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Mark Jaye (65 KP) rated Suicide Squad (2016) in Movies
May 14, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
I'll say from the outset, I'm a lifelong comic book fan. During my teenage years back in the 80's I collected John Ostrander's Suicide Squad title and absolutely loved it. It was always a given for me therefore that I would jump at the prospect of a movie based on my favourite title.
You know the synopsis I'm guessing (if you're reading this review) - government official Amanda Waller assembles a group of the baddest incarcerated criminals to go up against the potential of a metahuman crisis should the 'next' Superman not share our values. This is deemed more relevant following the demise of the man of steel himself at the climax of Dawn Of Justice. Amongst those villains are Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), and Enchantress/Dr June Moone (Carla Delevigne). Heading up the group is Colonel Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman), albeit reluctantly.
The story essentially revolves around Enchantress going rogue and converting a subway station in Midway City into a warzone as she resurrects her brother Incubus and the two attempt to destroy the world. The only criticism I have with the movie concerns the simplicity within which Enchantress 'turns' on the group shortly after it is her actions that cause the senate committee to approve the founding of Task Force X only a couple of scenes earlier in the movie. It just feels a bit rushed. It's also interesting to note that the events of the movie would never have taken place had Waller not established her little 'pet project' to begin with!
The dialogue is witty and sharp and the characters are highly likeable (despite them being arch-villains and - in some cases, murderers). Will Smith is the core of the group as Deadshot and his cold-bloodedness as an assassin is softened by the connection he has to his daughter (how the audience is expected no doubt to warm to him?). Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flagg is also key to the story's heart with his flawed relationship with Dr June Moone - Enchantress's alter ego. Margot Robbie is superb as Harley Quinn although at times it seems as if her rear's the star of the show.
What do I need to say about Jared Leto that hasn't been said before? You'll either love or hate his portrayal of Mr.J!
You know the synopsis I'm guessing (if you're reading this review) - government official Amanda Waller assembles a group of the baddest incarcerated criminals to go up against the potential of a metahuman crisis should the 'next' Superman not share our values. This is deemed more relevant following the demise of the man of steel himself at the climax of Dawn Of Justice. Amongst those villains are Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), and Enchantress/Dr June Moone (Carla Delevigne). Heading up the group is Colonel Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman), albeit reluctantly.
The story essentially revolves around Enchantress going rogue and converting a subway station in Midway City into a warzone as she resurrects her brother Incubus and the two attempt to destroy the world. The only criticism I have with the movie concerns the simplicity within which Enchantress 'turns' on the group shortly after it is her actions that cause the senate committee to approve the founding of Task Force X only a couple of scenes earlier in the movie. It just feels a bit rushed. It's also interesting to note that the events of the movie would never have taken place had Waller not established her little 'pet project' to begin with!
The dialogue is witty and sharp and the characters are highly likeable (despite them being arch-villains and - in some cases, murderers). Will Smith is the core of the group as Deadshot and his cold-bloodedness as an assassin is softened by the connection he has to his daughter (how the audience is expected no doubt to warm to him?). Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flagg is also key to the story's heart with his flawed relationship with Dr June Moone - Enchantress's alter ego. Margot Robbie is superb as Harley Quinn although at times it seems as if her rear's the star of the show.
What do I need to say about Jared Leto that hasn't been said before? You'll either love or hate his portrayal of Mr.J!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Roll Player in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
Are you up for some role play? If so, you’ll have to find a different website for that. But if you’re up for some *roll* play, then you’ve come to the right place! Welcome to Roll Player – a strategic game of dice rolling, card drafting, and character creation!
On your way into town, you bump into a mysterious stranger. He tells you that he’s on a quest and is looking for companions to share in the journey (and loot!). A sneaky rogue like yourself might just pick-pocket the man and be on your way. But as a warrior, maybe you’ll go along for some action! What? You’re a wizard? That’s ok! Every good adventuring party needs a character knowledgeable in the mystical arts! The point is, your character is what you make it, and that is exactly how Roll Player works – think RPG character creation, but game-ified!
You take turns rolling dice and drafting cards to hone up your skills and attributes – the player at the end of the game with the best adventurer (determined by Victory Points) is the winner! You start with a set race, class, and backstory that determine your end-game attribute goals, and any extra Victory Points are up to you! How will you manipulate your dice to achieve your goals? How can you draft the perfect skills to outperform your opponents? The possibilities are endless!
Having played Roll Player at least a dozen times, I can honestly tell you that I thoroughly enjoy it. Rolling dice and drafting cards seems simple enough, but the amount of strategy needed to try to meet all of your end-game goals is what makes Roll Player a fun challenge. This game requires more thought than others, but I don’t think that necessarily makes it any harder to learn or play. I’ve found that once I help walk a new player through their first turn, the rest of the game is fine, and turns generally pass quickly enough too (as long as your opponent doesn’t suffer from AP…) so that the game doesn’t actually feel that long.
All in all, Roll Player does make you think, but it’s not such a heavy game that it’ll feel super serious. Purple Phoenix Games gives it a 17 / 18 (Josh has yet to play it).
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/03/roll-player-review/
On your way into town, you bump into a mysterious stranger. He tells you that he’s on a quest and is looking for companions to share in the journey (and loot!). A sneaky rogue like yourself might just pick-pocket the man and be on your way. But as a warrior, maybe you’ll go along for some action! What? You’re a wizard? That’s ok! Every good adventuring party needs a character knowledgeable in the mystical arts! The point is, your character is what you make it, and that is exactly how Roll Player works – think RPG character creation, but game-ified!
You take turns rolling dice and drafting cards to hone up your skills and attributes – the player at the end of the game with the best adventurer (determined by Victory Points) is the winner! You start with a set race, class, and backstory that determine your end-game attribute goals, and any extra Victory Points are up to you! How will you manipulate your dice to achieve your goals? How can you draft the perfect skills to outperform your opponents? The possibilities are endless!
Having played Roll Player at least a dozen times, I can honestly tell you that I thoroughly enjoy it. Rolling dice and drafting cards seems simple enough, but the amount of strategy needed to try to meet all of your end-game goals is what makes Roll Player a fun challenge. This game requires more thought than others, but I don’t think that necessarily makes it any harder to learn or play. I’ve found that once I help walk a new player through their first turn, the rest of the game is fine, and turns generally pass quickly enough too (as long as your opponent doesn’t suffer from AP…) so that the game doesn’t actually feel that long.
All in all, Roll Player does make you think, but it’s not such a heavy game that it’ll feel super serious. Purple Phoenix Games gives it a 17 / 18 (Josh has yet to play it).
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/03/roll-player-review/
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Rogue Lawyer in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Sebastian Rudd is not your typical lawyer per se -- he works out of his car or home, has (and needs) a bodyguard, and spends much of his time trying to bend the law as much as he can. Sebastian defends those who others will not: mostly criminals our society immediately condemns as guilty. He believes all are entitled to a fair trial and as a result, he finds himself hated by the police, other lawyers (especially the DA and all associated with the office), and much of his town. In addition, Sebastian struggles as a father, spending limited time with his young son, who is being raised by Sebastian's ex-wife.
This book was an interesting one. I almost didn't pick it up, as I'd read some negative reviews. In that respect, I found the book a pleasant surprise. It certainly surpassed most of the reviews I'd read. Good to start with low expectations perhaps? One of the biggest surprises about this novel is the disdain for the police, and truly, much of the legal system, that comes across via Sebastian. Not always something you see in a Grisham book. It's a theme that's hit over and over (it gets to be a bit much after a while). However, Sebastian has a bit of a right to be disgruntled - the novel weaves together a few different separate stories of his various clients - and several certainly aren't treated fairly by the legal system, or the police.
It's a daring choice to to put Sebastian as a rogue lawyer who works out of his van - your brain can't help but going immediately to Connelly's Mickey Haller (the "Lincoln Lawyer"). In that respect, Sebastian and the book fall short. It's hard to surpass a Connelly character. But Sebastian has his own unique charm and the novel grew on me as it went on. The story picks up considerably and I found myself drawn into the tales and Sebastian's woes. It's not the most uplifting of books- there's no amazing court battle victory here, and not a lot of characters you can root for - but the interconnected stories are intriguing and Sebastian is a complicated character who kept me thinking. I'll be curious if Grisham does a follow-up book on him.
This book was an interesting one. I almost didn't pick it up, as I'd read some negative reviews. In that respect, I found the book a pleasant surprise. It certainly surpassed most of the reviews I'd read. Good to start with low expectations perhaps? One of the biggest surprises about this novel is the disdain for the police, and truly, much of the legal system, that comes across via Sebastian. Not always something you see in a Grisham book. It's a theme that's hit over and over (it gets to be a bit much after a while). However, Sebastian has a bit of a right to be disgruntled - the novel weaves together a few different separate stories of his various clients - and several certainly aren't treated fairly by the legal system, or the police.
It's a daring choice to to put Sebastian as a rogue lawyer who works out of his van - your brain can't help but going immediately to Connelly's Mickey Haller (the "Lincoln Lawyer"). In that respect, Sebastian and the book fall short. It's hard to surpass a Connelly character. But Sebastian has his own unique charm and the novel grew on me as it went on. The story picks up considerably and I found myself drawn into the tales and Sebastian's woes. It's not the most uplifting of books- there's no amazing court battle victory here, and not a lot of characters you can root for - but the interconnected stories are intriguing and Sebastian is a complicated character who kept me thinking. I'll be curious if Grisham does a follow-up book on him.
Debbiereadsbook (1478 KP) rated Reckless Deceptions (Dallas after Dark #3) in Books
Dec 27, 2018
really rather enjoyed this
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book three in the Dallas After Dark series, but you don't need to have read the other two before this: these are very much stand alone books.
After going rogue Erica is working at Dallas Heat, trying to clear her name. Ryan is in town on family business, but also following up his own leads to catch an international terrorist who might be in town. When Erica and Ryan cross paths again, and that terrorist is a little closer to home than they thought, Ryan follows his instincts, going against everything to keep Erica safe.
For the most part, I DID enjoy this. It was mostly the HUGE cast of minor characters who, while needing to be talked about and mentioned, that I struggled to keep up with. So many names I just glanced over, not putting the terrorist threat bit together, at all, but I resigned myself to that and after that, I did enjoy it.
Erica and Ryan have history, and it's clear right from the start that the chemistry they had two years ago is still burning bright and hot. Ryan wanted Erica forever then, but the situation blew up around them and Erica was booted out the CIA and Ryan had a hand in that. He regretted that, but still. Revisiting that chemistry would be a bad thing, but when forced into close contact, trying to stop this terrorist, the inevitable happens. It's not until he nearly loses Erica does Ryan finally get his head out his ass and listen to his HEART!
I loved the banter between these two, it bubbles and simmers along in the book, and I thought they would give in far sooner than they do! Loved that Ryan was finally able to break free of his strict upbringing and to break the control he feels he needs to hang on to, and that it was Erica who made him see that.
Both Erica and Ryan have a say, but Ryan speaks first, and that surprised me for some reason! Rock keeps throwing me for a loop with these books!
Aside from the never ending list of suspects, I DID enjoy this so. . .
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book three in the Dallas After Dark series, but you don't need to have read the other two before this: these are very much stand alone books.
After going rogue Erica is working at Dallas Heat, trying to clear her name. Ryan is in town on family business, but also following up his own leads to catch an international terrorist who might be in town. When Erica and Ryan cross paths again, and that terrorist is a little closer to home than they thought, Ryan follows his instincts, going against everything to keep Erica safe.
For the most part, I DID enjoy this. It was mostly the HUGE cast of minor characters who, while needing to be talked about and mentioned, that I struggled to keep up with. So many names I just glanced over, not putting the terrorist threat bit together, at all, but I resigned myself to that and after that, I did enjoy it.
Erica and Ryan have history, and it's clear right from the start that the chemistry they had two years ago is still burning bright and hot. Ryan wanted Erica forever then, but the situation blew up around them and Erica was booted out the CIA and Ryan had a hand in that. He regretted that, but still. Revisiting that chemistry would be a bad thing, but when forced into close contact, trying to stop this terrorist, the inevitable happens. It's not until he nearly loses Erica does Ryan finally get his head out his ass and listen to his HEART!
I loved the banter between these two, it bubbles and simmers along in the book, and I thought they would give in far sooner than they do! Loved that Ryan was finally able to break free of his strict upbringing and to break the control he feels he needs to hang on to, and that it was Erica who made him see that.
Both Erica and Ryan have a say, but Ryan speaks first, and that surprised me for some reason! Rock keeps throwing me for a loop with these books!
Aside from the never ending list of suspects, I DID enjoy this so. . .
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Darren (1599 KP) rated Perfect Creature (2006) in Movies
Oct 24, 2019
Characters – Silus is the vampire from the brotherhood, he has a connection with his brother Edgar and will not let him take over once he becomes the blood thirty infected version of himself. Lilly is the nonsense cop that has suffered her own share of heartache with the viruses in the world, she doesn’t take any shit from anyone she believes to be guilty. Edgar is the brother of Silus that has become infected while trying to find the next cure for the human and Brotherhood medical problems which makes him the first member of the brotherhood to kill a human.
Performance – Dougray Scott is fine without being that impactful in the leading role and the same could be said for Saffron Burrows, the highlight of the film would be Leo Gregory as the Edgar the bloody thirsty crazy vampire.
Story – The story does feel like it could be another chapter of the Underworld saga, it has the vampires of the world living in peace with the humans but when one goes rogue it becomes personal. This isn’t the most original and strays too far into the middle of the fantasy world we are trying so desperately to head towards. We don’t find enough time to create the fantasy world that could become a franchise let alone a new story because in the end this could have just been a crime thriller.
Action/Fantasy/Horror – The action is fine, it mostly contains fights that try to offer an extra punch where needed but isn’t the most original, while the fantasy world doesn’t click for the story we are experiencing, the horror is tame too with it only being a couple of vampire like moments.
Settings – We have murky settings which is designed to show us the different in class between the two races.
Special Effects – The effects are all fine and at least the film doesn’t turn into a bad CGI moment film.
Scene of the Movie – The special gun that instant sleeps and enemy.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It just doesn’t seem to feel fresh in any way.
Final Thoughts – Disappointing movie that doesn’t connect with the audience on the levels it could have because it wants to be a fantasy film but plays out only like a dark crime thriller.
Overall: Disappointing film.
Performance – Dougray Scott is fine without being that impactful in the leading role and the same could be said for Saffron Burrows, the highlight of the film would be Leo Gregory as the Edgar the bloody thirsty crazy vampire.
Story – The story does feel like it could be another chapter of the Underworld saga, it has the vampires of the world living in peace with the humans but when one goes rogue it becomes personal. This isn’t the most original and strays too far into the middle of the fantasy world we are trying so desperately to head towards. We don’t find enough time to create the fantasy world that could become a franchise let alone a new story because in the end this could have just been a crime thriller.
Action/Fantasy/Horror – The action is fine, it mostly contains fights that try to offer an extra punch where needed but isn’t the most original, while the fantasy world doesn’t click for the story we are experiencing, the horror is tame too with it only being a couple of vampire like moments.
Settings – We have murky settings which is designed to show us the different in class between the two races.
Special Effects – The effects are all fine and at least the film doesn’t turn into a bad CGI moment film.
Scene of the Movie – The special gun that instant sleeps and enemy.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It just doesn’t seem to feel fresh in any way.
Final Thoughts – Disappointing movie that doesn’t connect with the audience on the levels it could have because it wants to be a fantasy film but plays out only like a dark crime thriller.
Overall: Disappointing film.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
I have to admit, I knew nothing about The Man from U.N.C.L.E going into the movie, other than it was based on a TV show from the 60’s. It had flown under my radar for most of the year, overshadowed by highly-anticipated titles with colons, i.e., Avengers: Age of Ultron, Mad Max: Fury Road, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. When the screener was scheduled I was actually tempted to assign it to another reviewer. Then I watched the trailer and saw Henry Cavill (Superman) was one of the stars. At the risk of sounding shallow, that changed my mind.
As we waited for the movie to start, the Man from U.N.C.L.E soundtrack played through the theater’s sound system, transporting me to a Mad Men mindset, which helped as the movie backdrop is set in the early 1960’s period of the Cold War. We’re introduced first to Napoleon Solo, a CIA agent Cavill plays with amusing James Bond suave with an old-time movie accent. (Officially, I believe it’s called a Transatlantic accent.) He’s paired with Armie Hammer’s Illya Kuryakin, a KGB agent on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization. To accomplish that, they need the cooperation of Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander), the abandoned daughter of a German scientist, who is their key to infiltrating the criminal organization.
As you can guess, all the spy movie cliches can be found in Man from U.N.C.L.E. from the debonair womanizing agent, menacing foreigners, the femme fatale, the elaborate schemes that are executed smoothly, explanatory monologues, convenient gadgets, et al – just a vintage low tech, high glam version of spy movies you may have seen of late.
I’m actually glad I went in without any expectations. Guy Ritchie turned a pretty simple, straightforward plot into an intricate,, slightly off-kilter caper, with touches of his trademark storytelling from various perspectives. I enjoyed the subtle vying for supremacy the uneasy truce between Solo and Illya created, and while he’s not as dashing as Cavill, Hammer had great chemistry with Vikander.
This year has been quite the year for spy movies. U.N.C.L.E. is not the action thriller that Mission Impossible is, it’s also far from the campy shocker that Kingsmen was, nor is it as outrageously funny as Spy, but as spy movies go, U.N.C.L.E fits smoothly and oddly comfortably in that fold.
As we waited for the movie to start, the Man from U.N.C.L.E soundtrack played through the theater’s sound system, transporting me to a Mad Men mindset, which helped as the movie backdrop is set in the early 1960’s period of the Cold War. We’re introduced first to Napoleon Solo, a CIA agent Cavill plays with amusing James Bond suave with an old-time movie accent. (Officially, I believe it’s called a Transatlantic accent.) He’s paired with Armie Hammer’s Illya Kuryakin, a KGB agent on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization. To accomplish that, they need the cooperation of Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander), the abandoned daughter of a German scientist, who is their key to infiltrating the criminal organization.
As you can guess, all the spy movie cliches can be found in Man from U.N.C.L.E. from the debonair womanizing agent, menacing foreigners, the femme fatale, the elaborate schemes that are executed smoothly, explanatory monologues, convenient gadgets, et al – just a vintage low tech, high glam version of spy movies you may have seen of late.
I’m actually glad I went in without any expectations. Guy Ritchie turned a pretty simple, straightforward plot into an intricate,, slightly off-kilter caper, with touches of his trademark storytelling from various perspectives. I enjoyed the subtle vying for supremacy the uneasy truce between Solo and Illya created, and while he’s not as dashing as Cavill, Hammer had great chemistry with Vikander.
This year has been quite the year for spy movies. U.N.C.L.E. is not the action thriller that Mission Impossible is, it’s also far from the campy shocker that Kingsmen was, nor is it as outrageously funny as Spy, but as spy movies go, U.N.C.L.E fits smoothly and oddly comfortably in that fold.
The Autobiography or Narrative of a Soldier: The Peninsular War Memoirs of William Brown of the 45th Foot
Book
William Brown's autobiography is a unique historical document, since he is the only memoirist to...
Heroes Evolved
Games
App
Welcome to Heroes Evolved - a carefully balanced and fiercely competitive mobile battle arena...
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Forever Purge (2021) in Movies
Feb 20, 2022
I'm definitely late to the party on this series, I watched The Purge in preparation for First Purge and really enjoyed both... and let's face it, there's nothing like some gratuitous violence to fill your evening!
The annual Purge comes and goes with the usual drama, with those locked up safely in their spacious homes watching the events on TV. When morning comes and they come out of hiding, they get a welcome they weren't expecting. A rogue movement has no time for the law, it's now the forever purge.
So, a section of the population has decided to rise up and take their power back the only way they know how, through violence... you always worry that films might hit a little too close to home... let's not delve into that topic too much though.
Josh Lucas feels like he's making a resurgence these days. I'm not sure how I feel about him in this sort of role though. Dylan Tucker isn't exactly an exciting character, he has a rather unbelievable arc through the film, and there's no point where I felt any sympathy for him.
A lot of the other characters have similar flaws, there's no one that's really memorable apart from maybe Ana de la Reguera as Adele. She has some interesting moments to do with her backstory, but there's never much of an in-depth look at any of it throughout the film.
The Purge was a great concept and I loved the way it was very focused on one environment. The First Purge had an interesting story and I liked having the inception of the idea unfold. But the trouble with The Forever Purge was that it was somehow too much and not enough all at the same time. There were moments that had a lot of potential for the characters but they were cut off before they managed to get anywhere.
I got the escalating amount of the mindless violence I was looking for, but it seemed to mainly just be "travelling" action. There wasn't anything particularly gripping about it, and it didn't hold up to the previous instalments of the franchise I've seen, and that was a real shame.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-forever-purge-movie-review.html
The annual Purge comes and goes with the usual drama, with those locked up safely in their spacious homes watching the events on TV. When morning comes and they come out of hiding, they get a welcome they weren't expecting. A rogue movement has no time for the law, it's now the forever purge.
So, a section of the population has decided to rise up and take their power back the only way they know how, through violence... you always worry that films might hit a little too close to home... let's not delve into that topic too much though.
Josh Lucas feels like he's making a resurgence these days. I'm not sure how I feel about him in this sort of role though. Dylan Tucker isn't exactly an exciting character, he has a rather unbelievable arc through the film, and there's no point where I felt any sympathy for him.
A lot of the other characters have similar flaws, there's no one that's really memorable apart from maybe Ana de la Reguera as Adele. She has some interesting moments to do with her backstory, but there's never much of an in-depth look at any of it throughout the film.
The Purge was a great concept and I loved the way it was very focused on one environment. The First Purge had an interesting story and I liked having the inception of the idea unfold. But the trouble with The Forever Purge was that it was somehow too much and not enough all at the same time. There were moments that had a lot of potential for the characters but they were cut off before they managed to get anywhere.
I got the escalating amount of the mindless violence I was looking for, but it seemed to mainly just be "travelling" action. There wasn't anything particularly gripping about it, and it didn't hold up to the previous instalments of the franchise I've seen, and that was a real shame.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-forever-purge-movie-review.html