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Understanding Complex Urban Systems: Integrating Multidisciplinary Data in Urban Models: 2016
Christian Walloth, Ernst Gebetsroither-Geringer, Funda Atun and Liss C. Werner
Book
This book is devoted to the modeling and understanding of complex urban systems. This second volume...
Austere Gardens: Thoughts on Landscape, Restraint, & Attending
Book
Austere Gardens suggests that being open to other ways of observing and sensing can yield new...
Rabbit, Run
8.0
Rate It
Book
The first book in his award-winning 'Rabbit' series, John Updike's Rabbit, Run contains an afterword...
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Jojo Rabbit (2019) in Movies
Jun 21, 2020
I was not expecting to love Jojo Rabbit as much as I did. I would argue that it's one of the best films of 2019!
The subject of Nazis and Hitler is a touchy one to say the least, but it's also a subject that is ripe for satire, and one of the many aspects that stands out here, is how Taika Waititi has managed to craft a film that is absolutely hilarious, but never undermines how horrible this part of history was.
I laughed (a lot) before being slapped with a reminder of how bleak war is.
The main plot revolves around Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis), a 10 year old boy who looks up to Hitler, and is part of the Nazi Youth. He finds out that his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl, Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in the attic of their house. Initially hostile, they begin to form a friendship as the Nazi regime begins to crumble.
Underneath all the goofiness, this main narrative is radiating in both warmth and sadness. I legit had a bit of a cry at one point.
The cast are brilliant. Roman Griffin Davis is one of the most likable protagonists in recent memory. His innocence and blind devotion to the war is humorous, and weirdly sweet. Thomasin McKenzie is great alongside him as well.
As well as directing, Taika Waititi also plays a version of Hitler, sort of like Jojo's imaginary friend, and he's honestly just the best, and provides the majority of the films comedy.
Elsewhere, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Alfie Allen, and Stephen Merchant all make up a pretty rock solid cast.
Screw it, I even liked Rebel Wilson (she usually makes me want to play in traffic.)
Jojo Rabbit is a truly wonderful experience. It evokes a whole range of emotions effortlessly, looks incredible throughout, and deserves all the praise thrown it's way.
The subject of Nazis and Hitler is a touchy one to say the least, but it's also a subject that is ripe for satire, and one of the many aspects that stands out here, is how Taika Waititi has managed to craft a film that is absolutely hilarious, but never undermines how horrible this part of history was.
I laughed (a lot) before being slapped with a reminder of how bleak war is.
The main plot revolves around Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis), a 10 year old boy who looks up to Hitler, and is part of the Nazi Youth. He finds out that his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl, Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in the attic of their house. Initially hostile, they begin to form a friendship as the Nazi regime begins to crumble.
Underneath all the goofiness, this main narrative is radiating in both warmth and sadness. I legit had a bit of a cry at one point.
The cast are brilliant. Roman Griffin Davis is one of the most likable protagonists in recent memory. His innocence and blind devotion to the war is humorous, and weirdly sweet. Thomasin McKenzie is great alongside him as well.
As well as directing, Taika Waititi also plays a version of Hitler, sort of like Jojo's imaginary friend, and he's honestly just the best, and provides the majority of the films comedy.
Elsewhere, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Alfie Allen, and Stephen Merchant all make up a pretty rock solid cast.
Screw it, I even liked Rebel Wilson (she usually makes me want to play in traffic.)
Jojo Rabbit is a truly wonderful experience. It evokes a whole range of emotions effortlessly, looks incredible throughout, and deserves all the praise thrown it's way.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Hero Mask in TV
Jul 5, 2020
Part Crime Mystery Part Sci-fi Thriller - 6/10
Hero Mask is a sci-fi action thriller anime series written and directed by Hiroyasu Aoki and animated by Studio Pierrot; with character designs by Takahisa Katagiri and music by Hisaki Kato.
James Blood is an officer for the elite "Special Service of Crime" (SSC) division of the Capital Police Department in London. After Monica Campbell, Crown Prosecutor, suddenly drops dead mysteriously and an enemy James thought dead goes on a rampage at a police station, the SSC begins to investigate. James teams up with Sarah Sinclair, a subordinate of Monica's, to uncover the truth behind who's involved in a ever growing conspiracy including a powerful paramilitary corporation, escaped prisoners who were executed, and masks that give their wearers superhuman abilities.
Hero Mask is in no way a perfect anime, but that didn't stop me from enjoying a lot of what it had to offer. It is full of cliches and might not be the most original but I thought the story telling was great and the way it unfolded over the 15 episodes was done quite well. James Blood is an action hero personified. As I watched I felt like I was watching an actual action thriller. Critics complained about the action being slow but to me it felt more grounded in reality and believable instead of over the top. Also I really liked the way the whole mystery and investigation unfolded piece after piece and how it all came together. The animation was top notch and what originally drew me into viewing it as well as the concept. I wouldn't recommend this to the average anime fan but if you are looking for a crime/mystery plot, then you shouldn't write this one off. I give it a 6/10.
James Blood is an officer for the elite "Special Service of Crime" (SSC) division of the Capital Police Department in London. After Monica Campbell, Crown Prosecutor, suddenly drops dead mysteriously and an enemy James thought dead goes on a rampage at a police station, the SSC begins to investigate. James teams up with Sarah Sinclair, a subordinate of Monica's, to uncover the truth behind who's involved in a ever growing conspiracy including a powerful paramilitary corporation, escaped prisoners who were executed, and masks that give their wearers superhuman abilities.
Hero Mask is in no way a perfect anime, but that didn't stop me from enjoying a lot of what it had to offer. It is full of cliches and might not be the most original but I thought the story telling was great and the way it unfolded over the 15 episodes was done quite well. James Blood is an action hero personified. As I watched I felt like I was watching an actual action thriller. Critics complained about the action being slow but to me it felt more grounded in reality and believable instead of over the top. Also I really liked the way the whole mystery and investigation unfolded piece after piece and how it all came together. The animation was top notch and what originally drew me into viewing it as well as the concept. I wouldn't recommend this to the average anime fan but if you are looking for a crime/mystery plot, then you shouldn't write this one off. I give it a 6/10.
KyleQ (267 KP) rated Halloween (2007) in Movies
Jul 20, 2020
Intense and excessive
Before watching this I had become a fan of both House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects, so I did appreciate Rob Zombie as a filmmaker. But it still seemed like a strange idea to have him direct the remake of Halloween.
This remake is 2 hours long, it's mostly stretched to that length due to the scenes involving 10-year-old Michael.
Daeg Faerch plays the young Mikey, and does well, he's creepy and disturbing. Rob's wife Sheri Moon Zombie of course has a role, here as Mikey's mom, she's fine here as the role fits her well. The problem is everyone else, William Forsythe plays Mike's stepdad who happens to be a disgusting excuse for a human being, as is the bully played by Daryl Sabara. The movie then shifts to events at the asylum. Malcolm Mcdowell plays Dr. Sam Loomis. Mcdowell is a good actor, and he gives a pretty good performance here. But he still pales in comparison to the great Donald Pleasence. The movie than movies to 15-years later.
Scout Taylor Compton plays Laurie Strode, she does good, but I was disappointed that she was introduced making a sex joke. Rob couldn't even let the nerdy final girl be sweet and innocent. Needless to say, others are worse.
The movie has LOTS of profanity which honestly drags down any attempts at actually making characters likable. The sex and nudity have also been ramped up.
The violence is definitely brutal, but that's Zombie's style, I felt that Michael was quite terrifying here. Tyler Mane plays Michael, and his 7-foot tall stature is so intimidating.
Overall, Rob Zombie does a good job at developing the story of Michael Myers, and at making some really intense and brutal death scenes. But he does so at the expense of having likable characters and good dialog. I still like it, but I can understand why others wouldn't.
This remake is 2 hours long, it's mostly stretched to that length due to the scenes involving 10-year-old Michael.
Daeg Faerch plays the young Mikey, and does well, he's creepy and disturbing. Rob's wife Sheri Moon Zombie of course has a role, here as Mikey's mom, she's fine here as the role fits her well. The problem is everyone else, William Forsythe plays Mike's stepdad who happens to be a disgusting excuse for a human being, as is the bully played by Daryl Sabara. The movie then shifts to events at the asylum. Malcolm Mcdowell plays Dr. Sam Loomis. Mcdowell is a good actor, and he gives a pretty good performance here. But he still pales in comparison to the great Donald Pleasence. The movie than movies to 15-years later.
Scout Taylor Compton plays Laurie Strode, she does good, but I was disappointed that she was introduced making a sex joke. Rob couldn't even let the nerdy final girl be sweet and innocent. Needless to say, others are worse.
The movie has LOTS of profanity which honestly drags down any attempts at actually making characters likable. The sex and nudity have also been ramped up.
The violence is definitely brutal, but that's Zombie's style, I felt that Michael was quite terrifying here. Tyler Mane plays Michael, and his 7-foot tall stature is so intimidating.
Overall, Rob Zombie does a good job at developing the story of Michael Myers, and at making some really intense and brutal death scenes. But he does so at the expense of having likable characters and good dialog. I still like it, but I can understand why others wouldn't.
The Complete Prebiotic and Probiotic Health Guide: A Diet Plan for Balancing Your Gut Flora - Includes 175 Recipes
Maitreyi Raman, Angela Sirounis and Jennifer Shrubsole
Book
Did you know that the gut contains over 100 trillion bacteria? In recent years, there has been a...
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Pudge & Prejudice in Books
Feb 24, 2021
Do you like Pride and Prejudice? Well, I have a love/hate relationship with the story as I love Darcy but want to clobber him at the same time! However, this retelling of the story… is extraordinary. From the first chapter, I was fascinated by Elyse and the way Allison Pittman immersed me in her story. Elyse and Billy Fitz (how cool are their names?!) played off each other so well, I loved their conversations, the letter passing in class, and how both cared so much about the people around them. Allison Pittman also did a great job telling interweaving themes that are so prevalent and realistic into the characters’ thoughts and actions, such as body positivity and being careful who your friends are. Elyse’s older sister Jayne, and Billy’s best friend Charlie, plus the other beloved characters’ help make this story truly unique and engaging.
I loved the setting (Northenfield, TX), the 1980s drama, and the emphasis on music. Plus, all the 1980s references throughout the story helped to shape thing into a funny, realistic, and heart touching retelling of the original. Yet, it stands out as one of the most memorable renditions of Jane Austen’s works, that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It was also interesting to see how Allison Pittman took the 1800s classic and evolved it into a new classic.
Overall, I think any age group would enjoy this book especially if you enjoyed the original. I know it will be going down as one of my favorite stories this year. 5 out of 5 stars.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
IF Y’ALL LOVE ’80S MUSIC BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE PLAY LIST THAT JENN FROM<a href="https://thatswhatshesreading.com/2021/02/05/pudge-and-prejudice-book-review/">THAT’S WHAT SHE’S READING</a> PUT TOGETHER!
I loved the setting (Northenfield, TX), the 1980s drama, and the emphasis on music. Plus, all the 1980s references throughout the story helped to shape thing into a funny, realistic, and heart touching retelling of the original. Yet, it stands out as one of the most memorable renditions of Jane Austen’s works, that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It was also interesting to see how Allison Pittman took the 1800s classic and evolved it into a new classic.
Overall, I think any age group would enjoy this book especially if you enjoyed the original. I know it will be going down as one of my favorite stories this year. 5 out of 5 stars.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
IF Y’ALL LOVE ’80S MUSIC BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE PLAY LIST THAT JENN FROM<a href="https://thatswhatshesreading.com/2021/02/05/pudge-and-prejudice-book-review/">THAT’S WHAT SHE’S READING</a> PUT TOGETHER!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Collecting Death (Haunted Collection #1) in Books
Mar 5, 2021
33 of 250
Kindle
Collecting Death (Haunted Collection book 1)
By Ron Ripley
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Rolf the teddy bear looks sweet and warm. But in the dark, its eyes glow with a murderous gleam…
Stefan Korzh’s parents built a life around collecting possessed items, in the throes of a peculiar game with the dead. Antique porcelain dolls, beautifully crafted teapots and an eerie teddy bear, all seemingly innocuous objects that encompass unimaginable evil, and malignant spirits who wish to inflict pain on the living.
His parents’ obsession ruined Stefan’s life, and he dreams of punishing the rest of the world for his poor luck of the draw. Dreams become reality when he sends the collectibles to unsuspecting customers. One by one, he eagerly watches the chaos that unfolds.
Victor Daniels, a historian exhausted by yet another academic conference, wants nothing more than to go home and see his wife. But tragedy cuts his hopes of comfort short. Seeking answers, he teams up with a paranormal expert by the name of Jeremy Rhinehart. The two discover a tangled web of haunted collectibles gleefully painting the town red with the blood of their new owners.
Time is running out, and they must stop Stefan from spreading further mayhem. But Jeremy and Victor are in over their heads, and the hellish objects’ spirits will not rest until their pursuers join the ranks of the dead…
Well he took being pissed at his parents way to far! I’d have loved to learn more about Anne and Rolfe as well as a few other characters! It was super eerie especially if you have a fear of haunted kids toys! Reading in the dark made this that little bit better. Really Interesting read. I’d love to know what else was unleashed on the unsuspecting people buying these haunted items. Found the ending slightly rushed too! But overall a good read.
Kindle
Collecting Death (Haunted Collection book 1)
By Ron Ripley
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Rolf the teddy bear looks sweet and warm. But in the dark, its eyes glow with a murderous gleam…
Stefan Korzh’s parents built a life around collecting possessed items, in the throes of a peculiar game with the dead. Antique porcelain dolls, beautifully crafted teapots and an eerie teddy bear, all seemingly innocuous objects that encompass unimaginable evil, and malignant spirits who wish to inflict pain on the living.
His parents’ obsession ruined Stefan’s life, and he dreams of punishing the rest of the world for his poor luck of the draw. Dreams become reality when he sends the collectibles to unsuspecting customers. One by one, he eagerly watches the chaos that unfolds.
Victor Daniels, a historian exhausted by yet another academic conference, wants nothing more than to go home and see his wife. But tragedy cuts his hopes of comfort short. Seeking answers, he teams up with a paranormal expert by the name of Jeremy Rhinehart. The two discover a tangled web of haunted collectibles gleefully painting the town red with the blood of their new owners.
Time is running out, and they must stop Stefan from spreading further mayhem. But Jeremy and Victor are in over their heads, and the hellish objects’ spirits will not rest until their pursuers join the ranks of the dead…
Well he took being pissed at his parents way to far! I’d have loved to learn more about Anne and Rolfe as well as a few other characters! It was super eerie especially if you have a fear of haunted kids toys! Reading in the dark made this that little bit better. Really Interesting read. I’d love to know what else was unleashed on the unsuspecting people buying these haunted items. Found the ending slightly rushed too! But overall a good read.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Richard Jewell (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2020
An interesting watch
Richard Jewell follows the story of a security guard at the 1996 Olympics who saves many lives after discovering a bomb, yet later finds himself as the main suspect in the ensuing FBI investigation.
This is yet another true story I know nothing about, so for me I found this to be quite an interesting watch to discover what happened. To be honest I was almost in disbelief at times to see how Richard was treated by law enforcement and whilst I know some artistic license is always used, it’s still crazy what they did to him! The story is fascinating, although I do think the film drags this out a bit at a run time of well over 2 hours.
That said, there are some good performances in this namely from Paul Walter Hauser (who was great in I, Tonya too), Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates. The relationship between Richard and Rockwell’s character Watson is particularly heartwarming and provides a lot of the funnier aspects of the film and actually proves to be the best thing about this. Sadly there are some who have fared less well - Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde’s seem like your typical cliched FBI and reported characters respectively, and while they both put in good performances, the characters let them down.
What confused me the most about this film was the tone. It felt like it should be a rather tense suspense filled drama (similar to say Patriots Day) but instead it felt too happy or lighthearted to be serious, which considering the subject matter is rather odd. And I think this impacted on how much I liked this. It also didn’t help that they completely gloss over who the real bomber actually was right at the end, and this felt rather abrupt and frustrating considering the length of time the film spends showing them investigating Richard! Overall this is an enjoyable interesting film but falls short of being anything spectacular.
This is yet another true story I know nothing about, so for me I found this to be quite an interesting watch to discover what happened. To be honest I was almost in disbelief at times to see how Richard was treated by law enforcement and whilst I know some artistic license is always used, it’s still crazy what they did to him! The story is fascinating, although I do think the film drags this out a bit at a run time of well over 2 hours.
That said, there are some good performances in this namely from Paul Walter Hauser (who was great in I, Tonya too), Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates. The relationship between Richard and Rockwell’s character Watson is particularly heartwarming and provides a lot of the funnier aspects of the film and actually proves to be the best thing about this. Sadly there are some who have fared less well - Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde’s seem like your typical cliched FBI and reported characters respectively, and while they both put in good performances, the characters let them down.
What confused me the most about this film was the tone. It felt like it should be a rather tense suspense filled drama (similar to say Patriots Day) but instead it felt too happy or lighthearted to be serious, which considering the subject matter is rather odd. And I think this impacted on how much I liked this. It also didn’t help that they completely gloss over who the real bomber actually was right at the end, and this felt rather abrupt and frustrating considering the length of time the film spends showing them investigating Richard! Overall this is an enjoyable interesting film but falls short of being anything spectacular.