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J.K. Simmons recommended Juno (2007) in Movies (curated)
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Jungle Cruise (2021) in Movies
Jul 28, 2021
Ask anyone who has ever spent time at a Disney park what attractions they enjoy riding and chances are good that the Jungle Cruise will be amongst them. The project was a labor of love for Walt Disney and has thrilled millions of guests with the scenic cruise, animated animals, and the cringe-worthy puns and jokes from the captains who have made it an enduring legend.
Since attractions ranging from “Pirates of the Caribbean”, “The Haunted Mansion” and “The Tower of Terror” have made their way to screens along with others over the years; it was not much of a shock to hear that The Jungle Cruise was next in line to make the leap to the big screen. Despite several release date changes and then a lengthy delay due to Covid; the film has finally arrived backed by a star-studded premiere at Disneyland.
When Doctor Lilly Houghton (Emily Blunt) with the help of her high-maintenance brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall) desire to find a mythical item and gain entry into a prestigious organization; they are hampered by the sexist views of early 1900 England and forced to steal an artifact and race to the Amazon.
With a dangerous foreigner; Prince Joachim Jesse Plemons and his goons in hot pursuit, Lilly and her brother find themselves in the company of a boat captain named Frank (Dwayne Johnson); who in dire need of money uses all sorts of methods to gain a charter and take Lilly and her brother into a dangerous area.
Along the way, all manner of humor, action, and dangers arise as everything from hostile natives, animals, rapids, and of course, The Prince stands in their way. If this was not bad enough; there is also a matter of a curse that must be factored in which presents an even bigger danger than before.
In a race against time, Frank and Lilly must learn to trust and work with one another and decipher the clues to save the day and keep the forces of evil from winning.
The film takes a bit of time to get going as while there is some action and great scenery and sets; early on it does seem to be unsure of what type of film it wants to be and what type of story it wants to tell.
Is it a madcap adventure with a dash of romance? Is it an FX-laden action spoof? Perhaps it is an over-the-top action film that recalls the fabled cinematic adventures of old?
In reality, the film is a combination of all of the above. I had flashes of “The African Queen”, “Romancing the Stone”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “Pirates of The Caribbean”, and “The Mummy” during the film.
While the MacGuffin element of the film may be a bit confusing for some with more questions than answers; Blunt and Johnson work very well with one another and Whitehall provides a wider element to his character making him more than the comic relief in the film.
The FX are very enjoyable and the film mixes the humor with the action well including some of the best jokes from the attraction.
While it may at first glance be considered just a routine adventure film; the movie blends a strong and enjoyable cast with a fun adventure that recalls the thrilling cinematic tales of old but does so with a fresh and modern twist.
4 stars out of 5
Since attractions ranging from “Pirates of the Caribbean”, “The Haunted Mansion” and “The Tower of Terror” have made their way to screens along with others over the years; it was not much of a shock to hear that The Jungle Cruise was next in line to make the leap to the big screen. Despite several release date changes and then a lengthy delay due to Covid; the film has finally arrived backed by a star-studded premiere at Disneyland.
When Doctor Lilly Houghton (Emily Blunt) with the help of her high-maintenance brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall) desire to find a mythical item and gain entry into a prestigious organization; they are hampered by the sexist views of early 1900 England and forced to steal an artifact and race to the Amazon.
With a dangerous foreigner; Prince Joachim Jesse Plemons and his goons in hot pursuit, Lilly and her brother find themselves in the company of a boat captain named Frank (Dwayne Johnson); who in dire need of money uses all sorts of methods to gain a charter and take Lilly and her brother into a dangerous area.
Along the way, all manner of humor, action, and dangers arise as everything from hostile natives, animals, rapids, and of course, The Prince stands in their way. If this was not bad enough; there is also a matter of a curse that must be factored in which presents an even bigger danger than before.
In a race against time, Frank and Lilly must learn to trust and work with one another and decipher the clues to save the day and keep the forces of evil from winning.
The film takes a bit of time to get going as while there is some action and great scenery and sets; early on it does seem to be unsure of what type of film it wants to be and what type of story it wants to tell.
Is it a madcap adventure with a dash of romance? Is it an FX-laden action spoof? Perhaps it is an over-the-top action film that recalls the fabled cinematic adventures of old?
In reality, the film is a combination of all of the above. I had flashes of “The African Queen”, “Romancing the Stone”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “Pirates of The Caribbean”, and “The Mummy” during the film.
While the MacGuffin element of the film may be a bit confusing for some with more questions than answers; Blunt and Johnson work very well with one another and Whitehall provides a wider element to his character making him more than the comic relief in the film.
The FX are very enjoyable and the film mixes the humor with the action well including some of the best jokes from the attraction.
While it may at first glance be considered just a routine adventure film; the movie blends a strong and enjoyable cast with a fun adventure that recalls the thrilling cinematic tales of old but does so with a fresh and modern twist.
4 stars out of 5
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Scoob (2020) in Movies
May 8, 2021
Another film that snuck its way through to VOD (and is thankfully now streaming). As much as I love Scooby Doo, I did not have the desire to pay money to view this one.
Here I would normally put an extended synopsis, but I'll be honest, after watching the film I don't think I could tell you what the story was. I'm not sure it actually matters anyway.
The beginning of the film confused me. From every trailer that I saw I thought this film was about the mini Scooby Gang. At least that's what I remembered. So having seen lots of clips of them as kids, coupled with the posters meant I was left confused when it was hardly a feature of the final product.
Apart from me evidently forgetting the plot of the film, it was a classic Scooby story with a modern twist, and ultimately you can't go wrong with that. You get all the things you expect from masked villains to hair-brained schemes that seem to fool the minions... and that is all pretty satisfying stuff to watch.
A note I made very quickly was that the voices left a lot to be desired. While capturing the essence of the original cast would be very difficult, there's no denying that the actors from the live-action originals did a very good job... here we had no real comparison at all. Gina Rodriguez (who has been knocking it out of the park recently) probably being the only exception. I just truly don't know how anyone could possibly be better than Casey Kasem and Matthew Lillard. MVP of the film was definitely the bike cop when questioning Scooby and Shaggy, quality content, loved the end of his scene.
Despite the nostalgia of everything it doesn't make up for some truly awful dialogue, it's very inconsistent and yoyos between bad and good (when I say good, in this case, I probably mean cheesy). There are a couple of true gems though, my favourite being an early line from Shaggy with some heavy foreshadowing.
The yoyoing of the script is generally reflected in my notes on the film as a whole. For every laugh, there was something negative I wrote down. Scoob! was very self-aware, which was amusing to begin with, but it began to grate a little.
I was at least thankful that the CG animation actually became less of an annoyance as I got into the film, I wasn't a fan. The majority of the film managed to get a pass, but sadly I really disliked the portrayal of Dick Dastardly and Muttley in this style. As much as I'd like a Hanna and Barbera universe, I do not care to see anymore in this look. And absolutely no more Dastardly looking like Gru with his minions.
"But Emma... you gave this film a pretty decent rating and all you've done is grumble about it!" Yes, yes I have. But... I still enjoyed myself, and like I said, for every bad note there was a laugh or a moment that made me happy. And sometimes having a rant about a film's pitfalls is just something you need to do.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/05/scoob-movie-review.html
Here I would normally put an extended synopsis, but I'll be honest, after watching the film I don't think I could tell you what the story was. I'm not sure it actually matters anyway.
The beginning of the film confused me. From every trailer that I saw I thought this film was about the mini Scooby Gang. At least that's what I remembered. So having seen lots of clips of them as kids, coupled with the posters meant I was left confused when it was hardly a feature of the final product.
Apart from me evidently forgetting the plot of the film, it was a classic Scooby story with a modern twist, and ultimately you can't go wrong with that. You get all the things you expect from masked villains to hair-brained schemes that seem to fool the minions... and that is all pretty satisfying stuff to watch.
A note I made very quickly was that the voices left a lot to be desired. While capturing the essence of the original cast would be very difficult, there's no denying that the actors from the live-action originals did a very good job... here we had no real comparison at all. Gina Rodriguez (who has been knocking it out of the park recently) probably being the only exception. I just truly don't know how anyone could possibly be better than Casey Kasem and Matthew Lillard. MVP of the film was definitely the bike cop when questioning Scooby and Shaggy, quality content, loved the end of his scene.
Despite the nostalgia of everything it doesn't make up for some truly awful dialogue, it's very inconsistent and yoyos between bad and good (when I say good, in this case, I probably mean cheesy). There are a couple of true gems though, my favourite being an early line from Shaggy with some heavy foreshadowing.
The yoyoing of the script is generally reflected in my notes on the film as a whole. For every laugh, there was something negative I wrote down. Scoob! was very self-aware, which was amusing to begin with, but it began to grate a little.
I was at least thankful that the CG animation actually became less of an annoyance as I got into the film, I wasn't a fan. The majority of the film managed to get a pass, but sadly I really disliked the portrayal of Dick Dastardly and Muttley in this style. As much as I'd like a Hanna and Barbera universe, I do not care to see anymore in this look. And absolutely no more Dastardly looking like Gru with his minions.
"But Emma... you gave this film a pretty decent rating and all you've done is grumble about it!" Yes, yes I have. But... I still enjoyed myself, and like I said, for every bad note there was a laugh or a moment that made me happy. And sometimes having a rant about a film's pitfalls is just something you need to do.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/05/scoob-movie-review.html
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated True Calling in Books
Jun 24, 2019
This was free in the Amazon Kindle store and I thought it looked pretty cool, so I downloaded it a few months ago. Despite being just 369 pages long, it took me a shockingly long time to read...
Ariana is now a citizen of Novo, where only the fittest humans were transported after the near-destruction of planet Earth. From very early on, we are introduced to Zane through Ari's dreams - but she has no idea who he is, or why she can see him in her sleep. We don't discover Zane's identity until much further through the book.
A matchmaking system is set up for all eligible young people, taking the name of "The Calling." Ari realises her feelings for the popular Cal Remus, and is luckily given the opportunity to be matched with him. The whole deal with "The Calling" reminds me very much of books such as The Selection and ?Matched.
Things seem to be going pretty well (despite the fact that Ariana is appalled at the way the government is choosing who can love who) until Ariana's father disappears and leaves behind some vital information. Suddenly, Ari isn't sure whether Cal can really be trusted, and Zane is beginning to contact her directly through her mind.
A small section of this book takes place back on Earth, told from Zane's perspective. He's working for an underground resistance movement, and is still infatuated with Ariana. He gets training to try and help him communicate with her, and Ariana's father has bestowed a dying wish upon him; to keep Ari away from Cal.
Things get pretty complicated, and the love triangle is both predictable and not at the same time. Ari doesn't remember how much she loved Zane, but can sense that there was some emotion there. Cal's father is clearly opposed to his son being associated with Ariana, and is also a despicable man in himself. There are even hints as to Cal being untrustworthy, which was something I didn't actually expect.
It's kind of a typical dystopian YA novel, but it does have some good twists. My main problem was with the lack of time-keeping; I couldn't tell whether things happened over a course of a few days or multiple months. Even if the time-frame was specified in some places, it still didn't feel like it passed in the intended way.
Another thing is that the characters spoke in a rather unnatural language. Extravagant words were unnecessarily used, coupled with overly-simple phrases. It just sounded wrong.
It took me a long time to read a relatively short book, which is always a bad sign. It wasn't painfully hard to read, but I wasn't really begging to read on either. That being said, I read a little into the first chapter of the sequel, Beyond Reach, which is included at the end of this ebook, and I am rather curious as to what's going on. Still, I don't know if I'm willing to spend any money on it.
So this wasn't a great book, but it wasn't bad. Some parts felt as though the author was trying a bit too hard to make the book seem more professional, which always irritates me. I think 2.5 stars is an appropriate rating for this.
Ariana is now a citizen of Novo, where only the fittest humans were transported after the near-destruction of planet Earth. From very early on, we are introduced to Zane through Ari's dreams - but she has no idea who he is, or why she can see him in her sleep. We don't discover Zane's identity until much further through the book.
A matchmaking system is set up for all eligible young people, taking the name of "The Calling." Ari realises her feelings for the popular Cal Remus, and is luckily given the opportunity to be matched with him. The whole deal with "The Calling" reminds me very much of books such as The Selection and ?Matched.
Things seem to be going pretty well (despite the fact that Ariana is appalled at the way the government is choosing who can love who) until Ariana's father disappears and leaves behind some vital information. Suddenly, Ari isn't sure whether Cal can really be trusted, and Zane is beginning to contact her directly through her mind.
A small section of this book takes place back on Earth, told from Zane's perspective. He's working for an underground resistance movement, and is still infatuated with Ariana. He gets training to try and help him communicate with her, and Ariana's father has bestowed a dying wish upon him; to keep Ari away from Cal.
Things get pretty complicated, and the love triangle is both predictable and not at the same time. Ari doesn't remember how much she loved Zane, but can sense that there was some emotion there. Cal's father is clearly opposed to his son being associated with Ariana, and is also a despicable man in himself. There are even hints as to Cal being untrustworthy, which was something I didn't actually expect.
It's kind of a typical dystopian YA novel, but it does have some good twists. My main problem was with the lack of time-keeping; I couldn't tell whether things happened over a course of a few days or multiple months. Even if the time-frame was specified in some places, it still didn't feel like it passed in the intended way.
Another thing is that the characters spoke in a rather unnatural language. Extravagant words were unnecessarily used, coupled with overly-simple phrases. It just sounded wrong.
It took me a long time to read a relatively short book, which is always a bad sign. It wasn't painfully hard to read, but I wasn't really begging to read on either. That being said, I read a little into the first chapter of the sequel, Beyond Reach, which is included at the end of this ebook, and I am rather curious as to what's going on. Still, I don't know if I'm willing to spend any money on it.
So this wasn't a great book, but it wasn't bad. Some parts felt as though the author was trying a bit too hard to make the book seem more professional, which always irritates me. I think 2.5 stars is an appropriate rating for this.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Green Book (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
It's always nice getting advanced screenings, but two months in advance has to be some sort of record. By the fact that the entire audience went "what?!" when the title card came up it was a very well kept secret screening.
I'm so pleased that this played to a packed screen. We lost maybe a dozen people within the first five minutes, which I think just goes to show how much of an unknown it was because normally people will leave immediately. I had seen it on the app, but not read the synopsis or seen a trailer so it was brilliant to be able to go into the film without any prejudgment.
Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen make a wonderful duo. They bounce of each other really well throughout the whole film.
One of the things I was dying to know was who was playing the piano. I'm reliably informed by IMDb's trivia that Kris Bowers who is the film's composer is Ali's piano double. I have no idea how they do that considering that a fair amount of the shots show Ali playing. It was certainly well done.
The film shows yet another important story in a well thought out and sensitive way. Hidden Figures, Marshall and now Green Book. We're seeing sides of history that we hardly knew of before. The Green Book was a complete shock of a discovery to me and this certainly made me want to research more on the topic.
Ultimately this story is about friendship and acceptance in the face of adversity. It's good to see the circle of change in Tony, and the ending paints the hopeful picture of what would unfold in the future.
I feel a little bit harsh only giving this four and a half stars. While Mortensen and Cardellini were spot on, Ali left me a little disappointed. I have loved him ever since The 4400 and it's been great seeing him in so many shows and films since then. This role obviously has some very powerful moments, and while he delivered them with grace I couldn't help noticing that something was missing. There was one point where he delivers a poignant speech to Tony and I realised that is was lacking the emotional kicker. It felt detached. Whether it was script, acting or just the natural way of the character I'm not sure, it had the potential to bring me to tears and yet... dry eyes.
That is honestly the only glitch in this wonderful film. I got home and I couldn't sleep because I was still buzzing from the screening. (I'm paying for that now.) I read the comments on Twitter and I was really struck by how many people loved it. This deserves to win awards on a lot of counts, I just hope that it gets the recognition it deserves.
When I got my Unlimited card I wasn't convinced that I'd go and see a lot of films (yes I know, what a joke!), and certainly without the card I would never have seen this. At home I never used to pick films that I'd have to "think about". Unlimited has changed the way I watch movies and given me the opportunity to see incredible productions like this. That to me is well worth the money.
What you should do
You should absolutely see this. Not quite a child friendly as Hidden Figures was but it offers another great insight into the past.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Just a fraction of that musical talent would be incredible.
I'm so pleased that this played to a packed screen. We lost maybe a dozen people within the first five minutes, which I think just goes to show how much of an unknown it was because normally people will leave immediately. I had seen it on the app, but not read the synopsis or seen a trailer so it was brilliant to be able to go into the film without any prejudgment.
Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen make a wonderful duo. They bounce of each other really well throughout the whole film.
One of the things I was dying to know was who was playing the piano. I'm reliably informed by IMDb's trivia that Kris Bowers who is the film's composer is Ali's piano double. I have no idea how they do that considering that a fair amount of the shots show Ali playing. It was certainly well done.
The film shows yet another important story in a well thought out and sensitive way. Hidden Figures, Marshall and now Green Book. We're seeing sides of history that we hardly knew of before. The Green Book was a complete shock of a discovery to me and this certainly made me want to research more on the topic.
Ultimately this story is about friendship and acceptance in the face of adversity. It's good to see the circle of change in Tony, and the ending paints the hopeful picture of what would unfold in the future.
I feel a little bit harsh only giving this four and a half stars. While Mortensen and Cardellini were spot on, Ali left me a little disappointed. I have loved him ever since The 4400 and it's been great seeing him in so many shows and films since then. This role obviously has some very powerful moments, and while he delivered them with grace I couldn't help noticing that something was missing. There was one point where he delivers a poignant speech to Tony and I realised that is was lacking the emotional kicker. It felt detached. Whether it was script, acting or just the natural way of the character I'm not sure, it had the potential to bring me to tears and yet... dry eyes.
That is honestly the only glitch in this wonderful film. I got home and I couldn't sleep because I was still buzzing from the screening. (I'm paying for that now.) I read the comments on Twitter and I was really struck by how many people loved it. This deserves to win awards on a lot of counts, I just hope that it gets the recognition it deserves.
When I got my Unlimited card I wasn't convinced that I'd go and see a lot of films (yes I know, what a joke!), and certainly without the card I would never have seen this. At home I never used to pick films that I'd have to "think about". Unlimited has changed the way I watch movies and given me the opportunity to see incredible productions like this. That to me is well worth the money.
What you should do
You should absolutely see this. Not quite a child friendly as Hidden Figures was but it offers another great insight into the past.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Just a fraction of that musical talent would be incredible.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Gold (2017) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
The pursuit of the big gold strike drives Kenny Wells (Matthew McConaughey) deep into the jungles of Indonesia. Wells is a third generation Nevada prospector trying to keep the mining company from going under. He is unable to secure a loan or investment for mining projects. He is watching his reputation take a major hit, being seen as an alcoholic and laughing stock in the industry. He is down to his last dime and working out of a bar when he pawns his girlfriend Kay’s (Bryce Dallas Howard) watch and gets on a plane to Indonesia. He is headed to meet an eager geologist Michael Acosta (Edgar Ramirez) also in the last throws of his career in. The put together Acosta and disheveled Wells strike a deal. The unlikely duo head into the uncharted jungle in search of the mother lode. After months of failure, through Wells bout with Malaria, a crew who quit and monsoon weather the impossible happens and the two have found what looks like the largest gold deposit in history. The two men who were outcast in their fields are now the most popular miners on the planet. Everyone wants to be a part of this deal and get a piece of the gold. While Acosta stays in Indonesia to operate the day to day of the mining operation Wells heads back to Reno to secure money for digging up the gold. It’s not long that major mining companies and Wall Street investors are knocking on Wells door. Whisking him off to New York in private planes and throwing lavish parties. The now begins the real test to see if he can handle the success and not blow the largest strike of his life.
Directed by Stephen Gaghan (Syriana) Gold is a wild, based on true events, story. Which means it probably has some truths, some half-truths and some almost too wild to be true but maybe true moments. McConaughey’s performance as Wells is excellent. The character at times is a slobbish, out of control alcoholic, that appears to be over his head and out of his element. But most of the time his determination to make a name for himself and his never say no attitude has you rooting for him, even when his is passed out in his underwear on the floor. The rest of the performances are good in support. The relationship with Ramirez’ character and their unlikely friendship is really well done. It took two people who seemed completely different and allowed us to see how they could come together for one goal to become good partners and friends. The story overall is good not great. It took us on a journey with Wells and mixed in really serious themes with outlandish situations. There are times that Wells antics seem forced and don’t completely disrupt the flow but definitely slow it down. It had those moments that definitely made me laugh and others that were really emotional and raw. In that way it was a blend of comedy and drama. Which for the most part mixed together really well. The film took place in the 1980’s and definitely was shot in a way that gave it a feel of the era. I enjoyed the overall the cinematography not overly spectacular but good.
The film was an enjoyable experience for me. A couple of memorable moments and a surprise, to me, at the end. There were some stretches in the story and some over the top antics but still fun.
Directed by Stephen Gaghan (Syriana) Gold is a wild, based on true events, story. Which means it probably has some truths, some half-truths and some almost too wild to be true but maybe true moments. McConaughey’s performance as Wells is excellent. The character at times is a slobbish, out of control alcoholic, that appears to be over his head and out of his element. But most of the time his determination to make a name for himself and his never say no attitude has you rooting for him, even when his is passed out in his underwear on the floor. The rest of the performances are good in support. The relationship with Ramirez’ character and their unlikely friendship is really well done. It took two people who seemed completely different and allowed us to see how they could come together for one goal to become good partners and friends. The story overall is good not great. It took us on a journey with Wells and mixed in really serious themes with outlandish situations. There are times that Wells antics seem forced and don’t completely disrupt the flow but definitely slow it down. It had those moments that definitely made me laugh and others that were really emotional and raw. In that way it was a blend of comedy and drama. Which for the most part mixed together really well. The film took place in the 1980’s and definitely was shot in a way that gave it a feel of the era. I enjoyed the overall the cinematography not overly spectacular but good.
The film was an enjoyable experience for me. A couple of memorable moments and a surprise, to me, at the end. There were some stretches in the story and some over the top antics but still fun.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Go Cam DVR 757HD in Tech
Oct 14, 2019
We’ve all heard the old adage that “Big things come in small packages”, and in today’s technological world it couldn’t be truer. Vivitar, a brand known for their incredible camera equipment are set out to prove that big things DO come in small packages, and with a price tag to match with it’s Vivitar Go Cam DVR 757HD.
The Vivitar Go Cam is packaged in a small clam-shell style plastic and contains everything one would need to make this one of the most versatile “go” style cameras on the market today. The camera itself is minuscule in size at only roughly 6” (W) X 4.5” (L) X 2” (D) you can easily slide it into your pocket and take it with you wherever you go. It offers a 12-megapixel picture and is advertised as being waterproof, dust proof, freeze proof and shock proof. Amazingly outside of getting just the camera itself you also get an assortment of mounts that come with it. Everything from a bicycle and helmet mount are here in addition to a car mount (to utilize the camera as a dash cam). The fact that all mounts that you could conceivably want come bundle with the camera is a huge plus.
The camera records it’s video on micro SD cards and includes a built-in rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that can be charged (or powered) via a micro USB port on the side. The charging cable and a silicon sleeve to place around the camera are also included.
I took the camera with me to San Diego Comic-con this year to wear it around and take live video footage of the crowds while shopping for my exclusives, and also took some still photos just to see how it compares to something that is far pricier like my iPhone. For a camera in its size and price-point (MSRP $29.99) it did surprisingly well capturing footage on the go (important for walking around but extremely important when in use as a dash cam). The picture, while certainly not as crisp as a much more pricey camera, was certainly serviceable and still enjoyable. The still shots were a little grainy, but far better than some more expensive cameras I’ve seen in the past. The portability is something that particularly comes in handy when you simply want to take a camera out of your pocket and take a quick shot of something.
The Vivitar Go Cam DVR 757HD is an incredible value for what you get with it. While it certainly can’t compete quality-wise with exponentially more expensive cameras, it comes with everything a budding videographer might want to use to start out with. If you are someone who is looking to casually record your bike rides or are looking for a lower cost option in dash cams, this is a camera worth trying out. I certainly would recommend buying this camera over a far more expensive one if you aren’t sure how often you will use it, and honestly with it’s 12MP and HD quality video you might just realize that you don’t need anything more than this. You certainly can do far worse for far more money and it’s inexpensive enough that the whole family could have one and embrace the trail together.
The Vivitar Go Cam is packaged in a small clam-shell style plastic and contains everything one would need to make this one of the most versatile “go” style cameras on the market today. The camera itself is minuscule in size at only roughly 6” (W) X 4.5” (L) X 2” (D) you can easily slide it into your pocket and take it with you wherever you go. It offers a 12-megapixel picture and is advertised as being waterproof, dust proof, freeze proof and shock proof. Amazingly outside of getting just the camera itself you also get an assortment of mounts that come with it. Everything from a bicycle and helmet mount are here in addition to a car mount (to utilize the camera as a dash cam). The fact that all mounts that you could conceivably want come bundle with the camera is a huge plus.
The camera records it’s video on micro SD cards and includes a built-in rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that can be charged (or powered) via a micro USB port on the side. The charging cable and a silicon sleeve to place around the camera are also included.
I took the camera with me to San Diego Comic-con this year to wear it around and take live video footage of the crowds while shopping for my exclusives, and also took some still photos just to see how it compares to something that is far pricier like my iPhone. For a camera in its size and price-point (MSRP $29.99) it did surprisingly well capturing footage on the go (important for walking around but extremely important when in use as a dash cam). The picture, while certainly not as crisp as a much more pricey camera, was certainly serviceable and still enjoyable. The still shots were a little grainy, but far better than some more expensive cameras I’ve seen in the past. The portability is something that particularly comes in handy when you simply want to take a camera out of your pocket and take a quick shot of something.
The Vivitar Go Cam DVR 757HD is an incredible value for what you get with it. While it certainly can’t compete quality-wise with exponentially more expensive cameras, it comes with everything a budding videographer might want to use to start out with. If you are someone who is looking to casually record your bike rides or are looking for a lower cost option in dash cams, this is a camera worth trying out. I certainly would recommend buying this camera over a far more expensive one if you aren’t sure how often you will use it, and honestly with it’s 12MP and HD quality video you might just realize that you don’t need anything more than this. You certainly can do far worse for far more money and it’s inexpensive enough that the whole family could have one and embrace the trail together.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
Characters – Don is the new student being sent to a boarding school, he comes from a common family where he has a close group of friends which he would prefer to be around, he does stick out around the rest of the students, easily breaking the rules around the school. Willoughby is the student that must show Don around the school, he fills in the blanks, has a secret and will be the one that helps Don be prepared for everything in the year. Meredith Houseman is one of teachers, he once attended the school, feeling the pride the school embodies, he will end up helping the students against the evil in the school grounds. The Bat is the headmaster, he has been taking bribes to let the fracking happen and isn’t willing to lose the money coming his way.
Performances – Michael Sheen and Simon Pegg both look like they are having a lot of fun playing the stuck up British stereotypes which are here for the supporting roles. Finn Cole takes the lead in this film and he does all he can because this film does try to introduce too many different types of characters, not giving the lead enough time to shine, Asa Butterfield does well with his role too, getting to become a supporting character for once, instead of having the weight of the film put on him.
Story – The story here follows the time at a private British boarding school which sees monsters unleashed on the students, who must fight to save themselves. The weirdest way to describe this film would be to say this is the British boarding school version of ‘Attack the Block’, I say this because we are trying to play into a lot of stereotypes for added comedy to the situation. When we break down this alone we get to see how the British private school system comes off, with the student classes, the students believing they are better than anybody else and how the teachers are trapped in their own illusions. Add in the monsters which is what they feel like, which again disappoints along with one serious side to the story which is almost played out for jokes.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy only works if you find taking the piss out of upper-class English funny, this is what the film is set around getting laughs from. The horror is what the monsters do to the people, it would have been nice to get more time with them, once we do it does work well for blood splatter.
Settings – The film is set on the grounds of a private boarding school, this is put in an isolated location which does help make the film get added horror elements involved.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are mixed because it does feel like the thrown buckets of blood which for the budget isn’t what you want to see, though the creatures do look frightening at times.
Scene of the Movie – Monsters unleashed.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too much upper-class British jokes.
Final Thoughts – This is a fun enough horror comedy, it will get the laughs in places and has well created creatures.
Overall: British Ripped apart
Performances – Michael Sheen and Simon Pegg both look like they are having a lot of fun playing the stuck up British stereotypes which are here for the supporting roles. Finn Cole takes the lead in this film and he does all he can because this film does try to introduce too many different types of characters, not giving the lead enough time to shine, Asa Butterfield does well with his role too, getting to become a supporting character for once, instead of having the weight of the film put on him.
Story – The story here follows the time at a private British boarding school which sees monsters unleashed on the students, who must fight to save themselves. The weirdest way to describe this film would be to say this is the British boarding school version of ‘Attack the Block’, I say this because we are trying to play into a lot of stereotypes for added comedy to the situation. When we break down this alone we get to see how the British private school system comes off, with the student classes, the students believing they are better than anybody else and how the teachers are trapped in their own illusions. Add in the monsters which is what they feel like, which again disappoints along with one serious side to the story which is almost played out for jokes.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy only works if you find taking the piss out of upper-class English funny, this is what the film is set around getting laughs from. The horror is what the monsters do to the people, it would have been nice to get more time with them, once we do it does work well for blood splatter.
Settings – The film is set on the grounds of a private boarding school, this is put in an isolated location which does help make the film get added horror elements involved.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are mixed because it does feel like the thrown buckets of blood which for the budget isn’t what you want to see, though the creatures do look frightening at times.
Scene of the Movie – Monsters unleashed.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too much upper-class British jokes.
Final Thoughts – This is a fun enough horror comedy, it will get the laughs in places and has well created creatures.
Overall: British Ripped apart
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