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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Jurassic Park III (2001) in Movies
May 24, 2019
This is where the sequels really start coming off the rails
The third Jurassic Park movie is pretty poor. For multiple reasons.
The main reason has to be the script - it has to be - because the acting talent is not bad by any means.
Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Tea Leoni - all great actors in my opinion.
But it's hard to connect with any of them throughout the run time (I swear I hear her shouting "ERIC" in my sleep sometimes)
A lot (not all) of the practical dinosaurs have been replaced with shoddy CGI, and to top it all off, the movie just ends. Very suddenly! And I can't figure out why... It's a good deal shorter in run time than the first two. Maybe Joe Johnston just got bored.
On a final note, is a velociraptor talking a low point for the franchise? Or hilariously great? You decide (ALAN)
The main reason has to be the script - it has to be - because the acting talent is not bad by any means.
Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Tea Leoni - all great actors in my opinion.
But it's hard to connect with any of them throughout the run time (I swear I hear her shouting "ERIC" in my sleep sometimes)
A lot (not all) of the practical dinosaurs have been replaced with shoddy CGI, and to top it all off, the movie just ends. Very suddenly! And I can't figure out why... It's a good deal shorter in run time than the first two. Maybe Joe Johnston just got bored.
On a final note, is a velociraptor talking a low point for the franchise? Or hilariously great? You decide (ALAN)
MelanieTheresa (997 KP) rated I Know Who You Are in Books
Jun 15, 2019
I enjoyed Alice Feeney's first book, Sometimes I Lie, very much, so I was definitely looking forward to reading I Know Who You Are. I was not disappointed!
Meet Aimee Sinclair: the actress everyone thinks they know but can’t remember where from.
Except one person.
Someone knows Aimee very well.
They know who she is and they know what she did.
For fear of spoilers, I'm going to be purposefully vague. I don't want to ruin the ride for anyone!
I will say that this book was disturbing in so many ways, and completely twisted in more than one way. So.Many.Twists.
I enjoyed the back and forth between past and present. It kept me guessing in a way that meant I never truly figured it out, so the big reveal definitely got me.
A great sophomore effort and a great read! Looking forward to seeing more from this author!
Meet Aimee Sinclair: the actress everyone thinks they know but can’t remember where from.
Except one person.
Someone knows Aimee very well.
They know who she is and they know what she did.
For fear of spoilers, I'm going to be purposefully vague. I don't want to ruin the ride for anyone!
I will say that this book was disturbing in so many ways, and completely twisted in more than one way. So.Many.Twists.
I enjoyed the back and forth between past and present. It kept me guessing in a way that meant I never truly figured it out, so the big reveal definitely got me.
A great sophomore effort and a great read! Looking forward to seeing more from this author!
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Everything Here Is Beautiful in Books
Mar 2, 2018
A wonderful and tragic exploration of mental health
This is a beautifully written, tragic tale of love, loss and mental health.
Following the story of sisters Miranda and Lucia, born to Chinese parents and living in America, the elder of the two siblings attempts to shelter her sister Lucia as she is seen to suffer from a form of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Miranda is responsible and organised, while her sister is a free spirit, but she seems to have no control over her fate and protecting her from her demons.
It is a wonderful exploration into mental health, and how it affects all communities, and the effect it has on the people around them. It's sometimes heartbreaking knowing what could end up happening to Lucia when there is no safety net or support network to help her through her episodes. An unexpected gem.
Following the story of sisters Miranda and Lucia, born to Chinese parents and living in America, the elder of the two siblings attempts to shelter her sister Lucia as she is seen to suffer from a form of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Miranda is responsible and organised, while her sister is a free spirit, but she seems to have no control over her fate and protecting her from her demons.
It is a wonderful exploration into mental health, and how it affects all communities, and the effect it has on the people around them. It's sometimes heartbreaking knowing what could end up happening to Lucia when there is no safety net or support network to help her through her episodes. An unexpected gem.
Christi Saunders Fortson (1 KP) rated Morgan (2016) in Movies
Mar 5, 2018
Sometimes science goes a little too far
Morgan is a psychological thriller about a secret program to develop bio-engineered "humans" for use as thinking, problem solving weapons. When things go wrong, they go very wrong, and it's up to the risk management team to determine if the project should continue.
I enjoyed the movie, though I think a longer film would have allowed for more character development. Just as I was really getting drawn into the story, the movie was over. With so many psychological thrillers, the ending is spoiled by being a little too obvious. This movie definately kept me guessing til the very end.
The cast was excellent, they just needed more story to really flesh-out the characters.
Would definately recommend.
I enjoyed the movie, though I think a longer film would have allowed for more character development. Just as I was really getting drawn into the story, the movie was over. With so many psychological thrillers, the ending is spoiled by being a little too obvious. This movie definately kept me guessing til the very end.
The cast was excellent, they just needed more story to really flesh-out the characters.
Would definately recommend.
Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) rated Quandary in Tabletop Games
Mar 7, 2018
I have used the term 'over produced' in the past, but never before has it been so appropriate. Quandary is, to all intents and purposes, a straight re-issue of Reiner Knizia's Flinke Pinke - an Amigo game which came in a box no larger than 10cm square and cost about $10. Quandary comes in a big, long box, with good quality components and costs at least three times that - the trade off is that it's generally available. It remains almost the same game, if anything a little lighter than the original, but for all that Quandary was the most played game here over Christmas. It's certainly light, but it works as well as any other Knizia designed bauble - and you'll already know if you can live with these usually punchy, but sometimes rather thin, endeavours.
Critic: Mike Siggins
Read the full review here: http://www.gamecabinet.com/reviews/Quandary.html
Critic: Mike Siggins
Read the full review here: http://www.gamecabinet.com/reviews/Quandary.html
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated One Foot in the Grove (Olive Grove Mystery #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
After her second disastrous wedding happened without her getting married, Eva Knox retreated to her family’s plantation in Georgia. She’s hardly been back a week before she stumbles over a dead body in the olive grove. With the local gossip insisting she knows what happened, Eva starts poking around to figure out what really happened. Can she clear her name?
This debut was definitely a mixed bag. The plot had some nice twists and nice twists on the cozy formula, which I appreciated. On the other hand, Eva sometimes was just handed the information she needed or acted very stupidly to get it. Some characters were interesting while others are very cliche. If the premise sounds interesting, give it a shot, but it won’t be for everyone.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/11/book-review-one-foot-in-grove-by-kelly.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This debut was definitely a mixed bag. The plot had some nice twists and nice twists on the cozy formula, which I appreciated. On the other hand, Eva sometimes was just handed the information she needed or acted very stupidly to get it. Some characters were interesting while others are very cliche. If the premise sounds interesting, give it a shot, but it won’t be for everyone.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/11/book-review-one-foot-in-grove-by-kelly.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Lumos (380 KP) rated Quarriors! in Tabletop Games
Mar 19, 2018
A unique spin on the "deck builder". I like that instead of building a deck of cards, you are building a bag of dice. Each die has a different "spell" with a different power depending on how you roll. The game has the potential to be different every time you play, depending on the expansions you have. The fighting mechanic is well done and easy to maneuver. I would suggest using the "mat" included on the back of the instructions as sometimes it is hard to remember what has been spent and what is locked or on deck.
If you like to have complete sets of games and own all the expansions (like my friends and I do), it's good to know that the Light and Dark expansion doesn't really play well when mixed with the rest of the game. It does work as a stand alone though.
If you like to have complete sets of games and own all the expansions (like my friends and I do), it's good to know that the Light and Dark expansion doesn't really play well when mixed with the rest of the game. It does work as a stand alone though.
Rickstrong23 (216 KP) rated Black Panther (2018) in Movies
Feb 28, 2018
Another super hero
So i was glad to see there are honest reveiws.i allways check movies before i go see or rent .if you listened to press tv radio this wwas the best movie to come outta marvel ever.not even close.liked the characters.the setting the story and the villian.but it wasnt anything special.if i was gonna ever make a movie i want this movies hype/ publicist.anyway good movie .but liked it better as a less is more mystery .sometimes they dont need a movie.they can share one and have more impact.they wil have a pt 2 so .but definitley not the marvels greatest movie. .i actually liked green latern dc. Movie more .and supposely no one liked that one .sorry but thats why i love smashbomb to read diffrent raitings and its good to have a voice or hear other pesons reveiw.i just didnt think it was all that ..
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Finding Fraser in Books
Feb 21, 2018
This was a fun read, even for someone who has never read any of the Outlander series.
The book alternates between chapters telling us the story, and blog posts that Emma writes as she goes along. The blog posts are short and sweet, and sometimes provide a little insight into things that have not yet been fully disclosed in the story.
I did feel that the heroine was a bit naive for 29. I often wanted to yell into the book at her, and to point out how blind she was being, or how ridiculous some of her choices were. Even so, Emma is a likable character, and I couldnt help but root for her and wish her success in her quest to find love.
NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The book alternates between chapters telling us the story, and blog posts that Emma writes as she goes along. The blog posts are short and sweet, and sometimes provide a little insight into things that have not yet been fully disclosed in the story.
I did feel that the heroine was a bit naive for 29. I often wanted to yell into the book at her, and to point out how blind she was being, or how ridiculous some of her choices were. Even so, Emma is a likable character, and I couldnt help but root for her and wish her success in her quest to find love.
NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Battle: Los Angeles (2011) in Movies
Feb 22, 2018
Ho-hum attempt to disguise a load of war movie clichés by hiding them in an alien invasion SF movie, or possibly vice versa. Belligerent alien gits come storming up the beaches of California and it's up to Aaron Eckhart and his guys to hold the line.
Very much just a collection of other bits you've seen done better elsewhere, inasmuch they can be done better at all considering they're really not very impressive per se. Watching as a non-American, one is inevitably slightly put off by the uncritical wooh-yeah-hurray attitude towards members of the US armed forces, who are almost universally presented as flawless paragons of virtue, not to mention the post-9/11 subtext that sometimes it is morally justified to do Bad Stuff (torturing prisoners to death, that sort of thing) in the defence of America. Also quite boring.
Very much just a collection of other bits you've seen done better elsewhere, inasmuch they can be done better at all considering they're really not very impressive per se. Watching as a non-American, one is inevitably slightly put off by the uncritical wooh-yeah-hurray attitude towards members of the US armed forces, who are almost universally presented as flawless paragons of virtue, not to mention the post-9/11 subtext that sometimes it is morally justified to do Bad Stuff (torturing prisoners to death, that sort of thing) in the defence of America. Also quite boring.