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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Arthur (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Arthur Bach is a spoiled, boyish, alcoholic, New York City playboy with amazing hair and heir to the family business and fortune. He and his faithful sidekick Bitterman travel far and wide to have fun and drink. Well, Arthur drinks, Bitterman drives. He is also very dependent on his nanny Hobson who has been with him since he was born and still takes care of him. One day his mother Vivienne decides she’s had it with his antics, embarrassing her and the family company, so she gives him an ultimatum: either he marries Susan Johnson or he will be cut-off and have to fend for himself on the mean streets of New York City.
Though he doesn’t love Susan, he eventually decides to go along with his mother’s wishes and propose to her. But during this time he also meets the enchanting Naomi, an unlicensed tour guide of Grand Central Terminal who has dreams of being a children’s author. As the wedding day draws nearer and nearer, Arthur and Naomi grow closer and closer. Then tragedy strikes. How this affects Arthur could change his entire life. Does he marry Susan and keep his wealth but gain the world’s scariest father-in-law? Does he choose the mean streets of New York City to be with Naomi? Or do he and Bitterman jump into the Batmobile and drive off into the sunset?
This remake of the 1981 movie Arthur honored the wonderful story that many of us know and love from the original film while still possessing its own unique flair. I believe Dudley Moore would have been very happy with Russell Brand’s excellent performance as Arthur Bach (if you disagree, hold a seance and prove me wrong). Helen Mirren does an amazing job as Hobson and she pretty much owns any scene she is in. Nick Nolte & Jennifer Garner were great as Burt (world’s scariest future father-in-law) and Susan Johnson (Arthur’s total-10-on-the-L.A.-scale) fiancee. Last but not least, I thoroughly enjoyed the performances of: Greta Gerwig as Naomi (Arthur’s love interest), Geraldine James as Vivienne Bach (Arthur’s Mom) and Luis Guzman as Bitterman his faithful sidekick and chauffeur (though I do wish Luis would have been given more screen time). The film definitely kept the audiences attention from start to finish but we were all laughing so much that I have to see it again to hear the jokes that I missed the first time.
If you were sober when you saw the original movie you probably remember the key parts of the story line but if not then this movie will seem like an entirely original movie to you.
Though he doesn’t love Susan, he eventually decides to go along with his mother’s wishes and propose to her. But during this time he also meets the enchanting Naomi, an unlicensed tour guide of Grand Central Terminal who has dreams of being a children’s author. As the wedding day draws nearer and nearer, Arthur and Naomi grow closer and closer. Then tragedy strikes. How this affects Arthur could change his entire life. Does he marry Susan and keep his wealth but gain the world’s scariest father-in-law? Does he choose the mean streets of New York City to be with Naomi? Or do he and Bitterman jump into the Batmobile and drive off into the sunset?
This remake of the 1981 movie Arthur honored the wonderful story that many of us know and love from the original film while still possessing its own unique flair. I believe Dudley Moore would have been very happy with Russell Brand’s excellent performance as Arthur Bach (if you disagree, hold a seance and prove me wrong). Helen Mirren does an amazing job as Hobson and she pretty much owns any scene she is in. Nick Nolte & Jennifer Garner were great as Burt (world’s scariest future father-in-law) and Susan Johnson (Arthur’s total-10-on-the-L.A.-scale) fiancee. Last but not least, I thoroughly enjoyed the performances of: Greta Gerwig as Naomi (Arthur’s love interest), Geraldine James as Vivienne Bach (Arthur’s Mom) and Luis Guzman as Bitterman his faithful sidekick and chauffeur (though I do wish Luis would have been given more screen time). The film definitely kept the audiences attention from start to finish but we were all laughing so much that I have to see it again to hear the jokes that I missed the first time.
If you were sober when you saw the original movie you probably remember the key parts of the story line but if not then this movie will seem like an entirely original movie to you.
Heathski (173 KP) rated How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) in Movies
Feb 20, 2019
Animation and art very expressive (1 more)
Story funny scary and emotional
Emotional rollercoaster
I can write this from a few different perspectives. I went to see this with my nephew who is 4, and the film is a PG. I love the How to train your dragon series. Ive always been impressed by the animation and the strong storyline of the bond between Hiccup and Toothless. This film was excellent. The expression of emotion in the characters was so flawless it felt real The animators and artists excelled themselves, in this truly awesome and beautifully designed film.
I laughed out loud and I had some teary moments. It's was a touching heartfelt goodbye to the series. I enjoyed it. My partner, who's not a huge fan, also enjoyed it and laughed a lot throughout the film. My nephew was entranced. He loves Toothless. The characters were so well done, that he though the baddie (who looks a lot like he was modelled after Arnold Vosloo from The Mummy) was very scary. So much so, he had to leave the cinema, but he came back after some reasurance. We covered his eyes at the next scary bit and soon he was shouting at the screen and getting very animated when the baddie appeared, cheering Hiccup and Toothless along.
This is an awesome family film, plenty of action, very funny and emotional. Watch out for the scary bits and If you are anything like me, make sure you have tissues. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I laughed out loud and I had some teary moments. It's was a touching heartfelt goodbye to the series. I enjoyed it. My partner, who's not a huge fan, also enjoyed it and laughed a lot throughout the film. My nephew was entranced. He loves Toothless. The characters were so well done, that he though the baddie (who looks a lot like he was modelled after Arnold Vosloo from The Mummy) was very scary. So much so, he had to leave the cinema, but he came back after some reasurance. We covered his eyes at the next scary bit and soon he was shouting at the screen and getting very animated when the baddie appeared, cheering Hiccup and Toothless along.
This is an awesome family film, plenty of action, very funny and emotional. Watch out for the scary bits and If you are anything like me, make sure you have tissues. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pixaki – Pixel art studio
Productivity and Photo & Video
App
Pixaki is a powerful pixel art creation studio for iPad. It features many of the same features found...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) in Movies
Mar 3, 2019
Solid Film For a Solid Trilogy
In this third installment, Hiccup is trying to find a home for all the dragons the community keeps bringing in while Toothless come across a dragon that he can’t seem to stay away from.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 5
It wasn’t like I didn’t like the characters as I would probably score this category for the previous two films much higher. I think my biggest concern was the cohesiveness between the characters. It felt like everyone was off doing their own thing and there wasn’t much of a connection like there was in the past two films. Maybe I was missing something, but I didn’t feel the connection I was hoping to between Hiccup and his mom. Sure she had been missing from his life for the majority of his childhood, but I feel like an opportunity was missed here to bring them closer.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
This series has been known for its stunning visuals to date and the third installment doesn’t disappoint. There’s so much attention to detail, especially as it pertains to the dragons. There are a countless number of dragons, each with their own abilities, size, and strength. it’s cool watching them take flight in numbers through the clouds and over the ocean.
Conflict: 10
Those who are coming to be entertained won’t be disappointed with the amount of action in the movie. From its hot start and onwards, you can expect plenty of hand-to-hand combat, dragon battles, and narrow getaways. The way the air dynamics are used is something that has been perfected since the first movie and keeps getting better. The conflict was aided greatly by a solid villain with some pretty creepy dragons.
Genre: 8
It’s hard for the third movie in a trilogy to receive a perfect score from a genre standpoint. While this movie does bring some of its own flare to the animated genre, there is a bit of it that feels like more of the same. Not a bad thing, but I would be looking for a little bit more to score this higher.
Memorability: 9
Pace: 10
Never really a dull moment as the story is handled consistently and properly throughout. My nephew needed to go to the bathroom somewhere in the middle of the film and there was action happening even as I was walking him down and back up the stairs. The plot development is not overdone and cuts right back into conflict when necessary.
Plot: 10
No issues here. Basic and straightforward, but enough to build a story on. They found a way to bring the series to a fitting ending.
Resolution: 10
Very fitting and touching ending for this series. It was exactly what I could have hoped for and then some. The type of ending (a la Toy Story 3) that made me sorry to see the series go.
Overall: 92
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World gets off to a decent start then does nothing but build momentum throughout. While it didn’t wow me with originality, it most certainly entertained me and that, to me, is largely what a good movie is all about. You and your kids wlll love it.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 5
It wasn’t like I didn’t like the characters as I would probably score this category for the previous two films much higher. I think my biggest concern was the cohesiveness between the characters. It felt like everyone was off doing their own thing and there wasn’t much of a connection like there was in the past two films. Maybe I was missing something, but I didn’t feel the connection I was hoping to between Hiccup and his mom. Sure she had been missing from his life for the majority of his childhood, but I feel like an opportunity was missed here to bring them closer.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
This series has been known for its stunning visuals to date and the third installment doesn’t disappoint. There’s so much attention to detail, especially as it pertains to the dragons. There are a countless number of dragons, each with their own abilities, size, and strength. it’s cool watching them take flight in numbers through the clouds and over the ocean.
Conflict: 10
Those who are coming to be entertained won’t be disappointed with the amount of action in the movie. From its hot start and onwards, you can expect plenty of hand-to-hand combat, dragon battles, and narrow getaways. The way the air dynamics are used is something that has been perfected since the first movie and keeps getting better. The conflict was aided greatly by a solid villain with some pretty creepy dragons.
Genre: 8
It’s hard for the third movie in a trilogy to receive a perfect score from a genre standpoint. While this movie does bring some of its own flare to the animated genre, there is a bit of it that feels like more of the same. Not a bad thing, but I would be looking for a little bit more to score this higher.
Memorability: 9
Pace: 10
Never really a dull moment as the story is handled consistently and properly throughout. My nephew needed to go to the bathroom somewhere in the middle of the film and there was action happening even as I was walking him down and back up the stairs. The plot development is not overdone and cuts right back into conflict when necessary.
Plot: 10
No issues here. Basic and straightforward, but enough to build a story on. They found a way to bring the series to a fitting ending.
Resolution: 10
Very fitting and touching ending for this series. It was exactly what I could have hoped for and then some. The type of ending (a la Toy Story 3) that made me sorry to see the series go.
Overall: 92
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World gets off to a decent start then does nothing but build momentum throughout. While it didn’t wow me with originality, it most certainly entertained me and that, to me, is largely what a good movie is all about. You and your kids wlll love it.
Cynthia Armistead (17 KP) rated American Gods in Books
Mar 1, 2018
I'm trying to remember whether or not I've read any of Gaiman's other novels before, and I'm fairly certain that I haven't. I read [b:Good Omens|12067|Good Omens|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266659394s/12067.jpg|4110990], but that was co-written with [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg], and the collaboration was genius. I know that the entire world seems to love Sandman, of course, but I'm just not a fan of graphic novels. In fact, it took me a while to realize that the Good Omens co-author and the Sandman author were one and the same.
I've certainly read some short stories, too. The most memorable, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow,_Glass,_Apples">"Snow, Glass, Apples"</a> was reprinted in an anthology I read recently. I find it disturbing, so I won't re-read it. Well-written, of course—it wouldn't be so very memorably distressing if it weren't so masterfully done! (I found the <a href="http://www.holycow.com/dreaming/stories/snow-glass-apples">text online</a> if you care to read it, but please understand that the story deals with pedophilia, necrophilia, and incest here. It is the polar opposite of all things Disney.) Snow White was never one of of my favorite fairy tales, and Gaiman definitely pushed it much farther down the list.
In any case, I don't know what I was expecting from Gaiman, but <i>American Gods</i> wasn't it. I like stories with happy endings, and within the first few chapters I was fairly sure that there wouldn't be one. Is Gaiman fundamentally opposed to joy, or is it just happiness that he doesn't allow?
The novel is epic. It is masterful. All that stuff from the big critics is dead on. The book could be used as the backbone of a mythological scavenger hunt if a teacher were willing to run a very unstructured but engaging course that way. I certainly enjoyed that aspect of it, and it made me glad that I was reading it on my iTouch so that I could look up anything I liked online at any time, no matter where I happened to be (which was almost always at home or somewhere else that had wifi access, happily).
I seldom want to see illustrations in any book, but yes, I think I would like to see good pictures of some of the characters Gaiman described in this one. On the other hand, without artwork I spent time imagining what the characters looked like based on the descriptions. I don't normally stop to do that, as such matters as seldom relevant to a plot, but these beings caught my fancy. Not enough that I would sit through an entire graphic novel, I'm afraid, but if I saw one now I might flip through it to see how the artist's renderings compare with my versions.
I'm seldom able to identify an overall Theme to the books I read. Most of them, honestly, are fluff. I'm fine with that. I read them because they entertain me. <i>American Gods</i> is different. It is entertaining, but it isn't light or fluffy in the least. It definitely has an easily identifiably Theme and Tropes and all those elements that I recall from long-ago classes, the sorts of things that put me off from my original English major because I hated tearing other author's works apart instead of writing anything original. (Now, I begin to understand that we were being taught to recognize what makes for good writing so we might have some hope of possibly creating some of it one day.)
I somewhat timidly conclude that <i>American Gods</i> is the first piece of Literature I've read in a very long time, and well worth the time spent reading it. (I find it rather amusing that it would be British Literature, despite its title, due to the author's nationality.) I'm not going to state the theme, because that would be a spoiler, and I hate putting those in reviews—but it's something that I see as a Truth, and one that needs to be stated far more often, especiallly today. It's even more interesting that it took a Brit to say it.
The book is dark, although it does have some very bright spots in it. I will acknowledge that I was going through a particularly bad time with regards to my health when I was reading it, but I still think it might be best for some people to read this one when in a fairly positive state of mind.
I've certainly read some short stories, too. The most memorable, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow,_Glass,_Apples">"Snow, Glass, Apples"</a> was reprinted in an anthology I read recently. I find it disturbing, so I won't re-read it. Well-written, of course—it wouldn't be so very memorably distressing if it weren't so masterfully done! (I found the <a href="http://www.holycow.com/dreaming/stories/snow-glass-apples">text online</a> if you care to read it, but please understand that the story deals with pedophilia, necrophilia, and incest here. It is the polar opposite of all things Disney.) Snow White was never one of of my favorite fairy tales, and Gaiman definitely pushed it much farther down the list.
In any case, I don't know what I was expecting from Gaiman, but <i>American Gods</i> wasn't it. I like stories with happy endings, and within the first few chapters I was fairly sure that there wouldn't be one. Is Gaiman fundamentally opposed to joy, or is it just happiness that he doesn't allow?
The novel is epic. It is masterful. All that stuff from the big critics is dead on. The book could be used as the backbone of a mythological scavenger hunt if a teacher were willing to run a very unstructured but engaging course that way. I certainly enjoyed that aspect of it, and it made me glad that I was reading it on my iTouch so that I could look up anything I liked online at any time, no matter where I happened to be (which was almost always at home or somewhere else that had wifi access, happily).
I seldom want to see illustrations in any book, but yes, I think I would like to see good pictures of some of the characters Gaiman described in this one. On the other hand, without artwork I spent time imagining what the characters looked like based on the descriptions. I don't normally stop to do that, as such matters as seldom relevant to a plot, but these beings caught my fancy. Not enough that I would sit through an entire graphic novel, I'm afraid, but if I saw one now I might flip through it to see how the artist's renderings compare with my versions.
I'm seldom able to identify an overall Theme to the books I read. Most of them, honestly, are fluff. I'm fine with that. I read them because they entertain me. <i>American Gods</i> is different. It is entertaining, but it isn't light or fluffy in the least. It definitely has an easily identifiably Theme and Tropes and all those elements that I recall from long-ago classes, the sorts of things that put me off from my original English major because I hated tearing other author's works apart instead of writing anything original. (Now, I begin to understand that we were being taught to recognize what makes for good writing so we might have some hope of possibly creating some of it one day.)
I somewhat timidly conclude that <i>American Gods</i> is the first piece of Literature I've read in a very long time, and well worth the time spent reading it. (I find it rather amusing that it would be British Literature, despite its title, due to the author's nationality.) I'm not going to state the theme, because that would be a spoiler, and I hate putting those in reviews—but it's something that I see as a Truth, and one that needs to be stated far more often, especiallly today. It's even more interesting that it took a Brit to say it.
The book is dark, although it does have some very bright spots in it. I will acknowledge that I was going through a particularly bad time with regards to my health when I was reading it, but I still think it might be best for some people to read this one when in a fairly positive state of mind.
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Risk It All (MacAteer Brothers #4) in Books
Apr 7, 2021
I liked this, I liked this a lot
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 4 in the MacAteer brothers series, and they can all be read as stand alone books. BUT, as a personal point, I would recommend you read the previous three books before this one. It's fun watching these guys fall hard and fast, but there was some things they said in the other books that don't come up here, and I think they should have. Some history and legends revolving around the MacAteer men! And cos, I said so! :-)
Patrick and Angus are the youngest brothers, identical twins, and are both a bit free with their bodies and are, in essence, men whores. They makes no bones what they are offering, and they enjoy themselves. Coming home to work with Connor, Owen and Garrett puts Patrick in direct contact with Sloane, who runs their favourite Irish bar. And the man falls hard and fast but she keeps pushing him away. Will he walk away from her like her ex did?
I liked this, I liked this a lot. And while emotional, it doesn't quite pull the punch that Owen and Garrett's book do.
What I did love about this one was, that Sloane's history isn't made clear to US til she tells Patrick about it. And I LOVED that, I really did. You knew she was hurt, badly, by her ex, but the WHY and what he did?? I freaking wanted Patrick to punch that man so bad, so VERY bad!
And Patrick's reaction to finding out Sloane's pain?? He literally wraps her up, and pulls her close. And it's then, right near the end, that they get their moment. I loved being made to wait for it, I really did! I think, as with Owen and Mel, had they NOT had their moment, I'd have still enjoyed it.
Patrick has his voice in the third, and Sloane in the first. I'm loving this, I really am. It's different, yes, but it works so well here! It's a bit shorter than the other books too and I read it in one sitting.
Angus, the final brother is next and he meets Rhyleigh here. Smitten they both are, but there really isn't anything given away about them! Can't wait to get my hands on it!
I might go back and read Eva's book, the MacAteer sister who falls in love with Stud from The Dragon Runners series. I tried before, but I'd like to round this family out by having read ALL their stories.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 4 in the MacAteer brothers series, and they can all be read as stand alone books. BUT, as a personal point, I would recommend you read the previous three books before this one. It's fun watching these guys fall hard and fast, but there was some things they said in the other books that don't come up here, and I think they should have. Some history and legends revolving around the MacAteer men! And cos, I said so! :-)
Patrick and Angus are the youngest brothers, identical twins, and are both a bit free with their bodies and are, in essence, men whores. They makes no bones what they are offering, and they enjoy themselves. Coming home to work with Connor, Owen and Garrett puts Patrick in direct contact with Sloane, who runs their favourite Irish bar. And the man falls hard and fast but she keeps pushing him away. Will he walk away from her like her ex did?
I liked this, I liked this a lot. And while emotional, it doesn't quite pull the punch that Owen and Garrett's book do.
What I did love about this one was, that Sloane's history isn't made clear to US til she tells Patrick about it. And I LOVED that, I really did. You knew she was hurt, badly, by her ex, but the WHY and what he did?? I freaking wanted Patrick to punch that man so bad, so VERY bad!
And Patrick's reaction to finding out Sloane's pain?? He literally wraps her up, and pulls her close. And it's then, right near the end, that they get their moment. I loved being made to wait for it, I really did! I think, as with Owen and Mel, had they NOT had their moment, I'd have still enjoyed it.
Patrick has his voice in the third, and Sloane in the first. I'm loving this, I really am. It's different, yes, but it works so well here! It's a bit shorter than the other books too and I read it in one sitting.
Angus, the final brother is next and he meets Rhyleigh here. Smitten they both are, but there really isn't anything given away about them! Can't wait to get my hands on it!
I might go back and read Eva's book, the MacAteer sister who falls in love with Stud from The Dragon Runners series. I tried before, but I'd like to round this family out by having read ALL their stories.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Age, Sex, Location
Book
A hilarious and refreshingly honest foray into modern dating, Age, Sex, Location is Bridget Jones's...
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Jewels of Truth: The Journey of the Soul Continues, Vol. 3 in Books
Jun 12, 2019
Genre: Non-fiction, Spiritual, Non-romance
Page Count: 258 pages
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Your spiritual journey of self-improvement continues in volume three of the Jewels of Truth series by Ivan A. Pozo-Illas, a.k.a. Atrayo. In this new compendium of 365 statements of spiritual wisdom, Atrayo shares daily inspirational tools to explore all of the must-haves in your life, including love, faith, forgiveness, and certainly, God(dess).
From these poignant and concise statements, rather than lengthy diatribes, you can easily and quickly find the essential kernel of truth to help you on your journey today.
No matter your religious or spiritual traditions or background, this volume is written from an all-inclusive perspective. Jewels of Truth: The Journey of the Soul Continues is the sacred and uplifting result of clairvoyant automatic writing as the genesis motivation to reach the masses. The channeled spirit teachers are all angelic in divine nature. They are nameless as a united continuum of the Holy Spirit.
Spirituality has a core need in our lives. No matter where you are on your journey, these messages of hope are shared in love.
Let me start off by saying that I am really not qualified to be reviewing this book. Ivan A. Pozo-Illas was generous enough to donate to the Borgen Project in exchange for an honest review. While I am happy to do it, I am probably not doing this book justice.
As someone with absolutely no background in philosophy or religion, this was a difficult book to get through and review.
I do know that despite the author’s claims of it being all-inclusive for all religious backgrounds, the book was more tilted to the Christian faith, with most of the proverbs talking about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. There were plenty of mentions of God(dess) as well, which was the basically only indication these statements of wisdom were not strictly for Christian. While Mohammed, Buddha, and Krishna are mentioned maybe four times, and always in a list of other important religious figures from different religions (never for their specific teachings), Jesus is mentioned 22 times, usually in passages like this:
It has been written in the Biblical New Testament that “Jesus the Christ” once stated that to enter the “Kingdom of God” one must be as innocent as a child in spirit.
On top of that, these statements of wisdom, to me at least, were pretty long and wordy. It was difficult to get through. A lot of the time I did not understand what was being said, but that could just be chalked up to my own ignorance on the subject.
This is probably more useful to people more educated about spirituality than me, but it is definitely not for the everyday person, at least not most of it. There were some things that were interesting, like this quote celebrating diversity in religions.
No one religion can have a monopoly on God and/or on his favoritism. To say so is a lie and a sin to the diversity within Creation itself.
Page Count: 258 pages
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Your spiritual journey of self-improvement continues in volume three of the Jewels of Truth series by Ivan A. Pozo-Illas, a.k.a. Atrayo. In this new compendium of 365 statements of spiritual wisdom, Atrayo shares daily inspirational tools to explore all of the must-haves in your life, including love, faith, forgiveness, and certainly, God(dess).
From these poignant and concise statements, rather than lengthy diatribes, you can easily and quickly find the essential kernel of truth to help you on your journey today.
No matter your religious or spiritual traditions or background, this volume is written from an all-inclusive perspective. Jewels of Truth: The Journey of the Soul Continues is the sacred and uplifting result of clairvoyant automatic writing as the genesis motivation to reach the masses. The channeled spirit teachers are all angelic in divine nature. They are nameless as a united continuum of the Holy Spirit.
Spirituality has a core need in our lives. No matter where you are on your journey, these messages of hope are shared in love.
Let me start off by saying that I am really not qualified to be reviewing this book. Ivan A. Pozo-Illas was generous enough to donate to the Borgen Project in exchange for an honest review. While I am happy to do it, I am probably not doing this book justice.
As someone with absolutely no background in philosophy or religion, this was a difficult book to get through and review.
I do know that despite the author’s claims of it being all-inclusive for all religious backgrounds, the book was more tilted to the Christian faith, with most of the proverbs talking about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. There were plenty of mentions of God(dess) as well, which was the basically only indication these statements of wisdom were not strictly for Christian. While Mohammed, Buddha, and Krishna are mentioned maybe four times, and always in a list of other important religious figures from different religions (never for their specific teachings), Jesus is mentioned 22 times, usually in passages like this:
It has been written in the Biblical New Testament that “Jesus the Christ” once stated that to enter the “Kingdom of God” one must be as innocent as a child in spirit.
On top of that, these statements of wisdom, to me at least, were pretty long and wordy. It was difficult to get through. A lot of the time I did not understand what was being said, but that could just be chalked up to my own ignorance on the subject.
This is probably more useful to people more educated about spirituality than me, but it is definitely not for the everyday person, at least not most of it. There were some things that were interesting, like this quote celebrating diversity in religions.
No one religion can have a monopoly on God and/or on his favoritism. To say so is a lie and a sin to the diversity within Creation itself.
Louise (64 KP) rated None of the Above in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review*
This book has been out for sometime and I have always been intrigued about it but never actually took the plunge until I saw it being offeredon Netgalley to read due to it being reprinted in paperback edition. This book was really good, I love contemporaries where something dramatic has happened in our protagonists life that is very different and only happens to a minority of people.
We follow Kristin, she is 17, in with the popular crowd at school and has been named prom queen…her life is fantastic and everything a teenage girl could want. She even has this boyfriend that’s really understanding and takes it slow and seems to be really into her. Kristin wants to take their relationship up another level and prom is the night! Except when that time arrives,it’s a lot more painful than expected…..so excruciating that she consults her gynecologist.
What Kristin learns at her appointment changes her life forever…. she was born intersex. Intersex is where you are born with both genitalia at birth.With this discovery we see how people react to her once her secret has been leaked and how she overcomes the negatives and start to look at the positives.
This story evoked so many emotions from me, I was shocked and angry at how people treated Kristin, the problem is people are scared of what they don’t know and they become ignorant to that persons feelings. There was sadness when it seemed like Kristin’s life was crumbling away and how her diagnosis had such an effect on her everyday life.
All the characters in this were great and I thought were all necessary for the plot – you had two best friends that were totally different from one another and she could confide with them for different things. There were the bullies which showed their utter stupidity and how harmful their remarks can be. We had the characters that treated Kristin exactly the same before her diagnosis and also other intersex characters which helped her through the process of coming to terms of her diagnosis.
I suspect a lot of people are questioning how she could not know that she was intersex, she had a female body and everything about her was feminine yet it was mostly her insides that were different and if you don’t know if anything is wrong how would you know to look for it.
Overall I thought this story sent out a great message and portrayal of intersex characters – if definitely made me want to find out more about the different types of intersex there are and how common/uncommon it is. I have never met an intersex person so I can’t say if this is an accurate portrayal but with all the emotions flowing it certainly felt like it.
I couldn’t find a fault with this book it had great characters, LGTBQ, great parents, Romance(but not too much) and was an informative, eye-opening read and definitely recommend if you are looking to read more diversely or want to read about intersex main characters.
I rated this 5 out of 5 stars
This book has been out for sometime and I have always been intrigued about it but never actually took the plunge until I saw it being offeredon Netgalley to read due to it being reprinted in paperback edition. This book was really good, I love contemporaries where something dramatic has happened in our protagonists life that is very different and only happens to a minority of people.
We follow Kristin, she is 17, in with the popular crowd at school and has been named prom queen…her life is fantastic and everything a teenage girl could want. She even has this boyfriend that’s really understanding and takes it slow and seems to be really into her. Kristin wants to take their relationship up another level and prom is the night! Except when that time arrives,it’s a lot more painful than expected…..so excruciating that she consults her gynecologist.
What Kristin learns at her appointment changes her life forever…. she was born intersex. Intersex is where you are born with both genitalia at birth.With this discovery we see how people react to her once her secret has been leaked and how she overcomes the negatives and start to look at the positives.
This story evoked so many emotions from me, I was shocked and angry at how people treated Kristin, the problem is people are scared of what they don’t know and they become ignorant to that persons feelings. There was sadness when it seemed like Kristin’s life was crumbling away and how her diagnosis had such an effect on her everyday life.
All the characters in this were great and I thought were all necessary for the plot – you had two best friends that were totally different from one another and she could confide with them for different things. There were the bullies which showed their utter stupidity and how harmful their remarks can be. We had the characters that treated Kristin exactly the same before her diagnosis and also other intersex characters which helped her through the process of coming to terms of her diagnosis.
I suspect a lot of people are questioning how she could not know that she was intersex, she had a female body and everything about her was feminine yet it was mostly her insides that were different and if you don’t know if anything is wrong how would you know to look for it.
Overall I thought this story sent out a great message and portrayal of intersex characters – if definitely made me want to find out more about the different types of intersex there are and how common/uncommon it is. I have never met an intersex person so I can’t say if this is an accurate portrayal but with all the emotions flowing it certainly felt like it.
I couldn’t find a fault with this book it had great characters, LGTBQ, great parents, Romance(but not too much) and was an informative, eye-opening read and definitely recommend if you are looking to read more diversely or want to read about intersex main characters.
I rated this 5 out of 5 stars
Darren (1599 KP) rated Bachelor Party (1984) in Movies
Jul 19, 2019
Verdict: Wild Party
Story: Bachelor Party starts when Rick (Hanks) announces to his friends, Jay (Zmed), Rudy (Diamond), Gary (Grossman), Ryko (Dudikoff) that he is going to marry his girlfriend Debbie (Kitaen), which means one thing for the guys, a bachelor party. Rick is trusted by Debbie, but her father Ed (Grizzard) doesn’t like him and wants his selection Cole (Prescott) to marry his daughter.
With the bachelor party underway, the boys think they are going to have a couple of strippers, few drinks and a good time, only for Cole to bring problems to the party in his attempts to break up the couple, meanwhile Debbie is having her own quieter party with her friends, which is also in Cole’s plans.
Thoughts on Bachelor Party
Characters – Rick is considered a bit of a slacker, he drives a school bus and hasn’t ever put his life into any order, he does however decide to marry his girlfriend against her father’s wishes, he is used to getting abused by people who look down on him, though he is the friend that will always be there for a friend in need. Debbie is the future bride, she comes from a rich family which she is tired of the lifestyle that looks down on people and sees the pure nature in Rick. Jay is the best friend that is always trying to get Rick in trouble, he loves to party too. Ed is the father of Debbie, he always looks down on Rick never seeing him as good enough for his daughter and wants to end the relationship before it gets started.
Performances – Tom Hanks is the clear standout in this film, you get to see how he has a different level of acting abilities than most people in the film being able to do the sleazy moments, while bring a human friendship figure to life. The rest of the cast do work for their roles, the party animals work well, the upper-class characters and the one trying to steal the girl work too.
Story – The story here follows a slacker that is going to marry the love of his life, but before he must have a bachelor party which soon gets out of control. This film doesn’t have the deepest story, it dives into the idea parents don’t always approve of the potential loved ones, your friends will want you have one last mad night before you get married and needing to avoid the person trying to take apart you life. This is everything that we know from the wild party film, it plays out like a checklist without being anything new, but easy to enjoy.
Comedy – The comedy in this film enters us into the wild party, we get to see how things go wrong, they will get us laughing at times even if certain jokes might not have aged well.
Settings – The film is set in a hotel room for the party, we get to see how the guests get themselves into trouble through the night, looking for extra people to join the party.
Scene of the Movie – 3D experience.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The donkey.
Final Thoughts – This is a fun 80s party movie, which bought us an early role from Tom Hanks, it is everything you expect and can be a good time for all.
Overall: Simple, fun and entertaining.
Rating
Story: Bachelor Party starts when Rick (Hanks) announces to his friends, Jay (Zmed), Rudy (Diamond), Gary (Grossman), Ryko (Dudikoff) that he is going to marry his girlfriend Debbie (Kitaen), which means one thing for the guys, a bachelor party. Rick is trusted by Debbie, but her father Ed (Grizzard) doesn’t like him and wants his selection Cole (Prescott) to marry his daughter.
With the bachelor party underway, the boys think they are going to have a couple of strippers, few drinks and a good time, only for Cole to bring problems to the party in his attempts to break up the couple, meanwhile Debbie is having her own quieter party with her friends, which is also in Cole’s plans.
Thoughts on Bachelor Party
Characters – Rick is considered a bit of a slacker, he drives a school bus and hasn’t ever put his life into any order, he does however decide to marry his girlfriend against her father’s wishes, he is used to getting abused by people who look down on him, though he is the friend that will always be there for a friend in need. Debbie is the future bride, she comes from a rich family which she is tired of the lifestyle that looks down on people and sees the pure nature in Rick. Jay is the best friend that is always trying to get Rick in trouble, he loves to party too. Ed is the father of Debbie, he always looks down on Rick never seeing him as good enough for his daughter and wants to end the relationship before it gets started.
Performances – Tom Hanks is the clear standout in this film, you get to see how he has a different level of acting abilities than most people in the film being able to do the sleazy moments, while bring a human friendship figure to life. The rest of the cast do work for their roles, the party animals work well, the upper-class characters and the one trying to steal the girl work too.
Story – The story here follows a slacker that is going to marry the love of his life, but before he must have a bachelor party which soon gets out of control. This film doesn’t have the deepest story, it dives into the idea parents don’t always approve of the potential loved ones, your friends will want you have one last mad night before you get married and needing to avoid the person trying to take apart you life. This is everything that we know from the wild party film, it plays out like a checklist without being anything new, but easy to enjoy.
Comedy – The comedy in this film enters us into the wild party, we get to see how things go wrong, they will get us laughing at times even if certain jokes might not have aged well.
Settings – The film is set in a hotel room for the party, we get to see how the guests get themselves into trouble through the night, looking for extra people to join the party.
Scene of the Movie – 3D experience.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The donkey.
Final Thoughts – This is a fun 80s party movie, which bought us an early role from Tom Hanks, it is everything you expect and can be a good time for all.
Overall: Simple, fun and entertaining.
Rating