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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Unravel in Video Games
Jan 6, 2021
I got this as part of an EA bundle from the PS Store at a bargain price.
It has a very cute story-line involving a ball of string that is retelling the tales of a family's holidays, helping to fill in photo albums and picture frames in the family's house. You have to make it from one end of the memory to the other, going through puzzling scenarios and avoiding things that may hurt you without running out of string.
Considering the game is for all ages, I did find some of the puzzles a little complicated at times.
It has a very cute story-line involving a ball of string that is retelling the tales of a family's holidays, helping to fill in photo albums and picture frames in the family's house. You have to make it from one end of the memory to the other, going through puzzling scenarios and avoiding things that may hurt you without running out of string.
Considering the game is for all ages, I did find some of the puzzles a little complicated at times.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated AlleyGod by Alley Boy in Music
Sep 2, 2019
Alley Boy is a rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. Not too long ago, he released a melodic rap tune, entitled, “Rewind”, featuring trap-Godfather Future.
‘Rewind’ is a reminiscing tune which finds Future taking listeners down memory lane to the long last days of his innocence. Also, the likable tune finds Alley Boy rapping about his successes and failures.
‘Rewind’ contains conversational rap vocals, harmonious melodies, and melodic instrumentation flavored with trap and hip-hop elements.
Alley Boy, a former Atlantic Records’ standout, has been pretty busy this year.
His “Alley God” project is still going strong thanks to assists from 21 Savage and production from Mike WiLL, Fritz, & more.
‘Rewind’ is a reminiscing tune which finds Future taking listeners down memory lane to the long last days of his innocence. Also, the likable tune finds Alley Boy rapping about his successes and failures.
‘Rewind’ contains conversational rap vocals, harmonious melodies, and melodic instrumentation flavored with trap and hip-hop elements.
Alley Boy, a former Atlantic Records’ standout, has been pretty busy this year.
His “Alley God” project is still going strong thanks to assists from 21 Savage and production from Mike WiLL, Fritz, & more.
David McK (3251 KP) rated The Addams Family (1991) in Movies
May 22, 2020
"They're creepy and they're kooky
Mysterious and spooky
They're altoghether ooky
the Addmas Family!"
(Very) Early 90s live action take on the Addams Family with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston impeccably cast as Gomez and Morticia Addams, alongside an equally impeccably cast Christopher Lloyd as Fester Addams.
The plot? Fester Addams has been missing, presumed dead, for decades until a man arrives at their house claiming to be the same, but with no memory of his childhood.
No, this is NOT the one where Wednesday Addams learns to smile (that would be the superior sequel: The Addams Family Values), but this is still an enjoyable enough diversion.
Mysterious and spooky
They're altoghether ooky
the Addmas Family!"
(Very) Early 90s live action take on the Addams Family with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston impeccably cast as Gomez and Morticia Addams, alongside an equally impeccably cast Christopher Lloyd as Fester Addams.
The plot? Fester Addams has been missing, presumed dead, for decades until a man arrives at their house claiming to be the same, but with no memory of his childhood.
No, this is NOT the one where Wednesday Addams learns to smile (that would be the superior sequel: The Addams Family Values), but this is still an enjoyable enough diversion.
Ross (3282 KP) rated American Idiot by Green Day in Music
Jun 5, 2020
Rolling Stone's 225th greatest album of all time
For some reason I wasn't looking forward to listening to this. It became cool to hate Green Day not long after this album and I haven't tried much of their subsequent material, despite being a massive fan when Insomniac and Nimrod came out. This album was a very pleasant trip down memory lane. When September Ends isn't great but the sprawling Jesus of Suburbia and Homecoming are rock operas to rival Queen and Meatloaf. There are enough stomping diet punk anthems to satisfy their fans plus enough masterful songwriting in those songs to please any rock fan.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Memory of You in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Set in the heart of California wine country, The Memory of You will pull on your heart and emotions. Facing the secrets of the past, Natalie and Tanner must overcome so much if they ever want to be free from the guilt and the pain that they have endured.
Natalie Mitchell has spent the last 13 years traumatized with guilt and PTSD. Tanner has to live with the consequences of decisions he has made. Both are vulnerable, both are guarded, they don't want to open up and let someone in. They have even shut God out. As they journey along the path of forgiveness, acceptance, and reconciliation with both their heavenly father and their earthly fathers, we see their souls barred open. We see into the depths of their hearts and feel the agony and the pain that they have had to overcome. Watching the romance blossom and grow in this story made my heart all a flutter. Catherine approached it in a very tender and sincere way.
I know that Natalie and Tanner are fictional characters, however, their experiences can be very real. I myself have anxiety and panic attacks (for completely different reasons than Natalie). We can't walk this path alone. Trying to be strong and just push on for another day, isn't the only solution out there. Find someone, whether it be a relative, a friend, a therapist...to reach out to. Open your heart to God, allow his forgiveness and his GRACE to flood you, for HE will bring you new life. His grace is enough.
I pray that as you read this powerful story, that the words would resignate in your heart. That it would give you hope, that you would know you are not alone and that your heavenly Father is watching over you and guiding you to safety.
The Memory of You is a stand alone novel.
I received a complimentary copy of The Memory of You from the publishers, Thomas Nelson. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Natalie Mitchell has spent the last 13 years traumatized with guilt and PTSD. Tanner has to live with the consequences of decisions he has made. Both are vulnerable, both are guarded, they don't want to open up and let someone in. They have even shut God out. As they journey along the path of forgiveness, acceptance, and reconciliation with both their heavenly father and their earthly fathers, we see their souls barred open. We see into the depths of their hearts and feel the agony and the pain that they have had to overcome. Watching the romance blossom and grow in this story made my heart all a flutter. Catherine approached it in a very tender and sincere way.
I know that Natalie and Tanner are fictional characters, however, their experiences can be very real. I myself have anxiety and panic attacks (for completely different reasons than Natalie). We can't walk this path alone. Trying to be strong and just push on for another day, isn't the only solution out there. Find someone, whether it be a relative, a friend, a therapist...to reach out to. Open your heart to God, allow his forgiveness and his GRACE to flood you, for HE will bring you new life. His grace is enough.
I pray that as you read this powerful story, that the words would resignate in your heart. That it would give you hope, that you would know you are not alone and that your heavenly Father is watching over you and guiding you to safety.
The Memory of You is a stand alone novel.
I received a complimentary copy of The Memory of You from the publishers, Thomas Nelson. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Memento (2000) in Movies
Feb 9, 2018
Heady Trip
Christopher Nolan first burst onto the scene (for me) with MEMENTO, a 2000 film about a man with a rare condition - he cannot store any short term memories - and is looking for the man that murdered his wife and hit him on the head, thus causing this condition. The twist of the film - and the "trick" that makes this film work -is that it is told backwards (the last scene is first, the 2nd to last scene is 2nd...the first scene is last) so we, the audience, have no memory of what happened just before this scene and, thus, are suffering from the same inability to access what has happened just before as the main character.
This "trick" works very well and holds the film together, we are peeling apart the onion (or, more appropriately, we are putting the peels back on the onion) as the film progresses, gaining greater knowledge as we go along and, with each new piece of "old" information, we gain a new - and in most cases different - view of the scene that we just saw, keeping the audience off-balance for the entire film.
Nolan shows a sure-handedness in his direction of this film. It is clear he had a vision that he wanted to put on the screen and with the screenplay written by Nolan and his long-time collaborator, his brother Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan has a canvas to paint his off-kilter picture and play with the themes of time and memory - themes he would come back to over again.
As the man with the memory loss, Leonard, Guy Pearce solidified himself for me (at the time) as a fine actor that is worth watching (this, afterall, was just a few years after LA CONFIDENTIAL). His Leonard is earnest and straightforward and while he does have a "tick" to show that his memory is erasing (to clue us, the audience in), he marches (backward) through this film strongly.
Aiding Pearce is veteran character actor Joe Pantoliano as Teddy - a cop who is helping Leonard find his wife's killer (or is he?). "Joey Pants" (as he is known) is perfect for this type of ambiguous character, never really trusting him, but trusting him "just enough". Also jumping in is Trinity, herself, Carrie-Ann Moss - an actress that I thought was going to build on this (and the Matrix) and become quite the star. It didn't quite work out.
I enjoyed this mystery and was thinking about how well it works if you ran the scenes in chronological order - upon reflection, I realized that if you did that, holes get punched into things pretty quickly. So, don't do that, but do rent or stream or pull the old DVD of MEMENTO off your bookshelves, it is worth your time.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
This "trick" works very well and holds the film together, we are peeling apart the onion (or, more appropriately, we are putting the peels back on the onion) as the film progresses, gaining greater knowledge as we go along and, with each new piece of "old" information, we gain a new - and in most cases different - view of the scene that we just saw, keeping the audience off-balance for the entire film.
Nolan shows a sure-handedness in his direction of this film. It is clear he had a vision that he wanted to put on the screen and with the screenplay written by Nolan and his long-time collaborator, his brother Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan has a canvas to paint his off-kilter picture and play with the themes of time and memory - themes he would come back to over again.
As the man with the memory loss, Leonard, Guy Pearce solidified himself for me (at the time) as a fine actor that is worth watching (this, afterall, was just a few years after LA CONFIDENTIAL). His Leonard is earnest and straightforward and while he does have a "tick" to show that his memory is erasing (to clue us, the audience in), he marches (backward) through this film strongly.
Aiding Pearce is veteran character actor Joe Pantoliano as Teddy - a cop who is helping Leonard find his wife's killer (or is he?). "Joey Pants" (as he is known) is perfect for this type of ambiguous character, never really trusting him, but trusting him "just enough". Also jumping in is Trinity, herself, Carrie-Ann Moss - an actress that I thought was going to build on this (and the Matrix) and become quite the star. It didn't quite work out.
I enjoyed this mystery and was thinking about how well it works if you ran the scenes in chronological order - upon reflection, I realized that if you did that, holes get punched into things pretty quickly. So, don't do that, but do rent or stream or pull the old DVD of MEMENTO off your bookshelves, it is worth your time.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
JT (287 KP) rated Trance (2013) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
"Amnesia is bollocks.” That’s the thought of one of four crooks tasked with trying to discover the whereabouts of a Goya painting worth £25,000,000 from the memory of James McAvoy‘s character Simon.
Simon, an art auctioneer has a problem, well he has a few in Danny Boyle’s latest mind bending heist thriller, Trance. He’s addicted to gambling and in return for wiping his debts clear he agrees to help steel the Goya painting from an auction house for Franck (Vincent Cassel) and his criminal entourage.
In an aggressive and highly charged opening sequence, which sees Simon describe various methods in which paintings have been stolen before from the smash and grab of the old school era to the more high tech, the heist is well under way.
Simon is in the thick of the action as Franck and his accomplices take charge, and as Franck is making off with the painting he’s challenged by Simon who receives a knock to the head rendering his memory practically useless.
After staggering about through all the chaos he ends up in hospital having his brain drilled and drained and any short term memory with it.
With methods of torture clearly not working the gang turn their attention to another, hypnotherapy, and seek help from Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) who attempts to guide Simon through hypnosis in an attempt to find out exactly where he left the painting.
And so begins a journey of discovery, deceit, greed and lust as everything is not what it seems and loyalties will be tested to the fullest.
Simon’s hypnotic journey takes him through the idyllic French countryside, to a church filled with stolen paintings to the slick London underworld as he tries in vein to piece together his broken memory, but what unfolds is not what he or any of us are probably expecting.
Simon, Franck and Elizabeth are all pretty interwoven as characters, it’s almost hard to work out who is playing each other off against the other, whose dream we’re in and at what level. You’ll find that you care about all three of them in a different way when something more is revealed about them.
The remaining trio of Franck’s gang are probably around for far too long than they need to be, but are removed for the final heart pounding third act, which accompanied by a brilliant soundtrack really intensifies the finale.
Trance is written by John Hodge and he’s reunited with Danny Boyle again having previously worked together on such films as Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, where at the crux of it all they too are heist films in a different guise.
Trance is well shot, Danny Boyle is in his element directing a dark, disturbing and at times a head scratching film, I’ve not had this much fun from a Boyle film since Shallow Grave.
Simon, an art auctioneer has a problem, well he has a few in Danny Boyle’s latest mind bending heist thriller, Trance. He’s addicted to gambling and in return for wiping his debts clear he agrees to help steel the Goya painting from an auction house for Franck (Vincent Cassel) and his criminal entourage.
In an aggressive and highly charged opening sequence, which sees Simon describe various methods in which paintings have been stolen before from the smash and grab of the old school era to the more high tech, the heist is well under way.
Simon is in the thick of the action as Franck and his accomplices take charge, and as Franck is making off with the painting he’s challenged by Simon who receives a knock to the head rendering his memory practically useless.
After staggering about through all the chaos he ends up in hospital having his brain drilled and drained and any short term memory with it.
With methods of torture clearly not working the gang turn their attention to another, hypnotherapy, and seek help from Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) who attempts to guide Simon through hypnosis in an attempt to find out exactly where he left the painting.
And so begins a journey of discovery, deceit, greed and lust as everything is not what it seems and loyalties will be tested to the fullest.
Simon’s hypnotic journey takes him through the idyllic French countryside, to a church filled with stolen paintings to the slick London underworld as he tries in vein to piece together his broken memory, but what unfolds is not what he or any of us are probably expecting.
Simon, Franck and Elizabeth are all pretty interwoven as characters, it’s almost hard to work out who is playing each other off against the other, whose dream we’re in and at what level. You’ll find that you care about all three of them in a different way when something more is revealed about them.
The remaining trio of Franck’s gang are probably around for far too long than they need to be, but are removed for the final heart pounding third act, which accompanied by a brilliant soundtrack really intensifies the finale.
Trance is written by John Hodge and he’s reunited with Danny Boyle again having previously worked together on such films as Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, where at the crux of it all they too are heist films in a different guise.
Trance is well shot, Danny Boyle is in his element directing a dark, disturbing and at times a head scratching film, I’ve not had this much fun from a Boyle film since Shallow Grave.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Recursion in Books
Jul 8, 2019
Wow! A well-thought-out and well-executed story with great writing. Just wow!
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Wow! Wow! Wow!
I write 200-word reviews. They are exactly 200 words. For Blake Crouch's Recursion, my review could be just writing the word "wow" 198 times and to end it with "read this!".
I rarely rate a book 5 stars. They have to be extraordinary, either extraordinarily written or be an extraordinary story. This was both. I also usually write my reviews soon after finishing a book but I needed time to decompress and process this story.
I was a Psychology major and had several people close to me suffer from Alzheimer’s so I am fascinated by memory. In Recursion, in 2007, a scientist works to create technology to preserve our memories to help her mother who has Alzheimer’s. In 2018, people suffer from False Memory Syndrome, an affliction that drives people mad with memories of living an entirely different life, a life they never lived.
Recursion asks, "what if you could go back through your memories and “fix” them? Change events in order to protect children, countries, civilizations." Would you?
I have wanted to read Blake Crouch for more than a decade but did not get around to it. I am annoyed I did not read him sooner.
This review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/2/19.
Wow! Wow! Wow!
I write 200-word reviews. They are exactly 200 words. For Blake Crouch's Recursion, my review could be just writing the word "wow" 198 times and to end it with "read this!".
I rarely rate a book 5 stars. They have to be extraordinary, either extraordinarily written or be an extraordinary story. This was both. I also usually write my reviews soon after finishing a book but I needed time to decompress and process this story.
I was a Psychology major and had several people close to me suffer from Alzheimer’s so I am fascinated by memory. In Recursion, in 2007, a scientist works to create technology to preserve our memories to help her mother who has Alzheimer’s. In 2018, people suffer from False Memory Syndrome, an affliction that drives people mad with memories of living an entirely different life, a life they never lived.
Recursion asks, "what if you could go back through your memories and “fix” them? Change events in order to protect children, countries, civilizations." Would you?
I have wanted to read Blake Crouch for more than a decade but did not get around to it. I am annoyed I did not read him sooner.
This review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/2/19.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated What Rose Forgot in Books
Feb 10, 2020
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
When I selected Nevada Barr's latest, What Rose Forgot, I did not realize how difficult it would be for me to read it. My mother-in-law, Rose, had memory issues and forgot...well, almost everyone. The premise of the story is Rose, a 60ish-year-old grandmother wakes from a mental fog to discover she was placed in a memory care unit of a nursing home. No one believes Rose so, with the help of her sister, granddaughter and her granddaughter's friend, so struggles to figure out who is responsible.
Having experienced what my Rose struggled through I understand why no one believed Rose. Many of the ways the group works to prove Rose is sane requires a suspension of disbelief. After escaping the nursing home, she sneaks back in to have her "not a hacker" sister hack into the computer files. She takes time to meditate while people are trying to kill her. Lastly, after all of the physical activities she is forced to do, she is able to continue doing more of them without too much pain.
Still, the story was enjoyable. I have added several of Nevada Barr's books, especially her Anna Pigeon mystery series, to my "want to read" list.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 2/9/20.
When I selected Nevada Barr's latest, What Rose Forgot, I did not realize how difficult it would be for me to read it. My mother-in-law, Rose, had memory issues and forgot...well, almost everyone. The premise of the story is Rose, a 60ish-year-old grandmother wakes from a mental fog to discover she was placed in a memory care unit of a nursing home. No one believes Rose so, with the help of her sister, granddaughter and her granddaughter's friend, so struggles to figure out who is responsible.
Having experienced what my Rose struggled through I understand why no one believed Rose. Many of the ways the group works to prove Rose is sane requires a suspension of disbelief. After escaping the nursing home, she sneaks back in to have her "not a hacker" sister hack into the computer files. She takes time to meditate while people are trying to kill her. Lastly, after all of the physical activities she is forced to do, she is able to continue doing more of them without too much pain.
Still, the story was enjoyable. I have added several of Nevada Barr's books, especially her Anna Pigeon mystery series, to my "want to read" list.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 2/9/20.
ClareR (5608 KP) rated The Memory Wood in Books
Feb 27, 2020 (Updated Feb 29, 2020)
The Memory Wood is a phenomenal book. I was on tenterhooks from the first chapter - mainly because I didn't really know what to expect. I usually avoid stories where child abductions are involved for reasons obvious to me (I know people who enjoy these themes, and are better able to detach fact from fiction than me!), but as The Pigeonhole chose it, I thought I'd give it a go - and I'm glad I did.
Elissa is abducted from outside the chess tournament that she's playing at, and wakes up manacled to the floor by a chain. Her only contact with another person is Elijah, a 12 year old boy who lives in the Memory Wood. He calls her Gretel, she calls him Hansel, and the house above the cellar she is imprisoned in is referred to as the Gingerbread House.
Meanwhile, the police have started the investigation, and are trying to locate Elissa. Detective Superintendent Mairead MacCullagh is in charge, and to be honest, Elissa couldn't have a more committed person to lead the hunt. Despite very upsetting personal circumstances, Mairead works hard and persistently to try and find Elissa.
I loved this book - it was non-stop action and so tense! I'm so glad I gave it a chance, because I'm sure it will be one of may favourite books of 2020!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and to Sam Lloyd for reading along with us.
Elissa is abducted from outside the chess tournament that she's playing at, and wakes up manacled to the floor by a chain. Her only contact with another person is Elijah, a 12 year old boy who lives in the Memory Wood. He calls her Gretel, she calls him Hansel, and the house above the cellar she is imprisoned in is referred to as the Gingerbread House.
Meanwhile, the police have started the investigation, and are trying to locate Elissa. Detective Superintendent Mairead MacCullagh is in charge, and to be honest, Elissa couldn't have a more committed person to lead the hunt. Despite very upsetting personal circumstances, Mairead works hard and persistently to try and find Elissa.
I loved this book - it was non-stop action and so tense! I'm so glad I gave it a chance, because I'm sure it will be one of may favourite books of 2020!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and to Sam Lloyd for reading along with us.