Search

Search only in certain items:

Long Shot (2019)
Long Shot (2019)
2019 | Comedy
Seth Rogen is NOT a movie star
I am a little shocked this did not do better and I would like to apologize to the filmmakers for posting this review 2 weeks late and not generating word-of-mouth. Long Shot is a comedic romance (romantic comedies are love stories with comedic moments where as this is a laugh out loud comedy with a little romance) between schlub Seth Rogen and glamorous Charlize Theron.
The introductions clearly favor Charlotte who is film in a Audrey Hepburn glamour lighting as she negotiates world politics with barely a moment for herself. She can't even take a bath without compromising. Fred is shown in a dark pallette as he infiltrates a neo-Nazi organization for his boutique periodical. He is a Neil Sheehanesque investigative journalist living in Brooklyn so committed to his ideals he is impervious to physical pain along with the emotional weight he carries fot idealism. When Fred quits in protest of a media mogul buyout of his ezine, his best friend takes him tona fundraiser where Secretary of State Charlotte Field is. Twenty years ago, Charlotte lived next to Fred in Washington and babysat him. He was mesmerized by her passion and she had a tiny crush on the sweet boy next door. After their reintroduction and a focus group evaluation, Charlotte realizes she may need the writing skills Fred possesses and without a job Fred takes a position.
Long Shot takes pot shots at the pressure of a woman in politics who has to work twice as hard as a man and is judged much more harshly if she is unattached. Fred learns that compromise is not an all or nothing affair whether in politics, the boardroom, or the bedroom. Overall, a highly entertaining romance with a little bit of a Notting Hill conclusion.
  
40x40

Bai Ling recommended Roman Holiday (1953) in Movies (curated)

 
Roman Holiday (1953)
Roman Holiday (1953)
1953 | Classics, Comedy, Drama
7.6 (5 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"It’s a very personal choice because when I came to America from mainland China, I was an actress, but I never knew about Hollywood. I had heard of Hollywood but we didn’t have access to see Hollywood movies. A photographer was taking pictures of me and said, “You remind me of this actress named Audrey Hepburn.” I said, “Who is that?” He said, “Bai Ling, you have to watch her films,” and he found me Roman Holiday. That was the first Hollywood movie I’d ever seen. And it’s still one of my favorites, because it first introduced me to Hollywood — beautiful, romantic, very graceful, and elegant. I would like to remake it — I hope some director can help me, maybe Steven Soderbergh or Wong Kar-Wai. [Laughs] What I remember about those old Hollywood films is that when a leading lady and a leading man meet, they don’t have to say anything; you already know they’re in love. You root for them; you want them to be together. That’s the magic of Hollywood. I think somehow today we’ve lost a little bit of it, and you don’t care as much if two characters get together. But Roman Holiday makes you smile, makes your heart smile, makes your heart sing for these two people. Gregory Peck is gentle and elegant, the kind of tall leading man that I like. I think we should remake the film. Everybody in America, in Asia, and in Europe, would appreciate it. The beautiful, pure, romantic story — I wish I would play a role like that, because I have a romantic soul. I’d like to bring that purity to the audience, to have their fantasy fulfilled."

Source
  
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I read Krystal Sutherland’s debut novel earlier this year for my #beatthebacklist challenge and whilst it wasn’t great I decided to give this writer another chance. I usually give authors a second chance, I like to see how they develop and whether it’s just the story or characters that rubbed me up the wrong way.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book, I definitely think it is an improvement from her debut novel and will read further books of her’s if the blurb intrigues me.

This story follows Esther Solar, she is not your typical 17-year-old, she doesn’t conform to fashion trends and has her very own unique style of dressing up in costumes every day, one day she might be Audrey Hepburn, she might be a cow girl the next. She is not a popular girl and her family would maybe deemed eccentric or different from the norm.

Esther’s grandfather proclaimed that he met death (several times) since this revelation his family has had a bout of bad luck. Esther has a twin who is petrified of the dark and has all the lights and candles going continuously, her father is agoraphobic and hasn’t left the cellar for 6 years and her mother has a fear of bad luck. Esther deems herself as the normal one of the family, however that’s only because she has avoided anything she thinks might induce fear and so she creates a list, these are: Lobsters, small spaces and anything else she thinks of, this is her list of semi-definitive list of worst nightmares.

Esther comes in to contact with Jonah Smallwood, a boy who used to be in her class but then moved away to another school. Jonah seems to take a liking to Esther and keeps turning up at her door or the same part. They develop this friendship,when Jonah discovers Esther’s list he takes it upon himself to help conquer these so-called fears and live life fear free.

There were several things that I enjoyed about the book, one was I thought the characters were good and fleshed out, we got a back story to how they came to their current situation. I liked that there was a magical realism/supernatural element to the book. This book had its quirks and then also some serious topics such a phobia’s,anxiety,depression, gambling,child abuse, dementia, selective mutism and suicide. Whilst you might be thinking that is some heavy stuff, it doesn’t always feel like that through the book. Sutherland has managed to handle these heavy topics with a lot of care.

Sutherland’s writing style is easy to read but the pacing was a bit up and down and sometimes it just didn’t hold my attention. I would definitely recommend reading this book, however there are trigger warnings.
  
40x40

Smashbomb (4683 KP) created a post in Smashbomb AMA

Mar 26, 2019 (Updated Mar 26, 2019)  
AMA: JOANNE HARRIS (AUTHOR)
ANSWERS
Award-winning author Joanne Harris, has answered YOUR questions in Smashbomb's first AMA.

 @Katie Loves Movies asked:
How many half-finished books do you have?
Currently, two, plus one draft that still needs editing. I always tend to work on more than one thing at a time.

How do you choose your character names?
It depends on the book. Sometimes I use the credits from old episodes of DR WHO and BLAKES7. Sometimes I use the names of ex-colleagues from my teaching days.

Do you have anything unusual on your desk?
A brass frog that my grandfather used to have on his desk: a stone from a sandcastle my daughter and I built when she was nine.

 @DaveySmithy asked:
What makes you roll your eyes every time you hear it?
People who say: "I'm going to write a book when I retire."

Do you think that aliens exist?
Statistically, yes. In practical terms, I doubt we'll ever see them.

What song hits you with a wave of nostalgia every time you hear it?
The Flowerpot Men's "Let's go to San Francisco."

Does anything worry you about the 'kids of today'?
The epidemic of mental health and anxiety issues inflicted on them by the previous generation.

 @Random47 asked:
Do you write with a pen or on a machine? If either, what type?
Mostly, I write on a Microsoft Surfacebook, or in Moleskine notebooks with a Rollerball.

Who are some of your biggest inspirations?
Angela Carter, Ray Bradbury, Amelia Earhart, Audrey Hepburn, my daughter.
 
What books are your guilty pleasure?
I don't feel guilty about pleasures.

When did you first start writing?
When I was nine. I wrote and hand-illustrated a sixteen-page book called "Flesh-Eating Warriors of the Forbidden City", and distributed copies around my class at school.

Where are some of your favourite places to write?
My shed; the garden; trains; the penthouse of the Four Seasons in Chicago; the first class lounge at Heathrow airport; the roof of the Duomo in Milan.

 @Drayton Kool asked:
Do you prefer to write in complete silence or whilst listening to music?
Silence - music interferes with the rhythms of my writing - although I do create playlists to get into the mood.

What makes you happier - chocolate or a few margaritas?
Margaritas, every time.

On your website FAQ you mention that you love spaghetti westerns. Which is your favourite and why?
A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS - it's bleak, classic and existentially funny.

Which fictional character would be the most boring to meet in real life?
Virtually any romantic hero.

On average, how long do you sleep each night?
8 hours: more, if I can get it.

 @Whatchareadin asked:
Where is your favourite place to read? To write?
I like to read in the bath, where I can't hear the phone and no-one disturbs me. When I'm at home I write in my shed, but I can write pretty much anywhere. Hotel rooms are great - there are no distractions, and you can get room service...

Which character in your books do you think you connect to most?
Loki. I was just like him when I was in my teens.

If you weren't an author, what would you be doing?
I was a teacher for fifteen years, and I was pretty good at it.

What is your favourite book of all time? Of right now?
Of all time? Probably Victor Hugo's LES MISERABLES. Right now, I'm rediscovering P.G. Wodehouse's THE INIMITABLE JEEVES, and it's sheer joy.

What are you reading now?
Christopher Fowler's THE LONELY HOUR: his Bryant & May books are so funny and deftly-written that it's easy to overlook their dark menace and the sheer gorgeous ingenuity of the plotting.


Thanks Joanne! We'd all love to see you on here again :)
  
40x40

Whatchareadin (174 KP) Mar 26, 2019

Thanks Joanne for answering our questions! I always enjoy getting to know authors better.

Pixie (2020)
Pixie (2020)
2020 | Comedy, Thriller
8
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Olivia Cooke - utterly enchanting (1 more)
Just the right balance of black humour and Tarantino-esque violence
Some of the dialogue is hard to catch (0 more)
Once upon a Time in the West... of Ireland
You know sometimes when you see a trailer you think "oh yeah - this is a must see"! The trailer for "Pixie" (see below) was one such moment for me. A spaghetti western set in Sligo? With Alec Baldwin as a "deadly gangster priest"? Yes, yes, yes!

In a remote Irish church, two Irish priests and two "visiting Afghan Catholic priests" are gunned down by a couple of losers in animal masks - Fergus (Fra Fee) and Colin (Rory Fleck Byrne) - over a stash of MDMA worth a million Euros. This reignites a simmering gang war between the gangster families of Dermot O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and Father Hector McGrath (Alec Baldwin). Linking everything together is Pixie (Olivia Cooke), O'Brien's daughter, who has a magnetic effect on men. She is somehow subtly the woman controlling everything going on.

Drawn into the mayhem are hapless teens Frank (Ben Hardy) and Harland (Daryl McCormack) - both of who have the hots for Pixie - who embark on a wild and bloody road-trip around southern Ireland.

Key to your belief in the ridiculous story is that the character of Pixie has to have the beauty and charisma to utterly enslave the poor men she crosses paths with: taking a "Kalashnikov to their hearts" as drug dealer Daniel (Chris Walley) puts it. And Olivia Cooke - so good in "Ready Player One" - absolutely and completely nails the role. I'm utterly in love with her after this movie, and she's thirty years too young for me! There's a sparkle and a mischief behind her that reminded me strongly of a young Audrey Hepburn.

Supporting her really well are the "Harry and Ron" to Cooke's Hermione - Ben Hardy (Roger Taylor in "Bohemian Rhapsody") and Daryl McCormack. And the trio make a truly memorable "love triangle". A bedroom scene manages to be both quietly erotic and excruciatingly funny in equal measure.

The direction here is by Barnaby Thompson, who's better known as a producer with the only previous movie directing credits being the St Trinian's reboots in 2007/09. Here he manages to channel some of the quirky camera shots of the likes of Guy Ritchie and Matthew Vaughn and mix them with the black humour and comedic gore of Quentin Tarantino. The taciturn hit-man Seamus (Ned Dennehy) typifies the comedy on offer, using a Land Rover to drag a poor victim round in a figure of eight on a soggy moor to make him talk!

Where I think the movie wimps out a bit is in an ecclesiastical shoot-out finale. Vaughn's "Kingsman: The Secret Service" set the bar here for completely outrageous and out-there church-based violence. Here, the scene is both tame by comparison (not necessarily a bad thing!), but also highly predictable. Given this is supposed to be "a plan", none of it feels to be very well thought-through! As such, belief can only be suspended for so long.

The visuals and music are fab. The cinematography - by veteran John de Borman - makes the west Ireland coast look utterly glorious and the Irish tourist board must have been delighted. There are also some beautifully-framed shots: a boot-eye (US: trunk-eye) perspective is fabulous, and there's a gasp-inducing fade-back to Pixie's face following a flashback. And a shout-out too to the editing by Robbie Morrison, since some of the plot twists are delivered as expert surprises.

The music - by Gerry Diver and David Holmes - is also spectacularly good at propelling the action and maintaining the feel-good theme.

Where I did have issues was with the audio mix. I'm sure there were a bunch of clever one-liners buried in there, but the combination of the accents (and I've worked in Northern Ireland for 20 years and am "tuned in"!) and the sound quality meant I missed a number of them. I will need another watch with subtitles to catch them all.

Thanks to ANOTHER WRETCHED LOCKDOWN in the UK this was my last trip to the cinema for at least a month: I was one of only four viewers in the "Odeon" cinema for this showing. Because it's a great shame that so few people will get to see this (at least for a while), since its the sort of feelgood movie that we all need right now. Slick and utterly entertaining, I'll quietly predict that this one will gain a following as a mini-cult-classic when it gets to streaming services. Recommended.

(For the full graphical review, please check-out the bob the movie man review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/11/02/pixie-once-upon-a-time-in-the-west-of-ireland/. Thanks.)