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Until Dawn
Until Dawn
2015 | Action/Adventure
Cast (1 more)
Graphics
Obvious twist (0 more)
A Bloody Good Time
This game by all accounts, should have been a flop. The fact that it was a cliché teen horror story, the fact that it started out as a move game for the ps3 and has had a long, unsteady development cycle and the fact that it was coming out in August, a time of year that is known as the stealth zone, as it is after the summer blockbuster season, but before the big fall line up drops. Yet, Supermassive games have managed to produce an engaging, genuinely scary story that plays on your expectations of this genre and succeeds in keeping the player engaged for a 10-12 hour story that follows the teens trying to survive through a horrific night of terror. I have been a gamer for the vast majority of my time on this earth and while I am very proud of that fact, I do realise that it may cloud my judgement somewhat and I could lose sight somewhat of what really makes a game special, which is why I will always greatly value an outsider’s opinion. I have been with my girlfriend for the past 3 years and before meeting me she was a casual gamer at best, playing Wii games and mobile games, I do believe she owned a PS1 when she was young but she definitely isn’t a gamer like I am. So, when I get a game and she watches me playing it and has a reaction more than just, ‘is this all you do?’ I know that it is something a bit more special than any old game. It happened with season 1 of Telltale’s Walking Dead, it happened with The Last Of Us and it happened a few nights ago with Until Dawn. As soon as I put the disc in and we played the first chapter, we were both hooked and dying to find out what happens next. This game is very well written, with an intriguing, engaging narrative coupled with purposefully written bad cheesy dialogue creating many memorable moments. The cast is very talented also, the facial capture in this game is very good and when playing you can see each tiny expression of fear or anger on the actor’s faces and the VO work is also pretty impeccable. Hayden Pannietre and Rami Malek stand out, as does Peter Stromare and the actor who plays Mike. The first quarter of the game is full of ‘mock’ scares that the group are seen pranking each other with, however not to an annoying extent. The scares that follow are very real with the next part of the game being reminiscent of a 70’s slasher movie. The atmosphere is built very well, with well timed audio cues and the use of a fixed camera working both as a homage to classic ps1 era horror games and as to give the player a feeling they are constantly being watched. Some camera angles are unsettling and the tracking shots can be particularly creepy, especially when you could have sworn that you saw something move in the far corner of the screen. The game then delves more into supernatural horror, which I will talk about more in the spoiler section of the review. Really though, there isn’t anything to spoil in this game in the respect that you can beat the game with everyone alive, or everybody dead. The only thing to spoil is how the characters die, which can be in a few different but increasingly gruesome ways which I won’t spoil here.

That’s not to say that everything that this game has to offer is positive, several of the big twists can be seen coming from a mile away, for example my better half guessed who the killer was going to be within the first hour of our playthrough, but other than that I am struggling to find any real criticisms in this game. It is just a fun experience that I would recommend to anyone, whether you are a horror fan or not.

Okay, spoiler time.

The twists in the game are fairly obvious. From very early on in the game it is clear that the ‘therapy’ sessions with Peter Stromare are a hallucination, probably a hallucination of the psycho in the clown mask and that psycho is probably Josh. All of these things come to pass, which means when they are revealed to be true the shock value is pretty much lost. It is also fairly obvious that there is something after the group besides the psycho, something that is more than likely to be supernatural. The only twist is finding out what that is and when it’s revealed to be the Gollum-like Wendigos, I was somewhat disappointed. The creatures are pretty cool in how they move, as they very twitchy and quick, but they are fairly generic and not all that scary once you know what they look like. The character deaths are quite well done, but half of the characters have fake ‘deaths,’ before their actual death scenes which makes the actual death scenes less impactful and somewhat fall flat.

Overall, Until Dawn is an engaging, entertaining experience that doesn’t really have any major flaws. For the most part the humour and the scares are well executed and while not all of the characters are likeable, they are all well written horror stereotypes that are played very well by their real life counterparts. This game was unexpectedly great by a number of people, and is seen as a surprise hit and likewise for me, it exceeded my expectations and served as a very pleasant and welcome addition to the modern horror genre.
  
Criminal (2016)
Criminal (2016)
2016 | Action, Drama, Mystery
5
5.6 (8 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Bad dialogue (2 more)
Rubbish Ending
Poorly written script
How To Waste A Great Cast
The trailers for this movie had me sold, as did the top class cast and the plot also sounded interesting, even if it is very similar to something that Ryan Reynolds was involved in previously. Last year he was in a film with Ben Kingsley called Selfless, in which Kingsley played an old millionaire who wanted his brain to be transferred into a young man’s body, and so he took over the body of Reynolds’ character. In this movie Reynolds plays a government agent who gets killed in action, but before he died, he had information that no one else knew and that the government needed. So the head of his team, played by Gary Oldman, recruits a scientist, played by Tommy Lee Jones, to use pioneering biology to transfer the memories of Reynolds’ character into Kevin Costner’s character, who is a psychopath with a child’s mind and has spent the majority of his life in prison. Predictably, Costner’s character starts developing symptoms of multiple personality disorder and having memories of Reynold’s character and from this point on, the film is kind of a mess. A poorly written script results in the audience struggling to find anyone to root with and this lack of a protagonist causes the movie to feel aimless from the start. The closest thing we get to a good guy is Ryan Reynolds and he dies at the very start of the movie, but then the filmmaker expects you to suddenly root for Kevin Costner’s character, even though he is a murderous psycho with absolutely no morals. Gary Oldman certainly isn’t a good guy, since he’s willing to go to whatever measures necessary to get this information that Reynolds’ character had when he died, no matter how extreme or morally ambiguous. Honestly this is one to skip, there isn’t even any payoff at the end of the movie and most of the dialogue throughout is pure cliché nonsense, go see something else instead.
  
American Horror Story
American Horror Story
2011 | Horror
Acting (2 more)
Directing (usually)
Fun Storylines
The Finales (usually) (0 more)
Each season of American Horror Story is a fresh slate. While some actors (Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson in particular) play similar characters each time, they all play the parts well, and the unique storylines are enough to keep things fresh. Sarah Paulson, Dennis O'Hare, Lily Rabe, and Jessica Lange are standouts every time they show up, but the recurring cast members are all fantastic.
 Each season is a new story and Ryan Murphy loves to experiment with how he tells them. Season one, "Muder House," is a fairly standard psycho-sexual horror show. It was clearly building a base, so it skews a little into the "edge-lord teenager" demographic, which really is my inky complaint. Season two, "Asylum," is very experimental. They were trying to figure out what exactly they could get away with, and it turns out they could get away with a lot (though the aliens subplot was a bit too much). It's a very bleak season, with existential dread haunting the entirety of the season. Season three, "Coven," goes the complete opposite direction. It gets pretty campy, though the violence never is toned down. Season four, "Freak Show," is more stylized than previous seasons, and focuses far less on the ensemble. Instead, it is an intense character study of a homicidal rich white dude, which, admittedly, isn't for everyone. Season five, "Hotel," eschews storylines, instead focusing on establishing a crisp visual style (to varying success). Season six, "Roanoke," tackles two very popular subgenres, documentaries and found footage. It has an inspired twist halfway through the season.

There are definantely weak seasons, (Hotel was a mess, and I never really loved Coven's tone) but that's to be expected from an anthology show. The genius of seasons like Asylum and Roanoke should keep you coming back.
To close it out, I'll do a quick ranking for each season, from worst to best: Hotel, Coven, Murder House, Freak Show, Roanoke, Asylum. Hopefully Cult lives up to the high reputation the show has earned!
  
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Carma (21 KP) rated When I Lost You in Books

Jun 17, 2019  
When I Lost You
When I Lost You
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Logan was looking for a woman who wasn’t after him just for this money. Apparently that was just too hard of a mission to accomplish. Taking his 2 friends to Mexico for a guys vacation before Russell gets married was the least he could do for them, and himself. He wasn’t expecting to find everything he’d ever wanted for himself the first night inside a local club.

Cassie was on vacation with her 2 friends before their lives split them up for a while. Naomi was heading to New York to start her real estate firm and Cassie wanted to soak up every last minute with her best friends before she left. Renting an Airbnb in Mexico seemed like the perfect solution. That first night heading to the club she never imagined she would find the love of her life while standing at the bar.

Logan hid who he really was from Cassie all week while getting to know her and letting her see almost totally who he was, minus the billions. As we all know, lies backfire, even lies by omission. He loses her for 5 years in the blink of an eye.

Now they are both in New York but Cassie isn’t Cassie anymore. Aside from calling herself Sandra she is cold, hard and aloof. Not his precious Cassie anymore. He will finally do whatever it takes to never let her go again. Too bad her ex boyfriend is a psycho who wants her back, no matter the cost.

Logan and Cassie overcome misunderstandings and too many lost years to make a perfect team. They will finally know what it is like to no longer be alone. A great read from this author earning 4 ½ stars from this reader. I read an advanced copy without expectation for review. Any and all opinions expressed are my own.
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated White Petals in Books

Dec 17, 2018  
WP
White Petals
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

First her father died, then her Nana, and to top it all off her mother has been placed in a psychiatric hospital. Life for Emmeline Rose has not been easy but the unfortunate circumstances are going to lead her to the discovery of a secret gift. In this young adult novel, <i>White Petals</i>, Maria Grace creates a heartwarming tale of grief, friendship and fantasy.

Fourteen-year-old Em has been placed in a children’s home whilst her mother recovers from a psychotic breakdown. Here she begins to make friends with some of the other children, however she finds herself being bullied at school. Yet, what she cannot understand is why she gets a painful ringing in her ears whenever the school bully is around. But when her mother starts explaining mind-boggling things about their family, things start to make more sense.

The novel is a first person narrative therefore everything is shown from Em’s point of view. This, however, results in the story sounding like a young teenager has written it, which can be rather annoying. On the other hand, this aspect helps relate to the intended target audience.

The biggest issue with <i>White Petals</i> is the way mental illness is described. Phrases such as “off her tree”, “crazy”, “psycho” and “nutter” are frequently used throughout the narrative. Mental health stigma is a growing problem that many charities and organizations are challenging. Although many teenagers may genuinely think this way due to a lack of understanding, there is no attempt in this book to contradict these beliefs and educate the reader.

Overall I personally do not think this book is anything special, however many teenagers may enjoy the humour some of the characters bring to the story. Each chapter is headed by illustrations that were the result of a competition held in Wales for eleven to eighteen year olds. Despite certain misgivings, the story was still interesting to read.
  
Parasite (2019)
Parasite (2019)
2019 | Drama
Truly unique filmmaking!
OK I'm going to do something a little different this time since this film is not playing in the UK until January I thought I read somewhere.

-Is it good? Yes
-Is it really good? Yes
-Is it great? Yes
-Is it one of the best movies of 2019? Can't ask me that since I don't go to the cinema often.
-Is it remarkable?...Yes
-Is it phenomenal? .................Yes
-Is it maybe a tad overrated? Yes if maybe only by its IMDb rating. It currently holds an IMDb rating as of this review date of 8.5 which is quite remarkable for any film. Not saying IMDb rating is everything, but when 8.5 is equal to films like Back to the Future, Terminator 2 and Psycho, I'll stick by a tad overrated at this point. I'm sure the rating will settle back down a bit once more people have seen, but pretty impressive as of now.
-Will it receive a lot of Academy Award nominations for 2019? Right now I will predict 7 including Foreign Film (obviously), some technicals, screenplay, director and Best Picture.
-Will it win Best Picture? Early Andy prediction probably not, but would have a shot at screenplay (other than Tarantino) or maybe director (or maybe Scorsese), but very early at this point to predict since I have not seen other films yet.
-Is it what you thought it would be? Not sure since I purposely tried to avoid knowing much going in. I had heard it was a good version of Us, or what people thought Us should be, so I was thinking horror and it isn't that at all. More comedy suspense thriller but hard to categorize.

Please let me know what you think once you see for yourself. Maybe I'll write about it again in a few months with more detail. Or shoot me a message if you wish to discuss further.

  
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Erika (17789 KP) Nov 25, 2019

So I should probably move this up on my list of must-see movies?

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Andy K (10823 KP) Nov 25, 2019

I would. I liked it.

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JT (287 KP) rated Starred Up (2014) in Movies

Mar 16, 2020  
Starred Up (2014)
Starred Up (2014)
2014 | Drama
8
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Violent and to the point (1 more)
Great acting
Prison Isn't Suppoed To Be A Holiday Camp
Prison dramas don’t get much grittier than this. Not since Scum has there been one with as much brutal tour de force. Eric (Jack O’Connell) is ‘starred up’. A term used to describe violent young offenders moved straight into an adult prison. Once he gets inside he comes face to face with the only person that might be able to control him, his father Neville (Ben Mendelsohn).

It’s a major part of their relationship as Nev’s parental tactics involve the cruel to be kind method. It’s the only way that Eric is going to survive and the only way he will walk out in one piece. Eric finds some solace in Oliver (Rupert Friend) whose anger management sessions are a place to unleash a tirade of resentment. It places him within a group where any other individual might find themselves out of their depth – Eric takes it full on.

The film is written by Jonathan Asser, a former prison psychotherapist who worked in HMP Wandsworth. So he more than anyone can inject the film with a massive sense of realism. The prison violence can be hard to watch but you don’t find yourself turning away from the screen.

It’s not shrouded in Hollywood gloss and is shot with graphic precision. Mendelsohn’s performance is excellent playing the psycho and his delivery is spot on. Friend is also a joy to watch and a real talent. The Homeland star-making imprints into the acting elite.

However, this is very much O’Connell’s film and it’s not hard to see why he is fast becoming a standout actor. Grabbing this role in a vice-like grip he battles with his personality, the adoration from his father and a corrupt system who want him eradicated. It doesn’t paint the prison system in a particularly good light but then prison isn’t supposed to be a holiday camp.
  
In Bloom (Sweetpea, #2)
In Bloom (Sweetpea, #2)
C.J. Skuse | 2018 | Crime, Law
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This time Rhiannon takes us on an exclusive journey through her pregnancy, and it is absolutely hilarious. My inner psycho really missed this foul-mouthed but brutally honest character. (Don’t pretend you don’t have one!) It is so amusing to read about all her actions, pretending and manipulations and at the same time to hear what she is truly thinking about everybody in this book. She is a very original and absorbing character, that is why a single perspective in this book works very well.

This book is a continuation of the previous part, so if you would like to understand what is going on, you have to read Sweetpea first. The author takes us through Rhiannon’s pregnancy and the ugly stuff that pregnancy brings you. Yes, all the vomiting, backache, bloating and non stop eating etc., not the bliss, joy and other unicorn poop. SHE KEEPS IT REAL! &#x1f600; The police are on Rhiannon’s back, and her baby is TRYING to stop her from the murdering, that is why our main character has to take it a bit easier in this book. For this reason, I found it a bit slow in some places, as not many things were happening, but the author threw in some unexpected twists in this story as well.

I really enjoyed C.J. Skuse’s writing style, which is not suitable for young readers, this book is filled with swear words, murders, and everything that you trying to protect your young ones from. &#x1f600; The short chapters made the whole reading experience even more pleasurable. The ending of this novel was very unexpected but I really liked it, and I can not wait for another book in the series.

So, to conclude, if you like books about psychopaths, served with a huge portion of humour, foul language, and dark, but honest thoughts, these series are definitely for you! I hope you will give this book a try and will enjoy as much as I did. &#x1f642;
  
Borderlands 3: Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck
Borderlands 3: Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck
2020 | Shooter
The last of the four announced DLC expansions for Borderlands 3 has arrived with Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck. This time around the Vault Hunter(s) must travel into the mind of the unstable Krieg and work with his good and bad sides to research the psychos of the Borderlands universe.

Players will go through various locales but many of which will seem very familiar to fans of the series. The prior three DLC were set in a Casino, A creepy town, and an Old West Planet; and the locales this time out are not as distinct.

Players will see many familiar enemies and faces as well as this time around the emphasis is not on creating multiple new enemies. Instead it is more of a trip down memory lane as Psychos, Mechs, and familiar enemies come into play. There are naturally some new wrinkles such as Psychos riding rockets who make for a nice new wrinkle and there are some familiar faces in some of the Boss Battles players will encounter.

The game setting is not as engaging as the prior DLC as to me the settings seemed too familiar and lacked the fun of some of the locales of the prior DLC. The prior DLC also had more engaging settings and scenarios and introduced many new characters. This time around it is more like a trip down memory lane; literally and figuratively.

In the end the expansion offers more loot, more adventures, and a few hours of diversion; but for me was the least engaging and interesting of the four DLC offerings for the game.

That being said; I did have fun even if it was not as much as with the prior expansions and I hope that more DLC will be coming soon and Gearbox has teased some new announcements coming soon, perhaps as soon as today at PAX Online.