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Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Iron Man (2008) in Movies
May 9, 2019
"I am iron man"
Marking the commencement of Marvel Cinematic Universe, catapulting Robert Downey Jr. into the league of Hollywood's biggest stars & also announcing the arrival of Marvel Studios into motion picture filmmaking for it is their first fully-financed project, Iron Man not only succeeds as a quality blend of style & substance but is also amongst the best origin stories cinema has come up with for a comic book superhero.
Iron Man tells the story of genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist Tony Stark who, while on his tour to war-torn Afghanistan for the demonstration of his new weaponry to United States military, is ambushed & taken hostage by a terrorist group. Working with another captive, he designs an exoskeleton to get out from there & after returning to US further refines his design. The plot covers the change his captivity brings in his entire personality.
Stylishly directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man aims for the same grounded approach that Christopher Nolan applied in Batman Begins & succeeds amazingly well for the most part. The screenplay is brimming with energy, wit & charm, and is brilliantly written & narrated. Production design provides it a very modern feel, Camerawork is vibrantly carried out, Editing briskly paces the whole story which also benefits from Ramin Djawadi's fitting score as well as clever use of existing songs.
Coming to the acting department, Iron Man features a star-studded cast in Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges & Terrence Howard but the film belongs to Downey Jr. who blazes brightly in red n gold with a performance that's absolutely fantastic, effortlessly charismatic & downright polished. Overshadowing the input of the rest & fitting the suit perfectly, this is one role that couldn't have gone to a better actor & how this gifted talent renders Tony Stark on screen is a further proof of that.
On an overall scale, Iron Man has enough power in it to please both fans of the comics as well as newcomers. Sure its third act isn't as impressive as the first two but the positives eclipse the negatives by a huge margin. Balancing its storytelling aspects with big budget extravaganza to triumph as a work of quality in the eyes of viewers n critics alike, Iron Man is a highly refreshing, wildly entertaining & largely satisfying crowd-pleaser that's hugely responsible for the foundation on which Marvel Studios stands today. Highly recommended.
Iron Man tells the story of genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist Tony Stark who, while on his tour to war-torn Afghanistan for the demonstration of his new weaponry to United States military, is ambushed & taken hostage by a terrorist group. Working with another captive, he designs an exoskeleton to get out from there & after returning to US further refines his design. The plot covers the change his captivity brings in his entire personality.
Stylishly directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man aims for the same grounded approach that Christopher Nolan applied in Batman Begins & succeeds amazingly well for the most part. The screenplay is brimming with energy, wit & charm, and is brilliantly written & narrated. Production design provides it a very modern feel, Camerawork is vibrantly carried out, Editing briskly paces the whole story which also benefits from Ramin Djawadi's fitting score as well as clever use of existing songs.
Coming to the acting department, Iron Man features a star-studded cast in Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges & Terrence Howard but the film belongs to Downey Jr. who blazes brightly in red n gold with a performance that's absolutely fantastic, effortlessly charismatic & downright polished. Overshadowing the input of the rest & fitting the suit perfectly, this is one role that couldn't have gone to a better actor & how this gifted talent renders Tony Stark on screen is a further proof of that.
On an overall scale, Iron Man has enough power in it to please both fans of the comics as well as newcomers. Sure its third act isn't as impressive as the first two but the positives eclipse the negatives by a huge margin. Balancing its storytelling aspects with big budget extravaganza to triumph as a work of quality in the eyes of viewers n critics alike, Iron Man is a highly refreshing, wildly entertaining & largely satisfying crowd-pleaser that's hugely responsible for the foundation on which Marvel Studios stands today. Highly recommended.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Saints for All Occasions in Books
Jan 30, 2018
Well-written (1 more)
Striking characters
Gorgeous family saga
Nora and Theresa Flynn are only twenty-one and seventeen when they leave their native Ireland and immigrate to the U.S. For her entire life, Nora has been the quintessential older sister, raising Theresa and their younger brother after the death of their mother. Now she's headed to Boston to be married to their former Irish neighbor, Charlie, whom Nora doesn't really even love. Theresa, meanwhile, is outgoing, beautiful, and intelligent. She loves the dances and social atmosphere in Boston, but that all changes when she winds up pregnant. Both Nora and Theresa are forced to make some drastic life decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Fifty years later, in 2009, Nora and Charlie have four children: John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. But Theresa and Nora are no longer speaking, and Theresa lives as a cloistered nun in an abbey in Vermont. What happened between the two sisters? And how will a sudden tragedy affect their current, separate lives?
This was an amazing book - just beautiful, heartbreaking, and lovely. Sullivan captured the essence of each of her characters so perfectly. I could picture every one, and each was so realistic, with their own background, mannerisms, and details.
The novel switches between the past, starting with Nora and Theresa's journey to Boston, and 2009, with a shocking event that rocks the entire family. We hear from each character--Nora, Theresa, John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. As I said, they are each an individual and embellished with Sullivan's wonderful writing and details. For instance, I loved the tidbit that Nora and her daughter-in-law communicated for years mainly through Nora's daughter's dog at family gatherings. It said so much with just one story. (And I've so been there.)
I became attached to each character in their own way thanks to the strong writing and characterization. I don't always enjoy books with shifts between time periods, but all flowed seamlessly here. There's an underlying thread that ties everything together, just adding to the brilliance of the novel. While it's really a story of a family, there's still a bit of suspense, as you try to fit some pieces together. Everything works so well.
Overall, I just loved this beautiful story of parenthood, immigration, siblings, religion, and so much more. It's achingly well-written, and while it ended just right, I was still sad to see the characters go. I'll certainly be recommending it to everyone I know.
This was an amazing book - just beautiful, heartbreaking, and lovely. Sullivan captured the essence of each of her characters so perfectly. I could picture every one, and each was so realistic, with their own background, mannerisms, and details.
The novel switches between the past, starting with Nora and Theresa's journey to Boston, and 2009, with a shocking event that rocks the entire family. We hear from each character--Nora, Theresa, John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. As I said, they are each an individual and embellished with Sullivan's wonderful writing and details. For instance, I loved the tidbit that Nora and her daughter-in-law communicated for years mainly through Nora's daughter's dog at family gatherings. It said so much with just one story. (And I've so been there.)
I became attached to each character in their own way thanks to the strong writing and characterization. I don't always enjoy books with shifts between time periods, but all flowed seamlessly here. There's an underlying thread that ties everything together, just adding to the brilliance of the novel. While it's really a story of a family, there's still a bit of suspense, as you try to fit some pieces together. Everything works so well.
Overall, I just loved this beautiful story of parenthood, immigration, siblings, religion, and so much more. It's achingly well-written, and while it ended just right, I was still sad to see the characters go. I'll certainly be recommending it to everyone I know.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Empire of Ruins in Books
Aug 15, 2018
Keeps Getting Better
Contains spoilers, click to show
***Possible spoilers you’ve been warned***
This series is so consistent and does not disappoint. So we covered the city, we covered the sea in the second book. Now it’s time to go into the deep jungles and go on an exciting adventure that involves natives, flying ships, an Egyptian temple placed in Australia (I know right?), which results in an Indiana Jones type of adventure but involves secret agents, spies, and horrible clockwork falcons that can kill.
You can’t get more exciting than this. It starts off at a good pace and it’s steady. I enjoyed how during the ‘down times’ there is focus on Modo and Octavia’s character development. Modo still has some childish characteristics in him but as the novel progresses he slowly gets over that and the change stands out. You really do feel for him as his appearance starts to affect him, especially with his relationship with Octavia. His encounter with the natives help him to be comfortable in his own skin and I think because of this he starts acting more headstrong and does the talk back to Mr Socrates (which was a great scene to read. Wowwweee Modo, you do that clap back because Mr Socrates sure can’t take it haha)
I felt for Modo when he reveals his true likeness to Octavia. I get where she’s coming from though. She had this mental picture of Modo and it was nothing like the real thing so of course she wouldn’t know how to react. It hurt to read though. I couldn’t even imagine how crush Modo would have felt considering how much he feels for Octavia.
The plot in itself was super good and filled with action during the last half of the novel. The bad guys run with their tail between their legs in this one (enjoyable to read no doubt) but they come back with a vengeance towards the end. I rather expected the temple to be a little more of a challenge to go through (more traps please) but then perhaps that would prolong the adventure just a little too much.
I’m wanting to know what’s going to happen between Modo and Mr Socrates considering they had a falling out in the novel. This is going to get good and I hope the fourth and final novel will close this on a good note. Greatly recommend this series so far, pick it up and enjoy! It’s a great adventure!
This series is so consistent and does not disappoint. So we covered the city, we covered the sea in the second book. Now it’s time to go into the deep jungles and go on an exciting adventure that involves natives, flying ships, an Egyptian temple placed in Australia (I know right?), which results in an Indiana Jones type of adventure but involves secret agents, spies, and horrible clockwork falcons that can kill.
You can’t get more exciting than this. It starts off at a good pace and it’s steady. I enjoyed how during the ‘down times’ there is focus on Modo and Octavia’s character development. Modo still has some childish characteristics in him but as the novel progresses he slowly gets over that and the change stands out. You really do feel for him as his appearance starts to affect him, especially with his relationship with Octavia. His encounter with the natives help him to be comfortable in his own skin and I think because of this he starts acting more headstrong and does the talk back to Mr Socrates (which was a great scene to read. Wowwweee Modo, you do that clap back because Mr Socrates sure can’t take it haha)
I felt for Modo when he reveals his true likeness to Octavia. I get where she’s coming from though. She had this mental picture of Modo and it was nothing like the real thing so of course she wouldn’t know how to react. It hurt to read though. I couldn’t even imagine how crush Modo would have felt considering how much he feels for Octavia.
The plot in itself was super good and filled with action during the last half of the novel. The bad guys run with their tail between their legs in this one (enjoyable to read no doubt) but they come back with a vengeance towards the end. I rather expected the temple to be a little more of a challenge to go through (more traps please) but then perhaps that would prolong the adventure just a little too much.
I’m wanting to know what’s going to happen between Modo and Mr Socrates considering they had a falling out in the novel. This is going to get good and I hope the fourth and final novel will close this on a good note. Greatly recommend this series so far, pick it up and enjoy! It’s a great adventure!
Carma (21 KP) rated Crash Landing (Stop The Wedding, #3) in Books
Jun 17, 2019
While I have quite a few Lori Wilde books sitting on my TBR shelf, this one was a freebie of the day for my kindle and I decided to give it a gander. I read it in about a day so it flowed pretty well. Here are my thoughts on Crash Landing by Lori Wilde.
We start the book with a girl staring at a hunky guy, I mean who doesnt like to do that on occasion right?? Sophia Cruz likes very much what Gibb Martin has to offer in the looks department. He is an American, she is Costa Rican and American by birth. He is all business all the time, while she likes to take each day slow and steady. What could they possibly have in common??
Gibb needs a ride to Florida quickly because his best friend is getting married after only knowing his fiancée for a month. He is backing out of partnering with Gibb, because of his new love, on a new money making deal and that cant happen. Sophia is a bush pilot and his only hope to get there in time to stop the wedding. Now if he can only stop lusting after her long enough to get focused on stopping this wedding.
Sophia wouldnt mind a quick roll in the hay with this rich boy but no long lasting relationship, why would he possibly look at her twice? She really needs the money so she goes against her own better advice and agrees to fly him to Florida. A long close cabin ride will certainly not help squelch her desire.
Gibb and Sophia get to know each other on the flight then the unexpected crash landing on a deserted island gets them even closer. Will they find out they have more in common than they both realize?
I liked the flow of this story for the most part. I feel like it started off and a good pace then slowed a little in the middle. Without giving too many spoilers I feel like there was a weird middle part on the island that served no real purpose but I thoroughly enjoyed the part with the monkeys. I am giggling still as I write this review. I liked Lori Wildes way of capturing the culture and interactions so you could really picture it all in your minds eye. Crash Landing captured my attention pretty quickly and kept it all the way through. I would say this was a good way to get my feet wet in Lori Wildes title pool.
We start the book with a girl staring at a hunky guy, I mean who doesnt like to do that on occasion right?? Sophia Cruz likes very much what Gibb Martin has to offer in the looks department. He is an American, she is Costa Rican and American by birth. He is all business all the time, while she likes to take each day slow and steady. What could they possibly have in common??
Gibb needs a ride to Florida quickly because his best friend is getting married after only knowing his fiancée for a month. He is backing out of partnering with Gibb, because of his new love, on a new money making deal and that cant happen. Sophia is a bush pilot and his only hope to get there in time to stop the wedding. Now if he can only stop lusting after her long enough to get focused on stopping this wedding.
Sophia wouldnt mind a quick roll in the hay with this rich boy but no long lasting relationship, why would he possibly look at her twice? She really needs the money so she goes against her own better advice and agrees to fly him to Florida. A long close cabin ride will certainly not help squelch her desire.
Gibb and Sophia get to know each other on the flight then the unexpected crash landing on a deserted island gets them even closer. Will they find out they have more in common than they both realize?
I liked the flow of this story for the most part. I feel like it started off and a good pace then slowed a little in the middle. Without giving too many spoilers I feel like there was a weird middle part on the island that served no real purpose but I thoroughly enjoyed the part with the monkeys. I am giggling still as I write this review. I liked Lori Wildes way of capturing the culture and interactions so you could really picture it all in your minds eye. Crash Landing captured my attention pretty quickly and kept it all the way through. I would say this was a good way to get my feet wet in Lori Wildes title pool.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Warriors with Holy Hands in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Warriors With Holy Hands is the story of a young woman who finds herself lost in time and whose life over a period of three years is spiraling downward. Ruth Falk is stricken with an inexplicable illness and then orphaned. With only a distant relative in her life now, Ruth faces a life of debilitating pain and infirmity. She determines to look to the past for answers she believes her bloodline may reveal.
Searching through diaries and records, Ruth discovers blood relatives and others who lived far away over the course of a century. We follow their lives across three generations culminating in the revelation of indisputable connections that are createdwords and actions with lasting results.
Ruth learns that a curse spoken by one ancestor may have had a devastating domino effect, one whose beginning also engaged her prayer-warrior grandmother in a pitched spiritual battle to break. A challenged believer herself, Ruth grows in the faith of her predecessors who faced ominous situations.
The rich symbolism of Judaism provides a backdrop for the saga with traditions and meaning sprinkled throughout the story.
When she faces increasing paralysis, Ruth and a birth friend in the faith journey to the Southern Highlands of Tennessee where it all began. Here in the span of seven daysover ten monthsall that has unraveled in recent years comes together. Life as she knows it will never be the same.
God reveals himself to Ruth and others in remarkable ways along a tortuous path that comes full circle.
Warriors is a mystery that is finally, stunningly, revealed as serendipitous fruit from the branches of a family tree. It is a story of encouragement and life that empowers those who seek God and believe.
My Thoughts: This is a story about Ruth, a woman who is injured while deployed. As she recovers from her injuries, including PTSD and other physical injuries, she learns about her past through journals that her aunt gave to her. The author has done a skillful job of intertwining the history from the journals to the present time to Ruth. The author Peter Toeg, presents us with a good picture of how we can be affected by our past relatives whether it's good or bad.
I love history and journals. We cal learn so much through our past. This is a story about healing, both physically and of course, spiritually. The author has done a brilliant job with this storyline and I believe that others will enjoy this book also.
Searching through diaries and records, Ruth discovers blood relatives and others who lived far away over the course of a century. We follow their lives across three generations culminating in the revelation of indisputable connections that are createdwords and actions with lasting results.
Ruth learns that a curse spoken by one ancestor may have had a devastating domino effect, one whose beginning also engaged her prayer-warrior grandmother in a pitched spiritual battle to break. A challenged believer herself, Ruth grows in the faith of her predecessors who faced ominous situations.
The rich symbolism of Judaism provides a backdrop for the saga with traditions and meaning sprinkled throughout the story.
When she faces increasing paralysis, Ruth and a birth friend in the faith journey to the Southern Highlands of Tennessee where it all began. Here in the span of seven daysover ten monthsall that has unraveled in recent years comes together. Life as she knows it will never be the same.
God reveals himself to Ruth and others in remarkable ways along a tortuous path that comes full circle.
Warriors is a mystery that is finally, stunningly, revealed as serendipitous fruit from the branches of a family tree. It is a story of encouragement and life that empowers those who seek God and believe.
My Thoughts: This is a story about Ruth, a woman who is injured while deployed. As she recovers from her injuries, including PTSD and other physical injuries, she learns about her past through journals that her aunt gave to her. The author has done a skillful job of intertwining the history from the journals to the present time to Ruth. The author Peter Toeg, presents us with a good picture of how we can be affected by our past relatives whether it's good or bad.
I love history and journals. We cal learn so much through our past. This is a story about healing, both physically and of course, spiritually. The author has done a brilliant job with this storyline and I believe that others will enjoy this book also.
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