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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Rocketman (2019) in Movies
May 29, 2019
I knew before watching this that it wasn’t your average biopic but that still didn’t prepare me for how truly wacky and wonderful it was. But then when you think of Elton John, would you really expect anything less flamboyant?
This is more like an Elton John musical complete with rather strange fantasy elements, and I have to admit that the fantasy is mostly the bit I didn’t like. Singing with younger versions of himself were fine, but the rest I just found a little too odd and ill fitting. However despite this, it’s still a rather good musical. All of the songs that you’d expect are in here and it was a struggle not to sing along. I do think that the general sound on the music in this didn’t seem quite as good as Bohemian Rhapsody, it didn’t feel quite as immersive and concert like and it was in the same screen!
Taron Egerton does a wonderful job, I’ve said before that he’s a marvellous actor and he proves it yet again here. Whilst he doesn’t look exactly like Elton John i can’t imagine anyone else playing this role and there were some moments later on in the film that I had to do a double take as he looked so like him! There are other great performances too, namely Richard Madden as the smarmy John Reid and Jamie Bell as Bernie Taupin. There are some scenes with Bernie and Elton that almost have me in tears. I know fairly little about Elton’s earlier life so for me this was rather an informative and fascinating film too, and I was beyond glad at the end to hear that Bernie is still going. I couldn’t have coped if he wasn’t!
This film isn’t faultless and I felt like it was rather drawn out, but it’s still a rather good musical biopic and definitely one I’d like to see again and sing along too. Indeed, wouldn’t this be marvellous as a musical stage show?
This is more like an Elton John musical complete with rather strange fantasy elements, and I have to admit that the fantasy is mostly the bit I didn’t like. Singing with younger versions of himself were fine, but the rest I just found a little too odd and ill fitting. However despite this, it’s still a rather good musical. All of the songs that you’d expect are in here and it was a struggle not to sing along. I do think that the general sound on the music in this didn’t seem quite as good as Bohemian Rhapsody, it didn’t feel quite as immersive and concert like and it was in the same screen!
Taron Egerton does a wonderful job, I’ve said before that he’s a marvellous actor and he proves it yet again here. Whilst he doesn’t look exactly like Elton John i can’t imagine anyone else playing this role and there were some moments later on in the film that I had to do a double take as he looked so like him! There are other great performances too, namely Richard Madden as the smarmy John Reid and Jamie Bell as Bernie Taupin. There are some scenes with Bernie and Elton that almost have me in tears. I know fairly little about Elton’s earlier life so for me this was rather an informative and fascinating film too, and I was beyond glad at the end to hear that Bernie is still going. I couldn’t have coped if he wasn’t!
This film isn’t faultless and I felt like it was rather drawn out, but it’s still a rather good musical biopic and definitely one I’d like to see again and sing along too. Indeed, wouldn’t this be marvellous as a musical stage show?
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2568 KP) rated Good Day to Buy in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Sarah is helping the Spencers downsize their possession before a planned move, but things take a tragic turn when Sarah finds them lying on the garage floor in the middle of the sale. Then, that afternoon, Sarah’s estranged brother Luke shows up asking for help is hiding out for a couple of days. Luke disappears just as the police being looking for him on connection with what happened at the Spencer’s. Can Sarah figure out what Luke is doing and clear his name?
Luke adds an interesting element to this addition to the series. The plot is fast paced and kept me so engaged I had a hard time putting the book down. I did have a couple of niggle with the ending, but they are very minor. I love the characters in this series, and it was fantastic to see all of them again. While the love triangle may be over, we did see both of the men in Sarah’s life in this book. Fans will delight in this book and it will hook new readers on the series.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-good-day-to-buy-by-sherry.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Luke adds an interesting element to this addition to the series. The plot is fast paced and kept me so engaged I had a hard time putting the book down. I did have a couple of niggle with the ending, but they are very minor. I love the characters in this series, and it was fantastic to see all of them again. While the love triangle may be over, we did see both of the men in Sarah’s life in this book. Fans will delight in this book and it will hook new readers on the series.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-good-day-to-buy-by-sherry.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Guilty One in Books
Feb 13, 2018
The advertising for this book states that a man is on a bridge, waiting to jump, if the woman on the other end gives him the go ahead. That woman is Maris, whose life fell apart when her daughter, Calla, was murdered. Allegedly, Calla was killed by her boyfriend, Karl. It is his father, Ron, who stands on the bridge, calling Maris.
However, said advertising for this novel is rather misleading. I don't think it gives much away to say that the bridge scene leads off and takes about 2 seconds of the novel. The rest of the book alternates between Ron's story and Maris'. It's interesting, seeing the story unfold from their perspectives, but lags a bit, and Ron's sections drag somewhat. There isn't much that pushes the plot forward -- while billed as a thriller, there doesn't seem to be much mystery here, just psychological issues. I enjoyed Maris' scenes, for the most part, and the people she met along her journey, but perhaps didn't grasp the entire point...
Anyway, this one didn't really do it for me. It had its good moments, but overall wasn't my favorite.
(I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
However, said advertising for this novel is rather misleading. I don't think it gives much away to say that the bridge scene leads off and takes about 2 seconds of the novel. The rest of the book alternates between Ron's story and Maris'. It's interesting, seeing the story unfold from their perspectives, but lags a bit, and Ron's sections drag somewhat. There isn't much that pushes the plot forward -- while billed as a thriller, there doesn't seem to be much mystery here, just psychological issues. I enjoyed Maris' scenes, for the most part, and the people she met along her journey, but perhaps didn't grasp the entire point...
Anyway, this one didn't really do it for me. It had its good moments, but overall wasn't my favorite.
(I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Lost At Last Vol. 1 by Langhorne Slim
Album Watch
Langhorne Slim is no stranger to the world of popular culture and commercial success. Lost At Last...
americana
Gypsy Empire
Book
Irish Travellers have never enjoyed a higher profile, at home and abroad, for good reasons and bad....
The Unexpected Joy of Being Single
8.4
Rate It
Book
Having a secret single freak-out? Feeling the red, heart-shaped urgency intensify as the years roll...
David McK (3801 KP) rated Jurassic Park (1993) in Movies
May 26, 2020 (Updated Dec 21, 2025)
I've just realised (at the time of writing) that this movie is over 30 years old.
Man, I feel old.
Taking some liberties with Michael Crichtons's source material (Hammond dies and was not a very nice man; Grant likes kids), this is a disaster movie with stunning effects (that still hold up pretty well today) for the time, even if our understanding of the 'headline' dinosaurs has changed somewhat in the intervening years since its release (Raptors were the size of chickens, had feathers, and were NOT pack hunters. or so we now think).
Set on a tropical island hit by a storm just as the owner is given a pre-release tour to special invited guests to show off his scientific breakthrough - cloned Dinosaurs, because that's ALWAYS a good idea … - a series of events leads to the power going down, and the 'exhibits' breaking free to wreak havoc amongst those guests. And, lets not kid around the bush here, despite having the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Richard Attenborough, Sam Neil, Laura Dern and - uh- Jeff Goldblum ("life, uh, finds a way") amongst the cast - the real stars are those dinosaurs.
All the sequels (4 so far, with a 5th ion the way in Jurassic World: Dominion) pale in comparison.
Man, I feel old.
Taking some liberties with Michael Crichtons's source material (Hammond dies and was not a very nice man; Grant likes kids), this is a disaster movie with stunning effects (that still hold up pretty well today) for the time, even if our understanding of the 'headline' dinosaurs has changed somewhat in the intervening years since its release (Raptors were the size of chickens, had feathers, and were NOT pack hunters. or so we now think).
Set on a tropical island hit by a storm just as the owner is given a pre-release tour to special invited guests to show off his scientific breakthrough - cloned Dinosaurs, because that's ALWAYS a good idea … - a series of events leads to the power going down, and the 'exhibits' breaking free to wreak havoc amongst those guests. And, lets not kid around the bush here, despite having the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Richard Attenborough, Sam Neil, Laura Dern and - uh- Jeff Goldblum ("life, uh, finds a way") amongst the cast - the real stars are those dinosaurs.
All the sequels (4 so far, with a 5th ion the way in Jurassic World: Dominion) pale in comparison.
The Kill of It All
9.0
Rate It
Book
A diva found dead on a commercial set. A decorator tasked to take her place. Can she remember her...
Rikkasaurus (0 KP) rated Mass Effect: Andromeda in Video Games
May 7, 2018
Game play (1 more)
World graphics
Facial graphics (2 more)
Bugs
Incomplete storyline
Andromeda got too much hate
Before the war against the Reapers led by Shepard, The Andromeda Initiative sought to send out colonies to another galaxy. You play as Sarah or Scott Ryder, a soldier in the Initiative to find a new home for your colony. Explore new planets and discover new species.
My thoughts? I played Andromeda when it first came out. It was super buggy. The facial expressions were laughable. But it was in space with all our familiar ME Easter eggs, had great game play, and a vast amount of potential. However due to the backlash of fans (yes, EA should have NOT released such a unrefined game. Yes, it isn't as good as the original trilogy - because it is unfair to compare it to the story arc of a complete trilogy!) EA has stepped away from continuing with this story which is the most frustrating thing ever. EA needs to bring it back and the team needs to break boundaries and be creative to bring this story line further to life and continue it on for a DLC or next game.
My thoughts? I played Andromeda when it first came out. It was super buggy. The facial expressions were laughable. But it was in space with all our familiar ME Easter eggs, had great game play, and a vast amount of potential. However due to the backlash of fans (yes, EA should have NOT released such a unrefined game. Yes, it isn't as good as the original trilogy - because it is unfair to compare it to the story arc of a complete trilogy!) EA has stepped away from continuing with this story which is the most frustrating thing ever. EA needs to bring it back and the team needs to break boundaries and be creative to bring this story line further to life and continue it on for a DLC or next game.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2568 KP) rated Back in the Habit in Books
Jun 26, 2018
The Return of Sister Mary Regina Coelis
The last thing former nun Giulia ever wanted to do was go back to her former life, but that’s just what she’s had to do. Her PI company has been hired to find out why a Novice committed suicide, and the best way to do that is for Giulia to become Sister Mary Regina Coelis again. Not only is she confronting her past 18 months on the outside, but she’s having to look for secrets. Was it a simple suicide? Or will Giulia uncover more?
I waited too long to get back to Giulia, but I’m pleased I got to visit her again. This book really allows her quite a bit of character growth since it is forcing her to face her past. We do not see as much of the other series regulars as a result, but when we did, we got some of the laughs I expect with the characters. The mystery does take us to some darker places, but it is good. I do feel that the character growth overshadowed the mystery at times, but overall I enjoyed this book.
I waited too long to get back to Giulia, but I’m pleased I got to visit her again. This book really allows her quite a bit of character growth since it is forcing her to face her past. We do not see as much of the other series regulars as a result, but when we did, we got some of the laughs I expect with the characters. The mystery does take us to some darker places, but it is good. I do feel that the character growth overshadowed the mystery at times, but overall I enjoyed this book.
Lee (2222 KP) May 29, 2019