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National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
1978 | Comedy

"The last film is Animal House. Where I [veer] away from intense dramas. This thing is a perfect comedy, and I saw it right when it came out, as many people of my age did. It’s one of those films — I saw it one weekend; I went back to see it the next weekend and the next weekend. It’s a perfect piece of work and I watch it almost once a year. I’m no expert on it — can’t tell you the cast except for the big names — but it’s one of those things where I don’t even know if it’s any good. All I know is, I laughed in the same places, like Pavlov’s dog. “Hey, I’m a zit!” and the food comes out of [John] Belushi’s mouth — to me that is about the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. Until he does this or until he does that. And you know: “A pledge pin on your uniform,” stuff like that. It’s funny down to my DNA. You know how it is with films. You love them so much, you almost adopt them. Like if there’s a song you really like — you almost kinda wrote it yourself. Because now it’s in your bone marrow. Animal House to me is from a much happier time of my life. As an adult I’m over-serious and worried. But as a younger person, that comedy was just so effortlessly immature and funny. The humor is not the highest brow, but it’s done so well. It works on every human cliche, like the drunk wife of the dean and the dean is over-serious… That was a film I watched usually around Christmas time. Somehow, I always find it in December and I watch it and I laugh sometimes, and I find myself crying because I miss Belushi. I think he was a great talent. I’ll watch him eating the food and I laugh so hard, literally, tears will go down my face. I don’t know the guy but I spoke to him once on the phone, briefly, but I just miss the guy. ‘Cause he’s one of my guys, like Bill Murray and Chevy Chase. All those SNL people — that’s my kind of humor. It’s just a perfect low budget comedy. It’s what you do with great acting and great writing. You don’t need a budget. You just need great acting and great writing."

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For Those About To Rock We Salute You by AC/DC
For Those About To Rock We Salute You by AC/DC
1981 | Metal, Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"Bands have their anthems, you know, 'You Shook Me All Night Long', all that for AC/DC sure. For Those About To Rock is the call to arms, it's the definitive anthemic album. Back In Black probably had better songs, but the band started to have a sense of itself because a band stands or should stand for something, like when you have a country you have a flag for that country. But when a flag stands for something, it takes on a meaning of its own, and then people realise that the flag doesn't just represent the country, but it represents what the country stands for. The platform - in our case, platform boots. So, For Those About To Rock We Salute You is what AC/DC is all about. The graphics and that cannon and the title - and it's why they always end their set with it - it's anthemic. 'You Shook Me All Night Long' is probably the best song they've written in my estimation, but it's not an anthem. It's because the lyrics aren't on that same level. They aren't big and bold. 'For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)' means something, it's a connection. It's like nationhood. Put your fist up in the air and say, 'Yeah! This is what I believe in!' 'You Shook Me' doesn't have that, it's just a rockin' great song. When the band realises its own meaning, when a band can see itself clearly, that's when it connects. It happened to us on Destroyer. That album cover had no guitars on it, no drums, no guitars, no stage, nothing. That's when we understood that we were bigger than the music we played. But you don't see that until someone points that out to you. When you start to see your face in parades and on walls and on tattoos and all that. And when you see that there just aren't any guitars or drums in there. People are attracted to the personas. The personas are bigger than the guitars. Whereas, it's hard to have an image of AC/DC without a guitar. Without a guitar, you would say, 'Who's that?' The same goes for Metallica or almost anybody. They're musicians. We are iconic images. That's fine for me. That's bigger. That's part of pop culture."

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Thirteen Reasons Why
Thirteen Reasons Why
Jay Asher | 2009 | Children
9
8.4 (49 Ratings)
Book Rating
amazing cast of characters (0 more)
Unsettling. Troubling. Heart-breaking.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Thirteen Reasons Why is a heart-wrenching story of young tragedy and all of the ways a girl's death could have been prevented.

When I first read this book, I was 18 years old, and feeling exactly like how Hannah was feeling: depressed and alone. I could hardly get out of bed and drag myself to school, often times wishing I was dead. Despite constantly being around people, I didn't feel loved. I didn't feel like people really wanted me around. So, when I first read this book, I absolutely loved it because I felt exactly how she felt.

After being discontented with the series Netflix released in 2017, I decided to revisit this book, with the criticisms the Internet had given the show and book in mind. Those criticisms didn't make me hate the book or the concept, it just simply opened my mind to how harmful it may be, and it also helped me focus on the true intent of the book: to show people how their actions affect others.

I will agree that this book glamorizes suicide. It does. If you look at the surface of the premise, it basically reads as: "Girl kills herself and makes the tapes to get revenge on those who've hurt her and contributed to her pain. So, if you want to get back at your bullies, kill yourself and blame it on them." There's a lot of finger pointing happening in the book, even beyond the surface, but like I said, the intent of the book is to show people how their actions affect others, and it does. While it's not as explicit, since it was limited to Clay's point of view, there are little hints that show how the other characters, the other people on the tape, are affected. A character (Alex, I think?) was being pushed against a locker, Tyler's window was a target for people throwing rocks, Marcus going out and watching others target Tyler.

Clay Jensen is an incredibly realistic character, and Jay Asher's done a great job of writing his and Hannah's voice. Clay's the perfect in-between character because that's where he stands in school. Unpopular, but still known, he's welcomed at parties, yet he doesn't always go to them. A "nerdy" type but not entirely stuck with that label. What I love most about this book was Clay's part on the tapes, and how even Hannah claims he doesn't deserve this, that he doesn't belong on the list. But he's on it because she needs to tell the story fully.

When it comes to the potential of a Clay/Hannah romance, the most realistic quote is: "What if you weren't the person I hoped you were?" That particular quote resonated with me because I'm sure we've all felt the same at one point or another. We've all had these crushes for someone we don't know, and so we absorb the little information (most likely rumors) that float around about them, and hope that they're the person we come to think they are. I'm guilty of doing this, which made the Clay and Hannah relationship more painful. Because she wasn't like that, and he never got the chance.

There was something about the ending that got me. How Clay picked up on all of Skye's signs, and so after the tapes, he calls her name and he (from what we can presume) acts kindly toward her. He wants to be there for her so the same thing that happened to Hannah wouldn't happen to her. He feels hopeful that maybe he can help Skye, which is nice.

Overall, I did enjoy my revisit of this book. Jay Asher has created some of the most interesting characters, from Clay and Hannah, to Skye, Jessica, Justin, Sherry, Marcus, and Courtney. A lot of their actions are realistic, which is what is haunting about the book. I hate reading those criticisms talking about what they (the critics) would've done, because you don't know! You're not sure! While I do wish Hannah hadn't actually committed suicide, that there had been a plot twist, this book certainly resonated with me because I know exactly how Hannah felt. I may not have been bullied to such an extent, but the exhaustion, the desperate need to let go, I felt that.

P.s. Please don't say that this book or the Netflix series helped you to realize that you need to be nice to people. If you needed a book or a series to realize that, I hope you get the help you need.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated The Meg (2018) in Movies

Apr 2, 2019  
The Meg (2018)
The Meg (2018)
2018 | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Jurassic Shark
Megashark vs Jason Statham movie has its moments but suffers a bit from lacking a clear sense of what it actually wants to be: family-oriented disaster movie, cheesy B-movie fun, or special effects blockbuster. Some people get stuck at the bottom of the sea, top diver (Statham) is recruited to get them out; in the process an enormous prehistoric shark is unleashed.

Actually feels a bit like one of those ultra-calculated Chinese blockbusters we are beginning to see (cf. Skyscraper); perhaps this explains why it is always just a bit too bland and clean to really succeed. You can easily imagine Dwayne Johnson starring in this instead. Statham manages to bring his own brand of nuttiness to the affair, far outshining the rest of a pretty nondescript cast. Script is predictable, special effects are okay, ending is unexpectedly inventive. More fun than it sounds.
  
An anthology of horror stories commissioned by producer Jason Blum ("Paranormal Activity", "Insidious", "Sinister", "The Purge"), and written by many of the people who made those films with him, sounds like a pretty genius idea. Unfortunately, it turns out to be more than a little less so in actuality. Don't get me wrong, most of the stories here are pretty decent at the very least, and many contain interesting ideas, but there is one all-important thing missing across the board: fear. While there is no shortage of creepy imagery, upsetting situations and gore, at no point did any of these actually scare me. Some of the stories were so lacking in any sense of suspense that it was hard not to wonder if they were actually even horror. All in all it's not a bad read, but it's hard not to come out of this at least somewhat disappointed.
  
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Kristin (149 KP) rated Wonderstruck in Books

Dec 7, 2018  
W
Wonderstruck
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'll begin by saying the cover is fantastic; I couldn't stop looking at it! That being said, it's that feeling, the one that every picture has a story to tell, that is the inspiration behind the stories in this anthology. They go from "drabbles" of 100 words to short stories and novellas, and each is as unique as the author who wrote it. It's amazing how so many people can look at the same picture and yet draw a completely different tale from it, all the while bringing those thoughts and images into reality for the reader. I hope this idea will be continued into another book (or several!), using different pictures, or perhaps with each author being given an opening line and having to write a story from that. Loved it!! =)

5 stars
  
Fifty Shades Freed
Fifty Shades Freed
E.L. James | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.3 (45 Ratings)
Book Rating
This was another good book. I thought that the author makes the characters likeable. With that said, the writing was not amazing. It didn't flow very well. I thought that the author would choose a couple words and stick with them and never change them. If I read another "Oh my" I may scream.

I did find this an entertaining series and I'm glad that I read them. With that said, these are guilty pleasure books, those books that you may not want to openly discuss with some people. I'm not ashamed of what I read but I was glad that I read these books on my nook.

All in all, the story was good but it read like a fantasy of a young adult/teen and not as realistic as I would have hoped. The books were entertaining but they left me wanting "more"...
  
Here to Stay
Here to Stay
Catherine Anderson | 2010 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Romance
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is one of those romance novels that reviews encouraged me to keep on reading. Like everyone else (most probably), I hated Luke at first because I really couldn't stand "the disabled kid being the world's biggest brat" trope, but that quickly changed after I got through the first few chapters.

Sometimes as I read novels, I question why characters get together (like the majority of romance novels), but for this one, I was so happy that they did. For a party guy, Zach is the nicest person I've ever read about in my life. And I feel so bad for Mandy because though I didn't grow up in an abusive household, but I've been in her shoes for taking care of my little sister, too.

I really don't wanna spoil the book, but it really turned in places I didn't expect, and I really hope that people will read this.
  
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Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Bendy and the Ink Machine in Video Games

Jan 28, 2020 (Updated Jan 28, 2020)  
Bendy and the Ink Machine
Bendy and the Ink Machine
2017 | Action/Adventure, Puzzle & Cards, Strategy
Amazing game
Ok, I have never played this game myself but I have watched it being played. I know that's not quite the same thing but I'll take what I can get. Anyway, not flat out scary but definitely creepy enough to keep even big gamers interested. It has a strong plot with unexpected twists all over the place. Once the game is over there are still so many theories as to what happened because the developers did such an awesome job of layering on just enough facts to get people thinking.
The artwork reminds me of Betty Boop meets Steam Boat Willie (not sure is I should know those references but hey I grew up with oldies lol). Even the music and the way the characters move look like an older cartoon. Can't say anything about the controls but I still find myself in love with this game.
  
Dobble - Harry Potter version
Dobble - Harry Potter version
2019 | Card Game, Party Game
Simple (4 more)
Easy to pick up
Fun
Fast-paced
Addictive
Annoying 😂 (0 more)
Like advanced snap
I received this as part of a smashbomb competition!

The game has 5 different mini games which are all very fun. Each card has several different characters or objects on it and these have to be matched with various paired cards.

The game is very easy to pick up with simple instructions for all the mini games. It would suit all types of people/family members even those without prior Harry Potter knowledge. The different icons are depicted within the instructions with names.

We spent quite some time playing this game eventhough each game is fairly short. Its addictive and much harder than the description sounds.

Sometimes you have the flow of things and blast through several pairs. Other times you are stumped and cant pick out any difference between the cards.