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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Logan (2017) in Movies
Sep 20, 2019 (Updated Sep 20, 2019)
The crown jewel in Fox's X-Men saga
Logan is easily one of the best comic book movies out there.
This is the third solo outing for Wolverine (following one garbage pile attempt, and one annoyingly average attempt), James Mangold really pulled it out of the bag for this one.
The characters are great - Hugh Jackman at the top of his game for his final performance as Logan. He's a grizzled and pain ridden man, in this bleak, mutantless future.
Patrick Stewart is also at his best here as Charles Xavier. The two of them are the beating heart of this movie.
We're introduced to Dafne Keen (playing a young X-23) who rounds out the small cast nicely.
As Logan fights a shadowy organization to keep her safe, the stakes have never been higher, and no one feels safe at any point - something that has never really been explored in the X-Men franchise.
Logan is a hard film to watch, it's bleak, its gritty, it's not particularly colourful (especially if you opt for the brilliant Noir version), and it's brutally violent in parts.
The set pieces are nasty in places, and sometimes pretty shocking, but it all aids the narrative here - the narrative that Wolverine is an ailing old man, who is struggling against all odds to do one last good deed, and protect the few people that still mean something to him.
It's an emotional and powerful film, that deserves all the praise bestowed upon it - amazing work from everyone involved .
This is the third solo outing for Wolverine (following one garbage pile attempt, and one annoyingly average attempt), James Mangold really pulled it out of the bag for this one.
The characters are great - Hugh Jackman at the top of his game for his final performance as Logan. He's a grizzled and pain ridden man, in this bleak, mutantless future.
Patrick Stewart is also at his best here as Charles Xavier. The two of them are the beating heart of this movie.
We're introduced to Dafne Keen (playing a young X-23) who rounds out the small cast nicely.
As Logan fights a shadowy organization to keep her safe, the stakes have never been higher, and no one feels safe at any point - something that has never really been explored in the X-Men franchise.
Logan is a hard film to watch, it's bleak, its gritty, it's not particularly colourful (especially if you opt for the brilliant Noir version), and it's brutally violent in parts.
The set pieces are nasty in places, and sometimes pretty shocking, but it all aids the narrative here - the narrative that Wolverine is an ailing old man, who is struggling against all odds to do one last good deed, and protect the few people that still mean something to him.
It's an emotional and powerful film, that deserves all the praise bestowed upon it - amazing work from everyone involved .
Lee (2222 KP) rated X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) in Movies
Jun 7, 2019
Awful dialogue (1 more)
Pointless villain
Disappointing
Dark Phoenix marks the end of an era for the X-Men franchise, being the last of their movies to go into production before the recent acquisition of Fox by Disney. It's a series of movies which unfortunately has had more misfires than hits. But for me, the hits have been right up there with the biggest of the MCU movies in terms of storytelling and entertainment. It's therefore a real shame that Dark Phoenix turns out to be yet another misfire.
Dark Phoenix start off well though. It's 1992, and the X-Men are currently riding high on popularity, with Charles Xavier even having his own hotline to the president. A trip up into space to save some astronauts in peril is impressive, with the X-Men working effectively as a team under pressure. In fact, these team moments are the best thing about the movie - all working together, with every character getting a chance to utilise their specific set of skills.
The worst thing about Dark Phoenix is the script - awkward, cheesy or just plain boring. Moments that are supposed to be emotional, intense or poignant just come across as dull and frustrating, making the heavy handed soundtrack all the more noticeable. Many of the cast do their best with what they've been given, but it rarely works. Add to that a completely pointless villain (Jessica Chastain) without any clearly defined motivation that you can get behind, and the negative elements far outweigh the positive for me. Who knows what form the X-Men may eventually take within the MCU, but hopefully they'll be utilised to their full potential once more.
Dark Phoenix start off well though. It's 1992, and the X-Men are currently riding high on popularity, with Charles Xavier even having his own hotline to the president. A trip up into space to save some astronauts in peril is impressive, with the X-Men working effectively as a team under pressure. In fact, these team moments are the best thing about the movie - all working together, with every character getting a chance to utilise their specific set of skills.
The worst thing about Dark Phoenix is the script - awkward, cheesy or just plain boring. Moments that are supposed to be emotional, intense or poignant just come across as dull and frustrating, making the heavy handed soundtrack all the more noticeable. Many of the cast do their best with what they've been given, but it rarely works. Add to that a completely pointless villain (Jessica Chastain) without any clearly defined motivation that you can get behind, and the negative elements far outweigh the positive for me. Who knows what form the X-Men may eventually take within the MCU, but hopefully they'll be utilised to their full potential once more.
ClareR (5589 KP) rated This One Sky Day in Books
May 11, 2021
This One Sky Day is packed full of magical realism and beautiful descriptions of what appears on the surface to be a tropical paradise.
Popisho is a magical land where everyone is born with a special gift or ‘cors’ Some are healers, some have speed or strength, and some, namely Xavier Redchoose, has the gift of cooking the perfect meal for everyone. He is the macaenus of his generation. He has the ability at his fingertips to make food taste delicious, and to cook just what his guest loves and needs the most. All cors are given by the gods.
It’s a story that tells you to use your gifts to make you happy, it talks about politics and how they can be twisted to serve the needs of those who are supposed to who are supposed to serve others, and it’s a story that shows that change is inevitable.
I’m not so sure that I understood everything, but it’s a beautifully written, entertaining story. I never knew what was going to happen next, in a world where literally anything could happen!
I WILL say that I’ve read enough about pum-pums to last me a lifetime. I may even be a little bit traumatised! 🤭
I think the best word to describe this book is “gleeful”. Whilst I was reading it, it felt like the author had enjoyed writing it (whether that’s true or not, I have no idea!), and it was a book that just made me feel happy! 🤷🏼♀️
So, whether I’ve managed to grasp the finer details of this novel is immaterial to me - I just really very much enjoyed reading it.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for another great serialisation.
Popisho is a magical land where everyone is born with a special gift or ‘cors’ Some are healers, some have speed or strength, and some, namely Xavier Redchoose, has the gift of cooking the perfect meal for everyone. He is the macaenus of his generation. He has the ability at his fingertips to make food taste delicious, and to cook just what his guest loves and needs the most. All cors are given by the gods.
It’s a story that tells you to use your gifts to make you happy, it talks about politics and how they can be twisted to serve the needs of those who are supposed to who are supposed to serve others, and it’s a story that shows that change is inevitable.
I’m not so sure that I understood everything, but it’s a beautifully written, entertaining story. I never knew what was going to happen next, in a world where literally anything could happen!
I WILL say that I’ve read enough about pum-pums to last me a lifetime. I may even be a little bit traumatised! 🤭
I think the best word to describe this book is “gleeful”. Whilst I was reading it, it felt like the author had enjoyed writing it (whether that’s true or not, I have no idea!), and it was a book that just made me feel happy! 🤷🏼♀️
So, whether I’ve managed to grasp the finer details of this novel is immaterial to me - I just really very much enjoyed reading it.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for another great serialisation.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019 (Updated Jun 10, 2019)
More DC than Marvel
Bryan Singer’s return to the X-Men franchise comes at the perfect time both for the series and its director.
After last year’s poorly executed Jack the Giant Slayer, Singer needed to come back to home turf and after a string of irritating X-Men films, including the entertaining but soulless X-Men: The Last Stand and the downright offensive Wolverine origins story, it seems the superhero series needed to do the same.
But can a re-partnering 11 years after the brilliant X2 restore the magic of one of Marvel’s best comics?
Partially is the answer here. Singer restores the cinematic flair and sparkle of the series and brings back a lot of old faces but forgets a lot of the fun in the process.
x-men-days-of-future-past-character-poster-01.jpgDays of Future Past is set in a dystopian future as a war between mutants and humans continues to rage. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Ian McKellen), Storm (Halle Berry) and many other fan favourites return to the series after being absent for some time. We follow these characters as they try to escape the sentinels; an army of robots impressively rendered in CGI designed to kill any mutant on sight, friend or foe.
The only way to stop the war is to send a mutant back to 1973 when the sentinel program was put in motion. Unfortunately, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is the chosen one and remains the lead character throughout the film.
Back in 1973, the mutants from X-Men First Class are blissfully unaware of what lies in store for them, though they still have their own personal battles to deal with.
As the film progresses, it becomes painfully obvious that this is very much a “First Class” era film. James McAvoy’s impressive take on the young Charles Xavier returns, as does Michael Fassbender’s Magneto.
However, only Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique makes a lasting impact amongst the 1973 era mutants. You can see the pain and torment etched onto her face throughout theJennifer-Lawrence-mystique film and as in The Hunger Games she steals focus from everyone around her. Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage also joins the cast as the film’s primary antagonist Bolivar Trask and is a real joy to watch. His character is understated in every way, but he remains an iconic presence throughout.
However, as impressive as the set pieces and acting performances are, it is in the future where we wish to see more. The ‘classic’ characters are barely given any screen time which is a real shame and the real mutant cost of the war is glossed over entirely. The special effects are genuinely very good. Each of the action sequences is well choreographed and the CGI is great, especially the rendering on the future sentinels which can adapt to seek a mutant’s power – no matter what it is.
Unfortunately, the fun factor is completely lost as Singer ramps up the tension and the death toll. In fact, only one character provides the humour and that is Evan Peters’ portrayal of Quicksilver who is only on screen for 15 minutes.
Overall, X-Men: Days of Future Past is definitely the best film of the series and thankfully does away with the atrocities that have been committed previously in the franchise. However, it feels like Singer was trying so hard to repair his predecessor’s mistakes, he forgot some of the key elements of a Marvel superhero film in the process – this is more DC than Marvel.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2014/06/01/x-men-days-of-future-past-review/
After last year’s poorly executed Jack the Giant Slayer, Singer needed to come back to home turf and after a string of irritating X-Men films, including the entertaining but soulless X-Men: The Last Stand and the downright offensive Wolverine origins story, it seems the superhero series needed to do the same.
But can a re-partnering 11 years after the brilliant X2 restore the magic of one of Marvel’s best comics?
Partially is the answer here. Singer restores the cinematic flair and sparkle of the series and brings back a lot of old faces but forgets a lot of the fun in the process.
x-men-days-of-future-past-character-poster-01.jpgDays of Future Past is set in a dystopian future as a war between mutants and humans continues to rage. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Ian McKellen), Storm (Halle Berry) and many other fan favourites return to the series after being absent for some time. We follow these characters as they try to escape the sentinels; an army of robots impressively rendered in CGI designed to kill any mutant on sight, friend or foe.
The only way to stop the war is to send a mutant back to 1973 when the sentinel program was put in motion. Unfortunately, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is the chosen one and remains the lead character throughout the film.
Back in 1973, the mutants from X-Men First Class are blissfully unaware of what lies in store for them, though they still have their own personal battles to deal with.
As the film progresses, it becomes painfully obvious that this is very much a “First Class” era film. James McAvoy’s impressive take on the young Charles Xavier returns, as does Michael Fassbender’s Magneto.
However, only Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique makes a lasting impact amongst the 1973 era mutants. You can see the pain and torment etched onto her face throughout theJennifer-Lawrence-mystique film and as in The Hunger Games she steals focus from everyone around her. Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage also joins the cast as the film’s primary antagonist Bolivar Trask and is a real joy to watch. His character is understated in every way, but he remains an iconic presence throughout.
However, as impressive as the set pieces and acting performances are, it is in the future where we wish to see more. The ‘classic’ characters are barely given any screen time which is a real shame and the real mutant cost of the war is glossed over entirely. The special effects are genuinely very good. Each of the action sequences is well choreographed and the CGI is great, especially the rendering on the future sentinels which can adapt to seek a mutant’s power – no matter what it is.
Unfortunately, the fun factor is completely lost as Singer ramps up the tension and the death toll. In fact, only one character provides the humour and that is Evan Peters’ portrayal of Quicksilver who is only on screen for 15 minutes.
Overall, X-Men: Days of Future Past is definitely the best film of the series and thankfully does away with the atrocities that have been committed previously in the franchise. However, it feels like Singer was trying so hard to repair his predecessor’s mistakes, he forgot some of the key elements of a Marvel superhero film in the process – this is more DC than Marvel.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2014/06/01/x-men-days-of-future-past-review/
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated House of X/Powers of X in Books
Nov 30, 2020
I regret that it took me almost a month to finish my re-visit of HoX/PoX, but it did. And, not because the book sucked (COVID-19's mandatory "Stay-at-Home" shit starts to grate on the nerves, y'know?)! ANYWAY...
***
Say what you want about Marvel and their annoying reboot kerfuffles, but this whole "Dawn of X" that Jonathan Hickman is helming? FUCKING BRILLIANT, okay?!!? I swear to ya, the X-books haven't been this exciting or even remotely relevant in about twenty years! And as some who's been reading the X-books since the late 70's (yeah, I'm THAT old!), you can be sure that means something!
I have been bored with Wolverine's character the last handful of years. Other than the film LOGAN, I thought his character was overused and something of an ass, if I have to be honest. However, here? Holy crow, I am digging the ol' canucklehead again! Thank you, Mr. Hickman!
And I am going to keep this next bit Spoiler-free, just in case there is anyone reading this review and they have not yet finishing a'readin' it... Who knew [SPOILER-FREE] was a frikkin' mutant?! Again, I am a reader of the X-Men since the late 70's, but I still never had an even inkling that they were a mutant! And the way it was all presented? EPIC! I wanted to hate it, because it sounded so frikkin' trope-ish, without any redemptive potential! None of us likes to be proven wrong, but in this, yeah, I'll take it! Hickman did a smashing job with this plot point, one in which I am apt to conclude that when "Dawn of X" reaches its pinnacle (whenever this is.. <u>Thanks, COVID!!</u>), it's gonna come back around and it's a'gonna pack one hell of a punch!
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/188153395@N04/50081223842/in/dateposted-public/"; title="Image00016"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50081223842_cb1c47d5be_n.jpg"; width="220" height="218" alt="Image00016"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
And I am fairly certain that what I am about to say is not going to be a spoiler, as I feel this has been true for some time now, but good Lord, Professor X is a dick! He is playing chess, with a board in his head that only he knows of, and anyone who is close to him gets relegated to "pawn status"!
I totally get where he, Erik (Magneto) and [SPOILER-FREE] are working towards with the whole mutant-nation of Krakoa, I truly do! But, with Xavier keep his hand of cards close to his chest, it seems sketchy at best! While we have seen Xaviers in past X-books where he wasn't as good as we thought, but it got old hat, y'know? Here? Yeah, I'm in for the long haul, as I am curious where this is all going to go and I suspect it's not going to go well as far as Xavier is concerned!
And amaz-a-balls as Hickman is with all this, it would be so unbecoming of me if I didn't address the fab art on both series! We had Pepe Larraz on HoX, while R.B. Silva handled the art for PoX. And let me tell ya, both of them did bang-up jobs, really bringing the icing for two already outstanding "cakes"! Bravo, gentleman, bravo!
So, time to wrap this up.. If you have any vested interest in all things mutant-related and have felt severely disappointed in the way things have been handled for the last twenty years plus, then you sincerely owe it to yourself to read this book! Worse case scenario? You're a closed-minded S.O.B., like I used to be, and there's just no pleasin' yer ass!
Peace. y'all!
***
Say what you want about Marvel and their annoying reboot kerfuffles, but this whole "Dawn of X" that Jonathan Hickman is helming? FUCKING BRILLIANT, okay?!!? I swear to ya, the X-books haven't been this exciting or even remotely relevant in about twenty years! And as some who's been reading the X-books since the late 70's (yeah, I'm THAT old!), you can be sure that means something!
I have been bored with Wolverine's character the last handful of years. Other than the film LOGAN, I thought his character was overused and something of an ass, if I have to be honest. However, here? Holy crow, I am digging the ol' canucklehead again! Thank you, Mr. Hickman!
And I am going to keep this next bit Spoiler-free, just in case there is anyone reading this review and they have not yet finishing a'readin' it... Who knew [SPOILER-FREE] was a frikkin' mutant?! Again, I am a reader of the X-Men since the late 70's, but I still never had an even inkling that they were a mutant! And the way it was all presented? EPIC! I wanted to hate it, because it sounded so frikkin' trope-ish, without any redemptive potential! None of us likes to be proven wrong, but in this, yeah, I'll take it! Hickman did a smashing job with this plot point, one in which I am apt to conclude that when "Dawn of X" reaches its pinnacle (whenever this is.. <u>Thanks, COVID!!</u>), it's gonna come back around and it's a'gonna pack one hell of a punch!
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/188153395@N04/50081223842/in/dateposted-public/"; title="Image00016"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50081223842_cb1c47d5be_n.jpg"; width="220" height="218" alt="Image00016"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
And I am fairly certain that what I am about to say is not going to be a spoiler, as I feel this has been true for some time now, but good Lord, Professor X is a dick! He is playing chess, with a board in his head that only he knows of, and anyone who is close to him gets relegated to "pawn status"!
I totally get where he, Erik (Magneto) and [SPOILER-FREE] are working towards with the whole mutant-nation of Krakoa, I truly do! But, with Xavier keep his hand of cards close to his chest, it seems sketchy at best! While we have seen Xaviers in past X-books where he wasn't as good as we thought, but it got old hat, y'know? Here? Yeah, I'm in for the long haul, as I am curious where this is all going to go and I suspect it's not going to go well as far as Xavier is concerned!
And amaz-a-balls as Hickman is with all this, it would be so unbecoming of me if I didn't address the fab art on both series! We had Pepe Larraz on HoX, while R.B. Silva handled the art for PoX. And let me tell ya, both of them did bang-up jobs, really bringing the icing for two already outstanding "cakes"! Bravo, gentleman, bravo!
So, time to wrap this up.. If you have any vested interest in all things mutant-related and have felt severely disappointed in the way things have been handled for the last twenty years plus, then you sincerely owe it to yourself to read this book! Worse case scenario? You're a closed-minded S.O.B., like I used to be, and there's just no pleasin' yer ass!
Peace. y'all!
Rikki Hammond (33 KP) rated X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) in Movies
Jun 9, 2019
Dull plot (3 more)
Contrived tropes
Extremely poor ending to the franchise
Villains aren't threatening in the slightest
Blame Game: The Movie
Contains spoilers, click to show
I've just come back from watching Dark Phoenix, and boy, was I let down! This certainly wasn't the way X-Men should end!
After the brilliant Days of Future Past and Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix falls very short of the mark in terms of plot, character development, and action.
The plot revolves around the X-Men going to space to rescue some astronauts, and Jean Grey getting caught in what we are led to believe is a solar flare, giving her unimaginable power. What follows is basically a gigantic blame game, where Jean blames Charles Xavier for hiding her past, Beast blaming Charles for Raven's death (due to Jean losing control, accidently killing Raven, who blames herself for it,) Magneto blaming Jean for the same thing, etc etc, all the while, Jean gets angry sometimes and destroys stuff.
Then some random aliens (the D'Bari) show up who want to use Jean for her powers, and these guys are supposed to be the villains of the film, however, they are the least threatening villains to come out in a long time, and there's no big finale to their demise at the end, they are literally disintegrated by Jean/Phoenix.
The biggest problem with Dark Phoenix is that there really isn't much in the way of story here, and it certainly doesn't add to the X-Men universe much at all. Even after Jean 'dies' no one grieves or mourns for her, we simply see Charles and Magneto playing chess, then the film ends.
The only positives I can really give are that the acting was decent enough, especially from James McAvoy, and there were a couple of good action scenes, but overall, this will end up being another highly forgettable film, and a very disappointing end to the X-Men franchise.
After the brilliant Days of Future Past and Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix falls very short of the mark in terms of plot, character development, and action.
The plot revolves around the X-Men going to space to rescue some astronauts, and Jean Grey getting caught in what we are led to believe is a solar flare, giving her unimaginable power. What follows is basically a gigantic blame game, where Jean blames Charles Xavier for hiding her past, Beast blaming Charles for Raven's death (due to Jean losing control, accidently killing Raven, who blames herself for it,) Magneto blaming Jean for the same thing, etc etc, all the while, Jean gets angry sometimes and destroys stuff.
Then some random aliens (the D'Bari) show up who want to use Jean for her powers, and these guys are supposed to be the villains of the film, however, they are the least threatening villains to come out in a long time, and there's no big finale to their demise at the end, they are literally disintegrated by Jean/Phoenix.
The biggest problem with Dark Phoenix is that there really isn't much in the way of story here, and it certainly doesn't add to the X-Men universe much at all. Even after Jean 'dies' no one grieves or mourns for her, we simply see Charles and Magneto playing chess, then the film ends.
The only positives I can really give are that the acting was decent enough, especially from James McAvoy, and there were a couple of good action scenes, but overall, this will end up being another highly forgettable film, and a very disappointing end to the X-Men franchise.
Merissa (11758 KP) rated Sidney’s Triple Shot (Apache Crossing #1) in Books
Jul 3, 2018
Sidney’s Triple Shot (Apache Crossing #1) by Lori King
Sidney's Triple Shot is the first book in the Apache Crossing series, and I honestly can't wait to read more in what I am sure will be an amazing series.
Sidney escapes from an abusive relationship and zig-zags across America, trying to leave her ex-fiance behind. The trigger for her leaving may come as a surprise, as she suffered through something even worse and stayed. I guess it was the straw that broke the camel's back. She makes her way to Apache Crossing, and finds work as a bartender at the Triple Shot. She is understandably nervous, especially around the brothers who own the bar.
Xavier, Tyce, and Noah, are all very different, but they all agree to go after Sidney. They see something in her that intrigues them, and brings out their protective instincts. Which is a good thing, as she is going to need them.
This was a well-paced story that is both heart-breaking in places, and also full of love and hope. I did find Sidney to be annoying at times, even as I tried to make allowances for her. For someone so scared of being caught by Robert, she has no problem doing stupid things, even after she thinks she is being watched. The three guys had more patience with her than I would have!
With no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has a wonderful cast of characters, and I hope to read their stories too. Steamy in places, tender in others, this book has a bit of something for everyone. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sidney escapes from an abusive relationship and zig-zags across America, trying to leave her ex-fiance behind. The trigger for her leaving may come as a surprise, as she suffered through something even worse and stayed. I guess it was the straw that broke the camel's back. She makes her way to Apache Crossing, and finds work as a bartender at the Triple Shot. She is understandably nervous, especially around the brothers who own the bar.
Xavier, Tyce, and Noah, are all very different, but they all agree to go after Sidney. They see something in her that intrigues them, and brings out their protective instincts. Which is a good thing, as she is going to need them.
This was a well-paced story that is both heart-breaking in places, and also full of love and hope. I did find Sidney to be annoying at times, even as I tried to make allowances for her. For someone so scared of being caught by Robert, she has no problem doing stupid things, even after she thinks she is being watched. The three guys had more patience with her than I would have!
With no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has a wonderful cast of characters, and I hope to read their stories too. Steamy in places, tender in others, this book has a bit of something for everyone. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Merissa (11758 KP) rated Sin's Thief (Vampires of Vadin #3) in Books
Dec 14, 2018
Sin's Thief (Vampires of Vadin #3) by Shelby Rhodes
Sin's Thief is the third book in the Vampires of Vadin, and I'm still denied my Kaiden and Asher pleasure! However, I am consoled by the amazing story of Cecil and Sin. Not only is Cecil the complete opposite of Sin in looks, deportment, and behaviour, but he is also the opposite in age. Cecil is only eighteen, whilst Sin is approximately six thousand! Talk about cradle robber!
It works though! Trust me on this. It really does.
Cecil may be young in years, but he has ages worth of experience in abuse and horror. His mother left him, his father is an alcoholic and thinks nothing of physically abusing his son. No, Cecil hasn't had it easy, which is why it is hard for him to trust either Sin, or anyone else he is introduced to.
This story is poignantly written in so many places. It's not just steam and sexy times, although they are there too. We learn the full extent of how Cecil's experiences have changed him. We learn about Sin's history, and his beast. Both these characters have more in common than you might originally think.
Once again, this was excellently written, with no editing or grammatical errors. There is one humdinger of a cliffhanger ending though, so consider yourself warned. We reunite with previous characters once again, and I loved the little updates about Adrian and Xavier, plus Stephen and Jayden.
I can't wait for the next book to see where that's going - and then I may also get a hint about Kaiden and Asher. Please, Ms. Rhodes, I'm begging you! Highly recommended by me.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
It works though! Trust me on this. It really does.
Cecil may be young in years, but he has ages worth of experience in abuse and horror. His mother left him, his father is an alcoholic and thinks nothing of physically abusing his son. No, Cecil hasn't had it easy, which is why it is hard for him to trust either Sin, or anyone else he is introduced to.
This story is poignantly written in so many places. It's not just steam and sexy times, although they are there too. We learn the full extent of how Cecil's experiences have changed him. We learn about Sin's history, and his beast. Both these characters have more in common than you might originally think.
Once again, this was excellently written, with no editing or grammatical errors. There is one humdinger of a cliffhanger ending though, so consider yourself warned. We reunite with previous characters once again, and I loved the little updates about Adrian and Xavier, plus Stephen and Jayden.
I can't wait for the next book to see where that's going - and then I may also get a hint about Kaiden and Asher. Please, Ms. Rhodes, I'm begging you! Highly recommended by me.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated X-Men: First Class (2011) in Movies
Jul 28, 2019
Back on form
Fox made a smart move with First Class. After just four movies, the X-Men movie franchise had already started to feel a bit stale. The solution? Take the story way back for a 60s adventure.
The casting here is pretty strong. James McAvoy is great in the role of a younger and cockier Charles Xavier, and Michael Fassbender seems like perfect casting as Erik Lensher (even if his Irish accent slips into his dialogue now and again!)
The relationship between the two friends, sadly destined to become enemies, is the beating heart of First Class. A lot of the action we've become accustomed too throughout these films is sidelined to explore their friendship, and their conflicting ideologies. As the plot comes to a head, and these two really pull in opposite directions, the emotional impact is well earned and hard hitting.
Elsewhere, we have Nicholas Holt as Beast and Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique. They also fit the billing pretty well, and are a welcome addition to the cast.
As an X-Men comic fan, it's a lovely touch to see less known characters get screen time such as Azazel, Havoc, and finally - Banshee!
We also get an adaption of Emma Frost, although she is criminally underused, merely present as a glorified henchwoman.
Kevin Bacon is the big bad this time round, playing Sebastian Shaw, a relatively minor X-Men villain, who plays his part well in First Class - he never feels like a huge threat, but that works as it doesn't steal the limelight from Erik's descent into Magneto.
The final action scene is enjoyable comic book fun - the small X-Men team clad in yellow and blue outfits (a nod to the original comic costumes), and the setting is full of colour. Its pretty damn glorious.
First Class is a stand out entry into the X-Men franchise, and certainly worth your time, even if you've never seen another X-Men film!
The casting here is pretty strong. James McAvoy is great in the role of a younger and cockier Charles Xavier, and Michael Fassbender seems like perfect casting as Erik Lensher (even if his Irish accent slips into his dialogue now and again!)
The relationship between the two friends, sadly destined to become enemies, is the beating heart of First Class. A lot of the action we've become accustomed too throughout these films is sidelined to explore their friendship, and their conflicting ideologies. As the plot comes to a head, and these two really pull in opposite directions, the emotional impact is well earned and hard hitting.
Elsewhere, we have Nicholas Holt as Beast and Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique. They also fit the billing pretty well, and are a welcome addition to the cast.
As an X-Men comic fan, it's a lovely touch to see less known characters get screen time such as Azazel, Havoc, and finally - Banshee!
We also get an adaption of Emma Frost, although she is criminally underused, merely present as a glorified henchwoman.
Kevin Bacon is the big bad this time round, playing Sebastian Shaw, a relatively minor X-Men villain, who plays his part well in First Class - he never feels like a huge threat, but that works as it doesn't steal the limelight from Erik's descent into Magneto.
The final action scene is enjoyable comic book fun - the small X-Men team clad in yellow and blue outfits (a nod to the original comic costumes), and the setting is full of colour. Its pretty damn glorious.
First Class is a stand out entry into the X-Men franchise, and certainly worth your time, even if you've never seen another X-Men film!
Merissa (11758 KP) rated The Complete Love Mark Box Set by Linda Kage in Books
Jul 7, 2022
This is a review for The COMPLETE Love Mark Boxset, which features stories about Erick and Ianna, Urban and Vienne, Nicolette and Farrow, Indigo and Quilla, Olivander and Unity, and Dori and Xavier. You also get Allera and Brentley's story thrown in for good measure.
This boxset/world shines a whole new light on the insta-love/lust trope as those from High Cliff have a tattoo near one of their eyes that tells them when they have found their true love. When that happens, all reason and rational behaviour go out of the window, leaving only burning lust. Along the way, we get the stories from the couples and the overall story arc that links them all together.
I enjoyed all the stories, some more so than others but the one character I absolutely loathe is Nicolette. I coped with her in Urban and Vienne's story as she was only a teenager. I had to force myself to finish her book, although I loved Farrow, and despised her in Dori's story. And she's not in it for long! Just long enough to remind me why I disliked her so much.
To be perfectly honest, I would not recommend reading this as a boxset but as more individual stories. So long as you can remember the overall story arc you should be okay, but there is a lot of repetition about just what the love mark means, how it makes you behave, plus other things, that become obvious when you read them back-to-back.
This was a new-to-me author and I am intrigued enough to look for other books by her. I have no hesitation in recommending this series but with the caveat already mentioned.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This boxset/world shines a whole new light on the insta-love/lust trope as those from High Cliff have a tattoo near one of their eyes that tells them when they have found their true love. When that happens, all reason and rational behaviour go out of the window, leaving only burning lust. Along the way, we get the stories from the couples and the overall story arc that links them all together.
I enjoyed all the stories, some more so than others but the one character I absolutely loathe is Nicolette. I coped with her in Urban and Vienne's story as she was only a teenager. I had to force myself to finish her book, although I loved Farrow, and despised her in Dori's story. And she's not in it for long! Just long enough to remind me why I disliked her so much.
To be perfectly honest, I would not recommend reading this as a boxset but as more individual stories. So long as you can remember the overall story arc you should be okay, but there is a lot of repetition about just what the love mark means, how it makes you behave, plus other things, that become obvious when you read them back-to-back.
This was a new-to-me author and I am intrigued enough to look for other books by her. I have no hesitation in recommending this series but with the caveat already mentioned.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!