Search
Search results
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Add this book to the short list of must-reads for every True Geek, right alongside [b:Snow Crash|830|Snow Crash|Neal Stephenson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320544000s/830.jpg|493634]. It's a gleeful homage to geekdom and pop culture.
Wade explains to the reader that he was born after humanity wore the world out and escaped to OASIS, a massive simulation that has replaced the internet and all other forms of entertainment. Nobody seems to spend time in reality any more, because it sucks. There are multiple wars going on over the few energy sources that are left. Poverty, hunger, and homelessness are rampant everywhere.
Most people who are fortunate enough to live indoors at all are like Wade, who lives with his aunt and her latest boyfriend in a three-bedroom doublewide trailer shared with 17 people. The trailer is at least near the top of a stack, which is just what it sounds like: a stack of trailers 10 or so high, so many across and wide, so that 500 or more trailers are held together with rusted scaffolding, chains, and whatever other reinforcements people have added over the years. Stack collapses are common.
Wade spends most of his time in his hideout, the back of an old van that's parked in a junkyard and crammed in a stack of vehicles. That's where he keeps his computer and other equipment, so he can attend school (in OASIS, of course) and spend time research The Contest, which is the center of his life.
The creater of OASIS, James Halliday, created The Contest in his will. Whoever wins it will inherit Halliday's vast fortune and control of OASIS. At the opening of the novel, it has been five years since Halliday died and contestants are ridiculed in everyday society as obsessive losers.
Wade's quest through The Contest and his fight to simply survive is far more interesting than I thought it would be. I'll also admit to being entertained by the 80s trivia that pops up throughout the book (integral to The Contest). I'm biased, as I was a teen during those years.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It's one of the very few that I'll be saving to re-read in the future.
Wade explains to the reader that he was born after humanity wore the world out and escaped to OASIS, a massive simulation that has replaced the internet and all other forms of entertainment. Nobody seems to spend time in reality any more, because it sucks. There are multiple wars going on over the few energy sources that are left. Poverty, hunger, and homelessness are rampant everywhere.
Most people who are fortunate enough to live indoors at all are like Wade, who lives with his aunt and her latest boyfriend in a three-bedroom doublewide trailer shared with 17 people. The trailer is at least near the top of a stack, which is just what it sounds like: a stack of trailers 10 or so high, so many across and wide, so that 500 or more trailers are held together with rusted scaffolding, chains, and whatever other reinforcements people have added over the years. Stack collapses are common.
Wade spends most of his time in his hideout, the back of an old van that's parked in a junkyard and crammed in a stack of vehicles. That's where he keeps his computer and other equipment, so he can attend school (in OASIS, of course) and spend time research The Contest, which is the center of his life.
The creater of OASIS, James Halliday, created The Contest in his will. Whoever wins it will inherit Halliday's vast fortune and control of OASIS. At the opening of the novel, it has been five years since Halliday died and contestants are ridiculed in everyday society as obsessive losers.
Wade's quest through The Contest and his fight to simply survive is far more interesting than I thought it would be. I'll also admit to being entertained by the 80s trivia that pops up throughout the book (integral to The Contest). I'm biased, as I was a teen during those years.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It's one of the very few that I'll be saving to re-read in the future.
Darren (1599 KP) rated 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: You may spend most of this film scratching you head trying to figure out what the hell is going on, but once you get the reveal you will see how good the story is. Giving the audience plenty of questions makes this something many of the new modern film fail to do with all the spoon feed answers. (10/10)
Actor Review: Keir Dullea – Doctor Dave Bowman who has to react to stop H.A.L taking over the space shuttle and fulfil the mission. Top performance on how to convince with expression and body language. (10/10)
david
Actor Review: Gary Lockwood – Doctor Frank Poole who goes on the spacewalk mission before starting to question the methods of the computer H.A.L. Great performance using more action than words to signify his motives. (9/10)
Director Review: Stanley Kubrick – Brilliant piece of directing from a man who redefined a generation of film makers. (10/10)
Sci-Fi: wonderful creation of a space like atmosphere. (10/10)
Special Effects: Stunning special effects that have hardly aged a day. (10/10)
Music: Excellent use of music. (10/10)
Cinematography: Amazing usage of cinematography throughout the film. (10/10)
Believability: Space is still a wife unknown so this is down to what you believe is out there or could happen out there. (5/10)
Chances of Tears: (0/10)
Settings: Set mostly in the middle of space, with nowhere to turn for help perfectly for the creation of the edge of your seat atmosphere created. (10/10)
Oscar Chances: Won one Oscar for Special effects.
Chances of Sequel: Nope
Suggestion: All film fans should watch this as it really is a masterpiece. The casual film fan will struggle to get into the film with the drawn out opening 25 minutes of no dialogue and strong use of music. If you were to look back and see where some of the best films come from this is where it is, this is a true history lesson in film watching this. (Watch)
Best Part: The mystery of what is going on.
Worst Part: May be hard to grab the attention of a casual film fan.
Trivia: There is 88minutes with no dialogue.
Overall: A masterpiece that stands the test of time
https://moviesreview101.com/2013/12/18/2001-a-space-odyssey-1968/
Actor Review: Keir Dullea – Doctor Dave Bowman who has to react to stop H.A.L taking over the space shuttle and fulfil the mission. Top performance on how to convince with expression and body language. (10/10)
david
Actor Review: Gary Lockwood – Doctor Frank Poole who goes on the spacewalk mission before starting to question the methods of the computer H.A.L. Great performance using more action than words to signify his motives. (9/10)
Director Review: Stanley Kubrick – Brilliant piece of directing from a man who redefined a generation of film makers. (10/10)
Sci-Fi: wonderful creation of a space like atmosphere. (10/10)
Special Effects: Stunning special effects that have hardly aged a day. (10/10)
Music: Excellent use of music. (10/10)
Cinematography: Amazing usage of cinematography throughout the film. (10/10)
Believability: Space is still a wife unknown so this is down to what you believe is out there or could happen out there. (5/10)
Chances of Tears: (0/10)
Settings: Set mostly in the middle of space, with nowhere to turn for help perfectly for the creation of the edge of your seat atmosphere created. (10/10)
Oscar Chances: Won one Oscar for Special effects.
Chances of Sequel: Nope
Suggestion: All film fans should watch this as it really is a masterpiece. The casual film fan will struggle to get into the film with the drawn out opening 25 minutes of no dialogue and strong use of music. If you were to look back and see where some of the best films come from this is where it is, this is a true history lesson in film watching this. (Watch)
Best Part: The mystery of what is going on.
Worst Part: May be hard to grab the attention of a casual film fan.
Trivia: There is 88minutes with no dialogue.
Overall: A masterpiece that stands the test of time
https://moviesreview101.com/2013/12/18/2001-a-space-odyssey-1968/
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Game Night (2018) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Max (Jason Bateman), and his wife Annie (Rachel McAdams),are a loving
couple who met during a trivia night at a bar. Gaming has been a regular
part of their lives, and they are often involved with hosting game nights
for their friends.
Max and Annie seems have it all save for a family and
when it is determined that stress may be leading to the problem Max
attempts to resolve the issue. Max has issues with his older brother
Brooks (Kyle Chandler), who he sees as ultra-successful and rubbing his
success in his face.
The fact that Max has not seen his brother in a while
is not an issue, the fact that the brother who seems to beat him in
everything has returned is enough to set the mild-mannered Max on edge.
After an enjoyable game night, Brooks offers to host the next one and
although Max knows this is just Brooks looking for a way to show off his
house, he accepts the invitation.
Upon arrival,Brooks tells Max, Annie, and their friends that they will be
playing a mystery night where a group of actors will stage a kidnapping
and they must unravel clues to solve the mystery. The fact that Brooks is
offering a prized car that Max has long coveted is all the motivation he
needs to win the competition.
The game starts and a group of goons arrive and rough up Brooks and kidnap
him in front of the guests who all think this is part of the show. They
soon come to realize that Brooks may not be the person he claims to bend
that the kidnapping may indeed be real and not part of a scripted game.
What follows is a mix of comedy and dramatic mystery that while unfolding
slowly at times, is filled with some funny moments and great characters.
Bateman has his likable everyman persona down well in the film and the
supporting cast does a great job playing in the wacky adventure without
every getting to madcap.
The breakout star of the film is Jesse Plemons
who plays Max and Annie's creepy police neighbor who is deeply disturbed
following the breakup of his marriage and has taken things to a new level.
You will want to stay through the credits as there are some extra scenes
which round out the film nicely. "Game Night", is a pleasant enoughfilm
that cannot quite determine if it is a comedy or dramedy, but it does
enough good things to make it an enjoyable outing.
http://sknr.net/2018/02/22/game-night/
couple who met during a trivia night at a bar. Gaming has been a regular
part of their lives, and they are often involved with hosting game nights
for their friends.
Max and Annie seems have it all save for a family and
when it is determined that stress may be leading to the problem Max
attempts to resolve the issue. Max has issues with his older brother
Brooks (Kyle Chandler), who he sees as ultra-successful and rubbing his
success in his face.
The fact that Max has not seen his brother in a while
is not an issue, the fact that the brother who seems to beat him in
everything has returned is enough to set the mild-mannered Max on edge.
After an enjoyable game night, Brooks offers to host the next one and
although Max knows this is just Brooks looking for a way to show off his
house, he accepts the invitation.
Upon arrival,Brooks tells Max, Annie, and their friends that they will be
playing a mystery night where a group of actors will stage a kidnapping
and they must unravel clues to solve the mystery. The fact that Brooks is
offering a prized car that Max has long coveted is all the motivation he
needs to win the competition.
The game starts and a group of goons arrive and rough up Brooks and kidnap
him in front of the guests who all think this is part of the show. They
soon come to realize that Brooks may not be the person he claims to bend
that the kidnapping may indeed be real and not part of a scripted game.
What follows is a mix of comedy and dramatic mystery that while unfolding
slowly at times, is filled with some funny moments and great characters.
Bateman has his likable everyman persona down well in the film and the
supporting cast does a great job playing in the wacky adventure without
every getting to madcap.
The breakout star of the film is Jesse Plemons
who plays Max and Annie's creepy police neighbor who is deeply disturbed
following the breakup of his marriage and has taken things to a new level.
You will want to stay through the credits as there are some extra scenes
which round out the film nicely. "Game Night", is a pleasant enoughfilm
that cannot quite determine if it is a comedy or dramedy, but it does
enough good things to make it an enjoyable outing.
http://sknr.net/2018/02/22/game-night/
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Beautiful Boy (2018) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
I have no doubt that everything in this film was done for a reason, I'm just not sure that those things should have been allowed to make it into the final cut. The major problem for me was the constant chopping and changing of scenes. It was difficult to keep track. At least with other films recently we've been helped by the aging process of the characters, no such luck here.
I'm becoming more and more impressed with Steve Carell's dramatic acting. In a film that lots of people seemed to cry through the only moments that really moved me were performed by Carell. I liked the analytical side of his character and his focus on research, the moment where he reaches his turning point led to some particularly strong pieces for him.
Reading trivia about Timothée Chalamet in this it seems like we have a budding Christian Bale on our hands. He lost a lot of weight for the role and had consultants to ensure his acting as a drug addict was realistic. That was disappointing to read because I didn't find him to be particularly good in this role. That's causing me problems because I'm wondering why everyone is raving about him. I can't see it. While some of his moments are very realistic for the most part it feels like someone who's just acting a role... I know that sounds stupid but I know what I mean.
There are a lot of peripheral characters that come and go, they feel surplus to requirement. The girlfriend and scenes where Nic is with his mother seem wedged in. Had their scenes been taken out and they'd just left the mother's involvement at phone calls with the father then I think we'd have been left with a film that was more like we'd been promised of a father and son's journey. These extra characters just felt misleading.
People were deeply moved by this, more than a few people, myself included, in the showing were not. It suffered from length and some meandering story that I feel ultimately ruined something with a lot of potential.
What you should do
I feel like it's my duty to say that I'm in a minority when it comes to my feelings about this film. I wouldn't recommend it... but plenty of other people would.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would love the picture that Karen was working on in her workshop.
I'm becoming more and more impressed with Steve Carell's dramatic acting. In a film that lots of people seemed to cry through the only moments that really moved me were performed by Carell. I liked the analytical side of his character and his focus on research, the moment where he reaches his turning point led to some particularly strong pieces for him.
Reading trivia about Timothée Chalamet in this it seems like we have a budding Christian Bale on our hands. He lost a lot of weight for the role and had consultants to ensure his acting as a drug addict was realistic. That was disappointing to read because I didn't find him to be particularly good in this role. That's causing me problems because I'm wondering why everyone is raving about him. I can't see it. While some of his moments are very realistic for the most part it feels like someone who's just acting a role... I know that sounds stupid but I know what I mean.
There are a lot of peripheral characters that come and go, they feel surplus to requirement. The girlfriend and scenes where Nic is with his mother seem wedged in. Had their scenes been taken out and they'd just left the mother's involvement at phone calls with the father then I think we'd have been left with a film that was more like we'd been promised of a father and son's journey. These extra characters just felt misleading.
People were deeply moved by this, more than a few people, myself included, in the showing were not. It suffered from length and some meandering story that I feel ultimately ruined something with a lot of potential.
What you should do
I feel like it's my duty to say that I'm in a minority when it comes to my feelings about this film. I wouldn't recommend it... but plenty of other people would.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would love the picture that Karen was working on in her workshop.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Deadpool (2016) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Before seeing the movie I had never come across Deadpool. He was sneakily hiding behind the other characters flipping bunny ears and running away giggling. We of course saw Wade Wilson in the Wolverine origin film but in a more serious (yet still with a tinge of humour) role. He was no indication of what to expect.
Created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza, Wade Winston Wilson AKA Deadpool started life as a supervillain before the unstable mercenary became firmly set as everyone's favourite anti-hero.
Name: Wade Winston Wilson [possibly?].
AKA: Deadpool, Merc with a Mouth.
Alliances: Pretty much anyone.
Abilities: Healing, master of martial arts, swordsmanship and marksmanship, extended lifespan, a way with words, destroyer of the fourth wall, advanced distraction techniques.
There was the distinct worry that the film would be awful. An entertaining trailer has been known to turn to disappointment when you suddenly realise... that was all the good bits.
On my way to the screening I stopped at my comic book store and someone had just been in who'd already brought tickets to two showings... that seemed a bit dangerous.
The queue was much as I expected, headed up by a devout geek who had clearly been waiting a long time in position, groups of lads exchanging comic book and film trivia. I overheard a rather in depth Star Wars talk that went straight over my head. More couples than I expected were queueing, and I still think that some of the women heard "Ryan Reynolds film" and misunderstood... I'm sure that's not the reason all of them were there or course. But as it goes, I was definitely the only unaccompanied woman there.
A woman seeing a superhero movie on her own... hell yes!
There's action, there's comedy, there's romance and there's sex. Something for everyone as they say. Unless you're easily offended... in which case it's probably best to stay at home and watch something on the Food Network.
I love the fact that they kept in the bits that other films would have cut out. All the daft bits that really capture the Deadpool humour. That cab ride was ridiculous... and totally what lone travellers do in a cab on their own... well apart from climbing into the front seat. But if I kept telling you what I loved we'd be here for hours.
My main pressing concern is how am I going to cope with superhero movies after this? Yeah you get the little "in" jokes, and of course the Stan Lee cameos make me smile every time, but that fourth wall is going to be there, and it's going to be made of vibranium. All future films are going to be haunted by the cinematic ghost of Deadpool.
Created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza, Wade Winston Wilson AKA Deadpool started life as a supervillain before the unstable mercenary became firmly set as everyone's favourite anti-hero.
Name: Wade Winston Wilson [possibly?].
AKA: Deadpool, Merc with a Mouth.
Alliances: Pretty much anyone.
Abilities: Healing, master of martial arts, swordsmanship and marksmanship, extended lifespan, a way with words, destroyer of the fourth wall, advanced distraction techniques.
There was the distinct worry that the film would be awful. An entertaining trailer has been known to turn to disappointment when you suddenly realise... that was all the good bits.
On my way to the screening I stopped at my comic book store and someone had just been in who'd already brought tickets to two showings... that seemed a bit dangerous.
The queue was much as I expected, headed up by a devout geek who had clearly been waiting a long time in position, groups of lads exchanging comic book and film trivia. I overheard a rather in depth Star Wars talk that went straight over my head. More couples than I expected were queueing, and I still think that some of the women heard "Ryan Reynolds film" and misunderstood... I'm sure that's not the reason all of them were there or course. But as it goes, I was definitely the only unaccompanied woman there.
A woman seeing a superhero movie on her own... hell yes!
There's action, there's comedy, there's romance and there's sex. Something for everyone as they say. Unless you're easily offended... in which case it's probably best to stay at home and watch something on the Food Network.
I love the fact that they kept in the bits that other films would have cut out. All the daft bits that really capture the Deadpool humour. That cab ride was ridiculous... and totally what lone travellers do in a cab on their own... well apart from climbing into the front seat. But if I kept telling you what I loved we'd be here for hours.
My main pressing concern is how am I going to cope with superhero movies after this? Yeah you get the little "in" jokes, and of course the Stan Lee cameos make me smile every time, but that fourth wall is going to be there, and it's going to be made of vibranium. All future films are going to be haunted by the cinematic ghost of Deadpool.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Drag Me to Hell (2009) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
“I beg you and you shame me? ” – Mrs. Ganush
Number of Times Seen – Twice (28 Jun 2009 and 2 Oct 2019)
Brief Synopsis – A young ambitious loan officer rejects an extension on a loan form an old woman and has a demonic curse placed on her.
My Take on it – As a film lover who is not a big fan of horror films, this was a hard month for me to choose what movies to watch for this series.
This is actually a movie that I recalled going to see on a date over a decade ago because the girl was a horror fan and I decided to indulge her wishes to see it.
I even recall inquiring why she loves horror genre so much and her response was “because it is so unpredictable and anything can happen at any point in time.”
This film actually has an intriguing plot that works most of the time and stays entertaining.
Unfortunately, it probably could have been a bit more impactful, but still manages to get across what it attempts to.
The story remains unpredictable throughout and finds ways to keep surprising as things move along and the story unfolds.
Allison Lohman is an interesting choice as the lead especially since she feels so miscast in the role yet excels in every scene she is given.
As expected from a Sam Raimi horror film, this movie has a fair amount of blood and gore that might seem a bit excessive yet helps make this even more horrific along the way.
The film has lost of twists and turns along the way that helps keep it feeling fresh and interesting as the story gets more and more intriguing especially given the fact that we never truly know where things are heading.
Bottom Line – Interesting idea that works most of the time, but fails to really be more impactful. The way that the story remains unpredictable is done quite well and keeps things surprising as the story unfolds. Lohman is quite good in the lead because she seems so miscast and that helps keep things intriguing as the plot thickens. The amount of blood and gore is on par with what one should expect from Raimi even if at some points if feels excessive. The story stays full of twists and turns that helps keep it enjoyable throughout. Recommended!
MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – In the movie, Shaun San Dena (Adriana Barraza) mentions her late husband Sander, a reference to both Sam Raimi’s older sibling, Sander Raimi, who died in a swimming accident at age fifteen while on a trip to Israel, and his oldest nephew, Sander Rubin. (From IMDB)
Rating – Globe Worthy (7/10)
Number of Times Seen – Twice (28 Jun 2009 and 2 Oct 2019)
Brief Synopsis – A young ambitious loan officer rejects an extension on a loan form an old woman and has a demonic curse placed on her.
My Take on it – As a film lover who is not a big fan of horror films, this was a hard month for me to choose what movies to watch for this series.
This is actually a movie that I recalled going to see on a date over a decade ago because the girl was a horror fan and I decided to indulge her wishes to see it.
I even recall inquiring why she loves horror genre so much and her response was “because it is so unpredictable and anything can happen at any point in time.”
This film actually has an intriguing plot that works most of the time and stays entertaining.
Unfortunately, it probably could have been a bit more impactful, but still manages to get across what it attempts to.
The story remains unpredictable throughout and finds ways to keep surprising as things move along and the story unfolds.
Allison Lohman is an interesting choice as the lead especially since she feels so miscast in the role yet excels in every scene she is given.
As expected from a Sam Raimi horror film, this movie has a fair amount of blood and gore that might seem a bit excessive yet helps make this even more horrific along the way.
The film has lost of twists and turns along the way that helps keep it feeling fresh and interesting as the story gets more and more intriguing especially given the fact that we never truly know where things are heading.
Bottom Line – Interesting idea that works most of the time, but fails to really be more impactful. The way that the story remains unpredictable is done quite well and keeps things surprising as the story unfolds. Lohman is quite good in the lead because she seems so miscast and that helps keep things intriguing as the plot thickens. The amount of blood and gore is on par with what one should expect from Raimi even if at some points if feels excessive. The story stays full of twists and turns that helps keep it enjoyable throughout. Recommended!
MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – In the movie, Shaun San Dena (Adriana Barraza) mentions her late husband Sander, a reference to both Sam Raimi’s older sibling, Sander Raimi, who died in a swimming accident at age fifteen while on a trip to Israel, and his oldest nephew, Sander Rubin. (From IMDB)
Rating – Globe Worthy (7/10)
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated SYNK! in Tabletop Games
Apr 27, 2021
I like to think of myself as a somewhat intelligent person. I can occasionally ‘win’ a game of Jeopardy while watching on tv…..ok, so maybe it’s just during Kids Week, but that’s gotta count for something, right?! Anyway, word games and trivia have always entertained me. So when I heard about Synk! – a game that involves both of those elements – I knew I had to try it out. Does this party game really put your knowledge to the test, or does it sink to the bottom of the stack? Keep reading to find out!
Disclaimer: We were provided with a copy of SYNK! for the purposes of this review. The components you see pictured might not be the finalized version, and could change after a successful Kickstarter campaign. -L
SYNK! is a party card game in which players will be mixing their knowledge of wordplay with a bit of trivia. The game is played over a series of rounds until one player has earned a total of 3 cards to win. Here’s how you setup the game: put the deck of cards facedown within reach of all players. Yep, that’s it. How you play is a little more involved…
First thing first – pick a starting player. That person will draw a card from the deck. On said card there will be a secret word, as well as its definition. Next, the player will reveal the first letter of the secret word. All others will then think of any word that begins with that first letter. When someone thinks they’ve come up with a good option, they say, “I’ve got it!” and will take a moment to describe their word to the group – giving the definition, providing an example, relying on someone’s specific knowledge, etc. Once another player thinks they know what word is being described, they will shout out “Synk!” These two players will countdown from 3 and say their words together, in hopes that they match. If their words do indeed match, then the keeper of the secret word will reveal the next letter. The process starts again, but now players must think of words that begin with the first AND second letter of the secret word. The round continues in this fashion until a player manages to guess the secret word and Synk it with another player. They win the card, and become the next secret word keeper.
What happens if you don’t Synk with someone? Then the next letter is not revealed, and the process starts again with the same letter(s) as before. If ever the game reaches a standstill and nobody has any ideas, the secret word keeper must reveal the word’s definition. Once the definition has been read, any player can shout out “Synk!” and guess the word immediately – you only get one guess though, so make it count! That all seems great for the players, but what about the secret word keeper? There’s a twist in the game to keep them engaged too! At the end of a Synk countdown, the card keeper is allowed to guess the described word too. If their guess is correct, no new letters are revealed. And as an added bonus, if another player guesses the correct secret word, but doesn’t Synk it with someone else, the card keeper wins the round and keeps that card for themselves! Play keeps going as described until one player has collected a total of 3 cards, thus winning the game.
I know that sounds like kind of a lot, but I promise that the gameplay is pretty intuitive and simple once you get going. And actually, although the physical gameplay may be simple, Synk! stretches your brain quite a bit. At the beginning of a round, with only 1 or 2 letters revealed, coming up with words is a piece of cake! But as the round progresses and more letters are revealed, it becomes more challenging than you might think to come up with words that use those specific letters in that specific order. And remember, this is a game after all – so speed is of the essence! Think too slowly and you’ll get left in the dust. As the secret word keeper, you get off the hook a little bit, since you don’t have to come up with words. But the ability to guess another player’s word at the end of a countdown allows the card keeper to stay engaged throughout the entire game. A neat little twist that adds another layer of strategy to the game.
To touch on components – this game is literally a giant deck of cards. Again, I am not sure if this is a finalized version of the game, but the quality of the box and cards is pretty great. There really is no artwork, but this isn’t that type of game, so it doesn’t detract at all from the gameplay. The text is large and clear, making for quick reading and understanding. All in all, already a great quality game.
Where does Synk! sit on my list of party games? Well, it depends on the group of players. This game has a suggested age of 14+, and I think that’s appropriate. Players have to have some decent knowledge of words/spelling to play, but aren’t expected to have a MENSA-level IQ. Some people love wordplay, and others don’t. But with the right group of gamers, I would absolutely pull this out on occasion. Synk! is more of a ‘thinky’ party game, and I really have never played a party game like it before. It fills a hole in my collection, and it will definitely be played with the right group. If you’re into word games, but are looking for something a little more fast-paced, consider backing Synk! on Kickstarter! The campaign goes live on May 18th, 2021!
Disclaimer: We were provided with a copy of SYNK! for the purposes of this review. The components you see pictured might not be the finalized version, and could change after a successful Kickstarter campaign. -L
SYNK! is a party card game in which players will be mixing their knowledge of wordplay with a bit of trivia. The game is played over a series of rounds until one player has earned a total of 3 cards to win. Here’s how you setup the game: put the deck of cards facedown within reach of all players. Yep, that’s it. How you play is a little more involved…
First thing first – pick a starting player. That person will draw a card from the deck. On said card there will be a secret word, as well as its definition. Next, the player will reveal the first letter of the secret word. All others will then think of any word that begins with that first letter. When someone thinks they’ve come up with a good option, they say, “I’ve got it!” and will take a moment to describe their word to the group – giving the definition, providing an example, relying on someone’s specific knowledge, etc. Once another player thinks they know what word is being described, they will shout out “Synk!” These two players will countdown from 3 and say their words together, in hopes that they match. If their words do indeed match, then the keeper of the secret word will reveal the next letter. The process starts again, but now players must think of words that begin with the first AND second letter of the secret word. The round continues in this fashion until a player manages to guess the secret word and Synk it with another player. They win the card, and become the next secret word keeper.
What happens if you don’t Synk with someone? Then the next letter is not revealed, and the process starts again with the same letter(s) as before. If ever the game reaches a standstill and nobody has any ideas, the secret word keeper must reveal the word’s definition. Once the definition has been read, any player can shout out “Synk!” and guess the word immediately – you only get one guess though, so make it count! That all seems great for the players, but what about the secret word keeper? There’s a twist in the game to keep them engaged too! At the end of a Synk countdown, the card keeper is allowed to guess the described word too. If their guess is correct, no new letters are revealed. And as an added bonus, if another player guesses the correct secret word, but doesn’t Synk it with someone else, the card keeper wins the round and keeps that card for themselves! Play keeps going as described until one player has collected a total of 3 cards, thus winning the game.
I know that sounds like kind of a lot, but I promise that the gameplay is pretty intuitive and simple once you get going. And actually, although the physical gameplay may be simple, Synk! stretches your brain quite a bit. At the beginning of a round, with only 1 or 2 letters revealed, coming up with words is a piece of cake! But as the round progresses and more letters are revealed, it becomes more challenging than you might think to come up with words that use those specific letters in that specific order. And remember, this is a game after all – so speed is of the essence! Think too slowly and you’ll get left in the dust. As the secret word keeper, you get off the hook a little bit, since you don’t have to come up with words. But the ability to guess another player’s word at the end of a countdown allows the card keeper to stay engaged throughout the entire game. A neat little twist that adds another layer of strategy to the game.
To touch on components – this game is literally a giant deck of cards. Again, I am not sure if this is a finalized version of the game, but the quality of the box and cards is pretty great. There really is no artwork, but this isn’t that type of game, so it doesn’t detract at all from the gameplay. The text is large and clear, making for quick reading and understanding. All in all, already a great quality game.
Where does Synk! sit on my list of party games? Well, it depends on the group of players. This game has a suggested age of 14+, and I think that’s appropriate. Players have to have some decent knowledge of words/spelling to play, but aren’t expected to have a MENSA-level IQ. Some people love wordplay, and others don’t. But with the right group of gamers, I would absolutely pull this out on occasion. Synk! is more of a ‘thinky’ party game, and I really have never played a party game like it before. It fills a hole in my collection, and it will definitely be played with the right group. If you’re into word games, but are looking for something a little more fast-paced, consider backing Synk! on Kickstarter! The campaign goes live on May 18th, 2021!
Darren (1599 KP) rated Alien (1979) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: It would be fair to say when this came out it was brilliant and stand alone on the type of film. Now the story has been copied, pinched from and used to the death. This paved the way for the truly trapped horror films because the space mission means it’s the ship of nothing. The twist that comes half way through offers a surprise and of cause the mood of the film changes drastically when the alien makes its first appearance. (10/10)
Actor Review: Sigourney Weaver – Ripley, just part of the crew really but steps up when the alien starts wreaking havoc. In a role that will be remembered as one of the best and most iconic in sci-fi history this performance will never be forgotten. Breakout Performance Award, Iconic Performance Award, Star Performance Award (10/10)
ripley
Actor Review: Tom Skerritt – Captain Dallas puts the team together to investigate the planet but has to step up when they don’t come back alone. Good performance showing leadership in time of panic. (9/10)
Actor Review: Ian Holm – Ash the science officer who is very distant as well as keeping a big secret from the rest of the crew. Good performance from Holm that opened a door for a twist in films that people actually have to think about. (9/10)
holm
Actor Review: John Hurt – Kane gets a creature stuck on his face before looking like making a full recovery only to make film history. This character has one of the most iconic sci-fi horror deaths in history. Unluckiest Character Award (9/10)
hurt
Director Review: Ridley Scott – Creates a world that no one saw coming and shows brilliant direction to create atmosphere throughout. (10/10)
Horror: There is no escape from a creature you have never met. (10/10)
Sci-Fi: Redefines the sci-fi genre to use true horror. (10/10)
Special Effects: Stunning special effects that even after 30 plus years still haven’t dated. (10/10)
Believability: We don’t know what is really in space until we go deeper enough. (5/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Settings: When it comes to horror you need great location isolation is the best as we know the characters have nowhere to run, this offers that making the setting perfect. (10/10)
Suggestion: Most films can come and go and gain a few fans, this is not one of them it is one of the first films people will say when you say sci-fi. This makes it a must watch and when you do you will be reward but I expect most of you have already seen it so watch it again. (Watch)
Best Part: Alien first reveal.
Kill Of The Film: Kane
Trivia: The original title was Space Beast.
Oscar Chances: Won for Best Effects.
Chances of Sequel: Has three direct sequels and a couple of versus films.
Overall: Masterpiece classic must see
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/02/12/alien-1979/
Actor Review: Sigourney Weaver – Ripley, just part of the crew really but steps up when the alien starts wreaking havoc. In a role that will be remembered as one of the best and most iconic in sci-fi history this performance will never be forgotten. Breakout Performance Award, Iconic Performance Award, Star Performance Award (10/10)
ripley
Actor Review: Tom Skerritt – Captain Dallas puts the team together to investigate the planet but has to step up when they don’t come back alone. Good performance showing leadership in time of panic. (9/10)
Actor Review: Ian Holm – Ash the science officer who is very distant as well as keeping a big secret from the rest of the crew. Good performance from Holm that opened a door for a twist in films that people actually have to think about. (9/10)
holm
Actor Review: John Hurt – Kane gets a creature stuck on his face before looking like making a full recovery only to make film history. This character has one of the most iconic sci-fi horror deaths in history. Unluckiest Character Award (9/10)
hurt
Director Review: Ridley Scott – Creates a world that no one saw coming and shows brilliant direction to create atmosphere throughout. (10/10)
Horror: There is no escape from a creature you have never met. (10/10)
Sci-Fi: Redefines the sci-fi genre to use true horror. (10/10)
Special Effects: Stunning special effects that even after 30 plus years still haven’t dated. (10/10)
Believability: We don’t know what is really in space until we go deeper enough. (5/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Settings: When it comes to horror you need great location isolation is the best as we know the characters have nowhere to run, this offers that making the setting perfect. (10/10)
Suggestion: Most films can come and go and gain a few fans, this is not one of them it is one of the first films people will say when you say sci-fi. This makes it a must watch and when you do you will be reward but I expect most of you have already seen it so watch it again. (Watch)
Best Part: Alien first reveal.
Kill Of The Film: Kane
Trivia: The original title was Space Beast.
Oscar Chances: Won for Best Effects.
Chances of Sequel: Has three direct sequels and a couple of versus films.
Overall: Masterpiece classic must see
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/02/12/alien-1979/
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Avengers: Endgame (2019) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
The final curtain.
So… thanks again to work and family commitments, I’ve spent 7 days dodging social media to arrive at my showing of “Endgame” spoiler free… and was successful in doing so! It is of course impossible to write just about anything on this film without dropping spoilers. So I will keep this first part of the review short, but add some footnotes (indexed with <#> symbols) to a “spoiler section” below the trailer video. Proceed at your peril if you haven’t yet seen it!
The Plot
The MCU has delivered an impressively well-connected movie series. In the case of Thanos, this is a story-arc that started in the mid-credit “monkey” at the end of 2012’s “The Avengers” and, at the conclusion of “Avengers: Infinity War”, saw half the universe’s population drift away – Voldemort-style – into grey ash. This, of course, also wiped out half of our heroes (good trivia question for future years: who was the first we saw drift away? Answer below* ). This included Spider-Man (Tom Holland); Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch); Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman); Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson); half of the remaining Guardians; The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr Pym (Michael Douglas). Oblivious to all of this is Ant Man (Paul Rudd), still stranded in the ‘quantum realm’ following the demise of his colleagues, and with no one to flick the ‘return’ switch.
After some early action, Endgame’s story revolves around a desperate attempt by the remaining Avengers, led by Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and a ‘retired’ Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr) to undo the undoable. Can they succeed against all the odds? (With a new Spider-Man film due out in the summer, I’ll give you a guess!). Of more relevance perhaps is whether the team can stay unscathed from their encounter with the scheming and massively powerful Thanos (Josh Brolin)?
Thoughtful
The film will not be to every fan’s taste. After the virtually non-stop rip-roaring action of “Infinity War”, “Endgame” takes a far more contemplative approach to its first hour.
The film starts with a devastating prologue, and a great lesson in statistics: that you need a decent sized population to guarantee getting a 50:50 split! There is also a very surprising twist in the first 15 minutes or so that I didn’t see coming AT ALL.
But then things settle down into a far more sombre section of the film: short on action; long on character development. The world is grieving for its loss, unable to move on past the non-stop counselling sessions that everyone is getting. This first hour was, for me, by far, my favourite part of the film. Seeing how the characters we know and love have been impacted – some for better rather than for worse – was terrific. Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk (with a rather glib plot-point) takes on an hilarious new aspect; and Chris Hemsworth adds hugely comedic value as Thor, setting up in Scotland a “New Asgard” settlement in uncharacteristically laid-back fashion.
Cast
As an ensemble cast, everyone plays their parts extremely well. But it is just the breadth of the cast that astounds in this film: just about everyone who is anyone in the Marvel Universe – at least, those who are still alive (alive!) and not dead (dead!) – pop up for an appearance! This is great fun with, in one particular case, the opportunity to try some more rejuvenation of an old timer as previously done with Samuel L. Jackson in “Captain Marvel”.
Inevitably, some of these appearances are overly brief, and characters that I wanted to see developed more in this film (particularly Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel) get very little screen time. Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) barely get a single line each. So it will depend on where your loyalties lie as to whether you are satisfied with the coverage or not. (I personally find Chris Evans‘ Captain America a bit of a po-faced bore, so I wasn’t keen on the amount of screen time he had).
Stan Lee again gets another cameo in the bag before his demise: will this actually be his last live one?
Overall view
I enjoyed this movie. It could obviously NEVER live up to the over-hyped expectations of the fan base. But as a cinematic spectacle, for me, it delivered on its billing as a blockbuster finale, but one filled with a degree of nuance I was not expecting. The problem with the way that the plot have been structured (no spoilers – <#>) is that it is easy to pick holes in the storyline. Indeed, some dramatic options (that to me seemed obvious ones to ‘mine’) were left ‘unmined’ <##>; others were left inexplicably hanging <###>.
I suspect the reason for some of this is that the initial cut of this film probably ran to 5 hours rather than the – still bladder-testing – 3 hours as released. There were probably a bunch of scenes left on the cutting room floor that might allow things to make more sense in the extended BluRay release.
It’s at times slow, but for me never dull. It does suffer from one significant flaw though: the “Return of the King” disease. It doesn’t know when to quit. There was a natural MCU arc to follow and a perfect time at which to end it: but the directors (the Russo Brothers, Anthony Russo and Joe Russo) kept adding additional scenes that detracted from the natural ending <####>.
Above all, unlike I think all but one film in MCU history, there is NO “MONKEY” in the end credits: either mid-credit or end-credit! So, after the long title crawl (and some rather odd choices for end-title music by Alan Silvestri), if you are not to look bloody stupid as the lights come up, and face a storm of derision from your partner, then leave after the dramatic roll-call sequence of the film’s stars!
(*BTW, the answer to the trivia question is, I believe, Bucky.)
So… thanks again to work and family commitments, I’ve spent 7 days dodging social media to arrive at my showing of “Endgame” spoiler free… and was successful in doing so! It is of course impossible to write just about anything on this film without dropping spoilers. So I will keep this first part of the review short, but add some footnotes (indexed with <#> symbols) to a “spoiler section” below the trailer video. Proceed at your peril if you haven’t yet seen it!
The Plot
The MCU has delivered an impressively well-connected movie series. In the case of Thanos, this is a story-arc that started in the mid-credit “monkey” at the end of 2012’s “The Avengers” and, at the conclusion of “Avengers: Infinity War”, saw half the universe’s population drift away – Voldemort-style – into grey ash. This, of course, also wiped out half of our heroes (good trivia question for future years: who was the first we saw drift away? Answer below* ). This included Spider-Man (Tom Holland); Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch); Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman); Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson); half of the remaining Guardians; The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr Pym (Michael Douglas). Oblivious to all of this is Ant Man (Paul Rudd), still stranded in the ‘quantum realm’ following the demise of his colleagues, and with no one to flick the ‘return’ switch.
After some early action, Endgame’s story revolves around a desperate attempt by the remaining Avengers, led by Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and a ‘retired’ Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr) to undo the undoable. Can they succeed against all the odds? (With a new Spider-Man film due out in the summer, I’ll give you a guess!). Of more relevance perhaps is whether the team can stay unscathed from their encounter with the scheming and massively powerful Thanos (Josh Brolin)?
Thoughtful
The film will not be to every fan’s taste. After the virtually non-stop rip-roaring action of “Infinity War”, “Endgame” takes a far more contemplative approach to its first hour.
The film starts with a devastating prologue, and a great lesson in statistics: that you need a decent sized population to guarantee getting a 50:50 split! There is also a very surprising twist in the first 15 minutes or so that I didn’t see coming AT ALL.
But then things settle down into a far more sombre section of the film: short on action; long on character development. The world is grieving for its loss, unable to move on past the non-stop counselling sessions that everyone is getting. This first hour was, for me, by far, my favourite part of the film. Seeing how the characters we know and love have been impacted – some for better rather than for worse – was terrific. Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk (with a rather glib plot-point) takes on an hilarious new aspect; and Chris Hemsworth adds hugely comedic value as Thor, setting up in Scotland a “New Asgard” settlement in uncharacteristically laid-back fashion.
Cast
As an ensemble cast, everyone plays their parts extremely well. But it is just the breadth of the cast that astounds in this film: just about everyone who is anyone in the Marvel Universe – at least, those who are still alive (alive!) and not dead (dead!) – pop up for an appearance! This is great fun with, in one particular case, the opportunity to try some more rejuvenation of an old timer as previously done with Samuel L. Jackson in “Captain Marvel”.
Inevitably, some of these appearances are overly brief, and characters that I wanted to see developed more in this film (particularly Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel) get very little screen time. Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) barely get a single line each. So it will depend on where your loyalties lie as to whether you are satisfied with the coverage or not. (I personally find Chris Evans‘ Captain America a bit of a po-faced bore, so I wasn’t keen on the amount of screen time he had).
Stan Lee again gets another cameo in the bag before his demise: will this actually be his last live one?
Overall view
I enjoyed this movie. It could obviously NEVER live up to the over-hyped expectations of the fan base. But as a cinematic spectacle, for me, it delivered on its billing as a blockbuster finale, but one filled with a degree of nuance I was not expecting. The problem with the way that the plot have been structured (no spoilers – <#>) is that it is easy to pick holes in the storyline. Indeed, some dramatic options (that to me seemed obvious ones to ‘mine’) were left ‘unmined’ <##>; others were left inexplicably hanging <###>.
I suspect the reason for some of this is that the initial cut of this film probably ran to 5 hours rather than the – still bladder-testing – 3 hours as released. There were probably a bunch of scenes left on the cutting room floor that might allow things to make more sense in the extended BluRay release.
It’s at times slow, but for me never dull. It does suffer from one significant flaw though: the “Return of the King” disease. It doesn’t know when to quit. There was a natural MCU arc to follow and a perfect time at which to end it: but the directors (the Russo Brothers, Anthony Russo and Joe Russo) kept adding additional scenes that detracted from the natural ending <####>.
Above all, unlike I think all but one film in MCU history, there is NO “MONKEY” in the end credits: either mid-credit or end-credit! So, after the long title crawl (and some rather odd choices for end-title music by Alan Silvestri), if you are not to look bloody stupid as the lights come up, and face a storm of derision from your partner, then leave after the dramatic roll-call sequence of the film’s stars!
(*BTW, the answer to the trivia question is, I believe, Bucky.)
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Green Book (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
It's always nice getting advanced screenings, but two months in advance has to be some sort of record. By the fact that the entire audience went "what?!" when the title card came up it was a very well kept secret screening.
I'm so pleased that this played to a packed screen. We lost maybe a dozen people within the first five minutes, which I think just goes to show how much of an unknown it was because normally people will leave immediately. I had seen it on the app, but not read the synopsis or seen a trailer so it was brilliant to be able to go into the film without any prejudgment.
Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen make a wonderful duo. They bounce of each other really well throughout the whole film.
One of the things I was dying to know was who was playing the piano. I'm reliably informed by IMDb's trivia that Kris Bowers who is the film's composer is Ali's piano double. I have no idea how they do that considering that a fair amount of the shots show Ali playing. It was certainly well done.
The film shows yet another important story in a well thought out and sensitive way. Hidden Figures, Marshall and now Green Book. We're seeing sides of history that we hardly knew of before. The Green Book was a complete shock of a discovery to me and this certainly made me want to research more on the topic.
Ultimately this story is about friendship and acceptance in the face of adversity. It's good to see the circle of change in Tony, and the ending paints the hopeful picture of what would unfold in the future.
I feel a little bit harsh only giving this four and a half stars. While Mortensen and Cardellini were spot on, Ali left me a little disappointed. I have loved him ever since The 4400 and it's been great seeing him in so many shows and films since then. This role obviously has some very powerful moments, and while he delivered them with grace I couldn't help noticing that something was missing. There was one point where he delivers a poignant speech to Tony and I realised that is was lacking the emotional kicker. It felt detached. Whether it was script, acting or just the natural way of the character I'm not sure, it had the potential to bring me to tears and yet... dry eyes.
That is honestly the only glitch in this wonderful film. I got home and I couldn't sleep because I was still buzzing from the screening. (I'm paying for that now.) I read the comments on Twitter and I was really struck by how many people loved it. This deserves to win awards on a lot of counts, I just hope that it gets the recognition it deserves.
When I got my Unlimited card I wasn't convinced that I'd go and see a lot of films (yes I know, what a joke!), and certainly without the card I would never have seen this. At home I never used to pick films that I'd have to "think about". Unlimited has changed the way I watch movies and given me the opportunity to see incredible productions like this. That to me is well worth the money.
What you should do
You should absolutely see this. Not quite a child friendly as Hidden Figures was but it offers another great insight into the past.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Just a fraction of that musical talent would be incredible.
I'm so pleased that this played to a packed screen. We lost maybe a dozen people within the first five minutes, which I think just goes to show how much of an unknown it was because normally people will leave immediately. I had seen it on the app, but not read the synopsis or seen a trailer so it was brilliant to be able to go into the film without any prejudgment.
Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen make a wonderful duo. They bounce of each other really well throughout the whole film.
One of the things I was dying to know was who was playing the piano. I'm reliably informed by IMDb's trivia that Kris Bowers who is the film's composer is Ali's piano double. I have no idea how they do that considering that a fair amount of the shots show Ali playing. It was certainly well done.
The film shows yet another important story in a well thought out and sensitive way. Hidden Figures, Marshall and now Green Book. We're seeing sides of history that we hardly knew of before. The Green Book was a complete shock of a discovery to me and this certainly made me want to research more on the topic.
Ultimately this story is about friendship and acceptance in the face of adversity. It's good to see the circle of change in Tony, and the ending paints the hopeful picture of what would unfold in the future.
I feel a little bit harsh only giving this four and a half stars. While Mortensen and Cardellini were spot on, Ali left me a little disappointed. I have loved him ever since The 4400 and it's been great seeing him in so many shows and films since then. This role obviously has some very powerful moments, and while he delivered them with grace I couldn't help noticing that something was missing. There was one point where he delivers a poignant speech to Tony and I realised that is was lacking the emotional kicker. It felt detached. Whether it was script, acting or just the natural way of the character I'm not sure, it had the potential to bring me to tears and yet... dry eyes.
That is honestly the only glitch in this wonderful film. I got home and I couldn't sleep because I was still buzzing from the screening. (I'm paying for that now.) I read the comments on Twitter and I was really struck by how many people loved it. This deserves to win awards on a lot of counts, I just hope that it gets the recognition it deserves.
When I got my Unlimited card I wasn't convinced that I'd go and see a lot of films (yes I know, what a joke!), and certainly without the card I would never have seen this. At home I never used to pick films that I'd have to "think about". Unlimited has changed the way I watch movies and given me the opportunity to see incredible productions like this. That to me is well worth the money.
What you should do
You should absolutely see this. Not quite a child friendly as Hidden Figures was but it offers another great insight into the past.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Just a fraction of that musical talent would be incredible.