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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) in Movies
May 6, 2023
A Return to Form for the MCU
Welcome back, MCU, we missed you.
With GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOLUME 3, the MCU has returned to the top ranks of movie-making, creating a thrilling, character-driven action/adventure that is emotionally charged and satisfying.
Directed and Written by James Gunn (as he has done with the first 2 Guardians films), Guardians 3 ties off the trilogy of this ragtag group of heroes in an appropriate, fun way by focusing on something that recent MCU films failed to do - it focuses on the characters and their relationships and how the out-of-this-world adventure that they are on will, ultimately, grow and enrich these characters and relationships.
Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax), Pom Klementieff (Mantis) and the voice of Vin Diesel (Groot) are all back and they all slip, comfortably, into their roles and relationships and it feels good to have them back together again.
Karen Gillan (Nebula) and, especially, Bradley Cooper (the voice of Rocket Racoon) shine above the rest as the script calls for their characters to grow in smart, fulfilling ways and both actors shine in these circumstances.
This film also has something that the previous few films - especially the latest Ant-Man film - were lacking…a terrific villain. Chukwudi Iwuji is terribly scary as THE HIGH EVOLUTIONARY who is so single-minded in his mission that living beings - and planets - are expendable. It is a terrific performance (and the 2nd straight strong one from Iwuji in a comic book vehicle, following his work in the HBO-MAX DCU TV Series Peacemaker). He is a talent to keep an eye on.
Of course, credit to all of this goes to James Gunn who, after some controversy, returned to helm the end of the Guardians trilogy (at least the Guardians of the Galaxy with THESE characters) and he hits the mark, finding the right blend of action and character that makes the audience care very much what happens to this group. It is a strong exit film from the MCU for Gunn and the DCU is very lucky/smart to hire him as their artistic director going forward.
A very rewarding end to the Guardians trilogy - and a return to form (at least for 1 film) for the MCU.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
With GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOLUME 3, the MCU has returned to the top ranks of movie-making, creating a thrilling, character-driven action/adventure that is emotionally charged and satisfying.
Directed and Written by James Gunn (as he has done with the first 2 Guardians films), Guardians 3 ties off the trilogy of this ragtag group of heroes in an appropriate, fun way by focusing on something that recent MCU films failed to do - it focuses on the characters and their relationships and how the out-of-this-world adventure that they are on will, ultimately, grow and enrich these characters and relationships.
Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax), Pom Klementieff (Mantis) and the voice of Vin Diesel (Groot) are all back and they all slip, comfortably, into their roles and relationships and it feels good to have them back together again.
Karen Gillan (Nebula) and, especially, Bradley Cooper (the voice of Rocket Racoon) shine above the rest as the script calls for their characters to grow in smart, fulfilling ways and both actors shine in these circumstances.
This film also has something that the previous few films - especially the latest Ant-Man film - were lacking…a terrific villain. Chukwudi Iwuji is terribly scary as THE HIGH EVOLUTIONARY who is so single-minded in his mission that living beings - and planets - are expendable. It is a terrific performance (and the 2nd straight strong one from Iwuji in a comic book vehicle, following his work in the HBO-MAX DCU TV Series Peacemaker). He is a talent to keep an eye on.
Of course, credit to all of this goes to James Gunn who, after some controversy, returned to helm the end of the Guardians trilogy (at least the Guardians of the Galaxy with THESE characters) and he hits the mark, finding the right blend of action and character that makes the audience care very much what happens to this group. It is a strong exit film from the MCU for Gunn and the DCU is very lucky/smart to hire him as their artistic director going forward.
A very rewarding end to the Guardians trilogy - and a return to form (at least for 1 film) for the MCU.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Among the Ten Thousand Things in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Review on my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/2016/01/oh-im-becoming-ghost-in-your-life-and.html">blog here</a>.
Jack Shanley is a fairly well-known New York artist. He's a married father of two. He's also an adulterer, who carries on affairs in his New York studio. This comes back to bite him, so to speak, when one of his exes sends his wife a large box chronicling their entire relationship - emails, texts, sexts - all printed and contained in this one box. The box is delivered to Jack's apartment and opened by his eleven-year-old daughter, Kay, and fifteen-year-old son, Simon. They show the box to their mother, Deb, forcing her to confront the many flaws of her husband. Meanwhile, Kay and Simon are (justifiably) traumatized by the box's contents and the possible dissolution of their parents' marriage.
This was an odd book. As a child of divorce, a lot of this book hit home, and I felt myself feeling a great deal of sympathy for Deb, Kay, and Simon - especially as they disappear off to their vacation home, of sorts, to recover. (Alas, no vacation home when I was a child.) Julia Pierpoint is certainly a strong writer and her prose is lovely and well-crafted. Still, the book often just seems a little flat.
The strangest part of this book, to me, as many other reviewers have pointed out - is that is constructed in four parts - parts one and three basically deal with the immediate aftermath of the box's delivery and how the family reacts. Parts two and four tell us what happen to Jack, Deb, Kay, and Simon for their entire lives. It's an odd author tool, and I'm not sure it entirely works. For me, I was caught up enough in Part One's tale and then found Part Two incredibly jarring - even more so to be dumped back into the current story at Part Three. Part Four repeats Two a bit and tells a bit more about what happens to the characters. It's an odd device, and I really would have preferred not to have had Part Two stuck in there at all. I suppose it's an artistic overreach that appeals to critics but not most actual readers.
Overall, I found the book an intriguing look at a family dealing with a father's betrayal. Not a ton happens - it's not that sort of book - but Pierpont's writing is strong, and I liked Simon and Kay. I am not sure the book is one that will leave a lasting impression with me, though.
Jack Shanley is a fairly well-known New York artist. He's a married father of two. He's also an adulterer, who carries on affairs in his New York studio. This comes back to bite him, so to speak, when one of his exes sends his wife a large box chronicling their entire relationship - emails, texts, sexts - all printed and contained in this one box. The box is delivered to Jack's apartment and opened by his eleven-year-old daughter, Kay, and fifteen-year-old son, Simon. They show the box to their mother, Deb, forcing her to confront the many flaws of her husband. Meanwhile, Kay and Simon are (justifiably) traumatized by the box's contents and the possible dissolution of their parents' marriage.
This was an odd book. As a child of divorce, a lot of this book hit home, and I felt myself feeling a great deal of sympathy for Deb, Kay, and Simon - especially as they disappear off to their vacation home, of sorts, to recover. (Alas, no vacation home when I was a child.) Julia Pierpoint is certainly a strong writer and her prose is lovely and well-crafted. Still, the book often just seems a little flat.
The strangest part of this book, to me, as many other reviewers have pointed out - is that is constructed in four parts - parts one and three basically deal with the immediate aftermath of the box's delivery and how the family reacts. Parts two and four tell us what happen to Jack, Deb, Kay, and Simon for their entire lives. It's an odd author tool, and I'm not sure it entirely works. For me, I was caught up enough in Part One's tale and then found Part Two incredibly jarring - even more so to be dumped back into the current story at Part Three. Part Four repeats Two a bit and tells a bit more about what happens to the characters. It's an odd device, and I really would have preferred not to have had Part Two stuck in there at all. I suppose it's an artistic overreach that appeals to critics but not most actual readers.
Overall, I found the book an intriguing look at a family dealing with a father's betrayal. Not a ton happens - it's not that sort of book - but Pierpont's writing is strong, and I liked Simon and Kay. I am not sure the book is one that will leave a lasting impression with me, though.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Resistance in Books
Sep 20, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
A dystopian sci-fi tale in which people ("elementals") are split into 4 classes (air - artistic types, water - scientific types, fire - law-enforcing types, and earth - working class grunts) with a strict set of rules and beliefs to be followed. Any attempt to betray these rules would result in swift punishment by the peacekeepers.
Anaiya, one such peacekeeper, is tasked with finding and infiltrating a group of rebels who have started painting the word "resistance" on walls. In order to infiltrate them, she has to undergo a new untested treatment that tries to change her class from fire to air. Thereafter the tale is a pretty standard one of intrigue, plotting and red herrings.
For me the ideas behind the world were interesting, but not very well explained or explored early on. I realise with a book like this any attempt to do so would jar with the atmosphere it is trying to get at, but there are ways to deliver the information needed.
The storyline was pretty much paper-thin and sacrificed in order to have some lengthy, overly descriptive poetic narrative (for example at least 6 pages of the book is devoted to blow by blow accounts of pool matches). The supposed revelation at the end was such an obvious anti-climax as to be ridiculous. I took it to be a symbol of how Anaiya's treatment warped her judgement of who the main suspect is, but it was delivered as a big revelation.
The use of technology in sci-fi always annoys me - new tech that is not described and overly used, with a ridiculous name (a wristplate that can immediately tell you what substances are in your blood as well as heart rate etc, and also be used to download music, play music, communicate, pay for things etc etc).
Similarly, the plot to reveal the head of the resistance hinged on the use of some new technology invented by a member of the resistance itself. This was so flimsy as to be laughable. Also, the fact that a heavy-handed police force like the peacekeepers would look for such tenuous proof of the leadership of the resistance before acting is just plain wrong. The first few chapters, and some of the conversations Anaiya has after her change, serve to show how heavy-handed they are, and any hint of someone's involvement in such treasonous activity would result in swift action.
Overall, the book is atmospheric and interesting but quite badly executed.
And the word "trajectory" is massively overused and at times wrongly used.
Anaiya, one such peacekeeper, is tasked with finding and infiltrating a group of rebels who have started painting the word "resistance" on walls. In order to infiltrate them, she has to undergo a new untested treatment that tries to change her class from fire to air. Thereafter the tale is a pretty standard one of intrigue, plotting and red herrings.
For me the ideas behind the world were interesting, but not very well explained or explored early on. I realise with a book like this any attempt to do so would jar with the atmosphere it is trying to get at, but there are ways to deliver the information needed.
The storyline was pretty much paper-thin and sacrificed in order to have some lengthy, overly descriptive poetic narrative (for example at least 6 pages of the book is devoted to blow by blow accounts of pool matches). The supposed revelation at the end was such an obvious anti-climax as to be ridiculous. I took it to be a symbol of how Anaiya's treatment warped her judgement of who the main suspect is, but it was delivered as a big revelation.
The use of technology in sci-fi always annoys me - new tech that is not described and overly used, with a ridiculous name (a wristplate that can immediately tell you what substances are in your blood as well as heart rate etc, and also be used to download music, play music, communicate, pay for things etc etc).
Similarly, the plot to reveal the head of the resistance hinged on the use of some new technology invented by a member of the resistance itself. This was so flimsy as to be laughable. Also, the fact that a heavy-handed police force like the peacekeepers would look for such tenuous proof of the leadership of the resistance before acting is just plain wrong. The first few chapters, and some of the conversations Anaiya has after her change, serve to show how heavy-handed they are, and any hint of someone's involvement in such treasonous activity would result in swift action.
Overall, the book is atmospheric and interesting but quite badly executed.
And the word "trajectory" is massively overused and at times wrongly used.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Rock the Kasbah (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Music is a language that transcends race, gender, age, and nationality. It is timeless. It is transformative. Music has the power to shape and redefine culture. In Rock the Kasbah, Bill Murray plays Richie Lanz, a washed up Rock manager who seeks to bring one of his acts to Afghanistan as part of the USO tour. Within the first day of arrival, his plans are unraveled as his singer (Zooey Deschanel) panics and runs off with his money and passport in order to return back to America.
After meeting a myriad of characters (Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson. Danny McBride) in Kabul, he is presented with a new opportunity to introduce the world to a true talent. He discovers a young Pashtun girl with an amazing voice who dreams of being able to compete on “Afghan Star,” a musical competition show similar to “American Idol.” Cultural norms forbid her from singing and participating in the competition which demonstrate the complexity of Afghan culture, history, and politics. Understanding the threat to himself and Salima (Leem Lubany), Richie arranges for her to appear on the show, defying traditions and customs.
The film itself is a decent adaptation of the real story captured in the documentary Afghan Star which examines the life of Setara who must go into hiding because of her appearance in the competition. Rock the Kasbah has moments of genuine humor which fully utilizes Bill Murray’s true talents. Unfortunately, there are points where the plot and the storyline does not seem to fit together seamlessly. One great aspect of the film is its use of music to demonstrate the reach that it has across cultural lines. The love of music and artistic expression which had been severely restricted during the years of Taliban rule and Mujahedeen influence survived and is emblematic of how the people and the culture is much more complex and relatable than many would assume. This film goes beyond a story of a young singer trying to express herself and a manager trying to reclaim the glory of years ago. It is about the culture, history, and political framework of Afghanistan and the Afghan people.
It promotes them in a more positive light without relegating them to being a monolithic culture and people. It provides more insight into the circumstances that many of the people both in the cities and the tribal regions deal with. Audiences will be satisfied Rock the Kasbah as it is a musical and comedic showcase. They may even find themselves singing “Wild World” long after the credits roll.
After meeting a myriad of characters (Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson. Danny McBride) in Kabul, he is presented with a new opportunity to introduce the world to a true talent. He discovers a young Pashtun girl with an amazing voice who dreams of being able to compete on “Afghan Star,” a musical competition show similar to “American Idol.” Cultural norms forbid her from singing and participating in the competition which demonstrate the complexity of Afghan culture, history, and politics. Understanding the threat to himself and Salima (Leem Lubany), Richie arranges for her to appear on the show, defying traditions and customs.
The film itself is a decent adaptation of the real story captured in the documentary Afghan Star which examines the life of Setara who must go into hiding because of her appearance in the competition. Rock the Kasbah has moments of genuine humor which fully utilizes Bill Murray’s true talents. Unfortunately, there are points where the plot and the storyline does not seem to fit together seamlessly. One great aspect of the film is its use of music to demonstrate the reach that it has across cultural lines. The love of music and artistic expression which had been severely restricted during the years of Taliban rule and Mujahedeen influence survived and is emblematic of how the people and the culture is much more complex and relatable than many would assume. This film goes beyond a story of a young singer trying to express herself and a manager trying to reclaim the glory of years ago. It is about the culture, history, and political framework of Afghanistan and the Afghan people.
It promotes them in a more positive light without relegating them to being a monolithic culture and people. It provides more insight into the circumstances that many of the people both in the cities and the tribal regions deal with. Audiences will be satisfied Rock the Kasbah as it is a musical and comedic showcase. They may even find themselves singing “Wild World” long after the credits roll.
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021) in Movies
Jul 3, 2021
When I imagined the first time back into my Cineworld I was of course envisioning an epic first film back, something monumental... I succumbed to peer pressure and saw Peter Rabbit 2, but it was in a double bill with Spiral, what a combo. Bunnies and butchery.
Following Thomas and Bea's wedding, things start to change for this country family. Bea's story has become so popular that there's a book deal on the horizon, and the family head off to the big city to talk to the publisher. But Peter isn't happy about the way things are changing. He wanders off into the city streets where he meets a mysterious stranger that shows him a new way of living where he can be the bunny he wants to be.
Where do I begin? Peter doesn't like being cast as a brat, disappears and... does some brattish things. It's on brand for the bunny, so feels right for this second outing.
The animal antics felt right throughout the film, but the humans one... no so much. I know I'm probably overthinking about this film a little, but I honestly don't think this situation would have happened at all, not with the sort of person Bea was. That's the card we were dealt though so I guess we have to accept it.
I found the film to be very slow going at the start, it essentially wasn't very different from the first. Thankfully, somewhere at the midpoint it does pick up and you get more of the crazy action that, let's face it, was the only reasons that us adults are seeing this. (Apart from Hannah, Hannah is here for some Gleeson goodness as well as the bunnies.)
It seems a little daft to go over most of the things about this film as it really is a carbon copy where everything but the storyline is concerned. There are a few moments that even taking artistic license into account didn't sit right with me, but they would all constitute spoilers so I won't elaborate, rest assured though, you will have the same quibbles if you watch it.
Peter Rabbit 2 The Runaway. (not that anyone remembers the second bit), would have been good competition with the first had the beginning had the same pace as the rest of the film. What we've got is a sequel that is really just for the kids to enjoy, we'll just hang around for the action.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/07/peter-rabbit-2-runaway-movie-review.html
Following Thomas and Bea's wedding, things start to change for this country family. Bea's story has become so popular that there's a book deal on the horizon, and the family head off to the big city to talk to the publisher. But Peter isn't happy about the way things are changing. He wanders off into the city streets where he meets a mysterious stranger that shows him a new way of living where he can be the bunny he wants to be.
Where do I begin? Peter doesn't like being cast as a brat, disappears and... does some brattish things. It's on brand for the bunny, so feels right for this second outing.
The animal antics felt right throughout the film, but the humans one... no so much. I know I'm probably overthinking about this film a little, but I honestly don't think this situation would have happened at all, not with the sort of person Bea was. That's the card we were dealt though so I guess we have to accept it.
I found the film to be very slow going at the start, it essentially wasn't very different from the first. Thankfully, somewhere at the midpoint it does pick up and you get more of the crazy action that, let's face it, was the only reasons that us adults are seeing this. (Apart from Hannah, Hannah is here for some Gleeson goodness as well as the bunnies.)
It seems a little daft to go over most of the things about this film as it really is a carbon copy where everything but the storyline is concerned. There are a few moments that even taking artistic license into account didn't sit right with me, but they would all constitute spoilers so I won't elaborate, rest assured though, you will have the same quibbles if you watch it.
Peter Rabbit 2 The Runaway. (not that anyone remembers the second bit), would have been good competition with the first had the beginning had the same pace as the rest of the film. What we've got is a sequel that is really just for the kids to enjoy, we'll just hang around for the action.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/07/peter-rabbit-2-runaway-movie-review.html
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Madam Tulip (Madam Tulip #1) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
More reviews at https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com
When I read the description of this book, I knew it is going to be a fun read, and I was right. This book was my first try of cosy mysteries and I really enjoyed this well deserved treat to my brains, after reading some intense psychological thrillers.
The blurb above, describes this book quite accurately. Derry is broke actress who is “teeny bit psychic”. So, when the chance comes to earn some (good) money out of it, she decided to try. But soon she got involved into murder “investigation”, where she knew more than the police.
The characters used in this book were very well chosen. This is a book about actors and celebrities, so, of course, there were some eccentric, artistic characters, whose charm and charisma has to shine. I really enjoyed the great balance between the “over the top” characters and the casual, “down to earth” ones. Ahern kept a wide variety of well rounded characters to choose from, so I think everyone can find their favourite one, according to their taste. My favourite was Derry; I loved her simple personality and sharp way of thinking, even though her parents are really crazy.
The plot of this novel was very entertaining and enjoyable. I liked the smooth flow of the story, with unexpected findings and turns. The whole story was told from Derry’s perspective, but that was fully sufficient to understand the characters well. As it says in the description below, Ahern grew up in a theatrical family, I think that is why the theatrical life details used in this novel were so accurate and detailed, and I absolutely enjoyed reading all those bits and pieces about actors and theatre.
The writing style of this novel is really pleasurable, filled with Irish spirit. The language used in this book is easy to read and understandable. The chapters are decent length, and divided into smaller parts as well, so it doesn’t drag along and didn’t leave me bored. The ending of the book was unexpected and filled with action, and left some unresolved issues, which, I believe, might come up in other books of Madam Tulip. So to conclude, I think this book was a great introduction to Madam Tulip and her capabilities, and I was very pleased to witness this metamorphosis. I really enjoyed all this extra-ordinariness combined with simplicity and casualness, and I think it is a great read for these cold autumn evenings.
Was given this book by Author for honest review.
When I read the description of this book, I knew it is going to be a fun read, and I was right. This book was my first try of cosy mysteries and I really enjoyed this well deserved treat to my brains, after reading some intense psychological thrillers.
The blurb above, describes this book quite accurately. Derry is broke actress who is “teeny bit psychic”. So, when the chance comes to earn some (good) money out of it, she decided to try. But soon she got involved into murder “investigation”, where she knew more than the police.
The characters used in this book were very well chosen. This is a book about actors and celebrities, so, of course, there were some eccentric, artistic characters, whose charm and charisma has to shine. I really enjoyed the great balance between the “over the top” characters and the casual, “down to earth” ones. Ahern kept a wide variety of well rounded characters to choose from, so I think everyone can find their favourite one, according to their taste. My favourite was Derry; I loved her simple personality and sharp way of thinking, even though her parents are really crazy.
The plot of this novel was very entertaining and enjoyable. I liked the smooth flow of the story, with unexpected findings and turns. The whole story was told from Derry’s perspective, but that was fully sufficient to understand the characters well. As it says in the description below, Ahern grew up in a theatrical family, I think that is why the theatrical life details used in this novel were so accurate and detailed, and I absolutely enjoyed reading all those bits and pieces about actors and theatre.
The writing style of this novel is really pleasurable, filled with Irish spirit. The language used in this book is easy to read and understandable. The chapters are decent length, and divided into smaller parts as well, so it doesn’t drag along and didn’t leave me bored. The ending of the book was unexpected and filled with action, and left some unresolved issues, which, I believe, might come up in other books of Madam Tulip. So to conclude, I think this book was a great introduction to Madam Tulip and her capabilities, and I was very pleased to witness this metamorphosis. I really enjoyed all this extra-ordinariness combined with simplicity and casualness, and I think it is a great read for these cold autumn evenings.
Was given this book by Author for honest review.