#Kaleidoscope Review

[kaleidoscopevisualart]

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[the-book-junkie]

Kaleidoscope of Death - Xi Zi Xu

*An old entry in my journal from earlier this year when I handled my reading journal manually. Although the review is brief and somewhat lacking in hindsight, I want this to be a part of my record here.*

Started On: 30.06.2024 Finished On: 06.07.2024 No. of Parts: 146

GODDAMN. GODDAMN. THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK. GAHHHHH.

I picked this up cuz I fell heads over heels in love with 'The Spirealm' and in true book-junkie style I wanted to read the book based on which the show was produced. AND THE BOOK DID NOT DISAPPOINT. IT WAS EVERYTHING THAT I COULD ASK FOR AND MORE. THE PLOT?? CHEF'S KISS. THE SETTING?? CHEF'S KISS. THE CHARACTERS?? CHEF'S.KISS. GODDDDDD. I WILL NEVER STOP RAVING ABOUT THIS BOOK.

I liked everything about this book. The horror yaoi genre was perfectly delivered and i know that I won't ever read a book like this ever again. Like the PLOT??!! How did the author even come up with something like this? And every story arc in the book is equally intriguing and creepy and downright hypnotizing. I did the bare minimum for an entire week so that I could read this non-stop. Do I regret it? HELL NO. It was hands down one of the best weeks of my life. Ignoring responsibilities in life to read a god-sent book? COUNT. ME. IN.

Overall, ♾️/10. Nothing can come close.

Will re-read over and over and over again and still be baffled by the ingenuity of it all. MASTERPIECE.

[the-story-dragon]

(Photo credits go to the rightful owners)

The Spirealm (2024)

*An old entry in my journal from earlier this year when I handled my 'what i watch' journal manually. Although the review is brief and somewhat lacking in hindsight, I want this to be a part of my record here.*

Started On: 22.06.24 Finished On: 27.06.24 No. of Episodes: 38 Language: Chinese

I literally just finished watching The Spirealm, and what the fuck?! What the absolute everloving fuck? I cannot for the life of me comprehend the ending. What just happened?! What on earth were those last four episodes?! I don't know how to feel about the ending. It's not sad. But it's not happy either. It's bittersweet and I can't wrap my head around the rubrics of it. I'm confused. I'm bewildered. I'm baffled.

When I tell you that this is the best series that I have watched, I truly mean it. Right from the casting, to the plot, to the CGI, I absolutely loved it all. It is the perfect mixture of horror, sci-f-, found-family and fantasy. The bromance bit was a bit (only a teeny tiny bit) of a letdown considering that the novel is originally a BL. But that being said, the bromance did NOT take anything away from the series. The acting and the direction made up for the romance-turned-bromance. THE ACTING. This series truly showed me how you don't need much explicit displays of affection to show that two people love each other. The two actors, Zhi Guang and Jun Jie did such a spectacular job. Honestly the amount of emotions they convey through their eyes was so surprising to me. This is the first time in my life that I truly understood the saying, "Eyes are the windows to the soul." THEIR CHEMISTRY. MAN. I COULD WATCH THE ENTIRE SERIES ON MUTE AND WITHOUT THE SUBTITILES AND STILL FEEL EVERYTHING THEY MADE ME FEEL WITH THE AUDIO AND SUBS ON.

The series has everything I look for in a story. Everything. It made me laugh out loud, giggle uncontrollably and bawl my eyes out. I was not supposed to get so involved in the series. I was supposed to get bored with the sheer number of episodes. But, from the start to finish, it was absolute perfection. I actually put my life on hold for the six days it took me to finish this series. I actually cannot see any other series topping this one.

Overall, ♾️/10.

I'm not kidding. It is THAT good. Ruan Nanzhu will forever live in my head rent-free. This series has made itself a part of my soul. I cannot live without it.

[moviemunchies]

Another miniseries review!

Kaleidoscope is a limited series based on a gimmick: a heist story through several episodes, told in a random order. Now the question is: does that gimmick work?

Hm.

Giancarlo Esposito plays Leo Pap, a criminal with a feud against Roger Salas, the CEO of a corporate security company because of their personal history. Leo decides to rob Salas’s state-of-the-art vault in New York City, pulling together a crew of crooks to pull it off. Of course, no heist goes exactly according to plan, and a couple of episodes are dedicated to the aftermath of the heist. It gets messy.

This series was advertised as being in completely random order for whoever watched it. I don’t know if that’s still the case, because the order I watched it in happens to be the order of episodes listed on Wikipedia. Maybe it’s not random now, but was when it came out? I don’t know. 

The order I watched in was mostly helpful; the first episode I watched wasn’t the one that took place first chronologically (it took place months before the heist), but it showed Leo getting his crew together, and briefed them on the basics of the job, so I knew who was who for the most part, even if I didn’t understand why Leo had a bone to pick with Salas.

One of the major problems with the series is that some of the problems that actually come up in the heist are foreseeable. As in, “Wow, you trust that guy on your crew? He’s an idiot.” Or, “These two people don’t get along at all! Maybe that feud will be relevant in a high stakes robbery?” The result is that it feels less like, “Master criminals doing a master plan,” and more like, “Several lucky douchebag crooks stumble around.”

Speaking of the cast: who am I rooting for, here? I understand that in stories like this, there are shades of gray, and you’re not supposed to find anyone entirely sympathetic in every aspect. That being said, many of the characters make absolutely boneheaded decisions that make you wonder if you’re supposed to like them at all, and the ones that you might maybe sympathize with end the story in a way that’s not tragic as much as just terrible. At the end of the day, you see who comes out on top, and it’s no one you have much reason to actually care for or identify with. So not only is it that you don’t really sympathize with too many of the characters, you get through the series feeling like it’s all a kick in the gut.

Which makes the entire thing feel more than a tad unsatisfying. You get the final piece of the puzzle and say, “Wait, that’s what happens?” It’s complete, sure, but it’s not rewarding.

I like the idea of the series, to be sure, and there is some fun in watching it the way I did, diving in and trying to figure out how it all comes together. That being said, having finished it, I couldn’t help but feel as if the story couldn’t achieve a satisfying ending. It didn’t work for me when all the parts came together, even though I kind of enjoyed the journey to get there. So while I think if you like the idea of the gimmick, then you can try it out, just be aware that in all, the story isn’t as fun as other heist stories out there.

[dragons-hoard-reviews]

From beyond the horde...

Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man

This 1951 collection of short stories from the mind of Ray Bradbury is a wonderful introduction to science fiction reading that gives bite-size (at least five pages and at most seventeen pages in the Bantam Books Grand Master Edition that I was reading) stories that are perfect for those that want a bit of a dark foray into some classic literature.

When a man is hiking a walking tour of Wisconsin he comes across a man with a woolen shirt buttoned all the way up to his neck and all the way down to his wrists. When the woolen man takes off his shirt, the hiker sees mystical arcane tattoos that seem to show vivid scenes from the future. This collection follows what the man sees that night while he gazes at the tattoos all over the titular Illustrated Man's body.

Some personal highlights for me were the short stories "Kaleidoscope," which is a very interesting look at death and what the idea of impending death does to the human psyche; "The Highway," a short look at war and how it can affect all of us; and "The Last Night of the World," which is once again a sweet look at what happens when we all know the world is coming to an end that very night.

While this is not the darkest book in the world there are some looks into psychology, war, violence, and other topics that might be upsetting if you know these things upset you on a regular basis. There is also one use of a slur against Japanese people used in the last quarter of the book in the short story "Zero Hour."

All in all, this is an amazing collection of science-fiction short stories that leaves me wanting more of Ray Bradbury's writing that has certainly earned its spot on my bookshelf for many reads to come.

[shieldofapollo]

Motherhood and Madness

In Dearest by Jacquie Walters crafts a haunting narrative that intricately weaves together themes of motherhood, domestic horror, and psychological complexity. As I recover from a recent illness, I found myself drawn into the unsettling world of Flora, the protagonist, whose journey reflects the often-taboo struggles of motherhood.

Flora grapples with her relationship with her neglectful mother while navigating the challenges of new motherhood. The first part of the book is particularly gripping, immersing readers in Flora's fears and uncertainties as she faces the unknown. The supernatural elements that emerge serve to amplify the psychological tension, blurring the lines between reality and madness.

Walter's exploration of domestic horror is both refreshing and thought-provoking, shedding light on the darker aspects of familial relationships. However, as the story progresses, the shift from domestic horror to a more traditional haunting narrative left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied. The ending, while intriguing, felt problematic and detracted from the powerful themes established earlier in the book.

Overall, Dearest is a compelling read for those interested in the intersections of motherhood and madness. It offers a unique perspective on the complexities of family dynamics and the haunting nature of our pasts. If you're drawn to psychological themes and domestic horror, I highly recommend picking up this book.

Stay tuned for my upcoming reads, including This Spells Love, and join me for a reading event on YouTube and Twitch!

[jsvjbmh]

Kaleidoscope of Death

Had a little bit more time than I thought, so I'm here again. I just like yapping about things. To be honest, these 'reviews' are more for myself XD. They're still unreliable tho.. But good enough for my peanut brain. But hey, if they're helpful for y'all as well, cool! How tho.

Anyway. Kaleidoscope of Death. This one is also licensed for an English release ;d. There is also a drama adaptation of it by the name Spirealm. I watched that one a few weeks/months ago. Most of my memory of the novel is from the drama... I will re-read it when I have my physical copy! (Same with TEIO).

I liked both the novel and the drama, but I have to say that I much prefer the ending of the novel. Didn't like the one from the drama at all... It was an happy ending I guess? But it was fake? It's also a bit difficult to explain. Because I have to explain both the novel and drama.. There are quiet some difference..

In the novel, people who are about to die, have the chance to see a door which they can go through. They have to find a key in that door and escape. They have to do that multiple times and tada, they'll live. Something like that. In the drama, the doors are a part of a vr-game. There is a whole organization in the drama that doesn't exist in the novel. The drama is also missing some doors and there are some characters that exist in the drama and not in the novel and also vice versa.

Oh another thing that I missed in the drama, but it's kinda understandable. In the novel, their whole appearance chance inside of the doors of the novel. In the drama they keep it. The ML likes to cross-dress inside of the doors, so he appears as a regular girl inside of them.

I think that's about it? I'm done yapping <3

[haute-lifestyle-com]

The Magic Reindeer: Beyond the Northern Lights, from Kaleidoscope Entertainment, presents a family friendly animated feature, as junior reindeers Nico and Stella, are caught up in a Christmas adventure as they work together to find who stole Santa's sleigh

[madlovenovelist]

Book Review – ‘Zero In’ (#6 S2 Nameless) by Dean Koontz

A psychic vigilante amnesiac pulls back the curtain like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Horror No. of pages: 66 This could be the most important mission of Nameless’s life. Because it’s putting him on a collision course with his own past and the nation’s future. The target: a fortified redoubt in the golden hills of California, the hub of a new world order that’s…

[fantastickkay]

Album Review of the Week: Sara Bareilles - Kaleidoscope Heart (2010)

In 2014, I was at a job that played the generic hits radio station all day long. I enjoyed a few songs, especially Sara Bareilles' King of Anything. So, when I saw this CD in the bargain section, I picked it up! It is very of its time, when indie pop was blowing up. This album followed 2007's Little Voice which contained the monster hit Love Song. I haven't heard that album, but from what I know of its breakout single this new album is pretty similar.

As previously stated, King of Anything is by far my favorite track of the album. I absolutely love her vocals on this, they are pretty powerful compared to other tracks and the piano, lyrics, everything about it just speaks to me. And of course, I love the sassiness!

Say You're Sorry is another standout that immediately follows. This one almost has a doo-wop backing vocal. I like the lyrics' concept of being ready to 'walk away' from a relationship but wanting to still have that last conversation and being nearly desperate for the other person to simply apologize before you wash your hands of the relationship.

I am not surprised she ended up on Broadway, there are definitely some elements in the music that feel as though they belong on the stage!

From there, the rest of the album is generally ballads which gets boring after a while although there are still some moments to keep me from wanting to turn it off.

Even though it is quite "safe" and generic, some songs are still bouncy enough to get you grooving! So, even though I do not pull this album out very often, I still like it enough to not toss it in the donate bin.

Standout Tracks: Gonna Get Over You, King of Anything, Say You're Sorry

[kaleidoscopevisualart]

📺 Colorful Kaleidoscope Visual Videos

[rosemariecawkwell]

Review: Don't Disturb The Dragon, by Rhiannon Findlay & Sian Roberts

Imprint: PuffinPublished: 22/06/2023ISBN: 9780241562314Length: 32 pagesDimensions: 251mm x 4mm x 251mmWeight: 200gPrice: £7.99 Summary Somewhere near, a huge beast lies,with giant claws and great big eyes . . .DO NOT DISTURB THE DRAGON! Oh no – the Princess’s little brother has gone missing! Can YOU help her find him? A brilliantly interactive rhyming read-aloud adventure before bedtime from…

[scatmaan]

mad god was rlly cool right up until the end

[minimusics]

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Kaleidoscope"

There are great songs here, and it's clear what an influence this album and Siouxsie had on the alt rock scene, but "Kaleidoscope" can fall into a sort of monotony to my ears.

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genre: post-punk, neo-psychedelia year: 1980

personal rating: 6.5 (out of 10) standout songs: "Happy House", "Skin"

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Why this album? I've heard it before and am revisiting it.

[fantasticbookdragon]

Blog Tour: Alex Neptune: Pirate Hunter by David Owen

Author: David Owen Genre: MG Adventure Published by: Usbourne Publication date: 02/07/23 Pages: 272 My rating: ★★★★★ I received a free review copy from the publisher and Kaleidoscopic Tours in exchange for an honest review (more…) “”

[legion1227]

Netflix's Kaleidoscope Review

This…should be better than it is.

On the first day of 2023, Netflix tried something big with a miniseries called Kaleidoscope. The series is most akin to your typical heist film. A master thief, played by Giancarlo Esposito, assembles a crew and attempts a caper of epic proportions. I'll highlight Esposito the most, as a fan of his portrayals in Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian, etc. In those series, he's most known and beloved for portraying a stoic antagonist. Here, he's defying his typecast by playing a driven protagonist. He does a fine job in this role.

The rest of the cast, from Jai Courtney to Paz Vega, is not terrible but mostly middling.

There are no breakout performances, no breakout action sequences, and not even memorable dialogue. The script fails to impress, leaving just an average heist plot behind.

The most notable aspect of the show stems from a bold concept. Before its release, Netflix touted Kaleidoscope as its first TV show that is watchable in any order. Not to be confused with an anthology series with every episode detailing a different story, like the better Netflix series Love, Death, and Robots, Kaleidoscope tells one storyline, with each episode taking place at different points, either before or after the heist. Episodes occur years before the heist, months before, weeks before, then the heist itself, the morning after, and months afterward.

I used a random number generator to determine what episode I should start with, and I happened to get the first episode chronologically. Starting from there was the obvious and best point from a storytelling perspective. I continued to use a random number generator to a point, jumping around the timeline until stumbling upon the last chronological episode and felt dissatisfied.

It doesn't matter what episode you start with; it doesn't frame the story differently and doesn't provide any new insights. I like the idea of a lot of one story that you can start from any episode, but this isn't intriguing enough to nail the concept. This just doesn't leave enough of an impression on me besides its concept.

If you enjoy heist movies, you might like this. But it's painfully mediocre and best enjoyed from the chronological standpoint. 3/5.