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Andy K (10823 KP) rated Hanna (2011) in Movies
Feb 2, 2018
Did you know that "Lady Bird" star Saoirse Ronan and "Darkest Hour" director, Joe Wright, teamed up for this fantastic action/thriller in 2011?
Within the wilderness of Finland, A teenage girl is raised by her CIA father to be the perfect assassin. She is then sent on a killing spree across Europe while pursued by other agents and Cate Blanchett.
The intensity of the action scenes and the cat-and-mouse aspects of the chases are really top notch. As I get to know the work of Saoirse Ronan, I love her more and more. Especially her ability with foreign accents (she is really very Irish)
I have to also mention the camera work and structure of much of the film is unique. You do not feel like you have seen this type of film before.
Give it a chance. You will not be disappointed!
Within the wilderness of Finland, A teenage girl is raised by her CIA father to be the perfect assassin. She is then sent on a killing spree across Europe while pursued by other agents and Cate Blanchett.
The intensity of the action scenes and the cat-and-mouse aspects of the chases are really top notch. As I get to know the work of Saoirse Ronan, I love her more and more. Especially her ability with foreign accents (she is really very Irish)
I have to also mention the camera work and structure of much of the film is unique. You do not feel like you have seen this type of film before.
Give it a chance. You will not be disappointed!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2393 KP) rated Don't Look Back in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Eve Hardaway takes a trip to the jungles of southern Mexico in order to rediscover herself. Instead, she discovers something truly horrifying, a mad man bent on killing her and everyone else at the remote camp where she is staying. With the weather conspiring against them, will they be able to get out to safety?
The book took a little while to set up the story, introducing us to the characters and the landscape we’d spend the rest of the book in. But once it gets going, this is another page turner from a talented thriller author. The villain was a bit over the top early on, but he became more human as the book progressed – not that I ever liked him. The rest of the characters are interesting to watch as they rise to the challenge or cave under the pressure.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-review-dont-look-back-by-gregg.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The book took a little while to set up the story, introducing us to the characters and the landscape we’d spend the rest of the book in. But once it gets going, this is another page turner from a talented thriller author. The villain was a bit over the top early on, but he became more human as the book progressed – not that I ever liked him. The rest of the characters are interesting to watch as they rise to the challenge or cave under the pressure.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-review-dont-look-back-by-gregg.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2393 KP) rated Zero-Degree Murder (Search and Rescue Mystery #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
When four hikers go missing on a mountain on Thanksgiving Day, Gracie Kinkaid is one of the only people to respond. She and her search partner quickly find one of the hikers, famous actor Rob Christian, but he’s injured. While they wait for help, a snow storm is coming in. What they don’t know is that someone is hunting for them on the mountain – to kill them.
Despite being published by Berkley Prime Crime, this is more a thriller than a cozy, with language and violence to go along with that. The pacing of the plot was uneven, with parts there were page turning and passages that were slow and even predictable. The characters were also not as complex as I would have liked. It wasn’t a bad book, but it also could have been better.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/01/book-review-zero-degree-murder-by-m-l.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Despite being published by Berkley Prime Crime, this is more a thriller than a cozy, with language and violence to go along with that. The pacing of the plot was uneven, with parts there were page turning and passages that were slow and even predictable. The characters were also not as complex as I would have liked. It wasn’t a bad book, but it also could have been better.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/01/book-review-zero-degree-murder-by-m-l.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Doomwatch (1972) in Movies
Feb 26, 2018
Big screen adaptation of then-popular BBC TV SF-thriller show looks much more like a horror story than the telly version normally was. Scientist (Bannen) discovers something nasty afflicting the inhabitants of a remote island; can anything be done to help them?
Competently done; resembles the TV show in its tone and concerns much of the time. However, the general tone and subject matter (investigator on remote island discovers conspiracy of silence amongst locals, including disappearing corpses) would almost make you suspect a Wicker Man rip-off, except this was made first (by a matter of months). Not that it matters much these days, but the actual stars of the TV show barely appear in the movie; they may have been busy actually making it at the time the movie was in production. Worth seeing if you're familiar with the TV show, probably a bit too low-octane if you're not.
Competently done; resembles the TV show in its tone and concerns much of the time. However, the general tone and subject matter (investigator on remote island discovers conspiracy of silence amongst locals, including disappearing corpses) would almost make you suspect a Wicker Man rip-off, except this was made first (by a matter of months). Not that it matters much these days, but the actual stars of the TV show barely appear in the movie; they may have been busy actually making it at the time the movie was in production. Worth seeing if you're familiar with the TV show, probably a bit too low-octane if you're not.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Haywire (2012) in Movies
Feb 20, 2018 (Updated Feb 20, 2018)
'You should not think of her as a woman. That would be a mistake.'
Rousing action thriller looks on paper like another Besson movie, is actually typically classy Steven Soderbergh genre pastiche. Basically a vehicle for delicate flower of women's MMA Gina Carano to batter the living daylights out of an array of A-list leading men, which she does with aplomb and charisma.
The script is sympathetically structured so Carano doesn't have to do more than the minimal amount of actual acting, but the plot is competently twisty-turny and Soderbergh puts an impressive cast around his star. Some first-class fight sequences and chases, as you would expect. At the time I had my fingers crossed for a new subgenre of pro-celebrity martial arts movies with Carano proceeding to kick in Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, Ryan Reynolds, etc, in subsequent outings, but it never happened. Shame; notable careers have been built on considerably less potential than Carano showed in this film.
The script is sympathetically structured so Carano doesn't have to do more than the minimal amount of actual acting, but the plot is competently twisty-turny and Soderbergh puts an impressive cast around his star. Some first-class fight sequences and chases, as you would expect. At the time I had my fingers crossed for a new subgenre of pro-celebrity martial arts movies with Carano proceeding to kick in Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, Ryan Reynolds, etc, in subsequent outings, but it never happened. Shame; notable careers have been built on considerably less potential than Carano showed in this film.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Commuter (2018) in Movies
Feb 11, 2018 (Updated Feb 11, 2018)
One-way Ticket to Barking
Another of those films in which Liam Neeson plays a bus-pass bad-ass, in this case an ageing rugged ex-cop turned insurance salesman who finds himself sucked into a murderous conspiracy on the train home one night.
Well, you kind of know from the start how this is going to play out, but the script is inventive in keeping it going and Neeson is assisted by a good supporting cast. Initially it looks like this is going to be another film about middle-aged rage in the wake of the financial crisis, but this sadly proves to be a red herring - it is just another very daft transport-based thriller.
Not a film that exactly stays with you, obviously, but it's wildly implausible rather than actually stupid, and the direction is not too bad, all things considered. Obviously I'd rather Liam Neeson did more films with a little more substance, but this kind of thing isn't actually hurting anyone.
Well, you kind of know from the start how this is going to play out, but the script is inventive in keeping it going and Neeson is assisted by a good supporting cast. Initially it looks like this is going to be another film about middle-aged rage in the wake of the financial crisis, but this sadly proves to be a red herring - it is just another very daft transport-based thriller.
Not a film that exactly stays with you, obviously, but it's wildly implausible rather than actually stupid, and the direction is not too bad, all things considered. Obviously I'd rather Liam Neeson did more films with a little more substance, but this kind of thing isn't actually hurting anyone.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Racer and the Jailbird (2017) in Movies
Jul 12, 2018
Very much game-of-two-halves coming together of French and Belgian talent. Charismatic gangster begins passionate affair with beautiful young racing driver, but can their love survive the stress placed on it by his career choices? Starts off looking like a slick and very commercial thriller with more than a splash of romance; second half turns into a rather glum, somewhat preposterous drama about how love can be the worst prison of all - either of these films would have been okay, but together it's two great tastes that just don't mix.
Still, fine acting from the two leads, and the first half is really, really good - does that make the way the film falls over as it gets closer to the end more or less of a disappointment? Not sure. The first half on its own would rate about an 8, the second probably a 5; probably still worth watching, though. (Racer and the Jailbird is a terrible choice of title, by the way.)
Still, fine acting from the two leads, and the first half is really, really good - does that make the way the film falls over as it gets closer to the end more or less of a disappointment? Not sure. The first half on its own would rate about an 8, the second probably a 5; probably still worth watching, though. (Racer and the Jailbird is a terrible choice of title, by the way.)
ClareR (5938 KP) rated The Last Time I Lied in Books
Jul 18, 2018
Not a summer camp that I'd be frequenting...
Emma Davis an artist, returns to the summer camp (Camp Nightingale) that she went to as a girl. During her last (and only) stay, the three other girls in her cabin went missing with no trace, never to be found again. Emma's artwork reflects her inability to forget what happened.
When Camp Nightingale reopens after 15 years, the owner, Frances (Franny) Harris-White, invites her along to be an art instructor. Emma goes along to try and lay her ghosts to rest.
This had a real air of menace throughout. It felt like there was a possible abductor around every corner. A great thriller, and I very much enjoyed it. I have to admit to not liking any of the characters though. I didn't even feel sorry for Emma, and believe me, she has plenty for people to feel sorry for. This story is such dark and compulsive reading though. Great stuff!
When Camp Nightingale reopens after 15 years, the owner, Frances (Franny) Harris-White, invites her along to be an art instructor. Emma goes along to try and lay her ghosts to rest.
This had a real air of menace throughout. It felt like there was a possible abductor around every corner. A great thriller, and I very much enjoyed it. I have to admit to not liking any of the characters though. I didn't even feel sorry for Emma, and believe me, she has plenty for people to feel sorry for. This story is such dark and compulsive reading though. Great stuff!
Dean (6927 KP) rated Donkey Punch (2008) in Movies
Jul 21, 2018
Severely underrated low budget English horror/thriller! Taking a very modern turn on the horror theme and tackling some very taboo ideas as a group of youngsters decide to live it up on holiday losing all their inhibitions as they drink, take drugs and have sex. During which a sex myth tried out leads to one of them dying. As the others battle their own conscience and morals as well as each other to get out of the mess they are in, only ending up in more extreme violence. A good idea for a film that dares to be different. Some may be put off by the sex scene which borders on porn and by the violence. However it does raise some good issues to make a graphic film. Another good entry in recent English horror films. The DVD has quite a few interviews with the cast, director both after and during the making of. Along with some deleted scenes and commentaries.
Lindsay (1774 KP) rated The Inn at Ocean's Edge (Sunset Cove, #1) in Books
Aug 30, 2018
I would say this book is really a good read. It sure has the mystery element to it. We learn the mysteries throughout the book. It more of a thriller and mystery combination.
There are crime and detective going on as well in this story plot. Claire returns to the Inn at the Ocean Edge and things start to happen to her. Is she the real Claire Delmore?
There seems to be a cover-up story or is Harry Delmore hiding something from his daughter? Her grandmother also is acting strange when Claire starts wondering and questing about herself.
We also meet Luke Rocco and his sister. He thinks that Claire had disappeared around the same time his mother disappeared. Is there a connection between the two?
Colleen does tell a story that will make hungry for more. The plot is written well. The characters are developed and show their personalities. This book a cannot put down the book once you get into the action.
There are crime and detective going on as well in this story plot. Claire returns to the Inn at the Ocean Edge and things start to happen to her. Is she the real Claire Delmore?
There seems to be a cover-up story or is Harry Delmore hiding something from his daughter? Her grandmother also is acting strange when Claire starts wondering and questing about herself.
We also meet Luke Rocco and his sister. He thinks that Claire had disappeared around the same time his mother disappeared. Is there a connection between the two?
Colleen does tell a story that will make hungry for more. The plot is written well. The characters are developed and show their personalities. This book a cannot put down the book once you get into the action.
Andy K (10823 KP) Feb 2, 2018