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Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Simply Brilliant
Director Matthew Vaughn has brought some visually striking films to the big screen in his fairly short career, from the brilliant Layer Cake, to the movie which many credit as saving the X-Men franchise, First Class, he certainly knows his way around a camera.
However, Kingsman: The Secret Service is probably his riskiest proposition yet. Can a dark comedy about upper-class British spies with their tailor-made suits compete with the very best films in the genre?
Thankfully the answer is a resounding yes. The spectacular cinematography and fantastic performances in Kingsman ensure it is one of the most memorable and cleverly crafted blockbusters of the last decade.
The film follows the story of underprivileged Eggsy, played wonderfully by Taron Egerton in his first full role, as he does his best to join The Kingsmen, a secret society of spies working to bring down evil in the world.
An absolutely marvellous Colin Firth and a slightly underused Michael Caine also play part of this group – possibly creating the poshest ensemble of characters seen in a film for years.
Naturally a spy flick isn’t complete without a villain and Samuel L Jackson is on course here to become one of the cheesiest megalomaniacs ever put to the big screen. His deliberately camp performance goes well with the dark humour throughout.
Kingsman is also genuinely funny and a real treat to watch with explosive, over-the-top visuals and beautiful scenery which utilises what the world has to offer rather than delving into the CGI drawer many directors employ nowadays.
It all feels decidedly old fashioned and all the better for it with an almost grainy quality to the production – think The Avengers TV series but with a higher budget.
The plot is top notch and whilst it may border on cliché at times, Kingsman manages to steer the story in enough directions to make sure the audience never settles into a rut, the use of our reliance on modern technology being a particular highlight.
Special effects wise, it holds up well with most other blockbusters and has just a few lapses in CGI at the start and towards the riveting finale,Taron_Egerton_SDCC_2014 though these are barely noticeable if you’re not looking hard enough.
Moreover, it is a true pleasure to sit in a film and not wonder what the producers had to cut to achieve a crowd-pleasing 12A certification. Kingsman pulls no punches, this is a violent rollercoaster ride and well deserves the BBFC 15 rating it has been given. Whether or not this hurts its box-office performance remains to be seen.
Overall, Kingsman: The Secret Service is one of the only films which combines the ever-popular spy genre with comedy and manages to keep its dignity in tact as the end credits role.
So many films, Johnny English: Reborn and Get Smart to name a couple, simply delve into slapstick territory once the writers run out of ideas – this isn’t the case here.
From its exciting plot and brutally dark humour, to the engaging performances from every single character, Kingsman: The Secret Service is simply brilliant.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/01/30/simply-brilliant-kingsman-the-secret-service-review/
However, Kingsman: The Secret Service is probably his riskiest proposition yet. Can a dark comedy about upper-class British spies with their tailor-made suits compete with the very best films in the genre?
Thankfully the answer is a resounding yes. The spectacular cinematography and fantastic performances in Kingsman ensure it is one of the most memorable and cleverly crafted blockbusters of the last decade.
The film follows the story of underprivileged Eggsy, played wonderfully by Taron Egerton in his first full role, as he does his best to join The Kingsmen, a secret society of spies working to bring down evil in the world.
An absolutely marvellous Colin Firth and a slightly underused Michael Caine also play part of this group – possibly creating the poshest ensemble of characters seen in a film for years.
Naturally a spy flick isn’t complete without a villain and Samuel L Jackson is on course here to become one of the cheesiest megalomaniacs ever put to the big screen. His deliberately camp performance goes well with the dark humour throughout.
Kingsman is also genuinely funny and a real treat to watch with explosive, over-the-top visuals and beautiful scenery which utilises what the world has to offer rather than delving into the CGI drawer many directors employ nowadays.
It all feels decidedly old fashioned and all the better for it with an almost grainy quality to the production – think The Avengers TV series but with a higher budget.
The plot is top notch and whilst it may border on cliché at times, Kingsman manages to steer the story in enough directions to make sure the audience never settles into a rut, the use of our reliance on modern technology being a particular highlight.
Special effects wise, it holds up well with most other blockbusters and has just a few lapses in CGI at the start and towards the riveting finale,Taron_Egerton_SDCC_2014 though these are barely noticeable if you’re not looking hard enough.
Moreover, it is a true pleasure to sit in a film and not wonder what the producers had to cut to achieve a crowd-pleasing 12A certification. Kingsman pulls no punches, this is a violent rollercoaster ride and well deserves the BBFC 15 rating it has been given. Whether or not this hurts its box-office performance remains to be seen.
Overall, Kingsman: The Secret Service is one of the only films which combines the ever-popular spy genre with comedy and manages to keep its dignity in tact as the end credits role.
So many films, Johnny English: Reborn and Get Smart to name a couple, simply delve into slapstick territory once the writers run out of ideas – this isn’t the case here.
From its exciting plot and brutally dark humour, to the engaging performances from every single character, Kingsman: The Secret Service is simply brilliant.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/01/30/simply-brilliant-kingsman-the-secret-service-review/
Kyera (8 KP) rated Morning Star in Books
Feb 1, 2018
As with the two previous books in the series, Morning Star is brutally violent and honest in its portrayal of the darkness of humanity. It's a strange series that I don't quite know how I feel. While overall the plot and storytelling are good and I enjoy reading the series, for the most part, I am also frequently horrified by events and actions. As a result, I would recommend again that younger teen readers do not pick this up. Wait until you are older to read the series.
Sevro is such a strange character, but I love him. Some of the things he said, although unintentionally funny, had me laughing aloud (and probably sounding like a crazy person because I was by myself). Sadly, the course of the war and things that he has experienced seem to change him - as the war alters all of the characters. In the third book, he is just as funny and strangely likable as he was in the previous two books despite the horrors that he has endured.
I love the honest wonder of Ragnar, despite his fierce size and fighting skills he was not born to the same world as Darrow. He is genuinely pleased or fascinated by things most would take for granted in that world. Despite the fact that Ragnar is a terrifying killing machine - you can't help but like him.
Although there is a lot of death and destruction in these books, it is not until halfway through the third book that the pain of a character affected me. I got a little teary-eyed because it was one of the characters that I had grown to care about. I don't feel a very strong connection to them in general, which I feel is probably the main weakness of this series for me.
The second book fell prey to the typical slow nature of a middle book in a trilogy. In general, I feel that these books take some time to get into but become very engaging eventually. The third book was a little slower to start than even the others, although there were some enjoyable moments early on it wasn't until a little over halfway through the book that I really thought 'wow this is where things start happening.'
Once I was in the second half of the book, I felt like this was my favorite of the books in the series. I think Pierce Brown does his best work when he's talking about a battle. So the fighting you see in this part of the book really shines.
While it is very authentic to a war scenario, I don't personally like that so many characters die. I know people would complain if no one died because then the stakes wouldn't be as high for the characters but it makes me so sad when a character I like doesn't make it.
Despite the slow start of the third book, by the end, I had completely forgotten about it and felt that this was my favorite book in the series. The action, the schemes, everything just pulled me in and I was riveted, guessing, gasping and cheering until the very last page.
Sevro is such a strange character, but I love him. Some of the things he said, although unintentionally funny, had me laughing aloud (and probably sounding like a crazy person because I was by myself). Sadly, the course of the war and things that he has experienced seem to change him - as the war alters all of the characters. In the third book, he is just as funny and strangely likable as he was in the previous two books despite the horrors that he has endured.
I love the honest wonder of Ragnar, despite his fierce size and fighting skills he was not born to the same world as Darrow. He is genuinely pleased or fascinated by things most would take for granted in that world. Despite the fact that Ragnar is a terrifying killing machine - you can't help but like him.
Although there is a lot of death and destruction in these books, it is not until halfway through the third book that the pain of a character affected me. I got a little teary-eyed because it was one of the characters that I had grown to care about. I don't feel a very strong connection to them in general, which I feel is probably the main weakness of this series for me.
The second book fell prey to the typical slow nature of a middle book in a trilogy. In general, I feel that these books take some time to get into but become very engaging eventually. The third book was a little slower to start than even the others, although there were some enjoyable moments early on it wasn't until a little over halfway through the book that I really thought 'wow this is where things start happening.'
Once I was in the second half of the book, I felt like this was my favorite of the books in the series. I think Pierce Brown does his best work when he's talking about a battle. So the fighting you see in this part of the book really shines.
While it is very authentic to a war scenario, I don't personally like that so many characters die. I know people would complain if no one died because then the stakes wouldn't be as high for the characters but it makes me so sad when a character I like doesn't make it.
Despite the slow start of the third book, by the end, I had completely forgotten about it and felt that this was my favorite book in the series. The action, the schemes, everything just pulled me in and I was riveted, guessing, gasping and cheering until the very last page.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Glass Sword in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
It is finally here; the second book in the riveting<i> Red Queen</i> series by Victoria Aveyard – perfect for fans of <i>The Hunger Games, The Selection</i> series and <i>Divergent</i>. Continuing from the exact point the previous book closed on, <i>Glass Sword</i> is packed with action, suspense and emotional entertainment.
To recap, the world is divided by blood colour: Red (inferior) and Silver (superior); but it is the reason why Silvers consider themselves better that is important. Silver-blooded people are born with a superpower; Reds are not. Until Mare Barrow, that is. By pure accident, Mare discovers she can wield electricity with her bare hands, is forced to pretend she is a Silver living with the royal family, and is finally betrayed by someone she thought was on her side.
Now, in <i>Glass Sword</i>, teenage Mare is in hiding with the Scarlet Guard – Red-blooded rebels – with the knowledge that there are other people out there just like her: “Newbloods,” Red blood with Silver abilities. Mare and her companions are determined to find all of these people and train them to use their powers, however the Silver king is doing the same, with the intention of destroying them all. What makes it worse is Mare no longer knows whom she can trust; anyone could betray her.
Unlike the previous book, <i>Glass Sword</i> is one battle after another. There are no more pretty dresses, royal parties or grand castles. From beginning to end there is not a moment when Mare is not in danger; it is easy to lose count the number of times she narrowly escapes death. But as with any form of violence, someone always ends up injured or killed, resulting in some very upsetting outcomes.
Fans of the first book will already be aware of the love triangle that developed – one that made the conclusion so shocking. Whilst <i>Glass Sword</i> continues with the romantic theme, it is barely perceptible underneath all the bloodshed, arguments and warfare. So, do not expect a romance novel within these pages.
The constant action prevents the story from becoming slow or boring. There is a surprise around every corner; every page, to keep the reader engaged. This however has a downside. With conflict running into conflict it is easy to get confused and struggle to follow the course of the action. This is particularly the case in one of the final, most significant, attacks against the Silvers. The quick pace of the narrative results in the violent scene only taking up the space of a few pages, thus not giving the reader time to develop a clear picture in their head or fully understand what they are reading.
Naturally Mare’s story ends on yet another cliffhanger, so now we await the third installment. It must be difficult to provide a sequel as equally entertaining as the first, but Aveyard has gone above and beyond to create something far better than could be imagined. We can only hope this brilliance continues into the following books.
It is finally here; the second book in the riveting<i> Red Queen</i> series by Victoria Aveyard – perfect for fans of <i>The Hunger Games, The Selection</i> series and <i>Divergent</i>. Continuing from the exact point the previous book closed on, <i>Glass Sword</i> is packed with action, suspense and emotional entertainment.
To recap, the world is divided by blood colour: Red (inferior) and Silver (superior); but it is the reason why Silvers consider themselves better that is important. Silver-blooded people are born with a superpower; Reds are not. Until Mare Barrow, that is. By pure accident, Mare discovers she can wield electricity with her bare hands, is forced to pretend she is a Silver living with the royal family, and is finally betrayed by someone she thought was on her side.
Now, in <i>Glass Sword</i>, teenage Mare is in hiding with the Scarlet Guard – Red-blooded rebels – with the knowledge that there are other people out there just like her: “Newbloods,” Red blood with Silver abilities. Mare and her companions are determined to find all of these people and train them to use their powers, however the Silver king is doing the same, with the intention of destroying them all. What makes it worse is Mare no longer knows whom she can trust; anyone could betray her.
Unlike the previous book, <i>Glass Sword</i> is one battle after another. There are no more pretty dresses, royal parties or grand castles. From beginning to end there is not a moment when Mare is not in danger; it is easy to lose count the number of times she narrowly escapes death. But as with any form of violence, someone always ends up injured or killed, resulting in some very upsetting outcomes.
Fans of the first book will already be aware of the love triangle that developed – one that made the conclusion so shocking. Whilst <i>Glass Sword</i> continues with the romantic theme, it is barely perceptible underneath all the bloodshed, arguments and warfare. So, do not expect a romance novel within these pages.
The constant action prevents the story from becoming slow or boring. There is a surprise around every corner; every page, to keep the reader engaged. This however has a downside. With conflict running into conflict it is easy to get confused and struggle to follow the course of the action. This is particularly the case in one of the final, most significant, attacks against the Silvers. The quick pace of the narrative results in the violent scene only taking up the space of a few pages, thus not giving the reader time to develop a clear picture in their head or fully understand what they are reading.
Naturally Mare’s story ends on yet another cliffhanger, so now we await the third installment. It must be difficult to provide a sequel as equally entertaining as the first, but Aveyard has gone above and beyond to create something far better than could be imagined. We can only hope this brilliance continues into the following books.
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated The Outsider (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
The concept of ‘The Outsider’ is a very interesting one, and partially why I was so drawn to the film in the first place. The film follows a former American GI by the name of Nick Lowell who joins the Yakuza, and that synopsis alone was enough to grab my attention. The second reason was the fact it starred Jared Leto, as I believe he’s a very good actor based on his performances in ‘Requiem for a Dream’, ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ and ‘American Psycho’.
Coming into this film, I had incredibly high hopes and was expecting an afternoon of thrilling scenes and engaging characters. As it was so easily accessible on Netflix, I also had no excuse to pass up the opportunity to get it watched. Unfortunately for me, I was left mostly disappointed by what ‘The Outsider’ delivered.
Running at 2 hours, it seems to drag on for much longer than that because the pacing of the film is poor. To be clear, I have no issue with films that have long runtimes provided they can make it work (‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, for example, runs at 3 hours yet seems to fly by), but this film has tedious scenes that simply didn’t do enough to hold my interest. They could’ve easily cut out half an hour’s worth of footage and still made the film work, in my opinion. It seems strange that a film about the Yakuza could be so boring, but sadly it was.
Jared Leto’s character, Nick, doesn’t have a clear backstory and because of this he’s a very uninteresting character. When we’re first introduced to him, I liked the fact he was such an enigma and assumed we’d learn more about him, but we never really do save for a few chunks of information scattered randomly throughout the narrative. As a Leto fan, I was disappointed that he didn’t really bring anything special to the role and literally any other actor could’ve taken his place and still delivered the same story.
The characters that Nick encounters throughout the film aren’t particularly noteworthy either, as they seem to exist to just berate Nick and frown at him, and not much happens beyond that. It seems very lazy that a film like ‘The Outsider’ has so many characters that are sloppily written, with no backstories to keep the audience interested.
‘The Outsider’ did have some redeeming features, though not enough for me to say I particularly enjoyed watching the film. There are a few gory, intense moments that hold your attention and make you squirm, but much less than I expected from a supposed crime film, especially one that focuses on such a notorious criminal organisation. Cinematically, it’s a decent film to look at based on the camerawork and colour grading throughout, but the absence of any decent story makes it fall flat.
Martin Zandvliet’s cinematic portrayal of the Japanese Yakuza is mediocre at best, and not what I expected based on the marketing I’d seen prior to watching the film. I wanted a violent, sexy, engaging crime film and got absolutely none of that.
https://jumpcutonline.co.uk/the-outsider/
Coming into this film, I had incredibly high hopes and was expecting an afternoon of thrilling scenes and engaging characters. As it was so easily accessible on Netflix, I also had no excuse to pass up the opportunity to get it watched. Unfortunately for me, I was left mostly disappointed by what ‘The Outsider’ delivered.
Running at 2 hours, it seems to drag on for much longer than that because the pacing of the film is poor. To be clear, I have no issue with films that have long runtimes provided they can make it work (‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, for example, runs at 3 hours yet seems to fly by), but this film has tedious scenes that simply didn’t do enough to hold my interest. They could’ve easily cut out half an hour’s worth of footage and still made the film work, in my opinion. It seems strange that a film about the Yakuza could be so boring, but sadly it was.
Jared Leto’s character, Nick, doesn’t have a clear backstory and because of this he’s a very uninteresting character. When we’re first introduced to him, I liked the fact he was such an enigma and assumed we’d learn more about him, but we never really do save for a few chunks of information scattered randomly throughout the narrative. As a Leto fan, I was disappointed that he didn’t really bring anything special to the role and literally any other actor could’ve taken his place and still delivered the same story.
The characters that Nick encounters throughout the film aren’t particularly noteworthy either, as they seem to exist to just berate Nick and frown at him, and not much happens beyond that. It seems very lazy that a film like ‘The Outsider’ has so many characters that are sloppily written, with no backstories to keep the audience interested.
‘The Outsider’ did have some redeeming features, though not enough for me to say I particularly enjoyed watching the film. There are a few gory, intense moments that hold your attention and make you squirm, but much less than I expected from a supposed crime film, especially one that focuses on such a notorious criminal organisation. Cinematically, it’s a decent film to look at based on the camerawork and colour grading throughout, but the absence of any decent story makes it fall flat.
Martin Zandvliet’s cinematic portrayal of the Japanese Yakuza is mediocre at best, and not what I expected based on the marketing I’d seen prior to watching the film. I wanted a violent, sexy, engaging crime film and got absolutely none of that.
https://jumpcutonline.co.uk/the-outsider/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Wanted (2009) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Wesley Gibson (James Mc Avoy) is a man with issues. He toils away in his office cubicle taking countless amounts of grief from his boss and lamenting the fact that he has gone nowhere with his life. As if this was not bad enough, his best friend is having an affair with his girlfriend, and he has a standing order for anti anxiety medication to deal with his frequent flare ups.
One day while waiting in line for his prescription, Wesley encounters a very attractive lady, and before long, is in a world gone mad as a violent gunfight has erupted all around him. As he attempts to flee the scene, the mysterious woman comes to his aid and whisks him away in dramatic style only to thrust Wesley into a frantic chase through the city streets as they attempt to escape from their mysterious attacker.
Eventually Wesley learns that the woman is named Fox (Angelina Jolie), and that he has been recruited to join a secret society known as The Fraternity.
At first awash in disbelief, Wesley is told that the man who tried to kill him also killed his father. Wesley had thought that his father had abandoned him at childhood and despite initial reservations, joins the group.
Under the leadership of Sloan (Morgan Freeman), Wesley begins to train and learns that he is part of an elite assassin’s guild and has abilities that go beyond the powers of normal men. As the training progresses, Wesley changes from the docile offer drone to an efficient and deadly adversary who is capable of killing with a variety of weapons.
Wesley will soon have to use all of his training and abilities to the fullest extent as the action switches into overdrive leaving a path of death and destruction as this bloody tale of revenge unfolds.
In the new movie “Wanted” Director Timur Bekmambetov, the guiding power behind the highly successful Russian Vampire “Day Watch” trilogy, has crafted a sleek action film that pulls no punches. From edge of your seat action and stunts to graphic violence, the film is a ballet of bullets and blood that mixes in equal amounts of humor with solid FX in a winning formula.
The leads work well with one another, and the story and characters are a cut above the standard genre staples. While the film does drag in the final third, it recovers nicely to conclude with an action filled finale as well as a few unexpected twists.
Angelina Jolie does well with a very physical role as does McAvoy who shows that he is a talent to be watched. The film is based on a graphic novel and as such has a distinctive style that mixes the real world with the unknown to help illustrate the transformation of Wesley from doormat to deadly weapon. The FX is solid, though at times the bullet time may seem a bit repetitive after you see it a few times. That being said, “Wanted” is a solid action film that is not afraid to take chances and step outside the box.
One day while waiting in line for his prescription, Wesley encounters a very attractive lady, and before long, is in a world gone mad as a violent gunfight has erupted all around him. As he attempts to flee the scene, the mysterious woman comes to his aid and whisks him away in dramatic style only to thrust Wesley into a frantic chase through the city streets as they attempt to escape from their mysterious attacker.
Eventually Wesley learns that the woman is named Fox (Angelina Jolie), and that he has been recruited to join a secret society known as The Fraternity.
At first awash in disbelief, Wesley is told that the man who tried to kill him also killed his father. Wesley had thought that his father had abandoned him at childhood and despite initial reservations, joins the group.
Under the leadership of Sloan (Morgan Freeman), Wesley begins to train and learns that he is part of an elite assassin’s guild and has abilities that go beyond the powers of normal men. As the training progresses, Wesley changes from the docile offer drone to an efficient and deadly adversary who is capable of killing with a variety of weapons.
Wesley will soon have to use all of his training and abilities to the fullest extent as the action switches into overdrive leaving a path of death and destruction as this bloody tale of revenge unfolds.
In the new movie “Wanted” Director Timur Bekmambetov, the guiding power behind the highly successful Russian Vampire “Day Watch” trilogy, has crafted a sleek action film that pulls no punches. From edge of your seat action and stunts to graphic violence, the film is a ballet of bullets and blood that mixes in equal amounts of humor with solid FX in a winning formula.
The leads work well with one another, and the story and characters are a cut above the standard genre staples. While the film does drag in the final third, it recovers nicely to conclude with an action filled finale as well as a few unexpected twists.
Angelina Jolie does well with a very physical role as does McAvoy who shows that he is a talent to be watched. The film is based on a graphic novel and as such has a distinctive style that mixes the real world with the unknown to help illustrate the transformation of Wesley from doormat to deadly weapon. The FX is solid, though at times the bullet time may seem a bit repetitive after you see it a few times. That being said, “Wanted” is a solid action film that is not afraid to take chances and step outside the box.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Unhinged (Splintered #2) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<i>Unhinged</i>, the second book in the <i>Splintered</i> trilogy, is <b>set an entire year after the events in <i><a title="Splintered by A.G. Howard" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-splintered-by-ag-howard/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Splintered</a></i></b>. With the curse broken, Alyssa finally hopes to have as much of a normal life as possible, despite the fact nothing is actually the same.
I personally thought that <b><i>Splintered</i> was better off a stand-alone</b> when A.G. Howard first takes us to her dark version of Wonderland. <b>The ending definitely could have taken two turns</b> – the book could have expanded into multiple books, or it could have been left alone.
With <i>Unhinged</i>, <b>I just didn't feel as passionate as I was with the first book.</b> Though Alyssa believes she has left Wonderland behind, Morpheus and Wonderland eventually come back to haunt her through dreams and violent paintings – something bad is going on and Wonderland needs Alyssa back now that she's taken her place as the Red Queen. <b>The sequel isn't as adventurous or dark – it just felt like something I would normally see in a novel.</b>
I don't even know how to phrase it – <b><i>Unhinged</i> focuses a lot in the human world; Alyssa's conflicted feelings between Morpheus and Jeb, and where she actually belongs.</b> I hoped the book would bring us back to Wonderland, but <b>I don't even think we even entered Wonderland – it came to Alyssa and it just wasn't as exotic or enchanting or amazing as it was back in book one.</b> Am I sounding whiny now?
That's not including Morpheus and Jeb. <b>Much as I like Morpheus and his sassiness, I just don't like him for the life of me. I <em>still</em> don't like Jeb</b> [for the life of me]. If I really had to choose between the two, I would probably pick Morpheus simply because he just seems to have more personality than Jeb. (Have I mentioned Morpheus has sass?) <b>All Morpheus seems to really care about is Red and how to finally get her out of his wings.</b> Alyssa is just... convenient enough to be used and he ends up falling in love with her in the process of "using" her.
Now I don't know if that's true. I'm sure he actually cares about her greatly considering their history, and I'm sure Jeb cares about her as well, even though he is overprotective and it probably seems endearing. They don't fight as much as they did back in <i>Splintered</i>, but I just don't feel anything for the corners of the love triangle. I just don't. <b>I feel completely indifferent about <i>Unhinged</i> altogether and I'll read the last book simply for the feeling of closure.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-unhinged-by-ag-howard/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I personally thought that <b><i>Splintered</i> was better off a stand-alone</b> when A.G. Howard first takes us to her dark version of Wonderland. <b>The ending definitely could have taken two turns</b> – the book could have expanded into multiple books, or it could have been left alone.
With <i>Unhinged</i>, <b>I just didn't feel as passionate as I was with the first book.</b> Though Alyssa believes she has left Wonderland behind, Morpheus and Wonderland eventually come back to haunt her through dreams and violent paintings – something bad is going on and Wonderland needs Alyssa back now that she's taken her place as the Red Queen. <b>The sequel isn't as adventurous or dark – it just felt like something I would normally see in a novel.</b>
I don't even know how to phrase it – <b><i>Unhinged</i> focuses a lot in the human world; Alyssa's conflicted feelings between Morpheus and Jeb, and where she actually belongs.</b> I hoped the book would bring us back to Wonderland, but <b>I don't even think we even entered Wonderland – it came to Alyssa and it just wasn't as exotic or enchanting or amazing as it was back in book one.</b> Am I sounding whiny now?
That's not including Morpheus and Jeb. <b>Much as I like Morpheus and his sassiness, I just don't like him for the life of me. I <em>still</em> don't like Jeb</b> [for the life of me]. If I really had to choose between the two, I would probably pick Morpheus simply because he just seems to have more personality than Jeb. (Have I mentioned Morpheus has sass?) <b>All Morpheus seems to really care about is Red and how to finally get her out of his wings.</b> Alyssa is just... convenient enough to be used and he ends up falling in love with her in the process of "using" her.
Now I don't know if that's true. I'm sure he actually cares about her greatly considering their history, and I'm sure Jeb cares about her as well, even though he is overprotective and it probably seems endearing. They don't fight as much as they did back in <i>Splintered</i>, but I just don't feel anything for the corners of the love triangle. I just don't. <b>I feel completely indifferent about <i>Unhinged</i> altogether and I'll read the last book simply for the feeling of closure.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-unhinged-by-ag-howard/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Picking up after the harrowing events of book one, NO MERCY finds Officer Ellery Hathaway on leave. She's going to mandated therapy, attending a group for victims of violent crime. This isn't exactly Ellery's "cup of tea," as she's not one for sharing her feelings. In group, she meets Myra, a victim of a deadly fire years ago that killed her young son. Ellery quickly gets caught up in Myra's case and becomes convinced that the wrong man--who is up for parole--was convicted of the crime. Another group member, Wendy, was brutally raped, and she asks Ellery for help finding her rapist, who is still on the loose, leaving Wendy a shadow of her once vibrant self. Ellery turns to her friend, FBI agent Reed Markham, the man who rescued her so many years ago. Reed comes, of course; he can never say no to Ellery. But Reed is also in line for a big promotion, and his boss doesn't want him near Ellery. As the two start digging, they uncover secrets: lots of them.
"You kill one guy, one time, and suddenly everyone thinks you need therapy..."
I picked up this book immediately after reading book one, because I was so captivated by Reed and Ellery. They are an amazing duo, with wonderful chemistry, both for solving crimes and in the "will they, won't they" department. Schaffhausen writes in this steady, easy-to-read way that effortlessly brings her characters to life and makes it so easy to flip the pages. Just like the first book, I tore through this one in less than 24 hours.
There are plenty of twists and turns and lots of drama. But there's also a personal and touching element to these books. Ellery and Reed have such a connection. He supposedly rescued her all those years ago, pulling near-dead Ellery from the clutches of a serial killer. But, of course, that experience has formed and hardened her in so many ways. She's a tough cookie. And it's truly just Reed who can see past her outer shell. Ellery will only allow Reed to see little glimpses of her actual self.
The mystery in this book is exemplary. We go back in time to a series of fires in Boston. Even better, it has some ties to Reed's boss, McGreevy, who worked the Boston beat back in the day (see, everything is personal). The more present-day case, Wendy's rapist, fuels Ellery, who feels as if perhaps she is worthless, unable to affect change as a police officer. It's also personal, on a whole different level. Both are compelling. Each kept me guessing and while I had some inkling about the fires, nothing would stop me from frantically turning the pages!
In the end, this was an excellent book. I love the relationship between Ellery and Reed and how it's developing. Both cases were intriguing and kept me hooked from the beginning. I immediately turned to book three, and I'm so sad it's the last one (hopefully just for now)! 4 stars.
"You kill one guy, one time, and suddenly everyone thinks you need therapy..."
I picked up this book immediately after reading book one, because I was so captivated by Reed and Ellery. They are an amazing duo, with wonderful chemistry, both for solving crimes and in the "will they, won't they" department. Schaffhausen writes in this steady, easy-to-read way that effortlessly brings her characters to life and makes it so easy to flip the pages. Just like the first book, I tore through this one in less than 24 hours.
There are plenty of twists and turns and lots of drama. But there's also a personal and touching element to these books. Ellery and Reed have such a connection. He supposedly rescued her all those years ago, pulling near-dead Ellery from the clutches of a serial killer. But, of course, that experience has formed and hardened her in so many ways. She's a tough cookie. And it's truly just Reed who can see past her outer shell. Ellery will only allow Reed to see little glimpses of her actual self.
The mystery in this book is exemplary. We go back in time to a series of fires in Boston. Even better, it has some ties to Reed's boss, McGreevy, who worked the Boston beat back in the day (see, everything is personal). The more present-day case, Wendy's rapist, fuels Ellery, who feels as if perhaps she is worthless, unable to affect change as a police officer. It's also personal, on a whole different level. Both are compelling. Each kept me guessing and while I had some inkling about the fires, nothing would stop me from frantically turning the pages!
In the end, this was an excellent book. I love the relationship between Ellery and Reed and how it's developing. Both cases were intriguing and kept me hooked from the beginning. I immediately turned to book three, and I'm so sad it's the last one (hopefully just for now)! 4 stars.
Primal Incinerators Of Moral Matrix by Tetragrammacide
Album Watch
IRON BONEHEAD PRODUCTIONS is proud to present TETRAGRAMMACIDE's massively anticipated debut album,...
metal
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Little Monsters (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020 (Updated Oct 26, 2020)
A New Zombie Movie That Proves Zombie Films "Still Have Fresh Brains To Savor"
Contains spoilers, click to show
This movie was pretty good. I enjoyed it quite a bit and even though it had somethings that were predictable and cliché, it really was unique in its own way. It really had me invested in the main character Dave from the beginning because of his situation. After his break up his living on the couch at his sisters and getting in trouble for cussing and being a bad role model for his nephew. He gets in trouble for letting his nephew play violent video games and for taking him out late at night to use him as a prop when his plans to propose to his ex-g/f that goes horribly wrong. That scene was hilarious as his surprise proposal leads to him and his nephew catching his ex having sex with another man and the naked man beating him up. It's kind of slow moving plot wise with all this setup but you get invested in the characters and they mean more to you and you better understand their motivations. Dave winds up taking his nephew to school and when he sees his attractive teacher Miss Coraline played by Lupita Nyong'o he's more than happy to volunteer to chaperone on a field trip when another parent drops out. At the field trip on the farm is when your officially introduced to Josh Gad's character Teddy McGiggle who is filming his children's show there. Teddy winds up being nothing like he pretends to be and shows his true colors when the trouble starts up. The zombies from a U.S. testing facility break free and head straight to the farm attacking anyone and everyone they see. I thought they did a good job on the zombies and make-up/special effects since most scenes happen during the day. There wasn't as much action or blood as I wanted but there were always scenes that built the tension and made sure danger was always present. The character development from Dave was really good and made him one of my favorite characters but Miss Caroline was a real badass. She demonstrated that she would do anything to protect those kids and let Teddy McGiggle know that she would take care of him too if he didn't cooperate. As i mentioned some of it was predictable like there being a facility where there were zombies, and the zombies breaking out, the military not being able to do anything to contain it at first, and it spreading so quickly. But it was unique in bringing the kids into the situation and how Miss Coraline made it into a game so the kids wouldn't be scared, how she got them to focus on her so they didn't look at the zombies alot, and how the zombies started singing along towards the end. Like I said above pretty good movie, I give it 7/10 and my "Must See Seal Of Approval". If you haven't seen this movie you need to check it out.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Zoo (2018) in Movies
Feb 27, 2021
I'm not sure how this came into the watching loop, I honestly think it was the fact it was only about an hour and a half long.
John and Karen have fallen out of love with each other, their future might have been very different if it wasn't for the mysterious and dangerous plague going on outside their flat. Can they wait out the danger with the promise of rescue on the horizon?
From the outset the music comes across as quite jarring. I would expect it to be for this sort of topic, however I didn't find it easy to listen to, or that it fit well into the overall film. It's something I noticed several times, and you know me, I only notice music if it's amazing or terrible.
John and Karen, played by Ed Speleers and Zoë Tapper, take most of the screen time in their flat. We see their relationship change over the course of the film, from their rocky beginning they use their time together to become reacquainted with each other. At the beginning I wasn't entirely sure about them as a couple, the chemistry between the two actors seemed a little off, even when taking into account the divide in their character's relationship. Once we're underway though I found the power dynamic became more apparent and that helped move things along.
Despite them being confined, you never get that claustrophobic feeling, and that seemed rather strange. That spacious flat almost felt welcoming with its size, and that's at odds with the point of the film. Their spacious flat almost felt welcoming with its size. Had it "opened up" as we progressed, that would have made some sense, but all the space was used fairly early on even as extra people get added. At no point did their environment inside the flat have any real sense of danger.
The character of Karen is never massively likeable even in vulnerable moments, and her actions often seem to contradict themselves during the proceedings. When the neighbours are added into the mix I genuinely didn't see the reality in their interactions. It became a struggle between two alphas and their clueless partners, but it lacked chemistry and was a low point in the film for me.
At the beginning as the couple montage their way to trying to survive I started to engage more, but the middle chunk didn't really click with me. But somewhere along the way it seemed to get back on track... but again, more of that contradiction came and it became a real miss match.
Because of the way Death Do Us Part decided to handle the catastrophe you actually get a lot less gore than you'd expect. There are still violent moments to be seen, but it does quite a good job of hiding most of it away.
Death Do Us Part was an intriguing take on a zombie movie, with definite highs and lows. And while it was eventually an enjoyable watch, it does leave you with few answers about the story outside their flat, which was both fine and yet frustrating.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/02/death-do-us-part-movie-review.html
John and Karen have fallen out of love with each other, their future might have been very different if it wasn't for the mysterious and dangerous plague going on outside their flat. Can they wait out the danger with the promise of rescue on the horizon?
From the outset the music comes across as quite jarring. I would expect it to be for this sort of topic, however I didn't find it easy to listen to, or that it fit well into the overall film. It's something I noticed several times, and you know me, I only notice music if it's amazing or terrible.
John and Karen, played by Ed Speleers and Zoë Tapper, take most of the screen time in their flat. We see their relationship change over the course of the film, from their rocky beginning they use their time together to become reacquainted with each other. At the beginning I wasn't entirely sure about them as a couple, the chemistry between the two actors seemed a little off, even when taking into account the divide in their character's relationship. Once we're underway though I found the power dynamic became more apparent and that helped move things along.
Despite them being confined, you never get that claustrophobic feeling, and that seemed rather strange. That spacious flat almost felt welcoming with its size, and that's at odds with the point of the film. Their spacious flat almost felt welcoming with its size. Had it "opened up" as we progressed, that would have made some sense, but all the space was used fairly early on even as extra people get added. At no point did their environment inside the flat have any real sense of danger.
The character of Karen is never massively likeable even in vulnerable moments, and her actions often seem to contradict themselves during the proceedings. When the neighbours are added into the mix I genuinely didn't see the reality in their interactions. It became a struggle between two alphas and their clueless partners, but it lacked chemistry and was a low point in the film for me.
At the beginning as the couple montage their way to trying to survive I started to engage more, but the middle chunk didn't really click with me. But somewhere along the way it seemed to get back on track... but again, more of that contradiction came and it became a real miss match.
Because of the way Death Do Us Part decided to handle the catastrophe you actually get a lot less gore than you'd expect. There are still violent moments to be seen, but it does quite a good job of hiding most of it away.
Death Do Us Part was an intriguing take on a zombie movie, with definite highs and lows. And while it was eventually an enjoyable watch, it does leave you with few answers about the story outside their flat, which was both fine and yet frustrating.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/02/death-do-us-part-movie-review.html