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Awix (3310 KP) rated Hellboy (2019) in Movies
Apr 11, 2019 (Updated Apr 11, 2019)
Headbanging new take on Mike Mignola's demonic superhero. Hellboy, summoned to end the world but raised to protect it, has to do battle with vampires, man-eating giants, murderous occultists, pig-headed fairies and an evil sorceress from Arthurian legend. Scores highly on the 'ugh' front with a lot of gore.
Directed by Neil Marshall, so taste and restraint are not much in evidence, while the script is extremely variable and most of the performances not much cop either. Were-beasts fight fairies, demons fight vampires, none of it makes a great deal of sense, and there's little sign of the wit and style of Guillermo del Toro's films about these characters. In the end the film has plenty of energy and a sense of humour about itself which keep it just about watchable, but it's still a bit of a disappointment.
Directed by Neil Marshall, so taste and restraint are not much in evidence, while the script is extremely variable and most of the performances not much cop either. Were-beasts fight fairies, demons fight vampires, none of it makes a great deal of sense, and there's little sign of the wit and style of Guillermo del Toro's films about these characters. In the end the film has plenty of energy and a sense of humour about itself which keep it just about watchable, but it's still a bit of a disappointment.
Book Divas (227 KP) rated The Daughters of Morrigan (Souls Out of Ireland #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2019
Highly Recommend This!!!
Drop whatever you are doing and get yourself a copy of this book asap. I've always loved Irish myths and legends and in particular, the deities and man this book left me foaming at the mouth for more.
There's so much I want to say about this captivating storyline and the many beautiful characters but I can't without revealing the many spoilers. Annie Cosby's writing style immediately transports you into this well-written story and I swear that I kept catching myself trying to imitate the dialect.
I ohed and awed throughout the entire page-turning read which kept me in its grip the entire time and when I reached the end I wanted to scream because now I have to wait until the second book!!
I LOVED it and recommend it to one and all!!!
There's so much I want to say about this captivating storyline and the many beautiful characters but I can't without revealing the many spoilers. Annie Cosby's writing style immediately transports you into this well-written story and I swear that I kept catching myself trying to imitate the dialect.
I ohed and awed throughout the entire page-turning read which kept me in its grip the entire time and when I reached the end I wanted to scream because now I have to wait until the second book!!
I LOVED it and recommend it to one and all!!!
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Halloween (2007) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Rob Zombie was an inspired choice to helm the 2007 reboot of the series and the resulting film was very good indeed. Opting to focus more on Michael’s backstory was an intriguing change to the formula and a risky one at that.
Many fans concluded that it lessened the impact of Michael’s murders. Showing him as an abused child took away the supernatural elements that made Carpenter’s masterpiece so terrifying in 1978.
Nevertheless, I thought the idea worked well, and although Zombie’s film is a case of style over substance in some sequences, it’s a good reboot and one that manages to raise itself well above its horror stablemates at the time of release.
It also had an absolutely cracking soundtrack, but the less said about the disappointing sequel the better.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/10/28/halloween-movies-top-5/
Many fans concluded that it lessened the impact of Michael’s murders. Showing him as an abused child took away the supernatural elements that made Carpenter’s masterpiece so terrifying in 1978.
Nevertheless, I thought the idea worked well, and although Zombie’s film is a case of style over substance in some sequences, it’s a good reboot and one that manages to raise itself well above its horror stablemates at the time of release.
It also had an absolutely cracking soundtrack, but the less said about the disappointing sequel the better.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/10/28/halloween-movies-top-5/
Awix (3310 KP) rated Haggopian and Other Stories in Books
Jun 14, 2019
Two-dozen short stories connected (in varying degrees) to Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, highlighting Lumley's personal take on this particular milieu - he's an enthusiastic pasticheur, but much better at replicating Lovecraft's style than his substance. (He also has a go at being Robert E Howard in a couple of these stories.)
A really mixed bag, all told: there are a handful of very good stories, like the one the book is named for, and a few others contain promising imagery or moments (an oil rig drills down into something it shouldn't; Lovecraft scholars should be able to guess what), but many others become repetitive and slightly tedious. If nothing else the stories here illustrate that, bereft of the philosophy underpinning Lovecraft's own work, the Mythos trappings just become a selection of campy props and costumes that aren't particularly scary.
A really mixed bag, all told: there are a handful of very good stories, like the one the book is named for, and a few others contain promising imagery or moments (an oil rig drills down into something it shouldn't; Lovecraft scholars should be able to guess what), but many others become repetitive and slightly tedious. If nothing else the stories here illustrate that, bereft of the philosophy underpinning Lovecraft's own work, the Mythos trappings just become a selection of campy props and costumes that aren't particularly scary.
Dean (6925 KP) rated Killing Eve - Season 2 in TV
Jun 15, 2019 (Updated Jun 7, 2020)
Good quirky drama
The first series was a bit of a surprise hit. A quirky English drama about a MI6 agent tracking a flamboyant female assassin across Europe. It is very funny at times, in a typical English kinda way. Whilst also being quite violent as well.
The 2nd series picks up 30 seconds after the end of the first series. It's very similar to the first in terms of style, humor. This time a second assassin seems to be in play and Eve makes connections to a bigger plot. It's still just as fun as the first series. It's quite short with 8 episodes around 40 minutes each. I just preferred the cat and mouse storyline of the first series. Fans will love it just as much.
The 2nd series picks up 30 seconds after the end of the first series. It's very similar to the first in terms of style, humor. This time a second assassin seems to be in play and Eve makes connections to a bigger plot. It's still just as fun as the first series. It's quite short with 8 episodes around 40 minutes each. I just preferred the cat and mouse storyline of the first series. Fans will love it just as much.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Fury (2014) in Movies
Feb 13, 2018
Tanks for Nothing
Good-looking but very, very violent war movie with a convincingly horrible depiction of life as a tanker during the dying days of the Second World War. In time-honoured style a green young recruit joins Brad Pitt's crew, loses his innocence, earns respect of his fellows.
Movie can't quite seem to decide what it wants to be - the characters are portrayed as brutalised victims, executing prisoners, and there's an extraordinarily long and uncomfortable sequence in which they avail themselves of the hospitality of some recently-liberated German women, but on the other hand it concludes with them heroically mowing down Nazis by the dozen. In the end it's not really clear whether Fury thinks that War is Hell or not, but David Ayer always tells this kind of guys-in-extremis story well.
Movie can't quite seem to decide what it wants to be - the characters are portrayed as brutalised victims, executing prisoners, and there's an extraordinarily long and uncomfortable sequence in which they avail themselves of the hospitality of some recently-liberated German women, but on the other hand it concludes with them heroically mowing down Nazis by the dozen. In the end it's not really clear whether Fury thinks that War is Hell or not, but David Ayer always tells this kind of guys-in-extremis story well.
Lumos (380 KP) rated Near and Far in Tabletop Games
Mar 14, 2018
I think this is one of my new favorite games. I love games that have a campaign option. It allows for greater playability. This game is competitive, however, it is not a "sabotage" style of competitiveness. My friends and I tend to not handle those games well because someone always takes a move personally. In this game, there really isn't any of that. The storybook is my favorite part. We have other players read the story you land on for you and then the title of your two choices and then you decide which choice you are going to make before the rest of the story is read. It adds to the mystery! It becomes a "choose your own adventure" game and makes it possible to play the game again and again without repeating the same story line.
Mike Carlson (115 KP) rated Django (1966) in Movies
Mar 15, 2018
Spaghetti Western
I love spaghetti westerns. The atmosphere is grittier than the mostly sanitized American ones. The blood looks like bright, thick Kool-Aid. Every hero has a casually disgruntled attitude without making an effort. Machismo with style. Violent and bloody, these films just feel more wild than your typical wild west film.
This one is no exception. Our man Django walks into town dragging a coffin behind him. His motives for antagonizing the villainous Major Jackson becomes more clear when the Mexican revolutionaries arrive. It all plays out with everyone adopting what are now stereotypical attitudes for each role. The climax is brief yet memorable.
Casual viewers may avoid this, but film buffs should see it simply for the inspiration it provided to other filmmakers.
This one is no exception. Our man Django walks into town dragging a coffin behind him. His motives for antagonizing the villainous Major Jackson becomes more clear when the Mexican revolutionaries arrive. It all plays out with everyone adopting what are now stereotypical attitudes for each role. The climax is brief yet memorable.
Casual viewers may avoid this, but film buffs should see it simply for the inspiration it provided to other filmmakers.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Deadpool (2016) in Movies
Feb 19, 2018
Not the first R-rated superhero movie, nor the first superhero comedy film, nor even the first movie to feature Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson, but it does a good job of appearing to do something new and different, and has lots of good jokes. Garrulous mercenary volunteers for special procedure in attempt to fend off terminal illness; basically ends up with cancer as a super-power.
The plot is really very secondary to the style of the film, anyway, which is all about being very irreverent and transgressive towards the perceived conventions of the superhero movie; there's a bit of a straw man argument being made here, but the action is well staged and it is, as mentioned, very funny. Not the future of the genre, no matter what people may say, but a well-crafted piece of entertainment nevertheless.
The plot is really very secondary to the style of the film, anyway, which is all about being very irreverent and transgressive towards the perceived conventions of the superhero movie; there's a bit of a straw man argument being made here, but the action is well staged and it is, as mentioned, very funny. Not the future of the genre, no matter what people may say, but a well-crafted piece of entertainment nevertheless.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Black Hole (1979) in Movies
Feb 13, 2018
Big-budget attempt by Disney to cash in on the success of Star Wars; this sort of thing doesn't happen any more, obviously. Science vessel from Earth discovers fabled lost vessel from a generation before, mysteriously hanging over a black hole; they choose to investigate, eventually there are ray gun battles.
Distinctly odd movie which can't seem to decide whether it's a cheery George Lucas-style family-friendly adventure extravaganza with cute robots and zap guns aplenty, or a post-Stanley Kubrick tale of existential contemplation and all-pervading gloom. In the end the dark tone is mostly triumphant - bemusing final sequence reveals black hole is actually a gateway to hell, which may explain why this has been acclaimed as the most scientifically inaccurate movie in history. Decent cast try hard; very good score from John Barry helps keep things moving along.
Distinctly odd movie which can't seem to decide whether it's a cheery George Lucas-style family-friendly adventure extravaganza with cute robots and zap guns aplenty, or a post-Stanley Kubrick tale of existential contemplation and all-pervading gloom. In the end the dark tone is mostly triumphant - bemusing final sequence reveals black hole is actually a gateway to hell, which may explain why this has been acclaimed as the most scientifically inaccurate movie in history. Decent cast try hard; very good score from John Barry helps keep things moving along.