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Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Igniting His Flame (Redwood Bay Fire #1) in Books
Mar 26, 2025
so bloody cute!
I was gifted my copy of this book.
I'm not rehash the blurb here, but jumping straight in.
I bloody LOVED this book!
In a review for a previous Welch/Juliet book, I said I didn't enjoy it because it was first person/present tense/ and multi POV. If you follow my reviews, you'll know I'm not a fan. Well guess what? I didn't even notice this book was written as such!
I think that this can best be described using something from the book. This is a labrador meeting a scared puppy, and that labrador being the one thing that can help the puppy get over his trauma!
Lochlan is a fire fighter and pulls a puppy from a fire. Dario adopts a dog, after coming to town to get away from his abusive ex. The dogs bond way faster than the men, but they really don't waste much time. I loved how at ease Dario was with Lochlan, right from the start, despite his past. Lochlan is straight, so nothing to worry about. But Dario still crushes and crushes HARD on Lochlan.
I loved the others in the fire crew. They helped Lochlan to see that maybe he wasn't as straight as he thought. Metaphorically speaking, by dashing his head against the wall the make his see just what Dario means to him! I loved that it was Lochlan who makes the move, rather than Dario. But given Dario's history, it was understandable.
I loved the was both sets of parents accepted the new partner for their son. Dario's had reason to be wary, but they do give Lochlan a chance, and the man does come good.
Apart from the drama with the ex, there is little angst. And I loved that there wasn't. Dario does have some history that is high angst, but nothing on page, and he is getting the help he needs to get over that.
It's so freaking cute, I just went "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" when I finished it, and it really is full of the warm and fuzzies! I'm looking forward to getting to know the other guys in the crew!
Can't fault it, really so....
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere and no puppies were harmed in the writing of this book!
I'm not rehash the blurb here, but jumping straight in.
I bloody LOVED this book!
In a review for a previous Welch/Juliet book, I said I didn't enjoy it because it was first person/present tense/ and multi POV. If you follow my reviews, you'll know I'm not a fan. Well guess what? I didn't even notice this book was written as such!
I think that this can best be described using something from the book. This is a labrador meeting a scared puppy, and that labrador being the one thing that can help the puppy get over his trauma!
Lochlan is a fire fighter and pulls a puppy from a fire. Dario adopts a dog, after coming to town to get away from his abusive ex. The dogs bond way faster than the men, but they really don't waste much time. I loved how at ease Dario was with Lochlan, right from the start, despite his past. Lochlan is straight, so nothing to worry about. But Dario still crushes and crushes HARD on Lochlan.
I loved the others in the fire crew. They helped Lochlan to see that maybe he wasn't as straight as he thought. Metaphorically speaking, by dashing his head against the wall the make his see just what Dario means to him! I loved that it was Lochlan who makes the move, rather than Dario. But given Dario's history, it was understandable.
I loved the was both sets of parents accepted the new partner for their son. Dario's had reason to be wary, but they do give Lochlan a chance, and the man does come good.
Apart from the drama with the ex, there is little angst. And I loved that there wasn't. Dario does have some history that is high angst, but nothing on page, and he is getting the help he needs to get over that.
It's so freaking cute, I just went "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" when I finished it, and it really is full of the warm and fuzzies! I'm looking forward to getting to know the other guys in the crew!
Can't fault it, really so....
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere and no puppies were harmed in the writing of this book!
Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated One Step Sideways (Enhanced World Security #1) in Books
Apr 1, 2025
daark and deadly!
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is a spin off from The Enhanced Wordl series, and you really do need to have some understanding of what it means to be Enhanced and how they are treated to fully appreciate this book. I will be honest, I did not read books 6 and 7 from the main series. I don't I missed anything, but I did read books 1 through 5.
Kane was jailed at 16 for shooting a dog. But no one saw any other scars, just the one on his face. When he is released 17 years later, Diesel Rawlings collects him and offers him a job. Danny was a medic with Rawlings. He suffered at the hands of the enemy. He can't baby sit an ex con, especially one who did what he did. But not all is as it appears, and Danny and Kane must work together to find the missing teenagers.
Like I said, I did not read books 6 and 7 of the main series, I can't rememeber why I didn't, but I absolutely LOVED this revisit to this world and the men in it!
Both Kane and Danny suffered, and I felt for them, deeply. When both men fully open up to the other, I cried, I really did!
I'm not going to go too much into the plot, cos spoilers, but things did not go how I was expecting them to, and I have no idea WHAT I was expecting! My book brain is a fickle place sometimes!
It's dark, though, that suffering both men talk. Not a easy read, I tell ya, and I have no triggers.
It's full of love though! Once Danny and Kane get their act together, it was brilliant. Not especially explicit, but I don't think it was needed. Again, that suffering pops up all the time.
The guys from the main books are talked about, but do not take part here. I would have liked them to, but I didn't miss that they weren't. Does that make sense? I think I'm just greedy!
And that epilogue?? Oh well played there Ms Sue, very VERY well played! Bawling my eyes out, I was!
I can't give it anything other than. . . .
5 full and shiny stars! (and I might just go back now, and read books 6 and 7!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is a spin off from The Enhanced Wordl series, and you really do need to have some understanding of what it means to be Enhanced and how they are treated to fully appreciate this book. I will be honest, I did not read books 6 and 7 from the main series. I don't I missed anything, but I did read books 1 through 5.
Kane was jailed at 16 for shooting a dog. But no one saw any other scars, just the one on his face. When he is released 17 years later, Diesel Rawlings collects him and offers him a job. Danny was a medic with Rawlings. He suffered at the hands of the enemy. He can't baby sit an ex con, especially one who did what he did. But not all is as it appears, and Danny and Kane must work together to find the missing teenagers.
Like I said, I did not read books 6 and 7 of the main series, I can't rememeber why I didn't, but I absolutely LOVED this revisit to this world and the men in it!
Both Kane and Danny suffered, and I felt for them, deeply. When both men fully open up to the other, I cried, I really did!
I'm not going to go too much into the plot, cos spoilers, but things did not go how I was expecting them to, and I have no idea WHAT I was expecting! My book brain is a fickle place sometimes!
It's dark, though, that suffering both men talk. Not a easy read, I tell ya, and I have no triggers.
It's full of love though! Once Danny and Kane get their act together, it was brilliant. Not especially explicit, but I don't think it was needed. Again, that suffering pops up all the time.
The guys from the main books are talked about, but do not take part here. I would have liked them to, but I didn't miss that they weren't. Does that make sense? I think I'm just greedy!
And that epilogue?? Oh well played there Ms Sue, very VERY well played! Bawling my eyes out, I was!
I can't give it anything other than. . . .
5 full and shiny stars! (and I might just go back now, and read books 6 and 7!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
The Chairport (1 KP) rated Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) in Movies
Aug 4, 2018
Real action (3 more)
Real stunts
Fantastically scored
Beautiful locations and cinematography
Pay the admission, accept this mission!
(Review from www.thechairport.com)When the Mission Impossible film franchise started it had a slightly rocky start. After a great first film, the second film fell short of the mark. Watching those first two films now you can see how different they are to the Mission we know now. Ever since the second Mission film, ever since JJ Abrams and the Bad Robot team took over, the Mission franchise has been ageing like a fine wine. Actually, it’s been ageing like Tom Cruise. Fallout, the sixth film in the Mission franchise is the best yet and easily one of the best action films of all time and it’s all thanks to its real action.
Mission Impossible: Fallout follows Ethan Hunt as he and his crew lose some plutonium they are trying to recover. The bad guys trying to use the plutonium are The Apostles, a spin-off group from Rogue Nation’s Syndicate. This time the IMF team are joined by a ruthless CIA agent, Walker played by Henry Cavill, who is there to ensure that the team retrieve the plutonium. The bad guys this time around, The Apostles, follow Solomon Lane’s thinking that to get peace the world must first experience a great suffering. With that line ringing throughout the IMF’s ears, the team is off on a race against time to stop The Apostles.
Fallout is filled with action and as far as action movies come, this film really takes the cake. Tom Cruise is just the man that everyone wants to be, as in he really seems like he can do anything. In the current state of cinema any other filmmaking team would’ve made this film with CGI effects all over yet Cruise and Fallout’s director, Christopher McQuarrie, have decided to do everything for real and it’s that element alone that makes the film.
There are moments in Fallout where you just sit there astonished by what you’re seeing happen in front of you. You feel shivers and the need to applause at the opening ten minutes of the film, your eye’s dash across the screen as you’re watching Cruise’s Ethan Hunt race through oncoming traffic in Paris and you’ll find yourself simply flabbergasted as you watch Cruise do anything at all in the helicopter sequence that you’ve definitely already heard about.
Mission Impossible: Fallout isn’t just simply an insane action blockbuster, it is more than that. Every actor on the screen knows that what they’re in is going to be something revolutionary for cinema and every actor really pulls their weight. Simon Pegg’s comedy is on point, Alec Baldwin’s acting as someone in charge is as good as ever, Henry Cavill being absolutely brutal is scary and cool at the same time. Fallout also has a good amount of female characters in it with Rebecca Ferguson and Michelle Monaghan bringing a lot of well-needed emotion and Vanessa Kirby’s Black Widow bringing a funny yet creepy vibe to the whole occasion.
The story is fairly simple as McQuarrie doesn’t want to isolate the audience, you can definitely see it if you haven’t seen other Mission Films. It’s McQuarrie and his team’s filmmaking that really make the film what it is. The cameraman who does the HALO jump with Tom Cruise deserves many awards and I would be surprised if the film, and its team, didn’t win any awards for filmmaking. If you’ve got free time too then look up how the film was made because it is quite interesting. I mean it’s rare that an action blockbuster would even be nominated but as of right now Fallout is my favourite film of the year, both for how good it is and then researching how it was made. People just don’t put in as much effort as the Mission team have done in films anymore.
Mission Impossible: Fallout is a must-see film. It’s a long film but never really feels like it. It’s a constant chase that will keep you on the edge of your seat and it has twists and turns that you won’t see coming. I was recently reading about how Christopher Nolan wanted The Dark Knight to bring back film instead of everyone filming digitally. Fallout sings a similar message and but its message is for real-life stunts. Mquarrie has evolved in a similar manner to how Nolan evolved between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Fallout gave me similar vibes of excitement and intensity and Fallout will leave its mark on you, I’m not sure how I’ll feel watching CGI action from now on. All I know is that making everything real instead of fake isn’t impossible but to repeat the magic that Fallout has, well that’s only something the Mission team can do. Mission accomplished Cruise, mission accomplished.
Score: 5/5
Mission Impossible: Fallout follows Ethan Hunt as he and his crew lose some plutonium they are trying to recover. The bad guys trying to use the plutonium are The Apostles, a spin-off group from Rogue Nation’s Syndicate. This time the IMF team are joined by a ruthless CIA agent, Walker played by Henry Cavill, who is there to ensure that the team retrieve the plutonium. The bad guys this time around, The Apostles, follow Solomon Lane’s thinking that to get peace the world must first experience a great suffering. With that line ringing throughout the IMF’s ears, the team is off on a race against time to stop The Apostles.
Fallout is filled with action and as far as action movies come, this film really takes the cake. Tom Cruise is just the man that everyone wants to be, as in he really seems like he can do anything. In the current state of cinema any other filmmaking team would’ve made this film with CGI effects all over yet Cruise and Fallout’s director, Christopher McQuarrie, have decided to do everything for real and it’s that element alone that makes the film.
There are moments in Fallout where you just sit there astonished by what you’re seeing happen in front of you. You feel shivers and the need to applause at the opening ten minutes of the film, your eye’s dash across the screen as you’re watching Cruise’s Ethan Hunt race through oncoming traffic in Paris and you’ll find yourself simply flabbergasted as you watch Cruise do anything at all in the helicopter sequence that you’ve definitely already heard about.
Mission Impossible: Fallout isn’t just simply an insane action blockbuster, it is more than that. Every actor on the screen knows that what they’re in is going to be something revolutionary for cinema and every actor really pulls their weight. Simon Pegg’s comedy is on point, Alec Baldwin’s acting as someone in charge is as good as ever, Henry Cavill being absolutely brutal is scary and cool at the same time. Fallout also has a good amount of female characters in it with Rebecca Ferguson and Michelle Monaghan bringing a lot of well-needed emotion and Vanessa Kirby’s Black Widow bringing a funny yet creepy vibe to the whole occasion.
The story is fairly simple as McQuarrie doesn’t want to isolate the audience, you can definitely see it if you haven’t seen other Mission Films. It’s McQuarrie and his team’s filmmaking that really make the film what it is. The cameraman who does the HALO jump with Tom Cruise deserves many awards and I would be surprised if the film, and its team, didn’t win any awards for filmmaking. If you’ve got free time too then look up how the film was made because it is quite interesting. I mean it’s rare that an action blockbuster would even be nominated but as of right now Fallout is my favourite film of the year, both for how good it is and then researching how it was made. People just don’t put in as much effort as the Mission team have done in films anymore.
Mission Impossible: Fallout is a must-see film. It’s a long film but never really feels like it. It’s a constant chase that will keep you on the edge of your seat and it has twists and turns that you won’t see coming. I was recently reading about how Christopher Nolan wanted The Dark Knight to bring back film instead of everyone filming digitally. Fallout sings a similar message and but its message is for real-life stunts. Mquarrie has evolved in a similar manner to how Nolan evolved between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Fallout gave me similar vibes of excitement and intensity and Fallout will leave its mark on you, I’m not sure how I’ll feel watching CGI action from now on. All I know is that making everything real instead of fake isn’t impossible but to repeat the magic that Fallout has, well that’s only something the Mission team can do. Mission accomplished Cruise, mission accomplished.
Score: 5/5
Lee Ronaldo recommended Anthem of the Sun by Grateful Dead in Music (curated)
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) in Movies
Oct 11, 2020 (Updated Jan 22, 2021)
I’m sure I wasn’t alone in the Summer of 2019 when Spider-Man: Far From Home was released in just needing a minute or two, maybe a couple of months, longer to catch my breath after Avengers: Engame, and what very much felt like an ending to the MCU plan that had been in motion since 2008. That climax was so satisfying and complete that the thought of any of them donning the costume and fighting bad guys again so soon felt wrong.
I wasn’t against the survivors having continued adventures, of course not. It was more a question of where do we go from here? And how? Well, perhaps Tom Holland as the youngest and most emotionally resilient of the bunch was the right choice to continue the universe, if any at all. Knowing that Jake Gyllenhaal had been brought onboard certainly added to the appeal, being one of my very favourite actors of the last decade (together with Ryan Gosling and Joaquin Phoenix), but I had made up my mind to skip this one at the cinema.
And so, before any of us knew where we were, it was Spring 2020 and we were all in a different place. Needing films, any films, to fill out the days of lockdown and isolation became a case of make a list and tick them off. This was one of those that made the shortlist around June when I began the trial month of Now TV and discovered that this was where all the big films of the last year I had missed were hiding.
I liked Spider-Man: Homecoming very much, after some initial trepidation over who the heck Jon Watts was, and why he had been trusted with such a big job out of seemingly nowhere? I also really like Tom Holland in the role. I think the idea of making him seem like a naive teenager again is a masterstroke, and he fast became The real Spider-Man in my head. His relationship with Robert Downey Jnr across the last handful of MCU films was rich, genuine and fully rounded, and Holland has managed to pitch the balance between nervy teen and likeable hero quite deftly.
The charm of the first film from Watts was how much it felt like a teen film, full of teens that were actual teens, not adults pretending to be teens. And in this second instalment that element is even more to the fore. It is a travelling road movie that keeps everything fresh and energetic, not giving a moment to dwell despondently on previous events, but looking forward to a bright, hopeful world, full of romance and adventure and discovery.
Other than Holland himself, who grows in stature and maturity as an actor every minute, the rising star of Zendaya as MJ fills the screen very pleasantly, she has a great aura about her for one so young. I am expecting great things from her, especially in the upcoming yet delayed Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve. She doesn’t have a lot to do here, but steals enough scenes to hint at a serious talent. In fact, most of his classmates seem beyond their years ability-wise, or do they seem that way because of the skilled direction and bottomless production?
It’s also nice to get more time with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May in this one. You always do wonder what the lesser characters have been up to while everyone else was saving the world. But the backbone of the film as a spectacle is the Peter Parker / Quentin Beck face off. Every moment of Holland and Gyllenhaal together feels like a huge movie treat. And knowing nothing about who Quentin Beck was going in from comic book lore, I got a real thrill out of how it all develops.
I came away from my small screen experience of this movie thinking that I had really enjoyed it, but in a very disposable way, that I was happy to leave behind almost instantly. Nothing about it is especially deep or meaningful, just fun! And that was 100% what Marvel needed at this junction in the pantheon. These guys are pretty smart at knowing when and why and how much with these movies, and I’m pleased to say they did it again!
There is some serious work to be done to ever reach the heights of interest generated by the final pairing of Avengers films, and a lot has changed, as it must, as some actors age, some even pass away (RIP CB) and some call it a day. But if nothing else, there feels like there is plenty of mileage left in this incarnation of the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, and a lot of new fans to be hauled in by the onscreen romance between Tom Holland and Zendaya’s MJ. Older fans, like me, could maybe care less, but I believe that is the hook to ensure a future generation of fans stay loyal to Marvel. Every hero needs someone to save, after all. I’m still watching.
I wasn’t against the survivors having continued adventures, of course not. It was more a question of where do we go from here? And how? Well, perhaps Tom Holland as the youngest and most emotionally resilient of the bunch was the right choice to continue the universe, if any at all. Knowing that Jake Gyllenhaal had been brought onboard certainly added to the appeal, being one of my very favourite actors of the last decade (together with Ryan Gosling and Joaquin Phoenix), but I had made up my mind to skip this one at the cinema.
And so, before any of us knew where we were, it was Spring 2020 and we were all in a different place. Needing films, any films, to fill out the days of lockdown and isolation became a case of make a list and tick them off. This was one of those that made the shortlist around June when I began the trial month of Now TV and discovered that this was where all the big films of the last year I had missed were hiding.
I liked Spider-Man: Homecoming very much, after some initial trepidation over who the heck Jon Watts was, and why he had been trusted with such a big job out of seemingly nowhere? I also really like Tom Holland in the role. I think the idea of making him seem like a naive teenager again is a masterstroke, and he fast became The real Spider-Man in my head. His relationship with Robert Downey Jnr across the last handful of MCU films was rich, genuine and fully rounded, and Holland has managed to pitch the balance between nervy teen and likeable hero quite deftly.
The charm of the first film from Watts was how much it felt like a teen film, full of teens that were actual teens, not adults pretending to be teens. And in this second instalment that element is even more to the fore. It is a travelling road movie that keeps everything fresh and energetic, not giving a moment to dwell despondently on previous events, but looking forward to a bright, hopeful world, full of romance and adventure and discovery.
Other than Holland himself, who grows in stature and maturity as an actor every minute, the rising star of Zendaya as MJ fills the screen very pleasantly, she has a great aura about her for one so young. I am expecting great things from her, especially in the upcoming yet delayed Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve. She doesn’t have a lot to do here, but steals enough scenes to hint at a serious talent. In fact, most of his classmates seem beyond their years ability-wise, or do they seem that way because of the skilled direction and bottomless production?
It’s also nice to get more time with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May in this one. You always do wonder what the lesser characters have been up to while everyone else was saving the world. But the backbone of the film as a spectacle is the Peter Parker / Quentin Beck face off. Every moment of Holland and Gyllenhaal together feels like a huge movie treat. And knowing nothing about who Quentin Beck was going in from comic book lore, I got a real thrill out of how it all develops.
I came away from my small screen experience of this movie thinking that I had really enjoyed it, but in a very disposable way, that I was happy to leave behind almost instantly. Nothing about it is especially deep or meaningful, just fun! And that was 100% what Marvel needed at this junction in the pantheon. These guys are pretty smart at knowing when and why and how much with these movies, and I’m pleased to say they did it again!
There is some serious work to be done to ever reach the heights of interest generated by the final pairing of Avengers films, and a lot has changed, as it must, as some actors age, some even pass away (RIP CB) and some call it a day. But if nothing else, there feels like there is plenty of mileage left in this incarnation of the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, and a lot of new fans to be hauled in by the onscreen romance between Tom Holland and Zendaya’s MJ. Older fans, like me, could maybe care less, but I believe that is the hook to ensure a future generation of fans stay loyal to Marvel. Every hero needs someone to save, after all. I’m still watching.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
A plethora of clichés.
2017’s summer blockbusters fizzle to a halt with this formulaic action comedy. Ryan Reynolds (“Deadpool“) plays Michael Bryce: a cocksure “Triple A rated” bodyguard, always planning three steps ahead so that he can protect his clients without killing anyone in the process. With such arrogance, a fall is inevitable. On the other side of the legal scales is Darius Kincaid (Samuel L Jackson, “The Hateful Eight“), a contract killer who always gets his man. But the incarcerated Kincaid is offered a deal to release his equally incarcerated wife Sonia (Selma Hayek) in return for testifying against the fearsome Belarus president Vladislav Dukhovich (Gary Oldman, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”), on trial for war crimes at The Hague. An Interpol team led by Bryce’s’s ex-squeeze Amelia Roussel (the striking Elodie Yung) now have to get Kincaid to Belgium unscathed with Dukhovich’s well-trained and well-armed thugs stopping at nothing to ensure he won’t be there to testify. Fate transpires that Bryce and Kincaid become an unlikely team in trying to bring Dukhovich to justice.
After losing your no claims bonus, hysterical laughter is the only way forwards. Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L Jackson.
This is a movie whose script seems to have been glued together from a patchwork of other movie scenes:
– the bad guy / bad guy partner relationship of “The Nice Guys“. Check.
– the street ambush of “Clear and Present Danger”. Check.
– the Amsterdam boat chase of “Puppet on a Chain”. Check.
– the comedic bar-room brawl from “Airplane”. Check.
Many of the action scenes are done with panache and some great stunt work. But it’s all stuff we’ve seen countless times before, so what is needed for differentiation is the relationships between Bryce and Kincaid: this needs to be the cornerstone of the film. But it just doesn’t quite work. Jackson’s contribution is never in doubt, even though we’ve seen this motherf-ing shtick countless times before: he’s still magnetic, charismatic and a joy to watch. But unfortunately Reynolds just doesn’t deliver the acting goods to make the banter believable: there is a reason “Deadpool” is his best film – he wears a mask for most of it! His ‘puppy-dog look’ gets rolled out multiple times, but it’s unconvincing in the extreme. Together they are no match for Gosling/Crowe in “The Nice Guys“.
Nun but the brave. Jackson (if not Reynolds) get happy clappy.
On firmer ground is the quirky relationship between Mr and Mrs Kincaid. Although sharing limited screen time together, Hayek and Jackson spark off each other wonderfully. Seeing Selma Hayek in uncharacteristically sweary and belligerent mode was highly entertaining (although it’s worth commenting that my wife took great offence to the ‘comic’ bullying of an overweight cellmate).
“I had to ask the guy next to me to pinch me to make sure I wasn’t dreaming” – the future Mr and Mrs Kincaid meet in a rough place… the seediest dive on the wharf.
Elsewhere in the acting roll call, Elodie Yung delivers just the right measure of cuteness, toughness and passion as Roussel, but Oldman delivers a full-on retread of his Ivan “Get off my plane” Korshunov from “Air Force One”. There is also a change to Oldman’s character’s face at the end of the film in the form of a rampant skin complaint which is ‘explained’ by a clumsily inserted news item about an “attempted poisoning”: it’s such a clunky and bizarre addition to the script that it made me wonder whether the actor has some unexpected ailment (like shingles) during filming…. but I can see nothing related to this online.
The striking Elodie Yung as the Interpol agent Roussel.
The screenplay by relative newcomer Tom O’Connor bumps along from implausible action scene to implausible action scene, with more that its fair share of ‘WTF’ moments. For example, after a random chase through multiple Amsterdam alleys and shops, Jackson pulls up outside the very DIY shop Reynolds ends up in to pick him up! The script is also tonally uneven throughout: given this is supposed to be an “action comedy” the action is often brutal and unpleasant and the comedy – in the main – just not funny enough. (About the funniest thing in the film are the most ineffective sub machine guns known to man, most notably in the mildly ludicrous, if well staged, boat chase scene!)
An entertaining cameo from Richard E Grant as a businessman in danger.
The film also manages to offend, in more ways than the 15-rated violence and language used: I’m not sure WHEN this movie was actually filmed, but the use of an articulated lorry as a terrorist weapon towards the end of the film is certainly in very poor taste after the events of Nice, London and Barcelona. Not appreciated.
Directed by Patrick Hughes (“The Expendables 3″…. say no more) this hodge-podge of a flick is sporadically entertaining, but is one I will struggle to remember in a couple of months time.
After losing your no claims bonus, hysterical laughter is the only way forwards. Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L Jackson.
This is a movie whose script seems to have been glued together from a patchwork of other movie scenes:
– the bad guy / bad guy partner relationship of “The Nice Guys“. Check.
– the street ambush of “Clear and Present Danger”. Check.
– the Amsterdam boat chase of “Puppet on a Chain”. Check.
– the comedic bar-room brawl from “Airplane”. Check.
Many of the action scenes are done with panache and some great stunt work. But it’s all stuff we’ve seen countless times before, so what is needed for differentiation is the relationships between Bryce and Kincaid: this needs to be the cornerstone of the film. But it just doesn’t quite work. Jackson’s contribution is never in doubt, even though we’ve seen this motherf-ing shtick countless times before: he’s still magnetic, charismatic and a joy to watch. But unfortunately Reynolds just doesn’t deliver the acting goods to make the banter believable: there is a reason “Deadpool” is his best film – he wears a mask for most of it! His ‘puppy-dog look’ gets rolled out multiple times, but it’s unconvincing in the extreme. Together they are no match for Gosling/Crowe in “The Nice Guys“.
Nun but the brave. Jackson (if not Reynolds) get happy clappy.
On firmer ground is the quirky relationship between Mr and Mrs Kincaid. Although sharing limited screen time together, Hayek and Jackson spark off each other wonderfully. Seeing Selma Hayek in uncharacteristically sweary and belligerent mode was highly entertaining (although it’s worth commenting that my wife took great offence to the ‘comic’ bullying of an overweight cellmate).
“I had to ask the guy next to me to pinch me to make sure I wasn’t dreaming” – the future Mr and Mrs Kincaid meet in a rough place… the seediest dive on the wharf.
Elsewhere in the acting roll call, Elodie Yung delivers just the right measure of cuteness, toughness and passion as Roussel, but Oldman delivers a full-on retread of his Ivan “Get off my plane” Korshunov from “Air Force One”. There is also a change to Oldman’s character’s face at the end of the film in the form of a rampant skin complaint which is ‘explained’ by a clumsily inserted news item about an “attempted poisoning”: it’s such a clunky and bizarre addition to the script that it made me wonder whether the actor has some unexpected ailment (like shingles) during filming…. but I can see nothing related to this online.
The striking Elodie Yung as the Interpol agent Roussel.
The screenplay by relative newcomer Tom O’Connor bumps along from implausible action scene to implausible action scene, with more that its fair share of ‘WTF’ moments. For example, after a random chase through multiple Amsterdam alleys and shops, Jackson pulls up outside the very DIY shop Reynolds ends up in to pick him up! The script is also tonally uneven throughout: given this is supposed to be an “action comedy” the action is often brutal and unpleasant and the comedy – in the main – just not funny enough. (About the funniest thing in the film are the most ineffective sub machine guns known to man, most notably in the mildly ludicrous, if well staged, boat chase scene!)
An entertaining cameo from Richard E Grant as a businessman in danger.
The film also manages to offend, in more ways than the 15-rated violence and language used: I’m not sure WHEN this movie was actually filmed, but the use of an articulated lorry as a terrorist weapon towards the end of the film is certainly in very poor taste after the events of Nice, London and Barcelona. Not appreciated.
Directed by Patrick Hughes (“The Expendables 3″…. say no more) this hodge-podge of a flick is sporadically entertaining, but is one I will struggle to remember in a couple of months time.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Spring for Susannah in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Okay. So. I got this in the mail and read it through completely the same day. That's got to be worth something.
I loved the premise of this book. It sounded so sweet, it sounded like it had a lot of potential. And I loved it: up until the halfway mark.
Halfway through, Susannah, seemingly out of nowhere, storms out of the house and tells her husband she's leaving. One minute she was fine, and she was beginning to love him, and the next minute, that horrible smelly house is just too much for her. It made no sense.
Also, their arguments were like that (what few of them they had.) on minute they were fine and the next minute they have a little bickering or frustration with each other, and he's like "if it's that bad for you, we'll get divorced." (not an exact quote, but it was something like that).
Then he left her. It was tolerable up until that point. But then he just snapped, and he left her. The locusts came back and he wouldn't listen to her, he just left and was like "I'll bring you home money because now I can't support you." He went all Edward Cullen on me just as I was really beginning to like him!
And then she found out she was pregnant.
And then he gets captured by Indians.
And then she thinks he's dead and two other guys say they'll marry her.
A little bit of plot overkill, maybe?
I was really disappointed. It would have been so much better if the conflicts were more realistic, and the plot consisted of less events that were more pointed towards the same thing.
Then there was her salvation. She wasn't really a christian before, and her faith didn't seem much improved by the end either. I was hoping for a heartbreaking realization or a sacrifice or a change, and all I saw was "huh I guess he's on to something, okay I'll pray too. God please give me back my husband."
Because of all that, near the end I found myself skimming and reading just the dialogue so I could get to the end. And the very end could have had so much more emotion, so much more response, but it just felt very dead.
I really wish I had loved this book because it sounded so adorable. If only it hadn't turned at that halfway point.
Recommended for ages 15+ for one scene in which the doctor gives some advice to the married couple
I loved the premise of this book. It sounded so sweet, it sounded like it had a lot of potential. And I loved it: up until the halfway mark.
Halfway through, Susannah, seemingly out of nowhere, storms out of the house and tells her husband she's leaving. One minute she was fine, and she was beginning to love him, and the next minute, that horrible smelly house is just too much for her. It made no sense.
Also, their arguments were like that (what few of them they had.) on minute they were fine and the next minute they have a little bickering or frustration with each other, and he's like "if it's that bad for you, we'll get divorced." (not an exact quote, but it was something like that).
Then he left her. It was tolerable up until that point. But then he just snapped, and he left her. The locusts came back and he wouldn't listen to her, he just left and was like "I'll bring you home money because now I can't support you." He went all Edward Cullen on me just as I was really beginning to like him!
And then she found out she was pregnant.
And then he gets captured by Indians.
And then she thinks he's dead and two other guys say they'll marry her.
A little bit of plot overkill, maybe?
I was really disappointed. It would have been so much better if the conflicts were more realistic, and the plot consisted of less events that were more pointed towards the same thing.
Then there was her salvation. She wasn't really a christian before, and her faith didn't seem much improved by the end either. I was hoping for a heartbreaking realization or a sacrifice or a change, and all I saw was "huh I guess he's on to something, okay I'll pray too. God please give me back my husband."
Because of all that, near the end I found myself skimming and reading just the dialogue so I could get to the end. And the very end could have had so much more emotion, so much more response, but it just felt very dead.
I really wish I had loved this book because it sounded so adorable. If only it hadn't turned at that halfway point.
Recommended for ages 15+ for one scene in which the doctor gives some advice to the married couple
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Abandon (Abandon, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
Though I have been familiar with the name of Meg Cabot for awhile, this is the first book by her that I have actually read. I am a sucker for Greek mythology, and a retelling of Hades and Persephone has great potential. With a great cover and an even better premise to the book, I had pretty high hopes for the plot itself.
The way the book begins throws me -- told through the eyes of Pierce Oliviera, which is not that great of a name for a girl (instead of Persephone?), the author refrains from giving away hardly anything about Pierce's circumstances, what happened to her, what motivates her, etc. While it can be considered good writing to hold back on the major revelations as long as possible to build the suspense and draw in the reader, for me it was rather frustrating to read almost the entire book before Pierce finally realized who and what John Hayden is(also a crummy name for a death deity). Much of the actual events of the book are Pierce's memories, and what happens in real time is the culmination of these memories.
While I disliked the way that Meg Cabot chose to string all of these separate events together, I do like what the actual events create when put together. A girl who has a Near-Death Experience, or NDE, meets for the second time the man who runs her personal Underworld, instantly making her his consort thanks to a rare diamond necklace, though she does not yet know it. Her ability to skirt death makes her a target for the bad guys in the book, the Furies (not the same as the Furies of Greek mythology), who blame John for their lot in life after death. In addition, Pierce also has a host of quirks that alternately set her up for disaster or save her life, such as her addiction to soda and her paranoia that tassels are Evil.
While Pierce has a vast array of personality and behavioral problems that make the act of living difficult for her, I do think that this book fits well in the Young Adult category. Pierce does not have everything figured out, does not always know how to handle herself, and does not even recognize when she is in love. She is protective of her feelings, can be just as detached as the next person from those around her, and has to work at not being too self-absorbed. Sometimes an imperfect heroine makes for a better book. I look forward to the next installment in the trilogy, Underworld.
The way the book begins throws me -- told through the eyes of Pierce Oliviera, which is not that great of a name for a girl (instead of Persephone?), the author refrains from giving away hardly anything about Pierce's circumstances, what happened to her, what motivates her, etc. While it can be considered good writing to hold back on the major revelations as long as possible to build the suspense and draw in the reader, for me it was rather frustrating to read almost the entire book before Pierce finally realized who and what John Hayden is(also a crummy name for a death deity). Much of the actual events of the book are Pierce's memories, and what happens in real time is the culmination of these memories.
While I disliked the way that Meg Cabot chose to string all of these separate events together, I do like what the actual events create when put together. A girl who has a Near-Death Experience, or NDE, meets for the second time the man who runs her personal Underworld, instantly making her his consort thanks to a rare diamond necklace, though she does not yet know it. Her ability to skirt death makes her a target for the bad guys in the book, the Furies (not the same as the Furies of Greek mythology), who blame John for their lot in life after death. In addition, Pierce also has a host of quirks that alternately set her up for disaster or save her life, such as her addiction to soda and her paranoia that tassels are Evil.
While Pierce has a vast array of personality and behavioral problems that make the act of living difficult for her, I do think that this book fits well in the Young Adult category. Pierce does not have everything figured out, does not always know how to handle herself, and does not even recognize when she is in love. She is protective of her feelings, can be just as detached as the next person from those around her, and has to work at not being too self-absorbed. Sometimes an imperfect heroine makes for a better book. I look forward to the next installment in the trilogy, Underworld.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Stray (Shifters, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Pros:
*Werecats aren't done much, okay, pretty much at all.
*Paranormals rule (okay, so it's a lame reason and not always true - like in this case, but it's the only other thing I could think of)
Cons:
*Faythe isn't a great character; in fact, the more I read, the more I hated her - she's whiny, bitchy, manipulative, immature, obnoxious, and basically, she's just an all-around unpleasant person (plus I'm sure other adjectives I can't think of). She really doesn't deserve anyone around her; family or otherwise, namely hot guys.
*The plot is constantly stopped so the author can backtrack with history of werecats and what not - I'm not talking now and again, I'm talking it happens all the time! Ugh, enough! There needed to be a better way to do this, so that it actually flowed.
*First person narrative isn't right for what the author is writing - what with Faythe and the history.
*Do brothers and sisters actually act that way? I have two older brothers, and it is nothing like that. And I don't care that it's a werecat pack either.
*The whole deer hunting thing made me slightly sick. I'd rather the author had glossed over that if it absolutely had to be done.
*The whole concept was basically a rip-off of the (way, way better) werewolf books by Kelley Armstrong, especially Bitten.
*Even though it is fiction, the behavior of the werecats was more like wolves.
*I'm sorry but it's impossible to read someone that clearly. Nobody can read every single thought someone has by facial expressions or just because they know someone really well. Yes, there are ways to read people and there are experts in that field, and yes, sometime people can read other people every once in a while. But --- not the way Marc could read everything that went through Faythe's moronic head.
*The book was way too long, redundant, and needed major editing.
Overall:
I really wanted to like this, but I had to put it down after reading more than a third of it. I was very excited to read it because I love cats; it's just too bad it was overlong and had a horrible protagonist. I checked out Rachel Vincent's website to see if her sequels were going to feature someone other than Faythe, but sadly they are not. I'm glad I got this from the library and will not be looking for any other books from this author.
*Werecats aren't done much, okay, pretty much at all.
*Paranormals rule (okay, so it's a lame reason and not always true - like in this case, but it's the only other thing I could think of)
Cons:
*Faythe isn't a great character; in fact, the more I read, the more I hated her - she's whiny, bitchy, manipulative, immature, obnoxious, and basically, she's just an all-around unpleasant person (plus I'm sure other adjectives I can't think of). She really doesn't deserve anyone around her; family or otherwise, namely hot guys.
*The plot is constantly stopped so the author can backtrack with history of werecats and what not - I'm not talking now and again, I'm talking it happens all the time! Ugh, enough! There needed to be a better way to do this, so that it actually flowed.
*First person narrative isn't right for what the author is writing - what with Faythe and the history.
*Do brothers and sisters actually act that way? I have two older brothers, and it is nothing like that. And I don't care that it's a werecat pack either.
*The whole deer hunting thing made me slightly sick. I'd rather the author had glossed over that if it absolutely had to be done.
*The whole concept was basically a rip-off of the (way, way better) werewolf books by Kelley Armstrong, especially Bitten.
*Even though it is fiction, the behavior of the werecats was more like wolves.
*I'm sorry but it's impossible to read someone that clearly. Nobody can read every single thought someone has by facial expressions or just because they know someone really well. Yes, there are ways to read people and there are experts in that field, and yes, sometime people can read other people every once in a while. But --- not the way Marc could read everything that went through Faythe's moronic head.
*The book was way too long, redundant, and needed major editing.
Overall:
I really wanted to like this, but I had to put it down after reading more than a third of it. I was very excited to read it because I love cats; it's just too bad it was overlong and had a horrible protagonist. I checked out Rachel Vincent's website to see if her sequels were going to feature someone other than Faythe, but sadly they are not. I'm glad I got this from the library and will not be looking for any other books from this author.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Batman: Nightwalker - DC Icons Book 2 in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Batman: Nightwalker gives us an origin story for the Caped Crusader that we didn't know we needed - even if it doesn't feel like the dark, gritty Batman we know from the Dark Knight or the comics. Bruce is an eighteen-year-old boy who is still trying to figure out who he is in a world where his parents were murdered when he was a child and he has just come into their vast fortune. He struggles to figure out how to live up to his parents' legacy and finds himself in a dangerous situation.
If you go into this book expecting Batman, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. This is a teenaged boy who is realizing that he wants to do more for his city and is coming to the conclusion that Bruce Wayne might not be enough. This book is his real origin story and Marie Lu brings his transformation back to its roots. We meet the boy who will one day become Batman, not the man we are familiar with as the Dark Knight.
I really enjoyed getting to know young Bruce in this story, although Alfred certainly stole the show. You could feel the bond that they had with one another, which translated so much more authentically than some of the other relationships in the story. I felt that Diane and Harvey were a little underdeveloped in the story, so I never really formed a connection with them. I really enjoyed the little cameos from characters we're familiar with and the characterization of people that we know are much more important in the Batman mythology in later years.
Superhero books are definitely difficult to write because they're so action heavy and as a result, visual, but I feel that Lu managed to capture the kinesthetic nature of the book well. She definitely delved more into Batman's detective nature, which was really nice because we don't see that as often as his fighting bad guys schtick. If you're interested in seeing the detective Batman dig into mysteries and try to foil a criminal organization than you should enjoy this book - just don't expect giant action-packed fight scenes.
I have really enjoyed the DC Icons series thus far because it brings the characters we've grown familiar with back to their roots. They're teenagers who are still figuring out who they are in the world, regardless of their future superhero journey. They are fragile and unsure, yet with a thirst for justice that one day will allow them to grow into the superheroes we know and love.
If you go into this book expecting Batman, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. This is a teenaged boy who is realizing that he wants to do more for his city and is coming to the conclusion that Bruce Wayne might not be enough. This book is his real origin story and Marie Lu brings his transformation back to its roots. We meet the boy who will one day become Batman, not the man we are familiar with as the Dark Knight.
I really enjoyed getting to know young Bruce in this story, although Alfred certainly stole the show. You could feel the bond that they had with one another, which translated so much more authentically than some of the other relationships in the story. I felt that Diane and Harvey were a little underdeveloped in the story, so I never really formed a connection with them. I really enjoyed the little cameos from characters we're familiar with and the characterization of people that we know are much more important in the Batman mythology in later years.
Superhero books are definitely difficult to write because they're so action heavy and as a result, visual, but I feel that Lu managed to capture the kinesthetic nature of the book well. She definitely delved more into Batman's detective nature, which was really nice because we don't see that as often as his fighting bad guys schtick. If you're interested in seeing the detective Batman dig into mysteries and try to foil a criminal organization than you should enjoy this book - just don't expect giant action-packed fight scenes.
I have really enjoyed the DC Icons series thus far because it brings the characters we've grown familiar with back to their roots. They're teenagers who are still figuring out who they are in the world, regardless of their future superhero journey. They are fragile and unsure, yet with a thirst for justice that one day will allow them to grow into the superheroes we know and love.