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Darren (1599 KP) rated 99 Homes (2015) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: 99 Homes starts with hard working young man Dennis Nash (Garfield) trying to keep his family home from being reclaimed by the bank, but he is unsuccessful as real estate broker Rick Carver (Shannon) evicts him from his home with his mother Lynn (Dern) and son Connor.
Desperate for money Dennis turns to Rick who offers him a job involving his construction skills, with this job Dennis starts to learn the trade rising the ranks to become the very person he despised in Rick when he was losing his home.
Thoughts on 99 Homes
Characters – Dennis Nash is the hard-working construction worker, he works to keep the roof over his family home but when he loses his home he goes to all ends to get a job to regain his home. This means Dennis works for the man who evicts him where he learns the trade to make sure he can his home back become the man he once hated. Rick Carver is a real estate broker, he has been evicting for the bank for years now, he doesn’t believe he is doing anything wrong, but he is following the law. He has made a lot of money in this world and takes Dennis under his wing to follow in his footsteps.
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Performances – Andrew Garfield is fantastic in this leading role, this guy is constantly giving us performances that we are left seeing just how talented this guy it. Michael Shannon is the always brilliant star of most movies, he is calm through every single scene which could have himself getting pushed to the limits. Laura Dern is good too in the supporting role as Dennis mother that questions his work.
Story – The story here shows one man’s struggle to keep his family home but needing to turn to the enemy to make the money. We see how far he must go just to make a difference, but can he cope with becoming the man he hates. The story gives us hard to watch scenes as we see people losing their homes showing us a darker side to real estate in America. This is one story that is a good watch, he can be hard at times, but the story is rewarding.
Settings – The settings show us the housing market and how people can be a community when supporting someone’s miss fortune.
Scene of the Movie – Seeing Dennis question his decision.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We get a lot of law discussion, but a lot can go over your head.
Final Thoughts – This is a powerful drama that shows how difficult life could be for the people who lose their homes to the people looking just to make the money by taking them.
Overall: Strong, powerful drama.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/08/03/99-homes-2014/
Desperate for money Dennis turns to Rick who offers him a job involving his construction skills, with this job Dennis starts to learn the trade rising the ranks to become the very person he despised in Rick when he was losing his home.
Thoughts on 99 Homes
Characters – Dennis Nash is the hard-working construction worker, he works to keep the roof over his family home but when he loses his home he goes to all ends to get a job to regain his home. This means Dennis works for the man who evicts him where he learns the trade to make sure he can his home back become the man he once hated. Rick Carver is a real estate broker, he has been evicting for the bank for years now, he doesn’t believe he is doing anything wrong, but he is following the law. He has made a lot of money in this world and takes Dennis under his wing to follow in his footsteps.
REPORT THIS AD
Performances – Andrew Garfield is fantastic in this leading role, this guy is constantly giving us performances that we are left seeing just how talented this guy it. Michael Shannon is the always brilliant star of most movies, he is calm through every single scene which could have himself getting pushed to the limits. Laura Dern is good too in the supporting role as Dennis mother that questions his work.
Story – The story here shows one man’s struggle to keep his family home but needing to turn to the enemy to make the money. We see how far he must go just to make a difference, but can he cope with becoming the man he hates. The story gives us hard to watch scenes as we see people losing their homes showing us a darker side to real estate in America. This is one story that is a good watch, he can be hard at times, but the story is rewarding.
Settings – The settings show us the housing market and how people can be a community when supporting someone’s miss fortune.
Scene of the Movie – Seeing Dennis question his decision.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We get a lot of law discussion, but a lot can go over your head.
Final Thoughts – This is a powerful drama that shows how difficult life could be for the people who lose their homes to the people looking just to make the money by taking them.
Overall: Strong, powerful drama.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/08/03/99-homes-2014/
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Hush (Nights #8) in Books
Dec 10, 2018
i love this series!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
So! This is book 8 in the Nights Series, but this one really can be read as a stand alone. I'm not sure I recall Lana or Tom from any of the previous books, but that might be me. Also, books one through 6 are male/male pairings and book7 and this one are male/female pairings. Again, I'm not picky, especially when the author pulls off the difference incredibly well, but I know some readers are. Books one through 3, and 6 and 7 are all 5 stars reads from me too.
Lana has been the bane of Tom's existence since he fell in love with her at 16. Having worked for her for 4 years, Tom really has reached the end of his tether, and feels he needs to move on. But when Lana turns up at his door, drunk, demanding sex, what's a guy to do, huh?? He does the right thing, and puts her to bed, while sleeping on the sofa. But, things change between Lana and Tom, and Lana begins to feel things more keenly. These feelings she never realised she had. And the feelings that she wants more than the verbal battling they have every day. But Tom runs, and Lana has to face some facts.
A thoroughly enjoyable addition to this series, even if i found it not quite up to par as the rest.
Oh, don't get me wrong! It's a great book, told from both Lana and Tom's point of view. It's sexy and hot, and I did read it in one sitting.
It just doesn't have the heat level the other books have, and I think I missed that! Ya'll know I made a new shelf for these books, "fan yourself, it's a hot one" and this book doesn't get to join the others there, simply because of that fact.
There is, though, more emotions in this one, I think. Having loved Lana for the better part of his life, Tom's feeling are front and centre, right from the beginning, but Lana's take some digging out. I LOVED the scene when she's talking to Eveline and Lincoln from book 7, about just WHY Lana is annoyed with Tom!
I really have enjoyed this series, and there is just one book to go, and I will be so bloody sad to see the end of these books!
I also find myself curious as to what name this author usually writes under, as AM Salinger is a pen name. I'd LOVE to read something written under that name, just to see the differences. But then again, it might be young adult, or zombies and they really don't float my boat. So, on reflection, no, I don't want to know!
4 solid sexy (but not quite as sexy as the rest) stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
So! This is book 8 in the Nights Series, but this one really can be read as a stand alone. I'm not sure I recall Lana or Tom from any of the previous books, but that might be me. Also, books one through 6 are male/male pairings and book7 and this one are male/female pairings. Again, I'm not picky, especially when the author pulls off the difference incredibly well, but I know some readers are. Books one through 3, and 6 and 7 are all 5 stars reads from me too.
Lana has been the bane of Tom's existence since he fell in love with her at 16. Having worked for her for 4 years, Tom really has reached the end of his tether, and feels he needs to move on. But when Lana turns up at his door, drunk, demanding sex, what's a guy to do, huh?? He does the right thing, and puts her to bed, while sleeping on the sofa. But, things change between Lana and Tom, and Lana begins to feel things more keenly. These feelings she never realised she had. And the feelings that she wants more than the verbal battling they have every day. But Tom runs, and Lana has to face some facts.
A thoroughly enjoyable addition to this series, even if i found it not quite up to par as the rest.
Oh, don't get me wrong! It's a great book, told from both Lana and Tom's point of view. It's sexy and hot, and I did read it in one sitting.
It just doesn't have the heat level the other books have, and I think I missed that! Ya'll know I made a new shelf for these books, "fan yourself, it's a hot one" and this book doesn't get to join the others there, simply because of that fact.
There is, though, more emotions in this one, I think. Having loved Lana for the better part of his life, Tom's feeling are front and centre, right from the beginning, but Lana's take some digging out. I LOVED the scene when she's talking to Eveline and Lincoln from book 7, about just WHY Lana is annoyed with Tom!
I really have enjoyed this series, and there is just one book to go, and I will be so bloody sad to see the end of these books!
I also find myself curious as to what name this author usually writes under, as AM Salinger is a pen name. I'd LOVE to read something written under that name, just to see the differences. But then again, it might be young adult, or zombies and they really don't float my boat. So, on reflection, no, I don't want to know!
4 solid sexy (but not quite as sexy as the rest) stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Followers in Books
Dec 17, 2018
My rating: 3.5
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
The Followers</i> is the compelling second novel of the British author Rebecca Wait. Stephanie is living a mundane life with her daughter, making what little money she can at a local coffee shop. But then she meets Nathaniel, a man who says he wants to love her, look after her and make her happy. Stephanie and Judith move in with Nathaniel at a place known as the Ark, with a bunch of other people who are part of a religious cult. Nathaniel, who proclaims himself as a prophet, is determined for Stephanie to forget about her past and turn herself to God. Judith, however, is not so easy to persuade. However a turn of events raise questions as to whether Nathaniel should really be trusted.
The story begins with Stephanie in prison where she is serving her sentence for a crime the reader has no knowledge of. It then switches between “before” and “after” with “before” being when Stephanie meets Nathaniel and “after” involving the prison scenes. From the very start the reader knows something bad is going to happen, that Stephanie is going to break a law bad enough for her to be imprisoned. The following chapters keep readers guessing what exactly that offence would be.
The novel gets darker and darker as the truth about the running of the Ark is revealed. With violence and punishments being doled out, Nathaniel is no longer the man he originally appeared. As the book climaxes it is shocking when the reader realizes what it is that Stephanie is going to do.
As well as Judith there are other children living in the Ark, but the difference is they were born there and have known nothing else except doing things in the name of God. Judith on the other hand was not sheltered from the “evils” of the outside world and thus has a different opinion about the way Nathaniel treats his followers. As it turns out, Judith is right to distrust the ways of this man, but there is nothing she can do about her situation.
Although containing a strong religious theme, <i>The Followers</i> is not a piece of Christian fiction. The behaviour of Nathaniel and the members of the Ark does not reflect the average Christian, and everyone, whether religious or not, will be shocked by the happenings in this book.
It took a while to get into the storyline and the first few chapters did not feel particularly well written, however readers will quickly be sucked into the plot and will want to keep reading to find out what happens. <i>The Followers</i> is not a happy story and there are a few sad and distressing scenes, which make the reader really feel for some of the characters. Overall it is a very interesting read.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
The Followers</i> is the compelling second novel of the British author Rebecca Wait. Stephanie is living a mundane life with her daughter, making what little money she can at a local coffee shop. But then she meets Nathaniel, a man who says he wants to love her, look after her and make her happy. Stephanie and Judith move in with Nathaniel at a place known as the Ark, with a bunch of other people who are part of a religious cult. Nathaniel, who proclaims himself as a prophet, is determined for Stephanie to forget about her past and turn herself to God. Judith, however, is not so easy to persuade. However a turn of events raise questions as to whether Nathaniel should really be trusted.
The story begins with Stephanie in prison where she is serving her sentence for a crime the reader has no knowledge of. It then switches between “before” and “after” with “before” being when Stephanie meets Nathaniel and “after” involving the prison scenes. From the very start the reader knows something bad is going to happen, that Stephanie is going to break a law bad enough for her to be imprisoned. The following chapters keep readers guessing what exactly that offence would be.
The novel gets darker and darker as the truth about the running of the Ark is revealed. With violence and punishments being doled out, Nathaniel is no longer the man he originally appeared. As the book climaxes it is shocking when the reader realizes what it is that Stephanie is going to do.
As well as Judith there are other children living in the Ark, but the difference is they were born there and have known nothing else except doing things in the name of God. Judith on the other hand was not sheltered from the “evils” of the outside world and thus has a different opinion about the way Nathaniel treats his followers. As it turns out, Judith is right to distrust the ways of this man, but there is nothing she can do about her situation.
Although containing a strong religious theme, <i>The Followers</i> is not a piece of Christian fiction. The behaviour of Nathaniel and the members of the Ark does not reflect the average Christian, and everyone, whether religious or not, will be shocked by the happenings in this book.
It took a while to get into the storyline and the first few chapters did not feel particularly well written, however readers will quickly be sucked into the plot and will want to keep reading to find out what happens. <i>The Followers</i> is not a happy story and there are a few sad and distressing scenes, which make the reader really feel for some of the characters. Overall it is a very interesting read.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Bridget Jones's Baby (2016) in Movies
Jul 15, 2019
Fifteen years after she charmed the world with the Diary of Bridget Jones, Rene Zellweger is back and her love life is just as complicated as usual, making the audience to laugh nonstop.
At the beginning I didn’t know what to expect from this film because the first movie was great, the second not so much; but it has been 12 years since then, fortunately it was a very pleasant surprise.
In this third film British singleton Bridget has broken up with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) and turned her focus on advancing her career, she is now a top news producer who can’t help but worrying because she is a 43 yrs. old single woman, whose friends are in committed relationships and having kids.
In an attempt to cheer her up one of these fun friends Miranda (Sarah Solemani) take her to a music festival as a getaway weekend, where Bridget meets Jack (Patrick Dempsey), an American love guru with whom she has a one-night stand.
That encounter is followed by a Baptism a week later, where Mr. Darcy is the godparent, whom she shagged but then realized that He hasn’t change and still a workaholic, the reason why they broke up in the first place, so she decided to leave him in bed and try to move on.
But something happened and, like you can probably tell from the title, Bridget is pregnant. But she is not sure who the father is. It could be the confident and gorgeous Jack or the always elegant and perfect gentleman Mark.
Like in the first 2 films we have two very attractive men fighting for her love. But Bridget is less interested in whom she’ll end up with and instead is more concerned with who she’s hurting by giving them the news that one is the father and the other one isn’t. She decides to wait until after giving birth to get a DNA test for the baby, in the meantime both men decide to assist during the stages of her pregnancy creating some delightful charming old-fashioned comedy set ups.
Jones’s Baby really works and I can say with confidence it is one of the best sequels of the year, I think the big difference is that Jones is no longer the butt of jokes, and matter of fact there is not a single chubby joke, and yes Zellweger doesn’t look like the same Bridget (even my husband who loves chick flicks, thought it was a different actress) but hey! She shouldn’t look the same. It’s been 15 years; In fact, neither does Firth as Mr. Darcy or Dr. McDreammy. As a franchise, this Jones has done more than update from a pen to paper diary to an iPad, it’s embraced its characters to allow them to get involved in very funny situations and laid less emphasis on crying to the song “All By Myself”.
At the beginning I didn’t know what to expect from this film because the first movie was great, the second not so much; but it has been 12 years since then, fortunately it was a very pleasant surprise.
In this third film British singleton Bridget has broken up with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) and turned her focus on advancing her career, she is now a top news producer who can’t help but worrying because she is a 43 yrs. old single woman, whose friends are in committed relationships and having kids.
In an attempt to cheer her up one of these fun friends Miranda (Sarah Solemani) take her to a music festival as a getaway weekend, where Bridget meets Jack (Patrick Dempsey), an American love guru with whom she has a one-night stand.
That encounter is followed by a Baptism a week later, where Mr. Darcy is the godparent, whom she shagged but then realized that He hasn’t change and still a workaholic, the reason why they broke up in the first place, so she decided to leave him in bed and try to move on.
But something happened and, like you can probably tell from the title, Bridget is pregnant. But she is not sure who the father is. It could be the confident and gorgeous Jack or the always elegant and perfect gentleman Mark.
Like in the first 2 films we have two very attractive men fighting for her love. But Bridget is less interested in whom she’ll end up with and instead is more concerned with who she’s hurting by giving them the news that one is the father and the other one isn’t. She decides to wait until after giving birth to get a DNA test for the baby, in the meantime both men decide to assist during the stages of her pregnancy creating some delightful charming old-fashioned comedy set ups.
Jones’s Baby really works and I can say with confidence it is one of the best sequels of the year, I think the big difference is that Jones is no longer the butt of jokes, and matter of fact there is not a single chubby joke, and yes Zellweger doesn’t look like the same Bridget (even my husband who loves chick flicks, thought it was a different actress) but hey! She shouldn’t look the same. It’s been 15 years; In fact, neither does Firth as Mr. Darcy or Dr. McDreammy. As a franchise, this Jones has done more than update from a pen to paper diary to an iPad, it’s embraced its characters to allow them to get involved in very funny situations and laid less emphasis on crying to the song “All By Myself”.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated What If It's Us in Books
Dec 18, 2018
This was a super cute gay romance that I read for YA_Pride's Twitter Book Club. The authors have separately written some pretty popular YA books; Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Albertalli) and They Both Die at the End (Silvera), neither of which I have read yet, so I had no idea what to expect with this one!
The book alternates viewpoints between Arthur, a Georgia boy in New York for the summer who recently came out as gay but has not yet gone out on a date with anyone, and Ben, who recently broke up with the boy he lost his virginity with. The difference in experience between the two is a plot point, as is the temporary nature of Arthur's visit to New York.
There is SO MUCH in this book. These are complex characters, and the romance between the two is simply the frame that the rest of the book revolves around. Arthur is still coming to terms with what being out means for him; he thinks his friends are being weird about it, his parents are fighting all the time, he's never dated and doesn't really know how to go about doing so. Ben is recovering from heartbreak with his first boyfriend. He's Puerto Rican but can pass for white, so people forget and think he's white, and that upsets him. His break up, and his best friend's, has splintered up their friend group and he misses the group, and his best friend seems to have moved on and doesn't have time for him anymore. He's in summer school, with his ex, and is struggling to pass so he can continue to his senior year of high school, while Arthur is an amazing student who's probably getting into Yale. All of this is set against the glittering backdrop of New York, seen as wondrous and new through Arthur's eyes and boring and old through Ben's. There's just SO MUCH going on.
I did have to double-check a few times who was narrating the chapter I was reading, but Twitter said the audio book actually has separate narrators for Arthur and Ben. So if you like audiobooks, that might be the better way to go for this book.
I loved that this book didn't just explore the romance between the two boys, but the friendships they had with each other and the people around them. More than a romance, I think this is a book about building your own family. People who will be there for you whether you're dating them or not.
Twitter also mentioned that the book could be disappointing if you were reading it for either of the author's signature styles. No one dies, and it's not completely happy fluff. So definitely set aside any expectations based on their previous books. I hadn't read them, so I enjoyed it for itself.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
The book alternates viewpoints between Arthur, a Georgia boy in New York for the summer who recently came out as gay but has not yet gone out on a date with anyone, and Ben, who recently broke up with the boy he lost his virginity with. The difference in experience between the two is a plot point, as is the temporary nature of Arthur's visit to New York.
There is SO MUCH in this book. These are complex characters, and the romance between the two is simply the frame that the rest of the book revolves around. Arthur is still coming to terms with what being out means for him; he thinks his friends are being weird about it, his parents are fighting all the time, he's never dated and doesn't really know how to go about doing so. Ben is recovering from heartbreak with his first boyfriend. He's Puerto Rican but can pass for white, so people forget and think he's white, and that upsets him. His break up, and his best friend's, has splintered up their friend group and he misses the group, and his best friend seems to have moved on and doesn't have time for him anymore. He's in summer school, with his ex, and is struggling to pass so he can continue to his senior year of high school, while Arthur is an amazing student who's probably getting into Yale. All of this is set against the glittering backdrop of New York, seen as wondrous and new through Arthur's eyes and boring and old through Ben's. There's just SO MUCH going on.
I did have to double-check a few times who was narrating the chapter I was reading, but Twitter said the audio book actually has separate narrators for Arthur and Ben. So if you like audiobooks, that might be the better way to go for this book.
I loved that this book didn't just explore the romance between the two boys, but the friendships they had with each other and the people around them. More than a romance, I think this is a book about building your own family. People who will be there for you whether you're dating them or not.
Twitter also mentioned that the book could be disappointing if you were reading it for either of the author's signature styles. No one dies, and it's not completely happy fluff. So definitely set aside any expectations based on their previous books. I hadn't read them, so I enjoyed it for itself.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Doctor Sleep (2019) in Movies
Nov 13, 2019
Brilliantly done
I always go into a Stephen King film with a huge sense of trepidation. He’s my favourite author and sadly far too many film adaptations of his books have been badly mistreated. I have read Doctor Sleep, however this was a long time ago and I’m not quite sure how my vague recollections have impacted on my opinion of this film, but I’m very pleased to say that I absolutely loved it.
This film is very long, but necessarily so. Nothing in this feels like it isn’t needed and apart from feeling ridiculously tired, I was never bored or never found this was dragging at all. It’s helped by a haunting and wonderful score, and the entire film just looks and feels great. The horror aspects whilst scarce, when they do appear they’re very well done and I was pleasantly surprised by one of the especially gorier scenes. Story-wise as far as the book goes, it stays fairly close for the most part. Other than the references to the original film (as the book and the original are polar opposites), there is only one major difference that I identified which was the ending and I actually thought it was a good choice to do this. Ewan McGregor is great as Danny, he isn’t how I would’ve pictured Danny whilst reading the book but he does a great job and Kyleigh Curran is fantastic as Abra, such a talented young actress. The star of this though has to be Rebecca Ferguson. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while and she’s truly menacing as Rose the Hat. I can’t imagine anyone having played her better.
Throughout the film there are of course references to the original and these are so impressively well done. I was surprised at first that they didn’t just use clips from the original, but by the end of the film the reasons for this were made very clear and this worked well. I am torn between being disappointed and happy that they didn’t use CGI to bring back the original actors, but considering the original was made in 1980 I’m overall quite glad they didn’t go down this route when most other films are.
For me, the best part of this film was the final act and this is where I’m so happy they differed from the book. Going back into the Overlook is a truly terrifying and tense experience. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, both because I was scared and elated to be back where it all began.
Other than the rather lengthy runtime and the slight differences (for the better?) to the book, I can’t think of anything negative to say about this film. Which for me is a rather novel experience. I cannot wait to get this on blu-ray and watch in the comfort of my own home.
This film is very long, but necessarily so. Nothing in this feels like it isn’t needed and apart from feeling ridiculously tired, I was never bored or never found this was dragging at all. It’s helped by a haunting and wonderful score, and the entire film just looks and feels great. The horror aspects whilst scarce, when they do appear they’re very well done and I was pleasantly surprised by one of the especially gorier scenes. Story-wise as far as the book goes, it stays fairly close for the most part. Other than the references to the original film (as the book and the original are polar opposites), there is only one major difference that I identified which was the ending and I actually thought it was a good choice to do this. Ewan McGregor is great as Danny, he isn’t how I would’ve pictured Danny whilst reading the book but he does a great job and Kyleigh Curran is fantastic as Abra, such a talented young actress. The star of this though has to be Rebecca Ferguson. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while and she’s truly menacing as Rose the Hat. I can’t imagine anyone having played her better.
Throughout the film there are of course references to the original and these are so impressively well done. I was surprised at first that they didn’t just use clips from the original, but by the end of the film the reasons for this were made very clear and this worked well. I am torn between being disappointed and happy that they didn’t use CGI to bring back the original actors, but considering the original was made in 1980 I’m overall quite glad they didn’t go down this route when most other films are.
For me, the best part of this film was the final act and this is where I’m so happy they differed from the book. Going back into the Overlook is a truly terrifying and tense experience. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, both because I was scared and elated to be back where it all began.
Other than the rather lengthy runtime and the slight differences (for the better?) to the book, I can’t think of anything negative to say about this film. Which for me is a rather novel experience. I cannot wait to get this on blu-ray and watch in the comfort of my own home.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) in Movies
Dec 8, 2019
I think it was a fairly safe bet to assume this was going to be entertaining. Comedy hijinks and zombies? Yes please!
Our band of merry zombie hunters have been living a great life in what's left of the world since the zombie legion rose, but things are becoming a little too samey. Little Rock is growing up and looking for something more than just their dysfunctional family, so when the first eligible bachelor appears she's all for leaving.
Wichita is set on going after her, the hippy boyfriend was headed to Babylon, a utopia of peace where there's no need of weapons, so that's where they're headed. Trouble is, they're not the only ones.
You can't be mad at this film, it's so much fun. Every time I think of Harrelson's gleeful face as he bodyslams a zombie I get a warm feeling inside. I love the way it mocks itself in the recap intro. I don't think there's a single thing in this movie I didn't like. It was pure pedal to the metal fun and it made a great break from a lot of the serious things I've been watching recently.
I always think that these sorts of things can be judged at least partly on its audience. There were teens and OAPs, couples, loners, groups of friends, it was such a cross-section. From what I could tell we were all laughing and having a good time. Any film that can do that has got its balance right.
The only I could grumble about is actually in the trailer, we get the inclusion of a Bill Murray scene and being that it isn't in the actual film seems like a bit of a daft thing to give away. The full scene is great but I don't know that putting it in the trailer made any difference to anyone wanting to see the film.
Continuing a story so long after the original was going to be difficult but I think the path they chose to go down nicely brought the characters back for us. It made sense where they focused the change and they managed to get across the jump of time really well. I still have my doubts about surviving in an apocalypse, but for the sake of this comedy I'm willing to overlook them.
The cast were great again, though Breslin didn't seem to have much enthusiasm for her part. The star-studded support cast helped to break the film up and add something even dafter into the mix. Luke Wilson and Thomas Middleditch made fun doppelgangers but the gag might have gone on a little too long.
Double Tap still makes great action like the original, the opening sequence that we partially see during the trailers brought a smile to my face. The all-out murdery goodness really does calm the soul.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/12/zombieland-double-tap-movie-review.html
Our band of merry zombie hunters have been living a great life in what's left of the world since the zombie legion rose, but things are becoming a little too samey. Little Rock is growing up and looking for something more than just their dysfunctional family, so when the first eligible bachelor appears she's all for leaving.
Wichita is set on going after her, the hippy boyfriend was headed to Babylon, a utopia of peace where there's no need of weapons, so that's where they're headed. Trouble is, they're not the only ones.
You can't be mad at this film, it's so much fun. Every time I think of Harrelson's gleeful face as he bodyslams a zombie I get a warm feeling inside. I love the way it mocks itself in the recap intro. I don't think there's a single thing in this movie I didn't like. It was pure pedal to the metal fun and it made a great break from a lot of the serious things I've been watching recently.
I always think that these sorts of things can be judged at least partly on its audience. There were teens and OAPs, couples, loners, groups of friends, it was such a cross-section. From what I could tell we were all laughing and having a good time. Any film that can do that has got its balance right.
The only I could grumble about is actually in the trailer, we get the inclusion of a Bill Murray scene and being that it isn't in the actual film seems like a bit of a daft thing to give away. The full scene is great but I don't know that putting it in the trailer made any difference to anyone wanting to see the film.
Continuing a story so long after the original was going to be difficult but I think the path they chose to go down nicely brought the characters back for us. It made sense where they focused the change and they managed to get across the jump of time really well. I still have my doubts about surviving in an apocalypse, but for the sake of this comedy I'm willing to overlook them.
The cast were great again, though Breslin didn't seem to have much enthusiasm for her part. The star-studded support cast helped to break the film up and add something even dafter into the mix. Luke Wilson and Thomas Middleditch made fun doppelgangers but the gag might have gone on a little too long.
Double Tap still makes great action like the original, the opening sequence that we partially see during the trailers brought a smile to my face. The all-out murdery goodness really does calm the soul.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/12/zombieland-double-tap-movie-review.html
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Fire Wish (The Jinni Wars, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
The mere concept of jinni was what attracted my attention to take a look at The Fire Wish. The idea of a girl making a wish on a jinni in the process of stripping away said jinni's choices to change her path of being a princess to the caliph's son, was what made me decide to request The Fire Wish from Netgalley. There's a war that's been brewing, there's magic, and there are jinns... which haven't made much of an appearance in YA these days what could go wrong?
Not much, thankfully, in the case of Amber Lough's debut novel. The Fire Wish is written in 2 POVs Zayele and Najwa. Out of the 2, I found Najwa's side of the story to be much interesting and page turning over Zayele's, and though Zayele eventually wins me over near 75% of the story, I still have a preference over Najwa.
For most of the book, Najwa tends to be the stronger of the two girls. All of her life she's lived as a jinn and training to be part of the Eyes of Iblis, which is sort of like the CIA just less discreet. At least, until Zayele catches her while traveling to the caliph's palace in Baghdad, and makes a wish on her to get out of marrying the caliph's younger son. As a result, both Najwa and Zayele switches places Najwa in Zayele's place as wished upon and Zayele in Najwa's place, which isn't what Zayele wanted. Always amusing to see lives being switched there must be something wrong with me.
Najwa is my favorite because she actually tries to blend in as Zayele. Zayele doesn't really seem to try, and it's obvious from the start that she would be the first of the two to get caught, so it wasn't surprising when it finally did happen. But it does make a little difference that Najwa had some help to blend in as Zayele and Zayele didn't until she actually gets caught. Zayele focuses more on trying to get out of being Najwa and getting home, which leads her into big trouble later. Fortunately, Zayele does do a heroic job of untangling the mess she made, but I'm not going to reveal how she manages to win me over (psst: it's a spoiler). ^_^
The Fire Wish is a great start to a series the jinni culture is a delight to learn about while reading the story, and the world is a place that I feel I would enjoy visiting. It'll be interesting to see how the rest of the series plays out.
-------------------
Advanced copy provided by the publisher for review
Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
Original Review posted on at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/07/arc-review-the-fire-wish-by-amber-lough.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Not much, thankfully, in the case of Amber Lough's debut novel. The Fire Wish is written in 2 POVs Zayele and Najwa. Out of the 2, I found Najwa's side of the story to be much interesting and page turning over Zayele's, and though Zayele eventually wins me over near 75% of the story, I still have a preference over Najwa.
For most of the book, Najwa tends to be the stronger of the two girls. All of her life she's lived as a jinn and training to be part of the Eyes of Iblis, which is sort of like the CIA just less discreet. At least, until Zayele catches her while traveling to the caliph's palace in Baghdad, and makes a wish on her to get out of marrying the caliph's younger son. As a result, both Najwa and Zayele switches places Najwa in Zayele's place as wished upon and Zayele in Najwa's place, which isn't what Zayele wanted. Always amusing to see lives being switched there must be something wrong with me.
Najwa is my favorite because she actually tries to blend in as Zayele. Zayele doesn't really seem to try, and it's obvious from the start that she would be the first of the two to get caught, so it wasn't surprising when it finally did happen. But it does make a little difference that Najwa had some help to blend in as Zayele and Zayele didn't until she actually gets caught. Zayele focuses more on trying to get out of being Najwa and getting home, which leads her into big trouble later. Fortunately, Zayele does do a heroic job of untangling the mess she made, but I'm not going to reveal how she manages to win me over (psst: it's a spoiler). ^_^
The Fire Wish is a great start to a series the jinni culture is a delight to learn about while reading the story, and the world is a place that I feel I would enjoy visiting. It'll be interesting to see how the rest of the series plays out.
-------------------
Advanced copy provided by the publisher for review
Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
Original Review posted on at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/07/arc-review-the-fire-wish-by-amber-lough.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The First Time Lauren Pailing Died in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<b><i>The First Time Lauren Pailing Died is a beautifully-written novel that opens your eyes about life and its meaning. A very powerful novel with interesting story. I have read books that have a few similarities to this one, but I haven't read anything like this before.</i></b>
The main character in this book is without a doubt, Lauren. In the first chapters, we learn more about her and her parents. Lauren is an intriguing child, able to stare in the distance for a long time and able to see a different mummy that doesn't exist. When Lauren dies as a teen, the story splits into a few parts and we have parallel universes and different story lines happening.
In one of them, Lauren hasn't died at all. She wakes up and continues life as normal. In another, her parents have a little daughter and are coping with Lauren's death while raising the little girl. The third would represents Lauren's mum who can't cope with the pain and commits suicide, leaving Lauren's dad on his own. With all of the story lines, one thing stays the same - a mysterious disappearance of Lauren's dad's boss - Peter.
In every life Lauren lives - she feels like she needs to find out what happened to Peter. In all honesty, this mystery was supposed to be the centre of the story in the book, but to me it just didn't make sense at all. Once we got all the answers, all I could think of was that these two stories could have easily been made into two separate books.
While I had mixed feelings about the mystery of Peter, I definitely loved the parallel universe theme in the book. There were so many alternatives in Lauren's life. It puts into perspective how one choice in your life can make a difference in the long run. If you only change one decision, you could end up somewhere completely different.
<b>I cannot recommend this book enough, if this is a genre that intrigues you. If you are planning to read it, I would suggest to avoid reading reviews and synopsis and go with a blank page of expectations. The less you know - the better your experience will be. Keep your mind open and enjoy. Happy Reading! <3</b>
Thank you to the team from HQ for sending me a hardcover ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Book-Review-Banner-7.png"/>;
<b><i>The First Time Lauren Pailing Died is a beautifully-written novel that opens your eyes about life and its meaning. A very powerful novel with interesting story. I have read books that have a few similarities to this one, but I haven't read anything like this before.</i></b>
The main character in this book is without a doubt, Lauren. In the first chapters, we learn more about her and her parents. Lauren is an intriguing child, able to stare in the distance for a long time and able to see a different mummy that doesn't exist. When Lauren dies as a teen, the story splits into a few parts and we have parallel universes and different story lines happening.
In one of them, Lauren hasn't died at all. She wakes up and continues life as normal. In another, her parents have a little daughter and are coping with Lauren's death while raising the little girl. The third would represents Lauren's mum who can't cope with the pain and commits suicide, leaving Lauren's dad on his own. With all of the story lines, one thing stays the same - a mysterious disappearance of Lauren's dad's boss - Peter.
In every life Lauren lives - she feels like she needs to find out what happened to Peter. In all honesty, this mystery was supposed to be the centre of the story in the book, but to me it just didn't make sense at all. Once we got all the answers, all I could think of was that these two stories could have easily been made into two separate books.
While I had mixed feelings about the mystery of Peter, I definitely loved the parallel universe theme in the book. There were so many alternatives in Lauren's life. It puts into perspective how one choice in your life can make a difference in the long run. If you only change one decision, you could end up somewhere completely different.
<b>I cannot recommend this book enough, if this is a genre that intrigues you. If you are planning to read it, I would suggest to avoid reading reviews and synopsis and go with a blank page of expectations. The less you know - the better your experience will be. Keep your mind open and enjoy. Happy Reading! <3</b>
Thank you to the team from HQ for sending me a hardcover ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Heat (2013) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
In a fun twist to the traditional buddy-cop movie theme, this time we have a pair of ladies bringing The Heat to the streets of Boston for a laugh-out-loud good time.
Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy bring action and some very sharp tongues to the big screen.
The story starts out by painting a picture of the two in their separate worlds. Special Agent Ashburn (Bullock) is very prim, proper, and by-the-book. She dresses for success, knows it all, and doesn’t let so much as an S-bomb pass her lips. As she solves a case (proving herself a know-it-all in front of coworkers), a bleak picture comes into focus that this very uptight FBI agent is just the beginning.
By contrast (and fitting the expected formula), Detective Mullins (McCarthy) uses a down-and-dirty, physical, and foul-mouthed method for cleaning up the streets of Boston. Her neighborhood is definitely her home, and it needs protecting. Mullins’ slovenly lifestyle is the complete polar opposite of Ashburn, as one might expect. This conflict is the driving force behind a typical buddy cop movie. The only difference is that it’s two women instead of the usual ingredients.
Ashburn is given an assignment in Boston. The assignment will be a key, deciding factor in her next promotion, so all she wants is a simple case to solve and close. Naturally, once Mullins and Ashburn meet, sparks fly and hilarity ensues.
I went into this with low expectations, but also a deep loathing for Sandra Bullock as an actress — every role she’s ever played has been essentially the same. I expected the same in The Heat. In an oh-so-surprising twist of fate, she ended up playing the sober, strait-laced character! Despite my lack of appreciation for her acting skills, I must say she did well; her comedic timing was spot-on, and it meshed well with McCarthy’s usual brand of comedy: vociferous and physical, bordering on slapstick. I did note during the film that Bullock is definitely starting to show her age; this is not a knock on her beauty, but more an admission that I am starting to feel old!
Mullins also plays the same character in every movie role she takes, so this character was no stretch for her at all. It seems she is just there to memorize lines and provide her unabashed, high-energy quips. That said, I have to give her mad props for comedic timing and delivery. She is a one-trick-pony, but that one trick is a damn good one.
All in all, this is a great film for laughs. I laughed out loud through much of it, which was a surprise. As with all comedies, I don’t recommend spending your hard-earned cash on these top-dollar theater tickets. Wait for the small screen, but definitely see it for a good, healthy chuckle.
Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy bring action and some very sharp tongues to the big screen.
The story starts out by painting a picture of the two in their separate worlds. Special Agent Ashburn (Bullock) is very prim, proper, and by-the-book. She dresses for success, knows it all, and doesn’t let so much as an S-bomb pass her lips. As she solves a case (proving herself a know-it-all in front of coworkers), a bleak picture comes into focus that this very uptight FBI agent is just the beginning.
By contrast (and fitting the expected formula), Detective Mullins (McCarthy) uses a down-and-dirty, physical, and foul-mouthed method for cleaning up the streets of Boston. Her neighborhood is definitely her home, and it needs protecting. Mullins’ slovenly lifestyle is the complete polar opposite of Ashburn, as one might expect. This conflict is the driving force behind a typical buddy cop movie. The only difference is that it’s two women instead of the usual ingredients.
Ashburn is given an assignment in Boston. The assignment will be a key, deciding factor in her next promotion, so all she wants is a simple case to solve and close. Naturally, once Mullins and Ashburn meet, sparks fly and hilarity ensues.
I went into this with low expectations, but also a deep loathing for Sandra Bullock as an actress — every role she’s ever played has been essentially the same. I expected the same in The Heat. In an oh-so-surprising twist of fate, she ended up playing the sober, strait-laced character! Despite my lack of appreciation for her acting skills, I must say she did well; her comedic timing was spot-on, and it meshed well with McCarthy’s usual brand of comedy: vociferous and physical, bordering on slapstick. I did note during the film that Bullock is definitely starting to show her age; this is not a knock on her beauty, but more an admission that I am starting to feel old!
Mullins also plays the same character in every movie role she takes, so this character was no stretch for her at all. It seems she is just there to memorize lines and provide her unabashed, high-energy quips. That said, I have to give her mad props for comedic timing and delivery. She is a one-trick-pony, but that one trick is a damn good one.
All in all, this is a great film for laughs. I laughed out loud through much of it, which was a surprise. As with all comedies, I don’t recommend spending your hard-earned cash on these top-dollar theater tickets. Wait for the small screen, but definitely see it for a good, healthy chuckle.