Jungle Mastermind

Includes discussion questions and writing exercises.

Includes discussion questions and writing exercises.

What is film noir? With its archetypal femme fatale and private eye, its darkly-lit scenes and even darker narratives, the answer can seem obvious enough. But as Ian Brookes shows in this new study, the answer is a lot more complex than that. This book is designed to tackle those complexities in a critical introduction that takes into account the problems of straightforward definition and classification. Students will benefit from an accessible introductory text that is not just an account of what film noir is, but also an interrogation of the ways in which the term came to be applied to a disparate group of American films of the 1940s and 1950s.

Thema has always preferred books to video games, but when her younger twin brothers show her the battle game Shrinking Island Showdown she is hooked--and with her brothers help she plans to become good enough to compete in an esports competition.

Francis is spending a week at an esports camp, hoping to get even better at Red Car Racers, his favorite game; but finding himself surrounded by older and more experienced players he stuggles with his performance--and his confidence.

Since she received an old game console Ivette has become involved with speedrunning an old game called The Shattered Blade--so interested she enters a contest which pits her against an online gamer called Quick Silver.

Crime movies inhabit dark and desperate worlds, yet they account for many of Hollywood's most triumphant successes. In full acknowledgement of this achievement, "Crime Wave" offers an authoritative and informative, stimulating and entertaining guide to the crime movie phenomenon, from its early days to the present, charting its history and celebrating the people who have given it a special and enduring place in cinema goers' affections. Chapters focus on landmark Hollywood films - from 1931's "The Public Enemy", through "The Maltese Falcon", "Point Blank", "Dirty Harry", "The Godfather" trilogy and "Goodfellas", to "LA Confidential" and "Oceans 11" - telling their stories and on the way discussing many more crime movies, both major and lesser known. "Crime Wave" represents and investigates gangster and heist movies, blaxploitation and noir, murder mysteries, vehicles for vigilante or buddy cops, even a gangster love story. It features biographies and filmographies detailing the key participants and background details of the film's making, locations and sets. It also explores each film's sources and influences, its impact on the crime genre and current fashion, including spin-offs, copies and sequels. It examines the films' themes, style and box office fortunes. Detailed cast list information is provided for each of the main featured films. Written with passion, for those who love this cinema, "Crime Wave" is the perfect partner in crime.

When Samuel learns the classic world-building game Buildtopia is getting an eSports competition, he turns his love of the game into an opportunity to complete and connect with new friends.