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Darren (1599 KP) rated Allied (2016) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Allied starts as Canadian Intelligence Officer Max Vatan (Pitt) lands in Morocco to work with French Resistance Fighter Marianna Beausejour (Cotillard) as they pretend to be married as they complete their mission. The two fall in love for real and return to London to get married against the his superior Frank Heslop (Harris) opinion.
After a year of marriage Heslop comes to Max believing Marianna is indeed a spy, this leaves Max questioning, which side of the story to believe and what is the truth.
Thoughts on Allied
Characters – Max Vatan is Canadian intelligence working in Africa, highly skilled he can blend into his environment, but he does fall in love with his undercover wife. When he gets informed she could well be a spy, his life is turned upside down with doubts about what is the truth. Marianna is the French resistance fighter working with the Canadian Max as his fake wife, but she also falls in love with Max and returns to start a family with him. We don’t learn too much apart from that she is a loving wife and mother though.
Performances – Brad Pitt is good for the opening mission, you believe his every decision, but when he becomes the family man, he just doesn’t reach the levels you know he can. Marion Cotillard is good without being her breath-taking best in this role.
Story – The story here follows love and spies during World War II, we see how two people from different sides of the war fall in love and they must decide which side of the war they are supporting. This film doesn’t become as intense as it could be because seeing it from both sides could have heighted the experience and by the end it just doesn’t feel like it reaches the levels it should.
Action/Romance/War – The action during the film is tame with very little being used or looking overly real. The romance doesn’t feel whirlwind like you think it should be either, but the war side comes off strong as we see how the tension between the sides cause most of the issues in the lives.
Settings – The settings look authentic for the time, which does work well for the film.
Scene of the Movie – The truth.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Just fizzles out in the second half of the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a war romance film that just never reaches the levels it should do, it just seems to go on and becomes one of the average films that you forget by the end.
Overall: Average and disappointing.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/02/01/abc-film-challenge-oscar-nomination-a-allied-2016/
After a year of marriage Heslop comes to Max believing Marianna is indeed a spy, this leaves Max questioning, which side of the story to believe and what is the truth.
Thoughts on Allied
Characters – Max Vatan is Canadian intelligence working in Africa, highly skilled he can blend into his environment, but he does fall in love with his undercover wife. When he gets informed she could well be a spy, his life is turned upside down with doubts about what is the truth. Marianna is the French resistance fighter working with the Canadian Max as his fake wife, but she also falls in love with Max and returns to start a family with him. We don’t learn too much apart from that she is a loving wife and mother though.
Performances – Brad Pitt is good for the opening mission, you believe his every decision, but when he becomes the family man, he just doesn’t reach the levels you know he can. Marion Cotillard is good without being her breath-taking best in this role.
Story – The story here follows love and spies during World War II, we see how two people from different sides of the war fall in love and they must decide which side of the war they are supporting. This film doesn’t become as intense as it could be because seeing it from both sides could have heighted the experience and by the end it just doesn’t feel like it reaches the levels it should.
Action/Romance/War – The action during the film is tame with very little being used or looking overly real. The romance doesn’t feel whirlwind like you think it should be either, but the war side comes off strong as we see how the tension between the sides cause most of the issues in the lives.
Settings – The settings look authentic for the time, which does work well for the film.
Scene of the Movie – The truth.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Just fizzles out in the second half of the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a war romance film that just never reaches the levels it should do, it just seems to go on and becomes one of the average films that you forget by the end.
Overall: Average and disappointing.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/02/01/abc-film-challenge-oscar-nomination-a-allied-2016/
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated See You Yesterday (2019) in Movies
Oct 23, 2019
Highly Entertaining and Thought-Provoking
After successfully creating a time machine, high school scientist CJ Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith) decides to go back in time and save her brother from being gunned down by police. She soon learns that it’s harder to change the past than she once thought.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
With an eighty-seven-minute runtime, the movie doesn’t linger getting you into the action immediately. We see CJ and her partner Sebastian Thomas (Dante Chrichlow) working through trials of time machine testing which prove for hilarious results. It quickly brought me into the world of the characters and laid the foundation for the story.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
See You Yesterday captures the full essence of New York. The teens walk through busy streets past bodegas and fruit stands. They hit corner stores and picnics, the subway their primary means of transportation. Although the time travel aspect is slightly cheesy to watch (ok, extremely cheesy), it doesn’t diminish the impactful moments director Stefon Bristol is able to capture.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
The movie makes full use of its short runtime, not slowing down for a second. It does a masterful job of sprinkling in comedic moments into a movie that could otherwise lull you into a sense of helplessness. I was riveted throughout by all the potential outcomes that could await.
Memorability: 10
So much to say about how powerful this movie is. It explores time travel like never before with decisions that revolve around what’s happening right now in the public eye. You walk away not sure of what’s right or what’s wrong or if you would’ve approached the situation in the same way. This movie will definitely sit with you long after you watch it.
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Great story through and through. The movie never cheats itself and carries things through no matter how tough it can be at times. The story works largely in part due to the two main characters having such opposing views to approaching the conflict. It creates friction and an uncomfortable tension necessary for the checks and balances of the movie.
Resolution: 7
While I wasn’t in love with the ending, I understand that it was necessary and I also understand the point that was being driven home. If nothing else, it was definitely an ending that left you wanting more.
Overall: 95
See You Yesterday represents everything I love about movies. As of late October 2019, this definitely falls into my Top Ten list for the year. See it, asap. Not only will you love it, but it won’t take up a lot of time in your day.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
With an eighty-seven-minute runtime, the movie doesn’t linger getting you into the action immediately. We see CJ and her partner Sebastian Thomas (Dante Chrichlow) working through trials of time machine testing which prove for hilarious results. It quickly brought me into the world of the characters and laid the foundation for the story.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
See You Yesterday captures the full essence of New York. The teens walk through busy streets past bodegas and fruit stands. They hit corner stores and picnics, the subway their primary means of transportation. Although the time travel aspect is slightly cheesy to watch (ok, extremely cheesy), it doesn’t diminish the impactful moments director Stefon Bristol is able to capture.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
The movie makes full use of its short runtime, not slowing down for a second. It does a masterful job of sprinkling in comedic moments into a movie that could otherwise lull you into a sense of helplessness. I was riveted throughout by all the potential outcomes that could await.
Memorability: 10
So much to say about how powerful this movie is. It explores time travel like never before with decisions that revolve around what’s happening right now in the public eye. You walk away not sure of what’s right or what’s wrong or if you would’ve approached the situation in the same way. This movie will definitely sit with you long after you watch it.
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Great story through and through. The movie never cheats itself and carries things through no matter how tough it can be at times. The story works largely in part due to the two main characters having such opposing views to approaching the conflict. It creates friction and an uncomfortable tension necessary for the checks and balances of the movie.
Resolution: 7
While I wasn’t in love with the ending, I understand that it was necessary and I also understand the point that was being driven home. If nothing else, it was definitely an ending that left you wanting more.
Overall: 95
See You Yesterday represents everything I love about movies. As of late October 2019, this definitely falls into my Top Ten list for the year. See it, asap. Not only will you love it, but it won’t take up a lot of time in your day.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated I Know Who You Are in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<b>I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney is a book that stays with you after you read it. Dark, twisted and unpredictable until the very last chapter.</b>
In the very beginning, we are met with the unknown. Aimee Sinclair is an actress and when she comes home, she realizes her husband is missing. The police suspect she is hiding something. They are right, she does have a secret…
The book switches between two timelines; the first being Aimee today and the second being Aimee’s childhood. We get to enjoy these parallel stories and understand how Aimee’s childhood directly influences her decisions as a grown up.
<b><i>‘’Sometimes it only takes one person to believe in you, to change your life forever. Sometimes it only takes one person not believing in you to destroy it. Humans are a highly sensitive species.’’</i></b>
Alice’s writing is brilliant, and when reading the two timelines, you feel the child and you feel the adult. A skill not many writers can perfect.
Aimee’s whole life has been about being a different person. That is why she choose to become an actress. She can change into different people as she wants, and keep her true self hidden somewhere safe. But she didn’t learn this all by herself.
The book will leave things unpredictable until the very end. I had my theories and they kept changing all the time. The moment you feel you are close to the truth, something happens and you are back at the start. I loved it!
I wasn’t disappointed with the ending, but I did feel grossed out and disgusted by a certain someone. At times, some scenes felt like too much, but they were crucial to the story.
<b><i>If you love dark and twisted psychological thrillers, you will most probably enjoy reading I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney.</i></b>
<b>Trigger warnings for abuse in all shapes and forms, animal cruelty and childhood trauma.</b>
Thank you to the team at HQ, for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, and for sending me a paperback copy in exchange for an honest review.
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<b>I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney is a book that stays with you after you read it. Dark, twisted and unpredictable until the very last chapter.</b>
In the very beginning, we are met with the unknown. Aimee Sinclair is an actress and when she comes home, she realizes her husband is missing. The police suspect she is hiding something. They are right, she does have a secret…
The book switches between two timelines; the first being Aimee today and the second being Aimee’s childhood. We get to enjoy these parallel stories and understand how Aimee’s childhood directly influences her decisions as a grown up.
<b><i>‘’Sometimes it only takes one person to believe in you, to change your life forever. Sometimes it only takes one person not believing in you to destroy it. Humans are a highly sensitive species.’’</i></b>
Alice’s writing is brilliant, and when reading the two timelines, you feel the child and you feel the adult. A skill not many writers can perfect.
Aimee’s whole life has been about being a different person. That is why she choose to become an actress. She can change into different people as she wants, and keep her true self hidden somewhere safe. But she didn’t learn this all by herself.
The book will leave things unpredictable until the very end. I had my theories and they kept changing all the time. The moment you feel you are close to the truth, something happens and you are back at the start. I loved it!
I wasn’t disappointed with the ending, but I did feel grossed out and disgusted by a certain someone. At times, some scenes felt like too much, but they were crucial to the story.
<b><i>If you love dark and twisted psychological thrillers, you will most probably enjoy reading I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney.</i></b>
<b>Trigger warnings for abuse in all shapes and forms, animal cruelty and childhood trauma.</b>
Thank you to the team at HQ, for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, and for sending me a paperback copy in exchange for an honest review.
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Sarong Party Girls in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<b>A quick Chick-Lit, written in Singlish, an English-based patois that Singaporeans speak to each other. It was interesting and unique, and given the fact that I haven’t read anything like this before, I genuinely enjoyed the writing. This is my first book from Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan.
Our main heroine in this book is Jazzy, a 27-year-old, born and living in Singapore. In her mind, she is getting old and her time to get married is running out. </b>
But Jazzy doesn’t want to just marry anyone, especially not the Asian boys she keeps seeing in the clubs, or the ones that are so traditional and bring her mum soup in the mornings. She wants to marry an English Man, become rich, move abroad and have his babies.
To achieve this, Jazzy and her friends make a deal to start going into clubs and places and meet their perfect English men. They become Sarong Party Girls, and from chapter to chapter we read about new adventures and troubles that Jazzy gets herself into.
This book is unique in many ways, there are a lot of immoral scenes that teach us moral lessons. There is so much culture in this book and it’s nice to see how people tolerate moral levels differently in another part of the world.
I didn’t like Jazzy, and I didn’t agree with almost anything she was doing. From chapter to chapter she kept making stupid decisions, and even though she learnt a little bit in the end, she was still clueless at so many things, which I find annoying.
As much as I loved the refreshing taste of culture this book gave me, I also didn’t enjoy the main character at all, and am struggling to give it anything more than three stars.
<b><i>It is an amazing book, with quality writing that I am sure represents Singaporeans well, culture a plenty and many scenes that trigger discussions. But if you are looking for your perfect character, you won’t find this is Jazzy. You won’t find it in Sarong Party Girls. </i></b>
Thank you to ReadersFirst and Allen & Unwin for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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<b>A quick Chick-Lit, written in Singlish, an English-based patois that Singaporeans speak to each other. It was interesting and unique, and given the fact that I haven’t read anything like this before, I genuinely enjoyed the writing. This is my first book from Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan.
Our main heroine in this book is Jazzy, a 27-year-old, born and living in Singapore. In her mind, she is getting old and her time to get married is running out. </b>
But Jazzy doesn’t want to just marry anyone, especially not the Asian boys she keeps seeing in the clubs, or the ones that are so traditional and bring her mum soup in the mornings. She wants to marry an English Man, become rich, move abroad and have his babies.
To achieve this, Jazzy and her friends make a deal to start going into clubs and places and meet their perfect English men. They become Sarong Party Girls, and from chapter to chapter we read about new adventures and troubles that Jazzy gets herself into.
This book is unique in many ways, there are a lot of immoral scenes that teach us moral lessons. There is so much culture in this book and it’s nice to see how people tolerate moral levels differently in another part of the world.
I didn’t like Jazzy, and I didn’t agree with almost anything she was doing. From chapter to chapter she kept making stupid decisions, and even though she learnt a little bit in the end, she was still clueless at so many things, which I find annoying.
As much as I loved the refreshing taste of culture this book gave me, I also didn’t enjoy the main character at all, and am struggling to give it anything more than three stars.
<b><i>It is an amazing book, with quality writing that I am sure represents Singaporeans well, culture a plenty and many scenes that trigger discussions. But if you are looking for your perfect character, you won’t find this is Jazzy. You won’t find it in Sarong Party Girls. </i></b>
Thank you to ReadersFirst and Allen & Unwin for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Her Crown of Fire (Molten Crown, #1) in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2946164637">Her Crown of Fire</a> - ★★★★
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<b><i>Her Crown of Fire is the first book of the Molten Crown series.</i></b>
Rose Evermore is a girl trying to survive high-school. But she suddenly has dreams that can predict the future and she seems to be able to control fire.
Curious about the power she possesses, she finds herself in the fantasy realm of Lotheria with her best friend Tyson. When she arrives, she is welcomed as a fire mage at the academy, while Tyson is forced to hide in order to survive.
With a lot of plot twists and new power discoveries, Rose and Tyson are in trouble and have to find a way back home.
<b><i>I enjoyed this book, and I loved the characters.</i></b>
It is quite difficult for me to find characters I actually feel for in young adult fantasies, but I loved Rose and Tyson. Both characters were full of energy and wisdom. I especially loved the way Tyson developed into a man during his time in Lotheria.
Aside from Rose and Tyson, we also met many side characters which were instantly lovable, such as Laela, Orin and Amisha. They all had something about them that made them special, and I loved every scene that they were in.
I wish that the academy had a more welcoming feeling about it. But given the circumstances, I also loved the mystery and danger that is surrounding it. I loved the the scenes when they talk about their classes and magic, and I loved the runes class. It gave me a Hogwarts vibe.
I enjoyed reading this book, and I cannot wait to read the next book of this series. If you love young adult fantasy, magic, danger and adventure, followed by incredible friendships, you will absolutely love Her Crown of Fire!
<b><i>Thank you to the team at White Plan Publishing, for sending me an ARC paperback copy, in exchange for my honest review.</i></b>
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2946164637">Her Crown of Fire</a> - ★★★★
<img src="https://i1.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Book-Review-Banner-12.png?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1"/>;
<b><i>Her Crown of Fire is the first book of the Molten Crown series.</i></b>
Rose Evermore is a girl trying to survive high-school. But she suddenly has dreams that can predict the future and she seems to be able to control fire.
Curious about the power she possesses, she finds herself in the fantasy realm of Lotheria with her best friend Tyson. When she arrives, she is welcomed as a fire mage at the academy, while Tyson is forced to hide in order to survive.
With a lot of plot twists and new power discoveries, Rose and Tyson are in trouble and have to find a way back home.
<b><i>I enjoyed this book, and I loved the characters.</i></b>
It is quite difficult for me to find characters I actually feel for in young adult fantasies, but I loved Rose and Tyson. Both characters were full of energy and wisdom. I especially loved the way Tyson developed into a man during his time in Lotheria.
Aside from Rose and Tyson, we also met many side characters which were instantly lovable, such as Laela, Orin and Amisha. They all had something about them that made them special, and I loved every scene that they were in.
I wish that the academy had a more welcoming feeling about it. But given the circumstances, I also loved the mystery and danger that is surrounding it. I loved the the scenes when they talk about their classes and magic, and I loved the runes class. It gave me a Hogwarts vibe.
I enjoyed reading this book, and I cannot wait to read the next book of this series. If you love young adult fantasy, magic, danger and adventure, followed by incredible friendships, you will absolutely love Her Crown of Fire!
<b><i>Thank you to the team at White Plan Publishing, for sending me an ARC paperback copy, in exchange for my honest review.</i></b>
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated A Single Thread in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<i>When the team from LoveReading UK contacted me regarding A Single Thread, all I knew was that I loved Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier and would therefore read any other book she writes.</i>
A Single Thread follows the life of Violet, during the year 1932, a few years after the First World War. Violet has lost her brother and fiance in the war and is still learning to cope. She is labelled as a ”surplus woman” by the society, a woman that in unlikely to marry.
With the grief, the society label and the suffocation of her mother, Violet starts a journey that will change her life.
She is determined to find where she belongs and who she truly is, in a time where being a woman and succeeding on your own was not praised by others.
Her journey starts with a long walk in a few towns, something she used to do with her late father and brother, and it continues with her learning canvas embroidery (today knows as needlepoint), and the beautiful art of bell ringing (which pleasantly reminded me of The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo, a book I read in high school and one I should re-read).
With Tracy’s writing, it is always so easy to lose yourself in the book and teleport to the past and re-live every scene as if you’re there. It is such a pleasurable experience.
I loved Violet, and I loved how she coped with all challenges of that era. Post First World War times were extremely hard, with too many men dying and too many women not being able to ever marry. Violet’s courage and hope kept moving her forward!
<b><i>This novel yells courage. It yells freedom. It yells independence. And standing along Violet, while she finds courage when you least expect to was a moment I will cherish.</i></b>
I recommend it to you, if you love novels in the war time period, or novels that talk about courage!
Thank you to the team at LoveReading UK, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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<img src="https://i1.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Book-Review-Banner-18.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1"/>;
<i>When the team from LoveReading UK contacted me regarding A Single Thread, all I knew was that I loved Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier and would therefore read any other book she writes.</i>
A Single Thread follows the life of Violet, during the year 1932, a few years after the First World War. Violet has lost her brother and fiance in the war and is still learning to cope. She is labelled as a ”surplus woman” by the society, a woman that in unlikely to marry.
With the grief, the society label and the suffocation of her mother, Violet starts a journey that will change her life.
She is determined to find where she belongs and who she truly is, in a time where being a woman and succeeding on your own was not praised by others.
Her journey starts with a long walk in a few towns, something she used to do with her late father and brother, and it continues with her learning canvas embroidery (today knows as needlepoint), and the beautiful art of bell ringing (which pleasantly reminded me of The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo, a book I read in high school and one I should re-read).
With Tracy’s writing, it is always so easy to lose yourself in the book and teleport to the past and re-live every scene as if you’re there. It is such a pleasurable experience.
I loved Violet, and I loved how she coped with all challenges of that era. Post First World War times were extremely hard, with too many men dying and too many women not being able to ever marry. Violet’s courage and hope kept moving her forward!
<b><i>This novel yells courage. It yells freedom. It yells independence. And standing along Violet, while she finds courage when you least expect to was a moment I will cherish.</i></b>
I recommend it to you, if you love novels in the war time period, or novels that talk about courage!
Thank you to the team at LoveReading UK, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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Kaz (232 KP) rated Pet Sematary (2019) in Movies
Jul 31, 2019 (Updated Jul 31, 2019)
A film which I can't figure out.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I read the novel 'Pet Semetary' last year and, although there are some questionable elements to the story, I thought that generally, it was a good, creepy read.
Having just watched the 2019 remake, (I must point out that I haven't watched the original film) I'm not sure what to make of it.
For me, the novel 'Pet Semetary' is really dark and creepy. What this film version does, is add to that atmosphere and made it even more sinister, which I really liked.
Another good thing about this adaptation, was that it stayed pretty close to the original text, for the most part. Usually I don't like changes when a book is being made into a film, but actually, thinking about it, some of the changes in 'Pet Semetary' were wise, due to practicalities,
For example, in the novel, Gage is the one that dies and not Ellie. I would imagine the producers of this film, might have thought that it would either be too extreme to show a 2-3 year old running around with a knife and also it would be difficult to direct a child in this type of scene. So I understand why this was changed.
I thought that the acting was ok, but nothing special. I think John Lithgow was underused as Judd and actually, I thought his character was much less likable, than Judd in the book. I would give a special mention to the child actor who plays Ellie, as I thought she played her role well.
Now, let's talk about the ending. Whilst I thought the ending of the book was rather questionable, I could understand the thinking behind it. This book's general theme is grief and so Louis' decision to resurrect his wife, illustrates that his grief was so powerful, that he would do almost anything to bring his loved on,e back from the dead.
The ending to the film version though, was very disappointing. For me, Stephen King, not only writes books which satisfy a reader's enjoyment for being scared, but also has other themes and messages running through them too. So, by changing the ending to this film, it kind of took away that sad, powerful message of grief and replaced it with a conventional, 'horror film' ending. This was really disappointing for me, because by putting in that ending, it kind of demeaned everything that the book was trying to do.
This film was ok and had some positive points, but I don't think it does the original book, sufficient justice.
Having just watched the 2019 remake, (I must point out that I haven't watched the original film) I'm not sure what to make of it.
For me, the novel 'Pet Semetary' is really dark and creepy. What this film version does, is add to that atmosphere and made it even more sinister, which I really liked.
Another good thing about this adaptation, was that it stayed pretty close to the original text, for the most part. Usually I don't like changes when a book is being made into a film, but actually, thinking about it, some of the changes in 'Pet Semetary' were wise, due to practicalities,
For example, in the novel, Gage is the one that dies and not Ellie. I would imagine the producers of this film, might have thought that it would either be too extreme to show a 2-3 year old running around with a knife and also it would be difficult to direct a child in this type of scene. So I understand why this was changed.
I thought that the acting was ok, but nothing special. I think John Lithgow was underused as Judd and actually, I thought his character was much less likable, than Judd in the book. I would give a special mention to the child actor who plays Ellie, as I thought she played her role well.
Now, let's talk about the ending. Whilst I thought the ending of the book was rather questionable, I could understand the thinking behind it. This book's general theme is grief and so Louis' decision to resurrect his wife, illustrates that his grief was so powerful, that he would do almost anything to bring his loved on,e back from the dead.
The ending to the film version though, was very disappointing. For me, Stephen King, not only writes books which satisfy a reader's enjoyment for being scared, but also has other themes and messages running through them too. So, by changing the ending to this film, it kind of took away that sad, powerful message of grief and replaced it with a conventional, 'horror film' ending. This was really disappointing for me, because by putting in that ending, it kind of demeaned everything that the book was trying to do.
This film was ok and had some positive points, but I don't think it does the original book, sufficient justice.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Get a Life, Chloe Brown (The Brown Sisters #1) in Books
Feb 24, 2020
Enemies to Lovers (4 more)
Sunshine Character with a Grumpy Character
Invisible Illness Representation
Amazing Characters
Great Banter
Best Romance of 2019
I read this book a few months ago, thanks to Libro.fm's influencer program. I saw quite a few of my favorite blogs reviewing/talking about this book, so I knew I had to read it. I've waited a while to write this book review simply because I loved it so much. Get A Life, Chloe Brown is one of those books that will stay with you for a while after. I struggled to write this book review because nothing will do justice to how much I loved this book. I seriously want to shove it into everyone's hands and tell them to read it.
The narration for this book was outstanding. Adjoa Andoh narrated this book to perfection. Her voices, her attitude, everything was executed incredibly well. I always knew who was talking and never once questioned her narration. She brought this story to life & I loved every second of it.
What I loved the most about this book was the banter. Seriously, Talia Hibbert should get an award for verbal sparring. As you all know by now, banter is my catnip & I couldn't help but squee at the interactions between Red & Chloe. The author genuinely made me love each character more than I thought possible. Both Characters were realistic and had their faults. I loved seeing them work through their issues and grow.
I also loved that this book included so many of my favorite tropes. Enemies to lovers is hands down one of my favorite tropes, so when paired with a sunshine character with a grumpy character, I was in heaven. Talia Hibbert also executed the enemies to lover trope incredibly well. This trope is hit, or miss and so many things can go wrong. The fact that this was done to perfection still has me wowed.
I wouldn't do this book justice if I didn't mention that Talia Hibbert also handled invisible illnesses, domestic abuse, and some hard-hitting issues with compassion and accuracy. I loved that Chloe has fibromyalgia, and I genuinely appreciated how accurate it was. I also was thankful that this illness was present but didn't define Chloe. Chloe was three dimensional, and fibromyalgia didn't make up the core basis for who she was. It was beautiful to see Chloe as the main character, and I appreciated how well this story came together.
As you can tell, I loved this book. It's probably one of my all-time favorite books I have read. I loved the banter, the tropes, and the execution. Talia Hibbert should write a master class on banter. I honestly can't wait to dive into her backlist and have bought this book the second I could.
The narration for this book was outstanding. Adjoa Andoh narrated this book to perfection. Her voices, her attitude, everything was executed incredibly well. I always knew who was talking and never once questioned her narration. She brought this story to life & I loved every second of it.
What I loved the most about this book was the banter. Seriously, Talia Hibbert should get an award for verbal sparring. As you all know by now, banter is my catnip & I couldn't help but squee at the interactions between Red & Chloe. The author genuinely made me love each character more than I thought possible. Both Characters were realistic and had their faults. I loved seeing them work through their issues and grow.
I also loved that this book included so many of my favorite tropes. Enemies to lovers is hands down one of my favorite tropes, so when paired with a sunshine character with a grumpy character, I was in heaven. Talia Hibbert also executed the enemies to lover trope incredibly well. This trope is hit, or miss and so many things can go wrong. The fact that this was done to perfection still has me wowed.
I wouldn't do this book justice if I didn't mention that Talia Hibbert also handled invisible illnesses, domestic abuse, and some hard-hitting issues with compassion and accuracy. I loved that Chloe has fibromyalgia, and I genuinely appreciated how accurate it was. I also was thankful that this illness was present but didn't define Chloe. Chloe was three dimensional, and fibromyalgia didn't make up the core basis for who she was. It was beautiful to see Chloe as the main character, and I appreciated how well this story came together.
As you can tell, I loved this book. It's probably one of my all-time favorite books I have read. I loved the banter, the tropes, and the execution. Talia Hibbert should write a master class on banter. I honestly can't wait to dive into her backlist and have bought this book the second I could.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019) in Movies
Jun 20, 2020
Another crying dog movie... just what my life needs.
Denny picks up a golden retriever puppy from a farm and the two become firm friends. Enzo learns all about racing and is a constant fixture at the track, it's going to be the two of them forever feeling the wind in their faces.
Then one day Eve comes along, she's there a lot and it doesn't look like she's leaving. Can Enzo adapt to family life?
The card on the film states "scenes of emotional upset"... accurate, and right from the very start too. This was made by a savage person. Originally I had a quadruple bill planned but I wasn't sure I could do this film followed by The Sun Is Also A Star and come out the other end as anything but a gibbering wreck so I split it out. That was probably one of the most sensible things I've ever done, there was so much crying.
The way they show Enzo reacting to everything is spot on. If you've watched those dog videos on Facebook where they subtitle in what the dog's thinking, it's just like that but Enzo has a much better grasp of the English language and the sultry tones of Kevin Costner. Some of the moments are wonderful and it made me wonder if my dog did any of them, and then I cried a bit more.
Milo Ventimiglia plays out leading human, Denny, and he's very convincing with the obsession Denny has for racing. The flipside with the struggle of having to be a dad came across too and there are some poignant scenes that came off beautifully.
I wasn't overly engaged with Amanda Seyfried as Eve until the midpoint of the film. Perhaps I was indifferent about her on Enzo's behalf, we may never know, but at the point where it all turned I thought she gave a wonderful and respectful performance.
There's not a huge extended cast, but it's filled with talented actors who bring something great to their characters, Kathy Baker and Martin Donovan were particularly good as Eve's parents, though you can't help but hate them.
It's nicely done overall, nothing seems out of place, there weren't any frivolous scenes. The way we get to engage with the racing is brilliantly executed, especially the scene at the beginning where he actually races in the rain, very exciting to watch. It's a lovely crying dog film (at what point do we declare this an actual genre?), is it predictable? Yes, but it's still a nice easy watch if you've got a box of tissues handy.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-art-of-racing-in-rain-movie-review.html
Denny picks up a golden retriever puppy from a farm and the two become firm friends. Enzo learns all about racing and is a constant fixture at the track, it's going to be the two of them forever feeling the wind in their faces.
Then one day Eve comes along, she's there a lot and it doesn't look like she's leaving. Can Enzo adapt to family life?
The card on the film states "scenes of emotional upset"... accurate, and right from the very start too. This was made by a savage person. Originally I had a quadruple bill planned but I wasn't sure I could do this film followed by The Sun Is Also A Star and come out the other end as anything but a gibbering wreck so I split it out. That was probably one of the most sensible things I've ever done, there was so much crying.
The way they show Enzo reacting to everything is spot on. If you've watched those dog videos on Facebook where they subtitle in what the dog's thinking, it's just like that but Enzo has a much better grasp of the English language and the sultry tones of Kevin Costner. Some of the moments are wonderful and it made me wonder if my dog did any of them, and then I cried a bit more.
Milo Ventimiglia plays out leading human, Denny, and he's very convincing with the obsession Denny has for racing. The flipside with the struggle of having to be a dad came across too and there are some poignant scenes that came off beautifully.
I wasn't overly engaged with Amanda Seyfried as Eve until the midpoint of the film. Perhaps I was indifferent about her on Enzo's behalf, we may never know, but at the point where it all turned I thought she gave a wonderful and respectful performance.
There's not a huge extended cast, but it's filled with talented actors who bring something great to their characters, Kathy Baker and Martin Donovan were particularly good as Eve's parents, though you can't help but hate them.
It's nicely done overall, nothing seems out of place, there weren't any frivolous scenes. The way we get to engage with the racing is brilliantly executed, especially the scene at the beginning where he actually races in the rain, very exciting to watch. It's a lovely crying dog film (at what point do we declare this an actual genre?), is it predictable? Yes, but it's still a nice easy watch if you've got a box of tissues handy.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-art-of-racing-in-rain-movie-review.html
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated The Umbrella Academy in TV
Jul 5, 2020
A Gamble That Pays Off - 8/10
The Umbrella Academy is a 2019 dark comedy sci-fi/drama superhero tv show developed by Steve Blackman and Jeremy Slater for Netflix. It's an adaptation of the comic book series created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba and published by Dark Horse Comics. The series was produced by Borderline Entertainment, Dark Horse Entertainment, and Universal Cable Productions. Starring Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, David Castaneda, and Kate Walsh.
On October 1st, 1989, 43 women around the world give birth although none of them were pregnant that morning. Eccentric billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colman Feore) adopts 7 of the children and turns them into a superhero team called, "The Umbrella Academy. The children are given numbers instead of names and even though 6 of them fight crime, 1 of them, Vanya/#7 (Ellen Page) is kept apart for not having any powers. Present day, the estranged siblings reunite when they learn their father has died. At the funeral, #5 (Aidan Gallagher), which has been missing for over a decade, reappears from the future out of a blue portal and reveals to the others, that the world will end in a matter of days.
This show is stellar. It's a ride that you shouldn't miss. It's good to see a comic book series adaptation that is not from Marvel or DC and you can feel that it's a fresh take and different. I think the writers for the show did a good job on making it very three-dimensional. It's rated TV-14 so it's for teenagers and adults but also for comic book fans and sci-fi fans. That being said it does get pretty weird and far out there, so might not be for everybody but it's definitely better than what the critics are saying. Yes it does have some issues; like the dialogue might not be the best, there being some plot holes possibly, and some complaints of other comic book shows or movies having done that before. But it does have plenty of pluses; the soundtrack is phenomenal, the CGI is on par with that of big-budget movies, and the casting is very good. They were able to pull off the whole dysfunctional family vibe very well. I wanted to give it a point higher but I did understand some of the other points that other critics made about it. I give it a 8/10 but I also give it my "Must See" seal of approval. So if you haven't seen it yet what are you waiting for.
On October 1st, 1989, 43 women around the world give birth although none of them were pregnant that morning. Eccentric billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colman Feore) adopts 7 of the children and turns them into a superhero team called, "The Umbrella Academy. The children are given numbers instead of names and even though 6 of them fight crime, 1 of them, Vanya/#7 (Ellen Page) is kept apart for not having any powers. Present day, the estranged siblings reunite when they learn their father has died. At the funeral, #5 (Aidan Gallagher), which has been missing for over a decade, reappears from the future out of a blue portal and reveals to the others, that the world will end in a matter of days.
This show is stellar. It's a ride that you shouldn't miss. It's good to see a comic book series adaptation that is not from Marvel or DC and you can feel that it's a fresh take and different. I think the writers for the show did a good job on making it very three-dimensional. It's rated TV-14 so it's for teenagers and adults but also for comic book fans and sci-fi fans. That being said it does get pretty weird and far out there, so might not be for everybody but it's definitely better than what the critics are saying. Yes it does have some issues; like the dialogue might not be the best, there being some plot holes possibly, and some complaints of other comic book shows or movies having done that before. But it does have plenty of pluses; the soundtrack is phenomenal, the CGI is on par with that of big-budget movies, and the casting is very good. They were able to pull off the whole dysfunctional family vibe very well. I wanted to give it a point higher but I did understand some of the other points that other critics made about it. I give it a 8/10 but I also give it my "Must See" seal of approval. So if you haven't seen it yet what are you waiting for.
