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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Time of Contempt in Books

Jun 3, 2024 (Updated Jun 3, 2024)  
Time of Contempt
Time of Contempt
Andrzej Sapkowski | 2013 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
110 of 220
Book
Time of Contempt ( Witcher 2)
By Andrzej Sapkowski
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Geralt was always going to stand out, with his white hair and piercing eyes, his cynicism and lack of respect for authority ...but he is far more than just a striking-looking man. He's a witcher; his sorcerous powers, exhanced by elixers and long training, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no orderinary murderer; his targets are the vile fiends and demons that ravage the land. But first appearance ccan often be deceptive; not everything monstrous-looking is a monster ...and even the fairest can have a bite!

Although this one was a decent read I’m finding myself getting bored with these books at a certain point, I just can’t seem to focus and lose interest. Hoped the next one will be better.
  
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
2016 | Sci-Fi, Thriller
Somewhat misleading but thrilling nonetheless
It’s best to start off this review as honest as possible. If you’re expecting a fully-fledged sequel or even a prequel to Matt Reeves’ brilliant monster horror, Cloverfield in 10 Cloverfield Lane, you’ll be very disappointed.

But, if you’re expecting a superbly written, well-acted and claustrophobic thriller, then this is definitely the film for you. Dan Trachtenberg, who makes his directorial debut with this feature, has crafted a taut film that has no real connection with the 2008 hit. So is it as good?

10 Cloverfield Lane follows Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as she embarks on a new chapter in her life after a break-up. Unfortunately, a car crash leaves her seriously injured and unconscious. After waking up in an underground bunker, she meets her saviour in Howard (John Goodman), and as the story progresses, Michelle and fellow resident Emmett, try to make a bid for freedom.

The performances by the cast of three are terrific with Winstead coming on leaps and bounds since her role in Final Destination 3 and John Goodman is absolutely incredible. Cloverfield utilised its monster very well, but Goodman is more than a match with a simple shaking of his fists – his booming voice and burly frame mean he was a perfect casting choice and a human as psychotic as Howard is infinitely more terrifying to me than any monster.

It’s all very Hitchcockian, claustrophobic and exceptionally tense. Director Dan Trachtenberg has a real eye for the smaller details and the underground bunker setting is the perfect location to craft this kind of film. The use of jagged camera angles and low shots help aid the enclosed feeling and you can’t help but become panicked with Michelle, as she desperately tries to figure out a way to freedom.

After the bloated mess of London Has Fallen and the overlong Allegiant, it’s nice to see a film that doesn’t dwell more than it needs to. At 103 minutes, 10 Cloverfield Lane is relatively short and all the better for it. Despite only having three characters and being confined to a few small rooms for the majority of the running time, it never drags or becomes dull.

Unfortunately, the final third unravels a little of this good work, coming across like the ending to a completely different film; but Trachtenberg’s ideas and reasoning behind the finale are clear throughout, despite the lack of connection to the two acts that preceded it.

Overall, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a smart and well-thought out thriller that is related to Cloverfield in name only. That’s no bad thing, as the film we are left with is one of the best directorial debuts in years, even though its muddled ending leaves somewhat of a sour taste.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/03/20/somewhat-misleading-but-thrilling-nonetheless-10-cloverfield-lane-review/
  
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Cloverfield (2008) in Movies

Aug 13, 2019 (Updated Aug 19, 2019)  
Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield (2008)
2008 | Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Cloverfield is a rare beast - it's a genuinely quality movie experience, but another aspect that truly sets it apart is it's infamous marketing, which I'll talk about first.

I remember the trailer for Cloverfield debuting. A first person 'found footage' style camera angle, watching a group of people at a party, when suddenly, a distant explosion rocks the building. As they all head to the roof to see whats going on, flaming debris is hurled towards them. They run to the street just in time the see the Statue of Liberty's fricking torn off head slam to the street as screaming echoes all around and then the trailer ends with a release date. Not title or any further info. It was fantastic.
The internet lit up with rumours, from Godzilla to Pokemon (!?) as fake websites we're set up left and right, providing small clues to what was coming.

I went to see Cloverfield on release day, completely unsure of what I was about to see, and it was pretty awesome.

The film itself lived up to the hype for me, as New York is attacked by an unknown monster. It's tense and all of the then-unknown leads sell the panic and terror very well, in a post 9/11 world.
We are drip fed glimpses of the monster (there's one particular shot where they see it from a collapsing skyscraper that is really quite chilling) in a smart move that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.
The concept of 'found footage' isn't anything new in this day and age, but Cloverfield does something with it that feels fresh and thrilling.

The film ends rather abruptly, leaving you feeling like you've just been caught in stampede or something,
And ultimately leaves the audience with more questions than answers to the excellent marketing campaign.

It's different and deserves your attention.
  
Money Monster (2016)
Money Monster (2016)
2016 | Drama
6
6.1 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Growing up, whenever a political or economic scandal was featured on the news, my father would utter the words, “Follow the money.” This phrase was made famous by “Deep Throat” during the Watergate scandal that eventually brought down the Nixon Administration. In the film Money Monster which stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts, this is a question that we start to ask ourselves as a financial investment show is taken captive by a disgruntled investor while it is airing live.

Clooney, who serves as the show’s host, quickly finds himself in the middle of a storm of tension and deception as he and his captor try to discover what happened to over $800 million in investments. The film itself is sufficient as an overview for satisfying our need for some sense of understanding at how corrupt and unstable the financial industry can be. Through much of the film, I found myself wondering about how many people wanted these same answers in 2008 during the financial market meltdowns and the collapse of the housing markets. The film approaches this anger that hit the American working class, but do not delve deeper than the superficial issues and discontent. There is a major lack of depth and this might be a metaphor for the industry itself that is built on confusion, misdirection, and a lack of substance. The plot is simplistic and does not allow for any surprises or twists.

It is a very straightforward movie where a flawed character wants answers. He wants closure. He wants to bring to justice the people who ruined the lives of countless Americans and took advantage of their desire to experience the American Dream. Despite the lack of complexity and a few holes in the storytelling, Money Monster provides a few laughs and leaves the audience asking questions about how deep the problems and corruption may be within our financial system nearly 8 years after the collapse. It makes us want to “follow the money” in the hopes that we will find answers.
  
    Beach Buggy Blitz

    Beach Buggy Blitz

    Games

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    "Beach Buggy Blitz is an absolute triumph in iOS racing and will keep players glued to the screen" -...

Prey
Prey
2017 | Action/Adventure
Enemy design (0 more)
Like if Ken Levine made a Dishonored game
I’m still surprised this game actually made it to release. Developed by Arkane, (the same studio behind the Dishonored games,) and published by Bethesda, this game finally made it onto store shelves after around a decade spent in development hell and while it may not have been worth that 10 year wait, there is a decent game here. The trailers made this out to be a horror game along the lines of Dead Space, but really it’s closer to Bioshock or System Shock 2. If you liked Ken Levine’s games, there is a clear inspiration from them seen here. The game was created using the same engine and art style to Dishonored, so while it’s not the best looking game to come out this year, the art style is still kind of cool. The monster design could have been more varied, but this is still a fun, sci-fi adventure and definitely worth playing through.