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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Horrible Bosses 2 (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Kurt, Nick and Dale are back, and with them comes all the rest in Horrible Bosses 2. This time around, we see our would-be criminals (Jason Sudekis, Jason Bateman and Charlie Dale, respectively) as their own bosses.
Horrible Bosses 2 opens on the trio as a guest on a cheesy day-time talk show. They are there to show off their new invention, the Shower Buddy. This spot gets them some notice from the head of a big time, SkyMall-esque, corporation who wants to place a large order. But when the deal goes south, our boys have to figure out a way to save their own skin, and get back at the corporation.
The greatest thing about this sequel? It was not just a rehashing of the first movie. Yes, there are a lot of the elements there, but the plot was different enough that it could have been a movie of its own and not a prequel. Of course, there were some great call backs to the first movie during the film and the closing credits. But there were new things introduced, and not just the same old re-hashing.
Sudekis, Bateman and Day have such a great chemistry together, too. They played very well off each other, and had near perfect timing through the whole movie. Add to this the returning cast from the first film (Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, and Jamie Foxx), and introduce Chris Pine and Christoph Waltz to the mix, and it only increases the fun. Our newcomers blew me away too, because I am not used to seeing them in roles such as this.
There is not a lot bad that I can say about this movie. Great performances by main and supporting cast, a well-rounded plot, with the exception of one part of the wrap-up in the end (I won’t spoil it for you), and a very complimentary soundtrack makes this one of the best comedies I have seen in a while. Thumbs up to these guys! I’m hoping they might be able to find the same magic for a third film!
4.5 Stars out of 5
Horrible Bosses 2 opens on the trio as a guest on a cheesy day-time talk show. They are there to show off their new invention, the Shower Buddy. This spot gets them some notice from the head of a big time, SkyMall-esque, corporation who wants to place a large order. But when the deal goes south, our boys have to figure out a way to save their own skin, and get back at the corporation.
The greatest thing about this sequel? It was not just a rehashing of the first movie. Yes, there are a lot of the elements there, but the plot was different enough that it could have been a movie of its own and not a prequel. Of course, there were some great call backs to the first movie during the film and the closing credits. But there were new things introduced, and not just the same old re-hashing.
Sudekis, Bateman and Day have such a great chemistry together, too. They played very well off each other, and had near perfect timing through the whole movie. Add to this the returning cast from the first film (Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, and Jamie Foxx), and introduce Chris Pine and Christoph Waltz to the mix, and it only increases the fun. Our newcomers blew me away too, because I am not used to seeing them in roles such as this.
There is not a lot bad that I can say about this movie. Great performances by main and supporting cast, a well-rounded plot, with the exception of one part of the wrap-up in the end (I won’t spoil it for you), and a very complimentary soundtrack makes this one of the best comedies I have seen in a while. Thumbs up to these guys! I’m hoping they might be able to find the same magic for a third film!
4.5 Stars out of 5
Ross (3284 KP) rated She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be in Books
Jun 15, 2020
Good suspenseful paranormal story
I received a free copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Prior to starting this book, I was only aware of Barker from his work with Dacre Stoker on Dracul, the prequel-cum-biography telling a variation of Bram Stoker's life story. This book is very different, though it also tells someone's full life story.
Jack Thatch has had a tough life already when we meet him, his parents dying in a car crash when he was very young, and he spends his childhood living with his Aunt. A chance meeting with a mysterious girl in the cemetery on the anniversary of his parents' death haunts him and each year he returns looking for her, and the mystery continues. This carries on, with a new chapter telling the events of each subsequent year, and the "burned but not burned" bodies that appear on the same day.
There is a little of a Stephen King feel about the book - telling of a young boy growing up and telling every detail of his life and his friendships and gradually letting the paranormal elements of the story build up.
The first third of the book is excellent, setting the scene and sewing the seeds of the mystery to follow and introducing the cast of characters and their interactions and conflicts. This part of the story rattles along with decent pace and the reader can get a good feeling of momentum.
The middle third ground to a halt for me. The chapters became longer, the story being told felt less important and the reduction in pace was a bit of a kick in the teeth.
But the final third this book gets going again in superb style. This could well have been an excellent story in its own right, but definitely benefits from the lengthy build-up. We gradually have one group of characters grow and come into conflict with another, all building up to an inevitable meeting.
This is a great, but long, story of special abilities, how they could impact someone's life and be abused by those in power, and how they will eventually become out of control.
Prior to starting this book, I was only aware of Barker from his work with Dacre Stoker on Dracul, the prequel-cum-biography telling a variation of Bram Stoker's life story. This book is very different, though it also tells someone's full life story.
Jack Thatch has had a tough life already when we meet him, his parents dying in a car crash when he was very young, and he spends his childhood living with his Aunt. A chance meeting with a mysterious girl in the cemetery on the anniversary of his parents' death haunts him and each year he returns looking for her, and the mystery continues. This carries on, with a new chapter telling the events of each subsequent year, and the "burned but not burned" bodies that appear on the same day.
There is a little of a Stephen King feel about the book - telling of a young boy growing up and telling every detail of his life and his friendships and gradually letting the paranormal elements of the story build up.
The first third of the book is excellent, setting the scene and sewing the seeds of the mystery to follow and introducing the cast of characters and their interactions and conflicts. This part of the story rattles along with decent pace and the reader can get a good feeling of momentum.
The middle third ground to a halt for me. The chapters became longer, the story being told felt less important and the reduction in pace was a bit of a kick in the teeth.
But the final third this book gets going again in superb style. This could well have been an excellent story in its own right, but definitely benefits from the lengthy build-up. We gradually have one group of characters grow and come into conflict with another, all building up to an inevitable meeting.
This is a great, but long, story of special abilities, how they could impact someone's life and be abused by those in power, and how they will eventually become out of control.
BookwormLea (3034 KP) rated The Hunger Games in Books
Jun 17, 2020 (Updated Jun 17, 2020)
My favourite series.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I've read this book probably about 7 times.... I adore this series. The world that Collins has created is fantastically unique. As horrible as it seems, I would have loved to experience it in real life. It's such a rollercoaster of emotions and I really didn't want it to end. I'm so glad this is a trilogy. And I'm only writing this now because I reread the series in preparation for the newly released Prequel book, A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
In a dystopian future, the city of Panem is split into 12 Districts and a beautiful Capitol. Ran by the horror that is President Snow. Katniss Everdeen is our heroine from the mining District 12. In a tournament known as the Hunger Games, 2 contestants from each district, one male and one female, are chosen at random to compete to the death in an arena. This book is set during the 74th annual Hunger Games. It is also the first year Katniss' younger sister Primrose, can be entered. Unlucky as she is, her name is drawn. Katniss heroically (or stupidly) volunteers asks tribute. The first tribute for District 12. She is to train with neighbour Peeta, the bakers son. Their trainer is District 12s only past winner, Haymitch. A rude, drunk, cynical man who isn't much good for anything. They are brought to the Capitol, which is home to the wealthiest of Panem, and are literally paraded through the city dressed in garments that represent their District. Thank you Cinna, their personal stylist, for the fabulous flaming costumes!
After an extensive training sessions, they begin the games. Watched by every citizen in Panem, bet on and laughed at. The wealthy citizens can become sponsors and send the tributes things to help, but only if you are worth it.
As you imagine, blood, gore and death. In the final moments, we find Peeta and Katniss still alive, along with District 1 (the favourite) Cato. Eventually, they leave the arena, despite only one person having supposed to win. Brought out to be celebrated for not dying. To move into the Victor's Village in District 12 with their families.
In a dystopian future, the city of Panem is split into 12 Districts and a beautiful Capitol. Ran by the horror that is President Snow. Katniss Everdeen is our heroine from the mining District 12. In a tournament known as the Hunger Games, 2 contestants from each district, one male and one female, are chosen at random to compete to the death in an arena. This book is set during the 74th annual Hunger Games. It is also the first year Katniss' younger sister Primrose, can be entered. Unlucky as she is, her name is drawn. Katniss heroically (or stupidly) volunteers asks tribute. The first tribute for District 12. She is to train with neighbour Peeta, the bakers son. Their trainer is District 12s only past winner, Haymitch. A rude, drunk, cynical man who isn't much good for anything. They are brought to the Capitol, which is home to the wealthiest of Panem, and are literally paraded through the city dressed in garments that represent their District. Thank you Cinna, their personal stylist, for the fabulous flaming costumes!
After an extensive training sessions, they begin the games. Watched by every citizen in Panem, bet on and laughed at. The wealthy citizens can become sponsors and send the tributes things to help, but only if you are worth it.
As you imagine, blood, gore and death. In the final moments, we find Peeta and Katniss still alive, along with District 1 (the favourite) Cato. Eventually, they leave the arena, despite only one person having supposed to win. Brought out to be celebrated for not dying. To move into the Victor's Village in District 12 with their families.
Blood Shadow (Blood Never Lies 1)
8.7
Rate It
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Blood Shadow is a companion novel to the Eye of the Storm series and also acts as a PREQUEL to a...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The King's Man (2021) in Movies
Dec 14, 2021
After being delayed multiple times from a planned November 2019 release; Writer/Director Matthew Vaughn has released the third film in the “Kingsman “film series with “The King’s Man”. This time around the movie looks back to the origins of the society dedicated to peace and solving global conflicts before they can escalate.
In pre-World War I Europe; wealthy pacifist Orlando Oxford (Ralph Finnes); looks to raise his son Conrad (Harris Dickinson); following the tragic loss of his wife some years earlier on a Red Cross mission.
When events kick off the war; Conrad wishes to enlist and fight and his father is able to keep this from happening as he wants his son to avoid the horrors of war. At the same time; a secret Cabal has been plotting to start the war and manipulate the outcome and one of the agents named Rasputin (Rhys Ifans); looms prominently due to his influence over the Czar of Russia.
As the years pass and the war unfolds; Conrad and Orlando soon find themselves at odds and being pulled into opposite directions which sets a chain of events into action and puts the fate of the world in the balance.
The film is at times more retrained than the prior two films but the action sequences when they arrive are entertaining and mix the humor and violence that the series is known for. The cast is solid and the way that historical events were used but given an alternate perspective really added to the enjoyment of the film.
The movie does have a decent amount of humor but does spend a great deal of time on character development and exposition which can lead to some long gaps between the action, but the engaging stories and characters hold your interest throughout.
The film sets up further adventures in the Prequel timeline well and it appears that this is the direction that future films may go which would be more than fine as the film delivered what fans have come to expect from the series.
4 stars out of 5
In pre-World War I Europe; wealthy pacifist Orlando Oxford (Ralph Finnes); looks to raise his son Conrad (Harris Dickinson); following the tragic loss of his wife some years earlier on a Red Cross mission.
When events kick off the war; Conrad wishes to enlist and fight and his father is able to keep this from happening as he wants his son to avoid the horrors of war. At the same time; a secret Cabal has been plotting to start the war and manipulate the outcome and one of the agents named Rasputin (Rhys Ifans); looms prominently due to his influence over the Czar of Russia.
As the years pass and the war unfolds; Conrad and Orlando soon find themselves at odds and being pulled into opposite directions which sets a chain of events into action and puts the fate of the world in the balance.
The film is at times more retrained than the prior two films but the action sequences when they arrive are entertaining and mix the humor and violence that the series is known for. The cast is solid and the way that historical events were used but given an alternate perspective really added to the enjoyment of the film.
The movie does have a decent amount of humor but does spend a great deal of time on character development and exposition which can lead to some long gaps between the action, but the engaging stories and characters hold your interest throughout.
The film sets up further adventures in the Prequel timeline well and it appears that this is the direction that future films may go which would be more than fine as the film delivered what fans have come to expect from the series.
4 stars out of 5
RəX Regent (349 KP) rated Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) in Movies
Feb 18, 2019
The Star Wars Story that nobody asked for, but was is a story worth telling?
In short, NO.
Where to start? Indeed, where to start with a background prequel focusing on one of the most iconic Star Wars characters ever, taking the ageing Harrison Ford’s characters to, well not so far beyond the age that we first met him back in 1977.
Recast with actor who brings very little Ford with him, apart from a few well practice smiles and other expressions here and there, this is a reinterpretation of the character, in this case as a naive and wimpy version, maybe even soft, is not the part for Alden Ehrenreich.
The Character arch of Han Solo in the original trilogy was his redemption from a selfish, self-assured space pirate to a man who could recognise and fight for a cause bigger than himself. But according this haphazard prequel, he was already a big softy before her learns the harsh realities of life, only he doesn’t, not really.
He just learns to be a little more cynical and to smirk his way through every situation with his lucky die and everything turns out okay for him. Ehrenrieich done not bring an ounce of the gravitas or charisma of Harrison Ford, as this film, which had to be almost entirely re-shot with Ron Howard taking the helm after The Lego Movie directing due Chris Miller and Phil Lord where unceremoniously fired after “not getting it”, apparently, shoe horns as much of the token events of Solo’s pre-rebellion life into its two and bit hour run time.
Ron Howard; A few hits and plenty of misses. Willow (1988) springs to mind. Not only was Willow Lucas’ attempt to begin and new fantasy trilogy after the Star Wars Saga was completed, it was micro directed by George Lucas as Ron Howard took the credit. And this has a lot of the hallmarks of Willow.
In short; A poor mans Star Wars. Hammy scripting and at times acting, the story is all over the place, with shallow characterisations, poor exposition, haphazard pacing and the action is actually quite hard to follow. Just please, give us ONE decent shot of the Millennium Falcon that we can keep up with and actually see, especially as it has been altered so much from the icon version that we all love. Maybe we’re getting bored of the same ship after 40 years? Maybe we all need to go out and by a new version?
Toyetic… anyone?
Instead everything of interest is speeding across the screen and the boring stuff is left to linger. And there was a level of boredom here. Incredibly predictable plotting, simply going through the motions of a no stakes story. But it does feel as if they shoehorned a larger narrative in there, with introduction in the final act of the rebellion and an old villain returns with a new legs, but by the time what should have been an earth shattering twist appeared, it wasn’t really interested, especially if you know the The Clone Wars or Rebels.
One major plus note though, Donald Glover aced Lando Calrissian, to such an extant that I wish this movie was actually called Lando: A Star War Story rather than Solo, because there’s no doubt that Glover brought so much more Billy Dee Williams and built on it, than Ehrenreich did for Ford’s.
As well as the subtle and well conceived plotting around Lando’s female droid, L3-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) who may well be the ‘Old girl’ referred to by both Han and Lando during in the original trilogy when they speak to the Falcon, whilst shining a light on the deliberately ambiguous nature of droids in the Star Wars universe. In short; are they sentient or not? But this is not Star Trek so we do not really need an answer to that… do we?
Overall, I want to say that this was missed opportunity but in truth, it was not. It was waste of time. A story that did not need to be told with script that did not know what say. Clearly, they were aiming for a Guardians Of The Galaxy (2015), unaware that the secret of that surprise success was that it tapped in to the retro Star Wars vibe by NOT being Star Wars. And with little expectations.
Here they were playing with one of the biggest guns in modern film history and in my opinion, it blew up in there faces.
Where to start? Indeed, where to start with a background prequel focusing on one of the most iconic Star Wars characters ever, taking the ageing Harrison Ford’s characters to, well not so far beyond the age that we first met him back in 1977.
Recast with actor who brings very little Ford with him, apart from a few well practice smiles and other expressions here and there, this is a reinterpretation of the character, in this case as a naive and wimpy version, maybe even soft, is not the part for Alden Ehrenreich.
The Character arch of Han Solo in the original trilogy was his redemption from a selfish, self-assured space pirate to a man who could recognise and fight for a cause bigger than himself. But according this haphazard prequel, he was already a big softy before her learns the harsh realities of life, only he doesn’t, not really.
He just learns to be a little more cynical and to smirk his way through every situation with his lucky die and everything turns out okay for him. Ehrenrieich done not bring an ounce of the gravitas or charisma of Harrison Ford, as this film, which had to be almost entirely re-shot with Ron Howard taking the helm after The Lego Movie directing due Chris Miller and Phil Lord where unceremoniously fired after “not getting it”, apparently, shoe horns as much of the token events of Solo’s pre-rebellion life into its two and bit hour run time.
Ron Howard; A few hits and plenty of misses. Willow (1988) springs to mind. Not only was Willow Lucas’ attempt to begin and new fantasy trilogy after the Star Wars Saga was completed, it was micro directed by George Lucas as Ron Howard took the credit. And this has a lot of the hallmarks of Willow.
In short; A poor mans Star Wars. Hammy scripting and at times acting, the story is all over the place, with shallow characterisations, poor exposition, haphazard pacing and the action is actually quite hard to follow. Just please, give us ONE decent shot of the Millennium Falcon that we can keep up with and actually see, especially as it has been altered so much from the icon version that we all love. Maybe we’re getting bored of the same ship after 40 years? Maybe we all need to go out and by a new version?
Toyetic… anyone?
Instead everything of interest is speeding across the screen and the boring stuff is left to linger. And there was a level of boredom here. Incredibly predictable plotting, simply going through the motions of a no stakes story. But it does feel as if they shoehorned a larger narrative in there, with introduction in the final act of the rebellion and an old villain returns with a new legs, but by the time what should have been an earth shattering twist appeared, it wasn’t really interested, especially if you know the The Clone Wars or Rebels.
One major plus note though, Donald Glover aced Lando Calrissian, to such an extant that I wish this movie was actually called Lando: A Star War Story rather than Solo, because there’s no doubt that Glover brought so much more Billy Dee Williams and built on it, than Ehrenreich did for Ford’s.
As well as the subtle and well conceived plotting around Lando’s female droid, L3-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) who may well be the ‘Old girl’ referred to by both Han and Lando during in the original trilogy when they speak to the Falcon, whilst shining a light on the deliberately ambiguous nature of droids in the Star Wars universe. In short; are they sentient or not? But this is not Star Trek so we do not really need an answer to that… do we?
Overall, I want to say that this was missed opportunity but in truth, it was not. It was waste of time. A story that did not need to be told with script that did not know what say. Clearly, they were aiming for a Guardians Of The Galaxy (2015), unaware that the secret of that surprise success was that it tapped in to the retro Star Wars vibe by NOT being Star Wars. And with little expectations.
Here they were playing with one of the biggest guns in modern film history and in my opinion, it blew up in there faces.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Quatrain in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This book is four short stories that each take place in a different world of Shinn's creation. I am only familiar with two of those worlds, so I read the corresponding stories first, starting with Flight. This story was interesting as it gave me a peek into the corruption that was occurring at Windy Point with the Archangel Raphael, and how the lesser people viewed the angels at this time. The ending was slightly disappointing, but I understand that Shinn could not cause any major drama regarding Raphael since this story is meant to be a prequel to Archangel (Samaria, Book 1).
The second story I read was Flame, which centered around Senneth, the mystic who wields fire, with appearances by several of the other characters that appear in the Twelve Houses series, starting with Mystic and Rider (The Twelve Houses, Book 1). I enjoyed this story because it gave me an idea of what Senneth did when she was a lone nomad, as well as how the people of Gillengaria reacted when a new mystic was discovering her abilities. I can't imagine being in such a situation and not reacting similarly. This story also shows how Senneth and Tayse first meet and her first thoughts at this meeting, which is intriguing enough that I hope she writes more in the Twelve Houses series.
The third story I read was Gold, based in the world from her book, Summers at Castle Auburn, which I have not read. This story centers around a princess living in the land of Alora for a time, which is strikingly similar to the concepts of the world of Fae, and how she fights to resist the allure. I enjoyed this story so much that I intend to read the book it is based on to get more of the tantalizing story between Orlain and Zara. This was my favorite short story of the book.
I read maybe two pages of the story Blood before I lost interest and shut the book. This story is based on her previous work Heart of Gold, which is a science fiction title. I have very little interest in this genre, and I did not feel compelled to read this particular story, which is not to say that the story was bad. It's just not my cup of tea.
The second story I read was Flame, which centered around Senneth, the mystic who wields fire, with appearances by several of the other characters that appear in the Twelve Houses series, starting with Mystic and Rider (The Twelve Houses, Book 1). I enjoyed this story because it gave me an idea of what Senneth did when she was a lone nomad, as well as how the people of Gillengaria reacted when a new mystic was discovering her abilities. I can't imagine being in such a situation and not reacting similarly. This story also shows how Senneth and Tayse first meet and her first thoughts at this meeting, which is intriguing enough that I hope she writes more in the Twelve Houses series.
The third story I read was Gold, based in the world from her book, Summers at Castle Auburn, which I have not read. This story centers around a princess living in the land of Alora for a time, which is strikingly similar to the concepts of the world of Fae, and how she fights to resist the allure. I enjoyed this story so much that I intend to read the book it is based on to get more of the tantalizing story between Orlain and Zara. This was my favorite short story of the book.
I read maybe two pages of the story Blood before I lost interest and shut the book. This story is based on her previous work Heart of Gold, which is a science fiction title. I have very little interest in this genre, and I did not feel compelled to read this particular story, which is not to say that the story was bad. It's just not my cup of tea.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Trio of Sorcery (Diana Tregarde, #0.5) (Jennifer Talldeer, #2) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
<u>Arcanum 101</u>
Even though this came out decades after the first Diana Tregarde novel, it's a prequel so I read this first. Having just finished [b:Children of the Night|14012|Children of the Night (Diana Tregarde, #1)|Mercedes Lackey|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385445746s/14012.jpg|16102], I see a big difference in both Lackey's writing (it's definitely better) and in some continuity holes. Mostly minor, but for one thing, in this she calls her grandmother "Memaw" and in CotN, "Granny." She goes to college in Boston, at Harvard no less, in the short story and Connecticut is the only place mentioned in CotN. With the exception for a minor mention of Itzaak in the full-length book, none of the others featured in Arcanum 101 are in it, so apparently they were just created for the short story, which is a major bummer because I liked them better than the ones in CotN.
Okay onto an actual review...
While there's a bit of a slower start, introducing Diana and the others, I quite liked the pace. It felt natural and didn't bore me, which is a surprise in itself. Diana is much more likable here and has a strength of character and practical nature that appeals to me. The characters and plot kept the momentum going and if this wasn't a series that had already been written, I would have liked to see the universe expanded upon. Some of the characters didn't get fully fleshed out but just enough to make they feel like they were needed in some way. The plot was interesting, though the ending hasty but serviceable. A good story and introduction that also works fine as a standalone.
<i>3.5 stars</i>
<u>Drums</u>
A decent short story with some interesting ideas, especially the American Indian beliefs and mythology. I doubt I'll remember it much in a week, but it was overall enjoyable.
<i>3 stars</i>
<u>Ghost in the Machine</u>
I loved the idea of this story and it was very well-paced and plotted. While this could be dated with computers and gaming, I believe most of it stands up well. In a way Ellen seems to be Diana Tregarde 2.0, she's more believeable and interesting; she doesn't seem perfect. this would be a very cool series, too bad it probably won't happen.
<i>4.25 stars</i>
Even though this came out decades after the first Diana Tregarde novel, it's a prequel so I read this first. Having just finished [b:Children of the Night|14012|Children of the Night (Diana Tregarde, #1)|Mercedes Lackey|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385445746s/14012.jpg|16102], I see a big difference in both Lackey's writing (it's definitely better) and in some continuity holes. Mostly minor, but for one thing, in this she calls her grandmother "Memaw" and in CotN, "Granny." She goes to college in Boston, at Harvard no less, in the short story and Connecticut is the only place mentioned in CotN. With the exception for a minor mention of Itzaak in the full-length book, none of the others featured in Arcanum 101 are in it, so apparently they were just created for the short story, which is a major bummer because I liked them better than the ones in CotN.
Okay onto an actual review...
While there's a bit of a slower start, introducing Diana and the others, I quite liked the pace. It felt natural and didn't bore me, which is a surprise in itself. Diana is much more likable here and has a strength of character and practical nature that appeals to me. The characters and plot kept the momentum going and if this wasn't a series that had already been written, I would have liked to see the universe expanded upon. Some of the characters didn't get fully fleshed out but just enough to make they feel like they were needed in some way. The plot was interesting, though the ending hasty but serviceable. A good story and introduction that also works fine as a standalone.
<i>3.5 stars</i>
<u>Drums</u>
A decent short story with some interesting ideas, especially the American Indian beliefs and mythology. I doubt I'll remember it much in a week, but it was overall enjoyable.
<i>3 stars</i>
<u>Ghost in the Machine</u>
I loved the idea of this story and it was very well-paced and plotted. While this could be dated with computers and gaming, I believe most of it stands up well. In a way Ellen seems to be Diana Tregarde 2.0, she's more believeable and interesting; she doesn't seem perfect. this would be a very cool series, too bad it probably won't happen.
<i>4.25 stars</i>
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Morgan (2016) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Producer Ridley Scott has teamed with his son Luke for the new
Horror/Suspense film “Morgan” which blends Horror and Suspense in what may
well be a new franchise for FOX.
The film follows an isolated research facility surrounded by trees where
an experiment named Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy), has had an “incident” which
has caused the parent company to dispatch a troubleshooter named Lee
Weathers (Kate Mara) to evaluate the program.
The cold and no-nonsense Weathers meets some hesitation from the research
team as they see her as a company tool intent on closing their program and
years of research and being unable to see the potential and progress of
their work.
As Weathers and the audience gets to know Morgan, they learn that she is a
genetic creation who became aware and functional at a very early age and
her recent act of violence has her confined to a cage where she listens to
music, plays Chess, and spends her time dreaming of her former visits
outside.
As Morgan is evaluated it appears that there is far more to her than first
appears. The creation is capable of great empathy, wisdom, and
appreciation for beauty, but also has a very dark side, which can appear
out of nowhere.
As the complex study and interactions with Morgan unfold, Lee and the
scientists are faced with a series of difficult decisions that sets things
on a course from which they may not return.
The film takes a while to get up to speed and does not have anything that
viewers have not seen before. I was able to figure out the twists to the
film early on and an incident that is referred to in the film would have
made a far more interesting film than what we were given. Perhaps it is
being saved for a possible prequel because as it currently stands,
“Morgan”, is an interesting if formulaic film that borrows from several
other films.
The funny thing about it is that like “Prometheus” the more I
thought about it, the more questions I had and perhaps like his father,
Scott is using the film to setup a much larger universe and future films.
I only wish there was a bit more to this as the premise though interesting
does not have enough for the versatile and talented cast to do and they
deserved much better.
http://sknr.net/2016/08/29/morgan/
Horror/Suspense film “Morgan” which blends Horror and Suspense in what may
well be a new franchise for FOX.
The film follows an isolated research facility surrounded by trees where
an experiment named Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy), has had an “incident” which
has caused the parent company to dispatch a troubleshooter named Lee
Weathers (Kate Mara) to evaluate the program.
The cold and no-nonsense Weathers meets some hesitation from the research
team as they see her as a company tool intent on closing their program and
years of research and being unable to see the potential and progress of
their work.
As Weathers and the audience gets to know Morgan, they learn that she is a
genetic creation who became aware and functional at a very early age and
her recent act of violence has her confined to a cage where she listens to
music, plays Chess, and spends her time dreaming of her former visits
outside.
As Morgan is evaluated it appears that there is far more to her than first
appears. The creation is capable of great empathy, wisdom, and
appreciation for beauty, but also has a very dark side, which can appear
out of nowhere.
As the complex study and interactions with Morgan unfold, Lee and the
scientists are faced with a series of difficult decisions that sets things
on a course from which they may not return.
The film takes a while to get up to speed and does not have anything that
viewers have not seen before. I was able to figure out the twists to the
film early on and an incident that is referred to in the film would have
made a far more interesting film than what we were given. Perhaps it is
being saved for a possible prequel because as it currently stands,
“Morgan”, is an interesting if formulaic film that borrows from several
other films.
The funny thing about it is that like “Prometheus” the more I
thought about it, the more questions I had and perhaps like his father,
Scott is using the film to setup a much larger universe and future films.
I only wish there was a bit more to this as the premise though interesting
does not have enough for the versatile and talented cast to do and they
deserved much better.
http://sknr.net/2016/08/29/morgan/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Cabin Fever (2016) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Back in 2002, a fairly unknown filmmaker named Eli Roth brought a fresh and creepy horror film to theaters called “Cabin Fever”. It followed a time honored setup of a group of young people taking some time off in an isolated rural setting but instead of the worn to death psycho or monster on the loose setup, this film had something new in mind.
The film followed the outbreak of a flesh eating virus that was relentless, turned characters against one another, and had audiences wondering what would happen next. Filmed for a modest budget, the film became a hit and eventually spawned two direct to video follow ups, the most recent serving as a prequel to the original film.
There were plans to make a third follow up which was reportedly to be set on a cruise ship but they were scrapped in favor of a reboot of the main film with Roth serving as producer.
The 2016 version of the film is pretty much a scene for scene and in some cases; shot for shot remake of the original that duplicates the characters, situations, and outcomes from the first film with only a few changes along the way such as a deputy being female this time around, an addition to the ending, and some slightly better production values.
While it was entertaining to watch, I found that knowing what was to come stopped any tension in the film as has barely been 14 years since the first film came out, and without anything drastically different this time around, it made me wonder why the decision to reboot the film was made.
I do believe that there is still more to tell in this series, but that there is a better way to do it than the sequels we have had to date and a shot by shot remake. I think a story that ran parallel to the original or a more direct sequel might be very interesting as well as a look at the larger consequences of the outbreak.
That being said, if you are a fan of the series you will likely want to see the remake, but will likely wish that the series had continued forward with the story rather than going back to the beginning.
http://sknr.net/2016/02/20/cabin-fever-2016/
The film followed the outbreak of a flesh eating virus that was relentless, turned characters against one another, and had audiences wondering what would happen next. Filmed for a modest budget, the film became a hit and eventually spawned two direct to video follow ups, the most recent serving as a prequel to the original film.
There were plans to make a third follow up which was reportedly to be set on a cruise ship but they were scrapped in favor of a reboot of the main film with Roth serving as producer.
The 2016 version of the film is pretty much a scene for scene and in some cases; shot for shot remake of the original that duplicates the characters, situations, and outcomes from the first film with only a few changes along the way such as a deputy being female this time around, an addition to the ending, and some slightly better production values.
While it was entertaining to watch, I found that knowing what was to come stopped any tension in the film as has barely been 14 years since the first film came out, and without anything drastically different this time around, it made me wonder why the decision to reboot the film was made.
I do believe that there is still more to tell in this series, but that there is a better way to do it than the sequels we have had to date and a shot by shot remake. I think a story that ran parallel to the original or a more direct sequel might be very interesting as well as a look at the larger consequences of the outbreak.
That being said, if you are a fan of the series you will likely want to see the remake, but will likely wish that the series had continued forward with the story rather than going back to the beginning.
http://sknr.net/2016/02/20/cabin-fever-2016/