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The Paul Sinha's Real British Citizenship Test: Everything You Need to Know to Call Yourself British
Book
Since 2005, well over one million prospective immigrants have attempted to cement permanent...
Batman: Arkham Origins Signature Series Strategy Guide
Book
Punish Gotham's most vile villains with the help of this BradyGames strategy guide. Batman: Arkham...
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) in Movies
Mar 2, 2021
I Know What You Did Last Summer opens with the Type O Negative cover of Summer Breeze, which is always going to be a winner in my book.
This film is rightly considered a bit of a classic these days, and there's really not a whole bunch to complain about. It has well written characters, a decent cast, a visually creepy villain, an engaging whodunit plot, one of the best chase scenes in slasher movie history (that's right), and still manages to stand on its own two feet in a world where it's constantly compared to Scream.
I find this to be an unfair comparison. Beyond the 90s setting, teen characters, slasher tropes, and shared writer in Kevin Williamson, there's not much else that ties them together. Scream is of course a fantastic horror, but relishes in being satire, whereas IKWYDLS is a straight shooting horror. Its the exact kind of film that Scream takes aim at, but it still manages to be a decent slasher without feeling silly, and delivers some well earned jump scares for good measure. I also really enjoy it's fishing town setting and the hole movie is accompanied by a hilariously epic score courtesy of John Debney. It's great.
I will always have a lot of time for IKWYDLS, overshadowed by some of its contemporaries, but a hugely satisfying and entertaing horror in its own right.
This film is rightly considered a bit of a classic these days, and there's really not a whole bunch to complain about. It has well written characters, a decent cast, a visually creepy villain, an engaging whodunit plot, one of the best chase scenes in slasher movie history (that's right), and still manages to stand on its own two feet in a world where it's constantly compared to Scream.
I find this to be an unfair comparison. Beyond the 90s setting, teen characters, slasher tropes, and shared writer in Kevin Williamson, there's not much else that ties them together. Scream is of course a fantastic horror, but relishes in being satire, whereas IKWYDLS is a straight shooting horror. Its the exact kind of film that Scream takes aim at, but it still manages to be a decent slasher without feeling silly, and delivers some well earned jump scares for good measure. I also really enjoy it's fishing town setting and the hole movie is accompanied by a hilariously epic score courtesy of John Debney. It's great.
I will always have a lot of time for IKWYDLS, overshadowed by some of its contemporaries, but a hugely satisfying and entertaing horror in its own right.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Sakho & Mangane in TV
Feb 17, 2021
Completely bonkers Senegalese cop show. Stern, serious veteran Sakho is forced to team up with young Mangane, who is a bit of a rogue. 'I work alone!' they cry in outraged unison: but the captain decrees otherwise. So for a few episodes they tackle cases in traditional police-procedural style, albeit with an African twist (sample dialogue: 'must have been a ritual killing, his balls have been cut off').
Then, halfway through the season and with virtually no warning, a villain with magic powers turns up, one of the characters likewise reveals he has occult abilities, and from this point on the show is stuffed with demons, zombies, evil magicians, strange cults, and so on: the police captain is told that rather than an elite crime task force, she's now running a secret paranormal investigation squad (not that she bothers to tell anyone on the team).
To say it's wrong-footing is a serious understatement, and I would love to know what was going on behind the scenes on this show (it's like Starsky and Hutch turns into The X Files mid-run), but it's colourful and pacy with interesting characters (I particularly enjoyed the perpetually-wasted police pathologist). The quality control, script-wise, is a bit iffy in places, but it obviously scores very highly on the 'what the hell am I watching...?' front.
Then, halfway through the season and with virtually no warning, a villain with magic powers turns up, one of the characters likewise reveals he has occult abilities, and from this point on the show is stuffed with demons, zombies, evil magicians, strange cults, and so on: the police captain is told that rather than an elite crime task force, she's now running a secret paranormal investigation squad (not that she bothers to tell anyone on the team).
To say it's wrong-footing is a serious understatement, and I would love to know what was going on behind the scenes on this show (it's like Starsky and Hutch turns into The X Files mid-run), but it's colourful and pacy with interesting characters (I particularly enjoyed the perpetually-wasted police pathologist). The quality control, script-wise, is a bit iffy in places, but it obviously scores very highly on the 'what the hell am I watching...?' front.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated American Horror Story - Season 2 in TV
Oct 5, 2019
Horror TV doesn't get much better
The second season on AHS, also known as 'Asylum' is fantastic, and in my opinion, still the best season to date.
The anthology template applied to AHS is given it first workout here - it's great to see familiar faces from the first season, albeit playing completely different characters. And the characters here are really something.
Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Peters, Lizzie Brocheré, James Cromwell, Lily Rabe - they're all amazing in their own ways. Each character has several layers to them,lacing mystery and intrigue throughout Asylum to keep you guessing.
The unmistakable star of Asylum though is of course Jessica Lange.
Here character Sister Jude is an incredible villain for the most part, and equally sympathetic in other parts. Jessica Lange plays the part with aplomb, obviously enjoying every second of it, and is the main reason why this season is such a stand out.
The tone of Asylum is a lot more full on than Murder House - it's nastier, gorier, funnier, darker.
The cinematography is pretty bang on throughout, spoiling us with creepy shot after creepy shot.
It's honestly great, hard to find much to dislike. The hammier elements in AHS are often overdone and what ultimately stop this show from reaching perfection, but Asylum is as close as it has come for now.
The anthology template applied to AHS is given it first workout here - it's great to see familiar faces from the first season, albeit playing completely different characters. And the characters here are really something.
Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Peters, Lizzie Brocheré, James Cromwell, Lily Rabe - they're all amazing in their own ways. Each character has several layers to them,lacing mystery and intrigue throughout Asylum to keep you guessing.
The unmistakable star of Asylum though is of course Jessica Lange.
Here character Sister Jude is an incredible villain for the most part, and equally sympathetic in other parts. Jessica Lange plays the part with aplomb, obviously enjoying every second of it, and is the main reason why this season is such a stand out.
The tone of Asylum is a lot more full on than Murder House - it's nastier, gorier, funnier, darker.
The cinematography is pretty bang on throughout, spoiling us with creepy shot after creepy shot.
It's honestly great, hard to find much to dislike. The hammier elements in AHS are often overdone and what ultimately stop this show from reaching perfection, but Asylum is as close as it has come for now.
Dean (6927 KP) rated Tenet (2020) in Movies
Aug 30, 2020 (Updated Aug 30, 2020)
John David Washington (1 more)
Visually awesome scenes
Mind bending Action
I saw a tag for a review that called this Bond on acid. That's a good summary. At times it feels like a modern Bond film. Global locations, wicked villain, butch henchman but packed with plenty of style. Visually it's very impressive as you'd expect for a Nolan film. Especially the time related action scenes, which look a bit surreal. The plot is simple in reality like a Bond film, stop something terrible happening. The whole time and inversion is where it starts to get complex, definitely a film with many layers. It just feels some sections of the film are overly complicated, almost for the sake of it. Not helped that hearing the dialogue in some scenes is difficult. I'm sure more will unravel with a second viewing.
I've not seen the lead actor in anything before but he had a likable swagger in the role. The rest of the cast are pretty good as well.
Overall a film that is well made and unique, with some almost strange to watch action scenes. It's classy if a little overly complex on the plot. By the end it does enough to bring the film to a good conclusion. Although you'll still be trying to understand some points long after.
I've not seen the lead actor in anything before but he had a likable swagger in the role. The rest of the cast are pretty good as well.
Overall a film that is well made and unique, with some almost strange to watch action scenes. It's classy if a little overly complex on the plot. By the end it does enough to bring the film to a good conclusion. Although you'll still be trying to understand some points long after.
A Cookbook Conspiracy (Bibliophile Mystery #7)
Book
It’s a recipe for disaster when bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright is asked to restore an antique...
Worlds Apart
10.0
Rate It
Book
Owen and Bethany try to find their way back to each other after the fictional and nonfictional...
Merissa (12971 KP) rated Mist on Water in Books
Apr 18, 2023
This is a fairy tale going back to the ways of old - there are layers of meaning with this tale and not a Disney princess in sight! Reading this story, I am immediately reminded of the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen - Fairy Tale Tellers Extraordinaire who seemed to specialise in tales with a twist, a darker kind of fairytale, the kind that gave you shivers as you huddled beneath your blankets as your parent read your bedtime story.
This book is split into three different sections - Ryne, the Nix and Nari. Ryne is our young hero whose whole life has been affected by tales of the Nix, although he has yet to see any proof that she exists. The nix is the villain of the piece that I actually felt sympathy for. Yes, she was evil and twisted but there were reasons for that, which just about broke my heart! Nari is our spitfire heroine, not content to sit back and be rescued, she is the one doing the rescuing.
Well written and with a smooth plot and timeline, this is a new 'old' fairytale that I thoroughly enjoyed. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 8, 2015
This book is split into three different sections - Ryne, the Nix and Nari. Ryne is our young hero whose whole life has been affected by tales of the Nix, although he has yet to see any proof that she exists. The nix is the villain of the piece that I actually felt sympathy for. Yes, she was evil and twisted but there were reasons for that, which just about broke my heart! Nari is our spitfire heroine, not content to sit back and be rescued, she is the one doing the rescuing.
Well written and with a smooth plot and timeline, this is a new 'old' fairytale that I thoroughly enjoyed. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 8, 2015