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Alan Widler recommended Aladdin Sane by David Bowie in Music (curated)
The Marinated Meeple (1848 KP) rated Game Night (2018) in Movies
Jan 2, 2019
Slapstick was solid (1 more)
Some of the dialog was quite good
Better than I expected.
We live in the golden age of games, there are amazing card games, and board games that are better than anything that was around in the 70's. Yet these people who have game nights weekly don't seem to know about anything that was invented in the last 40 years. Pictionary, and charades are go-to games for them. Please don't get me wrong, I quite enjoy playing those games to. But it would be as if there was a movie about Art appreciators , and everyone in the film had only seen art that was painted before the 1900's, just completely omitting anything modern is absurd.
It would've taken almost no effort to include a few modern board games, like Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, Sushi Go, or Settlers of Catan.
All that said, I finally watched this film and enjoyed it for the most part. Rachel McAdams was awesome, and stole the show.... Batemen was himself and solid. The cop almost derailed the movie for me he was so creepy.
It would've taken almost no effort to include a few modern board games, like Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, Sushi Go, or Settlers of Catan.
All that said, I finally watched this film and enjoyed it for the most part. Rachel McAdams was awesome, and stole the show.... Batemen was himself and solid. The cop almost derailed the movie for me he was so creepy.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Eighth Grade (2018) in Movies
Jan 7, 2019 (Updated Jan 7, 2019)
Being a teenager today must be so difficult.
Having raised 3 teenage kids myself, I can commiserate wholeheartedly with the experience of attending middle and high school in the social media age and what new and complex challenges they have to deal with.
I have often thought kids these days should have some sort of class or education on not placing their lives out there for all to see.
Kayla's school year is awkward and someone lonely as she juggles her own insecurities, relationships and changes within herself. Her need for acceptance makes her step out of her comfort zone and put herself in some interesting situations along the way.
I loved this movie so much as I was able to relate to her plight as I have seen these emotions from my own kids and was able to laugh and cry with them along the way.
Golden Globe nominee Elsie Fisher is exceptional as Kayla. We go along with her journey, quickly get swept up in her life and root for her to succeed and triumph as she ascends to high school.
Loved this film!
I have often thought kids these days should have some sort of class or education on not placing their lives out there for all to see.
Kayla's school year is awkward and someone lonely as she juggles her own insecurities, relationships and changes within herself. Her need for acceptance makes her step out of her comfort zone and put herself in some interesting situations along the way.
I loved this movie so much as I was able to relate to her plight as I have seen these emotions from my own kids and was able to laugh and cry with them along the way.
Golden Globe nominee Elsie Fisher is exceptional as Kayla. We go along with her journey, quickly get swept up in her life and root for her to succeed and triumph as she ascends to high school.
Loved this film!
Allison Anders recommended The Red Shoes (1948) in Movies (curated)
Awix (3310 KP) rated Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) in Movies
Aug 26, 2019 (Updated Aug 26, 2019)
Spielberg and Lucas' wonderful adventure shows you can ignore most of the accepted rules of screenwriting (the script here has some iffy plot devices, peculiar character moments, and the most literal deus ex machina ending in cinema history) and still end up with a virtually perfect movie. You can see how it appeals to the same desire for good-vs-evil escapism as Lucas' most famous creation, but there is an obvious love for the glamour and romance of Golden Age Hollywood here too, and a mysticism that in many way makes it the culmination of all the movies about faith Lucas and Spielberg made in the late 1970s (outside of horror films and biblical epics, this is one of the few mainstream movies predicated on the existence of God).
On one level this is essentially a succession of one set-piece after another, but what set-pieces they are - most movies would be happy to have one sequence like the one in the snake pit, or the plane fight, or the truck chase, and Spielberg cheerfully rattles them off without really pausing for breath. The film is also careful to take its time to establish character and humour, too. This is one of those movies where you can't help feeling that any changes would only end up spoiling it.
On one level this is essentially a succession of one set-piece after another, but what set-pieces they are - most movies would be happy to have one sequence like the one in the snake pit, or the plane fight, or the truck chase, and Spielberg cheerfully rattles them off without really pausing for breath. The film is also careful to take its time to establish character and humour, too. This is one of those movies where you can't help feeling that any changes would only end up spoiling it.
Mayhawke (97 KP) rated Elevator Pitch in Books
Jun 28, 2019
A nice return to U.S. crime fiction
Crime fiction is my thing. It's what I read most of, most of the time.
Over a decade ago I stopped reading crime fiction from the U.S. because I found what seemed to be a an unpleasant dwelling on the suffering of victims; a voyeurism which I found uncomfortable, and highly unpleasant. It was as though American crime writers were incapable of exploring the darkness of humanity, or giving clarity to events without relishing the pain and terror that must have been experienced by those on the receiving end of them.
Of course this was never true of all U.S. crime fiction, but I couldn't be asked to keep searching for the other kind. It was easier to just stay away from it all.
So, this is the first American crime novel I have read in nearly fifteen years.
What a joy it was. Barclay sets out a gripping thriller, an excellently plotted story which will educate you just a bit more than is comfortable on the ease of hacking lift controls in the technical age, whilst carefully leading you up and down the garden path a couple of times. The reading style is comfortable, the exposition is well paced. Eventually you arrive at a satisfying, and prompt conclusion. Barclay avoids the temptation to draw out the end like a cheerleader pulling gum, something that only works in Golden Era crime, and I always feel is out of place in otherwise fast-paced books of a more recent age.
Against this the characters have a slightly superficial feel, as though they have only been given the complexity they need for the book, and the denouement was not a huge surprise, though it was batted back and forth between two potential subjects nicely. But these really are minor complaints I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be going back and reading some more of Linwood's books on the basis of this one.
Over a decade ago I stopped reading crime fiction from the U.S. because I found what seemed to be a an unpleasant dwelling on the suffering of victims; a voyeurism which I found uncomfortable, and highly unpleasant. It was as though American crime writers were incapable of exploring the darkness of humanity, or giving clarity to events without relishing the pain and terror that must have been experienced by those on the receiving end of them.
Of course this was never true of all U.S. crime fiction, but I couldn't be asked to keep searching for the other kind. It was easier to just stay away from it all.
So, this is the first American crime novel I have read in nearly fifteen years.
What a joy it was. Barclay sets out a gripping thriller, an excellently plotted story which will educate you just a bit more than is comfortable on the ease of hacking lift controls in the technical age, whilst carefully leading you up and down the garden path a couple of times. The reading style is comfortable, the exposition is well paced. Eventually you arrive at a satisfying, and prompt conclusion. Barclay avoids the temptation to draw out the end like a cheerleader pulling gum, something that only works in Golden Era crime, and I always feel is out of place in otherwise fast-paced books of a more recent age.
Against this the characters have a slightly superficial feel, as though they have only been given the complexity they need for the book, and the denouement was not a huge surprise, though it was batted back and forth between two potential subjects nicely. But these really are minor complaints I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be going back and reading some more of Linwood's books on the basis of this one.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2067 KP) rated Once Upon Another Time in Books
Apr 7, 2022
A Second Magical Remix of Fairytales
Lena is small for a giant, but she is still ready to participate in her first Ritual of the Spark ceremony. However, when she does go, things don’t go the way she thought they would, and she finds herself running to visit her friends in the Cursed City. Meanwhile, Jin, a genie in training, finds himself on a mission for his current master, the Golden King. The king is trying to capture the Last Knight, the leaders of the rebels, and his current hiding place is supposed to be the Cursed City. What will happen when both Lena and Jin get there?
I’ve been reading author James Riley since his first book came out, and when I found out he was returning to that world for a new trilogy, I was thrilled. This book stands on its own, although there are a few references to things from the earlier books. We alternate chapters from Lena and Jin’s points-of-view, so we get to know them both well. I liked them and several of the other characters here. The further into the book I read, the more I was hooked on the story as the characters faced more obstacles. With that ending, I’m glad the next is coming out this fall. The target middle grade audience will love this series, and anyone looking for a fun take on familiar characters will be glad they picked it up no matter what their age.
I’ve been reading author James Riley since his first book came out, and when I found out he was returning to that world for a new trilogy, I was thrilled. This book stands on its own, although there are a few references to things from the earlier books. We alternate chapters from Lena and Jin’s points-of-view, so we get to know them both well. I liked them and several of the other characters here. The further into the book I read, the more I was hooked on the story as the characters faced more obstacles. With that ending, I’m glad the next is coming out this fall. The target middle grade audience will love this series, and anyone looking for a fun take on familiar characters will be glad they picked it up no matter what their age.
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Blackbeard in TV
May 28, 2017
Good cast (1 more)
Decent for a TV miniseries/movie
Not entirely accurate (2 more)
The characters and boats are far too clean
TV effects (or lack of) might spoil some scenes
Somewhat entertaining
So I was on the search for some more Pirate movies at my local DVD stores, in hopes of finding something with the effects of Pirates of the Caribbean, but a more serious plot like that of the Black Sails series. Something that feels more like how the golden age of piracy would seem, not quite as quirky and humorous as the Disney films, although I cannot fault them for they are some of my favourite movies. It was on my search, that I came across this, and my initial thoughts were that whilst it looked cheap, it could be an entertaining film. As it turns out, I discovered this was a TV miniseries, merged into roughly a 162 minute film.
It has some charm, I can say that much for it. The cast are decent with very few famous names, and the acting itself isn't dreadful. However, there seems to be some lacking in the actual filming and editing of the episodes/feature. It has a decent plot which involves a hunt for treasure, a hunt for justice and slight revenge, which makes the viewing, feel like a pirate experience should be, but there still seems to lack the proper visuals to complete the experience.
If you take a look at Pirates of the Caribbean, one aspect that makes those films so darn good is the visuals. The pirates are dirty, rotting teeth, golden teeth, dirty fingernails, and their ships are battle worn with scars in the woodwork and again, the dirt from barnicles, and land. The ships in this feature on the other hand, are the cleanest ships you'll see in a pirate themed show or movie, and they look as if they were freshly made straight from the ship builder themselves. There doesn't appear to be any barnicles clung onto them, nor are there any battle scars, even after you witness a battle in the beginning of the film. The pirates themselves are also clean, all with white teeth as though they visited a dentist and brushed their teeth with colgate or the next best brand. There's not a single sign of scurvy which was popular among pirates during the golden age, and I didn't really spot any scars from battles apart from the obvious ones where you witness a member of Blackbeards crew have part of his leg removed due to injury (you don't see the gruesome imagery, as it's 12 rated series). Other than that though, there no facial scars, no sign to tell us that Blackbeard has fought enough battles and lived through them to become reknowned as a devil instead of a man. We only see what appears to be a couple of weeks of him as a Captain, and yet he claims to already be known as the scurge of the seas, which is highly unlikely given that we only see him battle one ship and spend the rest of his time hunting treasure, never running across another opposing ship until the finale, which sees Blackbeard battle against a crew of Royal Navy soldiers led by Lieutenant Robert Maynard.
Whilst the plot had me intrigued for the most part, I can't say that this is a film I would 'Highly' recommend, but if you fancy watching a pirate movie, this could be somewhat sufficient until you find something else, despite some of the deaths in battle seeming very staged, as sometimes I would notice a sword being shoved theatrically into someones armpit, only for the victim of the blade to fall lifeless to the floor, some holding onto the blade as though left in their body, others being retrieved from the 'corpse' with no visible blood on the blade.
With very historical accuracy's, mostly about the legend of Captain Kidd, hiding treasure, and the title's that Blackbeard earned, before his life was taken by that of Robert Maynard, the location of his death, and some other less important factors, were dramatized for the series alone and should not be taken as historically accurate.
It's a decent film, but it's just not quite what I was hoping for, and certainly not as great as it could have been.
It has some charm, I can say that much for it. The cast are decent with very few famous names, and the acting itself isn't dreadful. However, there seems to be some lacking in the actual filming and editing of the episodes/feature. It has a decent plot which involves a hunt for treasure, a hunt for justice and slight revenge, which makes the viewing, feel like a pirate experience should be, but there still seems to lack the proper visuals to complete the experience.
If you take a look at Pirates of the Caribbean, one aspect that makes those films so darn good is the visuals. The pirates are dirty, rotting teeth, golden teeth, dirty fingernails, and their ships are battle worn with scars in the woodwork and again, the dirt from barnicles, and land. The ships in this feature on the other hand, are the cleanest ships you'll see in a pirate themed show or movie, and they look as if they were freshly made straight from the ship builder themselves. There doesn't appear to be any barnicles clung onto them, nor are there any battle scars, even after you witness a battle in the beginning of the film. The pirates themselves are also clean, all with white teeth as though they visited a dentist and brushed their teeth with colgate or the next best brand. There's not a single sign of scurvy which was popular among pirates during the golden age, and I didn't really spot any scars from battles apart from the obvious ones where you witness a member of Blackbeards crew have part of his leg removed due to injury (you don't see the gruesome imagery, as it's 12 rated series). Other than that though, there no facial scars, no sign to tell us that Blackbeard has fought enough battles and lived through them to become reknowned as a devil instead of a man. We only see what appears to be a couple of weeks of him as a Captain, and yet he claims to already be known as the scurge of the seas, which is highly unlikely given that we only see him battle one ship and spend the rest of his time hunting treasure, never running across another opposing ship until the finale, which sees Blackbeard battle against a crew of Royal Navy soldiers led by Lieutenant Robert Maynard.
Whilst the plot had me intrigued for the most part, I can't say that this is a film I would 'Highly' recommend, but if you fancy watching a pirate movie, this could be somewhat sufficient until you find something else, despite some of the deaths in battle seeming very staged, as sometimes I would notice a sword being shoved theatrically into someones armpit, only for the victim of the blade to fall lifeless to the floor, some holding onto the blade as though left in their body, others being retrieved from the 'corpse' with no visible blood on the blade.
With very historical accuracy's, mostly about the legend of Captain Kidd, hiding treasure, and the title's that Blackbeard earned, before his life was taken by that of Robert Maynard, the location of his death, and some other less important factors, were dramatized for the series alone and should not be taken as historically accurate.
It's a decent film, but it's just not quite what I was hoping for, and certainly not as great as it could have been.
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Black Sails - Season 1 in TV
May 30, 2017
Great Cast (3 more)
Brilliant Action
Great Drama
Very Accurate (thought not 100%)
Game of Thrones with Pirates
I was unawares during my first initial viewing of this show that this was in fact a prequel of sorts to the famous classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island. Though I knew that I had heard the names Flint and John Silver among others. However, I must admit, I have never seen, nor read any adaptation of the classic (I know shameful) but I intend to as it is in my collection of books and has been for years. I collected the 'Golden Library' collection which contains nearly all of the most classic books that are must reads for any book worm, and though I do not claim to be a book worm nor a large reader of any kind, I take interest in anything to do with Pirates, Vikings, and most historical fiction.
This show is a great representation of the life and time of Piracy however, and I can review it from a point of view of someone who knows quite a bit about the golden age of piracy in actual historical facts. Unlike the previous pirate content I reviewed, Blackbeard, this show portrays pirates as scarred, dirty, bloody, and frightening in their own way. However, similar to the Blackbeard short series, the pirates and other characters all have near perfect teeth. It seems to be that only (in what I have seen anyways) the Pirate's of the Caribbean franchise has managed to nail the full historical accuracy of the look of a pirate from clothing, to makeup, to the teeth.
On the other hand, this does not cause much of a disturbance to the viewing of this show, because the drama is brilliant, if you can bare the somewhat slow plot lines unfold as there are many characters in this show, and each have a ship full of issues that all need resolving with very few of them actually being resolved. From love interests, to thievery, betrayal and all round general opposition between old allies and acquaintances. There is a lot of 'business' to deal with on the side of Eleanor Guthrie and her dealings with our main protagonists, among other important characters, some of which are based upon historical figures such as Captain Benjamin Hornigold, Charles Vane, Anne Bonny and Jack Rackham (known throughout history as Calico Jack). All portrayed as tough, cunning and sometimes (most times for Rackham) as humerous.
The production of this show is great, with beautiful sets, great looking props and special effects that make this a believable series to get lost in. It's one of the better pirate themed mediums that I have seen, and I personally really enjoy the drama and suspense of the episodes, as well as the twists and turns of certain scenario's which leave you wanting more.
The cast deliver great performances and make you believe that they are truly men or women to be feared, and not to be double crossed. From Charles Vane's tough exterior, to Eleanor Guthrie's power over trade in Nassau, and even Captain Flint's fear inducing presence, as we watch his secrets spill out into the hands of the wrong people.
This is a show I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the theme of pirates, with some fantasy and a lot of drama, but I should warn you, that it doesn't hold back with neither the nudity or the actions performed, during the state in which someone would be naked. Whether it's the whores in the brothel, or the few short term relationships between characters.
Minor Spoilers - nothing too important.
The first example you see of this extent of mature content, as well as some of the humour of this show, is when John Silver is taken into a whore house, and is told that 'Blackbeard' wishes to see him. When he enters, he finds a woman standing there, and as John Silver points out "You are not Blackbeard" only to discover that the beard, is revealed to be between her legs.
As I said, watch at your own risk but I would recommend it to anyone interested in the theme of Pirates during the Golden Age.
This show is a great representation of the life and time of Piracy however, and I can review it from a point of view of someone who knows quite a bit about the golden age of piracy in actual historical facts. Unlike the previous pirate content I reviewed, Blackbeard, this show portrays pirates as scarred, dirty, bloody, and frightening in their own way. However, similar to the Blackbeard short series, the pirates and other characters all have near perfect teeth. It seems to be that only (in what I have seen anyways) the Pirate's of the Caribbean franchise has managed to nail the full historical accuracy of the look of a pirate from clothing, to makeup, to the teeth.
On the other hand, this does not cause much of a disturbance to the viewing of this show, because the drama is brilliant, if you can bare the somewhat slow plot lines unfold as there are many characters in this show, and each have a ship full of issues that all need resolving with very few of them actually being resolved. From love interests, to thievery, betrayal and all round general opposition between old allies and acquaintances. There is a lot of 'business' to deal with on the side of Eleanor Guthrie and her dealings with our main protagonists, among other important characters, some of which are based upon historical figures such as Captain Benjamin Hornigold, Charles Vane, Anne Bonny and Jack Rackham (known throughout history as Calico Jack). All portrayed as tough, cunning and sometimes (most times for Rackham) as humerous.
The production of this show is great, with beautiful sets, great looking props and special effects that make this a believable series to get lost in. It's one of the better pirate themed mediums that I have seen, and I personally really enjoy the drama and suspense of the episodes, as well as the twists and turns of certain scenario's which leave you wanting more.
The cast deliver great performances and make you believe that they are truly men or women to be feared, and not to be double crossed. From Charles Vane's tough exterior, to Eleanor Guthrie's power over trade in Nassau, and even Captain Flint's fear inducing presence, as we watch his secrets spill out into the hands of the wrong people.
This is a show I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the theme of pirates, with some fantasy and a lot of drama, but I should warn you, that it doesn't hold back with neither the nudity or the actions performed, during the state in which someone would be naked. Whether it's the whores in the brothel, or the few short term relationships between characters.
Minor Spoilers - nothing too important.
The first example you see of this extent of mature content, as well as some of the humour of this show, is when John Silver is taken into a whore house, and is told that 'Blackbeard' wishes to see him. When he enters, he finds a woman standing there, and as John Silver points out "You are not Blackbeard" only to discover that the beard, is revealed to be between her legs.
As I said, watch at your own risk but I would recommend it to anyone interested in the theme of Pirates during the Golden Age.
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Black Hammer, Vol. 1: Secret Origins in Books
Nov 30, 2020
I just wanted to preface this with this: I was recommended BH Vol 1 by a co-worker (as well as a Good Reads user). At the time, I was reading something else, but filed it away mentally for later. Two sales on Comixology, and I pass on both. However, a recent Dark Horse sale spoke to me, and I bought Vols 1 (as well as 2), and Issue #12 (which is not included in the two tpbs).
The series pays more than enough clever homage to the Silver Age heroes. Barbalien bears more than a passing resemblance to J'onn J'onz in the DC Universe, while Golden Gail shares notable similarities to Shazam, or Captain Marvel, also from DC. However, despite the similarities, Jeff Lemire's intent is purely nostalgia and respect, nothing resembling fan service by any means!
Despite aspects of the series that clearly apply to the superhero genre, this series anything but a typical superhero book. Instead, we are presented with a dark (and I mean DARK, like you'll want a milkshake or some Insomnia Cookies after you are finished reading it) tale that is very much about the people who embody the heroes in the series. There are a lot of human struggles and internal issues, all dealt with in a well-written manner, the end result of a series created out of love for the comic heroes of old.
Jeff Lemire is swiftly becoming one of my favorite writers. I got sucked in with his recent new series, GIDEON FALLS, and then now this. I know everyone else has been a fan for the longest time, but regardless, I consider myself a fan now, too! :)
As praise as I am throwing Lemire's way, I also need to throw some to Dean Ormston, the series' A-MAZ-INGLY talented artist! His art suited Lemire's ideas and concepts, rendering them in a way that further supported the tribute to the Silver Age that this clearly was. I glad Ormston remained the artist, as it helped to maintain continuity without breaking the mood.
In closing, I just want to say a big thank you to Baxter for the recommendation and thank you to Comixology and Dark Horse for the sale! My new found love of this series is now forever owned to you both, as well as Msrs. Lemire and Ormston! THANK YOU!!
The series pays more than enough clever homage to the Silver Age heroes. Barbalien bears more than a passing resemblance to J'onn J'onz in the DC Universe, while Golden Gail shares notable similarities to Shazam, or Captain Marvel, also from DC. However, despite the similarities, Jeff Lemire's intent is purely nostalgia and respect, nothing resembling fan service by any means!
Despite aspects of the series that clearly apply to the superhero genre, this series anything but a typical superhero book. Instead, we are presented with a dark (and I mean DARK, like you'll want a milkshake or some Insomnia Cookies after you are finished reading it) tale that is very much about the people who embody the heroes in the series. There are a lot of human struggles and internal issues, all dealt with in a well-written manner, the end result of a series created out of love for the comic heroes of old.
Jeff Lemire is swiftly becoming one of my favorite writers. I got sucked in with his recent new series, GIDEON FALLS, and then now this. I know everyone else has been a fan for the longest time, but regardless, I consider myself a fan now, too! :)
As praise as I am throwing Lemire's way, I also need to throw some to Dean Ormston, the series' A-MAZ-INGLY talented artist! His art suited Lemire's ideas and concepts, rendering them in a way that further supported the tribute to the Silver Age that this clearly was. I glad Ormston remained the artist, as it helped to maintain continuity without breaking the mood.
In closing, I just want to say a big thank you to Baxter for the recommendation and thank you to Comixology and Dark Horse for the sale! My new found love of this series is now forever owned to you both, as well as Msrs. Lemire and Ormston! THANK YOU!!