Search
Search results
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
8.5
Rate It
Book
On May 1, 1915, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2336 KP) rated Terns of Endearment in Books
Sep 6, 2019
This Cruise Will Not be Smooth Sailing
Meg Langslow’s grandfather has taken a job on a cruise ship for one voyage presenting nightly lectures on animals and the environment. Primetime, the cruise line, has offered a discount, so Meg and several other family members have joined this cruise to Bermuda. However, things don’t go as planned. The first morning as sea, the passengers wake up to find that the ship is dead in the water. Then, as the captain is briefing the passengers on the situation, another crew member bursts into the meeting to say that one of the passengers has gone overboard. It appears to be suicide, and the captain is willing to write it off as such, but Meg’s dad isn’t so sure. While the passengers wait for the ship to be fixed, he goads Meg into doing a little investigating. What will she uncover?
Yes, the usual assortment of Meg’s relatives join her for this cruise, and they are up to their usual antics. I don’t find these books as funny as they used to be, but I still find them highly amusing, and I completely enjoyed my time with the characters as usual. The ship is filled with new characters, and I loved how they were developed as the story went along. The action was a little slow getting going, but once the ship got stuck, things really picked up and I was hooked. I finished the book from that point on in about 24 hours, and that included time to sleep and work. The ending is a bit rushed, but everything is explained before we turn the final page. Fans will be delighted to find the series is still going strong twenty-five books in, and I enjoyed a reference to something from the early books in the series. This is another relaxing mystery, although you might not want to take it on your next cruise.
Yes, the usual assortment of Meg’s relatives join her for this cruise, and they are up to their usual antics. I don’t find these books as funny as they used to be, but I still find them highly amusing, and I completely enjoyed my time with the characters as usual. The ship is filled with new characters, and I loved how they were developed as the story went along. The action was a little slow getting going, but once the ship got stuck, things really picked up and I was hooked. I finished the book from that point on in about 24 hours, and that included time to sleep and work. The ending is a bit rushed, but everything is explained before we turn the final page. Fans will be delighted to find the series is still going strong twenty-five books in, and I enjoyed a reference to something from the early books in the series. This is another relaxing mystery, although you might not want to take it on your next cruise.
MARVEL Future Fight
Games
8.0
Rate It
App
An epic blockbuster action-RPG featuring Super Heroes and Villains from the Marvel Universe! The...
Sea of Clouds
7.0
Rate It
Tabletop Game
In Sea of Clouds, as captain of a flying pirate ship, recruit a cutthroat crew, collect relics and...
Boardgames Pirategames
Ross (3284 KP) rated Captain Underpants (2017) in Movies
Oct 9, 2017
This rating is based on the general consensus of my family (me, my wife and my three children).
We were already somewhat aware of Captain Underpants before we saw the movie - I bought my eldest the boxset of books which are admittedly still in their shrinkwrap.
The film is obviously aimed at children, probably aged 3 to 7. The potty humour got a bit stale for my 9 year old, but the 3 and 6 year olds were still amused throughout. I normally expect a few more clever jokes for the parents from a film like this, but was sadly disappointed that there weren't any. The humour really is restricted to a man in his pants and the name Professor Poopypants. There really isn't much more to it than that.
I liked the idea of the storyline, but would have liked more levels of humour.
I think we were all a bit bored of it by the end.
We were already somewhat aware of Captain Underpants before we saw the movie - I bought my eldest the boxset of books which are admittedly still in their shrinkwrap.
The film is obviously aimed at children, probably aged 3 to 7. The potty humour got a bit stale for my 9 year old, but the 3 and 6 year olds were still amused throughout. I normally expect a few more clever jokes for the parents from a film like this, but was sadly disappointed that there weren't any. The humour really is restricted to a man in his pants and the name Professor Poopypants. There really isn't much more to it than that.
I liked the idea of the storyline, but would have liked more levels of humour.
I think we were all a bit bored of it by the end.
Luke (278 KP) rated Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) in Movies
Jul 10, 2017
Credit Scenes (3 more)
Tom Holland Is A Great Spider
So Funny
Not A Ready Made Superhero
SpiderSence (2 more)
The Shocker
Not Quite Enough Witty Comebacks In Fight Scenes
The Spider Has Come Home To The MCU & He Fits In Perfectly... Not Like The Wierd Uncle
Contains spoilers, click to show
I loved this film, and as spiderman is my favourite hero im glad that this was done great.
Iron man didnt steal the show, it only added more depth and created more space for story telling.
I love that he is not straight away brilliant with his powers, just like the rest of the MCU with there new powers comes a learning curve.
If the learning curve is falling through the roof as ironman, or falling through a shop window as captain america. spider man nails this with his swing into the floor.
I would like to see some more villians, spidermans villians are the most creative that it would be interesting
Iron man didnt steal the show, it only added more depth and created more space for story telling.
I love that he is not straight away brilliant with his powers, just like the rest of the MCU with there new powers comes a learning curve.
If the learning curve is falling through the roof as ironman, or falling through a shop window as captain america. spider man nails this with his swing into the floor.
I would like to see some more villians, spidermans villians are the most creative that it would be interesting
Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Wonder Woman (2017) in Movies
Jul 11, 2017
Strong female characters (3 more)
Love Interest without a "damsel in distress"
Not too dark, and not too happy either
The most cohesive DCEU film to date
A Triumph for Women Everywhere (and the DCEU)
Gal Gadot is perfect. She kicks ass and looks great doing it, dominating every frame she inhabits. Thanks to Patty Jenkin's guiding hand, Gadot's iteration of Wonder Woman does so without becoming yet another one-dimensional sex symbol. The movie itself is the most cohesive and fun segment the DCEU has offered yet. Free of the glowering and overbearing lens Zack Snyder has placed over Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman touches on themes of hope and discovered humanity that were yet to be seen in DC's fledgling movie universe. Even if the story is a little basic, and a little reminiscent of Captain America: The First Avenger, it stands on its own two feet and puts up a good fight for two hours and twenty minutes.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Killer Shrews (1959) in Movies
May 3, 2019 (Updated May 3, 2019)
Well, it was inevitable, wasn't it? When you make a list of those wild creatures that inspire sheer terror in everyday folk, forget about sharks, snakes, spiders, wolves, and the rest - shrews! Shrews are the really scary little buggers. Or so the makers of this film appear to have decided. Unconvincing ship captain (Best) ends up on a hurricane-wracked island populated by mad scientists and the giant, savage shrews they have spawned; much utter nonsense ensues.
Bad acting is compounded by post-synched dialogue and the impressive range of accents on display from the cast, but the thing is that this isn't just a monster movie where the monsters are shrews, it's a shrew-based monster movie where the shrews are realised by a combination of dogs in costume and sabre-toothed glove puppets. Genuinely very funny to watch; objectively deserves a very low score but highly entertaining if you're in the mood.
Bad acting is compounded by post-synched dialogue and the impressive range of accents on display from the cast, but the thing is that this isn't just a monster movie where the monsters are shrews, it's a shrew-based monster movie where the shrews are realised by a combination of dogs in costume and sabre-toothed glove puppets. Genuinely very funny to watch; objectively deserves a very low score but highly entertaining if you're in the mood.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2336 KP) rated Driving Heat (Nikki Heat, #7) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Nikki’s first day as captain doesn’t go as planned when she gets a call about a murder before she even makes it into the office. The victim turns out to be Nikki’s therapist, but the bigger surprise is when video from his office finds Rook, Nikki’s fiancée, going in. What secret is the writer hiding?
Whether a fan of the TV show Castle or not, you’ll find this is another great mystery. The start is a little slow, but once it gets going, the mystery contains plenty of twists and surprises. Nikki and Rook are great characters, but the rest are a bit under served. Of course, the in jokes and references to the show, while certainly not overdone, are an added bonus for fans of the show, but nothing that would ruin the book if you don’t get them.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/10/book-review-driving-heat-by-richard.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Whether a fan of the TV show Castle or not, you’ll find this is another great mystery. The start is a little slow, but once it gets going, the mystery contains plenty of twists and surprises. Nikki and Rook are great characters, but the rest are a bit under served. Of course, the in jokes and references to the show, while certainly not overdone, are an added bonus for fans of the show, but nothing that would ruin the book if you don’t get them.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/10/book-review-driving-heat-by-richard.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Captain Is Dead in Tabletop Games
Dec 13, 2018
I have only played this game once.
In The Captain is Dead, you and your teammates are going to be rushing around your ship attempting to hold the aliens off while you fix the ship’s engines (Jump Core).
I loved that you have to work as a team, and we would constantly be thinking of strategies, after every turn. It was great fun. You also get to choose from so many different characters, and they all do different things, have different number of actions you can play, and have different special powers.
I think that this game gets better and better the more you play, as you start to know what you're supposed to do, and how to win the game together. but there are so many ways to lose, and only one way to win, which makes the game almost unbeatable.
Needless to say, we lost (BADLY), but I was great fun and amazing experience.
In The Captain is Dead, you and your teammates are going to be rushing around your ship attempting to hold the aliens off while you fix the ship’s engines (Jump Core).
I loved that you have to work as a team, and we would constantly be thinking of strategies, after every turn. It was great fun. You also get to choose from so many different characters, and they all do different things, have different number of actions you can play, and have different special powers.
I think that this game gets better and better the more you play, as you start to know what you're supposed to do, and how to win the game together. but there are so many ways to lose, and only one way to win, which makes the game almost unbeatable.
Needless to say, we lost (BADLY), but I was great fun and amazing experience.