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Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Radical in Books
Nov 5, 2018
Good plot, good character development but disappointing
This one was off to a slow start, and it was pretty much slow throughout. What compelled me to finish this book to the end was wondering whether this Clearview group was legit or if there was something more to them.
You also follow through Bex and her life at home, which doesn’t seem very pleasant to start with. Her mom tries to change her despite her orientation, there’s financial issues at the home, and her brother is, quite frankly, an ahole. You quickly figure out Bex is into guns, and survival training. There’s extensive description on how she takes care of the guns, how she loads them, fires them, and we can go on. It gets tedious and lets the plot slow to a crawl. If you want intrigue and surprises, this isn’t going to happen until much later. Much much later.
There’s also focus on Bex and Lucy. They both seem to compliment each other and there is slight chemistry between the two of them but it’s not a romantic type of love story that you get if that’s what you’re looking for. They’re polar opposites and compliment one another but you also get that feeling it’s nice while it lasts.
There isn’t much to the plot until the last third of the novel, which is disappointing. However it’s jarring to see how much of the concept of survivalism is drilled into Bex and pushes her to the edge to the point of becoming paranoid over every minute detail. It’s sad to see what her parents attempt to make her do, when it comes to the subject of her brother. It’s also disappointing to see hardly any mention of Clearview except for smidgens here and there and although it plays a part in the plot, it’s not what you think and you wish there was more to it. It would have made the book much more interesting.
It wasn’t the best, but not the worst either. I’d suggest to take this out from the library instead of a purchase.
You also follow through Bex and her life at home, which doesn’t seem very pleasant to start with. Her mom tries to change her despite her orientation, there’s financial issues at the home, and her brother is, quite frankly, an ahole. You quickly figure out Bex is into guns, and survival training. There’s extensive description on how she takes care of the guns, how she loads them, fires them, and we can go on. It gets tedious and lets the plot slow to a crawl. If you want intrigue and surprises, this isn’t going to happen until much later. Much much later.
There’s also focus on Bex and Lucy. They both seem to compliment each other and there is slight chemistry between the two of them but it’s not a romantic type of love story that you get if that’s what you’re looking for. They’re polar opposites and compliment one another but you also get that feeling it’s nice while it lasts.
There isn’t much to the plot until the last third of the novel, which is disappointing. However it’s jarring to see how much of the concept of survivalism is drilled into Bex and pushes her to the edge to the point of becoming paranoid over every minute detail. It’s sad to see what her parents attempt to make her do, when it comes to the subject of her brother. It’s also disappointing to see hardly any mention of Clearview except for smidgens here and there and although it plays a part in the plot, it’s not what you think and you wish there was more to it. It would have made the book much more interesting.
It wasn’t the best, but not the worst either. I’d suggest to take this out from the library instead of a purchase.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Originally slated to appear in Feb. 2017, but delayed due to the onset
injury of Dylan O”Brien; the final part of the “Maze Runner” trilogy has
arrived with the release of “Maze Runner: The Death Cure”. The film picks
up shortly after the events of the previous film where the heroes are
trying to rescue their friend MinHo from the forces of WCKD who are
looking to find a cure for a devastating virus in his blood. Since Minho
and his fellow “Gladers” are immune, the hope is that they hold the key to
the future of humanity, so WCKD is willing to do whatever it takes to find
the cure even if it means torture and killing individuals and other
captives I n their lab.
Against the wishes of his newly found comrades, Thomas, Newt, and their
friends set off to the last city to rescue their friend even though they
know they will face legions of troops and fortified defenses as well as
swarms of infected individuals along the way.
At the same time, Teresa is busy working with WCKD on a cure and seems to
have had little lasting effecting from betraying Thomas and his friends.
Ava and Rat Man seem to be in a perpetual state of conflict over their
next course of action and with time to find a cure growing shorter and
shorter, desperation begins to grow.
The arrival of Thomas only worsens the situation as the characters find
themselves in a very complicated situation fighting not only for their own
survival but for that of their friends and society as a whole.
The film is over two hours long and at times drags, but does have some
good action sequences and does up the action compared to prior films in
the series.
While it remains to be seen if either of the two prequel books that
followed the trilogy will be adapted, the final film in the trilogy does
offer a satisfying and at times exciting conclusion to the series, as long
as you are willing to be patient with the long run time and slower
portions of the story.
http://sknr.net/2018/01/24/maze-runner-death-cure/
injury of Dylan O”Brien; the final part of the “Maze Runner” trilogy has
arrived with the release of “Maze Runner: The Death Cure”. The film picks
up shortly after the events of the previous film where the heroes are
trying to rescue their friend MinHo from the forces of WCKD who are
looking to find a cure for a devastating virus in his blood. Since Minho
and his fellow “Gladers” are immune, the hope is that they hold the key to
the future of humanity, so WCKD is willing to do whatever it takes to find
the cure even if it means torture and killing individuals and other
captives I n their lab.
Against the wishes of his newly found comrades, Thomas, Newt, and their
friends set off to the last city to rescue their friend even though they
know they will face legions of troops and fortified defenses as well as
swarms of infected individuals along the way.
At the same time, Teresa is busy working with WCKD on a cure and seems to
have had little lasting effecting from betraying Thomas and his friends.
Ava and Rat Man seem to be in a perpetual state of conflict over their
next course of action and with time to find a cure growing shorter and
shorter, desperation begins to grow.
The arrival of Thomas only worsens the situation as the characters find
themselves in a very complicated situation fighting not only for their own
survival but for that of their friends and society as a whole.
The film is over two hours long and at times drags, but does have some
good action sequences and does up the action compared to prior films in
the series.
While it remains to be seen if either of the two prequel books that
followed the trilogy will be adapted, the final film in the trilogy does
offer a satisfying and at times exciting conclusion to the series, as long
as you are willing to be patient with the long run time and slower
portions of the story.
http://sknr.net/2018/01/24/maze-runner-death-cure/
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Condemned: Criminal Origins in Video Games
Oct 24, 2019
Scary Spooky
Condemned: Criminal Origins (known in Europe as Condemned) is a first-person survival horror video game, that is very good but underrated.
Condemned: Criminal Origins places an emphasis on melee combat and puzzle solving, including searching for fingerprints and gathering evidence. Lets talk more about the crime scene's, and gathing evidence.
Condemned directly involves the player in crime scene investigations, offering the ability to, at the press of a context-sensitive button, call upon a suite of forensic tools to find and record evidence. The player character is linked to an FBI lab via his mobile phone throughout the investigation, allowing (almost immediate) remote examination and analysis by his support worker, Rosa. Crime scene evidence can be used to solve puzzles, allowing the player to pass previously impassable barriers, and provide clues to the overall mysteries of the story.
Examples of evidence include fingerprints, footprints, fibers, fluids (such as blood or chemicals), particles, residues, markings/etchings, material, imprints, wounds, small objects, documents, and body parts.
The player character is gifted with the instinctual ability to detect when forensic evidence is nearby, allowing players to bring up the detection and collection tools when appropriate. However, the "instincts" of the character only vaguely highlight the area in which the evidence resides; it is up to the player to methodically sweep the scene and catalog any findings.
Lets talk about the plot: Condemned: Criminal Origins is set in the fictional American city of Metro. The player takes on the role of Ethan Thomas, a crime scene investigation agent with the FBI's Serial Crime Unit, as he traverses the seedier sides of the city. His journey takes him through a number of condemned buildings as he searches for the one who framed him for murder, the evasive Serial Killer X. Along the way, Ethan must use his investigative intuition and technology to examine evidence left behind by SKX, all the while fighting off the violently psychotic denizens of Metro City, who seem to be driven to such madness by a mysterious, yet seemingly extraneous force.
Their are two different ends: but really its the same ending.
If you do like psychological, crime solving horror games than you will like this one.
Condemned: Criminal Origins places an emphasis on melee combat and puzzle solving, including searching for fingerprints and gathering evidence. Lets talk more about the crime scene's, and gathing evidence.
Condemned directly involves the player in crime scene investigations, offering the ability to, at the press of a context-sensitive button, call upon a suite of forensic tools to find and record evidence. The player character is linked to an FBI lab via his mobile phone throughout the investigation, allowing (almost immediate) remote examination and analysis by his support worker, Rosa. Crime scene evidence can be used to solve puzzles, allowing the player to pass previously impassable barriers, and provide clues to the overall mysteries of the story.
Examples of evidence include fingerprints, footprints, fibers, fluids (such as blood or chemicals), particles, residues, markings/etchings, material, imprints, wounds, small objects, documents, and body parts.
The player character is gifted with the instinctual ability to detect when forensic evidence is nearby, allowing players to bring up the detection and collection tools when appropriate. However, the "instincts" of the character only vaguely highlight the area in which the evidence resides; it is up to the player to methodically sweep the scene and catalog any findings.
Lets talk about the plot: Condemned: Criminal Origins is set in the fictional American city of Metro. The player takes on the role of Ethan Thomas, a crime scene investigation agent with the FBI's Serial Crime Unit, as he traverses the seedier sides of the city. His journey takes him through a number of condemned buildings as he searches for the one who framed him for murder, the evasive Serial Killer X. Along the way, Ethan must use his investigative intuition and technology to examine evidence left behind by SKX, all the while fighting off the violently psychotic denizens of Metro City, who seem to be driven to such madness by a mysterious, yet seemingly extraneous force.
Their are two different ends: but really its the same ending.
If you do like psychological, crime solving horror games than you will like this one.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Shallows (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
The Shallows is simple, suspenseful and satisfying. Everything you want it to be.
The story is simple. Nancy (Blake Lively) is a young woman on a journey to find herself after her mother passes away. She has finally found the “perfect secret” beach her mother always told her about. Nancy surfs the day away in paradise with two other local surfers who eventually leave for the evening. When trying to catch one last wave of the day, she unexpectedly is attacked by a great white shark. Trapped 200 yards off shore on a rock island in low tide, the film becomes a battle of wits and wills between Nancy and one of nature’s most vicious predators.
No doubt, the twiterverse will dismiss this movie as nothing more than a pretty girl in a bikini stuck on a rock in the ocean. But I want to praise Blake Lively’s performance in the film as she is both likeable and believable. We feel her joy, pain, confusion and fear throughout the film. She does a fantastic job keeping our interest in her survival, which is a fine line to walk when the focus is mostly on her and a shark.
I would actually recommend seeing this film in the theater. Not only to get the visual duality of beauty and danger of the ocean, but more importantly, to get that same experience through fantastic sound. There is no thematic score warning you of danger like “Jaws,” In fact, as I write this I cannot remember there being any kind of score at all. If there was, it was minimal. But the sound design set in realism makes you feel the intimate and intense nature of this experience. This creates a satisfying payoff during those suspenseful moments where you want to look away, but cannot bring yourself to do so.
The Shallows is thoroughly enjoyable as it delivers everything it suggests from the trailer and more. At 83 minutes it does not feel long or forced but rather it delivers a simple story with the precision of timing in suspenseful moments that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The story is simple. Nancy (Blake Lively) is a young woman on a journey to find herself after her mother passes away. She has finally found the “perfect secret” beach her mother always told her about. Nancy surfs the day away in paradise with two other local surfers who eventually leave for the evening. When trying to catch one last wave of the day, she unexpectedly is attacked by a great white shark. Trapped 200 yards off shore on a rock island in low tide, the film becomes a battle of wits and wills between Nancy and one of nature’s most vicious predators.
No doubt, the twiterverse will dismiss this movie as nothing more than a pretty girl in a bikini stuck on a rock in the ocean. But I want to praise Blake Lively’s performance in the film as she is both likeable and believable. We feel her joy, pain, confusion and fear throughout the film. She does a fantastic job keeping our interest in her survival, which is a fine line to walk when the focus is mostly on her and a shark.
I would actually recommend seeing this film in the theater. Not only to get the visual duality of beauty and danger of the ocean, but more importantly, to get that same experience through fantastic sound. There is no thematic score warning you of danger like “Jaws,” In fact, as I write this I cannot remember there being any kind of score at all. If there was, it was minimal. But the sound design set in realism makes you feel the intimate and intense nature of this experience. This creates a satisfying payoff during those suspenseful moments where you want to look away, but cannot bring yourself to do so.
The Shallows is thoroughly enjoyable as it delivers everything it suggests from the trailer and more. At 83 minutes it does not feel long or forced but rather it delivers a simple story with the precision of timing in suspenseful moments that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Wrath of the Titans (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Sequels often struggle to live up to the expectations set by their predecessors. Wrath of the Titans delivers. Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, and Ralph Fiennes reprise their roles as Perseus, Zeus, and Hades in this continuation of the Clash of the Titans remake from 2010. They’re joined this time by Rosamund Pike, who portrays the strong, female love interest as the beautiful Queen Andromeda.
Perseus has settled down to become a fisherman with his son. His wife has been written out of the story — either by design or because the actress was not available. She seems to be dead for no particular reason. Perseus has chosen to live life as a mortal, despite his father, Zeus (Neeson), offering him a seat of power on Olympus. Early in the movie, Zeus comes to his son and asks for help, telling him something big is coming. Only Perseus, a demi-god, would have the strength to ensure humanity’s survival.
The rest of the story involves Perseus’s journey to save the world from the reawakening of Chronos. Mythology geeks and fantasy buffs will appreciate the severity of this situation.
While the makers of this film certainly didn’t reinvent the wheel, or even attempt to one-up their previous film, they surely succeeded in making an entertaining screenplay. In short: if you liked the first, you will like this one. It has all the action, sword-swinging, flying-horse-riding, and titan-killing you would expect from the series. The CGI is impressive, and the 3D effects were not too objectionable.
One scene in particular stuck out as ill-conceived. The kiss at the end of the film felt forced. There was very little romantic build-up throughout the movie, so it felt as if the filmmakers included the kiss because moviegoers expect to see romantic resolution. Perhaps this is one of the several endings they filmed, at which point they let focus groups make the call. Either way, it felt awkward.
As I said before, if you enjoyed the first, seeing the second is worth your time and money.
Perseus has settled down to become a fisherman with his son. His wife has been written out of the story — either by design or because the actress was not available. She seems to be dead for no particular reason. Perseus has chosen to live life as a mortal, despite his father, Zeus (Neeson), offering him a seat of power on Olympus. Early in the movie, Zeus comes to his son and asks for help, telling him something big is coming. Only Perseus, a demi-god, would have the strength to ensure humanity’s survival.
The rest of the story involves Perseus’s journey to save the world from the reawakening of Chronos. Mythology geeks and fantasy buffs will appreciate the severity of this situation.
While the makers of this film certainly didn’t reinvent the wheel, or even attempt to one-up their previous film, they surely succeeded in making an entertaining screenplay. In short: if you liked the first, you will like this one. It has all the action, sword-swinging, flying-horse-riding, and titan-killing you would expect from the series. The CGI is impressive, and the 3D effects were not too objectionable.
One scene in particular stuck out as ill-conceived. The kiss at the end of the film felt forced. There was very little romantic build-up throughout the movie, so it felt as if the filmmakers included the kiss because moviegoers expect to see romantic resolution. Perhaps this is one of the several endings they filmed, at which point they let focus groups make the call. Either way, it felt awkward.
As I said before, if you enjoyed the first, seeing the second is worth your time and money.
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