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Rob Halford recommended Led Zeppelin 2 by Led Zeppelin in Music (curated)

 
Led Zeppelin 2 by Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin 2 by Led Zeppelin
1969 | Rock
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"You can't fail today to be mesmerised by 'Whole Lotta Love'. That was the song that did it for me. A lot of these choices that I've made are either the first or second release from these bands. I always thought that those were great times, because there was never any pressure around artists. You don't have all of the extras that come with being successful. The band is in a very pure place at that point. I always remember playing with them, but it was quite a while after this album came out. We'd just completed a very, very long and gruelling American tour. We were about to fly back to the UK and we had a call from Robert Plant saying, ""I heard you guys are still over in the States, would you like to come and hang out and open for Zeppelin on the Green ['Day On the Green' concert] in Oakland?"" So we got a really cheap, unglamorous motel by the side of the freeway. It was so poor that the walls were basically green, covered with algae. We were there for a week and just waiting and waiting and waiting for the chance to open up for Zeppelin. That was a very important show for Priest, because that was what broke us on the west coast of America."

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Adam Pally recommended The Jerk (1979) in Movies (curated)

 
The Jerk (1979)
The Jerk (1979)
1979 | Comedy

"I just feel like that’s a movie that I saw when I was a kid, and you watch it over and over and over again, and you’re like, “Oh, Steve Martin’s doing bits, but they fit a story.” And it’s beautifully shot and directed by Carl Reiner, which some people don’t realize, and I just can’t think of a movie that informed my comedic personality more than The Jerk. It’s also a dumb character… it breaks all these stupid rules that Hollywood has for the sake of humor, and for the sake of jokes, and it’s a feel-good movie. Oh, man. I watch it over and over and over again. It’s got bits of Woody Allen’s kind of mysticalism, but it’s not. It’s jokey but the jokes don’t have punchlines. It’s like a Steve Martin album live, and they did a good job with making it a story. In a lot of ways you have no Borat without The Jerk, you have no anything, Lebowski; all those characters are Jerk-inspired. I play dumb quite a bit; I’ll say that right now. I don’t know if you call it a crutch, or what, but I tend to lean dumb… I don’t think I would have been able to get away with that had it not been for that movie."

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Tommy Wiseau recommended Sonny (2002) in Movies (curated)

 
Sonny (2002)
Sonny (2002)
2002 | Crime, Drama
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"You’d be surprised but, again, I put in parentheses, I’m not here to praise James [Franco]. Okay? But the reason I support his role, because we didn’t have a choice at the time. We picked him because originally… I don’t know if you knew the story here that The Disaster Artist is based on the great storybook Disaster Artist, right? And he basically optioned the book, optioned to produce the movie. But people ask me who are supposed to… Who would I like? Who’s supposed to play me? I don’t know if you heard about it, but long story short, I say Johnny Depp. But we had a conversation with James, and with Greg [Sestero]. And Greg, long story short, he said, “What about James?” I said, “Yeah, he’s good, because I like his movie Sonny.” Sonny is the movie directed by Nicolas Cage. I don’t know if you’re familiar with it or not. It’s about gigolo in New Orleans, Louisiana, etc. So we had a conversation with James, and Greg says, “Sure, whatever. James playing you.” I said, “That’s good idea, because he did the movie Sonny, and which, I like it.” And for some reason, the critics think differently, or public, whatever. But this is relate to my life as well, The Room, basically. Because you have all the flavors. So that’s basically your little quirky backstory."

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Murder at a London Finishing School
Murder at a London Finishing School
Jessica Ellicott | 2023 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Returning to Their Alma Mater Means Murder
Brit Edwina Davenport and American Beryl Helliwell first met at Miss DuPont’s Finishing School for Young Ladies and forged their decades long friendship there. But now they’ve been hired by Miss DuPont to find out what is going on at the school that is driving down enrollment. The duo aren’t getting far with their investigation when they stumble on a dead body. Have the pranks escalated to murder?

If you look for the dead body to drop early, you might be disappointed with this book. I wasn’t. Between the early investigation and meeting the new characters, there was plenty to keep me engaged. Of course, things kick up a notch when murder enters the story. The ending, while logical, did feel a little rushed, but that was a minor complaint. We don’t see much of the series regulars, although a couple do make cameos. The new characters more than make up for it, and I appreciate how complex they were by the end. Beryl and Edwina grow as a result of visiting some place from their past. The story is set in the 1920’s, and things going on in society infuse the book. If you enjoy historical mysteries or mysteries set in England, you’ll be glad you picked this up.
  
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Juliette Jackson recommended track This Is the Day by The The in Soul Mining by The The in Music (curated)

 
Soul Mining by The The
Soul Mining by The The
1983 | Alternative
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Album Favorite

This Is the Day by The The

(0 Ratings)

Track

"Do you know that film Empire Records? It's got Liv Tyler and Renée Zellweger in it and it's a very 90s’ coming-of-age movie about these kids who work in a record shop. I used to be completely obsessed with it, I wanted to be Liv Tyler and I wanted to have her fluffy jumper. They used to put loads of sugar in their coffee and when I was fifteen and starting to make coffee for the first time, I used to put ten sugars in it, because that was what the kids in Empire Records did! This song comes on at the end, just as all the characters are dancing together. It’s so lifting and so fresh. There are no other songs in the world where an accordion sounds so good. “I've listened to other songs by The The but I'm much more of a song person than an album person. I'll make playlists and go back again and again to the exact same song. I feel like they've got a couple of other bangers, I can't think what they're called, but 'This is the Day' sounds exactly like what it is. It sounds exactly like what they're singing: ""This is the day when things fall into place!"" “It's also a song that me and Celia really bonded over when we first met. We both realised at the same time how much we love that film and we both have it as our 'wake up in the morning and pull your finger out' song."

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    LeaningTraveler Oahu

    LeaningTraveler Oahu

    Travel and Navigation

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

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    LeaningTraveler Oahu - a GPS adventure travel guide map app that provides turn-by-turn GPS map...

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
2017 | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Does what a good sequel needs to do
I have to admit that I really liked, but did not LOVE the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, so when I entered the local cineplex to check out Volume 2, I had lowered my expectations, figuring I'd find a film that was filled with "sequel-itis" and be just a step down from the previous film.

Boy...was I wrong.

I LOVED GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOLUME 2. This sequel succeeded in doing what a good sequel needs to do - take the premise, feel, characters and style of the first film and build on it.

And build on it, it does. Director James Gunn states that the first Guardians was about "a family coming together", and the 2nd movie is about "a family staying together" - and this is a family I want around and staying together.

Starting with the "core 5" - StarLord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldona), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket Racoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). These are all welcome characters that grow from the first movie to the 2nd, each with a purpose in this film and with something important to do. I enjoyed seeing them all again. Special notice should be paid to Bautista, who's Drax left me somewhat cold in the first film. Here he is a delight. Add to this returning characters Yondu (Michael Rooker) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) as well as newcomers Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) and Ego (Kurt Russell) and you have an ensemble that is easy and fun to watch.

At some point in the film, I thought to myself "now, THIS is a comic book film!" and I think it is because of the action and the visuals. The action moves fast and furious all the while populating a Universe (literally) that is eye-popping and interesting to watch. Director Gunn keeps things moving along, never staying too long in one place whilst avoiding the shaky-cam action. I always knew where I was in an action scene, what the characters are working on or for and what the outcomes might be. It is a refreshing change from the disorienting "shaky-cam" that the Bourne movies have wrought.

And, of course, nothing can top the soundtrack. The first film's "Awesome Mix" was a strong, joyous part of that movie. "Awesome Mix, Vol. 2" picks right up where the first one left off. The songs picked for this film did not disappoint.

Nor did much of this film. I enjoyed myself - and the antics of this gang - from start to finish, including the 5(!) extra scenes in the credits.

Letter Grade: A

9 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)