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Ishmael (30 KP) rated Absolver in Video Games
Sep 9, 2017
Soothing Combat..?!..
There are no guns in Absolver. Set in the ruins of a great city, you are a prospective (prospect) monk (absolver) Your first task either alone or with others is to seek out the Marked Ones and defeat them. This is the only way you will gain the title of Absolver. The artwork is stylized and sparse. The game leaves the player with the minimum instructions to navigate through the city. The prospect can choose from three different fighting styles. Each style has four directional stances and moves that available in that stance and direction. The player builds her combat moves in a strategic manner called a combat deck. This game is a blast and soothing at the same time. Note.. it can be played with a keyboard and mouse or a game controller. It is available for pc and ps4 and can be downloaded through Steam
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Slave: The Hidden Truth about Your Identity in Christ in Books
Apr 27, 2018
John Macarthur has gone through meticulous study and research to uncover a truth about our relationship with Christ to a degree we have not exhausted as thoroughly as we should. Because of words being translated differently, we have lost a dynamic of that beautiful relationship: Now Macarthur has explained what it truly should look like.
Reading Slave has been truly convicting and enlightening. It gave me a whole new perspective on my relationship with Christ, and a fresh sense of peace. Christ is our Master and we are His slaves, and by explaining the culture and the true definition of the words that were originally written, we see salvation in a new light.
Not only was it engaging and convicting, it was easy to read. I've gotten Christian books that felt like I was reading college text books. And trust me when I say I don't like college text books—I have a bunch of them and I avoid them at all costs. But MacArthur's writing was clear and concise yet thoroughly explained and can be easily understood by a wide range of readers.
Reading Slave has been truly convicting and enlightening. It gave me a whole new perspective on my relationship with Christ, and a fresh sense of peace. Christ is our Master and we are His slaves, and by explaining the culture and the true definition of the words that were originally written, we see salvation in a new light.
Not only was it engaging and convicting, it was easy to read. I've gotten Christian books that felt like I was reading college text books. And trust me when I say I don't like college text books—I have a bunch of them and I avoid them at all costs. But MacArthur's writing was clear and concise yet thoroughly explained and can be easily understood by a wide range of readers.
Midge (525 KP) rated The Colour of Murder in Books
Feb 11, 2019
Clever And Enjoyable
THE COLOUR OF MURDER is the first book by Julian Symons that I've read and I really enjoyed it. Though it is naturally a book of its time, I found it endearing and charming. The characters were fantastic and the book, for me, is reminiscent of a Patricia Highsmith or a Ruth Rendell mystery.
I thought that the story was captivating and engaging and extremely well structured, both leading up to the murder, as told by the accused, as he relates his account of events to a psychologist and in court, with the cases for the defence and prosecution. I loved that the style of writing was slightly different to the usual types of murder mysteries, although there was still a whodunit theme, as well as a look at the nature of justice. It held my interest from start to finish and the way in which Julian Symons brought everything to a conclusion was just fabulous. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
I thought that the story was captivating and engaging and extremely well structured, both leading up to the murder, as told by the accused, as he relates his account of events to a psychologist and in court, with the cases for the defence and prosecution. I loved that the style of writing was slightly different to the usual types of murder mysteries, although there was still a whodunit theme, as well as a look at the nature of justice. It held my interest from start to finish and the way in which Julian Symons brought everything to a conclusion was just fabulous. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Contagion (2011) in Movies
Apr 4, 2019
One Flu Over - The Cooker's Next
Steven Soderbergh's crack at the all-star disaster movie genre starts well but is eventually tripped up by its own insistence on naturalism and scientific rigour. Gwyneth Paltrow comes back from a business trip with mutant pig-bat flu, drops dead, gets cremated (see review title), authorities struggle to contain the spread of the virus. Gwynnie's widower Matt Damon wanders about looking mournful wondering how well he really knew his wife.
More a collection of subplots than an actual narrative, but there are plenty of good moments and strong performances to begin with (maybe not Jude Law's Australian accent, come to think of it). The problem is that Soderbergh sets out to do this seriously, which means that he struggles to build the thing to a proper climax with any real sense of closure: a real pandemic would be horrible, but not apocalyptic in the way it's usually presented in movies and TV shows. Soderbergh can't help but be effortlessly watchable and stylish though. Not sure what the point of the film is, except to traumatise germophobes and hypochondriacs, but it's good at that and engaging for everyone else.
More a collection of subplots than an actual narrative, but there are plenty of good moments and strong performances to begin with (maybe not Jude Law's Australian accent, come to think of it). The problem is that Soderbergh sets out to do this seriously, which means that he struggles to build the thing to a proper climax with any real sense of closure: a real pandemic would be horrible, but not apocalyptic in the way it's usually presented in movies and TV shows. Soderbergh can't help but be effortlessly watchable and stylish though. Not sure what the point of the film is, except to traumatise germophobes and hypochondriacs, but it's good at that and engaging for everyone else.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Crazy Rich Asians (2018) in Movies
Jun 7, 2019
Crazily good
I had not expected to like this film, mainly because it's a modern rom-com and most of them turn out to be pretty rubbish - but Crazy Rich Asians however is definitely not one.
It's a rom-com, so I'm afraid to say it is ridiculously predictable but I've yet to see a rom-com that isn't. However in this film it's the getting there that matters. It's funny, witty and full of a surprising amount of heart. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty much in tears by the end. It does drag a little in the middle and could have been cut a little shorter, however it's saved by a very engaging cast. It's so refreshing to see a film cast entirely made up of Asian actors and some very good ones at that. From Michelle Yeoh to Gemma Chan, it's the performances that really make this worth watching. This is probably the best modern rom-com I've seen in a long time, and while it doesn't quite match up to the classics like When Harry Met Sally, it's still a highly entertaining and emotional film.
It's a rom-com, so I'm afraid to say it is ridiculously predictable but I've yet to see a rom-com that isn't. However in this film it's the getting there that matters. It's funny, witty and full of a surprising amount of heart. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty much in tears by the end. It does drag a little in the middle and could have been cut a little shorter, however it's saved by a very engaging cast. It's so refreshing to see a film cast entirely made up of Asian actors and some very good ones at that. From Michelle Yeoh to Gemma Chan, it's the performances that really make this worth watching. This is probably the best modern rom-com I've seen in a long time, and while it doesn't quite match up to the classics like When Harry Met Sally, it's still a highly entertaining and emotional film.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Hot Target (Troubleshooters, #8) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
While many of the books I've read have certainly contained romantic elements or plots, I have never read a book that would actually be categorized as Romance, but one of my best friends loves the genre and so I thought I'd give one a go to see what she's always on about. She recommended I try this particular book and I have to say it was a smart choice for someone new to the genre. The characters are all pretty engaging and the plotline is more than suspenseful enough to keep your interest piqued throughout. Most important perhaps though, is that the romantic entanglements themselves all felt pretty believable. I couldn't help but feel genuinely concerned about their outcomes and was actively rooting for the couples, which I would imagine is a requirement of a truly successful example of the genre. My only complaint would be that some of the dialogue felt a little clunky to me, but that was only occasionally a problem and didn't do anything to detract from my enjoyment of the book. This is a great introduction to the genre for the uninitiated and a must-read for those who are already fans.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) in Movies
Jun 9, 2018
Better than The Last Jedi
Did we really need a Han Solo origin story? Even after watching this I'm not entirely sure.
The cast are fantastic, there are some great performances here and you can't really go wrong when you throw Woody Harrelson into the mix. The film plods along at a fairly decent pace and the plot is engaging, albeit fairly predictable. Some of the dialogue is a bit stilted and the humour seems very misplaced. With l3 it seems like they've tried to add a new version of K2S0 from Rogue One to generate some laughs, but sadly unlike K2S0, L3 just doesn't really work.
I feel like this film is just trying to tick some boxes and cover the Solo basics (how he meets Chewie, Lando, and wins the Falcon), and it seems to gloss over all of these in a few minutes. Far too quickly. As an origin story it should almost show us how Han changes into the person he is in the later films, but it doesn't. You don't see the jaded untrusting cynic he becomes.
Don't get me wrong this film is fairly fun and enjoyable, it's just a little forgettable.
The cast are fantastic, there are some great performances here and you can't really go wrong when you throw Woody Harrelson into the mix. The film plods along at a fairly decent pace and the plot is engaging, albeit fairly predictable. Some of the dialogue is a bit stilted and the humour seems very misplaced. With l3 it seems like they've tried to add a new version of K2S0 from Rogue One to generate some laughs, but sadly unlike K2S0, L3 just doesn't really work.
I feel like this film is just trying to tick some boxes and cover the Solo basics (how he meets Chewie, Lando, and wins the Falcon), and it seems to gloss over all of these in a few minutes. Far too quickly. As an origin story it should almost show us how Han changes into the person he is in the later films, but it doesn't. You don't see the jaded untrusting cynic he becomes.
Don't get me wrong this film is fairly fun and enjoyable, it's just a little forgettable.
HLD (99 KP) rated Thirteen Reasons Why: (TV Tie-in) in Books
Jun 26, 2018
It's engaging (1 more)
As a show - without the b.s. of pretending they care about suicide prevention, it is actually quite good
Mixed feelings about it
As someone who has struggled with suicidal thoughts for over a decade, I cannot say that this show brings any kind of awareness. It is a show; nothing more, nothing less. Don't omit this as the holy grail of mental health advertising, because it isn't.
It is an interesting show with an interesting plot. Too many viewers, and those involved with production, felt the need to blow the meaning of '13 reasons why' out of proportion.
It is not going to shine a light on those in your family that want to take their own life. I would also argue it is not going to influence someone to take their own life.
Not everybody is the same, I know. But I was engaged until the very end, and the urge I have had to end my life was no greater and no lesser after having watched the show.
It is an interesting show with an interesting plot. Too many viewers, and those involved with production, felt the need to blow the meaning of '13 reasons why' out of proportion.
It is not going to shine a light on those in your family that want to take their own life. I would also argue it is not going to influence someone to take their own life.
Not everybody is the same, I know. But I was engaged until the very end, and the urge I have had to end my life was no greater and no lesser after having watched the show.
Leah (: (569 KP) rated Wolves and Roses (Fairy Tales of the Magicorum book 1) in Books
Sep 15, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It follows the story of Bryar Rose a human girl who should be following a Sleeping Beauty life template, however Bryar has different ideas.
This book is not a re telling of Sleeping Beauty it has lots of different elements that make the story unique. The story has quite a few secrets and mysteries which was good as the reveals were often a surprise. The story was quite fast paced which kept it engaging and the ending was not rushed.
I liked Bryar’s character as I found her a realistic teenage girl. She gets a bit boy crazy but not to the point that she loses her character. She likes to ignore/ put off some of her problems and pretend she is normal when things get a bit too crazy. I enjoyed seeing her friendship with Elle as it did show her more mature side.
This book is part of a series so most of Bryar’s story is resolved there is a novella and another book left of Bryar before we move onto Elle’s story. So I imagine the big storyline which effects other characters will still take a while to finish.
This book is not a re telling of Sleeping Beauty it has lots of different elements that make the story unique. The story has quite a few secrets and mysteries which was good as the reveals were often a surprise. The story was quite fast paced which kept it engaging and the ending was not rushed.
I liked Bryar’s character as I found her a realistic teenage girl. She gets a bit boy crazy but not to the point that she loses her character. She likes to ignore/ put off some of her problems and pretend she is normal when things get a bit too crazy. I enjoyed seeing her friendship with Elle as it did show her more mature side.
This book is part of a series so most of Bryar’s story is resolved there is a novella and another book left of Bryar before we move onto Elle’s story. So I imagine the big storyline which effects other characters will still take a while to finish.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Battle of the Sexes (2016) in Movies
Oct 2, 2018
Interesting with some great acting
It's worrying to think that the events in this film happened in the 70s, and whilst a lot of things have changed, these sort of opinions towards women still haven't been completely eradicated. That said, this film does a great job with this particular story and as it's not one i knew much about, I found it really interesting.
Both Emma Stone and Steve Carell are fantastic in this. Carell especially is hilariously bonkers and engaging to watch. The story itself is fairly motivating, if not slightly depressing and disturbing regarding women's rights and treatment. I have no issue with any of the romantic side of this film, and I think knowing the motivations and backstory of the characters helps, however I felt some of the romance side was a little forced and could've been dealt with a little better. This could've been due to the excessive amount of close up camera shots that got a little unnerving after a while.
This is a good interesting film and definitely one to watch, although it's not one you'd ever need a repeat viewing of.
Both Emma Stone and Steve Carell are fantastic in this. Carell especially is hilariously bonkers and engaging to watch. The story itself is fairly motivating, if not slightly depressing and disturbing regarding women's rights and treatment. I have no issue with any of the romantic side of this film, and I think knowing the motivations and backstory of the characters helps, however I felt some of the romance side was a little forced and could've been dealt with a little better. This could've been due to the excessive amount of close up camera shots that got a little unnerving after a while.
This is a good interesting film and definitely one to watch, although it's not one you'd ever need a repeat viewing of.