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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated Murder in the Piazza in Books

Sep 10, 2022 (Updated Sep 10, 2022)  
Murder in the Piazza
Murder in the Piazza
Jen Collins Moore | 2020 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Murder in Rome
Maggie White’s husband has been sent to Rome for two years for his job, and she’s gone along with him. After a few months of living the life of leisure, she has found a job working for Masterpiece Tours, a specialty tour company that offers painting lessons and tours of some of the museums and famous locations in the city. She’s barely started and she’s already fantasizing about ways to kill her boss, Lord Phillip, an English expat. However, she is shocked to find him shot in his office one evening. The police don’t seem that interested in figuring out what happened, so Maggie starts investigating. Can she figure out what is going on?

This was a good travel themed mystery. It brought Rome to life in such a way that I felt I was there with Maggie. Unfortunately, the pacing of the mystery was off early on, but I did appreciate how everything came together at the end. We met many of the characters in a group setting, but they became distinct people as the story progressed, so it wasn’t really an issue. If you are looking for a virtual visit to Rome with a side of murder, this is the book for you.
  
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Northman (2022) in Movies

May 11, 2022  
The Northman (2022)
The Northman (2022)
2022 | History, Thriller
10
7.9 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Robert Eggers continues his winning streak with The Northman, surely one of the most visually stunning and compelling movies in recent years. A Viking revenge story presented in his signature style is just cinematic crack waiting to happen as far as I'm concerned.
The first third is a fast moving setup that effectively establishes the characters and shows off quite an epic production. After that, The Northman becomes a tight and slow burning thriller as Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) exacts a psychologically torturous revenge on the people who killer his father. It's a perfect marriage of powerful character drama, weird imagery, Viking culture and beliefs, bizarre gore, and fantasy set pieces, and it's slower pace ensures that it's utterly captivating.
The whole film looks incredible from start to finish and is complimented by a wonderful music score.
It's all cemented by a stacked cast. Skarsgård is a capable lead for sure, and is just a big walking muscle in this, the manly bastard. Anya Taylor-Joy is great as always, and the supporting cast boasts the likes of Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke, and Claes Bang who are all stellar.

I can't heap enough praise on The Northman, another homerun from Eggers. I'd happily call it a masterpiece.
  
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) in Movies

Jun 19, 2022  
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
1986 | Comedy, Horror
6
6.5 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I have a huge amount of respect for TTCM2, mainly for how different it is to its predecessor, which of course happens to be one of the most respected horrors of all time. Tobe Hoopers return is a welcome one, and his desire to not repeat his original masterpiece is a smart move. It results in a slice of 80s horror that is flamboyantly ridiculous, which still manages to keep its identity intact underneath it all. There's a lot less subtlety this time around - the brooding and implied violence we have seen before is replaced with more gore and Dennis Hopper dual wielding chainsaws with a third strapped to his back. It's weirdly great. The gore is significantly upped, and Leatherface is a little more cartoony. We're also introduced to Bill Moseley as Chop-Top, a fan favourite character who is a little too slapstick for my taste, but I can't fault Moseley for 100% commiting to the bit. Caroline Williams is a delight as this entries badass final girl as well.

TTCM2 is flawed for sure, but it doesn't fall into the rinse and repeat trap that so many sequels do, and it's easy to see why it has a strong following.
  
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Lake Placid: The Final Chapter (2012) in Movies

Mar 22, 2022  
Lake Placid: The Final Chapter (2012)
Lake Placid: The Final Chapter (2012)
2012 | Horror
4
3.0 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Lake Placid 4 is straight up wild. It starts with Yancy Butler asking a crocodile if "they really wanna do this" before fighting it. That's where we're at. There's a bit where a group of people see a huge crocodile coming for them so they jump in a 4x4 and drive insanely fast away from it, looking back to make sure they're getting away. I though to myself "why are they looking, there's no way a crocodile is keeping up with them, stupid ass" but no, the crocodile is galloping like a fucking horse at the same speed behind them. There's another part where a dude gets torn apart by baby crocodiles like a school of piranhas or some shit. None of it makes sense but fuck it, who even cares. The CGI somehow manages to be better and worse than the last one. Robert Englund is chewing up the scenery whenever he's on screen. I feel like I'm going mad because I have low key enjoyed all of the trash sequels so far.
Some people say that Citizen Kane is the biggest masterpiece of cinema ever put out there. I argue that it's Lake Placid: The Final Chapter (even though there are two more to go *chefs kiss*)