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The Gentlemen (2020)
The Gentlemen (2020)
2020 | Action, Crime
Loved It!!
395. The Gentlemen. Well alright, alright!! The first 5 or so minutes were kind of jumbled, my universal translator wasn't recognizing the cockney language right away. The McConaissance continues, he's usually the stoner but now, he's the big guy in charge of "Bush" game over in the UK. And now he's getting ready to retire and sell his herb empire, and he seems to be good to go, until some other interested buyers, or takers come into play, but when the cool calm and collected Mickey Pearson is pushed into a corner, well, first of all, you only think you pushed him into a corner and two he's gonna push back! Great movie from Guy Ritchie, more along the lines of Snatch than his recent gems like the Aladdin, King Arthur, Man from Uncle, or remember that time Madonna and him were together so he was forced by God to put her in a movie called Swept Away? Ugh... This is the kind of movie he shines, each character explodes on the screen. My favorite had to be Colin Farrell as Coach, and yes he is a basketball coach, and he does jobs for the organization and for fun beats up unruly teens. Hugh Grant was also great as a sleazeball, bribing journalist/wanna be screen writer.. Great flick, go check it out! Filmbufftim on FB
  
Push (2009)
Push (2009)
2009 | Mystery, Sci-Fi
7
7.0 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Inside a secure facility a woman named Kira (Camilla Belle), is about to be injected with an experimental drug that will soon set a chain of events into motion that will turn Hong Kong into a battleground. The facility is operated by the ultra secret agency known as “The Division” who are tasked with locating, controlling, training, and at times, eliminating those who possess psychic abilities as they endeavor to create an army of highly trained specialists with psychic abilities.

In the new action film “Push”, Chris Evans stars as Nick Grant, a man who has tried to keep a low profile after seeing his father murdered by Division ten years earlier. Nick has taken refuge in Hong Kong in an effort to stay away from Division as he has no desire to get involved with their or for that matter, anyone’s agenda or cause.

Nick has become indebted to several local thugs due to his gambling, and his inability to fully use his psychic ability to move objects with his mind and when Division arrives looking for a runaway, Nick is eager to get out of town before he gets dragged into the conflict.

Shortly after the Division agents leave his home, Nick is visited by a young girl named Cassie (Dakota Fanning), who informs him that they need to work with one another to earn 6 million dollars and save themselves. While Nick is hesitant, he remembers that is late father told him a young girl would one day give him a flower and when she comes, he must do as she says.

Before long, Nick and Cassie are attacked by a local gang who like Cassie and Nick are able to use psychic abilities. After a narrow escape, Nick learns that Cassie is able to see the future and she has learned that the woman that Division is seeking is vital as she has stolen a valuable drug that they need to enhance the psychic abilities of those they inject. They fact that the drug has proven fatal to everyone injected aside from Kira and would command a huge price has Division, Nick, Cassie, and the local gang scrambling to locate Kira. Cassie has also informed Nick that she sees both Nick and her dying as a result of their involvement and must find a way to change their fates.

As if matters were not complicated enough, leading the Division search is Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou), the same man behind the death of Nick’s father. Carver will stop at nothing to retrieve Kira and the missing drug, and he and his dangerous minions do not care how many people die along the way.

“Push” is an interesting film that puts the focus on the characters rather than FX. While there is action in the film, it does not dominate the film. The neon and crowded streets of Hong Kong serve as a perfect backdrop to the film and the strong work by Evans and Fanning make them a winning combination as does the interesting premise of the film. While the film does lose some of its pacing along the way as it seems unsure if it wants to be an all out action flick, or a drama, the film rebounds and provides a conclusion which is an obvious lead for a sequel.

While some people have commented to me that the movies seems like a rip off of Heroes, I found it to be fresher and more entertaining than the show, which in my opinion has be coasting since the spectacular first 12 episodes.

In the end, “Push” has just enough action and originality to combine with the charismatic and interesting cast to make an enjoyable movie experience.
  
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

May 6, 2022  
Sneak a peek at the Christian contemporary romance novel TURN TO ME by Becky Wade on my blog, and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy of the book - two winners!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2022/05/book-blitz-and-giveaway-turn-to-me.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
His promise will cost him far more than he imagined.

Guilt has defined Luke Dempsey's life, but it was self-destructiveness that landed him in prison. When his friend and fellow inmate lay dying shortly before Luke's release, the older man revealed he left a string of clues for his daughter, Finley, that will lead her to the treasure he's hidden. Worried that she won't be the only one pursuing the treasure, he gains Luke's promise to protect her until the end of her search.

Spunky and idealistic, Finley Sutherland is the owner of an animal rescue center and a defender of lost causes. She accepts Luke's help on the treasure hunt while secretly planning to help him in return--by coaxing him to embrace the forgiveness he's long denied himself.

As they draw closer to the final clue, their reasons for resisting each other begin to crumble, and Luke realizes his promise will push him to the limit in more ways than one. He'll do his best to shield Finley from unseen threats, but who's going to shield him from losing his heart?
     
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Jo (37 KP) rated More Than This in Books

Oct 6, 2018  
More Than This
More Than This
Patrick Ness | 2014 | Children
8
8.9 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
I don't even know! I just really do not know what to make of this. Honestly, I'm so conflicted.

This kicked off with such a dramatic opening, but then the first third was almost intolerably dull and I came so close to giving up on it. I just couldn't make myself care about Seth's miserable existence in his lonely 'hell'. I didn't enjoy his cycle of sleeping and moping, eating rancid food and drinking rancid water, puking and hurting. I get the importance of it, properly setting up the scene - the mood of hopelessness- and all, but it went on far too long.

I'm really glad I did push on, though, because damn! When shit finally did start happening, I was completely and utterly sucked in. The main body of the story had me hooked! Mighty confused but hella invested. And Tomasz -bless him, he totally earned himself a place in my <i>favourite-ever-characters</i> club. I loved him so, so hard!

Then the end hit way before I was ready for it.

And that ending, man... That <b>bloody</b> ending! What the ever-loving <i>FUCK</I>? After all that build up, it kinda felt like I'd been spat out and shat on :(

 So. Yeah...

Following much deliberation, I'm awarding 3 stars for the story and one whole star to Tomasz all of his own.
  
Touched (Second Sight #1)
Touched (Second Sight #1)
Hazel Hunter | 2020 | Contemporary, Romance
6
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
109 of 200
Kindle
Touched ( second sight book1)
By Hazel Hunter

In the world of Isabelle de Grey, eyesight isn't the only way to see. Her psychic ability gives her a second type of vision. When she touches objects and people, she looks into their past. But her gift is equal parts curse. She has yet to find the lover who can accept the brutal truth of what she sees. Isolated and rejected, she is ready to abandon her career when she meets FBI profiler Gavin "Mac" MacMillan.

Thrown together when the daughter of a mutual friend is abducted, Isabelle discovers that Mac could be the man who won't push her away. Despite his controlled exterior, she senses a fevered passion in him that boils just below the surface. But as she and Mac give in to their desires and race to save a young girl, Isabelle must learn yet again that every touch has its price.
Read preview >



This started of so well and has a huge potential but I felt it very rushed it went from Mac doubting to bedding Isabelle in 30 sec which for me and some of the books I read is pretty fast! Just wish the author had have put a few more chapters in and not have it so rushed!
  
Cinderella is Dead
Cinderella is Dead
Kalynn Bayron | 2020 | LGBTQ+, Young Adult (YA)
5
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
11 of 230
Book
Cinderella is Dead
By Kalynn Bayron

It's 200 years since Cinderella found her prince, but the fairytale is over.

Sophia knows the story though, off by heart. Because every girl has to recite it daily, from when she's tiny until the night she's sent to the royal ball for choosing. And every girl knows that she has only one chance. For the lives of those not chosen by a man at the ball … are forfeit.

But Sophia doesn't want to be chosen – she's in love with her best friend, Erin, and hates the idea of being traded like cattle. And when Sophia's night at the ball goes horribly wrong, she must run for her life. Alone and terrified, she finds herself hiding in Cinderella's tomb. And there she meets someone who will show her that she has the power to remake her world …

An electrifying twist on the classic fairytale that will inspire girls to break out of limiting stereotypes and follow their dreams!

This book has torn me in two! One half of me didn’t like it I felt the all men are evil message for most of the book was unnecessary and a bit forceful I mean even coming down on her dad and the poor man offering them help! It wasn’t until we got to Livs dad a good word was really said. Ok so if I went on this alone my rating would be 1 maybe 2 stars at a push! Then the other half of me was so intrigued and needed to keep reading hence the reason it was read in 24 hours. So this second half wanted to see this story play out and was kinda enjoying the whole new version of a childhood classic I think yes it was a bit predictable towards the end but it still needs its happy ending doesn’t it?. I settled on a 3 star review for the whole reason I didn’t keep reading and it did get better towards the end. Im also intrigued by the book of tales that Constance produced. Hopefully someone else will find it a better read.
  
Her Lord of Death
Her Lord of Death
Kyla D. Knight | 2019 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
loved this!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I'm not writing a blurby bit here, gonna jump straight in!

I bloody loved this!

So many layers, so much betrayal and back stabbing. Such pain for Acheron in his past, his present, and as he sees, his future. Kora is a woman he can never have, then he does, but still he can't. Cryptic, I know but I ain't doing spoilers!

And so, so many plot twists, I did not see any of them coming at me!

I loved that Acheron knew he was damaged, possibly beyond repair, but still he tries to make Kora see, to SEE that damage, in the only way he knows how: with violence. But KORA?? Kora SEES Acheron. She sees the man behind the rumours and whispers. She sees the man behind the scars, and finally, she SEES why Acheron does what he does to push her away and it makes her love him even more. She makes Acheron SEE, that there is more to life than pain.

And when WE find out why? Well, lets just say I bawled my eyes out. You get hints and snippets as to why Acheron reacts the way he does, but you don't get the full picture. Oh you put the clues together well enough, but really? Not enough. Nowhere NEAR enough.

After we get the full picture of what Acheron endured while in in Crete at the hands of Minos, it's a wonder the man is even sane! As Oz, Acheron's approximation of a best friend pointed out, he only had two years there, and Acheron had TEN years fighting for his life almost every day.

Suffices to say, this carries some dark story lines, but to say what they are would be spoilers. If you want to know, please message me, I'll tell you. Some readers may have triggers.

There is a little bit at the back of this, about how THIS book was Knight's first book, not Beautiful Beast. About how much of a battle Knight had with it. I'm so bloody glad she won that battle!

It's also billed as A Mythic World Romance. No idea what comes next, but I really wanna read it!

5 stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Welcome To Happiness (2016)
Welcome To Happiness (2016)
2016 | Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Verdict: Strange and Quirky

Story: Welcome to Happiness starts as young man Woody (Gallner) a children’s author who welcomes strangers into his apartment to help them go through his erase their mistakes, this makes his life complicated when he starts becoming friendly with a fellow tenant Trudy (Thirlby). Meanwhile Nyles (Sexton III) a man that is cleaning up after his father’s death, learns that he has valuable baseball cards, which sees him getting drawn into a big adventure around the people who want in on the business.
When Woody sees the full effect of the visits, he starts to question why he can’t change moments from his past, which soon starts to put a strain on his relationship with Trudy, while his landlord Moses (Offerman) is encouraged with his work.

Thoughts on Welcome to Happiness

Characters – Woody is a children’s author that has just moved into an apartment which sees strangers visit, answer a string of questions before putting them in a closet where they vanish. He doesn’t know what happens next until he meets one of the visitors, which leaves him wondering why he can’t change his past, which only makes him out to be going crazy to his girlfriend. Trudy is the new neighbour to Woody who strikes up a relationship with him, she does question him about the visit and doesn’t believe him when he tells the story. Moses is the landlord that knows about the closet, he knows how it helps people and who should be the one that guides people through it. Nyles is a depressed man that learns about the treasure in his father’s attic, he ends up follow a string of instructions, which will sees him visiting the closet.
Performances – Kyle Gallner does well in the leading role, it shows us just how difficult being an author with pain in his life can be difficult to get through. This does have a big cast, with each actor doing their thing to make us understand figures they are playing.
Story – The story here follows a young man that finds himself in the unusual position of having to deal with strangers looking to answer questions, which would see them disappear in his closet, over time he wants to know more, which will soon start to push him to his limits. This is an interesting little story, it does show us how difficult living in despair could be on the people in life, they will need to learn to move on, because once you break down everything, you never know what could have been in the world. We do have to meet a lot of characters, which do seem to have moments of randomness, though it does all make sense by the end of the film.
Comedy/Fantasy – The comedy in the film comes from just how far out there certain ideas are, mixed in with certain characters too, the fantasy shows us how the closet works and just how life can be seen differently if people come into it.
Settings – The settings for the film does try to put everything into a position of everyday, leading down the same plan as people you see in life will have stories you might not always get to know.

Scene of the Movie – Behind the door.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Certain characters don’t seem needed at times.
Final Thoughts – This is a very strange movie, it does have an important message, that does need to help us reflect our own lives, even if it does lean away from it at times.

Overall: Interesting throughout.
  
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)
2014 | Horror
4
5.0 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Supernatural Superpowers That Are Cursed
Ugh here we go again- which one is this number 8, number 3210, number who cares, number whatever. Its the fifth one by the way, if people are wondering.

Im just tired of this franchise, nothing happens until the last 15-20 minutes of the movie, thats when shit happens. So the rest of the movie is boring. So whats the plot this time.

The Plot: Teenagers Jesse (Andrew Jacobs) and Hector (Jorge Diaz) look forward to a carefree summer, but the murder of a neighbor leads to a terrifying encounter with the supernatural. After breaking into the neighbor's apartment, Jesse and Hector find a collection of ritualistic art and other bizarre items. Jesse takes a journal of occult writings and soon after finds a strange mark on his arm. His subsequent erratic behavior leads Jesse's friends and family to the realization that he is possessed.

So in this one a recent high school graduate has a myserious neigherbor, and deicides to go into her house and gets the curse and than has superpowers??? Like he can lean back far, jump the stairs high from his skateboard, and push people, wait what??Later on, when he gets captured two man get their shotguns and shoot the cult, wait what?? Than his friend goes through a door and ends up at the house from the first move and see Kate and Micah, wait what?? That makes no sense.

By the way this movie came out in Januray and besides the first one which came out late September, the rest of them came out in October. So this one came out in dump month, and it was a piece of dump.

Ugh One more right....Right.....Right....
  
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Edgar Wright recommended Head (1968) in Movies (curated)

 
Head (1968)
Head (1968)
1968 | Comedy, Documentary
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"Head is my favorite film that stars a musical artist, by some degree. And yes, that includes the brilliant A Hard Day’s Night. However, the Monkees’ triumph of a movie is a Pyrrhic victory, because Head accelerated their demise, as it sees Dolenz, Nesmith, Tork, and Jones push the self-destruct button. Directed by Bob Rafelson and cowritten by Jack Nicholson, the movie shows the Monkees tearing down their wholesome network-TV, pre–Fab Four image with wild style. Much has been read into this stream-of-consciousness movie, with its overlapping dream sequences, surreal song numbers, and drug-influenced chaos. The simplest way of describing it is this: the Monkees are sick of being on their network show and attempt to break out of the studio lot, literally and figuratively. There are several scenes where the Monkees are trapped in a box, a live number where they are revealed to be plastic mannequins, and bookending sequences where the members commit suicide. So basically, the Monkees want out. There have been some claims by the Monkees since the film came out that this message was projected onto it by Rafelson and Nicholson, but the script was clearly born of a very real frustration with their image. The movie bombed in 1968, because not many Monkees fans wanted to know that their idols had painted-on smiles. What remains is a gem of rock music cinema, with great songs and images throughout. Plus, as depressing as the theme of entrapment is, it’s frequently very funny. I got to interview Dolenz about it at a New Beverly Q&A once. A young audience member quizzed him on the deeper themes, and he just replied, “Man, I was twenty-three . . .”"

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