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Jurassic World™: The Game
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Return to Isla Nublar with the creators of the smash hit Jurassic Park™ Builder for your next...
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) in Movies
Nov 5, 2018 (Updated Nov 5, 2018)
Slight variation on the Alice in Wonderland reboot
I'm guessing Disney want to keep going with their live action Princess films, and thought they'd hit gold with the rights to the Nutcracker for a Christmas release. Similar to the 2010 Alice in Wonderland, the film intends to act as a sequel to the original tale of the Nutcracker, where the world has fallen into disarray. Clara is the daughter of the original story's Marie, who has passed away, and looking to open the intriguing present left by her mother she finds herself following a mouse (not a rabbit!) into a strange world. She is introduced to the world her mother was made queen of, though sadly learns that the "fourth realm" (led by Helen Mirren as Mother Ginger) is at war with the other three (among them are realms led by Keira Knightley and an underused Richard E Grant).
Here Disney have taken some liberties as Clara's brother and sister take the roles and names of her mother's siblings in the original, and for no apparent reason the film based on the Russian ballet that was based on the French adaptation of the German fairy tale, is set in London. I can only assume this was to up the Festive quotient, but seems a very odd choice, despite keeping a number of the German themes.
Keira Knightley is very irritating, doing an ear-piercing impression of Queenie from Blackadder.
Neither of the actors playing Clara or the Nutcracker are very good or likeable and you find yourself bored and starting to root for Mother Ginger just to end it.
The film is too long, and drags in large parts, and all three of my kids were restless for a lot of it. And there was a definite lack of large-scale special effects, some impressive scenes but audiences expect spectacles (not 3D glasses, I mean big scenes!) these days and those were lacking.
The most enjoyable scene was the use of ballet to get Clara up to date with the world she found herself in, being quite respectful to the medium it was adapting (though I can't say how authentic it was!).
Here Disney have taken some liberties as Clara's brother and sister take the roles and names of her mother's siblings in the original, and for no apparent reason the film based on the Russian ballet that was based on the French adaptation of the German fairy tale, is set in London. I can only assume this was to up the Festive quotient, but seems a very odd choice, despite keeping a number of the German themes.
Keira Knightley is very irritating, doing an ear-piercing impression of Queenie from Blackadder.
Neither of the actors playing Clara or the Nutcracker are very good or likeable and you find yourself bored and starting to root for Mother Ginger just to end it.
The film is too long, and drags in large parts, and all three of my kids were restless for a lot of it. And there was a definite lack of large-scale special effects, some impressive scenes but audiences expect spectacles (not 3D glasses, I mean big scenes!) these days and those were lacking.
The most enjoyable scene was the use of ballet to get Clara up to date with the world she found herself in, being quite respectful to the medium it was adapting (though I can't say how authentic it was!).
Fasting the Mind: Spiritual Exercises for Psychic Detox
Book
Stop planning, stop comparing, stop competing, stop thinking, and just breathe deeply for a minute...
From German Cavalry Officer to Reconnaissance Pilot: The World War I History, Memories, and Photographs of Leonhard Rempe, 1914-1921
Book
Twentyoneyearold Leonhard Rempe volunteered to serve Germany in 1914. By the time World War One...
Mediocre sequel
I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Shorefall picks up around three years after the events of Foundryside, when a small crew stand up against the mighty, powerful families of the city, stop their evil plotting and strike out on their own. They have set up their own, independent scriving house, making magical machinery, and helping others to do the same. A bit like BrewDog, but without the financially dubious shareholder arrangements.
In this world, magic comes in the form of scriving - bending reality to make objects behave in a certain way (persuading a door it cannot open without a specific person being present, convincing an arrow it is falling, so must accelerate accordingly, albeit in a straight line, etc). Most of the book's plot and action centre around this, and it becomes quite draining, and a stretch at times. I forgave the first book quite a lot in this regard, because it was world-building, but this much world-building in a second book seems wrong. And the mechanics of it are so much like coding that that is all you can think of. At times it is like watching an episode of 24, but instead of following Jack Bauer's thrilling escapades, you are watching Chloe coding a macro to speed up her timesheets while being vaguely aware that something exciting is happening.
The book starts very strongly, we are in the company of Sancia and Orso as they appear to be down on their luck and having to sell their work to make ends meet. Cue: exciting espionage scenes as Sancia sneaks off to steal.
Sadly, this opening chapter in which we had no idea what was happening was the best one. So many times throughout the book the crew were on some mission or other for some reason, but I couldn't for the life of me remember what or why, and nor did I particularly care. The plot just seemed to be in a backseat with the world-building driving with no sat-nav. And so was character development, as all the main characters just completely plateaud and didn't change in the slightest.
In short, I found the book very dull and drawn out and the second half was a real chore.
Shorefall picks up around three years after the events of Foundryside, when a small crew stand up against the mighty, powerful families of the city, stop their evil plotting and strike out on their own. They have set up their own, independent scriving house, making magical machinery, and helping others to do the same. A bit like BrewDog, but without the financially dubious shareholder arrangements.
In this world, magic comes in the form of scriving - bending reality to make objects behave in a certain way (persuading a door it cannot open without a specific person being present, convincing an arrow it is falling, so must accelerate accordingly, albeit in a straight line, etc). Most of the book's plot and action centre around this, and it becomes quite draining, and a stretch at times. I forgave the first book quite a lot in this regard, because it was world-building, but this much world-building in a second book seems wrong. And the mechanics of it are so much like coding that that is all you can think of. At times it is like watching an episode of 24, but instead of following Jack Bauer's thrilling escapades, you are watching Chloe coding a macro to speed up her timesheets while being vaguely aware that something exciting is happening.
The book starts very strongly, we are in the company of Sancia and Orso as they appear to be down on their luck and having to sell their work to make ends meet. Cue: exciting espionage scenes as Sancia sneaks off to steal.
Sadly, this opening chapter in which we had no idea what was happening was the best one. So many times throughout the book the crew were on some mission or other for some reason, but I couldn't for the life of me remember what or why, and nor did I particularly care. The plot just seemed to be in a backseat with the world-building driving with no sat-nav. And so was character development, as all the main characters just completely plateaud and didn't change in the slightest.
In short, I found the book very dull and drawn out and the second half was a real chore.
New Collected Poems
Tomas Transtromer and Robin Fulton
Book Watch
Winner of 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature Poetry Book Society Recommended Translation Tomas...
Poetry
Dpaint43 (16 KP) rated Keyforge: Call of the Archons in Tabletop Games
May 31, 2019 (Updated May 31, 2019)
Welcome to their world and become their god
Fantasy Flight and Richard Garfield have fixed the problem with Magic (Richard's other design and maybe the biggest money maker ever) and every copycat collectible card game that came after. Mr. Garfield's original plan for Magic the Gathering was to have a competitive card game that people can enjoy and buy a pack of cards for, say "wow" this is an awesome card and can make a deck more interesting. He did not expect thousands of dollars to be spent to create decks that are full with nothing but "wow" cards, but not fun, that win every time. The talent and fun was replaced by the more money you spend, the better your deck. Keyforge is a two player game that everyone can get into and enjoy. For $10 you can buy a single deck and only play that deck forever against any other deck and have fun. Every deck of 36 cards is made up using an algorithm to make sure no one has the same combination of cards. You get a unique deck name, unique deck sigil and a one of a kind combination of fun you can truly call your own. Of course you won't want to stop at just one deck because they each open up a new world. Your goal as a god (Archon) is to ascend to a higher level of being by opening 3 keys. Each key needs six aember to open. This aember is collected each turn by choosing one of the 3 houses that follow you (there are 7 in the game but only 3 per deck) and using the creatures, spells, items and crazy concoctions of that house of followers to reap and fight your way to victory. The rules are simple but the strategy is deep. There aren't many key words to remember nor rules to memorize. Young kids can play as easily as adults. The flavor text on most cards give a great synergy with each family and cards actions. It won't take long to have a favorite house or creature to play. And play. And play.
My Cool Convertible: An Inspirational Guide to Stylish Convertibles
Book
This latest title in the highly successful 'my cool' vehicle series covers the world of open top...
Otto Ernst Schweizer, Kollegienebaude II, Universitat Freiburg
Otto Ernst Schweizer, Nili Portugali and Anne-Catrin Schultz
Book
Text in English & German. With the Kollegiengebaude II (college building II) of the University of...