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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Uncle Peckerhead (2020) in Movies
Oct 11, 2020
Uncle Peckerhead is a silly name for a silly movie, but dammit, it's a movie that knows how to have a good time.
There's really not too much to grumble about with this punk rock splatter flick. For starters, it has a mostly likable cast, the highlight being David Littleton as the titular Peckerhead (Peck for short). Even though he's a flesh eating demon, he still comes across as a good dude who just wants to look after this young punk band he's taken on as travel companions. The interactions between him and Max (Jeff Riddle) are pretty hilarious. In fact, the film got a few good laughs out of me during it's runtime.
As a musician, I also appreciated the fairly accurate portrayal of what it's like playing live music at ground level. Audience's who don't care, sparsely populated venues, and the occasional promoter who turns out to be a douche (not my place to say if they deserve to get eaten or not...)
The gore in this film hits hard as well. It's fairly infrequent, but when it does come, it's pretty absurd and all achieved using some decent practical work.
I also enjoyed the soundtrack for the most part, and have been introduced to a great punk band called School Drugs through this film as well - another positive!
Uncle Peckerhead is a movie that doesn't take itself seriously, it's entertaining, gory, funny, and just a complete blast. Seek it out!
There's really not too much to grumble about with this punk rock splatter flick. For starters, it has a mostly likable cast, the highlight being David Littleton as the titular Peckerhead (Peck for short). Even though he's a flesh eating demon, he still comes across as a good dude who just wants to look after this young punk band he's taken on as travel companions. The interactions between him and Max (Jeff Riddle) are pretty hilarious. In fact, the film got a few good laughs out of me during it's runtime.
As a musician, I also appreciated the fairly accurate portrayal of what it's like playing live music at ground level. Audience's who don't care, sparsely populated venues, and the occasional promoter who turns out to be a douche (not my place to say if they deserve to get eaten or not...)
The gore in this film hits hard as well. It's fairly infrequent, but when it does come, it's pretty absurd and all achieved using some decent practical work.
I also enjoyed the soundtrack for the most part, and have been introduced to a great punk band called School Drugs through this film as well - another positive!
Uncle Peckerhead is a movie that doesn't take itself seriously, it's entertaining, gory, funny, and just a complete blast. Seek it out!
TacoDave (3607 KP) rated Astro Bot Rescue Mission in Video Games
Sep 6, 2019
VR integration (2 more)
Gameplay
Collectibles
Wonderful use of VR
I kept reading online that "Astro Bot Rescue Mission" was one of the best games available for PSVR. But at a $40 price tag, I couldn't take the leap.
Then a few weeks ago it went on sale for $19.99, so I finally decided to give it a try. And I was completely impressed!
This game really makes you feel like you are a giant robot in a world full of small robots. You control one of the little bots through levels filled with platforming challenges, but VR changes how things work. For example, you might want to make your character run back behind you. In a normal game, you'd have to mess with camera controls, but with this one, you just turn your head to follow him.
If he needs to go up platforms to a bridge far above you, you look up and guide him across using his shadow. If you look down and see a hole in the ground with a collectible item, you can guide him down into the hole to collect it.
Basically, it's like playing a 3D Mario game in a whole new way. I was blown away and played all the way through it, then went back to find the collectibles I had missed.
I would recommend this to anyone new to VR. And I get motion sick easily, but this game never made me sick. A+
Then a few weeks ago it went on sale for $19.99, so I finally decided to give it a try. And I was completely impressed!
This game really makes you feel like you are a giant robot in a world full of small robots. You control one of the little bots through levels filled with platforming challenges, but VR changes how things work. For example, you might want to make your character run back behind you. In a normal game, you'd have to mess with camera controls, but with this one, you just turn your head to follow him.
If he needs to go up platforms to a bridge far above you, you look up and guide him across using his shadow. If you look down and see a hole in the ground with a collectible item, you can guide him down into the hole to collect it.
Basically, it's like playing a 3D Mario game in a whole new way. I was blown away and played all the way through it, then went back to find the collectibles I had missed.
I would recommend this to anyone new to VR. And I get motion sick easily, but this game never made me sick. A+
Disney Crossy Road
Games and Entertainment
App
Why should the chicken get all the fun? From Hipster Whale, the makers of the original Crossy...
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Lay Me Down (Reveler #2) in Books
May 8, 2021 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
We met Maisie during her sister's story and to be fair, she comes across as very light-hearted, whimsical, carefree, almost to the point of being irresponsible. However, as you read through her story you realise there is a lot more to Maisie than meets the eye. She is a wonderful character to read about and you will soon by smiling at the comments she makes or actions she takes. The provoking and prodding banter between her and Steve Coll as they get to know more about each other is very witty and warm to read. It soon moves from warm to hot though as they take things to the next level.
Without giving away any of the story, I will just say that this book manages to tell Maisie and Steve's story, continues with Jordan and Michael's as well as laying the way for the next books in the series. Pretty impressive for a novella!
An excellent continuation of the series and I would definitely recommend you read book 1, Darkness Falls, first as although it's not imperative, it will help you to understand certain levels of the story easier. Looking forward to more on this imaginative and unusual series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Without giving away any of the story, I will just say that this book manages to tell Maisie and Steve's story, continues with Jordan and Michael's as well as laying the way for the next books in the series. Pretty impressive for a novella!
An excellent continuation of the series and I would definitely recommend you read book 1, Darkness Falls, first as although it's not imperative, it will help you to understand certain levels of the story easier. Looking forward to more on this imaginative and unusual series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated The Navigator’s Daughter in Books
Jun 13, 2022
Good, but Not What I Expected
When Kat Lawson’s father gets a letter from the DOD that someone has found the wreckage of his downed plane from World War II, he asks Kat to go to Hungary and take pictures of it for him and find out what happened to the people who rescued him. Since Kat’s personal life is in a state of flux, she agrees. What she finds when she gets there are people who are almost too willing to help her. Are they up to something? What will she learn about her father’s past?
This book takes place in 1996 and the setting just after Russia had left Hungary makes for an entertaining read. It allows us to get caught up in not only what happened to these characters during World War II, but also in the decades since. Honestly, if the book had stayed focused on that, I would have been completely satisfied with it. There is a crime fiction element, but it came across more as a sub-plot, and I felt it was a little forced into the book. However, it appears to be setting up future books in the series, and I will definitely be back for them. I enjoyed getting to know Kat and watching her grow as the book progressed. The other characters helped pull me into the story. This is a promising debut that I enjoyed.
This book takes place in 1996 and the setting just after Russia had left Hungary makes for an entertaining read. It allows us to get caught up in not only what happened to these characters during World War II, but also in the decades since. Honestly, if the book had stayed focused on that, I would have been completely satisfied with it. There is a crime fiction element, but it came across more as a sub-plot, and I felt it was a little forced into the book. However, it appears to be setting up future books in the series, and I will definitely be back for them. I enjoyed getting to know Kat and watching her grow as the book progressed. The other characters helped pull me into the story. This is a promising debut that I enjoyed.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Stardust Trail in Books
Aug 23, 2022 (Updated Aug 23, 2022)
Searching for a Missing Writer
PI Nate Ross is a rarity in 1938 Hollywood – someone who lives in the LA area but isn’t that interested in the movie industry. Still, he’s willing to take on a case for one of the smaller studios. The writer of a picture they are hoping will propel them into a more respected part of the market has gone missing, and they need him for rewrites. As Nate begins investigating, he learns of other issues the film has been having, and soon he’s looking into the sabotage, too. Are the two things connected?
I bought this book when the author gave a talk at my local library a few months back. I’m glad I did. As always, I enjoyed the Hollywood setting, but I especially enjoyed the scenes that took Nate to the area I live. Granted, it has changed a lot since the time when the book was set. The story itself is strong with plenty of action to keep us engaged. I had a few things figured out, but I missed some other clues that Nate used to solve things. The characters are engaging, as well. This has the feel of a classic PI novel, so it has a bit more content than I would typically read. It also means that Nate’s sense of humor made me laugh as I was reading. Fortunately, I already have the sequel since I’m looking forward to visiting Nate again soon.
I bought this book when the author gave a talk at my local library a few months back. I’m glad I did. As always, I enjoyed the Hollywood setting, but I especially enjoyed the scenes that took Nate to the area I live. Granted, it has changed a lot since the time when the book was set. The story itself is strong with plenty of action to keep us engaged. I had a few things figured out, but I missed some other clues that Nate used to solve things. The characters are engaging, as well. This has the feel of a classic PI novel, so it has a bit more content than I would typically read. It also means that Nate’s sense of humor made me laugh as I was reading. Fortunately, I already have the sequel since I’m looking forward to visiting Nate again soon.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Poirot: Hallowe'en Party in Books
Feb 2, 2023
Drowned in the Apple Bobbing Tub
Poirot is called to a small British village after a tragedy at a Hallowe’en party takes place. Someone used the tub that the guests had bobbed for apples in to drown Joyce, a thirteen year old girl who was helping with the event. Earlier in the evening, she had bragged that she had witnessed a murder, however the residents of the village didn’t take her seriously since she was always embellishing if not outright lying about things. If that wasn’t the motive, what happened to her?
Yes, I picked this particular book to read this year because of the upcoming movie “inspired” by it. I suspect the movie will be vastly different, but we will see. The book originally came out in 1969, and you can tell with some of the theories that Poirot hears about what happened. It was interesting to see how society was thinking about some of these issues back then. My biggest issue was the victim’s age, it’s just not something I’m used to. However, I was drawn into the story, interested in finding out exactly what happened. The characters could have been a little sharper, but they did help make me care about the story. I was on the right track, but didn’t have everything pieced together when we reached the climax, which was pretty thrilling. It’s easy to see why this is a lesser-known book from Agatha Christie, but it is definitely enjoyable.
Yes, I picked this particular book to read this year because of the upcoming movie “inspired” by it. I suspect the movie will be vastly different, but we will see. The book originally came out in 1969, and you can tell with some of the theories that Poirot hears about what happened. It was interesting to see how society was thinking about some of these issues back then. My biggest issue was the victim’s age, it’s just not something I’m used to. However, I was drawn into the story, interested in finding out exactly what happened. The characters could have been a little sharper, but they did help make me care about the story. I was on the right track, but didn’t have everything pieced together when we reached the climax, which was pretty thrilling. It’s easy to see why this is a lesser-known book from Agatha Christie, but it is definitely enjoyable.
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Chozen Part Two (Headspace #2) in Books
Jan 28, 2022 (Updated Jul 5, 2023)
CHOZEN: PART TWO continues with the story, and it is just as dark and horrible as the first one, if not more so. My heart broke in the first chapter, and I don't think it ever recovered.
This was still told from different perspectives but, for some reason, it didn't feel as manic as before, so I was able to get a good grip on who was speaking and the experiences they had dealt with or were dealing with. You still have no idea who to trust though!
The story comes together slowly, giving you snippets of information as you go along. I will say that I was completely enthralled in this dark, horrific world, and couldn't put it down. The rescue was just the beginning, and even that wasn't without tragedy.
And that ending... perfect. That's all I'm saying.
This is a horrible, horrific book and I thank J. Paton for writing it. Stories such as these do not glamorise anything and unfortunately, the truth behind them can be darker still.
I would recommend this book but only if your mind, stomach, and heart can take it. It really is DARK so please be warned.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 28, 2022
This was still told from different perspectives but, for some reason, it didn't feel as manic as before, so I was able to get a good grip on who was speaking and the experiences they had dealt with or were dealing with. You still have no idea who to trust though!
The story comes together slowly, giving you snippets of information as you go along. I will say that I was completely enthralled in this dark, horrific world, and couldn't put it down. The rescue was just the beginning, and even that wasn't without tragedy.
And that ending... perfect. That's all I'm saying.
This is a horrible, horrific book and I thank J. Paton for writing it. Stories such as these do not glamorise anything and unfortunately, the truth behind them can be darker still.
I would recommend this book but only if your mind, stomach, and heart can take it. It really is DARK so please be warned.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 28, 2022
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Welcome To... in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
Are there still city planners? They go by a different name nowadays right? Civil engineers? Am I thinking of the wrong thing? In any case, you get to be one of those people in Welcome To…, which has one of the strangest titles for a game, especially when you look at that box cover. Are you gonna go all in on pools? Parks? Bisses (ooh I’m not too sure about this one)? Plan out your best three-street neighborhood in this light and fun roll cardflip-and-write game.
Here is a quick overview of game play without going through the whole rule book. Divide the shuffled card deck into three equal piles. Flip over the top card of each pile. You now have setup the game and revealed the first three combinations of cards you can use on your turn (see play pic at end of this post). Do you like that 3 and Pool combo? Cool. Write a 3 on the roof of a house on any of the streets on your sheet and mark a pool there too. FLIP all the cards again. Wanna take that 9 and Park? Okay. Mark a 9 on a house, Graffitimaster, and beautify your hood with an upgraded park. FLIP. Repeat. There are other cards that will be revealed as the game goes on, but I am simplifying two turns for you.
That’s the game. Everyone takes turns at the same time using the three card combinations presented to try to get the most points for having the best barrio. There are bonus goal cards that can be achieved too, but they are completely optional (akin to building the Wonders in 7 Wonders). Have I won this game yet in all my plays? Yes, once. But it’s not really about winning or losing. You are essentially playing against yourself and just trying to get the best score you can. It’s just that the other players are doing the same thing and you have to compare scores at the end.
Okay, the good and bad. Bad first – the pencils. The game comes with several golf pencils that just don’t cut it on the papers provided. Grab a good pen or marker to see your marks. The other components in the game are great. The game play is quick, as long as you don’t suffer from AP and have to carefully plan out every possibility for every possible combination presented. That can really slow the game down. Luckily, I don’t suffer from that and most of the time I probably need to do a more thorough job thinking through my turns, but that’s my burden to bear.
Aside from those items, the game is really good. I don’t own a large number of roll-and-writes somehow (and I WAS alive during 2018), so this was a great pickup for me as a variation in the genre. Okay fine, I also Kickstarted the expansion with the different themed pages, so I’m also looking forward to that fulfillment. All in all the game is very solid, and different enough to all my other games that I will be keeping it and trying to outscore my last play every time. We at Purple Phoenix Games give this a well-planned 19 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/04/welcome-to-review/
Here is a quick overview of game play without going through the whole rule book. Divide the shuffled card deck into three equal piles. Flip over the top card of each pile. You now have setup the game and revealed the first three combinations of cards you can use on your turn (see play pic at end of this post). Do you like that 3 and Pool combo? Cool. Write a 3 on the roof of a house on any of the streets on your sheet and mark a pool there too. FLIP all the cards again. Wanna take that 9 and Park? Okay. Mark a 9 on a house, Graffitimaster, and beautify your hood with an upgraded park. FLIP. Repeat. There are other cards that will be revealed as the game goes on, but I am simplifying two turns for you.
That’s the game. Everyone takes turns at the same time using the three card combinations presented to try to get the most points for having the best barrio. There are bonus goal cards that can be achieved too, but they are completely optional (akin to building the Wonders in 7 Wonders). Have I won this game yet in all my plays? Yes, once. But it’s not really about winning or losing. You are essentially playing against yourself and just trying to get the best score you can. It’s just that the other players are doing the same thing and you have to compare scores at the end.
Okay, the good and bad. Bad first – the pencils. The game comes with several golf pencils that just don’t cut it on the papers provided. Grab a good pen or marker to see your marks. The other components in the game are great. The game play is quick, as long as you don’t suffer from AP and have to carefully plan out every possibility for every possible combination presented. That can really slow the game down. Luckily, I don’t suffer from that and most of the time I probably need to do a more thorough job thinking through my turns, but that’s my burden to bear.
Aside from those items, the game is really good. I don’t own a large number of roll-and-writes somehow (and I WAS alive during 2018), so this was a great pickup for me as a variation in the genre. Okay fine, I also Kickstarted the expansion with the different themed pages, so I’m also looking forward to that fulfillment. All in all the game is very solid, and different enough to all my other games that I will be keeping it and trying to outscore my last play every time. We at Purple Phoenix Games give this a well-planned 19 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/04/welcome-to-review/
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated On the Basis of Sex (2018) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
In the year 2018, it’s easy to forget how much the times have changed over the last century. We now carry computers around in our pockets, have the internet to conduct worldwide business in a matter of seconds and cars that run on electricity. Considering all of these amazing technological advancements you would think something as simple and no-brainer as equal rights must have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years, right? Well, the new movie On the Basis of Sex humbly reminded me that the equal rights movement was not too much longer ago than the invention of the internet and it was just the type of reminder I needed to once again appreciate just how far we have come.
On the Basis of Sex is a biopic detailing Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s (Felicity Jones) rise from one of the first women “invited” to attend Harvard Law School to becoming the 2nd woman nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. The first part of the movie aptly chronicles Mrs. Ginsburg’s experience as a woman at Harvard Law School and then getting her first job as a professor at Rutgers Law School in 1963. Considering she graduated at the top of her class being a professor was not her dream job, but law firms were not looking to hire female lawyers, so she made the best of it. This all leads up to the main focus of the film which is Mrs. Ginsburg representing a Colorado man who has been denied caretaker tax benefits because the tax code specifically applied to women. The movie shows both her struggles and triumphs with the case and why equal rights were so important to her. Although the movie focused on this one case, it was crystal clear that Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a force to be reckoned with and this was just one of many cases she would take on to ensure greater equality for woman.
Felicity Jones does an incredible job portraying Mrs. Ginsburg. She brings a swagger to the character and used an authentic sounding Brooklyn accent to boot. Armie Hammer also does a great job playing the ever supportive and unshakable husband Marty Ginsburg. They had great chemistry on screen and did an excellent job showing just how supportive they were to one another. Even though their relationship was not the focus of the film, it was very touching and added a little extra heart to the story. Speaking of the story, it was both engaging and thought provoking, so much so that its effects are still there even after leaving the theater. I enjoyed how the story unfolded and the fact that it never got to preachy or political. As biopics go, there were a few spots that seemed to drag on a bit, but generally the pace never lingered in one spot for too long and it kept my interest the whole time.
On the Basis of Sex was a very good movie and a welcome addition to this year’s holiday movie offerings. If you are looking for something different after a couple of hours with web slinging spider-folk and yellow cars that turn into giant robots then this would be a great movie to check out. With excellent acting, a great inspirational story and even a little bit of heart, I really couldn’t ask for anything more.
On the Basis of Sex is a biopic detailing Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s (Felicity Jones) rise from one of the first women “invited” to attend Harvard Law School to becoming the 2nd woman nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. The first part of the movie aptly chronicles Mrs. Ginsburg’s experience as a woman at Harvard Law School and then getting her first job as a professor at Rutgers Law School in 1963. Considering she graduated at the top of her class being a professor was not her dream job, but law firms were not looking to hire female lawyers, so she made the best of it. This all leads up to the main focus of the film which is Mrs. Ginsburg representing a Colorado man who has been denied caretaker tax benefits because the tax code specifically applied to women. The movie shows both her struggles and triumphs with the case and why equal rights were so important to her. Although the movie focused on this one case, it was crystal clear that Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a force to be reckoned with and this was just one of many cases she would take on to ensure greater equality for woman.
Felicity Jones does an incredible job portraying Mrs. Ginsburg. She brings a swagger to the character and used an authentic sounding Brooklyn accent to boot. Armie Hammer also does a great job playing the ever supportive and unshakable husband Marty Ginsburg. They had great chemistry on screen and did an excellent job showing just how supportive they were to one another. Even though their relationship was not the focus of the film, it was very touching and added a little extra heart to the story. Speaking of the story, it was both engaging and thought provoking, so much so that its effects are still there even after leaving the theater. I enjoyed how the story unfolded and the fact that it never got to preachy or political. As biopics go, there were a few spots that seemed to drag on a bit, but generally the pace never lingered in one spot for too long and it kept my interest the whole time.
On the Basis of Sex was a very good movie and a welcome addition to this year’s holiday movie offerings. If you are looking for something different after a couple of hours with web slinging spider-folk and yellow cars that turn into giant robots then this would be a great movie to check out. With excellent acting, a great inspirational story and even a little bit of heart, I really couldn’t ask for anything more.