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Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Road to Reckoning in Books
Dec 17, 2018
My rating: 2.5.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>The Road to Reckoning</i> is British author Robert Lautner’s debut western-style novel. Set in the 1830s it follows a young boy’s long journey home through the open lands of America.
Tom Walker, now an elderly (or so it suggests) man, is giving an account of what happened to him during the year 1837 when “my life began” at the age of twelve. Tom’s father was a salesman who often let his son accompany him on his trips to sell spectacles. So when he receives the opportunity to pitch a new type of pistol known as a revolving gun for Samuel Colt at the <i>Patent Arms Manufacturing Company</i>, he brings Tom with him on the road. Originally living in New York they set out on a journey of many miles over several days demonstrating and taking orders for the pistol. However a dangerous encounter with a man, Thomas, Heywood, and his gang leaves Tom alone and orphaned.
There are two main characters to this story with Tom naturally being one of them. The other is an aging ranger named Henry Stands who Tom insists on following as he is travelling in the direction of New York and Tom’s home. To begin with Stands is very reluctant to have Tom tailing him on his journey especially as it becomes evident that he would have to provide for the boy. Stands ends up abandoning him but has a change of heart and returns in time to prevent Tom from being sent to St John’s Orphan Asylum.
And so their journey continues with Stands becoming kinder and even fatherly towards Tom, saving his life on more than one occasion; and Tom becoming all the more bolder. However the entire time is the fear and knowledge that Thomas Heywood is searching for Tom with the intention of leaving him in the same situation as his father – dead.
I have not read many western-style novels, and those that I have read I did not enjoy much, but <i>The Road to Reckoning</i> was better than I was anticipating. The main character being only twelve years old made the storyline more emotional especially when taking into account the death of his father and his growing attachment to Henry Stands.
The novel was well written and, although fictional, had an essence of factual truth about it. Samuel Colt was a real life American inventor who founded the <i>Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company</i>, which produced the revolver for commercial use. The blurb claims that fans of <i>Cold Mountain</i> and <i>True Grit</i>, neither of which I have read, would enjoy this story. Obviously I cannot give my opinion on that but I would say that to get the most out of reading <i>The Road to Reckoning</i> having an interest in western-style literature would be beneficial.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>The Road to Reckoning</i> is British author Robert Lautner’s debut western-style novel. Set in the 1830s it follows a young boy’s long journey home through the open lands of America.
Tom Walker, now an elderly (or so it suggests) man, is giving an account of what happened to him during the year 1837 when “my life began” at the age of twelve. Tom’s father was a salesman who often let his son accompany him on his trips to sell spectacles. So when he receives the opportunity to pitch a new type of pistol known as a revolving gun for Samuel Colt at the <i>Patent Arms Manufacturing Company</i>, he brings Tom with him on the road. Originally living in New York they set out on a journey of many miles over several days demonstrating and taking orders for the pistol. However a dangerous encounter with a man, Thomas, Heywood, and his gang leaves Tom alone and orphaned.
There are two main characters to this story with Tom naturally being one of them. The other is an aging ranger named Henry Stands who Tom insists on following as he is travelling in the direction of New York and Tom’s home. To begin with Stands is very reluctant to have Tom tailing him on his journey especially as it becomes evident that he would have to provide for the boy. Stands ends up abandoning him but has a change of heart and returns in time to prevent Tom from being sent to St John’s Orphan Asylum.
And so their journey continues with Stands becoming kinder and even fatherly towards Tom, saving his life on more than one occasion; and Tom becoming all the more bolder. However the entire time is the fear and knowledge that Thomas Heywood is searching for Tom with the intention of leaving him in the same situation as his father – dead.
I have not read many western-style novels, and those that I have read I did not enjoy much, but <i>The Road to Reckoning</i> was better than I was anticipating. The main character being only twelve years old made the storyline more emotional especially when taking into account the death of his father and his growing attachment to Henry Stands.
The novel was well written and, although fictional, had an essence of factual truth about it. Samuel Colt was a real life American inventor who founded the <i>Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company</i>, which produced the revolver for commercial use. The blurb claims that fans of <i>Cold Mountain</i> and <i>True Grit</i>, neither of which I have read, would enjoy this story. Obviously I cannot give my opinion on that but I would say that to get the most out of reading <i>The Road to Reckoning</i> having an interest in western-style literature would be beneficial.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Call Me by Your Name (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Of lazy Italian summer nights.
It took me two sittings on different transatlantic flights to get through Luca Guadagnino’s much vaunted coming of age film. And I accept that this piecemeal approach might not have enhanced my opinion of the movie. Because I’m going to upset some of you who claimed it to be your “film of the year” last year. While I enjoyed it, it certainly didn’t grab me like that.
What I will admit is that the film is gloriously sun-drenched and atmospheric, set as it is in the countryside around Crema in northern Italy. Shut your eyes and you can almost smell the olive trees and the bolognese simmering on the stove.
You have to hand it to them: the film just reeks of Italian class.
The story, set in 1983, concerns the 17 year-old musical prodigy Elio (Timothée Chalamet, “Lady Bird“, “Interstellar“) who, with his good looks, has the opportunity to seduce his fair share of Italian babes, specifically the gorgeous Marzia (Esther Garrel) who has the hots for him. Although not one to look a gift vagina in the mouth, Elio is sexually conflicted and finds himself increasingly drawn, romantically, to the dashing and cock-sure 24-year old American visitor Oliver (Armie Hammer, “Free Fire“, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.“): a feeling that is, initially, reluctantly returned.
Love unrequited. Lady in red Marzia (Esther Garrel) – will she be eventually told to get on her bike?
The Oscar-winning screenplay by James Ivory (he of Merchant and Ivory production fame) is rich and deep with lines that roll off the actors’ tongues like syrup. The action also includes the most inappropriate use of foodstuffs since “American Pie” (and presumably that went in the bin afterwards!).
Family times around the dinner table can get exceptionally loud.
The drama is slow and drawn-out, so action-film fans will be asleep within the first 30 minutes. That wasn’t a problem for me…. it is a film in which you can really soak up the atmosphere. And it exquisitely explores the genuine pain of first love.
The pain of first love.
But what I’m afraid I really couldn’t relate to was Elio’s action about half-way through the film. In the main, he acts as a typically introspective and sensitive teenager, slightly awkward and bashful in approaching sexual matters. But then in a pivotal scene he makes a daring move which – to me – seemed completely out of character. This rather threw me, and I never really got my equilibrium back with the movie after that.
Elio and Oliver…. with Elio about to do something out of character.
It’s no doubt a finely crafted film. The sex scenes are beautifully shot and could never be accused of veering towards the pornographic. But I’m honestly not sure it’s a film that gripped me enough to seek it out to watch again in the future. (Sorry CMBYN lovers!)
What I will admit is that the film is gloriously sun-drenched and atmospheric, set as it is in the countryside around Crema in northern Italy. Shut your eyes and you can almost smell the olive trees and the bolognese simmering on the stove.
You have to hand it to them: the film just reeks of Italian class.
The story, set in 1983, concerns the 17 year-old musical prodigy Elio (Timothée Chalamet, “Lady Bird“, “Interstellar“) who, with his good looks, has the opportunity to seduce his fair share of Italian babes, specifically the gorgeous Marzia (Esther Garrel) who has the hots for him. Although not one to look a gift vagina in the mouth, Elio is sexually conflicted and finds himself increasingly drawn, romantically, to the dashing and cock-sure 24-year old American visitor Oliver (Armie Hammer, “Free Fire“, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.“): a feeling that is, initially, reluctantly returned.
Love unrequited. Lady in red Marzia (Esther Garrel) – will she be eventually told to get on her bike?
The Oscar-winning screenplay by James Ivory (he of Merchant and Ivory production fame) is rich and deep with lines that roll off the actors’ tongues like syrup. The action also includes the most inappropriate use of foodstuffs since “American Pie” (and presumably that went in the bin afterwards!).
Family times around the dinner table can get exceptionally loud.
The drama is slow and drawn-out, so action-film fans will be asleep within the first 30 minutes. That wasn’t a problem for me…. it is a film in which you can really soak up the atmosphere. And it exquisitely explores the genuine pain of first love.
The pain of first love.
But what I’m afraid I really couldn’t relate to was Elio’s action about half-way through the film. In the main, he acts as a typically introspective and sensitive teenager, slightly awkward and bashful in approaching sexual matters. But then in a pivotal scene he makes a daring move which – to me – seemed completely out of character. This rather threw me, and I never really got my equilibrium back with the movie after that.
Elio and Oliver…. with Elio about to do something out of character.
It’s no doubt a finely crafted film. The sex scenes are beautifully shot and could never be accused of veering towards the pornographic. But I’m honestly not sure it’s a film that gripped me enough to seek it out to watch again in the future. (Sorry CMBYN lovers!)
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Copshop (2021) in Movies
Sep 15, 2021
Ludicrous plot points ruin a promising actioner.
Teddy Murretto (Frank Grillo) is arrested after deliberately punching dedicated rookie cop Valerie Young (Alexis Louder) and incarcerated within Gun Creek City police station. Soon after, Bob Viddick (Gerard Butler) is dumped in the opposite cell for drunk driving. It’s clear both men intended to end up there, but why?
The wheels come off the night big time though when the psychopathic Anthony Lamb (Toby Huss) arrives, having the same mission as Viddick.
Positives:
- While the three male leads have fun with their roles, the star of the show for me was the (unknown to me) Alexis Louder. She delivers a really strong performance here, with a confident stillness in some of her close-ups.
- There are a number of nice lines in the script, some of which made me laugh out loud, which I wasn't expecting to do.
- As a 'park your brain at the door' shoot-em-up, the ending is fun, similar in many ways I thought to the claustrophobic violence of "Free Fire".
Negatives:
- Here's YET another example of a script that is downright insulting to the audience's intelligence. There are some genuine "WTF" moments in this script. I can't go into details without dropping spoilers, but the biggest of these - you'll know it when you see it - is a genuine "HANG ON A MINUTE!!!" moment.
- The sound mix drowns out a lot of the (already drawly and indistinct) dialogue with the incessant music. It's really difficult to pick up on some of the lines.
- There's something surprisingly 'retro' about the whole movie, right down to the use of split-screen at the end. The titles feel as if they were from a 70's TV show like Kojak. I could imagine this would work well... if the movie had actually been set in the 70's!
Summary Thoughts on "Copshop": There's almost a good little action film buried in here struggling to get out. Alexis Louder makes a very positive impression with the best parts of the film happening when she is verbally sparring with Butler. But a good action movie needs to keep things credible, albeit on the edge of credibility (e.g. John McClane's lift shaft fall in "Die Hard" is very much on the boundary, if a little over it). Thanks to some ludicrous decisions within the script, this one lost all credibility for me and took me right out of the story.
(For the full graphical and video reviews, please check out onemannsmovies on the web, Facebook and Tiktok. Thanks).
The wheels come off the night big time though when the psychopathic Anthony Lamb (Toby Huss) arrives, having the same mission as Viddick.
Positives:
- While the three male leads have fun with their roles, the star of the show for me was the (unknown to me) Alexis Louder. She delivers a really strong performance here, with a confident stillness in some of her close-ups.
- There are a number of nice lines in the script, some of which made me laugh out loud, which I wasn't expecting to do.
- As a 'park your brain at the door' shoot-em-up, the ending is fun, similar in many ways I thought to the claustrophobic violence of "Free Fire".
Negatives:
- Here's YET another example of a script that is downright insulting to the audience's intelligence. There are some genuine "WTF" moments in this script. I can't go into details without dropping spoilers, but the biggest of these - you'll know it when you see it - is a genuine "HANG ON A MINUTE!!!" moment.
- The sound mix drowns out a lot of the (already drawly and indistinct) dialogue with the incessant music. It's really difficult to pick up on some of the lines.
- There's something surprisingly 'retro' about the whole movie, right down to the use of split-screen at the end. The titles feel as if they were from a 70's TV show like Kojak. I could imagine this would work well... if the movie had actually been set in the 70's!
Summary Thoughts on "Copshop": There's almost a good little action film buried in here struggling to get out. Alexis Louder makes a very positive impression with the best parts of the film happening when she is verbally sparring with Butler. But a good action movie needs to keep things credible, albeit on the edge of credibility (e.g. John McClane's lift shaft fall in "Die Hard" is very much on the boundary, if a little over it). Thanks to some ludicrous decisions within the script, this one lost all credibility for me and took me right out of the story.
(For the full graphical and video reviews, please check out onemannsmovies on the web, Facebook and Tiktok. Thanks).
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Resilience ( Rise of Iliri book 6) in Books
Jan 5, 2023
Contains spoilers, click to show
4 of 235
Kindle
Resilience ( Rise of Iliri book 6)
By Auryn Hadley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Auryn Hadley's sixth action-adventure in The Rise of the Iliri fantasy series asks how far mankind will go to protect their pride. Because it seems they'll guard it at the expense of all else. Reminiscent of a futuristic Lord of the Rings, this epic fantasy romance traces not only the personal journey of its heroine and her family - a reverse harem made up of nine indomitable warriors who comprise an elite military force called the Black Blades - but also the liberation of a people and a new way of thinking for the whole world. For the source of iliri power is not domination, but connection. They seek it, cultivate it, and use it to defeat their enemies.
It's the iliri - now a rising, formidable race of underdogs - who must decide whether to risk their lives for the ungracious human race. Unbeknownst to humans, their fate lies in the capable hands of the iliri leader, the powerful Salryc Luxx. And she's no longer willing to be yanked around at any price.
Sal and the Black Blades have been summoned to a meeting with Parliament representatives of the Conglomerate of Free Citizens. But this time, she's not serving as their slave. Nor is she about to be captured and brought to trial again. Now the ruler of all iliri in her adopted country of Anglia - and de facto queen - she knows she has the upper hand.
The enemy Terrans have besieged Eastward, engaging in brutal guerrilla tactics throughout the country - hitting without mercy and killing all in their path. The world of humans is desperate.
"Tell me why I should send my brothers and sisters to die for humans that care so little for us?" Sal asks. The answer she's searching for comes from a frail iliri servant, whose telltale snow-colored skin is almost as light as Sal's: If she leaves the humans to die by the Terrans, war and enslavement will continue. History will repeat itself. But if it's the iliri and their allies who manage to defeat evil, perhaps humans can learn to respect them.
She knows she isn't finished fighting. Iliri warriors haven't yet "done enough." Not while so many of their brothers are still enslaved.
Alongside her faithful friends and leaders--and the tireless Black Blades - Sal must choose whether to surrender to her role as their leader and contend with The Emperor's murderous army - as well as the treacherous pride of the human race.
!!! Has a spoiler for book 5!!!
Every time I pick one of these books up I say it’s the best one yet and yes I’m saying it again! After the tears at the end of Book 5 we catch up with Sal and the blades dealing with the aftermath of losing Blaec and finding her feet with her new role and new male. This is non stop from the first word to the last. Brilliantly written it has to be one of my favourite series. Highly recommended for the fantasy readers!
Kindle
Resilience ( Rise of Iliri book 6)
By Auryn Hadley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Auryn Hadley's sixth action-adventure in The Rise of the Iliri fantasy series asks how far mankind will go to protect their pride. Because it seems they'll guard it at the expense of all else. Reminiscent of a futuristic Lord of the Rings, this epic fantasy romance traces not only the personal journey of its heroine and her family - a reverse harem made up of nine indomitable warriors who comprise an elite military force called the Black Blades - but also the liberation of a people and a new way of thinking for the whole world. For the source of iliri power is not domination, but connection. They seek it, cultivate it, and use it to defeat their enemies.
It's the iliri - now a rising, formidable race of underdogs - who must decide whether to risk their lives for the ungracious human race. Unbeknownst to humans, their fate lies in the capable hands of the iliri leader, the powerful Salryc Luxx. And she's no longer willing to be yanked around at any price.
Sal and the Black Blades have been summoned to a meeting with Parliament representatives of the Conglomerate of Free Citizens. But this time, she's not serving as their slave. Nor is she about to be captured and brought to trial again. Now the ruler of all iliri in her adopted country of Anglia - and de facto queen - she knows she has the upper hand.
The enemy Terrans have besieged Eastward, engaging in brutal guerrilla tactics throughout the country - hitting without mercy and killing all in their path. The world of humans is desperate.
"Tell me why I should send my brothers and sisters to die for humans that care so little for us?" Sal asks. The answer she's searching for comes from a frail iliri servant, whose telltale snow-colored skin is almost as light as Sal's: If she leaves the humans to die by the Terrans, war and enslavement will continue. History will repeat itself. But if it's the iliri and their allies who manage to defeat evil, perhaps humans can learn to respect them.
She knows she isn't finished fighting. Iliri warriors haven't yet "done enough." Not while so many of their brothers are still enslaved.
Alongside her faithful friends and leaders--and the tireless Black Blades - Sal must choose whether to surrender to her role as their leader and contend with The Emperor's murderous army - as well as the treacherous pride of the human race.
!!! Has a spoiler for book 5!!!
Every time I pick one of these books up I say it’s the best one yet and yes I’m saying it again! After the tears at the end of Book 5 we catch up with Sal and the blades dealing with the aftermath of losing Blaec and finding her feet with her new role and new male. This is non stop from the first word to the last. Brilliantly written it has to be one of my favourite series. Highly recommended for the fantasy readers!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Ant-Man (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is a man who cannot seem to catch a break. He is a wizard with technology and became a folk hero when he struck back at a company that was defrauding its employees, but in doing so earned a stretch at San Quentin.
Scott is a going guy trying to do right by his daughter but his ex is not making it easy as she has halted all visitations until Scott gets his own place and a job. Something that is not so easy with his record and something that the new man in his ex’s life, a cop named Paxton, (Bobby Cannavale), is more than happy to goad him over.
Scott’s best friend is his ex-cell mate Luis (Michael Pena) is more than happy to give Scott a place to stay and a sympathetic ear, but is constantly trying to get Scott to use his skills to cash in on some various criminal undertakings.
At the same time, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) is about to launch his devious new business venture that will endanger the fate of the free world, and the unstable Cross is just the right mix of brilliant and crazy to make his latest creation one of the greatest dangers the world has ever known.
Cross is about to unveil a new combat soldier who is loaded in a laser spewing suit of armor who can shrink to microscopic size while retaining supreme strength and agility. Cross sees armies of his Yellow Jacket soldiers as the future, and his creation is something the folks at Hydra are very interested in.
For Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglass), and his daughter Hope (Evangaline Lilly), this is not something that can be allowed to happen, as Cross was once the protégé for Pym and he knows all too well what he is capable of, as such his daughter is willing to work with her father despite some serious tension between them due to the loss of her mother years earlier.
When Scott in an act of desperation breaks into a safe at an upscale home, he is shocked to find little of value save for what he thinks is a motorcycle suit. Once he puts on the suit, Scott learns that he has been watched by Hank for years and that he is being recruited to be the new Ant-man. A hero from days past that Hank created but now is no longer capable of portraying.
Naturally Hope is less than thrilled with the idea of Scott being selected by her father as she had hoped to earn the suit herself. Undaunted, they set out to train Scott in the power behind the suit which also includes the ability to control ants, as they concoct the ultimate heist, stealing the Yellow Jacket suit and all the related research before it is too late.
What follows is a funny and action laden adventure which launches a new hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although the character is not as well-known as his cinematic brethren in the Marvel lineup, he is a very welcome addition. The cast is solid and Rudd captures the mix of wonder and conflict that Scott faces with what has been offered to him and he mixes comedy with a very physical performance.
The film does take some time getting up to speed as it is after all an introduction story but with the pleasant comedy and great FX mixing with a satisfying final act, “Ant-Man”, is yet another winner for Marvel and another character I cannot wait to see more of in the future. Make sure you stay for the two bonus scenes in the credits as you will not be disappointed.
http://sknr.net/2015/07/17/ant-man/
Scott is a going guy trying to do right by his daughter but his ex is not making it easy as she has halted all visitations until Scott gets his own place and a job. Something that is not so easy with his record and something that the new man in his ex’s life, a cop named Paxton, (Bobby Cannavale), is more than happy to goad him over.
Scott’s best friend is his ex-cell mate Luis (Michael Pena) is more than happy to give Scott a place to stay and a sympathetic ear, but is constantly trying to get Scott to use his skills to cash in on some various criminal undertakings.
At the same time, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) is about to launch his devious new business venture that will endanger the fate of the free world, and the unstable Cross is just the right mix of brilliant and crazy to make his latest creation one of the greatest dangers the world has ever known.
Cross is about to unveil a new combat soldier who is loaded in a laser spewing suit of armor who can shrink to microscopic size while retaining supreme strength and agility. Cross sees armies of his Yellow Jacket soldiers as the future, and his creation is something the folks at Hydra are very interested in.
For Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglass), and his daughter Hope (Evangaline Lilly), this is not something that can be allowed to happen, as Cross was once the protégé for Pym and he knows all too well what he is capable of, as such his daughter is willing to work with her father despite some serious tension between them due to the loss of her mother years earlier.
When Scott in an act of desperation breaks into a safe at an upscale home, he is shocked to find little of value save for what he thinks is a motorcycle suit. Once he puts on the suit, Scott learns that he has been watched by Hank for years and that he is being recruited to be the new Ant-man. A hero from days past that Hank created but now is no longer capable of portraying.
Naturally Hope is less than thrilled with the idea of Scott being selected by her father as she had hoped to earn the suit herself. Undaunted, they set out to train Scott in the power behind the suit which also includes the ability to control ants, as they concoct the ultimate heist, stealing the Yellow Jacket suit and all the related research before it is too late.
What follows is a funny and action laden adventure which launches a new hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although the character is not as well-known as his cinematic brethren in the Marvel lineup, he is a very welcome addition. The cast is solid and Rudd captures the mix of wonder and conflict that Scott faces with what has been offered to him and he mixes comedy with a very physical performance.
The film does take some time getting up to speed as it is after all an introduction story but with the pleasant comedy and great FX mixing with a satisfying final act, “Ant-Man”, is yet another winner for Marvel and another character I cannot wait to see more of in the future. Make sure you stay for the two bonus scenes in the credits as you will not be disappointed.
http://sknr.net/2015/07/17/ant-man/
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Red Sea Diving Resort (2019) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Story: The Red Sea Diving Resort starts as Ari (Evans) an American Ari (Evans) working for the Israel Mossad agents rescues refugees from Ethiopia with his latest mission seeing Kabede (Williams) rescued. Ari does become grounded, but isn’t willing to let more innocent people murder, he comes up with an idea that could see thousands rescued.
Ari puts together a team including Rachel Reiter (Bennett), Jake (Huisman), Max (Hassell) and Sammy (Nivola) with the plan to lease a hotel known as the Red Sea Diving Resort to use it to get refugees out of Africa back to Israel. This is one of the riskiest rescue attempts tried and one that will bring history to life.
Thoughts on The Red Sea Diving Resort
Characters – Ari Levinson is leading an Israeli group of agent, who are trying to rescue Ethiopian refugees by taking them through Sudan, giving them their only hope to make it out alive. He is willing to risk everything to make it happen by taking a mission which will risk their own lives to lead them out to see, remaining calm through the operations which will see them become targets of the local generals. Rachel is one of the team, just by being a woman she is risking even more than the rest, though her language skills are key to the whole operation. Kabede Bimro is the connection with Ari that leads the refugees to him, he becomes one of the most wanted men because of his actions, but will risk everything for his own family. Ethan Levin is the one that tries to control Ari on his mission, he doesn’t agree with most of what he does, knowing if he was to get caught it could create an international incident.
Performances – Chris Evans takes his first major role since leaving the role as Captain America, he does show he can handle the serious side of acting even though his character does feel like branch of what Captain America stood for. Haley Bennett is strong throughout, in a world that her character shouldn’t feel safe in. Ben Kingsley does what you would expect in his authority role, while Michael Kenneth Williams is the most interesting character though we could have spent more time with his character.
Story – The story here follows an Israeli agent that risked everything to try and rescue as many Ethiopian refugees as he could using a Sudanese hotel as a cover to hide them and move them through to safety despite heavy pressure from the military forces in the country. This is another incredible story of how somebody and their team would do the right thing for the human race that would be left facing a future which would see them killed or forced into slavery if they couldn’t get free. It should be seen to highlight the continuing problems in the world along with the incredible work that was done. We are kept waiting to see how many will get rescued and how they will overcome the obstacles placed in their way, though it would be fair it wouldn’t be a story if they had failed.
History – This is a moment in history which showed a country reaching out to help in secret when another country would rather butcher their own people.
Settings – The film creates the realistic settings that only make this feel like we are part of the era it is set in, we see how much was being risked in what could be considered a calm location of a hotel.
Scene of the Movie – Runway.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The fact that his behaviour actually still happens in the world.
Final Thoughts – This is a highlight on just what was risked to save thousands of stranded refugees, it has top class acting and shows that we can achieve great things if we worked together.
Overall: Brilliant look at bravery.
Ari puts together a team including Rachel Reiter (Bennett), Jake (Huisman), Max (Hassell) and Sammy (Nivola) with the plan to lease a hotel known as the Red Sea Diving Resort to use it to get refugees out of Africa back to Israel. This is one of the riskiest rescue attempts tried and one that will bring history to life.
Thoughts on The Red Sea Diving Resort
Characters – Ari Levinson is leading an Israeli group of agent, who are trying to rescue Ethiopian refugees by taking them through Sudan, giving them their only hope to make it out alive. He is willing to risk everything to make it happen by taking a mission which will risk their own lives to lead them out to see, remaining calm through the operations which will see them become targets of the local generals. Rachel is one of the team, just by being a woman she is risking even more than the rest, though her language skills are key to the whole operation. Kabede Bimro is the connection with Ari that leads the refugees to him, he becomes one of the most wanted men because of his actions, but will risk everything for his own family. Ethan Levin is the one that tries to control Ari on his mission, he doesn’t agree with most of what he does, knowing if he was to get caught it could create an international incident.
Performances – Chris Evans takes his first major role since leaving the role as Captain America, he does show he can handle the serious side of acting even though his character does feel like branch of what Captain America stood for. Haley Bennett is strong throughout, in a world that her character shouldn’t feel safe in. Ben Kingsley does what you would expect in his authority role, while Michael Kenneth Williams is the most interesting character though we could have spent more time with his character.
Story – The story here follows an Israeli agent that risked everything to try and rescue as many Ethiopian refugees as he could using a Sudanese hotel as a cover to hide them and move them through to safety despite heavy pressure from the military forces in the country. This is another incredible story of how somebody and their team would do the right thing for the human race that would be left facing a future which would see them killed or forced into slavery if they couldn’t get free. It should be seen to highlight the continuing problems in the world along with the incredible work that was done. We are kept waiting to see how many will get rescued and how they will overcome the obstacles placed in their way, though it would be fair it wouldn’t be a story if they had failed.
History – This is a moment in history which showed a country reaching out to help in secret when another country would rather butcher their own people.
Settings – The film creates the realistic settings that only make this feel like we are part of the era it is set in, we see how much was being risked in what could be considered a calm location of a hotel.
Scene of the Movie – Runway.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The fact that his behaviour actually still happens in the world.
Final Thoughts – This is a highlight on just what was risked to save thousands of stranded refugees, it has top class acting and shows that we can achieve great things if we worked together.
Overall: Brilliant look at bravery.
The original is better
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Six bestselling authors have taken on the task of writing modern retellings of the complete works of Jane Austen. Alexander McCall Smith has successfully taken on the challenge of bringing Emma into the 21st century. Although the settings and characters remain the same the contemporary clothing, vehicles and ideas are something that the reader can relate to.
As fans of Jane Austen will already know, Emma is about rich, single Emma Woodhouse who, despite the disapproval of her good friend George Knightley, enjoys interfering in the lives of others, particularly where romance is concerned. Her meddling backfires when her plan to match her friend Harriet Smith with the boring Philip Elton has disastrous consequences.
Alexander McCall Smith’s version of Emma has more focus on the life of Mr. Woodhouse, Emma’s father, than the original did. He gives an account of Henry Woodhouse’s history and over emphasizes his anxieties about health and safety. Mr. Woodhouse’s concerns are constantly cropping up throughout the novel adding a little humour to the story.
One concern about this modern adaptation is that the writing style was overly formal. If it were not for the references to the current clothing fashions, motorcars and women attending university, the book could have been set during Jane Austen’s lifetime. Take, for example, the character Anne Taylor. Mr. Woodhouse hires Miss Taylor as a governess for his motherless daughters. Miss Taylor’s approach to the girls and her prim and proper use of language made her seem antiquated. She would not have looked out of place amongst other well-known governesses or nannies such as Mary Poppins or Nurse Matilda.
Occasionally it felt that Alexander McCall Smith was mocking the modern world, for example the activities of the younger generation or the way people speak. Whilst this may appeal to older readers who may disapprove of the recent developments and changes in the Western world; it alienates the teenagers and young adults who have grown up with modern technology.
There is no doubt that Alexander McCall Smith has done an excellent job at retelling such a famous novel, however to be a complete modern retelling I think everything needs to be brought into the 21st century. This would include all the characters and the style of language it is written in.
Six bestselling authors have taken on the task of writing modern retellings of the complete works of Jane Austen. Alexander McCall Smith has successfully taken on the challenge of bringing Emma into the 21st century. Although the settings and characters remain the same the contemporary clothing, vehicles and ideas are something that the reader can relate to.
As fans of Jane Austen will already know, Emma is about rich, single Emma Woodhouse who, despite the disapproval of her good friend George Knightley, enjoys interfering in the lives of others, particularly where romance is concerned. Her meddling backfires when her plan to match her friend Harriet Smith with the boring Philip Elton has disastrous consequences.
Alexander McCall Smith’s version of Emma has more focus on the life of Mr. Woodhouse, Emma’s father, than the original did. He gives an account of Henry Woodhouse’s history and over emphasizes his anxieties about health and safety. Mr. Woodhouse’s concerns are constantly cropping up throughout the novel adding a little humour to the story.
One concern about this modern adaptation is that the writing style was overly formal. If it were not for the references to the current clothing fashions, motorcars and women attending university, the book could have been set during Jane Austen’s lifetime. Take, for example, the character Anne Taylor. Mr. Woodhouse hires Miss Taylor as a governess for his motherless daughters. Miss Taylor’s approach to the girls and her prim and proper use of language made her seem antiquated. She would not have looked out of place amongst other well-known governesses or nannies such as Mary Poppins or Nurse Matilda.
Occasionally it felt that Alexander McCall Smith was mocking the modern world, for example the activities of the younger generation or the way people speak. Whilst this may appeal to older readers who may disapprove of the recent developments and changes in the Western world; it alienates the teenagers and young adults who have grown up with modern technology.
There is no doubt that Alexander McCall Smith has done an excellent job at retelling such a famous novel, however to be a complete modern retelling I think everything needs to be brought into the 21st century. This would include all the characters and the style of language it is written in.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Six bestselling authors have taken on the task of writing modern retellings of the complete works of Jane Austen. Alexander McCall Smith has successfully taken on the challenge of bringing <i>Emma</i> into the 21st century. Although the settings and characters remain the same the contemporary clothing, vehicles and ideas are something that the reader can relate to.
As fans of Jane Austen will already know, <i>Emma</i> is about rich, single Emma Woodhouse who, despite the disapproval of her good friend George Knightley, enjoys interfering in the lives of others, particularly where romance is concerned. Her meddling backfires when her plan to match her friend Harriet Smith with the boring Philip Elton has disastrous consequences.
Alexander McCall Smith’s version of <i>Emma</i> has more focus on the life of Mr. Woodhouse, Emma’s father, than the original did. He gives an account of Henry Woodhouse’s history and over emphasizes his anxieties about health and safety. Mr. Woodhouse’s concerns are constantly cropping up throughout the novel adding a little humour to the story.
One concern about this modern adaptation is that the writing style was overly formal. If it were not for the references to the current clothing fashions, motorcars and women attending university, the book could have been set during Jane Austen’s lifetime. Take, for example, the character Anne Taylor. Mr. Woodhouse hires Miss Taylor as a governess for his motherless daughters. Miss Taylor’s approach to the girls and her prim and proper use of language made her seem antiquated. She would not have looked out of place amongst other well-known governesses or nannies such as <i>Mary Poppins</i> or <i>Nurse Matilda</i>.
Occasionally it felt that Alexander McCall Smith was mocking the modern world, for example the activities of the younger generation or the way people speak. Whilst this may appeal to older readers who may disapprove of the recent developments and changes in the Western world; it alienates the teenagers and young adults who have grown up with modern technology.
There is no doubt that Alexander McCall Smith has done an excellent job at retelling such a famous novel, however to be a complete modern retelling I think everything needs to be brought into the 21st century. This would include all the characters and the style of language it is written in.
Six bestselling authors have taken on the task of writing modern retellings of the complete works of Jane Austen. Alexander McCall Smith has successfully taken on the challenge of bringing <i>Emma</i> into the 21st century. Although the settings and characters remain the same the contemporary clothing, vehicles and ideas are something that the reader can relate to.
As fans of Jane Austen will already know, <i>Emma</i> is about rich, single Emma Woodhouse who, despite the disapproval of her good friend George Knightley, enjoys interfering in the lives of others, particularly where romance is concerned. Her meddling backfires when her plan to match her friend Harriet Smith with the boring Philip Elton has disastrous consequences.
Alexander McCall Smith’s version of <i>Emma</i> has more focus on the life of Mr. Woodhouse, Emma’s father, than the original did. He gives an account of Henry Woodhouse’s history and over emphasizes his anxieties about health and safety. Mr. Woodhouse’s concerns are constantly cropping up throughout the novel adding a little humour to the story.
One concern about this modern adaptation is that the writing style was overly formal. If it were not for the references to the current clothing fashions, motorcars and women attending university, the book could have been set during Jane Austen’s lifetime. Take, for example, the character Anne Taylor. Mr. Woodhouse hires Miss Taylor as a governess for his motherless daughters. Miss Taylor’s approach to the girls and her prim and proper use of language made her seem antiquated. She would not have looked out of place amongst other well-known governesses or nannies such as <i>Mary Poppins</i> or <i>Nurse Matilda</i>.
Occasionally it felt that Alexander McCall Smith was mocking the modern world, for example the activities of the younger generation or the way people speak. Whilst this may appeal to older readers who may disapprove of the recent developments and changes in the Western world; it alienates the teenagers and young adults who have grown up with modern technology.
There is no doubt that Alexander McCall Smith has done an excellent job at retelling such a famous novel, however to be a complete modern retelling I think everything needs to be brought into the 21st century. This would include all the characters and the style of language it is written in.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
When we last saw former cop turned wasteland warrior Max, it was nearly 30 years ago. Writer/Director George Miller had envisioned a follow up back in 2000, but various factors delayed the film so much that star Mel Gibson believed he had become too old to play the character which opened the door for Tom Hardy to don the knee brace of the famous character.
In “Fury Road”, fans are given a lavish spectacle that is one non-stop ride of intensity that is as my wife put it, “pushing me so far back into my seat that I am almost in the row behind us”.
When Max is captured by a vicious group lead by Immortal Joe, he stumbles into a true hell on earth as Joe has legions of warriors, most of whom have various health issues, it is assumed from the post nuclear world in which they live. They use captured individuals as blood donors to help make the sick live longer and Joe himself controls a large supply of fresh water as well as oversees what he considers his breeding stock of women.
When Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), goes rogue and abducts Joe’s harem, this begins a breakneck and deadly pursuit across the wastelands where Max finds himself literally chained to the front of a car as a blood bag for the driver.
Amidst the eventually carnage that follows, Max is able to free himself and forges an uneasy alliance with Furiosa as she is attempting to lead the women she has liberated from Joe to safety.
With Joe and his large band of followers hot on their heels, Max must once again face overwhelming odds to save the day.
The film does an amazing job of creating an intense visual spectacle as the car chases and combat take up a good half the film and they are absolutely breathtaking to watch. CGI is kept to a minimum and what you see on the screen is a clash of metal as vehicles flip through the air, crash, and explode in spectacular fashion.
The film though is light on details as much of the story is left for you to read between the lines and fill in the blanks. Theron has explained her characters motivations very well in interviews but in the film it is at times murky. The limited dialogue in the film can at times be hard to understand due to accent and a form of “New Speak” but it is Hardy himself who is most interesting. He plays Max as a strong and silent type who is haunted by ghosts of his past, the people he could not save are a constant presence in his life as he sees them in his dreams and when he is awake, this leads to a character who is reduced to little more than pure survival instinct and does not allow for much in the way of character development.
In many ways this is a reintroduction of Max to a new generation so much of the charisma and intensity that was a part of Gibson’s portrayal has been scaled back to a world weary individual who has pretty much given up on finding the better life that he lost many years ago.
Miller has said he has enough material for two more films and if they are in the same league as this one, I would love to see further adventures for Max, let us just hope the wait is not as long next time out.
http://sknr.net/2015/05/14/mad-max-fury-road/
In “Fury Road”, fans are given a lavish spectacle that is one non-stop ride of intensity that is as my wife put it, “pushing me so far back into my seat that I am almost in the row behind us”.
When Max is captured by a vicious group lead by Immortal Joe, he stumbles into a true hell on earth as Joe has legions of warriors, most of whom have various health issues, it is assumed from the post nuclear world in which they live. They use captured individuals as blood donors to help make the sick live longer and Joe himself controls a large supply of fresh water as well as oversees what he considers his breeding stock of women.
When Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), goes rogue and abducts Joe’s harem, this begins a breakneck and deadly pursuit across the wastelands where Max finds himself literally chained to the front of a car as a blood bag for the driver.
Amidst the eventually carnage that follows, Max is able to free himself and forges an uneasy alliance with Furiosa as she is attempting to lead the women she has liberated from Joe to safety.
With Joe and his large band of followers hot on their heels, Max must once again face overwhelming odds to save the day.
The film does an amazing job of creating an intense visual spectacle as the car chases and combat take up a good half the film and they are absolutely breathtaking to watch. CGI is kept to a minimum and what you see on the screen is a clash of metal as vehicles flip through the air, crash, and explode in spectacular fashion.
The film though is light on details as much of the story is left for you to read between the lines and fill in the blanks. Theron has explained her characters motivations very well in interviews but in the film it is at times murky. The limited dialogue in the film can at times be hard to understand due to accent and a form of “New Speak” but it is Hardy himself who is most interesting. He plays Max as a strong and silent type who is haunted by ghosts of his past, the people he could not save are a constant presence in his life as he sees them in his dreams and when he is awake, this leads to a character who is reduced to little more than pure survival instinct and does not allow for much in the way of character development.
In many ways this is a reintroduction of Max to a new generation so much of the charisma and intensity that was a part of Gibson’s portrayal has been scaled back to a world weary individual who has pretty much given up on finding the better life that he lost many years ago.
Miller has said he has enough material for two more films and if they are in the same league as this one, I would love to see further adventures for Max, let us just hope the wait is not as long next time out.
http://sknr.net/2015/05/14/mad-max-fury-road/
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Tiny Epic Defenders in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
The Tiny Epic series. Where do we begin? They’re tiny and they’re epic – need I say more? Oh, I do have to say more? Ok then, here I go. Tiny Epic Defenders was the first of these games that I ever played, so I think it’s appropriate that it is the first one we review!
DISCLAIMER!! This review is for vanilla Tiny Epic Defenders, first edition. We have since added the second edition and The Dark War expansions, so we will revisit this game again including those additions for a nice contrast. -T
A kingdom at peace, finally, after years of war. All is calm across the lands, but the quiet never lasts. Reports start to come in of monsters spotted in the surrounding regions. If they manage to take over the Capital City, all will be lost. But there is still hope! A group of mighty warriors bands together to defend their kingdom at all costs! Only by working together can this group (the only line of defense between peace and destruction) defeat the monsters and save the realm!
In Tiny Epic Defenders, you play as one of the heroes trying to defend the kingdom. You and your comrades must travel between the outer regions of the kingdom and fend off the advancing monsters! Communication and cooperation are key – one small misstep could be the difference between victory and defeat. All of the heroes have unique special abilities, and all of the regions of the kingdom offer either a bonus or penalty for the heroes defending them. On your turn, you get 3 actions to either move, defend, or use a special ability. Once per round, there will be a group turn, where you must collectively decide how to best use the 3 actions between all players. New monsters surface every round, and eventually the Epic Foe will begin its final assault on the realm! If you manage to slay the Epic Foe before the Capital City falls, you win! But if you are overrun with monsters, unfortunately it’s game over for your kingdom.
The thing about Tiny Epic Defenders is that it starts off seemingly super easy, but then suddenly everything is on fire and you lose. I think that disparity comes from the turn order. The turn deck is shuffled anew every round, so the hero turns are not always evenly spaced throughout the deck. Sometimes all of the hero turns occur early in the round, which allow monsters who emerge later to attack undefended regions (players can move only on their turn), and overwhelm the heroes. The same happens if all the hero turns occur too late in the round – the monsters have already done their worst and the heroes must scramble to rectify the situation. And on top of that, a more menacing monster is added to the deck every round as well, so that just creates more of an imbalance between player turns and monster turns.
Even though the game can get a little overwhelming, I do really like the cooperative aspect of it! Everyone is working towards the same goal and all communication is open and free. Need advice for what to do on your turn? Just ask! Have an idea about how to deal with a certain monster? Tell the group! No single player bears all of the pressure because it really is a group effort!
Someday soon we will get the Second Edition to the table. And get that expansion added in too. But for the time being, our thoughts based solely on the original base game, Purple Phoenix Games give Tiny Epic Defenders a 16 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/05/tiny-epic-defenders-review/
DISCLAIMER!! This review is for vanilla Tiny Epic Defenders, first edition. We have since added the second edition and The Dark War expansions, so we will revisit this game again including those additions for a nice contrast. -T
A kingdom at peace, finally, after years of war. All is calm across the lands, but the quiet never lasts. Reports start to come in of monsters spotted in the surrounding regions. If they manage to take over the Capital City, all will be lost. But there is still hope! A group of mighty warriors bands together to defend their kingdom at all costs! Only by working together can this group (the only line of defense between peace and destruction) defeat the monsters and save the realm!
In Tiny Epic Defenders, you play as one of the heroes trying to defend the kingdom. You and your comrades must travel between the outer regions of the kingdom and fend off the advancing monsters! Communication and cooperation are key – one small misstep could be the difference between victory and defeat. All of the heroes have unique special abilities, and all of the regions of the kingdom offer either a bonus or penalty for the heroes defending them. On your turn, you get 3 actions to either move, defend, or use a special ability. Once per round, there will be a group turn, where you must collectively decide how to best use the 3 actions between all players. New monsters surface every round, and eventually the Epic Foe will begin its final assault on the realm! If you manage to slay the Epic Foe before the Capital City falls, you win! But if you are overrun with monsters, unfortunately it’s game over for your kingdom.
The thing about Tiny Epic Defenders is that it starts off seemingly super easy, but then suddenly everything is on fire and you lose. I think that disparity comes from the turn order. The turn deck is shuffled anew every round, so the hero turns are not always evenly spaced throughout the deck. Sometimes all of the hero turns occur early in the round, which allow monsters who emerge later to attack undefended regions (players can move only on their turn), and overwhelm the heroes. The same happens if all the hero turns occur too late in the round – the monsters have already done their worst and the heroes must scramble to rectify the situation. And on top of that, a more menacing monster is added to the deck every round as well, so that just creates more of an imbalance between player turns and monster turns.
Even though the game can get a little overwhelming, I do really like the cooperative aspect of it! Everyone is working towards the same goal and all communication is open and free. Need advice for what to do on your turn? Just ask! Have an idea about how to deal with a certain monster? Tell the group! No single player bears all of the pressure because it really is a group effort!
Someday soon we will get the Second Edition to the table. And get that expansion added in too. But for the time being, our thoughts based solely on the original base game, Purple Phoenix Games give Tiny Epic Defenders a 16 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/05/tiny-epic-defenders-review/