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Rachel King (13 KP) rated Sea Glass (Glass, #2) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I was a little disappointed by this book, since I enjoyed the previous one so much. I had expected Opal Cowan to spend more time and effort in exploring what she can do with her glass abilities, but it seemed to be more of the same denial of her immense magical potential. Put glass in Opal's hands and the world is hers to command, whether for good or bad, but she is so focused on the weight of responsibility that this power gives her that she really does not do much with it at all - until the tail end of the book.
A large part of the book is devoted to Opal attempting to stop the spread of blood magic knowledge, as well as monitoring Ulrick and Devlen's actions. In the meantime she graduates, gets together with the Stormdancer Kade, and pursues setting up her own private glass-making business, though with not much success in the latter. All of her pursuits take large chunks of time because someone is constantly trying to control her for her different abilities, which can make for tedious reading. I enjoyed her romance with Kade simply because there seemed very little effort on either of his or her part to connect with the other - like they were made for each other. In contrast, Devlen's almost constant attention to Opal is perplexing because Opal regularly second-guesses his intentions. It is nearly impossible to figure out his real motivation because his previous actions show him to be a very good liar and manipulator. I will be interested to see where his subplot goes in the final book.
The way that Opal finally deals with the power that she has over glass took me by surprise, but I like it. The outcome creates an entirely new set of circumstances for her, but one that she has a precedent for. Plus, no longer is she at the mercy of magic, though how much she realizes that will hopefully be shown in the final book, Spy Glass.
A large part of the book is devoted to Opal attempting to stop the spread of blood magic knowledge, as well as monitoring Ulrick and Devlen's actions. In the meantime she graduates, gets together with the Stormdancer Kade, and pursues setting up her own private glass-making business, though with not much success in the latter. All of her pursuits take large chunks of time because someone is constantly trying to control her for her different abilities, which can make for tedious reading. I enjoyed her romance with Kade simply because there seemed very little effort on either of his or her part to connect with the other - like they were made for each other. In contrast, Devlen's almost constant attention to Opal is perplexing because Opal regularly second-guesses his intentions. It is nearly impossible to figure out his real motivation because his previous actions show him to be a very good liar and manipulator. I will be interested to see where his subplot goes in the final book.
The way that Opal finally deals with the power that she has over glass took me by surprise, but I like it. The outcome creates an entirely new set of circumstances for her, but one that she has a precedent for. Plus, no longer is she at the mercy of magic, though how much she realizes that will hopefully be shown in the final book, Spy Glass.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
A whole new universe of Spideys!
Finally got around to watching this after reading lots of great reviews and it really delivered.
Having not known anything about the Miles Morales storyline or origin story, I was excited going into this without much prescreen knowledge (which doesn't happen much these days).
Basically a Brooklyn teenager gets bit by the that darn radioactive spider and then starts to exhibit his own Spidey traits after the original Peter Parker is killed in action. Much to the surprise of Miles, another wisecracking out of shape Peter shows up and says he's from another alternate universe or something where things are different. Eventually, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and Spider-Ham also arrive to take on the Kingpin and a female version of Doc Ock to try and save the Earth from destruction.
The humor in the film is rally good. I guess I would say equivalent to a PG version of Deadpool with lots of wisecracks and sarcasm. My kind of screenplay. While not necessarily made for adults, I think both young and not so young would enjoy the fast pace of the film with very few dull spots.
They don't focus very much on the Peter Parker origin which is great since we have seen this already many times within the last few incarnations of the character. It's actually kind of amusing the way the keep repeating it in slightly different ways when the new Spideys emerge. The colors are bright and vibrant (I only saw in 2D) and the environments and backgrounds are interesting and complex which makes you dazzle for the cinematic eye candy for sure.
Due to the success critically as well as box office cred, it looks like this is the beginning of a franchise which is all right by me. I would highly recommend.
Having not known anything about the Miles Morales storyline or origin story, I was excited going into this without much prescreen knowledge (which doesn't happen much these days).
Basically a Brooklyn teenager gets bit by the that darn radioactive spider and then starts to exhibit his own Spidey traits after the original Peter Parker is killed in action. Much to the surprise of Miles, another wisecracking out of shape Peter shows up and says he's from another alternate universe or something where things are different. Eventually, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and Spider-Ham also arrive to take on the Kingpin and a female version of Doc Ock to try and save the Earth from destruction.
The humor in the film is rally good. I guess I would say equivalent to a PG version of Deadpool with lots of wisecracks and sarcasm. My kind of screenplay. While not necessarily made for adults, I think both young and not so young would enjoy the fast pace of the film with very few dull spots.
They don't focus very much on the Peter Parker origin which is great since we have seen this already many times within the last few incarnations of the character. It's actually kind of amusing the way the keep repeating it in slightly different ways when the new Spideys emerge. The colors are bright and vibrant (I only saw in 2D) and the environments and backgrounds are interesting and complex which makes you dazzle for the cinematic eye candy for sure.
Due to the success critically as well as box office cred, it looks like this is the beginning of a franchise which is all right by me. I would highly recommend.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Heartless in Books
Oct 6, 2018
Infuriating
I had such high hopes for this book, everything about it called to me. A re-take on an aspect of the crazy that is Alice in Wonderland that had a fantasy premise, I wanted to like, even love this book. My mind and heart are smashed into smithereens and I don't even feel that I can express my true feelings in this review or else I will spoil for others. There are no spoilers so please forgive any vague statements.
What I like about this book were the two lead characters Jest and Cath. Cath started as a disillusioned young woman, entitled in the true sense but longing to be ordinary and follow her love of baking. Cath evolved into a spirited but whiney woman but towards the end became unrecognisable and I can't even say there was a journey to the change in her. Cath become a bomb.
Jest was absolutely wonderful in every way. He was mysterious but loyal and he fell in love with Cath. I loved his character, his quirkiness, his tricks, his hat. Many of the side characters were enchanting: Cheshire, Raven and Hatter really stick out.
This book was difficult to read and slow in pace until 60% but I powered on. At 60% it got pretty exciting and the pace picked up. Then a bomb was dropped and my investment in this world and book fell apart. Words cannot express my heartache and I am disillusioned with how the author dealt with the events that occurred. The characters had intangible behaviour towards the end and the lack of story once the events occurred was truly disappointing. I could have coped with the events if they were supported by good writing and depth, they were not. I feel let down as a reader and I can't see myself returning to this author again.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
What I like about this book were the two lead characters Jest and Cath. Cath started as a disillusioned young woman, entitled in the true sense but longing to be ordinary and follow her love of baking. Cath evolved into a spirited but whiney woman but towards the end became unrecognisable and I can't even say there was a journey to the change in her. Cath become a bomb.
Jest was absolutely wonderful in every way. He was mysterious but loyal and he fell in love with Cath. I loved his character, his quirkiness, his tricks, his hat. Many of the side characters were enchanting: Cheshire, Raven and Hatter really stick out.
This book was difficult to read and slow in pace until 60% but I powered on. At 60% it got pretty exciting and the pace picked up. Then a bomb was dropped and my investment in this world and book fell apart. Words cannot express my heartache and I am disillusioned with how the author dealt with the events that occurred. The characters had intangible behaviour towards the end and the lack of story once the events occurred was truly disappointing. I could have coped with the events if they were supported by good writing and depth, they were not. I feel let down as a reader and I can't see myself returning to this author again.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Watersheds of World History in Books
Nov 5, 2018
This book was provided as a complimentary signed copy from the author, and I am very grateful to be finally fulfilling my promise to review the book.
Firstly, I have to be honest, world history from start to finish in 200 pages? I know, I asked myself that question so many times before I sat down to finally read this and I was highly sceptical whether it could be achieved. How very wrong I was.
Taylor has a unique take on history, succinct and incredibly to the point. I read a lot of history books and most historians get a little 'flowery' with their language in an attempt to make the reader love the history but Taylor takes a completely contrasting methodology in being almost blunt with the delivery of the historical facts. Usually, I would prefer more description but in this book it is much more apt to have this short, sharp burst approach as it keeps the reader hooked to the very end, even if they already know the history being told. That being said, I'm a self professed history enthusiast who reads history like fiction, and Taylor, in this masterpiece, managed to teach me a thing or two about periods of history I thought I knew inside out.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough for anyone interested in getting a beginners knowledge of world history, whether to help decide options for school, find a new hobby or even brush up on quiz knowledge. Taylor has written an immensely useful and informative text that I would, if I were a teacher of history, make a compulsory text for all my children. As it is, I'm in primary teaching and I can see myself recommending this to colleagues who are less confident in general historical knowledge to make sure they meet the grade! A fantastic talent has emerged in the literary world of non-fiction history, and I look forward to reading more from this incredibly talented and unique author.
Firstly, I have to be honest, world history from start to finish in 200 pages? I know, I asked myself that question so many times before I sat down to finally read this and I was highly sceptical whether it could be achieved. How very wrong I was.
Taylor has a unique take on history, succinct and incredibly to the point. I read a lot of history books and most historians get a little 'flowery' with their language in an attempt to make the reader love the history but Taylor takes a completely contrasting methodology in being almost blunt with the delivery of the historical facts. Usually, I would prefer more description but in this book it is much more apt to have this short, sharp burst approach as it keeps the reader hooked to the very end, even if they already know the history being told. That being said, I'm a self professed history enthusiast who reads history like fiction, and Taylor, in this masterpiece, managed to teach me a thing or two about periods of history I thought I knew inside out.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough for anyone interested in getting a beginners knowledge of world history, whether to help decide options for school, find a new hobby or even brush up on quiz knowledge. Taylor has written an immensely useful and informative text that I would, if I were a teacher of history, make a compulsory text for all my children. As it is, I'm in primary teaching and I can see myself recommending this to colleagues who are less confident in general historical knowledge to make sure they meet the grade! A fantastic talent has emerged in the literary world of non-fiction history, and I look forward to reading more from this incredibly talented and unique author.
Sam (74 KP) rated Hinch Yourself Happy in Books
Jun 21, 2019
I’m one of those people who enjoy cleaning. I find it really therapeutic and love nothing more than getting the Zoflora out! Well, other than reading, that is. I didn’t even know about Mrs Hinch until a few months ago, but since I found out about her, I’ve loved keeping an eye on her insta!
Now, before reading this, I was far from being a major hincher. But I still loved trying out her tips around the house.
When I saw this book was coming out, I knew I wanted it, but it wasn’t a ‘omg I NEED it’, it was more of a ‘well that could be good’. So I didn’t preorder it and I also didn’t buy it as soon as it hit the shelves. Instead, I spotted it half price while I was at Sainsbury’s one Sunday, and decided to take the plunge.
Honestly, I loved it! There’s a lot in there about Mrs Hinch herself as well as plenty of cleaning tips! I didn’t even realise that I was halfway through until I put the book down for some food!
Now, a few weeks after reading the book, I’m going to admit it – I’m addicted to Hinching! Fair enough, I used to clean a lot before this book came into my life, but now I spend almost every day off work cleaning, and I love it.
The lists in Hinch Yourself Happy are so useful, and I’ve bought so many things she has recommended and fallen in love with them. I love that in the book, there’s recommendations on what to use, sorted by room and task. It turns the book into an easy reference point for anything cleaning related, and I’ve already gone back to it quite a few times to double check what I should be using.
I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone – whether you’re a clean freak like me, or if you tend to shy away from cleaning. There’s plenty in here to learn from, for anyone.
Now, before reading this, I was far from being a major hincher. But I still loved trying out her tips around the house.
When I saw this book was coming out, I knew I wanted it, but it wasn’t a ‘omg I NEED it’, it was more of a ‘well that could be good’. So I didn’t preorder it and I also didn’t buy it as soon as it hit the shelves. Instead, I spotted it half price while I was at Sainsbury’s one Sunday, and decided to take the plunge.
Honestly, I loved it! There’s a lot in there about Mrs Hinch herself as well as plenty of cleaning tips! I didn’t even realise that I was halfway through until I put the book down for some food!
Now, a few weeks after reading the book, I’m going to admit it – I’m addicted to Hinching! Fair enough, I used to clean a lot before this book came into my life, but now I spend almost every day off work cleaning, and I love it.
The lists in Hinch Yourself Happy are so useful, and I’ve bought so many things she has recommended and fallen in love with them. I love that in the book, there’s recommendations on what to use, sorted by room and task. It turns the book into an easy reference point for anything cleaning related, and I’ve already gone back to it quite a few times to double check what I should be using.
I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone – whether you’re a clean freak like me, or if you tend to shy away from cleaning. There’s plenty in here to learn from, for anyone.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury, #1) in Books
Dec 19, 2018
I didn't actually have high hopes for this book - the description hits a lot of standard YA tropes. Sisterhood, switched roles, Royal/pauper juxtaposition...but WOW. No, this book blew me away.
In Serina and Nomi's world, women are second-class citizens, forbidden to read, have romantic relationships with each other, or have careers of their own. Serina plans to be a Grace, effectively a concubine to the Prince, with her sister as her handmaiden. But it is Nomi who catches the Prince's eye when she stumbles into him in a hallway, and Nomi that he picks. In a moment of weakness, Nomi's secret is discovered and thought to be Serina's, and rather than jeopardize Nomi's new position, Serina capitulates and takes the fall. She's sent to a volcanic island prison while Nomi struggles to tame her own rebellious nature long enough to gain enough influence to free her sister.
The book is about oppression and sisterhood, whether it be with those that share your blood or not. Along the way, we discover a different history of the nation than what is normally taught, and find a few men who sympathize with the women's plight. (And eventually step up to take action alongside the women.)
It's a quick read - the action starts on page one and never stops. Chapters alternate between Nomi in the palace and Serina on her island prison fighting for food, and both girls learn that what they saw as weakness in each other can be strengths in different circumstances.
The only downside to this book is that it ends with things unfinished. Not a cliffhanger, exactly, but the story is most definitely not done, and the sequel doesn't come out until July of 2019! I will be snapping that up as soon as it releases because I NEED to know how these two sisters overcome their trials.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
In Serina and Nomi's world, women are second-class citizens, forbidden to read, have romantic relationships with each other, or have careers of their own. Serina plans to be a Grace, effectively a concubine to the Prince, with her sister as her handmaiden. But it is Nomi who catches the Prince's eye when she stumbles into him in a hallway, and Nomi that he picks. In a moment of weakness, Nomi's secret is discovered and thought to be Serina's, and rather than jeopardize Nomi's new position, Serina capitulates and takes the fall. She's sent to a volcanic island prison while Nomi struggles to tame her own rebellious nature long enough to gain enough influence to free her sister.
The book is about oppression and sisterhood, whether it be with those that share your blood or not. Along the way, we discover a different history of the nation than what is normally taught, and find a few men who sympathize with the women's plight. (And eventually step up to take action alongside the women.)
It's a quick read - the action starts on page one and never stops. Chapters alternate between Nomi in the palace and Serina on her island prison fighting for food, and both girls learn that what they saw as weakness in each other can be strengths in different circumstances.
The only downside to this book is that it ends with things unfinished. Not a cliffhanger, exactly, but the story is most definitely not done, and the sequel doesn't come out until July of 2019! I will be snapping that up as soon as it releases because I NEED to know how these two sisters overcome their trials.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
MasterSolace (19 KP) rated Toy Story 4 (2019) in Movies
Jun 30, 2019
Pixar animation on point. (3 more)
All the familiar... voices?
Great story, as always(suck it Illumination)
You WILL cry
Expected... unexpected jump scare is expected. (1 more)
You WILL cry
The Necessary Unnecessary Sequel
Contains spoilers, click to show
Here is Toy Story 4. When you thought it was all over with Toy Story 3, how in the hell did we need this one. Well... lemme tell you... we did.
Quick recap, what happened at the end of Toy Story 3? Andy went off to college, and gave ALL of his toys to a little girl named Bonnie. That was it.
But was it?
So why was this story necessary? Without telling you EXACTLY how the movie goes...... what happens with toys when they go to a new owner? How about the idea of toys that are unwanted? And what about defective toys? Or those that are sitting on the shelf of an antique shop?
It also tackles the mystery of what happened to Bo Peep. Great to tie up that one loose end.
And then we come to Forkie. The "toy" that Bonnie made her first day of kindergarten. It's a spork. With pipe cleaner, popsicle stick, and googly eyes. In a parallel from the first movie, Buzz thought he was the REAL Buzz, and Woody has to help him realize he is a toy...... well... Forkie thinks he is trash... and Woody has to explain to him that he is a toy. Weird, but satisfying. And dammit... Trash!!!!
Watching this movie, made me miss Jim Varney. If you don't know who that is, lemme find an Ernest DVD box for ya, and I slap you with it. Also. Rest In Potatohead Parts, Don Rickles.
Last note... Toy Story 4 is another example of amazing animation AND story. Illumination Studios can't grasp that yet.
If you haven't seen it, go see it. Not like a "maybe you should". No... go see it.
Take some Kleenex
Quick recap, what happened at the end of Toy Story 3? Andy went off to college, and gave ALL of his toys to a little girl named Bonnie. That was it.
But was it?
So why was this story necessary? Without telling you EXACTLY how the movie goes...... what happens with toys when they go to a new owner? How about the idea of toys that are unwanted? And what about defective toys? Or those that are sitting on the shelf of an antique shop?
It also tackles the mystery of what happened to Bo Peep. Great to tie up that one loose end.
And then we come to Forkie. The "toy" that Bonnie made her first day of kindergarten. It's a spork. With pipe cleaner, popsicle stick, and googly eyes. In a parallel from the first movie, Buzz thought he was the REAL Buzz, and Woody has to help him realize he is a toy...... well... Forkie thinks he is trash... and Woody has to explain to him that he is a toy. Weird, but satisfying. And dammit... Trash!!!!
Watching this movie, made me miss Jim Varney. If you don't know who that is, lemme find an Ernest DVD box for ya, and I slap you with it. Also. Rest In Potatohead Parts, Don Rickles.
Last note... Toy Story 4 is another example of amazing animation AND story. Illumination Studios can't grasp that yet.
If you haven't seen it, go see it. Not like a "maybe you should". No... go see it.
Take some Kleenex
Anne (15130 KP) rated The Killing Fog (The Grave Kingdom, #1) in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley and 47North for letting me read and review this incredible story. I'm already anxiously awaiting the next book in this series! I love and have read most of Jeff Wheeler's works and he never disappoints with his stories full of adventure, intrigue, romance, life lessons and so much more. It's always one wild rollercoaster ride with my emotions when I read one of his books, but I always learn or take away something and enjoy the stories immensely.
I always find myself easily lost and immersed in the worlds he creates and invested in the characters and the stories they have to tell. This story is very unique and different from others that Jeff Wheeler has written and just as amazing and engrossing as the others I have read.
In this story, we find ourselves following along with this story of an orphaned girl named Bingmei, who is with a group of mercenaries that serve a local ruler. They are sent on a mission to find and retrieve what treasures they can that are in a lost palace buried and preserved in ice. But when they get there, they find more than they bargained for and when they upset the tomb, they unknowingly cause havoc.
Bingmei unknowingly brings Echion, Dragon of the Night back to life, waking him from his tomb and now is meant to fulfill her part in the legendary prophecy. She has to destroy Echion before he takes over all the kingdoms and he has to stop her from destroying him. Bingmei knows what she has to do, but she doesn't know if she can do it.
This is in a world of ancient myth, legend, magic and is a story about love, loss, grief, balance, duty, honor and what people do when faced with difficult choices in heart-rending situations and so much more. You definitely want to have this one on your list, preorder it and read it as soon as you can.
I always find myself easily lost and immersed in the worlds he creates and invested in the characters and the stories they have to tell. This story is very unique and different from others that Jeff Wheeler has written and just as amazing and engrossing as the others I have read.
In this story, we find ourselves following along with this story of an orphaned girl named Bingmei, who is with a group of mercenaries that serve a local ruler. They are sent on a mission to find and retrieve what treasures they can that are in a lost palace buried and preserved in ice. But when they get there, they find more than they bargained for and when they upset the tomb, they unknowingly cause havoc.
Bingmei unknowingly brings Echion, Dragon of the Night back to life, waking him from his tomb and now is meant to fulfill her part in the legendary prophecy. She has to destroy Echion before he takes over all the kingdoms and he has to stop her from destroying him. Bingmei knows what she has to do, but she doesn't know if she can do it.
This is in a world of ancient myth, legend, magic and is a story about love, loss, grief, balance, duty, honor and what people do when faced with difficult choices in heart-rending situations and so much more. You definitely want to have this one on your list, preorder it and read it as soon as you can.
Leigh J (71 KP) rated Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975) in Movies
Nov 10, 2019 (Updated Nov 10, 2019)
Does Salo stand for Boring?!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Salo, based on the book called "100 Days of Sodom" by Marquis de Sade, is about 4 men in positions of power (The Duke, The Bishop, The Masgistrate and The President) who kidnap a large group of girls and boys and subject them to severe abuse, torture and even murder; just to, well, get their deviant rocks off basically. The cruel and sadistic abuse soon builds to a cresendo of sickening torture and murder.
I went into Salo VERY nervous; I'd read the Book so had a good idea of what was coming, and especially so as this Movie is always on those "sickest Movies ever" lists, and is almost always very near the #1 spot. Rarely does it ever take the crown though, and after seeing Salo, I understand why. It's so boring!! It's very diagloue heavy, which if done right makes a Movie engaging and compelling. If done wrong, as is the case with Salo, it becomes a tedious chore. Unfortunately for Salo, I was so bored with the pointless drivel that when it eventually did get to the shocking parts, I was over it and not as shocked as I really should have been. I mean, it was bad (two words: poop banquet) but I was left thinking "all that hype and waffle... for this?!" Definitely overrated. The small saving grace of this Movie was a bunch of Prostitutes, ironically. They were telling stories of their own deviancies; I found their stories shocking and they made me sit up and pay attention, some stories being more shocking than what we were seeing. I found those Women disgustingly wonderful and able to actually make something out of the literal crap-show that was Salo. I would only recommend Salo to the die hard "Sick Movie" fans (and that's for the sole purpose of ticking it off your list) and Cinema buffs because the Cinematography is quite nice. Other than that, it would make a fantastic sleep aid!
I went into Salo VERY nervous; I'd read the Book so had a good idea of what was coming, and especially so as this Movie is always on those "sickest Movies ever" lists, and is almost always very near the #1 spot. Rarely does it ever take the crown though, and after seeing Salo, I understand why. It's so boring!! It's very diagloue heavy, which if done right makes a Movie engaging and compelling. If done wrong, as is the case with Salo, it becomes a tedious chore. Unfortunately for Salo, I was so bored with the pointless drivel that when it eventually did get to the shocking parts, I was over it and not as shocked as I really should have been. I mean, it was bad (two words: poop banquet) but I was left thinking "all that hype and waffle... for this?!" Definitely overrated. The small saving grace of this Movie was a bunch of Prostitutes, ironically. They were telling stories of their own deviancies; I found their stories shocking and they made me sit up and pay attention, some stories being more shocking than what we were seeing. I found those Women disgustingly wonderful and able to actually make something out of the literal crap-show that was Salo. I would only recommend Salo to the die hard "Sick Movie" fans (and that's for the sole purpose of ticking it off your list) and Cinema buffs because the Cinematography is quite nice. Other than that, it would make a fantastic sleep aid!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
In 2012, comedy writer/director/actor Seth MacFarlane created and introduced the world to basically a “live action” episode of his hit show Family Guy with the film Ted. I originally thought that film looked stupid. However as absurd as it was, it was still hilarious. Something about a talking “grown up” Teddy Bear was charming enough, but also required you to completely suspend disbelief and just go with whatever ridiculousness what was shown on screen. It was the success of that film that caused me to have higher expectations for MacFarlane’s new film A Million Ways to Die in the West. Sadly, he is a victim of his own success.
Seth MacFarlane takes on the “leading man” role this time around and unfortunately, he is not a leading man. His constant diatribes about how the west can kill you are delivered in his typical long-winded over intelligent style. Only they feel out of place as the rest of the characters and film do not take themselves remotely serious. Truthfully, I found myself not caring about him at all and was more interested in the other characters. Neil Patrick Harris is a standout as a “mustache man” who steals MacFarlane’s girlfriend and the rest of the cast pull off their cookie cutter western characters well.
That is not to say that this film is not funny. It has its funny parts. However they are far between and few are memorable. Because they try to play this movie a bit more “straight” than Ted, it just doesn’t work as well. Perhaps it is because we have seen it all from MacFarlane before and it is just more of the same.
In the end, if you are a MacFarlane fan and go into this film will medium to low expectations, you won’t be disappointed and will probably enjoy this film. But if you are looking for the next best comedy of the summer or something to make you constantly laugh, best you go check out Neighbors as this film is not near as funny.
Seth MacFarlane takes on the “leading man” role this time around and unfortunately, he is not a leading man. His constant diatribes about how the west can kill you are delivered in his typical long-winded over intelligent style. Only they feel out of place as the rest of the characters and film do not take themselves remotely serious. Truthfully, I found myself not caring about him at all and was more interested in the other characters. Neil Patrick Harris is a standout as a “mustache man” who steals MacFarlane’s girlfriend and the rest of the cast pull off their cookie cutter western characters well.
That is not to say that this film is not funny. It has its funny parts. However they are far between and few are memorable. Because they try to play this movie a bit more “straight” than Ted, it just doesn’t work as well. Perhaps it is because we have seen it all from MacFarlane before and it is just more of the same.
In the end, if you are a MacFarlane fan and go into this film will medium to low expectations, you won’t be disappointed and will probably enjoy this film. But if you are looking for the next best comedy of the summer or something to make you constantly laugh, best you go check out Neighbors as this film is not near as funny.