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Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated American Pastoral (2016) in Movies
Aug 24, 2017
Ewan McGregor is brilliant (2 more)
Incredibly sad
Not bad adaptation of Philip Roth's book
Harrowing, tragic and moving
Philip Roth's tragic drama about the perfect high school couple and the disintegration of a family has finally made it on to the big screen. Set in the 1960's during massive political upheaval in America, it follows the story of a daughter who disappears after allegedly bombing a store, killing a clerk as part of a 'revolutionary' movement. Her father, played by Ewan McGregor, believes that she has been manipulated and that she is truly innocent throughout, even in the face of all opposing evidence. It's horrific seeing the mother and father's complete breakdown and it seems apparent the daughter Merry is suffering from a mental illness. There's hints of sexual abuse thought to have triggered her stutter, but it is extremely subtle.
It's really quite a sombre watch, especially given that the film begins with the father's funeral. Beautiful acting, but the daughter's character was extremely irritating.
It's really quite a sombre watch, especially given that the film begins with the father's funeral. Beautiful acting, but the daughter's character was extremely irritating.
Mario Bellini
Book
The first comprehensive monograph on Mario Bellini, one of Italy's most versatile and influential...
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Freedom Is a Constant Struggle in Books
Sep 18, 2017
A good introduction into the intersectionality of worldwide civil rights movements
Angela Davis is one of the most important activists in the past five decades, hence reading any of her essays, interviews or speeches is always essential. And while I think the message of the book important - discussing how to create a global civil rights movement, intersectionality, and making sure not to idolise any one individual - it is slightly haphazardly put together without a narrative thread.
On the other hand, Davis' book is a perfect counterpart to Michelle Alexander's important theoretical book "The New Jim Crow" as "Freedom is a Constant Struggle" is more of a manifesto, with practical advice.
Davis, who was at one point on the FBI 's Most Wanted List, discusses her role and support for the Black Panther Party during the 1960's, as well as global movements such as Palestine, who in turn advised those in Ferguson, Missouri, in how to deal with militarized police tactics. She criticizes companies such as G4S for essentially gaining from corporate punishments, who are notorious across the world.
Ironically, I have always held Davis on a pedestal, and went to see her many years ago during a speech in London. But she does warn against individualism and instead encourages finding common tenets across other civil actions. And while I love her vision of intersectionality, these speeches are far too brief to gauge a full understanding - it may be better to read some of her other works alongside this book. A great insight into a great mind.
On the other hand, Davis' book is a perfect counterpart to Michelle Alexander's important theoretical book "The New Jim Crow" as "Freedom is a Constant Struggle" is more of a manifesto, with practical advice.
Davis, who was at one point on the FBI 's Most Wanted List, discusses her role and support for the Black Panther Party during the 1960's, as well as global movements such as Palestine, who in turn advised those in Ferguson, Missouri, in how to deal with militarized police tactics. She criticizes companies such as G4S for essentially gaining from corporate punishments, who are notorious across the world.
Ironically, I have always held Davis on a pedestal, and went to see her many years ago during a speech in London. But she does warn against individualism and instead encourages finding common tenets across other civil actions. And while I love her vision of intersectionality, these speeches are far too brief to gauge a full understanding - it may be better to read some of her other works alongside this book. A great insight into a great mind.
Brenda Starr the Complete Pre-Code Comic Books: Cheesecake, and Other Delectable Things: Volume Two: Good Girls
Daniel Herman, Jerry Iger Studio and Dale Messick
Book
* Before Fredric Wertham and The Seduction of the Innocent (SOTI), before the Kefauver Hearings, and...
Section Roads
10.0
Rate It
Book
When attorney Cullen Molloy attends his fortieth high school reunion, he doesn’t expect to be...
ClareR (5726 KP) rated The Walking People in Books
Dec 14, 2022
It’s the 1960’s, and Greta and Johanna Cahill leave their farm and sail away on a ship to New York. They leave with Michael, a ‘Tinker’ who wants to settle down once he’s there, and make a life for himself.
Greta makes a life for HERself once she’s in New York - out of the shadow of her more confident sister, but in doing so, she ends up keeping secrets that I wondered would have been better shared. But these are people constrained by the times they live in and the place they come from.
I really enjoyed following the lives of Greta and Michael as they struggled (and succeeded) to make lives for themselves. Part of me wondered why anyone would want to leave the beauty of rural Ireland for the hustle of New York, but in reality there was nothing there for a lot of young people. If they wanted to earn money and have a job, they left for America and the UK.
It’s just a lovely story, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story of a family that loses touch and finds one another years later - with a bittersweet ending.
Recommended.
Greta makes a life for HERself once she’s in New York - out of the shadow of her more confident sister, but in doing so, she ends up keeping secrets that I wondered would have been better shared. But these are people constrained by the times they live in and the place they come from.
I really enjoyed following the lives of Greta and Michael as they struggled (and succeeded) to make lives for themselves. Part of me wondered why anyone would want to leave the beauty of rural Ireland for the hustle of New York, but in reality there was nothing there for a lot of young people. If they wanted to earn money and have a job, they left for America and the UK.
It’s just a lovely story, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story of a family that loses touch and finds one another years later - with a bittersweet ending.
Recommended.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Cruella (2021) in Movies
Jun 13, 2021
Fights to find the right tone - but succeeds more than it fails
The new Disney live action film CRUELLA (telling the origin story of one of the most well known villains in Disney animation history) is one of those strange films that is trying to walk a thin line between “G” rated “kid” entertainment and an “R” rated film intended for a more “mature” audience.
An that, ultimately, is the issue with this film, it bounces around tonally - sometimes bumping up against the “G” rating and often times landing closer to the “R”, so that, in the end, it will not be a totally satisfying experience for either the “G” or the “R” crowd.
Emma Stone takes on the title role of CRUELLA and in this film you watch her become the Cruella DeVille that you see in the Disney Animated Film (and the Glenn Close live action remake). Stone is very good in this role - almost a perfect fit. However, it looks to me that she is having a much better time playing the evil “R” rated version of Cruella rather then the comic-bookish “G” rated version, so her performance is, at times, brilliant and at other times, not as brillaint.
Emma Thompson steals just about every scene she is in as Cruella’s nemesis “The Baroness”. It’s good to see this terrific actress getting a role that she can really sink her teeth in. I hope this leads to other, strong important roles for this actress “of a certain age”.
The supporting players are strong…or should I say…Mark Strong (hehehehe). He brings his usual gravitas to the role of The Baroness’ right-hand man. But the players who impressed me the most were Joel Fry (YESTERDAY) and Paul Walter Hauser (RICHARD JEWELL) as Cruella’s 2 best friends/henchmen. They both were able to flesh out these characters (who are usually portrayed as bumbling buffoons) and both were able to find the line between “G” and “R” very well - and stay on it the entire film.
Director Craig Gillespie (I, TONYA) finds the correct tone for this film more often than not, but it is in the “not” portion of this that he fails this movie. The shifts in tone (often on a dime) are often jarring and the blame for this would have to be put right at the Director’s feet, though the look of this film (sort of a 1960’s Austin Powers meets SteamPunk look) succeeds VERY well and is as much a character in this film as the performers.
One final thing, the soundtrack used in CRUELLA is an interesting touch. Gillespie and Composer Nicholas Britell eschews (for the most part) a conventional score and highlights most of the scenes with a Pop song - though here Gillespie whips us around tonally as well. For, since the film is set in 1960’s London, a good many of the tunes used are ‘60 (and early ‘70’s) rock hits. But….every now and then…he will drop in a ‘80’s number.
But…as I sit and write this review, I am finding myself falling more and more on the side of “I Liked It”, so…set aside the tonal shifts…and you will be entertained by CRUELLA much more than you would expect.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
An that, ultimately, is the issue with this film, it bounces around tonally - sometimes bumping up against the “G” rating and often times landing closer to the “R”, so that, in the end, it will not be a totally satisfying experience for either the “G” or the “R” crowd.
Emma Stone takes on the title role of CRUELLA and in this film you watch her become the Cruella DeVille that you see in the Disney Animated Film (and the Glenn Close live action remake). Stone is very good in this role - almost a perfect fit. However, it looks to me that she is having a much better time playing the evil “R” rated version of Cruella rather then the comic-bookish “G” rated version, so her performance is, at times, brilliant and at other times, not as brillaint.
Emma Thompson steals just about every scene she is in as Cruella’s nemesis “The Baroness”. It’s good to see this terrific actress getting a role that she can really sink her teeth in. I hope this leads to other, strong important roles for this actress “of a certain age”.
The supporting players are strong…or should I say…Mark Strong (hehehehe). He brings his usual gravitas to the role of The Baroness’ right-hand man. But the players who impressed me the most were Joel Fry (YESTERDAY) and Paul Walter Hauser (RICHARD JEWELL) as Cruella’s 2 best friends/henchmen. They both were able to flesh out these characters (who are usually portrayed as bumbling buffoons) and both were able to find the line between “G” and “R” very well - and stay on it the entire film.
Director Craig Gillespie (I, TONYA) finds the correct tone for this film more often than not, but it is in the “not” portion of this that he fails this movie. The shifts in tone (often on a dime) are often jarring and the blame for this would have to be put right at the Director’s feet, though the look of this film (sort of a 1960’s Austin Powers meets SteamPunk look) succeeds VERY well and is as much a character in this film as the performers.
One final thing, the soundtrack used in CRUELLA is an interesting touch. Gillespie and Composer Nicholas Britell eschews (for the most part) a conventional score and highlights most of the scenes with a Pop song - though here Gillespie whips us around tonally as well. For, since the film is set in 1960’s London, a good many of the tunes used are ‘60 (and early ‘70’s) rock hits. But….every now and then…he will drop in a ‘80’s number.
But…as I sit and write this review, I am finding myself falling more and more on the side of “I Liked It”, so…set aside the tonal shifts…and you will be entertained by CRUELLA much more than you would expect.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) in Movies
Feb 23, 2021
Kaluuya in an Oscar worthy performance
Ever since Daniel Kaluuya burst onto the scene in 2017’s GET OUT, he has been an actor to watch - one who’s brilliance bursts off the screen in whatever project he is in.
This brilliance shines brightly in his latest effort JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH that teams him up with his GET OUT co-star LaKeith Stanfield in the true story of 1960’s Chicago Black Panther leader Fred Hampton (Kaluuya) and his friend/Security Chief, Bill O’Neal (Stanfield) who just happens to be an FBI informant.
Directed and Written by Shaka King, JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH tells an important, under-told story of the African-American struggle in the wild, changing times of America in the 1960’s.
Kaluuya’s performance as Hampton is up to the challenge of a story this big and bold - his Fred Hampton is charismatic and involving, drawing all into his world. He’s a bigger-than-life icon that demands attention whenever Kaluuya/Hampton is on the stage. I expect an Oscar nomination (at least) for this performance.
The problem with this film is that Kaluuya’s Hampton is such a strong and commanding presence that the rest of the story and characters pale in comparison to him.
Such is the case with Stanfield’s portrayal of O’Neal. I really like LaKeith Stanfield as a performer and was really looking forward to seeing him and Kaluuya go toe-to-toe, but his character is swallowed up in the largess of the Hampton character and, so, I never connected or sympathized with him. I don’t blame this on the actor, I blame this on the script and the direction of King, making the O’Neal character weak - especially when he is up against Hampton.
The character/actor that WAS able to hold their own with Kaluuya/Hampton is Dominique Fishback as Hampton’s lover (and mother of his child), Deborah Johnson. The scenes of Hampton and Johnson together were sharp and interesting - perhaps because Hampton was toned down, but also because Fishback’s portrayal of Johnson was strong enough to stand up to Kaluuya’s portrayal of Hampton.
In addition, Kaluuya’s performance is so strong in this film that it is noticeable when it is absent, so when his character is sent to prison (and disappears) for the middle 1/3 of this film, the movie drags considerably.
Finally, the film hits a plateau at about the 4/5 mark and doesn’t really build to a crescendo at the end - an ending that should be powerful, but just sorts of lies there.
All-in-all, JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH is worth seeing for the powerful performance by Daniel Kaluuya that more than makes up for the shortcomings of the rest of the film.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) - and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
This brilliance shines brightly in his latest effort JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH that teams him up with his GET OUT co-star LaKeith Stanfield in the true story of 1960’s Chicago Black Panther leader Fred Hampton (Kaluuya) and his friend/Security Chief, Bill O’Neal (Stanfield) who just happens to be an FBI informant.
Directed and Written by Shaka King, JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH tells an important, under-told story of the African-American struggle in the wild, changing times of America in the 1960’s.
Kaluuya’s performance as Hampton is up to the challenge of a story this big and bold - his Fred Hampton is charismatic and involving, drawing all into his world. He’s a bigger-than-life icon that demands attention whenever Kaluuya/Hampton is on the stage. I expect an Oscar nomination (at least) for this performance.
The problem with this film is that Kaluuya’s Hampton is such a strong and commanding presence that the rest of the story and characters pale in comparison to him.
Such is the case with Stanfield’s portrayal of O’Neal. I really like LaKeith Stanfield as a performer and was really looking forward to seeing him and Kaluuya go toe-to-toe, but his character is swallowed up in the largess of the Hampton character and, so, I never connected or sympathized with him. I don’t blame this on the actor, I blame this on the script and the direction of King, making the O’Neal character weak - especially when he is up against Hampton.
The character/actor that WAS able to hold their own with Kaluuya/Hampton is Dominique Fishback as Hampton’s lover (and mother of his child), Deborah Johnson. The scenes of Hampton and Johnson together were sharp and interesting - perhaps because Hampton was toned down, but also because Fishback’s portrayal of Johnson was strong enough to stand up to Kaluuya’s portrayal of Hampton.
In addition, Kaluuya’s performance is so strong in this film that it is noticeable when it is absent, so when his character is sent to prison (and disappears) for the middle 1/3 of this film, the movie drags considerably.
Finally, the film hits a plateau at about the 4/5 mark and doesn’t really build to a crescendo at the end - an ending that should be powerful, but just sorts of lies there.
All-in-all, JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH is worth seeing for the powerful performance by Daniel Kaluuya that more than makes up for the shortcomings of the rest of the film.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) - and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated LUCY and la petite nouvelle: The Newcomer (The Front Porch Diaries #1) in Books
Jul 8, 2020
Looking for a good book that teaches about history to your young child. Lucy and the la petite nouvelle (The Newcomer) is the first book that introduces a new friend. It also teaches your child or children about race or at least mentions it. Though it mostly about how friendships are formed, It show how a new person from a different culture feels when they move to a new country or area.
Like I said it does talk about race a bit. It set in the year 1960's so we are going to to see the reactions that will happen. What it mostly about seem to focus on friendships, growing up and siblings throughout the book.
There are some good life lessons to learn though out the book as well. Lucy seem to try and make friends with Simone and show her new friend around. We see how Lucy deals with some problems. Eddie seem to be good part of it as well and showing Simone's brother around.
I enjoy the story and life lessons learned though the book and how it told. Good for children in middle grade. We learn a bit of french and a little bit of history as well. We do read the story though the viewpoint of Lucy.
Like I said it does talk about race a bit. It set in the year 1960's so we are going to to see the reactions that will happen. What it mostly about seem to focus on friendships, growing up and siblings throughout the book.
There are some good life lessons to learn though out the book as well. Lucy seem to try and make friends with Simone and show her new friend around. We see how Lucy deals with some problems. Eddie seem to be good part of it as well and showing Simone's brother around.
I enjoy the story and life lessons learned though the book and how it told. Good for children in middle grade. We learn a bit of french and a little bit of history as well. We do read the story though the viewpoint of Lucy.
Hunting for an Inheritance on a Haunted Lake
Nancy Drew and her friends are traveling to Misty Lake. It’s supposed to be an overnight stay, but they quickly extend it when they hear that an old tour boat that sank is now haunting the lake. Meanwhile, they meet a young woman who is searching for a family inheritance that was lost over 100 years ago. Will they solve these mysteries?
This is one I know I read years ago, and parts of it came back to me as a reread it. I quickly got caught up in the action and danger again. There is a lot going on here, and I knew it would all tie together. The biggest mystery to me was how. I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes a bit at all the coincidences involved, but I was having fun. Nancy and her friends get a bit of time to have some character development early on, but they are still pretty thin characters. Some of the elements in the book are dated since the version I read came out in the 1960’s. Still, I think kids of all ages will enjoy the action and mystery of this book.
This is one I know I read years ago, and parts of it came back to me as a reread it. I quickly got caught up in the action and danger again. There is a lot going on here, and I knew it would all tie together. The biggest mystery to me was how. I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes a bit at all the coincidences involved, but I was having fun. Nancy and her friends get a bit of time to have some character development early on, but they are still pretty thin characters. Some of the elements in the book are dated since the version I read came out in the 1960’s. Still, I think kids of all ages will enjoy the action and mystery of this book.
