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Big Farms Make Big Flu: Dispatches on Influenza, Agribusiness, and the Nature of Science
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Thanks to breakthroughs in production and food science, agribusiness has been able to devise new...
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017) in Movies
Jan 6, 2021 (Updated Jan 6, 2021)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Well here we have it - a messy and underwhelming finale, to a messy and underwhelming franchise.
Where to begin with this - even though it was silly and impractical, the previous film in the series ends on a cliffhanger (?), setting up a big ass battle between an army of undead, and a line up of heroes mainly made up of characters from the games (stood on top of the white house of course because Paul W.S. Anderson). This film opens in the aftermath, meaning that we don't even see the ensuing battle, but all these characters are un-ceremoniously killed off screen between movies. Alice is alive though....yaaay.
You know what comes next by now, an opening Milla Jovovich speech about who she is, edgy soldier characters saying edgy shit all the damn time (with added Ruby Rose for a little extra edginess), wire frame blue print segments of whatever facility they're in this time. Anderson mercifully cuts out all the gratuitous slow motion for his final bow, but unfortunately replaces it with seizure inducing quick edits. Like, it's fucking ludicrous how many edits there are whenever a fight starts and it just sucks. It's unexciting and difficult to sit through at times.
Then there's the ret-conning. Jesus Christ, Iain Glen is back for no reason other than the fact he became more of a household name thanks to Game of Thrones, plot be damned. Wesker is a villain again and the Red Queen is now a good guy, the origins of the T-Virus is different, and Milla Jovovich is actually an old woman (complete with Jackass quality aesthetics). These movies stopped making sense a while back but they just went full ham on this one. You know when you're on your last day of work before leaving a job and you just don't really give a fuck about your final shift? Yeah it's that, but a multi million dollar film.
I'm extremely happy that Resident Evil is finally being rebooted, into hopefully something that resembles the source material a bit more, and is actually scary. And good. Maybe. This franchise has given me trust issues.
Where to begin with this - even though it was silly and impractical, the previous film in the series ends on a cliffhanger (?), setting up a big ass battle between an army of undead, and a line up of heroes mainly made up of characters from the games (stood on top of the white house of course because Paul W.S. Anderson). This film opens in the aftermath, meaning that we don't even see the ensuing battle, but all these characters are un-ceremoniously killed off screen between movies. Alice is alive though....yaaay.
You know what comes next by now, an opening Milla Jovovich speech about who she is, edgy soldier characters saying edgy shit all the damn time (with added Ruby Rose for a little extra edginess), wire frame blue print segments of whatever facility they're in this time. Anderson mercifully cuts out all the gratuitous slow motion for his final bow, but unfortunately replaces it with seizure inducing quick edits. Like, it's fucking ludicrous how many edits there are whenever a fight starts and it just sucks. It's unexciting and difficult to sit through at times.
Then there's the ret-conning. Jesus Christ, Iain Glen is back for no reason other than the fact he became more of a household name thanks to Game of Thrones, plot be damned. Wesker is a villain again and the Red Queen is now a good guy, the origins of the T-Virus is different, and Milla Jovovich is actually an old woman (complete with Jackass quality aesthetics). These movies stopped making sense a while back but they just went full ham on this one. You know when you're on your last day of work before leaving a job and you just don't really give a fuck about your final shift? Yeah it's that, but a multi million dollar film.
I'm extremely happy that Resident Evil is finally being rebooted, into hopefully something that resembles the source material a bit more, and is actually scary. And good. Maybe. This franchise has given me trust issues.
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated X-Men Red, Vol. 2: Waging Peace in Books
Nov 30, 2020
Holy shnikes!! (c'mon, gotta love some TOMMY BOY! Am I right??!) That was so damn cool, and sooo very socially relevant in a time where to be of a different <i>racially</i> yet still of the same species is regarded as a crime of sorts! Literally, at that very last panel of the final issue, where Jean Grey is speaking to the U.N.:
"I died. I returned to a world divided. A world where intolerance is cheered, where ignorance is celebrated, where rumor is fact and fact is dismissed.
"I don't believe in this world.
"I believe in a greater one. We are, all of us, better than this. Stronger than this. Kinder than this.
"I'd like to show you... a world where no one is left behind. Where no one is shunned, where no one is less than. No humans and mutants No Us and Them. Just 'us'."
Can I tell you, that final scene made me want to both cry, as well as standing up and applauding!
These two volumes of X-MEN: RED, a collection that originally ran from February 2018 to December of that same year, has never been more important, more of what we need at this moment in time! I applaud Tom Taylor for turning out a story that touched the mind, stirred the conscience, and fired up and inspired the truest sense of doing what is right!
I urge you, while we are stuck in our homes (that is, if you have any sense, instead of believing <i>"going out in a world where the virus is as far from dead as you are from smart"</i>), read this Volume, and the previous Volume! Try to walk away after finishing, and just go, "Um, yeah, it was an okay story, but a bit on the nose.."! Yup, I urge to try and NOT be that person! Instead be inspired to help change the world, make it a more positive, more united world of love and acceptance! And that, my friends, is all I have for this review! Peace!
"I died. I returned to a world divided. A world where intolerance is cheered, where ignorance is celebrated, where rumor is fact and fact is dismissed.
"I don't believe in this world.
"I believe in a greater one. We are, all of us, better than this. Stronger than this. Kinder than this.
"I'd like to show you... a world where no one is left behind. Where no one is shunned, where no one is less than. No humans and mutants No Us and Them. Just 'us'."
Can I tell you, that final scene made me want to both cry, as well as standing up and applauding!
These two volumes of X-MEN: RED, a collection that originally ran from February 2018 to December of that same year, has never been more important, more of what we need at this moment in time! I applaud Tom Taylor for turning out a story that touched the mind, stirred the conscience, and fired up and inspired the truest sense of doing what is right!
I urge you, while we are stuck in our homes (that is, if you have any sense, instead of believing <i>"going out in a world where the virus is as far from dead as you are from smart"</i>), read this Volume, and the previous Volume! Try to walk away after finishing, and just go, "Um, yeah, it was an okay story, but a bit on the nose.."! Yup, I urge to try and NOT be that person! Instead be inspired to help change the world, make it a more positive, more united world of love and acceptance! And that, my friends, is all I have for this review! Peace!
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated A Christmas Horror Story (2015) in Movies
Dec 24, 2020
As far as anthology horrors go, A Christmas Horror Story is so-so. It tells four seperate tales, all connected to each other in someway, not to dissimilar to Trick R' Treat in terms of structure.
They vary in quality of course. One of them is a ghost story, as three students go about exploring the abandoned crime scene of two people murdered in ritual sacrifice on Christmas the year before. This one was plain boring. It was creepy in places, and is presented occasionally in a found footage style. The characters here are pretty unlikable, and doesn't really offer much to the overall film bar a couple of predictable jump scares.
Another revolves around a couple who's child goes missing whilst chopping down a Christmas tree for their home. They find the child, but eventually find out that he is in fact a shapeshifting troll. Chaos ensues. This one was ok, some good performances by Adrian Holmes and Olunike Adeliyi certainly help it carry more gravitas.
A third story revolves around Krampus preying on a family trying to make amends with some long lost relatives. Again, this one was ok. It's quite visually pleasing in its setting, but it's a pretty standard short revolving around a story we've already heard a hundred times. Krampus looks good enough considering it's a dude in make up.
And the the fourth story is easily the best of the bunch. It revolves around Santa fending off his elves in Christmas Eve when they succumb to a zombie style virus. Santa stomping around decapitating zombie elves by the bucket load is exactly what I signed up for. It also has the films best twist, which is pretty damn bleak, and features a Santa vs Krampus showdown. The film's worth watching for this segment alone!
Overall, A Christmas Horror Story is entertaining enough to justify a Yuletide watch. It has half decent production values (if you ignore the occasional piss poor CGI), some passable gore, and all the stories are inter cut by mother fucking William Shatner of all people, who actually seems to be having a good time here. Don't go in expecting a masterpiece and I'm sure you'll find something to enjoy.
They vary in quality of course. One of them is a ghost story, as three students go about exploring the abandoned crime scene of two people murdered in ritual sacrifice on Christmas the year before. This one was plain boring. It was creepy in places, and is presented occasionally in a found footage style. The characters here are pretty unlikable, and doesn't really offer much to the overall film bar a couple of predictable jump scares.
Another revolves around a couple who's child goes missing whilst chopping down a Christmas tree for their home. They find the child, but eventually find out that he is in fact a shapeshifting troll. Chaos ensues. This one was ok, some good performances by Adrian Holmes and Olunike Adeliyi certainly help it carry more gravitas.
A third story revolves around Krampus preying on a family trying to make amends with some long lost relatives. Again, this one was ok. It's quite visually pleasing in its setting, but it's a pretty standard short revolving around a story we've already heard a hundred times. Krampus looks good enough considering it's a dude in make up.
And the the fourth story is easily the best of the bunch. It revolves around Santa fending off his elves in Christmas Eve when they succumb to a zombie style virus. Santa stomping around decapitating zombie elves by the bucket load is exactly what I signed up for. It also has the films best twist, which is pretty damn bleak, and features a Santa vs Krampus showdown. The film's worth watching for this segment alone!
Overall, A Christmas Horror Story is entertaining enough to justify a Yuletide watch. It has half decent production values (if you ignore the occasional piss poor CGI), some passable gore, and all the stories are inter cut by mother fucking William Shatner of all people, who actually seems to be having a good time here. Don't go in expecting a masterpiece and I'm sure you'll find something to enjoy.
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Debbiereadsbook (1735 KP) rated Winterian Sky (Ninety Planets) in Books
Nov 28, 2023
great start to a new series
Independent reviewer for Arcaheolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is the first in the Ninety Planets series, and as such has a huge amount of world building. It made for slow reading for me at times, and this is the only reason I'm giving it 4 and not 5 stars.
Chesterfield is a Healer and scientist, trying to find a cure for the illness sweeping the whole planet. There is also a threat from above, the whole planet is in a kind of lockdown by the Moracci. The previous politicians had sold the planet out, and not they were all paying for it. Donacio is a Guard of Winteria and he caught sight of Chesterfield on a broadcast. His instincts kick in, and he knows he needs to pledge to Chesterfield. But first, he has to save him!
I really loved this, bar the world building, I really did. I loved the fade to grey romance element, which was a slow burn and kinda crept up on you! The virus ravaging the world gave me chills about what OUR world has just been through, but the politicians took things to the extreme here, and they themselves paid a heavy price as well as the world they left behind.
There is a great deal of love here, not just between Donacio and Chesterfield, but family love, trying to get the best for those who have been infected, but are still managing to function to some extent.
Set on a planet in outer space, things had different names, however when talked about, they were described in a way that made perfect sense, and I really liked that. Sometimes space set books are a little difficult to follow, cos you have no idea what they are talking about. But not so here.
It is the first in the series, but I'm given no indication as to who/where the next book might be about, and I'm intrigued by some characters here.
I look forward to reading the next one!
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is the first in the Ninety Planets series, and as such has a huge amount of world building. It made for slow reading for me at times, and this is the only reason I'm giving it 4 and not 5 stars.
Chesterfield is a Healer and scientist, trying to find a cure for the illness sweeping the whole planet. There is also a threat from above, the whole planet is in a kind of lockdown by the Moracci. The previous politicians had sold the planet out, and not they were all paying for it. Donacio is a Guard of Winteria and he caught sight of Chesterfield on a broadcast. His instincts kick in, and he knows he needs to pledge to Chesterfield. But first, he has to save him!
I really loved this, bar the world building, I really did. I loved the fade to grey romance element, which was a slow burn and kinda crept up on you! The virus ravaging the world gave me chills about what OUR world has just been through, but the politicians took things to the extreme here, and they themselves paid a heavy price as well as the world they left behind.
There is a great deal of love here, not just between Donacio and Chesterfield, but family love, trying to get the best for those who have been infected, but are still managing to function to some extent.
Set on a planet in outer space, things had different names, however when talked about, they were described in a way that made perfect sense, and I really liked that. Sometimes space set books are a little difficult to follow, cos you have no idea what they are talking about. But not so here.
It is the first in the series, but I'm given no indication as to who/where the next book might be about, and I'm intrigued by some characters here.
I look forward to reading the next one!
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Save The Date (Square Mile Rogues #4)
8.0
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Peter Felton If there was a meme for being a total cliché? That would be me. It wouldn’t...
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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Carriers (2009) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Brian and Danny grew up as two brothers who were relatively close to one another. They cherish the memories they have of Turtle Beach, a beach their family vacationed to every summer. The abandoned motel in Turtle Beach may be their best bet of surviving the highly contagious disease that now plagues the entire country and possibly the world. Not much is known about the virus other than the victims coughing up blood and bleeding from the ears as their condition worsens. Brian actually came up with a few rules that will hopefully get him, his girlfriend Bobby, his brother Danny, and Danny's friend Kate through this disease ridden world to Turtle Beach clean. The rules include avoiding the infected at all costs, disinfecting anything they've touched in the past 24 hours, and that the infected are already dead as there is no cure. You may survive if you stick to the rules, but actually abiding by them is an entirely different story.
Right off the bat, people are probably going to compare Carriers to Zombieland because of the rules. Carriers was released a full month before Zombieland, but Paramount Vantage folded upon its initial release causing its wide release to be an extremely limited one at the last minute (I think it wound up playing at only two theaters in the country). Expectations rise unintentionally in situations such as this. "This is that horror film that was practically shelved earlier this year and is finally being released." The result is a horror film that is well worth watching, but may not be entirely what you're expecting.
Carriers is more about establishing an atmosphere than anything else. Everything is abandoned and rightfully so as most people were picked off handfuls at a time by this pandemic. The entire film is more like the first half hour of 28 Days Later where Jim wakes up in an abandoned hospital and realizes how empty the streets of London are. There aren't masses of the infected running around lusting for brains or wanting to tear humans apart in Carriers. The story follows these four friends as they journey across the country to this supposed sanctuary where they hope to tough it out until this disease runs its course. Carriers is more of a slow burn as things turn from bad to worse very slowly and snowball as the film goes on.
Chris Pine is really the drawing factor of the film. His role as Brian is kind of like a more intense version of his role as Kirk in Star Trek from earlier this year. Brian comes off as an inconsiderate prick the first half of the film and seems to only do things that benefit himself. The second half is where his character gets interesting though. The speech he gives Danny about their parents and telling Danny that he only told him what he wanted to hear is the turning point for Brian. Chris Pine shines as things begin to roll downhill for Brian as his emotions take center stage and his true demeanor is revealed.
Everything else in the film pretty much feels like routine manuevers when it comes to films revolving around viral outbreaks as some main characters contract the disease, they resort to drastic measures to survive, and begin to question their humanity along the way. The most disappointing part of the film is the ending as things just seem to kind of stop without much of a resolution. It seems like films like this either end this way or have a really depressing ending and that's its biggest flaw. Movie buffs who have seen films concerning pandemics already have a rough idea of how the film is going to end and it's about time to mix that up a bit. There's got to be a decent way to end the film that offers something a bit different that could wrap everything up until that point, but also leave enough room open for a sequel if need be.
Carriers may be a bit slow at first and doesn't really offer anything you probably haven't seen before in a film like this, but is still worth seeing for Chris Pine's performance. It's kind of a more serious take on Zombieland without actual zombies running or stumbling around with an atmosphere similar to the one established in Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. If you're a fan of films involving a virus that has wiped out most of the human population, then this is still worth a watch.
Right off the bat, people are probably going to compare Carriers to Zombieland because of the rules. Carriers was released a full month before Zombieland, but Paramount Vantage folded upon its initial release causing its wide release to be an extremely limited one at the last minute (I think it wound up playing at only two theaters in the country). Expectations rise unintentionally in situations such as this. "This is that horror film that was practically shelved earlier this year and is finally being released." The result is a horror film that is well worth watching, but may not be entirely what you're expecting.
Carriers is more about establishing an atmosphere than anything else. Everything is abandoned and rightfully so as most people were picked off handfuls at a time by this pandemic. The entire film is more like the first half hour of 28 Days Later where Jim wakes up in an abandoned hospital and realizes how empty the streets of London are. There aren't masses of the infected running around lusting for brains or wanting to tear humans apart in Carriers. The story follows these four friends as they journey across the country to this supposed sanctuary where they hope to tough it out until this disease runs its course. Carriers is more of a slow burn as things turn from bad to worse very slowly and snowball as the film goes on.
Chris Pine is really the drawing factor of the film. His role as Brian is kind of like a more intense version of his role as Kirk in Star Trek from earlier this year. Brian comes off as an inconsiderate prick the first half of the film and seems to only do things that benefit himself. The second half is where his character gets interesting though. The speech he gives Danny about their parents and telling Danny that he only told him what he wanted to hear is the turning point for Brian. Chris Pine shines as things begin to roll downhill for Brian as his emotions take center stage and his true demeanor is revealed.
Everything else in the film pretty much feels like routine manuevers when it comes to films revolving around viral outbreaks as some main characters contract the disease, they resort to drastic measures to survive, and begin to question their humanity along the way. The most disappointing part of the film is the ending as things just seem to kind of stop without much of a resolution. It seems like films like this either end this way or have a really depressing ending and that's its biggest flaw. Movie buffs who have seen films concerning pandemics already have a rough idea of how the film is going to end and it's about time to mix that up a bit. There's got to be a decent way to end the film that offers something a bit different that could wrap everything up until that point, but also leave enough room open for a sequel if need be.
Carriers may be a bit slow at first and doesn't really offer anything you probably haven't seen before in a film like this, but is still worth seeing for Chris Pine's performance. It's kind of a more serious take on Zombieland without actual zombies running or stumbling around with an atmosphere similar to the one established in Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. If you're a fan of films involving a virus that has wiped out most of the human population, then this is still worth a watch.