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Rob Halford recommended Rage Against the Machine by Rage Against The Machine in Music (curated)
Sarah (7798 KP) rated It: Chapter Two (2019) in Movies
Sep 18, 2019
Good but overly long
The negative reviews of this film really got me worried that I wouldn't like it, especially as I loved the first part despite it straying in parts from the book. However despite a few negatives, this is still a pretty good film.
This part seemed to keep a long closer and truer to the book than the first part. Yes there were a few odd differences and scares but for me nothing major, other than the tokens idea which just seemed a bit stupid. As silly as it sounds, when a film sticks closely to a book it makes me all happy and warm inside. So I spent a lot of this film feeling quite satisfied, at least from a plot point of view. The adult cast too are fantastic, they've done so well to find a group of actors that fit perfectly with their younger counterparts from the first film.
But sadly there are negatives. The CGI is pretty poor in parts and vastly overused. By the end I got sick to death of seeing horrendous looking CGI creeps and scares. Bring back physical effects! Pennywise too also suffered from being overly CGI, which is a shame as I think he was brilliant the rest of the time and rather creepy, especially with his voice.
And then there's the length. This film is far too long, and the reason for it is because they've stuck in a ridiculous amount of flashbacks. Dont get me wrong, it was nice to see the younger cast again especially as they provided a lot of nostalgic heartwarming moments. But it was just too much. They could've left out a lot of the flashbacks, cut a good half hour off the run time and still had a pretty decent film without impacting the plot.
Despite it's negatives, I still rather enjoyed this film. It's nothing new after having seen the first part and definitely more of the same, but mostly a rather fitting end to IT.
This part seemed to keep a long closer and truer to the book than the first part. Yes there were a few odd differences and scares but for me nothing major, other than the tokens idea which just seemed a bit stupid. As silly as it sounds, when a film sticks closely to a book it makes me all happy and warm inside. So I spent a lot of this film feeling quite satisfied, at least from a plot point of view. The adult cast too are fantastic, they've done so well to find a group of actors that fit perfectly with their younger counterparts from the first film.
But sadly there are negatives. The CGI is pretty poor in parts and vastly overused. By the end I got sick to death of seeing horrendous looking CGI creeps and scares. Bring back physical effects! Pennywise too also suffered from being overly CGI, which is a shame as I think he was brilliant the rest of the time and rather creepy, especially with his voice.
And then there's the length. This film is far too long, and the reason for it is because they've stuck in a ridiculous amount of flashbacks. Dont get me wrong, it was nice to see the younger cast again especially as they provided a lot of nostalgic heartwarming moments. But it was just too much. They could've left out a lot of the flashbacks, cut a good half hour off the run time and still had a pretty decent film without impacting the plot.
Despite it's negatives, I still rather enjoyed this film. It's nothing new after having seen the first part and definitely more of the same, but mostly a rather fitting end to IT.
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Where the Crawdads Sing in Books
Aug 12, 2021
A haunting story of survival
Kya Clark is very young when her mother leaves, abandoning her to their marshland home and her violent father. His presence is in her life is scattered, at best, and Kya mostly raises herself, learning about the land, the wildlife, and the swamp on her own. She forms attachment to few, but meets two very different young men from town whom she feels drawn to. In 1969, one of those men is found dead and Kya--always a source of gossip among the locals--is the prime suspect.
I'm not sure there's much I can add to the many reviews of this popular book. I read it as part of my new reading project--choosing books off my shelves based on their Goodreads rankings. This is my third book of the project, forcing me out of my comfort zone and to try books in genres I don't usually read! I'm glad I finally read it-- it's a very mesmerizing tale, and Kya's improbable life on the marsh quickly drew me in.
This is part a character-driven and coming of age story combined with a mystery and courtroom drama. It covers a lot of Kya's life, but focuses on her growing up in the marsh. There's a lot that seems hard to believe--especially that no one does anything to help this parent-less child, growing up alone in the marsh. The book covers a lot of heady topics, including racism, sexual assault, and more. Its description of nature and the marsh are beautiful. At the heart of the story is Kya, and it's impossible not to root for our heroine. She's tough and smart, and the way she loves her marsh is simply beautiful.
Overall, rating on pure enjoyment, I really liked this book. If I don't delve too deep into pondering about the inner workings of the plot, this was a great read--mesmerizing, haunting, and lovely. 4+ stars.
I'm not sure there's much I can add to the many reviews of this popular book. I read it as part of my new reading project--choosing books off my shelves based on their Goodreads rankings. This is my third book of the project, forcing me out of my comfort zone and to try books in genres I don't usually read! I'm glad I finally read it-- it's a very mesmerizing tale, and Kya's improbable life on the marsh quickly drew me in.
This is part a character-driven and coming of age story combined with a mystery and courtroom drama. It covers a lot of Kya's life, but focuses on her growing up in the marsh. There's a lot that seems hard to believe--especially that no one does anything to help this parent-less child, growing up alone in the marsh. The book covers a lot of heady topics, including racism, sexual assault, and more. Its description of nature and the marsh are beautiful. At the heart of the story is Kya, and it's impossible not to root for our heroine. She's tough and smart, and the way she loves her marsh is simply beautiful.
Overall, rating on pure enjoyment, I really liked this book. If I don't delve too deep into pondering about the inner workings of the plot, this was a great read--mesmerizing, haunting, and lovely. 4+ stars.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Black Cake in Books
Feb 4, 2022
Siblings Byron and Benny are estranged, but after their mother's death, they discover she’s left them a black cake, a beloved food from their childhood and history, and a voice recording that reveals many surprises about her past. Their mother Eleanor's story is heartbreaking and shocking, but will it bring Byron and Benny together to share the cake "when the time is right," as their mother desired?
This is a really interesting and different book. It’s a sweeping tale that spans from the 1960s to the present and touches on racism, homophobia, immigration, assault, the meaning of family, and so much more. If that sounds like a lot, it is, and sometimes it feels like too much. The story meanders at times--it's a lot to go from the 1960s to the near present, and the story is told through many narrators and short chapters. It's sometimes confusing to keep track of. At times, the musings and whining of present-day Byron and Benny are frustrating because you just want to get back to Eleanor and the past.
And that is where BLACK CAKE shines. Because while this is a debut novel and it shows at times, the story really is engrossing, especially when Eleanor gets into her origin story and we learn about the Caribbean and how she became who she is. There's almost a mystery in there, and it's fascinating. We are taken back to the islands, meeting a young determined swimmer and her best friend. I love how Wilkerson weaves everything together into a touching and poignant tale that delves deep into this family's past. I was mesmerized and needed to know everything that happened. There are a lot of characters and a few false starts, but this story winds around to make sense, and it was a really beautiful and fascinating.
I received a copy of this book from Random House / Ballantine and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
This is a really interesting and different book. It’s a sweeping tale that spans from the 1960s to the present and touches on racism, homophobia, immigration, assault, the meaning of family, and so much more. If that sounds like a lot, it is, and sometimes it feels like too much. The story meanders at times--it's a lot to go from the 1960s to the near present, and the story is told through many narrators and short chapters. It's sometimes confusing to keep track of. At times, the musings and whining of present-day Byron and Benny are frustrating because you just want to get back to Eleanor and the past.
And that is where BLACK CAKE shines. Because while this is a debut novel and it shows at times, the story really is engrossing, especially when Eleanor gets into her origin story and we learn about the Caribbean and how she became who she is. There's almost a mystery in there, and it's fascinating. We are taken back to the islands, meeting a young determined swimmer and her best friend. I love how Wilkerson weaves everything together into a touching and poignant tale that delves deep into this family's past. I was mesmerized and needed to know everything that happened. There are a lot of characters and a few false starts, but this story winds around to make sense, and it was a really beautiful and fascinating.
I received a copy of this book from Random House / Ballantine and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Things You Save in a Fire in Books
Aug 5, 2019
Cassie Hanwell is a great firefighter. She loves her job in Austin, Texas and her friendly crew. Cassie's life is shaped by a series of events that occurred on her sixteenth birthday, including her mother leaving her and her father. Now she stays clearly in her comfort zone. That zone includes work, work, and more work. No relationships, no real attachments to anyone, a strong resistance to forgiving her mother, and definitely not love. But when her mom calls Cassie and asks her to move to Boston to help her--due to an illness--Cassie has to leave that comfort zone. Big time. She has to go live with her mother, whom she barely knows anymore. She has to leave behind her progressive Austin crew and work with a group of guys in Boston who are appalled at the thought of a "lady" on their crew. Except for one guy, the new rookie, who has no problem with Cassie. And Cassie doesn't mind being around him. At all. In fact she even likes it. But love isn't in Cassie's vocabulary, and even if it was, everyone knows firefighters don't date other firefighters. Right?
"I'd structured my life around routine, and safety, and order. Feelings were a lot of trouble. I avoided them as much as possible."
I really enjoyed Katherine Center's previous book, How to Walk Away, so I was excited to read this one. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much (though I enjoyed the little link between the two), but it is a cute read. I have to admit, there were times in this one when things seemed a little too saccharine for my cynical self. I know, I know, that's terrible, especially when things aren't always light and breezy for Cassie and friends in this book. I think it's something only sarcastic folks like myself will understand.
In fact, this book is a really interesting blend between dark and quite light and fluffy. Cassie has a dark past, as does the rookie, Owen, but a lot of the book is Cassie just repeating that she won't ever love anyone or date a firefighter. I think we all know where this is leading...
However, the book is really funny at times, and it's very easy to like Cassie. She's incredibly tough and brave, and she gives all the guys a run for their money. The book makes some great points on sexism, and I always enjoy a chance to watch a tough girl beat some boys at their own game. And I have to admit I enjoyed (okay, identified with) some of her anti-social tendencies.
"Human connection had its upsides, but it sure was a lot of work. The risk-reward ratio was low, at best."
There's also a good supporting cast from Cassie's mom and her mom's best friend. For me, this one picked up in the last fourth or so, when everything seemed to really come together. There's a moment when it all just clicks, and I found myself laughing and grinning a lot. That part made it all worth reading for me.
Overall, it took me some time to warm up to this book--much like it took Cassie a while to warm up to Massachusetts. But she's an engaging, tough character, and her story is one of resilience, even if there are a lot of really sweet, almost too-perfect moments too. You can pretty much tell how the story is going to play out, but it's a fun, cute read. 3.5 stars.
"I'd structured my life around routine, and safety, and order. Feelings were a lot of trouble. I avoided them as much as possible."
I really enjoyed Katherine Center's previous book, How to Walk Away, so I was excited to read this one. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much (though I enjoyed the little link between the two), but it is a cute read. I have to admit, there were times in this one when things seemed a little too saccharine for my cynical self. I know, I know, that's terrible, especially when things aren't always light and breezy for Cassie and friends in this book. I think it's something only sarcastic folks like myself will understand.
In fact, this book is a really interesting blend between dark and quite light and fluffy. Cassie has a dark past, as does the rookie, Owen, but a lot of the book is Cassie just repeating that she won't ever love anyone or date a firefighter. I think we all know where this is leading...
However, the book is really funny at times, and it's very easy to like Cassie. She's incredibly tough and brave, and she gives all the guys a run for their money. The book makes some great points on sexism, and I always enjoy a chance to watch a tough girl beat some boys at their own game. And I have to admit I enjoyed (okay, identified with) some of her anti-social tendencies.
"Human connection had its upsides, but it sure was a lot of work. The risk-reward ratio was low, at best."
There's also a good supporting cast from Cassie's mom and her mom's best friend. For me, this one picked up in the last fourth or so, when everything seemed to really come together. There's a moment when it all just clicks, and I found myself laughing and grinning a lot. That part made it all worth reading for me.
Overall, it took me some time to warm up to this book--much like it took Cassie a while to warm up to Massachusetts. But she's an engaging, tough character, and her story is one of resilience, even if there are a lot of really sweet, almost too-perfect moments too. You can pretty much tell how the story is going to play out, but it's a fun, cute read. 3.5 stars.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020 (Updated Nov 1, 2020)
Not Much More Than The Same Goofy Undead Routine
Contains spoilers, click to show
This movie was pretty entertaining when I saw it in theaters but I was more than a little disappointed in the movie as a whole, especially when it was 10 years in the making, and because of how much I loved the original movie. As I mentioned above this movie started off strong with the introduction about how the zombies were changing or evolving. The 3 types were: Homers, which were so dumb they were almost not a threat, Hawkings, which were smarter than the average zombie, and Ninjas, which are the silent and stealthy types. The whole montage of them whooping zombie ass on the lawn of the White House was awesome too. The movie was going smooth to be but I didn't like how the plot felt recycled because of the girls leaving them and stealing their car just like the first one. I can see a lot of people being annoyed with the dumb blonde character Madison, but to me her scenes were generally pretty funny and I couldn't help but bust out laughing with that seat belt scene. The one character that I never really liked in the movie was Avan Jogia's character Berkeley. He was just a plot device that got the story moving and never really did anything except be a pacifist hippie who played the guitar and the love interest for Little Rock. She totally winds up stealing the car from Wichita and leaving her stranded. A lot of the movie I think probably sounded better on paper then it wound up coming out in the film. Like for example the new type of zombie called the T-800's (after the terminator) were tougher to kill, they showed how it dodge bullets like Neo from Matrix and even took a lot of bullets and kept on going until it had it's head smashed in. But the movie lost at lot of those good things along the way. The Homers come out again in a few scenes, they mention a Hawking but it didn't really do anything special, and they never showed a ninja. Also the T-800's who were so un-killable earlier are shown to be easily killable later. When the gang is at the hippie strong hold Babylon, which in itself is ridiculous, they do a plan to take out the horde of T-800's coming their way. There is a part where they are being swarmed by them and they have no weapons other than melee ones and are easily killing all the T-800s around them. Yeah the whole hippie stronghold place was a big stretch for me too. I mean it had walls to protected them and rules for new people like no guns (which they confiscate and melt), but there's no way they could be there for 10 years with no weapons surviving in the zombie apocalypse. Just like the character Madison surviving in the mall living in a freezer in Pinkberry for 10 years. It's just a lot of the logic went out the window. But still it was an above average zombie movie and that's why I give it a 6/10.
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Treasure Planet (2002) in Movies
Jun 6, 2017
A fun take on the classic Treasure Island tale (1 more)
A very gripping story with a lot of heart
(Personal opinion) I'm not a huge fan of 'space' pirates (1 more)
Predictable even without knowing the story
A fun film for the family
This is probably only the 3rd time I've seen this film in my life. I'm currently reading the classic novel 'Treasure Island' written by Robert Louis Stevenson, and I wanted to watch something similar to it, without watching the actual adaptations of the same name as I do not wish to spoil the events of the few chapters I have not yet read. I knew that Treasure Planet was different in many ways and so I knew it wouldn't be completely true to the story.
So, I would describe Treasure Planet to someone by saying "Think of space pirates, all of whom are different weird looking species of aliens, and a cyborg with one young human looking character who's a stereotypical rebellious teen, even including a history of trespassing with his hover board (referencing a skateboarding rebellious teen).
The film has a lot of connections to the source material with it's story, such as names, and roles within the story, but it has a lot of it's own to offer. As a Disney film you expect certain aspects with the story, and you know what's going to happen moments before it happens, which might take away some of the entertainment factor for some, but if you don't mind it, then it's a decent film. Adapting the classic tale and setting it in space, gives the writers a lot of freedom to make the characters look and act how they want. There's a spider like character, a cat humanoid, a dog humanoid, frog humanoids, a character who appears to be made of stone, and John Silver himself, known in the story for having one leg, actually has robotic replacements for his left side. He has a robotic leg, arm and eye, which add to his somewhat villainous appearance and attitude.
The voice cast for the film is good and each character certainly seems to sound how they look, and when there are the heart filled moments as there are in every Disney film, it really hits you and makes you sympathize with the characters.
Overall this would be a fun film to watch with the kids, and if you grew up with Disney, as I'm sure most people have, but you haven't seen this, I recommend at least giving it a chance. If you don't like it, it's understandable, but it is a fun take on Treasure Island, and the pirate theme as a whole.
So, I would describe Treasure Planet to someone by saying "Think of space pirates, all of whom are different weird looking species of aliens, and a cyborg with one young human looking character who's a stereotypical rebellious teen, even including a history of trespassing with his hover board (referencing a skateboarding rebellious teen).
The film has a lot of connections to the source material with it's story, such as names, and roles within the story, but it has a lot of it's own to offer. As a Disney film you expect certain aspects with the story, and you know what's going to happen moments before it happens, which might take away some of the entertainment factor for some, but if you don't mind it, then it's a decent film. Adapting the classic tale and setting it in space, gives the writers a lot of freedom to make the characters look and act how they want. There's a spider like character, a cat humanoid, a dog humanoid, frog humanoids, a character who appears to be made of stone, and John Silver himself, known in the story for having one leg, actually has robotic replacements for his left side. He has a robotic leg, arm and eye, which add to his somewhat villainous appearance and attitude.
The voice cast for the film is good and each character certainly seems to sound how they look, and when there are the heart filled moments as there are in every Disney film, it really hits you and makes you sympathize with the characters.
Overall this would be a fun film to watch with the kids, and if you grew up with Disney, as I'm sure most people have, but you haven't seen this, I recommend at least giving it a chance. If you don't like it, it's understandable, but it is a fun take on Treasure Island, and the pirate theme as a whole.
Cthulhu (5 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Layers of Fear in Video Games
Sep 2, 2018
Disturbing Story (2 more)
Easy movement mechanics
Appealing creepy visuals
Not that scary (2 more)
Too easy
Cliché at times
Good Plot and Visuals, but not that Scary
Contains spoilers, click to show
When I started this game, I was expecting really good quality scares. Unfortunately, this game did not really "scare" me. It was mostly just pop scares with some loud creepy noises here and there. I don't mind a few pop scares, but I was hoping for more creative ways to get scared from a game. The game adds a lot of creepy whispers, running baby dolls, and lights that mysteriously go out-- which was all a bit too cliché for me. *Spoiler- you only see the main "ghost" a few times and I wish there were most instances where it was included.*
Now onto the good part. While the game didn't scare me, I found the plot and ending to be very surprising. It was definitely creative and something new I haven't seen in a game before. You have to pay attention to all readable items and you have to piece it together, but once you figure out what's going on, it's pretty messed up- which is exactly what I was looking for!
The game's mechanics, movements, and how you get around feels a lot like the game PT. I really loved PT and I enjoyed how this game made a similar feel. Every room is different and you don't know what's going to be in it. Most rooms you have to solve puzzles to get to the next one. Some of the puzzles felt a bit too easy for me, but I didn't really mind too much since there were a lot of rooms to get through. I wish some were a bit harder though. Movement wise, there's no fighting and it's all walk and interact with an object here and there. I enjoyed it since it let me focus on the story.
Visually, I liked how creepy the atmosphere was. It was interesting because while a lot of what you saw was "gross looking", there were bits of color and beauty in it from the dad being an artist. I thought the game was beautiful just from that aspect. I loved finding the art in all of the creepy surroundings. Sometimes it got a bit repetitive-- a pretty normal looking room then the next room is all destroyed and in shambles, but for the most part it was interesting to look at.
Overall I really did enjoy this game. It was fun to play for the plot and the visuals, but I wouldn't necessarily play it for the scares or the puzzles. This game is probably for you though if you do like pop scares.
Now onto the good part. While the game didn't scare me, I found the plot and ending to be very surprising. It was definitely creative and something new I haven't seen in a game before. You have to pay attention to all readable items and you have to piece it together, but once you figure out what's going on, it's pretty messed up- which is exactly what I was looking for!
The game's mechanics, movements, and how you get around feels a lot like the game PT. I really loved PT and I enjoyed how this game made a similar feel. Every room is different and you don't know what's going to be in it. Most rooms you have to solve puzzles to get to the next one. Some of the puzzles felt a bit too easy for me, but I didn't really mind too much since there were a lot of rooms to get through. I wish some were a bit harder though. Movement wise, there's no fighting and it's all walk and interact with an object here and there. I enjoyed it since it let me focus on the story.
Visually, I liked how creepy the atmosphere was. It was interesting because while a lot of what you saw was "gross looking", there were bits of color and beauty in it from the dad being an artist. I thought the game was beautiful just from that aspect. I loved finding the art in all of the creepy surroundings. Sometimes it got a bit repetitive-- a pretty normal looking room then the next room is all destroyed and in shambles, but for the most part it was interesting to look at.
Overall I really did enjoy this game. It was fun to play for the plot and the visuals, but I wouldn't necessarily play it for the scares or the puzzles. This game is probably for you though if you do like pop scares.
Lee (2222 KP) rated A Discovery of Witches - Season 1 in TV
Nov 8, 2018 (Updated Nov 8, 2018)
Bit of a slow burn, some good potential though.
A Discovery of Witches is based on the first book of the 'All Souls Trilogy', by Deborah Harkness. We're in a world where witches, vampires and demons all live among us, carrying out normal human jobs and duties. Obviously these creatures are all aware of each other, and it becomes clear that there is a long, complex and very tense history between them all. While us humans remain blissfully unaware.
The show begins in Oxford, England with Diana Bishop (Teresa Palmer), a witch working as a historian. While carrying out research in the local library she discovers a book which had long been considered missing, and mysteriously only shows itself to Diana. It's return triggers a lot of interest within the supernatural community and she finds herself attracting a lot of unwanted attention, beginning with Matthew Clairmont (Matthew Goode), a local geneticist and vampire. They eventually forge a romantic relationship and begin working together to try and solve the mysteries within the book.
My wife absolutely loves this show and looking at some of the reviews for it on IMDB I know I'm in the minority here, but I mostly found A Discovery Of Witches to be a bit dull. The whole thing is very stylishly done, highlighting Oxford as the beautiful city it is, and we also spend a lot of time in Venice, and various other exotic international locations. But it's the slow burn and the characters themselves that didn't really do it for me. The vampires are mostly moody, throwing their weight around and showing off their lightning speed and reactions along with their heightened senses. The witches are generally wise and supposedly more powerful, but rarely exhibit any more power than setting something on fire, rattling something, or making it a bit windy to the point where people get knocked off their feet. And the demons... well, the demons don't really seem to do anything at all, acting and appearing just like normal humans throughout the entire show. There's a lot of dodgy acting, and as much as I've loved Teresa Palmer in other roles prior to this, I don't really feel she's well suited here. It's all just slow burn and forbidden love. Twilight, but with grown-ups and less special effects.
It's just been granted another two seasons, so I'm definitely in the minority with my opinions. To be fair though, there have been some enjoyable moments, and I'm certainly interested in the direction the show appeared to be heading in. The finale cliffhanger definitely opened up some fun and interesting potential for next season too.
The show begins in Oxford, England with Diana Bishop (Teresa Palmer), a witch working as a historian. While carrying out research in the local library she discovers a book which had long been considered missing, and mysteriously only shows itself to Diana. It's return triggers a lot of interest within the supernatural community and she finds herself attracting a lot of unwanted attention, beginning with Matthew Clairmont (Matthew Goode), a local geneticist and vampire. They eventually forge a romantic relationship and begin working together to try and solve the mysteries within the book.
My wife absolutely loves this show and looking at some of the reviews for it on IMDB I know I'm in the minority here, but I mostly found A Discovery Of Witches to be a bit dull. The whole thing is very stylishly done, highlighting Oxford as the beautiful city it is, and we also spend a lot of time in Venice, and various other exotic international locations. But it's the slow burn and the characters themselves that didn't really do it for me. The vampires are mostly moody, throwing their weight around and showing off their lightning speed and reactions along with their heightened senses. The witches are generally wise and supposedly more powerful, but rarely exhibit any more power than setting something on fire, rattling something, or making it a bit windy to the point where people get knocked off their feet. And the demons... well, the demons don't really seem to do anything at all, acting and appearing just like normal humans throughout the entire show. There's a lot of dodgy acting, and as much as I've loved Teresa Palmer in other roles prior to this, I don't really feel she's well suited here. It's all just slow burn and forbidden love. Twilight, but with grown-ups and less special effects.
It's just been granted another two seasons, so I'm definitely in the minority with my opinions. To be fair though, there have been some enjoyable moments, and I'm certainly interested in the direction the show appeared to be heading in. The finale cliffhanger definitely opened up some fun and interesting potential for next season too.
