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Dean (6927 KP) rated True Grit (2010) in Movies

Feb 16, 2018  
True Grit (2010)
True Grit (2010)
2010 | Action, Drama, Western
Good Western
A very good and enjoyable film, nevertheless it didn't quite hit the heights I thought it would after all the hype. I haven't seen the '69 John Wayne version but imagine this is a lot "grittier". It's a good story, the acting especially from Bridges as the old scruffy US Marshall and the young girl is superb to watch with a witty script to boot. It just felt a little short and lacking a bit more action to be the epic master piece it has been heralded as. A very good film indeed but not up there in the westerns dept with Unforgiven, The Outlaw Josey Wales.
  
Sexual Personae: Art And Decadence From Nefreititi To Emily Dickinson
Sexual Personae: Art And Decadence From Nefreititi To Emily Dickinson
Camille Paglia | 1991 | Art, Photography & Fashion, Gender Studies, History & Politics
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"Camille Paglia is one of the most controversial feminists of all time, and also one of the most compelling. This mammoth book, put very shortly, examines the representation of sexuality in Western art. But it also goes into fierce discussion about religion, literature, art history, psychology, the brutal forces of sex and nature, and the amorality and pornography present in great art. As someone who personally writes a lot about sex work, one of my favorite lines in the book is, “The prostitute is not, as feminists claim, the victim of men, but rather their conqueror, an outlaw, who controls the sexual channels between nature and culture.”"

Source
  
E2
Epic 2: Outlaw Trigger (Hardcover)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Outlaw Trigger by Lee Stephen The story continues with Scott Remington. We also meet a new judge in the EDEN government. There seems to be a secret plan that Scott is not aware of. Thoor orders something that would hurt Scott for something of his own. Will they find out what going on at the military base in Russia? This Archer guy also seems to have a plan for this base that have Nightmen and Eden soldiers. Is Thoor wedding out Eden soldiers to build up his army of Nightmen?Scott is quite happy and excited that his fiancee is coming for a visit. He is in a good mood. While his girl is visiting something happen to his girl. Once this happens everything starts to spiral downward. Everyone is under aware of it. His comrades and friends all try and help him. We see how Scott reacts. Sides will be chosen and where will Scott end up.EDEN is also planning some things as well. You have got twists and turns that have you guessing until last page of the book. Do you want to read how Scott where he is now in book two I would suggest reading book one called Dawn of Destiny before book two Outlaw Trigger? I have reviewed Dawn of Destiny and have also done an interview with Lee Stephen. I am ready to pick up the bookmark to the next book "Hero".
  
The True History Of The Kelly Gang
The True History Of The Kelly Gang
Peter Carey | 2001 | Biography, Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"Carey is one of my favorite writers. The first book of his I ever read was a collection of short stories called The Fat Man In History. He also wrote Oscar And Lucinda — a beautiful story — which was turned into a film that I made. In Kelly Gang, the narrative voice is so unique. We Australians all know that outlaw Ned Kelly was hung after the famous shoot-out in 1880. But what Carey does is get inside his character's mind in such an illuminating and heartrending way. And there's not a trace of sentimentality in it. I so admire that as an actor, because I realize how difficult it is to do."

Source
  
Short prequel to the first of Angus Donald's <i>Outlaw</i> series about Robin Hood.

Whereas the books proper are all presented as an ageing Alan-a -Dale remembering his time with Robin and were told in the first person, this is told in third person and is not 'book-ended' in such a manner. While there are a few other characters than the already-living-in-the-woods Robin and John, it also does not have such a wide range of characters as in the novels proper, and feels maybe a little bit rushed.

In short: an OK entry for anyone who hasn't read any of the novels proper, but I would still advise the reader to start with the first book rather than this novella.
  
HW
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Angus Donald's direct sequel to 'Outlaw', this follows on from the events of that earlier novel, again told through the eyes of the elderly Alan Dale remembering his earlier time with Robin of Locksley (Robin Hood).

Split into three distinct sections, the first is set in England and follows the preparation of the Earl of Locksley's men for their pilgrimage to the Holy Land, in what we now know as the Third Crusade. The second and third parts of the novel deal with both the journey and arrival, culminating in the historical battle of Arsouf, where Richard IIIs (Richard the Lionheart) forces come up against the might of Saladin.

Not quite as good as it's predecessor, but I'll still be reading the sequel to this novel when it's also released.
  
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Andrew Kennedy (199 KP) rated Load by Metallica in Music

Jun 23, 2019  
Load by Metallica
Load by Metallica
1996 | Metal
8
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Album Rating
When Load first came out I was unsure now after all these years I have grown to love it.
Opening with Ain't my Bitch it was typical high octane Metallica, 2x4 is next and then The House that Jack built, an under rated track, then come the singles Until It Sleeps, Hero of the Day and King Nothing the latter one of Kirk's finest performances.
Then Bleeding Me a track I hated at first but now absolutely adore.
Wasting My Hate and Thorn Within are outside of the formers intro very formulatic.
Next is Mama Said, a heartfelt song that some fans still have issues with.
Then Ronnie which I love.
Outlaw Torn ends the album again like Bleeding Me I started off hating it but over time I have grown to love.
  
Days Gone
Days Gone
2018 | Action/Adventure
Generally speaking, I'm not really a fan of Zombies (or the undead), in either movies or in games in which they are the main antagonist.

Which is probably why I gave this a miss when it was first released, only picking it up when it was released on PS Plus.

(Yes, I know the Freakers are never called Zombies but, let's face it, that's what they really are).

I have to say that, while slow starting, the story in this open world game was actually quite enjoyable, with Sam Witwer doing a particularly fine job as the protaganist Deacon St John, the former outlaw biker who you play as in this post apocalyptic world.

Freaker horde missions, though? Not a fan.

(I preferred sneaking around, or the occasional gunfight)
  
Outlaw King (2018)
Outlaw King (2018)
2018 | Action, Drama, History
Clear passion to retell the story (1 more)
Excellent battle scene
Pace (0 more)
Watchable
After seeing an advert for the Outlaw King, I was excited to watch the movie. Despite this I found that the film missed my expectations, and I found that it became almost boring in places.

The writers of the outlaw king had a clear passion to retell the story of Robert Bruce and his fight to regain the Scottish crown from the English in the early Plantagenet period. To the best of my knowledge, the story was told as accurately as possible, however this did mean that there were a lot of scenes centred around the politics of Roberts plight. The slower scenes were unbalanced with the battle scenes which meant that the pace of the story dipped many times during the film - I have to confess it took me three attempts to watch it in full as a result of this.

As the writers tried to cram too much into such a short film, I found that the movie had a bit of an identity crisis - was this an action, romance or political film? Had the writers focused on just one area, I believe the movie would have been a lot more watchable, instead the movie felt overloaded.

The acting in general was okay, and reasonably well cast, except for the relationship between Robert Bruce and his wife. I struggled to believe the romance between the two actors. Although this is ultimately my opinion, I struggled to believe that what was ultimately an arranged marriage between the two, could rest in the two characters falling for each other as quickly as the film portrayed.

In general, the film is watchable, although it is not one I would go to as a first choice. There are some good parts of the film, for example the relationship between Robert and his men, and the final battle scene. The film also teaches us about part of Scottish history that tends to be overlooked by many schools during history lessons.
  
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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Mortal Engines (2018) in Movies

Feb 24, 2020 (Updated Feb 24, 2020)  
Mortal Engines (2018)
Mortal Engines (2018)
2018 | Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Little Engine Go
So i found this movie really intresting. I like the sci-fi future post apocalyptic setting, it was really intresting. Im not sure why alot of people didnt like this movie, cause it was really good.

The plot: Hundreds of years after a cataclysmic event destroyed civilization, mysterious young Hester Shaw emerges as the only one who can stop the city of London -- now a giant predator on wheels -- from devouring everything in its path. Feral and fiercely driven by the memory of her mother, Hester joins forces with Tom Natsworthy, an outcast from London, and Anna Fang, a dangerous outlaw with a bounty on her head.

Peter Jackson produced it and he also wrote the screenplay. It feels like a peter jackson film. I feel like he should of directed it.

Anyways its a really great post apocalyptic movie that has sci-fi, action, adventure and is in the future.
  
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Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) Feb 27, 2020

Definitely an underappreciated gem.