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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Odd Thomas (2014) in Movies

Aug 15, 2020  
Odd Thomas (2014)
Odd Thomas (2014)
2014 | Mystery
9
7.9 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I'd put off watching this for a long time, I loved the books by Dean Koontz and that made me a little nervous for the film. I'd almost forgotten about it until it popped up streaming, it's been a long time so I figured I'd forgotten enough about the books to see it.

Odd tries to live a simple life in Pico Mundo but when you have the ability to see dead people and talk to them it makes things difficult, especially when everything is pointing to something disastrous on the horizon.

The idea behind Odd's ability is a good one and I feel like they manage to illustrate it well during the film, foreknowledge may have helped a bit but I honestly don't remember that much from the books and we're given a succinct explanation.

Anton Yelchin plays the lead character and he has the perfect demeanour for it. There's a calm but scared quality that fits right into his wheelhouse and it was a match made in heaven.

Yelchin is off-set by Willem Dafoe as Chief Porter and Addison Timlin as Stormy Llewellyn, both of whom give great performances that bolster to story from each side. While they're not massive roles they both influence and guide Odd in very different ways and they're particularly effective characters.

The film plays out like a supernatural detective story with Odd at its centre trying to save Pico Mundo from an unknown terror. It creates a nice sense of intrigue to latch on to early on and plenty of fantasy action to move you along with the story at a quick pace.

For a relatively obscure film it's got a solid all round feel with passable graphics and a great visual style. Normally I find voice overs in films a little off putting but the bits of the story it's combined with work really well and again, added to the storytelling. I couldn't honestly say how accurate it was to the source material after such a long time, but I can tell you I wasn't disappointed with what I watched.

Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/08/odd-thomas-movie-review.html
  
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AJaneClark (3975 KP) Aug 17, 2020

Absolutely love this movie
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Amy Norman (1048 KP) Aug 18, 2020

Have watched this film a few times, and love it šŸ˜Š
I haven't read the source material but it's been on my list for a while šŸ˜… from what I have read about them, there are a few nods given to things that played a much larger part in the books. However, from what I can tell they may not necessarily translate well to film!
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Lindsay (1812 KP) rated A Small Case of Murder (Joshua Thornton Mystery #1) in Books

Apr 16, 2024  
A Small Case of Murder (Joshua Thornton Mystery #1)
A Small Case of Murder (Joshua Thornton Mystery #1)
Lauren Carr | 2011 | Crime, Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
We are introduced to Joshua Thornton and his five children in chapter 1. The prologue brings Lulu Jefferson's view and a little bit about his parents. We are also introduced to Tad. There is a catch as Joshua moves his family to his former hometown.

He seems to get caught helping someone who tried to kill his cousin Tad in a church, and it seems to bring more to be involved. All when he goes to the state attorney general. It is more as his murderer with his arrangement and ends up murdered along with Beth Davis.

There is a twist when things get more complicated, and the state attorney general decides to ask or request Joshua to become a Special Prosecutor for the case of Vicki Rawlings and Beth Davis. They think he got the trust of the citizens of his hometown. Will he take the offer, or will he not?

Joshua is working with a police officer and a local reporter. What appears to be one thing is that his children are so like him that they want to join in and protect him. Does Joshua wish to be a dad and raise them, or will he hide from them and not send this child to live with their extended family? How will he decide to deal with the life he was chosen for?

Lauren Carr's Mysteries and stories are good. However, this one is less dense when it starts at the story's beginning. However, the action is improving, with this one being when Joshua and his five children are introduced. They are about school age. This book gets better as it goes along.

This is probably when she was starting to write these kinds of stories. This is their second series, so it has improved dramatically since. I love this one. I only wish I knew more about what happened to Valerie and what caused her to pass away. Then Joshua moved and settled in his hometown with his lovely five children. But other than that, it is a good starter book or series to get into her books, Along with Mac Faraday Mysteries.
  
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DaveySmithy (107 KP) rated Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) in Movies

Dec 4, 2024 (Updated Dec 4, 2024)  
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
2024 | Adventure
6
7.0 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Fun moments
I went into Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) hoping it would build on the promise of Ghostbusters: Afterlife while carving out its own icy identity. Unfortunately, while the film has its moments of charm and spectacle, it left me feeling cold overallā€”pun intended.

The premise is intriguing: a mysterious, apocalyptic winter descending on New York City, with the Ghostbusters tasked to save the day. The visuals are strikingā€”snow-covered cityscapes and frost-bitten ghosts make for some memorable scenes. The effects team clearly had a blast imagining what a frozen supernatural invasion would look like, and the frosty atmosphere feels like a fresh twist for the franchise.

The returning cast, especially Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon, are as likable as ever, but theyā€™re not given much to do beyond reacting to the chaos. The younger characters, led by Mckenna Grace, are still charming, but the novelty of their ā€œkid Ghostbustersā€ dynamic is starting to wear thin. The humor is hit-or-miss; while there are a few clever lines and fun moments, some of the jokes feel too forced, as though the film is trying too hard to mimic the originalā€™s effortless wit.

One of the biggest disappointments for me was the pacing. The first half of the movie drags, spending too much time on exposition and setup without giving us the action or scares we came for. When the ghost-busting finally ramps up, itā€™s exciting, but it feels rushed and formulaic. The climactic battle is visually impressive but lacks emotional weight, relying more on spectacle than storytelling.

I also couldnā€™t help but feel that Frozen Empire leans too heavily on nostalgia. The callbacks to the original movies are fun at first, but they start to feel like a crutch, reminding us of the franchiseā€™s glory days instead of moving it forward in a meaningful way.

Overall, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a decent popcorn flick with some cool visuals and a few laughs, but it doesnā€™t live up to the potential of its concept or its legacy. Itā€™s a 6/10 for meā€”fun in the moment, but not particularly memorable.