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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018) in Movies
Feb 18, 2020 (Updated Feb 18, 2020)
Tangled
I love the american verison of "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo". And even the Swedish series was good. But i like the american verison better. So what about this film, its dull. It cant live up to the pervious film/series. I give Clarie Foy credit she was good as Lisbeth, but both Noomi Rapace and Rooney Mara were both excellent as Lisbeth and Clarie was a step down from them. She was the only good part of this film. The plot, the supporting charcters, the twist, the action were all dull and cant live up to the pervious movies.
The plot: Fired from the National Security Agency, Frans Balder recruits hacker Lisbeth Salander to steal FireWall, a computer programme that can access codes for nuclear weapons worldwide. The download soon draws attention from an NSA agent who traces the activity to Stockholm. Further problems arise when Russian thugs take Lisbeth's laptop and kidnap a math whiz who can make FireWall work. Now, Lisbeth and an unlikely ally must race against time to save the boy and recover the codes to avert disaster.
So this film acts as both a soft-reboot and a sequel to David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Which is confusing cause in the film Lisbeth already knows Mikael and has alredy a realtionship with him. Which was confusing to me and still is.
Also this film came out seven years later from "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo". For those who dont know, in December 2011, Fincher stated that the creative team involved planned to film the sequels The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest, "back to back. There was an announced release date of 2013 for a film version of The Girl Who Played with Fire, although by August 2012 it was delayed due to changes being done to the script, being written by Steven Zaillian. The following year, Fincher stated that a script for The Girl that Played with Fire had been written and that it was "extremely different from the book," and that "despite the long delay, he was confident that the film would be made given that the studio already has spent millions of dollars on the rights and the script". And than in 2015, their just decided to reboot the franchise and by 2017, their decided to have a whole new cast.
I whould of loved to see David Fincher's verison of "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest". Cause like i said Rooney Mara was excellent as Lisbeth and Daniel Craig as excellent as Mikeal.
So overall is movie was dull and didnt live up to its pervious movies.
The plot: Fired from the National Security Agency, Frans Balder recruits hacker Lisbeth Salander to steal FireWall, a computer programme that can access codes for nuclear weapons worldwide. The download soon draws attention from an NSA agent who traces the activity to Stockholm. Further problems arise when Russian thugs take Lisbeth's laptop and kidnap a math whiz who can make FireWall work. Now, Lisbeth and an unlikely ally must race against time to save the boy and recover the codes to avert disaster.
So this film acts as both a soft-reboot and a sequel to David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Which is confusing cause in the film Lisbeth already knows Mikael and has alredy a realtionship with him. Which was confusing to me and still is.
Also this film came out seven years later from "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo". For those who dont know, in December 2011, Fincher stated that the creative team involved planned to film the sequels The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest, "back to back. There was an announced release date of 2013 for a film version of The Girl Who Played with Fire, although by August 2012 it was delayed due to changes being done to the script, being written by Steven Zaillian. The following year, Fincher stated that a script for The Girl that Played with Fire had been written and that it was "extremely different from the book," and that "despite the long delay, he was confident that the film would be made given that the studio already has spent millions of dollars on the rights and the script". And than in 2015, their just decided to reboot the franchise and by 2017, their decided to have a whole new cast.
I whould of loved to see David Fincher's verison of "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest". Cause like i said Rooney Mara was excellent as Lisbeth and Daniel Craig as excellent as Mikeal.
So overall is movie was dull and didnt live up to its pervious movies.
RavenclawPrincess913 (253 KP) rated A Multitude of Dreams in Books
Sep 10, 2023
Favorite book of this year
Title: A Multitude of dreams
Author: Mara Rutherford
My favorite read of the year would be A Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford. In the beginning of this book it takes place during the after math of a horrible plague called the Mori Roja which basically causes the patient to bleed out and die. Only ways people can survive the mori Roja are to die and be reborn, never come in contact with the plague or be immune.
Princess Imogen of Goslind has been locked in the palace with many other higher born citizens for the past four years during the plague she wants to be set free same with many others but the king will not allow that. After Nico impersonating a prince shows up they quickly learn being locked up is what helped them survive so long but it is no longer possible when the food runs out.
When Nico realizes that Lord Crane is a reborn and learns of his plans he decided to impersonate a prince who died on his way to meet the princess for a marriage agreement. He died by a reborn. He does this to try to warn and save the people of the palace but he has no success when Lord Crane and other reborns invade the palace killing many.
This being the best book I read of 2023 I am having a hard time choosing just one part I loved the most in it. I did enjoy that Princess Giselle got the karma that was coming for her it was one hundred percent deserved. The story was really well written and extremely hard to put down. Another part I loved were all the moments between Jocelyn and Princess Imogen. Honestly only part of this book I disliked was that Jocelyn and Imogen didn't end up together. I thought they would because they were giving off more that friend vibes with the kisses and stuff.
When it comes to the characters my favorites were Jocelyn and Princess Imogen. I loved them from the beginning. One character who gave bad vibes and I knew couldn't be trust was Lord Crane. I could just tell there was something up with him. On the other hand Nico and Colin were both very trustworthy from the beginning. I didn't like Giselle, Henry or Branson either. Princess Giselle I could tell she was a backstabber. Henry I could tell he had an alternative motive and couldn't be trusted. Same with Branson. This book had a very good character development.
I recommend reading this if books based during or after a plague interests you. I also recommend if you enjoy books about vampires.
Author: Mara Rutherford
My favorite read of the year would be A Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford. In the beginning of this book it takes place during the after math of a horrible plague called the Mori Roja which basically causes the patient to bleed out and die. Only ways people can survive the mori Roja are to die and be reborn, never come in contact with the plague or be immune.
Princess Imogen of Goslind has been locked in the palace with many other higher born citizens for the past four years during the plague she wants to be set free same with many others but the king will not allow that. After Nico impersonating a prince shows up they quickly learn being locked up is what helped them survive so long but it is no longer possible when the food runs out.
When Nico realizes that Lord Crane is a reborn and learns of his plans he decided to impersonate a prince who died on his way to meet the princess for a marriage agreement. He died by a reborn. He does this to try to warn and save the people of the palace but he has no success when Lord Crane and other reborns invade the palace killing many.
This being the best book I read of 2023 I am having a hard time choosing just one part I loved the most in it. I did enjoy that Princess Giselle got the karma that was coming for her it was one hundred percent deserved. The story was really well written and extremely hard to put down. Another part I loved were all the moments between Jocelyn and Princess Imogen. Honestly only part of this book I disliked was that Jocelyn and Imogen didn't end up together. I thought they would because they were giving off more that friend vibes with the kisses and stuff.
When it comes to the characters my favorites were Jocelyn and Princess Imogen. I loved them from the beginning. One character who gave bad vibes and I knew couldn't be trust was Lord Crane. I could just tell there was something up with him. On the other hand Nico and Colin were both very trustworthy from the beginning. I didn't like Giselle, Henry or Branson either. Princess Giselle I could tell she was a backstabber. Henry I could tell he had an alternative motive and couldn't be trusted. Same with Branson. This book had a very good character development.
I recommend reading this if books based during or after a plague interests you. I also recommend if you enjoy books about vampires.
Lee (2222 KP) rated The Incredibles 2 (2018) in Movies
Jul 16, 2018 (Updated Jul 17, 2018)
Worthy sequel, although a bit patchy in places
Contains spoilers, click to show
It's hard to believe that the original Incredibles movie is now 14 years old. It was, and still is, a fun, original and highly enjoyable superhero movie that was always deserving of a sequel. I re-watched it recently with my daughter who had never seen it, and despite it's age, and the fact that we've now had a decade of non-stop Marvel superhero movies since it was made, it still holds up 'incredibly' well.
The sequel picks up right where the original finished off, with The Incredibles battling supervillain The Underminer. It's the first of many impressive battle sequence, and does a good job of reminding us of the skills and abilities of each individual family member, not to mention how well they all work together as a team. The advances in animation quality over the last 14 years are obvious, while still managing to retain the unique look and feel of the original.
Unfortunately, the Parr's attempts to save the city don't quite go to plan, leading once again to their helpfulness being questioned by the US Government. They find themselves in a motel, contemplating their futures, until they are approached by Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk). He claims that the public have only seen the negative side of superheroes that is portrayed by the government, and wants to provide microscopic cameras embedded within the superhero costumes so that they can capture what they see. By showing the hero's side of the story, Winston plans to generate enough good publicity to start winning over the general public once again and hopefully reverse the law that makes superheroes illegal. Elastigirl is chosen to kick things off, largely due to the minimal government damage she's likely to cause in comparison to her husband! As a result, Mr Incredible is left at home to care for the kids, while Elastigirl is out having fun and saving the world.
The domestic comedy with Mr Incredible stuck at home is just brilliant. Not only does he have to try and get to grips with 'New Math' homework for son Dash, but also with daughter Violet and her boyfriend trouble. Not to mention the discovery that baby Jack-Jack has a set of impressive and highly unpredictable superpowers of his own. Meanwhile, the plan involving Elastigirl is working so well, that plans to make superheroes legal again get underway. But then mysterious new villain Screenslaver begins causing hypnotic chaos around town, and the family must band together once again in order to save the day.
Aside from the impressive action, and the hilarious scenes involving Jack-Jack, the rest of the movie in comparison does feel a little flat in places. In my opinion it falls slightly short of matching the original, although still a highly enjoyable and worthy sequel.
The sequel picks up right where the original finished off, with The Incredibles battling supervillain The Underminer. It's the first of many impressive battle sequence, and does a good job of reminding us of the skills and abilities of each individual family member, not to mention how well they all work together as a team. The advances in animation quality over the last 14 years are obvious, while still managing to retain the unique look and feel of the original.
Unfortunately, the Parr's attempts to save the city don't quite go to plan, leading once again to their helpfulness being questioned by the US Government. They find themselves in a motel, contemplating their futures, until they are approached by Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk). He claims that the public have only seen the negative side of superheroes that is portrayed by the government, and wants to provide microscopic cameras embedded within the superhero costumes so that they can capture what they see. By showing the hero's side of the story, Winston plans to generate enough good publicity to start winning over the general public once again and hopefully reverse the law that makes superheroes illegal. Elastigirl is chosen to kick things off, largely due to the minimal government damage she's likely to cause in comparison to her husband! As a result, Mr Incredible is left at home to care for the kids, while Elastigirl is out having fun and saving the world.
The domestic comedy with Mr Incredible stuck at home is just brilliant. Not only does he have to try and get to grips with 'New Math' homework for son Dash, but also with daughter Violet and her boyfriend trouble. Not to mention the discovery that baby Jack-Jack has a set of impressive and highly unpredictable superpowers of his own. Meanwhile, the plan involving Elastigirl is working so well, that plans to make superheroes legal again get underway. But then mysterious new villain Screenslaver begins causing hypnotic chaos around town, and the family must band together once again in order to save the day.
Aside from the impressive action, and the hilarious scenes involving Jack-Jack, the rest of the movie in comparison does feel a little flat in places. In my opinion it falls slightly short of matching the original, although still a highly enjoyable and worthy sequel.
BookwormLea (3034 KP) rated Down a Dark Hall (2018) in Movies
Jul 26, 2020
Movie? Not great. Concept? Fabulous!
Contains spoilers, click to show
So I wouldn't call this a good horror. Maybe a passable thriller or drama??? Just the usual possession and strange happenings in a secluded school. (If you're looking for a better version of a similar thing, i recommend The Silenced.)
The general plot is that after her father dies when she's young, Katherine slowly becomes the stereotypical angry teen who lets the world know she hates it by letting it burn. She gets made to go to therapy after claiming she sees her father (which she does, because we watched his spirit say goodbye). She is invited to Blackwood. A mysteriously remote mansion home to 6 even more mysterious teachers, including Madame Duret, the headmistress. Kat is joined by 4 other girls of a seemingly lost cause. Duret calls them 'gifted' and 'misunderstood'. They are taught the usual lessons, Maths and English, music and art. And with the exception of Veronica (the literal definition of teenage nightmare) they all seem to excel at one thing in particular. Our lead girl Kat, music, specifically piano. She is taught by Durets son, Jules. Everything seems to be going well, one girl paints like a prodigy, another writes poems that could rock Shakespeares world, Kat does her piano thing rivalling Mozart and the last (who could basically still be in the role of Esther in Orphan) is solving maths problems that could save the world. That is until they start seeing shadows of people who aren't there, voices in their heads and they physically can't stop doing what they are gifted at, to the point where they don't eat or leave their rooms. After finding old files of other girls in similar situations who died, Kat and Veronica try to do something about it. Veronica is taken away and Kat is suddenly a Piano prodigy, almost possessed by the greats themselves. Yeah 'almost'. Because that's exactly what happened. They have been used as vessels for history's greatest men and women, who died too soon. How fantastic is that? If this movie was made better, that is a brilliant plot! But of course everything goes bad, just like their ghosts, the girls start dropping like flies, Poem girl kills herself, Painter literally starves herself, and crazy math girl is on the verge of escaping when she becomes enthralled in the beauty of the flames. Flames caused by Kat when she saves Veronica from being possessed by some weird demon thing who really doesn't get explained. They almost get out. Duret gets possseded and burned by the spirits she conjured. All the teachers die and Jules is crushed when he saves Kat. Of course there has to be surviors so Kat and Veronica get out, where on the brink of death, Kat sees her father again who makes her come back to life after she tries to go with him.
Overall, not a terrible movie, but if it had been made better, would probably be one of my favourite plots ever!
The general plot is that after her father dies when she's young, Katherine slowly becomes the stereotypical angry teen who lets the world know she hates it by letting it burn. She gets made to go to therapy after claiming she sees her father (which she does, because we watched his spirit say goodbye). She is invited to Blackwood. A mysteriously remote mansion home to 6 even more mysterious teachers, including Madame Duret, the headmistress. Kat is joined by 4 other girls of a seemingly lost cause. Duret calls them 'gifted' and 'misunderstood'. They are taught the usual lessons, Maths and English, music and art. And with the exception of Veronica (the literal definition of teenage nightmare) they all seem to excel at one thing in particular. Our lead girl Kat, music, specifically piano. She is taught by Durets son, Jules. Everything seems to be going well, one girl paints like a prodigy, another writes poems that could rock Shakespeares world, Kat does her piano thing rivalling Mozart and the last (who could basically still be in the role of Esther in Orphan) is solving maths problems that could save the world. That is until they start seeing shadows of people who aren't there, voices in their heads and they physically can't stop doing what they are gifted at, to the point where they don't eat or leave their rooms. After finding old files of other girls in similar situations who died, Kat and Veronica try to do something about it. Veronica is taken away and Kat is suddenly a Piano prodigy, almost possessed by the greats themselves. Yeah 'almost'. Because that's exactly what happened. They have been used as vessels for history's greatest men and women, who died too soon. How fantastic is that? If this movie was made better, that is a brilliant plot! But of course everything goes bad, just like their ghosts, the girls start dropping like flies, Poem girl kills herself, Painter literally starves herself, and crazy math girl is on the verge of escaping when she becomes enthralled in the beauty of the flames. Flames caused by Kat when she saves Veronica from being possessed by some weird demon thing who really doesn't get explained. They almost get out. Duret gets possseded and burned by the spirits she conjured. All the teachers die and Jules is crushed when he saves Kat. Of course there has to be surviors so Kat and Veronica get out, where on the brink of death, Kat sees her father again who makes her come back to life after she tries to go with him.
Overall, not a terrible movie, but if it had been made better, would probably be one of my favourite plots ever!
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Neverland Wars (The Neverland Wars, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>I suppose one DNF wasn’t enough and the universe had to be cruel enough for me to DNF two books in a row last year, including <em>The Neverland Wars</em>.
It’s a horrible, horrible curse to have. *sigh* This might have been payback for having a good reading streak. (I swear, I tried my best to suffer through <a href="https://thenovelistics.blogspot.com/2017/11/27-hours-by-tristina-wright-arc-review.html">27 Hours</a> and this one, but it <em>DID NOT HAPPEN</em>.)
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Why You Should Skip Past <em>The Neverland Wars</em> and Never Look Back</strong></h2>
<p style="text-align: left;">Granted if you can deal with the things I found annoying, I won’t stop you, but I found so many issues in <em>The Neverland Wars</em> that I just couldn’t continue past the point I actually finished (which was 10% I think…).
Actually, props to you.
<h3><strong>Gwen is so unemotional</strong></h3>
She’s more unemotional than ME! And I’ve been told I’m very cold, but I’m secretly a soft and fuzzy bean who is sensitive and emotional. But Gwen… Gwen is <em>robotic</em> - she doesn’t care about makeup, clothes, school, math, etc. etc. You can’t be that impassive, can you? Or can you.
Honestly, about 5% and onward I wanted to throw a shit pillow at Gwen and ask DO YOU CARE ABOUT ANYTHING. WHAT IS WORTH YOUR TIME.
Also yes, I’m shouting into the void… because it’s what I would do to Gwen probably.
<h3><strong>Weird descriptions</strong></h3>
There is this one paragraph or two about hormones and tiny bugs and while it might be really accurate, I quote Elena: IT’S STRANGE. (You're likely to find this in a book excerpt somewhere.)
<h3><strong>“Gwen found herself wondering if skin-tight jeans and sex on the beach really were supposed to be the height of teenage ambition.”</strong></h3>
Honestly, this whole quote is an entire reason because first of all, teenagers are not all about sex. Second, sex isn’t necessarily done on a beach (and there’s all that sand…). Third, as a teenager, I preferred loose pants that were warm and comfy. Fourth, sex and skin-tight jeans are not the height of teenage ambition. In fact, this is extremely false.
<h3><strong>The amount of repetition</strong></h3>
I get it, Gwen doesn’t care about anything. She has no emotion. She doesn’t like makeup, she doesn’t like school (I think?), she doesn’t like anything! Big whoop. There was a certain point in the book that I started counting exactly how many times in how many ways Gwen was telling us how she didn’t care or how she found it unnecessary, etc. etc.
<h3><strong>Gwen just cared about one thing</strong></h3>
If Gwen ever showed signs of caring about something or someone, it was fantasizing over a crush. (And wait for it… he’s Mr. Most Popular Boy at School. Why am I not surprised?)
I wish I could have enjoyed <em>The Neverland Wars</em>, but that’s not happening. On the bright side, at least all of my reads of 2017 had some pretty covers.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/neverland-wars-by-audrey-greathouse/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
It’s a horrible, horrible curse to have. *sigh* This might have been payback for having a good reading streak. (I swear, I tried my best to suffer through <a href="https://thenovelistics.blogspot.com/2017/11/27-hours-by-tristina-wright-arc-review.html">27 Hours</a> and this one, but it <em>DID NOT HAPPEN</em>.)
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Why You Should Skip Past <em>The Neverland Wars</em> and Never Look Back</strong></h2>
<p style="text-align: left;">Granted if you can deal with the things I found annoying, I won’t stop you, but I found so many issues in <em>The Neverland Wars</em> that I just couldn’t continue past the point I actually finished (which was 10% I think…).
Actually, props to you.
<h3><strong>Gwen is so unemotional</strong></h3>
She’s more unemotional than ME! And I’ve been told I’m very cold, but I’m secretly a soft and fuzzy bean who is sensitive and emotional. But Gwen… Gwen is <em>robotic</em> - she doesn’t care about makeup, clothes, school, math, etc. etc. You can’t be that impassive, can you? Or can you.
Honestly, about 5% and onward I wanted to throw a shit pillow at Gwen and ask DO YOU CARE ABOUT ANYTHING. WHAT IS WORTH YOUR TIME.
Also yes, I’m shouting into the void… because it’s what I would do to Gwen probably.
<h3><strong>Weird descriptions</strong></h3>
There is this one paragraph or two about hormones and tiny bugs and while it might be really accurate, I quote Elena: IT’S STRANGE. (You're likely to find this in a book excerpt somewhere.)
<h3><strong>“Gwen found herself wondering if skin-tight jeans and sex on the beach really were supposed to be the height of teenage ambition.”</strong></h3>
Honestly, this whole quote is an entire reason because first of all, teenagers are not all about sex. Second, sex isn’t necessarily done on a beach (and there’s all that sand…). Third, as a teenager, I preferred loose pants that were warm and comfy. Fourth, sex and skin-tight jeans are not the height of teenage ambition. In fact, this is extremely false.
<h3><strong>The amount of repetition</strong></h3>
I get it, Gwen doesn’t care about anything. She has no emotion. She doesn’t like makeup, she doesn’t like school (I think?), she doesn’t like anything! Big whoop. There was a certain point in the book that I started counting exactly how many times in how many ways Gwen was telling us how she didn’t care or how she found it unnecessary, etc. etc.
<h3><strong>Gwen just cared about one thing</strong></h3>
If Gwen ever showed signs of caring about something or someone, it was fantasizing over a crush. (And wait for it… he’s Mr. Most Popular Boy at School. Why am I not surprised?)
I wish I could have enjoyed <em>The Neverland Wars</em>, but that’s not happening. On the bright side, at least all of my reads of 2017 had some pretty covers.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/neverland-wars-by-audrey-greathouse/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Dope (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Dope
A drug taken illegally for recreational purposes, especially marijuana or heroin.
A stupid person
A slang term meaning very good or awesome.
That is exactly what this movie is about. All three of those definitions apply equally to this brilliant film. It tells you right up front with definitions very similar to these right on the screen. Though, the application of each definition may surprise you.
Dope centers around Malcom (Shameik Moore) who, along with his friends Jib (Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons), found himself in a difficult situation after attending the birthday party for a local drug dealer. You see the trio are your typical geeks, into computers, math, science, games, have their own band (not as glamorous as you would think)… oh, and obsessed with the nineties hip-hop culture. But they live in a not so friendly neighborhood in Inglewood known as “The Bottoms”. Forced to take an alternate route home from school one afternoon, he unwittingly gets invited to a birthday party for Dom (Rakim Mayers, aka A$ap Rocky), but he is really going because of a girl, Nakia (Zoe Kravitz). While at the party, things start to go south, and Dom hides all of the “Molly” he was in the middle of selling in Malcom’s bag, unbeknownst to him. Once he finds it, Dom tells him to deliver it to a man named AJ, and that’s where all the hijinks begin.
I really don’t want to give away any more than this. The trailer only really tells half the story, and I believe that it will have more impact if you discover it yourself. Needless to say, though, it was really a fantastic movie. With Pharrell in charge of music, and Forest Whitaker and Sean Combs on board as well, the film does a great job at keeping things very original. There were many times where I could not hear the next few lines of dialogue, I was laughing so hard. And the soundtrack was incredible.
If I had to give you a frame of reference, though, think of it like this: Friday meets The Girl Next Door, with a little bit of Superbad mixed in. But the film delivers in so many great ways, and was very excellently cast. Moore did a great job of portraying that awkward geek who just got caught up in some very interesting situations. I should know, because I was there once, too. But the film has a powerful message. Showing off his love of nineties hip-hop, the film begins with Malcolm trying to get his Harvard admittance essay past his guidance counselor, but the essay is about the research to find that good day that Ice Cube talks about in his song. He was asked to write something more personal, and boy did he deliver after everything he went through following that birthday party.
I can’t truthfully say that you absolutely need to see this on the big screen. There’s nothing to really promote seeing it in theaters over at home. But, if you are looking for a good date night movie, this might be the one to see this weekend. While there were a few slow parts, the movie did keep up a good pace and was lighthearted enough to be enjoyable by all. Definitely worth checking out, but when is up to you. Know that I would definitely recommend it though, and will absolutely be picking it up for my home collection when it releases in stores.
A drug taken illegally for recreational purposes, especially marijuana or heroin.
A stupid person
A slang term meaning very good or awesome.
That is exactly what this movie is about. All three of those definitions apply equally to this brilliant film. It tells you right up front with definitions very similar to these right on the screen. Though, the application of each definition may surprise you.
Dope centers around Malcom (Shameik Moore) who, along with his friends Jib (Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons), found himself in a difficult situation after attending the birthday party for a local drug dealer. You see the trio are your typical geeks, into computers, math, science, games, have their own band (not as glamorous as you would think)… oh, and obsessed with the nineties hip-hop culture. But they live in a not so friendly neighborhood in Inglewood known as “The Bottoms”. Forced to take an alternate route home from school one afternoon, he unwittingly gets invited to a birthday party for Dom (Rakim Mayers, aka A$ap Rocky), but he is really going because of a girl, Nakia (Zoe Kravitz). While at the party, things start to go south, and Dom hides all of the “Molly” he was in the middle of selling in Malcom’s bag, unbeknownst to him. Once he finds it, Dom tells him to deliver it to a man named AJ, and that’s where all the hijinks begin.
I really don’t want to give away any more than this. The trailer only really tells half the story, and I believe that it will have more impact if you discover it yourself. Needless to say, though, it was really a fantastic movie. With Pharrell in charge of music, and Forest Whitaker and Sean Combs on board as well, the film does a great job at keeping things very original. There were many times where I could not hear the next few lines of dialogue, I was laughing so hard. And the soundtrack was incredible.
If I had to give you a frame of reference, though, think of it like this: Friday meets The Girl Next Door, with a little bit of Superbad mixed in. But the film delivers in so many great ways, and was very excellently cast. Moore did a great job of portraying that awkward geek who just got caught up in some very interesting situations. I should know, because I was there once, too. But the film has a powerful message. Showing off his love of nineties hip-hop, the film begins with Malcolm trying to get his Harvard admittance essay past his guidance counselor, but the essay is about the research to find that good day that Ice Cube talks about in his song. He was asked to write something more personal, and boy did he deliver after everything he went through following that birthday party.
I can’t truthfully say that you absolutely need to see this on the big screen. There’s nothing to really promote seeing it in theaters over at home. But, if you are looking for a good date night movie, this might be the one to see this weekend. While there were a few slow parts, the movie did keep up a good pace and was lighthearted enough to be enjoyable by all. Definitely worth checking out, but when is up to you. Know that I would definitely recommend it though, and will absolutely be picking it up for my home collection when it releases in stores.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Safe (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
I’ve returned with another movie review for y’all and it should certainly come as no surprise Whatsoever that my review covers the latest edition to Jason Statham’s growing resume of action Movies. After 3 delays for its U.S. release, “SAFE” has finally arrived.
“Safe” is first and foremost an action film as one would expect from Statham
But somehow he always seems to up his game with even better actions scenes which are brilliantly Choreographed.
Some of which will have you laughing at the ineptness of his enemies
Or to the point where you’ll cringe at the very thought of the pain the characters might be going through. But as always, it’s worth it. This time, they’ve even thrown in more of a storyline and a plot twist or two that would peak Tarentino’s interest.
From writer/director by Boaz Yakin and executive producer Kevin Spacey and producer Lawrence Bender (Of Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Bastards fame), Jason Statham stars as Luke Wright. A garbage man turned second-rate cage fighter and former NYPD officer. Upon leaving the NYPD after testifying against corrupt NYPD detectives, Luke drifts from garbage man to Mixed Martial Arts fighter.
In order to support his pregnant wife. Upon winning a fight that he was supposed to lose the bad guys decides to make an example of him by brutally murdering his wife and unborn child. If this was not bad enough, the bad guys then tell Luke that they will murder anyone he comes into contact with as is illustrated when they later kill a homeless man Luke gave his shoes to.
Meanwhile, Mei (Catherine Chan) a young math prodigy, is forced to be a ‘counter’ for a Chinese triad (in essence instead of using computers, the triad forces her to memorize everything from money for drug transactions to police payoffs etc.), in order to keep the triad from killing her mother.
Upon learning of the death of her mother, Mei escapes but with the knowledge of the entire organization retained in her memory the triad hunts her down through the streets of New York City while also trying to avoid the same thugs who terrorize Luke as they have discovered who she is and want to use everything she knows to bring down their competitors.
Luke, mourning the loss of his wife and unborn child nearly commits suicide by jumping in front of a subway when he witness Mei being chased through the subway by the same goons who killed his wife.
After realizing that he is the only one who can protect Mei, Luke begins a brutal rampage through New York City battling all who stand in the way and pose a threat to Mei.
To sum up the movie briefly it is Grand Theft Auto meets “The Transporter” in New York City
minus the sex, drugs, and the modified Audi with the V-12 rocket engine.
There are plenty of shootouts, fight scenes, car chases, in even some intrigue to keep you thinking. A most excellent movie if you’re looking to take a break from the sunny weather and take refuge in a cool air-conditioned movie theater as the film is more than worth spending your hard earned cash on.
“Safe” is first and foremost an action film as one would expect from Statham
But somehow he always seems to up his game with even better actions scenes which are brilliantly Choreographed.
Some of which will have you laughing at the ineptness of his enemies
Or to the point where you’ll cringe at the very thought of the pain the characters might be going through. But as always, it’s worth it. This time, they’ve even thrown in more of a storyline and a plot twist or two that would peak Tarentino’s interest.
From writer/director by Boaz Yakin and executive producer Kevin Spacey and producer Lawrence Bender (Of Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Bastards fame), Jason Statham stars as Luke Wright. A garbage man turned second-rate cage fighter and former NYPD officer. Upon leaving the NYPD after testifying against corrupt NYPD detectives, Luke drifts from garbage man to Mixed Martial Arts fighter.
In order to support his pregnant wife. Upon winning a fight that he was supposed to lose the bad guys decides to make an example of him by brutally murdering his wife and unborn child. If this was not bad enough, the bad guys then tell Luke that they will murder anyone he comes into contact with as is illustrated when they later kill a homeless man Luke gave his shoes to.
Meanwhile, Mei (Catherine Chan) a young math prodigy, is forced to be a ‘counter’ for a Chinese triad (in essence instead of using computers, the triad forces her to memorize everything from money for drug transactions to police payoffs etc.), in order to keep the triad from killing her mother.
Upon learning of the death of her mother, Mei escapes but with the knowledge of the entire organization retained in her memory the triad hunts her down through the streets of New York City while also trying to avoid the same thugs who terrorize Luke as they have discovered who she is and want to use everything she knows to bring down their competitors.
Luke, mourning the loss of his wife and unborn child nearly commits suicide by jumping in front of a subway when he witness Mei being chased through the subway by the same goons who killed his wife.
After realizing that he is the only one who can protect Mei, Luke begins a brutal rampage through New York City battling all who stand in the way and pose a threat to Mei.
To sum up the movie briefly it is Grand Theft Auto meets “The Transporter” in New York City
minus the sex, drugs, and the modified Audi with the V-12 rocket engine.
There are plenty of shootouts, fight scenes, car chases, in even some intrigue to keep you thinking. A most excellent movie if you’re looking to take a break from the sunny weather and take refuge in a cool air-conditioned movie theater as the film is more than worth spending your hard earned cash on.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Recursion in Books
Jul 15, 2019
I want to start this review by saying that science fiction isn't my usual genre that I love to read. However, I loved Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, so I decided that I'd give Recursion by Blake Crouch a read since the synopsis intrigued me. I was absolutely blown away by Recursion!
Helena, a nueroscientist is working on a chair to help people with memory loss like her mother who suffers from Alzheimer's. She has it almost all figured out, but she lacks the funding to make her dream a reality. Funding comes in the form of Marcus Slade. Together, Slade and Helena work together to create a chair that can send people back in the past and change memories. However, when people start suffering from False Memory Syndrome due to the changing of memories, Helena wants to stop. Slade won't allow it. Together with Barry, who was forced to have his memories changed, Helena will stop at nothing to stop her memory chair from being used for bad, even if it means dying again and again.
I'm not a very scientific person. (In fact, science and math were my worse subjects in school.) This book does use a lot of scientific jargon that went way over my head at times, yet I was still very intrigued. There are enough context clues to figure out what's going on without all the scientific speak. I felt the plot was solid for Recursion, and scarily enough, I could actually picture this becoming a reality in the not too distant future. Blake Crouch has a knack for writing books that seem so lifelike and in the moment. There is plenty of action in Recursion, and there's also enough mystery to make the reader wonder what is going to happen next. Due to being able to go back to different memories and plotting different outcomes, Recursion is full of little plot twists. There's no cliff hangers in this book, and all my questions were answered by the last page.
The characters in Recursion were so very lifelike! Barry reminded me at first of a dad who loved his family, especially his daughter, very much. He seems like a down to Earth guy and just very well rounded. I admired tenacity to always want to make things right. I also loved Helena's character. I loved how she was willing to do whatever it took, including death and extreme pain, to try to make things right. Helena was an extremely intelligent woman, but she wasn't conceited about it. I felt like Slade's heart was in the right place, but greed took over. I felt like Slade was the perfect antagonist, and his personality reminded me of many people in power and those with a lot of money. I enjoyed reading about each character's story in each memory. I found that to be extremely interesting.
The pacing for Recursion was perfect. This book held my attention from the very first page until the very last word in the book. Not once did I ever become bored or lost while reading this book. I was hooked from the get-go, and I couldn't wait to read more of Recursion every time I was interrupted.
Trigger warnings for Recursion include profanity, mentions of drug use, alcohol use, profanity, sexual references (non graphic), death, violence, some gore, and murder.
Overall, Recursion is quite the read! It's got a thrilling plot and memorable characters throughout! I would love to see this book made into a movie. I think it would do very well! I would definitely recommend Recursion by Blake Crouch to anyone looking for a book that will keep them hooked from the beginning. Regardless of if you're a science fiction fan or not, Recursion is the kind of book that will please any reader.
Helena, a nueroscientist is working on a chair to help people with memory loss like her mother who suffers from Alzheimer's. She has it almost all figured out, but she lacks the funding to make her dream a reality. Funding comes in the form of Marcus Slade. Together, Slade and Helena work together to create a chair that can send people back in the past and change memories. However, when people start suffering from False Memory Syndrome due to the changing of memories, Helena wants to stop. Slade won't allow it. Together with Barry, who was forced to have his memories changed, Helena will stop at nothing to stop her memory chair from being used for bad, even if it means dying again and again.
I'm not a very scientific person. (In fact, science and math were my worse subjects in school.) This book does use a lot of scientific jargon that went way over my head at times, yet I was still very intrigued. There are enough context clues to figure out what's going on without all the scientific speak. I felt the plot was solid for Recursion, and scarily enough, I could actually picture this becoming a reality in the not too distant future. Blake Crouch has a knack for writing books that seem so lifelike and in the moment. There is plenty of action in Recursion, and there's also enough mystery to make the reader wonder what is going to happen next. Due to being able to go back to different memories and plotting different outcomes, Recursion is full of little plot twists. There's no cliff hangers in this book, and all my questions were answered by the last page.
The characters in Recursion were so very lifelike! Barry reminded me at first of a dad who loved his family, especially his daughter, very much. He seems like a down to Earth guy and just very well rounded. I admired tenacity to always want to make things right. I also loved Helena's character. I loved how she was willing to do whatever it took, including death and extreme pain, to try to make things right. Helena was an extremely intelligent woman, but she wasn't conceited about it. I felt like Slade's heart was in the right place, but greed took over. I felt like Slade was the perfect antagonist, and his personality reminded me of many people in power and those with a lot of money. I enjoyed reading about each character's story in each memory. I found that to be extremely interesting.
The pacing for Recursion was perfect. This book held my attention from the very first page until the very last word in the book. Not once did I ever become bored or lost while reading this book. I was hooked from the get-go, and I couldn't wait to read more of Recursion every time I was interrupted.
Trigger warnings for Recursion include profanity, mentions of drug use, alcohol use, profanity, sexual references (non graphic), death, violence, some gore, and murder.
Overall, Recursion is quite the read! It's got a thrilling plot and memorable characters throughout! I would love to see this book made into a movie. I think it would do very well! I would definitely recommend Recursion by Blake Crouch to anyone looking for a book that will keep them hooked from the beginning. Regardless of if you're a science fiction fan or not, Recursion is the kind of book that will please any reader.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Titans in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<i>Titans</i> is amazing, I adored the book and everything that came with it, and...
I want a Titan of my own as well.... Then again, I don't have horse riding experience, so I'll probably fall straight onto the ground face first. I'll stick with those wooden sticks that only have a horse head.
Here's what I adored and loved about Victoria Scott's latest novel (this is my first time reading her works....):
<ul>
<li>Mechanical horses, and it's not just a mechanical horse for experimental purposes. The mechanical horses, known as Titans in the book are horses used for racing. They not only resemble real horses, but they have emotions as well, and that's a little scary. The Kentucky Derby just got a new twist.</li>
<li>Victoria Scott almost always has a dash of humor in her characters' dialogue. I think this takes talent.</li>
<li>I adored each and every one of the major characters in the story. And if I didn't like them at first, I loved them by the end. That says something.</li>
</ul>
We have Astrid, a girl living an extremely rough life with everything on the line and sometimes scavenging to make a living. Being able to race in the Titan Derby allows her the chance to turn her rough life around, and she is determined to do what it takes within honorable boundaries. She also has a talent with math and can probably Calculus better than I ever did.
Then there's Magnolia, Astrid's best friend since childhood with the same amount of problems as Astrid if not more. But despite all of that, there is a strong bond of friendship between the two girls and Magnolia is there for Astrid every step of the way throughout the race, encouraging and supporting her. She is also hilarious and basically makes everything seem much better than they really are.
Victoria also introduces us to Rags, one of the key players who started the whole Titans spiel for Astrid (okay, he also started the whole Titans spiel in the first place) and allowing her the opportunity to race in the derby. He's a grumpy old man who comes across as overly crabby at first, but is secretly warm, fuzzy, and grandpa-ish.
Another key player to the whole Titans spiel is Barney, and he is definitely not the purple dinosaur from childhood. Although to be honest... he certainly reminds me of Childhood Barney in a weird way.
And later completing the ensemble, Victoria eventually introduces us to Lottie, a wealthy lady who has a history with Rags and gives off an "I seem intimidating because of my status, but I'm not <em>that</em> intimidating" vibe. She is also one of the few people who has hopes for Astrid early in the races and offers to be Astrid's sponsor, along with teaching her (and Magnolia) proper etiquette among the upper classes. Lottie is almost a surrogate mother outside of Astrid's home.
But even though they are all different from each other and normally wouldn't be caught dead together, the five of them click well throughout the duration of the race, forming a lasting friendship. The combination of friendship with the aspect of mechanical horses put together makes <i>Titans</i> a fantastic read for all ages.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-titans-by-victoria-scott/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<i>Titans</i> is amazing, I adored the book and everything that came with it, and...
I want a Titan of my own as well.... Then again, I don't have horse riding experience, so I'll probably fall straight onto the ground face first. I'll stick with those wooden sticks that only have a horse head.
Here's what I adored and loved about Victoria Scott's latest novel (this is my first time reading her works....):
<ul>
<li>Mechanical horses, and it's not just a mechanical horse for experimental purposes. The mechanical horses, known as Titans in the book are horses used for racing. They not only resemble real horses, but they have emotions as well, and that's a little scary. The Kentucky Derby just got a new twist.</li>
<li>Victoria Scott almost always has a dash of humor in her characters' dialogue. I think this takes talent.</li>
<li>I adored each and every one of the major characters in the story. And if I didn't like them at first, I loved them by the end. That says something.</li>
</ul>
We have Astrid, a girl living an extremely rough life with everything on the line and sometimes scavenging to make a living. Being able to race in the Titan Derby allows her the chance to turn her rough life around, and she is determined to do what it takes within honorable boundaries. She also has a talent with math and can probably Calculus better than I ever did.
Then there's Magnolia, Astrid's best friend since childhood with the same amount of problems as Astrid if not more. But despite all of that, there is a strong bond of friendship between the two girls and Magnolia is there for Astrid every step of the way throughout the race, encouraging and supporting her. She is also hilarious and basically makes everything seem much better than they really are.
Victoria also introduces us to Rags, one of the key players who started the whole Titans spiel for Astrid (okay, he also started the whole Titans spiel in the first place) and allowing her the opportunity to race in the derby. He's a grumpy old man who comes across as overly crabby at first, but is secretly warm, fuzzy, and grandpa-ish.
Another key player to the whole Titans spiel is Barney, and he is definitely not the purple dinosaur from childhood. Although to be honest... he certainly reminds me of Childhood Barney in a weird way.
And later completing the ensemble, Victoria eventually introduces us to Lottie, a wealthy lady who has a history with Rags and gives off an "I seem intimidating because of my status, but I'm not <em>that</em> intimidating" vibe. She is also one of the few people who has hopes for Astrid early in the races and offers to be Astrid's sponsor, along with teaching her (and Magnolia) proper etiquette among the upper classes. Lottie is almost a surrogate mother outside of Astrid's home.
But even though they are all different from each other and normally wouldn't be caught dead together, the five of them click well throughout the duration of the race, forming a lasting friendship. The combination of friendship with the aspect of mechanical horses put together makes <i>Titans</i> a fantastic read for all ages.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-titans-by-victoria-scott/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated The Incredibles 2 (2018) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
It’s hard to believe that the first Incredibles by Disney Pixar debuted all the way back in 2004, and for those of you counting that’s over 14 years ago. Featuring the vibrant animation and incredible voice acting that only Disney Pixar can offer, we find ourselves once again sharing a grand adventure with this lovable superhero family. This will be a spoiler free review so feel free to read on and prepare for a journey of epic proportions.
Not much has changed since we last left off with the original Incredibles. Superheroes are still outlawed, seemingly because the damage they cause when fighting crime is far more expensive than the actual crime itself. This is proven in the very first scene of the movie, where our crime fighting family attempts to stop a bank robbery and they end up causing more havoc and mayhem than would have occurred had they not been involved at all. It seems there isn’t a place anywhere left in the world for superheroes…or is there?
The family is then offered an opportunity to prove how important superheroes are to the world and the impact they can have on the good of humanity. This mission only needs the talents of Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) however, so Elastigirl goes off to fight crime while Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) stays back at the homestead to take care of the three kids.
As with all Pixar movies, Incredibles 2 is far more than simply a cute movie about a family of crime fighting heroes. It is about how Mr. Incredible must learn to be a hero by taking care of his family instead of fighting crime. It shows how even without a secret identity and super suit that a parent helping their kids with “new math” or reading them a bedtime story can makes them the greatest hero of all. I loved that the underlying message to this movie was that being there for your family is as equally as important as saving the town from the next evil menace.
In a similar reversal of roles, Elastigirl takes on the role of the family provider. While she excels with her superhero duties, she struggles with not always being there for her kids. For Elastigirl it’s about letting go and trusting that her husband and family can learn to manage on their own when she can’t be there. We also learn that sometimes being a hero means making sacrifices for the good of the family as a whole.
As you’d expect from any film with Pixar behind it, the animation is beautiful and colorful. I would warn those that might be sensitive to strobe lights to be a bit cautious during a few scenes. There weren’t any warnings for those who might be photosensitive, and the scenes don’t last long, but I feel it’s still important to note. As already mentioned, the voice acting is also excellent. Sarah Vowell does a great job as Violet and Huck Milner is adorable as the voice of Dash. As you might have already guessed, Samuel L. Jackson does an outstanding job at reprising his role of Frozone. Unfortunately, Frozone isn’t in the movie too much but he definitely steals any scene he is in. The story was fun, entertaining and at times downright hilarious. Even though baby Jack-Jack hasn’t been a big part of this review, he is a huge part of the movie. Jack-Jack’s emerging powers mean an even greater challenge for everyone and some of the most entertaining scenes revolve around Jack-Jack and his ever-growing list of powers.
Incredibles 2 is a heartwarming film that shows us all that heroes come in different shapes and sizes, and how important it is for everyone to come together as a family in order to succeed at life (and occasionally take down a bad guy). It’s a worthy successor to the original in every way and will certainly appeal to both young and old alike. So, gather up your own superhero family and run/fly/warp your way to see Incredibles 2 when it releases in theatres on June 15th!
Not much has changed since we last left off with the original Incredibles. Superheroes are still outlawed, seemingly because the damage they cause when fighting crime is far more expensive than the actual crime itself. This is proven in the very first scene of the movie, where our crime fighting family attempts to stop a bank robbery and they end up causing more havoc and mayhem than would have occurred had they not been involved at all. It seems there isn’t a place anywhere left in the world for superheroes…or is there?
The family is then offered an opportunity to prove how important superheroes are to the world and the impact they can have on the good of humanity. This mission only needs the talents of Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) however, so Elastigirl goes off to fight crime while Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) stays back at the homestead to take care of the three kids.
As with all Pixar movies, Incredibles 2 is far more than simply a cute movie about a family of crime fighting heroes. It is about how Mr. Incredible must learn to be a hero by taking care of his family instead of fighting crime. It shows how even without a secret identity and super suit that a parent helping their kids with “new math” or reading them a bedtime story can makes them the greatest hero of all. I loved that the underlying message to this movie was that being there for your family is as equally as important as saving the town from the next evil menace.
In a similar reversal of roles, Elastigirl takes on the role of the family provider. While she excels with her superhero duties, she struggles with not always being there for her kids. For Elastigirl it’s about letting go and trusting that her husband and family can learn to manage on their own when she can’t be there. We also learn that sometimes being a hero means making sacrifices for the good of the family as a whole.
As you’d expect from any film with Pixar behind it, the animation is beautiful and colorful. I would warn those that might be sensitive to strobe lights to be a bit cautious during a few scenes. There weren’t any warnings for those who might be photosensitive, and the scenes don’t last long, but I feel it’s still important to note. As already mentioned, the voice acting is also excellent. Sarah Vowell does a great job as Violet and Huck Milner is adorable as the voice of Dash. As you might have already guessed, Samuel L. Jackson does an outstanding job at reprising his role of Frozone. Unfortunately, Frozone isn’t in the movie too much but he definitely steals any scene he is in. The story was fun, entertaining and at times downright hilarious. Even though baby Jack-Jack hasn’t been a big part of this review, he is a huge part of the movie. Jack-Jack’s emerging powers mean an even greater challenge for everyone and some of the most entertaining scenes revolve around Jack-Jack and his ever-growing list of powers.
Incredibles 2 is a heartwarming film that shows us all that heroes come in different shapes and sizes, and how important it is for everyone to come together as a family in order to succeed at life (and occasionally take down a bad guy). It’s a worthy successor to the original in every way and will certainly appeal to both young and old alike. So, gather up your own superhero family and run/fly/warp your way to see Incredibles 2 when it releases in theatres on June 15th!