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The Auschwitz Report (2021)
10.0
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Movie
This is the true story of Freddy and Walter - two young Slovak Jews, who were deported to Auschwitz...
Sigurd's Swords (Olaf's Saga #2)
Book
From best-selling historical fiction novelist, Eric Schumacher, comes the second volume in Olaf’s...
Historical Fiction Vikings
Cold Iron (Masters & Mages #1)
7.0
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Book
Aranthur is a student. He showed a little magical talent, is studying at the local academy, and is...
Steven Sklansky (231 KP) rated Battle of the Sexes (2016) in Movies
Sep 26, 2017
Good storytelling (2 more)
Amazing Cast
Tennis shots were done very well
Sports with a hint of romance
This is another sports movie I had no knowledge of going in to and I watch a lot of sports. Tennis is one that I play more then I follow. Sometimes it is fun to watch a tennis match or 2 on tv but not all the time. This match though would have be amazing to see and live through. The story of Billy Jean King is like any other women making history by doing something great in the 70's. It has been told several times using different backgrounds. The big difference with this movie though is they did not overly portray her as the victim being driven down by the man. She always had her head held high and new she could win. You never really felt sad for her during the course of the movie. She had a goal set forth and took it head on.
This movie had a story to tell and like most Based on True Story movies they add way to much drama. This movie was the opposite. It told the story from her perspective and Bobby's perspective and really kept unnecessary drama out of it. The biggest drama points was Billy's female lover. Some of it felt way over the top and you just knew what was coming. I don't mind gay couples in movies, but what I don't like is if it feels forced on to screen just for the sake of adding it. This was part of her story, just put it in there, you don't have to tease the audience that it is going to happen.
The sports part of this movie was my favorite. The back at forth on the court felt real. Which is a good thing because you never want to see look fake. There were very few cuts during the action sequences which means they were really playing tennis, unless they were professionals dressed like them. I would not be disappointed if that was the case, but it would be great if it was the real actors doing it.
All in all this was a fantastic and think everyone, men (from the 70's and earlier) and women should go and see this movie. If you know the story already you may not like it as much but see it anyway.
This movie had a story to tell and like most Based on True Story movies they add way to much drama. This movie was the opposite. It told the story from her perspective and Bobby's perspective and really kept unnecessary drama out of it. The biggest drama points was Billy's female lover. Some of it felt way over the top and you just knew what was coming. I don't mind gay couples in movies, but what I don't like is if it feels forced on to screen just for the sake of adding it. This was part of her story, just put it in there, you don't have to tease the audience that it is going to happen.
The sports part of this movie was my favorite. The back at forth on the court felt real. Which is a good thing because you never want to see look fake. There were very few cuts during the action sequences which means they were really playing tennis, unless they were professionals dressed like them. I would not be disappointed if that was the case, but it would be great if it was the real actors doing it.
All in all this was a fantastic and think everyone, men (from the 70's and earlier) and women should go and see this movie. If you know the story already you may not like it as much but see it anyway.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated 19 Souls in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I really liked the cover of this book, I think it is simple but at the same time it is dark and mysterious, and I knew it is going to bring a good story to read.
The protagonist of this story is Jim Bean, a private investigator, who was summoned by a female customer (Sophie) to find her brother. But when he starts his investigation, he uncovers so many surprises, that gets him into great trouble. Now, he has to protect the person, whom he was looking for…
I really loved the characters chosen for this book, all of them are very intriguing and charismatic personalities, and the author has done a great job by developing them throughout the book. The story is told from a dual perspective: Jim’s and Sophie’s. I really liked reading all the details about Jim’s investigation, and where the evidence took him. I liked that he had to visit some dark and dangerous places to get his information, and I was really sucked in with all the unexpected twists and turns which Allen incorporated into the story. I absolutely loved Sophie’s parts, I think she is such an interesting and delusional character, and to read her thoughts and plans was an absolute treat. I love when authors include negative character’s perspectives, it makes the book way more interesting and absorbing. One thing that bothered me was that I don’t like when authors create drug using characters and make it sound like it is ok, and they are so cool. :/ I don’t see the need to promote drugs.
The narrative is set in the US, and the setting is always changing. The investigation is pretty adventurous, but sometimes the whole story tended to slow down a little by sharing Jim’s thoughts and inner fights, which was quite nice. I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, it is easy to read, with pretty short chapters, constantly changing situations and new findings, and it is a really entertaining book. The ending of this novel rounded up the story nicely and I will be waiting for more of Jim Bean’s adventures in the future. So, if you enjoy detective investigations and character-driven stories, this book will not disappoint you. Give this book a go, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
The protagonist of this story is Jim Bean, a private investigator, who was summoned by a female customer (Sophie) to find her brother. But when he starts his investigation, he uncovers so many surprises, that gets him into great trouble. Now, he has to protect the person, whom he was looking for…
I really loved the characters chosen for this book, all of them are very intriguing and charismatic personalities, and the author has done a great job by developing them throughout the book. The story is told from a dual perspective: Jim’s and Sophie’s. I really liked reading all the details about Jim’s investigation, and where the evidence took him. I liked that he had to visit some dark and dangerous places to get his information, and I was really sucked in with all the unexpected twists and turns which Allen incorporated into the story. I absolutely loved Sophie’s parts, I think she is such an interesting and delusional character, and to read her thoughts and plans was an absolute treat. I love when authors include negative character’s perspectives, it makes the book way more interesting and absorbing. One thing that bothered me was that I don’t like when authors create drug using characters and make it sound like it is ok, and they are so cool. :/ I don’t see the need to promote drugs.
The narrative is set in the US, and the setting is always changing. The investigation is pretty adventurous, but sometimes the whole story tended to slow down a little by sharing Jim’s thoughts and inner fights, which was quite nice. I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, it is easy to read, with pretty short chapters, constantly changing situations and new findings, and it is a really entertaining book. The ending of this novel rounded up the story nicely and I will be waiting for more of Jim Bean’s adventures in the future. So, if you enjoy detective investigations and character-driven stories, this book will not disappoint you. Give this book a go, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Frank & Lola (2016) in Movies
Sep 13, 2019
Characters – Frank is a brilliant chef that has started dating the younger Lola, he gets jealous easily which makes him want to know who every man in Lola’s life is as he starts to look to solve her problems. Lola is a college graduate in fashion that is in Vegas, she is dating Frank and starts working for the charismatic Keith, she knows what will make Frank jealous as she starts to use him to get what she wants. Keith knows people in Vegas, he offers jobs to talent, which will see him follow a strict code of not trying to date them, he will always offer people job if he believes they deserve the change. Patricia is Lola’s mother that hasn’t always been as close with her daughter.
Performances – We have such a great cast here, Michael Shannon gives one of his most average performances of his career, Imogen Poots struggles to make an impact, Justin Long gets his moments, but not enough. Most of this comes from such dull characters they must try to bring to life.
Story – The story is the hardest part to describe because it seems to follow a chef that is trying to do anything to clean up his girlfriends past, only to get caught up in the middle of just what might be true or not. The problem with the story comes from the poor dialogue which makes it hard to connect the story together, it seems to create scenes which put Frank’s mind in one direction only for the next one to change it, this happens too often and becomes annoying because we can’t get invested in his story. we did get some heavy themes which do just get glanced over which only confuses in the end.
Crime/Romance – The crime side of the film comes from what Frank will do for Lola, he is driven by his love for her which shows him where to go with his actions.
Settings – The film has two main settings, Las Vegas and Paris, both are used to show the busy side of the lives of the people we are follow.
Scene of the Movie – Job offer.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The story is too heavy on changing direction too often.
Final Thoughts – This is a dull romantic thriller that just drags along at a snails pace, never using the talent to its strengths.
Overall: Bitterly disappointing.
Performances – We have such a great cast here, Michael Shannon gives one of his most average performances of his career, Imogen Poots struggles to make an impact, Justin Long gets his moments, but not enough. Most of this comes from such dull characters they must try to bring to life.
Story – The story is the hardest part to describe because it seems to follow a chef that is trying to do anything to clean up his girlfriends past, only to get caught up in the middle of just what might be true or not. The problem with the story comes from the poor dialogue which makes it hard to connect the story together, it seems to create scenes which put Frank’s mind in one direction only for the next one to change it, this happens too often and becomes annoying because we can’t get invested in his story. we did get some heavy themes which do just get glanced over which only confuses in the end.
Crime/Romance – The crime side of the film comes from what Frank will do for Lola, he is driven by his love for her which shows him where to go with his actions.
Settings – The film has two main settings, Las Vegas and Paris, both are used to show the busy side of the lives of the people we are follow.
Scene of the Movie – Job offer.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The story is too heavy on changing direction too often.
Final Thoughts – This is a dull romantic thriller that just drags along at a snails pace, never using the talent to its strengths.
Overall: Bitterly disappointing.
The Gene: An Intimate History
Book
Selected as a Book of the Year by The New York Times, The Economist, Independent, Observer and Mail...
WO
Who Owns America's Past?: The Smithsonian and the Problem of History
Book
In 1994, when the National Air and Space Museum announced plans to display the Enola Gay, the B-29...
Ross (3284 KP) rated We Ride The Storm in Books
May 18, 2021
Great Asian-inspired twisting, back-stabbing fantasy
'We Ride the Storm' is an epic fantasy book set in an Asian-inspired world, with savage tribes, in-bred empires and age-old family rivalries.
We see the story unfold through the eyes of three characters: a princess of the Kisian empire (who is the step-daughter of the empire, so a princess in name only); an intriguing assassin and a tribal warrior forced into nomadic life. The plot revolves around a building conflict between the empire and its subjects and neighbours, largely driven by the accidental actions of the aforementioned assassin.
The princess is a well-formed character who quickly moves from plotting with her brother to take their family's rightful place at the head of the empire to siding with the crippled cruel emperor, seeking her own place. Her story is straight out of a Disney film, refused her chance to use her martial skills and forced to marry into power as her only contribution to the family's strength.
The nomadic warrior should have been intriguing, given his initial scene where he is cutting the heads off his fallen comrades and enemies, driven by a religious zeal that a person's head must be removed and properly laid to rest to release their soul. However, he quickly became flat and irritating, his zealous nature making him whiny. His story is the most exciting, though, as his tribe is forced into serving the empire (I think) and put aside their traditionally passive nature in order to secure new lands for themselves.
The final PoV character, the assassin, is by far the most original - she has an extra voice in her head (the background still a mystery), a presence who can inhabit corpses, allowing for some interesting escapes and plans. Her role is slightly comedic, dashing from one job to another across the country, often conflicting jobs, in order to try and release herself from the voice in her head.
The story involves a great amount of plotting and double-crossing, some excellent action scenes and a complex, weaving plot. The only downside for me was remembering who was who, who the empire was, their enemies etc, as different names were sometimes given and I found it hard to remember. Also, some major plot points were initially exposed in fairly throw-away style and later passages made no sense without picking up on them (specifically the voice in the assassin's head, but also aspects of the possession and other events which were easy to miss).
A great read and with a sequel already out, a series I will stick with.
I received a free copy from the publishers and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
We see the story unfold through the eyes of three characters: a princess of the Kisian empire (who is the step-daughter of the empire, so a princess in name only); an intriguing assassin and a tribal warrior forced into nomadic life. The plot revolves around a building conflict between the empire and its subjects and neighbours, largely driven by the accidental actions of the aforementioned assassin.
The princess is a well-formed character who quickly moves from plotting with her brother to take their family's rightful place at the head of the empire to siding with the crippled cruel emperor, seeking her own place. Her story is straight out of a Disney film, refused her chance to use her martial skills and forced to marry into power as her only contribution to the family's strength.
The nomadic warrior should have been intriguing, given his initial scene where he is cutting the heads off his fallen comrades and enemies, driven by a religious zeal that a person's head must be removed and properly laid to rest to release their soul. However, he quickly became flat and irritating, his zealous nature making him whiny. His story is the most exciting, though, as his tribe is forced into serving the empire (I think) and put aside their traditionally passive nature in order to secure new lands for themselves.
The final PoV character, the assassin, is by far the most original - she has an extra voice in her head (the background still a mystery), a presence who can inhabit corpses, allowing for some interesting escapes and plans. Her role is slightly comedic, dashing from one job to another across the country, often conflicting jobs, in order to try and release herself from the voice in her head.
The story involves a great amount of plotting and double-crossing, some excellent action scenes and a complex, weaving plot. The only downside for me was remembering who was who, who the empire was, their enemies etc, as different names were sometimes given and I found it hard to remember. Also, some major plot points were initially exposed in fairly throw-away style and later passages made no sense without picking up on them (specifically the voice in the assassin's head, but also aspects of the possession and other events which were easy to miss).
A great read and with a sequel already out, a series I will stick with.
I received a free copy from the publishers and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Truth (Finding Anna, #3) in Books
Nov 5, 2018
This book was reviewed as part of a blog tour on Lily Loves Indie, and whilst there's a snippet of the review below, the whole review can be found here http://lilylovesindie.co.uk/?p=188
The third book in the Finding Anna series is much better than the second, and it carries on pretty much where 'Need' left off. I found this a much more enjoyable read, and much easier to get into as well. There were still niggles, personally, I feel the three books could have quite easily been put into two, without sacrificing any of the story, however it definitely picked up this time round and it felt like Hayes had really found her stride.
The plot seems much more pacy, more driven and more developed in this book, and it reads so much better for it. Although there are areas where it is drawn out slightly more than I would like, it picks up quickly and is immensely difficult to put down at times. The different threads of the story that are drawn together are well developed in their own right, but together they add so many more dynamics and layers to the story. There's Brianna's developing confidence, her relationship with Stephan, the investigation into Ian and her father, it all just culminates beautifully into a wonderful read with a dramatic ending.
So I touched on it there, but the ending is really high paced, full of tension and a great way to end the book. It leaves you literally waiting on tenterhooks for more, and when you realise that's all you're getting, it's a huge feeling of loss. . .
The third book in the Finding Anna series is much better than the second, and it carries on pretty much where 'Need' left off. I found this a much more enjoyable read, and much easier to get into as well. There were still niggles, personally, I feel the three books could have quite easily been put into two, without sacrificing any of the story, however it definitely picked up this time round and it felt like Hayes had really found her stride.
The plot seems much more pacy, more driven and more developed in this book, and it reads so much better for it. Although there are areas where it is drawn out slightly more than I would like, it picks up quickly and is immensely difficult to put down at times. The different threads of the story that are drawn together are well developed in their own right, but together they add so many more dynamics and layers to the story. There's Brianna's developing confidence, her relationship with Stephan, the investigation into Ian and her father, it all just culminates beautifully into a wonderful read with a dramatic ending.
So I touched on it there, but the ending is really high paced, full of tension and a great way to end the book. It leaves you literally waiting on tenterhooks for more, and when you realise that's all you're getting, it's a huge feeling of loss. . .