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Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016)
Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016)
2016 | Comedy
8
5.3 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I had reservations about the new Barbershop when I discovered that it was in production and set for release. My concern was that much like the Friday franchise, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth due to stale jokes, recycled plots, and characters I couldn’t get too invested in. I was wrong in my outlook for the film. Barbershop: The Next Cut surpasses the previous films of the series in its humor, fresh jokes, new characters and social relevance.
There are some aspects of the film that mirror past plotlines, but that is not a problem or concern this go-around. Life and history are cyclical and it is demonstrated through the way that Barbershop takes on urban violence and the communities that suffer through it. The film itself will have audiences laughing and gasping for air due to the imaginative and creative comedy, however, it will also cause its audiences to think deeply about the issues being presented. When we see the violence of the Southside of Chicago via the news or social media, it seems so distant. This film sucks us in to thinking about the circumstances the people of this community face daily. It doesn’t pull punches or present the information from one singular source and perspective. They are concerned with creating a dialogue about what is taking place in communities much like the one represented in their neighborhood. You see heart. You see connections between people. You see individuals that want to make a change by improving the lives of their neighbors and friends. You see humanity with all of its flaws and potential. This film is a poignant love letter to communities in need of healing.

It is also an examination of how to heal and mend gaping wounds. Barbershop: The Next Cut establishes a connection with its audience to start a dialogue and potentially move forward with action.
  
Smashbomb
Smashbomb
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Social Networking
8
8.9 (123 Ratings)
App Rating
Looks good, easy to use, rate/review almost anything, nice pro/con section to reviews, if something hasn't been reviewed, add it and be the first to review it and recommend to others, giveaways... (0 more)
Back button, little to no reviews on certain things, giveaways bit infrequent and daily missions random instead of similar interests (0 more)
Smashbomb Review
Smashbomb is a pretty cool social media app for entertainment recommendations. What do I mean? Well, you can rate and review all kinds of things like movies, tv shows, books and more; as well as discover things through recommendations too. You can also recommend stuff to your friends and follow each other to see what stuff they've recently reviewed. Find out what they love or what they hate, or what they really felt about a certain movie/tv show, etc.. You can even join "Orbs" which are groups where you can talk with other members about different topics related to recommendations. You earn points for adding reviews and rating things and even earn different badges for contributing that show off your status in the community. There's even a system of points called Kudos points that you earn for adding reviews and ratings and the more you earn the more you can give to friends and followers. These points are used to enter giveaways where you can win all kinds of prizes from Funko Pops, DVDs, table top games and even video games.

So in conclusion, I think this app is pretty awesome. I've been using it now for a couple of weeks and have really been enjoying it. It's pretty fun adding reviews for movies and shows I've seen, earning points towards winning awards and also giving points to other people writing reviews helping them get more points to win stuff too. And the best is just finding something cool that you haven't heard about before like a movie or tv show you were thinking about watching but weren't sure about. Because there's nothing that sucks like staring at the menu screen at Netflix/Hulu/Prime etc... and not knowing what to watch and just staring at that screen for 15 mins. Especially with things like fake reviews and trolls out there and paid reviews that hype up a movie that you wind up spending good money on seeing in theaters only to feel like you were robbed. It's a cool place to get some good opinions and if you get your friends to join or add in the fun then you will be able to see and share your reviews, ratings with each other and actually know who they're coming from.
  
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Merissa (11787 KP) rated Perfect Storm (Life Sucks #6) in Books

Jul 26, 2022 (Updated Jul 26, 2023)  
Perfect Storm (Life Sucks #6)
Perfect Storm (Life Sucks #6)
Elise Faber | 2022 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
"A sweet second chance romance with sexy times!"
PERFECT STORM is the sixth book in the Life Sucks series but you don't have to have read the others to get this one.

Caleb ghosted Kim four years ago. He had his reasons and put himself into a timeout to sort out his head. That didn't help Kim when she realised she was pregnant. Her dreams went up in smoke and she concentrated on putting her son first. Fast forward and they meet again. Caleb knows Cole is his son and is heartbroken at what he has missed through his own fault. He is determined to put things right and to win back Kim, plus have Cole in his life.

This is a sweet second-chance romance where neither main character acts like a jerk just for the sake of it. No, they're not sweetness and light all the time. Who is? Instead, you get fully-rounded characters that interact and build up their time together.

An easy-to-read story with sexy times, I have no hesitation in recommending this book. Looking forward to reading Raven's!

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 26, 2022
  
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
1998 | Action, Drama, War
One of the GOATS
At the time of this writing, Saving Private Ryan is sitting at fourteen on my all-time list. It is one of those once-in-a-lifetime movies that doesn’t come along too often. The story revolves around an army captain in WWII taking his men on a suicide mission to rescue a private before he is killed in action. Private Ryan’s three brothers have already been killed in action and the military wants to get the remaining Ryan home so his mother won’t have lost all of her children in one war.

Acting: 10
Where do I start? With Tom Hanks and his brilliant performance as Captain John Miller? Vin Diesel in probably one of his best roles as Private Caparzo. Tom Sizemore…Matt Damon…There are so many amazing performances that contributed to the greatness of this movie. You usually see it in glimpses as each character doesn’t get much in the way of their own screen time. The movie is packed with so many of those glimpse moments from these stellar actors, it’s hard to forget each of their roles.

Beginning: 10
Boasts one of the best opening twenty minutes in movie history. It’s violent, touching, and sucks you right in to the meat of the movie. There is so much intensity here, from the raucous sounds to the visceral feel of everything, that it’s hard to catch your breath afterwards.

Characters: 10

Cinematography/Visuals: 10

Conflict: 10
If you want knock-your-socks-off action from beginning to end, Saving Private Ryan is absolutely the movie for you. The battles are amazing giving you a front row seat to World War II. Steven Spielberg relies on a number of different camera angles to give you the full effect. Every scene is heartstopping as you realize the stakes and understand that no one is safe in this ultimate battle to stay alive. This movie has more action in the first twenty minutes than most films do through their entirety.

Entertainment Value: 10

Memorability: 10

Pace: 10

Plot: 10
For the most part, the story is pretty linear. There is a mission. Go and complete the mission. The end. However, there are two existing twists within the movie that definitely make things more interesting and entertaining. Those small tweaks were enough to satisfy my craving for originality.

Resolution: 10

Overall: 100
There is a scene on the beach where the camera shoots from underwater then repeatedly rises and falls in the water showing the grit of everything happening. This is one of a number of shots that makes Saving Private Ryan one of the all-time movies to ever exist in cinema. This movie is flat out amazing.
  
Mad Max (1979)
Mad Max (1979)
1979 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Decent
Guilty confession: Typically when I watch a "classic" or a film I've really been looking forward to, I go into it expecting to like it. In other words, the film is already ahead of the curve when it comes to my grading scale. It has to do a lot to let me down. I hate to say it, but Mad Max? It let me down. Not in the sense that it was bad, but rather in the sense that I was hoping for more.

Max is a police officer in a post-apocalyptic world where biker gangs rule the road. After his partner is brutally burned by one of the most dangerous gangs, Max decides to retire but a terrible turn of events sucks him right back in.

The film got off to a slow start for me. I was confused by what was happening and why it was happening. It's not a good sign when I have to jump on to Wikipedia to clarify things. Unfortunately things never quite bounced back for me after that. I spent a good majority of the film thinking, "What are the stakes for Max? Why should I care about his character?" You're not really given a ton of insight into who he is and why he's a hero you want to root for. Read to kids in the hospital. Pull a cat out of a tree. Do something! Give me a reason to care. I don't think that's too much to ask for.

Despite my issues with the film, Mad Max is carried by a solid performance from Gibson. Visceral rage just oozes from the man as he goes out for his revenge. He's got that look, one we've seen in many films before. A look that says, "I'm crazy and I want you to know it." His passion in the role is a shining spot.

The film also benefits from solid world-building. Though you're only given a small taste, it's all you need to see. The road is what's important, the heartbeat of the film. You witness it in the attention to detail behind the cars (Max's car in the end was dope) and the gangs' constant power struggle over maintaining territory. The road is a wasteland, yet extremely vital for those living in it.

I'm giving Mad Max a 73. Perhaps that's not a bad thing. For a movie to be missing some key components and still get a decent score says a lot. It's kind of like eating at an expensive restaurant: When you see your plate, you're slightly let down because you were hoping for more, but you quickly find that the portion you received was good enough.
  
The Good People
The Good People
Hannah Kent | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I read this novel as my BookBum Club book for February! Check out <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/297482-the-bookbum-club">this page</a> to find out more about my very own Book Club!

This is my first Hannah Kent novel, and I absolutely loved it! As far as Historical Fiction goes, it’s not the best I’ve ever read, but I always have a soft spot for it, so it always gets a good rating from me!

I really enjoyed this story, even though it honestly doesn’t feel like an awful lots happens until right at the end. Kent is so good at transporting you into her story that you feel as though you are living with the characters.

This novel is set in Ireland in 1825, filled with small village life, religion, and superstitions. Kent is really good at weaving a beautiful story that sucks you right into the early 1800’s. You’re instantly immersed in the villagers lives, and especially Nora’s misfortune and troubles.

Characters in this one are stunningly done. There are three main characters we follow closely throughout, Nora, Mary, and Nance. It’s amazing how easy it was to get to know them, and how easily you can feel so many different emotions with and for them.

In terms of story, I did think this one was going to be that little bit more fast paced and have more elements of a mystery, but even without those two things, this is still a terrific read! I do really love a slow paced historical fiction, even ones like these where it doesn’t feel like much is actually happening in the book. This is definitely more of a character study kind of book, rather than plot driven book.

Overall, I really liked this one! I’m sorry the review is short but I honestly don’t really know how to review this other than saying it’s beautiful, fantastically well written, and pretty emotional (I cried at the end)! Definitely pick this up if you’re looking for a slow drama.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</I>
  
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Entertainment, Games
Meeting Characters (2 more)
Lessons like Charms, Transfigurations, and Potions
Working with Madam Pomfrey, Hagrid, and other characters
Waiting for energy (1 more)
Not as much dedication to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.
Okay, the game is pretty good, even if it does resemble old PS2 graphics. But your character will need energy to do EVERYTHING! Literally, you need energy to look, to sit, to take breaks, even to rest! So it becomes a waiting game or a game that you are constantly having to pay real money to play. And the classes are major energy sucks that are set on time limits. So you may run out of energy and fail a class because your energy didn't restore before the class was finished.

Also, a less critical but still annoying fact is that the developers focused on Gryffindor and Slytherin, and messed up details on Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. I am a Ravenclaw, and noticed the crest in the game is not the real one (it's the cheesy movie Raven, not the awesome bronze eagle). They could include Peeves, but they couldn't get our symbol right? And the common room looks different. While I'm not Hufflepuff, I did notice that the developers put the Hufflepuff common room in the basement, where it is not supposed to be! Instead, Hufflepuffs are on the first floor, the wing closest to the Greenhouses.
  
Eighth Grade (2018)
Eighth Grade (2018)
2018 | Comedy
Generational Movie
Eighth Grade left a long impact on me after viewing and I think it has a lot to do with how real it is. There were so many moments where I cringed as if I was watching this happen to someone I knew. For a lot of people, myself included, middle school sucks and it’s not getting any easier the more social media has emerged. Eighth Grade in no way romanticizes things, but instead opts to identify fully with the struggle of young Kayla (Elsie Fisher) and her quest fit in while maintaining some kind of self-identity.

Acting: 10
After watching this movie, it left no doubt in my mind that Elsie Fisher has an amazing career ahead of her in acting if she so chooses. It wouldn’t have surprised me in the slightest if she had been up for an Academy Award. She makes this movie feel very real and personal. You can feel her awkwardness and how it impacts the situations she’s in. She captures the essence of teenage angst: Having the need to fit in and impress at the same time. It makes you cringe and laugh all at once.

Beginning: 10

Characters: 10
While there are a number of other characters in the movie that make it great, Eighth Grade is nothing without our star Kayla. Rooting for her character is really what drives the movie overall. She reminds you of what it was like to find yourself and how it good it feels to not have to pretend to be something you’re not for the sake of the approval of others. She’s a bit strange, but in an endearing, funny kind of way.

Cinematography/Visuals: 10

Conflict: 10

Genre: 10

Memorability: 10

Pace: 10
Never gets old or suffers from “filler” scenes like a good number of dramas tend to do. It gets right to the chase showing you exactly what it wants to you to see before moving on to the next moment. The beauty of this movie is I was always intrigued from scene to the next and I think it’s due in large part to the fact that I was always invested in Kayla’s well-being.

Plot: 10

Resolution: 10

Overall: 100
Eighth Grade snuck up on me in 2018 and I’m so glad it did. I loved it in more ways than one and I think it’s a generational movie that should be on a number of all-time lists for years to come. Beautiful, inspiring movie.
  
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Andy K (10821 KP) May 13, 2019

Loved this movie as well.

Yoshi&#039;s Crafted World
Yoshi's Crafted World
2019 | Action
Simple mechanics (3 more)
Beautiful Art style
Yoshi (all of them)
Some level of difficulty in some areas
Feels very similar to the many Mario themed games before it (0 more)
Tons of adorable fun for all ages!
So Yoshi's crafted world was one of the two games I recieved as part of a bundle deal when I bought my Nintendo Switch Console. I was looking forward to playing the game as I hadn't played a Yoshi based game for some time and Yoshi is one of my all time fave characters. I didn't get chance to play wooly world as I haven't owned a new Nintendo console since DS Lite and the Wii. (I know it sucks, I just never had the money for them and by the time I did the next gen console was out and I was torn)

Anyways, as I began playing Yoshi's Crafted world and working my through the many incredibly awesome looking levels which not only have collectibles but has a flip side to each level in which you go through the level from the back which adds to the awesome game design as a whole, I realised that whilst it all looked new and had a new interesting yet simple plot to play through, the gameplay was the same mechanics that we've been playing for years in almost all the Mario Themed 2D platformers/side scrollers. You run across, bounce on enemies heads, throw eggs to smash things, collect coins and move on to the next level, then repeat. It works as a mechanic but at the same time I felt like there wasn't much of a change. However, they did add some more directions to this game, as you no longer just side scroll (although that is the majority of the game) but on the levels there will be certain areas where you can turn and head either towards the screen or away from it, in order to reach secrets or to simply continue through the level. So they mixed it up a little bit, but not much in my opinion.

One aspect I enjoyed was the outfits you could buy which worked as armour in a way. The designs are all made to look as though they are crafted out of cardboard boxes and other household items (hence the name 'crafted world') and this gives the game and adorable and very clever asthetic.

However if you're a fan of sidescrollers, the Mario world or just Yoshi in general then I would recommend giving it a go because it is fun, especially if you get a friend to join you and you can choose which outfits you want to wear and more importantly which colour Yoshi you want to be.
  
The Bag Man (2014)
The Bag Man (2014)
2014 | Drama
6
5.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Sometimes it sucks to be a delivery guy when you don’t know what you are
carrying in a tightly sealed leather bag. Anything can happen when too many
people are interested in what The Bag Man is carrying when it gets a
limited theatrical run starting Feb 28th.

When Jack (John Cusack) is a fixer/hitman under the employ of Dragna
(Robert De Niro), a crime lord — tasked to bring a leather bag to a seedy
hotel — the people he runs into are more shadier than he is. All he has to
do is to wait for the arrival of this gangster and not look at what’s
inside.

Both the movie and night is long while Jack fends for himself. His dealings
with the motel manager (beautifully played by Crispin Glover) is far more
interesting than the lady of the night, Rivka (Rebecca Da Costa), he meets.
Together what they end up in is a cat and mouse game of nearly everybody
from this sleepy hole-in-the-wall after them. Everyone is interested in
what the bag contains, and this Macguffin never strays far from the plot.

Even though the concept of what’s in the bag is hardly original, this
narrative device will keep some people — characters included — invested
in wondering what’s so important about it. When the contents are revealed,
will what’s revealed be King Midas’ gold or the evils from Pandora’s Box?
This loose thriller has its moments where viewers will be glued to the
suspense but ultimately, it’s this movie’s pacing that slows the action
down. Losing 10-15 minutes might help in keeping the tale tight.

That can help everyone, audience included, from not losing interest. Sooner
or later, the cat has to be let out of the bag.