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Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019)
Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019)
2019 | Adventure, Family
The trailer for Dora looked like fun but I went in cautious, luckily I came out having really enjoyed myself. Dora is the step before the new Jumanji films, it's packed with fun daft stuff and it's difficult to hold anything against it.

Dora and her parents live in the jungle where they can explore and learn about everything around them. When her best friend Diego leaves for the city she's left with only Boots, a cheeky monkey, to go on a daily adventure with.

Years later after a breakthrough with their research Dora's parents send her to stay with Diego and his family in the city as they go off looking for their lost Inca civilisation. High school is a bit like a jungle, but not like the one Dora is used to, she muddles through the best she can trying to stay positive.

When the school goes on a field trip to the museum Dora and her friends get cornered by a strange group of people and trapped in a packing crate headed back to the jungle. Dora isn't the only one wanting to know where her parents are, this group of mercenaries are after them too, and the treasure.

Something great about Dora And The Lost City Of Gold is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. The TV series was after my time but it's one of those things you still know about. I was pre-worried about the terrible animation on Boots, it didn't exactly look ground-breaking in the trailer, but once the cute little thing got going I didn't really care. Obviously there are lots of things that happen in the cartoon that don't really lend themselves to the big screen. Possibly the most amusing one is Dora breaking the fourth wall to ask if we can say "delicioso", the reaction from everyone in the scene is hilarious and I'm impressed they decided to do it that way.

Isabela Moner made an excellent impression earlier this year in Instant Family and seeing her name on this was brilliant. The age difference to the show makes sense and I love the way they handled it. There's infectious enthusiasm that it was difficult not to succumb to. Having to act with things that aren't there is incredibly difficult to do realistically but you wouldn't know it to watch her in this.

Dora's parents are played by Michael Peña and Eva Longoria, it seems like an odd pairing but they were really fun together. You know I love Michael Peña, and he's so goofy and fun in this that it made me very happy. His extended rave music piece was thankfully better than the short clip in the trailer. Eva Longoria was much more down to earth and sensible and the dynamic between them worked really well.

The film managed to incorporate the cartoon in quite a fun way. I'm not sure how they expect parents to explain what happened but that's not my problem so I'm purely entertained by it all. I briefly mentioned the animation of Boots, it's not good but the character is amusing, Swiper the fox has a similar animation issue. He's more annoying to watch and see other characters interact with him, but a fox that talks and walks on his hind legs isn't going to be great in this style of film whatever way you try.

Dora And The Lost City Of Gold really feels like it brings together all the values that the show tries to put across, friendship, learning and good behaviour. It has captured it all in a bright and engaging format while keeping the content amusing and suitable for everyone. I'm very pleased I got to see this it's one of the more amusing releases this year.

Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/08/dora-and-lost-city-of-gold-movie-review.html
  
Monopoly Deal Card Game
Monopoly Deal Card Game
2008 | Card Game, Economic
Yep. You read that correctly. This is a review of Monopoly Deal. Classic Monopoly gets a bad rap from almost all gamers, and I know we are all tired of saying, “No, not like Monopoly” when asked about our gaming hobby. But how does this card version of the game hold up? Is it any better than the original, or is it still destined for the “To Sell” pile?


Monopoly Deal is a game of hand management, set collection, and take that as players are trying to collect 3 complete property sets. Setup is simple – shuffle the deck of cards and deal 5 to each player, put the remaining cards in a draw pile, and determine the starting player. On your turn, you will complete 3 steps: draw 2 cards, play up to 3 cards, and discard your hand down to 7 cards if necessary. Play then continues clockwise to the next player. There are 3 different ways in which you can play your cards. You can play money into your bank, add properties to your collection, or play action cards to the center of the table. Action cards allow you to do things like charge opponents rent or draw additional cards. The game ends once a player has completed 3 complete property sets. Be the first to do so, and you are the winner!
I know you’re dying to get to the point – is this card game any good? I do have to admit that it has its good points. The game is easy to learn and fast to play. One of the worst parts of the board game version is that it feels like it takes an eternity to play. As a card game, the flow is faster and that makes it more engaging for all players the entire time. The rules are simple and clear, and there is no ambiguity as to how different cards work. Don’t want a property? Just don’t play it! There’s no need to send it to auction like in the board game, just discard it when you get a chance. This card game version simplifies the board game in a way that makes it enjoyable.


The biggest downside for me regarding Monopoly Deal is that this game is based mostly on the luck of the draw. It is very difficult to create a strategy because you are at the mercy of your hand of cards. No matter how hard you try, or how adept you are at strategy games, if the deck of cards is working against you, it is very difficult to bounce back. Another part of this game that I do not like is the take that aspect. I’ve said it before, I do not enjoy direct confrontation in games. I can be pretty competitive and I begin to take things personally, which makes the game fun for nobody. This game can get pretty cutthroat, and because of the large luck element, it can feel unbalanced and unfair. Parts of it feel kind of Munchkin-y to me, and it brings down my enjoyment factor.
For such a light and luck-based game, Monopoly Deal really has a little more to it than meets the eye. Is it better than the board game version? In my opinion, yes. I would much rather play the card game than the board game. That being said, I reserve this game more for a filler game or an introductory game for newer gamers – it’s not one that I am dying to pull out at every opportunity. Should you give it a try? That’s ultimately up to you, but I think you might be surprised with this game. Overall, Purple Phoenix Games gives Monopoly Deal a 6 / 12.