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Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
2017 | Drama, Mystery
Superb acting and period set design (0 more)
Slow, dull and uninvolving (0 more)
Ponderous retelling of the Christie novel.
This update of Agatha Christie's famous whodunnit certainly looks the part, and the who's who cast certainly give it their all. But for all its visual splendour, the film fails to really engage and is let down by plodding pace and bloated run time. Akin to watching a beautiful piece of antique furniture for two and a half hours.
  
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Erika (17788 KP) rated Wanted (2008) in Movies

May 11, 2018  
Wanted (2008)
Wanted (2008)
2008 | Action, Crime
7
6.8 (26 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I really like this film. It's based off of a graphic novel, that I honestly hated. So, this is one of those situations where the movie surpasses the book. The story created for the film was much better.
The action is shot well, and it was very of the times back in 2008. The visual effects for all of the shooting was really cool looking.
I love James McAvoy, but his American accent was whack in the first action scene with Angelina Jolie.
  
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Dean (6921 KP) rated Nocturnal Animals (2016) in Movies

Oct 9, 2017 (Updated Oct 9, 2017)  
Nocturnal Animals (2016)
Nocturnal Animals (2016)
2016 | Drama, Mystery
Great cast, especially the 3 lead characters (2 more)
Cool cinematography
Gripping story within a story
Abrupt ending (0 more)
Visually impressive thriller
The visual elements of the film are great, to be expected I guess from a director from the design industry. The lighting and cinematography adds a great deal to many scenes.
The main actors Adams, Gyllenhaal and Shannon give great performances. What makes this interesting is the main story from the novel from Susan's Ex husband and how this links and has parallels to their past and current situation. One that will have you thinking long after the credits roll.... Although I did find the ending a little abrupt. One of the best films of the last year.
  
It: Chapter Two (2019)
It: Chapter Two (2019)
2019 | Horror, Thriller
Casting... So well done (1 more)
Stuck to the story a biOerall, I wa t better than the first
Not too shabby... But not great either
Overall I was impressed with this vision of Stephen Kings amazing novel.
Not half as good as Chapter 1... Chapter 2 offers way more jump scares than the first. But the level of acting by the adult versions of The Loser's Club did not measure up to their child counterparts.
Bill Hader pulled of. a Ritchie that compared well to Finn Wolfhard's version. Loved the banter between him and Jack Dylan Glazer.
Musschetti pulled of another visual masterpiece with effects that amazed my eyes including Stanley's head as a spider... That made me chuckle...
Check this one out folks... Well worth it
  
Shutter Island (2010)
Shutter Island (2010)
2010 | Action, Drama, Mystery
The mysterious disappearance of a patient has left the security of Aschecliffe Mental Facility baffled. In an effort to figure out exactly what occurred, they have brought in US Marshalls Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo). But when a number of questionable situations are uncovered, such as the restricted castle where they keep the most violent patients and the mysterious muchrumored about lighthouse, Teddy ends up investigating more than he bargained for.

This Martin Scorsese adaption of “Shutter Island” takes viewers on a visual retelling of the popular 2003 novel authored by Dennis Lehane. It is a film that takes you straight into the detective scene of the 1950’s with a mystery that is both complex and has a compelling plot.

“Shutter Island” is a very visual film, from the immersion we get into Teddy’s memories to the hugely powerful storms that at times scatter the film. Equally well defined are the details, from the plush décor of the doctor’s quarters to the intensely retro soundtrack. Costumes are also a key feature of this film, establishing the date with ease in a way that does not detract from the comprehensive story.

It is hard not to support Teddy in his quest to figure out the mysteries of Shutter Island. He is a likeable good guy to the core. And in a film filled with baddies such as the two good cop/bad cop doctors played by Ben Kingsley and Mac von Sydow, a good protagonist is a requirement. Further filling out the film is Dolores, Teddy’s wife played by Michelle Williams.

If you like mysteries, thrillers, or a good look back in time, “Shutter Island” will leave you guessing and wondering right up until the very end, in a way that only the talented Scorsese can.
  
CL
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who has never knitted a cable before, this was a great book to start with. The first thing I noticed about this novel is how beautiful the images are. They are so clear and crisp that it is easy to see the stitching, a huge plus for any knitting book.

The book begins with explained what a knitted cable actually is and some terminology and charting symbols you should familiarize yourself with. I appreciated that the charting symbols not only came with the images but short little descriptions of how to do them. The book also explains other important symbols to know as well as different types of needles used. The best about this book? The step by step descriptions and images that went with each. As a visual learner, it was a great asset to me especially since I am not as familiar with knitting as I am crochet.

I couldn’t have asked for a better book to try and learn cable stitches from. I have always loved cable stitches, and now I can finally knit my own!
  
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TheDefunctDiva (304 KP) rated American Gods in TV

Jul 23, 2018 (Updated Jul 23, 2018)  
American Gods
American Gods
2017 | Drama, Fantasy
Gaiman wrote it originally so it's awesome (0 more)
Significant deviations from the book. (0 more)
Note the Highlighted Letters in the Sign
I am about halfway through season one and I thought I would drop my thoughts down in this app like a deus ex machina. Cue angels singing. The visual representations of the mythical are quite powerfully brought to life by the show.

Ian McShane is delightful as Mr. Wednesday. Gillian Anderson is versatile and surprising as Media. The principal character is fleshed out more in the small screen adaptation, which I think was necessary but it also deviates from the book.

Anyhow, Shadow Moon is no longer such a sponge or an empty vessel. Pick your metaphor. In the book, he was seemingly void of much personal detail. He was little more than the sum of his fantastic experiences and I did like that about the book. They also brought his character's wife more to life in the show, which I think was a mistake because she is so mysterious and downright creepy in the novel.

Definitely worth watching even if, like me, you prefer the book. Think of them as two separate entities and you'll get through just fine.
  
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Stieg Larsson, Martin Wenner | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.1 (76 Ratings)
Book Rating
I've finally finished it! Whoop whoop!

This is a very different book to what I usually read. It contains a lot of strong language, sexual references, assault and Swedish finance. It also has a lot of investigating, which was my favourite part.

A financial journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, has been accused of libel after submitting a report about a rival company, owned by Hans-Erik Wennerström. The Wennerström Affair is huge - and has earned Blomkvist a three month stay in prison. This was all a bit hard for me to follow, as I don't know much about this subject. But I still managed to get the general gist of it.

A freelance worker at Milton Security is hired to research Mikael Blomkvist. Her name is Lisbeth Salander, and she's only in her twenties. Even so, she's probably the best worker Dragan Armansky has hired.

The client wanting a report on Blomkvist, Herr Frode, works for Henrik Vanger of the massive Vanger Corporation. Pleased with what they hear, they hire the journalist for a private matter - to solve the mystery of a missing girl from the 1960's.

While Blomkvist is researching the suspected crime, Lisbeth Salander is molested and raped by her legal guardian. She should turn him into the police, but that isn't her style. Instead, she gets her revenge.

Blomkvist finds out about the report written on him, and seeks out Salander. Together they begin to crack the case of Harriet Vanger. They are both put at risk when they discover the reason for Harriet's disappearance, and nobody's prepared for what they uncover.

Although the case is solved, the company Blomkvist works for - Millenium - needs revenge against Wennerström. To his surprise, Salander has just what he needs to really make a bang.

Like I said, this is quite an explicit novel - fathers raping their children, guardians attacking vulnerable young women, men sleeping with multiple women. The relationships seem to be ever-changing in this novel, but I suppose that's just realistic. But this is definitely not suitable for the faint-hearted, and there are some really horrific, visual descriptions that really will haunt you.

But if you like investigative or crime novels, I would definitely suggest giving it a go. It's not a quick read by any means, but it's cunning, it's realistic, and it's gripping. What more could you want from a novel of this genre? I really wasn't sure at first, as I just couldn't get into the multiple characters' stories or the whole situation with Mikael Blomkvist, but I did manage to get into the rhythm of it in the end, and really did enjoy it. For these reasons, I'm going to give Larsson's novel 4 stars. I'm seriously hoping I come across the next books in the series now!
  
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Heathski (173 KP) rated the Xbox 360 version of Bloodforge in Video Games

Feb 27, 2019 (Updated Feb 27, 2019)  
Bloodforge
Bloodforge
2012 | Action, Fighting
Awesome hack and slash (1 more)
Cool art
Combat sometimes (1 more)
Camera angles
Bloody, awesome and a little infuriating
This is an awesome hack and slash game. When I want to vent some of my aggression, this is the one to reach for. It is similar to God of War except that its derived from Celtic mythology, which I love. It has had some negative reviews due to its basic combat, repetitive enemies and weak storyline. I disagree, I love it. The art is awesome, black and white and muted tones, with splashes or fountains of red. It is very bloody, grungy graphic novel style art. The main characters design is striking and unique. The combat can turn onto button mashing but, there are strategic combos which when performed correctly, have some cool and bloody, visual executions. You pick up different weapons on your adventure which opens up options for different fighting styles, combos and upgrades. The more combos you do, the more blood is spilled which means you can access RAGE mode. There is no blocking, so dodging is vital. Sometimes the gameplay mechanics are frustrating due to the annoying camera angles. Its a pretty awesome hack and slash game and love it.
  
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
1975 | Drama, History, War

"I think [Barry Lyndon is] the ultimate movie for men. I think it’s a classic story of how you go through life, and also, for me, it’s Kubrick’s most emotional film. I know everyone accused him of being very cold, but the last movement of that movie is, I think, piercing and just beautifully told. There’s kind of this inevitability of incident that starts happening at about an hour before Barry Lyndon ends. It’s breathtaking in terms of the narrative control along with the visual control of that movie. Even though it’s very different from the [William Makepeace] Thackeray novel it’s based on — the Thackeray book is actually funnier and kinda faster, [while] Kubrick makes it a little more glacial and stately — but it still is a phenomenally beautiful movie made at the height of the great American studio era. It’s really a pinnacle of 1970s American moviemaking. And I think Ryan O’Neal was incredibly poignant in that film. And the music? The sensory experience of seeing Barry Lyndon, you can’t really make those movies anymore. It’s not even in our DNA anymore. I don’t think the sensibility even exists to build movies like Barry Lyndon. And that’s just a huge loss."

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