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The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes
10.0
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Book
The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle are the complete adventures of the...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Captain Marvel (2019) in Movies
Jul 3, 2020
Hate It or Love It: Captain Marvel Has Arrived - 8/10
Captain Marvel is a 2019 superhero action/sci-fi movie based on the Marvel Comics character Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. It was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The movie was written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, with the screenplay also being contributed on by Geneva Robertson-Dworet. Starring Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jude Law.
On planet Hala, the capital of the Kree Empire, a female warrior named Vers/Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) suffers from nightmares involving a woman she doesn't recognize. She doesn't remember much from before her time on Hala. With assistance from her commander and mentor, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), she's learning to control her powers and emotions during battle as is the Kree way. Her unit, Starforce, are given a mission to rescue an undercover Kree operative who might be compromised by enemies called the Skrull, a race of shape-shifting aliens. They must act quickly or the information the operative has will fall into the wrong hands. During the mission things don't go well and Vers/Captain Marvel is captured by the Skrulls who use a device to scour her memories which include the lady from her nightmares. She learns the woman's name is Dr. Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening), and that her memories from her past suggest that she has spent some time on Earth. She is escapes to Earth 1995, where she must find the woman and the secrets to her past.
This movie was pretty awesome. I really liked it and enjoyed it very much. I thought it went by smoothly and the writers had a clear plot, but might not be the most engaging for some people. I know this movie got a lot of hate before it even came out but honestly I didn't see a lot to complain about. Yes it is empowering for females but I didn't feel like it was forced; save for maybe a couple of scenes. It was rated PG-13 so some of the themes might be beyond what children can fully understand but definitely a good fit for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I really like the chemistry between Captain Marvel and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). To me there was an exclusively entertaining character in the Skrull Talos (Ben Mendelsohn). He was a pleasant surprise and pretty funny. I thought the casting was very well too, even for the supporting characters like other Kree, Skrulls, and even Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers b.f.f. Movie was generally fun and pretty action-packed. I give it an 8/10.
On planet Hala, the capital of the Kree Empire, a female warrior named Vers/Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) suffers from nightmares involving a woman she doesn't recognize. She doesn't remember much from before her time on Hala. With assistance from her commander and mentor, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), she's learning to control her powers and emotions during battle as is the Kree way. Her unit, Starforce, are given a mission to rescue an undercover Kree operative who might be compromised by enemies called the Skrull, a race of shape-shifting aliens. They must act quickly or the information the operative has will fall into the wrong hands. During the mission things don't go well and Vers/Captain Marvel is captured by the Skrulls who use a device to scour her memories which include the lady from her nightmares. She learns the woman's name is Dr. Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening), and that her memories from her past suggest that she has spent some time on Earth. She is escapes to Earth 1995, where she must find the woman and the secrets to her past.
This movie was pretty awesome. I really liked it and enjoyed it very much. I thought it went by smoothly and the writers had a clear plot, but might not be the most engaging for some people. I know this movie got a lot of hate before it even came out but honestly I didn't see a lot to complain about. Yes it is empowering for females but I didn't feel like it was forced; save for maybe a couple of scenes. It was rated PG-13 so some of the themes might be beyond what children can fully understand but definitely a good fit for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I really like the chemistry between Captain Marvel and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). To me there was an exclusively entertaining character in the Skrull Talos (Ben Mendelsohn). He was a pleasant surprise and pretty funny. I thought the casting was very well too, even for the supporting characters like other Kree, Skrulls, and even Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers b.f.f. Movie was generally fun and pretty action-packed. I give it an 8/10.
NAMOO - Wonders of Plant Life
Education and Book
App
Smart toys can make science exciting! NAMOO is a fun, engaging exploration of the life of plants....
Brain Play
Games and Music
App
Brain Play is a free app that introduces Morphonix’s NeuroPlay Adventures series. You meet...
Foul Play on Words
Book
Between a kidnapping, a double booking, and a crew of hapless volunteers, Charlee is worried the...
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The Sinner - Season 1 in TV
Nov 24, 2017 (Updated Nov 25, 2017)
Not as good as expected
I finished watching this series a couple of weeks ago and to be honest I have mixed feelings about it. It surrounds the story of an average housewife, played by Jessica Biel, who one day mysteriously snaps while on the beach with her husband and young son, and ends up stabbing a man to death. While investigating the case, Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) becomes increasingly obsessed with finding out why exactly she carried out such an unprovoked attack, probing further into her psyche and revealing very dark and tormented secrets.
The premise is engaging, and the first few episodes quickly begin uncovering bits of her past. But by the fourth episode, there seems to be a lull, as if the director may have exposed too much in the first three chapters, and it begins to dip in terms of interesting content.
By the end, it is explosive, with very little build-up - and to be fair it may have gone slightly too far, appearing hyperbolic to the extreme. The problem was that when it became unappealing in the middle of the series, it was difficult to stay completely captivated until the end. Pullman's character was quite lecherous, as if the only reason he cared was because he found Biel's docile persona attractive.
Would I watch it again? Probably not - there are far better psychological crime shows such @True Detective - Season 1, that seem more carefully and thoughtfully produced.
The premise is engaging, and the first few episodes quickly begin uncovering bits of her past. But by the fourth episode, there seems to be a lull, as if the director may have exposed too much in the first three chapters, and it begins to dip in terms of interesting content.
By the end, it is explosive, with very little build-up - and to be fair it may have gone slightly too far, appearing hyperbolic to the extreme. The problem was that when it became unappealing in the middle of the series, it was difficult to stay completely captivated until the end. Pullman's character was quite lecherous, as if the only reason he cared was because he found Biel's docile persona attractive.
Would I watch it again? Probably not - there are far better psychological crime shows such @True Detective - Season 1, that seem more carefully and thoughtfully produced.
Paganfire (19 KP) rated LEGO Marvel Super Heroes in Video Games
Aug 10, 2017
Save the World LEGO Marvel Superheroes!
I've been playing this one for a couple of weeks now and have honestly enjoyed this entry in the LEGO-verse. Played about 50+ hours now and still have around 15 to 18% to do (don't have my game up or I'd give the exact percentage).
The story line itself is very engaging and it's own creature (in other words it is not following a movie or book, it is it's own stand alone story.) There are over 100 characters to gain throughout the story and free roam. Deadpool's Red Brick chapters were a delight if a bit simple.
Biggest complaint is the game mechanics where it comes to the races in the game. I've only managed a meager three or four of the twenty plus available and that is due to sheer luck. As of this moment I am not sure I will 100% this LEGO entry and it is totally due to the races.
Overall, even with the races being such a hassle, I've really enjoyed running around town as the various characters. They have the more common notable heroes and villains as well as some not so common characters (IE: Squirrel Girl). With the multitude of available characters very few overlap so it is very refreshing to actually have to use almost everyone for something (be it a maze, race, free play, etc).
The story line itself is very engaging and it's own creature (in other words it is not following a movie or book, it is it's own stand alone story.) There are over 100 characters to gain throughout the story and free roam. Deadpool's Red Brick chapters were a delight if a bit simple.
Biggest complaint is the game mechanics where it comes to the races in the game. I've only managed a meager three or four of the twenty plus available and that is due to sheer luck. As of this moment I am not sure I will 100% this LEGO entry and it is totally due to the races.
Overall, even with the races being such a hassle, I've really enjoyed running around town as the various characters. They have the more common notable heroes and villains as well as some not so common characters (IE: Squirrel Girl). With the multitude of available characters very few overlap so it is very refreshing to actually have to use almost everyone for something (be it a maze, race, free play, etc).
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Girl on Fire in Books
May 7, 2018
Addictive reading
"I woke up and the world was gone.
All was silent, all was black, the darkness so complete that it was as if all the light had been drained from the world."
Those are the dramatic opening lines to this book which had me hooked and eating up the pages as if my life depended on it.
Mr Parsons writes with grit, authenticity and humanity which I find very addictive and although Max isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, he is a very engaging character that I love getting to know a little more with each outing.
I must admit that there were times when I felt reality was ignored for the sake of the story (i.e. missed suspects which, in my opinion, were glaringly obvious) but I just put them to one side and continued to enjoy the ride on Mr Parsons' roller-coaster because, after all, this isn't a true story although the subject matter certainly is unfortunately.
Although this can be read as a standalone, I would very much recommend you read the others in the series as this will give more depth and understanding to the main characters and will enhance the whole reading experience.
I would highly recommend this series and Tony Parsons as a great British author and would like to thank the publisher, Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for my copy in return for an impartial review.
All was silent, all was black, the darkness so complete that it was as if all the light had been drained from the world."
Those are the dramatic opening lines to this book which had me hooked and eating up the pages as if my life depended on it.
Mr Parsons writes with grit, authenticity and humanity which I find very addictive and although Max isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, he is a very engaging character that I love getting to know a little more with each outing.
I must admit that there were times when I felt reality was ignored for the sake of the story (i.e. missed suspects which, in my opinion, were glaringly obvious) but I just put them to one side and continued to enjoy the ride on Mr Parsons' roller-coaster because, after all, this isn't a true story although the subject matter certainly is unfortunately.
Although this can be read as a standalone, I would very much recommend you read the others in the series as this will give more depth and understanding to the main characters and will enhance the whole reading experience.
I would highly recommend this series and Tony Parsons as a great British author and would like to thank the publisher, Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for my copy in return for an impartial review.
Becca Major (96 KP) rated The Greatest Showman (2017) in Movies
Apr 12, 2018
THE MUSIC (5 more)
The acting
The energy
The sets/enviornment/colors/costumes
Charity, Lettie, and Phillip
Not falling into cheating husband plot
Not historically accurate, but I didn't expect it to be (2 more)
Most characters are flat
Plot is pretty standard
Amazing Experience
Watching "The Greatest Showman" is a wonderful viewing experience, full of life and energy. You can tell with every shot that the creators of the movie wanted to make something amazing. The music is fantastic, the characters (well, the important ones anyway) are engaging and empathetic, and the costumes and sets are beautiful to look at. Truly, it is one of my favorite movies, and I am so happy to finally own it.
However, even I can admit that there are issues. While I am aware that it is not historically accurate, I don't particularly care that much because I didn't expect it to be a perfect biopic (and most biopics stretch the truth anyway). And, if nothing else, this lack of historical accuracy makes me want to research the actual history. I can also admit that the story is lacking, there is a lot going on. The three main threads are Phineas trying to become rich and achieve his dreams, the drama between Phillip and Anne, and the plight of the circus cast. These three problems don't gel very well narratively, and Phineas' story totally eclipses that of the other two, making them feel rushed.
However, even I can admit that there are issues. While I am aware that it is not historically accurate, I don't particularly care that much because I didn't expect it to be a perfect biopic (and most biopics stretch the truth anyway). And, if nothing else, this lack of historical accuracy makes me want to research the actual history. I can also admit that the story is lacking, there is a lot going on. The three main threads are Phineas trying to become rich and achieve his dreams, the drama between Phillip and Anne, and the plight of the circus cast. These three problems don't gel very well narratively, and Phineas' story totally eclipses that of the other two, making them feel rushed.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Sixth Surrender in Books
Feb 15, 2019
After much struggle, I made it to the halfway point (page 257 of 468) and just cannot go on. There seems to be too much going on and I'm still uncertain what the main plot is. Political intrigue? Possibly a romance between Juliana and Guérin? Although how that would ever happen is beyond me, seeing as their animosity towards each other isn't the hate-to-love you see in other books. This is real hatred. The book has moments where the passages are well-written and engaging, though they're few and far between, so I think the author does have potential. However, something about the book just isn't holding my attention or interest, and it doesn't help that Juliana is an irritating little mouse (Guérin calls her "mouse" repeatedly) who's rather stupid. Guérin isn't much better, he's a donkey, but at least he's interesting and not half as annoying. Perhaps if I knew where in the world the plot was actually going, I might have been able to carry on, but there are way too many plots that seem to be going in all sorts of directions and it's just a mess. I'm unsure who the target audience is for this: readers who know next to nothing of the history of this time or those who do, I'm not certain either would end up happy.
So will I pick this up and try again in the future? I doubt it.
So will I pick this up and try again in the future? I doubt it.