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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Captain Fantastic (2016) in Movies
Aug 24, 2017
Viggo Mortensen and fabulous acting all round (1 more)
Great heartwarming story
The captain is genuinely fantastic
Viggo Mortensen is truly Captain Fantastic in this quirky, indie film about bringing up six children in the wilderness. Isolated from society, he devotes his existence to raising his kids - educating them to think critically, training them to be physically fit and athletic, guiding them in the wild without technology and demonstrating the beauty of co-existing with nature. That's before his wife suddenly dies, and the family journey together out in the real world for her funeral. It raises a lot of thoughtful questions such as is it good to socially isolate children, especially if they can't fit in the future? Or is it better to keep them away from a consumerist, dumbed down society? Interesting, thought-provoking, like an intelligent version of Little Miss Sunshine.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Spotlight (2015) in Movies
Aug 9, 2017
Such an important film, well worth all the awards
"If it takes a community to raise a child, it takes one to abuse them."
Spotlight is such an important part of media history because they uncovered one of the darkest secrets of one community, which mirrors all communities. The film is awe-inspiring, so much so that I wanted to go back into a newsroom and be a TV journalist again at the forefront of major news. This is literally the best film for journalists to watch and for audiences to understand what it's like to work in a newsroom. More importantly, it shows how vital the media can be when actually doing proper investigations.
It is extremely dark given the subject nature - but having been in a similar situation breaking the story of Jimmy Savile in the UK for British media, the film completely reflects my own personal experiences.
Spotlight is such an important part of media history because they uncovered one of the darkest secrets of one community, which mirrors all communities. The film is awe-inspiring, so much so that I wanted to go back into a newsroom and be a TV journalist again at the forefront of major news. This is literally the best film for journalists to watch and for audiences to understand what it's like to work in a newsroom. More importantly, it shows how vital the media can be when actually doing proper investigations.
It is extremely dark given the subject nature - but having been in a similar situation breaking the story of Jimmy Savile in the UK for British media, the film completely reflects my own personal experiences.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated One Summer in Books
May 10, 2018
Jack has overcome quite an obstacle in his life, a terminal illness. In the wake of that miraculous event, he has lost his best friend and wife, Lizzie in a car accident going to get him meds. As he recovers from his illness, the loss of his wife and having his kids taken away from him by his in-laws, he reflects on all that his life has been up to this point. Reconnecting with his children finding his own way in this world is what Jack is up against now. This is not quite what I expected from Baldacci as my mother recommended this author to me. While this is the first book I have read by Baldacci, it was quite enjoyable, and made me interested to read more of his books. Not sure if I will continue to read them if they all turn up to be this romantic in nature
Rachel King (13 KP) rated If God, Why Evil?: A New Way to Think about the Question in Books
Feb 11, 2019
Norman Geisler takes a very systematic approach to a very broad and generalized question by breaking down the topic of evil into all its facets, such as nature, origin, and purpose. He also works in related topics like miracles and expands on the topics in three appendices. He uses both the rules of logic and debate as well as Bible scripture to support his conclusions.
I have read other books in the realm of Christian Apologetics, but nothing quite so detailed on a single topic as this book. While I was previously familiar with the arguments regarding the problem of evil, this book taught me why those arguments either work or don't work. Without getting into the specifics of what each argument entailed, I can safely say that Geisler did a thorough job of laying to rest the title question and addressing every possible side.
This book would be an excellent addition to any theology book collection.
I have read other books in the realm of Christian Apologetics, but nothing quite so detailed on a single topic as this book. While I was previously familiar with the arguments regarding the problem of evil, this book taught me why those arguments either work or don't work. Without getting into the specifics of what each argument entailed, I can safely say that Geisler did a thorough job of laying to rest the title question and addressing every possible side.
This book would be an excellent addition to any theology book collection.
Erika (17789 KP) rated Popstar Never Stop Never Stopping (2016) in Movies
May 25, 2019
Ever since I was born, I was dope.
After watching @The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience (2019) , I was in the mood to re-watch one of my favorite movies. I was also aghast that I hadn't reviewed this yet.
I've loved The Lonely Island since Lazy Sunday, and I'm on a Boat was basically the anthem for my senior year of college (university). This is one of my favorite mockumentaries out of all of them. The songs are hilarious, and any movie that starts out with the line, 'Ever since I was born, I was dope', is going to be completely absurd. The crude nature of the songs always makes me laugh out loud, and I have the CD in my car. My favorites are 'Karate Guy', and 'Finest Girl (Bin Laden Song)', and they still make me snort-laugh whenever I hear them.
The humor isn't for everyone, most songs are explicit, with sometimes cringe-worthy detail, but it makes it funnier to me.
I've loved The Lonely Island since Lazy Sunday, and I'm on a Boat was basically the anthem for my senior year of college (university). This is one of my favorite mockumentaries out of all of them. The songs are hilarious, and any movie that starts out with the line, 'Ever since I was born, I was dope', is going to be completely absurd. The crude nature of the songs always makes me laugh out loud, and I have the CD in my car. My favorites are 'Karate Guy', and 'Finest Girl (Bin Laden Song)', and they still make me snort-laugh whenever I hear them.
The humor isn't for everyone, most songs are explicit, with sometimes cringe-worthy detail, but it makes it funnier to me.
BadgerMuffin (48 KP) rated The Chameleon in Tabletop Games
Jun 2, 2019
Cheap (1 more)
Tonnes of Replayability
The Game That Does Not Blend In.
The Chameleon is a very simple game that requires between 4-8 Players. Although honestly, the more players involved the funnier it gets.
The game concept is simple; Everyone but one person knows a secret word (this word is on a tile with 16 words total. Each Player must go around and say a word linked to the secret word. Once everyone has said their word, you each go around voting who you think The Chameleon is. Should you guess incorrectly, The Chameleon wins.
Should you guess who it is correctly, The Chameleon has one chance to guess the word. If they guess correctly, The Chameleon wins.
This game being simple in nature is great fun to play either Drunk or Sober. And will spark many a debate about words.
All in all its worth buying, and has a great amount of replayability.
TL;DR
-Fun when Drunk or Sobre
-Simple
-Worth Every Penny.
The game concept is simple; Everyone but one person knows a secret word (this word is on a tile with 16 words total. Each Player must go around and say a word linked to the secret word. Once everyone has said their word, you each go around voting who you think The Chameleon is. Should you guess incorrectly, The Chameleon wins.
Should you guess who it is correctly, The Chameleon has one chance to guess the word. If they guess correctly, The Chameleon wins.
This game being simple in nature is great fun to play either Drunk or Sober. And will spark many a debate about words.
All in all its worth buying, and has a great amount of replayability.
TL;DR
-Fun when Drunk or Sobre
-Simple
-Worth Every Penny.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Prisoner in TV
Mar 5, 2018
Famously cryptic cult TV show still has things to offer anyone willing to enter its peculiar world. Title character (McGoohan) is whisked off to a very strange prison; subsequent episodes revolve around either his attempts to escape, or the Village masters' schemes to force him to reveal his secrets (things get progressively more outlandishly weird as the series progresses).
Visually striking; the plots represent a weird mashing together of typical ITC action-adventure tropes and something altogether more avant-garde and cerebral: typical episode contains both existential pondering of the nature of society and/or the individual self and at least one punch-up. No-one seems entirely sure what it's all supposed to mean - is it about the conflict between the individual and the collective? The divided self? Patrick McGoohan's frustration at the state of his career? Nevertheless, the show's reputation is deserved - the weaker episodes are simply peculiar, the best ones absolutely mesmerising.
Visually striking; the plots represent a weird mashing together of typical ITC action-adventure tropes and something altogether more avant-garde and cerebral: typical episode contains both existential pondering of the nature of society and/or the individual self and at least one punch-up. No-one seems entirely sure what it's all supposed to mean - is it about the conflict between the individual and the collective? The divided self? Patrick McGoohan's frustration at the state of his career? Nevertheless, the show's reputation is deserved - the weaker episodes are simply peculiar, the best ones absolutely mesmerising.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Before the Fall in Books
Mar 15, 2018
The description of the book (who crashed a private jet killing nearly everyone on board) makes it sound like another twisty-turny thriller along the lines of "The Girl on the Train", and while the central mystery does have some surprises and keeps one wanting to read, this is actually a much smarter book than that. It is far more interested in human nature, what makes each of us what we are, how we cope with tragedy, and how our minds can jump to make conclusions that aren't there. It even manages to dig into themes like art, the recent financial crisis, and the 24-hour news cycle. All of the characters are interesting and very well written. Everything seems entirely believable and the book is full of moments of genuine emotion. Those looking for another trendy "thriller-of-the-month" might be disappointed, but anyone looking for a truly great novel, possibly one of the year's best, should pick this up.
Awix (3310 KP) rated 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) in Movies
Feb 20, 2018 (Updated Feb 20, 2018)
Kubrick and Clarke's proverbial good SF movie encompasses the entire history of the human race in 142 minutes (it takes the Fifty Shades trilogy 343 minutes to say considerably less about slightly more trivial matters). Much of the plot is left for the viewer to infer: where do we come from? Where are we going? What is our essential nature? What does it all mean? Probably appears to concern uplift of human race from primitive apes to transcendent star-beings by extraterrestrial forces, with the odd problem along the way.
Not the warmest or paciest of films, but still fabulous to look at and displaying a consummate mastery of image and sound. Probably says something about the film that the only performance most people can remember is that of Hal the computer. Not so much a film with a story as a series of unforgettable linked audio-visual experiences; one of those movies that everyone should see at least once, preferably on the big screen.
Not the warmest or paciest of films, but still fabulous to look at and displaying a consummate mastery of image and sound. Probably says something about the film that the only performance most people can remember is that of Hal the computer. Not so much a film with a story as a series of unforgettable linked audio-visual experiences; one of those movies that everyone should see at least once, preferably on the big screen.
KerrChung (46 KP) rated Robocop (1987) in Movies
Jun 13, 2018
story (2 more)
action
explosions
Cyborgpunk?
Contains spoilers, click to show
One of my favorite films. Awesome story, good actors, stunts, puppetry, models, and good Special Effects. This is Paul Verhoeven and Peter Weller's best movie. $50 million budget (in 1987!), with multiple huge explosions, with hundreds of bullets fired, and scores of stuntmen used.
A cop loses his humanity and is brought back to life, he is resurrected as a cyborg super cop who once again regains his humanity and has to learn how to navigate being robot and deal with his past human memories. ED-209 has all the fire power and is just a cool design for a robot/urban tank. The costume and the suit for RoboCop was beautifully designed. Themes include media influence, gentrification, corruption, authoritarianism, greed, privatization, capitalism, identity, dystopia, and human nature. It is a movie well deserved of it's R rating. In one scene RoboCop prevents a rape when he shoots the rapist in the dick. VIOLENT and amazingly poetic.
A cop loses his humanity and is brought back to life, he is resurrected as a cyborg super cop who once again regains his humanity and has to learn how to navigate being robot and deal with his past human memories. ED-209 has all the fire power and is just a cool design for a robot/urban tank. The costume and the suit for RoboCop was beautifully designed. Themes include media influence, gentrification, corruption, authoritarianism, greed, privatization, capitalism, identity, dystopia, and human nature. It is a movie well deserved of it's R rating. In one scene RoboCop prevents a rape when he shoots the rapist in the dick. VIOLENT and amazingly poetic.