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The Weekend Escape
The Weekend Escape
Rakie Bennett | 2021 | Crime, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is another book that takes the "locked-room" mystery and develops it so rather than being in a room, the 6 friends are on a small island just off the coast of the north west of the UK accessed only by boat, no phone to the outside world and dodgy weather approaching. What could possibly go wrong?

Things start to go awry from the beginning and gradually get worse. The sense of claustrophobia and of being within touching distance of the mainland when you might as well be on the moon was excellently portrayed.

The characters were well developed - I don't think any of them are particularly likeable or memorable but it works for the story. The pacing is steady and the build up of tension palpable. The reveal was, for me, not much of a surprise as I had already guessed it but getting there was quite good fun.

Although not the most unique story, it was enjoyable nevertheless and my thanks must go to HarperCollinsUK / One More Chapter via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
Parks and Recreation  - Season 1
Parks and Recreation - Season 1
2009 | Comedy
Chris Pratt's dorkiness (2 more)
Amy Poehler is hilarious
Aziz Ansari is a D-bag but plays it well
Storyline drags on for more than one season (0 more)
A brilliant, comedic ensemble
There are plenty of well known faces in Parks and Recreation including Hollywood A-Lister Chris Pratt, who plays a lazy slob, and looks surprisingly different from his current heartthrob self.

But Amy Poehler steals the show in this, playing the deputy director of Parks and Recreation for local government in this small town called Pawnee. She's rather sweet and hugely optimistic in the face of everyone saying no to her as she tries to fill in a giant pit and turn it into a park.

 It is a hilarious take on local government and all the pitfalls of being a representative.
  
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Inferno (The Divine Comedy, #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have been wanting to read the Divine Comedy for a while now, especially since it is constantly referenced in other works. I thought it was cool how Dante brought in so many well-known political, religious, and just generally famous people then showed them all suffering in Hell. Yes, there was a lot of humor strewn throughout this epic poem, but there were obviously a lot of serious moments that made you have to think. Even if you are not religious, this is a very interesting thing to pick up because of its historical connections as well as being an insight into the minds of some more religious figureheads during this time period. Overall, this was a pretty cool read and I am excited to read the other two.
  
Dog Soldiers (2002)
Dog Soldiers (2002)
2002 | Action, Horror
6
8.2 (26 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Raucous and highly derivative low-budget werewolf movie. Director Neil Marshall went on to bigger and somewhat better movies, but this is a decent calling card.

A group of British squaddies on a training exercise run into a pack of werewolves in the Scottish highlands (as happens all the time, I expect); they take refuge in a remote farmhouse. What follows is largely composed of bits lifted from Evil Dead and Assault on Precinct 13, done with a great deal of enthusiasm by all concerned. Part of the fun of this kind of movie is being able to guess what's going to happen next; you may well be able to do so even if you haven't seen the same films that Marshall has. Well-staged gory action; rather impressive werewolf suits considering the low budget.
  
Open Range (2003)
Open Range (2003)
2003 | Action, Drama, Western
8
8.2 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The list of westerns I have seen over the years can be counted on 2 hands.
out of that small amount this and Unforgiven are favourites, Costner and Duvall are well paired and this story although reasonably simply has great depth and heart.
It's an old fashioned western about free grazing and unlawful mercenaries and contains beautiful vistas and prolonged bone crunching shootouts, however although the film starts slowly the build-up pays off handsomely.
Costner's character gives off an air of being very dangerous when pushed and on the flipside shows his awkwardness when it comes to matters of the heart.
Annette Benning rounds off the movie as the believable Love interest in what I believe is a very well rounded small cast of actors in this very re-watchable western.