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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Forest Fighters in Tabletop Games
Oct 22, 2020
My back yard at my house is half lawn and the back half is woods. The woods are expansive and house many species of wildlife, some of which I care not to ever see. I have squirrels running through my yard and up my trees all the time. I have deer running freely through the neighborhood, and those dang raccoons to tear up my yard when it’s grub season. So when I heard about Forest Fighters being a game about squirrels and possibly fighting against raccoons I knew it had to be reviewed.
Forest Fighters pits players against each other, being rival squirrel clans preparing to gather acorns for the winter. Only one clan can succeed because there is but one oak tree in the entire forest from which acorns may be gathered. Players will be recruiting other animal species onto their side by way of deck building game mechanics and using gained cards to send to battle against their opponents.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, separate the cards into their respective decks. Deal each player five Forager Squirrels, two Acorns, and three Blackberries. This creates the 10 card deck players will shuffle and begin the game playing. Players will also choose 12 other animal deck types to use for the game and display all the decks within reach of all players. Each player will then draw the top five cards from their shuffled deck to create their starting hand. The game may now begin!
On a turn a player will use all the cards from their hand to purchase new cards from the main display to be added to their discard pile, like every other deck building game out there. The cards have multiple uses, however, and up to two currency values. Most animals will be recruited using Food (like Blackberries and Honey), and Food cards can mostly be obtained by using Forage values. Example: the starter Forager Squirrel can be used as one Food, one Forage, or even one Attack.
Speaking of Attack, on a player’s turn, should they be done shopping for other cards, they may attempt to attack an opponent using animal cards in their hand. Players will add up the Attack value on the cards they wish to use and declare an opponent who will reveal cards whose Defense value meets or exceeds the Attack value. Should the attacker win they will be able to take possession of Blackberries and Honey cards in the loser’s hand, send an animal back to its stack, or take all the Acorn cards. Acorns are both VP and the determining factor in ending the game; once all Acorn cards have been purchased the game is over.
Each animal card recruited will also have a special ability that can be used during a turn, and some of them are quite powerful. Turns continue in this fashion until either all Acorns have been purchased or all players except one have been eliminated. A player is eliminated once they can no longer purchase cards and have no more animals in their deck.
Components. Let me tell you about the good and the okay. The rulebook is a small pamphlet style that has only five pages of rules. And honestly, if you have played deck builders before, could have only taken one page. I like that. There is just enough information to get the game going, but doesn’t explain every card’s abilities, or throw in three pages of game art. Similarly, if any questions arise with card abilities, the card dividers provide more text to help clear up the questions. The cards are all good quality, and there are a ton of them.
The okay part of the game is the art on the cards. It is not at all bad, but it could use a different art style to be a bit more attractive. The last little concern I have is the design of the box. The size, shape, color, and all that is fine. What I wish was different was having the title of the game on all sides. My shelves are organized in a way that I try to pack as much as I can into the space by orienting the boxes to be as small and deep as possible so that the smallest side of the box is showing. I cannot do that with Forest Fighters because the smallest sides have a few art slides and credits. Honestly, this isn’t quite as egregious as some games (I’m looking at you, Oceans), so it’s not a huge deal, but worth mentioning for me.
All in all the game is a solid deck-builder with that extra bit of attacking and stealing from opponents. I have never been a fan of Dominion as I find its themelessness boring and its mechanics antiquated. Now, I think I might be able to use Forest Fighters as a gateway deck builder that is more interesting, but still considered light for new gamers.
I am kind of sad that I missed the Kickstarter for this one because I would have liked to have splurged for the higher tier (those yummy extras), but I am happy to have added Forest Fighters to my collection. I believe it is a great entry into deck-building and if you are looking to find a similar game with a cute theme, an interesting new take on the genre, and can play up to five comfortably, then I recommend you give this one a try. I think you’ll like it. Just don’t ever use the raccoons against me or I will be attacking you every turn.
Forest Fighters pits players against each other, being rival squirrel clans preparing to gather acorns for the winter. Only one clan can succeed because there is but one oak tree in the entire forest from which acorns may be gathered. Players will be recruiting other animal species onto their side by way of deck building game mechanics and using gained cards to send to battle against their opponents.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, separate the cards into their respective decks. Deal each player five Forager Squirrels, two Acorns, and three Blackberries. This creates the 10 card deck players will shuffle and begin the game playing. Players will also choose 12 other animal deck types to use for the game and display all the decks within reach of all players. Each player will then draw the top five cards from their shuffled deck to create their starting hand. The game may now begin!
On a turn a player will use all the cards from their hand to purchase new cards from the main display to be added to their discard pile, like every other deck building game out there. The cards have multiple uses, however, and up to two currency values. Most animals will be recruited using Food (like Blackberries and Honey), and Food cards can mostly be obtained by using Forage values. Example: the starter Forager Squirrel can be used as one Food, one Forage, or even one Attack.
Speaking of Attack, on a player’s turn, should they be done shopping for other cards, they may attempt to attack an opponent using animal cards in their hand. Players will add up the Attack value on the cards they wish to use and declare an opponent who will reveal cards whose Defense value meets or exceeds the Attack value. Should the attacker win they will be able to take possession of Blackberries and Honey cards in the loser’s hand, send an animal back to its stack, or take all the Acorn cards. Acorns are both VP and the determining factor in ending the game; once all Acorn cards have been purchased the game is over.
Each animal card recruited will also have a special ability that can be used during a turn, and some of them are quite powerful. Turns continue in this fashion until either all Acorns have been purchased or all players except one have been eliminated. A player is eliminated once they can no longer purchase cards and have no more animals in their deck.
Components. Let me tell you about the good and the okay. The rulebook is a small pamphlet style that has only five pages of rules. And honestly, if you have played deck builders before, could have only taken one page. I like that. There is just enough information to get the game going, but doesn’t explain every card’s abilities, or throw in three pages of game art. Similarly, if any questions arise with card abilities, the card dividers provide more text to help clear up the questions. The cards are all good quality, and there are a ton of them.
The okay part of the game is the art on the cards. It is not at all bad, but it could use a different art style to be a bit more attractive. The last little concern I have is the design of the box. The size, shape, color, and all that is fine. What I wish was different was having the title of the game on all sides. My shelves are organized in a way that I try to pack as much as I can into the space by orienting the boxes to be as small and deep as possible so that the smallest side of the box is showing. I cannot do that with Forest Fighters because the smallest sides have a few art slides and credits. Honestly, this isn’t quite as egregious as some games (I’m looking at you, Oceans), so it’s not a huge deal, but worth mentioning for me.
All in all the game is a solid deck-builder with that extra bit of attacking and stealing from opponents. I have never been a fan of Dominion as I find its themelessness boring and its mechanics antiquated. Now, I think I might be able to use Forest Fighters as a gateway deck builder that is more interesting, but still considered light for new gamers.
I am kind of sad that I missed the Kickstarter for this one because I would have liked to have splurged for the higher tier (those yummy extras), but I am happy to have added Forest Fighters to my collection. I believe it is a great entry into deck-building and if you are looking to find a similar game with a cute theme, an interesting new take on the genre, and can play up to five comfortably, then I recommend you give this one a try. I think you’ll like it. Just don’t ever use the raccoons against me or I will be attacking you every turn.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Get Your Bake On: Sweet and Savory Recipes from My Home to Yours in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I flipped through GYBO and wanted to jump up and down I was so excited about all the amazing recipes. Cheese and Chive soufflés? Blueberry Almond scones? Banana Tea bead, Tomato tart… So many cool things.
I feel like this book was made for me because one of the things Emmett said about his baking was he liked sweet items, but he also liked to take traditionally sweet things and make them savory: for example, the Savory Bacon Cheddar Chive scones sound awesome and are totally on my “to-bake” list (what, you don’t have a to-bake list? what’s wrong with you?) and Salted Peanut Cookies? Why didn’t I think of that?
The instructions are very reader friends and clear, and you don’t have to be an experienced baker to follow the directions (though you have to have serious patience and lots of time to make the traditional Croissants. Like seriously? Who ever thought that process up?).
The only reason this book isn’t 5 stars is because there are only a few pictures. in the middle of the book is a photo section where some of Emmett’s recipes are beautifully and colorfully photographed. And I totally understand how expensive and time consuming it would be to photograph ever. single. recipe. But I’m a visual person. I flip through photos and decide what to make on the photos, not the titles of the recipes.
However, even without every recipe being shown, they all sound great, and was really excited about using this book.
The recipe I tried was the Blueberry Almond scones. I didn’t have lemon juice for the glaze, so I made a vanilla-almond glaze with butter and cream, and I used gluten free flour (because I was making breakfast for a GF friend). I also miss-read the amount of almonds I was supposed to use, and ended up using double the amount. But they turned out phenomenal. Ugly, since I don’t have a rolling pin and I didn’t have any flour to dust the cutting board. Also I only have one cookie sheet so I used some muffin tins– they sort of turned into “drop scones”—but they were delish.
This book is totally on my favorite cookbook list and I will absolutely use more of these recipes.
I feel like this book was made for me because one of the things Emmett said about his baking was he liked sweet items, but he also liked to take traditionally sweet things and make them savory: for example, the Savory Bacon Cheddar Chive scones sound awesome and are totally on my “to-bake” list (what, you don’t have a to-bake list? what’s wrong with you?) and Salted Peanut Cookies? Why didn’t I think of that?
The instructions are very reader friends and clear, and you don’t have to be an experienced baker to follow the directions (though you have to have serious patience and lots of time to make the traditional Croissants. Like seriously? Who ever thought that process up?).
The only reason this book isn’t 5 stars is because there are only a few pictures. in the middle of the book is a photo section where some of Emmett’s recipes are beautifully and colorfully photographed. And I totally understand how expensive and time consuming it would be to photograph ever. single. recipe. But I’m a visual person. I flip through photos and decide what to make on the photos, not the titles of the recipes.
However, even without every recipe being shown, they all sound great, and was really excited about using this book.
The recipe I tried was the Blueberry Almond scones. I didn’t have lemon juice for the glaze, so I made a vanilla-almond glaze with butter and cream, and I used gluten free flour (because I was making breakfast for a GF friend). I also miss-read the amount of almonds I was supposed to use, and ended up using double the amount. But they turned out phenomenal. Ugly, since I don’t have a rolling pin and I didn’t have any flour to dust the cutting board. Also I only have one cookie sheet so I used some muffin tins– they sort of turned into “drop scones”—but they were delish.
This book is totally on my favorite cookbook list and I will absolutely use more of these recipes.
p3anut (62 KP) rated Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) in Movies
Feb 20, 2019
Story (2 more)
The jokes
Graphics
Another trek into the jurassic
Contains spoilers, click to show
I would like to start out by saying that Jurassic Park is my favorite movie of all time! I remember being 7 and not having any fascination with dinosaurs and my parents took me and my sister to see it at the movie theater and I was immediately blown away and obsessed.
Flash forward 25 years and I'm still in love with the Jurassic Park series. Are they hollow shells of the original? Sure, but they are alot of fun.
This one starts out right after the events of Jurassic world and I liked the direction the movie was heading in. I thought some of the call backs to Jurassic world were really fun and clever but I thought the overall story arch of getting Claire to the island to rescue dinosaurs before the volcano erupted, was very reminiscent of the Jurassic Park 3 story line and we all know that movie was a straight up brontosaurus turd! Think about it, grant was lied to about taking Mr Kirby on a tour of dinosaurs and they landed to rescue Eric. Claire was lied to about saving dinosaurs so the main villan could get her to the island to save all these sepcies so he could sell them. ??? Trash setup.
The graphics were very well done and they had some pretty good practical effects and some pretty good practical effects with a slight layer of cgi. I loved the blue background story and I love that they are keeping rexy as a main dinosaur in these iterations.
Overall this movie was just a filler "episode" in the Jurassic Park series with some fun little throw backs to the previous films. It didn't really do anything that makes it standout in the series other than setup for the next movie.
I hope the next one delivers on the promise that dinosaurs will be roaming free around us. I honestly hope it goes even more sci-fi and massie turns evil and has a connection to the genetically engineered Dino's. And they try to take over the world! Just kidding on that last part. But if it is going to be the last movie in the new trilogy I hope they really nail the tone and the pace unlike this movie did.
Until next time my friends.
Flash forward 25 years and I'm still in love with the Jurassic Park series. Are they hollow shells of the original? Sure, but they are alot of fun.
This one starts out right after the events of Jurassic world and I liked the direction the movie was heading in. I thought some of the call backs to Jurassic world were really fun and clever but I thought the overall story arch of getting Claire to the island to rescue dinosaurs before the volcano erupted, was very reminiscent of the Jurassic Park 3 story line and we all know that movie was a straight up brontosaurus turd! Think about it, grant was lied to about taking Mr Kirby on a tour of dinosaurs and they landed to rescue Eric. Claire was lied to about saving dinosaurs so the main villan could get her to the island to save all these sepcies so he could sell them. ??? Trash setup.
The graphics were very well done and they had some pretty good practical effects and some pretty good practical effects with a slight layer of cgi. I loved the blue background story and I love that they are keeping rexy as a main dinosaur in these iterations.
Overall this movie was just a filler "episode" in the Jurassic Park series with some fun little throw backs to the previous films. It didn't really do anything that makes it standout in the series other than setup for the next movie.
I hope the next one delivers on the promise that dinosaurs will be roaming free around us. I honestly hope it goes even more sci-fi and massie turns evil and has a connection to the genetically engineered Dino's. And they try to take over the world! Just kidding on that last part. But if it is going to be the last movie in the new trilogy I hope they really nail the tone and the pace unlike this movie did.
Until next time my friends.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Once And For All in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Louna is the daughter of a single mother, Natalie Barrett. Natalie runs a famous wedding planning business with her friend William. Together--often with Louna's assistance--they help frantic brides have the perfect day. But Louna, Natalie, and William are a cynical trio: so much that they even take bets on the success of each wedding after every affair is over and they're cleaning up. Louna has another reason to be cynical: she met her true love the previous summer, but it ended tragically. After graduating high school, she's just trying to get through her last summer and head off to college. Standing in her way: charming Ambrose, the brother of one of her mother's clients. Natalie takes on Ambrose as an employee to appease her client, so Louna is stuck with cheery, serial-dater Ambrose. But the more time she spends with him, the less he starts to bother her...
<i>I was surprisingly charmed by this novel.</i> It's predictable, but in a good way. You know what you get with a Dessen novel, and this book came along at a good time for me. It's more serious than expected (I won't spoil that plot twist for you) but also <i>breezy and sweet at times.</i> Louna is a likeable heroine--flawed, complicated, real. The supporting cast of characters is humorous and realistic: Louna's best friend Jilly, whose parents have a food truck business and saddle Jilly with her many younger siblings; William, with his bride-whisperer tendencies; Natalie, and her rigid obsession with her business; and girl-crazy Ambrose, who verges on stereotype, but manages not to. The book also gives you a fun look into the wedding business, which is sort of enjoyable and lets you see how most of our characters deal with stress.
Overall, <i>this is an engaging novel, with serious undertones.</i> It's a quick read, powered by an enjoyable cast of characters. While there are some dark moments that may surprise you, the romance probably won't. But there's nothing necessarily wrong with that sometimes. :)
You can find my review of Dessen's novel SAINT ANYTHING <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1267324399?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
<i>I was surprisingly charmed by this novel.</i> It's predictable, but in a good way. You know what you get with a Dessen novel, and this book came along at a good time for me. It's more serious than expected (I won't spoil that plot twist for you) but also <i>breezy and sweet at times.</i> Louna is a likeable heroine--flawed, complicated, real. The supporting cast of characters is humorous and realistic: Louna's best friend Jilly, whose parents have a food truck business and saddle Jilly with her many younger siblings; William, with his bride-whisperer tendencies; Natalie, and her rigid obsession with her business; and girl-crazy Ambrose, who verges on stereotype, but manages not to. The book also gives you a fun look into the wedding business, which is sort of enjoyable and lets you see how most of our characters deal with stress.
Overall, <i>this is an engaging novel, with serious undertones.</i> It's a quick read, powered by an enjoyable cast of characters. While there are some dark moments that may surprise you, the romance probably won't. But there's nothing necessarily wrong with that sometimes. :)
You can find my review of Dessen's novel SAINT ANYTHING <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1267324399?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
Bethany Fletcher (17 KP) rated Children of Blood and Bone: Book 1 in Books
Jun 24, 2018 (Updated Jun 25, 2018)
While buddy reading this with a friend we realised it was a plain copy of Avatar the Last Airbender. There is the king attacking magicians which is basically the fire nation attacking the air nomads. There is a secret temple that worships the magical gods and the protectors are there to help the chosen one. Basically the fire temple on the crescent island that is there to worship the Avatar and help Aang.
The characters were cardboard copies of Avatar. Zelie is a mix of Aang and Katara. There is Zelie’s brother, Tzain, who is the only one who doesn’t get magic because screw you Sokka you are not a Bender! They are being chased around by the Prince Inan who wants to impress his daddy but has mixed moral feelings. Hi there Zuko nice to see you again!
The plot was super confusing. There were parts that weren’t explained at all. So Inanas powers are control over someone’s mind right, so he can take someone into his ‘dreamscape’ (basically the Bone Season by Samantha Shannon). Anyway, he takes Zelie into his dreamscape and she hates him as he is a royal and hunting her down BUT she strips off naked and skinny dips? Why? There is no reason and it made zero sense for someone who is terrified of Inan to make themselves that vulnerable.
Zelie gets over her hatred for Inan pretty quick and soon they are lusting after each other. She doesn’t seem to care about the previous hatred and Inan is the only one who struggles morally. Here’s the thing, did they actually have sex? They had sex in Inan’s dreamscape while there physical bodies were actually no where near each other. Zelie was with her brother. So did their minds have sex? Did they share a dream where they both got it on? After Zelie is super awkward about it but it’s like, you didn’t actually do anything, did you? Not explained very well.
I could go on all day but I shan’t. It wasn’t even written well. It just read like the author didn’t know what to write so copied something they knew was succesful. If these things will annoy you as much as they did me then I would suggest skipping this book.
The characters were cardboard copies of Avatar. Zelie is a mix of Aang and Katara. There is Zelie’s brother, Tzain, who is the only one who doesn’t get magic because screw you Sokka you are not a Bender! They are being chased around by the Prince Inan who wants to impress his daddy but has mixed moral feelings. Hi there Zuko nice to see you again!
The plot was super confusing. There were parts that weren’t explained at all. So Inanas powers are control over someone’s mind right, so he can take someone into his ‘dreamscape’ (basically the Bone Season by Samantha Shannon). Anyway, he takes Zelie into his dreamscape and she hates him as he is a royal and hunting her down BUT she strips off naked and skinny dips? Why? There is no reason and it made zero sense for someone who is terrified of Inan to make themselves that vulnerable.
Zelie gets over her hatred for Inan pretty quick and soon they are lusting after each other. She doesn’t seem to care about the previous hatred and Inan is the only one who struggles morally. Here’s the thing, did they actually have sex? They had sex in Inan’s dreamscape while there physical bodies were actually no where near each other. Zelie was with her brother. So did their minds have sex? Did they share a dream where they both got it on? After Zelie is super awkward about it but it’s like, you didn’t actually do anything, did you? Not explained very well.
I could go on all day but I shan’t. It wasn’t even written well. It just read like the author didn’t know what to write so copied something they knew was succesful. If these things will annoy you as much as they did me then I would suggest skipping this book.
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Playing with Matches in Books
Jun 27, 2018 (Updated Jun 27, 2018)
Fun, but predictable
Ummm can I please be a matchmaker for my job so I can just date cute boys all day and my husband has to let me cause um hello - it's my JOB! OK that sounds weird, and I think I'm a bit old saying "cute boys" but hey, I'm just dreaming right?!
Sasha Goldberg is young, pretty, fresh out of NYU, has a gorgeous boyfriend working in finance, and an amazing roommate who is basically a sister to her. When her dream job working for People.com falls though, she applies to work at Bliss. An elite matchmaking service for those who can afford such a thing. With ZERO experience in the match making business (and almost equally the same amount in dating in general) - she gets hired because of a family secret she reveals, that makes her stand out.
She soon realizes matchmaking is hard work! It's definitely a full time job pairing up the desperate, the picky, the insane! But she is all in - swiping on Tinder for matches for her clients, setting up unique dates, wrangling and fielding calls and texts, giving "advice" to women twice her age!
Her boyfriend Jonathan is perfect and perfect FOR her. She initially thinks, 'hey I've found my forever guy - how hard could it be to help find someone else their one and only?' Until something happens that makes her question if Jonathan really is THAT guy. And question basically every life choice she makes.
I really wish there was a bit more matchmaking stories in this - they were so fun and interesting. But we mostly delve into Sasha and what's going on in her life - and some really horrible choices she makes. I found a lot of her choices a bit unbelievable and her struggle to make them a bit annoying. It's mostly probably because I found her a bit unlikeable and snooty - same with most of the other characters. The storyline was fairly predictable but I zipped through it one day. It was well-structured and easy flowing and fun to follow. The concept and the way the story unfolded was fun as well, and I enjoyed reading it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Touchstone for the opportunity to read and review!
Sasha Goldberg is young, pretty, fresh out of NYU, has a gorgeous boyfriend working in finance, and an amazing roommate who is basically a sister to her. When her dream job working for People.com falls though, she applies to work at Bliss. An elite matchmaking service for those who can afford such a thing. With ZERO experience in the match making business (and almost equally the same amount in dating in general) - she gets hired because of a family secret she reveals, that makes her stand out.
She soon realizes matchmaking is hard work! It's definitely a full time job pairing up the desperate, the picky, the insane! But she is all in - swiping on Tinder for matches for her clients, setting up unique dates, wrangling and fielding calls and texts, giving "advice" to women twice her age!
Her boyfriend Jonathan is perfect and perfect FOR her. She initially thinks, 'hey I've found my forever guy - how hard could it be to help find someone else their one and only?' Until something happens that makes her question if Jonathan really is THAT guy. And question basically every life choice she makes.
I really wish there was a bit more matchmaking stories in this - they were so fun and interesting. But we mostly delve into Sasha and what's going on in her life - and some really horrible choices she makes. I found a lot of her choices a bit unbelievable and her struggle to make them a bit annoying. It's mostly probably because I found her a bit unlikeable and snooty - same with most of the other characters. The storyline was fairly predictable but I zipped through it one day. It was well-structured and easy flowing and fun to follow. The concept and the way the story unfolded was fun as well, and I enjoyed reading it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Touchstone for the opportunity to read and review!
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Great Race (1965) in Movies
Jul 6, 2018
A fun throwback to 1920's Silent Film Farces
In a tribute to films of a bygone era, Director Blake Edwards pays homage to silent film farces of the 1920's - even dedicating this film to "Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy" - with the slapstick comedy THE GREAT RACE - and succeeds, mostly.
Reteaming Tony Curtis (as the brave, virtuous and good "The Great Leslie") and Jack Lemmon (as the sinister, dastardly and evil "Professor Fate"), The Great Race is great fun watching these two cartoon characters spar and parry with each other throughout the course of this 2 hour and 40 minute farce.
Lemmon, in particular, relishes in dual roles as the menacing Fate, always dressed in black, twirling his mustache and coming up with scheme after scheme to derail Leslie (think the Coyote in the RoadRunner cartoons). His overacting and hammyness in the character is perfect for the tone that this film has set. And his maniacal laugh is one to remember - unless you are remembering the childlike guffaws of the other character Lemmon portrays, the doppelganger of Fate, Crown Prince Frederick. Both these characters are fun to watch and Fate, especially, plays well against his bumbling assistant and foil, "Max", played in utter buffoonishness by the great Peter Falk.
Joining Curtis for the "good guys" is Natalie Wood as Suffragette and Newspaper
Reporter Maggie DuBois (obviously tailored after real life Suffragette and Newspaper Reporter Nellie Bly). It is said that Curtis and Wood did not get along on set (they had worked together in 2 other films and grew to dislike each other), but their on-screen chemistry cannot be ignored and they are fun together. As is the great Keenan Wynn as Leslie's mechanic and friend Hezekiah Sturdy.
But it is not the characters that makes this film go it is the set pieces and frenetic pacing that Director Edwards put before us. From thrilling chase scenes to a Western barroom brawl, to a trip through a blizzard with a polar bear to the "largest pie fight ever put on screen", this film delivers the goods in a wholesome, 1960's way that makes me truly say...
"They don't make 'em like this anymore".
8 out 10 stars and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Reteaming Tony Curtis (as the brave, virtuous and good "The Great Leslie") and Jack Lemmon (as the sinister, dastardly and evil "Professor Fate"), The Great Race is great fun watching these two cartoon characters spar and parry with each other throughout the course of this 2 hour and 40 minute farce.
Lemmon, in particular, relishes in dual roles as the menacing Fate, always dressed in black, twirling his mustache and coming up with scheme after scheme to derail Leslie (think the Coyote in the RoadRunner cartoons). His overacting and hammyness in the character is perfect for the tone that this film has set. And his maniacal laugh is one to remember - unless you are remembering the childlike guffaws of the other character Lemmon portrays, the doppelganger of Fate, Crown Prince Frederick. Both these characters are fun to watch and Fate, especially, plays well against his bumbling assistant and foil, "Max", played in utter buffoonishness by the great Peter Falk.
Joining Curtis for the "good guys" is Natalie Wood as Suffragette and Newspaper
Reporter Maggie DuBois (obviously tailored after real life Suffragette and Newspaper Reporter Nellie Bly). It is said that Curtis and Wood did not get along on set (they had worked together in 2 other films and grew to dislike each other), but their on-screen chemistry cannot be ignored and they are fun together. As is the great Keenan Wynn as Leslie's mechanic and friend Hezekiah Sturdy.
But it is not the characters that makes this film go it is the set pieces and frenetic pacing that Director Edwards put before us. From thrilling chase scenes to a Western barroom brawl, to a trip through a blizzard with a polar bear to the "largest pie fight ever put on screen", this film delivers the goods in a wholesome, 1960's way that makes me truly say...
"They don't make 'em like this anymore".
8 out 10 stars and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Breeder (Breeder, #1) in Books
Nov 5, 2018
A dystopian future where mankind is bred in special facilities and everyone has a specific place in the world order, Breeder immediately grabbed my attention from the moment I saw the summary. It's an interesting, yet familiar premise, for fiction, but Hoyle develops and delivers her world in a unique and fresh kind of way. Her civilisation is well developed and built up slowly, which in turn encourages the reader to associate with Pria as she also learns about the real world outside of Sanctuary.
Pria is a great character who you immediately associate with. She's cautious, timid yet there's an innate curiosity in her that signposts her from the off as a character you'll be wanting to watch. Pax on the other hand is gritty, harsh and well versed in the reality of the world. He shouldn't be alive, but he is and the mystery that surrounds that fact is a superb piece of writing to filter alongside the main story. He's enigmatic and a real pleasure to read, a source of great enjoyment as you try to figure him out.
The asylum is a truly intriguing place and it draws you right into the alternative world that is presented to Pria. the new characters we meet there are great to read, each of them different and interesting in their own right. Friendly, dangerous, powerful and power hungry, there is a real mixed bag that keep you on your toes as you read and make this book even better than you might imagine.
As you get drawn further and further into Pria's turmoil, the plot moves faster and faster, just like a proverbial snowball downhill and it pulls you right into the story. The ending, as you'd expect for the first in a series, is swift and unexpected, leaving you satisfied yet needing more. It's a superb start to this new dystopian universe, and one I cannot wait to read more of. I devoured this book, ignoring family and friends when it was open in front of me and I am very excited to see where Hoyle will take this series. It's one I've added to my favourites list, and a book I am sure I am going to be recommending to friends and fans of this genre.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
Pria is a great character who you immediately associate with. She's cautious, timid yet there's an innate curiosity in her that signposts her from the off as a character you'll be wanting to watch. Pax on the other hand is gritty, harsh and well versed in the reality of the world. He shouldn't be alive, but he is and the mystery that surrounds that fact is a superb piece of writing to filter alongside the main story. He's enigmatic and a real pleasure to read, a source of great enjoyment as you try to figure him out.
The asylum is a truly intriguing place and it draws you right into the alternative world that is presented to Pria. the new characters we meet there are great to read, each of them different and interesting in their own right. Friendly, dangerous, powerful and power hungry, there is a real mixed bag that keep you on your toes as you read and make this book even better than you might imagine.
As you get drawn further and further into Pria's turmoil, the plot moves faster and faster, just like a proverbial snowball downhill and it pulls you right into the story. The ending, as you'd expect for the first in a series, is swift and unexpected, leaving you satisfied yet needing more. It's a superb start to this new dystopian universe, and one I cannot wait to read more of. I devoured this book, ignoring family and friends when it was open in front of me and I am very excited to see where Hoyle will take this series. It's one I've added to my favourites list, and a book I am sure I am going to be recommending to friends and fans of this genre.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
Carma (21 KP) rated Wild Ride Cowboy (Copper Ridge, #9) in Books
Jun 17, 2019
I have to start this review by mentioning the cover art on this book. This is one of the best covers I’ve seen in a while, makes you feel like part of the story right from purchase. Anyway, on to my review of Wild Ride Cowboy by Maisey Yates, continuing the story of the Donnelly brothers in Copper Ridge. I have been a fan of Maisey for quite a while and more so of the Copper Ridge series. I think as I made my way through and got to the Donnelly brothers books Alex became my favorite brother. I don’t know what appealed to me first or just as a whole but I liked him from Finn’s book straight through to Liam’s (currently reading). Alex got into my heart, yes I know he is fictional haha, and I was routing for him from “go”.
Alex Donnelly and Clara Campbell are the main characters in Wild Ride Cowboy. Alex is the youngest Donnelly brother and was in the military. He comes back to Copper Ridge with his (full) brother Liam to his family ranch after his grandfather passes away and leaves him ¼ of the ranch. His older ½ brothers are also living at the ranch (Finn, Cain have their own stories) and they must figure out how to survive this newfound family atmosphere. Alex has a painful background with both his home life growing up and his military background. He comes back not only for the ranch but to take care of a responsibility he inherited from a fallen friend.
Clara Campbell hasn’t had a great life. Everyone she’s loved in her life has died on her. She was starting to feel cursed then Alex walked into her life and took over. She knew what she wanted, or so she thought, but Alex may know better. Can they work together to save her ranch and their hearts?
Personally I loved this book. As I said above, Alex was a favorite character of mine for a while. Putting him with Clara, someone 10 years younger than him, was a great choice. They help each other grow and flourish, getting strength off each other. My absolutely favorite part of the book was when Alex told Clara she had the appetite palette of a 6 year old haha.
Alex Donnelly and Clara Campbell are the main characters in Wild Ride Cowboy. Alex is the youngest Donnelly brother and was in the military. He comes back to Copper Ridge with his (full) brother Liam to his family ranch after his grandfather passes away and leaves him ¼ of the ranch. His older ½ brothers are also living at the ranch (Finn, Cain have their own stories) and they must figure out how to survive this newfound family atmosphere. Alex has a painful background with both his home life growing up and his military background. He comes back not only for the ranch but to take care of a responsibility he inherited from a fallen friend.
Clara Campbell hasn’t had a great life. Everyone she’s loved in her life has died on her. She was starting to feel cursed then Alex walked into her life and took over. She knew what she wanted, or so she thought, but Alex may know better. Can they work together to save her ranch and their hearts?
Personally I loved this book. As I said above, Alex was a favorite character of mine for a while. Putting him with Clara, someone 10 years younger than him, was a great choice. They help each other grow and flourish, getting strength off each other. My absolutely favorite part of the book was when Alex told Clara she had the appetite palette of a 6 year old haha.
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated JCVD (Van Dammage) (2008) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019 (Updated Jun 22, 2019)
Jean-Claude Van Damme has pretty much always been known as a cliche action movie star. He's known for his skills in various different types of martial arts and if you haven't seen any of his films, you can pretty much figure out what they're heavy on (and more than likely light on) considering his talents. Along comes JCVD, a film that tells the story of what it's like to be a washed up action star. Between his money problems and his ongoing custody battle for his daughter with his ex-wife, Van Damme has a full plate. So he decides to travel to Belgium, his homeland, to reconnect with his parents and hopefully just get away from all the headaches that come with living a Hollywood lifestyle. Then, a simple trip to the post office turns into a nightmare as Van Damme realizes he may not be walking out of there alive.
JCVD shows a side of Van Damme that nobody has really seen before. His acting chops take center stage this time around and it's incredible how much range he actually has. He's able to showcase the fact that he has a lot more talent than fans or the moviegoing audience actually gave him credit for. There's a six minute monologue that might just be the best scene in the film. You can hear the pain in Van Damme's voice as the anguish he's going through bleeds through the words spilling from his mouth. Tears stream down his face as his face wrenches in torment. And then as quickly as the monologue begins, it ends. The scene itself, along with the way it was pulled off, is really the most memorable part of the film for me.
JCVD highlights all of the potential Jean-Claude Van Damme has as an actor. Not as an action movie star, but as a legitimate actor. Don't go into this expecting the usual bone breaking or face bashing someone may find in a film that Van Damme is usually found in. This film has a kick to it and not in the literal sense. It's an unexpected surprise that could put Van Damme back on top of his game, if played right. It could certainly do for him what The Wrestler did for Mickey Rourke. People who aren't fans of Van Damme's work will more than likely still enjoy this if they're willing to give it a chance.
JCVD shows a side of Van Damme that nobody has really seen before. His acting chops take center stage this time around and it's incredible how much range he actually has. He's able to showcase the fact that he has a lot more talent than fans or the moviegoing audience actually gave him credit for. There's a six minute monologue that might just be the best scene in the film. You can hear the pain in Van Damme's voice as the anguish he's going through bleeds through the words spilling from his mouth. Tears stream down his face as his face wrenches in torment. And then as quickly as the monologue begins, it ends. The scene itself, along with the way it was pulled off, is really the most memorable part of the film for me.
JCVD highlights all of the potential Jean-Claude Van Damme has as an actor. Not as an action movie star, but as a legitimate actor. Don't go into this expecting the usual bone breaking or face bashing someone may find in a film that Van Damme is usually found in. This film has a kick to it and not in the literal sense. It's an unexpected surprise that could put Van Damme back on top of his game, if played right. It could certainly do for him what The Wrestler did for Mickey Rourke. People who aren't fans of Van Damme's work will more than likely still enjoy this if they're willing to give it a chance.