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Parfs (178 KP) created a post in Avengers: Endgame (Discussion)
May 4, 2019
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Pet Sematary (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Pet peeve
#petsematary is a dire #remake of an already bad #film. Its drab, lifeless & should never of been #reanimated. I had high hopes for this film because it feels like its been a while since the last mainstream horror movie so as I felt genuinely excited but after the first 15 minutes this feeling had quickly been replaced with sheer #fear there was still well over an hour left to go till i could leave. Before we hit the negatives ill give you my positives that saved the movie from being a total walk out. First - #johnlithgow is great as always but mostly wasted largely because of the terrible script he's been given to work with. Second - the running theme of #death is great & the film portrays how all living things fear it so much rather well (it also handles #grieving & guilt #trauma surrounding #death well too but its ultimately far to brief). Now the bad - the movie feels nasty & cheap to look at visually, cgi is bad, make up design is lazy, the camerawork feels awkward & strangely zoomed in just a bit to close to everything, theres weird #90s era motion blur on everything fast moving, acting is laughable/cheesy & scenes go on far to long as does build up to key scenes that have an anticlimactic pay off. If you've seen the original or the trailer for that matter the film becomes highly predictable killing all suspense & what little atmosphere the film conjures up is ruined by naff & bland set design. I honestly cant recomend anyone wasting their time on this highly forgettable film unless your a big fan of really #adorable #cats then this one in this is a clear 10/10 on the #cute scale. An uninspired lazy cash grab & there are a million horror films out there that tell almost the same story way better. #odeon #odeonlimitless #horror #gore #stephenking #scary #cat #animal #pet #classic #retro #cultclassic #80s #filmbuff #filmcritic #zombie
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Haunting of Henderson Close in Books
May 22, 2019
The Haunting of Henderson Close
Hannah has relocated to Edinburgh and now works as a performing tour guide regaling tourists with the goings on in the spooky derelict Henderson Close. Together with colleagues they bring the past to life as they play the parts of real people who lived there and spin tales of the spooky and historical past, some really gruesome. But then she starts to see shadows, she has flashes where she feels weird and, well, has some really rather scary experiences. But she's not alone, one of the other guides has experienced similar and then some of the tourists also start to see things. What is happening? Are the legends and stories of what went before coming back? Who are the people that Hannah keeps seeing, and what do they really want?
I was intrigued by the classification of The Haunting of Henderson Close as a horror, mystery and thriller novel as these are my favourites.
I loved all the hints at ghosts and supernatural activity but sadly it all got a bit confusing for me as it progressed. The flashbacks and present just seemed to clash and not move seamlessly together. At times I felt possibly the author meant for the book to be more of a Victorian mystery rather than supernatural.
The use of location was one of the main strengths of the book, as the descriptions of 19th century Edinburgh were detailed and made it easy to imagine just what Victorian Scotland used to look like; really amazing and descriptive.
The ending I found a bit lacking as I had an idea built u in my of something climatic and it wasn’t.
The story itself intrigued me, the setting especially; all in all, a story that kept my attention nicely throughout and left me mostly satisfied at its conclusion.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Hannah has relocated to Edinburgh and now works as a performing tour guide regaling tourists with the goings on in the spooky derelict Henderson Close. Together with colleagues they bring the past to life as they play the parts of real people who lived there and spin tales of the spooky and historical past, some really gruesome. But then she starts to see shadows, she has flashes where she feels weird and, well, has some really rather scary experiences. But she's not alone, one of the other guides has experienced similar and then some of the tourists also start to see things. What is happening? Are the legends and stories of what went before coming back? Who are the people that Hannah keeps seeing, and what do they really want?
I was intrigued by the classification of The Haunting of Henderson Close as a horror, mystery and thriller novel as these are my favourites.
I loved all the hints at ghosts and supernatural activity but sadly it all got a bit confusing for me as it progressed. The flashbacks and present just seemed to clash and not move seamlessly together. At times I felt possibly the author meant for the book to be more of a Victorian mystery rather than supernatural.
The use of location was one of the main strengths of the book, as the descriptions of 19th century Edinburgh were detailed and made it easy to imagine just what Victorian Scotland used to look like; really amazing and descriptive.
The ending I found a bit lacking as I had an idea built u in my of something climatic and it wasn’t.
The story itself intrigued me, the setting especially; all in all, a story that kept my attention nicely throughout and left me mostly satisfied at its conclusion.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Furiously Happy in Books
Jan 24, 2018
Made me almost fall off the bed giggling (2 more)
Hilarious descriptions about bizarre situations
Revealing what's going on in her head lets other people know they're not alone
Hysterically funny
How do you even begin to explain a Jenny Lawson book? Known as The Bloggess on the internet, Lawson is one of the most laugh-out-loud, hysterically funny, off-the-wall-crazy-pants writers I've ever come across. From her antics with taxidermied animals to the bizarre arguments she has with her husband to the weird tangents her brain goes on, Lawson is one of the most entertaining people on the internet. In Furiously Happy, she explores her lifelong fight with mental illness, from depression to anxiety to a number of manias, and she does so in a lovely, non-judgmental way. She does get serious - she talks about her "folder of 24" - 24 letters from suicidal people telling her that she, and the community she's built, are the reason they're still here. Lawson tackles the topic of depression head on, and by writing down the bizarre things that go through her head, lets people know THEY'RE NOT ALONE, and that's incredibly important.
As the subtitle of the book says, it might be a book about a serious topic, but oh. my. is it funny. Between sneaking a taxidermied ecstatically happy raccoon into view of her husband's video conferences, and trying to snuggle koalas in Australia while dressed in a full-body koala costume, Lawson also talks about waking up in the middle of the night thinking her arms have fallen off, and being stalked by carnivorous swans. Lawson's blog is hilarious, and this book is one of the most insanely funny things I've ever read, and now I have to track down her other two books. (Let's Pretend This Never Happened and You Are Here)
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
As the subtitle of the book says, it might be a book about a serious topic, but oh. my. is it funny. Between sneaking a taxidermied ecstatically happy raccoon into view of her husband's video conferences, and trying to snuggle koalas in Australia while dressed in a full-body koala costume, Lawson also talks about waking up in the middle of the night thinking her arms have fallen off, and being stalked by carnivorous swans. Lawson's blog is hilarious, and this book is one of the most insanely funny things I've ever read, and now I have to track down her other two books. (Let's Pretend This Never Happened and You Are Here)
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
KatieLouCreate (162 KP) rated Frankenstein in Books
Mar 5, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
It's been a while since I read this book but I remember why I did and did not enjoy this book. Firstly, the book it worth the read. It may seem slow to start with but you do get rewarded in the end. It is just that, unfortunately, Victor Frankenstein is a very boring character. He is just so boring and, lets face it, a little bit fickle. He spent his life working towards this goal, leaving his family and loved ones behind, practically, all to be able to resurrect the dead back to life. He accomplishes it only to realise what an abomination he has created. So what does he do? He runs away.
The most interesting part about the book actually comes from the perspective of the monster himself. It is here where we see true voice, character, and emotion. We see the monsters side of things and realise he is not in fact a monster. He is a product of his surroundings. He was treated like a monster and so he became one.
To me, it spreads an important message about love and acceptance. The monster would not have become evil is Victor had remained with his creation and helped him instead of fleeing and leaving the monster, new to the big wide world, by himself.
Although I believe Mart was trying to give us a different, more religious message, about the dangers of man performing a woman's role of giving birth and how that is an abomination to mankind, I think the message I stated beforehand is better and stronger.
If you can get through Victor's boring and annoying personality then the book is worth the read. If not, then maybe just read the middle of the book-- from the monsters perspective, although it would probably seem a little weird and out of context without the rest of the story.
The most interesting part about the book actually comes from the perspective of the monster himself. It is here where we see true voice, character, and emotion. We see the monsters side of things and realise he is not in fact a monster. He is a product of his surroundings. He was treated like a monster and so he became one.
To me, it spreads an important message about love and acceptance. The monster would not have become evil is Victor had remained with his creation and helped him instead of fleeing and leaving the monster, new to the big wide world, by himself.
Although I believe Mart was trying to give us a different, more religious message, about the dangers of man performing a woman's role of giving birth and how that is an abomination to mankind, I think the message I stated beforehand is better and stronger.
If you can get through Victor's boring and annoying personality then the book is worth the read. If not, then maybe just read the middle of the book-- from the monsters perspective, although it would probably seem a little weird and out of context without the rest of the story.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated She Poured Out Her Heart in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Jane and Bonnie have been friends since college, despite the fact that the pair are quite different. Quiet, reflective Jane leads a seemingly picture perfect life with her doctor husband, Eric, and her two young children. Impetuous Bonnie, meanwhile, works as a crisis counselor, and is always shuffling between ill-fated relationships and boyfriends. The two remain friends well into adulthood, however. Still, Jane can't tell Bonnie about the malaise she feels about her life and the episodes she has, where everything appears white and she disappears briefly to a different (happier) place. Then one evening, Jane has a more severe episode, and must be briefly hospitalized. The same night, Eric and Bonnie find themselves drawn to each other, and they begin a complicated affair.
This is a really strange book, and I'll certainly say that it's not for everyone. It's probably one I wouldn't typically enjoy, usually: the characters are not particularly likable, the plot is odd, and it meanders along with no real resolution. However, there was something about this novel that drew me in, despite its odd, somewhat incestuous seeming plot. It's extremely well-written (and told from Jane and Bonnie's point of view over various time periods). Both women are oddly addictive characters. In total, they may not be the most likable, but they were quite realistic, and I could find myself relating to pieces of each of them.
I don't want to say much more as to not give away much of the book and truly, I'm at a loss at how to describe it. It's almost a bit of a "trippy" experience to read. Overall, I'm glad I picked this one up; it's a solid, weird 3.5 stars. If you're looking for another recommendation, [b:The Year We Left Home|8979518|The Year We Left Home|Jean Thompson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327883554s/8979518.jpg|14617268] is still the favorite I've read of Thompson's work so far.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
This is a really strange book, and I'll certainly say that it's not for everyone. It's probably one I wouldn't typically enjoy, usually: the characters are not particularly likable, the plot is odd, and it meanders along with no real resolution. However, there was something about this novel that drew me in, despite its odd, somewhat incestuous seeming plot. It's extremely well-written (and told from Jane and Bonnie's point of view over various time periods). Both women are oddly addictive characters. In total, they may not be the most likable, but they were quite realistic, and I could find myself relating to pieces of each of them.
I don't want to say much more as to not give away much of the book and truly, I'm at a loss at how to describe it. It's almost a bit of a "trippy" experience to read. Overall, I'm glad I picked this one up; it's a solid, weird 3.5 stars. If you're looking for another recommendation, [b:The Year We Left Home|8979518|The Year We Left Home|Jean Thompson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327883554s/8979518.jpg|14617268] is still the favorite I've read of Thompson's work so far.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
Lee (2222 KP) rated Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) in Movies
Jun 9, 2018 (Updated Jun 11, 2018)
Very different to what we're used to
Since all hell broke out in the last movie, the island of Isla Nublar has remained a relatively peaceful place for the dinosaurs to roam free. But now, the islands volcano is set to erupt, threatening their extinction once more, and bringing with it all kinds of questions as to whether man should try to save them or follow gods will and let them die.
When the decision to save them is made, along with the offer of a lovely dinosaur sanctuary for them all to live peacefully, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas-Howard) are enlisted to return to the island and rescue the dinosaurs from their imminent destruction. Claire is needed for her hand-print, in order to activate the dormant dinosaur tracking software on the island, and Owen for his relationship with the velociraptor Blue, who they have so far been unable to locate and capture. Unfortunately though, there are some bad guys behind the scenes who are more concerned with making a few million dollars out of the dinosaurs than rescuing them from extinction, so things don't go according to plan.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is a bit of a strange mix of two distinctly different halves. The first half was pretty much covered in off in the first trailer for the movie, with the second half key plot points unbelievably given away by the rather unnecessary final trailer. The resulting movie is unfortunately something which isn't anywhere near as good as it's predecessor(s). There are some pretty weird and crazy plotlines, and the bad guys are pretty rubbish, and the whole thing runs pretty close to being a complete disaster. Although the final third or so is wildly different to anything we've seen in a Jurassic Park/World movie, it does still manage to be pretty entertaining, and there are enough decent scares and thrills along the way to keep things moving along nicely. But this could have been so much better.
When the decision to save them is made, along with the offer of a lovely dinosaur sanctuary for them all to live peacefully, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas-Howard) are enlisted to return to the island and rescue the dinosaurs from their imminent destruction. Claire is needed for her hand-print, in order to activate the dormant dinosaur tracking software on the island, and Owen for his relationship with the velociraptor Blue, who they have so far been unable to locate and capture. Unfortunately though, there are some bad guys behind the scenes who are more concerned with making a few million dollars out of the dinosaurs than rescuing them from extinction, so things don't go according to plan.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is a bit of a strange mix of two distinctly different halves. The first half was pretty much covered in off in the first trailer for the movie, with the second half key plot points unbelievably given away by the rather unnecessary final trailer. The resulting movie is unfortunately something which isn't anywhere near as good as it's predecessor(s). There are some pretty weird and crazy plotlines, and the bad guys are pretty rubbish, and the whole thing runs pretty close to being a complete disaster. Although the final third or so is wildly different to anything we've seen in a Jurassic Park/World movie, it does still manage to be pretty entertaining, and there are enough decent scares and thrills along the way to keep things moving along nicely. But this could have been so much better.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Pisces in Books
Aug 3, 2018
I've been wanting to read this one for a while; you know how much I like my mermaids! This one is male, and not as predatory as other books I've read, but still good. This is one of the books from my summer TBR list, and the second book I've read from that list so far.
I feel like this book is better classified as Contemporary Fiction than fantasy; the existence of the merman is the only magical thing about it. Everything else is an exploration on love, obsession, and the lengths people will go to to meet their needs. Broder manages to wax philosophical but with a frankness that keeps everything relatable; from missing ex-boyfriends to worrying about Tinder dates, to thinking about the empty abyss of the ocean at night, Lucy's inner dialogue speaks to the anxiety within all of us.
I went back and forth as to whether I actually liked Lucy or not. I did like her for most of the book, but then she had to go and be stupid and I'm not sure I can forgive her for that. It does illustrate how far some people will go when they're obsessed with something, so it's realistic, I suppose. But I'd rather the cost had fallen on Lucy instead of the innocent bystander.
The ending of the book wasn't entirely satisfactory. It wrapped up the story, sure, but the next to the last paragraph introduced a question that hadn't otherwise been considered, and leaves it unanswered. Which is a pet peeve of mine. It's not philosophy, it's a question of is she or isn't she, and that's not something the reader can really theorize about.
Overall, I really liked the book. There were a couple of events that annoyed me, but for the most part, this was a good summer read. It largely takes place on the beach, it's at turns funny, sexy, sad, and weird. I think it's mostly deserving of the hype it received.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
I feel like this book is better classified as Contemporary Fiction than fantasy; the existence of the merman is the only magical thing about it. Everything else is an exploration on love, obsession, and the lengths people will go to to meet their needs. Broder manages to wax philosophical but with a frankness that keeps everything relatable; from missing ex-boyfriends to worrying about Tinder dates, to thinking about the empty abyss of the ocean at night, Lucy's inner dialogue speaks to the anxiety within all of us.
I went back and forth as to whether I actually liked Lucy or not. I did like her for most of the book, but then she had to go and be stupid and I'm not sure I can forgive her for that. It does illustrate how far some people will go when they're obsessed with something, so it's realistic, I suppose. But I'd rather the cost had fallen on Lucy instead of the innocent bystander.
The ending of the book wasn't entirely satisfactory. It wrapped up the story, sure, but the next to the last paragraph introduced a question that hadn't otherwise been considered, and leaves it unanswered. Which is a pet peeve of mine. It's not philosophy, it's a question of is she or isn't she, and that's not something the reader can really theorize about.
Overall, I really liked the book. There were a couple of events that annoyed me, but for the most part, this was a good summer read. It largely takes place on the beach, it's at turns funny, sexy, sad, and weird. I think it's mostly deserving of the hype it received.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Sweet Little Lies in Books
Aug 26, 2018
Sweet Little Lies was billed as a thriller in Book of the Month's description, but it's more of a police procedural. I hadn't read one before, though I watch plenty of them on Netflix - they're a bit of a guilty pleasure! It was interesting having one in book form. It's not my typical fare, but I did enjoy it, far more than I probably would have enjoyed a true thriller. It's got all your typical parts of a police procedural - older family man cop, ball-busting female chief who isn't as bitchy as she first appears, troubled main character who snapped on a case, police psychiatrist, puzzling case, lying witnesses. All we're really missing is a partner who isn't actually a cop but somehow worms his way into cases anyway.
I'm conflicted about Cat herself. I like her - but I disagree with some of her decisions. I think she should have come clean about her connection to the case immediately. She doesn't because she's trying to protect her dad, but why? She spends most of the book talking about how much she dislikes him! Her entire family dynamic is pretty weird. They have issues.
I really enjoyed the writing of this book. The pacing was excellent - slow enough to absorb each new reveal properly, but fast-paced enough that the action rolls along. Goodreads says the book is "Cat Kinsella #1" implying it's the start of a series. I'll have to keep an eye out for them. For a debut novel, I am impressed at the level of writing, pacing, plot, and characterization. There's a lot of threads in this book that get gathered together at the end and tied up nicely, with only one escaping. That worried me until I discovered it's the beginning of a series; the one loose thread makes sense in that context.
While I didn't like this one quite as much as Goodbye, Paris, it's still another great pick from Book of the Month.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
I'm conflicted about Cat herself. I like her - but I disagree with some of her decisions. I think she should have come clean about her connection to the case immediately. She doesn't because she's trying to protect her dad, but why? She spends most of the book talking about how much she dislikes him! Her entire family dynamic is pretty weird. They have issues.
I really enjoyed the writing of this book. The pacing was excellent - slow enough to absorb each new reveal properly, but fast-paced enough that the action rolls along. Goodreads says the book is "Cat Kinsella #1" implying it's the start of a series. I'll have to keep an eye out for them. For a debut novel, I am impressed at the level of writing, pacing, plot, and characterization. There's a lot of threads in this book that get gathered together at the end and tied up nicely, with only one escaping. That worried me until I discovered it's the beginning of a series; the one loose thread makes sense in that context.
While I didn't like this one quite as much as Goodbye, Paris, it's still another great pick from Book of the Month.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated A Simple Favor (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2018 (Updated Sep 25, 2018)
Simply Messy
So I went to see A Simple Favor at the weekend, which was my girlfriend's choice and I actually ended up enjoying some parts of it. I hate everything else that Paul Feig has done, so I was going into this expecting to hate every aspect and I surprisingly didn't. Anna Kendrick plays the same character that she does in everything else, but she is good at it and it works well for this film too. Blake Lively's character is funny in a cruel way at certain points, but at other points the mean spirited nature of the character feels forced and tacky. The rest of the cast are forgettable and Rupert Friend isn't given nearly enough to do in his role.
There are certain points that this movie made me legitimately laugh, granted the majority of the time it was because Blake Lively's character would say something vulgar and Kendrick's character would respond with something innocent and cringey and this joke would be rinsed and repeated a lot throughout the movie, but still I laughed way more during this than I thought I would.
The absolute worst thing about the movie is it's tone. It's not just inconsistent, it is absolutely all over the place. For the first two thirds of the film it is a weird mix of serious suspense and absurd comedy and then in the last third it absolutely cannot decide what it wants to be. From the point that Anna Kendrick's character leaves to go and dig around in Lively's character's past to the end credits, this movie is an utter mess.
Overall, I was surprised I didn't hate the movie and actually enjoyed parts of it. Anna Kendrick is great in everything she does, even if she does do the same thing in everything. Unfortunately this doesn't make the film a great comedy, nor is it a great suspense movie either, but hey, at least it's better than the Ghostbusters reboot.
There are certain points that this movie made me legitimately laugh, granted the majority of the time it was because Blake Lively's character would say something vulgar and Kendrick's character would respond with something innocent and cringey and this joke would be rinsed and repeated a lot throughout the movie, but still I laughed way more during this than I thought I would.
The absolute worst thing about the movie is it's tone. It's not just inconsistent, it is absolutely all over the place. For the first two thirds of the film it is a weird mix of serious suspense and absurd comedy and then in the last third it absolutely cannot decide what it wants to be. From the point that Anna Kendrick's character leaves to go and dig around in Lively's character's past to the end credits, this movie is an utter mess.
Overall, I was surprised I didn't hate the movie and actually enjoyed parts of it. Anna Kendrick is great in everything she does, even if she does do the same thing in everything. Unfortunately this doesn't make the film a great comedy, nor is it a great suspense movie either, but hey, at least it's better than the Ghostbusters reboot.
Bohan Reviews (215 KP) May 8, 2019 (Updated May 8, 2019)
Parfs (178 KP) May 8, 2019