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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Thir13en Ghosts (2001) in Movies
Jun 30, 2021
I absolutely get why this has become a bit of a cult classic, but for everything I like about Thir13en Ghosts, there's something I dislike.
I enjoy the setting. The "modern day" haunted house is an inspired design, and the fact that the set was practically built to film on is quite something. I also enjoy the titular ghosts. Each one has a unique look, and the make up work is superb. I also love that the legendary F. Murray Abraham is in this, as well as Matthew Lillard, doing what Matthew Lillard does best, hamming things up to the max.
Other than that, it's all a bit flaccid. There's a whole lot of characters-walking-around-and-getting-lost going on, and it's honestly a drag. It doesn't help that precisely none of these characters are easy to care about. There are multiple instances of laughably huge exposition dumps, in a narrative that's needlessly overstuffed with unnecessary plot elements.
Personally, it just about coasts by due to the nostalgia of being 13 years old and just getting into horror when it originally released, and I always have a good enough time with it. Also a dude gets vertically bisected which is pretty rad.
I enjoy the setting. The "modern day" haunted house is an inspired design, and the fact that the set was practically built to film on is quite something. I also enjoy the titular ghosts. Each one has a unique look, and the make up work is superb. I also love that the legendary F. Murray Abraham is in this, as well as Matthew Lillard, doing what Matthew Lillard does best, hamming things up to the max.
Other than that, it's all a bit flaccid. There's a whole lot of characters-walking-around-and-getting-lost going on, and it's honestly a drag. It doesn't help that precisely none of these characters are easy to care about. There are multiple instances of laughably huge exposition dumps, in a narrative that's needlessly overstuffed with unnecessary plot elements.
Personally, it just about coasts by due to the nostalgia of being 13 years old and just getting into horror when it originally released, and I always have a good enough time with it. Also a dude gets vertically bisected which is pretty rad.
A Lightness in My Soul
10.0
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Book
Inspired by the incredible true story of a German teen taken prisoner at the end of WWII, determined...
Historical Biography
Legacy of Fear
4.0
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Book
Andra Vandersan is an expert code breaker, as fiercely independent and beautiful as she is...
Ascension (Southern Spirits #7)
8.0
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Book
Conner Sutherland never thought he'd meet the love of his life in the Afterlife… Conner...
MM Paranormal Romance
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Cruel Elites (Nocturnal Academy book 2) in Books
Dec 5, 2021
203 of 250
Kindle
Cruel Elites ( Nocturnal Academy book 2)
By Margo Ryerkerk and Holly Hook
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
I refuse to end up as a vampire's slave.
There's no escape out of Nocturnal Academy's prison school. Being here means I've lost my mother, my best friend, and my freedom.
Now, Nocturnal Academy plans to make me into a courtesan for the vampires. My only hope out is topping the Placement Tests and becoming the 1 out of 100 fae who gets to shape her own fate.
But between a mysterious vampire guard confusing my feelings, my nemesis circling in on me like a viper, and a teacher who hates my guts, all my plans are falling apart. If I'm not careful, I won't even end up as a courtesan, but as dead meat.
This is the second book and definitely a star more than I rated book 1. This was more settled and the story is picking up and getting interesting. It’s definitely a tough concept that these Young mainly female fae really have limited outcomes on their lives and can be a bit tough to read in places, but I’m finding it well written! Looking forward to reading the next one.
Kindle
Cruel Elites ( Nocturnal Academy book 2)
By Margo Ryerkerk and Holly Hook
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
I refuse to end up as a vampire's slave.
There's no escape out of Nocturnal Academy's prison school. Being here means I've lost my mother, my best friend, and my freedom.
Now, Nocturnal Academy plans to make me into a courtesan for the vampires. My only hope out is topping the Placement Tests and becoming the 1 out of 100 fae who gets to shape her own fate.
But between a mysterious vampire guard confusing my feelings, my nemesis circling in on me like a viper, and a teacher who hates my guts, all my plans are falling apart. If I'm not careful, I won't even end up as a courtesan, but as dead meat.
This is the second book and definitely a star more than I rated book 1. This was more settled and the story is picking up and getting interesting. It’s definitely a tough concept that these Young mainly female fae really have limited outcomes on their lives and can be a bit tough to read in places, but I’m finding it well written! Looking forward to reading the next one.
ClareR (6081 KP) rated This Charming Man in Books
Jan 31, 2023
Are you feeling despondent? Need a little pick-me-up? Nothing too heavy? We all need (in this case) a book to make us feel happier and give us something to laugh at, and for me, that’s C. K. McDonnell’s job. I love these books. I really do laugh out loud.
The team at The Stranger Times have probably lost the will to laugh at their editor anymore. I mean, they see him every day, but his general bad attitude and shockingly bad work relations are hilarious.
Assistant Editor Hannah is back at work after her messy divorce, and Manchester is faced with what appears to be a bit of a vampire problem. But, you see, Vampires don’t exist. And everyone agrees on this.
Even when this book was being serious, it made me laugh. Banecroft’s interesting swearing system is workplace goals (although I work in Early Years, so still a no for me!), there’s a man on a canal boat who can’t lie and lives with a talking pug, the new journalist who lives in his van and lives on a diet of ice cream (and has terrible wind) - well. It’s just all delightfully wonky, funny and frankly genius!
I can’t wait for the next one!
The team at The Stranger Times have probably lost the will to laugh at their editor anymore. I mean, they see him every day, but his general bad attitude and shockingly bad work relations are hilarious.
Assistant Editor Hannah is back at work after her messy divorce, and Manchester is faced with what appears to be a bit of a vampire problem. But, you see, Vampires don’t exist. And everyone agrees on this.
Even when this book was being serious, it made me laugh. Banecroft’s interesting swearing system is workplace goals (although I work in Early Years, so still a no for me!), there’s a man on a canal boat who can’t lie and lives with a talking pug, the new journalist who lives in his van and lives on a diet of ice cream (and has terrible wind) - well. It’s just all delightfully wonky, funny and frankly genius!
I can’t wait for the next one!
Resolute (The Lost Fleet Outlands #2)
6.0
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Admiral John "Black Jack" Geary must battle dangers both within and without the Alliance, in this...
Loving Carter (True Mates #4)
9.0
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Book
Carter Wilkes believed in true mates—until a lifetime of ridicule and abuse shattered that dream,...
MM Paranormal Romance
If you got the chance to look into your dead husband’s cold case, would you? Would you really want to know who killed him? Why? Detective Rogers does. Detective Rogers, a retired detective from Reno, had joined a group of cold case solving retired detectives. Finally after 22 years, she wants to know who killed her husband and why. As she and the gang of cold case solving detectives begin to unravel his life and his secrets, she finds herself more and more angry that she didn’t know that much about that man she had married and had a child with. As the story goes on, secrets and lies that he had hidden from her and others close to him begin to shape him into an unpleasant way that makes it hard to swallow for Detective Rogers. With all his secrets and lies, it becomes unreal when they realize it wasn’t his body with his wallet attached to it and who all was behind such a crime.
Kill Game: A Cold Poker Gang Mystery by Dean Wesley Smith was a fabulous book. As you follow the retired detectives and try to piece together all the evidence and clues they obtain to solve this case, you can’t help but begin to wonder what the whole story behind the dead ex-husband is. Who was he really and what could cause him to find trouble that would get him killed. In this mystery you get to sink your teeth in such a mystery that you try to figure it out yourself as you read, hoping to beat the detectives to their own results. With the twists and realizations of uncovered secrets and lies, you can’t help to find yourself in the shoes of Detective Rogers as she learns about her dead husband’s life and all this secrets.
Wesley had written the book extremely well with only one minor issue that may go undetected to someone reading it without doing a double take. On page 134 instead of using Detective Julia Rogers name, Detective Lott’s daughter name was used. At first I almost missed it, but as I continued reading the page I realized Annie wasn’t on the phone of even with them at that particular point. This wasn’t a huge flaw, but one I kind of wished was caught before publishing as I had to read the page eight times before realizing it had to be a typo. I totally understand typos happen, but it was just a slight irritation. Wesley was able to write such beautiful if no graphic at time scenes, that it was easy to get lost in the story rather quickly. Adding humor and romance to underlying tones makes it hard not to admire how he could capture the essence some detectives have after many years in service. It was truly amazing to read. I found the mystery truly astounding and enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing how different eyes can bring knew things to light as well as new questions to be asked.
I really enjoyed how Wesley was able to bring in the interesting things detectives working on cold cases would do or ask and how having links to help gather information and to get to different places can help a cold case make it easier to find clues and solve a case that has little to no information. I have always had an interest in cold cases and found that being walked through how the team of retired detectives solves this case brought so much excitement and interesting things that makes you wonder if you could solve cold cases yourself if you had the money and resources that these detectives have. As you try to figure it out with them you can’t help to make mental notes and develop your own theories and questions that you may wish to have answered or worked through. Wesley easily makes you feel like you could be a detective.
Kill Game: A Cold Poker Gang Mystery is the first book in its series and definitely leaves you craving the next one. With all the aspects in view that makes a mystery good, as well as the depth of the characters, you will find yourself wanting to take notes alongside the detectives. This makes it harder to put the book down while you're craving a new cold case to solve. I absolutely loved this book. I rate it 3 stars out of 4 because of the minor error in the text. Other than that, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking to sink their teeth in a murder mystery that had become a cold case and solved 22 years later.
Kill Game: A Cold Poker Gang Mystery by Dean Wesley Smith was a fabulous book. As you follow the retired detectives and try to piece together all the evidence and clues they obtain to solve this case, you can’t help but begin to wonder what the whole story behind the dead ex-husband is. Who was he really and what could cause him to find trouble that would get him killed. In this mystery you get to sink your teeth in such a mystery that you try to figure it out yourself as you read, hoping to beat the detectives to their own results. With the twists and realizations of uncovered secrets and lies, you can’t help to find yourself in the shoes of Detective Rogers as she learns about her dead husband’s life and all this secrets.
Wesley had written the book extremely well with only one minor issue that may go undetected to someone reading it without doing a double take. On page 134 instead of using Detective Julia Rogers name, Detective Lott’s daughter name was used. At first I almost missed it, but as I continued reading the page I realized Annie wasn’t on the phone of even with them at that particular point. This wasn’t a huge flaw, but one I kind of wished was caught before publishing as I had to read the page eight times before realizing it had to be a typo. I totally understand typos happen, but it was just a slight irritation. Wesley was able to write such beautiful if no graphic at time scenes, that it was easy to get lost in the story rather quickly. Adding humor and romance to underlying tones makes it hard not to admire how he could capture the essence some detectives have after many years in service. It was truly amazing to read. I found the mystery truly astounding and enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing how different eyes can bring knew things to light as well as new questions to be asked.
I really enjoyed how Wesley was able to bring in the interesting things detectives working on cold cases would do or ask and how having links to help gather information and to get to different places can help a cold case make it easier to find clues and solve a case that has little to no information. I have always had an interest in cold cases and found that being walked through how the team of retired detectives solves this case brought so much excitement and interesting things that makes you wonder if you could solve cold cases yourself if you had the money and resources that these detectives have. As you try to figure it out with them you can’t help to make mental notes and develop your own theories and questions that you may wish to have answered or worked through. Wesley easily makes you feel like you could be a detective.
Kill Game: A Cold Poker Gang Mystery is the first book in its series and definitely leaves you craving the next one. With all the aspects in view that makes a mystery good, as well as the depth of the characters, you will find yourself wanting to take notes alongside the detectives. This makes it harder to put the book down while you're craving a new cold case to solve. I absolutely loved this book. I rate it 3 stars out of 4 because of the minor error in the text. Other than that, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking to sink their teeth in a murder mystery that had become a cold case and solved 22 years later.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
In 1951 Director Robert Wise helped create one of the most insightful films of the dawning Science Fiction genre. At that time, the growing theme was the good folks of Earth having to defend ourselves against all manner of evil creatures from beyond.
This tone has carried over to modern day as the notion of hostile invaders from beyond has become part of our cinematic and written culture.
The ironic thing about “The Day The Earth Stood Still” was that it was a cautionary tale that stood apart from the genre films of the day. Instead of an all out assault on humanity, a visitor named Klaatu (Michael Rennie) came to deliver a message that change was needed or else there would be dire consequences. Klaatu told the people of the earth that they must learn to live in peace and make war a thing of the past or they would run the risk of being destroyed by more powerful races that would see them as a threat to their peaceful ways.
Klaatu had a powerful robot named Gort who would destroy any hints of aggression and used him to get his message of the need for peace across.
Now in 2008, 20th Century Fox has recreated this classic tale with a star studded cast and a large production budget.
In the new version, Jennifer Connelly stars as Helen Benson, a scientist who is raising her stepson Jacob (Jaden Smith), who still mourns for his father who was recently killed while serving in the gulf. One night, Helen is taken into custody by agents who whisk her and other scientists to a secret conference where it is learned that an object in on a collision course with Manhattan and that due to a lack of warning, there is no time to evacuate the city.
Just when the gathered group prepares for the worst, the mysterious object lands in the middle of Central Park and after being surrounded by the military, produces a lone being from the interior of the spherical object. Just as Helen is about to make first contact with the being, he is shot by a nervous soldier, and before anyone knows what has happened, a giant mechanized being emerges from the sphere and incapacitates the assembled crowd with a sound wave. Just as the creature is about to take matters further he is called off by the wounded being.
The wounded being is taken to for medical care and the confounded scientists are amazed to find a human being underneath the organic suit that the being was wearing. The being grows very quickly and is soon a full grown adult.
Naturally these events are very concerning to the U.S. government and Defense Secretary Jackson (Kathy Bates). The Being identifies himself as Klaatu (Keanu Reeves), and asks to speak with the leaders of the world about a very important matter. Jackson is convinced that Klaatu is the first wave of an invasion and orders him to be interrogated in order to learn his true mission.
Klaatu is able to escape and soon finds himself on the run with Helen and in doing so, learns about humanity. As his mission is revealed, it soon becomes a race against time for Klaatu and Helen to save the world from the greatest threat it has ever known.
The setup to the new film was very good and I was fortunate enough to see the film at an Imax screen which really enhanced the visuals of the film. Sadly there was not enough action for it to hold my attention as the best visuals in the film were largely shown in the trailer.
Once the events of the plot were put into motion, I found them to be very underwhelming, and the message of the film was lost in a series of muddled dialogue and a script lacking any really tension or drama. Klaatu is supposed to be a fish out of water that learns through Helen and Jacob about the other side of humanity, the one that is not about war, death, and destruction. Yet, thanks to the lack of chemistry between Reeves and the always good Connelly the audience is left with little to root for.
When the action finally comes it is very brief and restrained and not nearly enough to save the film, which stumbles to a very awkward and predictable finale.
I had hoped that this new version would be able to up the action promised in the first film and greater delve into the origins of Klaatu as well as the message of change he brought to humanity. Instead the film loses its way and the message becomes an afterthought leaving the audience with very little.
This tone has carried over to modern day as the notion of hostile invaders from beyond has become part of our cinematic and written culture.
The ironic thing about “The Day The Earth Stood Still” was that it was a cautionary tale that stood apart from the genre films of the day. Instead of an all out assault on humanity, a visitor named Klaatu (Michael Rennie) came to deliver a message that change was needed or else there would be dire consequences. Klaatu told the people of the earth that they must learn to live in peace and make war a thing of the past or they would run the risk of being destroyed by more powerful races that would see them as a threat to their peaceful ways.
Klaatu had a powerful robot named Gort who would destroy any hints of aggression and used him to get his message of the need for peace across.
Now in 2008, 20th Century Fox has recreated this classic tale with a star studded cast and a large production budget.
In the new version, Jennifer Connelly stars as Helen Benson, a scientist who is raising her stepson Jacob (Jaden Smith), who still mourns for his father who was recently killed while serving in the gulf. One night, Helen is taken into custody by agents who whisk her and other scientists to a secret conference where it is learned that an object in on a collision course with Manhattan and that due to a lack of warning, there is no time to evacuate the city.
Just when the gathered group prepares for the worst, the mysterious object lands in the middle of Central Park and after being surrounded by the military, produces a lone being from the interior of the spherical object. Just as Helen is about to make first contact with the being, he is shot by a nervous soldier, and before anyone knows what has happened, a giant mechanized being emerges from the sphere and incapacitates the assembled crowd with a sound wave. Just as the creature is about to take matters further he is called off by the wounded being.
The wounded being is taken to for medical care and the confounded scientists are amazed to find a human being underneath the organic suit that the being was wearing. The being grows very quickly and is soon a full grown adult.
Naturally these events are very concerning to the U.S. government and Defense Secretary Jackson (Kathy Bates). The Being identifies himself as Klaatu (Keanu Reeves), and asks to speak with the leaders of the world about a very important matter. Jackson is convinced that Klaatu is the first wave of an invasion and orders him to be interrogated in order to learn his true mission.
Klaatu is able to escape and soon finds himself on the run with Helen and in doing so, learns about humanity. As his mission is revealed, it soon becomes a race against time for Klaatu and Helen to save the world from the greatest threat it has ever known.
The setup to the new film was very good and I was fortunate enough to see the film at an Imax screen which really enhanced the visuals of the film. Sadly there was not enough action for it to hold my attention as the best visuals in the film were largely shown in the trailer.
Once the events of the plot were put into motion, I found them to be very underwhelming, and the message of the film was lost in a series of muddled dialogue and a script lacking any really tension or drama. Klaatu is supposed to be a fish out of water that learns through Helen and Jacob about the other side of humanity, the one that is not about war, death, and destruction. Yet, thanks to the lack of chemistry between Reeves and the always good Connelly the audience is left with little to root for.
When the action finally comes it is very brief and restrained and not nearly enough to save the film, which stumbles to a very awkward and predictable finale.
I had hoped that this new version would be able to up the action promised in the first film and greater delve into the origins of Klaatu as well as the message of change he brought to humanity. Instead the film loses its way and the message becomes an afterthought leaving the audience with very little.