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Tau (2018)
Tau (2018)
2018 | Sci-Fi, Thriller
Plot (1 more)
Emotional
A weird, but emotionally gripping movie.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I watched this when it first came out in 2018... at first I almost switched over as I thought it could be another cheaply made movie, with unknown actors. It took a while to get into it and also I found it slightly frustrating. However, the movie did play with my emotions and next thing I know I'm pulled in and gripped by the relationship between Julia and Tau. At first we explore the frightening and negative side of Tau and learn how powerful the AI actually is. But then towards the end we got to know the good Tau and the beautiful bond between him and Julia. I honestly started to wish that there was a real man behind Tau, unveiled to have a happy ending with Julie. Not much I can recall, but I certainly recall crying at the end for the sacrifice Tau had made for Julia.
  
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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated We Were Soldiers (2002) in Movies

Jul 22, 2020 (Updated Jul 22, 2020)  
We Were Soldiers (2002)
We Were Soldiers (2002)
2002 | Drama, History, War
The Hearts of Brave Soldiers
We Were Soilders- is a little long and some what slow but wants it comes to the war/action it does a excellent job and does a excellent job depicting the true story of the first major battle between the United States and North Vietnamese forces and the brave soilders who went out and fought for our country.

The plot: Based upon the best-selling book "We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young" by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (Ret.) and journalist Joseph L. Galloway, this compelling war drama depicts the true story of the first major battle between the United States and North Vietnamese forces. It is a film about uncommon valor and nobility under fire, loyalty among soldiers, and the heroism and sacrifice of men and women both home and abroad.

Its a excellent history war drama and if you havent seen it. It is a must.
  
300 (2007)
300 (2007)
2007 | Action, Drama
Gerald Butler (0 more)
This is Sparta
300- is a excellent film. Zack Snyder did a excellent job with this film. This was his 2nd film he did and it really put him on the map, cause after this he did "Watchman" and "Man of Steel". His remake of "Dawn of the Dead" was excellent. 300 has excellent visuals, gory, vengeances and epicnest. Gerald Bulter does a excellent job in this.

The plot: In 480 B.C. a state of war exists between Persia, led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), and Greece. At the Battle of Thermopylae, Leonidas (Gerard Butler), king of the Greek city state of Sparta, leads his badly outnumbered warriors against the massive Persian army. Though certain death awaits the Spartans, their sacrifice inspires all of Greece to unite against their common enemy.

The film is a shot-for-shot adaptation of the comic book, similar to the film adaptation of Sin City.

Its a excellent movie and a must see.
  
The Ultimate Sacrifice (The Gifted Teens #1)
The Ultimate Sacrifice (The Gifted Teens #1)
Talia Jager | 2011 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE tells a fast-paced story about what it is like to be born special, even amongst the different. Kassia had problems keeping her emotions under control. This is a bad thing because she is able to cause pain, and even death, just by thinking about it. She has her own little support group in her BFF Mira, Noe, Auralee, Zane, and her love, Daxton.

The title of the book sort of gives away the main part of the story, but like most good books, the fun is getting to that part. This IS fast-paced so you need to read it carefully and not skim, otherwise a month has passed and you missed the reference that told you so.

I found this to be a gripping story that engaged my emotions. It was incredibly well-written and I loved every word. This book is concluded nicely with a small teaser that will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me.
  
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BeardyJim (611 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice in Video Games

Nov 2, 2021 (Updated Nov 2, 2021)  
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
2017 | Action/Adventure
Looks amazing (4 more)
Compelling story
Original death mechanic
Gives a psychological insight into how you played the game at the end
Loading screens completely hidden by cutscenes
The death mechanic is brutal (0 more)
A stunning insight into your own psyche
One of my favourite games of recent years, Senua's Sacrifice is a thought provoking insight into your own psyche, while at the same time being a beautiful story about love, death and loss.

The game looks amazing, and there aren't any loading screens, as they're cleverly hidden by cutscenes.

The game has an interesting death mechanic, whereby if Senua dies, an infection gets worse in her arm, spreading all over her body. If you die so often that the infection takes over, your save game is deleted. Harsh, right?

Despite this, the gameplay is beautifully done, and the story really gets your attention throughout.

If you haven't picked this up yet, I urge you to do so, before the sequel comes out.
  
The Sacrifice Box
The Sacrifice Box
Martin Stewart | 2018 | Children, Mystery, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When a bunch of kids, September “Sep” Hope, Arkle, Mack, Lamb and Hadley discover an ancient stone box, they decide to each sacrifice something important to them to cement their friendship. As they do this they make a pact: never return to the box at night; they’ll never visit it alone; and they’ll never take back their offerings. Break any of these rules and who knows what could happen…

A few years later in 1982, they are thrown together again as things started to go awry and it’s clear someone has opened the box, because terrible things start happening. They try to rectify what they’ve done but nothing, it seems, will work, and like Pandora’s box – once it’s opened all the horror they can think of are released into their lives. And the box wants revenge.

From the very first scenes I was totally hooked. Why were these kids sacrificing objects they loved for this box? What will happen if they disobey the rules? Because you just know someone is going to, right? I was surprised this creepy horror was aimed at young adults, as there are some great, yet gross and even some pretty cruel stories within this book! It’s not for the fainthearted ya readers. That’s for sure.

An entertaining trip back in time, reminiscent of those old 80s films revolving around a bunch of kids having to deal with much more than they bargained for, with dire consequences to contend with if they don’t make a stand. Yes, it does sound rather like Stand by Me, with supernatural elements and for good reason too. I enjoyed it a lot and thought it had a very English, village feel to it. I don’t know whether that was just me, or not, but its the impression I got as I read this.

Overall The Sacrifice Box had a crazy, pacy edge to it, alongside some heartfelt moments with characters which ended up feeling like my friends. An engaging coming of age book about friendship, love and hidden terrifying truths just waiting to resurface.
  
Hostiles (2017)
Hostiles (2017)
2017 | Western
Bring westerns back!
I love Christian Bale and I love westerns, so it is no surprise I found this an immensely entertaining film.

It is hard to believe humanity even survived the relentless, bleak, hostile and morose period in American history when native Americans were hunted down, slaughtered and removed from their land. They became equally brutal in retaliation and defending their property.


When Bale (Capt. Joseph J. Blocker) is ordered to transport a dying Indian Chief and former adversary and his family back to Montana based on his dying wish, Bale reluctantly agrees.


Their journey would be marked with heartache, sacrifice and brutality. Bale and his men come under attack and have to band together to survive.


I have seen few westerns which showcase the brutality of the Old West better than this film. Your heart goes out to the men and women left to survive with very little left in their lives to look forward to. Somehow, they manage to carry on and should be inspiring to the rest of us to do the same.

  
Midwinterblood
Midwinterblood
Marcus Sedgwick | 2011 | Horror, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Vampire, A Hare and A Human Sacrifice
The horror genre has never been one that I read a lot of. I'm more of a fantasy, murder mystery kinda gal. Horror gives me the creeps (as it should) so I tend to avoid it as much as I can.

Now in the hopes of becoming a more well-rounded reader, I decided to take a dive into the deep end and pick up these unsettling read.

Midwinterblood tells the story of the souls of Eric and Merle. Yes, I did say souls. This book is about reincarnation, the past and future lives and how our souls stay intertwined with the ones we love. Midwinterblood is split into 8 chapters each represented by a different moon and a different time period, I wouldn't say it's a pure love story, although that is what I initially thought after the first chapter, as each story is so different I wouldn't say it's got a specific theme throughout.

Continue reading my review at: https://www.readsandrecipes.co.uk/2017/01/a-vampire-hare-and-human-sacrifice.html
  
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David Schwartz recommended Late Spring (1949) in Movies (curated)

 
Late Spring (1949)
Late Spring (1949)
1949 |
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"Is Setsuko Hara the most beautiful actress in movie history? That’s just a rhetorical question . . . the answer, of course, is yes. In Late Spring, she plays the young daughter of a widowed father who reluctantly wants to see her married. I am the man she should have married, but that’s a different story. Like many cinephiles, I was first drawn to Ozu by his serene compositions, the meditative “pillow shots” of train stations and empty rooms that served as scene transitions, and the exquisite way that his films explore the architecture of domestic and urban life. Repeated viewings reveal that underneath the director’s formal, often eccentric playfulness, there lies a fascinating undercurrent of sexual neurosis and pathology that is thinly masked by the demure self-sacrifice of the characters. In their own quiet way, Ozu’s families are deeply fascinating. And this two-disc set has an amazing bonus: Tokyo-ga, Wim Wenders’s loving and thoughtful feature-length tribute to Ozu, the actor Chishu Ryu, and Tokyo. It’s a first-person documentary and urban portrait par excellence, photographed by Ed Lachman."

Source
  
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ClareR (5603 KP) rated After the Flood in Books

Oct 25, 2021  
After the Flood
After the Flood
Kassandra Montag | 2019 | Dystopia, Fiction & Poetry
7
9.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
After the Flood is set in a world after the sea levels have risen as a result of Climate Change.

Myra and her daughter Pearl, live on a boat, a precarious life, reliant on the fish they catch. When Myra discovers that her eldest daughter, the daughter that her husband took with him when he left her, may still be alive, she is determined to find her.

This is a pretty bleak book: people live in fear of illness, starvation, storms and pirates. These pirates kill for people’s possessions, take slaves, run ‘breeding ships’ - and they want to build their own territories on dry land.

This is reminiscent of the film Water World in some places - the promise of a better, dry place to live, the strong preying on the weak. It’s also a book about sacrifice and the lengths a mother will go to to protect her children.

This won’t be the book for you if you like a happy ending, but if you enjoy a book that’s beautifully descriptive, both in emotion and seascape, you’ll love this.