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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Braveheart (1995) in Movies
Jul 28, 2018
Epic
The Story of Scottish Patriot William Wallace (Mel Gibson) and his quest to unite the clans and rise up against their English oppressors.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
The film gets off to a hot start by immediately drawing you into the story. Once the camera pans into the hut with all of the hanging bodies, they had my attention right away. The sheer intrigue was enough to make me want to see more.
Characters: 10
The Scots are a crazy bunch and I LOVE them. Whether old or young, they're all tough guys in their own right. One crazy person is enough to make a film interesting, but you put a bunch of them together and now you're really cooking with fire. William Wallace, of course, takes the cake of all the crazies. His character is easily one of my all-time favorite protagonists from his demeanor to the strong message he carries.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
You kind of cheat when you shoot a film in Scotland, let's be honest. Beautiful landscapes abound, filled with mountains and lush valleys. I got lost watching William Wallace ride through the countryside on horseback. Made me think, "Damn, am I taking enough vacations?"
It's not the landscapes, however, as the battles are epic and sprawling. You get a taste of a bit of blood or something gory right before it cuts to a new fight. Seeing a fight that probably took hours abbreviated into a couple minutes is jarring and effective. These are some of the best battles captured on film.
Conflict: 10
Genre: 7
Memorability: 8
Braveheart is a film that easily stands the test of time. The brotherhood of the clans alone is memorable in and of itself. These are guys that lay down their lives for each other to advance their nation. The battles that ensue as a result of the stand that these men take are sheer inspiration. "They can take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"
Pace: 10
While the film slows down just slightly after the opening scenes, once the fighting starts, things move forward at a breakneck pace. It drives you from one scene to the next with intensity and passion. Just when you think you've had enough action, you're graced with more! Very solid pace.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 5
The ending was a bit deflating, at least for my taste. I respected the realism, but it felt counterintuitive to what the rest of the film was accomplishing. Not horrible, but perhaps a different approach would warrant a better score.
Overall: 90
I never had any interest whatsoever to watch this film and, after finally seeing it, I can't believe I waited this long. Such an inspirational, all-time classic. Loved it.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
The film gets off to a hot start by immediately drawing you into the story. Once the camera pans into the hut with all of the hanging bodies, they had my attention right away. The sheer intrigue was enough to make me want to see more.
Characters: 10
The Scots are a crazy bunch and I LOVE them. Whether old or young, they're all tough guys in their own right. One crazy person is enough to make a film interesting, but you put a bunch of them together and now you're really cooking with fire. William Wallace, of course, takes the cake of all the crazies. His character is easily one of my all-time favorite protagonists from his demeanor to the strong message he carries.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
You kind of cheat when you shoot a film in Scotland, let's be honest. Beautiful landscapes abound, filled with mountains and lush valleys. I got lost watching William Wallace ride through the countryside on horseback. Made me think, "Damn, am I taking enough vacations?"
It's not the landscapes, however, as the battles are epic and sprawling. You get a taste of a bit of blood or something gory right before it cuts to a new fight. Seeing a fight that probably took hours abbreviated into a couple minutes is jarring and effective. These are some of the best battles captured on film.
Conflict: 10
Genre: 7
Memorability: 8
Braveheart is a film that easily stands the test of time. The brotherhood of the clans alone is memorable in and of itself. These are guys that lay down their lives for each other to advance their nation. The battles that ensue as a result of the stand that these men take are sheer inspiration. "They can take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"
Pace: 10
While the film slows down just slightly after the opening scenes, once the fighting starts, things move forward at a breakneck pace. It drives you from one scene to the next with intensity and passion. Just when you think you've had enough action, you're graced with more! Very solid pace.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 5
The ending was a bit deflating, at least for my taste. I respected the realism, but it felt counterintuitive to what the rest of the film was accomplishing. Not horrible, but perhaps a different approach would warrant a better score.
Overall: 90
I never had any interest whatsoever to watch this film and, after finally seeing it, I can't believe I waited this long. Such an inspirational, all-time classic. Loved it.
Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated The Fifth Doll in Books
Oct 1, 2018
*3.5 stars, rounded up to 4*
I originally requested this after coming across it on Netgalley during a random browse thru the sci-fi/fantasy category. The description sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a shot. It sat on my Kindle carousel for a good while (so many books, so little time…) so it was a few days after it was released before I actually got around to starting it. I had seen The Fifth Doll mentioned in several posts and compared to Naomi Novik's Uprooted and Catherynne Valente's Deathless, two books that I love dearly. I decided to go back and check the Goodreads reviews to get an idea of the accuracy of that comparison and from there decided to read the first chapter or two to see if it hooked me like those two had. I was about 40% thru before I realized that it absolutely did have that “unputdownable” quality like the others and had to force myself to put it down and go to bed lol. After finishing it, I can say with certainty that the comparisons do indeed fit.
I have a weak spot for anything 'fairytale-esque’ and this definitely falls into that category, as it is a retelling of the origin of Russian matryoshka dolls. The mc’s name, Matrona, is a nod to this as well. This story is very well written and so imaginative. It definitely kept me guessing until close to the end when the truth about Slava, the creator of the dolls, is revealed. I liked that the Japanese nesting doll is where Slava found the inspiration to create his dolls, it's a small detail but one that ties this retelling to the real history of the matryoshka dolls.
I thought Matrona was developed pretty well but others, especially Slava, could have used a little more fleshing out. I would have also liked a little more backstory on Pavel and Oleg and the symbolism of the white horse. The writing style was solid and the pacing was just right in my opinion. The romance was subtle and didn't overshadow the main plot, which was nice for a change. The main thing I wasn't really happy with was the magic system. There's very little explanation of any of it or how it really works, only that it does. As a fan of fantasy and fairytales, I appreciate a well developed magic system as part of solid world building and that was sorely lacking here for me. Overall, it was an enjoyable read but I feel there was potential for it to be more.
**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.**
I originally requested this after coming across it on Netgalley during a random browse thru the sci-fi/fantasy category. The description sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a shot. It sat on my Kindle carousel for a good while (so many books, so little time…) so it was a few days after it was released before I actually got around to starting it. I had seen The Fifth Doll mentioned in several posts and compared to Naomi Novik's Uprooted and Catherynne Valente's Deathless, two books that I love dearly. I decided to go back and check the Goodreads reviews to get an idea of the accuracy of that comparison and from there decided to read the first chapter or two to see if it hooked me like those two had. I was about 40% thru before I realized that it absolutely did have that “unputdownable” quality like the others and had to force myself to put it down and go to bed lol. After finishing it, I can say with certainty that the comparisons do indeed fit.
I have a weak spot for anything 'fairytale-esque’ and this definitely falls into that category, as it is a retelling of the origin of Russian matryoshka dolls. The mc’s name, Matrona, is a nod to this as well. This story is very well written and so imaginative. It definitely kept me guessing until close to the end when the truth about Slava, the creator of the dolls, is revealed. I liked that the Japanese nesting doll is where Slava found the inspiration to create his dolls, it's a small detail but one that ties this retelling to the real history of the matryoshka dolls.
I thought Matrona was developed pretty well but others, especially Slava, could have used a little more fleshing out. I would have also liked a little more backstory on Pavel and Oleg and the symbolism of the white horse. The writing style was solid and the pacing was just right in my opinion. The romance was subtle and didn't overshadow the main plot, which was nice for a change. The main thing I wasn't really happy with was the magic system. There's very little explanation of any of it or how it really works, only that it does. As a fan of fantasy and fairytales, I appreciate a well developed magic system as part of solid world building and that was sorely lacking here for me. Overall, it was an enjoyable read but I feel there was potential for it to be more.
**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.**
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Undaunted Hope (Beacons of Hope, #3) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
When Tessa's hope and dreams are thwarted, she must face her deepest fears. Will she have the strength to overcome?
Tessa hopes to outrun her past by escaping to Eagle Harbor in the fall of 1871. There she becomes the new school teacher, even though the town requested a male teacher. Percival Updegraff runs the town like a king. No one dares to stand up to him for fear of what he will do. Tessa has vowed to never step foot into another lighthouse again. But then the local light keeper, Michael Bjorklund, and his assistant and brother, Alex, begin vying for her attention. Micheal's children long for a mother, and even though Alex would sacrifice anything for his brother, can he give up the woman he loves? As winter sets in and difficulties arise, will Tessa stay strong in the face of evil? Can she overcome her fears? Will she rely on God to direct her path and protect her and those she loves?
"I choose to have hope. Will you?"
Jody Hedlund has quickly become one of my absolute favorite authors! When I pick up one of her books, I know that nothing will get done until I finish! Although, this week I did manage to make Cornish Pasties. All thanks to a little inspiration from the book. Pasties has long been a family favorite recipe! Now down to business. I think it is safe to day that Undaunted Hope is my favorite book of the Beacons of Hope series. Tessa must face her fears and her past. How many times have we made a vow out of fear? Is God calling us to face that fear and overcome it? Know that He is with you every step of the way. And that you will come through it stronger. I could relate to Tessa very well! She stands up for truth and justice. Her heart aches for the people to be treated fairly and with respect. She is a brave woman. It was a pure delight to watch her discover her strength and find her true identity in Christ. This is an excellent book and one that I know I will read again.
If you have not read the first two books, I recommend you start with Out of the Storm it is the prequel to Love Unexpected. Undaunted Hope brings the story around full circle. I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that book four, Forever Safe, will be releasing later this year as well!
I received a free digital copy of Undaunted Hope from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Tessa hopes to outrun her past by escaping to Eagle Harbor in the fall of 1871. There she becomes the new school teacher, even though the town requested a male teacher. Percival Updegraff runs the town like a king. No one dares to stand up to him for fear of what he will do. Tessa has vowed to never step foot into another lighthouse again. But then the local light keeper, Michael Bjorklund, and his assistant and brother, Alex, begin vying for her attention. Micheal's children long for a mother, and even though Alex would sacrifice anything for his brother, can he give up the woman he loves? As winter sets in and difficulties arise, will Tessa stay strong in the face of evil? Can she overcome her fears? Will she rely on God to direct her path and protect her and those she loves?
"I choose to have hope. Will you?"
Jody Hedlund has quickly become one of my absolute favorite authors! When I pick up one of her books, I know that nothing will get done until I finish! Although, this week I did manage to make Cornish Pasties. All thanks to a little inspiration from the book. Pasties has long been a family favorite recipe! Now down to business. I think it is safe to day that Undaunted Hope is my favorite book of the Beacons of Hope series. Tessa must face her fears and her past. How many times have we made a vow out of fear? Is God calling us to face that fear and overcome it? Know that He is with you every step of the way. And that you will come through it stronger. I could relate to Tessa very well! She stands up for truth and justice. Her heart aches for the people to be treated fairly and with respect. She is a brave woman. It was a pure delight to watch her discover her strength and find her true identity in Christ. This is an excellent book and one that I know I will read again.
If you have not read the first two books, I recommend you start with Out of the Storm it is the prequel to Love Unexpected. Undaunted Hope brings the story around full circle. I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that book four, Forever Safe, will be releasing later this year as well!
I received a free digital copy of Undaunted Hope from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Splintered (Splintered, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b>I loved <i>Splintered</i>, even though this is such a peculiar book.</b>
As the descendant of Lewis Carroll's inspiration for <i>Alices Adventures in Wonderland</i>, Alyssa and all the females after Alice Liddell can hear the thoughts of plants and animals. In an attempt to stop the whispers, Alyssa collects bugs and plants and uses them for her art. She keeps it hidden from those around her, but deep down she knows that she'll eventually be in an asylum like her mother. To fix the madness running in her family, Alyssa has to journey down the rabbit hole Alice went and fix her mistakes.
<i>Splintered</i> is quite phenomenal – <b>the writing is extremely vivid</b> and doesn't stray too far from the original classic while the story is being set up. After the story is set up, Howard sends us down the rabbit hole with <b>a dark and grotesque twist of the original classic.</b> We have skeletal rabbits, carnivorous plants, a ghost from Alice's past that's out for vengeance, and other dark creatures that <b>makes Wonderland a complete irony of its name.</b>
But... but... <b>there's a love triangle.</b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vCNbLv8rQAU/VcN_9G7BWAI/AAAAAAAAE0k/XoASwOo_DEA/s1600/giphy.gif"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2015/08/giphy-2.gif"; width="320" height="179" border="0" /></a></div>
<b>Jeb and Morpheus both have a history with Alyssa</b> – Morpheus just has a past with her in dreams while Jeb has a history with her in flesh and blood. None of them are absolute strangers to Alyssa. <b>They're both possessive and over-protective. They antagonize each other, have a few brawls here and there</b> throughout the story. By the end, <b>Alyssa chooses a side, but we might as well be back at square one</b> when Howard brings us back to the dark makings of Wonderland again in the sequel. There is no way Jeb and Morpheus won't be at each other's throats again.
I like neither of them. I don't like Jeb, I don't like Morpheus. I don't care they're hot – I just don't like them. I feel indifferent towards them and it could go on either a good route or bad route. Enough said on this love triangle.
<b>Simply put, I loved every aspect of <i>Splintered</i> and the dark adventure Howard takes us down the rabbit hole.</b> I just don't like the candidates of this love triangle.
Methinks Tim Burton and other horror directors doth approve of this retelling.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-splintered-by-ag-howard/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
As the descendant of Lewis Carroll's inspiration for <i>Alices Adventures in Wonderland</i>, Alyssa and all the females after Alice Liddell can hear the thoughts of plants and animals. In an attempt to stop the whispers, Alyssa collects bugs and plants and uses them for her art. She keeps it hidden from those around her, but deep down she knows that she'll eventually be in an asylum like her mother. To fix the madness running in her family, Alyssa has to journey down the rabbit hole Alice went and fix her mistakes.
<i>Splintered</i> is quite phenomenal – <b>the writing is extremely vivid</b> and doesn't stray too far from the original classic while the story is being set up. After the story is set up, Howard sends us down the rabbit hole with <b>a dark and grotesque twist of the original classic.</b> We have skeletal rabbits, carnivorous plants, a ghost from Alice's past that's out for vengeance, and other dark creatures that <b>makes Wonderland a complete irony of its name.</b>
But... but... <b>there's a love triangle.</b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vCNbLv8rQAU/VcN_9G7BWAI/AAAAAAAAE0k/XoASwOo_DEA/s1600/giphy.gif"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2015/08/giphy-2.gif"; width="320" height="179" border="0" /></a></div>
<b>Jeb and Morpheus both have a history with Alyssa</b> – Morpheus just has a past with her in dreams while Jeb has a history with her in flesh and blood. None of them are absolute strangers to Alyssa. <b>They're both possessive and over-protective. They antagonize each other, have a few brawls here and there</b> throughout the story. By the end, <b>Alyssa chooses a side, but we might as well be back at square one</b> when Howard brings us back to the dark makings of Wonderland again in the sequel. There is no way Jeb and Morpheus won't be at each other's throats again.
I like neither of them. I don't like Jeb, I don't like Morpheus. I don't care they're hot – I just don't like them. I feel indifferent towards them and it could go on either a good route or bad route. Enough said on this love triangle.
<b>Simply put, I loved every aspect of <i>Splintered</i> and the dark adventure Howard takes us down the rabbit hole.</b> I just don't like the candidates of this love triangle.
Methinks Tim Burton and other horror directors doth approve of this retelling.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-splintered-by-ag-howard/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
JT (287 KP) rated The Grey (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Director Joe Carnahan has a popular back catalogue. One that is considered his best to date is Narc. Of course he helmed the bat shit crazy, guns-a-blazing Smokin Aces and who could forget for a minute the over the top and some what bonkers reboot of The A-Team.
Here, Carnahan teams up with Liam Neeson once again, although it was very nearly Bradley Cooper, but we’re glad that Neeson got the gig! Neeson plays Ottway, a crack shot with a rifle whose job it is is to keep the many oil drilling workers off the menu from the local four legged carnivores.
When the plane transporting the crew back from the end of season crashes in Alaskan no man’s land, Neeson must battle the elements and inhospitable terrain to find safety – while at the same time avoiding a rather pissed off pack of hungry wolves. If there is anyone you’d want by your side in this type of situation (Bear Grylls not present) it’s Nesson. With a few choice words for his new found friends “nobody’s going to find us….and if we don’t move we’re all fucked!” They abandon what little is left of the plane and set out into the wilderness.
This is clearly not the best idea, and it’s not long before the group are picked off one by one as the race to safety intensifies. With the Alpha male calling the shots wolf side, it’s Neeson doing the same for the humans, as he battles with his own issues as well as those around him. A few nights opening up round the fire and you realise that these men have a significant reason to want to get home alive.
Neeson is level headed and cool, but then put into a situation like this you have to be. The film, lacking in any visual landscape must use the survivors to really build the story, and Carnahan delivers enough tension to the audience to keep them on a knife edge.
The action is integrated well into the emotional side of the plot and that makes the film all the more enjoyable, as by the end you feel for each and everyone of those guys. The scenes are a little more believable, no tanks shooting down planes here. Although we do wonder if Carnahan took inspiration from Cliffhanger for one particular scene.
The Grey packs an intense punch all the way through and it will play on the heart strings as well. Neeson is the stand-out but has a solid supporting cast who don’t let him carry the burden all the way through till the end.
Here, Carnahan teams up with Liam Neeson once again, although it was very nearly Bradley Cooper, but we’re glad that Neeson got the gig! Neeson plays Ottway, a crack shot with a rifle whose job it is is to keep the many oil drilling workers off the menu from the local four legged carnivores.
When the plane transporting the crew back from the end of season crashes in Alaskan no man’s land, Neeson must battle the elements and inhospitable terrain to find safety – while at the same time avoiding a rather pissed off pack of hungry wolves. If there is anyone you’d want by your side in this type of situation (Bear Grylls not present) it’s Nesson. With a few choice words for his new found friends “nobody’s going to find us….and if we don’t move we’re all fucked!” They abandon what little is left of the plane and set out into the wilderness.
This is clearly not the best idea, and it’s not long before the group are picked off one by one as the race to safety intensifies. With the Alpha male calling the shots wolf side, it’s Neeson doing the same for the humans, as he battles with his own issues as well as those around him. A few nights opening up round the fire and you realise that these men have a significant reason to want to get home alive.
Neeson is level headed and cool, but then put into a situation like this you have to be. The film, lacking in any visual landscape must use the survivors to really build the story, and Carnahan delivers enough tension to the audience to keep them on a knife edge.
The action is integrated well into the emotional side of the plot and that makes the film all the more enjoyable, as by the end you feel for each and everyone of those guys. The scenes are a little more believable, no tanks shooting down planes here. Although we do wonder if Carnahan took inspiration from Cliffhanger for one particular scene.
The Grey packs an intense punch all the way through and it will play on the heart strings as well. Neeson is the stand-out but has a solid supporting cast who don’t let him carry the burden all the way through till the end.
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