Search
Search results
Moonly
Education, Lifestyle and Reference
10.0
Rate It
App
Full guide of lunar cycles & phases. Daily affirmations. Astrology zodiac charts Live by the moon...
Astrology Moon Moon Phases Lunar Cycle Spirituality
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Mummy (2017) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
A new franchise is reborn
It seems that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has kicked off a trend over in tinseltown. Shared franchises are all the rage at the moment, and why not. Marvel has taken over $10billion. DC has finally found its footing with Wonder Woman and Legendary are fusing Godzilla with Kong: Skull Island to create their own monster universe.
But for every success story there is a failed series that didn’t quite grab the cinema-going public with The Golden Compass and The Last Airbender immediately springing to mind. Nevertheless, Universal Pictures has pushed ahead with creating its own ‘Dark Universe’. Proceedings kick off with The Mummy. But how does this reboot fare?
Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) is a soldier of fortune who plunders ancient sites for timeless artefacts and sells them to the highest bidder. When Nick and his partner (Jake Johnson) come under attack in the Middle East, the ensuing battle accidentally unearths Ahmanet, a betrayed Egyptian princess (Sofia Boutella) who was entombed under the desert for thousands of years. With her powers constantly evolving, Morton must now stop the resurrected monster as she embarks on a furious rampage through the streets of London.
First-time director and long-time screenwriter Alex Kurtzman crafts a film that moves at breakneck speed, features a lot of nifty set-pieces and is an intriguing precursor to the next instalment of the franchise. It’s pretty good fun to be honest.
Tom Cruise is as reliable as ever, and does all the Tom Cruise staples; running, heavy breathing, shirtless preening, but the stand-out performance here is Russell Crowe’s Dr. Henry Jekyll (yes, that’s right). Despite being slightly underused, Crowe is a fantastic choice to play this multi-layered character. Elsewhere, Sofia Boutella is very good as Ahmanet.
Unfortunately, Jake Johnson (Jurassic World) and Cruise’s love interest Annabelle Wallis (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) feel miscast with Wallis in particular having no believable chemistry with her co-star.
To look at The Mummy is first-rate. Gone are the campy special effects of the Brendan Fraser-era films, instead replaced with crisp CGI – though the dark and gloomy filming style hampers the obviously great effects. Nevertheless, the aircraft and subsequent crash sequences that have been marketed in the trailers are gripping and produced very well indeed.
Unfortunately, The Mummy relies heavily on jump scares, of which there are far too many, and the trade-off for that rollercoaster pace is a film that feels disjointed, relying on visually stunning action sequences to cover over cracks in the story. Some of the humour also falls flat.
Ultimately though, these are small gripes in a vastly entertaining popcorn flick that is a very solid starting point to a series that will include films like The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein and The Wolfman.
Whilst not the most original film you will see this year, The Mummy opens up some intriguing doors and whilst I’m in no rush to see it again, despite its competence, I’m excited to see how Universal will bring all of their iconic monsters back to the big screen in one unified franchise.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/06/10/a-new-franchise-is-reborn-the-mummy-review/
But for every success story there is a failed series that didn’t quite grab the cinema-going public with The Golden Compass and The Last Airbender immediately springing to mind. Nevertheless, Universal Pictures has pushed ahead with creating its own ‘Dark Universe’. Proceedings kick off with The Mummy. But how does this reboot fare?
Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) is a soldier of fortune who plunders ancient sites for timeless artefacts and sells them to the highest bidder. When Nick and his partner (Jake Johnson) come under attack in the Middle East, the ensuing battle accidentally unearths Ahmanet, a betrayed Egyptian princess (Sofia Boutella) who was entombed under the desert for thousands of years. With her powers constantly evolving, Morton must now stop the resurrected monster as she embarks on a furious rampage through the streets of London.
First-time director and long-time screenwriter Alex Kurtzman crafts a film that moves at breakneck speed, features a lot of nifty set-pieces and is an intriguing precursor to the next instalment of the franchise. It’s pretty good fun to be honest.
Tom Cruise is as reliable as ever, and does all the Tom Cruise staples; running, heavy breathing, shirtless preening, but the stand-out performance here is Russell Crowe’s Dr. Henry Jekyll (yes, that’s right). Despite being slightly underused, Crowe is a fantastic choice to play this multi-layered character. Elsewhere, Sofia Boutella is very good as Ahmanet.
Unfortunately, Jake Johnson (Jurassic World) and Cruise’s love interest Annabelle Wallis (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) feel miscast with Wallis in particular having no believable chemistry with her co-star.
To look at The Mummy is first-rate. Gone are the campy special effects of the Brendan Fraser-era films, instead replaced with crisp CGI – though the dark and gloomy filming style hampers the obviously great effects. Nevertheless, the aircraft and subsequent crash sequences that have been marketed in the trailers are gripping and produced very well indeed.
Unfortunately, The Mummy relies heavily on jump scares, of which there are far too many, and the trade-off for that rollercoaster pace is a film that feels disjointed, relying on visually stunning action sequences to cover over cracks in the story. Some of the humour also falls flat.
Ultimately though, these are small gripes in a vastly entertaining popcorn flick that is a very solid starting point to a series that will include films like The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein and The Wolfman.
Whilst not the most original film you will see this year, The Mummy opens up some intriguing doors and whilst I’m in no rush to see it again, despite its competence, I’m excited to see how Universal will bring all of their iconic monsters back to the big screen in one unified franchise.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/06/10/a-new-franchise-is-reborn-the-mummy-review/
Toddler’s Farm Animals sounds, Baby Animal Puzzles
Education and Games
App
A must-have for TODDLERS and PRESCHOOLERS! Learn and play with cute animated farm animals in 14...
Feed Animals: Toddler games for 1 2 3 4 year olds
Education and Games
App
A must-have for TODDLERS and PRESCHOOLERS! Learn and play with cute animated farm animals in 14...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Miss Sloane (2016) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is one of the most sought-after lobbyists in Washington, D.C. In Miss Sloane, she represents clients on both domestic and international issues ranging from environment and ecological concerns like palm oil to more volatile topics as 2nd Amendment issues.
At a point, Elizabeth sees a crossroads on the horizon and leaves her prestigious firm to take up the fight for gun control with a much smaller firm with less resources, money, and personnel. She is not necessarily “fighting the good fight,” rather, she wants to prove that she can win.
Winning, to her, is all that matters. It matters more than the issues and clients she represents. It matters more than any relationships that she could foster throughout her career. Winning, and her legacy as a winner, is what matters.
The film is a simple approach to something that is sorely needed in the film world outside of the realm of sci-fi: a strong female lead character. Elizabeth is a cut throat lobbyist who is focused on her end goal. In pursuing her outcomes, she sees people as obstacles that she must either maneuver around or go through.
She presents an image that she is a cold, calculating megalomaniacal individual. When behind closed doors, the audience is able to see who she really is: human. Elizabeth finds herself stuck in a world of deception, power, and money. She doesn’t know how to escape in one piece. In fact, she doesn’t know how to escape. Her identity is wrapped up into her profession.
Her reputation is what draws people in and keeps others at bay. When she undergoes a congressional hearing about regulations violations, she finds out how easily this empire that she built could crumble down, or, at least, that is what she lets others think.
The film is strong in its approach to a world that much of the audience is only familiar with during election years as candidates rail against lobbying or are exposed for their close connections to these organizations.
It is not overly ambitious nor does it dumb down the material and dialogue to offer a sense of “universal appeal.” The intrigue will keep audiences fully focused on speculating as to what her next move will be in trying to outmaneuver everyone who seems to be opposed to her.
Her rivals, as well as the audience, will be captivated to the end. Miss Sloane is a political thriller that rivals films like All the President’s Men and The Candidate. It doesn’t disappoint.
At a point, Elizabeth sees a crossroads on the horizon and leaves her prestigious firm to take up the fight for gun control with a much smaller firm with less resources, money, and personnel. She is not necessarily “fighting the good fight,” rather, she wants to prove that she can win.
Winning, to her, is all that matters. It matters more than the issues and clients she represents. It matters more than any relationships that she could foster throughout her career. Winning, and her legacy as a winner, is what matters.
The film is a simple approach to something that is sorely needed in the film world outside of the realm of sci-fi: a strong female lead character. Elizabeth is a cut throat lobbyist who is focused on her end goal. In pursuing her outcomes, she sees people as obstacles that she must either maneuver around or go through.
She presents an image that she is a cold, calculating megalomaniacal individual. When behind closed doors, the audience is able to see who she really is: human. Elizabeth finds herself stuck in a world of deception, power, and money. She doesn’t know how to escape in one piece. In fact, she doesn’t know how to escape. Her identity is wrapped up into her profession.
Her reputation is what draws people in and keeps others at bay. When she undergoes a congressional hearing about regulations violations, she finds out how easily this empire that she built could crumble down, or, at least, that is what she lets others think.
The film is strong in its approach to a world that much of the audience is only familiar with during election years as candidates rail against lobbying or are exposed for their close connections to these organizations.
It is not overly ambitious nor does it dumb down the material and dialogue to offer a sense of “universal appeal.” The intrigue will keep audiences fully focused on speculating as to what her next move will be in trying to outmaneuver everyone who seems to be opposed to her.
Her rivals, as well as the audience, will be captivated to the end. Miss Sloane is a political thriller that rivals films like All the President’s Men and The Candidate. It doesn’t disappoint.
Fix My Car: Zombie Survival
Games
App
Scavenge, build, survive! The infection is spreading quickly so work quickly with your beautiful and...
FA
Fifth Avenue Style: a Designer's New York Apartment
Tria Giovan and Howard S. Slatkin
Book
Interior designer Howard Slatkin, founder of the iconic home-fragrance and lifestyle brand Slatkin &...
Gloria (27 KP) rated The Perks of Being a Wallflower in Books
Jul 18, 2017
An Impactive Read
In all honesty, I expected to dislike Perks. So, I confess to a little discomfiture at the realization that I don’t hate this book. I don’t even dislike it. I’ll push the boat right out and say, I was rather moved by this story.
Being Charlies' Dear Friend is what engrossed me the most. I didn't realize I was feeling like his "Dear Friend" until almost the end of the book. He makes you feel part of the story. He involves you, and this is to admire from the author. Not only is it engaging in that form, but it seems to offer a sense of connection, understanding, and honesty about things left unspoken, or whispered behind hands and closed doors.
This book speaks to the sense of alienation that many teens experience. As well as the questions of who they are and where they belong. Charlie has become a response to – and I mean no disrespect by this, as I was/am a voice in this – a collective, plaintive cry of “nobody understands me." He proves to be understanding and is what makes him likable as well as the read.
The book tackles some of the issues and content that may seem less groundbreaking now, as opposed to when it was first published. But, I think it’s fair to say that they still resonate with readers. Successfully captures the way these topics are internalized by the protagonist, and it’s evidently a voice that continues to engage and move its more recent audience. Basically, it’s not strictly the topics that appeal, so much as the manner in which they’re approached and discussed. That I did appreciate, and what ultimately caused me to like this book, was how accurately Charlie’s experiences with anxiety and depression were presented. Anxiety is an incredibly frightening and isolating condition, and I think this book communicates that very truthfully. The sensation of being a spectator of life, rather than a participant in it, is all too relevant and close-to-home for many who have experienced a mental illness in some form.
I found Chobsky’s characterization another of the highlights of this book. From Charlie himself as the narrator, through the supporting cast, I felt that I knew who these people were, that they were real. I am quietly appreciative of this book, and the powerful, unique experience of reading it.
As a tribute:
Dear Charlie,
I didn't expect to learn from you as much as I have. You showed me that no matter what happens, what we experience, we always have a right to feel the way we feel, just because. You showed me the purity of feelings, the beauty of thoughts, generosity of love, and warmth of friendship. You made me appreciate books and poetry more, and see the impact they have on people's lives. For that, you will always hold a special place in my heart.
-Gloria
Being Charlies' Dear Friend is what engrossed me the most. I didn't realize I was feeling like his "Dear Friend" until almost the end of the book. He makes you feel part of the story. He involves you, and this is to admire from the author. Not only is it engaging in that form, but it seems to offer a sense of connection, understanding, and honesty about things left unspoken, or whispered behind hands and closed doors.
This book speaks to the sense of alienation that many teens experience. As well as the questions of who they are and where they belong. Charlie has become a response to – and I mean no disrespect by this, as I was/am a voice in this – a collective, plaintive cry of “nobody understands me." He proves to be understanding and is what makes him likable as well as the read.
The book tackles some of the issues and content that may seem less groundbreaking now, as opposed to when it was first published. But, I think it’s fair to say that they still resonate with readers. Successfully captures the way these topics are internalized by the protagonist, and it’s evidently a voice that continues to engage and move its more recent audience. Basically, it’s not strictly the topics that appeal, so much as the manner in which they’re approached and discussed. That I did appreciate, and what ultimately caused me to like this book, was how accurately Charlie’s experiences with anxiety and depression were presented. Anxiety is an incredibly frightening and isolating condition, and I think this book communicates that very truthfully. The sensation of being a spectator of life, rather than a participant in it, is all too relevant and close-to-home for many who have experienced a mental illness in some form.
I found Chobsky’s characterization another of the highlights of this book. From Charlie himself as the narrator, through the supporting cast, I felt that I knew who these people were, that they were real. I am quietly appreciative of this book, and the powerful, unique experience of reading it.
As a tribute:
Dear Charlie,
I didn't expect to learn from you as much as I have. You showed me that no matter what happens, what we experience, we always have a right to feel the way we feel, just because. You showed me the purity of feelings, the beauty of thoughts, generosity of love, and warmth of friendship. You made me appreciate books and poetry more, and see the impact they have on people's lives. For that, you will always hold a special place in my heart.
-Gloria
Toca Life: Hospital
Education and Entertainment
App
Experience the excitement of a busy medical center with Toca Life: Hospital! Welcome newborn babies...
All About Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding with confidence|inspiring stories|expert advice
Podcast
Lori Jill Isenstadt from All About Breastfeeding is on a mission to normalize breastfeeding........