Wasn’t the movie poster I saw but a cool one none-the-less. I do not own the pic.
Summary:
A faithful if predictable retelling of the Robin Hood tale. It’s got all the names you remember from ages past. This shows a bit more of the backstory between Robin and Little John (Jamie Foxx). This time Marian (Eve Hewson) is a commoner. Robin (Taron Egerton) is a noble. Friar Tuck (Tim Minchin) is part of the church but not very happy with what it has become in Nottingham.
Additional Comments:
– Over the years there have been countless retellings of the Robin Hood story. This particular one picks the darker road. It’s not as fun as the old cartoon fox one (still my favorite). Or as irreverent and silly as Robin Hood Men in Tights. My favorite live action retelling is actually the BBC television series.
– the sheriff is played by the same guy who portrays Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) in Rogue One. It’s almost the same character, a powerful crazy, evil guy willing to go to great lengths to gain more power.
– Fight scenes satisfied for sheer action, but the drawn out horse cart chase throughout the mines was rather pointless.
– The end twist is quite a stretch and just about as blatant a shameless plug for a sequel as I have ever seen.
– I might end up seeing it again because one of my friends couldn’t make it the first time, but it’s not a must-see-multiple-times movie.
– I am glad to have seen it.
– Jaime Dornan’s character (Will Scarlet – not sure I knew that in the movie) came across as largely useless.
– Marian’s side story didn’t make much sense. It worked out in the end though. I am not sure how a woman in her position would even know to look for what she was searching the castle for.
– The training sequences filled space and made the transition between lord and outlaw more believable.
– Costuming seemed odd. The Sherriff’s coat and Marian’s leather jacket and red shirt both looked way too modern for the story.
Conclusion:
Worth seeing once or twice. Not sure a theater is necessary if you own a decent sized television.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
Generic cool promo photo I found at random. Probably copyrighted but clearly made to promote the movie.
*Spoilers after the ads*
Fun Filler Material for the Harry Potter World
Summary:
Fantastic Beasts introduced us to Eddie Redmayne’s character, Newt Scamander, and a whole host of oddball characters and creatures. The Crimes of Grindelwald picks up where the last movie left off. Presumably a few months have gone by. There’s the prologue where Grindelwald escapes and then it pulls a “3 months later” bit, but I’m not quite sure how long Grindelwald was in prison in New York.
Additional Comments:
Given the title, I honestly thought we’d see more of Grindelwald. His main crime was escaping. He’s certainly got a cult-like following, but we don’t naturally see him do much illegal.
The plot seems scattered.
Overall: It’s a mix of really cool, fast action sequences, talking, walking, talking, explaining lore to the audience, and talking some more. There are some undeniably sweet sections of the movie that keep it entertaining, but it’s not quite a perfect movie.
Humor: Cat toy. If/when you see this movie, look for the cat toy. It’s an amazing sequence.
The lady who plays Queenie still looks like Keira Knightly to me. Not sure why. The voice used is somewhat similar to the fairy in the new Nutcracker movie, but not quite as annoying.
Jacob seemed useless in the first movie, and he sort of comes across that way again.
The beasts in here are few and far between but either terrifying, awesome, or gosh-darn cute. I am starting to like the little mole-like critter who steals things.
What saves the movie? Action sequences. Easter eggs. It’s a blatant money grab, but an effective one.
Conclusion:
It’s a movie worth watching once or twice. It’s actually probably best suited for the casual Harry Potter fan. Rabid fans are going to nitpick even more than I did.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
OR
Spoiler Section:
Leta’s story is tragic. She seems like a really cool character, but you really hardly get to know the lady. I like that her fear is explained to us, but that whole journey’s quite the story info-dumping stretch. I don’t see much of a different way to deliver the twist, but that’s besides the point. With the budget they had, they ought to have done better.
Confusing points: I’m not sure if I don’t know enough lore or I know too much, but I thought in Harry Potter there was a section where Dumbledore talks about his brother with there being a mental picture of him. If Credence is the brother then how the heck could there be a picture of him. Was that just a lie on Grindelwald’s part? I feel like the writers painted themselves into a corner a few times and then were like “nope, just kidding, none of that happened … it’s really this way.”
The Nagini part also confused me. Besides being Credence’s friend, does she have any relevance?
I like that they clarified why Dumbledore couldn’t fight Grindelwald, even if the explanation’s kind of weak. They tried valiantly.
Eventful, quite violent prequel to The Crimson Claymore. Arria loves her mother so much she’s willing to use dark magic in a desperate attempt to save her.
Additional Comments:
– Content Warnings: Fantasy violence, quite a bit of it. Decapitations, torture, rape, imprisonment, blood sacrifices, if it’s violent and dark it’s probably at least talked about in here.
– This story is equally about Starlyn and her sister, Arria with a wee bit about their mother.
– World Building 4/5: The author has a complex and rich world filled with several races. The focus is not on humans, which is refreshing for a fantasy tale.
– I kind of wanted to know more about the mage. It’s been a while since I heard The Crimson Claymore, but I think it might be the same mage.
– Audio 2/5: The narrator is okay, but the audio quality is poor. There’s a tinny quality that makes it sound like it’s coming through a can.
Conclusion:
If you’ve enjoyed The Crimson Claymore, this story is a nice way to get re-acquainted with the characters.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
I do not own the pic. It’s a generic promo one created to entice people to get their behinds to the theater and see this.
*Spoiler Free
Classic Story, New Wrapping, New Voice
Summary:
This time, Benedict Cumberbatch gets to voice the classic grump. Pretty sure Max is new, as is Fred (the corpulent reindeer).
Additional Comments:
– I don’t know enough about the original story to tell if it was changed much. I’m guessing the short story doesn’t include everything that happened in the movie because it’s significantly shorter.
– Narrator: I get why you need a narrator here, but I found it somewhat jarring at times.
– Beautiful Animations (4.5/5): Besides the grinch himself who’s classically green, there are quite a bit of beautiful scenes.
– Music 3.5/5: I still love the whos Christmas song.
– I’m not sure why the movie didn’t launch 2 weeks before Christmas. It makes more sense. They might want to capitalize on the beginning of the season, but honestly, it’s going to be a footnote by the time Christmas rolls around.
– Humor 3/5: Most of the funny lines were in the trailer.
– Max is adorable. So is Fred.
– Plot/ Moral 4/5: Typical for this type of movie. Not sure there’s more to squeeze out of this, but I would have liked for something to surprise me.
– Cindy Lou Who sounds like the girl from Despicable Me (Margo, I think).
– Kid safe, though judging from the people next to me, boring for most adults. (Or they’re just phone addicts, 50-50 shot either option is correct.)
Conclusion:
If you’re a diehard stickler for being true to source material, you will likely hate this. If you’re just in it for a nice way to spend the afternoon with the kids, it fits the bill.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
Thanks for checking out the second half of my explanations for the songs on the 1819 Songs for Students playlist. This half starts off pretty strong with a song about not letting life knock you down.
The Middle Songs …
Higher The Score (Atlas)
“Scraped my knees, bruised my heart
It’s where you end, not where you start”
“All my life
I have been fighting, I have been fighting for this
Dream in my soul
And I won’t let it go”
Strength to Believe (Epic Score)
Another song you could believe playing during a moment where all heck breaks loose in a situation.
Never Give Up on Your Dreams by Thomas Bergersen (Two Steps from Hell Unleashed)
Thomas Bergersen does some amazing movie trailer type music. I love the title of this one. There are a lot of fantasy themes in this piece. In this case, I like that it’s long. It’s kind of a miniature epic tale. It just makes you feel: wow, this might be hard but I can make it.
Revolution by The Score (Atlas)
Fear is a natural part of life, but don’t let it conquer you. I don’t know exactly what you’re dealing with, but odds are good that others have been where you are and can help you.
“Can’t let time keep passing me by
Run down what I’ve always been chasing
Black out every fear I’ve been facing”
The Insurgency by Henry Jackman (Uncharted: The Lost Legacy)
This is more a “hey, danger is coming” theme. Facing unknown dangers seems to be the prevailing message behind what’s here. It’s also just a fun song.
See What I’ve Become by Zach Hemsey (The Way)
This song offers a significant slow down from the previous one before moving into a rousing marching type section in the middle.
Climax Songs …
Light That Fire by Oh The Larceny
I really just discovered this band on Spotify. Much of their music sounds the same. There seems to be a good theme of not giving up in there. Not a fan of the word “ain’t” but it has its uses.
“If I am beaten, I’m not defeated
I fight back to the top
Ain’t backin’ down no, we goin’ big
Ain’t stoppin’ now, we get after it”
Free produced by Tommee Profitt (features Svrcina)
The singer’s amazing. Check out the 1718 list if you want to hear more of her.
“Secrets tell a million lies
But the night still has a thousand nights
And when the truth is brought to light
You and I
Will be free, free, free.”
Be honest with yourself and others.
End Songs …
Light is Green by Kazuma Jinnoichi (from Halo 5)
This song has a very slow build, but when you pass the midpoint, it turns into something filled with profound conviction. The last minute is gorgeous.
Wallrunner by Stephen Barton (Titanfall)
Never played any of these games, but the music is pretty. It works very well with the previous song. Sort of like the extended credits score.
Flight of the Silverbird by Thomas Bergersen (Two Steps from Hell; Battlecry)
A soft, moving way to end. This song promises that there’s more to come yet this portion has ended. Hopefully, we’ll all make it through to the end and come out triumphant. There are portions ~1:21 that speak of great victory and parts about a continuing fight (~1:45).
Conclusion:
This list is definitely a work in progress. I’m happy with most of it, but there’s probably also undiscovered music. Every class has a character. I’m still getting to know the current batch of students, but if these music choices are any indication, I want to encourage them to not give up on finding their way in life.
Pacing Note:
I tried to mix in contemplative themes and upbeat ones. The few songs at the very end might be relocated because they were added very recently.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
Claire Foy plays the part of Lisbeth Salander, a hacker who quickly slips way in over her head. She’s hired to steal back a program Balder created for the US National Security Agency. Things get complicated from there when the work is traced back to her and the bad guys come to get it with a not-so-gentle hand.
Additional Notes:
– I’ve not actually seen the other movies in the series, so I didn’t know many of the characters going into this.
– Main Character (4/5 stars): Lisbeth is not exactly a warm fuzzy character. But she is strong and capable, a survivor at heart. There’s a bit of a Lara Croft vibe about her. The actress and stunt people earned their keep.
– Side Characters (3/5 stars): Pretty much people’s names blurred or disappeared into who they were (the kid, the father, the NSA guy, the journalist, the Swedish security lady, and so forth.)
– High Tech: There’s a part near the end that relies very heavily upon technology that may or may not exist, and it’s downright awesome. I’ll explain more in the spoiler section.
– Story (3.5/5): There are a lot of coincidences and symmetry between past and present. If you saw the trailer you actually saw about 80% of the movie.
Content Warnings:
Definitely not a kids movie. I think the first thing you see is a naked lady walking by. There are also high levels of violence throughout. It depicts everything from child abuse to torture to murder. Strong language is used, though I would say they kept it limited at least to the point where it had some impact when f-bombs dropped.
Who is this movie for?:
Well, fans of the books are probably going to nitpick everything that is or isn’t faithful to the original stories, still, they’ll probably enjoy it. Newcomers who just like thrillers should be entertained if their expectations aren’t too high. It’s a thriller. They’re not exactly known to be brain busters.
The fact that it contains some very heavy hitting topics is a slight downer, but I suppose you could chalk it up to defining the character.
Conclusion:
I’m not tempted to go out and buy the books or see the other movies, but I was entertained for the 2-ish hours running time. It’s well-acted overall and contains a few surprises and shocking moments.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
If clean thriller is more your thing, try Scratched Off (New Release): FBI agent Samuel Kerman takes on a serial killer.
OR
Spoiler Section:
Other random comments:
– Her sister’s clothing choices leave something to be desired. The deep blood red is overkill.
– I absolutely loved the section with the NSA guy going back to his sniper training and taking people out through the house walls.
– The flashbacks to her childhood were sad. The sexual abuse was hinted at strongly in the beginning and alluded to more directly later on. It definitely messed with Camilla Salander.
– The part where they offed the father was kind of shocking. The boy being a genius is somewhat predictable yet still satisfying.
This is the graphic that pops up when you see the spotify list
Introduction:
The tradition started last year. One of my friends got me into making Spotify lists, so it seemed natural to create a list for my current students. As we approach the end of the first quarter, I feel like I know them well enough to at least attempt putting the list together. It won’t be done until June 2019, but this is what’s currently here. The post is going to focus on the first 1/3 or ½, depending on how much I gotta say. I’m probably going to be adding random commentary as I go. The lyrics pasted in are my favorites. Sometimes, I include them because they just sound cool and sometimes, they have deep meaning.
Find the full list to the 1819 Songs for Students here.
(Links should go to Youtube. I will try to embed a few as well.)
Opening Songs …
Game of Survival by Ruelle (album = Madness)
Sometimes I pick songs for the lyrics, and other times, I go for the whole feel or even just the title. This song has a little bit of everything. Life in general is a game of survival. You’ve got to learn to balance work and play. Being a teenager’s not easy, and I definitely don’t envy those who have to grow up now.
Ready Set Let’s Go by Sam Tinnesz (from Ready Set Let’s Go)
I love this upbeat song. It could totally be used for a cheerleading squad’s routine.
“We’re death defyin’
Coming in like lightnin’
Look out, we’re strikin’
Ready set, ready set, let’s go”
Stand Strong, Stand Together by Christopher Lennertz (from Mass Effect 3)
A beautiful and sweeping score that conveys the idea of solidarity. Some people might discount or dislike video game music, but in the past few decades, some of the most moving themes have been featured on games. You don’t have to play the games to appreciate the emotions being conveyed. I forget where exactly this song pops up in ME3. I think it’s near the very end before you head into the final confrontation. Video games are rather violent in many cases. Ones like this usually reach a do or die moment where winning is the only option.
Still Breathing by Veridia (Still Breathing)
Some events in life hit harder than others. If you’re still breathing, you can make it through to a better moment in time. Life’s full of darkness and light, but you are never truly alone in any of your struggles. I hope you remember that.
“Every moment every day is a gift you gave
And I can’t believe I’m still breathing.”
“Let the monsters come
Not gonna be afraid
Cause I know that I’m not alone
I’ve got giants on my side.”
Unstoppable by The Score
The basic message of the song is great: always strive for the very best. As mentioned previously, there are things in life that hit you very hard, but in the end, you’re unstoppable (if you don’t give up.)
“Keep your silver, give me that gold
You’ll remember when I say
We can be heroes everywhere we go
Keeping us down is impossible
Cause we’re unstoppable”
First Class by Henry Jackman (X-Men: First Class)
Another score that conveys ideas of solidarity and drawing together to face hardship. My class is NOT hardship, but there are times where I expect you to work together to overcome the challenges you’re faced with.
Elements by Lindsey Stirling
This woman has one of the most unique sound qualities I’ve ever heard. Besides, how could I turn down the opportunity to insert a song with such a fitting title for us in chemistry? It’s also lovely, if a tad on the long side. It would make a great soundtrack to viewing something at the microscopic/atomic level. The geometric shapes you’d see if you got down that small would be amazing. There’s order to matter, but chemical reactions and matter interactions have a chaotic quality to them.
Never Give Up by Sia (from “Lion” Soundtrack)
Probably not most of our stories, but the sentiments in the song ring true. I really don’t expect bad things to happen right now, but that’s just the nature of some of life’s nasty surprises. Never give up is a pretty straightforward message. You can overcome anything. I also like that this song is all about finding one’s way home. Family can be a huge support and comfort in all times.
“I’ll keep gettin’ up when I hit the ground
Oh, never give up, no, never give up no, no, oh”
Never Going Back by The Score
“I’ve already hit the low, oh, oh, oh, oh I’ve already felt the cold, oh, oh, oh, oh So I’m never giving up, never gonna crack Never giving in, never going back”
Taking a Stand by Henry Jackman (given the cover, I’m gonna guess it’s from Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
Score time. Never give up on your friends. Certainly, don’t let them lead you down a dark path, but stand by them when you can. Cap doesn’t give up on Bucky.
Can’t Stop Me Now by Oh the Larceny
This song is so clear with its message it actually comes across as arrogant. Not sure I agree with quite everything here, but the sentiment of never stopping is still applicable.
“Ain’t afraid to bare my soul, ain’t afraid to walk on coals
Hear the thunder when I step, you know where to place your bet”
Take Flight by Lindsey Stirling
Parts of this song soar high while others dip. There’s a lot of movement here. Like Elements, this music feels like a great representation of what we do. Chemistry is about studying matter and its interactions. There’s a great deal of mystery and excitement. Ha, I can tell I haven’t convinced you all of that quite yet, but maybe one day.
Conclusion to Part I:
That’s as good a stopping point as any. Lindsey’s a gem. Lots more to come. To get the full effect, hear the whole list start to finish. The placement of each song was something I messed with for quite some time.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
I don’t own the image, but I’m assuming Disney wants it circulated because it promos their movie.
***Spoiler Free until After the Ads***
Summary:
Clara needs to find a key to open a gift from her late mother. Her godfather has that key, but it takes her quite the journey to actually get to said key. She’s not pleased with her father because he seems unaffected by her mother’s death. He comes across as being obsessed with maintaining appearances. The quest for the key sweeps Clara into a magical world on the brink of war. But is everything as it seems?
Additional Comments:
This comes across as a movie that tries very hard, yet falls short in several aspects.
Disclaimer: I did know the critic consensus going in, and I might have been tainted by that, though I strive hard to form my own opinion to these things.
The Bad:
The Story (2.5/5 stars): I don’t actually know the story of the Nutcracker, so I couldn’t tell you about here it deviates from the original. In the movie, they try very hard to stick in some intriguing, gut-wrenching twists. In fact, I think they try so hard that it ends up making it very predictable.
I got bored.
Sugar Plum’s voice. It’s beyond annoying. (This is no fault of Keira Knightly. I love her. Pretty sure that’s just the way they wanted the character to be.)
The Neutral:
Side characters’ performances are also okay. Nobody else really impressed me, but they did their jobs well enough to immerse the audience in the strange world Disney created.
It’s mostly a kids story. Hard to predict what they will think of it. Guess you’d have to poll them. Yet, there is at least one section that strikes as downright creepy.
The Good:
Mackenzie Foy’s performance is decent. She has an air of innocence about her that gives Clara the right balance of naïve heroine and girl-finding-her-way. (Aside: If you’ve ever read Redeemer Chronicles, Mackenzie Foy is definitely an actress I could see portraying Vic.)
Small bits of humor, especially from the CGI mouse come across as well-timed and fitting. (specifics below)
Soundtrack has some beautiful pieces.
Overall Impression:
This movie is a pretty even blend of the color factor from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie (starring Jonny Depp), Effie Trinket’s fashion style from The Hunger Games series, and Oz The Great and Powerful. I thought Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was new, but apparently it was 2005. Yikes.
Conclusion:
It’s okay. I’ve definitely seen worse movies. Perhaps, I secretly had higher expectations than I should have going in. I’m probably not in the target audience anyway. Strangely enough, I’m gonna go with the critics on this and rate it as a semi-disappointment.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
OR
Spoiler Section:
Funny parts: When Clara orders the nutcracker to do something sternly and the mouse turns and shakes his little fist at the man. Also, before that, when the mouse and the man together move aside the grate in the floor. When Sugar Plum grabs a wad of her hair and eats it. (Pretty sure it is cotton candy.)
The concept behind the creation/ turning people into inanimate objects didn’t make much sense to me. Sugar Plum says something like “I gave them life, so they will only obey me.” But later, she has one of the soldiers hitting the button to create the next batch. Does that mean that they will only obey that one soldier?
Trade Federation. (When the creator gets turned into a toy, the animated toys keel over.) Why don’t they turn into small toys again?
Megan Cahill is a news editor who happens to be in the dark park to meet her friend when that friend is murdered. The killer knocks her cold, giving the lady nightmares. So, of course, she provokes him at every turn, daring him to capture or kill her. I know it’s fiction, but the way the murder went down isn’t very realistic. It would have been more realistic if the killer had tried to off Megan in the beginning and simply failed instead of letting her live.
Additional Comments:
– It’s a 3 star story with nice narration. The characters are distinguishable. The editing’s pretty smooth. – Plot 3.5/5: There are some events that have nothing to do with the murder mystery, which I appreciated. Despite the lack of a true twist and an end sequence worthy of a low budget movie, complete with cheesy confrontation between the villain(s) and our heroes, it’s a satisfying story. Happily ever after is achieved. There is a good amount of action along the way. – Writing Style 4/5: There’s decent flow to the work.
Main Characters 3.5/5: I like that the author tried to give the police guy a backstory that was deep and full of tragedy, but it felt forced. Megan’s spitfireness got annoying too. There’s usually a line between aggressive, bold, and stupid. I could totally see her being dumb, but then owning it and being contrite. – Side Characters 4/5: I got a tad confused about who each of the side characters were, but they were fleshed out enough to make them feel realistic.
Not sure the title makes much sense to me. Or the book cover, but they fit the genre well enough.
Side note: The whole “she’s an identical triplet” thing was mentioned several times, but never really meant much. The main character confesses to being worried for her sisters, but it would have been nice if they were in it a little more. I have not read the others in the series, so I don’t really know them well enough for cameos to be sufficient.
Favorite side character: the old lady Megan hires to do some part time writing.
– It’s formula writing, but the formula works. She’s in danger. He protects her. They’re in danger. They protect each other. He’s got a painful past. She’s stubborn. They overlook each others’ flaws and fall in love. The end. Who’s ready for the next?
– Would I read/listen to another story by the same author? Sure.
– Would I listen to the same narrator? Certainly.
Second side note: If you liked this story, then you would probably like Choices Veil of Secrets (It’s an app with “free” stories, though to make all choices you’d have to buy game currency). I’ll write more about those later.
– Who would I recommend the book to? Fans of the genre. If you like romantic suspense, then you’re not going to be surprised by anything in here, but it’s a relatively fleshed out world with varied characters.
Conclusion:
Romantic suspense fans should be pleased with this. You might get the most out of the series if you actually start from the beginning, but it’s perfectly understandable jumping right in here.
*I received a copy of the audiobook, and I chose to review it.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
I own nothing of the image. It’s one of the promo posters they made for the movie.
***Any spoiler comments will be after the ads***
5/5 Review of Hunter Killer Surprisingly Suspenseful
Summary:
The trailer isn’t completely honest about everything in here, but it’s good enough to warrant a look. I was totally expecting Olympus has Fallen and London has Fallen, but it’s more like Enigma Code crossed with Independence Day (sans aliens) and The Hunt for Red October. There’s quite a bit of suspense.
Additional Comments:
– The story follows two main halves and a third subplot. The USS Arkansas and the Special Forces team are the main arcs. I found the weaving together of the two pretty seamless. A few points might have dragged, but overall, the screentime for these sections worked. The third thread in the tale involved the admiral and NSA agent overseeing everything.
– You don’t really get to know most of the characters’ names. There’s just too many of them that aren’t mentioned more than once. And there are a lot of extras because it’s a submarine.
– Who is this movie for? Fans of Clive Cussler books and military fiction will probably enjoy this story.
– Even though you could probably predict the story start to finish, they manage to throw in a few surprises, which I appreciated.
– Suspenseful: It’s stuffed full of moments where you’re not sure which way things are going to go, but you’re sort of just waiting for the whole world to burn down.
Conclusion:
It’s worth watching once or twice on a big screen. I’m not sure if it’s a own-forever-because-it’s-the-best-movie-ever type, but I enjoyed it a lot. Seeing it from the comforts of your home is fine, but I think it’s the type where the big screen of an actual theater will make everything seem larger than life.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
OR
Spoiler Section:
– Almost cried early on this one. I forget which part.
– I liked that the seal team/ spec ops guys were fairly realistic (for a movie). You hardly knew their names, and they understood their role well. They’re ghosts. Well-armed ghosts.
– P.S. This is a version of history where Clinton won the presidency. They pretty much couldn’t be more obvious about that right down to the hairstyle.
– For one of these crazy scenario type movies, it’s terrifyingly plausible. There are probably a lot more checks and balances in place to keep things from spiraling out of control. Still, one has to wonder what really goes on behind closed doors. What are the missions the Special Forces guys never get to tell their grandchildren? On that note, sleep well, folks.
– I loved the admiral’s reaction to the other guy at the end. He totally hesitated on shaking that warmonger’s hand.
