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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated San Andreas (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
The new Warner Brothers movie San Andreas stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Chief Ray Gaines, Carla Gugino as Emma Gaines, Alexandra Daddario as their daughter Blake Gaines, Paul Giamatti as scientist Lawrence, Ioan Gruffudd as Daniel (Emma’s new love interest, as she & Chief Gaines are about to finalize their divorce), and Archie Panjabi as Serena, a reporter.
The movie opens with a gut-wrenching helicopter rescue lead by Chief Gaines where he rescues a girl from a car that has careened off the edge of a cliff and is hanging precariously over a river. He manages to sweep her out of the car just barely before the car crashes the rest of the way down the cliff which would have surely killed her.
In my opinion, the movie never stops delivering gut wrenching, edge of your set moments. I was holding my breath and on edge thru the entirety of the film.
This is definitely a movie that you absolutely do NOT want to wait and see at home, it NEEDS ‘the big screen’. I think it probably is also better in 3D as well, I think the 3D adds to the special effects and helps pull you into the movie.
I was able to connect to the characters and while some of the situations were really really far fetched (Gaines rescuing Emma off the top of a collapsing building in a rescue helicopter as it literally crumbled away beneath her), the dedication that his character showed in trying to get her to safety, really made the story work for me.
There were moments of cute comedy in the film, mostly in the interactions between Blake Gaines and the brothers Ben and Ollie (Hugo Johnstone-Burt and Art Parkinson) that helped break up some of the tension imposed by the continuous onslaught of the disasters caused by the biggest earthquakes ever recorded.
If you like action / disaster movies, and a decent story, you will like this film.
Rated PG-13, I wouldn’t bring young children, but I would bring older kids, aged 13 and up, as the rating suggests.
I would give this movie 4 out of 5 stars for a good story and edge of your seat action throughout.
The movie opens with a gut-wrenching helicopter rescue lead by Chief Gaines where he rescues a girl from a car that has careened off the edge of a cliff and is hanging precariously over a river. He manages to sweep her out of the car just barely before the car crashes the rest of the way down the cliff which would have surely killed her.
In my opinion, the movie never stops delivering gut wrenching, edge of your set moments. I was holding my breath and on edge thru the entirety of the film.
This is definitely a movie that you absolutely do NOT want to wait and see at home, it NEEDS ‘the big screen’. I think it probably is also better in 3D as well, I think the 3D adds to the special effects and helps pull you into the movie.
I was able to connect to the characters and while some of the situations were really really far fetched (Gaines rescuing Emma off the top of a collapsing building in a rescue helicopter as it literally crumbled away beneath her), the dedication that his character showed in trying to get her to safety, really made the story work for me.
There were moments of cute comedy in the film, mostly in the interactions between Blake Gaines and the brothers Ben and Ollie (Hugo Johnstone-Burt and Art Parkinson) that helped break up some of the tension imposed by the continuous onslaught of the disasters caused by the biggest earthquakes ever recorded.
If you like action / disaster movies, and a decent story, you will like this film.
Rated PG-13, I wouldn’t bring young children, but I would bring older kids, aged 13 and up, as the rating suggests.
I would give this movie 4 out of 5 stars for a good story and edge of your seat action throughout.
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated At Love's Command (Hanger's Horsemen, #1) in Books
Feb 23, 2021
Have you ever read a book by Karen Witemeyer? If not, you are missing out on some of the best fiction books out there. At Love’s Command is the first book in a new 3 (or 4) book series and wowzah what a fun start to the series it book was. Even if you do not like westerns, I can guarantee that you will like this one. Karen Witmeyer has a similar writing style to that of Mary Connealy, and Ronie Kendig.
I think I smiled within the first few pages of At Love’s Command as Karen Witemeyer brought forth her character's fun wit and charm. I loved their believable personalities and their willingness to be strong in their beliefs. Matthew is now one of my favorite male characters ever. He showed humility, leadership, love, and most of all a deep trust in turning to God with any problem that came his way. Dr. Josephine was also a most likable character, I loved her “10-dollar words”, and the verbal sparring she sis with Matthew and others from The Horsemen gang. She was also a strong independent woman, but she was humble and showed wisdom when she knew others had better knowledge of the situation than she did. I will say it again, I LOVED this combination of characters.
The storyline pulled me in right from the very beginning, as I said, I was smiling from some of the interactions within the first few pages. It was so believable, combined with the bits of history thrown in, interwoven with some good action, and the theme of turning to God in every situation made this book so enjoyable for me. I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series. <br/>I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the great characters, the intriguing storyline (that I am so looking forward to reading more of), and for the characters continually pointing back to God as their source of strength and wisdom. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/06/26/at-loves-command-bethany-house
I think I smiled within the first few pages of At Love’s Command as Karen Witemeyer brought forth her character's fun wit and charm. I loved their believable personalities and their willingness to be strong in their beliefs. Matthew is now one of my favorite male characters ever. He showed humility, leadership, love, and most of all a deep trust in turning to God with any problem that came his way. Dr. Josephine was also a most likable character, I loved her “10-dollar words”, and the verbal sparring she sis with Matthew and others from The Horsemen gang. She was also a strong independent woman, but she was humble and showed wisdom when she knew others had better knowledge of the situation than she did. I will say it again, I LOVED this combination of characters.
The storyline pulled me in right from the very beginning, as I said, I was smiling from some of the interactions within the first few pages. It was so believable, combined with the bits of history thrown in, interwoven with some good action, and the theme of turning to God in every situation made this book so enjoyable for me. I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series. <br/>I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the great characters, the intriguing storyline (that I am so looking forward to reading more of), and for the characters continually pointing back to God as their source of strength and wisdom. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/06/26/at-loves-command-bethany-house
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Instant Family (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
Going in to Instant Family I had some reservations. I'm a big fan of Rose Byrne, her performance in last year's Juliet, Naked was a delight to watch, but on the flipside Mark Wahlberg and comedy don't come high on my must see list. Thankfully those thoughts were quickly dismissed as the times I laughed out loud soared into the double digits.
This is a genuinely good film with just a couple of things that made me pause a little, I'll mention those later. The moments where I laughed it was out loud, like almost everyone else at the screening, and when I wasn't laughing I was probably crying, sometimes ugly crying.
Byrne and Wahlberg worked so well together and with Isabela Moner in the mix too we were treated to some great on screen chemistry. I'm hoping we'll see a lot more of Moner on our screens as she was able to pull her weight really well with all the fantastic actors in this.
A lot is obviously focused around Ellie, Pete and the kids, but outside of that dynamic I've got to give some love to Karen and Sharon. Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro are such a fun double act, although for me Spencer will always steal the show. Their dynamic running the fostering program brought a smile to my face and while the reactionary humour may be predictable it lands so well that I couldn't care less that I knew it was coming.
My negatives about the films are so minute that they hardly seem worth mentioning. Pete (Wahlberg) has a tendency to be blunt and externalise what most of us would keep as inner dialogue. His script gives you those moments where you take a sharp breath and say "you shouldn't say that!" Ellie counteracts this by being the slight voice of reason so while you're taken aback by Pete's honesty you quickly come back to the normal flow of the film.
Out of my two quibbles this one caused me the most issues. Joan Cusack. She's great, I enjoy her work, but I really don't understand her inclusion in this. She pops up as a sort of cameo role near the end and it feels a little invasive on the dramatic moment we're witnessing, it just seems awkward and forced. It does at least lead to an amusing moment for Spencer so I think that probably gets it the pass.
Instant Family is definitely chock full of laughs and feels, despite my grumbles I still feel it deserves these five stars.
What you should do
It's a very entertaining film and perhaps surprisingly based on a true story, it's well worth a watch. I really think that everyone will get some entertainment out of this.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
If you could send Pete and Ellie round with their renovation skills it would be much appreciated.
This is a genuinely good film with just a couple of things that made me pause a little, I'll mention those later. The moments where I laughed it was out loud, like almost everyone else at the screening, and when I wasn't laughing I was probably crying, sometimes ugly crying.
Byrne and Wahlberg worked so well together and with Isabela Moner in the mix too we were treated to some great on screen chemistry. I'm hoping we'll see a lot more of Moner on our screens as she was able to pull her weight really well with all the fantastic actors in this.
A lot is obviously focused around Ellie, Pete and the kids, but outside of that dynamic I've got to give some love to Karen and Sharon. Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro are such a fun double act, although for me Spencer will always steal the show. Their dynamic running the fostering program brought a smile to my face and while the reactionary humour may be predictable it lands so well that I couldn't care less that I knew it was coming.
My negatives about the films are so minute that they hardly seem worth mentioning. Pete (Wahlberg) has a tendency to be blunt and externalise what most of us would keep as inner dialogue. His script gives you those moments where you take a sharp breath and say "you shouldn't say that!" Ellie counteracts this by being the slight voice of reason so while you're taken aback by Pete's honesty you quickly come back to the normal flow of the film.
Out of my two quibbles this one caused me the most issues. Joan Cusack. She's great, I enjoy her work, but I really don't understand her inclusion in this. She pops up as a sort of cameo role near the end and it feels a little invasive on the dramatic moment we're witnessing, it just seems awkward and forced. It does at least lead to an amusing moment for Spencer so I think that probably gets it the pass.
Instant Family is definitely chock full of laughs and feels, despite my grumbles I still feel it deserves these five stars.
What you should do
It's a very entertaining film and perhaps surprisingly based on a true story, it's well worth a watch. I really think that everyone will get some entertainment out of this.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
If you could send Pete and Ellie round with their renovation skills it would be much appreciated.
Cumberland (1142 KP) rated Struck By Lightning in Books
Sep 24, 2018
A good quick read
Carson Phillips is a high school senior with big dreams. He is an outcast who is disliked by most of his peers. This becomes a problem when he decides to create a literary magazine in hopes of getting accepted into the college of his dreams. To get the submissions he needs from other students he blackmails those around him.
Carson is a main character that you will either love or hate. The book is wrote as his diary entries, so the reader gets an inside look at his life. This makes it hard to dislike him despite his questionable moral choices. He is a sarcastic and funny character who often times critical about high school life. He does experience some personal growth throughout the book, and the reader can't help but cheer for his success.
The other characters make for an entertaining cast. Many of them depict stereotypes, but they all prove to be more complicated than they first appear. This book isn't super long so it's a good weekend read. If you like stories about high school under dogs chasing there dreams then you should definitely pick this up.
Carson is a main character that you will either love or hate. The book is wrote as his diary entries, so the reader gets an inside look at his life. This makes it hard to dislike him despite his questionable moral choices. He is a sarcastic and funny character who often times critical about high school life. He does experience some personal growth throughout the book, and the reader can't help but cheer for his success.
The other characters make for an entertaining cast. Many of them depict stereotypes, but they all prove to be more complicated than they first appear. This book isn't super long so it's a good weekend read. If you like stories about high school under dogs chasing there dreams then you should definitely pick this up.
Debbiereadsbook (1570 KP) rated The Arts of Love: Stories of Sensual Creativity in Books
Dec 10, 2018
a fabulous little collection!
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
16 short stories, written by the same author, based around love and the Arts. Music, acting, writing and everything inbetween.
A 16 book collection was never going to get 16 individual reviews, so here's what I thought about them all, as a whole.
I rather enjoyed it!
It's a great collection of shorts, average about 15 pages each, some a little shorter or longer, but that gives you just enough for each story, I thought, to give you a brief connection, a glimpse into these people's lives.
Some stories are a bit more explicit, some almost clean, in my opinion. Mostly written from one person's view, in the third person.
Each short is well written, and well delivered. I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading experience.
This is the first I've read of this author, and I'd like to read more. Something much longer than these shorts, just to see what they can do with more pages!
A thoroughly enjoyable Sunday afternoon spent reading, thank you.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
16 short stories, written by the same author, based around love and the Arts. Music, acting, writing and everything inbetween.
A 16 book collection was never going to get 16 individual reviews, so here's what I thought about them all, as a whole.
I rather enjoyed it!
It's a great collection of shorts, average about 15 pages each, some a little shorter or longer, but that gives you just enough for each story, I thought, to give you a brief connection, a glimpse into these people's lives.
Some stories are a bit more explicit, some almost clean, in my opinion. Mostly written from one person's view, in the third person.
Each short is well written, and well delivered. I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading experience.
This is the first I've read of this author, and I'd like to read more. Something much longer than these shorts, just to see what they can do with more pages!
A thoroughly enjoyable Sunday afternoon spent reading, thank you.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
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Logan Eccles (135 KP) rated Happy Death Day 2U (2019) in Movies
Oct 1, 2020 (Updated Oct 2, 2020)
Saddly Dissapointing
To say I was just disappointed with this sequel would be withholding the truth because this film missed out on what made its predecessor so great in my opinion. Gone is the random quirkiness of the weird plot of Happy Death Day. Happy Death Day 2U decided it wanted to explain the time loop of the first movie. This was unquestionably a bad idea simply due to how not knowing the reason why things were happening made the concept hilarious. The first move is hysterical, its sequel is hysterically stupid.
Trust me I don't like saying all this being a big fan of Happy Death Day, but you watch this movie and tell me its not garbage. If you disagree with me so be it but you might be lying to yourself. There is hardly any horror in this horror film. If your gonna be in the horror genre have more killing more thrills more suspense and less science and multiverse talk. I love SciFi movies but this was not supposed to be that and it honestly ruined the credibility of the first film.
Trust me I don't like saying all this being a big fan of Happy Death Day, but you watch this movie and tell me its not garbage. If you disagree with me so be it but you might be lying to yourself. There is hardly any horror in this horror film. If your gonna be in the horror genre have more killing more thrills more suspense and less science and multiverse talk. I love SciFi movies but this was not supposed to be that and it honestly ruined the credibility of the first film.