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Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) rated Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game in Tabletop Games
Mar 7, 2018
Next to the iconic light saber battles, nothing excites a Star Wars fan more than the epic space battles. The original Star Wars trilogy had some of the most unique and beautifully designed space ships in all of science fiction. For its time, the X-Wing was a truly iconic piece of special effects. With the introduction of Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures game from Fantasy Flight Games, players can now have their own space battles with these memorable ships. Does Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures have what it takes to score a victory on you table top or should it be encased in carbonite? Read on to find out!
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures is a miniatures game of space combat for 2 players. The game players in about 30-60 minutes and can be expanded to accommodate more players.
Reviewer: Tony MastrangeliRead the full review here: https://www.boardgamequest.com/x-wing-miniatures-board-game-review/
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures is a miniatures game of space combat for 2 players. The game players in about 30-60 minutes and can be expanded to accommodate more players.
Reviewer: Tony MastrangeliRead the full review here: https://www.boardgamequest.com/x-wing-miniatures-board-game-review/
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) in Movies
Apr 2, 2018
All style, no substance
It's a shame that Luc Besson has resorted to this. Considering his previous films, this should have been so much better.
The opening title scene starts off fairly well, it's just a shame that it then goes badly downhill with the introduction of Valerian and Laureline. The script is terrible and very cringeworthy, and it isn't helped by the lack of real chemistry between Dane DeHaan and Cara Delavigne. The plot is very weak and really drags out its 2+ hour run time, and it's very predictable. I have no idea as to why they felt the need to include Ethan Hawke and Rihanna, as their part of the plot was filler at best and could've easily been removed with little effect to the overall outcome. The visual effects are fantastic, it's just a shame they've concentrated on this instead of sorting out the horrendous script and weak plot.
The opening title scene starts off fairly well, it's just a shame that it then goes badly downhill with the introduction of Valerian and Laureline. The script is terrible and very cringeworthy, and it isn't helped by the lack of real chemistry between Dane DeHaan and Cara Delavigne. The plot is very weak and really drags out its 2+ hour run time, and it's very predictable. I have no idea as to why they felt the need to include Ethan Hawke and Rihanna, as their part of the plot was filler at best and could've easily been removed with little effect to the overall outcome. The visual effects are fantastic, it's just a shame they've concentrated on this instead of sorting out the horrendous script and weak plot.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Shape of Water (2017) in Movies
Feb 28, 2018
Beautiful and bizarre
This is another one of those Oscar nominated films that for me didn't quite live up to the hype. That said, it is still a very beautifully made and intriguing film, albeit a very strange one.
The story itself is a little odd, and at times you have to suspend your disbelief that a woman could fall in love with a creature like this. However at times, their love story is actually quite sweet and romantic. Sally Hawkins is fantastic, she does brilliantly at portraying such emotion without words. The rest of the major characters too are well developed and there isn't one I didn't like. The creature itself is very well done, the visual effects a nice change to CGI. The cinematography and script are all very good too, and it is a very beautiful film. I feel it drags a little towards the end and it would have been nice to find out more about the creature itself.
The story itself is a little odd, and at times you have to suspend your disbelief that a woman could fall in love with a creature like this. However at times, their love story is actually quite sweet and romantic. Sally Hawkins is fantastic, she does brilliantly at portraying such emotion without words. The rest of the major characters too are well developed and there isn't one I didn't like. The creature itself is very well done, the visual effects a nice change to CGI. The cinematography and script are all very good too, and it is a very beautiful film. I feel it drags a little towards the end and it would have been nice to find out more about the creature itself.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Doctor Strange (2016) in Movies
Feb 22, 2018 (Updated Feb 5, 2021)
The fourteenth movie in Marvel's meta-franchise is an impressively faithful attempt at adapting a challenging book for the screen. If the story of a brilliant, arrogant man undergoing a personal trauma and discovering his inner hero seems a little familiar, that's only because the studio has used it as the basis of at least two other movies before, but it's a solid structure imaginatively employed here.
Cumbersome Bandersnatch leads the movie with the charisma you'd expect; the lack of a really strong villain is a bit of a problem but also a frequent issue for Marvel. Visual effects give the impression of Ditkoesque imagery without slavishly copying it; may cause migraines/motion sickness in delicate viewers. You almost get the sense that Marvel are doing a Dr Strange movie at this point just to tick a box, but if nothing else it promises to move this series in some interesting new directions. More movies should have a harpsichord on the soundtrack.
Cumbersome Bandersnatch leads the movie with the charisma you'd expect; the lack of a really strong villain is a bit of a problem but also a frequent issue for Marvel. Visual effects give the impression of Ditkoesque imagery without slavishly copying it; may cause migraines/motion sickness in delicate viewers. You almost get the sense that Marvel are doing a Dr Strange movie at this point just to tick a box, but if nothing else it promises to move this series in some interesting new directions. More movies should have a harpsichord on the soundtrack.
Awix (3310 KP) rated One Million Years B.C. (1967) in Movies
Feb 12, 2018
Not-bad Hammer dinosaur movie probably best-known for its special effects (by which I mean Ray Harryhausen's animation and Raquel Welch's costume). Bit-thick hero is kicked out of his own tribe, crosses a desert mostly populated by photo-blow-up monsters, meets another tribe who are so advanced they have discovered peroxide hair-dye and leg-waxing. Meanwhile Raquel Welch watches her dreams of being taken seriously as an actress go up in smoke.
Takes itself impressively seriously, all things considered; the decision to do the whole thing in made-up caveman language (sample dialogue: 'Tumak! Akita Loana!') makes it difficult to even have a coherent plot, let alone subtext, but I doubt that was the first concern. Harryhausen's dinosaurs are obviously rather wonderful; the decision to include photographically-enlarged lizards at certain points is questionable. It is what it is; the poster's claim that 'This is the way it was!' should probably not be taken too seriously.
Takes itself impressively seriously, all things considered; the decision to do the whole thing in made-up caveman language (sample dialogue: 'Tumak! Akita Loana!') makes it difficult to even have a coherent plot, let alone subtext, but I doubt that was the first concern. Harryhausen's dinosaurs are obviously rather wonderful; the decision to include photographically-enlarged lizards at certain points is questionable. It is what it is; the poster's claim that 'This is the way it was!' should probably not be taken too seriously.
KerrChung (46 KP) rated Robocop (1987) in Movies
Jun 13, 2018
story (2 more)
action
explosions
Cyborgpunk?
Contains spoilers, click to show
One of my favorite films. Awesome story, good actors, stunts, puppetry, models, and good Special Effects. This is Paul Verhoeven and Peter Weller's best movie. $50 million budget (in 1987!), with multiple huge explosions, with hundreds of bullets fired, and scores of stuntmen used.
A cop loses his humanity and is brought back to life, he is resurrected as a cyborg super cop who once again regains his humanity and has to learn how to navigate being robot and deal with his past human memories. ED-209 has all the fire power and is just a cool design for a robot/urban tank. The costume and the suit for RoboCop was beautifully designed. Themes include media influence, gentrification, corruption, authoritarianism, greed, privatization, capitalism, identity, dystopia, and human nature. It is a movie well deserved of it's R rating. In one scene RoboCop prevents a rape when he shoots the rapist in the dick. VIOLENT and amazingly poetic.
A cop loses his humanity and is brought back to life, he is resurrected as a cyborg super cop who once again regains his humanity and has to learn how to navigate being robot and deal with his past human memories. ED-209 has all the fire power and is just a cool design for a robot/urban tank. The costume and the suit for RoboCop was beautifully designed. Themes include media influence, gentrification, corruption, authoritarianism, greed, privatization, capitalism, identity, dystopia, and human nature. It is a movie well deserved of it's R rating. In one scene RoboCop prevents a rape when he shoots the rapist in the dick. VIOLENT and amazingly poetic.
Paul Smedley (141 KP) rated Colossal (2016) in Movies
Jun 5, 2018
Humour (3 more)
Special effects
Unique
Acting
Very different
Contains spoilers, click to show
Well I finally got round to watching this on Amazon Prime last night and really enjoyed it.
What starts as a very funny film, turns into something more dark and deep to which I was not expecting.
Overall I thought it was great and the only thing I had an issue with was that Oscar (played by the great Jason Sudeikis) changed his character literally overnight with no explanation. We can only presume it was known that Gloria did the deed with Joel or that we are to later find out that Oscar is actually a bad person (stemming back to a childhood incident involving his inferior diorama compared to that of Gloria’s and he still holds a grudge) but either way, it was all very sudden with no build up and made this part of the movie seem a little rushed.
Either way, would love to hear other people’s views on this!
What starts as a very funny film, turns into something more dark and deep to which I was not expecting.
Overall I thought it was great and the only thing I had an issue with was that Oscar (played by the great Jason Sudeikis) changed his character literally overnight with no explanation. We can only presume it was known that Gloria did the deed with Joel or that we are to later find out that Oscar is actually a bad person (stemming back to a childhood incident involving his inferior diorama compared to that of Gloria’s and he still holds a grudge) but either way, it was all very sudden with no build up and made this part of the movie seem a little rushed.
Either way, would love to hear other people’s views on this!
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Jurassic Park (1993) in Movies
May 31, 2018
Why do we like dinosaurs so much?
Just when Spielberg was on a minor low after the critical and box office disappointment of "Hook" in 1991, he decided to make not only A movie about dinosaurs, but THE movie about dinosaurs to turn things around.
The original Jurassic Park is a modern marvel of cinema in many ways, but mostly the ground-breaking visual effects. Yeah, there had been other movies with prehistoric beasts, but none that integrated them seamlessly with human actors before this film.
What a great idea (based on the book) of having human beings visit a remote coming soon amusement park and watch what happens when everything goes wrong.
There are so many iconic scenes, I can't even begin to list them. The T-Rex, the raptors, the spitting ones. It was all just magic.
The tension build to the ultimate climax will never be beaten even with the 27 sequels.
The original Jurassic Park is a modern marvel of cinema in many ways, but mostly the ground-breaking visual effects. Yeah, there had been other movies with prehistoric beasts, but none that integrated them seamlessly with human actors before this film.
What a great idea (based on the book) of having human beings visit a remote coming soon amusement park and watch what happens when everything goes wrong.
There are so many iconic scenes, I can't even begin to list them. The T-Rex, the raptors, the spitting ones. It was all just magic.
The tension build to the ultimate climax will never be beaten even with the 27 sequels.
Joe Julians (221 KP) rated The X-Files - Fight the Future (1998) in Movies
Jun 26, 2018
Full review here -
A solid leap to the big screen for The X-Files. The movie benefits from having this be a story that while linked to what came before it, is able to stand on its own feet and not be too confusing for new viewers. The effects hold up 20 years on and the budget it was given clearly shows. Yes, this may just seem like an extended episode of the show but for me, it does enough to make the decision to create a film out of this franchise worthwhile. Some aspects don't work, I don't like that Scully is once again in need of saving for example but on the whole, this is an enjoyable feature and miles ahead in quality of the sequel that came along 10 years later.
Just an aside, the above video review does contain a spoiler-filled rant about the latest season of the show.
A solid leap to the big screen for The X-Files. The movie benefits from having this be a story that while linked to what came before it, is able to stand on its own feet and not be too confusing for new viewers. The effects hold up 20 years on and the budget it was given clearly shows. Yes, this may just seem like an extended episode of the show but for me, it does enough to make the decision to create a film out of this franchise worthwhile. Some aspects don't work, I don't like that Scully is once again in need of saving for example but on the whole, this is an enjoyable feature and miles ahead in quality of the sequel that came along 10 years later.
Just an aside, the above video review does contain a spoiler-filled rant about the latest season of the show.
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Clown (2016) in Movies
Sep 12, 2018
This guy ain't clowning around...
Clown is like a classic twilight-zone style curse movie, where a dad puts on an antique clown suit, which turns out to have dire consequences that essentially turn him into a child eating killer clown.
There are some great comedic moments, as you would expect, some gross body horror, gruesome kills and actually pretty good performances.
Despite the b-movie plot, the acting is very solid, and the whole feel is of a well-made, well budgeted horror film, that would not have been out of place on a decent cinema release.
There are plenty of plot holes, bad decisions and parts that drag on a little, but overall this is a pretty entertaining movie, which provides a throwback experience to an 80's style slasher but with modern production values, so what is not to like?
There are some great comedic moments, as you would expect, some gross body horror, gruesome kills and actually pretty good performances.
Despite the b-movie plot, the acting is very solid, and the whole feel is of a well-made, well budgeted horror film, that would not have been out of place on a decent cinema release.
There are plenty of plot holes, bad decisions and parts that drag on a little, but overall this is a pretty entertaining movie, which provides a throwback experience to an 80's style slasher but with modern production values, so what is not to like?