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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Coco (2017) in Movies
Dec 11, 2017
Amazing
The Book of Life was one of my favorite films of 2014. When I first saw the trailer for Coco, it was hard not for me to draw comparisons. A celebration of the Day of the Dead. Mariachi. Centered around music. Coco brings its own flavor, however, a unique experience all its own. In fact, if it weren't for the god-awful twenty-five-minute Frozen short right before (since removed due to numerous complaints), this would have been close to a perfect moviegoing experience.
Little Miguel loves music. He has to sneak away to watch old recordings of his favorite musician Ernesto de la Cruz because the rest of his family thinks music is a curse. Following a mysterious chain of events (don't want to ruin it for you), Miguel finds himself in the Land of the Dead and must somehow find a way to get home before its too late.
The colors. Oh man, the colors. Vibrant, popping off the screen. It screams life even during the scenes in the Land of the Dead. This is one film I wish I would have seen in IMAX. The colors add an amazing pop, from the spirit animals to the city landscapes at night, making this one of the most beautiful animated films I have seen.
The colors alone are just a small touch to the overall creativity and originality behind Coco. The Land of the Dead is loaded with sights to behold, some you might miss if you blink. The attention to detail is spectacular from the cool bridge that guides the dead to the Land of the Living to the colorful spirit animals. I've seen a lot of movies and I haven't seen anything like this.
Not only are the visuals amazing, but the music holds its own as well, driving the entire story in an entertaining and powerful way. There are a lot of touching moments that revolve around the soundtrack. There will be musical numbers that make you laugh while others leave you with more of a somber feel. Maybe I cried a little. Maybe I didn't. You'll never know for sure. One thing I can say is this movie was about as touching as any I have seen this year.
Disney/Pixar is known for leaving you with a great message and Coco is no exception. Miguel was willing to follow his dreams at all costs, even if it cost him his life. How many of us can say the same? Another phenomenal job by Pixar. I give the film a 96.
Little Miguel loves music. He has to sneak away to watch old recordings of his favorite musician Ernesto de la Cruz because the rest of his family thinks music is a curse. Following a mysterious chain of events (don't want to ruin it for you), Miguel finds himself in the Land of the Dead and must somehow find a way to get home before its too late.
The colors. Oh man, the colors. Vibrant, popping off the screen. It screams life even during the scenes in the Land of the Dead. This is one film I wish I would have seen in IMAX. The colors add an amazing pop, from the spirit animals to the city landscapes at night, making this one of the most beautiful animated films I have seen.
The colors alone are just a small touch to the overall creativity and originality behind Coco. The Land of the Dead is loaded with sights to behold, some you might miss if you blink. The attention to detail is spectacular from the cool bridge that guides the dead to the Land of the Living to the colorful spirit animals. I've seen a lot of movies and I haven't seen anything like this.
Not only are the visuals amazing, but the music holds its own as well, driving the entire story in an entertaining and powerful way. There are a lot of touching moments that revolve around the soundtrack. There will be musical numbers that make you laugh while others leave you with more of a somber feel. Maybe I cried a little. Maybe I didn't. You'll never know for sure. One thing I can say is this movie was about as touching as any I have seen this year.
Disney/Pixar is known for leaving you with a great message and Coco is no exception. Miguel was willing to follow his dreams at all costs, even if it cost him his life. How many of us can say the same? Another phenomenal job by Pixar. I give the film a 96.
Annie Chanse (15 KP) rated Death is but a Dream in Books
Dec 19, 2017
Contains spoilers, click to show
*contains spoilers*
A police detective -- Callista, Callie for short -- saves a little girl from getting hit by a bus. She, herself, is then hit instead. She wakes up to find herself in the Underworld where she is taken before Hades and offered a deal. Protect his son, Plutus, and find out who wants him dead, and Hades will restore her to life. However, if Callie fails in her objective or dies while in the Underworld, she will die an eternal death, and her soul will never be allowed to have an afterlife.
It doesn't seem like a super great choice, but when a god offers you a deal, the "offering" part is really just a polite term to cover up the fact that you are going to do what that god wants you to do or your screwed. And so Callie has little choice but to accept Hades' offer. She meets several interesting characters along the way, including one of the Furies, Tisiphone, who becomes Callie's friend and ally in the Underworld.
Callie's job is complicated, however, by the fact that Hades forbids her to interview, interrogate, or even outwardly suspect any of his royal family of trying to kill his son, and even FURTHER complicated by the fact that Hades lies to her and manipulates her at every turn.
"Death is but a Dream" is a beautiful and original story of the Olympian gods, and it is quite unique in its view of Greek mythology. Perhaps the closest comparison I can make to a book/series already out there in the market is with Amber Benson's series that starts with "Death's Daughter." (I'm sorry. I can't actually remember what the series is called as a whole.) It has the same tone. Both feature strong, independent female protagonists who are thrown into a fantastical world that they want no part of, so yes, fans of Amber Benson's work will really enjoy this book, I think.
The only complaint I have is that the book could have benefited from some series editing. I had an e-book copy of the novel, and there were quite a few more errors than I would expect a published, completed book to have. Most of the errors were inconsequential -- missing commas, wrong words, etc. -- and could be easily overlooked or fixed by the reader simply inserting the correct word while reading, but still, a polished book should be as free of errors as is possible, and this book had a good number.
I still really, really enjoyed the book, though. I highly recommend it.
A police detective -- Callista, Callie for short -- saves a little girl from getting hit by a bus. She, herself, is then hit instead. She wakes up to find herself in the Underworld where she is taken before Hades and offered a deal. Protect his son, Plutus, and find out who wants him dead, and Hades will restore her to life. However, if Callie fails in her objective or dies while in the Underworld, she will die an eternal death, and her soul will never be allowed to have an afterlife.
It doesn't seem like a super great choice, but when a god offers you a deal, the "offering" part is really just a polite term to cover up the fact that you are going to do what that god wants you to do or your screwed. And so Callie has little choice but to accept Hades' offer. She meets several interesting characters along the way, including one of the Furies, Tisiphone, who becomes Callie's friend and ally in the Underworld.
Callie's job is complicated, however, by the fact that Hades forbids her to interview, interrogate, or even outwardly suspect any of his royal family of trying to kill his son, and even FURTHER complicated by the fact that Hades lies to her and manipulates her at every turn.
"Death is but a Dream" is a beautiful and original story of the Olympian gods, and it is quite unique in its view of Greek mythology. Perhaps the closest comparison I can make to a book/series already out there in the market is with Amber Benson's series that starts with "Death's Daughter." (I'm sorry. I can't actually remember what the series is called as a whole.) It has the same tone. Both feature strong, independent female protagonists who are thrown into a fantastical world that they want no part of, so yes, fans of Amber Benson's work will really enjoy this book, I think.
The only complaint I have is that the book could have benefited from some series editing. I had an e-book copy of the novel, and there were quite a few more errors than I would expect a published, completed book to have. Most of the errors were inconsequential -- missing commas, wrong words, etc. -- and could be easily overlooked or fixed by the reader simply inserting the correct word while reading, but still, a polished book should be as free of errors as is possible, and this book had a good number.
I still really, really enjoyed the book, though. I highly recommend it.
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Iron Man 3 (2013) in Movies
May 10, 2019 (Updated May 10, 2019)
"i am iron man 2.0"
Marking the commencement of the second phase of Marvel Cinematic Universe after the first one culminated with The Avengers, Iron Man 3 presents a definite improvement over its insufferably insipid predecessor but it still falls short of the magical experience that was the first Iron Man film. However, it does carry a new energy & has a refreshing vibe to it, thanks to the new director at helm.
Iron Man 3 continues the story of Tony Stark who's recovering from post-traumatic stress caused by the events of The Avengers. Unable to sleep & genuinely afraid of losing what he loves, Stark's life is turned upside down after he issues a threat to a radical terrorist who retaliates by destroying his personal world, leaving him far more vulnerable than ever before & forcing him to rebuild from the scratch.
Co-written & directed by Shane Black, Iron Man 3 really benefits from a fresh perspective & is an enjoyable ride for the most part but is also marred by its attempt to try out way too many things at once, out of which only a few work out in a convincing manner. Technical aspects are finely executed for its Cinematography favours a slightly darker tone, Editing steadily paces its narrative while Brian Tyler's score adds more vibrancy to its plot.
Coming to the performances, Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley & Rebecca Hall join the reprising cast & ably fill up their given roles while Robert Downey Jr. once again manages to impress the most. The best thing about this sequel is the position it puts Tony Stark in & Downey Jr. does a terrific job in bringing that vulnerability on the screen. Also, while I was a bit furious at what they did with Iron Man's arch-nemesis, I did later warm up to what their intent was here.
On an overall scale, Iron Man 3 is a solid follow up to Iron Man & you don't even have to go through the crap that was Iron Man 2 to get to this one. The film's intent to cover the darker issues at hand while keeping itself light-hearted & plenty of fun is a combination that doesn't gel so well, is at friction on many occasions & is bound to divide its viewers, but its improvement over everything that was so wrong with its predecessor nevertheless makes it a welcome chapter, if not a worthy one.
Iron Man 3 continues the story of Tony Stark who's recovering from post-traumatic stress caused by the events of The Avengers. Unable to sleep & genuinely afraid of losing what he loves, Stark's life is turned upside down after he issues a threat to a radical terrorist who retaliates by destroying his personal world, leaving him far more vulnerable than ever before & forcing him to rebuild from the scratch.
Co-written & directed by Shane Black, Iron Man 3 really benefits from a fresh perspective & is an enjoyable ride for the most part but is also marred by its attempt to try out way too many things at once, out of which only a few work out in a convincing manner. Technical aspects are finely executed for its Cinematography favours a slightly darker tone, Editing steadily paces its narrative while Brian Tyler's score adds more vibrancy to its plot.
Coming to the performances, Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley & Rebecca Hall join the reprising cast & ably fill up their given roles while Robert Downey Jr. once again manages to impress the most. The best thing about this sequel is the position it puts Tony Stark in & Downey Jr. does a terrific job in bringing that vulnerability on the screen. Also, while I was a bit furious at what they did with Iron Man's arch-nemesis, I did later warm up to what their intent was here.
On an overall scale, Iron Man 3 is a solid follow up to Iron Man & you don't even have to go through the crap that was Iron Man 2 to get to this one. The film's intent to cover the darker issues at hand while keeping itself light-hearted & plenty of fun is a combination that doesn't gel so well, is at friction on many occasions & is bound to divide its viewers, but its improvement over everything that was so wrong with its predecessor nevertheless makes it a welcome chapter, if not a worthy one.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Nearness of You in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Suzette and Hyland have a happy marriage and a busy life when Hyland surprises his wife with the news that he really wants a child. Married fifteen years, children had always been off the table, as Suzette did not want to pass on the genes of her mother, a woman who gave Suzette a horrifying and unstable childhood and eventually wound up in a mental institution. But Hyland proposes a new solution: what if they use a surrogate, with his sperm and a surrogate's egg? Suzette, a busy and successful heart surgeon, reluctantly agrees. Even though there are some red flags, the couple eventually chooses young Dorrie, a woman who wants to use the surrogate fees to go to college. Dorrie and Hyland bond, and Suzette realizes she must get on board with the idea. But soon Dorrie will make some decisions that will affect everyone in this new trio.
I am a bit conflicted about this novel. Ward wrote [book:The Same Sky|22716408], which is a beautiful novel and one everyone should read in this current political climate. It's hard not to compare others to that magical book, and this one did fall short. She does, however, have a way of weaving stories with her words, and while I wasn't nearly as attached to the characters in this novel, I still found myself reading the last half of the book somewhat compulsively.
The novel started out slow, but picked up about 1/4 through, with a twist in the plot. It's told from a shifting rotation of perspectives, including Suzette, Dorrie, and Hyland. There are some large shifts in time as the novel progresses, which did make it harder to attach to some of the characters. None of the plot twists are exactly surprise, as they are foreshadowed a bit in each character's description: this is more of a character-driven novel versus a shocking dramatic novel. Still, even though I tore through the last half of the novel, I just felt the book lacked something, and I felt a tad let down by a story and characters that weren't completely fully developed (the ending is a bit abrupt as well). I enjoyed the perspectives on motherhood that the novel offered, but felt there could be more. That's not to say the novel isn't worth reading; Ward is a wonderful writer, but I just felt a little perplexed and frustrated when this one ended. I had hoped for more.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 02/21/2017.
I am a bit conflicted about this novel. Ward wrote [book:The Same Sky|22716408], which is a beautiful novel and one everyone should read in this current political climate. It's hard not to compare others to that magical book, and this one did fall short. She does, however, have a way of weaving stories with her words, and while I wasn't nearly as attached to the characters in this novel, I still found myself reading the last half of the book somewhat compulsively.
The novel started out slow, but picked up about 1/4 through, with a twist in the plot. It's told from a shifting rotation of perspectives, including Suzette, Dorrie, and Hyland. There are some large shifts in time as the novel progresses, which did make it harder to attach to some of the characters. None of the plot twists are exactly surprise, as they are foreshadowed a bit in each character's description: this is more of a character-driven novel versus a shocking dramatic novel. Still, even though I tore through the last half of the novel, I just felt the book lacked something, and I felt a tad let down by a story and characters that weren't completely fully developed (the ending is a bit abrupt as well). I enjoyed the perspectives on motherhood that the novel offered, but felt there could be more. That's not to say the novel isn't worth reading; Ward is a wonderful writer, but I just felt a little perplexed and frustrated when this one ended. I had hoped for more.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 02/21/2017.
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin, #1) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
I enjoyed this book, and plan to go on to the next book in the series, [b:Web of Lies|6933152|Web of Lies (Elemental Assassin, #2)|Jennifer Estep|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1262902266s/6933152.jpg|7164540]. I'm hoping that [a:Jennifer Estep|580315|Jennifer Estep|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1264385515p2/580315.jpg] grows as an author, though, as the foreshadowing regarding the real "big bad" as well as the revelation of a fact important to the main character were both rather clumsily done, in my opinion.
I'm aware of another series by Estep, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/44008-bigtime">Bigtime</a>;. I was thinking of reading it, but it was written earlier than the <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/47271-elemental-assassin">Elemental Assassin</a> series, and now I'm not so sure about whether I want to read it or not. Estep's characters are interesting, but I'm not sure that they're interesting enough to hold me through writing that's less polished than [b:Spider's Bite|6611038|Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin, #1)|Jennifer Estep|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1254292883s/6611038.jpg|6805023]. Then again, I've certainly read worse. I suppose it all depends on what I happen to have in hand at any given time. I'd be more likely to read it if there were short stories available similar to the ones on Estep's web site that drew me in to this series.
I didn't do reviews for those, but there are three stories that occur chronologically before [b:Spider's Bite|6611038|Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin, #1)|Jennifer Estep|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1254292883s/6611038.jpg|6805023]: [b:Poison|10869243|Poison (Elemental Assassin #0.5)|Jennifer Estep|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|15784488] [b:Web of Deceit|11478192|Web of Deceit (Elemental Assassin #0.75)|Jennifer Estep|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|16413134] and [b:Spider's Bargain|11478167|Spider's Bargain (Elemental Assassin #0.90)|Jennifer Estep|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|16413109]. Reading them certainly isn't necessary to enjoy the novel, and it's definitely better to avoid reading [b:Web of Deceit|11478192|Web of Deceit (Elemental Assassin #0.75)|Jennifer Estep|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|16413134] first. They are good stories, though, and I do recommend that anyone who enjoys Estep's work seek them out in order to enjoy the additional bits of information gained in them. For instance, [b:Spider's Bargain|11478167|Spider's Bargain (Elemental Assassin #0.90)|Jennifer Estep|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|16413109] is the story of an event that is pivotal to Gin and Caine's relationship, and its consequences are likely to continue echoing through the next few volumes of the series.
I'm aware of another series by Estep, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/44008-bigtime">Bigtime</a>;. I was thinking of reading it, but it was written earlier than the <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/47271-elemental-assassin">Elemental Assassin</a> series, and now I'm not so sure about whether I want to read it or not. Estep's characters are interesting, but I'm not sure that they're interesting enough to hold me through writing that's less polished than [b:Spider's Bite|6611038|Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin, #1)|Jennifer Estep|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1254292883s/6611038.jpg|6805023]. Then again, I've certainly read worse. I suppose it all depends on what I happen to have in hand at any given time. I'd be more likely to read it if there were short stories available similar to the ones on Estep's web site that drew me in to this series.
I didn't do reviews for those, but there are three stories that occur chronologically before [b:Spider's Bite|6611038|Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin, #1)|Jennifer Estep|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1254292883s/6611038.jpg|6805023]: [b:Poison|10869243|Poison (Elemental Assassin #0.5)|Jennifer Estep|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|15784488] [b:Web of Deceit|11478192|Web of Deceit (Elemental Assassin #0.75)|Jennifer Estep|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|16413134] and [b:Spider's Bargain|11478167|Spider's Bargain (Elemental Assassin #0.90)|Jennifer Estep|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|16413109]. Reading them certainly isn't necessary to enjoy the novel, and it's definitely better to avoid reading [b:Web of Deceit|11478192|Web of Deceit (Elemental Assassin #0.75)|Jennifer Estep|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|16413134] first. They are good stories, though, and I do recommend that anyone who enjoys Estep's work seek them out in order to enjoy the additional bits of information gained in them. For instance, [b:Spider's Bargain|11478167|Spider's Bargain (Elemental Assassin #0.90)|Jennifer Estep|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|16413109] is the story of an event that is pivotal to Gin and Caine's relationship, and its consequences are likely to continue echoing through the next few volumes of the series.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Last Dickens in Books
Nov 18, 2019
I will hold my hand up to two things at the start of this review. Firstly I am drawn to fiction based on other fiction, and secondly I'm not a big Dickens fan. For various reasons I just don't find him an interesting read.
However I can't deny his impact as a novelist at a time when reading as a past time was only just reaching the masses. And so this book looked intriguing.
Primarily set immediately after the death of the famous author, having completed exactly half of the installments of his latest book - The Mystery of Edwin Drood - James Osgood, the junior partner in his American publishers is sent to England to try to track down any other parts of the manuscript.
However dark forces are afoot; there are two murders related to the Dickens papers in short order and Osgood is attacked on the ship to England. Clearly someone does not want any more of Drood to be published.
Pearl has taken one of the greatest literary mysteries of all (there really are no clues about how Drood was supposed to conclude) and wrapped it in another fictional conundrum. He has clearly researched all of the details very well and uses real people - including Osgood and Dickens himself- along with fictional characters to tell the story. This gives the plot a certain solidity because so much of it is based in reality, with the fabricated parts showing through the cracks.
The narrative moves between 1870 and Osgood's quest, to India at the same time where Frank Dickens (son of Charles) is investigating drug smuggling and to 1868 when Dickens is performing a reading tour of America.
The plot is more-or-less highly plausible, just some coincidental points that require a little suspension of disbelief. The writing is excellent throughout, highly descriptive and particularly good at capturing the personalities of the characters (as would be expected given how carefully this has been researched). There are several action scenes at the book progresses and these are handled well. The villains are unmasked in classical style, gloating with our heroes apparently doomed only for the tables to be turned.
Honestly I was expecting this to be reasonably interesting, highlighting aspects of Dickens' life and death with a little light murder mystery thrown in. In the end I would call this nothing less than a triumph and will definitely be looking to read more of Pearl's work.
It's still not tempted me to read any Dickens, though...
However I can't deny his impact as a novelist at a time when reading as a past time was only just reaching the masses. And so this book looked intriguing.
Primarily set immediately after the death of the famous author, having completed exactly half of the installments of his latest book - The Mystery of Edwin Drood - James Osgood, the junior partner in his American publishers is sent to England to try to track down any other parts of the manuscript.
However dark forces are afoot; there are two murders related to the Dickens papers in short order and Osgood is attacked on the ship to England. Clearly someone does not want any more of Drood to be published.
Pearl has taken one of the greatest literary mysteries of all (there really are no clues about how Drood was supposed to conclude) and wrapped it in another fictional conundrum. He has clearly researched all of the details very well and uses real people - including Osgood and Dickens himself- along with fictional characters to tell the story. This gives the plot a certain solidity because so much of it is based in reality, with the fabricated parts showing through the cracks.
The narrative moves between 1870 and Osgood's quest, to India at the same time where Frank Dickens (son of Charles) is investigating drug smuggling and to 1868 when Dickens is performing a reading tour of America.
The plot is more-or-less highly plausible, just some coincidental points that require a little suspension of disbelief. The writing is excellent throughout, highly descriptive and particularly good at capturing the personalities of the characters (as would be expected given how carefully this has been researched). There are several action scenes at the book progresses and these are handled well. The villains are unmasked in classical style, gloating with our heroes apparently doomed only for the tables to be turned.
Honestly I was expecting this to be reasonably interesting, highlighting aspects of Dickens' life and death with a little light murder mystery thrown in. In the end I would call this nothing less than a triumph and will definitely be looking to read more of Pearl's work.
It's still not tempted me to read any Dickens, though...
Lee (2222 KP) rated 1917 (2020) in Movies
Jan 11, 2020
British soldiers Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are taking a well earned rest in a peaceful French field when they are summoned to a meeting down in the trenches with General Erinmore (Colin Firth). Having believed that the Germans had retreated, and were now on the run, the General has now learned that they are in fact armed to the teeth and lying in wait for the unsuspecting battalion of 1600 Brits who are preparing to advance on them. Unfortunately, that battalion is quite a distance across country, and with telephone lines currently out of action, Blake and Schofield have been tasked by the General with delivering the message to call off the attack. And the reason for choosing Blake? His brother is one of the 1600 likely to meet their death if the message isn’t received before they attack the following morning.
The big talking point surrounding 1917 has been the ‘single shot’ effect that it uses in order to tell its story. We effectively follow Blake and Schofield in real time as they undertake their mission, with only a single camera shot tracking them, and only noticeably cutting away just once. The result is outstanding, delivering a seamless and fully immersive experience unlike anything you’ve experienced before, outside of a first person shooter video game.
Late last year, a short behind the scenes video for 1917 was released, showing how they’d used cameras hanging from wires, which were then passed to guys on foot, then to guys on vehicles, back and forth in order to achieve the effect. The result is that the camera glides effortlessly around the soldiers in the trenches and on the battlefields, through barbed wire and across bodies of water filled with rotting corpses. You feel the tension and all of the emotion right there, right alongside the soldiers who are experiencing it. It’s a truly amazing technical achievement.
Their journey takes them across no mans land, across the war-torn countryside, avoiding danger and all other obstacles in their way. And it’s edge of seat stuff, aided by an amazing heart pumping score and that incredible camera work. Hats off to George Mackay as Schofield too, who carries the majority of the movie and is really put through the wringer.
1917 has already earned itself a Golden Globe, and nine BAFTA nominations, just this last week alone. And it deserves it all. Bold, ambitious storytelling, and an early contender for this years best movie.
The big talking point surrounding 1917 has been the ‘single shot’ effect that it uses in order to tell its story. We effectively follow Blake and Schofield in real time as they undertake their mission, with only a single camera shot tracking them, and only noticeably cutting away just once. The result is outstanding, delivering a seamless and fully immersive experience unlike anything you’ve experienced before, outside of a first person shooter video game.
Late last year, a short behind the scenes video for 1917 was released, showing how they’d used cameras hanging from wires, which were then passed to guys on foot, then to guys on vehicles, back and forth in order to achieve the effect. The result is that the camera glides effortlessly around the soldiers in the trenches and on the battlefields, through barbed wire and across bodies of water filled with rotting corpses. You feel the tension and all of the emotion right there, right alongside the soldiers who are experiencing it. It’s a truly amazing technical achievement.
Their journey takes them across no mans land, across the war-torn countryside, avoiding danger and all other obstacles in their way. And it’s edge of seat stuff, aided by an amazing heart pumping score and that incredible camera work. Hats off to George Mackay as Schofield too, who carries the majority of the movie and is really put through the wringer.
1917 has already earned itself a Golden Globe, and nine BAFTA nominations, just this last week alone. And it deserves it all. Bold, ambitious storytelling, and an early contender for this years best movie.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Rhythm Section (2019) in Movies
Feb 2, 2020
Beats Me
The Rhythm Section is mismatch of La Femme Nikita, Atomic Blonde and all the Bourne films however it constantly skips so many beats that it just cant keep up the pace let alone be put in the same league as any of them. I feel the Spy film genre had largely started to become lazy over the last few years it seems like directors go for either style over substance or just replicate whats already been done and The Rhythm Section seems to try its hand at both. Its a film that im not entirely sure we needed because its filled with genre cliches and relocations of scenes/ideas from other films that have done it much better. Our main character for instance is liffted straight from La Femme Nikita and not only is her transformation process almost exactly the same but the way she looks becomes near identical too. Music integration is ripped from Atomic Blonde it just takes place in a different decade and what litte action sequences there are have been seen in the Bourne films. So as you can imagine I spent most of the film sat thinking "what is the point?", "why do I need to see this again?" and as the film traveled along the same old tracks boredom and fatigue started to settle in. Now im not saying Blake Lively or Jude Law are bad far from it they are both just miscast and deserve much better than this (if anything their scenes and chemistry together are the only thing saving this movie from being a total wash out). Theres almost no point in talking about the story because its of the most generic forgettable kind and while there is some suspense and excitement to be had its in relatively brief burts for a film that has a run time of nearly two hours. During these two hours nothing really happenes either and thats its biggest problem nothing feels like its been achieved and its final pay off especially feels disappointingly weak and higly unfulfilling. I would say theres about 3 short action scenes total and while the fight choreography is splendid and the car chase is exhilarating they are over in a flash and you are again subject to tedium before you arrive at another. End of the day I feel this movie wasted my time and while its not by any means horrible its just extremely unnecessary. Even last years Anna was way more fun and exciting than this.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated I'm Lost I'm Lost in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Im Lost Im Lost by Ruth Passmore is a little bit on the misleading side. The cover of this book depicts animals and a train. Potential readers should be aware that although the front cover depicts a train the book has absolutely nothing to do with them (a big disappointment to my two-year-old who loves trains). I know you should never judge a book by its cover by a childrens book may not be the best idea to practice that idea. At the same time, this is a counting book and aside from the numbers on the train cars, the front cover does not hint at this at all, although the back of the book dose.
Baby animals are lost and trying to find their way home in this short counting book. Readers start with a classical animal issue, a cat stuck in a tree. With the aid of very simple illustrations, readers are introduced to nine other animal species, ending with ten baby kangaroos.
What I liked best it that the idea behind this book is great. Counting is a fundamental skill that all children must learn and this book does so in a fun way. Children frequently have a fascination with animals and this book mixes animals with learning in a way children would not notice. The repetitive pattern is also nice for children. What I did not like is that some of the choices in animal types are questionable as they could be difficult for young children to read such as tortoises, hedgehogs, and kangaroos. Also on six out of ten pages, a specific number of animals is given but technically it is wrong. For example page, one says there is one cat stuck and a friend (witch according to the picture is also a cat) helps it, the same issue arises on multiple pages (page three has four fish on it not just the three that are lost). This is very confusing to young children.
Toddlers and their parents are the target readers for this book. Parents will enjoy reading this counting book to their young children. Young readers will enjoy the repetitive pattern of the story. The names of some animals may prove difficult to some young readers and they may need help if reading it on their own. I give this book a 1 out of 2 rating. Although a cute book, I would not necessarily recommend it as an educational book. While there is nothing wrong with the text, the illustrations could be confusing when it comes to counting.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com
Baby animals are lost and trying to find their way home in this short counting book. Readers start with a classical animal issue, a cat stuck in a tree. With the aid of very simple illustrations, readers are introduced to nine other animal species, ending with ten baby kangaroos.
What I liked best it that the idea behind this book is great. Counting is a fundamental skill that all children must learn and this book does so in a fun way. Children frequently have a fascination with animals and this book mixes animals with learning in a way children would not notice. The repetitive pattern is also nice for children. What I did not like is that some of the choices in animal types are questionable as they could be difficult for young children to read such as tortoises, hedgehogs, and kangaroos. Also on six out of ten pages, a specific number of animals is given but technically it is wrong. For example page, one says there is one cat stuck and a friend (witch according to the picture is also a cat) helps it, the same issue arises on multiple pages (page three has four fish on it not just the three that are lost). This is very confusing to young children.
Toddlers and their parents are the target readers for this book. Parents will enjoy reading this counting book to their young children. Young readers will enjoy the repetitive pattern of the story. The names of some animals may prove difficult to some young readers and they may need help if reading it on their own. I give this book a 1 out of 2 rating. Although a cute book, I would not necessarily recommend it as an educational book. While there is nothing wrong with the text, the illustrations could be confusing when it comes to counting.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Playing with Fire (2019) in Movies
Jan 9, 2020
Seeing the trailer for this I was mildly excited, this sort of daft family humour holds a place in my heart and it looked like I was going to get another film to add to the "pick me up" watchlist. But oh my, everything about this experience rubbed me the wrong way.
Jake Carson runs a rugged group of smokejumpers that swoop into action and stop fires from taking hold. On their latest callout they find a cabin about to be engulfed by flames and trapped inside are three children in need of help.
Following the rules, Jake calls Child Protective Services, but being so remote they won't be able to get to them quickly. It's now their duty to keep the three of them safe until they arrive. Four grown men, three kids... what could possibly go wrong?
Where to start? How about that humour I was looking forward to? Or perhaps the severe lack of it. Over the whole runtime I laughed more at the end credits that I did at the whole film. Keegan-Michael Key is by far the funniest thing about the film, but it still isn't a perfect part. Key's way of sliding into scenes and just taking over was excellent, it made me smile, but when these moments started he was funny with just the right amount of over the top but the script would quite often throw him over that fine line and it became tiresome.
John Cena generally isn't bad when it comes to comedy offerings, but in Playing With Fire he's very stiff even for the by-the-books character he's playing. It felt like Jake had been made too straight-laced, he needs to make the transition from uptight to more relaxed but they could have brought it down just one step and it would have been something a lot easier to watch.
Brianna Hildebrand plays the oldest of the rescued children, Brynn. She gives a solid performance and probably has the best character overall, no frustrating quirks, nothing over the top. While she manages to make a good show of it being up against the over the top nature of everything else means it gets lost in the background.
While there might be a twist on the sort of story it doesn't feel new in any respects. I'm feeling rather let down with the whole thing but thankfully we're not short of other films that do this exact thing.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/01/playing-with-fire-movie-review.html
Jake Carson runs a rugged group of smokejumpers that swoop into action and stop fires from taking hold. On their latest callout they find a cabin about to be engulfed by flames and trapped inside are three children in need of help.
Following the rules, Jake calls Child Protective Services, but being so remote they won't be able to get to them quickly. It's now their duty to keep the three of them safe until they arrive. Four grown men, three kids... what could possibly go wrong?
Where to start? How about that humour I was looking forward to? Or perhaps the severe lack of it. Over the whole runtime I laughed more at the end credits that I did at the whole film. Keegan-Michael Key is by far the funniest thing about the film, but it still isn't a perfect part. Key's way of sliding into scenes and just taking over was excellent, it made me smile, but when these moments started he was funny with just the right amount of over the top but the script would quite often throw him over that fine line and it became tiresome.
John Cena generally isn't bad when it comes to comedy offerings, but in Playing With Fire he's very stiff even for the by-the-books character he's playing. It felt like Jake had been made too straight-laced, he needs to make the transition from uptight to more relaxed but they could have brought it down just one step and it would have been something a lot easier to watch.
Brianna Hildebrand plays the oldest of the rescued children, Brynn. She gives a solid performance and probably has the best character overall, no frustrating quirks, nothing over the top. While she manages to make a good show of it being up against the over the top nature of everything else means it gets lost in the background.
While there might be a twist on the sort of story it doesn't feel new in any respects. I'm feeling rather let down with the whole thing but thankfully we're not short of other films that do this exact thing.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/01/playing-with-fire-movie-review.html