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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019 (Updated Jun 21, 2019)
Tommy Jarvis has grown up, but killing a psychopath at twelve years old really takes a toll on your psyche. Tommy is enrolled in a mental institution in hopes of moving past the events in the last film. The same day he arrives, a fellow inmate is killed by somebody else enrolled in the institution and things only seem to get worse from there. Tommy is haunted by the image of Jason and sees him behind every corner, but when the inmates start disappearing Tommy realizes that his worst fear may have finally become a reality.
This might be my least favorite film in the franchise. I loathe the ending. I mean, they couldn't even get Jason Voorhees for a Friday the 13th film? Are you kidding me? That's beyond weak. Then, on top of all that, they make "Jason" be Roy the ambulance attendant. I'll admit that the "twist" is kind of interesting, but by the time that rolled around I had pretty much already lost interest. Let's pretend Jason was in the film and everything but the ending was the same. It'd still be pretty lame.
The kills are rather mediocre, at best. Ethel and Junior are two of the most annoying characters to ever be featured in a horror film. Both of them give Franklin from Texas Chainsaw Massacre a run for his money for most annoying douchebag in a horror film. Most of the kids in the halfway house are just a-holes and you can't wait for them to die. I can understand going in a new direction for the franchise and I admire the writers and director for having the balls to do something like that, but it wound up falling flat especially when it's sandwiched between two of the greatest films in the franchise.
This might be my least favorite film in the franchise. I loathe the ending. I mean, they couldn't even get Jason Voorhees for a Friday the 13th film? Are you kidding me? That's beyond weak. Then, on top of all that, they make "Jason" be Roy the ambulance attendant. I'll admit that the "twist" is kind of interesting, but by the time that rolled around I had pretty much already lost interest. Let's pretend Jason was in the film and everything but the ending was the same. It'd still be pretty lame.
The kills are rather mediocre, at best. Ethel and Junior are two of the most annoying characters to ever be featured in a horror film. Both of them give Franklin from Texas Chainsaw Massacre a run for his money for most annoying douchebag in a horror film. Most of the kids in the halfway house are just a-holes and you can't wait for them to die. I can understand going in a new direction for the franchise and I admire the writers and director for having the balls to do something like that, but it wound up falling flat especially when it's sandwiched between two of the greatest films in the franchise.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Cabin in the Woods (2012) in Movies
Dec 29, 2019 (Updated Jan 22, 2020)
I absolutely love The Cabin in the Woods. It's masquerades as a straight up horror flick but with a ridiculous curve ball thrown in(no spoilers here, but seriously, watch it already!), that manages to subvert everything you would expect from a standard slasher type horror.
The cast are all great - Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, and Jesse Williams - all play typically heightened stereotypes of the kind of run of the mill teenage cannon fodder you usually find within the genre, and with the film's tongue firmly in cheek, it hard to not like any of them.
Then you also have Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford providing the majority of the comic relief, and the two of them together are pretty funny, and seem to be having a ball filming.
The narrative of The Cabin in the Woods is the secret ingredient here though. It's fun, it's different, and when the aforementioned twist arrives, it shifts heard pretty quickly, providing one if the most absurd and memorable final acts I've seen in a horror movie.
The gore and violence on display is truly astonishing, and it's nice to see that the effects teams on board used a lot of practical effects to achieve a lot of this, with digital effects used only when necessary. The costume designs for a certain aspect of the film are fantastic as well (still trying to avoid spoilers).
I can't for the life of me see why anyone who likes horror wouldn't get a kick out of The Cabin in the Woods. It tries to do something different, and in my opinion pulls it off with flying bloody colours, and is easily one of my favourite horrors out there.
The cast are all great - Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, and Jesse Williams - all play typically heightened stereotypes of the kind of run of the mill teenage cannon fodder you usually find within the genre, and with the film's tongue firmly in cheek, it hard to not like any of them.
Then you also have Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford providing the majority of the comic relief, and the two of them together are pretty funny, and seem to be having a ball filming.
The narrative of The Cabin in the Woods is the secret ingredient here though. It's fun, it's different, and when the aforementioned twist arrives, it shifts heard pretty quickly, providing one if the most absurd and memorable final acts I've seen in a horror movie.
The gore and violence on display is truly astonishing, and it's nice to see that the effects teams on board used a lot of practical effects to achieve a lot of this, with digital effects used only when necessary. The costume designs for a certain aspect of the film are fantastic as well (still trying to avoid spoilers).
I can't for the life of me see why anyone who likes horror wouldn't get a kick out of The Cabin in the Woods. It tries to do something different, and in my opinion pulls it off with flying bloody colours, and is easily one of my favourite horrors out there.
Kelly (279 KP) rated Ghost Stories (2018) in Movies
Jan 15, 2019
This would not be out of place in the Twilight Zone
In a time where the audience has become accustomed to jumpy Hollywood horrors, it’s hard to create a horror that provokes the viewer. Ghost stories does this well.
The film itself follows paranormal sceptic, professor Phillip Goodman, as he tries to unpick and denounce three separate cases. The bulk of the film centres around these three cases, all three cases play on the audiences inner fears of the unknown - I’m sure we have all scared ourselves at some point by objects that look differently to what they are in the shadows of the night! To me, the second case, Simon’s story, was the most disturbing simply for how jumpy and scared the character Simon clearly was with the situation. I was a little confused by the ending to Mike’s story, although I understand that it was necessary to move the story to the next stage, I did feel that more explanation was needed.
The format of this film played out like an episode of the Twilight Zone, including the unexpected twist in the end. This too me was what made the film more compelling. Following the big reveal, I spent a little time revisiting each of the cases, and some of the unusual behaviours of the characters and apparitions made more sense.
The acting within the film was good and believable- I am a fan of Martin Freeman, which did draw me to the movie, and although some of the script was a little bizarre, he did act well.
In conclusion, the film was not scary enough to lose sleep over, however it is disturbing enough to make me think and consider my own views on the paranormal.
The film itself follows paranormal sceptic, professor Phillip Goodman, as he tries to unpick and denounce three separate cases. The bulk of the film centres around these three cases, all three cases play on the audiences inner fears of the unknown - I’m sure we have all scared ourselves at some point by objects that look differently to what they are in the shadows of the night! To me, the second case, Simon’s story, was the most disturbing simply for how jumpy and scared the character Simon clearly was with the situation. I was a little confused by the ending to Mike’s story, although I understand that it was necessary to move the story to the next stage, I did feel that more explanation was needed.
The format of this film played out like an episode of the Twilight Zone, including the unexpected twist in the end. This too me was what made the film more compelling. Following the big reveal, I spent a little time revisiting each of the cases, and some of the unusual behaviours of the characters and apparitions made more sense.
The acting within the film was good and believable- I am a fan of Martin Freeman, which did draw me to the movie, and although some of the script was a little bizarre, he did act well.
In conclusion, the film was not scary enough to lose sleep over, however it is disturbing enough to make me think and consider my own views on the paranormal.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
When I was younger, my mom and I would get all dressed up and we would take a special holiday trip up to Seattle to see The Nutcracker. I was captivated by the costumes, dancing and the story. When I found out that a film was being made based off of the famed ballet I was very excited especially with Disney behind it.
Clara is given a gift for Christmas that requires a one of a kind key. To find this key she must follow a piece of string that leads her into a world full of magic and mystery but is in a state of disrepair. Along the way she meets many different characters who want to help her find the key and restore harmony within the lands.
The film in its entirety is visually stunning and equally entertaining. In a way, the film sort of reminds me of Alice In Wonderland as it has a very Tim Burtone-sque feel to it. The star studded cast made the film that much better. It was lovely seeing Mackenzie Foy all grown up, the beautiful Keira Knightly with her somewhat annoying high pitched character voice, Morgan Freeman and Dame Helen Mirren’s amazing acting and Misty Copeland’s beautiful dancing just to name a few.
It is certainly refreshing to see a new twist on a classic story. I am pleased that they didn’t do away with the dancing along with the most familiar score listened to during the holidays. The CG sets were amazing with bold colors that made the film very visually appealing. It encapsulates an entertaining and adventurous story along with humor and excellent acting. In my book, that is the perfect recipe for a great film. I look forward to adding this one to my ever growing movie collection.
Clara is given a gift for Christmas that requires a one of a kind key. To find this key she must follow a piece of string that leads her into a world full of magic and mystery but is in a state of disrepair. Along the way she meets many different characters who want to help her find the key and restore harmony within the lands.
The film in its entirety is visually stunning and equally entertaining. In a way, the film sort of reminds me of Alice In Wonderland as it has a very Tim Burtone-sque feel to it. The star studded cast made the film that much better. It was lovely seeing Mackenzie Foy all grown up, the beautiful Keira Knightly with her somewhat annoying high pitched character voice, Morgan Freeman and Dame Helen Mirren’s amazing acting and Misty Copeland’s beautiful dancing just to name a few.
It is certainly refreshing to see a new twist on a classic story. I am pleased that they didn’t do away with the dancing along with the most familiar score listened to during the holidays. The CG sets were amazing with bold colors that made the film very visually appealing. It encapsulates an entertaining and adventurous story along with humor and excellent acting. In my book, that is the perfect recipe for a great film. I look forward to adding this one to my ever growing movie collection.
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated The Cactus in Books
Jan 17, 2020
I'm genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. At the start of this novel, I hated Susan. Like I firmly wanted to punch her square in the face. I thought she was annoying, self-righteous, stuck on her high horse, just rude. I can't say that that changed much over the course of the novel, but the light in which she was shaded in changed. As you move through the story and you learn about her life, who she is and where she came from, her relationship with her mother before her death and after, it becomes apparent that her coldness, her vehement desire to push people away, and her intensity for control are all coping mechanisms stemmed from her childhood. I related a lot to Susan, even though I found myself wanting to scream at her in some parts of the book.
As for the story itself, the plotline, the characters, I really thought it was well put together. The twist towards the end and even the ending itself wasn't one that I thought of when I initially started reading or even as I made it to the halfway point and beyond. It wasn't a novel that kept me on the edge of my seat, by any means, but it was one that just pulled you in and you were encompassed in Susan's world - in her thoughts, however rude they might be. I relate a lot to who she was and who she becomes and I was surprised to find myself rooting for her by the end, even as I, again, wanted to punch her. I also appreciated that not every conflict needed to be wrapped up in a bow and solved. That's not real life and this book felt like real life.
A debut novel, well done.
As for the story itself, the plotline, the characters, I really thought it was well put together. The twist towards the end and even the ending itself wasn't one that I thought of when I initially started reading or even as I made it to the halfway point and beyond. It wasn't a novel that kept me on the edge of my seat, by any means, but it was one that just pulled you in and you were encompassed in Susan's world - in her thoughts, however rude they might be. I relate a lot to who she was and who she becomes and I was surprised to find myself rooting for her by the end, even as I, again, wanted to punch her. I also appreciated that not every conflict needed to be wrapped up in a bow and solved. That's not real life and this book felt like real life.
A debut novel, well done.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Stranger in TV
Feb 10, 2020
Intriguing and twisty
Pretty much everyone I know is watching this at the moment. Mainly because it's set in a fictional Greater Manchester town and was actually filmed in many locations across Greater Manchester, including my own town. I wasn't too bothered to see it though until I saw the trailer, which sucked me in just enough to start watching.
I've never read the book, so had no preconceptions whatsoever other than a general view on Harlan Coben. I've read that there are some differences, but for me this show really worked. The smaller local setting works, and it's a fun, intriguing twist filled crime thriller with a great cast. There is a lot to take in with this, with a lot of smaller stories and scenes that all mix in together with the wider main plot about the mysterious stranger. Whilst I wouldn't say it gets confusing as such, you really have to focus to keep track of everything that's going on and all the different intersecting story arcs of all the characters. It may be a little on the unbelievable side, but it is fiction after all! The only thing I was really disappointed about was the ending - the Stranger's motivations and the reveal about what happened to Corinne, whilst good, weren't entirely surprising. There are some great actors in this, Siobhan Finneran's cop with her natural Oldham accent is a riot and it's always good to see Richard Armitage on screen. I just wish there had been more Anthony Head!
The extra appeal about watching this was trying to identify all of the local areas and places it had been filmed in. It was incredibly devastating to see that both Richard Armitage and Anthony Head had been in numerous places in my town without my knowledge. I was so close to seeing Giles in the flesh!
I've never read the book, so had no preconceptions whatsoever other than a general view on Harlan Coben. I've read that there are some differences, but for me this show really worked. The smaller local setting works, and it's a fun, intriguing twist filled crime thriller with a great cast. There is a lot to take in with this, with a lot of smaller stories and scenes that all mix in together with the wider main plot about the mysterious stranger. Whilst I wouldn't say it gets confusing as such, you really have to focus to keep track of everything that's going on and all the different intersecting story arcs of all the characters. It may be a little on the unbelievable side, but it is fiction after all! The only thing I was really disappointed about was the ending - the Stranger's motivations and the reveal about what happened to Corinne, whilst good, weren't entirely surprising. There are some great actors in this, Siobhan Finneran's cop with her natural Oldham accent is a riot and it's always good to see Richard Armitage on screen. I just wish there had been more Anthony Head!
The extra appeal about watching this was trying to identify all of the local areas and places it had been filmed in. It was incredibly devastating to see that both Richard Armitage and Anthony Head had been in numerous places in my town without my knowledge. I was so close to seeing Giles in the flesh!
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Poisoned Pawn in Books
Mar 2, 2020
not one for me
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I am struggling with my review for this one, and I have no idea if any of this will make sense you, since I'm struggling to make sense of the book.
Positives:
It's well written. I saw no spelling or editing errors. It plays well with the Sherlock Holmes and the characters all to do with him, the good and the bad. There is a huge supporting cast of well rounded and developed characters, that fit in, in all the right places. It's very different to my usual reads. I DID like the twist that I did not see coming, not in the slightest!
And I finished it!
Negatives (for me):
Single person point of view, in the first person.
And I have not a single clue about what was the point of the whole book! I kept on reading, since I thought *something* will make sense soon. Something will give me a sign what the whole point of this tale is. And I got nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero clue. There is an EXTREMELY tangled web within the book, and I tried to keep up, I really did, but I got lost somewhere around a key player's murder. I can see HOW everything came together, I just can't see WHY, you know?
Maybe it was just a little TOO far out of my corfort zone, although, pre-kindle days, crime/thriller/police books were my main stay, so I don't know!
Will I read anything else by this author? Probably not, no. Someone will be fully engrossed in the book and it will make total sense to them, but for me? Sorry.
3 stars, since what I read WAS well written, and I DID finish it.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I am struggling with my review for this one, and I have no idea if any of this will make sense you, since I'm struggling to make sense of the book.
Positives:
It's well written. I saw no spelling or editing errors. It plays well with the Sherlock Holmes and the characters all to do with him, the good and the bad. There is a huge supporting cast of well rounded and developed characters, that fit in, in all the right places. It's very different to my usual reads. I DID like the twist that I did not see coming, not in the slightest!
And I finished it!
Negatives (for me):
Single person point of view, in the first person.
And I have not a single clue about what was the point of the whole book! I kept on reading, since I thought *something* will make sense soon. Something will give me a sign what the whole point of this tale is. And I got nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero clue. There is an EXTREMELY tangled web within the book, and I tried to keep up, I really did, but I got lost somewhere around a key player's murder. I can see HOW everything came together, I just can't see WHY, you know?
Maybe it was just a little TOO far out of my corfort zone, although, pre-kindle days, crime/thriller/police books were my main stay, so I don't know!
Will I read anything else by this author? Probably not, no. Someone will be fully engrossed in the book and it will make total sense to them, but for me? Sorry.
3 stars, since what I read WAS well written, and I DID finish it.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Queen of Hearts (2019) in Movies
Mar 22, 2020
Very Enjoyable...And Cringy
I have to say, just when I thought I knew where things were going with Queen of Hearts, it totally threw me off the rails. I applaud the change in direction and is one of the numerous reasons I liked it. In this movie, a woman seduces her stepson and is faced with a tough decision as a result.
Acting: 10
Trine Dyrholm shines in a brilliant performance as mom Anne. I related to her conflict and the torment that followed. I was not only impressed with her but the entire cast of actors comprised in this movie.
Beginning: 10
The film doesn’t take a long time for the conflict to build. Even knowing what the movie is about, you’re still a bit at the edge of your seat waiting as the tension builds. After the first ten minutes, I knew what was coming and I was excited for it anyway.
Characters: 10
Conflict: 8
Entertainment Value: 9
Memorability: 7
Pace: 8
Plot: 10
Great story design from start to finish. Tension builds, it mounts, and just when you think things will settle, things get crazy again. I was entranced by this story and its reliance on deep characters to move the plot along.
Resolution: 5
I can’t speak for everyone, but the ending left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I felt it would happen, but it didn’t make it any easier of a pill to swallow when my fears were confirmed. No matter what, you have to understand with a story like this, it can’t end with sunshine and roses. Be prepared.
Overall: 87
Queen of Hearts is a rollercoaster of a story with intense conflict that steadily builds. I definitely didn’t see the twist coming which made me fully appreciate the value of the movie. Worth checking out!
Acting: 10
Trine Dyrholm shines in a brilliant performance as mom Anne. I related to her conflict and the torment that followed. I was not only impressed with her but the entire cast of actors comprised in this movie.
Beginning: 10
The film doesn’t take a long time for the conflict to build. Even knowing what the movie is about, you’re still a bit at the edge of your seat waiting as the tension builds. After the first ten minutes, I knew what was coming and I was excited for it anyway.
Characters: 10
Conflict: 8
Entertainment Value: 9
Memorability: 7
Pace: 8
Plot: 10
Great story design from start to finish. Tension builds, it mounts, and just when you think things will settle, things get crazy again. I was entranced by this story and its reliance on deep characters to move the plot along.
Resolution: 5
I can’t speak for everyone, but the ending left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I felt it would happen, but it didn’t make it any easier of a pill to swallow when my fears were confirmed. No matter what, you have to understand with a story like this, it can’t end with sunshine and roses. Be prepared.
Overall: 87
Queen of Hearts is a rollercoaster of a story with intense conflict that steadily builds. I definitely didn’t see the twist coming which made me fully appreciate the value of the movie. Worth checking out!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Draft Day (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Draft Day wants to be the Moneyball of the National Football League. Probem is, Moneyball was based on a true story. Draft Day is pure fiction and it’s not particularly good fiction. Sure, there are realistic elements of what goes on behind the scenes on draft day, but the story that surrounds makes you wonder if this was really the best they could come up with to shine the spotlight on one of the biggest days of the year for football fans and NFL prospects.
Sonny Weaver (Kevin Costner) is a general manager of the Cleveland Browns. Now that’s a real team, although many people would question that fact. Weaver manages to acquire the number one draft pick on draft day and the movie is essentially about him trying to decide who to pick. Focusing on three potential players, Sonny has the heavy responsibility of making the right choice.
In addition to facing this daunting task of making the right decision for his team, Sonny is also wrestling with personal issues, such as a secret girlfriend and living up to his father’s legacy. There are plenty of cameos of stars of the NFL and Roger Goodell weighs in as the NFL commissioner. There were scenes that seemed meaningless in a sense but there’s a twist if you remain interested.
To the casual football fan this might be entertaining. To diehard fans, you probably know most of the goings on behind the scenes on draft day. It’s a backstage view in the day of the life of a GM trying to juggle his way through business and personal decisions on a big stage while facing a ticking clock. The movie does drags here and there but if you need a hit of the NFL drug while waiting for the next season, this might tide you over.
Sonny Weaver (Kevin Costner) is a general manager of the Cleveland Browns. Now that’s a real team, although many people would question that fact. Weaver manages to acquire the number one draft pick on draft day and the movie is essentially about him trying to decide who to pick. Focusing on three potential players, Sonny has the heavy responsibility of making the right choice.
In addition to facing this daunting task of making the right decision for his team, Sonny is also wrestling with personal issues, such as a secret girlfriend and living up to his father’s legacy. There are plenty of cameos of stars of the NFL and Roger Goodell weighs in as the NFL commissioner. There were scenes that seemed meaningless in a sense but there’s a twist if you remain interested.
To the casual football fan this might be entertaining. To diehard fans, you probably know most of the goings on behind the scenes on draft day. It’s a backstage view in the day of the life of a GM trying to juggle his way through business and personal decisions on a big stage while facing a ticking clock. The movie does drags here and there but if you need a hit of the NFL drug while waiting for the next season, this might tide you over.
Luke Paternoster (5 KP) rated The Hunting Party in Books
Apr 18, 2020
Who dunnit, mystery .
Even though the whole murder mystery taking place at a lodge in the middle of nowhere has been done countless times before, I honestly never get sick of it. The combination of that feeling of isolation, the freezing cold weather, and a cast of characters in which everyone is a suspect, just works for me. I really enjoyed this one and I was left guessing until the very end.
A group of old college friends have gathered at a snow lodge in the Scottish Highlands to ring in the new year. And of course soon after they arrive a terrible storm hits making it impossible for anyone to leave the area or on the flip side come to the lodge. Someone winds up dead and the author puts a fresh twist to the classic whodunit by having the reader try to figure out the identities of the killer AND the victim.
In my opinion what made this story work was the cast of unlikable characters although that might be the exact reason why many readers didn't like this book. Each character had a skeleton or two in their closet which made them a good suspect as well as potential victim. The big reveal will probably not catch most people off guard as it's something most readers will have considered as a possibility. But the reason the story was entertaining is there were more than a few directions the author could have gone in and you can't really eliminate anything until you get pretty far into the book. I didn't need a shocking ending to consider this an enjoyable read.
If you enjoy whodunit mysteries and don't mind a story with unlikable characters, consider giving this one a try.
A group of old college friends have gathered at a snow lodge in the Scottish Highlands to ring in the new year. And of course soon after they arrive a terrible storm hits making it impossible for anyone to leave the area or on the flip side come to the lodge. Someone winds up dead and the author puts a fresh twist to the classic whodunit by having the reader try to figure out the identities of the killer AND the victim.
In my opinion what made this story work was the cast of unlikable characters although that might be the exact reason why many readers didn't like this book. Each character had a skeleton or two in their closet which made them a good suspect as well as potential victim. The big reveal will probably not catch most people off guard as it's something most readers will have considered as a possibility. But the reason the story was entertaining is there were more than a few directions the author could have gone in and you can't really eliminate anything until you get pretty far into the book. I didn't need a shocking ending to consider this an enjoyable read.
If you enjoy whodunit mysteries and don't mind a story with unlikable characters, consider giving this one a try.