Search
Search results
City Music by Kevin Morby
4.0
Rate It
Album Watch
City Music is the new album by Kevin Morby, which will be released via Dead Oceans. Full of listless...
Alternative rock
Shadow and Light (Arizona Raptors #3)
RJ Scott and V.L. Locey
10.0
Rate It
Book
Is it easier to fall into the shadows than hold onto the light? Injured in a horrific car...
Contemporary MM Sports Romance
Selfie Queen Star
Games and Entertainment
App
~~> What's the point of life if there are no selfies to show it off? ;-) ~~> You're on your way to...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Whale (2022) in Movies
Mar 5, 2023
Raw and Honest
Give Brendan Fraser the Oscar already.
Hollywood loves a comeback story and the return of Fraser to the Hollywood "A" list is complete with his heart-wrenching, honest turn in Darren Aronofsky's THE WHALE. It is the type of comeback that is deserving of all the accolades and awards that has come his way.
Directed, with restraint not normally associated with Aronofsky, THE WHALE tells the tale of a College Professor who drowns his feelings in food. The film, based on the play (and screenplay) by Samuel D. Hunter follows this Professor, Charlie (Brendan Fraser of THE MUMMY fame) as he seeks to make amends with his estranged daughter as his obesity starts to take it's toll.
Since this is based on a stage play, most of the film takes place inside Charlie's apartment and the number of characters in this film are limited - and all of them hit their mark very well, thanks to the Best Direction that Aronofsky has ever achieved. He limits his usual histrionics, letting the camera focus on the faces and emotions of his characters, keeping movement to a minimum and engrossing the audience in the punch that these emotions provide. It is a shame that he was not Nominated for an Oscar for his work here, it is masterful.
Because of this - and the powerful script by Hunter - the cast of this film shines brightly. From Samantha Morton (MINORITY REPORT) to Ty Simpkins (JURASSIC WORLD) to Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield in Netflix' STRANGER THINGS), Aronofsky draws strong, raw and HONEST performances that elevate as each interact with each other.
Hong Chau (giving her 2nd straight strong performance following her work in the under-rated and under-appreciated THE MENU) is also Oscar Nominated (for Supporting Actress) for her work as Charlie's caregiver. It is a subtle, loving, emotional performance that touches the heart and her Oscar nomination is well deserved.
But, make no mistake about it, this film is Fraser's and he commands it from start to finish. Sure, the "fat suit" he is wearing that gives him the appearance of a 400 lb (+) obese man is jarring, but it is the raw emotions - rage, fear, sadness, hate, self-loathing and love - that Fraser is able to eminate through that wall of prosthetics that is truly astonishing. It is the performance of a career and one that will win him the Oscar.
Welcome back, Brendan Fraser, the movies missed you.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Hollywood loves a comeback story and the return of Fraser to the Hollywood "A" list is complete with his heart-wrenching, honest turn in Darren Aronofsky's THE WHALE. It is the type of comeback that is deserving of all the accolades and awards that has come his way.
Directed, with restraint not normally associated with Aronofsky, THE WHALE tells the tale of a College Professor who drowns his feelings in food. The film, based on the play (and screenplay) by Samuel D. Hunter follows this Professor, Charlie (Brendan Fraser of THE MUMMY fame) as he seeks to make amends with his estranged daughter as his obesity starts to take it's toll.
Since this is based on a stage play, most of the film takes place inside Charlie's apartment and the number of characters in this film are limited - and all of them hit their mark very well, thanks to the Best Direction that Aronofsky has ever achieved. He limits his usual histrionics, letting the camera focus on the faces and emotions of his characters, keeping movement to a minimum and engrossing the audience in the punch that these emotions provide. It is a shame that he was not Nominated for an Oscar for his work here, it is masterful.
Because of this - and the powerful script by Hunter - the cast of this film shines brightly. From Samantha Morton (MINORITY REPORT) to Ty Simpkins (JURASSIC WORLD) to Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield in Netflix' STRANGER THINGS), Aronofsky draws strong, raw and HONEST performances that elevate as each interact with each other.
Hong Chau (giving her 2nd straight strong performance following her work in the under-rated and under-appreciated THE MENU) is also Oscar Nominated (for Supporting Actress) for her work as Charlie's caregiver. It is a subtle, loving, emotional performance that touches the heart and her Oscar nomination is well deserved.
But, make no mistake about it, this film is Fraser's and he commands it from start to finish. Sure, the "fat suit" he is wearing that gives him the appearance of a 400 lb (+) obese man is jarring, but it is the raw emotions - rage, fear, sadness, hate, self-loathing and love - that Fraser is able to eminate through that wall of prosthetics that is truly astonishing. It is the performance of a career and one that will win him the Oscar.
Welcome back, Brendan Fraser, the movies missed you.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Nymphomaniac Volume II (2014)
6.3
Rate It
Movie Watch
Joe becomes annoyed with Seligman, accusing him of overlooking the severity of her lost sexuality to...
Lee (2222 KP) rated Colossal (2016) in Movies
Jul 26, 2017
Colossal is written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, who also wrote and directed 2007’s Timecrimes. One of my favourite movies and probably the best movie about time travel that isn’t Back to the Future! So, I’d been looking forward to catching this, his latest movie, for a while now. Luckily, it didn’t disappoint.
Anne Hathaway is Gloria, a 30-something party girl whose life is in a serious downward spiral. Her boyfriend (an underused Dan Stevens) decides that enough is enough and kicks her out of his New York apartment. So, Gloria moves back to the quiet little town where she grew up and moves into her parents empty house in an attempt to try and rebuild her life. After a bad nights sleep on the bare floor (a nice running joke throughout the movie), she heads out to buy an inflatable mattress and on the way back is passed by Oscar (Jason Sudeikis) in his pickup truck, who pulls up and offers her a ride. It turns out that Oscar and Grace are old school friends and as they get talking about old times it transpires that things aren’t so great for Oscar these days either. He takes her to the bar he inherited from his father, only half renovated due to a lack of money, and later on offers Gloria a waitress job. Most of their time in the bar though seems to be spent after hours, drinking away the stock with a couple of other friends/barflies. Gloria is soon back to blacking out from drink and then waking up at some point the next day with vague memories of the night before.
And then one morning Gloria wakes to images on TV of a giant Godzilla-like creature which suddenly materialised and started rampaging through Seoul in South Korea. Furthermore, after a few more appearances by this creature, Gloria comes to the realisation that this creature somehow appears to be copying her movements! And a bit later on, a giant robot appears too!!
It’s difficult to elaborate on this part of the movie much further without going into serious spoiler territory. The whole idea sounds crazy, but it’s surprising just how quickly the whole concept just settles in and this remains primarily a movie about humans, our relationships and our inner demons. Hathaway and Sudeikis are at their best here, with Sudeikis progressing from his usual likeable slacker role into something much more darker and complex. Things become increasingly tense, culminating in a highly original and hugely satisfying final act which I absolutely loved. It’s truly amazing what’s been achieved here with such a low budget too, with only a few occasions where the effects appear a little shaky. Overall though, this is a smart must-see movie. Brilliant.
Anne Hathaway is Gloria, a 30-something party girl whose life is in a serious downward spiral. Her boyfriend (an underused Dan Stevens) decides that enough is enough and kicks her out of his New York apartment. So, Gloria moves back to the quiet little town where she grew up and moves into her parents empty house in an attempt to try and rebuild her life. After a bad nights sleep on the bare floor (a nice running joke throughout the movie), she heads out to buy an inflatable mattress and on the way back is passed by Oscar (Jason Sudeikis) in his pickup truck, who pulls up and offers her a ride. It turns out that Oscar and Grace are old school friends and as they get talking about old times it transpires that things aren’t so great for Oscar these days either. He takes her to the bar he inherited from his father, only half renovated due to a lack of money, and later on offers Gloria a waitress job. Most of their time in the bar though seems to be spent after hours, drinking away the stock with a couple of other friends/barflies. Gloria is soon back to blacking out from drink and then waking up at some point the next day with vague memories of the night before.
And then one morning Gloria wakes to images on TV of a giant Godzilla-like creature which suddenly materialised and started rampaging through Seoul in South Korea. Furthermore, after a few more appearances by this creature, Gloria comes to the realisation that this creature somehow appears to be copying her movements! And a bit later on, a giant robot appears too!!
It’s difficult to elaborate on this part of the movie much further without going into serious spoiler territory. The whole idea sounds crazy, but it’s surprising just how quickly the whole concept just settles in and this remains primarily a movie about humans, our relationships and our inner demons. Hathaway and Sudeikis are at their best here, with Sudeikis progressing from his usual likeable slacker role into something much more darker and complex. Things become increasingly tense, culminating in a highly original and hugely satisfying final act which I absolutely loved. It’s truly amazing what’s been achieved here with such a low budget too, with only a few occasions where the effects appear a little shaky. Overall though, this is a smart must-see movie. Brilliant.
Becs (244 KP) rated The Silent Patient in Books
Jun 6, 2019
Twisty and captivating!
My rating: ☆☆☆☆
TRIGGER WARNINGS: talk of suicide, mental illness, depression, stalking, cheating, loss of a parent, and child abuse.
The Silent Patient is told through two different point of views: Theo's, who narrates majority of the novel and Alicia's diary entries. It starts with talking about Alicia and her husband, the life they had, and that one fateful night that changed multiple of lives.
Alicia was seeing things, a man who watched her but she could never see his face clearly. She tried talking to her husband and a therapist about the stalker, but they didn't help one bit. They put her on medications for hallucinations, Alicia didn't take them because she didn't believe that they were hallucinations she was seeing. Then one fateful night, the police barged into the apartment to see Alicia standing standing over her now dead husband. He had been shot five times in the face by Alicia.
Alicia went to court and was charged guilty with her husband's murder but did not speak at all. She became a mute and instead of being sent to prison, she was assigned to a psychiatric unit called The Grove. This is where Theo comes in.
Theo is absolutely obsessed with Alicia Berenson and is determined to get Alicia to talk as nobody else has been able too. But he soon realizes that it isn't what he wants to hear. This is the big twist and I can't tell you cause that would be a spoiler and I don't want to spoil you. *insert winky kissy face*
“That's how therapy works. A patient delegates his unacceptable feelings to his therapist; and she holds everything he is afraid to feel, and she feels it for him. Then, ever so slowly, she feeds his feelings back to him.”
Reasons why I rated it 4 stars:
1. The plot:
The Silent Patient was not only compelling, but captivating as well. It did start a tad slow but soon became unputdownable!
2. My enjoyment:
I really enjoyed the twists, turns, Greek stylized tragedy, and the mysteriousness of both the main characters' stories.
3. Character and story development:
Wow! The development in The Silent Patient was really amazing. Background was given for both characters and story. There was development, even with the switching of POV's. I was not expecting to be enthralled with both Theo and Alicia's stories.
4. Grammar and spelling:
This is a freebie star as I listened via audiobook. But everything sounded grammatically correct!
5. The overall story:
At first, The Silent Patient was slow and I was pushing myself to just get it finished. But it eventually picked up and I was blown away with the mysteriousness and enthrallment of the story.
“We're all crazy, I believe, just in different ways.”
TRIGGER WARNINGS: talk of suicide, mental illness, depression, stalking, cheating, loss of a parent, and child abuse.
The Silent Patient is told through two different point of views: Theo's, who narrates majority of the novel and Alicia's diary entries. It starts with talking about Alicia and her husband, the life they had, and that one fateful night that changed multiple of lives.
Alicia was seeing things, a man who watched her but she could never see his face clearly. She tried talking to her husband and a therapist about the stalker, but they didn't help one bit. They put her on medications for hallucinations, Alicia didn't take them because she didn't believe that they were hallucinations she was seeing. Then one fateful night, the police barged into the apartment to see Alicia standing standing over her now dead husband. He had been shot five times in the face by Alicia.
Alicia went to court and was charged guilty with her husband's murder but did not speak at all. She became a mute and instead of being sent to prison, she was assigned to a psychiatric unit called The Grove. This is where Theo comes in.
Theo is absolutely obsessed with Alicia Berenson and is determined to get Alicia to talk as nobody else has been able too. But he soon realizes that it isn't what he wants to hear. This is the big twist and I can't tell you cause that would be a spoiler and I don't want to spoil you. *insert winky kissy face*
“That's how therapy works. A patient delegates his unacceptable feelings to his therapist; and she holds everything he is afraid to feel, and she feels it for him. Then, ever so slowly, she feeds his feelings back to him.”
Reasons why I rated it 4 stars:
1. The plot:
The Silent Patient was not only compelling, but captivating as well. It did start a tad slow but soon became unputdownable!
2. My enjoyment:
I really enjoyed the twists, turns, Greek stylized tragedy, and the mysteriousness of both the main characters' stories.
3. Character and story development:
Wow! The development in The Silent Patient was really amazing. Background was given for both characters and story. There was development, even with the switching of POV's. I was not expecting to be enthralled with both Theo and Alicia's stories.
4. Grammar and spelling:
This is a freebie star as I listened via audiobook. But everything sounded grammatically correct!
5. The overall story:
At first, The Silent Patient was slow and I was pushing myself to just get it finished. But it eventually picked up and I was blown away with the mysteriousness and enthrallment of the story.
“We're all crazy, I believe, just in different ways.”
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Becky and the Birds by Becky and the Birds in Music
Jun 7, 2019
Becky and the Birds (Thea Gustafsson) is a talented R&B/Soul singer-producer out of Örebro, Sweden. Not too long ago, she released her wonderful self-titled debut EP.
But creating the 7-track project had obstacles. The 21-year-old vocalist experienced dark emotions and even battled depression.
Ultimately, she overcame her frustrations and obstacles and stitched together her EP. She perfumed it with her unique genre-spanning blend of lush sounds.
Becky’s desire to have everything in an arrangement can be attributed to her time spent at the prestigious Musikmakarna Songwriters Academy of Sweden, the place that kickstarted the careers of LÉON and Skott.
Even though the Becky didn’t fit into the school’s pop agenda, she learned a lot there. Later, she interned at an EDM/House label but didn’t fit in there either.
Not knowing where to turn, she went through a dark period. But there was light at the end of the tunnel, and she walked towards it. Once in the sunlight, she created her self-titled album.
BECKY
The EP begins with a voice recording of a person named Becky, a 26-year-old Capricorn. The individual has a muffled, male-sounding voice, lives alone in an apartment, and has two friends, one a bird.
MALAYSIA
Becky, the singer, sings a beautiful song over a dreamy electronic composition perfumed with soul and passion.
The singer yearns to go to Malaysia. To see the birds in the sky and feed the ones on the ground. Also, she visions herself sitting, watching them fly.
The song highlights the meaning behind Gustafsson’s stage name. Apparently, she has a deep connection with birds.
DIE WHILE YOU LOVE ME INTRO
The intro begins with a poem by Georgia Douglas Johnson, entitled, “I Want to Die While You Love Me”, recited by Maya Angelou.
DIE WHILE YOU LOVE ME
Becky, inspired by the legendary poem, takes the tempo up a couple of notches. Also, she packages the song with dreamy vocals and crisp production.
CONCEPT STORE
The song incorporates jazzy pianos with bass and elements of hip-hop. Also, Becky’s lush vocals soar through the track alongside samples she plucked straight out of nature.
HOLDING ON
The song is one of Becky’s acclaimed singles. It features lush electronics, a splash of trip-hop, and elements of ‘90s R&B music.
MY MAN
Becky ends the 7-track EP on a smooth note. She wants us to know that her man is holding her strong, mentality and physically.
CONCLUSION
Becky and the Birds’ self-titled EP is short and sweet. Also, it leaves a lasting impression, prompting listeners to want to hear more.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/becky-and-the-birds-ep/
But creating the 7-track project had obstacles. The 21-year-old vocalist experienced dark emotions and even battled depression.
Ultimately, she overcame her frustrations and obstacles and stitched together her EP. She perfumed it with her unique genre-spanning blend of lush sounds.
Becky’s desire to have everything in an arrangement can be attributed to her time spent at the prestigious Musikmakarna Songwriters Academy of Sweden, the place that kickstarted the careers of LÉON and Skott.
Even though the Becky didn’t fit into the school’s pop agenda, she learned a lot there. Later, she interned at an EDM/House label but didn’t fit in there either.
Not knowing where to turn, she went through a dark period. But there was light at the end of the tunnel, and she walked towards it. Once in the sunlight, she created her self-titled album.
BECKY
The EP begins with a voice recording of a person named Becky, a 26-year-old Capricorn. The individual has a muffled, male-sounding voice, lives alone in an apartment, and has two friends, one a bird.
MALAYSIA
Becky, the singer, sings a beautiful song over a dreamy electronic composition perfumed with soul and passion.
The singer yearns to go to Malaysia. To see the birds in the sky and feed the ones on the ground. Also, she visions herself sitting, watching them fly.
The song highlights the meaning behind Gustafsson’s stage name. Apparently, she has a deep connection with birds.
DIE WHILE YOU LOVE ME INTRO
The intro begins with a poem by Georgia Douglas Johnson, entitled, “I Want to Die While You Love Me”, recited by Maya Angelou.
DIE WHILE YOU LOVE ME
Becky, inspired by the legendary poem, takes the tempo up a couple of notches. Also, she packages the song with dreamy vocals and crisp production.
CONCEPT STORE
The song incorporates jazzy pianos with bass and elements of hip-hop. Also, Becky’s lush vocals soar through the track alongside samples she plucked straight out of nature.
HOLDING ON
The song is one of Becky’s acclaimed singles. It features lush electronics, a splash of trip-hop, and elements of ‘90s R&B music.
MY MAN
Becky ends the 7-track EP on a smooth note. She wants us to know that her man is holding her strong, mentality and physically.
CONCLUSION
Becky and the Birds’ self-titled EP is short and sweet. Also, it leaves a lasting impression, prompting listeners to want to hear more.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/becky-and-the-birds-ep/
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The French Girl in Books
Feb 12, 2018
Slow-moving yet mesmerizing thriller
Kate and five of her friends spent a week at a French farmhouse whilst students at Oxford. All goes well until the last night of the trip, when there's a huge blowup among the group. And, always, flitting at the edges is Severine, the French girl who stayed next door where the group was vacationing. After that night, Severine disappeared, but her body was never found. Until, ten years later, it turns up in a well behind the farmhouse. Suddenly Kate and her friends are being questioned by the French police, bringing up old memories, and jeopardizing the life Kate has worked so hard to create.
This novel takes some getting used to. Kate herself takes some getting used to. For instance, Kate "sees" Severine, as in she imagines Severine is watching her--sometimes she just sees her skull, sometimes Severine's entire body is following Kate, or languidly sitting in her apartment. In the beginning, these mentions are odd and a little creepy and the book moves rather slowly, making it hard to keep your interest. Kate and her group of friends still seem like the gaggle of college students they were ten years ago when Severine disappeared--and you find yourself wondering why you should care about any of them and their manufactured drama. It's hard to get invested in these somewhat spoiled, immature characters.
Luckily, I have to say, there was still some sort of pull about Kate that made me want to keep reading. You can't help but remain curious about what went down that night between the six friends and if one (or more) of them truly had a hand in Severine's death. It was enough to keep me reading, and I have to admit, Kate grew on me, I found myself feeling almost protective of her as the book wore on. You have to buy-in to the Severine premise a bit, but I won't lie, by the end, I liked the darn woman. What can I say? Elliott also does a good job in keeping you guessing, always casting suspicion on each friend, so you never quite get a handle on exactly what happened that week.
Overall, this one is a slow-moving thriller. It's focused on the build-up of its characters and meandering along to its reveals. If you're looking for a fast-paced, twisty mystery, this isn't it. But if you want to get sucked into the lives of your characters and discover some surprising things along the way, you'll enjoy this one. 3.5+ stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for a honest review. More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
This novel takes some getting used to. Kate herself takes some getting used to. For instance, Kate "sees" Severine, as in she imagines Severine is watching her--sometimes she just sees her skull, sometimes Severine's entire body is following Kate, or languidly sitting in her apartment. In the beginning, these mentions are odd and a little creepy and the book moves rather slowly, making it hard to keep your interest. Kate and her group of friends still seem like the gaggle of college students they were ten years ago when Severine disappeared--and you find yourself wondering why you should care about any of them and their manufactured drama. It's hard to get invested in these somewhat spoiled, immature characters.
Luckily, I have to say, there was still some sort of pull about Kate that made me want to keep reading. You can't help but remain curious about what went down that night between the six friends and if one (or more) of them truly had a hand in Severine's death. It was enough to keep me reading, and I have to admit, Kate grew on me, I found myself feeling almost protective of her as the book wore on. You have to buy-in to the Severine premise a bit, but I won't lie, by the end, I liked the darn woman. What can I say? Elliott also does a good job in keeping you guessing, always casting suspicion on each friend, so you never quite get a handle on exactly what happened that week.
Overall, this one is a slow-moving thriller. It's focused on the build-up of its characters and meandering along to its reveals. If you're looking for a fast-paced, twisty mystery, this isn't it. But if you want to get sucked into the lives of your characters and discover some surprising things along the way, you'll enjoy this one. 3.5+ stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for a honest review. More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated They Both Die At The End in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Stop and imagine for just one minute what it would be like if you received a phone call telling you that you were going to die within the next 24 hours. How would you live your last 24 hours? Would you have a funeral with your family and friends so that you have a chance to say goodbye, or would you try and make a new friend going through the same thing you were so that you don’t have to be alone on your last day on this planet? This is exactly what happens to both Rufus and Mateo.
Rufus is outgoing and not afraid to stand up for himself. He’s had a pretty crappy few years but he’s managed to make friends with the other kids in his foster home. They have become his family. He gets the call that everyone dreads informing him that he’s going to die today. He decides to download the Last Friend app so that he can get paired up with someone to spend his last 24 hours with.
Mateo is a quiet and somewhat sheltered teenager who has been living on his own since his dad is currently in a coma. He gets the call that he is going to die today and he is instantly terrified to leave his apartment. He quickly decides that he doesn’t want to die alone, so he downloads the Last Friend App in hopes that he will come out of his shell on his last day.
Mateo and Rufus meet through the Last Friend App and have an amazingly memorable final 24 hours together. The bring about change in each other that they never thought was possible.
These characters are so easy to relate to and its so hard not to love them. I couldn’t help but laugh with them and cheer for them, and though I did everything in my power not to cry with them I couldn’t stop myself from crying crocodile tears over their trials and tribulations. This story is about growing, changing as a person and allowing yourself to love and be loved in the wake of great adversity.
They Both Die at the End is the first book I’ve read by Adam Silvera, and I can’t wait to read more. Silvera has a way with words that can suck the air from your lungs, bring you to your knees and in the next sentence completely revive you. After turning the final page of this book and wiping the tears from my eyes I closed the book with a new found appreciation for the life I have and the awareness that it can all be taken away in a moment.
Rufus is outgoing and not afraid to stand up for himself. He’s had a pretty crappy few years but he’s managed to make friends with the other kids in his foster home. They have become his family. He gets the call that everyone dreads informing him that he’s going to die today. He decides to download the Last Friend app so that he can get paired up with someone to spend his last 24 hours with.
Mateo is a quiet and somewhat sheltered teenager who has been living on his own since his dad is currently in a coma. He gets the call that he is going to die today and he is instantly terrified to leave his apartment. He quickly decides that he doesn’t want to die alone, so he downloads the Last Friend App in hopes that he will come out of his shell on his last day.
Mateo and Rufus meet through the Last Friend App and have an amazingly memorable final 24 hours together. The bring about change in each other that they never thought was possible.
These characters are so easy to relate to and its so hard not to love them. I couldn’t help but laugh with them and cheer for them, and though I did everything in my power not to cry with them I couldn’t stop myself from crying crocodile tears over their trials and tribulations. This story is about growing, changing as a person and allowing yourself to love and be loved in the wake of great adversity.
They Both Die at the End is the first book I’ve read by Adam Silvera, and I can’t wait to read more. Silvera has a way with words that can suck the air from your lungs, bring you to your knees and in the next sentence completely revive you. After turning the final page of this book and wiping the tears from my eyes I closed the book with a new found appreciation for the life I have and the awareness that it can all be taken away in a moment.