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Rebecca Billcliff (2409 KP) rated Jurassic World (2015) in Movies

Nov 11, 2019 (Updated Nov 12, 2019)  
Jurassic World (2015)
Jurassic World (2015)
2015 | Adventure, Sci-Fi
Captures some of the original wonder (0 more)
The ending, while cool, lacks realism (I know, it’s about dinosaurs) (0 more)
Bast-a-saurus from the Past
Contains spoilers, click to show
Jurassic Park was the first film I ever loved, and sparked my love of cinema. So this film had a lot to live up to for me, and you know what, it was not bad. A bit heavy on the CGI in places, but did bring back the practical effects to create that element of fear you just can’t get from CG. The way the suspense is built up around the Indominus is very good, and brought back that same filling of tension where you find you are actually holding you breath and seat, just a little.
Characters and plot did suffer a little from that repetitive remake syndrome, see also Star Wars the Force Awakens, where the film tries so hard to recreate the love of the original, it just repeats everything.
Two kids, one young and cute, the other a been of a moody teen. A large escaped Dino, which should have been the main attraction. A knowledgeable-about-Dixon’s man and his almost-a-not-sexist-but-still-a-steriorypical-woman love interest out to save the kids, and themselves as things emulate. An overly complacent billionaire, ignorant to the potential danger.
Which film am I talking about....

That said, if what you want is a trip back to your youth and the thrill of seeing dinosaurs on screen, or just some resurrected reptile based mayhem, it’s a great film, and well worth a watch.
  
Red Joan (2018)
Red Joan (2018)
2018 | Drama, Thriller
Forgettable
This is not the type of film that I'd willingly choose to watch. It didnt sound or look particularly appealing, however due to the requirement of social distancing my boyfriend and I are taking it in turns to pick films each evening to watch "together" (in our separate houses). This was his choice, and sadly it wasnt a very good one.

The main issue with this film is that is fairly predictable romance nonsense, and there really isnt enough Judi Dench. Nothing against Sophie Cookson, but to have Judi Dench in this film and barely use her is almost a travesty. It also seems to concentrate mostly on the romantic aspect of Joan's life, which gets rather frustrating as you watch a rather intelligent young woman turn into a naive lovelorn idiot the moment she gets involved with a vaguely handsome man. The concentration on the romance side for me made it feel like the rest of the film, and indeed the more important war related concerns, were pushed to one side and I felt like there was a lot of plot lines in this that weren't satisfactorily explained. I did also wonder why, if this film was inspired by a true story, that the central character wasnt named after the real person? Aside from the "Red Joan" makes for a catchier title.

Overall this isnt bad enough to switch off without making it to the end, but ultimately it winds up rather unsatisfying and entirely forgettable.
  
Savage Nature (Leopard People #4)
Savage Nature (Leopard People #4)
Christine Feehan | 2011 | Romance
6
3.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have only read the short story that fits into the Leopard People series, so I am sure there is much that I am missing about this series. I wanted to read this book mostly because of the Louisiana bayou setting, my home state. Even though I spent most of my life in Louisiana, I did not spend much time at all in the bayou, so this was as much a nostalgic experience as an education for me. I found Christine Feehan's descriptions and uses of the setting to be very well written and quite engrossing, as this actually kept me involved enough in the book to keep reading, over the actual plot.
Much like when I read the short story in Fantasy by Christine Feehan, I found the plot to be overly dramatic and forced. Every scene, every interaction was told with such extreme emotion that I had to wonder if these characters ever had a chance to relax. The melodrama felt like something out of a t.v. soap opera with no natural flow to the time line.
I did like a few of the characters, such as Saria and the woman who ran the inn. Many of the characterizations matched the typical stereotypes of the Cajun people who reside in the backwaters of Louisiana. The dialogue hinted at the Cajun accent without muddling the vocabulary so much that I would have difficulty reading it.
While I loved Christine Feehan's use of Louisiana culture in Savage Nature (Leopard), I do not think I will be continuing to read any more of the Leopard People series.