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Touchgrind Skate 2
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“Touchgrind Skate 2 is one of the best touch gaming experiences around that is a must buy for...
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Over a million downloads! Get addicted to the Best Racquet Sports Game on the App Store! "I can...
World Cup Table Tennis™
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World Cup Table Tennis. #1 franchise in 94 countries. And of course, the #1 Table Tennis game on the...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Don’t let the “big anime eyes” or unusual title fool you into thinking this will be a lame film. Yes, this movie is based off a manga you’ve probably never heard of. Yes, it is easy to dismiss this film as something that will bomb like last year’s Mortal Engines. But if you place your faith in director Robert Rodriguez and writer/producer James Cameron, you will be treated to a surprisingly solid narrative and fast paced visual spectacle that is worth the price of admission to view in the theater.
The biggest praise I can give to Alita: Battle Angel is that the visually stunning world they create on screen feels “lived in” and real. I found it easy to accept and understand the rules of that world they built and explained throughout film. And while we are not given a full history of their world, we are given enough explanation to understand how or why something existed in their world. This gives us the opportunity to focus on the story of “self-discovery” that Alita ultimately is.
Rosa Salazar motion capture performance of Alita is excellent. Not only in movement but in emotionally delivery. You get the real sense of discovery with this amazing world that Alita is being exposed to. Additionally, as she begins to become more self-aware of who she is, you can understand the emotion and she struggles with love, trust and obligation. Furthermore, from a technical standpoint, by the end of the movie, I was not thinking of Alita being something that is motion captured and instead just accepted her as part of this onscreen world they delivered. This is really something that becomes make or break with this film for some people and it’s easy to dismiss it based on the trailers. However in context of the film, it works and does a good job drawing you in.
In addition to Alita, we are given strong performances from the ensemble cast of characters in the film. Christoph Waltz play’s Alita surrogate father Dr. Dyson Ido, Keean Johnson as the street smart and resourceful Hugo, Mahershala Ali as the gangster type gate keeper Vector, Jennifer Connelly as the morally ambiguous goal focused scientist and Ed Skrein as the cocky bounty hunter. Each of these characters play their roles well and help usher in the different levels of the society they live in. Perhaps the once complaint I have of this film is that the pacing of this film is so fast that we miss an opportunity to obtain a bit more backstory from some of these characters. It is not a big loss, but it makes you wonder if this film would have been better served as a 10 episode Netflix series or something of that nature.
In the end, I found myself enjoying this film more than I expected I would. Is it a perfect film? No. Nor does it invoke emotionally deep existential thought that the manga it is based on provides. But it does tell a sold story of self-discovery in a visually stunning and fully realized world. It is fun, fast paced and something that should be seen in the theaters. And if possible, do yourself a favor and watch it in 3D. This film has some of the best 3D effects since Avatar. The 3D doesn’t feel like an afterthought or gimmicky, but instead works to enhance the on screen world.
The biggest praise I can give to Alita: Battle Angel is that the visually stunning world they create on screen feels “lived in” and real. I found it easy to accept and understand the rules of that world they built and explained throughout film. And while we are not given a full history of their world, we are given enough explanation to understand how or why something existed in their world. This gives us the opportunity to focus on the story of “self-discovery” that Alita ultimately is.
Rosa Salazar motion capture performance of Alita is excellent. Not only in movement but in emotionally delivery. You get the real sense of discovery with this amazing world that Alita is being exposed to. Additionally, as she begins to become more self-aware of who she is, you can understand the emotion and she struggles with love, trust and obligation. Furthermore, from a technical standpoint, by the end of the movie, I was not thinking of Alita being something that is motion captured and instead just accepted her as part of this onscreen world they delivered. This is really something that becomes make or break with this film for some people and it’s easy to dismiss it based on the trailers. However in context of the film, it works and does a good job drawing you in.
In addition to Alita, we are given strong performances from the ensemble cast of characters in the film. Christoph Waltz play’s Alita surrogate father Dr. Dyson Ido, Keean Johnson as the street smart and resourceful Hugo, Mahershala Ali as the gangster type gate keeper Vector, Jennifer Connelly as the morally ambiguous goal focused scientist and Ed Skrein as the cocky bounty hunter. Each of these characters play their roles well and help usher in the different levels of the society they live in. Perhaps the once complaint I have of this film is that the pacing of this film is so fast that we miss an opportunity to obtain a bit more backstory from some of these characters. It is not a big loss, but it makes you wonder if this film would have been better served as a 10 episode Netflix series or something of that nature.
In the end, I found myself enjoying this film more than I expected I would. Is it a perfect film? No. Nor does it invoke emotionally deep existential thought that the manga it is based on provides. But it does tell a sold story of self-discovery in a visually stunning and fully realized world. It is fun, fast paced and something that should be seen in the theaters. And if possible, do yourself a favor and watch it in 3D. This film has some of the best 3D effects since Avatar. The 3D doesn’t feel like an afterthought or gimmicky, but instead works to enhance the on screen world.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated All Fall Down (Supervolcano, #2) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
The follow up novel to [Harry Turtledove's] [Supervolcano: Eruption] was worth the read. The continuing story of the characters as they try in their own ways to survive was enjoyable.
[Supervolcano: All Fall Down] picked up right where [Eruption] left off. In the midst of this disaster the way [Turtledove] portrays his characters not as hero's out to save the world but as humans with all their faults makes the story more believable. It even has a serial killer mystery twist within the plot.
I definitely prefer my science fiction based on real science and not super natural. That is what [Turtledove] has produced so far with the two books from the [Supervolcano] series. I like my fantasy with a good does of reality in most cases.
[Supervolcano: All Fall Down] picked up right where [Eruption] left off. In the midst of this disaster the way [Turtledove] portrays his characters not as hero's out to save the world but as humans with all their faults makes the story more believable. It even has a serial killer mystery twist within the plot.
I definitely prefer my science fiction based on real science and not super natural. That is what [Turtledove] has produced so far with the two books from the [Supervolcano] series. I like my fantasy with a good does of reality in most cases.
Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated The Internship (2013) in Movies
Jan 14, 2018
To google or not To google
our buddy duo of Wilson and Vaughn are together again in this technology film about two watch sales man who lose thier jobs and end up getting internships at Google. They are grouped together with a bunch of other interns and have to strive and complete tasks of ideas that they don't know anything about. What they do know is how to work in a team and the willingness to learn. They do bring to the table of street smarts and the fact they have been in the real world while these kids haven't really experienced life yet and need a little guidance. This is a great film about you are never to old to try and start new things.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated You're (Not) the One in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I loved, LOVED this book! As soon as I finished I found myself wishing I had other books by Alexandra Potter that I could read. She has such an easy-going, entertaining writing style. I literally could not put this book down!
It tells the story of Lucy & Nate, 2 teenagers studying in Venice who meet & share an amazing summer. Of course they move back to the real world on separate continents thinking that they are meant to be together forever. I don't want to say anymore than that because I don't want to spoil the fantastic arc of the story! If you want to know more, I guess you'll just have to read the book yourself! I promise you will NOT be disappointed!!!!
It tells the story of Lucy & Nate, 2 teenagers studying in Venice who meet & share an amazing summer. Of course they move back to the real world on separate continents thinking that they are meant to be together forever. I don't want to say anymore than that because I don't want to spoil the fantastic arc of the story! If you want to know more, I guess you'll just have to read the book yourself! I promise you will NOT be disappointed!!!!
Dean (6927 KP) rated Goal II: Living the Dream (2007) in Movies
Feb 9, 2019
A decent follow up to the first film, with the young Mexican snapped up by Real Madrid in the January transfer window to help their champions league campaign. Again this has plenty of guest stars playing themselves and the football games and scenes are very well done. Plot wise the new kid on the block has to cope with fame and fortune, the press, living abroad with his wife back in Newcastle and finding his mother. Not as deep story wise as the first, you do need to watch that first really and I wasn't happy with the quick ending waiting for the third installment, but this is about as good a film about football as can be made. Next up Goal 3 at the World cup!!
The Craggus (360 KP) rated Free Solo (2018) in Movies
Mar 7, 2019
The best view comes after the hardest climb. Free Solo (2019) Review
In a world of ever-increasing strip-mining of existing properties for prequels and spin-offs, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine someone would set out to make a whole movie about the opening sequence of “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier”.
Of course, that was fantasy and “Free Solo” is reality and although the climbing of El Capitan is the film’s crowning glory, the real hook of the documentary is in its exploration of what drives Alex Honnold to do what he does, proving that there’s so much more to the compulsion to climb a mountain than ‘because it’s there’...
FULL REVIEW: http://bit.ly/CraggusFreeSolo
Of course, that was fantasy and “Free Solo” is reality and although the climbing of El Capitan is the film’s crowning glory, the real hook of the documentary is in its exploration of what drives Alex Honnold to do what he does, proving that there’s so much more to the compulsion to climb a mountain than ‘because it’s there’...
FULL REVIEW: http://bit.ly/CraggusFreeSolo
Kaz4ray (17 KP) rated Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House in Books
Jan 28, 2018
This book is incredibly difficult to read if like me you are from the UK and don’t know much about the finer points of US Politics. However, if you persevere it gives us an inside look at Trump and the team behind him who are apparently the brains behind the clueless man himself. It really is a rather frightening read as it’s real life and if it is to be believed then an imbecile is in charge of the most powerful country in the world. I’m not sure what to make of it - I really don’t want to believe it as it is nightmare inducing but a lot of it rings true. Michael Wolff paints a very concerning picture of what is happening within the White House.