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Baz Luhrmann recommended Fitzcarraldo (1982) in Movies (curated)

 
Fitzcarraldo (1982)
Fitzcarraldo (1982)
1982 | Action, Drama, International
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Movie Favorite Watch

"I kind of think Fitzcarraldo. Cinephiles know it, but the new generation don’t really know that picture. It’s a flawed film but if you watch that and the companion making-of [Burden of Dreams]… there’s a great Criterion of it; it’s the one with Mick Jagger in it, when he started the film and had to pull out. What I love about this film is that it represents what I love about film making: The film is about a person who has an insane passion for art, to the extent that they drag a boat over a small isthmus to make money, but he’s making money to bring Caruso, the great Italian Opera singer, to build an opera house. But the backstory, with Klaus [Kinski], and the relationship between Klaus and [director] Werner [Herzog], is so fantastic a backstory. I mean, they try and kill each other. And I think the intense passion between actor and director is in the film. To me it’s kind of a package deal, this film. You have to involve yourself in the movie, but it’s really worth going beneath the film, up the jungle and into the psyche of the drama itself. Its companion film is one of my favorites of all-time, Apocalypse Now — and you can go on the same journey with that film."

Source
  
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Felipe (17 KP) rated The Name of the Rose in Books

Dec 3, 2020  
The Name of the Rose
The Name of the Rose
Umberto Eco | 2008 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.4 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
A labyrinth of mystery with multiple dimensions, pitfalls, dead ends and revelations. (2 more)
The story and structure are brilliant.
The characters are genius and the narrative is written in way that you get sucked into and are part of the narrative.
Brilliant and entertaining introduction to semiotics.
I first read this book in my freshman or sophomore year in college after having seen the Sean Connery film adaptation. Like most novels that movies are based on, the book was far better than the movie. The movie was just a superficial touching on the themes of the book but the book was a multi dimensional journey through art, philosophy, literature and theology while captivating the reader in a very good murder mystery. The tragedy of the book is the revelation to the reader that our tendency to try to form connections between random events as and ideas is futile. The library is an allegory to the house of cards that comes crashing down when we create false narratives on tenuous connections between randomn events and ideas; connections that don't really exist.

Eco takes all of his academic experience that he has absorbed in the years and uses fiction to not only tell a good story but also to challenge us on how we see the world and interpret the signs and symbols we come into contact.
  
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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated A Margin of Lust (The Seven Deadly Sins, Book One) in Books

Mar 15, 2018  
A Margin of Lust (The Seven Deadly Sins, Book One)
A Margin of Lust (The Seven Deadly Sins, Book One)
Greta Boris | 2017 | Thriller
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the definition of a throwaway thriller. It’s fast paced and exciting, but it’s not clever and it’s not particularly unique.

I liked the premise being about an estate agent trying to sell a million-dollar home, while someone else, our killer, wanted to keep the house off the market for himself. It was unique enough and what initially drew me into requesting this. Another big part of this story was marriage under stress, between our two main characters, Gwen & Art. I found this part of the story a little bit annoying and the way things happened between them at times, felt unrealistic. I understand that this book was supposed to represent the pressures of work life, marriage life and lusting after what you think you deserve, but it wasn’t necessary. It could have made a more unique book without the domestic part to it.

In terms of characters, there are quite a few to keep up with, but it doesn’t ever become confusing as to who is who. Gwen, our main character was a little hysterical, which definitely got on my nerves on more than one occasion, and I think she treated her husband unfairly, but it was fun to see her playing detective. Art’s character was OK, nothing special. Honestly the story could have been just as good without his character. Side characters like Maricela and Lance were interesting and well developed, but all complete cliches.

For me, this is definitely one of the easiest to guess thrillers. At 44% there is a scene where Boris practically hands you the killer’s name on a plate. Usually, this annoys me, but I didn’t mind it so much with this one because I didn’t think it was going to be shockingly twisty and turny from the start.

This book is a perfect holiday read. It’s good but not great. You’ll find yourself whizzing through it, but it won’t take up too much headspace.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Fawkes Press for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
  
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Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated The High Season in Books

May 25, 2018  
The High Season
The High Season
Judy Blundell | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Summer Drama never felt so good! I really enjoyed The High Season - it was just what I needed to get me into a summer mood, and it made me love to loathe the rich and famous Hamptons crowds even more! (kidding... sorta.) This book kept me wicked entertained and I breezed through it in two days. The writing is so good, hilarious at times, and the story is masterfully crafted and really clever!

Ruthie is sort of losing it all. Her marriage is over, her 15 year old daughter is struggling and distant, her job is on the rocks, friendships are tested ... and it's shaping up to be one crazy summer. The Hamptons-ish house Ruthie lives in with her daughter Jem, is rented out during the summer to the rich, in order for her to pay for it the rest of the year (aka The Summer Bummer). Adeline Clay, a wealthy artist widow rents her house and in turn, unknowingly shakes up the entire summer, for just about the whole town of Orient.

The dynamic of these characters and how their lives intertwine is artfully crafted through exclusive parties, a small local museum group, a summer farm stand job, secret rendezvous, texts/emails, and typical small town gossip. There is art forgery, a $250,000 watch, past lives and secrecy and the unnerving balance of power and social statuses. It's all so cleverly written and flows together seamlessly. I was thoroughly impressed how Judy Blundell twisted it all together so skillfully.

As an artist I love the snippets of the artist scene and it's inner workings and social circles. I loved the references to various famous artists and painting descriptions. I hated the museum board members and the way some people tossed money around and waved it in the locals and year-rounders faces. The characters were well developed and you feel for each and every one of them, especially Ruthie, who loses so much, and starts to lose herself while making some seriously questionable decisions.

My decision to read this was NOT questionable though! I really enjoyed it and would give 4.5 stars!