Search
Search results
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I'm not as terribly fond of the <i>Shadow and Bone </i>trilogy as Rundus is – I wasn't fond of it since <i><a title="Shadow and Bone" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-shadow-and-bone-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shadow and Bone</a></i> – but while <i>Ruin and Rising</i> definitely isn't my favorite way to read the end to a series, it wasn't exactly bad to listen to.
In fact, it was a delight to listen to – there were no heavy accents and each of the characters had a different voice, almost as though this were a radio show. Lauren Fortgang might be my favorite narrator compared to all the narrators I've listened to (second being the narrator behind <a title="The Young Elites by Marie Lu" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-young-elites-by-marie-lu/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adelina from <i>The Young Elites</i></a>).
<i>Ruin and Rising</i> is the third and final book in the <i>Shadow and Bone </i>trilogy, with the Darkling taking over the Ravkan throne and Alina under the Apparat's protection underground. While the people worship her as a Saint, Alina is more worried about finding the third amplifier, the prince, and bringing down the Darkling.
The book starts out quite slow – Alina is trying to recover from the attack in <i><a title="Siege and Storm" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Siege and Storm</a></i> and there's a bit of tension among the characters. Alina and her companions spend literally half the book focusing on the firebird with very little going on – there's an occasional attack or two, or maybe running, but other than that, Alina is just obsessed with finding the firebird and unraveling Morozova's journals. Mainly she's just very obsessed with finding the firebird, and it sort of irked me a little that she spends a lot of time doing so (naturally I hate obsession, even though I'm obsessed with reading). That, and the very fact she has a temper that I'm not a huge fan of.
What kept the entire book entertaining, though, was the bantering between the Grisha. I found myself growing a little fond of Zoya (even though she's a little evil-minded), Misha is just absolutely adorable, Alina and Mal try to mend together the rough patches between them throughout the course of the book. With the amount of stalling going on, I figured Alina and her companions were amping up for the Darkling and the finale would be spectacular – it would be mind-blowing and mind-boggling.
I didn't exactly get the mind-blowing result that I would have liked (it was pretty much expected), but I'm pretty satisfied with the ending and have good hopes for the impending spinoff (definitely not as excited as Rundus).
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-ruin-and-rising-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
In fact, it was a delight to listen to – there were no heavy accents and each of the characters had a different voice, almost as though this were a radio show. Lauren Fortgang might be my favorite narrator compared to all the narrators I've listened to (second being the narrator behind <a title="The Young Elites by Marie Lu" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-young-elites-by-marie-lu/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adelina from <i>The Young Elites</i></a>).
<i>Ruin and Rising</i> is the third and final book in the <i>Shadow and Bone </i>trilogy, with the Darkling taking over the Ravkan throne and Alina under the Apparat's protection underground. While the people worship her as a Saint, Alina is more worried about finding the third amplifier, the prince, and bringing down the Darkling.
The book starts out quite slow – Alina is trying to recover from the attack in <i><a title="Siege and Storm" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Siege and Storm</a></i> and there's a bit of tension among the characters. Alina and her companions spend literally half the book focusing on the firebird with very little going on – there's an occasional attack or two, or maybe running, but other than that, Alina is just obsessed with finding the firebird and unraveling Morozova's journals. Mainly she's just very obsessed with finding the firebird, and it sort of irked me a little that she spends a lot of time doing so (naturally I hate obsession, even though I'm obsessed with reading). That, and the very fact she has a temper that I'm not a huge fan of.
What kept the entire book entertaining, though, was the bantering between the Grisha. I found myself growing a little fond of Zoya (even though she's a little evil-minded), Misha is just absolutely adorable, Alina and Mal try to mend together the rough patches between them throughout the course of the book. With the amount of stalling going on, I figured Alina and her companions were amping up for the Darkling and the finale would be spectacular – it would be mind-blowing and mind-boggling.
I didn't exactly get the mind-blowing result that I would have liked (it was pretty much expected), but I'm pretty satisfied with the ending and have good hopes for the impending spinoff (definitely not as excited as Rundus).
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-ruin-and-rising-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Struggle (The Vampire Diaries, #2) in Books
Feb 3, 2020
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2998210568">The Awakening</a> - ★★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2998210684">The Struggle</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Book-Review-Banner-8.png"/>;
<b><i>The Struggle is the continuation of the Vampire Diaries Series by L.J. Smith. The second book that features the life of popular girl Elena Gilbert and her endeavors with the mysterious vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore.</i></b>
The Struggle continues where The Awakening ends; Elena is looking to talk to Damon, knowing that he has something to do with Stefan's disappearance.
I felt like there was more action in this book, compared to the first one. It made me more engrossed with the story and I was very excited for all the twists.
Elena was obviously the main character in this book, alongside Stefan and Damon. I am not sure how I felt about Elena in this book. She seemed to ignore everyone for a while and just be her selfish self - which resulted in getting people in trouble.
On the other hand, I really loved the history of Stefan and Damon. The memories from hundreds of years ago. The author manager to portray the time very well, and I was easily transported into another world, another time... I think these scenes were definitely the favourite part of this book.
I wish we saw more chapters with Bonnie and Meredith. Even though best friends, it didn't feel like they were too involved in the story. We didn't get to know them properly and it has already been two books. I really hope book three will let us meet these two characters better.
I am happy with the book in general.
The scenes, the plot, the twists - they were all very carefully put together. Elena's love choices are opening up, letting us wonder which brother she might choose. Making us choose sides (team Damon here!). This battle between the love and hate of the two brothers definitely seems interesting.
<b>The ending was everything I was hoping for and now I can't wait for the next book. The Awakening and The Struggle were only an introduction and the real adventures are yet to begin!</b>
I recommend it to all of you that love young-adult, teen romance and vampire stories. It will keep you on your toes for sure!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2998210568">The Awakening</a> - ★★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2998210684">The Struggle</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Book-Review-Banner-8.png"/>;
<b><i>The Struggle is the continuation of the Vampire Diaries Series by L.J. Smith. The second book that features the life of popular girl Elena Gilbert and her endeavors with the mysterious vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore.</i></b>
The Struggle continues where The Awakening ends; Elena is looking to talk to Damon, knowing that he has something to do with Stefan's disappearance.
I felt like there was more action in this book, compared to the first one. It made me more engrossed with the story and I was very excited for all the twists.
Elena was obviously the main character in this book, alongside Stefan and Damon. I am not sure how I felt about Elena in this book. She seemed to ignore everyone for a while and just be her selfish self - which resulted in getting people in trouble.
On the other hand, I really loved the history of Stefan and Damon. The memories from hundreds of years ago. The author manager to portray the time very well, and I was easily transported into another world, another time... I think these scenes were definitely the favourite part of this book.
I wish we saw more chapters with Bonnie and Meredith. Even though best friends, it didn't feel like they were too involved in the story. We didn't get to know them properly and it has already been two books. I really hope book three will let us meet these two characters better.
I am happy with the book in general.
The scenes, the plot, the twists - they were all very carefully put together. Elena's love choices are opening up, letting us wonder which brother she might choose. Making us choose sides (team Damon here!). This battle between the love and hate of the two brothers definitely seems interesting.
<b>The ending was everything I was hoping for and now I can't wait for the next book. The Awakening and The Struggle were only an introduction and the real adventures are yet to begin!</b>
I recommend it to all of you that love young-adult, teen romance and vampire stories. It will keep you on your toes for sure!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Coven Deception in Books
Feb 4, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Coven: Deception by D. H. Davis is very similar to Twilight by Stephenie Meyer in the fact that it is largely a supernatural teen romance. Add in the threat of the coven being under attack and exposed, and it becomes an interesting read.
Brooke Lesley is in training to become the leader of her coven once she turns eighteen but it is not that easy. She must deal with an overbearing father, mastering incantations, and learning history from Elders who are hiding things from her. Being super stressed out Brooke decides to take a walk during lunch and ends up witnessing two men trying to rob an old lady. Brooke steps in to help her only to find Jessie, a boy from her school has the same idea. As it turns out he is a vampire which means that their friendship is forbidden.
Soon strange things start happening all over town and an Elder from another coven is killed. The coven Brooke is from ignores all the signs and lets their long-standing hatred for vampires cloud their investigations. Brooke and her friends notice that not only is this unnamed threat an issue but also the Elders are hiding the truth about the feud with the vampires. It will take cunning and rule-breaking on their part but is up to Brooke and her friends to find out what really is going on, and to try to stop it.
I enjoyed how Brooke found it in herself to stand up to her father and the Elders when she discovers they are hiding things from her. The fact that her mother encourages her to do what she must in order to make changes the coven desperately needs instead of following blindly behind her husband was also surprising considering the coven dynamics. Honestly how similar this book was to Twilight was a definite downside to me. The whole forbidden love with a vampire seems kind of overused and when the wolf attacked the school I was just waiting for Brooke to say it was a shapeshifter and start talking to it.
Young adults and teens will enjoy this book the most. It might even be safe for most middle school students. Fans of the Twilight series will either love this book because of how similar it is or hate it, calling it a rip-off. I give this book a 2 out of 4 rating. I found it to be a good midrange young adult book. It might not have been the best supernatural teen romance but it was certainly far from the worst. I would recommend it to fans of the genre looking for a quick read.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com
https://facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
https://smashbomb.com/nightreader
Brooke Lesley is in training to become the leader of her coven once she turns eighteen but it is not that easy. She must deal with an overbearing father, mastering incantations, and learning history from Elders who are hiding things from her. Being super stressed out Brooke decides to take a walk during lunch and ends up witnessing two men trying to rob an old lady. Brooke steps in to help her only to find Jessie, a boy from her school has the same idea. As it turns out he is a vampire which means that their friendship is forbidden.
Soon strange things start happening all over town and an Elder from another coven is killed. The coven Brooke is from ignores all the signs and lets their long-standing hatred for vampires cloud their investigations. Brooke and her friends notice that not only is this unnamed threat an issue but also the Elders are hiding the truth about the feud with the vampires. It will take cunning and rule-breaking on their part but is up to Brooke and her friends to find out what really is going on, and to try to stop it.
I enjoyed how Brooke found it in herself to stand up to her father and the Elders when she discovers they are hiding things from her. The fact that her mother encourages her to do what she must in order to make changes the coven desperately needs instead of following blindly behind her husband was also surprising considering the coven dynamics. Honestly how similar this book was to Twilight was a definite downside to me. The whole forbidden love with a vampire seems kind of overused and when the wolf attacked the school I was just waiting for Brooke to say it was a shapeshifter and start talking to it.
Young adults and teens will enjoy this book the most. It might even be safe for most middle school students. Fans of the Twilight series will either love this book because of how similar it is or hate it, calling it a rip-off. I give this book a 2 out of 4 rating. I found it to be a good midrange young adult book. It might not have been the best supernatural teen romance but it was certainly far from the worst. I would recommend it to fans of the genre looking for a quick read.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com
https://facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
https://smashbomb.com/nightreader
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Crank 2: High Voltage (2009) in Movies
Apr 12, 2020
A Very Poor Man's Hardcore Henry
Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) is back (because apparently falling out of a helicopter thousands of feet in the air can’t kill him) facing off against a gang of thugs that want to harvest his “special” heart for their leader. Artificial heart attached, Chev has to keep recharging himself or slow down and, ultimately, die. Can’t make this shit up…
Acting: 2
Beginning: 4
Characters: 3
You might find it a challenge to find a more disinteresting group of characters wrapped in one movie. I’m not exaggerating when I say I hated just about everyone in Crank 2: High Voltage. Every character is overdone and represents one big waste of space. And the man of the hour, Chev Chelios? Yep, hate him too. He’s crass (and not in the cool Logan kind of way), racist (and not in the cool Clint Eastwood kind of way), and only cares about himself. Thirty minutes in, I was wishing he would run out of options and his heart would just stop, putting me out of my misery once and for all.
I wish he was the worst, but yes it gets worse. The other characters are a combination of racist stereotypes, antagonists that would be better off with a couple of lines rather than pages of them, and fodder for gunfire. The combination was painful to say the least.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 7
The action is far out there and I definitely give them a C for effort. I know farfetched is the name of the game when it comes to this movie, but so is Hardcore Henry by comparison and I loved those action scenes. Perfect example: A gunfight breaks out at a mansion. A gardener continues to hedge the bushes while bullets are flying all around him before he finally gets shot. Come on, man! Too lazy for words.
Entertainment Value: 5
Memorability: 7
For better or worse, there are definitely moments of this movie I will never forget. Like the sex scene on the horse racetrack. During a live horse race. Or the head in the jar. Or the random porn star protest. Or or or…I never said they were great memorable moments, but they are in there.
Pace: 7
Plot: 4
The story doesn’t even begin to make sense. I’m only giving it a four because the whole story revolves around Chev beating people the hell up so the story really shouldn’t matter that much. Still, if you’re looking for something coherent, please save your time and go watch something else.
Resolution: 4
Overall: 52
On my quest to watch 366 movies in a year, yes, I have seen worse movies than Crank 2: High Voltage. But not many. It’s bad. Real bad. Please save your time and avoid this movie at all costs.
Acting: 2
Beginning: 4
Characters: 3
You might find it a challenge to find a more disinteresting group of characters wrapped in one movie. I’m not exaggerating when I say I hated just about everyone in Crank 2: High Voltage. Every character is overdone and represents one big waste of space. And the man of the hour, Chev Chelios? Yep, hate him too. He’s crass (and not in the cool Logan kind of way), racist (and not in the cool Clint Eastwood kind of way), and only cares about himself. Thirty minutes in, I was wishing he would run out of options and his heart would just stop, putting me out of my misery once and for all.
I wish he was the worst, but yes it gets worse. The other characters are a combination of racist stereotypes, antagonists that would be better off with a couple of lines rather than pages of them, and fodder for gunfire. The combination was painful to say the least.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 7
The action is far out there and I definitely give them a C for effort. I know farfetched is the name of the game when it comes to this movie, but so is Hardcore Henry by comparison and I loved those action scenes. Perfect example: A gunfight breaks out at a mansion. A gardener continues to hedge the bushes while bullets are flying all around him before he finally gets shot. Come on, man! Too lazy for words.
Entertainment Value: 5
Memorability: 7
For better or worse, there are definitely moments of this movie I will never forget. Like the sex scene on the horse racetrack. During a live horse race. Or the head in the jar. Or the random porn star protest. Or or or…I never said they were great memorable moments, but they are in there.
Pace: 7
Plot: 4
The story doesn’t even begin to make sense. I’m only giving it a four because the whole story revolves around Chev beating people the hell up so the story really shouldn’t matter that much. Still, if you’re looking for something coherent, please save your time and go watch something else.
Resolution: 4
Overall: 52
On my quest to watch 366 movies in a year, yes, I have seen worse movies than Crank 2: High Voltage. But not many. It’s bad. Real bad. Please save your time and avoid this movie at all costs.
Debbiereadsbook (1441 KP) rated Hunter's Desire (Dark Reserves #2) in Books
Apr 27, 2020
bloody LOVED this!
Independent reviewer for Gay Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Okay then!
Daddy kink has been very hit and miss for me, some okay, some good, but not ever so many being so bloody good, but this one??
So Bloody Good!!
Hunter is a Dom, through and through but is disillusioned with the scene and wants to step away. He wants to retire for the police force. He wants. . . . something else. Colsen is a train wreck waiting to happen, after the death of his mother, he is wracked with guilt for not answering the phone and now he has been suspended from work. The weekend in Vegas to celebrate his best friend's up-coming wedding is the last thing he needs but he won't let his friend down. Hunter and Colsen come together, and it's not a matter of if they will butt heads, it's purely a matter of when. Can what happens in Vegas really STAY in Vegas?
I think what makes this one work so well for ME was this was a Daddy/boy relationship, rather than a Daddy/little one. Yes, Hunter buys Lego kits for Colsen, but thats more to focus his mind on something else. And Hunter wasn't really a Daddy before Colsen, either. A Dom, yes, but not a Daddy. There is an age gap, yes, but Hunter is approaching 50 (much to his disgust!) and Colsen is in his 30's. They are both working their way through what they need from the other, even if they hate each other.
And they work through their way spectactularly! Heads butt, yes indeed, and fists almost, but what gets to Colsen the most? Words. Words Hunter says in a certain tone, that pushes all kinds of his buttons he didn't know needed pushing. I LOVED how much Colsen fought Hunter, I really did. It doesn't take much for Hunter to find out why Colson is drinking so much, and once he does, he changes tactics to get Colson. Because Hunter WANTS Colsen like he never wanted before, and Colsen will be his boy, even if only for the weekend in Vegas.
But they can't leave it in Vegas, and it is great reading when Colsen finds out what Hunter did, and when Hunter comes into Colsen's space for the first time, discovering he kept some things going.
I loved it, when they finally, FINALLY, admit those three little words to each other! Very in keeping with these guys, and I loved the little epilogue.
I was to go back and read Dan and Theo's story now, too. It's their wedding they are in Vegas to celebrate. I want to continue with this series too, some interesting characters!
It's been a while since I had a one sitting read, and this one just nailed it, for me.
5 sparkling Vegas stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Okay then!
Daddy kink has been very hit and miss for me, some okay, some good, but not ever so many being so bloody good, but this one??
So Bloody Good!!
Hunter is a Dom, through and through but is disillusioned with the scene and wants to step away. He wants to retire for the police force. He wants. . . . something else. Colsen is a train wreck waiting to happen, after the death of his mother, he is wracked with guilt for not answering the phone and now he has been suspended from work. The weekend in Vegas to celebrate his best friend's up-coming wedding is the last thing he needs but he won't let his friend down. Hunter and Colsen come together, and it's not a matter of if they will butt heads, it's purely a matter of when. Can what happens in Vegas really STAY in Vegas?
I think what makes this one work so well for ME was this was a Daddy/boy relationship, rather than a Daddy/little one. Yes, Hunter buys Lego kits for Colsen, but thats more to focus his mind on something else. And Hunter wasn't really a Daddy before Colsen, either. A Dom, yes, but not a Daddy. There is an age gap, yes, but Hunter is approaching 50 (much to his disgust!) and Colsen is in his 30's. They are both working their way through what they need from the other, even if they hate each other.
And they work through their way spectactularly! Heads butt, yes indeed, and fists almost, but what gets to Colsen the most? Words. Words Hunter says in a certain tone, that pushes all kinds of his buttons he didn't know needed pushing. I LOVED how much Colsen fought Hunter, I really did. It doesn't take much for Hunter to find out why Colson is drinking so much, and once he does, he changes tactics to get Colson. Because Hunter WANTS Colsen like he never wanted before, and Colsen will be his boy, even if only for the weekend in Vegas.
But they can't leave it in Vegas, and it is great reading when Colsen finds out what Hunter did, and when Hunter comes into Colsen's space for the first time, discovering he kept some things going.
I loved it, when they finally, FINALLY, admit those three little words to each other! Very in keeping with these guys, and I loved the little epilogue.
I was to go back and read Dan and Theo's story now, too. It's their wedding they are in Vegas to celebrate. I want to continue with this series too, some interesting characters!
It's been a while since I had a one sitting read, and this one just nailed it, for me.
5 sparkling Vegas stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Call Of The Wild (2020) in Movies
Feb 22, 2020 (Updated Feb 23, 2020)
A Sheep In Wolf's Clothing
Call Of The Wild is such a lovely heartfelt movie that will leave everyone that goes to see it with that warm tingly feeling inside their chest and a nice big smile on thier face. Ive seen this film is getting a lot of hate because of its over reliance on cgi animals and while I will admit I found it very distracting to start with after 10 minutes I became accustom and think the movie is much better for using it. Why you ask? well the movie to me is obviously aimed at children and the over all feel of it to me was very much like a classic Disney animated cartoon. Let me explain, theres just something so lovely, peaceful and magical about the whole thing and the way its structured, how exaggerated the characters are, the world it builds and the story. See they all just all come together to give you those same feelings you had when you watched a fairytale like beauty and the beast for the first time. Having the dog be cgi lets him have more cartoonish/exaggerated animations and a way more expressive face really helps us to relate to him better, clearly see how hes feeling and to add to this constant sense of warmth/magic thats present throughout. Theres also a fantastic sense of adventure here and the film uses stunning locations to constantly wow us and keep us in this picturesque perfect dream or tranquil fantasy kind of state. Harrison ford is splendid here playing a lonely man whos almost given up hope of being truly happy until Buck comes along. His perfomance is so touching and you can clearly hear in his Blade Runner style narrations the sadness and pain in his heart which immediately helps you to feel sympathy towards him. Bucks story is equally as sad too, he longs to be part of a pack/family of his own and to one day become a leader answering to no one but himself. His motivations are shown in the form of a powerful and strong black wolf that keeps his confidence up and his determination strong and theres so many messages about never giving up, pushing forward and trusting in your destiny too that its hard not to become fully engrossed in his journey. It may be a simple tale but its an absolute joy to watch and its motivational themes are guaranteed to make anyone think positively about thier own life while watching. I also can not go without mentioning Dan Stevens, boy is this guy talented. His acting here is devilishly cartoonish, over the top wicked and had me grinning constantly in pure delight. Call Of The Wild is an all out beautiful, fun, adorable and exciting adventure for all the family to enjoy and I can not wait till it comes out to buy on 4k.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) in Movies
Feb 2, 2021
Racism has all too often reared its ugly head in recent years with the rise of extremist groups who felt emboldened by recent political climates. As violence leads to protests which can themselves become violent; the perpetual cycle seems unending.
In the new film “Judas and the Black Messiah”, audiences are told the real-life story of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) who runs a local chapter of The Black Panthers in Illinois in the 1960s.
The rise of what is perceived as militant groups in the wake of the killings of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King has caused increased police and Federal actions which have caused many in Hampton’s community to feel they are at war with the authorities and fighting for their very survival against a system of injustice and systemic racism.
When car thief William O’Neal is arrested, FBI agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons); offers O’Neal a chance to avoid prison and earn some money by becoming an informant. Despite his reservations; O’Neal works his way into Hampton’s inner circle and develops a friendship with the man as he learns of his plans to unify the various factions in their communities.
O’Neal sees how there is more to the Black Panthers as they feed, educate, and assist members of their community and work to contain more extreme elements that look to make statements through bombings and extreme actions.
The threat posed by Hampton draws the attention of FBI Director J Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen), and plans are developed to take down Hampton and his organization which in turn puts even more pressure on Mitchell and O’Neal.
The movie is a gripping, disturbing, and sure to be controversial look into the lives of the key figures as well as the ongoing debates on racial injustice, police violence, hate groups, and violence in the community.
Director Shaka King attempts to find a balance in the film as there are moments where party members draw their weapons against the police and kill wounded officers. There are also numerous scenes where police beat and shoot unarmed individuals or use excessive force which underscores Hampton’s stance that his community is at war and this is a life or death struggle.
The last time I was so disturbed by a film of this genre was “Detroit” which shocked me with the horrific true crimes that were portrayed and how those involved escaped justice. I thought if as a Caucasian I could be so disturbed and disgusted by the terrifying events portrayed in the film; then they would be truly the stuff of nightmares for people of color.
The cast is very strong and gives memorable performances that show the complexity of their characters. They are not simply a militant and a snitch, but rather complex individuals trying to survive.
“Judas and the Black Messiah” is a very well-crafted film that is equally informative and disturbing and does what good cinema does best; educate, entertain, and inform.
4.5 stars out of 5
In the new film “Judas and the Black Messiah”, audiences are told the real-life story of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) who runs a local chapter of The Black Panthers in Illinois in the 1960s.
The rise of what is perceived as militant groups in the wake of the killings of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King has caused increased police and Federal actions which have caused many in Hampton’s community to feel they are at war with the authorities and fighting for their very survival against a system of injustice and systemic racism.
When car thief William O’Neal is arrested, FBI agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons); offers O’Neal a chance to avoid prison and earn some money by becoming an informant. Despite his reservations; O’Neal works his way into Hampton’s inner circle and develops a friendship with the man as he learns of his plans to unify the various factions in their communities.
O’Neal sees how there is more to the Black Panthers as they feed, educate, and assist members of their community and work to contain more extreme elements that look to make statements through bombings and extreme actions.
The threat posed by Hampton draws the attention of FBI Director J Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen), and plans are developed to take down Hampton and his organization which in turn puts even more pressure on Mitchell and O’Neal.
The movie is a gripping, disturbing, and sure to be controversial look into the lives of the key figures as well as the ongoing debates on racial injustice, police violence, hate groups, and violence in the community.
Director Shaka King attempts to find a balance in the film as there are moments where party members draw their weapons against the police and kill wounded officers. There are also numerous scenes where police beat and shoot unarmed individuals or use excessive force which underscores Hampton’s stance that his community is at war and this is a life or death struggle.
The last time I was so disturbed by a film of this genre was “Detroit” which shocked me with the horrific true crimes that were portrayed and how those involved escaped justice. I thought if as a Caucasian I could be so disturbed and disgusted by the terrifying events portrayed in the film; then they would be truly the stuff of nightmares for people of color.
The cast is very strong and gives memorable performances that show the complexity of their characters. They are not simply a militant and a snitch, but rather complex individuals trying to survive.
“Judas and the Black Messiah” is a very well-crafted film that is equally informative and disturbing and does what good cinema does best; educate, entertain, and inform.
4.5 stars out of 5
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Turbulence (The Wanderer #1) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This book is really different from what I would normally read, and I think it’s one of those “either you love it or hate it” books and it definitely should not be judged by its cover. (I think it doesn’t really represent the book and it looks very cold) I read it in one day because to me it was awesome. This book is a collection of twelve trips between different destinations and every story talks about his encounters with women. The main character is an archaeologist and this journey starts when he was 22 years old. He doesn’t have a name or an obvious background story, but the reader can get a lot of snippets of his life through the stories. Everything, from appearance, careers even destinations suggests this book to be somehow directly related to the author himself. Was it real encounters or fictional? That’s what left me very intrigued.
I don’t normally like philosophical reads, but in this one, author disguised and blended in these parts very creatively. I do love to learn new things and facts, especially if it is related to history, and for me, all these parts were an absolute joy to read. I really loved different settings chosen for this novel as well, as I got a glimpse of different cultures and different countries. I really liked that author chose different story variations in this book, sometimes he used to get lucky with the women he met and sometimes he missed the chance or chose not to get involved. It was refreshing and very believable changes of course and I was very interested of what the next story will bring. My absolute favourite was the religious discussions. I think the author will make many Christians unhappy, but I loved all the supporting historical facts he mentioned in this book regarding religion. I don’t even have to mention any research for this book, the author has a PhD degree in history/archaeology so I trust all the information he provided. :)
The writing style of this novel is very poetic and absolutely beautiful. B. McLaren has an amazing way of portraying different topics and uniting them all in a wonderfully flowing story. I do have to throw in a disclaimer that there are some discussion and scenes regarding sex and alcohol, so this book is not suitable for young readers. The chapters were quite long for my liking, but they passed quite quickly because I used to get very absorbed in the story itself. I liked how the author decided to end this story and I think it rounded up this book well. So, to conclude, I had a great fun reading this funny, philosophical one man’s journey through life and his encounters with different women all over the world. I learned a lot, so if you like history, travelling and a little bit of philosophical discussion I think you will enjoy this book :)
I don’t normally like philosophical reads, but in this one, author disguised and blended in these parts very creatively. I do love to learn new things and facts, especially if it is related to history, and for me, all these parts were an absolute joy to read. I really loved different settings chosen for this novel as well, as I got a glimpse of different cultures and different countries. I really liked that author chose different story variations in this book, sometimes he used to get lucky with the women he met and sometimes he missed the chance or chose not to get involved. It was refreshing and very believable changes of course and I was very interested of what the next story will bring. My absolute favourite was the religious discussions. I think the author will make many Christians unhappy, but I loved all the supporting historical facts he mentioned in this book regarding religion. I don’t even have to mention any research for this book, the author has a PhD degree in history/archaeology so I trust all the information he provided. :)
The writing style of this novel is very poetic and absolutely beautiful. B. McLaren has an amazing way of portraying different topics and uniting them all in a wonderfully flowing story. I do have to throw in a disclaimer that there are some discussion and scenes regarding sex and alcohol, so this book is not suitable for young readers. The chapters were quite long for my liking, but they passed quite quickly because I used to get very absorbed in the story itself. I liked how the author decided to end this story and I think it rounded up this book well. So, to conclude, I had a great fun reading this funny, philosophical one man’s journey through life and his encounters with different women all over the world. I learned a lot, so if you like history, travelling and a little bit of philosophical discussion I think you will enjoy this book :)
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Apocalypse Tomorrow (2014) in Movies
Jun 11, 2020
We get thrown into the disasters pretty quickly, so quickly in fact that I really thought I'd missed something, you will be glad to know that it's isn't so complex that you can't pick it up, it's just ridiculous.
The main characters of Neil and Colin are introduced very quickly and we get a rather clumsy potted backstory before they get swept up into the action. Joel Gretsch is a face I know from various things but it's The 4400 that sticks out the most, his acting in this isn't much of a stretch beyond what he's had experience with and he probably has the best character next to Marty.
Apocalypse Tomorrow, or Zodiac: Signs Of The Apocalypse, ticks all the classic TV disaster movie points... animals fleeing from impending danger, terrible CGI, vehicles and people being able to outrun nature, terrible CGI, and a dubious love interest moment... credit where credit is due, they did catch me out with this one. What I was severely upset by though was the fact that we hear about devastation around the world and there were no crappy shots of world famous landmarks being destroyed, don't they know that's what we come to these films for?!
You may know that I hate bouncy camera work, I was pleasantly surprised when (excluding in-car scenes) the camera was solid and not frustrating, TV movies tend to be a little erratic on that point. Sadly they do randomly have one scene where it appears that the cameraman was wearing trampoline shoes while going through caffeine withdrawal, even more confusingly there was a scene where I could have forgiven it happening but they chose a very calm moment to have it and it did nothing but annoy.
The props that are introduced suddenly looked very familiar and if I didn't know any better I'd have said they were original concept pieces for Stargate that had been found in a shed somewhere. The physical pieces don't actually look too bad visually, but the CGI is a mix of passable, bad and terrible, at no time convincing. Bizarrely that gives it pretty good marks for this sort of film.
As with many films that want to be more action than story our characters all get to jump to conclusions and accurate deductions without any work being put in. Significantly in this one it means that right near the beginning we jump from one scene to another and skip what feels like two scenes in the middle. From a tense situation everything goes calm instantly and everything is back to normal. With some better scripting there are a lot of moments like this that could have been avoided.
I feel like my score could be misleading, was this film bad? Yes. But it's just ridiculous enough to be amusing.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/apocalypse-tomorrow-movie-review.html
The main characters of Neil and Colin are introduced very quickly and we get a rather clumsy potted backstory before they get swept up into the action. Joel Gretsch is a face I know from various things but it's The 4400 that sticks out the most, his acting in this isn't much of a stretch beyond what he's had experience with and he probably has the best character next to Marty.
Apocalypse Tomorrow, or Zodiac: Signs Of The Apocalypse, ticks all the classic TV disaster movie points... animals fleeing from impending danger, terrible CGI, vehicles and people being able to outrun nature, terrible CGI, and a dubious love interest moment... credit where credit is due, they did catch me out with this one. What I was severely upset by though was the fact that we hear about devastation around the world and there were no crappy shots of world famous landmarks being destroyed, don't they know that's what we come to these films for?!
You may know that I hate bouncy camera work, I was pleasantly surprised when (excluding in-car scenes) the camera was solid and not frustrating, TV movies tend to be a little erratic on that point. Sadly they do randomly have one scene where it appears that the cameraman was wearing trampoline shoes while going through caffeine withdrawal, even more confusingly there was a scene where I could have forgiven it happening but they chose a very calm moment to have it and it did nothing but annoy.
The props that are introduced suddenly looked very familiar and if I didn't know any better I'd have said they were original concept pieces for Stargate that had been found in a shed somewhere. The physical pieces don't actually look too bad visually, but the CGI is a mix of passable, bad and terrible, at no time convincing. Bizarrely that gives it pretty good marks for this sort of film.
As with many films that want to be more action than story our characters all get to jump to conclusions and accurate deductions without any work being put in. Significantly in this one it means that right near the beginning we jump from one scene to another and skip what feels like two scenes in the middle. From a tense situation everything goes calm instantly and everything is back to normal. With some better scripting there are a lot of moments like this that could have been avoided.
I feel like my score could be misleading, was this film bad? Yes. But it's just ridiculous enough to be amusing.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/apocalypse-tomorrow-movie-review.html
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The King of Comedy (1983) in Movies
Jun 2, 2020
While I vaguely knew the name of the film I'd never seen it and didn't really get the vibe that I wanted to, after seeing the Joker though I was hit by so many comments on it in reviews that I really needed to see it.
Rupert Pupkin dreams of a life as a stand-up comic. Almost every night he's outside the local studio to see his idol Jerry Langford to try and get the big break that will launch his career. Rupert's obsession for success starts to completely run his life and with his newfound "friendship" with Jerry he becomes even more unstable and crosses a line there's no coming back from.
Before I comment on anything specific I want to point out that the rating of the film isn't really anything to do with its quality, it's more to do with me. I absolutely hate awkward comedy and awkwardness in general on screen, it makes me uncomfortable and I would much rather just leave that awkward feeling to my everyday life than have it in my downtime too.
The story idea is a solid one (if it hadn't been then I'm sure Joke would have done more original thinking) and the idea of obsessive fan culture is something I think all generations can get along with. Because of that fact I can see it appealing to a variety of people if they can get past the dated feel to it.
Robert De Niro did a great job as Pupkin, and even in the short clip above you can see that in his behaviour changes to his environment. The dynamic with each individual character changes from confidence to anxious and irritated and you get a sense of what's going on in his head. His performance escalates nicely and when you combine his actions with those of Masha (Sandra Bernhard) you get quite an impact at the end.
I get the feeling it might be a little... bland... for modern audiences at times. That might not be quite the right way to describe it. It plods along at a good pace but there isn't any deviation from its focus on Pupkin and if that doesn't click with you then it might not be something that can keep you interested.
If this hadn't come up in my Twitter polls of films to watch then I probably wouldn't have reviewed it. It's a good film, with solid acting and everything is a perfect snapshot of its era, but it just isn't for me. If I'd watched it years ago and certainly if I'd watched it before Joker came out then I might have been able to engage more with it. I can see why so many people love it but it just isn't for me.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-king-of-comedy-movie-review.html
Rupert Pupkin dreams of a life as a stand-up comic. Almost every night he's outside the local studio to see his idol Jerry Langford to try and get the big break that will launch his career. Rupert's obsession for success starts to completely run his life and with his newfound "friendship" with Jerry he becomes even more unstable and crosses a line there's no coming back from.
Before I comment on anything specific I want to point out that the rating of the film isn't really anything to do with its quality, it's more to do with me. I absolutely hate awkward comedy and awkwardness in general on screen, it makes me uncomfortable and I would much rather just leave that awkward feeling to my everyday life than have it in my downtime too.
The story idea is a solid one (if it hadn't been then I'm sure Joke would have done more original thinking) and the idea of obsessive fan culture is something I think all generations can get along with. Because of that fact I can see it appealing to a variety of people if they can get past the dated feel to it.
Robert De Niro did a great job as Pupkin, and even in the short clip above you can see that in his behaviour changes to his environment. The dynamic with each individual character changes from confidence to anxious and irritated and you get a sense of what's going on in his head. His performance escalates nicely and when you combine his actions with those of Masha (Sandra Bernhard) you get quite an impact at the end.
I get the feeling it might be a little... bland... for modern audiences at times. That might not be quite the right way to describe it. It plods along at a good pace but there isn't any deviation from its focus on Pupkin and if that doesn't click with you then it might not be something that can keep you interested.
If this hadn't come up in my Twitter polls of films to watch then I probably wouldn't have reviewed it. It's a good film, with solid acting and everything is a perfect snapshot of its era, but it just isn't for me. If I'd watched it years ago and certainly if I'd watched it before Joker came out then I might have been able to engage more with it. I can see why so many people love it but it just isn't for me.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-king-of-comedy-movie-review.html