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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated A Star Is Born (1954) in Movies
Jun 29, 2020
A Long Winding Road In Need of a Detour
An aspiring actress gets a her big break when discovered by an alcoholic film star.
Acting: 10
Apparently her first film since four years prior, Judy Garland makes the stage sizzle playing the main role of Vicki Lester. I loved her passion and charisma and the way she delivers her lines with a charm that just lights up the screen. There are a number of other shining roles as well, including a fun performance from James Brown playing the role of Glenn Wiliams.
Beginning: 3
Characters: 10
Although you don’t really get to fully see her development until two thirds of the way into the movie, Vicki Lester is definitely a character an audience can get behind. I rooted for her success in hopes that she would steer clear of the trap the movie was clearly setting for her. That’s the thing about movies, sometimes the audience can see from a mile away something it takes ages for the characters themselves to see. The movie would have been unbearable without solid characters to carry it through.
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 8
There were a lot of pitfalls Vicki had to deal with along the way, namely her alcoholic husband who continues to bring her down. Had they delved into her backstory a lot quicker, I would’ve given this category a perfect score as her upbringing provided another potential pitfall for her future. Overall, with everything going on in the film, it’s clear the winding road is only leading to one place.
Entertainment Value: 8
Memorability: 7
Pace: 4
This version is the longest of the four coming in at almost three hours. Seeing how the other three were able to tell the same story with considerably less time, there is no reason for this version to be so long. It gets boring in a few spots and had me longing for the conclusion. While there are a number of shining moments, a slow pace kept this to a one-watch movie for me.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
Overall: 78
A Star is Born is just unnecessarily long. I was expecting a legit reason for the length but, after watching the other three movies, I was at a loss. To hold an audience’s attention for almost three hours means you need plenty of meat for your story. The movie is good, but merely one-watch good. Unfortunately that’s not quite good enough.
Acting: 10
Apparently her first film since four years prior, Judy Garland makes the stage sizzle playing the main role of Vicki Lester. I loved her passion and charisma and the way she delivers her lines with a charm that just lights up the screen. There are a number of other shining roles as well, including a fun performance from James Brown playing the role of Glenn Wiliams.
Beginning: 3
Characters: 10
Although you don’t really get to fully see her development until two thirds of the way into the movie, Vicki Lester is definitely a character an audience can get behind. I rooted for her success in hopes that she would steer clear of the trap the movie was clearly setting for her. That’s the thing about movies, sometimes the audience can see from a mile away something it takes ages for the characters themselves to see. The movie would have been unbearable without solid characters to carry it through.
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 8
There were a lot of pitfalls Vicki had to deal with along the way, namely her alcoholic husband who continues to bring her down. Had they delved into her backstory a lot quicker, I would’ve given this category a perfect score as her upbringing provided another potential pitfall for her future. Overall, with everything going on in the film, it’s clear the winding road is only leading to one place.
Entertainment Value: 8
Memorability: 7
Pace: 4
This version is the longest of the four coming in at almost three hours. Seeing how the other three were able to tell the same story with considerably less time, there is no reason for this version to be so long. It gets boring in a few spots and had me longing for the conclusion. While there are a number of shining moments, a slow pace kept this to a one-watch movie for me.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
Overall: 78
A Star is Born is just unnecessarily long. I was expecting a legit reason for the length but, after watching the other three movies, I was at a loss. To hold an audience’s attention for almost three hours means you need plenty of meat for your story. The movie is good, but merely one-watch good. Unfortunately that’s not quite good enough.
Music Buddy – Learn to read music notes
Music and Education
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Music Buddy - learn music notes, key signatures (circle of fifths) and intervals, practice sight...
David McK (3752 KP) rated Harriet Walsh 1: Peace Force in Books
Feb 24, 2019
I first read any of [author:Simon Haynes|541847]' books during the summer of 2018, when I saw [book:Hal Spacejock 1: A robot named Clunk|12381591] on offer via (I believe) a popular social-media platform.
While I thought that tat particular story was all right, it wasn't enough to make me want to go buy any more of his works. Later that same year, I then saw another Kindle deal on the first three of his Hal Spacejock books and, as I was looking for something to read, thought I would pick those up. Of those three, I felt it was easy to see that they were getting better (with the second - [book:Hal Spacejock 2: Second Course|1096672] - being the best).
Fast forward to early 2019, and I was again looking for something new to read. And, again, I saw an offer on one of his other books: this time, on the first of the newer Harriet Walsh 'Peace Force' series. Which, I have to say, I found to be better than any of the Hal Spacejock books I've read so far - it is true what the say, after all, that practice makes perfect! Well, I wouldn't go so far as perfect, but - I felt - there is a definite upswing in quality here.
While I thought that tat particular story was all right, it wasn't enough to make me want to go buy any more of his works. Later that same year, I then saw another Kindle deal on the first three of his Hal Spacejock books and, as I was looking for something to read, thought I would pick those up. Of those three, I felt it was easy to see that they were getting better (with the second - [book:Hal Spacejock 2: Second Course|1096672] - being the best).
Fast forward to early 2019, and I was again looking for something new to read. And, again, I saw an offer on one of his other books: this time, on the first of the newer Harriet Walsh 'Peace Force' series. Which, I have to say, I found to be better than any of the Hal Spacejock books I've read so far - it is true what the say, after all, that practice makes perfect! Well, I wouldn't go so far as perfect, but - I felt - there is a definite upswing in quality here.
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Zombie Dice in Tabletop Games
Aug 15, 2018
Quick to Play (2 more)
Easy instructions to learn
Expansions available
Quick, Easy and Fun!
Zombie Dice! A quick game so heres a quick review!
Easy to play with simple rules and always a party favourite from my experience. The rules are as follow (base game only):
- shake up the cup of dice and blindly pick three dice
- roll the three dice chosen and try to collect brains
- If your not feeling lucky, bank any brains you have and end your go
- 3 shots and your go is over, losing any brains you havent banked
- Any runners must be used for the next roll if you decide not to end your go, so if you have one runner, you use that one runner and blindly pick two more dice from the bucket to roll your next go.
- the first to 13 brains collected wins the game (or round if you play it multiple times in a row)
Its so simple to learn, so much fun to play and can easily be adapted into a drinking game (just saying). I highly recommend Zombie Dice for a quick and easy game and a cheaper option compared big board games that take hours to play.
Easy to play with simple rules and always a party favourite from my experience. The rules are as follow (base game only):
- shake up the cup of dice and blindly pick three dice
- roll the three dice chosen and try to collect brains
- If your not feeling lucky, bank any brains you have and end your go
- 3 shots and your go is over, losing any brains you havent banked
- Any runners must be used for the next roll if you decide not to end your go, so if you have one runner, you use that one runner and blindly pick two more dice from the bucket to roll your next go.
- the first to 13 brains collected wins the game (or round if you play it multiple times in a row)
Its so simple to learn, so much fun to play and can easily be adapted into a drinking game (just saying). I highly recommend Zombie Dice for a quick and easy game and a cheaper option compared big board games that take hours to play.
Lenard (726 KP) rated X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) in Movies
Jul 4, 2019
The producers behind the X-Men series once again rush to tell one of their best storylines from the comic series. Unfortunately, The Dark Phoenix Saga does not lend itself to a one-off movie. Once again, the people with the money are too afraid to gamble on breaking the story into two or three movies. Imagine It, The Lord of the Rings, or Infinity Gauntlet as just film. You can't because all of them were split up into two or three films and they all made huge profits. Dark Phoenix needed the same care and guidance. Jean Grey was not introduced in this timeline until Apocalypse. We the audience did not have time to get to know her and her backstory so we have no sympathy for her when she is taken over by an alien force or any understanding why she is able to battle within herself. There is no real tension in the relationship between Scott and Jean since they have only been together in our minds for 1 movie even if the movie was set ten years ago. We have not experienced those ten years along side them. Every detail is cobbled together in an effort to jam this story which lasted ten issues in the graphic serial.
High school drama (1 more)
Mystery murder
Hooked!
This dramatic Spanish program couldn't be more gripping. Although it is filmed in Spain the voices are spoken over in English and as annoying as it is it's subtitled too and they don't always match up to what they are saying, but all the same its kept me hooked.
It all starts when three poor students school collapsed and they are sent off to a rich private school where they are clearly not welcomed. Season one is all about a murder and trying to figure out who did it and why they died, it's a brilliant story and I managed to get lost in it, there is something for everyone to relate to. Typical high school drama between popular kids poor kids and a murderer. Season two was equally as good and gripping as the first one with the story unravelling and people are breaking and the truth comes out. I have just started season three and again couldn't be more engrossed.
If you've seen share your thoughts
I had to make this myself as it wasn't under the TV review section. Netflix Original
It all starts when three poor students school collapsed and they are sent off to a rich private school where they are clearly not welcomed. Season one is all about a murder and trying to figure out who did it and why they died, it's a brilliant story and I managed to get lost in it, there is something for everyone to relate to. Typical high school drama between popular kids poor kids and a murderer. Season two was equally as good and gripping as the first one with the story unravelling and people are breaking and the truth comes out. I have just started season three and again couldn't be more engrossed.
If you've seen share your thoughts
I had to make this myself as it wasn't under the TV review section. Netflix Original
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