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The Open Boat
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None of them knew the color of the sky. Their eyes glanced level, and were fastened upon the waves...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Quantum of Solace (2008) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
With the success of “Casino Royale” featuring new Bond Daniel Craig, the world has waiting eagerly for the follow up, “Quantum of Solace” which continues the historic spy franchise.
Picking up exactly where the last film ended, Bond is walking a fine line between revenge and doing his duty after being betrayed by Vesper at the end of the last film. While interrogating a suspect with M (Judy Densch), it is learned that there is an organization that is very dangerous and influential that even has influence in the C.I.A. and MI6.
Before they can learn any further information, a shocking betrayal happens and Bond is in hot pursuit of the suspect across the rooftops of Italy and soon locked in a deadly confrontation with the traitor.
The recent events have M concerned and Bond is dispatched to Haiti to follow on a lead which thanks to a case of mistaken identity leads Bond to a woman named Camille (Olga Kurylenko). Olga is involved in a deadly game with a corrupt businessman named Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), and a Bolivian General named Medrano (Joaquin Cosio).
Unsure of their involvement, Bond follows Greene, and learns that he heads an environmental group and has designs on a track of desert in Bolivia. Unsure if Greene’s interest in the area is related to diamonds, oil, or something else, M tasks Bond with finding out what is going on, as her superiors are betting that it is related to oil, and with the C.I. A. involved, it is reasoned that the England cannot be left out of an already dwindling oil supply.
It is at this point that the film lost much of its steam for me as the final revelation seemed to be much ado about nothing as this sort of thing happens, and has happened the world over for years and is hardly worthy of involving the MI6, much less the worlds must dangerous spy.
What follows is a series of betrayals and a few action scenes leading up to a fiery climax which almost redeems the film.
Let me say at the outset that I am a Bond fan and a traditionalist. I understand change happens over time and I am not one who thinks that the role began and ended with Sean Connery. I enjoyed Roger Moore though found him a bit camp. Timothy Dalton did not work for me, and George Lazenby was only Bond for one film so it is hard to judge him fairly. That being said, I found Pierce Brosnan to have been the best Bond since Connery as his interpretation of the character is dead on.
Sir Ian Fleming created the character and has said that he was influenced by people he knew. Bond is a well educated and cultured individual who was educated at the top schools, was an officer in the Royal Navy, and is a suave and charming individual as well as a cold and deadly killer when needed. He is scarred by events in his past, as such he relies on alcohol, duty, and woman to get by, but never once allows himself to get to close to anyone.
When they rebooted the franchise with Craig, much of the 40 years of Bond as well as the essence of the character have been lost. Craig’s Bond is not a cultured blue blood, he is a common thug. In my review of “Casino Royale” I mentioned that the new Bond passed up spending a night with a woman in order to pursue a lead, and how Connery would have found time to do both with style.
Craig’s Bond is very light on womanizing and the film has zero sexual tension and only a very brief romance seen that seems tacked on. The underlying themes of Bond has been guns, gadgets, girls, and action, and this film has chosen to pretty much eschew almost all of this as there are zero gadgets in the film and to be honest, I found the plot to be uninspired.
I think that in many ways the people behind the film have tried to get as far away from the past Bond films as possible especially the maniacal villains who were bent on destroying the world.
As an action film, the movie does have its moments and if it was not a Bond film would be a passable action thriller. As a Bond film, it promises the world and will likely disappoint much long term Bond fans and appeal mainly to those who do not have a longstanding history with the character from book to film. I have to wonder if Sir Ian Fleming is spinning in his grave over what they have done to his gentleman spy in the name of progress.
Picking up exactly where the last film ended, Bond is walking a fine line between revenge and doing his duty after being betrayed by Vesper at the end of the last film. While interrogating a suspect with M (Judy Densch), it is learned that there is an organization that is very dangerous and influential that even has influence in the C.I.A. and MI6.
Before they can learn any further information, a shocking betrayal happens and Bond is in hot pursuit of the suspect across the rooftops of Italy and soon locked in a deadly confrontation with the traitor.
The recent events have M concerned and Bond is dispatched to Haiti to follow on a lead which thanks to a case of mistaken identity leads Bond to a woman named Camille (Olga Kurylenko). Olga is involved in a deadly game with a corrupt businessman named Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), and a Bolivian General named Medrano (Joaquin Cosio).
Unsure of their involvement, Bond follows Greene, and learns that he heads an environmental group and has designs on a track of desert in Bolivia. Unsure if Greene’s interest in the area is related to diamonds, oil, or something else, M tasks Bond with finding out what is going on, as her superiors are betting that it is related to oil, and with the C.I. A. involved, it is reasoned that the England cannot be left out of an already dwindling oil supply.
It is at this point that the film lost much of its steam for me as the final revelation seemed to be much ado about nothing as this sort of thing happens, and has happened the world over for years and is hardly worthy of involving the MI6, much less the worlds must dangerous spy.
What follows is a series of betrayals and a few action scenes leading up to a fiery climax which almost redeems the film.
Let me say at the outset that I am a Bond fan and a traditionalist. I understand change happens over time and I am not one who thinks that the role began and ended with Sean Connery. I enjoyed Roger Moore though found him a bit camp. Timothy Dalton did not work for me, and George Lazenby was only Bond for one film so it is hard to judge him fairly. That being said, I found Pierce Brosnan to have been the best Bond since Connery as his interpretation of the character is dead on.
Sir Ian Fleming created the character and has said that he was influenced by people he knew. Bond is a well educated and cultured individual who was educated at the top schools, was an officer in the Royal Navy, and is a suave and charming individual as well as a cold and deadly killer when needed. He is scarred by events in his past, as such he relies on alcohol, duty, and woman to get by, but never once allows himself to get to close to anyone.
When they rebooted the franchise with Craig, much of the 40 years of Bond as well as the essence of the character have been lost. Craig’s Bond is not a cultured blue blood, he is a common thug. In my review of “Casino Royale” I mentioned that the new Bond passed up spending a night with a woman in order to pursue a lead, and how Connery would have found time to do both with style.
Craig’s Bond is very light on womanizing and the film has zero sexual tension and only a very brief romance seen that seems tacked on. The underlying themes of Bond has been guns, gadgets, girls, and action, and this film has chosen to pretty much eschew almost all of this as there are zero gadgets in the film and to be honest, I found the plot to be uninspired.
I think that in many ways the people behind the film have tried to get as far away from the past Bond films as possible especially the maniacal villains who were bent on destroying the world.
As an action film, the movie does have its moments and if it was not a Bond film would be a passable action thriller. As a Bond film, it promises the world and will likely disappoint much long term Bond fans and appeal mainly to those who do not have a longstanding history with the character from book to film. I have to wonder if Sir Ian Fleming is spinning in his grave over what they have done to his gentleman spy in the name of progress.
JT (287 KP) rated Skyfall (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
I wondered recently who my favourite Bond is? Do I enjoy the comical quips of Roger Moore or the smooth suave debonair approach of Sean Connery. But everytime I think about it, I keep coming full circle to Daniel Craig, in particularly Skyfall.
After the somewhat disappointment of Quantum of Solace Oscar winning director Sam Mendes has taken Bond 23 and given it a grittier more emotional look while paying homage to some of the past Bond classics. The opening credits are an explosive introduction as we see Bond give chase through a Turkish bazaar which includes an impressive motor bike pursuit and a brilliantly choreographed fist fight on top of a moving train.
After being shot Bond is seen falling to his certain death and the film explodes into its trademark opening credits, complete with Adele’s powerful voice, a song that really evokes everything Bond. When 007 finally returns from the grave having spent time away partaking in scorpion drinking games, post shag Heineken’s and ultimately ’enjoying death’ he comes back to find that MI6 has moved deep into subterranean London after an attack on MI6.
He’s unshaven, disheveled and is a shadow of the former agent, not even able to shoot straight or do a succession of chin-ups without collapsing. Skyfall scratches deep beneath the emotional undertones of both Bond and M as their pasts are dragged up for all to see. Judi Dench in her seventh Bond outing gets a much bigger slice of the action, she is without question the main Bond girl here. Joined by Naomie Harris and Bérénice Marlohe who both take a relative back seat.
The Bond franchise has always had a rich tradition of producing menacing and iconic villains, Bloefeld, Scaramanga and Goldfinger to name a few, but the introduction of Javier Bardem will now have a place in Bond folk-law as one of the best modern day baddies.
His entrance was perfect, with Bond tied to a chair Bardem’s Silva (himself a former agent) entered from an elevator at the far side of the room, and in one take slowly walked forward as he produced a monologue about rats in a barrel, proceeding to taunt 007 about his own past and the connections that they both have with M.
The last few films have also lacked any real gadgetry in terms of Q branch, something which after being around for so long was definitely missing. Ben Wishaw’s appearance as a much younger Q, “you’ve still got spots” points out 007, was a much needed injection as he hands out Bond his new Walter PPK and radio transmitter (they don’t go in for exploding pens anymore).
It’s simple stuff but it was great to see that character back where he belongs.
There is subtle humour throughout and light hearted moments, Bond himself throwing a few winks here and there as Roger Moore used to do so well back in the day. The action of course is another high point, believable or not it’s stunning but then this is what we have come to expect from one of the longest running franchises in film history.
The locations and cinematography were sublime, from the depths of the London underground to the Scottish highlands in the film’s pulsating climax; Skyfall brought Bond back to Britain. The scenes set in Shanghai where also exceptional, the highlight for me, the neon lit skyscraper fight in which Bond fails to hang onto the information he needs, quite literally.
Ralph Fiennes bureaucratic Mallory is another casting masterstroke, Albert Finney ads some touching moments of his own, while MI6 agent Eve who after shooting 007 by mistake and takes a back seat from active duty will no doubt please many fans with her new role.
Skyfall, of which I was not sure what on earth the title meant at the time is all the more clear in the third act. Bond chooses to revisit his child hood home and use that against Silva in a make shift home defense that even MacAulay Culkin would be proud of. It is fantastically shot and is the perfect ending to a film that has been top draw all the way through.
Some comparisons have been drawn to this and The Dark Knight in that the main characters are lost and then re-born in some way, both have a past that haunts them as well as dead parents. Mendes and the writers have taken this film down a darker route but an emotive one as well and that is credit to them, it all made sense and the story flowed well.
Skyfall is nothing short of a triumph and has given Bond fans everything they could have asked for and so much more.
After the somewhat disappointment of Quantum of Solace Oscar winning director Sam Mendes has taken Bond 23 and given it a grittier more emotional look while paying homage to some of the past Bond classics. The opening credits are an explosive introduction as we see Bond give chase through a Turkish bazaar which includes an impressive motor bike pursuit and a brilliantly choreographed fist fight on top of a moving train.
After being shot Bond is seen falling to his certain death and the film explodes into its trademark opening credits, complete with Adele’s powerful voice, a song that really evokes everything Bond. When 007 finally returns from the grave having spent time away partaking in scorpion drinking games, post shag Heineken’s and ultimately ’enjoying death’ he comes back to find that MI6 has moved deep into subterranean London after an attack on MI6.
He’s unshaven, disheveled and is a shadow of the former agent, not even able to shoot straight or do a succession of chin-ups without collapsing. Skyfall scratches deep beneath the emotional undertones of both Bond and M as their pasts are dragged up for all to see. Judi Dench in her seventh Bond outing gets a much bigger slice of the action, she is without question the main Bond girl here. Joined by Naomie Harris and Bérénice Marlohe who both take a relative back seat.
The Bond franchise has always had a rich tradition of producing menacing and iconic villains, Bloefeld, Scaramanga and Goldfinger to name a few, but the introduction of Javier Bardem will now have a place in Bond folk-law as one of the best modern day baddies.
His entrance was perfect, with Bond tied to a chair Bardem’s Silva (himself a former agent) entered from an elevator at the far side of the room, and in one take slowly walked forward as he produced a monologue about rats in a barrel, proceeding to taunt 007 about his own past and the connections that they both have with M.
The last few films have also lacked any real gadgetry in terms of Q branch, something which after being around for so long was definitely missing. Ben Wishaw’s appearance as a much younger Q, “you’ve still got spots” points out 007, was a much needed injection as he hands out Bond his new Walter PPK and radio transmitter (they don’t go in for exploding pens anymore).
It’s simple stuff but it was great to see that character back where he belongs.
There is subtle humour throughout and light hearted moments, Bond himself throwing a few winks here and there as Roger Moore used to do so well back in the day. The action of course is another high point, believable or not it’s stunning but then this is what we have come to expect from one of the longest running franchises in film history.
The locations and cinematography were sublime, from the depths of the London underground to the Scottish highlands in the film’s pulsating climax; Skyfall brought Bond back to Britain. The scenes set in Shanghai where also exceptional, the highlight for me, the neon lit skyscraper fight in which Bond fails to hang onto the information he needs, quite literally.
Ralph Fiennes bureaucratic Mallory is another casting masterstroke, Albert Finney ads some touching moments of his own, while MI6 agent Eve who after shooting 007 by mistake and takes a back seat from active duty will no doubt please many fans with her new role.
Skyfall, of which I was not sure what on earth the title meant at the time is all the more clear in the third act. Bond chooses to revisit his child hood home and use that against Silva in a make shift home defense that even MacAulay Culkin would be proud of. It is fantastically shot and is the perfect ending to a film that has been top draw all the way through.
Some comparisons have been drawn to this and The Dark Knight in that the main characters are lost and then re-born in some way, both have a past that haunts them as well as dead parents. Mendes and the writers have taken this film down a darker route but an emotive one as well and that is credit to them, it all made sense and the story flowed well.
Skyfall is nothing short of a triumph and has given Bond fans everything they could have asked for and so much more.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Old (2021) in Movies
Aug 22, 2021
Having been out of the "coming soon" game for quite a while so this one came as a surprise when I saw the trailer. It looked good, but there's always that "what is Shyamalan going to do" feeling.
An idyllic resort, a glorious beach. What starts out to be a pleasant day trip turns into tragedy and horror as the guests start ageing at an accelerated rate. What's going on and why can't they seem to do anything about it?
I'm going to mix this up a bit from my usual reviews because it seems appropriate for this oddity of a film.
As a whole, the film probably has a place in the Lost extended universe (especially considering Miles' role in it). Mystery and generalised horror abound, and you're left for prolonged periods of time with more questions than answers. Let's cover the biggie though.
That whole ageing thing... it is in the trailer so I'm going to do my best not to be spoilery.
Let's face it... there's a massive inconsistency. I'm happy to go with the fact that kids will change more physically with age than the adults will initially... no problem with that bit. But the assembled people on the beach have been there for (more or less) two different periods of time. While I don't remember it being established when the first arrived, I would have expected a more pronounced visual than the one we were presented with.
When the group get to the beach, Maddox is 11 and her brother Trent is 6. then there's Kara who is also 6. They progressively age throughout the events and we end up with three teenage looking kids. I'm still on board here, perfectly "logical". But here is also where I start to tail off into what could be a massive psychological debate... their bodies age, but their minds are only exposed to what is around them in that time, so are their actions in line with that?
Thomasin McKenzie seemed to have the right balance, with her character at a starting age of 11 she has the best chance of getting away with it, and her effort was good. I'm not sure the same is true of Alex Wolff and Eliza Scanlen though. Their storyline together, and their behaviour, didn't feel consistent. Particularly with Trent. Mentally the pair should still have been 6, or at least more immature than their look, but that didn't come across very effectively.
We're introduced to all of the characters in fairly quick succession at the beginning, but you do get a very clear idea about what you can expect from them going forward. They don't all really work together, and if chaos wasn't a necessary part of the film then I think I would have tired quickly of them all. As it was, I didn't particularly like any of the characters, including the parents of Trent and Maddox, but at least their journey evolved well through the film.
I feel like I need to mention the dubious sexualisation of the kids, in particular when we have Thomasin McKenzie as Maddox. When they discover the kids have aged up, Mum tells her to change into a swimsuit she has in her bag. The swimsuit she was already wearing covered everything relatively well, and actually has more cloth on it than the alternative. When I think about the things I bring to a beach in my bag with me, I bring a t-shirt, shorts, a sarong... never a second bikini. Would it not have been more logical to give her something different to wear? And was it really necessary to be there at all? I also have another point under this, but it would constitute spoilers I'm afraid.
Old's beach location is stunning, and some of the features allow for a slightly sinister edge. But a lot of the atmosphere is brought in with the cameras, and at one point I felt a rage come over me because of a collection of panning shots of the group. Yes, I know there are better things to be annoyed about, but it bugged me, I couldn't help it!
As a quick round-up of other points:
- I quite enjoyed Shyamalan's role
- Listening to people pronounce my surname wrong gives me palpitations, and
- The one bit of massively noticeable CGI was bad, so very, very, bad.
I'm interested to read the source material and see how its ending compares to what Shyamalan conjured. It's difficult to discuss the end without spoilers, but that's probably just as well because it'll lead to another heavy discussion. The actual resolution though does have a satisfying moment, even though it felt a little wrong.
Now for my overall feelings on the film... I enjoyed the mystery of it, and there are plenty of debates that arise. But the inconsistent moments in the ageing and how the ending comes around, sadly ate into my total score.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/08/old-movie-review.html
An idyllic resort, a glorious beach. What starts out to be a pleasant day trip turns into tragedy and horror as the guests start ageing at an accelerated rate. What's going on and why can't they seem to do anything about it?
I'm going to mix this up a bit from my usual reviews because it seems appropriate for this oddity of a film.
As a whole, the film probably has a place in the Lost extended universe (especially considering Miles' role in it). Mystery and generalised horror abound, and you're left for prolonged periods of time with more questions than answers. Let's cover the biggie though.
That whole ageing thing... it is in the trailer so I'm going to do my best not to be spoilery.
Let's face it... there's a massive inconsistency. I'm happy to go with the fact that kids will change more physically with age than the adults will initially... no problem with that bit. But the assembled people on the beach have been there for (more or less) two different periods of time. While I don't remember it being established when the first arrived, I would have expected a more pronounced visual than the one we were presented with.
When the group get to the beach, Maddox is 11 and her brother Trent is 6. then there's Kara who is also 6. They progressively age throughout the events and we end up with three teenage looking kids. I'm still on board here, perfectly "logical". But here is also where I start to tail off into what could be a massive psychological debate... their bodies age, but their minds are only exposed to what is around them in that time, so are their actions in line with that?
Thomasin McKenzie seemed to have the right balance, with her character at a starting age of 11 she has the best chance of getting away with it, and her effort was good. I'm not sure the same is true of Alex Wolff and Eliza Scanlen though. Their storyline together, and their behaviour, didn't feel consistent. Particularly with Trent. Mentally the pair should still have been 6, or at least more immature than their look, but that didn't come across very effectively.
We're introduced to all of the characters in fairly quick succession at the beginning, but you do get a very clear idea about what you can expect from them going forward. They don't all really work together, and if chaos wasn't a necessary part of the film then I think I would have tired quickly of them all. As it was, I didn't particularly like any of the characters, including the parents of Trent and Maddox, but at least their journey evolved well through the film.
I feel like I need to mention the dubious sexualisation of the kids, in particular when we have Thomasin McKenzie as Maddox. When they discover the kids have aged up, Mum tells her to change into a swimsuit she has in her bag. The swimsuit she was already wearing covered everything relatively well, and actually has more cloth on it than the alternative. When I think about the things I bring to a beach in my bag with me, I bring a t-shirt, shorts, a sarong... never a second bikini. Would it not have been more logical to give her something different to wear? And was it really necessary to be there at all? I also have another point under this, but it would constitute spoilers I'm afraid.
Old's beach location is stunning, and some of the features allow for a slightly sinister edge. But a lot of the atmosphere is brought in with the cameras, and at one point I felt a rage come over me because of a collection of panning shots of the group. Yes, I know there are better things to be annoyed about, but it bugged me, I couldn't help it!
As a quick round-up of other points:
- I quite enjoyed Shyamalan's role
- Listening to people pronounce my surname wrong gives me palpitations, and
- The one bit of massively noticeable CGI was bad, so very, very, bad.
I'm interested to read the source material and see how its ending compares to what Shyamalan conjured. It's difficult to discuss the end without spoilers, but that's probably just as well because it'll lead to another heavy discussion. The actual resolution though does have a satisfying moment, even though it felt a little wrong.
Now for my overall feelings on the film... I enjoyed the mystery of it, and there are plenty of debates that arise. But the inconsistent moments in the ageing and how the ending comes around, sadly ate into my total score.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/08/old-movie-review.html
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of The Evil Within 2 in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
The Evil Within 2 is not only a worthy follow up to the original game but is easily one of the best survival horror games ever created in my opinion. The game takes place three years after the events of the first game and follows protagonist Sebastian Castellanos as he deals with the aftermath of his experiences in the first game. Sebastian is reeling from his prior experiences as well as a personal tragedy and has hit rock bottom.
When a former partner offers Sebastian a chance to rectify many of his issues and reclaim what he lost he reluctantly takes the opportunity even though he has to again deal with the mysterious mobius organization. Sebastian is tasked with entering a virtual world simulation known as “Union” to locate the missing operatives who had been sent in previously as well as something of a personal nature to Sebastian.
Once entering the world, it is clear that something has gone horribly wrong as all manner of nightmare inducing creatures roam the land, killing all they encounter. As if this was not bad enough, there is also a mysterious figure that seems to be leading the chaos and seems to delight in toying with and killing all he encounters.
Sebastian must locate weapons, supplies and other survivors in order to craft what he needs to survive and find his way back home. Along the way he will have to deal with puzzles, limited ammunition and supplies, and a never ending assortment of creatures looking to shred him to pieces whenever they can.
The game not only has amazing visuals and sounds, the story are very compelling and drew me into the scenarios faster than the first game did. I loved the detailed world that Sebastian found himself in and loved exploring locales ranging from churches to garages along the way.
The game did require me to adjust my usual run and gun style of play as supplies are not infinite so discretion is the better part of valor as avoiding a fight is often much wiser than confronting enemies.
Playing on the PS4 Pro, the game ran smoothly and looked amazing and while I did need a bit to get used to the controls and combat system, if you have played the original it will come back to you quickly.
I found myself enjoying the sequel even more than the original as it grabbed me from the start and did not let go. While there are puzzled in the game that have to be solved in order to progress, I did not find them as frustrating as some in the past game such as trying to turn a wheel to raise a gate while waves of enemies attacked my ammunition depleted character.
Not only did I enjoy pretty much everything about the game, I would go so far as to say it was one of my favorite releases of 2017 and is a contender for end of year awards as far as I am concerned. I am really interested to see where Bethesda will go next with the series as this was a highly enjoyable game.
http://sknr.net/2017/11/19/evil-within-2/
When a former partner offers Sebastian a chance to rectify many of his issues and reclaim what he lost he reluctantly takes the opportunity even though he has to again deal with the mysterious mobius organization. Sebastian is tasked with entering a virtual world simulation known as “Union” to locate the missing operatives who had been sent in previously as well as something of a personal nature to Sebastian.
Once entering the world, it is clear that something has gone horribly wrong as all manner of nightmare inducing creatures roam the land, killing all they encounter. As if this was not bad enough, there is also a mysterious figure that seems to be leading the chaos and seems to delight in toying with and killing all he encounters.
Sebastian must locate weapons, supplies and other survivors in order to craft what he needs to survive and find his way back home. Along the way he will have to deal with puzzles, limited ammunition and supplies, and a never ending assortment of creatures looking to shred him to pieces whenever they can.
The game not only has amazing visuals and sounds, the story are very compelling and drew me into the scenarios faster than the first game did. I loved the detailed world that Sebastian found himself in and loved exploring locales ranging from churches to garages along the way.
The game did require me to adjust my usual run and gun style of play as supplies are not infinite so discretion is the better part of valor as avoiding a fight is often much wiser than confronting enemies.
Playing on the PS4 Pro, the game ran smoothly and looked amazing and while I did need a bit to get used to the controls and combat system, if you have played the original it will come back to you quickly.
I found myself enjoying the sequel even more than the original as it grabbed me from the start and did not let go. While there are puzzled in the game that have to be solved in order to progress, I did not find them as frustrating as some in the past game such as trying to turn a wheel to raise a gate while waves of enemies attacked my ammunition depleted character.
Not only did I enjoy pretty much everything about the game, I would go so far as to say it was one of my favorite releases of 2017 and is a contender for end of year awards as far as I am concerned. I am really interested to see where Bethesda will go next with the series as this was a highly enjoyable game.
http://sknr.net/2017/11/19/evil-within-2/
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Gathering Frost (Once Upon a Curse, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Congratulations, Kaitlyn Davis. I've found my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling (for now) – FINALLY! (Because a lot of the other retellings I've come across have been Sleeping Beauty, and I've managed to not get along with them.)
The first book in the <i>Once Upon a Curse</i> series is <b>set up in a futuristic New York where two worlds merged as one in an earthquake</b> when Jade was younger. Years later, Jade lives in a world where a queen strips all of the inhabitants' emotions away, leaving them with no emotion. When she comes across the queen's lost son, Prince Asher, the queen sets her on a mission to be captured and trusted by the prince, eventually betraying and returning him back to the queen.
<b>There's something I really liked about <i>Gathering Frost</i> – something that Davis did here that wasn't done in other Sleeping Beauty retellings.</b> I enjoyed the futuristic world Davis creates – two worlds, one of them believed to be parallel to Earth, being merged together and a queen who takes away all emotions from her people, along with the ability to control them. Somehow, throughout all of that, <b>Davis weaves in a bit of Sleeping Beauty and make her own fairytale world as well</b> – I really liked the addition of Jade coming across the original story while staying in the rebel camp.
There's also <b>something about Davis' writing style that I really enjoyed</b>, despite the fact there were a few moments where I started questioning the grammar, or there were commas where there really shouldn't have been any commas, or there were commas thrown in when the sentence would have worked so much better as two sentences. There were some parts that were <b>just written beautifully and flowed together extremely well</b> (read: the beauty of parallel structure).
I honestly can't say too much about the characters, particularly in Jade's case. Since her emotions have been taken away by the queen, <b>it was only natural for Jade to be depicted as a cold, detached, statuesque character and focus mainly on her surroundings.</b> As Jade spends more time in the rebel camp, though, <b>she slowly starts to develop emotions and feelings, and Jade's focus seems to balance out a little with her surroundings, her past, and her newly developed emotions.</b>
With a hint on what the sequel will probably be about, Davis doesn't actually leave us on a major cliffhanger. Instead, she seems to be conveying that <b>Jade's and Asher's story definitely won't be ending with <i>Gathering Frost</i></b> – they're more than likely to appear in the second book, and I can't wait to see what Davis comes up with for her retelling of <i>Beauty and the Beast</i>.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-gathering-frost-by-kaitlyn-davis/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Congratulations, Kaitlyn Davis. I've found my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling (for now) – FINALLY! (Because a lot of the other retellings I've come across have been Sleeping Beauty, and I've managed to not get along with them.)
The first book in the <i>Once Upon a Curse</i> series is <b>set up in a futuristic New York where two worlds merged as one in an earthquake</b> when Jade was younger. Years later, Jade lives in a world where a queen strips all of the inhabitants' emotions away, leaving them with no emotion. When she comes across the queen's lost son, Prince Asher, the queen sets her on a mission to be captured and trusted by the prince, eventually betraying and returning him back to the queen.
<b>There's something I really liked about <i>Gathering Frost</i> – something that Davis did here that wasn't done in other Sleeping Beauty retellings.</b> I enjoyed the futuristic world Davis creates – two worlds, one of them believed to be parallel to Earth, being merged together and a queen who takes away all emotions from her people, along with the ability to control them. Somehow, throughout all of that, <b>Davis weaves in a bit of Sleeping Beauty and make her own fairytale world as well</b> – I really liked the addition of Jade coming across the original story while staying in the rebel camp.
There's also <b>something about Davis' writing style that I really enjoyed</b>, despite the fact there were a few moments where I started questioning the grammar, or there were commas where there really shouldn't have been any commas, or there were commas thrown in when the sentence would have worked so much better as two sentences. There were some parts that were <b>just written beautifully and flowed together extremely well</b> (read: the beauty of parallel structure).
I honestly can't say too much about the characters, particularly in Jade's case. Since her emotions have been taken away by the queen, <b>it was only natural for Jade to be depicted as a cold, detached, statuesque character and focus mainly on her surroundings.</b> As Jade spends more time in the rebel camp, though, <b>she slowly starts to develop emotions and feelings, and Jade's focus seems to balance out a little with her surroundings, her past, and her newly developed emotions.</b>
With a hint on what the sequel will probably be about, Davis doesn't actually leave us on a major cliffhanger. Instead, she seems to be conveying that <b>Jade's and Asher's story definitely won't be ending with <i>Gathering Frost</i></b> – they're more than likely to appear in the second book, and I can't wait to see what Davis comes up with for her retelling of <i>Beauty and the Beast</i>.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-gathering-frost-by-kaitlyn-davis/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Lee (2222 KP) rated Supernova (2020) in Movies
Oct 12, 2020
When I first saw the trailer for Supernova, I could tell that we were in for a fairly intense depiction of dementia and its effect on loved ones, delivered by a couple of veteran actors at the top of their game. Consequently, it was one of the movies I was most looking forward to as part of this years London Film Festival, and while it wasn’t quite as full-on or emotional for me as I was expecting, that’s certainly not the fault of Colin Firth or Stanley Tucci, who are both outstanding.
“We’re not going back, you know,” Sam (Firth) says to husband Tusker (Tucci) as they head off in their campervan for a road trip. He’s referring to any items they might have needed for the trip which are left behind, but those words will prove to hold a much deeper meaning as their journey progresses. Tusker, a best-selling author, has deliberately left his medication at home, having decided that it is having no effect in his battle with dementia. When Sam leaves Tusker in the van to head into a supermarket for supplies, he returns to find Tusker missing - a frantic drive down nearby country lanes finds him standing alone, lost and confused. His mind is clearly beginning to fail him.
As they put the incident behind them and continue their journey, we get a real sense of the love and commitment they both share. As they travel through the beautiful scenery of the Lake District, they bicker and joke with each other, like a gay version of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon series, The Trip. “It isn’t even satisfying half the time,” Tusker admits after teasing Sam. When asked why he bothers anymore, he just smiles and replies “Because of the other half.”
Tusker continues to work on a new novel, but is finding it increasingly difficult to write anymore and has instead become preoccupied with gazing at the night sky, fascinated with astronomy. Sam, a semi-retired concert pianist, has taken a break to join Tusker on one last road-trip, revisiting locations from their lives together. They stop off at the home of Sam’s sister and her family, where a surprise birthday party brings together old friends and distant family. A chance to reminisce and take stock of what the future holds as Tusker continues to deteriorate. But a discovery during the party leads to some more serious discussions between Sam and Tusker, forcing them to acknowledge and attempt to come to terms with what lies ahead for them both.
Supernova didn’t head in the direction I expected it to, or deliver it in the way I envisioned from the trailer. For the most part, it’s just simple conversations between two lovers, sometimes playful, sometimes deadly serious. But it is delivered by two incredible actors, on peak-form and with such wonderful chemistry. And while it didn’t quite leave me feeling as emotional as it did for many others who watched it as part of the festival, it certainly managed to make a lasting impact.
“We’re not going back, you know,” Sam (Firth) says to husband Tusker (Tucci) as they head off in their campervan for a road trip. He’s referring to any items they might have needed for the trip which are left behind, but those words will prove to hold a much deeper meaning as their journey progresses. Tusker, a best-selling author, has deliberately left his medication at home, having decided that it is having no effect in his battle with dementia. When Sam leaves Tusker in the van to head into a supermarket for supplies, he returns to find Tusker missing - a frantic drive down nearby country lanes finds him standing alone, lost and confused. His mind is clearly beginning to fail him.
As they put the incident behind them and continue their journey, we get a real sense of the love and commitment they both share. As they travel through the beautiful scenery of the Lake District, they bicker and joke with each other, like a gay version of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon series, The Trip. “It isn’t even satisfying half the time,” Tusker admits after teasing Sam. When asked why he bothers anymore, he just smiles and replies “Because of the other half.”
Tusker continues to work on a new novel, but is finding it increasingly difficult to write anymore and has instead become preoccupied with gazing at the night sky, fascinated with astronomy. Sam, a semi-retired concert pianist, has taken a break to join Tusker on one last road-trip, revisiting locations from their lives together. They stop off at the home of Sam’s sister and her family, where a surprise birthday party brings together old friends and distant family. A chance to reminisce and take stock of what the future holds as Tusker continues to deteriorate. But a discovery during the party leads to some more serious discussions between Sam and Tusker, forcing them to acknowledge and attempt to come to terms with what lies ahead for them both.
Supernova didn’t head in the direction I expected it to, or deliver it in the way I envisioned from the trailer. For the most part, it’s just simple conversations between two lovers, sometimes playful, sometimes deadly serious. But it is delivered by two incredible actors, on peak-form and with such wonderful chemistry. And while it didn’t quite leave me feeling as emotional as it did for many others who watched it as part of the festival, it certainly managed to make a lasting impact.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Jinx (Rachel Benjamin, #2) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Jan. 16, 2008
I'm close to the middle of the book and am not sure if I want to read on because of these reasons...
(1) I've picked this book up numerous times, in many months I might add, and have only read a few pages at a time. Definitely not a good sign.
(2) It's slow and rather boring
(3) Rachel's been irritating - whiny, pompous, dumb, and she overreacts.. This doesn't sound like the girl from the first book.
(4) I am so sick of hearing about her Diet Coke addiction! WTF?????!!!!!
(5) Ms. Sturman seems to like throwing out words that are hardly used in the English language in attempt to make her look smarter than she might, in fact, be.
(6) I think I already figured out who's the culprit to this mystery (and I use this term loosely since there's hardly any mystery so far). Of course I'm not sure about this, but who's to tell?
I'm still thinking I might read towards the end because I have the next one at the ready. Hopefully it will improve. If not, then it's the end of the line for me. But then again, I might just 'cheat' and read the last chapter or two.
Jan. 17, 2008
I give up! I am not enjoying this book at all and I might as well give it up as a lost cause. I mean there's no sense in finishing it if I'm not liking it. I did read the last few chapters and they were utterly ridiculous - now I'm not even sure if I want to read the next book. I might try though. It's such a disappointment because I really liked The Pact and thought it was a nice change in the Chick Lit scene. *sigh* Oh well. Good luck to future readers.
I'm close to the middle of the book and am not sure if I want to read on because of these reasons...
(1) I've picked this book up numerous times, in many months I might add, and have only read a few pages at a time. Definitely not a good sign.
(2) It's slow and rather boring
(3) Rachel's been irritating - whiny, pompous, dumb, and she overreacts.. This doesn't sound like the girl from the first book.
(4) I am so sick of hearing about her Diet Coke addiction! WTF?????!!!!!
(5) Ms. Sturman seems to like throwing out words that are hardly used in the English language in attempt to make her look smarter than she might, in fact, be.
(6) I think I already figured out who's the culprit to this mystery (and I use this term loosely since there's hardly any mystery so far). Of course I'm not sure about this, but who's to tell?
I'm still thinking I might read towards the end because I have the next one at the ready. Hopefully it will improve. If not, then it's the end of the line for me. But then again, I might just 'cheat' and read the last chapter or two.
Jan. 17, 2008
I give up! I am not enjoying this book at all and I might as well give it up as a lost cause. I mean there's no sense in finishing it if I'm not liking it. I did read the last few chapters and they were utterly ridiculous - now I'm not even sure if I want to read the next book. I might try though. It's such a disappointment because I really liked The Pact and thought it was a nice change in the Chick Lit scene. *sigh* Oh well. Good luck to future readers.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Hawaiian Quilt in Books
Jun 18, 2018
The Hawaiian Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter & Jean Brunstetter is a refreshing new twist on Amish fiction. This is not your typical Amish story. There is such faith, hope, dreams, heartbreak and determination throughout this wonderful story. This one will keep you turning pages right up to the very end so you can see how it ends.
A very different type of Amish story, we are going to Hawaii, and we are using cameras and cell phones, and doing tourist things, we are also on a cruise ship.
Four dear friends decide to take a trip of a lifetime, and decide to take a cruise to Hawaii and Mexico, this is happening before they join the Amish church. Now you can picture these sheltered young women being on this exciting journey, how different for them. Mandy, Ellen, Barbara and Sadie decide early on their trip to each take separate side trips and then share their experiences with each other so that they are able to see more. Mandy and Ellen are late getting back to the ship while in Kawai and when they get to the dock the ship is gone. These girls sure had God’s hand on them, you can imagine all kind of bad things happening, but they end up staying with Christians and this is where the lost quilt comes into the story.
I enjoyed this quick read, questioned some of Mandy’s actions, but then remembering they are in their run around time, but I could see that Ellen was more set in her faith. The ending to me left a lot to be desired, it seemed a bit rushed, but then I didn’t write the book, and as I said this is a very different Amish story.
I received this book from Barbour Publishing and Shiloh Run Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A very different type of Amish story, we are going to Hawaii, and we are using cameras and cell phones, and doing tourist things, we are also on a cruise ship.
Four dear friends decide to take a trip of a lifetime, and decide to take a cruise to Hawaii and Mexico, this is happening before they join the Amish church. Now you can picture these sheltered young women being on this exciting journey, how different for them. Mandy, Ellen, Barbara and Sadie decide early on their trip to each take separate side trips and then share their experiences with each other so that they are able to see more. Mandy and Ellen are late getting back to the ship while in Kawai and when they get to the dock the ship is gone. These girls sure had God’s hand on them, you can imagine all kind of bad things happening, but they end up staying with Christians and this is where the lost quilt comes into the story.
I enjoyed this quick read, questioned some of Mandy’s actions, but then remembering they are in their run around time, but I could see that Ellen was more set in her faith. The ending to me left a lot to be desired, it seemed a bit rushed, but then I didn’t write the book, and as I said this is a very different Amish story.
I received this book from Barbour Publishing and Shiloh Run Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Carma (21 KP) rated Seducing Daphne A Fake Fiancée Romance (The Redwood Billionaires Series Book 3) in Books
Jun 17, 2019
Aiden and Daphne are co-workers in the Coast Guard and have been friends for years. Aiden is the black sheep of his family with most of them believe he is a lost soul who doesnt stand a chance in the real world. After getting pushed by his parents one too many times to grow up and get married he produces a fiancé, Daphne.
Daphne likes her life, she loves work, spending time with her sister and niece and joking around with Aiden. Her ex boyfriend Frank is trying to worm his way back into her life but she is shutting the door on that history.
Aiden asks Daphne to accompany him to Las Vegas for his brothers fundraiser, on the way he fills her in on his plans to trick his parents. Daphne agrees to help, neither of them realizing they actually have feelings for each other.
Daphne finds out who Aiden really is, as far as the money he comes from because she knows him down to his core. Can she honestly see herself in his world? Aiden knows he has feelings for Daphne that extend past a normal friendship, can she trust him into her life for the future?
I enjoyed the majority of the story line for this part of the series. I did feel like Frank was a weird addition to have drama in the story line and ended up skimming some pages. Aiden and Daphne are a perfect fit for each other, finding and utilizing their strengths and weaknesses together for the best outcome of a situation. I read and received an advance copy without expectation for review. 4 out of 5 stars for this latest entry in the Redwood Billionaires series
Daphne likes her life, she loves work, spending time with her sister and niece and joking around with Aiden. Her ex boyfriend Frank is trying to worm his way back into her life but she is shutting the door on that history.
Aiden asks Daphne to accompany him to Las Vegas for his brothers fundraiser, on the way he fills her in on his plans to trick his parents. Daphne agrees to help, neither of them realizing they actually have feelings for each other.
Daphne finds out who Aiden really is, as far as the money he comes from because she knows him down to his core. Can she honestly see herself in his world? Aiden knows he has feelings for Daphne that extend past a normal friendship, can she trust him into her life for the future?
I enjoyed the majority of the story line for this part of the series. I did feel like Frank was a weird addition to have drama in the story line and ended up skimming some pages. Aiden and Daphne are a perfect fit for each other, finding and utilizing their strengths and weaknesses together for the best outcome of a situation. I read and received an advance copy without expectation for review. 4 out of 5 stars for this latest entry in the Redwood Billionaires series