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No Flag (After Everything #1)
7.0
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Captain Mike Kelley does not ignore his intuition, so when sexy bartender Will Hayes captures his...
MM Military Romance BDSM Elements
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2544 KP) rated Charlie Thorne and the Curse of Cleopatra in Books
Jun 30, 2022 (Updated Jun 30, 2022)
Charlie’s Following Cleopatra’s Footsteps
Charlie Thorne is once again on her own, and she’s decided to find out what Cleopatra left behind over two thousand years ago. To do so, she needs to slip into the apartment of a rich Egyptian playboy. Naturally, things don’t go as planned, and Charlie finds herself being chased by not only the man’s security, but several different countries’ agents. Can she dodge them and still find what Cleopatra left behind?
This series has a couple of issues for me. One is Charlie, who can come across as a perfect character for far too long. Eventually, we do see some weaknesses, but it takes a while. I suspect this is something that adults will pick on more than kids do. Then there’s the data dumps. We need some of that information to have the context for the action, but it can get to be a bit much. However, overall, I do like these books, and this one in particular. There are plenty of action sequences and twists. I’m curious where the series is going to go from here. I like the core cast, yes, even Charlie. And I mentioned the action, right? Fans of good stories will enjoy this book.
This series has a couple of issues for me. One is Charlie, who can come across as a perfect character for far too long. Eventually, we do see some weaknesses, but it takes a while. I suspect this is something that adults will pick on more than kids do. Then there’s the data dumps. We need some of that information to have the context for the action, but it can get to be a bit much. However, overall, I do like these books, and this one in particular. There are plenty of action sequences and twists. I’m curious where the series is going to go from here. I like the core cast, yes, even Charlie. And I mentioned the action, right? Fans of good stories will enjoy this book.
Markov (Tangled Tentacles #4)
JP Sayle and Lisa Oliver
9.0
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When Markov finds himself in a life and death situation, can the man who rejected him be his true...
MM Paranormal Romance Shifters
Bad Boys After Dark: Brett (Bad Billionaires After Dark #4)
8.0
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Indulge your inner vixen with these sexy billionaires! Meet the Bad Boys... Four fiercely loyal,...
Contemporary Billionaire Romance
Sticks and Stones
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This action thriller is a complex story of three people, their lives, work, and adventures, and what...
thriller crime thriller action thriller
Our Evenings
10.0
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Alan Hollinghurst, the Booker Prize-winning author of The Line of Beauty, brings us a dark, luminous...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2544 KP) rated Stuff to Spy For in Books
Jan 24, 2025
Spying, Even Accidentally, Can Be Deadly
When Skip Moore lands a sale for a company looking to upgrade their security system, he thinks he’s finally made the big time. He even gets his best friend, James Lessor, a job on the installation team. Then Skip is offered a couple of extra assignments with big paydays. What could possibly go wrong? A suspicious death for starters. Then there are things that aren’t adding up, and evidence that someone is spying on them. Can the pair figure out what is going on?
This series is a mixed bag for me, and this book was no exception. I appreciate the friendship between Skip and James, but the ideas and James leads them into make me smack my head sometimes. I appreciate some of the humor, but other bits make me cringe. The plot was compelling, but the ending was rushed. And a key scene makes little sense (why are the characters there?). Then there’s also the needless tease in the opening. Yet, I plan to keep going forward with this series. If you pick the book up, keep in mind that it came out in 2009, which explains some of the dated technology. If the premise sounds interesting pick up the series. Otherwise, you can skip them.
This series is a mixed bag for me, and this book was no exception. I appreciate the friendship between Skip and James, but the ideas and James leads them into make me smack my head sometimes. I appreciate some of the humor, but other bits make me cringe. The plot was compelling, but the ending was rushed. And a key scene makes little sense (why are the characters there?). Then there’s also the needless tease in the opening. Yet, I plan to keep going forward with this series. If you pick the book up, keep in mind that it came out in 2009, which explains some of the dated technology. If the premise sounds interesting pick up the series. Otherwise, you can skip them.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) in Movies
Apr 8, 2019
What a Blast
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is back for this fifth installment where he gathers a team to stop an international terrorist group called The Syndicate.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The Mission: Impossible franchise has a way of hopping from one locale quickly to the next and Rogue Nation is no exception. Every location brings them to a different point in the journey, a means to an end, which makes things fun to follow. There’s always something happening that manages to up the visual ante from one scene to the next. My personal favorite was a crazy car chase through a crowded city. Director Christopher McQuarrie really manages to capture the intensity of this moment as cars and motorcycles weave in and out of tight spaces. This is just one of many heartpacing sequences that are visually stunning.
Conflict: 8
While the movie doesn’t skimp on the action, Rogue Nation isn’t quite as intense as other movies in the franchise. Not to say that this movie will put you to sleep by any means as there is plenty to keep the viewer occupied. One scene (actually the scene right before the car chase I love) involves Ethan having to capture data from an underwater security system. I could take a stab at describing it, but I couldn’t do it justice. It’s intense and fun to watch at the same time. I remember watching it for the first time in theaters and screaming out loud at the movie screen as Ethan found himself racing against times. It’s action sequences like that that make me wonder why more people don’t love movies.
Genre: 7
Pretty damn good…but I’ve seen better, particularly in the franchise itself. It falls just a couple notches shy of being great. Despite falling just shy of a classic, it manages to hold its own and gives me a good time with every watch.
Memorability: 10
Car chases. Underwater security fields. Tom Cruise suspended in mid-air hanging on to the side of an aircraft. And, most importantly, Tom Cruise running. This is a movie that reminds you why it’s fun to go to the theater. Rather than beat you over the head with deep messages, it hits you with high-intensity action that inspires a rewatch.
Pace: 9
Plot: 8
Resolution: 7
Overall: 89
I won’t lie to you, I hope they make a million of these movies because it never seems to get old. Since the second film (which was a pure nightmare), the franchise not only bounced back, but continues to improve and stay fresh. Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation is just a flat-out good time.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The Mission: Impossible franchise has a way of hopping from one locale quickly to the next and Rogue Nation is no exception. Every location brings them to a different point in the journey, a means to an end, which makes things fun to follow. There’s always something happening that manages to up the visual ante from one scene to the next. My personal favorite was a crazy car chase through a crowded city. Director Christopher McQuarrie really manages to capture the intensity of this moment as cars and motorcycles weave in and out of tight spaces. This is just one of many heartpacing sequences that are visually stunning.
Conflict: 8
While the movie doesn’t skimp on the action, Rogue Nation isn’t quite as intense as other movies in the franchise. Not to say that this movie will put you to sleep by any means as there is plenty to keep the viewer occupied. One scene (actually the scene right before the car chase I love) involves Ethan having to capture data from an underwater security system. I could take a stab at describing it, but I couldn’t do it justice. It’s intense and fun to watch at the same time. I remember watching it for the first time in theaters and screaming out loud at the movie screen as Ethan found himself racing against times. It’s action sequences like that that make me wonder why more people don’t love movies.
Genre: 7
Pretty damn good…but I’ve seen better, particularly in the franchise itself. It falls just a couple notches shy of being great. Despite falling just shy of a classic, it manages to hold its own and gives me a good time with every watch.
Memorability: 10
Car chases. Underwater security fields. Tom Cruise suspended in mid-air hanging on to the side of an aircraft. And, most importantly, Tom Cruise running. This is a movie that reminds you why it’s fun to go to the theater. Rather than beat you over the head with deep messages, it hits you with high-intensity action that inspires a rewatch.
Pace: 9
Plot: 8
Resolution: 7
Overall: 89
I won’t lie to you, I hope they make a million of these movies because it never seems to get old. Since the second film (which was a pure nightmare), the franchise not only bounced back, but continues to improve and stay fresh. Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation is just a flat-out good time.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Ocean’s 8 (2018) in Movies
Jul 17, 2018
Sandra Bullock stars as Debbie Ocean, sister of Danny Ocean (George Clooney) from the previous Oceans movies. She begins the movie in jail, being released on parole and promising to go straight. She has 45 dollars in her pocket and manages to get to New York, scam herself some free makeup and a hotel room, and pretty much everything else she needs. She's clearly just like her brother, able to con her way to getting whatever she wants.
After that it's all a bit of an incoherent blur for a while. She's got a plan, she knows people who can help, they know people that can help, so they all start joining forces and forming some kind of plan, starting with an old accomplice, Lou (Cate Blanchett). The sloppy plot building is papered over with cool music, witty dialogue and snappy editing techniques similar to those in the far superior Ocean's 11. It's a frustrating and dull start to the movie.
Once the team of girls are all together though and they begin working through their plan, things loosen up a bit and are a bit more enjoyable. The heist they're planning is to steal a very expensive Cartier necklace from the neck of movie star Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway) while she attends New York's Met Gala, and under the watchful gaze of a team of security guys. With the help of a hacker (Rihanna), a fashion designer (Helena Bonham Carter), a pickpocket (Awkwafina), a jeweller (Mindy Kaling) and another old con partner (Sarah Paulson), the details of the heist are slowly refined - security cameras hacked, the necklace analysed and recreated via 3D printing. When it comes to the heist itself, it all plays enjoyably enough, but everything goes far too smoothly, with no real tension or suspense or any suggestion that they might not pull it off. Once again, it just feels inferior compared to Ocean's 11.
Sandra Bullock is the only one here displaying real screen presence, which is a real shame when you consider the talent involved. Cate Blanchett feels underused and Anne Hathaway is the only other actress making any real impact. Everyone else just feels wasted, too restricted to the roles they need to carry out in order to get the job done, with not much else going on.
We didn't really need another Ocean's movie. The quality of the previous series diminished with each one anyway and although I'm all up for the refreshing change of an all female heist movie, I felt this would have been much better overall without the whole 'Ocean' connection and the need to live up to the previous movies.
After that it's all a bit of an incoherent blur for a while. She's got a plan, she knows people who can help, they know people that can help, so they all start joining forces and forming some kind of plan, starting with an old accomplice, Lou (Cate Blanchett). The sloppy plot building is papered over with cool music, witty dialogue and snappy editing techniques similar to those in the far superior Ocean's 11. It's a frustrating and dull start to the movie.
Once the team of girls are all together though and they begin working through their plan, things loosen up a bit and are a bit more enjoyable. The heist they're planning is to steal a very expensive Cartier necklace from the neck of movie star Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway) while she attends New York's Met Gala, and under the watchful gaze of a team of security guys. With the help of a hacker (Rihanna), a fashion designer (Helena Bonham Carter), a pickpocket (Awkwafina), a jeweller (Mindy Kaling) and another old con partner (Sarah Paulson), the details of the heist are slowly refined - security cameras hacked, the necklace analysed and recreated via 3D printing. When it comes to the heist itself, it all plays enjoyably enough, but everything goes far too smoothly, with no real tension or suspense or any suggestion that they might not pull it off. Once again, it just feels inferior compared to Ocean's 11.
Sandra Bullock is the only one here displaying real screen presence, which is a real shame when you consider the talent involved. Cate Blanchett feels underused and Anne Hathaway is the only other actress making any real impact. Everyone else just feels wasted, too restricted to the roles they need to carry out in order to get the job done, with not much else going on.
We didn't really need another Ocean's movie. The quality of the previous series diminished with each one anyway and although I'm all up for the refreshing change of an all female heist movie, I felt this would have been much better overall without the whole 'Ocean' connection and the need to live up to the previous movies.