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Derrik Osborn (5 KP) rated the PlayStation 3 version of Tomb Raider in Video Games
May 2, 2019
I have always been a huge fan of the Tomb Raider games since the first one in '95. I had high hopes for this game as the modern reboot and they were exceeded. The gameplay, story, and just overall fun of this game made it my favorite game of 2013. The multiplayer was even pretty fun. Much like the Uncharted multiplayer but less focus on action and more on stealth. Throughout the story, you will feel for Lara as she fights her way through overwhelming obstacles. She is the overcomer everybody wants to be.
The rpg elements of this game are very well placed. The level design has a good balance of linear and open world. Puzzles are cleverly thought out (something nobody seems to be able to figure out but creators of tomb raider games). Secrets are everywhere and pretty rewarding.
This is just all around a very well done game. They had a lot to overcome with the success of the Uncharted series but they really did their own thing and proved that Lara Croft is still the better Tomb Raider. The only complaint I have is that the multiplayer seems like they threw it together at the end to try to be like Uncharted. It was still pretty good and fun and somewhat unique but I think unnecessary. It did add longevity to the game. If you have not played this game, you are missing out!
The rpg elements of this game are very well placed. The level design has a good balance of linear and open world. Puzzles are cleverly thought out (something nobody seems to be able to figure out but creators of tomb raider games). Secrets are everywhere and pretty rewarding.
This is just all around a very well done game. They had a lot to overcome with the success of the Uncharted series but they really did their own thing and proved that Lara Croft is still the better Tomb Raider. The only complaint I have is that the multiplayer seems like they threw it together at the end to try to be like Uncharted. It was still pretty good and fun and somewhat unique but I think unnecessary. It did add longevity to the game. If you have not played this game, you are missing out!
Awix (3310 KP) rated Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) in Movies
Feb 11, 2018 (Updated Feb 11, 2018)
For pity's sake, enough
In which the world is menaced by a shambling undead menace that simply will not stop - I'm not describing the plot, but the fact that they keep making Pirates of the Caribbean films a decade after they were actually cool or funny.
The plot is basically the same as in all the others: Johnny Depp and some blandly attractive young people are chased about by a scenery-chewing bad guy, requiring a convoluted quest to find some plot device or other. The action regularly grinds to a halt so Depp can do his impression of Keith Richards in a comedy sketch. By the end of the film it turns out that all the other characters are related to each other, somehow. Just when you thought it was safe to relax they wheel on Orlando Bloom. Actually piracy is kept to a minimum, as is the Caribbean.
I suppose this would be quite diverting if you hadn't seen any of the other movies in the franchise, but then I imagine you would struggle to follow much of what's going on. There is a sequence with zombie sharks which I suppose is not too badly done. Overall, though, this feels like a shameless attempt to perpetuate this series long after the makers' wells of creativity and enthusiasm have dried up. If there is a sixth film, I imagine it will be entitled 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Just Here for the Cheque'.
The plot is basically the same as in all the others: Johnny Depp and some blandly attractive young people are chased about by a scenery-chewing bad guy, requiring a convoluted quest to find some plot device or other. The action regularly grinds to a halt so Depp can do his impression of Keith Richards in a comedy sketch. By the end of the film it turns out that all the other characters are related to each other, somehow. Just when you thought it was safe to relax they wheel on Orlando Bloom. Actually piracy is kept to a minimum, as is the Caribbean.
I suppose this would be quite diverting if you hadn't seen any of the other movies in the franchise, but then I imagine you would struggle to follow much of what's going on. There is a sequence with zombie sharks which I suppose is not too badly done. Overall, though, this feels like a shameless attempt to perpetuate this series long after the makers' wells of creativity and enthusiasm have dried up. If there is a sixth film, I imagine it will be entitled 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Just Here for the Cheque'.
The Darkness Within (Etherya's Earth #3)
10.0
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Arderin, princess of the illustrious Vampyre kingdom, has always marched to the beat of her own...
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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Inglourious Basterds (2009) in Movies
Jun 21, 2019 (Updated Jun 22, 2019)
It's the middle of World War II and France is overrun with Nazis. A group of Jewish-American soldiers is making a name for themselves as, "The Basterds," as they have the full intention of scalping each and every Nazi involved in the Third Reich. The Basterds soon become a real nuisance to The Fuhrer as their reputation strengthens and fear spreads like wildfire amongst the Nazis. Shosanna Dreyfus, a French-Jew whose family was killed by the Nazis, now owns a movie theater that catches the eye of Joseph Goebbels and his new film. The smaller, more private theater gets handpicked by Fredrick Zoller, a Nazi war hero and star of Goebbels film Nation's Pride, for the premiere of his new film. As the premiere becomes an intimate gathering of the Nazis, including the most important people of the Third Reich, The Basterds realize this may be their chance to end this war once and for all.
Inglourious Basterds had the potential to be one of the greatest films of the year. It's the first full-length film from Quentin Tarantino since Death Proof and his films from the past 12 years have escalated him into being one of the most well-respected filmmakers of our time. That along with an incredibly strong cast led by Brad Pitt and the fact that the film took place during World War II had me incredibly excited for the film. I'm a fairly big admirer of most of Tarantino's previous works and there's something about World War II and Nazis that I've always found fascinating. The final product was still good, but just didn't wind up meeting my expectations.
The concept of Inglourious Basterds is rather ingenious. A group of Jewish-Americans coming together and killing as many Nazis as they can. An ultimate form of revenge. Not only that, but an incredible sense of satisfaction washes over them while they partake in it. It's great and is pulled off rather flawlessly when we actually get to see The Basterds in action. As much as I love Tarantino's dialogue, it just seemed like the majority of the film was spent waiting around and talking about what was actually going to happen. Significant events still took place, but there's really only three or four scenes that come to mind that you could label as being exciting. Whether the film needed more of that is fully up to the viewer, but I'm under the impression that the film was a bit lacking in that department. Something else that should be mentioned, the film is not historically accurate. It's more of a World War II set in the Tarantino-verse kind of deal and is more of an alternate universe. Knowing that before seeing the movie helped a great deal in enjoying the film a bit more.
As enjoyable as Brad Pitt's performance as Lt. Aldo Raine was, I believe the real performance worth noting is Christoph Waltz's portrayal of Col. Hans Landa. He's somehow able to walk the thin line between being polite and charming to being a frightening lunatic rather flawlessly. Even as he closes in on The Basterds and their plans, he still manages to steal most of the scenes he's in (the discussion about comparing Jews to rats at the beginning of the film, the "That's-a-bingo!" conversation with Aldo, etc). Landa is just an incredible detective with a marvelous personality that might just be one of the greatest characters Tarantino has ever written.
Inglourious Basterds is an extremely solid effort from Tarantino. The dialogue is definitely up to Tarantino's standard greatness, the performances are quite incredible, and the story is an entertaining one even with it straying away from what actually happened during that time period. It's just a shame it didn't meet the expectations I had based on the trailers and how much I enjoyed the past few Tarantino films. The hard hitting action scenes are magnificent, but it felt like there were too few and far between. The best suggestion I could give would be to go into the film expecting nothing and I think you'll walk away satisfied.
Inglourious Basterds had the potential to be one of the greatest films of the year. It's the first full-length film from Quentin Tarantino since Death Proof and his films from the past 12 years have escalated him into being one of the most well-respected filmmakers of our time. That along with an incredibly strong cast led by Brad Pitt and the fact that the film took place during World War II had me incredibly excited for the film. I'm a fairly big admirer of most of Tarantino's previous works and there's something about World War II and Nazis that I've always found fascinating. The final product was still good, but just didn't wind up meeting my expectations.
The concept of Inglourious Basterds is rather ingenious. A group of Jewish-Americans coming together and killing as many Nazis as they can. An ultimate form of revenge. Not only that, but an incredible sense of satisfaction washes over them while they partake in it. It's great and is pulled off rather flawlessly when we actually get to see The Basterds in action. As much as I love Tarantino's dialogue, it just seemed like the majority of the film was spent waiting around and talking about what was actually going to happen. Significant events still took place, but there's really only three or four scenes that come to mind that you could label as being exciting. Whether the film needed more of that is fully up to the viewer, but I'm under the impression that the film was a bit lacking in that department. Something else that should be mentioned, the film is not historically accurate. It's more of a World War II set in the Tarantino-verse kind of deal and is more of an alternate universe. Knowing that before seeing the movie helped a great deal in enjoying the film a bit more.
As enjoyable as Brad Pitt's performance as Lt. Aldo Raine was, I believe the real performance worth noting is Christoph Waltz's portrayal of Col. Hans Landa. He's somehow able to walk the thin line between being polite and charming to being a frightening lunatic rather flawlessly. Even as he closes in on The Basterds and their plans, he still manages to steal most of the scenes he's in (the discussion about comparing Jews to rats at the beginning of the film, the "That's-a-bingo!" conversation with Aldo, etc). Landa is just an incredible detective with a marvelous personality that might just be one of the greatest characters Tarantino has ever written.
Inglourious Basterds is an extremely solid effort from Tarantino. The dialogue is definitely up to Tarantino's standard greatness, the performances are quite incredible, and the story is an entertaining one even with it straying away from what actually happened during that time period. It's just a shame it didn't meet the expectations I had based on the trailers and how much I enjoyed the past few Tarantino films. The hard hitting action scenes are magnificent, but it felt like there were too few and far between. The best suggestion I could give would be to go into the film expecting nothing and I think you'll walk away satisfied.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated American Gods in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I have only ever read one other adult book ( I don't count Coraline) by Gaiman, which was vastly different from this book in both style and mood - Stardust. A friend recommended I read this book many years ago since I like mythology. I found this book really had not much to do with mythology in the classic sense. Instead the characters that were pulled from mythology, such as Odin, Anansi, Horus, Bast, and Ganesha, among others, behaved like has-been D-list celebrities that struggle to survive in a country that is repeatedly described as "...a bad land for gods." The powers they rarely put on display were minimal and amounted to the same kind of "magic" as a skilled pick-pocket, con-artist, or amateur magician. The few times any real power is observed is once during the sexual scene of a re-invented Queen of Sheba (I'll spare you the R-rated details) and when the gods travel "behind the scenes," a state of existence that only the gods can enter.
While the names of classical mythology fit into the category of the Old Gods, there are New Gods that have taken root in America, born from cultural obsessions that have evolved and devolved over the years, such as railroads - a man dressed as a railroad conductor, television - a voice talking through Lucille Ball on a rerun of I Love Lucy, vehicles - stocky men that seemed to resemble vehicles themselves, and internet - a short, nerdy, nervous kid, among other American fixations and stereotypes.
In addition, one of the scenic devices used throughout the plot is what Gaiman's characters describe as places of power - side-of-the-road dives that road-trippers visit for no apparent reason, such as a place boasting the largest doll collection in America or the biggest wheel of cheese. And no, Disneyworld is not one of them.
One of the things I found interesting about this Gaiman-born world is that the Old Gods only exist in the New World when regular people travel from other countries and bring their memories and practices with them, even when they don't intend to stay themselves. The gods are "born" from these average people, and even though they can be killed by others, they don't die otherwise, but instead alternately starve or thrive based on the behavior of the people who live and die in the New World. They all have counterpart manifestations of themselves in the countries they are pulled from, but one's existence does not affect the other - though they do seem to be aware of each other.
All of this is merely the background of the main plot, which centers around the activities and travels of a seemingly mortal man with a single name, Shadow. I never did "get" the one-name thing, but whatever. Through Shadow's narration, the reader learns of an impending storm - a battle between the Old Gods and New Gods, the former fighting for survival and the latter fighting for dominance. Shadow works for a mysterious "Mr. Wednesday" and is randomly haunted by his dead wife, Laura, but otherwise seems to have little drive of his own for most of the book. In fitting irony, he has his own brand of "magic" - an obsession for coin tricks to pass the time from his days spent in prison - which I could never really follow the descriptions of.
To be completely honest, I truly did enjoy this book, though I am struggling to say exactly why. Perhaps I was fascinated by the "shadowy" way that Gaiman told the story, or how he developed this over-the-hill world of gods and goddesses that better resembled America's middle and poor classes' struggles for survival, money, and influence. Some of the personal touches that Shadow's character added to the plot made him at times surprisingly endearing. In addition, the way that Shadow seemed to address the reader at the very end of the book was so satisfying that I laughed out loud and had to read it again several times. Something about that just brought the book to life for me and help me to fully appreciate the versatile style of Gaiman. This is one of those books you don't have to fully understand to fully appreciate.
While the names of classical mythology fit into the category of the Old Gods, there are New Gods that have taken root in America, born from cultural obsessions that have evolved and devolved over the years, such as railroads - a man dressed as a railroad conductor, television - a voice talking through Lucille Ball on a rerun of I Love Lucy, vehicles - stocky men that seemed to resemble vehicles themselves, and internet - a short, nerdy, nervous kid, among other American fixations and stereotypes.
In addition, one of the scenic devices used throughout the plot is what Gaiman's characters describe as places of power - side-of-the-road dives that road-trippers visit for no apparent reason, such as a place boasting the largest doll collection in America or the biggest wheel of cheese. And no, Disneyworld is not one of them.
One of the things I found interesting about this Gaiman-born world is that the Old Gods only exist in the New World when regular people travel from other countries and bring their memories and practices with them, even when they don't intend to stay themselves. The gods are "born" from these average people, and even though they can be killed by others, they don't die otherwise, but instead alternately starve or thrive based on the behavior of the people who live and die in the New World. They all have counterpart manifestations of themselves in the countries they are pulled from, but one's existence does not affect the other - though they do seem to be aware of each other.
All of this is merely the background of the main plot, which centers around the activities and travels of a seemingly mortal man with a single name, Shadow. I never did "get" the one-name thing, but whatever. Through Shadow's narration, the reader learns of an impending storm - a battle between the Old Gods and New Gods, the former fighting for survival and the latter fighting for dominance. Shadow works for a mysterious "Mr. Wednesday" and is randomly haunted by his dead wife, Laura, but otherwise seems to have little drive of his own for most of the book. In fitting irony, he has his own brand of "magic" - an obsession for coin tricks to pass the time from his days spent in prison - which I could never really follow the descriptions of.
To be completely honest, I truly did enjoy this book, though I am struggling to say exactly why. Perhaps I was fascinated by the "shadowy" way that Gaiman told the story, or how he developed this over-the-hill world of gods and goddesses that better resembled America's middle and poor classes' struggles for survival, money, and influence. Some of the personal touches that Shadow's character added to the plot made him at times surprisingly endearing. In addition, the way that Shadow seemed to address the reader at the very end of the book was so satisfying that I laughed out loud and had to read it again several times. Something about that just brought the book to life for me and help me to fully appreciate the versatile style of Gaiman. This is one of those books you don't have to fully understand to fully appreciate.
Merissa (11869 KP) rated Hunter's War (The Wolfborne Saga #6) in Books
Jan 29, 2020
And here we have it. Hunter's War is the final book in The Wolfborne Saga and we come to the end of Zev's story. Fray is still in danger and Zev is determined to dive headlong into saving her. It doesn't matter if he is at risk so long as she is safe.
I've got to admit, I don't think I've ever read any other story where the hero has so little regard to his own life/safety but it fitted here, it really did. Zev manages to find a way to bring both parts of his life together, and it couldn't be more perfect. I adored the ending, although I always want that little bit more. It was perfect for an epilogue but I never got one (poor me!). That also means it's ripe for the story to continue so who knows?
Obviously, this book doesn't end on a cliffhanger but all the other parts are still there. Fantastic characters, brilliant world-building, and perfect pacing throughout. I really don't feel ready to say goodbye to this series but I've come to an end so I guess that's that... unless I re-read 😉
This series started off as 4-stars and has finished with 5, so if you are on the lookout for a clean paranormal story/series that just gets better and better, then why not take a chance on this one!
* 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've got to admit, I don't think I've ever read any other story where the hero has so little regard to his own life/safety but it fitted here, it really did. Zev manages to find a way to bring both parts of his life together, and it couldn't be more perfect. I adored the ending, although I always want that little bit more. It was perfect for an epilogue but I never got one (poor me!). That also means it's ripe for the story to continue so who knows?
Obviously, this book doesn't end on a cliffhanger but all the other parts are still there. Fantastic characters, brilliant world-building, and perfect pacing throughout. I really don't feel ready to say goodbye to this series but I've come to an end so I guess that's that... unless I re-read 😉
This series started off as 4-stars and has finished with 5, so if you are on the lookout for a clean paranormal story/series that just gets better and better, then why not take a chance on this one!
* 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!
Royalty Inc: Britain's Best-Known Brand
6.0
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It is an amazing feat in the 21st century that Queen Elizabeth II, a small woman in her...
FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated All We Ever Wanted in Books
Jul 6, 2018
Timely & Compelling
Determined to get to the second book in the series that everyone I knew had assured me was "the best," over the years, I must've picked up and earnestly started my paperback copy of Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed dozens of times but just couldn't relate to the characters.
And while I feared the same would be true for Giffin's latest novel All We Ever Wanted, especially considering that the first chapter of the book – which divides the storyline into three alternating first person points-of-view – began from the perspective of the wealthy one percenter wife from Nashville's elite, Giffin quickly replaces first world problems with real world problems.
Shocked to her core upon discovering appalling decision made by her Princeton bound son, in trying to get to the bottom of what exactly happened and what on Earth he was thinking, Nina Browning is forced to take a good hard look at her life and marriage as well as her past when she found herself at the other end of a similar horrific situation.
Continuing the action from the perspective of the two main other parties involved including her son's younger classmate, Lyla and Lyla's protective single father Tom, Giffin deftly balances her richly compelling drama with timely issues of economic inequality, racism, and sexual harassment in the digital age.
Surprising her readers with a few well-earned twists, while despite the narrative roller-coaster, we're pretty sure we know precisely who's to blame, ultimately it's in Lyla and Nina's journey toward accepting and understanding the truth that made the book increasingly hard to stop reading, particularly in its second half.
An ideal property for HBO to look into adapting as part of its annual miniseries exploration of twenty-first century women in literature, All We Ever Wanted might have been my first Emily Giffin work but it's just the right one to make me want to pick up Something Borrowed again for good.
Note: I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this title from Bookish First in exchange for an honest opinion.
And while I feared the same would be true for Giffin's latest novel All We Ever Wanted, especially considering that the first chapter of the book – which divides the storyline into three alternating first person points-of-view – began from the perspective of the wealthy one percenter wife from Nashville's elite, Giffin quickly replaces first world problems with real world problems.
Shocked to her core upon discovering appalling decision made by her Princeton bound son, in trying to get to the bottom of what exactly happened and what on Earth he was thinking, Nina Browning is forced to take a good hard look at her life and marriage as well as her past when she found herself at the other end of a similar horrific situation.
Continuing the action from the perspective of the two main other parties involved including her son's younger classmate, Lyla and Lyla's protective single father Tom, Giffin deftly balances her richly compelling drama with timely issues of economic inequality, racism, and sexual harassment in the digital age.
Surprising her readers with a few well-earned twists, while despite the narrative roller-coaster, we're pretty sure we know precisely who's to blame, ultimately it's in Lyla and Nina's journey toward accepting and understanding the truth that made the book increasingly hard to stop reading, particularly in its second half.
An ideal property for HBO to look into adapting as part of its annual miniseries exploration of twenty-first century women in literature, All We Ever Wanted might have been my first Emily Giffin work but it's just the right one to make me want to pick up Something Borrowed again for good.
Note: I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this title from Bookish First in exchange for an honest opinion.
The West Coast Lines: BR Steam from Euston to Glasgow
Book
The two decades following the end of the Second World War was a period of great change in Britain....