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Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Spider-Men in Books
Nov 30, 2020
So, here's the thing.. Brian Michael Bendis . When his writing is good, like on ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN or his own creator-owned projects like JINX and POWERS, the man is quite good. When he is regrettable, like he was on his run on ALL-NEW X-MEN and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (Peter Quill + Kitty Pryde? Really?!? Um, no..), his writing stank like yesterday's diapers! Fortunately, that was not the case with this little gem!
Let me frank here: THIS WAS A FUN READ! It was great to see Miles Morales and Earth-616's Peter Parker, <b>our/my</b> Double-P, working together. Still riding on the good++ vibe generated by INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (seriously, if you have not seen it yet, you totally need to see it), this was just what I wanted.
And that art? Wowwowwoweeewow! I sure do love me some Sara Pichelli! I never really tire of seeing her work! And the perfect compliment to her art? The always-perfect coloring by the late Justin Ponsor! Man, I am gonna miss him! Rest in peace, Justin! #cancersucks
If there was anything I could find wrong with the story as a whole was Mysterio. Look, I am a 50-year-old comic fan who got all sorts of happy when I saw the clip of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME and Mysterio was in it -- with his fishbowl head! But, here in this story, while cool to see him used, I felt he was not really memorable. His performance in the story didn't really feel like Mysterio, you know? Other than that, the book was all aces for me!
If you are looking for a Spider-Fix, and you want to read some of the good Bendis, look no further than this one! Enjoy!
Let me frank here: THIS WAS A FUN READ! It was great to see Miles Morales and Earth-616's Peter Parker, <b>our/my</b> Double-P, working together. Still riding on the good++ vibe generated by INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (seriously, if you have not seen it yet, you totally need to see it), this was just what I wanted.
And that art? Wowwowwoweeewow! I sure do love me some Sara Pichelli! I never really tire of seeing her work! And the perfect compliment to her art? The always-perfect coloring by the late Justin Ponsor! Man, I am gonna miss him! Rest in peace, Justin! #cancersucks
If there was anything I could find wrong with the story as a whole was Mysterio. Look, I am a 50-year-old comic fan who got all sorts of happy when I saw the clip of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME and Mysterio was in it -- with his fishbowl head! But, here in this story, while cool to see him used, I felt he was not really memorable. His performance in the story didn't really feel like Mysterio, you know? Other than that, the book was all aces for me!
If you are looking for a Spider-Fix, and you want to read some of the good Bendis, look no further than this one! Enjoy!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2340 KP) rated Murder Goes to Market in Books
Oct 16, 2020
To Market, to Market, to Find…A Corpse?
Claudia Simcoe has started her life again in the California coastal town of San Elmo Bay by opening a market where locals can sell their locally produced wares. Most of the offerings are food related, but she has learned that the bags and other items Lori Roth sells are just things she has bought over the internet. The morning after Claudia confronts Lori about this, she finds Lori’s dead body in the middle of the market. The police think Claudia is a great suspect, and they are keeping the market closed until they solve the case. With a double motive to learn the truth, Claudia begins her investigation. Can she figure out what really happened?
It took a bit of work to get into the book. The early chapters, while advancing the story, still fall a bit too much into exposition for me, and the third person narration kept me a little at bay. However, by the time I hit page 50, I was fully hooked. The mystery is complex with lots of puzzling things for Claudia to figure out, yet it all makes sense at the end. Claudia is a strong main character, and I enjoyed getting to know her. The rest of the cast still has some room to grow, but I did like what I saw here. Claudia can be sarcastic, and I loved that. Additionally, some lines in the narration made me laugh. I grew up in Sonoma County, the location of the fictional San Elmo Bay, and I really enjoyed spending time in a location I know in real life. This debut grew into a book I really enjoyed, and I can’t wait to visit the characters and location again.
It took a bit of work to get into the book. The early chapters, while advancing the story, still fall a bit too much into exposition for me, and the third person narration kept me a little at bay. However, by the time I hit page 50, I was fully hooked. The mystery is complex with lots of puzzling things for Claudia to figure out, yet it all makes sense at the end. Claudia is a strong main character, and I enjoyed getting to know her. The rest of the cast still has some room to grow, but I did like what I saw here. Claudia can be sarcastic, and I loved that. Additionally, some lines in the narration made me laugh. I grew up in Sonoma County, the location of the fictional San Elmo Bay, and I really enjoyed spending time in a location I know in real life. This debut grew into a book I really enjoyed, and I can’t wait to visit the characters and location again.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Hocus Pocus (1993) in Movies
Oct 28, 2020
Halloween Classic (2 more)
Bette Middler
Sarah Jessica Parker
Witches In Town
This was the first time i ever saw "Hocus Pocus" and i thought it was great. A halloween classic. You have witches, trick or treating, candy, cat, and more. Its a classic.
The plot: After moving to Salem, Mass., teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz) explores an abandoned house with his sister Dani (Thora Birch) and their new friend, Allison (Vinessa Shaw). After dismissing a story Allison tells as superstitious, Max accidentally frees a coven of evil witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy) who used to live in the house. Now, with the help of a magical cat, the kids must steal the witches' book of spells to stop them from becoming immortal.
It was not a critical or commercial success upon its release, possibly losing Disney around $16.5 million during its theatrical run. However, largely through annual airings on Disney Channel and Freeform (formerly ABC Family), Hocus Pocus has been rediscovered by audiences, resulting in a yearly spike in home video sales of the film every Halloween season that has helped make it a cult classic.
Various rewrites were made to the script to make the film more comedic and made two of its young protagonists into teenagers; however, production was stalled several times until 1992, when Bette Midler expressed interest in the script and the project immediately went forward.
Midler, who plays the central antagonist of the film (originally written for Cloris Leachman), is quoted as saying that Hocus Pocus "was the most fun I'd had in my career up to that point.
Leonardo DiCaprio was originally offered the lead role of Max, but declined it in order to pursue What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
Like i said before its a halloween classic.
The plot: After moving to Salem, Mass., teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz) explores an abandoned house with his sister Dani (Thora Birch) and their new friend, Allison (Vinessa Shaw). After dismissing a story Allison tells as superstitious, Max accidentally frees a coven of evil witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy) who used to live in the house. Now, with the help of a magical cat, the kids must steal the witches' book of spells to stop them from becoming immortal.
It was not a critical or commercial success upon its release, possibly losing Disney around $16.5 million during its theatrical run. However, largely through annual airings on Disney Channel and Freeform (formerly ABC Family), Hocus Pocus has been rediscovered by audiences, resulting in a yearly spike in home video sales of the film every Halloween season that has helped make it a cult classic.
Various rewrites were made to the script to make the film more comedic and made two of its young protagonists into teenagers; however, production was stalled several times until 1992, when Bette Midler expressed interest in the script and the project immediately went forward.
Midler, who plays the central antagonist of the film (originally written for Cloris Leachman), is quoted as saying that Hocus Pocus "was the most fun I'd had in my career up to that point.
Leonardo DiCaprio was originally offered the lead role of Max, but declined it in order to pursue What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
Like i said before its a halloween classic.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated A Brutal Tenderness (A Terrible Love, #2) in Books
Jan 11, 2021
3.5 stars.
I think this is the first time I have ever read the second book in a series that tells it from another’s POV. If you don’t know what I mean here’s an example: Hopeless (girl’s POV) and Losing Hope (guy’s POV) by Colleen Hoover… but I have to asmit it was very interesting seeing everything from Cas’ POV.
Well, there’s something about a guy who talks dirty when your in bed with him that I like. And Cas with Jess/Jewell is no exception. I think it’s his dominance that I like so much. He wont take no crap, at all, and he uses his body as a weapon in this; both in a seductive and a fighting way.
The bits we read from the crazy psychopath also know as Jess’/Jewell’s step-brother are weirdly creepy but insightful. We never saw anything from his POV in the first book so that was an interesting change between the two stories.
As was reading about the FBI team who were sent out to keep a watchful eye on her. Seeing the interaction between them when they were at FBI headquarters and how they acted when in close confines with Jess was quite fun. Friends one minute, beating each other up the next.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever read another duet like this, if I’m honest, because it is basically just another version of the first book but from another’s POV (although I do have Walking Disaster in paperback, yet-to-read) with added bits when they disappear from the pages of the other.
But if you like New Adult books then this duet are not to be missed. Sure they’re a little darker compared to others but they are compelling reading. I highly recommend them.
I think this is the first time I have ever read the second book in a series that tells it from another’s POV. If you don’t know what I mean here’s an example: Hopeless (girl’s POV) and Losing Hope (guy’s POV) by Colleen Hoover… but I have to asmit it was very interesting seeing everything from Cas’ POV.
Well, there’s something about a guy who talks dirty when your in bed with him that I like. And Cas with Jess/Jewell is no exception. I think it’s his dominance that I like so much. He wont take no crap, at all, and he uses his body as a weapon in this; both in a seductive and a fighting way.
The bits we read from the crazy psychopath also know as Jess’/Jewell’s step-brother are weirdly creepy but insightful. We never saw anything from his POV in the first book so that was an interesting change between the two stories.
As was reading about the FBI team who were sent out to keep a watchful eye on her. Seeing the interaction between them when they were at FBI headquarters and how they acted when in close confines with Jess was quite fun. Friends one minute, beating each other up the next.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever read another duet like this, if I’m honest, because it is basically just another version of the first book but from another’s POV (although I do have Walking Disaster in paperback, yet-to-read) with added bits when they disappear from the pages of the other.
But if you like New Adult books then this duet are not to be missed. Sure they’re a little darker compared to others but they are compelling reading. I highly recommend them.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires (Half-Moon Hollow, #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2021
I've always been drawn to this book - series, really - so when I saw it at 99p a while back I couldn't resist buying it.
This starts with Iris in the supermarket buying items for her vampire clients to make their lives easier, sorting out their wants and needs while they sleep during the day so she never actually comes face to face with them. She heads over to leave a welcome basket for her newest client, Cal, when she ends up falling over his body in his kitchen. He's been poisoned and they negotiate for him to come stay with her while he recovers and tries to find out who's behind his poisoning
This was equal parts fun and quirky, intriguing and romantic. Fun and quirky because it's full of snark and some strangely funny vampire related conversations. Intriguing with trying to figure out who's behind Cal's poisoning. And romantic because Iris and Cal have some really cute and some really hot scenes together. There was a really sort of cute bit with Cal and Gigi - Iris's younger sister - where he gets really protective of her seeing guys and buys her a bubble-gum pink taser so she can protect herself.
I was not expecting the bad guy to be who it was. That took me by surprise, so well done for that. I was convinced it was someone else for most of the book.
I did like the romance between our main characters. As I mentioned above it was really cute at times and that end bit where he pretty much re-staged their initial meeting with him laid out on the floor so she can fall over him. What else can I say but CUTE.
This was just a fun all round read and I cannot wait to read more of this series.
This starts with Iris in the supermarket buying items for her vampire clients to make their lives easier, sorting out their wants and needs while they sleep during the day so she never actually comes face to face with them. She heads over to leave a welcome basket for her newest client, Cal, when she ends up falling over his body in his kitchen. He's been poisoned and they negotiate for him to come stay with her while he recovers and tries to find out who's behind his poisoning
This was equal parts fun and quirky, intriguing and romantic. Fun and quirky because it's full of snark and some strangely funny vampire related conversations. Intriguing with trying to figure out who's behind Cal's poisoning. And romantic because Iris and Cal have some really cute and some really hot scenes together. There was a really sort of cute bit with Cal and Gigi - Iris's younger sister - where he gets really protective of her seeing guys and buys her a bubble-gum pink taser so she can protect herself.
I was not expecting the bad guy to be who it was. That took me by surprise, so well done for that. I was convinced it was someone else for most of the book.
I did like the romance between our main characters. As I mentioned above it was really cute at times and that end bit where he pretty much re-staged their initial meeting with him laid out on the floor so she can fall over him. What else can I say but CUTE.
This was just a fun all round read and I cannot wait to read more of this series.
I read book 7, several months ago and enjoyed it.
This one follows Ivy, who we saw quite a lot of in the previous book since she was one of Sadie's best friends, who owns the areas best taco truck with its spicy food. It's as she's getting ready for the breakfast crowd that she bumps into Kel, a sheriff visiting family in the area for a few weeks and an instant attraction blooms between them. They both try to fight it but keep being drawn back to each other.
I think I liked this more than Playing for Keeps. Kel's protective nature and Ivy's don't-get-close-to-me-because-I-wont-stick-around attitude sort of made me want them to get under each others skin and they did, in a big way. Admittedly it took a while before anything happened but we had hot glances and interesting conversations. Both of them are damaged in some ways. Ivy never really had a parent so she's wary of letting people get close as she's scared of what might happen and Kel keeps himself detached from relationships and blames it on his job for not staying around.
What I did enjoy was seeing them working through their problems so they could be with each other. It wasn't easy to get over them and it wasn't until near the end of the book that they finally got together and it was sweet.
I really like this group of friends. They're the ones who'll stick with you through thick and thin and won't shy away from any problem you might have. I wish I'd read all the previous books - books 1-6 - so I could see how some of these couples got together but I will be keeping my eye out for more books in this series.
This one follows Ivy, who we saw quite a lot of in the previous book since she was one of Sadie's best friends, who owns the areas best taco truck with its spicy food. It's as she's getting ready for the breakfast crowd that she bumps into Kel, a sheriff visiting family in the area for a few weeks and an instant attraction blooms between them. They both try to fight it but keep being drawn back to each other.
I think I liked this more than Playing for Keeps. Kel's protective nature and Ivy's don't-get-close-to-me-because-I-wont-stick-around attitude sort of made me want them to get under each others skin and they did, in a big way. Admittedly it took a while before anything happened but we had hot glances and interesting conversations. Both of them are damaged in some ways. Ivy never really had a parent so she's wary of letting people get close as she's scared of what might happen and Kel keeps himself detached from relationships and blames it on his job for not staying around.
What I did enjoy was seeing them working through their problems so they could be with each other. It wasn't easy to get over them and it wasn't until near the end of the book that they finally got together and it was sweet.
I really like this group of friends. They're the ones who'll stick with you through thick and thin and won't shy away from any problem you might have. I wish I'd read all the previous books - books 1-6 - so I could see how some of these couples got together but I will be keeping my eye out for more books in this series.
Darren Fisher (2454 KP) rated Killer's Moon (1978) in Movies
Dec 11, 2020 (Updated Dec 11, 2020)
Classic low budget British horror
I love my bonkers films and this demented British horror from Alan Birkinshaw certainly is up there. Four lunatics escape from a cottage (yep, not even a mental institution) whilst dosed up on LSD provided by the psychiatrists (it's a experiment in which said nutters think they are only dreaming - so whatever they do whilst tripping holds no consequence). Meanwhile, in the middle of nowhere, a bus full of schoolgirls brakes down. With no other choice the bus driver goes lookin for help whilst the teachers and girls seek refuge in a desolate hotel. As the escaped lunatics make their murderous way across country they come across the hotel. Once inside they begin tormenting, raping and decimating the cast. It's grimy, sleazy and very non-politically correct. I certainly can't imagine it getting made in todays times. The infrequent gore scenes are more 'Carry On...' style than gruesome, the special effects are amateur, accompanied with goofy sound effects. What carries the film along is the dialogue. Co-written with the directors sister Fay Weldon, the script is jaw droppingly unbelievable, unintentionally hilarious and mind-bogglingly bizarre. The most infamous quote comes after one school girl has been raped by one of the lunatics and pretty much sets the tone of what you are watching...
"Look, you were only raped, as long as you don't tell anyone about it you'll be alright. You pretend it never happened, I pretend I never saw it and if we ever get out of this alive, well, maybe we'll both live to be wives and mothers"
Just one of many delicious quotes from the film I hasten to add. Guaranteed trash gold. Highly recommended.
"Look, you were only raped, as long as you don't tell anyone about it you'll be alright. You pretend it never happened, I pretend I never saw it and if we ever get out of this alive, well, maybe we'll both live to be wives and mothers"
Just one of many delicious quotes from the film I hasten to add. Guaranteed trash gold. Highly recommended.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Suburbicon (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Suburbicon is a peaceful, idyllic, suburban community with affordable homes and manicured lawns -- the perfect place to raise a family, and in the summer of 1959, the Lodge family is doing just that. But the tranquil surface masks a disturbing reality, as husband and father Gardner Lodge must navigate the town's dark underbelly of betrayal, deceit and violence.
I saw this trailer so many times in the run up to the Unlimited Screening. It initially intrigued me, I'm not a particular fan of Matt Damon, but I do like Julianne Moore, and Oscar Isaac the more I see him. Both Moore and Isaac seemed at home in this 50s setting, but Damon didn't feel very convincing.
The story had a lot of potential. Lodge wants to kill his wife who has become bitter towards him since he caused an accident that left her in a wheelchair. The plan is to stage a home invasion that leads to her death. This will leave room for her twin sister to move in and take her sister's place in the family. But when a suspicious insurance investigator comes sniffing around the case things start to fall apart. In the background of this though there is a story about the new African-American neighbours that have moved into the property behind the Lodge's. I know that this is fitting for that era, and some sort of big "distraction" was needed for a lot of things to work, but it just felt very detached from everything.
This isn't one that I'd watch again, I feel like it's going to fade into obscurity in my mind and in about ten years someone is going to ask me if I've seen it and I won't be able to remember.
I saw this trailer so many times in the run up to the Unlimited Screening. It initially intrigued me, I'm not a particular fan of Matt Damon, but I do like Julianne Moore, and Oscar Isaac the more I see him. Both Moore and Isaac seemed at home in this 50s setting, but Damon didn't feel very convincing.
The story had a lot of potential. Lodge wants to kill his wife who has become bitter towards him since he caused an accident that left her in a wheelchair. The plan is to stage a home invasion that leads to her death. This will leave room for her twin sister to move in and take her sister's place in the family. But when a suspicious insurance investigator comes sniffing around the case things start to fall apart. In the background of this though there is a story about the new African-American neighbours that have moved into the property behind the Lodge's. I know that this is fitting for that era, and some sort of big "distraction" was needed for a lot of things to work, but it just felt very detached from everything.
This isn't one that I'd watch again, I feel like it's going to fade into obscurity in my mind and in about ten years someone is going to ask me if I've seen it and I won't be able to remember.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Ghost Stories (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Arch skeptic Professor Phillip Goodman embarks upon a terror-filled quest when he stumbles across a long-lost file containing details of three cases of inexplicable 'hauntings'.
Well... when it says the brain sees what it wants to see that really is true. My brain saw a film with some potential in it, but ultimately for me, disappointing.
Like A Quiet Place I hadn't been convinced I wanted to see it. But out of the two this one had looked less worrying from the trailers, and I like supernatural things so I double billed again to see this one.
The audience was about 50/50... those who were screaming and those that were laughing. I was surprisingly in the latter category. There were several amusing bits, and I particularly enjoyed the Sooty and Sweep moment and the car scene, Alex Lawther got some very good parts.
I'm left wondering why film makers like to use pieces designed to make people physically jump. There were plenty of things in the film that would have a more chilling effect, but Ghost Stories seemed littered with a lot of the jumpy moments, most of which were obvious in their appearances.
I might have been able to let that go if it hadn't been for one thing... the ending. I don't think I've been that annoyed with an ending since Lost. Even the cheesiness of A Quiet Place's ending was forgotten. Some many things in the film were right there to be explored in more depth but were ignored for what I was hoping to be a startling ending to make up for incomplete stories... there was no satisfying ending here for me. A twisted set of tales that were cut short. In an effort to add more suspense and expectation? Who knows.
Well... when it says the brain sees what it wants to see that really is true. My brain saw a film with some potential in it, but ultimately for me, disappointing.
Like A Quiet Place I hadn't been convinced I wanted to see it. But out of the two this one had looked less worrying from the trailers, and I like supernatural things so I double billed again to see this one.
The audience was about 50/50... those who were screaming and those that were laughing. I was surprisingly in the latter category. There were several amusing bits, and I particularly enjoyed the Sooty and Sweep moment and the car scene, Alex Lawther got some very good parts.
I'm left wondering why film makers like to use pieces designed to make people physically jump. There were plenty of things in the film that would have a more chilling effect, but Ghost Stories seemed littered with a lot of the jumpy moments, most of which were obvious in their appearances.
I might have been able to let that go if it hadn't been for one thing... the ending. I don't think I've been that annoyed with an ending since Lost. Even the cheesiness of A Quiet Place's ending was forgotten. Some many things in the film were right there to be explored in more depth but were ignored for what I was hoping to be a startling ending to make up for incomplete stories... there was no satisfying ending here for me. A twisted set of tales that were cut short. In an effort to add more suspense and expectation? Who knows.
Ducklady (1174 KP) rated The Core: The Demon Cycle in Books
Aug 25, 2019
The ending to a spectacular series
Contains spoilers, click to show
Despite negative things I had heard about this book, I was eager to read the final book of the demon cycle series.
I loved the new additions to the POV characters, my favourites being Ashia and Briar. I did feel like it skated away from the main protagonists many times, which frustrated me while I was anxious to get back to Arlen and co. Saying that, the chapters for Ragen and Elissa were brilliant and gave some insight into characters that were already held dear. It revisited some of Arlen's friends from his childhood and the way they had changed from children to adults was an interesting read.
The gap in coming back to the main characters made the book even more tense and made me want to read more and more.
I was confused about the author's opinions on religion, particularly with the scenes between Arlen and Jardir. I have gotten a very negative vibe surrounding religion all throughout the series, but when they were travelling to the core, that seemed flipped on its head.
One part that really struck me was the reaction that Leesha had when she saw her rapist. she relived the moment and still spared the man's life. He was a simple monster that had been implied to have raped other women too. Leesha had a daughter to think about and I think that would have realistically caused her to execute the man, it even said that she wouldn't have been judged for it. Half the time Leesha is holier than thou, although other times she has used her flameworks and poison to kill people... like come on, kill the goddamn rapist. Other than that, this book was almost impossible to put down.
I am excited for the next series and will likely reread the entire series again.
I loved the new additions to the POV characters, my favourites being Ashia and Briar. I did feel like it skated away from the main protagonists many times, which frustrated me while I was anxious to get back to Arlen and co. Saying that, the chapters for Ragen and Elissa were brilliant and gave some insight into characters that were already held dear. It revisited some of Arlen's friends from his childhood and the way they had changed from children to adults was an interesting read.
The gap in coming back to the main characters made the book even more tense and made me want to read more and more.
I was confused about the author's opinions on religion, particularly with the scenes between Arlen and Jardir. I have gotten a very negative vibe surrounding religion all throughout the series, but when they were travelling to the core, that seemed flipped on its head.
One part that really struck me was the reaction that Leesha had when she saw her rapist. she relived the moment and still spared the man's life. He was a simple monster that had been implied to have raped other women too. Leesha had a daughter to think about and I think that would have realistically caused her to execute the man, it even said that she wouldn't have been judged for it. Half the time Leesha is holier than thou, although other times she has used her flameworks and poison to kill people... like come on, kill the goddamn rapist. Other than that, this book was almost impossible to put down.
I am excited for the next series and will likely reread the entire series again.