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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Us (2019) in Movies
Mar 25, 2019
Jordan Peele does it again
2 years ago at this time, the comedian known as Jordan Peele was all the talk as his feature film Directorial debut, GET OUT was scaring mainstream audiences. This was quite the accomplishment for a first time African-American Director with a film that was, predominantly, cast with African American actors.
Director/Writer Peele is at it again with the horror film (predominantly filled with African-American actors )US - and audiences, I'm sure, are going to go back in to the theater hoping that they will get scared again. And they will, but they will also get something else - a truly unique film.
I see a lot of movies, so for me to be (1) scared and (2) completely surprised by what is going on in a film is a rarity, indeed. And Jordan Peele has done both of these things with US - he has scared and surprised me, and I mean this in a a good way.
US stars Lupito Nyong'o as Adelaide Wilson, a young mother who had a traumatic experience at the beach as a child. Now, as 30-ish mother of two who is visiting that same beach with her husband and 2 children, the traumatic experience comes rushing back. To tell anymore of the story would be to spoil it and to spoil this film for anyone would be a shame, for the fun in this film is trying to figure out what will happen next. Even when you think you know what's going to happen, something else happens instead and you are kept guessing throughout the film.
As far as the acting goes, Nyong'o shows that she can carry a film. I was beginning to fear that she would be one of those former Oscar winners (for 12 YEARS A SLAVE) who fade into obscurity, but this film puts her right back - front and center - on the map, a map that she deserves to be on. She carries this film - and she carries it well. Winston Duke (M'Baku in BLACK PANTHER) ably plays her husband, but is reserved (for the most part) as needed comic relief. I am always concerned when a heavy part of a film falls into the hands of unknown child actors, but Evan Alex (as their son) and - especially - Shahadi Wright Joseph (as their daughter) pull off the acting they need to do.
Credit for all this falls on Jordan Peele who's direction and script shows that GET OUT was no fluke. As I said before, this is a truly ORIGINAL film in plot and content and Peele keeps the action moving forward in interesting ways.
This is a film that needs to be seen more than once. I, for one, can't wait to go back into the theater and check out US again.
Letter Grade A- (but it might move to an A after a 2nd viewing)
8 out of 10 stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Director/Writer Peele is at it again with the horror film (predominantly filled with African-American actors )US - and audiences, I'm sure, are going to go back in to the theater hoping that they will get scared again. And they will, but they will also get something else - a truly unique film.
I see a lot of movies, so for me to be (1) scared and (2) completely surprised by what is going on in a film is a rarity, indeed. And Jordan Peele has done both of these things with US - he has scared and surprised me, and I mean this in a a good way.
US stars Lupito Nyong'o as Adelaide Wilson, a young mother who had a traumatic experience at the beach as a child. Now, as 30-ish mother of two who is visiting that same beach with her husband and 2 children, the traumatic experience comes rushing back. To tell anymore of the story would be to spoil it and to spoil this film for anyone would be a shame, for the fun in this film is trying to figure out what will happen next. Even when you think you know what's going to happen, something else happens instead and you are kept guessing throughout the film.
As far as the acting goes, Nyong'o shows that she can carry a film. I was beginning to fear that she would be one of those former Oscar winners (for 12 YEARS A SLAVE) who fade into obscurity, but this film puts her right back - front and center - on the map, a map that she deserves to be on. She carries this film - and she carries it well. Winston Duke (M'Baku in BLACK PANTHER) ably plays her husband, but is reserved (for the most part) as needed comic relief. I am always concerned when a heavy part of a film falls into the hands of unknown child actors, but Evan Alex (as their son) and - especially - Shahadi Wright Joseph (as their daughter) pull off the acting they need to do.
Credit for all this falls on Jordan Peele who's direction and script shows that GET OUT was no fluke. As I said before, this is a truly ORIGINAL film in plot and content and Peele keeps the action moving forward in interesting ways.
This is a film that needs to be seen more than once. I, for one, can't wait to go back into the theater and check out US again.
Letter Grade A- (but it might move to an A after a 2nd viewing)
8 out of 10 stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Debut (2000) in Movies
Jan 18, 2018
Must See
Bottom Line: You need to watch The Debut. It's not the best movie out there, but I think it's absolutely necessary as we strive to understand race and our place in the world. No, the acting isn't out-of-this-world and the film is a bit cheesy in spots. The beauty of it all is that it still manages to deliver a powerful message in spite of its shortcomings.
The story revolves around Ben Mercado (Dante Basco). Ben is trying to find himself. He's torn between the lines of his Filipino culture and the rest of the majority world. Racism is tackled head-on, self-racism being one of the most central focuses. When you come from a strong, influential culture, it's not unreal to be scrutinized by others within that culture because you don't confine to the norm. There's power in seeing it unfold in front of you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the insight into the Filipino culture and their traditions. As different as cultures and races can be, it's very interesting to see the similarities that bind us. The birthday party that was thrown for Ben's sister had a familiar feel to the cookouts my mom used to host growing up. At the same time, the differences are also glaring. There is a scene where Ben hits up a party with his friends and he's the only minority there. While he was with people he knew, he still felt out of place. Been there. Interestingly enough, he felt most comfortable around the family and culture he spent part of his life running from, even when there was heavy tension afoot. If that's not real life, I don't know what is.
Director Gene Cajayon made it pretty easy for you to become invested in Ben. You've got everyone trying to decide his life for him while he puts his heart and soul into a passion that no one respects. His father wants him to go to medical school and follow in his own footsteps, but Ben has other plans. Everything comes to a head at his sister's birthday party where the story primarily takes place.
I do wish there were subtitles during the scenes were they were speaking Filipino, however I understand the director's choice to keep that barrier up. At the same time, I felt it lessened the impact of what was being said. It was awkward in spots, but awkwardly real.
The film reinforces one thing among many: We still struggle with race issues today and, unfortunately, it's hard for people on the other side of the coin to properly address those issues. Progress is slow, but as long as there is progress of some sort, it's the only way we can really hope to get better as a society.
So glad this film randomly found its way onto my Movies 365 list. I give it a 73.
The story revolves around Ben Mercado (Dante Basco). Ben is trying to find himself. He's torn between the lines of his Filipino culture and the rest of the majority world. Racism is tackled head-on, self-racism being one of the most central focuses. When you come from a strong, influential culture, it's not unreal to be scrutinized by others within that culture because you don't confine to the norm. There's power in seeing it unfold in front of you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the insight into the Filipino culture and their traditions. As different as cultures and races can be, it's very interesting to see the similarities that bind us. The birthday party that was thrown for Ben's sister had a familiar feel to the cookouts my mom used to host growing up. At the same time, the differences are also glaring. There is a scene where Ben hits up a party with his friends and he's the only minority there. While he was with people he knew, he still felt out of place. Been there. Interestingly enough, he felt most comfortable around the family and culture he spent part of his life running from, even when there was heavy tension afoot. If that's not real life, I don't know what is.
Director Gene Cajayon made it pretty easy for you to become invested in Ben. You've got everyone trying to decide his life for him while he puts his heart and soul into a passion that no one respects. His father wants him to go to medical school and follow in his own footsteps, but Ben has other plans. Everything comes to a head at his sister's birthday party where the story primarily takes place.
I do wish there were subtitles during the scenes were they were speaking Filipino, however I understand the director's choice to keep that barrier up. At the same time, I felt it lessened the impact of what was being said. It was awkward in spots, but awkwardly real.
The film reinforces one thing among many: We still struggle with race issues today and, unfortunately, it's hard for people on the other side of the coin to properly address those issues. Progress is slow, but as long as there is progress of some sort, it's the only way we can really hope to get better as a society.
So glad this film randomly found its way onto my Movies 365 list. I give it a 73.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Vampyr in Video Games
Oct 23, 2018 (Updated Oct 23, 2018)
Atrocious Combat (3 more)
Piss-poor Voice Acting
Shabby Graphics
Soooooooo Boring
One Of The Worst Games Of The Generation
When I picked up Vampyr, I really wanted to like it. This was one of those underdog games that come out a couple of times per generation. When it was first announced and shown, it was met with groans and cringes, then when it released back in June it was received surprisingly fairly well, getting 6's and 7's across various websites.
I eventually got around to picking it up a couple of weekends ago. For the life of me, I do not understand what the reviewers that scored this game a 6 or a 7 were thinking. This game is utter garbage.
In previous things that I've written, I've spoken about the bar consistently being raised in modern gaming and how there is no longer any place for sub par mediocrity in the landscape any more. Well, this is a prime example of a game that does not belong in 2018, It would even have been dated if it had dropped in 2008. Frankly, it doesn't belong in this generation. I have played PS2 and even PS1 games with better gameplay than this trash.
When I first booted up the game, it was pretty slow to start. It seemed pretty dialogue heavy, yet the voice acting was pretty poor. I powered through it, telling myself that there are other games that start off slow and awkward and end up being great once you get stuck in. Then I was introduced to the combat. My God. I genuinely couldn't believe how stiff and awkward and dated it felt. It is so easy and monotonous as well, to the point that any fun drains almost instantly. I can confidently say that it is by far the worst combat I have experienced out of any game I have played in 2018.
The gimmick that the game's marketing seemed to be pushing leading up to it's release, was that every character in the game is important and has an extensive backstory, from main characters to randomers on the street. My question is; why should I give a shit? The vast majority of these characters have nothing important or relevant to say and the vocal performances are so dire, you find yourself button mashing the square button to skip through all of the required dialogue that you are forced to sit through.
The plan was to fly through Vampyr this week and be finished for when Red Dead Redemption 2 is released on Friday. Two and a bit hours into Vampyr, I decided that it wasn't even worth doing that and life is too short.
Overall, the most impressive thing about this game is how much Dontnod Entertainment managed to fuck up a fairly interesting premise. Do yourself a favour and avoid this game like the plague. The only reason that it isn't getting a 1 is because The Amazing Spiderman 2 also came out this generation.
I eventually got around to picking it up a couple of weekends ago. For the life of me, I do not understand what the reviewers that scored this game a 6 or a 7 were thinking. This game is utter garbage.
In previous things that I've written, I've spoken about the bar consistently being raised in modern gaming and how there is no longer any place for sub par mediocrity in the landscape any more. Well, this is a prime example of a game that does not belong in 2018, It would even have been dated if it had dropped in 2008. Frankly, it doesn't belong in this generation. I have played PS2 and even PS1 games with better gameplay than this trash.
When I first booted up the game, it was pretty slow to start. It seemed pretty dialogue heavy, yet the voice acting was pretty poor. I powered through it, telling myself that there are other games that start off slow and awkward and end up being great once you get stuck in. Then I was introduced to the combat. My God. I genuinely couldn't believe how stiff and awkward and dated it felt. It is so easy and monotonous as well, to the point that any fun drains almost instantly. I can confidently say that it is by far the worst combat I have experienced out of any game I have played in 2018.
The gimmick that the game's marketing seemed to be pushing leading up to it's release, was that every character in the game is important and has an extensive backstory, from main characters to randomers on the street. My question is; why should I give a shit? The vast majority of these characters have nothing important or relevant to say and the vocal performances are so dire, you find yourself button mashing the square button to skip through all of the required dialogue that you are forced to sit through.
The plan was to fly through Vampyr this week and be finished for when Red Dead Redemption 2 is released on Friday. Two and a bit hours into Vampyr, I decided that it wasn't even worth doing that and life is too short.
Overall, the most impressive thing about this game is how much Dontnod Entertainment managed to fuck up a fairly interesting premise. Do yourself a favour and avoid this game like the plague. The only reason that it isn't getting a 1 is because The Amazing Spiderman 2 also came out this generation.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated 3 Days To Kill (2014) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Ethan, (Kevin Costner) is a man with some serious issues but oddly enough, his life as a spy and heavy hitter is not one of them. Ethan has a reputation for getting the job done and he is brutally efficient in his craft.
When a mission to stop a government purchasing a Dirty Bomb from a mysterious figure known as “The Wolf” goes awry, Ethan finds his life turned upside down when he learns he is on borrowed time due to a previously undiagnosed illness.
Ethan returns to Paris in an attempt to reconnect with his daughter, Zoe (Haillee Steinfeld), and her mother, Ethan comes home to learn that a group of squatters have taken up residence in his apartment, and under French law, nothing can be done to remove them until the spring arrives.
Since Ethan has been gone for five years, his family is less than thrilled to see him as it has been easier to live their lives without him. Undaunted, Ethan continues to try to make up for lost time.
Complications arise when a top level agent named Vivi (Amber Heard), arrives in Paris and attempts to recruit Ethan to identify and eliminate The Wolf when it is learned that there is a window to remove him over the next 72 hours.
Wanting no part of his past life, Ethan is dragged back into the fold by the offer of cash for his daughter and an experimental drug that will extend his life.
Ethan now must walk a deadly path between dangerous people, his former employers, and the largest danger of all, his teenage daughter and her mother.
Based on a story by Luc Besson who also had a hand in writing the script, “3 Days to Kill” is a fresh and fun film despite its flaws. Director Mc G does a good job of keeping the emphasis on Ethan and his family as that is the core of the story. There is action aplenty and some of it does play out in typical Hollywood fashion, but there is a charm to the story that one does normally associate with this type of film.
Costner does a good job of playing Ethan as a world weary man who is simply trying to do the right thing with what time he has left. Scenes where he has to deviate from his deadly profession to deal with teen trauma and domestic issues are funny as they come across as very natural. Ethan is so frustrated by the duality of his life; he even seeks parenting advice from suspects he is interrogating.
While parts of the film may drag out and some of the plot points stretch credibility, the winning cast makes the film worth seeing and I for one was pleasantly surprised by the film as you may be if you are willing to look past some of the flaws.
http://sknr.net/2014/02/20/3-days-to-kill/
When a mission to stop a government purchasing a Dirty Bomb from a mysterious figure known as “The Wolf” goes awry, Ethan finds his life turned upside down when he learns he is on borrowed time due to a previously undiagnosed illness.
Ethan returns to Paris in an attempt to reconnect with his daughter, Zoe (Haillee Steinfeld), and her mother, Ethan comes home to learn that a group of squatters have taken up residence in his apartment, and under French law, nothing can be done to remove them until the spring arrives.
Since Ethan has been gone for five years, his family is less than thrilled to see him as it has been easier to live their lives without him. Undaunted, Ethan continues to try to make up for lost time.
Complications arise when a top level agent named Vivi (Amber Heard), arrives in Paris and attempts to recruit Ethan to identify and eliminate The Wolf when it is learned that there is a window to remove him over the next 72 hours.
Wanting no part of his past life, Ethan is dragged back into the fold by the offer of cash for his daughter and an experimental drug that will extend his life.
Ethan now must walk a deadly path between dangerous people, his former employers, and the largest danger of all, his teenage daughter and her mother.
Based on a story by Luc Besson who also had a hand in writing the script, “3 Days to Kill” is a fresh and fun film despite its flaws. Director Mc G does a good job of keeping the emphasis on Ethan and his family as that is the core of the story. There is action aplenty and some of it does play out in typical Hollywood fashion, but there is a charm to the story that one does normally associate with this type of film.
Costner does a good job of playing Ethan as a world weary man who is simply trying to do the right thing with what time he has left. Scenes where he has to deviate from his deadly profession to deal with teen trauma and domestic issues are funny as they come across as very natural. Ethan is so frustrated by the duality of his life; he even seeks parenting advice from suspects he is interrogating.
While parts of the film may drag out and some of the plot points stretch credibility, the winning cast makes the film worth seeing and I for one was pleasantly surprised by the film as you may be if you are willing to look past some of the flaws.
http://sknr.net/2014/02/20/3-days-to-kill/
Debbiereadsbook (1699 KP) rated Loving a Warrior in Books
Dec 10, 2018
loved it!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Matt and Shane are in BUD/S training: an intense 6 months training to get them both into the Navy SEALS. They did not account for the intense chemistry between them, know that it can never happen while they are training, if they end up in the same unit. But neither can stay away from the other and anything worth fighting for is never going to be easy.
After all, the only easy day was yesterday.
This is only the second book of Ms Hansen I've read. Unquiet broke me, and I approached this one with kid gloves, because, I mean, she BROKE me before! And while THIS book isn't quite as emotionally devastating as Unquiet, it's still a very good read.
Matt joined the BUD/S training to follow in his beloved uncle's footsteps. Shane joins after spending time in the Marines, but his REAL reason doesn't come clear til much later. Neither wanted a relationship, and after graduation they were gonna get this. . . . whatever it is between them. . . out their system. But emotions have a way of coming out of left field, and Shane admits he wants MORE.
This book is quite heavy on the physical and emotional aspect of this kind of training. And at first, I didn't like it too much. BUT as the book moved along with Shane and Matt's relationship, I found myself thinking that aspect is really rather needed. It goes deeper than running the fastest mile, or swimming the longest, or finishing that O course in the quickest time. It goes deep within Matt and Shane, and how far they have to dig to get what they.
To get WHO they want.
It's told well, from both men's point of view, and I wasn't sure that would be the case at first, so when Shane gets his voice, I was happy. Ya'll KNOW how happy I am when everyone important gets a voice!
I didn't find it overly explicit, but it wasn't needed here. It's well over half way before Matt and Shane get to the main event, but the build up to that was great reading. It pitters and patters along, a little more here and there, til they finally decide to let their feelings run free. And it was glorious!
Some secrets revealed that I saw coming, and some not.
There is a second book, Keeping A Warrior in this series, and at first I thought it a follow on to this but it's not. It's about a character who pops up here, and I would like to read it. Especially after what happens to him here, and reading the blurb of THAT book, it ain't gonna end well!
A solid . . .
4 star star read
P.s That tag line " The only easy day was yesterday"?? Gonna stick with me a while!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Matt and Shane are in BUD/S training: an intense 6 months training to get them both into the Navy SEALS. They did not account for the intense chemistry between them, know that it can never happen while they are training, if they end up in the same unit. But neither can stay away from the other and anything worth fighting for is never going to be easy.
After all, the only easy day was yesterday.
This is only the second book of Ms Hansen I've read. Unquiet broke me, and I approached this one with kid gloves, because, I mean, she BROKE me before! And while THIS book isn't quite as emotionally devastating as Unquiet, it's still a very good read.
Matt joined the BUD/S training to follow in his beloved uncle's footsteps. Shane joins after spending time in the Marines, but his REAL reason doesn't come clear til much later. Neither wanted a relationship, and after graduation they were gonna get this. . . . whatever it is between them. . . out their system. But emotions have a way of coming out of left field, and Shane admits he wants MORE.
This book is quite heavy on the physical and emotional aspect of this kind of training. And at first, I didn't like it too much. BUT as the book moved along with Shane and Matt's relationship, I found myself thinking that aspect is really rather needed. It goes deeper than running the fastest mile, or swimming the longest, or finishing that O course in the quickest time. It goes deep within Matt and Shane, and how far they have to dig to get what they.
To get WHO they want.
It's told well, from both men's point of view, and I wasn't sure that would be the case at first, so when Shane gets his voice, I was happy. Ya'll KNOW how happy I am when everyone important gets a voice!
I didn't find it overly explicit, but it wasn't needed here. It's well over half way before Matt and Shane get to the main event, but the build up to that was great reading. It pitters and patters along, a little more here and there, til they finally decide to let their feelings run free. And it was glorious!
Some secrets revealed that I saw coming, and some not.
There is a second book, Keeping A Warrior in this series, and at first I thought it a follow on to this but it's not. It's about a character who pops up here, and I would like to read it. Especially after what happens to him here, and reading the blurb of THAT book, it ain't gonna end well!
A solid . . .
4 star star read
P.s That tag line " The only easy day was yesterday"?? Gonna stick with me a while!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Darren (1599 KP) rated Leprechaun Returns (2019) in Movies
Oct 31, 2019
Characters – Lila is the daughter or Tory (from the original) she is moving back to the same house in the vents of the original to be part of a college sorority, she is clearly the outsider of the group desperate to make new friends after a lifetime of looking after her mother. She learns to start believing what her mother did and proves to be resourceful throughout the film. Katie is the slutty of the friends, Rose is the one trying to make a change and Meredith is the drunk one, while they are meant to be portrayed as smart, they are painfully generic and dumb throughout. The Leprechaun has returned looking for his gold and this time he isn’t going to be a friendly, trying to get his power back. He uses rhymes to try and scare the characters and new powers to make object move to kill.
Performances – Taylor Spreitler does every she can in the leading role, trying to step into the shoes of Jennifer Aniston isn’t going to be easy for anyone, Pepi Sonuga, Sai Bennett and Emily Reid are the basic supporting performances, playing confusing characters. Linden Porco does well as the leprechaun being evil enough.
Story – The story picks up 25 years after the original film where we follow a new group of students that head to the house from the original only to find themselves being haunted by the leprechaun who just wants his gold back. The idea that we are taught to forget any of the sequels is a good thing and arguable the only good thing about the story, the rest just makes the characters seem confusing, with the story wanting to say these girls are smart with what they are doing, but as soon as the horror starts they just become screaming messes. It does keep the tone of a slasher story though it just never captures the tone of the first film enough.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy comes from the painfully rhymes that the leprechaun gives, they are very pun heavy which will often make your eyes roll. The horror does come from the kills which are bloody and one is in fact an original one too.
Settings – The film is set in the same house as the original film, it needs to be rebuilt so people could live there, it shows the evil hasn’t left this place after 25-years.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are easily one of the better parts because we get the unique looking kills that don’t shy away from the camera.
Scene of the Movie – Solar panel
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The characters being confusing.
Final Thoughts – This is a disappoint horror sequel reboot, it is filled with too many puns and tries to be self-aware of everything going on.
Overall: Leprechaun is better off dead.
Performances – Taylor Spreitler does every she can in the leading role, trying to step into the shoes of Jennifer Aniston isn’t going to be easy for anyone, Pepi Sonuga, Sai Bennett and Emily Reid are the basic supporting performances, playing confusing characters. Linden Porco does well as the leprechaun being evil enough.
Story – The story picks up 25 years after the original film where we follow a new group of students that head to the house from the original only to find themselves being haunted by the leprechaun who just wants his gold back. The idea that we are taught to forget any of the sequels is a good thing and arguable the only good thing about the story, the rest just makes the characters seem confusing, with the story wanting to say these girls are smart with what they are doing, but as soon as the horror starts they just become screaming messes. It does keep the tone of a slasher story though it just never captures the tone of the first film enough.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy comes from the painfully rhymes that the leprechaun gives, they are very pun heavy which will often make your eyes roll. The horror does come from the kills which are bloody and one is in fact an original one too.
Settings – The film is set in the same house as the original film, it needs to be rebuilt so people could live there, it shows the evil hasn’t left this place after 25-years.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are easily one of the better parts because we get the unique looking kills that don’t shy away from the camera.
Scene of the Movie – Solar panel
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The characters being confusing.
Final Thoughts – This is a disappoint horror sequel reboot, it is filled with too many puns and tries to be self-aware of everything going on.
Overall: Leprechaun is better off dead.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Addams Family (2019) in Movies
Nov 1, 2019 (Updated Nov 1, 2019)
Everyone knows pink is a gateway colour
addams family attempts to bring the classic family into modern day and while not a bad little film it doesnt do nearly enough to make them as memorable for a new generation of kids/teens as it did for people my age growing up. I must say I quite admire this film for trying to differentiate its self from the constant barrage of animated features weve had this year. Its colour pallet is mostly drab, cold and dark colours which I enjoyed and fit well with the gothic/spooky vibe of the film. Theres also a lot of cool halloween things to look at in the scenes that are set inside the familys house and humor at times can be incredibly gross or darkly adult too which really made me giggle (most of which children are thankfuly to young to understand). Animation while not overly detailed was nice to look at also be it the warts on an old hags nose, spiders crawling the walls or the way the bottom of Morticias dress squirms around the floor as she walks are just some of the neat little attentions to detail making this world a little more strange and alive. Plot and story wise its a little dull and while I found some clever ideas implemented here they really are not executed very interestingly. I did find some of the ideas fun however like the way the movie pokes fun at current trends eg all the girls at the school wednesday goes to have those hidious duck lips, all look identical to one another and obsess over instagram. Everyone in the town also has odd habbits of thier own and the seemingly nicest person also has a much darker side to her, not to mention the entire town is filled with hatred for anything diffrent, easily influenced by social media, full of fake happiness and coated in hidiously garish colour choices which makes you question who the 'ugly' and 'strange' ones really are here. Subtle themes of child abuse, belonging, acceptance, being yourself, death, honour, pressure, loneliness as well as other heavy subjects strangely fit well here making the film a little darker than I expected too. Sadly theres not much here for kids who will undoubtedly be bored quick because big spectacle set pieces are few and far between/not very exciting either and what I found enjoyable ie the subbtle violence, gross adult humour, adult themes and gothic visuals wont likely intrest them either. Oscar isaac and Charlize theron voice work for Morticia and Gomez I found very enjoyable and the score at times really stood out to me a lot at times creating a nice eerie atmosphere. Not nearly as bad as people make out Adams Family may be a tad forgettable, have an extreamly rushed third act, story arcs that go nowhere its creepy, kooky, spooky, and enjoyable enough to warrent seeing at the cinema for sure.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Operation Finale (2018) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Fifteen years after the end of World War II there are still high ranking Nazi officials who have not been brought to justice. One of the biggest names to yet be captured is Adolph Eichmann (Ben Kingsley), the so called Architect of the Final Solution. Then in May 1960 someone in Argentina tips off the Israeli government that Eichmann may be hiding out in near Buenos Ares, Argentina. When the leader of an Israeli special unit finds out he sends an agent, Zvi Aharoni (Michael Aronov), to confirm the identity of the war criminal. When they determine that this has to be their man, a unit of operatives led by Peter Malkin (Oscar Isaac) set out to bring Eichmann to justice. In the past the unit has been able to deliver swift justice and in most cases there was no trial. But for a man that brought so much pain to so many Jewish people they must bring him to justice in the newly established state of Israel for all the world to see. Unfortunately the Argentine government would object to such an operation on its soil. So risky and daring plan for Peter to grab Eichmann near his home and get him to a safe house nearby. The would then have disguise him and Doctor Hanna Elian (Melanie Laurent) would have to keep him drugged all the way to the airport and on to awaiting plane out of the country. All of this will dodging Nazi sympathizers both in the police and roaming the streets. But for the 6 million of their people who died at the hands of men like Eichmann they must try.
This is the incredible true story of the capture of one of the top Nazi officials. The story is set up well by Director Chris Weitz (About a Boy, The Golden Compass). Ben Kingsley and Oscar Isaac give outstanding performances. Kingsley’s character and how his story develops is interesting. The entire supporting cast does well and Nick Kroll (Sing, The House) brings a surprising bit of fun to a heavy story line. Some may say the bits of humor might be a little odd given the subject matter but I thought it brought a realness and humanity to the film. The balance between the humor and showing the horror of World War II was really well done. At a little over two hours it does run a little long and there are flashback scenes that are at inconsistent times.
I was pleasantly surprised by this film. Not having heard this story before I enjoyed how this film was laid out for the audience. It definitely made me want to learn more about this unique true story. I think this is a film that shows the importance of people fighting to bring truth and justice to the world regardless of the odds.
This is the incredible true story of the capture of one of the top Nazi officials. The story is set up well by Director Chris Weitz (About a Boy, The Golden Compass). Ben Kingsley and Oscar Isaac give outstanding performances. Kingsley’s character and how his story develops is interesting. The entire supporting cast does well and Nick Kroll (Sing, The House) brings a surprising bit of fun to a heavy story line. Some may say the bits of humor might be a little odd given the subject matter but I thought it brought a realness and humanity to the film. The balance between the humor and showing the horror of World War II was really well done. At a little over two hours it does run a little long and there are flashback scenes that are at inconsistent times.
I was pleasantly surprised by this film. Not having heard this story before I enjoyed how this film was laid out for the audience. It definitely made me want to learn more about this unique true story. I think this is a film that shows the importance of people fighting to bring truth and justice to the world regardless of the odds.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Never Have I Ever in Books
Jul 8, 2019
After a childhood where she never felt good enough, Amy Whey finally has her perfect life. A loving husband, a feisty fifteen-year-old stepdaughter, and a sweet baby boy. She even has a best friend, Charlotte, to hang out with in her suburban neighborhood. It's at Charlotte's book group when everything changes: with the appearance of Roux, a new neighbor. Roux is gorgeous and charming and soon all the book group ladies are happily drinking wine and spilling their secrets during Roux's Never Have I Ever game. But Amy can sense Roux's sinister side from the start. And sure enough, before she knows it, Roux comes to Amy. She knows Amy isn't so perfect after all. She knows a big, dark secret about Amy's past. And if Amy doesn't give Roux exactly what she wants, she's going to make Amy pay, tearing down the perfect life she's so carefully built.
"The game was Roux's idea. More than an idea. A plan. She made it up herself, this shotgun of a game. She packed it tight with salt and metal, counting on collateral damage, too, but she aimed it straight at me. She said it was like Never Have I Ever, but not any version I'd ever played."
Well, this was an interesting one, I must say. It's the epitome of domestic thriller, I suppose: a mix of character-driven fiction and thriller/mystery. The beginning was tough for me: it felt slow, as I waited for things to heat up. The language is rather flowery at times, making some scenes seem long. And some of the real action felt bogged down by Amy and Roux's interactions, as they chattered and bantered--either in person or in Amy's head--while they played their twisted little games. Enough, enough, just get to the point!
"Her hands were not empty after all. They were holding my history, invisible but so very heavy. I could almost see it in her hands."
That said, once things picked up, I enjoyed this much more. When the twists arrive, they are very twisty and fun, and often quite surprising. Roux is appropriately hateful, and Amy is a bit whiny, but it's okay when everything is collapsing and you're trying to figure out where this is all going. This one trailed dangerously close to my pet peeve of "main character with secret, where the book would have no point if they'd just man up and tell someone," but once some of the twists came out, I could at least understand Amy's point of view, if not exactly empathize with her. Jackson gives us a rather dark tale, which, you know, is appreciated. If these two women are going to battle each other, it might as well be grim, right?
Overall, this book starts slow, but once it gets going it's enjoyable twisty, dark, and macabre. It was a different sort of tale, but worth the read. 3.5 stars.
"The game was Roux's idea. More than an idea. A plan. She made it up herself, this shotgun of a game. She packed it tight with salt and metal, counting on collateral damage, too, but she aimed it straight at me. She said it was like Never Have I Ever, but not any version I'd ever played."
Well, this was an interesting one, I must say. It's the epitome of domestic thriller, I suppose: a mix of character-driven fiction and thriller/mystery. The beginning was tough for me: it felt slow, as I waited for things to heat up. The language is rather flowery at times, making some scenes seem long. And some of the real action felt bogged down by Amy and Roux's interactions, as they chattered and bantered--either in person or in Amy's head--while they played their twisted little games. Enough, enough, just get to the point!
"Her hands were not empty after all. They were holding my history, invisible but so very heavy. I could almost see it in her hands."
That said, once things picked up, I enjoyed this much more. When the twists arrive, they are very twisty and fun, and often quite surprising. Roux is appropriately hateful, and Amy is a bit whiny, but it's okay when everything is collapsing and you're trying to figure out where this is all going. This one trailed dangerously close to my pet peeve of "main character with secret, where the book would have no point if they'd just man up and tell someone," but once some of the twists came out, I could at least understand Amy's point of view, if not exactly empathize with her. Jackson gives us a rather dark tale, which, you know, is appreciated. If these two women are going to battle each other, it might as well be grim, right?
Overall, this book starts slow, but once it gets going it's enjoyable twisty, dark, and macabre. It was a different sort of tale, but worth the read. 3.5 stars.
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>