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Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated A Quiet Place (2018) in Movies
Jul 17, 2018
Incredible acting (3 more)
Unique take on the monster horror genre
Superb cast
Super intense
The most intense I've felt in a movie!!
This is an incredible movie. I cannot find a single fault to this movie.
The acting is incredible and that's without very little dialogue. The whole idea if the movie is: you make a sound, you die. This made me feel very intense at times especially considering the main female lead (Emily blunt) was pregnant. Even stuff as simple as moving medicine bottles had to be moved very carefully and this kept me on the edge of my seat. It's funny how very little and slight sounds and movements can sound so loud and scary. This was a very unique concept which added so much.
John Krisinki is an incredible actor and director. The movie is shot beautifully. He manages to not only bring the horror perfectly but he brings forward the importance of family and what a parent would do to protect their children. The kids were cast perfectly and every part of the cast brings so much emotion to the roles, they completely suck you in and you really care about them.
The CGI was great and not knowing exactly what the monsters are or where they came from brought another level of creepy to them. There were twists I didn't see happened within the first 10 minutes and the movie is paced incredibly well.
I'd be very interested to see a sequel to this with a whole new cast but not sure what the plot could be without reusing this same plot. I did get a feeling of cloverfield from this and could easily see this as being some kind of spinoff to those movies.
1 of the best movies I've seen of this genre. Could definitely recommend watching this.
The acting is incredible and that's without very little dialogue. The whole idea if the movie is: you make a sound, you die. This made me feel very intense at times especially considering the main female lead (Emily blunt) was pregnant. Even stuff as simple as moving medicine bottles had to be moved very carefully and this kept me on the edge of my seat. It's funny how very little and slight sounds and movements can sound so loud and scary. This was a very unique concept which added so much.
John Krisinki is an incredible actor and director. The movie is shot beautifully. He manages to not only bring the horror perfectly but he brings forward the importance of family and what a parent would do to protect their children. The kids were cast perfectly and every part of the cast brings so much emotion to the roles, they completely suck you in and you really care about them.
The CGI was great and not knowing exactly what the monsters are or where they came from brought another level of creepy to them. There were twists I didn't see happened within the first 10 minutes and the movie is paced incredibly well.
I'd be very interested to see a sequel to this with a whole new cast but not sure what the plot could be without reusing this same plot. I did get a feeling of cloverfield from this and could easily see this as being some kind of spinoff to those movies.
1 of the best movies I've seen of this genre. Could definitely recommend watching this.
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Hellraiser (1987) in Movies
Sep 14, 2018
A wonderfully imaginative and creepy Mythos (1 more)
Doug Bradley becomes a horror icon
The Special Effects are a little dated (1 more)
Sometimes seems confused about what sort of film it is...
We have such Cenobites to show you...
Hellraiser is arguably the finest in the series, creating horror icons in Pinhead, Kirsty, Frank and Julia, whilst giving the viewer some of the most extreme horror scenes ever seen.
The mythos of Clive Barker's Hellraiser series is fascinating, and hints at underworlds, other dimensions, hell and all sorts of demonic entities, and although this first entry is mostly set in an indistinct U.S town, the feeling that hell is just under the surface haunts the movie.
What follows is a tale of morality, lust, love and judgement as our characters seek to fulfill their heart's desires, all whilst trying to make sense of the dark forces that seek to envelope their new home.
Our Heroine, Kirtsy, is played by Ashley Laurence, who has more than a dash of Ripley about her at times, as she snarls and fights the forces of evil, showing more courage than most of us watching the film I am sure.
Pinhead (as he was dubbed by fans) is a fairly minor role in the film, and yet Doug Bradley's ominous delivery lingers long on the memory, giving us lines that echo long after the film has finished.
All in all, Hellraiser is a flawed, but imaginative horror tale, that threatens the viewer with a fantastically demonic realm filled with violence, gore and underdogs, and a plot that is easy to follow, but still feels new.
Sadly, like the Cenobites, the following movies would often fall prey to their mantra of pain & pleasure, but certainly this and the immediate sequel should be considered must-see for fans of physical effects and slow burning horror.
The mythos of Clive Barker's Hellraiser series is fascinating, and hints at underworlds, other dimensions, hell and all sorts of demonic entities, and although this first entry is mostly set in an indistinct U.S town, the feeling that hell is just under the surface haunts the movie.
What follows is a tale of morality, lust, love and judgement as our characters seek to fulfill their heart's desires, all whilst trying to make sense of the dark forces that seek to envelope their new home.
Our Heroine, Kirtsy, is played by Ashley Laurence, who has more than a dash of Ripley about her at times, as she snarls and fights the forces of evil, showing more courage than most of us watching the film I am sure.
Pinhead (as he was dubbed by fans) is a fairly minor role in the film, and yet Doug Bradley's ominous delivery lingers long on the memory, giving us lines that echo long after the film has finished.
All in all, Hellraiser is a flawed, but imaginative horror tale, that threatens the viewer with a fantastically demonic realm filled with violence, gore and underdogs, and a plot that is easy to follow, but still feels new.
Sadly, like the Cenobites, the following movies would often fall prey to their mantra of pain & pleasure, but certainly this and the immediate sequel should be considered must-see for fans of physical effects and slow burning horror.
Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated Dread Nation in Books
Oct 1, 2018
I read Dread Nation a few months ago and I thought it was just ok. I had been looking forward to it for some time before I read it so maybe because of my high expectations I didn't give it a fair shot, idk.
I did like the analogous way Ireland tackled the race and social issues for the most part but the plot was basically a mess. It just didn't flow well from the events in Maryland to being sent out west and some parts felt more like random filler than relevant to the plot. I'm generally a fan of longer books but this one could have easily been 100 pages shorter without really losing anything, at least in my opinion.
The world building wasn't anything special. I felt like she had the chance to do something truly original here but instead it relies on preconceived notions of the old south and the wild west as depicted in old westerns, just with the addition of zombies.
With the exception of Jane, I didn't really think the characters were as well developed as they could have been. Jane's sass was great, I enjoyed how clearly her personality comes through in the writing but I did find her kind of 'know-it-all,' smarter than everyone around her type of attitude a bit grating at times. I was hoping to see something more than just the enemies to friends trope with Jane and Katherine as well.
Overall, I was a little disappointed with Dread Nation. I expected it to be so much more original than it turned out to be as far as a piece of spec fiction. As commentary on slavery, racism, and social injustice issues I thought it was done well.
I'll most likely pick up the sequel though, as I believe this series will continue to improve.
I did like the analogous way Ireland tackled the race and social issues for the most part but the plot was basically a mess. It just didn't flow well from the events in Maryland to being sent out west and some parts felt more like random filler than relevant to the plot. I'm generally a fan of longer books but this one could have easily been 100 pages shorter without really losing anything, at least in my opinion.
The world building wasn't anything special. I felt like she had the chance to do something truly original here but instead it relies on preconceived notions of the old south and the wild west as depicted in old westerns, just with the addition of zombies.
With the exception of Jane, I didn't really think the characters were as well developed as they could have been. Jane's sass was great, I enjoyed how clearly her personality comes through in the writing but I did find her kind of 'know-it-all,' smarter than everyone around her type of attitude a bit grating at times. I was hoping to see something more than just the enemies to friends trope with Jane and Katherine as well.
Overall, I was a little disappointed with Dread Nation. I expected it to be so much more original than it turned out to be as far as a piece of spec fiction. As commentary on slavery, racism, and social injustice issues I thought it was done well.
I'll most likely pick up the sequel though, as I believe this series will continue to improve.
Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated The Waking Land (The Waking Land, #1) in Books
Oct 1, 2018
**3.75 stars rounded up**
I really wish we had half stars to use at least. This one was difficult for me to nail down for a rating. I don't think it's really a solid 4 stars but not 3 either so somewhere in between.
That said, I did enjoy the book. I thought the plot was unique and the world building was decent. The characters were my main issue. There is a bit of a lack of depth in some of the supporting characters that I feel could have used a little more development. However, my main problem was with Elanna. She seemed a bit... well, flaky at times. She clearly had Stockholm's in the beginning but she changed her beliefs every time someone told her something. She went from hating her father to loving him as soon as she saw him to almost indifference when he died as well as from hiding and fearing her magic to loving it with no real in between. There was also A LOT of repetition, especially in her inner monologues. She didn't want to fight in a war for her dad, she wanted to run away, then it was steward of the land and born for this over and over. This book does have its redeeming qualities tho. Despite my irritation with the characters at times, the action kept me invested in the story. I needed to know what was going to happen, will their small band of revolutionaries win or lose and at what cost? I also liked the mythology woven into the story, especially about the ancestors.
Overall, I think it's a promising start for a first novel and am looking forward to the sequel and to seeing what Ms. Bates comes up with next.
**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!**
I really wish we had half stars to use at least. This one was difficult for me to nail down for a rating. I don't think it's really a solid 4 stars but not 3 either so somewhere in between.
That said, I did enjoy the book. I thought the plot was unique and the world building was decent. The characters were my main issue. There is a bit of a lack of depth in some of the supporting characters that I feel could have used a little more development. However, my main problem was with Elanna. She seemed a bit... well, flaky at times. She clearly had Stockholm's in the beginning but she changed her beliefs every time someone told her something. She went from hating her father to loving him as soon as she saw him to almost indifference when he died as well as from hiding and fearing her magic to loving it with no real in between. There was also A LOT of repetition, especially in her inner monologues. She didn't want to fight in a war for her dad, she wanted to run away, then it was steward of the land and born for this over and over. This book does have its redeeming qualities tho. Despite my irritation with the characters at times, the action kept me invested in the story. I needed to know what was going to happen, will their small band of revolutionaries win or lose and at what cost? I also liked the mythology woven into the story, especially about the ancestors.
Overall, I think it's a promising start for a first novel and am looking forward to the sequel and to seeing what Ms. Bates comes up with next.
**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!**
Lee (2222 KP) rated Nativity Rocks! (2018) in Movies
Nov 25, 2018
Another disappointing sequel
The original Nativity movie is a huge Christmas favourite in the Boardman household. It's one of the first seasonal Blu-ray's to get played each year, along with the soundtrack too. The second and third movie are thought of nowhere near as highly though. I managed to sleep through most of one of them at the cinema, and just got bored and angry at the other. My daughter on the other hand, likes all of them. So, me being the dutiful dad, decided to go along with her to see the latest offering, Nativity Rocks!
Simply put, this sits somewhere between number 2 and 3 in terms of awfulness. There isn't a single remaining original cast member, and all of what made the original movie so enjoyable is now completely lost. The thing about this one is that it is even more muddled than previous movies. There is so much going on, so many plot threads quickly introduced that nothing ever gets explored enough. Leaping from scene to scene, to the point where you don't have enough time to care about any of them. There's a story about Syrian refugees and a Syrian father and son getting separated, a boy whose parents are so caught up with work that they're neglecting him, homelessness, not to mention all the school nativity stuff. So many famous faces cropping up too and all needing their screen time. Then suddenly, right at the end they put on a big nativity show, making you wonder how on earth they had time to plan and rehearse any of it!
Luckily, my daughter agreed that this wasn't very good so even if they decide to keep churning these out, at least I won't have to go and see them.
Simply put, this sits somewhere between number 2 and 3 in terms of awfulness. There isn't a single remaining original cast member, and all of what made the original movie so enjoyable is now completely lost. The thing about this one is that it is even more muddled than previous movies. There is so much going on, so many plot threads quickly introduced that nothing ever gets explored enough. Leaping from scene to scene, to the point where you don't have enough time to care about any of them. There's a story about Syrian refugees and a Syrian father and son getting separated, a boy whose parents are so caught up with work that they're neglecting him, homelessness, not to mention all the school nativity stuff. So many famous faces cropping up too and all needing their screen time. Then suddenly, right at the end they put on a big nativity show, making you wonder how on earth they had time to plan and rehearse any of it!
Luckily, my daughter agreed that this wasn't very good so even if they decide to keep churning these out, at least I won't have to go and see them.
David McK (3372 KP) rated Mockingjay in Books
Jan 28, 2019
The third and final book in Suzanne Collin's <i>The Hunger Games</i> trilogy, in which the (I found) the whole proved to be greater than the sum of its parts.
Like the previous two entries, this is again told in the first-person immediate sense, and is again a 'true' sequel - don't even bother trying to read this without the first two!
Picking up from the end of <i>Catching Fire</i>, Katniss (and some other victors) has been rescued from the 75th annual Hunger Games by the previously-thought-to-be-a-myth survivors of District 13. Not all have made it out, however, Peeta (and two other victors) have been captured by the Capitol, who are now in the process of torturing them for information as the other Districts (1 through 12) rise up against teh Capitol.
This, then, is pretty much a war story, and doesn't shy away from the realities of such (albeit also somewhat sanitized), with characters dropping left, right and centre in unexpected moments, and with Katniss suffering further mental scarring as a result.
But if the Capitol falls, what will rise to replace it?
As a series over-all, I'll admit I wasn't too sure about it at first, and that it took a while for me to get used to the format in which it was told. The every-chapter-must-end-on-a-cliffhanger approach might have been a bit too much for my tastes, but in the end you just had to go with it (think of it like those old TV episodes that did the same!). Individually, the stories were enjoyable enough but nothing special, but put together as one whole arc (and read back to back) I have to say, it proved to be better than I was expecting.
Like the previous two entries, this is again told in the first-person immediate sense, and is again a 'true' sequel - don't even bother trying to read this without the first two!
Picking up from the end of <i>Catching Fire</i>, Katniss (and some other victors) has been rescued from the 75th annual Hunger Games by the previously-thought-to-be-a-myth survivors of District 13. Not all have made it out, however, Peeta (and two other victors) have been captured by the Capitol, who are now in the process of torturing them for information as the other Districts (1 through 12) rise up against teh Capitol.
This, then, is pretty much a war story, and doesn't shy away from the realities of such (albeit also somewhat sanitized), with characters dropping left, right and centre in unexpected moments, and with Katniss suffering further mental scarring as a result.
But if the Capitol falls, what will rise to replace it?
As a series over-all, I'll admit I wasn't too sure about it at first, and that it took a while for me to get used to the format in which it was told. The every-chapter-must-end-on-a-cliffhanger approach might have been a bit too much for my tastes, but in the end you just had to go with it (think of it like those old TV episodes that did the same!). Individually, the stories were enjoyable enough but nothing special, but put together as one whole arc (and read back to back) I have to say, it proved to be better than I was expecting.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Of Fire and Stars (Of Fire and Stars #1) in Books
Dec 25, 2018
Having read the prequel to this book already, I can see why a lot of people complained about the lack of worldbuilding. Even though the prequel is based in a neighboring country, there's a lot in this book that I understood based on events in Inkmistress. I definitely recommend reading that one first.
That said, I enjoyed this book a lot. I think Inkmistress is better, but that happens often with new authors. I think the sequel, Of Ice and Shadows, due out this summer, will probably be even better, and should bring the events of the previous two books together.
Like Inkmistress, bisexuality seems to be absolutely normal in Denna's country, with Denna not expressing a preference, Mare having had male and female lovers, and one of Denna's ladies having a female lover. (There is a brief mention of a gay couple as well.) I do wish nonbinary people would make an appearance, but it's something, at least.
There are a lot of twists and turns to the plot in this book, so while Inkmistress was fairly straightforward, this one took me by surprise multiple times. It also makes it much harder to talk about the plot without giving anything away!
I wish we'd discovered more about the King's council - several members of it seemed to have ulterior motives but we never got to see what those were. If we knew their motivations, some things might make a lot more sense and be a lot more satisfying.
Read Inkmistress. If you like the world, go ahead and read this book, because the events of this will be necessary to understand the third book, which takes us back to the country featured in Inkmistress. And I want to know more about that country!
You can read all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
That said, I enjoyed this book a lot. I think Inkmistress is better, but that happens often with new authors. I think the sequel, Of Ice and Shadows, due out this summer, will probably be even better, and should bring the events of the previous two books together.
Like Inkmistress, bisexuality seems to be absolutely normal in Denna's country, with Denna not expressing a preference, Mare having had male and female lovers, and one of Denna's ladies having a female lover. (There is a brief mention of a gay couple as well.) I do wish nonbinary people would make an appearance, but it's something, at least.
There are a lot of twists and turns to the plot in this book, so while Inkmistress was fairly straightforward, this one took me by surprise multiple times. It also makes it much harder to talk about the plot without giving anything away!
I wish we'd discovered more about the King's council - several members of it seemed to have ulterior motives but we never got to see what those were. If we knew their motivations, some things might make a lot more sense and be a lot more satisfying.
Read Inkmistress. If you like the world, go ahead and read this book, because the events of this will be necessary to understand the third book, which takes us back to the country featured in Inkmistress. And I want to know more about that country!
You can read all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Planet 51 (2009) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
On a planet far from our own, green creatures are experiencing their own version of the 1950’s. Among them is Lem (Justin Long) who has just gotten his first job as an assistant at the local planetarium. When a space ship appears harboring an alien, human astronaut Captain Charles T. Baker (Dwayne Johnson), the fearful locals are not so friendly. It is up to Lem to save the astronaut and help his people learn not to fear the world beyond what they know.
The film is written for both children and adults, like a toned down version of “Shrek†with a more relevant moral feel. Putting the characters in the 1950s adds to the film’s charm, allowing kids access to the blatant characterizations of the time period, such as the bumbling science professor and the hippy protestor who maintains from the start that the alien is friendly.
Other characters of note are Lem’s comic book and movie fanatic best friend, Skiff (Seann William Scott) and the military commander General Grawl (Gary Oldman) who is hell-bent on capturing the alien. Children will also enjoy the two pet creatures from a local alien dog that excretes acid to a rock-obsessed robot sent to pick up local specimens for Baker.
“Planet 51†is wholly entertaining. It provides some mature insight by displaying how we would appear to another culture if we ever did encounter aliens. This switch of perspective is sure to make children think and laugh over the simple cross-cultural mishaps that occur while Lem and Baker are attempting to find common ground.
A delightful, animated romp, “Planet 51†will make you hope for a groovy 1960’s sequel.
The film is written for both children and adults, like a toned down version of “Shrek†with a more relevant moral feel. Putting the characters in the 1950s adds to the film’s charm, allowing kids access to the blatant characterizations of the time period, such as the bumbling science professor and the hippy protestor who maintains from the start that the alien is friendly.
Other characters of note are Lem’s comic book and movie fanatic best friend, Skiff (Seann William Scott) and the military commander General Grawl (Gary Oldman) who is hell-bent on capturing the alien. Children will also enjoy the two pet creatures from a local alien dog that excretes acid to a rock-obsessed robot sent to pick up local specimens for Baker.
“Planet 51†is wholly entertaining. It provides some mature insight by displaying how we would appear to another culture if we ever did encounter aliens. This switch of perspective is sure to make children think and laugh over the simple cross-cultural mishaps that occur while Lem and Baker are attempting to find common ground.
A delightful, animated romp, “Planet 51†will make you hope for a groovy 1960’s sequel.
Madbatdan82 (341 KP) rated Hellboy (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2019
I've never laughed so much - in a bad way!
Firstly - I love the first 2 Hellboy films. Ron Perlman was perfect in the role and I'm a massive fan of Guillermo del Toro. I really wanted to see the end of their trilogy showing the Hell-king Amun un Rama story but it wasnt to be. But when I heard they were rebooting with David Harbour, Ian Mcshane and Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers) directing then I held some high hopes. Those lasted about 3 mins into the film!! This film is AWFUL! Everything is wrong. The story is lazy and borrows so much from the 2 del toro films even having certain scenes (hellboys birth and final fight) are pretty much scene for scene copies! The story that it doesnt borrow from the other films is some bollocks about a blood queen, Merlin and Arthur and excalibur and im almost laughing writing this as it's so ridiculous. It takes place in London so obviously everyone has a ridiculous cockney accent. The reason this gets a 2 out of 10 is because theres some really good gore and the Hell-king scenes are pretty awesome. Ian Mcshane is as always awesome but he is completely mis-cast as Prof Broom so even that feels wrong. They tease a sequel in the final shot, a mid credits scene and an end of credits scene. If they had spent that much time and effort on the logistics of making a good film they may have been able to salvage something passable - unfortunately they didnt and this is almost unmatched garbage!!
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Life and Times of William Boule in Books
Nov 19, 2019
It took me a long time to get around to reading a Max China book and I had heard a lot of good things about his work. I was not disappointed.
This novel forms a sequel to The Sister but I didn't feel I needed to read that to enjoy this as the characters are introduced and explained well. Carla Black is a journalist who wants to flush out the titular serial killer from his hideaway in Morocco. Meanwhile Miller, a missing persons investigator and former lover of Carla, suspects she may run into trouble and follows on to help her. When Boule runs into Carla unexpectedly, she and Miller end up in a race to safety with the serial killer in determined pursuit.
There are so many things that make this book stand out. China's descriptions of the dusty streets of Morocco, full of colours and smells are extremely immersive. His characters are all very solid and well-drawn. I particularly liked the local police chief who turns out to be a very shrewd and resourceful operator in his own right at working out what is going on. Boule is suitably amoral and nasty, a real sociopath but when the narrative is from his point of view the reader finds out his self-justification for his actions.
China keeps the reader guessing with the direction the plot is going to take next and the pace is frantic, the chase scenes desperate and nerve wracking and the pauses in action claustrophobic with menace. Everything gathers pace and momentum neatly until the final showdown which is perfectly pitched in terms of drama.
I really was impressed by this book and China is an outstanding writer.
(Contains violence and sexual scenes and references)
This novel forms a sequel to The Sister but I didn't feel I needed to read that to enjoy this as the characters are introduced and explained well. Carla Black is a journalist who wants to flush out the titular serial killer from his hideaway in Morocco. Meanwhile Miller, a missing persons investigator and former lover of Carla, suspects she may run into trouble and follows on to help her. When Boule runs into Carla unexpectedly, she and Miller end up in a race to safety with the serial killer in determined pursuit.
There are so many things that make this book stand out. China's descriptions of the dusty streets of Morocco, full of colours and smells are extremely immersive. His characters are all very solid and well-drawn. I particularly liked the local police chief who turns out to be a very shrewd and resourceful operator in his own right at working out what is going on. Boule is suitably amoral and nasty, a real sociopath but when the narrative is from his point of view the reader finds out his self-justification for his actions.
China keeps the reader guessing with the direction the plot is going to take next and the pace is frantic, the chase scenes desperate and nerve wracking and the pauses in action claustrophobic with menace. Everything gathers pace and momentum neatly until the final showdown which is perfectly pitched in terms of drama.
I really was impressed by this book and China is an outstanding writer.
(Contains violence and sexual scenes and references)