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The Marinated Meeple (1853 KP) rated The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast in Podcasts
Mar 23, 2018
Board Game Talk (2 more)
Knowledgeable Board Game Geeks
They sound like my friends, only they don't know me.
My Personal number 1, favorite podcast about boardgames. Give it a listen...
I love these guys, and they throw a great party at all the major conventions. This past year at Gen Con they took over a brewery and an entire city block. They are generous with their time and energy, and love what they talk about. The host does a kickstarter to do this professionally. The quality and the sheer amount of content is amazing, I can't imagine doing what he does with a day job. The scope of games they cover ranges from light weight card games to really heavy miniatures and they even have a Roleplaying podcast that wins awards too. Give them a listen and delve into the secret cabal world.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Snowman (2017) in Movies
Feb 11, 2018 (Updated Feb 11, 2018)
Where was Aled Jones?!
Misfiring Scandi crime thriller which was part of Michael Fassbender's attempt to appear in as many dud movies as possible in 2017. There's a serial killer on the loose and a brilliant detective with a troubled personal life (gee, where do they think of these new ideas?) gets on the case.
The film's plot is really lacking in focus and it engages in the usual casual misogyny that seems to be perfectly acceptable on-screen; a baffling subplot featuring flashbacks with Val Kilmer is arguably a mistake (then again, this film is not exactly short of mis-steps). The film's pretensions to be a serious drama are not much helped by the extent to which the Magic Wand of Improbable Coincidences has been waved over the script. It is all a bit grim and muddled.
The film's plot is really lacking in focus and it engages in the usual casual misogyny that seems to be perfectly acceptable on-screen; a baffling subplot featuring flashbacks with Val Kilmer is arguably a mistake (then again, this film is not exactly short of mis-steps). The film's pretensions to be a serious drama are not much helped by the extent to which the Magic Wand of Improbable Coincidences has been waved over the script. It is all a bit grim and muddled.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated Dare to Be Kind: How Extraordinary Compassion Can Transform Our World in Books
Jun 18, 2018
Dare to Be Kind by Lizzie Velasquez is an inspirational story. Lizzie has a rare skin condition that has subjected her to bullying and being mistreated. this book is about treating others with compassion and how it can transform your heart into a better person which can lead to a better world for us.
Velasquez encourages bravery, hope, kindness, personal resilience, faith in a higher power, and a healthy self-image when confronting one's bullies. She also highlights the need to serve as a good example for one's family, understand a bully's desire to cover their own pain with more pain, finding love and support, and addresses the cruelty of human nature when it encounters situations that it doesn't understand or have empathy toward.
I received this book from Hachette Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Velasquez encourages bravery, hope, kindness, personal resilience, faith in a higher power, and a healthy self-image when confronting one's bullies. She also highlights the need to serve as a good example for one's family, understand a bully's desire to cover their own pain with more pain, finding love and support, and addresses the cruelty of human nature when it encounters situations that it doesn't understand or have empathy toward.
I received this book from Hachette Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alicia S (193 KP) rated Can't Touch This (Can't Touch This, #1) in Books
Sep 28, 2018
Another fabulous book from an incredible author!! I'm in love with every word Pepper (Tess) writes and have been a huge fan of her incredibly dark stories. Taking a chance and letting out some personal emotions she has written and shared with us something totally unlike anything she has ever written and yet its as amazing as her previous works. From dark to rom-com... she does it all flawlessly! <3 This book had me laughing my a$$ off from page one! The hysterical banter, heart-wrenching stories of animal abuse and rescue and the incredibly huge heart both Vesper and Ryder have, make this a book you won't want to put down. I struggled wanting to rush through it to wanting to savor every moment. A beautiful and hysterical love story that should not be missed!! HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommended read & author!!
Barry Newman (204 KP) rated 1917 (2020) in Movies
Jan 28, 2020
Whilst a relatively simple story about two soldiers on a journey to deliver a live saving message I found this to be a highly impressive film. Technically brilliant and also quite moving in the human story that it tells and its depiction of the pointlessness of war. The cinematography and use of long takes is very realistic and immersive, you really do feel like you are on the front line. Dedicating the film to his grandfather this is obviously a very personal project for Sam Mendes and the director is at the top of his game here. I found this to be far superior to 'Dunkirk' which whilst also being a feast for the eyes lacked characters that you could actually care about. Mendes manages to get the balance just right and has created one of the best war movies in years.
Kirsten Myra Edwards (303 KP) rated The Girl on the Train in Books
Feb 2, 2020
Loved the book it it kept me hooked for the entirety.
I loved the way you saw the story from everyone's point of view. Each chapter opened a new door on the memories that Rachel couldn't quite remember, even if the chapter wasn't hers.
Throughout you hope that things didn't end the way they do.
The only bad bit I found was the ending due to the suspense throughout once you worked out the killer it had a bit of a drag. It also had such a dull end which is a shame as a whole the book is fantastic and kept me gripped. This is my personal opinion on the ending as I have spoken to others who loved it so maybe it's like marmite: you either love it or hate it.
Still minus the end it's a five star thriller.
I loved the way you saw the story from everyone's point of view. Each chapter opened a new door on the memories that Rachel couldn't quite remember, even if the chapter wasn't hers.
Throughout you hope that things didn't end the way they do.
The only bad bit I found was the ending due to the suspense throughout once you worked out the killer it had a bit of a drag. It also had such a dull end which is a shame as a whole the book is fantastic and kept me gripped. This is my personal opinion on the ending as I have spoken to others who loved it so maybe it's like marmite: you either love it or hate it.
Still minus the end it's a five star thriller.
Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated Code 8 (2019) in Movies
Feb 11, 2020
Pretty good
Another movie about people with special abilities- but not superheroes. A slightly more realistic take on how society might handle people like this. Not as flashy as most, but with decent effects and cinematography. At it's surface it tells a story about a young man trying to save his ailing mother. Something that leads him down a bad road. The acting in this movie was decent with some familiar faces. This movie has heart, life lessons learned through trials of trust and personal choices. In the end I think the story was a little more tragic than I expected of it. Nothing too flashy or gruesome, so it can be watched with the whole family(although the younger viewers may not understand all of it). Overall, this one is worth a watch on movie night!
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Detective Story (1951) in Movies
Mar 3, 2020
Adapted from a stage play that he loved, Detective story typifies the kind of roles of a man under pressure that Douglas came to be indelibly identified with. This time it was his co-star Eleanor Parker who got the Academy Award nomination, but it was their chemistry that really drew the eye. The troubles of life, and the task of being a good man in the face of a bad world were the themes Douglas tackled here. The setting of crime fighting over one day in the 21st precinct is secondary to the personal fight of the “hard-nosed” Jim McLeod, who does his best but can never get ahead. There are shadows of such films as Miller’s Crossing, LA Confidential and even Blade Runner in here. Notable for some gorgeous film-noir photography, and the obligatory Douglas breakdown speech.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Lust for Life (1956) in Movies
Mar 3, 2020
In yet another attempt to widen his range, Douglas was a surprising yet perfect choice to play tortured artist Vincent Van Gogh, in his 3rd and final Oscar nominated role. He was custom made to portray the wild passion and intensity of the artist, but it was his quiet moments of calm genius that really impressed. This time he lost the award to Yul Brynner for The King and I, as big, colourful productions began to dominate; also watching on as co-star Anthony Quinn picked up best supporting actor. There are rumours Douglas was less than happy to lose out, and he made a personal vow to soon enter the arena in a big epic that would sweep the board… Although many believe his artistic star had peaked here with the more subtle Lust For Life.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Interlude (1968) in Movies
Apr 22, 2020 (Updated Apr 22, 2020)
Low-octane drama set in (barely) swinging London. A young reporter becomes the mistress of a temperamental conductor (orchestra, not bus) - she knows it's a bad idea, he knows it's a bad idea, but hey, hormones, I guess. Sure enough, everyone ends up unhappy.
Good-looking but vacuous, a sort of Hampstead novel of a movie, with the personal issues of affluent Londoners raised to a level of towering significance. The whole thing is in such lethal good taste it sucks any potential life out of the story (on the other hand you can have fun playing guess-the-body-part during the slightly baffling sex scenes). Passes the time but very predictable; very early appearances by John Cleese and Derek Jacobi pique the interest. The music and theme song are considerably better than the rest of the film deserves.
Good-looking but vacuous, a sort of Hampstead novel of a movie, with the personal issues of affluent Londoners raised to a level of towering significance. The whole thing is in such lethal good taste it sucks any potential life out of the story (on the other hand you can have fun playing guess-the-body-part during the slightly baffling sex scenes). Passes the time but very predictable; very early appearances by John Cleese and Derek Jacobi pique the interest. The music and theme song are considerably better than the rest of the film deserves.