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Darren (1599 KP) rated This Is England (2007) in Movies
Dec 2, 2019
Verdict: Gritty, Hard Hitting Reality Check
Story: This is England starts as young boy Shaun (Turgoose) is struggling with the death of his father in conflict in 1983, he gets picked on at school, he doesn’t fit in, until a group of skinheads led by Woody (Gilgun) welcoming him into their circle of friends for an afternoon of trouble, while his mother Cynth (Hartley) isn’t completely happy with this group, she does see him being happy for the first time in years.
When the other leader of the group Combo (Graham) gets out of prisons, he brings a more aggressive nature to what the gang wants to be, despite Woody, just wanting it to be friends hanging out.
Thoughts on This is England
Characters – Shaun is a 12-year-old boy that has suffered with the loss of his own father’s death in the Falklands, he gets bullied by the other school kids and has always just been left feeling alone in the world. The only people that let him in are Woody and the gang of skin heads who just want to hang out and soon gets drawn into a darker side by the more aggressive leaders of the gang. Combo is the older leader of the gang that doesn’t hold back with his hatred to other races in his country, he will fight anybody who goes again his gang too, being a horrendous role model for Shaun. Cynth is the mother of Shaun, she wants to see her son enjoying his life more but is getting worried about his own life choices. Woody is the member of the skin head gang that invites Shaun into the gang, he wants to help him fight back against the bullies, by offering somebody to hang out with.
Performances – Thomas Turgoose in the leading role is fantastic as we see just how he is dealing with his own grief in all the wrong places. Stephen Graham steals the show with his hyper aggressive character, while the rest of the cast do make us feel like we are watching mates hanging out.
Story – The story here follows a 12-year-old boy that ends up joining a skinhead gang after he struggles to find a way to deal with the grief in his life from his father’s death. The story does tackle just how difficult grief could be for the children of the victims of war, with Shaun having his school friends pick on him because of his father’s death, which in todays, not the 80s wouldn’t be acceptable in anyway, with everybody being more supportive. The idea of joining the gang and just how the gang soon starts to consume his life, effecting his behaviour shows how being given the wrong lines to follow will not make life any easier. We do see how the world has changed since the 80s and how the skinhead culture should never be forced onto anybody.
Crime – The crime world we get placed into here it, involves the violent behaviour of the skinhead gangs to anybody that doesn’t fit into their profile.
Settings – The film is set in the midlands of the UK which does show the neighbours that would have been struggling in the 1980s.
Scene of the Movie – The first day out with the gang.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – 12-year-old dating an 18-year-old seems weird.
Final Thoughts – This film does show the violence being pushed onto people if they can’t deal with grief when they have nobody else in their lives.
Overall: Violent Drama.
Story: This is England starts as young boy Shaun (Turgoose) is struggling with the death of his father in conflict in 1983, he gets picked on at school, he doesn’t fit in, until a group of skinheads led by Woody (Gilgun) welcoming him into their circle of friends for an afternoon of trouble, while his mother Cynth (Hartley) isn’t completely happy with this group, she does see him being happy for the first time in years.
When the other leader of the group Combo (Graham) gets out of prisons, he brings a more aggressive nature to what the gang wants to be, despite Woody, just wanting it to be friends hanging out.
Thoughts on This is England
Characters – Shaun is a 12-year-old boy that has suffered with the loss of his own father’s death in the Falklands, he gets bullied by the other school kids and has always just been left feeling alone in the world. The only people that let him in are Woody and the gang of skin heads who just want to hang out and soon gets drawn into a darker side by the more aggressive leaders of the gang. Combo is the older leader of the gang that doesn’t hold back with his hatred to other races in his country, he will fight anybody who goes again his gang too, being a horrendous role model for Shaun. Cynth is the mother of Shaun, she wants to see her son enjoying his life more but is getting worried about his own life choices. Woody is the member of the skin head gang that invites Shaun into the gang, he wants to help him fight back against the bullies, by offering somebody to hang out with.
Performances – Thomas Turgoose in the leading role is fantastic as we see just how he is dealing with his own grief in all the wrong places. Stephen Graham steals the show with his hyper aggressive character, while the rest of the cast do make us feel like we are watching mates hanging out.
Story – The story here follows a 12-year-old boy that ends up joining a skinhead gang after he struggles to find a way to deal with the grief in his life from his father’s death. The story does tackle just how difficult grief could be for the children of the victims of war, with Shaun having his school friends pick on him because of his father’s death, which in todays, not the 80s wouldn’t be acceptable in anyway, with everybody being more supportive. The idea of joining the gang and just how the gang soon starts to consume his life, effecting his behaviour shows how being given the wrong lines to follow will not make life any easier. We do see how the world has changed since the 80s and how the skinhead culture should never be forced onto anybody.
Crime – The crime world we get placed into here it, involves the violent behaviour of the skinhead gangs to anybody that doesn’t fit into their profile.
Settings – The film is set in the midlands of the UK which does show the neighbours that would have been struggling in the 1980s.
Scene of the Movie – The first day out with the gang.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – 12-year-old dating an 18-year-old seems weird.
Final Thoughts – This film does show the violence being pushed onto people if they can’t deal with grief when they have nobody else in their lives.
Overall: Violent Drama.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Neverland Wars (The Neverland Wars, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>I suppose one DNF wasn’t enough and the universe had to be cruel enough for me to DNF two books in a row last year, including <em>The Neverland Wars</em>.
It’s a horrible, horrible curse to have. *sigh* This might have been payback for having a good reading streak. (I swear, I tried my best to suffer through <a href="https://thenovelistics.blogspot.com/2017/11/27-hours-by-tristina-wright-arc-review.html">27 Hours</a> and this one, but it <em>DID NOT HAPPEN</em>.)
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Why You Should Skip Past <em>The Neverland Wars</em> and Never Look Back</strong></h2>
<p style="text-align: left;">Granted if you can deal with the things I found annoying, I won’t stop you, but I found so many issues in <em>The Neverland Wars</em> that I just couldn’t continue past the point I actually finished (which was 10% I think…).
Actually, props to you.
<h3><strong>Gwen is so unemotional</strong></h3>
She’s more unemotional than ME! And I’ve been told I’m very cold, but I’m secretly a soft and fuzzy bean who is sensitive and emotional. But Gwen… Gwen is <em>robotic</em> - she doesn’t care about makeup, clothes, school, math, etc. etc. You can’t be that impassive, can you? Or can you.
Honestly, about 5% and onward I wanted to throw a shit pillow at Gwen and ask DO YOU CARE ABOUT ANYTHING. WHAT IS WORTH YOUR TIME.
Also yes, I’m shouting into the void… because it’s what I would do to Gwen probably.
<h3><strong>Weird descriptions</strong></h3>
There is this one paragraph or two about hormones and tiny bugs and while it might be really accurate, I quote Elena: IT’S STRANGE. (You're likely to find this in a book excerpt somewhere.)
<h3><strong>“Gwen found herself wondering if skin-tight jeans and sex on the beach really were supposed to be the height of teenage ambition.”</strong></h3>
Honestly, this whole quote is an entire reason because first of all, teenagers are not all about sex. Second, sex isn’t necessarily done on a beach (and there’s all that sand…). Third, as a teenager, I preferred loose pants that were warm and comfy. Fourth, sex and skin-tight jeans are not the height of teenage ambition. In fact, this is extremely false.
<h3><strong>The amount of repetition</strong></h3>
I get it, Gwen doesn’t care about anything. She has no emotion. She doesn’t like makeup, she doesn’t like school (I think?), she doesn’t like anything! Big whoop. There was a certain point in the book that I started counting exactly how many times in how many ways Gwen was telling us how she didn’t care or how she found it unnecessary, etc. etc.
<h3><strong>Gwen just cared about one thing</strong></h3>
If Gwen ever showed signs of caring about something or someone, it was fantasizing over a crush. (And wait for it… he’s Mr. Most Popular Boy at School. Why am I not surprised?)
I wish I could have enjoyed <em>The Neverland Wars</em>, but that’s not happening. On the bright side, at least all of my reads of 2017 had some pretty covers.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/neverland-wars-by-audrey-greathouse/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
It’s a horrible, horrible curse to have. *sigh* This might have been payback for having a good reading streak. (I swear, I tried my best to suffer through <a href="https://thenovelistics.blogspot.com/2017/11/27-hours-by-tristina-wright-arc-review.html">27 Hours</a> and this one, but it <em>DID NOT HAPPEN</em>.)
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Why You Should Skip Past <em>The Neverland Wars</em> and Never Look Back</strong></h2>
<p style="text-align: left;">Granted if you can deal with the things I found annoying, I won’t stop you, but I found so many issues in <em>The Neverland Wars</em> that I just couldn’t continue past the point I actually finished (which was 10% I think…).
Actually, props to you.
<h3><strong>Gwen is so unemotional</strong></h3>
She’s more unemotional than ME! And I’ve been told I’m very cold, but I’m secretly a soft and fuzzy bean who is sensitive and emotional. But Gwen… Gwen is <em>robotic</em> - she doesn’t care about makeup, clothes, school, math, etc. etc. You can’t be that impassive, can you? Or can you.
Honestly, about 5% and onward I wanted to throw a shit pillow at Gwen and ask DO YOU CARE ABOUT ANYTHING. WHAT IS WORTH YOUR TIME.
Also yes, I’m shouting into the void… because it’s what I would do to Gwen probably.
<h3><strong>Weird descriptions</strong></h3>
There is this one paragraph or two about hormones and tiny bugs and while it might be really accurate, I quote Elena: IT’S STRANGE. (You're likely to find this in a book excerpt somewhere.)
<h3><strong>“Gwen found herself wondering if skin-tight jeans and sex on the beach really were supposed to be the height of teenage ambition.”</strong></h3>
Honestly, this whole quote is an entire reason because first of all, teenagers are not all about sex. Second, sex isn’t necessarily done on a beach (and there’s all that sand…). Third, as a teenager, I preferred loose pants that were warm and comfy. Fourth, sex and skin-tight jeans are not the height of teenage ambition. In fact, this is extremely false.
<h3><strong>The amount of repetition</strong></h3>
I get it, Gwen doesn’t care about anything. She has no emotion. She doesn’t like makeup, she doesn’t like school (I think?), she doesn’t like anything! Big whoop. There was a certain point in the book that I started counting exactly how many times in how many ways Gwen was telling us how she didn’t care or how she found it unnecessary, etc. etc.
<h3><strong>Gwen just cared about one thing</strong></h3>
If Gwen ever showed signs of caring about something or someone, it was fantasizing over a crush. (And wait for it… he’s Mr. Most Popular Boy at School. Why am I not surprised?)
I wish I could have enjoyed <em>The Neverland Wars</em>, but that’s not happening. On the bright side, at least all of my reads of 2017 had some pretty covers.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/neverland-wars-by-audrey-greathouse/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
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Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Touch in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I can't say I really expected the 2nd novel published by the pseudonymous Claire North to be as good as the 1st ("The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August"), but luckily for me my expectations were handily exceeded. Our protagonist, Kepler, is a being that is able to occupy the body of any person simply by touching them and jumping into their skin. As a result, Kepler, whose sex is never stated, has been able to survive for many lifetimes as a variety of hosts. Things begin with both Kepler, and its current host being framed for several murders and pursued by a mysterious organization, which exists solely to hunt down those with this unique ability. I can't say much more without giving things away, but suffice it to say things move pretty briskly from the get go. Many interesting characters are met along the way, both in the present and in the many flashbacks to Kepler's past "lives", and there are several instances that smartly reference common experiences to make one wonder if just maybe, such a thing could be possible. When we reach the conclusion I didn't really want it to end, but what an ending it is, with an action packed chase sequence that takes place somewhere I won't mention, which would make for a spectacular movie setpiece. This had somewhat fewer "cerebral" moments than Ms. North's previous book, but it was still a smartly plotted and incredibly fun read. Fans of "Harry August" or the films of Christopher Nolan (who, incidentally, would be perfect to make a movie of this) will love it.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Media Circus: A Look at Private Tragedy in the Public Eye in Books
Jul 12, 2018
Oh man, what do I say about this book.
It was my time to pick a book club book so I figured it was finally time to dust off my signed copy and finally read this book. I have put this book on the back burner simply because I knew that I was going to cry reading it. I've been reading some heavier books but with the recent tragedies that have happened in the past few years I knew I needed to finally read this book.
Media Circus by Kim Goldman was really interesting. It kept me turning the pages & I enjoyed how different this book was. I loved that it focused on the media and I loved that it brought victims in that many people leave out when thinking of victims. I also enjoyed seeing what each person was up to at the time that this book was written. It was very inspiring to see how many of them are using their voice to help others.
The only thing that I felt was lacking was a conclusion. I really felt that each story needed a conclusionary paragraph. It seemed to just not flow properly. I really would have loved to have the conclusion that could then pull in the next story. It would have helped the book progress instead of jumping to the next story.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. It was hard to read & I cried many times while reading this book. I was heartbroken, I was inspired, I was angry. This book sits under the skin & I think it will stay with me for a while.
It was my time to pick a book club book so I figured it was finally time to dust off my signed copy and finally read this book. I have put this book on the back burner simply because I knew that I was going to cry reading it. I've been reading some heavier books but with the recent tragedies that have happened in the past few years I knew I needed to finally read this book.
Media Circus by Kim Goldman was really interesting. It kept me turning the pages & I enjoyed how different this book was. I loved that it focused on the media and I loved that it brought victims in that many people leave out when thinking of victims. I also enjoyed seeing what each person was up to at the time that this book was written. It was very inspiring to see how many of them are using their voice to help others.
The only thing that I felt was lacking was a conclusion. I really felt that each story needed a conclusionary paragraph. It seemed to just not flow properly. I really would have loved to have the conclusion that could then pull in the next story. It would have helped the book progress instead of jumping to the next story.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. It was hard to read & I cried many times while reading this book. I was heartbroken, I was inspired, I was angry. This book sits under the skin & I think it will stay with me for a while.
TacoDave (3925 KP) rated Detroit: Become Human in Video Games
Nov 2, 2018 (Updated Nov 2, 2018)
Story (3 more)
Cinematic
Intense
Thought-provoking
Slow-moving (1 more)
A bit too on-the-nose politically
A unique gaming experience, but not necessarily a video game...
I won a copy of Detroit: Become Human here on Smashbomb and I'm really glad I did. I liked David Cage's previous games - specifically The Indigo Prophecy and Heavy Rain - but I wasn't sure about this one. A story about androids being treated badly (an obvious metaphor for racism) didn't intrigue me at first blush, although the demo was pretty good.
But after playing the game, I came away pleasantly surprised. Cage's games are more like interactive movies than full video games, and that's fine with me. It is refreshing to play something that is more about contemplation and decision-making than twitchy reactions. And the stories in Detroit: Become Human were interesting enough to keep me playing.
But be warned: this game isn't for precious snowflakes. It involves violence, crime, death, abuse, and several other topics that might make someone with thinner skin cry out "Trigger Warning!!!" But those are exactly the kinds of topics that deserve contemplation, and this game is a perfect fit for those themes. It also has tons of swearing, if that bothers you. I played with the subtitles on and the sound turned way down when my kids were around.
One other caveat: the gameplay revolves around following on-screen prompts to use the joystick a certain way or push the correct button. If you aren't very familiar with a PS4 controller, I suggest you study the button layout and figure out where everything is so you can react with the right button press when needed.
But after playing the game, I came away pleasantly surprised. Cage's games are more like interactive movies than full video games, and that's fine with me. It is refreshing to play something that is more about contemplation and decision-making than twitchy reactions. And the stories in Detroit: Become Human were interesting enough to keep me playing.
But be warned: this game isn't for precious snowflakes. It involves violence, crime, death, abuse, and several other topics that might make someone with thinner skin cry out "Trigger Warning!!!" But those are exactly the kinds of topics that deserve contemplation, and this game is a perfect fit for those themes. It also has tons of swearing, if that bothers you. I played with the subtitles on and the sound turned way down when my kids were around.
One other caveat: the gameplay revolves around following on-screen prompts to use the joystick a certain way or push the correct button. If you aren't very familiar with a PS4 controller, I suggest you study the button layout and figure out where everything is so you can react with the right button press when needed.