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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Downsizing (2017) in Movies
Jun 30, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
Paul and Audrey are like any normal couple, they plod along and everything is... okay. But when they meet one of Paul's high school friends who has "downsized" they wonder if this might be what they've been looking for to change their life.
Wow... just wow. Matt Damon is doing amazingly well at reassuring me of the reasons I don't like his films. I'm afraid to say that this one gets two stars purely for the fact that the story line had so much potential... and barely any of it was tapped.
If you go on to IMDb you can see that they've listed this one as comedy, drama, and sci-fi. Now, the last one is a given, as unless I've been missing something we are unable to shrink people. But the other two... I genuinely think that there were two versions of the script, one comedy and one drama, and when someone was taking them to production they accidentally dropped them and ended up matching the comedy beginning with the drama end... the worst type of pantomime horse ever created.
The trailer that I kept seeing for this one looked entirely like a comedy. I was really surprised that it became a "drama". It could quite easily have been one or the other, Damon would have fit well in the comedy version, and had they done some fun stuff around him and his wife trying to reconcile after she bailed on being Downsized I could have seen that working. Equally, with some different casting I could have seen the more serious ending to the movie working if they'd had an equally serious beginning. As it is though this movie seems to have no idea who it's trying to appeal to... and actually, thinking about it... I'm going to revoke one of those stars, talking over it has made me see the error of my ways.
Wow... just wow. Matt Damon is doing amazingly well at reassuring me of the reasons I don't like his films. I'm afraid to say that this one gets two stars purely for the fact that the story line had so much potential... and barely any of it was tapped.
If you go on to IMDb you can see that they've listed this one as comedy, drama, and sci-fi. Now, the last one is a given, as unless I've been missing something we are unable to shrink people. But the other two... I genuinely think that there were two versions of the script, one comedy and one drama, and when someone was taking them to production they accidentally dropped them and ended up matching the comedy beginning with the drama end... the worst type of pantomime horse ever created.
The trailer that I kept seeing for this one looked entirely like a comedy. I was really surprised that it became a "drama". It could quite easily have been one or the other, Damon would have fit well in the comedy version, and had they done some fun stuff around him and his wife trying to reconcile after she bailed on being Downsized I could have seen that working. Equally, with some different casting I could have seen the more serious ending to the movie working if they'd had an equally serious beginning. As it is though this movie seems to have no idea who it's trying to appeal to... and actually, thinking about it... I'm going to revoke one of those stars, talking over it has made me see the error of my ways.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Leaders, Nations, and God in Books
Nov 4, 2019
LEADERS, NATIONS, AND GOD invites readers to a six-week journey to explore the Bibles message for the nations of the world, their leaders, and for Christians who live as citizens of those nations. By focusing on the biblical history of Israel and the United States, the reader discovers the nature of true, faithful leadership and the consequences when a leader compromises, as well as the sorts of nations that God may bless. Marta E. Greenman helps readers understand how scriptural principles apply to nations and to individuals alike.
By asking and answering these questions, the paths of humble obedience for individuals and nations become clear.
Each days study begins by encouraging the reader to write their prayer before they begin to examine the biblical history of Israel and/or the United States. The reader gathers insights from scripture to bring understanding of Gods ideal for nations and leaders. Questions dig deeply into lessons from the Bible, history, and the influences on ones own life. Each days study comes with highlighted Questions to Ponder and ends with prayer.
My Thoughts: If you are looking for a good Bible study, this is one to look at. It combines both secular history and Biblical history to give the reader a good idea of how our leaders function and get their truths. The reader will find information that is new and informative; as the author has done intense research for her book. A six-week course that has some studying for the reader, but well worth the effort. It is not only informative, but it is encouraging. If you are looking for a new study this is it.
If you find yourself drawn to explore Gods will for nations and individuals, if you wonder what biblical obedience might look like in your daily life, then Leaders, Nations, and God will meet your need for a study grounded in the Bible and focused on Gods desires for His people.
By asking and answering these questions, the paths of humble obedience for individuals and nations become clear.
Each days study begins by encouraging the reader to write their prayer before they begin to examine the biblical history of Israel and/or the United States. The reader gathers insights from scripture to bring understanding of Gods ideal for nations and leaders. Questions dig deeply into lessons from the Bible, history, and the influences on ones own life. Each days study comes with highlighted Questions to Ponder and ends with prayer.
My Thoughts: If you are looking for a good Bible study, this is one to look at. It combines both secular history and Biblical history to give the reader a good idea of how our leaders function and get their truths. The reader will find information that is new and informative; as the author has done intense research for her book. A six-week course that has some studying for the reader, but well worth the effort. It is not only informative, but it is encouraging. If you are looking for a new study this is it.
If you find yourself drawn to explore Gods will for nations and individuals, if you wonder what biblical obedience might look like in your daily life, then Leaders, Nations, and God will meet your need for a study grounded in the Bible and focused on Gods desires for His people.
A Bibliophagist (113 KP) rated Century: Eastern Wonders in Tabletop Games
Jan 25, 2020
Simple to learn (1 more)
multiple strategies make for good replayability.
Strategic yet simple
Played this for the first time recently and it was the hit of the game night. It felt balanced and very playable even for just two people. We learned the rules quickly and only found the wording vague on one subject. We had to refer to BGG for clarification. Play moved quickly and it tickled our chess fancy, as we were able to be very strategic and plan our movies carefully and in advance. My partner and I adopted very different strategies and the game ended up being very close which is a good sign in terms of balance and replayability.
For those who are unaware of the games mechanics, you create a board of tiles, each tile representing a market where you can trade, and the trade requirements for that particular market. The commodities are different colored cubes, one tile may allow you to trade 2 yellow cubes for 2 reds, another a red for a green, etc. You can pay cubes for additional movement and to create outposts that allow you to trade. The goal is to acquire the needed commodities for the different ports, which have a changing request via small tiles placed on the port tiles, these may require a variety of cubes, if you are the first to bring that combo to that port, you score the victory points. There are also victory points and special tiles that affect gameplay available via outpost placing, which encourages you to spread your presence on the board. My partner chose this strategy and built nearly all twenty of his outposts, I milked only a couple tiles for their trade combos, focusing on commodity acquirement and port fufillment. I won, but we only had a few point difference.
We really enjoyed it, and look forward to playing it again, it's mechanics are unique enough that it stands out in our game library and it was a comfortable length for casual play!
For those who are unaware of the games mechanics, you create a board of tiles, each tile representing a market where you can trade, and the trade requirements for that particular market. The commodities are different colored cubes, one tile may allow you to trade 2 yellow cubes for 2 reds, another a red for a green, etc. You can pay cubes for additional movement and to create outposts that allow you to trade. The goal is to acquire the needed commodities for the different ports, which have a changing request via small tiles placed on the port tiles, these may require a variety of cubes, if you are the first to bring that combo to that port, you score the victory points. There are also victory points and special tiles that affect gameplay available via outpost placing, which encourages you to spread your presence on the board. My partner chose this strategy and built nearly all twenty of his outposts, I milked only a couple tiles for their trade combos, focusing on commodity acquirement and port fufillment. I won, but we only had a few point difference.
We really enjoyed it, and look forward to playing it again, it's mechanics are unique enough that it stands out in our game library and it was a comfortable length for casual play!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated A Simple Murder (Will Rees, #1) in Books
Feb 9, 2020
Simple Time but Complex Murder
It’s 1795, and Will Rees has spent the last few years as a traveling weaver while grieving his wife. He’s left his son and his Maine farm in the care of his sister and her husband, but his most recent trip home leads to the discovery that they’ve been abusing that trust, and his son, David, has run away to a Shaker community over a day’s travel away. Will goes to try to repair their relationship only to find himself involved in a murder. One of the Shaker women has been killed in their community, and the Elders have asked Will to find the killer. His problem, however, is that he is an outsider. Will anyone trust him enough to share the information he needs to solve the case?
I’m always on the lookout for a good historical mystery, so I was quite eager to pick this one up. I’m not familiar with the Shakers, so that was also an interesting aspect of the book. The plot is good with plenty of twists and a logical conclusion, however, I felt like the pacing could have been better. That might have just been me since Will could only talk to a couple of people at a time if he had to travel far to talk to them. This is a historical mystery, after all. That travel time may have helped lead me to feel like things were slow. The characters are strong. I really came to care for Will and several of the others. The characters were just as strong, and I had no trouble keeping them apart. However, as Will begins to find complex family relationships, I had a hard time keeping all of those straight. The everyday details of life in the time period were strong and helped make me feel like I was back in time when I was reading the book. I am definitely planning to visit Will again to find out what happens to him next.
I’m always on the lookout for a good historical mystery, so I was quite eager to pick this one up. I’m not familiar with the Shakers, so that was also an interesting aspect of the book. The plot is good with plenty of twists and a logical conclusion, however, I felt like the pacing could have been better. That might have just been me since Will could only talk to a couple of people at a time if he had to travel far to talk to them. This is a historical mystery, after all. That travel time may have helped lead me to feel like things were slow. The characters are strong. I really came to care for Will and several of the others. The characters were just as strong, and I had no trouble keeping them apart. However, as Will begins to find complex family relationships, I had a hard time keeping all of those straight. The everyday details of life in the time period were strong and helped make me feel like I was back in time when I was reading the book. I am definitely planning to visit Will again to find out what happens to him next.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Dead Don't Die (2019) in Movies
Jan 7, 2020 (Updated Jan 29, 2020)
Several Wild Animals
The Dead Don't Die is truly a bizarre experience.
Jim Jarmusch has crafted a gratuitously deadpan and self aware zombie film that tackles tired genre tropes in unique and confusing ways.
Truth be told, I was ready to hate it. I knew that it wasn't the same style of zombie-comedy as Zombieland, or Shaun of the Dead, and I expected to be bogged down in pretentiousness - I'm happy to admit that I was wrong in this case.
A lot of the complaints I've seen about TDDD is precisely that. That, and the fourth wall breaking, but those are two aspects that I actually really liked.
The humour is really subtle for the most part. The dead pan delivery of a lot of the script was quite jarring at first, but it didn't take long for it settle, and I actually ended up finding it pretty funny, just not in-your-face funny (which is a good thing).
The fourth wall stuff verges on being too-clever-for-its-own-good but it just about pulls it off, and gives an interesting alternate thought process to the general narrative.
The cast is brimming with people that I like and love - Bill Murray, Adam Driver (surely a full blown man crush by this point), Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Tilda Swinton... God damn I even love Iggy Pop. It's a great cast list for sure, and the charming and witty script gives them all a lot to do, even if some of the many characters feel under developed at times.
The zombie aspect is a bit if a back seat for me. I was certainly more invested in the aforementioned cast, than any actual zombie action, but I enjoyed the 'classic' shuffling zombies in a small town setting for what it's worth.
I'm not sure what I expected from The Dead Don't Die, but it certainly wasn't what I got, and that precisely why it stands out.
Jim Jarmusch has crafted a gratuitously deadpan and self aware zombie film that tackles tired genre tropes in unique and confusing ways.
Truth be told, I was ready to hate it. I knew that it wasn't the same style of zombie-comedy as Zombieland, or Shaun of the Dead, and I expected to be bogged down in pretentiousness - I'm happy to admit that I was wrong in this case.
A lot of the complaints I've seen about TDDD is precisely that. That, and the fourth wall breaking, but those are two aspects that I actually really liked.
The humour is really subtle for the most part. The dead pan delivery of a lot of the script was quite jarring at first, but it didn't take long for it settle, and I actually ended up finding it pretty funny, just not in-your-face funny (which is a good thing).
The fourth wall stuff verges on being too-clever-for-its-own-good but it just about pulls it off, and gives an interesting alternate thought process to the general narrative.
The cast is brimming with people that I like and love - Bill Murray, Adam Driver (surely a full blown man crush by this point), Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Tilda Swinton... God damn I even love Iggy Pop. It's a great cast list for sure, and the charming and witty script gives them all a lot to do, even if some of the many characters feel under developed at times.
The zombie aspect is a bit if a back seat for me. I was certainly more invested in the aforementioned cast, than any actual zombie action, but I enjoyed the 'classic' shuffling zombies in a small town setting for what it's worth.
I'm not sure what I expected from The Dead Don't Die, but it certainly wasn't what I got, and that precisely why it stands out.
JT (287 KP) rated King of Devil's Island (2011) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Any story about rebelling against the system is generally going to get an audience, people love an underdog story and King of Devil’s Island is a chilling one, in almost the literal sense.
Erling (Helstad) is a troubled individual and when he makes the journey to the island of Bastoy his stay is not going to be a pleasant one, but one of hardship and manual labour. Under the watchful eye of Bestyreren (the ever brilliant Skarsgård) he has to follow the rules or face punishment in the worst form possible, and that’s after trying to battle the freezing Nordic winters.
Even when he is read the rules the only thing on his mind is escape, failed attempts only bring more pain and misery. Inside he manages to share a bond with some of the other boys, but those who have been there for longer know the rules and rarely step out of line.
Along the way he is forced to deal with the harsh reality of the situation, and when Bestyreren let’s the return of vicious guard Bråthen back into the borstal the revolt begins. The Norwegian surroundings are an unforgiving place especially in this environment as Erling finds out the hard way, in one punishment he is made to move massive rocks from one spot on the ground to the other.
There is a sense that Bestyreren’s motives are for the good of the boys he presides over, he is harsh but fair and if anything he has empathy for them although he doesn’t show it. Turning them from outcast delinquents into responsible men.
The acting is solid, Skarsgård is always a commendable actor and turns in a decent performance, Benjamin Helstad also does a great job for someone quite unknown in world cinema. But Holst captures the essence for the need to survive and break the so called chains, it’s a powerful film, but then most Norwegian films that I have seen lately have been like that.
Erling (Helstad) is a troubled individual and when he makes the journey to the island of Bastoy his stay is not going to be a pleasant one, but one of hardship and manual labour. Under the watchful eye of Bestyreren (the ever brilliant Skarsgård) he has to follow the rules or face punishment in the worst form possible, and that’s after trying to battle the freezing Nordic winters.
Even when he is read the rules the only thing on his mind is escape, failed attempts only bring more pain and misery. Inside he manages to share a bond with some of the other boys, but those who have been there for longer know the rules and rarely step out of line.
Along the way he is forced to deal with the harsh reality of the situation, and when Bestyreren let’s the return of vicious guard Bråthen back into the borstal the revolt begins. The Norwegian surroundings are an unforgiving place especially in this environment as Erling finds out the hard way, in one punishment he is made to move massive rocks from one spot on the ground to the other.
There is a sense that Bestyreren’s motives are for the good of the boys he presides over, he is harsh but fair and if anything he has empathy for them although he doesn’t show it. Turning them from outcast delinquents into responsible men.
The acting is solid, Skarsgård is always a commendable actor and turns in a decent performance, Benjamin Helstad also does a great job for someone quite unknown in world cinema. But Holst captures the essence for the need to survive and break the so called chains, it’s a powerful film, but then most Norwegian films that I have seen lately have been like that.
ClareR (5879 KP) rated One Year of Ugly in Books
Apr 3, 2020
A different look at refugees.
I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, and I really didn’t expect to laugh as much. It’s not a particularly funny subject, when you consider that it’s about Venezuelan refugees in Trinidad. Honestly, I didn’t know that there WERE Venezuelan refugees in Trinidad. The whole Palacio family have fled Venezuela and it’s corrupt regime, and have started a new life in Trinidad as refugees. The work they do is under the radar of the authorities. When their matriarch, Aunt Celia, suddenly dies, a rather flamboyant character, Ugly, turns up and demands his money. This is the point where they find out that they’re actually illegal refugees, and that Aunt Celia hadn’t actually secured them any legitimate, legal rights to be there. So they’re now at the mercy of Ugly. He demands that they work off the debts that Celia incurred, by taking in fellow refugees as they pass through to nw lives in Trinidad. He leaves them under no misapprehension that if they don’t comply to his wishes, violence will follow.
There is a real dark humour throughout this book. Parts are genuinely funny, but there are other parts, mainly those involving Ugly, which are really menacing. This isn’t a fluffy ‘everything works out for the best’ type of story, and I think it’s really good that Mackenzie is highlighting something that a lot of us know nothing about. It seems universal that no matter where a refugee comes from, that their lives are constantly in danger and that they are preyed upon by the unscrupulous. I’ve read a couple of books about refugees that broke my heart, and while I did feel sympathy for the characters in this book, I appreciated the humour - after all, some people do deal with trauma with humour.
I was really pleasantly surprised by this book, and yes, I would recommend it. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author will write about next.
There is a real dark humour throughout this book. Parts are genuinely funny, but there are other parts, mainly those involving Ugly, which are really menacing. This isn’t a fluffy ‘everything works out for the best’ type of story, and I think it’s really good that Mackenzie is highlighting something that a lot of us know nothing about. It seems universal that no matter where a refugee comes from, that their lives are constantly in danger and that they are preyed upon by the unscrupulous. I’ve read a couple of books about refugees that broke my heart, and while I did feel sympathy for the characters in this book, I appreciated the humour - after all, some people do deal with trauma with humour.
I was really pleasantly surprised by this book, and yes, I would recommend it. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author will write about next.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Rhapsodic (The Bargainer #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2020
Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.
Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want … at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.
But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.
For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.
If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.
I loved it! I’ve only read one other book by this author and I that too! It’s so romantic! I absolutely love the story line! Not much more to say as it’s one of those that I recommend just going in and reading! The last book that I loved like this was the Merry Gentry series by Laurell K Hamilton
Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want … at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.
But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.
For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.
If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.
I loved it! I’ve only read one other book by this author and I that too! It’s so romantic! I absolutely love the story line! Not much more to say as it’s one of those that I recommend just going in and reading! The last book that I loved like this was the Merry Gentry series by Laurell K Hamilton
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