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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Three Strikes – You're Dead! in Books
Jun 28, 2024
Give This Collection a Sporting Chance
This is a collection of 14 crime fiction short stories with a sports theme. And there are plenty of unique sports here. The collection starts out with one of three baseball stories as the hero of a playoff game winds up dead moments after scoring the winning run. We’ve got a bounty hunter who is trying to bring in an ultimate Frisbee player. A college swimming coach is found dead at practice one morning. A woman plans to avenge her brother’s death in the bull riding ring. A biathlete is kidnapped. And a tennis coach finds himself in grave danger.
With all the stories, this is definitely long enough to be a full-length book, so you are getting your money's worth. The twists on a couple of the stories didn't quite work for me, but most of the stories held together very well. Likewise, the characters are all real. Considering the shorter space that the writers had to work with, I am always impressed when they can pull both of those things off. I'm not the biggest sports fan in the world, but I still found myself being pulled into these stories. Whether you are a diehard sports fanatic or have a casual interest at best, you'll enjoy this collection.
With all the stories, this is definitely long enough to be a full-length book, so you are getting your money's worth. The twists on a couple of the stories didn't quite work for me, but most of the stories held together very well. Likewise, the characters are all real. Considering the shorter space that the writers had to work with, I am always impressed when they can pull both of those things off. I'm not the biggest sports fan in the world, but I still found myself being pulled into these stories. Whether you are a diehard sports fanatic or have a casual interest at best, you'll enjoy this collection.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Blockers (2018) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
Three childhood friends, Sam (Gideon Adlon), Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan) and Julie (Kathryn Newton, make a pack that they will all have sex for the first time with their dates on prom night. They get together at Julie’s house the night of prom to and get sent off by all families. They head out in a limo for the most memorable night of their lives. Little do they know that Julie left her laptop on with their group chat open. Julie’s mom, Lisa (Leslie Mann), finds the laptop and with the help of Kayla’s dad, Mitchell (John Cena), and Sam’s dad, Hunter (Ike Barinholtz), they decipher the emoji messages and discover the girls’ sex pact. Lisa a single mom, who just found out that her daughter has been accepted to a college thousands of miles away, thinks her daughter is making a huge mistake and wants to confront her. Mitchell, an overprotective father, agrees and they decide to race after the girls to confront them at the dance. Hunter who has been out of his daughter’s life and just wants her to have a great night tries to first talk them out of it, then physically stop them as they get into Lisa’s car. All three in the car they speed off to what will definitely me a memorable prom night for them and their three daughters.
This comedy is the directorial debut for Kay Cannon (writer Pitch Perfect 2, screenplay Pitch Perfect, actress How to Be Single). She does a good job and this is a well-made comedy. The story does an okay job of blending comedy with a heartfelt story of the relationship between parents and children. There are definitely parts that had the audience roaring in laughter. The jokes at time were a little juvenile and for shock value alone, but other times were very witty. There is also a decent amount of cheesiness in this film that didn’t necessarily fit all of the time. With a rooster in front of the title you have to assume there are going to be some raunchy moments. Over all the performances were good. John Cena has some very funny moments but also some pretty campy lines. I did feel his character had the same moment several times though. They had him cry multiple times throughout the film and by the end the big tough guy crying grew old for me. Ira Barinholtz has some fun moments also.
Sometimes the best moments in a comedy are spoiled in the trailers and for me they did a good job of putting enough of the high points in the trailer will out ruining the punchline. I found myself enjoying the buildup to the payoff more than the big finish. I thought that seeing this film in a theater also helped as many of the laughs more contagious audience laughter than punchlines. Overall I left the theater enjoying the film and thinking it was better than expected.
This comedy is the directorial debut for Kay Cannon (writer Pitch Perfect 2, screenplay Pitch Perfect, actress How to Be Single). She does a good job and this is a well-made comedy. The story does an okay job of blending comedy with a heartfelt story of the relationship between parents and children. There are definitely parts that had the audience roaring in laughter. The jokes at time were a little juvenile and for shock value alone, but other times were very witty. There is also a decent amount of cheesiness in this film that didn’t necessarily fit all of the time. With a rooster in front of the title you have to assume there are going to be some raunchy moments. Over all the performances were good. John Cena has some very funny moments but also some pretty campy lines. I did feel his character had the same moment several times though. They had him cry multiple times throughout the film and by the end the big tough guy crying grew old for me. Ira Barinholtz has some fun moments also.
Sometimes the best moments in a comedy are spoiled in the trailers and for me they did a good job of putting enough of the high points in the trailer will out ruining the punchline. I found myself enjoying the buildup to the payoff more than the big finish. I thought that seeing this film in a theater also helped as many of the laughs more contagious audience laughter than punchlines. Overall I left the theater enjoying the film and thinking it was better than expected.
Hidden Object Vampires Temple – Find Objects in Mystery and Fantasy Pictures
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Are you looking for wonderful vampire games? Do you want to become a true vampire hunter? Here is an...
Road Riot Combat Racing
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Road Riot is the global sensation that defined the Combat Racing genre! This addictive,...
Psychedelic 60s (2 more)
Wacky and surreal
Innovative
Wacky, "failed experiment" in Gonzo Journalism
This is one of my all-time favourite books, written by one of my all-time favourite people and authors. It is a surreal and somewhat insane story based on the real life adventures of Hunter S. Thompson, on his journey to Las Vegas in search of the "American Dream." It is a wacky, drug-fuelled, stream-of-consciousness narrative that is among one of the innovative titles in a form of New Journalism called Gonzo Journalism, accredited to Thompson. It is quite a surreal read, strange and weird but completely thrilling!
Thompson regarded it as a "failed experiment"' in Gonzo Journalism due to the fact it was edited several times before publication. Typically, a Gonzo work would be written by and about the author in the present, sent away without being edited, resulting in a stream-of-consciousness narrative and more personality. Gonzo works are far more revealing, fiction-like and personal than typical works of journalism. Despite the fact it was edited, however, I feel F&L still emulates everything Thompson wanted in a true Gonzo way. He holds nothing back, reveals everything and created a story than could be fiction. It is a drug-fuelled look at the failure of the American Dream, an astute analysis of Thompson's society and a weird book that will stay with you forever.
Thompson regarded it as a "failed experiment"' in Gonzo Journalism due to the fact it was edited several times before publication. Typically, a Gonzo work would be written by and about the author in the present, sent away without being edited, resulting in a stream-of-consciousness narrative and more personality. Gonzo works are far more revealing, fiction-like and personal than typical works of journalism. Despite the fact it was edited, however, I feel F&L still emulates everything Thompson wanted in a true Gonzo way. He holds nothing back, reveals everything and created a story than could be fiction. It is a drug-fuelled look at the failure of the American Dream, an astute analysis of Thompson's society and a weird book that will stay with you forever.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated A Court of Thorns and Roses in Books
Mar 2, 2019
Fall down the rabbit hole with this series
This was everything it promised to be by those who recommended it and its the first book I've read by Sarah J. Maas. I have to say, that it is exquisitely written.
The premise for the book is a beauty and the beast tale. Feyre is a young woman, from a family that once had wealth and position but brought to poverty and near starvation by bad debts. The setting is fantastical, with humans and fairies living in the same lands with a wall separating their kinds. Feyre has become the hunter in her family, keeping them just about fed. It is a stark life with no pleasure. One day she kills a wolf who was one of the fairie. She knew this, but still went ahead. Now Tamlin has arrived from the land of the High Fairie to pursue revenge with her life lived in his lands. This is a twisty, completely absorbing tale. The creatures are light and dark, scary and warm and the relationships are so compelling. The culmination of this tale is utterly unpredictable and it is left wide open for the next book. I cannot wait to read more.
Audio update: this was brought to life most wonderfully by Jennifer Ikeda. I got even more from the story and characters through audio. I even developed a sympathy for Rhysand.
The premise for the book is a beauty and the beast tale. Feyre is a young woman, from a family that once had wealth and position but brought to poverty and near starvation by bad debts. The setting is fantastical, with humans and fairies living in the same lands with a wall separating their kinds. Feyre has become the hunter in her family, keeping them just about fed. It is a stark life with no pleasure. One day she kills a wolf who was one of the fairie. She knew this, but still went ahead. Now Tamlin has arrived from the land of the High Fairie to pursue revenge with her life lived in his lands. This is a twisty, completely absorbing tale. The creatures are light and dark, scary and warm and the relationships are so compelling. The culmination of this tale is utterly unpredictable and it is left wide open for the next book. I cannot wait to read more.
Audio update: this was brought to life most wonderfully by Jennifer Ikeda. I got even more from the story and characters through audio. I even developed a sympathy for Rhysand.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated All The Rage (DI Adam Fawley #4) in Books
Dec 30, 2019
Highly entertaining
I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and ate it up in super quick time. I read Close to Home, book 1 in the series, immediately before this one and I think this enhanced my enjoyment of this story as it gave a bit more meat to the characters but having said that, I think it would work as a standalone.
A young woman is attacked but doesn't want the police involved and then it happens again; both cases bearing a striking resemblance to an old case Fawley was involved in where the perpetrator was imprisoned ... could this be a copy-cat or has an innocent man been in jail for many years?
Once again, we are treated by Ms Hunter with her excellent characters, dark and gritty story line, intrigue and suspense all wrapped up in this fast paced, page-turning thriller with twists and surprises along the way. All this and the use of social media excerpts, court and interview transcripts woven, throughout make this feel current and relevant.
This will not be my last of reading Ms Hunter's books and I highly recommend to those who enjoy police procedural/thrillers with complex story lines which are easy to follow and that are highly entertaining ... can't wait for book 5!
Thank you to Penguin Books (UK) and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
A young woman is attacked but doesn't want the police involved and then it happens again; both cases bearing a striking resemblance to an old case Fawley was involved in where the perpetrator was imprisoned ... could this be a copy-cat or has an innocent man been in jail for many years?
Once again, we are treated by Ms Hunter with her excellent characters, dark and gritty story line, intrigue and suspense all wrapped up in this fast paced, page-turning thriller with twists and surprises along the way. All this and the use of social media excerpts, court and interview transcripts woven, throughout make this feel current and relevant.
This will not be my last of reading Ms Hunter's books and I highly recommend to those who enjoy police procedural/thrillers with complex story lines which are easy to follow and that are highly entertaining ... can't wait for book 5!
Thank you to Penguin Books (UK) and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Dracula (English) (1931) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
I am Dracula
Dracula- such a classic film, such a excellent film. It is so perfect, its a masterpeice. This film really started "the unviersal monsters franchise", this and "Frankenstien". Without those two films, we would have no "unverisal monsters", we would have no "monster/creature films", i mean we still would but their wouldnt be good/the same. So thanks to this film and frankenstein, we got "the universal monster franchise" and films about "monsters/creatures". Also if it wasnt for "Dracula" and "Nosferatu", we wouldnt have any movies about vampires. So once again thanks to "Dracula" and "Nosferatu" we have movies about vampires.
The plot: The dashing, mysterious Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi), after hypnotizing a British soldier, Renfield (Dwight Frye), into his mindless slave, travels to London and takes up residence in an old castle. Soon Dracula begins to wreak havoc, sucking the blood of young women and turning them into vampires. When he sets his sights on Mina (Helen Chandler), the daughter of a prominent doctor, vampire-hunter Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) is enlisted to put a stop to the count's never-ending bloodlust.
And of course, you cant forgot about the amazing and fantasic Bela Lugosi. When you think of Dracula, you think of him. He was so perfect as Dracula.
Like i said before this film is a masterpiece and my second favorite film of "the unverisal monster franchise".
The plot: The dashing, mysterious Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi), after hypnotizing a British soldier, Renfield (Dwight Frye), into his mindless slave, travels to London and takes up residence in an old castle. Soon Dracula begins to wreak havoc, sucking the blood of young women and turning them into vampires. When he sets his sights on Mina (Helen Chandler), the daughter of a prominent doctor, vampire-hunter Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) is enlisted to put a stop to the count's never-ending bloodlust.
And of course, you cant forgot about the amazing and fantasic Bela Lugosi. When you think of Dracula, you think of him. He was so perfect as Dracula.
Like i said before this film is a masterpiece and my second favorite film of "the unverisal monster franchise".
Three to Get Deadly (Stephanie Plum, #3)
7.9
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Stephanie Plum, the brassy babe in the powder blue Buick is back and she's having a bad hair day --...
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So You Think You're a Hipster?: Cautionary Case Studies from the City Streets
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50 musings on the self-appointed cool kids taking over your towns. Skinny jeans? Tick. Charity-store...