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Awix (3310 KP) rated Mary and the Witch's Flower (2017) in Movies

May 11, 2018

Mary and the Witch's Flower (2017)

2017 | Adventure, Animation, Fantasy

7.8

(16 Ratings)

Movie Rating

A Familiar Tale

If you were a newly-formed Japanese animation studio and somebody said that your first film was good, but not quite up to the standard of Studio Ghibli, you would probably still be quite pleased. Unless you were Studio Ponoc, a newly-formed Japanese animation studio making use of the talents of many Studio Ghibli veterans, with the expressed intention of continuing the Studio Ghibli tradition.

Yet here we are. This is a very good-looking film, with many classic virtues, and a doubtlessly intentional resemblance to the Wizarding World money-making machine - lonely child finds herself transported off to a school for witches, where various adventures awaits. But the animation is sometimes simply very good rather than Ghibli-standard immaculate, the story is rather simplistic, and the characterisation thin. Where Ghibli films are charming, this one is sometimes just a bit twee. It's by no means a bad film, but by positioning itself as 'the Ghibli successor', and copying the Ghibli house style so closely, Studio Ponoc has basically created a set of expectations which - in this film at least - they struggle to meet.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2542 KP) rated Blown Away in Books

Mar 9, 2018

Blown Away

Tate Clover | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Emmy Adler is living her dream, opening a kite shop called Strings Attached in Rock Point, Oregon, and living with her best friend Avery right on the beach. However, the morning her shop is due to open, Emmy discovers a dead body, that of Avery’s ex on the beach. With the police certain that Avery is the killer and the evidence mounting against her, Emmy jumps in to find the real killer. Can she do it?

I fell in love with the setting in the first chapter even with the discovery of the dead body by the end of it. The pace was off a couple of times, but everything did come together for the climax, and we got some good twists along the way. Emmy seemed to get angry easily, sometimes I understood and sometimes it seemed over the top. The other characters were a varied bunch and I enjoyed them. Overall, this was a good debut, and I look forward to visiting again soon.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-blown-away-by-clover-tate.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

Kudos

Ginger (3 KP) rated Wish - Shopping Made Fun in Apps

Oct 18, 2018

Wish - Shopping Made Fun

Lifestyle, Shopping

6.4

(55 Ratings)

App Rating

Tons of cheap jewelry, tech, shoes, toys--you name, they probably have it! Stocking stuffers!! (0 more)

As my folks used to say--you get what you pay for. It may not be US or European quality. But a lot is in pretty good shape. The shipping cost varies--if you pay for faster shipping it could get a lityle painful . (0 more)

It is not bad

They have so many little neat things, my nephews and nieces love getting presents and Christmas stockings from us. We have about 30 kids we buy for, so this little jem makes showering them with gifts affordable. It has great stuff for grownups too, just remember--this is an Asian based country-- smaller bodies all the way around, including feet. The clothes are sometimes not the best quality and judging sizes(especially for curvy or plus)is rough. And as I said--sometimes you get exactly what you pay for -- a 3 dollar dress is probably not going to look like red carpet fashion. So buyer beware. They have electronics, tech, kitchen ware, craft supplies, curtains, rugs, bedding etc. Just remember to use your best judgement.