Finding Nemo (Blu-Ray)

-How about we play a game?
- All right.
-Okay, I'm thinking of something orange, and it's small...
- It's me.
- Right!

General Information

Directors: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
Writers: Andrew Stanton (original story by), Andrew Stanton (screenplay) 
Cast:
Albert Brooks - Marlin (voice)
Ellen DeGeneres - Dory (voice)
Alexander Gould - Nemo (voice)
Willem Dafoe - Gill (voice)
Brad Garrett - Bloat (voice)
Allison Janney - Peach (voice)
LuLu Ebeling - Darla (voice)
Genres: Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family
Country: USA
Language: English
Budget: $94 000 000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend: $70 251 710 (USA) (30 May 2003)
Runtime: 100 min

How it was Created

Finding Nemo is a creative project of two giants of animation industry, Pixar and Walt Disney. Having been released 13 years ago, the movie attracted both usual viewers and captious critics. Marketing forecasts did not predict such success to the story about the lost anemonefish who is searched by his father who, in his turn, gets in numerous interesting and dangerous situations. Nevertheless, the cartoon exceeded the success and box-office receipts of the legend, Lion King, gathering over $70mil. of pure cash and receiving the Oscar as the Best Animation Film.

General Thoughts

In my opinion, the movie is a rare case of a successful work that is harmonious from all sides, including technical side and the narration of the plot. I should point out that these both components are equally developed. I cannot say that graphics received more attention of the director than the main characters. No. Everything is very well thought-out.

Animation

As for me, animation in this movie is beyond praise. The biggest achievement of the animators is the creation of a very realistic ocean, which is home to various kinds of fish and sea plants. Everything looks very natural. I also liked the detailed representation of small, so to say, unimportant elements of the underwater flora and fauna, though these details should not attract the attention of the viewers. So, I can state that there is no slapdash in the work of animators. You can just see the logo of creators and understand that it is a high-quality mark.

Besides the ocean, I should emphasize the detailed representation of the images of heroes, both main and secondary ones. All of them have clear human mimicry, due to which we can understand what feelings are in the soul of this or that character. 
One of the best achievements of animators, to my mind, is the shark called Bruce, a very colourful and bright image.

Variety of the Characters

The characters of the heroes are developed very well too. The creators show us the world seen by the eyes of Marlin. And we see how this small fish perceives the ocean world with its many-sided peculiarities, including sharks- vegetarians (who stand for the modern community of anonymous drinkers), funny turtles who are full of joy and energy that pierces through the ocean. All characters are unique and charismatic, especially those in the aquarium by the dentist: some fishes, sea-star, and French shrimp. Some of them were so funny in gestures and movements that I wanted to watch some funny moments over and over again. Yes, it is time to precede to humorous parts:)

Humour

As for humour, first of all, I should say that the whole story is developing around the father and the son, Marlin and Nemo. After Nemo traps in the arms of 'hunters' at the very beginning, he finds a friendly company of underwater creatures who entertain the viewers with constant jokes, while Marlin (Nemo's father) has one friend, a funny fish called Dory, who suffers from sclerosis, but is indeed very friendly. Despite you get a bit tired from this small blue fish, the overall impression about it is very positive:)

People in the Movie

I am only talking about fish and fish; let's look at human characters in the cartoon. The creators also introduce a very specific character, a sadist-girl Darla. You know, through the whole movie, full of jokes and gags, I have never laughed so much as when Darla appeared. It seems, she appears in two episodes; not to tell about the music reminding some Hitchcock's film at the moment Darla appears on the screen, and the close-up of her face with terrible braces. Ahh..instead of thriller in the evening:)

The Plot

Someone may underestimate the plot of the film, saying it is a poor story about a broken-hearted father looking for his wilful son. But such person will be wrong. Everyone of us can put himself on the place of Nemo or his father, lost or searching. The creator try to lead us to various moralizing postulates, such as "no pains, no gains", and they are doing it unobtrusively and with humour. The movie is not highly dramatic; thus, it is very easy to watch. All in all, every film teaches us some lesson, and Finding Nemo is not an exception.

Price & Availability

It costs about £12 on Amazon, but you can save some money and order it on GameSeek for just £8.08.

Interesting Facts

• Animators studied face expressions of dogs, paying close attention to their eyes in order to liven the fish characters and make their face expressions more emotional.
• The names of two main turtles are the names of two popular American citrus soda brands, Crush and Squirt.
• Darla received the name in honour of the producer of Pixar, Darla K. Anderson.
• The dentist's cabinet was designed according to the real dentist room situated in the same building with Pixar.
• The creators were afraid that after watching the movie, children could wish to set their home fish free, flushing them in the toilet. Therefore, the company engaged in filtering and cleaning sewage water spread a warning about the fact that waste water goes through filtering that destroys all hard objects in it. And only after that, it reaches the ocean. The company concluded that in the reality, the movie should be called "Blending Nemo". Moreover, some water treatment plants and plumbing companies in the USA even received calls from parents who wanted to find out if there was any way to rescue a flushed fish. Unfortunately, as one water plant operator from California answered, the chance of a flushed fish making it to the ocean are "essentially zero to none." This fact is not imaginary, by the way. You can find it in world news, like CNN, for instance.
• The movie is dedicated to the memory of Glenn McQueen (1960-2002), animator of Pixar.

To Sum Up

To conclude, the movie turned out to be very beautiful, colour full, and funny. It is very kind as well. The movie evokes a wide range of emotions, from happiness to sadness. Every creation of Pixar and Disney teaches us some lesson. This time, the movie calls to love your nearest and dearest and show them that no distance can eliminate this feeling. It stays in the memory after watching, So, I certainly recommend it!

Thanks for reading my review!

"Just keep swimming".


This review can be also found on Ciao under my nickname AliceBond.

Far and Away (Blu-ray) Review

Now I have to confess that Tom Cruise is my favourite actor:) Since childhood, I have received a lot of films on DVD with him starring. I have read, leant about him, searched information about his biography etc. Well, I was doing everything that young girls usually do when see the 'man of their dream':) But it's another story. Now I would like to dwell upon one of his old films 'Far and Away'.

What is interesting, he played with his ex-wife, Nicole Kidman. So, if you are a fan of him or her, it would be interesting for you to see how a love couple plays in one film.
It may happen that a couple can harm the film, especially when it is a couple of stars. They have quarrels and can be indifferent to their director. They say, the result can be disappointing. Such are the stereotypes. Tom Cruise was a young star then, and Nicole was just gaining popularity. Perhaps, it even saved the film in some sense.

Details

Directed by Ron Howard
Produced by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Bob Dolman
Screenplay by Bob Dolman
Story by Ron Howard, Bob Dolman
Starring Tom Cruise (as Joseph Donnelly), Nicole Kidman (as Shannon Christie)
Music by John Williams 
Cinematography Mikael Salomon
Edited by Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
Production company: Imagine Entertainment
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date: May 22, 1992
Running time: 140 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English
Budget: $60 million
Box office: $137.8 million

Genre

As for me, it is difficult to refer this film to a certain genre. However, I would say it is a historical drama. The events of the film refer to the late 19th century, to the period of exploration of the Wild West. Moreover, there are a lot of humorous moments in the film. Besides, there are some fighting scenes as well as dramatic episodes (especially the end).

The Plot

The plot of the film is not ordinary. When you are waiting for some event, everything happens in another way. It remids a donkey, a 'friend' of Cruise in this film. You may guess the result, but it will be still unclear in what way the heroes will reach this or that aim. Maybe, not all of them will.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise plays the role of Joseph Donnelly, a poor Irish boy whose land was taken away by the landlord after his father's death. Therefore, Joseph is going to go and kill the offender...Anyway, he has nothing to lose!

However, the lord was not so bad as people thought of him. He was a pretty, fatty man, who did not already manage his land (as it seemed to me). Everything was done by his assistant. In the film Joseph was wounded and needed treatment, thus, he was let to stay at the house and get better. Whom do you think he met there? Sure! Nicole Kidman, that is Shannon, a daughter of the lord. Yes, it reminds a story of Romeo and Juliet. But every epoch should have its Romeo and Juliet, I think. I see nothing bad in it.

American Dream

As a daughter of such a 'big father', Shannon has her own viewpoint that is different from that of her father. And she has a dream, to be precise, American dream. At that time, people received advertisements about good life in America that promised them free land if they come to the country. As an ambitious and clever girl, Shannon notices an Irishman who can be of use to her during her trip. Eventually, they get on the ship and go to the country of big opportunities to fulfil their dreams. 

Love Story

I would call their love story quite modern in comparison with that of Romeo and Juliet because the latter did not hide their love from each other, but nowadays young people feel shy to open to another person. So, after they had arrived to Boston, all things of Shannon were stolen. Thus, Joseph, as a real gentleman, could not leave the girl to the mercy of fate. Besides, he liked her (what he was trying to hide), and she was attracted by his personality as well (what she also did not admit).
I will not tell anything further. Just one tiny thing) Their love story lead to one unhappy incident due to which they lost everything. Winter. Cold. Street. Empty house. Warmth. Man shooting Shannon. What will be next? You will see if you watch the film. 

Criticism

As for me, the film is good, touching, full of humorous, romantic, and just beautiful scenes. However, the film received a lot of criticism in the USA (country of release), and the box office was lower than expected. Film critics then did not like how the actors played. Moreover, the viewers weren't amazed. The actors were said to be not very persuasive. Nevertheless, the film received three nominations: Best Action Scene, Best Couple, and Worst Soundtrack.

Conclusion

Perhaps, I am not an expert in Film Studies, but unlike the critics, I liked the film. So, I recommend to watch it! Besides, if you like the actors starring, you will be interested to see how they started their career.

Shannon: Pretend you love me.
Joseph: I pretend I love you.
Shannon: I pretend I love you, too.

This review can be also found on Ciao under my nickname AliceBond.

Garmin Forerunner 235 Review

Recently, I've understood the ultimate reason of sharing your hobbies and life stories with colleagues: they'll give you nice presents! XD Surely, I'm joking, but boyfriend who goes in for sports got Garmin Forerunner 235 from his co-workers on Birthday half a year ago. So, he has helped me in completing the review a bit) He likes all these sport accessories, but I doubt whether he would afford buying Garmin for himself. It costs £220 on Amazon, £250 on Ebay, and £270 on the official web site of Garmin. As for me, I would not spend such sum of money on a watch that can fall, crash, be stolen etc. At the same time, I would not reject a present of this kind.

This is not a smart watch as we know it today (only for receiving and answering calls), but Garmin is supposed to be an expert in sports watches; thus, the firm adds new and new functions necessary for sportsmen.

                                    Technical Characteristics

Physical dimensions: 1.77" x 1.77" x 0.46"
Display size: 1.23"
Display resolution: 215 x 180 pixels
Weight: 1.5 oz (42 g)
Battery: Rechargeable lithium-ion
Battery life: 11 hours training, 9 days watch + activity tracking + notifications + heart rate
Water rating: 5 ATM
Watch functions: Date and alarm
Color display: Yes
GPS-enabled: Yes
GLONASS: Yes
High-sensitivity receiver: Yes
Smart notifications (displays email, text and other alerts when paired with your compatible phone): Yes
Vibration alert: Yes
Music control: Yes
Find my phone: Yes
VIRB® control: Yes
Connect IQ™ app support: Yes
Wrist-based heart rate: Yes

Why it Helps Runners

Smart watch Garmin Forerunner 235 helps to track and control physical activity of a person. They have such functions as accelerometer and pedometer that can measure the distance you have passed, you speed of movement, and how many calories you have spent. In order to provide accurate calculations, the watch uses the sensor of heart rate. With the help of Garmin Elevate function, it is possible to have this sensor in the watch, not in a separate device on the breast of the sportsman.

Ideal Sleep

As for me, I was amazed by this function. I do not know, how it does it, but the watch can collect the data about the duration of human rest. It can also define the time of the beginning of rapid eye movement sleep. Due to this function, the device can calculate the optimal time of wake up for you. I think, this function is very helpful at weekends, when you can let the watch decide when to wake up. However, in our busy life, we cannot afford ourselves such "luxury". This option can also help those who want to improve their sleep and health in general since the duration of sleep has a significant influence on our nerve system and overall mood and condition.

Additional Functions

Garmin Forerunner 235 has a GPS module, which allows you to define your location and see what part of the way you have covered. This smart watch also synchronizes with the smart phone via Bluetooth. Thus, you can see the data about calls and messages on the display of the watch.

Quality of Image

The display of the watch is 1.23 inches. I should say that it has a very high quality and shows perfect image due to the OLED technology, which was used for its creation. It provides a bright and rather contrast image. Moreover, it has a matte coating that prevents the appearance of glares and does not irritate you.

Personalization

The device has maximum personalization. It uses the Garmin IQ platform that supports installation of a number of apps and widgets as well as the design of the main screen. Forerunner 235 can be automatically synchronized with the app "Garmin Connect". It is a free service for communication and analyzing sports data.
You can also synchronize your account on Garmin Connect with MyFitnessPal service in order to receive automatically calculated calories and recommendations regarding diet.

Safety

Well, despite all my biases, my boyfriend has assured me that the watch is highly protected. It has a metal frame that protects it when it is hit, falls down, or undergoes high temperatures. Moreover, it prevents water from penetrating inside the watch, so it can be put up to 50 metres under the water. 

Design

As for me, I find the design of Forerunner 235 good-looking and comfortable. Now, I'll tell you why. As for its attractiveness, it is visible. It has nice blue colour of a wristlet that perfectly matches classical black display. Moreover, the wristlet has a very creative form. It is covered with bigger and smaller holes along its full length. These holes not only allow the arm "to breathe", but also are very helpful for people with thin arms. I have faced the problem of lack of holes a lot of times in my life. I often had to make an extra one for myself. So, if I owned this device, I would not have to do it. To tell the truth, I find it a big advantage because the activity of making additional holes irritates me a lot!

Verdict

First, when I saw Garmin 235, it looked like a high technological device I have ever seen. It has so many functions that can be helpful for both ordinary people and sportsmen. However, if you do not go in for sports professionally, a lot of options will be unnecessary for you, like activity tracking that counts daily steps, distance, calories, and sleep. However, if you are looking for a present for a sportsman, it is the best choice, judging by experience;)
I think, this watch refers to those things that every runner dreams of, but cannot bring oneself to buy it.

This review can be also found on Ciao under my nickname AliceBond.

Canon Ixus 170 Review

I have bought this camera for £80. Its price on Amazon is £86. I don't think this is a lot of money for the camera. However, you should take into consideration that it will be a camera only for £80, not more! Moreover, it is Canon, so I think, they have taken some money for the brand name.

                                          Product Specification

-20 Megapixels
-Steady shots in every situation
-720p movies
-Energy saving for more shots
-12x optical zoom with ultra-wide angle
-Powerful DIGIC processing
-Optimises people shots
-Instant help
-Zoom to 24x with great quality
-Auto mode with 32-scene detection
-Instantly capture movies
-Compatible with Canon Connect Station
-Flash Modes: Auto, Manual Flash On / Off, Slow Synchro
-Shooting Modes: Smart Auto (32 scenes detected), P, Portrait, Live View Control, FaceSelf-Timer, Low Light (5.0 MP), Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Snow, Fireworks, Long Shutter

What I like Most About It

Surely, Il liked its style. I looks better than typical digital cameras, as for me. It has a thin, compact construction with a metal trimming. Its pocket size is also convenient . Moreover, you can choose a color you like (black, blue, grey)! It is also easy to use having Intelligent IS. You can shoot objects that are located far away in a good quality due to 12x optical zoom. It takes rather sharp photos.

Shooting Close And Distant Objects

I think, this camera is the best for landscapes, portraits/people. You can take pictures of close and distant objects with the help of the 12x optical zoom. You can get closer using 24x ZoomPlus. I like this function since it lets me get images without theloss of quality. 20 Megapixels is quite okey. It provides very detailed pictures. So, I can crop the photos of even print them out in a poster size without quality loss. The biggest image I have pronted out from the camera was of the album size. It was a picture of my family. The quality of it was nice! I am not sure, it will be the same if you print out the wall poster, but the album sized picture will look well.

Intelligence & Smartness

The camera has an intelligent optical Image Stabilizer. What is it for? It is made for people whose arms shake when taking photos. This function allows you to be sure that even if you shake it a little, it won't harm the photo.
If you are not an expert in photography, you can apply Smart Auto mode. It will choose all proper setting for you. However, I have used it once or twice. To tell the truth, I do not trust auto settings a lot. I prefer to adjust all the settings myself and be sure that I apply Portrait Mode when shooting people, for example. Moreover, this camera can 'teach' you how to settle everything. You should just use a Help Button, and the guidance will open.

Videos

This camera provides HD movies but only of 720p maximum. It is pretty nice for a digital camera, but if you are going to shoot videos for a long time, you should take a charger with you since it discharges quite fast. Moreover, some videos turned out to me not very clear, a bit dark. I don't know why it was so. Perhaps, the reason was that they were shot in the evening. This fact dissatisfied me a bit.

People Shots

As I have already mentioned, I think this camera is suitable for shooting people, first of all. As all modern cameras, it has a face detection function. It can also detect multiple faces in a single frame. I like this mode since it does not distort the colour of skin. Portraits look very natural.

Creative Filters

I suppose, I will not amaze you if I say that the camera has an option of fish-eye lens and fish-eye lens. After applying any filters, you can look at the image in the Live View mode. As far as I know, there is a possibility to connect to Canon Connect Station and sare the images in social networks. However, I like to be sure that my photos are nice and do not need any correction (in Photoshop). That is why, I always use the cable to connect to my PC and view the images in full size first.

Minuses

Some settings are not very convenient. The functions of macro mode and picture correction are hidden very far in the menu. However, the "so important" Eco function (that allows to make photos all day long) is visible. I do not think people use it too often, as macro mode, for example. For me, it is a big disadvantage. Also, you cannot take pictures under water.

Verdict

The camera is not bad for a digital camera. However, I would not buy it for taking professional photos or videos (especially!). It is suitable for travelling, walks, sightseeing, and landscapes. In particular, it is very comfortable to take it in the trip since it has a small 'pocket' size.

This review can be also found on Ciao under my nickname AliceBond.

Unbroken (DVD) Premium Review

- My brother used to think that I could do anything, that I was better than I am.
- Who says you’re not?

General information

Director: Angelina Jolie
Writers: Joel Coen (screenplay), Ethan Coen (screenplay)
Stars: Jack O'Connell (Louis Zamperini), Miyavi (Watanabe (as Takamasa Ishihara)), Domhnall Gleeson (Phil), Garrett Hedlund (Fitzgerald), Finn Wittrock (Mac)
Country: USA
Language: English | Japanese | Italian
Release Date: in UK - 26 December 2014
Budget: $65 000 000 (estimated)
Runtime: 137 min

Main Character

This is a story about a boy/ sportsman/ captive/ man/ victim of war/ prisoner of the camp/ strong spirit/ acquired faith/ humanity/ forgiveness. I think, everyone may choose his or her own word.
The main hero is an Olympic champion Louie Zamperini. He is Italian. His family has migrated to the USA. His parents do not speak English; thus, everyone has a biased opinion concerning them. However, the policeman calls their family a very respected one! Is it politeness? Paradox?

Flashbacks

The film starts from the middle. So, it is certainly full of flashbacks. There are not so many of them, and they are perfecly managed. They smoothly lead us to the beginning of the story. But despite a very bright life of Louie, which is full of events, I find this film a rather calm, quiet, and unworrying one. It has not captured my entire attention, that I consider a serious disadvantage.

Opinion on Direction and Music

I would like to thank Angelina Jolie for the scenes on the plane. They are really dramatic. However, all other scenes seem monotonous for me. It seems that her ardour suddenly disappeared. Besides, I'd like to emphasize a good work of composer. The music nicely fits the film and does not distract your attention from the main events. As for scriptwriters, I think Coen brothers could apply more efforts. As for me, the dialogues are weak at times. Also, they could have worked a bit more on the end of the film.

A Few Words about Angelina Jolie

I don't want to throw tomatoes in my favourite actress. But..but..but..
I watched an interview where it was said that they could not find a director for this film for a long time. Then, Jolie thought that she would be the best candidate to stage it. I think, it was her mistake. It all lead to her name being typed in big letters on every advertisement of the film. I saw it on every poster. But after watching the film, I realised that it was just a trap for such people as I am:) As I have already said, I am a big fan of her. And to tell the truth, if she shoots more films in the future, I will watch them all:) Besides, if she stars in them, I will be one of the first viewers) In fact, I believe in her talent. She has it indeed. Let's look at 'Mr and Ms Smith', for example. This movie has almost become a legend, as for me. So, she certainly has a big talent. Therefore, I will keep watching her films and hope that she will show her best skills in the future.

The Main Character

One more person pinned all my faith on was of course Jack O'Connell. I like this Briton. I like him since watching 'Skins' with him starring. In fact, I have seen a lot of movies with him, and I think he does his best in average films. It seems he is playing as if it were his last role. Hollywood lacks such actors who play not for popularity, money, or Oscars, but for the sake of art. In order to avoid spoilers, I will just say that after seeing him in the role of Zamperini, I cannot imagine anyone else.

A Few Words About Domhnall Gleeson

As for Domhnall, I liked his play as well. To tell the truth, he was even better than O'Connell in some moments. In my opinion, he was closer to the viewer. I even wanted to hug him, feel sorry, and give him some food:) His face showed all sufferings and torment, while O'Connell behaved in a strong, courageous manner. So, Domhnall attracted my attention, and I am going to watch some films with him as well.

Takamasa Ishihara

As it turns out (I did not expect), Takamasa is a popular Japanese musician Miyavi. His play is also worth applause. However, I think, his appearance does not fit the role he played. He was too well-groomed, neat, and tidy for a tyrant with masochistic habits who did not obviously receive enough love in the childhood. Only listen to his phrase "don`t look at me"! You'll understand if you watch:) So, the play is perfect, the appearance..so so.

Minus

I think, this film is very idealized. Some situations are not natural and not typical for a usual man. Let's have a look. It is so easy to catch a shark by its tale! Sure! Or everyone who has a twisted ankle can lift a wooden beam and stand in such position for some time. Of course! Next, it is also possible to have a beautiful, pretty-looking beard after you have spent 48 days in the open sea. And finally, you will always get help in the last minute before death! I don't think someone can believe in such fairy tale.

The End (without spoilers;)

Now, a couple of words about the end of the film. During the whole film, I was trying to squeeze out at least one tear. But in the end, I burst into tears as a little child. And what do you think the reason was? It was tenderness. I had tender emotions, it was so good and touching.

Who Should Watch It

I recommend this film to teenagers, first of all. They will be able to know a lot about history, and the movie might inspire them. Moreover, when you are thinking that your life is a complete torture, you should also watch the movie! It is worth watching when you have life problems or difficulties. Moreover, you should also watch it if you are a big fan of O'Connell, Miyavi, or Domhnall Gleeson.

Conclusion

I would give the film 8 out of 10 despite its all minuses. This is a nice movie about courage and audacity. The man was tortured, beat, destroyed, and broken. He overcame a lot and saw a lot. However, he did not lose humaneness. Only the strongest man who has strong mind can do it.

«If you get me through this, I swear, I’ll dedicate my whole life to you.»

And he did.

Thanks for reading the review!

This review can be also found on Ciao under my nickname AliceBond.

The Bridge Season 2

The Bridge Season 2 is an excellent continuation of one of the most exciting European detective series. What is important, the characters show new sides of their nature, some scenes make me feel creepy all over. To put it in a nutshell, the second season has all those features we liked about the first season.

Some Facts

Genre: Serial crime drama, thriller
Created by: Hans Rosenfeldt
Cast: Sofia Helin as Saga Noren
Kim Bodnia as Martin Rohde
Thure Lindhardt as Henrik Sabroe
Dag Malmberg as Hans Petterson
Sarah Boberg as Lillian
Composers: Johan Söderqvist, Patrik Andrén, Uno Helmersson
Country of origin: Sweden, Denmark

What to Expect From the Series?

I think, a brief description of the beginning will help you decide whether you want to watch it or not. So, the bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark is hits by a vessel without a crew. However, there are some mysterious passangers on the board have a serious disease. The investigation is again carried out by two detectives: Saga Noren and Martin Rohde. The police of two countries again have to work together. This new case leads to high-ranking politicians and makes the main heroes show new sides of their character.

I don't think that when in 2011 the producers from Sweden and Denmark, who decided to shoot a series about the joint work of both police services, expected to receive such a big attention to their work. However, two years later, two remakes were shot: the first (American) connceting the USA and Mexico and the second (European) - about the English Channel. In my opinion, the initial series (The Bridge) is better anyway. Moreover, the second season was a real challenge for the producers. It is always hard to make the continuation better than the first part. As for me, I was very interested how they coped with this task:) 

Comparison With the 1st Season

The final of the 1st season revealed a lot of secrets of detective line. Moreover, the characters were left on the top of their emotions. Martin lost the son, and Saga finally got a friend. Therefore, there is no need to introduce the main heroes again. Second season starts with the description of the surrounding of the heroes. Saga has a boyfriend, tried to socialize more, makes efforts to talk more to her co-workers. Martin suffers from the lost of the child as well as from the unfairness of law. This labyrinth of passion, rules, moral, and social norms is very interesting, as for me. In this aspect, the second season is not worse than the first. To tell more, it is even better because the characters show new features, their actions become unpredictable, and the viewer becomes interested in their psycology. Consequently, the heroes reveal a lot of "skeleton in their cupboards".

Detective Line

The detective line of the Season 2 is also good, as well as it was in the Season 1. It is also ramified, full of different personalities, sometimes it is cunning, and has a lot of unexpected turns. Moreover, it reveals a lot of disadvantages and vices of the society, including political, art, business, and economic spheres of life. 

Criticism

I think, even such an exciting serial may be criticized by some viewers. So, I will try to think of some disadvantages as well. First, the plot seems more farfetched than the one of the first season. I would not say that the first season is much more natural, but this one is also far from reality. Secondly, I think the biggest disadvantage of the second season is its 'open end'. Why is it bad? Because it is obvious that there will be continuation and there must be the third season. Thus, the intrigue is a bit broken. 

Who Should Watch It

Of course, all lovers of detective stories should watch the serial 100%. The plot is very interesting, and it has a lot of unpredictable situations. I was also interested in the continuation. It captures the attention of the viewer. Surely, it is nor recommended for children under...15 I would say. I am very strict regarding the age since I do not want children and teenagers to watch the films/series where people die even if these artworks are very interesting, instructive, or helpful for brain development. 

Conclusion

10/10
I recommend the series. It is very exciting and full of "Nordic" humor:) Moreover, it is better than its American and European competitors. I makes people always wait for the next series. Every fan of the series certainly looks forward to hearing this famous phrase "Saga Norén, Malmö municipal police":)

This review can be also found on Ciao under my nickname AliceBond.

Logitech G300S Review

Hello!
Now, I am going to tell you about the mouse Logitech G300S.
To tell the truth, I am not aware of its price since I receved it as a gift. So, Google helps you:))

As for what I like

They say, it is a mouse for gamers. Really? I am not a gamer at all, but it helps me a lot at work! I have been using it, by the way, for anout a year.
First of all, its major advantage is that it has 7 additional buttons on it that you can program for different commands. Fore example, a button can be a 'hot key' for open/close a page, copy the data, open a particular folder, whatever!!!
I think, those who play games should automatically press different buttons for various actions. So, with this mouse, everything will be certainly 'at hand'.
Secondly, the mouse is convenient from the point of ergonomics (human engineering). It is convenisnt to hold it in the hand, fingers do not get tired. I think, it is because Logitech G300S has rubberized insertions on both sides. It makes it comfortable.
Thirdly, the mouse has a nice lighting, the color of which can be changed! You can adjust it according to your mood:) There are 8 colors to choose: red, green, blue, violet are the most beautiful, as for me.
It works well, without any problems or breaks.
In my opinion, it economizes the time a lot. I do not have to press a lot of buttons on keyboard, just need to remember what are the commands of every button.

What I do not like

To tell the truth, the mouse is a bit bulky for a small hand. However, it is matter of time. If you use your computer to play or work, you can sacrifice some time to get used to this multi-functional mouse.

Thank you for reading my review))
This review can be also found on Ciao under my nickname AliceBond.

Lego Ideas 21108 Ghostbusters Ecto-1

If you have children at home, it is evident that you will buy them a lot of toys. And if these children are your sisters and brothers, it is also evident that you will are to play with them. So, since I am familiar with all toys of these "little bandits" living in the house, I thought it is worth telling about them.
Surely, our parents want them to develop and buy different construction sets. To tell the truth, I wonder why all children are so big fans of Lego. When they just hear the name of this brand, they start shouting that they want it. Therefore, we have a lot of Lego sets at home.

Price

I would not call this brand a cheap one, and I think they take a lot of money for the brand name. However, my parents are sure that brand means quality and continue buying Lego for the kids. So, one of the sets we have is Lego Ghostbusters. It cost around £35.

Detailed Description of the figures

The set was devoted to the anniversary of the movie Ghostbusters. It consists of 508 details and 4 minifigures: Dr. Peter Venkman, Dr. Raymond "Ray" Stantz, Dr. Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddemore. The figure as well as their vehicle look pretty nice since they are very detailed. Behind the back of each figure there is a block with a proton gun. Also, the heroes have portable radio transmitter and traps for otherworldly creatures. Minifigures can be put on the demonstration stand with a logo. You can see in the attached photo.

Ghostbusters' Car

I think, the main idea of a set is the car of ghost hunters. Its case is made of the details of white color. There are logos on doors and a luggage carrier. The details are realistic: there is a car number, a long antenna, a curved front grille, headlights, a siren, and brake fires. The roof of the car is equiped with the device for detection of te supernatural objects. The car has also a panel with a steering inside.

No Stickers:)

A big advantage of the set is that it does not contain stickers. All emblems and images are already depicted on the figures. Children may like stickers, but we perfectly know that they become obliterated with time and sometimes it takes a lot of nerves to glue them properly.

So, if you are the big fan of Ghostbusters and Lego, I strongly recommend you to purchase this set.

Thanks for reading my review)

This review can be also found on Ciao under my nickname AliceBond.

Lego Star Wars 75102 Force Awakens Poe's X-Wing Fighter

"Star Wars-mania" reached our family as well) Recently my brother received Lego Star Wars 75102 for his birthday! How much happiness there was in the eyes of my little brother! And I suppose, you can only guess how happy other members of the family were))

Advantages

There are 717 details in this toy construction set! There are four characters: droid BB-8, Poe Dameron, the pilot of the fighter and the member of the crew.
The pilot's cabin is behind the glass. That makes the fighter plane look natural.
Also, the fighter has a special place for BB-8.
During the attack, the wings of the fighter move in both sides.
The engines are fixed behind.
The starship shoots "fire". In fact, these are the red sticks on the ends of the wings, you can aesily press them and they shoot! And, in my opinion, the shot is quite strong as for a toy)
Also there is a small repair module. There is a small ladder to use it when 'repairing' the ship, the tools are included to the set as well.
I think the toy is magnificent; it is always a pleasure to collect Lego with step-by-step instructions. 
The details were packaged on 6 bags to collect them step by step. It was made so because some small details can be confused.

Disadvantage

Even this toy has one disadvantage. The wings of the fighter are really big and during the play, they can easily fall off( Moreover, the engines are fixed not very reliably as well.

But I don't think it will reduce the delight from this toy! Especially if we are talking about children.

Thank you for your attention!)

This review can be also found on Ciao under my nickname AliceBond.