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Michelle Monoghan recommended Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary (1997) in Movies (curated)
justmissash (21 KP) rated The Nightingale in Books
Aug 23, 2018
I had never heard of Kristin Hannah before, but will be looking for other books by her. Her writing is seamless and vivid and realistic. The Nightingale is a wonderful story of two sisters, far apart in body and mind, but still connected. They lose their mother and then experience the abandonment of their father. Both women are torn, but in their own way. The story takes place in France, in a small village until the women who realize they need something different, separate, with one sister in Paris and the other in the country, during WWII. The story is a bit dramatic, but I think it is fitting. Their feelings and emotions and experiences are so real and authentic. It is definitely an emotionally engaging read. Not only is the characters so vivid but it combines their story with an accuracy of the world history around them during that period and is interesting for people like myself, who are history buffs. Both women learn to live and learn to love. It is romantic and not just in a sexually intimate way. This story is complex, passionate, engaging and captivating and will make you think and feel along with them.
I received this book for free from SheSpeaks as part of the book club program, but the above review is based on my own opinions and thoughts.
I received this book for free from SheSpeaks as part of the book club program, but the above review is based on my own opinions and thoughts.
justmissash (21 KP) rated The Nightingale in Books
Jun 23, 2019
I had never heard of Kristin Hannah before, but will be looking for other books by her. Her writing is seamless and vivid and realistic. The Nightingale is a wonderful story of two sisters, far apart in body and mind, but still connected. They lose their mother and then experience the abandonment of their father. Both women are torn, but in their own way. The story takes place in France, in a small village until the women who realize they need something different, separate, with one sister in Paris and the other in the country, during WWII. The story is a bit dramatic, but I think it is fitting. Their feelings and emotions and experiences are so real and authentic. It is definitely an emotionally engaging read. Not only is the characters so vivid but it combines their story with an accuracy of the world history around them during that period and is interesting for people like myself, who are history buffs. Both women learn to live and learn to love. It is romantic and not just in a sexually intimate way. This story is complex, passionate, engaging and captivating and will make you think and feel along with them.
I received this book for free from SheSpeaks as part of the book club program, but the above review is based on my own opinions and thoughts.
I received this book for free from SheSpeaks as part of the book club program, but the above review is based on my own opinions and thoughts.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Colosseum in Tabletop Games
Aug 16, 2021
Ancient Romans, lend me your d20s! Okay, that was never a saying, but it could have been. For our review today we are checking out Colosseum (the newest TMG edition), and as I have zero experience as an arena manager, or a Gladiator, or even a professional Comedian, this is the closest I will get to any of those professions. Colosseum is regarded as one of Wolfgang Kramer’s (and Marcus Lubke) best games ever. But how did we fare with it?
In Colosseum players are Impresarios (basically an arena manager – I had to look it up) attempting to program the greatest shows of the age in their own arenas. The game will last for five rounds and the winner will be the player who put on the greatest show and attracted the highest amount of attendees.
To setup follow the directions in the rulebook. In fact, I have a disclaimer: I will certainly NOT be explaining all the rules here nor each component’s purpose. There are simply too many of each to cover. I will try to give the feeling of the game and how it flows.
The game lasts five rounds and each round consists of five different phases. The first phase is Investing. It is during this phase where players will be able to purchase Event Programs to be put on in a later phase, or expanding their personal arena, or purchasing upgrades that give different bonuses throughout the game.
The next phase is Acquiring Event Asset Tokens. These tokens are needed to successfully pull off an Event Program. They consist of cardboard chits representing lions, gladiators, gates, decorations, etc. Players will be bidding for an offering of three of these resources around the table until each player has had a chance to be the auctioneer.
After players have gathered their resource tokens they may Trade Event Asset Tokens. This is pretty self-explanatory, but trades may only happen between the current active player and other players, even though each player will have a chance to be the active player involved in trades.
The fourth phase is Producing an Event and really is the crux of the game. This is when players will be rolling dice to move the nobleeples around the board to land them on the player’s arena and score bonus VP, and using their collected Event Asset Tokens from the previous phases, or even previous rounds, to assign to the program for maximum VP. However, programs may still be put on without the necessary tokens needed, but at a severe cut in VP scored. So there is a balance of using all tokens versus using only some of what is required.
Finally, players will participate in the Closing Ceremonies when players will be awarded podiums for placing in the lead position for attendees earned, and performing round cleanup duties. This phase is not played on the final round of the game.
Of course this is extremely pared down, but explains the overall flow of the game. Play continues over five rounds, but here’s the kicker – to determine the winner of the game players will not be totaling their scores after every round, but rather only increasing their placement on the score track according to their most-attended program. So if Randall scored 10, 17, 33, 45, and 44 over five rounds, his ending score would be 45 VP as his most-attended round was 45 spectators.
Components. Colosseum has amazing components. Tasty Minstrel Games really went all out on this remaster. The art is updated from the original version and is much better-looking. The components seem very deluxe – I mean the coins alone are very impressive, as they are heavy metal embossed coins. The wooden components are all great (except the Emperor’s Loge which looks like it could be a throne but in the rulebook they show it being an upside-down throne). Even the little nobleeples are nice looking and fun to move around the board. I am quite impressed by the components presented in this box. Fair warning – it is tough to get all those components back in the box without planning it out first.
A little backstory with this game and me. My first experience in a hobby game store had the owner approaching me and suggesting three games for my first purchase and induction into the board game collector’s club: Dominion (snooze), Colosseum (would have been WAY too much game for us at the time), and Munchkin (which I happily bought right away). That said, I do not think this is appropriate at all to be used as a gateway game ever. There’s a lot going on, a lot of rules that can be forgotten, or just straight up misunderstanding of rules minutia. So while I am glad I passed on it in 2012 when I started my journey, I am also glad I was able to grab a copy of the new version and give it a shot.
I enjoyed my plays of Colosseum quite a bit. I employed several different strategies going into each game and now have a good idea of how I would like to play going forward. Many things are left to chance in the game, and that may appeal to a certain crowd. For me, I do not at all mind a little chance or luck in my games so it is welcome to stay in my collection. I never actually played the original edition so I cannot compare very well, but I am impressed by this title and it will certainly be seeing more table time. It is also the only game I own by Kramer, and that makes me a little sad. I need to check out more from him for sure.
If you are looking for something a little heavier than what we typically review, enjoy an Ancient Roman theme, and you want to feel a little proud of your own wits when winning board games, check out Colosseum. Purple Phoenix Games gives it a lion-hearted 8 / 12. I hope my 4-year-old will want to play it in 10 years…
In Colosseum players are Impresarios (basically an arena manager – I had to look it up) attempting to program the greatest shows of the age in their own arenas. The game will last for five rounds and the winner will be the player who put on the greatest show and attracted the highest amount of attendees.
To setup follow the directions in the rulebook. In fact, I have a disclaimer: I will certainly NOT be explaining all the rules here nor each component’s purpose. There are simply too many of each to cover. I will try to give the feeling of the game and how it flows.
The game lasts five rounds and each round consists of five different phases. The first phase is Investing. It is during this phase where players will be able to purchase Event Programs to be put on in a later phase, or expanding their personal arena, or purchasing upgrades that give different bonuses throughout the game.
The next phase is Acquiring Event Asset Tokens. These tokens are needed to successfully pull off an Event Program. They consist of cardboard chits representing lions, gladiators, gates, decorations, etc. Players will be bidding for an offering of three of these resources around the table until each player has had a chance to be the auctioneer.
After players have gathered their resource tokens they may Trade Event Asset Tokens. This is pretty self-explanatory, but trades may only happen between the current active player and other players, even though each player will have a chance to be the active player involved in trades.
The fourth phase is Producing an Event and really is the crux of the game. This is when players will be rolling dice to move the nobleeples around the board to land them on the player’s arena and score bonus VP, and using their collected Event Asset Tokens from the previous phases, or even previous rounds, to assign to the program for maximum VP. However, programs may still be put on without the necessary tokens needed, but at a severe cut in VP scored. So there is a balance of using all tokens versus using only some of what is required.
Finally, players will participate in the Closing Ceremonies when players will be awarded podiums for placing in the lead position for attendees earned, and performing round cleanup duties. This phase is not played on the final round of the game.
Of course this is extremely pared down, but explains the overall flow of the game. Play continues over five rounds, but here’s the kicker – to determine the winner of the game players will not be totaling their scores after every round, but rather only increasing their placement on the score track according to their most-attended program. So if Randall scored 10, 17, 33, 45, and 44 over five rounds, his ending score would be 45 VP as his most-attended round was 45 spectators.
Components. Colosseum has amazing components. Tasty Minstrel Games really went all out on this remaster. The art is updated from the original version and is much better-looking. The components seem very deluxe – I mean the coins alone are very impressive, as they are heavy metal embossed coins. The wooden components are all great (except the Emperor’s Loge which looks like it could be a throne but in the rulebook they show it being an upside-down throne). Even the little nobleeples are nice looking and fun to move around the board. I am quite impressed by the components presented in this box. Fair warning – it is tough to get all those components back in the box without planning it out first.
A little backstory with this game and me. My first experience in a hobby game store had the owner approaching me and suggesting three games for my first purchase and induction into the board game collector’s club: Dominion (snooze), Colosseum (would have been WAY too much game for us at the time), and Munchkin (which I happily bought right away). That said, I do not think this is appropriate at all to be used as a gateway game ever. There’s a lot going on, a lot of rules that can be forgotten, or just straight up misunderstanding of rules minutia. So while I am glad I passed on it in 2012 when I started my journey, I am also glad I was able to grab a copy of the new version and give it a shot.
I enjoyed my plays of Colosseum quite a bit. I employed several different strategies going into each game and now have a good idea of how I would like to play going forward. Many things are left to chance in the game, and that may appeal to a certain crowd. For me, I do not at all mind a little chance or luck in my games so it is welcome to stay in my collection. I never actually played the original edition so I cannot compare very well, but I am impressed by this title and it will certainly be seeing more table time. It is also the only game I own by Kramer, and that makes me a little sad. I need to check out more from him for sure.
If you are looking for something a little heavier than what we typically review, enjoy an Ancient Roman theme, and you want to feel a little proud of your own wits when winning board games, check out Colosseum. Purple Phoenix Games gives it a lion-hearted 8 / 12. I hope my 4-year-old will want to play it in 10 years…
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) in Movies
May 21, 2020
The Last Classic Monster
Creature From The Black Lagoon- is the last monster of the classic universal monsters. And its sad. Its sad, to see the classic universal monster, last movie. This creature is scary, terrorfying and horrorfying.
The plot: Remnants of a mysterious animal have come to light in a remote jungle, and a group of scientists intends to determine if the find is an anomaly or evidence of an undiscovered beast. To accomplish their goal, the scientists (Antonio Moreno, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell) must brave the most perilous pieces of land South America has to offer. But the terrain is nothing compared to the danger posed by an otherworldly being that endangers their work and their lives.
Creature from the Black Lagoon was filmed in 3D and originally projected by the polarized light method. The audience wore viewers with gray polarizing filters, similar to the viewers most commonly used today. Because the brief 1950s 3D film fad had peaked in mid-1953 and was fading fast in early 1954, many audiences actually saw the film "flat", in 2D. Typically, the film was shown in 3D in large downtown theaters and flat in smaller neighborhood theaters.
For marketing reasons, a comedic appearance with Abbott and Costello on an episode of The Colgate Comedy Hour aired prior to the film's release. The appearance is commonly known as Abbott and Costello Meet the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Ben Chapman reprised his role as the Gill-Man for the program.
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
2001: AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills – Nominated
2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains:
Gill-man – Nominated Villain
Iike i said a classic universal monster.
The plot: Remnants of a mysterious animal have come to light in a remote jungle, and a group of scientists intends to determine if the find is an anomaly or evidence of an undiscovered beast. To accomplish their goal, the scientists (Antonio Moreno, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell) must brave the most perilous pieces of land South America has to offer. But the terrain is nothing compared to the danger posed by an otherworldly being that endangers their work and their lives.
Creature from the Black Lagoon was filmed in 3D and originally projected by the polarized light method. The audience wore viewers with gray polarizing filters, similar to the viewers most commonly used today. Because the brief 1950s 3D film fad had peaked in mid-1953 and was fading fast in early 1954, many audiences actually saw the film "flat", in 2D. Typically, the film was shown in 3D in large downtown theaters and flat in smaller neighborhood theaters.
For marketing reasons, a comedic appearance with Abbott and Costello on an episode of The Colgate Comedy Hour aired prior to the film's release. The appearance is commonly known as Abbott and Costello Meet the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Ben Chapman reprised his role as the Gill-Man for the program.
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
2001: AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills – Nominated
2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains:
Gill-man – Nominated Villain
Iike i said a classic universal monster.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Tried and True in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Idaho Territory, 1866: The Civil War has ended, but the charade has not. Kylie Wilde and her sisters Shannon and Bailey lived as men throughout the War. And at their father's command, are now homesteading as men.
Tried & True is a gripping journey about forgiveness and finding true identity. Kylie's demanding Pa is sick with grief over the loss of his son and does not know how to take care of, or love his daughters for who they are. Powerful cattleman, Gage Coulter, would like nothing better than to reclaim Kylie's land as his own. Aaron Masterson is captivated by Kylie from the moment they meet. But Aaron wants to live a life in the mountains and Kylie longs for the civilization of the East. Attempts to scare her off her land by persons unknown, opens doors Kylie never dreamed of. Throughout her journey, her faith is tested and tried. But she stands strong and remains true to herself.
It was next to impossible for me to put this book down. I was transported to the mountains of Idaho in the height of the land rush every time I began to read. Feeling the fear, the love, the determination that Kylie felt. Very captivating. I am especially grateful to Mary Connealy for the way she is able to portray a Historical Fiction "Romance" very tastefully. I am excited to read the rest of the series!
As part of their blogger reviewer program, I received a free digital copy of this book from Bethany House.
Tried & True is a gripping journey about forgiveness and finding true identity. Kylie's demanding Pa is sick with grief over the loss of his son and does not know how to take care of, or love his daughters for who they are. Powerful cattleman, Gage Coulter, would like nothing better than to reclaim Kylie's land as his own. Aaron Masterson is captivated by Kylie from the moment they meet. But Aaron wants to live a life in the mountains and Kylie longs for the civilization of the East. Attempts to scare her off her land by persons unknown, opens doors Kylie never dreamed of. Throughout her journey, her faith is tested and tried. But she stands strong and remains true to herself.
It was next to impossible for me to put this book down. I was transported to the mountains of Idaho in the height of the land rush every time I began to read. Feeling the fear, the love, the determination that Kylie felt. Very captivating. I am especially grateful to Mary Connealy for the way she is able to portray a Historical Fiction "Romance" very tastefully. I am excited to read the rest of the series!
As part of their blogger reviewer program, I received a free digital copy of this book from Bethany House.
Ross (3282 KP) rated The Staircase in TV
Jun 28, 2018
The story of what happened to Kathleen Peterson is compelling. Her husband claims to have found her after a fall at the bottom of a narrow staircase bleeding to death.
The documentary follows the investigation from very early on, through the original trail and subsequent appeals. It still smacks of being quite one-sided (which is natural when the filmmakers are given access to one side of the legal battle and not the other). As with other similar programs, it is somewhat failed as an idea when the burden of formulating a story of what happened and of proof is on the estate, and the defence (by far the more vocal side in the program) only have to cast enough doubt on aspects of those stories to allow a jury to have "reasonable doubt" and therefore a conviction cannot be made.
Once again, this documentary shows that the state will do anything to convict, and once convicted it is very unlikely any appeals would be successful - they cast aspersions over the judge and prosecutors' professional ethics which they won't allow.
This one is rare in that the judge does appear to suggest there was a miscarriage of justice at the end of the final episode.
There is more closure in this story when compared to the likes of Evil Genius and Making a Murderer, but there still remains some doubt over what happened to Kathleen (I have now read there was a theory she was attacked by an owl on the way in to the house!).
Compelling but a little more drawn-out than its peers.
The documentary follows the investigation from very early on, through the original trail and subsequent appeals. It still smacks of being quite one-sided (which is natural when the filmmakers are given access to one side of the legal battle and not the other). As with other similar programs, it is somewhat failed as an idea when the burden of formulating a story of what happened and of proof is on the estate, and the defence (by far the more vocal side in the program) only have to cast enough doubt on aspects of those stories to allow a jury to have "reasonable doubt" and therefore a conviction cannot be made.
Once again, this documentary shows that the state will do anything to convict, and once convicted it is very unlikely any appeals would be successful - they cast aspersions over the judge and prosecutors' professional ethics which they won't allow.
This one is rare in that the judge does appear to suggest there was a miscarriage of justice at the end of the final episode.
There is more closure in this story when compared to the likes of Evil Genius and Making a Murderer, but there still remains some doubt over what happened to Kathleen (I have now read there was a theory she was attacked by an owl on the way in to the house!).
Compelling but a little more drawn-out than its peers.
Morgan Sheppard (926 KP) created a post
Sep 21, 2022 (Updated Sep 21, 2022)
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated The Demon Next Door in Books
Apr 19, 2019
Informative but no depth
When audible originals offered this book up as part of their two free originals a month program, I just had to snag it. One of the weird quirks I have is that I hate mysteries, but I LOVE true crime. This 2 hour and 45-minute novella was right up my alley. When I was looking for something short to listen to, I decided that this something different than the romance books that I'm currently reading.
The information in this novella was interesting and well researched but still lacked depth. Most of the information that was presented in this book felt glossed over. One of the things I thought Bryan Burrough was exceptional at was not being too graphic about the crimes. Unfortunately, it seems that that lack of detail was present throughout the entire book. I would have loved to see more information about the background of the individuals and the town itself.
Something else that felt off in this audiobook was the narration. Steve White is an excellent narrator, but I don't feel that he was the right choice for this book. His intonations seemed to be too upbeat for a true crime novel about rape and murder. I would have preferred a more somber tone & his voice did not do this book justice.
All in all, this was an okay book. The details were interesting, but I wish that there would have been more depth to it.
The information in this novella was interesting and well researched but still lacked depth. Most of the information that was presented in this book felt glossed over. One of the things I thought Bryan Burrough was exceptional at was not being too graphic about the crimes. Unfortunately, it seems that that lack of detail was present throughout the entire book. I would have loved to see more information about the background of the individuals and the town itself.
Something else that felt off in this audiobook was the narration. Steve White is an excellent narrator, but I don't feel that he was the right choice for this book. His intonations seemed to be too upbeat for a true crime novel about rape and murder. I would have preferred a more somber tone & his voice did not do this book justice.
All in all, this was an okay book. The details were interesting, but I wish that there would have been more depth to it.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated Christmas Cake Murder in Books
Dec 11, 2018
Hannah's First Brush with Murder
This book is set at the first Christmas since Hannah's father has died. Hannah has dropped out of her graduate program and is home trying to help her mother, Delores, deal with life after her loss, and Hannah is beginning to worry. Fortunately, Grandma Knudson and Annie come up with the perfect project to get Delores's mind off her loss. It seems Essie, a beloved member of the community, has fallen and broken her hip. In an effort to cheer her up, Delores is asked to organize a Christmas ball, with Hannah recruited to bake the cakes for the events. While all this is going on, Hannah begins to share her dreams of opening her own cookie and coffee shop. And a novel that Essie was working on captivates Hannah, Delores, Michelle, and Lisa.
You'll note my teaser doesn't mention the mystery. That's because it isn't until late in the book that it comes into clear focus, although enough bread crumbs have been laid out earlier that we do get a satisfying wrap up. Meanwhile, we get lots of planning for the ball and Hannah getting the things that will become staples of her life as we know it from the rest of the series. It's fun for series fans, although even then I thought the book could have been shorter. Those new to the series definitely shouldn't jump in here since it is so atypical.
You'll note my teaser doesn't mention the mystery. That's because it isn't until late in the book that it comes into clear focus, although enough bread crumbs have been laid out earlier that we do get a satisfying wrap up. Meanwhile, we get lots of planning for the ball and Hannah getting the things that will become staples of her life as we know it from the rest of the series. It's fun for series fans, although even then I thought the book could have been shorter. Those new to the series definitely shouldn't jump in here since it is so atypical.