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Merissa (12817 KP) rated The Lady Who Left in Books
Apr 4, 2025
THE LADY WHO LEFT is a heartwarming and heartbreaking historical romance that deals with emotional abuse on page. If this is a trigger then please be warned!
Marigold has put up with her abusive older husband for years and nothing she does is ever good enough. She copes with it though, for her own sake, but Mama Bear comes to the forefront when he threatens her son, Reggie. She threatens him with divorce, with every intention of following it through, but because he is a Peer of the Realm, no one will touch her with a barge pole. That is until she meets Archie. They have a history between them that neither expected, which only serves to confuse the issue. Archie does take on her case though, and it is make-or-break for both of them.
The connection between Archie and Marigold shone on the page and I loved every scene with them in it. Marigold will do whatever it takes to protect her boys, but that also means she doesn't see them at their full potential sometimes. Archie has had a different life from Marigold, harder in some ways, but that allows him to see possibilities that Marigold can't.
The abuse Marigold goes through is hard reading, especially for someone who has been through it. Remember that trigger warning! And to have Archie's fear become a real possibility was horrifying. I imagine the research into this subject was in-depth and not at all pleasant, but it did make for a great read.
Thoroughly enjoyable and definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 3, 2025
Marigold has put up with her abusive older husband for years and nothing she does is ever good enough. She copes with it though, for her own sake, but Mama Bear comes to the forefront when he threatens her son, Reggie. She threatens him with divorce, with every intention of following it through, but because he is a Peer of the Realm, no one will touch her with a barge pole. That is until she meets Archie. They have a history between them that neither expected, which only serves to confuse the issue. Archie does take on her case though, and it is make-or-break for both of them.
The connection between Archie and Marigold shone on the page and I loved every scene with them in it. Marigold will do whatever it takes to protect her boys, but that also means she doesn't see them at their full potential sometimes. Archie has had a different life from Marigold, harder in some ways, but that allows him to see possibilities that Marigold can't.
The abuse Marigold goes through is hard reading, especially for someone who has been through it. Remember that trigger warning! And to have Archie's fear become a real possibility was horrifying. I imagine the research into this subject was in-depth and not at all pleasant, but it did make for a great read.
Thoroughly enjoyable and definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 3, 2025
The Whisper Legacy (Pappa Legacy #1)
Book
Curran’s enemies thought he was dead. They were wrong. He thought his past was left on the Voula...
Political Thriller Action Detective Mystery
Steven Sklansky (231 KP) rated Halt and Catch Fire - Season 4 in TV
Nov 6, 2017
Writing (2 more)
Cast
Very nostalgic
The Future is Here, So Watch How it Arrived
Well this was the 4th and final season of Halt and Catch Fire and it went by way to fast. This was such a fantastic season and it was sad to see it go. For those of you that have never seen this show, shame on you and go watch it on Netflix. For those who haven't caught up I will not spoil anything for you.
This show is about a group of programmers that try to stay ahead of the technology curve and make the last tech better. This season was all about making a search engine. You know like Yahoo or Google. It was such a long road to get there and there was a lot of obstacle to get there first and be the best.
The 2 groups going after it were the father/daughter pair and mother/tech firm pair. I won't tell you who one but it was wild. Both companies took different directions to make the same product and it was very interesting to see the progression. The best part of this show is how they take the real life way they got there and used fake names like Comet and Rover, but also used the real competition like AOL and Netscape to show they are in the same universe.
The characters this season really had a lot of drama, some good and some bad, but for my still it was a little much. I know TV shows need it to keep people watching to feel like they are involved, but sometimes you have to let the big picture speak for itself. But I did not mind it at all, sometimes you have to look the other way to enjoy the show.
This whole show was leading us to the future of technology and it was so much fun watching everything grow just like I did when I was a kid. Watching them play Nintendo for the first time and this season added Playstation which was kind of cool. But this show could have lasted so much longer and even added to characters along the way to make it happen. I think they jump a head in time too fast to make show reach the finish line. I with they would have stretched it a little longer. Oh well, all good things must come to an end.
Like I said earlier, if you haven't watch the show, get to watching and let me know what you think. If you have watched, lets get talking about how much you loved or hated it. Till next time, enjoy the show.
This show is about a group of programmers that try to stay ahead of the technology curve and make the last tech better. This season was all about making a search engine. You know like Yahoo or Google. It was such a long road to get there and there was a lot of obstacle to get there first and be the best.
The 2 groups going after it were the father/daughter pair and mother/tech firm pair. I won't tell you who one but it was wild. Both companies took different directions to make the same product and it was very interesting to see the progression. The best part of this show is how they take the real life way they got there and used fake names like Comet and Rover, but also used the real competition like AOL and Netscape to show they are in the same universe.
The characters this season really had a lot of drama, some good and some bad, but for my still it was a little much. I know TV shows need it to keep people watching to feel like they are involved, but sometimes you have to let the big picture speak for itself. But I did not mind it at all, sometimes you have to look the other way to enjoy the show.
This whole show was leading us to the future of technology and it was so much fun watching everything grow just like I did when I was a kid. Watching them play Nintendo for the first time and this season added Playstation which was kind of cool. But this show could have lasted so much longer and even added to characters along the way to make it happen. I think they jump a head in time too fast to make show reach the finish line. I with they would have stretched it a little longer. Oh well, all good things must come to an end.
Like I said earlier, if you haven't watch the show, get to watching and let me know what you think. If you have watched, lets get talking about how much you loved or hated it. Till next time, enjoy the show.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Boss (2016) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Where's the comedy?
Melissa McCarthy is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Her rise to fame has been nothing short of extraordinary, helped in part by her leading roles in The Heat, Spy and of course the hilarious Bridesmaids.
However, each of those examples of comedic brilliance had one thing in common, apart from McCarthy, director Paul Feig. He brings out the very best in the actress and we’ll see if this formula continues to work with the controversial Ghostbusters reboot, released later this year.
For now, McCarthy teams up with director and real-life husband Ben Falcone (Tammy) in The Boss. But does it offer you a laugh a minute?
The Boss follows the fall from grace of Michelle Darnell (McCarthy), one of America’s wealthiest women, and her efforts to get back on top. Her plan? To start a cake-making empire. Alongside her for the ride is long-suffering assistant Claire (Kristen Bell). Side roles are reserved for Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage as Michelle’s rival and Kathy Bates as her mentor.
Unfortunately, the biggest problem The Boss has is one that blights many films nowadays; the best bits have already been shown in the trailer. For an action adventure, this is disappointing, but for a comedy, it’s silver-screen suicide. Having laughed in the pre-release clips already, the rest of the film is as barren as the Sahara when it comes to raising a titter.
That’s a real shame as the film’s plot, whilst hardly ground-breaking, is fundamentally solid and the acting is, Dinklage’s hammy performance aside, decent. McCarthy in particular takes a poor script and injects some much-needed spice into it – a testament to her incredible talents as a comedienne. Bell is on-point and bounces off McCarthy’s presence very well while Kathy Bates provides the film with one of its more memorable scenes, albeit one already used in the trailer.
There’s also a well-choreographed bust-up between two groups of teenage girls that manages to raise a chuckle, but again the majority of it was added to the most recent trailer.
Overall, The Boss is McCarthy’s second true turkey with Tammy being the first, but there’s no blame to be placed on her shoulders here. Michelle Darnell is a cracking character, despite her striking resemblance to Rita from Coronation Street, and is one that deserves far better than a film that’s light on laughs and has to rest on the laurels of its lead star – now that’s just lazy.
Perhaps the next time her husband asks her to star in one of his comedies, she should really, really think about it first.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/06/11/wheres-the-comedy-the-boss-review/
However, each of those examples of comedic brilliance had one thing in common, apart from McCarthy, director Paul Feig. He brings out the very best in the actress and we’ll see if this formula continues to work with the controversial Ghostbusters reboot, released later this year.
For now, McCarthy teams up with director and real-life husband Ben Falcone (Tammy) in The Boss. But does it offer you a laugh a minute?
The Boss follows the fall from grace of Michelle Darnell (McCarthy), one of America’s wealthiest women, and her efforts to get back on top. Her plan? To start a cake-making empire. Alongside her for the ride is long-suffering assistant Claire (Kristen Bell). Side roles are reserved for Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage as Michelle’s rival and Kathy Bates as her mentor.
Unfortunately, the biggest problem The Boss has is one that blights many films nowadays; the best bits have already been shown in the trailer. For an action adventure, this is disappointing, but for a comedy, it’s silver-screen suicide. Having laughed in the pre-release clips already, the rest of the film is as barren as the Sahara when it comes to raising a titter.
That’s a real shame as the film’s plot, whilst hardly ground-breaking, is fundamentally solid and the acting is, Dinklage’s hammy performance aside, decent. McCarthy in particular takes a poor script and injects some much-needed spice into it – a testament to her incredible talents as a comedienne. Bell is on-point and bounces off McCarthy’s presence very well while Kathy Bates provides the film with one of its more memorable scenes, albeit one already used in the trailer.
There’s also a well-choreographed bust-up between two groups of teenage girls that manages to raise a chuckle, but again the majority of it was added to the most recent trailer.
Overall, The Boss is McCarthy’s second true turkey with Tammy being the first, but there’s no blame to be placed on her shoulders here. Michelle Darnell is a cracking character, despite her striking resemblance to Rita from Coronation Street, and is one that deserves far better than a film that’s light on laughs and has to rest on the laurels of its lead star – now that’s just lazy.
Perhaps the next time her husband asks her to star in one of his comedies, she should really, really think about it first.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/06/11/wheres-the-comedy-the-boss-review/
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated My Sunshine Away in Books
Feb 13, 2018
One evening, on a quiet suburban street in Baton Rouge, fifteen-year-old Lindy Simpson is raped. Her rape changes the fabric of her neighborhood, as narrated by her fourteen-year-old male neighbor, who had a huge crush on the lovely Lindy, a popular track star. He takes the readers through the various suspects--all members of the neighborhood--and one of whom is himself. We meet the many members of this quiet block, where not everything is as perfect as it seems. What really happened to Lindy that night? And is our narrator truly to blame?
I really wanted to like this book, as I'd heard such good things, and was really excited to finally to read it. But honestly, I found it disappointing, tedious, and slow. It was a real let down after all the rave reviews. Our narrator does a good job, I suppose, of highlighting the self-centeredness of teenage boys, but oh my goodness. He talks and talks and talks - endless diatribes about this and that. Pontificates about everything while trying to tell us the meaning of life. I found my eyes glazing over as I skimmed paragraphs, just wanting to find out what happened to poor Lindy, who is basically forgotten in his story -- she's just an object of lust -- not a real person.
This book had the potential of being a love story in many ways -- that of the love between a son and his mother, between teenagers, etc., but it just seemed to flounder. Moments of brilliance poked through, but most of the time, I found myself frustrated and wondering what the point was. Instead, it seemed to be a treatise on how boys and men should *not* treat girls and women. It is at it's best when looked at as a story of neighborhood - the sad side story of a neighborhood family will hurt your heart in many ways - but it gets lost in the narrator's endless rants and discussions. At one point, we get a whole chapter on the effects of Hurricane Katrina on Baton Rouge. All well and good, I suppose, except the majority of this book takes place in the late 80s/early 90s. Why are we hearing about something take place decades later?
Overall, I wanted to like this one, and I spotted moments of good peeking out, but I was mostly just frustrated and waiting for it to end. Definitely a disappointment.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley (thank you!); it is available for purchase everywhere. You can read this review and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
I really wanted to like this book, as I'd heard such good things, and was really excited to finally to read it. But honestly, I found it disappointing, tedious, and slow. It was a real let down after all the rave reviews. Our narrator does a good job, I suppose, of highlighting the self-centeredness of teenage boys, but oh my goodness. He talks and talks and talks - endless diatribes about this and that. Pontificates about everything while trying to tell us the meaning of life. I found my eyes glazing over as I skimmed paragraphs, just wanting to find out what happened to poor Lindy, who is basically forgotten in his story -- she's just an object of lust -- not a real person.
This book had the potential of being a love story in many ways -- that of the love between a son and his mother, between teenagers, etc., but it just seemed to flounder. Moments of brilliance poked through, but most of the time, I found myself frustrated and wondering what the point was. Instead, it seemed to be a treatise on how boys and men should *not* treat girls and women. It is at it's best when looked at as a story of neighborhood - the sad side story of a neighborhood family will hurt your heart in many ways - but it gets lost in the narrator's endless rants and discussions. At one point, we get a whole chapter on the effects of Hurricane Katrina on Baton Rouge. All well and good, I suppose, except the majority of this book takes place in the late 80s/early 90s. Why are we hearing about something take place decades later?
Overall, I wanted to like this one, and I spotted moments of good peeking out, but I was mostly just frustrated and waiting for it to end. Definitely a disappointment.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley (thank you!); it is available for purchase everywhere. You can read this review and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Dogma (1999) in Movies
Jul 28, 2018
Funny and Deep
Talk about off the beaten path. Dogma is at weird as it comes. Offensive to some, hilarious to others, if you can take it for what it is and not get overly deep about it, you'll find yourself watching a quality comedy. The plot? A little complicated to explain without using more words than I would like. I will say that it involves two fallen angels who are looking for a way back into heaven.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 8
Characters: 10
You want characters? This film has them by the boatload. Outside of the fallen angels, you will meet the likes of a woman who is the savior of humanity, a messenger from heaven, and an apostle holding a grudge just to name a few. Dogma is a melting pot of personalities and temperament which is a huge part of what makes the film such a good one. You are going to love Jay the Prophet. He is just plain hilarious. And Alan Rickman's dry sarcasm always makes for a good laugh.
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 8
There are never any real lulls where the film gets boring. There is a lot of dialogue but the progression of the conflict keeps the film moving at a solid speed. I did dock a couple of point for a brief dead spot about an hour in, but there is pretty solid action and comedy throughout for the most part.
Genre: 7
There is a special scene where the characters are discussing a John Hughes movie. The dialogue builds and, before you know it, you're cracking up at every word they're saying. It's scenes like these that contribute to making the film a pretty solid comedy. If the strip club scene doesn't make you laugh, I don't know what will!
Memorability: 10
The originality of the plot and the messaging help the film stand out in my mind among a sea of other movies I've seen. I appreciated the interesting introspection of faith and life. The Belief Vs. Ideas convo was another solid moment. Dogma is funny, but it gives you some things to digest as well.
Pace: 8
Plot: 5
While the plot is certainly intriguing, it was also a bit of a hindrance for me as it got confusing as all get out in certain spots. The struggle to find a short plot description above was real. Not sure what they could have done differently here, but there were certain spots where my experience was dampened by all the crazy stuff happening.
Resolution: 8
Overall: 82
With a solid cast (Ben Afleck and Matt Damon always work well together) and a number of memorable moments, Dogma is definitely worth a watch. Glad I can check this one off the list and add it to my favorites.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 8
Characters: 10
You want characters? This film has them by the boatload. Outside of the fallen angels, you will meet the likes of a woman who is the savior of humanity, a messenger from heaven, and an apostle holding a grudge just to name a few. Dogma is a melting pot of personalities and temperament which is a huge part of what makes the film such a good one. You are going to love Jay the Prophet. He is just plain hilarious. And Alan Rickman's dry sarcasm always makes for a good laugh.
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 8
There are never any real lulls where the film gets boring. There is a lot of dialogue but the progression of the conflict keeps the film moving at a solid speed. I did dock a couple of point for a brief dead spot about an hour in, but there is pretty solid action and comedy throughout for the most part.
Genre: 7
There is a special scene where the characters are discussing a John Hughes movie. The dialogue builds and, before you know it, you're cracking up at every word they're saying. It's scenes like these that contribute to making the film a pretty solid comedy. If the strip club scene doesn't make you laugh, I don't know what will!
Memorability: 10
The originality of the plot and the messaging help the film stand out in my mind among a sea of other movies I've seen. I appreciated the interesting introspection of faith and life. The Belief Vs. Ideas convo was another solid moment. Dogma is funny, but it gives you some things to digest as well.
Pace: 8
Plot: 5
While the plot is certainly intriguing, it was also a bit of a hindrance for me as it got confusing as all get out in certain spots. The struggle to find a short plot description above was real. Not sure what they could have done differently here, but there were certain spots where my experience was dampened by all the crazy stuff happening.
Resolution: 8
Overall: 82
With a solid cast (Ben Afleck and Matt Damon always work well together) and a number of memorable moments, Dogma is definitely worth a watch. Glad I can check this one off the list and add it to my favorites.
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Hunted (The Gates Legacy, #1) in Books
Nov 5, 2018
Harrow Gates - vampire, diseased, hunted. Jordan - bereaved, determined, out for revenge. Pritchard Tack - entrepreneur, protector of the infected, searching for a cure. Altogether, they make a wonderful lead for a fantastic start to a series I know I will be watching closely for the foreseeable future!
My copy started with a glossary, which was a superb tease and left me rushing forward to find out what on earth could lead to all these ideas and words. Sure enough, within the first 5% I was completely hooked and didn't want to put my kindle down. I was totally drawn into the characters, drama and mystery, highlighting just how high the quality of writing was in this story. The way the perspective switches between the different characters is done with skill and is very clear to follow. This feeds into the mystery created by the glossary and the writing in general as you're ripped away from that character just as the next piece of information is about to be revealed! This makes it highly compulsive reading, with the 'one more chapter' syndrome being a real possibility when reading this book.
The characters are also fabulous, and we pick them apart just as carefully as the plot, slowly learning what makes each of them tick. Harrow, Tack and Jordan are wonderful to read, they engage you, pull you into your complicated life and leave you wanting to know more of them and their lives. Demetrius is a very odd character, driven by very different desires to the others, yet he is equally engaging to read about. It takes real skill to be able to pull a reader so completely into so many characters, and so I really must shower praise on Font for managing to do this.
The story is, at risk of repeating myself, fantastic. It thoroughly draws you in, instilling in you a need to keep reading and has you thinking about what is going to happen next. The momentum is excellently paced, particularly towards the end because even though you're expecting something big to happen, you're still shocked and hit just as hard as if it were a huge surprise! The deaths (not spoiling it though haha!) are quick and fast and really tug on your emotions, leaving you reeling as the end of the story arrives. I've got to warn you though, as these are the exact words a friend said to me, 'don't get too attached to anyone - you never know who is going to be next!' - and boy was she right! That said, I loved it, and I'm a convert to this series.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
My copy started with a glossary, which was a superb tease and left me rushing forward to find out what on earth could lead to all these ideas and words. Sure enough, within the first 5% I was completely hooked and didn't want to put my kindle down. I was totally drawn into the characters, drama and mystery, highlighting just how high the quality of writing was in this story. The way the perspective switches between the different characters is done with skill and is very clear to follow. This feeds into the mystery created by the glossary and the writing in general as you're ripped away from that character just as the next piece of information is about to be revealed! This makes it highly compulsive reading, with the 'one more chapter' syndrome being a real possibility when reading this book.
The characters are also fabulous, and we pick them apart just as carefully as the plot, slowly learning what makes each of them tick. Harrow, Tack and Jordan are wonderful to read, they engage you, pull you into your complicated life and leave you wanting to know more of them and their lives. Demetrius is a very odd character, driven by very different desires to the others, yet he is equally engaging to read about. It takes real skill to be able to pull a reader so completely into so many characters, and so I really must shower praise on Font for managing to do this.
The story is, at risk of repeating myself, fantastic. It thoroughly draws you in, instilling in you a need to keep reading and has you thinking about what is going to happen next. The momentum is excellently paced, particularly towards the end because even though you're expecting something big to happen, you're still shocked and hit just as hard as if it were a huge surprise! The deaths (not spoiling it though haha!) are quick and fast and really tug on your emotions, leaving you reeling as the end of the story arrives. I've got to warn you though, as these are the exact words a friend said to me, 'don't get too attached to anyone - you never know who is going to be next!' - and boy was she right! That said, I loved it, and I'm a convert to this series.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
Darren (1599 KP) rated Allied (2016) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Allied starts as Canadian Intelligence Officer Max Vatan (Pitt) lands in Morocco to work with French Resistance Fighter Marianna Beausejour (Cotillard) as they pretend to be married as they complete their mission. The two fall in love for real and return to London to get married against the his superior Frank Heslop (Harris) opinion.
After a year of marriage Heslop comes to Max believing Marianna is indeed a spy, this leaves Max questioning, which side of the story to believe and what is the truth.
Thoughts on Allied
Characters – Max Vatan is Canadian intelligence working in Africa, highly skilled he can blend into his environment, but he does fall in love with his undercover wife. When he gets informed she could well be a spy, his life is turned upside down with doubts about what is the truth. Marianna is the French resistance fighter working with the Canadian Max as his fake wife, but she also falls in love with Max and returns to start a family with him. We don’t learn too much apart from that she is a loving wife and mother though.
Performances – Brad Pitt is good for the opening mission, you believe his every decision, but when he becomes the family man, he just doesn’t reach the levels you know he can. Marion Cotillard is good without being her breath-taking best in this role.
Story – The story here follows love and spies during World War II, we see how two people from different sides of the war fall in love and they must decide which side of the war they are supporting. This film doesn’t become as intense as it could be because seeing it from both sides could have heighted the experience and by the end it just doesn’t feel like it reaches the levels it should.
Action/Romance/War – The action during the film is tame with very little being used or looking overly real. The romance doesn’t feel whirlwind like you think it should be either, but the war side comes off strong as we see how the tension between the sides cause most of the issues in the lives.
Settings – The settings look authentic for the time, which does work well for the film.
Scene of the Movie – The truth.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Just fizzles out in the second half of the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a war romance film that just never reaches the levels it should do, it just seems to go on and becomes one of the average films that you forget by the end.
Overall: Average and disappointing.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/02/01/abc-film-challenge-oscar-nomination-a-allied-2016/
After a year of marriage Heslop comes to Max believing Marianna is indeed a spy, this leaves Max questioning, which side of the story to believe and what is the truth.
Thoughts on Allied
Characters – Max Vatan is Canadian intelligence working in Africa, highly skilled he can blend into his environment, but he does fall in love with his undercover wife. When he gets informed she could well be a spy, his life is turned upside down with doubts about what is the truth. Marianna is the French resistance fighter working with the Canadian Max as his fake wife, but she also falls in love with Max and returns to start a family with him. We don’t learn too much apart from that she is a loving wife and mother though.
Performances – Brad Pitt is good for the opening mission, you believe his every decision, but when he becomes the family man, he just doesn’t reach the levels you know he can. Marion Cotillard is good without being her breath-taking best in this role.
Story – The story here follows love and spies during World War II, we see how two people from different sides of the war fall in love and they must decide which side of the war they are supporting. This film doesn’t become as intense as it could be because seeing it from both sides could have heighted the experience and by the end it just doesn’t feel like it reaches the levels it should.
Action/Romance/War – The action during the film is tame with very little being used or looking overly real. The romance doesn’t feel whirlwind like you think it should be either, but the war side comes off strong as we see how the tension between the sides cause most of the issues in the lives.
Settings – The settings look authentic for the time, which does work well for the film.
Scene of the Movie – The truth.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Just fizzles out in the second half of the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a war romance film that just never reaches the levels it should do, it just seems to go on and becomes one of the average films that you forget by the end.
Overall: Average and disappointing.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/02/01/abc-film-challenge-oscar-nomination-a-allied-2016/
Darren (1599 KP) rated Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (2015) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: Kidnapping Freddy Heineken starts as we follow our five criminals Cor Van Hout (Sturgess), Willem (Worthington), Cat (Kwanten), Spikes (Eeuwen) and Brakes (Cocquerel) who have always been looking for a way to make money quickly instead of getting real jobs in Holland. Their latest plan is to kidnap beer tycoon Freddy Heineken (Hopkins) and collecting the ransom.
With the plan in place the kidnapping goes well the wait for the ransom is what takes the time and tests the strength of the kidnappers over the victims as we follow what could be the undoing of the men.
Thoughts on Kidnapping Freddy Heineken
Characters – Cor Van Hout is the leader of the gang, he brings his men together to complete the jobs with some failing and others not, he comes up with the latest job while his personal life is about to hit the highs a father could experience. Willem is the hot head of the group who will go past the marks to make the job get done and he could become the biggest problem involved. Freddy Heineken is the beer tycoon that has become the target of this men and he stays extremely calm through his ordeal trying to friend his kidnappers too.
Performance – Jim Sturgess is strong in the leading role of this film throughout feeling like the rest would listen to his every word. Sam Worthington is good in the loose cannon role too. Anthony Hopkins is as always the star of the show here as you want to see all of his scenes.
Story – The story is based on the true story of what happened when a group of criminals kidnap the tycoon and how they were not completely sure things would work and how things could go wrong. This is good because it doesn’t go down a slick as the best heist movies but is also calm enough to feel like it is based on real people human errors through the heist.
Action/Crime – There are a couple of good car chases through the film which do make up the action side of things while the whole story is about the crime being committed.
Settings – The streets involved in Amsterdam show us how tight the car chases can be and escape routes by more than just road, we do feel like this is authentic with how everything unfolds during the crime.
Scene of the Movie – Freddy’s orders.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The clear choice for a problem is having some Dutch cast members but the leads are not.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the films that didn’t get much talk when it came out but I don’t understand why, it is an enjoyable and one film that is worth watching for all the heist fans out there.
Overall: Good heist film.
With the plan in place the kidnapping goes well the wait for the ransom is what takes the time and tests the strength of the kidnappers over the victims as we follow what could be the undoing of the men.
Thoughts on Kidnapping Freddy Heineken
Characters – Cor Van Hout is the leader of the gang, he brings his men together to complete the jobs with some failing and others not, he comes up with the latest job while his personal life is about to hit the highs a father could experience. Willem is the hot head of the group who will go past the marks to make the job get done and he could become the biggest problem involved. Freddy Heineken is the beer tycoon that has become the target of this men and he stays extremely calm through his ordeal trying to friend his kidnappers too.
Performance – Jim Sturgess is strong in the leading role of this film throughout feeling like the rest would listen to his every word. Sam Worthington is good in the loose cannon role too. Anthony Hopkins is as always the star of the show here as you want to see all of his scenes.
Story – The story is based on the true story of what happened when a group of criminals kidnap the tycoon and how they were not completely sure things would work and how things could go wrong. This is good because it doesn’t go down a slick as the best heist movies but is also calm enough to feel like it is based on real people human errors through the heist.
Action/Crime – There are a couple of good car chases through the film which do make up the action side of things while the whole story is about the crime being committed.
Settings – The streets involved in Amsterdam show us how tight the car chases can be and escape routes by more than just road, we do feel like this is authentic with how everything unfolds during the crime.
Scene of the Movie – Freddy’s orders.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The clear choice for a problem is having some Dutch cast members but the leads are not.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the films that didn’t get much talk when it came out but I don’t understand why, it is an enjoyable and one film that is worth watching for all the heist fans out there.
Overall: Good heist film.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Rise of the Iron Moon (Jackelian #3) in Books
Nov 25, 2019
This book looked interesting so I picked it up. I'd not heard of Stephen Hunt or this series but the premise intrigued me.
Although this is the third book of the series and there are plenty of references to events that must take place in the previous books, and despite the writing being immersive rather than explanatory, I found it easy to get into the story.
The world is very interesting. I have read other novels set in a faux Victorian Steampunk-like world but nothing like this. This is like an alternative history, extremely divergeant from ours but with enough similarities that the combination is quite striking.
For example there was a civil war in the past which parliament won, as in the 'real' British history. However all of the royals have been locked up ever since in the Royal Breeding House - kept as figureheads under constant house arrest and threat of execution at the whim of parliament to appease the masses.
There are also countries ruled by thinking, steam driven machines. Others beneath the waves or living strictly by some political principal.
However the world is under threat. All the countries are being slowly invaded from the North by a very aggressive foe. Under attack the land of Jackals itself calls on its heroes to save the day. Purity Blake, one of the inmates of the Royal Breeding House. Molly Templar, writer of penny dreadful science fiction stories and sometimes defender of the land. Coppertracks, a machine life steam man and scientist. Their companions must overcome impossible odds and put aside the enmity between nations to fight off the attackers. Against all the odds, can they succeed?
The book is a little slow to start up, as the characters are introduced in their diverse environments. But slowly the threads are drawn together and each play their part in the fight. And as they begin to weave into the plot the pace quickens. The story twists and turns, always astonishing in its concept and direction.
The outstanding part of this book is the imagination that has gone into it. Nearly everything is completely different from our world and yet it ties together convincingly into a land both of industry and grime, poverty and privilege but also of very real myth and legend.
The ending is a little bit Deus Ex Machina but really this fits in with the tone quite well and at least keeps the pace up in the final pages. There are enough wonderful and fantastic ideas let loose to wander around in this book for several novels.
Definitely a recommended book. I now need to search out the first book - The Court Of The Air - so I can find out what has happened to the characters before.
Although this is the third book of the series and there are plenty of references to events that must take place in the previous books, and despite the writing being immersive rather than explanatory, I found it easy to get into the story.
The world is very interesting. I have read other novels set in a faux Victorian Steampunk-like world but nothing like this. This is like an alternative history, extremely divergeant from ours but with enough similarities that the combination is quite striking.
For example there was a civil war in the past which parliament won, as in the 'real' British history. However all of the royals have been locked up ever since in the Royal Breeding House - kept as figureheads under constant house arrest and threat of execution at the whim of parliament to appease the masses.
There are also countries ruled by thinking, steam driven machines. Others beneath the waves or living strictly by some political principal.
However the world is under threat. All the countries are being slowly invaded from the North by a very aggressive foe. Under attack the land of Jackals itself calls on its heroes to save the day. Purity Blake, one of the inmates of the Royal Breeding House. Molly Templar, writer of penny dreadful science fiction stories and sometimes defender of the land. Coppertracks, a machine life steam man and scientist. Their companions must overcome impossible odds and put aside the enmity between nations to fight off the attackers. Against all the odds, can they succeed?
The book is a little slow to start up, as the characters are introduced in their diverse environments. But slowly the threads are drawn together and each play their part in the fight. And as they begin to weave into the plot the pace quickens. The story twists and turns, always astonishing in its concept and direction.
The outstanding part of this book is the imagination that has gone into it. Nearly everything is completely different from our world and yet it ties together convincingly into a land both of industry and grime, poverty and privilege but also of very real myth and legend.
The ending is a little bit Deus Ex Machina but really this fits in with the tone quite well and at least keeps the pace up in the final pages. There are enough wonderful and fantastic ideas let loose to wander around in this book for several novels.
Definitely a recommended book. I now need to search out the first book - The Court Of The Air - so I can find out what has happened to the characters before.