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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2084 KP) rated Dead Ex in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Ex-boyfriend David Zetrakis was dying of cancer. But that didn't stop someone from killing him. And when Wollie's best friend Joey becomes the prime suspect, Wollie steps in to solve the crime. This book has a soap opera setting and feel, which adds to the fun. The second half slows down a little, but the third in the series is still a great read.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-dead-ex-by-harley-jane-kozak.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-dead-ex-by-harley-jane-kozak.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Fifty Shades Darker (2017) in Movies
Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Feb 15, 2018)
A Crime Against Passion
Another attempt by E.L. James to solve the global overpopulation crisis by putting people off the idea of having sex. More deeply uninvolving shenanigans between Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey: will he win her back? Will she be able to make him commit to a proper relationship? And why the hell should anyone else care?
Very little discernible plot; mostly resembles a blandly aspirational soap opera, or possibly commercial for kitchen design. Scenes of rumpo are occasionally unintentionally funny, never actually erotic. Fifty Shades Darker? Fifty Shades Duller, more like.
Very little discernible plot; mostly resembles a blandly aspirational soap opera, or possibly commercial for kitchen design. Scenes of rumpo are occasionally unintentionally funny, never actually erotic. Fifty Shades Darker? Fifty Shades Duller, more like.
KatyShubo (75 KP) rated Dark Shadows (2012) in Movies
Jan 22, 2019
Johnny Depp (2 more)
Cheese Factor
Fun
Escapism
Dark Shadows is a glorious tribute to the gothic soap opera of the same name. It is deliciously camp, cheesy and extravagant - in short it is the perfect movie to watch from under the duvet whilst steadfastly avoiding the January chill outside.
Johnny Depp (disclaimer I’m biased I think the man is a marvel) is everything you need in this role, fun Fact - did you know that as a child he used to dress up as this character for Halloween.
It is the most technically superb film of all times but it’s fun and sassy.
Johnny Depp (disclaimer I’m biased I think the man is a marvel) is everything you need in this role, fun Fact - did you know that as a child he used to dress up as this character for Halloween.
It is the most technically superb film of all times but it’s fun and sassy.
Charlotte (184 KP) rated The Scrotum Toad in Books
Jun 22, 2023
A delightful mix of unique characters.
Set against an African back drop, with descriptions of pure beauty and wonder, The Scrotum Toad pulls you into a story that can outshine any soap opera. Full of quirky, fun characters each with their own special personality traits and levels of intelligence and luck (how on earth Stanley has made it as far in life as he has is beyond me)
Each character does have endearing qualities, I'll be honest though, it took me a little while to warm up to Tangle but that's definitely down to having to rearrange my way of thinking. She's quite the inspiration.
Set against an African back drop, with descriptions of pure beauty and wonder, The Scrotum Toad pulls you into a story that can outshine any soap opera. Full of quirky, fun characters each with their own special personality traits and levels of intelligence and luck (how on earth Stanley has made it as far in life as he has is beyond me)
Each character does have endearing qualities, I'll be honest though, it took me a little while to warm up to Tangle but that's definitely down to having to rearrange my way of thinking. She's quite the inspiration.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Fifty Shades Freed (2018) in Movies
Feb 12, 2018 (Updated Feb 12, 2018)
Mercifully brief compared to the other two (1 more)
A good advert for celibacy
Once More Unto the Sex Dungeon
(Hey, I know no shame, I will admit to watching this.) Yet more underwhelming shenanigans from the crayon of E.L. James, as thinly-characterised everygirl Anastasia and mysteriously alluring ripped billionaire Christian Grey embark upon married life together.
More of the same mixture of blandly aspirational low-octane soap opera and profoundly unerotic softcore porno; difficult to say which is more boring. Scores somewhat over the second one by actually having a sort of thriller subplot, which means there are moments which approach being dramatic. Supposedly edgy and transgressive saga concludes with the most conventional image of domestic happiness imaginable; says it all really. One quite funny line: too involved to repeat here, alas.
More of the same mixture of blandly aspirational low-octane soap opera and profoundly unerotic softcore porno; difficult to say which is more boring. Scores somewhat over the second one by actually having a sort of thriller subplot, which means there are moments which approach being dramatic. Supposedly edgy and transgressive saga concludes with the most conventional image of domestic happiness imaginable; says it all really. One quite funny line: too involved to repeat here, alas.
Kane Hodder recommended Red Hill (2010) in Movies (curated)
Nickg24 (492 KP) rated Another Life in TV
Aug 11, 2019
Another netflix sci fi
This series began well,the opening 2 episodes were ok and steadily set the tone for the rest of the series BUT instead the series just gradually went downhill to the point of ridiculousness.
The Story is divided into two sections.A mysterious alien artifact lands on earth and a crew are sent into space to try to trace its origins while on earth scientists/government officials try to make contact with the artifact.
The earth set story is fine but the story set on the spaceship gets worse as the episodes go on.Everyone at some point is either screaming,shouting,trying to kill someone or trying to get off with one another.
A very bog standard Netflix drama all in all.
The Story is divided into two sections.A mysterious alien artifact lands on earth and a crew are sent into space to try to trace its origins while on earth scientists/government officials try to make contact with the artifact.
The earth set story is fine but the story set on the spaceship gets worse as the episodes go on.Everyone at some point is either screaming,shouting,trying to kill someone or trying to get off with one another.
A very bog standard Netflix drama all in all.
Awix (3310 KP) rated La derniere vague (The Last Wave) in TV
Aug 8, 2020
Le goings-on spooky in the south of France: a mysterious, apparently sentient cloud which may or may not embody nature's vengeance on civilisation abducts a group of surfers for five hours and then returns them, with strange powers. (Not that the media takes any notice of any of this.) This provides everyone in town with un beaucoup lovely chance to work through all their various personal issues before the end of the last episode.
Comes across a bit like a mid-table Stephen King novel, or possibly just a very glossy soap opera with a guest appearance by Giant Space Monster Dogorah. Fairly engaging stuff, though unlikely to feel terribly original to the clued-up viewer; passes the time nicely without demanding your full attention. Avoids too many explanations (they're clearly hoping for a second season), which could be irritating, but the end-of-series cliffhanger is okay.
Comes across a bit like a mid-table Stephen King novel, or possibly just a very glossy soap opera with a guest appearance by Giant Space Monster Dogorah. Fairly engaging stuff, though unlikely to feel terribly original to the clued-up viewer; passes the time nicely without demanding your full attention. Avoids too many explanations (they're clearly hoping for a second season), which could be irritating, but the end-of-series cliffhanger is okay.
BobbiesDustyPages (1259 KP) rated Arrow - Season 1 in TV
Feb 23, 2018
What DC really needed at the time
Arrow season one was definitely one of the best seasons and really helped DC since they were kinda struggling along at the time this came out compared to Marvel who was put ping out media left and right.
I absolutely loved the cast and characters they all had such great chemistry and really helped to suck you into to the show. While they had plenty of hidden and not so hidden things for long time comic fans you didn't feel like you had to know anything about the characters or the plot before watching but at the same time as a long time standing fan of the comics it was fresh and fun enough where you didn't feel bored.
The only thing that would get to me and that carries on into later seasons which ultimately led to me stop watching the series is it would get very soap opera-y to the point of rolling your eyes at the screen.
I absolutely loved the cast and characters they all had such great chemistry and really helped to suck you into to the show. While they had plenty of hidden and not so hidden things for long time comic fans you didn't feel like you had to know anything about the characters or the plot before watching but at the same time as a long time standing fan of the comics it was fresh and fun enough where you didn't feel bored.
The only thing that would get to me and that carries on into later seasons which ultimately led to me stop watching the series is it would get very soap opera-y to the point of rolling your eyes at the screen.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Dig (2021) in Movies
Feb 6, 2021 (Updated Feb 6, 2021)
True-life Anglo-Saxon chronicle is brought to the screen as another wartime hats-and-fags tale of class and repression. Posh woman hires blunt-but-brilliant working-class bloke to examine her mounds (don't snipe, the film does the same gag, more or less); what ensues reminded me, for a while at least, of a big-budget version of Ted and Ralph with Carey Mulligan playing Charlie Higson's part.
Really a film of two halves: the first part, which is very quiet and still and all about figures in a landscape with Vaughan Williams-esque music playing, I found was much engaging than the second, which is not particularly focused and turns into a bit of a soap opera (there's a forbidden romance, terminal illness, political squabbling over who gets to run the dig and keep the treasure, etc, etc). Decent performances from a strong cast and it looks good in a fairly cinematic way, but by the end it seemed to me that archaeology in general and Sutton Hoo in particular had rather been forgotten about, which seemed like a shame.
Really a film of two halves: the first part, which is very quiet and still and all about figures in a landscape with Vaughan Williams-esque music playing, I found was much engaging than the second, which is not particularly focused and turns into a bit of a soap opera (there's a forbidden romance, terminal illness, political squabbling over who gets to run the dig and keep the treasure, etc, etc). Decent performances from a strong cast and it looks good in a fairly cinematic way, but by the end it seemed to me that archaeology in general and Sutton Hoo in particular had rather been forgotten about, which seemed like a shame.