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Awix (3310 KP) rated Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) in Movies
Feb 8, 2018
Everything but the Nagashidai
Almost wholly nuts kaiju-SF movie originally produced for the 50th anniversary of Godzilla's first appearance. It actually does a pretty good job of having something for everyone - everyone who's ever enjoyed a Godzilla film, anyway. The plot is certainly reminiscent of some of the 60s movies - aliens from Planet X (seriously) turn up and initially pretend to be friendly, but turn out to be intent on taking over the world, using their ability to control almost all of Earth's monsters. Naturally, Godzilla is immune, and the desperate human characters resort to releasing Godzilla from the prison he's been in for years so he can sort the invaders out - even if this will mean him having to fight virtually every other monster on the planet almost single-handed.
All very promising, if you like this sort of thing, but the director's clear desire to actually be making a Matrix sequel is a bit intrusive - there's a lot of human-on-human martial arts action which isn't what I personally turn up to a Godzilla movie for. The sheer knowing silliness of the film may also be off-putting for some viewers.
But set against all that, there's a bit where Mothra battles Gigan! There's a fight between proper Japanese Godzilla and the mutant iguana pretender from the Roland Emmerich version! You get to see Baby Godzilla sitting in the cab of a pick-up truck during an unexpected subplot about hitch-hiking! And much more. (Keith Emerson's soundtrack is very atypical for a Godzilla film, but actually pretty funky.) The sheer profusion of monsters - nearly every Toho beastie makes at least a cameo, the only big-name absentee being Mechagodzilla - and the cheerful craziness of the story make this, if not quite an entirely worthy tribute to Godzilla's first fifty years, then certainly a very hard film to completely dislike.
All very promising, if you like this sort of thing, but the director's clear desire to actually be making a Matrix sequel is a bit intrusive - there's a lot of human-on-human martial arts action which isn't what I personally turn up to a Godzilla movie for. The sheer knowing silliness of the film may also be off-putting for some viewers.
But set against all that, there's a bit where Mothra battles Gigan! There's a fight between proper Japanese Godzilla and the mutant iguana pretender from the Roland Emmerich version! You get to see Baby Godzilla sitting in the cab of a pick-up truck during an unexpected subplot about hitch-hiking! And much more. (Keith Emerson's soundtrack is very atypical for a Godzilla film, but actually pretty funky.) The sheer profusion of monsters - nearly every Toho beastie makes at least a cameo, the only big-name absentee being Mechagodzilla - and the cheerful craziness of the story make this, if not quite an entirely worthy tribute to Godzilla's first fifty years, then certainly a very hard film to completely dislike.
BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated Bad Billionaire in Books
Oct 16, 2018
Book Review by Cari Mayhew. Rating 7/10.
This book offers an adult romance with a dramatic backstory!
After reading the darkly gothic book The Corset, I was ready for some nice light reading – something modern with a feel good factor – and that’s exactly what I got!
The story telling is split between 2 protagonists, Olivia and bad boy Devon Wilder. They are neighbours who have eyed each other from afar. Then one day Devon offers Olivia a lift home, and it all goes on from there. Devon is deliciously dangerous next to ordinary Olivia, he’s a loner with a tendency to get into trouble.
Early in the story Devon gets caught as a getaway driver and is sent to prison, and it’s towards the end of his sentence that he’s informed that he’s come into a large inheritance. And that makes him more interesting to the crowd that used to get him into trouble.
Despite there being 2 narrators, the book is most definitely aimed at straight women, as all the adult scenes are from Olivia’s stand point.
I found the characters and story believable.
It has its differences with 50 Shades of Grey – Devon is no gentleman for a start. The tension is there but the drama takes a different route.
I chose this book for its brevity, but the problem with its book is its brevity – I’m sure the author could have thrown a few more adult scenes in there, or maybe combined some of the story from the sequel in with this book.
Unlike most first books in a series, it doesn’t end in a cliff hanger; and it turns out the next book focuses on different characters. I may read the sequel one day, but I’m not in a rush.
Admittedly a lot of book is cliché, but I found it very likable. I would recommend it, but for the target audience only.
This book offers an adult romance with a dramatic backstory!
After reading the darkly gothic book The Corset, I was ready for some nice light reading – something modern with a feel good factor – and that’s exactly what I got!
The story telling is split between 2 protagonists, Olivia and bad boy Devon Wilder. They are neighbours who have eyed each other from afar. Then one day Devon offers Olivia a lift home, and it all goes on from there. Devon is deliciously dangerous next to ordinary Olivia, he’s a loner with a tendency to get into trouble.
Early in the story Devon gets caught as a getaway driver and is sent to prison, and it’s towards the end of his sentence that he’s informed that he’s come into a large inheritance. And that makes him more interesting to the crowd that used to get him into trouble.
Despite there being 2 narrators, the book is most definitely aimed at straight women, as all the adult scenes are from Olivia’s stand point.
I found the characters and story believable.
It has its differences with 50 Shades of Grey – Devon is no gentleman for a start. The tension is there but the drama takes a different route.
I chose this book for its brevity, but the problem with its book is its brevity – I’m sure the author could have thrown a few more adult scenes in there, or maybe combined some of the story from the sequel in with this book.
Unlike most first books in a series, it doesn’t end in a cliff hanger; and it turns out the next book focuses on different characters. I may read the sequel one day, but I’m not in a rush.
Admittedly a lot of book is cliché, but I found it very likable. I would recommend it, but for the target audience only.
A poignant story of family history.
Akin was such a lovely surprise of a book. It’s a touching story of an elderly widower, Noah, and his estranged 12 year old great-nephew Michael, going on holiday together to Noah’s birthplace in France. Noah hasn’t been back to Nice since he left as a four year old during WWII and wants to go there for his 80th birthday. Noah and his wife were both science professors at a New York university, and had decided not to have children so that they could concentrate on their careers. So when Michael is dropped in to Noah’s life, it’s something of a shock. Noah rises to the challenge, no matter how reluctantly, because Michaels mother is serving a five year prison sentence, his father (Noah’s nephew) is dead of an overdose, and his maternal grandmother has recently died. Noah is a good person, whether he realises it or not.
I loved how both of the characters were written: Noah is not some feeble old man, he’s fit, mentally sharp and has a great sense of humour - something that’s needed with a pre-teen! Michael puts on a front of being worldly wise, wise cracking and untouchable, whilst hiding the scared 12 year old that he is. I loved how the two of them bounced off one another. To be fair, Noah is incredibly patient with him, considering that he hasn’t had much experience with 12 year olds!
The mystery element was fascinating, too. Noah has found some photos in his deceased sisters belongings which came from their mother. They’re quite abstract: the backs of heads, legs, parts of a building, and Noah starts to find out things that he’s not sure that he likes about his mother’s war.
This search was really interesting, as were the details about Noah’s famous photographer grandfather, Père Sonne.
This is such a lovely story that looks at what it is to be family - warts and all. I would highly recommend it. It’s wonderful.
I loved how both of the characters were written: Noah is not some feeble old man, he’s fit, mentally sharp and has a great sense of humour - something that’s needed with a pre-teen! Michael puts on a front of being worldly wise, wise cracking and untouchable, whilst hiding the scared 12 year old that he is. I loved how the two of them bounced off one another. To be fair, Noah is incredibly patient with him, considering that he hasn’t had much experience with 12 year olds!
The mystery element was fascinating, too. Noah has found some photos in his deceased sisters belongings which came from their mother. They’re quite abstract: the backs of heads, legs, parts of a building, and Noah starts to find out things that he’s not sure that he likes about his mother’s war.
This search was really interesting, as were the details about Noah’s famous photographer grandfather, Père Sonne.
This is such a lovely story that looks at what it is to be family - warts and all. I would highly recommend it. It’s wonderful.
ClareR (5779 KP) rated The Flower Girls in Books
Jan 17, 2019
A chilling psychological thriller
A child goes missing on New Years Eve from a hotel, and when the police are called in, it is discovered that one of the guests is one of the notorious Flower Girls. The Flower Girls were involved in the murder and mutilation of a toddler in 1997, when they themselves were only 10 and 6 years old. The 10 year old, Laurel, remains in prison nearly 20 years later. Rosie was found not to have participated in the murder and couldn't remember anything that happened at that time, such was her trauma. She and her remaining family were given new identities and relocated. Her rediscovery provokes a media frenzy. The missing child (Georgie) is found alive and hypothermic, but Rosie's new identity as Hazel is now known to everyone.
We see what happened 20 years ago in short flashbacks, which can have some disturbing moments (not gory, not of the original murder - at least not at the start), and we meet the aunt of Kirstie Swann (the toddler who was murdered), who has campaigned tirelessly to keep Laurel behind bars. We are also kept in the loop of the police investigation of Georgie's disappearance. There are a lot of characters to contend with in this book, but I think it was done well, and I didn't have any problem remembering who they were. I really enjoyed this, despite the rather macabre subject matter. The pace was just right, there was a good amount of skin-crawling moments, and an unresolved ending which really suited the rest of the story - and an unresolved ending? Well, that has to be one of my favourite things!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for the chance to read this book, and to Alice Clark-Platts for reading along and commenting on the story with the readers! If you haven't tried The Pigeonhole, it's well worth a go. I've found some really good books on this platform.
We see what happened 20 years ago in short flashbacks, which can have some disturbing moments (not gory, not of the original murder - at least not at the start), and we meet the aunt of Kirstie Swann (the toddler who was murdered), who has campaigned tirelessly to keep Laurel behind bars. We are also kept in the loop of the police investigation of Georgie's disappearance. There are a lot of characters to contend with in this book, but I think it was done well, and I didn't have any problem remembering who they were. I really enjoyed this, despite the rather macabre subject matter. The pace was just right, there was a good amount of skin-crawling moments, and an unresolved ending which really suited the rest of the story - and an unresolved ending? Well, that has to be one of my favourite things!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for the chance to read this book, and to Alice Clark-Platts for reading along and commenting on the story with the readers! If you haven't tried The Pigeonhole, it's well worth a go. I've found some really good books on this platform.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated God's Rough Drafts in Books
Nov 29, 2019
Set around 100 years from now, this book considers a future where body part transplantation has become widespread, routine and big business. Big business for the pharmaceutical firms, those that can afford to pay for it and also for anyone who can make money by donating their good eyes or hands.
And so society has divided into those who change body parts at a whim, and those who provide them. The gap between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' becomes even wider and even more literal. But a few, a very very tiny few, discover that if they have just the right combination of parts then something happens, some sort of synchronicity, and they gain some sort of new ability.
Fallon is one such special person who finds her world turned upside down when she is framed for a crime and sent to a juvenile prison. Escaping with new found friends Danny and Emma, they soon find that being pursued by the law is the least of their problems.
This novel covers a lot of ground. At its heart is a thrilling chase but around this Scott has woven threads of social commentary, friendship, self-discovery and the dangers of treating people as commodities. These are characters you will care about as they struggle to overcome every obstacle and make some disturbing discoveries along the way. The vision of the future that is painted is all too real and possible but not one that seems very palatable, except to the people at the very top.
One last notable feature is that each chapter starts with a character narrating and filling in some of the gaps. This exposition is wonderfully self-aware, tongue in cheek and fourth wall breaking. I found it was perfectly juxtaposed to the main narrative.
This is a really good book. Dark, charming, forboding, sharp, witty and suspenseful in equal measure. Is it a must read? It most certainly is
And so society has divided into those who change body parts at a whim, and those who provide them. The gap between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' becomes even wider and even more literal. But a few, a very very tiny few, discover that if they have just the right combination of parts then something happens, some sort of synchronicity, and they gain some sort of new ability.
Fallon is one such special person who finds her world turned upside down when she is framed for a crime and sent to a juvenile prison. Escaping with new found friends Danny and Emma, they soon find that being pursued by the law is the least of their problems.
This novel covers a lot of ground. At its heart is a thrilling chase but around this Scott has woven threads of social commentary, friendship, self-discovery and the dangers of treating people as commodities. These are characters you will care about as they struggle to overcome every obstacle and make some disturbing discoveries along the way. The vision of the future that is painted is all too real and possible but not one that seems very palatable, except to the people at the very top.
One last notable feature is that each chapter starts with a character narrating and filling in some of the gaps. This exposition is wonderfully self-aware, tongue in cheek and fourth wall breaking. I found it was perfectly juxtaposed to the main narrative.
This is a really good book. Dark, charming, forboding, sharp, witty and suspenseful in equal measure. Is it a must read? It most certainly is
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