Search
Search results
Darren (1599 KP) rated Possum (2018) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
Philip is a puppeteer with one of the creepiest puppets you have ever seen, he is returning home to escape after his latest show went terribly wrong and it isn’t long before the strange events continue to plague him. He becomes a suspect in a missing persons case and the puppet he is trying to get rid of, keeps returning for him. Maurice is his stepfather that always pushes him too far, he always seems to be judging Philip. We only truly get to meet two characters with the puppet having a life of its own.
Performances – Sean Harris is genuinely creepy through this film giving a performance that is bound to get him placed in any horror film he wants for years to come. Alun Armstrong does well in the supporting role which does work very well in the film.
Story – The story follows the puppeteer that is haunted by his own puppet while is clearly a metaphor for something else going on in his life. This is a strange film to say the least, it does deal with real issues that can be disguised and will keep you feeling uneasy throughout. We could spend time studying certain issues in this film, but that goes into full spoilers.
Horror – The horror comes from the uneasy feeling we are getting through the film, with just what could be going on, the appearances of the puppet itself, which does look genuinely creepy.
Settings – The settings for this feel only add to the atmosphere involved in the film, each place feels like something terrible could happen.
Special Effects – The effects in the film come from the puppet creation and slow movements that it gives us through the film.
Scene of the Movie – Puppet first appearance.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is slow in places.
Final Thoughts – This is a movie that does leave you feeling unsettled by what we see with a puppet that just feels difficult to look at.
Overall: Creepy horror.
Performances – Sean Harris is genuinely creepy through this film giving a performance that is bound to get him placed in any horror film he wants for years to come. Alun Armstrong does well in the supporting role which does work very well in the film.
Story – The story follows the puppeteer that is haunted by his own puppet while is clearly a metaphor for something else going on in his life. This is a strange film to say the least, it does deal with real issues that can be disguised and will keep you feeling uneasy throughout. We could spend time studying certain issues in this film, but that goes into full spoilers.
Horror – The horror comes from the uneasy feeling we are getting through the film, with just what could be going on, the appearances of the puppet itself, which does look genuinely creepy.
Settings – The settings for this feel only add to the atmosphere involved in the film, each place feels like something terrible could happen.
Special Effects – The effects in the film come from the puppet creation and slow movements that it gives us through the film.
Scene of the Movie – Puppet first appearance.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is slow in places.
Final Thoughts – This is a movie that does leave you feeling unsettled by what we see with a puppet that just feels difficult to look at.
Overall: Creepy horror.
Leigh J (71 KP) rated Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975) in Movies
Nov 10, 2019 (Updated Nov 10, 2019)
Does Salo stand for Boring?!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Salo, based on the book called "100 Days of Sodom" by Marquis de Sade, is about 4 men in positions of power (The Duke, The Bishop, The Masgistrate and The President) who kidnap a large group of girls and boys and subject them to severe abuse, torture and even murder; just to, well, get their deviant rocks off basically. The cruel and sadistic abuse soon builds to a cresendo of sickening torture and murder.
I went into Salo VERY nervous; I'd read the Book so had a good idea of what was coming, and especially so as this Movie is always on those "sickest Movies ever" lists, and is almost always very near the #1 spot. Rarely does it ever take the crown though, and after seeing Salo, I understand why. It's so boring!! It's very diagloue heavy, which if done right makes a Movie engaging and compelling. If done wrong, as is the case with Salo, it becomes a tedious chore. Unfortunately for Salo, I was so bored with the pointless drivel that when it eventually did get to the shocking parts, I was over it and not as shocked as I really should have been. I mean, it was bad (two words: poop banquet) but I was left thinking "all that hype and waffle... for this?!" Definitely overrated. The small saving grace of this Movie was a bunch of Prostitutes, ironically. They were telling stories of their own deviancies; I found their stories shocking and they made me sit up and pay attention, some stories being more shocking than what we were seeing. I found those Women disgustingly wonderful and able to actually make something out of the literal crap-show that was Salo. I would only recommend Salo to the die hard "Sick Movie" fans (and that's for the sole purpose of ticking it off your list) and Cinema buffs because the Cinematography is quite nice. Other than that, it would make a fantastic sleep aid!
I went into Salo VERY nervous; I'd read the Book so had a good idea of what was coming, and especially so as this Movie is always on those "sickest Movies ever" lists, and is almost always very near the #1 spot. Rarely does it ever take the crown though, and after seeing Salo, I understand why. It's so boring!! It's very diagloue heavy, which if done right makes a Movie engaging and compelling. If done wrong, as is the case with Salo, it becomes a tedious chore. Unfortunately for Salo, I was so bored with the pointless drivel that when it eventually did get to the shocking parts, I was over it and not as shocked as I really should have been. I mean, it was bad (two words: poop banquet) but I was left thinking "all that hype and waffle... for this?!" Definitely overrated. The small saving grace of this Movie was a bunch of Prostitutes, ironically. They were telling stories of their own deviancies; I found their stories shocking and they made me sit up and pay attention, some stories being more shocking than what we were seeing. I found those Women disgustingly wonderful and able to actually make something out of the literal crap-show that was Salo. I would only recommend Salo to the die hard "Sick Movie" fans (and that's for the sole purpose of ticking it off your list) and Cinema buffs because the Cinematography is quite nice. Other than that, it would make a fantastic sleep aid!
Dale Lawson (13 KP) rated Missing Link (2019) in Movies
Feb 29, 2020
Animation Style (3 more)
Character development
Voice Acting
Hilarity
An adventurous, family-friendly animation.
After winning the BAFTA for best animated feature, my interest in seeing this film rose. As it is conveniently found on Netflix, we watched it as a family for a ‘movie night’. I was prepared for a mediocre adventure in search of a missing link between man and ape. What you actually get is a heartfelt, quintessentially British, global adventure in search of a home for a lonely Sasquatch. The journey each character goes through is wonderful as they learn about family, friendships and individuality before conquering the villain.
With a high calibre cast, this film is full of seasoned voice actors. So much so that it is actually difficult to identify the owner of each voice until the credits roll. This, for the most part, makes the film even more enjoyable as you aren’t left guessing actors or imagining them in the role.
Beginning with two characters on a quest for the Loch Ness Monster, the story is full of mystery and myth. It then becomes a predictable one, when it gets into its flow. For an adult, this can make the film a little expected. However, for a child this film is filled with hilarity. When watching with my three kids, there was non-stop laughter. From the naming of the Sasquatch to him forgetting swimwear, the room was full of joy.
Animation has always been a passion of mine, since I was young: from hand drawn to computer generated. My favourite had always been stop motion. Missing Link is primarily filmed in stop motion, using new techniques that allow for smoother facial transitions. The film’s adventurous nature encourages for exciting sets and explosive additional CGI that makes the film feel incredibly polished.
Captivating the attention of adults and children, alike, Missing Link provides an animated, family friendly adventure that teaches morals and respect. I can see why it won so many awards and challenges Toy Story 4 for the top place.
With a high calibre cast, this film is full of seasoned voice actors. So much so that it is actually difficult to identify the owner of each voice until the credits roll. This, for the most part, makes the film even more enjoyable as you aren’t left guessing actors or imagining them in the role.
Beginning with two characters on a quest for the Loch Ness Monster, the story is full of mystery and myth. It then becomes a predictable one, when it gets into its flow. For an adult, this can make the film a little expected. However, for a child this film is filled with hilarity. When watching with my three kids, there was non-stop laughter. From the naming of the Sasquatch to him forgetting swimwear, the room was full of joy.
Animation has always been a passion of mine, since I was young: from hand drawn to computer generated. My favourite had always been stop motion. Missing Link is primarily filmed in stop motion, using new techniques that allow for smoother facial transitions. The film’s adventurous nature encourages for exciting sets and explosive additional CGI that makes the film feel incredibly polished.
Captivating the attention of adults and children, alike, Missing Link provides an animated, family friendly adventure that teaches morals and respect. I can see why it won so many awards and challenges Toy Story 4 for the top place.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated All the Best Lies in Books
Mar 19, 2020
The third book in the Ellery Hathaway series finds FBI Agent Reed Markham taking on a particularly personal case--his birth mother's murder. His mother, Camilla, was stabbed to death over forty years ago while baby Reed was nearby in his crib. Her killer was never found. It's a cold case now for the Las Vegas Police Department. Reed asks for Ellery's help and the two travel together to Las Vegas to search for answers. But Reed soon learns something shocking about his past, leading him to add someone incredibly close to him to his list of suspects. In Vegas, that list soon grows, and they realize that the killer--even after all these years--isn't happy with Reed and Ellery stirring things up.
This was another stellar entry in this series. I absolutely love Ellery and Reed, and it was great seeing Reed work on a case that meant so much to him. It reminded me of an early Harry Bosch in Michael Connelly's books, when he tries to track down his own mother's killer. Both Reed and Ellery deal with family issues in the book. As always, there is sizzling chemistry between the two. Their relationship just gets better and better, as each struggles with their own problems, and they grow closer and closer.
There's a lot of focus on Reed here, of course, as we learn more about both his mother and his adopted family, the Markhams (Reed was adopted by Senator Angus Markham from Virginia). His mother's case is mesmerizing, and there is no shortage of suspects, including lowlife drug dealer Billy Thorndike; her cop boyfriend, David; and more. Schaffhausen does an excellent job portraying Camilla's life forty years ago, and she comes to life easily.
As always, there are some wonderful twists and turns, and the book is easy-to-read. The pages turn quickly, between Reed and Ellery's excellent magnetism and the well-paced, absorbing mystery. This may be my favorite one so far, and that's saying a lot! 4.5 stars.
This was another stellar entry in this series. I absolutely love Ellery and Reed, and it was great seeing Reed work on a case that meant so much to him. It reminded me of an early Harry Bosch in Michael Connelly's books, when he tries to track down his own mother's killer. Both Reed and Ellery deal with family issues in the book. As always, there is sizzling chemistry between the two. Their relationship just gets better and better, as each struggles with their own problems, and they grow closer and closer.
There's a lot of focus on Reed here, of course, as we learn more about both his mother and his adopted family, the Markhams (Reed was adopted by Senator Angus Markham from Virginia). His mother's case is mesmerizing, and there is no shortage of suspects, including lowlife drug dealer Billy Thorndike; her cop boyfriend, David; and more. Schaffhausen does an excellent job portraying Camilla's life forty years ago, and she comes to life easily.
As always, there are some wonderful twists and turns, and the book is easy-to-read. The pages turn quickly, between Reed and Ellery's excellent magnetism and the well-paced, absorbing mystery. This may be my favorite one so far, and that's saying a lot! 4.5 stars.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Walking Dead - Season 2 in TV
Aug 2, 2019
An engaging second season
Contains spoilers, click to show
The second season of The Walking Dead gets a bad wrap at times. Upon many a half drunken discussion in the pub about various nerdy franchises, TWD always crops up, and people always seem to mention season 2 as a weak season. (Usually people who are yet to watch seasons 7-8...)
I am extremely fond of this season. It's fairly slow but that's really not a bad thing. It devotes a lot of time to fleshing out the ensemble cast, and concentrates a lot on internal conflicts within the group.
The series starts with one of the children, Sophia, going missing after a zombie horde shuffles towards our heroes as they hide in a freeway under cars (a classic tense TWD scene).
Sophia, understandably scared, decides to run instead of hide, and the group sets off to find her. During their search, Rick's young son Carl is accidentally shot, and the group find medical help at a nearby farm.
And said farm is where the rest of the season takes place.
We're introduced in this season to fan favourites such as Hershel (literally my favourite TWD character of all time), Maggie, and Beth, adding some great characters to an already strong cast.
The conflict between Rick and Shane comes to a head as the season progresses, resulting in some really tense scenes.
The mid point of season 2 contains one of the best scenes to ever grace TWD. As the suspect barn at the bottom on Hershels farm is opened against his will, and well, the end of the episode contains a revelation that gave me goosebumps. For a show about zombies, it's really powerful television at times.
The finale is predictable zombie chaos, but it's a lot of gory fun, and leaves you hankering for season 3, even if we lose a couple of great characters along the way.
I am extremely fond of this season. It's fairly slow but that's really not a bad thing. It devotes a lot of time to fleshing out the ensemble cast, and concentrates a lot on internal conflicts within the group.
The series starts with one of the children, Sophia, going missing after a zombie horde shuffles towards our heroes as they hide in a freeway under cars (a classic tense TWD scene).
Sophia, understandably scared, decides to run instead of hide, and the group sets off to find her. During their search, Rick's young son Carl is accidentally shot, and the group find medical help at a nearby farm.
And said farm is where the rest of the season takes place.
We're introduced in this season to fan favourites such as Hershel (literally my favourite TWD character of all time), Maggie, and Beth, adding some great characters to an already strong cast.
The conflict between Rick and Shane comes to a head as the season progresses, resulting in some really tense scenes.
The mid point of season 2 contains one of the best scenes to ever grace TWD. As the suspect barn at the bottom on Hershels farm is opened against his will, and well, the end of the episode contains a revelation that gave me goosebumps. For a show about zombies, it's really powerful television at times.
The finale is predictable zombie chaos, but it's a lot of gory fun, and leaves you hankering for season 3, even if we lose a couple of great characters along the way.
I have to admit, when I first started reading this book I did stop several times, look at the cover and the blurb and think “What the heck am I reading?”
This is the first Max Porter novel I have read. He has a very interesting way of laying out his prose which baffles the brain at first, but once you adapt to the flow you just float along with the story. The book is broken up into three parts, and each part is told in a different but distinctive way.
Lanny is a young boy with a gift, a very peculiar gift that his parents can’t quite figure out. So Lanny’s mother enlists the help of ‘Pete’ a local grizzled artist to teach the boy and harness some of his ‘eccentricities’. However, a mysterious event soon throws the lives of Lanny’s parents, Pete, and indeed the whole village in to utter chaos. Questions are asked, relationships are closely examined, but what really lies beneath all that goes on in this little village just outside of London.
One aspect of the book I admired was in part two, after the main turning point of the story. This part of the book is told in sporadic paragraphs of peoples thoughts and deeds during the event. It’s not always clear whose thought or deed you’re reading (and it’s not always necessary to know) but through this episodic storytelling you build up a picture not only of what is happening but how the people involved are feeling about it.
This was very cleverly written and the way that Porter plays with words builds up a very vivid image of the events happening in ‘Lanny’. What Porter has shown us is that in order to tell a good story you don’t necessarily have to write in a smooth and progressive way, sometimes you just have to throw words at the pages and see what sticks!
This is the first Max Porter novel I have read. He has a very interesting way of laying out his prose which baffles the brain at first, but once you adapt to the flow you just float along with the story. The book is broken up into three parts, and each part is told in a different but distinctive way.
Lanny is a young boy with a gift, a very peculiar gift that his parents can’t quite figure out. So Lanny’s mother enlists the help of ‘Pete’ a local grizzled artist to teach the boy and harness some of his ‘eccentricities’. However, a mysterious event soon throws the lives of Lanny’s parents, Pete, and indeed the whole village in to utter chaos. Questions are asked, relationships are closely examined, but what really lies beneath all that goes on in this little village just outside of London.
One aspect of the book I admired was in part two, after the main turning point of the story. This part of the book is told in sporadic paragraphs of peoples thoughts and deeds during the event. It’s not always clear whose thought or deed you’re reading (and it’s not always necessary to know) but through this episodic storytelling you build up a picture not only of what is happening but how the people involved are feeling about it.
This was very cleverly written and the way that Porter plays with words builds up a very vivid image of the events happening in ‘Lanny’. What Porter has shown us is that in order to tell a good story you don’t necessarily have to write in a smooth and progressive way, sometimes you just have to throw words at the pages and see what sticks!
Cruising Anglesey and Adjoining Waters: Cruising Anglesey and Adjoining Waters
Book
Ralph Morris's guide to the island of Anglesey and coast from Liverpool to Pwllheli was first...
Intimate Geography: Selected Poems 1991-2010
Book
Jennifer Maiden's "Intimate Geography" charts territory both personal and political, private and...
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated No Weddings in Books
Jan 8, 2021
I first saw this book as a giveaway on Goodreads and entered to win it. Unfortunately I wasn’t a lucky winner and after re-reading the synopsis I decided I wanted to read it anyway, which isn’t always the case with the books I enter to win on Goodreads. So off I went to Amazon to search it out and I was surprised by the price (77p) so I pre-ordered it and two days later it was delivered.
Let me say this now; I'm not a big contemporary romance reader any more. I tend to stick to paranormal/urban fantasy/suspense books with romance in them for an added element.
But I have to say that I really liked this!
It was told from Cade's POV, a proper ladies man, who sets up a party planning company with his three older sisters and decides they won't do any weddings as Cade seems to always end up sleeping with a guest (or two). But then he meets Hannah, an amazing baker/cook who they want to hire to make the cakes for whatever events they're organizing for, and as he gets to know her he begins to really like her.
Let me tell you this book is full of sexual tension; they flirt, they touch...it was really kinda cute watching how he softened and changed.
http://s216.photobucket.com/user/leannecrab/media/tumblr_n5z8fpUqsd1t0hoy1o1_5001.gif.html"; target="_blank
Another thing I liked was the banter between almost everyone. The siblings reminded me a bit of me and my brother; Cade and Hannah; Cade and his room mates.
Let me say that there is no sex in this book—plenty of romance!—and their relationship is going to continue into the next one, One Funeral, which I believe is going to be from Hannah's POV. And let me tell you I will most definitely be continuing this series.
Let me say this now; I'm not a big contemporary romance reader any more. I tend to stick to paranormal/urban fantasy/suspense books with romance in them for an added element.
But I have to say that I really liked this!
It was told from Cade's POV, a proper ladies man, who sets up a party planning company with his three older sisters and decides they won't do any weddings as Cade seems to always end up sleeping with a guest (or two). But then he meets Hannah, an amazing baker/cook who they want to hire to make the cakes for whatever events they're organizing for, and as he gets to know her he begins to really like her.
Let me tell you this book is full of sexual tension; they flirt, they touch...it was really kinda cute watching how he softened and changed.
http://s216.photobucket.com/user/leannecrab/media/tumblr_n5z8fpUqsd1t0hoy1o1_5001.gif.html"; target="_blank
Another thing I liked was the banter between almost everyone. The siblings reminded me a bit of me and my brother; Cade and Hannah; Cade and his room mates.
Let me say that there is no sex in this book—plenty of romance!—and their relationship is going to continue into the next one, One Funeral, which I believe is going to be from Hannah's POV. And let me tell you I will most definitely be continuing this series.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Jennifer's Body (2009) in Movies
Nov 1, 2020
The best way to describe Jennifer's Body is that it's pretty middle of the road. Nothing spectacular, but still pretty entertaining, and a would-be standard demonic posession horror-comedy if it wasn't for some good turns from the cast.
The plot revolves around popular high school teen Jennifer (Megan Fox) becoming possessed after a satanic ritual goes awry. Her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) is caught in the crossfire as she tries to find a way to stop Jennifer's murderous Succubus ways.
The movie misses a trick in its titular character. Megan Fox is good at the whole evil schtick, but Jennifer is possessed for about 95% of the runtime, and for that entire duration, she's an absolute douche. We don't see enough of Jennifer beforehand to feel much sympathy towards her. A flashback sequence dealing with how she ended up possessed starts to lean in that direction, but it's an opportunity that's not explored enough. It feels like there's a message in here about the pressures put on women in today's culture to always look the part. An important message indeed, but it's gets lost somewhat in this oversight.
Amanda Seyfried is the real lead here, and her character is wholly sympathetic, and a huge bonus for the overall film. The relationship between her and her boyfriend Chip (Johnny Simmons) is believable and often humourous, and together, they add so much to this movie.
It's also worth mentioning that Adam Brody and J.K. Simmons are both great, and definitely provide the best comedic moments.
The scares are spread pretty thin, but there are a few creepy moments here and there, and some decent gore for good measure. A lot of it seemed practical as well which is always a plus. The little CGI on display is a bit dodgy, but a minor gripe.
Overall then, Jennifer's Body is an imperfect, but solidly entertaining splatter film that tries to capture the struggles of being a teenager, and kind of succeeds, and is certainly worth a watch.
The plot revolves around popular high school teen Jennifer (Megan Fox) becoming possessed after a satanic ritual goes awry. Her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) is caught in the crossfire as she tries to find a way to stop Jennifer's murderous Succubus ways.
The movie misses a trick in its titular character. Megan Fox is good at the whole evil schtick, but Jennifer is possessed for about 95% of the runtime, and for that entire duration, she's an absolute douche. We don't see enough of Jennifer beforehand to feel much sympathy towards her. A flashback sequence dealing with how she ended up possessed starts to lean in that direction, but it's an opportunity that's not explored enough. It feels like there's a message in here about the pressures put on women in today's culture to always look the part. An important message indeed, but it's gets lost somewhat in this oversight.
Amanda Seyfried is the real lead here, and her character is wholly sympathetic, and a huge bonus for the overall film. The relationship between her and her boyfriend Chip (Johnny Simmons) is believable and often humourous, and together, they add so much to this movie.
It's also worth mentioning that Adam Brody and J.K. Simmons are both great, and definitely provide the best comedic moments.
The scares are spread pretty thin, but there are a few creepy moments here and there, and some decent gore for good measure. A lot of it seemed practical as well which is always a plus. The little CGI on display is a bit dodgy, but a minor gripe.
Overall then, Jennifer's Body is an imperfect, but solidly entertaining splatter film that tries to capture the struggles of being a teenager, and kind of succeeds, and is certainly worth a watch.