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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Life of the Party (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
After her husband abruptly asks for a divorce, a middle-aged mother returns to college in order to complete her degree.
I love Melissa McCarthy, and she was amazing in this. I hadn't laughed this much in ages, it felt good for my soul. Everyone in the screen was laughing, and sometimes that's just what you need.
Eighties throwback and some truly amazing outfits. You'll end up wanting to join in during the dance off. And if you find yourself not wanting to, then you're probably too young to appreciate that.
There's so much fun in here that, spoiler alert, a bit further down the page I went to see it again. A genuine feel good film, and it definitely made me want to bust out some retro moves. I will also be adding "vagoogle" to my vocabulary.
I love Melissa McCarthy, and she was amazing in this. I hadn't laughed this much in ages, it felt good for my soul. Everyone in the screen was laughing, and sometimes that's just what you need.
Eighties throwback and some truly amazing outfits. You'll end up wanting to join in during the dance off. And if you find yourself not wanting to, then you're probably too young to appreciate that.
There's so much fun in here that, spoiler alert, a bit further down the page I went to see it again. A genuine feel good film, and it definitely made me want to bust out some retro moves. I will also be adding "vagoogle" to my vocabulary.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Ex Machina (2015) in Movies
Feb 13, 2018
The Fembot Awakens
Slightly-retro-but-in-a-good-way SF movie from the writer of The Beach and 28 Days Later. Corporate minion is whisked off to the wilderness by wealthy boss to participate in experiments testing the intelligence of a female-looking android he has built; android indeed proves to have a mind of her own.
Wears its influences relatively lightly and looks good; that said, seems more content to play with the issues it raises than actually explore them with any real rigour. Ending is a bit silly, but forgivably so. If, as seems possible, the director wants to make a point about male exploitation of women, it might be better not to do so in a movie where every female actress is required to do a full-frontal nude scene. Smarter than the usual studio SF film, anyway; passes the time entertainingly.
Wears its influences relatively lightly and looks good; that said, seems more content to play with the issues it raises than actually explore them with any real rigour. Ending is a bit silly, but forgivably so. If, as seems possible, the director wants to make a point about male exploitation of women, it might be better not to do so in a movie where every female actress is required to do a full-frontal nude scene. Smarter than the usual studio SF film, anyway; passes the time entertainingly.
Dean (6925 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) in Movies
Dec 23, 2019
Better than Last Jedi (1 more)
Some very good action scenes
May the force be with you
Well first of all the good news is that this is better than the last Jedi! Thankfully more in line with the Force awakens. It manages to clear up some things from the Last Jedi that many people were not happy about. There are plenty of good actions scenes. Which often feel like they took what people enjoyed from the original films and made sure they included in this sign off film. There are some nice elements that ground the film with things that happened in the original films as well. Also a big plot development out of no where. So why it might not be the ending everyone will be happy with, it does improve on the last film. Most will enjoy the retro aspects along with the new characters and developments. A decent send off.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Death in a Northern Town (Death in a Northern Town #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2021
82 of 250
Kindle
Death in a Northern Town ( Deat in a Northern Town 1)
By Peter McKeirnon
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Follow the zombie outbreak as it happens in the small Northern English town of Runcorn, with journal entries from survivor John Diant, bringing you the apocalypse from his perspective as he goes in search for his missing daughter with his retro, chain smoking best friend 80s Dave.
Bloody brilliant!! I laughed so much! In my opinion it was well written and definitely funny. Love finding little gems like this especially from British authors. The Geese were just a fantastic idea and I loved this apocalypse included animals too. Loved the bloke throw zombies off the high rise block of flats and the zombies heads on pikes.
Can’t wait to read more I would recommend give these authors a go! X
Kindle
Death in a Northern Town ( Deat in a Northern Town 1)
By Peter McKeirnon
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Follow the zombie outbreak as it happens in the small Northern English town of Runcorn, with journal entries from survivor John Diant, bringing you the apocalypse from his perspective as he goes in search for his missing daughter with his retro, chain smoking best friend 80s Dave.
Bloody brilliant!! I laughed so much! In my opinion it was well written and definitely funny. Love finding little gems like this especially from British authors. The Geese were just a fantastic idea and I loved this apocalypse included animals too. Loved the bloke throw zombies off the high rise block of flats and the zombies heads on pikes.
Can’t wait to read more I would recommend give these authors a go! X
Sarah (7798 KP) rated VFW (2019) in Movies
Jul 31, 2020
Gorily average
You can't beat a good old B movie, and VFW certainly has the makings of one, however it's a shame that it's nothing we haven't seen before.
This has a great B movie feel throughout, from the atmospheric soundtrack to the retro and dark cinematography, as well as the ridiculous over the top gore (which is by far the best thing about this film). It has a seriously good old school cast and watching them in action is a lot of fun. This has such a Hobo with a Shotgun vibe that I'm surprised that it hasn't been made by the same people. The biggest problem with this is the plot and the whole idea in general. Films like this have been done so many times before and even with all the gore thrown in it's nothing original. But I suppose overall it is still a fairly entertaining romp with some laugh out loud deaths.
This has a great B movie feel throughout, from the atmospheric soundtrack to the retro and dark cinematography, as well as the ridiculous over the top gore (which is by far the best thing about this film). It has a seriously good old school cast and watching them in action is a lot of fun. This has such a Hobo with a Shotgun vibe that I'm surprised that it hasn't been made by the same people. The biggest problem with this is the plot and the whole idea in general. Films like this have been done so many times before and even with all the gore thrown in it's nothing original. But I suppose overall it is still a fairly entertaining romp with some laugh out loud deaths.
Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Stranger Things - Season 1 in TV
Jul 12, 2017
David Harbour (4 more)
All of the kids
That theme music
The pitch-perfect retro atmosphere
Barb!
Nostalgia Perfected
Stranger Things is everything I wanted J.J. Abrams' Super 8 to be, and more. The atmosphere of the show is pitch-perfect and well established from the very first episode. The creeping tension builds until it touches the viewer's core and finally "resolves" in a full-on creature feature of a final episode. Like any good mystery/thriller TV show, it saves plenty of mysteries for future seasons. Here's to hoping the Duffer brothers don't bungle it up like Hemlock Grove after the interesting mysteries in its first season. Stranger Things is a much better show, however, and the Duffer brothers seem to have a much better idea of where this story is going. The child actors are all fantastic, and of the few notable adults/teens, David Harbour is my favorite. I cannot wait for season two in October (the kids have Ghostbusters Halloween costumes!).
The Marinated Meeple (1848 KP) rated Circus Maximus in Tabletop Games
Mar 29, 2018
The idea of the game (1 more)
The Theme "Chariot Racing"
A really retro game, but still a good game.
I used to pay this when I was a kid in the 80's, watch Ben Hur and I want to play again immediately. The choice to play to win the race or to play to kill everyone else is a very real one and you find a way to balance the two is probably best. You can do damage to the chariots and the horses, and run them into the walls. Flip them over, Use he whip on them, etc. It's a race game at heart but the interaction between the racers is where the fun comes in. plus there are lots of people who find awesome mini's and create coliseums instead of the board it comes with, and they play at conventions. See some of the pictures I've added. This game is a old school treasure ahead of its time, but could use updating. I'd love to see a modern publisher get a hold of this and re-make it.
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated the PC version of Emily Is Away Too in Video Games
Jul 9, 2018
For people of a certain age, Emily Is Away Too will remind them of being a teenager in the early aughts and late nineties. You play as yourself (more or less) as you attempt to woo either of two girls at your high school: Emily, the alternative hipster chick, or Evelyn, the punk rocker. In that way, it's much like many dating sims. You discover their likes and dislikes and play into them.
What makes Emily Is Away unique is the gameplay. It all takes place, so to speak, in a chat client called "EOL," which functions like AIM or Yahoo! Messenger. You can customize your font, profile, and avatar (the angstier the lyrics in your bio the better, of course). And don't forget to make your text as obnoxious as possible.
To compliment the retro look, the soundtrack consists of the sound of your hard drive working and really authentic chat notifications. It was a trip back in time for me, and it actually made me a little sad in a bittersweet way.
What makes Emily Is Away unique is the gameplay. It all takes place, so to speak, in a chat client called "EOL," which functions like AIM or Yahoo! Messenger. You can customize your font, profile, and avatar (the angstier the lyrics in your bio the better, of course). And don't forget to make your text as obnoxious as possible.
To compliment the retro look, the soundtrack consists of the sound of your hard drive working and really authentic chat notifications. It was a trip back in time for me, and it actually made me a little sad in a bittersweet way.
Several patterns for each month of the year (3 more)
Patterns range from retro, to modern, to classic
Beginners can learn how to embroider with detailed instructions and those who are experienced can pick up a few new tricks
Shows a variety of placement ideas, keeps you inspired to add designs to other places than framed art
Gorgeous patterns-For anyone who knows how to embroider and beginners like me!
I have been cross stitching for 30 years and learned how to punch needle 3 years ago. I have always wanted to learn the technique of embroidery. I love taking a piece of cloth and turning it into a piece of art but was always too intimidated to try my hand at embroidery. This week, I was able to put my fears aside when I received an ARC of A Year of Embroidery by Yumiko Higuchi from Netgalley.
A Year of Embroidery: A Month-To-Month Collection of Motifs for Seasonal Stitching, is a book which helped me get over the fear of embroidery and instilled a passion for learning!
My review is through the eyes of a beginner, but the book is for all levels of embroidery technique. I like that the book is not only chock full of patterns but helpful instruction and placement ideas, as well. The designs range from beautiful to whimsical and feature flowers, cacti, seashells, birds, people, reptiles, insects and animals. Each pattern also gives the DMC number for each floss the author used in her designs. Yumiko Higuchi made sure to include several designs for each month of the year, some with a retro feel and others with a more modern take on embroidery.
The ARC I received of this book is in a protected format and I am not able to make any of the patterns provided. With the wealth of information, A Year of Embroidery holds and the number of patterns I adore, this will be on my bookshelf as soon as it becomes available. I cannot wait to try my hand at this new needlecraft and hope that many others will enjoy it as much as I have.
I would like to thank the author, Yumiko Higuchi and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC for free in exchange for my honest review.
A Year of Embroidery: A Month-To-Month Collection of Motifs for Seasonal Stitching, is a book which helped me get over the fear of embroidery and instilled a passion for learning!
My review is through the eyes of a beginner, but the book is for all levels of embroidery technique. I like that the book is not only chock full of patterns but helpful instruction and placement ideas, as well. The designs range from beautiful to whimsical and feature flowers, cacti, seashells, birds, people, reptiles, insects and animals. Each pattern also gives the DMC number for each floss the author used in her designs. Yumiko Higuchi made sure to include several designs for each month of the year, some with a retro feel and others with a more modern take on embroidery.
The ARC I received of this book is in a protected format and I am not able to make any of the patterns provided. With the wealth of information, A Year of Embroidery holds and the number of patterns I adore, this will be on my bookshelf as soon as it becomes available. I cannot wait to try my hand at this new needlecraft and hope that many others will enjoy it as much as I have.
I would like to thank the author, Yumiko Higuchi and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC for free in exchange for my honest review.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
I didn't think my face could smile for 2 hours and 41 minutes straight!
Guess what? I ventured out on my day off and went to the theatre for the first time in 2019! (I'm such a loser!)
There are so many QT fans out there and probably just as many who think his films are trashy and pointless. As a true film fan, I can't not love not only his unique approach to film-making, but also his appreciation for the art of film and the constant homages he pays to film of year's past.
The first thing to talk about is the film's perfect tone and look of 1969. The costumes, hairstyles and music of the period was right on, but even more than that was the art direction and cinematography. Almost every scene has a vintage movie poster, retro theatre marquee or period television pram playing in the background. This helps you immerse yourself in this cinematic landscape almost immediately.
Can I also say the movie had opening credits! (Bring them back please !?!)
Basically, a Hollywood television/B movie actor and his personal stuntman navigate their Hollywood lifestyles in 1969 amidst the Playboy Mansion and the Charles Manson cult. The roller coaster goes from movie sets to retro Hollywood and everywhere in between. We also meet Sharon Tate. She loves her world of budding stardom and basks in the opportunity to be famous.
QT takes his usual liberties with historical facts, but can't say too much more than that here. If you are used to this in his other films like Inglorious Basterds, it won't bother you here either. He always seems to manage to make every actor look great and brings the best out of them and this film is no exception. Even actors with smaller roles like Al Pacino, Dakota Fanning and Luke Perry shine in their limited screen time.
As usual, his score was playing constantly throughout the film and complemented the situations remarkably well. I am sure I will be downloading some of them for myself later on.
QT has talked about retiring which would be a shame. I have pretty much loved everything he has ever done so losing a truly one of a kind cinematic voice such as his at such a young age would be truly heartbreaking.
There are so many QT fans out there and probably just as many who think his films are trashy and pointless. As a true film fan, I can't not love not only his unique approach to film-making, but also his appreciation for the art of film and the constant homages he pays to film of year's past.
The first thing to talk about is the film's perfect tone and look of 1969. The costumes, hairstyles and music of the period was right on, but even more than that was the art direction and cinematography. Almost every scene has a vintage movie poster, retro theatre marquee or period television pram playing in the background. This helps you immerse yourself in this cinematic landscape almost immediately.
Can I also say the movie had opening credits! (Bring them back please !?!)
Basically, a Hollywood television/B movie actor and his personal stuntman navigate their Hollywood lifestyles in 1969 amidst the Playboy Mansion and the Charles Manson cult. The roller coaster goes from movie sets to retro Hollywood and everywhere in between. We also meet Sharon Tate. She loves her world of budding stardom and basks in the opportunity to be famous.
QT takes his usual liberties with historical facts, but can't say too much more than that here. If you are used to this in his other films like Inglorious Basterds, it won't bother you here either. He always seems to manage to make every actor look great and brings the best out of them and this film is no exception. Even actors with smaller roles like Al Pacino, Dakota Fanning and Luke Perry shine in their limited screen time.
As usual, his score was playing constantly throughout the film and complemented the situations remarkably well. I am sure I will be downloading some of them for myself later on.
QT has talked about retiring which would be a shame. I have pretty much loved everything he has ever done so losing a truly one of a kind cinematic voice such as his at such a young age would be truly heartbreaking.
