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Lee Ronaldo recommended Meet The Beatles! by The Beatles in Music (curated)
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Other Side of the Street in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This was a first H. Carey’s book which I read, and definitely not the last one. This novel is fifth in Lavender Road series, and I will read rest of them as soon as will be able to.
In the blurb, Carey highlights two characters – Louise and Jen, but they are not the only ones this book is about. There a lot of characters to choose from, and all of them are incredibly appealing, charismatic, and you need all of them, in order to enjoy this story. I absolutely loved how the author included every single of them in this novel, not leaving out any. I couldn’t decide which one I loved the most, they all have their strengths and qualities, which made this book richer, more interesting and relatable. Another thing which I absolutely loved, was multiple perspectives. I really enjoyed reading, how different characters reacted to some of the situations. I loved getting to know every single character, their problems and achievements, I think that’s why this book simply absorbed me. It was like watching a TV series unfold throughout the pages.
It is quite hard for me to describe the narrative of this book. Through different perspectives, there were a lot of life stories unfolded and told, so the narrative always changed, throwing in different characters feelings and thoughts. Which I found truly fascinating. Carey didn’t leave me bored even for a second, she creatively added turns and twists to the stories, which made me turn page after page. I really liked, that author was addressing difficulties which women were facing during that period, and I enjoyed the way Louise was breaking the stereotypes.
The writing style of this book was very pleasant, easy to read and enjoyable. One thing what I found inconvenient for me was ENSA/ RADA/ ATS etc. I grew up abroad, so I have no idea what they mean, and I am too lazy to google it, so I would have liked a little explanation page at the back, however, not knowing it, didn’t ruin my reading experience at all. The chapters of this book are quite long, but it did not drag to me, because there were a lot of things happening in every chapter, so they flew quite quickly. I really liked the way Carey ended this book, it was unexpected, satisfying, and I will be waiting to find out, what will happen next to all the characters. So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this novel, it has well rounded, exciting, fun characters, and the narrative always keeps changing, that left me hooked and interested till the last page. I really hope Netflix or BBC will make a TV series from Lavender Road books in a near future 🙂
In the blurb, Carey highlights two characters – Louise and Jen, but they are not the only ones this book is about. There a lot of characters to choose from, and all of them are incredibly appealing, charismatic, and you need all of them, in order to enjoy this story. I absolutely loved how the author included every single of them in this novel, not leaving out any. I couldn’t decide which one I loved the most, they all have their strengths and qualities, which made this book richer, more interesting and relatable. Another thing which I absolutely loved, was multiple perspectives. I really enjoyed reading, how different characters reacted to some of the situations. I loved getting to know every single character, their problems and achievements, I think that’s why this book simply absorbed me. It was like watching a TV series unfold throughout the pages.
It is quite hard for me to describe the narrative of this book. Through different perspectives, there were a lot of life stories unfolded and told, so the narrative always changed, throwing in different characters feelings and thoughts. Which I found truly fascinating. Carey didn’t leave me bored even for a second, she creatively added turns and twists to the stories, which made me turn page after page. I really liked, that author was addressing difficulties which women were facing during that period, and I enjoyed the way Louise was breaking the stereotypes.
The writing style of this book was very pleasant, easy to read and enjoyable. One thing what I found inconvenient for me was ENSA/ RADA/ ATS etc. I grew up abroad, so I have no idea what they mean, and I am too lazy to google it, so I would have liked a little explanation page at the back, however, not knowing it, didn’t ruin my reading experience at all. The chapters of this book are quite long, but it did not drag to me, because there were a lot of things happening in every chapter, so they flew quite quickly. I really liked the way Carey ended this book, it was unexpected, satisfying, and I will be waiting to find out, what will happen next to all the characters. So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this novel, it has well rounded, exciting, fun characters, and the narrative always keeps changing, that left me hooked and interested till the last page. I really hope Netflix or BBC will make a TV series from Lavender Road books in a near future 🙂
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated The Manifesto on How to be Interesting in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I fell in love with Holly Bourne's writing after reading Am I Normal Yet? and immediately decided to check out some of her other work. Hence me reading this novel.
The general idea of this book is Bree trying to become "interesting" enough to write something that publishers won't reject. She decides the way to go about this is by infiltrating to posse of popular girls at school, while anonymously blogging about it the whole time.
Bree has her issues; she's always been a bit of a loser, she's kind of falling in love with her English teacher, she has way too many rejection letters, and she self harms when she feels low. She has to make a lot of sacrifices for the sake of her new blog, one of which is her best friend, Holdo. She reminds herself that "it's all material" while she acts like a bitch, spends hundreds of pounds on new clothes and hairstyles, befriends with queen-bee Jassmine and even when she sleeps with Jass's boyfriend. Besides, her crush told her she wasn't interesting enough, so surely this is what she's supposed to be doing?
But things get a bit more complicated than she first anticipated, and things end up worse than before for Bree. Yeah, she's spent time with her mother and she's become a social princess, but things start to fall apart. There's a sex tape, and her teacher's realised his mistake, and she can't help but cut herself like she's always done... But this time, she takes it a little too far.
I love the way Holly Bourne incorporates painfully real issues into her novels, mainly revolving around mental health and feminism. Bree's issue with self harming isn't looked down upon, or brushed aside, or made into the main plot. Instead, it's just part of the story, like it is for most people who struggle with it.
My only real problem with this book is that I just can't believe that a makeover can get you into the posse of populars. Like, really? If I got a haircut and some new lipstick, would I really become best friends with the most popular girl in school? I highly doubt it. I did like how Bree actually became rather attached to the girls, and how she realised that they really are just normal people underneath all that bitchiness and foundation.
This was a nice, easy read though, and I did enjoy it. It combats some common thoughts that go round teenagers' heads, and although it is a little cheesy in some places, I think it's mostly rather realistic. Although it isn't quite one of my favourite books, I do think The Manifesto on How to Be Interesting could just about earn 4.5 stars from me.
The general idea of this book is Bree trying to become "interesting" enough to write something that publishers won't reject. She decides the way to go about this is by infiltrating to posse of popular girls at school, while anonymously blogging about it the whole time.
Bree has her issues; she's always been a bit of a loser, she's kind of falling in love with her English teacher, she has way too many rejection letters, and she self harms when she feels low. She has to make a lot of sacrifices for the sake of her new blog, one of which is her best friend, Holdo. She reminds herself that "it's all material" while she acts like a bitch, spends hundreds of pounds on new clothes and hairstyles, befriends with queen-bee Jassmine and even when she sleeps with Jass's boyfriend. Besides, her crush told her she wasn't interesting enough, so surely this is what she's supposed to be doing?
But things get a bit more complicated than she first anticipated, and things end up worse than before for Bree. Yeah, she's spent time with her mother and she's become a social princess, but things start to fall apart. There's a sex tape, and her teacher's realised his mistake, and she can't help but cut herself like she's always done... But this time, she takes it a little too far.
I love the way Holly Bourne incorporates painfully real issues into her novels, mainly revolving around mental health and feminism. Bree's issue with self harming isn't looked down upon, or brushed aside, or made into the main plot. Instead, it's just part of the story, like it is for most people who struggle with it.
My only real problem with this book is that I just can't believe that a makeover can get you into the posse of populars. Like, really? If I got a haircut and some new lipstick, would I really become best friends with the most popular girl in school? I highly doubt it. I did like how Bree actually became rather attached to the girls, and how she realised that they really are just normal people underneath all that bitchiness and foundation.
This was a nice, easy read though, and I did enjoy it. It combats some common thoughts that go round teenagers' heads, and although it is a little cheesy in some places, I think it's mostly rather realistic. Although it isn't quite one of my favourite books, I do think The Manifesto on How to Be Interesting could just about earn 4.5 stars from me.
Laos Keyboard for iPhone and iPad
Utilities and Productivity
App
The following Laos Keyboard is a Keyboard application that is aimed to accommodate even the highest...
Ultimate Guitar: Tabs & Chords
Music and Education
App
Get 1.4 million guitar, bass & ukulele chords, tabs and lyrics to learn your favorite songs! ...
Karma - Rescue Unsold Food
Food & Drink and Lifestyle
10.0
Rate It
App
Rescue food with Karma, such as a delicious lunch meal that hasn't been sold, with 50% discount or...
JT (287 KP) rated Skyfall (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
I wondered recently who my favourite Bond is? Do I enjoy the comical quips of Roger Moore or the smooth suave debonair approach of Sean Connery. But everytime I think about it, I keep coming full circle to Daniel Craig, in particularly Skyfall.
After the somewhat disappointment of Quantum of Solace Oscar winning director Sam Mendes has taken Bond 23 and given it a grittier more emotional look while paying homage to some of the past Bond classics. The opening credits are an explosive introduction as we see Bond give chase through a Turkish bazaar which includes an impressive motor bike pursuit and a brilliantly choreographed fist fight on top of a moving train.
After being shot Bond is seen falling to his certain death and the film explodes into its trademark opening credits, complete with Adele’s powerful voice, a song that really evokes everything Bond. When 007 finally returns from the grave having spent time away partaking in scorpion drinking games, post shag Heineken’s and ultimately ’enjoying death’ he comes back to find that MI6 has moved deep into subterranean London after an attack on MI6.
He’s unshaven, disheveled and is a shadow of the former agent, not even able to shoot straight or do a succession of chin-ups without collapsing. Skyfall scratches deep beneath the emotional undertones of both Bond and M as their pasts are dragged up for all to see. Judi Dench in her seventh Bond outing gets a much bigger slice of the action, she is without question the main Bond girl here. Joined by Naomie Harris and Bérénice Marlohe who both take a relative back seat.
The Bond franchise has always had a rich tradition of producing menacing and iconic villains, Bloefeld, Scaramanga and Goldfinger to name a few, but the introduction of Javier Bardem will now have a place in Bond folk-law as one of the best modern day baddies.
His entrance was perfect, with Bond tied to a chair Bardem’s Silva (himself a former agent) entered from an elevator at the far side of the room, and in one take slowly walked forward as he produced a monologue about rats in a barrel, proceeding to taunt 007 about his own past and the connections that they both have with M.
The last few films have also lacked any real gadgetry in terms of Q branch, something which after being around for so long was definitely missing. Ben Wishaw’s appearance as a much younger Q, “you’ve still got spots” points out 007, was a much needed injection as he hands out Bond his new Walter PPK and radio transmitter (they don’t go in for exploding pens anymore).
It’s simple stuff but it was great to see that character back where he belongs.
There is subtle humour throughout and light hearted moments, Bond himself throwing a few winks here and there as Roger Moore used to do so well back in the day. The action of course is another high point, believable or not it’s stunning but then this is what we have come to expect from one of the longest running franchises in film history.
The locations and cinematography were sublime, from the depths of the London underground to the Scottish highlands in the film’s pulsating climax; Skyfall brought Bond back to Britain. The scenes set in Shanghai where also exceptional, the highlight for me, the neon lit skyscraper fight in which Bond fails to hang onto the information he needs, quite literally.
Ralph Fiennes bureaucratic Mallory is another casting masterstroke, Albert Finney ads some touching moments of his own, while MI6 agent Eve who after shooting 007 by mistake and takes a back seat from active duty will no doubt please many fans with her new role.
Skyfall, of which I was not sure what on earth the title meant at the time is all the more clear in the third act. Bond chooses to revisit his child hood home and use that against Silva in a make shift home defense that even MacAulay Culkin would be proud of. It is fantastically shot and is the perfect ending to a film that has been top draw all the way through.
Some comparisons have been drawn to this and The Dark Knight in that the main characters are lost and then re-born in some way, both have a past that haunts them as well as dead parents. Mendes and the writers have taken this film down a darker route but an emotive one as well and that is credit to them, it all made sense and the story flowed well.
Skyfall is nothing short of a triumph and has given Bond fans everything they could have asked for and so much more.
After the somewhat disappointment of Quantum of Solace Oscar winning director Sam Mendes has taken Bond 23 and given it a grittier more emotional look while paying homage to some of the past Bond classics. The opening credits are an explosive introduction as we see Bond give chase through a Turkish bazaar which includes an impressive motor bike pursuit and a brilliantly choreographed fist fight on top of a moving train.
After being shot Bond is seen falling to his certain death and the film explodes into its trademark opening credits, complete with Adele’s powerful voice, a song that really evokes everything Bond. When 007 finally returns from the grave having spent time away partaking in scorpion drinking games, post shag Heineken’s and ultimately ’enjoying death’ he comes back to find that MI6 has moved deep into subterranean London after an attack on MI6.
He’s unshaven, disheveled and is a shadow of the former agent, not even able to shoot straight or do a succession of chin-ups without collapsing. Skyfall scratches deep beneath the emotional undertones of both Bond and M as their pasts are dragged up for all to see. Judi Dench in her seventh Bond outing gets a much bigger slice of the action, she is without question the main Bond girl here. Joined by Naomie Harris and Bérénice Marlohe who both take a relative back seat.
The Bond franchise has always had a rich tradition of producing menacing and iconic villains, Bloefeld, Scaramanga and Goldfinger to name a few, but the introduction of Javier Bardem will now have a place in Bond folk-law as one of the best modern day baddies.
His entrance was perfect, with Bond tied to a chair Bardem’s Silva (himself a former agent) entered from an elevator at the far side of the room, and in one take slowly walked forward as he produced a monologue about rats in a barrel, proceeding to taunt 007 about his own past and the connections that they both have with M.
The last few films have also lacked any real gadgetry in terms of Q branch, something which after being around for so long was definitely missing. Ben Wishaw’s appearance as a much younger Q, “you’ve still got spots” points out 007, was a much needed injection as he hands out Bond his new Walter PPK and radio transmitter (they don’t go in for exploding pens anymore).
It’s simple stuff but it was great to see that character back where he belongs.
There is subtle humour throughout and light hearted moments, Bond himself throwing a few winks here and there as Roger Moore used to do so well back in the day. The action of course is another high point, believable or not it’s stunning but then this is what we have come to expect from one of the longest running franchises in film history.
The locations and cinematography were sublime, from the depths of the London underground to the Scottish highlands in the film’s pulsating climax; Skyfall brought Bond back to Britain. The scenes set in Shanghai where also exceptional, the highlight for me, the neon lit skyscraper fight in which Bond fails to hang onto the information he needs, quite literally.
Ralph Fiennes bureaucratic Mallory is another casting masterstroke, Albert Finney ads some touching moments of his own, while MI6 agent Eve who after shooting 007 by mistake and takes a back seat from active duty will no doubt please many fans with her new role.
Skyfall, of which I was not sure what on earth the title meant at the time is all the more clear in the third act. Bond chooses to revisit his child hood home and use that against Silva in a make shift home defense that even MacAulay Culkin would be proud of. It is fantastically shot and is the perfect ending to a film that has been top draw all the way through.
Some comparisons have been drawn to this and The Dark Knight in that the main characters are lost and then re-born in some way, both have a past that haunts them as well as dead parents. Mendes and the writers have taken this film down a darker route but an emotive one as well and that is credit to them, it all made sense and the story flowed well.
Skyfall is nothing short of a triumph and has given Bond fans everything they could have asked for and so much more.
KittyMiku (138 KP) rated Her Last Goodbye in Books
May 23, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
As with any mystery, it is amazing to have that suspense with a tad bit of danger. After all, the excitement is in the wondering who did what and what may have caused an event to happen. However, Her Last Goodbye is more than just that. It allows the reader to see into some of the worries and dangers it is to be a parent, how romance can lead to vulnerable states of mind (which we all know can lead to some acts of intimacy), as well as how some people have some complicated views on how a relationship should work. It was even more shocking and terrifyingly real than the first book in the Morgan Dane series. I found myself ridden with anxiety, fear, and concern through out the book. Having so many difficult situations to have to sort through and ideas, I found this book hard to put down, even when it got too intense to keep reading at the moment.
First of all, Morgan having three children is always nice to see. With her concern about her children's livelihood always about her, it wasn't hard for her to connect with the missing woman, Chelsea, who was a mother of 2 small children, and how she wasn't likely to leave her children that she adored so much. It was, however, rough for her to try to come up with clues and facts to prove that the woman just didn't run away from her family. To see Morgan struggle through that idea and then to end up having her own children threatened on multiple occasions by a variety of men, only made things worse. I found those parts exceptionally hard to read. Having a child myself, I don't think I would have been as rational or as brave as she was. Just the thought of the things she went through and the ideas of a mother just abandoning her children, has me shaken. Even though, as stated in the book, mothers sometimes do strange things like that, it still isn't easy to process or understand. Then to watch a mother go into Mama Bear mode to protect her own, kept my own mind whirling. I like to think I would do anything to protect my daughter, but my own problem with conflict would have been enough to make sure I got out of whatever situation that would put me in that rough spot. It had fuel Morgan even more though. She pushed harder to find and get rid of the person behind her own children's danger. This only makes her even more loveable. It is actually inspiring to have such a strong woman character, who would do anything to protect her loved ones. I can't help but feel more drawn to her in this book, and I feel that my admiration and love for her will grow in the future. Even so, I still found a lot of other disturbing things within the story.
We all know that there are people out there who believe women should be completely submissive to men, but it was still really hard to read and stomach a character who had this belief. To kidnap, condition, and even train another person seems extremely harsh, yet a they existed. I found it harder to read how they would torture another human being to break their mind and their spirit, just to train a woman to think and be something they weren't. Especially when said person was supposedly in love with their prey. I did find it inspiring on how, even being tortured, a woman can overcome it and try to escape and get back to her family. In fact, the thought of her family propelled her and kept her trying to get back home. It really made me happy to see that family was her motivation. Though, it was rough to get through, it made me wonder how many women could go through what she had and still find the courage and strength to keep trying to figure out a way to escape and get home. Even though, it was clear she was traumatized, it was clear she was more concerned with getting home to her children than how she could be caught and tortured and punished for trying. I found this to be a pleasant idea to have about someone who was captured. After all, wouldn't you end up within just a few days of being hurt over and over, give up and just conform to whoever was trying to condition you was ways? I probably would have. But this woman character definitely shed some light how nothing else mattered where your family is concern.
I found how strong feelings for someone and their family can really change how you view things to be a nice delight. I hadn't expected Lance to end up falling for Morgan's children the way he did to happen. It had been hinted that he loved and wanted a relationship with Morgan, but to see him fall in love with her girls and want to protect them as much as Morgan did, was really a pleasant sight. I know there are men out there like that, but its still rare and to see how his love for Morgan ends up extending to her children was just the right about of sentiment and love the book need to keeps things from going overboard. I enjoyed how he tried his best to make sure her girls were safe and even let them into his house to keep them protected, to be exhilarating and touching. It is always nice to have some wholesome love and concern to help break up some of the tension in a storyline and Leigh's way of adding this to Lance's character was a nice call. It helped keep the danger presented while showing a parental side to Lance and offering up how your friends and potential lover's can easily adore your children as much as you do.
Overall, I would rate Melinda Leigh's Her Last Goodbye 5 stars out of 5 stars for how well written and emotional filled the book was. It could stand alone as it gives refreshers on what happened in the last book, as well as had its own storyline. Though, the character developments increased and they continued to grow through out the story, the reader wouldn't feel like they missed a whole lot by reading this book first. I have to say that has to be something that is delightful. After all, wouldn't is just bite if you had to read the first book to even think about picking up the second. Sometimes you don't always realize what you are grabbing and having a series that has books that could stand alone if they needed to, makes it so much easier to start by whatever book you happen to pick up first. I definitely recommend this book to all our thrill seekers. Its not for the faint of heart, but is still extremely excellent to read.
First of all, Morgan having three children is always nice to see. With her concern about her children's livelihood always about her, it wasn't hard for her to connect with the missing woman, Chelsea, who was a mother of 2 small children, and how she wasn't likely to leave her children that she adored so much. It was, however, rough for her to try to come up with clues and facts to prove that the woman just didn't run away from her family. To see Morgan struggle through that idea and then to end up having her own children threatened on multiple occasions by a variety of men, only made things worse. I found those parts exceptionally hard to read. Having a child myself, I don't think I would have been as rational or as brave as she was. Just the thought of the things she went through and the ideas of a mother just abandoning her children, has me shaken. Even though, as stated in the book, mothers sometimes do strange things like that, it still isn't easy to process or understand. Then to watch a mother go into Mama Bear mode to protect her own, kept my own mind whirling. I like to think I would do anything to protect my daughter, but my own problem with conflict would have been enough to make sure I got out of whatever situation that would put me in that rough spot. It had fuel Morgan even more though. She pushed harder to find and get rid of the person behind her own children's danger. This only makes her even more loveable. It is actually inspiring to have such a strong woman character, who would do anything to protect her loved ones. I can't help but feel more drawn to her in this book, and I feel that my admiration and love for her will grow in the future. Even so, I still found a lot of other disturbing things within the story.
We all know that there are people out there who believe women should be completely submissive to men, but it was still really hard to read and stomach a character who had this belief. To kidnap, condition, and even train another person seems extremely harsh, yet a they existed. I found it harder to read how they would torture another human being to break their mind and their spirit, just to train a woman to think and be something they weren't. Especially when said person was supposedly in love with their prey. I did find it inspiring on how, even being tortured, a woman can overcome it and try to escape and get back to her family. In fact, the thought of her family propelled her and kept her trying to get back home. It really made me happy to see that family was her motivation. Though, it was rough to get through, it made me wonder how many women could go through what she had and still find the courage and strength to keep trying to figure out a way to escape and get home. Even though, it was clear she was traumatized, it was clear she was more concerned with getting home to her children than how she could be caught and tortured and punished for trying. I found this to be a pleasant idea to have about someone who was captured. After all, wouldn't you end up within just a few days of being hurt over and over, give up and just conform to whoever was trying to condition you was ways? I probably would have. But this woman character definitely shed some light how nothing else mattered where your family is concern.
I found how strong feelings for someone and their family can really change how you view things to be a nice delight. I hadn't expected Lance to end up falling for Morgan's children the way he did to happen. It had been hinted that he loved and wanted a relationship with Morgan, but to see him fall in love with her girls and want to protect them as much as Morgan did, was really a pleasant sight. I know there are men out there like that, but its still rare and to see how his love for Morgan ends up extending to her children was just the right about of sentiment and love the book need to keeps things from going overboard. I enjoyed how he tried his best to make sure her girls were safe and even let them into his house to keep them protected, to be exhilarating and touching. It is always nice to have some wholesome love and concern to help break up some of the tension in a storyline and Leigh's way of adding this to Lance's character was a nice call. It helped keep the danger presented while showing a parental side to Lance and offering up how your friends and potential lover's can easily adore your children as much as you do.
Overall, I would rate Melinda Leigh's Her Last Goodbye 5 stars out of 5 stars for how well written and emotional filled the book was. It could stand alone as it gives refreshers on what happened in the last book, as well as had its own storyline. Though, the character developments increased and they continued to grow through out the story, the reader wouldn't feel like they missed a whole lot by reading this book first. I have to say that has to be something that is delightful. After all, wouldn't is just bite if you had to read the first book to even think about picking up the second. Sometimes you don't always realize what you are grabbing and having a series that has books that could stand alone if they needed to, makes it so much easier to start by whatever book you happen to pick up first. I definitely recommend this book to all our thrill seekers. Its not for the faint of heart, but is still extremely excellent to read.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Toni Erdmann (2016) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
Well Now! *over exaggerated sigh of relief* After my first movie review of the year it is a suspicious coincidence as well as a welcome relief, that I have the incredibly good fortune to bring you the review of a movie that is not only good but it’s original, sometimes confusing, weird, downright funny, and German. Hey, sometimes when you are disappointed with a domestic film it’s best to look at a foreign film. That ‘strategy’ applies to any movie viewer in any country I can assure you. Today’s film for your consideration is already making waves and winning awards in Germany, Europe, and around the world. It’s making such a significant fuss that as of February 7th, its confirmed that Jack Nicholson is coming out of self-imposed retirement to portray the lead in an American remake of the movie!
‘Toni Erdmann’ is an Austrian-German dramatic comedy written, directed, and co-produced by Maren Abe. The film stars famed Austrian actor Peter Simonischek as Winfried Conradi (the character was based on the directors father a purported prankster) a divorced music teacher and father whose considered by his family, friends, and students to be a hippie. He has the reputation of being a prankster and is notorious for playing practical jokes. He is estranged from his daughter Ines (Sandra Huller). An ambitious business woman working for a company in Romania. They rarely speak except for family gatherings at which Ines is usually on her phone conducting business and actually spends little time with the family. Her father in particular. The only friendship Winfried has is with his blind and deaf dog. One night, after a family gathering and paying a visit to his mother, Winfried falls asleep in his front yard only to wake up and find that his beloved dog has passed away during the night. Feeling lost and dwelling on the past, he travels to Bucharest where his daughter currently consults for an oil company. He finds the office complex where she is based and waits in the lobby for several hours. Finally, he catches a glimpse of Ines walking through the lobby with several board members of her client’s company and sneaks up behind them wearing sunglasses and his trademarked fake teeth while pretending to read a newspaper. Ines notices but completely ignores Winfried. Despite the failure of his practical joke, Ines contacts her father and invites him to a reception at the American embassy in Bucharest where they have a chance encounter with the CEO of a German oil company Mr. Henneberg with whom Ines has been desperately trying arrange business dealings with. While paying little attention to Ines, ironically Henneberg begins a conversation with Winfried in which he casually and jokingly mentioned that he has hired a replacement daughter because Ines is always so busy. Much to the surprise of both, Henneberg invites Ines and her father to join him and his entourage for drinks at a trendy bar where he continues to brush off Ines but only after sharing Winfried’s joke with his colleagues.
Ines is so absorbed in her work she seems to only tolerate her father’s presence and after a few days, Winfried decides to leave feeling alienated as though he’s getting in the way of his daughter’s life. A few days later, Ines and two of her friends are out having drinks when Winfried appears at the bar. Wearing a wig and his trademark false teeth he chimes in on the conversation between his daughter and her friends and comically introduces himself as ‘Toni Erdmann’ a consultant and life coach. Ines two friends continue to converse with him trying their best not to laugh while Winfried continues to ‘enhance’ his character much to the dismay of Ines.
Meanwhile, Ines day-to-Day work routine becomes more frustrating as she seems to be going nowhere with her career despite her best efforts. Becoming almost amused with her father’s character, Ines decides to play along with the character and even invites ‘Erdmann’ to spend time with her at work and with her friends and later even to a business meeting. Strangely enough, the ‘Erdmann’ character created by her father has become a strange and hilarious means of bonding with her father leading to one misadventure after another in which she decides she no longer cares about her current state of being and proceeds to alienate her boss and her colleagues and a way that’s reminiscent of her father’s ‘prankster tendencies’.
This film did not disappoint. It’s funny, it’s shocking, it’s awkward at some points. Most importantly, it’s original. It flys in the face of routine and redundancy and like many great films implies that in the end, the most important thing is family. When worse comes to worse family might not always get you out of trouble but they will certainly provide the catalyst for an escape from the hum drum of whatever is eating at your life.
‘Toni Erdmann’ has already been nominated for ‘Best Film Of The Year’ by critics in several countries including France and England. It premiered at the Cannes film festival last year in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ category of the film festival but the night before its premiere, the judges and critics gave it such praise it was immediately added to the more prestigious ‘Palme d’Or’ category and went on to receive high praise at its premiere. It has already won 20 awards in serval countries with many more awards pending. I’m calling this film 4 out of 5 stars. The film clocks in at 162 minutes. A bit long on the tooth for running time but DO NOT let that discourage you from seeing the film. Do yourself a favor and check out ‘Toni Erdmann’ now and see the original in all it’s hilarious glory. As I mentioned earlier, it’s been confirmed that Jack Nicholson is coming out of retirement to portray the lead in the American remake. This film is totally something you would’ve seen Mr. Nicholson doing early in his career back when he was just getting started as an actor. Even with this in mind someone somewhere along the line could still screw it up.
‘Toni Erdmann’ is an Austrian-German dramatic comedy written, directed, and co-produced by Maren Abe. The film stars famed Austrian actor Peter Simonischek as Winfried Conradi (the character was based on the directors father a purported prankster) a divorced music teacher and father whose considered by his family, friends, and students to be a hippie. He has the reputation of being a prankster and is notorious for playing practical jokes. He is estranged from his daughter Ines (Sandra Huller). An ambitious business woman working for a company in Romania. They rarely speak except for family gatherings at which Ines is usually on her phone conducting business and actually spends little time with the family. Her father in particular. The only friendship Winfried has is with his blind and deaf dog. One night, after a family gathering and paying a visit to his mother, Winfried falls asleep in his front yard only to wake up and find that his beloved dog has passed away during the night. Feeling lost and dwelling on the past, he travels to Bucharest where his daughter currently consults for an oil company. He finds the office complex where she is based and waits in the lobby for several hours. Finally, he catches a glimpse of Ines walking through the lobby with several board members of her client’s company and sneaks up behind them wearing sunglasses and his trademarked fake teeth while pretending to read a newspaper. Ines notices but completely ignores Winfried. Despite the failure of his practical joke, Ines contacts her father and invites him to a reception at the American embassy in Bucharest where they have a chance encounter with the CEO of a German oil company Mr. Henneberg with whom Ines has been desperately trying arrange business dealings with. While paying little attention to Ines, ironically Henneberg begins a conversation with Winfried in which he casually and jokingly mentioned that he has hired a replacement daughter because Ines is always so busy. Much to the surprise of both, Henneberg invites Ines and her father to join him and his entourage for drinks at a trendy bar where he continues to brush off Ines but only after sharing Winfried’s joke with his colleagues.
Ines is so absorbed in her work she seems to only tolerate her father’s presence and after a few days, Winfried decides to leave feeling alienated as though he’s getting in the way of his daughter’s life. A few days later, Ines and two of her friends are out having drinks when Winfried appears at the bar. Wearing a wig and his trademark false teeth he chimes in on the conversation between his daughter and her friends and comically introduces himself as ‘Toni Erdmann’ a consultant and life coach. Ines two friends continue to converse with him trying their best not to laugh while Winfried continues to ‘enhance’ his character much to the dismay of Ines.
Meanwhile, Ines day-to-Day work routine becomes more frustrating as she seems to be going nowhere with her career despite her best efforts. Becoming almost amused with her father’s character, Ines decides to play along with the character and even invites ‘Erdmann’ to spend time with her at work and with her friends and later even to a business meeting. Strangely enough, the ‘Erdmann’ character created by her father has become a strange and hilarious means of bonding with her father leading to one misadventure after another in which she decides she no longer cares about her current state of being and proceeds to alienate her boss and her colleagues and a way that’s reminiscent of her father’s ‘prankster tendencies’.
This film did not disappoint. It’s funny, it’s shocking, it’s awkward at some points. Most importantly, it’s original. It flys in the face of routine and redundancy and like many great films implies that in the end, the most important thing is family. When worse comes to worse family might not always get you out of trouble but they will certainly provide the catalyst for an escape from the hum drum of whatever is eating at your life.
‘Toni Erdmann’ has already been nominated for ‘Best Film Of The Year’ by critics in several countries including France and England. It premiered at the Cannes film festival last year in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ category of the film festival but the night before its premiere, the judges and critics gave it such praise it was immediately added to the more prestigious ‘Palme d’Or’ category and went on to receive high praise at its premiere. It has already won 20 awards in serval countries with many more awards pending. I’m calling this film 4 out of 5 stars. The film clocks in at 162 minutes. A bit long on the tooth for running time but DO NOT let that discourage you from seeing the film. Do yourself a favor and check out ‘Toni Erdmann’ now and see the original in all it’s hilarious glory. As I mentioned earlier, it’s been confirmed that Jack Nicholson is coming out of retirement to portray the lead in the American remake. This film is totally something you would’ve seen Mr. Nicholson doing early in his career back when he was just getting started as an actor. Even with this in mind someone somewhere along the line could still screw it up.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Ready or Not (2019) in Movies
Sep 2, 2019
I’ve always loved playing games, board games, role playing games, computer games…whatever. I remember as a kid most of the games we played were played outside, whether it was a game of capture the flag, tag, or the always entertaining game of Hide and Seek. All the games I have ever played have been played in fun, with no real stakes involved outside of maybe some pride or some friendly competition. What if there was more at stake than simply having to sit out the game for the rest of the time? What if hiding and surviving until dawn was the only way you were going to live to see the next day? I don’t know about you, but I’d make sure it was the best game of Hide and Seek I’d ever played, or it would end up being my last. Ready or Not, a dark comedy from Fox Searchlight (now Walt Disney Studios) and directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, explores what happens when a ruthless business man sells his soul to the devil for the sake of a board game empire.
Early on we are introduced to Grace. She spent her childhood bouncing from foster home to foster home, wanting a family but just never quite getting one. When she finally finds the man of her dreams Alex (Mark O’Brien) who also is one of the heirs to a giant gaming empire, she believes that all her longing for a family, even one as messed up as his, is finally paying off. Not long after the wedding it is revealed that part of the tradition to joining the family is to play a game. Alex reassures her that the game could be something as simple as checkers or possibly as complex as chess. He doesn’t know as it’s up to a special box, imbued with mystical powers that selects the game that she will be forced to play.
Upon placing the card in the box, and withdrawing it, three little words are inscribed upon it…Hide and Seek. Thinking this is simply a game, and with no further instructions, the family puts on the Hide and Seek record and begin counting to 100. Once the count is up, weapons are handed out to the “seekers” and the game begins.
Not long after finding her hiding spot, Grace quickly becomes bored of playing and comes out admitting defeat. It is only after a series of unfortunate events resulting in the deaths of some of the key players does Grace finally understand that this family plays for keeps. With the help of an unlikely ally from Alex’s brother Daniel (Adam Brody), she not only is given an opportunity to survive the night, but also learns of the pact with the devil that was made which allowed the family to acquire its great fortune. Unless they can satisfy the curse, the entire family will not live to see the sunrise.
Ready or Not takes an outstanding cast and provides them with an equally fantastic setting. Andie MacDowell portrays the creepy mother-in-law Becky, along with her equally creepy and even more unhinged husband Tony (Henry Czerny). Each character plays out their roles in the most over-the-top performances imaginable, an they pull them off more believably then I think they even had intended. Whether its Kristian Bunn as the bumbling Fitch, who is forced to YouTube how to use a crossbow and googles whether pacts with the devil are real or BS…or Elyse Levesque as the stoic Charity, who has absolutely no problem killing someone, if it means she gets to maintain her lavish lifestyle. The cast is truly what pulls the movie off, with their ability to take the absurdity and make it almost feel normal.
Ready or Not does have the occasional jump scare and is literally coated in blood throughout, but it’s the dark comedy that really sets this movie apart from many that have come before it. I don’t know if it’s wrong to laugh at things that should be completely taboo as much as I did. Ready or Not tries to make you think it’s serious, even when you know it is intentionally not. While some of the dialog might fall a bit flat, you’d be hard pressed to notice between your bursts of laughter. You know a movie does something right, when you find yourself quoting it not only immediately after it finishes, but into the next day (and at this rate probably beyond).
Ready or Not is a fun film, that’s the best way to describe it. It’s gruesome and of course violent, but it doesn’t take itself seriously and asks the same of the audience. There have been other movies who have taken this genre too seriously in the past, and lead to mixed results. Ready or Not wants you to laugh at its absurdity and take glee in the events that take place. Based on the individual characters, it’s amazing that the family has survived as long as it has…must be because that card doesn’t come up very often. If you are looking for a fun film, one that you want to laugh at (and with) you could certainly do worse than Ready or Not. It is one of the best dark comedies to come out in years, and it makes me long for the days when movies were still unique and weren’t simply attempting to reboot everything.
Early on we are introduced to Grace. She spent her childhood bouncing from foster home to foster home, wanting a family but just never quite getting one. When she finally finds the man of her dreams Alex (Mark O’Brien) who also is one of the heirs to a giant gaming empire, she believes that all her longing for a family, even one as messed up as his, is finally paying off. Not long after the wedding it is revealed that part of the tradition to joining the family is to play a game. Alex reassures her that the game could be something as simple as checkers or possibly as complex as chess. He doesn’t know as it’s up to a special box, imbued with mystical powers that selects the game that she will be forced to play.
Upon placing the card in the box, and withdrawing it, three little words are inscribed upon it…Hide and Seek. Thinking this is simply a game, and with no further instructions, the family puts on the Hide and Seek record and begin counting to 100. Once the count is up, weapons are handed out to the “seekers” and the game begins.
Not long after finding her hiding spot, Grace quickly becomes bored of playing and comes out admitting defeat. It is only after a series of unfortunate events resulting in the deaths of some of the key players does Grace finally understand that this family plays for keeps. With the help of an unlikely ally from Alex’s brother Daniel (Adam Brody), she not only is given an opportunity to survive the night, but also learns of the pact with the devil that was made which allowed the family to acquire its great fortune. Unless they can satisfy the curse, the entire family will not live to see the sunrise.
Ready or Not takes an outstanding cast and provides them with an equally fantastic setting. Andie MacDowell portrays the creepy mother-in-law Becky, along with her equally creepy and even more unhinged husband Tony (Henry Czerny). Each character plays out their roles in the most over-the-top performances imaginable, an they pull them off more believably then I think they even had intended. Whether its Kristian Bunn as the bumbling Fitch, who is forced to YouTube how to use a crossbow and googles whether pacts with the devil are real or BS…or Elyse Levesque as the stoic Charity, who has absolutely no problem killing someone, if it means she gets to maintain her lavish lifestyle. The cast is truly what pulls the movie off, with their ability to take the absurdity and make it almost feel normal.
Ready or Not does have the occasional jump scare and is literally coated in blood throughout, but it’s the dark comedy that really sets this movie apart from many that have come before it. I don’t know if it’s wrong to laugh at things that should be completely taboo as much as I did. Ready or Not tries to make you think it’s serious, even when you know it is intentionally not. While some of the dialog might fall a bit flat, you’d be hard pressed to notice between your bursts of laughter. You know a movie does something right, when you find yourself quoting it not only immediately after it finishes, but into the next day (and at this rate probably beyond).
Ready or Not is a fun film, that’s the best way to describe it. It’s gruesome and of course violent, but it doesn’t take itself seriously and asks the same of the audience. There have been other movies who have taken this genre too seriously in the past, and lead to mixed results. Ready or Not wants you to laugh at its absurdity and take glee in the events that take place. Based on the individual characters, it’s amazing that the family has survived as long as it has…must be because that card doesn’t come up very often. If you are looking for a fun film, one that you want to laugh at (and with) you could certainly do worse than Ready or Not. It is one of the best dark comedies to come out in years, and it makes me long for the days when movies were still unique and weren’t simply attempting to reboot everything.