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Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
2015 | Action, Sci-Fi
This one belongs to James Spader
I doubt that Joss Whedon and the team down at Marvel knew just how successful 2012’s Avengers Assemble would go on to be. After just a few months of release it became the third highest-grossing film of all time, by no means an easy feat to achieve.

Therefore, Whedon and co had their work cut out trying to build on the solid foundations they had laid when it came to producing a sequel. However, three years and $250m later Avengers: Age of Ultron hits our screens. But is it the follow-up everyone was asking for?

Age of Ultron follows the dynamic team of superheroes as they continue to save the world following the near cataclysmic events of the 2009 predecessor and of course every Marvel film released since. Here however, they are tasked with taking down a robot hell bent on destroying the world – a tough day at the office to say the least.

All the fan favourites return as well as some new faces in a film that is technically spectacular but a little overambitious at times. There are 11, count them 11, major characters vying for screen time in Age of Ultron and while Whedon manages to give each of them their own story arc, at times it feels a little rushed.

Joining the cast is James Spader as the voice of Ultron, a robot accidentally created by Tony Stark, and he is by far the most intriguing character in an already impressive line-up. Robert Downey Jr. continues to be on fine form as the wise-cracking Iron Man/Stark with Chris Hemsworth providing the eye-candy as Thor.

It’s also nice to see Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner’s Black Widow and Hawkeye get some much-needed fleshing out after their fairly limited roles in previous Marvel films, and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk is a joy to watch.

Kick-Ass’ Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Godzilla’s Elizabeth Olsen also join the cast as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, two characters fans of the X-Men universe will recognise. However, due to legal requirements their origins are changed and the fact that they are mutants is never revealed, unfortunately limiting their appeal.

When it comes to special effects, Whedon has made sure every sequence is brimming with the highest quality CGI, and despite a couple of lapses early on in the film, the majority of the picture is flawless with some stunning global locations beautifully juxtaposed with the characters doing their thing.

What stands out in Age of Ultron however is the plot. Avengers Assemble was a fine film right up until the generic city-levelling, headache inducing climax that looked like it could have come straight out of a Michael Bay movie.

Thankfully, whilst the action is dialled up a few notches here, the plot is much more detailed and the final scenes are utterly breath-taking.

Overall, Avengers: Age of Ultron had a massive amount to live up to and in some respects it falls a little short, its overambitious nature is its downfall with too many characters needing screen time. However, as a good-time blockbuster it’s hard to find one better and James Spader is genuinely mesmerising as Ultron.

Is it the best film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Well, it’s definitely an improvement on its predecessor – but for me, Guardians of the Galaxy just takes that title by a whisker.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/04/26/this-one-belongs-to-james-spader-avengers-age-of-ultron-review/
  
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Josh Napper (40 KP) rated Spare Parts (2015) in Movies

Jun 12, 2019 (Updated Jun 12, 2019)  
Spare Parts (2015)
Spare Parts (2015)
2015 | Drama, Family
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Plot
With the help of their high school's newest teacher (George Lopez), four Hispanic students form a robotics club. Although they have no experience, the youths set their sights on a national robotics contest. With $800 and parts scavenged from old cars, they build a robot and compete against reigning champion MIT. Along the way, the students learn not only how to build a robot but something far more important: how to forge bonds that will last a lifetime.

What lessons did you learn from this story (theme/moral)? What do you think others will learn from it?
One man can open eyes, and not just one or two eyes but a whole family, team, school, and community. It's not about where you are that truly matters; it’s about the people you are with here that truly matters. Even if you do not get the results you wanted to have when the final second ticks off the clock, you are, and you will always be a winner. No matter how much success you have on your own you are alone, so do it as a team, that way you are and never will be alone.

To summarize it, I liked the whole thing. The fact that the students and even the teacher faced those odds and still went after what they wanted and felt they could do it.

What group of people would like this movie? Who would you recommend it to? Who would you not recommend it to?
I would gladly recommend it to anyone. However, to break it down into smaller groups, I would recommend it to three groups. 1st of all, I would recommend it to students who are told they can’t do something they really wanna do due to one thing or another because the real-life characters of the movie had to go thru the same exact thing. 2nd of all, I would recommend it to teachers and other staff at school, mainly the high school level, so they could take a lesson from this inspiring movie and turn it into their own way of inspiring their students and to get their classmates to work together to turn their little old ideas and dreams into not just reality but also successes. 3rd of all, I would recommend it to people in general who are down on their knees wanting to watch something that would motivate them to not ever give up on their dreams.

What is your final word on the film: Is it good or bad?
The movie Spare Parts is a fantastic film that deals with real-life events. It is kinda incredible that it is simply another movie that was inspired by a true story. Once you look into what the real-life characters had to go thru– their struggle and their success– I was shocked simply due to the unbelievable amount of pain and struggle leading all up to an ending that saw them not only surprise everyone but also themselves. The actors and the actresses completely make it believable that they are not there themselves because it makes you believe they are really going through the events of the movie.

RATING SYSTEM:

1- crap

2- poor

3- decent

4- even

5- Good

6- Great

7- perfect

I give the movie spare parts a movie rating of 6
  
The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
2017 | Action, Animation, Comedy
Batman reigns supreme. Dark, Gothic, self important egotist with serious commitment issues. The Lego Batman Movie could have been little more than a cash in on a popular character from the 2014 surprise hit, The Lego Movie (2014), but instead we get a film which would seem to cement the future of this spoof, family entertainment franchise.

The “Real” Batman, as we all know, is struggling along the rest of hid Justice League pals to break back in to big leagues, but as long a Marvel are ruling the box office this is an uphill task, but here we have a movie and franchise which is limitless in its possibilities, plotting and imagination as anything and everything can be pulled out for the bag for the most entertaining, if not bizarre mash ups imaginable.

Not just limiting himself to DC, director, Chris McKay of Robot Chicken fame, other movies and toys of all ages can band together to create these plots but that said, these are not just cynical product placements, they are taken from the minds of the audience, whether they be three years old or 80, as Batman is himself referenced to be in this film.

Also, drawing on Batman’s long and lavish history as much as possible, we have it all, from the earliest comics, theatrical serials, every previous feature film and a few new twists to be thrown in at will. In short, this is as much fun as you can imagine and it lives up to its potential if not surpassing it from the opening black frames to the final credit.

Recommended for all the family whether you are Batman fans or not.
  
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Dee R (8 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Fallout 4 in Video Games

Sep 11, 2018  
Fallout 4
Fallout 4
2017 | Role-Playing
Gameplay (6 more)
Graphics
Character options
NPC's
Quests
Followers
Creation Club
Male characters can't wear makeup (1 more)
Few bugs that break some quests
Teleport into the post-appocolypse!
Contains spoilers, click to show
You start the game as a male/female who has a devoted partner and newborn son Sean. You also have a robot butler Codsworth. Things are normal until there's an emergency announcement on the TV about attomic bombs falling. It's then you have to rush with your partner and baby to vault 111 and here your new journey begins.
It's not what you think as a gamer though. You go into the vault and expect to live there? wrong you get frozen!
You are frozen for years until this man comes into the vault and thaws you, your partner and baby out. But they only want your baby and when your partner doesn't give him up, they sadly get shot and killed. That's the last fresh memory you have as you again get frozen.
Only to thaw out a few years later to venture out into what is left of your home, and to find your son.
The whole game is revolved around finding Sean, however you get the options to help different factions; The Minutemen, Brotherhood of Steel, The Railroad or The Institute. Each quest you do for one of those factions alters how the others see you. And eventually you have to choose a main faction to follow. The rest become enemies.
When this time comes you find what happened to your son, you struggle to grasp the situation and can do 1 of 2 things. You can carry on his legacy or you can destroy it.
It's all down to you.
  
Autómata (2014)
Autómata (2014)
2014 | International, Mystery, Sci-Fi
In the near future following an ecological disaster, humanity lives behind a wall to protect itself from the radioactive and barren wastelands as well as the scavengers outside. This is the setting of the new film “Autómata” by Director Gabe Ibanez.

Antonio Banderas stars as Jacq Vaucan, an insurance agent who is tasked with representing ROC Robotics as their units have become standard for all tasks menial and otherwise in society.

With Acid Rain and pollution a threat to those in the walk, Jacq is happy to have a good job and has a baby on the way that he and his wife look forward to. Jacq becomes involved in a mystery when a robot is found repairing itself in violation of the basic programming for the machines.

The investigation takes a turn for the worse when violence erupts and Jacq is forced to flee into the radioactive areas with a small band of robots watching over him. Despite his bad condition, Jacq learns the truth behind the investigation and those who will stop at nothing to keep it a secret.

The film is very good for budget Science Fiction as the FX work is first rate. This is a take with humanity at its core, and Banderas does solid work in the role. The film also takes some jabs at society and human nature without being over the top or heavy handed and the pacing worked well for the film.

I must say this is one of the more interesting films of the year especially since it came out without the hype and fanfare of bigger studio films.

http://sknr.net/2014/10/10/automata/
  
Garbage (The SPARK Files, #1)
Garbage (The SPARK Files, #1)
Reese Morrison | 2023 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
GARBAGE is the first book in The SPARK Files and I firstly want to say that I love these characters!

Quincy is a sentient robot, commonly known as a Spark. He goes about doing his job, not hurting anyone else, when he is attacked by a small group of Human Firsters. Yep, they're as bad as they sound! Evan stops the attack and takes Quincy home, where Quincy is subjected to a whole new world of possibilities, more than he was ever aware of.

Oh, man. This story! It is a paradox - dealing with hard-hitting (pun intended) storylines with characters too cute and cuddly... and undeniably HOT! The thing I loved the most is that both of them had insecurities. Both of them needed to work through their own personal issues. They were both there for the other and I just wanted to squidge them so badly!

One thing - there is an on-page assault and it's horrible. So incredibly well written! My eyes were leaking all the way through that scene, even as I appreciated how we managed to get a dual perspective of it. I'd just composed myself when we got the 'feet' scene when Quincy is detained. Boom! I was gone... again!

Quincy and Evan are so perfect together. I loved the whole book and can't wait to continue with the series. HIGHLY 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!
Jul 20, 2023
  
The Quiet at the End of the World
The Quiet at the End of the World
Lauren James | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A gentle end to humankind.
Another YA book, where I don’t honestly know why it has been labelled YA. Perhaps unless there’s rampant sex and violence in a book, only children will want to read it. Except I’m 45 (for now!). I love a bit of sex and violence as much as the next Science Fiction/ Fantasy reader, but I also acknowledge that a book can be a damn good read without those things - and this IS a damn good read.

It’s a ‘soft apocalypse’. A drift into the end of human kind. An exploration into what it is to be human, and ultimately: would the earth be better off without us on it? We all know the answer to that really, don’t we?

Lowrie and Shen are the two youngest and last born humans on Earth. A seemingly harmless virus rendered the entire human race infertile, although some already fertilised embryos remained. Lowrie and Shen are the last two babies born from those embryos. And there has been no cure discovered for the virus.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a refreshingly gentle take on apocalypse - no one is killed, no cannibalism, there are no murderous dictators. In fact everyone gets along and works together as a community.

There are some great characters other than the main ones: Mitch, the lifeguard robot who communicates using flashing colours is one in particular. I loved the records of Lowrie and Shen’s found objects at the start of each chapter as well. A real mix of the ancient (to the reader as well) and the modern (to the reader alone!).

A very thought provoking read in these times of climate crisis, and told in a way that makes it accessible to both young and old.
  
Planet 51 (2009)
Planet 51 (2009)
2009 | Action, Animation, Comedy
On a planet far from our own, green creatures are experiencing their own version of the 1950’s. Among them is Lem (Justin Long) who has just gotten his first job as an assistant at the local planetarium. When a space ship appears harboring an alien, human astronaut Captain Charles T. Baker (Dwayne Johnson), the fearful locals are not so friendly. It is up to Lem to save the astronaut and help his people learn not to fear the world beyond what they know.

The film is written for both children and adults, like a toned down version of “Shrek” with a more relevant moral feel. Putting the characters in the 1950s adds to the film’s charm, allowing kids access to the blatant characterizations of the time period, such as the bumbling science professor and the hippy protestor who maintains from the start that the alien is friendly.

Other characters of note are Lem’s comic book and movie fanatic best friend, Skiff (Seann William Scott) and the military commander General Grawl (Gary Oldman) who is hell-bent on capturing the alien. Children will also enjoy the two pet creatures from a local alien dog that excretes acid to a rock-obsessed robot sent to pick up local specimens for Baker.

“Planet 51” is wholly entertaining. It provides some mature insight by displaying how we would appear to another culture if we ever did encounter aliens. This switch of perspective is sure to make children think and laugh over the simple cross-cultural mishaps that occur while Lem and Baker are attempting to find common ground.

A delightful, animated romp, “Planet 51” will make you hope for a groovy 1960’s sequel.
  
I Am Mother (2019)
I Am Mother (2019)
2019 | Sci-Fi, Thriller
Intriguing and Intense
I Am Mother is a 2019 sci-fi/thriller movie directed by Grant Sputore, with screenplay written by Michael Lloyd Green. It was produced by Penguin Empire, Southern Light Films, Mister Smith Entertainment and Endeavor Content and distributed by Netflix and Studio Canal. The film stars Luke Hawker, Clara Ruggard, Rose Byrne, and Hilary Swank.


A robot named "Mother" grows a human embryo and cares for her over several years when after an extinction event, an automated bunker activates to repopulate humanity. Mother teaches a teenage girl named "Daughter" complex moral and ethical lessons advising her that she needs practice being a good parent. Daughter captures a mouse but Mother disposes of it and explains that surface contamination with the outside world makes contact potentially lethal. Their bond is tested when Daughter becomes increasingly curious about the outside world and opens the bunker's airlock to let in a wounded woman begging for help and claims all is not as Mother claims.


This movie was awesome, classic sci-fi but with great acting and special effects. I like how suspenseful it was and how it told such a compelling story. It had me paying attention to every detail and trying to predict how it was going to unravel plot wise and though some parts I could see coming, it threw a couple of curve balls here and there. There wasn't a lot to complain about other than some people saying it revealed too much a little too soon and that it was a slow paced film. I just really like the way it played out, with one of those classic, sci-fi, artificial intelligence concepts. I give this movie a 8/10. And I also give it my "Must See Seal of Approval".
  
Deadly Friend (1986)
Deadly Friend (1986)
1986 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Death By Basktetball
Deadly Friend- is a good movie. The best sence is the basketball kill. It was gory, horrorfying and terrorfying. Other than that this film is basically Frankenstien but instead of a monster its a robot. Which does turn into a monster.

The plot: Its plot follows a teenage computer prodigy who implants a robot's hardrive into the brain of his teenage neighbor after she is pronounced brain dead; the experiment proves successful, but she swiftly begins a killing spree in their neighborhood.

Originally, the film was a sci-fi thriller without any graphic scenes, with a bigger focus on plot and character development and a dark love story centering around the two main characters, which were not typical aspects of Craven's previous films. After Craven's original cut was shown to a test audience by Warner Bros., the audience criticized the lack of graphic, bloody violence and gore that Craven's other films included. Warner Bros. executive vice president Mark Canton and the film's producers then demanded script re-writes and re-shoots, which included filming gorier death scenes and nightmare sequences, similar to the ones from Craven's previous film, A Nightmare on Elm Street. Due to studio imposed re-shoots and re-editing, the film was drastically altered in post-production, losing much of the original plot and more scenes between characters, while other scenes, including more grisly deaths and a new ending, were added. This version was criticized by test audiences for containing too much graphic, bloody violence and gore.

In April 2014, an online petition for the release of the original cut was made.

Its a intresting movie see it for yourself and see if you like it.