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Kyera (8 KP) rated Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2) in Books
Jan 31, 2018
This is the fantastic sequel to Cinder, the first book in the Lunar Chronicles. Marissa Meyer does a brilliant job of introducing us to a new duo that will be featured in the book, while intricately weaving their story in with the characters that we already know and love. In case you weren't aware Scarlet is a retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale. As this is the second book in the series, there will be plot points referenced from the first book and may spoil you. I suggest you read Cinder before you read this review.
Scarlet is incredibly different from Cinder, our main character from the first book. With fiery hair and a temper to match, Scarlet is an accomplished pilot and a force to be reckoned with. When her grandmother goes missing, she will stop at nothing to get her back - even if that means teaming up with a street fighter who has never had tomatoes before... named Wolf.
There is a dichotomy in the portrayal of Wolf as he is seen as violent and angry during a fight, but so innocently curious and nervous with Scarlet. She introduces him to the wonders of fresh produce and his reaction is so precious, he just reminds me of a puppy in those moments. I can't say that I like him more than Kai, but he definitely grows on you over the course of the book.
It was nice to see Kai in his role as the Emporer of the Eastern Commonwealth. In the first book, he was only just coming to terms with the drastic change in his circumstances and now he must be the leader his people need. You watch as he struggles to reconcile the needs of his people with the desires of his heart. Completely untested as a ruler, he does what he can to protect his people from Queen Levana but worries that it will not be enough. It was heartbreaking to see the turmoil and know that he will only face more difficult decisions in the future.
Cinder's world was completely turned upside down at the end of the first novel. As a result, she is on the run and teams up with <i>Captain</i> Carswell Thorne. His utter enamorment with himself is hilarious and plays really well off of Cinder's more serious, yet still sarcastic personality.
I really enjoyed seeing the world expand a bit more as we learned about other locations in the Earthen Union and spent time in France. We were given more of Cinder's history and the groundwork was laid for plot points and characters in the future books. This was a great story, but I can't say much else without spoilers - so just go read the series, you won't regret it.
Scarlet is incredibly different from Cinder, our main character from the first book. With fiery hair and a temper to match, Scarlet is an accomplished pilot and a force to be reckoned with. When her grandmother goes missing, she will stop at nothing to get her back - even if that means teaming up with a street fighter who has never had tomatoes before... named Wolf.
There is a dichotomy in the portrayal of Wolf as he is seen as violent and angry during a fight, but so innocently curious and nervous with Scarlet. She introduces him to the wonders of fresh produce and his reaction is so precious, he just reminds me of a puppy in those moments. I can't say that I like him more than Kai, but he definitely grows on you over the course of the book.
It was nice to see Kai in his role as the Emporer of the Eastern Commonwealth. In the first book, he was only just coming to terms with the drastic change in his circumstances and now he must be the leader his people need. You watch as he struggles to reconcile the needs of his people with the desires of his heart. Completely untested as a ruler, he does what he can to protect his people from Queen Levana but worries that it will not be enough. It was heartbreaking to see the turmoil and know that he will only face more difficult decisions in the future.
Cinder's world was completely turned upside down at the end of the first novel. As a result, she is on the run and teams up with <i>Captain</i> Carswell Thorne. His utter enamorment with himself is hilarious and plays really well off of Cinder's more serious, yet still sarcastic personality.
I really enjoyed seeing the world expand a bit more as we learned about other locations in the Earthen Union and spent time in France. We were given more of Cinder's history and the groundwork was laid for plot points and characters in the future books. This was a great story, but I can't say much else without spoilers - so just go read the series, you won't regret it.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Other Widow in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Dorrie is embroiled in an affair with her boss, Joe, which ends abruptly one cold and snowy night when Joe picks her up. He tells her the affair is over, that "it isn't safe," and then moments after, their car skids on the ice and crashes into a tree. Joe dies at the scene, but Dorrie's airbag deploys and she makes a split moment decision to walk away from the crash (undetected). But she's haunted by that evening and Joe's death. Further, what did Joe mean that it wasn't safe? Why didn't Joe's airbag deploy like Dorrie's? Did Dorrie really see someone near the car moments after the crash?
Meanwhile, Joe's wife Karen is left reeling from his death as well. Also wrapped up in Joe's passing is insurance investigator Maggie Devlin. A former cop, Maggie is suspicious about the circumstances of Joe's death--and the women involved in his life. But can she put together the pieces of what really happened? And are Karen and Dorrie truly in danger?
This novel was interesting and suspenseful, though it didn't fully grab me. Still, I read it in about two days, so it was certainly a fast read with a captivating plot. For me, I liked Dorrie and Karen well enough, but I wasn't deeply pulled into either of their lives. Neither character was fully drawn enough for me to fully relate to them. In fact, I really liked Maggie the best, but we learn the least about her. I could almost see Maggie getting a sequel--she was a very intriguing and likable character.
Crawford's novel is well-written, but seems to suffer a little bit from "who am I" syndrome... in some ways it's a thriller, but in other ways, it's purely psychological women's fiction. As such, the mystery seems to take a backseat to the women's lives, at times, and becomes convoluted and confusing by the end. There's a backstory with Joe's business that I almost couldn't fully tell you what happened, because it's not given complete attention, even though it's supposed to propel so much of the action. That duality was tough, because the book never really focused on either the thriller aspect, or the women, and you felt like you were left hanging on both plot points by the end.
Overall, this was a quick read, with an original plot, but seemed confusing and pulled in a few directions: 3 stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available for publication on 4/26/16. You can read reviews of this book and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
Meanwhile, Joe's wife Karen is left reeling from his death as well. Also wrapped up in Joe's passing is insurance investigator Maggie Devlin. A former cop, Maggie is suspicious about the circumstances of Joe's death--and the women involved in his life. But can she put together the pieces of what really happened? And are Karen and Dorrie truly in danger?
This novel was interesting and suspenseful, though it didn't fully grab me. Still, I read it in about two days, so it was certainly a fast read with a captivating plot. For me, I liked Dorrie and Karen well enough, but I wasn't deeply pulled into either of their lives. Neither character was fully drawn enough for me to fully relate to them. In fact, I really liked Maggie the best, but we learn the least about her. I could almost see Maggie getting a sequel--she was a very intriguing and likable character.
Crawford's novel is well-written, but seems to suffer a little bit from "who am I" syndrome... in some ways it's a thriller, but in other ways, it's purely psychological women's fiction. As such, the mystery seems to take a backseat to the women's lives, at times, and becomes convoluted and confusing by the end. There's a backstory with Joe's business that I almost couldn't fully tell you what happened, because it's not given complete attention, even though it's supposed to propel so much of the action. That duality was tough, because the book never really focused on either the thriller aspect, or the women, and you felt like you were left hanging on both plot points by the end.
Overall, this was a quick read, with an original plot, but seemed confusing and pulled in a few directions: 3 stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available for publication on 4/26/16. You can read reviews of this book and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Redemption's Blade: After the War in Books
Jun 15, 2018
Storyline is not engaging (2 more)
Reading the aftermath of events that you have no knowledge of
I'm still not 100% sure there wasn't an earlier book I'm meant to have read
A sequel to a book not written yet (that sounds more interesting)
*Disclosure - I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Over the last few months I have been lucky to read three new Tchaikovsky books. As this was the first fantasy book of those three (the other two being war sci-fi) I had fingers crossed for a return to the heights of the Shadows of the Apt series. I was sadly disappointed.
The scope of this book is truly epic in every sense. The world we are thrown into has a diverse range of beings, species, cities, religions and beliefs and a rich history. The events follow on from the end of a tyrannical reign of the Kinslayer, a power-mad demi-god who tried to break the spirit of those races he didn't just wipe out. We see the Kinslayer-slayer Celestaine's attempts to do good in the aftermath of this war, and try to make one species whole again. This aim leads her on a journey across the world where we are introduced to a range of new peoples and places. The journey goes on from place to place, the company increasing all the while.
I have real respect for Tchaikovsky trying to do something new - tell the story that follows on from a somewhat typical fantasy tale. Sadly for me, the story that went before sounds so much more interesting and engaging - the besting of a truly despicable being. This story is instead something of an empty, largely pointless journey. The ending leads us to believe someone had been luring people with the promise of magical items, to come to him and ultimately their doom - however, the trail leading to him was not exactly clear and the chances of anyone following it would be minimal (let alone someone following it at exactly the right pace to witness certain key events!). The world-building is epic and yet completely forgettable. I found myself forgetting who people were, why they were doing things and I completely missed one major reveal in the final chapters, only to re-read and find that there pretty much was no reveal.
I am a fan of Tchaikovsky's writing style but for me this book was a struggle to get through. I had no feelings towards any of the characters and couldn't remember or care where they had been or why, or what had happened. Not a worthwhile investment of my time.
Over the last few months I have been lucky to read three new Tchaikovsky books. As this was the first fantasy book of those three (the other two being war sci-fi) I had fingers crossed for a return to the heights of the Shadows of the Apt series. I was sadly disappointed.
The scope of this book is truly epic in every sense. The world we are thrown into has a diverse range of beings, species, cities, religions and beliefs and a rich history. The events follow on from the end of a tyrannical reign of the Kinslayer, a power-mad demi-god who tried to break the spirit of those races he didn't just wipe out. We see the Kinslayer-slayer Celestaine's attempts to do good in the aftermath of this war, and try to make one species whole again. This aim leads her on a journey across the world where we are introduced to a range of new peoples and places. The journey goes on from place to place, the company increasing all the while.
I have real respect for Tchaikovsky trying to do something new - tell the story that follows on from a somewhat typical fantasy tale. Sadly for me, the story that went before sounds so much more interesting and engaging - the besting of a truly despicable being. This story is instead something of an empty, largely pointless journey. The ending leads us to believe someone had been luring people with the promise of magical items, to come to him and ultimately their doom - however, the trail leading to him was not exactly clear and the chances of anyone following it would be minimal (let alone someone following it at exactly the right pace to witness certain key events!). The world-building is epic and yet completely forgettable. I found myself forgetting who people were, why they were doing things and I completely missed one major reveal in the final chapters, only to re-read and find that there pretty much was no reveal.
I am a fan of Tchaikovsky's writing style but for me this book was a struggle to get through. I had no feelings towards any of the characters and couldn't remember or care where they had been or why, or what had happened. Not a worthwhile investment of my time.
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Cecelia Ahern is the well-known Irish author of contemporary women’s fiction, particularly <i>P.S. I Love You.</i> However, Ahern has decided to branch out and has penned her first dystopian, young adult novel, <i>Flawed</i>. It is dubious when an author, who is loved for her work, changes their style, but it appears she has pulled it off.
Seventeen-year-old Celestine is a logical girl who is soon to learn she lives in an illogical world. In an attempt to create a perfect society, citizens must avoid making moral or ethical mistakes; otherwise they will be branded as Flawed. And branded means literal branding with a hot iron, there is no hiding the fact that they have flaws. Celestine, like everyone else, has been brainwashed into believing that Flawed people should be avoided and do not deserve the same privileges as the “perfect” people. However, after seeing an elderly Flawed man choking on a bus, her logical brain kicks in and goes to help him. Big mistake.
After finding herself accused of being Flawed, Celestine reaslises how corrupt society is, yet there is nothing she can do about it without enduring further punishment. Despite her bleak outlook on her future, her hopes begin to rise when she discovers that there are people on her side – people that want rid of the government that disciplines people when they should not be punished in the first place.
As a reader of Ahern’s previous works and a fan of dystopian fiction, I honestly did not expect <i>Flawed</i> to be any good. Ahern has proved she has the talent to write women’s fiction, but this book was a complete contrast. The first few chapters of the novel were admittedly a bit shaky. It did not look promising. Yet eventually Ahern found her flow and produced a pretty good young adult novel.
When I saw the title, <i>Flawed</i>, I immediately assumed it would be a book about physical appearance and was hesitant about reading it. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised when this was not the case at all. The concept is fresh and original and does not become apocalyptical like many other dystopian fictions.
How the majority will receive this book is difficult to say. Fans of Cecelia Ahern may be disappointed by her change in genre. Fans of dystopia may be put off by the author’s previous novels. I urge readers to approach this story with an open mind; you may be pleasantly surprised. <i>Flawed</i> will not look out of place amongst other books of similar themes, and for those who do enjoy it, there will be a sequel, <i>Perfect</i>, next year.
Cecelia Ahern is the well-known Irish author of contemporary women’s fiction, particularly <i>P.S. I Love You.</i> However, Ahern has decided to branch out and has penned her first dystopian, young adult novel, <i>Flawed</i>. It is dubious when an author, who is loved for her work, changes their style, but it appears she has pulled it off.
Seventeen-year-old Celestine is a logical girl who is soon to learn she lives in an illogical world. In an attempt to create a perfect society, citizens must avoid making moral or ethical mistakes; otherwise they will be branded as Flawed. And branded means literal branding with a hot iron, there is no hiding the fact that they have flaws. Celestine, like everyone else, has been brainwashed into believing that Flawed people should be avoided and do not deserve the same privileges as the “perfect” people. However, after seeing an elderly Flawed man choking on a bus, her logical brain kicks in and goes to help him. Big mistake.
After finding herself accused of being Flawed, Celestine reaslises how corrupt society is, yet there is nothing she can do about it without enduring further punishment. Despite her bleak outlook on her future, her hopes begin to rise when she discovers that there are people on her side – people that want rid of the government that disciplines people when they should not be punished in the first place.
As a reader of Ahern’s previous works and a fan of dystopian fiction, I honestly did not expect <i>Flawed</i> to be any good. Ahern has proved she has the talent to write women’s fiction, but this book was a complete contrast. The first few chapters of the novel were admittedly a bit shaky. It did not look promising. Yet eventually Ahern found her flow and produced a pretty good young adult novel.
When I saw the title, <i>Flawed</i>, I immediately assumed it would be a book about physical appearance and was hesitant about reading it. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised when this was not the case at all. The concept is fresh and original and does not become apocalyptical like many other dystopian fictions.
How the majority will receive this book is difficult to say. Fans of Cecelia Ahern may be disappointed by her change in genre. Fans of dystopia may be put off by the author’s previous novels. I urge readers to approach this story with an open mind; you may be pleasantly surprised. <i>Flawed</i> will not look out of place amongst other books of similar themes, and for those who do enjoy it, there will be a sequel, <i>Perfect</i>, next year.
Rhys (240 KP) rated The Outsider in Books
Jun 30, 2018 (Updated Jul 7, 2018)
Contains spoilers, click to show
‘The Outsider’ is a crime/horror novel of four distinct parts. The first is the murder and investigation described in the blurb. This part is more traditionally crime novel than horror and introduces the main characters, giving them all distinct personalities and building up to the twist. Part two takes place after said twist (obviously, giving this away would destroy the enjoyment of the first part) and involves a new focus on the ‘antagonist’ of the third part: Ralph Anderson.
Part three introduces Holly, a character from the Finders Keepers books (that I have not read at this time) and continues for most of the book. This part is heavily inspired by several vampire novels and series including ‘Dracula’ and ‘The Strain’ but keeps a distinct Stephen King feeling.
(Part four is epilogue, which ties up loose ends and ensures that the characters who survive, as well as some who do not, have a happy ending.)
Previous King novels can feel forced, or full of ‘fluff’ that exists only to pad out the time between gruesome murders and intense horror. In this novel, every piece of dialogue has a purpose, whether to build on a character’s.... character... or to make the world seem more real, ground the supernatural in reality.
Despite what is said on the ‘bad’ section, this novel works well as a stand alone. Holly, the character that connects this to previous works, is written as though it will be a reader’s first encounter with her. She is built up from scratch and goes through development at the same rate as the other characters (her previous appearances are described enough that a reader will know the gist, but do not give away anything from the ‘Mr. Mercedes’ trilogy other than that Bill Hodges at some point dies.)
(For context, I am not a regular reader of King’s novels, having tried ‘It’ and ‘Insomnia’ but quickly loosing interest in both.)
Why not full marks? Around half way through the novel there is a scene that simply does not fit in with the rest of the story. The character that will eventually become King’s equivalent of Renfield from ‘Dracula’ meets the Outsider in the bathroom, with said character appropriately terrified. Why is this such an odd scene? Throughout the tense conversation (in which the Outsider’s powers are shown in full) Jack is suffering from an upset stomach (and King seems strangely obsessed with describing.) Horrible, yes, but horror it is not.
Overall, I would recommend this novel to a fan of Stephen King or to someone who wants to get into his writing.
Part three introduces Holly, a character from the Finders Keepers books (that I have not read at this time) and continues for most of the book. This part is heavily inspired by several vampire novels and series including ‘Dracula’ and ‘The Strain’ but keeps a distinct Stephen King feeling.
(Part four is epilogue, which ties up loose ends and ensures that the characters who survive, as well as some who do not, have a happy ending.)
Previous King novels can feel forced, or full of ‘fluff’ that exists only to pad out the time between gruesome murders and intense horror. In this novel, every piece of dialogue has a purpose, whether to build on a character’s.... character... or to make the world seem more real, ground the supernatural in reality.
Despite what is said on the ‘bad’ section, this novel works well as a stand alone. Holly, the character that connects this to previous works, is written as though it will be a reader’s first encounter with her. She is built up from scratch and goes through development at the same rate as the other characters (her previous appearances are described enough that a reader will know the gist, but do not give away anything from the ‘Mr. Mercedes’ trilogy other than that Bill Hodges at some point dies.)
(For context, I am not a regular reader of King’s novels, having tried ‘It’ and ‘Insomnia’ but quickly loosing interest in both.)
Why not full marks? Around half way through the novel there is a scene that simply does not fit in with the rest of the story. The character that will eventually become King’s equivalent of Renfield from ‘Dracula’ meets the Outsider in the bathroom, with said character appropriately terrified. Why is this such an odd scene? Throughout the tense conversation (in which the Outsider’s powers are shown in full) Jack is suffering from an upset stomach (and King seems strangely obsessed with describing.) Horrible, yes, but horror it is not.
Overall, I would recommend this novel to a fan of Stephen King or to someone who wants to get into his writing.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Predator (2018) in Movies
Sep 27, 2018 (Updated Oct 5, 2018)
The Ultimate Hunter Becomes Hunted Trope
After letting my girlfriend drag me to see A Simple Favor at the weekend, it was my turn to drag her to see something and to be honest, I think that she enjoyed this thing more than I did. This is a film that you can look at a couple of ways. You can either look at it and take none of it seriously, in which case this is a fairly fun, if extremely dumb action sci-fi romp, or you can take a bit more seriously, which I think the moviemakers want you to, in which case it is messy and unbearably cringey at times.
The main problem here is that I am not sure how the director wants us to take this film because the tone is all over the place, with some characters playing it totally straight and some just having a laugh with the ridiculously cheesy material they have been given to work with. The cast are okay, but it is as if they are all working on different movies. Boyd Holbrook, Alfie Allen and Olivia Munn are taking the whole thing pretty seriously and playing it straight while everyone else around them plays it comically and the clash of tones never really sits well throughout the movie. I am a long time Predator fan, I love the original and I think that Predators is a solid sequel too, (let's not mention Predator 2,) I am also a fan of Shane Black. I love the Lethal Weapon movies, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, so I should have loved this movie, yet it just didn't work as well as it sounds on paper.
The VFX in the film was okay at times, but at others the CGI, especially on The Predator himself, felt light and floaty and weightless, which is kinda the opposite of how the Predator is supposed to look as he moves about onscreen.
The whole 'hunter becomes the hunted,' trope actually serves as an appropriate metaphor for what this series has become. The once king of action sci fi (Predator) is now on the back foot and being outdone by a bigger, stronger competitor, (Avengers,) and by comparison, the OG hunter can't stand up to it's superior successor.
Overall, it's not the best Predator movie by a long shot, but it's definitely not the worst either. There are some laughs and some cool kills sprinkled through the film, but there are better action films that have dropped this year and there are better sci fi movies out there too that are more worthy of your time.
The main problem here is that I am not sure how the director wants us to take this film because the tone is all over the place, with some characters playing it totally straight and some just having a laugh with the ridiculously cheesy material they have been given to work with. The cast are okay, but it is as if they are all working on different movies. Boyd Holbrook, Alfie Allen and Olivia Munn are taking the whole thing pretty seriously and playing it straight while everyone else around them plays it comically and the clash of tones never really sits well throughout the movie. I am a long time Predator fan, I love the original and I think that Predators is a solid sequel too, (let's not mention Predator 2,) I am also a fan of Shane Black. I love the Lethal Weapon movies, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, so I should have loved this movie, yet it just didn't work as well as it sounds on paper.
The VFX in the film was okay at times, but at others the CGI, especially on The Predator himself, felt light and floaty and weightless, which is kinda the opposite of how the Predator is supposed to look as he moves about onscreen.
The whole 'hunter becomes the hunted,' trope actually serves as an appropriate metaphor for what this series has become. The once king of action sci fi (Predator) is now on the back foot and being outdone by a bigger, stronger competitor, (Avengers,) and by comparison, the OG hunter can't stand up to it's superior successor.
Overall, it's not the best Predator movie by a long shot, but it's definitely not the worst either. There are some laughs and some cool kills sprinkled through the film, but there are better action films that have dropped this year and there are better sci fi movies out there too that are more worthy of your time.
Fred (860 KP) rated Dumbo (2019) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
This is how you ruin a classic
Dumbo is one of my favorite Disney films. The original, not this crap. When told that his film was not long enough to be considered a full-length movie & that he would have to add 10 more minutes or so, Disney said "No. It's perfect the way it is." And he was right. The people who made this live-action remake apparently never heard that story. It's almost 2 hours long. The original story of the first film is done in about the first 20 minutes of this film, then it's an original sequel, basically.
The first & main problem of the film is the most obvious. The focus on the human characters over the animal characters. There are no talking animals in this one. Sure, Dumbo didn't talk, but he had Timothy mouse with him to speak for him. There's no stork, the bully elephants are gone, even the racist, but very entertaining crows are completely gone.
Second problem: Some of the music from the original film is here, but instrumental versions. Only "Baby Mine" is sung. We hear a clip of "Casey Jr." at the beginning. At the very end of the credits, we hear a bit of "When I See a Elephant Fly", but no "Look Out For Mr. Stork". But the biggest mistake was what they did with "Pink Elephants on Parade" In the original film, Dumbo accidentally drinks some champagne & gets drunk. He then blows bubbles & the bubbles take shape & thus begins one of the greatest scenes in Disney history. The bubbles take the shape of dancing, skating & tromping elephants. The scene is a nightmare & probably scared some kids in the day. The song itself is both fun & creepy. This should be perfect Tim Burton stuff, but in this film, it is not. In this film, circus performers are creating giant bubbles & somehow they are taking the shape of the elephants. In fact, they're copies of the elephants (and camel) from the original film. The song plays, but again, no lyrics. It's also not very well directed. Instead of looking like a nightmare, they keep cutting to Dumbo, watching the performers, with a smile.
And that brings me to another problem. Tim Burton. Like most Tim Burton movies, it looks fantastic, but it's just boring. The story is boring & unoriginal (Free Willy anyone?) I didn't get to like any of the human characters to care. They kind of just go through the motions. Dumbo himself lacks character & I never really felt for him.
I know Disney is set on remaking their classics & I haven't seen any before (and probably will not see anymore after this one). It breaks my heart to see Disney reduced to this sort of thing. I'll stick with the originals, thank you.
The first & main problem of the film is the most obvious. The focus on the human characters over the animal characters. There are no talking animals in this one. Sure, Dumbo didn't talk, but he had Timothy mouse with him to speak for him. There's no stork, the bully elephants are gone, even the racist, but very entertaining crows are completely gone.
Second problem: Some of the music from the original film is here, but instrumental versions. Only "Baby Mine" is sung. We hear a clip of "Casey Jr." at the beginning. At the very end of the credits, we hear a bit of "When I See a Elephant Fly", but no "Look Out For Mr. Stork". But the biggest mistake was what they did with "Pink Elephants on Parade" In the original film, Dumbo accidentally drinks some champagne & gets drunk. He then blows bubbles & the bubbles take shape & thus begins one of the greatest scenes in Disney history. The bubbles take the shape of dancing, skating & tromping elephants. The scene is a nightmare & probably scared some kids in the day. The song itself is both fun & creepy. This should be perfect Tim Burton stuff, but in this film, it is not. In this film, circus performers are creating giant bubbles & somehow they are taking the shape of the elephants. In fact, they're copies of the elephants (and camel) from the original film. The song plays, but again, no lyrics. It's also not very well directed. Instead of looking like a nightmare, they keep cutting to Dumbo, watching the performers, with a smile.
And that brings me to another problem. Tim Burton. Like most Tim Burton movies, it looks fantastic, but it's just boring. The story is boring & unoriginal (Free Willy anyone?) I didn't get to like any of the human characters to care. They kind of just go through the motions. Dumbo himself lacks character & I never really felt for him.
I know Disney is set on remaking their classics & I haven't seen any before (and probably will not see anymore after this one). It breaks my heart to see Disney reduced to this sort of thing. I'll stick with the originals, thank you.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated London Has Fallen (2016) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
A Few years after saving the President in “Olympus Has Fallen”; Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), returns to save the day in “London Has Fallen”. When the Prime Minister of England dies unexpectedly, the leaders of the world gather in London to attend the funeral. The lack of advance preparations necessitated by the sudden passing makes security teams very nervous as several of the most prominent Western leaders are going to be gathered in one place. Banning is waiting for the birth of his first child and is contemplating resigning from the Secret Service despite his long-standing friendship with President Asher (Aaron Eckhart). Despite this, Banning nonetheless agrees to accompany the president to London to provide his security detail with his leadership and experience.
Banning decides to shake things up a bit and deviate from their posted itinerary which keeps their exact travel schedule known only to himself and a couple others. Things seem to be going as planned when a series of devastating attacks erupt all over London. Not knowing who can be trusted and where the enemy will strike next, Banning and the President are forced to battle an enemy that seems to be everywhere and always anticipating their plans as they attempt to reach safety.
from an action film. There are plenty of solid car chases, firefights, explosions, intrigue, and of course an abundance of bad guys for the hero to dispatch. The film works well as Banning is not afraid to let his emotions show but is also steadfast in his duty to protect the President no matter the cost. Banning is not an unstoppable killing machine or the one man army that is so common amongst action films as he is a dangerous and skilled person who is still able to admit he cannot do this alone and seeks help when it is needed.
Eckhart is given more to do this time out than simply play hostage and it is great to see him getting down and dirty at times when the action heats up. The film does take some moments to indulge in what many might call flag-waving jingoism with its over-the-top patriotic message which considering Butler’s Scottish heritage does seem a bit out of place at times. That being said, “London Has Fallen”, is a rare sequel that is as good if not better than the original and Director Babak Najafi keeps the film moving at a breakneck pace yet keeps the film a character driven story that never lets up once the action revs up.
Here is hoping that Banner and Asher have another outing in the near future as “London Has Fallen” is a real surprise and a great thrill ride from start to finish.
http://sknr.net/2016/03/04/london-has-fallen/
Banning decides to shake things up a bit and deviate from their posted itinerary which keeps their exact travel schedule known only to himself and a couple others. Things seem to be going as planned when a series of devastating attacks erupt all over London. Not knowing who can be trusted and where the enemy will strike next, Banning and the President are forced to battle an enemy that seems to be everywhere and always anticipating their plans as they attempt to reach safety.
from an action film. There are plenty of solid car chases, firefights, explosions, intrigue, and of course an abundance of bad guys for the hero to dispatch. The film works well as Banning is not afraid to let his emotions show but is also steadfast in his duty to protect the President no matter the cost. Banning is not an unstoppable killing machine or the one man army that is so common amongst action films as he is a dangerous and skilled person who is still able to admit he cannot do this alone and seeks help when it is needed.
Eckhart is given more to do this time out than simply play hostage and it is great to see him getting down and dirty at times when the action heats up. The film does take some moments to indulge in what many might call flag-waving jingoism with its over-the-top patriotic message which considering Butler’s Scottish heritage does seem a bit out of place at times. That being said, “London Has Fallen”, is a rare sequel that is as good if not better than the original and Director Babak Najafi keeps the film moving at a breakneck pace yet keeps the film a character driven story that never lets up once the action revs up.
Here is hoping that Banner and Asher have another outing in the near future as “London Has Fallen” is a real surprise and a great thrill ride from start to finish.
http://sknr.net/2016/03/04/london-has-fallen/
Darren (1599 KP) rated A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Poking fun at the old west is fine, it should work and some of the jokes are acceptable. The endless toilet jokes make it feel like an Adam Sandler film and the poorly written sex jokes get boring quickly. You have the old storyline of trying to impress someone only to fall for the one helping you. It is advertised incorrectly as it makes out from the trailer that he is training to beat Clinch while in actual fact the training is for another dual all together. After watching and enjoying Ted I was expecting a lot better than this lazy comedy for someone with a good comic mind. (3/10)
Actor Reviews
Seth MacFarlane: Albert the cowardly sheep farmer from the Frontier who gets upset when his girlfriend dumps him and puts his life in danger because he is depressed only to discover he is brave deep down. Seth really doesn’t suit being a lead actor at all. (2/10)
seth
Charlize Theron: Anna the beautiful mysterious woman who comes to town and ends up becoming friends with Albert while training him to shot. Good performance from someone not known for comedy. (7/10)
theron
Amanda Seyfried: Louise the girl who dumps Albert and moves on, but looks like she could have changed her mind too late. Standard performance really, never gets given anything to do. (5/10)
Liam Neeson: Clinch the deadly gunslinger who wants revenge after Albert kisses his wife. We see what he is capable of and that he will cheat but we hardly see him considering he is meant to be the villain. (5/10)
neeson
Giovanni Ribisi: Edward Albert’s best friend who is very religious while his girlfriend is being a prostitute. Gets to have fun with the role and would be fair to say get most laughs.(6/10)
Director Review: Seth MacFarlane – With his history for good quality comedy I would expect to see a lot better than this from him. (3/10)
Comedy: Poor jokes throughout that get boring quickly but the few cameos will get most laughs. (4/10)
Settings: Good authentic western town created. (8/10)
Suggestion: Don’t bother, I think even the most diehard Seth MacFarlane fans will be disappointed. (Avoid)
Best Part: Cameos
Worst Part: The Jokes
Funniest Scene: Doc Brown
Kill Of The Film: The Ice Block
Believability: No just a spoof (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: Yes
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $35 Million (So Far)
Budget: N/A
Runtime: 1 Hour 50 Minutes
Tagline: Bring Protection
Overall: Lazy Comedy
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/06/07/a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west-2014/
Actor Reviews
Seth MacFarlane: Albert the cowardly sheep farmer from the Frontier who gets upset when his girlfriend dumps him and puts his life in danger because he is depressed only to discover he is brave deep down. Seth really doesn’t suit being a lead actor at all. (2/10)
seth
Charlize Theron: Anna the beautiful mysterious woman who comes to town and ends up becoming friends with Albert while training him to shot. Good performance from someone not known for comedy. (7/10)
theron
Amanda Seyfried: Louise the girl who dumps Albert and moves on, but looks like she could have changed her mind too late. Standard performance really, never gets given anything to do. (5/10)
Liam Neeson: Clinch the deadly gunslinger who wants revenge after Albert kisses his wife. We see what he is capable of and that he will cheat but we hardly see him considering he is meant to be the villain. (5/10)
neeson
Giovanni Ribisi: Edward Albert’s best friend who is very religious while his girlfriend is being a prostitute. Gets to have fun with the role and would be fair to say get most laughs.(6/10)
Director Review: Seth MacFarlane – With his history for good quality comedy I would expect to see a lot better than this from him. (3/10)
Comedy: Poor jokes throughout that get boring quickly but the few cameos will get most laughs. (4/10)
Settings: Good authentic western town created. (8/10)
Suggestion: Don’t bother, I think even the most diehard Seth MacFarlane fans will be disappointed. (Avoid)
Best Part: Cameos
Worst Part: The Jokes
Funniest Scene: Doc Brown
Kill Of The Film: The Ice Block
Believability: No just a spoof (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: Yes
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $35 Million (So Far)
Budget: N/A
Runtime: 1 Hour 50 Minutes
Tagline: Bring Protection
Overall: Lazy Comedy
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/06/07/a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west-2014/
Darren (1599 KP) rated Aeon Flux (2005) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: We get a future world where humans have been nearly wiped out by a virus, good start. We have information about a dictator who has taken over because he had the cure of the virus and making sure his family stays in charge, Aeon is hired to kill him so a change can happen, but the first of many twists stops this. We have two people that both sides in a potential war want dead but these two hold the secret that could save mankind forever. We have seen it all before and in the future world we struggle to see a truly original idea, the twists save this from being plain boring but with very little use of supporting characters we don’t get much here. (6/10)
Actor Review
Charlize Theron: Aeon Flux deadly assassin who is assigned to kill Trevor Goodchild, but when she has a past connection with him she helps him uncover a truth that can change the future forever. Solid performance trying to make something out of a little known source material. (7/10)
aeon
Marton Csokas: Trevor Goodchild leader of the people who has cured the remaining people of a deadly virus but he is still working to uncover a truth that could save the peoples real future. Good performance in the supporting scientist role. (7/10)
trvor
Johnny Lee Miller: Oren Goodchild brother of Trevor who has always supported him but when the future could change he plans to take over and keep things running as before. Good villainous role wanting to make sure he can live forever. (7/10)
ohnny
Director Review: Karyn Kusama – Creates a basic entertaining film that never really challenges the audience. (5/10)
Action: Plenty of action but most is the same each time. (7/10)
Sci-Fi: Interesting look at the future after a virus that looks at many different parts of it including improving surviving. (7/10)
Settings: We are in one city for the whole film but it really doesn’t get used as well as it should have been. (6/10)
Special Effects: Basic special effects used in Aeon Flux with most of it being upgraded technology. (7/10)
Suggestion: I think this could be tried, it isn’t as good as it could be but can be entertaining at times. (Try It)
Best Part: Aeon entering a poisonous garden.
Worst Part: Been here seen that.
Action Scene Of The Film: Final battle
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $52 Million
Budget: $62 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 33 Minutes
Tagline: The future is flux.
Overall: Fun but not original action
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/11/16/aeon-flux-2005/
Actor Review
Charlize Theron: Aeon Flux deadly assassin who is assigned to kill Trevor Goodchild, but when she has a past connection with him she helps him uncover a truth that can change the future forever. Solid performance trying to make something out of a little known source material. (7/10)
aeon
Marton Csokas: Trevor Goodchild leader of the people who has cured the remaining people of a deadly virus but he is still working to uncover a truth that could save the peoples real future. Good performance in the supporting scientist role. (7/10)
trvor
Johnny Lee Miller: Oren Goodchild brother of Trevor who has always supported him but when the future could change he plans to take over and keep things running as before. Good villainous role wanting to make sure he can live forever. (7/10)
ohnny
Director Review: Karyn Kusama – Creates a basic entertaining film that never really challenges the audience. (5/10)
Action: Plenty of action but most is the same each time. (7/10)
Sci-Fi: Interesting look at the future after a virus that looks at many different parts of it including improving surviving. (7/10)
Settings: We are in one city for the whole film but it really doesn’t get used as well as it should have been. (6/10)
Special Effects: Basic special effects used in Aeon Flux with most of it being upgraded technology. (7/10)
Suggestion: I think this could be tried, it isn’t as good as it could be but can be entertaining at times. (Try It)
Best Part: Aeon entering a poisonous garden.
Worst Part: Been here seen that.
Action Scene Of The Film: Final battle
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $52 Million
Budget: $62 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 33 Minutes
Tagline: The future is flux.
Overall: Fun but not original action
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/11/16/aeon-flux-2005/