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Ross (3282 KP) rated Doors: Colony in Books
Mar 26, 2021
A slight improvement over the other book
This is another in Heitz's Doors series, three books telling the same underlying story up to a point, with a different story taking off depending on which of the mysterious doors the characters go through. In this book, the group of people employed to find and rescue rich Van Dam's daughter go through the door marked with a question mark. They find themselves in the cellar of a German bierhall in an alternative history of WWII. The war is over, the Germans having capitulated after Hitler's assassination and there is now a struggle between the Russians and the UK/USA over control of what remains.
The group find themselves slimmed down very quickly as members of the group drop like flies. Soon a small number of them find themselves in the company of some Russian spies, looking to stop the Americans' attempts to take power. For some reason, phony clairvoyant Coco Fendi now has actual powers and is capable of mind-reading, earning the respect and assistance of these spies.
There then follows a fairly enjoyable attempt to catch up with a train and board it to stop a nuclear war from breaking out.
The translation again is quite poor here, as some phrases do not make sense and make the reader work to understand what is meant. I am giving Heitz the benefit of the doubt and laying blame at the door of the translator here (though looking at some of the reviews on goodreads in German I'm not sure this is fair). However, there are some very odd passages that take the reader right out of the book, for example 'the time had come to test the 4x4's four-litre twin turbo engine promising 650 horsepower and a top speed of 190 miles an hour'. I mean, what the hell? Has Clarkson been asked to translate this book? It was completely irrelevant and odd.
In the 'Twilight' book of the series, there were some hints at other users of the doors and their purpose and provenance. This book builds on that to an extent, which is a clever idea from Heitz - in order to answer the questions, I think you need to read all three books. However, as a book in its own right, there are simply too many unanswered questions left (though slightly fewer than in 'Twilight').
An improvement, with a more coherent story once through the door in question, but still not a great read. As the first c25% is duplicated between books, I merrily skipped through this section looking for the distinct part starting off.
I received a free advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The group find themselves slimmed down very quickly as members of the group drop like flies. Soon a small number of them find themselves in the company of some Russian spies, looking to stop the Americans' attempts to take power. For some reason, phony clairvoyant Coco Fendi now has actual powers and is capable of mind-reading, earning the respect and assistance of these spies.
There then follows a fairly enjoyable attempt to catch up with a train and board it to stop a nuclear war from breaking out.
The translation again is quite poor here, as some phrases do not make sense and make the reader work to understand what is meant. I am giving Heitz the benefit of the doubt and laying blame at the door of the translator here (though looking at some of the reviews on goodreads in German I'm not sure this is fair). However, there are some very odd passages that take the reader right out of the book, for example 'the time had come to test the 4x4's four-litre twin turbo engine promising 650 horsepower and a top speed of 190 miles an hour'. I mean, what the hell? Has Clarkson been asked to translate this book? It was completely irrelevant and odd.
In the 'Twilight' book of the series, there were some hints at other users of the doors and their purpose and provenance. This book builds on that to an extent, which is a clever idea from Heitz - in order to answer the questions, I think you need to read all three books. However, as a book in its own right, there are simply too many unanswered questions left (though slightly fewer than in 'Twilight').
An improvement, with a more coherent story once through the door in question, but still not a great read. As the first c25% is duplicated between books, I merrily skipped through this section looking for the distinct part starting off.
I received a free advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated the PC version of Crysis Remastered in Video Games
Oct 8, 2020
Back in 2007 EA released Crysis which touted a new gaming engine and state of the art technology. The game inspired sequels but many people found the game ran clunky on their PCs as the new engine had some pretty hefty technology requirements.
In the age of remasters gamers now can experience the game with remastered graphics which brings the graphics in the game to a more modern level.
Players play a member of an elite unit who wear specialized Nano Suits during high-risk missions. The suits can make the wearer invisible, move faster, and armor up to absorb energy. The biggest issue is that those abilities do take a considerable amount of power and can only be used for brief increments so players will have to use them strategically.
When a mission goes wrong players must attempt to battle hordes of North Korean troops and other threats to achieve various goals and mission objectives.
Players will be able to utilize an arsenal of weapons ranging from pistols, shotguns, machine guns, grenades, and their fists and must make sure to use ammunition wisely as the supply is not infinite and players will have to recover weapons from enemies when they deplete their ammunition or resort to using their fists until they can find resupply options.
While the game does look more modern, the gameplay is still jerky especially in combat. Compared to modern shooters the smoothness and speed factor is lacking and it at times has a herky-jerky gameplay to it. Being able to cleanly shoot an enemy is erratic as some are real bullet sponges while others in the same class go down fairly easily.
The game also uses a checkpoint save system so failing to complete an objective will have players trying a scenario repeatedly until they are successful.
Players will also be able to utilize vehicles that they find which can help when they need to make a fast escape from a location or if they opt to make a direct assault.
The sound and graphics of the game are solid but the gameplay was decidedly retro and had many of the issues that bothered me with the original release. I had hoped for a total redo but in many ways it was like slapping a new coat of paint on an old car and expecting top of the line performance.
Crysis: Remastered is a nice trip down memory lane but pails when compared to more modern games in terms of enjoyment as I think a new game in the series would have been better. Perhaps this is a way to test what the current demand for the franchise is. For now the game is a nice piece of updated nostalgia.
In the age of remasters gamers now can experience the game with remastered graphics which brings the graphics in the game to a more modern level.
Players play a member of an elite unit who wear specialized Nano Suits during high-risk missions. The suits can make the wearer invisible, move faster, and armor up to absorb energy. The biggest issue is that those abilities do take a considerable amount of power and can only be used for brief increments so players will have to use them strategically.
When a mission goes wrong players must attempt to battle hordes of North Korean troops and other threats to achieve various goals and mission objectives.
Players will be able to utilize an arsenal of weapons ranging from pistols, shotguns, machine guns, grenades, and their fists and must make sure to use ammunition wisely as the supply is not infinite and players will have to recover weapons from enemies when they deplete their ammunition or resort to using their fists until they can find resupply options.
While the game does look more modern, the gameplay is still jerky especially in combat. Compared to modern shooters the smoothness and speed factor is lacking and it at times has a herky-jerky gameplay to it. Being able to cleanly shoot an enemy is erratic as some are real bullet sponges while others in the same class go down fairly easily.
The game also uses a checkpoint save system so failing to complete an objective will have players trying a scenario repeatedly until they are successful.
Players will also be able to utilize vehicles that they find which can help when they need to make a fast escape from a location or if they opt to make a direct assault.
The sound and graphics of the game are solid but the gameplay was decidedly retro and had many of the issues that bothered me with the original release. I had hoped for a total redo but in many ways it was like slapping a new coat of paint on an old car and expecting top of the line performance.
Crysis: Remastered is a nice trip down memory lane but pails when compared to more modern games in terms of enjoyment as I think a new game in the series would have been better. Perhaps this is a way to test what the current demand for the franchise is. For now the game is a nice piece of updated nostalgia.
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Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Click (2006) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Michael Newman (Adam Sandler) is a man in crisis. As a caring a devoted father and husband, Michael is at the end of his rope as his life has become a non-stop series of projects and endless deadlines as he attempts to become a partner in his architecture firm.
His boss, Ammer (David Hasselhoff) is constantly piling work on top of Michael’s already full plate, and promises a pending partnership which only drives Michael even harder at the expense of quality time for himself and his family.
With events such as camping trips, 4th of July family outings and his swim meets being lost to his increasing workload, Michael is in need of help as even his loving wife Donna (Kate Beckinsale), is becoming frustrated with his lack of time for his family and the fact that his family has become a distant second fiddle to his job.
When his frustration point gets the best of him, Michael decides to take a drive one night and locate a universal remote in an effort to clear up the clutter of remotes that inhabit his own.
With only a Bed Bath and Beyond open, Michael finds himself in a remote room of the store where a sympathetic employee named Morty (Christopher Walken), says he has the answer to Michaels situation, a special universal remote that is his free of charge.
Michael is skeptical but when Morty assures him that it is an advanced prototype and that sometimes a good guy need breaks in life, he sets home with the remote.
Eventually Michael realizes that the remote has the power to speed up, freeze, and access various moments of his life. Suddenly menial tasks, work, and other events can be avoided simply by forwarding past those points.
As Michael works with the remote, he is visited from time to time by Morty who shows him features such as a DVD like menu where Michael can look back at everything from past girlfriends to his conception and birth.
After a setback on his career path, Michael decides to fast forward to his promotion and is shocked to discover that not only has more time passed than he expected, but that his relationships at home have been strained in the process.
If this is not enough trouble for Michael, the remote starts to take on a mind of its own, and soon forwards him in time without his approval, forcing Michael to face the changes and repercussions of a life out of control.
Click is easily one of Sandler’s best films since “The Wedding Singer” and “Fifty First Dates”, as it blends the typical Sandler humor with moments of great candor and tenderness.
The supporting work of Walken and Beckinsale is enhanced by the presence of Henry Winkler ads to the enjoyment of the film.
Frank Coraci who previously directed Sandler in (The Wedding Singer), and (The Waterboy), is not afraid to force Sandler to stretch beyond the familiar comedic routines for which he has been known and make him address more serious subject matter.
While some fans may find the blend of comedy and a more mature subject matter difficult to accept, Click is a novel comedy that is filled with laughs and yet takes the time to address important topics without ever being heavy handed.
Some may want to take issues with the crude humor, and raise issues about the remote and why certain things were done or not done. To do this would be in my opinion would be missing the point of the film which is to remind us, that no matter what, take the time out for those that are important in your life.
His boss, Ammer (David Hasselhoff) is constantly piling work on top of Michael’s already full plate, and promises a pending partnership which only drives Michael even harder at the expense of quality time for himself and his family.
With events such as camping trips, 4th of July family outings and his swim meets being lost to his increasing workload, Michael is in need of help as even his loving wife Donna (Kate Beckinsale), is becoming frustrated with his lack of time for his family and the fact that his family has become a distant second fiddle to his job.
When his frustration point gets the best of him, Michael decides to take a drive one night and locate a universal remote in an effort to clear up the clutter of remotes that inhabit his own.
With only a Bed Bath and Beyond open, Michael finds himself in a remote room of the store where a sympathetic employee named Morty (Christopher Walken), says he has the answer to Michaels situation, a special universal remote that is his free of charge.
Michael is skeptical but when Morty assures him that it is an advanced prototype and that sometimes a good guy need breaks in life, he sets home with the remote.
Eventually Michael realizes that the remote has the power to speed up, freeze, and access various moments of his life. Suddenly menial tasks, work, and other events can be avoided simply by forwarding past those points.
As Michael works with the remote, he is visited from time to time by Morty who shows him features such as a DVD like menu where Michael can look back at everything from past girlfriends to his conception and birth.
After a setback on his career path, Michael decides to fast forward to his promotion and is shocked to discover that not only has more time passed than he expected, but that his relationships at home have been strained in the process.
If this is not enough trouble for Michael, the remote starts to take on a mind of its own, and soon forwards him in time without his approval, forcing Michael to face the changes and repercussions of a life out of control.
Click is easily one of Sandler’s best films since “The Wedding Singer” and “Fifty First Dates”, as it blends the typical Sandler humor with moments of great candor and tenderness.
The supporting work of Walken and Beckinsale is enhanced by the presence of Henry Winkler ads to the enjoyment of the film.
Frank Coraci who previously directed Sandler in (The Wedding Singer), and (The Waterboy), is not afraid to force Sandler to stretch beyond the familiar comedic routines for which he has been known and make him address more serious subject matter.
While some fans may find the blend of comedy and a more mature subject matter difficult to accept, Click is a novel comedy that is filled with laughs and yet takes the time to address important topics without ever being heavy handed.
Some may want to take issues with the crude humor, and raise issues about the remote and why certain things were done or not done. To do this would be in my opinion would be missing the point of the film which is to remind us, that no matter what, take the time out for those that are important in your life.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Fast & Furious 9 (2021) in Movies
Jun 24, 2021
Ridiculous storyline (1 more)
Improbable action
Magnetic bulls**t that will no doubt attract Fast-fans
Positives:
- Glossy locations, fast cars and beautiful women: the usual Fast stuff.
- When the stunts are "real", they are good and exciting. But it's often difficult to tell when there's been a 'computer-assist'.
Negatives:
- I complained in my review for "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" about it having a childish and ludicrous plot. This movie makes that look like bl***y Shakespeare! There's an attempt to add a smidgen of family tension into the mix, based on Dom's childhood trauma. But aside from that element, the 'story' (I use the term in its loosest possible sense) bounces (without any rational logic most of the time) from ludicrous situation to ludicrous situation without pause. Most of these are linked by Ramsey (the very British Nathalie Emmanuel) stating a random fact such as "Well, now he's going to need to launch a satellite". And off we go again. (That particular crazy story arc even sees them 'doing a Musk' and flying a car into space: I kid you not!)
- It's not even the 'big stuff' that's unbelievable. Everywhere you look, there are inconsistencies and things that don't make sense.
-- Tej (played by Ludicris - an appropriate name here) takes dodging a brigade worth of machine gun bullets to nonsensical limits.
-- Generally, the cast gets blasted, dropped, crashed, burned, and otherwise put through more fatal situations than you can imagine, only to walk out without a scratch.
-- And if you can show me a single delivery lorry in Edinburgh that has an automatic gearbox, I'll be amazed!
- At one point, Roman (Tyrese Gibson) mutters some line about "Trusting in the physics and the numbers". Well, let me tell you, it's like no physics that I studied on this planet. A lot of the set pieces involve huge magnets attached to trucks and cars. Now - correct me if I'm wrong - but if you turn a massive magnet on in a truck then as well as ripping the car you are chasing through the adjacent building (as if), you will also force the truck to be pulled into that building too. OK, perhaps not as much.... but the lorry ain't going to stay in its driving lane, I know that much! And magnets attract metal - they don't repel it!
- At 145 minutes, this is well over 2 hours of my life I will never get back.
Summary Thoughts on "F9": It's just such a formulaic and contrived piece of fluff that it makes me cross that they can spend $200,000 on a movie and not make it better. Part of this involves the lazy use of CGI to create obviously nonsensical stunts that devalue true action films. Yes, the stunt team was busy, and impressive, here - but always going for "one better" has led to extensive use of CGI. That's why I liked the 2014 'knock-off' film "Need for Speed" - - at least they did all their stunts old-school, in camera, and not in the computer.
But whatever I say here, this movie will unfortunately get its audience. At the time of writing, it's already made nearly $300K at the box office on its $200K budget. Which means there will inevitably be an F10, no doubt involving a driving battle on the planet Mars. Sigh.
By the way, before you dive for the exits to relieve your bladder (it is 145 minutes after all), there is a mid-credits scene that re-introduces an old favourite.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/24/f9-magnetic-bullst-that-will-no-doubt-attract-fast-fans/. Thanks).
- Glossy locations, fast cars and beautiful women: the usual Fast stuff.
- When the stunts are "real", they are good and exciting. But it's often difficult to tell when there's been a 'computer-assist'.
Negatives:
- I complained in my review for "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" about it having a childish and ludicrous plot. This movie makes that look like bl***y Shakespeare! There's an attempt to add a smidgen of family tension into the mix, based on Dom's childhood trauma. But aside from that element, the 'story' (I use the term in its loosest possible sense) bounces (without any rational logic most of the time) from ludicrous situation to ludicrous situation without pause. Most of these are linked by Ramsey (the very British Nathalie Emmanuel) stating a random fact such as "Well, now he's going to need to launch a satellite". And off we go again. (That particular crazy story arc even sees them 'doing a Musk' and flying a car into space: I kid you not!)
- It's not even the 'big stuff' that's unbelievable. Everywhere you look, there are inconsistencies and things that don't make sense.
-- Tej (played by Ludicris - an appropriate name here) takes dodging a brigade worth of machine gun bullets to nonsensical limits.
-- Generally, the cast gets blasted, dropped, crashed, burned, and otherwise put through more fatal situations than you can imagine, only to walk out without a scratch.
-- And if you can show me a single delivery lorry in Edinburgh that has an automatic gearbox, I'll be amazed!
- At one point, Roman (Tyrese Gibson) mutters some line about "Trusting in the physics and the numbers". Well, let me tell you, it's like no physics that I studied on this planet. A lot of the set pieces involve huge magnets attached to trucks and cars. Now - correct me if I'm wrong - but if you turn a massive magnet on in a truck then as well as ripping the car you are chasing through the adjacent building (as if), you will also force the truck to be pulled into that building too. OK, perhaps not as much.... but the lorry ain't going to stay in its driving lane, I know that much! And magnets attract metal - they don't repel it!
- At 145 minutes, this is well over 2 hours of my life I will never get back.
Summary Thoughts on "F9": It's just such a formulaic and contrived piece of fluff that it makes me cross that they can spend $200,000 on a movie and not make it better. Part of this involves the lazy use of CGI to create obviously nonsensical stunts that devalue true action films. Yes, the stunt team was busy, and impressive, here - but always going for "one better" has led to extensive use of CGI. That's why I liked the 2014 'knock-off' film "Need for Speed" - - at least they did all their stunts old-school, in camera, and not in the computer.
But whatever I say here, this movie will unfortunately get its audience. At the time of writing, it's already made nearly $300K at the box office on its $200K budget. Which means there will inevitably be an F10, no doubt involving a driving battle on the planet Mars. Sigh.
By the way, before you dive for the exits to relieve your bladder (it is 145 minutes after all), there is a mid-credits scene that re-introduces an old favourite.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/24/f9-magnetic-bullst-that-will-no-doubt-attract-fast-fans/. Thanks).
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated The Avengers (2012) in Movies
May 9, 2019
Some assembly required
There's a lot about this movie I love (it used to be one of my favorite films to rewatch when I was a teenager), one thing that really stood out to me about watching this again for the first time in awhile, is how much Whedon understands the language of comics.
Whenever people bring that aspect up, they usually talk about the splash panel inspired sequences (the long take through the Battle of New York), but nobody tends to talk about the choices he makes with how he and Seamus McGarvey decide to shoot the smaller scale scenes like they were regular panels.
Take Loki's entrance for example; as the laser begins to open the portal, we cut above, seeing how big the room is and how long the laser is, all in a wide, beautiful shot, taken from an angel to capture the intensity of the villain's entrance, and then that's followed up with a panel inspired close up on Loki's eyes as he breaks into a grin. Or the shot of Natasha being integrated from the prospective of the mirror in the room, and we see various different treasures as it pushes away from it.
Or probably the best example of this, is Steve's introduction; repeatedly working himself up with every punch, flashing back to the events in his life that make him feel the most intense, before punching it straight off its hook, only for him to grab another one of several he has lying there.
It's little touches like this that are sprinkled throughout, making you feel like you're watching a comic book in motion without having to go full on "Scott Pilgrim", "Into The Spider-Verse", "Speed Racer", or even "Batman: The Movie", along with capturing the lavish and striking lighting and colors found within some of the best artists for them.
Plus, while Whedon's writing is known for his sense of humor (for better and worse, especially when it comes to it's impact on the rest of these films post this one), I don't think enough of us take into account how much that humor is there to service the characters, not just the viewers.
Both this and his work with Drew Goddard on "Cabin in the Woods" showcase this perfectly. When Marty in "Cabin" asks if anyone else thinks something weird is going on when Curt contradict himself by saying they should split up, he isn't just saying that for the sake of a gag, it's Whedon and Goddard's way of hinting that he knows more than the others, and establishing that he's immune from these tricks being played on them.
When Steve and Tony are arguing about who's stronger and Steve keeps saying "put on the suit!", once shit hits the fan, he says it once again, but in a way that's far more urgent and fearful, not just being there for the sake of a funny payoff, but as progression for the next series of events that need to play out.
And, man....
There's just so many great moments. Not just the action or the characters working off of each other, but little moments, like the Old Man standing up for Earth to Loki, Steve giving Fury ten bucks after seeing the Helicarrier in action, Bruce mentioning the time he figured he had enough and how he couldn't end it himself, complete with the fear trembling in his voice and facial expression, Loki saying "I'm listening" as Thor was taken away from him, or his monologue to Natasha, the entire New York battle centering around them both trying to keep the army at bay and save as many by standards as possible, just too many to name.
It's one of the most memorable and entertaining blockbusters of this decade and while it doesn't feel as special seeing all of these people in the same movie anymore, it still has them at their best and manages to do it so effortlessly. Like it's one thing that this movie exists, but the fact that it worked is something that'll never not be amazing.
What else can I say, really? It's "The Avengers". You've likely seen it, memed about it, quoted it, referenced it, it doesn't matter, it's been here for nearly ten years now and it's impact is still felt and mentioned. As well as something that's super easy to put on and rewatch, either for some lazy day entertainment, or to revisit during the lead up to their next big adventure.....
Whenever people bring that aspect up, they usually talk about the splash panel inspired sequences (the long take through the Battle of New York), but nobody tends to talk about the choices he makes with how he and Seamus McGarvey decide to shoot the smaller scale scenes like they were regular panels.
Take Loki's entrance for example; as the laser begins to open the portal, we cut above, seeing how big the room is and how long the laser is, all in a wide, beautiful shot, taken from an angel to capture the intensity of the villain's entrance, and then that's followed up with a panel inspired close up on Loki's eyes as he breaks into a grin. Or the shot of Natasha being integrated from the prospective of the mirror in the room, and we see various different treasures as it pushes away from it.
Or probably the best example of this, is Steve's introduction; repeatedly working himself up with every punch, flashing back to the events in his life that make him feel the most intense, before punching it straight off its hook, only for him to grab another one of several he has lying there.
It's little touches like this that are sprinkled throughout, making you feel like you're watching a comic book in motion without having to go full on "Scott Pilgrim", "Into The Spider-Verse", "Speed Racer", or even "Batman: The Movie", along with capturing the lavish and striking lighting and colors found within some of the best artists for them.
Plus, while Whedon's writing is known for his sense of humor (for better and worse, especially when it comes to it's impact on the rest of these films post this one), I don't think enough of us take into account how much that humor is there to service the characters, not just the viewers.
Both this and his work with Drew Goddard on "Cabin in the Woods" showcase this perfectly. When Marty in "Cabin" asks if anyone else thinks something weird is going on when Curt contradict himself by saying they should split up, he isn't just saying that for the sake of a gag, it's Whedon and Goddard's way of hinting that he knows more than the others, and establishing that he's immune from these tricks being played on them.
When Steve and Tony are arguing about who's stronger and Steve keeps saying "put on the suit!", once shit hits the fan, he says it once again, but in a way that's far more urgent and fearful, not just being there for the sake of a funny payoff, but as progression for the next series of events that need to play out.
And, man....
There's just so many great moments. Not just the action or the characters working off of each other, but little moments, like the Old Man standing up for Earth to Loki, Steve giving Fury ten bucks after seeing the Helicarrier in action, Bruce mentioning the time he figured he had enough and how he couldn't end it himself, complete with the fear trembling in his voice and facial expression, Loki saying "I'm listening" as Thor was taken away from him, or his monologue to Natasha, the entire New York battle centering around them both trying to keep the army at bay and save as many by standards as possible, just too many to name.
It's one of the most memorable and entertaining blockbusters of this decade and while it doesn't feel as special seeing all of these people in the same movie anymore, it still has them at their best and manages to do it so effortlessly. Like it's one thing that this movie exists, but the fact that it worked is something that'll never not be amazing.
What else can I say, really? It's "The Avengers". You've likely seen it, memed about it, quoted it, referenced it, it doesn't matter, it's been here for nearly ten years now and it's impact is still felt and mentioned. As well as something that's super easy to put on and rewatch, either for some lazy day entertainment, or to revisit during the lead up to their next big adventure.....
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