Search
Search results
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated The God Game in Books
Jan 8, 2020
Great Enjoyable read
I credit this book for taking me out of a reading rut. It was that good. Not only was I engrossed in the novel, but I didn’t want to leave the plane while on my flight back home. I wanted to finish it right then and there!
The plot of the book was good overall and quick to read. The pace is fast and because you’re into the novel the reading goes by quickly. It may seem like your typical high school book, but it’s got more mature elements so I wouldn’t say it’s YA. (Although it may be for the more mature YA reader if you’re being nitpicky about it) There are quite a few references to gaming and coding which may go over some readers but it’s not so much that would turn you off of the book.
You will have some favorite characters coming out of the book. Some of them you will also detest (I’m looking at you, Tim) but some you will have a soft spot for. Alex is a good example. I felt for him. He went through so much it’s no wonder he went through those types of extremes.
Vanhi and Mary would be my two favorites. I liked their personalities and determination. Could not like Charlie though. He wasn’t likable - although I get why he’s acting out I just could not sympathize with him. I didn’t care too much that he was made to look like an all around good guy when he’s done some pretty ugly things. Don’t get me wrong, he's seen as a saint compared to Peter, but I just didn’t like his outcome and his attitude towards his dad is horrendous. (Then again, you could say he’s acting out his grief)
All being said, I loved this book and glad I got a chance to read it. It’s quick and fast and the ending is open to maybe a sequel? If so I’m definitely all for it.
The plot of the book was good overall and quick to read. The pace is fast and because you’re into the novel the reading goes by quickly. It may seem like your typical high school book, but it’s got more mature elements so I wouldn’t say it’s YA. (Although it may be for the more mature YA reader if you’re being nitpicky about it) There are quite a few references to gaming and coding which may go over some readers but it’s not so much that would turn you off of the book.
You will have some favorite characters coming out of the book. Some of them you will also detest (I’m looking at you, Tim) but some you will have a soft spot for. Alex is a good example. I felt for him. He went through so much it’s no wonder he went through those types of extremes.
Vanhi and Mary would be my two favorites. I liked their personalities and determination. Could not like Charlie though. He wasn’t likable - although I get why he’s acting out I just could not sympathize with him. I didn’t care too much that he was made to look like an all around good guy when he’s done some pretty ugly things. Don’t get me wrong, he's seen as a saint compared to Peter, but I just didn’t like his outcome and his attitude towards his dad is horrendous. (Then again, you could say he’s acting out his grief)
All being said, I loved this book and glad I got a chance to read it. It’s quick and fast and the ending is open to maybe a sequel? If so I’m definitely all for it.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Demolition (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
It is often said that when we lose a loved one, we often lose a part of ourselves. In mourning, we have to come to terms with the loss and where we are headed in the future. Who are we now that part of us is gone? Demolition starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts discusses the various aspects with healing and finding oneself. Davis Mitchell (Jake Gyllenhaal) returns to work after losing his wife in a horrific car accident.
While grieving, he writes a complaint letter to a vending machine company about a recent experience he had while waiting in the hospital. Through the letters he lets a stranger and the audience in on his mindset and the reality that he feels disconnected from the world, his wife, and himself. When the company’s customer service rep reads the letters, she feels compelled to contact Davis. She offers a sympathetic ear to his pain and numbness. As their friendship grows, he begins to rebuild his life. The task is large and requires him to follow the advice that his father-in-law passed down to him; In order to fix something, sometimes you need to take it all apart in order to see how it works. Davis begins to deconstruct various pieces of his life in order to find peace with his loss so he can move forward.
Demolition offers a unique and provocative look at loss, grief, and identity. This is a film that will have its audience asking questions about their own lives and if they feel fulfilled or satisfied. The plot stays with you. The performances of each of the characters carries the story and makes us truly connect with them. There isn’t a single moment when you cease to care about who they are or what their lives have in store. There is depth and authenticity throughout this film.
While grieving, he writes a complaint letter to a vending machine company about a recent experience he had while waiting in the hospital. Through the letters he lets a stranger and the audience in on his mindset and the reality that he feels disconnected from the world, his wife, and himself. When the company’s customer service rep reads the letters, she feels compelled to contact Davis. She offers a sympathetic ear to his pain and numbness. As their friendship grows, he begins to rebuild his life. The task is large and requires him to follow the advice that his father-in-law passed down to him; In order to fix something, sometimes you need to take it all apart in order to see how it works. Davis begins to deconstruct various pieces of his life in order to find peace with his loss so he can move forward.
Demolition offers a unique and provocative look at loss, grief, and identity. This is a film that will have its audience asking questions about their own lives and if they feel fulfilled or satisfied. The plot stays with you. The performances of each of the characters carries the story and makes us truly connect with them. There isn’t a single moment when you cease to care about who they are or what their lives have in store. There is depth and authenticity throughout this film.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Water Diviner (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Russell Crowe both stars and directs the new film The Water Diviner.
The story follows Joshua Conner (Crowe) and his attempts to re-locate his three sons Arthur, Henry and Edward, who went off to war together and yet were never heard from again. The three boys were inseparable as children (Jack Patterson, Ben Norris and Aidan Smith) and they stayed inseparable as adults (played by Ryan Corr, Ben O’Toole and James Fraser) as they went off to fight in World War I in the Battle of Gallipoli in Turkey.
Joshua loses contact with his sons during the war, and after the fighting has ended, he receives a journal that belonged to them. He reads the journal with his wife and they conclude that the boys must have perished in the fighting. Corners wife kills herself in her grief over losing them and Joshua swears he will bring the boys home, even if it is just their remains, that is his wife’s last wish.
Conner crosses the continent to search for them, meeting people along the way and finding clues. His efforts to locate the boys are rejected by military authorities but he stubbornly presses on.
Seeing this film in the movie theatre rather than on a home television is definitely worth it. The action and scenes of war flash backs are better suited to the big screen than a home tv for full effect and drawing you in to feel like you are ‘right there’.
The story was a bit predictable because after all, it’s the story of a father searching for his children, but it was emotional and held my attention.
Parts of it felt a bit slow, or maybe just confusing, because during the flash backs I wasn’t really sure whose flash backs they were or why they were significant, but over all the story flowed well and I enjoyed it.
The story follows Joshua Conner (Crowe) and his attempts to re-locate his three sons Arthur, Henry and Edward, who went off to war together and yet were never heard from again. The three boys were inseparable as children (Jack Patterson, Ben Norris and Aidan Smith) and they stayed inseparable as adults (played by Ryan Corr, Ben O’Toole and James Fraser) as they went off to fight in World War I in the Battle of Gallipoli in Turkey.
Joshua loses contact with his sons during the war, and after the fighting has ended, he receives a journal that belonged to them. He reads the journal with his wife and they conclude that the boys must have perished in the fighting. Corners wife kills herself in her grief over losing them and Joshua swears he will bring the boys home, even if it is just their remains, that is his wife’s last wish.
Conner crosses the continent to search for them, meeting people along the way and finding clues. His efforts to locate the boys are rejected by military authorities but he stubbornly presses on.
Seeing this film in the movie theatre rather than on a home television is definitely worth it. The action and scenes of war flash backs are better suited to the big screen than a home tv for full effect and drawing you in to feel like you are ‘right there’.
The story was a bit predictable because after all, it’s the story of a father searching for his children, but it was emotional and held my attention.
Parts of it felt a bit slow, or maybe just confusing, because during the flash backs I wasn’t really sure whose flash backs they were or why they were significant, but over all the story flowed well and I enjoyed it.
Bibel-Zitate auf Englisch: Schöne Verse für jeden Anlass
Book
App
NEW! Find out how fulfilling and encouraging it is to read our bible verses each and every day! We...
Sentimental Murder: Love and Madness in the Eighteenth Century
Book
On an April evening in 1779, a woman is shot on the steps of Covent Garden. Her murderer is a young...
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
8.5
Rate It
Book
On May 1, 1915, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of...
My Daily Bible - Encouraging Verses for Everyday
Lifestyle
App
NEW! Find out how fulfilling and encouraging it is to read our bible verses each and every day! We...
The Dead Wife's Handbook
Book
The Dead Wife's Handbook is the stunning emotional debut from author Hannah Beckerman. 'Today is my...
Our Dementia Diary: Irene, Alzheimer's and Me
Book
This is a love story from start to finish, Irene and Rachael's. Based on the diaries of Rachael...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated See You Yesterday (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
A Fresh New Take On Classic Time Travel Film
See You Yesterday is a sci-fi movie directed by Stefon Bristol and written by Stefon Bristol and Fredrica Bailey. It was produced by Spike Lee and production company 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks and distributed by Netflix. The film stars Eden Duncan-Smith, Dante Crichlow, Brian "Stro" Bradley, and Jonathan Nieves.
Two teenage prodigies, C.J. Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith) and her best friend, Sebastian Thomas (Dante Crichlow) spend every spare minute working on their latest homemade invention: backpacks that enable time travel. When one of their older brothers is killed, they put their unfinished project to the test to save him and face the perilous consequences of time travel.
This movie was very emotional. It didn't always make sense but it had a good narrative that sustained the entire film. This movie was equal parts very realistic and fantastically unreal. At its core, it's a story about grief and second chances. Who wouldn't want to go back in time and prevent a tragic event if they could. I mean that's what one of my favorite movies The Time Machine is all about. It also had a lot of social commentary. I believe the writer/director did an awesome job in this their directorial debut. Eden Duncan-Smith's acting was also top notch and really made you feel for her through her struggles and really brought to life a very relatable character. What I didn't like was that as smart as the kids were in the movie, and as good as the time travel logic was in making sense, to me it still wasn't believable that they would have been able to create time travel devices. Also the special effects weren't always the best but seemed to work well. But if you can get past that hiccup it is an emotional roller coaster and a surprising fresh take on a classic sci-fi trope. I give it a 7/10.
Two teenage prodigies, C.J. Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith) and her best friend, Sebastian Thomas (Dante Crichlow) spend every spare minute working on their latest homemade invention: backpacks that enable time travel. When one of their older brothers is killed, they put their unfinished project to the test to save him and face the perilous consequences of time travel.
This movie was very emotional. It didn't always make sense but it had a good narrative that sustained the entire film. This movie was equal parts very realistic and fantastically unreal. At its core, it's a story about grief and second chances. Who wouldn't want to go back in time and prevent a tragic event if they could. I mean that's what one of my favorite movies The Time Machine is all about. It also had a lot of social commentary. I believe the writer/director did an awesome job in this their directorial debut. Eden Duncan-Smith's acting was also top notch and really made you feel for her through her struggles and really brought to life a very relatable character. What I didn't like was that as smart as the kids were in the movie, and as good as the time travel logic was in making sense, to me it still wasn't believable that they would have been able to create time travel devices. Also the special effects weren't always the best but seemed to work well. But if you can get past that hiccup it is an emotional roller coaster and a surprising fresh take on a classic sci-fi trope. I give it a 7/10.