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Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Eric B for President: Term 2 by Eric Bellinger in Music
Jun 7, 2019
Eric Bellinger is an R&B singer outta Los Angeles. Not too long ago, he released “Eric B for President: Term 2“, his new EP featuring Wale, ELHAE, Tayla Parx, and Victoria Monet. This project is a follow up to Bellinger’s “Eric B for President: Term 1” album.
“Naked in the White House”
The first song off “Term 2” was “Naked in the White House“, which is filled with visionary thoughts of Bellinger and his main squeeze, walking around naked in their home. Due to its potency, we had to replay this song several times before moving on to Make You Mine, a pure tropical fantasy tune.
“Make You Mine”
The Arrad-directed video stars Christina Milian. And it shows Bellinger on an exotic landscape, with an ocean nearby.
“Know/Vibes”
The third track, Know/Vibes featuring ELHAE, is intimate. And Bellinger reminds us that nothing last forever because time is of the essence. So, you gotta get it right, and get right to it. Don’t fake the funk, and make it happen with the one you love.
“Too Cool/Boujee”
Next, we listened to Too Cool/Boujee, a two-part song, which gives off a swaggering braggadocio effect that illuminates inner confident. It’s cool, it’s boujee, and it made us feel good about being who we are.
“Treat Yourself”
Then, Treat Yourself featuring Wale reminded us hard-working people that we gotta treat ourselves by buying the cars that we want to drive, and pulling up to that big house in a neighborhood we wanna live in. And, it won’t hurt to buy that bust-downed Rolex with a gold chain either. We replayed this track several times before moving on to the next one.
“Island”
On Island featuring Tayla Parx, Bellinger returns to the running around naked in the white house theme. But this time, it’s on an exotic island with his main squeeze, with a nearby table for two, probably filled with wine and sh*t like that. But, while the female is cooking, Bellinger is thinking about having her on the menu because she reminds him of wet dishes. Wet dishes? We can say, Bellinger’s imagination is at the peak of the songwriting industry, which is a good thing.
“Coastin”
Coastin pulls the curtains in, and Bellinger dimmers the light. Enough with all the sweet talkin’, wining and dining, now, it’s time for some action. So far, this is the most intimate time on “Eric B for President: Term 2”, and we know it’s going down when Bellinger sings, “Baby, you should come and ride my wave / You so lit, damn, you spark my interest / Let’s go surfing for a couple days / Hop on my board.”
“Malibu Nights”
Malibu Nights featuring Victoria Money is the actual lovemaking scene that we’ve been waiting for. Bellinger sings, “There’s something ’bout those Malibu nights, got me wondering if I could swim in your ocean, girl / Silhouette of your hips got me thinking ’bout stroking, girl.” And then, “Crash into me, I need you tonight / So, bring that lil body over here / Come let daddy whisper in your ear / I’ma tell you what you wanna hear / Rub my fingers through your hair / Put your legs up in the air like / Put them legs up in the air like /Taking off your underwear like…
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa, slow it down playboy. No doubt, Bellinger gets it in; and we declare “Eric B for President: Term 2” as an R&B treasure because it’s dope, replay-able, and we could visualize and relate to everything that Bellinger is singing about.
FUN FACT
Bellinger has been successfully leaking ink from his pen. He co-wrote two songs on Chris Brown’s Grammy-winning F.A.M.E., Brandy’s Without You, and Justin Bieber’s Right Here. But, his biggest hits came with Usher’s ‘Lemme See’ and Brown’s ‘Fine China’.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/eric-bellinger-term-2-album/
“Naked in the White House”
The first song off “Term 2” was “Naked in the White House“, which is filled with visionary thoughts of Bellinger and his main squeeze, walking around naked in their home. Due to its potency, we had to replay this song several times before moving on to Make You Mine, a pure tropical fantasy tune.
“Make You Mine”
The Arrad-directed video stars Christina Milian. And it shows Bellinger on an exotic landscape, with an ocean nearby.
“Know/Vibes”
The third track, Know/Vibes featuring ELHAE, is intimate. And Bellinger reminds us that nothing last forever because time is of the essence. So, you gotta get it right, and get right to it. Don’t fake the funk, and make it happen with the one you love.
“Too Cool/Boujee”
Next, we listened to Too Cool/Boujee, a two-part song, which gives off a swaggering braggadocio effect that illuminates inner confident. It’s cool, it’s boujee, and it made us feel good about being who we are.
“Treat Yourself”
Then, Treat Yourself featuring Wale reminded us hard-working people that we gotta treat ourselves by buying the cars that we want to drive, and pulling up to that big house in a neighborhood we wanna live in. And, it won’t hurt to buy that bust-downed Rolex with a gold chain either. We replayed this track several times before moving on to the next one.
“Island”
On Island featuring Tayla Parx, Bellinger returns to the running around naked in the white house theme. But this time, it’s on an exotic island with his main squeeze, with a nearby table for two, probably filled with wine and sh*t like that. But, while the female is cooking, Bellinger is thinking about having her on the menu because she reminds him of wet dishes. Wet dishes? We can say, Bellinger’s imagination is at the peak of the songwriting industry, which is a good thing.
“Coastin”
Coastin pulls the curtains in, and Bellinger dimmers the light. Enough with all the sweet talkin’, wining and dining, now, it’s time for some action. So far, this is the most intimate time on “Eric B for President: Term 2”, and we know it’s going down when Bellinger sings, “Baby, you should come and ride my wave / You so lit, damn, you spark my interest / Let’s go surfing for a couple days / Hop on my board.”
“Malibu Nights”
Malibu Nights featuring Victoria Money is the actual lovemaking scene that we’ve been waiting for. Bellinger sings, “There’s something ’bout those Malibu nights, got me wondering if I could swim in your ocean, girl / Silhouette of your hips got me thinking ’bout stroking, girl.” And then, “Crash into me, I need you tonight / So, bring that lil body over here / Come let daddy whisper in your ear / I’ma tell you what you wanna hear / Rub my fingers through your hair / Put your legs up in the air like / Put them legs up in the air like /Taking off your underwear like…
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa, slow it down playboy. No doubt, Bellinger gets it in; and we declare “Eric B for President: Term 2” as an R&B treasure because it’s dope, replay-able, and we could visualize and relate to everything that Bellinger is singing about.
FUN FACT
Bellinger has been successfully leaking ink from his pen. He co-wrote two songs on Chris Brown’s Grammy-winning F.A.M.E., Brandy’s Without You, and Justin Bieber’s Right Here. But, his biggest hits came with Usher’s ‘Lemme See’ and Brown’s ‘Fine China’.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/eric-bellinger-term-2-album/
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Has anyone got an aspirin?
Shhh! Don’t tell anyone I told you this but I’m a little bit of a Transformers fanboy. As a child I had many of the series’ toys and adored the animated series. Heck, I even have an Optimus Prime bobblehead next to my bed.
So when director Michael Bay announced in 2005 that he was planning a Transformers live-action movie with Steven Spielberg as producer, my heart skipped a beat. 2007 came and the film was everything I wanted.
Fast forward ten years and the series has, rightly or wrongly, become a laughing stock for critics the world over. Derided for nonsensical plots, messy special effects and in some cases racism, it’s been regarded as one of the worst film franchises of all time. Does the fifth entry in the franchise, The Last Knight redeem the series somewhat?
Humans are at war with the Transformers and Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) has disappeared. The key to saving the future lies buried in the secrets of the past and the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Now, it’s up to the alliance of Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), Bumblebee, a Lord (Sir Anthony Hopkins) and an Oxford professor (Laura Haddock) to save the planet.
Michael Bay’s swansong is definitely the best of the series since the 2007 original, but suffers from all the problems of its 3 sequels.
On a budget of $260million, there was no doubt The Last Knight would look spectacular, but things really have stepped up a gear. The CGI is some of the best put to film and makes the uncharacteristically sloppy special effects of Age of Extinction look incredibly dated.
The Transformers themselves all look great with Bumblebee in particular taking on the role of “lead bot”. Newcomer Squeeks is sure to become the BB-8 of the franchise and is predictably adorable despite his limited screen-time.
Of the cast, it’s a story of same old. The voice acting on all the Transformers is good with a disappointingly underused Peter Cullen stealing the show once again. Mark Wahlberg is permanently likeable and it’s always a pleasure having John Turturro’s Agent Simmons returning to the screen. Laura Haddock is the typical Michael Bay choice of female lead, channelling Megan Fox, Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Nicola Peltz.
However, Sir Anthony Hopkins is where this film raises itself above the parapet. The veteran actor is really exceptional and brightens the movie in every single scene he appears in. You can tell he’s not taking it too seriously, and that is exactly the point of this series.
Sure, the plot is a hot steaming mess of nonsensical dialogue with loose strands of story, and at 149 minutes it’s a good half hour too long, but with all the fear and hate in real life, sometimes it’s nice to switch your brain off and escape to a world where robots exist – and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Michael Bay may not be the subtlest of directors. Give him a classy love story and he’ll turn it into Fifty Shades of Grey, but he’s clearly a very clever man. The critics have savaged this franchise but audiences keep coming back for more and who can blame them?
If this is, as has been said by the man himself, Michael Bay’s last entry into the Transformers canon, then it’s not a bad film to leave on whatsoever.
You know the score by now. Don’t go in expecting Shakespeare or Oscar-winning performances and you’ll be fine. Just make sure you take some paracetamol; crikey it’s loud.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/06/24/transformers-the-last-knight-review/
So when director Michael Bay announced in 2005 that he was planning a Transformers live-action movie with Steven Spielberg as producer, my heart skipped a beat. 2007 came and the film was everything I wanted.
Fast forward ten years and the series has, rightly or wrongly, become a laughing stock for critics the world over. Derided for nonsensical plots, messy special effects and in some cases racism, it’s been regarded as one of the worst film franchises of all time. Does the fifth entry in the franchise, The Last Knight redeem the series somewhat?
Humans are at war with the Transformers and Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) has disappeared. The key to saving the future lies buried in the secrets of the past and the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Now, it’s up to the alliance of Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), Bumblebee, a Lord (Sir Anthony Hopkins) and an Oxford professor (Laura Haddock) to save the planet.
Michael Bay’s swansong is definitely the best of the series since the 2007 original, but suffers from all the problems of its 3 sequels.
On a budget of $260million, there was no doubt The Last Knight would look spectacular, but things really have stepped up a gear. The CGI is some of the best put to film and makes the uncharacteristically sloppy special effects of Age of Extinction look incredibly dated.
The Transformers themselves all look great with Bumblebee in particular taking on the role of “lead bot”. Newcomer Squeeks is sure to become the BB-8 of the franchise and is predictably adorable despite his limited screen-time.
Of the cast, it’s a story of same old. The voice acting on all the Transformers is good with a disappointingly underused Peter Cullen stealing the show once again. Mark Wahlberg is permanently likeable and it’s always a pleasure having John Turturro’s Agent Simmons returning to the screen. Laura Haddock is the typical Michael Bay choice of female lead, channelling Megan Fox, Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Nicola Peltz.
However, Sir Anthony Hopkins is where this film raises itself above the parapet. The veteran actor is really exceptional and brightens the movie in every single scene he appears in. You can tell he’s not taking it too seriously, and that is exactly the point of this series.
Sure, the plot is a hot steaming mess of nonsensical dialogue with loose strands of story, and at 149 minutes it’s a good half hour too long, but with all the fear and hate in real life, sometimes it’s nice to switch your brain off and escape to a world where robots exist – and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Michael Bay may not be the subtlest of directors. Give him a classy love story and he’ll turn it into Fifty Shades of Grey, but he’s clearly a very clever man. The critics have savaged this franchise but audiences keep coming back for more and who can blame them?
If this is, as has been said by the man himself, Michael Bay’s last entry into the Transformers canon, then it’s not a bad film to leave on whatsoever.
You know the score by now. Don’t go in expecting Shakespeare or Oscar-winning performances and you’ll be fine. Just make sure you take some paracetamol; crikey it’s loud.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/06/24/transformers-the-last-knight-review/
Update: Winter is the final book in the Lunar Chronicles series (although the story does continue in graphic novel form.) It is definitely one of my favourite conclusions, as the story wraps up well and is satisfying. The reader is not left with myriad plot holes and questions. As this is the fourth book in the series, you need to read the first three before delving into this one otherwise you will be confused and majorly spoiled.
The world building continued even in this book and most importantly we were shown Luna. Before that, they story took place predominantly on Earth in either the European Union, the African Republic or the Eastern Commonwealth. Once transported to Luna, readers were better able to get a sense of the disparity between the Lunar Aristocracy and the rest of Luna's citizens. The palace and surrounding area of Artemisia are ornately decorated whereas the outer sectors live in squalor. The stunning contrast is reminiscent of our own world and gives us a glimpse into the change that needs to happen.
Although this story was supposed to delve deeper into Winter and Jacin's relationship (which it did) I felt that it was overshadowed by the overarching plot. It was really nice to see the two interact and Jacin's character be developed more. He can seem cold and removed most of the time, but his demeanor completely changes when he is around Winter. He cares about her so much and will do anything to ensure her well-being. My one criticism about the book is that these two didn't receive the same relationship development and story time as the other three pairings.
You fall in love with these characters and follow them on their journey from mechanic to revolutionary, criminal to captain, or even unsure to (mildly) confident. They feel real and make their way into your heart. Iko was her usual precious self and I was so happy to see her woven more into the story. You don't want to see their stories end and thankfully they don't because the author is continuing the series in graphic novel form.
I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers even if science fiction or fairytale retellings aren't usually your thing. They're so fantastically written that I think they appeal to broad range of readers and genres.
Original Review: I read the entire series over the course of four days, novellas included. That is how wonderful it is. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this series and it did not disappoint. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytales while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine the Lunar Palace as a place of opulence while those in the lower districts lived in poverty. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth. Each character had a unique personality and strength in the group. from fiery Scarlet to shy Cress and from flirty Thorn to tortured Wolf.
Sometimes conclusions to series just don't stand up to their legacy, but this was not one of those books. The author gave the reader everything they desired, climactic action scenes, wrapping up story threads while opening the door to future adventures, and leaving the reader satisfied. There's nothing worse than reading an amazing series that you become wholly invested in and then being utterly disappointed by the conclusion.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or really good books/series that you won't regret reading.
The world building continued even in this book and most importantly we were shown Luna. Before that, they story took place predominantly on Earth in either the European Union, the African Republic or the Eastern Commonwealth. Once transported to Luna, readers were better able to get a sense of the disparity between the Lunar Aristocracy and the rest of Luna's citizens. The palace and surrounding area of Artemisia are ornately decorated whereas the outer sectors live in squalor. The stunning contrast is reminiscent of our own world and gives us a glimpse into the change that needs to happen.
Although this story was supposed to delve deeper into Winter and Jacin's relationship (which it did) I felt that it was overshadowed by the overarching plot. It was really nice to see the two interact and Jacin's character be developed more. He can seem cold and removed most of the time, but his demeanor completely changes when he is around Winter. He cares about her so much and will do anything to ensure her well-being. My one criticism about the book is that these two didn't receive the same relationship development and story time as the other three pairings.
You fall in love with these characters and follow them on their journey from mechanic to revolutionary, criminal to captain, or even unsure to (mildly) confident. They feel real and make their way into your heart. Iko was her usual precious self and I was so happy to see her woven more into the story. You don't want to see their stories end and thankfully they don't because the author is continuing the series in graphic novel form.
I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers even if science fiction or fairytale retellings aren't usually your thing. They're so fantastically written that I think they appeal to broad range of readers and genres.
Original Review: I read the entire series over the course of four days, novellas included. That is how wonderful it is. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this series and it did not disappoint. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytales while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine the Lunar Palace as a place of opulence while those in the lower districts lived in poverty. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth. Each character had a unique personality and strength in the group. from fiery Scarlet to shy Cress and from flirty Thorn to tortured Wolf.
Sometimes conclusions to series just don't stand up to their legacy, but this was not one of those books. The author gave the reader everything they desired, climactic action scenes, wrapping up story threads while opening the door to future adventures, and leaving the reader satisfied. There's nothing worse than reading an amazing series that you become wholly invested in and then being utterly disappointed by the conclusion.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or really good books/series that you won't regret reading.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Warcraft (2016) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Back in 1994, I fondly remember playing Warcraft on my PC as well as the fun of connecting with a friend over a dial up modem for hours of fun. Blizzard’s online matchmaking portal also served as a source of countless chatrooms in the pre-internet days and through the two sequels and add on packs that followed as well as the huge success of World of Warcraft, the name Warcraft came to symbolize quality and fun to millions of fans the world over.
The feature film is directed by Duncan Jones who replaced Sam Raimi in pre-production years ago, and follows the arrival or the Orcs into Azeroth and the battle that erupts as the humans try to stop this invading force. An evil energy source is compelling the actions of a power obsessed Orc and he is obsessed with destroying the humans to find a new home for his people which is no longer inhabitable thanks to said dark magic.
There are the usual collection of wizards, warriors, love interest, heroes, and villains that one would expect in a fantasy adventure but there are many elements that simply do not work. From poor casting choices to a story that is weak even by video game standards the movie just does not live up to what one expects form a summer blockbuster especially one with a name associated with quality. It is shocking to me that the studio thought the casting choices were appropriate for the film as there is no star power at all and no chemistry at all between any of the performers. It is almost as if some executives figured since their kids play Warcraft and they know people who play Warcraft, then this will be a huge hit as everyone will flock to it. Yes, but the salad days of the franchise are behind it as World of Warcraft does not have the subscriber bases it once had. Three to Five years ago would have been a great time for the film but for now it is too late and far to lacking. I am sure fans will see it for curiosity sake and it may open well, but I do not see it having much staying power and as what is supposed to be the first film in a planned series, I am not sure that I want to see much more of it which is sad as I am a fan of the games and I liked that the visuals of the film matched much of the quality artwork of the games.
The action scenes for the film are entertaining enough and they do have a good degree of visual appeal but they just do not have any intensity or compulsion to them and with the disjointed plot and sub par acting, it really makes it hard to get caught up in the outcome. One segment was indicating an epic battle was to come and it was resolved in seconds which really invalidated much of the events leading up to it.
Sadly the first cinematic offering for the franchise is not going to be the landmark event that the arrival of the previous games have been as it plays out like a big budget fan film with solid special effects but a plodding and stale story, bad acting, and a no-name cast who cannot even decide what accent they are using from scene to scene. I half expected Crow and Tom Servo to pop up in the corner and add their commentary especially during the ridiculous “Moses Scene” which was so indicative of the slapdash nature of the film.
http://sknr.net/2016/06/08/warcraft/
The feature film is directed by Duncan Jones who replaced Sam Raimi in pre-production years ago, and follows the arrival or the Orcs into Azeroth and the battle that erupts as the humans try to stop this invading force. An evil energy source is compelling the actions of a power obsessed Orc and he is obsessed with destroying the humans to find a new home for his people which is no longer inhabitable thanks to said dark magic.
There are the usual collection of wizards, warriors, love interest, heroes, and villains that one would expect in a fantasy adventure but there are many elements that simply do not work. From poor casting choices to a story that is weak even by video game standards the movie just does not live up to what one expects form a summer blockbuster especially one with a name associated with quality. It is shocking to me that the studio thought the casting choices were appropriate for the film as there is no star power at all and no chemistry at all between any of the performers. It is almost as if some executives figured since their kids play Warcraft and they know people who play Warcraft, then this will be a huge hit as everyone will flock to it. Yes, but the salad days of the franchise are behind it as World of Warcraft does not have the subscriber bases it once had. Three to Five years ago would have been a great time for the film but for now it is too late and far to lacking. I am sure fans will see it for curiosity sake and it may open well, but I do not see it having much staying power and as what is supposed to be the first film in a planned series, I am not sure that I want to see much more of it which is sad as I am a fan of the games and I liked that the visuals of the film matched much of the quality artwork of the games.
The action scenes for the film are entertaining enough and they do have a good degree of visual appeal but they just do not have any intensity or compulsion to them and with the disjointed plot and sub par acting, it really makes it hard to get caught up in the outcome. One segment was indicating an epic battle was to come and it was resolved in seconds which really invalidated much of the events leading up to it.
Sadly the first cinematic offering for the franchise is not going to be the landmark event that the arrival of the previous games have been as it plays out like a big budget fan film with solid special effects but a plodding and stale story, bad acting, and a no-name cast who cannot even decide what accent they are using from scene to scene. I half expected Crow and Tom Servo to pop up in the corner and add their commentary especially during the ridiculous “Moses Scene” which was so indicative of the slapdash nature of the film.
http://sknr.net/2016/06/08/warcraft/
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Team America: World Police (2004) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
With world tensions at an all time high with the very real threat of terrorism, the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, have rushed to the rescue with a biting political and social satire named “Team America: World Police”.
The film is a puppet movie based upon the old Thunderbirds television show about a team of specialists who fight to save the world from all manner of threats both real and imagined. The story is told entirely by puppets and miniatures which allows Stone and Parker to push the boundaries much further than they would be allowed to with live actors and in doing so, give the audience some of the deepest albeit raunchiest laughs seen in a long time.
The story opens with Team America battling the terrorists in Paris. Ever quick on the trigger, the team is able to stop the deployment of a weapon of mass destruction but in the process much of the cities famed landmarks fall from collateral damage.
Forced to find a new team member, the leader of Team America, Spottswoode recruits a stage actor named Gary Johnston to join the team and infiltrate the terrorist organization to learn what new attacks are being planned.
While this is seen as a good move by the team, there are parts of the team that are unsure of this as one in particular does not trust actors and thinks that he will escalate an already volatile situation. Undaunted, the team sets off for Cairo Egypt and eventually leaves a trail of mayhem and destruction in their path.
It is at this point that the real story of the films kicks into gear. It is learned that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is working with the terrorists to plot the ultimate attack and have convinced a cadre of Hollywood actors to attend a peace conference with other world leaders in an attempt to undermine Team America.
In between battles, Team America has plenty of time to take on other concerns such as love, self-doubt, personal issues, and suspicions, some of which result in a side-splitting sex scene that will soon become legend, as even though it involved puppets, it has to be severely edited in order to avoid an NC-17 rating. As it stands, it is one of the funniest moments in cinematic history and worth the price of admission alone.
The film does a good job of mixing comedy and commentary without ever drawing a line and saying this is how it is. We see Team America as a gun happy bunch, but we are also shown that they are true patriots who are willing to do what it takes to keep the country safe. Such is the genius of Parker and Stone as they are able to create a biting social commentary that makes you aware of issues without pounding the audience over their heads with the creator’s viewpoints. Instead the audience is given a situation and watch things taken to highly comical levels in an effort to entertain. People are free to draw their own conclusions and interpretations of the messages in the film as despite your beliefs or political leanings, we all laugh. There will be those that take umbrage to the crude humor and language, and others will not like what they may call a right-wing message. Instead I looked at the film as a very funny comedy with solid social commentary.
The only fault I had with the film is that it does drag a bit about ¾ in before getting to the final confrontations but those are well worth the wait. The film also parodies many action films and it is fun to try to try to uncover which film is being parodied. The puppets themselves are very impressive as their movements and facial expressions are easily the best ever captured on film.
The film is a puppet movie based upon the old Thunderbirds television show about a team of specialists who fight to save the world from all manner of threats both real and imagined. The story is told entirely by puppets and miniatures which allows Stone and Parker to push the boundaries much further than they would be allowed to with live actors and in doing so, give the audience some of the deepest albeit raunchiest laughs seen in a long time.
The story opens with Team America battling the terrorists in Paris. Ever quick on the trigger, the team is able to stop the deployment of a weapon of mass destruction but in the process much of the cities famed landmarks fall from collateral damage.
Forced to find a new team member, the leader of Team America, Spottswoode recruits a stage actor named Gary Johnston to join the team and infiltrate the terrorist organization to learn what new attacks are being planned.
While this is seen as a good move by the team, there are parts of the team that are unsure of this as one in particular does not trust actors and thinks that he will escalate an already volatile situation. Undaunted, the team sets off for Cairo Egypt and eventually leaves a trail of mayhem and destruction in their path.
It is at this point that the real story of the films kicks into gear. It is learned that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is working with the terrorists to plot the ultimate attack and have convinced a cadre of Hollywood actors to attend a peace conference with other world leaders in an attempt to undermine Team America.
In between battles, Team America has plenty of time to take on other concerns such as love, self-doubt, personal issues, and suspicions, some of which result in a side-splitting sex scene that will soon become legend, as even though it involved puppets, it has to be severely edited in order to avoid an NC-17 rating. As it stands, it is one of the funniest moments in cinematic history and worth the price of admission alone.
The film does a good job of mixing comedy and commentary without ever drawing a line and saying this is how it is. We see Team America as a gun happy bunch, but we are also shown that they are true patriots who are willing to do what it takes to keep the country safe. Such is the genius of Parker and Stone as they are able to create a biting social commentary that makes you aware of issues without pounding the audience over their heads with the creator’s viewpoints. Instead the audience is given a situation and watch things taken to highly comical levels in an effort to entertain. People are free to draw their own conclusions and interpretations of the messages in the film as despite your beliefs or political leanings, we all laugh. There will be those that take umbrage to the crude humor and language, and others will not like what they may call a right-wing message. Instead I looked at the film as a very funny comedy with solid social commentary.
The only fault I had with the film is that it does drag a bit about ¾ in before getting to the final confrontations but those are well worth the wait. The film also parodies many action films and it is fun to try to try to uncover which film is being parodied. The puppets themselves are very impressive as their movements and facial expressions are easily the best ever captured on film.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated The Oregon Trail Card Game in Tabletop Games
Nov 7, 2019
The Oregon Trail! A classic computer game from our youth that, despite being so hard to beat, kept us coming back for more! So when it was turned into a card game, I was SO EXCITED! Nothing like dying of Dysentery to bring back fond memories! Does this game live up to the hype of the OG game? Keep reading to find out!
The Oregon Trail Card Game is a cooperative game of hand management in which players are trying to make it all the way down the Oregon Trail! Players take turns playing Trail cards to advance on their journey, stopping at forts and towns along the way to collect supplies, and dealing with the Calamities of the open Trail – whether that’s fording across rivers or dealing with nasty rattlesnake bites. Do you and your party have what it takes to survive, or will the trail claim more lives in the end?
Ok so first things first – for nostalgia’s sake, this game is great. The artwork is a call-back to the original 8-bit design, the Calamities you may encounter are taken right from the computer game (there IS a “You have died of Dysentery” card), and the game is as hard to win as you remember. It definitely makes for a fun walk down memory lane.
Now, actually PLAYING the game is a different story. I think it’s a pretty bad attempt at a card game. For starters, the rulesheet (it’s more of a brochure than a book…) is extremely ambiguous. I had more questions about how to play after I read the rules than I did beforehand. The physical layout of the rules feels choppy, which makes it hard to logically follow, and the wording for some rules feels like it contradicts other rules. Overall, it just seems like the rulesheet was written in one go with no refining or editing – every single thought was thrown in and then not checked for accuracy or clarity.
Beyond the calamity that is the rulesheet, the game is hard to beat. The rules even say “More likely, the game ends when the last player dies.” Like even the creators know it’s impossible! I’ve never won a game because it is stacked against the players from the start. For starters, the game is so long. Without going too much into detail, by the end of the game 50 out of the 58 trail cards will be used – that’s almost ALL of them! And almost every card has a text action/consequence associated with it, which really reduces your likelihood of success. Some Calamity cards kill off players with no chance for remedy first, while some Trail cards are dictated by die rolls that can also either kill you or cause you to draw extra Calamity cards. I know the original game was tough, but since this card game is more based on the luck of the draw than your decisions, it feels futile to play. Luck-based games, when executed well, can be pretty fun. But unfortunately, it just doesn’t work for me in this game.
So do I like this game? Kind of? I like it for nostalgic purposes, but beyond that I really don’t. The rules make no sense and I feel like I interpret them differently every time – so who knows if I’ve actually ever played correctly. I have never won a game, the furthest I’ve ever gotten has been about halfway through to the end. Should you try The Oregon Trail Card Game? Probably not. You’re not really missing a lot besides reliving some childhood memories. Fun idea, but awful execution, in my opinion! Purple Phoenix Games (with guest score from a pal of Travis) gives The Oregon a Trail Card Game a choleric 12 / 24.
The Oregon Trail Card Game is a cooperative game of hand management in which players are trying to make it all the way down the Oregon Trail! Players take turns playing Trail cards to advance on their journey, stopping at forts and towns along the way to collect supplies, and dealing with the Calamities of the open Trail – whether that’s fording across rivers or dealing with nasty rattlesnake bites. Do you and your party have what it takes to survive, or will the trail claim more lives in the end?
Ok so first things first – for nostalgia’s sake, this game is great. The artwork is a call-back to the original 8-bit design, the Calamities you may encounter are taken right from the computer game (there IS a “You have died of Dysentery” card), and the game is as hard to win as you remember. It definitely makes for a fun walk down memory lane.
Now, actually PLAYING the game is a different story. I think it’s a pretty bad attempt at a card game. For starters, the rulesheet (it’s more of a brochure than a book…) is extremely ambiguous. I had more questions about how to play after I read the rules than I did beforehand. The physical layout of the rules feels choppy, which makes it hard to logically follow, and the wording for some rules feels like it contradicts other rules. Overall, it just seems like the rulesheet was written in one go with no refining or editing – every single thought was thrown in and then not checked for accuracy or clarity.
Beyond the calamity that is the rulesheet, the game is hard to beat. The rules even say “More likely, the game ends when the last player dies.” Like even the creators know it’s impossible! I’ve never won a game because it is stacked against the players from the start. For starters, the game is so long. Without going too much into detail, by the end of the game 50 out of the 58 trail cards will be used – that’s almost ALL of them! And almost every card has a text action/consequence associated with it, which really reduces your likelihood of success. Some Calamity cards kill off players with no chance for remedy first, while some Trail cards are dictated by die rolls that can also either kill you or cause you to draw extra Calamity cards. I know the original game was tough, but since this card game is more based on the luck of the draw than your decisions, it feels futile to play. Luck-based games, when executed well, can be pretty fun. But unfortunately, it just doesn’t work for me in this game.
So do I like this game? Kind of? I like it for nostalgic purposes, but beyond that I really don’t. The rules make no sense and I feel like I interpret them differently every time – so who knows if I’ve actually ever played correctly. I have never won a game, the furthest I’ve ever gotten has been about halfway through to the end. Should you try The Oregon Trail Card Game? Probably not. You’re not really missing a lot besides reliving some childhood memories. Fun idea, but awful execution, in my opinion! Purple Phoenix Games (with guest score from a pal of Travis) gives The Oregon a Trail Card Game a choleric 12 / 24.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Dumbo (2019) in Movies
Nov 30, 2019
Verdict: Charming
Story: Dumbo starts when Holt Farrier (Farrell) returns from war, to re-join the circus run by Max Medici (DeVito) where his kids Milly (Parker) and Joe (Hobbins) have been living and working for years, Holt has come back injured, with the only job offered to him, being cleaning up after the elephants, one of which is pregnant giving birth to an elephant with giant ears, which only causes chaos on his debut in the circus.
After Dumbo’s mother is taken away, he is left alone, while the children learn about his flying skills, which turns Max’s circus into the talk of the country, attracting V. A. Vandevere (Keaton) who wants to offer Max the world for Dumbo.
Thoughts on Dumbo
Characters – Holt Farrier is a war veteran widow that has returned to his children in a circus. He has been suffering with his time away, this has seen him not show as much affection as his wife would have, he takes the only job he can get which sees him training and cleaning up the elephants, his time back in the circus does bring him back to his kids, where he learns how important life still can be. V. A. Vandevere is the operator of Dreamland, he sales the idea of a better life for the whole troop, even if he has his own ideas to just make himself rich. Max Medici runs the small circus that discovers Dumbo’s talent, he has always been in the game for the money and can’t resist the idea of money when Vandevere arrives but must learn there is more to his life than money. Colette Marchant is the star performer in Vandevere show, she has been for years though she is just the hottest thing he has going for a while, she doe solve to perform. Dumbo is the baby elephant with giant eyes, who loses his mother, but has the incredible ability to fly, drawing crowds from miles.
Performances – Colin Farrell gives us a wonderful performance as the caring veteran who has been struggling with his own problems once returning from war. Michael Keaton enjoy the villainous role, while Danny DeVito is shows the desperation while still bringing the heart needing for the role, Eva Green shines to as the beautiful performer too.
Story – The story here shows how a small circus that finds themselves with a star attraction in Dumbo, which sees them become a success that the whole country wants to see. The story might focus on Dumbo being forced into performing after having his mother taken away, while deeper down we get to see a family that has been broken from death and war, needing to come back together. We see themes of greed with the circus masters at times, but all together the ideas behind everything all shine through to show that people who do good will get what they deserve in life.
Adventure/Fantasy – The adventure shows the how Dumbo comes into the world and put through traumas at a young age before finding his feet and learn that some people are good in life, with the fantasy of an elephant that can fly being the highlight of what makes Dumbo so special.
Settings – The film uses the settings to show the different sizes of circus that we see Dumbo being part of.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are brilliant bringing Dumbo to life like nothing we could have imagined.
Scene of the Movie – The Dumbo flight.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It does spend too much time telling Milly she can’t follow her scientist dreams.
Final Thoughts – This is the best live action Disney film of 2019, it brings the scale of the idea to life, which looks wonderful and has great performances too.
Overall: Beautiful Fantasy Film.
Story: Dumbo starts when Holt Farrier (Farrell) returns from war, to re-join the circus run by Max Medici (DeVito) where his kids Milly (Parker) and Joe (Hobbins) have been living and working for years, Holt has come back injured, with the only job offered to him, being cleaning up after the elephants, one of which is pregnant giving birth to an elephant with giant ears, which only causes chaos on his debut in the circus.
After Dumbo’s mother is taken away, he is left alone, while the children learn about his flying skills, which turns Max’s circus into the talk of the country, attracting V. A. Vandevere (Keaton) who wants to offer Max the world for Dumbo.
Thoughts on Dumbo
Characters – Holt Farrier is a war veteran widow that has returned to his children in a circus. He has been suffering with his time away, this has seen him not show as much affection as his wife would have, he takes the only job he can get which sees him training and cleaning up the elephants, his time back in the circus does bring him back to his kids, where he learns how important life still can be. V. A. Vandevere is the operator of Dreamland, he sales the idea of a better life for the whole troop, even if he has his own ideas to just make himself rich. Max Medici runs the small circus that discovers Dumbo’s talent, he has always been in the game for the money and can’t resist the idea of money when Vandevere arrives but must learn there is more to his life than money. Colette Marchant is the star performer in Vandevere show, she has been for years though she is just the hottest thing he has going for a while, she doe solve to perform. Dumbo is the baby elephant with giant eyes, who loses his mother, but has the incredible ability to fly, drawing crowds from miles.
Performances – Colin Farrell gives us a wonderful performance as the caring veteran who has been struggling with his own problems once returning from war. Michael Keaton enjoy the villainous role, while Danny DeVito is shows the desperation while still bringing the heart needing for the role, Eva Green shines to as the beautiful performer too.
Story – The story here shows how a small circus that finds themselves with a star attraction in Dumbo, which sees them become a success that the whole country wants to see. The story might focus on Dumbo being forced into performing after having his mother taken away, while deeper down we get to see a family that has been broken from death and war, needing to come back together. We see themes of greed with the circus masters at times, but all together the ideas behind everything all shine through to show that people who do good will get what they deserve in life.
Adventure/Fantasy – The adventure shows the how Dumbo comes into the world and put through traumas at a young age before finding his feet and learn that some people are good in life, with the fantasy of an elephant that can fly being the highlight of what makes Dumbo so special.
Settings – The film uses the settings to show the different sizes of circus that we see Dumbo being part of.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are brilliant bringing Dumbo to life like nothing we could have imagined.
Scene of the Movie – The Dumbo flight.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It does spend too much time telling Milly she can’t follow her scientist dreams.
Final Thoughts – This is the best live action Disney film of 2019, it brings the scale of the idea to life, which looks wonderful and has great performances too.
Overall: Beautiful Fantasy Film.
The Poetry Deal
Book
"The Poetry Deal: San Francisco Poet Laureate Series No. 5 gives us di Prima's vision as she looks...
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Live By Night (2017) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
I’m a sucker for a Prohibition-set yarn. It’s a fascinating period in history and typically yields excellent filmmaking with gritty, no-nonsense performances, gorgeous production design and hard-boiled action. It was De Palma’s The Untouchables that hooked me. Some would call it a guilty pleasure; and sure, Morricone’s score is a little over-the-top, De Niro is more caricature than character actor as Al Capone and I’m not going to argue that Connery’s Oscar was a “sympathy vote”, but it’s got everything I mentioned above in spades and for me it’ll always be the high benchmark of the Prohibition era gangster epic. Ben Affleck’s fourth turn as director has done nothing to change my position on that.
Live by Night is an uninspired mess, from voice-over laden start to disastrously predictable end, bringing nothing new or exciting to the table. Beat for beat, its weak script moves from one sigh-inducing cliché to another, reaching clumsily for moments of high emotion that ring hollow and false. If anyone needs any further proof that Matt Damon did all the heavy lifting on the script for Good Will Hunting, they need look no further. It feels wrong to come down so hard on Affleck after his back-to-back successes as a director, but this is more akin to the first work of a blundering novice, and also certainly not what we’ve come to expect of a Dennis Lehane adaptation (see Mystic River, Shutter Island and Affleck’s own incredible directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone). His decision to wear so many hats on this project, producing, directing, sole screenwriter and lead actor, has to be the reason for this stumble. The script desperately needed another set of eyes and the part of Joe Coughlin was clearly written for someone younger and more capable of performing with the subtlety needed to play someone who has to traverse the number of moral dilemmas he’s faced with. Hopefully, this inevitable failure will be what convinces Affleck that his place should be behind the camera directing other people’s scripts and guiding other people’s performances.
Speaking of the performances, there is a massive curve in this collection of acting that swings wildly from the cartoonish to the nuanced. To start with, we have Matthew Maher as a KKK member out for his cut and Robert Glenister as an Irish mob boss, both of whom are supposed to be playing dangerous and threatening but can’t do any better than laughable and two-dimensional. Then there’s Chris Messina and Affleck himself as the hoods on the rise, their chemistry is ill-advised at best as they both seem to think they’re in a buddy comedy as opposed to a serious piece of gangster melodrama A favorite of mine, Brendan Gleeson, sadly leaves the screen within the first twenty minutes and that left me with only the inimitable Chris Cooper to look forward to. The subplot involving him and Elle Fanning, as his born-again daughter speaking out against Coughlin’s sinful ways is not without problems of its own, but at least they sell it. That should be no surprise on Cooper’s part, but now between this and The Neon Demon last summer; Fanning is firmly on my radar as one to watch. My hope was that we were going to get some tremendous battle of wills between her and Affleck’s character akin to Paul Dano and Daniel Day-Lewis’ conflict in There Will Be Blood, but that was definitely asking too much. Fanning’s role, like Gleeson’s, is unfortunately cut short just as it gets good.
I guess The Untouchables is starting to sound less like a guilty pleasure and more like a masterpiece when compared to this regrettable misfire.
Live by Night is an uninspired mess, from voice-over laden start to disastrously predictable end, bringing nothing new or exciting to the table. Beat for beat, its weak script moves from one sigh-inducing cliché to another, reaching clumsily for moments of high emotion that ring hollow and false. If anyone needs any further proof that Matt Damon did all the heavy lifting on the script for Good Will Hunting, they need look no further. It feels wrong to come down so hard on Affleck after his back-to-back successes as a director, but this is more akin to the first work of a blundering novice, and also certainly not what we’ve come to expect of a Dennis Lehane adaptation (see Mystic River, Shutter Island and Affleck’s own incredible directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone). His decision to wear so many hats on this project, producing, directing, sole screenwriter and lead actor, has to be the reason for this stumble. The script desperately needed another set of eyes and the part of Joe Coughlin was clearly written for someone younger and more capable of performing with the subtlety needed to play someone who has to traverse the number of moral dilemmas he’s faced with. Hopefully, this inevitable failure will be what convinces Affleck that his place should be behind the camera directing other people’s scripts and guiding other people’s performances.
Speaking of the performances, there is a massive curve in this collection of acting that swings wildly from the cartoonish to the nuanced. To start with, we have Matthew Maher as a KKK member out for his cut and Robert Glenister as an Irish mob boss, both of whom are supposed to be playing dangerous and threatening but can’t do any better than laughable and two-dimensional. Then there’s Chris Messina and Affleck himself as the hoods on the rise, their chemistry is ill-advised at best as they both seem to think they’re in a buddy comedy as opposed to a serious piece of gangster melodrama A favorite of mine, Brendan Gleeson, sadly leaves the screen within the first twenty minutes and that left me with only the inimitable Chris Cooper to look forward to. The subplot involving him and Elle Fanning, as his born-again daughter speaking out against Coughlin’s sinful ways is not without problems of its own, but at least they sell it. That should be no surprise on Cooper’s part, but now between this and The Neon Demon last summer; Fanning is firmly on my radar as one to watch. My hope was that we were going to get some tremendous battle of wills between her and Affleck’s character akin to Paul Dano and Daniel Day-Lewis’ conflict in There Will Be Blood, but that was definitely asking too much. Fanning’s role, like Gleeson’s, is unfortunately cut short just as it gets good.
I guess The Untouchables is starting to sound less like a guilty pleasure and more like a masterpiece when compared to this regrettable misfire.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated The Queens Corgi (2019) in Movies
Jul 13, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
The Queens Corgi is an animated children's movie about Rex, the Queen's favourite who, after a disastrous visit from Donald Trump, is tricked into leaving the palace and winds up in the dog pound. This is a common formula in children’s movies both animated and live action and I'm sure most of us can guess what happens next, Rex tries to get back home and, on the way makes some friends and falls in love. So when my daughter wanted to see it I though I'd be in for a funny, possibly sad film. God I was wrong. There is so much wrong with this film and it all seems to go wrong from the scene where Donald Trump visits the Queen and I really wish I could say my problems were politically motivated but unfortunately the film was just that bad.
The character of Trump was reduced to a stereotypical American tourist with Melania passing comments about the size of Donald’s (big) hands being one of the things that attracted her to him.
The problems really start when Melania and the Queen decided it will be a good idea to breed their respective corgis. Melania's Corgi, Mitzi, who is made up in heave eye shadow and lipstick is instantly judged and disliked by all the Queens corgis (both Male and female). Melania's Corgi then passes judgment on all the corgis until she comes to Rex who she decided she wants. The two dogs are then left in a room together after being told by Trump to grab him by the pups.
Now I just want to make the following clear:
1) I've seen plenty of movies where the (normally timid/nerdy) male character is hit on by the strong scary bully female and this normally for comedy value. Although these scenes could be seen as problematic they are normally played for laughs.
2) I understand that dog breeders do choose dogs and put them together to mate. However, as the animals in this film are given human personality's the situation is different.
So when the two dogs are left in the room we are treated to long scene where Mitzi tries to get Rex to mate with her, because Rex wants none of it Mitzi chases him around the room, grabs him, stops him from leaving and generally won’t take no for an answer. This is not done playfully.
Later in the film, Rex is in a dog pound, one of his cell mates starts listing the rules of the pound, rule one, there is no fight club. Now, this may have been ok if it was a one time throw away line, kids films often have little jokes for adults. However, it's not a throw away line, it's used more than once, including the first time the dogs are at a fight club. Yes, the top dog, called Butch, keeps order by making any dog he doesn't like fight. We see a dog carried off on stretcher, Rex is almost thrown into a fire and is only saved when Butch is knock out in one punch which also knocks out half his teeth.
Of course Rex and his new friends make it back to the palace and beat the main villain who is sent off with Trump and Mitzi. Remember non of the palace dogs liked Mitzi and she has all already said she doesn't understand the word no so this has implications for Charlie’s futures. It's ok though because he's the bad guy (not).
So we have a children's film with dog fights, attempted rape, implied rape, judging on appearance and a dull story, that seem find the line between children’s jokes and the adult ones the only reason I'm giving this one star is because it avoids getting political with Trump.
The character of Trump was reduced to a stereotypical American tourist with Melania passing comments about the size of Donald’s (big) hands being one of the things that attracted her to him.
The problems really start when Melania and the Queen decided it will be a good idea to breed their respective corgis. Melania's Corgi, Mitzi, who is made up in heave eye shadow and lipstick is instantly judged and disliked by all the Queens corgis (both Male and female). Melania's Corgi then passes judgment on all the corgis until she comes to Rex who she decided she wants. The two dogs are then left in a room together after being told by Trump to grab him by the pups.
Now I just want to make the following clear:
1) I've seen plenty of movies where the (normally timid/nerdy) male character is hit on by the strong scary bully female and this normally for comedy value. Although these scenes could be seen as problematic they are normally played for laughs.
2) I understand that dog breeders do choose dogs and put them together to mate. However, as the animals in this film are given human personality's the situation is different.
So when the two dogs are left in the room we are treated to long scene where Mitzi tries to get Rex to mate with her, because Rex wants none of it Mitzi chases him around the room, grabs him, stops him from leaving and generally won’t take no for an answer. This is not done playfully.
Later in the film, Rex is in a dog pound, one of his cell mates starts listing the rules of the pound, rule one, there is no fight club. Now, this may have been ok if it was a one time throw away line, kids films often have little jokes for adults. However, it's not a throw away line, it's used more than once, including the first time the dogs are at a fight club. Yes, the top dog, called Butch, keeps order by making any dog he doesn't like fight. We see a dog carried off on stretcher, Rex is almost thrown into a fire and is only saved when Butch is knock out in one punch which also knocks out half his teeth.
Of course Rex and his new friends make it back to the palace and beat the main villain who is sent off with Trump and Mitzi. Remember non of the palace dogs liked Mitzi and she has all already said she doesn't understand the word no so this has implications for Charlie’s futures. It's ok though because he's the bad guy (not).
So we have a children's film with dog fights, attempted rape, implied rape, judging on appearance and a dull story, that seem find the line between children’s jokes and the adult ones the only reason I'm giving this one star is because it avoids getting political with Trump.