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Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Mortal Kombat (2021) in Movies
Dec 17, 2021
Characters (2 more)
Visual effects
Half the script
A tale of ice and fire
As a fan of the MK Franchise and seeing almost all tv/movie take on it I was both hyped and in fear of what may come of this.
Although it's not the best MK adaption available it's also not the worst (see MK conquest Imco) the character looks are almost spot on (Liu Kang wasn't quite right imo) and the plot seemed to have duped me (I was led to believe that scorpion & sub zero were the central characters, shame)
But for all the bad there is the good-
The fight sequences are spectacular, yes there may been random videogame references thrown in but concidering there during a fight scene and how it goes down... I there actually quite well placed (Kudos 😉).
The visual effects are beautiful, although their not there the whole time Scorpion and sub zero are hands down the best characters in the movie perfectly portrayed with Sonia blade in at a solid 3rd.
Main character Cole young seems to be just a plot filler, but the movie itself is not to be missed.
Although it's not the best MK adaption available it's also not the worst (see MK conquest Imco) the character looks are almost spot on (Liu Kang wasn't quite right imo) and the plot seemed to have duped me (I was led to believe that scorpion & sub zero were the central characters, shame)
But for all the bad there is the good-
The fight sequences are spectacular, yes there may been random videogame references thrown in but concidering there during a fight scene and how it goes down... I there actually quite well placed (Kudos 😉).
The visual effects are beautiful, although their not there the whole time Scorpion and sub zero are hands down the best characters in the movie perfectly portrayed with Sonia blade in at a solid 3rd.
Main character Cole young seems to be just a plot filler, but the movie itself is not to be missed.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Dark Waters ( A Celtic Legacy book 1) in Books
Mar 29, 2022
56 of 230
Kindle
Dark Waters ( A Celtic Legacy book 1)
By Shannon Mayer
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sisters bound by love, separated by blood. . .
And doomed to face the unimaginable.
An everyday vacation quickly turns into a nightmare of epic proportions. Two sisters must struggle to find the strength within themselves to survive as well as to save one another. When the world of Fae emerges on a rocky shore far from the Emerald Isle, all hell breaks loose.
Two factions vie for the sister’s loyalties, one light, the other dark. Neither honest.
A series of events are set into motion that will not only test the bonds of sisterly love, but will defy belief and reality. Then you have found yourself deep in . . . “Dark Waters”.
Not quite sure how I actually feel after this book. It was ok and had an interesting take on the fae I was a bit put off by the “Irish accent “ and it seemed a little rushed at the end. But I’ll continue as it interested me enough to keep going. If only to see her hopefully punch Luke.
Kindle
Dark Waters ( A Celtic Legacy book 1)
By Shannon Mayer
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sisters bound by love, separated by blood. . .
And doomed to face the unimaginable.
An everyday vacation quickly turns into a nightmare of epic proportions. Two sisters must struggle to find the strength within themselves to survive as well as to save one another. When the world of Fae emerges on a rocky shore far from the Emerald Isle, all hell breaks loose.
Two factions vie for the sister’s loyalties, one light, the other dark. Neither honest.
A series of events are set into motion that will not only test the bonds of sisterly love, but will defy belief and reality. Then you have found yourself deep in . . . “Dark Waters”.
Not quite sure how I actually feel after this book. It was ok and had an interesting take on the fae I was a bit put off by the “Irish accent “ and it seemed a little rushed at the end. But I’ll continue as it interested me enough to keep going. If only to see her hopefully punch Luke.
TE
The Encanto's Daughter
Book
Although the cover isn't one I am drawn to, I love latin reads and I am in a YA competition at work...
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated La La Land (2016) in Movies
Jun 2, 2020
Let me give you the background on this one. Many years ago (when La La Land was due out in the cinemas) ITV2 were showing the new series of Scorpion in their prime time drama spot, this feature was sponsored by something and quite often that's a film. For the season's entire run it was sponsored by... you guessed it... La La Land. Every episode you'd have to see up to 8 clips of the film without any real context about what it was, and worst of all there was very little deviation, you could be seeing the same clip over and over again for 20 or so episodes. I love musicals and I love Emma Stone but this pushed me so far over the edge that I swore I'd never watch it. (The same goes for Moulin Rouge which I also now have to watch) Evidently though I'm a grown ass adult and can't hold petty grudges against films so now I have to watch them... partially so I can make other people watch films they don't want to watch in an underhanded deal on Twitter.
But I digress.
When Mia and Sebastian's lives cross unexpectedly it is impossible to know how much the future will change for both of them. What at first is a wholesome whirlwind of romance begins to fall apart as their careers progress and pull them apart.
At its heart it's a simple romance story for Mia and Sebastian as they build each other up for the lives they want and the perils that that brings, but when you add the extra depth into it all with the music it takes on a whole other dimension. As a spoiler alert for my take on the film, at one point I had to stop and I just wrote in my notes "oh god, why am I crying?!" That wasn't a feeling I had throughout the film though, in fact, straight off the bat I thought I was going to hate the film because of that opening musical number. That number made no impact on me and I was massively concerned, thankfully that didn't hold true for the next number.
On the acting... Emma Stone is glorious and should be in everything... end of review... okay, fine. I loved the way she made Mia come to life, she's fun, got some sass to her and I loved the way she behaved through her auditions. Emma Stone may be my spirit animal, I absolutely love her.
And then there's Ryan Gosling... As an indication of how I feel about him please accept this reenactment of a recent conversation:
Friend: Did you see they're talking about the new Wolfman movie?
Me: Oh my god, really?! Yay! It'll be great!
Friend: Yeah, it's going to have Ryan Gosling in it!
Me: *crickets chirp and a tumbleweed bounces past*
His acting does nothing for me. It's very much the Brad Pitt style of acting without the humour, he always acts the same way, but... I would genuinely say this is the first of his films I've seen where it felt like he was acting. I genuinely enjoyed him in it, it didn't feel like he was hiding all his emotions in a box in his dressing room. I was so thankful.
The chemistry between the pair was brilliant and that really helped carry me through the film. With lots of musical numbers and elaborate looking sets to deal with I was worried that it might end up looking more like theatre than film, it obviously does have that vibe because that's part of the idea but it flowed incredibly well.
La La Land has a wonderful feel to it with vibrant sets and costumes, it gives a glow of the old school and this works incredibly well with the jazz side of the story. This, however, is part of my main problem with the film.
You've got the golden age vibe with the colours and the music, but the modern creeps in everywhere and I wasn't a fan of this mix. Every time it popped up I noticed it and it made me frown. That being said, I don't know if it would have worked being an entirely modern film but it could easily have gone back in time and lived happily ever after.
Even with me disliking that part of the film's story I really enjoyed watching La La Land. It's stunning visually, the music is (mainly) beautiful and I was incredibly surprised by the acting. The moral of this story is don't let excessive advertising put you off something.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/la-la-land-movie-review.html
But I digress.
When Mia and Sebastian's lives cross unexpectedly it is impossible to know how much the future will change for both of them. What at first is a wholesome whirlwind of romance begins to fall apart as their careers progress and pull them apart.
At its heart it's a simple romance story for Mia and Sebastian as they build each other up for the lives they want and the perils that that brings, but when you add the extra depth into it all with the music it takes on a whole other dimension. As a spoiler alert for my take on the film, at one point I had to stop and I just wrote in my notes "oh god, why am I crying?!" That wasn't a feeling I had throughout the film though, in fact, straight off the bat I thought I was going to hate the film because of that opening musical number. That number made no impact on me and I was massively concerned, thankfully that didn't hold true for the next number.
On the acting... Emma Stone is glorious and should be in everything... end of review... okay, fine. I loved the way she made Mia come to life, she's fun, got some sass to her and I loved the way she behaved through her auditions. Emma Stone may be my spirit animal, I absolutely love her.
And then there's Ryan Gosling... As an indication of how I feel about him please accept this reenactment of a recent conversation:
Friend: Did you see they're talking about the new Wolfman movie?
Me: Oh my god, really?! Yay! It'll be great!
Friend: Yeah, it's going to have Ryan Gosling in it!
Me: *crickets chirp and a tumbleweed bounces past*
His acting does nothing for me. It's very much the Brad Pitt style of acting without the humour, he always acts the same way, but... I would genuinely say this is the first of his films I've seen where it felt like he was acting. I genuinely enjoyed him in it, it didn't feel like he was hiding all his emotions in a box in his dressing room. I was so thankful.
The chemistry between the pair was brilliant and that really helped carry me through the film. With lots of musical numbers and elaborate looking sets to deal with I was worried that it might end up looking more like theatre than film, it obviously does have that vibe because that's part of the idea but it flowed incredibly well.
La La Land has a wonderful feel to it with vibrant sets and costumes, it gives a glow of the old school and this works incredibly well with the jazz side of the story. This, however, is part of my main problem with the film.
You've got the golden age vibe with the colours and the music, but the modern creeps in everywhere and I wasn't a fan of this mix. Every time it popped up I noticed it and it made me frown. That being said, I don't know if it would have worked being an entirely modern film but it could easily have gone back in time and lived happily ever after.
Even with me disliking that part of the film's story I really enjoyed watching La La Land. It's stunning visually, the music is (mainly) beautiful and I was incredibly surprised by the acting. The moral of this story is don't let excessive advertising put you off something.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/la-la-land-movie-review.html
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Westworld - Season 2 in TV
Jun 18, 2019
Very confused
The first series of Westworld was a bit of a head scratcher, but a good one. Admittedly I had to read up a bit afterwards to make sure I'd understood it correctly but i still really enjoyed it. It was a great new take on AI and consciousness. The second series however was a bit of a let down.
Firstly the cinematography and production values of this show are fantastic. It looks amazing, and has a truly stellar cast to boot. The problem for me is entirely down to the plot. This second series has gone completely off the rails in my eyes and become so confused and convoluted. Admittedly it isn't helped by the multiple timelines on offer, which feature different time periods straight after the events of the series 1 finale. To begin with I thought this was a great idea, but after a few episodes I started to get very confused. I think they've taken a very good base plot and tried to do too much to it (Lost anyone?). I'm all for plot twists but this takes it way too far. And what started off as a fun reveal of guess who is/isnt a host, has become very tired and old. By the end of this series I was getting a little sick of yet more people being revealed as hosts. And without revealing any spoilers, i think a reveal right at the end about a major character potentially being a host really made me annoyed.
I would say to take my review with a pinch of salt. I think a show like this needs a large amount of brainpower and attention, and this just isn't something I have right now. I think this may have pushed my already fried brain off the edge, but if I ever get chance to watch this when I'm a little less overloaded, I may have a different opinion!
Firstly the cinematography and production values of this show are fantastic. It looks amazing, and has a truly stellar cast to boot. The problem for me is entirely down to the plot. This second series has gone completely off the rails in my eyes and become so confused and convoluted. Admittedly it isn't helped by the multiple timelines on offer, which feature different time periods straight after the events of the series 1 finale. To begin with I thought this was a great idea, but after a few episodes I started to get very confused. I think they've taken a very good base plot and tried to do too much to it (Lost anyone?). I'm all for plot twists but this takes it way too far. And what started off as a fun reveal of guess who is/isnt a host, has become very tired and old. By the end of this series I was getting a little sick of yet more people being revealed as hosts. And without revealing any spoilers, i think a reveal right at the end about a major character potentially being a host really made me annoyed.
I would say to take my review with a pinch of salt. I think a show like this needs a large amount of brainpower and attention, and this just isn't something I have right now. I think this may have pushed my already fried brain off the edge, but if I ever get chance to watch this when I'm a little less overloaded, I may have a different opinion!
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Adventures in Bookbinding: Handcrafting Mixed-Media Books in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Adventures in Book Binding was the perfect book to get me rolling. It had just enough information to educate me on the basics, but it didn't feel like a book meant for fourth-graders. I had no experience in book binding whatsoever (though I have years of craft experience), and now I feel like I'm ready to take off.
The beginning has information about tools, materials, adhesive, paper, and lots of other information. Each project has the fully explained version, a "Shortcut" idea and blurb for a more simple project, and a "Master" idea and blurb. The instructions themselves have many photographs, illustrations, and easy to read explanations.
The projects themselves are astounding! I loved every single one of them. They looked fun to make, they were all very different, and were very inspiring. I could spend hours flipping through this book, and every time I look at a project my mind goes crazy coming up with new ideas of my own.
There are templates and patterns in the back.
All in all I am highly satisfied with Adventures in Bookbinding and recommend it to anyone who has some experience in sewing or crafting and wants to get started creating their own books or journals.
The beginning has information about tools, materials, adhesive, paper, and lots of other information. Each project has the fully explained version, a "Shortcut" idea and blurb for a more simple project, and a "Master" idea and blurb. The instructions themselves have many photographs, illustrations, and easy to read explanations.
The projects themselves are astounding! I loved every single one of them. They looked fun to make, they were all very different, and were very inspiring. I could spend hours flipping through this book, and every time I look at a project my mind goes crazy coming up with new ideas of my own.
There are templates and patterns in the back.
All in all I am highly satisfied with Adventures in Bookbinding and recommend it to anyone who has some experience in sewing or crafting and wants to get started creating their own books or journals.
Sam (74 KP) rated It Started With A Tweet in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Phone addict Daisy will do anything for a like on social media. She shares almost everything from her life and exaggerates about all of it too. It’s a good skill to have when your job is to run the social media of a company, not so good when you accidentally send an explicit tweet through your company’s account rather than your own.
Daisy’s life is turned upside-down. She is sacked from her job after her tweet goes viral, and hopeless that she will find another place willing to take her. A digital detox is just what she needs. She goes to stay at a farm her sister Rosie has bought and helps her renovate it, meeting some interesting people along the way.
It Started With A Tweet reminded me of Cecelia Ahern and Sophie Kinsella, so it was right up my street. It’s lighthearted and laugh-out-loud funny and overall a really entertaining read. Daisy’s constant comments made me giggle and she was such a lifelike character.
It was also interesting to read someone going through a digital detox because I know for sure that I wouldn’t be able to just stop using my phone and my laptop. My life is social media, so I have a real understanding of Daisy’s character.
Daisy’s life is turned upside-down. She is sacked from her job after her tweet goes viral, and hopeless that she will find another place willing to take her. A digital detox is just what she needs. She goes to stay at a farm her sister Rosie has bought and helps her renovate it, meeting some interesting people along the way.
It Started With A Tweet reminded me of Cecelia Ahern and Sophie Kinsella, so it was right up my street. It’s lighthearted and laugh-out-loud funny and overall a really entertaining read. Daisy’s constant comments made me giggle and she was such a lifelike character.
It was also interesting to read someone going through a digital detox because I know for sure that I wouldn’t be able to just stop using my phone and my laptop. My life is social media, so I have a real understanding of Daisy’s character.
Alex Tollefson (3 KP) rated Brown-Eyed Girl in Books
Apr 5, 2019
Not the Trashy Romance I Expected
Contains spoilers, click to show
Very few romance titles these days seem to be anything other than sex scenes and awkward in between dialouge. Which may be fine for some. But I prefer a story with characters that actually feel real in a setting that doesn't seem so cliche. And, preferably, I'd like the non-sex parts to be almost as interesting as the sex parts.
I didn't start this book thinking I'd finish it in one sitting, but here we are. Somehow, the main character, Avery, managed to pull me. I was invested in her. And in Joe, even though I admit a few cliches were spent on him. Their dynamic was fun but not rapey (like he tells her their first time that she only need say the word and he'll stop no matter what- which, sure, shouldn't need to be said, but still), supportive without being overbearing. The only thing I take away Points for is that the plot was not super complicated and parts felt disjointed at time, and I wanted a longer ending. Don't get me wrong, the puppy proposal was cute. But I felt like their should've been a chapter or two more before the epilouge.
I recommend this title to anyone looking for a good, simple read.
I didn't start this book thinking I'd finish it in one sitting, but here we are. Somehow, the main character, Avery, managed to pull me. I was invested in her. And in Joe, even though I admit a few cliches were spent on him. Their dynamic was fun but not rapey (like he tells her their first time that she only need say the word and he'll stop no matter what- which, sure, shouldn't need to be said, but still), supportive without being overbearing. The only thing I take away Points for is that the plot was not super complicated and parts felt disjointed at time, and I wanted a longer ending. Don't get me wrong, the puppy proposal was cute. But I felt like their should've been a chapter or two more before the epilouge.
I recommend this title to anyone looking for a good, simple read.
Lumos (380 KP) rated The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in Books
Jun 8, 2018
Ok.. .I'm going to admit I was a bit bummed my book club chose this as our next read. Sci-fi books have never been my forte.. I just can't seem to understand what is going on. So many scienc-y words and characters with hard to pronounce names.. but, I was very surprised by this book. I listened to the audio book version since I had a few long drives to take. I found myself getting to my destination and sitting in the parking lot waiting for the chapter/ scene to be over. Each character is so unique. Becky Chambers designed each persona in such a beautiful way, you can't help but find yourself getting attached to them. Normally, intergalactic characters are too far out of the world for me to relate to, but I found myself very invested in these characters' backgrounds and relating to them in unexpected ways. I am very eager for our next meeting to see what everyone else got out of the book. If you are like me, and space isn't your thing, I would still recommend you push past the first few chapters. Once you get the background of the first character, I guarantee you will be hooked!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Shadowplay (Micah Grey #2) in Books
Nov 10, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Old magics are waking. But will the world survive their return?
Micah Grey almost died when he fled the circus with Drystan - now he and the ex-clown seek to outrun disaster. Drystan persuades his old friend Jasper Maske, a once-renowned magician, to take them in. But when he agrees to teach them his trade, Maske is challenged to the ultimate high-stakes duel by his embittered arch-nemesis.
Micah must perfect his skills of illusion, while navigating a tender new love. An investigator is also hunting the person he once seemed to be - a noble family's runaway daughter. As the duel draws near, Micah increasingly suffers from visions showing him real magic and future terrors. Events that broke the ancient world are being replayed. But can Micah's latent powers influence this deadly pattern?
The second installment of this trilogy and it started very slow for me I did struggle to keep myself focused. But it got better the longer it went on. Learning more about Micah and Drystan was good as well as their relationship development finally seeing them can me together was quite sweet. I loved the magic and introduction of Cyan. What will the 3rd book bring.
⭐⭐⭐

Micah Grey almost died when he fled the circus with Drystan - now he and the ex-clown seek to outrun disaster. Drystan persuades his old friend Jasper Maske, a once-renowned magician, to take them in. But when he agrees to teach them his trade, Maske is challenged to the ultimate high-stakes duel by his embittered arch-nemesis.
Micah must perfect his skills of illusion, while navigating a tender new love. An investigator is also hunting the person he once seemed to be - a noble family's runaway daughter. As the duel draws near, Micah increasingly suffers from visions showing him real magic and future terrors. Events that broke the ancient world are being replayed. But can Micah's latent powers influence this deadly pattern?
The second installment of this trilogy and it started very slow for me I did struggle to keep myself focused. But it got better the longer it went on. Learning more about Micah and Drystan was good as well as their relationship development finally seeing them can me together was quite sweet. I loved the magic and introduction of Cyan. What will the 3rd book bring.
⭐⭐⭐