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Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Land Before Time (1988) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Littlefoot, Petrie, Cera, Ducky and Spike made up the majority of my childhood. When I wasn’t watching ‘real’ dinosaurs in action, I was submersing myself in the animated world of the Great Valley.
The Land Before Time broke my little heart and it was for more reasons than that bas*ard sharp tooth killing Littlefoot’s mother. In 1994, I lost my nana and I remember sitting and watching this film and crying my eyes out.
In some ways though, this animated beauty helped me through an incredibly tough time. My mum tells me I became reclusive and barely spoke, naturally I don’t remember this but looking back at the message this film sent me, I’m sure it made me realise that loved ones never really leave us, they just move to a special place reserved for the very best of us.
The Land Before Time spawned over a dozen sequels that my little sister has enjoyed watching just like me over the years – it has a very special place in Brannon family history and for that reason, it has to be the most influential film in my life.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/07/08/films-that-influenced-me-adam-brannon-2/
The Land Before Time broke my little heart and it was for more reasons than that bas*ard sharp tooth killing Littlefoot’s mother. In 1994, I lost my nana and I remember sitting and watching this film and crying my eyes out.
In some ways though, this animated beauty helped me through an incredibly tough time. My mum tells me I became reclusive and barely spoke, naturally I don’t remember this but looking back at the message this film sent me, I’m sure it made me realise that loved ones never really leave us, they just move to a special place reserved for the very best of us.
The Land Before Time spawned over a dozen sequels that my little sister has enjoyed watching just like me over the years – it has a very special place in Brannon family history and for that reason, it has to be the most influential film in my life.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/07/08/films-that-influenced-me-adam-brannon-2/
Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated Rock of Ages (2012) in Movies
Jan 26, 2018
From Broadway to big screen
Rock of ages takes us on the story of a small town girl who is living in a lonely world, who comes to the bright light big city of Los Angeles only to get robbed and have to work at one of the most famous bars on the strip. This movie follows her story about life in the big city and living amonungst rock and roll during the 80's. She is up, she is down, and rises to top again but not in the way you think.
On Broadway Dee Snyder from Twisted sister played the lead character of Stacy Jaxx the famed rock and roller, who is drunk but is so popular who cares right. Our switch to Tom Cruise to film was not the right person to sing. He can act but, if we remember top gun lets be real.
Other major actors and singers who grace the silver screen in this movie are
Alec, Baldwin, Russel Brand, Catherine Zeta Jones, Julianne Hough and Mar J Blige.
The music and sound track were worth seeing the movie especially if you saw it on Broadway but this was yet another way to let america get to see a show that was only in NY.
On Broadway Dee Snyder from Twisted sister played the lead character of Stacy Jaxx the famed rock and roller, who is drunk but is so popular who cares right. Our switch to Tom Cruise to film was not the right person to sing. He can act but, if we remember top gun lets be real.
Other major actors and singers who grace the silver screen in this movie are
Alec, Baldwin, Russel Brand, Catherine Zeta Jones, Julianne Hough and Mar J Blige.
The music and sound track were worth seeing the movie especially if you saw it on Broadway but this was yet another way to let america get to see a show that was only in NY.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Second Sister in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Lucy Toomey is busy working on a Presidential campaign. Her days and nights are consumed by work and punctuated only by late night calls from her sister, Alice, who still lives in Lucy's hometown of Nilson's Bay, Wisconsin. We learn that Alice suffered an accident at 18, which left her mentally disabled, and for which Lucy still feels guilty, many years later. However, not even her guilt can convince her to return to Nilson's Bay. Until she receives a call that Alice has passed away.
As the campaign winds down, Lucy finds herself once again in her hometown, settling Alice's affairs, living in her old home, and trying to figure out her life.
Overall, this is a fairly easy read, though I found the beginning a bit slow. Lucy is not the most likeable of characters, though she did grow on me as she herself grows. The plot is rather predictable, though you don't find yourself fighting the ending much. Once I got through about the first third, the book went quickly and was a pleasant read, but nothing amazing. (It did make me want to visit Door County, Wisconsin, however! Well-done on that front.)
Note: I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
As the campaign winds down, Lucy finds herself once again in her hometown, settling Alice's affairs, living in her old home, and trying to figure out her life.
Overall, this is a fairly easy read, though I found the beginning a bit slow. Lucy is not the most likeable of characters, though she did grow on me as she herself grows. The plot is rather predictable, though you don't find yourself fighting the ending much. Once I got through about the first third, the book went quickly and was a pleasant read, but nothing amazing. (It did make me want to visit Door County, Wisconsin, however! Well-done on that front.)
Note: I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Lindsay (1818 KP) rated A Gift of Grace (Kauffman Amish Bakery, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2018
The start with several different issues are address in this first book in the series. Rebecca is first having trouble conceiving a child of her own. She get a letter or will after her older sister and brother in law are killed in as automobile accident. She is left to raise two teenage girls.
Jessica and Lindsay are force to move and live with their Aunt and Uncle in this Amish Community. Jessica has a hard time adjusting to live in this small community. Jessica is found guilty of doing just about everything wrong. Lindsay on the other hand is adjusting just fine and fitting in with where is living. Lindsay start wearing plain dresses and start doing things the Amish way. Lindsay goes to work with Rebecca at the bakery for she likes baking. Jessica is sent to work with her Uncle Daniel at the Furniture store as an accountant. Though Jessica does not understand that she and Lindsay are done school though the Amish way of live. Lindsay does not seem to mind. Lindsay by the way try to make new friends and meeting her cousins and other family members. Can it be possible that Lindsay and Jessica are complete opposite of each other and every simpler to Rebecca and Grace?
Jessica and Lindsay are force to move and live with their Aunt and Uncle in this Amish Community. Jessica has a hard time adjusting to live in this small community. Jessica is found guilty of doing just about everything wrong. Lindsay on the other hand is adjusting just fine and fitting in with where is living. Lindsay start wearing plain dresses and start doing things the Amish way. Lindsay goes to work with Rebecca at the bakery for she likes baking. Jessica is sent to work with her Uncle Daniel at the Furniture store as an accountant. Though Jessica does not understand that she and Lindsay are done school though the Amish way of live. Lindsay does not seem to mind. Lindsay by the way try to make new friends and meeting her cousins and other family members. Can it be possible that Lindsay and Jessica are complete opposite of each other and every simpler to Rebecca and Grace?
Necole (36 KP) rated She Was The Quiet One in Books
Oct 14, 2018
This twisting, turning thriller follows twin sisters, Bel and Rose who attend a prestigious high school after they are taken in by their grandma after the deaths of their father and mother. Bel is the "bad girl" who makes choices that are not the best, however, it is Rose who suffers the consequences of Bel's decisions, which ultimately causes the death of one sister.
Along with the twins, there are numerous characters who seem to think they are above everyone else, who have narcissistic personality traits, and who want only what is best for them.
Then you have Sara who is a loving, doting mother, wife and student advisee who is caught up in the middle of the murder mystery thrill ride.
You also have the Detective and Police woman who are investigating the murder of one of the twins which adds a great layer to the book through their interrogations and investigative questioning of many of the characters in this book.
It is a multi-layered, well written novel you will be thrown into and will have you guessing at times what will happen next and what did happen. It is a perfect blend of narcissism within characters, a blend of trying to decide who did what, and what will happen in the end.
Along with the twins, there are numerous characters who seem to think they are above everyone else, who have narcissistic personality traits, and who want only what is best for them.
Then you have Sara who is a loving, doting mother, wife and student advisee who is caught up in the middle of the murder mystery thrill ride.
You also have the Detective and Police woman who are investigating the murder of one of the twins which adds a great layer to the book through their interrogations and investigative questioning of many of the characters in this book.
It is a multi-layered, well written novel you will be thrown into and will have you guessing at times what will happen next and what did happen. It is a perfect blend of narcissism within characters, a blend of trying to decide who did what, and what will happen in the end.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2658 KP) rated Wreath Between the Lines in Books
Nov 21, 2018
Killer at Christmas
The town of Chrystal Cove, California is getting into the Christmas spirit, and Jenna Hart is busy with a bunch of Christmas themed events at the Cookbook Nook. Her life is more complicated by the fact that her sister and her family are visiting, and Jenna gets pulled into their drama. But things take a huge turn when her neighbor, Jake, comes over in a panic one night to report that a friend who had been staying with him has been murdered, trussed up with Christmas light and stabbed by a Christmas star. Who would want to kill a visitor to town? Or was Jake the intended target?
If you are looking for a cozy filled with Christmas spirit, you've come to the right place. This book is filled with Christmas. The mystery is a little weak since a couple of sub-plots crowd it out, but we do still get some twists before reaching a creative and fun climax. The series regulars are all here, and it is wonderful to catch up with them again. Once you've finished the book, you can keep the Christmas spirit with the many recipes for holiday goodies at the end.
If you are looking for a cozy filled with Christmas spirit, you've come to the right place. This book is filled with Christmas. The mystery is a little weak since a couple of sub-plots crowd it out, but we do still get some twists before reaching a creative and fun climax. The series regulars are all here, and it is wonderful to catch up with them again. Once you've finished the book, you can keep the Christmas spirit with the many recipes for holiday goodies at the end.
Darren (1599 KP) rated 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
This modern take on the Shakespeare play ‘The Taming Of The Shrew’.
This follows a group of teenagers through school. When new boy Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) starts up at the school he sees Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) he falls in love. There is a problem with anyone who wants to date Bianca and that is her sister Kat (Julia Stiles) a very angry young lady and their father put a rule on when Kat dates Bianca cane date.
Cameron and Michael (David Krumholtz) come up with a play to trick popular boy Joey (Andrew Keegan) to pay Patrick (Heath Ledger) to date Kat, opening the door for Bianca to date.
Can Patrick tame the shrew?
This is a very good teen comedy filled with young too be star actors in Ledger, Levitt, and Stiles. The story is nicely put together and creates characters that are the good ones are liked and the bad ones are disliked. It also has a very nice soundtrack which keeps the montage scenes going very well. There are some very memorable scenes including the moment where Patrick sings from a crowd to Kat, very funny and heart felt performance.v
https://moviesreview101.com/2012/07/14/10-things-i-hate-about-you-1999/
This follows a group of teenagers through school. When new boy Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) starts up at the school he sees Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) he falls in love. There is a problem with anyone who wants to date Bianca and that is her sister Kat (Julia Stiles) a very angry young lady and their father put a rule on when Kat dates Bianca cane date.
Cameron and Michael (David Krumholtz) come up with a play to trick popular boy Joey (Andrew Keegan) to pay Patrick (Heath Ledger) to date Kat, opening the door for Bianca to date.
Can Patrick tame the shrew?
This is a very good teen comedy filled with young too be star actors in Ledger, Levitt, and Stiles. The story is nicely put together and creates characters that are the good ones are liked and the bad ones are disliked. It also has a very nice soundtrack which keeps the montage scenes going very well. There are some very memorable scenes including the moment where Patrick sings from a crowd to Kat, very funny and heart felt performance.v
https://moviesreview101.com/2012/07/14/10-things-i-hate-about-you-1999/
Merissa (14184 KP) rated The Handoff (Big Play, #3) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
In the third instalment of the Big Play series, we meet Finn in more detail. He is the cool, collected, one that has been there for Colt and Mack throughout. When Mack goes to New Zealand, he asks Finn to keep an eye on his sister as he feels that she is not quite herself. Finn wants to say no but doesn't. Instead, he ends up helping Layla in more ways than he could ever have imagined, and as a result, sees her as a completely different person. Due to Finn's support, Layla changes herself and finds courage when she thought she had none.
With hints being given with the overall story arc, as well as snippets pertaining to Layla directly, this is a wonderful addition. Well written, full of emotion and gripping situations and characters, this is guaranteed to draw you in to their story. You will be with Layla and Finn every step of the way, encouraging them to carry on when it seems too hard.
This is one of those series that I absolutely can't wait for the next book, but that is also bittersweet as I know it's the last one. Highly recommended.
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
With hints being given with the overall story arc, as well as snippets pertaining to Layla directly, this is a wonderful addition. Well written, full of emotion and gripping situations and characters, this is guaranteed to draw you in to their story. You will be with Layla and Finn every step of the way, encouraging them to carry on when it seems too hard.
This is one of those series that I absolutely can't wait for the next book, but that is also bittersweet as I know it's the last one. Highly recommended.
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
David McK (3906 KP) rated Catching Fire in Books
Jan 28, 2019
The second book in Suzanne Collins' <i>The Hunger Games</i> trilogy, this is a true sequel to the first in the sense that it shares the same characters and refers to the same events as the original (as opposed to 'only' being set in the same universe).
At the start of the novel, and having survived <i>The Hunger Games</i>, Katniss is back in District 12 in the company of her mother, sister, and Peeta. Things aren't entirely all rosy, however, as her stunt with the berries has enraged President Snow (and the Capitol), who is now looking for ways to further punish her, leading to her heading back into the arena ...
I have to say, the parallels between the Capitol and ancient Rome are even more pronounced this time round than previously, especially in an early(ish) scene where Katniss and Peeta attend a banquet in the Capitol: a banquet that provides it's guests with the means to be sick so they can eat more more, while those in the districts starve (the myth of the Roman Vomitorium, anyone?). Once again, this is told in the immediate first-person sense, with the novel also ending in a definite cliff-hanger for the final part of the trilogy.
At the start of the novel, and having survived <i>The Hunger Games</i>, Katniss is back in District 12 in the company of her mother, sister, and Peeta. Things aren't entirely all rosy, however, as her stunt with the berries has enraged President Snow (and the Capitol), who is now looking for ways to further punish her, leading to her heading back into the arena ...
I have to say, the parallels between the Capitol and ancient Rome are even more pronounced this time round than previously, especially in an early(ish) scene where Katniss and Peeta attend a banquet in the Capitol: a banquet that provides it's guests with the means to be sick so they can eat more more, while those in the districts starve (the myth of the Roman Vomitorium, anyone?). Once again, this is told in the immediate first-person sense, with the novel also ending in a definite cliff-hanger for the final part of the trilogy.
Deborah (162 KP) rated Highland Surrender in Books
Dec 21, 2018
In the reign on James V (son of Margaret Tudor, the sister of Henry VIII, and father of Mary Queen of Scots) Fiona and Myles, representatives of two feuding clans, are told by the King that they must marry and form an alliance.....
Sadly, Fiona, the heroine, appears as a right Little Madam for most of the first part of the book. Even after feeling betrayed by her brothers, she is unable to reasonably question anything beyond the clan indoctrination and acts simply like a spoilt child. It's quite hard to see why Myles falls for her at all.
That said, overall this isn't a bad book. I think a bit more on the history side would have made this a more solid and exciting novel, as the ending was really rather good, but it seemed that it couldn't decide if it wanted to be an historical novel, with a romance element (think Elizabeth Chadwick) or something more akin to a bodice ripper (and nothing wrong with that!). You started off feeling there was a bigger plot at play, but this seemed to get a bit lost in the middle, before a quite exciting ending after all.
Not sure it's worth a second read, but I'd consider this author again in the future.
Sadly, Fiona, the heroine, appears as a right Little Madam for most of the first part of the book. Even after feeling betrayed by her brothers, she is unable to reasonably question anything beyond the clan indoctrination and acts simply like a spoilt child. It's quite hard to see why Myles falls for her at all.
That said, overall this isn't a bad book. I think a bit more on the history side would have made this a more solid and exciting novel, as the ending was really rather good, but it seemed that it couldn't decide if it wanted to be an historical novel, with a romance element (think Elizabeth Chadwick) or something more akin to a bodice ripper (and nothing wrong with that!). You started off feeling there was a bigger plot at play, but this seemed to get a bit lost in the middle, before a quite exciting ending after all.
Not sure it's worth a second read, but I'd consider this author again in the future.