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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Uncle Drew (2018) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
After spending his life savings to enter the Rucker Classic street ball tournament in Harlem, Dax (Lil Rel Howery) loses his team his team, girlfriend, and home to his longtime rival (Nick Kroll). Seeking to turn things around and win the $100,000 cash prize, Dax stumbles upon the legend of streetball, Uncle Drew (Kyrie Irving) and convinces him to return to the court one more time. The two men embark on a road trip to round up Drew’s old basketball squad (Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, and Nate Robinson) to take on a new generation of ballers and redeem their legacy.
There have been countless sports films that have used basketball as a backdrop. Uncle Drew takes many of the charming and humorous elements of films like Like Mike, White Men Can’t Jump, He Got Game, and more to make a film that attempts to wedge itself into the genre instead of simply being a marketing gimmick that has been dragged out longer than it should be. Although the story is very shallow, and the plot is very predictable, the point of the movie is to showcase love and friendship. The film demonstrates that sport is a way to connect people across racial lines, economic class, and across borders. Despite its weaknesses, it brings fans together for ninety minutes to laugh and enjoy the antics of a group of senior citizens and one outcast looking for redemption and a home.
There have been countless sports films that have used basketball as a backdrop. Uncle Drew takes many of the charming and humorous elements of films like Like Mike, White Men Can’t Jump, He Got Game, and more to make a film that attempts to wedge itself into the genre instead of simply being a marketing gimmick that has been dragged out longer than it should be. Although the story is very shallow, and the plot is very predictable, the point of the movie is to showcase love and friendship. The film demonstrates that sport is a way to connect people across racial lines, economic class, and across borders. Despite its weaknesses, it brings fans together for ninety minutes to laugh and enjoy the antics of a group of senior citizens and one outcast looking for redemption and a home.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Last Christmas (2019) in Movies
Dec 3, 2019
Thunderously crass and obvious Christmas turkey, in which A Christmas Carol is involved in a head-on smash with the Richard Curtis rom-com formula: many normally reliable performers are scythed down by the shrapnel, possibly along with unfortunate audience members. The Christmas Carol personal-redemption story formula requires the lead character to be a horrible person in need of reformation; the rom-com pattern requires them to be cute and loveable from the start. Even if Emilia Clarke was as good an actress as I am always being told, she would need to be equipped with a much better script in order to square this particular circle.
This is the main problem the film has to contend with; others include the misplaced belief that quirkiness is an acceptable substitute for actual wit, and a generally pervasive sense of insincerity (it's hard to shake the notion that some key cast members were only employed to help flog this thing in Asian markets). This is before we get to the astonishing non-twist central to the story, or the glib platitudes casually dropped into the script. I imagine people will say its heart is in the right place (somewhat ironically); this is only true if you think the correct place for the heart is between the ears. I laughed once, and this was understandable, for it was at Peter Serafinowicz: unfortunately he is only in one scene.
This is the main problem the film has to contend with; others include the misplaced belief that quirkiness is an acceptable substitute for actual wit, and a generally pervasive sense of insincerity (it's hard to shake the notion that some key cast members were only employed to help flog this thing in Asian markets). This is before we get to the astonishing non-twist central to the story, or the glib platitudes casually dropped into the script. I imagine people will say its heart is in the right place (somewhat ironically); this is only true if you think the correct place for the heart is between the ears. I laughed once, and this was understandable, for it was at Peter Serafinowicz: unfortunately he is only in one scene.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Marked by Dragons Blood ( Return of the Dragonborn book 1) in Books
Mar 17, 2020
Alternate cover edition for ASIN B01N9TCPQX
For all editions see here
Descended from dragons. Condemned to death. Driven underground.
Andie Rogers is no stranger to secrecy. After watching her dragonborn mother get taken away at a young age, she has had to learn to use her sorcery inherited from her father to disguise all trace of her own dragon's blood magic. Now, no longer a child, Andie must attend The University, center of all magic and government in Arvall City, to learn to wield her magic and become a fully-fledged sorcerer.
But Andie has another goal in mind.
Dreams of her tormented ancestors calling out to her have haunted her since she was a child, and Andie knows she must answer their call and discover the truth. But she must do so in the magical capital in the world, surrounded by powerful sorcerers determined to uphold the lie at all cost. If they discover that she carries the blood of the dragonborn, death with be swift and her people will never get a chance at redemption.
Will Andie risk everything to shatter the lies that the world has been fed for so many years? Can she set her people free?
I thought it was brilliant! I love the whole dragon element the story was well written and flowed really well. Strong characters and female lead. Loved the academy and definitely a series I want to see develop!
For all editions see here
Descended from dragons. Condemned to death. Driven underground.
Andie Rogers is no stranger to secrecy. After watching her dragonborn mother get taken away at a young age, she has had to learn to use her sorcery inherited from her father to disguise all trace of her own dragon's blood magic. Now, no longer a child, Andie must attend The University, center of all magic and government in Arvall City, to learn to wield her magic and become a fully-fledged sorcerer.
But Andie has another goal in mind.
Dreams of her tormented ancestors calling out to her have haunted her since she was a child, and Andie knows she must answer their call and discover the truth. But she must do so in the magical capital in the world, surrounded by powerful sorcerers determined to uphold the lie at all cost. If they discover that she carries the blood of the dragonborn, death with be swift and her people will never get a chance at redemption.
Will Andie risk everything to shatter the lies that the world has been fed for so many years? Can she set her people free?
I thought it was brilliant! I love the whole dragon element the story was well written and flowed really well. Strong characters and female lead. Loved the academy and definitely a series I want to see develop!
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated the Xbox 360 version of Red Dead Redemption in Video Games
Feb 24, 2020
Grand theft old west
With the release of Red dead redemption 2 and plenty of praising the game received I decided to give this a go.
Although the game's story suffered the old "do this or your family gets it" story it was dealt with nicely.
Playing as a character who's trying to leave his criminal past behind (again, another rinse & recycle) the plot does include some nice closure to the protagonists past & some interesting characters to sell plenty of side quests through the 'stranger' options.
A vast open world experience with some fantastic detail was a nice input, but I felt that although it's set in the old west, definitely should have had more areas to visit/explore, as it lacked this, it did at times feel empty (through personal experience).
The short relationships between the characters felt unnecessary which if hadn't have happened would have made up for this rather empty sand box.
Definitely not a bad experience overall, but was happy with the main plots ending not having the "villain" explain in mind numbing detail why as it was fairly obvious but was also quite a weak ending at that, would've been better to have a shoot out before being caught off guard.
Still, I recommend this to anyone with a GTA addiction (that's why I'm recommending it to my brother).
Although the game's story suffered the old "do this or your family gets it" story it was dealt with nicely.
Playing as a character who's trying to leave his criminal past behind (again, another rinse & recycle) the plot does include some nice closure to the protagonists past & some interesting characters to sell plenty of side quests through the 'stranger' options.
A vast open world experience with some fantastic detail was a nice input, but I felt that although it's set in the old west, definitely should have had more areas to visit/explore, as it lacked this, it did at times feel empty (through personal experience).
The short relationships between the characters felt unnecessary which if hadn't have happened would have made up for this rather empty sand box.
Definitely not a bad experience overall, but was happy with the main plots ending not having the "villain" explain in mind numbing detail why as it was fairly obvious but was also quite a weak ending at that, would've been better to have a shoot out before being caught off guard.
Still, I recommend this to anyone with a GTA addiction (that's why I'm recommending it to my brother).
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