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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2579 KP) rated The Christie Caper in Books
Mar 29, 2023
Honoring Agatha Christie Turns Deadly
Annie Laurence Darling is hosting The Christie Caper, a week-long tribute to the queen of crime on her one hundredth birthday. But the event is being crashed by Neil Bledsoe, a reviewer who hates all but the most hard boiled mysteries and has made lots of enemies. Things have hardly started before the attacks on Neil begin, but he still goes ahead with tearing down Agatha Christie. Can Annie figure out what he is up to and stop him before someone stops him permanently?
Obviously, this book came out quite a few years ago since it was tied to Agatha Christie’s centennial. But that hardly matters since this is a great puzzle worth of Christie herself. I did find the pacing a little slow as it neared the middle of the book, but things picked up again not too long after that. All the characters we know and love are here once again, and they are fantastic. I do find Annie’s temper a little annoying, and hope it tones down as the series progresses. The suspects are strong as well. We get a great dose of humor as the book goes along. As with the others in the series, there is more foul language than I would expect for the genre. All told, this is another fine addition to a well-loved series. Fans of Christie will also enjoy it.
Obviously, this book came out quite a few years ago since it was tied to Agatha Christie’s centennial. But that hardly matters since this is a great puzzle worth of Christie herself. I did find the pacing a little slow as it neared the middle of the book, but things picked up again not too long after that. All the characters we know and love are here once again, and they are fantastic. I do find Annie’s temper a little annoying, and hope it tones down as the series progresses. The suspects are strong as well. We get a great dose of humor as the book goes along. As with the others in the series, there is more foul language than I would expect for the genre. All told, this is another fine addition to a well-loved series. Fans of Christie will also enjoy it.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2579 KP) rated A Plus One for Murder in Books
Dec 10, 2021
A Friend in Death
Emma Westlake has been talked into trying a new business as a paid companion for those who might need one. One of her first clients is Brian Hill, a local writer and conspiracy theorist. He wants Emma to be his cheering section at a local open mike night. When he dies not too long after starting his poem, Emma realizes he comments about there being people in the audience who wanted to kill him weren’t jokes. Feeling a sense of loyalty to Brian, Emma tries to figure out what happened to him. Can she do it?
As the first in a new series, this book has to balance setting up the premise of the series with giving us a good mystery. It does a good job of doing just that, and I was engaged the entire time. Naturally, the plot gets stronger the further we go into the book until we reach the logical climax. I did find one of the characters a little overbearing, but that was my only complaint. On the whole, I am already falling in love with the characters in the book, and it made me reflect on the friendships I have in my life. I also enjoyed the humor throughout the book. I laughed several times along the way. A new series from Laura Bradford is always reasons to rejoice, and this book proves why once again.
As the first in a new series, this book has to balance setting up the premise of the series with giving us a good mystery. It does a good job of doing just that, and I was engaged the entire time. Naturally, the plot gets stronger the further we go into the book until we reach the logical climax. I did find one of the characters a little overbearing, but that was my only complaint. On the whole, I am already falling in love with the characters in the book, and it made me reflect on the friendships I have in my life. I also enjoyed the humor throughout the book. I laughed several times along the way. A new series from Laura Bradford is always reasons to rejoice, and this book proves why once again.
Merissa (14027 KP) rated Captivated by Dominik (The Ralston Brothers) in Books
Jan 27, 2026
CAPTIVATED BY DOMINIK is the first book in The Ralson Brothers series, and features Dominik (obviously) and Sienna. Dominik is a hawk beastmaster, while Sienna works for the FIO (First Intelligence Office) as a diplomat.
Sienna has quite a strong gift, but the downside of that is that she has been contracted every year for a 12-month "marriage". She is on a dual mission to New Columbia, where the Royal Governor has taken a bit of a slimy shine to her, so she needs Dominik to help with that, as well as their other mission. It doesn't help that her boss is on the dodgy side, too! Poor Sienna.
Their relationship worked perfectly! It was both hot and slow-burn. Dominik was understandably p!ssed about how Sienna had been treated in the past, both by her boss and by her so-called husbands. I loved how he gave her the control and never once pushed her beyond what she was comfortable with.
If I had one niggle, it would be that the informant was never named. We know it's a 'he', but that's it, and that just about killed me. The only male that sprang to mind was her stylist, but I'm really hoping it wasn't him. I would love to know who it actually was!
This series promises delights with the Ralston clan. I love how we see the siblings interact, and I can't wait for more. Of course, some of the Ralston clan have already found their mates, but there is so much more to come. And, of course, I do hope Markus and Bella show up occasionally too!
One final comment - have you seen that cover? It's absolutely gorgeous, reflects the book, and look how wonderful Alstair is! A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 27, 2026
Sienna has quite a strong gift, but the downside of that is that she has been contracted every year for a 12-month "marriage". She is on a dual mission to New Columbia, where the Royal Governor has taken a bit of a slimy shine to her, so she needs Dominik to help with that, as well as their other mission. It doesn't help that her boss is on the dodgy side, too! Poor Sienna.
Their relationship worked perfectly! It was both hot and slow-burn. Dominik was understandably p!ssed about how Sienna had been treated in the past, both by her boss and by her so-called husbands. I loved how he gave her the control and never once pushed her beyond what she was comfortable with.
If I had one niggle, it would be that the informant was never named. We know it's a 'he', but that's it, and that just about killed me. The only male that sprang to mind was her stylist, but I'm really hoping it wasn't him. I would love to know who it actually was!
This series promises delights with the Ralston clan. I love how we see the siblings interact, and I can't wait for more. Of course, some of the Ralston clan have already found their mates, but there is so much more to come. And, of course, I do hope Markus and Bella show up occasionally too!
One final comment - have you seen that cover? It's absolutely gorgeous, reflects the book, and look how wonderful Alstair is! A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 27, 2026
Photo Finish Horse Racing
Games and Sports
8.3
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*** The best horse racing series on mobile! *** Can you win the Cup and take the Crown of Horse...
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Seeing Angels: How to Recognize and Interact with Your Heavenly Messengers in Books
Nov 4, 2019
A recent study found that 57 percent of Catholics, 66 percent of Evangelical Protestants, and 10 percent of Jews have reported having a personal experience with a guardian angel. And 20 percent of those who identified themselves as having no religion also claimed having encountered an angel.
Seeing Angels is one of the most in depth examinations of angelic ministry by one of the cutting-edge charismatic leaders in the church today. Joshua Mills goes beyond the usual takes on angels regarding spiritual warfare and explores who they are, how to recognize them, and what they do.
Part I, Understanding Your Angels, is all about understanding who angels are, exploring why they are necessary and how different angels minister comfort, healing, love, prosperity. It reveals who they carry out specific geographic assignments for cities and nations, as well as the more unique and extraordinary assignments they receive.
Part II, Discerning Your Angels, explains how to become more aware of the unseen heavenly realm, as well as how to recognize divine intervention when it does reveal itself to human sight. Such manifestations include random strangers, visions, or signs and messengers that believers receive. Joshua also explains the way he has interacted with visions of radiant light, swirling colors, and what he describes as atmospheric shifts. All of this is intended to make believers become more aware of both invisible and revealed spiritual realities.
Part III, Working with Your Angels, deals specifically with how to minister alongside these heavenly messengers as they stand watch, provide protection, and administer strength and comfort. This includes recognizing their movements and how to effectively pray for angelic encounters to take place.
With a foreword by Patricia King, Seeing Angels is among the most comprehensive teachings on recognizing angelic beings and understanding how to partner with them in ministry.
My Thoughts: This is an engaging book that will be of certain value to those who are interested in angels. We must remember that there are angels all around us fighting a spiritual battle for us. In his book, Joshua Mills not only identifies and explains angels to us but also assists us to see angels for ourselves.
This is an engaging book, and very insightful. We must remember in Hebrews 13:2 "y some have entertained angels unawares." I am certain that we all have and will someday entertain angels in one form or another.
An exciting book for those who are interested in angels.
Seeing Angels is one of the most in depth examinations of angelic ministry by one of the cutting-edge charismatic leaders in the church today. Joshua Mills goes beyond the usual takes on angels regarding spiritual warfare and explores who they are, how to recognize them, and what they do.
Part I, Understanding Your Angels, is all about understanding who angels are, exploring why they are necessary and how different angels minister comfort, healing, love, prosperity. It reveals who they carry out specific geographic assignments for cities and nations, as well as the more unique and extraordinary assignments they receive.
Part II, Discerning Your Angels, explains how to become more aware of the unseen heavenly realm, as well as how to recognize divine intervention when it does reveal itself to human sight. Such manifestations include random strangers, visions, or signs and messengers that believers receive. Joshua also explains the way he has interacted with visions of radiant light, swirling colors, and what he describes as atmospheric shifts. All of this is intended to make believers become more aware of both invisible and revealed spiritual realities.
Part III, Working with Your Angels, deals specifically with how to minister alongside these heavenly messengers as they stand watch, provide protection, and administer strength and comfort. This includes recognizing their movements and how to effectively pray for angelic encounters to take place.
With a foreword by Patricia King, Seeing Angels is among the most comprehensive teachings on recognizing angelic beings and understanding how to partner with them in ministry.
My Thoughts: This is an engaging book that will be of certain value to those who are interested in angels. We must remember that there are angels all around us fighting a spiritual battle for us. In his book, Joshua Mills not only identifies and explains angels to us but also assists us to see angels for ourselves.
This is an engaging book, and very insightful. We must remember in Hebrews 13:2 "y some have entertained angels unawares." I am certain that we all have and will someday entertain angels in one form or another.
An exciting book for those who are interested in angels.
saheffernan (157 KP) rated You Must Not Miss in Books
Mar 19, 2019
LBYRpartners and The Novl gave me this arc in exchange for an honest review what follows is my thoughts and opinions
"Everybody has a reason to want to change their lives" -Magpie Lewis
Magpie has some of the best. We love stories of broken people and Magpie is a dark, hurt, twisted broken at the core person. After finding her father sleeping with her aunt, her drunk mother who can't even fend for her own well being and especially not Magpie's, her sister has moved away to college changed her number and never looked back, and losing her best friend you feel bad for Magpie very, very sad for her. Like any other teenager dealing with a host of big issues Magpie is dying to escape and one day she does, creating a world she controls. As the story continues you realize maybe you shouldn't have felt as bad for her as you originally had. Magpie starts to deal with her issues by shoving them into this new world and destroying them. She begins to do all the terrible and twisted things that have been done to her, much like a typical teenager may act out. This novel kept me interested and reading. Although, I felt a little bizarre about the new world it made sense that's how she chose to control things that were otherwise uncontrollable. I love how the novel ended feeling complete and tied up. I liked Magpie as a character and her new group of outcast friends after the terrible incident that lead her to lose her best friend. I was blown away by the topics covered in this novel and the way they were talked about from transgendered characters to sexual abuse were elegantly addressed. I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves a little sci-fi and contemporary mashups while dealing with grand scale issues.
"Everybody has a reason to want to change their lives" -Magpie Lewis
Magpie has some of the best. We love stories of broken people and Magpie is a dark, hurt, twisted broken at the core person. After finding her father sleeping with her aunt, her drunk mother who can't even fend for her own well being and especially not Magpie's, her sister has moved away to college changed her number and never looked back, and losing her best friend you feel bad for Magpie very, very sad for her. Like any other teenager dealing with a host of big issues Magpie is dying to escape and one day she does, creating a world she controls. As the story continues you realize maybe you shouldn't have felt as bad for her as you originally had. Magpie starts to deal with her issues by shoving them into this new world and destroying them. She begins to do all the terrible and twisted things that have been done to her, much like a typical teenager may act out. This novel kept me interested and reading. Although, I felt a little bizarre about the new world it made sense that's how she chose to control things that were otherwise uncontrollable. I love how the novel ended feeling complete and tied up. I liked Magpie as a character and her new group of outcast friends after the terrible incident that lead her to lose her best friend. I was blown away by the topics covered in this novel and the way they were talked about from transgendered characters to sexual abuse were elegantly addressed. I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves a little sci-fi and contemporary mashups while dealing with grand scale issues.
iWepPRO WiFi Passwords Generator
Utilities and Social Networking
10.0
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Connect to WiFi Hotspots for free and check routers security all over the world. Now you can scan...
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Circe in Books
Aug 21, 2018
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<b><i>WHEN I WAS BORN, the name for what I was did not exist.<i/></b>
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/maxresdefault.jpg?w=636"/>;
I was waiting for two whole months to get this book from the library. And I finally had a chance to read Circe from Madeline Miller. A book that everyone was talking about. The only thing you were gonna see on Instagram. Well, here I am – sitting with the cool kids now, I’ve read this book.
The reason I wanted to read this book wasn’t because I wanted to be part of the cool kids. Actually, it was because Greek Mythology has a special place in my heart. See, I was born in Macedonia, a country full of history, and so very close to Greece, where histories and cultures and traditions match and mix.
When I was in school, our teachers focused hard on history. Especially Roman and Greek Mythology. So yes, I grew up with Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and yes, I know all the gods out there, what they do, who they married, who their children are.
I have read about Circe, but I have never given her any meaning, as she is not mentioned a lot in Homer’s works, as you might already know. And then suddenly, there is a book about her life. I had to read it!!!
<b><i>AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!</i></b>
This might be my favorite book of 2018!
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/img_20180625_200755_238.jpg?w=636"/>;
I enjoyed Madeline’s writing style. It was so explanatory and calm, and soothing, like swimming in nice calm waters. You would just gulp her words as you read, and before you know it, you have read 200 pages.
Circe, oh Circe! Her character was so well described – such a strong powerful woman. We start with her childhood, to her growing up, and we follow the process of how she learned things the hard way, how she is naive, and then suddenly isn’t, how she discovers the power she holds within, despite everyone else mocking her and saying otherwise. We see how she decides to say no, how she is not afraid to be a rebel, and how she suffers, and loves, and protects, and cares, and survives, and lives!
You will read a story about the love a mother has toward her child, the love a woman has toward her man, the love a son has towards her mother, the love for freedom, the love for glory…
If you love Greek Mythology, you will get the chance to say hi to some of your favourite gods, nymphs, titans, monsters – Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Prometheus, Odysseus and many more which I will fail to reveal.
I hardly believe that this is a great book for introducing Greek Mythology to new young readers. I also hardly believe that this book will change the thoughts of many people, the way they see things, the way they live, the way they think.
It was one of my favorite things about him: how he always fought for his chance.
There are a lot of side characters that give their own meaning to the story as well, and there is also Odysseus, and at times it feels as this is his story, but in the end you realized that this story belongs to Circe only.
<b><i>Do not listen to your enemy, Odysseus had once told me. Look at them. It will tell you everything.
I looked. Armed and armored, she was (Athena), from head to foot, helmet, spear, aegis, greaves. A terrifying vision: the goddess of war, ready for battle. But why had she assembled such a panoply against me, who knew nothing of combat? Unless there was something else she feared, something that made her feel somehow stripped and weak.
Instinct carried me forward, the thousand hours I had spent in my father’s halls, and with Odysseus polymetis, man of so many wiles.</i></b>
To all of you out there – please take your time to read this book! It will leave you breathless, inspired, motivated and it will change your life forever. It changed my life – that’s for certain!
<b><i>WHEN I WAS BORN, the name for what I was did not exist.<i/></b>
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/maxresdefault.jpg?w=636"/>;
I was waiting for two whole months to get this book from the library. And I finally had a chance to read Circe from Madeline Miller. A book that everyone was talking about. The only thing you were gonna see on Instagram. Well, here I am – sitting with the cool kids now, I’ve read this book.
The reason I wanted to read this book wasn’t because I wanted to be part of the cool kids. Actually, it was because Greek Mythology has a special place in my heart. See, I was born in Macedonia, a country full of history, and so very close to Greece, where histories and cultures and traditions match and mix.
When I was in school, our teachers focused hard on history. Especially Roman and Greek Mythology. So yes, I grew up with Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and yes, I know all the gods out there, what they do, who they married, who their children are.
I have read about Circe, but I have never given her any meaning, as she is not mentioned a lot in Homer’s works, as you might already know. And then suddenly, there is a book about her life. I had to read it!!!
<b><i>AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!</i></b>
This might be my favorite book of 2018!
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/img_20180625_200755_238.jpg?w=636"/>;
I enjoyed Madeline’s writing style. It was so explanatory and calm, and soothing, like swimming in nice calm waters. You would just gulp her words as you read, and before you know it, you have read 200 pages.
Circe, oh Circe! Her character was so well described – such a strong powerful woman. We start with her childhood, to her growing up, and we follow the process of how she learned things the hard way, how she is naive, and then suddenly isn’t, how she discovers the power she holds within, despite everyone else mocking her and saying otherwise. We see how she decides to say no, how she is not afraid to be a rebel, and how she suffers, and loves, and protects, and cares, and survives, and lives!
You will read a story about the love a mother has toward her child, the love a woman has toward her man, the love a son has towards her mother, the love for freedom, the love for glory…
If you love Greek Mythology, you will get the chance to say hi to some of your favourite gods, nymphs, titans, monsters – Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Prometheus, Odysseus and many more which I will fail to reveal.
I hardly believe that this is a great book for introducing Greek Mythology to new young readers. I also hardly believe that this book will change the thoughts of many people, the way they see things, the way they live, the way they think.
It was one of my favorite things about him: how he always fought for his chance.
There are a lot of side characters that give their own meaning to the story as well, and there is also Odysseus, and at times it feels as this is his story, but in the end you realized that this story belongs to Circe only.
<b><i>Do not listen to your enemy, Odysseus had once told me. Look at them. It will tell you everything.
I looked. Armed and armored, she was (Athena), from head to foot, helmet, spear, aegis, greaves. A terrifying vision: the goddess of war, ready for battle. But why had she assembled such a panoply against me, who knew nothing of combat? Unless there was something else she feared, something that made her feel somehow stripped and weak.
Instinct carried me forward, the thousand hours I had spent in my father’s halls, and with Odysseus polymetis, man of so many wiles.</i></b>
To all of you out there – please take your time to read this book! It will leave you breathless, inspired, motivated and it will change your life forever. It changed my life – that’s for certain!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
We left off at the end of John Wick 2 with our lead's imminent excommunication. He's been given an hours grace, in a city that's filled with assassins his odds don't look good, but even for John Wick... bad odds are still pretty good.
I've been contemplating the story to this since I watched it. There doesn't feel like much of one. He's attempting to save his life, sure, but that's really the only thing. It feels very much like a set up for the sequel, which depending on what you read is either already planned or not planned at all.
I don't really think we go to see John Wick movies for the plot though, do we? So on that front it delivers spectacularly. The opening was immense, we come in knowing that it's all going to kick off pretty quickly after the last instalment so the anticipation is with you from the off, and it doesn't disappoint. Sheer kick-assery that we've come to expect from the franchise.
As the clock ticks over the hour and John Wick's own time is now running out he dashes through the streets (rather bold for someone with a $14 million bounty on his head) trying to make his way to people who might actually help him. Of course he's spotted by one of the thousands of assassins and villains that seem to litter the streets of New York. He ends up in a handily weaponised building and we see him take on a gang of knife proficient bad guys. The scene in this sequence, with the weapons cupboards, had everyone in the cinema chuckling.
Laughter was a surprising feature of the film, the same chuckling rippled through several scenes and broke up the violence. Some of that violence did also bring out the odd pained "ooh" as we recoiled from the screen in sympathetic pain for the character.
The complexities of the fight scenes are epic, but there was one moment in particular that stuck out as being scripted... yes, yes, I know it's all scripted! We see a very brief pause and the reaction's slow in a moment that was such a departure from everything around it that it was very noticeable to me. (On second viewing, while I still saw it, it wasn't as bad as I had seen it the first time.)
One other fight scene made me pause with a moment of being picky. John and Sofia are fighting every bad guy in Morocco. It was epic, it was fun... but everywhere I looked, "someone's going to fall off that and land on that". The set-up of the scenery was such a giveaway to upcoming action that it took some edge of the action.
The cast is filled to the brim with wonderful actors. Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick and Anjelica Huston were brilliant. I was a little taken aback to see Jerome Flynn appear as Sofia's old boss, Berrada. I winced a little when I noticed that he was playing it with an accent, but I had to take it back because he was rather good with it. There was no one that I thought was "letting the side down", everyone brought their A-game.
There's only one character that did something that disappointed. Zero, played by Mark Dacascos, is a very disciplined man. He's a master with the knife, a master of death, and his action sequences are incredible. He also gets a very funny moment in The Continental before my moment of disappointment. They turn him into a fanboy, and while the contrast has the potential to be amusing it's actually better achieved with characters later in the film. Zero's change felt uncomfortable and out of place.
I shouldn't put all of that in one place, there's one other very short moment in the film that seems out of character/place, and that's at the very end of the film. It felt so odd that I would have ended it a scene earlier. I liked the reveal, but it would have left a bit more intrigue without it.
We can't talk about John Wick without talking about doggos, and these ones were exceptionally good. The two new additions are very talented and look like they get to have a lot of fun. But my heart belongs to Dog though. When he turns up in a taxi... 😢
Can we all face up to some facts at this point, please? John Wick... super assassin... well, he isn't really is he? He's just really resilient when taking a beating, and very persistent when it comes to shooting things! He'd waste a lot less ammo if he didn't put a minimum of three bullets into every body.
Parabellum was action packed and showed us some very imaginative pieces, but it didn't feel quite as well rounded as either of the other two. I'm still looking forward to what's to come, the pure action is amazing I love to see what they think of next. On the horizon we've got a fourth film, which is listed as Ballerina, and a TV series called The Continental. From this installment I could see some potential routes for the film, but it's the series I'm excited about. I would absolutely love it if each episode was in a different Continental.
What you should do
This movie is an "anyone" kind of thing. Old, young, couples, friends, lone cinema nerds... we were all there. If you love mindless violence and action then you should go and watch this, and look out for the best line of the whole film, "I get it."
If you don't like seeing bad things happen to good books, perhaps don't watch the first ten minutes or so.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I've been contemplating the story to this since I watched it. There doesn't feel like much of one. He's attempting to save his life, sure, but that's really the only thing. It feels very much like a set up for the sequel, which depending on what you read is either already planned or not planned at all.
I don't really think we go to see John Wick movies for the plot though, do we? So on that front it delivers spectacularly. The opening was immense, we come in knowing that it's all going to kick off pretty quickly after the last instalment so the anticipation is with you from the off, and it doesn't disappoint. Sheer kick-assery that we've come to expect from the franchise.
As the clock ticks over the hour and John Wick's own time is now running out he dashes through the streets (rather bold for someone with a $14 million bounty on his head) trying to make his way to people who might actually help him. Of course he's spotted by one of the thousands of assassins and villains that seem to litter the streets of New York. He ends up in a handily weaponised building and we see him take on a gang of knife proficient bad guys. The scene in this sequence, with the weapons cupboards, had everyone in the cinema chuckling.
Laughter was a surprising feature of the film, the same chuckling rippled through several scenes and broke up the violence. Some of that violence did also bring out the odd pained "ooh" as we recoiled from the screen in sympathetic pain for the character.
The complexities of the fight scenes are epic, but there was one moment in particular that stuck out as being scripted... yes, yes, I know it's all scripted! We see a very brief pause and the reaction's slow in a moment that was such a departure from everything around it that it was very noticeable to me. (On second viewing, while I still saw it, it wasn't as bad as I had seen it the first time.)
One other fight scene made me pause with a moment of being picky. John and Sofia are fighting every bad guy in Morocco. It was epic, it was fun... but everywhere I looked, "someone's going to fall off that and land on that". The set-up of the scenery was such a giveaway to upcoming action that it took some edge of the action.
The cast is filled to the brim with wonderful actors. Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick and Anjelica Huston were brilliant. I was a little taken aback to see Jerome Flynn appear as Sofia's old boss, Berrada. I winced a little when I noticed that he was playing it with an accent, but I had to take it back because he was rather good with it. There was no one that I thought was "letting the side down", everyone brought their A-game.
There's only one character that did something that disappointed. Zero, played by Mark Dacascos, is a very disciplined man. He's a master with the knife, a master of death, and his action sequences are incredible. He also gets a very funny moment in The Continental before my moment of disappointment. They turn him into a fanboy, and while the contrast has the potential to be amusing it's actually better achieved with characters later in the film. Zero's change felt uncomfortable and out of place.
I shouldn't put all of that in one place, there's one other very short moment in the film that seems out of character/place, and that's at the very end of the film. It felt so odd that I would have ended it a scene earlier. I liked the reveal, but it would have left a bit more intrigue without it.
We can't talk about John Wick without talking about doggos, and these ones were exceptionally good. The two new additions are very talented and look like they get to have a lot of fun. But my heart belongs to Dog though. When he turns up in a taxi... 😢
Can we all face up to some facts at this point, please? John Wick... super assassin... well, he isn't really is he? He's just really resilient when taking a beating, and very persistent when it comes to shooting things! He'd waste a lot less ammo if he didn't put a minimum of three bullets into every body.
Parabellum was action packed and showed us some very imaginative pieces, but it didn't feel quite as well rounded as either of the other two. I'm still looking forward to what's to come, the pure action is amazing I love to see what they think of next. On the horizon we've got a fourth film, which is listed as Ballerina, and a TV series called The Continental. From this installment I could see some potential routes for the film, but it's the series I'm excited about. I would absolutely love it if each episode was in a different Continental.
What you should do
This movie is an "anyone" kind of thing. Old, young, couples, friends, lone cinema nerds... we were all there. If you love mindless violence and action then you should go and watch this, and look out for the best line of the whole film, "I get it."
If you don't like seeing bad things happen to good books, perhaps don't watch the first ten minutes or so.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Toca Life: School
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Grab your backpack— it’s time for Toca Life: School! Teach a class, pick a locker and have a...