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Understanding Type 2 Diabetes: Fewer Highs, Fewer Lows, Better Health
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The growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes already affects over 1.3 million Australians and twice that...
A Brief History of Misogyny: the World's Oldest Prejudice
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In this compelling, powerful book, highly respected writer and commentator Jack Holland sets out to...
Coming Home: One Man's Return to the Irish Language
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'Some part of me believed I would become a more complete person if I spoke Irish, more in tune with...
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Dire Straits (Bo Blackman, #1) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
Contains spoilers, click to show
So this is my first full-length foray into paranormal/urban fantasy for a long time since I lost interest in the genre a year or so ago and I have to admit I got pulled into it.
I'm usually wary of urban fantasy books because I read books for the romance in them, be it a little flirting or a full on sex-fest, and this was more of a subtle he-wants-her-does-she-want-him sort of thing, though I think that Bo is a little oblivious right now--or purposely ignoring it. Maybe a bit of both.
The story pulled me in from the start though I will admit I skipped a few paragraphs here and there where she was doing too much description. It was intriguing, as to who behind it from the start. Who was it aimed at? Were they from a family?
Admittedly I was a little torn over who I thought it was of the three recruits but it did become a bit more obvious the more that was read.
I'm definitely interested in reading more of the series in the future, if only so I can see what happens with Bo and Michael :P
I'm usually wary of urban fantasy books because I read books for the romance in them, be it a little flirting or a full on sex-fest, and this was more of a subtle he-wants-her-does-she-want-him sort of thing, though I think that Bo is a little oblivious right now--or purposely ignoring it. Maybe a bit of both.
The story pulled me in from the start though I will admit I skipped a few paragraphs here and there where she was doing too much description. It was intriguing, as to who behind it from the start. Who was it aimed at? Were they from a family?
Admittedly I was a little torn over who I thought it was of the three recruits but it did become a bit more obvious the more that was read.
I'm definitely interested in reading more of the series in the future, if only so I can see what happens with Bo and Michael :P
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Beckman (2020) in Movies
Mar 17, 2021 (Updated Mar 17, 2021)
"𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘨𝘶𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘩𝘶𝘩? 𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘥?"
When I say Pure Flix's superbly silly Christian 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘞𝘪𝘤𝘬 + Holy Bible mashup with 𝘎𝘰𝘥'𝘴 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥's Pastor Dave in the Keanu Reeves role and William Baldwin as a twisted desert sex cult leader where a drill goes into some dude's eye at one point - I want you to know that not only is that as righteously (no pun intended) entertaining as that sounds... it's better. Shocking what good acting, minimal preaching, and a budget that costs more than a Happy Meal can do for these things even as there's still no real characterization. Made by people who aren't just trying to cash-in on the success of Wick, but people who clearly love and respect the franchise: this has the delicious wide-angle comically over-the-top fight sequences, bumping screechsynth score, general nasty brutality, portentous monologues, and weaponized masculinity in all their respective glories. Never thought I'd see the day where one of these is executed with actual competency, especially when they aren't afraid to get down and dirty. I haven't seen a film which instantly made me demand cult status in forever - but this one absolutely deserves it.
When I say Pure Flix's superbly silly Christian 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘞𝘪𝘤𝘬 + Holy Bible mashup with 𝘎𝘰𝘥'𝘴 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥's Pastor Dave in the Keanu Reeves role and William Baldwin as a twisted desert sex cult leader where a drill goes into some dude's eye at one point - I want you to know that not only is that as righteously (no pun intended) entertaining as that sounds... it's better. Shocking what good acting, minimal preaching, and a budget that costs more than a Happy Meal can do for these things even as there's still no real characterization. Made by people who aren't just trying to cash-in on the success of Wick, but people who clearly love and respect the franchise: this has the delicious wide-angle comically over-the-top fight sequences, bumping screechsynth score, general nasty brutality, portentous monologues, and weaponized masculinity in all their respective glories. Never thought I'd see the day where one of these is executed with actual competency, especially when they aren't afraid to get down and dirty. I haven't seen a film which instantly made me demand cult status in forever - but this one absolutely deserves it.
Noel Gallagher recommended Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols by The Sex Pistols in Music (curated)
Charlotte (184 KP) rated Three Divisions (Crescentwood #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2021
Holy fluff balls, what an amazing start to this series!
Although based around seventeen year old Sophie this is anything but a typical teen book. This is most definitely an adult read with some hard hitting topics like abuse, suicide and bullying to name a few.
Nothing phases Sophie for long, she's an awesome character, with a strong survival instinct, a smart mouth and feisty kick ass personality. She has a kind of sex appeal that calls like a siren song to not one but four men (a girl can dream!!)
The four men all have an outward persona that isn't endearing but beneath the surface lies a hot mess......They go from mean and moody to a girl's wet dream and back again. Like Sophie they all have a hard past driving them, things that bleed into their current lives, each fighting their own demons.
There isn't anything that I don't like as the bits that make me uncomfortable are crucial foundations for the story. They add depth to the characters and create a more three dimensional look at all the key players.
A good strong start to what promises to be an amazing, gripping series....... **Taps fingers impatiently waiting for the next book**
Although based around seventeen year old Sophie this is anything but a typical teen book. This is most definitely an adult read with some hard hitting topics like abuse, suicide and bullying to name a few.
Nothing phases Sophie for long, she's an awesome character, with a strong survival instinct, a smart mouth and feisty kick ass personality. She has a kind of sex appeal that calls like a siren song to not one but four men (a girl can dream!!)
The four men all have an outward persona that isn't endearing but beneath the surface lies a hot mess......They go from mean and moody to a girl's wet dream and back again. Like Sophie they all have a hard past driving them, things that bleed into their current lives, each fighting their own demons.
There isn't anything that I don't like as the bits that make me uncomfortable are crucial foundations for the story. They add depth to the characters and create a more three dimensional look at all the key players.
A good strong start to what promises to be an amazing, gripping series....... **Taps fingers impatiently waiting for the next book**
Stephen Morris recommended They Say I'm Different by Betty Davis in Music (curated)
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Richard Jewell (2019) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020 (Updated Nov 26, 2020)
There were long stretches of this movie where I liked it a lot... right until I remembered who made it and why (a story about a 'good ole boy' famously + very publicly under investigation by the government where both the FBI and the media are both portrayed as parasitic losers with nothing better to do - yeah I'm sure this has absolutely no parallels to anything going on in the present day whatsoever...……..). Other than that it's like your regular late-period Eastwood: mostly just fine with assorted confirmation biases, too much fat, drippy over-fabrications, unabashed factual inaccuracies (the addition of the sex-for-news bit is just ew let alone stupidly unoriginal), a general oversimplification of the events, and a dated view of women - though not without a fair amount of awesome scenes to keep it (for the most part) watchable. I think even this movie's supporters underplayed how fortifyingly *amazing* Paul Walter Hauser is in this - he's not only uncannily casted but straight-up riveting, I recommend this movie simply to see him alone tbh. He's behind only Phoenix and Sandler for the best actor of 2019 imo - nothing else in this film even matters. The last ten or so minutes are horrendous.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970) in Movies
Dec 9, 2020
'It'll make you think of Dr No!' promises the poster for this almost indescribable comedy-thriller written and directed by Burgess Meredith. It didn't make me think of Dr No: it made me think of what it must be like to take hallucinogenic drugs while suffering from a bad case of the flu. The details of the plot are almost enough to defeat the English language - suffice to say that the key turning point in the story comes when the Buddha (who also narrates the story) uses his mystic powers to turn villainous Chinese-Mexican Mr Go (James Mason - yes, it's James Mason trying to play a Chinese-Mexican) into a benevolent philanthropist.
It's not just that the film is bizarre and incoherent, with plenty of gratuitous nudity, and European actors cheerfully playing Asian characters: it's also that the production values are incredibly primitive. It's almost like watching pornography without the sex (or so I would imagine). Not one element of this film is robust enough to elevate it into 'so bad it's funny' territory. It's just bad. That said, Jeff Bridges made his film debut in it, which presumably goes to show that even the least promising starts can lead to a distinguished career. But even so - for masochists and the troubled only.
It's not just that the film is bizarre and incoherent, with plenty of gratuitous nudity, and European actors cheerfully playing Asian characters: it's also that the production values are incredibly primitive. It's almost like watching pornography without the sex (or so I would imagine). Not one element of this film is robust enough to elevate it into 'so bad it's funny' territory. It's just bad. That said, Jeff Bridges made his film debut in it, which presumably goes to show that even the least promising starts can lead to a distinguished career. But even so - for masochists and the troubled only.