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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Glass Sword in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
It is finally here; the second book in the riveting<i> Red Queen</i> series by Victoria Aveyard – perfect for fans of <i>The Hunger Games, The Selection</i> series and <i>Divergent</i>. Continuing from the exact point the previous book closed on, <i>Glass Sword</i> is packed with action, suspense and emotional entertainment.
To recap, the world is divided by blood colour: Red (inferior) and Silver (superior); but it is the reason why Silvers consider themselves better that is important. Silver-blooded people are born with a superpower; Reds are not. Until Mare Barrow, that is. By pure accident, Mare discovers she can wield electricity with her bare hands, is forced to pretend she is a Silver living with the royal family, and is finally betrayed by someone she thought was on her side.
Now, in <i>Glass Sword</i>, teenage Mare is in hiding with the Scarlet Guard – Red-blooded rebels – with the knowledge that there are other people out there just like her: “Newbloods,” Red blood with Silver abilities. Mare and her companions are determined to find all of these people and train them to use their powers, however the Silver king is doing the same, with the intention of destroying them all. What makes it worse is Mare no longer knows whom she can trust; anyone could betray her.
Unlike the previous book, <i>Glass Sword</i> is one battle after another. There are no more pretty dresses, royal parties or grand castles. From beginning to end there is not a moment when Mare is not in danger; it is easy to lose count the number of times she narrowly escapes death. But as with any form of violence, someone always ends up injured or killed, resulting in some very upsetting outcomes.
Fans of the first book will already be aware of the love triangle that developed – one that made the conclusion so shocking. Whilst <i>Glass Sword</i> continues with the romantic theme, it is barely perceptible underneath all the bloodshed, arguments and warfare. So, do not expect a romance novel within these pages.
The constant action prevents the story from becoming slow or boring. There is a surprise around every corner; every page, to keep the reader engaged. This however has a downside. With conflict running into conflict it is easy to get confused and struggle to follow the course of the action. This is particularly the case in one of the final, most significant, attacks against the Silvers. The quick pace of the narrative results in the violent scene only taking up the space of a few pages, thus not giving the reader time to develop a clear picture in their head or fully understand what they are reading.
Naturally Mare’s story ends on yet another cliffhanger, so now we await the third installment. It must be difficult to provide a sequel as equally entertaining as the first, but Aveyard has gone above and beyond to create something far better than could be imagined. We can only hope this brilliance continues into the following books.
It is finally here; the second book in the riveting<i> Red Queen</i> series by Victoria Aveyard – perfect for fans of <i>The Hunger Games, The Selection</i> series and <i>Divergent</i>. Continuing from the exact point the previous book closed on, <i>Glass Sword</i> is packed with action, suspense and emotional entertainment.
To recap, the world is divided by blood colour: Red (inferior) and Silver (superior); but it is the reason why Silvers consider themselves better that is important. Silver-blooded people are born with a superpower; Reds are not. Until Mare Barrow, that is. By pure accident, Mare discovers she can wield electricity with her bare hands, is forced to pretend she is a Silver living with the royal family, and is finally betrayed by someone she thought was on her side.
Now, in <i>Glass Sword</i>, teenage Mare is in hiding with the Scarlet Guard – Red-blooded rebels – with the knowledge that there are other people out there just like her: “Newbloods,” Red blood with Silver abilities. Mare and her companions are determined to find all of these people and train them to use their powers, however the Silver king is doing the same, with the intention of destroying them all. What makes it worse is Mare no longer knows whom she can trust; anyone could betray her.
Unlike the previous book, <i>Glass Sword</i> is one battle after another. There are no more pretty dresses, royal parties or grand castles. From beginning to end there is not a moment when Mare is not in danger; it is easy to lose count the number of times she narrowly escapes death. But as with any form of violence, someone always ends up injured or killed, resulting in some very upsetting outcomes.
Fans of the first book will already be aware of the love triangle that developed – one that made the conclusion so shocking. Whilst <i>Glass Sword</i> continues with the romantic theme, it is barely perceptible underneath all the bloodshed, arguments and warfare. So, do not expect a romance novel within these pages.
The constant action prevents the story from becoming slow or boring. There is a surprise around every corner; every page, to keep the reader engaged. This however has a downside. With conflict running into conflict it is easy to get confused and struggle to follow the course of the action. This is particularly the case in one of the final, most significant, attacks against the Silvers. The quick pace of the narrative results in the violent scene only taking up the space of a few pages, thus not giving the reader time to develop a clear picture in their head or fully understand what they are reading.
Naturally Mare’s story ends on yet another cliffhanger, so now we await the third installment. It must be difficult to provide a sequel as equally entertaining as the first, but Aveyard has gone above and beyond to create something far better than could be imagined. We can only hope this brilliance continues into the following books.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated the PC version of The Evil Within 2 in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
The Evil Within 2 is not only a worthy follow up to the original game but is easily one of the best survival horror games ever created in my opinion. The game takes place three years after the events of the first game and follows protagonist Sebastian Castellanos as he deals with the aftermath of his experiences in the first game. Sebastian is reeling from his prior experiences as well as a personal tragedy and has hit rock bottom.
When a former partner offers Sebastian a chance to rectify many of his issues and reclaim what he lost he reluctantly takes the opportunity even though he has to again deal with the mysterious mobius organization. Sebastian is tasked with entering a virtual world simulation known as “Union” to locate the missing operatives who had been sent in previously as well as something of a personal nature to Sebastian.
Once entering the world, it is clear that something has gone horribly wrong as all manner of nightmare inducing creatures roam the land, killing all they encounter. As if this was not bad enough, there is also a mysterious figure that seems to be leading the chaos and seems to delight in toying with and killing all he encounters.
Sebastian must locate weapons, supplies and other survivors in order to craft what he needs to survive and find his way back home. Along the way he will have to deal with puzzles, limited ammunition and supplies, and a never ending assortment of creatures looking to shred him to pieces whenever they can.
The game not only has amazing visuals and sounds, the story are very compelling and drew me into the scenarios faster than the first game did. I loved the detailed world that Sebastian found himself in and loved exploring locales ranging from churches to garages along the way.
The game did require me to adjust my usual run and gun style of play as supplies are not infinite so discretion is the better part of valor as avoiding a fight is often much wiser than confronting enemies.
Playing on the PS4 Pro, the game ran smoothly and looked amazing and while I did need a bit to get used to the controls and combat system, if you have played the original it will come back to you quickly.
I found myself enjoying the sequel even more than the original as it grabbed me from the start and did not let go. While there are puzzled in the game that have to be solved in order to progress, I did not find them as frustrating as some in the past game such as trying to turn a wheel to raise a gate while waves of enemies attacked my ammunition depleted character.
Not only did I enjoy pretty much everything about the game, I would go so far as to say it was one of my favorite releases of 2017 and is a contender for end of year awards as far as I am concerned. I am really interested to see where Bethesda will go next with the series as this was a highly enjoyable game.
http://sknr.net/2017/11/19/evil-within-2/
When a former partner offers Sebastian a chance to rectify many of his issues and reclaim what he lost he reluctantly takes the opportunity even though he has to again deal with the mysterious mobius organization. Sebastian is tasked with entering a virtual world simulation known as “Union” to locate the missing operatives who had been sent in previously as well as something of a personal nature to Sebastian.
Once entering the world, it is clear that something has gone horribly wrong as all manner of nightmare inducing creatures roam the land, killing all they encounter. As if this was not bad enough, there is also a mysterious figure that seems to be leading the chaos and seems to delight in toying with and killing all he encounters.
Sebastian must locate weapons, supplies and other survivors in order to craft what he needs to survive and find his way back home. Along the way he will have to deal with puzzles, limited ammunition and supplies, and a never ending assortment of creatures looking to shred him to pieces whenever they can.
The game not only has amazing visuals and sounds, the story are very compelling and drew me into the scenarios faster than the first game did. I loved the detailed world that Sebastian found himself in and loved exploring locales ranging from churches to garages along the way.
The game did require me to adjust my usual run and gun style of play as supplies are not infinite so discretion is the better part of valor as avoiding a fight is often much wiser than confronting enemies.
Playing on the PS4 Pro, the game ran smoothly and looked amazing and while I did need a bit to get used to the controls and combat system, if you have played the original it will come back to you quickly.
I found myself enjoying the sequel even more than the original as it grabbed me from the start and did not let go. While there are puzzled in the game that have to be solved in order to progress, I did not find them as frustrating as some in the past game such as trying to turn a wheel to raise a gate while waves of enemies attacked my ammunition depleted character.
Not only did I enjoy pretty much everything about the game, I would go so far as to say it was one of my favorite releases of 2017 and is a contender for end of year awards as far as I am concerned. I am really interested to see where Bethesda will go next with the series as this was a highly enjoyable game.
http://sknr.net/2017/11/19/evil-within-2/
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated A Quiet Place (2018) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Like many parents, Lee (John Krasinski), and Evelyn (Emily Blunt), have an overwhelming urge to keep their children safe in the world and protect them at all costs. In the new film “A Quiet Place”, that maternal drive is taken to extreme levels as the world has been attacked by vicious creatures who hunt by sound alone.
The slightest loud noise will bring a rapid moving creature in moments that will destroy whatever made the sound instantly. As such, Lee and Evelyn have gone to great lengths to live as quietly as possible and even have a system for their home and supply runs to be as safe as possible.
When tragedy strikes, it causes a division between Lee and their only daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds), who although deaf herself believes she is being blamed for the tragedy and the guilt has only grown over time.
The family continues on and the film jumps forward in time to show that Lee is studying as much about the creatures as he can in an effort to find a weakness they can use as well as to provide more security for his family.
Of course even the best plans do not always work and what follows is a very intense and raw struggle for survival which shows just how far a person is willing to go for their family.
Krasinski not only stars in the film but also directed it and helped to write the screenplay. Working with his actual wife worked very well as they have a fantastic chemistry which helps them convey the emotions and thoughts of the film well which is amazing considering how little dialogue there is in the film as gestures and sign language are the most common form of communication.
The film is very intense in moments and a fantastic extended sequence with Blunt had my wife squeezing my hand tightly and afraid to utter a sound as it left her holding her breath.
The film is a very fresh take on the creature genre and the quality of the performances lifts the film to a level rarely seen in a suspense film. The film did play a bit fast and loose with some aspects such as the history of the creatures and the state of the world around them as it is largely conveyed through newspaper headlines left lying around. As such I found myself wondering why certain defensive options and offensive tactics were not used as to me they seemed to be common sense approaches. For a film with such a fresh premise and strong performances, the ending did seem to depend a bit too much on some of the usual Hollywood stereotypes but it did not keep the film from being highly entertaining and effective. As I watched the film I kept thinking that there could be a connection to “Cloverfield” especially based on aspects of the creatures. The film was made for a very small budget so hopefully we will be seeing a sequel in the near future as “A Quiet Place” was a very enjoyable film and one of the best surprises of the year.
http://sknr.net/2018/04/05/a-quiet-place/
The slightest loud noise will bring a rapid moving creature in moments that will destroy whatever made the sound instantly. As such, Lee and Evelyn have gone to great lengths to live as quietly as possible and even have a system for their home and supply runs to be as safe as possible.
When tragedy strikes, it causes a division between Lee and their only daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds), who although deaf herself believes she is being blamed for the tragedy and the guilt has only grown over time.
The family continues on and the film jumps forward in time to show that Lee is studying as much about the creatures as he can in an effort to find a weakness they can use as well as to provide more security for his family.
Of course even the best plans do not always work and what follows is a very intense and raw struggle for survival which shows just how far a person is willing to go for their family.
Krasinski not only stars in the film but also directed it and helped to write the screenplay. Working with his actual wife worked very well as they have a fantastic chemistry which helps them convey the emotions and thoughts of the film well which is amazing considering how little dialogue there is in the film as gestures and sign language are the most common form of communication.
The film is very intense in moments and a fantastic extended sequence with Blunt had my wife squeezing my hand tightly and afraid to utter a sound as it left her holding her breath.
The film is a very fresh take on the creature genre and the quality of the performances lifts the film to a level rarely seen in a suspense film. The film did play a bit fast and loose with some aspects such as the history of the creatures and the state of the world around them as it is largely conveyed through newspaper headlines left lying around. As such I found myself wondering why certain defensive options and offensive tactics were not used as to me they seemed to be common sense approaches. For a film with such a fresh premise and strong performances, the ending did seem to depend a bit too much on some of the usual Hollywood stereotypes but it did not keep the film from being highly entertaining and effective. As I watched the film I kept thinking that there could be a connection to “Cloverfield” especially based on aspects of the creatures. The film was made for a very small budget so hopefully we will be seeing a sequel in the near future as “A Quiet Place” was a very enjoyable film and one of the best surprises of the year.
http://sknr.net/2018/04/05/a-quiet-place/
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated The Expendables 3 (2014) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Many times when a film series reaches it”s third installment, it is out of ideas and running on fumes. The idea that if a film has spawned a successful sequel it must have a trilogy is nothing new in Hollywood, but far too many times the third films loses momentum and goes through the motions for one last payday for the cast and studio.
In “The Expendables 3” Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and company lead the all star cast with a mix of old and new in order to provide a more diverse yet not entirely satisfying third act of the retro action series.
Barney (Sylvester Stallone), leads the remains of his crew on a daring raid as the film opens to free one of his former members played by Wesley Snipes. The action is as intense as ever, but thanks to a PG-13 rating, is much more subdued than we have come to expect from the series.
As Barney and crew contend with age and injuries, it is leaned that a person long thought dead has become one of the biggest arms dealers in the world and has his own private army. What makes matters worse is that said dealer (Mel Gibson), has a very complicated history with Barney and The Expendables and as such this mission is very personal when he is hired to bring him to justice.
With a new crew in place, Barney sets out to settle the score, but soon finds out that complications arise, forcing the old and new crew to unite in a battle against overwhelming odds.
If this seems to be a fairly simplistic overview your right, as this is about as complex as this film gets. There is some effort to show chemistry between the players but backstories and character development are for the most part left out. Gibson on the other hand brings a great new dimension to the film as the backstory to his character as well as his motivations were very interesting and kept my attention in what otherwise could come off as a cartoony villain role.
Harrison Ford replaces Bruce Willis as their C.I.A. contact and brings gruff charm to the role of Drummer and seems to delight in being in on the action as do the new and returning cast.
The biggest issue was that it seemed more retrained than what we expect from the series. Part 2 had the epic airport battle and a great fistacuff finale. Part 3 lacks the intensity and urgency of previous films and the cast appears to be going through the motions, just happy for one more ride.
Stallone reportedly mentioned he had ideas for a 4th film which would be fine with me, but they need to get away from this PG 13 lite version and bring the swaggering, over the top action of the previous films back and fast as with an aging cast, this film seemed very out of date and lacking the retro nostalgia.
That being said, if you want some no-brainer fun, it is worthy of checking out.
http://sknr.net/2014/08/15/expendables-3/
In “The Expendables 3” Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and company lead the all star cast with a mix of old and new in order to provide a more diverse yet not entirely satisfying third act of the retro action series.
Barney (Sylvester Stallone), leads the remains of his crew on a daring raid as the film opens to free one of his former members played by Wesley Snipes. The action is as intense as ever, but thanks to a PG-13 rating, is much more subdued than we have come to expect from the series.
As Barney and crew contend with age and injuries, it is leaned that a person long thought dead has become one of the biggest arms dealers in the world and has his own private army. What makes matters worse is that said dealer (Mel Gibson), has a very complicated history with Barney and The Expendables and as such this mission is very personal when he is hired to bring him to justice.
With a new crew in place, Barney sets out to settle the score, but soon finds out that complications arise, forcing the old and new crew to unite in a battle against overwhelming odds.
If this seems to be a fairly simplistic overview your right, as this is about as complex as this film gets. There is some effort to show chemistry between the players but backstories and character development are for the most part left out. Gibson on the other hand brings a great new dimension to the film as the backstory to his character as well as his motivations were very interesting and kept my attention in what otherwise could come off as a cartoony villain role.
Harrison Ford replaces Bruce Willis as their C.I.A. contact and brings gruff charm to the role of Drummer and seems to delight in being in on the action as do the new and returning cast.
The biggest issue was that it seemed more retrained than what we expect from the series. Part 2 had the epic airport battle and a great fistacuff finale. Part 3 lacks the intensity and urgency of previous films and the cast appears to be going through the motions, just happy for one more ride.
Stallone reportedly mentioned he had ideas for a 4th film which would be fine with me, but they need to get away from this PG 13 lite version and bring the swaggering, over the top action of the previous films back and fast as with an aging cast, this film seemed very out of date and lacking the retro nostalgia.
That being said, if you want some no-brainer fun, it is worthy of checking out.
http://sknr.net/2014/08/15/expendables-3/
Darren (1599 KP) rated American Mary (2013) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Key words here original, clever and dark all these make this something very special. It fuses different motives for each character instead of just using one motive to drive them. Once you have seen this story you will always remember it too. (9/10)
Actor Review: Katharine Isabelle – Mary who enters the world of body modification. Great performances in which she stays calm in every situation which is needed to create a very impressive character. Very haunting character and a welcome addition to horror icons. Star Performance Award (9/10)
mary
Actor Review: Antonio Cupo – Billy club owner and seemingly small time gangster who helps Mary to complete her jobs. Good character which slowly becomes the only moral compass in the film. (7/10)
billy
Actor Review: Tristen Risk – Beatress a lady who spends all her money on making herself into a fictional character. Very quirky character which you will remember once you have first seen her on the screen and hears her voice. (8/10)
beatirce
Actor Review: David Lovgren – Doctor Grant a Doctor who expects the best from his students but also takes advantage of them. Typical take advantage Doctor does enough to drive Mary to the next stage of her spiral into the underworld. Good performance and creates a character that is meant to be disliked. (7/10)
grant
Actor Review: Paula Lindberg – Ruby Realgirl who has presidia done to turn her into a doll. The extremes this character goes to and the final reveal off the work is something you will remember. (8/10)
Director Review: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska – The second film by the Twisted Twins and this time they step up to a new level giving an original story with some very memorable scenes. (9/10)
Cameo by the Twisted Twins
Cameo by the Twisted Twins
Horror: A welcome addition to the horror genre with some very disturbing scenes. (9/10)
Thriller: Very good build using revenge filled suspense for some actions as well as good suspense to see what Mary will do next. (9/10)
Special Effects: There are some brilliant special effects used to create that body modifications. (9/10)
Believability: People will do some very strange things to their body so you could say this is quite believable. (8/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Settings: Most of the film is set between two locations, Mary’s apartment and a metal strip club for alternative music fans. Both work as this shows the two main places Mary works and makes her money. (8/10)
Suggestion: In the world of horror it is very unusual to see something different. This is that something different and once you have seen it you will remember it. I suggest all horror fans must watch this as it is one of the most original films to come out in a very long time. (Watch)
Best Part: Mary’s revenge on Doctor Grant.
Kill Of The Film: Security guard as it shows how far Mary has gone.
Oscar Chances: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Overall: Dark, delicious and brilliant
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/01/17/american-mary-2012/
Actor Review: Katharine Isabelle – Mary who enters the world of body modification. Great performances in which she stays calm in every situation which is needed to create a very impressive character. Very haunting character and a welcome addition to horror icons. Star Performance Award (9/10)
mary
Actor Review: Antonio Cupo – Billy club owner and seemingly small time gangster who helps Mary to complete her jobs. Good character which slowly becomes the only moral compass in the film. (7/10)
billy
Actor Review: Tristen Risk – Beatress a lady who spends all her money on making herself into a fictional character. Very quirky character which you will remember once you have first seen her on the screen and hears her voice. (8/10)
beatirce
Actor Review: David Lovgren – Doctor Grant a Doctor who expects the best from his students but also takes advantage of them. Typical take advantage Doctor does enough to drive Mary to the next stage of her spiral into the underworld. Good performance and creates a character that is meant to be disliked. (7/10)
grant
Actor Review: Paula Lindberg – Ruby Realgirl who has presidia done to turn her into a doll. The extremes this character goes to and the final reveal off the work is something you will remember. (8/10)
Director Review: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska – The second film by the Twisted Twins and this time they step up to a new level giving an original story with some very memorable scenes. (9/10)
Cameo by the Twisted Twins
Cameo by the Twisted Twins
Horror: A welcome addition to the horror genre with some very disturbing scenes. (9/10)
Thriller: Very good build using revenge filled suspense for some actions as well as good suspense to see what Mary will do next. (9/10)
Special Effects: There are some brilliant special effects used to create that body modifications. (9/10)
Believability: People will do some very strange things to their body so you could say this is quite believable. (8/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Settings: Most of the film is set between two locations, Mary’s apartment and a metal strip club for alternative music fans. Both work as this shows the two main places Mary works and makes her money. (8/10)
Suggestion: In the world of horror it is very unusual to see something different. This is that something different and once you have seen it you will remember it. I suggest all horror fans must watch this as it is one of the most original films to come out in a very long time. (Watch)
Best Part: Mary’s revenge on Doctor Grant.
Kill Of The Film: Security guard as it shows how far Mary has gone.
Oscar Chances: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Overall: Dark, delicious and brilliant
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/01/17/american-mary-2012/
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Fast & Furious (2009) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
igh adrenaline films have always been a signature of the summer movie season and with a bevy of blockbusters lines up for the summer months, Universal has the opening salvo with the very impressive “Fast and Furious”.
Although the fourth film in the series, the film is in many ways is the first true sequel to the 2001 original as it reunites Vin Diesel and Paul Walker.
The film opens with a spectacular high speed heist where Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), and his crew attempt to steal petroleum tankers. The amazing pacing and driving and stunt sequences is easily the best opening sequences in the series and had the audience at my press screening on the edge of their seats.
With the heat on Dominic, he decides to split up the group so they do not get busted when the authorities catch up to him. Unfortunately this means slipping away from his longtime love Letty (Michelle Rodriguez).
At the same time, F.B.I. agent Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), is under the gun from his superiors to bring down a drug trafficker who has eluded all efforts to indentify much less capture but is known for his reputation for ruthlessness. With lead after lead coming up empty for his task force, O’Conner pursues a name that may just shed some light on the true identify of his target.
When events unfold that force Dominic to return to Los Angeles on a mission of revenge, his path crosses O’Conner and the two men renew the rivalry that has existed between them which hits the high gear when both men find themselves in an illegal street race.
The winner of the race gets to join the driving team of the drug trafficker that O’Conner is seeking, and with Dominic having his own motivations, the intense race through the packed streets is easily one of the most intense racing sequences ever captured.
In time the two men find themselves working with one another to bring down a common foe, but old issues still remaining between the duty driven O’Conner and the outlaw Dominick, especially regarding Dominick’s sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), who had a relationship with O’Conner before he revealed himself to be an undercover agent in the first film.
What follows is a pedal to the metal adventure that sets a breakneck pace and lets up only enough from the audience to briefly catch their breath.
Walker and Diesel make a dynamic team and unlike the previous films in the series, “Fast and Furious” has a plot that does not drag and holds the attention of the audience and serves as little more than filler between action sequences.
Director Justin Lin (Who helmed the last film in the series Tokyo Drift), balances the two leads with the awesome array of racing machines in the film without ever losing fact that this is a character driven story.
With a great cast and amazing driving sequences the film was a very pleasant surprise and has me looking forward to the next chapter in the series. Not only is this a strong comeback for Walker and Diesel but is easily the best film in the series and should delight the fans.
Although the fourth film in the series, the film is in many ways is the first true sequel to the 2001 original as it reunites Vin Diesel and Paul Walker.
The film opens with a spectacular high speed heist where Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), and his crew attempt to steal petroleum tankers. The amazing pacing and driving and stunt sequences is easily the best opening sequences in the series and had the audience at my press screening on the edge of their seats.
With the heat on Dominic, he decides to split up the group so they do not get busted when the authorities catch up to him. Unfortunately this means slipping away from his longtime love Letty (Michelle Rodriguez).
At the same time, F.B.I. agent Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), is under the gun from his superiors to bring down a drug trafficker who has eluded all efforts to indentify much less capture but is known for his reputation for ruthlessness. With lead after lead coming up empty for his task force, O’Conner pursues a name that may just shed some light on the true identify of his target.
When events unfold that force Dominic to return to Los Angeles on a mission of revenge, his path crosses O’Conner and the two men renew the rivalry that has existed between them which hits the high gear when both men find themselves in an illegal street race.
The winner of the race gets to join the driving team of the drug trafficker that O’Conner is seeking, and with Dominic having his own motivations, the intense race through the packed streets is easily one of the most intense racing sequences ever captured.
In time the two men find themselves working with one another to bring down a common foe, but old issues still remaining between the duty driven O’Conner and the outlaw Dominick, especially regarding Dominick’s sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), who had a relationship with O’Conner before he revealed himself to be an undercover agent in the first film.
What follows is a pedal to the metal adventure that sets a breakneck pace and lets up only enough from the audience to briefly catch their breath.
Walker and Diesel make a dynamic team and unlike the previous films in the series, “Fast and Furious” has a plot that does not drag and holds the attention of the audience and serves as little more than filler between action sequences.
Director Justin Lin (Who helmed the last film in the series Tokyo Drift), balances the two leads with the awesome array of racing machines in the film without ever losing fact that this is a character driven story.
With a great cast and amazing driving sequences the film was a very pleasant surprise and has me looking forward to the next chapter in the series. Not only is this a strong comeback for Walker and Diesel but is easily the best film in the series and should delight the fans.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Spies in Disguise (2019) in Movies
Jan 1, 2020
I’m not exactly complaining, but Tom Holland does seem to literally be in everything right now. As I sat ready to watch Spies in Disguise, which features the voice of Tom Holland, there was a trailer for upcoming Pixar movie Onward, featuring the voice of Tom Holland. Then a trailer for Dolittle, starring Robert Downey Jr and featuring the voice of Tom Holland as loyal dog Jip. On top of starring in 2019s highest grossing movie, as everyone’s favourite neighbourhood webslinger, he’s certainly having quite the year right now. And well deserved it is too.
But before we get to his voicing of Walter in Spies in Disguise, we meet much younger Walter, 14 years earlier, building gadgets and being branded a weirdo at school. His police officer mum comforts Walter, telling him that weird is good and the world needs weirdos. And that one day, the invention he’s just tested on his unsuspecting mum - a grenade which explodes into glitter and projects cute kittens - might just come in handy...
Will Smith on the other hand, hasn’t had quite as great a year as Tom Holland. Ridiculed for his blue genie in the run up to the release of Aladdin, he actually wasn’t too bad when the movie came out. But then came the disaster that was Gemini Man. Hopefully though, the upcoming sequel ‘Bad Boys for Life’ will be a return to form for Smith, but for now, starring as the voice of Lance Sterling, the worlds greatest spy, has certainly landed him a winner. A suave, charming, one man operation, we’re shown just how cool and impressive Sterling is as he single-handedly and effortlessly takes out dozens of bad guys using combat skills and a variety of spy gadgets. But Lance is suddenly caught off guard when, instead of releasing a more traditional explosive to take out some goons, he releases a glitter-kitty explosion.
Returning to headquarters a hero, we discover that Walter is now working in the gadgets department, where new tricks and toys for spies are designed and tested. Lance is not impressed with Walter messing up his operation and the pair don’t exactly hit it off on the right foot. But when Lance is wrongly accused of committing a crime, he must go on the run and reluctantly team up with Walter to get the bad guy and clear his name. And how is he going to do that without being seen and caught? Well, just so happens that Walter has invented a way of turning humans into pigeons!
There’s nothing particularly new about the main plot of Spies in Disguise, aside from the pigeon aspect of it all of course. But it’s the fast paced action and humour that really sets this apart from the crowd and quite often reminded me of The Incredibles - great characters and great ideas all mixed together with some impressive visuals and slick action. Both Tom Holland and Will Smith are perfect in their roles and, aside from a bit of a mid-movie dip, Spies in Disguise actually proved to be hugely entertaining.
But before we get to his voicing of Walter in Spies in Disguise, we meet much younger Walter, 14 years earlier, building gadgets and being branded a weirdo at school. His police officer mum comforts Walter, telling him that weird is good and the world needs weirdos. And that one day, the invention he’s just tested on his unsuspecting mum - a grenade which explodes into glitter and projects cute kittens - might just come in handy...
Will Smith on the other hand, hasn’t had quite as great a year as Tom Holland. Ridiculed for his blue genie in the run up to the release of Aladdin, he actually wasn’t too bad when the movie came out. But then came the disaster that was Gemini Man. Hopefully though, the upcoming sequel ‘Bad Boys for Life’ will be a return to form for Smith, but for now, starring as the voice of Lance Sterling, the worlds greatest spy, has certainly landed him a winner. A suave, charming, one man operation, we’re shown just how cool and impressive Sterling is as he single-handedly and effortlessly takes out dozens of bad guys using combat skills and a variety of spy gadgets. But Lance is suddenly caught off guard when, instead of releasing a more traditional explosive to take out some goons, he releases a glitter-kitty explosion.
Returning to headquarters a hero, we discover that Walter is now working in the gadgets department, where new tricks and toys for spies are designed and tested. Lance is not impressed with Walter messing up his operation and the pair don’t exactly hit it off on the right foot. But when Lance is wrongly accused of committing a crime, he must go on the run and reluctantly team up with Walter to get the bad guy and clear his name. And how is he going to do that without being seen and caught? Well, just so happens that Walter has invented a way of turning humans into pigeons!
There’s nothing particularly new about the main plot of Spies in Disguise, aside from the pigeon aspect of it all of course. But it’s the fast paced action and humour that really sets this apart from the crowd and quite often reminded me of The Incredibles - great characters and great ideas all mixed together with some impressive visuals and slick action. Both Tom Holland and Will Smith are perfect in their roles and, aside from a bit of a mid-movie dip, Spies in Disguise actually proved to be hugely entertaining.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) in Movies
Nov 6, 2019
Good (enough) conclusion to the Franchise
After a few attempts at resurrecting this franchise, James Cameron has (wisely) decided to bury the franchise with one last TERMINATOR film starring the original Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. TERMINATOR: DARK FATE is a direct sequel to T2: JUDGEMENT DAY (or so says Producer/Writer Cameron) as it ignores the 3rd and 4th movies in this series (as well as the television show THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES).
And that is a wise move as it simplifies things and just lets us get on to what a Terminator movie does best - fantastic action sequences, state of the art CGI, a killer robot that will stop at nothing to accomplish it's mission, and a plucky hero or 2 to battle said killer robot.
Oh...did I mention that they recruit a Terminator to help them stop the Terminator?
And it all works well...enough. Set in this year (2019), TERMINATOR: DARK FATE tells the tale of what happens next after Sarah and John Connor stopped Judgement Day in the 2nd Terminator film. A deadly - even more dangerous - Terminator (version 9!) returns to 2019 to kill a single woman (Natalie Reyes). This time she is helped by an augmented human from the future (Mackenzie Davis) and...Sarah Connor! Returning to this film, all buffed up and aging, is a craggy voiced Linda Hamilton as Sarah, who brings an adequate amount of world-weary, "been there, done that" attitude to the proceedings that pretty much carry the first half of the film.
And...just as the film was beginning to sag in the middle, along comes Arnold.
Playing an aging Terminator (which is explained, well enough, in the plot), Arnold plays the Terminator (who has been living with humans for over 20 years) with a wink in his eye and a sense of humor about him. Yep...this is a Terminator with a funny bone. And - I'll be darned - it works! Thanks to the performance of Mr. Schwarzenegger. He knows exactly what kind of film he is in and brings the right amount of energy, muscle and humor to the proceedings. He pretty much carries this film on his broad shoulders for the 2nd half - and he carries it with ease.
Credit Director Tim Miller (DEADPOOL) for keeping things light, simple and moving along crisply. He, too, understands the type of film he is making (and the audience that will go see this type of film) so he keeps the dialogue light and snappy, the plot at it's simplest and the action as high as he can go - blowing things up at a moment's notice. It's not sublte art by any stretch of the imagination, but it is art - in a way - and art that he does well.
If this is the last Terminator film (and I hope it is), then it is going out on a high (enough) note. I was surprisingly entertained (and not preached to) and, I think that is all I could have hoped for in a Terminator flick.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And that is a wise move as it simplifies things and just lets us get on to what a Terminator movie does best - fantastic action sequences, state of the art CGI, a killer robot that will stop at nothing to accomplish it's mission, and a plucky hero or 2 to battle said killer robot.
Oh...did I mention that they recruit a Terminator to help them stop the Terminator?
And it all works well...enough. Set in this year (2019), TERMINATOR: DARK FATE tells the tale of what happens next after Sarah and John Connor stopped Judgement Day in the 2nd Terminator film. A deadly - even more dangerous - Terminator (version 9!) returns to 2019 to kill a single woman (Natalie Reyes). This time she is helped by an augmented human from the future (Mackenzie Davis) and...Sarah Connor! Returning to this film, all buffed up and aging, is a craggy voiced Linda Hamilton as Sarah, who brings an adequate amount of world-weary, "been there, done that" attitude to the proceedings that pretty much carry the first half of the film.
And...just as the film was beginning to sag in the middle, along comes Arnold.
Playing an aging Terminator (which is explained, well enough, in the plot), Arnold plays the Terminator (who has been living with humans for over 20 years) with a wink in his eye and a sense of humor about him. Yep...this is a Terminator with a funny bone. And - I'll be darned - it works! Thanks to the performance of Mr. Schwarzenegger. He knows exactly what kind of film he is in and brings the right amount of energy, muscle and humor to the proceedings. He pretty much carries this film on his broad shoulders for the 2nd half - and he carries it with ease.
Credit Director Tim Miller (DEADPOOL) for keeping things light, simple and moving along crisply. He, too, understands the type of film he is making (and the audience that will go see this type of film) so he keeps the dialogue light and snappy, the plot at it's simplest and the action as high as he can go - blowing things up at a moment's notice. It's not sublte art by any stretch of the imagination, but it is art - in a way - and art that he does well.
If this is the last Terminator film (and I hope it is), then it is going out on a high (enough) note. I was surprisingly entertained (and not preached to) and, I think that is all I could have hoped for in a Terminator flick.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Siege and Storm in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I have completely mixed feelings about Leigh Bardugo's <i>Shadow and Bone trilogy.</i> So mixed, I was scared of reading <i>Siege and Storm</i>, despite the fact the librarian pretty much promised the entire series gets better by the book.
The second book in the <i>Grisha Trilogy</i> is certainly better than <i><a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-shadow-and-bone-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shadow and Bone</a></i> – whereas Alina Starkov (aka Sun Summoner) was overly mopey for a good part of the first book (to the point where I started calling her Mopey), Alina is less mopey this time around. A fantastic turnaround, because I don't think I can handle Starkov being mopey for two books. Instead, our fabulous Sun Summoner "Saint" is a little more... overconfident. Spunky (but that's what I've always like about Alina). And definitely in control of the situation, even if it's not in her favor and there are unpleasant rumors about her floating among the Grisha and everyone else.
But even though Alina is in control of the situation for the most part, there's somehow not a love triangle, but a love <i>square</i> surrounding Saint Sun Summoner.
Boy #1 (Mal): My least favorite corner, Mal wasn't a terrible character back in <i>Shadow and Bone</i> – I actually liked Mal a little. I particularly liked his interactions and dialogue with Alina. In the sequel though... he turns into Adrian Ivashkov 1.0 (HOPEFULLY 1.0).
Boy #2 (Darkling): I shipped Alina and the Darkling back in book one... until the end. The Darkling doesn't grace us readers in <i>Siege and Storm</i> as much as he does in <i>Shadow and Bone,</i> but he's really just that one desperate dude with the way he constantly tells Alina that there's no else like them and that they "belong together."
Boy #3 (Nikolai): My third least favorite corner (aka my favorite corner), despite the fact Nikolai is probably going to end up as one of my favorite characters in the entire trilogy after I read <i>Ruin and Rising</i>. Nikolai's two things: arrogant and adorable. Arrogant because seeing as he's royalty, he'll obviously have a big head of sorts (but not too big). Adorable because of his conversations and dialogue with Alina – I pretty much ship them... even if Nikolai probably likes her for political purposes.
The world building, as it was in the first, is spectacular – Imperial Russia spectacularized into fantasy. The concept is phenomenal and a fantastic pitch – even though I have mixed feelings about the entire series altogether, the <i>Grisha Trilogy</i> definitely deserves the hype and praise.
The trilogy so far is essentially Alina running, getting caught, and running again (with attacks and whatnot in between) – if that's the case for the first and second book, I'm definitely scared of reading the last book now. It could go extremely ugly – down the rabbit hole – or extremely well – mind = blown.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
The second book in the <i>Grisha Trilogy</i> is certainly better than <i><a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-shadow-and-bone-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shadow and Bone</a></i> – whereas Alina Starkov (aka Sun Summoner) was overly mopey for a good part of the first book (to the point where I started calling her Mopey), Alina is less mopey this time around. A fantastic turnaround, because I don't think I can handle Starkov being mopey for two books. Instead, our fabulous Sun Summoner "Saint" is a little more... overconfident. Spunky (but that's what I've always like about Alina). And definitely in control of the situation, even if it's not in her favor and there are unpleasant rumors about her floating among the Grisha and everyone else.
But even though Alina is in control of the situation for the most part, there's somehow not a love triangle, but a love <i>square</i> surrounding Saint Sun Summoner.
Boy #1 (Mal): My least favorite corner, Mal wasn't a terrible character back in <i>Shadow and Bone</i> – I actually liked Mal a little. I particularly liked his interactions and dialogue with Alina. In the sequel though... he turns into Adrian Ivashkov 1.0 (HOPEFULLY 1.0).
Boy #2 (Darkling): I shipped Alina and the Darkling back in book one... until the end. The Darkling doesn't grace us readers in <i>Siege and Storm</i> as much as he does in <i>Shadow and Bone,</i> but he's really just that one desperate dude with the way he constantly tells Alina that there's no else like them and that they "belong together."
Boy #3 (Nikolai): My third least favorite corner (aka my favorite corner), despite the fact Nikolai is probably going to end up as one of my favorite characters in the entire trilogy after I read <i>Ruin and Rising</i>. Nikolai's two things: arrogant and adorable. Arrogant because seeing as he's royalty, he'll obviously have a big head of sorts (but not too big). Adorable because of his conversations and dialogue with Alina – I pretty much ship them... even if Nikolai probably likes her for political purposes.
The world building, as it was in the first, is spectacular – Imperial Russia spectacularized into fantasy. The concept is phenomenal and a fantastic pitch – even though I have mixed feelings about the entire series altogether, the <i>Grisha Trilogy</i> definitely deserves the hype and praise.
The trilogy so far is essentially Alina running, getting caught, and running again (with attacks and whatnot in between) – if that's the case for the first and second book, I'm definitely scared of reading the last book now. It could go extremely ugly – down the rabbit hole – or extremely well – mind = blown.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Gathering Frost (Once Upon a Curse, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Congratulations, Kaitlyn Davis. I've found my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling (for now) – FINALLY! (Because a lot of the other retellings I've come across have been Sleeping Beauty, and I've managed to not get along with them.)
The first book in the <i>Once Upon a Curse</i> series is <b>set up in a futuristic New York where two worlds merged as one in an earthquake</b> when Jade was younger. Years later, Jade lives in a world where a queen strips all of the inhabitants' emotions away, leaving them with no emotion. When she comes across the queen's lost son, Prince Asher, the queen sets her on a mission to be captured and trusted by the prince, eventually betraying and returning him back to the queen.
<b>There's something I really liked about <i>Gathering Frost</i> – something that Davis did here that wasn't done in other Sleeping Beauty retellings.</b> I enjoyed the futuristic world Davis creates – two worlds, one of them believed to be parallel to Earth, being merged together and a queen who takes away all emotions from her people, along with the ability to control them. Somehow, throughout all of that, <b>Davis weaves in a bit of Sleeping Beauty and make her own fairytale world as well</b> – I really liked the addition of Jade coming across the original story while staying in the rebel camp.
There's also <b>something about Davis' writing style that I really enjoyed</b>, despite the fact there were a few moments where I started questioning the grammar, or there were commas where there really shouldn't have been any commas, or there were commas thrown in when the sentence would have worked so much better as two sentences. There were some parts that were <b>just written beautifully and flowed together extremely well</b> (read: the beauty of parallel structure).
I honestly can't say too much about the characters, particularly in Jade's case. Since her emotions have been taken away by the queen, <b>it was only natural for Jade to be depicted as a cold, detached, statuesque character and focus mainly on her surroundings.</b> As Jade spends more time in the rebel camp, though, <b>she slowly starts to develop emotions and feelings, and Jade's focus seems to balance out a little with her surroundings, her past, and her newly developed emotions.</b>
With a hint on what the sequel will probably be about, Davis doesn't actually leave us on a major cliffhanger. Instead, she seems to be conveying that <b>Jade's and Asher's story definitely won't be ending with <i>Gathering Frost</i></b> – they're more than likely to appear in the second book, and I can't wait to see what Davis comes up with for her retelling of <i>Beauty and the Beast</i>.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-gathering-frost-by-kaitlyn-davis/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Congratulations, Kaitlyn Davis. I've found my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling (for now) – FINALLY! (Because a lot of the other retellings I've come across have been Sleeping Beauty, and I've managed to not get along with them.)
The first book in the <i>Once Upon a Curse</i> series is <b>set up in a futuristic New York where two worlds merged as one in an earthquake</b> when Jade was younger. Years later, Jade lives in a world where a queen strips all of the inhabitants' emotions away, leaving them with no emotion. When she comes across the queen's lost son, Prince Asher, the queen sets her on a mission to be captured and trusted by the prince, eventually betraying and returning him back to the queen.
<b>There's something I really liked about <i>Gathering Frost</i> – something that Davis did here that wasn't done in other Sleeping Beauty retellings.</b> I enjoyed the futuristic world Davis creates – two worlds, one of them believed to be parallel to Earth, being merged together and a queen who takes away all emotions from her people, along with the ability to control them. Somehow, throughout all of that, <b>Davis weaves in a bit of Sleeping Beauty and make her own fairytale world as well</b> – I really liked the addition of Jade coming across the original story while staying in the rebel camp.
There's also <b>something about Davis' writing style that I really enjoyed</b>, despite the fact there were a few moments where I started questioning the grammar, or there were commas where there really shouldn't have been any commas, or there were commas thrown in when the sentence would have worked so much better as two sentences. There were some parts that were <b>just written beautifully and flowed together extremely well</b> (read: the beauty of parallel structure).
I honestly can't say too much about the characters, particularly in Jade's case. Since her emotions have been taken away by the queen, <b>it was only natural for Jade to be depicted as a cold, detached, statuesque character and focus mainly on her surroundings.</b> As Jade spends more time in the rebel camp, though, <b>she slowly starts to develop emotions and feelings, and Jade's focus seems to balance out a little with her surroundings, her past, and her newly developed emotions.</b>
With a hint on what the sequel will probably be about, Davis doesn't actually leave us on a major cliffhanger. Instead, she seems to be conveying that <b>Jade's and Asher's story definitely won't be ending with <i>Gathering Frost</i></b> – they're more than likely to appear in the second book, and I can't wait to see what Davis comes up with for her retelling of <i>Beauty and the Beast</i>.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-gathering-frost-by-kaitlyn-davis/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>