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Dean (6925 KP) rated The Lion King (2019) in Movies
Jul 19, 2019 (Updated Jul 19, 2019)
Same story with different visuals
Yet another re-imaging update of a Disney classic. People will always have quite varied reactions to these films depending in how high regard they hold the original. So far they have been a bit hit and miss, with Dumbo the worst for me. This is more in line with the Jungle book, with the same director. The story is pretty much exactly the same as the original. The difference is the amazing life like animation of the animals. So good it will feel like a nature documentary at times, waiting for David Attenborough to narrate over.
The voice cast is OK with only James Earl Jones voice standing out as he has such a commanding tone. The songs were just ok for me and I think this is where most people might be disappointed with this version. Overall it's a good story still given a technically excellent make-over. Just maybe lacking a little charm here and there.
The voice cast is OK with only James Earl Jones voice standing out as he has such a commanding tone. The songs were just ok for me and I think this is where most people might be disappointed with this version. Overall it's a good story still given a technically excellent make-over. Just maybe lacking a little charm here and there.
Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated The Boy in the Dress in Books
Jul 2, 2019
This is a good well rounded book for young folks
I really enjoyed this book. I was sceptical due to the author already being established and thought perhaps his celebrity status helped him sell book but I'll take my hat of to Walliams. This is an enjoyable little read. The language is simple and I enjoyed how current the book is. The book really demonstrates the difference between black and white and colour (colour being different and standing out from the norm).
Uniform is also a main theme in the book and very obviously gender and social acceptance. Walliams does a good job at showing that sexual preference is not linked to dress and that discrimination is wrong. In this book the child is able to experience how ludicrous gender representation by dress is by dressing the full football team up in ladies clothing, this normalises it.
The intrusive narrator who may be Walliams himself, also gives hints throughout the book about his own desire to cross dress.
Good book.
Uniform is also a main theme in the book and very obviously gender and social acceptance. Walliams does a good job at showing that sexual preference is not linked to dress and that discrimination is wrong. In this book the child is able to experience how ludicrous gender representation by dress is by dressing the full football team up in ladies clothing, this normalises it.
The intrusive narrator who may be Walliams himself, also gives hints throughout the book about his own desire to cross dress.
Good book.
Morgan Sheppard (926 KP) created a post
Mar 5, 2020
Erika (17788 KP) rated The English Game in TV
Apr 5, 2020
So, overall, I really enjoyed this series. I was wary at first, because the Fellowes dude is the one that did Downton Abbey. I never made it past the 1st ep of that, too boring and slow.
There were two facets that attracted me, the fact it was a period piece, and the football. The show focuses on the difference of the classes and the upper class bemoaning that the sport is no longer for gentlemen. Two Scottish players are brought to play for Darwen, a team from the North. The scandal is that they're getting paid, which was against the rules at the time.
I really enjoyed watching it, and watched the last 4 episodes in a row. It couldn't have been trimmed down to a movie, or fewer episodes if the silly soap-opera romance junk was taken out. It really wasn't necessary.
To watch this, I don't think you specifically need to be into football. Maybe the soap opera stuff was in there to attract a wider audience? I don't know, but I don't think the show needed it.
There were two facets that attracted me, the fact it was a period piece, and the football. The show focuses on the difference of the classes and the upper class bemoaning that the sport is no longer for gentlemen. Two Scottish players are brought to play for Darwen, a team from the North. The scandal is that they're getting paid, which was against the rules at the time.
I really enjoyed watching it, and watched the last 4 episodes in a row. It couldn't have been trimmed down to a movie, or fewer episodes if the silly soap-opera romance junk was taken out. It really wasn't necessary.
To watch this, I don't think you specifically need to be into football. Maybe the soap opera stuff was in there to attract a wider audience? I don't know, but I don't think the show needed it.
Faris Badwan recommended Down by The Jesus Lizard in Music (curated)
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Rise of the Draman in Books
Jun 8, 2021
RISE OF THE DRAMAN is a collection of five stories that follow the life of a boy called Croft. Set in a land where dragons and humans live together but don't really communicate, one small boy makes a big difference.
I loved how the stories all followed on from each other, giving greater insight to Croft and his relationships not only with Rueloo but also his nestmates, his father, and his friends.
One of the best parts for me were the dragons themselves. They had just as much to learn about the humans as the humans did about them. It made for some amusing moments!
Whilst this is predominantly a young adult fantasy, I thoroughly enjoyed every word and would love to have more from Croft and Rueloo. A brilliant book that had me gripped. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I loved how the stories all followed on from each other, giving greater insight to Croft and his relationships not only with Rueloo but also his nestmates, his father, and his friends.
One of the best parts for me were the dragons themselves. They had just as much to learn about the humans as the humans did about them. It made for some amusing moments!
Whilst this is predominantly a young adult fantasy, I thoroughly enjoyed every word and would love to have more from Croft and Rueloo. A brilliant book that had me gripped. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Alex Wolff recommended Scenes from a Marriage (1973) in Movies (curated)
Awix (3310 KP) rated Nosferatu (Eine Symphonie Des Grauens) (1922) in Movies
Jan 28, 2021
Hugely influential unauthorised adaptation of Dracula. Young estate agent's helper Hutter trots off to Transylvania to oversee the sale of a house to the reclusive (and rather repulsive) Count Orlok; Orlok takes a fancy to Hutter's wife; bad things ensue.
Basically just handles the first half of the book, and bolts a different ending on, but you can still see why the Stoker estate sued. Nevertheless, the presentation of Dracula/Orlok as a near-feral atavism is striking (and also much closer to the book than most films get); the film was designed by practising occultists which may explain the carefully composed visual sense of it (also the use of genuine magical script in some of the scenes). Very creepy and effective, though you have to take the age of the thing into account, not to mention the performance styles. Which soundtrack you listen to may also make a big difference (I recommend James Bernard's Hammer-style offering from the late 1990s). One of the great foundational horror films.
Basically just handles the first half of the book, and bolts a different ending on, but you can still see why the Stoker estate sued. Nevertheless, the presentation of Dracula/Orlok as a near-feral atavism is striking (and also much closer to the book than most films get); the film was designed by practising occultists which may explain the carefully composed visual sense of it (also the use of genuine magical script in some of the scenes). Very creepy and effective, though you have to take the age of the thing into account, not to mention the performance styles. Which soundtrack you listen to may also make a big difference (I recommend James Bernard's Hammer-style offering from the late 1990s). One of the great foundational horror films.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Final Destination 2 (2003) in Movies
Aug 22, 2019
This sequel to Final Destination is more of the same... No better or worse actually. It sticks to the same formula as it's predecessor (and all of the subsequent entries), and is pretty much where the semi decent FD sequels end.
The set up premonition is pretty good - Director David R. Ellis is better known for his extensive stunt directing, and it's shows in scenes like this.
The extra features included in the home release show that this scene was done almost entirely practically. I feel that this always makes a difference.
The extra features also reveal how a lot of the kills were achieved using practical effects, which again, is something I can truly respect and admire, even if they were polished off with the CGI.
The finished result is a film that isn't great by any means, but it is a fun ride, that follows on from the first film nicely.
The acting is hammy, but the cast are mostly fine, and even includes another cameo from Tony Todd 👍
The set up premonition is pretty good - Director David R. Ellis is better known for his extensive stunt directing, and it's shows in scenes like this.
The extra features included in the home release show that this scene was done almost entirely practically. I feel that this always makes a difference.
The extra features also reveal how a lot of the kills were achieved using practical effects, which again, is something I can truly respect and admire, even if they were polished off with the CGI.
The finished result is a film that isn't great by any means, but it is a fun ride, that follows on from the first film nicely.
The acting is hammy, but the cast are mostly fine, and even includes another cameo from Tony Todd 👍
