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Free Fire (2017)
Free Fire (2017)
2017 | Action, Comedy, Drama
Stretched a bit too much
Ever since watching Sightseers I’ve always been excited to see the next Ben Wheatley film, however recently they’ve been very hit and miss. And sadly Free Fire for me was no different.

It has a truly fantastic cast, you can’t really get much better than the likes of Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer and Michael Smiley. The cast themselves are faultless, and so is the direction. It’s brilliantly shot and does very well with such a limited set. The soundtrack is great too. My main issue is that it’s a simple plot that feels like it’s been stretched too thin. Whilst the run time of 90 minutes is very short, it still dragged and got a little boring and definitely feels too stretched. Don’t get me wrong, there are parts of this film that are hilarious and this did help, but for me it wasn’t enough. I could’ve done with a little more variety. Also the ending was a little predictable.
  
Tower Heist (2011)
Tower Heist (2011)
2011 | Action, Comedy, Drama
9
6.7 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating
In the movie Tower Heist, the employees of The Tower, a ritzy high-rise condominium in New York City, fall victim to a Ponzi scheme and lose their 401(k). Now normally there wouldn’t be anything they could do about it but Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda), the one behind the Ponzi scheme, is one of the residents at The Tower.

Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller), former general anager of The Tower, has an idea to steal the defrauded employees’ money back, but he needs help with his grand scheme. Josh brings in his brother-in-law Cole Howard (Casey Affleck) and Rick Malloy (Michael Pena). Both are former employees and as such have a score to settle. Josh also enlists the help of Odessa Montero (Gabourey Sidibe) who is currently a maid at the Tower and Chase Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick), a former resident.

While eager to do what they believe is right, the group does not have a background in crime, so Josh brings in Slide (Eddie Murphy), a thief from his neighborhood that he has known since childhood. Will this band of merry men and woman be successful and save the day Robin Hood-style or will they run afoul of FBI Agent Claire Denham (Tea Leoni)?

The film has a very entertaining story that unfolds beautifully and a better cast would be impossible to find. Now with that said, there were some parts in the movie that were distracting to me because I could not suspend my disbelief that far, however, I can’t say what they are due to the fact that I do not want to spoil any scenes for you.

Eddie Murphy did an amazing job of keeping his character realistic and at the same time unbelievably funny. Without a doubt every scene Murphy is in is golden. Not only did Alan Alda’s character get arrested for stealing people’s money but he almost stole the show. And even though every fiber of my being wanted to dislike his character, who is an arrogant, self-righteous, demeaning jerk; Alda portrayed him in such a way that I was actually sort of hoping that the character would get away with it. Now I know all you Benheads out there are asking “What about Ben Stiller?” You all will be happy to know that he was great, he was definitely the humorous glue that held the movie together. Matthew Broderick, Michael Pena and Casey Affleck were all very entertaining though at times Casey gets drowned out by the others. Last but certainly not least Gabourey Sidibe and Tea Leoni were both great and incredibly funny however they did not get anywhere near as much screen time as I would have liked.
  
Skin Game (The Dresden Files, #15)
Skin Game (The Dresden Files, #15)
Jim Butcher | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
9
9.6 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hells Bells!
<2022 update>

I should perhaps mention that Michael Carpenter and his family don't actually turn up until a fair ways into the story ...

<original 2015 review>

"Last year I died, but I got better"

It's probably been over a year since I read the last Harry Dresden book, as I'd been waiting (and waiting, and waiting ...) for this one to come out in paperback. Was it worth the wait?

Absolutely yes.

I know it's still only March (nearly April), but this is a strong contender for my choice for book of the year - definitely the best I've read so far this year, with the bar set VERY high for any others later this year to match.

As this starts, Harry is still on Demonreach island, still recovering from previous events in Cold Days. It's not long, however, before Mab - the Winter Queen - has Harry (as her Winter Knight) paying off on of her debts, forcing him to work with Nicodemus Archleone and the Knights of the Blackened Denarius. Harry has to help Nicodemus to rob a vault belonging to the Lord of the Underworld Hades himself, while somehow staying alive and a step ahead of the inevitable betrayal.

As the Knights of the Denarius are involved, this also means that the Knights of the Cross - or, more specifically, Michael Carpenter - are back in the novel, as counter-points to the fallen angels. So, too, are Waldo Butters, Molly Carpenter, Bob the skull and Karrin Murphy with Thomas, however, conspicuous by his absence.