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David McK (3600 KP) rated Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in Books
May 22, 2020
Novelisation of the final entry in 'The Skywalker Saga', that seeks to add context and rationale behind some of the decisions made in that movie.
And, for the most part, it works.
It's just a pity that the film needed this added to it …
It's here we learn that Palpatine (in the movie) is a failing clone body inhabited by the spirit of the 'original' Palpatine, and that Lando's daughter was kidnapped and raised by The First Order (giving greater context to his decision at the end of the movie to go off with Jannah). We also get a bit more insight into Rey (and her 'Dark Rey' vision) although, bafflingly, there's still no explanation of how she can be so powerful in the Force.
The biggest problem, to me, with the sequel trilogy is that it is clear there was no guiding hand, making The Rise of Skywalker feel like a massive retcon after Rian Johnson through out all of the good work in The Force Awakens with his The Last Jedi - even a hint that Palpatine had been pulling the strings the entire time in either of those two earlier movies would have helped somewhat! It's here that Rae Carson attempts to tie the narrative into a coherent whole, with mixed results.
And, for the most part, it works.
It's just a pity that the film needed this added to it …
It's here we learn that Palpatine (in the movie) is a failing clone body inhabited by the spirit of the 'original' Palpatine, and that Lando's daughter was kidnapped and raised by The First Order (giving greater context to his decision at the end of the movie to go off with Jannah). We also get a bit more insight into Rey (and her 'Dark Rey' vision) although, bafflingly, there's still no explanation of how she can be so powerful in the Force.
The biggest problem, to me, with the sequel trilogy is that it is clear there was no guiding hand, making The Rise of Skywalker feel like a massive retcon after Rian Johnson through out all of the good work in The Force Awakens with his The Last Jedi - even a hint that Palpatine had been pulling the strings the entire time in either of those two earlier movies would have helped somewhat! It's here that Rae Carson attempts to tie the narrative into a coherent whole, with mixed results.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated God's Rough Drafts in Books
Nov 29, 2019
Set around 100 years from now, this book considers a future where body part transplantation has become widespread, routine and big business. Big business for the pharmaceutical firms, those that can afford to pay for it and also for anyone who can make money by donating their good eyes or hands.
And so society has divided into those who change body parts at a whim, and those who provide them. The gap between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' becomes even wider and even more literal. But a few, a very very tiny few, discover that if they have just the right combination of parts then something happens, some sort of synchronicity, and they gain some sort of new ability.
Fallon is one such special person who finds her world turned upside down when she is framed for a crime and sent to a juvenile prison. Escaping with new found friends Danny and Emma, they soon find that being pursued by the law is the least of their problems.
This novel covers a lot of ground. At its heart is a thrilling chase but around this Scott has woven threads of social commentary, friendship, self-discovery and the dangers of treating people as commodities. These are characters you will care about as they struggle to overcome every obstacle and make some disturbing discoveries along the way. The vision of the future that is painted is all too real and possible but not one that seems very palatable, except to the people at the very top.
One last notable feature is that each chapter starts with a character narrating and filling in some of the gaps. This exposition is wonderfully self-aware, tongue in cheek and fourth wall breaking. I found it was perfectly juxtaposed to the main narrative.
This is a really good book. Dark, charming, forboding, sharp, witty and suspenseful in equal measure. Is it a must read? It most certainly is
And so society has divided into those who change body parts at a whim, and those who provide them. The gap between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' becomes even wider and even more literal. But a few, a very very tiny few, discover that if they have just the right combination of parts then something happens, some sort of synchronicity, and they gain some sort of new ability.
Fallon is one such special person who finds her world turned upside down when she is framed for a crime and sent to a juvenile prison. Escaping with new found friends Danny and Emma, they soon find that being pursued by the law is the least of their problems.
This novel covers a lot of ground. At its heart is a thrilling chase but around this Scott has woven threads of social commentary, friendship, self-discovery and the dangers of treating people as commodities. These are characters you will care about as they struggle to overcome every obstacle and make some disturbing discoveries along the way. The vision of the future that is painted is all too real and possible but not one that seems very palatable, except to the people at the very top.
One last notable feature is that each chapter starts with a character narrating and filling in some of the gaps. This exposition is wonderfully self-aware, tongue in cheek and fourth wall breaking. I found it was perfectly juxtaposed to the main narrative.
This is a really good book. Dark, charming, forboding, sharp, witty and suspenseful in equal measure. Is it a must read? It most certainly is
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Birth (2004) in Movies
Feb 10, 2019
Interesting but disappointing
The director of Under the Skin shows us an interesting dynamic play out when a ten year old boy enters the scene while a wealthy man is engaged to a woman who had lost her husband 10 years earlier.
The young boy claims to be her dead husband come back to life in this small body. The young man wants to reenter the woman's life and wants her not to marry her current beau. The woman starts to struggle with her feelings, especially the ones she thought she had put behind her and she has to make some difficult choices.
The film is interesting and well acted by Nicole Kidman, but I feel the payoff was not that fulfilling and some scenes were sort of scrapped together with no real point.
There were a few awkward scenes between Nicole Kidman and the young boy which made me cringe in my seat a little which were kind of hard to watch.
A little disappointed.
The young boy claims to be her dead husband come back to life in this small body. The young man wants to reenter the woman's life and wants her not to marry her current beau. The woman starts to struggle with her feelings, especially the ones she thought she had put behind her and she has to make some difficult choices.
The film is interesting and well acted by Nicole Kidman, but I feel the payoff was not that fulfilling and some scenes were sort of scrapped together with no real point.
There were a few awkward scenes between Nicole Kidman and the young boy which made me cringe in my seat a little which were kind of hard to watch.
A little disappointed.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2400 KP) rated Silenced in the Surf (Pacific Northwest Mystery #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Meg’s latest assignment in the annual windsurfing competition on the Hood River. She hopes this is a sport she can actually learn, but strong winds blow her away from the rest of the other reporters early one morning, and she discovers the dead body of Justin, the star of the windsurfing world. Justin was also a jerk, but who actually wanted him dead?
I really found this particular sport to be a fun hook into the mystery. The pacing was a little off, but there are still plenty of clues, viable suspects, and red herrings to keep us entertained. The ongoing story about Meg’s father is advancing very slowly. I hope we get some answers on that soon. The characters are good, series regulars and new ones, although I do find Meg’s grandmother way out there with her New Age beliefs and wish that were toned down some. Still, overall, I enjoyed this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/01/book-review-silenced-in-surf-by-kate.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I really found this particular sport to be a fun hook into the mystery. The pacing was a little off, but there are still plenty of clues, viable suspects, and red herrings to keep us entertained. The ongoing story about Meg’s father is advancing very slowly. I hope we get some answers on that soon. The characters are good, series regulars and new ones, although I do find Meg’s grandmother way out there with her New Age beliefs and wish that were toned down some. Still, overall, I enjoyed this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/01/book-review-silenced-in-surf-by-kate.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Blinded by the Light (2019) in Movies
Aug 13, 2019 (Updated Aug 13, 2019)
Clumsy, trite, and overlong musical coming-of-age drama. The story of an Asian teenager living in Luton in a dress-up version of the late 1980s is brought to life through the music of Bruce Springsteen (well-known as one of the great interpreters of the British Pakistani experience).
As you can probably tell, there is something slightly odd and out-of-whack about the whole premise of the movie, but it's the realisation that is really shocking. Badly-performed characters swap platitudes and re-enact virtually every movie about growing up with strict Pakistani or Muslim parents you have ever seen before, with occasional musical interludes where characters sing along, not well, with Springsteen tracks. To say the dance routines look under-rehearsed is charitable. Apparently aims to be a feel-good movie but I'm sure I felt it trying to suck the soul out of my body. 'Blinded by the Trite', more like - certainly more dross than Boss (I can keep this up all day).
As you can probably tell, there is something slightly odd and out-of-whack about the whole premise of the movie, but it's the realisation that is really shocking. Badly-performed characters swap platitudes and re-enact virtually every movie about growing up with strict Pakistani or Muslim parents you have ever seen before, with occasional musical interludes where characters sing along, not well, with Springsteen tracks. To say the dance routines look under-rehearsed is charitable. Apparently aims to be a feel-good movie but I'm sure I felt it trying to suck the soul out of my body. 'Blinded by the Trite', more like - certainly more dross than Boss (I can keep this up all day).
Tim McGuire (301 KP) rated Jumanji: The Next Level (2019) in Movies
Apr 20, 2020
More of The Rock in a jungle.
412. Jumanji: The Next Level. There's actors out there that say they will never do sequels. And there's the ones that do nothing but. Dwayne Johnson, is back, again, in another sequel to Jumanji. This time around, one of the gang, Spencer is depressed and goes back home on school break and disappears into the game, when the rest of em all come looking for him, they get sucked into the game, but this time, there's old people!! Danny DeVito and 'I'm too old for this shit' Danny Glover play old people in this that also get sucked into the game. There's really no logic behind any of this. They become The Rock and Kevin Hart and they say all the old person in young body jokes that you've seen in the trailers, don't worry they are all there. They set off on a safe, family friendly adventure to find Spencer, which leads to a rather boring and predictable ending. Filmbufftim on FB
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