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The Oxford Handbook of Urban Planning
Rachel Weber and Randall C. Crane
Book
The Oxford Handbook of Urban Planning is an authoritative volume on planning, a long-established...
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Michael Henry Heim and Milan Kundera
7.3
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Book
In this novel - a story of irreconcilable loves and infidelities - Milan Kundera addresses himself...
Pocket Guide to Addiction Assessment and Treatment
Erin Zerbo, Petros Levounis and Rashi Aggarwal
Book
Ambivalence, poor adherence to treatment, serious psychiatric and medical comorbidities - the...
Surface: Matters of Aesthetics, Materiality, and Media
Book
What is the place of materiality the expression or condition of physical substance in our visual age...
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Atomic Blonde (2017) in Movies
Aug 16, 2017
Soundtrack (1 more)
Fight scenes
Style over substance?
This is basically a slightly above average spy film - given the above average rating solely based on the killer soundtrack and great action scenes. Charlize Theron makes a pretty good kick ass action star. However the plot itself is a bit confusing at times, drags quite a lot and seems to have almost been pushed to the background in favour of the stylish music and fight scenes. The basic premise as well is sadly lacking in originality, it's so similar to numerous other spy films just with a cool 80s setting. It does however have a great supporting cast, but James McAvoy has been massively underused in this as he's a fantastic actor and needed more screen time. The ending was alright though, just a shame it took so long to get there.
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 Aladdin (2019) in Movies
Jun 12, 2019
Eye-searingly garish, largely redundant auto-cash-in on the 1992 cartoon (which, full disclosure, I've never seen) - if you don't know the plot, well, what's wrong with your parents, did they never take you to a pantomime when you were young? Cave, lamp, genie, princess - I note that Widow Twankey has been ruthlessly scythed from the story.
After a slow start it does generate some energy and entertainment value, mainly because of Will Smith's turn as the genie (Will Smith in good movie role choice shocker!), and for anyone looking for something of substance to contemplate, there is an interesting subtext about the nature of power in traditional hierarchical societies. In the end, though, it manages to take panto plotting, Broadway show tunes, MOR power-ballads, blockbuster CGI, and Bollywood dancing and produce something which still feels essentially lifeless and calculated.
After a slow start it does generate some energy and entertainment value, mainly because of Will Smith's turn as the genie (Will Smith in good movie role choice shocker!), and for anyone looking for something of substance to contemplate, there is an interesting subtext about the nature of power in traditional hierarchical societies. In the end, though, it manages to take panto plotting, Broadway show tunes, MOR power-ballads, blockbuster CGI, and Bollywood dancing and produce something which still feels essentially lifeless and calculated.
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.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated M.Y.T.H. Inc Link (Myth Adventures #7) in Books
Nov 20, 2019
The first six books of the series follow apprentice wizard Skeeve and his mentor Aahz as they have misadventures across different worlds and dimensions. With that formula running out of steam this book marks the move towards a more group-based approached where the other characters that have been introduced during the series can step up and have their own adventures.
The format then is a series of short stories, each outlining a different job narrated by a different member of the team. This allows for some good changes of pace, and seeing the other characters as being capable in their own right is a breath of fresh air.
As such this book provides provides momentum to the series just before it starts to become stale, and gives range and substance to all of the characters
The format then is a series of short stories, each outlining a different job narrated by a different member of the team. This allows for some good changes of pace, and seeing the other characters as being capable in their own right is a breath of fresh air.
As such this book provides provides momentum to the series just before it starts to become stale, and gives range and substance to all of the characters