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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Cinderella Man (2005) in Movies
Jan 15, 2018
Classic
Cinderella Man is one of those films where I ask myself, "Why in the world has it taken me thirteen years to watch this?" It could be the fact that I've never had a strong love for films based on true stories or that I'm all binged out on boxing movies. Whatever the case may be, I'm glad Movies 365 has brought this film into my life and now into my heart.
There's so much to like about the movie, I'm not even sure where to start. Maybe Paul Giamati giving the performance of his life as trainer Joe Gould? Talk about playing a fabulous role. He's brash and straightforward, yet full of heart. He's not a fighter, but will go toe-to-toe with anyone to protect the people he cares about. Outshining him, however, is a stellar lead performance by legend Russell Crowe playing man of the hour James Braddock. Crowe makes you feel this guy, makes you love him. In one of the early scenes where Braddock gives his entire breakfast to his starving daughter before leaving for a strenuous day of work, you quickly realize that this is a guy you want to get behind and root for.
In the same vein, kudos to Ron Howard for using the source material to flesh out the stakes. The story could have just as easily been about a man trying to get back into boxing, but he made it about a man trying to feed his family and survive. It's painful to watch at times, but necessary. If you're not the least bit inspired after viewing this film, I don't know what will do it for you.
Howard also succeeds with excellent pace management. Seamless cuts between fights keep the action fresh and the viewer engaged. You don't get a whole lot of time to catch your breath. The cinematics are shot in a way that's gritty and real, beyond fitting for the Great Depression era when the film takes place.
Other than me almost going hoarse from screaming at the screen so much, I can't find many flaws with the film (hiccups, nothing major). I challenge you not to love this film about an aging boxer that just wants to keep his family alive. I give Cinderella Man a 95.
There's so much to like about the movie, I'm not even sure where to start. Maybe Paul Giamati giving the performance of his life as trainer Joe Gould? Talk about playing a fabulous role. He's brash and straightforward, yet full of heart. He's not a fighter, but will go toe-to-toe with anyone to protect the people he cares about. Outshining him, however, is a stellar lead performance by legend Russell Crowe playing man of the hour James Braddock. Crowe makes you feel this guy, makes you love him. In one of the early scenes where Braddock gives his entire breakfast to his starving daughter before leaving for a strenuous day of work, you quickly realize that this is a guy you want to get behind and root for.
In the same vein, kudos to Ron Howard for using the source material to flesh out the stakes. The story could have just as easily been about a man trying to get back into boxing, but he made it about a man trying to feed his family and survive. It's painful to watch at times, but necessary. If you're not the least bit inspired after viewing this film, I don't know what will do it for you.
Howard also succeeds with excellent pace management. Seamless cuts between fights keep the action fresh and the viewer engaged. You don't get a whole lot of time to catch your breath. The cinematics are shot in a way that's gritty and real, beyond fitting for the Great Depression era when the film takes place.
Other than me almost going hoarse from screaming at the screen so much, I can't find many flaws with the film (hiccups, nothing major). I challenge you not to love this film about an aging boxer that just wants to keep his family alive. I give Cinderella Man a 95.
Midge (525 KP) rated The Sheikh's Christmas Family in Books
Mar 7, 2019
An Adorable, Racy, Little Romance!
Leslie North has written another adorable, racy, little romance!
Leslie, the critically-acclaimed author, has written more than two hundred books across forty-six series’ in the Romance, Contemporary Fiction and Women's Fiction genres. Alluring from the very beginning, THE SHEIKH’S CHRISTMAS FAMILY is Book Two in the ‘Christmas with the Yared Sheikhs’ series. Book One is entitled ‘The Sheikh’s Christmas Fling’ and the title of the third book is ‘The Sheikh’s Christmas Lover.’
Its Christmas-time in Maatkare and Maia must make sure the Sheikh’s palace is decorated for all the holiday festivities. The decorating is the easy part. Yonas Yared, the youngest son of the family, is a bit more of a challenge. Maia knows she’s in trouble when she sees how wonderful Yonas is with her young son. Protecting her heart from the one man who makes her think naughty thoughts she shouldn’t is proving more difficult than she ever imagined.
Yonas will go crazy if he has to spend the entire holiday season with his family. He’d much rather be partying the nights away than stuck in the palace helping their new irresistible decorator. As events transpire to keep him in the palace, he’s surprised to realise he’s glad to be home and equally surprised to find that getting his serious little decorator into his bed is becoming more and more important. The problem is, once she’s there, he doesn’t want her to leave. And nothing in his life has ever scared him more.
Leslie North is very good at developing her characters where opposites attract and this novel is no exception. The meeting of carefree, party animal Yonas and Maia, who is sensible, focused and responsible, was explosive.
The storyline is easy to follow, with plenty of emotion, angst and tension. The chemistry between Maia and Yonas was electric and what was also great was the laughter and fun enjoyed within the family.
The SHEIKH’S CHRISTMAS FAMILY is an enjoyable and well-written romance with which to curl up on the sofa on a dark winter’s night or any time, really, with a mug of hot chocolate and it makes a fantastic holiday read.
{Thank you to #NetGalley, Relay Publishing and Leslie North for the free copy of this book and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
Leslie, the critically-acclaimed author, has written more than two hundred books across forty-six series’ in the Romance, Contemporary Fiction and Women's Fiction genres. Alluring from the very beginning, THE SHEIKH’S CHRISTMAS FAMILY is Book Two in the ‘Christmas with the Yared Sheikhs’ series. Book One is entitled ‘The Sheikh’s Christmas Fling’ and the title of the third book is ‘The Sheikh’s Christmas Lover.’
Its Christmas-time in Maatkare and Maia must make sure the Sheikh’s palace is decorated for all the holiday festivities. The decorating is the easy part. Yonas Yared, the youngest son of the family, is a bit more of a challenge. Maia knows she’s in trouble when she sees how wonderful Yonas is with her young son. Protecting her heart from the one man who makes her think naughty thoughts she shouldn’t is proving more difficult than she ever imagined.
Yonas will go crazy if he has to spend the entire holiday season with his family. He’d much rather be partying the nights away than stuck in the palace helping their new irresistible decorator. As events transpire to keep him in the palace, he’s surprised to realise he’s glad to be home and equally surprised to find that getting his serious little decorator into his bed is becoming more and more important. The problem is, once she’s there, he doesn’t want her to leave. And nothing in his life has ever scared him more.
Leslie North is very good at developing her characters where opposites attract and this novel is no exception. The meeting of carefree, party animal Yonas and Maia, who is sensible, focused and responsible, was explosive.
The storyline is easy to follow, with plenty of emotion, angst and tension. The chemistry between Maia and Yonas was electric and what was also great was the laughter and fun enjoyed within the family.
The SHEIKH’S CHRISTMAS FAMILY is an enjoyable and well-written romance with which to curl up on the sofa on a dark winter’s night or any time, really, with a mug of hot chocolate and it makes a fantastic holiday read.
{Thank you to #NetGalley, Relay Publishing and Leslie North for the free copy of this book and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Roll Player in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
Are you up for some role play? If so, you’ll have to find a different website for that. But if you’re up for some *roll* play, then you’ve come to the right place! Welcome to Roll Player – a strategic game of dice rolling, card drafting, and character creation!
On your way into town, you bump into a mysterious stranger. He tells you that he’s on a quest and is looking for companions to share in the journey (and loot!). A sneaky rogue like yourself might just pick-pocket the man and be on your way. But as a warrior, maybe you’ll go along for some action! What? You’re a wizard? That’s ok! Every good adventuring party needs a character knowledgeable in the mystical arts! The point is, your character is what you make it, and that is exactly how Roll Player works – think RPG character creation, but game-ified!
You take turns rolling dice and drafting cards to hone up your skills and attributes – the player at the end of the game with the best adventurer (determined by Victory Points) is the winner! You start with a set race, class, and backstory that determine your end-game attribute goals, and any extra Victory Points are up to you! How will you manipulate your dice to achieve your goals? How can you draft the perfect skills to outperform your opponents? The possibilities are endless!
Having played Roll Player at least a dozen times, I can honestly tell you that I thoroughly enjoy it. Rolling dice and drafting cards seems simple enough, but the amount of strategy needed to try to meet all of your end-game goals is what makes Roll Player a fun challenge. This game requires more thought than others, but I don’t think that necessarily makes it any harder to learn or play. I’ve found that once I help walk a new player through their first turn, the rest of the game is fine, and turns generally pass quickly enough too (as long as your opponent doesn’t suffer from AP…) so that the game doesn’t actually feel that long.
All in all, Roll Player does make you think, but it’s not such a heavy game that it’ll feel super serious. Purple Phoenix Games gives it a 17 / 18 (Josh has yet to play it).
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/03/roll-player-review/
On your way into town, you bump into a mysterious stranger. He tells you that he’s on a quest and is looking for companions to share in the journey (and loot!). A sneaky rogue like yourself might just pick-pocket the man and be on your way. But as a warrior, maybe you’ll go along for some action! What? You’re a wizard? That’s ok! Every good adventuring party needs a character knowledgeable in the mystical arts! The point is, your character is what you make it, and that is exactly how Roll Player works – think RPG character creation, but game-ified!
You take turns rolling dice and drafting cards to hone up your skills and attributes – the player at the end of the game with the best adventurer (determined by Victory Points) is the winner! You start with a set race, class, and backstory that determine your end-game attribute goals, and any extra Victory Points are up to you! How will you manipulate your dice to achieve your goals? How can you draft the perfect skills to outperform your opponents? The possibilities are endless!
Having played Roll Player at least a dozen times, I can honestly tell you that I thoroughly enjoy it. Rolling dice and drafting cards seems simple enough, but the amount of strategy needed to try to meet all of your end-game goals is what makes Roll Player a fun challenge. This game requires more thought than others, but I don’t think that necessarily makes it any harder to learn or play. I’ve found that once I help walk a new player through their first turn, the rest of the game is fine, and turns generally pass quickly enough too (as long as your opponent doesn’t suffer from AP…) so that the game doesn’t actually feel that long.
All in all, Roll Player does make you think, but it’s not such a heavy game that it’ll feel super serious. Purple Phoenix Games gives it a 17 / 18 (Josh has yet to play it).
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/03/roll-player-review/
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Mr. Deathmask in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<I>This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.</I>
A satanic cult, an angel, a ghost, and lots of murder,<I> Mr. Deathmask</I> is a novel like none other. Horror-novelist Lee McGeorge has created a character that blurs the lines between good and evil. Members of a satanic cult in the heart of London are slowly being killed off one-by-one by a mysterious figure going by the name of Mr Deathmask. The murders shock the community, not only in their brutality but because the worshippers of the “one true Lord” should not be able to be harmed by another living being.
Mr Deathmask, so named for collecting the death masks of his victims, is a man with superhuman strength who is believed to be a “son of light”, i.e. an angel. Accompanied by a ghost of a girl, Magdalena, he plans to seek out and destroy the satanic cult before they can raise the son of the devil.
To begin with, it is not easy to differentiate between the good and the bad. On one side is the anonymous murderer, and the other, the perverted and barbaric sect with unearthly powers. But once innocent lives get tangled up in the violent fiasco, it is clear whom the readers are expected to root for.
Hiding behind the façade of doctors and other professionals in the public sector, the cult easily preys on vulnerable people, resorting to sickening methods to satisfy their abominable desires. Difficult as it is to read about these vile deeds, <i>Mr. Deathmask</i> becomes gripping, the race is on to prevent unnecessary death and get revenge for something that happened centuries ago.
<i>Mr. Deathmask</i> is not for the delicate-minded individual due to its violent and sexual nature. Plenty of expletives and foul terminology make up the narrative, which, although is to be expected in this nature of novel, is not the easiest story to stomach.
Unlike previous books with heavy themes or social connotations, Lee McGeorge has penned <i>Mr. Deathmask</i> as a form of entertainment rather than to challenge morals and judgement of his readers. However, it still has its fair share of shock tactics to keep the story going. It will certainly entertain fans of the author and the genre.
A satanic cult, an angel, a ghost, and lots of murder,<I> Mr. Deathmask</I> is a novel like none other. Horror-novelist Lee McGeorge has created a character that blurs the lines between good and evil. Members of a satanic cult in the heart of London are slowly being killed off one-by-one by a mysterious figure going by the name of Mr Deathmask. The murders shock the community, not only in their brutality but because the worshippers of the “one true Lord” should not be able to be harmed by another living being.
Mr Deathmask, so named for collecting the death masks of his victims, is a man with superhuman strength who is believed to be a “son of light”, i.e. an angel. Accompanied by a ghost of a girl, Magdalena, he plans to seek out and destroy the satanic cult before they can raise the son of the devil.
To begin with, it is not easy to differentiate between the good and the bad. On one side is the anonymous murderer, and the other, the perverted and barbaric sect with unearthly powers. But once innocent lives get tangled up in the violent fiasco, it is clear whom the readers are expected to root for.
Hiding behind the façade of doctors and other professionals in the public sector, the cult easily preys on vulnerable people, resorting to sickening methods to satisfy their abominable desires. Difficult as it is to read about these vile deeds, <i>Mr. Deathmask</i> becomes gripping, the race is on to prevent unnecessary death and get revenge for something that happened centuries ago.
<i>Mr. Deathmask</i> is not for the delicate-minded individual due to its violent and sexual nature. Plenty of expletives and foul terminology make up the narrative, which, although is to be expected in this nature of novel, is not the easiest story to stomach.
Unlike previous books with heavy themes or social connotations, Lee McGeorge has penned <i>Mr. Deathmask</i> as a form of entertainment rather than to challenge morals and judgement of his readers. However, it still has its fair share of shock tactics to keep the story going. It will certainly entertain fans of the author and the genre.
Louise (64 KP) rated Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal in Books
Jul 2, 2018
WARNING!!! There is going to be a lot of fangirling in this review.
To say I loved this graphic novel is an understatement. This is my favourite graphic novel that I have read so far ( I am fairly new to them) If I could rate this more than 5 stars I would.I read this for a few different reasons,first being that it has some pretty great reviews, second it's short but entertaining and I love myself some superheroes and third for a boost so I can hit my Goodreads challenge.
So....on to the actual review. Khamala Khan is our protagonist, she's a muslim-american who manages to mysteriously get super powers and becomes the new Ms Marvel. This should be Khamala's dream come true as she is obsessed with superheroes, however it's not as easy as anticipated when she is put in situations where she has to start saving people lives and learning how to control these powers that have been bestowed upon her.
Khamala is a fantastic protagonist, her character has so much depth! What with her religious beliefs, strict parents and trying to find her true identity. It was great to read about a Teenage Muslim girl whose life was run around her family's beliefs, the struggles that she come across, such as friends and parties and not having the freedom that she craves.
I enjoyed all the side characters to the story, the Jock, the cool girl and Khamala's family were all written in really well and each had their own.
It was also funny as Khamala realises that being a superhero is not all it's cracked up to be, especially when she feels very exposed in her skintight outfit and high heel boots. (Obviously not practical for defeating bad guys)
The artwork in this novel was stunning and very much suited the storyline. This would make an excellent start for anyone that has never read a graphic novel before. The characters are fleshed out, the story line is very straight forward and no jumping back and forth and it also touches upon relative topics.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the second volume of this series and is definitely on my wish list for Xmas.
I rated this 5 out of 5 stars
To say I loved this graphic novel is an understatement. This is my favourite graphic novel that I have read so far ( I am fairly new to them) If I could rate this more than 5 stars I would.I read this for a few different reasons,first being that it has some pretty great reviews, second it's short but entertaining and I love myself some superheroes and third for a boost so I can hit my Goodreads challenge.
So....on to the actual review. Khamala Khan is our protagonist, she's a muslim-american who manages to mysteriously get super powers and becomes the new Ms Marvel. This should be Khamala's dream come true as she is obsessed with superheroes, however it's not as easy as anticipated when she is put in situations where she has to start saving people lives and learning how to control these powers that have been bestowed upon her.
Khamala is a fantastic protagonist, her character has so much depth! What with her religious beliefs, strict parents and trying to find her true identity. It was great to read about a Teenage Muslim girl whose life was run around her family's beliefs, the struggles that she come across, such as friends and parties and not having the freedom that she craves.
I enjoyed all the side characters to the story, the Jock, the cool girl and Khamala's family were all written in really well and each had their own.
It was also funny as Khamala realises that being a superhero is not all it's cracked up to be, especially when she feels very exposed in her skintight outfit and high heel boots. (Obviously not practical for defeating bad guys)
The artwork in this novel was stunning and very much suited the storyline. This would make an excellent start for anyone that has never read a graphic novel before. The characters are fleshed out, the story line is very straight forward and no jumping back and forth and it also touches upon relative topics.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the second volume of this series and is definitely on my wish list for Xmas.
I rated this 5 out of 5 stars
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Dishonored: Death of the Outsider in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
The latest game in the Dishonored series: Death of the Outsider is a stand-alone adventure that casts player in the role of Billie Lurk who fans of the series will know as the Captain of the Dreadful Whale.
A series of dark dreams leads her to her former mentor and on the path of a deadly cult that has taken control of several regions of the kingdom.
Using her considerable abilities, Billie uses stealth and brutal combat as well as special powers gained along the way to investigate, infiltrate, and destroy key members of the cult as well as gaining new abilities and weapons along the way.
The game has a” play your way” mode which is great for players like myself who are not as big on stealth and prefer a more combat oriented approach. While this works some of the time, the enemies are clever and numerous and will come at you in waves, so players must set traps, plan strategies and find honor in running away when the game calls for it.
The game also has a few puzzles players will need to solve and there is plenty to explore and loot along the way as well as numerous side quests players can take in the thriving and highly detailed cities.
While the weaponry will be familiar to fans of the series, the clever way that the pistol was incorporated as part of a wrist gauntlet was a nice touch as were the various ammunitions offered such as incendiary and shock bolts.
While not as long as Dishonored 2, there was still plenty of gameplay as I was shocked to see that I had invested over 17 hours of gameplay when I had completed the game as I was so engrossed in the characters and story that time seemed to fly by when I played.
The game offers adjustable difficulty settings which are great as some segments offer a real challenge depending on which type of gameplay approach you use.
The graphics and sounds of the game are in keeping with what you would expect from the prior games in the series and if this is the finale to the series, then it goes out in grand style as Death of the Outsider is an enjoyable adventure for action fans everywhere.
http://sknr.net/2017/09/20/dishonored-death-outsider/
A series of dark dreams leads her to her former mentor and on the path of a deadly cult that has taken control of several regions of the kingdom.
Using her considerable abilities, Billie uses stealth and brutal combat as well as special powers gained along the way to investigate, infiltrate, and destroy key members of the cult as well as gaining new abilities and weapons along the way.
The game has a” play your way” mode which is great for players like myself who are not as big on stealth and prefer a more combat oriented approach. While this works some of the time, the enemies are clever and numerous and will come at you in waves, so players must set traps, plan strategies and find honor in running away when the game calls for it.
The game also has a few puzzles players will need to solve and there is plenty to explore and loot along the way as well as numerous side quests players can take in the thriving and highly detailed cities.
While the weaponry will be familiar to fans of the series, the clever way that the pistol was incorporated as part of a wrist gauntlet was a nice touch as were the various ammunitions offered such as incendiary and shock bolts.
While not as long as Dishonored 2, there was still plenty of gameplay as I was shocked to see that I had invested over 17 hours of gameplay when I had completed the game as I was so engrossed in the characters and story that time seemed to fly by when I played.
The game offers adjustable difficulty settings which are great as some segments offer a real challenge depending on which type of gameplay approach you use.
The graphics and sounds of the game are in keeping with what you would expect from the prior games in the series and if this is the finale to the series, then it goes out in grand style as Death of the Outsider is an enjoyable adventure for action fans everywhere.
http://sknr.net/2017/09/20/dishonored-death-outsider/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Ghost Edition in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
The latest DLC for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands has released and Fallen Ghosts gives a challenging and satisfying conclusion to the saga. The manufacturers have promised more content in the form of game modes and enhancements, so if this is it, then it ends on a high note.
Unlike the previous Narco Road DLC, Fallen Ghosts is a sequel to the main story of the game and does require players to create a new character in which to play. It is a shame that you cannot port over the character you used for the game but it is a minor annoyance as I was soon able to have my character ready to go.
The story follows the Ghosts as they are shot down in the jungle and surrounded by a new squad of elite exterminators called” Los Extranjeros” (The Foreigners). Their mission is to take down any American agents in the country and backed by Unidad, they have state of the art vehicles, weapons, and equipment which include cloaking and heavily armored suits.
Gameplay is the same as before as teams of up to four must complete missions, side quests, and other objectives as they gain intel, attack, extract, interrogate, and survive a relentless assault as they are the hunted this time around and have very few safe areas.
The game does feature new map areas and players will again have cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, planes, and helicopters to travel the detailed landscape complete with day and night cycles and weather patterns.
The challenge is greater than ever as seasoned gamers who joined me in the missions commented how much harder some missions were compared to the last game, especially the final assault. Completion of the game gave me a real sense of accomplishment and closure to the story as if this is indeed the end, and then this chapter ends on a high note indeed.
The graphics and sound of the game are solid and match the prior releases so players who played and enjoyed the previous segments will enjoy this.
Fallen Ghosts is available as part of the Season Pass or stand alone and does require the full version of the game to play.
http://sknr.net/2017/06/12/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-wildlands-fallen-ghosts/
Unlike the previous Narco Road DLC, Fallen Ghosts is a sequel to the main story of the game and does require players to create a new character in which to play. It is a shame that you cannot port over the character you used for the game but it is a minor annoyance as I was soon able to have my character ready to go.
The story follows the Ghosts as they are shot down in the jungle and surrounded by a new squad of elite exterminators called” Los Extranjeros” (The Foreigners). Their mission is to take down any American agents in the country and backed by Unidad, they have state of the art vehicles, weapons, and equipment which include cloaking and heavily armored suits.
Gameplay is the same as before as teams of up to four must complete missions, side quests, and other objectives as they gain intel, attack, extract, interrogate, and survive a relentless assault as they are the hunted this time around and have very few safe areas.
The game does feature new map areas and players will again have cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, planes, and helicopters to travel the detailed landscape complete with day and night cycles and weather patterns.
The challenge is greater than ever as seasoned gamers who joined me in the missions commented how much harder some missions were compared to the last game, especially the final assault. Completion of the game gave me a real sense of accomplishment and closure to the story as if this is indeed the end, and then this chapter ends on a high note indeed.
The graphics and sound of the game are solid and match the prior releases so players who played and enjoyed the previous segments will enjoy this.
Fallen Ghosts is available as part of the Season Pass or stand alone and does require the full version of the game to play.
http://sknr.net/2017/06/12/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-wildlands-fallen-ghosts/
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Six bestselling authors have taken on the task of writing modern retellings of the complete works of Jane Austen. Alexander McCall Smith has successfully taken on the challenge of bringing <i>Emma</i> into the 21st century. Although the settings and characters remain the same the contemporary clothing, vehicles and ideas are something that the reader can relate to.
As fans of Jane Austen will already know, <i>Emma</i> is about rich, single Emma Woodhouse who, despite the disapproval of her good friend George Knightley, enjoys interfering in the lives of others, particularly where romance is concerned. Her meddling backfires when her plan to match her friend Harriet Smith with the boring Philip Elton has disastrous consequences.
Alexander McCall Smith’s version of <i>Emma</i> has more focus on the life of Mr. Woodhouse, Emma’s father, than the original did. He gives an account of Henry Woodhouse’s history and over emphasizes his anxieties about health and safety. Mr. Woodhouse’s concerns are constantly cropping up throughout the novel adding a little humour to the story.
One concern about this modern adaptation is that the writing style was overly formal. If it were not for the references to the current clothing fashions, motorcars and women attending university, the book could have been set during Jane Austen’s lifetime. Take, for example, the character Anne Taylor. Mr. Woodhouse hires Miss Taylor as a governess for his motherless daughters. Miss Taylor’s approach to the girls and her prim and proper use of language made her seem antiquated. She would not have looked out of place amongst other well-known governesses or nannies such as <i>Mary Poppins</i> or <i>Nurse Matilda</i>.
Occasionally it felt that Alexander McCall Smith was mocking the modern world, for example the activities of the younger generation or the way people speak. Whilst this may appeal to older readers who may disapprove of the recent developments and changes in the Western world; it alienates the teenagers and young adults who have grown up with modern technology.
There is no doubt that Alexander McCall Smith has done an excellent job at retelling such a famous novel, however to be a complete modern retelling I think everything needs to be brought into the 21st century. This would include all the characters and the style of language it is written in.
Six bestselling authors have taken on the task of writing modern retellings of the complete works of Jane Austen. Alexander McCall Smith has successfully taken on the challenge of bringing <i>Emma</i> into the 21st century. Although the settings and characters remain the same the contemporary clothing, vehicles and ideas are something that the reader can relate to.
As fans of Jane Austen will already know, <i>Emma</i> is about rich, single Emma Woodhouse who, despite the disapproval of her good friend George Knightley, enjoys interfering in the lives of others, particularly where romance is concerned. Her meddling backfires when her plan to match her friend Harriet Smith with the boring Philip Elton has disastrous consequences.
Alexander McCall Smith’s version of <i>Emma</i> has more focus on the life of Mr. Woodhouse, Emma’s father, than the original did. He gives an account of Henry Woodhouse’s history and over emphasizes his anxieties about health and safety. Mr. Woodhouse’s concerns are constantly cropping up throughout the novel adding a little humour to the story.
One concern about this modern adaptation is that the writing style was overly formal. If it were not for the references to the current clothing fashions, motorcars and women attending university, the book could have been set during Jane Austen’s lifetime. Take, for example, the character Anne Taylor. Mr. Woodhouse hires Miss Taylor as a governess for his motherless daughters. Miss Taylor’s approach to the girls and her prim and proper use of language made her seem antiquated. She would not have looked out of place amongst other well-known governesses or nannies such as <i>Mary Poppins</i> or <i>Nurse Matilda</i>.
Occasionally it felt that Alexander McCall Smith was mocking the modern world, for example the activities of the younger generation or the way people speak. Whilst this may appeal to older readers who may disapprove of the recent developments and changes in the Western world; it alienates the teenagers and young adults who have grown up with modern technology.
There is no doubt that Alexander McCall Smith has done an excellent job at retelling such a famous novel, however to be a complete modern retelling I think everything needs to be brought into the 21st century. This would include all the characters and the style of language it is written in.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated The Rover (2014) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
Don't mess with a man's car!
If you have seen the current Netflix film, The King (hopefully watching this weekend), you will have seen a subsequent effort by writer/director David Michôd.
This film takes place 10 years after "the collapse", not really specified other than not many people around and the ones who are survive a desolate, isolated existence. The setting is the barren Australian outback wasteland where human beings are scarce and gratuity and benevolence are things of the past.
A lonely man (never spoke his name in the film) sees three men steal his vehicle after theirs is sidelined from an apparent crash. Incensed, the grizzled man takes off after the threesome rapidly wanted to reacquire it. The men are far in the lead down the infinity highway, but the man manages to catch them since they are unaware of the pursuit. After some cat and mouse along the highway, the man is unable to retrieve his vehicle at that time.
The makes his way through the harsh landscape eventually running across the wounded brother of one of his car thieves who he decides to bring along for the ride. The brother is willing to explain the possible destination of the thieves as well as he may want some sort of vengeance since his brother and companions left him to die on the side of the road.
Any post-apocalyptic film set in Australia immediately will remind you of the Mad Max films. Similar in setting only, this film is much less action and is an unlikely road film at its core. There are some well designed action scenes when the men encounter various scumbags and individuals along their route. You are never really sure why the man is so interested in getting his car back until the very end.
Guy Pearce shows he is up to the challenge of playing a very unlikable, hardened miscreant, while Robert Pattinson plays the simpleton sidekick role extremely well. His accent his so hard to understand at times (reminded me of Brad Pitt in Snatch) I actually had to rewind a few times because I missed the catchy dialogue.
The film does have a few dry spots, but I was very surprised how much I liked this.
This film takes place 10 years after "the collapse", not really specified other than not many people around and the ones who are survive a desolate, isolated existence. The setting is the barren Australian outback wasteland where human beings are scarce and gratuity and benevolence are things of the past.
A lonely man (never spoke his name in the film) sees three men steal his vehicle after theirs is sidelined from an apparent crash. Incensed, the grizzled man takes off after the threesome rapidly wanted to reacquire it. The men are far in the lead down the infinity highway, but the man manages to catch them since they are unaware of the pursuit. After some cat and mouse along the highway, the man is unable to retrieve his vehicle at that time.
The makes his way through the harsh landscape eventually running across the wounded brother of one of his car thieves who he decides to bring along for the ride. The brother is willing to explain the possible destination of the thieves as well as he may want some sort of vengeance since his brother and companions left him to die on the side of the road.
Any post-apocalyptic film set in Australia immediately will remind you of the Mad Max films. Similar in setting only, this film is much less action and is an unlikely road film at its core. There are some well designed action scenes when the men encounter various scumbags and individuals along their route. You are never really sure why the man is so interested in getting his car back until the very end.
Guy Pearce shows he is up to the challenge of playing a very unlikable, hardened miscreant, while Robert Pattinson plays the simpleton sidekick role extremely well. His accent his so hard to understand at times (reminded me of Brad Pitt in Snatch) I actually had to rewind a few times because I missed the catchy dialogue.
The film does have a few dry spots, but I was very surprised how much I liked this.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Terminator: Resistance in Video Games
Dec 15, 2019
Reef Entertainment and Teyon are to be congratulated for bringing one of the best Terminator games ever to fans.
The game casts players as a member of the Resistance in the post-apocalypse L.A. area who must content with a nightmare world of cybernetic killers.
Playing from a First Person Perspective; players must explore, salvage, construct, and survive a series of missions ranging from recon, salvage, exploration and others.
Players will find themselves in the company of civilians looking to simply survive and thanks to a branching dialogue option; players will also have some control over whom they interact with and the direction of the story as well as how those characters will view and interact with you in the future.
Naturally players expect some action in a Terminator game and the game delivers plenty of it. Starting with pistols and rifles; players can take down Drones and Silverfish; but the larger Terminator units require something more advanced. When you finally get a Phased Plasma Rifle in the 40 Watt Range; it is a true delight to mow down the T-800 and other units but you will quickly learn that they can and do take a great deal of punishment before they go down and that your ammunition supply is not infinite.
As such; players often have to resort to stealth options and I can think of missions through a hospital and decimated town where the enemies were abundant and required some real tactics to evade.
The story also offers plenty of side missions for players looking for an optional challenge as well. I especially liked the references to people and events that were hinted at or mentioned in the film series as it really added an extra thrill to the gameplay.
The graphics are solid but not groundbreaking but capture the world and characters well which helps add to the immersion in the game.
I would have liked to have seen a multiplayer option as it would be great fun to do a Co-Op mission with other players where some would have to distract and engage enemies while others used a Stealth option.
Regardless; Terminator: Resistance is a solid and enjoyable game which provides gamers with a solid and enjoyable Terminator experience.
4 stars out of 5.
The game casts players as a member of the Resistance in the post-apocalypse L.A. area who must content with a nightmare world of cybernetic killers.
Playing from a First Person Perspective; players must explore, salvage, construct, and survive a series of missions ranging from recon, salvage, exploration and others.
Players will find themselves in the company of civilians looking to simply survive and thanks to a branching dialogue option; players will also have some control over whom they interact with and the direction of the story as well as how those characters will view and interact with you in the future.
Naturally players expect some action in a Terminator game and the game delivers plenty of it. Starting with pistols and rifles; players can take down Drones and Silverfish; but the larger Terminator units require something more advanced. When you finally get a Phased Plasma Rifle in the 40 Watt Range; it is a true delight to mow down the T-800 and other units but you will quickly learn that they can and do take a great deal of punishment before they go down and that your ammunition supply is not infinite.
As such; players often have to resort to stealth options and I can think of missions through a hospital and decimated town where the enemies were abundant and required some real tactics to evade.
The story also offers plenty of side missions for players looking for an optional challenge as well. I especially liked the references to people and events that were hinted at or mentioned in the film series as it really added an extra thrill to the gameplay.
The graphics are solid but not groundbreaking but capture the world and characters well which helps add to the immersion in the game.
I would have liked to have seen a multiplayer option as it would be great fun to do a Co-Op mission with other players where some would have to distract and engage enemies while others used a Stealth option.
Regardless; Terminator: Resistance is a solid and enjoyable game which provides gamers with a solid and enjoyable Terminator experience.
4 stars out of 5.