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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
2017 | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Holy %$#
Contains spoilers, click to show
I believe the speech Milldred gives to the Priest will go down in cinematic history. Overall the movie is such a harsh insight into the midwest's politics, police abuse, race, homophobia and more. It is almost uncomfortable to watch which is the exact reason I believe it is so important for everyone to see. A tale with no hero and plenty of villains, no happy ending (or ending at all), and a lot to tell. I see this as an awards season gem.
  
Sister of Mine
Sister of Mine
Laurie Petrou | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Unexpected twist (0 more)
A bit slow at first (0 more)
This novel, which has fire as a central theme, is a slow burn (pun very much intended). At times it seemed to be infused with drudgery and despair, not only due to the depressing topics of domestic abuse and betrayal, but also because of the main characters’ inability to really understand their feelings and emotions. That being said, the climax does not disappoint as it brings about truths and twists long taken for granted since the first few pages.
  
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Lev Kalman recommended Female Trouble (1974) in Movies (curated)

 
Female Trouble (1974)
Female Trouble (1974)
1974 | Comedy, Crime
8.0 (4 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"My personal theory is that the Hays Code didn’t just forbid certain behaviors and images, it also subtly suggested the way that they might one day be allowable. Eventually filmmakers and studios figured out it wasn’t so much that you absolutely couldn’t show homosexuality, drug use, prostitution, child abuse, and mass murder. They just couldn’t seem fun. Or even funny. John Waters joyfully violates this deeper unspoken code. That’s why his films, especially Female Trouble, burn with the raw power of a Public Enemy or Baby Face."

Source
  
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Jamie (131 KP) rated The Grave Tender in Books

Jul 30, 2017  
The Grave Tender
The Grave Tender
Eliza Maxwell | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
An honest story about domestic abuse (0 more)
Mild plot holes (0 more)
A haunting southern gothic
The Grave Tender is a haunting and beautifully woven southern gothic about a broken family and the love that binds them together. The story starts slow as the story introduces Hadley, her friends, family, and their small town which on the surface seems idyllic. It’s the sort of town where everyone knows each other over generations, but the smiling town hides many secrets.

What I loved most about this book was how it dealt with matters of appearance. It’s easy to point fingers and blame those that look the most guilty, who are the most eccentric. It’s the folly of letting appearances dictate our perception of the people around us. Evil is committed every day by seemingly normal people, and true monsters masquerade under the guise of banality.

The book deals with some of the most horrible situations a person can go through with extreme delicacy. Not everyone has a happy ending, sometimes there are crimes that go unpunished, sometimes victims never receive justice, some wounds heal but many more never do. I cried so much while reading this book because of how close to home it hit for me, I was honestly touched.

I can’t say much more about the book because it’s really the sort of story that needs to be experienced without spoilers. I will however note that the content in this book is difficult to stomach. For a survivor of abuse it can be either cathartic or utterly horrifying, which is why I’ve added a trigger warning in the list of warnings below. I cautiously recommend this book for those ready for a poignant and unflinchingly honest exploration of domestic abuse.
  
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Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Sundial in Books

Nov 15, 2022  
Sundial
Sundial
Catriona Ward | 2022 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Horror
8
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Catriona Ward has got to be one of the best thriller writers around at the moment. I loved The Last House on Needless Street (although it was strange) and this book was just as good, and even more odd. I can’t say that I enjoyed the book as it touched upon some horrifying themes, but I couldn’t put it down as I needed to know what happened. When it came to the twists, I didn’t see most of them coming and Sundial had me guessing the whole way through. The cliffhanger that Catriona Ward ended this book on left some hope that the ending wasn’t as bad as it could be, but also left me with so many questions that are going to remain unsolved.
We meet Rob, a mother who seems to be in a bad marriage with Irving, who seems to cheat on her constantly. There is a lot of manipulation and abuse that is obvious throughout the book, and you consistently wonder why they are still together and don’t just leave each other. Things get worse when Rob starts to suspect something is wrong with her eldest daughter, Callie, and ends up taking Callie back to her childhood home in the desert: Sundial. Here, Rob tells Callie her story and hopes that it explains why Rob and ultimately Callie are the way they are.
I didn’t see the twists coming, and I was shocked by each one right up to the very end of the book. I would say that there should be some trigger warnings for domestic violence and animal abuse though, although the animal abuse isn’t in detail and is glossed over enough to not upset the reader but that they still know what is going on. I look forward to reading more of Catriona Ward’s books in the future.
  
The Dark (2018)
The Dark (2018)
2018 | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
After watching the trailer for this, I had really high hopes. However, this turned out to be one of the worst films I have ever seen.

I don’t like writing bad reviews in general, but after sitting through this movie I felt compelled to express my views.

Remember that’s exactly what they are - MY views. I’m sure many others would enjoy this film, it’s just not for me.

For a start, the subject matter sets the story line up to fail, I don’t see how anyone could have achieved what the director was setting out to do.

The two main characters have both been subjected to terrible abuse, however only the female character’s history is fully explained - details of the male character’s abuse is merely hinted at.

I can honestly say that there was absolutely nothing I could find to like in this movie, and I really struggled to sit through it. And, like so many other movies of this genre, the ending was really confusing.

As I have previously stated, these are just my honest opinions - but I would be interested to know what other people think after watching this.
  
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Andy K (10821 KP) Mar 26, 2019

Sometimes reviewing bad movies is more fun than than reviewing good movies!