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Road Trip (2000)
Road Trip (2000)
2000 | Comedy
Deplorable, only a few meager steps above the likes of shit hall-of-famer ๐˜‹๐˜ฆ๐˜ถ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ ๐˜‰๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ: ๐˜”๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜Ž๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ. Bargain bin ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜—๐˜ช๐˜ฆ meets injudicious ๐˜๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜‰๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ'๐˜ด ๐˜‹๐˜ข๐˜บ ๐˜–๐˜ง๐˜ง mixed with elements that we'd later see Phillips use to his benefit in better films like ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ and ๐˜‹๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ ๐˜‹๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ - but are 0% amusing here. I challenge you to find a more stagnant road trip movie than this, why even cast Tom Green at the peak of his fame (who, along with DJ Qualls, are the only perfect performances) if you're only going to have him do a couple outrageous things? Like yeah don't overdo it but come on you can do better than this. I mean hell even similarly awful 30 ๐˜”๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ถ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜“๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด did at least fifty times more with Fred Ward. Also worth noting how much this films hates women. The entire plot of this movie hinges on the Meyer (who is worse than terrible in this) character rightfully being in danger of his girlfriend finding out he undisguisedly cheated on her but we're supposed to not want that to happen because him and his noxious jackass friends are funny... but they aren't? Some of the ugliest aesthetics and soundtrack offerings of the crime of good taste that was the late 90s/early 2000s style. I'm usually a Todd defender but this is just wretched. ๐˜™๐˜ฐ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ ๐˜›๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ.
  
Toy Story 4 (2019)
Toy Story 4 (2019)
2019 | Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi
A new setting (0 more)
Wasn't as heartfelt as the first 3... (0 more)
All good (Toy) Story's come to an end...
Contains spoilers, click to show
Toy story 4 was outed as unnecessary to most, I was happy to see more providing it wasn't more of the same.

Unfortunately it was another Rescue story but luckily the story was saved by being a different kind of rescue.

In the begging the toys are once again seperated by a clear out as Bo peep is is boxed, only this time their rescue is unsuccessful....
Eventually the remaining toys are introduced to Forky...who believes his destiny is to be trash? After multiple attempts to escape forky manages to escape during a road trip and and woody goes to recover & rescue him which reunites him with an old friend.....

Bo peep guy's, its Bo peep, don't be too shocked haha...

I enjoyed most of this film but was left unsatisfied with the ending, the original 3 had a solid emotional ending but this although was a nice finish, left me feeling like the real ending was left on the cutting floor.

The introduction of new characters was another nice addition although unnecessary and the big bad was a nice alternative, but it is safe to say that this was indeed a nice way to end things.

(Toys story 5 coming 2025....lol)
  
Don't Fail Me Now
Don't Fail Me Now
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Michelle Devereaux in a police department with her younger siblings Cass and Denny waiting with a social worker for their aunt to pick them up. Their mother has been arrested. Unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened. Her mother has been in jail several times and she hasn't seen her father in several years. When Michelle finds out that her father is dying in California and may have something for her, she sets out on a journey that will hopefully end in a windfall for her and her siblings.

This was a great YA Novel. A book about love, family and adventure. Michelle and her siblings are black kids from Baltimore, Maryland. Michelle knows that she and Cass have a half-sister, Leah, that is white, and that is about all the know about her. Until she shows up with her step-brother at Michelle's job with information about their father. With this new information and the current state of affairs, Michelle decides now is a good a time as any to drive across the country to see her father before he is no longer there.

Five kids, in an old station wagon are heading across the country without any of their parents being aware. They have very little money and barely more than the clothes on their back, but they are determined to find Buck Devereaux and collect whatever it is he has for them.

Their adventure is not without some complications. Will they make the journey successfully? Will these siblings, Michelle, Cass, and Leah be able to build a relationship? Will they reunite with the father they barely know? How will this trip change their lives for the future?

One of the things that drew me to this book where the characters. They were characters I could relate to, when I was that age and the kids are all from Maryland where I live. Plus, who doesn't love a good road trip. All of these factors made this an excellent book and something I would recommend to young adults from mixed racial backgrounds and diverse family dynamics.
  
TT
Tonight the Streets Are Ours
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>

From Leila Sales, the author of <i>This Song Will Save Your Life</i>, comes a new contemporary young adult novel about love and friendship. Seventeen-year-old Arden, a recklessly loyal girl, discovers a blog, <i>Tonight The Streets Are Ours</i>, and becomes obsessed with the writerโ€™s life. Peter has had experiences that Arden has also had; such as a relative leaving and loving people a lot more than they love you.

Ardenโ€™s loyalty to her friend Lindsey has occasionally ended up with Arden taking on the punishments she does not deserve. Arden believes she is doing this out of love but is beginning to question why no one else does those types of things for her. After being let down by her boyfriend, Arden and Lindsey go on a road trip to New York in search of this admirable Peter. However, this trip ends up with Arden and Lindsey falling out, and Peter not quite being who the Internet made him out to be.

To begin with, <i>Tonight The Streets Are Ours</i>, felt very sketchy. The writing style and themes did not match up. Whereas the characters were teenagers and dealing with age appropriate issues, the actual writing felt as though it was targeted at a much younger audience. The characters were not particularly likable, including Arden who at times appeared to be representing perfection in terms of her personality. It is not until much later in the novel that the pace picks up and the story becomes more exciting. Once Arden meets Peter and begins to realize that reality conflicts with the online Peter, the true message of the book begins to come across.

It is difficult to rate this book. Whilst the ending was good, the beginning dragged so much that I almost gave up on reading it. If I felt that way then chances are other readers may do too โ€“ readers that may not actually persevere. For this reason, <i>Tonight The Streets Are Ours</i> is not a book I would easily recommend.
  
Uncle Drew (2018)
Uncle Drew (2018)
2018 | Comedy
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 Drewโ€™s old basketball squad (Shaquille Oโ€™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 Canโ€™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.
  
Killing in a Koi Pond
Killing in a Koi Pond
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Jessica Gets Back on the Road to Murder
Jessica Fletcher is traveling down to South Carolina to visit a college friend. Delores has just married Willis, and she is over the moon. She is also blind to the way that Willis treats the majority of those around them, but Jessica observes the way others are reacting to his almost abusive behavior at dinner. When Jessica sets out for a run the next morning, she finds Willis dead in the Koi Pond. While Delores doesnโ€™t want to believe that anyone could have killed Willis, the police being to treat Delores as a suspect. Can Jessica figure out what is really happening?

Although Iโ€™ve been a fan of the TV show for years, I just started reading the books a couple of years ago. While I enjoyed those books, they felt a little off for the franchise. This book captures the feel of the show much better, especially Jessica on a trip episode (which were the majority). Jessica is her charming best here, and I enjoyed several other characters as well as appreciating the growth in Delores. I did feel that Deloresโ€™s step-granddaughter was a bit young for the age she was supposed to be and the suspects were thin. The plot was good, although the pacing was off. Still, it did provide some enjoyable red herrings before we reached a classic Murder, She Wrote climax. Fans of the series will feel right at home here.
  
WO
Wolverine: Old Man Logan
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
(edit: the really-rather-good movie 'Logan' supposedly takes its inspiration from this one, and it's not hard to spot where, despite that movie also being it's own thing)

Well, that was unexpected.

I'd heard good things about this one, but had never got round to reading it until fairly recently.

And I have to say, that this one does live up to the hype.

It's also quite easy to spot some of the influences on this: set in the future (like The Dark Knight Returns), this sees Logan - who has given up violence and just wants to live a quiet life - travelling across America in the company of an ex-Avenger (Hawkeye), that has since fallen to the super-villains and been divided up amongst them, all to earn some cash so he can pay-off the gang-lords (descendants of Bruce Banner) of the sector in which he lives: a road-trip fairly reminiscent of Mad Max.

Reading it, I kinda want to learn more about what happened; about how did the world get into the state it is portrayed in (although there are brief snippets given throughout). Forswearing violence for the majority of the tale, it's only towards the end that he finally lets loose, in some rather graphic scenes and depictions - it's no wonder that this comes with a parental guidance! - before finally riding off into the sunset (Pale Rider? Unforgiven?) after he returns home to find tragedy has befallen his family while he was away.
  
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

I enjoy brain teasers, mysteries, and puzzles. I enjoy the satisfaction you get when figuring something out that made you have to think. Too often, we just Google an answer and do not have to figure it out for ourselves. 60-Second Brain Teasers Pencil-Free Puzzles: Short Head-Scratchers from the Easy to Near Impossible by Nathan Haselbauer makes you think and is not a book to read in one sitting. Your brain would hurt too much if you did.

Haselbauer includes an array of puzzles that involves logic and some thought to figure out the puzzles. Some of them stumped me. None were too easy.

The puzzles varied in difficulty and process to solve them. Some are logic-based; others involve math. Either way, they are a fun way to use your brain and pass the time.

This book is reminiscent of the Dell Pencil Puzzles and Word Games I enjoyed so much while growing up. It would be perfect for a road trip or a family gathering.

Several reviewers suggested it helped their children start using their brains again to get ready for back to school.

It is part of a series of 60-Second Brain Teasers published by Fair Winds Press.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 9/15/20.
  
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Hadley (567 KP) rated American Gods in Books

Jun 5, 2020  
American Gods
American Gods
Neil Gaiman | 2005 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Mad Sweeney (1 more)
Gaiman's writing and descriptions
No character development (2 more)
Dehumanizes women
The ending
The gods of the old world still exist in Neil Gaiman's 2001 novel "American Gods."

A science fiction/ fantasy story set in today's America, American Gods tries to answer the question of what happens when people stop believing in the past gods, and start worshiping new ones?

Shadow is our main character, who we meet while he's attempting to get released from prison after three years of incarceration - - - afterall, he has a job, wife and life waiting for him on the outside. And even though he's built up a strong exterior while in prison, everything comes crashing down after he receives news that his wife and best friend have died in a car accident.

Cue Wednesday, an old, odd man who gives Shadow a job after his release from prison - - - with strings attached: Shadow can't ask any questions, he must protect his employer at all costs, and if people need to be hurt, he must hurt them. Although Wednesday doesn't tell him exactly what is going on, Shadow agrees to his duties and begins a road trip with the eccentric old man, meeting an array of colorful characters along the way. But soon, Shadow begins to realize that his employer may be a mythical god in disguise, yet, oddly Shadow never really questions it or anything in the entire book for that matter.

The novel takes an odd turn early on when Shadow's dead wife, Laura, comes back to life in a zombified way. While Shadow is staying in a cheap hotel room, and Wednesday sharing a room with a young hotel employee in another, Shadow sees his wife in the clothing she was buried in, but he doesn't flinch - - - he carries a very calm conversation with dead Laura, he even goes down to the lobby to buy her a pack of cigarettes, and the next morning, he still doesn't seem bothered by it when he sees her muddy footprints on the floor. Wednesday tries to convince Shadow it was a dream, but makes snarky remarks that tells Shadow that even he knows it wasn't a dream. The two simply move on on their road trip, no questions asked.

But during this road trip, Shadow's suspicions are confirmed. He gets to see not only Wednesday, but two others in their true god-form, and afterwards, Wednesday confirms that he is indeed the Norse god, Odin.

Gaiman's take on mythological gods living in today's society is interesting, but disappointing. From recognizable gods to the forgotten ones, readers with a liking to history would probably enjoy this story most.

American Gods centers on the question of what happens to gods when they are no longer worshipped, and Gaiman merely focuses on male gods, while making all female characters (gods and humans) either prostitutes and/or sexual objects which is really off-putting for me as a female reader. And Gaiman's character development in the novel for gods and humans is nowhere to be seen thus lending very little plot development that is actually believable or enjoyable. I was unable to bring myself to care about our main character, Shadow, nor the plight with his zombie wife.And speaking of Laura, the disappointing character traits makes her not just unlikable, but also an unnecessary character overall.

I just can't recommend this book: the novel is good for the first 100 pages, but you could easily skip the next 450 pages that is just filler, and not miss much of the story. Gaiman also dehumanizes women, introduces characters in a way that would make them seem an important part of the story to only drop them out of it as quickly as they came in, and the ending is just a huge disappointment. All in all, Gaiman had a great idea, but the execution he used was poorly done - - - some parts even seem like Gaiman wrote them in a completely different state of mind, contradicting story lines and character traits altogether.

I did, however, have three favorite characters that weren't utilized enough for me to rate the story higher than I have: Mad Sweeney, Ibis and Jacquel. Mad Sweeney is a giant leprechaun that can pull gold coins out of the air; Ibis and Jacquel are Anubis and Jackel from Egyptian mythology, who run a funeral home in Cairo, Illinois today.

American Gods takes place only over a few months, which is surprising with how long the novel is. But the story is a buildup with no climax. Most characters come and go before readers can even decide if they like them or not,and that paired up with severe lack of character development leaves most of the main characters pretty forgettable. With this special edition containing 1200 more words, the story is still not worth it in the end. Gaiman is still a great writer, but this is not the book to recommend to anyone who wants to begin reading his work.
  
A Snowflake&#039;s Chance In  Hell
A Snowflake's Chance In Hell
Amy Romine | 2019
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Iโ€™m reviewing A Snowflakeโ€™s Chance in Hell, by Amy Romine. My rating is 4.5 stars. Here are my thoughts:

^^ This is a romantic, Christmas themed story about one womanโ€™s search for her long lost brother and the people who enter her life along the way.

^^ When Quinn Lawson finally gets a lead that could bring her closer to finding her brother, Peter, of whom she was separated from when their parents died, her search takes her to a military base where she first meets Gunnery Sergeant Kevin McCaluson.

^^ Both Quinn and Kevin have their owns issues to contend with, so their first meeting is a little strained; communications are misinterpreted, emotions run riot, and things simply donโ€™t go as planned. In short, their first impressions of each other are not good. Itโ€™s not love at first sight, thatโ€™s for sure.

^^ Over time they begin to understand each other more and Kevin offers to help Quinn with her search for her brother, so they embark on a long road trip together, and soon their friendship develops a deeper bond and their feelings for each other strengthen. Itโ€™s an emotional ride, full of truths and heartfelt stories, enveloping the true spirit of Christmas in one short read.

Overall: This is a charming, fairly quick, cosy Christmas romance, spiced up by a couple of burning hot scenes. And no, I donโ€™t mean because Iโ€™ve spent too long reading that Iโ€™ve burnt the dinner again! (Although, in truth that has happened many times!) A heartwarming romance thatโ€™s bound to warm the cockles of your heart on a cold, winterโ€™s eve.