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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Public Enemies (2009) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019
The year is 1933 and bank robberies are at an all time high. John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd are at the top of their game. In the public eye, robbers are looked at as heroes instead of criminals. Dillinger enjoys the fruit of his labor to the fullest until the day Melvin Purvis is put in charge of the FBI division down in Chicago. Word traveled fast of how one of FBI's top agents (Purvis) took down Pretty Boy Floyd and hopes are high that he can help in the newly announced "war on crime." Once Purvis arrived in Chicago, the crime wave of the 30's that was on a steady uprise took a drastic decline. Bank robberies were never the same as Dillinger's friends began dropping like flies. As Dillinger's motto of not thinking about tomorrow since he's too busy enjoying today comes back to haunt him, he soon realizes that he can only hide for so long and that the feds will catch up with him sooner or later.
The most noticeable thing about the film is its cinematography. Michael Mann has used the same method of shooting Public Enemies with HD digital cameras like he did with Collateral. This could be a hassle to some viewers as the picture isn't as shaky as it was in something like Cloverfield, but isn't as crystal clear and steady as you may have found in some of Mann's earlier work like Heat or most other films, for that matter. Perspective plays a huge role in this film. Certain lighting seems to come off better being shot in HD digital and it certainly shows, but the imperfections seem to give the film more character. Some people might throw the word, "edgy," around, but we'll settle on saying this style of filming feels like a more realistic approach. It makes the audience feel like they're actually amongst these gangsters during their heyday.
It almost felt like Christian Bale didn't really want to be there. Between this and Terminator: Salvation, he's really lacking the charisma and talent he's shown in films like The Prestige and The Machinist or even American Psycho. Maybe he's just hit his peak and has nothing else up his sleeve to wow audiences. Bale has hit an eye-catching slump, which is hard to say since this is coming from a long time fan. As long as he continues to be cast in big budget films though and those films wind up doing extremely well at the box office, then not many people are going to notice a difference in the actor's lackluster performance.
Johnny Depp, on the other hand, stole every scene he was in. His cockiness and confidence in his abilities in what he does just gave life to Dillinger that makes you generally like him. You want to see him escape as soon as he gets caught, pull off that next big robbery, and succeed at everything he does so he can run off with Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) and live happily ever after. His dialogue is also generally pretty incredible. In the scene where he's confronting Agent Purvis from behind bars, Dillinger is asking Purvis about what it was like to kill a man. How their eyes looked and how you can literally watch a man just drift away by staring into their eyes while they're dying. That that whole experience could keep a man up at night. Purvis asks Dillinger what keeps him up at night. Dillinger, who always seemed to be chewing gum, replies, "Coffee." Dillinger just felt like one of Depp's better acting roles, as of late. He showed more emotion than we're generally used to seeing from him and it was just an incredibly strong performance from the Oscar nominee.
The film has a lot of great dialogue, intriguing character interaction, and it's interesting watching the story unfold of how the crime wave of the 30s may have come to an end, but what really makes the film worth seeing is the shootouts. Any scene that begins with somebody holding a gun is worth getting excited over. There's a scene in the woods in the latter half of the film that is worth the price of admission alone. It takes place at night and everything is littered with darkness until the tommy guns make an appearance. The way the guns light up everything else around the characters firing them was a nice touch. Small explosions erupting from a chamber every time somebody pulled the trigger. This is some of the best gunfire to ever be filmed.
When it comes to Public Enemies, it is one of the best films of the year which is mentioned in at least one of the TV spots. Anyone who was a fan of Michael Mann's previous films (or gangster films, in general) will more than likely walk away from this film satisfied. Johnny Depp is still at the top of his game while Christian Bale seems to be winding down. Public Enemies is a film worthy of the summer blockbuster season which will satisfy the appetite of any fan of crime films.
The most noticeable thing about the film is its cinematography. Michael Mann has used the same method of shooting Public Enemies with HD digital cameras like he did with Collateral. This could be a hassle to some viewers as the picture isn't as shaky as it was in something like Cloverfield, but isn't as crystal clear and steady as you may have found in some of Mann's earlier work like Heat or most other films, for that matter. Perspective plays a huge role in this film. Certain lighting seems to come off better being shot in HD digital and it certainly shows, but the imperfections seem to give the film more character. Some people might throw the word, "edgy," around, but we'll settle on saying this style of filming feels like a more realistic approach. It makes the audience feel like they're actually amongst these gangsters during their heyday.
It almost felt like Christian Bale didn't really want to be there. Between this and Terminator: Salvation, he's really lacking the charisma and talent he's shown in films like The Prestige and The Machinist or even American Psycho. Maybe he's just hit his peak and has nothing else up his sleeve to wow audiences. Bale has hit an eye-catching slump, which is hard to say since this is coming from a long time fan. As long as he continues to be cast in big budget films though and those films wind up doing extremely well at the box office, then not many people are going to notice a difference in the actor's lackluster performance.
Johnny Depp, on the other hand, stole every scene he was in. His cockiness and confidence in his abilities in what he does just gave life to Dillinger that makes you generally like him. You want to see him escape as soon as he gets caught, pull off that next big robbery, and succeed at everything he does so he can run off with Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) and live happily ever after. His dialogue is also generally pretty incredible. In the scene where he's confronting Agent Purvis from behind bars, Dillinger is asking Purvis about what it was like to kill a man. How their eyes looked and how you can literally watch a man just drift away by staring into their eyes while they're dying. That that whole experience could keep a man up at night. Purvis asks Dillinger what keeps him up at night. Dillinger, who always seemed to be chewing gum, replies, "Coffee." Dillinger just felt like one of Depp's better acting roles, as of late. He showed more emotion than we're generally used to seeing from him and it was just an incredibly strong performance from the Oscar nominee.
The film has a lot of great dialogue, intriguing character interaction, and it's interesting watching the story unfold of how the crime wave of the 30s may have come to an end, but what really makes the film worth seeing is the shootouts. Any scene that begins with somebody holding a gun is worth getting excited over. There's a scene in the woods in the latter half of the film that is worth the price of admission alone. It takes place at night and everything is littered with darkness until the tommy guns make an appearance. The way the guns light up everything else around the characters firing them was a nice touch. Small explosions erupting from a chamber every time somebody pulled the trigger. This is some of the best gunfire to ever be filmed.
When it comes to Public Enemies, it is one of the best films of the year which is mentioned in at least one of the TV spots. Anyone who was a fan of Michael Mann's previous films (or gangster films, in general) will more than likely walk away from this film satisfied. Johnny Depp is still at the top of his game while Christian Bale seems to be winding down. Public Enemies is a film worthy of the summer blockbuster season which will satisfy the appetite of any fan of crime films.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Aroma in Tabletop Games
Feb 20, 2021
Hello. My name is Travis and I have a big nose. It has always been big, and I used to tell people that it is so because I could smell so much better than everyone else. For a while this was partly true. However, as I age I find that I am less and less amazing than I thought I was when I was younger. Enter a game that revolves around actually using this schnoz and its wonderful ability and I thought I would have it in the bag! I was wrong. Again.
Aroma is a board game that originates from an essential oil company wishing to produce a board game utilizing its oils. Designer Odd Hackwelder then crafted a board game utilizing said essential oils that can be played four different ways. That’s right, Aroma is a game with four different play modes. Most of the modes revolve around the ability to guess the correct scent to score points. For this review I will be referencing rules for the Revolve mode with four players.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup a game of Revolve each player will choose one of the themed player boards and bits from the following: Citrus, Trees, Plants, Floral. They will lay the boards touching in the middle of the table and their oil trays with essential oil bottles in front of them. Each player will also receive the wooden player token and scent tokens in their color. Place the wooden player tokens on the point tracker zero space and the game is setup to begin!
Revolve is played in rounds where each player will choose one of their oil vials from their tray, place its matching scent token face-down on their board and pass it to the player on their left simultaneously. The players then take the vials just given to them, smell the oils inside and try to guess its content scent by choosing the appropriate scent token and placing it face-down on the board in front of them as well. Play continues in this fashion until all players have smelled the vials from all players and made their guesses.
Players then flip over their scent tokens to compare what was given to them throughout the round and they will score points based on how many were guessed correctly. The players then choose a different vial and the process starts anew. The game ends at the end of the fourth round and the player with the most correct guesses is the winner!
Components. This game has pretty amazing components. The oil trays with the little oil bottles are great, but a little flimsy. The boards and scent tokens are thick, and the wooden player pieces are nice and medium-sized. The overall look of the game is very clean and colorful, reminiscent of the art style in T.I.M.E Stories, but with more colors and smells. Aside from the flimsy cardboard used in the oil trays, the rest of the components are top notch. I do have one gripe: the oil bottles themselves sometimes take quite a bit of effort to get the smell going. We tried manually rolling with our fingers, and the suggested technique of rolling on a sheet of paper (we used a paper napkin). The best way was to just drench oneself in essential oil by manually rolling the ball with one’s finger.
As a game Aroma’s Revolve is interesting and invokes feelings not normally used to describe board games. I have not played another game like it, nor one that I can remember using my sense of smell at all. For this point alone I feel attracted to Aroma. However, smelling all the scents over and over can sometimes get a little overwhelming for me. I KNOW what a lemon smells like, but when you pass around a vial and I sniff it, I feel like I am smelling lemon. When the card is revealed and it is actually grapefruit I just smelled I become frustrated. I guess I never realized how closely many things smell to other items in the same family. I like to reminisce about the first time I ever smelled pine, or its unmistakable scent down in my wood shop. But the pine scent in Aroma doesn’t really smell like pine to me. Maybe my snout is aging faster than I thought, but I am really no good at picking out some of these scents.
I have also played the Survive mode with just my wife and of course she always beats me. Survive is the only mode that is designed for two players, and I wish there were more. Getting together during the lockdown is difficult, and I game mostly with my wife. That said, on the rare occasion I got to play games with another couple in our quarantine pod I wanted to break Aroma out and try a different mode. Revolve is good, and Survive is good too, but I would prefer both with the full compliment of players.
If you are looking for something completely different for your collection, Aroma is it. I don’t know if it will make many gamers’ Top 10 lists, but it is so interesting to use the sense of smell in a board game that I think it is almost essential (see what I did there?). I mean that Aroma currently has no competition in the same space, so it will not be replaced by another similar game for quite some time, I’m sure. And what guest wouldn’t be impressed by playing a board game that includes 20 vials of essential oil? How novel is that, anyway? Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a lovely-sniffed 8 / 12. Do be warned: Aroma may accidentally perfume some other games it is stored near, but the scent is pleasant. At least I THINK it is. Now I’m doubting my ability to smell anything correctly.
Aroma is a board game that originates from an essential oil company wishing to produce a board game utilizing its oils. Designer Odd Hackwelder then crafted a board game utilizing said essential oils that can be played four different ways. That’s right, Aroma is a game with four different play modes. Most of the modes revolve around the ability to guess the correct scent to score points. For this review I will be referencing rules for the Revolve mode with four players.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup a game of Revolve each player will choose one of the themed player boards and bits from the following: Citrus, Trees, Plants, Floral. They will lay the boards touching in the middle of the table and their oil trays with essential oil bottles in front of them. Each player will also receive the wooden player token and scent tokens in their color. Place the wooden player tokens on the point tracker zero space and the game is setup to begin!
Revolve is played in rounds where each player will choose one of their oil vials from their tray, place its matching scent token face-down on their board and pass it to the player on their left simultaneously. The players then take the vials just given to them, smell the oils inside and try to guess its content scent by choosing the appropriate scent token and placing it face-down on the board in front of them as well. Play continues in this fashion until all players have smelled the vials from all players and made their guesses.
Players then flip over their scent tokens to compare what was given to them throughout the round and they will score points based on how many were guessed correctly. The players then choose a different vial and the process starts anew. The game ends at the end of the fourth round and the player with the most correct guesses is the winner!
Components. This game has pretty amazing components. The oil trays with the little oil bottles are great, but a little flimsy. The boards and scent tokens are thick, and the wooden player pieces are nice and medium-sized. The overall look of the game is very clean and colorful, reminiscent of the art style in T.I.M.E Stories, but with more colors and smells. Aside from the flimsy cardboard used in the oil trays, the rest of the components are top notch. I do have one gripe: the oil bottles themselves sometimes take quite a bit of effort to get the smell going. We tried manually rolling with our fingers, and the suggested technique of rolling on a sheet of paper (we used a paper napkin). The best way was to just drench oneself in essential oil by manually rolling the ball with one’s finger.
As a game Aroma’s Revolve is interesting and invokes feelings not normally used to describe board games. I have not played another game like it, nor one that I can remember using my sense of smell at all. For this point alone I feel attracted to Aroma. However, smelling all the scents over and over can sometimes get a little overwhelming for me. I KNOW what a lemon smells like, but when you pass around a vial and I sniff it, I feel like I am smelling lemon. When the card is revealed and it is actually grapefruit I just smelled I become frustrated. I guess I never realized how closely many things smell to other items in the same family. I like to reminisce about the first time I ever smelled pine, or its unmistakable scent down in my wood shop. But the pine scent in Aroma doesn’t really smell like pine to me. Maybe my snout is aging faster than I thought, but I am really no good at picking out some of these scents.
I have also played the Survive mode with just my wife and of course she always beats me. Survive is the only mode that is designed for two players, and I wish there were more. Getting together during the lockdown is difficult, and I game mostly with my wife. That said, on the rare occasion I got to play games with another couple in our quarantine pod I wanted to break Aroma out and try a different mode. Revolve is good, and Survive is good too, but I would prefer both with the full compliment of players.
If you are looking for something completely different for your collection, Aroma is it. I don’t know if it will make many gamers’ Top 10 lists, but it is so interesting to use the sense of smell in a board game that I think it is almost essential (see what I did there?). I mean that Aroma currently has no competition in the same space, so it will not be replaced by another similar game for quite some time, I’m sure. And what guest wouldn’t be impressed by playing a board game that includes 20 vials of essential oil? How novel is that, anyway? Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a lovely-sniffed 8 / 12. Do be warned: Aroma may accidentally perfume some other games it is stored near, but the scent is pleasant. At least I THINK it is. Now I’m doubting my ability to smell anything correctly.
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) in Movies
May 10, 2019
"you didn't see that coming?"
I laughed. I wet my fan boy undies more than once. I wanted to pump the air with my fist and shout 'Hell yeah!' on more than one occasion. (ok, I did. Once. No one was looking. I think)
And still I feel disappointed that Age of Ultron did not manage to cut its own strings attached so strongly to the Marvel Template.
From the opening it's clear we're watching a film without bookends. Thrust into the action with Whedon's trademark 'give every character its moment' visuals, the second installment in the Avengers is aware it doesn't need to introduce itself, it just needs to reacquaint itself with a flashy entrance. And boy does it ever. There's the quick-fire banter, the kinetic action and the energetic fun that made the first film so great.
When the plot kicks in, many of Whedon's quirks remain and to great effect. It's fun, familiar and exciting. We get thrust from one amazing set piece to the next, are treated with some truly outstanding action sequences and are easily allowed to sit back and enjoy the ride. There are a couple of outstanding character moments, most notably for the more 'human' Avengers, something I felt worked rather well, mostly because it was unexpected and because it provided some much needed connection to characters without their own movie franchise.
The new characters are fine. Quicksilver is underdeveloped and never transcends his power, but the Scarlet Witch is absolutely spot on. Olsen plays her with conviction and her development is handled beautifully. Can't wait to find out what they have in store for her. When the Vision first made his appearance I audibly gasped. A firm favourite of mine, his creation and subsequent actions were put in the film especially for me. I'm sure of it.
What misfired for me was some of the comedy, which felt rather forced and the villain. The first is rather easy to step over, the second is a bigger problem. Ultron is a truly formidable adversary, one that deserves a larger platform than he is given here. It seems that the second film was always going to be a transition film to the (probable) epicness ahead and I therefore find Ultron to be an odd choice for the villain. Don't get me wrong, he looks and sounds fantastic and Spader does a truly excellent job, but he feels shoehorned into a middle part that is structured the exact same way the previous film was and most Marvel films are. Again, not necessarily a problem, but I had expected more from this one. The hinted at darker tone is not really there, the seriousness of the threat is not really convincing because it is not given the time to develop properly. There is a moment in the film I felt it was going to happen, where the team is truly rattled and defeated, but it is fleeting as we're already hurrying towards the next sequence. Whedon lacks focus here and seems preoccupied with building up rather than just telling a story. And that's a shame. I felt there was an opportunity here to break away from the mould most of these films seem intent to cast themselves in and it is an opportunity they missed. Better luck next time.
Now, having said all that, I always rate these films by how much fun I had and let me assure you, there is plenty to be had. The Hulkbuster, the final showdown, the nightmare visions all had me smiling like a git.
For all its faults it still is a cut above most big blockbusters in that it delivers the goods with confidence and gusto and never forgets to try and entertain the crap out of its audiences.
And still I feel disappointed that Age of Ultron did not manage to cut its own strings attached so strongly to the Marvel Template.
From the opening it's clear we're watching a film without bookends. Thrust into the action with Whedon's trademark 'give every character its moment' visuals, the second installment in the Avengers is aware it doesn't need to introduce itself, it just needs to reacquaint itself with a flashy entrance. And boy does it ever. There's the quick-fire banter, the kinetic action and the energetic fun that made the first film so great.
When the plot kicks in, many of Whedon's quirks remain and to great effect. It's fun, familiar and exciting. We get thrust from one amazing set piece to the next, are treated with some truly outstanding action sequences and are easily allowed to sit back and enjoy the ride. There are a couple of outstanding character moments, most notably for the more 'human' Avengers, something I felt worked rather well, mostly because it was unexpected and because it provided some much needed connection to characters without their own movie franchise.
The new characters are fine. Quicksilver is underdeveloped and never transcends his power, but the Scarlet Witch is absolutely spot on. Olsen plays her with conviction and her development is handled beautifully. Can't wait to find out what they have in store for her. When the Vision first made his appearance I audibly gasped. A firm favourite of mine, his creation and subsequent actions were put in the film especially for me. I'm sure of it.
What misfired for me was some of the comedy, which felt rather forced and the villain. The first is rather easy to step over, the second is a bigger problem. Ultron is a truly formidable adversary, one that deserves a larger platform than he is given here. It seems that the second film was always going to be a transition film to the (probable) epicness ahead and I therefore find Ultron to be an odd choice for the villain. Don't get me wrong, he looks and sounds fantastic and Spader does a truly excellent job, but he feels shoehorned into a middle part that is structured the exact same way the previous film was and most Marvel films are. Again, not necessarily a problem, but I had expected more from this one. The hinted at darker tone is not really there, the seriousness of the threat is not really convincing because it is not given the time to develop properly. There is a moment in the film I felt it was going to happen, where the team is truly rattled and defeated, but it is fleeting as we're already hurrying towards the next sequence. Whedon lacks focus here and seems preoccupied with building up rather than just telling a story. And that's a shame. I felt there was an opportunity here to break away from the mould most of these films seem intent to cast themselves in and it is an opportunity they missed. Better luck next time.
Now, having said all that, I always rate these films by how much fun I had and let me assure you, there is plenty to be had. The Hulkbuster, the final showdown, the nightmare visions all had me smiling like a git.
For all its faults it still is a cut above most big blockbusters in that it delivers the goods with confidence and gusto and never forgets to try and entertain the crap out of its audiences.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Underwater (2020) in Movies
Feb 16, 2020 (Updated Feb 16, 2020)
Frenetic action in murky water - baffling (2 more)
Scientific inconsistencies
Waterlogged Alien wannabe
Soggy and forgettable
I had a sinking feeling (excuse the pun) about this movie from the word go. It's a lazy approach to 'mansplain' the whole set up for the movie through digital news posts during the main titles. It feels more patronising to the audience than having main titles and then a 'Star Wars-style' synopsis.
Once into the movie, director William Eubank gives us the bare minimum of character set-up for our heroine while she brushes her teeth*. (And no way did she even follow the British Dental Association recommendation of two minutes brushing!) (* Interestingly, the trailer seems to show some above water scenes/dialogue and introductions to the rest of the crew that never made the final cut.)
And then....
BAM!!!
I was thinking that the manic action that follows was some sort of dream or flashback. But no. We are pitched headlong into the story without pause as disaster strikes. It all feels positively indecent.
For we are seven miles down in the Mariana trench, when a drilling station springs a leak.
Now call me a cynic, but I would have *thought* that, at that depth, a single leak would implode the whole station in about 10 seconds flat. But then that wouldn't be cinematic enough, and would be a much shorter movie!
And there are numerous other scientific implausibilities. For example, diving helmets that appear to be able to withstand 15,750 psi of pressure (I Googled it) can be smashed-in by a woman by just bashing it.
Sigh.
We are in 'Alien-lite' territory again. Just as in last year's "The Meg", those pesky humans have disturbed something in its home territory.... and it's suitably pissed-off. The action centres on hippy-chick engineer Norah (Kristen Stewart). The script neatly describes her as a "flat-chested elfin creature"... a fact which every male in the audience has thought (come on guys, admit it , you did!) from the immediately preceding scene.
It was never entirely clear to me what skills Norah was supposed to have.... it seemed to flex from diving to electrical engineering to computer engineering.
Stewart is a handy actress to have in a movie, but here she is mostly relegated to lots of shots of her athletic body running through corridors in her skimpy crop-top and knickers.
Supporting Stewart are veteran French actor Vincent Cassel as the mission captain; "the funny one" Paul (T.J. Miller); the trusty male action figure Smith (John Gallagher Jr.); and Emily - the 'less-flat chested but screamy one' (Jessica Henwick). Emily also gets to run around in a T-shirt and knickers: you kind of quickly get to know the audience the film is trying to appeal to.
As will be obvious if you've seen any of these types of film before, not all of these folks are going to make it.
As this movie is presumably filmed in a small water tank in a Louisiana studio. Clearly the memo said "fill it with murky water so the audience can't see the sides". "And just for good measure, let's film it with hand-help rapidly moving cameras". The result is that a lot of the time, when there was a burst of frenetic underwater action, I had NO IDEA what was actually going on.
In this way, the movie reminded me of the shark B-movie "47 Metres Down" from a few years ago.
This is certainly not "Alien". Although similarly set, this is not "The Abyss" either. It's most similar perhaps to "Life", but without the clever twist ending.
It's also not a truly TERRIBLE movie either. But unfortunately this is one of the most "meh" action movies I've seen in the past year. It's just brain-crushingly forgettable.
There was only one vaguely memorable shot in the whole movie: a final shot of Kristen Stewart. But that just serves to make me think.... 'Stewart deserves much better than this'.
For a movie concerning itself with a lack of oxygen, watching this felt like a waste of it.
(For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/02/15/one-manns-movies-film-review-underwater-2020/ ).
Once into the movie, director William Eubank gives us the bare minimum of character set-up for our heroine while she brushes her teeth*. (And no way did she even follow the British Dental Association recommendation of two minutes brushing!) (* Interestingly, the trailer seems to show some above water scenes/dialogue and introductions to the rest of the crew that never made the final cut.)
And then....
BAM!!!
I was thinking that the manic action that follows was some sort of dream or flashback. But no. We are pitched headlong into the story without pause as disaster strikes. It all feels positively indecent.
For we are seven miles down in the Mariana trench, when a drilling station springs a leak.
Now call me a cynic, but I would have *thought* that, at that depth, a single leak would implode the whole station in about 10 seconds flat. But then that wouldn't be cinematic enough, and would be a much shorter movie!
And there are numerous other scientific implausibilities. For example, diving helmets that appear to be able to withstand 15,750 psi of pressure (I Googled it) can be smashed-in by a woman by just bashing it.
Sigh.
We are in 'Alien-lite' territory again. Just as in last year's "The Meg", those pesky humans have disturbed something in its home territory.... and it's suitably pissed-off. The action centres on hippy-chick engineer Norah (Kristen Stewart). The script neatly describes her as a "flat-chested elfin creature"... a fact which every male in the audience has thought (come on guys, admit it , you did!) from the immediately preceding scene.
It was never entirely clear to me what skills Norah was supposed to have.... it seemed to flex from diving to electrical engineering to computer engineering.
Stewart is a handy actress to have in a movie, but here she is mostly relegated to lots of shots of her athletic body running through corridors in her skimpy crop-top and knickers.
Supporting Stewart are veteran French actor Vincent Cassel as the mission captain; "the funny one" Paul (T.J. Miller); the trusty male action figure Smith (John Gallagher Jr.); and Emily - the 'less-flat chested but screamy one' (Jessica Henwick). Emily also gets to run around in a T-shirt and knickers: you kind of quickly get to know the audience the film is trying to appeal to.
As will be obvious if you've seen any of these types of film before, not all of these folks are going to make it.
As this movie is presumably filmed in a small water tank in a Louisiana studio. Clearly the memo said "fill it with murky water so the audience can't see the sides". "And just for good measure, let's film it with hand-help rapidly moving cameras". The result is that a lot of the time, when there was a burst of frenetic underwater action, I had NO IDEA what was actually going on.
In this way, the movie reminded me of the shark B-movie "47 Metres Down" from a few years ago.
This is certainly not "Alien". Although similarly set, this is not "The Abyss" either. It's most similar perhaps to "Life", but without the clever twist ending.
It's also not a truly TERRIBLE movie either. But unfortunately this is one of the most "meh" action movies I've seen in the past year. It's just brain-crushingly forgettable.
There was only one vaguely memorable shot in the whole movie: a final shot of Kristen Stewart. But that just serves to make me think.... 'Stewart deserves much better than this'.
For a movie concerning itself with a lack of oxygen, watching this felt like a waste of it.
(For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/02/15/one-manns-movies-film-review-underwater-2020/ ).
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated The Color of Summer in Books
May 30, 2019
bloody loved it!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Max returns home to open his tattoo studio and to be closer to his mum. On the way he gets stopped speeding, by his best friend's older brother, Tyler. While Max has immediate attraction to Tyler, Tyler is straight and tells him so. But there is . .something . . between them, and as the summer begins, the relationship grows. Can Tyler be a cop in a small town, who is gay?
I might gush about this book, just a heads up! Cos I bloody LOVED it!
Max returns to his home town after his mum has a stroke. He wants to be closer while she recovers. And he wants his own tattoo studio so combines the two plans into one. Meeting Tyler throws Max for a loop, cos he never really noticed Tyler before, you know? He was just Shane's big brother, is all. But now, the man did grow up good and proper and he pushes all of Max' buttons.
Tyler is just plodding along, bringing up his daughter with the help of his family. Catching up with Max was fun, and Tyler really needs a friend. But his long suppressed attraction to men, and to Max in particular begins to resurface, Tyler doesn't want Max as a friend, he WANTS Max. He has his daughter the think about, though, and his job as deputy, and his brother's reaction to finding out.
I really LOVED this, it fell on my kindle just when I needed it to and I devoured it. That's the only word I can find: devoured.
I went to bed to read a few chapters and the next thing I know, it was 1am and I had finished. It's not a short book, 230 odd pages, but it felt a lot less. A sign of a good, nay, GREAT book, that; that it doesn't seem as long as it really is!
Both Max and Tyler have a say, in the third. Both voices are clear and different and they tell their story incredibly well.
It has a good deal of angst/drama but they aren't really the right words for it. It's more soul searching, maybe? I dunno, hate not finding the right words. It has a LOT of emotion, both for Max and Tyler, from very different points of view. There is a huge family network too, who see, you know, they SEE what Max feels for Tyler, even if they haven't figured that out themselves yet!
It's not overly explicit, but I don't think it needs to be. It's hot and sexy though! The relationship between Max and Tyler moves along at a steady pace, both the emotional connection adn the physical one. I liked being made to wait a while!
I've only read one other book by Ms Martin, and that book didn't quite work for me but THIS one? I freaking loved it and it just goes to show, you can't love every book and just because one book by an author doesn't work for you, it doesn't mean they ALL won't.
So, because I loved it, because I read it in one sitting, just because its my review and I CAN . . .
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Max returns home to open his tattoo studio and to be closer to his mum. On the way he gets stopped speeding, by his best friend's older brother, Tyler. While Max has immediate attraction to Tyler, Tyler is straight and tells him so. But there is . .something . . between them, and as the summer begins, the relationship grows. Can Tyler be a cop in a small town, who is gay?
I might gush about this book, just a heads up! Cos I bloody LOVED it!
Max returns to his home town after his mum has a stroke. He wants to be closer while she recovers. And he wants his own tattoo studio so combines the two plans into one. Meeting Tyler throws Max for a loop, cos he never really noticed Tyler before, you know? He was just Shane's big brother, is all. But now, the man did grow up good and proper and he pushes all of Max' buttons.
Tyler is just plodding along, bringing up his daughter with the help of his family. Catching up with Max was fun, and Tyler really needs a friend. But his long suppressed attraction to men, and to Max in particular begins to resurface, Tyler doesn't want Max as a friend, he WANTS Max. He has his daughter the think about, though, and his job as deputy, and his brother's reaction to finding out.
I really LOVED this, it fell on my kindle just when I needed it to and I devoured it. That's the only word I can find: devoured.
I went to bed to read a few chapters and the next thing I know, it was 1am and I had finished. It's not a short book, 230 odd pages, but it felt a lot less. A sign of a good, nay, GREAT book, that; that it doesn't seem as long as it really is!
Both Max and Tyler have a say, in the third. Both voices are clear and different and they tell their story incredibly well.
It has a good deal of angst/drama but they aren't really the right words for it. It's more soul searching, maybe? I dunno, hate not finding the right words. It has a LOT of emotion, both for Max and Tyler, from very different points of view. There is a huge family network too, who see, you know, they SEE what Max feels for Tyler, even if they haven't figured that out themselves yet!
It's not overly explicit, but I don't think it needs to be. It's hot and sexy though! The relationship between Max and Tyler moves along at a steady pace, both the emotional connection adn the physical one. I liked being made to wait a while!
I've only read one other book by Ms Martin, and that book didn't quite work for me but THIS one? I freaking loved it and it just goes to show, you can't love every book and just because one book by an author doesn't work for you, it doesn't mean they ALL won't.
So, because I loved it, because I read it in one sitting, just because its my review and I CAN . . .
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Binding Song in Books
Mar 15, 2018
<b>Trigger warning:</b> this book contains descriptions of rape
There are very few psychological thrillers/ horrors set in the prison environment, so when I read the synopsis for this book, I was really excited to read it. This book is one youll find yourself racing through, its so quick and exciting youll be determined to not put it down.
Elodie Harper was the 2016 winner of Stephen Kings short story competition, and this is her debut full length novel (not of the same story). Im surprised to find this one is a debut because its so well put together and feels like the writing of someone more prolific and comfortable writing 300 page novels. There is no fault with Harpers writing, that I could find. This book is creepy and moody in tone throughout and is certainly the kind of book you want to read with the lights on!
Our main character, Janet, is a hard headed woman in the prison industry, with a fiery temper, but also a softer side we get to see often throughout the story. Normally I find these sort of characters get a little annoying and either too big for their boots, or become too soppy, but Janet stayed as a great lead throughout the book. I did have one issue with her character, to do with her relationship, at the end of the novel, but I will talk about that in a spoiler section at the bottom.
As for the other side characters, I thought they were very well developed. My only issue was with Steven, who 1) felt a little unneeded for the plot, and 2) a bit unbelievable, but I still enjoyed his character nonetheless.
The plot is certainly different to others and I really enjoyed this uniqueness. While I had my ideas as to what we happening, I still was non-the-wiser until it all came to light, so its great to have a book thats given me a shock twist. Each chapter in this book ends on a small cliffhanger, its so hard to ever out it down because you just want to know where the story is going next.
<b>I'm going to hide this next paragraph as a spoiler, but it is extremely minor. It does not ruin the mystery, twist or plot in any way.</b>
<spoiler>My one big issue with the whole book was the resolution of Janet and Aruns relationship. The fact that she didnt even have to think over getting back together with him after he cheated on her made my blood boil. After her being this strong lead all the way through, it seemed such a shame for her to go back to a man who cheated on her after 1 day of being on a break all because she wanted to keep her job. It was an arrogant and selfish thing of him to have done and Im not happy that she forgave him for it so easily.</spoiler>
Overall, I really enjoyed this book all the way through, despite there being one or two choices I would have made differently towards the end. Im certainly going to keep my eye out for more of Harpers work in the future as shes already proved to be a great story teller and character builder.
There are very few psychological thrillers/ horrors set in the prison environment, so when I read the synopsis for this book, I was really excited to read it. This book is one youll find yourself racing through, its so quick and exciting youll be determined to not put it down.
Elodie Harper was the 2016 winner of Stephen Kings short story competition, and this is her debut full length novel (not of the same story). Im surprised to find this one is a debut because its so well put together and feels like the writing of someone more prolific and comfortable writing 300 page novels. There is no fault with Harpers writing, that I could find. This book is creepy and moody in tone throughout and is certainly the kind of book you want to read with the lights on!
Our main character, Janet, is a hard headed woman in the prison industry, with a fiery temper, but also a softer side we get to see often throughout the story. Normally I find these sort of characters get a little annoying and either too big for their boots, or become too soppy, but Janet stayed as a great lead throughout the book. I did have one issue with her character, to do with her relationship, at the end of the novel, but I will talk about that in a spoiler section at the bottom.
As for the other side characters, I thought they were very well developed. My only issue was with Steven, who 1) felt a little unneeded for the plot, and 2) a bit unbelievable, but I still enjoyed his character nonetheless.
The plot is certainly different to others and I really enjoyed this uniqueness. While I had my ideas as to what we happening, I still was non-the-wiser until it all came to light, so its great to have a book thats given me a shock twist. Each chapter in this book ends on a small cliffhanger, its so hard to ever out it down because you just want to know where the story is going next.
<b>I'm going to hide this next paragraph as a spoiler, but it is extremely minor. It does not ruin the mystery, twist or plot in any way.</b>
<spoiler>My one big issue with the whole book was the resolution of Janet and Aruns relationship. The fact that she didnt even have to think over getting back together with him after he cheated on her made my blood boil. After her being this strong lead all the way through, it seemed such a shame for her to go back to a man who cheated on her after 1 day of being on a break all because she wanted to keep her job. It was an arrogant and selfish thing of him to have done and Im not happy that she forgave him for it so easily.</spoiler>
Overall, I really enjoyed this book all the way through, despite there being one or two choices I would have made differently towards the end. Im certainly going to keep my eye out for more of Harpers work in the future as shes already proved to be a great story teller and character builder.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Girl Made of Stars in Books
Jun 5, 2018
Gorgeous, powerful, heartbreaking novel
Owen and his twin sister, Mara, have been close for their entire life--bonded by their twinhood, joint storytelling, and love of the stars--particularly their "own" constellation. But that all changes when Mara's good friend, Hannah, accuses Owen of rape. Suddenly Mara finds herself torn between her friendships and her family. Even worse, she has no one to talk to, after breaking up with her girlfriend/best friend, Charlie. Everything feels unknown and confusing. How will Mara navigate this new world--and what will she do about Owen and Hannah?
This novel. Oh my goodness. It will break your heart and yet leave you speechless with wonder. It's so beautiful. It started off with a quote from Virginia Woolf (The Waves), so I knew it was going to be good. And it certainly was.
The book is so achingly gorgeous and real, with its realistic look at high school. It portrays how both amazing and awful kids can be at this age. Mara is such a lovely character. The Owen/Hannah situation leaves her conflicted and forces her to face something terrible in her own past. By placing Mara in such a difficult situation, Herring Blake also does a good job of showing how hard it is being the female in this situation and how so few people believe the girl. It's such a timely commentary (albeit a sad one). It may not always be easy to read, as we see how hard things are for Hannah (and Mara), but it's so well-done.
I mean, really, this book is just heartbreaking at times. And yet I was riveted. These kids, with their big problems, so many of them living other people's dreams. It was so poignant, so true to so many of my own experiences. And the relationships here--well, wow. I mean, for one thing, we get a truly bisexual character in Mara, which is so refreshing. And then Charlie is genderqueer/nonbinary. It was so wonderful to have these characters in this novel, as a positive representation for teens--living real lives, with real problems, but in no way serving as the villain or maligned character. I was incredibly impressed. I wish this novel was on the shelf of every high school (well, on the shelves everywhere, honestly).
The girls in this book are in a group called Empower, which stands up for females--how they are portrayed, the double standards they face, and more. They are so strong, despite all the hurdles they face on a daily basis. Honestly, despite so much sadness in this novel, there is so much hope. So much strength. I adored Mara. She is wonderful -- such a strong, amazing, and lovely character. I found myself rooting for her as if she was my own kid.
I loved this one. I don't even remember how or why I stumbled across it and requested it, but I'm so glad I did. This is a beautiful, powerful book about the strength of human existence. The girls in this novel will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you both despair for and have faith in humanity. I will be tracking down the rest of Herring Blake's books for sure.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
This novel. Oh my goodness. It will break your heart and yet leave you speechless with wonder. It's so beautiful. It started off with a quote from Virginia Woolf (The Waves), so I knew it was going to be good. And it certainly was.
The book is so achingly gorgeous and real, with its realistic look at high school. It portrays how both amazing and awful kids can be at this age. Mara is such a lovely character. The Owen/Hannah situation leaves her conflicted and forces her to face something terrible in her own past. By placing Mara in such a difficult situation, Herring Blake also does a good job of showing how hard it is being the female in this situation and how so few people believe the girl. It's such a timely commentary (albeit a sad one). It may not always be easy to read, as we see how hard things are for Hannah (and Mara), but it's so well-done.
I mean, really, this book is just heartbreaking at times. And yet I was riveted. These kids, with their big problems, so many of them living other people's dreams. It was so poignant, so true to so many of my own experiences. And the relationships here--well, wow. I mean, for one thing, we get a truly bisexual character in Mara, which is so refreshing. And then Charlie is genderqueer/nonbinary. It was so wonderful to have these characters in this novel, as a positive representation for teens--living real lives, with real problems, but in no way serving as the villain or maligned character. I was incredibly impressed. I wish this novel was on the shelf of every high school (well, on the shelves everywhere, honestly).
The girls in this book are in a group called Empower, which stands up for females--how they are portrayed, the double standards they face, and more. They are so strong, despite all the hurdles they face on a daily basis. Honestly, despite so much sadness in this novel, there is so much hope. So much strength. I adored Mara. She is wonderful -- such a strong, amazing, and lovely character. I found myself rooting for her as if she was my own kid.
I loved this one. I don't even remember how or why I stumbled across it and requested it, but I'm so glad I did. This is a beautiful, powerful book about the strength of human existence. The girls in this novel will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you both despair for and have faith in humanity. I will be tracking down the rest of Herring Blake's books for sure.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Eight Days a Week in Books
Nov 5, 2018
A story about a manny who falls in love with his boss, Eight Days A Week captured my attention from the first time I read the summary. Never normally one for romances, I liked the unique spin it promised and tucked in with enthusiasm, hoping it would deliver so much more than your average boy meets girl romance. And boy did it. As you can see from the 5 star rating, I adored this book and have saved it firmly on my 'favourites' list on my kindle because, quite frankly, it was amazing, and here's why....
Firstly, I have to give credit to our author on the brilliance of the characters. Dee is amazing (and Don) and to see the way he grows throughout this book (no jokes about Don here please!) is just fantastic. Character development is always something I look out for in a book, and Johnson has done that splendidly here. It's believable, it's written with great skill and it really pulls you into the character and his story. Honestly, I could expect to bump into Dee on the street somewhere and he could be real, that's just how detailed and precise this book portrayed him to me. As a reader with limited time to give to different characters, it's great to see a character leap out the pages so well, even if it were to bring Don to visit me in my sleep!
I touched on it, but another thing that I adored about this book was the story line. It was different, fresh and told the story from a different perspective to what I usually encounter in this genre. I think this is in part due to how Dee tells the story himself, but it's so engaging I often found myself up late with eyes closing and smacking myself in the face with my kindle as I tried to read just another chapter. The 'Manny Log' was an excellent addition, and these frequently had me rolling with laughter at Dee and Don's commentary on things.
The book is full of these laugh out loud moments, but it's so much more than just comedy, and I think that is something that really made me enjoy this book that little bit more. The range of human emotions Johnson writes about in just one book is huge. But here's the best part, they're written with such excellent compassion, detail and, I'm harking back to it but it's important, believability that it's almost too much for me to describe. Sadness, love, raw need, sex, it's all there and it's all written so well that it draws you right in and you are compelled to keep reading. Without spoiling it, the ending was fantastic and left me teary eyed to the point I had to stop reading, but in such a good way!
Well, I can't recommend this book highly enough. I laughed, I cried, I cringed and I loved it. There's only two things I'd love right now:
1. Another sampling of Amber Johnson's writing
2. This book made into a movie so I can oggle Dee and Don in the flesh.
But don't take my word for it, pick up a copy and read it for yourselves!
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
Firstly, I have to give credit to our author on the brilliance of the characters. Dee is amazing (and Don) and to see the way he grows throughout this book (no jokes about Don here please!) is just fantastic. Character development is always something I look out for in a book, and Johnson has done that splendidly here. It's believable, it's written with great skill and it really pulls you into the character and his story. Honestly, I could expect to bump into Dee on the street somewhere and he could be real, that's just how detailed and precise this book portrayed him to me. As a reader with limited time to give to different characters, it's great to see a character leap out the pages so well, even if it were to bring Don to visit me in my sleep!
I touched on it, but another thing that I adored about this book was the story line. It was different, fresh and told the story from a different perspective to what I usually encounter in this genre. I think this is in part due to how Dee tells the story himself, but it's so engaging I often found myself up late with eyes closing and smacking myself in the face with my kindle as I tried to read just another chapter. The 'Manny Log' was an excellent addition, and these frequently had me rolling with laughter at Dee and Don's commentary on things.
The book is full of these laugh out loud moments, but it's so much more than just comedy, and I think that is something that really made me enjoy this book that little bit more. The range of human emotions Johnson writes about in just one book is huge. But here's the best part, they're written with such excellent compassion, detail and, I'm harking back to it but it's important, believability that it's almost too much for me to describe. Sadness, love, raw need, sex, it's all there and it's all written so well that it draws you right in and you are compelled to keep reading. Without spoiling it, the ending was fantastic and left me teary eyed to the point I had to stop reading, but in such a good way!
Well, I can't recommend this book highly enough. I laughed, I cried, I cringed and I loved it. There's only two things I'd love right now:
1. Another sampling of Amber Johnson's writing
2. This book made into a movie so I can oggle Dee and Don in the flesh.
But don't take my word for it, pick up a copy and read it for yourselves!
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Earthfall in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Left 4 Dead and its sequel Left 4 Dead 2 became must play games for fans who loved the four player co-op gameplay as players worked with one another to accomplish tasks and survive legions of undead and supernatural enemies.
The sequel came soon after the original and despite rumors and the best hopes of the gaming community; a new chapter in the series has yet to appear.
Thankfully Holospark have stepped up to offer gamers an enjoyable and intense gaming experience for fans who have grown weary of waiting for a new installment of Left 4 Dead. Set in the Pacific Northwest, Earthfall deals with the aftermath of an Alien invasion where four characters must work with one another to accomplish tasks, defeat wave after wave of enemies and survive.
Players can play with one another or play with A.I. controlled Bots whose ability level can be adjusted by players at the start of the level.
Weapons ranging from shotguns, pistols, bladed weapons, machine guns, and heavy weapons can be found along the way or printed at 3D Printers to help the odds of survival. There are also health kits, stations, ammo boxes, and Stimulant shots which will all have their place as the gameplay unfolds.
Teamwork is the key as the enemies are abundant and fast. While they may not have the best A.I. out there and rush straight at you; the fact that they are so abundant and attack from multiple directions at once really increases the challenge.
There are several types of enemies as well as boss Aliens who show up at various points of a level to throw a wrench into your strategy. Once a player is down, they can be revived by other players which often puts players in the difficult task of trying to stay alive or rushing into danger to try to save other players.
There are also devices such as auto and manned gun emplacements which can shred enemies, but overheat if continuous fire is used.
The game does offer various levels of difficulty so players can find one that best meets their gameplay style. Some may find the gameplay a bit dated but when you factor in the game was made by an Indie developer and has a list price for $30.00; it has some great things going for it. I have played the game well-over a year in early access phase and I have really enjoyed seeing the improvements to the game as it made its way to full release. The new maps are really good and there are more coming for gamers to enjoy as well. What is also really enjoyable to see is that Holospark seems very open to suggestions of the community and will continue to tweak the game going forward.
While some will likely say the graphics are a bit out of date and the dialogue is a bit standard, it is important to note that this is a game designed for fans of Left 4 Dead and is done by an smaller developer and not one of the mega-publishers, as such, I found the quality of the graphics and gameplay more than good enough for modern systems and at no time did I ever find it as a distraction to the gameplay as I was immersed from the get go.
If you are a fan of Left 4 Dead and want an affordably priced game that incorporates several of the best elements of the prior game, then you will not want to miss Earthfall.
http://sknr.net/2018/07/16/earthfall/
The sequel came soon after the original and despite rumors and the best hopes of the gaming community; a new chapter in the series has yet to appear.
Thankfully Holospark have stepped up to offer gamers an enjoyable and intense gaming experience for fans who have grown weary of waiting for a new installment of Left 4 Dead. Set in the Pacific Northwest, Earthfall deals with the aftermath of an Alien invasion where four characters must work with one another to accomplish tasks, defeat wave after wave of enemies and survive.
Players can play with one another or play with A.I. controlled Bots whose ability level can be adjusted by players at the start of the level.
Weapons ranging from shotguns, pistols, bladed weapons, machine guns, and heavy weapons can be found along the way or printed at 3D Printers to help the odds of survival. There are also health kits, stations, ammo boxes, and Stimulant shots which will all have their place as the gameplay unfolds.
Teamwork is the key as the enemies are abundant and fast. While they may not have the best A.I. out there and rush straight at you; the fact that they are so abundant and attack from multiple directions at once really increases the challenge.
There are several types of enemies as well as boss Aliens who show up at various points of a level to throw a wrench into your strategy. Once a player is down, they can be revived by other players which often puts players in the difficult task of trying to stay alive or rushing into danger to try to save other players.
There are also devices such as auto and manned gun emplacements which can shred enemies, but overheat if continuous fire is used.
The game does offer various levels of difficulty so players can find one that best meets their gameplay style. Some may find the gameplay a bit dated but when you factor in the game was made by an Indie developer and has a list price for $30.00; it has some great things going for it. I have played the game well-over a year in early access phase and I have really enjoyed seeing the improvements to the game as it made its way to full release. The new maps are really good and there are more coming for gamers to enjoy as well. What is also really enjoyable to see is that Holospark seems very open to suggestions of the community and will continue to tweak the game going forward.
While some will likely say the graphics are a bit out of date and the dialogue is a bit standard, it is important to note that this is a game designed for fans of Left 4 Dead and is done by an smaller developer and not one of the mega-publishers, as such, I found the quality of the graphics and gameplay more than good enough for modern systems and at no time did I ever find it as a distraction to the gameplay as I was immersed from the get go.
If you are a fan of Left 4 Dead and want an affordably priced game that incorporates several of the best elements of the prior game, then you will not want to miss Earthfall.
http://sknr.net/2018/07/16/earthfall/
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Everything, Everything in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I'm part of a reading challenge on this app called Habitica where I have to read a book turning into a movie this year, so <em>Everything, Everything</em> kind of got picked because of that. (I know it's problematic. The reading challenges are the only reasons why I chose to read the book.)
Anelise and I were also throwing out random books from our library for hours and this was the first that we both had a copy of or could borrow from the library, so here we are.
<b>
</b> <b>I was hoping to learn more from <i>Everything, Everything</i> than I actually did.</b> Madeline Whittier, aka Maddy, is someone who has SCID - an immune disorder where those affected basically have to be isolated from everything. <b>I learned virtually nothing but the bare bones definition of SCID</b> for the duration of the book:
<ul>
<li>You have to be isolated from the world</li>
<li>Anything, ANYTHING can trigger a reaction</li>
<li>It is basically a very miserable life</li>
</ul>
<div>Let's be honest: it's the dictionary definition.</div>
And <b>everything is so WHIT</b>E. White walls, white rooms, white bookshelves - I like the occasional white but ALL white is associated with hospitals. <b>I suppose hospital is the atmosphere Yoon is going for? </b>Still, though. Hospitals do have a splash of color somewhere? At least I'm pretty sure they do, but I'm that one kid who rarely went to the hospital.
So if you want the really quick version:<b> the romance is the plot</b>. I'm usually not a fan of contemporary romance, but I've been on a contemporary streak lately after reading some amazing books lately in the genre. <b>The romance between Mandy and Olly is adorable</b> - seeing their limited interactions, IMs, emails, etc. and even when they saw each other outside of those. <b>If you don't mind a cute romance or have a curiosity to know more about SCID, then <i>Everything, Everything</i> might be up your alley.</b> But I like learning things. This is why I'm still Ravenclaw and not Gryffindor, so Pottermore is wrong, I tell you. WRONG.
I thought<b> the layout was interesting and different, making the book seem quicker</b>. I also loved the illustrations - they complemented the story really well and felt like a nice addition.
Despite the cute romance, interesting layout, and amazing illustrations, <b>I am still disappointed with the ending.</b> It's one of those endings that might depend on the reader’s preferences, but I thought <b>it was a screwed up ending where some of the characters have HUGE issues</b>. I know I have my own issues of life, but this one is a really messy issue and I'm surprised no one got even a tiny bit suspicious for what? 16, 17 years?
I know there are some out there who will turn around and say that <i>Everything, Everything</i> is a fantastic novel. It is! But <b>the ending ruined everything, and I cannot add this to my collection of shove worthy books.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/everything-everything-by-nicola-yoon/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Anelise and I were also throwing out random books from our library for hours and this was the first that we both had a copy of or could borrow from the library, so here we are.
<b>
</b> <b>I was hoping to learn more from <i>Everything, Everything</i> than I actually did.</b> Madeline Whittier, aka Maddy, is someone who has SCID - an immune disorder where those affected basically have to be isolated from everything. <b>I learned virtually nothing but the bare bones definition of SCID</b> for the duration of the book:
<ul>
<li>You have to be isolated from the world</li>
<li>Anything, ANYTHING can trigger a reaction</li>
<li>It is basically a very miserable life</li>
</ul>
<div>Let's be honest: it's the dictionary definition.</div>
And <b>everything is so WHIT</b>E. White walls, white rooms, white bookshelves - I like the occasional white but ALL white is associated with hospitals. <b>I suppose hospital is the atmosphere Yoon is going for? </b>Still, though. Hospitals do have a splash of color somewhere? At least I'm pretty sure they do, but I'm that one kid who rarely went to the hospital.
So if you want the really quick version:<b> the romance is the plot</b>. I'm usually not a fan of contemporary romance, but I've been on a contemporary streak lately after reading some amazing books lately in the genre. <b>The romance between Mandy and Olly is adorable</b> - seeing their limited interactions, IMs, emails, etc. and even when they saw each other outside of those. <b>If you don't mind a cute romance or have a curiosity to know more about SCID, then <i>Everything, Everything</i> might be up your alley.</b> But I like learning things. This is why I'm still Ravenclaw and not Gryffindor, so Pottermore is wrong, I tell you. WRONG.
I thought<b> the layout was interesting and different, making the book seem quicker</b>. I also loved the illustrations - they complemented the story really well and felt like a nice addition.
Despite the cute romance, interesting layout, and amazing illustrations, <b>I am still disappointed with the ending.</b> It's one of those endings that might depend on the reader’s preferences, but I thought <b>it was a screwed up ending where some of the characters have HUGE issues</b>. I know I have my own issues of life, but this one is a really messy issue and I'm surprised no one got even a tiny bit suspicious for what? 16, 17 years?
I know there are some out there who will turn around and say that <i>Everything, Everything</i> is a fantastic novel. It is! But <b>the ending ruined everything, and I cannot add this to my collection of shove worthy books.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/everything-everything-by-nicola-yoon/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>