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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Tempest (Tempest, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review posted on <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-tempest-by-julie-cross.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Note: Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste.
I really hope I'm not the only one when I say that I read Tempest so fast, my head must have been spinning after I finished. Eh, 3 days probably isn't that fast, but compared to my usual pace, it is. I may have read it fast because I was dying of boredom during Spring Break. Or beginning to.
The main character, Jackson Meyer, jumps so much from time to time throughout the book that it would've been really hard to keep track where and when he's at without the date and time in the beginning of almost every chapter. In fact, I would have been so confused and lost, I might assume I landed in of Wonderland or stuck in the middle of a tornado (Kansas style), about to land in the world of Oz (though I won't know that until I actually land in Oz).
I can't really tell who the villain really is. Julie Cross makes it seem that there are 5 possible villains, with a handful of those that seem to be leaning toward the not-a-villain-at-all side.I didn't really want to finish the last few pages of Tempest at night, but eventually decided to just get it over with (after all, why save 2-3 pages for the next day when you can finish it in less than 30 minutes?).
Wrong choice on my part, even though it was likely the right choice for the main character to do in the end. But I was honestly not prepared for it to be extremely sad.
I'm not exactly sure what to make of Tempest. I generally enjoy time travel books because they're are each unique in their own way, with their own time travel rules. I'm not exactly sure how Tempest is going to work on the big screen but it'll be interesting to see how it works if it actually does get to the big screen.
Note: Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste.
I really hope I'm not the only one when I say that I read Tempest so fast, my head must have been spinning after I finished. Eh, 3 days probably isn't that fast, but compared to my usual pace, it is. I may have read it fast because I was dying of boredom during Spring Break. Or beginning to.
The main character, Jackson Meyer, jumps so much from time to time throughout the book that it would've been really hard to keep track where and when he's at without the date and time in the beginning of almost every chapter. In fact, I would have been so confused and lost, I might assume I landed in of Wonderland or stuck in the middle of a tornado (Kansas style), about to land in the world of Oz (though I won't know that until I actually land in Oz).
I can't really tell who the villain really is. Julie Cross makes it seem that there are 5 possible villains, with a handful of those that seem to be leaning toward the not-a-villain-at-all side.I didn't really want to finish the last few pages of Tempest at night, but eventually decided to just get it over with (after all, why save 2-3 pages for the next day when you can finish it in less than 30 minutes?).
Wrong choice on my part, even though it was likely the right choice for the main character to do in the end. But I was honestly not prepared for it to be extremely sad.
I'm not exactly sure what to make of Tempest. I generally enjoy time travel books because they're are each unique in their own way, with their own time travel rules. I'm not exactly sure how Tempest is going to work on the big screen but it'll be interesting to see how it works if it actually does get to the big screen.
JT (287 KP) rated Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
With the impending Avengers flick due out in the summer this year, 2011 was all about wrapping up the the final film which would link yet another character into the superhero pack. If I’m honest I am pretty bored of the superhero genre of late, so this one was going to have to work hard if it was going to hold my interest. But, for the most part… hold my interest it did!
Evans starts off as a scrawny weakling, desperate to serve his country during World War II. You’ll have to look hard to realise that Evans’ appearance is a brilliant piece of CGI, no man could get to that size and back in such a short space of time.
He then gets himself accepted as part of an experiment to transform average soldiers into supreme physical beings. Rogers, now a beef cake becomes an American poster boy for the war promoting everything the American public should stand for.
Singing in chorus lines he longs to be part of the action, to get onto the front line and to help bring down HYDRA, and its main villain Johann Schmidt aka Red Skull.
The film moves through the gears, massive explosions and some great action set pieces. But you’d expect nothing less, director Joe Johnston injects the film with enough to tie over until a rather disappointing ending.
One of the bright lights however is Weaving, whose Red Skull is one of the more colourful villains we might have seen in recent times. His penetrating persona gives the film a lift when otherwise it was heading for the doldrums.
Captain America does what pretty much every other super hero film has done before it, starts as an origins story, throws some back history in along with a lot of action but ultimately fails on the big pay off.
We all know where the film is going though, as most will have seen all the trailers surrounding The Avengers, for me though this is just another missing piece of the puzzle that will lead onto a much greater film. After which Captain America will pretty much be all but forgotten.
Evans starts off as a scrawny weakling, desperate to serve his country during World War II. You’ll have to look hard to realise that Evans’ appearance is a brilliant piece of CGI, no man could get to that size and back in such a short space of time.
He then gets himself accepted as part of an experiment to transform average soldiers into supreme physical beings. Rogers, now a beef cake becomes an American poster boy for the war promoting everything the American public should stand for.
Singing in chorus lines he longs to be part of the action, to get onto the front line and to help bring down HYDRA, and its main villain Johann Schmidt aka Red Skull.
The film moves through the gears, massive explosions and some great action set pieces. But you’d expect nothing less, director Joe Johnston injects the film with enough to tie over until a rather disappointing ending.
One of the bright lights however is Weaving, whose Red Skull is one of the more colourful villains we might have seen in recent times. His penetrating persona gives the film a lift when otherwise it was heading for the doldrums.
Captain America does what pretty much every other super hero film has done before it, starts as an origins story, throws some back history in along with a lot of action but ultimately fails on the big pay off.
We all know where the film is going though, as most will have seen all the trailers surrounding The Avengers, for me though this is just another missing piece of the puzzle that will lead onto a much greater film. After which Captain America will pretty much be all but forgotten.
JT (287 KP) rated The Guest (2014) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
If there was any further indication needed that British leading men make for accomplished villains, this is a prime example. The softly spoken Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) can now walk shoulder to shoulder with the likes of other talented antagonists such as Mark Strong, Tom Hiddleston and Ben Kingsley.
Director Adam Wingard‘s home invasion horror You’re Next received high acclaim so this was always going to be an exciting follow up. When I caught the trailer not a lot was given away. I like the fact that you’re going in almost blind. It makes for better viewing.
David (Stevens) enters the life of the Peterson family who are still grieving from the loss of their son Caleb who was killed in Iraq. Quickly he becomes an integral part of their lives, always around to help them out of difficult situations or as a shoulder to cry on.
It’s clear there is something more disturbing beneath his chilling blue eyes and it doesn’t take long for us to find out what. The Guest is a tense intriguing thriller that never gives too much away, making it one of its strong points. We all know there is something wrong with David, that much is clear from the shots of him grimly staring into the distance.
He manifests himself as a psychotic guardian angel with ulterior motives that are never revealed until the bodies start to pile up and we get to delve further into his back story. Even then Stevens plays his character with deadpan charm that makes us like him even more.
There are a number of genres all thrown in that ultimately work well alongside each other. A nice dose of action thanks to a backyard shootout is quickly morphed into an 80s slasher horror that echoes Halloween. The soundtrack is slick and pulsating, with comparisons drawn to Drive not just from the score but from Stevens somewhat uncanny resemblance to Ryan Gosling.
It never feels disjointed at any point and while it might wobble a little with the surprise ending (of which you knew was coming) it doesn’t damage the overall integrity if the story.
Director Adam Wingard‘s home invasion horror You’re Next received high acclaim so this was always going to be an exciting follow up. When I caught the trailer not a lot was given away. I like the fact that you’re going in almost blind. It makes for better viewing.
David (Stevens) enters the life of the Peterson family who are still grieving from the loss of their son Caleb who was killed in Iraq. Quickly he becomes an integral part of their lives, always around to help them out of difficult situations or as a shoulder to cry on.
It’s clear there is something more disturbing beneath his chilling blue eyes and it doesn’t take long for us to find out what. The Guest is a tense intriguing thriller that never gives too much away, making it one of its strong points. We all know there is something wrong with David, that much is clear from the shots of him grimly staring into the distance.
He manifests himself as a psychotic guardian angel with ulterior motives that are never revealed until the bodies start to pile up and we get to delve further into his back story. Even then Stevens plays his character with deadpan charm that makes us like him even more.
There are a number of genres all thrown in that ultimately work well alongside each other. A nice dose of action thanks to a backyard shootout is quickly morphed into an 80s slasher horror that echoes Halloween. The soundtrack is slick and pulsating, with comparisons drawn to Drive not just from the score but from Stevens somewhat uncanny resemblance to Ryan Gosling.
It never feels disjointed at any point and while it might wobble a little with the surprise ending (of which you knew was coming) it doesn’t damage the overall integrity if the story.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Hell or High Water (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
There are numerous films about bank robbers, loveable villains who we find
ourselves cheering for throughout their escapades. Something was always
missing, though. The actions always seemed simple, shallow, and, at times,
comical in their approach. Hell or High Water breaks from many of the
tropes that we are accustomed to with reality-based crime movies. The film
follows two brothers as they rob a chain of banks in the attempt to save
their home and land from foreclosure.
Hell or High Water demonstrates to the audience the complexity with the
story in which this film is based. Marcus (Ben Foster), who is a career
criminal, returns to a life of crime in order to help his brother Toby
(Chris Pine) create a stable future for his children. He has been pushed
to his limits by the banks who have taken advantage of his dying mother
and sees robbing them as the only possible path. They must be quick,
proficient, and calculated in their actions as they are being pursued by a
Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) who sees this case as his chance to achieve
some peace as it keeps him further from retirement.
The film is phenomenal in being able to carry several different
storylines, issues, and directions. The film is about Americans with bank
robbing as the backdrop. It demonstrates how working people feel taken
advantage of by the banks and have no sympathy for them as they argue that
the banks are the real criminals in shady deals that result in people
losing their homes. It is an ideal modern western with “the law” hot on
the tail of the bandits. There is no clear bad guy with the brothers, just
a flawed antiheroes that several in the community will not turn against
because they understand that the boys are “one of them” and applaud them
for taking action against the banks.
Audiences will find themselves engrossed in the storyline, expansive views
of Texas, relating to the anger towards financial institutions, and
rooting for these brothers as they try to save their land and legacy.
ourselves cheering for throughout their escapades. Something was always
missing, though. The actions always seemed simple, shallow, and, at times,
comical in their approach. Hell or High Water breaks from many of the
tropes that we are accustomed to with reality-based crime movies. The film
follows two brothers as they rob a chain of banks in the attempt to save
their home and land from foreclosure.
Hell or High Water demonstrates to the audience the complexity with the
story in which this film is based. Marcus (Ben Foster), who is a career
criminal, returns to a life of crime in order to help his brother Toby
(Chris Pine) create a stable future for his children. He has been pushed
to his limits by the banks who have taken advantage of his dying mother
and sees robbing them as the only possible path. They must be quick,
proficient, and calculated in their actions as they are being pursued by a
Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) who sees this case as his chance to achieve
some peace as it keeps him further from retirement.
The film is phenomenal in being able to carry several different
storylines, issues, and directions. The film is about Americans with bank
robbing as the backdrop. It demonstrates how working people feel taken
advantage of by the banks and have no sympathy for them as they argue that
the banks are the real criminals in shady deals that result in people
losing their homes. It is an ideal modern western with “the law” hot on
the tail of the bandits. There is no clear bad guy with the brothers, just
a flawed antiheroes that several in the community will not turn against
because they understand that the boys are “one of them” and applaud them
for taking action against the banks.
Audiences will find themselves engrossed in the storyline, expansive views
of Texas, relating to the anger towards financial institutions, and
rooting for these brothers as they try to save their land and legacy.
The Pope of Palm Beach
7.0
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From Florida's king of mayhem--"compulsively irreverent and shockingly funny" (Boston Globe) New...
mystery comedy
DuckTales: Remastered
Games and Entertainment
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One of the most cherished 8-bit titles of all time returns with the mobile release of DuckTales:...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Prepare For War
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is a 2019 neo-noir action film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad, Shay Hatten, Chris Collins, and Marc Abrams. The movie is based on a story by Derek Kolstad and produced by Thunder Road Pictures, 87Eleven Productions and distributed by Summit Entertainment. It stars Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and Marc Dacascos.
After an unsanctioned killing at the New York City Continental, John Wick is now a marked man on the run. He is declared "excommunicado" and a $14 million dollar bounty placed on his head. Meanwhile, an adjudicator with the "High Table" meets with both Winston (Ian McShane), manager of the Continental, and the King of the Bowery (Laurence Fishburne), leader of a group of vagrant assassins. The adjudicator gives an ultimatum to both, give up their offices in seven days or face the consequences for aiding John Wick.
This movie does not disappoint. I cannot stress that enough. It's an adrenaline ride from beginning to end. The action scenes are just masterfully choreographed and the special effects make each kill more brutal than the last. It feels like they raised the bar with the violence and gore in this one. The introduction of Halle Berry's character and her dogs were a welcome addition and made this film unique when compared to the previous two. Also the adjudicator was a really good character and i liked the way she played into the plot throughout the whole movie. Marc Dacascos was probably my favorite character in this movie. I liked his character's personality a lot and how his faction had a big part in the film. He was actually pretty funny in certain scenes and i liked it, but I can see how some people would be critical of the lightheartedness in such a grim movie. If it wasn't for some villains giving John a chance when they shouldn't, and the fact that the 3rd act couldn't hold up with the first two, I couldn't find a lot to complain about in this film. It was freaking awesome. I give it a 8/10 and I give it my "must see seal of approval".
After an unsanctioned killing at the New York City Continental, John Wick is now a marked man on the run. He is declared "excommunicado" and a $14 million dollar bounty placed on his head. Meanwhile, an adjudicator with the "High Table" meets with both Winston (Ian McShane), manager of the Continental, and the King of the Bowery (Laurence Fishburne), leader of a group of vagrant assassins. The adjudicator gives an ultimatum to both, give up their offices in seven days or face the consequences for aiding John Wick.
This movie does not disappoint. I cannot stress that enough. It's an adrenaline ride from beginning to end. The action scenes are just masterfully choreographed and the special effects make each kill more brutal than the last. It feels like they raised the bar with the violence and gore in this one. The introduction of Halle Berry's character and her dogs were a welcome addition and made this film unique when compared to the previous two. Also the adjudicator was a really good character and i liked the way she played into the plot throughout the whole movie. Marc Dacascos was probably my favorite character in this movie. I liked his character's personality a lot and how his faction had a big part in the film. He was actually pretty funny in certain scenes and i liked it, but I can see how some people would be critical of the lightheartedness in such a grim movie. If it wasn't for some villains giving John a chance when they shouldn't, and the fact that the 3rd act couldn't hold up with the first two, I couldn't find a lot to complain about in this film. It was freaking awesome. I give it a 8/10 and I give it my "must see seal of approval".
Hunting the Killer Idea
Book
Killer Ideas. They re out there. Wild, unpredictable and dangerous. So powerful they can stop a...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Jaguar King (The Wild Rites Saga #1) in Books
Apr 12, 2021
50 of 250
Kindle
The Jaguar King ( The Wild Rites saga book 1)
By Anne Mcilwraith
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Magic is real? Big deal. Bills still gotta be paid.
Especially when you’re heading into vet med. Emma Chase is nothing special – if anything, with a roomie who turns into a jaguar on a regular basis, she’s the sidekick, not the heroine. Her superpowers have more to do with acing her finals and overworking herself. Knowing her best friend’s secret makes it easier to justify her own inclination to keep people at a distance, but it doesn’t change her life.
Until others like him show up on her doorstep, convinced she’s the fated savior of their race, telling her she’s destined to command the magic of – well, Emma doesn’t quite catch that part, she’s too busy getting her ass the hell out of there.
What she does know? The Jaguar King is after her, his rivals want her dead, and she doesn’t have to believe in prophecy to believe they’ll stop at nothing to catch her.
Violence. Magic. Inappropriate humor. Step into a world of wonder and savagery in a gritty urban fantasy with an unlikely heroine, sizzling heroes, and complicated villains. The Jaguar King is a full-length read and the first in a series, and all the books have satisfying resolutions as well as a series-spanning story arc. Definitely no cliff-hangers – just bad-ass shifters with one goal: claim the prize. Claim the Caller of the Blood.
I so wanted to give this more than 2 stars! The main character is good she can kick ass and has sass but it’s all a bit over complicated. I found it rushed in places and hard to read in others. It’s not all bad though I’ve been dying for a spider shifter for so long and in this area I was not disappointed and I love the link that Emma has with Fern!
The fighting scenes were a bit all over the place too nothing seemed clear.
For me overall it showed promise just didn't deliver.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Suicide Squad (2021) in Movies
Jul 31, 2021
Firstly, let it be known that The Suicide Squad is a far, far, superior movie to 2016's Suicide Squad (although, that's not exactly a tall order...)
It's fun, frantic, sweary, gory, and is, above all, unmistakably a James Gunn film.
The remants of the 2016 version that remain are improved, namely Rick Flag and Harley Quinn. Both characters are well fleshed out and likable. Stand them side by side with all the newcomers and you have a wonderfully weird line up of D-list DC villains. Amongst the massive ensemble, the meatier roles are given to Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), Thinker (Peter Capaldi) and of course, the show stealer King Shark (Sylvester Stallone). I would happily kill for him, and Sebastian the rat....
All of these characters are simply a pleasure to watch. Their interactions with eachother are frequently hilarious and the combined team give this movie a huge fricking heart that was so lacking back in 2016.
My main criticism is the pacing. After an amusingly brutal opening gambit, the whole thing takes a bit of a dive. The humour isn't quite enough to hold the slow-paced first hour together, and I found myself drifting on more than one occasion. I also wasn't a fan of the arty title cards that crop up throughout (with the exception of one during the films final act, which is quite possibly one of my favourite moments in the history of comic book movies...)
Sure, this whole part drags the experience down as a whole, but the last hour is an absolute riot. A fantastic scene involving Harley Quinn, a long hallway, and a javelin, marks a triumphant turn in proceedings, and the build up and resulting climax is batshit insane, with a villain I genuinely thought I'd never get to see in the big screen. It's horrifically entertaining and doesn't let up until the credits roll.
Ultimately, The Suicide Squad is heaps of gory fun, and a welcome addition to the mixed bag that is the DCEU. Personally, I would love to see Gunn return to the franchise in some form. Hell, give him the keys to the whole kingdom and see what happens.
It's fun, frantic, sweary, gory, and is, above all, unmistakably a James Gunn film.
The remants of the 2016 version that remain are improved, namely Rick Flag and Harley Quinn. Both characters are well fleshed out and likable. Stand them side by side with all the newcomers and you have a wonderfully weird line up of D-list DC villains. Amongst the massive ensemble, the meatier roles are given to Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), Thinker (Peter Capaldi) and of course, the show stealer King Shark (Sylvester Stallone). I would happily kill for him, and Sebastian the rat....
All of these characters are simply a pleasure to watch. Their interactions with eachother are frequently hilarious and the combined team give this movie a huge fricking heart that was so lacking back in 2016.
My main criticism is the pacing. After an amusingly brutal opening gambit, the whole thing takes a bit of a dive. The humour isn't quite enough to hold the slow-paced first hour together, and I found myself drifting on more than one occasion. I also wasn't a fan of the arty title cards that crop up throughout (with the exception of one during the films final act, which is quite possibly one of my favourite moments in the history of comic book movies...)
Sure, this whole part drags the experience down as a whole, but the last hour is an absolute riot. A fantastic scene involving Harley Quinn, a long hallway, and a javelin, marks a triumphant turn in proceedings, and the build up and resulting climax is batshit insane, with a villain I genuinely thought I'd never get to see in the big screen. It's horrifically entertaining and doesn't let up until the credits roll.
Ultimately, The Suicide Squad is heaps of gory fun, and a welcome addition to the mixed bag that is the DCEU. Personally, I would love to see Gunn return to the franchise in some form. Hell, give him the keys to the whole kingdom and see what happens.