul to make a very important choice.
While the film follows the basic premise of the original, it has been updated to take advantage of modern humor and fine supporting cast. Many ex-NFL players ranging from Brian Bosworth, Michael Irvin, Bill Romanowski, and Bill Goldberg are in the film as well as wrestlers Steve Austin, Kevin Nash, and rapper Nelly.
While some may say the film is predictable, Sandler and the supporting cast do a great job in mixing humor with some of the more serious issues of prison life which results in a film that masterfully mixes humor, sports action, and human drama to create one of the better sports films in recent memory.