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Sam (74 KP) rated The Things We Learn When We're Dead in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Lorna Love is dead. After an evening out at a dinner party, she stumbles into the road in front of an oncoming car and is killed.
She finds herself on a spaceship called HVN, where she can do what she wants, be anyone she wants, and have anything she wants. The novel follows Lorna looking back on her life while she is in ‘heaven’, going through every decision and mistake she’s made.
I’m a bit unsure of what genre I would place this in as it’s both science fiction and general fiction. Only a small fraction of the novel takes place on the spaceship, the majority of it is Lorna looking back on her life. However, I feel like the science fiction element overcomes everything, but I don’t want to spoil the plot by going into too much detail about that.
Charlie Laidlaw sent me a copy of his novel in return for an honest review. If it wasn’t for him offering to send me the novel, I don’t think I would have been tempted to read it. Since I’m not usually a fan of sci-fi, the cover was definitely offputting because of the spaceship. But having read it now and knowing that the majority of the book wasn’t even set in space, I’m really glad I did read it.
The Things We Learn When We’re Dead is heartwarming and is completely different from everything I’ve read before. It’s such an original idea for a book and although, to begin with, I did struggle to get into the book, I’m glad I held on because it really was an enjoyable book.
Lorna is a brilliant protagonist as she’s believable. She has her own faults and problems and definitely isn’t a perfect character. I loved that she was so realistic and not a fake persona.
She finds herself on a spaceship called HVN, where she can do what she wants, be anyone she wants, and have anything she wants. The novel follows Lorna looking back on her life while she is in ‘heaven’, going through every decision and mistake she’s made.
I’m a bit unsure of what genre I would place this in as it’s both science fiction and general fiction. Only a small fraction of the novel takes place on the spaceship, the majority of it is Lorna looking back on her life. However, I feel like the science fiction element overcomes everything, but I don’t want to spoil the plot by going into too much detail about that.
Charlie Laidlaw sent me a copy of his novel in return for an honest review. If it wasn’t for him offering to send me the novel, I don’t think I would have been tempted to read it. Since I’m not usually a fan of sci-fi, the cover was definitely offputting because of the spaceship. But having read it now and knowing that the majority of the book wasn’t even set in space, I’m really glad I did read it.
The Things We Learn When We’re Dead is heartwarming and is completely different from everything I’ve read before. It’s such an original idea for a book and although, to begin with, I did struggle to get into the book, I’m glad I held on because it really was an enjoyable book.
Lorna is a brilliant protagonist as she’s believable. She has her own faults and problems and definitely isn’t a perfect character. I loved that she was so realistic and not a fake persona.
Dean (6921 KP) rated Pandorum (2009) in Movies
Sep 12, 2017
Mad Max in Space
A very decent Sci/Fi, thriller effort.....first time I can say that in a long time! A very good atmospheric film with plenty of action. Starts well the middle is patchy, but it picks up again towards the end. Good effects and set design, the overall feel of the film and the spaceship is quite creepy, good use of lighting etc. It's not the most original, it feels like a compilation of ideas from the best known Sci/Fi films. Overall a good effort that most should enjoy.
David McK (3162 KP) rated Pitch Black (2000) in Movies
Oct 27, 2020
Creature feature from the year 2000, starring a then up-and-coming Vin Diesel as the anti-hero Riddick, one of the survivors (that includes Farscape's Claudia Black!) of a crashed spaceship on a planet that has a unique day/night cycle: no nights, except for an eclipse once every 22 years. Which is when the rather nasty nocturnal creatures come out...
Much better than the direct sequel (there's a reason the third film in the mid 2010s went back to this version of the character), with an interesting colour palette and even a nice character arc for Riddick!
Much better than the direct sequel (there's a reason the third film in the mid 2010s went back to this version of the character), with an interesting colour palette and even a nice character arc for Riddick!
Dean (6921 KP) rated Sunshine (2007) in Movies
Jan 15, 2018
Great Sci-Fi film
A pretty good film, a sort of space disaster/thriller film as a crew set off for the Sun to drop a nuclear payload to kickstart it back to life and get Earth out of an Ice age. They are the 2nd team to set off, will they make it or suffer the fate off the 1st missing crew?
It has some good acting and SFX, the sets for the spaceship look very impressive and show some good ideas about the future of space travel. It's a bit slow to start but it makes up for this as things get more dramatic towards the end. Better than I expected it to be.
It has some good acting and SFX, the sets for the spaceship look very impressive and show some good ideas about the future of space travel. It's a bit slow to start but it makes up for this as things get more dramatic towards the end. Better than I expected it to be.
Sebastian Lelio recommended Solaris (1972) in Movies (curated)
Jackjack (877 KP) rated Brightburn (2019) in Movies
Mar 9, 2020
It's was ok.......
Great story line a couple wanting a baby and that's exactly what they got only difference is it came in a spaceship, the child grows and they make many memories as a family until the boy (Brandon) starts hearing a voice that us veiwers soon find out he's been sent to take the world.
The film had plenty of creepy feel to it, with Brandon playing the good role of the young crazy guy. And His mum played by Elizabeth Banks couldn't have been a better character, she seems to do well in a cheesy horror (slither).
On the whole it was a good watch, I didn't know what to expect I wasn't 100% amazed but a good 7/10!
The film had plenty of creepy feel to it, with Brandon playing the good role of the young crazy guy. And His mum played by Elizabeth Banks couldn't have been a better character, she seems to do well in a cheesy horror (slither).
On the whole it was a good watch, I didn't know what to expect I wasn't 100% amazed but a good 7/10!
Anders Holm recommended Dummy by Portishead in Music (curated)
Lindsay (1693 KP) rated Reaching Angelica (Tag #2) in Books
Feb 8, 2018
Reaching Angelica In this sequel book, we meet up with Simon Bank and Crammer once again. Only now Simon Bank is missing his wife. Reaching Angelica is continued from The Path.This story takes place in space, and in the spaceship. Who is Regus? Will Apollo need Simon's help once again to save Earth? Can Simon do it? Ra does one thing and becomes a new person named Aten.Aten waits for Simon to wake up. Once he does things do get even weirder and better. What secrets and what does Giga want. Will Simon and crew make it to Angelica?Peter Riva has you engaged in the story. What will happen and pulling you along for the ride? This story has many surprises and twisted at every turn.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) in Movies
Nov 18, 2019
A True Classic
Not that we don’t already know what E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is about but: A young boy finds himself in trouble with special agents when he befriends a stranded alien.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Steven Spielberg does a wonderful job with achieving more with less. He doesn’t shoot for break-your-neck special effects, rather he gives it to you in glimpses. We see the lights from E.T.’s spaceship, but we only see the actual spaceship flying for a second or two. E.T.’s ability to make things take flight is never overdone and always used in necessary circumstances. Outside of the special effects, there are a number of touches here and there, again small nuances, that make this film great. One of my favorites occurs when E.T. sees a kid in Yoda costume and starts following him.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 10
These scenes have been recounted and retold in a number of different ways. This movie set the precedent on how we see and interact with life outside of Earth. The relationship between Elliott and E.T. is unforgettable.
Pace: 10
Spielberg is a true master of storytelling as he aces pacing yet again. There are no dull moments and the few lulls are there for a reason. Exposition and character development are handled within the context of the moving story itself as it should be.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
Overall: 100
I had someone tell me once that not only was E.T. not that great, but it was pretty terrible in retrospect. My reply: What crack are you smoking? This movie is not only great, but it’s one of the all-time greats. Believe it.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Steven Spielberg does a wonderful job with achieving more with less. He doesn’t shoot for break-your-neck special effects, rather he gives it to you in glimpses. We see the lights from E.T.’s spaceship, but we only see the actual spaceship flying for a second or two. E.T.’s ability to make things take flight is never overdone and always used in necessary circumstances. Outside of the special effects, there are a number of touches here and there, again small nuances, that make this film great. One of my favorites occurs when E.T. sees a kid in Yoda costume and starts following him.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 10
These scenes have been recounted and retold in a number of different ways. This movie set the precedent on how we see and interact with life outside of Earth. The relationship between Elliott and E.T. is unforgettable.
Pace: 10
Spielberg is a true master of storytelling as he aces pacing yet again. There are no dull moments and the few lulls are there for a reason. Exposition and character development are handled within the context of the moving story itself as it should be.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
Overall: 100
I had someone tell me once that not only was E.T. not that great, but it was pretty terrible in retrospect. My reply: What crack are you smoking? This movie is not only great, but it’s one of the all-time greats. Believe it.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Body Stealers (Invasion of the Body Stealers) (1969) in Movies
Mar 16, 2019 (Updated Mar 16, 2019)
British sci-fi emanating from a weird dimension deep below the bottom of the barrel. When parachutists start vanishing into thin air mid-drop, the authorities call in rugged investigator and borderline sex pest Bob Megan (Patrick Allen). It turns out aliens from Outer Space are responsible!
One of those films where you quickly become pleasantly surprised when something isn't cheesy, inept, or horribly inappropriate; the kind of movie which gives science fiction a bad name (fans of the genre will doubtless recognise the alien spaceship from a more prominent appearance in another film). Various fairly capable actors find themselves adrift in a sea of uproarious nonsense; Neil Connery proves once again that, limited though his range may be, big brother Sean got all the acting ability in the family. Kind of fun to watch if you like bad movies.
One of those films where you quickly become pleasantly surprised when something isn't cheesy, inept, or horribly inappropriate; the kind of movie which gives science fiction a bad name (fans of the genre will doubtless recognise the alien spaceship from a more prominent appearance in another film). Various fairly capable actors find themselves adrift in a sea of uproarious nonsense; Neil Connery proves once again that, limited though his range may be, big brother Sean got all the acting ability in the family. Kind of fun to watch if you like bad movies.