Skull and Bones
6.8
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It is the Golden Age of Piracy. Renegade captains command the most powerful weapons on Earth:...
action multiplayer adventure
The Lioness of Morocco
10.0
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Book
Independent-minded Sibylla Spencer feels trapped in nineteenth-century London, where her strong will...
Mistletoe and Mr. Right (Moose Springs, Alaska #2)
6.0
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Lana Montgomery is everything the quirky small town of Moose Springs, Alaska can't stand: a rich...
Accounting,Commerce & Banking PRO SMART Dictionary
Education and Reference
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With more than 8000 Commerce Terms and lots of Statistics and Accounting Formulas, this Commerce...
Century: Spice Road
8.2
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Tabletop Game
Century: Spice Road is the first in a series of games that explores the history of each century with...
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Trapped (Reflections, #6)
8.0
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Book
Kristin has always been firmly grounded in reality. Trading in small-town Idaho for an Ivy-League...
Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Trading Places (1983) in Movies
Apr 7, 2018
Acting: 10
A mixture of familiar faces and a few fresh ones, performances are stellar from top to bottom. It's what you expect when true professionals come together to put on a show. Eddie Murphy's comedic timing is on point as always, playing the role of homeless man Billy Ray Valentine. Just listening to him tell his story in prison about the Quart of Blood Technique had me in stitches. He has a way of being funny in a nonchalant way, reminding me of some of my closest friends.
Denholm Elliott won my heart as the lovable butler Coleman. He's kindhearted, but can be hilariously cruel at the same time. A lot of his laughs came from watching his subtle actions (rolling his eyes after a phone call, sneaking a drink during a party, etc.).
Dan Aykroyd won me over as well in his role as rich snob Louis Winthorpe III. I hated his guts at first but ultimately came to sympathize with his character which was the whole idea. He wore the role of proud rich kid well, but excelled when it came time for him to get crazy.
Beginning: 7
Characters: 7
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
The film opens with a multitude of shots that captures the heart of Philadelphia so well. I've only visited the city once and seeing those opening shots made me want to go back. Other very memorable scenes include the party at Valentine's home (absolute bedlam) and the calamity that is the trading room floor. Just seeing all those bodies pressing in on each other is enough to make you claustrophobic.
Favorite Still Shot: Valentine laying on the ground with almost a dozen cops pointing their guns just inches from his face. That one shot has been a feature in so many film montages over the years and deservedly so. That smile Murphy delivers saying, "I give up" is timeless.
Conflict: 8
Genre: 6
Memorability: 9
Trading Places still holds up all these years later as a classic comedy. It's hilarious but it also gives you pause for thought as well about the class and race roles in society. Sure it can be absolutely farfetched at times, but it's sole purpose is seemingly not just to entertain, but to raise awareness as well. It's been a few days since I've seen the film yet it still sticks out in my head amongst others.
Pace: 8
Plot: 8
As the plot unfolded, I thought it was absolutely ridiculous...Until I started thinking about today's political landscape and considered, "Hmmm, this is exactly the kind of experiment I could see a rich person with a lot of time on their hands concocting." It isn't all the way believable, but I tend to make exceptions for action films and comedies.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 81
I like Trading Places way more than I expected to. Director John Landis does an excellent job of walking the line between funny and thought-provoking, sometimes even daring to mix the two. Very solid film.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Bohnanza in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
Okay, so bean farming isn’t for everyone. It’s not for me, it’s probably not for you. And honestly, the theme in Bohnanza doesn’t really come through all that strongly. But that’s only part of the reason we game. It’s also about the experience of gaming and the memories you make while playing. This game certainly delivers on those points. So many hilarious moments have been brought to us by Bohnanza. Bohnanza, the zany little card game about planting and trading beans.
I remember one time, when playing with family, there was a VERY heated back-and-forth bargaining that involved the lowly Chili Bean. Screaming. Throwing hands in the air. It was glorious. And the Chili Bean shall thenceforth be known as nothing other than the Chilla Bean.
So I’m not going to bore you with the rules explanation, but I will tell you that some of the mechanics found in this little game can be found elsewhere in other games, but the combination of the mechanics coupled with the ridiculous theme elevates this game for many. It has set collection, hand management (NO shuffling your hand or even sorting – you keep those cards in the same order you received them, youngster!), trading, bluffing, take that. It has so much packed into this small box. So much ridiculousness. But it’s wonderful.
I have taught this to brand new gamers and those who are very inexperienced with modern board games. It’s a smash with nearly everyone. I will be keeping my copy, even though my brother suggests pretty much ANY other game when we pull it out (as evidenced by his rating of 2 out of 6). We at Purple Phoenix Games give Bohnanza a 17 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/19/bohnanza-review/