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Fred (860 KP) rated The Haunting of Bly Manor in TV
Oct 11, 2020
Yet another re-telling of The Turn of the Screw
This is a re-telling of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, written in 1898. The last re-telling was 2020s The Turning, which was terrible. So how is this version?
In the last episode of this series, a character says, "This wasn't a ghost story, it was a love story." which is true. Sort of. It's a ghost story in the fact that it has ghosts in it. It's a love story in that two people fall in love. But it's really all about the characters. They are very good characters & acted out very well. I'll even give Henry Thomas credit for trying a British accent, even if his face contorted like someone was running a current through his face every time he talked. Entire episodes are sometimes devoted to a character. And this is the main problem. It's fine to give some character development, but this series is so stretched out. It's 9 episodes that could have been 3 or 4 episodes and worked out much better. Each person's story also jumps back in time, then forward, then back, then back again, then forward, then back. It's pacing can be real bad & quite frankly can be real boring at times.
Sometimes I think how can this story be remade 35 times now & still there's no great film version. It's a good story. It's an interesting idea. But, it's also weird & sometimes confusing & sometimes all over the place. It's got to be tight, but it's also got to be fleshed out enough that we care about the characters. Which as I said, is what it's all about.
Now, is it a ghost story? I already said yes. Is it a horror series? Well, I would say no. It's not scary. It's not creepy. It doesn't even have jump scares, which is normally good, but I would have enjoyed one or two to be honest. What it does have, as I've stated, is characters. But it also has atmosphere & great settings. The manor itself is almost it's own character. But as much as it is dark & there are things hiding in the corners or even in plain sight, it's just doesn't have that creep factor. Even the little girl shushes a ghost when it won't shut up. There's no sense of real evil or malevolence going on.
Now it sounds like I hated this series, but I didn't. I liked it. It was not what I expected, being the second season of the anthology "The Haunting" series, which started with the phenomenal "The Haunting of Hill House". But, if it had been just like Hill House, I probably would have been bored & just re-watched the first season again. So, I'm glad it was different. But like I said, it was stretched out far longer than it should have been.
Now, after we watched the entire series, my wife said that she liked it & would re-watch it maybe in 5 years. and gives it a 6 out of 10 as well. I'm sure a re-watch would be good for seeing things you did not catch the first time, but feel it'd be better to move on to something different. If you're looking for something scary to watch this Halloween series, then you can skip this. Unless you're in the mood to watch some good actors, playing good characters, with an interesting movie & have lots of free time. However, if you didn't see the first season "Hill House", then watch that instead.
In the last episode of this series, a character says, "This wasn't a ghost story, it was a love story." which is true. Sort of. It's a ghost story in the fact that it has ghosts in it. It's a love story in that two people fall in love. But it's really all about the characters. They are very good characters & acted out very well. I'll even give Henry Thomas credit for trying a British accent, even if his face contorted like someone was running a current through his face every time he talked. Entire episodes are sometimes devoted to a character. And this is the main problem. It's fine to give some character development, but this series is so stretched out. It's 9 episodes that could have been 3 or 4 episodes and worked out much better. Each person's story also jumps back in time, then forward, then back, then back again, then forward, then back. It's pacing can be real bad & quite frankly can be real boring at times.
Sometimes I think how can this story be remade 35 times now & still there's no great film version. It's a good story. It's an interesting idea. But, it's also weird & sometimes confusing & sometimes all over the place. It's got to be tight, but it's also got to be fleshed out enough that we care about the characters. Which as I said, is what it's all about.
Now, is it a ghost story? I already said yes. Is it a horror series? Well, I would say no. It's not scary. It's not creepy. It doesn't even have jump scares, which is normally good, but I would have enjoyed one or two to be honest. What it does have, as I've stated, is characters. But it also has atmosphere & great settings. The manor itself is almost it's own character. But as much as it is dark & there are things hiding in the corners or even in plain sight, it's just doesn't have that creep factor. Even the little girl shushes a ghost when it won't shut up. There's no sense of real evil or malevolence going on.
Now it sounds like I hated this series, but I didn't. I liked it. It was not what I expected, being the second season of the anthology "The Haunting" series, which started with the phenomenal "The Haunting of Hill House". But, if it had been just like Hill House, I probably would have been bored & just re-watched the first season again. So, I'm glad it was different. But like I said, it was stretched out far longer than it should have been.
Now, after we watched the entire series, my wife said that she liked it & would re-watch it maybe in 5 years. and gives it a 6 out of 10 as well. I'm sure a re-watch would be good for seeing things you did not catch the first time, but feel it'd be better to move on to something different. If you're looking for something scary to watch this Halloween series, then you can skip this. Unless you're in the mood to watch some good actors, playing good characters, with an interesting movie & have lots of free time. However, if you didn't see the first season "Hill House", then watch that instead.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) created a post
Apr 6, 2020
Last Day High School Survival Game: Zombie Battle
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Debbiereadsbook (1478 KP) rated Fetching (Unleashed Romance #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2021
There is steam a-plenty, but not ever so explicit
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
The man drove her nuts, making negative comments about her business! But Lord he was preety to look at. Wyatt has an opinion about everything, and it riles Sydney up no end. When Sydney finds out why he was sent to help, she ain't happy, not at all. She can't mis business and pleasure, can she?
I enjoyed this, a lot. I didn't love it though and I'll tell you why shortly.
I loved Sydney, I really did. She won't let Wyatt help, because it's HER business, it belongs to her family. She knows she needs help, she just doesn't want Wyatt's.
Wyatt is a bit more difficult to like, especially until we get his say. He really does rile Sydney up, and at points he riles ME up, but once we get into his head, his motivation becomes clear: Sydney could well be the one for him to fix the heart that was broken 3 years ago.
There is steam a-plenty, but not ever so explicit. As much as I enjoy the down and oh-so-dirty books, sometimes, it's not needed.
You can see what's gonna happen when Sydney finds out what Wyatt does like a train wreck you can't stop, but I do like that.
Why not loved it? Simple. First person. Present tense. AND multi point of view. Quite possibly my trifecta of hell BUT I am trying to give books written as such a chance, and I'm glad I did with this one.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
The man drove her nuts, making negative comments about her business! But Lord he was preety to look at. Wyatt has an opinion about everything, and it riles Sydney up no end. When Sydney finds out why he was sent to help, she ain't happy, not at all. She can't mis business and pleasure, can she?
I enjoyed this, a lot. I didn't love it though and I'll tell you why shortly.
I loved Sydney, I really did. She won't let Wyatt help, because it's HER business, it belongs to her family. She knows she needs help, she just doesn't want Wyatt's.
Wyatt is a bit more difficult to like, especially until we get his say. He really does rile Sydney up, and at points he riles ME up, but once we get into his head, his motivation becomes clear: Sydney could well be the one for him to fix the heart that was broken 3 years ago.
There is steam a-plenty, but not ever so explicit. As much as I enjoy the down and oh-so-dirty books, sometimes, it's not needed.
You can see what's gonna happen when Sydney finds out what Wyatt does like a train wreck you can't stop, but I do like that.
Why not loved it? Simple. First person. Present tense. AND multi point of view. Quite possibly my trifecta of hell BUT I am trying to give books written as such a chance, and I'm glad I did with this one.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Interstellar (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
For my money, Christopher Nolan is the best director and storyteller in the film industry today. Over the years he has grown with each film he has created. In his early work, like Following, Memento, and Insomniac, he experimented with different notions of how we as an audience perceived a story unfold on film. In each of those films he learned techniques that he carried with him as he moved onto bigger commercial successā like The Dark Knight Trilogy and The Prestige. All of those techniques, culminated in my humble opinion, his masterpiece with 2010s Inception. Now he is back, with a space exploration film for this generation that rivals Stanley Kubrickās 2001: A Space odyssey with an added dash of 1997s Contact.
Everything you expect from a Nolan film his here. Stunning visuals that not only leave us breathless at the vastness and beauty of space and other worlds, but also character driven framing that is subtle enough for us to be able to understand and focus on this character driven story. We are driven forward by one manās mission to save the earth, but on a more humanizing level, his family. It is this constant thread, especially the bond of Love between a father and daughter, which holds this majestic film together from start to finish. Those who miss this focus or nitpick at the science of it all may be disappointed and feel the film is too big to be concluded with such a simple notion. However those who are willing to concede that impressive visuals do not need to be concluded on an ostentatious scale for there to be a grandiose impact, will find satisfaction at a film that makes us contemplate our place in time and space.
If these stunning visuals are the face of this film, then the score is undoubtedly the emotion. Nolan once again teams up with Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer, to produce a stunningly moving and heartfelt score that not only propels forward in our exploration of the unknown, but at times is our only friend in letting us know it is ok to breath.
Perhaps it is just the gravity of the work that Nolan has done in the last few years, but the actors in this film know the stakes and each came to play. The cast each elevate their performances not only for themselves but for each other. Led by Academy Award Winner winners Mathew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, as well as Academy Award Nominee Jessica Chastain, the entire cast of Interstellar deliver excellent performances that cause us not only relate, but to feel the world at large and the relationships with each other. I was especially impressed with the young Mackenzie Foy, whose relationship with McConaughey is crucial to the story being able to hold together for the entire film.
In closing, Interstellar is a beautiful film to behold with a story that revolves around exploration, survival, and love told in an epic way both visually and audibly. For some there may be a few make or break moments, but if you just focus on the story and world being told to you, it will all make sense. The filmās running time is 2 hours and 49 minutes which may seem like much to some, however because Interstellar is an experience, not just a film, the length is hardly noticeable as a bad thing. After walking away, you will want to see this experience in the theaters again, especially in IMAX for the best possible visuals and audio.
Everything you expect from a Nolan film his here. Stunning visuals that not only leave us breathless at the vastness and beauty of space and other worlds, but also character driven framing that is subtle enough for us to be able to understand and focus on this character driven story. We are driven forward by one manās mission to save the earth, but on a more humanizing level, his family. It is this constant thread, especially the bond of Love between a father and daughter, which holds this majestic film together from start to finish. Those who miss this focus or nitpick at the science of it all may be disappointed and feel the film is too big to be concluded with such a simple notion. However those who are willing to concede that impressive visuals do not need to be concluded on an ostentatious scale for there to be a grandiose impact, will find satisfaction at a film that makes us contemplate our place in time and space.
If these stunning visuals are the face of this film, then the score is undoubtedly the emotion. Nolan once again teams up with Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer, to produce a stunningly moving and heartfelt score that not only propels forward in our exploration of the unknown, but at times is our only friend in letting us know it is ok to breath.
Perhaps it is just the gravity of the work that Nolan has done in the last few years, but the actors in this film know the stakes and each came to play. The cast each elevate their performances not only for themselves but for each other. Led by Academy Award Winner winners Mathew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, as well as Academy Award Nominee Jessica Chastain, the entire cast of Interstellar deliver excellent performances that cause us not only relate, but to feel the world at large and the relationships with each other. I was especially impressed with the young Mackenzie Foy, whose relationship with McConaughey is crucial to the story being able to hold together for the entire film.
In closing, Interstellar is a beautiful film to behold with a story that revolves around exploration, survival, and love told in an epic way both visually and audibly. For some there may be a few make or break moments, but if you just focus on the story and world being told to you, it will all make sense. The filmās running time is 2 hours and 49 minutes which may seem like much to some, however because Interstellar is an experience, not just a film, the length is hardly noticeable as a bad thing. After walking away, you will want to see this experience in the theaters again, especially in IMAX for the best possible visuals and audio.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Thanos Rising: Avengers Infinity War in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
Thanos is on the warpath. He canāt wait to assemble the Infinity Gauntlet in preparation for The Snap. He has enemy minions to help fight off heroes in three different sectors. But we have The Avengers. And their friends. We can do this, heroes! We can defeat 10 minions before the Gauntlet is assembled and really hurt Thanos. Itās on!
This is a dice-rolling, card drafting game that is light on rules, heavy on teamwork, and a little longer playtime than whatās on the box if youāre doing well (from my experience). Without going too much into the rulebook, on your turn you are going to choose a sector in which you will work. Roll the two Thanos dice. They determine what he does, if he or his minions hit you and your team, and whether he gets closer to obtaining the six Infinity Stones. Then you roll your team dice to activate powers on your teamās cards, recruit more heroes to your team, or wound the minions in your sector. Thanos has three ways he can beat you and you only have one way to beat him ā defeat 10 minions/bad guys. The odds are definitely stacked against you, but with the right team combos and with the willingness of your fellow players to play cooperatively, you can squeak out a win.
What I mean by this is using the bonus tokens effectively. On these bonus tokens are extra icons, extra dice to be used, healing capabilities, etc. You can hoard them all for yourself if you like, but the best way to truly beat the game is to be completely open with the bonus tokens. In fact, in the spirit of complete cooperation, I suggest everyone agree to keep bonus tokens in a shared pool so that anyone can access them. But maybe thatās just me.
I have played this game several times now and have not *technically* won a game yet. We would have won the last time we played it, but we had to cut the game short because our playmatesā kids came home with the babysitters. The other times we were completely decimated. The game is actually really hard to win. I like that. The dice are good quality, but I have my issues with the Thanos dice icon choices. Itās not enough to turn me off, but it could be way better. The cards are OK quality ā nothing to write home about. I donāt feel the need to sleeve them because they arenāt really handled that much and they mostly stay on the table the whole game. The translucent cubes are fine, the Infinity Stones are really nice, and that completely unnecessary Thanos āminiā is very very cool. I have zero painting skills, or I would improve the paint job on mine for that extra level of coolness.
So I like the game a lot, but donāt LOVE the game. Maybe with even more playthroughs it will grow on me more. I have assembled all the promo cards and just need to play with them more. In all, Purple Phoenix Games finds this one really enjoyable, and we award it a superhuman score of 19 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/01/23/thanos-rising-review/
This is a dice-rolling, card drafting game that is light on rules, heavy on teamwork, and a little longer playtime than whatās on the box if youāre doing well (from my experience). Without going too much into the rulebook, on your turn you are going to choose a sector in which you will work. Roll the two Thanos dice. They determine what he does, if he or his minions hit you and your team, and whether he gets closer to obtaining the six Infinity Stones. Then you roll your team dice to activate powers on your teamās cards, recruit more heroes to your team, or wound the minions in your sector. Thanos has three ways he can beat you and you only have one way to beat him ā defeat 10 minions/bad guys. The odds are definitely stacked against you, but with the right team combos and with the willingness of your fellow players to play cooperatively, you can squeak out a win.
What I mean by this is using the bonus tokens effectively. On these bonus tokens are extra icons, extra dice to be used, healing capabilities, etc. You can hoard them all for yourself if you like, but the best way to truly beat the game is to be completely open with the bonus tokens. In fact, in the spirit of complete cooperation, I suggest everyone agree to keep bonus tokens in a shared pool so that anyone can access them. But maybe thatās just me.
I have played this game several times now and have not *technically* won a game yet. We would have won the last time we played it, but we had to cut the game short because our playmatesā kids came home with the babysitters. The other times we were completely decimated. The game is actually really hard to win. I like that. The dice are good quality, but I have my issues with the Thanos dice icon choices. Itās not enough to turn me off, but it could be way better. The cards are OK quality ā nothing to write home about. I donāt feel the need to sleeve them because they arenāt really handled that much and they mostly stay on the table the whole game. The translucent cubes are fine, the Infinity Stones are really nice, and that completely unnecessary Thanos āminiā is very very cool. I have zero painting skills, or I would improve the paint job on mine for that extra level of coolness.
So I like the game a lot, but donāt LOVE the game. Maybe with even more playthroughs it will grow on me more. I have assembled all the promo cards and just need to play with them more. In all, Purple Phoenix Games finds this one really enjoyable, and we award it a superhuman score of 19 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/01/23/thanos-rising-review/
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated KOD by J. Cole in Music
Jun 7, 2019
J. Cole is a popular hip-hop lyricist out of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Not too long ago, he released his long-anticipated, self-produced, fifth studio album, entitled, āKODā.
J. Cole ā āKOD Trailerā
Cole revealed via Twitter that āKODā stands for Kids on Drugs, King Overdosed, and Kill Our Demons. The rest of the album he leaves to our interpretation. Well, letās begin.
INTRO
The album begins with caution. Jazz bellows underneath a female voice reciting uplifting words. Her message suggests listeners should make the right decisions (choose wisely) because the past (sand in an hourglass) can provide shelter for their demons.
Also, a way to a painless existence is provided. Those in pain must choose wisely, or make healthier decisions, to avoid being tormented by their past.
KOD
The title track showcases Coleās Kids on Drugs braggadocios side. In verse one, he utilizes his carnal mind to reply to media/fans asking him a bunch of āhowā questions. But instead of being humble, Cole replies to his critics in an arrogant way.
The second verse disconnects from the first and goes into a random storytelling mode with intersecting ideas that jump from one subject to another.
The outro is noteworthy. It forms a bridge between Intro and KOD songs. Also, it ends on a thought-provoking note.
If love is indeed the strongest drug like Cole stated, then why isnāt it being chased after like the drugs listed above? Why arenāt more people getting high off love? The question then becomesā¦is love even a drug?
That depends on who you ask. But what we all will agree on, love is an invisible element that contributes to people being addicted to drugs? Itās a fact, a strong love for something breeds addiction, dependency, et cetera.
PHOTOGRAPH
Cole uses a 2018 rhyme pattern to address a woman he follows privately on social media. Heās addicted or loves to stalk the woman online, and itās starting to mess with his health.
Cole always excels when he tells stories about him and a woman. Women are his go-to subject to rap about and he does a pretty good job on this song.
THE CUT OFF (FEAT. KILL EDWARD)
Cole isnāt too fond of doing features on his albums. But this time, he enlists his alter ego, kiLL edward, to help him say that Heaven is a mental mind state.
edward raps that heās stuck in his fallen ways and thatās why he keeps falling down. Thatās why he drinks alcohol and uses drugs to help him cope. But keep in mind that edward is actually Cole.
Cole raps about disloyal friends that owe him an apology and what heās gonna do to them when they meet. But all the while, edward is in Coleās mind telling him that drinking alcohol and using drugs will help numb his pain.
ATM
ATM is an energetically poppinā single with replay value. It begins with the albumās themeāchoose wisely.
Cole praises money like itās biblical and even states that it solved every problem he had. But after counting up all the money, he concludes that you canāt take it with you when you die.
The Scott Lazer & Cole-directed video shows the King of Drugs chauffeuring a bunch of children riding on a drug float. The storyline is dope, reminiscent of a classic video from hip-hopās golden era.
Also, Cole literally gives his arm and leg to purchase a vehicle. That transaction signifies what people are doing nowadays to accumulate material wealth. But keep in mind, chasing money will lead to your death or downfall. Message received.
MOTIV8
Motiv8 is a good track that features a sample from Junior M.A.F.I.A.ās āGet Moneyā single.
Cole encourages listeners to get high and get money, even though he just said that chasing money is detrimental to their health.
Verse 2 features one of Coleās best lyrics and flow.
KEVINāS HEART
Coleās continues his lyrical crusade and touches on his favorite subject.
He raps about being in a committed relationship but admits to being an addict thatās addicted to cheating. He tries to fight the temptation and remain faithful but acknowledges that heās fake for thinking that way.
BRACKETS
The song begins with a Richard Pryor comedy skit.
Cole speaks about being a millionaire and then he receives a phone call from Uncle Sam.
Verse 2 highlights Coleās disgust with paying higher taxes now that heās a millionaire.
ONCE AN ADDICT ā INTERLUDE
Cole shines brightly on this song, which is reminiscent of Nasā āProject Windowsā single.
He addresses his motherās battle with alcoholism. The reason why she drankābecause Coleās step-father had a baby with another woman. So, to cope with the pain, Coleās mother started abusing alcohol.
With no one to turn to, she used to call to talk to Cole. But he didnāt like talking to her while she was drunk.
At the end of the song, Cole regrets being that way to his mother when she needed him the most.
FRIENDS (FEAT. KILL EDWARDS)
Cole finds solace in his alter ego and cops another bag of weed to smoke. Somehow, he needs it to cope and gets aggravated when he doesnāt smoke.
He takes this time to address his friends who arenāt motivated to succeed. He tells them several things they can blame their lack of motivation on. And ends it by saying that the blame game is also an addiction that people use to not get better.
Also, he raps about depression and drug addiction.
WINDOW PAIN ā OUTRO
The song begins with a girl telling Cole about the time her cousin got shot. Cole is sad, listening to the girl with tears in his eyes.
Then Cole praises the Most High. He speaks about things he wanna do like killing the man that made his mother cry and seeing his granny on the other side.
The girl ends the song with a powerful message.
1985 ā INTRO TO āTHE FALL OFFā
Cole ends his KOD album in battle rap mode. He addresses Lil Pump for dissing him on Pumpās āF*ck J Coleā song.
Coleās flow is melodic and his lyrics cut deep. He foretells Pumpās future and predicts the rapper will be on Love & Hip-Hop in five years. Also, Cole wished him good luck in his career.
CONCLUSION
J. Cole gets a big thumbs up for producing a solid album with no features. Also, his evergreen message of choosing wisely has to be applauded, especially nowadays when living recklessly is being rewarded.
Listeners have different options to cope with their pain. Using drugs and drinking alcohol are just two ways of doing so. But if you choose wisely, and pick a healthier way to ease your pain, your life will change for the better.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/j-cole-kod/
J. Cole ā āKOD Trailerā
Cole revealed via Twitter that āKODā stands for Kids on Drugs, King Overdosed, and Kill Our Demons. The rest of the album he leaves to our interpretation. Well, letās begin.
INTRO
The album begins with caution. Jazz bellows underneath a female voice reciting uplifting words. Her message suggests listeners should make the right decisions (choose wisely) because the past (sand in an hourglass) can provide shelter for their demons.
Also, a way to a painless existence is provided. Those in pain must choose wisely, or make healthier decisions, to avoid being tormented by their past.
KOD
The title track showcases Coleās Kids on Drugs braggadocios side. In verse one, he utilizes his carnal mind to reply to media/fans asking him a bunch of āhowā questions. But instead of being humble, Cole replies to his critics in an arrogant way.
The second verse disconnects from the first and goes into a random storytelling mode with intersecting ideas that jump from one subject to another.
The outro is noteworthy. It forms a bridge between Intro and KOD songs. Also, it ends on a thought-provoking note.
If love is indeed the strongest drug like Cole stated, then why isnāt it being chased after like the drugs listed above? Why arenāt more people getting high off love? The question then becomesā¦is love even a drug?
That depends on who you ask. But what we all will agree on, love is an invisible element that contributes to people being addicted to drugs? Itās a fact, a strong love for something breeds addiction, dependency, et cetera.
PHOTOGRAPH
Cole uses a 2018 rhyme pattern to address a woman he follows privately on social media. Heās addicted or loves to stalk the woman online, and itās starting to mess with his health.
Cole always excels when he tells stories about him and a woman. Women are his go-to subject to rap about and he does a pretty good job on this song.
THE CUT OFF (FEAT. KILL EDWARD)
Cole isnāt too fond of doing features on his albums. But this time, he enlists his alter ego, kiLL edward, to help him say that Heaven is a mental mind state.
edward raps that heās stuck in his fallen ways and thatās why he keeps falling down. Thatās why he drinks alcohol and uses drugs to help him cope. But keep in mind that edward is actually Cole.
Cole raps about disloyal friends that owe him an apology and what heās gonna do to them when they meet. But all the while, edward is in Coleās mind telling him that drinking alcohol and using drugs will help numb his pain.
ATM
ATM is an energetically poppinā single with replay value. It begins with the albumās themeāchoose wisely.
Cole praises money like itās biblical and even states that it solved every problem he had. But after counting up all the money, he concludes that you canāt take it with you when you die.
The Scott Lazer & Cole-directed video shows the King of Drugs chauffeuring a bunch of children riding on a drug float. The storyline is dope, reminiscent of a classic video from hip-hopās golden era.
Also, Cole literally gives his arm and leg to purchase a vehicle. That transaction signifies what people are doing nowadays to accumulate material wealth. But keep in mind, chasing money will lead to your death or downfall. Message received.
MOTIV8
Motiv8 is a good track that features a sample from Junior M.A.F.I.A.ās āGet Moneyā single.
Cole encourages listeners to get high and get money, even though he just said that chasing money is detrimental to their health.
Verse 2 features one of Coleās best lyrics and flow.
KEVINāS HEART
Coleās continues his lyrical crusade and touches on his favorite subject.
He raps about being in a committed relationship but admits to being an addict thatās addicted to cheating. He tries to fight the temptation and remain faithful but acknowledges that heās fake for thinking that way.
BRACKETS
The song begins with a Richard Pryor comedy skit.
Cole speaks about being a millionaire and then he receives a phone call from Uncle Sam.
Verse 2 highlights Coleās disgust with paying higher taxes now that heās a millionaire.
ONCE AN ADDICT ā INTERLUDE
Cole shines brightly on this song, which is reminiscent of Nasā āProject Windowsā single.
He addresses his motherās battle with alcoholism. The reason why she drankābecause Coleās step-father had a baby with another woman. So, to cope with the pain, Coleās mother started abusing alcohol.
With no one to turn to, she used to call to talk to Cole. But he didnāt like talking to her while she was drunk.
At the end of the song, Cole regrets being that way to his mother when she needed him the most.
FRIENDS (FEAT. KILL EDWARDS)
Cole finds solace in his alter ego and cops another bag of weed to smoke. Somehow, he needs it to cope and gets aggravated when he doesnāt smoke.
He takes this time to address his friends who arenāt motivated to succeed. He tells them several things they can blame their lack of motivation on. And ends it by saying that the blame game is also an addiction that people use to not get better.
Also, he raps about depression and drug addiction.
WINDOW PAIN ā OUTRO
The song begins with a girl telling Cole about the time her cousin got shot. Cole is sad, listening to the girl with tears in his eyes.
Then Cole praises the Most High. He speaks about things he wanna do like killing the man that made his mother cry and seeing his granny on the other side.
The girl ends the song with a powerful message.
1985 ā INTRO TO āTHE FALL OFFā
Cole ends his KOD album in battle rap mode. He addresses Lil Pump for dissing him on Pumpās āF*ck J Coleā song.
Coleās flow is melodic and his lyrics cut deep. He foretells Pumpās future and predicts the rapper will be on Love & Hip-Hop in five years. Also, Cole wished him good luck in his career.
CONCLUSION
J. Cole gets a big thumbs up for producing a solid album with no features. Also, his evergreen message of choosing wisely has to be applauded, especially nowadays when living recklessly is being rewarded.
Listeners have different options to cope with their pain. Using drugs and drinking alcohol are just two ways of doing so. But if you choose wisely, and pick a healthier way to ease your pain, your life will change for the better.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/j-cole-kod/
pecotter (3 KP) rated Train to Busan (2016) in Movies
Sep 19, 2017
A gripping Korean zombie film
I was excited to watch Train to Busan the moment I saw the trailer for it. I am a huge fan of horror and zombie films and this one looked different.
I was pretty into it as soon as I started to watch it, I was pulled in and couldn't take my eyes from the screen from the moment the characters first board the train.
There were little details here and there that I loved including the fact that one character has a brand new Nintendo Ds (I love Nintendo).
Most zombie movies bore me after a while and I don't care too much for the characters, but in Train to Busan I was rooting for several of them.
I also loved the fact they were on a train, that was ont of the reasons I wanted to watch this film, I wanted to see exactly how they were gonna survive in such a small space.
I highly recommend this film, give it a try even if you don't like the look of it and it might surprise you.
I was pretty into it as soon as I started to watch it, I was pulled in and couldn't take my eyes from the screen from the moment the characters first board the train.
There were little details here and there that I loved including the fact that one character has a brand new Nintendo Ds (I love Nintendo).
Most zombie movies bore me after a while and I don't care too much for the characters, but in Train to Busan I was rooting for several of them.
I also loved the fact they were on a train, that was ont of the reasons I wanted to watch this film, I wanted to see exactly how they were gonna survive in such a small space.
I highly recommend this film, give it a try even if you don't like the look of it and it might surprise you.
Becs (244 KP) rated Dragon Wing in Books
Sep 10, 2018
The storyline. (1 more)
The descriptions.
Grammatical errors. (2 more)
More grammatical errors.
Missing character backgrounds.
A great read but also not a great read.
I received Dragon Wing by Rebecca Busch as a read and review copy from Austin Macauley Publishers for my full honest review.
I was really wanting to love this book and give a five-star rating, but there were so many grammatical errors that it honestly killed me at times to read. Don't get me wrong, the storyline was wonderful and I loved it but with the grammatical errors, the whole book was lacking and seemed like a Wattpad story. (Now there is nothing wrong with Wattpad stories. But when you get an actual physical copy or even digital copy of a book, you kind of hold it at a higher standard compared to reading a story that is only published online.) With that being said, I could only give this story a 3-star rating due to the lack of editing Dragon Wing went through. If it was edited properly, I would say this could have easily been a 4 to a 4.5 star read. But the errors take away from some of the plot, causing it to be boring and way too difficult to read.
I was really wanting to love this book and give a five-star rating, but there were so many grammatical errors that it honestly killed me at times to read. Don't get me wrong, the storyline was wonderful and I loved it but with the grammatical errors, the whole book was lacking and seemed like a Wattpad story. (Now there is nothing wrong with Wattpad stories. But when you get an actual physical copy or even digital copy of a book, you kind of hold it at a higher standard compared to reading a story that is only published online.) With that being said, I could only give this story a 3-star rating due to the lack of editing Dragon Wing went through. If it was edited properly, I would say this could have easily been a 4 to a 4.5 star read. But the errors take away from some of the plot, causing it to be boring and way too difficult to read.