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Peter Shephard (2822 KP) rated Game Of Thrones - Season 8 in TV
Jun 1, 2019
Mixed ending to the epic
Contains spoilers, click to show
I enjoyed Season 8.
It was a good distance away from the best seasons. I cant actually think of a season I liked less, but it wasnt a BAD season.
The set piece battles were visually amazing (even if the tactics were a bit suspect...), the story was "wrapped up" satisfactorily. It would have benefitted massively from an extra 1 or 2 episodes, even if just to get a sense of the scale of the undertaking - remember in Season 1 it took a month to travel from Kings Landing to Winterfell? Well apart from a fade-to-black and a comment about "three weeks" in the final episode, all the events could have been taking place in neighbouring cities. That's something which S7 and S8 have been guilty of, actually - the sense of scale was horribly lost (a quick marathon to the Wall, warp-speed ravens to Dragonstone, and a dragon flight back up, all within about 12h...?). It was also never explained how so many Dothraki and Unsullied survived the Battle of Winterfell - I have heard people saying that there was a comment that "only half of our forces are at Winterfell; the rest are at Dragonstone" but I've rewatched it and I must have missed it every time. Literally a 10 second clip would have made it all much more acceptable.
It is really unfortunate that S8 (and S7) felt rushed. I fully expect there to be a "viewers cut" on YouTube at some point which reuses scenes from other seasons to make it feel right.
I did enjoy it though.
It was a good distance away from the best seasons. I cant actually think of a season I liked less, but it wasnt a BAD season.
The set piece battles were visually amazing (even if the tactics were a bit suspect...), the story was "wrapped up" satisfactorily. It would have benefitted massively from an extra 1 or 2 episodes, even if just to get a sense of the scale of the undertaking - remember in Season 1 it took a month to travel from Kings Landing to Winterfell? Well apart from a fade-to-black and a comment about "three weeks" in the final episode, all the events could have been taking place in neighbouring cities. That's something which S7 and S8 have been guilty of, actually - the sense of scale was horribly lost (a quick marathon to the Wall, warp-speed ravens to Dragonstone, and a dragon flight back up, all within about 12h...?). It was also never explained how so many Dothraki and Unsullied survived the Battle of Winterfell - I have heard people saying that there was a comment that "only half of our forces are at Winterfell; the rest are at Dragonstone" but I've rewatched it and I must have missed it every time. Literally a 10 second clip would have made it all much more acceptable.
It is really unfortunate that S8 (and S7) felt rushed. I fully expect there to be a "viewers cut" on YouTube at some point which reuses scenes from other seasons to make it feel right.
I did enjoy it though.
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Fight Club (1999) in Movies
Jun 16, 2019
Amazing cast performances in a dark epic
When I first watched Fight Club I had no idea what to expect I just couldn't resist a film starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter and Meat Loaf (!?!) I was very lucky to go into this dark as it really has a powerful plot twist so if you haven’t somehow seen or been told the deal with this film just go watch it now.
Edward Norton stars as a depressed working man who doesn't like his work and gets no sense of satisfaction from it. He starts visiting support groups for patients with terminal diseases so that he'll have people to talk to but he’s not the only weirdo doing this when he spots Marla (Helena Bonham Carter) at several of his support groups and subsequently becomes obsessed with her presence. He also meets another odd individual while on a flight, Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a charming soap salesman. Following a fight between them they become friends and roommates finding the release from fighting to be euphoric they fight more and other men join in, the "fight club." When Tyler and Marla hook up things get complicated with Tyler becoming more and more secretive about his real plans.
This film has a load of great performances but Meat Loaf as Bob a testicular cancer sufferer is pretty special to see. There’s a lot of violence and it’s a pretty dark if humorous in many ways. Norton and Pitt play so well off each other, it's great to watch. The cinematography and soundtrack are amazing, you’ll want to rewatch at least once.
Edward Norton stars as a depressed working man who doesn't like his work and gets no sense of satisfaction from it. He starts visiting support groups for patients with terminal diseases so that he'll have people to talk to but he’s not the only weirdo doing this when he spots Marla (Helena Bonham Carter) at several of his support groups and subsequently becomes obsessed with her presence. He also meets another odd individual while on a flight, Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a charming soap salesman. Following a fight between them they become friends and roommates finding the release from fighting to be euphoric they fight more and other men join in, the "fight club." When Tyler and Marla hook up things get complicated with Tyler becoming more and more secretive about his real plans.
This film has a load of great performances but Meat Loaf as Bob a testicular cancer sufferer is pretty special to see. There’s a lot of violence and it’s a pretty dark if humorous in many ways. Norton and Pitt play so well off each other, it's great to watch. The cinematography and soundtrack are amazing, you’ll want to rewatch at least once.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Paper Towns in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Quentin is a typical high school kid - watching school life from behind the scenes and adoring his neighbor and classmate Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. However, one night Margo pops up in Quentin's window and asks for him to accompany her on a revenge-seeking adventure. They have an epic night and Quentin returns to school the next day, expecting things to have changed. However, Margo never shows up and eventually Quentin realizes she isn't coming back. He finds some supposed clues that lead to her whereabouts and tries to track her down, but suddenly Margo is consuming his entire life.
I'm not exactly sure what I thought about this one. Margo and Quentin's night out was fun to read about, but the book starts to lag after Margo disappears. It seems like Quentin becomes overly obsessed with Margo - to the extreme - and his search takes forever. You never quite realize why Margo is so special. The book picks up at the end, but by then, I was a little jaded.
Also, and this is just my own pet peeve, I dislike reading books after they've already been made into movies, because I can only picture the actors as I read the story, versus my own imagination. Not sure why this bothers me, but it does.
Still, this was a fun story and definitely hilarious at points (I very much love Quentin and his friends), so I think it's worth a read. However, if you're looking to feel as much emotion as say, when reading "The Fault in Our Stars," you'll be a little disappointed.
I'm not exactly sure what I thought about this one. Margo and Quentin's night out was fun to read about, but the book starts to lag after Margo disappears. It seems like Quentin becomes overly obsessed with Margo - to the extreme - and his search takes forever. You never quite realize why Margo is so special. The book picks up at the end, but by then, I was a little jaded.
Also, and this is just my own pet peeve, I dislike reading books after they've already been made into movies, because I can only picture the actors as I read the story, versus my own imagination. Not sure why this bothers me, but it does.
Still, this was a fun story and definitely hilarious at points (I very much love Quentin and his friends), so I think it's worth a read. However, if you're looking to feel as much emotion as say, when reading "The Fault in Our Stars," you'll be a little disappointed.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Black Panther (2018) in Movies
Mar 5, 2018 (Updated Mar 5, 2018)
Cool For Cats
Marvel's latest hotly anticipated superhero epic Black Panther, has arrived. Chadwick Boseman stars as the titular hero and gives a subdued, collected performance, which I didn't expect. The first time that we saw this character was in Civil War and while I understand he was on a revenge quest in that movie, he conveyed an sense of energy that is isn't present in Black Panther. I don't think that this was Chadwick Boseman's decision, but is instead based on what Ryan Coogler's vision of who Black Panther should be.
There are a lot of stand out performances in the film though Michael B Jordan, who is a Coogler movie staple at this point, brings us the best Marvel villain so far, or at the very least, the most believable motivation for doing villainous things that we have seen so far in the MCU. The rest of the cast bring their A game too, including Danai Guira, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Daniel Kaluuya, Forest Whittaker, Martin Freeman and Sterling K Brown.
The costume design and sets where fantastic to look at, but some of the character CGI looked a but too bouncy and unrealistic. I also felt like the movie dragged a bit in the second act. While the soundtrack started off great and added to the excitement of certain scenes in the movie's first act, by around halfway through the movie, I was sick of hearing African drums and chanting.
Overall though, this is a pretty great entry into the MCU and although it isn't Marvel's best ever, it is also definitely not their worst.
There are a lot of stand out performances in the film though Michael B Jordan, who is a Coogler movie staple at this point, brings us the best Marvel villain so far, or at the very least, the most believable motivation for doing villainous things that we have seen so far in the MCU. The rest of the cast bring their A game too, including Danai Guira, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Daniel Kaluuya, Forest Whittaker, Martin Freeman and Sterling K Brown.
The costume design and sets where fantastic to look at, but some of the character CGI looked a but too bouncy and unrealistic. I also felt like the movie dragged a bit in the second act. While the soundtrack started off great and added to the excitement of certain scenes in the movie's first act, by around halfway through the movie, I was sick of hearing African drums and chanting.
Overall though, this is a pretty great entry into the MCU and although it isn't Marvel's best ever, it is also definitely not their worst.
Merissa (13178 KP) rated Waking for Winter (Philadelphia Coven Chronicles #4) in Books
Mar 21, 2018
Waking for Winter (Philadelphia Coven Chronicles #4) by Katherine McIntyre
Waking for Winter is the last book in the Philadelphia Coven Chronicles, and this time we meet up with Cami and Dante. Now, Cami is a character we've met throughout the series, whilst Dante is a fairly new one who popped up in Alanna and Sam's story. Interestingly enough, this couple is also the only one who had a previous relationship with each other, although Cami left for her own reasons. Cami is 'haunted' by her experiences at the hands of the Order of the Serpent, and you realise just how much as the story fills out. Dante will do anything to protect Cami. He still loves her, even though he still doesn't know why she left. In this climatic book, all the previous couples play a part, but the spotlight remains on Cami and Dante.
This has one helluva ending, that definitely leaves you wanting more but strangely satisfied with what you have. The usual high quality of writing flows through this book, a standard I now associate with Katherine McIntyre. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed this book, my favourite of the series has to be Rising for Autumn. However, I would highly recommend you try this series for yourself, and then let me know which is your favourite! An epic ending to a great series that I thoroughly enjoyed. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This has one helluva ending, that definitely leaves you wanting more but strangely satisfied with what you have. The usual high quality of writing flows through this book, a standard I now associate with Katherine McIntyre. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed this book, my favourite of the series has to be Rising for Autumn. However, I would highly recommend you try this series for yourself, and then let me know which is your favourite! An epic ending to a great series that I thoroughly enjoyed. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dana (24 KP) rated Annihilation: Conquest, Book One in Books
Mar 23, 2018
These guys can't catch a break, can they?
So, plot summary: Sentinals are destroying the Kree empire. Starlord (aka Peter Quill), Heather (aka Moondragon, Drax's daughter) and Quasar (aka Phyla-Vell) are saving the Universe with the help of some friends.
We get the origin story for why Peter Quill quit being Starlord which was interesting. He had to kill a world to stop a Herald of Galactus.
I loved seeing the meeting of Groot, Rocket Racoon, and Starlord. I love them in Guardians of the Galaxy, and it's great to see them all as disfunctional and loveable in the comics as they are in the movies.
We were also introduced to Mantis, Captain Universe, Bug, and Shi'ar all of whom I did not know before this comic. They all had to stop an airborne virus beign spread by the Phanlax.
Heather (Moondragon) and Phyla-Vell (Quasar) have to beat an adaptoid working for the Phanlax and is distributing the same virus Starlord and crew had to stop on a Kree planet.
I love that they are a lesbian couple. It is great to see some representation in a popular series.
Moondragon becoming a dragon was epic. And I loved finally getting her whole backstory.
So Moondragon and Quasar had to find the savior, who, of course, is a guy. His name is Adam Warlock who I have no idea who the hell that is. I just wished that it could have been a female as the savior instead of a guy. But hey, it was still good!
Overall, this was a pretty cool comic, and now I have to get the second one.
So, plot summary: Sentinals are destroying the Kree empire. Starlord (aka Peter Quill), Heather (aka Moondragon, Drax's daughter) and Quasar (aka Phyla-Vell) are saving the Universe with the help of some friends.
We get the origin story for why Peter Quill quit being Starlord which was interesting. He had to kill a world to stop a Herald of Galactus.
I loved seeing the meeting of Groot, Rocket Racoon, and Starlord. I love them in Guardians of the Galaxy, and it's great to see them all as disfunctional and loveable in the comics as they are in the movies.
We were also introduced to Mantis, Captain Universe, Bug, and Shi'ar all of whom I did not know before this comic. They all had to stop an airborne virus beign spread by the Phanlax.
Heather (Moondragon) and Phyla-Vell (Quasar) have to beat an adaptoid working for the Phanlax and is distributing the same virus Starlord and crew had to stop on a Kree planet.
I love that they are a lesbian couple. It is great to see some representation in a popular series.
Moondragon becoming a dragon was epic. And I loved finally getting her whole backstory.
So Moondragon and Quasar had to find the savior, who, of course, is a guy. His name is Adam Warlock who I have no idea who the hell that is. I just wished that it could have been a female as the savior instead of a guy. But hey, it was still good!
Overall, this was a pretty cool comic, and now I have to get the second one.
A Great Place to Have a War by Joshua Kurlantzick is a book about the history of Laos. The synopsis caught by eye since I lived and worked in Laos for a year as an English teacher. The book is about the conflict which occurred in Laos roughly during the same period of the Vietnam War. This is an interesting and impressive book, yet depressing. Details the rise of the CIA as a war machine during the Vietnam War, which was fought to a great extent in Laos. It looks at some of people involved in building the war to epic proportions, and then withdrawing, leaving the country to collapse into yet more suffering.
This is a fascinating look at the shadow war in Laos, staged by the CIA, during the Vietnam War. It's an extremely interesting history of the how that war came to be, some of the main people involved in that war, and the rise of the CIA as an organization conducting paramilitary operations, not just spy missions. It also relates the political intrigues of the time, and the fate of Hmong who fought for Laos, and with and for America.
I learned a lot about the history of the conflict itself, and the characters on both sides of the war. This war which has been hidden in the shadows, and the author has given the people involved a chance to have their deeds, or misdeeds aired in the light of day. As with most of the little wars that occurred during the Cold War period, there is a lot of political manoeuvring which occurs in the background.
This is a fascinating look at the shadow war in Laos, staged by the CIA, during the Vietnam War. It's an extremely interesting history of the how that war came to be, some of the main people involved in that war, and the rise of the CIA as an organization conducting paramilitary operations, not just spy missions. It also relates the political intrigues of the time, and the fate of Hmong who fought for Laos, and with and for America.
I learned a lot about the history of the conflict itself, and the characters on both sides of the war. This war which has been hidden in the shadows, and the author has given the people involved a chance to have their deeds, or misdeeds aired in the light of day. As with most of the little wars that occurred during the Cold War period, there is a lot of political manoeuvring which occurs in the background.
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
What would you do if you found out you were the latest in a long line of protectors, sworn to secrecy and to uphold the world as we know it from demonic harm? And you learn all this while still a child. That's what happens in this story, and it's a pretty epic one.
Neil Branch is just a boy one minute, but after meeting a mysterious stranger, he learns that he is destined for far bigger things. He must learn what it means to be the Caomhnoir, the lore that goes with it, and how to protect the world without them every knowing there's something they need to be protected from. Neil becomes career military, and it's during his travels between the last few wars of our time that he picks up on Puck, the one he's meant to destroy. Throughout the novel, we travel back in time to WWII, Korea, and ultimately Vietnam, and we learn along the way how Neil came to be in this position. When the other shoe drops, how will the fight end?
I thought this story was a great trip through history with an awesome paranormal twist. I shared quite a few scenes with my boyfriend, and I found myself on the edge of my seat a few times. The historical aspects are fantastic, the characters are fun, and just the idea behind it is such an interesting one. I would recommend it to paranormal fans, history fans, military fans, and those who like a little world-saving before their afternoon tea. =)
4 1/2 stars
What would you do if you found out you were the latest in a long line of protectors, sworn to secrecy and to uphold the world as we know it from demonic harm? And you learn all this while still a child. That's what happens in this story, and it's a pretty epic one.
Neil Branch is just a boy one minute, but after meeting a mysterious stranger, he learns that he is destined for far bigger things. He must learn what it means to be the Caomhnoir, the lore that goes with it, and how to protect the world without them every knowing there's something they need to be protected from. Neil becomes career military, and it's during his travels between the last few wars of our time that he picks up on Puck, the one he's meant to destroy. Throughout the novel, we travel back in time to WWII, Korea, and ultimately Vietnam, and we learn along the way how Neil came to be in this position. When the other shoe drops, how will the fight end?
I thought this story was a great trip through history with an awesome paranormal twist. I shared quite a few scenes with my boyfriend, and I found myself on the edge of my seat a few times. The historical aspects are fantastic, the characters are fun, and just the idea behind it is such an interesting one. I would recommend it to paranormal fans, history fans, military fans, and those who like a little world-saving before their afternoon tea. =)
4 1/2 stars
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Heaven's Gate (1980) in Movies
Sep 1, 2018
Masterpiece or disaster? I think a little of both.
The controversy around the production, editing, release and financial and critical disaster around Heaven's Gate is long over now. The destruction of director Michael Cimino's career and the almost bankruptcy of United Artists over this film are several of the endless stories you can read about surrounding this western epic, but now it is 38 years later. How does the film stand up?
I'd say pretty darn well.
The essential story is a semi love triangle between a rich sheriff, a lawless brute and a prostitute/madam set against the American west in 1880s Wyoming. The story involves the decision by the government to kill anyone stealing cattle for their own purposes even if it is only to feed their starving family. (Kind of hard to explain). The main characters have to decide which side they are on for the slowly building eventual bloodbath standoff climax.
I had always heard about the film and it's extremes, including its length of almost 4 hours, but had not seen until today.
The movie does quite a bit right, but the shining star is the sprawling vistas depicting the American west including Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. Cimino filmed extensively during the "magic hour" meaning he could only film for a few minutes per day during that few minute period between sunset and night.
The film does go on a bit long, but the payoff is worth the wait and I would still highly recommend any film fan give it a try. You will not be disappointed.
I'd say pretty darn well.
The essential story is a semi love triangle between a rich sheriff, a lawless brute and a prostitute/madam set against the American west in 1880s Wyoming. The story involves the decision by the government to kill anyone stealing cattle for their own purposes even if it is only to feed their starving family. (Kind of hard to explain). The main characters have to decide which side they are on for the slowly building eventual bloodbath standoff climax.
I had always heard about the film and it's extremes, including its length of almost 4 hours, but had not seen until today.
The movie does quite a bit right, but the shining star is the sprawling vistas depicting the American west including Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. Cimino filmed extensively during the "magic hour" meaning he could only film for a few minutes per day during that few minute period between sunset and night.
The film does go on a bit long, but the payoff is worth the wait and I would still highly recommend any film fan give it a try. You will not be disappointed.
Beatriz (138 KP) rated IMVU - #1 3D Avatar Social App in Apps
Nov 24, 2018
Epic Graphics (4 more)
You can play on your laptop, tablet or mobile phone
Doesn’t allow to share pictures so it helps keeping you safe, it only reveals the information you want to reveal
You can have a feed where you post pictures of your avatar (almost like a Facebook page)
You can create and decorate your own room, add music, etc (only available on laptop version)
You pay to have money on the game (the only money you receive that is free is from Daily Spins and it takes quite a long time) (1 more)
The clothes on the game are quite expensive (the cheapest is 300 coins)
IMVU
IMVU is a virtual reality online game.
When you sign in with your email and password you are given initially 4000 coins to start your avatar look.
You can create a bio, speak about yourself, make posts like on Facebook in your profile.
You can also go to rooms of every kind, you can search what language you want the room to be in, the amount of people on it or the type of room you want to go to. (Ex: language- Spanish; 0-6 people; Chill out Room)
You can follow, add people, chat with them in the public room or private message them.
It’s a really good app to make some friends.
When you’re in a room, you can move around and click in poses you want your avatar to be, alone, or with someone else.
You will have a wish list where you can put items you eventually want to buy. Your friends can also gift you things from your wish list and you can do the same.
When you sign in with your email and password you are given initially 4000 coins to start your avatar look.
You can create a bio, speak about yourself, make posts like on Facebook in your profile.
You can also go to rooms of every kind, you can search what language you want the room to be in, the amount of people on it or the type of room you want to go to. (Ex: language- Spanish; 0-6 people; Chill out Room)
You can follow, add people, chat with them in the public room or private message them.
It’s a really good app to make some friends.
When you’re in a room, you can move around and click in poses you want your avatar to be, alone, or with someone else.
You will have a wish list where you can put items you eventually want to buy. Your friends can also gift you things from your wish list and you can do the same.