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Anne (15117 KP) rated Ashlords in Books

Nov 4, 2019

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Children's Publishing for letting me read and review this fantastic book.
I've read The Nyxia Triad by Scott Reintgen and knew from reading that series that he was a great writer with wonderful stories. I am so excited I got to read this book and can't wait for the next book after this one because I have questions that need answers.
I'm super curious about some things after reading Ashlords with the characters and their stories, what's going to happen to them and with everything, but I'm also super curious to know about some side stories and characters like Quinn for example.
This is pitched as Red Rising meets The Scorpio Races and while I don't know about Red Rising because I haven't read that yet, I can see the similarities with The Scorpio Races. What I kept thinking and being reminded of when I was reading this are The Scorpio Races as mentioned and The Hunger Games. I kept having lots of memories and flashbacks to things/ideas from The Hunger Games.
It's about three phoenix horse riders - yes phoenix horses! and the riders are skilled in alchemy, which you have to be to know how to create the best horse for riding in The Races. In The Races, you have to defend the ashes of your horse at night, but you aren't allowed to kill only maim, injure or poison the ashes of the horse. There are 11 riders in The Races, but only a few that have something to gain or lose.
The Ashlords follows these few characters and what happens with them during The Races. There's Pippa who is a favorite, one they expect to win and her parents were winners in previous years of The Races, The guy she wants to be with, Bravos, who's all about winning. Then there are the others who I was more interested in, Adrian, the Longhand, from one of the other groups/races of people there that are ruled over by the Ashlords and Imelda Beru, the Alchemist, who's the one who gets in on scholarship and is part of one of the other races that's ruled over by the Ashlords as well so these two characters have more to lose.
It's an emotional and intense ride through the book with the characters and you get to understand a lot by the end of this book that sets it up well and leaves you hanging with wanting to know what will happen next. This is one you need to have on your radar and make sure to read!

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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) in Movies

Mar 3, 2020 (Updated Mar 3, 2020)

If I was still 10 or 11 years old, this might be my favourite film of all time (for a few months). The 10 year old trapped inside me kinda thinks it is! At first I was sceptical that it could be any good at all, seeing it getting nominated in a lot of best animation categories during award season, and then winning them all! From the poster, or even the trailer, alone, I just didn’t get it!

Then folk whose opinion I trust, that normally go for really intense dramas and artsy stuff, started telling me how good it was. I added it to my watchlist and walked away, nodding, as if to say “sure, I’ll get around to it”. More fool me for waiting so long, cos let me tell you, as modern animations go, it is really really good! But why? Well, there are several things that set it apart…

Firstly, it patronises no one. This is a fun, all swinging, all action, adventure, with real threat, real emotion and real excitement. Secondly, the love and attention that have gone into the myth of Spiderman and what he/she/it represents is so astonishingly comprehensive in a 2 hour film, that anyone living on Mars and never knowing a single thing about it, would understand instantly. You also don’t have to be a superhero geek to like it (but it helps a bit).

And thirdly, the animation. Wow, the animation! Incorporating so many styles and techniques, often in the same image / scene, it is a mind boggling experience, and a visual festival of comic book art. It shouldn’t work, but, my word, it not only works, it totally rocks! I have never felt before that I was experiencing a living, moving, comic book. Every detail makes you respect and appreciate this art form, and its evolution through the years.

Not only that, however, but it has an inclusivity that is awesome and so simple. This isn’t a film about boys, for boys. Gwen Stacy, aka Spider-Woman, is a great, strong character in her own right; as is Spider-Ham; as are all of them. Literally, there is something for everyone to relate to. And the cunning conceit that brings them all together just… works!

I’m not sure I’ll watch it very often, because, you know, I’m not 10 any more. But if I am ever in the mood to feel young and excited about heroes, then this will be my first port of call.

Kudos

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Take Me Home Tonight (2011) in Movies

Aug 7, 2019

If you’re planning an 80’s party anytime soon, make sure to download the soundtrack to Take Me Home Tonight. The opening montage alone reminded me of everything I loved about the 80’s. It also gave us a glimpse of Matt Franklin’s high school years. Matt, played by Topher Grace, was the kid voted as “Smartest” in his class, one who existed on the outer fringes of high school popularity, who always had his eye on the most popular girl in school, Tori Fredreking, but could never muster up the courage or find that “in” to catch her attention.

Unsure of where his life is taking him, Matt decides to take a break from MIT during the summer of ’88 and ends up working at Suncoast Video. Of course, who should come strolling in to his store one day but Matt’s high school crush herself. Hoping to impress her, Matt ditches his Suncoast nametag, and tells Tori, played by Teresa Palmer (a deadringer for Kristen Stewart, if Kirsten were blond and more animated), that he works for Goldman-Sachs. Tori’s a banker herself, it turns out, and her curiousity is finally piqued and she encourages him to attend Kyle Masterson’s annual Labor Day party.

Matt relies on his twin sister Wendy, played by Anna Faris, and their best friend Barry, an intense Dan Fogler, to help him build on this “in” and finally get Tori’s phone number. But Matt isn’t the only one having to deal with the confusing transition into adulthood. Wendy has to decide if she wants to pursue her Masters or settle down with her boyfriend Kyle, while Barry just got fired from his car salesman job. The three of them decide to attend the end-of-summer party thrown by Wendy’s boyfriend Kyle, played by Parks & Rec’s Chris Pratt, all with the intent of “living in the now.” Apparently living in the now means commiting grand theft auto, experimenting with cocaine, perpetuating a lie and crashing a bankers’ party.

Despite the silly hijinks, Matt isn’t hard to root for, especially given Topher Grace’s signature sympathetic awkwardness. Fogler’s comic foil to Grace’s straight-man dances precariously along the line between funny and WTH? When the movie about Sam Kinnison’s life is ever made, Fogler should be given serious consideration.

There’s good chemistry between the cast and there’s just enough sweet romance to balance out the outrageous situations. Silly, predictable entertainment, made more fun by the nostalgic soundtrack, this movie is tamer than most of the R-rated comedies of recent note. Think any John Hughes movie meets Hot Tub Time Machine.