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Awix (3310 KP) rated The Prisoner in TV
Mar 5, 2018
Famously cryptic cult TV show still has things to offer anyone willing to enter its peculiar world. Title character (McGoohan) is whisked off to a very strange prison; subsequent episodes revolve around either his attempts to escape, or the Village masters' schemes to force him to reveal his secrets (things get progressively more outlandishly weird as the series progresses).
Visually striking; the plots represent a weird mashing together of typical ITC action-adventure tropes and something altogether more avant-garde and cerebral: typical episode contains both existential pondering of the nature of society and/or the individual self and at least one punch-up. No-one seems entirely sure what it's all supposed to mean - is it about the conflict between the individual and the collective? The divided self? Patrick McGoohan's frustration at the state of his career? Nevertheless, the show's reputation is deserved - the weaker episodes are simply peculiar, the best ones absolutely mesmerising.
Visually striking; the plots represent a weird mashing together of typical ITC action-adventure tropes and something altogether more avant-garde and cerebral: typical episode contains both existential pondering of the nature of society and/or the individual self and at least one punch-up. No-one seems entirely sure what it's all supposed to mean - is it about the conflict between the individual and the collective? The divided self? Patrick McGoohan's frustration at the state of his career? Nevertheless, the show's reputation is deserved - the weaker episodes are simply peculiar, the best ones absolutely mesmerising.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated The Ambitious Card (An Eli Marks Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Eli Marks is filling in for his uncle on a TV show. His job is to watch a psychic and then debunk his act. Eli recognizes several of the man’s tricks as variations on magic and says so. What he doesn’t expect is to find himself the chief suspect in the man’s murder the next morning. Can he conjure up the real killer?
I liked the idea of a magician as the sleuth, however, I felt the magic overwhelmed the mystery. That’s a shame because the mystery was very good and kept me confused until the end. Likewise, the characters were interesting. Hopefully, the mystery/magic mix will be better balanced as the series goes forward.
NOTE: I was given a copy of the audio version of this book. My thoughts are my own.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/03/book-review-ambitious-card-by-john.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I liked the idea of a magician as the sleuth, however, I felt the magic overwhelmed the mystery. That’s a shame because the mystery was very good and kept me confused until the end. Likewise, the characters were interesting. Hopefully, the mystery/magic mix will be better balanced as the series goes forward.
NOTE: I was given a copy of the audio version of this book. My thoughts are my own.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/03/book-review-ambitious-card-by-john.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Vegas (725 KP) rated Murder, She Wrote in TV
Sep 10, 2018
Easy going (1 more)
Fun
Formulaic (1 more)
Occasional fetched plots
A TV classic
America's answer to Miss Marple...
In the little village of Cabot Cove, Maine lives retired school teacher, writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher, who uses her skills and annoying persistence to get to the bottom of the murders that follow her around - from Cabot Cove to the big cities she travels to and resides in from time to time.
She appears to know or get in the confidence of police chiefs, detectives and other high ranking officials worldwide who for some reason let her get involved in their investigations..
The easy going 'cozy' mysteries are a nice casual watch, that isn't too taxing on the brain, but they do follow a very set formula most of the time which can make them a little predictable.
Created by the duo of Levinson and Link who created classic television detective series such as Columbo, Ellery Queen and Scene of the Crime along with Peter S. Fischer...
In the little village of Cabot Cove, Maine lives retired school teacher, writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher, who uses her skills and annoying persistence to get to the bottom of the murders that follow her around - from Cabot Cove to the big cities she travels to and resides in from time to time.
She appears to know or get in the confidence of police chiefs, detectives and other high ranking officials worldwide who for some reason let her get involved in their investigations..
The easy going 'cozy' mysteries are a nice casual watch, that isn't too taxing on the brain, but they do follow a very set formula most of the time which can make them a little predictable.
Created by the duo of Levinson and Link who created classic television detective series such as Columbo, Ellery Queen and Scene of the Crime along with Peter S. Fischer...
Midge (525 KP) rated Keeping Faith in TV
Jan 3, 2019 (Updated Jan 9, 2019)
Actress Eve Myles (1 more)
Breathtaking Scenery
Fantastic Drama/Thriller!
Keeping Faith is a superb TV show with fantastic plots and wonderful actors. Each weeks' episode leaves you begging for the next one. Eve Myles, who plays Faith, was outstanding and you could really relate to her. I also particularly enjoyed the scenes including Hannah Daniel as Cerys Jones (junior associate at the family's law firm, Howells) who was very good. The show is set in Wales where the scenery manages to be both bleak but breathtaking, at the same time.
I loved watching Keeping Faith as it was gripping and kept me hooked all the way through. So many questions unanswered and so much more drama to come. Fantastic!
The closing song of Keeping Faith's first episode which melts me every time was written and sung by Grammy award-winning songwriter Amy Wadge.
This is a beautiful, wonderful drama and I'm ecstatic to hear that there will be a Series 2.
I loved watching Keeping Faith as it was gripping and kept me hooked all the way through. So many questions unanswered and so much more drama to come. Fantastic!
The closing song of Keeping Faith's first episode which melts me every time was written and sung by Grammy award-winning songwriter Amy Wadge.
This is a beautiful, wonderful drama and I'm ecstatic to hear that there will be a Series 2.
Joe (2 more)
Twists
Dark humour
Sympathetic stalker.
Joe is an intelligent book store worker and he's not bad looking either. Problem is he might just be a psychopath. He becomes obsessed with women he believes are the one and from there on out he sets out to make them his and protect them no matter what that takes.
It has an underlying theme of dark humor with many finding the character of Joe to be incredibly sympathetic despite his actions and I did quite often find myself laughing at the series. I devoured it in 2 days and just couldn't stop watching despite the fact that I didn't feel at all sympathetic towards his victim Beck and even at times found her quite annoying and pathetic.
You looks set to be one of Netflixs biggest TV hits for this year and with a sequel already in development it's certainly worth a good binge.
It has an underlying theme of dark humor with many finding the character of Joe to be incredibly sympathetic despite his actions and I did quite often find myself laughing at the series. I devoured it in 2 days and just couldn't stop watching despite the fact that I didn't feel at all sympathetic towards his victim Beck and even at times found her quite annoying and pathetic.
You looks set to be one of Netflixs biggest TV hits for this year and with a sequel already in development it's certainly worth a good binge.
Slt2182 (0 KP) rated The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013) in Movies
Jun 21, 2019
Yeesh
I don't even know where to start. I decided to read this series once coming across the best TV show ever based on the books and I just HAD to start from the beginning which is from this very first book. I couldn't put the book down and honestly read it within a day. This was the first book to a long way of books where I took books seriously and didn't have the urge to throw them away afterwards or shove them into a damp, dark place. I placed it neatly on a shelf. Already ready to buy the next one since I'm never one to like cliffhangers or not having more to the story. I'm a collector and once I like something. I become obsessed. I definitely recommend this book if you like the mysteries of a world that you hope exists and something written on a place that I myself actually dreamed of being in whether or not its in a book.
ClareR (5879 KP) rated Tales of the City (Tales of the City, #1) in Books
Nov 18, 2019
Tales of the City is set in San Francisco in 1976 - three years after I was born, so how can I feel nostalgic?! This is how a feel good book should be written. I loved it.
They’re all great characters, and I warn you - this is a laugh out loud book, and when you have to explain to the 12 or 14 year old sons WHY you’re laughing, the explanations can be interesting! I feel fortunate that a friend convinced me to go and see Armistead Maupin with her at my local literature festival, otherwise I don’t know whether I would have ever picked up this book. I’d simply never heard of Maupin, and I don’t have Netflix to have heard about the TV series. Now I wish I had Netflix!
I’m glad I have book 2 waiting in the wings, because I really want to keep living in 1970s San Francisco!
They’re all great characters, and I warn you - this is a laugh out loud book, and when you have to explain to the 12 or 14 year old sons WHY you’re laughing, the explanations can be interesting! I feel fortunate that a friend convinced me to go and see Armistead Maupin with her at my local literature festival, otherwise I don’t know whether I would have ever picked up this book. I’d simply never heard of Maupin, and I don’t have Netflix to have heard about the TV series. Now I wish I had Netflix!
I’m glad I have book 2 waiting in the wings, because I really want to keep living in 1970s San Francisco!
Awix (3310 KP) rated Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) in Movies
Jan 26, 2020
Probably my favourite of the Python movies, in that it has a genuine cinematic feel to it while still retaining the creativity and willingness to be just plain weird that characterised the TV series at its best. King Arthur and his knights are sent by God to find the Holy Grail; various absurd adventures ensue. The Dark Ages prove a fruitful backdrop for the Pythons' brand of grotesque surrealism.
One of those films which has entered the collective consciousness of generations - 'Tis but a scratch!', the Knights who say 'Ni', the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, and so on. Whether the film's willingness to totally rip up the cinema rulebook (opening with the titles from a completely different film, completely dispensing with a conventional ending) is inspired or just slightly annoying is probably up to the individual viewer, but this is the work of a team working at the height of their powers. Very, very funny.
One of those films which has entered the collective consciousness of generations - 'Tis but a scratch!', the Knights who say 'Ni', the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, and so on. Whether the film's willingness to totally rip up the cinema rulebook (opening with the titles from a completely different film, completely dispensing with a conventional ending) is inspired or just slightly annoying is probably up to the individual viewer, but this is the work of a team working at the height of their powers. Very, very funny.
Russell Evans (179 KP) rated The Winter King in Books
Feb 27, 2020
Gritty and authentic take on the Arthurian Legends (3 more)
Feels like a true historical tale
Interesting characters
Gripping first part to a trilogy worth getting into
I would definitely recommend this Novel – the first book in the Warlord Trilogy. It retells the mythical story of King Arthur but in such a gritty and credibly realistic way, that it feels like a historical epic.
This story is told from the perspective of Derfel, a young soldier and loyal follower and friend of Arthur. There are many intriguing and complex characters that are woven into the tale. The battles are quite grisly, and things can be quite brutal at times, but I guess it would have been living and fighting through the dark ages.
As a Lord of the Rings fan, this is my next favourite ‘fantasy’ trilogy. If you liked ‘The Vikings’ or ‘The Last Kingdoms’ series on TV, I would highly recommend that you give this trilogy a read.
This story is told from the perspective of Derfel, a young soldier and loyal follower and friend of Arthur. There are many intriguing and complex characters that are woven into the tale. The battles are quite grisly, and things can be quite brutal at times, but I guess it would have been living and fighting through the dark ages.
As a Lord of the Rings fan, this is my next favourite ‘fantasy’ trilogy. If you liked ‘The Vikings’ or ‘The Last Kingdoms’ series on TV, I would highly recommend that you give this trilogy a read.
The People V. O.J. Simpson
Book
Now a major BBC TV series. The definitive account of the O. J. Simpson trial, The People V. O.J....