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Merissa (12051 KP) created a post
Oct 4, 2024
Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated Dumb and Dumber (1994) in Movies
Jan 6, 2018
Want hear the most annoying sound in the world.
Ok. This the Jim Carey we kind of grew up with. Crazy,zany,funny, no limits in this character for him. Jeff Daniels reaches in and pulls out his inner Carey in this wacky film about two idiots who take a cross country trip to return a briefcase to woman they both don't know. I don't believe I have laughed so hard in a theater in my life and I still crack up every time I watch it. I can't wait til one day my daughter is old enough to see it and understand the comedy. Danger lurks around each corner but, being the idiots they are they slip right around it.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated The Dangers of Candy Canes in Books
Dec 9, 2023
Deadly Slip While Decorating
When one of Jaine Austen's clients, Seymour Fiedler of Fiedler on the Roof Roofers, is sued for wrongful death, he hires Jaine to put down her pen and solve the crime. Seems that Garth Jankin fell off his recently reroofed house while decorating for his neighborhood's annual Christmas decorating contest. Since Garth had numerous enemies, Jaine quickly decides that the tiles must have been loosened. But who would do something like that?
As with the books, this story is very funny. Jaine can't resist temptation, and spends time talking about her need to lose weight while eating Christmas candy. A sub-plot about Jaine volunteering with a group that mentors underprivileged girls almost slows the story down at times. In fact, it makes the ultimate climax seem a little abrupt. But Jaine is a charming character and I love spending time with her. The other characters are interesting as well. And several red herrings keep this story interesting and fun until the end.
NOTE: This story was originally released as part of the anthology Candy Cane Murder. If you’ve already read that book, you don’t need to get this story a second time.
As with the books, this story is very funny. Jaine can't resist temptation, and spends time talking about her need to lose weight while eating Christmas candy. A sub-plot about Jaine volunteering with a group that mentors underprivileged girls almost slows the story down at times. In fact, it makes the ultimate climax seem a little abrupt. But Jaine is a charming character and I love spending time with her. The other characters are interesting as well. And several red herrings keep this story interesting and fun until the end.
NOTE: This story was originally released as part of the anthology Candy Cane Murder. If you’ve already read that book, you don’t need to get this story a second time.
Michael Phillips recommended The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) in Movies (curated)
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Bad Romeo (Starcrossed, #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2021
I liked this, right from the start when it was obvious something good had happened between our leading man and leading lady. It was then we started with the diary entries from six years ago and seeing how they came to know each other and how there relationship progressed was really nice.
I think I fell for Ethan at the same time as Cassie, even when he was acting like an arse. Though that last bit that we see from the past has made him slip a little. How could he do that after everything?!
The tension between them was palpable from early on, I don't know how it took them so long to get to the bedroom.
That ending has annoyed me, despite me knowing there was a second book. Me and cliff-hanger endings don't always get on but I will read the second book eventually.
I think I fell for Ethan at the same time as Cassie, even when he was acting like an arse. Though that last bit that we see from the past has made him slip a little. How could he do that after everything?!
The tension between them was palpable from early on, I don't know how it took them so long to get to the bedroom.
That ending has annoyed me, despite me knowing there was a second book. Me and cliff-hanger endings don't always get on but I will read the second book eventually.
InfernalNinja (49 KP) rated Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) in Movies
Dec 19, 2021
Return of the most of the Raimi villains! (3 more)
Willem Dafoe steals every scene he's in, as usual!
Interesting story
Fixes alot of the problems I had with Tom Holland's Spider Man
They did it! Finally made 3 awesome consecutive Spider Man movies!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Was worried this movie's hype train would be it's demise. Wrong. They somehow managed to fix all 3 Spider Man franchises in one movie . I was super excited to see the return of Tobey and Andrew, although I do wish they would've been able to keep it a surprise. Unfortunately, that has proven time and time again to be very difficult to do in this day and age. I don't hold that against them. It was still a very awesome aspect of the movie. Most of the Raimi villains' actors seemed to slip right back into character, even after all these years. It was quite a ride from start to finish. While the ending was a bit expected, I can't imagine any other ending working, and I didn't see all aspects of it coming 100%. Do yourself a favor and see this movie!
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Paper Girls: Volume 1 in Books
Nov 30, 2020
Okay, as I wrote in my Comments for Reading Progress, this was a re-read, as I recently purchased Vol 4 as part of the SDCC Sale this past weekend on Comixology. I may have run through it first time out, because so much of what I read seemed as if this were my beginning go-round instead of a re-read. Hmm.. Time Slip anyone?
So, yes, just as with other BKV-helmed series, the characters are well-defined, given depth that is a progressional unfolding. Each issue allowed for me to see each of the main characters - Erin, KJ. Tiffany and Mac - for who they were and some of their moral fibers, if you will.
As good as Vaughn was at the writing, equally impressive was Cliff Chiang's art. The muted colors (except where needed, as deep red for a wound) really helped the story, making me feel like it was really the eighties instead of 2018! From the cars driven to the newspaper headlines to the housing developments layouts, it felt just like the time frame as the setting!
The easiest way to sum up this series is it is like Netflix's STRANGER THINGS but with all-girl main characters. I recall the later volumes being more science fiction-y as the series progress, but, yeah, definitely like STRANGER THINGS.
All I can say in closing is this is an awesome series! It is a lot of fun, and it is clear during reading it that BKV and Chiang had as good a time making it as I did reading! DEFINITELY CHECK IT OUT!
So, yes, just as with other BKV-helmed series, the characters are well-defined, given depth that is a progressional unfolding. Each issue allowed for me to see each of the main characters - Erin, KJ. Tiffany and Mac - for who they were and some of their moral fibers, if you will.
As good as Vaughn was at the writing, equally impressive was Cliff Chiang's art. The muted colors (except where needed, as deep red for a wound) really helped the story, making me feel like it was really the eighties instead of 2018! From the cars driven to the newspaper headlines to the housing developments layouts, it felt just like the time frame as the setting!
The easiest way to sum up this series is it is like Netflix's STRANGER THINGS but with all-girl main characters. I recall the later volumes being more science fiction-y as the series progress, but, yeah, definitely like STRANGER THINGS.
All I can say in closing is this is an awesome series! It is a lot of fun, and it is clear during reading it that BKV and Chiang had as good a time making it as I did reading! DEFINITELY CHECK IT OUT!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated The Magic Square in Books
Jul 16, 2021
Who Made the Body Appear at the Magic Convention?
Eli Marks and his uncle, Harry, are out of town at a magic convention. They’ll be spending a lot of time in the dealer’s room so they can sell Harry’s new two-volume book about his time as a magician, but they are hoping to catch a few of the panels, and the evening sessions. The entire convention is surprised when famed mentalist Gerhardt performs the first night. However, Harry’s friend Abe is less than happy since he’s had a running feud with Gerhardt for years. That feud is public knowledge, so when Abe returns to his hotel room that night to find Gerhardt’s body in the bathroom, the police consider him a strong suspect. Can Eli figure out what is really going on?
I always forget how much I enjoy these books until I am sitting down reading a new one. It was great to slip back into Eli’s world. Since we are out of town, I did miss some of the series regulars, but it did give us more time to get to know the new characters, who are quite strong. The story moves forward at a steady pace, with clues sprinkled into the talk of magic. I did finger the culprit a little early, but I wasn’t completely certain until we reached the suspenseful climax, and I was having such a good time I didn’t really care. While there is talk about magic, we don’t get any illusions spoiled here, but it might inspire you to try to learn a little on your own. If you are a fan of these books, you’ll be glad you picked up this volume. If you haven’t met Eli yet, you’ll be hooked faster than you can say “Abracadabra.”
I always forget how much I enjoy these books until I am sitting down reading a new one. It was great to slip back into Eli’s world. Since we are out of town, I did miss some of the series regulars, but it did give us more time to get to know the new characters, who are quite strong. The story moves forward at a steady pace, with clues sprinkled into the talk of magic. I did finger the culprit a little early, but I wasn’t completely certain until we reached the suspenseful climax, and I was having such a good time I didn’t really care. While there is talk about magic, we don’t get any illusions spoiled here, but it might inspire you to try to learn a little on your own. If you are a fan of these books, you’ll be glad you picked up this volume. If you haven’t met Eli yet, you’ll be hooked faster than you can say “Abracadabra.”
Awix (3310 KP) rated Mirror (Zerkalo) (1975) in Movies
Mar 24, 2019 (Updated Mar 24, 2019)
Autobiographical art-house excursion into who-knows-what is less well-known than the same director's adaptation of Solaris but equally obscure, if you're not in the know anyway (and I'm not). A man shares his dream-like reflections of his life and that of his father (the same actor plays them both; the same actress plays both mothers - see how this could be a bit mystifying?) and the parallels between them.
One of those films which is so revered you really do want to like it, but it's also one of those films which is so oblique and impenetrable that you kind of slip into a zen trance while watching it: there isn't a moment of it which doesn't make a sort of sense at the time it's on screen (well, maybe there are a few), but there's very little sense of a conventional narrative. Mesmerising more than anything else, with some truly beautiful sequences and images on the screen; a technically brilliant work of art but only marginally a piece of narrative cinema.
One of those films which is so revered you really do want to like it, but it's also one of those films which is so oblique and impenetrable that you kind of slip into a zen trance while watching it: there isn't a moment of it which doesn't make a sort of sense at the time it's on screen (well, maybe there are a few), but there's very little sense of a conventional narrative. Mesmerising more than anything else, with some truly beautiful sequences and images on the screen; a technically brilliant work of art but only marginally a piece of narrative cinema.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated The Final Tap (Living History Museum, #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Kelsey Cambridge is getting ready for the first annual Maple Sugar Festival at Barton Farm, the living history museum she runs in Ohio. As part of that festival, she has invited Dr. Conrad Beeson to teach a class on harvesting maple sugar. However, while he is inspecting the trees on the farm, someone stabs him with a hand drill. With the police looking at one of Kelsey’s employees, can she find the real killer?
I was delighted to slip back into the world of this series. The setting is fantastic, and the characters are strong. Not all the returning characters get a lot of page time, but the ones that do get a good deal of development. The suspects are also strong, and the varying suspects and motives kept me guessing until the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-final-tap-by-amanda-flower.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I was delighted to slip back into the world of this series. The setting is fantastic, and the characters are strong. Not all the returning characters get a lot of page time, but the ones that do get a good deal of development. The suspects are also strong, and the varying suspects and motives kept me guessing until the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-final-tap-by-amanda-flower.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.