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BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Split in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This story is told from multiple perspectives, but the main characters would be Felicity and Joe. Felicity is a scientist, who specialises in ice. She is an amazingly written character in my opinion. All the parts from this character’s life are filled with mystery, intrigue and mindblowing twists. Joe is a very important character in this book as well, he is a psychologist, who together with his detective mother, try to figure out Felicity and her connection to very strange events. I loved how different the characters are in this book, the police officer is an older, overweight woman who loves a pint, but great at what she does nevertheless. I am normally met with these young detectives that are so fit and superhero kind at what they do, that it is kind of refreshing to see a different type of woman that is absolutely amazing at what she does. There are many different characters coming in and out of the picture, and they all have a story to tell.
The book is set in two completely different places, it begins in the remote island of South Georgia, that is absolutely incredible! I loved the research that the author done for this book, the description of South Georgia is unbelievable, it felt like I was there with the characters, running alongside them. The other part of the book was set in Cambridge, where Felicity lives, and all the creepy and unexplained events took place. The narrative is absolutely beautifully developed and delivered. It has everything the reader might want from a thriller and more. It is full of layers, very well placed twists and turns, the suspense was overwhelming, and I was left gobsmacked on many occasions. There are some pretty important topics that the author discussed in this novel, such as homelessness and a lack of psychological help for them, obsession, stalking, child abuse, psychological trauma and many more. The mood and the atmosphere was constantly changing throughout the pages, and it was a true page-turner for me.
I love Sharon Bolton’s writing style since her first book, she knows how to lure the reader with brilliant characters and a superb plot. The audiobook I listened to was narrated by Katie Scarfe, and she did an amazing job with her voice intonations, she brought this book to life. The chapters are quite short, so I believe the pages are just going to fly by too many readers. The ending was very well written, and I was left satisfied with the outcome. I have to tell that this book has plenty of gory and disturbing things related to small children, so please approach this read with caution.
The book is set in two completely different places, it begins in the remote island of South Georgia, that is absolutely incredible! I loved the research that the author done for this book, the description of South Georgia is unbelievable, it felt like I was there with the characters, running alongside them. The other part of the book was set in Cambridge, where Felicity lives, and all the creepy and unexplained events took place. The narrative is absolutely beautifully developed and delivered. It has everything the reader might want from a thriller and more. It is full of layers, very well placed twists and turns, the suspense was overwhelming, and I was left gobsmacked on many occasions. There are some pretty important topics that the author discussed in this novel, such as homelessness and a lack of psychological help for them, obsession, stalking, child abuse, psychological trauma and many more. The mood and the atmosphere was constantly changing throughout the pages, and it was a true page-turner for me.
I love Sharon Bolton’s writing style since her first book, she knows how to lure the reader with brilliant characters and a superb plot. The audiobook I listened to was narrated by Katie Scarfe, and she did an amazing job with her voice intonations, she brought this book to life. The chapters are quite short, so I believe the pages are just going to fly by too many readers. The ending was very well written, and I was left satisfied with the outcome. I have to tell that this book has plenty of gory and disturbing things related to small children, so please approach this read with caution.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Upgrade (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I'd go classifying Upgrade as sci-fi action... for some reason it also has a genre of horror on IMDb. Sure it's a bit gory, but with everything that happens in it I wouldn't have lumped it in there as well. It briefly gave me pause to ponder where the lines of classification are... but that way madness lies!
This one isn't for the faint hearted. There's quite a lot of violence in it. There was only one bit that I thought "that was a bit much", but even then it was more that I reacted to it with an intake of breath and a slight wince before laughing... because it was a tad ridiculous. The guy in the row behind me did the same, but his girlfriend wasn't overly impressed.
I actually found Grey's reactions to his body doing violent things to be very well done, and a nice touch because you do forget that it's not actually him. Acting so that your face is doing something completely different to how your body is performing must be very challenging, but Marshall-Green did it really well. He had humour, and really brought out the conflict between his head and his body... wow, well there are just some things that you don't expect to say when reviewing films.
The main reason it's missing that last half star is purely personal preference. I like sci-fi, and I like mindless violence. What I don't like are the motion and camera quirks. But like I say, it's personal preference. Those tracking shots that put Grey centre of the frame and follow him round like it's a third person shooter game (third person?) did nothing for me, and made everything seem kind of jumpy. This was so you could get the contrast between him being in control and STEM being in control, and I understand that but it's a shame they couldn't find another way to do it. My only other bug was that when Grey is laying on the floor and STEM gets him up to standing he goes from horizontal to vertical like he's on a hinge. How is that even possible? STEM is still constrained by what the human body can do, right? And last time I checked I can't pivot from laying down to standing just on my heels.
What should you do?
Great lead, interesting story line... if you don't mind mindless violence then you should definitely go and see this.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'd quite like to take home STEM and have my body be that coordinated all the time... but that does have the whole killer robot issue. So perhaps I'll just go with the self driving car this time.
This one isn't for the faint hearted. There's quite a lot of violence in it. There was only one bit that I thought "that was a bit much", but even then it was more that I reacted to it with an intake of breath and a slight wince before laughing... because it was a tad ridiculous. The guy in the row behind me did the same, but his girlfriend wasn't overly impressed.
I actually found Grey's reactions to his body doing violent things to be very well done, and a nice touch because you do forget that it's not actually him. Acting so that your face is doing something completely different to how your body is performing must be very challenging, but Marshall-Green did it really well. He had humour, and really brought out the conflict between his head and his body... wow, well there are just some things that you don't expect to say when reviewing films.
The main reason it's missing that last half star is purely personal preference. I like sci-fi, and I like mindless violence. What I don't like are the motion and camera quirks. But like I say, it's personal preference. Those tracking shots that put Grey centre of the frame and follow him round like it's a third person shooter game (third person?) did nothing for me, and made everything seem kind of jumpy. This was so you could get the contrast between him being in control and STEM being in control, and I understand that but it's a shame they couldn't find another way to do it. My only other bug was that when Grey is laying on the floor and STEM gets him up to standing he goes from horizontal to vertical like he's on a hinge. How is that even possible? STEM is still constrained by what the human body can do, right? And last time I checked I can't pivot from laying down to standing just on my heels.
What should you do?
Great lead, interesting story line... if you don't mind mindless violence then you should definitely go and see this.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'd quite like to take home STEM and have my body be that coordinated all the time... but that does have the whole killer robot issue. So perhaps I'll just go with the self driving car this time.
The kids are amazing (1 more)
So is Pennywise!
If you're of a certain age you'll probably remember the 'It' TV mini series of 1990, based on Stephen Kings classic novel. And you'll also have lasting memories of Tim Curry as Pennywise, the demonic clown who terrorises the town of Derry, Maine. His was the definitive evil clown, the benchmark for all scary movie clowns to come. This big screen version remake had a lot to live up to.
We meet the new Pennywise pretty early on in the movie as young Georgie ventures out into the heavy rain to play with the paper boat that he and older brother Bill just made. Anyone familiar with the story, or the trailer for the movie, knows exactly what's coming, so it's no surprise when Pennywise appears in the drain where Georgie loses his boat. Calmly menacing, and excellently played by Bill Skarsgård, but sounding strangely like Scooby-Doo as he chats away to Georgie, which kind of made him more funny than scary. It's not until he bites off Georgie's arm and drags him down into the sewer that you know he means business.
From there, Pennywise takes a bit of a backseat as we're introduced to our core cast of kids. It's been a while since Georgie disappeared and kids are still going missing around town, meaning there's now a 7pm curfew in effect. Bill is still mourning the loss of younger brother Georgie and his group of friends all have their own personal issues and demons too. These are gradually explored throughout the movie and are in some ways more sad and disturbing than Pennywise. On top of that, the local bully and his gang like to make their lives hell too and all of this is just hugely enjoyable, giving off a wonderful Stand By Me/The Goonies/Stranger Things feel, even more so as the movie is set in the 80s. The kids swear, make jokes together and at the expense of each other. They ride their bikes around town, have rock fights with the bullies and the entire cast is just a joy to watch.
Eventually, Pennywise steps things up a notch as he begins appearing to each of the kids, playing on their fears as he tries to lure them to their deaths. His appearances tend to involve a creepy, chilling build up, followed by a surprisingly effective jump scare (certainly some of the women in nearby seats to me seemed to be constantly on the brink of having a heart attack!). The scares become increasingly inventive and enjoyable as the movie progresses and while not as scary and gory as some might like, they still manage to work well within the whole movie.
I had a lot of fun watching It. And this is only Chapter One of a two part series, with Chapter Two set to focus on the part of the story where the kids are all adults. I can't wait to see what comes next!
We meet the new Pennywise pretty early on in the movie as young Georgie ventures out into the heavy rain to play with the paper boat that he and older brother Bill just made. Anyone familiar with the story, or the trailer for the movie, knows exactly what's coming, so it's no surprise when Pennywise appears in the drain where Georgie loses his boat. Calmly menacing, and excellently played by Bill Skarsgård, but sounding strangely like Scooby-Doo as he chats away to Georgie, which kind of made him more funny than scary. It's not until he bites off Georgie's arm and drags him down into the sewer that you know he means business.
From there, Pennywise takes a bit of a backseat as we're introduced to our core cast of kids. It's been a while since Georgie disappeared and kids are still going missing around town, meaning there's now a 7pm curfew in effect. Bill is still mourning the loss of younger brother Georgie and his group of friends all have their own personal issues and demons too. These are gradually explored throughout the movie and are in some ways more sad and disturbing than Pennywise. On top of that, the local bully and his gang like to make their lives hell too and all of this is just hugely enjoyable, giving off a wonderful Stand By Me/The Goonies/Stranger Things feel, even more so as the movie is set in the 80s. The kids swear, make jokes together and at the expense of each other. They ride their bikes around town, have rock fights with the bullies and the entire cast is just a joy to watch.
Eventually, Pennywise steps things up a notch as he begins appearing to each of the kids, playing on their fears as he tries to lure them to their deaths. His appearances tend to involve a creepy, chilling build up, followed by a surprisingly effective jump scare (certainly some of the women in nearby seats to me seemed to be constantly on the brink of having a heart attack!). The scares become increasingly inventive and enjoyable as the movie progresses and while not as scary and gory as some might like, they still manage to work well within the whole movie.
I had a lot of fun watching It. And this is only Chapter One of a two part series, with Chapter Two set to focus on the part of the story where the kids are all adults. I can't wait to see what comes next!
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Shaun of the Dead (2004) in Movies
Feb 3, 2019
Good Fun
With the help of a close friend, Shaun (Simon Pegg) sets out to his rescue his mum during a zombie apocalypse and hole up at their favorite pub The Winchester.
Acting: 10
Pegg delivers a strong performance in his role as Shaun. You can’t decide whether Shaun is just a plain loser or if he’s just oblivious to the people around them and their feelings, particularly his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield). Pegg has a way of keeping you guessing from one scene to the next. Just when you think you can figure his character out, he evolves just a little bit, enough to remain interesting. The entirety of the cast breathes life into this comedy horror film.
Beginning: 3
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The film is shot in a very unique way that helps to drive the narrative. It has the feel of a horror movie, but you’re never really frightened. It’s just as gory and in-your-face as any zombie movie I’ve seen, but sometimes those same scenes will have you cracking up. It was very cool how they capture the graduation of the first twenty-four hours. It started with a couple of one-off strange incidents. Before long, the streets were swarming and things were out of control. Very well-done.
Conflict: 10
Zombie films/shows should never be about the zombies, but about survival and the reality of the human spirit. You wanna find out who you really are? Get thrown into the middle of an apocalypse. Shaun of the Dead takes the nature of the human spirit and fleshes it out over the course of the film. Some people see tragedy and they run from it while others, like Shaun, take the bull by the horns and go right at it. The conflict succeeds in the group not just taking on the zombies but handling their internal squabbles as well.
Genre: 6
Memorability: 7
There were a number of funny, memorable events that stick out. I won’t ruin them, but my personal favorite was the car scene where seven survivors had to squeeze into a little sedan. The hilarity that ensues as they move from Point A to B is pretty awesome. There is also a touching moment within that same scene that adds emotional power to the movie. There are a number of scenes like this here, scenes that can make you laugh and make you feel at the same time.
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Resolution: 7
Overall: 83
Shaun of the Dead is one of those movies where you fall in love with it more and more the more times you revisit it. I wasn’t a fan my first viewing, but noticed a lot of things the second time around that made sense and added to the overall strength of the movie in a subtle way. Good watch.
Acting: 10
Pegg delivers a strong performance in his role as Shaun. You can’t decide whether Shaun is just a plain loser or if he’s just oblivious to the people around them and their feelings, particularly his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield). Pegg has a way of keeping you guessing from one scene to the next. Just when you think you can figure his character out, he evolves just a little bit, enough to remain interesting. The entirety of the cast breathes life into this comedy horror film.
Beginning: 3
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The film is shot in a very unique way that helps to drive the narrative. It has the feel of a horror movie, but you’re never really frightened. It’s just as gory and in-your-face as any zombie movie I’ve seen, but sometimes those same scenes will have you cracking up. It was very cool how they capture the graduation of the first twenty-four hours. It started with a couple of one-off strange incidents. Before long, the streets were swarming and things were out of control. Very well-done.
Conflict: 10
Zombie films/shows should never be about the zombies, but about survival and the reality of the human spirit. You wanna find out who you really are? Get thrown into the middle of an apocalypse. Shaun of the Dead takes the nature of the human spirit and fleshes it out over the course of the film. Some people see tragedy and they run from it while others, like Shaun, take the bull by the horns and go right at it. The conflict succeeds in the group not just taking on the zombies but handling their internal squabbles as well.
Genre: 6
Memorability: 7
There were a number of funny, memorable events that stick out. I won’t ruin them, but my personal favorite was the car scene where seven survivors had to squeeze into a little sedan. The hilarity that ensues as they move from Point A to B is pretty awesome. There is also a touching moment within that same scene that adds emotional power to the movie. There are a number of scenes like this here, scenes that can make you laugh and make you feel at the same time.
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Resolution: 7
Overall: 83
Shaun of the Dead is one of those movies where you fall in love with it more and more the more times you revisit it. I wasn’t a fan my first viewing, but noticed a lot of things the second time around that made sense and added to the overall strength of the movie in a subtle way. Good watch.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Stalking Jack the Ripper in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Stalking Jack the Ripper is a fascinating, fictional take on the reign of terror that gripped London in the late 1800's. The story is told through the eyes of a teen girl, Audrey Rose, who is doing her best to study under her uncle's tutelage - as a forensic scientist. She is drawn into the murders, even though her family and society does not agree with her inclusion in the affair as it is not right for ladies to be interested in such things.
The author did a brilliant job weaving what facts we know historically about Jack the Ripper into her carefully crafted narrative. The dialogue is a bit clunky at times and the pacing could have been better, but overall I enjoyed this book. Some people felt that the perpetrator was obvious from the first moment they stepped on the scene, but I didn't feel that way. It seemed like the suspense and horror built over the course of the book until you finally realize who the killer is in the final moments before its reveal.
The characters were both a high and low point in the book. I enjoyed the fact that the main character was meant to be a more progressive person than women in her time generally, but sometimes her inner dialogues were strange moments of her thinking utterly ridiculous thoughts and then immediately dismissing them like oh no that cannot be. She desires to be both pretty and fierce and does not understand why society feels that she cannot be both. Audrey Rose also has a propensity for charging into dangerous situations with no planning, when a murderer is stalking the streets looking for women to cut apart. It's difficult to explain how all of those things combined to affect her portrayal, but overall it made her seem less strong, much more insecure, and significantly less grounded than I feel the author was hoping to portray her.
Thomas Cresswell, on the other hand, is the witty British boy that you can help but love when he enters a scene. He made brilliant deductions and didn't miss a moment attempting to seduce Miss Audrey Rose. The two of them together were such a fun team, even if Audrey Rose's inner dialogue was frustratingly superficial. Oh, I hate this boy, oh, I can't help but want to kiss him, he's terrible, he's wonderful. Please, Audrey Rose, control your emotions and be the strong heroine we deserve in this book. Together, they were very reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson.
The author creates a vivid landscape upon which this gruesome tableau takes place. That being said, I would definitely caution some readers from this book as the violence is quite explicitly described. It can definitely be too much for some younger readers or people who are squeamish. If you feel like you're okay with the gory details and enjoy forensic science, I believe you will enjoy this book.
The author did a brilliant job weaving what facts we know historically about Jack the Ripper into her carefully crafted narrative. The dialogue is a bit clunky at times and the pacing could have been better, but overall I enjoyed this book. Some people felt that the perpetrator was obvious from the first moment they stepped on the scene, but I didn't feel that way. It seemed like the suspense and horror built over the course of the book until you finally realize who the killer is in the final moments before its reveal.
The characters were both a high and low point in the book. I enjoyed the fact that the main character was meant to be a more progressive person than women in her time generally, but sometimes her inner dialogues were strange moments of her thinking utterly ridiculous thoughts and then immediately dismissing them like oh no that cannot be. She desires to be both pretty and fierce and does not understand why society feels that she cannot be both. Audrey Rose also has a propensity for charging into dangerous situations with no planning, when a murderer is stalking the streets looking for women to cut apart. It's difficult to explain how all of those things combined to affect her portrayal, but overall it made her seem less strong, much more insecure, and significantly less grounded than I feel the author was hoping to portray her.
Thomas Cresswell, on the other hand, is the witty British boy that you can help but love when he enters a scene. He made brilliant deductions and didn't miss a moment attempting to seduce Miss Audrey Rose. The two of them together were such a fun team, even if Audrey Rose's inner dialogue was frustratingly superficial. Oh, I hate this boy, oh, I can't help but want to kiss him, he's terrible, he's wonderful. Please, Audrey Rose, control your emotions and be the strong heroine we deserve in this book. Together, they were very reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson.
The author creates a vivid landscape upon which this gruesome tableau takes place. That being said, I would definitely caution some readers from this book as the violence is quite explicitly described. It can definitely be too much for some younger readers or people who are squeamish. If you feel like you're okay with the gory details and enjoy forensic science, I believe you will enjoy this book.
Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated Copping an Attitude (Sin City Uniforms #2) in Books
Jun 18, 2019
a far darker read than book one!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Sin City Uniforms series, and while it is not really necessary to read book 1, All Fired Up, for you to follow this one, I think you should read it. If only because I said so! ?
Slade ran away from one kind of hell, straight into another one and has been surviving on the streets, being pimped out or facing the consequences. Till a beat cop spots something in Slade that makes him wish for things that can never really be. Parker knows he shouldn’t get close to the young man, but something about Slade pulls to him. And so, it seems, does Slade’s pimp. Can Parker really keep Slade safe; can he get him FREE, even?
I really enjoyed book one, but this one I LOVED!
It’s a far darker read, dealing with prostitution and drug/alcohol use, trafficking and basically the underbelly of Las Vegas in all its gory detail.
Parker has an immediate pull towards Slade, and he doesn’t know why. His eyes draw Parker in, and Parker cannot keep away. Finding Slade badly beaten sends Parker’s protectiveness into overdrive and neither man can fight the attraction that builds over time.
Slade is surviving, not living. He knows he will never get away from the streets, but a man can hope. And that’s what scares him the most: the fact that Parker gives him so much HOPE I hurts, down to his soul. Slade never really had that before, and Parker gives it to him.
It’s very emotional in places, drawing great wracking sobs out of me when Slade is so desolate and full of despair. It’s super sexy too! I was surprised how good Slade felt with Parker, so quickly. The fact he was CHOOSING to have sex with Parker was what threw him the most, since it had never, EVER happened before.
Trent and Shawn pop up, and I refer back to what I said about not NEEDING to read their book first. There is some recap here on their story, enough, I think, to give you the low down. It’s fabulous that they DO pop up, cos I love to catch up with previous characters in a series.
A certain someone is hard done by here, when Parker does what he really should have done a long time ago, but I’ve read the blurb for some other upcoming books in this series, and he does get his own (hopefully) happy every after.
And after reading all the blurbs, I’m so very hoping I can get my grubby little mitts on them all, I really am!
A far darker read, but I read it in one go, and could not put it down!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 2 in the Sin City Uniforms series, and while it is not really necessary to read book 1, All Fired Up, for you to follow this one, I think you should read it. If only because I said so! ?
Slade ran away from one kind of hell, straight into another one and has been surviving on the streets, being pimped out or facing the consequences. Till a beat cop spots something in Slade that makes him wish for things that can never really be. Parker knows he shouldn’t get close to the young man, but something about Slade pulls to him. And so, it seems, does Slade’s pimp. Can Parker really keep Slade safe; can he get him FREE, even?
I really enjoyed book one, but this one I LOVED!
It’s a far darker read, dealing with prostitution and drug/alcohol use, trafficking and basically the underbelly of Las Vegas in all its gory detail.
Parker has an immediate pull towards Slade, and he doesn’t know why. His eyes draw Parker in, and Parker cannot keep away. Finding Slade badly beaten sends Parker’s protectiveness into overdrive and neither man can fight the attraction that builds over time.
Slade is surviving, not living. He knows he will never get away from the streets, but a man can hope. And that’s what scares him the most: the fact that Parker gives him so much HOPE I hurts, down to his soul. Slade never really had that before, and Parker gives it to him.
It’s very emotional in places, drawing great wracking sobs out of me when Slade is so desolate and full of despair. It’s super sexy too! I was surprised how good Slade felt with Parker, so quickly. The fact he was CHOOSING to have sex with Parker was what threw him the most, since it had never, EVER happened before.
Trent and Shawn pop up, and I refer back to what I said about not NEEDING to read their book first. There is some recap here on their story, enough, I think, to give you the low down. It’s fabulous that they DO pop up, cos I love to catch up with previous characters in a series.
A certain someone is hard done by here, when Parker does what he really should have done a long time ago, but I’ve read the blurb for some other upcoming books in this series, and he does get his own (hopefully) happy every after.
And after reading all the blurbs, I’m so very hoping I can get my grubby little mitts on them all, I really am!
A far darker read, but I read it in one go, and could not put it down!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
When it was delayed from a planned October 2014 release to be placed against “50 Shades of Grey”, many worried that the new film “Kingsman: The Secret Service” was being relegated to nothing more than counter-programming by the studio. Thankfully the film is a hyper kinetic romp that gives audiences a new approach to the traditional spy film genre with a tongue in cheek approach.
The film revolves around a secret group of agents who take their operational names from the Knights of the Round Table. The organization was started by wealthy clothiers of London to make the world a better place, and since they operate outside the influence or control of any government, they have maintained a small but effective operational force for decades.
Following the loss of an operative, Galahad (Collin Firth), struggles to come to grips with being partially to blame for the death of his friend and trainee. Years later, Galahad recruits the son of the deceased agent, Eggsy (Taron Egerton), to train and join the ranks of The Kingsman. His working class upbringing rubs some of his more posh fellow trainees the wrong way, but Eggsy’s past scholastic and military skills are evident as he takes on the challenges of his highly-competitive and dangerous training.
At the same time, billionaire tech mogul Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), is hatching a diabolical plan to cull the population of the world to make those that are left more manageable and under his control. Facing a race against time to literally save the word, the Kingsman, new and old, must battle an army to save the day.
While the plot of the film follows what the James Bond series have long established, an evil person with an army of deadly henchmen under their control bent on destroying/conquering the world, this film takes it in a new direction. The action is fast and frantic but despite the R rated violence is never as gory or overly gratuitous as one may expect. The blood is actually restrained to smaller red spots and a splash here or there which is interesting given the large number of slicing, impalings, close range gunshots, and bladed weapons deployed in the film.
The plot does at times seem absurd and naturally there are tons of questions like why they would use their two new recruits rather than calling in more experienced agents in their current crisis for help. All that aside, the film has a wink-and-a- smile attitude as it unfolds, almost as if they were trying to tell the audience to just accept that parts of it will play as a parody on the genre so just sit back and enjoy the ride.
In the end the film has enough action and interesting characters to make it a fun, if flawed, romp and the cast is interesting enough that I am already hoping for future adventures for the Kingsman.
http://sknr.net/2015/02/13/kingsman-secret-service/
The film revolves around a secret group of agents who take their operational names from the Knights of the Round Table. The organization was started by wealthy clothiers of London to make the world a better place, and since they operate outside the influence or control of any government, they have maintained a small but effective operational force for decades.
Following the loss of an operative, Galahad (Collin Firth), struggles to come to grips with being partially to blame for the death of his friend and trainee. Years later, Galahad recruits the son of the deceased agent, Eggsy (Taron Egerton), to train and join the ranks of The Kingsman. His working class upbringing rubs some of his more posh fellow trainees the wrong way, but Eggsy’s past scholastic and military skills are evident as he takes on the challenges of his highly-competitive and dangerous training.
At the same time, billionaire tech mogul Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), is hatching a diabolical plan to cull the population of the world to make those that are left more manageable and under his control. Facing a race against time to literally save the word, the Kingsman, new and old, must battle an army to save the day.
While the plot of the film follows what the James Bond series have long established, an evil person with an army of deadly henchmen under their control bent on destroying/conquering the world, this film takes it in a new direction. The action is fast and frantic but despite the R rated violence is never as gory or overly gratuitous as one may expect. The blood is actually restrained to smaller red spots and a splash here or there which is interesting given the large number of slicing, impalings, close range gunshots, and bladed weapons deployed in the film.
The plot does at times seem absurd and naturally there are tons of questions like why they would use their two new recruits rather than calling in more experienced agents in their current crisis for help. All that aside, the film has a wink-and-a- smile attitude as it unfolds, almost as if they were trying to tell the audience to just accept that parts of it will play as a parody on the genre so just sit back and enjoy the ride.
In the end the film has enough action and interesting characters to make it a fun, if flawed, romp and the cast is interesting enough that I am already hoping for future adventures for the Kingsman.
http://sknr.net/2015/02/13/kingsman-secret-service/
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Spontaneous in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Dubbed the “funniest book about spontaneous combustion you will ever read” by the acclaimed best-selling author, John Green, <i>Spontaneous</i> by Aaron Starmer is a story about growing up and blowing up. Seeing a classmate explode in front of you during third-period pre-calc class is not something you ever expect to happen. Nor do you expect this to be the first of many to randomly occur throughout your senior year, but for Mara, this is her appalling fate.
Mara’s senior year was not all that exciting until the first explosion, but after a few more students from her class spontaneously combust, it is clear she is never going to get a normal final year of school. Only affecting the seniors, Mara and her friends are ostracised from society while FBI agents try to solve the problematic situation. With bombs, terrorists and government conspiracies eventually ruled out, the class is left abandoned to explode at their own leisure – although they would rather not!
Mara, along with boyfriend, Dylan, and best friend, Tess, attempts to continue living their lives. They encourage students to start up their own school so that they can still graduate at the end of the year, but with an increasing number of messy ends, they begin to doubt they will make it that far.
Full of crack-pot ideas that will leave readers laughing, Mara’s dry sense of humour gets her through most of the year, however, the painful loss of her friends and acquaintances soon catch up with her. It is hard not to despair when you know you could detonate at any moment.
The easiest way to describe <i>Spontaneous</i> is bonkers, absolutely bonkers. For a start, spontaneous combustion is not a likelihood for any living creature. Mara’s inappropriate humour and acidulousness only add to the farcical state of affairs, providing a comical and entertaining narrative. However, as Mara begins to acquiesce to her new situation, and live as if regularly being sprayed with blood and guts is normal, the story takes a sombre downturn.
Annoyingly, the conclusion of <i>Spontaneous</i> is rather ambiguous, leaving attentive readers with no answers. Had Starmer not imaged a solution, or was it too difficult to explain? Whatever the reason, it leaves us with a dissatisfying ending.
On the other hand, the ending of a book is only one fragment of a story. The beginning and middle were of the author’s optimum quality. Combining typical teenage emotion and behaviour - romance included - with a horrifying crisis, results in a book that will make you “feel all the feels”, to borrow a Mara term, and enjoy every moment.
<i>Spontaneous</i> will entertain young and old adults, although perhaps not the more sensitive reader. With uncensored language and no sugarcoating, Mara gives us all the gory details blow-by-blow (literally). Be prepared for laughter, shock and unadulterated pleasure.
Dubbed the “funniest book about spontaneous combustion you will ever read” by the acclaimed best-selling author, John Green, <i>Spontaneous</i> by Aaron Starmer is a story about growing up and blowing up. Seeing a classmate explode in front of you during third-period pre-calc class is not something you ever expect to happen. Nor do you expect this to be the first of many to randomly occur throughout your senior year, but for Mara, this is her appalling fate.
Mara’s senior year was not all that exciting until the first explosion, but after a few more students from her class spontaneously combust, it is clear she is never going to get a normal final year of school. Only affecting the seniors, Mara and her friends are ostracised from society while FBI agents try to solve the problematic situation. With bombs, terrorists and government conspiracies eventually ruled out, the class is left abandoned to explode at their own leisure – although they would rather not!
Mara, along with boyfriend, Dylan, and best friend, Tess, attempts to continue living their lives. They encourage students to start up their own school so that they can still graduate at the end of the year, but with an increasing number of messy ends, they begin to doubt they will make it that far.
Full of crack-pot ideas that will leave readers laughing, Mara’s dry sense of humour gets her through most of the year, however, the painful loss of her friends and acquaintances soon catch up with her. It is hard not to despair when you know you could detonate at any moment.
The easiest way to describe <i>Spontaneous</i> is bonkers, absolutely bonkers. For a start, spontaneous combustion is not a likelihood for any living creature. Mara’s inappropriate humour and acidulousness only add to the farcical state of affairs, providing a comical and entertaining narrative. However, as Mara begins to acquiesce to her new situation, and live as if regularly being sprayed with blood and guts is normal, the story takes a sombre downturn.
Annoyingly, the conclusion of <i>Spontaneous</i> is rather ambiguous, leaving attentive readers with no answers. Had Starmer not imaged a solution, or was it too difficult to explain? Whatever the reason, it leaves us with a dissatisfying ending.
On the other hand, the ending of a book is only one fragment of a story. The beginning and middle were of the author’s optimum quality. Combining typical teenage emotion and behaviour - romance included - with a horrifying crisis, results in a book that will make you “feel all the feels”, to borrow a Mara term, and enjoy every moment.
<i>Spontaneous</i> will entertain young and old adults, although perhaps not the more sensitive reader. With uncensored language and no sugarcoating, Mara gives us all the gory details blow-by-blow (literally). Be prepared for laughter, shock and unadulterated pleasure.
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Brightburn (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
It was difficult to avoid trailers for James Gunn’s Brightburn, and as a result it was difficult to avoid my excitement too. I had very much been looking forward to this one, as I’m always interested in characters that use their powers for evil instead of good.
In a similar vein to Josh Trank’s Chronicle, the film follows a teenager who starts to realise he’s got special abilities, but ends up having very dark intentions. For Brightburn, though, it’s because Brandon Bryer (Jackson A Dunn) is not of this world, and he was adopted by Tori (Elizabeth Banks) and Kyle (David Denman) who desperately tried to hide the truth from him.
Jackson A. Dunn is undoubtedly the star of the show here, and a young actor that I’m incredibly impressed with. His emotional range is really fantastic, and the way he portrays genuine psychopathic behaviour feels almost too real. I did find myself lost in his performance, and scared of him too. I really hope to see him on another project in the near future.
Elizabeth Banks and David Denman shared great chemistry too, with conflicting opinions as Brandon starts to uncover who he really is. In a way its cliched, a couple fail to conceive and a child (or ‘blessing’ as Tori often calls it) falls to earth, but it takes that trope and turns it into something monstrous that tears the family apart. There’s nothing angelic about this kid.
The biggest downside to Brightburn for me, is that the trailer gave away all the film’s best moments. I could predict what was going to happen, and there were no real surprises for me. The scenes the trailer missed out were disappointingly average, and nothing special. It could’ve benefited from teasing the audience more.
There is also one scene in particular that has very bad special effects, and ruined the emotion I was supposed to be feeling during it. I wish they had decided to do something more subtly brutal here, as that would’ve upped the emotional factor during this crucial moment.
It’s even more disappointing because I did enjoy certain effects, and the use of the POV camera on victims to make it more disturbingly intimate. I was also impressed with the level of gore and the creativeness of the murders, and how it helped to shape Brandon’s character development throughout.
The film had the potential to be more well polished, but sadly repeatedly opted for big and bold effects that were too jarring for me as a viewer. Having said that, the strength of Brandon’s character, the dynamics between the family, and the strength of one or two scenes helped to redeem the film a bit.
It’s entertaining to watch on the big screen with some effective scares and some gory moments that aren’t for those with a weak stomach. I’m happy I spent an evening watching it, but I can’t say I’ll be rushing to see it again.
In a similar vein to Josh Trank’s Chronicle, the film follows a teenager who starts to realise he’s got special abilities, but ends up having very dark intentions. For Brightburn, though, it’s because Brandon Bryer (Jackson A Dunn) is not of this world, and he was adopted by Tori (Elizabeth Banks) and Kyle (David Denman) who desperately tried to hide the truth from him.
Jackson A. Dunn is undoubtedly the star of the show here, and a young actor that I’m incredibly impressed with. His emotional range is really fantastic, and the way he portrays genuine psychopathic behaviour feels almost too real. I did find myself lost in his performance, and scared of him too. I really hope to see him on another project in the near future.
Elizabeth Banks and David Denman shared great chemistry too, with conflicting opinions as Brandon starts to uncover who he really is. In a way its cliched, a couple fail to conceive and a child (or ‘blessing’ as Tori often calls it) falls to earth, but it takes that trope and turns it into something monstrous that tears the family apart. There’s nothing angelic about this kid.
The biggest downside to Brightburn for me, is that the trailer gave away all the film’s best moments. I could predict what was going to happen, and there were no real surprises for me. The scenes the trailer missed out were disappointingly average, and nothing special. It could’ve benefited from teasing the audience more.
There is also one scene in particular that has very bad special effects, and ruined the emotion I was supposed to be feeling during it. I wish they had decided to do something more subtly brutal here, as that would’ve upped the emotional factor during this crucial moment.
It’s even more disappointing because I did enjoy certain effects, and the use of the POV camera on victims to make it more disturbingly intimate. I was also impressed with the level of gore and the creativeness of the murders, and how it helped to shape Brandon’s character development throughout.
The film had the potential to be more well polished, but sadly repeatedly opted for big and bold effects that were too jarring for me as a viewer. Having said that, the strength of Brandon’s character, the dynamics between the family, and the strength of one or two scenes helped to redeem the film a bit.
It’s entertaining to watch on the big screen with some effective scares and some gory moments that aren’t for those with a weak stomach. I’m happy I spent an evening watching it, but I can’t say I’ll be rushing to see it again.
JT (287 KP) rated District 9 (2009) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
When you’ve seen one alien film you’ve probably seen them all. That is until District 9 came along, and a chance to put a new spin on the arrival of extra extraterrestrial beings from another world.
Director Neill Blomkamp who also co-wrote the script lands the aliens in a scenario that they might not have ever expected to be in, as refugees living in poverty amongst the human race who just want to see them pack up ship and leave.
Its clever and well shot, keeping it away from America and setting it in the dusty backdrop of Johannesburg was a stroke of genius. The use of the faux-documentary style kept things interesting and original, and for that Blomkamp must be commended.
The depths of the story arises thus, an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology. Agent Wikus Van De Merwe superbly played by new comer to the big league, Sharlto Copley, is a by the books, loving wife sort of guy.
Excited by the prospect of their arrival he thrives on and becomes overly excited in seeing how ‘the prawns’ live their life scavenging for food and seemingly resulting to crime in a bid to survive. But when he’s exposed to a chemical that has disastrous results he must befriend the alien race in an attempt to get his life back. His transformation from government bureaucrat to a lone freedom fighter with a selfish streak (you’ll find out what I mean without giving the plot away here) is perfect.
The overall outlook of the film is not what you would call beautiful, but there is something weirdly picturesque about it. The massive ship that has been hanging overhead for the last two decades is spectacular, not to mention some explosive action sequences which have a fantastic injection of shaky cam to give it a real sense of reality.
It’s certainly gory, so the more squeamish might find some scenes hard to watch. There is plenty of exploding bodies at the hands of an alien weaponry as well as a machine gun firing, missile toting exoskeleton that would make both Robo Cop and Iron Man green with envy! There is an aura of black comedy about it with a few surprising laugh out loud moments from time to time which adds a nice touch.
The aliens for the most part have it tough, while we don’t ever find out the reason for their invasion the realism of them being beaten, exploited and abused by a somewhat corrupt higher power certainly puts into perspective a more sinister and much closer to home reality.
When District 9 really gets going its plain to see that this is an exceptional piece of film making and a must see!
Director Neill Blomkamp who also co-wrote the script lands the aliens in a scenario that they might not have ever expected to be in, as refugees living in poverty amongst the human race who just want to see them pack up ship and leave.
Its clever and well shot, keeping it away from America and setting it in the dusty backdrop of Johannesburg was a stroke of genius. The use of the faux-documentary style kept things interesting and original, and for that Blomkamp must be commended.
The depths of the story arises thus, an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology. Agent Wikus Van De Merwe superbly played by new comer to the big league, Sharlto Copley, is a by the books, loving wife sort of guy.
Excited by the prospect of their arrival he thrives on and becomes overly excited in seeing how ‘the prawns’ live their life scavenging for food and seemingly resulting to crime in a bid to survive. But when he’s exposed to a chemical that has disastrous results he must befriend the alien race in an attempt to get his life back. His transformation from government bureaucrat to a lone freedom fighter with a selfish streak (you’ll find out what I mean without giving the plot away here) is perfect.
The overall outlook of the film is not what you would call beautiful, but there is something weirdly picturesque about it. The massive ship that has been hanging overhead for the last two decades is spectacular, not to mention some explosive action sequences which have a fantastic injection of shaky cam to give it a real sense of reality.
It’s certainly gory, so the more squeamish might find some scenes hard to watch. There is plenty of exploding bodies at the hands of an alien weaponry as well as a machine gun firing, missile toting exoskeleton that would make both Robo Cop and Iron Man green with envy! There is an aura of black comedy about it with a few surprising laugh out loud moments from time to time which adds a nice touch.
The aliens for the most part have it tough, while we don’t ever find out the reason for their invasion the realism of them being beaten, exploited and abused by a somewhat corrupt higher power certainly puts into perspective a more sinister and much closer to home reality.
When District 9 really gets going its plain to see that this is an exceptional piece of film making and a must see!