Film Friday: Assasin's Creed

Assassin's Creed

Directed by:  Justin Kurzel

Staring: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons


The Breakdown: When Callum Lynch explores the memories of his ancestor Aguilar and gains the skills of a Master Assassin, he discovers he is a descendant of the secret Assassins society. (From IMDB.com)

My Review: 
Video Game adaptations don't normally go well. I think the problem is that when you take a game like Assassin's Creed that has had many different games under its belt it hard to please everyone. I have never really played the game so I luckily went into this film without any pre-set ideas on what it should be. However, this film was way to confusing for such a basic premise. I love Michael Fassbender and his performance was, as always, amazing. The actors were not the problem with this movie. It was the overly confusing plot. The jumping from present day to the past was clear but the storyline was not. The action was great and the music wonderful which in conjunction with the great performances by an amazing cast were this film's saving grace. I hope that if they decide to do another one they will focus on one time period and one storyline.

Rating: 3.5 Glasses

Review of the Novel: The Girl in the Time Machine

The Girl in the Time Machine

By: Debra Chapoton

Rating: 4 Glasses

A well developed thriller. When I read the description of this book I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it but it surprised me. I was expecting a run of the mill revenge on bullies that goes bad however what I got was a well thought out story and interesting characters. At times however the timelines caused me some stress as I struggled to keep track of where they were in time but other than that it was a great book that I would recommend for my fans of science fiction.

To Grab a Copy on Amazon Click Here :)

Ana

Film Friday: Rogue One

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Directed by:  Gareth Edwards


Staring: Felicity Jones, Alan Tudyk, Diego Luna


The Breakdown: The Rebel Alliance makes a risky move to steal the plans for the Death Star, setting up the epic saga to follow. (From IMDB.com)

My Review: 
I'm not even sure of where to start. Yes we knew how this film was going to end before it even started but that didn't stop my excitement of getting to see it. It was well put together and it perfectly tied into Episode 4. We got everything we wanted from a Star Wars film: great action sequences, amazing visual air battles, well developed and interesting characters, and a hilarious robot. Alan Tudyk just nails it and gives us a great blend of C3PO and R2D2. His character was funny and sarcastic and a great addition to the world of Star Wars robots. Jyn was an amazing character and gave us the girl power I love. Disney has yet to disappoint with their Star Wars films and here's hoping they keep it up! 

Rating: 5 Glasses

Review of the Novel: Capering on Glass Bridges

Capering on Glass Bridges

By: Jessica Hernandez

Rating: 3 Glasses

The biggest thing when you are dealing with a fantasy book is to world build. Sometimes books get lost in it and something the books lack it. This book could have done with a little more world building to help the reader get drawn into the story. However the characters were fun but were very one dimensional. This made it hard at times to get drawn into the story. This book shows a lot of promise but needs more to it to make it work better. 


Ana

Film Friday: Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Directed by:  Edward Zwick


Staring: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders


The Breakdown: Jack Reacher must uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy in order to clear his name. On the run as a fugitive from the law, Reacher uncovers a potential secret from his past that could change his life forever. (From IMDB.com)

My Review: 
I absolutely loved the first Jack Reacher film. I know it did badly at the box office and I myself found it on Netflix and was amazed at how good it was. So needless to say I was eagerly anticipating the second film in the franchise. I was even more thrilled when I heard Cobie was going to be in it. I was really hoping to see her kick some butt. In that regard I was happy we got to see Cobie as a bad ass who could hold her own along side Jack. However, this movie failed to bring the tension and drama that the first one did so perfectly. The addition of the teenager tagging along just drug it down so bad that I was counting cliches. It was entertaining and filled with fights and car chases that we love from Tom Cruise but it lost the edge the first one had going for it. Here's hoping they drop the cute stuff and go back to the feel and drama of the first one if they are going to do another one.

Rating: 3.5 Glasses

Ana

Review of the Novel: Lies in the Darkness

Lies in the Darkness

By: Amanda J. Clay

Rating: 4.5 Glasses

I enjoy sexy books so I was not disappointed in this one. The only problem I had is that it was harder for me to connect with these college kids and their drinking, sleeping around ways. My college experience wasn't that crazy. It was a fast read and the characters were well flushed out. An easy book to get through on a stormy weekend. The sexy book fans will enjoy.

Click Here to check it out on Amazon :)

Ana

Film Friday: Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters

Directed by:  Paul Feig


Staring: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Chris Hemsworth,Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones



The Breakdown: Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat.    (From IMDB)


My Review: I am going to start this review with a disclaimer... I am not a die-hard Ghostbusters fan. I have seen the original films but no they are not holy to me. Is this film a masterpiece? No. Is is these actresses best film? No. Is it the worst film I have ever seen? No.  I love Kristen Wiig which is what got me to watch it in the first place...That and Chris Hemsworth is never a bad idea to spend a Saturday night with. It was cute and funny and completely unnecessary! I am a  bit tired of re-makes for the sake of remakes. They had an amazing cast of hilarious female leads and they took and old concept and threw them in it. You could have taken this same case and let Kristen Wiig loose and let her write something new and original and it would have been a much better use of the talent they had. I'm a bit heartbroken but this since it but a blemish on these actresses' amazing talent. They all deserved better.   


Rating: 2.5 Glasses

Review of the Novel: Perennials

Perennials

By: Bryce Gibson

Rating: 4 Glasses

I find it very easy to get into books and films about serial killers, as that was a focus of study while I was in college. However, that also makes me very picky about the details. Serial killers can be a touchy subject and a very interesting one. This book does a good job of story telling however the only thing that I can fault it for was excessive description. A book about a serial killer should be fast paced to keep up with the suspense and at times the story felt bogged down in description. All in all a good book and very enjoyable. 

To Grab a Copy on Amazon Click Here :)

Ana

Ana's Post

Hello all and welcome back to the Blog! I have a very exciting year planned as I am more focused now than ever on my goals!
The first weekend in February marks my 33 birthday and I plan to celebrate with a big promo on my Teumessian Trilogy, so watch out for that :)
Also I am working on the first in a new series I am writing and I plan to put my heart out there and try to go Traditional. Here's to the hard work and thick skin it will take but with your love and support I know I can do it :)

Love you all
Ana