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Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated The Batman Who Laughs in Books
Nov 30, 2020
I am really eating up DC's books of late, especially the Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV! Yes, there are some hiccups along the way, as true for even the best of publishers, but the overall good output far outshines the bad/MEH output! I am quite liking this whole "Rebirth" thing and the way it ties into WATCHMEN, can't wait to see it all wrapped with DOOMSDAY CLOCK #12. <i>*ahem*</i> Let's not get ahead of ourselves then, eh? Onto my thoughts on TBWL..
I liked it quite a bit! Yes, it probably could easily have been a 5-issue mini, but I don't feel the story suffered by the added length. It allowed for the crazy roller coaster ride that it was to be even crazier, helped to spread just a bit more darkness in Gotham! Oh, and it showed how Alfred truly is the necessary light in Batman/Bruce's life, something B-Man totally needs, far more than Selina (sorry, Tom King, but I don't think the romance between the two works. Jus' sayin' is all!).
I know a lot of folks absolutely <b>abhor</b> DARK NIGHTS: METAL and anything relating to it, including the Batman Who Laughs! Me? I am enjoying it to no great end! It reminds me of some of the best things about the 90's, just turned up to 11! I think it's an interesting concept, bringing some clever creepiness into DC's "Rebirth"! And besides, it is at least something fresh and different (unlike the umpteenth X-deaths/reboots over at Marvel!)!
One aspect of the mini that really drove it all home was the art by Jock. I loved what he did in the WYTCHES (also with Snyder), and here it is just as good, if not better. The use of shadows and angles brings the creepiness all up and about, leaving with you long after the lights have gone out and sleep comes over you!
I already mentioned it, and several others have as well in their reviews, but Alfred was clearly the MVP here! He was totally on board, taking being a butler to a whole new level beyond 100%! I think sometimes he is under-utilized, but here he definitely got some much needed appreciation and respect! Kudos to you, Scott Snyder, for giving Alfred his due!
And lastly, that ending, the last couple panels? Ewwwww... chills!! Now, I can not wait to read Joshua Williamson's BATMAN/SUPERMAN #1! No spoilers, tho', promise!
So, yes, I was super-impressed with THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS, just as I was with Snyder's DARK NIGHTS: METAL. If you didn't like METAL, then, well, chances are pretty likely you won't like this one!
I liked it quite a bit! Yes, it probably could easily have been a 5-issue mini, but I don't feel the story suffered by the added length. It allowed for the crazy roller coaster ride that it was to be even crazier, helped to spread just a bit more darkness in Gotham! Oh, and it showed how Alfred truly is the necessary light in Batman/Bruce's life, something B-Man totally needs, far more than Selina (sorry, Tom King, but I don't think the romance between the two works. Jus' sayin' is all!).
I know a lot of folks absolutely <b>abhor</b> DARK NIGHTS: METAL and anything relating to it, including the Batman Who Laughs! Me? I am enjoying it to no great end! It reminds me of some of the best things about the 90's, just turned up to 11! I think it's an interesting concept, bringing some clever creepiness into DC's "Rebirth"! And besides, it is at least something fresh and different (unlike the umpteenth X-deaths/reboots over at Marvel!)!
One aspect of the mini that really drove it all home was the art by Jock. I loved what he did in the WYTCHES (also with Snyder), and here it is just as good, if not better. The use of shadows and angles brings the creepiness all up and about, leaving with you long after the lights have gone out and sleep comes over you!
I already mentioned it, and several others have as well in their reviews, but Alfred was clearly the MVP here! He was totally on board, taking being a butler to a whole new level beyond 100%! I think sometimes he is under-utilized, but here he definitely got some much needed appreciation and respect! Kudos to you, Scott Snyder, for giving Alfred his due!
And lastly, that ending, the last couple panels? Ewwwww... chills!! Now, I can not wait to read Joshua Williamson's BATMAN/SUPERMAN #1! No spoilers, tho', promise!
So, yes, I was super-impressed with THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS, just as I was with Snyder's DARK NIGHTS: METAL. If you didn't like METAL, then, well, chances are pretty likely you won't like this one!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Ocean’s 8 (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Does exactly what it says on the tin. A heist movie is probably right up near the top of my list for viewing pleasure, and the Ocean's series would in all likelihood take the top spots within it. You know you're going to be entertained. This did make me slightly nervous about seeing 8 because I was really looking forward to it. The way my luck goes that usually means that something is going to go wrong, but as it turns out, I didn't need to worry.
But it was yet another movie that brought some "technically" reviewers out of the woodwork. "Technically they wouldn't have gotten away with anything." Yes. We know. We're watching a film, not a documentary, how about we just concentrate on having some fun?
I was left momentarily reeling during the screening as I had a sudden realisation... I was missing a person. It hadn't occurred to me that in the first trailer, and in the film she says she needs seven people. I think my brain just auto-compensated her as number eight. So it was when they reveal the plan that I do the count and realise that, wait, there ARE only seven of them there. At this point it didn't even occur to me that there were eight people's names in the trailers, or that when you see them "incognito" on the tube in the trailer that Anne Hathaway is right there with them. All in all that made for a nice twist that my brain had somehow managed to miss.
The only technicality I'm going to call is that with Chen doing some acrobatics that technically brought it up to Ocean's 9.
While it used some of the same... strategies(?)... that we saw in the other films it was still a very entertaining watch. You still get that excitement from seeing them get away with the goods.
Everyone seemed to work really well in the parts they had. The only glaring exception for me was James Corden. I don't mind him as an actor (there's something seriously wrong with you if you don't like him as Craig in Doctor Who), but I understand he isn't everyone's cup of tea. Even from the trailers I was unsure of his role in this. After seeing the film I'm still unsure about it. He didn't sit right for me and I honestly don't understand why they didn't go for someone slightly more serious in the role.
I was pleasantly surprised by the audience too. I had expected a slightly female dominated audience, perhaps more couples, but actually I was outnumbered by small groups of lads and single male viewers. It's nice to see that this is appealing to lots of different people.
But it was yet another movie that brought some "technically" reviewers out of the woodwork. "Technically they wouldn't have gotten away with anything." Yes. We know. We're watching a film, not a documentary, how about we just concentrate on having some fun?
I was left momentarily reeling during the screening as I had a sudden realisation... I was missing a person. It hadn't occurred to me that in the first trailer, and in the film she says she needs seven people. I think my brain just auto-compensated her as number eight. So it was when they reveal the plan that I do the count and realise that, wait, there ARE only seven of them there. At this point it didn't even occur to me that there were eight people's names in the trailers, or that when you see them "incognito" on the tube in the trailer that Anne Hathaway is right there with them. All in all that made for a nice twist that my brain had somehow managed to miss.
The only technicality I'm going to call is that with Chen doing some acrobatics that technically brought it up to Ocean's 9.
While it used some of the same... strategies(?)... that we saw in the other films it was still a very entertaining watch. You still get that excitement from seeing them get away with the goods.
Everyone seemed to work really well in the parts they had. The only glaring exception for me was James Corden. I don't mind him as an actor (there's something seriously wrong with you if you don't like him as Craig in Doctor Who), but I understand he isn't everyone's cup of tea. Even from the trailers I was unsure of his role in this. After seeing the film I'm still unsure about it. He didn't sit right for me and I honestly don't understand why they didn't go for someone slightly more serious in the role.
I was pleasantly surprised by the audience too. I had expected a slightly female dominated audience, perhaps more couples, but actually I was outnumbered by small groups of lads and single male viewers. It's nice to see that this is appealing to lots of different people.
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Note to Self in Books
Sep 10, 2019
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ
Goodreads rating: 3.73 out of 5 stars
My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Anna never considered herself bisexual or a lesbian. She’s totally in love with her husband and happy with her life as a wife, mother, and cop. But that all changes when she meets Susan, a pretty, feminine doctor, who turns Anna’s world upside down. Confused and full of guilt from thinking erotic thoughts about Susan while married to Nick, Anna turns to her journal to sort it all out.
Okay, once this story gets going, it’s great. But in the beginning it is so damn boring. Journal or not, Anna does not get to the frigging point for like four or five pages! I was tempted to go wash the dishes at least twice in the beginning of the book. When the dishes are pulling me away from a book, and not the other way around, something is very wrong.
However, it does read like a real diary, so kudos on that.
Once Anna gets her shit together and actually starts telling what happened, the story gets a lot better. Her inner turmoil is relatable and realistic and makes me like her alot. Susan’s character is also great. Being very girly, Susan has a nice contrast with Anna, and that makes their time together that much sweeter. I always love it when characters are developed, even for short erotica pieces like this one.
I do have a problem with Anna being married, though. Her husband is a great guy who is very supportive of her and their son. He showed up to their son’s kindergarten barbecue, doesn’t mind his wife being “one of the guys”, and doesn’t even get jealous from other men’s stares at her.
It’s really clear that they are still very much in love and unless it becomes clear in the sequel that he’s a serial cheater or hiding huge secrets, (like, “I killed my boss and embezzled five million dollars” type of secret. Not “that purple dress really did make you look like Barney and I didn’t tell you even though I knew pictures were going on Facebook” type of secret) then I’m never going to like Anna’s and Susan’s relationship as much as I could.
Lesbian relationship? No problem. More power to ya. Cheating on a very sweet person? Huge problem. Shouldn’t happen. Burn in hell.
You can read Note to Self on Smashwords for free. I recommend you check it out if it sounds like your cup of tea. Speaking of tea, take some time to read with a cup of it. The holidays are coming up, and you need some relaxation before your life dissolves into chaos. Take care!
Goodreads rating: 3.73 out of 5 stars
My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Anna never considered herself bisexual or a lesbian. She’s totally in love with her husband and happy with her life as a wife, mother, and cop. But that all changes when she meets Susan, a pretty, feminine doctor, who turns Anna’s world upside down. Confused and full of guilt from thinking erotic thoughts about Susan while married to Nick, Anna turns to her journal to sort it all out.
Okay, once this story gets going, it’s great. But in the beginning it is so damn boring. Journal or not, Anna does not get to the frigging point for like four or five pages! I was tempted to go wash the dishes at least twice in the beginning of the book. When the dishes are pulling me away from a book, and not the other way around, something is very wrong.
However, it does read like a real diary, so kudos on that.
Once Anna gets her shit together and actually starts telling what happened, the story gets a lot better. Her inner turmoil is relatable and realistic and makes me like her alot. Susan’s character is also great. Being very girly, Susan has a nice contrast with Anna, and that makes their time together that much sweeter. I always love it when characters are developed, even for short erotica pieces like this one.
I do have a problem with Anna being married, though. Her husband is a great guy who is very supportive of her and their son. He showed up to their son’s kindergarten barbecue, doesn’t mind his wife being “one of the guys”, and doesn’t even get jealous from other men’s stares at her.
It’s really clear that they are still very much in love and unless it becomes clear in the sequel that he’s a serial cheater or hiding huge secrets, (like, “I killed my boss and embezzled five million dollars” type of secret. Not “that purple dress really did make you look like Barney and I didn’t tell you even though I knew pictures were going on Facebook” type of secret) then I’m never going to like Anna’s and Susan’s relationship as much as I could.
Lesbian relationship? No problem. More power to ya. Cheating on a very sweet person? Huge problem. Shouldn’t happen. Burn in hell.
You can read Note to Self on Smashwords for free. I recommend you check it out if it sounds like your cup of tea. Speaking of tea, take some time to read with a cup of it. The holidays are coming up, and you need some relaxation before your life dissolves into chaos. Take care!
Speedometer Speed Box
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“Awesome!!! The best speed app on iphone” 5 Stars by kurtonic Speed Box is a Speedometer and...
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Shining Resonance Refrain in Video Games
Aug 14, 2019
I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never been a huge fan of JRPG’s, but I really don’t have any reasons why. Growing up I loved watching the Shogun Warrior feature length cartoons and I’m a huge fan of RPG’s in general, so you’d think they’d be right up my alley. I’ve tried and tried to figure out why I have such a hard time sinking into them, and while I have never completed a Final Fantasy game, I continue to buy them in the hopes that one of these days I’ll just get it. So, I’m probably not the first person that would come to mind to review a game like Shining Resonance Refrain, a game that was released exclusively in Japan on PS3 back in 2014. Yet here we are, 4 years later, with a version released for the PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch, with updated graphics and English voice acting.
Shining Resonance Refrain has you take on the role of a young man named Yuma who has been held captive and experimented on by the main antagonists of the game, the Lombardian Empire. Yuma possesses the soul of the Shining Dragon, the most powerful dragon in the land of Alfheim. The Lombardian Empire is attempting to gather all the souls of the long-forgotten dragons in an effort to break a stalemate between the waring countries of Astoria and the Lombardian Empire. The only thing standing in their way are Yuma, his dragon soul and a powerful set of weapons known as the Armonics.
Quests and exploration are key to moving the story along, with the main quests involving attempts to hinder the Lombardian Empire’s search for the remaining dragon souls. There are also side quests that help you earn money and experience for your characters. The quests are either your typical fetch type quests or the type where you go to this area, fight this major boss, and then return to the castle. The world is broken up into much smaller zones, representing numerous landmarks on the map. Traveling to a particular spot on the map means going from zone to zone until you reach your final destination. The zones are very small, so traveling between them isn’t a huge problem, but not being able to use fast-travel between the zones you have already explored means you will spend a lot of time going back and forth between your castle and your next quest. It isn’t a huge deal breaker in the game, but the areas aren’t always very interesting, and going back and forth amongst the same areas over and over can get old the further you get in the game.
Combat is a mixed bag as well. During your quests, you will encounter various creatures wandering the zones. The battles take place in real time and each character has a set of action points that are used for physical attacks and magic points used for your special abilities and “breaker” moves. As your character levels up, you gain access to different magical attacks, which you can swap out as you choose, but most of the time your battles are simply button mashing your way through them with little strategy involved. The battles are also extremely inconsistent, as battling the various creatures is almost too easy (even at standard difficulty) but battling the boss monsters is almost entirely too hard. There is a HUGE difficulty curve when fighting the boss monsters, to a point where I sometimes had to drop the difficulty to casual and still had to fight a boss 3-4 times to beat them. On standard difficulty, I’d typically give up after succumbing to the same boss repeatedly. Even in the later stages of the games the boss battles do not let up, but the normal battles are practically a cake walk.
In addition to your standard and magical attacks there is also a B.A.N.D special attack where you get additional powers depending on the character who initiates it. Some B.A.N.D attacks provide guaranteed hits, while others increase the damage of your magical attacks. On the left-hand side of the screen there is a bar with three levels that fills while you battle your way through the enemies. Each level increases the longevity that the B.A.N.D lasts, so it’s almost always preferable to save these special attacks for the boss battles. Yuma also has the ability to turn into the Shining Dragon who can release devastating attacks, however if your magic points drop too low the dragon goes into a berserker attack and will throw damage at friends and enemies alike. This is never good, so when playing as the Shining Dragon it’s key to turn back into Yuma before losing control.
Graphically the game is beautiful, and if anime or JRPG’s are your thing you will definitely appreciate the update to the original graphics. The graphics do stick closely to the standard JRPG tropes of ridiculously large weapons and warriors in short skirts, etc. so it looks like many of the other JRPGs on the market today. That’s not necessarily bad, it has just worn out its originality over the years. The sound can get extremely repetitive as well, especially in battle where your characters repeat the same catch phrases over and over again. Once again, that’s not to say that the sound is bad, but it gets old quickly. There are some other technical idiosyncrasies that were also particularly jarring. For example, if Yuma is killed in combat, you can run back to town with whichever character has taken over the “leader” role, but the minute you enter town, Yuma reappears as the controlling character. I get that he’s the main character and it doesn’t make much sense for the other characters to run around asking for quests, but his sudden reappearance even though you know he’s dead takes some getting used to.
So, is Shining Resonance Refrain a game that made me take another look at JRPGs? Well, yes and no if I’m being completely honest. It’s around 30+ hours for the main story and side quests and I’ll admit that the more time I spent with the game the more I enjoyed it. After about an hour of my mental block on JRPG games in general, I was able to get into the groove of things and power my way through it. That being said, I still felt the story was a little bit ridiculous and some of the characters really started to grate on my nerves. Even the main character Yuma tended to be a bit too wimpy for me. He can turn himself into the mightiest of dragons but doesn’t know if he can handle it, I often had the feeling that he should get over himself and embrace this incredible power. In the end, I really did enjoy it, once I overlooked a lot of it, and it actually did put me in the mood to go back and try one of the Final Fantasy games. I can’t say that Shining Resonance Refrain converted me to a diehard JRPG fan, but it certainly made me want to give them another try and that is a win in my book.
What I liked: Unique Characters, General feel of combat
What I liked less: Inconsistent difficulty, Repetitive phrases and sound effects
Shining Resonance Refrain has you take on the role of a young man named Yuma who has been held captive and experimented on by the main antagonists of the game, the Lombardian Empire. Yuma possesses the soul of the Shining Dragon, the most powerful dragon in the land of Alfheim. The Lombardian Empire is attempting to gather all the souls of the long-forgotten dragons in an effort to break a stalemate between the waring countries of Astoria and the Lombardian Empire. The only thing standing in their way are Yuma, his dragon soul and a powerful set of weapons known as the Armonics.
Quests and exploration are key to moving the story along, with the main quests involving attempts to hinder the Lombardian Empire’s search for the remaining dragon souls. There are also side quests that help you earn money and experience for your characters. The quests are either your typical fetch type quests or the type where you go to this area, fight this major boss, and then return to the castle. The world is broken up into much smaller zones, representing numerous landmarks on the map. Traveling to a particular spot on the map means going from zone to zone until you reach your final destination. The zones are very small, so traveling between them isn’t a huge problem, but not being able to use fast-travel between the zones you have already explored means you will spend a lot of time going back and forth between your castle and your next quest. It isn’t a huge deal breaker in the game, but the areas aren’t always very interesting, and going back and forth amongst the same areas over and over can get old the further you get in the game.
Combat is a mixed bag as well. During your quests, you will encounter various creatures wandering the zones. The battles take place in real time and each character has a set of action points that are used for physical attacks and magic points used for your special abilities and “breaker” moves. As your character levels up, you gain access to different magical attacks, which you can swap out as you choose, but most of the time your battles are simply button mashing your way through them with little strategy involved. The battles are also extremely inconsistent, as battling the various creatures is almost too easy (even at standard difficulty) but battling the boss monsters is almost entirely too hard. There is a HUGE difficulty curve when fighting the boss monsters, to a point where I sometimes had to drop the difficulty to casual and still had to fight a boss 3-4 times to beat them. On standard difficulty, I’d typically give up after succumbing to the same boss repeatedly. Even in the later stages of the games the boss battles do not let up, but the normal battles are practically a cake walk.
In addition to your standard and magical attacks there is also a B.A.N.D special attack where you get additional powers depending on the character who initiates it. Some B.A.N.D attacks provide guaranteed hits, while others increase the damage of your magical attacks. On the left-hand side of the screen there is a bar with three levels that fills while you battle your way through the enemies. Each level increases the longevity that the B.A.N.D lasts, so it’s almost always preferable to save these special attacks for the boss battles. Yuma also has the ability to turn into the Shining Dragon who can release devastating attacks, however if your magic points drop too low the dragon goes into a berserker attack and will throw damage at friends and enemies alike. This is never good, so when playing as the Shining Dragon it’s key to turn back into Yuma before losing control.
Graphically the game is beautiful, and if anime or JRPG’s are your thing you will definitely appreciate the update to the original graphics. The graphics do stick closely to the standard JRPG tropes of ridiculously large weapons and warriors in short skirts, etc. so it looks like many of the other JRPGs on the market today. That’s not necessarily bad, it has just worn out its originality over the years. The sound can get extremely repetitive as well, especially in battle where your characters repeat the same catch phrases over and over again. Once again, that’s not to say that the sound is bad, but it gets old quickly. There are some other technical idiosyncrasies that were also particularly jarring. For example, if Yuma is killed in combat, you can run back to town with whichever character has taken over the “leader” role, but the minute you enter town, Yuma reappears as the controlling character. I get that he’s the main character and it doesn’t make much sense for the other characters to run around asking for quests, but his sudden reappearance even though you know he’s dead takes some getting used to.
So, is Shining Resonance Refrain a game that made me take another look at JRPGs? Well, yes and no if I’m being completely honest. It’s around 30+ hours for the main story and side quests and I’ll admit that the more time I spent with the game the more I enjoyed it. After about an hour of my mental block on JRPG games in general, I was able to get into the groove of things and power my way through it. That being said, I still felt the story was a little bit ridiculous and some of the characters really started to grate on my nerves. Even the main character Yuma tended to be a bit too wimpy for me. He can turn himself into the mightiest of dragons but doesn’t know if he can handle it, I often had the feeling that he should get over himself and embrace this incredible power. In the end, I really did enjoy it, once I overlooked a lot of it, and it actually did put me in the mood to go back and try one of the Final Fantasy games. I can’t say that Shining Resonance Refrain converted me to a diehard JRPG fan, but it certainly made me want to give them another try and that is a win in my book.
What I liked: Unique Characters, General feel of combat
What I liked less: Inconsistent difficulty, Repetitive phrases and sound effects
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Blade Runner 2049 (2017) in Movies
Oct 9, 2017 (Updated Oct 13, 2017)
One of the most visually stunning movies I have ever seen. (8 more)
Awesome production design.
Brilliant direction.
Beautiful cinematography.
Solid performances.
Incredible SFX.
Great score.
Good use of lighting.
Well written script and dialogue.
Villeneuve Strikes Gold Yet Again
Wow, this movie is a feast for your eyeballs. I won't go on about the visuals too much, as I'm sure that you have already heard how good looking this movie is, all I'll say is this; the movie deserves to be seen in the biggest screen possible. What is even better though, is unlike a Zack Snyder film, Blade Runner 2049 has more to it than just surface level, pretty visuals.
Somehow, Denis Villeneuve has achieved the impossible. He has directed a movie every year for the last five years and they have all been absolutely incredible, also he has managed to pull off a fantastic sequel to a 35 year old classic.
I loved almost every part of this movie. The direction was masterful to watch, with the movie being moved along at a deliberate, purposeful pace, rather than rushing through from action scene to action scene. The sets in this were out of this world, some props were really cool to look at and the use of mostly practical backdrops made a huge difference as opposed to using an abundance of green screen. Rodger Deakins' cinematography was astonishing, you could honestly screen grab an image from any time stamp in this movie and it would work perfectly as a beautiful desktop background.
I also thought that the performances were fantastic and everyone did a great job. Although Ford doesn't appear until the movie's third act, when he does he is great. Gosling commands his leading man role as we've come to expect him to. Robin Wright and Dave Bautista were the other standouts for me in terms of their performances.
The more technical elements of the movie worked perfectly in tandem with the story being told as well. The special effects were beautifully implemented and the lighting in the movie added a whole other layer of visual depth as well. The score also worked for the tone that the movie was aiming to achieve. The script was also solid and tightly woven.
The only thing I will say is; if you are going into the film expecting a sci-fi action blockbuster, you will come out disappointed. This is a slow paced, sci-fi noir, detective story. There are a few sparse moments of action and it does feel impactful when it occurs, but it is not the focus of the movie at all.
The one small element that bothered me was Jared Leto's performance. He took me out of the movie and was the only cast member who didn't feel like a real character within this world. Maybe I'm just being biased, as Jared Leto has always annoyed me in general, but for me he was the one bad part of this near masterpiece. Thankfully he doesn't get that much screen time, so it could have been worse. Also, the fact that David Bowie was originally cast in that role adds an extra sprinkle of salt in the wound.
Unfortunately, much like the original movie, this hasn't done great at the box office on its opening weekend. If like me, you are sick of mindless sequel cash cows that are total garbage such as Jurassic World, go and see this movie and vote with your wallet. If you don't, we are telling Hollywood that as a collective, we don't want sequels with depth and integrity, we want dumb, rushed, forgettable nonsense and that is what we will end up getting. Support this movie for the betterment of filmmaking and cinema, even if you haven't seen the original.
Overall I loved the movie, but I can see why people are finding it divisive. For me though, the vast majority of this movie's parts were absolutely fantastic and come together to form a journey that you must experience for yourself.
Somehow, Denis Villeneuve has achieved the impossible. He has directed a movie every year for the last five years and they have all been absolutely incredible, also he has managed to pull off a fantastic sequel to a 35 year old classic.
I loved almost every part of this movie. The direction was masterful to watch, with the movie being moved along at a deliberate, purposeful pace, rather than rushing through from action scene to action scene. The sets in this were out of this world, some props were really cool to look at and the use of mostly practical backdrops made a huge difference as opposed to using an abundance of green screen. Rodger Deakins' cinematography was astonishing, you could honestly screen grab an image from any time stamp in this movie and it would work perfectly as a beautiful desktop background.
I also thought that the performances were fantastic and everyone did a great job. Although Ford doesn't appear until the movie's third act, when he does he is great. Gosling commands his leading man role as we've come to expect him to. Robin Wright and Dave Bautista were the other standouts for me in terms of their performances.
The more technical elements of the movie worked perfectly in tandem with the story being told as well. The special effects were beautifully implemented and the lighting in the movie added a whole other layer of visual depth as well. The score also worked for the tone that the movie was aiming to achieve. The script was also solid and tightly woven.
The only thing I will say is; if you are going into the film expecting a sci-fi action blockbuster, you will come out disappointed. This is a slow paced, sci-fi noir, detective story. There are a few sparse moments of action and it does feel impactful when it occurs, but it is not the focus of the movie at all.
The one small element that bothered me was Jared Leto's performance. He took me out of the movie and was the only cast member who didn't feel like a real character within this world. Maybe I'm just being biased, as Jared Leto has always annoyed me in general, but for me he was the one bad part of this near masterpiece. Thankfully he doesn't get that much screen time, so it could have been worse. Also, the fact that David Bowie was originally cast in that role adds an extra sprinkle of salt in the wound.
Unfortunately, much like the original movie, this hasn't done great at the box office on its opening weekend. If like me, you are sick of mindless sequel cash cows that are total garbage such as Jurassic World, go and see this movie and vote with your wallet. If you don't, we are telling Hollywood that as a collective, we don't want sequels with depth and integrity, we want dumb, rushed, forgettable nonsense and that is what we will end up getting. Support this movie for the betterment of filmmaking and cinema, even if you haven't seen the original.
Overall I loved the movie, but I can see why people are finding it divisive. For me though, the vast majority of this movie's parts were absolutely fantastic and come together to form a journey that you must experience for yourself.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of LEGO Marvel's Avengers in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
In case you have not been paying attention, superhero movies have become all the rage at the box office the last several years in an unprecedented run of success. While the gaming based exploits of superhero franchises have not fared as well as their celluloid brethren there is still have been plenty of great offerings for fans to enjoy. Warner Bros. and Lego have created Lego Marvel Avengers which allows fans to not only re-create some of the best moments of the two avengers films, but explore beyond the films with over 100 Marevl based characters.
The game opens where “The Avengers: Age of Ultron”, began with the heroic forces attacking the evil Hydra in the snow-covered locales of a Hydra base. Hawkeye, Black Widow, The Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America all came and play early in the game with players having the ability to move between characters based on their situational needs. For example, should you need to fly over an object a flight based character is definitely your way to go whereas the Hulk would be ideal for brute strength and whatever tactics would require a battering ram against the enemy.
It can take a little bit to get used to each character’s abilities as while the controls are for the most part universal; figuring out which combination can unleash which functions from the various characters may take a bit of patience. That is why I highly recommend if at all possible playing the game with a partner as a co-op mode does make the game much more enjoyable.
If you are not familiar with the Lego game, you will want to make sure to have a bit of patience as often figuring out the correct way to manipulate or destroy an object is key to being able to advance and only certain characters are functional in various situations. Iron Man’s lasers do a much better job sealing a control panel then would Hawkeye’s arrows or Black Widow’s pistols. It is discovering which character is needed when and which ability to use that really makes for a fun challenge.
No should players not want to take the campaign on; there is a free roam ability that allows players to have a great time going through several iconic locales. The real joy here is that you can unlock new characters as you go and according to an interview we did with the game designers at San Diego Comic Con, more characters will be made available in the future via DLC.
The game has solid graphics and for the most part smooth gameplay although there have been reports of some freeze ups occurring with the PS3 and other versions of the game. I played the game on the PS4 and aside from some frustrations with some puzzles and learning character controls; we had a very smooth and enjoyable experience throughout.
The combat system is much better than just repetitive button pressing although as I mentioned earlier you do need to get accustomed to what buttons to use for which characters and their abilities as with 100+ options patience is going to be required.
For those thinking the game is just a rehash of the two Avenger movies, your behalf you know that there are locales from other Marvel films including the two prior Captain America films and the trademark humor that is been the staple of the Lego series of games.
What I find most appealing about the game is that it works so well for gamers of all ages and abilities as well as those who want something they can play with their children and still be actively engaged in the game.
As such Lego Marvel Avengers is a solid effort that should appease fans both new and old of Marvel by giving them a fun, action-packed, and diverse gaming experience with a new level of immersion in the Marvel Universe.
http://sknr.net/2016/02/17/lego-marvel-avengers/
The game opens where “The Avengers: Age of Ultron”, began with the heroic forces attacking the evil Hydra in the snow-covered locales of a Hydra base. Hawkeye, Black Widow, The Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America all came and play early in the game with players having the ability to move between characters based on their situational needs. For example, should you need to fly over an object a flight based character is definitely your way to go whereas the Hulk would be ideal for brute strength and whatever tactics would require a battering ram against the enemy.
It can take a little bit to get used to each character’s abilities as while the controls are for the most part universal; figuring out which combination can unleash which functions from the various characters may take a bit of patience. That is why I highly recommend if at all possible playing the game with a partner as a co-op mode does make the game much more enjoyable.
If you are not familiar with the Lego game, you will want to make sure to have a bit of patience as often figuring out the correct way to manipulate or destroy an object is key to being able to advance and only certain characters are functional in various situations. Iron Man’s lasers do a much better job sealing a control panel then would Hawkeye’s arrows or Black Widow’s pistols. It is discovering which character is needed when and which ability to use that really makes for a fun challenge.
No should players not want to take the campaign on; there is a free roam ability that allows players to have a great time going through several iconic locales. The real joy here is that you can unlock new characters as you go and according to an interview we did with the game designers at San Diego Comic Con, more characters will be made available in the future via DLC.
The game has solid graphics and for the most part smooth gameplay although there have been reports of some freeze ups occurring with the PS3 and other versions of the game. I played the game on the PS4 and aside from some frustrations with some puzzles and learning character controls; we had a very smooth and enjoyable experience throughout.
The combat system is much better than just repetitive button pressing although as I mentioned earlier you do need to get accustomed to what buttons to use for which characters and their abilities as with 100+ options patience is going to be required.
For those thinking the game is just a rehash of the two Avenger movies, your behalf you know that there are locales from other Marvel films including the two prior Captain America films and the trademark humor that is been the staple of the Lego series of games.
What I find most appealing about the game is that it works so well for gamers of all ages and abilities as well as those who want something they can play with their children and still be actively engaged in the game.
As such Lego Marvel Avengers is a solid effort that should appease fans both new and old of Marvel by giving them a fun, action-packed, and diverse gaming experience with a new level of immersion in the Marvel Universe.
http://sknr.net/2016/02/17/lego-marvel-avengers/
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Elysium in Tabletop Games
Aug 3, 2021
Greek Mythology has ALWAYS been a fascination of mine. I remember rewinding and replaying the original “Clash of the Titans” movie over and over on VHS. It’s super warped today but I still enjoy it now digitally. When I saw Elysium was coming out several years ago I knew I had to take a look at it, and I’m glad I did because it shot up my Top 100 Games of All Time and even spent a while in my Top 10. Not so much anymore, but I still love it. Why, you ask?
Elysium is a set collection card drafting game for two to four players. Each player will be attempting to complete the greatest collection of Legends written and subsequently transferred to their Elysium (Ancient Grecian version of heaven) for Victory Points. Whomever weaves the greatest Legendary tapestry will emerge victorious and really have a story to tell.
To setup, follow the instructions in the rulebook, but a three player game should look similar to what is pictured above. Players will receive their own player board, starting VP tokens and gold, and a set of columns. Cards from five different Grecian families will be shuffled and displayed in The Agora (middle of the board and the place to draft the cards). Once setup the game may begin.
Elysium is played over five Epochs (rounds) and each Epoch is divided into four phases. Phase I is Awakening, which is simply setting up The Agora for the new Epoch by removing all existing cards there and revealing more. Phase II is Actions, where players will be using their columns to draft cards from The Agora (as long as the color of column matches one of the icons on the card) and taking at least one Quest tile (also denotes player order for the next Epoch). Phase III is Writing the Legends, where players will redistribute the player order discs, receive gold and VP per their Quest tile, and transfer any cards from their Domain – active holding area – to their Elysium for VP at game end. Phase IV is End of Epoch, where players will perform basic cleanup tasks to prepare for the next Epoch of play. Play will continue in this fashion until the end of the fifth Epoch and players tally their final VP to determine the greatest Legend-crafter in all the land!
I know this is a VERY brief summary of what is done during the game, but Elysium has many card effects and combos to consider that I just cannot detail here for fear of readers falling asleep or my fingers falling off.
Components. Elysium has simply an incredible aesthetic. The non-card components certainly radiate ancient times and the art on the cards is breathtaking. Every piece is very high quality, which is something I have grown to expect from Space Cowboys games. The columns are fun to hold and move, and as a whole is just visually stunning. I love playing this game and seeing it all out on the table.
Obviously we place our ratings on the very first graphic you see so it is no surprise by the time you read down here, but I love Elysium. Like I mentioned in my open it was in my Top 10 for quite a while, and for very good reasons. First, I love games that simply LOOK good. Is that shallow? Maybe, but it’s what I like. Second, I love the card interplay and combo potential in Elysium. Chaining together cards to build small engines is always fun and provides so much replayability by never really being able to experience every card combo in the box. Finally, it has great components and a theme that speaks to me and my personal interests. It feels like a game that was meant to be played by me specifically. When you find a game like that you have to give it high ratings.
So if you are at all like me and enjoy games with a great theme, excellent art and components, and intriguing replayability, then certainly grab a copy of Elysium. Purple Phoenix Games gives it an Olympus-sized 11 / 12. So many Ancient Greece themed games exist and Elysium is simply one of the best.
Elysium is a set collection card drafting game for two to four players. Each player will be attempting to complete the greatest collection of Legends written and subsequently transferred to their Elysium (Ancient Grecian version of heaven) for Victory Points. Whomever weaves the greatest Legendary tapestry will emerge victorious and really have a story to tell.
To setup, follow the instructions in the rulebook, but a three player game should look similar to what is pictured above. Players will receive their own player board, starting VP tokens and gold, and a set of columns. Cards from five different Grecian families will be shuffled and displayed in The Agora (middle of the board and the place to draft the cards). Once setup the game may begin.
Elysium is played over five Epochs (rounds) and each Epoch is divided into four phases. Phase I is Awakening, which is simply setting up The Agora for the new Epoch by removing all existing cards there and revealing more. Phase II is Actions, where players will be using their columns to draft cards from The Agora (as long as the color of column matches one of the icons on the card) and taking at least one Quest tile (also denotes player order for the next Epoch). Phase III is Writing the Legends, where players will redistribute the player order discs, receive gold and VP per their Quest tile, and transfer any cards from their Domain – active holding area – to their Elysium for VP at game end. Phase IV is End of Epoch, where players will perform basic cleanup tasks to prepare for the next Epoch of play. Play will continue in this fashion until the end of the fifth Epoch and players tally their final VP to determine the greatest Legend-crafter in all the land!
I know this is a VERY brief summary of what is done during the game, but Elysium has many card effects and combos to consider that I just cannot detail here for fear of readers falling asleep or my fingers falling off.
Components. Elysium has simply an incredible aesthetic. The non-card components certainly radiate ancient times and the art on the cards is breathtaking. Every piece is very high quality, which is something I have grown to expect from Space Cowboys games. The columns are fun to hold and move, and as a whole is just visually stunning. I love playing this game and seeing it all out on the table.
Obviously we place our ratings on the very first graphic you see so it is no surprise by the time you read down here, but I love Elysium. Like I mentioned in my open it was in my Top 10 for quite a while, and for very good reasons. First, I love games that simply LOOK good. Is that shallow? Maybe, but it’s what I like. Second, I love the card interplay and combo potential in Elysium. Chaining together cards to build small engines is always fun and provides so much replayability by never really being able to experience every card combo in the box. Finally, it has great components and a theme that speaks to me and my personal interests. It feels like a game that was meant to be played by me specifically. When you find a game like that you have to give it high ratings.
So if you are at all like me and enjoy games with a great theme, excellent art and components, and intriguing replayability, then certainly grab a copy of Elysium. Purple Phoenix Games gives it an Olympus-sized 11 / 12. So many Ancient Greece themed games exist and Elysium is simply one of the best.
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Halloween (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Michael’s back, back again
Happy Halloween everyone! What better way to celebrate than with my review of the latest in the Halloween franchise?
40 years after John Carpenter’s iconic horror film, we are greeted with a brand new instalment in Michael Myers’ saga. It feels like a really special moment for horror fans, as we reflect on the original decades later. The opening credits pay homage to the 1978 and provide some nostalgia for long time fans by using the same text and soundtrack that audiences would’ve seen on the big screen back then. This was a great stylistic choice as it really gets you feeling pumped for what’s to come.
The film opens with Myers in a high security facility, where two true crime podcasters attempt to communicate with him in order to learn more about him and the murders he committed. Unsurprisingly, Michael refuses to say anything, providing a seriously uncomfortable moment for the audience. Throughout the film, we don’t see or hear him, and shots of him without the mask are always the back of his head. I would have been very disappointed if they’d decided to show his face throughout, as this sense of facelessness is something that’s always scared me about him. He’s a silent killer, never jumping out and screaming, but hiding in the shadows waiting to strike at any point. Most interactions with Myers are tense, uncomfortable and nail biting. His presence alone has that effect on you.
As ever, it was a joy to see Jamie Lee Curtis reprise her role as original Myers’ victim, Laurie Strode. Throughout the film, Strode’s paranoia is hard to brush off, and actually makes you feel more on edge. It was great seeing how she’d aged, yet refused to move on, and Curtis really brought her to life once again. She was the highlight of the film for me, as she was far from a cowering victim, and someone who wanted Myers dead for good. Having said that, you can tell how much she still fears him and how she’s suffering with long-term PTSD after almost being murdered. Let’s face it, anyone would feel the same way.
Unfortunately, I did find some of the acting a bit cringeworthy and it took away from the overall experience. I know that horror films have a bit of a reputation for terrible acting and dialogue, but I felt like such an important franchise deserved better than that. In my screening there were a few laugh out loud moments, and I don’t think all of them were intentional. One thing I will say is that child actor Jibrail Nantambu is one to watch because he was such a character and brought some genuine humour to the scenes he was in. I hope he goes far. Michael’s handler Dr. Ranbir Sartain is also an interesting character that I won’t say much about, but his development throughout is particularly great.
Admittedly I would’ve preferred less focus on teenagers, families and their dramas, and more on Michael and the actual kills. The film was meant to be about him and Laurie, after all. Whilst I was mostly satisfied by the brutality and some really gruesome moments, I felt it had been hyped up to the point where I expected more. Is that bad? Have I just become desensitised to bloody moments? I’m not quite sure. Having said that, one scene in particular did have me on the edge of my seat so it was still able to provide that adrenaline rush despite all its flaws. I’m still really bloody scared of Michael Myers.
Overall, Halloween is certainly watchable and a great visit to the cinema, especially this evening. Whilst I’m not the world’s biggest Halloween fan and there are certain films in the franchise I haven’t even seen, I still enjoyed this and understood what was going on. If you’re a big horror fan, particularly of the classics, give this a go. It might give you some welcome nostalgia and scares, and maybe that’s enough.
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2018/10/31/halloween-2018-michaels-back-back-again/
40 years after John Carpenter’s iconic horror film, we are greeted with a brand new instalment in Michael Myers’ saga. It feels like a really special moment for horror fans, as we reflect on the original decades later. The opening credits pay homage to the 1978 and provide some nostalgia for long time fans by using the same text and soundtrack that audiences would’ve seen on the big screen back then. This was a great stylistic choice as it really gets you feeling pumped for what’s to come.
The film opens with Myers in a high security facility, where two true crime podcasters attempt to communicate with him in order to learn more about him and the murders he committed. Unsurprisingly, Michael refuses to say anything, providing a seriously uncomfortable moment for the audience. Throughout the film, we don’t see or hear him, and shots of him without the mask are always the back of his head. I would have been very disappointed if they’d decided to show his face throughout, as this sense of facelessness is something that’s always scared me about him. He’s a silent killer, never jumping out and screaming, but hiding in the shadows waiting to strike at any point. Most interactions with Myers are tense, uncomfortable and nail biting. His presence alone has that effect on you.
As ever, it was a joy to see Jamie Lee Curtis reprise her role as original Myers’ victim, Laurie Strode. Throughout the film, Strode’s paranoia is hard to brush off, and actually makes you feel more on edge. It was great seeing how she’d aged, yet refused to move on, and Curtis really brought her to life once again. She was the highlight of the film for me, as she was far from a cowering victim, and someone who wanted Myers dead for good. Having said that, you can tell how much she still fears him and how she’s suffering with long-term PTSD after almost being murdered. Let’s face it, anyone would feel the same way.
Unfortunately, I did find some of the acting a bit cringeworthy and it took away from the overall experience. I know that horror films have a bit of a reputation for terrible acting and dialogue, but I felt like such an important franchise deserved better than that. In my screening there were a few laugh out loud moments, and I don’t think all of them were intentional. One thing I will say is that child actor Jibrail Nantambu is one to watch because he was such a character and brought some genuine humour to the scenes he was in. I hope he goes far. Michael’s handler Dr. Ranbir Sartain is also an interesting character that I won’t say much about, but his development throughout is particularly great.
Admittedly I would’ve preferred less focus on teenagers, families and their dramas, and more on Michael and the actual kills. The film was meant to be about him and Laurie, after all. Whilst I was mostly satisfied by the brutality and some really gruesome moments, I felt it had been hyped up to the point where I expected more. Is that bad? Have I just become desensitised to bloody moments? I’m not quite sure. Having said that, one scene in particular did have me on the edge of my seat so it was still able to provide that adrenaline rush despite all its flaws. I’m still really bloody scared of Michael Myers.
Overall, Halloween is certainly watchable and a great visit to the cinema, especially this evening. Whilst I’m not the world’s biggest Halloween fan and there are certain films in the franchise I haven’t even seen, I still enjoyed this and understood what was going on. If you’re a big horror fan, particularly of the classics, give this a go. It might give you some welcome nostalgia and scares, and maybe that’s enough.
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2018/10/31/halloween-2018-michaels-back-back-again/
Christine (14 KP) rated Me Before You in Books
Jul 4, 2017
Ham Handedly Dealing with Sensitive Materials
Contains spoilers, click to show
I did NOT like this book. In fact, there were several sections of this book where I actively hated the book. Before you continue reading, note that I do intend to spoil the story.
First, the only character that has more than 5 lines that I didn't think was awful was Nathan the nurse. Lou, Will and their whole families were terrible! Selfish, rude, cold and uncaring. Maybe my sister is too supportive even at the worst of times, but Treena made me want to scream with her selfishness.
Second, I feel as though they took an exceptionally sensitive subject and kicked it around in the dirt for a while. I would be interested in sitting around discussing the concept of euthanasia. However, I feel like this story focused on all the wrong arguments.
Third, this book did a huge disservice to the paraplegic and quadriplegic community. Even with the addition of the chat rooms with the other members of the community, there is a lot of emphasis on how life will inevitably blow until the end of time if you're in a wheelchair. It felt like a book that was intended to educate and inform people who maybe don't know much about this life and instead, they wrote an extremely whiny story about one man who's a giant asshole.
Fourth, Louisa's rape should have been a major plot point, treated as a juxtaposition to Will's accident. Instead, the treat Lou getting raped by a group of men as an after thought that Will cures with one conversation.
Fifth, the writing was lazy and the pacing was bad. It felt overly long and things were dragged out farther than they needed to be. Also, Will's family's money was a bit of an easy fix. Will could have top of the line everything. He could afford to go on fancy expensive trips. He could afford a nurse to come over several times a day. Imagine how much more real this story would be if Lou was the disabled person. Lou's mom would be the one responsible for her care. This would be a much more dire situation. Will comes across whiny because he has to rely on other people. He doesn't seem like a sad man in a bad situation. He seems like a whiny selfish asshole
Finally, what do these people have against therapy. When someone has been through an experience as traumatic as a car accident that leaves you paralyzed, you should probably speak to a therapist. I do not mean Nathan, the physical therapist. I mean a psychologist. I'm not saying Will wouldn't have ultimately made the same decision, but somehow I think trained licensed professional might have been a better option for Camilla Traynor to hire as opposed to unemployed waitress.
I know I'm apparently in the minority in this, but I HATED this book.
First, the only character that has more than 5 lines that I didn't think was awful was Nathan the nurse. Lou, Will and their whole families were terrible! Selfish, rude, cold and uncaring. Maybe my sister is too supportive even at the worst of times, but Treena made me want to scream with her selfishness.
Second, I feel as though they took an exceptionally sensitive subject and kicked it around in the dirt for a while. I would be interested in sitting around discussing the concept of euthanasia. However, I feel like this story focused on all the wrong arguments.
Third, this book did a huge disservice to the paraplegic and quadriplegic community. Even with the addition of the chat rooms with the other members of the community, there is a lot of emphasis on how life will inevitably blow until the end of time if you're in a wheelchair. It felt like a book that was intended to educate and inform people who maybe don't know much about this life and instead, they wrote an extremely whiny story about one man who's a giant asshole.
Fourth, Louisa's rape should have been a major plot point, treated as a juxtaposition to Will's accident. Instead, the treat Lou getting raped by a group of men as an after thought that Will cures with one conversation.
Fifth, the writing was lazy and the pacing was bad. It felt overly long and things were dragged out farther than they needed to be. Also, Will's family's money was a bit of an easy fix. Will could have top of the line everything. He could afford to go on fancy expensive trips. He could afford a nurse to come over several times a day. Imagine how much more real this story would be if Lou was the disabled person. Lou's mom would be the one responsible for her care. This would be a much more dire situation. Will comes across whiny because he has to rely on other people. He doesn't seem like a sad man in a bad situation. He seems like a whiny selfish asshole
Finally, what do these people have against therapy. When someone has been through an experience as traumatic as a car accident that leaves you paralyzed, you should probably speak to a therapist. I do not mean Nathan, the physical therapist. I mean a psychologist. I'm not saying Will wouldn't have ultimately made the same decision, but somehow I think trained licensed professional might have been a better option for Camilla Traynor to hire as opposed to unemployed waitress.
I know I'm apparently in the minority in this, but I HATED this book.