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Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Clerks (1994) in Movies
Apr 22, 2017
Simple (3 more)
Hilarious
Pop Culture discussions
Jay and Silent Bob
I'm not even suppose to be here today!
Here is a film that could have left Kevin Smith in the Quickstop paying off the money he used to make this film, which he accomplished by maxing out credit cards.
Kevin Smith is an inspiration and this film is the start of it all. Clerks is a very simple film that manages to be entertaining and hilarious. The concept is this; Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) is asked to work on his day off, and ends up spending his day working in his dead end job behind the counter at a convenience store in New Jersey.
I should mention that this film is shot on a Arriflex 16 SR2 which means the film is in black and white.
Working with Dante is his best friend, Randal Graves, who isn't exactly a big help around the store or with personal problems. If anything, he makes matters worse because he almost never takes anything seriously.
The humour in this film is found through discussions of films such as Star Wars, discussions about sex, and about the customers of course. Describing it in text doesn't do it justice so you'll just have to watch it if I have in anyway peaked your interest.
This film was the introduction to what is known as the 'View Askewniverse' which is a series of films by Kevin Smith which are all connected via characters and events. However, the most important introductions from this film are the characters of the now famous duo, Jay and Silent Bob played by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith. Yes, the same Kevin Smith who wrote and Directed the Movie. These two are the only two characters to appear in every movie in the View Askewniverse and usually help move the film in the right direction.
Overall, Clerks has to be one of my favourite movies of all time and once you watch the Askewniverse, it's easy to understand why, because no only is it smart and hilarious, but you have to appreciate that this started a series of other great indie films that made Kevin Smith the funny man he is today.
Kevin Smith is an inspiration and this film is the start of it all. Clerks is a very simple film that manages to be entertaining and hilarious. The concept is this; Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) is asked to work on his day off, and ends up spending his day working in his dead end job behind the counter at a convenience store in New Jersey.
I should mention that this film is shot on a Arriflex 16 SR2 which means the film is in black and white.
Working with Dante is his best friend, Randal Graves, who isn't exactly a big help around the store or with personal problems. If anything, he makes matters worse because he almost never takes anything seriously.
The humour in this film is found through discussions of films such as Star Wars, discussions about sex, and about the customers of course. Describing it in text doesn't do it justice so you'll just have to watch it if I have in anyway peaked your interest.
This film was the introduction to what is known as the 'View Askewniverse' which is a series of films by Kevin Smith which are all connected via characters and events. However, the most important introductions from this film are the characters of the now famous duo, Jay and Silent Bob played by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith. Yes, the same Kevin Smith who wrote and Directed the Movie. These two are the only two characters to appear in every movie in the View Askewniverse and usually help move the film in the right direction.
Overall, Clerks has to be one of my favourite movies of all time and once you watch the Askewniverse, it's easy to understand why, because no only is it smart and hilarious, but you have to appreciate that this started a series of other great indie films that made Kevin Smith the funny man he is today.
Akward (448 KP) rated Terraforming Mars in Tabletop Games
May 24, 2018 (Updated May 27, 2018)
Theme (1 more)
Mechanics
The Hottest Game of The Year
Terraforming Mars is one of the most refined games that our group has ever played. One of the problems that plagues so many games is that once you find a winning strategy, you basically just play that strategy until you get bored of the game and movie on. In Terraforming Mars, there are a significant number of strategies that can win the game. We have had people win by focusing on playing the board, building up actions, focusing on production, or focusing on money. There does not appear to be one central strategy that trumps the others. A lot of people will complain about the randomness of the cards that you receive, but this helps guide you in to a strategy that you may not otherwise play.
There are enough mechanics to keep the game interesting. But all of the mechanics are simple enough that explaining the game to new people is not challenging. You would also expect a game of this type to take a long time to play, but once everyone is familiar with the rules, games can be as short as an hour.
I will agree with other reviewers that the default mats to manage resources do not do a good job, and aftermarket solutions make life easier (although not required). The expansions are also nice, after you've played a few games. Hallas & Elysium adds two additional boards that change the game slightly, and also provide different awards that keep you on your toes. Venus Next adds a few additional mechanics, and also introduces the World Government rule, making games faster.
Other people have mentioned that they do not like the artwork, and that they have had issues with the resource cubes wearing out. I don't really have a problem with either one of those things, but I may just be lucky. My cubes still look great after 50+ games.
There is a reason that Terraforming Mars has exploded in the last year. I would highly recommend everyone try it. Even my wife, who isn't traditionally a fan of more complicated games, likes it.
There are enough mechanics to keep the game interesting. But all of the mechanics are simple enough that explaining the game to new people is not challenging. You would also expect a game of this type to take a long time to play, but once everyone is familiar with the rules, games can be as short as an hour.
I will agree with other reviewers that the default mats to manage resources do not do a good job, and aftermarket solutions make life easier (although not required). The expansions are also nice, after you've played a few games. Hallas & Elysium adds two additional boards that change the game slightly, and also provide different awards that keep you on your toes. Venus Next adds a few additional mechanics, and also introduces the World Government rule, making games faster.
Other people have mentioned that they do not like the artwork, and that they have had issues with the resource cubes wearing out. I don't really have a problem with either one of those things, but I may just be lucky. My cubes still look great after 50+ games.
There is a reason that Terraforming Mars has exploded in the last year. I would highly recommend everyone try it. Even my wife, who isn't traditionally a fan of more complicated games, likes it.
Sam (74 KP) rated The Undomestic Goddess in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Samantha is a high powered lawyer in a high powered law firm in London. She’s one of the best and has worked hard to get where she is. And when the opportunity a arises for her to become a partner at the firm, she works even harder than before. She’s got everything set out and knows that the promotion is hers, then finds out she has made a terrible mistake. A mistake that has cost fifty million. And she runs.
She finds herself being mistaken for the new housekeeper at a lovely house in the country and she is so flustered that she doesn’t know how to tell her new employers that it is all a mistake, so instead she goes along with it.
Samantha Sweeting is probably my favourite female protagonist ever. She is absolutely hilarious (even if she doesn’t know it) and she’s definitely not your stereotypical character. She runs when she realises she’s made a mistake, and then follows the fake it to make it life, pretending to be a housekeeper even though she’s got no idea how to even turn on a washing machine.
She is so comical, especially how she doesn’t have any idea how to do anything in a house but somehow becomes an amazing housekeeper.
The Undomestic Goddess is a novel about overcoming everything you have spent your life trying to be in order to find happiness. Samantha is faced with the problem of whether she wants to be happy, have time for herself and her own life, or she could go back to Carter Spink. It raises the question of whether happiness is truly worth more than money, and if success really equals happiness.
When I read Sophie Kinsella’s My Not So Perfect Life, I thought that I had found the most true and realistic book I could. But The Undomestic Goddess beats even that and is even more entertaining. I can’t believe I hadn’t discovered it sooner than when I spotted it in Morrisons. It’s such a heartfelt and honest book that it’s definitely a must read.
She finds herself being mistaken for the new housekeeper at a lovely house in the country and she is so flustered that she doesn’t know how to tell her new employers that it is all a mistake, so instead she goes along with it.
Samantha Sweeting is probably my favourite female protagonist ever. She is absolutely hilarious (even if she doesn’t know it) and she’s definitely not your stereotypical character. She runs when she realises she’s made a mistake, and then follows the fake it to make it life, pretending to be a housekeeper even though she’s got no idea how to even turn on a washing machine.
She is so comical, especially how she doesn’t have any idea how to do anything in a house but somehow becomes an amazing housekeeper.
The Undomestic Goddess is a novel about overcoming everything you have spent your life trying to be in order to find happiness. Samantha is faced with the problem of whether she wants to be happy, have time for herself and her own life, or she could go back to Carter Spink. It raises the question of whether happiness is truly worth more than money, and if success really equals happiness.
When I read Sophie Kinsella’s My Not So Perfect Life, I thought that I had found the most true and realistic book I could. But The Undomestic Goddess beats even that and is even more entertaining. I can’t believe I hadn’t discovered it sooner than when I spotted it in Morrisons. It’s such a heartfelt and honest book that it’s definitely a must read.
Mothergamer (1546 KP) rated the PlayStation 3 version of Persona 4 Arena in Video Games
Apr 3, 2019
I love the Persona series and I really enjoyed Persona 4 so I was excited about Persona 4 Arena. It was added to my backlog of games and I finally got around to playing it. The story is set two months after the events of Persona 4 so you get to see some favorite characters from the game make an appearance in Arena. Persona Arena is a fighting game, but it's a spectacular one. The tutorial for the game controls are easy to follow and the interface for the user money is easy to navigate.
Get ready to fight in Persona 4 Arena.
You can play story mode with the character of your choice or you can play versus mode against the computer or your friends. The dynamics of the battles are amazing with stylish combos and impressive defenses. Once you figure out each character's special moves and combos you can unleash attacks on your opponents that will smash your way to victory. I had so much fun just playing story mode and discovering all the combos, air dashes, and special attacks each character had. The controls handle smoothly giving a fully immersed experience into the battles of Arena.
Crush your opponent with amazing combos!
The artwork and design of Persona 4 Arena is gorgeous. It has an incredibly colorful and polished feel to it making it wonderful to look at as you play. Story mode is interesting too and it has some great twists and revelations towards the endings for each character. You have a select few characters to start with and as you progress you unlock the rest of the characters, so it gives you a good incentive to go through each character and find out the fates of each one. The music for the game is fantastic with catchy beats and it matches the atmosphere of a Persona game.
This was a lot of fun to play and it was not a boring fighting game at all. Persona 4 Arena is a rare gem among fighting games because it comes with all the bells and whistles and if you consider yourself a fighting game fan, this is a game you'll want in your collection.
Get ready to fight in Persona 4 Arena.
You can play story mode with the character of your choice or you can play versus mode against the computer or your friends. The dynamics of the battles are amazing with stylish combos and impressive defenses. Once you figure out each character's special moves and combos you can unleash attacks on your opponents that will smash your way to victory. I had so much fun just playing story mode and discovering all the combos, air dashes, and special attacks each character had. The controls handle smoothly giving a fully immersed experience into the battles of Arena.
Crush your opponent with amazing combos!
The artwork and design of Persona 4 Arena is gorgeous. It has an incredibly colorful and polished feel to it making it wonderful to look at as you play. Story mode is interesting too and it has some great twists and revelations towards the endings for each character. You have a select few characters to start with and as you progress you unlock the rest of the characters, so it gives you a good incentive to go through each character and find out the fates of each one. The music for the game is fantastic with catchy beats and it matches the atmosphere of a Persona game.
This was a lot of fun to play and it was not a boring fighting game at all. Persona 4 Arena is a rare gem among fighting games because it comes with all the bells and whistles and if you consider yourself a fighting game fan, this is a game you'll want in your collection.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Don't Fail Me Now in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Michelle Devereaux in a police department with her younger siblings Cass and Denny waiting with a social worker for their aunt to pick them up. Their mother has been arrested. Unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened. Her mother has been in jail several times and she hasn't seen her father in several years. When Michelle finds out that her father is dying in California and may have something for her, she sets out on a journey that will hopefully end in a windfall for her and her siblings.
This was a great YA Novel. A book about love, family and adventure. Michelle and her siblings are black kids from Baltimore, Maryland. Michelle knows that she and Cass have a half-sister, Leah, that is white, and that is about all the know about her. Until she shows up with her step-brother at Michelle's job with information about their father. With this new information and the current state of affairs, Michelle decides now is a good a time as any to drive across the country to see her father before he is no longer there.
Five kids, in an old station wagon are heading across the country without any of their parents being aware. They have very little money and barely more than the clothes on their back, but they are determined to find Buck Devereaux and collect whatever it is he has for them.
Their adventure is not without some complications. Will they make the journey successfully? Will these siblings, Michelle, Cass, and Leah be able to build a relationship? Will they reunite with the father they barely know? How will this trip change their lives for the future?
One of the things that drew me to this book where the characters. They were characters I could relate to, when I was that age and the kids are all from Maryland where I live. Plus, who doesn't love a good road trip. All of these factors made this an excellent book and something I would recommend to young adults from mixed racial backgrounds and diverse family dynamics.
This was a great YA Novel. A book about love, family and adventure. Michelle and her siblings are black kids from Baltimore, Maryland. Michelle knows that she and Cass have a half-sister, Leah, that is white, and that is about all the know about her. Until she shows up with her step-brother at Michelle's job with information about their father. With this new information and the current state of affairs, Michelle decides now is a good a time as any to drive across the country to see her father before he is no longer there.
Five kids, in an old station wagon are heading across the country without any of their parents being aware. They have very little money and barely more than the clothes on their back, but they are determined to find Buck Devereaux and collect whatever it is he has for them.
Their adventure is not without some complications. Will they make the journey successfully? Will these siblings, Michelle, Cass, and Leah be able to build a relationship? Will they reunite with the father they barely know? How will this trip change their lives for the future?
One of the things that drew me to this book where the characters. They were characters I could relate to, when I was that age and the kids are all from Maryland where I live. Plus, who doesn't love a good road trip. All of these factors made this an excellent book and something I would recommend to young adults from mixed racial backgrounds and diverse family dynamics.
Mayhawke (97 KP) rated Ocean's Twelve (2004) in Movies
Feb 7, 2018
That moment when all the ingredients that should have made Cordon Bleu curdle and, instead, turn to liquid shit...
Contains spoilers, click to show
The follow up to the remake of 'Oceans Eleven' this is one of the best examples of Hollywood producers not knowing when to leave well enough alone, and trying to cash in on the success of an earlier film with trite rubbish.
It has all the technical quirks of the first that gave that film it's 'feel' but this is the proof that making a good film is like making a good quiche - you can have all the right ingredients but if you don't do it properly you just end up with a plate full of sludge.
It also helps to have a plot. What passes for the plot in this film is so absurd that it can't sustain a film even as lightweight as this.
Don Cheadle is still speaking his rather quaint Dick-Van-Dykelish, and the two brothers are still squabbling, but the other characters all seem to have undergone a peculiar metamorphosis. They appear to have been written by someone lacking descriptive skill, who has drawn clumsily on second-hand clichés. Damon has become the weak-kneed, over-eager social conscience of the group; Gould has become bland; the Chinese acrobat still can't speak English but everyone else can understand him. Worst of all, Andy Garcia who was so wonderfully, and chillingly menacing in the first has become a joke of a bad-guy: a cane-carrying renaissance man who can tinkle the ivories, speak fluent Chinese and illogically doesn't kill the Eleven when finds them - because a total stranger asked him not to. They are no longer characters but caricatures.
Then there's Catherine Zeta-Jones. She plays the beautiful (naturally) daughter-of-a-thief cop who specialises in 'master thieves', and has previously been involved with Pitt's character [yawwwwwn]....
You would have thought it would be impossible for a cast like this to make something so dire. Apparently it isn't.
Tediously predictable ending.
What a waste of time, money, effort and people.
It has all the technical quirks of the first that gave that film it's 'feel' but this is the proof that making a good film is like making a good quiche - you can have all the right ingredients but if you don't do it properly you just end up with a plate full of sludge.
It also helps to have a plot. What passes for the plot in this film is so absurd that it can't sustain a film even as lightweight as this.
Don Cheadle is still speaking his rather quaint Dick-Van-Dykelish, and the two brothers are still squabbling, but the other characters all seem to have undergone a peculiar metamorphosis. They appear to have been written by someone lacking descriptive skill, who has drawn clumsily on second-hand clichés. Damon has become the weak-kneed, over-eager social conscience of the group; Gould has become bland; the Chinese acrobat still can't speak English but everyone else can understand him. Worst of all, Andy Garcia who was so wonderfully, and chillingly menacing in the first has become a joke of a bad-guy: a cane-carrying renaissance man who can tinkle the ivories, speak fluent Chinese and illogically doesn't kill the Eleven when finds them - because a total stranger asked him not to. They are no longer characters but caricatures.
Then there's Catherine Zeta-Jones. She plays the beautiful (naturally) daughter-of-a-thief cop who specialises in 'master thieves', and has previously been involved with Pitt's character [yawwwwwn]....
You would have thought it would be impossible for a cast like this to make something so dire. Apparently it isn't.
Tediously predictable ending.
What a waste of time, money, effort and people.
Becca Major (96 KP) rated Secret Healer in TV
Jan 25, 2018
Writing (2 more)
Story
Characters
Not What I Expected
I admit that I went into this drama expecting it to be a light, happy romp through Joseon-era Korea, with a nice romance and a fair bit of drama. Something to lift my spirits after watching a downer series the week before. This is not what I got.
Secret Healer is definitely more of a drama than a romance. Yes, the romance is there and it is important to the plot. Hell, it's even developed reasonably well. However, it is not the main focus of the story. Which, after a while, I appreciated because I didn't need the romance to keep me invested, the plot did that well enough.
The true focus of the plot is Yoon-hee, the princess, and the trials she has to overcome to be free of her curse. Without getting too spoiler-y, the villain, Hong-joo, does literally everything she can to make Yoon-hee fail. And Hong-joo is a legitimately engaging and terrifying villain; she has power, dozens of skilled swords-women under her command and control, and is ruthless to the point of cold-blooded murder. The dynamic between these two really carries the better part of the plot.
Yoon-hee's love interest, Jun, also has an interesting story-arc that is, thankfully, all his own. He comes into the story with his own baggage involving his relationships with his mother and half-brother that he needs to overcome. It is also really nice to see a couple that complements each other equally. They support each other and receive support in turn. In a sea of douchbags with money winning over nice, supportive guys, he is a breath of fresh air.
The other characters that pepper this drama provide just the right amount of flavor. They are, for the most part, well written and well realized by their actors. My personal favorite character was Yo-gwang, Yoon-hee's "bodyguard."
I would recommend this series to anyone desiring a well-written, well-acted story that has more going for it than a simple love story.
Secret Healer is definitely more of a drama than a romance. Yes, the romance is there and it is important to the plot. Hell, it's even developed reasonably well. However, it is not the main focus of the story. Which, after a while, I appreciated because I didn't need the romance to keep me invested, the plot did that well enough.
The true focus of the plot is Yoon-hee, the princess, and the trials she has to overcome to be free of her curse. Without getting too spoiler-y, the villain, Hong-joo, does literally everything she can to make Yoon-hee fail. And Hong-joo is a legitimately engaging and terrifying villain; she has power, dozens of skilled swords-women under her command and control, and is ruthless to the point of cold-blooded murder. The dynamic between these two really carries the better part of the plot.
Yoon-hee's love interest, Jun, also has an interesting story-arc that is, thankfully, all his own. He comes into the story with his own baggage involving his relationships with his mother and half-brother that he needs to overcome. It is also really nice to see a couple that complements each other equally. They support each other and receive support in turn. In a sea of douchbags with money winning over nice, supportive guys, he is a breath of fresh air.
The other characters that pepper this drama provide just the right amount of flavor. They are, for the most part, well written and well realized by their actors. My personal favorite character was Yo-gwang, Yoon-hee's "bodyguard."
I would recommend this series to anyone desiring a well-written, well-acted story that has more going for it than a simple love story.
Meghan and Brandon met in college and became good friends. Some might say they are from opposite sides of the tracks so how could they have anything in common. But those are some of the things that bonded them early in their relationship. Graduation is coming and Meghan is finally going to put her feelings for Brandon on the line and see if he feels the same for her.
Brandon has been in love with Meghan since the first day he saw her. Their friendship means the world to him and he doesnt want to do anything to mess it up, especially not by admitting his feelings. Tonights party is the last time he will see her, at least for a while so he wants to enjoy every single second left with her. When she tells him she feels the same way about him he cant believe his luck. They make love but then something happens and she kicks him out afterward.
Years go by without contact between the two, they resumed their real lives and are both miserable. Brandon has returned to the family business which has become all consuming and Meghan works odd jobs to pay for a crappy apartment and take care of her son, Eaton. When a medical emergency threatens her sons life she does what she needs to do to secure the money needed for his surgery.
Brandon and Meghan move past misunderstanding, betrayal and lost years to forge their relationship again. Will they be able to let the past be the past and move forward together, without repercussions? Although this is the second book of the series Saving Samantha (Book 1) does not need to be read first as they are both standalone. Some characters overlap but it isnt confusing as to who is who. The author once again weaves a romantic, second chance at love story with wonderful characters who capture our imagination. I received an advance copy without expectation for review, any and all opinions expressed are my own. Solid 4 star read again from the author.
Brandon has been in love with Meghan since the first day he saw her. Their friendship means the world to him and he doesnt want to do anything to mess it up, especially not by admitting his feelings. Tonights party is the last time he will see her, at least for a while so he wants to enjoy every single second left with her. When she tells him she feels the same way about him he cant believe his luck. They make love but then something happens and she kicks him out afterward.
Years go by without contact between the two, they resumed their real lives and are both miserable. Brandon has returned to the family business which has become all consuming and Meghan works odd jobs to pay for a crappy apartment and take care of her son, Eaton. When a medical emergency threatens her sons life she does what she needs to do to secure the money needed for his surgery.
Brandon and Meghan move past misunderstanding, betrayal and lost years to forge their relationship again. Will they be able to let the past be the past and move forward together, without repercussions? Although this is the second book of the series Saving Samantha (Book 1) does not need to be read first as they are both standalone. Some characters overlap but it isnt confusing as to who is who. The author once again weaves a romantic, second chance at love story with wonderful characters who capture our imagination. I received an advance copy without expectation for review, any and all opinions expressed are my own. Solid 4 star read again from the author.