Search
Search results
David McK (3425 KP) rated Two Necromancers, a Dragon, and a Vampire (The Unconventional Heroes #3) in Books
Dec 31, 2022
Third entry in L.G. Estrella's so-called 'Unconventional Heroes' series and, if you'd read the previous (recommended to do so prior to this) you'll know pretty much what to expect.
As if the title itself didn't give it away.
In fairness, the title should really be 'Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, an Elf, a Dragon, a Vampire and a Pirate fleet' to do so, but that would be a little bit unwieldy ...
Anyway, Timmy the Necromancer's 'Suicide Squad' alike entourage continues to grow in this, most notably with the addition of Spot the (baby) Dragon and with Amanda, the (ancient) vampire of the title, who has strong links to the past of some of those Timmy is working for.
As before, the result magical mayhem is an enjoyable enough read in it's own right, but unlikely to set the world on fire (we have the pyromaniac elf Avraniel for that ...)
As if the title itself didn't give it away.
In fairness, the title should really be 'Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, an Elf, a Dragon, a Vampire and a Pirate fleet' to do so, but that would be a little bit unwieldy ...
Anyway, Timmy the Necromancer's 'Suicide Squad' alike entourage continues to grow in this, most notably with the addition of Spot the (baby) Dragon and with Amanda, the (ancient) vampire of the title, who has strong links to the past of some of those Timmy is working for.
As before, the result magical mayhem is an enjoyable enough read in it's own right, but unlikely to set the world on fire (we have the pyromaniac elf Avraniel for that ...)
The Lock Up
8.0
Rate It
Book
The Sunday Times bestselling author of Snow and April in Spain returns with Strafford and Quirke's...
Irish literature Historical fiction
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Suicide Squad (2016) in Movies
May 9, 2019 (Updated May 26, 2019)
"Oh, I'm not gonna kill you... I'm just gonna hurt you really, really bad."
Suicide Squad, aka Suicide Squandered, was one of my most anticipated movies of 2016. It would bring back to the big screen one of the most iconic comic book characters, Mr. J, and Harley Quinn would make her long awaited movie debut. It also promised to offer a different approach on the superhero genre, as it would star the villains instead of the good guys.
However, the movie delivers much less than what it teases. It begins on a high note, by introducing some characters in a fun, energetic and fast-paced way, in spite of the messy editing that makes these segments look like mini trailers. It goes downhill from there, showing only a couple of scenes more that could justify all the love these superhero movies get. Ultimately, what distinguishes these sequences from the mediocre ones are the characters in them and whether the audience cares for them or not.
Displaying some information on the screen about certain characters or telling their backstory doesn't necessarily contribute to their development, nor to the knowledge the viewer has about them. Therefore, it's impossible to care about all the characters and only those who are played by the (more) famous actors have any meaning to the audience.
Will Smith's Deadshot is the best of the bunch. Smith has this unique ability to deliver comedic lines that many comedians wish they had. His charisma drives most of the movie and so does his character's motivation. Right now, he could be the only character capable of leading a franchise of his own. Deadshot ended up establishing a mildly interesting dynamic with Joel Kinnaman's forgettable Rick Flag.
Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn is the other character we end up caring about. Robbie provides a fantastic performance and hits all the right notes. Her amazing backstory is only slightly explored and it has potential for a future psychological thriller movie. With the right script and direction, it could be an incredible film. People have already talked about her body and I can only add that she could possibly be right below Kate Hudson's Penny Lane on the sexiest female movie characters. She could.
I love all sorts of crazy and psychotic performances on screen. In fact, one of my favourites is Gary Oldman's in Leon. Jared Leto delivers another one of those performances. It's truly stellar, I loved his interpretation of the Joker and I believe Leto can still receive high praise for his extraordinary efforts. It could happen in the form of that Batman movie, by Matt Reeves.
Just to conclude my thought on the performances, I would like to add that Viola Davis is an excellent Amanda Waller, even more menacing that Cara Delevingne's witch, more on that later. Jai Courtney was great , he got all the best jokes. Jay Hernandez sounds a lot like Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle, doesn't he? His Diablo is the best character, out of the less interesting ones. I love Katana from CW's Arrow and it was disappointing to see that the screenwriters didn't care about her, even more so because Karen Fukuhara seems perfect for the role. Killer Croc has the best entrance on water ever.
A movie is as good as its villain, right? Indeed. Cara Delevingne's Enchantress could very well be the worst movie villain ever. Malekith is relegated to second place. Honestly, I don't know who's to blame. Sure, Delevingne's acting isn't top-notch, but the screenwriters made her dance (?) in a weird way and her voice is laughable. The final result is ridiculous and by far the worst aspect of the movie.
While Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a dark film and proud to 'own that shit', Suicide Squad is ashamed to exhibit that dark side, which results in confusing tone shifts. One moment, it's clearly a DC movie, and another, it is a Marvel family friendly one. Therefore, the comedy sometimes doesn't land, at all. Besides, I also didn't find anything special about the way the action was shot. It was generic stuff, mostly.
Suicide Squad is a huge waste of potential, that could have benefited from some character development and sharp editing. Its greatest strenght is undoubtedly the work done by the talented cast. Could a different cut fix some of these issues? Probably, yes. I was going to attribute 6 stars to this, but a second watch didn't help, either. By the way, what was your favourite sequence? Spoiler alert: mine was the one in which Joker jumps into the acid to Harley.
However, the movie delivers much less than what it teases. It begins on a high note, by introducing some characters in a fun, energetic and fast-paced way, in spite of the messy editing that makes these segments look like mini trailers. It goes downhill from there, showing only a couple of scenes more that could justify all the love these superhero movies get. Ultimately, what distinguishes these sequences from the mediocre ones are the characters in them and whether the audience cares for them or not.
Displaying some information on the screen about certain characters or telling their backstory doesn't necessarily contribute to their development, nor to the knowledge the viewer has about them. Therefore, it's impossible to care about all the characters and only those who are played by the (more) famous actors have any meaning to the audience.
Will Smith's Deadshot is the best of the bunch. Smith has this unique ability to deliver comedic lines that many comedians wish they had. His charisma drives most of the movie and so does his character's motivation. Right now, he could be the only character capable of leading a franchise of his own. Deadshot ended up establishing a mildly interesting dynamic with Joel Kinnaman's forgettable Rick Flag.
Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn is the other character we end up caring about. Robbie provides a fantastic performance and hits all the right notes. Her amazing backstory is only slightly explored and it has potential for a future psychological thriller movie. With the right script and direction, it could be an incredible film. People have already talked about her body and I can only add that she could possibly be right below Kate Hudson's Penny Lane on the sexiest female movie characters. She could.
I love all sorts of crazy and psychotic performances on screen. In fact, one of my favourites is Gary Oldman's in Leon. Jared Leto delivers another one of those performances. It's truly stellar, I loved his interpretation of the Joker and I believe Leto can still receive high praise for his extraordinary efforts. It could happen in the form of that Batman movie, by Matt Reeves.
Just to conclude my thought on the performances, I would like to add that Viola Davis is an excellent Amanda Waller, even more menacing that Cara Delevingne's witch, more on that later. Jai Courtney was great , he got all the best jokes. Jay Hernandez sounds a lot like Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle, doesn't he? His Diablo is the best character, out of the less interesting ones. I love Katana from CW's Arrow and it was disappointing to see that the screenwriters didn't care about her, even more so because Karen Fukuhara seems perfect for the role. Killer Croc has the best entrance on water ever.
A movie is as good as its villain, right? Indeed. Cara Delevingne's Enchantress could very well be the worst movie villain ever. Malekith is relegated to second place. Honestly, I don't know who's to blame. Sure, Delevingne's acting isn't top-notch, but the screenwriters made her dance (?) in a weird way and her voice is laughable. The final result is ridiculous and by far the worst aspect of the movie.
While Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a dark film and proud to 'own that shit', Suicide Squad is ashamed to exhibit that dark side, which results in confusing tone shifts. One moment, it's clearly a DC movie, and another, it is a Marvel family friendly one. Therefore, the comedy sometimes doesn't land, at all. Besides, I also didn't find anything special about the way the action was shot. It was generic stuff, mostly.
Suicide Squad is a huge waste of potential, that could have benefited from some character development and sharp editing. Its greatest strenght is undoubtedly the work done by the talented cast. Could a different cut fix some of these issues? Probably, yes. I was going to attribute 6 stars to this, but a second watch didn't help, either. By the way, what was your favourite sequence? Spoiler alert: mine was the one in which Joker jumps into the acid to Harley.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated All My Puny Sorrows in Books
Feb 13, 2018
This was a tough novel to read. Which isn't to say it's bad. It's not. At all. In fact, it's lovely and lyrical and beautiful. It's just tough. It chronicles the tale of two sisters, Yolandia (Yoli) and her older sister, Elfrieda (Elf). Yoli grows up in the shadow of the talented Elf, who is a famous pianist and an amazing free spirit. Yoli adores her from a young age, as Elf is the only one she knows who has the will and strength to fight against their religious Mennonite upbringing.
As adults, it seems like Elf has it all together - a loving partner, a successful career as a famous pianist, while Yoli is struggling - she's divorced (she's working on number two) and working to stay afloat as an author and raise her two kids.
However, underneath, we learn Elf has a great sadness, as the book covers her suicide attempts, including one as she is about to embark on a concert tour. Yoli rushes to her sister's side, but struggles to help her.
Overall, as I stated, the book is lovely, despite its sad subject matter (my heart hurts that apparently much of this is autobiographical for Toews). Having lost a loved one to suicide, reading a lot of this was very hard, indeed. I was very drawn to Yoli - she is a well-written character and you find yourself rooting for her, as she deals with her sister, her mother, and her crazy life. Even fragile Elf is beautiful. The girls' mother is quite a character; I loved her deeply. She was a trip.
I had to power through this one - sometimes all the bad things happening were overwhelming. The strength of character pulled me through it. I found myself a little frustrated at times ("why am I reading this?!"), but it truly is lovely, and if you've dealt with mental illness in any way (either yourself or with someone you love), while it will hurt, it's also a worthwhile read.
As adults, it seems like Elf has it all together - a loving partner, a successful career as a famous pianist, while Yoli is struggling - she's divorced (she's working on number two) and working to stay afloat as an author and raise her two kids.
However, underneath, we learn Elf has a great sadness, as the book covers her suicide attempts, including one as she is about to embark on a concert tour. Yoli rushes to her sister's side, but struggles to help her.
Overall, as I stated, the book is lovely, despite its sad subject matter (my heart hurts that apparently much of this is autobiographical for Toews). Having lost a loved one to suicide, reading a lot of this was very hard, indeed. I was very drawn to Yoli - she is a well-written character and you find yourself rooting for her, as she deals with her sister, her mother, and her crazy life. Even fragile Elf is beautiful. The girls' mother is quite a character; I loved her deeply. She was a trip.
I had to power through this one - sometimes all the bad things happening were overwhelming. The strength of character pulled me through it. I found myself a little frustrated at times ("why am I reading this?!"), but it truly is lovely, and if you've dealt with mental illness in any way (either yourself or with someone you love), while it will hurt, it's also a worthwhile read.
Becs (244 KP) rated The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot #4) in Books
Aug 4, 2019
Not my favorite novel
You can also find this review on my blog at bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
TRIGGER WARNINGS: death, murder, talk of suicide
Review:
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd follows detective Hercule Poirot as he investigates the murder of Roger Ackroyd. Ackroyd was murdered in his study that was locked, but not before he received a letter from the person that was blackmailing the widow he was having an affair with. This same widow was being blackmailed and rumors spread about her murdering her own husband. She ends up committing suicide because of these rumors and blackmailing.
King's Abbot is full of suspects but it's up to Hercule Poirot to figure out who is guilty of murdering Roger Ackroyd. He is aided by the village doctor and narrator of the story, James Sheppard and his sister, Caroline Sheppard.
I really wanted to love this novel, as it seemed really interesting. It didn't get interesting until the very ending and I wouldn't recommend reading this book first if you've never read an Agatha Christie novel. This was the first ever novel I've read by Agatha Christie and I'm just not really bothered to read any more novels by Agatha Christie.
The story was somewhat interesting, but the execution wasn't there. I wasn't able to guess the killer, so that was a fun little plot twist. But the ending came abruptly and the overall story lacked. It lacked that punch that most mysteries have. There was hardly any development and background for both the story and the characters.
I listened to the audiobook version of this so I wasn't sure if there wasn't any grammatical and/or spelling errors. The narrator was a bit monotone but was otherwise a decent speaker. I forced myself through this, when all I wanted to do was DNF it. It lacked, was confusing, and was rather boring. I did not enjoy this and was disappointed with the overall story.
"The things young women read nowadays and profess to enjoy positively frighten me."
TRIGGER WARNINGS: death, murder, talk of suicide
Review:
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd follows detective Hercule Poirot as he investigates the murder of Roger Ackroyd. Ackroyd was murdered in his study that was locked, but not before he received a letter from the person that was blackmailing the widow he was having an affair with. This same widow was being blackmailed and rumors spread about her murdering her own husband. She ends up committing suicide because of these rumors and blackmailing.
King's Abbot is full of suspects but it's up to Hercule Poirot to figure out who is guilty of murdering Roger Ackroyd. He is aided by the village doctor and narrator of the story, James Sheppard and his sister, Caroline Sheppard.
I really wanted to love this novel, as it seemed really interesting. It didn't get interesting until the very ending and I wouldn't recommend reading this book first if you've never read an Agatha Christie novel. This was the first ever novel I've read by Agatha Christie and I'm just not really bothered to read any more novels by Agatha Christie.
The story was somewhat interesting, but the execution wasn't there. I wasn't able to guess the killer, so that was a fun little plot twist. But the ending came abruptly and the overall story lacked. It lacked that punch that most mysteries have. There was hardly any development and background for both the story and the characters.
I listened to the audiobook version of this so I wasn't sure if there wasn't any grammatical and/or spelling errors. The narrator was a bit monotone but was otherwise a decent speaker. I forced myself through this, when all I wanted to do was DNF it. It lacked, was confusing, and was rather boring. I did not enjoy this and was disappointed with the overall story.
"The things young women read nowadays and profess to enjoy positively frighten me."
Yalghaar: FPS Gun Shooter Game
Games and Entertainment
App
The fate of future generations depends on this top military commando operation. Get a chance to...
Let Me Lie
7.3
Rate It
Book
'It's phenomenal, super-twisty and, incredibly, EVEN BETTER than I Let You Go and I See You' JILL...
3,096 Days
Book
3,096 Days is the remarkable and shocking true account of the kidnap of Natascha Kampusch in 1998,...
Too Late to Say Goodbye
5.0
Rate It
Book
Jenn Corbin, a lovely, slim, brown-eyed blonde, appeared to have it all: two dear little boys, a...
Chasing Darkness
9.0
Rate It
Book
Elvis Cole is Back--In a Desperate Fight to Clear his Name... It's fire season, and the hills of...