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Andy K (10823 KP) rated The Greatest Showman (2017) in Movies
Nov 25, 2018
A truly remarkable original modern musical classic!
I'm sure by now I am the only person in the world who hadn't seen The Greatest Showman until tonight. It was very much worth the wait.
The songs, look, art direction, make up, costumes, sets and cinematography were the true stars along with fantastic, mesmerizing performances by the entire cast. I was worried about Zac Efron, but he really held his own and I forgot about his High School Musical days. It was also surprising to see Michelle Williams in this type of role since I am used to seeing her in heavy dramas where she nearly never smiles. That was a pleasant surprise also.
Have to mention Hugh Jackman, a role he was born to play. He has to be the only actor who can command such a presence in gritty action films and charismatic characters like this one.
I could've done without the CGI lions and elephants since they did not look realistic and kind of took you out of those moments but a minor complaint.
The plot is certainly one from a musical meaning non super complicated or in-depth, maybe a little cheesy; however, it didn't bother me in this case.
I'm sure I'll be humming these songs for some time to come and watching it again with my daughter soon.
The songs, look, art direction, make up, costumes, sets and cinematography were the true stars along with fantastic, mesmerizing performances by the entire cast. I was worried about Zac Efron, but he really held his own and I forgot about his High School Musical days. It was also surprising to see Michelle Williams in this type of role since I am used to seeing her in heavy dramas where she nearly never smiles. That was a pleasant surprise also.
Have to mention Hugh Jackman, a role he was born to play. He has to be the only actor who can command such a presence in gritty action films and charismatic characters like this one.
I could've done without the CGI lions and elephants since they did not look realistic and kind of took you out of those moments but a minor complaint.
The plot is certainly one from a musical meaning non super complicated or in-depth, maybe a little cheesy; however, it didn't bother me in this case.
I'm sure I'll be humming these songs for some time to come and watching it again with my daughter soon.
Cori June (3033 KP) rated The Wolf and the Rain in Books
Dec 3, 2018
Voluntary honest review after receiving a free ARC.
An excellent book and fun read, if a bit of a bumpy beginning. It takes a little time to get into it.
After a collapse of civilization due to climate change. The North and South of a country has split into opposites. Divided by a heavily militarized border. The North is chaos and almost anarchy where the only authority are the elite compounds or the gangs there are many ways to die in the harsh living conditions. The people are ruled by superstition and fear. Most of the citizens are illiterate and disease is rampant, even if you go to a "stitcher" it is just as risky or riskier as doing nothing. In the South there is order and an almost totalitarian society where the government uses science and logic asking for complete obedience in return. And that you fill out a form for almost everything, even when choosing a sexual partner.
Samarra (Sam) is the main character. She has made a new home in the North after escaping from the South. She has a job as a carrier to one of the compounds that inhabit the North. Felling guilty about taking the place of a former teammate and daughter of a friend. She becomes obsessed with trying to find out what happened to the missing (possibly dead) girl.
An excellent book and fun read, if a bit of a bumpy beginning. It takes a little time to get into it.
After a collapse of civilization due to climate change. The North and South of a country has split into opposites. Divided by a heavily militarized border. The North is chaos and almost anarchy where the only authority are the elite compounds or the gangs there are many ways to die in the harsh living conditions. The people are ruled by superstition and fear. Most of the citizens are illiterate and disease is rampant, even if you go to a "stitcher" it is just as risky or riskier as doing nothing. In the South there is order and an almost totalitarian society where the government uses science and logic asking for complete obedience in return. And that you fill out a form for almost everything, even when choosing a sexual partner.
Samarra (Sam) is the main character. She has made a new home in the North after escaping from the South. She has a job as a carrier to one of the compounds that inhabit the North. Felling guilty about taking the place of a former teammate and daughter of a friend. She becomes obsessed with trying to find out what happened to the missing (possibly dead) girl.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated The Hate u Give in Books
Jan 28, 2019
Everyone needs to read this
Wow, what a stunning and unforgettable read/listen. I have been through a number of emotions with this book and most of those emotions have been extreme. This is a book of intense situations with tension pulling at the seams of the characters and therefore, the reader.
The protagonist, Starr, is as real as characters come, a black girl originally from The Projects, sent to a white, privledged school to try and protect her and her brother somewhat from danger. Her family and friends are more than background characters in this book and their connections are complicated. Starr finds herself in a situation that is heart-rending and there it all begins. The beginning of my tears, the beginning of my anger, the beginning of empathy so overwhelming. The emotional pain that Star experiences is utterly palpable; you cannot but help feel it.
The storytelling was exceptional with the ability to move from the profound to the ordinary and back seamlessly.
I don’t have eloquent words but I can recommend this to all and everyone, whatever genre you might normally read. This is for everyone. My daughter now has a copy, I am shoving it under my husband’s nose.
I listened to this on audio and the narration was superb in every way, bringing emotions to life.
Read it.
The protagonist, Starr, is as real as characters come, a black girl originally from The Projects, sent to a white, privledged school to try and protect her and her brother somewhat from danger. Her family and friends are more than background characters in this book and their connections are complicated. Starr finds herself in a situation that is heart-rending and there it all begins. The beginning of my tears, the beginning of my anger, the beginning of empathy so overwhelming. The emotional pain that Star experiences is utterly palpable; you cannot but help feel it.
The storytelling was exceptional with the ability to move from the profound to the ordinary and back seamlessly.
I don’t have eloquent words but I can recommend this to all and everyone, whatever genre you might normally read. This is for everyone. My daughter now has a copy, I am shoving it under my husband’s nose.
I listened to this on audio and the narration was superb in every way, bringing emotions to life.
Read it.
I love Stephanie Laurens' book, especially the Cynster series. This latest offering is part of said series, but forms the final part of the Cynster sisters trilogy, which between them have a story all of their own. If you haven't read any of the earlier Cynster books,that's not too much of a problem, but you should read the three Cynster sisters books in the proper order to see parts of the plot unveiled as they should be!
Following from Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue (Heather's story) and In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster (no prizes for guessing the heroine of that one!) this is the story of Angelica the youngest daughter of Lord Martin & Celia Cynster and sister of Gabriel and Lucifer.
The book has excitement, adventure, passion and lots of tall handsome males practically oozing testosterone - what's not to like?! I was looking forward to this volume and having the whole mystery cleared up and this was a clever, imaginative idea. Over the three books it's been great to see so many other members of the Cynster family, with a few Bastion Club and Black Cobra members thrown in for good measure! I love the feeling of continuity this gives to Laurens' world.
I think we have a hint that we may have more to come with the Cynster ladies - I for one can't wait!
Following from Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue (Heather's story) and In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster (no prizes for guessing the heroine of that one!) this is the story of Angelica the youngest daughter of Lord Martin & Celia Cynster and sister of Gabriel and Lucifer.
The book has excitement, adventure, passion and lots of tall handsome males practically oozing testosterone - what's not to like?! I was looking forward to this volume and having the whole mystery cleared up and this was a clever, imaginative idea. Over the three books it's been great to see so many other members of the Cynster family, with a few Bastion Club and Black Cobra members thrown in for good measure! I love the feeling of continuity this gives to Laurens' world.
I think we have a hint that we may have more to come with the Cynster ladies - I for one can't wait!
Sam (228 KP) rated Aladdin (2019) in Movies
Oct 20, 2019 (Updated Oct 20, 2019)
Grows On You
I have very mixed feelings about this film. When I first started watching I hated all of it, the costumes were childlike, the acting mediocre, and the music didnt not transition well throughout the film.
So I watched it a second time with my newborn daughter (she likes musicals and I had nothing else in the house). She fell asleep instantly but that's beside the point. The second time watching I started to enjpy the music a little bit more, the transitions were terrible but the music itself wasn't bad. The acting also didnt seem as bad though I began to notice that Will Smith overshadowed the main characters as his acting alone read to be far superior. He dominated majority of the scenes, which wasn't a bad thing as he seemed to be the only one going above and beyond.
However I'm sad to say that even as the film proves to grow on you little by little I'd still have to say that it read to be more of a Disney Channel Movie rather than an actual Big Picture Film. Certainly didn't hold to the quality or standard that Disney demands of it's Main Features, especially one of the one's meant to be a part of their Princess Film Collection.
So I watched it a second time with my newborn daughter (she likes musicals and I had nothing else in the house). She fell asleep instantly but that's beside the point. The second time watching I started to enjpy the music a little bit more, the transitions were terrible but the music itself wasn't bad. The acting also didnt seem as bad though I began to notice that Will Smith overshadowed the main characters as his acting alone read to be far superior. He dominated majority of the scenes, which wasn't a bad thing as he seemed to be the only one going above and beyond.
However I'm sad to say that even as the film proves to grow on you little by little I'd still have to say that it read to be more of a Disney Channel Movie rather than an actual Big Picture Film. Certainly didn't hold to the quality or standard that Disney demands of it's Main Features, especially one of the one's meant to be a part of their Princess Film Collection.
Merissa (12934 KP) rated Daughter of Rage and Beauty (Berserker Academy #1) in Books
Dec 22, 2019
DAUGHTER OF RAGE AND BEAUTY is the first book in the Berserker Academy series, and if this is any indication of what is to come, then I can't wait for book 2.
Elin is a half-breed, part Fae and part Berserker. She has been looked down upon by her father from birth, and now, at twenty-one, she is being shipped off to the Berserker Academy in a last-ditch attempt of her not 'sullying' the family name. Trouble is, Berserkers can be just as judgmental as her father!
I was completely engrossed in this story. I loved Hauk and the connection that grew between him and Elin. There are other characters that stand out that I hope will get their own stories. So many parts of this that I enjoyed, it's hard to narrow it down. One scene I will mention is the incredibly hot scene between Hauk and Elin. I think my kindle nearly melted. It was perfectly done, being sexy and sensuous without being gratuitous.
I found the pacing to be spot on with this, giving the reader enough time to enjoy each scene without it being stuck. The world-building was great and is one I hope to return to.
For a fun, sexy and adventurous Norse fantasy, then I have no hesitation in recommending this!
Elin is a half-breed, part Fae and part Berserker. She has been looked down upon by her father from birth, and now, at twenty-one, she is being shipped off to the Berserker Academy in a last-ditch attempt of her not 'sullying' the family name. Trouble is, Berserkers can be just as judgmental as her father!
I was completely engrossed in this story. I loved Hauk and the connection that grew between him and Elin. There are other characters that stand out that I hope will get their own stories. So many parts of this that I enjoyed, it's hard to narrow it down. One scene I will mention is the incredibly hot scene between Hauk and Elin. I think my kindle nearly melted. It was perfectly done, being sexy and sensuous without being gratuitous.
I found the pacing to be spot on with this, giving the reader enough time to enjoy each scene without it being stuck. The world-building was great and is one I hope to return to.
For a fun, sexy and adventurous Norse fantasy, then I have no hesitation in recommending this!
Rodney Barnes (472 KP) rated The Guyver (1991) in Movies
Dec 23, 2019 (Updated Dec 23, 2019)
Corny Sci fi fun
Contains spoilers, click to show
The Guyver....based on a manga with the same same. The bio booster armor. This is nothing more than a B movie. Loosely based on the manga. The movie has it as creation of a corporation called Chronos. A researcher is killed and his daughter and boyfriend suspect he was murdered. CIA agent Max Reed (Mark Hamill) gets involved. The boyfriend finds the armor and that is where the fun begins. The CEO of Chronos Fulton Balcus, who is actually an alien himself, sends out his alien hordes to get the Guyver back. The Guyver attaches itself to Sean and he becomes a superpowered armored hero who now can match the aliens in combat. The dialogue and banter is really funny and corny at times. One of the voices for the aliens in non other than Jimmy Walker...you know JJ from Goodtimes. Sean is defeated the first time around by the alien foes, but with the kidnapping of his girlfriend and the death of Max( yes Mark Hamill dies😭) he gets it together and defeats the hordes of Balcus. Then he faces off against and defeats Balcus himself. All in all, this movie is fun. If you like sci fi action hero type movies, you will like The Guyver
Lee (2222 KP) rated Little Women (2019) in Movies
Dec 30, 2019
If I’m honest, Little Women probably isn’t the kind of movie I’d generally watch. But I’d heard great things about it, and my wife and daughter both wanted to watch it, so I decided to give it a shot. I haven’t read Little Women the book, and I haven’t seen any of the numerous adaptations prior to this one either, so you should probably take my opinion with a pinch of salt.
Little Women switches between two different periods in the lives of four sisters - their current lives and their lives seven years earlier. And I quite often struggled to tell when it switched, leaving me slightly confused on more than one occasion. I eventually learned to identify which timeframe we were in depending on which of the sisters Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) was currently hitting on, but there was a lengthy period around the middle where the meandering story, and the rather hot cinema, saw me gently closing my eyes for a short while
But, after my short power nap, I actually grew to enjoy the last third of the movie. I’m a big fan of Saoirse Ronan and, along with Florence Pugh, who is currently having the most amazing year, they really make this movie. Relaxed, authentic dialogue and great chemistry between the sisters and the other characters made this a lot more bearable than I was expecting!
Little Women switches between two different periods in the lives of four sisters - their current lives and their lives seven years earlier. And I quite often struggled to tell when it switched, leaving me slightly confused on more than one occasion. I eventually learned to identify which timeframe we were in depending on which of the sisters Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) was currently hitting on, but there was a lengthy period around the middle where the meandering story, and the rather hot cinema, saw me gently closing my eyes for a short while
But, after my short power nap, I actually grew to enjoy the last third of the movie. I’m a big fan of Saoirse Ronan and, along with Florence Pugh, who is currently having the most amazing year, they really make this movie. Relaxed, authentic dialogue and great chemistry between the sisters and the other characters made this a lot more bearable than I was expecting!
Deborah (162 KP) rated Never Dare a Duke (Sons of Scandal, #2) in Books
Dec 21, 2018
I do enjoy unwinding with an historical romance and I know they are not generally examples of great literature, but I found this particular book to be a pretty weak offering. At times I found myself skim-reading over passages...
Abigail Shaw, daughter of a newspaper owner and potential journalist herself, with a little help from her friend insinuates herself into a house party at the home of the Duke of Madingley in the hope of uncovering a scandalous secret from his past, publishing it in daddy's newspaper and thereby saving it from ruin. That's put quite bluntly, but for me it made the 'heroine' seem pretty unattractive in character! I found it really difficult to see what on earth the hero saw in her, especially as he didn't trust her. OK, she didn't fawn over him, but her actions were pretty underhand.
Most of the supporting characters are pretty weak and underdeveloped too. Lady Gwen appeared tainted by the deception of her friend and the whole ghost hunt sub plot was a bit childish.
The 'scandal' when finally revealed seems a bit odd, as since witnesses seemed so keen to come forward, surely no one would have been able to keep it so totally under wraps for ten years?!
Not a winner for me; I won't be rushing to pick up another by the same author.
Abigail Shaw, daughter of a newspaper owner and potential journalist herself, with a little help from her friend insinuates herself into a house party at the home of the Duke of Madingley in the hope of uncovering a scandalous secret from his past, publishing it in daddy's newspaper and thereby saving it from ruin. That's put quite bluntly, but for me it made the 'heroine' seem pretty unattractive in character! I found it really difficult to see what on earth the hero saw in her, especially as he didn't trust her. OK, she didn't fawn over him, but her actions were pretty underhand.
Most of the supporting characters are pretty weak and underdeveloped too. Lady Gwen appeared tainted by the deception of her friend and the whole ghost hunt sub plot was a bit childish.
The 'scandal' when finally revealed seems a bit odd, as since witnesses seemed so keen to come forward, surely no one would have been able to keep it so totally under wraps for ten years?!
Not a winner for me; I won't be rushing to pick up another by the same author.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated A Nearly Normal Family in Books
Dec 13, 2019
A pretty good read
I don't read a lot of legal/courtroom stories and even less so-called Scandi-Noir type books but, for some reason, the blurb caught me and drew me in and, overall, I was pretty satisfied with "A Nearly Normal Family".
The book centres around a seemingly perfect family (they are anything but!) and is separated into three sections each told from the perspective of a family member following the arrest of the daughter for the murder of a man; each of these sections provided insight into each of the characters and a different take on the situation they find themselves in. What it also did was make this a slow burner with the tension mounting gradually towards the great ending which I found very satisfying.
I did have a couple of problems with this book though; one being that I couldn't connect with any of the main characters and struggled to empathise with any of them, the other being that I think there were times when things seem to have got lost in translation which made the story not flow quite as well as I was expecting.
Overall though a pretty good read and definitely worth the time I invested in reading it.
Thanks go to the good people of Pan Macmillan via NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased review.
The book centres around a seemingly perfect family (they are anything but!) and is separated into three sections each told from the perspective of a family member following the arrest of the daughter for the murder of a man; each of these sections provided insight into each of the characters and a different take on the situation they find themselves in. What it also did was make this a slow burner with the tension mounting gradually towards the great ending which I found very satisfying.
I did have a couple of problems with this book though; one being that I couldn't connect with any of the main characters and struggled to empathise with any of them, the other being that I think there were times when things seem to have got lost in translation which made the story not flow quite as well as I was expecting.
Overall though a pretty good read and definitely worth the time I invested in reading it.
Thanks go to the good people of Pan Macmillan via NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased review.