Search
Search results
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Stuber (2019) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
An action comedy that takes you for a ride.
Kumail Nanjiani hits my funny bone… again.
Like no other genre, comedy is highly personal and one person’s comedy gold is another person’s comedy nightmare (“Mrs Brown’s Boys” anyone?). Similarly there are some comedians that I really engage with and others that really irritate. For me, stand-up comedian Kumail Nanjiani falls into the former category. Although having had bit-part roles in many films over the last ten years, it was his starring role playing… well… basically, himself in “The Big Sick” that first caught my attention. Here he repeats that starring role and delivers a deft performance as the shy and ‘scaredy-cat’ driver making a pick-up he won’t forget in a hurry.
He’s paired here, in an unusual ‘buddy cop’/’not buddy cop’ manner, with “Spectre” bad-guy Dave Bautista, a giant of a man who displays a knack for comic delivery (albeit as the straight man) that I was not expecting.
The seeing-eye Uber man.
Bautista plays cop Vic Manning who is in an obsessive pursuit of bad-guy Oka Tedjo (Iko Uwais). Suffering from increasingly bad eyesight, Manning undergoes laser eye surgery on the very day that the “big tip-off” comes through. Being almost blind, Manning hires (read kidnaps) Stu to be his unwilling partner in a battle that puts Stu as well as Manning’s attractive artist daughter (Natalie Morales) in harm’s way.
There’s comedy to be mined in the blind cop set-up…. it’s similar in some ways to the Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor comedy “See No Evil, Hear No Evil”.
Surprisingly visceral action.
We all know that Bautista can do a good fight scene. That fight onboard a train in “Spectre“, with Daniel Craig‘s Bond, was almost on a par with the famous Connery/Shaw fight in “From Russia With Love”. Here, Bautista gets to brawl with gusto in a few scenes.
In general, the “action” in this “action-comedy” is pretty full-on and entertaining. The opening scenes in particular, with Manning and officer Sara Morris (the ever-watchable Karen Gillan) taking on Tedjo in an upper floor of a high-rise building are exciting and dramatic. This is due in no small part to the acrobatic capabilities of Iko Uwais. (Uwais is an Indonesian champion at the martial art Silat… and it shows).
Slick writing that delivers some great lines.
The script is by Tripper Clancy, with this being his first US film after penning two previous German films. And it really made me laugh a lot, both in terms of some of the set up scenes (one in an animal hospital is particularly funny) and in some of the dialogue. As an example, when pushed to the limit of his stress, Stu wails “So I’m gonna have to get cheap student therapists who quote white guys with Indian names and tell me that I should meditate. I…DO…MEDITATE!!!!”.
Also top-notch is the use of music in the film. A use of the Hollies classic “Air that I breathe” during the above mentioned Animal Hospital scene was brilliant.
Summary
Comedies need to make me laugh. This one did. Repeatedly. It even made the illustrious Mrs Movie Man laugh too. Repeatedly. As such “Stuber” comes with a “recommended” from me.
Like no other genre, comedy is highly personal and one person’s comedy gold is another person’s comedy nightmare (“Mrs Brown’s Boys” anyone?). Similarly there are some comedians that I really engage with and others that really irritate. For me, stand-up comedian Kumail Nanjiani falls into the former category. Although having had bit-part roles in many films over the last ten years, it was his starring role playing… well… basically, himself in “The Big Sick” that first caught my attention. Here he repeats that starring role and delivers a deft performance as the shy and ‘scaredy-cat’ driver making a pick-up he won’t forget in a hurry.
He’s paired here, in an unusual ‘buddy cop’/’not buddy cop’ manner, with “Spectre” bad-guy Dave Bautista, a giant of a man who displays a knack for comic delivery (albeit as the straight man) that I was not expecting.
The seeing-eye Uber man.
Bautista plays cop Vic Manning who is in an obsessive pursuit of bad-guy Oka Tedjo (Iko Uwais). Suffering from increasingly bad eyesight, Manning undergoes laser eye surgery on the very day that the “big tip-off” comes through. Being almost blind, Manning hires (read kidnaps) Stu to be his unwilling partner in a battle that puts Stu as well as Manning’s attractive artist daughter (Natalie Morales) in harm’s way.
There’s comedy to be mined in the blind cop set-up…. it’s similar in some ways to the Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor comedy “See No Evil, Hear No Evil”.
Surprisingly visceral action.
We all know that Bautista can do a good fight scene. That fight onboard a train in “Spectre“, with Daniel Craig‘s Bond, was almost on a par with the famous Connery/Shaw fight in “From Russia With Love”. Here, Bautista gets to brawl with gusto in a few scenes.
In general, the “action” in this “action-comedy” is pretty full-on and entertaining. The opening scenes in particular, with Manning and officer Sara Morris (the ever-watchable Karen Gillan) taking on Tedjo in an upper floor of a high-rise building are exciting and dramatic. This is due in no small part to the acrobatic capabilities of Iko Uwais. (Uwais is an Indonesian champion at the martial art Silat… and it shows).
Slick writing that delivers some great lines.
The script is by Tripper Clancy, with this being his first US film after penning two previous German films. And it really made me laugh a lot, both in terms of some of the set up scenes (one in an animal hospital is particularly funny) and in some of the dialogue. As an example, when pushed to the limit of his stress, Stu wails “So I’m gonna have to get cheap student therapists who quote white guys with Indian names and tell me that I should meditate. I…DO…MEDITATE!!!!”.
Also top-notch is the use of music in the film. A use of the Hollies classic “Air that I breathe” during the above mentioned Animal Hospital scene was brilliant.
Summary
Comedies need to make me laugh. This one did. Repeatedly. It even made the illustrious Mrs Movie Man laugh too. Repeatedly. As such “Stuber” comes with a “recommended” from me.
Kaysee Hood (83 KP) rated Throne of Glass in Books
Jun 27, 2017
Badass female (1 more)
Mystery
She's beauty and grace. She's not sorry at all about your face.
There are quite a few people who look down on Celaena Sardothien as a character because she is a badass woman who is confident in her appearance. She thinks about how she presents herself to the world and has no qualms about declaring her beauty. She comes off as vain, but I found it as a relief after reading so many books where a female character did not realize her worth for whatever reason. It was a nice change to go from a mousy girl who does not believe in herself to Celaena, who does not always believe in herself, but at least knows she is on top of the world.
Throne of Glass has an array of characters who have a purpose. Each one mentioned plays a part in some manner. It may not be in this first book of the series, but they all play a part at some point. No one is unimportant. They weigh on the events unfolding even if it is the smallest of details. They aren't there are fillers, which is wonderful.
As for the very obviously love triangle between Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian I was fine with it. Even if it was a focus, their triangle did not keep from the plot. It was not a distraction and thrown in their for "romance". It actually plays a part for later in the series. In a way, I felt it helped progress the story along and did not keep us from the main focus: rid the kingdom of evil.
Throne of Glass has an array of characters who have a purpose. Each one mentioned plays a part in some manner. It may not be in this first book of the series, but they all play a part at some point. No one is unimportant. They weigh on the events unfolding even if it is the smallest of details. They aren't there are fillers, which is wonderful.
As for the very obviously love triangle between Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian I was fine with it. Even if it was a focus, their triangle did not keep from the plot. It was not a distraction and thrown in their for "romance". It actually plays a part for later in the series. In a way, I felt it helped progress the story along and did not keep us from the main focus: rid the kingdom of evil.
Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Suicide Squad (2016) in Movies
Jul 18, 2017
Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn (2 more)
Will Smith is Actually a Great Deadshot
The Two Seconds Batman is Involved
Weak Story (3 more)
Terrible Villain
PG-13 was an Underwhelming Choice
Most of the Characters are Forgettable
A Half-Assed Suicide (Squad) Attempt
After the success of Deadpool six months prior, an R-Rated anti-hero action movie that pushed the envelope, Suicide Squad just felt weak. The movie about DC's most famous rogues should have took a chance on an R rating as well. There's just something not quite right with these characters participating in a (mostly) family friendly romp. They fight black, faceless zombies, sort-of curse, and sometimes make lame jokes along the way. Along with that, there's too many characters crammed into the movie without any previous introduction or characterization. At the very least, Harley and the Joker should have been in an entire Batman movie before the Suicide Squad movie happened, if not Deadshot as well. Instead we get a miniature helping of Batman versus these foes in the early minutes of the movie, and then this ragtag group of baddies is thrown together to fight an evil bigger than themselves without much in the way of good storytelling. It's sad, really, because these characters are compelling in their own right. If DC really wants to have a cohesive movie universe, they need to slow down and build the movie versions of these characters before slapping them all together and expecting people to care. That, or at least give these awesome anti-heroes an equally awesome antagonist to square off with; the Enchantress is just lame.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated An American Cage in Books
May 10, 2018
Danny Marsh is serving time in a maximum security prison in Texas. His cellmate, Phil Zorn, along with his good friend Monty Montgomery all decide to make an escape from prison and head to Mexico. But, as these things go, the plan did not go as it should and quickly decisions had to be made on the fly. Will the trio make it to Mexico, or will they be caught and forced to spend even more time behind bars?
Thank you to Ted Galdi and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This is the second book I have read by Ted Galdi. His first book, [bc:Elixir|22849611|Elixir|Ted Galdi|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406903898s/22849611.jpg|41253131], was very good as well.
For most of his life Danny Marsh has run from his problems. But one night, he makes a mistake that he can't run from. Even though Danny is only charged with a minor crime, he is sent to a maximum security prison in East Texas. This is not a place Danny is doing well. When his cellmate, Phil come up with the plan for escape, Danny agrees so that he can get out of this place. But Danny learns a lot more about his "friend" once they are on the outside. Taking matters into his own hands, Danny finds a way to make it through the situation his been forced in to, alive.
This book is very hard to put down. I got through it quickly and I could feel myself right there along with Danny trying to find the place between right and wrong and good and evil.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to Ted Galdi and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This is the second book I have read by Ted Galdi. His first book, [bc:Elixir|22849611|Elixir|Ted Galdi|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406903898s/22849611.jpg|41253131], was very good as well.
For most of his life Danny Marsh has run from his problems. But one night, he makes a mistake that he can't run from. Even though Danny is only charged with a minor crime, he is sent to a maximum security prison in East Texas. This is not a place Danny is doing well. When his cellmate, Phil come up with the plan for escape, Danny agrees so that he can get out of this place. But Danny learns a lot more about his "friend" once they are on the outside. Taking matters into his own hands, Danny finds a way to make it through the situation his been forced in to, alive.
This book is very hard to put down. I got through it quickly and I could feel myself right there along with Danny trying to find the place between right and wrong and good and evil.
Highly recommended.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Sleeping Beauty (Five Hundred Kingdoms, #5) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
The title implies that the story told within the pages is about Sleeping Beauty, it's not. While that fairy tale plays a small part, it's not really what the book is about. Featuring many fairy tales and mythical references, a tournament with diverse quests, and of course, magic, THE SLEEPING BEAUTY's main characters are Lily, the Godmother of the kingdom of Eltaria, Rosamund, the princess, and Siegfried, the Norse-like warrior "prince". Of all the characters, Siegfried is the one I got to know the best, who I liked the most, and was fully fleshed out, while Rosamund was flat with no personality; I honestly didn't care what happened to her. Lily was a promising character at the beginning, then she was almost abandoned, her personality lost, and thrown in here and there until the end, which is a shame.
The story was okay, it had its ups and downs. Sometimes it dragged, other times it kept at a brisk pace. Often the humor fell flat but there were a few smile-worthy moments. The "evil" was never fully explained and I never understood why the bad guy did what he did. As for the final confrontation, there didn't seem much to be overcome and it was over in almost an instant. I would have hoped for more of a bang instead of a whimper. The ending itself was pretty much how many people would expect a fairy tale to end, but it was too hurried and too confusing for me. The book is an enjoyable, light afternoon read, but one I'm likely to forget about. Not my favorite of the series by far.
The story was okay, it had its ups and downs. Sometimes it dragged, other times it kept at a brisk pace. Often the humor fell flat but there were a few smile-worthy moments. The "evil" was never fully explained and I never understood why the bad guy did what he did. As for the final confrontation, there didn't seem much to be overcome and it was over in almost an instant. I would have hoped for more of a bang instead of a whimper. The ending itself was pretty much how many people would expect a fairy tale to end, but it was too hurried and too confusing for me. The book is an enjoyable, light afternoon read, but one I'm likely to forget about. Not my favorite of the series by far.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Legacy (Legacy, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
It's unfortunate that the publishers insisted on making Cayla Kluver's age known. I see it mainly as a disheartening marketing ploy that is unfair to her and detracts from her talent. The whole time reading, I thought of her age and wish I hadn't known how young she was. I want her work to speak for itself, not her age, so I've tried to write a fair and accurate review reflecting that.
Miss Kluver has a good grasp of pacing and her imagination is very good. She shows promise and I'm sure her future books will only improve the more she writes. The beginning is a bit shaky, mainly due to detailed descriptions that halt the flow of the book (what I would call "stop and go" writing) and suffered extraneous words and adjectives. This occurs off and on throughout the book, but if you can get past the first sixty to seventy pages, both of these greatly decrease. After that, I got more into the book and was entertained throughout the rest of the story. Princess Alera has a nice balance of contrasts to her and she does well as the main character. Male characters, such as Narnian, London, and Destari, shine more than anyone else and I couldn't help but become fascinated by them. Despite my initial trepidation, I find myself looking forward to the next book featuring these characters and this world. I sincerely hope the sequel delves more into the Cokyris and their side of the story, for I can't help but feel the need for more equality and not the typical "good vs. evil" concept.
3.5 stars
Miss Kluver has a good grasp of pacing and her imagination is very good. She shows promise and I'm sure her future books will only improve the more she writes. The beginning is a bit shaky, mainly due to detailed descriptions that halt the flow of the book (what I would call "stop and go" writing) and suffered extraneous words and adjectives. This occurs off and on throughout the book, but if you can get past the first sixty to seventy pages, both of these greatly decrease. After that, I got more into the book and was entertained throughout the rest of the story. Princess Alera has a nice balance of contrasts to her and she does well as the main character. Male characters, such as Narnian, London, and Destari, shine more than anyone else and I couldn't help but become fascinated by them. Despite my initial trepidation, I find myself looking forward to the next book featuring these characters and this world. I sincerely hope the sequel delves more into the Cokyris and their side of the story, for I can't help but feel the need for more equality and not the typical "good vs. evil" concept.
3.5 stars
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Greenway (Mike Croft, #1) in Books
May 22, 2019
AUGUST 1975: Cassie Malthams life changes forever one scorching day. She and her twelve-year-old cousin Suzie take a shortcut through the Greenway, an ancient pathway steeped in Norfolk legend. Somewhere along this path Suzie simply vanishes . . .
TWENTY YEARS LATER: Cassie is still tormented by nightmares, parts of her memory completely erased. With her husband Fergus and friends Anna and Simon, she returns to Norfolk, determined to confront her fears and solve a mystery that wont let her rest.
Then another young girl goes missing at the entrance to the Greenway, and Cassie is pushed once more into the darkest recesses of her mind.
John Tynan, the retired detective whod been in charge of Suzies case, is still haunted by her disappearance. He offers his help to Detective Inspector Mike Croft who is leading the increasingly frantic search for the missing child. Has evil returned? And what really happened all those years ago and who can be believed?
First time for me reading this author and it wont be last. The Greenway is a kind of pathway that connects two large empty fields.
This is a gripping mystery story.
A genuinely scary, psychological thriller.
I enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot. I enjoyed the story and the building of the characters.
This book was published originally in 1995, and is now being repackaged and republished now.
Very enjoyable and I am pleased to see there are another three Mike Croft books already published.
Recommend reading!
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Jane Adams for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
TWENTY YEARS LATER: Cassie is still tormented by nightmares, parts of her memory completely erased. With her husband Fergus and friends Anna and Simon, she returns to Norfolk, determined to confront her fears and solve a mystery that wont let her rest.
Then another young girl goes missing at the entrance to the Greenway, and Cassie is pushed once more into the darkest recesses of her mind.
John Tynan, the retired detective whod been in charge of Suzies case, is still haunted by her disappearance. He offers his help to Detective Inspector Mike Croft who is leading the increasingly frantic search for the missing child. Has evil returned? And what really happened all those years ago and who can be believed?
First time for me reading this author and it wont be last. The Greenway is a kind of pathway that connects two large empty fields.
This is a gripping mystery story.
A genuinely scary, psychological thriller.
I enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot. I enjoyed the story and the building of the characters.
This book was published originally in 1995, and is now being repackaged and republished now.
Very enjoyable and I am pleased to see there are another three Mike Croft books already published.
Recommend reading!
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Jane Adams for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Gods Of Egypt (2016) in Movies
Feb 10, 2018 (Updated Feb 10, 2018)
Set Piece Defence
Not-quite-as-bad-as-its-reputation knockabout fantasy that does a serious number on the wonders of Egyptian mythology. Evil god Set (Gerard Butler in shouty mode) takes over the kingdom and sets about harvesting the signature body-parts of his fellow immortals; hapless mortal Brenton Thwaites must persuade wronged heir-to-the-throne Horus (Nicolaj Coster-Waldau) to help get rid of him.
Well, the plot is nothing special and the film often seems to be on the verge of sending itself up, but on the other hand it's visually interesting and the choice to treat the weirder bits of Egyptian mythology as being literally true (boss-god Ra is obliged to drag the sun around the Earth every day, on a length of chain attached to the back of his flying boat) means the story is at least a bit different.
You can, I suppose, complain that none of the people playing Egyptians in this film are actually Egyptian; many did, and I suppose I must have missed them complaining in a similar vein when Japanese and coloured actors were cast as inhabitants of Scandinavian fantasyland in the Thor movies. But c'mon, guys, it's a film about Gerard Butler in a flying space chariot pulled by giant beetles - it is possible to take this sort of thing a bit too seriously. (I look forward to retiring to my bunker and listening to the flaming-torch-wielding mob as they mill around outside.)
Anyway, not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, but hardly terrible, either, and at least it is pleasing to the eye and has a certain novelty.
Well, the plot is nothing special and the film often seems to be on the verge of sending itself up, but on the other hand it's visually interesting and the choice to treat the weirder bits of Egyptian mythology as being literally true (boss-god Ra is obliged to drag the sun around the Earth every day, on a length of chain attached to the back of his flying boat) means the story is at least a bit different.
You can, I suppose, complain that none of the people playing Egyptians in this film are actually Egyptian; many did, and I suppose I must have missed them complaining in a similar vein when Japanese and coloured actors were cast as inhabitants of Scandinavian fantasyland in the Thor movies. But c'mon, guys, it's a film about Gerard Butler in a flying space chariot pulled by giant beetles - it is possible to take this sort of thing a bit too seriously. (I look forward to retiring to my bunker and listening to the flaming-torch-wielding mob as they mill around outside.)
Anyway, not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, but hardly terrible, either, and at least it is pleasing to the eye and has a certain novelty.
Sarah Lebaigue (1 KP) rated Dunkirk (2017) in Movies
Jan 27, 2018
Acting and script work was on point (2 more)
Costume and set design were perfect
Sound design and score kept my heart racing
Kept my heart racing from beginning to end
Dunkirk is a thrilling film that deserves the Oscar nomination that it has. Nolan has created a masterpiece using time and music to create an intensity that I have never felt before as a movie goer. The film used similar events at different times to mirror one another elegantly.
My heart was always in my throat. I cared about the characters and had a strong connection to the story. I am not a nationalist kind of person by any means, and this film made me ever so proud to be British. With stunning performances from this amazing cast, which made it a group performance without any star or lead actor.
Dunkirk handles the topics of war, death and desperation perfectly and with no nods to Germany or to anything related to the German socialist group. By making the film all about the British characters point of view and removing the name and enemy out of view was a beautiful decision. By this point in time we know about the world wars in depthly and there are many films that talk about it. But this is the first film that doesn’t harp on about the Germans being evil. It was a gorgeous film and one I wish I could see in cinema again, as it’s sound design and cinematography deserved a larger screen.
My heart was always in my throat. I cared about the characters and had a strong connection to the story. I am not a nationalist kind of person by any means, and this film made me ever so proud to be British. With stunning performances from this amazing cast, which made it a group performance without any star or lead actor.
Dunkirk handles the topics of war, death and desperation perfectly and with no nods to Germany or to anything related to the German socialist group. By making the film all about the British characters point of view and removing the name and enemy out of view was a beautiful decision. By this point in time we know about the world wars in depthly and there are many films that talk about it. But this is the first film that doesn’t harp on about the Germans being evil. It was a gorgeous film and one I wish I could see in cinema again, as it’s sound design and cinematography deserved a larger screen.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Black Panther (2018) in Movies
Mar 10, 2018 (Updated Mar 10, 2018)
Strong representation for a change
Hooray for Hollywood for finally making a film in which black people are portrayed as strong and advanced individuals, and more strikingly - an alternative vision of an Africa uncolonised.
In comparison to the other representative blockbuster @Wonder Woman (2017), Black Panther had a less two dimensional villain, and a more developed plot.
Instead of an evil Nazi general or a God of War, who have no other reason to destroy humanity but for the sake of it, Killimonger, played by Michael B. Jordan, is understandably troubled living in destitute conditions as an African American fighting an oppressive system.
His anger manifests in his sense of entitlement, of a life that was stolen from him, and feeling betrayed by those in power who could have rescued him. It is similar to the relationship between Professor X and Magneto in the X-Men series where there is still a deep respect between the two and the attempt to solve humanity's problems in differing ways. Here, Marvel continues to excel in story-telling where DC falls behind.
T'challa is also fallible, he is human after all, and so he shows his vulnerability during one-on-one combats, unlike Wonder Woman who is an all powerful weapon to fight the gods. Here, the women in Black Panther surpass other superhero movies as generals, warriors and activists with more than a love interest type role, although some characters played both.
And while I'm not actually a massive fan of the genre - it is a cultural feat to watch diversity on the screens, which is why I'll continue to like Wonder Woman, while profoundly admiring Black Panther. #WakandaForever
In comparison to the other representative blockbuster @Wonder Woman (2017), Black Panther had a less two dimensional villain, and a more developed plot.
Instead of an evil Nazi general or a God of War, who have no other reason to destroy humanity but for the sake of it, Killimonger, played by Michael B. Jordan, is understandably troubled living in destitute conditions as an African American fighting an oppressive system.
His anger manifests in his sense of entitlement, of a life that was stolen from him, and feeling betrayed by those in power who could have rescued him. It is similar to the relationship between Professor X and Magneto in the X-Men series where there is still a deep respect between the two and the attempt to solve humanity's problems in differing ways. Here, Marvel continues to excel in story-telling where DC falls behind.
T'challa is also fallible, he is human after all, and so he shows his vulnerability during one-on-one combats, unlike Wonder Woman who is an all powerful weapon to fight the gods. Here, the women in Black Panther surpass other superhero movies as generals, warriors and activists with more than a love interest type role, although some characters played both.
And while I'm not actually a massive fan of the genre - it is a cultural feat to watch diversity on the screens, which is why I'll continue to like Wonder Woman, while profoundly admiring Black Panther. #WakandaForever