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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Girl Before in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Read my first ever author Q&A, with Rena Olsen! http://bookbum.weebly.com/author-qas/qa-with-rena-olsen-author-of-the-girl-before
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-girl-before-by-rena-olsen
<b><i>I am nothing if not obedient.</b></i>
I was anticipating this novel for a goddamn long time and so when it finally showed up at work (Id preordered it months in advance) I was so excited to finally get my hands on it and start reading it and from page 1 it did not disappoint! This novel got more and more gripping with each page, I didnt want to put it down!
I have voiced my opinion on books that flit about between the past and the present and in case you missed my last rant, I <i>usually</i> hate it because it confuses me a lot of the time (simple mind, I know). But it worked excellently in this novel because, for one, it made it <b>very</b> clear when we were in the past and when we were back to the present, and secondly the two flowed really well together. I loved how Olsen made the stories of the past connect so perfectly with the present - this whole book was written beautifully.
Claras refusal to cooperate got a little irritating after a while, but you cant really expect anything different from such a brainwashed woman, and just hold out a little longer and things might just start going your way! The plot for this wasnt exactly unique, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1640564203?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">The Butterfly Garden</a> <i>kind of</i> has the same storyline, to name something recent, but there were no faults in this book. Olsen worked out exactly how to progress with this book, it was flawless. Granted, there were a couple of predictable parts, <spoiler>the fact she was pregnant, the real use of the morning sickness tea</spoiler>, but they didnt make the story less exciting in anyway.
I was so close to giving this 4 stars for the reason of me not liking Glen but then I realised, no. We werent suppose to like Glen. He was a manipulative, evil, disgusting human being and I <i>hated</i> him. The fact that Olsen could make me hate him so much just shows how amazing her writing was. She brought out a really strong emotion in me that often times made me feel anxious and sick. Hating a character as much as I did isnt at all a bad thing when the character is there to be hated.
This is a really emotional read. I'm sure if it wasn't for the fact I mainly only read this on the train, I definitely would have bawled over this, hence the reason I'm classing this as a book that made me cry. I cant even imagine the feelings Clara goes through as this book progresses and she begins to find out things shes believed her entire life are not all that they seem. Its so horrible to think this kind of thing isnt just a figment of someones creative mind, my heart goes out to all those men and women that have been subject to this kind of twisted abuse - this is one of many reasons I give so much to human right charities every month.
I cannot believe this is a debut novel. I am stunned at the quality of Olsens writing and story-telling, I cant wait to read more from her. This tackles many difficult subjects but if youre a lover of all things suspense and thriller, then you definitely <b>need</b> to pick this up in the future. <b>Its 2016 must read!</b>
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-girl-before-by-rena-olsen
<b><i>I am nothing if not obedient.</b></i>
I was anticipating this novel for a goddamn long time and so when it finally showed up at work (Id preordered it months in advance) I was so excited to finally get my hands on it and start reading it and from page 1 it did not disappoint! This novel got more and more gripping with each page, I didnt want to put it down!
I have voiced my opinion on books that flit about between the past and the present and in case you missed my last rant, I <i>usually</i> hate it because it confuses me a lot of the time (simple mind, I know). But it worked excellently in this novel because, for one, it made it <b>very</b> clear when we were in the past and when we were back to the present, and secondly the two flowed really well together. I loved how Olsen made the stories of the past connect so perfectly with the present - this whole book was written beautifully.
Claras refusal to cooperate got a little irritating after a while, but you cant really expect anything different from such a brainwashed woman, and just hold out a little longer and things might just start going your way! The plot for this wasnt exactly unique, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1640564203?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">The Butterfly Garden</a> <i>kind of</i> has the same storyline, to name something recent, but there were no faults in this book. Olsen worked out exactly how to progress with this book, it was flawless. Granted, there were a couple of predictable parts, <spoiler>the fact she was pregnant, the real use of the morning sickness tea</spoiler>, but they didnt make the story less exciting in anyway.
I was so close to giving this 4 stars for the reason of me not liking Glen but then I realised, no. We werent suppose to like Glen. He was a manipulative, evil, disgusting human being and I <i>hated</i> him. The fact that Olsen could make me hate him so much just shows how amazing her writing was. She brought out a really strong emotion in me that often times made me feel anxious and sick. Hating a character as much as I did isnt at all a bad thing when the character is there to be hated.
This is a really emotional read. I'm sure if it wasn't for the fact I mainly only read this on the train, I definitely would have bawled over this, hence the reason I'm classing this as a book that made me cry. I cant even imagine the feelings Clara goes through as this book progresses and she begins to find out things shes believed her entire life are not all that they seem. Its so horrible to think this kind of thing isnt just a figment of someones creative mind, my heart goes out to all those men and women that have been subject to this kind of twisted abuse - this is one of many reasons I give so much to human right charities every month.
I cannot believe this is a debut novel. I am stunned at the quality of Olsens writing and story-telling, I cant wait to read more from her. This tackles many difficult subjects but if youre a lover of all things suspense and thriller, then you definitely <b>need</b> to pick this up in the future. <b>Its 2016 must read!</b>
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Titanfall 2 in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Respawn and EA have returned with TitanFall 2 which is the rare sequel
that improves upon the original in almost every way.
The game now features a solo campaign which is a solid and gripping
adventure which adds greater depth to the TitanFall Universe and contains
some great level designs as well as graphics.
Cast as a Rifle Corps member who is suddenly forced into the coveted role of
Titan Pilot by fate, players must embark on a series of missions both
inside and outside of their massive Titan in order to save the Resistance.
Players have numerous weapon loadouts for themselves and their Titan at
their disposals and everything from ballistic to energy based weapons are
available as well as some brutal melee options.
The story was very engrossing and entertaining and presented plenty of
challenges, my biggest frustration was with the numerous timed jumps that
are required to complete segments of a chapter.
I have never been a fan of precision leaps and although I know it is a
part of the game, it does get frustrating at times. Most were able to be
resolved in a couple of efforts but one had me frustrated after numerous
attempts, until I figured out that it required a temporal phase during a
leap in order to complete it successfully.
The solo campaign gives the series a greater depth than the previous game
offered and it is filled with some very solid action and characters that
will compel you throughout the game.
Of course Multiplayer is a big part of the game and that has continued
with TitanFall 2 offering new modes such as a bank where players must cash
in money they have earned or risk losing it should they be taken down by
enemy units.
Enemies are a mix of bots and online players which offers differing
degrees of difficulty. It was frustrating at first to be trying to learn a
map and the new grapple hook when players who had powered leveled since
launch were able to pick me off with vastly superior weapons and power ups
before I had ventured into the battle.
Calling in your Titan is still as big a thrill as ever and some of the new
abilities such as the devastating energy weapon that can be emitted from
your unit once your timer has been reached is a real game changer.
It is still tricky to take down a Titan on foot as anyone who has
attempted to collect a Bounty in the game will attest to.
The level design stays true to what players have expected from the first
game and the developers have promised that all DLC for the game will be
offered free of charge to all players.
I did not find the online play as compelling as the solo mode, but that is
largely due to the fact that I had some lag and balance issues at launch
which hampered my online experience. I can say that recent updates have
made online play significantly better and more enjoyable and I look
forward to seeing what the future DLC will bring to the game.
I played the game on a 1060 Legacy Edition by NVIDIA and on the highest
settings the game looked amazing and ran very smoothly. Reports have said
that the sales for the game were slower than for the previous game which
is a shame as TitanFall 2 is a very solid and enjoyable game that deftly
combines a First Person Shooter with a Mech combat game to create a
visually impressive and very entertaining game which I hope will spawn
further chapters in the series.
http://sknr.net/2016/12/06/titanfall-2/
that improves upon the original in almost every way.
The game now features a solo campaign which is a solid and gripping
adventure which adds greater depth to the TitanFall Universe and contains
some great level designs as well as graphics.
Cast as a Rifle Corps member who is suddenly forced into the coveted role of
Titan Pilot by fate, players must embark on a series of missions both
inside and outside of their massive Titan in order to save the Resistance.
Players have numerous weapon loadouts for themselves and their Titan at
their disposals and everything from ballistic to energy based weapons are
available as well as some brutal melee options.
The story was very engrossing and entertaining and presented plenty of
challenges, my biggest frustration was with the numerous timed jumps that
are required to complete segments of a chapter.
I have never been a fan of precision leaps and although I know it is a
part of the game, it does get frustrating at times. Most were able to be
resolved in a couple of efforts but one had me frustrated after numerous
attempts, until I figured out that it required a temporal phase during a
leap in order to complete it successfully.
The solo campaign gives the series a greater depth than the previous game
offered and it is filled with some very solid action and characters that
will compel you throughout the game.
Of course Multiplayer is a big part of the game and that has continued
with TitanFall 2 offering new modes such as a bank where players must cash
in money they have earned or risk losing it should they be taken down by
enemy units.
Enemies are a mix of bots and online players which offers differing
degrees of difficulty. It was frustrating at first to be trying to learn a
map and the new grapple hook when players who had powered leveled since
launch were able to pick me off with vastly superior weapons and power ups
before I had ventured into the battle.
Calling in your Titan is still as big a thrill as ever and some of the new
abilities such as the devastating energy weapon that can be emitted from
your unit once your timer has been reached is a real game changer.
It is still tricky to take down a Titan on foot as anyone who has
attempted to collect a Bounty in the game will attest to.
The level design stays true to what players have expected from the first
game and the developers have promised that all DLC for the game will be
offered free of charge to all players.
I did not find the online play as compelling as the solo mode, but that is
largely due to the fact that I had some lag and balance issues at launch
which hampered my online experience. I can say that recent updates have
made online play significantly better and more enjoyable and I look
forward to seeing what the future DLC will bring to the game.
I played the game on a 1060 Legacy Edition by NVIDIA and on the highest
settings the game looked amazing and ran very smoothly. Reports have said
that the sales for the game were slower than for the previous game which
is a shame as TitanFall 2 is a very solid and enjoyable game that deftly
combines a First Person Shooter with a Mech combat game to create a
visually impressive and very entertaining game which I hope will spawn
further chapters in the series.
http://sknr.net/2016/12/06/titanfall-2/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Battlefield 1 in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Electronic Arts and Dice have crafted a thrilling entry into the Battlefield series with the World War I themed Battlefield 1. The visually stunning game is dripping with authenticity which is seen in every frame of the game. The weapons, uniforms, vehicles, tactics, and technology as a historians dream brought to life.
Players to take part in the solo campaigns find themselves reliving various battles from the point of those who participated in them. There is a tank mission behind enemy lines in Europe, a battle in the Italian mountainside, a thrilling aerial scenario, a very intense and emotional story set against the battle of Gallipoli, and a thrilling desert adventure featuring Lawrence of Arabia himself.
One of the great things about the game is that it takes modern gameplay tactics such as trying to secure an objective or defeat enemy units and infuses it with a sense of the past. Weapons are slow to load, are not always the most accurate at a distance, and have a crudeness about them that is refreshing in this era of games featuring advanced weaponry and technology. This does require a bit of a learning curve as there have been times where I would unload a full magazine on an enemy player and multiplayer mode only to see them survive and dispatch me with one or two shots from pistol. Once you start to get the way the weapons work and develop strategies to work within their strengths and limitations, you’ll soon find yourself able to make solid progress in the game.
The solo play campaigns allow players to set a difficulty that is best suited for their style of play and have very interesting and gripping narratives.
Many players will keep their focus on the multiplayer portion which has campaign objectives as well as quick matches. This does take a bit of learning as the landscapes are large and there are plenty of places for players with higher grade weapons to pick up new players before they even know an enemy is near. Naturally your weaponry choices to get better as your on-field accomplishments merit them it is also important to note that due to the vast landscapes littered with foxholes, trenches, villages, and other locales, wide open areas where players are very exposed and vulnerable are numerous.
Getting a tank often seems like a big accomplishment but when you realize that the vehicle is slow to turn it is a sitting duck for enemy artillery, explosives, and other tanks. Strategy and teamwork are vital to the success of any mission especially when players can move up and bring in one of the massive zeppelins into the battle. I really enjoyed flying the planes of the era but had to remember that there reduced speed made it very difficult turn especially for somebody who was used to strafing a target, flying into the distance, making a wide turn, and then attacking again. I found myself that many times with the leaving the battlefield warning and was not able to turn fast enough to get myself back where I needed to be.
As somebody who studied history extensively in college, it was amazing to get a sense of the war the on the pages of history books and learn how in this era of new technology such as planes, tanks, gas, machine guns, Zeppelins, and more, the capacity to do devastating damage upon an enemy was massive as truly technology greatly overshadowed the tactics and medical abilities of the era.
Battlefield 1 is a glorious achievement and gaming as it takes an error that has been largely ignored and brings it forward incredible detail combined with thrilling battles that are loaded with customization options that will keep players playing well into the future. With the planned DLC content to come, I’m very interested to see what direction the developers will take it as there are countless possibilities ahead.
http://sknr.net/2016/10/30/battlefield-1/
Players to take part in the solo campaigns find themselves reliving various battles from the point of those who participated in them. There is a tank mission behind enemy lines in Europe, a battle in the Italian mountainside, a thrilling aerial scenario, a very intense and emotional story set against the battle of Gallipoli, and a thrilling desert adventure featuring Lawrence of Arabia himself.
One of the great things about the game is that it takes modern gameplay tactics such as trying to secure an objective or defeat enemy units and infuses it with a sense of the past. Weapons are slow to load, are not always the most accurate at a distance, and have a crudeness about them that is refreshing in this era of games featuring advanced weaponry and technology. This does require a bit of a learning curve as there have been times where I would unload a full magazine on an enemy player and multiplayer mode only to see them survive and dispatch me with one or two shots from pistol. Once you start to get the way the weapons work and develop strategies to work within their strengths and limitations, you’ll soon find yourself able to make solid progress in the game.
The solo play campaigns allow players to set a difficulty that is best suited for their style of play and have very interesting and gripping narratives.
Many players will keep their focus on the multiplayer portion which has campaign objectives as well as quick matches. This does take a bit of learning as the landscapes are large and there are plenty of places for players with higher grade weapons to pick up new players before they even know an enemy is near. Naturally your weaponry choices to get better as your on-field accomplishments merit them it is also important to note that due to the vast landscapes littered with foxholes, trenches, villages, and other locales, wide open areas where players are very exposed and vulnerable are numerous.
Getting a tank often seems like a big accomplishment but when you realize that the vehicle is slow to turn it is a sitting duck for enemy artillery, explosives, and other tanks. Strategy and teamwork are vital to the success of any mission especially when players can move up and bring in one of the massive zeppelins into the battle. I really enjoyed flying the planes of the era but had to remember that there reduced speed made it very difficult turn especially for somebody who was used to strafing a target, flying into the distance, making a wide turn, and then attacking again. I found myself that many times with the leaving the battlefield warning and was not able to turn fast enough to get myself back where I needed to be.
As somebody who studied history extensively in college, it was amazing to get a sense of the war the on the pages of history books and learn how in this era of new technology such as planes, tanks, gas, machine guns, Zeppelins, and more, the capacity to do devastating damage upon an enemy was massive as truly technology greatly overshadowed the tactics and medical abilities of the era.
Battlefield 1 is a glorious achievement and gaming as it takes an error that has been largely ignored and brings it forward incredible detail combined with thrilling battles that are loaded with customization options that will keep players playing well into the future. With the planned DLC content to come, I’m very interested to see what direction the developers will take it as there are countless possibilities ahead.
http://sknr.net/2016/10/30/battlefield-1/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Sabotage (2014) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Action icon Arnold Schwarzenegger is back in “Sabotage”, with an ensemble film that is part thriller, part action, and part western. Schwarzenegger plays John Breacher, the leader of a top D.E.A. squad who take on the worst of the criminal underworld in the war on drugs.
Breacher has become a celebrity for his exploits as the numerous pictures of him with former Presidents attest to. It is learned that after bringing down a drug Kingpin, Breacher had his wife and son kidnapped in retaliation and he was forced to watch them tortured to death via video for refusing to turn himself over to the kidnappers for retaliation.
The brutal and drawn out nature of the crimes has haunted Breacher and as the film opens he is leading his team on a raid of a mansion filled with cash and bad guys.
His team is very efficient at what they do but have both physical and mental scars from their experiences. The raid goes almost as planned, but Breacher and his team are accused of taking ten million dollars from the crime scene after the raid as it was learned that the F.B.I. were also keeping tabs on the locale.
Six months pass and despite being an outcast, Breacher and his team are returned to active duty after the closure of the investigation against them. With most of his agency convinced someone on the team has taken the money, Breacher and company celebrate their return to active status.
Their celebration is short-lived when members of the team start being killed in brutal fashion. The fact that highly trained operatives are able to be killed in this manner has raised some red flags especially to local detective Brentwood (Olivia Williams), who thinks there may be more to the cases than first thought. The fact that the D.E.A. is not helping with her investigation and the fact that the bodies are starting to pile up lead her and Breacher into an uneasy alliance to find the killer(s).
What follows is a methodical, but at times action packed film that results in an ending that is disappointing compared to what it could have been.
After the final revelation was revealed, it seemed to me that the methods taken did not match up well with the timeline, opportunity, and motivations of the characters involved. The more I thought about the film the more I was convinced that there were easier ways for things to be accomplished or explained and that perhaps there were too many Red Herrings along the way.
The cast is the film is top notch from Terrance Howard, Sam Worthington, Joe Manganiello and Josh Holloway, and this is one of Schwarzenegger’s most mature and diverse roles in memory. I liked the ambiguity of his character as he was not the one man killing machine and unstoppable force of nature that he has portrayed countless times before.
Breacher is a haunted and troubled man who is highly capable at what he does and enjoys doing it even though it has cost him everything he holds dear. The film seemed to be unable to find an identity as it started out as a very gripping drama that had you guessing but took some turns that strained to be credible and became a conglomeration of action clichés and western nostalgia which is a shame as the cast and premise offered so much more as did the first part of the film.
Director David Ayer keeps things moving along and is to be praised for not letting the action overshadow the characters but sadly the final act of the film comes up short and undermines what could have been a classic mix of action and drama.
The film fails as an effective action film or drama which results in an at times enjoyable but largely forgettable effort.
http://sknr.net/2014/03/28/sabotage/
Breacher has become a celebrity for his exploits as the numerous pictures of him with former Presidents attest to. It is learned that after bringing down a drug Kingpin, Breacher had his wife and son kidnapped in retaliation and he was forced to watch them tortured to death via video for refusing to turn himself over to the kidnappers for retaliation.
The brutal and drawn out nature of the crimes has haunted Breacher and as the film opens he is leading his team on a raid of a mansion filled with cash and bad guys.
His team is very efficient at what they do but have both physical and mental scars from their experiences. The raid goes almost as planned, but Breacher and his team are accused of taking ten million dollars from the crime scene after the raid as it was learned that the F.B.I. were also keeping tabs on the locale.
Six months pass and despite being an outcast, Breacher and his team are returned to active duty after the closure of the investigation against them. With most of his agency convinced someone on the team has taken the money, Breacher and company celebrate their return to active status.
Their celebration is short-lived when members of the team start being killed in brutal fashion. The fact that highly trained operatives are able to be killed in this manner has raised some red flags especially to local detective Brentwood (Olivia Williams), who thinks there may be more to the cases than first thought. The fact that the D.E.A. is not helping with her investigation and the fact that the bodies are starting to pile up lead her and Breacher into an uneasy alliance to find the killer(s).
What follows is a methodical, but at times action packed film that results in an ending that is disappointing compared to what it could have been.
After the final revelation was revealed, it seemed to me that the methods taken did not match up well with the timeline, opportunity, and motivations of the characters involved. The more I thought about the film the more I was convinced that there were easier ways for things to be accomplished or explained and that perhaps there were too many Red Herrings along the way.
The cast is the film is top notch from Terrance Howard, Sam Worthington, Joe Manganiello and Josh Holloway, and this is one of Schwarzenegger’s most mature and diverse roles in memory. I liked the ambiguity of his character as he was not the one man killing machine and unstoppable force of nature that he has portrayed countless times before.
Breacher is a haunted and troubled man who is highly capable at what he does and enjoys doing it even though it has cost him everything he holds dear. The film seemed to be unable to find an identity as it started out as a very gripping drama that had you guessing but took some turns that strained to be credible and became a conglomeration of action clichés and western nostalgia which is a shame as the cast and premise offered so much more as did the first part of the film.
Director David Ayer keeps things moving along and is to be praised for not letting the action overshadow the characters but sadly the final act of the film comes up short and undermines what could have been a classic mix of action and drama.
The film fails as an effective action film or drama which results in an at times enjoyable but largely forgettable effort.
http://sknr.net/2014/03/28/sabotage/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Hostage (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Chief of Police Jeff Talley (Bruce Willis) is a man filled with turmoil. A former S.W.A.T. officer and top hostage negotiator for the Los Angeles Police Department, Talley now toils away in a quite California town where crime is light and very infrequent. The change in locales was made necessary for Jeff in the aftermath of a hostage negotiation where things did not go accordingly leaving Jeff with more questions than answers.
As if this is not bad enough, Talley is having difficulties with his wife Jane (Serena Scott Thomas), and his daughter Amanda (Rumer Willis), who is not happy with their relocation to the quiet locale or the strain that is amongst her parents as it is clear that they still love each other very much.
The quiet town is disrupted when a robbery of a successful locale business man goes horribly wrong and ends up with a dead police officer and three hostages being held in a high tech, high security home.
Jeff responds to the incident and soon finds himself dealing with the three young men who are clearly in over their head and very dangerous due to the instability of the situation. Jeff decides to call in the Sheriff’s office as he believe his police force is not suited for this sort of situation and essentially decides to wash his hands of the situation and go home.
While driving home, Jeff is carjacked by a group of individuals who show Jeff that they have taken his wife and daughter hostage and instruct him not to let anyone in or out of the house where the hostage crisis is taking place. Jeff is also instructed to not deviate in any way from his instructions under pain of immediate death for his wife and daughter. His only communication with his new handlers will be via a cell phone, and he is to resume control of the negotiations.
It is learned that there is something in the house that the people holding Jeff’s family need and are willing to resort to very extreme measure to get it.
It is at this point that the very, very gripping and entertaining setup to the film begins to slide, as the second half of the film does not come close to matching the quality of the opening segments.
There are some very good cat and mouse moments as the men in the house start to argue amongst themselves, and interact with the family inside the house. The supporting performances are solid especially those of Jennifer (Michelle Horn), who plays the daughter held captive by the trio and the eerie performance of Ben Foster as the twisted Hostage taker Mars.
Sadly the film decides to turn to a series of brutal images and sequences rather than continue to develop the characters and work the story. The characters often embark on some inane courses of action and do things that not only contradict what we know about their characters but also fly into the lapse of logic as people in their situations would never do. I would love to expand on this by referencing a segment of the film but in the interest of not spoiling the film, I will explain it as when characters are told not to do something, why would they repeatedly do it, and then continue to do so without any consequences?
It is the continued lack of common sense and the and the very over the top and lazy finale to the film that sinks what could have and should have been a much better movie as the film is clearly sunk by the awful final 40 minutes of the show. Willis does a solid job with his role but the last act of the script let him down as even a star of his magnitude and talents cant make up for the films numerous shortcomings.
As if this is not bad enough, Talley is having difficulties with his wife Jane (Serena Scott Thomas), and his daughter Amanda (Rumer Willis), who is not happy with their relocation to the quiet locale or the strain that is amongst her parents as it is clear that they still love each other very much.
The quiet town is disrupted when a robbery of a successful locale business man goes horribly wrong and ends up with a dead police officer and three hostages being held in a high tech, high security home.
Jeff responds to the incident and soon finds himself dealing with the three young men who are clearly in over their head and very dangerous due to the instability of the situation. Jeff decides to call in the Sheriff’s office as he believe his police force is not suited for this sort of situation and essentially decides to wash his hands of the situation and go home.
While driving home, Jeff is carjacked by a group of individuals who show Jeff that they have taken his wife and daughter hostage and instruct him not to let anyone in or out of the house where the hostage crisis is taking place. Jeff is also instructed to not deviate in any way from his instructions under pain of immediate death for his wife and daughter. His only communication with his new handlers will be via a cell phone, and he is to resume control of the negotiations.
It is learned that there is something in the house that the people holding Jeff’s family need and are willing to resort to very extreme measure to get it.
It is at this point that the very, very gripping and entertaining setup to the film begins to slide, as the second half of the film does not come close to matching the quality of the opening segments.
There are some very good cat and mouse moments as the men in the house start to argue amongst themselves, and interact with the family inside the house. The supporting performances are solid especially those of Jennifer (Michelle Horn), who plays the daughter held captive by the trio and the eerie performance of Ben Foster as the twisted Hostage taker Mars.
Sadly the film decides to turn to a series of brutal images and sequences rather than continue to develop the characters and work the story. The characters often embark on some inane courses of action and do things that not only contradict what we know about their characters but also fly into the lapse of logic as people in their situations would never do. I would love to expand on this by referencing a segment of the film but in the interest of not spoiling the film, I will explain it as when characters are told not to do something, why would they repeatedly do it, and then continue to do so without any consequences?
It is the continued lack of common sense and the and the very over the top and lazy finale to the film that sinks what could have and should have been a much better movie as the film is clearly sunk by the awful final 40 minutes of the show. Willis does a solid job with his role but the last act of the script let him down as even a star of his magnitude and talents cant make up for the films numerous shortcomings.
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The Queen's God Daughter. Her Most Trusted Maid. Adultress. Enemy Of The State. Who is The Real...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated #Alive (2020) in Movies
Oct 30, 2020
The Acting (1 more)
The Special Effects and CGI
Not much (1 more)
Possibly some continuity errors
A Gripping Tale of Surivival
Contains spoilers, click to show
This movie was really good. I like how it seemed really relatable especially because of his isolation and what a lot of people are dealing with right now during the pandemic. I thought it was pretty well done. I did kind of notice that although it was pretty mature in nature it seemed more of a "pg-13"-ish movie instead of a rated- R one. I mean it had plenty of violence and blood. There were even some really good effects for the zombies and some gruesome scenes. For being such a self contained movie plot wise it was pretty good and the action scenes were pretty realistic. I have more to say in the spoiler section but for now I'm giving this movie a 8/10. I would give it my must see seal of approval but I felt that it being a foreign film not everyone would like it as much as I did.
Spoiler Section Review:
This movie was really good. I was surprised with how much I liked it. As I said earlier it seemed really relatable because of the isolation so many people have dealt with during the pandemic. Also the main character Oh Joon-woo was very likeable and I was rooting for him from the beginning. His situation is bleak as things go from bad to worse pretty fast. First he can't get a hold of his parents, then he runs out of food, the internet goes out, the water is cut and then the power goes out. Oh and that scene with the lady cop getting killed was just horrible. I mean for me personally getting eaten alive is one of my worst fears, and when she hesitates to shoot herself and then gets dragged away was just terrible. At 10 days he starts running out of food, at 15 days he hasn't eaten in like 4 or 5 days already. He gets a message from his parents where it sounds like they are attacked and killed. And then he decides to kill himself by hanging himself and that's when he finds out he's not alone. A neighbor from the apartment complex Yoo-bin gets him to save himself by contacting him with a laser pointer letting him know he's not alone. They begin getting to know each other and helping each other by sending supplies back and forth after he gets a drone to send a rope over. Yoo-bin is a pretty cool character and definitely kicks ass. The way she exits her apartment when they make a run for the 8th floor and just rappels down in one go was beast. There were a couple things that bothered me but not that much. Like one, I thought the power was lost for good when the city was bombed and the power went out but both Oh Joon-woo and Yoo-bin kept using his phone and her tablet to communicate from afar. Also he used his drone even though it was out of charge earlier. I did see that it was a different drone from the one earlier but still made me think. Also the girl officer whose death was so tragic. It looked like she dropped her ammo and was only able to load like maybe 2 bullets into it. Yoo-bin recovers the gun and uses it to kill the man on the 8th floor who lures them into a trap and his wife. And then later Oh Joon-woo uses it on the roof and shoots at least 2 more times if not 3. Anyways not a big deal. Like I said earlier this was a really good movie and I give it a 8/10.
Spoiler Section Review:
This movie was really good. I was surprised with how much I liked it. As I said earlier it seemed really relatable because of the isolation so many people have dealt with during the pandemic. Also the main character Oh Joon-woo was very likeable and I was rooting for him from the beginning. His situation is bleak as things go from bad to worse pretty fast. First he can't get a hold of his parents, then he runs out of food, the internet goes out, the water is cut and then the power goes out. Oh and that scene with the lady cop getting killed was just horrible. I mean for me personally getting eaten alive is one of my worst fears, and when she hesitates to shoot herself and then gets dragged away was just terrible. At 10 days he starts running out of food, at 15 days he hasn't eaten in like 4 or 5 days already. He gets a message from his parents where it sounds like they are attacked and killed. And then he decides to kill himself by hanging himself and that's when he finds out he's not alone. A neighbor from the apartment complex Yoo-bin gets him to save himself by contacting him with a laser pointer letting him know he's not alone. They begin getting to know each other and helping each other by sending supplies back and forth after he gets a drone to send a rope over. Yoo-bin is a pretty cool character and definitely kicks ass. The way she exits her apartment when they make a run for the 8th floor and just rappels down in one go was beast. There were a couple things that bothered me but not that much. Like one, I thought the power was lost for good when the city was bombed and the power went out but both Oh Joon-woo and Yoo-bin kept using his phone and her tablet to communicate from afar. Also he used his drone even though it was out of charge earlier. I did see that it was a different drone from the one earlier but still made me think. Also the girl officer whose death was so tragic. It looked like she dropped her ammo and was only able to load like maybe 2 bullets into it. Yoo-bin recovers the gun and uses it to kill the man on the 8th floor who lures them into a trap and his wife. And then later Oh Joon-woo uses it on the roof and shoots at least 2 more times if not 3. Anyways not a big deal. Like I said earlier this was a really good movie and I give it a 8/10.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated A Quiet Place: Part II (2021) in Movies
May 25, 2021 (Updated May 25, 2021)
Last year we had a screening for “A Quiet Place Part II” scheduled and eagerly awaited the follow-up to the suspenseful and popular original film. Sadly we all know what happened soon after as a two-week lockdown grew and cinemas around the world were closed.
As cinemas re-open with growing but limited capacity; the film is set for release and will be a great indicator as to if the public is ready to return to cinemas in significant numbers or will they sit it out and opt to see the film down the line on Paramount+.
The film opens with a look at the day things changed for the world as Lee (John Krasinski); does some shopping while news reports come in of an explosion in Shanghai. Enjoying the weather; he joins his family at a Little League game and talks with his friend Emmett (Cillian Murphy) when the game is interrupted by the appearance of a large fireball in the sky.
As they head home; the city falls under attack by deadly creatures and Lee and his family narrowly escape. The film then jumps forward immediately following the conclusion of the first film and Evelyn (Emily Blunt); attempts to lead her newborn son, daughter Regan ( Millicent Simmons), and son Marcus (Noah Jupe) to a safer locale.
When Marcus is injured along the way; Evelyn takes refuge with Emmett who is not happy to have to care for others after the loss of his wife and despite a secure locale in a foundry; demands the family leave the following day.
When an unexpected radio signal appears; Regan is determined to leave and find the source as she knows the frequency of her Cochlear Implant is a weapon against the creatures and she figures if that can be broadcasted and the information revealed; then humanity has a chance to fight back and win.
What follows is a very gripping and intense story as Regan and Emmett attempt to complete the mission while Evelyn and her family endure all manner of threats as they try to survive.
The film builds upon what made the first film so great in that there are strong and relatable characters and some very tense situations. The screening we attended was so quiet you could tell that audience members were so enthralled that they were afraid to make any noise.
The film ups the action and expands upon the universe without losing any of the strong character-driven elements or relying too much upon CGI to carry the film.
John Krasinski writes, directed, and produced the film, and while he has less screen time than he did in the original; the film is the rare sequel that holds its own and actually improves upon the original.
My only issue with the film was that the ending was rather abrupt and left me with several unanswered questions. While this would be more than fine if we were assured of a third film to resolve unanswered elements; word is that a spin-off is in development so hopefully this will resolve the issues I had or at the least co-exist with a third part of the series.
For now; “A Quiet Place Part II” drives home why we need the cinematic experience as from the large screen to the Dolby Atmos sound; the film is a sensory experience that needs to be enjoyed in a communal setting with maximum sensory input.
The film sets the tension meter to the max and never disappoints and I urge you to experience this film the way it was intended.
4.5 stars out of 5
As cinemas re-open with growing but limited capacity; the film is set for release and will be a great indicator as to if the public is ready to return to cinemas in significant numbers or will they sit it out and opt to see the film down the line on Paramount+.
The film opens with a look at the day things changed for the world as Lee (John Krasinski); does some shopping while news reports come in of an explosion in Shanghai. Enjoying the weather; he joins his family at a Little League game and talks with his friend Emmett (Cillian Murphy) when the game is interrupted by the appearance of a large fireball in the sky.
As they head home; the city falls under attack by deadly creatures and Lee and his family narrowly escape. The film then jumps forward immediately following the conclusion of the first film and Evelyn (Emily Blunt); attempts to lead her newborn son, daughter Regan ( Millicent Simmons), and son Marcus (Noah Jupe) to a safer locale.
When Marcus is injured along the way; Evelyn takes refuge with Emmett who is not happy to have to care for others after the loss of his wife and despite a secure locale in a foundry; demands the family leave the following day.
When an unexpected radio signal appears; Regan is determined to leave and find the source as she knows the frequency of her Cochlear Implant is a weapon against the creatures and she figures if that can be broadcasted and the information revealed; then humanity has a chance to fight back and win.
What follows is a very gripping and intense story as Regan and Emmett attempt to complete the mission while Evelyn and her family endure all manner of threats as they try to survive.
The film builds upon what made the first film so great in that there are strong and relatable characters and some very tense situations. The screening we attended was so quiet you could tell that audience members were so enthralled that they were afraid to make any noise.
The film ups the action and expands upon the universe without losing any of the strong character-driven elements or relying too much upon CGI to carry the film.
John Krasinski writes, directed, and produced the film, and while he has less screen time than he did in the original; the film is the rare sequel that holds its own and actually improves upon the original.
My only issue with the film was that the ending was rather abrupt and left me with several unanswered questions. While this would be more than fine if we were assured of a third film to resolve unanswered elements; word is that a spin-off is in development so hopefully this will resolve the issues I had or at the least co-exist with a third part of the series.
For now; “A Quiet Place Part II” drives home why we need the cinematic experience as from the large screen to the Dolby Atmos sound; the film is a sensory experience that needs to be enjoyed in a communal setting with maximum sensory input.
The film sets the tension meter to the max and never disappoints and I urge you to experience this film the way it was intended.
4.5 stars out of 5
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula (2020) in Movies
Oct 6, 2020
Not as good as the original (2 more)
Sometimes uses too much CGI making scenes look silly or too fake.
Not enough character development
Peninsula: Half Fast and the Furious, Half Zombie Movie (6/10)
Contains spoilers, click to show
(CCR Original Content) Peninsula Review No Spoiler Section (6/10)
Peninsula is a 2020 South Korean Action Horror movie directed by Yeon Sang-ho and written by Park Joo-Suk and Yeong Sang-ho. The film was produced by Next Entertainment World, RedPeter Film, and New Movie and distributed by Next Entertainment World (worldwide) and Well Go USA (United States) with producer Lee Dong-ha. The film stars Gang Dong-won, Kim Do-yoon, and Lee Jung-hyun.
Four years after the entire country of South Korea fell to a virulent zombie outbreak, former Marine Captain Jung-seok (Gang Dong-won) lives a life of regret following tragic events. Jung-seok is guilted in to joining his brother-in-law Chul-Min (Kim Do-yoon) on a suicide mission to go back to South Korea. If they can locate and bring back a truck containing $20 million dollars, then they get half, that is along with two other equally reckless people along for the job.
(Warning Spoilers Below)
I have to say first off that Train to Busan was a great movie. I'm a big fan of that movie so I have to say I was pretty hyped for this movie. I'm not going to lie, I was disappointed with the direction they took on this movie plot/story wise compared to the story they told in the first movie. But it was still a decent zombie movie. Right away it had me with it's opening scene and I think that's what let me down. It started off so emotional and I half expected a similar experience to the first film and it's anything but. It's hard in this genre to be original and I like how they were still able to bring some cool ideas to the board in and otherwise overdone genre. I like how they implemented a couple of things into the movie like showing how the zombies are attracted to light and sound, like with the r/c car and the car alarms. Also the people talking about how the zombies are more active in the day and going out at night more. I didn't like that they went too far in the special effects where things wind up looking overly-fake, even though most were pretty decent. I liked the weird gladiator/survival game that they made the prisoners of Unit 631 compete in. That was interesting. I also liked the sister characters and thought that they were a welcome addition to the movie. I feel like there wasn't enough character development between their mother and Jung-seok. They should have shown him get more attached to her or the daughters. Also with him and his brother-in-law, I feel they skipped a lot in those 4 years. There were some ridiculous zombie scenes with a lot of zombies (number-wise), which was a little expected because Train to Busan was the movie World War Z ripped off with the concept of zombie hordes that way. But I have to say the whole scene with the glass tunnel and all the zombies spilling out was pretty satisfying. All in all I would say this movie fails to reach the emotional tone and despair of the situation as well as setup characters that you care about as well as the first film. That being said it's a pretty good zombie movie and a stand alone sequel that shouldn't really be judged that way even if it's hard not too. I would have to give this movie a 6/10. It does a decent job rising about the average zombie movie in being exciting as well as gripping without holding itself too serious.
Peninsula is a 2020 South Korean Action Horror movie directed by Yeon Sang-ho and written by Park Joo-Suk and Yeong Sang-ho. The film was produced by Next Entertainment World, RedPeter Film, and New Movie and distributed by Next Entertainment World (worldwide) and Well Go USA (United States) with producer Lee Dong-ha. The film stars Gang Dong-won, Kim Do-yoon, and Lee Jung-hyun.
Four years after the entire country of South Korea fell to a virulent zombie outbreak, former Marine Captain Jung-seok (Gang Dong-won) lives a life of regret following tragic events. Jung-seok is guilted in to joining his brother-in-law Chul-Min (Kim Do-yoon) on a suicide mission to go back to South Korea. If they can locate and bring back a truck containing $20 million dollars, then they get half, that is along with two other equally reckless people along for the job.
(Warning Spoilers Below)
I have to say first off that Train to Busan was a great movie. I'm a big fan of that movie so I have to say I was pretty hyped for this movie. I'm not going to lie, I was disappointed with the direction they took on this movie plot/story wise compared to the story they told in the first movie. But it was still a decent zombie movie. Right away it had me with it's opening scene and I think that's what let me down. It started off so emotional and I half expected a similar experience to the first film and it's anything but. It's hard in this genre to be original and I like how they were still able to bring some cool ideas to the board in and otherwise overdone genre. I like how they implemented a couple of things into the movie like showing how the zombies are attracted to light and sound, like with the r/c car and the car alarms. Also the people talking about how the zombies are more active in the day and going out at night more. I didn't like that they went too far in the special effects where things wind up looking overly-fake, even though most were pretty decent. I liked the weird gladiator/survival game that they made the prisoners of Unit 631 compete in. That was interesting. I also liked the sister characters and thought that they were a welcome addition to the movie. I feel like there wasn't enough character development between their mother and Jung-seok. They should have shown him get more attached to her or the daughters. Also with him and his brother-in-law, I feel they skipped a lot in those 4 years. There were some ridiculous zombie scenes with a lot of zombies (number-wise), which was a little expected because Train to Busan was the movie World War Z ripped off with the concept of zombie hordes that way. But I have to say the whole scene with the glass tunnel and all the zombies spilling out was pretty satisfying. All in all I would say this movie fails to reach the emotional tone and despair of the situation as well as setup characters that you care about as well as the first film. That being said it's a pretty good zombie movie and a stand alone sequel that shouldn't really be judged that way even if it's hard not too. I would have to give this movie a 6/10. It does a decent job rising about the average zombie movie in being exciting as well as gripping without holding itself too serious.
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