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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Ocean’s 8 (2018) in Movies
Feb 23, 2019
Forgettable
Apart from the first one, I’ve never been particularly enamoured with the Oceans films, so I never really saw the need to make a new one with only women. Sadly after watching it, i still don’t think it was necessary.
The women’s only heist is actually not a bad idea, but it has been poorly executed with a forgettable and dull plot and an only half decent cast. Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett are great, but the rest of the female cast seem barely used and bit parts at best. I adore Richard Armitage but he too was underused. And I simply can’t understand why they cast James Corden, he is one of the most irritating men around. The plot itself isn’t bad but it’s not good either. It’s a bit dull in parts and even the big reveal at the end doesn’t feel particularly smart or flashy revealing. It was all just a bit ‘meh”.
The women’s only heist is actually not a bad idea, but it has been poorly executed with a forgettable and dull plot and an only half decent cast. Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett are great, but the rest of the female cast seem barely used and bit parts at best. I adore Richard Armitage but he too was underused. And I simply can’t understand why they cast James Corden, he is one of the most irritating men around. The plot itself isn’t bad but it’s not good either. It’s a bit dull in parts and even the big reveal at the end doesn’t feel particularly smart or flashy revealing. It was all just a bit ‘meh”.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Godzilla Vs Hedorah (1971) in Movies
May 17, 2019
The movie that goes to show that when it comes to allegorical fables about the environment featuring man-in-a-suit monsters, subtlety isn't always necessary. Pollution-spawned jelly-beastie develops various peculiar powers and threatens Japan; Godzilla turns up to deal with it. Is the subtext that we should choose nuclear power over fossil fuels? Unlikely but possible.
Godzilla Vs Hedorah makes itself distinctive amongst the Godzilla films of the early 70s by virtue of its sheer, insidious weirdness, most of it due to Banno's direction: there are sudden switches to black-and-white, split screen sequences, educational segments, and allegorical cartoons. Doesn't stop it being mostly awful, but in a strangely hypnotic way, and it least it's obviously about a serious issue for a change. Possibly most infamous for the sequence where Godzilla uses his atomic breath as rocket thrust to fly with, but much other weirdness is also present. Bad, but very watchably bad.
Godzilla Vs Hedorah makes itself distinctive amongst the Godzilla films of the early 70s by virtue of its sheer, insidious weirdness, most of it due to Banno's direction: there are sudden switches to black-and-white, split screen sequences, educational segments, and allegorical cartoons. Doesn't stop it being mostly awful, but in a strangely hypnotic way, and it least it's obviously about a serious issue for a change. Possibly most infamous for the sequence where Godzilla uses his atomic breath as rocket thrust to fly with, but much other weirdness is also present. Bad, but very watchably bad.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Lust is the Thorn in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second novel I have read from this author and I am not sure if I like her or not yet. Both stories feature tormented men with troubled past and the women who love them. I love a good romance about a man falling in love with his best friends sister, but there seemed to be a lot lacking from this novel. I felt that the only conflict was the characters own hang ups.
I did, however, enjoy the bad girl, good boy dynamic. I am so used to the man being the bad one that it was refreshing. Not to mention he was genuinely a good guy. I felt like they deserved each other and helped each other heal.
However, I didnt particularly care for the story line. There was nothing wrong with it or the authors writing. I just didnt care about the characters or their story.
This is the second novel I have read from this author and I am not sure if I like her or not yet. Both stories feature tormented men with troubled past and the women who love them. I love a good romance about a man falling in love with his best friends sister, but there seemed to be a lot lacking from this novel. I felt that the only conflict was the characters own hang ups.
I did, however, enjoy the bad girl, good boy dynamic. I am so used to the man being the bad one that it was refreshing. Not to mention he was genuinely a good guy. I felt like they deserved each other and helped each other heal.
However, I didnt particularly care for the story line. There was nothing wrong with it or the authors writing. I just didnt care about the characters or their story.
Joe Julians (221 KP) rated Daddy's Home 2 (2017) in Movies
Feb 6, 2018 (Updated Feb 6, 2018)
The first Daddy's Home was hardly a comedic masterpiece. It was sub par for the most part and only really borderline enjoyable thanks to a cast that seemed enthusiastic and game to play a part in it. For the sequel, like Bad Mom's (a franchise where it's first movie was actually great) it has decided to bring in the grandparents. That didn't work out well for A Bad Mom's Christmas and it doesn't work for Daddy's Home 2 either.
There's nothing wrong with the performances in this one as such. Nobody is all that great, but they do the best they can with the material. The material however is the problem. This script is dire. It's a comedy without any jokes, a christmas movie without any heart and a family story where almost everyone is unwittingly unlikeable. I can't think of a single joke, a single moment that made me laugh and when a film contains Farrel, Wahlberg, Gibson and Lithgow- that's unforgivable.
There's nothing wrong with the performances in this one as such. Nobody is all that great, but they do the best they can with the material. The material however is the problem. This script is dire. It's a comedy without any jokes, a christmas movie without any heart and a family story where almost everyone is unwittingly unlikeable. I can't think of a single joke, a single moment that made me laugh and when a film contains Farrel, Wahlberg, Gibson and Lithgow- that's unforgivable.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Escape Room (2017) in Movies
Mar 23, 2018
Beyond stupid
Considering this was a straight to dvd/Sky film, I hadn't been expecting much and sadly it delivered even less than that.
I understand why this film has been made as escape rooms are huge at the moment, but this is such a poor attempt at a horror film. It's not scary, and there's no real suspense or nothing to make you care about the characters. There are so many ways they couldve done a horror escape room, and they picked the lamest storyline available. Put that together with a bad script and terrible acting and it makes for a tedious 90 minute watch. It's not even entertainingly bad, it's just awful.
All I can say is that for anyone watching this, please don't let it put you off doing a real escape room. Real escape rooms are really fun and entertaining and pretty challenging, and not in the slightest bit boring like this sorry excuse for a film.
I understand why this film has been made as escape rooms are huge at the moment, but this is such a poor attempt at a horror film. It's not scary, and there's no real suspense or nothing to make you care about the characters. There are so many ways they couldve done a horror escape room, and they picked the lamest storyline available. Put that together with a bad script and terrible acting and it makes for a tedious 90 minute watch. It's not even entertainingly bad, it's just awful.
All I can say is that for anyone watching this, please don't let it put you off doing a real escape room. Real escape rooms are really fun and entertaining and pretty challenging, and not in the slightest bit boring like this sorry excuse for a film.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Warlords of Atlantis (1978) in Movies
Feb 20, 2018 (Updated Feb 20, 2018)
Really-not-bad-considering-what-it-is British fantasy film, from the makers of three other mid-70s Edgar Rice Burroughs adaptations - this story is original (well, up to a point). Two-fisted bathyscape engineer and his posh associate discover Atlantis, which is populated by various unexpected character actors, rubber monsters, and also Cyd Charisse (goes to show you never can tell).
Looks slightly more lavish than the three Amicus films; Atlantis bears a suspicious resemblance to Malta (which may give you a clue as to where the location filming was done). Pleasantly tropey plot, occasionally verges on the absurd; rubber monsters (the Zaargs!) are actually not too bad. The giant octopus has a kind of kitsch grandeur to it; somewhat emblematic of the whole movie. In the end it's not exactly written by Shakespeare but highly entertaining if you like this sort of thing; possibly the best of the Connor-McClure fantasy films.
Looks slightly more lavish than the three Amicus films; Atlantis bears a suspicious resemblance to Malta (which may give you a clue as to where the location filming was done). Pleasantly tropey plot, occasionally verges on the absurd; rubber monsters (the Zaargs!) are actually not too bad. The giant octopus has a kind of kitsch grandeur to it; somewhat emblematic of the whole movie. In the end it's not exactly written by Shakespeare but highly entertaining if you like this sort of thing; possibly the best of the Connor-McClure fantasy films.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Commuter (2018) in Movies
Feb 11, 2018 (Updated Feb 11, 2018)
One-way Ticket to Barking
Another of those films in which Liam Neeson plays a bus-pass bad-ass, in this case an ageing rugged ex-cop turned insurance salesman who finds himself sucked into a murderous conspiracy on the train home one night.
Well, you kind of know from the start how this is going to play out, but the script is inventive in keeping it going and Neeson is assisted by a good supporting cast. Initially it looks like this is going to be another film about middle-aged rage in the wake of the financial crisis, but this sadly proves to be a red herring - it is just another very daft transport-based thriller.
Not a film that exactly stays with you, obviously, but it's wildly implausible rather than actually stupid, and the direction is not too bad, all things considered. Obviously I'd rather Liam Neeson did more films with a little more substance, but this kind of thing isn't actually hurting anyone.
Well, you kind of know from the start how this is going to play out, but the script is inventive in keeping it going and Neeson is assisted by a good supporting cast. Initially it looks like this is going to be another film about middle-aged rage in the wake of the financial crisis, but this sadly proves to be a red herring - it is just another very daft transport-based thriller.
Not a film that exactly stays with you, obviously, but it's wildly implausible rather than actually stupid, and the direction is not too bad, all things considered. Obviously I'd rather Liam Neeson did more films with a little more substance, but this kind of thing isn't actually hurting anyone.
ClareR (5950 KP) rated The City of Brass: Daevabad Trilogy in Books
May 29, 2018
Djinn-tastic!! (OK, I know that's bad)
Wow! Magic, Djinns, Ifrits, Daevas - what's not to like?! This was such an engrossing read. Set from two points of view: Nahri, a poor orphaned healer and con-artist and Ali, the youngest son of the King of Daevabad. Their lives meet and are entwined in such a way as to be completely believable. The politics of the realm are much like apartheid, in that Shafit cannot mix with full-blooded Daevas or Djinn. They live in substandard conditions, and Ali tries to change that. He unwittingly causes huge problems.
This is the first in a trilogy, so my only complaint would be that I've now read the first one so close to the release date, that I'm now going to have to wait for AGES for the next part!! Bad planning on my part! I think I'd be more than happy to reread this before the second in the trilogy releases though.
This is the first in a trilogy, so my only complaint would be that I've now read the first one so close to the release date, that I'm now going to have to wait for AGES for the next part!! Bad planning on my part! I think I'd be more than happy to reread this before the second in the trilogy releases though.
Sarah (126 KP) rated Memoirs of a Geisha in Books
Jul 12, 2018
A Disappointing Read
When I bought this book, it was because I had seen so much excitement around it - how it was thrilling and unlike anything else.
I really should have saved my money.
When I read a book, or watch a film for that matter, I want to care about the characters and to have something vested in the outcome - be it good or bad. I want to hate the bad guys, to be rooting for the hero/ine. Here, I just didn't. The characters were unsympathetic; whether it was the point of view or the style of writing, I read with a feeling of detachment and no great sense of "what will happen next". Even worse, the ending was a huge disappointment, feeling as if it had been tacked on quickly in order to meet a deadline.
In all honesty, a book I wish I hadn't bothered to persevere with to the end.
I really should have saved my money.
When I read a book, or watch a film for that matter, I want to care about the characters and to have something vested in the outcome - be it good or bad. I want to hate the bad guys, to be rooting for the hero/ine. Here, I just didn't. The characters were unsympathetic; whether it was the point of view or the style of writing, I read with a feeling of detachment and no great sense of "what will happen next". Even worse, the ending was a huge disappointment, feeling as if it had been tacked on quickly in order to meet a deadline.
In all honesty, a book I wish I hadn't bothered to persevere with to the end.
Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated The Haunting of Hill House in TV
Oct 14, 2018
Not too bad
This Netflix original series turned out better than I expected. I started it with a hesitation... How could they make a series about a haunted house? I was sort of right in that it played out like one long movie and I don't see it being something that will carry on for more seasons. The acting wasn't bad-the characters well played. The effects and cinematography were pretty cool. The story was slow moving but interesting enough to keep me watching and the creep factor was definitely there. I never read the book but, as with most books-made-into-shows/movies, I'm sure it doesn't do it justice(they never do). However, I did enjoy it enough simply for what it was-an interesting haunted house story-to want to see it through to the end. While not the greatest series ever, it was definitely entertaining. Worth a watch.