Ratings

Readme by Neal Stephenson

In the style of his previous novels Snow Crash, The Diamond Age, and Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson delivers a fast paced, page turning, high tech thriller featuring the global war on terror, virtual multiplayer gaming, social media, computer hackers, mobsters, entrepreneurs, religious fundamentalists, and frequent gun use. Readme is an enjoyable ride, but lacks his usual depth.

The Grey

Liam Neeson delivers a stand out performance as a broken man leading a rough bunch of oil-rig operators after their plane crashes into the Alaskan wilderness. The crash survivors must fight off a pack of wolves and the freezing elements to survive. What at first appears to be a standard Hollywood story becomes something much more. Existence, belief, hope and love are all explored as the wolves attack.

Man on a ledge

Well paced action thriller starring Sam Worthington. A man attempts to prove his innocence by faking a suicide attempt. Some nice twists are let down by a cheesy ending. Still worth a look.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Based on John le Carré's classic spy novel, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is an international thriller set during the Cold War in the 70s. Gary Oldman turns in a powerful performance as a disgraced British spy, George Smiley, rehired by MI6 to track down a mole working for the Russians. The production is magnificant (the 70s never looked so grim), the cast outstanding, and the plot subtle and elusive. Watch carefully to take it all in.

Sherlock Holmes: A game of shadows

John: Easily the worst Sherlock Holmes adaptation in years. Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson attempt to outwit the evil Professor Moriarty. It's hard to care about anything in this film. Nothing is taken seriously and even the presence of comic actor Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes fails to help. Director Guy Ritchie's original Sherlock film was great, his follow up is a mess.

The Thirteen Hallows by Michael Scott and Colette Freedman

Listened to the audiobook (read by Kate Reading) and suspect I wouldn't have read beyond the first chapter. "Reads" like a YA novel but with the extreme violence and sex of a pulp horror. Weak writing riddled with cliches and stock phrases, a plot with more holes than a Swiss cheese, and very unlikely characters. However, the story is compelling enough and its re-imagining of Celtic myth and legend and Christianity was just sufficient to hold my interest.

Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Gerard: Vast improvement over MI3. Superb action and an utterly ridiculous plot that is redeemed by not taking itself seriously in the slightest. Great fun.

Age of Odin by James Lovegrove

Started off a little slowly and the main character, Gideon Dixon, takes some warming to, but Age of Odin evolves into a highly enjoyable reworking of Norse mythology and the End of Days (well, Ragnarok) in a modern setting. Lovegrove works with the familiar idea that we create gods through our belief in them, but finds otherwise interesting ways to bring Norse mythology into our time.

Terra Nova

Steven Speilberg strikes again. Cheesy, family based science fiction with excellent special effects but no sense and extremely stupid dialogue. Cliched characters that make you hope that the dinosaurs will prevail.

Surface Detail by Ian Banks

Ian Banks once again expands his Culture series. This is Space Opera at its best. Lededje Y'breq is one of the Intagliated, her body markings bearing witness to a family shame.  With the help of the Culture, she tries to avenge her past.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus Prime

Google and Samsung's latest phone, the Google Nexus Prime, with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) makes the iPhone look dull. May even give Samsung's powerful Galaxy S2 a run for its money.

In Time

Not a complete waste of time, but nearly. Unfortunately the Director of Gattaca fails to impress this time. The premise is good but the execution appalling.

Anonymous

John: Roland Emmerich questions the identity of Shakespeare in a barely passable conspiracy theory with so many historical plot holes you won't believe a thing. The upcoming Foundation movie, also to be directed by Emmerich, could be in trouble if this is the best he can do when the script is more important than the special effects.

Gerard: Utterly unconvincing conspiracy theory that Emmerich and co. promote as truth while manipulating the known facts and dates of events in order to prove their case. Hard to tell sometimes whether it was intended to be a comedy...