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Dean (6921 KP) rated Happy Death Day 2U (2019) in Movies
Feb 20, 2019
Deja Vu
I really enjoyed the first @Happy Death Day (2017) film which was a refreshing mix of Slasher meets Groundhog Day with a comic twist. This sequel is very similar, looks like it was filmed at the same time? This time round we have more of a SciFi theme to explain the time loop in both films. It's still fun but obviously not quite as original as the first offering. The whodunit element takes more of a back seat in this film.
Overall an enjoyable film but you really do need to see the first one before this. If you liked that then you won't mind the Deja Vu watching this.
Overall an enjoyable film but you really do need to see the first one before this. If you liked that then you won't mind the Deja Vu watching this.
Luke Paternoster (5 KP) rated The Hunting Party in Books
Apr 18, 2020
Who dunnit, mystery .
Even though the whole murder mystery taking place at a lodge in the middle of nowhere has been done countless times before, I honestly never get sick of it. The combination of that feeling of isolation, the freezing cold weather, and a cast of characters in which everyone is a suspect, just works for me. I really enjoyed this one and I was left guessing until the very end.
A group of old college friends have gathered at a snow lodge in the Scottish Highlands to ring in the new year. And of course soon after they arrive a terrible storm hits making it impossible for anyone to leave the area or on the flip side come to the lodge. Someone winds up dead and the author puts a fresh twist to the classic whodunit by having the reader try to figure out the identities of the killer AND the victim.
In my opinion what made this story work was the cast of unlikable characters although that might be the exact reason why many readers didn't like this book. Each character had a skeleton or two in their closet which made them a good suspect as well as potential victim. The big reveal will probably not catch most people off guard as it's something most readers will have considered as a possibility. But the reason the story was entertaining is there were more than a few directions the author could have gone in and you can't really eliminate anything until you get pretty far into the book. I didn't need a shocking ending to consider this an enjoyable read.
If you enjoy whodunit mysteries and don't mind a story with unlikable characters, consider giving this one a try.
A group of old college friends have gathered at a snow lodge in the Scottish Highlands to ring in the new year. And of course soon after they arrive a terrible storm hits making it impossible for anyone to leave the area or on the flip side come to the lodge. Someone winds up dead and the author puts a fresh twist to the classic whodunit by having the reader try to figure out the identities of the killer AND the victim.
In my opinion what made this story work was the cast of unlikable characters although that might be the exact reason why many readers didn't like this book. Each character had a skeleton or two in their closet which made them a good suspect as well as potential victim. The big reveal will probably not catch most people off guard as it's something most readers will have considered as a possibility. But the reason the story was entertaining is there were more than a few directions the author could have gone in and you can't really eliminate anything until you get pretty far into the book. I didn't need a shocking ending to consider this an enjoyable read.
If you enjoy whodunit mysteries and don't mind a story with unlikable characters, consider giving this one a try.
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Knives Out (2019) in Movies
Nov 28, 2019
Hoo boy. If you are a fan of “whodunit” movies, you are in for a real treat. Rian Johnson directs Knives Out, a film that that brings a great modern twist to the whodunit genre with an amazing all star cast.
Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is an acclaimed mystery murder novelist who has committed suicide on the night of his birthday party. At least it seems so at first. A mysterious entity has hired the last of the southern gentlemen detectives, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), to aid Lieutenant Elliot (LaKeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) in their investigation into what appeared to be a suicide. But soon, the stories of the party-goers starts to crumble, and you see there is something more afoot. Someone killed Mr. Thrombey, but who could it be? The list of suspects is long, and all are close to the deceased in their own way: his daughter, Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis); her husband, Richard Drysdale (Don Johnson); or their son, Ransom Drysdale (Chris Evans)? Could it possibly be his son, Walt Thrombey (Michael Shannon); his wife Donna (Riki Lindhome); or their son Jacob (Jaeden Martell). Maybe it was Joni Thrombey (Toni Collette), his widowed daughter-in-law; or her daughter Meg (Katherine Langford). Or it could be Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), Mr. Thrombey’s nurse. It’s a large list of suspects who attended the party that night, and it could be any of them.
I am a huge fan of this genre of movie, and I will say that Knives Out, while predictable at some points, did have me guessing, and second-guessing, all the way to the very end. I can’t really give you a lot more without spoiling some major plot points, but the film is outstanding. It was a little slow to start, but I believe there was a purpose behind this. Each actor playing a part that is not their typical role (for the most part) ended up being the real selling point. They all did fantastic, even though it did take a little getting used to seeing James Bond with a southern accent, and Captain America as a bona fide jackass.
The movie gave us a perfect blend of humor, mystery, and even a little action in order to give us what could be a modern masterpiece in the genre. Flay me all you want if you disagree, but it’s been a while since a really good whodunit has been put out that wasn’t a period piece. There were some flaws, but the movie made you connect to these characters, as zany as they seemed. Definitely a good film to check out on a date night.
Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is an acclaimed mystery murder novelist who has committed suicide on the night of his birthday party. At least it seems so at first. A mysterious entity has hired the last of the southern gentlemen detectives, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), to aid Lieutenant Elliot (LaKeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) in their investigation into what appeared to be a suicide. But soon, the stories of the party-goers starts to crumble, and you see there is something more afoot. Someone killed Mr. Thrombey, but who could it be? The list of suspects is long, and all are close to the deceased in their own way: his daughter, Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis); her husband, Richard Drysdale (Don Johnson); or their son, Ransom Drysdale (Chris Evans)? Could it possibly be his son, Walt Thrombey (Michael Shannon); his wife Donna (Riki Lindhome); or their son Jacob (Jaeden Martell). Maybe it was Joni Thrombey (Toni Collette), his widowed daughter-in-law; or her daughter Meg (Katherine Langford). Or it could be Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), Mr. Thrombey’s nurse. It’s a large list of suspects who attended the party that night, and it could be any of them.
I am a huge fan of this genre of movie, and I will say that Knives Out, while predictable at some points, did have me guessing, and second-guessing, all the way to the very end. I can’t really give you a lot more without spoiling some major plot points, but the film is outstanding. It was a little slow to start, but I believe there was a purpose behind this. Each actor playing a part that is not their typical role (for the most part) ended up being the real selling point. They all did fantastic, even though it did take a little getting used to seeing James Bond with a southern accent, and Captain America as a bona fide jackass.
The movie gave us a perfect blend of humor, mystery, and even a little action in order to give us what could be a modern masterpiece in the genre. Flay me all you want if you disagree, but it’s been a while since a really good whodunit has been put out that wasn’t a period piece. There were some flaws, but the movie made you connect to these characters, as zany as they seemed. Definitely a good film to check out on a date night.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated The Child in Books
Jan 20, 2018 (Updated Jan 20, 2018)
Good twist at the end
Fiona Barton's thrillers are always very accessible, it truly feels like you're reading an updated whodunit. The story surrounds various women with lots of secrets, that seem to emerge after the discovery of the remains of a baby at a building site.
Emma, a neurotic writer, her cold mother Jude, the mother of a missing infant Angelica, and of course, journalist Kate Walker take centre stage in this book. Each voice is unique with Kate being driven and ambitious, Emma appearing secretive, and the fragile Angelica breaking down fairly regularly. In this way, you're unlikely to become confused as the characters are distinct.
No doubt, a lot does happen so there is a question of whether Barton may have overdone the story. However, the last twist at the end was less obvious than the others and so the story concluded satisfactorily. An enjoyable read.
Emma, a neurotic writer, her cold mother Jude, the mother of a missing infant Angelica, and of course, journalist Kate Walker take centre stage in this book. Each voice is unique with Kate being driven and ambitious, Emma appearing secretive, and the fragile Angelica breaking down fairly regularly. In this way, you're unlikely to become confused as the characters are distinct.
No doubt, a lot does happen so there is a question of whether Barton may have overdone the story. However, the last twist at the end was less obvious than the others and so the story concluded satisfactorily. An enjoyable read.
Vegas (725 KP) rated The Hunting Party in Books
Jan 24, 2020
The setting (2 more)
The plot
Great whodunit
Great thriller which keeps you guessing
A group of friends set out for a reunion New Year's Eve holiday in a remote Scottish lodge, where they uncover secrets, lies, and more than they would have liked about each other.
A body is found, is it one of the guests, a stranger, staff member or even a local. Was it an accident or murder? We find out fragment at a time, with the author releasing just the right amount of info at any given time through flashbacks to push the story along...
The group of friends do come across as arrogant city types, and you wonder how hey managed to be friends but that is probably part of the deliberate way they are written so you do feel detached from them...
An enjoyable novel and recommend if you are into thrillers.
A body is found, is it one of the guests, a stranger, staff member or even a local. Was it an accident or murder? We find out fragment at a time, with the author releasing just the right amount of info at any given time through flashbacks to push the story along...
The group of friends do come across as arrogant city types, and you wonder how hey managed to be friends but that is probably part of the deliberate way they are written so you do feel detached from them...
An enjoyable novel and recommend if you are into thrillers.
Dean (6921 KP) rated The Mousetrap in St. Martin's Theatre (London, United Kingdom) in Shows
Jul 12, 2021
Great fun for Whodunit fans
Now in its 69th year at the St Martin's theatre I managed to get half price tickets for the show. The theatre is very old and maybe small but with plenty of character.
I saw a matinee performance as the show has 2 cast line ups. There was a face or two that looked familiar but no big names.
Despite having to keep their distance on stage the cast did a great job. There were some funny scenes as a description on the radio of someone wanted for questioning matched pretty much everyone. The show never drags and it's fun trying to figure out the killer. The only downside for me was that there weren't any real clues to work out the killer for those who like to play detective. Overall though a fun couple of hours.
I saw a matinee performance as the show has 2 cast line ups. There was a face or two that looked familiar but no big names.
Despite having to keep their distance on stage the cast did a great job. There were some funny scenes as a description on the radio of someone wanted for questioning matched pretty much everyone. The show never drags and it's fun trying to figure out the killer. The only downside for me was that there weren't any real clues to work out the killer for those who like to play detective. Overall though a fun couple of hours.
TacoDave (3496 KP) rated Happy Death Day 2U (2019) in Movies
Feb 20, 2019
Entertaining (2 more)
Funny
Likeable Cast
Not really a horror movie (1 more)
Not much of a whodunit
Here we go again...
I liked the first "Happy Death Day" movie quite a bit. I was the only person in the theater that night, so watching it was a fun experience. I liked the idea of mixing a slasher movie with a time-travel/Groundhog's Day motif.
And while I enjoyed the sequel quite a bit, it wasn't nearly as fresh or original as the first movie. Which makes sense. Because it is basically the same movie, except with the horror and whodunit aspects stripped out...
This time Tree (what a dumb name!) gets popped into a parallel universe where things are just slightly different from the first movie. She still repeats the same day over and over. She still dies every day. But this time some of the details of her life are jumbled up - with some characters back to life, and interpersonal relationships changed - so she feels off-balance.
I had hoped that this would lead to a "Scream"-style search for who the killer is, mixed with new relationships, but the whole killing aspect is really put on the back burner. When the reveal happens, it doesn't make sense and there's no build up for it. It just happens. Then the story moves on.
Instead, this movie is about trying to choose between two different types of loss and using a sci-fi deus ex machina to give Tree the power to make that choice.
Will she stay in the new universe? Will she go back "home?" Does anyone really care?
Still, the actors are decent and the movie moves along quickly enough that I wasn't bored. You should definitely see the first movie first, because many of the details in the sequel rely on that knowledge. In fact, I didn't remember it all, even though I have seen it, so it caused a bit of confusion.
But I still recommend this one if you are a fan of genre movies.
And while I enjoyed the sequel quite a bit, it wasn't nearly as fresh or original as the first movie. Which makes sense. Because it is basically the same movie, except with the horror and whodunit aspects stripped out...
This time Tree (what a dumb name!) gets popped into a parallel universe where things are just slightly different from the first movie. She still repeats the same day over and over. She still dies every day. But this time some of the details of her life are jumbled up - with some characters back to life, and interpersonal relationships changed - so she feels off-balance.
I had hoped that this would lead to a "Scream"-style search for who the killer is, mixed with new relationships, but the whole killing aspect is really put on the back burner. When the reveal happens, it doesn't make sense and there's no build up for it. It just happens. Then the story moves on.
Instead, this movie is about trying to choose between two different types of loss and using a sci-fi deus ex machina to give Tree the power to make that choice.
Will she stay in the new universe? Will she go back "home?" Does anyone really care?
Still, the actors are decent and the movie moves along quickly enough that I wasn't bored. You should definitely see the first movie first, because many of the details in the sequel rely on that knowledge. In fact, I didn't remember it all, even though I have seen it, so it caused a bit of confusion.
But I still recommend this one if you are a fan of genre movies.
Dean (6921 KP) rated Jonathan Creek in TV
Aug 31, 2020 (Updated Aug 31, 2020)
Cast chemistry (2 more)
The ideas behind the crimes
Funny
Brilliant Mystery Drama
A brilliant TV show, one of my favourites and one you can easily watch again. This is more of a how they did it as well as a Whodunit?
The title character works as an ideas man for a stage performing illusionist. Often working out very complex crimes with a reporter friend. Often these are locked room murders or other baffling cases that don't make sense. The ideas behind most stories are really good and it's fun trying to work them out. There is plenty of comedy as well and the cast work great together.
The last 2 series weren't as good as the earlier ones but still enjoyable. The best ones though are the longer special episodes, especially "The Grinning Man". If you didn't catch them all or missed it completely it's worth checking it out if you are a fan of Agatha Christie style murder mysteries. Available on BBC iplayer and Alabi on demand.
The title character works as an ideas man for a stage performing illusionist. Often working out very complex crimes with a reporter friend. Often these are locked room murders or other baffling cases that don't make sense. The ideas behind most stories are really good and it's fun trying to work them out. There is plenty of comedy as well and the cast work great together.
The last 2 series weren't as good as the earlier ones but still enjoyable. The best ones though are the longer special episodes, especially "The Grinning Man". If you didn't catch them all or missed it completely it's worth checking it out if you are a fan of Agatha Christie style murder mysteries. Available on BBC iplayer and Alabi on demand.
Bethr1986 (305 KP) rated A Most Malicious Murder in Books
Nov 22, 2021
Edgar Allen Poe is on a tour of the universities of England, His first stop Oxford. He's worried about his wife who's had a rough time on the way over. Hes had a bit too much to drink to celebrate his success he then wakes up in what he thinks is his room with a very sore head and a dead chambermaid at the bottom of his bed on the floor!
He must do everything he can to clear his name so he can continue with his tour.
It is an absolutely encapsulating story it did remind me a bit of Sherlock and Watson. It's very well written and captures your imagination from the start!
The murder scenes are rather gruesome but then murders aren't meant to be pretty are they! The air of mystery through out the novel keeps you wanting to read through to the end to find out whodunit and why?
a fantastic mystery to keep you captivated.
He must do everything he can to clear his name so he can continue with his tour.
It is an absolutely encapsulating story it did remind me a bit of Sherlock and Watson. It's very well written and captures your imagination from the start!
The murder scenes are rather gruesome but then murders aren't meant to be pretty are they! The air of mystery through out the novel keeps you wanting to read through to the end to find out whodunit and why?
a fantastic mystery to keep you captivated.
Blazing Minds (92 KP) rated Knives Out (2019) in Movies
Nov 1, 2021 (Updated Nov 3, 2021)
I have to say that with its brilliant cast including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Ana de Armas and of course Christopher Plummer, Knives Out, for me is one of the best Whodunit movies that I have seen for a long time on the big screen, I’ve seen many theatre productions in this genre and the last movie that I saw like this that had me as excited as Knives Out was Clue with Tim Curry.
This is a movie that has everything you could want from the genre, the mystery, the shifty money-grabbing family, the backstabbing and of course the intrigue of who committed the crime in the first place, yes there are those moments when you do start putting one and one together yourself, but with the subtle twists and turns in Knives Out it still keeps you guessing.
This is a movie that has everything you could want from the genre, the mystery, the shifty money-grabbing family, the backstabbing and of course the intrigue of who committed the crime in the first place, yes there are those moments when you do start putting one and one together yourself, but with the subtle twists and turns in Knives Out it still keeps you guessing.