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Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1)
Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1)
Michael Crichton | 1990 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.3 (34 Ratings)
Book Rating
Writing style (2 more)
Clarence
Malcolm’s Sass
Loads of fun but not a must-read
Jurassic Park was pleasantly well written, and I really enjoyed learning all these little details not in the movies, such as Clarence. The chaos theory stuff was great but that feels stale and mundane after too many years featuring Trump.

Malcom was fun and sometimes Hammond was too but honestly the other characters are pretty forgettable.

Read it if you love dinosaurs like I do, it’s fun, but if you aren’t dinosaur obsessed you’ll be bored. I liked it a lot but it doesn’t make my “omg everyone needs to read this” level of recommendation. :P
  
The Good Dinosaur (2015)
The Good Dinosaur (2015)
2015 | Animation
Over the years dinosaurs have often been portrayed as lumbering oafs, vicious killers, or cuddly playthings. With the reinvigorated “Jurassic” franchise interest in the creatures is at an all-time high. Disney/PIXAR are hoping this interest translates into box office gold with the release of their new film “The Good Dinosaur” which looks to continue the successful and award winning streak of their earlier efforts.

We first heard of the film almost 4 years ago at the D23 Expo when during the upcoming film showcase it was announced that they had a dinosaur themed project in the works but had little else to say about it at that time. The premise of the film is that the asteroid that is rumored to have led to the extinction of the dinosaurs actually missed the earth and millions of years later, dinosaurs continue to evolve.

We meet a family of peaceful dinosaurs who spend their days working in the fields as farmers preparing for the upcoming winter season and the birth of their three children. One of the children named Arlo (Raymond Ochoa) is rather diminutive and tentative and unlike his bigger brother and sister, struggles to master his fear and find a role in which he can excel.

When fate and disaster step in, Arlo finds himself alone and isolated in the strange and dangerous world, forced to make a journey home. Along the way he discover shimself and learn several life lessons in the process. Along the way he makes new friends and staves off threats, all with the help of a new companion, a feral human named Spot. As any fans of Disney/Pixar will tell you the sidekick is often heartwarming comic gold.

While the film follows a very tried-and-true plot line for Disney films with elements of several other Disney classics incorporated within its framework, it does boast some absolutely amazing animation which include some captivating and breathtaking landscapes.

My biggest issues with the film was that I felt I had seen this story several times before in other films by the studio and that while enjoyable and at times heartbreaking, it felt a little too formulaic and did not resonate with me the way that many of their past films had. Parents may want to be cautioned that the film does contain some scary moments and there were a couple of children during our screener who did seem to be a bit disturbed by elements the film although most of those in attendance were captivated and entertained throughout and left the theater howling like wolves.

While I’m not sure the film will be a true modern classic that we have come to expect from the studio, it is still a very enjoyable and entertaining film that will be more than welcome during the holiday season for those looking for some dependable Pixar magic.

http://sknr.net/2015/11/24/the-good-dinosaur/
  
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Ice Age 3) (2009)
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Ice Age 3) (2009)
2009 | Action, Animation, Comedy
Scrat and the gang are back, and this time in stunning 3D in the new “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs”. The third chapter in the popular series once again follows the adventures of the unusual mix of friends, in their frozen home.

As the film opens, Manny (Ray Romano), is a nervous wreck as Ellie (Queen Latifah), is expecting their first child. Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo), is ecstatic over the pending arrival, while Diego the tiger, (Dennis Leary), believes he has lost his edge and is no longer needed in a family environment.

As Diego prepares to set off on his own, Sid falls through a crack in the ice and discovers three eggs which he believes have been abandoned.

Sid decides to adopt the eggs and soon they hatch with three T-Rex infants. Unaware of what they are, Sid is delighted at his new family and ignores Manny’s warnings up until a gigantic T-Rex arrives looking for her children and takes them and Sid into a hole in the ice.

Despite their misgivings, Diego, Ellie, and Manny venture under the ice to rescue Sid and discover an entire world of dinosaurs that have survived and thrived under the ice. Facing numerous new dangers and having no idea where to go, the group is befriended by a weasel named Buck (Simon Pegg), who helps them track their missing friend.

Along the way the group must contend with flesh eating plants, laughing gas, dangerous dinosaurs, and hostile terrain as they attempt to save their friend and return home.

While the plot is simple and some will no doubt question how dinosaurs and mammals would be around at the same time, the film is fun, and I enjoyed it more than the previous film in the series. The creators know this is a family film that is intended for children and do not waste time with an overly complicated plot and keep character developments to the bare essentials.

Instead, we get a lively and quirky tale about friendship and family, as well as some funny moments and great animation. The technicians behind the film have wisely allowed the characters to remain the focal point of the film, but cleverly included the new 3D techniques to allow the audience a sense of immersion into the film.

The cast works well with one another and seem to be having a good time playing characters that have no doubt become familiar to them. Once again Scrat steals every scene he is appears in as he attempts time and again to capture his beloved acorn. A new character named Scratte adds a new dimension to the character as she plays not only a romantic interest in the film but also a new obstacle in his never ending quest.

The film was paced well and never overstayed its welcome, and despite some jokes that were better suited to an older audience, the film delivered a perfect summer film for the family to enjoy.
  
Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1)
Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1)
Michael Crichton | 1990 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.3 (34 Ratings)
Book Rating
Knowing What Is Coming Hurts, but Book Holds Up Well
There’s a mysterious project on an island off the coast of Coast Rica. When John Hammond, the owner, invites Drs. Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm to visit the island, they discover that Hammond has cloned dinosaurs and intends to open his park for tourists to enjoy. However, despite the high security measures that are in place, the visitors begin to see potential problems. When the problems become more than potential, will anyone survive?

It is hard to go into this book not knowing what is really happening thanks to the movies, and that puts the reader of today at a disadvantage since the book takes forever with the set up and big reveal. However, once the dinosaurs get free, this is a page turning book that is impossible to put down. While the character names are the same, they are different from how they are portrayed in the movie, and fans of the films will recognize scenes from the sequels that originated here. Naturally, there are more great scenes and tense moments than could be included in the movie, and the climax here is so much better. I could have done without some of the descriptions of the violence in the book, but they didn’t surprise me. Some lectures, while giving us something to think about, do slow things down again late in the book. Overall, this is still a very enjoyable read.
  
Jurassic Park (1993)
Jurassic Park (1993)
1993 | Adventure, Sci-Fi
JURASSIC PARK (the good one)
Back in 1993 Steven Spielberg breathed life into everybody's childhood obsession with dinosaurs with ground breaking CGI during its release which still holds up today.

Jurassic park is story of a mans dream to bring back the Jurassic age on an (presumably) uninhabited island. After inviting his grandchildren, Dr alan Grant an archaeologist, ellie satler another archaeologist and ian malcolm who's just along for the ride to witness this ground-breaking creation,they quickly become endangered when the parks security parameters fail and they have to outrun and out smart their way to safety with a dinosaur at every turn, and a kitchen scene you'll never forget (that's right, kitchen!)
  
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
2018 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Good secondary characters (0 more)
Ridiculous plot (0 more)
Well....
This is the second worst Jurassic Park movie in the franchise. The plot was ludicrous. I get that you can only do so much with dinosaurs being alive in the modern world, but seriously, this movie was ridiculous. There was a tragic scene that pulled at the heartstrings, and two new characters that brought some good comedy, but overall this movie should have gone straight to Netflix. The plot "twist" (who didn't see it coming?) was so unnecessary and added nothing to the movie except to explain a single moment of decision at the end. I pray that this is the last in the franchise because honestly, they have run out of ideas.