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Michael Packner (32 KP) rated Dane Cook: Vicious Circle (2006) in Movies

Jun 17, 2019

Dane Cook always brings an infectious energy. (0 more)

The jokes are a bit dated and resonate with a crowd that no longer really exists (0 more)

I gotta say, I remember liking Dane Cook much more in the 2000s when I was in my 20s. I still like him in films like Mr Brooks and Employee of the Month, but his stand up just doesn't grab me like it used to. I enjoy his energy and how much he enjoys what he's doing. Watching him brings me a feeling of nostalgia that I most definitely enjoy, but most of the jokes just fell flat for me this time around. Sure, some of it is still funny as hell. The guy was talented, but I just don't connect with his type of humor much anymore. It's kinda disappointing. Makes me feel old. It was still worth the trip down memory lane. A lot of these jokes feel dated though as well. Kids today would not understand the type of humor that we engaged in back then. Dane Cook is most definitely for people who enjoyed their 20s in the 2000s. That's definitely me. The only question you have to ask yourself is how much of it do you still connect with.

Kudos

BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated On Shifting Sand in Books

Jan 2, 2019

Dust, sand, grit everywhere. When there is a door to a different form of life's satisfaction will Nola take it?

Nola has married Russ Merrill to escape the harsh hand of her father. But now she feels trapped and is withering away. When an unexpected guest comes to stay, she blossoms. But will this lead her down a path that she shouldn't go?

Unfortunately, I was unable to finish this book. Allison Pittman did a wonderful job capturing the feel of the Dust Bowl life. I loved the style of writing that she used. Very elegant and easy to read. However, I had a hard time with the story line. There few things in life that I cannot stand more than infidelity. If I had read the book description more closely, I would have realized that this is the basis for this story. And from the very beginning you know what is going to happen, which made me dread picking up the book. It is a good book. Well written and very captivating. However, I was unable to complete it due to my own standards in life.

I received a free copy of On Shifting Sand from Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Kudos

Awix (3310 KP) rated Doctor Sleep (2019) in Movies

Nov 1, 2019

What-time-d'you-call-this-then Shining sequel/follow-up doesn't have the magisterial formal brilliance of Kubrick, but scores consistently for solid storytelling and simple entertainment value. Many years on from the nastiness in the snow, Dan Torrance has tried to put his special faculties to good use, working in a hospice. However, a gifted young girl he has befriended becomes the target of a pack of inhuman killers who feed on the souls of psychics, and he finds himself compelled to intervene. Faced with a terrifying enemy, he finds he may have to make a reservation at a certain hotel.

The prospect of a two-and-a-half-hour sequel to a Kubrick movie, made by someone I hadn't really heard of gave me pause, to be honest, but Doctor Sleep rapidly develops into an engrossing and satisfying dark fantasy, with mostly good performances and impressive set piece sequences. Most impressive is the way it works hard to stand on its own merits, saving all the crowd-pleasing Shining references until late on, by which time it feels like it's earned them - almost. It's still probably self-indulgently overlong, and the climax likewise feels a bit overcooked, but this is still a cut above the majority of Stephen King movies.

Kudos

Merissa (11958 KP) rated Haunted By Her Dragon (Dragon Guards, #3) in Books

Dec 17, 2018

This is definitely my favourite book so far but I will reserve judgment until Royce's book comes out The story follows on from the previous book and I would recommend reading these in order, although you could read them as stand-alones at a push as there is a brief review at the beginning.

This story is all about Sam and Lance. Lance is the golden play boy who never wanted to be tied down to one. He's the comedian who lets only a few people past his guard. Sam is the doctor who is working to hard to establish her career and to get her own space. The last thing she wants is to share that space with someone else... right?!

We catch up with the characters we already know and love but are introduced to a special little girl that I can't wait to find out more about. And the story with Andrew and The Auctioneer becomes deeper and more intriguing too.

The story is woven with skill and the repetitions about the Universe have mainly stopped in this book. They are still there but not as bad. This series is definitely getting better with each book and I am really enjoying them! Definitely recommended for all PR fans.

Kudos

Jewels (684 KP) rated Lady and the Tramp (2019) in Movies

Feb 6, 2020

Cute (0 more)

Some of the changes shouldn't have been made (0 more)

Contains spoilers, click to show

I love the original, and I looked forward to seeing how they would take a much loved classic and make it live action. While it was cute, it was not good enough to stand anywhere near the original. There were several small changes that I could live with, but then there were a few others that should have never been changed.

First off, they took out the Siamese cats. Those cats are a big part of the scene, and they sing a jingle everyone remembers. Putting in a totally different pair of cats and changing the jingle was huge disappointment. Second, they totally took away the beaver. Was the beaver really that important to the plot line? No, not really, but it was a fun aspect that added some humour to the whole muzzle thing. The last thing that irritated me, being a dog person, when Trusty finally gets the scent of the dogcatcher, he didn't bay once. He should have been loud and proud when he picked up that scent.

All in all, worth seeing once just to say you've seen it, but in the long run, I'll stick with the original animated version.