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Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
When “Hot Tub Time Machine” came out almost five years ago, it took a whacky concept of four friends whisked back in time during a getaway to the 80s giving them a chance to fix aspects of their lives they wished they had done differently.
The outrageous and bawdy humor as well as strong performances from John Cusack and Crispin Glover made the film a cult hit that earned over $64 million worldwide and did well on DVD sales as well.
Naturally a sequel was planned and when I first heard it was looking to be a direct to DVD sequel sans Cusack, I had an idea that the film may be little more than an effort to cash in on the success of the first film without offering much to the continued story of the characters.
I was encouraged by the early trailers for the sequel and as such went into the screener with better expectations than I had originally had when I first heard of the projects.
The film explains that “John Cusack’s character is off on adventure of self-discovery as the friends have all become wealthy and famous after the events of the first film. Lou (Rob Corddry) has milked Motley Crue and his knowledge of pending tech to establish himself as a major player, Nick (Craig Robinson) has cashed in on a recording career by covering famous songs from his day before they were ever released and Jacob (Clark Duke) is stuck playing Butler to his father Lou.
Lou has become an example of an ego run wild and during one of his lavish parties; he is shot and left near death. In a move of desperation, Nick and Jacob whisk Lou into the Hot Tub and attempt to go back in time to stop the shooting.
Things do not go as planned as the trio end up 15 years into the future and must find a way to put things right and get home.
One would think that this premise would be able to produce some funny moments, but sadly the film is painfully slow and plodding and most shocking of all, very, very unfunny. The film tries to get some crude laughs from a gameshow of the future and a homicidal Smart Car but the film just wanders from situation to situation looking for laughs and does not setup or execute them properly.
There is a montage scene at the end of the film which sadly is the best part and shows what could have been a much better sequel with the group going through time taking the place of famous individuals and interacting with them.
As it stands, “Hot Tub Time Machine 2”, is a trip you do not want to make.
http://sknr.net/2015/02/20/hot-tub-time-machine-2/
The outrageous and bawdy humor as well as strong performances from John Cusack and Crispin Glover made the film a cult hit that earned over $64 million worldwide and did well on DVD sales as well.
Naturally a sequel was planned and when I first heard it was looking to be a direct to DVD sequel sans Cusack, I had an idea that the film may be little more than an effort to cash in on the success of the first film without offering much to the continued story of the characters.
I was encouraged by the early trailers for the sequel and as such went into the screener with better expectations than I had originally had when I first heard of the projects.
The film explains that “John Cusack’s character is off on adventure of self-discovery as the friends have all become wealthy and famous after the events of the first film. Lou (Rob Corddry) has milked Motley Crue and his knowledge of pending tech to establish himself as a major player, Nick (Craig Robinson) has cashed in on a recording career by covering famous songs from his day before they were ever released and Jacob (Clark Duke) is stuck playing Butler to his father Lou.
Lou has become an example of an ego run wild and during one of his lavish parties; he is shot and left near death. In a move of desperation, Nick and Jacob whisk Lou into the Hot Tub and attempt to go back in time to stop the shooting.
Things do not go as planned as the trio end up 15 years into the future and must find a way to put things right and get home.
One would think that this premise would be able to produce some funny moments, but sadly the film is painfully slow and plodding and most shocking of all, very, very unfunny. The film tries to get some crude laughs from a gameshow of the future and a homicidal Smart Car but the film just wanders from situation to situation looking for laughs and does not setup or execute them properly.
There is a montage scene at the end of the film which sadly is the best part and shows what could have been a much better sequel with the group going through time taking the place of famous individuals and interacting with them.
As it stands, “Hot Tub Time Machine 2”, is a trip you do not want to make.
http://sknr.net/2015/02/20/hot-tub-time-machine-2/
JT (287 KP) rated The Grey (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Director Joe Carnahan has a popular back catalogue. One that is considered his best to date is Narc. Of course he helmed the bat shit crazy, guns-a-blazing Smokin Aces and who could forget for a minute the over the top and some what bonkers reboot of The A-Team.
Here, Carnahan teams up with Liam Neeson once again, although it was very nearly Bradley Cooper, but we’re glad that Neeson got the gig! Neeson plays Ottway, a crack shot with a rifle whose job it is is to keep the many oil drilling workers off the menu from the local four legged carnivores.
When the plane transporting the crew back from the end of season crashes in Alaskan no man’s land, Neeson must battle the elements and inhospitable terrain to find safety – while at the same time avoiding a rather pissed off pack of hungry wolves. If there is anyone you’d want by your side in this type of situation (Bear Grylls not present) it’s Nesson. With a few choice words for his new found friends “nobody’s going to find us….and if we don’t move we’re all fucked!” They abandon what little is left of the plane and set out into the wilderness.
This is clearly not the best idea, and it’s not long before the group are picked off one by one as the race to safety intensifies. With the Alpha male calling the shots wolf side, it’s Neeson doing the same for the humans, as he battles with his own issues as well as those around him. A few nights opening up round the fire and you realise that these men have a significant reason to want to get home alive.
Neeson is level headed and cool, but then put into a situation like this you have to be. The film, lacking in any visual landscape must use the survivors to really build the story, and Carnahan delivers enough tension to the audience to keep them on a knife edge.
The action is integrated well into the emotional side of the plot and that makes the film all the more enjoyable, as by the end you feel for each and everyone of those guys. The scenes are a little more believable, no tanks shooting down planes here. Although we do wonder if Carnahan took inspiration from Cliffhanger for one particular scene.
The Grey packs an intense punch all the way through and it will play on the heart strings as well. Neeson is the stand-out but has a solid supporting cast who don’t let him carry the burden all the way through till the end.
Here, Carnahan teams up with Liam Neeson once again, although it was very nearly Bradley Cooper, but we’re glad that Neeson got the gig! Neeson plays Ottway, a crack shot with a rifle whose job it is is to keep the many oil drilling workers off the menu from the local four legged carnivores.
When the plane transporting the crew back from the end of season crashes in Alaskan no man’s land, Neeson must battle the elements and inhospitable terrain to find safety – while at the same time avoiding a rather pissed off pack of hungry wolves. If there is anyone you’d want by your side in this type of situation (Bear Grylls not present) it’s Nesson. With a few choice words for his new found friends “nobody’s going to find us….and if we don’t move we’re all fucked!” They abandon what little is left of the plane and set out into the wilderness.
This is clearly not the best idea, and it’s not long before the group are picked off one by one as the race to safety intensifies. With the Alpha male calling the shots wolf side, it’s Neeson doing the same for the humans, as he battles with his own issues as well as those around him. A few nights opening up round the fire and you realise that these men have a significant reason to want to get home alive.
Neeson is level headed and cool, but then put into a situation like this you have to be. The film, lacking in any visual landscape must use the survivors to really build the story, and Carnahan delivers enough tension to the audience to keep them on a knife edge.
The action is integrated well into the emotional side of the plot and that makes the film all the more enjoyable, as by the end you feel for each and everyone of those guys. The scenes are a little more believable, no tanks shooting down planes here. Although we do wonder if Carnahan took inspiration from Cliffhanger for one particular scene.
The Grey packs an intense punch all the way through and it will play on the heart strings as well. Neeson is the stand-out but has a solid supporting cast who don’t let him carry the burden all the way through till the end.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Only Child in Books
Sep 24, 2020
Our protagonist in this book is a seven-year-old Zach, during shooting in his school, his older brother Andy got killed. This book is a story of how Zach and his parents deal with Andy’s loss. The variety of characters is pretty limited in this book, it sticks to Zach’s close family. I really liked Zach and his father Jim in this book. I think Zach is a very smart, kind and very cute boy. I liked his dad because he was the only one, who was paying attention to Zach after the tragedy. Father was trying to talk to Zach and make him open up about what he, as a child, is going through. I absolutely despised Zach’s mother. I think she is a self-centred cow, who cared only about what she feels and ignored her family for her own sake. I am not a parent, but I know one thing, I would put my child first.
As it says in the blurb, the narrative is told by Zach, and all the events are from his perspective. This book is like a seven-year-old’s diary. Zach talks a lot about what he sees around him, how he feels and how he deals with various situations. The narrative is very detailed, and even though there are some interesting nuances, there is not much happening in this book. I hoped that something groundbreaking will happen to pace up the book, but it kind of plodded along, making me pretty bored. There are some interesting topics discussed in this book, related to family and it’s issues, and the grown-ups have an insight into a child’s point of view. Which is quite interesting, and I am curious, how the author got all this information, and how she came up with this kind of writing style.
The writing style was very cute, simplified and easy to read. The setting of the book doesn’t change much and is concentrated around the family’s house. I liked that the chapters are pretty short, I didn’t want to DNF this book, so the short chapters helped to finish it. The ending rounded up the story nicely and left me satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, even though it started really promising, this book wasn’t for me. It has well-developed characters, and I see where it can be heartbreaking for some people, but for me, it was too detailed and kind of draggy. If you like family drama, books about loss, and curious to find out how a child sees and deals with loss, give this book a try, and I hope you will enjoy it.
As it says in the blurb, the narrative is told by Zach, and all the events are from his perspective. This book is like a seven-year-old’s diary. Zach talks a lot about what he sees around him, how he feels and how he deals with various situations. The narrative is very detailed, and even though there are some interesting nuances, there is not much happening in this book. I hoped that something groundbreaking will happen to pace up the book, but it kind of plodded along, making me pretty bored. There are some interesting topics discussed in this book, related to family and it’s issues, and the grown-ups have an insight into a child’s point of view. Which is quite interesting, and I am curious, how the author got all this information, and how she came up with this kind of writing style.
The writing style was very cute, simplified and easy to read. The setting of the book doesn’t change much and is concentrated around the family’s house. I liked that the chapters are pretty short, I didn’t want to DNF this book, so the short chapters helped to finish it. The ending rounded up the story nicely and left me satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, even though it started really promising, this book wasn’t for me. It has well-developed characters, and I see where it can be heartbreaking for some people, but for me, it was too detailed and kind of draggy. If you like family drama, books about loss, and curious to find out how a child sees and deals with loss, give this book a try, and I hope you will enjoy it.
Kristina (502 KP) rated The Silent Patient in Books
Dec 7, 2020
This is Michaelides' first book. I'm always a little suspicious when I try a new author, but I was extra suspicious because he is literally brand new. He. Did. Not. Disappoint. I was hooked from the very first page: a woman is found with her wrists slit in an apparent suicide attempt after, presumably, shooting her husband in the face 5 times. I mean, how's that for reeling the reader in? Reading from Alicia's diary was probably my favorite part, though Theo's point of view was far from lacking. I love books with an unreliable narrator because throughout the entire story your mind keeps bouncing back and forth between: is this character telling the truth or lying to me? In this case, I couldn't determine if Alicia was actually mentally unstable or if she was the victim of an unbelievable and unfortunate misunderstanding.
Alex is good with his suspense, too. There was an actual moment when I jumped just a little in my seat in anticipation of an attack, when it was just Theo being paranoid. However...
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Perhaps a more intelligent person may have connected the dots long before I did. Fortunately (yes, fortunately), I'm a bit dimwitted, so things that are obvious to others ahead of time are not so obvious to me, which makes the surprise all the more unbelievable. So it didn't take me until Theo was standing outside Kathy's lover's house, watching his wife, that I got a crazy sense of de ja vu and LITERAL chills up and down my spine! This has never happened to me before, so kudos to Michaelides, and that's no joke.
However, even then (remember, dimwit) I couldn't fully understand why I was feeling that way, just that he was suddenly starting to sound like, if it were possible, he was the mystery man Alicia kept talking about in her diary. But that's impossible, right, because he only met her when he chose to work at the Grove in order to help heal her after hearing the story on the news. Then it all came crashing down on me and I suddenly realized, with an almost exaggerated physical response, what was really happening. Surprise!
I gave 'The Silent Patient' 4 stars instead of 5 because something felt off about the ending. It wasn't necessarily disappointing, because pretty much everything was answered and we know Theo is busted for all his wrongdoings. But there was something missing. I felt bereft, I suppose. Other than that, which I wish I could explain better, I was blown away by this book and was in kept in suspense the entire time - and the twist at the end was, indeed, an unbelievable twist. I'm quite certain I'll grab Alex's next release!
Alex is good with his suspense, too. There was an actual moment when I jumped just a little in my seat in anticipation of an attack, when it was just Theo being paranoid. However...
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Perhaps a more intelligent person may have connected the dots long before I did. Fortunately (yes, fortunately), I'm a bit dimwitted, so things that are obvious to others ahead of time are not so obvious to me, which makes the surprise all the more unbelievable. So it didn't take me until Theo was standing outside Kathy's lover's house, watching his wife, that I got a crazy sense of de ja vu and LITERAL chills up and down my spine! This has never happened to me before, so kudos to Michaelides, and that's no joke.
However, even then (remember, dimwit) I couldn't fully understand why I was feeling that way, just that he was suddenly starting to sound like, if it were possible, he was the mystery man Alicia kept talking about in her diary. But that's impossible, right, because he only met her when he chose to work at the Grove in order to help heal her after hearing the story on the news. Then it all came crashing down on me and I suddenly realized, with an almost exaggerated physical response, what was really happening. Surprise!
I gave 'The Silent Patient' 4 stars instead of 5 because something felt off about the ending. It wasn't necessarily disappointing, because pretty much everything was answered and we know Theo is busted for all his wrongdoings. But there was something missing. I felt bereft, I suppose. Other than that, which I wish I could explain better, I was blown away by this book and was in kept in suspense the entire time - and the twist at the end was, indeed, an unbelievable twist. I'm quite certain I'll grab Alex's next release!
Hadley (567 KP) rated The Hollow Ones: the Blackwood Tapes Vol. 1 in Books
Sep 9, 2020
Paranormal and occult (1 more)
Great story
A filler character with potential (1 more)
Overly used details
[This is the ARC version - - - John Silence was renamed Hugo Blackwood in the final version]
I've grown up watching a lot of Guillermo Del Toro's movies. One of my favorites that he was the screenwriter for is Hellboy. Yet, I spent almost four months at the beginning of this year playing the video game Death Stranding, which features Del Toro as a main character. I bring the former and latter up because they rank very high on some of my favorite things list, and I believe that The Hollow Ones is one of the best books I have read in a long time. This is one of those few rare books which I wish I could live in as a lover of the paranormal/occult.
Odessa Hardwicke - - - an FBI greenhorn - - - is ordering dinner with her partner, Walt Leppo, when they get a phone call that someone is on a shooting rampage from an airplane. (Hardwicke looks up to Leppo as a father figure, and he sees her as a daughter) We learn that the two have been on a corruption case involving a politician's former deputy chief of staff- - - they suddenly realize that the airplane may be tied to this man, and he may also be the one going on the killing spree. The pair speed off to the deputy chief's home in fear that he may be going to kill his recently divorced wife, who was waiting to receive not only their huge house, but a nice lump sum of money.
When Hardwicke and Leppo get to the house, after stopping the deputy chief, Hardwicke suddenly finds herself holding a gun on her partner while he tries to murder a little girl. She has only two choices to make: a) kill her partner, and face the backlash of shooting an agent in the line-of-duty or b) let him kill the girl and possibly herself- - - Hardwicke chooses to shoot and kill Leppo. Immediately after this, she sees something like a heatwave leave Leppo's body and disappear. When other agents arrive to the crime scene, Hardwicke keeps this information to herself, wanting to know instead why her partner suddenly turned into a murderer. Pending an investigation, Hardwicke is put on desk duty, including errands that the Bureau doesn't want to deal with. Enter Agent Earl Solomon.
On order by the FBI, Hardwicke is sent to clean out an office used by a retired agent that was hospitalized for a stroke. She takes his things to the hospital (not knowing what to do with them), and while discussing her plight with him and revealing that she had seen a sort of heat vapor leave Leppo's body, Solomon quickly tells her to write a letter to a man named John Silence, and place it in a nearly invisible mailbox in the Wallstreet area of New York.
From this point on, the book really begins to take off, and the fact that the authors brought in the religion of Palo (the Mayombe branch) is fascinating for anyone interested in the occult. The buildup of the story is really enjoyable, too, especially when Hardwicke decides to write and deliver the letter.
Readers also get to see Solomon's story from years before when he was one of the first African Americans to be recruited into the FBI. We see Solomon being sent to Mississippi in 1962, where a number of lynchings of African Americans have occurred, but the FBI hasn't been called in until the last murder: a lynching of a white man. Solomon can't help but question if he was only brought on this case because he is African American. Ignoring the bigotry, Solomon does his job, and comes across a young boy who is possessed by some sort of demon. The boy tells Solomon to bring him Silence, a man who Solomon has never heard of.
John Silence is also an interesting character; a nearly 500-year-old occult detective. We also get to see flashbacks of his life in the 1500's, learning about his occupation as a barrister, and his first encounter with the paranormal- - - something that has plagued him since- - - as well as his teacher in the occult. In the chapters of today, Silence is a mysterious figure, and carries himself much like a modern day Sherlock Holmes. Even by the end of the book, readers are still left with questions over what Silence has been through in the last 500 years. He, having only met Solomon 58 years prior- - - the two have a huge history together. Proven by the fact of how many 'cases' Solomon has hidden in his private records room that the two have embarked on together.
The Hollow Ones is a very enjoyable book, but I could only give it 3 out of 5 stars. The rating is because the authors- - - Del Toro and Hogan- - - used so many details, like the make and model of a passing vehicle, that it would interrupt the flow of the story, being bogged down by it. One other problem that I had was with the character Laurena; she was a 'filler character' (a character that is brought in just to make something happen in the story), but she was written to be Hardwicke's best friend. This was highly unbelievable with the two times she showed up in the story.
I really, really hope that Del Toro and Hogan decide to make this a series, and that the rest of the books show us Solomon's and Silence's journeys together! I highly recommend this book to people who love the paranormal/occult crime books.
I've grown up watching a lot of Guillermo Del Toro's movies. One of my favorites that he was the screenwriter for is Hellboy. Yet, I spent almost four months at the beginning of this year playing the video game Death Stranding, which features Del Toro as a main character. I bring the former and latter up because they rank very high on some of my favorite things list, and I believe that The Hollow Ones is one of the best books I have read in a long time. This is one of those few rare books which I wish I could live in as a lover of the paranormal/occult.
Odessa Hardwicke - - - an FBI greenhorn - - - is ordering dinner with her partner, Walt Leppo, when they get a phone call that someone is on a shooting rampage from an airplane. (Hardwicke looks up to Leppo as a father figure, and he sees her as a daughter) We learn that the two have been on a corruption case involving a politician's former deputy chief of staff- - - they suddenly realize that the airplane may be tied to this man, and he may also be the one going on the killing spree. The pair speed off to the deputy chief's home in fear that he may be going to kill his recently divorced wife, who was waiting to receive not only their huge house, but a nice lump sum of money.
When Hardwicke and Leppo get to the house, after stopping the deputy chief, Hardwicke suddenly finds herself holding a gun on her partner while he tries to murder a little girl. She has only two choices to make: a) kill her partner, and face the backlash of shooting an agent in the line-of-duty or b) let him kill the girl and possibly herself- - - Hardwicke chooses to shoot and kill Leppo. Immediately after this, she sees something like a heatwave leave Leppo's body and disappear. When other agents arrive to the crime scene, Hardwicke keeps this information to herself, wanting to know instead why her partner suddenly turned into a murderer. Pending an investigation, Hardwicke is put on desk duty, including errands that the Bureau doesn't want to deal with. Enter Agent Earl Solomon.
On order by the FBI, Hardwicke is sent to clean out an office used by a retired agent that was hospitalized for a stroke. She takes his things to the hospital (not knowing what to do with them), and while discussing her plight with him and revealing that she had seen a sort of heat vapor leave Leppo's body, Solomon quickly tells her to write a letter to a man named John Silence, and place it in a nearly invisible mailbox in the Wallstreet area of New York.
From this point on, the book really begins to take off, and the fact that the authors brought in the religion of Palo (the Mayombe branch) is fascinating for anyone interested in the occult. The buildup of the story is really enjoyable, too, especially when Hardwicke decides to write and deliver the letter.
Readers also get to see Solomon's story from years before when he was one of the first African Americans to be recruited into the FBI. We see Solomon being sent to Mississippi in 1962, where a number of lynchings of African Americans have occurred, but the FBI hasn't been called in until the last murder: a lynching of a white man. Solomon can't help but question if he was only brought on this case because he is African American. Ignoring the bigotry, Solomon does his job, and comes across a young boy who is possessed by some sort of demon. The boy tells Solomon to bring him Silence, a man who Solomon has never heard of.
John Silence is also an interesting character; a nearly 500-year-old occult detective. We also get to see flashbacks of his life in the 1500's, learning about his occupation as a barrister, and his first encounter with the paranormal- - - something that has plagued him since- - - as well as his teacher in the occult. In the chapters of today, Silence is a mysterious figure, and carries himself much like a modern day Sherlock Holmes. Even by the end of the book, readers are still left with questions over what Silence has been through in the last 500 years. He, having only met Solomon 58 years prior- - - the two have a huge history together. Proven by the fact of how many 'cases' Solomon has hidden in his private records room that the two have embarked on together.
The Hollow Ones is a very enjoyable book, but I could only give it 3 out of 5 stars. The rating is because the authors- - - Del Toro and Hogan- - - used so many details, like the make and model of a passing vehicle, that it would interrupt the flow of the story, being bogged down by it. One other problem that I had was with the character Laurena; she was a 'filler character' (a character that is brought in just to make something happen in the story), but she was written to be Hardwicke's best friend. This was highly unbelievable with the two times she showed up in the story.
I really, really hope that Del Toro and Hogan decide to make this a series, and that the rest of the books show us Solomon's and Silence's journeys together! I highly recommend this book to people who love the paranormal/occult crime books.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) in Movies
Jun 3, 2019
Hoping it Doesn't Become a Victim of its Own Success
The world is trying to kill John Wick (Keanu Reeves)…but not before he kills them first.
Acting: 9
Beginning: 10
Characters: 8
This third installment brings back a lot of the characters we have become familiar with in the first two movies. There’s Wick, of course, striking like a black mamba and trying to kill everything in his path. Winston (Ian McShane) is back as the tasteful Manager of the underworld assassin hotel being his usual charming self. I was excited to see hotel concierge Charon (Lance Reddick) get a larger slice of the action this time around as it was long overdue in my opinion.
The rest of the characters? Meh. I could take them or leave them. Reason being, they mostly felt flat for some reason. Take The Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) for example. It felt like she just showed up to be an asshole for two minutes then she would disappear. Her role was annoying at best. But Wick is who we come to see. And Wick delivers. Who cares if he’s shooting at a bunch of cardboard cut-outs?
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Genre: 10
Memorability: 8
Slightly more forgettable than the first two installments as it stumbles through a few parts here and there. There were a number of amazing scenes I can say for certain I haven’t seen done in any other action movie or any movie period. What they did with animals alone was a pleasant treat. I won’t spoil anything that you probably should know already, but I will say that the creativity and the stylistic choices of the kills makes movies like these really hard to forget.
Pace: 10
Plot: 5
There were definitely some parts that left me shaking my head. I don’t know why director Chad Stahelski chose to throw certain things in. It was almost as if they did it for the sake of trying to add more drama. With movies like these, there is no need to force anything as the drama typically comes anyway. The story is all over the place at times, overdone in others.
Resolution: 6
I watched the ending thinking, “Good…but stop there please.” It didn’t leave me wanting more, rather for the series to be done. Not sure what could have been done differently, but I think it stumbles compared to the endings of the first two.
Overall: 86
A solid addition to the franchise for sure. However, I feel it must be said: This series needs to end while it still has life. I know there is a fourth one on the way in a couple of years along with a TV show. Let’s just hope John Wick doesn’t get Hollywooded to death as a victim of its own success.
Acting: 9
Beginning: 10
Characters: 8
This third installment brings back a lot of the characters we have become familiar with in the first two movies. There’s Wick, of course, striking like a black mamba and trying to kill everything in his path. Winston (Ian McShane) is back as the tasteful Manager of the underworld assassin hotel being his usual charming self. I was excited to see hotel concierge Charon (Lance Reddick) get a larger slice of the action this time around as it was long overdue in my opinion.
The rest of the characters? Meh. I could take them or leave them. Reason being, they mostly felt flat for some reason. Take The Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) for example. It felt like she just showed up to be an asshole for two minutes then she would disappear. Her role was annoying at best. But Wick is who we come to see. And Wick delivers. Who cares if he’s shooting at a bunch of cardboard cut-outs?
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Genre: 10
Memorability: 8
Slightly more forgettable than the first two installments as it stumbles through a few parts here and there. There were a number of amazing scenes I can say for certain I haven’t seen done in any other action movie or any movie period. What they did with animals alone was a pleasant treat. I won’t spoil anything that you probably should know already, but I will say that the creativity and the stylistic choices of the kills makes movies like these really hard to forget.
Pace: 10
Plot: 5
There were definitely some parts that left me shaking my head. I don’t know why director Chad Stahelski chose to throw certain things in. It was almost as if they did it for the sake of trying to add more drama. With movies like these, there is no need to force anything as the drama typically comes anyway. The story is all over the place at times, overdone in others.
Resolution: 6
I watched the ending thinking, “Good…but stop there please.” It didn’t leave me wanting more, rather for the series to be done. Not sure what could have been done differently, but I think it stumbles compared to the endings of the first two.
Overall: 86
A solid addition to the franchise for sure. However, I feel it must be said: This series needs to end while it still has life. I know there is a fourth one on the way in a couple of years along with a TV show. Let’s just hope John Wick doesn’t get Hollywooded to death as a victim of its own success.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Dark Net in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I really think that the synopsis for this book is not up to scratch! Although, yes, the synopsis is what initially drew me to this book, after reading it I can say that the book is <i><b>WAY</b></i> better than the synopsis would make you believe!
This book tackles the subject of good and evil, with references to demons and black magic which I didnt get at all from the synopsis! I was expecting this to have a much deeper involvement with the dark net, whats on it and how its used. While yes, there is that to the book, its not necessarily its main focus.
To begin with, this lack of talk about the dark net actually made me hesitant about the book. I was expecting something so much different to what I was reading, I felt really disappointed. But, that feeling didnt last for long. This is so unlike anything Ive ever read before and that made everything about this book really exciting. Not to mention, this is a super clever book! It uses real life scenarios that we can all relate to, or at least know about, and explains it with a black magic twist.
For example, when talking about demon possession, it explains how small demons can take over and that causes a man to plow a lorry through a busy crowd, or a school shooting a one off awful occasion in history. But when a big, strong demon comes along, it can posses not only a person, but a nation. It uses examples of the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide, which I thought was really smart!
Characters in this book were excellent, but there were quite a lot of them that we needed to get to know. Juniper was by far my favourite of the bunch, Sarin coming in at a close second. I loved that there was a strong, bad-ass female character who wasnt irritating (Lela, Im looking at you!).
As for the story, I will say that it feels a bit all over the place at times. Its not difficult to wrap your head around but there are a lot of things pulled in to the story at different times and this sometimes got a bit manic. This is classed as a horror novel, and for me, there definitely were some creepy bits. The hounds especially made my skin crawl.
Overall, I ended up really loving this novel. It was short and sweet (although it almost took me a whole 7 days to read), and it was exciting, creepy and fast-paced! A great novel for anyone who likes a darker thriller. Lots of gruesome deaths and bad-ass characters.
<i>Thanks to BookBridgr and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>
This book tackles the subject of good and evil, with references to demons and black magic which I didnt get at all from the synopsis! I was expecting this to have a much deeper involvement with the dark net, whats on it and how its used. While yes, there is that to the book, its not necessarily its main focus.
To begin with, this lack of talk about the dark net actually made me hesitant about the book. I was expecting something so much different to what I was reading, I felt really disappointed. But, that feeling didnt last for long. This is so unlike anything Ive ever read before and that made everything about this book really exciting. Not to mention, this is a super clever book! It uses real life scenarios that we can all relate to, or at least know about, and explains it with a black magic twist.
For example, when talking about demon possession, it explains how small demons can take over and that causes a man to plow a lorry through a busy crowd, or a school shooting a one off awful occasion in history. But when a big, strong demon comes along, it can posses not only a person, but a nation. It uses examples of the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide, which I thought was really smart!
Characters in this book were excellent, but there were quite a lot of them that we needed to get to know. Juniper was by far my favourite of the bunch, Sarin coming in at a close second. I loved that there was a strong, bad-ass female character who wasnt irritating (Lela, Im looking at you!).
As for the story, I will say that it feels a bit all over the place at times. Its not difficult to wrap your head around but there are a lot of things pulled in to the story at different times and this sometimes got a bit manic. This is classed as a horror novel, and for me, there definitely were some creepy bits. The hounds especially made my skin crawl.
Overall, I ended up really loving this novel. It was short and sweet (although it almost took me a whole 7 days to read), and it was exciting, creepy and fast-paced! A great novel for anyone who likes a darker thriller. Lots of gruesome deaths and bad-ass characters.
<i>Thanks to BookBridgr and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Donnie Darko (2001) in Movies
Mar 27, 2018
Wasn't Feeling it
High school student Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) is beset with visions of a six-foot bunny and premonitions of the world ending in less than a month.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 1
Characters: 9
One of the things Donnie Darko excelled at for me. The film relies on its quirkiness which is best exhibited in its depth of characters. Darko is a troubled kid who is completely unpredictable and doesn't care much who he offends. I wasn't his biggest fan, but there were a number of moments where he caught me off guard in a good way. The Fear/Love classroom scene was one of my particular favorites.
His sister Elizabeth (Maggie Gyllenhaal) stands out as the character I liked the most. She thinks that Donnie is indeed strange fruit and is never afraid to call him on his crap. At the same time, she is also protective of him with a family-first mentality. You can tell she's got it all figured out and now she's trying to help the others around her do the same. It's interesting watching the two characters in contrast.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 0
Seriously, what was the conflict here? What was the, "Why should I care?" portion of the film? If I'm shooting holes in the movie, this is definitely bullet #1. I guess one could argue that Donnie's conflict is within himself and what ultimately is happening to him. I'm sorry, but unless Donnie is dealing with a vampire change or a zombie turn, I don't think internal conflict is enough. Sure weird things are happening throughout the film, but you get the feeling that it's all much ado about nothing.
Genre: 3
Memorability: 1
Pace: 6
There seems to be quite a few moving parts throughout the course of the film, most of which I didn't really care much to follow. There wasn't enough consistent intrigue to keep the mystery afloat. Very slow. I need a coffee just thinking about it. Or perhaps a nice tea...
Plot: 3
Original? Sure, I'll absolutely give it a handful of points for looking at cinema in a unique way. All in all, though, the film feels like I'm wading through a swamp to get to work. I know I'm going the right way or rather I know cutting through this swamp will get me to where I need to be...But why the hell am I in this swamp? What am I trying to prove? I guess I'm saying I just didn't quite get it. I'm also willing to admit that maybe it's just me.
Resolution: 0
Overall: 42
Critics loved it. So did audiences. I thought the characters were solid and the film succeeds with a number of memorable shots, but falls short with shoddy pacing that left me more confused than when I started. Just one man's opinion.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 1
Characters: 9
One of the things Donnie Darko excelled at for me. The film relies on its quirkiness which is best exhibited in its depth of characters. Darko is a troubled kid who is completely unpredictable and doesn't care much who he offends. I wasn't his biggest fan, but there were a number of moments where he caught me off guard in a good way. The Fear/Love classroom scene was one of my particular favorites.
His sister Elizabeth (Maggie Gyllenhaal) stands out as the character I liked the most. She thinks that Donnie is indeed strange fruit and is never afraid to call him on his crap. At the same time, she is also protective of him with a family-first mentality. You can tell she's got it all figured out and now she's trying to help the others around her do the same. It's interesting watching the two characters in contrast.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 0
Seriously, what was the conflict here? What was the, "Why should I care?" portion of the film? If I'm shooting holes in the movie, this is definitely bullet #1. I guess one could argue that Donnie's conflict is within himself and what ultimately is happening to him. I'm sorry, but unless Donnie is dealing with a vampire change or a zombie turn, I don't think internal conflict is enough. Sure weird things are happening throughout the film, but you get the feeling that it's all much ado about nothing.
Genre: 3
Memorability: 1
Pace: 6
There seems to be quite a few moving parts throughout the course of the film, most of which I didn't really care much to follow. There wasn't enough consistent intrigue to keep the mystery afloat. Very slow. I need a coffee just thinking about it. Or perhaps a nice tea...
Plot: 3
Original? Sure, I'll absolutely give it a handful of points for looking at cinema in a unique way. All in all, though, the film feels like I'm wading through a swamp to get to work. I know I'm going the right way or rather I know cutting through this swamp will get me to where I need to be...But why the hell am I in this swamp? What am I trying to prove? I guess I'm saying I just didn't quite get it. I'm also willing to admit that maybe it's just me.
Resolution: 0
Overall: 42
Critics loved it. So did audiences. I thought the characters were solid and the film succeeds with a number of memorable shots, but falls short with shoddy pacing that left me more confused than when I started. Just one man's opinion.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Call Of Duty: United Front in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
The third of four DLC packs for Call of Duty: WW2 has arrived for PC and Xbox One. United Front brings three new multiplay maps, a new War map, and a brand new chapter in the Zombie saga for players to enjoy.
The content first released on the PS4 which gives that platform a 30 day advanced released window over the other platforms.
The three maps are as follows…
Market Garden
Set during Operation Market Garden in The Netherlands, players must fight in and around Allied Headquarters which leads to several close-quarter battles. The kitchen is a very dangerous area and there are multiple places for enemies to hide in the shadows and strike.
If you like a run and gun style of play, this is the map for you.
Stalingrad
The snow-covered map is set in the factory district and provides raised areas, long range attacks, tunnels, and solid action. The detail level is good and using train cars to hide behind before launching an attack makes the map a great mix of gameplay styles.
Monte Cassino
This map set in Italy has players battle in a village and has some great tactical variation. From courtyards to rooftops, players can alternate between run and gun and distanced attacks. There is some great fun in shooting enemies from the roof and then jumping down to finish them off point blank.
Operation Supercharge
Set in Tunisia during the second battle of El Alamein players must build and defend bridges as they look to assault and defend a key train bridge. Anyone who has played the War mode knows what to expect as teamwork is the key for this mode and different play styles are well-supported.
The final part of the pack is the new Zombie chapter and it is very difficult even for experienced players.
The Tortured Path
Players make a last-ditch stand to fight the evil hordes but the ideal village where the game takes place offers few places to hide and narrow passages which makes players develop hit and run tactics as standing your ground does not work well.
I have played all of the Zombie modes to date and this one is very challenging. I have asked other players if I am wrong about this and they have all agreed that the map offers a very high challenge as not only are the enemies tougher and abundant; the weapons do not seem to do as must damage.
United Front is a nice selection of content which will increase the options for fans of Call of Duty: WW2. However some fans may find it is a mix of good but not great content that does not change greatly from what is already offered. The new maps are fun but they do not have a unique or quirky quality to them like some maps have.
http://sknr.net/2018/07/31/call-of-duty-united-front/
The content first released on the PS4 which gives that platform a 30 day advanced released window over the other platforms.
The three maps are as follows…
Market Garden
Set during Operation Market Garden in The Netherlands, players must fight in and around Allied Headquarters which leads to several close-quarter battles. The kitchen is a very dangerous area and there are multiple places for enemies to hide in the shadows and strike.
If you like a run and gun style of play, this is the map for you.
Stalingrad
The snow-covered map is set in the factory district and provides raised areas, long range attacks, tunnels, and solid action. The detail level is good and using train cars to hide behind before launching an attack makes the map a great mix of gameplay styles.
Monte Cassino
This map set in Italy has players battle in a village and has some great tactical variation. From courtyards to rooftops, players can alternate between run and gun and distanced attacks. There is some great fun in shooting enemies from the roof and then jumping down to finish them off point blank.
Operation Supercharge
Set in Tunisia during the second battle of El Alamein players must build and defend bridges as they look to assault and defend a key train bridge. Anyone who has played the War mode knows what to expect as teamwork is the key for this mode and different play styles are well-supported.
The final part of the pack is the new Zombie chapter and it is very difficult even for experienced players.
The Tortured Path
Players make a last-ditch stand to fight the evil hordes but the ideal village where the game takes place offers few places to hide and narrow passages which makes players develop hit and run tactics as standing your ground does not work well.
I have played all of the Zombie modes to date and this one is very challenging. I have asked other players if I am wrong about this and they have all agreed that the map offers a very high challenge as not only are the enemies tougher and abundant; the weapons do not seem to do as must damage.
United Front is a nice selection of content which will increase the options for fans of Call of Duty: WW2. However some fans may find it is a mix of good but not great content that does not change greatly from what is already offered. The new maps are fun but they do not have a unique or quirky quality to them like some maps have.
http://sknr.net/2018/07/31/call-of-duty-united-front/
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated State of Play (2009) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
In the corridors of the nation’s capital, Washington D.C. alliances and wheeling and dealing are the name of the game. With billions if not trillions of dollars hinging on new laws and policy, corporations clearly have an interest in which way the political winds are leaning and how it will affect their all important bottom line.
In the political thriller “State of Play”, Director Kevin MacDonald has combined a stellar cast with a strong script from Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray, and Matthew Michael Carnahan to craft one of the best dramas since Gilroy’s “Michael Clayton”.
When the lead researcher of Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck), dies in an accident, it is a devastating blow to the young Congressman as he prepares for a series of hearings intended to cull the growth of a private security firm.
What is at first listed as an accident raises suspicion in veteran news reporter Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), who has had a long friendship, with Collins. Despite tension in recent years, Collins turns to Cal when it is revealed that he had an affair with his researcher. As Cal looks into the story he is under pressure from his editor (Helen Mirren), to deliver a story to keep the papers new owners happy. If this was not bad enough, Cal is also dogged by an online reporter for the paper named Della (Rachael McAdams), who is looking to make a name for herself at the paper.
Cal soon learns that the assistant was killed in what was made to look like an accident, and that a shooting incident that occurred prior to the death may be related to the murder.
Cal teams up with Della and soon learns that some very big players may be involved and that they will stop at nothing to protect their secret.
In a race against time, Cal and Della must get to the bottom of the mystery and stay alive. Unsure who to trust and which way their leads will follow, Cal and Della look for the answers that unaware that the quest they have undertaken will affect the halls of power as well as the very nation itself.
“State of Play” is a very tight thriller that is filled with twists and turns. The characters are interesting and well developed and the performances are first rate. Crowe is powerful as the determined Cal and works well with Affleck and Adams. Robin Wright Penn and Helen Mirren also give very strong performances.
The story of the film seems ripped from the headlines and has an eerie sense of reality to it, and works much better than “The International” attempted to do with its conspiracy premise.
While I have avoided as many spoilers as I could, suffice it to say that the film does have a deep plot that twists and turns to a rewarding conclusion and will keep your attention. I would hope that the fine work in this film is not forgotten when the Oscars come up next.
In the political thriller “State of Play”, Director Kevin MacDonald has combined a stellar cast with a strong script from Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray, and Matthew Michael Carnahan to craft one of the best dramas since Gilroy’s “Michael Clayton”.
When the lead researcher of Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck), dies in an accident, it is a devastating blow to the young Congressman as he prepares for a series of hearings intended to cull the growth of a private security firm.
What is at first listed as an accident raises suspicion in veteran news reporter Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), who has had a long friendship, with Collins. Despite tension in recent years, Collins turns to Cal when it is revealed that he had an affair with his researcher. As Cal looks into the story he is under pressure from his editor (Helen Mirren), to deliver a story to keep the papers new owners happy. If this was not bad enough, Cal is also dogged by an online reporter for the paper named Della (Rachael McAdams), who is looking to make a name for herself at the paper.
Cal soon learns that the assistant was killed in what was made to look like an accident, and that a shooting incident that occurred prior to the death may be related to the murder.
Cal teams up with Della and soon learns that some very big players may be involved and that they will stop at nothing to protect their secret.
In a race against time, Cal and Della must get to the bottom of the mystery and stay alive. Unsure who to trust and which way their leads will follow, Cal and Della look for the answers that unaware that the quest they have undertaken will affect the halls of power as well as the very nation itself.
“State of Play” is a very tight thriller that is filled with twists and turns. The characters are interesting and well developed and the performances are first rate. Crowe is powerful as the determined Cal and works well with Affleck and Adams. Robin Wright Penn and Helen Mirren also give very strong performances.
The story of the film seems ripped from the headlines and has an eerie sense of reality to it, and works much better than “The International” attempted to do with its conspiracy premise.
While I have avoided as many spoilers as I could, suffice it to say that the film does have a deep plot that twists and turns to a rewarding conclusion and will keep your attention. I would hope that the fine work in this film is not forgotten when the Oscars come up next.