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Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Loki in TV
Sep 6, 2021
Great Cast & Acting (2 more)
Superb CGI & Special Effects
Excellent Plot and Story
Filled With Glorious Purpose, and Lived Up To The Hype
During the events of Marvel's Endgame, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) escaped using the Tesseract when the Avengers went back in time. Many fans wondered what happened to this "alternate" Loki, as the Loki in the present timeline met his demise at the hands of Thanos. This "Loki" is captured by the TVA (Time Variance Authority), a mysterious bureaucratic organization that monitors the timeline and exists outside of time and space itself. He's put on trial before Judge Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) where he is found guilty for his crimes against the "sacred timeline" and sentenced to be "pruned". However, Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) enters the picture and Loki is given a choice to help fix the timeline and stop a great threat or face being erased from existence for being a "time variant". He agrees to help Mobius hunt down another Loki variant who has killed several TVA agents and has become a serious problem for the TVA.
So usually going into a movie or show with high expectations is a guarantee to be disappointed but I'm so glad this show wasn't a disappointment. First off, I was super excited for this highly anticipated series since Marvel was finally going to answer the question of "What happened to the "other" Loki?". The third Disney Plus series to be released after Wandavision, and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki brings us more of Tom Hiddleston and the fan favorite character Loki. Loki was a really great show that I enjoyed every episode of. There was so much that it did right. It had great actors like Owen Wilson and Gugu Mbatha-Raw and acting with great performances by Tom Hiddleston and Sophia Di Martino who had really good chemistry. It had awesome special effects and CGI throughout the whole show from the incredible views of the TVA and Lamentis-1, to the animated character Miss Minutes, to the amazing intro of the final episode. It also had an excellent plot and story that kept the show going at a good pace, with a nice mystery that kept you intrigued and hooked with a twist at the end of every episode. It also had movie quality cinematography you expect from a big budget blockbuster and definitely felt like this could have just as easily been on the big screen in theaters as it was on Disney plus. The first episode starts off with Loki finding out who and what the TVA are and what they want with him. Which is to help them hunt down a Loki variant. It feels like there was a lot of attention to the plot and detail of the storytelling, although a lot of it was building up what was to come, I think it did a superb job of setting the vibe and feel of the series and the storyline from the first episode on. I really liked Owen Wilson and his character agent Mobius, he came off as serious but funny in a aloof kind of way. Kind of reminded me of a teacher who is nice until you start giving them trouble and they have think of some way to deal with you. There was a really good mix of humor and emotion and action as well, although some episodes were more action heavy than others. The music and score were very fitting of the MCU but with a clear influence of Loki's personality in it as well as the mystery and grandness of the plot and story. So without giving away any spoilers in this section I give this series a 8/10 and my "Must See Seal of Approval". I know this review is super late to the party but if you're late too and haven't seen this show you need to definitely check it out.
So usually going into a movie or show with high expectations is a guarantee to be disappointed but I'm so glad this show wasn't a disappointment. First off, I was super excited for this highly anticipated series since Marvel was finally going to answer the question of "What happened to the "other" Loki?". The third Disney Plus series to be released after Wandavision, and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki brings us more of Tom Hiddleston and the fan favorite character Loki. Loki was a really great show that I enjoyed every episode of. There was so much that it did right. It had great actors like Owen Wilson and Gugu Mbatha-Raw and acting with great performances by Tom Hiddleston and Sophia Di Martino who had really good chemistry. It had awesome special effects and CGI throughout the whole show from the incredible views of the TVA and Lamentis-1, to the animated character Miss Minutes, to the amazing intro of the final episode. It also had an excellent plot and story that kept the show going at a good pace, with a nice mystery that kept you intrigued and hooked with a twist at the end of every episode. It also had movie quality cinematography you expect from a big budget blockbuster and definitely felt like this could have just as easily been on the big screen in theaters as it was on Disney plus. The first episode starts off with Loki finding out who and what the TVA are and what they want with him. Which is to help them hunt down a Loki variant. It feels like there was a lot of attention to the plot and detail of the storytelling, although a lot of it was building up what was to come, I think it did a superb job of setting the vibe and feel of the series and the storyline from the first episode on. I really liked Owen Wilson and his character agent Mobius, he came off as serious but funny in a aloof kind of way. Kind of reminded me of a teacher who is nice until you start giving them trouble and they have think of some way to deal with you. There was a really good mix of humor and emotion and action as well, although some episodes were more action heavy than others. The music and score were very fitting of the MCU but with a clear influence of Loki's personality in it as well as the mystery and grandness of the plot and story. So without giving away any spoilers in this section I give this series a 8/10 and my "Must See Seal of Approval". I know this review is super late to the party but if you're late too and haven't seen this show you need to definitely check it out.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated I, Tonya (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Some Darwin award winners.
Man, I personally found this one to be an exceedingly uncomfortable watch.
“I, Tonya” is cleverly filmed as a pseudo-documentary, featuring re-enactments of the real-life interviews of most of the participants in this true-life drama. I recently bitterly criticised some film critics for spoiling the story of Donald Crowhurst, the subject of the recent “The Mercy”. But I was about to do exactly the same here, *assuming* that you all know the lurid tale of the rivalry between Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan that led up to an ‘event’ in 1994 that shocked the world. And of course, many of you younger folk don’t know: case in point my 26 year old son who I went to see this with, and who went into the story blissfully blind of the drama about to unfold. So I will try to keep this review spoiler-free.
Playing Tonya from a (not very credible!) 15 years old to her mid-20’s is Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street”, “Suicide Squad”) in what is a BAFTA and Oscar nominated performance. And for good reason: the performance is raw, visceral and disturbing in reflecting a victim who still thinks everything at heart is her own fault.
Also BAFTA and Oscar nominated is Allison Janney (“The Girl on the Train”) as Tonya’s obnoxious chain-smoking mother LaVona. Janney is truly terrifying as the mother who abuses her daughter both physically and mentally in a driven attempt to make her the best ice-skater in the world.
Victims seem to attract abusers, and Tonya is surrounded by people who are just plain bad for her: notably her husband Jeff (Sebastian Stan, “The Martian”, “Captain America: Winter Soldier”) and his slimy and pitifully self-deluded friend Shawn (Paul Walter Hauser). The end credits video footage of the real-life players show just how well these parts were cast.
Why so uncomfortable to watch? There is a significant degree of domestic abuse featured in the film, both in terms of LaVona on her child and Jeff on his wife. This is something I abhor in general, having been brought up to believe it is never EVER acceptable to lay a hand on a woman. To have these cowardly individuals sensationalised in the movie I found to be really upsetting. I strongly feel, for this reason alone, that the film should have had an 18 certificate. Violence in film should be related to the context as well as the severity. (Note that this is in stark contrast to my comments of recent BBFC decisions to make “Phantom Thread” and “Lady Bird” 15-certificates when I believe they should have been 12A).
The film is executed extremely well, with 4:3 framing for the staged interviews, and ice skating scenes that seamlessly cut between the professional clearly doing the stunts and Robbie (who must also be a half decent skater too). The soundtrack is nicely littered – “Guardians of the Galaxy” style – with classic hits of the early 90’s.
To think that this story actually unfolded in this way is nothing short of astounding… but it did! There is an astonishing video clip here (#spoilers) of the run up to, and the immediate aftermath of, the Kerrigan incident. I came out of the film with a deep feeling of sadness for Harding (at least, as portrayed) and utter disgust that the villains of this piece could be a) so cruel and out of control and b) so utterly stupid. These are individuals who really should have been sterilised to stop them polluting the gene pool any further.
Written by Steven Rogers (“Stepmom”) and directed by Australian Craig Gillespie, there is no doubting that this is a powerful film: played to an absolutely silent and gripped Saturday night cinema audience. And it has truly dynamite performances from Allison Janney and Margot Robbie. But be warned that you’ll need a strong stomach to go and see it without being affected by it afterwards. It’s a mental keeper.
“I, Tonya” is cleverly filmed as a pseudo-documentary, featuring re-enactments of the real-life interviews of most of the participants in this true-life drama. I recently bitterly criticised some film critics for spoiling the story of Donald Crowhurst, the subject of the recent “The Mercy”. But I was about to do exactly the same here, *assuming* that you all know the lurid tale of the rivalry between Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan that led up to an ‘event’ in 1994 that shocked the world. And of course, many of you younger folk don’t know: case in point my 26 year old son who I went to see this with, and who went into the story blissfully blind of the drama about to unfold. So I will try to keep this review spoiler-free.
Playing Tonya from a (not very credible!) 15 years old to her mid-20’s is Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street”, “Suicide Squad”) in what is a BAFTA and Oscar nominated performance. And for good reason: the performance is raw, visceral and disturbing in reflecting a victim who still thinks everything at heart is her own fault.
Also BAFTA and Oscar nominated is Allison Janney (“The Girl on the Train”) as Tonya’s obnoxious chain-smoking mother LaVona. Janney is truly terrifying as the mother who abuses her daughter both physically and mentally in a driven attempt to make her the best ice-skater in the world.
Victims seem to attract abusers, and Tonya is surrounded by people who are just plain bad for her: notably her husband Jeff (Sebastian Stan, “The Martian”, “Captain America: Winter Soldier”) and his slimy and pitifully self-deluded friend Shawn (Paul Walter Hauser). The end credits video footage of the real-life players show just how well these parts were cast.
Why so uncomfortable to watch? There is a significant degree of domestic abuse featured in the film, both in terms of LaVona on her child and Jeff on his wife. This is something I abhor in general, having been brought up to believe it is never EVER acceptable to lay a hand on a woman. To have these cowardly individuals sensationalised in the movie I found to be really upsetting. I strongly feel, for this reason alone, that the film should have had an 18 certificate. Violence in film should be related to the context as well as the severity. (Note that this is in stark contrast to my comments of recent BBFC decisions to make “Phantom Thread” and “Lady Bird” 15-certificates when I believe they should have been 12A).
The film is executed extremely well, with 4:3 framing for the staged interviews, and ice skating scenes that seamlessly cut between the professional clearly doing the stunts and Robbie (who must also be a half decent skater too). The soundtrack is nicely littered – “Guardians of the Galaxy” style – with classic hits of the early 90’s.
To think that this story actually unfolded in this way is nothing short of astounding… but it did! There is an astonishing video clip here (#spoilers) of the run up to, and the immediate aftermath of, the Kerrigan incident. I came out of the film with a deep feeling of sadness for Harding (at least, as portrayed) and utter disgust that the villains of this piece could be a) so cruel and out of control and b) so utterly stupid. These are individuals who really should have been sterilised to stop them polluting the gene pool any further.
Written by Steven Rogers (“Stepmom”) and directed by Australian Craig Gillespie, there is no doubting that this is a powerful film: played to an absolutely silent and gripped Saturday night cinema audience. And it has truly dynamite performances from Allison Janney and Margot Robbie. But be warned that you’ll need a strong stomach to go and see it without being affected by it afterwards. It’s a mental keeper.
Becs (244 KP) rated Stars Over Zephyr in Books
Apr 20, 2019
AMAZING! This novel does not disappoint one bit!
You can also see this review on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
I received Stars Over Zephyr to review for my honest opinion from The Parliament House. Stars Over Zephyr is the third book in The Snow Spark Saga by Kathryn Lee Martin and it does not disappoint one bit!
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Gore, Violence, Oppression, Death
Kathryn does an amazing job blowing the reader away with the development, the background, the plot, and the story-line. Stars Over Zephyr is very well written and the story instantly grabs your attention, keeping it held until the very last page. You will be left in a puddle of tears at the ending and wanting more, being unable to wait until the fourth book is published. I sure am!!
The story picks up right where it left off in book 2: Garden of Ashes. Stars Over Zephyr follows the main gang: Rags, Henny, Colton, Ethan, and Ali, and their journey (more like escape) from the Threshing Floor. Throughout the first half of this novel, the gang are trying to escape the wraith of Sahrobi, the Kingdom Corps, and Hyperion who are trying to capture them to torture and execute them.
The gang happens to stumble upon some Pre-Yellowstone ruins where they hide out to escape the wraith of the Kingdom and the harsh winter winds. They leave behind the shelter just before dawn to travel to what they believe is to be Solstice. Now Solstice isn’t the safest place and is actually where a lot of criminals head to seek refuge. So it spells trouble with a capitol T.
Once the crew arrives, they are reprimanded by a group of Supporters who are trying to take back the Kingdom. This is where the gang meets Meridian who gives them an ultimatum – choose to work as slaves or be executed and sent back to Hyperion and the Threshing Floor in pieces. Rags, Colton, and Henny choose the latter where they also decide to gain intel on the rebel group so they can take the Kingdom back themselves. Before they decide to take the offer of working as slaves, they ask only one thing – that Ethan and Ali get home to Lexicon safely.
Characters:
Rags – our rugged MC who just wants to go home to her family. Still as realistic of a character as ever and seems to be cozying up with Henny and Colton at the same time (gurrlll choose already please *gets down on my knees and begs for Henny to gain her love*
Henny – still a smol angry cinnamonroll. Still as adorable as ever and has become very protective of our MC.
Colton – my little Irish boy *insert heart eyes here* He’s such a gentle boy and is honestly such an amazing friend to not only Henny, but to Rags as well. Seemed to replace Matthew as a brother but idk about that scene.. *glares at Rags for confusing me*
Ethan and Ali – these two little babes have gained so much background in this book. Ethan is still as annoyed as ever and Ali, oh my precious little Ali!
Lilian and Lotan – minor characters and don’t have a very important role. They are just kind of there in the story.
Meridian – the leader of the supporters and one bada** lady!! She plays a major role in the story and plot, and gains a ton of background. You tend to like her towards the end of the novel.
Hyperion – the wicked king that wants to be bowed too. He deserved what happened to him. (not saying cause spoilers)
Sahrobi – the evil devil child of Hyperion. She’s still hunting the gang and honestly she deserved full force what happened to her. (again not gonna say cause spoilers)
Reasons why I rated it 5 stars:
1. This novel was so well written and there were only a very few grammatical errors, but I’m not holding that against the author as the story made up for it!
2. There was so much development and background given in Stars Over Zephyr! I loved it so much.
3. The plot was AHMAZING!!!
4. The overall story has left me feeling some feels. I really can’t wait for book 4!
5. I am defiantly going to reread this very soon as I enjoyed it so much.
“Some of the hardest things in life, Ragamuffin, are knowing exactly when and where to keep your mouth shut and stay out of things.”
I received Stars Over Zephyr to review for my honest opinion from The Parliament House. Stars Over Zephyr is the third book in The Snow Spark Saga by Kathryn Lee Martin and it does not disappoint one bit!
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Gore, Violence, Oppression, Death
Kathryn does an amazing job blowing the reader away with the development, the background, the plot, and the story-line. Stars Over Zephyr is very well written and the story instantly grabs your attention, keeping it held until the very last page. You will be left in a puddle of tears at the ending and wanting more, being unable to wait until the fourth book is published. I sure am!!
The story picks up right where it left off in book 2: Garden of Ashes. Stars Over Zephyr follows the main gang: Rags, Henny, Colton, Ethan, and Ali, and their journey (more like escape) from the Threshing Floor. Throughout the first half of this novel, the gang are trying to escape the wraith of Sahrobi, the Kingdom Corps, and Hyperion who are trying to capture them to torture and execute them.
The gang happens to stumble upon some Pre-Yellowstone ruins where they hide out to escape the wraith of the Kingdom and the harsh winter winds. They leave behind the shelter just before dawn to travel to what they believe is to be Solstice. Now Solstice isn’t the safest place and is actually where a lot of criminals head to seek refuge. So it spells trouble with a capitol T.
Once the crew arrives, they are reprimanded by a group of Supporters who are trying to take back the Kingdom. This is where the gang meets Meridian who gives them an ultimatum – choose to work as slaves or be executed and sent back to Hyperion and the Threshing Floor in pieces. Rags, Colton, and Henny choose the latter where they also decide to gain intel on the rebel group so they can take the Kingdom back themselves. Before they decide to take the offer of working as slaves, they ask only one thing – that Ethan and Ali get home to Lexicon safely.
Characters:
Rags – our rugged MC who just wants to go home to her family. Still as realistic of a character as ever and seems to be cozying up with Henny and Colton at the same time (gurrlll choose already please *gets down on my knees and begs for Henny to gain her love*
Henny – still a smol angry cinnamonroll. Still as adorable as ever and has become very protective of our MC.
Colton – my little Irish boy *insert heart eyes here* He’s such a gentle boy and is honestly such an amazing friend to not only Henny, but to Rags as well. Seemed to replace Matthew as a brother but idk about that scene.. *glares at Rags for confusing me*
Ethan and Ali – these two little babes have gained so much background in this book. Ethan is still as annoyed as ever and Ali, oh my precious little Ali!
Lilian and Lotan – minor characters and don’t have a very important role. They are just kind of there in the story.
Meridian – the leader of the supporters and one bada** lady!! She plays a major role in the story and plot, and gains a ton of background. You tend to like her towards the end of the novel.
Hyperion – the wicked king that wants to be bowed too. He deserved what happened to him. (not saying cause spoilers)
Sahrobi – the evil devil child of Hyperion. She’s still hunting the gang and honestly she deserved full force what happened to her. (again not gonna say cause spoilers)
Reasons why I rated it 5 stars:
1. This novel was so well written and there were only a very few grammatical errors, but I’m not holding that against the author as the story made up for it!
2. There was so much development and background given in Stars Over Zephyr! I loved it so much.
3. The plot was AHMAZING!!!
4. The overall story has left me feeling some feels. I really can’t wait for book 4!
5. I am defiantly going to reread this very soon as I enjoyed it so much.
“Some of the hardest things in life, Ragamuffin, are knowing exactly when and where to keep your mouth shut and stay out of things.”
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Emma in the Night in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Cassandra Tanner and her sister, Emma, disappeared on the same night three years ago. Cass was fifteen and her lovely, enigmatic older sister seventeen. Suddenly, Cass shows up on her mother's doorstep, desperately begging her family to find Emma, whom she claims is being against her will on a remote island in Maine. Immediately, the FBI is called back to the case, including forensic psychiatrist Abby Winter, who has been haunted by the investigation since Emma and Cass went missing. Abby had a lot of theories about Emma and Cass' case--and saw similarities in their mother to her own--but kept most of these thoughts to herself. But now that Cass is back, with a story that doesn't completely add up, Abby realizes she might not be so off track after all. And that there might be a lot more to Emma and Cass' disappearance then everyone thinks.
This book is a tough one for me. It started off in great fashion--completely sucking me in. It's an interesting novel, as in some ways it seems like a rather straightforward tale of two missing girls, but it's also incredibly puzzling and keeps you guessing from the start. I think my brow was probably actually furrowed as I was reading. It's hard to trust <i>anyone</i> in this novel, or know who to believe, and that has you frantically turning pages, trying to figure out what on earth is the actual truth.
The story flips between Cass' point of view and that of Abby's. I was intrigued by Cass' story, though not particularly attached to her and while I sympathized with Abby, wasn't really drawn to her as a character, either. I actually sort of wanted to rush through her sections so I could get back to Cass and what was actually happening (or had happened) to her, and by proxy, Emma.
Make no mistake--the Tanner/Martin family saga is a twisted one. This book will shock and bewilder you--this is not a nice set of characters. Emma and Cass' mother is hateful and downright despicable, as are many of the supporting characters. Even Emma--via stories--is tough to care for at times. The premise is that Ms. Martin, the mother, has narcissistic personality disorder--the same disorder that affected Abby's mother as well. At first, this works, as you're shocked by the treatment of Emma and Cass and what it's done to each girl.
But, admittedly, after a while, I grew a little weary of this plot device. The disorder and its effects are explained repeatedly. If Walker could have explained it and moved on, I would have enjoyed the novel a lot more. I found myself skimming over some of the repetitive psychological descriptions, so I could get on with the story. As the story continues, the family almost seems <i>too</i> fractured and horrible; I was shocked at the continuing tale of horror regarding her mother, stepfather, stepbrother, and sister that Cass kept weaving. Goodness--they come across as diabolical, but not real.
I actually really enjoyed Walker's previous novel, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26114146-all-is-not-forgotten">ALL IS NOT FORGOTTEN</a> - particularly because the ending lived up to the earlier parts of the novel and shocked me. Here, I am pretty sure the intent was the same, but it didn't quite pan out. By the time we reached the end, I was tired of the psychological drama and ramblings. I hadn't exactly figured out what had happened--I'll definitely give Walker that--but I knew something was up. I also felt so much of all of this could have been avoided from the start by Cass, but I won't go into that for spoilers sake.
So, alas. As I started this one, I really thought it was going to be a novel that I was going to recommend to everyone. By the end, I was a bit let down. I'll go with 3 stars overall, since it certainly did keep me flipping the pages.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 08/08/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
This book is a tough one for me. It started off in great fashion--completely sucking me in. It's an interesting novel, as in some ways it seems like a rather straightforward tale of two missing girls, but it's also incredibly puzzling and keeps you guessing from the start. I think my brow was probably actually furrowed as I was reading. It's hard to trust <i>anyone</i> in this novel, or know who to believe, and that has you frantically turning pages, trying to figure out what on earth is the actual truth.
The story flips between Cass' point of view and that of Abby's. I was intrigued by Cass' story, though not particularly attached to her and while I sympathized with Abby, wasn't really drawn to her as a character, either. I actually sort of wanted to rush through her sections so I could get back to Cass and what was actually happening (or had happened) to her, and by proxy, Emma.
Make no mistake--the Tanner/Martin family saga is a twisted one. This book will shock and bewilder you--this is not a nice set of characters. Emma and Cass' mother is hateful and downright despicable, as are many of the supporting characters. Even Emma--via stories--is tough to care for at times. The premise is that Ms. Martin, the mother, has narcissistic personality disorder--the same disorder that affected Abby's mother as well. At first, this works, as you're shocked by the treatment of Emma and Cass and what it's done to each girl.
But, admittedly, after a while, I grew a little weary of this plot device. The disorder and its effects are explained repeatedly. If Walker could have explained it and moved on, I would have enjoyed the novel a lot more. I found myself skimming over some of the repetitive psychological descriptions, so I could get on with the story. As the story continues, the family almost seems <i>too</i> fractured and horrible; I was shocked at the continuing tale of horror regarding her mother, stepfather, stepbrother, and sister that Cass kept weaving. Goodness--they come across as diabolical, but not real.
I actually really enjoyed Walker's previous novel, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26114146-all-is-not-forgotten">ALL IS NOT FORGOTTEN</a> - particularly because the ending lived up to the earlier parts of the novel and shocked me. Here, I am pretty sure the intent was the same, but it didn't quite pan out. By the time we reached the end, I was tired of the psychological drama and ramblings. I hadn't exactly figured out what had happened--I'll definitely give Walker that--but I knew something was up. I also felt so much of all of this could have been avoided from the start by Cass, but I won't go into that for spoilers sake.
So, alas. As I started this one, I really thought it was going to be a novel that I was going to recommend to everyone. By the end, I was a bit let down. I'll go with 3 stars overall, since it certainly did keep me flipping the pages.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 08/08/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
Mothergamer (1517 KP) rated the PC version of Stardew Valley in Video Games
Apr 3, 2019
I know it's odd that I had never played Stardew Valley before, but there are so many games that it takes me time to catch up or choose a game I want to play. A friend suggested I check out Stardew Valley because they knew that I love the Harvest Moon games. I was intrigued so I got Stardew Valley and I started playing. When you start the game you can play as a guy or a girl who has inherited a plot of land with a house from their grandfather in a place called Pelican Town. It looks like a cute 8 bit game and you can pick out the color and style you want your clothes. You then get to choose from five farms the style of farm you want to play the game depending on your style ranging from a beginner farm to a farm with extra foraging. The farm is overrun with boulders, weeds, and tree stumps. You need to clear these out in order to restart the farm and plant crops.
Starting on the beginner farm with a few crops.
When you are working on your farm you have tools that you can use in your inventory. The controls for the farming aspect of the game are fairly easy to navigate. You can also talk to the villagers and there are twelve possible people that your character can date and then marry. You can give a gift that they like or love, but you can only give them one gift a day and two gifts a week. You have to wait until the week resets usually on Sunday in order to give them gifts again. You also can talk to the other NPC villagers and sometimes they will have requests for items such as crops from your farm or items you can find foraging.
All the tools you need for farming in your inventory.
Farming isn't the only thing you can do. It's clear how Harvest Moon inspired Stardew Valley, but Stardew is very much its own game in the best way. You can run around to the forest or to the beach to forage for things such as berries or seashells which you can sell. You can also explore the mines to get stone, ore, and minerals you need for crafting. Be careful though, because there are monsters in the mines and you do have to fight them. This is where the nearby Adventurer's Guild comes in handy because you can buy weapons and accessories to help you battle the monsters. The monsters drop items as well that can be sold and used for various items in your crafting.
You can go fishing too and fishing is a bit of a challenge. There is definitely a learning curve to fishing and it took me a bit figure out the controls. Fishing is not really my favorite thing in the game because of that steep learning curve, but once I got the hang of it it wasn't so bad. That's the beauty of Stardew Valley. There is no pressure and no time limit to do everything all at once. You can take your time with it, relax, and have fun.
Trying out fishing in Stardew Valley.
Once you get the hang of everything, you get a rhythm down for all the things you want to do. You can grow different crops in the seasons and when Winter comes you can forage and explore the mines. The mines save your progress every five floors which is pretty nice. You can also get to know your neighbors and you do get some heart events with your love interest at varying points in the game.
Getting the hang of this farming thing.
You don't have to just plant crops, you can also raise animals such as cows, chickens, goats, and sheep. This gives you more things you can sell like milk, eggs, and wool. There are also festivals you can go to. The calendar for the seasons are twenty eight days with two festival days. The festivals are a lot of fun ranging from a dance festival to a spooky Halloween festival. These are a great way to break up the farming stuff and it gives you a chance to talk to all your neighbors while enjoying yourself. I love Stardew Valley. It is a wonderful game that is fun to play and quite relaxing as well. I can't wait to check out the other farms in other playthroughs. Stardew Valley is a great game that offers a lot of fun, with beautiful music, and a love of gaming. If you love games like Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing you will enjoy it. Now, I have more exploring in the mines to do. See you at the next adventure!
Starting on the beginner farm with a few crops.
When you are working on your farm you have tools that you can use in your inventory. The controls for the farming aspect of the game are fairly easy to navigate. You can also talk to the villagers and there are twelve possible people that your character can date and then marry. You can give a gift that they like or love, but you can only give them one gift a day and two gifts a week. You have to wait until the week resets usually on Sunday in order to give them gifts again. You also can talk to the other NPC villagers and sometimes they will have requests for items such as crops from your farm or items you can find foraging.
All the tools you need for farming in your inventory.
Farming isn't the only thing you can do. It's clear how Harvest Moon inspired Stardew Valley, but Stardew is very much its own game in the best way. You can run around to the forest or to the beach to forage for things such as berries or seashells which you can sell. You can also explore the mines to get stone, ore, and minerals you need for crafting. Be careful though, because there are monsters in the mines and you do have to fight them. This is where the nearby Adventurer's Guild comes in handy because you can buy weapons and accessories to help you battle the monsters. The monsters drop items as well that can be sold and used for various items in your crafting.
You can go fishing too and fishing is a bit of a challenge. There is definitely a learning curve to fishing and it took me a bit figure out the controls. Fishing is not really my favorite thing in the game because of that steep learning curve, but once I got the hang of it it wasn't so bad. That's the beauty of Stardew Valley. There is no pressure and no time limit to do everything all at once. You can take your time with it, relax, and have fun.
Trying out fishing in Stardew Valley.
Once you get the hang of everything, you get a rhythm down for all the things you want to do. You can grow different crops in the seasons and when Winter comes you can forage and explore the mines. The mines save your progress every five floors which is pretty nice. You can also get to know your neighbors and you do get some heart events with your love interest at varying points in the game.
Getting the hang of this farming thing.
You don't have to just plant crops, you can also raise animals such as cows, chickens, goats, and sheep. This gives you more things you can sell like milk, eggs, and wool. There are also festivals you can go to. The calendar for the seasons are twenty eight days with two festival days. The festivals are a lot of fun ranging from a dance festival to a spooky Halloween festival. These are a great way to break up the farming stuff and it gives you a chance to talk to all your neighbors while enjoying yourself. I love Stardew Valley. It is a wonderful game that is fun to play and quite relaxing as well. I can't wait to check out the other farms in other playthroughs. Stardew Valley is a great game that offers a lot of fun, with beautiful music, and a love of gaming. If you love games like Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing you will enjoy it. Now, I have more exploring in the mines to do. See you at the next adventure!
Andy Meakin (5 KP) rated Thor: Ragnarok (2017) in Movies
Jul 11, 2018
Thor-oughly entertaining.
Thor has always come across as the weaker of the Marvel film series’. The first film was well made, but never really demanded a repeat watch. The second, whilst not as bad as some people will attest, still felt more like a stop gap filler. You can’t blame the casting for the feeling of nonchalance that the films, so far, have delivered. Hemsworth is great in the role, and the support cast have always given their all, from Hiddleston as Loki, to Anthony Hopkins as Odin. But the stories have just felt superfluous, generic, and lacking in anything fantastical or mystical. In addition they have made the same error that DC made when they adapted Green Lantern – they spent too much time on Earth! You see, there are enough super-hero films that focus on a threat to Earth, so even though you could argue that it is faithful to the comics to have Thor defending Midgard against some mythical enemy, it has the unfortunate effect of making it seem just a little too…familiar. Wisely the decision was made for this third film to break away from Midgard, and go ‘cosmic’ with the story – and the end result is a damn sight better as a result.
The film spends the first act tying up some loose ends from the previous film, and returning Thor to Asgard. There he finds things are not as he left, and pretty soon Hela (Cate Blanchett) arrives to take control of Asgard, and threaten all the kingdoms with her army. Thor himself finds himself stranded on a remote junk-planet called Sakaar, where he finds himself thrown into gladiatorial combat against…well…an old friend. Can Thor unite an army to return to Asgard and save his people?
To say the film is immense fun would be an understatement! Director Taika Waititi, known for comedy dramas such as Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do In The Shadows, definitely had an aim to explore the somewhat sillier side of the character, and the film is funny from the outset. Thor, who has always been a little naïve and shown some more awkward moments, is really given a lot of great lines, jibes, and clumsy aspects to round him out as more than just a ‘dumb, cocky Asgardian’. Throughout the film, characters quip and riff on ideas, creating genuine laughs and quotable moments, with even the newer characters getting their moments to impress on the audience. Amongst those newer additions, Karl Urban as Skurge, Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster, and Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie steal any moments they appear on screen (Goldblum in particular just needs to have a wry grin and a raised eyebrow and all focus is on him). But Waititi himself gets to play with the best new addition to the cast, and one we will apparently see more of in the future, as Korg, a Kronan warrior.
So far, so entertaining, but is it all comedy and no substance? Far from it! The comedy serves well to balance against the dark drama of the story. This is titled Ragnarok, and Hela’s assault on Asgard is chilling indeed. In addition, the weaving in of elements from the Planet Hulk storyline, to give the mid-point journey part of the film some meat, ensures that there is never any dip in the tale, and there is plenty going on. The delicate balance of drama, emotion, and comedy is very reminiscent of the Guardians of the Galaxy films, and the franchise is so much better for it. After all, Asgardians are an alien race, so why not explore the cosmos a little with them? Even the soundtrack feels a little ‘Guardians-esque’ in style, with Led Zeppelin’s fabulous Immigrant Song being utilised perfectly for battle moments, but a somewhat electro-pop-synth score resonating throughout the film.
This is a film that flies by in run time (130 minutes, but never dragging), and finally gives Thor an identity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the end credits finish rolling, the immediate desire is to watch it all again – which is not a feeling that the other two films left in me at all. Jostling for position in the top three Marvel films to date (Avengers and Guardians for those who are curious – yes, I know Winter Soldier and Civil War are damned good too, but these films are just fun). Thor: Ragnarok looks amazing, and entertains thoroughly. Ragnarok may mean the end of Asgard according to myth and legend, but it signals the true start of Thor as a character in his own right. All of that positive without even mentioning Ruffalo as Hulk (which you just knew was going to be great anyway)! Just watch the film for yourself, and enjoy.
The film spends the first act tying up some loose ends from the previous film, and returning Thor to Asgard. There he finds things are not as he left, and pretty soon Hela (Cate Blanchett) arrives to take control of Asgard, and threaten all the kingdoms with her army. Thor himself finds himself stranded on a remote junk-planet called Sakaar, where he finds himself thrown into gladiatorial combat against…well…an old friend. Can Thor unite an army to return to Asgard and save his people?
To say the film is immense fun would be an understatement! Director Taika Waititi, known for comedy dramas such as Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do In The Shadows, definitely had an aim to explore the somewhat sillier side of the character, and the film is funny from the outset. Thor, who has always been a little naïve and shown some more awkward moments, is really given a lot of great lines, jibes, and clumsy aspects to round him out as more than just a ‘dumb, cocky Asgardian’. Throughout the film, characters quip and riff on ideas, creating genuine laughs and quotable moments, with even the newer characters getting their moments to impress on the audience. Amongst those newer additions, Karl Urban as Skurge, Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster, and Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie steal any moments they appear on screen (Goldblum in particular just needs to have a wry grin and a raised eyebrow and all focus is on him). But Waititi himself gets to play with the best new addition to the cast, and one we will apparently see more of in the future, as Korg, a Kronan warrior.
So far, so entertaining, but is it all comedy and no substance? Far from it! The comedy serves well to balance against the dark drama of the story. This is titled Ragnarok, and Hela’s assault on Asgard is chilling indeed. In addition, the weaving in of elements from the Planet Hulk storyline, to give the mid-point journey part of the film some meat, ensures that there is never any dip in the tale, and there is plenty going on. The delicate balance of drama, emotion, and comedy is very reminiscent of the Guardians of the Galaxy films, and the franchise is so much better for it. After all, Asgardians are an alien race, so why not explore the cosmos a little with them? Even the soundtrack feels a little ‘Guardians-esque’ in style, with Led Zeppelin’s fabulous Immigrant Song being utilised perfectly for battle moments, but a somewhat electro-pop-synth score resonating throughout the film.
This is a film that flies by in run time (130 minutes, but never dragging), and finally gives Thor an identity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the end credits finish rolling, the immediate desire is to watch it all again – which is not a feeling that the other two films left in me at all. Jostling for position in the top three Marvel films to date (Avengers and Guardians for those who are curious – yes, I know Winter Soldier and Civil War are damned good too, but these films are just fun). Thor: Ragnarok looks amazing, and entertains thoroughly. Ragnarok may mean the end of Asgard according to myth and legend, but it signals the true start of Thor as a character in his own right. All of that positive without even mentioning Ruffalo as Hulk (which you just knew was going to be great anyway)! Just watch the film for yourself, and enjoy.
Louise (64 KP) rated A Court of Thorns and Roses in Books
Jul 2, 2018 (Updated Oct 16, 2018)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Feyre is the sole breadwinner for her family,with two sisters and her father to feed she trains herself to hunt. When out hunting on one of the coldest days in winter, she finds she has competition in the form of a wolf, hungry and knowing that she won’t get her chance again for a while she kills the wolf and her prey. She manages to sell the pelt from the wolf she killed and gets a pretty penny too but days later a beast/lion crashes through her door demanding to know who killed the wolf and that the killer must live in the immortal lands by the Fae law or die. When Feyre is taken to land of immortals (Prythian) she is shocked to see how beautiful everything is and also that her captor is not a beast but a handsome High Fae that is known as Tamlin. As Feyre grows to be more accustomed with her surroundings and finds a mutual interest with Tamlin, their companionship evolves into something more… A LOT MORE! There is a sickness that is spreading causing the fae to become weak, Feyre wants to help to stop this sickness but first she has to find….HER!
Why oh why have I waited so long to read this? I am always the last one on the hype train, but this didn’t disappoint me and is worth all the hype.
This is the first Sarah J Maas book that I have read and now I have a thirst for more. I don’t read a lot of retellings as I have this feeling that they are going to be totally different from the original. This really did feel like beauty and the beast with a twist and faeries. I have not read a lot of books involving fae, so I didn’t know what to expect but with Maas’ descriptive writing I was able to gather a good idea of what they looked like.
I had a hard time getting into this book, I don’t read a lot of fantasy and where I am so new to the genre I was a little worried that I wasn’t going to know what was going on. There are a lot of characters in this book and different types of Fae and creatures which was definitely interesting. I needn’t have worried as after reading this book I really wanted to delve into more fantasy, where anything can happen, where you have all types of creatures and just let your imagination go wild.
Feyre is a huntress, she is fearless, courageous, stubborn and a pretty good protagonist, however saying that some of the things she did, just made me shake my head and shout WHY? at my book. She would do some pretty stupid stuff and get herself into trouble even when she was warned by Tamlin that she shouldn’t do something or stay away.
Tamlin is the lord/high fae of the spring court and is able to shape shift into the lion/beast that Feyre encountered back in the mortal lands. He’s brooding, secretive, stubborn like Feyre and handsome obviously. I am100% team Tamlin, you grow to love him and the interactions between him and Feyre
Lucien, I was not sure about him, he was funny in parts but then he did things that put Feyre in jeopardy, however he had more of a back story to him which was interesting but I wasn’t a massive fan of his.
Rhysand he is good looking and he knows it, but he is devious and you are left wondering whose side he is really on. He is definitely a likeable character and seen as a contender for Feyre’s affections
Aramantha! What a bitch! What a badass! She is a great villain, she is pure evil and I loved it. She has everyone wrapped around her finger, she was cunning and sly.
I loved the romance in this book, it is verging on new adult with some scenes that are quite steamy between Feyre and Tamlin. There is a build up to the romance and so much tension between the two its palpable. Feyre despises Tamlin at first and then they find mutual interests(art) and become closer.
And for people who have read the book if you were like me. I was shouting at Feyre, at my book…..JUST SAY IT! SAY IT! And then afterwards WHY OH WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY IT!(Hopefully you know what I am on about)
I will definitely be continuing on with the sequel I need more Tamlin and the world. Sarah J Maas you legend!
If you are looking for a YA retelling that has a twist and makes it its own then you should definitely pick this up. If you love romance with tension then pick this book,it’s definitely an all the feels kinda book.
I rated this 4.25 out of 5 stars
Why oh why have I waited so long to read this? I am always the last one on the hype train, but this didn’t disappoint me and is worth all the hype.
This is the first Sarah J Maas book that I have read and now I have a thirst for more. I don’t read a lot of retellings as I have this feeling that they are going to be totally different from the original. This really did feel like beauty and the beast with a twist and faeries. I have not read a lot of books involving fae, so I didn’t know what to expect but with Maas’ descriptive writing I was able to gather a good idea of what they looked like.
I had a hard time getting into this book, I don’t read a lot of fantasy and where I am so new to the genre I was a little worried that I wasn’t going to know what was going on. There are a lot of characters in this book and different types of Fae and creatures which was definitely interesting. I needn’t have worried as after reading this book I really wanted to delve into more fantasy, where anything can happen, where you have all types of creatures and just let your imagination go wild.
Feyre is a huntress, she is fearless, courageous, stubborn and a pretty good protagonist, however saying that some of the things she did, just made me shake my head and shout WHY? at my book. She would do some pretty stupid stuff and get herself into trouble even when she was warned by Tamlin that she shouldn’t do something or stay away.
Tamlin is the lord/high fae of the spring court and is able to shape shift into the lion/beast that Feyre encountered back in the mortal lands. He’s brooding, secretive, stubborn like Feyre and handsome obviously. I am100% team Tamlin, you grow to love him and the interactions between him and Feyre
Lucien, I was not sure about him, he was funny in parts but then he did things that put Feyre in jeopardy, however he had more of a back story to him which was interesting but I wasn’t a massive fan of his.
Rhysand he is good looking and he knows it, but he is devious and you are left wondering whose side he is really on. He is definitely a likeable character and seen as a contender for Feyre’s affections
Aramantha! What a bitch! What a badass! She is a great villain, she is pure evil and I loved it. She has everyone wrapped around her finger, she was cunning and sly.
I loved the romance in this book, it is verging on new adult with some scenes that are quite steamy between Feyre and Tamlin. There is a build up to the romance and so much tension between the two its palpable. Feyre despises Tamlin at first and then they find mutual interests(art) and become closer.
And for people who have read the book if you were like me. I was shouting at Feyre, at my book…..JUST SAY IT! SAY IT! And then afterwards WHY OH WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY IT!(Hopefully you know what I am on about)
I will definitely be continuing on with the sequel I need more Tamlin and the world. Sarah J Maas you legend!
If you are looking for a YA retelling that has a twist and makes it its own then you should definitely pick this up. If you love romance with tension then pick this book,it’s definitely an all the feels kinda book.
I rated this 4.25 out of 5 stars
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
Large and Small on screen, but just ends up middling.
So, for the first time we divided last night at the cinema. I went off to watch “Ant-Man and the Wasp” and my wife – not a Marvel fan – went to see “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” (for the THIRD time!). Incidentally, Mamma Mia 2 seems to be the movie phenomenon of the summer, taking over from “The Greatest Showman” as the movie phenomenon of the winter. It’s been out three weeks now and the shows are still selling out, with people (mostly groups of women) being turned away at the ticket desk. I can see this one running in theatres until October, when they bring out a sing-a-long edition and it carries on running ‘til Christmas. Extraordinary.
But, let’s turn from big things to small things. In a prologue we see a young Dr Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and wife Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) torn apart as Janet miniturises herself into the “quantum realm” to save the world from nuclear disaster. But in the present day Hank thinks there might be a way to find and retrieve Janet with the help of their superhero daughter Hope (“The Wasp”, played by Evangeline Lilly). (“What the f*** have you been thinking about instead for the last 30 years while I’ve been sat here avoiding neutrons”, would be the imagined response from Janet, but we don’t go there!).
But Scott Lang (aka “Ant Man”, Paul Rudd), having also been to the quantum realm, holds a key part of the puzzle. To add to their problems, a strange ghost-like girl called Ava has her own reasons for retrieving the lost soul, but in ways that will tear Janet limb from limb. Can Hank, Hope and Scott succeed, while dodging both The Ghost, the FBI and other criminal forces intent on seizing Pym’s technology?
I must admit that I’d somewhat forgotten how “Ant Man” ended three years ago, which together with the one film missing from my Marvel-watching canon being “Captain America: Civil War” left me somewhat confused by why we start the film with our hero Lang under two-year’s house arrest. But much fun is had with Lang’s curfew and the frustration of FBI agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) in trying to catch him breaking the rules.
For we are again at the comedic end of the Marvel universe. However the comedy is extremely uneven this time and doesn’t sit particularly well with the dramatic and emotional elements of the film. It’s certainly nowhere near the consistently funny content of the surprisingly good “Thor: Ragnarok”. Some of Rudd’s lines just smell of “trying too hard”.
Adding comedic value is Michael Peña returning here as Scott’s partner Luis. His motor-mouth routine after taking a truth drug (“not a truth drug”!) was hilarious, with the rest of the cast miming his words in flashback.
It has to be said though that there are some truly great sight-gags, to rival the Thomas the Tank Engine scenes in the first film. The expanding salt-cellar; the expanding / contracting car and building moments; and the “skateboard” scenes. But all – and I mean ALL – of these scenes were universally spoiled by the trailer, such that the reaction to them was “oh, that’s that bit then”. NEVER has there been a better case for a teaser trailer that basically said “Ant Man’s back; here’s ONE wow-factor visual”. It’s just criminal. Interestingly, re the trailer, there was also at least one scene (the “you go high, I’ll go low” one, which I thought was very funny) that didn’t make the cut I saw.
Acting wise you can’t fault the cast with Lilly just great as “The Wasp”. If I was her, I would have said “OK… I’ll do the film, but I get to keep the suit!”. That would be her age monitoring device for years to come…. “Does the zip still do up at the back? Do my impossibly pert breasts still align with these impossibly well-moulded contours?”. It’s also great to see Michael Douglas and Laurence Fishburne going head-to-head in the acting stakes. Walton Goggins again crops up as a believable bad-guy, a performance I really enjoyed, but the star turn for me in the whole film was a career-making performance by Hannah John-Kamen as Ava/The Ghost: she’s previously only had small supporting roles in “Tomb Raider” and “Ready Player One”. Looking like a Star Wars sand-person in her outfit she removes her mask to reveal a stunningly piercing gaze and great screen presence. One to watch for the future.
Directed by original “Ant Man” director Peyton Reed, it’s a perfectly entertaining watch for a summer night, but it is uneven in tone, perhaps the result of the team of five credited with the writing. Ask me in two months’ time to tell you anything about it and I will probably struggle. It’s a “meh” sort of film for me.
But, let’s turn from big things to small things. In a prologue we see a young Dr Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and wife Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) torn apart as Janet miniturises herself into the “quantum realm” to save the world from nuclear disaster. But in the present day Hank thinks there might be a way to find and retrieve Janet with the help of their superhero daughter Hope (“The Wasp”, played by Evangeline Lilly). (“What the f*** have you been thinking about instead for the last 30 years while I’ve been sat here avoiding neutrons”, would be the imagined response from Janet, but we don’t go there!).
But Scott Lang (aka “Ant Man”, Paul Rudd), having also been to the quantum realm, holds a key part of the puzzle. To add to their problems, a strange ghost-like girl called Ava has her own reasons for retrieving the lost soul, but in ways that will tear Janet limb from limb. Can Hank, Hope and Scott succeed, while dodging both The Ghost, the FBI and other criminal forces intent on seizing Pym’s technology?
I must admit that I’d somewhat forgotten how “Ant Man” ended three years ago, which together with the one film missing from my Marvel-watching canon being “Captain America: Civil War” left me somewhat confused by why we start the film with our hero Lang under two-year’s house arrest. But much fun is had with Lang’s curfew and the frustration of FBI agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) in trying to catch him breaking the rules.
For we are again at the comedic end of the Marvel universe. However the comedy is extremely uneven this time and doesn’t sit particularly well with the dramatic and emotional elements of the film. It’s certainly nowhere near the consistently funny content of the surprisingly good “Thor: Ragnarok”. Some of Rudd’s lines just smell of “trying too hard”.
Adding comedic value is Michael Peña returning here as Scott’s partner Luis. His motor-mouth routine after taking a truth drug (“not a truth drug”!) was hilarious, with the rest of the cast miming his words in flashback.
It has to be said though that there are some truly great sight-gags, to rival the Thomas the Tank Engine scenes in the first film. The expanding salt-cellar; the expanding / contracting car and building moments; and the “skateboard” scenes. But all – and I mean ALL – of these scenes were universally spoiled by the trailer, such that the reaction to them was “oh, that’s that bit then”. NEVER has there been a better case for a teaser trailer that basically said “Ant Man’s back; here’s ONE wow-factor visual”. It’s just criminal. Interestingly, re the trailer, there was also at least one scene (the “you go high, I’ll go low” one, which I thought was very funny) that didn’t make the cut I saw.
Acting wise you can’t fault the cast with Lilly just great as “The Wasp”. If I was her, I would have said “OK… I’ll do the film, but I get to keep the suit!”. That would be her age monitoring device for years to come…. “Does the zip still do up at the back? Do my impossibly pert breasts still align with these impossibly well-moulded contours?”. It’s also great to see Michael Douglas and Laurence Fishburne going head-to-head in the acting stakes. Walton Goggins again crops up as a believable bad-guy, a performance I really enjoyed, but the star turn for me in the whole film was a career-making performance by Hannah John-Kamen as Ava/The Ghost: she’s previously only had small supporting roles in “Tomb Raider” and “Ready Player One”. Looking like a Star Wars sand-person in her outfit she removes her mask to reveal a stunningly piercing gaze and great screen presence. One to watch for the future.
Directed by original “Ant Man” director Peyton Reed, it’s a perfectly entertaining watch for a summer night, but it is uneven in tone, perhaps the result of the team of five credited with the writing. Ask me in two months’ time to tell you anything about it and I will probably struggle. It’s a “meh” sort of film for me.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Putting the “ape” in “The Great Esc-ape”.
2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was the one of the big movie surprises for me of that year. With staggeringly good mo-cap for the apes and a touching and memorable story it was (or would have been) a 5-Fad classic. 2014’s “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” whilst also good took a slight backward step. With “War”, the form is back almost to top notch, and this is a summer release at last deserving of the suffix “blockbuster”.
We have moved a number of years forwards from the events of “Dawn” and society as we know it has crumbled away still further: even the “Holidays are Coming” Coke lorry is no longer in service, so things MUST be bad! We begin the film with the apes having a nice ‘Centre Parcs’ break when their reverie and cappuccinos are rudely interrupted by the attacking forces of “The Colonel” (Woody Harrelson, “Triple 9“, “Zombieland”). For The Colonel is intent on tracking down and killing ape-leader Caesar (Andy Serkis, “LOTR”).
After things get decidedly personal, Caesar leaves his young son Cornelius (in a nice nod to the Roddy McDowell role in the original films) to find and kill The Colonel. So follows a “True Grit” style pursuit/revenge chase, made more similar to this analogy by the picking up of a waif-like mute girl (the excellent Amiah Miller). I found this to be a really emotional plot line, with Caesar torn between the animal drive of his revenge and his role as a leader to his whole community.
The film analogies continue as we take in a “Shining”-style winter hotel; a gritty Prisoner-of-War camp escape drama (“The Great Esc-ape”?); a barricades battle in the style of Helm’s Deep in “LOTR: The Two Towers”; and a full-on Coppola-style helicopter-based war sequence (“Ape-ocalypse now”, as graffiti in the film declares).
Once again, the mo-cap ability to express true emotions on the faces of the apes is mind-blowing, with Serkis again being outstanding as is Steve Zahn (“Dallas Buyer’s Club“) adding some (very funny) comic relief as “Bad Ape”.
While Woody Harrelson is not everyone’s cup of tea (including mine), here I found him to be actually very good (“SO EMOTIONAL”!) as the half crazed dictator forcing beings he sees as less worthy than his kind to build a wall. (That’s just SO familiar… think dammit… think….!). There’s a really cool plot twist in The Colonel’s character arc that I really didn’t see coming. Just so cool.
Another star of the film for me was Michael Giacchino’s music which is simply awesome. Starting with a superbly retro rendition of the 20th Century Fox theme (not top of my list: “The Simpson’s Movie” still holds that spot for me!) Giacchino decorates every scene with great themes and like all great film music some of it you barely notice. A dramatic telling by the Colonel of his back-story is accompanied by sonorous music that is similar in its power to James Horner’s classic “Electronic Battlefield” in “Patriot Games”: only when the scene finishes and the music stops do you appreciate how central it was to the emotion of the scene. (As I sat through all of the end-titles for the music I can also confirm that – despite all the odds – there is no “monkey” at the end!)
The script by “Dawn” collaborators Mark Bomback and (director) Matt Reeves is eventful and packs a dramatic punch particularly in the last half of the film. The talented Mr Reeves (who also directed “Cloverfield” and “Let Me In” and is in assigned to the next Ben Affleck outing as “The Batman”) directs with panache, never letting the foot come off the tension pedal.
On the downside, that “last half of the film” is still 70 minutes away, and whilst I appreciate a leisurely pace for properly setting characters and motivations in place, getting to those simply brilliant scenes set at “the border” is a bit of a slog that might have been tightened up and moved along a bit quicker. Also, while talking about editing, I would have personally ended the film about 90 seconds before they did.
I saw this in 3D, but the effects are subtle at best (although there is a nice binocular rangefinder view). In my opinion it’s not worth going out of your way to experience in 3D.
But overall I loved this movie. The film is chock full of visual delights for film lovers (one of my favourites being “Bedtime for Bonzo” – a nice historical film reference – written on the back of a soldier’s helmet). It’s an epic action film with a strong emotional core to the story that genuinely moved me. There may be other spin-off Planet of the Apes films to follow. But if they left this here, as a near-perfect trilogy, that would be absolutely fine by me.
We have moved a number of years forwards from the events of “Dawn” and society as we know it has crumbled away still further: even the “Holidays are Coming” Coke lorry is no longer in service, so things MUST be bad! We begin the film with the apes having a nice ‘Centre Parcs’ break when their reverie and cappuccinos are rudely interrupted by the attacking forces of “The Colonel” (Woody Harrelson, “Triple 9“, “Zombieland”). For The Colonel is intent on tracking down and killing ape-leader Caesar (Andy Serkis, “LOTR”).
After things get decidedly personal, Caesar leaves his young son Cornelius (in a nice nod to the Roddy McDowell role in the original films) to find and kill The Colonel. So follows a “True Grit” style pursuit/revenge chase, made more similar to this analogy by the picking up of a waif-like mute girl (the excellent Amiah Miller). I found this to be a really emotional plot line, with Caesar torn between the animal drive of his revenge and his role as a leader to his whole community.
The film analogies continue as we take in a “Shining”-style winter hotel; a gritty Prisoner-of-War camp escape drama (“The Great Esc-ape”?); a barricades battle in the style of Helm’s Deep in “LOTR: The Two Towers”; and a full-on Coppola-style helicopter-based war sequence (“Ape-ocalypse now”, as graffiti in the film declares).
Once again, the mo-cap ability to express true emotions on the faces of the apes is mind-blowing, with Serkis again being outstanding as is Steve Zahn (“Dallas Buyer’s Club“) adding some (very funny) comic relief as “Bad Ape”.
While Woody Harrelson is not everyone’s cup of tea (including mine), here I found him to be actually very good (“SO EMOTIONAL”!) as the half crazed dictator forcing beings he sees as less worthy than his kind to build a wall. (That’s just SO familiar… think dammit… think….!). There’s a really cool plot twist in The Colonel’s character arc that I really didn’t see coming. Just so cool.
Another star of the film for me was Michael Giacchino’s music which is simply awesome. Starting with a superbly retro rendition of the 20th Century Fox theme (not top of my list: “The Simpson’s Movie” still holds that spot for me!) Giacchino decorates every scene with great themes and like all great film music some of it you barely notice. A dramatic telling by the Colonel of his back-story is accompanied by sonorous music that is similar in its power to James Horner’s classic “Electronic Battlefield” in “Patriot Games”: only when the scene finishes and the music stops do you appreciate how central it was to the emotion of the scene. (As I sat through all of the end-titles for the music I can also confirm that – despite all the odds – there is no “monkey” at the end!)
The script by “Dawn” collaborators Mark Bomback and (director) Matt Reeves is eventful and packs a dramatic punch particularly in the last half of the film. The talented Mr Reeves (who also directed “Cloverfield” and “Let Me In” and is in assigned to the next Ben Affleck outing as “The Batman”) directs with panache, never letting the foot come off the tension pedal.
On the downside, that “last half of the film” is still 70 minutes away, and whilst I appreciate a leisurely pace for properly setting characters and motivations in place, getting to those simply brilliant scenes set at “the border” is a bit of a slog that might have been tightened up and moved along a bit quicker. Also, while talking about editing, I would have personally ended the film about 90 seconds before they did.
I saw this in 3D, but the effects are subtle at best (although there is a nice binocular rangefinder view). In my opinion it’s not worth going out of your way to experience in 3D.
But overall I loved this movie. The film is chock full of visual delights for film lovers (one of my favourites being “Bedtime for Bonzo” – a nice historical film reference – written on the back of a soldier’s helmet). It’s an epic action film with a strong emotional core to the story that genuinely moved me. There may be other spin-off Planet of the Apes films to follow. But if they left this here, as a near-perfect trilogy, that would be absolutely fine by me.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated A Monster Calls (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
“I’ll. Be. Right. Here.”
The worst thing about this movie is its title. The second worst thing about this movie is its trailer. Both will either a) put people off seeing it (it succeeded in that with my wife for example) or b) make people conclude it is a ‘nice holiday film to take the kids to’, which is also an horrendous mistake!
This is a crying shame because it is a riveting drama and a superb piece of film-making by the Spaniard J. A. Bayona (“The Impossible”) that may well catapult it already into my top 10 films of 2017. But it is not, I would suggest, a film that is remotely suitable for kids under 10 to see, dealing as it does with terminal illness, bullying and impending doom. For this is a dark (read pitch black) but hauntingly beautiful film.
Lewis MacDougall, in only his second film (after last year’s “Peter Pan”) plays Conor – a young but talented and sensitive artist growing up as a 12 year old in the North of England with his single mum (Felicity Jones). She is suffering from an aggressive form of cancer and is forever medically grasping for a new hope (D’ya see what I did there?). Young Conor believes fervently that each new treatment will be ‘the one’ but the building tension, the lack of sleep and his recurrent nightmares are destroying him mentally and physically. As if this wasn’t enough, his distracted nature is leading to him being seriously bullied at school and there is the added stress of having to live in his grandmother’s pristine and teen-unfriendly house when his mother is hospitalised.
Towering over the nearby graveyard on the hill is an ancient yew tree and Conor is visited after midnight by this “monster” (voiced by Liam Neeson). Is he dreaming, or is it real? The tree dispatches wisdom in the form of three ‘tales’, with the proviso that Conor tell the tree the fourth tale which “must be the truth”.
A tale of grief, guilt and a search for closure, this is a harrowing but rewarding journey for the viewer.
The film is technically outstanding on so many levels:
the art design is superb, with the gorgeous ‘tale animations’ being highly reminiscent of the beautiful ones in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1”;
the use of sound is brilliant, with sudden silence being used as a weapon with which to assault the senses in one key sequence;
the cinematography by Oscar Faura (“The Imitation Game”) is faultless, capturing both the dreary reality in a Northern winter with the comparative warmth of the strange dream-like sequences;
the music by Fernando Velázquez is used effectively and intelligently to reflect the sombre mood;
the special effects team led by Pau Costa (“The Revenant”, “The Impossible”) shines not just with Neesen’s monster, but with the incorporation of the root and branch effects into the ‘normal’ surroundings.
As the BFG illustrated, having a whole film carried by a young actor is a bit of an ask, but here Lewis MacDougall achieves just that like a seasoned pro. His performance is nothing short of staggering and – although a brave move by the Academy – it would be great to see him nominated for a BAFTA acting award for this.
Confirming her position in the acting top-flight is Felicity Jones, heart-wrenching in her role of the declining mum, and Sigourney Weaver is also excellent as the po-faced but grief-stricken grandmother. Liam Neeson probably didn’t add much by getting dressed up in the mo-cap suit for the tree scenes, but his voice is just perfect as the wise old sage.
The only criticism of what is an absorbing and intelligent script (by Patrick Ness, who also wrote the graphical novel) is the introduction of Conor’s Dad, played by Toby Kebbell (Dr Doom from “The Fantastic 4”), who is literally flown in from LA on a flying visit but whose role is a little superfluous to the plot.
This is exactly what “The BFG” should have been but wasn’t. It draws on a number of potential influences including “Mary Poppins”/”Saving Mr Banks” and “ET”. Wise, clever and a thing of beauty from beginning to end, this is a treat for movie-goers and a highly recommended watch. However, if you have lost someone to “the Big C” be aware that this film could be highly traumatic for you….. or highly cathartic: as I’m not a psychiatrist, I’m really not that sure! Also, if you are of the blubbing kind, take LOTS of tissues: the film features the best use of a digital clock since “Groundhog Day” and if you are not reduced to tears by that scene you are certifiably not human.
This is a crying shame because it is a riveting drama and a superb piece of film-making by the Spaniard J. A. Bayona (“The Impossible”) that may well catapult it already into my top 10 films of 2017. But it is not, I would suggest, a film that is remotely suitable for kids under 10 to see, dealing as it does with terminal illness, bullying and impending doom. For this is a dark (read pitch black) but hauntingly beautiful film.
Lewis MacDougall, in only his second film (after last year’s “Peter Pan”) plays Conor – a young but talented and sensitive artist growing up as a 12 year old in the North of England with his single mum (Felicity Jones). She is suffering from an aggressive form of cancer and is forever medically grasping for a new hope (D’ya see what I did there?). Young Conor believes fervently that each new treatment will be ‘the one’ but the building tension, the lack of sleep and his recurrent nightmares are destroying him mentally and physically. As if this wasn’t enough, his distracted nature is leading to him being seriously bullied at school and there is the added stress of having to live in his grandmother’s pristine and teen-unfriendly house when his mother is hospitalised.
Towering over the nearby graveyard on the hill is an ancient yew tree and Conor is visited after midnight by this “monster” (voiced by Liam Neeson). Is he dreaming, or is it real? The tree dispatches wisdom in the form of three ‘tales’, with the proviso that Conor tell the tree the fourth tale which “must be the truth”.
A tale of grief, guilt and a search for closure, this is a harrowing but rewarding journey for the viewer.
The film is technically outstanding on so many levels:
the art design is superb, with the gorgeous ‘tale animations’ being highly reminiscent of the beautiful ones in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1”;
the use of sound is brilliant, with sudden silence being used as a weapon with which to assault the senses in one key sequence;
the cinematography by Oscar Faura (“The Imitation Game”) is faultless, capturing both the dreary reality in a Northern winter with the comparative warmth of the strange dream-like sequences;
the music by Fernando Velázquez is used effectively and intelligently to reflect the sombre mood;
the special effects team led by Pau Costa (“The Revenant”, “The Impossible”) shines not just with Neesen’s monster, but with the incorporation of the root and branch effects into the ‘normal’ surroundings.
As the BFG illustrated, having a whole film carried by a young actor is a bit of an ask, but here Lewis MacDougall achieves just that like a seasoned pro. His performance is nothing short of staggering and – although a brave move by the Academy – it would be great to see him nominated for a BAFTA acting award for this.
Confirming her position in the acting top-flight is Felicity Jones, heart-wrenching in her role of the declining mum, and Sigourney Weaver is also excellent as the po-faced but grief-stricken grandmother. Liam Neeson probably didn’t add much by getting dressed up in the mo-cap suit for the tree scenes, but his voice is just perfect as the wise old sage.
The only criticism of what is an absorbing and intelligent script (by Patrick Ness, who also wrote the graphical novel) is the introduction of Conor’s Dad, played by Toby Kebbell (Dr Doom from “The Fantastic 4”), who is literally flown in from LA on a flying visit but whose role is a little superfluous to the plot.
This is exactly what “The BFG” should have been but wasn’t. It draws on a number of potential influences including “Mary Poppins”/”Saving Mr Banks” and “ET”. Wise, clever and a thing of beauty from beginning to end, this is a treat for movie-goers and a highly recommended watch. However, if you have lost someone to “the Big C” be aware that this film could be highly traumatic for you….. or highly cathartic: as I’m not a psychiatrist, I’m really not that sure! Also, if you are of the blubbing kind, take LOTS of tissues: the film features the best use of a digital clock since “Groundhog Day” and if you are not reduced to tears by that scene you are certifiably not human.