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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Soulmate Equation in Books
May 27, 2021
A witty & wonderful romance!!
Jess Davis is a single mom who loves crunching numbers almost as much as she loves her daughter Juno and her grandparents. They are her entire world and honestly, she doesn't have a lot of desire to step back into the dating world. It's just so much work. Then Jess and her best friend, Fizzy, hear about GenticAlly, a new dating site that predicts love through your DNA. Matchmaking through genetics and numbers? Jess could get behind that. But it's not until she's had a particularly bad, lonely day that she agrees to send in a sample. Suddenly she finds out she's matched with GeneticAlly's founder, Dr. River Pena at an unheard sky-high percentage of 98% compatibility. However, Jess is immediately skeptical because she knows River. And he's a pompous jerk. But River and GeneticAlly have a proposition for Jess. Go out with River, get to know him, and they'll pay her for her time. For struggling Jess, this is something she has to consider. As the two go to dinner and do press for GeneticAlly, Jess starts to see a different side of River--one that makes her wonder if there's something to this DNA matching idea after all.
"Her life, which essentially existed in a four-block radius, was exceedingly manageable as it was."
Oh this book was so good!! I love Christina Lauren's books, and I was already intrigued by the idea of a DNA matchmaking book. Well, THE SOULMATE EQUATION did not disappoint! It's sweet and funny and interesting--I loved it!
SOULMATE has wonderful banter--that patented CLo banter--between River and Jess, but also Jess and Fizzy. Jess is a statistician and Fizzy a romance writer and they spend many of their days in a coffee shop, "working." Their friendship is next level good and freaking hilarious. Honestly, it's one of the best parts of the book. So is Jess' relationship with her grandparents, who basically raised her after her mom, who struggled with addiction, left. And then there's Juno, the cute precocious kid, who shows up asking funny questions and making you chuckle. The cast of characters is top notch, for sure. I loved how well Jess' family was woven into the story.
As for River and Jess, their chemistry is superb. They start off on the wrong foot, with River coming across as a jerk, but it's not anything too terrible, which is good, because I can't handle the "hate to love" scenarios when the "hate" seems impossible for anyone to actually overcome. Instead, River is a nuanced character with his own backstory and personality. He's consumed by the science of relationships but too busy being a genius doctor workaholic to have one. And sweet Jess, you can't help but root for her: the tired mom who lacks the energy to even try to date anymore. There's lots of science and numbers, but nothing crazy for us non-mathematicians, and honestly, the genetics aspect is pretty fascinating. (Is this really possible, world?) I saw a bit of the big twist plot point coming, but it in no way diminished my enjoyment of the story.
Overall, this was a great read. Funny, witty, and heartfelt. Great couple with awesome chemistry. Wonderful cast of characters (Fizzy needs her own book!). The entire book made me smile--definitely recommend! 4.5 stars.
"Her life, which essentially existed in a four-block radius, was exceedingly manageable as it was."
Oh this book was so good!! I love Christina Lauren's books, and I was already intrigued by the idea of a DNA matchmaking book. Well, THE SOULMATE EQUATION did not disappoint! It's sweet and funny and interesting--I loved it!
SOULMATE has wonderful banter--that patented CLo banter--between River and Jess, but also Jess and Fizzy. Jess is a statistician and Fizzy a romance writer and they spend many of their days in a coffee shop, "working." Their friendship is next level good and freaking hilarious. Honestly, it's one of the best parts of the book. So is Jess' relationship with her grandparents, who basically raised her after her mom, who struggled with addiction, left. And then there's Juno, the cute precocious kid, who shows up asking funny questions and making you chuckle. The cast of characters is top notch, for sure. I loved how well Jess' family was woven into the story.
As for River and Jess, their chemistry is superb. They start off on the wrong foot, with River coming across as a jerk, but it's not anything too terrible, which is good, because I can't handle the "hate to love" scenarios when the "hate" seems impossible for anyone to actually overcome. Instead, River is a nuanced character with his own backstory and personality. He's consumed by the science of relationships but too busy being a genius doctor workaholic to have one. And sweet Jess, you can't help but root for her: the tired mom who lacks the energy to even try to date anymore. There's lots of science and numbers, but nothing crazy for us non-mathematicians, and honestly, the genetics aspect is pretty fascinating. (Is this really possible, world?) I saw a bit of the big twist plot point coming, but it in no way diminished my enjoyment of the story.
Overall, this was a great read. Funny, witty, and heartfelt. Great couple with awesome chemistry. Wonderful cast of characters (Fizzy needs her own book!). The entire book made me smile--definitely recommend! 4.5 stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Black Widow (2021) in Movies
Jun 29, 2021
After a delay lasting 19 months; the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has returned to the big screen with “Black Widow”. The film takes place between “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War”; audiences get more of the backstory of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), as we are introduced to her early life before the Red Room.
This is not to say that the film is an origin story as it uses her backstory through a clever introduction that establishes her “family” as sleeper agents in Ohio before they escape and she and her cover sister are tuned over for conditioning and training.
Since Natasha is on the run from the authorities; she finds a remote location in Norway to bide her time. This does not last as a dangerous adversary known as the Taskmaster arrives and sets a chain of events into motion.
Natasha has been sent a package from her cover sister Yelena (Florence Pugh) who also went through the Red Room and became a top assassin in the years since she and Natasha last saw one another.
Despite her mixed feelings; Natasha ventures to Budapest and confronts Yelena who in turn reveals the package she sent her contains a compound that can free the other Black Widows from the control of the Red Room which despite Natasha’s insistence is still very much alive as is the head of the institute which she is convinced she killed long ago.
With Taskmaster and other Widows hot on their trail, Natasha and Yelena are forced to seek the help of their former “Father” the imprisoned hero Red Guardian (David Harbour), and their cover Mother Melina (Rachel Weisz), to find the location of the new Red Room; free the Widows, and end the program once and for all.
What follows is an engaging story with solid action and effects that remains at its core a character story as Natasha attempts to reconcile her cover family with her new Avengers family and the pain of her upbringing and conditioning.
Marvel resisted calls from some to release the film on Disney+ last year when the Pandemic caused multiple delays to the planned release dates. This decision to me was very wise as this is a film that needs to be seen and heard on the big screen as it is an experience that is best experienced in a cinema with others.
While many attempts were made over the decades to adapt comic heroes to film and television; most of them came up lacking and disappointed fans of the source material. Marvel for over a decade has continued to succeed as they have a clear plan, cast well, and have engaging characters that develop over time.
“Black Widow” fills in a missing gap of time in the MCU well and also sets up future adventures as a scene in the credits clearly links two of the live-action Disney+ series and shows that the long-term plan for the MCU continues and incorporates the film and television series well.
From the moment the Marvel intro and music appeared on the screen until the very end; “Black Widow” was a very enjoyable and engaging blockbuster adventure that shows Marvel at the top of their game; and why they continue to set event-level movies not to miss.
This is not to say that the film is an origin story as it uses her backstory through a clever introduction that establishes her “family” as sleeper agents in Ohio before they escape and she and her cover sister are tuned over for conditioning and training.
Since Natasha is on the run from the authorities; she finds a remote location in Norway to bide her time. This does not last as a dangerous adversary known as the Taskmaster arrives and sets a chain of events into motion.
Natasha has been sent a package from her cover sister Yelena (Florence Pugh) who also went through the Red Room and became a top assassin in the years since she and Natasha last saw one another.
Despite her mixed feelings; Natasha ventures to Budapest and confronts Yelena who in turn reveals the package she sent her contains a compound that can free the other Black Widows from the control of the Red Room which despite Natasha’s insistence is still very much alive as is the head of the institute which she is convinced she killed long ago.
With Taskmaster and other Widows hot on their trail, Natasha and Yelena are forced to seek the help of their former “Father” the imprisoned hero Red Guardian (David Harbour), and their cover Mother Melina (Rachel Weisz), to find the location of the new Red Room; free the Widows, and end the program once and for all.
What follows is an engaging story with solid action and effects that remains at its core a character story as Natasha attempts to reconcile her cover family with her new Avengers family and the pain of her upbringing and conditioning.
Marvel resisted calls from some to release the film on Disney+ last year when the Pandemic caused multiple delays to the planned release dates. This decision to me was very wise as this is a film that needs to be seen and heard on the big screen as it is an experience that is best experienced in a cinema with others.
While many attempts were made over the decades to adapt comic heroes to film and television; most of them came up lacking and disappointed fans of the source material. Marvel for over a decade has continued to succeed as they have a clear plan, cast well, and have engaging characters that develop over time.
“Black Widow” fills in a missing gap of time in the MCU well and also sets up future adventures as a scene in the credits clearly links two of the live-action Disney+ series and shows that the long-term plan for the MCU continues and incorporates the film and television series well.
From the moment the Marvel intro and music appeared on the screen until the very end; “Black Widow” was a very enjoyable and engaging blockbuster adventure that shows Marvel at the top of their game; and why they continue to set event-level movies not to miss.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Scoob (2020) in Movies
May 8, 2021
Another film that snuck its way through to VOD (and is thankfully now streaming). As much as I love Scooby Doo, I did not have the desire to pay money to view this one.
Here I would normally put an extended synopsis, but I'll be honest, after watching the film I don't think I could tell you what the story was. I'm not sure it actually matters anyway.
The beginning of the film confused me. From every trailer that I saw I thought this film was about the mini Scooby Gang. At least that's what I remembered. So having seen lots of clips of them as kids, coupled with the posters meant I was left confused when it was hardly a feature of the final product.
Apart from me evidently forgetting the plot of the film, it was a classic Scooby story with a modern twist, and ultimately you can't go wrong with that. You get all the things you expect from masked villains to hair-brained schemes that seem to fool the minions... and that is all pretty satisfying stuff to watch.
A note I made very quickly was that the voices left a lot to be desired. While capturing the essence of the original cast would be very difficult, there's no denying that the actors from the live-action originals did a very good job... here we had no real comparison at all. Gina Rodriguez (who has been knocking it out of the park recently) probably being the only exception. I just truly don't know how anyone could possibly be better than Casey Kasem and Matthew Lillard. MVP of the film was definitely the bike cop when questioning Scooby and Shaggy, quality content, loved the end of his scene.
Despite the nostalgia of everything it doesn't make up for some truly awful dialogue, it's very inconsistent and yoyos between bad and good (when I say good, in this case, I probably mean cheesy). There are a couple of true gems though, my favourite being an early line from Shaggy with some heavy foreshadowing.
The yoyoing of the script is generally reflected in my notes on the film as a whole. For every laugh, there was something negative I wrote down. Scoob! was very self-aware, which was amusing to begin with, but it began to grate a little.
I was at least thankful that the CG animation actually became less of an annoyance as I got into the film, I wasn't a fan. The majority of the film managed to get a pass, but sadly I really disliked the portrayal of Dick Dastardly and Muttley in this style. As much as I'd like a Hanna and Barbera universe, I do not care to see anymore in this look. And absolutely no more Dastardly looking like Gru with his minions.
"But Emma... you gave this film a pretty decent rating and all you've done is grumble about it!" Yes, yes I have. But... I still enjoyed myself, and like I said, for every bad note there was a laugh or a moment that made me happy. And sometimes having a rant about a film's pitfalls is just something you need to do.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/05/scoob-movie-review.html
Here I would normally put an extended synopsis, but I'll be honest, after watching the film I don't think I could tell you what the story was. I'm not sure it actually matters anyway.
The beginning of the film confused me. From every trailer that I saw I thought this film was about the mini Scooby Gang. At least that's what I remembered. So having seen lots of clips of them as kids, coupled with the posters meant I was left confused when it was hardly a feature of the final product.
Apart from me evidently forgetting the plot of the film, it was a classic Scooby story with a modern twist, and ultimately you can't go wrong with that. You get all the things you expect from masked villains to hair-brained schemes that seem to fool the minions... and that is all pretty satisfying stuff to watch.
A note I made very quickly was that the voices left a lot to be desired. While capturing the essence of the original cast would be very difficult, there's no denying that the actors from the live-action originals did a very good job... here we had no real comparison at all. Gina Rodriguez (who has been knocking it out of the park recently) probably being the only exception. I just truly don't know how anyone could possibly be better than Casey Kasem and Matthew Lillard. MVP of the film was definitely the bike cop when questioning Scooby and Shaggy, quality content, loved the end of his scene.
Despite the nostalgia of everything it doesn't make up for some truly awful dialogue, it's very inconsistent and yoyos between bad and good (when I say good, in this case, I probably mean cheesy). There are a couple of true gems though, my favourite being an early line from Shaggy with some heavy foreshadowing.
The yoyoing of the script is generally reflected in my notes on the film as a whole. For every laugh, there was something negative I wrote down. Scoob! was very self-aware, which was amusing to begin with, but it began to grate a little.
I was at least thankful that the CG animation actually became less of an annoyance as I got into the film, I wasn't a fan. The majority of the film managed to get a pass, but sadly I really disliked the portrayal of Dick Dastardly and Muttley in this style. As much as I'd like a Hanna and Barbera universe, I do not care to see anymore in this look. And absolutely no more Dastardly looking like Gru with his minions.
"But Emma... you gave this film a pretty decent rating and all you've done is grumble about it!" Yes, yes I have. But... I still enjoyed myself, and like I said, for every bad note there was a laugh or a moment that made me happy. And sometimes having a rant about a film's pitfalls is just something you need to do.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/05/scoob-movie-review.html
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Secrets of Southern Girls in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I am very pleased to participate in my first #SpotlightTour, and thanks a lot to Sourcebooks Landmark and Liz Kelsch for inviting me. When I saw the description of this book, it really left me intrigued and raised a lot of questions. I am really glad I chose this book, because it is full of secrets and sorrow, and it is amazing to read, how it all unfolds in front of you.
When I finished reading this book, first mind which came to me was “Looking for Reba” (instead of "Looking for Alaska" by J. Green). I think it had that vibe going on, but this book was way better for me. The characters of this book are very interesting and really diverse; most of them seem really complicated and tired of Reba’s memory/ghost following them around. The main characters of this book supposed to be Julie and August, but Reba and Toby steals the spotlight with their story. Reba’s memory seems to ruin all these people’s lives. Julie separated from her husband due to constant memory of Reba, and the guilt, which was eating her. August never forgot his first love and never moved on in his life, looking for answers. Toby left obsessed with Reba’s memory and chooses not to let go of it. I really loved the way author portrayed the feelings of these characters, especially Reba’s. The detail of it, the teenage confusion of what she wants, choices which had to be made when you are still in school. They absolutely fascinated me. I really enjoy when authors tell the story from different character’s perspective, and this books didn’t leave me disappointed. All the characters are different personalities, and reading from different perspectives made the book more colourful and way more interesting to read.
The plot of the book starts quite slowly, by introducing Julie and her family. Well let me be honest with you, it dragged a little bit at the beginning, but once Julie and August got the diary, the whole book turns around into this fast paced and incredibly twisty adventure. So my advice would be, just be patient, because what is coming up will shock you, and will grip you so hard, that it will be hard to put it down (At least that’s what happened to me) . The plot takes the story back to the times when Reba was alive and back to present day, to show how those discoveries influenced the living characters. I had to put down the book couple of times, just to take a breath and let the truth sink in. I just didn’t expect to find out so many secrets and well hidden lies.
The writing style of this novel is very pleasant to read, with easy and understandable manner and short chapters. I would like to throw in a warning (for parents), that this book contains sex scenes and foul language, even though this book is about teenagers, it is an adult read. Even the ending of this book left me surprised, by throwing in some more unexpected turns, which help to come to nice conclusion of this book and leave the ghosts to rest. Haley Harrigan used her degree in Creative Writing very well in this debut novel, and I will definitely be waiting for her upcoming books. So if you looking for some good, secrets unfolding novel, with twists and turns that grips you in, get this book and indulge yourself into Southern heat.
When I finished reading this book, first mind which came to me was “Looking for Reba” (instead of "Looking for Alaska" by J. Green). I think it had that vibe going on, but this book was way better for me. The characters of this book are very interesting and really diverse; most of them seem really complicated and tired of Reba’s memory/ghost following them around. The main characters of this book supposed to be Julie and August, but Reba and Toby steals the spotlight with their story. Reba’s memory seems to ruin all these people’s lives. Julie separated from her husband due to constant memory of Reba, and the guilt, which was eating her. August never forgot his first love and never moved on in his life, looking for answers. Toby left obsessed with Reba’s memory and chooses not to let go of it. I really loved the way author portrayed the feelings of these characters, especially Reba’s. The detail of it, the teenage confusion of what she wants, choices which had to be made when you are still in school. They absolutely fascinated me. I really enjoy when authors tell the story from different character’s perspective, and this books didn’t leave me disappointed. All the characters are different personalities, and reading from different perspectives made the book more colourful and way more interesting to read.
The plot of the book starts quite slowly, by introducing Julie and her family. Well let me be honest with you, it dragged a little bit at the beginning, but once Julie and August got the diary, the whole book turns around into this fast paced and incredibly twisty adventure. So my advice would be, just be patient, because what is coming up will shock you, and will grip you so hard, that it will be hard to put it down (At least that’s what happened to me) . The plot takes the story back to the times when Reba was alive and back to present day, to show how those discoveries influenced the living characters. I had to put down the book couple of times, just to take a breath and let the truth sink in. I just didn’t expect to find out so many secrets and well hidden lies.
The writing style of this novel is very pleasant to read, with easy and understandable manner and short chapters. I would like to throw in a warning (for parents), that this book contains sex scenes and foul language, even though this book is about teenagers, it is an adult read. Even the ending of this book left me surprised, by throwing in some more unexpected turns, which help to come to nice conclusion of this book and leave the ghosts to rest. Haley Harrigan used her degree in Creative Writing very well in this debut novel, and I will definitely be waiting for her upcoming books. So if you looking for some good, secrets unfolding novel, with twists and turns that grips you in, get this book and indulge yourself into Southern heat.
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey in Books
Nov 30, 2020
So, confession time, I had bought this on a Comixology sale a couple months before the whole "Death of the X-Men", etc., etc. I was not really following the recent X-debacles, but I am a Jean Grey fan from way (like when the whole "Dark Phoenix Saga" was coming out for the first time. Yeah, I'm OLD! lol) and well, I had pretty high hopes, y'know?
Unfortunately, I could not get into it at the time. Mind you, this was all pre-"Dawn of X"; as I am starting a big "Dawn of X" re-visit from HoX/PoX up to present, only without the dumpster fire that was FALLEN ANGELS, it made sense to try this one again! And, as I read it all in one afternoon, it's needless to say, but I am hella glad I did!
---
When I started reading it at first, I was apprehensive, as I saw some of Bendis' O5 X-Men were in it. It would appear my "apprehensive[ness]" was not really necessary as the O5 members included really had no memorable role to the story.
Matthew Rosenberg is an author's name I had heard in passing but had never had an occasion to read anything he'd written. Before embarking on this tale, I read Rosenberg's NEW MUTANTS: DEAD SOULS, giving me a taste (which I liked despite the unresolved cliffhanger ending) of his writing style and how he would handle writing for mutants.
I really liked his treatment of the characters! Beast felt in character, as did nearly everyone else. Even Old Man Logan, who was a great character in Millar's miniseries but who felt like a guest who didn't really know when to go home, was quite likable, bringing some real feels to the story, and the story's ending.
Do I think this was the worst way to bring back Jean? Good Lord, no! There have been a few other occasions over the years, which were closer to that notion! But this story? Yeah, it made sense (like <b>that</b> ever happens in comics!), giving Jean a return that felt proper as well as some genuine caring for her character's history as a whole!
And how about that art? WOW! I am not what you'd call a fan of Leinil Francis Yu's art style, finding it to be too "sketchy" at times. However, in the issues he turned in (Issues 1 and 5) were unlike any I had ever seen him draw before! While the other issues from Carlos Pacheco (Issue 2)Illustrator), Ramon Rosanas (Issue 4) and Joe Bennett (Issue 3 and Issue 5, alongside Yu) all seemed to tie together perfectly, never once swaying in art style, helping the story to remain visually consistent for all five of the issues of the the mini-series!
At the end of the day, I can find very little, if anything, to gripe about with PHOENIX RESURRECTION: THE RETURN OF JEAN GREY! It's a solid story that is all about characters we have grown up with and loved, as well as more than hearty helping of the feels! And, really, at the end of the day, isn't that what it's all about anyway?
Peace.
Unfortunately, I could not get into it at the time. Mind you, this was all pre-"Dawn of X"; as I am starting a big "Dawn of X" re-visit from HoX/PoX up to present, only without the dumpster fire that was FALLEN ANGELS, it made sense to try this one again! And, as I read it all in one afternoon, it's needless to say, but I am hella glad I did!
---
When I started reading it at first, I was apprehensive, as I saw some of Bendis' O5 X-Men were in it. It would appear my "apprehensive[ness]" was not really necessary as the O5 members included really had no memorable role to the story.
Matthew Rosenberg is an author's name I had heard in passing but had never had an occasion to read anything he'd written. Before embarking on this tale, I read Rosenberg's NEW MUTANTS: DEAD SOULS, giving me a taste (which I liked despite the unresolved cliffhanger ending) of his writing style and how he would handle writing for mutants.
I really liked his treatment of the characters! Beast felt in character, as did nearly everyone else. Even Old Man Logan, who was a great character in Millar's miniseries but who felt like a guest who didn't really know when to go home, was quite likable, bringing some real feels to the story, and the story's ending.
Do I think this was the worst way to bring back Jean? Good Lord, no! There have been a few other occasions over the years, which were closer to that notion! But this story? Yeah, it made sense (like <b>that</b> ever happens in comics!), giving Jean a return that felt proper as well as some genuine caring for her character's history as a whole!
And how about that art? WOW! I am not what you'd call a fan of Leinil Francis Yu's art style, finding it to be too "sketchy" at times. However, in the issues he turned in (Issues 1 and 5) were unlike any I had ever seen him draw before! While the other issues from Carlos Pacheco (Issue 2)Illustrator), Ramon Rosanas (Issue 4) and Joe Bennett (Issue 3 and Issue 5, alongside Yu) all seemed to tie together perfectly, never once swaying in art style, helping the story to remain visually consistent for all five of the issues of the the mini-series!
At the end of the day, I can find very little, if anything, to gripe about with PHOENIX RESURRECTION: THE RETURN OF JEAN GREY! It's a solid story that is all about characters we have grown up with and loved, as well as more than hearty helping of the feels! And, really, at the end of the day, isn't that what it's all about anyway?
Peace.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Boys - Season 2 in TV
Oct 10, 2020
Excellent, but not quite as good as the first
For me, the first series of The Boys was a brilliant surprise and the wait for this second series has been a rather frustrating and impatient experience, especially as Amazon decided not to release the entire series at once. Fortunately by the time the credits rolled on the series 2 finale, it was definitely worth the wait.
This second series follows on from the reveal at the end of the series 1 finale, and features more dodgy supes and the Boys trying to take down both them and Vought.
Series 2 is very similar to the first. It’s just as rude and crude as before, full of dark and often hilarious humour and the blood and gore ante seems to have been upped considerably. It definitely provides a refreshing change to the Marvel universe and the majority of other superheroes that stick to their PG or 12A ratings. This has a very smart and funny take on politics and also on pop culture and the media, and even superhero films don’t escape this unscathed when we see The Seven making their own movie.
The cast are as fantastic as they were in the first series. Antony Starr is outstanding as Homelander, playing the homicidal maniac with some semblance of a heart – after 2 series I think I both love and hate him in equal parts, he’s such a complex character. It was very nice to see Dominique McElligott get more to work with as Maeve as well and to see more depth to her character. The rest of the cast and the new additions do very well too - Goran Visjnic, Shawn Ashmore and Jim Beaver are especially welcome, and it was very clever of Eric Kripke to name Beaver’s character as Robert Singer, the same name as his character from Supernatural.
Despite this, I don’t think this series is perfect and I do think it’s a slight baby step down from the rather excellent first series. Some of the episodes feel like they drag a little, although they do end up picking up towards the end (usually with a bang). The final two episodes definitely try and make up for this and I think the finale itself was especially good as we get to see Stormfront get her much deserved comeuppance. I also think some of the interactions between Starlight and the other characters are slightly badly scripted and feel a little forced and cringeworthy, but I’m not entirely sure if this is on purpose to show how awkwardly Starlight interacts with others.
The Deep has also been done a disservice in this series. He starts off brilliantly and the scene with the whale in the third episode is downright genius, however as the series moves on we see less and less of him and he’s sorely missed. Admittedly when he does pop up in the later episodes he has some cracking lines, but it’s not enough. I also think that Shawn Ashmore as Lamplighter was fantastic for the brief time we saw him, and I really wish he’d been kept around for much longer.
The Boys series 2 is overall a very good series that for the most part lives up to it’s predecessor and after the final few scenes in episode 8, definitely leaves us crying out for more.
This second series follows on from the reveal at the end of the series 1 finale, and features more dodgy supes and the Boys trying to take down both them and Vought.
Series 2 is very similar to the first. It’s just as rude and crude as before, full of dark and often hilarious humour and the blood and gore ante seems to have been upped considerably. It definitely provides a refreshing change to the Marvel universe and the majority of other superheroes that stick to their PG or 12A ratings. This has a very smart and funny take on politics and also on pop culture and the media, and even superhero films don’t escape this unscathed when we see The Seven making their own movie.
The cast are as fantastic as they were in the first series. Antony Starr is outstanding as Homelander, playing the homicidal maniac with some semblance of a heart – after 2 series I think I both love and hate him in equal parts, he’s such a complex character. It was very nice to see Dominique McElligott get more to work with as Maeve as well and to see more depth to her character. The rest of the cast and the new additions do very well too - Goran Visjnic, Shawn Ashmore and Jim Beaver are especially welcome, and it was very clever of Eric Kripke to name Beaver’s character as Robert Singer, the same name as his character from Supernatural.
Despite this, I don’t think this series is perfect and I do think it’s a slight baby step down from the rather excellent first series. Some of the episodes feel like they drag a little, although they do end up picking up towards the end (usually with a bang). The final two episodes definitely try and make up for this and I think the finale itself was especially good as we get to see Stormfront get her much deserved comeuppance. I also think some of the interactions between Starlight and the other characters are slightly badly scripted and feel a little forced and cringeworthy, but I’m not entirely sure if this is on purpose to show how awkwardly Starlight interacts with others.
The Deep has also been done a disservice in this series. He starts off brilliantly and the scene with the whale in the third episode is downright genius, however as the series moves on we see less and less of him and he’s sorely missed. Admittedly when he does pop up in the later episodes he has some cracking lines, but it’s not enough. I also think that Shawn Ashmore as Lamplighter was fantastic for the brief time we saw him, and I really wish he’d been kept around for much longer.
The Boys series 2 is overall a very good series that for the most part lives up to it’s predecessor and after the final few scenes in episode 8, definitely leaves us crying out for more.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Every Time I Die (2019) in Movies
Oct 26, 2020
Not to be confused with No Time To Die, this indie supernatural thriller is lacking in big-budget polish and characters that you feel invested in, but manages to get by on an interesting concept and some sharp execution.
We begin with Sam (Drew Fonteiro), seeing what he sees as he gently blinks open his eyes to reveal Mia (Melissa Macedo) alongside him in bed. Sam has had a nightmare, and as he heads into the bathroom, he begins to experience an uncomfortable buzzing in his head, which leads to a blackout. When Sam comes around again, he’s crouched on the floor at work, with no memory as to how he arrived there. He’s wearing a paramedic uniform and holding a photo of two children, a brother and sister. On the back of the photo is written ‘remember Sara’.
Sam’s work colleague and friend, Jay (Marc Menchaca) invites Sam to join him and his wife Poppy (Michelle Macedo) at a lodge for the weekend. Poppy is the twin sister of Mia, who we saw in bed with Sam earlier and both Mia and her husband Tyler are also at the lodge. Tyler is a soldier, suffering from PTSD, and it’s clear that Sam and Mia have been having an affair behind his back, which now puts Sam in a bit of an awkward situation.
By this point, we’ve already witnessed Sam experiencing several more blackouts, including one while driving to the lodge. Each time, Sam has no recollection of what happened during the blackout, although a video recorded during one of the blackouts by his friends, shows that he does remain conscious and able to hold a conversation. Occasionally we get flashbacks and dream sequences which reveal that the brother and sister from the photo earlier are in fact Sam and his sister Sara, who drowned in a terrible accident when they were both children.
The first half of Every Time I Die is a slow, frustrating experience, not helped by the fact that the character of Sam is incredibly dull. Consequently, we feel no emotional connection to Sam, despite the childhood trauma he suffered and the turmoil he now experiences as an adult. Thankfully, the second half picks up when a jealous Tyler discovers that his wife has been cheating on him with Sam and murders Sam out by a lake in the forest. Thanks to the first-person perspective that was utilised earlier, we discover that Sam then transferred into the body of friend Jay, and must now try and convince his friends what Tyler has done. Not an easy task when Jay has a history of mental illness, leading the others to believe he’s had a relapse.
From there, Every Time I Die is just a roller coaster ride of clever ideas and twists, constantly dragged down by further flashbacks and confusing dream sequences, which are meant to help us and Sam understand what happened to him and his sister, but repeatedly stall the narrative momentum instead.
That being said, for the most part, I really enjoyed Every Time I Die. Aside from the slow first half, and the character of Sam, it’s well written, well crafted and with a satisfying, heart-warming finale.
We begin with Sam (Drew Fonteiro), seeing what he sees as he gently blinks open his eyes to reveal Mia (Melissa Macedo) alongside him in bed. Sam has had a nightmare, and as he heads into the bathroom, he begins to experience an uncomfortable buzzing in his head, which leads to a blackout. When Sam comes around again, he’s crouched on the floor at work, with no memory as to how he arrived there. He’s wearing a paramedic uniform and holding a photo of two children, a brother and sister. On the back of the photo is written ‘remember Sara’.
Sam’s work colleague and friend, Jay (Marc Menchaca) invites Sam to join him and his wife Poppy (Michelle Macedo) at a lodge for the weekend. Poppy is the twin sister of Mia, who we saw in bed with Sam earlier and both Mia and her husband Tyler are also at the lodge. Tyler is a soldier, suffering from PTSD, and it’s clear that Sam and Mia have been having an affair behind his back, which now puts Sam in a bit of an awkward situation.
By this point, we’ve already witnessed Sam experiencing several more blackouts, including one while driving to the lodge. Each time, Sam has no recollection of what happened during the blackout, although a video recorded during one of the blackouts by his friends, shows that he does remain conscious and able to hold a conversation. Occasionally we get flashbacks and dream sequences which reveal that the brother and sister from the photo earlier are in fact Sam and his sister Sara, who drowned in a terrible accident when they were both children.
The first half of Every Time I Die is a slow, frustrating experience, not helped by the fact that the character of Sam is incredibly dull. Consequently, we feel no emotional connection to Sam, despite the childhood trauma he suffered and the turmoil he now experiences as an adult. Thankfully, the second half picks up when a jealous Tyler discovers that his wife has been cheating on him with Sam and murders Sam out by a lake in the forest. Thanks to the first-person perspective that was utilised earlier, we discover that Sam then transferred into the body of friend Jay, and must now try and convince his friends what Tyler has done. Not an easy task when Jay has a history of mental illness, leading the others to believe he’s had a relapse.
From there, Every Time I Die is just a roller coaster ride of clever ideas and twists, constantly dragged down by further flashbacks and confusing dream sequences, which are meant to help us and Sam understand what happened to him and his sister, but repeatedly stall the narrative momentum instead.
That being said, for the most part, I really enjoyed Every Time I Die. Aside from the slow first half, and the character of Sam, it’s well written, well crafted and with a satisfying, heart-warming finale.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Buster's Mal Heart (2016) in Movies
Jan 22, 2021
Remember before the digital revolution and on demand TV channels when you had to stay up late and watch the films shown after midnight to see anything outside of the mainstream? Quite often they were awful, cheap, rambling experiences that maybe had one or two memorable scenes, or something so weird that you had to find out if any of your friends had seen it. Well, this is one of those films, except it was made in 2017 and I saw it in 2020 on Netflix.
I had added it to my watchlist some time during my obsession with Rami Malek and Mr Robot, knowing he had popped up in several cameo roles in big films over the years, but keen to see him take a lead role before the Oscar train of Bohemian Rhapsody and A-list fame. It is also that kind of film that arthouse cinemas would show during indie festivals or on late night double bills; stepping stones, hopefully, for all concerned to bigger things.
Writer director Sarah Adina Smith hasn’t quite made it yet, so you probably haven’t heard of her. She directed 2 episodes of Hanna, which I liked a lot, and will be talking about on The Wasteland at some point, and a few other bits of TV, but that’s about it. Judged on this oddity there is a good deal of vision and talent going on – but not yet an eye for total coherence.
Buster doesn’t know what it is, and neither do the critics, listing it as a mystery, a drama, a thriller, a sci-fi and a crime film, which… ok, yes, it has elements of all those, but isn’t really any of them, also. The titular character played by Malek is an ethereal enigma trapped in his own weird existence, and through a series of out of time and out of sequence flashbacks we come to understand his journey and descent into madness, after encountering a down at heel salesman with a big conspiracy theory to pedal, called The Inversion.
It remains shrouded in ambiguity and strangeness for most of the modest, but not off-putting, 96 minute running time, as Malek grows a beard, loses a beard and grows a beard again. Even when all is said and done, it takes a minute to put it all together and figure out what the point of it was. As something curious to let wash over you, I have to say I kinda liked it. Malek was as committed and interesting to watch as he always is, and I was just happy that films like this can still get made.
Ultimately, possibly a short film idea stretched too thin into a feature, which is an all too familiar phenomenon for new directors. But, an idea interesting and original enough to earn the right to be thought of as “showing potential”. If Smith ever does make it as big as say Jim Jarmusch or Kelly Reichardt then the arthouse geeks like me will be looking back on this with great interest. You just wonder how many people will see it at all, now the days of post midnight movies on a set channel are pretty much over?
I had added it to my watchlist some time during my obsession with Rami Malek and Mr Robot, knowing he had popped up in several cameo roles in big films over the years, but keen to see him take a lead role before the Oscar train of Bohemian Rhapsody and A-list fame. It is also that kind of film that arthouse cinemas would show during indie festivals or on late night double bills; stepping stones, hopefully, for all concerned to bigger things.
Writer director Sarah Adina Smith hasn’t quite made it yet, so you probably haven’t heard of her. She directed 2 episodes of Hanna, which I liked a lot, and will be talking about on The Wasteland at some point, and a few other bits of TV, but that’s about it. Judged on this oddity there is a good deal of vision and talent going on – but not yet an eye for total coherence.
Buster doesn’t know what it is, and neither do the critics, listing it as a mystery, a drama, a thriller, a sci-fi and a crime film, which… ok, yes, it has elements of all those, but isn’t really any of them, also. The titular character played by Malek is an ethereal enigma trapped in his own weird existence, and through a series of out of time and out of sequence flashbacks we come to understand his journey and descent into madness, after encountering a down at heel salesman with a big conspiracy theory to pedal, called The Inversion.
It remains shrouded in ambiguity and strangeness for most of the modest, but not off-putting, 96 minute running time, as Malek grows a beard, loses a beard and grows a beard again. Even when all is said and done, it takes a minute to put it all together and figure out what the point of it was. As something curious to let wash over you, I have to say I kinda liked it. Malek was as committed and interesting to watch as he always is, and I was just happy that films like this can still get made.
Ultimately, possibly a short film idea stretched too thin into a feature, which is an all too familiar phenomenon for new directors. But, an idea interesting and original enough to earn the right to be thought of as “showing potential”. If Smith ever does make it as big as say Jim Jarmusch or Kelly Reichardt then the arthouse geeks like me will be looking back on this with great interest. You just wonder how many people will see it at all, now the days of post midnight movies on a set channel are pretty much over?
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Fatman (2020) in Movies
Dec 21, 2020
I'll level with you on this one, I had no idea what I was in for, but Mel Gibson as a crazed looking Santa had me sold, so I went ahead a brought this one on DVD.
As Santa tries to keep his workshop afloat in ever trying naughty times. But as he diversifies his team, a new problem raises its ugly head, eternally naughty Billy is less than impressed by his coal and hires a hitman to take Santa out of the festivities for good.
The idea of making this sort of Christmas film is wonderful to me, the action-packed ride of a thriller with just enough festivity to make it a great alternative Christmas movie choice... *chef's kiss*
Bringing the added twist of children getting a little less nice every year, we see the stark reality that this brings to Santa's business model. It gives him the very modern concern of traditional businesses... and I really liked that angle.
Gibson in the gruff but jolly role of Santa fits well with this aesthetic, and the way he manages to turn Santa into a hardened action star really amused me. There were great subtleties in the character and I loved how we saw his changes, and how they dealt with the mystery of Santa as an eternal, all-knowing character. And for that matter, the elves and how they prove to be the most effective workforce on the planet.
Pitted against Santa we have Walton Goggins as our hitman and Chance Hurstfield as Billy... who is the first person I have wished a reindeer trampling on. Billy is the evil part of the baddie contingent, while the Skinny Man (as he's named on IMDb) really feels like he's just bad for the paycheck and you'd actually bring him round after a good talking to. Goggins has an interesting backstory to his character, and yet for some reason we never get a very satisfying look at it. An opportunity missed that leaves part of the storyline a little unanswered.
Almost instantly I was struck by the look of the film, the general muted tones with punctuations of red and green made for very strong visuals. The snow-covered scenery and rustic feel to Santa's compound was a lovely addition too, and it was a refreshing change to the vibrant and excessively cheery depiction of a "traditional" Santa's village.
While I loved the idea they were conjuring here, there were bits of the execution that didn't feel quite right. For an action film, it was missing some... kapow... literally. The explosions had no wow factor and seemed rather tame for this outlandish tale. The film also felt like it was trying to be too many different things. Billy's overly animated maniacal behaviour felt like it was trying to keep the film for a younger audience, but with a 15 rating that was out of their reach. This, coupled with the missing Goggins backstory felt like they weren't convinced by their own ideas. With the film being quite a short 1 hour 40 I think it could have stood a few additions here and there.
I'm definitely here for the menacing Father Christmas, and more actiony Christmas movies in my life. The way they switched this one up put a genuine smile on my face.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/12/fatman-movie-review.html
As Santa tries to keep his workshop afloat in ever trying naughty times. But as he diversifies his team, a new problem raises its ugly head, eternally naughty Billy is less than impressed by his coal and hires a hitman to take Santa out of the festivities for good.
The idea of making this sort of Christmas film is wonderful to me, the action-packed ride of a thriller with just enough festivity to make it a great alternative Christmas movie choice... *chef's kiss*
Bringing the added twist of children getting a little less nice every year, we see the stark reality that this brings to Santa's business model. It gives him the very modern concern of traditional businesses... and I really liked that angle.
Gibson in the gruff but jolly role of Santa fits well with this aesthetic, and the way he manages to turn Santa into a hardened action star really amused me. There were great subtleties in the character and I loved how we saw his changes, and how they dealt with the mystery of Santa as an eternal, all-knowing character. And for that matter, the elves and how they prove to be the most effective workforce on the planet.
Pitted against Santa we have Walton Goggins as our hitman and Chance Hurstfield as Billy... who is the first person I have wished a reindeer trampling on. Billy is the evil part of the baddie contingent, while the Skinny Man (as he's named on IMDb) really feels like he's just bad for the paycheck and you'd actually bring him round after a good talking to. Goggins has an interesting backstory to his character, and yet for some reason we never get a very satisfying look at it. An opportunity missed that leaves part of the storyline a little unanswered.
Almost instantly I was struck by the look of the film, the general muted tones with punctuations of red and green made for very strong visuals. The snow-covered scenery and rustic feel to Santa's compound was a lovely addition too, and it was a refreshing change to the vibrant and excessively cheery depiction of a "traditional" Santa's village.
While I loved the idea they were conjuring here, there were bits of the execution that didn't feel quite right. For an action film, it was missing some... kapow... literally. The explosions had no wow factor and seemed rather tame for this outlandish tale. The film also felt like it was trying to be too many different things. Billy's overly animated maniacal behaviour felt like it was trying to keep the film for a younger audience, but with a 15 rating that was out of their reach. This, coupled with the missing Goggins backstory felt like they weren't convinced by their own ideas. With the film being quite a short 1 hour 40 I think it could have stood a few additions here and there.
I'm definitely here for the menacing Father Christmas, and more actiony Christmas movies in my life. The way they switched this one up put a genuine smile on my face.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/12/fatman-movie-review.html