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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208670373605266262016-07-21T04:25:27.992-07:00The OJ ReviewsWelcome to my website! Here I review mostly films and television series but also take a look at books and games when the interest takes me. I don't have any sort of schedule and my ratings are out of 10. I hope you enjoy reading my reviews but as with most things entertainment is subjective so you may disagree but I always welcome comments so feel free to leave one. Thanks very much for stopping by and I hope you visit again! - Oliver. OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-24019727893682237752016-07-21T04:23:00.001-07:002016-07-21T04:25:28.013-07:00OJ's TV Review - Stranger Things Ah, it's been a while since I had a good binge watch.

Stranger Things seems to have come out of nowhere, I had never heard of it right up until they released the trailer last month. So if you didn't know, Stranger Things is a Netflix original series created by The Duffer Brothers and is set in 1983 Indiana where a young boy goes missing in a small town where strange things are happening and an unusual girl shows up.

 So right away, this setting is genius. I never lived in the 80s but after this I really feel as though I was there, they didn't bang you over the head with it shoving pop culture references at you every minute but just how they dressed, their hair, the posters on a bedroom wall, it all seemed so natural and not gimmicky at all. The movie Super 8 did this to a certain degree and I enjoy that movie but Stranger Things seemed to make it more real to me. What added to it especially was the music, from the opening credits to the score itself, the use of synth music worked excellently to bring you this mysterious, fascinating and yet nostalgic atmosphere; so all-in-all they really did well with the setting and time-period and will definitely be checking out the soundtrack, all of which served as a brilliant backdrop to the plot.

 As I said, a kid goes missing; it's something we've seen many times in television and film but because it is such an urgent, fearful, disturbing event you are instantly following the case because you want to know what has happened and you want to see him back; so from the very first episode I was hooked and I was staying. Now the series is only eight episodes and I think that's a good thing; a lot of American shows have upwards of twenty and sometimes that can lose momentum and become very episodic, which works depending on the nature of the series, but I do enjoy a lot of British shows where they usually have between six and thirteen episodes negating the need for fillers and can concentrate on a good script. Here the Duffer Brothers have crafted a simple but very well written story that feels more like a movie; each episode follows on instantly from the previous with no recaps or 'Next Time' trailers so if you were to watch Stranger Things, a binge is required. The also know when to show things and when to not, they spent their budget wisely and paid wonderful homage to the Hollywood of that time giving you visuals reminding you of things like The Goonies and E.T. These callbacks also never detract from the plot and fit the story well; also despite the 80s adventure inspiration, Stranger Things isn't necessarily for the Spielberg audience with one or two darker moments scattered here and there.

 Now I can't do this review without mentioning the cast. Winona Ryder and David Harbour are really well cast as the adult leads, from the desperate mother who still holds out faith to the driven police chief taking on mysterious government agents. The rest of the cast are largely unknown including the main kids but they were so talented. Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard being highlights having to display complex emotions and intelligent arcs. I wish I could mention all of the cast because they were so good, from Joe Keery as high school jock Steve to even the teacher Mr Clarke, each person had a life and character you were invested in.

 In the end Stranger Things is a really well made original series with some of the best cast, music and writing I've seen in awhile that also has some surprisingly good humour that made laugh out loud. I really hope the series gains traction because I can see the cast and crew going places, as well as a possible season 2.

10/10

OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-28704136623711596132016-07-07T10:59:00.000-07:002016-07-07T11:16:48.669-07:00OJ's Movie Review - Now You See Me 2They really missed the opportunity to call this "Now You Don't".

Despite the majority opinion I really enjoy 2013's Now You See Me; sure some of it doesn't make sense but for some reason I find it very entertaining. This year's sequel sees us eighteen months since the events of the first film and the Four Horsemen are tasked with performing a heist for Daniel Radcliffe.
 First off, you have to acknowledge the all-star cast here; I really enjoyed them in the first one so it was great to see the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman and more back on board. They all do an excellent job of course and get straight back into these characters who's lives I was fully invested in. After the twist at the end of the original I was wondering how Ruffalo's character would change but I really enjoyed the majority of his arc in this and it builds on what we knew of his back-story already which was cool. We did have some new characters introduced to us and they were just OK; Isla Fisher did not return as the female Horseman so they bring in Lizzy Caplan as this new magician and despite a bit of a rushed introduction she was surprisingly tolerable; her character may be a little irritating to some as she is used as the comic relief a lot which was unnecessary and I do think Fisher's character was more interesting but as far as replacements go, she wasn't bad. Daniel Radcliffe also joins this cast as our antagonistic billionaire who wants something only the Horseman can get; so yeah it's a plot-point we've seen a lot of times in film but hey, it is a heist movie so I'll let it slide. He was absolutely fine in his character, not quite as threatening as sometimes I think he was meant to be but once you get used to this what this type of movie is, he's more than adequate.
 Just touching on the plot; it's a basic heist movie with the Now You See Me glitter all over it so plenty of illusions and visually interesting effects. I enjoyed it quite a lot, plenty of action, plenty of tricks, the locations were interesting as well, quite international which I enjoyed. There were a few twists here and there but some you could see coming and others I wasn't particularly keen on. I know they tried to top the big reveal of the last movie but it didn't really work here; it seemed to struggle explaining what it was they were surprising us with. But as a whole the main story worked for me.
 Something, or rather someone, I did not enjoy much was a particular character they introduced as a relative to one of the horseman; his purpose was a little unnecessary and what they made him into just brought the quality of this movie down. He was more suited for some sort of comedy which unfortunately this film tried to much of. The first film had funny moments and Harrelson was our comic relief but now they've introduced two more "funny" characters and it cheapened it at times.
 My last critique is that unless you enjoy the first film and have watched it recently I don't think you'll enjoy Now You See Me 2 as much. It requires you to remember a lot which was OK for me as I have seen the original a few times but for a casual viewer you are left asking a few questions.
So in the end, if you didn't like the first one, you won't like this. For me it wasn't quite as neat and shiny as the Now You See Me but entertaining enough.

7/10
OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-55670366923750160572016-06-29T13:33:00.003-07:002016-06-29T13:53:18.443-07:00OJ's Movie Review - Independence Day: ResurgenceFourth of July seems to be the best day for an alien invasion.

Following the trend of making sequels to blockbusters from decades gone, Independence Day: Resurgence takes place twenty years after the original and brings back one or two of the original cast to play alongside a bunch of newbies at this alien-busting lark. First off, I really enjoy 1996's Independence Day, it's a pure 90s summer movie and a Roland Emmerich classic so I was a little hesitant when hearing of a sequel. But now I've seen it let's go over some things.

 I'll start, as I always do, with what I liked. I always love an alien movie so I really enjoyed seeing them here. Although a bit underused at times the alien parts of the film were by far the most interesting; they also built on what we already knew about them which was cool to see what they did with that. On the human side of course we have Jeff Goldblum back and he is a welcome sight to any pop culture fan; he delivers one or two memorable lines and in general is just a highlight. Apart from that I unfortunately have to say there isn't really anything else enjoyable about this film.

  Independence Day: Resurgence is a complete and utter rush from beginning to end. Almost every line of dialogue in the first act was purely expositional. It would cut from one place to another giving you all this information about the world, all these new characters and various things that would go by so quick I didn't have time to get invested. There was no chance to breath, no sooner had it started we were getting huge action sequences and then it would go straight to another. This meant that quite a major piece of new information to this universe went by very abruptly; before I realised what this scene, which in hindsight should have been a bit more impacting, was trying to tell me, we had moved on to set up another action piece.

 Characters weren't developed at all so I didn't feel anything for them when things happened. There were these three new characters, including Liam Hemsworth and they had this backstory but trying to keep track of everything and not having time to be with these characters I couldn't care less what happened to them; it was like watching strangers from afar. Two other characters were introduced and they were put together as some sort of comedy relief I guess but they fit more into a Pacific Rim sort of film. Now I like Pacific Rim a lot but there is a huge difference between that tone and the tone of the first Independence Day, which is what I was expecting here.

 The first ID4 was exciting, it had likable characters, it had tense moments. We all remember the aliens being very imposing and threatening; that scene in the operation room showed us that just one could be very powerful but in this sequel they were relegated to mere CGI cannon fodder. Perhaps if this wasn't a sequel; if it was it's own thing, I would have enjoyed it more. But because it is such departure tonally and leaves behind any sort of practical effects for CGI it just felt really rushed and it ended very abruptly trying to get a third film going.

 In the end Independence Day: Resurgence had a few highlights here and there but this time the king of disaster movies, Roland Emmerich, a man whose work I enjoy (yes, even 2012), has brought just a meaningless, disappointing sequel.

4.5/10
OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-89621711901461467052016-06-02T07:09:00.002-07:002016-06-02T07:21:50.090-07:00OJ's Movie Review - X-Men: ApocalypseA superhero franchise that's lasted sixteen years without being cancelled or remade! Surely that's some kind of record.

 So X-Men: Apocalypse is either the third, sixth, or ninth film in the series depending on how you're counting and stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence returning for a third time while bringing in new cast such as Oscar Isaac, Sophie Turner and Tye Sheridan. The basic plot is that an ancient, powerful mutant known as En Sabah Nur has awoken in the 80s and wants to "cleanse the earth" of the weak and so the X-Men must stop him.
 As a whole, I like the X-Men franchise; despite it's bumps I've always felt it's had it's own vibe and personality and is different enough from other comic book universes such as the MCU and the not-so-connected DC properties. X-Men: Apocalypse continues in this and although shares similarities with other movie plots still feels like an X-Men movie. The stories we witness in this film are some of the finest we've seen in the franchise. The two biggest characters we've been following for years of course are Professor X and Magneto and each of them are so well-developed and incredible characters you know exactly what they are feeling and why they are where they are. Magneto's arc in this film is a highlight and from one particular scene in a forest you are hooked on his story and understand why he's doing the things he is. Professor X is great as the leader and strong-minded force who keeps the X-Men together and he really has some great scenes, especially towards the end. Another story in this movie is of course the one of the titular character himself, Apocalypse; his backstory in Ancient Egypt alone was a thrilling and well executed event and when you really see what he can do in the 80s I found him to be the most powerful and best villain they've had in the franchise. Just his voice, and mannerisms are so dark and menacing you really feel like he is an unstoppable threat.
 Apart from those three, other character highlights were the young Jean Grey, Cyclops and Nightcrawler who fit well into the story and I really enjoyed seeing them, and then of course Quicksilver returning from Days of Future Past doing much more in the movie including one of the best scenes of any superhero movie, beating that of his previous. Everyone else did OK but weren't really used as much; Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique doesn't do quite as much as she has done and never has her own 'action piece' as it were and then three of the horsemen, Psylocke, Angel and Storm each had one particular shot that was cool but mostly stood around until the climax where they still didn't have too much screen time.
 Effects wise, all the powers and abilities looked fantastic. There was a lot of CGI and green-screen during the climactic battle and for me personally I thought that all looked just fine. There were one or two specific shots which weren't particularly good in my eyes but that was it.
 Some problems I had with the movie was that, as I said, some characters didn't really have much screen time and/or didn't really do anything at all (looking at you Jubilee) and then another thing isn't really a problem as it is the ninth X-Men-related movie but X-Men: Apocalypse requires you to know and remember quite a bit of the past films and this universe in general, so it makes it almost inaccessible completely to the general movie-going audience and unless you've seen at least five of the other films a lot will go over your head and seem out of place. And as a final negative point there were two scenes in particular that pushed the 12A (PG-13) rating to it's limits which will be fine for a lot of people but I think some will be quite surprised at how dark they went.
 Other than that X-Men: Apocalypse is a really powerful and thrilling superhero movie, and for me one of the best in the series, not quite beating First Class as my favorite.

7.5/10
OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-20764240816035955722016-05-05T02:03:00.001-07:002016-05-05T02:11:32.442-07:00OJ's Movie Review - Captain America: Civil War

So here it finally is. Since its announcement back in 2014 we've all been eagerly awaiting this Marvel milestone, lapping up every bit of news until today. So, what did I think?

  Captain America: Civil War has been called "Avengers 3" by some people because of the amount of Avengers that star in the film and it's a valid observation...until you see the movie. Somehow the Russo Brothers, with this huge ensemble cast, dealing with the Avengers themselves, adapting an infamous comic book actually make it still feel like a Captain America movie - which is great! I mean don't get me wrong, you see a lot of other characters and I loved seeing a lot of other characters but it really worked well continuing Cap's story that was left off in The Winter Soldier, which I really enjoyed because Bucky Barnes was one of the most interesting things about that movie and I enjoyed seeing him progress here.

 And talking of characters, there were quite a few to juggle about but the Russo's once again did an excellent job of not making it confusing or crowded. I'll just go through a few of them real quick. Captain America and Iron Man were great as always, Iron Man was not always his one-liner quip guy in this, he has a lot of stuff to deal with so it was interesting to see him in that light; now I went into this movie on the side of a particular team but boy if you don't start questioning your loyalties during this movie then something's wrong; there were points being made that actually made me see the other guy's side so I was happy to see both sides presented equally, after all it is a Civil War. Black Panther gets his movie debut here and what an introduction it was, he is a fantastic character who I cannot wait to see again, his motives were solid and clear and his third-party angle to the war made it really intriguing to watch, definitely looking forward to seeing Chadwick Boseman in his own Black Panther film. The two sidekicks, as it were, Falcon and War Machine were great to see again and do a lot more plot-wise I think so it was nice to see everyone used really well. Vision and Wanda were fine in their roles again, I think I preferred them in Age of Ultron for some reason, they just seemed more interesting then whereas here, although they were great to see again, I didn't feel as invested in their characters as I was others. Ant-Man was fun to see too and boy do we see him, I'm obviously not going to spoil anything here but he was definitely one of my favorite parts of the movie.

 Now during all this Civil Waring there is actually a villain in the movie and for me, he was one of the best villains Marvel have done in their Cinematic Universe; I felt his motives were valid, his intelligence was shown very well and his scenes were just really interesting to me.

Just before I get into what I wasn't such a fan of I'll mention Spider-Man. Tom Holland is a great actor and does a great job in this, it was really cool to see Spider-Man interact with the Avengers and see him do his stuff. That being said, this Spider-Man was not quite what I was expecting; I don't read the comics so from just a movie-going viewer with the past five Spidey movies to go on, this incarnation was quite different in the way of how they handled him. I've been told it was the most comic-accurate Spider-Man and the best version they've seen of him on screen so I have no place to complain but for me it was a little jarring to see such a change from what I was used too. But I did of course enjoy seeing him on screen and really look forward to seeing him again.

 Now some things I wasn't so struck on. The first action piece; a battle near the very start of the movie just seemed off for some reason. I don't know what it was but it just didn't flow for me, I didn't enjoy who they were fighting and although it does set up something important a lot of it felt unnecessary. The first quarter of the film I'd say was very much a going from set-up to set-up sort of thing and was a little shaky script wise but the plot eventually straightened and it was great. Another negative I have was that once or twice the CGI was quite noticeable, in some of the action scenes and particularly Vision sometimes it wasn't great. And then something that wasn't necessarily wrong with the film but those darn trailers again. We'd go to one location and I'd instantly recognise it from the trailer so I knew what was going to happen, and that occurred nearly every time they went somewhere else; not all the time mind you, but quite a lot I was already knowing what scene this was leading up to.

 In the end Marvel roll out another blockbuster with one of the best ensemble casts and an investing, emotional story. For me it wasn't the best film they've done but a real strong shot from the Russo Brothers and set's up a lot of cool characters for the future.

8/10
OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-6323718594270636792016-04-20T14:48:00.002-07:002016-04-20T14:48:41.787-07:00OJ's Movie Review - The Jungle BookJon Favreau's The Jungle Book is about the seventh film adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's book and we already know it certainly isn't the last. So how does this one fare?

As with most people, I grew up watching the 1967 animation and fell in love with it, so I was a little irked when I learnt they were going to make, what I thought, would be a frame-for-frame remake, but thankfully I was wrong! 2016's The Jungle Book, although takes a number of ques from Disney's famous classic, is certainly not tied to it; this is it's own thing and does well for it. I enjoyed the fact that I didn't quite know what was going to happen next, and seeing where Mowgli's adventure took him kept my interest; so on a plot standpoint it is familiar on a basic level but with new elements and expanded storylines it felt new and original with a bit of nostalgia sprinkled in places.
 I do of course have to mention the cast; they were all wonderful in their roles and superb to listen to but I do want to highlight three. Bill Murray is a fantastic Baloo which shouldn't surprise anyone, he delivers some great lines and he's such a likeable character, I really enjoyed his performance. Idris Elba plays a very menacing villain as Shere Khan and certainly gives this version of the character a very unlikable bully-type personality which worked well, although it took me a while to stop picturing Elba himself as I watch a lot of his live-action work. And then for me one of the most fascinating and unnerving characters was Christopher Walken as King Loui, he was so well suited to the role I always wanted to see more of him, the character had a huge powerful presence onscreen and I enjoyed that a lot. On a side note, Neel Sethi did a top-notch job as Mowgli with a few moments where you could see he wasn't sure where to look for these CGI animals but for the majority he did exceptionally well for his first film and especially one of this sort with very little to act with.
 I just want to quickly mention the music now; the score is absolutely fantastic, from the very opening scenes giving you a rush of familiarity to the wonderful new sounds John Debney scores over the jungle, it was really a pleasure to listen to. Now the music also segways into some problems I had with the movie...
 I don't think it's a spoiler to say that a few songs from Disney's animated classic make it into this movie, but I'd like to say I enjoyed the first one they did as it was more of a bantering back-and-forth type of singing without going full musical which I think works better in this live-action setting; the second song they did though I didn't feel flowed as well, almost jarring to a point as it seemed a little off, but that's just me personally. And the third one was my favorite but that wasn't present during the film itself, so sit back and enjoy some of the credits when you watch.
 Another negative for me personally was some of the portrayal of this world. They had super-realistic animals doing sometimes very animal behaviours and and they cleverly combined that with some of the script and humour but once or twice the cartoony sequences I felt didn't quite gel with the visual realism I was seeing.
 In the end, The Jungle Book was a fun movie with great story, character and music but had one or two moments of iffy CGI and creative choices. I think it will definitely be the definitive 'Jungle Book' for a lot of kids and look forward to seeing the announced sequel and Andy Serkis' take on the book in a few years.

7/10

OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-40027568563784075892016-03-31T02:58:00.000-07:002016-04-07T20:46:12.738-07:00OJ's Movie Review - Batman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeAfter three years we finally have the Justice League prequel that we didn't really ask for but went along with anyway.

It seems like we've been waiting for this movie for ages; 2016 seemed like the distant future but now it's here and we're finally seeing Batman and Superman on the live-action big screen for the first time ever. So was it worth the wait? Is DC now pointing and laughing at Marvel? Well...
 I'll start with what I liked. The beginning of Batman v Superman was great. The opening scenes were shot extremely well, Zack Snyder knows how to make something look good this movie looks great. And then we get Bruce Wayne's perspective of the last act of Man of Steel and I enjoyed that a lot; it made it seem real and what it would've been like for a civilian perspective which made for some interesting scenes; so the directing itself and the camera work was really well done. And then there were two or three scenes dotted about I really enjoyed too, one including Holly Hunter's amazing acting in the Capitol building scene that was really tense.
 Another positive for me was Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor; I know a lot of people don't like his representation of the character but purely as a movie villain, I thought he did a great job and was very creepy and menacing; he also had this music that played when he appeared and that was great. Hans Zimmer once again delivers a fantastic score.
 Now moving onto what did not work. There's no easy way to put this, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a complete mess. It is so incredibly choppy I didn't know what I was supposed to be focusing on. There were at least four different movies in here; and they didn't really gel at all. There would be a scene following one character's agenda and then it would cut randomly to a different scene with different characters and I think OK, this is later on now but then after what felt like only a minute it would cut back to the first scene and I was like, "Oh, this is still happening". And it wasn't as if the scenes were related; the whole tone, the music and narrative would change. So imagine that happening with four different movies all at the same time I didn't know what to keep track of in the end. Random things would happen that made no sense and they had no desire to explain them or even hint at why it was happening. Even the characters of Batman and Superman themselves; did you think they had some sort of moral code? Some things that you think Batman doesn't do or Superman we've already seen can't possibly do? Nope, all out of the window without an explanation which made for just a really depressing movie; I cannot think of one scene where something nice or good happened or that justice prevailed or a feeling of satisfaction.
 And don't get me started on easter eggs; I'm obviously not going to spoil them but they were the most forced, shoe-horned, rushed teases I've ever seen. Things I was supposed to be excited for came out of no where and did not fit at all in what was happening.
 In the end, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a choppy mess with one or two distinct highlights and a good score but with a lack of narrative and so many moments it didn't need I have to give it...

5/10
OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-33445462025588132092016-03-24T10:57:00.001-07:002016-03-24T10:57:15.912-07:00OJ's Movie Review - 10 Cloverfield LaneTitle, poster and trailer all revealed two months before it's release? I think I'm OK with that.

So 10 Cloverfield Lane stars John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and John Gallagher Jr. The basic premise is that a woman wakes up in an underground bunker where she is told that a chemical apocalypse has made the air outside toxic. That's all you need to know, that's all you want to know. So, let's get into my review...while sidestepping pretty much everything about it.
 First of all I have to give props to the director, Dan Trachtenberg; you've not heard of him? That's because this is his first feature film. I mean seriously, I hope this guy goes on to have a long and successful career. 10 Cloverfield Lane does not look cheap or amateur in any way despite only having about a $15,000,000 budget; he really only had three rooms to film in so it made for some really claustrophobic and uncomfortable moments, and even with a limited setting don't be surprised if your heart starts beating a little faster and tense up. As a summary of my introduction to Dan Trachtenberg: I think he's going places.
 Acting-wise; wow. John Goodman plays 'unstable' exceptionally well; when he's around you're trying to work him out and figure what his deal is and when he wasn't on screen I was just thinking "Where is he. Where is he". Mary Elizabeth Winstead is fantastic as well as this woman who suddenly wakes up not knowing where she is or what's going on; but she wasn't some helpless wimp, she had a bit of knowledge which I think made things realistic. John Gallagher Jr. did well in his role as well; I'm not familiar with his work but he did absolutely fine as his character Emmet. So on an acting front I can't really fault it.
 Now with the plot, I'm not going to spoil anything because I think the less you know before going in then the more you'll enjoy it but if you're hesitant because you haven't seen 2008's found-footage film Cloverfield which has been called "a blood relative" or something, don't worry at all; while a connection is plausible 10 Cloverfield Lane is completely stand-alone. The narrative of this movie itself I think is very rare but utilises some familiar imagery which make for a thrilling experience because you do not know what's coming next.
 As a conclusion, I really enjoyed 10 Cloverfield Lane and it's refreshing to see this sort of originality and an upcoming director.

9.5/10
OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-45574332186059335882016-03-17T04:56:00.000-07:002016-03-17T04:56:00.627-07:00OJ's Movie Review - AllegiantIt was either this or The Maze Runner sequel, but what's the difference anyway?

So Allegiant is the third film of the Divergent series, an adaptation from one of the many teen post-apocalyptic novels. As I said in my Insurgent review I really enjoyed the first movie, it was very entertaining and it had a good story and characters and the second one I thought was very weak and it didn't really seem to know where it was going until the last act.
 Allegiant picks up not long after it's predecessor and follows Tris, Four and a few others venture out beyond the wall. I'll start with the things I liked about the movie; the cast for one thing are still great. I think Shailene Woodley and Theo James still do excellently as their characters and despite Miles Teller's off-screen persona I enjoy watching him act. A new addition to the franchise is Jeff Daniels who looked like he came straight from The Martian to play the same character, but he suits that type of person so I enjoyed his role here. Another thing I always enjoy with these movies is the world building; I like the look and design of both sides of the wall and find it visually interesting every time I see it.
 Some things that didn't work for me in this movie now. The special effects for some reason, I don't remember it in the previous two films but here quite a lot of the CGI was really noticeable; some of the green screen didn't blend in to well and the flying vehicles sometimes looked a bit video-game quality. It didn't detract too much but it certainly took me out of the movie once or twice.
 Now I have to say the plot was handled better than Insurgent as it had more of a story and actually did things but overall it just didn't seem as big. Amongst the choppiness, Insurgent had tense simulations and a huge reveal at the end but Allegiant seemed just....Okay. It was comfortable, it was mellow, it didn't seem as impacting or meaningful. Also there were some major points that they kind of just brushed over; scenes and reveals I thought were integral to this world were shown or mentioned but nobody seemed to be that bothered and just accepted it.
 In the end although Allegiant was better that Insurgent in the sense of pacing and I enjoyed the landscapes and technology they showed, it didn't quite have the level of interest for me and the climax felt like something you'd see in a TV series.

6.5/10
OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-88799277728816317752015-12-27T12:02:00.002-08:002016-03-07T02:03:19.715-08:00OJ's TV Review - Doctor Who series 9It's been ten years since Doctor Who has been back on our TVs!? It can't be!

Series 9 gives us Peter Capaldi's second run as The Doctor and what a run it was. Even the pre-title sequence in the first episode can give a long-term fan a mind-blow. The opening two parter was an interesting one and although was unusual gave us some great appearances and easter eggs.
 As the series went on I noticed that there wasn't really a continuing story-arc, you know that little scene they usually put in every episode that has a pay-off in the finale, there wasn't really one here. I really liked that; there are maybe one or two lines of dialogue you can look back on now as a foreshadow but all in all each story was self contained. I enjoyed there being a lot more two-parters as well, it allowed for a more paced plot rather than a rushed ending. All-in-all the majority of episodes I really enjoyed, making series 9 one of the best series since 2005.
 Of course there were bad episodes, in my opinion The Girl Who Died, Sleep No More, and The Husbands of River Song were just dreadful. I know they have their fans but for me personally, I disliked a good portion of each of them.
 In the end I think series 9 was one of the best series so far and Peter Capaldi is still an excellent Doctor, Jenna Coleman was good, as always, despite my dislike for the character and I rather enjoyed the finale, which is unsual for me and Doctor Who.

9/10

OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-13836001024355838102015-12-24T04:06:00.001-08:002015-12-24T04:06:42.533-08:00OJ's Movie Review - Star Wars: The Force AwakensAfter so much hype and speculation, the force has finally awoken!

I don't need to explain what this movie is; everyone knows what Star Wars is, we all know there were three good ones and then there were three not-so-good ones. It's no secret that this movie is the most important film of the year to a lot of people...so what did I think?

 I'll star off with what I enjoyed, which was a lot. I always love a J.J. Abrams film and so I enjoyed seeing his directing now in this Universe. He gives you some absolutely amazing shots showing you this fantastic world and it's characters, a highlight for me being the opening scenes. He also does action pieces well, and a few times I could see things reminiscent of 2009's Star Trek; so on a directing front I can't think of anyone else who could've done it. In a similar vein to that, I love the use of practical effects in this; the film of course had CGI and used it well but I always smiled when seeing what I knew was really there, weather it be some alien bird pecking away or a monstrous thug lounging in a bar, it really worked well.

 Script-wise was not bad at all. I think they did humour pretty well, I definitely laughed out loud at scenes, maybe for me personally one or two didn't land as much but as a whole it's entertaining on that front. The drama as well was done excellently; you really fell in love with these characters and were invested in their lives, including even the little BB-8 droid and Oscar Isaac's cool-guy pilot character, which added to the emotional beats and shocks of the plot. A high point for me was the Finn and Poe friendship that had very short screen-time but in those moments you could see these guys were bros.

 Just mentioning the cast quickly, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher did great jobs reprising their roles, couldn't fault them really and they jelled so well with the new guys, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega who were phenomenal and can definitely see them having future careers. I loved their characters and am looking forward to seeing them again. Mark Hamill was also in this film and all I'm going to say is that I enjoyed every moment he was on screen.

 Now for some things I didn't enjoy as much. Don't get me wrong, The Force Awakens is definitly it's own thing and gives us places and concepts we've not seen before but unfortunately it did slip into a similar problem Jurassic World had which was that it just recreated too many moments and plot points from it's predecessors. Scenes were happening where I was thinking "Really? We're doing this again?" and that was it's main weakness for me, too much of what we'd already had and so it made it predictable in or or two places.

 Another point that I'd like to mention, that may only be something I feel, but the climax didn't seem very....climactic. It wasn't until we were in the middle of a scene and I thought about how long it had already been on that I realised I was watching the final battle, as it were. It was fine in itself, definitly some tense and action packed moments but I think due to the fact that the movie was constantly fast paced it didn't transition well that this was now something big.

 In the end Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a fantastic movie and entertaining on it's own, it gives some exciting references and cameos for the long-term fans but if you're not a casual viewer then you may feel it's retreading some familiar ground.

8.5/10
OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-27030760901913693072015-12-19T10:39:00.001-08:002015-12-19T10:39:08.875-08:00OJ's Movie Reviews - Star Wars: Episodes I to VIWith Star Wars: The Force Awakens out this week, I did a movie marathon to look back at the previous six films and tell you my opinion on the franchise.

The Phantom Menace began the unloved prequels, it was supposed to be the origin of all including the famous Anakin Skywalker. For me, I like this movie. I have a bias opinion because this was the only Star Wars film my family had on VHS when I was growing up so I watch this film with nostalgia. I acknowledge there are problems, terrible CGI, the great Jar Jar Binks and many more, but without this movie we wouldn't have Darth Maul, that fantastic John Williams piece and quite a revealing behind the scenes documentary. So in the end, I like Episode I.
 Attack of the Clones came next. This film makes me laugh everytime; no not because of George Lucas' jokes but the unintentional dialogue. The screenplay for this film is so bad it makes Anakin out to be a whiny and sometimes very creepy teenager who gives us his detailed opinions on sand. Along with that and some plot points that don't make sense, for me Episode II is the worst Star Wars film.
  Revenge of the Sith is the third of the prequels and eventually ties into the original trilogy. Most people say it's the best of the prequels and I can see where they're coming from. It still has a multitude of problems but the plot isn't as all-over-the-place as the previous two and the climactic showdown, although entirely green screen, can be entertaining. Some things though don't follow continuity and and other events are little hard to swallow (in the context of the universe, not real life) and so Episode III upped the quality a smidgen but that really isn't saying anything.
 A New Hope, although not titled that on original release, was a game changer in cinema. It spawned and inspired so many great ideas and the fandom is still as strong as ever that you can't deny Star Wars is something special. The story is a nice, satisfying one filled with action, charm and adventure. It is a thrill for any sci-fi fan and you love the characters it shows us. I do have to admit that upon first viewing I was little underwhelmed due to so much hype but now after revisiting I enjoy it quite a bit and appreciate it's influence.
 The Empire Strikes Back is next and is, I think, the most referenced Star Wars film and has a lot of recognisable scenes. It gives us the Yoda we all love, the famous "Father" scene and some cracking lines of dialogue we quote to this day. The action is still top notch, the special effects were great for the 80s and it's the film George Lucas messed about with the least. In my opinion, Episode V is the best Star Wars film.
 Finally we come to Return of the Jedi. Like the previous two, it's not bad at all if not for a few weak points where you kind of have to gloss over. It gives us some great sequences on the planet Tatooine at the beginning and a very tense moment aboard the Death Star. The little Ewoks are annoying to some but they don't bother me at all and in the end Episode VI serves as a fantastic end to the original trilogy.

So that's it. My short opinions on Star Wars so far. I cannot wait to see what The Force Awakens has to offer and my review for that should be up soon!OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-23580331789448627742015-12-01T09:50:00.002-08:002015-12-01T09:50:55.299-08:00OJ's Movie Review - The Good DinosaurPixar Animation - the studio that has given us top-quality movies such as Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Inside Out, now brings us....this?

The Good Dinosaur is a film that has been in the making for four years. Being a Pixar movie I was excited, and it was about dinosaurs which I love; then due to a lot of story problems and various people leaving the project, it was eventually pushed all the way back to November 2015. Now it's here and I get to review it.
 To start off I'll go straight for the things I enjoyed about The Good Dinosaur. The animation is some of the best animation I have seen in my life; the textures, the rain, the landscapes, everything about the look of this movie is stunning, some of which is so well-done it looks real. It is all shown brilliantly as well through the directing, which Wikipedia tells me was done by Peter Sohn, a long-time employee of Pixar.
 Now for the things I did not enjoy about The Good Dinosaur. If you go into this movie, do not expect award-winning material or a unique family experience, like we've come to expect from Pixar. Instead get ready for a bland, cliché and sometimes inappropriate story. It's about a young dinosaur called Arlo who is separated from his family and must find his way home, this could be interesting and give us some fun adventures but for me, it just wasn't. Despite the fact that it took forever to get going, Arlo's journey was the same thing over and over again which is that he is scared by something, and then more scared and then scared by something else and is constantly followed by a human boy who for some reason acts like a dog. I may be to harsh but there were very few scenes I found entertaining, don't get me wrong, they were some, but few and far between. Also, for a movie about dinosaurs it doesn't actually feature that many dinosaurs, and the ones our main character, Arlo, does meet are walking stereotypes we've seen hundreds of times. And I don't want to spoil it but does the line "I drowned him in my blood" belong in a kids movie? I don't have kids so I'm just throwing that out there.
In the end, it pains me to say that Pixar's The Good Dinosaur did not overcome it's behind the scenes disasters and so I have to give it...

4.5/10
OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-28897323888529282492015-11-01T09:22:00.001-08:002015-11-01T09:22:37.946-08:00OJ's Movie Review - SpectreHail HYDRA!... I mean SPECTRE!

So Bond 24 has come in the form of Spectre and according to the trailers it shows us who has been behind all of Daniel Craig's pain. Did you realise someone was behind it all? Me neither! But who doesn't love some retconning.
 I've not been the biggest of Bond fans over the years, it was just never my thing. In fact I think this is the second Bond film I've properly seen so this review won't be coming from the viewpoint of the last 50 years. I will however say that as a movie on it's own, Spectre is an entertaining thrill. It's got action all over, some well-placed humour and a cracking theme song. All the cast of course was great and especially Craig as the man himself, still believable that he could do all those things. Christoph Waltz was a fantastic villain, but then again, when ins't he? And who I really enjoy a lot is Ben Wishaw as Q; definitely has some great moments.
 Story-wise, it was good and moved along nicely but there wasn't too much intrigue because it wasn't hard to piece together from the trailers and official synopsis' who this big bad was to Bond. And if you knew anything about Bond there is a twist that shocked no-one (al a Khan from Star Trek Into Darkness). Other than that though the stunts were great, the script was on point and all-in-all an enjoyable film. Others have told me this "is how Bond used to be" which is a good thing I assume. Personally I enjoyed Skyfall more but everyone's probably got a favourite. What did you think? Comment below and spread your opinions!

7.5/10

OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-47408724735146994592015-10-01T02:13:00.005-07:002015-10-01T02:13:43.502-07:00OJ's Movie Review - The MartianLast time we saw Matt Damon he was stranded on a planet in Interstellar, now we get to see him...oh wait.

So The Martian is Ridley Scott's latest film and stars Matt Damon as an astronaut left behind on Mars by himself because his crew thought he was dead. Going in I wasn't sure what to expect, I thought what can you do for two hours on a desert planet? Well, it turns out that it's something good because The Martian is one of the best films of the year.
 I mean seriously, this movie is so good in so many ways I couldn't believe it. The cast, first off, were amazing, you've got people like Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Jeff Daniels and of course Matt Damon; they all do an amazing job in their roles, you couldn't fault them. But obviously one man has to carry the movie and Damon does it brilliantly, playing a man completely alone, isolated on an entire planet having to use only the stuff that was left behind and his own intelligence to survive, incredible acting there, especially with some of the darker moments when you can see this man is about to break but carries on relentlessly.
 The story is also a fascinating one, there wasn't any point where I was bored watching The Martian; you mostly wanted to be with Damon on Mars watching him do various things as it was both thrilling, exciting, relieving and funny, yes that's right, this film is hilarious, it's just a fantastic script, the movie handles it's comedy really well and some parts are just so uplifting and makes you smile. The Earth scenes are entertaining as well, they didn't drag at all, watching these NASA guys trying to work out if they can actually save this Mark Watney from Mars and balancing that with handling the press and media it makes for some good acting and screenplay.
 One other thing that surprised me was the music, the original score was amazing and adds real feeling to the scenes and then I'm not going to spoil it but you are going to remember the soundtrack and songs they use in The Martian.
 The only negative I can say I had with this film was just the opening, I felt that from the very start to when the crew actually leave Watney on Mars it felt a little off or choppy and just wasn't as good as the rest of the movie but that may just be me, it didn't bother me too much because that's only like ten minutes of set-up.
 In the end I loved The Martian, it's definitely one of the biggest surprises for me and like I said, one of the best films this year.

10/10
OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-60894585329510557852015-09-29T09:36:00.000-07:002015-09-29T09:36:55.774-07:00OJ's TV Review - Heroes seasons 1 - 4With Heroes Reborn airing this month I decided to take a look at the much-discussed Heroes, something I'd heard a lot about but never seen.

Being a big science-fiction fan and common Internet-user I'd heard about Heroes from various places
and I knew the general gist but never really had the opportunity to watch it. Thankfully, Netflix helped out with that.
 So season 1 to start obviously and the general opinion is that this the best season. They're not wrong. Season 1 of Heroes is absolutely brilliant, I love it. It introduces a bunch of characters straight out the gate all with completely different backgrounds and lives and most importantly, powers. As the season progresses they slowly start to connect and it all builds up to really nice, satisfying conclusion. All the actors in it are really well cast, everyone is playing the everyman, the normal person, who wake up one day with an extraordinary ability, which is really fun to watch. Zachary Quinto plays the main villain Sylar who is a really good bad guy, his presence and scenes are really thrilling and threatening. A truly unique piece of television.
 Season 2 comes along with only half the amount of episodes. Although the mystery was intriguing and some of the new characters were fun to watch; overall I felt it was a little underwhelming. Because season 1 was so good, season 2, although wasn't a terrible season, just didn't quite stand up to the first, possibly due to the limited number of episodes and a very similar story-arc due to a writer's strike.
 Season 3. Oh my, what can I say. The third season of Heroes is an absolute mess. The plots were all over the place, it was if the season didn't know where it was going. They'd start one story arc in an episode and then two or three down the line they'd end it quite abruptly with hardly any satisfying resolutions. Some of the people we'd come to know and love suddenly either lost their powers or did things completely out of character which made for a lot of episodes where I just sighed. I struggle to think of positives for this season; I mean there was the odd good episode and a few guest appearances I enjoyed but for the most part, it was like a bad fan-fic.
 Season 4 thankfully started to pick up, they focused on a new character Samuel and his mysterious carnival which drove the series arc and that was actually a really entertaining thing to watch. A bunch of new characters were introduced who were good and some of the ruined ones of season 3 fell into the odd appearance which was a good move. Still not quite as good as the first season but in terms of quality I think it was better than the other two.

So in conclusion, I'm glad I watched Heroes, even if the quality was a bit up and down, the characters were so interesting to me and I adored the various pop culture references the show gave (mostly from the character Hiro). It was truly a roller coaster ride in many ways and a show any sci-fi fan should watch.

OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-73399378674256295882015-09-11T02:51:00.003-07:002015-09-11T02:51:40.873-07:00OJ's TV Review - Falling Skies season 5The end of the war has come; and what a ride it's been.

So the fifth and final season of Falling Skies has aired. For four years we've watched the Mason family battle against the Skitters, Espheni, and even themselves. I really enjoyed the first two seasons, they are definitely my favourite, the third season I feel is the weakest and season four was good but the main story arc was uninteresting.

 The plot this time follows on from the last season where the Espheni are very scarce due to now having no big communicator thing on the moon; this means that the Skitters are like wild animals eating anything they can find and attacking randomly, this provided a few cool scenes and action-packed moments but it took away their threat almost, in past seasons some were quite individual and even intelligent whereas now they are mere cannon fodder for the humans. The episodes this season focused the human characters problems; there wasn't really a story arc that wove all the episodes together, just a few two-parters and they has self-contained plots; these were OK as you got to see a bit of a civil war and then one of the main characters broke away and started a tense story which was all entertaining but for a final season I think we wanted to see more alien stuff.

 In the end the finale I think has disappointed a lot of people but for me I really enjoyed it, I mean there were some flaws which I wish they hadn't done but overall I was satisfied with the way it ended. Falling Skies has been a great series and I've enjoyed watching it as a whole.

7.5/10

OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-21451379300925478522015-08-22T01:48:00.000-07:002015-08-22T01:48:21.442-07:00The OJ Reviews 3rd Anniversary

Welcome to my third anniversary post, an annual update for the site showing stats, changes and previews!

Stats

Numbers

Page views of all time - 33,203

Comments of all time - 19

Total Members - 11

Top Three Countries With the Most Traffic -

United States (16,119)

United Kingdom (4540)

Germany (1307)

Posts

First Ever Post - OJ Reviewing Megamind

Most Viewed Post - ORIGINAL VS REMAKE - King Kong

Last Post - OJ's Movie Review - Fantastic Four

Changes to the Site

As you my have noticed, I have not been keeping up with the three-reviews-a-month plan, sometimes there just arn't any films I have any interest in, sometimes I can't afford to go to the cinema, or I lack motivation to find a Back In Time review or Original VS Remake. So as of now my posts will not be stuck to any kind of schedule except the fact that the minium posts a month will be one, so there will at least be one review a month. Apart from that nothing else is changing.

Upcoming Reviews

After this I will be reviewing either The Maze Runner sequel or Everest starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh Brolin to name a few; and towards the end of the year obviously Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Television-wise I need to catch up on the final season of Falling Skies so I shall review that after watching and the eighth series of Doctor Who which should be airing soon.

Shoutouts and Thanks

The only person to give me a shout out this past year was @had0606 on Instagram, so thanks Hayden!

That's it for this Anniversary post, thank you very much for reading and if you are new then take a look around and if you want to see more then The OJ Reviews is also on:

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- OJ

OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-2804878927645931662015-08-12T14:16:00.001-07:002015-08-12T14:16:40.338-07:00OJ's Movie Review - Fantastic FourOh the potential...THE POTENTIAL!

Look, don't hate me but I enjoyed the first two, I mean sure I was 7 and 9 when they came out but I laughed and was amazed at the superheorics at the that time, they remain fond memories. So when I heard this was getting a remake I was a tad disappointed, and then it starts production and we see nothing, absolutely nothing, not even a logo; months go by and we have no poster, "first image" and from what I remember only two secret set pics. It was strange but then I watch that first trailer and my hopes lifted tremendously, that first footage was really good and from then on I was expecting this to be a dark horse, a real good film.

 And you know what? It was....for the first half. I mean literally, I could pinpoint the scene where it starts going downhill rapidly. But let's focus on the good just for now, I loved the beginning. The set up was so good, we were introduced to these interesting, likeable characters; the actors had good chemistry, the script was pretty solid and I was happy with where it was going. The origin was awesome to see, it was tense, horrific and I thought the special effects held up pretty well. Then there was a bit of a jump in the plot and it felt odd... just...odd. The only way I can explain it is that it was like different films, the first half being an origin story and then the latter half acting like it was deep into the franchise and this was happening after a bunch of sequels; imagine watching Iron Man and then Avengers: Age of Ultron without anything in between. Fantastic Four has so much missing in the way of development and narrative flow it just did not work. The climax felt incredibly rushed and they weren't really acting like a team and they spouted out lines as if it was from a cartoon and then you had that giant light going to the sky like every other major film seems to be doing. So plot-wise, 50% good, 50% horrible.

 The actors themselves did really good in their roles though, Miles Teller is a great Reed Richards and I enjoyed Toby Kebbell as Victor a lot too. That is until he turns into Dr. Doom for.....no reason what-so-ever, with a really bad costume and very undefined powers.

 In the end, I don't know the specifics of what director Josh Trank was up to on set or what the studio was wanting it to be like, but like it's production, Fantastic Four unfortunately was just weird and disappointing. If you do watch it, stop after the first half.

 5.5/10

OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-53819295105926979392015-08-06T13:58:00.001-07:002015-08-06T13:59:02.935-07:00OJ's Movie Review - Mission: Impossible - Rogue NationRogue Nation? Isn't that the Star Wars Anthology movie? Ah, I always get those mixed up.

You know, I really like the Mission Impossible franchise, maybe it's because I like Tom Cruise movies, maybe because each film has a different director so they all have a unique feel to them, in any case, they get a thumbs up from me.

 So in this one, we join Ethan Hunt for a fifth time and he's on the search for a secret organization called The Syndicate. A simple premise but enjoyable non-the-less, it's fun to see him and his team work things out and what makes it more enjoyable is that all the members of his team are from previous movies so we're comfortable with them and it feels more like a group of friends, which was nice. The story itself I really enjoyed too, the twists, the turns and just a lot of points worked excellently. The action scenes are some of my favourites I've ever seen, there were thrilling ones, tense ones and downright fun spy-themed ones which is what I love. And this is one of the few movies where I felt it just had a really satisfying ending, I mean you get good movies but there are some where it comes to a climax and all things are being resolved in a certain way and it just puts a smile on your face.

 Casting was all good too, as I said I like Tom Cruise movies so it's always fun to see him, Jeremy Renner was a great side-guy too and had his own problems which added to the story, he always seems to play a good secondary character but not a successful main guy. It was nice to see Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames back, both being the computer guys, but both serving their purpose. Two new peeps we got for the rogue nation were Rebecca Ferguson who was awesome, not only was she easy on the eye but looked like she knew what she was doing during her action scenes which made for a great character; secondly was Sean Harris as the big baddie and boy was he such a good villain, I loved this guy, he was so creepy and threatening, definitely one of the better antagonists of the franchise.

 If someone forced me to pick a problem then I would say that a certain scene that was pushed in all the promotional trailers and pictures was used straight out the gate and had no bearing on the plot which seemed a little odd.

 To conclude, personally this is my favourite Mission: Impossible movie so far and look forward to the next one!

10/10
OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-15597437656173447732015-07-29T08:48:00.003-07:002015-07-29T08:48:48.295-07:00OJ's Movie Review - Inside OutPixar films have been a bit 'meh' since Toy Story 3, but now they're back on top form with their latest
instant classic.

Inside Out is the story of an eleven-year-old girl called Riley who has just moved house but the majority of the film takes place in her mind and centres on her five main emotions. This idea itself is already a unique one and they do very clever things with it. It shows you how and why your brain does things, but in a really fun and entertaining way.
 Although you have the bright colours and fantastical settings, it isn't always a kids film, there are quite a few jokes in there that I think everyone will laugh at, of course you get ones especially for children but it doesn't rely on them which is what is so good about Pixar. They also always have a deeper meaning in their films, a moral that stays with you, and this is no exception. Like some of their other films, this one also pulls on the heart strings at times and gives you some good emotional drama. I won't spoil the story as a lot of it was a surprise but it was an entertaining adventure inside Riley's head and a realistic depiction of life in the real world so as a whole, interesting all-round.
 Acting-wise, I wasn't familiar with the majority of the cast but they did great in their roles, two highlights being Anger and Sadness, and of course the minor appearance of Disney's own John Ratzenberger.
 In the end I'm glad Pixar is back to producing high quality films (although I wasn't that impressed with the short film at the beginning to this one) and look forward to The Good Dinosaur.

8.5/10
 OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-12217059694519428232015-07-23T02:45:00.002-07:002015-07-23T02:45:14.053-07:00OJ's Movie Review - Ant-ManNot bad, not bad at all.

So the final film of Phase 2 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Ant-Man; as some of you may know this film has been in production a long time and has had various troubles behind the scenes but how did it end up? Well for starters, the cast is brilliant; Paul Rudd is perfect as this everyman kinda guy who also is a bit of cat burgler, he has some great comedic lines and has good chemistry with the rest of the cast. Michael Douglas is an awesome Hank Pym, he does the dramatic moments excellently and even pulls off a few jokes too. All the other cast were great as well but I do have to mention Michael Peña, he delivers some of the best lines in the movie and is an all-round entertaining character.
 Next I'll come to the story. Much like the superhero himself, this plot is scaled down tremendously compared to the other films of the MCU. He's not unearthing a huge government conspiracy, he's not guarding the galaxy and he doesn't have to deal with an apocalyptic A.I. robot; Ant-Man is a heist movie which takes almost a civilian view of the rest of the world, and that's what makes this movie stand out I think. Of course you get references to the Avengers but this really does feel like a small event we're looking into, like a side mission in a game, and I enjoyed that.
 Being a Marvel movie the special effects would of course be top notch but Ant-Man goes beyond and has some really breathtaking visuals, the shrinking/growing effect is awesome and the shots of Ant-Man when he's small are so photo-realistic because they blur out all the background and it really does look you've entered this tiny world. The action sequences were pretty impressive as well, some of the best in the franchise, because of his powers they used some very clever ideas to make it very entertaining.
 Now for some of the negatives of the film. Mostly the first half; there were some clunky exposition scenes and it just seemed to go really slow in parts; of course they need to explain a lot to new audiences but for some, if you're not that interested or you already know it all then I've heard people call it boring. I for one wasn't bored at all but I did feel the need for the pace to get going a bit. Another negative was the villain; Yellowjacket was fine, he was awesome, menacing and cool to watch but the character controlling it, Darren Cross came across as bit ciche at times and just wasn't generally threatening as a person.
 In the end Ant-Man was very funny, very clever and one of the most unique films of the franchise. Be sure to smile at the obligatory Stan Lee cameo and stay through the credits all the way to the end. I give it...

9/10
OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-31048814958234165982015-07-08T13:23:00.002-07:002015-07-08T13:23:52.106-07:00OJ's Movie Review - Terminator GenisysTerminator!....You know...again!

So one of the most referenced things in pop culture returns for it's fifth movie in the form of Terminator Genisys (with a Y). Schwarzenegger is back and joins a load of new cast in a new timeline doing old stuff in new ways. Basically, plot-wise, a Terminator was sent back in time to protect child Sarah Connor before the events of The Terminator and so when Kyle Reese is sent back in time to protect adult Sarah Connor it's all changed, and then of course - as you see in every piece of promotion for this film - John Connor goes back in time but is a Terminator-like being now. If you think that's confusing then....yeah, you're right, it is. As a whole this film does not feel like a Termiantor film, a lot of the opening does but for the majority it's just a fun, action-packed, sci-fi movie that in some places feels a little jumbled. It doesn't run smooth all the time, it goes from a giant action piece to a weird comedy skit with ironic music and then a suspenseful part and individually they're all really entertaining but it just doesn't fit a lot of the time.
 All the actors are great in it, Arnie does the famous killer robot brilliantly for a fourth time and Emilia Clarke does well not only acting but is some eye candy if you get bored of the plot; Jai Courtney is pretty good too but doesn't have the widest acting range of all time and Jason Clarke plays a good villain. Two people who were also in it I felt odd with, the first being J.K. Simmons who is a fantastic actor is misused as an almost bumbling old guy who is a third-party observer to all the events; and then Matt(hew) Smith is actually really good but his American accent kept taking me out of the film somewhat, can't see why they couldn't have kept him British.
 Special effects were all top-noch too, especially the opening scenes and the climactic battle. All-in-all although it was fun, entertaining and set up one or two points in case there is a sequel, it did have a few fan-fiction vibes and if you haven't seen the other films then... you really are gonna be stuck for at least half the movie. I give it...

6/10
OlieRendchhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-77991175775853521232015-06-18T02:46:00.000-07:002015-06-18T02:51:36.706-07:00OJ's Movie Review - Jurassic WorldI've been waiting for 14 years, some people have been waiting for 22, well...now its here.

Jurassic World, finally the fourth Jurassic film is in cinemas. It's about a new theme park that finally realized John Hammond's dream of a dinosaur zoo; but because its now been open a while people are starting to get bored and so they create a new dinosaur mixing various DNA.
 Now let's start off with the good stuff. The world building is amazing, you go round this theme park and you believe this could be a real attraction, the way they show off buildings and exhibits its like a Disneyland promotional video so I really liked that. The whole look of Jurassic World was just really nice visually. Another thing I enjoyed was the new dinosaur itself, called Indominus Rex; it looked powerful, creepy and threatening every time you saw it; its abilities were also interesting and so it was great addition to the franchise and it contributes to my most favourite part of the film which was the third act - a real gem of a sequence in there. Of course, Jurassic World is a sequel and it knows it; although there were only a few references to the first film in the dialogue, and something special which I won't spoil, most of it's callbacks were through the music which sounded awesome. The soundtrack fits so well in the franchise its amazing, some of the beats, some of the instruments definitely were inspired to not only Jurassic Park but I think I heard The Lost World in there also which was fun. But the callbacks didn't stop there, which brings me to the negatives...
 Jurassic Park had a lot of iconic scenes and in Jurassic World it recreated one or two which gave you some nostalgia and you smiled at the obvious reference, but then it did it again, and then some more and it started to teeter on the edge of ripping-off; thankfully I don't think it did but I did have quite few moments where I noticed and was like "Wait, that looks just like...". So if you haven't seen the first film or not seen it in a long time, you might feel out of the loop when the shot builds to something you know should be important. Another thing that I wasn't a fan of was that there was too many characters; this film is flooded with various characters who all have their own back-story and B plot that it sometimes drags away from the main thing; the two kids for instance were given a line of back-story which was never touched upon again and the human antagonists were basically there to leave strands for a sequel. There was just a lot of unnecessary story.
 In the end, Jurassic World is a fun film. It's entertaining to watch but it just doesn't have the charm and wit of Jurassic Park, it tends to fall more into monster-movie somewhat which is fine, but just so long as you expect a cliché or two and some very cheesy scenes (such as catching a fly in mid air with your hand). But seriously though, it was great to go back to this franchise!

8/10
OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-120867037360526626.post-83573603190467724242015-06-08T02:44:00.001-07:002015-06-08T02:44:44.310-07:00OJ's Movie Reviews - Jurassic Park 2 & 3I already reviewed the first Jurassic Park when it came out in 3D, so now in preparation for Jurassic World I'll look back on the not-so-fan-favourite sequels.

After one of the most popular blockbusters of all time Steven Spielberg adapted the second novel,The Lost World: Jurassic Park. It brings back the character of Ian Malcom played brilliantly by Jeff Goldblum and goes to the Site B of Jurassic Park with a team to study how the dinosaurs have been living since the disaster of '93. Although not as good as the first film, The Lost World isn't actually that bad; the special effects and animatronics still hold up to today creating some convincing dinosaurs both with the old favourite's T-Rex and raptors and a whole bunch of new ones. Also the soundtrack I really enjoyed as well, John Williams is one of the best composers in the business and here he creates some memorable scores again. As regards to the plot, it can be a bit jumbled at times and some of the pacing is off but it's fun to see the locations they go to on the island and of course who didn't love that Tyrannosaurus rampaging through San Diego? Overall in my opinion it is my least favourite of the franchise but it doesn't deserve a lot of the hate it gets.

Next up we have Jurassic Park III which has original character Alan Grant take a couple of people on what he thinks is a tour of site B; obviously all does not go well and they get stuck on the island. Although the plot has little complexity to it and is basically a slasher-film with dinosaurs, I really enjoy Jurassic Park III. I think it has more of an abandoned facility feel than the second film did with all the over-grown jungle visuals and sets; these work really well when showing the super-intelligent raptors which make for some thrilling and suspenseful scenes. And yes, I love the Spinosaurus! I know people hate the fact it killed a T-Rex but I think the addition of the Spino makes this film more unique and diverse. In the end it's the sort of film you can sit back with some popcorn, turn your brain off and watch dinosaurs eating people.

So those are my thoughts on the two sequels and you can read my review of the first movie by clicking here.OlieRendchhttp://email@example.com


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Tag Archives: Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Galleries
Calendar Highlights: Fall 2013 exhibits at SMU
As the school year kicks off, be sure to make time for the five exhibitions at SMU this semester. The Stewart Album: Art, Letters, and Souvenirs to an American Patron in Paris The Meadows Museum presents their recent acquisition of … Continue reading
Posted in Calendar Highlights Tagged Art, Art History, Bridwell Library, Central University Libraries, Debora Hunter, Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Galleries, exhibitions, free events, graduate studies, Hamon Arts Library, Hughes-Trigg Student Center, Meadows Museum, Meadows School of the Arts, Photography, Pollock Gallery, Samantha Robinson, SMU-in-Taos, Studio Art Comments Off on Calendar Highlights: Fall 2013 exhibits at SMU
Calendar Highlights: Closing attractions for Commencement 2012
As Spring 2012 finals end and SMU gears up for its 97th Commencement celebration, take note of three remarkable exhibitions that end this weekend. See them before they're gone: • DeGolyer Library honors the 2012 bicentennial of a literary titan with Charles … Continue reading
Posted in Calendar Highlights Tagged Afonso V, Bridwell Library, Central University Libraries, Charles Dickens, Commencement, DeGolyer Library, Dickens bicentennial, Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Galleries, exhibitions, free events, Meadows Museum, Pastrana tapestries, religious books for children, special collections, Stephen Weeks Collection, The Invention of Glory Comments Off on Calendar Highlights: Closing attractions for Commencement 2012

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Marine Biology Camp Staff
The Sea Turtle Camp team is comprised of expert Marine Science educators and an administrative staff who bring with them professional experience, in-depth knowledge and a broad range of skill sets. Sea Turtle Camp counselors are passionate about marine biology and the study of coastal ecosystems, and they are excited to share this passion with curious teenagers who have also discovered the importance and wonder of this field.
Employment at Sea Turtle Camp is extremely competitive. We examine hundreds of applications before selecting members of our elite team. All applicants must go through our intense three-part interview process and comprehensive background check. We take only the top candidates and are extremely proud to provide one of the greatest employment opportunities available among summer camps. Upon hiring, all counselors must attend our mandatory four day training and certification program prior to the start of each season. Required qualifications include American Red Cross certification in CPR for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid. Our founder, Jen Civelli, plays a fundamental role in the hiring and training of each team member. Jen is a chemistry instructor at Cape Fear Community College and UNC-Wilmington. She has spent many years working with Jean Beasley at the Sea Turtle Hospital, and she and her family continue to play a huge role in raising awareness and funds for this amazing organization. You can learn more about her on our Founders page…
Our mission statement of environmental conservation and philanthropy is deeply shared by our team. We are conscious of the fact that without the ocean there is no life on earth. We have dedicated our lives to educating teenagers about environmental conservation, living a lifestyle that is harmonious with this purpose and exploring new ways of sharing our mission.
We are currently in the process of hiring for our 2015 season but feel free to read below the quality of educators that join us every summer. We will update this page once our hiring process is completed so you can get to know you awesome educators!
Rebecca's experience working with youth and camps combined with her love for the ocean sparked her interest in working at Sea Turtle Camp. Growing up in Georgia, she developed a love for all things outdoors. When she first moved to coastal Georgia, she decided it was time to get certified to SCUBA dive! She graduated with a Bachelor's in Biology and Master's degree from the University of Georgia. Over the last few years, she has spent time working with a marine science camp in Florida and has had opportunities to integrate her passion for travel and volunteer service by leading youth on life enriching service learning trips both domestically and internationally. During her free time, she may be found enjoying her bicycle or kayak or just spending some relaxing time at the beach.
Liz has eleven years of experience in youth development and outdoor education. Her journey to a career as a camp professional began as a teen, when she participated in a 5-day canoe trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, MN. During this backcountry wilderness trip, Liz developed a love for wild, open spaces, which are often in need of protection. This passion has only continued to grow through experiences which include working with residential summer camps, environmental education centers, and guiding canoe, kayak, and backpacking trips throughout the country. These opportunities instilled an enthusiasm for using intentional, experiential outdoor programming to create life-changing experiences for youth and adults. Prior to joining the Sea Turtle Camp team, Liz worked as a Camp Director for the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast and worked as Assistant Director for the AnBryce Foundation, where she led Camp Dogwood's trip & travel program and coordinated their mentoring program. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, with a minor in Leisure Services from Oklahoma State University. When not planning summer camp, Liz can be found cooking, reading, trail running, and exploring Eastern NC by foot, pack, and paddle.
Megan was born and raised in Durham, NC and spent her childhood seeking adventures in nature, building outdoor forts and playing in the creek in her yard. As a young adult, she attended Greensboro College for theatre and dance, and then was drawn "out West". She spent three amazing summers at a camp in San Diego, providing surf instruction and outdoor education/leadership classes for campers and visiting schools. Having returned to the Southeast, Megan now spends the school year teaching at George Watts Montessori Magnet School in Durham, NC where she is kept on her toes by a 1st-3rd grade combined class. She also coaches the women's field hockey team of her high school alma mater. In her spare time, she loves to hike, play with her dog Cali and is developing enthusiasm for a new hobby–running! Megan is looking forward to spending the summer sharing her knowledge of the North Carolina coast and her love for marine life–especially sea turtles!
Melisa, who has gone by "Wren" since college, has been a passionate advocate for the environment since she was an undergraduate and campaigned to preserve the isolated mountain ecosystem of Mt. Graham in Arizona and to save endangered Mexican Wolves. Wren kissed banana slugs in her first role as a naturalist in the redwoods of California and has shared her love for the planet with thousands of youth ever since. She spent several years guiding rafts down rivers including the American, the Colorado, the Green and the San Juan, while sharing local knowledge and having tons of fun! Wren has had various jobs that integrate her love for the planet including: educator at the Canyonlands Field Institute, environmental education coordinator for The Logan School for Creative Learning and assistant director for the Christodora camp. Wren is proud of the 15 seasons she spent lead instructing and course directing for the Colorado Outward Bound School. She earned her Masters in Education from the University of Denver and taught fourth and fifth grade for six years in Denver area public schools. Wren is an avid photographer, world traveler and loves dark chocolate. Her dream of learning about marine biology is off to a fantastic start by joining the Sea Turtle Camp!
Kira grew up in Frederick, MD. Throughout her childhood, she went on family vacations to various beaches along the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina. It was on these vacations that she fell in love with the ocean and the creatures in it. The love she gained for the ocean propelled her to study marine science in college. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a B.S. in Marine Science with an area of emphasis in biological oceanography and a minor in Biology. She completed an internship for the North Central Environmental Day Camp in Kentucky where she taught environmental education to local youth. Kira has always had a passion for teaching youth and for marine science. She is excited to become a part of Sea Turtle Camp and to have the opportunity to inspire future marine biologists.
Adrienne grew up in Bedford, Massachusetts and spent her summers in Woods Hole Cape Code playing in the ocean. This is where she fell in love with marine biology. While in high school she taught classes at the Children's School of Science in which she led squid dissections, facilitated snorkeling and guided whale watches. At St. Mary's College of Maryland she pursued research in marine biology by studying artificial oyster reefs and by participating in a worldwide study looking at how climate change will affect phytoplankton populations. This summer she is looking forward to working with the Sea Turtle Hospital and inspiring kids to love the ocean.
Austen grew up in Deer Park, TX. Growing up in the city he began to really appreciate nature and it grew greater each year. He escaped the big city life by taking spontaneous trips down the gulf coast of Texas chasing waves and exploring coastal habitats. By discovering different marine habitats and environments he developed a love for marine biology. He then pursued this field of work academically and as a career by attending Texas A&M University at Galveston. There he earned a BA in Marine Biology along with this degree he became experienced in marine ecology, coastal ornithology and wildlife conservation. His goal while working this summer as a Marine Educator for the Sea Turtle Camp is to give back to the youth, to inspire campers to follow their dreams, to enjoy the small things and to connect with wildlife by applying scientific methods.
Born and Raised in Simsbury Connecticut, Brendan has always had an appreciation and passion for the outdoors. Staying engaged in activities from camping in Maine to snowboarding the peaks of Vermont, Brendan's desire to explore nature grew as he did. While working towards a degree in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability at Colorado State University, this desire for exploration grew into an awareness of the trouble our environment is in, and subsequently became an aspiration to help the environment through research, education and conservation. After an eye opening study abroad trip to the Abaco Islands in The Bahamas, this aspiration was pointed towards the ocean. Brendan feels that our marine environment is the most fragile and complex system on the planet, and thus deserves the most advocacy. By spending the summer at Sea Turtle Camp, Brendan hopes to inspire campers by spreading his enthusiasm and passion for marine conservation in an exciting and fun way, while also expanding his own knowledge about Sea Turtles, surfing and the North Carolina coast.
Katerina is a born naturalist with a degree in Marine Science and minor in Plant Biology from North Carolina State University. Her love for the natural world started early while growing up in the variable Minnesota climate. Numerous family trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness yielded valuable lessons in planning, perseverance, and coexisting with nature. Soon after, snorkeling around Grand Cayman introduced her to the wonderful world of life below the waves. She was hooked and went on to fit study abroad trips to Costa Rica and the Bahamas into her undergraduate career. Experience with marine species at the Maritime Aquarium further emphasized the importance of marine science education and conservation. In her free time she enjoys combining her love for biology and fine art in the form of detailed biological illustrations, SCUBA diving and caring for her tropical pets. Katerina aspires to attend graduate school for marine science next fall and inspire others to develop their own passion for marine life through Sea Turtle Camp.
Jorie has been hooked on the ocean since age three when she snorkeled for the first time. Since then, she has pursued every possible ocean related opportunity including volunteering at the New England Aquarium, participating in a nationally ranked National Ocean Science Bowl team and sailing on a tall ship for part of a summer. When it came time to choose a college, she picked the only school on her list where she could study marine science and go scuba diving every weekend. At the University of Miami, Jorie studied Marine Affairs and Sociology and acted as Equipment Manager of the SCUBA club for two years. She studied abroad in the Galapagos Islands as well as interning at the headquarters of the National Marine Fisheries Service in DC and working at two outdoor science camps. Currently, she lives on Catalina Island in California teaching at the Catalina Island Marine Institute. Jorie is really excited to dive into the unique ecosystems and wildlife of North Carolina and to work with inspiring young adults at Sea Turtle Camp this summer.
Gerardo grew up in the desert border town of El Paso, TX. Yes, what a massive leap of desert to ocean. He obtained his BA in Marine Biology at Texas A&M Galveston. He has a very strong background in SCUBA with dive master training and is also an AAUS scientific diver. He has a great deal of experience in a variety of diving conditions including open ocean, coral reefs, caverns and extremely low visibility highly turbid water dives. He has also worked as a biologist on commercial fishing vessels in the tempestuous waters of Alaska. His greatest passion in this world is the conservation of the earths natural resources. With sights set on eventually entering graduate school, he truly feels that kindling a passion for science in young minds is a necessary step in his own progression through the scientific journey. The ocean is truly home for this individual and he is ecstatic to be working with Sea Turtle Camp.
Richard was always destined for marine science. As a toddler he wore a lifejacket at all times, even around the house, because his parents knew exactly where he'd go as soon as they looked away. He grew up surfing, scuba diving, wake boarding, kiteboarding, sailing tall ships, whatever he could do to get out on the water. Naturally he fell in love with UNCW and decided to continue his interest in Marine Science and Aquaculture there. After graduation, Richard joined a team taking preliminary reef assessments of several reefs off the Cuban coast just before the embargo was lifted to gauge tourism's effect. He then returned to Wilmington to work with Sea Turtle SCUBA camp for the second year in a row before leaving for Louisiana to be placed on a dive team in charge of the fifth year ecological assessment of the Deep Water Horizon spill. Upon return, he started Atlantic Biotechnology, a company that cultures zooplankton for bioremediation in recirculating aquaculture systems, and has recently been awarded the 2016 Coastal Entrepreneur of the year in the field of Biotechnology. Fortunately he is able to step away for one session to fulfill his real passion of keeping the next generation as excited about marine biology as he is.
Born and raised on an exotic animal farm in Durham, North Carolina, Zoey has always had a passion for animals. Growing up she spent most of her summers in Carolina Beach, where she developed a comparable love for the ocean. She completed her B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Animal Behavior from Duke University in 2012, before combining her interests and pursuing marine biology. She took an internship at the Sea Life Park of Hawaii, where she gained hands on experience caring for sea turtles, sharks, stingrays and reef fish. Although she loved the opportunity to work with marine animals on a day-to-day basis, she still wanted to learn more. She began her M.S. with Nova Southeastern University in 2014, where she also joined the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program. She is now in the process of completing her thesis on the effects of climate change on the nesting patterns of sea turtles on South Florida beaches. In her spare time Zoey loves dancing, singing, playing her ukulele, scuba diving, listening to her brothers tell jokes and finding new and exciting ways to annoy her cat.
Jonah grew up in the desert of Arizona and the temperate rainforest of Oregon before coming out to North Carolina to finish high school. In North Carolina Jonah went to Appalachian State for two years before transferring to Chapel Hill to complete his studies. After his undergraduate work Jonah left the country for almost two years exploring various organic farms in Australia and a radical reforestation project in Haiti. Upon returning from adventures abroad Jonah went out west to explore the national parks and work for a wilderness therapy company. Wilderness therapy was Jonah's first opportunity to teach wilderness skills and share his love for the outdoors to next generations. After settling in a small fishing village in the Puget Sound, Jonah came back out to Wilmington to pursue further studies in science and outdoor education with a keen interest in marine mammals. While at The University of North Carolina Wilmington Jonah has been involved with various projects to bring awareness to the fragile ecosystem that is the ocean, lead outdoor adventure trips, held officer positions for the rock climbing club, completed an honors thesis and currently works in a genetics lab as a project manager. Jonah is eager to share his curiosity about biological systems, the complex web of interactions in which we all live, and sea turtles!
Chandler grew up in Western Massachusetts where she initially learned to love the forest and all it's creatures. In High School, her passion for marine biology led her to Seacamp where she swam with a sea turtle for the first time and became passionate about conservation of the ocean's resources. With her friend, Chandler started the Shark Conservation Education Project which gave presentations to local classes and community groups about shark conservation and preserving the oceans. She was also a Junior intern at the Marine Environmental Research Institute where she did sample collection and species identification as part of the NaGisa Census of Marine Life. While in college at Oberlin, Chandler taught first and second graders about the environment with Eastwood Outdoor Classroom, and took on the position of Education Coordinator for the Oberlin Student Cooperative Association. At Oberlin, Chandler also discovered her deep love of Cows and other farm animals, which led her to volunteer at SASHA Farm Animal Sanctuary in Michigan, and later at Sunny Meadows Sanctuary in Massachusetts. In 2014, Chandler was a Trip Leader for Camp Dogwood Summer Academy where she led groups of high school students on two-week outdoor programs, teaching survival and leadership skills, and culminating in a four-day hike through Shenandoah National Park. Currently, Chandler lives in New York City and works at a non-profit that works to ensure an Equal Say and an Equal Chance for all people. She is excited to share her passion for ocean conservation.


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|1 Review
|Property type
|Minimum Stay
|7 nights
Fully furnished house. Three bedrooms. Two bedrooms upstairs, one with double bed the other with a twin bed. One bedroom downstairs with one or two twin beds. Outdoor shower.
This is the main house among the 4 houses we rent on our property in Menemsha. The property has views of Menemsha Creek, Menemsha Harbor and Menemsha Beach. From our property you will see sailboats in Vineyard Sound, fishing boats in the Harbor, the Gay Head light, and the Elizabeth Islands. In and around the creek you will see blue herons, egrets, osprey and deer. Enjoy early morning walks to the harbor or along the beach. Spend the afternoon fishing, boating or swimming from a variety of beaches. End your evening watching the sunset from the front yard.
You have access to a local beach and two exclusive town beaches(for a fee): Lucy Vincent and Squibnocket. Also, you are a short walk and boat ride across the channel to Lobsterville Beach in the town of Aquinnah.
Families with older children are welcome at our home.
My family has owned this property since the early 1900s. We are the third generation to welcome guests to Menemsha.
Barbara Armstrong purchased this house in 1927
This house has an updated kitchen with beautiful morning light. Our enclosed front porch offers a wonderful place to read or sit and watch the sunset.
Besides easy access to the beach and the harbor, this house is in walking distance to a general store, restaurants and gift shops. Bus service is also available throughout the island from Menemsha. Great location!
every day during the summer people travel from all over the island to see the sunset in Menemsha. we didn't have to leave our backyard! this house is in the perfect location to enjoy sunsets, as well as being steps from the beach, restaurants, stores, antique shops, etc.... a true "Cape" house rich in history, very rustic and charming. I highly recommend...
|Rate Period
|Weekend Night
My Standard Rate
7 night minimum stay
|Refundable damage deposit
All rentals run from Saturday to Saturday. Check-in is at 3pm and check-out is at 10am. Preference is given to families with older children.
50% due with signed lease. Remainder due 6 weeks before arrival.


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> Read Craig's review of Apsley House Check out my London blog for a full review of Apsley House
Apsley House was designed by Robert Adam in the late 18th-century, and sits at the far end of Piccadilly. It's prime location made it the original No.1 London – as it was the first house encountered through the old city gates.
This grand home was the residence of Arthur Wellesley, better known as the Duke of Wellington. He bought it from the Baron Apsley in 1817, and lived there until his death in 1852.
Despite rising to the position of Prime Minister, he is perhaps best known for defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. An annual banquet is still held at the house every 18th June to celebrate his victory. A statue outside shows him sitting on Copenhagen – the trusty horse which rode him into battle. It was cast from the guns captured from the French.
The house now contains a fine museum detailing the Duke's military and political career, as well as showing off his collection of paintings, porcelain, medals and memorabilia – including his own death mask.
The artwork is showcased in the Waterloo Gallery. At over 27 metres in length, it has works by Goya, Rubens, Velázquez and Murillo. There is also a three metre statue of Napoleon naked, chiselled out by Antonio Canova.
The most intriguing piece is undoubtedly that of the Duke himself, whose face has recently been discovered to cover that of Napoleon's brother. Apparently the artist was so counting on a French victory, that he had to hastily cover it up when the news of the Duke's came through!
If you enjoyed the Wellington Museum then you may also be interested in visiting the Wellington Arch, or his tomb in Westminster Abbey.
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