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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Space Explorers in Tabletop Games
Jan 4, 2021
Space! It’s all the rage nowadays. Okay, it has been for many decades now, but I feel like recently we have, as a human race, decided to get back out there and start exploring again. While this game is not set in modern times, the excitement of exploration and the different facets of what actually goes into successful launches is certainly prevalent. Will our heroes overcome the G-Forces that press them into their seats and become one of the few to view Earth from afar, or will they fizzle out at launch and come back shamed?
Space Explorers is a card drafting, set collection game for two to four players. In it players will take on the mantles of unique Human Resources managers… in space! Well, not IN space, but FOR space. By recruiting the best and brightest engineers, testers, scientists, builders, and astronauts players will score points in addition to scoring points for completing projects.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, assemble Hub parts tableau organizer for each player. Shuffle the deck of Specialist cards (engineer, tester, et al) to be recruited and reveal six face up to symbolize the Center. Deal each player one of these Specialist cards to create their starting hand. Randomly choose two plus the number of players Project tiles and lay them on the table to be completed throughout the game. Each player will also receive a reference sheet (VERY handy) and one token of each Research type. Determine the starting player and the space race may now begin!
On a player’s turn they have two choices to make: take a Specialist card from the table into their hand, or recruit a Specialist from either their hand or from the table and place in their personal tableau. After this is completed the player may collect one Project tile if they now control the correct number of Specialists per Project tile.
To take a card into hand, a player simply selects one face-up Specialist card from those on the table and places it in hand. Simple.
To recruit a Specialist the player will need to spend Resources equal to the recruitment cost printed on the Specialist card. Resources may be spent in any combination from actual Resource tokens, Resources provided by recruited Specialists already in the player Hub (tableau), and discarding a Specialist card from hand to the table to give two Resources of any type.
As Specialists are recruited to the players’ Hubs they will then give a discount toward recruiting future Specialists of the same type along with other abilities. For each Specialist in the Hub the player will receive a discount of one Resource icon needed to spend to recruit a Specialist of the same type. For example, if a player already has recruited two Scientists, the next Scientist they recruit will be discounted by two Resources. These Resources are discounted from the bottom-up on the listed recruitment cost, and may even result in Specialists being recruited for free. Similarly, some Specialists have certain abilities printed on their card that allow such actions as recruiting cards for free, or providing Resource icons to be used to recruit, or even providing extra points at game end for a variety of reasons.
Play continues in this fashion of players taking Specialists in hand or recruiting them to their Hub to be used to complete Projects and earn points. The game ends once the last Project has been completed or any one player has recruited their 12th Specialist. Every player will have the same number of turns, after which the winner will be the player with the most points!
Components. I have a lot to say about the components here. I think that 25th Century Games has absolutely nailed every single component in this box. The Specialist cards are excellent quality: linen finished, great thickness, and they shuffle realllllly well. The Project tiles, Hub parts, and Resource tokens are thick board stock. The reference sheets are good and the rulebook is just perfect. One thing that may be slightly polarizing is the art style. Space Explorers uses imagery similar to what you would find on many things in the 1950s and 1960s in America. That said, I absolutely love the art style and it is reinforced on every component in this game. The icons are slick and stylish, the color scheme is muted without being drab, and everything you play with is meant to help immerse you into the time of the first astronauts. It’s simply amazingly well done.
The gameplay is also quite stellar (Laura will like that one). I know many compare it to Splendor, and that is certainly warranted, but I feel that Space Explorers pulls it off much more fluidly. Yes, Splendor has those weighty chips that everyone likes while Space Explorers has cardboard tokens. But other than that Space Explorers surpasses the other by leaps and bounds. The gameplay is much more intriguing, the theme is way cooler, and I am just overall much more attracted to it.
While gameplay overall is similar, there is quite a number of differences Space Explorers offers. Foremost, when Resource tokens are spent to recruit Specialists, instead of being sent to a communal bank they are passed along to the player on the left. That’s right, you literally give those Resources to your opponent that will be playing next. This small change really increases the need to be aware of what each player’s strategy may be in order to recruit who you need without also helping your rivals. Being able to utilize three different sources of currency in combination to recruit Specialists is also quite nice. Don’t have the right number of tokens? No problem! Check out what your Specialists are providing from their years of experience.
It is really no shock here that I am enamored with Space Explorers. I really didn’t know that I needed a Splendor killer in my collection, but now that I have this I will be holding it tightly and in high regard. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one an out-of-this-world 11 / 12. If you LIKE the aforementioned game that everyone seems to own but don’t LOVE it, then you need to check out Space Explorers. The theme is great, the components are superb, and the gameplay is light and fast. I love it dearly and hope you do too.
Space Explorers is a card drafting, set collection game for two to four players. In it players will take on the mantles of unique Human Resources managers… in space! Well, not IN space, but FOR space. By recruiting the best and brightest engineers, testers, scientists, builders, and astronauts players will score points in addition to scoring points for completing projects.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, assemble Hub parts tableau organizer for each player. Shuffle the deck of Specialist cards (engineer, tester, et al) to be recruited and reveal six face up to symbolize the Center. Deal each player one of these Specialist cards to create their starting hand. Randomly choose two plus the number of players Project tiles and lay them on the table to be completed throughout the game. Each player will also receive a reference sheet (VERY handy) and one token of each Research type. Determine the starting player and the space race may now begin!
On a player’s turn they have two choices to make: take a Specialist card from the table into their hand, or recruit a Specialist from either their hand or from the table and place in their personal tableau. After this is completed the player may collect one Project tile if they now control the correct number of Specialists per Project tile.
To take a card into hand, a player simply selects one face-up Specialist card from those on the table and places it in hand. Simple.
To recruit a Specialist the player will need to spend Resources equal to the recruitment cost printed on the Specialist card. Resources may be spent in any combination from actual Resource tokens, Resources provided by recruited Specialists already in the player Hub (tableau), and discarding a Specialist card from hand to the table to give two Resources of any type.
As Specialists are recruited to the players’ Hubs they will then give a discount toward recruiting future Specialists of the same type along with other abilities. For each Specialist in the Hub the player will receive a discount of one Resource icon needed to spend to recruit a Specialist of the same type. For example, if a player already has recruited two Scientists, the next Scientist they recruit will be discounted by two Resources. These Resources are discounted from the bottom-up on the listed recruitment cost, and may even result in Specialists being recruited for free. Similarly, some Specialists have certain abilities printed on their card that allow such actions as recruiting cards for free, or providing Resource icons to be used to recruit, or even providing extra points at game end for a variety of reasons.
Play continues in this fashion of players taking Specialists in hand or recruiting them to their Hub to be used to complete Projects and earn points. The game ends once the last Project has been completed or any one player has recruited their 12th Specialist. Every player will have the same number of turns, after which the winner will be the player with the most points!
Components. I have a lot to say about the components here. I think that 25th Century Games has absolutely nailed every single component in this box. The Specialist cards are excellent quality: linen finished, great thickness, and they shuffle realllllly well. The Project tiles, Hub parts, and Resource tokens are thick board stock. The reference sheets are good and the rulebook is just perfect. One thing that may be slightly polarizing is the art style. Space Explorers uses imagery similar to what you would find on many things in the 1950s and 1960s in America. That said, I absolutely love the art style and it is reinforced on every component in this game. The icons are slick and stylish, the color scheme is muted without being drab, and everything you play with is meant to help immerse you into the time of the first astronauts. It’s simply amazingly well done.
The gameplay is also quite stellar (Laura will like that one). I know many compare it to Splendor, and that is certainly warranted, but I feel that Space Explorers pulls it off much more fluidly. Yes, Splendor has those weighty chips that everyone likes while Space Explorers has cardboard tokens. But other than that Space Explorers surpasses the other by leaps and bounds. The gameplay is much more intriguing, the theme is way cooler, and I am just overall much more attracted to it.
While gameplay overall is similar, there is quite a number of differences Space Explorers offers. Foremost, when Resource tokens are spent to recruit Specialists, instead of being sent to a communal bank they are passed along to the player on the left. That’s right, you literally give those Resources to your opponent that will be playing next. This small change really increases the need to be aware of what each player’s strategy may be in order to recruit who you need without also helping your rivals. Being able to utilize three different sources of currency in combination to recruit Specialists is also quite nice. Don’t have the right number of tokens? No problem! Check out what your Specialists are providing from their years of experience.
It is really no shock here that I am enamored with Space Explorers. I really didn’t know that I needed a Splendor killer in my collection, but now that I have this I will be holding it tightly and in high regard. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one an out-of-this-world 11 / 12. If you LIKE the aforementioned game that everyone seems to own but don’t LOVE it, then you need to check out Space Explorers. The theme is great, the components are superb, and the gameplay is light and fast. I love it dearly and hope you do too.
FirstMet Dating: Meet Singles
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MEETING REAL PEOPLE HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER! FirstMet Dating (formerly AYI) is packed with great...
Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated The Roanoke Girls in Books
Oct 6, 2017
This review may be a bit spoilery concerning the theme of this novel, this couldn't be helped but I've tried to be as vague as possible.
"Roanoke girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die."
These were the words that originally captivated me, pulling me in and compelling me to pick up The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel.
This was quite a read, an unusual one, reminiscent of bygone authors, setting a stage of intrigue, mystery and dysfunctional family dynamics.
The secrets surrounding Roanoke are subtlely revealed early on leaving the reader highly aware of what flows beneath the seemingly normal surface.
This is a definite page-turner despite the exploration of (view spoiler)
This tale is told in two parts "Now and Then" and the storyline seamlessly hops between these two timelines.
We also get to jump briefly into the heads of each Roanoke girl that came before, which I found very enlightening, I really loved this touch and it greatly added to the storyline giving the reader an insight into what each girl was feeling deep inside her own skin.
Jane, Sophia, Penelope, Eleanor, Camilla, Allegra, Lane there is also little Emmaline but she died of a crib death as a baby.
All Roanoke girls, all carrying the same secrets down through the years, messed up heads and lives affected tragically.
The echoes of this rebounding out through each new generation.
This story is told through Lane Roanoke's point of view after her mother commits suicide and Lane comes to live with her Rich grandparents and cousin Allegra on the family estate.
This is the "THEN" portrayed in the narrative.
The "NOW" is Eleven years later when Lane returns to the family home after a frantic call from her granddad informing her that her cousin Allegra is missing.
After vowing never to return, Lane reluctantly returns home confronting secrets shes buried deep down inside.
I loved Lane as a character, she was a bit of a messed up headcase, but who can blame her.
It's obvious Lane Loved Allegra so deeply and this was the only thing, I think, her disappearing, that could have dragged her back to the bowels of Roanoke.
It was also very thought-provoking to observe Lane's former teenage toxic relationship with cooper rekindled as adults and I really did like him he had his own past baggage but really seemed to have evolved from this, unlike Lane.
I was so rooting for these two and I thought they made a great match, neither party having had it easy in life, they both deserved a bit of stability in the now.
Now Lanes connection with her grandad this was a strange one, confusing even I think to lane herself she really seemed to feel equal measures hate and love towards him.
Struggling with her mixed up emotions, greatly wanting to loathe him but feeling a strange pull, maybe because Lane feels he was the first person to actually seem to want and love her after enduring a lifetime of apathy from her mother.
As for the gran, well, What a cold selfish bitch she was.
I felt she herself held a huge role in what had been allowed to transpire, isn't it a mothers job to protect her daughters.
In this Lillian Roanoke has failed epically actually blaming her daughters instead of shielding them, she was such a cold fish only seeming to feel any affection towards her twisted husband.
Turning a blind eye and looking the other way is her game.
Surprisingly she was my least favourite character even over Myles Roanoke himself.
I think it was the whole lack of maternal anything that contributed to my dislike of her immensely.
The Roanoke Girls has so many diverse flawed individuals that all do their part in making this an enthralling page-turner.
This is a portrayal of a family that is so not right and has not been for a very long time.
It is Love expressed so wrongly and out of context that it has become a sickness consuming from the inside out devouring till nothing remains standing.
A Dysfunctional family with dark concealed secrets at his core.
So I felt the author Amy Engel did an amazing job of dealing with such an explosive subject matter. she has handled it beautifully with finesse and a great understanding of such a delicate topic. Not everyone could have done this so sensitively and without sensationalising it so Really well done.
So that's it from me folk's, I could waffle on all day about this fascinating story, but I'm going to leave it here, but before I go a trigger warning The Roanoke Girls deals with themes of incest, but bar the one small kiss it is only referred to in words not actions and it is really not graphic in its content at all, but if this is a trigger for you please do avoid.
So all that's left is for me to say Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author Amy Engel herself for providing me with an arc of The Roanoke Girls this is my own honest unbiased opinion.
Arc Reviewed By BeckieBookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
"Roanoke girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die."
These were the words that originally captivated me, pulling me in and compelling me to pick up The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel.
This was quite a read, an unusual one, reminiscent of bygone authors, setting a stage of intrigue, mystery and dysfunctional family dynamics.
The secrets surrounding Roanoke are subtlely revealed early on leaving the reader highly aware of what flows beneath the seemingly normal surface.
This is a definite page-turner despite the exploration of (view spoiler)
This tale is told in two parts "Now and Then" and the storyline seamlessly hops between these two timelines.
We also get to jump briefly into the heads of each Roanoke girl that came before, which I found very enlightening, I really loved this touch and it greatly added to the storyline giving the reader an insight into what each girl was feeling deep inside her own skin.
Jane, Sophia, Penelope, Eleanor, Camilla, Allegra, Lane there is also little Emmaline but she died of a crib death as a baby.
All Roanoke girls, all carrying the same secrets down through the years, messed up heads and lives affected tragically.
The echoes of this rebounding out through each new generation.
This story is told through Lane Roanoke's point of view after her mother commits suicide and Lane comes to live with her Rich grandparents and cousin Allegra on the family estate.
This is the "THEN" portrayed in the narrative.
The "NOW" is Eleven years later when Lane returns to the family home after a frantic call from her granddad informing her that her cousin Allegra is missing.
After vowing never to return, Lane reluctantly returns home confronting secrets shes buried deep down inside.
I loved Lane as a character, she was a bit of a messed up headcase, but who can blame her.
It's obvious Lane Loved Allegra so deeply and this was the only thing, I think, her disappearing, that could have dragged her back to the bowels of Roanoke.
It was also very thought-provoking to observe Lane's former teenage toxic relationship with cooper rekindled as adults and I really did like him he had his own past baggage but really seemed to have evolved from this, unlike Lane.
I was so rooting for these two and I thought they made a great match, neither party having had it easy in life, they both deserved a bit of stability in the now.
Now Lanes connection with her grandad this was a strange one, confusing even I think to lane herself she really seemed to feel equal measures hate and love towards him.
Struggling with her mixed up emotions, greatly wanting to loathe him but feeling a strange pull, maybe because Lane feels he was the first person to actually seem to want and love her after enduring a lifetime of apathy from her mother.
As for the gran, well, What a cold selfish bitch she was.
I felt she herself held a huge role in what had been allowed to transpire, isn't it a mothers job to protect her daughters.
In this Lillian Roanoke has failed epically actually blaming her daughters instead of shielding them, she was such a cold fish only seeming to feel any affection towards her twisted husband.
Turning a blind eye and looking the other way is her game.
Surprisingly she was my least favourite character even over Myles Roanoke himself.
I think it was the whole lack of maternal anything that contributed to my dislike of her immensely.
The Roanoke Girls has so many diverse flawed individuals that all do their part in making this an enthralling page-turner.
This is a portrayal of a family that is so not right and has not been for a very long time.
It is Love expressed so wrongly and out of context that it has become a sickness consuming from the inside out devouring till nothing remains standing.
A Dysfunctional family with dark concealed secrets at his core.
So I felt the author Amy Engel did an amazing job of dealing with such an explosive subject matter. she has handled it beautifully with finesse and a great understanding of such a delicate topic. Not everyone could have done this so sensitively and without sensationalising it so Really well done.
So that's it from me folk's, I could waffle on all day about this fascinating story, but I'm going to leave it here, but before I go a trigger warning The Roanoke Girls deals with themes of incest, but bar the one small kiss it is only referred to in words not actions and it is really not graphic in its content at all, but if this is a trigger for you please do avoid.
So all that's left is for me to say Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author Amy Engel herself for providing me with an arc of The Roanoke Girls this is my own honest unbiased opinion.
Arc Reviewed By BeckieBookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Bad Guy Nonsense in Tabletop Games
Jul 2, 2020
Bad Guys have been running rampant, and your goal is to stop them and garner some recognition for yourself. However, some of your fellow crime-fighters have their eyes on the same prize, so you must be ready to employ whatever means necessary to capture the most Bad Guys! Whether you capture then yourself, or secure the help of Bounty Hunters, Heroes, Bandits, and more, keep an eye on your captures so they aren’t swiped out from right under you by an opponent… but if you’re sneaky enough maybe you could swipe one of theirs to add to your list of accolades.
Disclaimer: We were provided a PnP copy of Bad Guy Nonsense for the purposes of this preview. Please excuse my lack of a color printer, but know that the final artwork and cards ARE eye-catching, colorful, and clear to read. I do not intend to rehash the entire rulebook in this preview, but rather provide an overview of the gameplay. Check out the publisher’s website to download the rulebook for yourself, and keep an eye out for the Kickstarter campaign coming soon! -L
Bad Guy Nonsense is a card game of hand management and a bit of take that in which players are trying to score the most points by capturing Bad Guys. Here’s how it goes: shuffle the deck and deal 6 cards to each player. On your turn, you will perform one of 3 possible actions: Capture Bad Guy, Discard 1 Card, or Play 1 Special Card. To Capture a Bad Guy, use one of the 4 capture combinations and set the Bad Guy with corresponding cards in your play area. If you choose to Discard 1 Card, select a card from your hand to discard and then draw 1 new card from the draw deck. To play a Special Card, play it to the discard pile and perform its corresponding action. Whatever action you choose to perform, you will always draw back up to 6 cards at the end of your turn. Play continues until the draw deck runs out. Players may then place any remaining Bad Guy captures from their hand into their play area if they have any. Everyone counts up their points – positive points for Bad Guy captures, negative points for Bad Guys still in hand, and 1 point per Nonsense card in hand – and the player with the most points is the winner!
The basis and gameplay are pretty simple and straight-forward, and that’s what I love about Bad Guy Nonsense. It is so easy to teach, learn, and play that I can see this game played in so many situations. Whether I want to introduce some newer gamers to the hobby, or I need a fast and fun filler between longer games, or even if I want something to play with younger gamers, this game hits that sweet spot. Even though the gameplay is pretty simple, it still needs a bit of strategy for success. You need to decide which actions to take and when to ensure maximum benefit for yourself. Are you willing to risk discarding a card in hopes for getting a new one that may be more beneficial? Should you try to steal that high-value capture from an opponent? Or do you just try to fly under the radar, silently amassing your points and hoping your opponents don’t take notice? There are lots of options, and that keeps the gameplay refreshing and engaging. And the Special Card abilities add a fun strategic twist to the game too – from stealing opponent’s captures for yourself to searching the Discard deck for the card you want, you are always on your toes when playing this game.
Let’s talk components. Obviously, as I mentioned earlier, I do not have a color printer, so my PnP version leaves much to be desired. However, the final production copies of the game will feature tarot-sized cards that are bright, colorful, and sturdy in hand. I enjoyed this game so much that I will probably back it to get a copy of that higher quality for myself!
All in all, Bad Guy Nonsense is a fun little card game that can be played in many different situations. The gameplay is relatively light, the rules are simple to understand, and the time to play is the perfect length. Rarely do I play just one game of Bad Guy Nonsense, I will play 2 or 3 at least back-to-back! If you’re looking for a fun game that can be played with the entire family, consider backing Bad Guy Nonsense. It has a great balance of strategy and light-hearted fun that will keep you coming back for more.
Disclaimer: We were provided a PnP copy of Bad Guy Nonsense for the purposes of this preview. Please excuse my lack of a color printer, but know that the final artwork and cards ARE eye-catching, colorful, and clear to read. I do not intend to rehash the entire rulebook in this preview, but rather provide an overview of the gameplay. Check out the publisher’s website to download the rulebook for yourself, and keep an eye out for the Kickstarter campaign coming soon! -L
Bad Guy Nonsense is a card game of hand management and a bit of take that in which players are trying to score the most points by capturing Bad Guys. Here’s how it goes: shuffle the deck and deal 6 cards to each player. On your turn, you will perform one of 3 possible actions: Capture Bad Guy, Discard 1 Card, or Play 1 Special Card. To Capture a Bad Guy, use one of the 4 capture combinations and set the Bad Guy with corresponding cards in your play area. If you choose to Discard 1 Card, select a card from your hand to discard and then draw 1 new card from the draw deck. To play a Special Card, play it to the discard pile and perform its corresponding action. Whatever action you choose to perform, you will always draw back up to 6 cards at the end of your turn. Play continues until the draw deck runs out. Players may then place any remaining Bad Guy captures from their hand into their play area if they have any. Everyone counts up their points – positive points for Bad Guy captures, negative points for Bad Guys still in hand, and 1 point per Nonsense card in hand – and the player with the most points is the winner!
The basis and gameplay are pretty simple and straight-forward, and that’s what I love about Bad Guy Nonsense. It is so easy to teach, learn, and play that I can see this game played in so many situations. Whether I want to introduce some newer gamers to the hobby, or I need a fast and fun filler between longer games, or even if I want something to play with younger gamers, this game hits that sweet spot. Even though the gameplay is pretty simple, it still needs a bit of strategy for success. You need to decide which actions to take and when to ensure maximum benefit for yourself. Are you willing to risk discarding a card in hopes for getting a new one that may be more beneficial? Should you try to steal that high-value capture from an opponent? Or do you just try to fly under the radar, silently amassing your points and hoping your opponents don’t take notice? There are lots of options, and that keeps the gameplay refreshing and engaging. And the Special Card abilities add a fun strategic twist to the game too – from stealing opponent’s captures for yourself to searching the Discard deck for the card you want, you are always on your toes when playing this game.
Let’s talk components. Obviously, as I mentioned earlier, I do not have a color printer, so my PnP version leaves much to be desired. However, the final production copies of the game will feature tarot-sized cards that are bright, colorful, and sturdy in hand. I enjoyed this game so much that I will probably back it to get a copy of that higher quality for myself!
All in all, Bad Guy Nonsense is a fun little card game that can be played in many different situations. The gameplay is relatively light, the rules are simple to understand, and the time to play is the perfect length. Rarely do I play just one game of Bad Guy Nonsense, I will play 2 or 3 at least back-to-back! If you’re looking for a fun game that can be played with the entire family, consider backing Bad Guy Nonsense. It has a great balance of strategy and light-hearted fun that will keep you coming back for more.
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***Featured by Brit+Co as a "BEST NEW APP"*** Use Little Nugget® to capture pregnancy and baby...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Sinister (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Sinister is a movie that surprised me. I love scary movies, but most of the time it is the pure humor that I find in what people think is scary these days that makes me love them. I figured I would walk into this movie and leave in the same mood I always do. Laughing about how many people jumped in the theater because of what happened on screen. But, this time, I was one of those people. For the first time in over a decade I found a scary movie that downright creeped me out and made me jump. Not just once, more several times.
Sinister opens with old super-8 footage of a family of four being hung from a tree in a rather unique way. The movie is set in a small town in Pennsylvania where Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke; Training Day, Daybreakers) and his family (wife, daughter and son) are moving into a new house. Ellison is a true-crime writer, who hasn’t had a best-selling book in 10 years. His work in the true-crime field did not garner him any favor with the local law enforcement, and the Sheriff in particular would rather see him leave. Shortly, we realize that the house the Oswalt family has moved into the same house that the family in the opening scene lived in, this family is the basis for the book he is writing, and the house is also where they were murdered. This is unbeknownst to the family, except for Ellison himself.
Ellison finds a box in the addicts that is labeled home movies, and it contains several reels of super-8 footage. This footage helps him realize how and why the family from the opening scene were murdered, and their murders spanning from the late 60s to present day. Even more daunting, his discoveries as he moves forward in his investigation place his entire family in the path of a supernatural entity.
I am a firm believer that a film’s score can make or break a movie, despite how good the story is. Sinister did not fail in this department. With haunting melodies littered throughout the movie, and excellent timing by all punctuations, this film will definitely have you tense at exactly the right moments. The one bad thing I can say about this movie, and it was really more of a distraction than a bad thing, was Ethan Hawke’s voice. His voice seemed unnaturally deep compared to my experience with him in his previous roles, a thought which was echoed by many of my fellow critics in the theater. Overall, though, the movie was fantastic. With two interesting cameos in the movie, and a great little role for James Ransone (Inside Man, The Next Three Days), a relative known, and stellar acting from Ethan Hawke, this is a definite must see. Especially for date night, if you’re significant other is into scary movies that is.
Sinister opens with old super-8 footage of a family of four being hung from a tree in a rather unique way. The movie is set in a small town in Pennsylvania where Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke; Training Day, Daybreakers) and his family (wife, daughter and son) are moving into a new house. Ellison is a true-crime writer, who hasn’t had a best-selling book in 10 years. His work in the true-crime field did not garner him any favor with the local law enforcement, and the Sheriff in particular would rather see him leave. Shortly, we realize that the house the Oswalt family has moved into the same house that the family in the opening scene lived in, this family is the basis for the book he is writing, and the house is also where they were murdered. This is unbeknownst to the family, except for Ellison himself.
Ellison finds a box in the addicts that is labeled home movies, and it contains several reels of super-8 footage. This footage helps him realize how and why the family from the opening scene were murdered, and their murders spanning from the late 60s to present day. Even more daunting, his discoveries as he moves forward in his investigation place his entire family in the path of a supernatural entity.
I am a firm believer that a film’s score can make or break a movie, despite how good the story is. Sinister did not fail in this department. With haunting melodies littered throughout the movie, and excellent timing by all punctuations, this film will definitely have you tense at exactly the right moments. The one bad thing I can say about this movie, and it was really more of a distraction than a bad thing, was Ethan Hawke’s voice. His voice seemed unnaturally deep compared to my experience with him in his previous roles, a thought which was echoed by many of my fellow critics in the theater. Overall, though, the movie was fantastic. With two interesting cameos in the movie, and a great little role for James Ransone (Inside Man, The Next Three Days), a relative known, and stellar acting from Ethan Hawke, this is a definite must see. Especially for date night, if you’re significant other is into scary movies that is.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Quietus in Books
Feb 28, 2018
Was off to a great start, then goes downhill
Contains spoilers, click to show
***Possible spoilers you have been warned***
I was absolutely into the first half of the book. I loved the dark setting, the dark descent of madness for poor Kylie and trying to figure out what is happening to her and her world. The mood and the setting is dark and meant to be so, this part is excellent and sets the tone of the book. You get the eerie creepy feelings and the writing style is good enough that it could be played out like a movie in your head.
So Kyle as a character is all right. She has her flaws, her marriage has flaws but I’ll be honest to say I really did like her and Jack together. You knew they had major flaws and issues that should have been resolved but they just never got around to it. But their chemistry was excellent and you could feel their love even though sad to say, it was going on a path that just wasn’t meant to be. Although their relationship wasn’t that great to begin with, love was never a problem and they looked and seemed great together but it just wasn’t meant to be.
So let’s get to the plot. It started off on the right foot. Lots of creep factor. The plane crash incident well done. Kylie’s recovery, and the slow descent to what looks like madness (but isn’t) and the book tries to explain this to you while you read. Okay. I can handle this. I wanted to know what happens next.
Then we come across this incident in Kylie’s past that’s coming back to haunt her (see what I did there? Har har) okay. It’s pretty traumatic, and well you did send the guy to death because of a crime he committed so I get it.
Julius though….This guy was a grown man while Kylie was a little girl when he died and all of sudden he’s going all creepy touchy feely and managed to induce this semi wet dream/alternate reality sequence with present day Kylie while she was on public transportation. Yeah. Ok. And stop calling her Kylie Rose. It’s annoying but also creepy in a Pedo kind of way.
So after being introduced to Julius the incubus ghost wannabe the plot just slides down the hill and it becomes almost a chore to read through. I can’t believe this book has to be 608 pages as we already know what’s going on with Kylie and her crew about 200 pages in. It gets too descriptive, too mushy and it attempts to do some sort of surreal thing about life after death yadda yadda yadda.
I tried to like it. I can’t. If you cut the book in half and redid the ending so it wasn’t one long dreary part then the book would have been much better and more enjoyable to read. But this falls so short and it’s unfortunate the theme had promise and even the characters had potential.
I was absolutely into the first half of the book. I loved the dark setting, the dark descent of madness for poor Kylie and trying to figure out what is happening to her and her world. The mood and the setting is dark and meant to be so, this part is excellent and sets the tone of the book. You get the eerie creepy feelings and the writing style is good enough that it could be played out like a movie in your head.
So Kyle as a character is all right. She has her flaws, her marriage has flaws but I’ll be honest to say I really did like her and Jack together. You knew they had major flaws and issues that should have been resolved but they just never got around to it. But their chemistry was excellent and you could feel their love even though sad to say, it was going on a path that just wasn’t meant to be. Although their relationship wasn’t that great to begin with, love was never a problem and they looked and seemed great together but it just wasn’t meant to be.
So let’s get to the plot. It started off on the right foot. Lots of creep factor. The plane crash incident well done. Kylie’s recovery, and the slow descent to what looks like madness (but isn’t) and the book tries to explain this to you while you read. Okay. I can handle this. I wanted to know what happens next.
Then we come across this incident in Kylie’s past that’s coming back to haunt her (see what I did there? Har har) okay. It’s pretty traumatic, and well you did send the guy to death because of a crime he committed so I get it.
Julius though….This guy was a grown man while Kylie was a little girl when he died and all of sudden he’s going all creepy touchy feely and managed to induce this semi wet dream/alternate reality sequence with present day Kylie while she was on public transportation. Yeah. Ok. And stop calling her Kylie Rose. It’s annoying but also creepy in a Pedo kind of way.
So after being introduced to Julius the incubus ghost wannabe the plot just slides down the hill and it becomes almost a chore to read through. I can’t believe this book has to be 608 pages as we already know what’s going on with Kylie and her crew about 200 pages in. It gets too descriptive, too mushy and it attempts to do some sort of surreal thing about life after death yadda yadda yadda.
I tried to like it. I can’t. If you cut the book in half and redid the ending so it wasn’t one long dreary part then the book would have been much better and more enjoyable to read. But this falls so short and it’s unfortunate the theme had promise and even the characters had potential.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Love, Heather in Books
Oct 2, 2020
Love, Heather is one of the most disturbing YA novels related to bullying I have read!
Please be aware that this book has bullying and assault triggers.
Stevie and Lottie have been friends since they've known about each other. And when Lottie starts to hang out with the popular kids, Stevie wants to fit in too. One thing leads to another, and Stevie gets bullied by them, which quickly leads to the whole school avoiding her.
Then Stevie becomes friends with Dee, and they start plotting a revenge on the popular kids, which very quickly gets out of hand. The " Love, Heather " pranks are now spreading without anyone being able to stop them.
Stevie's family is a bit of a troubled one. Her mum and dad are divorced, and her dad doesn't have the interest to see her often, being busy with his new missus. Her mum is starting to date other men too, often not spending time with Stevie. Lacking her family love, Stevie sees Lottie's family as hers. Very understandably, given the fact she has spent countless days and nights there. Lottie's family is not perfect either though. They have their own problems, and the most recent one is Lottie's mum transitioning into a man.
Stevie as a character
Stevie is a person that makes you want to feel for you, but you can't. She is supposed to be sympathetic and she is supposed to be a victim. However, most of the time I found her quite annoying and attention seeking. It is also important to mention that she is not alone and could reach for help, but she didn't, despite people often asking her whether she is feeling okay and if there is anything they can do to help.
The world was always revolving about Stevie, and she couldn't understand how other may feel as well. A scene where she tells Lottie how to accept her mum's transition comes to mind. We all know that Stevie cares about Lottie and her mum, but Lottie is way closer and more affected in this situation. There are times where it's not our place to say things, and leave people to cope in their own way, and Stevie was not able to achieve this state of mind.
Powerful!
While I couldn't connect to Stevie on many levels, I absolutely cherish this book because it brings up bullying in a very powerful way. It is very emotional and very intense, every bit of reality hits hard and makes me angry for all the children out there that are getting bullied every day. I was once that kid. I was a Stevie too! And it sucks to see it happen again and again, and realise how cruel life and people can be sometimes, when no one gets punished for what they have done.
I loved how this book showed how small things done in consecutive way can have enormous effect to a person, or a group. How the small things we say today can hurt us badly. And I hope people will read this book with the hope of spreading the knowledge and standing up to bullies, before things go out of hand.
Please be aware that this book has bullying and assault triggers.
Stevie and Lottie have been friends since they've known about each other. And when Lottie starts to hang out with the popular kids, Stevie wants to fit in too. One thing leads to another, and Stevie gets bullied by them, which quickly leads to the whole school avoiding her.
Then Stevie becomes friends with Dee, and they start plotting a revenge on the popular kids, which very quickly gets out of hand. The " Love, Heather " pranks are now spreading without anyone being able to stop them.
Stevie's family is a bit of a troubled one. Her mum and dad are divorced, and her dad doesn't have the interest to see her often, being busy with his new missus. Her mum is starting to date other men too, often not spending time with Stevie. Lacking her family love, Stevie sees Lottie's family as hers. Very understandably, given the fact she has spent countless days and nights there. Lottie's family is not perfect either though. They have their own problems, and the most recent one is Lottie's mum transitioning into a man.
Stevie as a character
Stevie is a person that makes you want to feel for you, but you can't. She is supposed to be sympathetic and she is supposed to be a victim. However, most of the time I found her quite annoying and attention seeking. It is also important to mention that she is not alone and could reach for help, but she didn't, despite people often asking her whether she is feeling okay and if there is anything they can do to help.
The world was always revolving about Stevie, and she couldn't understand how other may feel as well. A scene where she tells Lottie how to accept her mum's transition comes to mind. We all know that Stevie cares about Lottie and her mum, but Lottie is way closer and more affected in this situation. There are times where it's not our place to say things, and leave people to cope in their own way, and Stevie was not able to achieve this state of mind.
Powerful!
While I couldn't connect to Stevie on many levels, I absolutely cherish this book because it brings up bullying in a very powerful way. It is very emotional and very intense, every bit of reality hits hard and makes me angry for all the children out there that are getting bullied every day. I was once that kid. I was a Stevie too! And it sucks to see it happen again and again, and realise how cruel life and people can be sometimes, when no one gets punished for what they have done.
I loved how this book showed how small things done in consecutive way can have enormous effect to a person, or a group. How the small things we say today can hurt us badly. And I hope people will read this book with the hope of spreading the knowledge and standing up to bullies, before things go out of hand.
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