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Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
2017 | Action, Adventure
I was a little hesitant over a third Spider-Man reboot, even tho I really enjoyed his introduction in Civil War. I was pleasantly surprised when we were given an origin movie without rehashing yet again the way that Peter Parker receives his powers (it's all mentioned in conversation, since I think everyone is fairly familiar with the particulars at this point). What we're given is a young kid of 14 who has been handed these amazing powers and we get to watch as he struggles to find his place in a superhero world where there isn't much room for a kid 14. Of course, he thinks he can handle situations far outside his capabilities, and we watch as he predictably fails, and comes to terms with his limitations. It's a stereotypical hero's journey film, but somehow Tom Holland's performance captures that early teen awkwardness and nothing seems heavy handed in telling Spider-Man's story. I'm hoping this is the Spider-man that's going to stick around for a while.
  
Wonder Woman (2017)
Wonder Woman (2017)
2017 | Action, Fantasy, War
Wasn't Man of Steel (3 more)
Wasn't Batman v Superman
Didn't get heavy handed with iffy subject matter
Diana beating wholesale @$$
Villain obvious from the start (1 more)
Above villain fight could've been better
Hey look! It's the ONLY reason that the DCCU still has a pulse!
She didn't murder thousands of people. She didn't do billions of dollars in property damage. She didn't try and murder another hero so because.
It's Wonder Woman! As in, it's a wonder that WB took THIS long to make a movie about one of DC's Trinity. And she was portrayed flawlessly. The only reason this didn't get 10/10 was the way the main villain paid off, which isn't great. Gal Gadot needs an Oscar. Also, there was no super feminism or lack of feminism; it was addressed and then back to the story. LIKE IT SHOULD BE WITH ALL COMIC MOVIES. We aren't paying $10+ a ticket to see a movie about political views! We came to see heroes be heroes! Good on you, WB. Now let's not have Aquaman suck...
  
Wake of Vultures
Wake of Vultures
Lila Bowen | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wake of Vultures was an exciting, fast paced, interesting read. It was fun and different for me. It wasn’t phenomenal. I would probably read the next one in the series, but I wouldn’t spend money on it.

The biggest problem I had with the story was I felt that it tried to deal with too many things at once. Racism, sexism, sexual identity, slavery, nudity, and religion are all important and heavy topics. All of them together in one YA urban fantasy novel? It’s a bit excessive. Even though I of all people understand that sometimes when a story comes to you, as an author, you can’t change your character! That’s just who they are! And don’t get me wrong, the story was great and I enjoyed listening to it, and I was totally caught up in it. But there were times when I would listen and something would come up and I’d be like “this is too much. this is ridiculous.” It felt like overkill.

That aside, I enjoyed the book and look forward to the sequel.
  
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Sarah (7800 KP) rated One More Light by Linkin Park in Music

May 3, 2018 (Updated May 3, 2018)  
One More Light by Linkin Park
One More Light by Linkin Park
2017 | Alternative
A beautiful final album for Chester
I know a lot of people will hate this album because it's not like the Linkin Park of old - it's not heavy and instead is verging on mainstream and poppy. But going more mainstream worked for Coldplay and Muse, and personally i think it works well for Linkin Park too, it's just a shame this will be the last time we get something quite like this.

I think this album is very poignant and beautiful, and has some fantastic songs. Title track One More Light is by far my favourite even if it is a little sad - I dare you to listen to this & not be moved. Listening to this after Chester's death is very bittersweet, to have such a good album and realise that this album along with the rest will never be performed by Linkin Park as they were.

Its a very fitting final album for Chester - albeit maybe a little too disturbingly fitting if you listen closely to some of the lyrics. Such a shame.
  
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FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated 806 in Books

May 23, 2018  
806
806
Cynthia Weil | 2018 | Young Adult (YA)
7
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Reads Like a Pop Song
Fast, funny, and frequently surprising (even in spite of its contrivances), Cynthia Weil's rollicking YA road trip novella 806 centers on a trio of very different high school students who discover that they share the same unknown sperm donor father.

A contemporary teen fairy tale penned in a light, dialogue heavy style with clever hooks and twists to circumvent the narrative's overall predictability, 806 reads like a summer pop-song, which is only fitting considering Weil's background as a Grammy award winning, Oscar nominated songwriter.

Although it relies a little too heavily on cliches – never delving beneath the surface of its relatively one-dimensional characters long enough to give us a greater sense of who they are beyond some Breakfast Club-like introductions – 806 is inventive everywhere else.

Entertaining if ultimately forgettable, Weil's sophomore work is a wildly infectious read you can flip through at mix-tape speed in order to join the band and road trip along.

Note: I rounded up but (if able) would give this one 3.5 stars.
  
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Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Hunt (2012) in Movies

Feb 24, 2019  
The Hunt (2012)
The Hunt (2012)
2012 | Drama
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Dark and disturbing
This is definitely not an easy film to watch, but it really is very good. It's a stark and difficult to watch tale about the repercussions of lies in a close knit Danish tale. It deals with some very heavy topics and yet doesn't shy away from the subject matter in question, to the point where it's almost too difficult to watch. But this is why this film is so good, it hasn't Hollywood-ised such a difficult subject and instead you can really believe everything that happens.

It's helped of course by a brilliant performance from Mads Mikkelsen. His quiet mild mannered Lucas is a million miles away from what he gets accused of, and Mads' performances itself is very restrained, which is exactly what this film needed. This paired with a subtle score and well done cinematography make for a very haunting watch.

This really has a stark point to make about the judgemental nature of society, and it makes it very well, even if it is disturbing to watch.
  
The School For Good and Evil
The School For Good and Evil
Soman Chainani | 2014 | Children, Young Adult (YA)
6
7.2 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
I started off really confused as to what the genre was supposed to be. The cover seemed YA, but the plot was more MG. It seemed to be trying to be both at the same time which was a bit confusing.

I liked that it was a new take on fairytales that I hadn’t read before and it definitely made it stand out to me – five years on and I still haven’t read anything quite like it, which is quite an achievement.

It’s full of action from the beginning, but I feel like it may have taken it too far and there was actually too much plot. Sophie and Agatha had to escape a few too many times and in places it just felt like the plot was going around in circles to bulk out what was already quite a heavy plot.

I’m not sure that I would read this one again, and I never actually read any of the other books in the series because I just didn’t get myself invested enough in the story.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Star Inspector (Zvyozdniy inspektor) (1980) in Movies

May 26, 2019 (Updated May 26, 2019)  
Star Inspector (Zvyozdniy inspektor) (1980)
Star Inspector (Zvyozdniy inspektor) (1980)
1980 | Sci-Fi
2
3.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Borderline-unwatchable Soviet-era sci-fi film, also known as Space Cop (according to the subtitles on the version I saw, anyway). The reappearance of a ship thought lost in space, and an attack on Space Police HQ, results in a patrol spaceship being sent to investigate, the search leading to one of those planets which looks suspiciously like a quarry. What ensues there is a joyless, repetitive trudge.

Feels like one of those films made by people who've had sci-fi explained to them over the phone, but who have no first-hand familiarity with the genre, or indeed much familiarity with storytelling in general. This is before we get to the primitive production values, the aspects of the story which don't travel well (the villains are a trio named Doug, Marge, and Steve), or the heavy reliance on technobabble plot devices. Has the general feel of an episode of Space 1999. There are some interesting psychedelic visuals on display, and the special effects are often amusing (this was not the intention), but this is grim stuff for the most part.