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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated 8-BIT CHRISTMAS (2021) in Movies
Dec 12, 2021
Charming, Nostalgic and HeartWarming
If I told you that I just watched a charming Holiday movie where the Narrator reminisced about a Christmas of his youth - when he was 10 or 11 - and the Narrator desperately wanted a special present brought to him by Santa - but said item is strictly forbidden in his household, so the Narrator heads off on an adventure to get this item, you would think I was talking about the classic Holiday perennial A CHRISTMAS STORY - and you would be wrong.
I’m speaking about the HBO MAX Original Film 8-BIT CHRISTMAS starring Neil Patrick Harris as the Narrator of the story that reminisces about his life as a 10-11 year old around the Holidays in the late 1980’s.
And, darn it all, if it doesn’t work well (despite my indignation that all they are doing is ripping off A CHRISTMAS STORY) for there is enough nostalgia and heart to melt the emotions of even the most miserly of Ebenezer Scrooge’s this holiday season.
Written by Kevin Jakubowski (based off his book) and Directed by Michael Dowse (the underrated comedy STUBER), 8-Bit Christmas tells the tale of 11 year old Jake Doyle who wants nothing more in this world than to receive the mother of all Christmas presents - a Nintendo 8 Bit system. Along with a “Goonies” collection of friends, Jake sets off to find this hard to find item - and convince his parents to get it for him for Christmas.
In the hands of young actor Winslow Fegley (Disney’s TIMMY FAILURE), young Jake is a pleasant enough protagonist to head off on this journey with. His ragtag group of friends are a group of generic nerds that pretty much check-off the “nerd friend group” list (and this is meant as a compliment). We spend quite a bit of time with these kids and they are a good enough group of kids to spend time with.
This film does hit a few of the same notes as A CHRISTMAS STORY, there is an obsessed, seemingly out of touch Dad, this time played by Steve Zahn (RESCUE DAWN) in a heart-warming portrayal and the coupon-cutting, cost saving Mom played by June Diane Raphael (FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL) who is putting up with it all. This film even has a younger sibling, this time a sister Lizzy, who wants her own elusive gift - a Cabbage Patch kid.
A highlight for me was the performance of Kathy Greenwood as the teacher with the constant sniffles. I know many a teacher and they almost ALWAYS have colds given to them from their charges.
This film is a fine post card of Chicago in the late 1980s and skewers (and honors) the pop-fads of the time (complete with fashion and styling) and is an entertaining enough 2 hour escape during the Holidays.
Oh, and did I mention that at one point in this film, I had to dab at my eyes with a tissue? Yes, despite my skepticism, this film managed to touch my heart even though I fought like crazy to deny that.
If you’re looking for a fun family entertainment this Holiday season, 8-BIT CHRISTMAS can fill the bill nicely.
Letter Grade: B+
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
I’m speaking about the HBO MAX Original Film 8-BIT CHRISTMAS starring Neil Patrick Harris as the Narrator of the story that reminisces about his life as a 10-11 year old around the Holidays in the late 1980’s.
And, darn it all, if it doesn’t work well (despite my indignation that all they are doing is ripping off A CHRISTMAS STORY) for there is enough nostalgia and heart to melt the emotions of even the most miserly of Ebenezer Scrooge’s this holiday season.
Written by Kevin Jakubowski (based off his book) and Directed by Michael Dowse (the underrated comedy STUBER), 8-Bit Christmas tells the tale of 11 year old Jake Doyle who wants nothing more in this world than to receive the mother of all Christmas presents - a Nintendo 8 Bit system. Along with a “Goonies” collection of friends, Jake sets off to find this hard to find item - and convince his parents to get it for him for Christmas.
In the hands of young actor Winslow Fegley (Disney’s TIMMY FAILURE), young Jake is a pleasant enough protagonist to head off on this journey with. His ragtag group of friends are a group of generic nerds that pretty much check-off the “nerd friend group” list (and this is meant as a compliment). We spend quite a bit of time with these kids and they are a good enough group of kids to spend time with.
This film does hit a few of the same notes as A CHRISTMAS STORY, there is an obsessed, seemingly out of touch Dad, this time played by Steve Zahn (RESCUE DAWN) in a heart-warming portrayal and the coupon-cutting, cost saving Mom played by June Diane Raphael (FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL) who is putting up with it all. This film even has a younger sibling, this time a sister Lizzy, who wants her own elusive gift - a Cabbage Patch kid.
A highlight for me was the performance of Kathy Greenwood as the teacher with the constant sniffles. I know many a teacher and they almost ALWAYS have colds given to them from their charges.
This film is a fine post card of Chicago in the late 1980s and skewers (and honors) the pop-fads of the time (complete with fashion and styling) and is an entertaining enough 2 hour escape during the Holidays.
Oh, and did I mention that at one point in this film, I had to dab at my eyes with a tissue? Yes, despite my skepticism, this film managed to touch my heart even though I fought like crazy to deny that.
If you’re looking for a fun family entertainment this Holiday season, 8-BIT CHRISTMAS can fill the bill nicely.
Letter Grade: B+
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Debbiereadsbook (1102 KP) rated Rebuilding Year (Reconstruction #2) in Books
Jun 9, 2024
steamier than book one, but I loved it!
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Reconstruction series, and while not strictly necessary, I would personally recommend you read book 1, Leap Year, before this. It will give you a better view of Brian's relationship with his brother, Patrick, and it will also give you Angelo and Brian's first meeting! I really enjoyed book one, and I really enjoyed this one too!
Brian has served his sentence, and is knuckling down to get back into society and do all he needs to do to come off probation. Angelo, faced with a life changing stipulation to his mentor's will, names Brian as his significant other. Funny, really, since their one and only meeting resulted in Brian punching Angelo in the face! But Angelo is injured, and Brian offers to look after him, and after that? It's only a matter of time before they give into temptation. There are secrets between though, and it won't take long for them to come to light. Can they really survive their revelation?
When I read Leap Year, I thought Angelo a fickle creature, but with a deep heart and a deep longing for something he wasn't sure what to do with. I was proven correct in that. Angelo wants what his best freind Russel has, and wants a HOME, not just somewhere he lays his head. He hasn't had a home in a long time, and seeing Russel happy with Patrick, and Frog, Patrick's son; Angelo is yearning for it. He just never expected that Brian, the man who punched him, would be that home. But I loved that, while he didn't immediately see that he was, he FELT at home in Brian's space, even if it was technically Angelo's house.
I loved how we got all of Brian's point of view for how Patrick came to be parent to Frog (again, loved Frog!) It's this issue that causes the only real tension between Angelo and Brian, and I loved that, once Angelo got over his shock, he comes back to talk to Brian and explain his hurt. He fully understands why it really isn't an issue for Brian anymore, once Brian explains: yes, Brian is Frog biological parent, but Patrick is his dad, in all the ways that matter and Brian knows he will always be Uncle Brian to Frog.
This book is on the steamier side and I loved that, while there was TALK about exhibionism, there wasn't any ACTUAL, expect that first time, when Angelo shows himself to Brian. I loved how Brian took control, with his words, but didn't venture into full Dom/sub mode. Angelo just needed to get out his head once in a while and Brian provided the words and actions to enable him to do so.
There were a couple of characters who pop up here and who I think might be next, maybe even together. I really can't wait to see if I'm right and I really hope I get to read it!
I wrote 4 stars at the top of the page, but now I'm typing up my review, I really can't find a single thing to knock that star off, so. . .
5 full and shiny stars!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Reading Progress
This is book 2 in the Reconstruction series, and while not strictly necessary, I would personally recommend you read book 1, Leap Year, before this. It will give you a better view of Brian's relationship with his brother, Patrick, and it will also give you Angelo and Brian's first meeting! I really enjoyed book one, and I really enjoyed this one too!
Brian has served his sentence, and is knuckling down to get back into society and do all he needs to do to come off probation. Angelo, faced with a life changing stipulation to his mentor's will, names Brian as his significant other. Funny, really, since their one and only meeting resulted in Brian punching Angelo in the face! But Angelo is injured, and Brian offers to look after him, and after that? It's only a matter of time before they give into temptation. There are secrets between though, and it won't take long for them to come to light. Can they really survive their revelation?
When I read Leap Year, I thought Angelo a fickle creature, but with a deep heart and a deep longing for something he wasn't sure what to do with. I was proven correct in that. Angelo wants what his best freind Russel has, and wants a HOME, not just somewhere he lays his head. He hasn't had a home in a long time, and seeing Russel happy with Patrick, and Frog, Patrick's son; Angelo is yearning for it. He just never expected that Brian, the man who punched him, would be that home. But I loved that, while he didn't immediately see that he was, he FELT at home in Brian's space, even if it was technically Angelo's house.
I loved how we got all of Brian's point of view for how Patrick came to be parent to Frog (again, loved Frog!) It's this issue that causes the only real tension between Angelo and Brian, and I loved that, once Angelo got over his shock, he comes back to talk to Brian and explain his hurt. He fully understands why it really isn't an issue for Brian anymore, once Brian explains: yes, Brian is Frog biological parent, but Patrick is his dad, in all the ways that matter and Brian knows he will always be Uncle Brian to Frog.
This book is on the steamier side and I loved that, while there was TALK about exhibionism, there wasn't any ACTUAL, expect that first time, when Angelo shows himself to Brian. I loved how Brian took control, with his words, but didn't venture into full Dom/sub mode. Angelo just needed to get out his head once in a while and Brian provided the words and actions to enable him to do so.
There were a couple of characters who pop up here and who I think might be next, maybe even together. I really can't wait to see if I'm right and I really hope I get to read it!
I wrote 4 stars at the top of the page, but now I'm typing up my review, I really can't find a single thing to knock that star off, so. . .
5 full and shiny stars!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Reading Progress
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated As You Were by Liam Gallagher in Music
Oct 6, 2017
Vocals Sound Great (3 more)
Musically Well Written
Good Production Level
High Energy
Predictable Lyrics (1 more)
Too Many Cheap Shots At Noel
Straightforward and To The Point
This record can be summed up in one work: simple.
This is a simple record both for the better and for the worse. This record contains some straightforward rock n' roll bangers, - songs like Wall Of Glass, Paper Crown, For What It's Worth and Bold - as well as some absolute derivative drivel - such as Chinatown, I Never Wanna Be Like You and I Get By. Luckily I'd say the record is about 70% good tunes and 30% garbage.
In terms of the record's sound, I was hoping for something similar to the stuff that Liam penned during the late era of Oasis. I'm Outta Time, from the last Oasis record is one of the best things Liam has ever written in my opinion, so I was hoping for that sort of sound and on this record I got it, (well for 70% of it anyway.) There is also undoubtedly a defiant energy present throughout the album as well, which carries some of the lesser songs on the album and saves them from being totally skip-able. As much as people have doubted Liam in the last few years, due to the underwhelming Beady Eye records and subsequent split and everything that has occurred in his personal life etc, he clearly still believes in himself very firmly and you can feel this brilliant sense of resilience throughout the record's runtime. That's another thing this album has going for it, it is very light on its feet and it never overstays its welcome. The total runtime is just shy of 45 minutes, with each of the fifteen songs hitting around the 4 minute mark, all either slightly above or below that duration which creates this great pace that compliments the album's energy perfectly.
For those of you that were doubtful about this record, as you've already heard what Liam without Noel sounds like in the form of Beady Eye, rest assured; this record is a million times better than either of the Beady Eye records. One thing that surprised me on this record, even though I know how Liam is, was how many times he takes a shot at Noel on it. Every second song is a pop at him and he's not even subtle about it. I know Liam is famous for his big mouth, but I naively thought that this time he was more focused on making a decent record than just slagging off his brother, which he does every day on Twitter anyway. Another downside is the lyrics on some tracks, you can see the next line coming from a mile away and some of the words he uses to rhyme are cringe-worthy. Don't get me wrong, there are some moments of potential greatness on this album as well and at times, it does reach the euphoric heights of some of the old Oasis tracks in terms of the way it makes you feel as a listener.
The production value is well done on this record as well, in the sense that Liam's voice sounds youthful and powerful on the record in contrast to how his voice sounds fairly used up during live gigs, but this is a review of As You Were as an album, not a review of Liam Gallagher's singing voice. The musicianship is also solid throughout with some drum beats you can't help but tap along to and some mega guitar solos.
Overall, I think that this record proved a lot of people wrong and took more than a few people by surprise. Sure, Liam didn't write many of the songs himself, but he does have something to say with this record and it feels impactful. Even if you don't like the music on a technical level, it's hard to fault the guy's resilient, defiant energy that he suitably weaves into this record.
This is a simple record both for the better and for the worse. This record contains some straightforward rock n' roll bangers, - songs like Wall Of Glass, Paper Crown, For What It's Worth and Bold - as well as some absolute derivative drivel - such as Chinatown, I Never Wanna Be Like You and I Get By. Luckily I'd say the record is about 70% good tunes and 30% garbage.
In terms of the record's sound, I was hoping for something similar to the stuff that Liam penned during the late era of Oasis. I'm Outta Time, from the last Oasis record is one of the best things Liam has ever written in my opinion, so I was hoping for that sort of sound and on this record I got it, (well for 70% of it anyway.) There is also undoubtedly a defiant energy present throughout the album as well, which carries some of the lesser songs on the album and saves them from being totally skip-able. As much as people have doubted Liam in the last few years, due to the underwhelming Beady Eye records and subsequent split and everything that has occurred in his personal life etc, he clearly still believes in himself very firmly and you can feel this brilliant sense of resilience throughout the record's runtime. That's another thing this album has going for it, it is very light on its feet and it never overstays its welcome. The total runtime is just shy of 45 minutes, with each of the fifteen songs hitting around the 4 minute mark, all either slightly above or below that duration which creates this great pace that compliments the album's energy perfectly.
For those of you that were doubtful about this record, as you've already heard what Liam without Noel sounds like in the form of Beady Eye, rest assured; this record is a million times better than either of the Beady Eye records. One thing that surprised me on this record, even though I know how Liam is, was how many times he takes a shot at Noel on it. Every second song is a pop at him and he's not even subtle about it. I know Liam is famous for his big mouth, but I naively thought that this time he was more focused on making a decent record than just slagging off his brother, which he does every day on Twitter anyway. Another downside is the lyrics on some tracks, you can see the next line coming from a mile away and some of the words he uses to rhyme are cringe-worthy. Don't get me wrong, there are some moments of potential greatness on this album as well and at times, it does reach the euphoric heights of some of the old Oasis tracks in terms of the way it makes you feel as a listener.
The production value is well done on this record as well, in the sense that Liam's voice sounds youthful and powerful on the record in contrast to how his voice sounds fairly used up during live gigs, but this is a review of As You Were as an album, not a review of Liam Gallagher's singing voice. The musicianship is also solid throughout with some drum beats you can't help but tap along to and some mega guitar solos.
Overall, I think that this record proved a lot of people wrong and took more than a few people by surprise. Sure, Liam didn't write many of the songs himself, but he does have something to say with this record and it feels impactful. Even if you don't like the music on a technical level, it's hard to fault the guy's resilient, defiant energy that he suitably weaves into this record.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles in Music
Nov 2, 2017
One Of The Most Influential Albums Of All Time
The reason that this album is so influential and important to everything that came after it is simple, it was the first true example of what we think of as a concept album today. The album opens with an introduction to what you are about to witness, which is something that had never even been considered before in music. Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band was also very meta for its time considering that the first song informs you of the members that this band is made up from and gives you a reason as to why they are performing these songs to you. Equally, ending the album with the Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band reprise brings the whole thing full circle, and this formula became what was adopted by concept all albums going forward, The Who followed the same structure, as did Pink Floyd and Green Day. Musically, the record continued where Revolver, (the previous album,) left off, engraining the Beatles as pioneers in psychedelic music. Songs such as, ‘Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,’ and ‘Within You, Without You,’ where more far out than any other psychedelic musical piece had been before. Then you have tracks such as ‘When I’m Sixty Four,’ and ‘Getting Better,’ which utilize classical instruments normally found in orchestral music. This totally rewrote the rules on what a pop song could do. Every song on Sgt. Pepper is a masterpiece and each earns that title both on an individual basis and as part of a whole and all for their own unique reasons. There is also the fact that the album contains what I consider to be the band’s greatest song, ‘A Day In The Life.’ It is the final track on the album, often considered an epilogue, as the album officially ends with the reprise of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band and forty years later, it still sends tingles down the spine of anyone that has the honor to listen to it. Lennon’s parts bookend the track while the middle section belongs to McCartney. As is the case with the rest of the album, the song points out the juxtaposition of Lennon’s narcissistic realist view on the world versus McCartney’s brighter more optimistic outlook on life. Then the song ends with a beautifully chaotic climax of instruments all playing together, building from their respective lowest notes to their highest. It so clearly ends the album, there is no fade out, its everything coming together and playing simultaneously and then stopping all in unison, a very purposeful and definite way to end an album.
Even when the album is over the Beatles are still innovating by including a creepy loop within the groove of the album, implemented to give listeners a fright as they only expect to hear silence after the climax of ‘A Day In The Life.’ After a few moments of peace, a high pitched frequency is heard followed by a peculiar mix of abstract sounds all at once. Even after all this time, after the ridiculously high number of times that I’ve listened to the record and although I know to expect the sound before it happens, it’s still chilling to this day. This was the first time that a band intentionally included hidden sounds on an album, making listeners sit through a few seconds of silence to hear it. People claim that this album is overrated, but there is a reason that it is held in such high regard and whether you think this album deserves its legendary status or not, it is impossible to debate the fact that it is probably the most important album ever recorded. Everything from the album artwork to the music and the lyrics is still extremely relevant and important, even in this current digital age of music.
Even when the album is over the Beatles are still innovating by including a creepy loop within the groove of the album, implemented to give listeners a fright as they only expect to hear silence after the climax of ‘A Day In The Life.’ After a few moments of peace, a high pitched frequency is heard followed by a peculiar mix of abstract sounds all at once. Even after all this time, after the ridiculously high number of times that I’ve listened to the record and although I know to expect the sound before it happens, it’s still chilling to this day. This was the first time that a band intentionally included hidden sounds on an album, making listeners sit through a few seconds of silence to hear it. People claim that this album is overrated, but there is a reason that it is held in such high regard and whether you think this album deserves its legendary status or not, it is impossible to debate the fact that it is probably the most important album ever recorded. Everything from the album artwork to the music and the lyrics is still extremely relevant and important, even in this current digital age of music.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Season 11 in TV
Jul 21, 2017
Sheer insanity (2 more)
Witty writing
Brilliant characters
Sometimes shocking, sometimes disgusting, always hilarious
When I was in college I had a mate who recommended this show constantly for the best part of a year. As much as he was my mate though, he was into some pretty weird stuff… like anime. So it’s fair to say I didn’t really trust his judgement on pop culture. Then one day I saw the show while browsing on Netflix and realised that each episode was only 20 minutes long, so I dived in not knowing what to expect and I was so pleasantly surprised with what I found. The first season of the show seems fairly tame in hindsight, but upon first viewing I was blown away by the fast pace of the show, the clever editing and timing of each episode and the outrageous yet witty lines that the characters spout. It is the second season though that the show really comes into its own, with the introduction of Danny DeVito and the transition of Sweet Dee who goes from the closest possible thing to a voice of reason in season 1, to a full blown narcissist by the end of Season 2. Really the characters are what make this show, how borderline insane they all are and their dynamic between one another is side splitting. Dennis starts off the show as the most normal person in the group, he is definitely the most relatable character for the first few seasons, but eventually him spending so much time with the rest of the group drives him insane, to the point where he becomes pretty sinister and constantly on the edge. Then there is Mac, Dennis’ best friend, he is the macho one in the group, obsessed with protecting the bar and having to throw out some ‘karate,’ moves when necessary. He is definitely one of the funniest parts of the show and his extreme Catholicism and questionable sexual preference also add to his evolution throughout the series. Charlie is the one that starts off the most insane at the start of the show, but I actually think that the rest of the gang slowly overtake him in terms of insanity as the show progresses, as he stays fairly consistently insane throughout. That’s not to say he isn’t still absolutely batshit though, he is a total degenerate, but there is a certain charm to him that can’t be denied and he sure is committed to his job of being a janitor. Sweet Dee starts off the show as the voice of reason, but she quickly descends to a similar level of degeneration as the show goes on and she is hilarious in every scene she is in. Lastly there is Frank, Dee and Dennis’ dad… possibly. He is incredible in this show, in fact I would go as far as to say that this could be the funniest that Danny DeVito has ever been onscreen. Frank is an insane man-child who shares a bed with Charlie, who there is also a chance of being his son. The side characters are also excellent and most of them have them have their own development as the show progresses. There is Rickety Cricket, the priest turned hobo that the gang went to school with, Gail the Snail, who is just vulgar in every way and the inbred psychotic McPoyles. Each episode follows the gang attempting some kind of scheme to benefit their own selfish gain, but they usually end up worse off than when the episode began. If you are looking for sheer insanity combined with witty, obscene writing, then you should definitely check this one out. There are currently 11 seasons of the show so far and it has recently been renewed for another two, so there is a marathon of belly laughing to get through and every minute of it is more ridiculous than the last.
Gotham is the kind of show where I wonder whether they tried to save money by just having the interns write the script. It's got that stilted, on-the-nose kind of dialogue that makes me just feel bad for the actors. For a while I thought the quality of the writing varied from scene to scene, but it was really just that a certain few actors (those that play Fish Mooney, Ed Nygma, and Harvey Bullock spring to mind) that were able to transcend the material they were working with, while others struggled and some just seemed to give up.
Season one starts off promisingly enough for a superhero themed crime show. The premise is solid - we get to watch how these superheroes and supervillians come to be. And that is really the draw that keeps me watching - the character driven moments where we see Nygma descend into madness, the Penguin rise through the ranks of the underworld, Mooney wrestle to keep control of her little patch of Gotham. The conflict James Gordon faces in the first season - a Lawful Good character up against rampant, insidious, and impossible to root up corruption throughout every level of Gotham's government is genuinely interesting and feels like a relevant emotional thread that keeps you going through all of the schlocky and improbable events. All three seasons seem to have a firm grasp of their season plot arc and tentpole moments, setting up the next season nicely for whatever main villain and evil will be explored, but I feel like the tone of the show has shifted wildly. The show can't decide if it's gritty or campy, whether it's a comic book or a crime procedural. It handwaves technology and superpowers in a way that fails to establish in-world rules or limitations. So every super power is all-powerful until plot convenient. I also just personally hate the third season "blood virus" arc and the non-canonical Mad Hatter who speaks in rhyming couplets.
Speaking of which, I'd love to tell the writers that a mass of contradictory, plot-convenient impulses does not a strong female character make. Barbara Kean's story arc makes absolutely no sense. Lee Thompkins seems only to exist to push Gordon to do things he wouldn't otherwise, and Selina Kyle is easily swapped out with every spunky street urchin ever.
I almost want to be offended that every single queer character is, or ends up being, a baddie, but honestly I think that's probably just because the antagonists are more interesting and fleshed out characters to begin with. Still, there's some serious issues with representation (shocker). The third season introduces a really icky variant of the Born Sexy Yesterday trope (watch the video by the Pop Culture Detective, it's worth it.)
Still, I think the casting is pretty great, acting ability aside. The costuming is good, although everything is hampered by the show's refusal to nail down any sort of time period. The dream sequences in the first two seasons are beautiful. I love Oswald Cobblepot and Ed Nygma, and I'd love to see the actor who plays Bruce Wayne master more than just his admittedly very good "holding back tears" expression.
If you're looking for something campy, if you like your villians and your superheroes, and if you need something to watch while you fold laundry or go to sleep, I would recommend this show. It's a show that thrives on tired old tropes, but it lifts those tropes from its source material, so fans of comics might enjoy it, or might be aggrieved at the retconning of beloved old character's backstories.
Whatever you do, don't call Nymga insane. He's better now. He has a certificate.
Season one starts off promisingly enough for a superhero themed crime show. The premise is solid - we get to watch how these superheroes and supervillians come to be. And that is really the draw that keeps me watching - the character driven moments where we see Nygma descend into madness, the Penguin rise through the ranks of the underworld, Mooney wrestle to keep control of her little patch of Gotham. The conflict James Gordon faces in the first season - a Lawful Good character up against rampant, insidious, and impossible to root up corruption throughout every level of Gotham's government is genuinely interesting and feels like a relevant emotional thread that keeps you going through all of the schlocky and improbable events. All three seasons seem to have a firm grasp of their season plot arc and tentpole moments, setting up the next season nicely for whatever main villain and evil will be explored, but I feel like the tone of the show has shifted wildly. The show can't decide if it's gritty or campy, whether it's a comic book or a crime procedural. It handwaves technology and superpowers in a way that fails to establish in-world rules or limitations. So every super power is all-powerful until plot convenient. I also just personally hate the third season "blood virus" arc and the non-canonical Mad Hatter who speaks in rhyming couplets.
Speaking of which, I'd love to tell the writers that a mass of contradictory, plot-convenient impulses does not a strong female character make. Barbara Kean's story arc makes absolutely no sense. Lee Thompkins seems only to exist to push Gordon to do things he wouldn't otherwise, and Selina Kyle is easily swapped out with every spunky street urchin ever.
I almost want to be offended that every single queer character is, or ends up being, a baddie, but honestly I think that's probably just because the antagonists are more interesting and fleshed out characters to begin with. Still, there's some serious issues with representation (shocker). The third season introduces a really icky variant of the Born Sexy Yesterday trope (watch the video by the Pop Culture Detective, it's worth it.)
Still, I think the casting is pretty great, acting ability aside. The costuming is good, although everything is hampered by the show's refusal to nail down any sort of time period. The dream sequences in the first two seasons are beautiful. I love Oswald Cobblepot and Ed Nygma, and I'd love to see the actor who plays Bruce Wayne master more than just his admittedly very good "holding back tears" expression.
If you're looking for something campy, if you like your villians and your superheroes, and if you need something to watch while you fold laundry or go to sleep, I would recommend this show. It's a show that thrives on tired old tropes, but it lifts those tropes from its source material, so fans of comics might enjoy it, or might be aggrieved at the retconning of beloved old character's backstories.
Whatever you do, don't call Nymga insane. He's better now. He has a certificate.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Alanna: The First Adventure in Books
Apr 16, 2018
The Song of the Lioness quartet is Tamora Pierce's first set of books. I read her latest trilogy (the Beka Cooper trilogy) first, which didn't exactly prepare me for The Song of the Lioness. It's obvious, going from the latest trilogy to her first writing, how much her writing has matured since the 80s. My first thought upon completing Alanna: the First Adventure was "I'm very glad she's gotten better at writing!" The story itself is still interesting and worth reading, but the style is a little difficult to read when I KNOW how well she writes now. The characters are mostly one-dimensional; few of the side characters seem to have plots going or events happening to them when they're not with Alanna. Characters pop up, have a significant interaction with Alanna, and are gone again, with no indication they exist outside of their usefulness to the main character. This is in stark contrast to her latest work, where every character that has a significant role to play has a history of their own, and thoughts and feelings of their own. They're much more fleshed out in her recent books.
That complaint aside, the Alanna books are really the foundation that the rest of Tortall was built upon. It's interesting to see how Pierce has fleshed out some of the concepts she touched on in the Alanna saga, and it's fun to see where some of the things from the Beka Cooper trilogy originated. It also pays to keep in mind that though the Alanna books were written first, the Beka Cooper trilogy is based two hundred years earlier. We learn a lot more about the office of The Rogue in the Beka Cooper trilogy, something that isn't explained very well in the Alanna quartet, even though one of Alanna's main romantic interests is George Cooper (yes, a descendant of Beka!), the Rogue. Pierce also never explains the origins of Alanna's cat, Faithful, in the actual Alanna books. That explanation lies in the Beka Cooper books as well.
The Song of the Lioness quartet is the story of a girl who decides to rebel against tradition and follow her heart to become a knight. In her time, ladies simply do NOT become knights. They learn to organize households and marry well. Alanna, however, is lucky enough to have a twin brother who does not want to become a knight; instead Thom wants to be a mage. So when they're sent off to face their futures, they switch places, with Alanna becoming "Alan", the younger twin. (Thom stays Thom; the school that ladies are sent to is the same school mages start at.)
Alan/Alanna begins as a page, then moves to squire, and eventually a knight. Her secret is discovered, but due to her influential friends, most of whom knew she was a girl by then, she is able to keep her status. Her adventures take her from uncovering a plot against the royal family, to being adopted by a desert tribe, to recovering a magic jewel of prosperity, with many small adventures in between.
I love reading Pierce's heroines; both Alanna and Beka have problems reconciling their feminine natures with the work they've chosen. The scenes where Alanna's love interests see her in a dress for the first time, instead of her normal boy-garb and armor, is heart-warming in one case, and sad in another. In both womens' lives it's the man who can accept all of their aspects who ultimately wins their heart, which is a wonderful message.
Ultimately, the technical flaws in the writing of the Alanna saga faded as I became absorbed in the story. I'll be requesting more Tortall books from the library in the near future!
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
That complaint aside, the Alanna books are really the foundation that the rest of Tortall was built upon. It's interesting to see how Pierce has fleshed out some of the concepts she touched on in the Alanna saga, and it's fun to see where some of the things from the Beka Cooper trilogy originated. It also pays to keep in mind that though the Alanna books were written first, the Beka Cooper trilogy is based two hundred years earlier. We learn a lot more about the office of The Rogue in the Beka Cooper trilogy, something that isn't explained very well in the Alanna quartet, even though one of Alanna's main romantic interests is George Cooper (yes, a descendant of Beka!), the Rogue. Pierce also never explains the origins of Alanna's cat, Faithful, in the actual Alanna books. That explanation lies in the Beka Cooper books as well.
The Song of the Lioness quartet is the story of a girl who decides to rebel against tradition and follow her heart to become a knight. In her time, ladies simply do NOT become knights. They learn to organize households and marry well. Alanna, however, is lucky enough to have a twin brother who does not want to become a knight; instead Thom wants to be a mage. So when they're sent off to face their futures, they switch places, with Alanna becoming "Alan", the younger twin. (Thom stays Thom; the school that ladies are sent to is the same school mages start at.)
Alan/Alanna begins as a page, then moves to squire, and eventually a knight. Her secret is discovered, but due to her influential friends, most of whom knew she was a girl by then, she is able to keep her status. Her adventures take her from uncovering a plot against the royal family, to being adopted by a desert tribe, to recovering a magic jewel of prosperity, with many small adventures in between.
I love reading Pierce's heroines; both Alanna and Beka have problems reconciling their feminine natures with the work they've chosen. The scenes where Alanna's love interests see her in a dress for the first time, instead of her normal boy-garb and armor, is heart-warming in one case, and sad in another. In both womens' lives it's the man who can accept all of their aspects who ultimately wins their heart, which is a wonderful message.
Ultimately, the technical flaws in the writing of the Alanna saga faded as I became absorbed in the story. I'll be requesting more Tortall books from the library in the near future!
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Deadpool 2 (2018) in Movies
May 18, 2018
More of the same - and that's just fine with me
Did you like the first Deadpool film? Was the humor right up your alley? Did you chuckle at the inappropriateness and the pop culture referential humor?
If you did, then you're gonna like DEADPOOL 2 - which pretty much gives your more of the same.
I have to admit that I wasn't laughing uproariously at the first 1/2 hour of Deadpool 2. I thought the filmmakers and Ryan Reynolds were trying just a bit too hard to capture the flavor and flair of the first film and so the jokes - whilst funny - gave me grins, but not guffaws. I was, if I'm honest with myself, beginning to get a little bored with the humor.
And then came the X-FORCE.
If memory serves, it was just about at the 1/2 hour mark when I had my first outloud guffaw in this theater going experience, and then the next one came just minutes later and then there was another one and another one and another one...
Credit for this must go to the writers of both Deadpool films - Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. They, wisely, decided to add the X FORCE into this film to take the burden of the humor of this film off of the back of Reynolds and spreads it out a bit to these characters.
Not that Reynolds needed the help. He is completely comfortable in Deadpool's skin and his natural charm shines through brightly and brings us a character that is one that we like vs. one that annoys us. Speaking of annoying, TJ Miller reprises his role as Deadpool's best pal, Weasel. I have stated earlier that I find Miller annoying. But...to be fair to him...he is not in this film. Maybe that is because he is not around all that much.
Also returning from the first film is Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Deadpool's girlfriend, Leslie Uggams as "Blind Al" and Karan Soni as Dopinder, the cab driver. It is a testament to this film that at the end, I wanted more of each of these characters (well...maybe not Weasel), but - especially - I really wanted to see more of Baccarin.
But I can't really complain because the "Big Bad" in this film, Josh Brolin, scores another triumph as CABLE. I won't give away too much about this character, but Brolin - much like his work as Thanos in INFINITY WAR - brings layers of humanity to his character and Cable is much more than just a "Bad Guy bent on destroying things."
As far as the X-Force. The less I say about them the better, but they are a highlight of this film. Terry Crews, Bill Skarsgard, a "Mystery A List Actor", Rob Delaney and, especially, Zazie Beetz are terrific as the band of misfits that Deadpool brings together to help battle Cable.
Also joining in - from the first film - are "lesser" X-Men Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) and Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapcic). It was good to see them - and to see this film answer the question about "where are the other X-Men"?
Director David Leitch (ATOMIC BLONDE) keeps the action - and comedy - coming at a rip-roaring pace, not lingering on a joke or an action scene too long. Helming a nicely paced and nicely entertaining film.
As with all things Marvel, stay for the first 5 minutes of the credits for the "extra scene", it is well worth it. There is a humorous song at the end of the credits that is, quite frankly not really worth staying for.
I'm going to chalk up my experience with the first 1/2 hour of this film to me needing to get my mind on the right track for the type of movie that this is. Once I did that, I enjoyed myself quite nicely.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
If you did, then you're gonna like DEADPOOL 2 - which pretty much gives your more of the same.
I have to admit that I wasn't laughing uproariously at the first 1/2 hour of Deadpool 2. I thought the filmmakers and Ryan Reynolds were trying just a bit too hard to capture the flavor and flair of the first film and so the jokes - whilst funny - gave me grins, but not guffaws. I was, if I'm honest with myself, beginning to get a little bored with the humor.
And then came the X-FORCE.
If memory serves, it was just about at the 1/2 hour mark when I had my first outloud guffaw in this theater going experience, and then the next one came just minutes later and then there was another one and another one and another one...
Credit for this must go to the writers of both Deadpool films - Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. They, wisely, decided to add the X FORCE into this film to take the burden of the humor of this film off of the back of Reynolds and spreads it out a bit to these characters.
Not that Reynolds needed the help. He is completely comfortable in Deadpool's skin and his natural charm shines through brightly and brings us a character that is one that we like vs. one that annoys us. Speaking of annoying, TJ Miller reprises his role as Deadpool's best pal, Weasel. I have stated earlier that I find Miller annoying. But...to be fair to him...he is not in this film. Maybe that is because he is not around all that much.
Also returning from the first film is Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Deadpool's girlfriend, Leslie Uggams as "Blind Al" and Karan Soni as Dopinder, the cab driver. It is a testament to this film that at the end, I wanted more of each of these characters (well...maybe not Weasel), but - especially - I really wanted to see more of Baccarin.
But I can't really complain because the "Big Bad" in this film, Josh Brolin, scores another triumph as CABLE. I won't give away too much about this character, but Brolin - much like his work as Thanos in INFINITY WAR - brings layers of humanity to his character and Cable is much more than just a "Bad Guy bent on destroying things."
As far as the X-Force. The less I say about them the better, but they are a highlight of this film. Terry Crews, Bill Skarsgard, a "Mystery A List Actor", Rob Delaney and, especially, Zazie Beetz are terrific as the band of misfits that Deadpool brings together to help battle Cable.
Also joining in - from the first film - are "lesser" X-Men Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) and Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapcic). It was good to see them - and to see this film answer the question about "where are the other X-Men"?
Director David Leitch (ATOMIC BLONDE) keeps the action - and comedy - coming at a rip-roaring pace, not lingering on a joke or an action scene too long. Helming a nicely paced and nicely entertaining film.
As with all things Marvel, stay for the first 5 minutes of the credits for the "extra scene", it is well worth it. There is a humorous song at the end of the credits that is, quite frankly not really worth staying for.
I'm going to chalk up my experience with the first 1/2 hour of this film to me needing to get my mind on the right track for the type of movie that this is. Once I did that, I enjoyed myself quite nicely.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Half Of What You Hear in Books
Mar 20, 2019
Captivating characters and story
Bess and Cole Warner arrive in Greyhill, Virginia from Washington, DC. Ostensibly they've come to take over the local inn from Cole's parents, Diane and Bradley, but they are also fleeing the city. Bess is leaving behind her job as a social secretary at the White House, which she left in disgrace. Greyhill, meanwhile, is a beautiful town, but also one of old money, tradition, and gossip. Bess literally lives across the stress from her in-laws, allowing Diane to pop in anytime, bringing with her her trademark mixture of judgement and condescension. Bess soon realizes that it's not easy to assimilate into Greyhill if you're deemed an "outsider." Her husband seems happy among his old friends--many of whom are more than glad to spread gossip about Bess. Her twin children are figuring out their way at the local private school--a challenge that seems harder for her daughter than son. When she's offered a chance to write an article on a local figure, Susannah Greyhill Lane, Bess jumps at the chance. She soon realizes Susannah is a bit of a kindred spirit: the town doesn't seem to like her much either. Susannah also has a lot of secrets, some of which involve Bess' in-laws. As Bess learns more about Greyhill's past, she starts to wonder exactly what she's gotten herself and her family into.
This was a really engaging, easy-to-read book that expertly captured the small town dynamic. Bess was a likeable character, struggling as an outsider in her husband's town. She's trying to put a mistake behind her at her former job, giving her even more trust issues. The novel is told mainly from Bess' point of view, but we also get snippets of town gossip, too. Ugh, having lived in such a town, I can tell you that Lewis really gets it right. I was wrapped up in the story from the beginning and felt awfully sorry for Bess--moving away from all she knew and having to deal with those hateful small town busybodies (sometimes there's nothing worse, really).
"It's like living in Stars Hollow, the charming small town on Gilmore Girls... Although honestly, so far, Greyhill feels a little more Desperate Housewives. The star character being me."
I was initially drawn to reading this book because the fake town of Greyhill, as written, is practically in my backyard. It frequently mentions my hometown of Madison (which, believe me, *never* shows up in books - it's not that big), as well as where I currently live. Even better, Lewis captures both quite well, as well as the moneyed, snobby atmosphere of Greyhill that will be intimately familiar to anyone who lives in Virginia. There's always something fun about reading about a place (or places) you know. My favorite sports team even gets a mention!
Bess is also a very realistic mother. The book does an excellent job of capturing how hard it is being a mom when your kid is going through a hard time, for example. Honestly, it does a good job of portraying parenthood in general--it's real and true throughout. I very much appreciated that. None of the sugarcoated parent/child relationships we get in some books.
This one was not completely what I expected. While it's character-driven and portrays Bess' struggle to fit in in Greyhill, it is almost a mystery at times. You can't really trust what you read and it's twisty, with some surprises thrown in. It makes for a fast, interesting read that delves into the history of Greyhill and Bess' family.
Overall, this was a really captivating book. I enjoyed the characters and the story--and the setting was a real bonus. This is the first book I've read by Krusek Lewis, but I definitely would like to read more.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Harper Collins, via LibraryThing in return for an unbiased review - thank you!
This was a really engaging, easy-to-read book that expertly captured the small town dynamic. Bess was a likeable character, struggling as an outsider in her husband's town. She's trying to put a mistake behind her at her former job, giving her even more trust issues. The novel is told mainly from Bess' point of view, but we also get snippets of town gossip, too. Ugh, having lived in such a town, I can tell you that Lewis really gets it right. I was wrapped up in the story from the beginning and felt awfully sorry for Bess--moving away from all she knew and having to deal with those hateful small town busybodies (sometimes there's nothing worse, really).
"It's like living in Stars Hollow, the charming small town on Gilmore Girls... Although honestly, so far, Greyhill feels a little more Desperate Housewives. The star character being me."
I was initially drawn to reading this book because the fake town of Greyhill, as written, is practically in my backyard. It frequently mentions my hometown of Madison (which, believe me, *never* shows up in books - it's not that big), as well as where I currently live. Even better, Lewis captures both quite well, as well as the moneyed, snobby atmosphere of Greyhill that will be intimately familiar to anyone who lives in Virginia. There's always something fun about reading about a place (or places) you know. My favorite sports team even gets a mention!
Bess is also a very realistic mother. The book does an excellent job of capturing how hard it is being a mom when your kid is going through a hard time, for example. Honestly, it does a good job of portraying parenthood in general--it's real and true throughout. I very much appreciated that. None of the sugarcoated parent/child relationships we get in some books.
This one was not completely what I expected. While it's character-driven and portrays Bess' struggle to fit in in Greyhill, it is almost a mystery at times. You can't really trust what you read and it's twisty, with some surprises thrown in. It makes for a fast, interesting read that delves into the history of Greyhill and Bess' family.
Overall, this was a really captivating book. I enjoyed the characters and the story--and the setting was a real bonus. This is the first book I've read by Krusek Lewis, but I definitely would like to read more.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Harper Collins, via LibraryThing in return for an unbiased review - thank you!
postapocalypticplayground (27 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Jan 29, 2018
The year is 2044, the world has burnt through it's fossil fuels and the effects of global warming has left the world in decline, many turn to drugs and crime to survive and to cope with the world around them. Tech giant James Halliday offers humanity an escape in "The Oasis" a virtual universe where you can pretty much do anything you want and mostly for free. When Halliday dies he has no heir to his vast fortune and announces to the world an elaborate game, the first to win and find his "easter egg" inherits everything. The game however is fiendish and after 5 years without a single clue answered, many have given up searching until one day, Wade Watts, becomes the first to enter the scoreboard and the race to win explodes back into everyone's lives.
I think it's safe to say I devoured this book! Whilst set in a future world, most of what takes place is within the Oasis itself as Wade is a "gunter" (an whittled down name for egg hunter) he dedicates his life to the search for the egg, living on a diet rich with 80's pop culture his knowledge is great enough to rival Halliday's himself. He is far from alone in this though, many are still searching and the race is on against corporate egg hunters, the Sixers, who want to take the egg purely for profiteering. I loved Wade as a character and whilst everything seems overwhelming for him the writing never feels so. You feel everything he goes through, willing him to solve each riddle, sharing his frustration at each dead end and his joy when something goes right. It's almost as if Wade becomes the readers avatar. The 80's references are many as well as throwbacks to all kinds of gaming which I loved and there was many a knowing smile and laugh out loud moment for me whilst reading. I loved how the solving of each puzzle was well laid out and researched (apart from the Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters that is) and how the story felt comfortable moving away from it's linear path, sometimes surprisingly so.
It's quite lacking in female avatars though which I think is a little sad, other than Art3mis it's pretty much a lad zone, which given that female gamers now make up over 40% (various sources) of the gaming populous makes it feel that the book was written for a male stereotype (and stereotyping crops up a lot). Not only is she the only female avatar but it feels like she is only there to be the "love interest" despite her being a formidable gunter. It's not all bad, she is pretty much the most kick ass of all of them but I just wished there was a more even presence. There is also sadly a fair bit of tokenism going on and I felt some minority groups were marginalised.
It didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book at the time which I read pretty much every opportunity I got, but now having had time to reflect I'm going to have to knock a star off for everything I mentioned above. If you grew up in, or have a good knowledge of the 1980's and have a thing for retro gaming this will tick a ton of boxes for you. If you didn't or don't, this is still a great adventure that will pull you in and you will likely discover a whole new world of games, films and TV that you may find yourself wanting to check out!
I think it's safe to say I devoured this book! Whilst set in a future world, most of what takes place is within the Oasis itself as Wade is a "gunter" (an whittled down name for egg hunter) he dedicates his life to the search for the egg, living on a diet rich with 80's pop culture his knowledge is great enough to rival Halliday's himself. He is far from alone in this though, many are still searching and the race is on against corporate egg hunters, the Sixers, who want to take the egg purely for profiteering. I loved Wade as a character and whilst everything seems overwhelming for him the writing never feels so. You feel everything he goes through, willing him to solve each riddle, sharing his frustration at each dead end and his joy when something goes right. It's almost as if Wade becomes the readers avatar. The 80's references are many as well as throwbacks to all kinds of gaming which I loved and there was many a knowing smile and laugh out loud moment for me whilst reading. I loved how the solving of each puzzle was well laid out and researched (apart from the Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters that is) and how the story felt comfortable moving away from it's linear path, sometimes surprisingly so.
It's quite lacking in female avatars though which I think is a little sad, other than Art3mis it's pretty much a lad zone, which given that female gamers now make up over 40% (various sources) of the gaming populous makes it feel that the book was written for a male stereotype (and stereotyping crops up a lot). Not only is she the only female avatar but it feels like she is only there to be the "love interest" despite her being a formidable gunter. It's not all bad, she is pretty much the most kick ass of all of them but I just wished there was a more even presence. There is also sadly a fair bit of tokenism going on and I felt some minority groups were marginalised.
It didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book at the time which I read pretty much every opportunity I got, but now having had time to reflect I'm going to have to knock a star off for everything I mentioned above. If you grew up in, or have a good knowledge of the 1980's and have a thing for retro gaming this will tick a ton of boxes for you. If you didn't or don't, this is still a great adventure that will pull you in and you will likely discover a whole new world of games, films and TV that you may find yourself wanting to check out!