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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Batman (2022) in Movies
Feb 28, 2022
In 1989 Michael Keaton was seen as a very controversial choice to wear the Cowl of Batman but soon proved his doubters wrong by turning “Batman” and its subsequent sequel “Batman Returns” into massive Box Office success before leaving the cape behind.
While four other actors have taken up the cinematic version of the character in the subsequent years, Keaton has remained for many the Gold Standard with Christian Bale likely being his biggest rival.
When Robert Pattinson was named as the new Batman, there was interest but concern as an actor who is largely known for playing Edward in the “Twilight” films seemed to be an odd choice. However, I would say that anyone who has seen some of his recent work including his performance in “The Lighthouse” would be playing him a disservice by saying he was not up to the part.
In “The Batman”, audiences are given a darker and more broken Bruce Wayne, an Emo recluse who is far from the Socialite he has been portrayed as for decades and a very sullen and withdrawn individual who does not exude charm or grace and even shows issues making eye-contact.
When the Mayor of Gotham is killed shortly before the election by a mysterious individual known as “The Riddler” (Paul Dano), the vigilante known as “The Batman” is called in to help the police by Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). Gordon has been working with Batman for some time but it is clear that his association with him has not won him any favors with his fellow officers, many of which openly question his use and involvement in the crime scenes.
Further complicating matters are clues left at the various crime locales that are addressed to The Batman and cause many to believe that he may be working with the very killer they are attempting to stop.
As the investigation unfolds, the seedy side of Gotham City comes to light in the form of a missing girl who was photographed with the married Mayor and may well be the key to the investigation. Her disappearance leads her friend Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), to take on her Catwoman persona and delve deep into an underworld that features deadly individuals ranging from Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and The Penguin (Colin Farrell), amongst others as she and the Batman conduct their own investigations that at times overlap and further complicate matters.
As the body count rises and Batman races to find the true method behind the madness of The Riddler, the tone becomes darker and more sinister in a deadly race against time.
The film eschews the usual abundance of action sequences and glossy special effects which are common for Comic Book related films and instead gives audiences a slow-burning murder mystery that holds your attention from start to finish over its three-hour run time.
The dark and foreboding tone of the film is brought home by the haunting and sharp piano keys of the film’s theme that permeates the film and punches home that this is a film clearly aimed at a more adult audience.
Pattinson does a great job showing the deeply broken individual that is behind the mask and that Batman is the only form of escape or therapy that Bruce Wayne has due to his insistence on saving a city that many argue cannot be saved. He has strained his relationship at times with Alfred (Andy Serkis), caused damage to the financial stability and reputation of the family company in his quest for vengeance and justice, and has become a bitter and broken recluse in doing so. In many ways, it could be argued that his only socialization with others is as The Batman and his single-minded obsession is chilling to watch.
Pattinson also handles the action sequences well as the film spaces them out to put the emphasis more on the man than the gadgets as they are kept to a minimum even during a thrilling chase with the new version of The Batmobile.
The strong supporting cast works well with the film and Paul Dano gives a very compelling and disturbing version of his character which makes the film even darker and more engrossing.
Director Matt Reeves has crafted a dark and foreboding tone and visual style as a good portion of the film takes place in the darkness and his screenplay is not afraid to take chances by putting the emphasis on the characters and their flaws versus an abundance of action and effects.
I found this version of the character and interpretation more engrossing than prior versions of the film as the bold move to do a slow-burning and dark murder mystery versus an effect-laden action film reminded me of some of the better Batman stories such as Batman: The Killing Joke or Batman: The Long Halloween.
The film is not going to be for everyone, especially younger viewers and some may take issue with the casting choices, but their performances shine and as such, “The Batman” was a very engaging and unforgettable tale that for me serves as one of the best adaptations of the character ever.
4 stars out of 5
While four other actors have taken up the cinematic version of the character in the subsequent years, Keaton has remained for many the Gold Standard with Christian Bale likely being his biggest rival.
When Robert Pattinson was named as the new Batman, there was interest but concern as an actor who is largely known for playing Edward in the “Twilight” films seemed to be an odd choice. However, I would say that anyone who has seen some of his recent work including his performance in “The Lighthouse” would be playing him a disservice by saying he was not up to the part.
In “The Batman”, audiences are given a darker and more broken Bruce Wayne, an Emo recluse who is far from the Socialite he has been portrayed as for decades and a very sullen and withdrawn individual who does not exude charm or grace and even shows issues making eye-contact.
When the Mayor of Gotham is killed shortly before the election by a mysterious individual known as “The Riddler” (Paul Dano), the vigilante known as “The Batman” is called in to help the police by Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). Gordon has been working with Batman for some time but it is clear that his association with him has not won him any favors with his fellow officers, many of which openly question his use and involvement in the crime scenes.
Further complicating matters are clues left at the various crime locales that are addressed to The Batman and cause many to believe that he may be working with the very killer they are attempting to stop.
As the investigation unfolds, the seedy side of Gotham City comes to light in the form of a missing girl who was photographed with the married Mayor and may well be the key to the investigation. Her disappearance leads her friend Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), to take on her Catwoman persona and delve deep into an underworld that features deadly individuals ranging from Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and The Penguin (Colin Farrell), amongst others as she and the Batman conduct their own investigations that at times overlap and further complicate matters.
As the body count rises and Batman races to find the true method behind the madness of The Riddler, the tone becomes darker and more sinister in a deadly race against time.
The film eschews the usual abundance of action sequences and glossy special effects which are common for Comic Book related films and instead gives audiences a slow-burning murder mystery that holds your attention from start to finish over its three-hour run time.
The dark and foreboding tone of the film is brought home by the haunting and sharp piano keys of the film’s theme that permeates the film and punches home that this is a film clearly aimed at a more adult audience.
Pattinson does a great job showing the deeply broken individual that is behind the mask and that Batman is the only form of escape or therapy that Bruce Wayne has due to his insistence on saving a city that many argue cannot be saved. He has strained his relationship at times with Alfred (Andy Serkis), caused damage to the financial stability and reputation of the family company in his quest for vengeance and justice, and has become a bitter and broken recluse in doing so. In many ways, it could be argued that his only socialization with others is as The Batman and his single-minded obsession is chilling to watch.
Pattinson also handles the action sequences well as the film spaces them out to put the emphasis more on the man than the gadgets as they are kept to a minimum even during a thrilling chase with the new version of The Batmobile.
The strong supporting cast works well with the film and Paul Dano gives a very compelling and disturbing version of his character which makes the film even darker and more engrossing.
Director Matt Reeves has crafted a dark and foreboding tone and visual style as a good portion of the film takes place in the darkness and his screenplay is not afraid to take chances by putting the emphasis on the characters and their flaws versus an abundance of action and effects.
I found this version of the character and interpretation more engrossing than prior versions of the film as the bold move to do a slow-burning and dark murder mystery versus an effect-laden action film reminded me of some of the better Batman stories such as Batman: The Killing Joke or Batman: The Long Halloween.
The film is not going to be for everyone, especially younger viewers and some may take issue with the casting choices, but their performances shine and as such, “The Batman” was a very engaging and unforgettable tale that for me serves as one of the best adaptations of the character ever.
4 stars out of 5
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
**This review may contain mild spoilers**
I really enjoyed this book, when someone has been kept prisoner for 8 years you know there is going to be some interesting reasoning behind it. I love psychological thrillers, I like to know what the captors thought processes and why they do what they do. The scary thing though is how devious they can be but also how normal. This book makes you step back and question, who can you really trust?
This is the story of Lily, she has been held captive for 8 years and also conceived her daughter Skye whilst being held prisoner, one evening her captor forgets to bolt the door, once he realises his error, he believes he has conditioned Lily to an extent that she won’t betray him and try to escape…..Wrong!
I was seriously scared for Lily when she was fleeing the cabin, would she make it? was he waiting round the corner? I was on the edge of my seat (or bed)I mean after 8 years a lot changes, I was worried that her family wasn’t living in the same house. I was hoping someone would recognise her and pick her up and tell her she was safe.
The book is told from multiple points of view we have Lily, Rick(Captor), Eve (Mother) and Abby(Twin Sister),this made the book more enjoyable and fast paced.I am a nosey person and want to know everything so this was brilliant for me,I got to understand what life was like for her mother and sister during the past 8 years, what they went through,their grief and how they had become the people they were today.
This book definitely delved into how messy and complicated family life can become, especially when someone has been away for so long and the rest of your family are moving on without you.
I am unsure if I liked Abby’s character or not. She always believed her sister was alive (like some twin connection)and couldn’t get over the grief when people stopped looking, obviously something like this could affect your mental health but I just felt she was too intense! She was a bit of a harsh character, very abrupt and would do things impulsively.
This book is a great debut novel by Hollie Overton, it’s a fast paced psychological thriller with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat and I recommend reading it. I don’t think it is anything like ‘The girl on the train’ as it has been compared to.
Overall I rate this 4 out of 5 stars
**This review may contain mild spoilers**
I really enjoyed this book, when someone has been kept prisoner for 8 years you know there is going to be some interesting reasoning behind it. I love psychological thrillers, I like to know what the captors thought processes and why they do what they do. The scary thing though is how devious they can be but also how normal. This book makes you step back and question, who can you really trust?
This is the story of Lily, she has been held captive for 8 years and also conceived her daughter Skye whilst being held prisoner, one evening her captor forgets to bolt the door, once he realises his error, he believes he has conditioned Lily to an extent that she won’t betray him and try to escape…..Wrong!
I was seriously scared for Lily when she was fleeing the cabin, would she make it? was he waiting round the corner? I was on the edge of my seat (or bed)I mean after 8 years a lot changes, I was worried that her family wasn’t living in the same house. I was hoping someone would recognise her and pick her up and tell her she was safe.
The book is told from multiple points of view we have Lily, Rick(Captor), Eve (Mother) and Abby(Twin Sister),this made the book more enjoyable and fast paced.I am a nosey person and want to know everything so this was brilliant for me,I got to understand what life was like for her mother and sister during the past 8 years, what they went through,their grief and how they had become the people they were today.
This book definitely delved into how messy and complicated family life can become, especially when someone has been away for so long and the rest of your family are moving on without you.
I am unsure if I liked Abby’s character or not. She always believed her sister was alive (like some twin connection)and couldn’t get over the grief when people stopped looking, obviously something like this could affect your mental health but I just felt she was too intense! She was a bit of a harsh character, very abrupt and would do things impulsively.
This book is a great debut novel by Hollie Overton, it’s a fast paced psychological thriller with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat and I recommend reading it. I don’t think it is anything like ‘The girl on the train’ as it has been compared to.
Overall I rate this 4 out of 5 stars
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated I Still Believe (2020) in Movies
Apr 25, 2020 (Updated Apr 25, 2020)
rip my heart out why don't you
Contains spoilers, click to show
Hear me out. The thing about this film is that if you know anything about Jeremy Camp and his story, you know that Melissa dies. Spoiler alert - but I don't think that's news to anyone. I think what makes this film so good is that it's about a love story but it's almost four different love stories. It's about Melissa's blind, unwavering, awe-inspiring love for God. It's about Jeremy's renewal in that faith and in his belief and his love of God after Melissa dies. It's about Melissa and Jeremy's incredible love story - to walk through the fire together, until the end, to put it the way his dad does in the film. But it's also about God's love. And this is coming from a girl who is unsure about what to believe in the slightest. I'm not the preaching, church-going, praying person. I'm not even sure if there is a God, but I believe that people believe it and I respect them for it. Maybe I'll find it one day, maybe I won't. Regardless, this film is beautiful.
What annoys me about the critics that watched this film and their reviews is that they're almost surprised that she dies and that it's a Christian film. Like, do you know anything about Jeremy Camp and who he is? He's literally a Christian singer - for a living. I think this is one of those films where the audience is way more insightful than critics. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I feel like it's so easy for critics to critique and not just escape in the film. But I digress.
K.J. Apa and Britt Robinson are forces in this film. I think that they already have long, successful careers in front of them, without a doubt, but when they work together, they make some serious magic. This is their second film together and I could watch them in a million more. Shania Twain was a nice plug. I think sometimes when you put big country stars in films - Trace Adkins, Shania, etc. - it can be kind of overpowering (depending on the film), but she's very understated but memorable. The standout though, to me, other than the leads was Gary Sinise as Jeremy's dad. There's a moment towards the end of the film where he's just overcome and he leans against the wall and there's a picture of K.J. (meant to be Jeremy) under him and it just hits you. I feel like that was his strongest moment and one of the best moments of the film.
Overall, I think this film is really beautiful. I'm sure I'll come back to it a million times more. I definitely recommend watching it, just have tissues.
What annoys me about the critics that watched this film and their reviews is that they're almost surprised that she dies and that it's a Christian film. Like, do you know anything about Jeremy Camp and who he is? He's literally a Christian singer - for a living. I think this is one of those films where the audience is way more insightful than critics. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I feel like it's so easy for critics to critique and not just escape in the film. But I digress.
K.J. Apa and Britt Robinson are forces in this film. I think that they already have long, successful careers in front of them, without a doubt, but when they work together, they make some serious magic. This is their second film together and I could watch them in a million more. Shania Twain was a nice plug. I think sometimes when you put big country stars in films - Trace Adkins, Shania, etc. - it can be kind of overpowering (depending on the film), but she's very understated but memorable. The standout though, to me, other than the leads was Gary Sinise as Jeremy's dad. There's a moment towards the end of the film where he's just overcome and he leans against the wall and there's a picture of K.J. (meant to be Jeremy) under him and it just hits you. I feel like that was his strongest moment and one of the best moments of the film.
Overall, I think this film is really beautiful. I'm sure I'll come back to it a million times more. I definitely recommend watching it, just have tissues.
Gangstar New Orleans
Games and Entertainment
App
The gold standard for open-world action games is back, this time in the fascinating city of New...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Deviant Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance #5) in Books
Aug 17, 2021
133 of 250
Kindle
Deviant Warrior ( Dark warrior Alliance book 5)
By Brenda Trim and Tami Julka
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Of all the Dark Warriors, Kyran Tarakesh is the most aberrant. Having witnessed the brutal murder and rape of his mother seven centuries ago, his sexual preferences are twisted and perverse. He walks the razors edge of control and he likes it that way, until he loses that balance and accidentally kills one of his lovers. As second in line to the Vampire throne, he is precariously close to losing his position, not to mention the respect of his brother and fellow warriors. Just when he thinks it can't get any worse, the Goddess proves him wrong. With her wicked sense of humor, the Goddess catapults him to the dragon realm of Khoth with Mackendra Callaghan, the very human he has been lusting about for months since meeting her. Mackendra not only plunges a knife deep into his heart, she flees and fights him at every turn, inflaming his desires. The surprises keep coming when he discovers she is his Fated Mate. Every belief he has ever had about intimacy is called into question when his mate gives him a taste of true pleasure for the first time. The passion that burns between them is hot enough to burn them to cinders, but he still must dispel her prejudices about vampires and break through her barriers or lose the other half of his soul forever. Mackendra is the leader of a vigilante group that hunts and kills vampires. Sarcasm, snark and weapons of titanium are the tools of her trade, and have shielded her hardened heart. When she is rescued from her burning house by a sexy stranger, she is propelled into an unfamiliar world. Her savior turns out to be a vampire of all things, and she doesn't take kindly to being stranded with the blood-sucker, much less teaming up with him in order to return to earth. She can handle her intense sexual attraction to him, but is terrified when it turns into emotional bonding. Her greatest problem is that she doesn't know how to let go of her past to accept her future. Will she rescue the blood-sucker that is slowly winning her heart or hold fast to her mission to eliminate all vampires?
Pretty much what I have come to expect from this series now although this one had more creature and Dragons I love Dragons!! It was a nice read and would recommend it. I t always amuses me how they get flung into an unknown dimension and still find to get hot and heavy while trying to get home and escape Ogres 😂😂😂
Was a 3.5 out 5!
Kindle
Deviant Warrior ( Dark warrior Alliance book 5)
By Brenda Trim and Tami Julka
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Of all the Dark Warriors, Kyran Tarakesh is the most aberrant. Having witnessed the brutal murder and rape of his mother seven centuries ago, his sexual preferences are twisted and perverse. He walks the razors edge of control and he likes it that way, until he loses that balance and accidentally kills one of his lovers. As second in line to the Vampire throne, he is precariously close to losing his position, not to mention the respect of his brother and fellow warriors. Just when he thinks it can't get any worse, the Goddess proves him wrong. With her wicked sense of humor, the Goddess catapults him to the dragon realm of Khoth with Mackendra Callaghan, the very human he has been lusting about for months since meeting her. Mackendra not only plunges a knife deep into his heart, she flees and fights him at every turn, inflaming his desires. The surprises keep coming when he discovers she is his Fated Mate. Every belief he has ever had about intimacy is called into question when his mate gives him a taste of true pleasure for the first time. The passion that burns between them is hot enough to burn them to cinders, but he still must dispel her prejudices about vampires and break through her barriers or lose the other half of his soul forever. Mackendra is the leader of a vigilante group that hunts and kills vampires. Sarcasm, snark and weapons of titanium are the tools of her trade, and have shielded her hardened heart. When she is rescued from her burning house by a sexy stranger, she is propelled into an unfamiliar world. Her savior turns out to be a vampire of all things, and she doesn't take kindly to being stranded with the blood-sucker, much less teaming up with him in order to return to earth. She can handle her intense sexual attraction to him, but is terrified when it turns into emotional bonding. Her greatest problem is that she doesn't know how to let go of her past to accept her future. Will she rescue the blood-sucker that is slowly winning her heart or hold fast to her mission to eliminate all vampires?
Pretty much what I have come to expect from this series now although this one had more creature and Dragons I love Dragons!! It was a nice read and would recommend it. I t always amuses me how they get flung into an unknown dimension and still find to get hot and heavy while trying to get home and escape Ogres 😂😂😂
Was a 3.5 out 5!
I am, I am, I am: Seventeen Brushes with Death
7.3
Rate It
Book
I AM, I AM, I AM is Sunday Times bestseller and Costa Novel-Award winner Maggie O'Farrell's electric...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Saint Anything in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Sydney is a high school kid with a seemingly average life - navigating homework and a new school and typical teen problems. Except that Sydney is at a new school because she's trying to escape the shadow of her older brother, Peyton, who has recently gone to jail for injuring a local kid while driving drunk. For her whole life, Sydney has felt like her parents have focused on Peyton and his antics - and even with him in jail, it seems like nothing has changed. At her new school, Sydney meets Layla Chatham, a member of the Chatham family. They run the local pizza parlor near her new school and soon Sydney feels comfortable and nearly adopted by her Layla and her parents, her older sister, Rosie, and her brother, Mac. They are everything her family is not.
This was a good book, with a typical Dessen teenage drama and love story plot, but it wasn't anything earth-shattering. Sydney is a good kid and I liked her character, and I very much liked Layla and Mac, as well. Sydney's back-story with her brother is a good one, but seems a little unbelievable at times, and her rigid mother is almost too uptight and clueless. Her father is totally spineless and frustrating. For much of the story, you're waiting for something to happen and then when it finally does, it all seems a bit anti-climatic and it all gets fixed up rather quickly to seem truly plausible.
Still, a fun little read, but I do prefer "Lock and Key" or "Someone Like You." (However, I feel like a sequel featuring the Chathams would somehow be awesome.)
This was a good book, with a typical Dessen teenage drama and love story plot, but it wasn't anything earth-shattering. Sydney is a good kid and I liked her character, and I very much liked Layla and Mac, as well. Sydney's back-story with her brother is a good one, but seems a little unbelievable at times, and her rigid mother is almost too uptight and clueless. Her father is totally spineless and frustrating. For much of the story, you're waiting for something to happen and then when it finally does, it all seems a bit anti-climatic and it all gets fixed up rather quickly to seem truly plausible.
Still, a fun little read, but I do prefer "Lock and Key" or "Someone Like You." (However, I feel like a sequel featuring the Chathams would somehow be awesome.)
Darren (1599 KP) rated Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) in Movies
Aug 1, 2019
Verdict: Stunt Work of the Year
Story: Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw starts when MI6 Agent Hattie Shaw (Kirby) is framed for stealing a deadly virus that Brixton (Elba) is after, using her ability to go into hiding comes in handy, Luke Hobbs (Johnson) and Deckard (Statham) are recruited to work together to help find her and get the virus out of her before it becomes a threat to the world.
With the three teaming up, they must use their connections to stay ahead of Brixton who has been enhanced to make a deadly threat that neither can defeat on their own, can they put aside their different and save the world again?
Thoughts on Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Characters – Hobbs is still working in the field to hunt down bad guys, but he remains family based with his daughter being the most important part of his life, he gets the call to save the world once again and doesn’t say no, heading to London to team up with an old enemy and friend in Deckard. He does play the I am bigger than you card, as the two constantly try to play the alpha male card. Deckard must come out of hiding to rescue his own little sister, he is better designed to the spy like side of this mission, we do get to learn a lot more about his past in this film too. Brixton is the big bad, he even introduces himself as ‘the bad guy’ he has been enhanced, making him a proper deadly weapon that will win any one on one fight, he isn’t afraid to fight with his men, though he is only part of a bigger plan going on. Hattie is the MI6 agent that gets framed, she is Deckard sister and knows how to get off the grid, she can handle herself in a fight and isn’t afraid to use a few tricks she learnt from her mother to get out of a sticky situation.
Performances – Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham must be looked at as one, they are excellent when it comes to the action sequences, you wouldn’t expect anything less, when they have a moment of serious material they do well, it is part of the back and forth between them which does get slightly tiresome after a while. It is almost like the film must stop for 30 seconds to a minute so they can go at each with insults. Idris Elba does look like he is having a hell of a time as the villainous figure, while Vanessa Kirby keeps up with the action heavy stars with ease bring another aspect to the styles of the three.
Story – The story here follows Hobbs and Shaw as they must once again put their differences a side to help Shaw’s sister get away from a deadly enhanced soldier and the virus he is threatening the world with. Breaking down this story, it does feel like any Fast & Furious film, there is no questions there, we get everything we expect with cheesy dialogue to match. If we do look at the story it is strange because we could easily have had this as a Hobbs or Shaw solo film with the way everything unfolds, with only one aspect of the film truly needing them to work together. The pair do seem to lose certain parts of the chemistry and respect for one an other they got from Fast 8, which again confuses why we need so much bickering between the two, as they are both the alpha, neither comes off as the comical side of the buddy relationship, meaning a lot of the jokes just hold up the film. It is nice this story could build on both the pairs backgrounds more, with slightly more focus on Deckard. If we are being honest, we don’t need a deep story here, we just come for the action.
Action/Adventure – The action in this film is huge, the fights, the chases and the explosions, though when it comes to the fights we do get a lot of cuts in them, which just doesn’t work as well as other action heavy films. The adventure does take the crew from London, to Russian to Samoa proving it to be an international mission.
Settings – The film uses the tight streets of London for the spy side of the movie, along with one big car chase, we use the other cities for the wide-open big action sequences in the film.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are also a mixed bad, certain bits look wonderful, including how Brixton is almost attached to his motorbike, it is the couple of moments which you can see the CGI effects at work which let it down.
Scene of the Movie – The base escape.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The bickering gets tiresome.
Final Thoughts – This is everything you expect in a Fast & Furious film, it is big, the action is ridiculous, and you can just sit back and enjoy.
Overall: Big dumb fun
Rating
Story: Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw starts when MI6 Agent Hattie Shaw (Kirby) is framed for stealing a deadly virus that Brixton (Elba) is after, using her ability to go into hiding comes in handy, Luke Hobbs (Johnson) and Deckard (Statham) are recruited to work together to help find her and get the virus out of her before it becomes a threat to the world.
With the three teaming up, they must use their connections to stay ahead of Brixton who has been enhanced to make a deadly threat that neither can defeat on their own, can they put aside their different and save the world again?
Thoughts on Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Characters – Hobbs is still working in the field to hunt down bad guys, but he remains family based with his daughter being the most important part of his life, he gets the call to save the world once again and doesn’t say no, heading to London to team up with an old enemy and friend in Deckard. He does play the I am bigger than you card, as the two constantly try to play the alpha male card. Deckard must come out of hiding to rescue his own little sister, he is better designed to the spy like side of this mission, we do get to learn a lot more about his past in this film too. Brixton is the big bad, he even introduces himself as ‘the bad guy’ he has been enhanced, making him a proper deadly weapon that will win any one on one fight, he isn’t afraid to fight with his men, though he is only part of a bigger plan going on. Hattie is the MI6 agent that gets framed, she is Deckard sister and knows how to get off the grid, she can handle herself in a fight and isn’t afraid to use a few tricks she learnt from her mother to get out of a sticky situation.
Performances – Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham must be looked at as one, they are excellent when it comes to the action sequences, you wouldn’t expect anything less, when they have a moment of serious material they do well, it is part of the back and forth between them which does get slightly tiresome after a while. It is almost like the film must stop for 30 seconds to a minute so they can go at each with insults. Idris Elba does look like he is having a hell of a time as the villainous figure, while Vanessa Kirby keeps up with the action heavy stars with ease bring another aspect to the styles of the three.
Story – The story here follows Hobbs and Shaw as they must once again put their differences a side to help Shaw’s sister get away from a deadly enhanced soldier and the virus he is threatening the world with. Breaking down this story, it does feel like any Fast & Furious film, there is no questions there, we get everything we expect with cheesy dialogue to match. If we do look at the story it is strange because we could easily have had this as a Hobbs or Shaw solo film with the way everything unfolds, with only one aspect of the film truly needing them to work together. The pair do seem to lose certain parts of the chemistry and respect for one an other they got from Fast 8, which again confuses why we need so much bickering between the two, as they are both the alpha, neither comes off as the comical side of the buddy relationship, meaning a lot of the jokes just hold up the film. It is nice this story could build on both the pairs backgrounds more, with slightly more focus on Deckard. If we are being honest, we don’t need a deep story here, we just come for the action.
Action/Adventure – The action in this film is huge, the fights, the chases and the explosions, though when it comes to the fights we do get a lot of cuts in them, which just doesn’t work as well as other action heavy films. The adventure does take the crew from London, to Russian to Samoa proving it to be an international mission.
Settings – The film uses the tight streets of London for the spy side of the movie, along with one big car chase, we use the other cities for the wide-open big action sequences in the film.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are also a mixed bad, certain bits look wonderful, including how Brixton is almost attached to his motorbike, it is the couple of moments which you can see the CGI effects at work which let it down.
Scene of the Movie – The base escape.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The bickering gets tiresome.
Final Thoughts – This is everything you expect in a Fast & Furious film, it is big, the action is ridiculous, and you can just sit back and enjoy.
Overall: Big dumb fun
Rating
JT (287 KP) rated Shame (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
If you ever wondered what constitutes as a powerful piece of film making then Shame, directed by Steve McQueen, is it. Michael Fassbender plays Brandon a man who has an addiction for sex and all things surrounding it. From porn, webcams, fingering random girls in bars, it’s all covered here in gratuitous fashion that certainly delivers shock value.
When his sister, Sissy (Mulligan) turns up at his apartment unannounced it throws his life into turmoil as she carries with her problems of her own.Brandon’s sexual appetite is a massive part of his life, he doesn’t go in for long term relationships instead finding time to pay for sex and engage in dates and the occasional one night stand.
His hunger drifts into the work place as well, which proves a dangerous playground. As the film grows Brandon begins to realise that his addiction is slowly consuming him, unable to perform sexually in some cases he is gripped by emotional dilemmas while at the same time trying to orchestrate a normal existence.
Fassbender is brilliant, giving by far, one of his best performances. Strange that actors seem to do this in films that generally are not that well known, albeit only around film festivals as opposed to main stream cinema. Brandon is a character that is trying to escape his inner demons, like with any addiction the road to ridding the problem is a long journey.
We see Brandon having a clear out of his apartment, throwing porn mags, DVDs and even his entire laptop, casting it onto the street in bin bags like it was a quick fix solution, which it’s not.
The supporting cast, aside Mulligan, is limited. James Badge Dale as Brandon’s over excited and at times sleazy boss holds his own but it is a relatively small part so he doesn’t have a lot to chew on. Shame is graphic, if you’re the least bit prudish then this film is certainly not going to be for you. Fassbender is a hollow shell, but the emotion beneath him is bubbling and the final act shows Brandon on a night of careless sexual exploitation, which takes him on a painful journey of self loathing.
It’s a film that will be open to much debate, the last scenes will no doubt set tongues wagging. But through all the controversy lies a film that depicts an addiction just like any other, and tries to break through to the underlying causes behind it, as well as the people that it affects.
When his sister, Sissy (Mulligan) turns up at his apartment unannounced it throws his life into turmoil as she carries with her problems of her own.Brandon’s sexual appetite is a massive part of his life, he doesn’t go in for long term relationships instead finding time to pay for sex and engage in dates and the occasional one night stand.
His hunger drifts into the work place as well, which proves a dangerous playground. As the film grows Brandon begins to realise that his addiction is slowly consuming him, unable to perform sexually in some cases he is gripped by emotional dilemmas while at the same time trying to orchestrate a normal existence.
Fassbender is brilliant, giving by far, one of his best performances. Strange that actors seem to do this in films that generally are not that well known, albeit only around film festivals as opposed to main stream cinema. Brandon is a character that is trying to escape his inner demons, like with any addiction the road to ridding the problem is a long journey.
We see Brandon having a clear out of his apartment, throwing porn mags, DVDs and even his entire laptop, casting it onto the street in bin bags like it was a quick fix solution, which it’s not.
The supporting cast, aside Mulligan, is limited. James Badge Dale as Brandon’s over excited and at times sleazy boss holds his own but it is a relatively small part so he doesn’t have a lot to chew on. Shame is graphic, if you’re the least bit prudish then this film is certainly not going to be for you. Fassbender is a hollow shell, but the emotion beneath him is bubbling and the final act shows Brandon on a night of careless sexual exploitation, which takes him on a painful journey of self loathing.
It’s a film that will be open to much debate, the last scenes will no doubt set tongues wagging. But through all the controversy lies a film that depicts an addiction just like any other, and tries to break through to the underlying causes behind it, as well as the people that it affects.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Last Thing To Burn in Books
Jan 26, 2021
The protagonist in this novel is Jane (it is not her name, but I will use it to avoid the spoilers), and the story is told from her perspective. Jane lives with her husband in a countryside farm. There is nothing around her but fields, and she is being held captive in that farm for years now. Jane has learned during those 7 years, that her husband always gets what he wants, she learned to adapt to the situation, but she hates every single day of her life. I found Jane very strong, selfless, caring and incredibly absorbing. She has so much to share with the reader, and it is truly heart-breaking to read her story.
The narrative of this book is very well written and entwined with present and past lives, that Jane had. During her daily routine, she shares how she ended up where she is. Her feelings and thoughts are painful to read. She keeps clinging to anything to survive, and it is devastating. This book really made me think, what I would do in Jane’s situation? How would I try to survive… I really wanted to know, how Jane will escape all this, that is what kept me constantly going. I wanted more action and less routine and mentioning of “his mother’s things” next to everything. (I got the point that nothing belonged to her 😉 ) There are some great twists and turns in this book, that enriched the plot immensely. The topics discussed in this book were human trafficking, rape, mental and physical abuse, the strength of motherly love, trauma, hope and many more.
The writing style of this book is absolutely brilliant. It is very hard to believe that this book is written by a male because Jane’s feelings and thoughts were very detailed and very accurate. Well done to Will Dean for this! The author managed to pack so much in a book that is 250 pages long. The chapters of this book are pretty short, and every chapter finishes with kind of a cliff-hanger, so my curiosity was always driving me forward. 🙂 The ending was very satisfying, and I am incredibly proud of Jane. 🙂
So, to conclude, this story is filled with incredibly damaged characters, mentally and physically. The plot carries a lot of pain and horrifying experiences, but it also channels love, hope, strength and determination. This book is full of triggers, but if anyone is looking for an amazing psychological thriller, I would strongly recommend this book. It is needed in society, maybe it would help to save a life one day…
The narrative of this book is very well written and entwined with present and past lives, that Jane had. During her daily routine, she shares how she ended up where she is. Her feelings and thoughts are painful to read. She keeps clinging to anything to survive, and it is devastating. This book really made me think, what I would do in Jane’s situation? How would I try to survive… I really wanted to know, how Jane will escape all this, that is what kept me constantly going. I wanted more action and less routine and mentioning of “his mother’s things” next to everything. (I got the point that nothing belonged to her 😉 ) There are some great twists and turns in this book, that enriched the plot immensely. The topics discussed in this book were human trafficking, rape, mental and physical abuse, the strength of motherly love, trauma, hope and many more.
The writing style of this book is absolutely brilliant. It is very hard to believe that this book is written by a male because Jane’s feelings and thoughts were very detailed and very accurate. Well done to Will Dean for this! The author managed to pack so much in a book that is 250 pages long. The chapters of this book are pretty short, and every chapter finishes with kind of a cliff-hanger, so my curiosity was always driving me forward. 🙂 The ending was very satisfying, and I am incredibly proud of Jane. 🙂
So, to conclude, this story is filled with incredibly damaged characters, mentally and physically. The plot carries a lot of pain and horrifying experiences, but it also channels love, hope, strength and determination. This book is full of triggers, but if anyone is looking for an amazing psychological thriller, I would strongly recommend this book. It is needed in society, maybe it would help to save a life one day…