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JT (287 KP) rated Headhunters (2012) in Movies

Mar 10, 2020  
Headhunters (2012)
Headhunters (2012)
2012 | Action, International, Mystery
6
7.6 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Roger Brown (Hennie) has it all, a gorgeous wife a beautiful house and lots of money. As a headhunter for a recruitment company he supplements this lifestyle by stealing rare and expensive paintings and replacing them with perfect copies.

At his wife Diana’s art gallery he is introduced to Clas (Coster-Waldau) who he lines up for a potential job with a big client. When Roger discovers that Clas is in possession of a rare painting he takes the opportunity to steal it, not realizing however that his actions will be traced back to him.

It’s clear that Roger’s flamboyant lifestyle and trophy wife is compensation for his own inferiority complex, as he explains in the opening monologue of the film. Filled with paranoia he soon believes that Clas is out to kill him, either for stealing the painting or to get rid of him so Clas can have Diana for his own.

It’s a simple game of cat and mouse between Roger and Clas that escalates into epic proportions as Roger goes on the run. Clas is extremely cool and calculated in his approach and toys with Roger, it’s a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat, tension that foreign film is seemingly well known for.

It’s adapted from the Jo Nesbø novel of the same name, and to be honest once Roger goes on the run it turns from thriller to black comedy and back again in an instant. Some scenes have shock value, others will turn your head away from the screen no sooner look at it but it’s all good fun.

Roger is put through the wringer as he’s slowly hunted down, avoiding capture by hiding in human faeces, trying to escape on the slowest form of transport imaginable and driven off the end of a cliff. At the end of all this the sympathy for Roger is overwhelming.

It’s a comically engaging film with twists and turns, gruesome in parts which you won’t expect.
  
The Conjuring 2 (2016)
The Conjuring 2 (2016)
2016 | Horror
Horror and Suspense movies always intrigued me, especially the ones based on true events or are historically based. The fact that it happened to someone actually made me more invested in the story and prompted me to think of the ways that I would deal with that situation should it arise. After watching The Conjuring 2, I hope that day never happens.

Conjuring 2 finds us catching up with Ed and Lorraine Warren as they travel to Enfield, England to help a family suffering from a paranormal encounter. After gaining a measure of fame for their experience, the Hodgson family is sought out by the Catholic Church and the Warrens in order to determine if the incidents are real or fabricated. They discover that this case pushes them to the limits of their faith and results in them becoming the targets of this demonic possession.

The film itself is a stronger story, filled with more suspense and depth than the first film and goes far beyond Annabelle, which, at times had me not connect at all with the family and I found myself cheering for the doll. The chemistry between Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring, Insidious series) and Vera Farmiga (The Departed, The Conjuring) and Frances O’Connor drive the story and ensure that audiences become invested within the storyline and circumstances and not just for the “frights.”

Sequels can often be plagued with problems, tropes, and going overboard with certain themes and ideas in order to retain its core audience. This is not the case with The Conjuring 2. The story and approach are fresh. Aspects of the film are not predictable. There are no massive holes within the plot. Time was invested within the writing and filming to ensure a solid story, suspense, and impact on viewers beyond their exit from the theater. The Conjuring series looks as though it is just getting started. Personally, I look forward to the remaining stories of the Warren family even if it means sleeping with the lights on after viewing.
  
Chosen (The Warrior Chronicles #1)
Chosen (The Warrior Chronicles #1)
K. F. Breene | 2021 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
13 of 250
Kindle
Chosen ( Warrior Chronicles book 1)
By K.F. Breene

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

It is said that when war threatens the world, one individual will be selected by prophecy to lead the Shadow Warriors out of the Land of Mist and reclaim the freedom which has been stolen.
~~
Shanti has grown up under the constant threat of war. Since she helped her people defeat a raiding party by using a special power, she’s been a hunted woman. Carrying rare abilities and an uncanny fighting aptitude, Shanti is the only hope of salvation for her people. The problem is, she doesn’t believe in her own divinity, and when she flounders, she nearly fails in the duty hanging so heavy on her shoulders.

It seems like any other day when Sanders and his band of misfit boys find a foreign woman clinging to life in the wastelands. Oblivious to the weapon they now have in their possession, they are content to harbor the mysterious woman until she is well enough to continue her journey.

But when the war spreads its arms and lands on her borrowed doorstep, Shanti has no choice but to reveal her secrets, plunging her saviors into danger. If they band with her, they will face certain death. But to trade her to Xandre, the warlord desperate to add her to his war machine, would be to give up their entire way of life.

War is coming. The only choice becomes: Which side do you choose?


I loved shanti she was brilliant! I really enjoyed the book and it’s characters! So why only. a 3 star rating? Well I got a little bored at some of it if I’m honest there were times in the book I felt a bit meh!! I can’t quite pin point it although I do find the cayan quite boring! Saying that overs it’s a good book!
  
The Supers )The Supers #1, Dreamspun Beyond #6)
The Supers )The Supers #1, Dreamspun Beyond #6)
Sean Michael | 2017 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
GREAT book, good narration
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted the AUDIO file of this book.

Flynn joins Blaine's paranormal research group, and they visit an abandoned hospital. Things get real creepy and the guys are faced with a possession, a haunting a tragic love story and a twist I did not see coming!

Another one of those books that kinda creeps up on ya and you have no idea, not a single clue about how its all gonna go down!

While there is immediate attraction between Blaine and Flynn, it takes a while for them to act on it.

The story of Room 204 builds at an even pace and there were points where I had to rewind, and double check that Blaine had in fact, called Flynn David. The story of Room 204 (that's how I heard it, with a capital R, if that makes sense!) did not play out how I was expecting it to!

It's a little . . . fluffier. . . than other books I've read of Michael (Three Wishes) but it is a DreamSpun Beyond and they are generally so. Just enough heat and passion between Blaine and Flynn to keep the heat level high, but not scorching. Right for this book.

Kenneth Obi narrates.

Mostly, I enjoyed Obi's narration. His reading voice is clear and deep and he got over the emotions of Blaine and Flynn in all the right ways, in all the right places.

His voice for the 204 ghost comes across as really REALLY nasty in some places, though, and that is probably why I did not see that ending coming at me.I thought the ghost was going to be a bit more vengeful.

And the voices Obi gives to Blaine and Flynn are far too similar for my crappy hearing to make out the difference between them, so I struggled a bit keeping up with conversations between them

BUT!!! I will give Obi another go, as this is the first of his work I listened to.

5 stars for the book
4 stars for the narration
4.5 (rounded down to 4) overall

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Revenge (2018)
Revenge (2018)
2018 | Action, Thriller
Doin it for the kill
#revengemovie is without question the best looking movie of #2018, its so slick & #stylish I'd go as far as saying its this years #drive. #Revenge has a standard #rape/revenge plot we've all seen a million times before but you'd be greatly mistaken by passing up on this one believe me. Part #horror part drama Revenge has one of the most amazing visual styles ive seen in a while. Colours are blinding at times almost to the point of over saturation giving the film heat & vibrancy. This mixed with some insanely #beautiful cinematography had me literally sat with my mouth open in amazement. Every scene seems meticulously shot with such purpose & precision that its hard to not feel like your watching a piece of #art. Top that with a #comicbook/#80s feel & tone & what you have here is film that feels so fresh you forget that this genre hasnt been done to death already. #Soundtrack wise its pure perfection too with synth music pulsing throughout its intoxicating & keeps the films momentum flowing well. Metaphors are absolutely everywhere but the main one i picked up on is #femaleempowerment. At the start of the film #male character are chauvinistic & dominant treating her as a possession rather than a person but once she gets impaled by a tree roles seem to reverse & we see her become the man in a kind of #twisted rebirth (the tree implement scene i also see as a metaphor for the pain they put her through & even while walking around she has severed tree branch sticking out of her stomach almost like it represents that she's the man now with the tree branch representing male genitalia). Even the tagline suggests themes of fighting domestic abuse too. Acting is superb with #matildaannaingridlutz literally dominating the #film not only with her acting but with her incredible #beauty too. Right from the start i was sucked right in by its beauty, unnerved by its atmosphere & repulsed by its gore but theres not a second of it i didnt #love. Half #french subtitled half #english dialog Revenge is a #violent, unnerving, grisly & down right #gorgeous piece of #cinema that i cant recommend enough. Perfection. #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmcritic #fridayfeeling #gore
  
Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter, #1)
Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter, #1)
Virginia Boecker | 2015 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>

The sixteenth century is a dangerous time for wizards and witches to live – a place where magic is illegal. Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Grey spends her time disguised as a kitchen maid as she goes around hunting down witches. However when she is accused of witchcraft after being found in possession of herbs, her life is over. Suddenly the most wanted wizard in Anglia, who claims she can help him as much as he can help her, rescues her. Finding herself surrounded by the enemy, Elizabeth must decide whether she should escape and turn them in, or begin to trust people she has been raised to believe are evil.

<i>Witch Hunter</i> is a young adult fantasy novel targeted at those with a love of both historical and magical stories. Initially Elizabeth wants to capture and send all wizards and witches to their deaths, but after her rescue begins to realize that not all she has been led to believe is true. Magic is neither inherently good nor bad; it is what someone does with the power that matters. This story is full of action from beginning to end as Elizabeth learns who to trust and who needs to be destroyed.

At the beginning of the book there was a particular reference to something that felt inappropriate for young readers, however the remainder is exactly what the reader expects to find within this genre. Underneath the magical storyline is a message that urges readers not to jump to conclusions and be judgmental, particularly about things that they do not fully understand. Substitute magic for mental illness, disabilities or different cultures, and you have something that readers of all ages can relate to today.

<i>Witch Hunter</i> is the first in what promises to be an incredible series by the author Virginia Boecker. Although the key issue was resolved within this first book there is an even larger issue that still needs settling. Readers who enjoy this novel will be eagerly waiting to find out what Elizabeth and her new friends do next.
  
I did not like Blue!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.

A year ago, Kelly and Blue took the friendship to a whole other level. But Blue plays football, and doesn't wanna come out yet. He just needs to bide his time. Kelly, however, is growing impatient with Blue. Can Blue keep Kelly happy, while he gets himself together?

This is book two in the Rules of Possession duet, and you NEED to read book one, The Blueprint, first.

I listened to book one, and I said that I found that the narrator for Blue didn't quite for me, even though Sean Crisden is a firm favourite of mine. However, since READING book two, I've decided it's NOT the narrator, but Blue himself who is the problem!

I could hear Kelly when I read his chapters, but not so much Blue. I connected better to Kelly than Blue. I loved Kelly, but Blue?? Nah, wanted to punch him so bad!

Keeping Kelly happy is Blue's number one priority, but he still has to work, to play football, and to leave Kelly from time to time and that does rather kill Blue. He DOES love Kelly, that much is obvious, but he just can't come out yet, not to everyone else.

BUT everyone else? Those around Blue and Kelly all the time?? THEY know, they knew BEFORE Kelly and Blue did! When a couple of players voice what they know, and Blue gets caught kissing Kelly on their vacation, he knows he has to come out. And he does.

I just *insert sigh* expected the fall out of that to be . . . MORE . . . you know?? Blue goes on about how big a deal it is, to come out as a football player, about how BAD it will be, and I expected the fall out to be nuclear. But it's more of a damp firework, to be honest!

I DID enjoy reading this, but the thing I struggled the most with was Blue himself. But Kelly's voice is so strong, it balances out Blue perfectly. And the story rounded off beautifully, in a very Kelly way!

4 solid stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
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JT (287 KP) rated Child's Play (2019) in Movies

Mar 10, 2020  
Child&#039;s Play (2019)
Child's Play (2019)
2019 | Horror
Re-imagining of classic horror films can go either way. They can stick close to the original while giving it a fresh injection of gore to satisfy the bloodthirsty millennials. Or deviate it from the storyline altogether to put its own spin on the narrative.

In the Child’s Play remake the original ‘Good Guy’ dolls have been replaced by 21st-century technology in the form of ‘Buddi’ dolls which, have been produced by Kaslan Industries. And instead of a psychotic serial killer transferring his soul to the body of a doll, Buddi has all of his safety features disabled by a disgruntled Kaslan employee. The change from possession to A.I. fits perfectly within the modern world where people rely heavily on their phones and various voice-activated gadgets.

The gore levels should more than satisfy horror fans with death scenes ranging from tillers, saws and self-driving cars

Best friends, Chucky and Andy (Gabriel Bateman) share a moment
Chucky, as he will inevitably call himself, makes his way to Chicago and into the home of the Barclay’s, where mum Karen (Aubrey Plaza) gets her hands on the defective doll as an early birthday present for son Andy (Gabriel Bateman). After a few small glitches (eyes turning red) Andy and Chucky start to form a close bond. But the bond takes a sinister turn when Chucky starts to act differently in his pursuit of the ultimate friendship.

One of the highlights of the film is the brilliant casting of Mark Hamill as the voice of the murderous doll. Hamill (outside of Star Wars) is well known as a talented voice actor, having provided the voice of the Joker in the animated series. Hamill uses his full range of softly spoken innocence and demented rage to portray a character who is influenced by everything around him (there are blatant references to E.T.) and then uses it to the best of his ability in killing off people in a range of horrific (and comical) ways.

The gore levels should more than satisfy horror fans with death scenes ranging from tillers, saws and self-driving cars. It’s not without its faults but this satirical take on the slasher genre is certainly B-movie levels at best.
  
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
2011 | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
10
6.3 (30 Ratings)
Movie Rating
“ Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me. We pillage plunder, we rifle a loot. Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho. We kidnap and ravage and don’t give a hoot drink up me ‘earties yo ho”.
Captain Jack Sparrow is at it again with a map in one hand and a bottle of rum in the other. In the fourth installment of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Captain Jack Sparrow teams up with an old flame Angelica (Penelope Cruz) and her father Blackbeard (Ian McShane) in the hopes of finding the Fountain of Eternal Youth. There are a group of Englishmen captained by Barbossa and a group of Spaniards who are on the quest to find the fountain as well. In order to reap the benefits of said fountain they have to find two chalices that are in the possession of Ponce de Leon and a mermaids tear. With a great storyline from Tedd Elliot and Terry Rossio the summer movie season has started off on the right foot and looks very promising.

Jerry Bruckheimer brings us Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger tides in excellent 3D. Unlike a lot of the other recent 3D movies converted into 3D, POTC is actually shot with a 3D camera providing the audience with better graphics and exciting effects. Unlike the others this new installment is based upon the book On Stranger Tides written by Tim Powers and includes but is not limited to mermaids, Zombie crewmembers, lots of rum, revenge, romance, mystery and a lot of swashbuckling excitement.

Orlando Bloom and Keira Nightly are not missed as Capt. Jack once again steels the show. The 1967 Disney attraction has changed over the years and most recently Capt Jack himself, Capt. Barbossa and coming soon they will be adding Blackbeard to the previous Davy Jones fog projection screen. The future for Jack Sparrow looks very promising as it has been rumored that Johnny Depp is already signed on for more pirate adventures. I loved this movie and is a great kick off to the summer movie season and I plan on seeing it again only this time in “4-D” at the closest D-Box(motion simulation seats) theater.
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Hawthorne High in Books

Sep 18, 2019  
Hawthorne High
Hawthorne High
Jordan Elizabeth Mierek | 2019 | Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)
7
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Bullied for many things, such as having a boys name, Dylan Hatfield's only friends are imaginary. Imaginary, that is until they ask her to help possess the minds of the bullies. Happy that her enemies are now being nice to her, Dylan soon realises she has made a mistake when horrible things start to happen around town. Not only were they not imaginary, but it also appears they are evil too.

Hawthorne High is a short young adult ghost story by the versatile author Jordan Elizabeth. Set in the present day, the story deals with past and current issues, particularly bullying. Dylan has been bullied her whole life and it is the attention she receives from her "imaginary friends" that leads her to make a devastating decision. Whilst not a conventional way to tackle bullying, the possession of the bullies makes Dylan's life much better at school but it has dangerous consequences for the rest of the town.

The "imaginary friends" or ghosts, as they turn out to be, harbour grudges about the town and the people who tormented them in the past. The people are no longer living and it is the current inhabitants that end up paying for their past transgressions. Without being able to tell anyone about the ghosts, Dylan has to find out how to get rid of them and save the town from total destruction.

When the author offered me the book to read in exchange for a review, I almost said no. The term "ghost story" nearly put me off because I do not enjoy scary stories, however, due to the reassurance that it was "more of a drama than a horror," I agreed to give the book a chance, and I am glad I did. Being short, Hawthorne High is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged. The story becomes exciting as it unfolds and the town's past comes to light.

More could be written about the ghosts' history, however, as a short story, Hawthorne High works well and is great for a quick read. Although written for young adults, it is a story adult readers can enjoy too.