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LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated A Delicate Truth in Books
Nov 5, 2018
I have received this book through the Goodreads First Read Giveaway and I am have very much enjoyed reading it!
It follows the mysterious 'Operation Wildlife', a catastrophe from start to finish, and something that ekes out a wave of human destruction with everyone who finds out any piece of information about it. Toby, Kit, 'Suki' and Emily are all dragged into the lives of others, the lives of those trying to cover and smother an operation that should never of happened, and when it did, went totally pear shaped.
I have to be honest, I really didn't like this book to begin with. It was really tough at first to get into, as the mystery is so deeply entwined and you have no idea where it's going. Reach the halfway point and it's like a totally different book. The second half immensely fast paced, incredibly difficult to put down and a fantastic read!
The characters are well written, and in the second half they are incredibly engaging. I have to say, I found this got better with each page, and by the cliff hanger at the end, I was heart in mouth wanting to know what was happening next and was very annoyed that it had finished!
A bit of a bitty review, but in all honesty, that reflects the book. It is bitty, it doesn't seem to flow well, but there's just something about it. The last half saves it, and that's about all I have to say. I'd recommend, but only if this was your cup of tea, it's not a book that's going to get you hooked on this genre if I'm honest, but the foundations are there, and this is the sort of book that I feel would play out better on the big screen.
It follows the mysterious 'Operation Wildlife', a catastrophe from start to finish, and something that ekes out a wave of human destruction with everyone who finds out any piece of information about it. Toby, Kit, 'Suki' and Emily are all dragged into the lives of others, the lives of those trying to cover and smother an operation that should never of happened, and when it did, went totally pear shaped.
I have to be honest, I really didn't like this book to begin with. It was really tough at first to get into, as the mystery is so deeply entwined and you have no idea where it's going. Reach the halfway point and it's like a totally different book. The second half immensely fast paced, incredibly difficult to put down and a fantastic read!
The characters are well written, and in the second half they are incredibly engaging. I have to say, I found this got better with each page, and by the cliff hanger at the end, I was heart in mouth wanting to know what was happening next and was very annoyed that it had finished!
A bit of a bitty review, but in all honesty, that reflects the book. It is bitty, it doesn't seem to flow well, but there's just something about it. The last half saves it, and that's about all I have to say. I'd recommend, but only if this was your cup of tea, it's not a book that's going to get you hooked on this genre if I'm honest, but the foundations are there, and this is the sort of book that I feel would play out better on the big screen.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Star Trek: First Contact (1996) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
It’s a close run thing with “Wrath of Khan”, but this tops it as my favourite Trek film. There are so many memorable scenes:
The dramatic opening shots of Picard strapped into the Borg ship (and the subsequent jolts x 2!);
The comical drinking scene between Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Cochrane (James Cromwell);
The “Big Sleep” style holodeck sequence;
The spectacular entrance of the Borg Queen (Alice Krige);
The first warp flight;
The first contact scene, framed by Jerry Goldsmith‘s spectacular theme.
We’re up to the Enterprise-E in this one, and even that gets a self-destruct sequence! These movies must be playing havoc with their insurance premiums!
There are some nice touches for Trek fans in here: the first appearance of Robert Picardo‘s holographic doctor (before he became a regular on Star Trek: Voyager); and Dwight Schultz reprising his role from the TNG series as the nerdy fan-boy Lieutenant Barclay. In addition, the whole cast (including Gates McFadden’s Crusher) get a fairer share of the air time under Jonathan Frake’s direction.
Once again, the time travel (particularly the return journey!) is just a bit too trite and convenient. But other than that, this is a top-notch Trek movie. It features (in Alfre Woodard, just BAFTA nominated) a strong role for a female of colour. And it provides a great chance to showcase Stewart’s acting talents, as he wrestles with his own ‘great white whale’.
Given my love for the movie, I was tempted to give this one 5*s. The one thing holding me back is just a single line of dialogue. Do you know the one? Zephram Cochrane’s line…
“So, you’re astronauts? On some kind of a star trek?”.
It is just SO UTTERLY CRASS that I manage to throw up a little in my mouth as that scene happens. WHY WRITERS, WHY???
The dramatic opening shots of Picard strapped into the Borg ship (and the subsequent jolts x 2!);
The comical drinking scene between Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Cochrane (James Cromwell);
The “Big Sleep” style holodeck sequence;
The spectacular entrance of the Borg Queen (Alice Krige);
The first warp flight;
The first contact scene, framed by Jerry Goldsmith‘s spectacular theme.
We’re up to the Enterprise-E in this one, and even that gets a self-destruct sequence! These movies must be playing havoc with their insurance premiums!
There are some nice touches for Trek fans in here: the first appearance of Robert Picardo‘s holographic doctor (before he became a regular on Star Trek: Voyager); and Dwight Schultz reprising his role from the TNG series as the nerdy fan-boy Lieutenant Barclay. In addition, the whole cast (including Gates McFadden’s Crusher) get a fairer share of the air time under Jonathan Frake’s direction.
Once again, the time travel (particularly the return journey!) is just a bit too trite and convenient. But other than that, this is a top-notch Trek movie. It features (in Alfre Woodard, just BAFTA nominated) a strong role for a female of colour. And it provides a great chance to showcase Stewart’s acting talents, as he wrestles with his own ‘great white whale’.
Given my love for the movie, I was tempted to give this one 5*s. The one thing holding me back is just a single line of dialogue. Do you know the one? Zephram Cochrane’s line…
“So, you’re astronauts? On some kind of a star trek?”.
It is just SO UTTERLY CRASS that I manage to throw up a little in my mouth as that scene happens. WHY WRITERS, WHY???
Merissa (11731 KP) rated Leveling The Field (KTS #3) in Books
Jun 14, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
LEVELING THE FIELD is the third book in the KTS series, and once again, I am recommending you read it as part of a series, rather than a standalone, as there is an overall story arc you will need to follow.
Jesse is strong and confident until it comes down to herself and then those nasty, niggling doubts surface. She longs for the fantasy of having someone love her for her, but the one she wants only sees her as a friend. Leo IS Jesse's friend but she is so much more than that to him. He feels he is not good enough for her! I loved Hannah and Lily's solution to this!
Oh, man! What a story! I loved the arc and where it is going. My heart was in my mouth for the teams when they were in a pickle 😉 I really want to know just who is behind everything and see them get their just desserts. What I love about Ms Faber's writing style though is that you get pulled into the technicalities, the big bad, whilst still being so invested in the love story being played out before you. Neither side suffers as the story continues, making it perfect.
The pacing is perfect, the romance delightful, and the steamy moments are HOT. All in all, this was a brilliant read that I highly recommend. Now I'm impatient for Hannah and Lily's story.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2021
Jesse is strong and confident until it comes down to herself and then those nasty, niggling doubts surface. She longs for the fantasy of having someone love her for her, but the one she wants only sees her as a friend. Leo IS Jesse's friend but she is so much more than that to him. He feels he is not good enough for her! I loved Hannah and Lily's solution to this!
Oh, man! What a story! I loved the arc and where it is going. My heart was in my mouth for the teams when they were in a pickle 😉 I really want to know just who is behind everything and see them get their just desserts. What I love about Ms Faber's writing style though is that you get pulled into the technicalities, the big bad, whilst still being so invested in the love story being played out before you. Neither side suffers as the story continues, making it perfect.
The pacing is perfect, the romance delightful, and the steamy moments are HOT. All in all, this was a brilliant read that I highly recommend. Now I'm impatient for Hannah and Lily's story.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2021
DJ Muggs recommended It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy in Music (curated)
Louise (64 KP) rated Flight of a Starling in Books
Jul 2, 2018
* I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
After reading Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield last year I knew that I needed to read her latest book out. Lisa is UKYA author and I don’t think she gets enough credit for her work. This is another book that delivers a believable story with such rawness and emotion.
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/6DfkKrGznukr6/giphy.gif"; width="200"height="200"alt="description"/>
Our story follows Rita and Lo, two sisters that are travelers and the trapeze act in their circus that moves around England on a regular basis. Life is how it has always been for the girls, set up their tent, do a few shows and move on to the next village – they haven’t known any other life and don’t really question it. They travel with another family and it’s presumed the girls will marry the boys of the other family and carry on the legacy of the circus. One evening when they explore the local area they start talking to some of the locals and sparks start to ignite between Lo and ‘a flattie'(a term for non traveler folk). With Lo slowly falling in love she starts to question her life,her role and existence in the circus – with wanting her freedom she finds cracks starting to appear and her life crumbling around her.
‘Flight of a Starling’ didn’t fail to deliver, I knew from past works that this was going to be an emotional, gritty and raw read. Heathfield has a great writing style that manages to evoke emotions – even from me who has a heart of stone. The story is told in dual perspective, swapping from Rita to Lo with just the right sized chapters. The first half of this book is rather slow what with it building a picture of what it was like to be in a travelling community and their traditions and beliefs. I loved learning about the performances that the girls were involved in such as the trapeze and their big costumes.
I must admit that I wasn’t too keen on the romance side of the book, It was lacking emotion and connection between the characters, I wanted the warm fuzziness that you get from reading about a couple that first meet, the excitement of it…which didn’t happen and it’s sad as it has such a big part of the story.
The second half of the book takes a change in pace, it was amazing and what really made the story for me. My heart was in my mouth and I could feel the blood pulsing around my body with anxiety. I was scared for the characters,I was hoping for a silver lining but Heathfield never shies away from her writing and sucker punches you in the gut.
I recommend if you want something gritty yet believable.
I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars
After reading Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield last year I knew that I needed to read her latest book out. Lisa is UKYA author and I don’t think she gets enough credit for her work. This is another book that delivers a believable story with such rawness and emotion.
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/6DfkKrGznukr6/giphy.gif"; width="200"height="200"alt="description"/>
Our story follows Rita and Lo, two sisters that are travelers and the trapeze act in their circus that moves around England on a regular basis. Life is how it has always been for the girls, set up their tent, do a few shows and move on to the next village – they haven’t known any other life and don’t really question it. They travel with another family and it’s presumed the girls will marry the boys of the other family and carry on the legacy of the circus. One evening when they explore the local area they start talking to some of the locals and sparks start to ignite between Lo and ‘a flattie'(a term for non traveler folk). With Lo slowly falling in love she starts to question her life,her role and existence in the circus – with wanting her freedom she finds cracks starting to appear and her life crumbling around her.
‘Flight of a Starling’ didn’t fail to deliver, I knew from past works that this was going to be an emotional, gritty and raw read. Heathfield has a great writing style that manages to evoke emotions – even from me who has a heart of stone. The story is told in dual perspective, swapping from Rita to Lo with just the right sized chapters. The first half of this book is rather slow what with it building a picture of what it was like to be in a travelling community and their traditions and beliefs. I loved learning about the performances that the girls were involved in such as the trapeze and their big costumes.
I must admit that I wasn’t too keen on the romance side of the book, It was lacking emotion and connection between the characters, I wanted the warm fuzziness that you get from reading about a couple that first meet, the excitement of it…which didn’t happen and it’s sad as it has such a big part of the story.
The second half of the book takes a change in pace, it was amazing and what really made the story for me. My heart was in my mouth and I could feel the blood pulsing around my body with anxiety. I was scared for the characters,I was hoping for a silver lining but Heathfield never shies away from her writing and sucker punches you in the gut.
I recommend if you want something gritty yet believable.
I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars
Merissa (11731 KP) rated Silver Moon (The Silver #7) in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Silver Moon is the final book in the Silver series, and let me tell you, this book has ripped my heart out, thrown it on the floor, stamped all over it, picked it back up again, only to do it all again, before finally leaving me needing a new series!!!
Things come to a head for Jaze and his pack and he has to make decisions no young adult should have to. I really won't say too much as I don't want to give out any spoilers. All I will say is be careful! Your heart will racing, your mouth dry, as you try to figure out just how he gets out of certain situations. And also, for the last quarter of the book (at least) I was sobbing as I read. Not just crying, oh no. We're talking great big f'ugly crying!!!
There's so much I want to say but I can't without giving away spoilers! I want to talk about certain characters and what they went through and how it made me feel. I want to talk about that spectacular ending that just about killed me. I want to talk about the aftermath which made me cry again. But I can't.
What I will say is this series is simply outstanding. I have loved all of the books in this series for one reason or another. They all fit together perfectly. The writing is unsurpassed. The pacing is smooth. The characters are all lifelike and behave just as you think they should, before they turn around and surprise the living daylights out of you.
This book killed me. I love and hate it so it will be kept and re-read, again and again. So sad to see this series end but it does lead me nicely onto the next series, which now I just HAVE to read.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Things come to a head for Jaze and his pack and he has to make decisions no young adult should have to. I really won't say too much as I don't want to give out any spoilers. All I will say is be careful! Your heart will racing, your mouth dry, as you try to figure out just how he gets out of certain situations. And also, for the last quarter of the book (at least) I was sobbing as I read. Not just crying, oh no. We're talking great big f'ugly crying!!!
There's so much I want to say but I can't without giving away spoilers! I want to talk about certain characters and what they went through and how it made me feel. I want to talk about that spectacular ending that just about killed me. I want to talk about the aftermath which made me cry again. But I can't.
What I will say is this series is simply outstanding. I have loved all of the books in this series for one reason or another. They all fit together perfectly. The writing is unsurpassed. The pacing is smooth. The characters are all lifelike and behave just as you think they should, before they turn around and surprise the living daylights out of you.
This book killed me. I love and hate it so it will be kept and re-read, again and again. So sad to see this series end but it does lead me nicely onto the next series, which now I just HAVE to read.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Weight of Him in Books
Mar 6, 2022
40 of 230
Book
The Weight of Him
By Ethel Rohan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In The Weight of Him Billy Brennan undergoes an unforgettable journey in a starting attempt to resurrect his family and reignite hearts, his own most of all.
At four hundred pounds, Billy can always count on food. From his earliest memories, he has loved food's colors, textures and tastes. The way flavors go off in his mouth. How food keeps his mind still and his bad feelings quiet. Food has always made everything better, until the day Billy's beloved son Michael takes his own life.
Billy determines to make a difference in Michael's memory and undertakes a public weight-loss campaign, to raise money for suicide prevention--his first step in an ambitious plan to save himself, and to save others. However, Billy's dramatic crusade appalls his family, who want to simply try to go on, quietly, privately.
Despite his crushing detractors, Billy gains welcome allies: his community-at-large; a co-worker who lost his father to suicide; a filmmaker with his own dubious agenda; and a secret, miniature kingdom that Billy populates with the sub-quality dolls and soldiers he saves from disposal at the toy factory where he works. But it is only if Billy can confront the truth of the suffering and brokenness within and around him that he and others will be able to realize the recovery they need.
Told against the backdrop of rural, contemporary Ireland, The Weight of Him is a big-hearted novel about loss and reliance that moves from tragedy to recrimination to what can be achieved when we take the stand of our lives.
This was not a book I’d normally pick up and it came to me in a box subscription. I’m so glad it did it was so beautifully written and dealt with a some important issues suicide, grief , depression, weight loss and lots more. I loved it I didn’t put it down it had such a sad underlying story. Definitely glad it landed on my tbr.
Book
The Weight of Him
By Ethel Rohan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In The Weight of Him Billy Brennan undergoes an unforgettable journey in a starting attempt to resurrect his family and reignite hearts, his own most of all.
At four hundred pounds, Billy can always count on food. From his earliest memories, he has loved food's colors, textures and tastes. The way flavors go off in his mouth. How food keeps his mind still and his bad feelings quiet. Food has always made everything better, until the day Billy's beloved son Michael takes his own life.
Billy determines to make a difference in Michael's memory and undertakes a public weight-loss campaign, to raise money for suicide prevention--his first step in an ambitious plan to save himself, and to save others. However, Billy's dramatic crusade appalls his family, who want to simply try to go on, quietly, privately.
Despite his crushing detractors, Billy gains welcome allies: his community-at-large; a co-worker who lost his father to suicide; a filmmaker with his own dubious agenda; and a secret, miniature kingdom that Billy populates with the sub-quality dolls and soldiers he saves from disposal at the toy factory where he works. But it is only if Billy can confront the truth of the suffering and brokenness within and around him that he and others will be able to realize the recovery they need.
Told against the backdrop of rural, contemporary Ireland, The Weight of Him is a big-hearted novel about loss and reliance that moves from tragedy to recrimination to what can be achieved when we take the stand of our lives.
This was not a book I’d normally pick up and it came to me in a box subscription. I’m so glad it did it was so beautifully written and dealt with a some important issues suicide, grief , depression, weight loss and lots more. I loved it I didn’t put it down it had such a sad underlying story. Definitely glad it landed on my tbr.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated 2012 (2009) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Roland Emmerich does big budget disaster flicks as well as Dairylea does cheese. However, some of his most recent attempts to dominate the box office have been panned by viewers and critics alike, who say that he has become too reliant on special effects.
Unfortunately, those critics better look away now, as his new film is the biggest yet.
2012 takes place, well, in 2012 for the most part and features an array of big Hollywood names attracted none the less by the huge box office forecasts for the film. The premise is simple; here comes the end of the world and god should we run!
With a reported budget of over $200m which is more than Michael Bay spent on his worldwide smash Transformers: Revenge of the fallen, Emmerich was certainly able to splash out on some eye popping CGI.
2012 reads like The Day After Tomorrow on a steroid, which is no bad thing, but that film had some hideously underdeveloped characters and lacked the depth needed to allow viewers to share compassion for the people who had been affected by the global crisis.
Thankfully it seems that Emmerich has learnt his lesson here and has provided us with a back-story and it comes in many different forms. Thandie Newton and Danny Glover play president’s daughter and president respectively, a great deal of emotion has gone into writing these two characters and their on-screen scenes together, albeit a small amount, are wonderful.
John Cusack and Amanda Peet play divorced parents Jackson and Kate, only united by the love they share for their two young children and predictably later on in the film, a few deeper emotions. Unfortunately these two share no chemistry together and their on-screen scenes are flawed as a result.
2012 doesn’t have a huge deal of character development but it does improve on what was seen in The Day After Tomorrow and more recently, 10,000BC, with a deeper understanding of the characters. It ultimately succeeds in making the viewers share compassion for even the heartless characters in the film.
Moving on to the saving grace of all disaster films; the special effects, fans of major cities being destroyed are going to be pleased here with some eye-watering action pieces really showing why perhaps Emmerich overshadows even Michael Bay and has become the king of destroying anything that can be destroyed. There are a few questionable scenes, which look rather less than realistic, but this is a small point that doesn’t need to be taken into account.
Whilst all this may seem excellent, it all feels familiar, it’s all been seen and done before, so in reality 2012 adds nothing new to the genre which is unfortunate because it really is an excellent film.
Overall, 2012 is a mouth-watering treat in cinema engineering, apart from some lapses in scientific accuracy and some shaky special effects; it surpasses The Day After Tomorrow and similar disaster films by sheer depth. On the downside it adds nothing new to the formula, but if you want sheer popcorn fodder then please, look no further.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2010/10/18/2012-2009/
Unfortunately, those critics better look away now, as his new film is the biggest yet.
2012 takes place, well, in 2012 for the most part and features an array of big Hollywood names attracted none the less by the huge box office forecasts for the film. The premise is simple; here comes the end of the world and god should we run!
With a reported budget of over $200m which is more than Michael Bay spent on his worldwide smash Transformers: Revenge of the fallen, Emmerich was certainly able to splash out on some eye popping CGI.
2012 reads like The Day After Tomorrow on a steroid, which is no bad thing, but that film had some hideously underdeveloped characters and lacked the depth needed to allow viewers to share compassion for the people who had been affected by the global crisis.
Thankfully it seems that Emmerich has learnt his lesson here and has provided us with a back-story and it comes in many different forms. Thandie Newton and Danny Glover play president’s daughter and president respectively, a great deal of emotion has gone into writing these two characters and their on-screen scenes together, albeit a small amount, are wonderful.
John Cusack and Amanda Peet play divorced parents Jackson and Kate, only united by the love they share for their two young children and predictably later on in the film, a few deeper emotions. Unfortunately these two share no chemistry together and their on-screen scenes are flawed as a result.
2012 doesn’t have a huge deal of character development but it does improve on what was seen in The Day After Tomorrow and more recently, 10,000BC, with a deeper understanding of the characters. It ultimately succeeds in making the viewers share compassion for even the heartless characters in the film.
Moving on to the saving grace of all disaster films; the special effects, fans of major cities being destroyed are going to be pleased here with some eye-watering action pieces really showing why perhaps Emmerich overshadows even Michael Bay and has become the king of destroying anything that can be destroyed. There are a few questionable scenes, which look rather less than realistic, but this is a small point that doesn’t need to be taken into account.
Whilst all this may seem excellent, it all feels familiar, it’s all been seen and done before, so in reality 2012 adds nothing new to the genre which is unfortunate because it really is an excellent film.
Overall, 2012 is a mouth-watering treat in cinema engineering, apart from some lapses in scientific accuracy and some shaky special effects; it surpasses The Day After Tomorrow and similar disaster films by sheer depth. On the downside it adds nothing new to the formula, but if you want sheer popcorn fodder then please, look no further.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2010/10/18/2012-2009/
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated UglyDolls (2019) in Movies
Aug 16, 2019
u.g.l.y. You ain't got no alibi.
Ugly Dolls is a garish & heartless mess of stolen ideas & mixed messages. Ugly Dolls at its core is a film about being different, believing in yourself, being proud of who you are & the way you look but I found these positive messages to be all very contradictory & one sided. For instance we are told certain types of people are the evil ones because of how they dress, think & behave etc but the message of the film is to not discriminate or judge people so how is slating, stereotyping, victimising, hating & bullying them morally ok? its basically like saying using racism to combat racism is makes it fine. I know its a kids film & most of this will go over their heads but when my little nephew is turning to me questioning which characters are the villains then it must be that obvious its a problem. Now this would all be fine if the film at least looked nice or had interesting set pieces but it doesnt at all. Animation is ugly with texture work that seems lazy & unfinished in parts making what should be vibrant fluffy creatures feel a blurry texturless mess especially around the eyes & mouth areas. Lacking also in any excitement the film most of the time crawls along at a snails pace with lengthy painful sections just there to flesh out its unnecessarily complex plot. When action does start its drab & void of excitement with big scenes shamelessly stolen from films such as toy story 3 & replicated exactly just with less care & budget. While my nephew enjoyed it I could definitely see him becoming restless at times especially when nothing much was happening & talking to him when we left he knew none of the characters names either (usually he wont shut up about the plot, characters & songs after we see a film hyper & grinning from ear to ear but with this film he wasnt). Song wise theres nothing remotley catchy or memorable here & i get the sense the film was just trying to cash in on the success of the greatest showman. All in all its a film thats had minimum effort put into it designed just to sell the McDonalds happy meals it shamelessly promotes just before it starts.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Parasite (2019) in Movies
Apr 10, 2020
Kills You With Intrigue
This is the portion of the review where I usually give a quick synopsis, but I’m not going to do that for Parasite. I want you to go in like I did: Completely and totally blind. It’s so much better that way, trust me on this.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 9
Nice set up for what is to come, especially when you don’t really know what’s coming. You’re introduced to the primary family and get a better understanding of their story. I appreciated how director/writer Bong Joon Ho sets up the intrigue but doesn’t give you too much.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Parasite is cinematically gorgeous from beginning to end. It gives you a feeling that you are witnessing something you’ve never seen before. I won’t dive too deep into this, but I especially love the cinematic contrast shown between the lower and upper class. Brilliantly done.
Conflict: 10
One minute, you think you’re watching a light comedy. The next, you’re saying, “Holy shit!” The perceived conflict is big enough, but when more gets added to the mix things get extremely out of control. I loved every minute of it.
Entertainment Value: 8
Memorability: 10
As soon as I finished watching Parasite, I immediately looked up who directed Oldboy as the shooting style and varying levels of constant tension felt very similar. Though not the same director, I will say this: If you’ve seen the latter, expect to be just as shocked by the former. Parasite gives you an experience you will never forget.
Pace: 10
Not a dull moment throughout. I spent so much time trying to figure out what the hell was happening that things never got boring, especially during the second half of the movie. There were so many moments of tension, you would be hardpressed to lose interest in the movie.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 1
As phenomenal as the movie is, the ending definitely left a sour taste in my mouth. Wasn’t a fan in the least. In fact, it was the one thing in my mind keeping this from being a classic.
Overall: 88
If you’re planning to see Parasite anytime soon, make sure you go in completely blind. It is memorable beyond belief. Expect it to stay in your mind for a long time after watching it.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 9
Nice set up for what is to come, especially when you don’t really know what’s coming. You’re introduced to the primary family and get a better understanding of their story. I appreciated how director/writer Bong Joon Ho sets up the intrigue but doesn’t give you too much.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Parasite is cinematically gorgeous from beginning to end. It gives you a feeling that you are witnessing something you’ve never seen before. I won’t dive too deep into this, but I especially love the cinematic contrast shown between the lower and upper class. Brilliantly done.
Conflict: 10
One minute, you think you’re watching a light comedy. The next, you’re saying, “Holy shit!” The perceived conflict is big enough, but when more gets added to the mix things get extremely out of control. I loved every minute of it.
Entertainment Value: 8
Memorability: 10
As soon as I finished watching Parasite, I immediately looked up who directed Oldboy as the shooting style and varying levels of constant tension felt very similar. Though not the same director, I will say this: If you’ve seen the latter, expect to be just as shocked by the former. Parasite gives you an experience you will never forget.
Pace: 10
Not a dull moment throughout. I spent so much time trying to figure out what the hell was happening that things never got boring, especially during the second half of the movie. There were so many moments of tension, you would be hardpressed to lose interest in the movie.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 1
As phenomenal as the movie is, the ending definitely left a sour taste in my mouth. Wasn’t a fan in the least. In fact, it was the one thing in my mind keeping this from being a classic.
Overall: 88
If you’re planning to see Parasite anytime soon, make sure you go in completely blind. It is memorable beyond belief. Expect it to stay in your mind for a long time after watching it.