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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Body Cam (2020) in Movies
Feb 20, 2021
I'd been seeing this floating around for a while and finally decided to give it a go, I was intrigued by the mix of genre with Mary J. Blige in the top spot.
An unexpected death on what should have been a routine traffic stop leads a cop down a dangerous path to uncover the truth within her own department.
Body Cam is where cop thriller meets horror... in an intriguing and slightly disappointing way... as I write that, disappointing doesn't feel like the right word. Maybe it is just unusual, I don't remember seeing anything like this combined before.
The combination of footage works very well, it added to the suspense for me and I liked the cuts between body cam/CCTV, real life and unexplained. It allowed for a lot to be held in reserve for later in the film.
If you combine that with the effects it gives quite a strong foundation for everything. The palette was dark, but that helped to make some of the effects shine with drama and suspense. The one scene that particularly liked was set in the convenience store, but I don't want to spoil that for you. As a warning, the film is rather gory and there's the appearance of bugs at one point, it doesn't feel like it holds back.
Normally I'd talk about the acting early in my reviews, but if I'm honest, this is where the film seems to be lacking. I can't really pick out anyone to mention as being standout. That and a slightly uninspiring script didn't do this story justice.
The one thing that I take away from Body Cam is the idea of it, and that one particular scene. It makes me think, but about what I would have liked to see rather than what I did see. I'd be interested to know what you think if you've seen this one... I would have liked to see the film in silence apart from the cam footage and music... but that's just the weird feeling in my head.
Body Cam has the basis of something great, and the execution of the technical aspects felt impressive, but it lacked a spark to elevate it above everything else.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/02/body-cam-movie-review.html
An unexpected death on what should have been a routine traffic stop leads a cop down a dangerous path to uncover the truth within her own department.
Body Cam is where cop thriller meets horror... in an intriguing and slightly disappointing way... as I write that, disappointing doesn't feel like the right word. Maybe it is just unusual, I don't remember seeing anything like this combined before.
The combination of footage works very well, it added to the suspense for me and I liked the cuts between body cam/CCTV, real life and unexplained. It allowed for a lot to be held in reserve for later in the film.
If you combine that with the effects it gives quite a strong foundation for everything. The palette was dark, but that helped to make some of the effects shine with drama and suspense. The one scene that particularly liked was set in the convenience store, but I don't want to spoil that for you. As a warning, the film is rather gory and there's the appearance of bugs at one point, it doesn't feel like it holds back.
Normally I'd talk about the acting early in my reviews, but if I'm honest, this is where the film seems to be lacking. I can't really pick out anyone to mention as being standout. That and a slightly uninspiring script didn't do this story justice.
The one thing that I take away from Body Cam is the idea of it, and that one particular scene. It makes me think, but about what I would have liked to see rather than what I did see. I'd be interested to know what you think if you've seen this one... I would have liked to see the film in silence apart from the cam footage and music... but that's just the weird feeling in my head.
Body Cam has the basis of something great, and the execution of the technical aspects felt impressive, but it lacked a spark to elevate it above everything else.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/02/body-cam-movie-review.html
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Pact in Books
Jul 1, 2021
This novel tells the story of six friends: Talitha, Xav, Felix, Amber, Daniel, Megan. How one night changed their lives forever. This book was quite a slow burner for me, at least in the beginning. All of the characters have a say in this book, and I found all of them very compelling. It is a character-driven novel and I really liked to see how the characters interacted and what they were ready to do to save themselves. š I felt extremely sorry for Megan throughout this book and I donāt really agree with her decisions. She is really amazing and I think she could have achieved so much without these āfriendsā of hers.
The narrative of this novel was a little slow for my liking, but I was extremely keen to find out what is going to happen with Megan. I enjoyed the way the author kept me guessing and the suspense growing, and all the twists and turns were a welcome distraction to break the monotony that built up sometimes. The topics discussed were dangerous driving, alcoholism, survival, rich privilege, friendships, belonging, mental health issues, guilt, relationships between friends and families, and many more.
The writing style of this book is easy to read, enjoyable and creative, but something is missing. It is one of the āsofterā books by this author, I could say. I am more used to her dark secrets, never-ending suspense and gripping from the first-page kind books, and this book was a little behind with it. I did like the ending of this novel, which was filled with action and rounded this story extremely well. š The chapters are pretty short, so the pages just fly by. I have pretty bad car anxiety, especially when it comes to accidents and reckless drivers, so parts of this book did not sit well with me because of these nuances. (I was able to enjoy this book never the less, I just screamed at the characters in my head. š ) So if you suffer from it like me, proceed with caution. š
So, to conclude, I enjoyed this novel. The characters are very well developed and truly enchanting. They all have to offer so much to this book and I loved reading about them and their lives. The plot has plenty of intrigue, well placed twists and unexpected surprises and kept me guessing.
The narrative of this novel was a little slow for my liking, but I was extremely keen to find out what is going to happen with Megan. I enjoyed the way the author kept me guessing and the suspense growing, and all the twists and turns were a welcome distraction to break the monotony that built up sometimes. The topics discussed were dangerous driving, alcoholism, survival, rich privilege, friendships, belonging, mental health issues, guilt, relationships between friends and families, and many more.
The writing style of this book is easy to read, enjoyable and creative, but something is missing. It is one of the āsofterā books by this author, I could say. I am more used to her dark secrets, never-ending suspense and gripping from the first-page kind books, and this book was a little behind with it. I did like the ending of this novel, which was filled with action and rounded this story extremely well. š The chapters are pretty short, so the pages just fly by. I have pretty bad car anxiety, especially when it comes to accidents and reckless drivers, so parts of this book did not sit well with me because of these nuances. (I was able to enjoy this book never the less, I just screamed at the characters in my head. š ) So if you suffer from it like me, proceed with caution. š
So, to conclude, I enjoyed this novel. The characters are very well developed and truly enchanting. They all have to offer so much to this book and I loved reading about them and their lives. The plot has plenty of intrigue, well placed twists and unexpected surprises and kept me guessing.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Girl Next Door in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The story is told from multiple perspectives. Clare is the murdered girl, and she is telling about her life events up to her murder. Jane is Clareās neighbour, and an example of status, beauty, perfect family, and everybody wants to be her. DS Madeline Shaw is a police officer, investigating Clareās death. So, we have quite an interesting mix of characters in this book, some flashy and some plain, but the combination of all makes a really great read. For me, the most interesting of all is Jane. She is very deceiving and full of surprises. Even though Janeās character was very well delivered, some thoughts got a little repetitive at times, which didnāt increase the suspense levels for me as it supposed to but annoyed me a little instead.
I think this novel is more character driven than the plot itself. The investigation is happening, but not many clues are there to go by. The action concentrates around Jane, her family, her thoughts, and her relationship with the community. The suspense was very well kept throughout the book, and the unexpected twists and major turns made this novel a very superb read. I think that the authorās life in the countryside was very well utilized in this book. She portrayed it very well, and I could feel that small communityās spirit. The main topics discussed in this novel was the motherās love for her children, the importance of the familyās image in a small town, a womanās dedication to her family, etc.
Phoebe Morgan knows how to attract the reader, the novel is not only very well written but very well constructed as well. The multiple perspectives allowed to have an insight into different peopleās minds, lives, and made the reading experience very pleasant, followed by short chapters, and twists and turns in all the right places. She truly knows what she is doing. The ending was unexpected and rounded up the story well, but I wasnāt very happy with the justice aspect of it. 🙂
So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this thriller, filled with very sophisticated and amusing characters and a very deceiving and knotty plot, where things are not as it seems. Do give this book a read, it is truly absorbing, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
I think this novel is more character driven than the plot itself. The investigation is happening, but not many clues are there to go by. The action concentrates around Jane, her family, her thoughts, and her relationship with the community. The suspense was very well kept throughout the book, and the unexpected twists and major turns made this novel a very superb read. I think that the authorās life in the countryside was very well utilized in this book. She portrayed it very well, and I could feel that small communityās spirit. The main topics discussed in this novel was the motherās love for her children, the importance of the familyās image in a small town, a womanās dedication to her family, etc.
Phoebe Morgan knows how to attract the reader, the novel is not only very well written but very well constructed as well. The multiple perspectives allowed to have an insight into different peopleās minds, lives, and made the reading experience very pleasant, followed by short chapters, and twists and turns in all the right places. She truly knows what she is doing. The ending was unexpected and rounded up the story well, but I wasnāt very happy with the justice aspect of it. 🙂
So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this thriller, filled with very sophisticated and amusing characters and a very deceiving and knotty plot, where things are not as it seems. Do give this book a read, it is truly absorbing, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Let the Dead Speak (Maeve Kerrigan, #7) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
For more reviews please visit https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com
This book is seventh in Kerrigan series, but it was my first encounter with Jane Caseyās work, and I definitely will be reading some more of her books. The blurb above describes this book quite accurate, Chloe comes back home and finds her home full of blood and her mother missing. DI Maeve starts the investigation, and more she digs in, more loose ends she gets.
This novel offers a wide variety of characters to choose from, but main characters are Maeve and Josh. The whole story was told from DI Maeve Kerriganās perspective, maybe thatās why characters felt not fully explored. I wouldāve liked to read different perspectives of the investigation, I think that wouldāve allowed understanding characters better and wouldāve made the whole book more appealing. I really liked Josh Derwentās character, and I think Maeve was missing some qualities, like the ability to fight well or great insight into the issues, to be the main lead in this book. On the other hand, the lack of those abilities made her more relatable and believable.
What I really enjoyed, was the narrative of this novel. The investigation was riveting, with a steady flow of twists and turns, which kept me intrigued and the suspense going, and I couldnāt wait to find out, what will happen next. I really loved, that almost in every chapter, the author very smartly revealed some new clues, and constantly kept the action going not to bore the reader, and that steady built up suspense was a great transition between the chapters. I really liked the way the author portrayed police work in this book; it was not over the top and was really believable. Being a Londoner, author portrayed the places and atmosphere really accurately, and for me, it was a real pleasure to read it.
The writing style used in this novel is easy to read and the language used was not complicated, with decent chapter length which didnāt make the book boring. The ending of the book had a great new twist, and left me confused and intrigued all over again. So, to conclude, this book had an exciting plot with lots of twists and turns along the way and I quite enjoyed it, I hope you will too.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
This book is seventh in Kerrigan series, but it was my first encounter with Jane Caseyās work, and I definitely will be reading some more of her books. The blurb above describes this book quite accurate, Chloe comes back home and finds her home full of blood and her mother missing. DI Maeve starts the investigation, and more she digs in, more loose ends she gets.
This novel offers a wide variety of characters to choose from, but main characters are Maeve and Josh. The whole story was told from DI Maeve Kerriganās perspective, maybe thatās why characters felt not fully explored. I wouldāve liked to read different perspectives of the investigation, I think that wouldāve allowed understanding characters better and wouldāve made the whole book more appealing. I really liked Josh Derwentās character, and I think Maeve was missing some qualities, like the ability to fight well or great insight into the issues, to be the main lead in this book. On the other hand, the lack of those abilities made her more relatable and believable.
What I really enjoyed, was the narrative of this novel. The investigation was riveting, with a steady flow of twists and turns, which kept me intrigued and the suspense going, and I couldnāt wait to find out, what will happen next. I really loved, that almost in every chapter, the author very smartly revealed some new clues, and constantly kept the action going not to bore the reader, and that steady built up suspense was a great transition between the chapters. I really liked the way the author portrayed police work in this book; it was not over the top and was really believable. Being a Londoner, author portrayed the places and atmosphere really accurately, and for me, it was a real pleasure to read it.
The writing style used in this novel is easy to read and the language used was not complicated, with decent chapter length which didnāt make the book boring. The ending of the book had a great new twist, and left me confused and intrigued all over again. So, to conclude, this book had an exciting plot with lots of twists and turns along the way and I quite enjoyed it, I hope you will too.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Handle With Care in Books
Sep 2, 2019
Wren has been hired by the Moorehead family to handle the youngest of the family, Armstrong who is a PR nightmare. When the patriarch of the family passes away suddenly, the older son, Lincoln returns for the funeral. What he's not expecting is for his grandmother and mother to ask him to take over the company. Being a CEO has never been in Lincoln's mind, but he made a promise that he would stay for 6 months. Wren is then tasked with helping Lincoln to become the face of the company, which will be difficult since he's covered in fur. When Lincoln first meets Wren, he thinks she nothing but a high paid babysitter, but there is something about her that has sparked his interest and finds that he enjoys her being around. Wren feels it too, but knows her job is more important. Will they be able to keep their feelings to themselves, or will it all be too much?
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. I've read 3 of the books in this series and they are all hard to put down.
I love Wren in this book. She is a no-nonsense woman who knows how to handle difficult men. Armstrong is more than a handful to deal with and Wren hopes that Lincoln is not the same. She will soon come to realize that he is a totally different beast. This book was full of romance and suspense. The Moorehead family had secrets and Lincoln is determined to find them, not only for his sake, but for the sake of the entire family and the business. You don't want to be on the wrong side of this brother.
So far, I have loved everything Helena Hunting has written. The books are hard to put down. They have romance mixed with a little suspense. The characters are ones you can imagine yourself being friends with in real life and you want to spend time with them, well most of them, Armstrong can stay far away. If you have never read one of her books, I suggest you pick one up right away!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. I've read 3 of the books in this series and they are all hard to put down.
I love Wren in this book. She is a no-nonsense woman who knows how to handle difficult men. Armstrong is more than a handful to deal with and Wren hopes that Lincoln is not the same. She will soon come to realize that he is a totally different beast. This book was full of romance and suspense. The Moorehead family had secrets and Lincoln is determined to find them, not only for his sake, but for the sake of the entire family and the business. You don't want to be on the wrong side of this brother.
So far, I have loved everything Helena Hunting has written. The books are hard to put down. They have romance mixed with a little suspense. The characters are ones you can imagine yourself being friends with in real life and you want to spend time with them, well most of them, Armstrong can stay far away. If you have never read one of her books, I suggest you pick one up right away!
MelanieTheresa (997 KP) rated The Shape of Night in Books
Oct 11, 2019
This was a quick, fun read, and completely different from the author's previous titles - both her Rizzoli & Isles series and her stand-alone novels. I wouldn't call it romantic suspense, as it's being billed. There really isn't anything at all romantic about what happens to Ava. I'd call it paranormal mystery/suspense leaning toward gothic - and well done!
"After an unspeakable tragedy in Boston, Ava Collette flees to a remote village in Maine, where she rents an old house named Brodieās Watch, hoping to work on a cookbook inspired by New England cuisine that sheās been trying to finish for months. In that isolated seaside mansion, Ava finally feels at peace . . . until she glimpses the long-dead sea captain who still resides there.
Rumor has it that Captain Jeremiah Brodie has haunted the house for more than a century. One night, Ava confronts the apparition, who feels all too real, and who welcomes her into his worldāand into his arms. Even as Ava questions her own sanity, she eagerly looks forward to the captainās ghostly visits. But she soon learns that the house she loves comes with a terrible secret, a secret that those in the village donāt want to reveal: Every woman who has ever lived in Brodieās Watch has also died there. Is the ghost of Captain Brodie responsible, or is a flesh-and-blood killer at work?"
The descriptive passages are terrific, bringing a long-dead ghost to life in vivid detail. I had no trouble at all picturing the house as it was in the Captain's time, or believing the scenarios in which Ava found herself. I could absolutely see Hannibal the cat as he helped to rid the old house of its mouse population. I could almost taste the wonderful flavors in the meals Ava was testing for her cookbook. And I could very nearly smell the sea.
As with many of the author's previous works, she kept me guessing right up until the big reveal - which I did not see coming. The Shape of Night is a well-written, fast-paced read with a satisfying conclusion, and I'd love to see more like this from this author. (But of course, keep writing those Rizzoli & Isles stories, too, please.) š
"After an unspeakable tragedy in Boston, Ava Collette flees to a remote village in Maine, where she rents an old house named Brodieās Watch, hoping to work on a cookbook inspired by New England cuisine that sheās been trying to finish for months. In that isolated seaside mansion, Ava finally feels at peace . . . until she glimpses the long-dead sea captain who still resides there.
Rumor has it that Captain Jeremiah Brodie has haunted the house for more than a century. One night, Ava confronts the apparition, who feels all too real, and who welcomes her into his worldāand into his arms. Even as Ava questions her own sanity, she eagerly looks forward to the captainās ghostly visits. But she soon learns that the house she loves comes with a terrible secret, a secret that those in the village donāt want to reveal: Every woman who has ever lived in Brodieās Watch has also died there. Is the ghost of Captain Brodie responsible, or is a flesh-and-blood killer at work?"
The descriptive passages are terrific, bringing a long-dead ghost to life in vivid detail. I had no trouble at all picturing the house as it was in the Captain's time, or believing the scenarios in which Ava found herself. I could absolutely see Hannibal the cat as he helped to rid the old house of its mouse population. I could almost taste the wonderful flavors in the meals Ava was testing for her cookbook. And I could very nearly smell the sea.
As with many of the author's previous works, she kept me guessing right up until the big reveal - which I did not see coming. The Shape of Night is a well-written, fast-paced read with a satisfying conclusion, and I'd love to see more like this from this author. (But of course, keep writing those Rizzoli & Isles stories, too, please.) š
The Buried Girl
9.5
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'Glittering and sharp, an ice pick of a novel. An astounding talent' AJ Finn, author of The Woman...
Crime Thriller Mystery Suspense Psychological
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Spilled Blood in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I won an ARC of this book from First Reads.
This is the first Brian Freeman book I've ever read. Now that I'm done with it I feel like I've been missing out on a fantastic author! This book was so well written! It had colorful but realistic & well developed characters. The suspense was top notch. The conclusion was fast paced & 1 that I did not see coming in the least. So many books like this turn out to be too predictable. Thankfully this one was not!
Spilled Blood tells the story of Olivia Hawk, a high schooler who is arrested for murdering another high school girl. The evidence points strongly to her, both in the physical evidence from the scene & from the gossip around town. In sweeps her dad, a lawyer, who beings to slowly unravel the mysteries of the crime while struggling with the ever present, "Did she do it?" question. I hate to say much more than that for fear of ruining a fantastic plot!
This book had action, mystery, big companies, cancer, cover-ups, and bombs all covered yet still managed to throw in a good romance without feeling forced. This was an AMAZING read!!
This is the first Brian Freeman book I've ever read. Now that I'm done with it I feel like I've been missing out on a fantastic author! This book was so well written! It had colorful but realistic & well developed characters. The suspense was top notch. The conclusion was fast paced & 1 that I did not see coming in the least. So many books like this turn out to be too predictable. Thankfully this one was not!
Spilled Blood tells the story of Olivia Hawk, a high schooler who is arrested for murdering another high school girl. The evidence points strongly to her, both in the physical evidence from the scene & from the gossip around town. In sweeps her dad, a lawyer, who beings to slowly unravel the mysteries of the crime while struggling with the ever present, "Did she do it?" question. I hate to say much more than that for fear of ruining a fantastic plot!
This book had action, mystery, big companies, cancer, cover-ups, and bombs all covered yet still managed to throw in a good romance without feeling forced. This was an AMAZING read!!
Chelsea (166 KP) rated The Broken Girls in Books
May 2, 2018
The story goes back and forth between the past through the eyes of four roommates at Idlewild Hall, a creepy boarding school for outcast girls, and the present through a journalist named Fiona Sheridan. Fionaās sister was murdered and found in the Idlewild Hall grounds, which had been long abandoned, and something never sat quite right with her. As Idlewild is bought and renovations begin, Fiona is drawn to it by her journalist instincts as well as the prospect of finding out what really happened to her sister.
This was a quick read. I loved the different narratives and learning about each of the Idlewild girls, as well as present-day Fiona and her desire to truly close her sisterās case. There was a big supernatural part that I didnāt expect, but it really worked. There were also some historical aspects that I enjoyed. The suspense and fear were so real in this book and kept me turning page after page because I had to find out what was going on! The stories you learn from all the different perspectives come together quite nicely and all questions are answered in a satisfying ending.
This was a quick read. I loved the different narratives and learning about each of the Idlewild girls, as well as present-day Fiona and her desire to truly close her sisterās case. There was a big supernatural part that I didnāt expect, but it really worked. There were also some historical aspects that I enjoyed. The suspense and fear were so real in this book and kept me turning page after page because I had to find out what was going on! The stories you learn from all the different perspectives come together quite nicely and all questions are answered in a satisfying ending.
Courtney (25 KP) rated Assassin's Creed (2016) in Movies
Feb 10, 2019 (Updated Feb 10, 2019)
There's action (2 more)
Has history
Movie adaptation from a game
Can be a bit confusing (2 more)
Not enough suspense
A bit predictable
El espaƱol asesino
Contains spoilers, click to show
So... this film is adapted from a game and I did like the whole animus style BUT I prefer the games.
Not saying it's boring because I did end up watching it all just to see what happened next, but not like an exciting feeling to see what's going to happen just to see if my guesses were in fact true.
The logic behind the animus I think was presented as well as it could be.
The actor I think fitted his role well and there was the odd big name in the film.
Even though there was action it still felt like there was a calmness to the film, like there was the same tone of voices throughout the film, hard to explain what I mean.
I think the story could have been explained a bit better than it had been.
It's one of those films eere once you've watched it, you would probably not watch it again for a while maybe a year or so.
Not saying it's boring because I did end up watching it all just to see what happened next, but not like an exciting feeling to see what's going to happen just to see if my guesses were in fact true.
The logic behind the animus I think was presented as well as it could be.
The actor I think fitted his role well and there was the odd big name in the film.
Even though there was action it still felt like there was a calmness to the film, like there was the same tone of voices throughout the film, hard to explain what I mean.
I think the story could have been explained a bit better than it had been.
It's one of those films eere once you've watched it, you would probably not watch it again for a while maybe a year or so.