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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Killing Gunther (2017) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Action Superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to action in the new film “Killing Gunther”. The film is a documentary style fusion of comedy and action and involves a collection of assassins gathering to kill an elite assassin named Gunther (Arnold Schwarzenegger). The group’s motives are varied but many simply want to make a name for themselves by taking out the top name in their profession.
The leader of the team is Blake (Taran Killam), and he has a range of reasons for wanting Gunther dead and has hired a documentary film crew to capture every moment of his mission.
Unfortunately Blake and his crew are highly dysfunctional and they have to supplement their crew with some unstable and unproven recruits as the more established members of their profession know better than to cross Gunther.
The team learns quickly that there plans are already known to Gunther and he starts toying with them in a series of well-timed hit and run missions. Every time the team thinks they have the drop on Gunther, he seems to turn the tables on them and slip away, reducing their ranks in the process.
Blake soon finds his life falling apart as his actions have drawn the attention of the authorities and he finds himself unable to return to his home and forced to take up residence with his tech guy.
As Blake goes all in on his mission life and other complications arise for the team which makes for an all-out finale to accomplish his goal.
While the premise of the film is entertaining it does tend to drag on at many points and labors to get to Schwarzenegger. Part of this is due to Taran Killam being the Writer and Director for the film as well. He has a background that includes Saturday Night Live and short sitcoms and sketch comedies. He has crafted a very interesting premise but one that would have been better in a series of short sketches or in a shorter film.
Schwarzenegger seems to be enjoying himself and the campy nature of his role and he at times parodies himself with some lines lifted from “Predator”, yet seems to do so with a wink and a smile to the audience.
Schwarzenegger fans may find the film interesting enough to watch in the theaters but my advice would be to watch this on demand or wait to rent or stream it.
http://sknr.net/2017/10/18/killing-gunther/
The leader of the team is Blake (Taran Killam), and he has a range of reasons for wanting Gunther dead and has hired a documentary film crew to capture every moment of his mission.
Unfortunately Blake and his crew are highly dysfunctional and they have to supplement their crew with some unstable and unproven recruits as the more established members of their profession know better than to cross Gunther.
The team learns quickly that there plans are already known to Gunther and he starts toying with them in a series of well-timed hit and run missions. Every time the team thinks they have the drop on Gunther, he seems to turn the tables on them and slip away, reducing their ranks in the process.
Blake soon finds his life falling apart as his actions have drawn the attention of the authorities and he finds himself unable to return to his home and forced to take up residence with his tech guy.
As Blake goes all in on his mission life and other complications arise for the team which makes for an all-out finale to accomplish his goal.
While the premise of the film is entertaining it does tend to drag on at many points and labors to get to Schwarzenegger. Part of this is due to Taran Killam being the Writer and Director for the film as well. He has a background that includes Saturday Night Live and short sitcoms and sketch comedies. He has crafted a very interesting premise but one that would have been better in a series of short sketches or in a shorter film.
Schwarzenegger seems to be enjoying himself and the campy nature of his role and he at times parodies himself with some lines lifted from “Predator”, yet seems to do so with a wink and a smile to the audience.
Schwarzenegger fans may find the film interesting enough to watch in the theaters but my advice would be to watch this on demand or wait to rent or stream it.
http://sknr.net/2017/10/18/killing-gunther/
Hazel (1853 KP) rated After Us (Before & After, #2) in Books
Dec 14, 2018
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review
After Us is the second book in the Before and After series by Amber Heart. The story follows on from the events in the first book, Before You, and how the characters are coping in the aftermath. I have not read the first book however that was not a problem as After Us was written in such a way that made it easy to understand what had happened previously.
The story alternates between 18 year old Melissa and Javier's point of views. Melissa is hiding her scars from the operation to remove the cancer cells from her body and living with the fear that it may not have been successful. Since her best friend Faith has moved away she has kept this to herself, worrying that other people would be repulsed by her. Javier, on the other hand, is wearing a metaphorical mask to hide the pain he feels at the loss of his cousin and best friend Diego. Instead of laying the past to rest he is determined to avenge Diego's death.
After Us is essentially a love story about characters who hide the raw pain they feel from everyone, including those closest to each other. As well as these problems they also have to deal with racial discrimination. Javier's family originate from Cuba and only moved to the US for a better life. Javier's mother, however, has a "only-date-Latinas" rule as she believes American girls are not good enough for her sons. This is somewhat like the famous story of Romeo and Juliet where the families want nothing to do with each other.
As well as a love story, After Us deals with other themes from medical problems to drug dealing. Heart, rather than writing about the affects of taking drugs, concentrates on the people behind the dealing. Drug Gangs can be just as dangerous as the substances as they involve violence that often result on fatal injuries.
On the whole the storyline could have delved deeper into the characters individual stories and the ending could have been stronger. Although there was a surprise plot twist, the book finished rather quickly with everything suddenly being resolved and no repercussions.
As already mentioned it is not vital to read the previous book in order to understand After Us however, from what I understand, Before You is written from Faith and Diego's points of views. Overall this book was ok for a quick read but I would not label it as anything special.
After Us is the second book in the Before and After series by Amber Heart. The story follows on from the events in the first book, Before You, and how the characters are coping in the aftermath. I have not read the first book however that was not a problem as After Us was written in such a way that made it easy to understand what had happened previously.
The story alternates between 18 year old Melissa and Javier's point of views. Melissa is hiding her scars from the operation to remove the cancer cells from her body and living with the fear that it may not have been successful. Since her best friend Faith has moved away she has kept this to herself, worrying that other people would be repulsed by her. Javier, on the other hand, is wearing a metaphorical mask to hide the pain he feels at the loss of his cousin and best friend Diego. Instead of laying the past to rest he is determined to avenge Diego's death.
After Us is essentially a love story about characters who hide the raw pain they feel from everyone, including those closest to each other. As well as these problems they also have to deal with racial discrimination. Javier's family originate from Cuba and only moved to the US for a better life. Javier's mother, however, has a "only-date-Latinas" rule as she believes American girls are not good enough for her sons. This is somewhat like the famous story of Romeo and Juliet where the families want nothing to do with each other.
As well as a love story, After Us deals with other themes from medical problems to drug dealing. Heart, rather than writing about the affects of taking drugs, concentrates on the people behind the dealing. Drug Gangs can be just as dangerous as the substances as they involve violence that often result on fatal injuries.
On the whole the storyline could have delved deeper into the characters individual stories and the ending could have been stronger. Although there was a surprise plot twist, the book finished rather quickly with everything suddenly being resolved and no repercussions.
As already mentioned it is not vital to read the previous book in order to understand After Us however, from what I understand, Before You is written from Faith and Diego's points of views. Overall this book was ok for a quick read but I would not label it as anything special.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Oh Dear Silvia in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>Oh Dear Silvia</i> is a contemporary, somewhat humorous, novel by British comedian, Dawn French. Set in England it focuses on a sixty-year-old woman, Silvia Shute, who has fallen from a balcony, sustaining a serious head injury that has left her in a coma.
Knowing this you cannot help wondering how you do write a book where the main character is unconscious and how would this affect the narrative? This is how. Although Silvia is indeed the main character, the tale is actually told through observing family members and friends when they visit her in hospital. The entire book plays out in Silvia’s hospital room, Suite 5, but each character brings something else to story through their thoughts, feelings and actions.
Ed, Silvia’s ex husband, provides details of what has happened since their divorce. Jo, her older sister, reminisces about their childhood whist trying and failing to use a number of New Age ideas to wake Silvia up. There is Cat, her best friend, through who we discover what actually happened to Silvia, whilst, Tia, her cleaner is bringing in her favourite foods and updating her on the various goings on in the celebrity world. Cassie, her daughter however, portrays Silvia in a different light that makes us question what kind of person Silvia really was. And finally there is Winnie, a nurse at the hospital. Winnie’s accounts provide the reader with an extra storyline that is nothing to do with Silvia and her accident.
The story being told in this way gives the reader a chance to learn about who Silvia was which causes us to think different things about her which we would not have had the opportunity to feel had Silvia been able to tell the story herself. Firstly we feel worry for her, but then we begin to hate her particularly with the help of Cassie as well as Ed, who admits that had Silvia been conscious he would not have been visiting. Finally we get to a stage of understanding. Understanding who Silvia was, understanding why she did what she did, understanding what has happened to her.
The book takes on many themes: drama, mystery… and humour. Well, it is meant to be humour. I can understand the funny parts but personally it was not my type of humour. Too much swearing in my opinion. But then if you enjoy that type of thing, <i>Oh Dear Silvia</i> has the potential to be a really funny book.
Knowing this you cannot help wondering how you do write a book where the main character is unconscious and how would this affect the narrative? This is how. Although Silvia is indeed the main character, the tale is actually told through observing family members and friends when they visit her in hospital. The entire book plays out in Silvia’s hospital room, Suite 5, but each character brings something else to story through their thoughts, feelings and actions.
Ed, Silvia’s ex husband, provides details of what has happened since their divorce. Jo, her older sister, reminisces about their childhood whist trying and failing to use a number of New Age ideas to wake Silvia up. There is Cat, her best friend, through who we discover what actually happened to Silvia, whilst, Tia, her cleaner is bringing in her favourite foods and updating her on the various goings on in the celebrity world. Cassie, her daughter however, portrays Silvia in a different light that makes us question what kind of person Silvia really was. And finally there is Winnie, a nurse at the hospital. Winnie’s accounts provide the reader with an extra storyline that is nothing to do with Silvia and her accident.
The story being told in this way gives the reader a chance to learn about who Silvia was which causes us to think different things about her which we would not have had the opportunity to feel had Silvia been able to tell the story herself. Firstly we feel worry for her, but then we begin to hate her particularly with the help of Cassie as well as Ed, who admits that had Silvia been conscious he would not have been visiting. Finally we get to a stage of understanding. Understanding who Silvia was, understanding why she did what she did, understanding what has happened to her.
The book takes on many themes: drama, mystery… and humour. Well, it is meant to be humour. I can understand the funny parts but personally it was not my type of humour. Too much swearing in my opinion. But then if you enjoy that type of thing, <i>Oh Dear Silvia</i> has the potential to be a really funny book.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated 100 Fathoms Below in Books
Jan 31, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
I love books that take place under the sea–particularly horror books. If you’ve read my review on Something’s Alive on the Titanic, you probably already know that. (It’s a great book by the way, and its author is Robert Serling–brother to Rod Serling.) It’s only natural that I selected 100 Fathoms Below when I read its nautical, and eerie, description.
And here’s where my spoiler comes in, because I’m about to go on a mini-rant. The synopsis hints at a mysterious, evil monster hunting the crew of the ship, but it does not say what that creature is. Therefore, I feel that revealing this is a book about vampires is, in fact, a spoiler–contrary to popular belief of other reviewers. It’s pretty obvious early on, with the first hint coming in at 8%, however if I’d known this was a vampire book before I chose it, I wouldn’t have taken the time to read it. The key word there is BEFORE. Because I had it spoiled by a straight up summary of the prologue on Goodreads, coupled with a pretty hearty description about the… well, vampires. So, now that you know that overly used trope is here, let’s take a moment to discuss what Kent and Kaufmann do right, shall we?
The vampires in 100 Fathoms Below are good ol’ classic boys, in the sense that they’re bloodthirsty and want nothing more than to maim and breed more of their kind. They aren’t romanticized, either–and that’s a great thing. In fact, they’re written well enough that, despite having been spoiled by a fellow reviewer, I enjoyed the book enough to finish it. Mostly because I wanted to see how things ended.
Something else Kent and Kaufmann excel at is creating a connection between the readers and characters. I found myself sharing the hopes and dreams of many of the figures we meet. That made some of the deaths a lot more difficult on me.
The plot is quick, making it an easy read; however, the sense of intrigue isn’t really there. The whole discovering a prototype Soviet submarine takes the back burner with an occasional mention and even when it does come back into play toward the end of the book, there’s not exactly any excitement or fear of them being caught. I found that to be a bit disappointing.
Overall, it’s an entertaining read, but I probably wouldn’t take the time to re-read it. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
And here’s where my spoiler comes in, because I’m about to go on a mini-rant. The synopsis hints at a mysterious, evil monster hunting the crew of the ship, but it does not say what that creature is. Therefore, I feel that revealing this is a book about vampires is, in fact, a spoiler–contrary to popular belief of other reviewers. It’s pretty obvious early on, with the first hint coming in at 8%, however if I’d known this was a vampire book before I chose it, I wouldn’t have taken the time to read it. The key word there is BEFORE. Because I had it spoiled by a straight up summary of the prologue on Goodreads, coupled with a pretty hearty description about the… well, vampires. So, now that you know that overly used trope is here, let’s take a moment to discuss what Kent and Kaufmann do right, shall we?
The vampires in 100 Fathoms Below are good ol’ classic boys, in the sense that they’re bloodthirsty and want nothing more than to maim and breed more of their kind. They aren’t romanticized, either–and that’s a great thing. In fact, they’re written well enough that, despite having been spoiled by a fellow reviewer, I enjoyed the book enough to finish it. Mostly because I wanted to see how things ended.
Something else Kent and Kaufmann excel at is creating a connection between the readers and characters. I found myself sharing the hopes and dreams of many of the figures we meet. That made some of the deaths a lot more difficult on me.
The plot is quick, making it an easy read; however, the sense of intrigue isn’t really there. The whole discovering a prototype Soviet submarine takes the back burner with an occasional mention and even when it does come back into play toward the end of the book, there’s not exactly any excitement or fear of them being caught. I found that to be a bit disappointing.
Overall, it’s an entertaining read, but I probably wouldn’t take the time to re-read it. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Twice in a Blue Moon in Books
Oct 24, 2019
Tate first fell in love on a trip to London, where she met the mysterious Sam Brandis. They shared all their deepest secrets and dreams together every night in their hotel's garden. It was a whirlwind, beautiful romance. Sam was the only person that Tate told her biggest secret: she is the daughter of one of Hollywood's biggest film stars. But their brief love story ended abruptly when Sam betrayed Tate, revealing her secret and outing her to the world. Now, fourteen years later, Tate is a famous actress herself. She's on set on her biggest project to date. The last person she's expecting to see is Sam Brandis. But here he is. Now Tate is forced to confront what happened fourteen years ago--and how it has affected her all these years later.
"What would you do if you got a second chance with your first love?"
Well, I was totally caught up in this captivating romance. I'm a real sucker for Hollywood drama, so this was right up my alley. The daughter of a Hollywood star, who abandoned her and her Mom after a messy divorce? Said daughter grows up and decides to be a film star after being outed by her first love? I'm so in.
This Christina Lauren novel is told just from Tate's point of view, so we don't get some of the back-and-forth POV that we see in some of the duo's other books. There is more drama, less witty banter, than we might see in other books. But there's still plenty of the usual lies, longing, and misunderstandings. There are also lots of sexy moments and romantic interludes, too.
Tate is a fun character; I liked the divide between young Tate and Sam and then cutting to them fourteen years later. Honestly, older Tate is a little clueless at times. It takes her a while to catch on to things that seem pretty obvious to the rest of us. As usual, some things are rather predictable and other moments are a bit overblown, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. While Sam and Tate might not have had a constant humorous dialogue going, I liked the seriousness that the book brought to their relationship, as well as the funny moments it dropped in too. Tate's family, friends, and co-stars add a lighthearted touch, too.
Overall, this is a sweet, engaging romance. I loved the Hollywood aspect and the changing dynamic between Tate and Sam. 4 stars.
"What would you do if you got a second chance with your first love?"
Well, I was totally caught up in this captivating romance. I'm a real sucker for Hollywood drama, so this was right up my alley. The daughter of a Hollywood star, who abandoned her and her Mom after a messy divorce? Said daughter grows up and decides to be a film star after being outed by her first love? I'm so in.
This Christina Lauren novel is told just from Tate's point of view, so we don't get some of the back-and-forth POV that we see in some of the duo's other books. There is more drama, less witty banter, than we might see in other books. But there's still plenty of the usual lies, longing, and misunderstandings. There are also lots of sexy moments and romantic interludes, too.
Tate is a fun character; I liked the divide between young Tate and Sam and then cutting to them fourteen years later. Honestly, older Tate is a little clueless at times. It takes her a while to catch on to things that seem pretty obvious to the rest of us. As usual, some things are rather predictable and other moments are a bit overblown, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. While Sam and Tate might not have had a constant humorous dialogue going, I liked the seriousness that the book brought to their relationship, as well as the funny moments it dropped in too. Tate's family, friends, and co-stars add a lighthearted touch, too.
Overall, this is a sweet, engaging romance. I loved the Hollywood aspect and the changing dynamic between Tate and Sam. 4 stars.
Anne (15117 KP) rated Ashlords in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Children's Publishing for letting me read and review this fantastic book.
I've read The Nyxia Triad by Scott Reintgen and knew from reading that series that he was a great writer with wonderful stories. I am so excited I got to read this book and can't wait for the next book after this one because I have questions that need answers.
I'm super curious about some things after reading Ashlords with the characters and their stories, what's going to happen to them and with everything, but I'm also super curious to know about some side stories and characters like Quinn for example.
This is pitched as Red Rising meets The Scorpio Races and while I don't know about Red Rising because I haven't read that yet, I can see the similarities with The Scorpio Races. What I kept thinking and being reminded of when I was reading this are The Scorpio Races as mentioned and The Hunger Games. I kept having lots of memories and flashbacks to things/ideas from The Hunger Games.
It's about three phoenix horse riders - yes phoenix horses! and the riders are skilled in alchemy, which you have to be to know how to create the best horse for riding in The Races. In The Races, you have to defend the ashes of your horse at night, but you aren't allowed to kill only maim, injure or poison the ashes of the horse. There are 11 riders in The Races, but only a few that have something to gain or lose.
The Ashlords follows these few characters and what happens with them during The Races. There's Pippa who is a favorite, one they expect to win and her parents were winners in previous years of The Races, The guy she wants to be with, Bravos, who's all about winning. Then there are the others who I was more interested in, Adrian, the Longhand, from one of the other groups/races of people there that are ruled over by the Ashlords and Imelda Beru, the Alchemist, who's the one who gets in on scholarship and is part of one of the other races that's ruled over by the Ashlords as well so these two characters have more to lose.
It's an emotional and intense ride through the book with the characters and you get to understand a lot by the end of this book that sets it up well and leaves you hanging with wanting to know what will happen next. This is one you need to have on your radar and make sure to read!
I've read The Nyxia Triad by Scott Reintgen and knew from reading that series that he was a great writer with wonderful stories. I am so excited I got to read this book and can't wait for the next book after this one because I have questions that need answers.
I'm super curious about some things after reading Ashlords with the characters and their stories, what's going to happen to them and with everything, but I'm also super curious to know about some side stories and characters like Quinn for example.
This is pitched as Red Rising meets The Scorpio Races and while I don't know about Red Rising because I haven't read that yet, I can see the similarities with The Scorpio Races. What I kept thinking and being reminded of when I was reading this are The Scorpio Races as mentioned and The Hunger Games. I kept having lots of memories and flashbacks to things/ideas from The Hunger Games.
It's about three phoenix horse riders - yes phoenix horses! and the riders are skilled in alchemy, which you have to be to know how to create the best horse for riding in The Races. In The Races, you have to defend the ashes of your horse at night, but you aren't allowed to kill only maim, injure or poison the ashes of the horse. There are 11 riders in The Races, but only a few that have something to gain or lose.
The Ashlords follows these few characters and what happens with them during The Races. There's Pippa who is a favorite, one they expect to win and her parents were winners in previous years of The Races, The guy she wants to be with, Bravos, who's all about winning. Then there are the others who I was more interested in, Adrian, the Longhand, from one of the other groups/races of people there that are ruled over by the Ashlords and Imelda Beru, the Alchemist, who's the one who gets in on scholarship and is part of one of the other races that's ruled over by the Ashlords as well so these two characters have more to lose.
It's an emotional and intense ride through the book with the characters and you get to understand a lot by the end of this book that sets it up well and leaves you hanging with wanting to know what will happen next. This is one you need to have on your radar and make sure to read!
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Killer of Enemies (Killer of Enemies, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2015/07/review-killer-of-enemies-by-joseph-bruchac.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I never thought I would ever come across a book that dumps information on you AND like it.
With a post-apocalyptic world where people are ruled over genetically modified people who are barely human anymore, Joseph Bruchac has obviously planned this book very well and vividly, even with the amount of information he dumps on you for most of the book. I find that the information dump actually goes very well with the amount of action there is. Take away all of the information, and you'll be left with an empty husk of a book that is just full of nonstop action, which would definitely backfire big time on the author because it would be pretty undeveloped.
Bruchac is very detail-oriented throughout the book it's not just the information being dumped. Lozen, our main character who is a monster hunter for the genetically modified people ruling over her home, apparently goes into excruciating detail about some things, such as talking about someone's body odor or eating a monster's heart (that was gross).
Killer of Enemies also promotes diversity in the young adult genre Lozen is a Native American, and I can honestly say I have never had a Native American in any book I've read so far until now. There are hints of Native American traditions and culture woven throughout, and I find that it's probably one of the reasons why I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I would have without the Native American aspect.
Despite how awesome and diverse Killer of Enemies, there were just some things that knocked down some points. Throughout the information dumping, I don't think Bruchac actually mentions why or how the four rulers of Haven actually got their names. The Dreamer and Lady Time make sense, but the Jester doesn't really make sense, and Diablita Loca (how do you even say that?) makes no sense whatsoever.
There also doesn't seem to be a purpose, and while there does seem to be one, I just can't really tell at all. The entire book is pretty much described in less than ten words: hunting weird monsters, telling stories, flashbacks, and information dump.
I did, however, like how Bruchac ends Killer of Enemies by saying something along the lines of, "Just because this story is over doesn't mean everything is now peachy and happily ever after. It's just uncertain, but right now, everything is great."
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2015/07/review-killer-of-enemies-by-joseph-bruchac.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I never thought I would ever come across a book that dumps information on you AND like it.
With a post-apocalyptic world where people are ruled over genetically modified people who are barely human anymore, Joseph Bruchac has obviously planned this book very well and vividly, even with the amount of information he dumps on you for most of the book. I find that the information dump actually goes very well with the amount of action there is. Take away all of the information, and you'll be left with an empty husk of a book that is just full of nonstop action, which would definitely backfire big time on the author because it would be pretty undeveloped.
Bruchac is very detail-oriented throughout the book it's not just the information being dumped. Lozen, our main character who is a monster hunter for the genetically modified people ruling over her home, apparently goes into excruciating detail about some things, such as talking about someone's body odor or eating a monster's heart (that was gross).
Killer of Enemies also promotes diversity in the young adult genre Lozen is a Native American, and I can honestly say I have never had a Native American in any book I've read so far until now. There are hints of Native American traditions and culture woven throughout, and I find that it's probably one of the reasons why I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I would have without the Native American aspect.
Despite how awesome and diverse Killer of Enemies, there were just some things that knocked down some points. Throughout the information dumping, I don't think Bruchac actually mentions why or how the four rulers of Haven actually got their names. The Dreamer and Lady Time make sense, but the Jester doesn't really make sense, and Diablita Loca (how do you even say that?) makes no sense whatsoever.
There also doesn't seem to be a purpose, and while there does seem to be one, I just can't really tell at all. The entire book is pretty much described in less than ten words: hunting weird monsters, telling stories, flashbacks, and information dump.
I did, however, like how Bruchac ends Killer of Enemies by saying something along the lines of, "Just because this story is over doesn't mean everything is now peachy and happily ever after. It's just uncertain, but right now, everything is great."
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Bad Boys for Life (2020) in Movies
Jan 18, 2020
Entertaining "shoot-em-up" with 2 charismatic leads
Okay - I gotta admit, I never saw the first two BAD BOYS films starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, but I pretty much got the gist of it through the advertisements, so when these 2 re-united for a 3rd film (set 17 years after BAD BOYS II), I figured I would skip this one as well. But...as life would have it...I ended up attending this film - with a giant attitude of "this is gonna stink" to accompany me.
And...I was wrong. I was really, really entertained by this film.
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE presents Martin Lawrence's Det. Marcus Burnett and Will Smith's Det. Mike Lowry still "in the game". One wants to keep working and the other is looking to retire (if you take a look at the picture, you can figure out which one is which). The two battle like an old married couple while taking on some crooks in "shoot 'em up" action scenes.
And...what's not to like about that? Smith and Lawrence still have strong chemistry on the screen and the action scenes - staged by new (to me) Directors Adil and Bilall - keep things moving at a quick enough pace, not too fast that you get a headache, but not too slow that you start punching a hole in the plot.
And...as is typical of these types of films...the plot is paper thin and just is a reason to have these 2 banter and to have shoot-em-up scenes.
But that doesn't matter.
Ably helping the boys out is their put-upon Captain (the always watchable Joe Pantaliano reprising his role from the previous 2 films) and the members of the "AMMO SQUAD". These are young cops who are set up to replace our 2 heroes. Normally, this band of youngsters would be arrogant a-holes who end up being too cocky and are outwitted by our heroes, but this film puts that convention on it's ear and the "Ammo Squad" are actually a pretty good addition to this film series.
The filmmakers left the door wide open for BAD BOYS 4 and...I can't believe I'm saying this...I'm actually looking forward to it! Certainly not an Oscar contender, but an entertaining "blow-em-up" with 2 charismatic leads that play off each other well. Everyone involved knew exactly what type of film they were making - so they made that movie, with no apologies.
Letter Grade: a solid B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And...I was wrong. I was really, really entertained by this film.
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE presents Martin Lawrence's Det. Marcus Burnett and Will Smith's Det. Mike Lowry still "in the game". One wants to keep working and the other is looking to retire (if you take a look at the picture, you can figure out which one is which). The two battle like an old married couple while taking on some crooks in "shoot 'em up" action scenes.
And...what's not to like about that? Smith and Lawrence still have strong chemistry on the screen and the action scenes - staged by new (to me) Directors Adil and Bilall - keep things moving at a quick enough pace, not too fast that you get a headache, but not too slow that you start punching a hole in the plot.
And...as is typical of these types of films...the plot is paper thin and just is a reason to have these 2 banter and to have shoot-em-up scenes.
But that doesn't matter.
Ably helping the boys out is their put-upon Captain (the always watchable Joe Pantaliano reprising his role from the previous 2 films) and the members of the "AMMO SQUAD". These are young cops who are set up to replace our 2 heroes. Normally, this band of youngsters would be arrogant a-holes who end up being too cocky and are outwitted by our heroes, but this film puts that convention on it's ear and the "Ammo Squad" are actually a pretty good addition to this film series.
The filmmakers left the door wide open for BAD BOYS 4 and...I can't believe I'm saying this...I'm actually looking forward to it! Certainly not an Oscar contender, but an entertaining "blow-em-up" with 2 charismatic leads that play off each other well. Everyone involved knew exactly what type of film they were making - so they made that movie, with no apologies.
Letter Grade: a solid B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
JT (287 KP) rated Real Steel (2011) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Michael Bay, take note, this is how to make a proper film about robots beating the living shit out of each other. Based on the Richard Matheson short story Steel, this follows the journey of former professional boxer Charlie Kenton (Jackman) who now spends his time in debt, as a promoter for the new sport of robot boxing.
When Charlie meets his 11-year old son Max (Goyo) the two must rediscover themselves and build a relationship strong enough to get them through any of life’s toughest challenges. Let’s get one thing clear right away, this is Levy’s best film to date. Which is not hard when past titles include, both Night at the Museum’s, Date Night and The Pink Panther.
Jackman is strong enough in a role which let’s him flex his muscles from time to time, he’s a rough and rugged character anyway which is why he fits the Charlie Kenton mould so well. Partnered opposite young Max, who has enough cheeky charm and wide eyed looks to seduce any adult in to letting things go his way. But its not just about the Charlie and Max relationship, there is of course ‘Atom’, the sparing robot they discover in a junkyard.
Despite being all metal and wires, there is a strong feeling that Atom has a personality of his own even if it is mirrored by the person standing in front of him. But the scenes that Atom and Max share on screen together are genuine heart felt moments.
There is enough robot smashing mayhem going on through the drama, as Atom beings the road to underdog glory moving from one metal crunching bout to the next. The fights are very well choreographed from no holes barred scrap fights to the glitz and glamour of the Robot Boxing League where the stakes and money are high.
It’s hard not to see the underlying homage to the Rocky franchise, even the final fight which pairs Atom against the mighty Zeus is a robotic version of Balboa Vs Drago, right down to the female Russian, Olga, who sits in his corner. The supporting cast are in effect just that, the chemistry between Kenton and Bailey (Lily) is good, but she’s not really given enough in the script to make her stand out, so sparks are few and far between.
Jackman is likeable and the kid less annoying than others before him, its flashy and packs a punch that produces some great action sequences throughout.
When Charlie meets his 11-year old son Max (Goyo) the two must rediscover themselves and build a relationship strong enough to get them through any of life’s toughest challenges. Let’s get one thing clear right away, this is Levy’s best film to date. Which is not hard when past titles include, both Night at the Museum’s, Date Night and The Pink Panther.
Jackman is strong enough in a role which let’s him flex his muscles from time to time, he’s a rough and rugged character anyway which is why he fits the Charlie Kenton mould so well. Partnered opposite young Max, who has enough cheeky charm and wide eyed looks to seduce any adult in to letting things go his way. But its not just about the Charlie and Max relationship, there is of course ‘Atom’, the sparing robot they discover in a junkyard.
Despite being all metal and wires, there is a strong feeling that Atom has a personality of his own even if it is mirrored by the person standing in front of him. But the scenes that Atom and Max share on screen together are genuine heart felt moments.
There is enough robot smashing mayhem going on through the drama, as Atom beings the road to underdog glory moving from one metal crunching bout to the next. The fights are very well choreographed from no holes barred scrap fights to the glitz and glamour of the Robot Boxing League where the stakes and money are high.
It’s hard not to see the underlying homage to the Rocky franchise, even the final fight which pairs Atom against the mighty Zeus is a robotic version of Balboa Vs Drago, right down to the female Russian, Olga, who sits in his corner. The supporting cast are in effect just that, the chemistry between Kenton and Bailey (Lily) is good, but she’s not really given enough in the script to make her stand out, so sparks are few and far between.
Jackman is likeable and the kid less annoying than others before him, its flashy and packs a punch that produces some great action sequences throughout.
JT (287 KP) rated Halloween (1978) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Without a doubt Halloween was one of the finest horror films ever made, John Carpenter was spot on with his portrayal of a serial killer descending on a small American town.
Michael Myers was to become a horror icon and even though it spanned seven sequels, the original will always be the best in many people’s eyes. It is certainly my all time favourite horror film. Carpenter’s cinematic vision of Halloween was brilliant right from the opening credits. The long and short camera angles coupled with the “was he there or wasn’t he” shots of Myers were sublime.
The sinister musical score as well is paramount in making this film a household name in its genre. Jamie Lee Curtis was a scream queen for the 70s and although the acting talents were not up to scratch, it made no difference to the overall outcome of the film. Michael Myers was a disturbed child and after committing a horrific murder when he was just six years old he was committed to a mental institution where he escaped to stalk Laurie Strode, his long lost sister.
His the perfect boogeyman, and during the first part of the film he stalks Laurie sometimes just appearing out of shot as a blur between trees of a faceless driver passing by in his car. Laurie of course has no idea who he is but starts to feel like she is being watched, and her fears are finally realised one night descends and Carpenter ramps up the tension to breaking point.
What I love about this film is the pure simplicity of it, with a budget of just $320,000 it grossed $60m world world and was a massive hit with horror fans the world over. It didn’t want for fancy special effects, and the musical score was hardly a masterpiece but it did the job and it did it well. It is the model slasher flick and most of what has preceded it (maybe with the exception of the first Scream) have not been able to stand up in competition.
We’ve had Freddy and Jason, and we’re still having to sit and watch teenagers heading to remote and desolate locations to be butchered in a variety of unique ways while pints of blood are splashed across the screen. Halloween doesn’t require that, it will have you jumping out of your seat at least more than once and it just goes to prove that simple scares are the most effective.
Michael Myers was to become a horror icon and even though it spanned seven sequels, the original will always be the best in many people’s eyes. It is certainly my all time favourite horror film. Carpenter’s cinematic vision of Halloween was brilliant right from the opening credits. The long and short camera angles coupled with the “was he there or wasn’t he” shots of Myers were sublime.
The sinister musical score as well is paramount in making this film a household name in its genre. Jamie Lee Curtis was a scream queen for the 70s and although the acting talents were not up to scratch, it made no difference to the overall outcome of the film. Michael Myers was a disturbed child and after committing a horrific murder when he was just six years old he was committed to a mental institution where he escaped to stalk Laurie Strode, his long lost sister.
His the perfect boogeyman, and during the first part of the film he stalks Laurie sometimes just appearing out of shot as a blur between trees of a faceless driver passing by in his car. Laurie of course has no idea who he is but starts to feel like she is being watched, and her fears are finally realised one night descends and Carpenter ramps up the tension to breaking point.
What I love about this film is the pure simplicity of it, with a budget of just $320,000 it grossed $60m world world and was a massive hit with horror fans the world over. It didn’t want for fancy special effects, and the musical score was hardly a masterpiece but it did the job and it did it well. It is the model slasher flick and most of what has preceded it (maybe with the exception of the first Scream) have not been able to stand up in competition.
We’ve had Freddy and Jason, and we’re still having to sit and watch teenagers heading to remote and desolate locations to be butchered in a variety of unique ways while pints of blood are splashed across the screen. Halloween doesn’t require that, it will have you jumping out of your seat at least more than once and it just goes to prove that simple scares are the most effective.