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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Riddick (2013) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Vin Diesel hits the silver screen in the third installment of the Chronicles of Riddick series. As you would expect, Diesel delivers on a role crafted solely for him.
Pitch Black opened in 2000, heralding a unique story with a compelling main character. Riddick was unique for his planning skills and killer instincts, and he possessed eyes with a “shine job,” which allowed him to see effectively in the dark. He was a convict — a killer — but he possessed enough of a conscience to be endearing and for the audience to identify with him.
In the second film (Chronicles of Riddick), an entirely different storyline unfolded. It showed Riddick as a hero, taking control of the Necromonger horde.
The third and newest film opens to show Riddick broken and stranded on a desolate planet. We watch as he ponders how he got into his current situation. After a brief flashback to the events of the second movie, the film segues into the new story — which feels very reminiscent of the first. This time around, Riddick is up against bounty hunters.
The beginning third of the film pits Riddick against nature itself. Later, the bounty hunters arrive, and the game of cat and mouse goes into overdrive.
I found the transition from the second film to the third adequate, but unsatisfying.
The script, acting, action, and cinematography are all top notch. I was happy with the production value. It didn’t feel cheap or cheesy at all; the effects seemed believable.
I enjoyed the humor. I also appreciated the complexity of the Riddick character, something fans of the series have all come to love.
There were a few plot holes, and a couple of inconsistencies, but overall it’s a great film.
One of the greatest parts of the film is Katee Sackhoff (“Starbuck” of Battlestar Galactica fame), and her bare breast. (I’m a hetero dude — sue me!) The other gratuitous nudity (including one shot of a woman’s shaved groin area) was appropriate and served as great icing on the filmography cake.
My main criticism is that this movie had almost nothing to do with the previous films. There were two great tie-ins, but it never felt like a true continuation of the story line, not in any meaningful way. It was very unsatisfying in that respect However, as a stand-alone action film featuring Riddick, it delivers.
This movie is well worth seeing, but it will dissapoint those looking for strong continuity with the other parts of the franchise.
Pitch Black opened in 2000, heralding a unique story with a compelling main character. Riddick was unique for his planning skills and killer instincts, and he possessed eyes with a “shine job,” which allowed him to see effectively in the dark. He was a convict — a killer — but he possessed enough of a conscience to be endearing and for the audience to identify with him.
In the second film (Chronicles of Riddick), an entirely different storyline unfolded. It showed Riddick as a hero, taking control of the Necromonger horde.
The third and newest film opens to show Riddick broken and stranded on a desolate planet. We watch as he ponders how he got into his current situation. After a brief flashback to the events of the second movie, the film segues into the new story — which feels very reminiscent of the first. This time around, Riddick is up against bounty hunters.
The beginning third of the film pits Riddick against nature itself. Later, the bounty hunters arrive, and the game of cat and mouse goes into overdrive.
I found the transition from the second film to the third adequate, but unsatisfying.
The script, acting, action, and cinematography are all top notch. I was happy with the production value. It didn’t feel cheap or cheesy at all; the effects seemed believable.
I enjoyed the humor. I also appreciated the complexity of the Riddick character, something fans of the series have all come to love.
There were a few plot holes, and a couple of inconsistencies, but overall it’s a great film.
One of the greatest parts of the film is Katee Sackhoff (“Starbuck” of Battlestar Galactica fame), and her bare breast. (I’m a hetero dude — sue me!) The other gratuitous nudity (including one shot of a woman’s shaved groin area) was appropriate and served as great icing on the filmography cake.
My main criticism is that this movie had almost nothing to do with the previous films. There were two great tie-ins, but it never felt like a true continuation of the story line, not in any meaningful way. It was very unsatisfying in that respect However, as a stand-alone action film featuring Riddick, it delivers.
This movie is well worth seeing, but it will dissapoint those looking for strong continuity with the other parts of the franchise.
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Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Wish You Were Here in Books
Jan 26, 2022
I didn’t quite realise how much this book would resonate with me until I started reading it. It reminded me sometimes about the awful things that we have lived through the past 2 years but also reminded me how strong people can be.
Diana and Finn are living in New York as the Covid-19 pandemic is beginning, they have planned to go on a once in a lifetime holiday to The Galápagos Islands just as the world seems to be shutting down. Finn, being a surgical resident, has been told that he can’t take time off, even pre planned holidays. While Diana, who is an art specialist working for Sotheby’s, knows that she needs to take time off as a deal she had brokered for a painting has fallen through. Finn tells Diana to go anyway as he doesn’t want to make her sick since he’s working in the hospital.
We then follow Diana exploring the beautiful, scenic Isabela island, and meeting a family who take her in and look after her when she becomes stranded there. She explores the island and although she doesn’t speak the language she manages to get by because she needs to. She has no phone service and very limited access to the internet so she has no way to contact the outside world, but it doesn’t seem to matter too much when you’re in paradise.
The second part of the book was a complete surprise, but a pleasant one. It reminded me of exactly how we were at the start of the pandemic, wiping down anything that came from outside, not opening mail for days and for some of us stripping as soon as we came in from work for fear we’d brought the virus home with us. I am a support worker and so had no choice but to go into work and look after people that had Covid-19 because as much as I was scared, I knew that they needed me more. One line that sticks in my head is also one that I thought myself: “Well if I catch it, I catch it” and that became my opinion for a lot of the pandemic.
It was a nice change that not everything was tied up with a neat little bow at the end of this book, as that’s how life is sometimes. I really enjoyed this book and I feel like it will be one of those that helps us to remember the pandemic in years to come.
Diana and Finn are living in New York as the Covid-19 pandemic is beginning, they have planned to go on a once in a lifetime holiday to The Galápagos Islands just as the world seems to be shutting down. Finn, being a surgical resident, has been told that he can’t take time off, even pre planned holidays. While Diana, who is an art specialist working for Sotheby’s, knows that she needs to take time off as a deal she had brokered for a painting has fallen through. Finn tells Diana to go anyway as he doesn’t want to make her sick since he’s working in the hospital.
We then follow Diana exploring the beautiful, scenic Isabela island, and meeting a family who take her in and look after her when she becomes stranded there. She explores the island and although she doesn’t speak the language she manages to get by because she needs to. She has no phone service and very limited access to the internet so she has no way to contact the outside world, but it doesn’t seem to matter too much when you’re in paradise.
The second part of the book was a complete surprise, but a pleasant one. It reminded me of exactly how we were at the start of the pandemic, wiping down anything that came from outside, not opening mail for days and for some of us stripping as soon as we came in from work for fear we’d brought the virus home with us. I am a support worker and so had no choice but to go into work and look after people that had Covid-19 because as much as I was scared, I knew that they needed me more. One line that sticks in my head is also one that I thought myself: “Well if I catch it, I catch it” and that became my opinion for a lot of the pandemic.
It was a nice change that not everything was tied up with a neat little bow at the end of this book, as that’s how life is sometimes. I really enjoyed this book and I feel like it will be one of those that helps us to remember the pandemic in years to come.
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
The author of the <i>Hush, Hush</i> saga, Becca Fitzpatrick, steps away from the paranormal genre with this brand new contemporary thriller, <i>Black Ice</i>. Britt Pfeiffer has persuaded her best friend, Korbie, to go on an adventurous backpacking trip in the Tenton mountains for their senior spring break. It immediately gets off to a bad start when the girls get caught in a freak snowstorm and stranded a long way from their lodge. Luckily they come across a cabin owned by a guy named Shaun who is there with his friend Mason. But it may not be the safe haven they hoped it to be. With her best friend’s life in danger as well as her own, Britt has to remain strong in order to save themselves; either that or hope that her ex-boyfriend will realize they are missing and rescue them.
Initially it was difficult to connect with Britt who narrates the entire story. She, as well as Korbie, is a rather annoying, spoilt daddy’s girl and equally annoying to read about. This did not set the novel up well as it appeared it was going to be about two whining teenagers, both used to getting their own ways, fending for themselves in the mountains. Once the girls were faced with a life or death situation, Britt’s character developed rapidly. She became more independent, clever and likable, which made the story a lot easier to read and enjoy.
<i>Black Ice</i> is a thriller containing a murder mystery, which links all the characters together but in ways that you would not originally expect. It is also a romance novel. Although Mason is perceived as a bad guy, Britt ends up falling for him, and he her, sparking a risky relationship.
Despite the shaky start, Fitzpatrick’s latest novel is full of exciting twists and turns. There is the high risk of death, either from murder or exposure to the elements. Also, with a breathtaking conclusion, it is exhilarating to try and work out who is good, who is bad and who has been murdering girls in the mountains.
Fans of Fitzpatrick’s previous works may be disappointed with the lack of the paranormal and fantasy creatures that she has become known for, however this is still an enjoyable book. Personally I preferred it to <i>Hush, Hush</i> which I admittedly did not care for. I confess that I did not expect to like this book, especially as the main character began as a very irritating person, but it does get so much better.
The author of the <i>Hush, Hush</i> saga, Becca Fitzpatrick, steps away from the paranormal genre with this brand new contemporary thriller, <i>Black Ice</i>. Britt Pfeiffer has persuaded her best friend, Korbie, to go on an adventurous backpacking trip in the Tenton mountains for their senior spring break. It immediately gets off to a bad start when the girls get caught in a freak snowstorm and stranded a long way from their lodge. Luckily they come across a cabin owned by a guy named Shaun who is there with his friend Mason. But it may not be the safe haven they hoped it to be. With her best friend’s life in danger as well as her own, Britt has to remain strong in order to save themselves; either that or hope that her ex-boyfriend will realize they are missing and rescue them.
Initially it was difficult to connect with Britt who narrates the entire story. She, as well as Korbie, is a rather annoying, spoilt daddy’s girl and equally annoying to read about. This did not set the novel up well as it appeared it was going to be about two whining teenagers, both used to getting their own ways, fending for themselves in the mountains. Once the girls were faced with a life or death situation, Britt’s character developed rapidly. She became more independent, clever and likable, which made the story a lot easier to read and enjoy.
<i>Black Ice</i> is a thriller containing a murder mystery, which links all the characters together but in ways that you would not originally expect. It is also a romance novel. Although Mason is perceived as a bad guy, Britt ends up falling for him, and he her, sparking a risky relationship.
Despite the shaky start, Fitzpatrick’s latest novel is full of exciting twists and turns. There is the high risk of death, either from murder or exposure to the elements. Also, with a breathtaking conclusion, it is exhilarating to try and work out who is good, who is bad and who has been murdering girls in the mountains.
Fans of Fitzpatrick’s previous works may be disappointed with the lack of the paranormal and fantasy creatures that she has become known for, however this is still an enjoyable book. Personally I preferred it to <i>Hush, Hush</i> which I admittedly did not care for. I confess that I did not expect to like this book, especially as the main character began as a very irritating person, but it does get so much better.
The Craggus (360 KP) rated The Queens Corgi (2019) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
The Queen's Corgi is a vicious mongrel
There’re so many problematic aspects to “The Queen’s Corgi” it’s kind of baffling it ever made it to cinema screens. A cute cartoon fable about the Queen’s beloved pets may seem like a slam-dunk for the Saturday kid’s club crowd and, if you’re determined to see it, it’s definitely worth waiting for it to reach the bargain screening circuit. Nobody should pay full price to see this.
At its core, it’s a story of Rex (Jack Whitehall), an adorable but arrogant Corgi who lets being the ‘top dog’ go to his head and ends up in the doghouse, stranded outside the Palace and at the mercy of the ferocious leader of the pack at the local dog pound. So far, so predictable.
Where “The Queen’s Corgi” surprises is in its decision to include in cutesy cartoon the divisive figure of President Trump and his current wife, especially as it involves the real-life self-confessed sexual predator in a sub-plot about mating his (fictional) Corgi with one of the Queen’s pets, a storyline rife with casual coercion and canine sexual assault. From that tawdry and uncomfortable opening, we progress onwards to the meat of the plot which sees Rex encounter an underground dogfighting ring operating at the Pound.
Add in a couple of pretty scary sequences involving nearly getting run over, a surprisingly graphic near-drowning and an attempted murder by arson and you start to understand why this European production has been rated PG when its subject should be an easy-U. It earns it.
Some of this will, of course, pass over the heads of younger children, at least on a conscious level, but there’s such a nasty undertone to the whole movie that you should be thinking twice about seeing it. To UK children, of course, Donald Trump is something of a distant, already cartoonish figure, possibly a bit of a bogeyman but the casual humanisation and normalising of a figure like Trump is a dangerous and slippery slope (as Jimmy Kimmel can attest to) and sets an unpleasant precedent for future ‘family entertainment’. The fact that it pokes fun at him up to and including him getting bitten in the dick by a Corgi doesn’t mitigate his appearance, it just makes it more inappropriate.
I’m genuinely surprised this has been allowed to pass without comment from the Royal Household but perhaps they hope it will quickly fade into obscurity, even though this would benefit from a more activist Royal prerogative – this is one movie that should be sent to The Tower for the rest of its life.
At its core, it’s a story of Rex (Jack Whitehall), an adorable but arrogant Corgi who lets being the ‘top dog’ go to his head and ends up in the doghouse, stranded outside the Palace and at the mercy of the ferocious leader of the pack at the local dog pound. So far, so predictable.
Where “The Queen’s Corgi” surprises is in its decision to include in cutesy cartoon the divisive figure of President Trump and his current wife, especially as it involves the real-life self-confessed sexual predator in a sub-plot about mating his (fictional) Corgi with one of the Queen’s pets, a storyline rife with casual coercion and canine sexual assault. From that tawdry and uncomfortable opening, we progress onwards to the meat of the plot which sees Rex encounter an underground dogfighting ring operating at the Pound.
Add in a couple of pretty scary sequences involving nearly getting run over, a surprisingly graphic near-drowning and an attempted murder by arson and you start to understand why this European production has been rated PG when its subject should be an easy-U. It earns it.
Some of this will, of course, pass over the heads of younger children, at least on a conscious level, but there’s such a nasty undertone to the whole movie that you should be thinking twice about seeing it. To UK children, of course, Donald Trump is something of a distant, already cartoonish figure, possibly a bit of a bogeyman but the casual humanisation and normalising of a figure like Trump is a dangerous and slippery slope (as Jimmy Kimmel can attest to) and sets an unpleasant precedent for future ‘family entertainment’. The fact that it pokes fun at him up to and including him getting bitten in the dick by a Corgi doesn’t mitigate his appearance, it just makes it more inappropriate.
I’m genuinely surprised this has been allowed to pass without comment from the Royal Household but perhaps they hope it will quickly fade into obscurity, even though this would benefit from a more activist Royal prerogative – this is one movie that should be sent to The Tower for the rest of its life.
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