Search
Search results
Adventure Basic Math by 22learn
Education and Games
App
iPad Version of this title was Ranked number 7 in Canada, 11 in the United States, 13 in the United...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Hell or High Water (2016) in Movies
Mar 11, 2019
Classic
Two brothers rob banks in west Texas to pay off overdue loans before their family home is foreclosed on.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
From the first scene in the beginning with Tanner (Ben Foster) and Toby (Chris Pine), I knew I was going to like the two brothers. One’s a loose cannon while the other is more level-headed and calculated. They argue like typical brothers because they are so different and their interactions remind you of typical sibling hate/love. As a viewer, their personalities worked so well for me because you realize both were needed throughout the movie. Sometimes you needed cool, other times crazy was definitely needed to get the two out of a rough scrape.
I also enjoyed Jeff Bridges character playing the role of Sheriff Marcus, the area’s dedicated peacemaker. He speaks with a quick drawl straight out of an Eastwood western. He is overly truthful to a hilarious extent. He is on his way to retirement and feels like catching Tanner and Toby could be his last bit of peace.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 7
While there truly are some impactful intense moments that help drive the narrative, Hell Or High Water is more drama than it is an action film. You do get a fair share of bank robberies, car chases, and shootouts. It just would have been nice if they had showed a bit more of that. Some of the parts that dragged on a bit would have served well with a bit more conflict.
Genre: 8
A powerful story about family helping family. Time will tell, but I think it’s a story that will keep its power years from now. The storytelling and direction is just as strong as any of my all-time favorites. Hell Or High Water packs a potent punch.
Memorability: 8
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
The bank robbery genre has been done and redone, but not quite like this. From its setting to the backdrop of the plot, this movie paves its own way within a crowded and successful genre. It succeeds with memorable dialogue and making every single scene count towards a definitive end.
Resolution: 10
The final scene features a conversation between Marcus and Toby. It’s hands-down the most memorable scene in the entire film as you get to see how this chain of events has ultimately affected both characters. They have both gained and lost and both face ghosts that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. It’s a scene that stuck with me long after I watched it.
Overall: 92
Set against a sprawling, yet compacted west Texas, Hell Or High Water gives you everything you look for in a movie. Memorable scenes abound keeping the movie entertaining and fresh. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a classic.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
From the first scene in the beginning with Tanner (Ben Foster) and Toby (Chris Pine), I knew I was going to like the two brothers. One’s a loose cannon while the other is more level-headed and calculated. They argue like typical brothers because they are so different and their interactions remind you of typical sibling hate/love. As a viewer, their personalities worked so well for me because you realize both were needed throughout the movie. Sometimes you needed cool, other times crazy was definitely needed to get the two out of a rough scrape.
I also enjoyed Jeff Bridges character playing the role of Sheriff Marcus, the area’s dedicated peacemaker. He speaks with a quick drawl straight out of an Eastwood western. He is overly truthful to a hilarious extent. He is on his way to retirement and feels like catching Tanner and Toby could be his last bit of peace.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 7
While there truly are some impactful intense moments that help drive the narrative, Hell Or High Water is more drama than it is an action film. You do get a fair share of bank robberies, car chases, and shootouts. It just would have been nice if they had showed a bit more of that. Some of the parts that dragged on a bit would have served well with a bit more conflict.
Genre: 8
A powerful story about family helping family. Time will tell, but I think it’s a story that will keep its power years from now. The storytelling and direction is just as strong as any of my all-time favorites. Hell Or High Water packs a potent punch.
Memorability: 8
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
The bank robbery genre has been done and redone, but not quite like this. From its setting to the backdrop of the plot, this movie paves its own way within a crowded and successful genre. It succeeds with memorable dialogue and making every single scene count towards a definitive end.
Resolution: 10
The final scene features a conversation between Marcus and Toby. It’s hands-down the most memorable scene in the entire film as you get to see how this chain of events has ultimately affected both characters. They have both gained and lost and both face ghosts that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. It’s a scene that stuck with me long after I watched it.
Overall: 92
Set against a sprawling, yet compacted west Texas, Hell Or High Water gives you everything you look for in a movie. Memorable scenes abound keeping the movie entertaining and fresh. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a classic.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Lost Girls in Books
Feb 13, 2018
In 1935, on the last evening of summer vacation, six-year-old Emily disappears from her family's vacation lake home. Emily's doting mother is devastated, and she and her two daughters (Emily's older sisters) spend the rest of their lives at the lake house, waiting for Emily to return. Six decades later, only Lucy, the middle sister, is still alive. Afraid of dying without telling her story, she writes the tale down in a notebook and leaves it, along with the house, to her sister's granddaughter, Justine. When Justine receives the news that her great-aunt has left her a house in Minnesota, she's shocked. They've only met once, after all, and Justine's flighty mother is still living. But Justine realizes the house represents a way to flee the suffocating life she's living now, and to give her daughters a better life. So they pack up for Minnesota, only to find the house run down, the Minnesota winter cold and isolating, and their only neighbors two elderly men who live in the nearby lodge. Justine's older daughter, Melanie, becomes interested in Emily's disappearance; her mother, Maurie, returns, bringing her usual craziness; and ghosts from Justine's own past threaten their safety. Justine doesn't know what happened at the lake sixty years ago, nor does she know if it's safe for her family now...
This novel was a quick read, which pulled me into its tale immediately. The POV alternates between present-day (late 1990s) with Justine and then flips back to the 1930s, as Lucy tells her story via letter. In this way, we get snippets about the past in chunks, allowing for the story to unfurl slowly, building up suspense. Young does an excellent job in creating her characters: Lucy and her older sister Lilith practically jump off the page, as does little Emily. Lucy was the star of the show for me, both as her younger self and via her letter-writing. Her sadness is easily apparent as she tells a tale of a family trapped by their own secrets.
This is a somber book with serious themes; it's not always an easy read. Still, the back and forth POV works well in this case, and you'll quickly become enraptured in Lucy and Lilith's past, in particular. Justine and Maurie (her mom) are more frustrating characters, but their story is still interesting, especially as you learn about Maurie's life growing up at the lake house with Lilith and Lucy. Overall, this was a different book (in a good way), with insightful and well-drawn characters, and an intriguing plot. Lucy sticks with you, even after it's over.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere on 07/26/2016.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
This novel was a quick read, which pulled me into its tale immediately. The POV alternates between present-day (late 1990s) with Justine and then flips back to the 1930s, as Lucy tells her story via letter. In this way, we get snippets about the past in chunks, allowing for the story to unfurl slowly, building up suspense. Young does an excellent job in creating her characters: Lucy and her older sister Lilith practically jump off the page, as does little Emily. Lucy was the star of the show for me, both as her younger self and via her letter-writing. Her sadness is easily apparent as she tells a tale of a family trapped by their own secrets.
This is a somber book with serious themes; it's not always an easy read. Still, the back and forth POV works well in this case, and you'll quickly become enraptured in Lucy and Lilith's past, in particular. Justine and Maurie (her mom) are more frustrating characters, but their story is still interesting, especially as you learn about Maurie's life growing up at the lake house with Lilith and Lucy. Overall, this was a different book (in a good way), with insightful and well-drawn characters, and an intriguing plot. Lucy sticks with you, even after it's over.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere on 07/26/2016.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated London Tides (MacDonald Family Trilogy, #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
London Tides by Carla Laureano
Reviewed by Rachel Dixon
Radiant Lit Blog Tours
Genre: Romance
Publisher: David C. Cook
Date Published: June 1, 2015
Grace Brennan has seen the brutality of war first hand. Will she give up her identity in her career to build a new life with the man she loves?
Ian MacDonald has not seen Grace since she left him ten years ago. Grace has suffered very severe trauma with her job as a conflict photojournalist. As she searches for a place to call home, can she lay to rest the ghosts of her past? When their lives are thrown together again, they are different people than they were ten years ago. Will they be able to forge a new life together? Or will the past push them further apart then ever before?
London Tides had me biting my nails till the last page. There are a lot of ups and downs and I had no idea which direction Carla Laureano would take me next. The romance was a little more heated than in the first book, but it was still clean. Although I have never experienced PTSD, there was a side of Grace that I could completely relate to. That is the desire to know that our lives meant something. I think there is a piece inside all of us that wants to know that our lives made a difference in the world. We may not all be able to find a magic cure for a disease or personally finance an endeavor to put shoes on the feet of an entire village. But every life matters and every life makes a difference in the sphere we are placed in. Our friends, our co-workers, our children and our family. I have to believe that I have been called to where I am for a reason. I may never see the results of the impact my life has been, but God sees it. And He knows and cares about whatever challenges we are facing and if we let Him, He will guide and support us through it all. I have been swept away by the MacDonald family and can not wait for the finale Under Scottish Stars releasing Summer 2016.
Carla Laureano is the author of the RITA® award-winning romance Five Days in Skye as well as London Tides and the Celtic fantasy series The Song of Seare (as C. E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons.
I received a free copy of London Tides as part of a blog tour with Radiant Lit in exchange for my honest review. Review copy provided by David C Cook.
Reviewed by Rachel Dixon
Radiant Lit Blog Tours
Genre: Romance
Publisher: David C. Cook
Date Published: June 1, 2015
Grace Brennan has seen the brutality of war first hand. Will she give up her identity in her career to build a new life with the man she loves?
Ian MacDonald has not seen Grace since she left him ten years ago. Grace has suffered very severe trauma with her job as a conflict photojournalist. As she searches for a place to call home, can she lay to rest the ghosts of her past? When their lives are thrown together again, they are different people than they were ten years ago. Will they be able to forge a new life together? Or will the past push them further apart then ever before?
London Tides had me biting my nails till the last page. There are a lot of ups and downs and I had no idea which direction Carla Laureano would take me next. The romance was a little more heated than in the first book, but it was still clean. Although I have never experienced PTSD, there was a side of Grace that I could completely relate to. That is the desire to know that our lives meant something. I think there is a piece inside all of us that wants to know that our lives made a difference in the world. We may not all be able to find a magic cure for a disease or personally finance an endeavor to put shoes on the feet of an entire village. But every life matters and every life makes a difference in the sphere we are placed in. Our friends, our co-workers, our children and our family. I have to believe that I have been called to where I am for a reason. I may never see the results of the impact my life has been, but God sees it. And He knows and cares about whatever challenges we are facing and if we let Him, He will guide and support us through it all. I have been swept away by the MacDonald family and can not wait for the finale Under Scottish Stars releasing Summer 2016.
Carla Laureano is the author of the RITA® award-winning romance Five Days in Skye as well as London Tides and the Celtic fantasy series The Song of Seare (as C. E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons.
I received a free copy of London Tides as part of a blog tour with Radiant Lit in exchange for my honest review. Review copy provided by David C Cook.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Broken Girls in Books
Jan 17, 2019
A Spooky Ghost Story and Mystery in One!
When I first read the synopsis for The Broken Girls by Simone St. James, I knew it was a book I had to read. I was going to wait for it to come down in price, but the more I thought about the book, the more I knew I had to read it as soon as possible. Luckily, it was such a fantastic read!
The Broken Girls has such an interesting plot with everything I love such as a creepy boarding school, a scary ghost, and very big mystery. It felt like I was reading two different stories at the same time whilst reading this book, but it worked very well. Two mysteries at different time frames within the same book made for a great read. I loved reading about the mystery of Deb, the main character's sister, as well as Mary Hand, the ghost that haunts Idlewild Hall. I enjoyed how the two desperate stories came together brilliantly. Nothing felt rushed. It just flowed together so well. I also loved the little bit of true life history in the book. I had never heard of Ravensbruck prior to reading The Broken Girls. That tidbit was interesting. Although there were a few plot twists, I found them to be easily predictable. Saying that, this didn't take away my enjoyment from the book.
The characters in The Broken Girls were written fantastically! Almost every single character was fleshed out perfectly. I felt as if I was reading about real life people instead of fictional characters. The character that felt the most real to me was Sonia. My heart went out to her the most after all she had endured at such a young age. I admired Katie's leadership qualities. I also admired Fiona's thirst for the truth throughout everything. Mary Hand made such an excellent ghost! I enjoyed her backstory as well. She was so spooky to read about and what she could make people see was even more scary! The only character I would have loved to read a little more about was Rose Albert. I felt as if she could have had a very interesting back story as well.
The pacing for The Broken Girls was done very well. Nothing ever felt rushed nor was the pacing too slow where reading the book felt tedious and like it had to be done. Everything flowed so well.
Trigger warnings in The Broken Girls include violence, murder, attempted murder, ghosts, profanities, and drinking alcohol.
All in all, The Broken Girls was such a thrilling read that held my attention throughout. I loved the Gothic feel as well as just how beautifully written this book was. I would definitely recommend The Broken Girls by Simone St. James to those aged 16+ who enjoy a fantastically written mystery with a bit of the paranormal. This is one book that won't disappoint!
The Broken Girls has such an interesting plot with everything I love such as a creepy boarding school, a scary ghost, and very big mystery. It felt like I was reading two different stories at the same time whilst reading this book, but it worked very well. Two mysteries at different time frames within the same book made for a great read. I loved reading about the mystery of Deb, the main character's sister, as well as Mary Hand, the ghost that haunts Idlewild Hall. I enjoyed how the two desperate stories came together brilliantly. Nothing felt rushed. It just flowed together so well. I also loved the little bit of true life history in the book. I had never heard of Ravensbruck prior to reading The Broken Girls. That tidbit was interesting. Although there were a few plot twists, I found them to be easily predictable. Saying that, this didn't take away my enjoyment from the book.
The characters in The Broken Girls were written fantastically! Almost every single character was fleshed out perfectly. I felt as if I was reading about real life people instead of fictional characters. The character that felt the most real to me was Sonia. My heart went out to her the most after all she had endured at such a young age. I admired Katie's leadership qualities. I also admired Fiona's thirst for the truth throughout everything. Mary Hand made such an excellent ghost! I enjoyed her backstory as well. She was so spooky to read about and what she could make people see was even more scary! The only character I would have loved to read a little more about was Rose Albert. I felt as if she could have had a very interesting back story as well.
The pacing for The Broken Girls was done very well. Nothing ever felt rushed nor was the pacing too slow where reading the book felt tedious and like it had to be done. Everything flowed so well.
Trigger warnings in The Broken Girls include violence, murder, attempted murder, ghosts, profanities, and drinking alcohol.
All in all, The Broken Girls was such a thrilling read that held my attention throughout. I loved the Gothic feel as well as just how beautifully written this book was. I would definitely recommend The Broken Girls by Simone St. James to those aged 16+ who enjoy a fantastically written mystery with a bit of the paranormal. This is one book that won't disappoint!
365Flicks (235 KP) rated Cold Moon (2017) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
At first glance this looks like most other by the numbers Horror/Thriller movies with a cast of people you will recognize straight away but take a while to place where from. However give it a minute because this movie has some really stellar performances from the core cast which considering the concept is just bonkers enough to take you out of it completely, I find this to be nothing short of incredible.
THE BLURB:
In a sleepy southern town, the Larkin family suffers a terrible tragedy. Now the Larkin’s are about to endure another: Traffic lights blink an eerie warning, a ghostly visage prowls in the streets, and graves erupt from the local cemetery in an implacable march of terror . . . And beneath the murky surface of the river, a shifting, almost human shape slowly takes form to seek a terrible vengeance.
I found this movie to be way more Thriller than Horror, sure there are some solid as hell jump scares but one of the defining points in a Horror is that we don’t find out who the man in the mask is till the last quarter of the movie. In Cold Moon we know who the killer is early on and the film interestingly begins to focus on the rapid decline of our killers mind. Being haunted by the eerie ghosts of his victims, leading him to drink heavily, become careless and basically begin to lose his shit… Well that is where this movie cuts its teeth and showcases not only what our core cast can do but how effortlessly our Director/Writer can craft his tale.
Griff Furst has crafted a pretty eerie, Good looking, Atmospheric and Clever movie from the original novel written by the late Michael McDowell, author of Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Not only that but he managed to perfectly cast his roles from top to bottom **In my eyes, of course**. So lets touch on a couple of those people you know but may not place.
Josh Stewart from mostly everything, most notably for me he was Bane’s main henchmen in Dark Knight Rises. He is great in this flick, given a real chance to show us his range and I was pleased to see more of him. Frank Whaley from almost everything ever and he is fantastic in this. Up and Coming Robbie Kay from Tv show Once Upon A Time puts in a pretty strong performance. Ladies and Gentlemen we are even treated to some Christopher Lloyd, Doc Brown-ing all over the place.
Oh crap I almost forgot we are given a Tommy Wiseau cameo that is a real treat… Listen closely for his one line “He’s tearing him Apart”. Awww man now I wanna watch the room.
I recommend the hell out of this movie, is it amazing?? Not really… But its good fun, pretty clever, great performances and entertaining as hell. So a definite recommend.
THE BLURB:
In a sleepy southern town, the Larkin family suffers a terrible tragedy. Now the Larkin’s are about to endure another: Traffic lights blink an eerie warning, a ghostly visage prowls in the streets, and graves erupt from the local cemetery in an implacable march of terror . . . And beneath the murky surface of the river, a shifting, almost human shape slowly takes form to seek a terrible vengeance.
I found this movie to be way more Thriller than Horror, sure there are some solid as hell jump scares but one of the defining points in a Horror is that we don’t find out who the man in the mask is till the last quarter of the movie. In Cold Moon we know who the killer is early on and the film interestingly begins to focus on the rapid decline of our killers mind. Being haunted by the eerie ghosts of his victims, leading him to drink heavily, become careless and basically begin to lose his shit… Well that is where this movie cuts its teeth and showcases not only what our core cast can do but how effortlessly our Director/Writer can craft his tale.
Griff Furst has crafted a pretty eerie, Good looking, Atmospheric and Clever movie from the original novel written by the late Michael McDowell, author of Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Not only that but he managed to perfectly cast his roles from top to bottom **In my eyes, of course**. So lets touch on a couple of those people you know but may not place.
Josh Stewart from mostly everything, most notably for me he was Bane’s main henchmen in Dark Knight Rises. He is great in this flick, given a real chance to show us his range and I was pleased to see more of him. Frank Whaley from almost everything ever and he is fantastic in this. Up and Coming Robbie Kay from Tv show Once Upon A Time puts in a pretty strong performance. Ladies and Gentlemen we are even treated to some Christopher Lloyd, Doc Brown-ing all over the place.
Oh crap I almost forgot we are given a Tommy Wiseau cameo that is a real treat… Listen closely for his one line “He’s tearing him Apart”. Awww man now I wanna watch the room.
I recommend the hell out of this movie, is it amazing?? Not really… But its good fun, pretty clever, great performances and entertaining as hell. So a definite recommend.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated American Horror Story - Season 7 in TV
Mar 8, 2020
Season 7 of American Horror Story, subtitled Cult, is a weird one. Instead of focusing on the supernatural, ghosts, witches, haunted houses, Cult is a trip through the delicacy of the human mind. It instead looks at fears, real world issues, and of course, the presence of an all too familiar cult like family.
This makes for some of the best and worst aspects of AHS Cult. The plot leans heavily into politics this time around, originally airing not long Donald Trump was sworn in. I personally like that this season takes this real world event, and explores the horror that some people experienced during this time. Others would argue that it's very on-the-nose, which is somewhat true. Some of the political leanings carry all the subtlety of a stampeding cattle herd, andnat times can feel heavy handed.
Underneath all of the IRL shit that's going on, we also have a plot of intrigue and mystery, as the main character Ally (Sarah Paulson) is being apparently being stalked and pursued by clowns - her worst fear. We are given reason to believe that perhaps Ally is losing her mind, off her meds, upset with the election result, but as the season continues, you find yourself questioning whether she is in fact being gaslighted. Manipulation of what you believe to be true or false is a terrible horror all on its own, and a big reason why I rate this season highly.
The star of Cult for me though was of course Evan Peters. Playing a deranged political candidate called Kai Anderson, it's not long before his extreme right views Garner him a following, and the titular cult is created. To say anymore would be considered spoilers, but rest assured that all of these plot strands weave together by the time the story climaxes.
Evan Peters role in Cult is my favourite performance if his to date. His character is simultaneously charming, terrifying, smart, and unhinged, and he does a fantastic job in bringing him to life.
The plot also touches upon other real world figures, such as Charles Manson. Those parts were pretty interesting, but when the show flashes back and focuses on Valerie Solanis (Lena Dunham), it lost me a bit. I like when AHS includes real life characters, and it's always fun to see how they are interpreted in this kind of media, but it goes a bit overboard with it's hammy stuff (again) at times - the whole Andy Warhol plot was a massive eye roll in my book - and the Solanis stuff is just plain unenjoyable to watch.
This whole side plot really drags down the quality of cult to me, but the strong performances by Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters is enough to keep it in a higher placing for me.
Certainly not my favourite, and certainly not my least, Cult sits somewhere in the middle, and I can only praise the writers for trying something new with the horror element. Good stuff.
This makes for some of the best and worst aspects of AHS Cult. The plot leans heavily into politics this time around, originally airing not long Donald Trump was sworn in. I personally like that this season takes this real world event, and explores the horror that some people experienced during this time. Others would argue that it's very on-the-nose, which is somewhat true. Some of the political leanings carry all the subtlety of a stampeding cattle herd, andnat times can feel heavy handed.
Underneath all of the IRL shit that's going on, we also have a plot of intrigue and mystery, as the main character Ally (Sarah Paulson) is being apparently being stalked and pursued by clowns - her worst fear. We are given reason to believe that perhaps Ally is losing her mind, off her meds, upset with the election result, but as the season continues, you find yourself questioning whether she is in fact being gaslighted. Manipulation of what you believe to be true or false is a terrible horror all on its own, and a big reason why I rate this season highly.
The star of Cult for me though was of course Evan Peters. Playing a deranged political candidate called Kai Anderson, it's not long before his extreme right views Garner him a following, and the titular cult is created. To say anymore would be considered spoilers, but rest assured that all of these plot strands weave together by the time the story climaxes.
Evan Peters role in Cult is my favourite performance if his to date. His character is simultaneously charming, terrifying, smart, and unhinged, and he does a fantastic job in bringing him to life.
The plot also touches upon other real world figures, such as Charles Manson. Those parts were pretty interesting, but when the show flashes back and focuses on Valerie Solanis (Lena Dunham), it lost me a bit. I like when AHS includes real life characters, and it's always fun to see how they are interpreted in this kind of media, but it goes a bit overboard with it's hammy stuff (again) at times - the whole Andy Warhol plot was a massive eye roll in my book - and the Solanis stuff is just plain unenjoyable to watch.
This whole side plot really drags down the quality of cult to me, but the strong performances by Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters is enough to keep it in a higher placing for me.
Certainly not my favourite, and certainly not my least, Cult sits somewhere in the middle, and I can only praise the writers for trying something new with the horror element. Good stuff.
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Charnel House (2016) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
Characters – Alex Reaves is the man behind the refurbishment of the building, he sees this as a fresh start for his family which will give them financial support for life, he starts having visions which will bring the connection back to the previous owner. Charlotte is the artist and designer (I think she did this too) who has help turn the building into the apartments and soon becomes the one that needs to fight to keep her family together. Mia is the daughter of the couple who starts seeing the little boy haunting the building, treated like the imaginary friend for the most part, she has behavioural problems and follows in her mother’s artistic nature. Devin Pyles is the man that has a connection to the previous use of the building, he is here to investigate just what happened here and knows about the darker side of the building.
Performances – Callum Blue in the leading role is fine without ever standing out in the leading role, which is going to be a theme when looking at the performances, nobody does anything to make themselves feel stand out in the film.
Story – The story here follows the re-opening of an old slaughterhouse as luxury apartments, but the ghosts of the old building are still there haunting the people that move in. this does give us the limited characters as the building isn’t officially opened, but will let people move into the property they have purchased early, this helps the story because an over crowded building would have only dragged the film down. The story is trying to be clever with certain connections only to fall mostly short with this side of the story telling. Once you do work out where the story wants to go you will work out the ending pretty easily which again disappoints and as for the supporting characters they seem to have no connection to the actual hauntings and are here just to give us a body count.
Horror – The horror in the film comes from the ghost visits and the technology not following the rules it should be, again simple scares which don’t give us anything to be frightened off.
Settings – The film is set in one house, we have an apartment building with history which gives us the haunting side of the film. it works well for the most part too.
Special Effects – The effects are not over used, they are simple when needed but nothing that becomes clear to what is happening in the film.
Scene of the Movie – Butch the Yorkie.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The pointless disposable supporting residents.
Final Thoughts – This is a very simple horror, it does the basics right without ever being put in the position of being anything special or standout, nothing is terrible, it is just average throughout.
Overall: Average horror.
Performances – Callum Blue in the leading role is fine without ever standing out in the leading role, which is going to be a theme when looking at the performances, nobody does anything to make themselves feel stand out in the film.
Story – The story here follows the re-opening of an old slaughterhouse as luxury apartments, but the ghosts of the old building are still there haunting the people that move in. this does give us the limited characters as the building isn’t officially opened, but will let people move into the property they have purchased early, this helps the story because an over crowded building would have only dragged the film down. The story is trying to be clever with certain connections only to fall mostly short with this side of the story telling. Once you do work out where the story wants to go you will work out the ending pretty easily which again disappoints and as for the supporting characters they seem to have no connection to the actual hauntings and are here just to give us a body count.
Horror – The horror in the film comes from the ghost visits and the technology not following the rules it should be, again simple scares which don’t give us anything to be frightened off.
Settings – The film is set in one house, we have an apartment building with history which gives us the haunting side of the film. it works well for the most part too.
Special Effects – The effects are not over used, they are simple when needed but nothing that becomes clear to what is happening in the film.
Scene of the Movie – Butch the Yorkie.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The pointless disposable supporting residents.
Final Thoughts – This is a very simple horror, it does the basics right without ever being put in the position of being anything special or standout, nothing is terrible, it is just average throughout.
Overall: Average horror.
BookwormLea (3034 KP) rated Down a Dark Hall (2018) in Movies
Jul 26, 2020
Movie? Not great. Concept? Fabulous!
Contains spoilers, click to show
So I wouldn't call this a good horror. Maybe a passable thriller or drama??? Just the usual possession and strange happenings in a secluded school. (If you're looking for a better version of a similar thing, i recommend The Silenced.)
The general plot is that after her father dies when she's young, Katherine slowly becomes the stereotypical angry teen who lets the world know she hates it by letting it burn. She gets made to go to therapy after claiming she sees her father (which she does, because we watched his spirit say goodbye). She is invited to Blackwood. A mysteriously remote mansion home to 6 even more mysterious teachers, including Madame Duret, the headmistress. Kat is joined by 4 other girls of a seemingly lost cause. Duret calls them 'gifted' and 'misunderstood'. They are taught the usual lessons, Maths and English, music and art. And with the exception of Veronica (the literal definition of teenage nightmare) they all seem to excel at one thing in particular. Our lead girl Kat, music, specifically piano. She is taught by Durets son, Jules. Everything seems to be going well, one girl paints like a prodigy, another writes poems that could rock Shakespeares world, Kat does her piano thing rivalling Mozart and the last (who could basically still be in the role of Esther in Orphan) is solving maths problems that could save the world. That is until they start seeing shadows of people who aren't there, voices in their heads and they physically can't stop doing what they are gifted at, to the point where they don't eat or leave their rooms. After finding old files of other girls in similar situations who died, Kat and Veronica try to do something about it. Veronica is taken away and Kat is suddenly a Piano prodigy, almost possessed by the greats themselves. Yeah 'almost'. Because that's exactly what happened. They have been used as vessels for history's greatest men and women, who died too soon. How fantastic is that? If this movie was made better, that is a brilliant plot! But of course everything goes bad, just like their ghosts, the girls start dropping like flies, Poem girl kills herself, Painter literally starves herself, and crazy math girl is on the verge of escaping when she becomes enthralled in the beauty of the flames. Flames caused by Kat when she saves Veronica from being possessed by some weird demon thing who really doesn't get explained. They almost get out. Duret gets possseded and burned by the spirits she conjured. All the teachers die and Jules is crushed when he saves Kat. Of course there has to be surviors so Kat and Veronica get out, where on the brink of death, Kat sees her father again who makes her come back to life after she tries to go with him.
Overall, not a terrible movie, but if it had been made better, would probably be one of my favourite plots ever!
The general plot is that after her father dies when she's young, Katherine slowly becomes the stereotypical angry teen who lets the world know she hates it by letting it burn. She gets made to go to therapy after claiming she sees her father (which she does, because we watched his spirit say goodbye). She is invited to Blackwood. A mysteriously remote mansion home to 6 even more mysterious teachers, including Madame Duret, the headmistress. Kat is joined by 4 other girls of a seemingly lost cause. Duret calls them 'gifted' and 'misunderstood'. They are taught the usual lessons, Maths and English, music and art. And with the exception of Veronica (the literal definition of teenage nightmare) they all seem to excel at one thing in particular. Our lead girl Kat, music, specifically piano. She is taught by Durets son, Jules. Everything seems to be going well, one girl paints like a prodigy, another writes poems that could rock Shakespeares world, Kat does her piano thing rivalling Mozart and the last (who could basically still be in the role of Esther in Orphan) is solving maths problems that could save the world. That is until they start seeing shadows of people who aren't there, voices in their heads and they physically can't stop doing what they are gifted at, to the point where they don't eat or leave their rooms. After finding old files of other girls in similar situations who died, Kat and Veronica try to do something about it. Veronica is taken away and Kat is suddenly a Piano prodigy, almost possessed by the greats themselves. Yeah 'almost'. Because that's exactly what happened. They have been used as vessels for history's greatest men and women, who died too soon. How fantastic is that? If this movie was made better, that is a brilliant plot! But of course everything goes bad, just like their ghosts, the girls start dropping like flies, Poem girl kills herself, Painter literally starves herself, and crazy math girl is on the verge of escaping when she becomes enthralled in the beauty of the flames. Flames caused by Kat when she saves Veronica from being possessed by some weird demon thing who really doesn't get explained. They almost get out. Duret gets possseded and burned by the spirits she conjured. All the teachers die and Jules is crushed when he saves Kat. Of course there has to be surviors so Kat and Veronica get out, where on the brink of death, Kat sees her father again who makes her come back to life after she tries to go with him.
Overall, not a terrible movie, but if it had been made better, would probably be one of my favourite plots ever!
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Embodiment of Evil (2008) in Movies
May 31, 2020
Embodiment of Evil
Embodiment of Evil is the third film of the Brazilian ‘Coffin Joe’ trilogy, following after ‘At Midnight I’ll take your soul’ and ‘This night I’ll Posses your corpse’. Set and filmed 40 years after ‘This night I’ll possess your corpse’ Embodiment of Evil follows the same basic plot as the previous two films, Josefel Zanatas aka Coffin Joe returns after seeming to die at the end of the previous film to continue his search for the perfect woman to help him continue his blood line.
Embodiment of Evil is probably best described as a ‘Slasher’, Coffin Joe is a man on a mission and he’s not afraid to make enemy’s and then kill them if they get in his way. There are also elements of torture in the film as Joe tests his followers, and the women he chooses to make sure they are strong enough for him.
Like the first two films, Embodiment of evil starts off slow, using the time to explain how Coffin Joe survived his death, this is done with a flashback which uses footage from the end of the 'This night I'll possess your corpse' and adding footage that looks like it was shot at the same time but never use at the time.
Once Joe's survival has been explained the film falls back into the narrative of the trilogy, aided by his hunchbacked sidekick, Bruno, Joe returns to his old job as a gravedigger and is soon making waves in the community with his (anti) religious views. Joe is also being hunted by victims and relatives of victims from the previous films but, this time Coffin Joe also has help, not only from Bruno but from four cult like followers.
As in the previous films it doesn't take long before Joe is cursed by witches and seeing ghosts blurring the line between what Coffin Joe sees as reality and fantasy.
Coffin Joe himself is an interesting character, he is arrogant, self-assured and superior. He is constantly fighting against authority and most of the normal people, all of whom he sees as weak, mainly due to their religious belief. He is driven by his own belief that 'blood' is the only purpose in life and his need to find the perfect, strongest woman to have his child is the only driving force in his life.
Embodiment of Evil is UK rated 18 and there is a good reason for this, there is blood, nudity, cannibalism, torture, (off screen) child murder and implied rape so it will be safe to say that this film is not for everybody. It is also worth noting that, even though some of of these subjects are also in the first two films, Embodiment of evil was made 40 years later so the effects and content is a lot more graphic.
Embodiment of Evil is the third film of the Brazilian ‘Coffin Joe’ trilogy, following after ‘At Midnight I’ll take your soul’ and ‘This night I’ll Posses your corpse’. Set and filmed 40 years after ‘This night I’ll possess your corpse’ Embodiment of Evil follows the same basic plot as the previous two films, Josefel Zanatas aka Coffin Joe returns after seeming to die at the end of the previous film to continue his search for the perfect woman to help him continue his blood line.
Embodiment of Evil is probably best described as a ‘Slasher’, Coffin Joe is a man on a mission and he’s not afraid to make enemy’s and then kill them if they get in his way. There are also elements of torture in the film as Joe tests his followers, and the women he chooses to make sure they are strong enough for him.
Like the first two films, Embodiment of evil starts off slow, using the time to explain how Coffin Joe survived his death, this is done with a flashback which uses footage from the end of the 'This night I'll possess your corpse' and adding footage that looks like it was shot at the same time but never use at the time.
Once Joe's survival has been explained the film falls back into the narrative of the trilogy, aided by his hunchbacked sidekick, Bruno, Joe returns to his old job as a gravedigger and is soon making waves in the community with his (anti) religious views. Joe is also being hunted by victims and relatives of victims from the previous films but, this time Coffin Joe also has help, not only from Bruno but from four cult like followers.
As in the previous films it doesn't take long before Joe is cursed by witches and seeing ghosts blurring the line between what Coffin Joe sees as reality and fantasy.
Coffin Joe himself is an interesting character, he is arrogant, self-assured and superior. He is constantly fighting against authority and most of the normal people, all of whom he sees as weak, mainly due to their religious belief. He is driven by his own belief that 'blood' is the only purpose in life and his need to find the perfect, strongest woman to have his child is the only driving force in his life.
Embodiment of Evil is UK rated 18 and there is a good reason for this, there is blood, nudity, cannibalism, torture, (off screen) child murder and implied rape so it will be safe to say that this film is not for everybody. It is also worth noting that, even though some of of these subjects are also in the first two films, Embodiment of evil was made 40 years later so the effects and content is a lot more graphic.