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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated AVP - Alien Vs. Predator (2004) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
For over a decade fans of the “Alien” and “Predator” films series have been tempted by various rumors regarding a proposed film that would match the two titans in an epic onscreen clash to determine who is the ultimate Sci-Fi bad guy.
Sadly none of the rumors panned out as one script after another was rejected ranging from issues over proposed budgets in excess of $200 million to lack of a human character dynamic. Fans continued to follow the series in the only ways that they could, comics, books, and games all the while hoping that someday a film would come.
Thankfully the wait is over as “Alien VS Predator” has come to fruition under the guidance of writer/director Paul Anderson who has an impressive science fiction track record with “Event Horizon” and “Resident Evil” amongst his credits. While some fans debated if Anderson was the right person for the project, few can dispute his passion for the series.
The film stars Lance Henriksen as Billionaire Charles Weyland, who discovers a large pyramid beneath the ice in Antarctica thanks to one of his satellites. Knowing that this could be the find of a lifetime, Weyland assembles a team of drillers, archeologists, climbers, and support personal and rushes to the harsh location to investigate the location before any other interested parties can discover his find and claim it for themselves.
Upon arriving at the location, the team discovers a massive pyramid that shows connections to all of the other pyramids on earth causing the team to believe that they have proof that the pyramids of earth were influenced by an outside culture whom the natives worshipped.
The presence of human remains in a sacrificial chamber only helps to strengthen this belief and the team continues to explore the pyramid to see what other grand treasures lay within. Upon arrival, the team has unknowingly awakened a captive alien queen from stasis and long dormant machines awaken and begin harvesting the eggs from the captive queen, Each egg is filled with a deadly face hugger that will not only kill the host it attaches itself to, but will produce an alien who is as deadly as it is relentless.
As if this was not bad enough for the team, a ship enters earth orbit and a landing craft of young predator males hurries to the pyramid. The predators are aware of the human’s presence and arrive ready for battle. It is learned that the predators use the aliens as a coming of age ritual as they are very deadly and seen as a worthy test of a young males worth.
Before long, the humans are caught in nightmare come to life as Weyland, his guide Lex (Sanaa Lathan), and the rest of the team are caught in the middle of a deadly battle between the aliens and predators with death and destruction all around them. The team has no idea what the creatures are, but they know that they are very deadly and their dwindling numbers only underscores this fact and their need to escape from the pyramid, which has become like a gigantic puzzle as it is constantly reconfiguring itself causing passages that were once wide open to become blocked.
To compound the peril of the situation, the team is 2000 ft below the ice and a storm is raging on the surface making the escape and elements as deadly as the bizarre creatures.
“AVP” combines the old-fashioned monster and haunted house movies of old to create a thrilling blend of action and Science fiction that is sure to delight fans. My biggest fault with the film was that it was not long enough as the 100 minute running time passed quickly and I was left wanting even more as good as the action sequences were I had hoped that there would be more of them. The film is also light on scares and tension as Anderson seems to have decided that the audience for this film would know about the title creatures already so time did not need to be spent on reintroductions.
The action sequences in the film are solid and they had the audience in my press screener cheering loudly and often as the two cinematic titans waged war. The pacing of the film is brisk and the lighting and visuals of the film are used well to create the atmosphere, I found the sequences were flashlights and laser sites probed the dark areas of the pyramid to be fascinating to watch as the eerie glow was appropriate to the mood of the film.
True the film does not have much in the way of complex plot, character development, or much for the cast to do other than be middlemen to the title creatures, but Anderson stays true to the source material and delivers a solid tale the largely protects the continuity of the “Alien” series and paves the way for future installments.
While some may find issue with the toned down nature of the films violence compared to others in the series, I found that I was still able to enjoy the film and I am sure a rematch between the title characters is something fans everywhere will be waiting for.
Sadly none of the rumors panned out as one script after another was rejected ranging from issues over proposed budgets in excess of $200 million to lack of a human character dynamic. Fans continued to follow the series in the only ways that they could, comics, books, and games all the while hoping that someday a film would come.
Thankfully the wait is over as “Alien VS Predator” has come to fruition under the guidance of writer/director Paul Anderson who has an impressive science fiction track record with “Event Horizon” and “Resident Evil” amongst his credits. While some fans debated if Anderson was the right person for the project, few can dispute his passion for the series.
The film stars Lance Henriksen as Billionaire Charles Weyland, who discovers a large pyramid beneath the ice in Antarctica thanks to one of his satellites. Knowing that this could be the find of a lifetime, Weyland assembles a team of drillers, archeologists, climbers, and support personal and rushes to the harsh location to investigate the location before any other interested parties can discover his find and claim it for themselves.
Upon arriving at the location, the team discovers a massive pyramid that shows connections to all of the other pyramids on earth causing the team to believe that they have proof that the pyramids of earth were influenced by an outside culture whom the natives worshipped.
The presence of human remains in a sacrificial chamber only helps to strengthen this belief and the team continues to explore the pyramid to see what other grand treasures lay within. Upon arrival, the team has unknowingly awakened a captive alien queen from stasis and long dormant machines awaken and begin harvesting the eggs from the captive queen, Each egg is filled with a deadly face hugger that will not only kill the host it attaches itself to, but will produce an alien who is as deadly as it is relentless.
As if this was not bad enough for the team, a ship enters earth orbit and a landing craft of young predator males hurries to the pyramid. The predators are aware of the human’s presence and arrive ready for battle. It is learned that the predators use the aliens as a coming of age ritual as they are very deadly and seen as a worthy test of a young males worth.
Before long, the humans are caught in nightmare come to life as Weyland, his guide Lex (Sanaa Lathan), and the rest of the team are caught in the middle of a deadly battle between the aliens and predators with death and destruction all around them. The team has no idea what the creatures are, but they know that they are very deadly and their dwindling numbers only underscores this fact and their need to escape from the pyramid, which has become like a gigantic puzzle as it is constantly reconfiguring itself causing passages that were once wide open to become blocked.
To compound the peril of the situation, the team is 2000 ft below the ice and a storm is raging on the surface making the escape and elements as deadly as the bizarre creatures.
“AVP” combines the old-fashioned monster and haunted house movies of old to create a thrilling blend of action and Science fiction that is sure to delight fans. My biggest fault with the film was that it was not long enough as the 100 minute running time passed quickly and I was left wanting even more as good as the action sequences were I had hoped that there would be more of them. The film is also light on scares and tension as Anderson seems to have decided that the audience for this film would know about the title creatures already so time did not need to be spent on reintroductions.
The action sequences in the film are solid and they had the audience in my press screener cheering loudly and often as the two cinematic titans waged war. The pacing of the film is brisk and the lighting and visuals of the film are used well to create the atmosphere, I found the sequences were flashlights and laser sites probed the dark areas of the pyramid to be fascinating to watch as the eerie glow was appropriate to the mood of the film.
True the film does not have much in the way of complex plot, character development, or much for the cast to do other than be middlemen to the title creatures, but Anderson stays true to the source material and delivers a solid tale the largely protects the continuity of the “Alien” series and paves the way for future installments.
While some may find issue with the toned down nature of the films violence compared to others in the series, I found that I was still able to enjoy the film and I am sure a rematch between the title characters is something fans everywhere will be waiting for.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Overlord (2018) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
June 6, 1944 is the day known around the world as D-Day. This historic day marks the massive invasion of France by the allied forces in an effort to regain the country from the hands of Germany and push back the mighty German war machine all the way to Berlin. There have been many movies, books, and even videogames about the invasion over the years, so even the biggest war buffs might be wondering…really, they made yet another movie about D-Day? Well, the movie Overlord is quite a bit different from anything we have even seen previously. This movie is still about Operation Overlord but does not focus on the amphibious assault and instead shows us the missions leading up to it. Still not unique enough for you? Well, in Overlord we have all the battles, weaponry and Nazis of an excellent war film but in true J.J. Abrams fashion we now also have ZOMBIES!
Overlord focuses on a small unit tasked to take out a radio tower atop a church in a small village in France. The unit led by Corporal Ford (Wyatt Russell) and comprised of fresh out of paratrooper training Privates Boyce (Jovan Adepo), Rosenfeld (Dominic Applewhite) and Tibbet (John Magaro) are the only survivors of the doomed mission, but understand that if they do not complete it, then the allied invasion will be without crucial air support. During their trek to the church they meet a young French woman from the village named Chloe (Mathilde Ollivier) who offers to accompany them and assist in taking out the radio tower.
When the ragtag team reach the village, it immediately becomes apparent that everything is not as it should be. They go to Chloe’s house to formulate their plan and are greeted by howling and grunting coming from a closed door down the hallway. Chloe states that her aunt also lives in the house and is very “sick” after being taken to the church by a German soldier. At the same time, through a series of unfortunate events, Private Boyce discovers a brutal laboratory where other villagers are also being made “sick”.
For those who have seen the preview of Overlord and expect it to be war-based horror movie may be a little disappointed. While there certainly are horrific events, and plenty of scenes fighting the undead, Overlord is much more about the atrocities that the Nazi regime inflicted on innocents in an effort to purse the 1000-year-old Reich. J.J. Abrams spins a tale about how a small group of dedicated soldiers can pull out the impossible, even when there are hordes of Nazi soldiers and undead monsters standing in their way and does this in a spectacular and very believable way. The movie seems far more realistic than it should considering we are talking about zombie soldiers, but the events unfold as if they could actually happen. The movie is less The Walking Dead and more Saving Private Ryan, focusing not so much on the undead creatures themselves, but more the experimentation and mad-scientist efforts to create the ultimate super soldier. The story was outstanding and how they depicted everything from the soldiers to the zombies was top notch.
The movie is beautifully shot, standing tall next to other war epics such as Saving Private Ryan or Dunkirk. Even though the main plot of the film isn’t the invasion itself, it goes to astonishing detail to show how massive the invasion truly was. The opening scene is both epic and terrifying and the horrors of war are explored throughout. The acting was also superb, leading you to immediately care about the team and root for their success in the mission.
If it is not already clear, I absolutely loved this movie! They did a masterful job of blending the war/horror genre in such a way, that it never overly feels like one versus the other. It’s an action packed, edge of your seat thriller, with just enough jump scares included to remind you that it is billed as a horror movie. Overlord is a very unique take on an unfortunate time in history and it is one of the best movies I’ve seen in 2018.
Overlord focuses on a small unit tasked to take out a radio tower atop a church in a small village in France. The unit led by Corporal Ford (Wyatt Russell) and comprised of fresh out of paratrooper training Privates Boyce (Jovan Adepo), Rosenfeld (Dominic Applewhite) and Tibbet (John Magaro) are the only survivors of the doomed mission, but understand that if they do not complete it, then the allied invasion will be without crucial air support. During their trek to the church they meet a young French woman from the village named Chloe (Mathilde Ollivier) who offers to accompany them and assist in taking out the radio tower.
When the ragtag team reach the village, it immediately becomes apparent that everything is not as it should be. They go to Chloe’s house to formulate their plan and are greeted by howling and grunting coming from a closed door down the hallway. Chloe states that her aunt also lives in the house and is very “sick” after being taken to the church by a German soldier. At the same time, through a series of unfortunate events, Private Boyce discovers a brutal laboratory where other villagers are also being made “sick”.
For those who have seen the preview of Overlord and expect it to be war-based horror movie may be a little disappointed. While there certainly are horrific events, and plenty of scenes fighting the undead, Overlord is much more about the atrocities that the Nazi regime inflicted on innocents in an effort to purse the 1000-year-old Reich. J.J. Abrams spins a tale about how a small group of dedicated soldiers can pull out the impossible, even when there are hordes of Nazi soldiers and undead monsters standing in their way and does this in a spectacular and very believable way. The movie seems far more realistic than it should considering we are talking about zombie soldiers, but the events unfold as if they could actually happen. The movie is less The Walking Dead and more Saving Private Ryan, focusing not so much on the undead creatures themselves, but more the experimentation and mad-scientist efforts to create the ultimate super soldier. The story was outstanding and how they depicted everything from the soldiers to the zombies was top notch.
The movie is beautifully shot, standing tall next to other war epics such as Saving Private Ryan or Dunkirk. Even though the main plot of the film isn’t the invasion itself, it goes to astonishing detail to show how massive the invasion truly was. The opening scene is both epic and terrifying and the horrors of war are explored throughout. The acting was also superb, leading you to immediately care about the team and root for their success in the mission.
If it is not already clear, I absolutely loved this movie! They did a masterful job of blending the war/horror genre in such a way, that it never overly feels like one versus the other. It’s an action packed, edge of your seat thriller, with just enough jump scares included to remind you that it is billed as a horror movie. Overlord is a very unique take on an unfortunate time in history and it is one of the best movies I’ve seen in 2018.
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Emory Jones loves two things: horror movies and Connor Nichols. For the past four years, Emory,...
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Last Wish in Books
Aug 3, 2020
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#0.5 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3150137897">The Last Wish</a> - ★★★★
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Book-Review-Banner-59.png"/>;
For me, The Last Wish is the perfect introduction to start the Witcher series and meet Geralt of Rivia.
<b>Synopsis</b>
The Last Wish is the prequel to the Witcher series. In this book we are introduced to Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher - a man whose magic powers and strength training made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin.
However, Geralt is not an ordinary killer. He hunts the monsters that bring fear to people and creatures that attack the innocent.
But not everything is as seems, as some monsters are not evil, and not everything fair is good. In every fairy tale, there is a pinch of truth.
<b>My Thoughts:</b>
I loved the introduction of Geralt in this book. I have known Geralt from the video games, and then I watched the TV Show. Usually I am more attracted to the book characters rather than a movies/TV Show character, and this was no different. Even though, I have to admit that the video games and the TV Show are also extraordinary, when it comes to their characters. Geralt in this book is vivid and brave, and I was happy to follow him on the various adventures he went on.
The book is written in multiple chapters, each containing a call for a quest, and the following chapter containing the quest itself. Each quest is a completely different topic, all featuring Geralt, and many side characters joining him as we move along in the story.
Each chapter was magical on its own, and we get to meet various stories. We meet a girl that turned to a striga because of a curse. We encounter a beast hidden in a castle, a story that resembles the Beauty and the Beast. There are also stories that resemble the Snow White and Cinderella, all significantly darker and much more graphic in their retellings. I love how the author took those storylines and managed to create something much more sinister and cruel. Some of the stories also reminded me of the traditional Slavic folk tales, which brought back some nice feelings from my childhood too.
The last few chapters were the ones I enjoyed the most. Especially the moment when we get to meet Yennefer for the very first time. I cannot wait to read more about her in the books.
A truly beautiful and adventurous fantasy novel by Andrzej Sapkowski and published by Gollancz. I definitely recommend The Last Wish.
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#0.5 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3150137897">The Last Wish</a> - ★★★★
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Book-Review-Banner-59.png"/>;
For me, The Last Wish is the perfect introduction to start the Witcher series and meet Geralt of Rivia.
<b>Synopsis</b>
The Last Wish is the prequel to the Witcher series. In this book we are introduced to Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher - a man whose magic powers and strength training made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin.
However, Geralt is not an ordinary killer. He hunts the monsters that bring fear to people and creatures that attack the innocent.
But not everything is as seems, as some monsters are not evil, and not everything fair is good. In every fairy tale, there is a pinch of truth.
<b>My Thoughts:</b>
I loved the introduction of Geralt in this book. I have known Geralt from the video games, and then I watched the TV Show. Usually I am more attracted to the book characters rather than a movies/TV Show character, and this was no different. Even though, I have to admit that the video games and the TV Show are also extraordinary, when it comes to their characters. Geralt in this book is vivid and brave, and I was happy to follow him on the various adventures he went on.
The book is written in multiple chapters, each containing a call for a quest, and the following chapter containing the quest itself. Each quest is a completely different topic, all featuring Geralt, and many side characters joining him as we move along in the story.
Each chapter was magical on its own, and we get to meet various stories. We meet a girl that turned to a striga because of a curse. We encounter a beast hidden in a castle, a story that resembles the Beauty and the Beast. There are also stories that resemble the Snow White and Cinderella, all significantly darker and much more graphic in their retellings. I love how the author took those storylines and managed to create something much more sinister and cruel. Some of the stories also reminded me of the traditional Slavic folk tales, which brought back some nice feelings from my childhood too.
The last few chapters were the ones I enjoyed the most. Especially the moment when we get to meet Yennefer for the very first time. I cannot wait to read more about her in the books.
A truly beautiful and adventurous fantasy novel by Andrzej Sapkowski and published by Gollancz. I definitely recommend The Last Wish.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated It: Chapter Two (2019) in Movies
Sep 13, 2019
I’ve always been a fan of Stephen King movies, even some of those that were not particularly good or well received. For someone who is a fan you think that would inspire me to pick up at least one of his books to get a feel for what the author truly intended over the stripped down,
“Hollywood-ised” versions. I can’t put my finger on why I haven’t, it’s not because the size of many of his novels are daunting, it’s more that as a reader I’m just not a horror book fan. So when it comes to sitting in on a Stephen king movie I have to rely on the story by it’s modified merits then to compare and contrast what IT does well (or not).
Like many before me, my first movie experience of IT was the classic mini-series featuring an incredibly creepy (and non-CGI’d version) of Pennywise portrayed by the extremely talented Tim Curry.
I even went out and purchased the mini-series before I went to see the first chapter of the remake of IT, just to see how those two compared. IT: Chapter One introduced us in great depth to the teens of the original losers club. A group of misfits, who went on their own personal crusade to attack and kill the nefarious clown while saving one of their own. A strong pact was formed and an oath sworn that if IT ever returned to Derry that the group would once again join together to put a stop to IT for good.
IT: Chapter Two picks up 27 years later, the group has moved on with their lives, all except Mike (Isaiah Mustafa as an adult and Chosen Jacobs as a younger version) who has felt a sense of responsibility to watch over the town and research how to kill IT if IT were to ever return. A horrific killing of an adult at the fair and subsequent disappearances of children alert Mike that the plague that has befallen Derry for generations has returned to feed. Mike reaches out to each of the losers reminding them that something they have all feared has come to pass.
Each when notified experience a fear that is indescribable yet for some reason the groups memories of the past have become clouded.
The now adult losers (with several flashbacks featuring the original cast) come together to remind themselves of the past, and the pact they made to protect the future. Featuring a star studded cast, Mike, Bill (James McAvoy/Jaeden Martell), Beverly (Jessica Chastain/Sophia Lillis), Ben (Jay Ryan/Jeremy Ray Taylor), Richie (Bill Hader/Finn Wolfhard), Eddie (James Ransone/Jack Dylan Grazer) and Stanley (Andy Bean/Wyatt Oleff), must battle their lost memories, their fears and the very real danger if they are to save Derry and themselves.
IT: Chapter 2 continues the incredible character building that Chapter 1 began. Where each of the young actors were perfectly cast as their book counterparts, their adult versions could easily be mistaken for the grown-up versions. This is the area where IT shines the most, the story of the losers who have grown and moved away, yet still share the unescapable bond of friendship. While an older Bill struggles (much like Stephen King himself) to come up with good endings to his stories it’s what he writes at the end of IT: Chapter 2 that really sums up the movie as a whole. To summarize, there are no good friends or bad friends, there are only friends, and chapter 2 is an example of how you take a band of misfits and turn them into heroes.
Sadly, for all the things IT does from a character side, it tends to drag on and over CGI its monster side. Pennywise the clown (portrayed brilliantly by Bill Skarsgård) brings with him all the creepiness and fear that the movie needs, even posters of his maniacal self is promoting lawsuits in other countries due to his ability to scare small children. So, it seems a bit disheartening that the studio felt it was necessary to go overboard with their CGI budgets. Many scenes go from being creepy and scary to simply being silly when our favorite clown is turned into a giant naked hag like figure. This is where I felt the mini-series did a far better job, due to its limited budget and shorter time requirements it allowed for the viewers to imagine the evil and not see it thrown out for the world to see.
IT: Chapter 2 also drags out far longer than it needed to. Make sure you get your bathroom breaks in, because the film, not counting previews, is just about 10 minutes shy of being three hours. I’m normally not one to complain about the length of a movie, as I’d rather they tell the story they want instead of trying to compress it into a shorter run time. However, in this case, it seemed entirely wasted on an overabundance of clown mutations and an extremely drawn out final battle. It’s unfortunate, because one of the most unused (and potentially interesting characters) Henry Bowers (Teach Grant/Nicholas Hamilton) is given only a few minutes of screen time and ultimately adds nothing to the movie as a whole. As I stated earlier, I haven’t read the novel, but I have to assume that he played a far bigger role in the book.
As it stands in the movie, his character is both unnecessary and completely ineffective at whatever he was attempting to do. I think some of the time taken away from the battle scenes to flesh out his (or other supporting characters) would have be time better spent.
IT: Chapter 2 is a good movie, that with some reduced special effects and better time management is just shy of being a great movie. The story of the kids, now grown up, is one of forgiveness, bravery and love. It shows how true friendship can overcome distance and time and that those things never truly vanish, even if the particulars of what separated you in the first place is a bit fuzzy. Horror movies with outrageous budgets tend to lose the spirit of what makes a true horror movie scary…it’s rarely about the effects, and more about the imagination.
That’s what makes the books typically so much better than the movies, after all, each one of us imagines our own version of what truly scares us (although clowns tend to be scary regardless of how they are portrayed). IT: Chapter 2 provides a satisfying ending to a story that began a few years ago, it suffers a bit from its budget and its use of CGI effects, but it’s still a story of what all of us losers can accomplish if we band together.
“Hollywood-ised” versions. I can’t put my finger on why I haven’t, it’s not because the size of many of his novels are daunting, it’s more that as a reader I’m just not a horror book fan. So when it comes to sitting in on a Stephen king movie I have to rely on the story by it’s modified merits then to compare and contrast what IT does well (or not).
Like many before me, my first movie experience of IT was the classic mini-series featuring an incredibly creepy (and non-CGI’d version) of Pennywise portrayed by the extremely talented Tim Curry.
I even went out and purchased the mini-series before I went to see the first chapter of the remake of IT, just to see how those two compared. IT: Chapter One introduced us in great depth to the teens of the original losers club. A group of misfits, who went on their own personal crusade to attack and kill the nefarious clown while saving one of their own. A strong pact was formed and an oath sworn that if IT ever returned to Derry that the group would once again join together to put a stop to IT for good.
IT: Chapter Two picks up 27 years later, the group has moved on with their lives, all except Mike (Isaiah Mustafa as an adult and Chosen Jacobs as a younger version) who has felt a sense of responsibility to watch over the town and research how to kill IT if IT were to ever return. A horrific killing of an adult at the fair and subsequent disappearances of children alert Mike that the plague that has befallen Derry for generations has returned to feed. Mike reaches out to each of the losers reminding them that something they have all feared has come to pass.
Each when notified experience a fear that is indescribable yet for some reason the groups memories of the past have become clouded.
The now adult losers (with several flashbacks featuring the original cast) come together to remind themselves of the past, and the pact they made to protect the future. Featuring a star studded cast, Mike, Bill (James McAvoy/Jaeden Martell), Beverly (Jessica Chastain/Sophia Lillis), Ben (Jay Ryan/Jeremy Ray Taylor), Richie (Bill Hader/Finn Wolfhard), Eddie (James Ransone/Jack Dylan Grazer) and Stanley (Andy Bean/Wyatt Oleff), must battle their lost memories, their fears and the very real danger if they are to save Derry and themselves.
IT: Chapter 2 continues the incredible character building that Chapter 1 began. Where each of the young actors were perfectly cast as their book counterparts, their adult versions could easily be mistaken for the grown-up versions. This is the area where IT shines the most, the story of the losers who have grown and moved away, yet still share the unescapable bond of friendship. While an older Bill struggles (much like Stephen King himself) to come up with good endings to his stories it’s what he writes at the end of IT: Chapter 2 that really sums up the movie as a whole. To summarize, there are no good friends or bad friends, there are only friends, and chapter 2 is an example of how you take a band of misfits and turn them into heroes.
Sadly, for all the things IT does from a character side, it tends to drag on and over CGI its monster side. Pennywise the clown (portrayed brilliantly by Bill Skarsgård) brings with him all the creepiness and fear that the movie needs, even posters of his maniacal self is promoting lawsuits in other countries due to his ability to scare small children. So, it seems a bit disheartening that the studio felt it was necessary to go overboard with their CGI budgets. Many scenes go from being creepy and scary to simply being silly when our favorite clown is turned into a giant naked hag like figure. This is where I felt the mini-series did a far better job, due to its limited budget and shorter time requirements it allowed for the viewers to imagine the evil and not see it thrown out for the world to see.
IT: Chapter 2 also drags out far longer than it needed to. Make sure you get your bathroom breaks in, because the film, not counting previews, is just about 10 minutes shy of being three hours. I’m normally not one to complain about the length of a movie, as I’d rather they tell the story they want instead of trying to compress it into a shorter run time. However, in this case, it seemed entirely wasted on an overabundance of clown mutations and an extremely drawn out final battle. It’s unfortunate, because one of the most unused (and potentially interesting characters) Henry Bowers (Teach Grant/Nicholas Hamilton) is given only a few minutes of screen time and ultimately adds nothing to the movie as a whole. As I stated earlier, I haven’t read the novel, but I have to assume that he played a far bigger role in the book.
As it stands in the movie, his character is both unnecessary and completely ineffective at whatever he was attempting to do. I think some of the time taken away from the battle scenes to flesh out his (or other supporting characters) would have be time better spent.
IT: Chapter 2 is a good movie, that with some reduced special effects and better time management is just shy of being a great movie. The story of the kids, now grown up, is one of forgiveness, bravery and love. It shows how true friendship can overcome distance and time and that those things never truly vanish, even if the particulars of what separated you in the first place is a bit fuzzy. Horror movies with outrageous budgets tend to lose the spirit of what makes a true horror movie scary…it’s rarely about the effects, and more about the imagination.
That’s what makes the books typically so much better than the movies, after all, each one of us imagines our own version of what truly scares us (although clowns tend to be scary regardless of how they are portrayed). IT: Chapter 2 provides a satisfying ending to a story that began a few years ago, it suffers a bit from its budget and its use of CGI effects, but it’s still a story of what all of us losers can accomplish if we band together.
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Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Climax (2018) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Does it satisfy?
#climax is a highly #depressing character study/a stomach churning look into darker human traits. As a huge #gasparnoe #fan I know his work is often dissmissed for being vulgar, #discusting, explicit, grotesque & pretentious but I actually find him to be a master of portraying human #emotion, relationships, #sex & #violence truthfully, realisticly & passionatly on screen. Climax is no diffrent & a fantastic mash up of #horror & #musical with such raw style/talent its hard not to get lost in its harsh madness. We are introduced to a diverse range or characters all with intricatly woven personalities & surrounded by books/movies that give us as an insite into Noes inspirations as a film maker & a taste of whats to come later. We learn from this that every one has thier own fears/problems, is searching for happines or has pent up anger, #fetishes, predatory traits, innocence, #passion, #lust or desires. They all also seem to use #dance as an escape, a display of emotion/personality, to make a statement or to evolve, #empower or rebell too. What follows is a simple story of what happens when #drugs are added in to this mix. Kind of like a messed up social experiment the #drugs highten personslity traits, magnify social problems & intensify eratic behaviours/emotions sending people spiriling out of cotroll. Just watching this group self distruct is nausiating & gaspar manages to filp from #happy into an atmospheric, unnerving real life horror movie with terrifying situations many of us have actually experienced before. Filmed in long takes & acompanied by such an impressive soundtrack & #beautiful cinimatohraphy the work gone into this film is simply stunning & much like a flawless dance routine itself. Sex plays a big part here too & as the dancers frequently use #sex/#sexually to express themselves we start to see the likening of dance to the act of vilolence as the #sexual tension ramps up with things like #trust, temptation, jelousy, infatuation, #passion, aression, manipulation, betrayal & animalistic urges present in both acts. A stunningly intricate piece of work that left my #heart pounding/my emotions attacked proving again that Gaspar really is an #artist.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Chocolat (Chocolat #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I have lost count of the number of times I have watched the movie that is based off of this book, so I figured it was time for me to read the book. Like most movies based on books, the movie is only about half true to the book. In this case though, that did not really bother me.
Joanne Harris has a way of writing that has me savoring every word like one of Vianne Rocher's fine chunks of dark chocolate. What I would have given for a few recipes of the dishes she served in La Celeste Praline, especially the pots of chocolate that were served as frequently as coffee. The descriptions of the various confectioneries and even the non-chocolate dishes were detailed with a light touch, so that I never felt too overwhelmed -- but I still wanted to dive into the pages all the same.
All of the characters, large parts and small, were unique and original, even down to the quirky preferences and hidden burdens. I could easily relate to Armande's attraction to the color red and her unrefined mannerisms, as well as Guillaume's indulgence of his pet dog. So many of the characters could pass for people that I encounter every day -- from Roux's skepticism to Josephine's renewed independence to Caro's need to control. These characters will stay with me for a long time.
Probably the most interesting character, aside from Vianne Rocher, is the town's priest, Pere Reynaud. Like most of the rest of the town, he masks inner demons and makes up for them with his profession of choice. Though those inner torments are slowly revealed through the course of the book, I don't feel that his story was completely resolved, or that he even experienced any true character growth.
Vianne Rocher is certainly the most creative character in the book, both easily likeable and eternally mysterious. Haunted by memories of a nomadic lifestyle with her mother, she intermittently addresses her conflicting desires to both travel and put down roots even as her simple, self-taught cooking and hospitality brings about subtle and lasting change in the village of Lansquenet. A thread of fantasy runs through the plot as Vianne hints at the ability to read people's thoughts, choosing not to influence them, and consults her mother's tarot cards in her darker hours of contemplation. She even adds a touch of magic and mystery to her Chocolaterie to draw the wary villagers into the shop. Oh, what I would give to pay a visit to that amazing place myself.
Joanne Harris has a way of writing that has me savoring every word like one of Vianne Rocher's fine chunks of dark chocolate. What I would have given for a few recipes of the dishes she served in La Celeste Praline, especially the pots of chocolate that were served as frequently as coffee. The descriptions of the various confectioneries and even the non-chocolate dishes were detailed with a light touch, so that I never felt too overwhelmed -- but I still wanted to dive into the pages all the same.
All of the characters, large parts and small, were unique and original, even down to the quirky preferences and hidden burdens. I could easily relate to Armande's attraction to the color red and her unrefined mannerisms, as well as Guillaume's indulgence of his pet dog. So many of the characters could pass for people that I encounter every day -- from Roux's skepticism to Josephine's renewed independence to Caro's need to control. These characters will stay with me for a long time.
Probably the most interesting character, aside from Vianne Rocher, is the town's priest, Pere Reynaud. Like most of the rest of the town, he masks inner demons and makes up for them with his profession of choice. Though those inner torments are slowly revealed through the course of the book, I don't feel that his story was completely resolved, or that he even experienced any true character growth.
Vianne Rocher is certainly the most creative character in the book, both easily likeable and eternally mysterious. Haunted by memories of a nomadic lifestyle with her mother, she intermittently addresses her conflicting desires to both travel and put down roots even as her simple, self-taught cooking and hospitality brings about subtle and lasting change in the village of Lansquenet. A thread of fantasy runs through the plot as Vianne hints at the ability to read people's thoughts, choosing not to influence them, and consults her mother's tarot cards in her darker hours of contemplation. She even adds a touch of magic and mystery to her Chocolaterie to draw the wary villagers into the shop. Oh, what I would give to pay a visit to that amazing place myself.
KittyMiku (138 KP) rated Resurrection: A Zombie Novel in Books
May 23, 2019
Resurrection: A Zombie Novel by Michael J. Totten is a marvelous book about a post-apocalyptic world in which a virus leaves millions of humans in a crazed state that makes them only wish to eat the flesh of their fellow mankind. With so many twists and turns, you are able to develop ideas on how the characters were before the virus spread, how they have changed, and different things that could easily affect how you would view another human. It was delightful to be able to read about some of the history leading up to the outbreak on each character, while being able to learn what made them tick. The way the characters interact had me laughing from time to time as they are so different and stubborn in their own ways that it makes it hard for them to agree on things. I loved how it brought up a lot of different ideas and thoughts one might have before an outbreak like this happens as well as how it could change the way one might feel or think once they realize they may be the last alive to help set up a new society. Not to mention, how some things we know can go out the window when your life is depending on you being super careful and cautious out the window.
Watching the characters deal with issues with their first major problem, other survivors definitely gave me the impression that in a world with no rules, people no longer try to make friends or even help each other out. I had felt completely anxious and sad that other healthy humans couldn’t be bothered to be kind to our main group of characters. I understand they had their reason, but it did remind me how in real life, without a zombie outbreak, the majority of the human race will only look out for themselves and what they believe belongs to them. It was refreshing to see how even though sometimes you don’t get along with your team, how a common enemy can pull you together, even if the enemy is survivors who could be potential assets to your group. I also found that the idea of us, humans, and thinking we know a ton, to be quite lacking.
Totten had brought a valuable point up in the book, whether he meant to or not. If something should happen, where we needed to live off the earth and a huge portion of our population is dead, or heavily diseased and dangerous to be near, how would be survive? A lot of people take for granted the fact they have heat, running water, electricity, and food, so without out being able to just purchase it and having to resort to growing it and such, our survivors would need to learn a lot of information. I enjoyed the idea of the characters going to look for books on farming, building, and anything else they would need to learn how to do, but it got me thinking about how everything today is slowly becoming that of a digital world. Yes there are still libraries out there with millions of books, but most libraries are in areas that could easily be surrounded by the infected. Even in Resurrection, that could be an issue and yet when Kyle brings up they could just obtain the books to teach them how to do things, the other characters didn’t seem as concerned about the idea, as I was upon reading that. After all, reading how they have to be careful just going to a sporting goods store and all the concerns they have when doing things, makes the idea of going into a library very worrisome.
However, it wasn’t just the knowledge most people don’t have that brought this story to my mind in some serious thought, it was seeing how something as simple as knowing your blood type and how blood transfusion work, seems to leave you in times of panic. We all know that certain blood types just can’t be mixed with others and often this knowledge isn’t needed. Most of us don’t even know our blood types, myself included, because we just don’t always see the need to know such information, or we just simply forget it. So I wasn’t surprised that the characters didn’t know their blood types off the back of their hand, but I found how simple things we have learned since grade school about other people’s blood containing diseases and even allergic reactions if placed in your own body without proper care could just disappear until after doing just that. I can’t say I would have thought of it either, but at the same time I would like to think that it’s something I wouldn’t feel right about. Though, how could any of us be sure we would do something different?
Totten seemed to be able to use the characters to remind us of how important some of the things we take for granted are. I enjoyed seeing how friendships can be broken or made easily, how teamwork is important in the matter of survival, and how people would truly act in a post-apocalyptic world. To see common sense that we have go out the window in some situations and in other situations seem create stealthy humans with common sense and the ability to have sound judgement. Not everyone would have been able to write about such a world, and have characters make mistakes that leave you shaking your head. To be able to see the characters as imperfect humans doing their best to get by in the world, definitely makes this novel a delightful read. I would rate Resurrection: A Zombie Novel 5 stars out of 5 stars. Definitely a must read for the zombie lover. I would say if you love zombie movies and shows, you would find this book right up your alley. With characters you could relate to, and situations that aren’t impossible to imagine, you will fall in love with the writing style and story that Michael Totten gave to us in this short, page turner.
Watching the characters deal with issues with their first major problem, other survivors definitely gave me the impression that in a world with no rules, people no longer try to make friends or even help each other out. I had felt completely anxious and sad that other healthy humans couldn’t be bothered to be kind to our main group of characters. I understand they had their reason, but it did remind me how in real life, without a zombie outbreak, the majority of the human race will only look out for themselves and what they believe belongs to them. It was refreshing to see how even though sometimes you don’t get along with your team, how a common enemy can pull you together, even if the enemy is survivors who could be potential assets to your group. I also found that the idea of us, humans, and thinking we know a ton, to be quite lacking.
Totten had brought a valuable point up in the book, whether he meant to or not. If something should happen, where we needed to live off the earth and a huge portion of our population is dead, or heavily diseased and dangerous to be near, how would be survive? A lot of people take for granted the fact they have heat, running water, electricity, and food, so without out being able to just purchase it and having to resort to growing it and such, our survivors would need to learn a lot of information. I enjoyed the idea of the characters going to look for books on farming, building, and anything else they would need to learn how to do, but it got me thinking about how everything today is slowly becoming that of a digital world. Yes there are still libraries out there with millions of books, but most libraries are in areas that could easily be surrounded by the infected. Even in Resurrection, that could be an issue and yet when Kyle brings up they could just obtain the books to teach them how to do things, the other characters didn’t seem as concerned about the idea, as I was upon reading that. After all, reading how they have to be careful just going to a sporting goods store and all the concerns they have when doing things, makes the idea of going into a library very worrisome.
However, it wasn’t just the knowledge most people don’t have that brought this story to my mind in some serious thought, it was seeing how something as simple as knowing your blood type and how blood transfusion work, seems to leave you in times of panic. We all know that certain blood types just can’t be mixed with others and often this knowledge isn’t needed. Most of us don’t even know our blood types, myself included, because we just don’t always see the need to know such information, or we just simply forget it. So I wasn’t surprised that the characters didn’t know their blood types off the back of their hand, but I found how simple things we have learned since grade school about other people’s blood containing diseases and even allergic reactions if placed in your own body without proper care could just disappear until after doing just that. I can’t say I would have thought of it either, but at the same time I would like to think that it’s something I wouldn’t feel right about. Though, how could any of us be sure we would do something different?
Totten seemed to be able to use the characters to remind us of how important some of the things we take for granted are. I enjoyed seeing how friendships can be broken or made easily, how teamwork is important in the matter of survival, and how people would truly act in a post-apocalyptic world. To see common sense that we have go out the window in some situations and in other situations seem create stealthy humans with common sense and the ability to have sound judgement. Not everyone would have been able to write about such a world, and have characters make mistakes that leave you shaking your head. To be able to see the characters as imperfect humans doing their best to get by in the world, definitely makes this novel a delightful read. I would rate Resurrection: A Zombie Novel 5 stars out of 5 stars. Definitely a must read for the zombie lover. I would say if you love zombie movies and shows, you would find this book right up your alley. With characters you could relate to, and situations that aren’t impossible to imagine, you will fall in love with the writing style and story that Michael Totten gave to us in this short, page turner.