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Timothy Spall recommended Secrets & Lies (1997) in Movies (curated)

 
Secrets & Lies (1997)
Secrets & Lies (1997)
1997 | Comedy, Drama
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"Well not only is it a great film, it was very important for me because I was very ill just at the time it won the Palme d’Or. So the fact that I didn’t die and the film had gone around internationally and won all these awards… not only did I not die, I had a film career when I woke up. I was very pleased about that. [Laughs]"

Source
  
The Ultimate Playlist of Noise (2021)
The Ultimate Playlist of Noise (2021)
2021 | Drama
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
This was my first new movie of 2021, and to be honest, I wasn't expecting much from it. However, I enjoyed it significantly more than I thought I would. What a lovely premise, and this film wasn't afraid to hit you with its punches. The film knew exactly what it needed to do, and it made you hurt. I liked this film a lot, and I will watch it again.
  
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Mel Rodriguez recommended GoodFellas (1990) in Movies (curated)

 
GoodFellas (1990)
GoodFellas (1990)
1990 | Crime, Drama, Thriller

"I grew up in kind of a rough neighborhood and there was kind of this whole gangster thing, too. I think that’s the opening line: “As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster.” And I think there was a part of me that felt the same way. I just loved Robert De Niro’s work, all those guys really. Man, the acting, and everything about that movie — almost flawless film. And I’ve loved all of Scorsese’s films. Just his working relationship with Robert De Niro, from Mean Streets on; there are so many movies that I love with the two of them. I feel like everything kind of comes together in Goodfellas in some way. Goodfellas has kind of got it all. That was probably one of my favorite films as a kid, so I carried a picture of Goodfellas in my wallet. With De Niro and Pesci and Liotta, it was like, you know, the trinity [laughing]. I mean, really, Goodfellas was kind of like my Star Wars [laughing]. Really just the pacing of that film, everything, just how realistic. And at times it’s just jarring how violent it is. And hilarious too. It’s f—ing hilarious. I mean, I know it’s not funny that you would wrap a telephone cord around a guy’s neck. That’s not funny at all! The whole situation is terrible! But I think on some level, really, you kind of care for these guys and I think that’s what Scorsese is able to do in his films, is make these guys so human that we are able to somehow relate to them and, on some level, even kind of root for them, even though some of the stuff they do is just really despicable. I mean, the stuff that Joe Pesci does is just awful and I don’t think you really necessarily root for him; he’s kind of a hot head. The thing is, obviously, I know these things are bad. I do know how life can go one way or another, and that it’s not all just black and white, and there are many different situations and twists and turns in life. I feel these things sometimes and say, “Oh wow, I knew a guy like that. And I knew a guy like that.” And so I am very into gangster movies just because I feel, in some ways, I don’t think I have the heart for it, honestly. I’d have a nervous breakdown as a gangster. I’d be a very nervous gangster. I’d be the gangster that pops a lot of Klonopin."

Source
  
U(
Untamed (Uninhibited, #1)
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
<i>Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. </i>

I was a little dubious reading this little serial as I've not read anything by the author before and I generally don't read 5 star reviews because of personal choices.

Going into <i>Untamed </i> I was pleasantly surprised by the way it was written. I had expected it to be a quick serial number with little going on and a quick steamy sex scene but there was plenty happening in this serial.

Dr Cari Dunn is a celebrity architect with a stalker. A pretty crazy stalker as stalkers are want to be. The network she does a TV show for hires a bodyguard to protect her - queue Jasper. A sinfully hot male with an alpha streak - just how I like my males!

As it's a pretty short price of writing everything meshes together nicely with a wickedly good sex scene and a great cliffhanger that leaves the series open for the next instalment which is released a week after this one.

I think the one big thing that put me off a bit was the mention of Christian Grey. Those are two words that will put me off any book but thankfully he was only mentioned once in passing.

We'll see where the next part takes us in this ride.
  
Greatest Hits by Rod Stewart
Greatest Hits by Rod Stewart
1979 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This is a bit of a change in mood from the last song! For a long time Rod was a hero and an icon to me. “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” is just such a confident song and I remember listening to it a lot as I was starting to perform. I think all artists have a different persona they go into, or a switch they hit when they walk on stage, I would listen to this as a warmup song to get to that place before I performed. “I was lucky enough to re-record the song with Rod Stewart about a year ago - one of those moments when it really came full circle for me. My A&R told me they were planning to do a Rod Stewart tribute album with a bunch of different artists. She first presented a different song and I said “that would be amazing! But I’m definitely doing “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy”, right?” I think I even kicked out somebody else who was in line to do it! We recorded it, produced it and then performed it together at the VMAs. “Now we have this cool relationship where I see him when I’m in Vegas and I’m going to try to see one of his shows. Rod Stewart is my rock ‘n’ roll dad! It’s one of those rare experiences when you can say ‘it’s nice to meet your heroes.’"

Source
  
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
2012 | Animation, Comedy, Family
7
7.8 (28 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Such a wholesome movie. I love a good father-daughter dynamic in a movie, and Hotel Transylvania has got that!
  
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Dana (24 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books

Mar 23, 2018  
Ready Player One
Ready Player One
Ernest Cline | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.9 (161 Ratings)
Book Rating
So I want to start off by saying that I read this for my book club with my friends, not that that changes anything, I just wanted you to know. Also, I did a hybrid reading of this. I would actually read the physical book for about half of it, but the other half, I listened to the audio book. (It's read by Wil Wheaton, y'all!)

Okay, so onto my review. I really enjoyed reading this book. I am not a gamer at all, but I do love 80s references., especially to movies. So even though I didn't understand a lot of the video game references (except Pac Man and a few others), I still understand the overall encompassing love of the 80s culture.

At first, this is a really cool dystopian sci-fi book focusing on a kid who is trying to win an Easter Egg hunt inside of a video game to get out of a crappy situation at home. By the end, there is action, romance, bad guys, and so much more. Kind of like what you would find in a typical 1980s classic film.

I think what I loved most about this is all of the hidden allusions to the 80s. Yes, there are the overt ones like to Ferris Buller's Day Off or Pac Man or Blade Runner. But there are a lot of little moments as well that are subtle that I barely caught. I don't want to give any away, so I won't spoil them on here. This book almost becomes it's own kind of easter egg hunt for the readers.

I loved trying to figure out the clues with Winston. A few of them, I did get, but some I did not. It was still fun trying to write down all of the clues and figure it out like a code cracker.

I loved the relationships in this book, especially since they weren't the main focus of the novel. It was refreshing to see people getting along and working together toward the same goal.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend you see it before you go see the movie next year!
  
IC
It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken
Greg Behrendt | 2005 | Fiction & Poetry
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
All right let me first say that I am so not a self help book kind of person. I mean at all...ever! Then the most surreal experience of my life happened. My boyfriend of almost 10 years (yup, YEARS) went on a "business trip" for a week. I texted & called to no avail. While he was gone I cried, cleaned, & cried some more. Then I thought, "Wait! You can't even call me? Well f@$% you!"
A friend saw pictures of this "business trip" that apparently involved a beach front hotel & a blonde girl who just happened to let her tongue slip down his throat. I confronted him when he finally got home & needless to say he's history. But that didn't change the fact that I was scared, sad, hurt, & confused. I was pissed but handling it pretty well considering. But I also felt the need to commiserate with someone who got it. This book did just that.
It offered me a bit of a kick in the ass when I needed it but it also gave me some good laughs too. Not to mention really forced me to wrap my head around things I had been turning a blind eye to for years. It didn't tame itself too seriously but at the same time it was not all cheerleading either. I bought it on a whim on my Nook because I felt like I needed something to hold on to that wasn't his neck! It did the trick. By all means I don't feel over it but I sure as hell have some great ideas on how to get myself on that path. That was what I was looking for at the time.
  
Hearts Held Hostage (Chronicles of the Serai, #1)
Hearts Held Hostage (Chronicles of the Serai, #1)
Jo Tannah | 2018 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Loved this!
Did you ever buy a book based SOLELY on its cover??

I did with this book! I have a *thing* for shifters and paranormal beings out of the norm, and I thought this handsome creature on the front was a Centaur of some description. THAT'S what pulled me in, and I found I had pre-ordered before I read the blurb.

And I regret nothing!

Jytrerd is not a centaur, but a breed of aliens who defended their peaceful outlaying colonies against the invasion from Earth. Ian, a captain in the space navy is captured, and finds himself in Jytrerd's household. Ian pulls to Jytrerd, pulls to his brooding instinct like no other ever did. He just needs to make Ian see how precious he is.

While not what I was hoping for, this short book, some 140 pages, pulled me in and did not let go. It has all the footings for a first in series, and I will be reading them as they come out.

It's very well written, first of Ms Tannah I've read. It's not overly explicit, but I didn't mind that, and nor is it overly graphic, but there is punishment here, and it's not pretty. Just enough to make you cringe, I think.

BUT!!!

Only Jytrerd has a say! I was waiting, hoping, pleading that Ian would get a say, and he doesn't. And I so desperately wanted to hear from him, I really did! When he tells of how he came to save Woll, the youngling; when he finds himself burnt to a crisp for being insubordinate; when Jytrerd sends him away, and when Ian returns and finally gets Jytrerd to admit to his feelings. I NEEDED to hear from Ian, I really did.

And that's why I gave it 4.5 stars, but rounded them up to 5.