Search
Search results
Boating Asia&Africa HD
Navigation and Sports
App
The world’s #1 Boating app! A favorite among cruisers, sailors, fishermen and divers. Find the...
Boating Marine & Lakes
Navigation and Sports
App
The world’s #1 Boating app! A favorite among cruisers, sailors, fishermen and divers. Find the...
Electrician Clinic
Education and Reference
App
This collection of 888 training videos will teach you all about what it takes to be an electrician. ...
Sygic Truck GPS Navigation for Truck, Van, RV, Bus
Navigation and Productivity
App
One of the most reliable navigation apps for professional truck drivers with first class routing and...
Cards On Palm : Credit Cards Wallet & ATM Finder
Finance and Business
App
Cards On Palm lets you store all of your bank and credit card info in one safe, secure place, and...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated I Kissed a Girl in Books
Aug 12, 2021
A fun movie set romance
Noa Birnbaum's dream is to work in the movies: in horror special effects and makeup. She finally gets a chance to work on a real movie (one step closer to joining the union), but it means dropping out of school, where she's earning her theater degree. Her parents won't be pleased. On the set, she's face to face with actress Lilah Silver, whom Noa has had a crush on for ages. Lilah has her own dreams, to move beyond B-list horror films and into true stardom. This starring role as the "final girl" could be her opportunity. When she meets openly out Noa, Lilah may finally have a chance to admit to her own bisexuality. But a relationship could have its own problems for both Lilah and Noa.
"Noa'd thrown away everything else in her life for this job. And now she was seriously considering throwing the job away for a chance at a girl? Stupid beyond words."
This is a cute story whose strength comes across in its representation--queer characters covering bi, trans, lesbian and more. There's also some excellent Jewish representation, as both Noa and Lilah bond over their religious beliefs. As a member of the LGBTQIA community, I love seeing stories that reflect myself and my friends. Watching Lilah grapple with her bisexuality and coming out and seeing Noa hang out with her friends, being openly out and accepted. These are still stories and characters we do not get to see and read about regularly. Even better, it seems like I read a lot of queer YA books, not a lot where the characters are adults (although they might not always act like it in this story, ha). It was fun and refreshing.
"Special effects artist had never been on the list of things Good Jewish Girls Did."
For me, this book was a little long. It could have been a bit shorter and would have felt more snappy. A lot of the focus in this story is on miscommunication, which is a pet peeve of mine. I just can't handle when so much of the plot could be avoided if the characters just spoke openly to one another. It's also not entirely clear why Noa crushes so much on Lilah, to the point that it seems that she can't rationalize clearly. A lot of this inability to communicate or think clearly leads to some back and forth storylines, so it seems like as if the plot zigs and zags. Up and down. Will Noa go for a relationship with Lilah or keep her job? Is Lilah willing to risk her career for her sexuality? Again, if things had been just a bit shorter, we probably could have skipped a bit of this.
Still, this is a fun story. While Lilah and Noa can be frustrating sometimes, they are engaging characters. The horror film set adds an interesting level to the book (there's another plot line involving Lilah and threats to her safety). It's a little long, but I appreciated all the queer and Jewish rep. 3+ stars.
I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. It releases 8/3/2021.
"Noa'd thrown away everything else in her life for this job. And now she was seriously considering throwing the job away for a chance at a girl? Stupid beyond words."
This is a cute story whose strength comes across in its representation--queer characters covering bi, trans, lesbian and more. There's also some excellent Jewish representation, as both Noa and Lilah bond over their religious beliefs. As a member of the LGBTQIA community, I love seeing stories that reflect myself and my friends. Watching Lilah grapple with her bisexuality and coming out and seeing Noa hang out with her friends, being openly out and accepted. These are still stories and characters we do not get to see and read about regularly. Even better, it seems like I read a lot of queer YA books, not a lot where the characters are adults (although they might not always act like it in this story, ha). It was fun and refreshing.
"Special effects artist had never been on the list of things Good Jewish Girls Did."
For me, this book was a little long. It could have been a bit shorter and would have felt more snappy. A lot of the focus in this story is on miscommunication, which is a pet peeve of mine. I just can't handle when so much of the plot could be avoided if the characters just spoke openly to one another. It's also not entirely clear why Noa crushes so much on Lilah, to the point that it seems that she can't rationalize clearly. A lot of this inability to communicate or think clearly leads to some back and forth storylines, so it seems like as if the plot zigs and zags. Up and down. Will Noa go for a relationship with Lilah or keep her job? Is Lilah willing to risk her career for her sexuality? Again, if things had been just a bit shorter, we probably could have skipped a bit of this.
Still, this is a fun story. While Lilah and Noa can be frustrating sometimes, they are engaging characters. The horror film set adds an interesting level to the book (there's another plot line involving Lilah and threats to her safety). It's a little long, but I appreciated all the queer and Jewish rep. 3+ stars.
I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. It releases 8/3/2021.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Johnny English Strikes Again (2018) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
Spy spoof caper that’s only passably amusing.
It’s a HILARIOUS concept. It’s Bond but not as we know it: a suave, sophisticated, well-dressed hero but someone who’s a complete klutz when it comes to the spy business. Rowan Atkinson is perfect in the role: because when he plays his face ”straight” he IS strangely good-looking and certainly pulls off the air of confidence, intelligence and sophistication well.
So it was that 2003’s Johnny English was a refreshing novelty. Roll forwards 15 years (via 2011’s “Johnny English Reborn”) and the concoction needs… you know… actual JOKES.
For “Johnny English Strikes Again” is unfortunately a pretty lame affair.
The Plot
Johnny English (Atkinson) is retired from MI7 and living life as a Geography teacher at a public school. Aside from teaching them about sheep farming in Australia and magma, English delights in teaching his young pupils the tricks of the spy trade: “You’re looking particularly beautiful tonight”, with a twinkle and a vodka martini in hand. “You’re looking particularly beautiful tonight” repeats the class.
But the quiet life of English is about to end, since a cyber-attack has exposed all of MI7’s current agents and the Prime Minister (Emma Thompson) needs to re-hire a retired agent who is currently ‘off the grid’. But noone – friend or foe – is safe when the bumbling English and his faithful helper Bough (Ben Miller) go back into the field.
The Turns
As UK comedy professionals, Atkinson and Miller deliver their English/Bough schtick serviceably enough. The brilliant Emma Thompson though is woefully underused as a straight-woman, being asked to do little more than an exasperated Theresa May impersonation.
If you need a sexy and sophisticated femme fatale for a Bond spoof, what better than a real ex-Bond girl? So the extremely sexy and sophisticated Olga Kurylenko (Camille from “Quantum of Solace”) plays Ophelia Bhuletova, which sounds much funnier when pronounced by Atkinson. And a very good job she does too.
The Review
To emphasise the positive for a moment, the film is suitably glossy, which are table stakes for a spy caper like this or Austin Powers.
But the script by William Davies (who did the previous Johnny Englishes, but nothing much since “Reborn”) doesn’t deliver any real laugh-out-loud moments. My hopes were raised when the “pensioner interviews” happened and Charles Dance, Edward Fox and Michael Gambon turned up. Great, I thought… having the old timers play off Atkinson will be fun. But unfortunately they were nothing but cameos and (although one of the film’s comedy highlights) they came and went in the blink of an eye.
Elsewhere the film relied too much on a few running jokes: ostensibly the need for health and safety in MI7, where guns are rather frowned upon, given their potential to caused injury or worse. A ‘virtual reality’ training mission also delivers smiles but outstays its welcome.
The film is a first-time feature for TV-comedy director David Kerr.
Final thoughts
There are films which are wildly offensive. There are films that are just plain bad. This is neither: it is as Douglas Adams might have described it as “Mostly Harmless”. But to get any more than the rating I have given it, a comedy film has to make me laugh and this one failed miserably. It’s a watchable TV film for a rainy afternoon, but not worth heading out to the cinema to watch.
So it was that 2003’s Johnny English was a refreshing novelty. Roll forwards 15 years (via 2011’s “Johnny English Reborn”) and the concoction needs… you know… actual JOKES.
For “Johnny English Strikes Again” is unfortunately a pretty lame affair.
The Plot
Johnny English (Atkinson) is retired from MI7 and living life as a Geography teacher at a public school. Aside from teaching them about sheep farming in Australia and magma, English delights in teaching his young pupils the tricks of the spy trade: “You’re looking particularly beautiful tonight”, with a twinkle and a vodka martini in hand. “You’re looking particularly beautiful tonight” repeats the class.
But the quiet life of English is about to end, since a cyber-attack has exposed all of MI7’s current agents and the Prime Minister (Emma Thompson) needs to re-hire a retired agent who is currently ‘off the grid’. But noone – friend or foe – is safe when the bumbling English and his faithful helper Bough (Ben Miller) go back into the field.
The Turns
As UK comedy professionals, Atkinson and Miller deliver their English/Bough schtick serviceably enough. The brilliant Emma Thompson though is woefully underused as a straight-woman, being asked to do little more than an exasperated Theresa May impersonation.
If you need a sexy and sophisticated femme fatale for a Bond spoof, what better than a real ex-Bond girl? So the extremely sexy and sophisticated Olga Kurylenko (Camille from “Quantum of Solace”) plays Ophelia Bhuletova, which sounds much funnier when pronounced by Atkinson. And a very good job she does too.
The Review
To emphasise the positive for a moment, the film is suitably glossy, which are table stakes for a spy caper like this or Austin Powers.
But the script by William Davies (who did the previous Johnny Englishes, but nothing much since “Reborn”) doesn’t deliver any real laugh-out-loud moments. My hopes were raised when the “pensioner interviews” happened and Charles Dance, Edward Fox and Michael Gambon turned up. Great, I thought… having the old timers play off Atkinson will be fun. But unfortunately they were nothing but cameos and (although one of the film’s comedy highlights) they came and went in the blink of an eye.
Elsewhere the film relied too much on a few running jokes: ostensibly the need for health and safety in MI7, where guns are rather frowned upon, given their potential to caused injury or worse. A ‘virtual reality’ training mission also delivers smiles but outstays its welcome.
The film is a first-time feature for TV-comedy director David Kerr.
Final thoughts
There are films which are wildly offensive. There are films that are just plain bad. This is neither: it is as Douglas Adams might have described it as “Mostly Harmless”. But to get any more than the rating I have given it, a comedy film has to make me laugh and this one failed miserably. It’s a watchable TV film for a rainy afternoon, but not worth heading out to the cinema to watch.
Longwalks
Communication, Lifestyle and Social Networking
8.5
Rate It
App
Reflection, empathy, friendship, & fun in one app. ALWAYS makes my day better. DISCOVER YOURSELF...
Lifestyle Social Media Spirituality
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Last Year: The Nightmare in Video Games
Feb 8, 2019
Nostalgic Horror
The survival horror genre has been growing in recent years with more and more titles being released to a growing and receptive gaming audience. The goal for these games is usually simple; survive. The typical set up has four or more players working with one another to accomplish various tasks and elude a dangerous killer who is often randomly selected amongst the players at the start of each match.
The latest game in this genre is entitled Last Year: The Nightmare and it sets players as stereotypical high school students as they attempt to survive against a killer.
Players will be able to select not only their persona but also a class such as Assault or Medic which will help the group survive the challenges ahead. Players will have to accomplish various tasks such as finding fuel for a Stair Car and locating computer disks as they attempt to open an exit which will allow players a time window to escape to safety.
Players will also have to find raw material along the way which can be used to construct and upgrade items such as a football helmet, weapons, and other tools needed for survival.
This is not a run and shoot scenario as weapons can involve a camera flash to temporarily blind your enemy, a mine to give them an explosive welcome, a shotgun, and a pipe with barbed wire and nails.
Playing in locales such as a gym, Bell tower, and a Library, there is plenty of area in which to cover which allows the killer plenty of places to strike. Players can quick travel through vents but may also take advantage of being able to barricade various locales which will slow down the killer but also restrict access for fellow players.
The killers come in three varieties, an axe murderer, a strangler, and a slow-moving but dangerous bulk that will smash, strangle, and throw, any players that get close enough to his range.
The game is available only via Discord currently and has had quite a few bugs to contend with during our numerous play tests most notably with launching and map loading. However when the game does load properly aside from some occasional lag; the gameplay has been solid and enjoyable and the in game chat has certainly led to some enjoyable conversations as we strategize.
The game’s graphics are solid but nothing spectacular and the same can be said for the audio and music. The maps are enjoyable but a little basic and I certainly hope that more of them will be released in the future. I also would like to see more options for the killers and might even be fun to allow more than one into a map to increase the challenge.
The killers are an intriguing mix as taking down players within ask is pretty much what you might expect but being able to last so a player with a chain and strangle them is an interesting new wrinkle. Once players are killed they can be revived after a certain amount of time as players will have to free them from a closet in which they are trapped. The same goes for the killers as once taken down; they will respond after a certain amount of time which also allows players to use a different killer.
Despite the issues; the game is enjoyable but depending on your tolerances some may find it becomes a little old and repetitious after a few games. I have not seen any major differences between playing any of the characters as the Jock seemed to perform exactly as the Nerd without any discernible advantage.
In the end the game is an enjoyable but fleeting diversion as after successfully completing a few rounds; it isn’t compelling enough to keep players engaged for long periods of time and to draw them back again and again.
3 stars out of 5
The latest game in this genre is entitled Last Year: The Nightmare and it sets players as stereotypical high school students as they attempt to survive against a killer.
Players will be able to select not only their persona but also a class such as Assault or Medic which will help the group survive the challenges ahead. Players will have to accomplish various tasks such as finding fuel for a Stair Car and locating computer disks as they attempt to open an exit which will allow players a time window to escape to safety.
Players will also have to find raw material along the way which can be used to construct and upgrade items such as a football helmet, weapons, and other tools needed for survival.
This is not a run and shoot scenario as weapons can involve a camera flash to temporarily blind your enemy, a mine to give them an explosive welcome, a shotgun, and a pipe with barbed wire and nails.
Playing in locales such as a gym, Bell tower, and a Library, there is plenty of area in which to cover which allows the killer plenty of places to strike. Players can quick travel through vents but may also take advantage of being able to barricade various locales which will slow down the killer but also restrict access for fellow players.
The killers come in three varieties, an axe murderer, a strangler, and a slow-moving but dangerous bulk that will smash, strangle, and throw, any players that get close enough to his range.
The game is available only via Discord currently and has had quite a few bugs to contend with during our numerous play tests most notably with launching and map loading. However when the game does load properly aside from some occasional lag; the gameplay has been solid and enjoyable and the in game chat has certainly led to some enjoyable conversations as we strategize.
The game’s graphics are solid but nothing spectacular and the same can be said for the audio and music. The maps are enjoyable but a little basic and I certainly hope that more of them will be released in the future. I also would like to see more options for the killers and might even be fun to allow more than one into a map to increase the challenge.
The killers are an intriguing mix as taking down players within ask is pretty much what you might expect but being able to last so a player with a chain and strangle them is an interesting new wrinkle. Once players are killed they can be revived after a certain amount of time as players will have to free them from a closet in which they are trapped. The same goes for the killers as once taken down; they will respond after a certain amount of time which also allows players to use a different killer.
Despite the issues; the game is enjoyable but depending on your tolerances some may find it becomes a little old and repetitious after a few games. I have not seen any major differences between playing any of the characters as the Jock seemed to perform exactly as the Nerd without any discernible advantage.
In the end the game is an enjoyable but fleeting diversion as after successfully completing a few rounds; it isn’t compelling enough to keep players engaged for long periods of time and to draw them back again and again.
3 stars out of 5