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Lena Dunham recommended Gone with the Wind in Books (curated)

 
Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind
Helen Taylor | 2015 | Film & TV
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"Want a thousand pages of pure romantic anxiety in which the biggest war in our nation’s history is just a mere backdrop for the heartache of a woman who should probably be in Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous? Then this is the book for you! I loved the descriptions of food when I was younger, and also of fashion and French kissing, and it’s a real master class in plot, pacing and how to sew a dress out of window decorations!"

Source
  
Ready or Not (2019)
Ready or Not (2019)
2019 | Comedy, Horror, Mystery
An irban legend - reinvented.
Remember the urban legend?

The wedding day game they turned deadly, I guess it is "till death do us part". After the vows are complete, and she promises to be his for ever more, the bride finds herself caught in a deadly game of hide and seek with her newlywed husband's edgy family.

Honestly, this film, for me was a great watch. It was intense, and I have to admit, some scenes had my anxiety spike through the roof.
  
40x40

Ali A (78 KP) rated Hello (from Here) in Books

Sep 14, 2021  
Hello (from Here)
Hello (from Here)
Chandler Baker, Wesley King | 2021 | Young Adult (YA)
5
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Trigger Warnings: Covid-19, death of a parent, AIDS, generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks,

Max and Jonah bump into each over at the grocery store right when the Covid-19 lockdown was beginning in California. Max's part-time job as a personal shopper begins to transform into a bit of a nightmare and Jonah's pre-existing anxiety disorder is becoming a daily struggle. Can the two come together even though they must stay apart? Hello (from Here) jumps into the first two months of the quarantine and the love lives and two teenagers trying to figure out this new world.

This wasn't my favorite book on the planet, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. I will also keep it on my shelves and possibly come back to it another time (when the Corona Virus isn't still running wild). Like most who have reviewed this book, I feel like it may have been too soon.

The main characters were okay, but not amazing, I did find them a little whiny towards the end... Olivia, Jonah's sister, was probably my favorite out of everybody and I'd kind of like to hear some more of her story! Also Arlo and his story! Kate and Jonah's "step-parent replacing late parent" trope was shown well in the novel. I thought the development of their relationship was well handled and realistic. I was happy with the end result for them.

I also thought the anxiety disorder representation was handled well in this novel too. As someone with anxiety who has had panic attacks (though not quite like Jonah's), I felt like one could still understand what he was going through, especially in his current situation.

I feel like this novel fell short - mostly by tackling too much all at once. I felt a little anticlimactic by the time I closed it. So many things were brought up: important issues and themes, but then were finished limply in the end. (view spoiler).

The cheating storyline was just - bleh. It wasn't needed and was more of a distraction. I also felt like it didn't make much sense for how the character had been acting throughout the whole storyline.

Overall, I feel like this was just too soon. I'm sure it will be good in a few years time though, when we weren't all still going through the same pandemic.
  
Bird Box (2018)
Bird Box (2018)
2018 | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Manipulation of viewers anxiety (0 more)
No substance, wastes valuable plot opportunities, poor story telling (0 more)
So much hype so little substance
I was reluctant to watch this as it didn't immediately strike me as something I'd enjoy, however I read so much hype and praise for it, I simply had to.

When it started I was hopeful that actually this might just provide a pleasant surprise for me but by the end I was disappointed and left wanting more.

Let's face it, we've seen this film before in several different guises, 'The Mist' 'The Crazies' they all have one thing in common that makes me sigh every time, lack of depth. There's no imagination and explanation, in concept this could have been so much more but it remains a creature-less, face-less disappointment.

The whole premise relies on exploiting the viewers anxiety over the care of the children and the need to protect. I may be missing the point and I know this is a commentary on mental health but it's tenuous at best and I felt cheated by something that could have been so much more.