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Erika (17788 KP) rated The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience (2019) in Movies
May 23, 2019
When I saw on instagram that The Lonely Island surprise released something on Netflix, I was kind of glad I was sick today. It's visual poetry about Mark 'McGwire' and Jose 'Canseco', mostly featuring doping. Apparently, it was supposed to somewhat resemble Beyonce's Lemonade, which I've never seen because I can't stand Beyonce.
The songs are solid Lonely Island songs, absurd and crude, as always, but hilarious. The cameos were good too, Sterling K. Brown played Sia in one song, and there were SNL and B99 actors throughout. Overall, not a bad 30 minutes for a The Lonely Island fan.
The songs are solid Lonely Island songs, absurd and crude, as always, but hilarious. The cameos were good too, Sterling K. Brown played Sia in one song, and there were SNL and B99 actors throughout. Overall, not a bad 30 minutes for a The Lonely Island fan.
Erika (17788 KP) rated Google Maps - GPS Navigation in Apps
Nov 4, 2017
Per The Lonely Island, Google Maps is the best.
While I love the Google Maps app, I have one issue. Mostly, because it automatically recommends toll roads over free roads. Even though I select the option multiple times, to avoid tolls, it still pops up as number one. So irritating.
While I love the Google Maps app, I have one issue. Mostly, because it automatically recommends toll roads over free roads. Even though I select the option multiple times, to avoid tolls, it still pops up as number one. So irritating.
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Popstar Never Stop Never Stopping (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
If you go into this movie expecting anything other than crude comedy, you should not go see this movie. But this is not a bad thing. If you are at all familiar with, and like, the music of The Lonely Island, you will absolutely enjoy Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. Which is pretty much The Lonely Island’s take on a Scary Movie, only focused solely on Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never.
Popstar is filmed in documentary style following Conner (Andy Samberg) , aka Conner4Real, as he is getting to release his second solo album after splitting from an influential hip-hop group, Style Boyz. Conner is the complete exaggeration of the real life Bieber, and the film follows his antics as he prepares for the big day and beyond.
In addition to Jorma Taccone and Akiva Shafer, the rest of The Lonely Island, there is a slew of familiar faces and cameos, including, but not limited to, Imogen Poots; Bill Hader; Maya Rudolph; Sarah Silverman; Tim Meadows; Pink; Usher; Nas; Joan Cusack; Adam Levine; and Will Arnett. There are so many more, also, but I would be remiss to give them away.
Ultimately it comes down to this: as I said before, if you are fan of The Lonely Island, you will enjoy this film. I honestly kind of walked out of the theater thinking that the film basically serves as a vehicle for a new Lonely Island album as there all the songs performed in the movie are original and new. But, again, that’s not a bad thing. It, at times, goes a little overboard, but it quickly reels you back in the next moment. I suppose you could say there is humor for all tastes. Well… most tastes anyway.
It’s not going to win any awards. Let’s just get that on the table, but it is a film that will have you laughing most of the way through. There was definitely big audience reaction during my screening of the film. I will most definitely be picking up the soundtrack and the film upon home release.
Popstar is filmed in documentary style following Conner (Andy Samberg) , aka Conner4Real, as he is getting to release his second solo album after splitting from an influential hip-hop group, Style Boyz. Conner is the complete exaggeration of the real life Bieber, and the film follows his antics as he prepares for the big day and beyond.
In addition to Jorma Taccone and Akiva Shafer, the rest of The Lonely Island, there is a slew of familiar faces and cameos, including, but not limited to, Imogen Poots; Bill Hader; Maya Rudolph; Sarah Silverman; Tim Meadows; Pink; Usher; Nas; Joan Cusack; Adam Levine; and Will Arnett. There are so many more, also, but I would be remiss to give them away.
Ultimately it comes down to this: as I said before, if you are fan of The Lonely Island, you will enjoy this film. I honestly kind of walked out of the theater thinking that the film basically serves as a vehicle for a new Lonely Island album as there all the songs performed in the movie are original and new. But, again, that’s not a bad thing. It, at times, goes a little overboard, but it quickly reels you back in the next moment. I suppose you could say there is humor for all tastes. Well… most tastes anyway.
It’s not going to win any awards. Let’s just get that on the table, but it is a film that will have you laughing most of the way through. There was definitely big audience reaction during my screening of the film. I will most definitely be picking up the soundtrack and the film upon home release.
Colin Newman recommended track Nice Enough To Eat by Series in Nice Enough to Eat by Series in Music (curated)
Ezra Koenig recommended Incredibad by The Lonely Island in Music (curated)
Erika (17788 KP) rated Popstar Never Stop Never Stopping (2016) in Movies
May 25, 2019
Ever since I was born, I was dope.
After watching @The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience (2019) , I was in the mood to re-watch one of my favorite movies. I was also aghast that I hadn't reviewed this yet.
I've loved The Lonely Island since Lazy Sunday, and I'm on a Boat was basically the anthem for my senior year of college (university). This is one of my favorite mockumentaries out of all of them. The songs are hilarious, and any movie that starts out with the line, 'Ever since I was born, I was dope', is going to be completely absurd. The crude nature of the songs always makes me laugh out loud, and I have the CD in my car. My favorites are 'Karate Guy', and 'Finest Girl (Bin Laden Song)', and they still make me snort-laugh whenever I hear them.
The humor isn't for everyone, most songs are explicit, with sometimes cringe-worthy detail, but it makes it funnier to me.
I've loved The Lonely Island since Lazy Sunday, and I'm on a Boat was basically the anthem for my senior year of college (university). This is one of my favorite mockumentaries out of all of them. The songs are hilarious, and any movie that starts out with the line, 'Ever since I was born, I was dope', is going to be completely absurd. The crude nature of the songs always makes me laugh out loud, and I have the CD in my car. My favorites are 'Karate Guy', and 'Finest Girl (Bin Laden Song)', and they still make me snort-laugh whenever I hear them.
The humor isn't for everyone, most songs are explicit, with sometimes cringe-worthy detail, but it makes it funnier to me.
Jason (7 KP) rated The Light Between Oceans in Books
Jul 9, 2017
Better Than The Film
Yes, yes, I know this has been made into a film. I'm always a little disappointed when a good book becomes a film. With the book, the characters look how you think they should and the locations look how you think they should and so on . . .
With the film, you have the directors vision not yours and I always seem to think the director has it wrong. I even felt this with the Harry Potters. In my head, everything was how I imagined it and the films were not.
Anyways, nothing exists to serve my point as much as this book. I read it a long time before the film came out and it made me feel things more than the subsequent film did.
If you didn't know, this is the story of a man who comes back from the First World War and seeks solitude manning a lighthouse on a lonely island.
He meets the love of his life and they marry and co-exist on the island very happily. They try to have a family but sadly it is not to be as his wife suffers miscarriages.
One day, a boat washes up with a dead man and a live baby inside. What follows is nothing short of heart rending. I won't go into too much detail as you need to read this yourself and please, I implore you to avoid the film until you have read the book.
It's an emotional read, but worth it.
With the film, you have the directors vision not yours and I always seem to think the director has it wrong. I even felt this with the Harry Potters. In my head, everything was how I imagined it and the films were not.
Anyways, nothing exists to serve my point as much as this book. I read it a long time before the film came out and it made me feel things more than the subsequent film did.
If you didn't know, this is the story of a man who comes back from the First World War and seeks solitude manning a lighthouse on a lonely island.
He meets the love of his life and they marry and co-exist on the island very happily. They try to have a family but sadly it is not to be as his wife suffers miscarriages.
One day, a boat washes up with a dead man and a live baby inside. What follows is nothing short of heart rending. I won't go into too much detail as you need to read this yourself and please, I implore you to avoid the film until you have read the book.
It's an emotional read, but worth it.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Cold Skin (2017) in Movies
Jun 18, 2020
Polished European genre movie is one of those films that suggests you can be a bit too thoughtful. Young man arrives on a remote island, uninhabited but for a dissolute old curmudgeon of a lighthouse keeper; he will be here for a year and is not delighted to learn that every night the place is swarming with fish-men wanting to kill him. He and the other man form an alliance, complicated by the presence of a female creature (hey, we all get lonely, I guess).
Ultimately yet another raid on H.P. Lovecraft, even down to some of the dialogue, but the movie cops out when it comes to the bleakness and existential despair. Not quite as weird as The Lighthouse, with which it shares a number of similarities, but still fairly hard work: it's fine to be high-minded and serious, but the glacial pace and lack of emotional range in this film is a problem. Looks good, but then again so what: it's a truly exceptional film that doesn't, these days. In the end it's okay but I was looking at my watch a lot towards the end.
Ultimately yet another raid on H.P. Lovecraft, even down to some of the dialogue, but the movie cops out when it comes to the bleakness and existential despair. Not quite as weird as The Lighthouse, with which it shares a number of similarities, but still fairly hard work: it's fine to be high-minded and serious, but the glacial pace and lack of emotional range in this film is a problem. Looks good, but then again so what: it's a truly exceptional film that doesn't, these days. In the end it's okay but I was looking at my watch a lot towards the end.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated One in a Bear-llion (Polar Heat #3) in Books
Aug 7, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
142 of 200
Kindle
One in a bear-llion ( Polar heat book 3)
Terry Bolryder
The match-making papa bear is at it again!
Scott Weston is tired of his father’s attempts to set up his bear shifter sons. As the workaholic manager of a premiere resort, Scott would rather focus on business than showing a date around the island. But when he shows up to meet the latest match his father has tricked into flying out to the island, he’s surprised to meet Mara, a beautiful, curvaceous artist who he just can’t leave alone. Especially when he finds out she’s in danger and needs his help.
When Mara Frost accepted a free Caribbean vacation, all she wanted was a two-week break from her lonely life in New York and the stalker who is trying to make her life hell. She isn’t sure what to make of Scott Weston, the sexy businessman assigned as her guide. She just knows that with him, she feels safe for the first time in a long time. But she also knows that for Scott, work always comes first.
But as the relationship grows, Scott is realizing there is more to life than hiding in your work, and Mara is realizing that sometimes you have to take a risk and trust someone if you want them to help. But can the two work out their differences before Mara’s stalker catches up?
Working out their issues certainly takes care of the stalker! This maybe could have been a bit more involved than it was.
This was my favourite so far! I like that we have learnt more about these brothers has the books progress! Again you know you are ready a Bolryder book from page 1. Great writer for shifter fans!
Kindle
One in a bear-llion ( Polar heat book 3)
Terry Bolryder
The match-making papa bear is at it again!
Scott Weston is tired of his father’s attempts to set up his bear shifter sons. As the workaholic manager of a premiere resort, Scott would rather focus on business than showing a date around the island. But when he shows up to meet the latest match his father has tricked into flying out to the island, he’s surprised to meet Mara, a beautiful, curvaceous artist who he just can’t leave alone. Especially when he finds out she’s in danger and needs his help.
When Mara Frost accepted a free Caribbean vacation, all she wanted was a two-week break from her lonely life in New York and the stalker who is trying to make her life hell. She isn’t sure what to make of Scott Weston, the sexy businessman assigned as her guide. She just knows that with him, she feels safe for the first time in a long time. But she also knows that for Scott, work always comes first.
But as the relationship grows, Scott is realizing there is more to life than hiding in your work, and Mara is realizing that sometimes you have to take a risk and trust someone if you want them to help. But can the two work out their differences before Mara’s stalker catches up?
Working out their issues certainly takes care of the stalker! This maybe could have been a bit more involved than it was.
This was my favourite so far! I like that we have learnt more about these brothers has the books progress! Again you know you are ready a Bolryder book from page 1. Great writer for shifter fans!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Dinosaur Island in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
One of the best parts of the board gaming experience is finding a fun group of people with whom to play! Sometimes, though, coordinating a game night is easier said than done. We all must occasionally forego the group experience and face the world as the Lonely Only. But fear not! The world of solo-play is a vast and exciting realm! What follows is a chronicle of my journey into the solo-playing world – notes on gameplay, mechanics, rules, difficulty, and overall experience with solo variations of commonly multiplayer games! I hope this will provide some insight as you continue to grow your collection, or explore your already owned games!
In Dinosaur Island, you have successfully created a theme park of the Jurassic variety (see what I did there?), and are now tasked with managing and supervising the day-to-day operations. Think “Zoo Tycoon” on steroids. You have to collect new DNA, upgrade your facilities, build new attractions, hire specialists, oversee your workers, and create new dinosaurs to populate your park! Make sure you manage your resources wisely for maximum benefit, and keep a close eye on the security of your park to ensure the safety of your guests! The goal is to create and maintain the most successful dinosaur park!
DISCLAIMER: An expansion exists for Dinosaur Island, and I do own it, but I have yet to incorporate it into my games. Once I get some experience with the expansion, I will either amend this review or address it in a separate post! -L
Let me first begin this review by saying that there is A LOT going on in this game. Seriously, a lot. And it can be pretty overwhelming at first. But one thing I cannot praise enough about Dinosaur Island is its rulebook. It’s kind of hefty, but it is so detailed and clear (with numerous examples) that I understood how to play the game on my first read-through. And sometimes with games that have so many moving elements, total understanding from the get-go can be rare, for me especially. The excellent rulebook makes a seemingly daunting game not so scary. I always keep the rulebook on hand when I play (just to be safe!), but once I got the hang of all of the steps, I don’t really need to refer back to it anymore!
As a solo game, Dinosaur Island plays very similarly as it does in group play with a few minor differences. For one, no regular Objective cards are used – instead you use a set of specified Solo Objective cards. Next, to simulate player interaction during the Research and Market Phases, the solo player draws a card from an AI deck and eliminates the options/discards the resources listed on the card – this mimics group play in the sense that turn order changes every round and you do not always get your first pick during these phases. The remaining 2 Phases (Worker and Park) occur simultaneously and involve no player interaction, so those are played as normal. One final difference between group and solo play is that the solo player can choose to play without Plot Twist cards. A solo game is played over the course of 7 total rounds, and the overall goal of the game remains the same – amass the most Victory Points.
The trickiest part of playing Dinosaur Island solo, for me, has to do with the Solo Objectives. You have 7 Solo Objectives to be completed throughout the game, and they reward Victory Points based on the round in which they were completed – finishing objectives in earlier rounds yields a higher number of points. If you are unable to complete any objective in a given round, you must discard one (of your choice) at the end of that round. The hard thing is that depending on which objectives are currently in play, it can be difficult to complete one each round to earn those points. Some things take time (and a couple of rounds) to be able to complete – like “Reach a threat level of 15.” If you have multiple long-term objectives in play, they can really limit the number of points you can earn from them. A nice mix of objectives (both short-term and long-term) can help balance out the game a little more, but it’s ultimately a luck of the draw.
One positive thing I can say about the objectives, though, is that they really force you to come up with a multi-faceted strategy. Depending on which objectives are in play, you have to decide on a logical strategy and order in which to complete them for maximum points. You can’t just focus on one objective – you also need to be setting yourself up to complete future objectives. I never feel like I’m just going through the motions because I always need to be thinking ahead to my future rounds.
The thing I really like about Dinosaur Island as a solo game is that it is still extremely engaging. I’m not a huge fan of “Beat your own personal best” solo games, but this one keeps me so involved that I don’t mind the fact that there’s no real ‘winner.’ Since a group game doesn’t involve that much player interaction anyway, Dinosaur Island doesn’t really even necessarily feel like a solo game. Every play requires a different strategy, and that makes it feel like a new game every time. If you enjoy Dinosaur Island in a group setting, give it a try as a solo game. There’s really not much of a gameplay difference, and I think you’ll enjoy it just as much!
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/05/21/solo-chronicles-dinosaur-island/
In Dinosaur Island, you have successfully created a theme park of the Jurassic variety (see what I did there?), and are now tasked with managing and supervising the day-to-day operations. Think “Zoo Tycoon” on steroids. You have to collect new DNA, upgrade your facilities, build new attractions, hire specialists, oversee your workers, and create new dinosaurs to populate your park! Make sure you manage your resources wisely for maximum benefit, and keep a close eye on the security of your park to ensure the safety of your guests! The goal is to create and maintain the most successful dinosaur park!
DISCLAIMER: An expansion exists for Dinosaur Island, and I do own it, but I have yet to incorporate it into my games. Once I get some experience with the expansion, I will either amend this review or address it in a separate post! -L
Let me first begin this review by saying that there is A LOT going on in this game. Seriously, a lot. And it can be pretty overwhelming at first. But one thing I cannot praise enough about Dinosaur Island is its rulebook. It’s kind of hefty, but it is so detailed and clear (with numerous examples) that I understood how to play the game on my first read-through. And sometimes with games that have so many moving elements, total understanding from the get-go can be rare, for me especially. The excellent rulebook makes a seemingly daunting game not so scary. I always keep the rulebook on hand when I play (just to be safe!), but once I got the hang of all of the steps, I don’t really need to refer back to it anymore!
As a solo game, Dinosaur Island plays very similarly as it does in group play with a few minor differences. For one, no regular Objective cards are used – instead you use a set of specified Solo Objective cards. Next, to simulate player interaction during the Research and Market Phases, the solo player draws a card from an AI deck and eliminates the options/discards the resources listed on the card – this mimics group play in the sense that turn order changes every round and you do not always get your first pick during these phases. The remaining 2 Phases (Worker and Park) occur simultaneously and involve no player interaction, so those are played as normal. One final difference between group and solo play is that the solo player can choose to play without Plot Twist cards. A solo game is played over the course of 7 total rounds, and the overall goal of the game remains the same – amass the most Victory Points.
The trickiest part of playing Dinosaur Island solo, for me, has to do with the Solo Objectives. You have 7 Solo Objectives to be completed throughout the game, and they reward Victory Points based on the round in which they were completed – finishing objectives in earlier rounds yields a higher number of points. If you are unable to complete any objective in a given round, you must discard one (of your choice) at the end of that round. The hard thing is that depending on which objectives are currently in play, it can be difficult to complete one each round to earn those points. Some things take time (and a couple of rounds) to be able to complete – like “Reach a threat level of 15.” If you have multiple long-term objectives in play, they can really limit the number of points you can earn from them. A nice mix of objectives (both short-term and long-term) can help balance out the game a little more, but it’s ultimately a luck of the draw.
One positive thing I can say about the objectives, though, is that they really force you to come up with a multi-faceted strategy. Depending on which objectives are in play, you have to decide on a logical strategy and order in which to complete them for maximum points. You can’t just focus on one objective – you also need to be setting yourself up to complete future objectives. I never feel like I’m just going through the motions because I always need to be thinking ahead to my future rounds.
The thing I really like about Dinosaur Island as a solo game is that it is still extremely engaging. I’m not a huge fan of “Beat your own personal best” solo games, but this one keeps me so involved that I don’t mind the fact that there’s no real ‘winner.’ Since a group game doesn’t involve that much player interaction anyway, Dinosaur Island doesn’t really even necessarily feel like a solo game. Every play requires a different strategy, and that makes it feel like a new game every time. If you enjoy Dinosaur Island in a group setting, give it a try as a solo game. There’s really not much of a gameplay difference, and I think you’ll enjoy it just as much!
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/05/21/solo-chronicles-dinosaur-island/