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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Fifty Shades Freed (2018) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
The third and final entry in the “Fifty Shades” series has arrived with the release of “fifty Shades Freed”. The story opens with the wedding of Anastasia (Dakota Johnson), and Christian (Jamie Dornan), and follows their honeymoon in the lavish locales of France.
There getaway is cut short by an act of sabotage at Christian’s company and it soon becomes clear that a person from their past has taken things to a dangerous level which requires Christian to implement security measures for Anastasia and their extended family.
In between the intrigue presented by the threat, we also have numerous scenes of nudity and eroticism as Christian is not going to give up his dominating needs anytime soon.
Combine this with a new revelation that threatens to disrupt the crafted and controlled world he has created for himself and Anastasia; the tensions rise between them making a dangerous and stress-filled situation even more complicated.
While the film does have a better plot and is more engaging than the previous films in the series it is hampered by many of the same issues that hindered the series. The two leads have zero chemistry with one another and their supposedly highly erotic scenes are so routine and by the numbers they lack any form of excitement or real titillation. The film also has this message that behavior that would be considered highly unacceptable in others seems to get a pass for Christian as he is a handsome billionaire. He is a very selfish and controlling individual who demands obedience. While Anastasia does have a strong enough character to stand up to him, she tolerates behavior that would be considered unacceptable by many and seems very quick to give him a pass when lavish gifts and trips are bestowed upon her. I wonder how romantic and acceptable his behavior would be if he was a struggling musician who did not have the financial resources to create fantasies and buy his apologies. I know the film is supposed to be romantic fantasy but this really annoys me as he exhibits much of the behavior that is considered unacceptable and to be avoided at all costs, yet it is all wrapped up in a sweet bow of forgiveness.
That aside the series does seem to be losing steam as the last film earned less than the original film and “Fifty Shades Freed” is tracking to open well below the last film as well. Fans of the series will likely enjoy it as a satisfying finale, but I really expected more from the final moments of the series as after following the characters, the ending seemed very anti-climactic.
http://sknr.net/2018/02/08/fifty-shades-freed/
There getaway is cut short by an act of sabotage at Christian’s company and it soon becomes clear that a person from their past has taken things to a dangerous level which requires Christian to implement security measures for Anastasia and their extended family.
In between the intrigue presented by the threat, we also have numerous scenes of nudity and eroticism as Christian is not going to give up his dominating needs anytime soon.
Combine this with a new revelation that threatens to disrupt the crafted and controlled world he has created for himself and Anastasia; the tensions rise between them making a dangerous and stress-filled situation even more complicated.
While the film does have a better plot and is more engaging than the previous films in the series it is hampered by many of the same issues that hindered the series. The two leads have zero chemistry with one another and their supposedly highly erotic scenes are so routine and by the numbers they lack any form of excitement or real titillation. The film also has this message that behavior that would be considered highly unacceptable in others seems to get a pass for Christian as he is a handsome billionaire. He is a very selfish and controlling individual who demands obedience. While Anastasia does have a strong enough character to stand up to him, she tolerates behavior that would be considered unacceptable by many and seems very quick to give him a pass when lavish gifts and trips are bestowed upon her. I wonder how romantic and acceptable his behavior would be if he was a struggling musician who did not have the financial resources to create fantasies and buy his apologies. I know the film is supposed to be romantic fantasy but this really annoys me as he exhibits much of the behavior that is considered unacceptable and to be avoided at all costs, yet it is all wrapped up in a sweet bow of forgiveness.
That aside the series does seem to be losing steam as the last film earned less than the original film and “Fifty Shades Freed” is tracking to open well below the last film as well. Fans of the series will likely enjoy it as a satisfying finale, but I really expected more from the final moments of the series as after following the characters, the ending seemed very anti-climactic.
http://sknr.net/2018/02/08/fifty-shades-freed/
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Playing the Palace in Books
Jul 29, 2021
Funny and sweet romantic comedy
Carter Ogden fantasized about the Prince of England growing up--who didn't? Openly gay Prince Edgar is handsome and easy to adore. When Carter meets Edgar through a work event, sparks fly. Before he knows it, it seems like the two are dating. But their relationship receives intense media scrutiny--and the disapproval of the Queen of England. Can they find a happily ever after when it seems like everything--and everyone--are against them?
"He was destined to become the king of England, and I was a nice Jewish boy from New Jersey; we both knew what we were supposed to be doing, but we were fighting it. When it came to emotional stability, neither of us had a prayer."
This is a cute and funny story overall. We have Carter, who is reeling from a breakup and does not feel worthy of love and then Edgar, who is scared to trust. It's not easy to be in a relationship when you're the Prince of England. As Edgar states, he's "a symbol and an institution." The two meet at the United Nations and there's definitely some insta-chemistry, but they are also pretty sweet together. You can't help but root for this pair.
"Because ever since I can remember, there's been only one unthinkable sin, and that was disgracing my family and my country, in any way. I was being held to a different standard, which I agreed with. I had one job: to represent the royal household and to make England proud, and I was a calamity."
The book is a little ping pong-ish in its highs and lows. Everything is good... and then it's not. Rinse and repeat. At times, it seems a little insane that Edgar and his family cannot trust Carter, yet you can understand how utterly crazy and invasive the British media is--we see it all the time. I would have liked to see the two communicate a bit more, but new relationships are hard.
The cast of characters in PALACE are wonderful--completely engaging. Carter's family and friends are adorable, especially his sister and aunt Miriam. They make you laugh and cry. There's an excellent vomiting scene with poor Carter that will have you cringing and chuckling. Parts of this story are just plain hilarious. But it's also serious in its look at finding love after loss, insight into homophobia, and seeking acceptance for yourself and your partner, no matter what kind of relationship you may be in.
Overall, this is a fast and fluffy romantic read that also offers a good take on acceptance. 3.5 stars.
"He was destined to become the king of England, and I was a nice Jewish boy from New Jersey; we both knew what we were supposed to be doing, but we were fighting it. When it came to emotional stability, neither of us had a prayer."
This is a cute and funny story overall. We have Carter, who is reeling from a breakup and does not feel worthy of love and then Edgar, who is scared to trust. It's not easy to be in a relationship when you're the Prince of England. As Edgar states, he's "a symbol and an institution." The two meet at the United Nations and there's definitely some insta-chemistry, but they are also pretty sweet together. You can't help but root for this pair.
"Because ever since I can remember, there's been only one unthinkable sin, and that was disgracing my family and my country, in any way. I was being held to a different standard, which I agreed with. I had one job: to represent the royal household and to make England proud, and I was a calamity."
The book is a little ping pong-ish in its highs and lows. Everything is good... and then it's not. Rinse and repeat. At times, it seems a little insane that Edgar and his family cannot trust Carter, yet you can understand how utterly crazy and invasive the British media is--we see it all the time. I would have liked to see the two communicate a bit more, but new relationships are hard.
The cast of characters in PALACE are wonderful--completely engaging. Carter's family and friends are adorable, especially his sister and aunt Miriam. They make you laugh and cry. There's an excellent vomiting scene with poor Carter that will have you cringing and chuckling. Parts of this story are just plain hilarious. But it's also serious in its look at finding love after loss, insight into homophobia, and seeking acceptance for yourself and your partner, no matter what kind of relationship you may be in.
Overall, this is a fast and fluffy romantic read that also offers a good take on acceptance. 3.5 stars.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated You Have a Match in Books
Jan 28, 2021
Abby only signs up for a DNA test to help her friend (and secret crush) Leo. But when the results come back, it's not Leo who gets a surprise, it's Abby. Apparently, she has an older sister. And not a half sister, but a full-fledged sister. A sister who just happens to be beautiful, polished, Instagram star, Savannah "Savvy" Tully, who is only a year and half older than Abby. Neither Abby or Savvy can figure out how this happened, so they hatch a plan. They'll both attend summer camp at Camp Reynolds, where they can learn more about their parents and each other. But they quickly learn that they are very different: Savvy is a rule follower who is addicted to her Instagram and follower count. Abby is more go-with-the-flow. And, of course, there's Leo, who turns up at the same camp. How on earth will Abby negotiate her newfound sister, her secret crush--oh, and the fact that her parents will soon realize she lied about going to camp?
"Normal isn't having a big, stupid, ridiculous crush on one of my best friends, especially when he most certainly doesn't have one on me."
So, this is a good book, but I have to admit that I was disappointed because it wasn't the same as TWEET CUTE. I absolutely loved that YA romance, and while this is an interesting read, it just didn't have the romantic twang of TWEET CUTE. It's probably not fair to compare the two, but I couldn't help it. MATCH focuses less on romantic chemistry and more on Abby finding her way/coming of age and meeting Savvy, her "new" sister.
I actually liked the sister piece overall. The DNA twist is different (rarely do we get full siblings!) and there's also a nice LGBTQIA relationship thrown in. But, I never felt like Abby and Leo's relationship fully gelled. It just didn't feel as fun and flirty as I wanted. And, much of the book's plot is propelled by misunderstandings. At some point, it got to be too much: if some characters had just spoken up, so much could have been avoided! There's so much going on--the sister aspect, romance, secrets, etc. At times, it feels like the plot is struggling to contain them all.
Still, there's a lot to enjoy about this story. Don't get me wrong at all. The camp setting is a lot of fun, and Abby and Savvy are both great characters. Watching Abby develop is rewarding, and there are plenty of humorous and tender scenes as the sisters get to know each other. Even though MATCH didn't meet my TWEET CUTE expectations, it's an enjoyable read. (I judge romances on whether I'll get a copy for my SIL and this one passes the test.) 3.5 stars.
"Normal isn't having a big, stupid, ridiculous crush on one of my best friends, especially when he most certainly doesn't have one on me."
So, this is a good book, but I have to admit that I was disappointed because it wasn't the same as TWEET CUTE. I absolutely loved that YA romance, and while this is an interesting read, it just didn't have the romantic twang of TWEET CUTE. It's probably not fair to compare the two, but I couldn't help it. MATCH focuses less on romantic chemistry and more on Abby finding her way/coming of age and meeting Savvy, her "new" sister.
I actually liked the sister piece overall. The DNA twist is different (rarely do we get full siblings!) and there's also a nice LGBTQIA relationship thrown in. But, I never felt like Abby and Leo's relationship fully gelled. It just didn't feel as fun and flirty as I wanted. And, much of the book's plot is propelled by misunderstandings. At some point, it got to be too much: if some characters had just spoken up, so much could have been avoided! There's so much going on--the sister aspect, romance, secrets, etc. At times, it feels like the plot is struggling to contain them all.
Still, there's a lot to enjoy about this story. Don't get me wrong at all. The camp setting is a lot of fun, and Abby and Savvy are both great characters. Watching Abby develop is rewarding, and there are plenty of humorous and tender scenes as the sisters get to know each other. Even though MATCH didn't meet my TWEET CUTE expectations, it's an enjoyable read. (I judge romances on whether I'll get a copy for my SIL and this one passes the test.) 3.5 stars.
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Merissa (12069 KP) rated Need You Now (Love's Paradise Series #1) in Books
Nov 10, 2017
Need You Now (Love's Paradise Series #1) by Dei Araujo
Need You Now is a romantic suspense story that involves the kidnapping of a child. The story moves along smoothly enough, and I really enjoyed the moments with Keyon. I have to say that the male characters in this book had a better depth and believability (yes, I know that's not a real word!) than the females one did. Amaranth had her moments, but she would insist on ignoring the advice/warnings of the professional, and rush headlong into danger. And Cassia was a one-dimensional character who didn't do much to the story and quickly disappeared from working with Nick to being with Roberto.
The story was a good one, and like I said, Keyon stole every scene he was in. The pacing was smooth, and there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. With an easy-going writing style, this is a book to read if you don't want anything too deep, but will keep you turning the pages. I did enjoy it, and would read more by this author.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The story was a good one, and like I said, Keyon stole every scene he was in. The pacing was smooth, and there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. With an easy-going writing style, this is a book to read if you don't want anything too deep, but will keep you turning the pages. I did enjoy it, and would read more by this author.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sheridan (209 KP) rated Mass Effect: Andromeda in Video Games
Jul 19, 2017
A Perfect Continuation of the Mass Effect Series
I could seriously gush like a fan-girl about this game for hours, so I'll try to keep it brief :p The graphics are astounding, the storyline is a work of art and the characters are really awesome. There are tons of side missions to keep you busy after you finish the main story line, all aspects are really fantastic, the game mechanics are great, shooting, jumping, running, driving, it's all aces. You can be any type of Ryder you like, romantic, logical, casual, professional, or a mix of all. Romances for both male and female Ryder are good, probably the best (or my favourites at least) are Jaal and Vetra. The downside are the romance cut scenes. You can tell Bioware put more effort into some and others not so much (particularly Cora, Jaal and Peebee had the best romance scenes). Disappointments? Not many. The romance scene for Vetra was bs, I was really pissed that they didn't put much effort into it. Also, three characters I fell in love with but couldn't romance, Evfra, Kandros, and Drack. So Bioware, if ya'll are listening, give me my Krogan romance damnit! The biggest disappointment? That the game had to end. I LOVED it! Can't wait for the DLC!
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Dunkirk (2017) in Movies
Aug 1, 2017
Brilliant & Very Intense
I have to start off by admitting that Nolan is my favourite director, and although this film is quite different to his previous ones, I'm pleased to say I still loved it.
Visually spectacular, it was so nice to see real effects for a change as opposed to cgi. Story wise it was also refreshing to see a war film not bogged down with erroneous subplots and romantic side stories. Nolan just jumps straight in to the action & carries on throughout, with an impressive run time of less than 2 hours. Some great casting here, although I feel like Tom Hardy could've been given more to do. Even Harry Styles was well cast & I was expecting him to be awful! Hans Zimmer does his usual great job on the score, building up a lot of tension. Nolan also does a fantastic job making the film quite harrowing without feeling the need to go ridiculously violent and gory. And there are also a few typical Nolan plot movements thrown in which made it slightly more than your average war film.
My only negative would be that a little bit of backstory might have been nice, as I personally don't know a lot about the lead up to Dunkirk, and that could've helped the ignorant like me!
Visually spectacular, it was so nice to see real effects for a change as opposed to cgi. Story wise it was also refreshing to see a war film not bogged down with erroneous subplots and romantic side stories. Nolan just jumps straight in to the action & carries on throughout, with an impressive run time of less than 2 hours. Some great casting here, although I feel like Tom Hardy could've been given more to do. Even Harry Styles was well cast & I was expecting him to be awful! Hans Zimmer does his usual great job on the score, building up a lot of tension. Nolan also does a fantastic job making the film quite harrowing without feeling the need to go ridiculously violent and gory. And there are also a few typical Nolan plot movements thrown in which made it slightly more than your average war film.
My only negative would be that a little bit of backstory might have been nice, as I personally don't know a lot about the lead up to Dunkirk, and that could've helped the ignorant like me!
I was really excited when I saw this book. I love romantic comedies and I had high hopes for this book. I was a bit disappointed.
Jason is a batchelor and has been for a while. He is a duty manager at the local hotel and is currently living with his two closest friends, Sean and Jim. When Jason receives a wedding invitation in the mail from his ex-girlfriend, Lila Holmes, his world goes into a tailspin thinking about the one that got away. His friends are on a quest to find him a plus one, while Jason is wallowing in the sorrow of knowing he would not be the one to marry Lila.
This book did not have very much romance in it and to me it wasn't really that funny. I didn't find myself laughing out loud or really connecting with the characters at all. On the positive side though, I didn't stop reading the book. I did want to know what was going to happen next and how Jason was going to actually face his ex when the time came. There were a ton of movie references in this book which really didn't add to the story. I will read another book by this author, though.
**I was given a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.**
Jason is a batchelor and has been for a while. He is a duty manager at the local hotel and is currently living with his two closest friends, Sean and Jim. When Jason receives a wedding invitation in the mail from his ex-girlfriend, Lila Holmes, his world goes into a tailspin thinking about the one that got away. His friends are on a quest to find him a plus one, while Jason is wallowing in the sorrow of knowing he would not be the one to marry Lila.
This book did not have very much romance in it and to me it wasn't really that funny. I didn't find myself laughing out loud or really connecting with the characters at all. On the positive side though, I didn't stop reading the book. I did want to know what was going to happen next and how Jason was going to actually face his ex when the time came. There were a ton of movie references in this book which really didn't add to the story. I will read another book by this author, though.
**I was given a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.**
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Eden Lake (2008) in Movies
May 12, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
My boyfriend and I watched Eden Lake the other night, and I actually enjoyed it. With delightfully brutal, cringe-worthy scenes, it’s definitely a film I’ll watch again. It encompasses the typical romantic getaway gone wrong, but it does so with a disturbing beauty you can only find in a horror movie.
What can possibly go wrong when you piss off a bunch of angsty teenagers in the middle of nowhere? As Jenny and Steve, the aforementioned vacationing young couple, learn, a lot. After Steve accidentally kills the gang leader’s dog, all hell breaks loose.
It’s the scenes of death and torture that really give this film its rating. When my boyfriend warned me about how twisted some of the scenes were, “WTF” wasn’t how I expected to react. The age-old, unspoken rule about killing children definitely doesn’t apply here. It’s gritty and jaw-dropping, and perfect for fans of campy horror films.
It should be noted that this film comes without a happy ending–for anyone. That fact alone played a major role in my rating. I’m sick of seeing films where characters get out of an unlikely situation and go on with their lives; Eden Lake, on the hand, doesn’t follow that cliché. It does, however, rely a bit too heavily on coincidence and for that, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.
What can possibly go wrong when you piss off a bunch of angsty teenagers in the middle of nowhere? As Jenny and Steve, the aforementioned vacationing young couple, learn, a lot. After Steve accidentally kills the gang leader’s dog, all hell breaks loose.
It’s the scenes of death and torture that really give this film its rating. When my boyfriend warned me about how twisted some of the scenes were, “WTF” wasn’t how I expected to react. The age-old, unspoken rule about killing children definitely doesn’t apply here. It’s gritty and jaw-dropping, and perfect for fans of campy horror films.
It should be noted that this film comes without a happy ending–for anyone. That fact alone played a major role in my rating. I’m sick of seeing films where characters get out of an unlikely situation and go on with their lives; Eden Lake, on the hand, doesn’t follow that cliché. It does, however, rely a bit too heavily on coincidence and for that, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Blackhat (2015) in Movies
Feb 10, 2019
Terribly dull
I’ve had this film on my Sky box now for well over 2 years and I’ve never felt in the right mood to watch it. Due to changing over my Sky box, I’m now having to watch everything I’ve got recorded and I’ve now found out first hand why I’ve been avoiding watching this film for the past few years.
It is so terribly dull and stupid that it could barely hold my attention. Whilst I find the general subject of hacking quite interesting, this film has made it look so terribly boring. I’m also not the biggest fan of Michael Mann’s style and this is definitely not his best work. The few fight scenes could have been good but were spoilt by dodgy camera work, and the music is oddly overly dramatic and misjudged, and doesn’t fit in with the story at all. The plot itself is just convoluted and silly, and jumps all over the place. It also has the most pointless and unbelievable romantic subplot I’ve seen in quite a while. The entire film is just completely disinteresting and badly underused a very talented cast - I really don’t know what Viola Davis was doing in this. Unless you want to be bored for over 2 hours, I’d highly recommend avoiding this one.
It is so terribly dull and stupid that it could barely hold my attention. Whilst I find the general subject of hacking quite interesting, this film has made it look so terribly boring. I’m also not the biggest fan of Michael Mann’s style and this is definitely not his best work. The few fight scenes could have been good but were spoilt by dodgy camera work, and the music is oddly overly dramatic and misjudged, and doesn’t fit in with the story at all. The plot itself is just convoluted and silly, and jumps all over the place. It also has the most pointless and unbelievable romantic subplot I’ve seen in quite a while. The entire film is just completely disinteresting and badly underused a very talented cast - I really don’t know what Viola Davis was doing in this. Unless you want to be bored for over 2 hours, I’d highly recommend avoiding this one.