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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) created a video about Never Hike in the Snow (2020) in Movies

Oct 20, 2020  
Video

Never Hike in the Snow - Full Short Film

  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated The Accountant (2016) in Movies

Mar 11, 2018 (Updated Mar 17, 2018)  
The Accountant (2016)
The Accountant (2016)
2016 | Drama
7
7.5 (36 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Really-not-that-bad-at-all action thriller with Ben Affleck doing a surprisingly good job of playing a brilliant accountant-stroke-hitman. The film kind of dodges around the implication that Affleck's character is autistic, but the inference is clear and while this is still Movie Autism (never mind the crippling downsides, you get super powers!!!), it is still sympathetic and has at least a few vestiges of reality to it.

The plot eventually ends up being completely gonzo, involving corruption in the robotics industry and duelling assassins, but the movie fends off the moment when you shout 'this is all utterly ridiculous!' for a surprisingly long time. Eclectic cast includes Affleck, John Lithgow, Jon Bernthal, and Anna Kendrick (who appears to be about three feet tall in a few of her scenes). A fun and engaging movie; not a particularly great thriller but all the peripheral weirdness keeps it watchable.
  
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Moses Boyd recommended Point of Departure by Andrew Hill in Music (curated)

 
Point of Departure by Andrew Hill
Point of Departure by Andrew Hill
2001 | Jazz, Pop
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I remember a group of us all went to this record store - FOPP in Covent Garden - and they were having a Blue Note sale, and every record was like three quid. And I remember all of us going in with like 30 quid and we’d just clean up on the catalogue, and that CD was one of the first ones I remember going home and listening to. I don’t know if you’ve had one of them experiences where you listen to a record and you just feel something change in you. Like, what's happening? How have I never heard anything like this? There's so many questions in your head. Even still to this day I’m like how did you even make that? How do you even begin to approach that and make a work like it, to this day it still stands that test of time; creativity, authenticity, sound, energy all of that stuff. Yeah man, shout out to Andrew Hill."

Source
  
Buffy the Vampire Slayer  - Season 4
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 4
1999 | Horror
The Gentleman (3 more)
Somthing Blue
Hush episode as a whole
Superstar
Riley (0 more)
Knocking on Windows
Whilst there are other series I love over this one, I have to give it a 10 star rating purely because of the episode Hush. Never before has a Tv series pushed the boundaries where a good per cent-age of the show there was no talking. Cine-graphically this episode is on a level above and beyond normal television programming. There are some great preformaces this series in this series in the form of Danny strong as Jonathan in Superstar. Giles turned into a Fyral demon. Buffy and Spike engaged in something Blue. Personally i wasn't a big fan of the initiative story arc or Riley but could see why others did.

"Can't even shout, can't even cry
The Gentlemen are coming by
Looking in windows, knocking on doors
They need to take seven and they might take yours
Can't call to mom, can't say a word
You're gonna die screaming but you won't be heard."
  
Gone Without a Trace
Gone Without a Trace
Mary Torjussen | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
6
7.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
When Hannah returns home one day to find all traces of her boyfriend, Matt, have vanished, she is determined to figure out what has happened. While I was at times just as invested in figuring things out as Hannah was, at other times I felt frustrated with her for making what seemed to be foolish choices. Never having been in such a situation though, I can’t say how I would react, so I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt and stuck with it even when I wanted to shout at her. I’m glad I did – the resolution was just as unexpected as I had hoped it would be.

Once it gets going, the story moves along at a good pace with very little downtime, and I read it in just a couple of sittings. Hannah may not be my favorite protagonist in the recent spate of thrillers with a “twist”, but the story is an enjoyable one, and I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book from Mary Torjussen.
  
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Gavin Harper (4 KP) rated Spot it! in Tabletop Games

Jul 27, 2019 (Updated Jul 27, 2019)  
Spot it!
Spot it!
2009 | Card Game, Kids Game, Educational, Party Game, Real-time
Extremely simple to play (2 more)
Good fun for a really wide audience.
Kids and adults can play it and be on a level playing field.
Great game that never seems to get tired.
We've had Dobble (what Spot It's called in Europe) for years now and it still gets played all the time.
Very simple idea with lots of ways to play keeping it varied and fun.
The aim of the game is to match one of the pictures on your card with the same picture on another card. There is always a match somewhere, but the images on each card can be different sizes which can make then difficult to spot at first.
However, while you're trying to find a match on another card so is everyone else. As soon as a match is found you shout out what the matching picture is and lay your card on top of the other card. It gets frantic and frustrating as you keep trying to find a match only for the card to be changed by someone else and you have to start searching again.
Fab game, can be taken and played anywhere.
  
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Phillip Youmans recommended City Of God (2002) in Movies (curated)

 
City Of God (2002)
City Of God (2002)
2002 | Crime, Drama

"City of God is kinetic and visceral. The active camerawork is gorgeous. City of God really did try to find those moments where we can pause and view these characters without any judgment. No character in City of God is black-and-white. There are moments when, even though we know some of these dudes are ruthless killers, they show us little hints that showcase their youth and make it clear to us that they’re still 16-, 17-, 18-years-old at the end of the day. One scene in particular I remember is Li’l Zé. He was this ruthless overlord, but he gets turned down at that dance party. And you just see his face where he’s smiling at first, and then you just see the embarrassment wash over him. Oh my God! Literally everyone in the world knows that moment; everyone in the world knows what it’s like to get rejected. But considering that we’ve seen this man brutally kill people at this point, I think it’s so interesting how the filmmaker also never intended for you to judge those characters. But he also never wanted to give a romanticized view of their life. He wanted you to fully understand how difficult and horrifying some of those realities can be. City of God is a masterpiece. Really quick though, I also want to take the time, and give a special mention to Ava DuVernay’s work. Ava makes the most culturally important work of our time as a filmmaker. 13th is what taught the entire world that we’re essentially living in a re-engineered version of slavery. Ava is committed to promoting awareness. Outside of her being an extraordinarily talented filmmaker, she makes incredibly formative and culturally impactful work. I just want to shout her out as well."

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Never Grow Old (2019)
Never Grow Old (2019)
2019 | Action, Drama, Thriller
Under-the-Radar Good
Set in the 1800’s, when a band of unsavory men muscle their way into a small town, the town’s undertaker has to face the moral decision of reaping the benefits of their destruction or keeping his family and the town safe. It’s a lot harder of a decision than you might think which is part of the reason why I think this movie works so well. I thought I could easily decide one way or another, but by the end of it, I wasn’t so sure.

Acting: 10
I applaud Emile Hirsch for constantly taking on unique roles and stepping outside of comfort zones. In Never Grow Old, he is Pat the Irish undertaker. The role is original in and of itself, but he manages to take it and really make it his own. As Pat, he gives you that “Every Man” feel giving the sense that you would do the same types of things if put in his situation. You can feel his fear in knowing he may have to do some things he doesn’t want to do to protect his family.

Shout-out to John Cusack playing bounty hunter Dutch. He does an outstanding job of really making you hate his guts. By the end of it, you’re ready to seem him get taken out. I respected his performance because it never felt overdone or unbelievable like some actors struggle with when taking on an antagonist role. Think Thanos with a six-shooter.

Beginning: 9

Characters: 10

Cinematography/Visuals: 10

Conflict: 7

Genre: 9
This film ranks up there in terms of Westerns if nothing else but for its originality. The genre is oversaturated with revenge tales, robberies, and the peacekeeping law. This takes you in an entirely different direction. It’s filled with action, grit, but, more importantly, thought.

Memorability: 8

Pace: 6

Plot: 10

Resolution: 7
Not the ending I was hoping for, but I understand why this directional path was chosen. it was almost unavoidable. I didn’t love it, but I definitely respect it.

Overall: 86
Never Grow Old is one of those hidden gem movies you will be wanting to tell your friends to go see. If you like Westerns, hell even if you don’t, this one is extremely enjoyable and memorable. One of my favorite under-the-radar movies.
  
Renaissance Men by The Wildhearts
Renaissance Men by The Wildhearts
2019 | Indie
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Album Rating
Loud, heavy and exciting (3 more)
Stuffed with catchy hooks and singalong choruses
First new album in 10 years
Diagnosis could be the best song they've ever written
Best Wildhearts Album In Years
The wildhearts are the best British band you've never heard of. Their story is one of survival against the odds, as various members have struggled with loss, addiction, mental health and freak brushes with death. And despite all this the music they make still sounds like an allmighty shout of joy, even when lyrically it is crammed with righteous anger.
The easiest way to describe them is to imagine Metallica crossed with cheap trick or the beatles. The crushing heaviness and aggression is there, but always tempered with sunny pop sensibilities. It sounds mental but it's a style that will change your life for the better.
This new album finds the band in renewed vigour, having reclaimed original bassist Danny mccormack and recorded their first new album in a decade. They come out of the gates like a band half their age, seemingly out to prove they're still the best of their generation with the songs and chops to match.
Standout tracks include, Let Em Go, Fine Art Of Description, Diagnosis, Renaissance Men, Pilo Erection
  
What We Do in the Shadows - Season 2
What We Do in the Shadows - Season 2
2020 | Comedy
Still going strong
I always worry with tv shows, especially ones that have been brilliant in the past, that subsequent seasons are never going to live up to expectations. However this is not a problem so far for What We Do in the Shadows and this second series is just as brilliant as the first.

To say this show is hilarious would be an understatement. It’s so clever and funny and full of dark off beat humour, I cracked up constantly at every episode. Whilst Taika Waititi was apparently too busy on other projects to resume duties on this season, it was great to see that Jemaine Clement was still very much in charge and you can tell the formula and style of the show hasn’t changed (it’d be a travesty if it ever did). I have to give a shout out this season to Natasia Demetriou as Nadja is now by far my favourite character. Hearing her exasperations and admonitions at Lazlo is so funny and sums up how I feel most of the time! It was also great to see Colin Robinson taking a more prominent role in the group this time round as he’s such a wonderful deadpan character. There are also some wonderful guest stars this season too, they’ve really got some great names playing some hilarious roles (Mark Hamill and Benedict Wong are highlights) and while I didn’t think there was a standout episode for guests like the Vampiric Council in season 1, the guest episodes individually in season 2 were all a very high standard.

I’m never one to advocate dragging tv shows out unnecessarily, but I really think What We Do in the Shadows is an exception. If they can carry on making this show to this excellent standard with the same cast and crew, then they need to make as much as possible. 10 episodes a season just isn’t long enough, watching this is the highlight of my year and I can’t wait to see more.