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Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Logan Lucky (2017) in Movies
Jul 11, 2019
Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) just got fired from his job and found out that his ex-wife is moving his daughter to another state. He lives for his daughter and needs to get money fast to pay for a lawyer to fight the move. He decides that the best way to get this fast cash is to rob his previous employer, the Charlotte Motor Speedway. He enlist the help of his brother Clyde Logan (Adam Driver), his fast driving sister Millie Logan (Riley Keough), and explosives expert Joe Bang (Daniel Craig). Together they hatch a plan to rob the cash vault under the NASCAR track during the biggest race of the year. It won’t be easy for the crew as they must overcome many obstacles along the way. For one they only one of them who can blow the massive safe, Bang, is currently in prison. Bang also insists that his two inept brothers be included in the heist. There is also the matter of a large private police force patrolling the track. But the biggest hurdle may be the Logan family curse. Something bad is seemingly always happening to the family. Jimmy was destine to go to the NFL before a freak accident ruined his knee and ended his football career. Clyde was on his way back home from deployment in the Army and was hit by a roadside bomb and lost his arm. If they can overcome all of this they can walk away with a fortune.
This Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s 11, Ocean’s 12, Ocean’s 13) directed film is a fun and fast paced heist film. It definitely fits into the Ocean’s film model, with a large cast, twists that keep the audience guessing and well thought out ending. This films stands apart from those by being more hillbilly than the sleek well put together Ocean’s crew. The film dialog is well done and written expertly by Rebecca Blunt, this is the first screen writing credit for Rebecca. There are plenty of cameos by West Virginia Natives, NASCAR drivers and commentators, and others. I had heard beforehand that there were several cameos and made for a fun exercise in spotting the NASCAR drivers in various roles. The ensemble cast is stellar led by Tatum, Driver and Craig. The cast includes fun performances by a barely recognizable Seth MacFarlane along with Dwight Yoakam, Katie Holmes, and Hilary Swank. There were times thought that the various accents that the cast were attempting to use felt forced and/or missing from particular scenes. The pace of the film is good but does get a little slow during the heist set up and the two hour run time was a tad too long for me.
Overall this is a fun film that fits the heist movie genre perfectly. One news report in the film characterized the robbery as Ocean’s 7/11 and that pretty well sums up the film. The characters are original and if you are a fan of these types of movies you will not be disappointed.
This Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s 11, Ocean’s 12, Ocean’s 13) directed film is a fun and fast paced heist film. It definitely fits into the Ocean’s film model, with a large cast, twists that keep the audience guessing and well thought out ending. This films stands apart from those by being more hillbilly than the sleek well put together Ocean’s crew. The film dialog is well done and written expertly by Rebecca Blunt, this is the first screen writing credit for Rebecca. There are plenty of cameos by West Virginia Natives, NASCAR drivers and commentators, and others. I had heard beforehand that there were several cameos and made for a fun exercise in spotting the NASCAR drivers in various roles. The ensemble cast is stellar led by Tatum, Driver and Craig. The cast includes fun performances by a barely recognizable Seth MacFarlane along with Dwight Yoakam, Katie Holmes, and Hilary Swank. There were times thought that the various accents that the cast were attempting to use felt forced and/or missing from particular scenes. The pace of the film is good but does get a little slow during the heist set up and the two hour run time was a tad too long for me.
Overall this is a fun film that fits the heist movie genre perfectly. One news report in the film characterized the robbery as Ocean’s 7/11 and that pretty well sums up the film. The characters are original and if you are a fan of these types of movies you will not be disappointed.
Ross (3282 KP) rated Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in Movies
Apr 30, 2018
Non-stop action (2 more)
Tugs at the heart strings
Moments of goosebumps
Scenes in Edinburgh Waverley station reminded me of my morning commute and therefore work :( (1 more)
Obvious impermanence
Just stops short of perfect
Contains spoilers, click to show
Contains spoilers, look away now.
You have been warned.
OK, here goes. On leaving the cinema I felt a mix of emotions. Excitement at the events I had witnessed, Anxiety for the wait for the next film, Thoughtful over the conclusion (Thanos, work complete, settling down for some time on the farm). But no sadness. Not a jot. I had just watched some of my favourite characters perish: the excellent new incarnation of Spider-man, the strong principled leader of Black Panther, all of GotG except the rabbit one, etc etc. One click of Thanos' fingers and they were gone. But ... I just didn't really care. I knew that the next film is going to involve another click of his (or more likely someone else's - my money is on Nebula) fingers and all his actions will be un-done and it turns out nobody died after all, because Disney.
The fact that it was all the new members of the team/universe that perished and all the original avengers survived (hawkeye TBC) was a total cop-out. I am so bored of Captain America and Iron Man (though I like Stark's comedy quips), and Hulk is fatally flawed as a hero due to being totally uncontrollable. Prior to Ragnarok I strongly disliked Thor, but now I do seem to dislike him less. Plus it is hard to see how any of those are strong enough to overpower Thanos and fix what he has done (if it comes down to a sombre, from-the-heart Cap speech that makes Thanos see the error of his ways then the cinema will see ROSS SMASH).
The whole movie is outstanding, don't get me wrong. The action, the pacing, the different new interactions, the story and backstory and the humour. Oh my, the humour. I think this is possibly the funniest MCU film yet - the writers really have nailed the one-liners this time. It could be that there is more tension and the humour cuts through it, that you notice it more, but so funny. The scenes with Spider-man (IRON SPIDER!!!), Iron Man and Star Lord and Drax were awesome.
Outstanding moments for me:
Thor's appearance in Wakanda (kicking names and taking asses) - proper goose-bumps
The first conflict in New York - Spidey, Iron Man and Dr Strange against Ebony Maw
The battle on Titan
Annoying moments for me:
Star-Lord ruining everything - twice! All he had to do was kill Gamora when she asked him to (before Thanos realised and made his gun shoot bubbles!). And then when they were so close to getting the gauntlet off Thanos (I was convinced they would get it off and Nebula would take it and be so much worse than Thanos). I guess this showed the human side and how emotional attachments are what define us blah blah but it was another moment where an illogical action from one person ruined the endeavours.
Still, the emotional rollercoaster was better than I expected and I am so looking forward to Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel and part 2.
You have been warned.
OK, here goes. On leaving the cinema I felt a mix of emotions. Excitement at the events I had witnessed, Anxiety for the wait for the next film, Thoughtful over the conclusion (Thanos, work complete, settling down for some time on the farm). But no sadness. Not a jot. I had just watched some of my favourite characters perish: the excellent new incarnation of Spider-man, the strong principled leader of Black Panther, all of GotG except the rabbit one, etc etc. One click of Thanos' fingers and they were gone. But ... I just didn't really care. I knew that the next film is going to involve another click of his (or more likely someone else's - my money is on Nebula) fingers and all his actions will be un-done and it turns out nobody died after all, because Disney.
The fact that it was all the new members of the team/universe that perished and all the original avengers survived (hawkeye TBC) was a total cop-out. I am so bored of Captain America and Iron Man (though I like Stark's comedy quips), and Hulk is fatally flawed as a hero due to being totally uncontrollable. Prior to Ragnarok I strongly disliked Thor, but now I do seem to dislike him less. Plus it is hard to see how any of those are strong enough to overpower Thanos and fix what he has done (if it comes down to a sombre, from-the-heart Cap speech that makes Thanos see the error of his ways then the cinema will see ROSS SMASH).
The whole movie is outstanding, don't get me wrong. The action, the pacing, the different new interactions, the story and backstory and the humour. Oh my, the humour. I think this is possibly the funniest MCU film yet - the writers really have nailed the one-liners this time. It could be that there is more tension and the humour cuts through it, that you notice it more, but so funny. The scenes with Spider-man (IRON SPIDER!!!), Iron Man and Star Lord and Drax were awesome.
Outstanding moments for me:
Thor's appearance in Wakanda (kicking names and taking asses) - proper goose-bumps
The first conflict in New York - Spidey, Iron Man and Dr Strange against Ebony Maw
The battle on Titan
Annoying moments for me:
Star-Lord ruining everything - twice! All he had to do was kill Gamora when she asked him to (before Thanos realised and made his gun shoot bubbles!). And then when they were so close to getting the gauntlet off Thanos (I was convinced they would get it off and Nebula would take it and be so much worse than Thanos). I guess this showed the human side and how emotional attachments are what define us blah blah but it was another moment where an illogical action from one person ruined the endeavours.
Still, the emotional rollercoaster was better than I expected and I am so looking forward to Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel and part 2.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Morgwel Hall in Books
Feb 20, 2019
Interesting plot (1 more)
Great setting
A bit too wordy sometimes (1 more)
Hard to get an idea of the age of main character
A Lovely Ghost Story
I love books about ghost stories, so when I got the chance to read Morgwel Hall by Michael Hutchins, I didn't think twice. The synopsis definitely piqued my interest. Luckily, I was not disappointed.
I really enjoyed the plot for Morgwel Hall. Captain Williamson sees a girl dancing on the battlements of the ruined castle he is about to purchase. He is instantly mesmerized by her. He learns her name is Anna and begins to fall in love with her. The only problem is she's a ghost. However, there's a bit more paranormal happenings going on at Morgwel Hall. Desperate to learn the history of the place, he seeks out two locals who tell him of the horrible history of Morgwel Hall and of Anna's demise. I wouldn't say the plot was scary. It was spooky and a bit creepy at times, but it wasn't overly scary which I didn't mind. It was still very interesting! I didn't really read any major plot twists, but that didn't take away from the story. All of my questions and wondering were answered by the end of the book even my questions about Williamson's cat and dog which was a nice touch. I wish there was more detail as to why Anna took a shining to Captain Williamson and what made her fall in love with him though. The world building was done very well as well. The story takes place almost completely in Cornwall not long after World War I. It was definitely believable.
The characters of Morgwel Hall were very well written and realistic. Captain Williamson is a great character although sometimes it was hard to tell if he was supposed to be an older man or a younger man. It would have been nice to know his actual age in the book because I struggled to picture him in my mind age wise. Other than that, everything about Williamson was great. It was interesting learning with Williamson about Morgwell Hall. Albert and Nancy were also fantastic characters. I really liked Nancy for some reason. I guess it was just how humble she was. Dougy was my absolute favorite though. He sounded like such a sweet dog!
The pacing in Morgwel Hall was set decently. There were a few times when the story got a bit too wordy and descriptive which would slow the pacing down a little, but for the most part, the pacing stayed strong, and I was desperate to learn more about Morgwel Hall and the history.
Trigger warnings for Morgwel Hall include alcoholism (Captain Williamson came across as being addicted to whiskey), minor profanities, death, suicide, and implied murder.
Overall, Morgwel Hall is a very interesting read. The plot is written very well, and the characters are interesting to read about. I would definitely recommend Morgwel Hall by Michael Hutchins to those aged 15+ who are fans of ghost stories but don't want to be too scared.
--
(A special thank you to the author for providing me with a paperback of Morgwel Hall in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
I really enjoyed the plot for Morgwel Hall. Captain Williamson sees a girl dancing on the battlements of the ruined castle he is about to purchase. He is instantly mesmerized by her. He learns her name is Anna and begins to fall in love with her. The only problem is she's a ghost. However, there's a bit more paranormal happenings going on at Morgwel Hall. Desperate to learn the history of the place, he seeks out two locals who tell him of the horrible history of Morgwel Hall and of Anna's demise. I wouldn't say the plot was scary. It was spooky and a bit creepy at times, but it wasn't overly scary which I didn't mind. It was still very interesting! I didn't really read any major plot twists, but that didn't take away from the story. All of my questions and wondering were answered by the end of the book even my questions about Williamson's cat and dog which was a nice touch. I wish there was more detail as to why Anna took a shining to Captain Williamson and what made her fall in love with him though. The world building was done very well as well. The story takes place almost completely in Cornwall not long after World War I. It was definitely believable.
The characters of Morgwel Hall were very well written and realistic. Captain Williamson is a great character although sometimes it was hard to tell if he was supposed to be an older man or a younger man. It would have been nice to know his actual age in the book because I struggled to picture him in my mind age wise. Other than that, everything about Williamson was great. It was interesting learning with Williamson about Morgwell Hall. Albert and Nancy were also fantastic characters. I really liked Nancy for some reason. I guess it was just how humble she was. Dougy was my absolute favorite though. He sounded like such a sweet dog!
The pacing in Morgwel Hall was set decently. There were a few times when the story got a bit too wordy and descriptive which would slow the pacing down a little, but for the most part, the pacing stayed strong, and I was desperate to learn more about Morgwel Hall and the history.
Trigger warnings for Morgwel Hall include alcoholism (Captain Williamson came across as being addicted to whiskey), minor profanities, death, suicide, and implied murder.
Overall, Morgwel Hall is a very interesting read. The plot is written very well, and the characters are interesting to read about. I would definitely recommend Morgwel Hall by Michael Hutchins to those aged 15+ who are fans of ghost stories but don't want to be too scared.
--
(A special thank you to the author for providing me with a paperback of Morgwel Hall in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated A Gift of Ghosts in Books
Jun 11, 2019
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads Rating: 4.01 out of 5 stars
Page Count: 190 pages
One little paragraph about spirit energy ruined Akira’s career as an academic professor. Now she has two options: get a job at General Directions, a mysterious company in Florida that wants to interview her for some reason, or teach high school physics.
She’d rather work in Hell than teach high school physics.
Luckily, General Directions offers her a job that includes a salary increase and also the freedom to research whatever she wants as long as she signs a two-year contract.
What she doesn’t know is they don’t want her for her scientific research. They want her because she sees ghosts. Her boss, Zane, and the company’s CEO (and Zane’s dad), Max, want her to contact Zane’s mother and nephew, who passed, but may still be in the ghost world.
Now Akira is living in a town full of psychics where she has a haunted car and a haunted house– luckily, only friendly spirits. Her boss, Zane, is more of a friend than a manager. Which is all right with her, because she can’t help but be incredibly attracted to him.
But when Akira finds out that Zane’s mother has turned into an evil spirit, tensions rise. How can she make Zane understand that she can’t talk to his mother because the mother might kill Akira in the process?
This book was incredibly good. Way better than I was expecting, especially after I realized that Zane was going to be Akira’s boss. Normally I don’t like boss-employee romances because it feels icky. But Zane really didn’t manage Akira at all, and was a boss in name only. Not only that, but Akira seduced Zane, which was a refreshing change of pace.
Zane and Akira were both incredibly sexy and complemented each other so well. I loved the two of them together and the way Zane desired to protect her while also respecting her ability to protect herself was amazing.
The entire town, which is an homage to Eureka, was adorable and pulled me right into the world. I also really liked all the ghosts Akira encountered. They were complex enough to feel like real people even though they were for the most part side characters.
The ghostlore was intriguing as well and I enjoyed watching the discoveries Akira made about the afterlife as the story unfolded. Despite being able to see ghosts her entire life, her knowledge about ghosts was limited because of her overprotective father who forbade her to talk to ghosts or think of them as anything other than leftover energy.
The climax was satisfying for the most part. However, for a few minutes, Zane doubted that Akira could see ghosts, which was really weird. For most of the book, he didn’t doubt her ability at all, especially after testing her ability to see ghosts many times. But suddenly he doubts it? His reasoning for it didn’t fly for me and it was pretty annoying. But once he shook off his out-of-character skepticism, I was enjoying the story again.
The only other problem I had in the book was towards the beginning where there were a few random formatting marks visible. Not enough to really mess with the story, but it was a little distracting nevertheless.
But overall, this was an awesome, slightly spooky romance that’s perfect for October.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads Rating: 4.01 out of 5 stars
Page Count: 190 pages
One little paragraph about spirit energy ruined Akira’s career as an academic professor. Now she has two options: get a job at General Directions, a mysterious company in Florida that wants to interview her for some reason, or teach high school physics.
She’d rather work in Hell than teach high school physics.
Luckily, General Directions offers her a job that includes a salary increase and also the freedom to research whatever she wants as long as she signs a two-year contract.
What she doesn’t know is they don’t want her for her scientific research. They want her because she sees ghosts. Her boss, Zane, and the company’s CEO (and Zane’s dad), Max, want her to contact Zane’s mother and nephew, who passed, but may still be in the ghost world.
Now Akira is living in a town full of psychics where she has a haunted car and a haunted house– luckily, only friendly spirits. Her boss, Zane, is more of a friend than a manager. Which is all right with her, because she can’t help but be incredibly attracted to him.
But when Akira finds out that Zane’s mother has turned into an evil spirit, tensions rise. How can she make Zane understand that she can’t talk to his mother because the mother might kill Akira in the process?
This book was incredibly good. Way better than I was expecting, especially after I realized that Zane was going to be Akira’s boss. Normally I don’t like boss-employee romances because it feels icky. But Zane really didn’t manage Akira at all, and was a boss in name only. Not only that, but Akira seduced Zane, which was a refreshing change of pace.
Zane and Akira were both incredibly sexy and complemented each other so well. I loved the two of them together and the way Zane desired to protect her while also respecting her ability to protect herself was amazing.
The entire town, which is an homage to Eureka, was adorable and pulled me right into the world. I also really liked all the ghosts Akira encountered. They were complex enough to feel like real people even though they were for the most part side characters.
The ghostlore was intriguing as well and I enjoyed watching the discoveries Akira made about the afterlife as the story unfolded. Despite being able to see ghosts her entire life, her knowledge about ghosts was limited because of her overprotective father who forbade her to talk to ghosts or think of them as anything other than leftover energy.
The climax was satisfying for the most part. However, for a few minutes, Zane doubted that Akira could see ghosts, which was really weird. For most of the book, he didn’t doubt her ability at all, especially after testing her ability to see ghosts many times. But suddenly he doubts it? His reasoning for it didn’t fly for me and it was pretty annoying. But once he shook off his out-of-character skepticism, I was enjoying the story again.
The only other problem I had in the book was towards the beginning where there were a few random formatting marks visible. Not enough to really mess with the story, but it was a little distracting nevertheless.
But overall, this was an awesome, slightly spooky romance that’s perfect for October.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated I Let You Go in Books
Feb 1, 2018
One rainy evening, an accident occurs on a quiet neighborhood street. Walking home from school with his mother, young Jacob is hit by a car, and killed. Even worse, the car quickly backs up and drives away, leaving Jacob's mother shattered and Detective Inspector Ray Stevens and his team, particularly eager young DC Kate, to seek out answers.
With her world ruined by the accident, Jenna Gray seeks refuge by the coast. She finds a small cottage, gets a dog, and tries to escape the nightmares of the accident that haunt both her dreams and waking hours. Meanwhile, Ray and Kate are forced to close Jacob's case, no closer to the suspect than when they started. But the two remain undaunted, working on the case in their off hours, and an anniversary plea one year after the accident turns up some potential leads. What exactly happened that rainy night? Will justice ever come for Jacob--and peace for Jenna?
This was an excellent thriller-- a real surprise, honestly. The beginning of the novel started out slow, and was so horrendously sad, what with Jacob's accident and his mother's terrible grief. It was one of several book's I'd read lately involving the death of a child, and I was so saddened that I almost set it aside. I'm glad I didn't though, because while the book is gut-wrenchingly sad, it's excellent, tense, and suspenseful. Divided into several parts, things pick up immensely at the end of the first part, when Mackintosh throws in an excellent plot twist (I shan't say anymore so as not to ruin it).
Mackintosh is excellent at conveying Jenna's anguish and the sadness that the accident causes. We also have a side-plot of Ray and his feelings toward his subordinate, Kate. Ray's home life is unbalanced: he's dealing with issues with his son, Tom, and his wife. These are a bit distracting at times, but serve to humanize him as well. The police subplot (watching them try to piece things together) is interesting, also. In fact, the book alternates in perspectives: we hear from Ray, Jenna, and one more character. In part 2, we go back in time for some of the characters, but remain in the present with Ray and Kate as they (much like us, the readers) try to solve this crime. It's an interesting technique and works surprisingly well. Jenna is a complicated character, but a well-drawn one.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that there is definitely a trigger for domestic abuse/violence, so please be forewarned for that. There's a character in the novel who reminds me of the husband in that creepy Julia Roberts' film "Sleeping with the Enemy" (I'm totally dating myself here). As such I was up late reading one night, completely creeped out. However, that's the sign of an excellent thriller in my opinion. I raced through the last 2/3 of the book and really wasn't disappointed. There are several more twists, but they actually are pretty believable, not outlandish like in many thrillers. Definitely recommend this one (with the abuse caveat thrown in). A unique psychological thriller that's worth your time, for sure.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley - thank you! The U.S. edition is available everywhere on 5/3/16. You can find a review of this book and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
With her world ruined by the accident, Jenna Gray seeks refuge by the coast. She finds a small cottage, gets a dog, and tries to escape the nightmares of the accident that haunt both her dreams and waking hours. Meanwhile, Ray and Kate are forced to close Jacob's case, no closer to the suspect than when they started. But the two remain undaunted, working on the case in their off hours, and an anniversary plea one year after the accident turns up some potential leads. What exactly happened that rainy night? Will justice ever come for Jacob--and peace for Jenna?
This was an excellent thriller-- a real surprise, honestly. The beginning of the novel started out slow, and was so horrendously sad, what with Jacob's accident and his mother's terrible grief. It was one of several book's I'd read lately involving the death of a child, and I was so saddened that I almost set it aside. I'm glad I didn't though, because while the book is gut-wrenchingly sad, it's excellent, tense, and suspenseful. Divided into several parts, things pick up immensely at the end of the first part, when Mackintosh throws in an excellent plot twist (I shan't say anymore so as not to ruin it).
Mackintosh is excellent at conveying Jenna's anguish and the sadness that the accident causes. We also have a side-plot of Ray and his feelings toward his subordinate, Kate. Ray's home life is unbalanced: he's dealing with issues with his son, Tom, and his wife. These are a bit distracting at times, but serve to humanize him as well. The police subplot (watching them try to piece things together) is interesting, also. In fact, the book alternates in perspectives: we hear from Ray, Jenna, and one more character. In part 2, we go back in time for some of the characters, but remain in the present with Ray and Kate as they (much like us, the readers) try to solve this crime. It's an interesting technique and works surprisingly well. Jenna is a complicated character, but a well-drawn one.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that there is definitely a trigger for domestic abuse/violence, so please be forewarned for that. There's a character in the novel who reminds me of the husband in that creepy Julia Roberts' film "Sleeping with the Enemy" (I'm totally dating myself here). As such I was up late reading one night, completely creeped out. However, that's the sign of an excellent thriller in my opinion. I raced through the last 2/3 of the book and really wasn't disappointed. There are several more twists, but they actually are pretty believable, not outlandish like in many thrillers. Definitely recommend this one (with the abuse caveat thrown in). A unique psychological thriller that's worth your time, for sure.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley - thank you! The U.S. edition is available everywhere on 5/3/16. You can find a review of this book and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) in Movies
Mar 23, 2018 (Updated Mar 24, 2018)
What? Why? How?
Right, quick disclaimer - this is going to be less of a review of the movie and more of a rant on how this movie ruins any Cloverfield movies going forward.
In terms of reviewing this film, I actually don't think that this film is as bad as most other people have been saying. There are actually some cool moments and neat ideas here, they just don't really work when they are all put together like this movie tried to do. I liked the cast, I thought that the set was cool, I even enjoyed some of the more cheesy sci-fi clichés in the film, but the whole point of the first two Cloverfield movies is that these planet altering events aren't explained. Even if you totally disregard the fact that this 'explanation,' actually makes no sense when you think about the timeline of the first movie's events, half the fun of the first movie was trying to work out exactly wtf was going on, this half arsed attempt at explaining it just ruins any of that potential fun.
Then, the second movie established that the 'Cloverfield,' label was more of an umbrella that went over these exciting sci-fi movies. Sure, it ties the movies together as a franchise, but there are no obvious links between the franchise entries and that's ok. Think of the 'Cloverfield,' title as being similar to the 'Twilight Zone.' Not everything has to make sense and call back/forward to another entry in the franchise. The tenuous links we had in the other movies, like how it was mentioned in 10CL that Howard worked at a satellite company before building his underground bunker, was more than enough to constitute a link and spark the online fan theories, we didn't need any more than that. Then there was all of the online marketing stuff involving Slusho and Tagruato, which was so clever and unique and elevated the first movie from being a mediocre monster flick to something intriguing and ripe for discussion.
Now this movie comes along and claims that all of these events are interconnected, even though the events of of the previous two movies took place years before the events of Cloverfield Paradox. Then they think by showing us a huge version of Clover from the first movie at the end of Paradox just automatically makes everything okay?
Why did they not just make this movie about a group of astronauts on a space station having some weird shit happening to them, (like the original script for this film was written,) and then call it Cloverfield: God Particle? (which was the movie's original title.) They could have still had Stambler's brother on the news at the start talking about how the crew's mission is dangerous and that would be enough to link this to the other movies. Why they included the appearance of Clover at the end of Paradox and the other half arsed attempts to tie the other two movies into this one is beyond me. It is so unnecessary and defeats the whole point of the Cloverfield franchise as a whole.
That is the reason I didn't like this movie, not because of the movie itself. The film itself was ok, but what it tried to do in terms of connecting these movies was stupid and unnecessary and may have ruined any other Cloverfield movies going forward.
In terms of reviewing this film, I actually don't think that this film is as bad as most other people have been saying. There are actually some cool moments and neat ideas here, they just don't really work when they are all put together like this movie tried to do. I liked the cast, I thought that the set was cool, I even enjoyed some of the more cheesy sci-fi clichés in the film, but the whole point of the first two Cloverfield movies is that these planet altering events aren't explained. Even if you totally disregard the fact that this 'explanation,' actually makes no sense when you think about the timeline of the first movie's events, half the fun of the first movie was trying to work out exactly wtf was going on, this half arsed attempt at explaining it just ruins any of that potential fun.
Then, the second movie established that the 'Cloverfield,' label was more of an umbrella that went over these exciting sci-fi movies. Sure, it ties the movies together as a franchise, but there are no obvious links between the franchise entries and that's ok. Think of the 'Cloverfield,' title as being similar to the 'Twilight Zone.' Not everything has to make sense and call back/forward to another entry in the franchise. The tenuous links we had in the other movies, like how it was mentioned in 10CL that Howard worked at a satellite company before building his underground bunker, was more than enough to constitute a link and spark the online fan theories, we didn't need any more than that. Then there was all of the online marketing stuff involving Slusho and Tagruato, which was so clever and unique and elevated the first movie from being a mediocre monster flick to something intriguing and ripe for discussion.
Now this movie comes along and claims that all of these events are interconnected, even though the events of of the previous two movies took place years before the events of Cloverfield Paradox. Then they think by showing us a huge version of Clover from the first movie at the end of Paradox just automatically makes everything okay?
Why did they not just make this movie about a group of astronauts on a space station having some weird shit happening to them, (like the original script for this film was written,) and then call it Cloverfield: God Particle? (which was the movie's original title.) They could have still had Stambler's brother on the news at the start talking about how the crew's mission is dangerous and that would be enough to link this to the other movies. Why they included the appearance of Clover at the end of Paradox and the other half arsed attempts to tie the other two movies into this one is beyond me. It is so unnecessary and defeats the whole point of the Cloverfield franchise as a whole.
That is the reason I didn't like this movie, not because of the movie itself. The film itself was ok, but what it tried to do in terms of connecting these movies was stupid and unnecessary and may have ruined any other Cloverfield movies going forward.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Breakdown in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Read my review here: https://bookbumzuky.wordpress.com/2017/02/08/review-the-breakdown-by-b-a-paris/
<i><b>Synopsis:</b> On a stormy night, Cass decides to go against the wishes of her husband and take a dangerous shortcut home. Passing through the rural wooded road, she notices a car pulled up with a woman sat inside. After pulling over to help, Cass gets a weird feeling - why hasn’t the woman in the car shown relief at someone pulling over? Why has she not moved from her spot in the seat, just staring blankly out of the windscreen? Feeling spooked, Cass decides to drive off. The next morning she finds out that the woman is dead, “brutally murdered”, as the police say.
Cass can’t shake the guilt she feels at leaving the woman alone, and soon, the guilt is all she can focus on. She’s started to forget things, like when she bought an alarm system or inviting her friends over, but what she can’t forget is leaving the woman on her own, on a stormy night, to be murdered. She also can’t forget the silent phones calls she’s receiving and the horrible feeling that she’s being watched.</i>
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After the huge success of <i>Behind Closed Doors</i>, B A Paris had a lot to live up to with this second novel, and for me, it wasn’t anywhere near as good. It didn’t grab me as well as the last. The tension was built just as well in this, steady and slowly, but it was the actual plot that I wasn’t connecting with. It seemed a bit outlandish and didn’t keep me on my toes quite as much. Annoyingly, someone hadn’t marked the spoilers in their review of this, so about halfway through reading the novel, the twist was “ruined”, but, to be honest, the ending was very predictable and I had already sussed it by the time I read that person’s review, so it wasn't that big of a deal.
Another problem with this book was the lack of character development. While we felt so attached to Grace and eager for her to be rid of the troubles in her life, I didn’t find myself thinking the same for Cass. In all honesty, she was a bit of a drip and was so overly hysterical that she just became annoying to read about. Our other, more side characters, Matthew and Rachel, were flat, soppy and unrealistic.
<spoiler>The texts between Matthew and Rachel, at the end of the novel, were really irritating that I ended up skipping over them. Why would we need to see what they said to each other when we already know what they had done? It was just rehashing parts of the plot that we could have sussed was them…</spoiler>
I hate to say such negative things about this novel, but I just don’t get the hype. The story has been done a million times before, and in better ways, too. Maybe I think so badly of this novel because Paris’ last was so great, but there is no comparison between the two.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin UK Ltd for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
<i><b>Synopsis:</b> On a stormy night, Cass decides to go against the wishes of her husband and take a dangerous shortcut home. Passing through the rural wooded road, she notices a car pulled up with a woman sat inside. After pulling over to help, Cass gets a weird feeling - why hasn’t the woman in the car shown relief at someone pulling over? Why has she not moved from her spot in the seat, just staring blankly out of the windscreen? Feeling spooked, Cass decides to drive off. The next morning she finds out that the woman is dead, “brutally murdered”, as the police say.
Cass can’t shake the guilt she feels at leaving the woman alone, and soon, the guilt is all she can focus on. She’s started to forget things, like when she bought an alarm system or inviting her friends over, but what she can’t forget is leaving the woman on her own, on a stormy night, to be murdered. She also can’t forget the silent phones calls she’s receiving and the horrible feeling that she’s being watched.</i>
---
After the huge success of <i>Behind Closed Doors</i>, B A Paris had a lot to live up to with this second novel, and for me, it wasn’t anywhere near as good. It didn’t grab me as well as the last. The tension was built just as well in this, steady and slowly, but it was the actual plot that I wasn’t connecting with. It seemed a bit outlandish and didn’t keep me on my toes quite as much. Annoyingly, someone hadn’t marked the spoilers in their review of this, so about halfway through reading the novel, the twist was “ruined”, but, to be honest, the ending was very predictable and I had already sussed it by the time I read that person’s review, so it wasn't that big of a deal.
Another problem with this book was the lack of character development. While we felt so attached to Grace and eager for her to be rid of the troubles in her life, I didn’t find myself thinking the same for Cass. In all honesty, she was a bit of a drip and was so overly hysterical that she just became annoying to read about. Our other, more side characters, Matthew and Rachel, were flat, soppy and unrealistic.
<spoiler>The texts between Matthew and Rachel, at the end of the novel, were really irritating that I ended up skipping over them. Why would we need to see what they said to each other when we already know what they had done? It was just rehashing parts of the plot that we could have sussed was them…</spoiler>
I hate to say such negative things about this novel, but I just don’t get the hype. The story has been done a million times before, and in better ways, too. Maybe I think so badly of this novel because Paris’ last was so great, but there is no comparison between the two.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin UK Ltd for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
MichaelS (0 KP) rated Justice League (2017) in Movies
Feb 20, 2018
"Meanwhile, at the Hall Of Justice..."
This movie is the culmination of a childhood full of Saturday mornings in front of the tv in pajamas with a bowl of cereal. "Superfriends" was superheroes at it's most basic. The bad guys wanted to take over or destroy the world and the good guys have to stop them. That was the depth of the plots for both those classic cartoons, and this movie. It's pure cartoon fun brought to life, and I loved every minute of it.
The plot only serves as a reason for these heroes to come together. So you can say that story is not a top priority. Character is the name of the game here, and on that level, the movie is gold. Each character is fully realized, with their own individual situation they need to grow from. Every hero is given his or her moment to shine as an individual. When they stand as a team, it's some of the best superhero action we've ever gotten.
The performances of the League members is spot on across the board. Every character is presented exactly the way they should be. Ben Affleck continues to prove all the doubters wrong, by giving us the best live action version of Batman we've ever seen. Right from the start you see how he demands fear from evildoers, but filled with hope for the good things in the world. Gal Gadot IS Wonder Woman. If there was any doubt left after her solo movie, it should be thoroughly erased now. She's strong in body, mind, and spirit. Jason Mamoa forever erases the idea of Aquaman being the wimpiest superhero. His "surfer dude" take on the character brings all the recklessness and abandon you'd expect from a beach bum. He's almost like a Spartan soldier that lives for the excitement of battle. Ezra Miller brings a youthful excitement of someone who is simply jazzed by what he, and others, can do with their abilities. He's almost the comic relief until you realize that the excited reactions he gives to everything is exactly what we would to if we were dropped in that situation.
SPOILER TERRITORY....skip to "END SPOILERS" if you don't want anything ruined
Although it should really come as no surprise to anyone, Superman does indeed return from the dead in this movie. Not only is that he's resurrected very cool, but the aftermath gives us the best fight scene of the film. Superman vs The Justice League. 'nuff said? I've always loved Henry Cavill as Superman, but now he owns the role. He has grown from a man filled with self doubt, trying to find his place in the world, to a man who now fully realizes who he is, and what purpose he serves to mankind. Lots of great Superman stuff in this movie, and that is the thing I'm most thankful for.
END SPOILERS
This is the most fun I've had with a superhero movie in a long time. It may not have the deepest plot, but that is fine with me, because this is truly a comic book come to life. It's full of the action and joyful spirit that the boy in me tuned into every weekend. Now, if the post credit scene in the movie delivers, it REALLY will be everything that the classic Challenges Of The Superfriends, and reduce me to that boy in pajamas again, cereal in hand, and a smile on my face.
The plot only serves as a reason for these heroes to come together. So you can say that story is not a top priority. Character is the name of the game here, and on that level, the movie is gold. Each character is fully realized, with their own individual situation they need to grow from. Every hero is given his or her moment to shine as an individual. When they stand as a team, it's some of the best superhero action we've ever gotten.
The performances of the League members is spot on across the board. Every character is presented exactly the way they should be. Ben Affleck continues to prove all the doubters wrong, by giving us the best live action version of Batman we've ever seen. Right from the start you see how he demands fear from evildoers, but filled with hope for the good things in the world. Gal Gadot IS Wonder Woman. If there was any doubt left after her solo movie, it should be thoroughly erased now. She's strong in body, mind, and spirit. Jason Mamoa forever erases the idea of Aquaman being the wimpiest superhero. His "surfer dude" take on the character brings all the recklessness and abandon you'd expect from a beach bum. He's almost like a Spartan soldier that lives for the excitement of battle. Ezra Miller brings a youthful excitement of someone who is simply jazzed by what he, and others, can do with their abilities. He's almost the comic relief until you realize that the excited reactions he gives to everything is exactly what we would to if we were dropped in that situation.
SPOILER TERRITORY....skip to "END SPOILERS" if you don't want anything ruined
Although it should really come as no surprise to anyone, Superman does indeed return from the dead in this movie. Not only is that he's resurrected very cool, but the aftermath gives us the best fight scene of the film. Superman vs The Justice League. 'nuff said? I've always loved Henry Cavill as Superman, but now he owns the role. He has grown from a man filled with self doubt, trying to find his place in the world, to a man who now fully realizes who he is, and what purpose he serves to mankind. Lots of great Superman stuff in this movie, and that is the thing I'm most thankful for.
END SPOILERS
This is the most fun I've had with a superhero movie in a long time. It may not have the deepest plot, but that is fine with me, because this is truly a comic book come to life. It's full of the action and joyful spirit that the boy in me tuned into every weekend. Now, if the post credit scene in the movie delivers, it REALLY will be everything that the classic Challenges Of The Superfriends, and reduce me to that boy in pajamas again, cereal in hand, and a smile on my face.
Louise (64 KP) rated Sunflowers in February in Books
Jun 28, 2018
First and foremost thank you to readers first for supplying me a copy of this book, it truly looks better in the flesh.
This is a UK YA debut novel by Phyllida Shrimpton and very reminiscent of the lovely bones by Alice Sebold. When I read the synopsis of this book I knew that I was going to have to read it. The exploration of life after death fascinates me, are there spirits? is there really life after death? This book had depth to it and has some very important messages, it covers a lot on grief and guilt.
Our story starts out pretty much as the synopsis states…Lily is 15 years old and is on a bank of grass and has no idea how she got there. The first thing she notices is her purple converse laying in a puddle, her mum is going to be so mad that she has ruined them especially as she begged and pleaded with her for them. Thankfully the Police turn up just in time, hopefully they will be able to take her home, It’s only when they ignore her that she starts becoming alarmed, she can’t seem to touch them or communicate with them. One of the policemen radio in that they have found her, but it can’t be her as they keep ignoring her, when she looks in the same direction as the Police she sees herself lying in a ditch DEAD! For some reason Lily is still around in spirit, she stands next to her mother and father when they identify her body, she even attends her funeral. Being a spirit is pretty lonely, watching everyone grieving for her not being able to console them but worst of all is being emotionally numb, it’s only one evening when her twin brother has an out-of-body experience in the night that she finds she can actually communicate to the outside world. She wants one chance to say goodbye to everyone properly and then maybe she will finally rest in peace.
This was a very ambitious concept to try to pull off for a debut novel and I think she might have just done it. There were some aspects of this book that I was sceptical of, but other than that it was an enjoyable read. I liked how much grief was tackled and the ways in which people cope.The way she was drawn to people when they were thinking about her was a nice touch which meant we got to see several characters which broke any monotony up. This did delve in the stages of grief. We had Denial, anger,guilt,depression and acceptance and you could see each of these stages in the characters throughout the book. I also liked the message of not taking things for granted because you never know when your life might end and you wish you could have done things differently. Lily could see her family falling apart and her mission was to stop that from happening – they needed to be together and move on with their lives but she also need to learn to forgive so she too could move on.
Overall I enjoyed this book it had a lot of important messages and dealt with a delicate subject pretty well. I would say this is the YA of ‘The Lovely Bones’.
This is a UK YA debut novel by Phyllida Shrimpton and very reminiscent of the lovely bones by Alice Sebold. When I read the synopsis of this book I knew that I was going to have to read it. The exploration of life after death fascinates me, are there spirits? is there really life after death? This book had depth to it and has some very important messages, it covers a lot on grief and guilt.
Our story starts out pretty much as the synopsis states…Lily is 15 years old and is on a bank of grass and has no idea how she got there. The first thing she notices is her purple converse laying in a puddle, her mum is going to be so mad that she has ruined them especially as she begged and pleaded with her for them. Thankfully the Police turn up just in time, hopefully they will be able to take her home, It’s only when they ignore her that she starts becoming alarmed, she can’t seem to touch them or communicate with them. One of the policemen radio in that they have found her, but it can’t be her as they keep ignoring her, when she looks in the same direction as the Police she sees herself lying in a ditch DEAD! For some reason Lily is still around in spirit, she stands next to her mother and father when they identify her body, she even attends her funeral. Being a spirit is pretty lonely, watching everyone grieving for her not being able to console them but worst of all is being emotionally numb, it’s only one evening when her twin brother has an out-of-body experience in the night that she finds she can actually communicate to the outside world. She wants one chance to say goodbye to everyone properly and then maybe she will finally rest in peace.
This was a very ambitious concept to try to pull off for a debut novel and I think she might have just done it. There were some aspects of this book that I was sceptical of, but other than that it was an enjoyable read. I liked how much grief was tackled and the ways in which people cope.The way she was drawn to people when they were thinking about her was a nice touch which meant we got to see several characters which broke any monotony up. This did delve in the stages of grief. We had Denial, anger,guilt,depression and acceptance and you could see each of these stages in the characters throughout the book. I also liked the message of not taking things for granted because you never know when your life might end and you wish you could have done things differently. Lily could see her family falling apart and her mission was to stop that from happening – they needed to be together and move on with their lives but she also need to learn to forgive so she too could move on.
Overall I enjoyed this book it had a lot of important messages and dealt with a delicate subject pretty well. I would say this is the YA of ‘The Lovely Bones’.
Inky Books (3 KP) rated These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1) in Books
Jun 21, 2018
Well, I’m sure this might be a surprise for you because I have already reviewed this book. No, you’re not crazy, but after going back and rereading it I decided that I would listen to it again and write a real review, not one where more than half of it is a spoiler.
This book was just as amazing the second time as it was the first time. The characters were as fresh and complicated as I remember and I was even surprised by details I had forgotten about them.
Lilac was as privileged, stubborn and as not-crazy as I remember, but now I can appreciate it even more now that I have read the next two books in the series. Despite being a rich and spoiled debutant she certainly pushes through to her very core to survive, especially in the middle and at the end of the book.
And Tarver, he broke my heart. He was wonderfully written, from the beginning, to the interludes where he is being debriefed (where he was so sarcastic I couldn’t help but appreciate his nerve), and then those events at the end. You’ll know what I mean when you read the book.
The main plot is so beautifully simple and can be summed up into one, single word. Survive. There is a larger story arch for the next two books of the series, but just surviving, that’s what this book is about. Well, that and Lilac and Tarver trying not to kill each other while also trying to get the other to stay alive long enough to reach their goal.
Now, this book is almost entirely starring just Lilac and Tarver. Usually, only two characters together, alone would have caused me to whine about how the author was unimaginative but this works really, really well. Yes, I want other people there because the are stranded on an abandoned planet and I don’t want them to suffer, but their dynamic would have been completely ruined if there was someone else there.
Yes, this is considered a romance book, and it didn’t seem at all out of place. It fell in quite easily and it wasn’t a sudden thing forced upon two people who hated each other from the very start. If anything, these two pushed their feelings aside as the tragic accident pulls them closer together without them even knowing it. I think I lived for the moment these two finally accepted each other and I would not have had it any other way. It all just works so well!
So much goes on, yet so little happens. I mean this in the most amazing way possible. There is no one else to interfere with Lilac and Tarver’s mission of surviving, or working towards a goal other than nature and themselves. And when they get to one of the destinations, and what happens to both of them, well, it was hard. But the next place, it is so much harder. They are so sweet and it just breaks my heart.
I knew what was coming, knew what had to happen for the story to move on, and still, it rocked me and almost brought me to tears again. I knew how this book, and the series, ended, but still I couldn’t help the emotions that refused to stay pushed down. I don’t even have words to explain it in a way that will do it justice and not spoil it at the same time. Please, just read it!
This book was just as amazing the second time as it was the first time. The characters were as fresh and complicated as I remember and I was even surprised by details I had forgotten about them.
Lilac was as privileged, stubborn and as not-crazy as I remember, but now I can appreciate it even more now that I have read the next two books in the series. Despite being a rich and spoiled debutant she certainly pushes through to her very core to survive, especially in the middle and at the end of the book.
And Tarver, he broke my heart. He was wonderfully written, from the beginning, to the interludes where he is being debriefed (where he was so sarcastic I couldn’t help but appreciate his nerve), and then those events at the end. You’ll know what I mean when you read the book.
The main plot is so beautifully simple and can be summed up into one, single word. Survive. There is a larger story arch for the next two books of the series, but just surviving, that’s what this book is about. Well, that and Lilac and Tarver trying not to kill each other while also trying to get the other to stay alive long enough to reach their goal.
Now, this book is almost entirely starring just Lilac and Tarver. Usually, only two characters together, alone would have caused me to whine about how the author was unimaginative but this works really, really well. Yes, I want other people there because the are stranded on an abandoned planet and I don’t want them to suffer, but their dynamic would have been completely ruined if there was someone else there.
Yes, this is considered a romance book, and it didn’t seem at all out of place. It fell in quite easily and it wasn’t a sudden thing forced upon two people who hated each other from the very start. If anything, these two pushed their feelings aside as the tragic accident pulls them closer together without them even knowing it. I think I lived for the moment these two finally accepted each other and I would not have had it any other way. It all just works so well!
So much goes on, yet so little happens. I mean this in the most amazing way possible. There is no one else to interfere with Lilac and Tarver’s mission of surviving, or working towards a goal other than nature and themselves. And when they get to one of the destinations, and what happens to both of them, well, it was hard. But the next place, it is so much harder. They are so sweet and it just breaks my heart.
I knew what was coming, knew what had to happen for the story to move on, and still, it rocked me and almost brought me to tears again. I knew how this book, and the series, ended, but still I couldn’t help the emotions that refused to stay pushed down. I don’t even have words to explain it in a way that will do it justice and not spoil it at the same time. Please, just read it!