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Aquaslash (2019)
Aquaslash (2019)
2019 | Horror
The premise of Aquaslash is painfully simple, but immediately appeals to anyone that has even a passing interest in slasher flicks - A mystery assailant inserts giant blades into a water slide tunnel, at a busy water park. That's it. That's the film.
Well, unfortunately that's not all of it...
The film opens with a standard but interest-peaking POV scene from the killer, chopping up a couple of horny teenagers at the aformentioned water park, before we get a title card. And then (the unfortunate part) we get a whole hour of goofy teen drama - remember the tsunami of sex comedies that released in the wake of American Pie? Imagine one of the shittier ones, but with no funny bits, and that's the kind of stuff we're getting here.
The script is occasionally humourous, but mostly flat and the acting from everyone involved is a little wonky (except the token jaded old dude, that guy is great)
It's not the most boring thing I've ever sat through, but it's damn close, as countless red herrings are thrown at the audience. The eventual killer reveal by the way, manages to be predictable, and somehow make no sense whatsoever. It's weird.

Thank the lord then for the last 15 minutes, that is just ridiculous and gory enough to make it all worth the slog. When everything eventually kicks off, it's actually pretty entertaining. The gore is all practically done, looks half decent, and the execution is pretty fresh. It's just a shame that the set up is such a drag - If there was more of this then Aquaslash would be miles better.

Honestly, it might be worth just fast forwarding to the good bit with this one, but if you do insist on watching the whole thing, it's not the absolute worst thing ever, and it mercifully clocks in at 75 minutes, which makes the whole ordeal that little more bearable.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Concrete Rose in Books

Jan 28, 2021  
Concrete Rose
Concrete Rose
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A striking prequel to The Hate You Give
Maverick Carter feels the weight of the world on his shoulders. With his father in prison, he has to help his mother financially while still attending high school. To do so, he's secretly dealing drugs with some of his friends, and he's a member of the King Lords gang, same as his father, for protection. But when Mav finds out he's becoming a father too, everything changes. His son, Seven, alters his view on the world. He wants to stop dealing, to get a real job, maybe even leave the gang. And when a murder rocks his community, Maverick is forced to grow up quickly and figure out exactly what his future holds.

"When it comes to the streets, there’s rules. They ain’t written down, and you won’t find them in a book."

CONCRETE ROSE takes place around seventeen years before Thomas' hit THE HATE YOU GIVE, and it's absolutely riveting. Talk about the book you didn't know you needed, but once you read it, you'll never forget it. Thomas perfectly captures teen Maverick's voice and his early life, including all the pressures that come with being a young black man in his community.

Thomas deftly shows how institutionalized racism has affected Maverick's entire world--his father in prison, the gang life that surrounds him, the standards and judgements forced upon him. Maverick wants to go straight, but the pressures he faces--having to support his family as a kid, other family members who want him in a gang--are nearly overwhelming.

This book touches on friendship, family, belonging, and so much more. It's spellbinding and so well-done. The fact that it has ties to THUG is even better, giving insight into more of that world. Overall, it's incredibly engrossing and insightful. Honestly, I was sad it didn't cover more time up to THUG. 4.5 stars.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Haunt Me in Books

Dec 17, 2020  
Haunt Me
Haunt Me
Liz Kessler | 2016 | Horror, Young Adult (YA)
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the eighth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!

Teenage Erin's family moves after a difficult time. Erin surprisingly feels solace in her new room--where she soon realizes she isn't alone. It's occupied by the spirit of Joe, the teenage boy who lived in the room before her. At the local school, Joe's brother Olly is struggling with being left behind. Until he meets a girl--different from anyone he's ever dated before. Now, Erin finds herself torn between two brothers. One living, one caught between two worlds. How can she choose?

It's probably my fault for choosing a book with such a plot, but this one is pretty silly. To say it's cheesy and schmaltzy is putting it mildly. I kept thinking about if you could read a book like this without having to abandon all realism... I'm not sure. But, Erin accepts the fact that there is a ghost in her room without any issue at all. Which, um, okay? Even better, she falls in insta-love with this ghost.

There's very little character development here. We get light background on Erin and what seems like even less on Joe (in fact, it seems like his personality switches halfway through). So we're supposed to believe they are two flawed teens, and Olly is a happy go-lucky guy, without much evidence at all. There's insta-love everywhere you look. A preposterous plot. And no one is willing to use Google, apparently.

Still, it's a teen read, so I can see how they might enjoy some of this craziness. It's a fast read, and I won't lie, I was caught up in the story at times. And the ending really was pretty perfect. Still, as much as I hate to do it, as I've read some of Kessler's other books and loved them, I think this was a 2.5-star read for me.
  
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
2019 | Action, Sci-Fi
The MCU delivers again!
Tom Holland reprises his role as the friendly neighbourhood Spiderman in this enjoyable final entry in the MCU's third phase.

Picking up where Avengers: Endgame left off, the world is slowly getting back on its feet after Thanos' handiwork was reversed. Peter Parker is on a school trip across Europe when huge Elemental enemies attack. He's unprepared, but the day is saved by Mysterio - a superhero from an alternate universe.

So far, so Marvel.

Twists and turns follow, with plenty of action throughout. The storyline reminded me of Iron Man 3 in some ways, in terms of it's structure and style. The visuals were impressive as always. The acting was spot-on, with Happy returning in a comic relief/mentor role that worked really well alongside the hero.

The great thing about all the Marvel movies is how they distinguish themselves from each other. Aside from being just comic book movies, each individual series has its own themes and genre. Guardians of the Galaxy is sci-fi/action/comedy, Captain America is more political/action, Thor is fantasy, etc... Spiderman fills the gap for a teen drama, appealing to the younger audience by giving them the angst and romance they crave and relate to. The relationship between Peter and MJ is explored in greater detail here, and their on-screen awkward is fun to watch, but also believable - largely, I suspect, due to the pair's off-screen friendship. Their chemistry is brilliant and really adds to the movie.

As with all Marvel movies, it ain't over 'til it's over. The mid-credits scene does a truly fantastic job of setting up the third movie in the series, while the post-credits scene teases at the future of the wider MCU.

Marvel has had numerous hits with only a small handful of near-misses. Spiderman: Far From Home is a resounding hit and not to be missed!
  
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