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Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Whisper to Me in Books
Jun 24, 2019
This book is fantastic. I know it sounds cheesy, but I literally could not put it down.
The plot isn't just one simple story line; it's twists and turns and ups and downs all over the place. Cass is writing to someone - who is never named, actually - recapping events. The style means that she can switch from talking about the past to describing her current situation and feelings, in the present. She's able to reflect on the past, add a whole new level to the story. I loved it. And when "you" are in the story, she describes you but also skips the mundane details that you would already know, keeping the story really interesting. It really sounded like she was writing to someone.
Cass's letter/email is an apology, an explanation, for hurting someone. She acknowledges this right from the start, but it takes a long, long time to get into what really happened. Not in a boring, dragged-out way, but in a suspenseful way. Constantly, I wanted to know what she was referring to, what had happened to require the writing of this email.
So the plot is, as I said, not a straight line at all. But some important things are:
Cass starts to hear a voice. A voice that's not there, not really.
Cass meets "you" and the voice is quiet and everything is great. But things go wrong. Things go so, so wrong.
Cass's dad has issues - untreated PTSD from serving as a MARINE.
Cass has some, uh, unacknowledged issues caused by the death of her mother.
Cass meets Paris. Paris is sunshine and love and happiness.
There's a serial killer on the loose.
As you can see, there is a lot going on in this book. I won't tell you how all the things link together, but it's so clever. And oh, so heartbreaking.
Let's just say that you know it's coming - you can tell by Cass's choice of language that something is going to happen - but you still hope for some miracle.
Leading on from that last point, the characters are fantastic. Paris is honestly just amazing; I really fell in love with her. Probably more than Cass's actual love interest. Oops. And Cass's dad is so complex, clearly struggling with some stuff, and although he does wrong and he gets angry and he scares Cass sometimes you don't hate him, not really, and neither does Cass. He's her dad and she loves him, and he's trying his best and I could really feel that.
Some books really do just click with you, and this was one of those for me. I made excuses to read for longer than planned, stayed up later. It was lovely to have that excitement back when reading, even if I do feel kind of sad and empty now it's finished.
Part of me wants some kind of follow-up, but I also know that that would kind of ruin the whole mysterious, imaginative element that the ending leaves. I don't know.
I would completely definitely certainly recommend it. It covers so much - mental illnesses and single parents and love and death and sex workers and just so many different aspects of life that you maybe wouldn't expect to find thrown together into one book. But Cass doesn't seem crazy, isn't made out to be some kind of mental patient. And no single theme dominates the story - this isn't just about love, or just about murder. It's about life.
Definitely 5 stars. I adored this book.
The plot isn't just one simple story line; it's twists and turns and ups and downs all over the place. Cass is writing to someone - who is never named, actually - recapping events. The style means that she can switch from talking about the past to describing her current situation and feelings, in the present. She's able to reflect on the past, add a whole new level to the story. I loved it. And when "you" are in the story, she describes you but also skips the mundane details that you would already know, keeping the story really interesting. It really sounded like she was writing to someone.
Cass's letter/email is an apology, an explanation, for hurting someone. She acknowledges this right from the start, but it takes a long, long time to get into what really happened. Not in a boring, dragged-out way, but in a suspenseful way. Constantly, I wanted to know what she was referring to, what had happened to require the writing of this email.
So the plot is, as I said, not a straight line at all. But some important things are:
Cass starts to hear a voice. A voice that's not there, not really.
Cass meets "you" and the voice is quiet and everything is great. But things go wrong. Things go so, so wrong.
Cass's dad has issues - untreated PTSD from serving as a MARINE.
Cass has some, uh, unacknowledged issues caused by the death of her mother.
Cass meets Paris. Paris is sunshine and love and happiness.
There's a serial killer on the loose.
As you can see, there is a lot going on in this book. I won't tell you how all the things link together, but it's so clever. And oh, so heartbreaking.
Let's just say that you know it's coming - you can tell by Cass's choice of language that something is going to happen - but you still hope for some miracle.
Leading on from that last point, the characters are fantastic. Paris is honestly just amazing; I really fell in love with her. Probably more than Cass's actual love interest. Oops. And Cass's dad is so complex, clearly struggling with some stuff, and although he does wrong and he gets angry and he scares Cass sometimes you don't hate him, not really, and neither does Cass. He's her dad and she loves him, and he's trying his best and I could really feel that.
Some books really do just click with you, and this was one of those for me. I made excuses to read for longer than planned, stayed up later. It was lovely to have that excitement back when reading, even if I do feel kind of sad and empty now it's finished.
Part of me wants some kind of follow-up, but I also know that that would kind of ruin the whole mysterious, imaginative element that the ending leaves. I don't know.
I would completely definitely certainly recommend it. It covers so much - mental illnesses and single parents and love and death and sex workers and just so many different aspects of life that you maybe wouldn't expect to find thrown together into one book. But Cass doesn't seem crazy, isn't made out to be some kind of mental patient. And no single theme dominates the story - this isn't just about love, or just about murder. It's about life.
Definitely 5 stars. I adored this book.
Louise (64 KP) rated Our Chemical Hearts in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
So this is another book that was on my #Beatthebacklist TBR for 2017 and I don’t really know how I feel about this book!
Henry Page has always seen his friends fall in out of relationships so many times but that has never appealed to him before, he is more interested in his studies and becoming editor for the school newspaper. This all changes when Grace Town starts at Henry’s school and is offered co-editor. Grace is not like normal girls, she wears boys clothes, walks with a limp and her eyes constantly look pained. Whilst Henry gets to know Grace, he discovers the dark truths and how broken Grace Town really is.
My feelings on this book can be summed up in one word….MEH! I wasn’t blown away but I didn’t hate it either. I liked that this was told from a male perspective although written by a female author. I loved that there were references to fandom in the book.
At times this book was frustrating to read just because Henry knew that Grace was a broken soul and she had been telling him that and he just kept going back for more and get hurt over and over again. The problem is he see’s a picture of Grace on Facebook before all her troubles began and he wanted her to be like she was and he felt like he saw glimpses of that person break through when he was with her sometimes,however she was never going to be the same again and Henry just didn’t seem to realise this.
The characters were a bit hit and miss with this book, I really didn’t like his best friends. One was just portrayed as a stereotypical Australian with bad jokes and Lola just didn’t seem realistic. Henry was frustrating and a bit stalkerish. Grace was actually the only character that I thought felt genuine, she had flaws, she was grieving and very secretive about her past and she was a really fleshed out, three-dimensional character.
This is a short review as I don’t really know what to say. This book deals with grief, self harm and first loves. This has been compared as a hybrid between John Green and Rainbow Rowell. I can tell you now that the characters in this book are not as pretentious as the ones in TFIOS(sorry fans of John Green), but the book doesn’t have the same emotion and connection as Rainbow Rowell’s books.
I rated this book 2 out of 5 stars
So this is another book that was on my #Beatthebacklist TBR for 2017 and I don’t really know how I feel about this book!
Henry Page has always seen his friends fall in out of relationships so many times but that has never appealed to him before, he is more interested in his studies and becoming editor for the school newspaper. This all changes when Grace Town starts at Henry’s school and is offered co-editor. Grace is not like normal girls, she wears boys clothes, walks with a limp and her eyes constantly look pained. Whilst Henry gets to know Grace, he discovers the dark truths and how broken Grace Town really is.
My feelings on this book can be summed up in one word….MEH! I wasn’t blown away but I didn’t hate it either. I liked that this was told from a male perspective although written by a female author. I loved that there were references to fandom in the book.
At times this book was frustrating to read just because Henry knew that Grace was a broken soul and she had been telling him that and he just kept going back for more and get hurt over and over again. The problem is he see’s a picture of Grace on Facebook before all her troubles began and he wanted her to be like she was and he felt like he saw glimpses of that person break through when he was with her sometimes,however she was never going to be the same again and Henry just didn’t seem to realise this.
The characters were a bit hit and miss with this book, I really didn’t like his best friends. One was just portrayed as a stereotypical Australian with bad jokes and Lola just didn’t seem realistic. Henry was frustrating and a bit stalkerish. Grace was actually the only character that I thought felt genuine, she had flaws, she was grieving and very secretive about her past and she was a really fleshed out, three-dimensional character.
This is a short review as I don’t really know what to say. This book deals with grief, self harm and first loves. This has been compared as a hybrid between John Green and Rainbow Rowell. I can tell you now that the characters in this book are not as pretentious as the ones in TFIOS(sorry fans of John Green), but the book doesn’t have the same emotion and connection as Rainbow Rowell’s books.
I rated this book 2 out of 5 stars
Little Ray Of Sunshine (41 KP) rated Fishing the Net in Books
Jan 11, 2019 (Updated Feb 10, 2019)
Book Review | Fishing the Net by Rod Wood & Jane Reeves
Wow I loved reading this book. It showed the realistic side to online dating and how the main character Gill Flynn who divorced twice. Shes fifty something and she wants to find love and settle down. She heard about that you can join up with these dating websites through her friends at work and she thought why not. She lives in a small village and its hard to find a decent man. Gill Flynn is a funny women and she made me laugh through the book. I love how you go along the stories of each date she been on. She gone through some good, bad and even the scammers. It shocking what people will do online.
I felt for Gill as she just wanted someone to love and be loved back. You get through some of her dates thinking yes she found the one and there is always a flaw in their looks, habits or their personality.
It continues on with the stories of Ocra and Starfish and how they met online fell in love and married and Gill was jealous that they both found each other. But she starts to help her work friend Dory set up a online dating profile and help her find the real guys out there. But Dory is so picky and its a struggle to help her find the one. So Gill shows her that there is more then one site to find some men who would love to meet up in person.
I love how the authors put in the fishing names like Gill, Starfish and Dory. Gill is a fan of fishing so her intentions are to fish the net and find a decent catch. You are rooting for her to find the guy and while you reading through you expect her to find the guy she want but there are always let down. But this book shows the honest account of what it's like to find love in the 21st century. I am so happy that I found my man and never used the dating website as this book shows how men can be down right cheaters (I know not all of you men out there).
I wont say anymore as I would want you to go and buy this book and see what you think to it.
Thanks for reading.
Have you got any stories to tell about your experience with any of the dating websites?
I was given this by the authors of Fishing the Net I am grateful they sent it out for me to review on my blog. I want to thank Rod Wood and Jane Reeves for sending me this book.
I felt for Gill as she just wanted someone to love and be loved back. You get through some of her dates thinking yes she found the one and there is always a flaw in their looks, habits or their personality.
It continues on with the stories of Ocra and Starfish and how they met online fell in love and married and Gill was jealous that they both found each other. But she starts to help her work friend Dory set up a online dating profile and help her find the real guys out there. But Dory is so picky and its a struggle to help her find the one. So Gill shows her that there is more then one site to find some men who would love to meet up in person.
I love how the authors put in the fishing names like Gill, Starfish and Dory. Gill is a fan of fishing so her intentions are to fish the net and find a decent catch. You are rooting for her to find the guy and while you reading through you expect her to find the guy she want but there are always let down. But this book shows the honest account of what it's like to find love in the 21st century. I am so happy that I found my man and never used the dating website as this book shows how men can be down right cheaters (I know not all of you men out there).
I wont say anymore as I would want you to go and buy this book and see what you think to it.
Thanks for reading.
Have you got any stories to tell about your experience with any of the dating websites?
I was given this by the authors of Fishing the Net I am grateful they sent it out for me to review on my blog. I want to thank Rod Wood and Jane Reeves for sending me this book.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch, #2) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>Review copy provided by the Publisher via Netgalley</i></b>
The Heart Forger is the second novel in The Bone Witch series, where Rin Chupeco brings us directly back to the world of asha right after the first novel leaves off. Tea, a dark asha and bone witch, has mastered bringing the dead backs to life and hopes for revenge after being exiled from her kingdom.
I can easily say The Heart Forger is one of my favorite reads of 2018, which is funny considering how I wasn’t a fan of The Bone Witch when I read it last year. The Bone Witch is slower (to me, at least) and focuses on descriptions and worldbuilding, which is an entire 180 from its sequel. We’re continuing the story of Tea, who is a bone witch that can raise the dead, in the past (Tea as a young asha) and the present (Tea telling the story to the Bard).
It’s not exactly confirmed, but it looks like Tea is hovering between a villain and a hero, much like Adelina Amouteru from The Young Elites. We’ll know for sure what Tea’s actions will lead to in the third and final book of the trilogy coming out next year, which is currently titled The Shadowglass.
The Heart Forger is fast paced—Chupeco focuses on action, characters, and plot rather than descriptions and worldbuilding, though those who aren’t familiar will have to read The Bone Witch first to get a sense of the characters and world before continuing. There is never a dull moment, something I haven’t found in my reading for a longgg while, and I found myself turning the pages of my iPad so quickly I might have left a mark on there.
One of the things I enjoyed back in The Bone Witch (and partially why I decided to give the sequel a try rather than skipping over it) were the characters. The first book only gave a small taste, but the second book is full of sass from Tea, Fox, Kalen, Khalad—the entire of cast of characters—and it made The Heart Forger much more entertaining. Chupeco is going to be pulling different emotions the entire time—from excitement to terror to laughter—and it’ll probably be simultaneously as well.
The wordiness and slow pace of The Bone Witch is well worth it when looking forward to the rest of the series—I’m so glad I gave The Heart Forger a chance, and I can’t wait to see how Chupeco will end the series next year with The Shadowglass.
This review was originally posted on <a href="http://theartsstl.com/rin-chupeco-the-heart-forger-sourcebooks-fire/">The Arts STL</a>.
The Heart Forger is the second novel in The Bone Witch series, where Rin Chupeco brings us directly back to the world of asha right after the first novel leaves off. Tea, a dark asha and bone witch, has mastered bringing the dead backs to life and hopes for revenge after being exiled from her kingdom.
I can easily say The Heart Forger is one of my favorite reads of 2018, which is funny considering how I wasn’t a fan of The Bone Witch when I read it last year. The Bone Witch is slower (to me, at least) and focuses on descriptions and worldbuilding, which is an entire 180 from its sequel. We’re continuing the story of Tea, who is a bone witch that can raise the dead, in the past (Tea as a young asha) and the present (Tea telling the story to the Bard).
It’s not exactly confirmed, but it looks like Tea is hovering between a villain and a hero, much like Adelina Amouteru from The Young Elites. We’ll know for sure what Tea’s actions will lead to in the third and final book of the trilogy coming out next year, which is currently titled The Shadowglass.
The Heart Forger is fast paced—Chupeco focuses on action, characters, and plot rather than descriptions and worldbuilding, though those who aren’t familiar will have to read The Bone Witch first to get a sense of the characters and world before continuing. There is never a dull moment, something I haven’t found in my reading for a longgg while, and I found myself turning the pages of my iPad so quickly I might have left a mark on there.
One of the things I enjoyed back in The Bone Witch (and partially why I decided to give the sequel a try rather than skipping over it) were the characters. The first book only gave a small taste, but the second book is full of sass from Tea, Fox, Kalen, Khalad—the entire of cast of characters—and it made The Heart Forger much more entertaining. Chupeco is going to be pulling different emotions the entire time—from excitement to terror to laughter—and it’ll probably be simultaneously as well.
The wordiness and slow pace of The Bone Witch is well worth it when looking forward to the rest of the series—I’m so glad I gave The Heart Forger a chance, and I can’t wait to see how Chupeco will end the series next year with The Shadowglass.
This review was originally posted on <a href="http://theartsstl.com/rin-chupeco-the-heart-forger-sourcebooks-fire/">The Arts STL</a>.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) in Movies
Feb 2, 2020 (Updated Feb 2, 2020)
Hello Neighbor
A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood is an inspiring and delightful film about a man that was oh so smart and oh so pleasant. I just want to say from the start what an absolute joy this film was to watch, there was something so warm and wonderful there constantly that kept my full attention the entire time and when it ended I almost felt sad there wasnt more of it. Tom Hanks plays Fred Rogers aka Mr Rogers as hes known by most. An intriguing man who is almost investigated/interrogated by writer Lloyd Voge who has many troubles of his own. Hanks transforms seamlessly into Rogers with all his mannerisms replicated flawlessly even down to whats going on behined his eyes. Rogers may seem like theres something more sinister behined him at times but truth is he had a troubled past too and while maybe not a war veteran its almost as if you can see signs of depression or ptsd behined those eyes from the way he was treated in his youth of from the general weight of his job. But its the way the way hes learnt to deal with his anger, frustrations and demons thats so fascinating and how he manages to keep stong/humble so he can teach other children to overcome the harshness of life and the dark times they may face ahead of them thats trully inspiring and commendable. Llyods transformation during the film is also depicted amazingly too, hes so troubled hes almost beyond help, struggling with such emotions as grief, hatred and stress hes seemingly stuck on an ever declining path of sadness. That is until he meets rogers and the on screen interactions between these two are the absolute bread and butter to watch here as rogers uses his philosophy and good nature to help him find happiness in himself once again. See the thing is adults tend to dismiss anything they consider 'childish' but more often than not these so called childish things they dismiss contain more answers, escapism and advise for our problems than anything else be it by nostalgia, wisdom or philosophy or simple innocence. I loved how the tv show scenes felt so nostalgic that you could swear they were filmed way back in the past and the choice to use a different aspect ratio for them was smart. Its odd to say but theres definitely a subbtle element of horror and creepiness I found here too especially with some of the almost fever dream type scenes which worked extreamly well and broke up the film nicely. Lastly I would say if you are planning to see this be prepared to cry as its not only incredibly heartfelt it also constantly deals with very depressing subject matter too. So many times I found It depicted problems, situations, feelings and nostalgia to things that I have faced in my own life leading to me to tear up like it was speaking specifically to only me as I questioned my own life, feelings, relationships and decisions in my head. A splendid film that teaches us how life is to short to waste time on anger/hate and that we should instead spend and cherish the time we have here with the ones we love before its to late.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Foxcatcher (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
‘Foxcatcher’ stars Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Steve Carell, Sienna Miller, and Vanessa Redgrave with an appearance by Anthony Michael Hall and tells an account of Olympic Gold Medal Wrestling Champions, brothers Mark and Dave Schultz and their dealings with their millionaire coach, paranoid-schizophrenic John du Pont who eventually murdered Dave Schultz in 1996.
The film has already been received extremely well by critics and has been praised for the performances of Ruffalo, Tatum, and Carell as the three underwent complete character transformations. The film premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival and director Bennett Miller took home the award for best director. As someone who has seen the film I can tell you that at first I didn’t recognize any of the three lead actors when their characters first appeared on screen in the movie. I would bet money on this film being nominated for Oscars, Emmys, and any other movie awards that I cannot imagine right now based on their performances alone. Channing Tatum has even been quoted as say that this was the hardest acting challenge he has had to date in his career.
In the course of the film, we see a unique look inside the mind of an Olympic athlete via Canning Tatum’s performance as Mark Schultz and how they start out as ‘pure’ and patriotic and how those athletes can be corrupted with the promise of big money for sponsorship or with the purpose of restoring and repeating the ‘glory and standing’ they experienced previously and how it reaches into their lives and the lives of the athlete’s families. Example, in the film when at coach John du Pont’s (Carell) insistence, Mark tries to convince his brother Dave (Ruffalo) to join him in putting together team ‘Foxcatcher’ to train wrestlers for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. At first, Dave declines for the reason of not wanting to uproot his family from their home. Later on though, when its of du Pont’s opinion that Mark’s efforts are unsatisfactory du Pont takes matters into his own hands and convinces Dave himself of signing on thereby alienating Mark from and then from his brother. Eventually, the brothers reconcile but this appears to enrage du Pont who’se already starting to display the symptoms associated with paranoid-schizophrenia. Which some say is the true culprit behind du Pont’s mixer of Dave Schultz.
I would personally give this film 4 out of 5 stars. Bennett Miller couldn’t have done a better job directing this film and once again, the performances by Tatum, Ruffalo, and Carell were amazing and I have no doubt that they will become major millstones in their careers. However, there is the obvious downside of knowing the outcome in this particular instance. Although I did indeed enjoy the film it was also for all intents and purposes, the film was basically a two hour march to death for the character of Dave Schultz which was a major bummer. But hey, that’s not the fault of anyone involved in the film. That’s just what happens when you watch a true crime story. That’s my only gripe in regards to the film though. I say go see it. It is a two hour film though so be sure you grab a meal and a few beverages before you hit the theater.
This is your friendly neighborhood freelance photographer ‘The CameraMan’ and on behalf of my fellows at ‘Skewed & Reviewed’ , thanks for reading … and we’ll see you at the movies!
The film has already been received extremely well by critics and has been praised for the performances of Ruffalo, Tatum, and Carell as the three underwent complete character transformations. The film premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival and director Bennett Miller took home the award for best director. As someone who has seen the film I can tell you that at first I didn’t recognize any of the three lead actors when their characters first appeared on screen in the movie. I would bet money on this film being nominated for Oscars, Emmys, and any other movie awards that I cannot imagine right now based on their performances alone. Channing Tatum has even been quoted as say that this was the hardest acting challenge he has had to date in his career.
In the course of the film, we see a unique look inside the mind of an Olympic athlete via Canning Tatum’s performance as Mark Schultz and how they start out as ‘pure’ and patriotic and how those athletes can be corrupted with the promise of big money for sponsorship or with the purpose of restoring and repeating the ‘glory and standing’ they experienced previously and how it reaches into their lives and the lives of the athlete’s families. Example, in the film when at coach John du Pont’s (Carell) insistence, Mark tries to convince his brother Dave (Ruffalo) to join him in putting together team ‘Foxcatcher’ to train wrestlers for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. At first, Dave declines for the reason of not wanting to uproot his family from their home. Later on though, when its of du Pont’s opinion that Mark’s efforts are unsatisfactory du Pont takes matters into his own hands and convinces Dave himself of signing on thereby alienating Mark from and then from his brother. Eventually, the brothers reconcile but this appears to enrage du Pont who’se already starting to display the symptoms associated with paranoid-schizophrenia. Which some say is the true culprit behind du Pont’s mixer of Dave Schultz.
I would personally give this film 4 out of 5 stars. Bennett Miller couldn’t have done a better job directing this film and once again, the performances by Tatum, Ruffalo, and Carell were amazing and I have no doubt that they will become major millstones in their careers. However, there is the obvious downside of knowing the outcome in this particular instance. Although I did indeed enjoy the film it was also for all intents and purposes, the film was basically a two hour march to death for the character of Dave Schultz which was a major bummer. But hey, that’s not the fault of anyone involved in the film. That’s just what happens when you watch a true crime story. That’s my only gripe in regards to the film though. I say go see it. It is a two hour film though so be sure you grab a meal and a few beverages before you hit the theater.
This is your friendly neighborhood freelance photographer ‘The CameraMan’ and on behalf of my fellows at ‘Skewed & Reviewed’ , thanks for reading … and we’ll see you at the movies!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Better Watch Out (2016) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
A Christmas film... a horror film... also described as a comedy and a thriller on IMDb, although I find both of those a little inaccurate. If you asked me to sum up the genre I'd say "it's a Christmas horror..?" and then scrunch up my face in uncertain disgust.
It's difficult to sum this one up without exposing the end of the movie. I would like everyone to have the same confused experience watching this as I did.
I sat down at home to this DVD. I'd excitedly purchased this when I found out about it. With the tagline of "you might be home but you're not alone" you know exactly what you're getting. Or at least that's what you think. Everything promises to make this Home Alone for adults... Home Alone is for adults too of course. No one should deprive themselves of that Christmas wonder.
Not going to lie, when I saw Patrick Warburton pop up on screen it was like a Christmas miracle. I love him. He can do no wrong, and thankfully he didn't disappoint.
Olivia DeJonge made a great job of the role of Ashley. It felt like the serious sort of acting that the film needed to make it a horror film and not more of a comedy. Alongside Levi Miller as Luke we were given an interesting, if awkward on screen leading pair. Miller didn't quite hit the same notes for me as DeJonge did. I think that is more to do with the way the character is written than the acting, as he certainly puts everything into his scenes.
So... I sat down (I know, that was a way back now!) with my pad and pen waiting to jot some notes as I watched. I made a few scribblngs every now and then... until it happened... and you'll know it when it does. At that point I threw my pen across the room and told the film to f*** off.
The first part of the film had so much potential and I was really enjoying it but after "the moment" I just lost all interest in the way they'd taken it. I really wanted a more serious horror film than the unbelieveable thing that was given to us. What we were left with was cringeworthy and uncomfortable to watch, but I will give it credit for its Home Alone moments.
I really would like to know what you guys thought of the end of this film if you saw it.
Being that I was at home watching this on DVD that meant that I got some extras, well, extra. Singular. The fairly subtantial "making of" featurette was quite interesting and reveals just how hardcore DeJonge is when it came to this film.
What you should do
It's potentially drinking game material, but it definitely won't be making it into my Christmas movie rotation.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Without a doubt I would like Patrick Warburton please. If he could be delivered to me in a Christmas tie, even better.
It's difficult to sum this one up without exposing the end of the movie. I would like everyone to have the same confused experience watching this as I did.
I sat down at home to this DVD. I'd excitedly purchased this when I found out about it. With the tagline of "you might be home but you're not alone" you know exactly what you're getting. Or at least that's what you think. Everything promises to make this Home Alone for adults... Home Alone is for adults too of course. No one should deprive themselves of that Christmas wonder.
Not going to lie, when I saw Patrick Warburton pop up on screen it was like a Christmas miracle. I love him. He can do no wrong, and thankfully he didn't disappoint.
Olivia DeJonge made a great job of the role of Ashley. It felt like the serious sort of acting that the film needed to make it a horror film and not more of a comedy. Alongside Levi Miller as Luke we were given an interesting, if awkward on screen leading pair. Miller didn't quite hit the same notes for me as DeJonge did. I think that is more to do with the way the character is written than the acting, as he certainly puts everything into his scenes.
So... I sat down (I know, that was a way back now!) with my pad and pen waiting to jot some notes as I watched. I made a few scribblngs every now and then... until it happened... and you'll know it when it does. At that point I threw my pen across the room and told the film to f*** off.
The first part of the film had so much potential and I was really enjoying it but after "the moment" I just lost all interest in the way they'd taken it. I really wanted a more serious horror film than the unbelieveable thing that was given to us. What we were left with was cringeworthy and uncomfortable to watch, but I will give it credit for its Home Alone moments.
I really would like to know what you guys thought of the end of this film if you saw it.
Being that I was at home watching this on DVD that meant that I got some extras, well, extra. Singular. The fairly subtantial "making of" featurette was quite interesting and reveals just how hardcore DeJonge is when it came to this film.
What you should do
It's potentially drinking game material, but it definitely won't be making it into my Christmas movie rotation.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Without a doubt I would like Patrick Warburton please. If he could be delivered to me in a Christmas tie, even better.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Written in the Stars in Books
Dec 3, 2020
Astrologist Elle Jones is looking for love. Even if she doesn't exactly have a successful track record of finding it. She and her best friend, Margot, are the pair behind the incredibly popular Twitter account, Oh My Stars. And they are just about to join with OTP, the coolest dating app ever, thereby realizing their professional dreams. OTP was created by Brendon, who is nerdy, sweet, and about to be their boss. So when he offers to set Elle up with his sister, Darcy, she agrees. But the date is a disaster. Darcy is the opposite of Elle: buttoned up, analytical, and completely against astrology. Still, neither can deny they felt a bit of a spark before their date went awry. And Darcy is sick of being set up on terrible dates by her brother. So when he asks how it went, she lies. And then, she begs Elle to play along, to say they are dating. Each agrees to a few conditions of a dating pact. Surely nothing can go wrong, right?
"What if? Wasn't that the million-dollar question, the spark of hope that kept her coming back for more time and time--and time--again?"
Bellefleur states that she set out to write a "quirky, queer rom com," and I have to say, I'm here for it. It's not often we get our own romantic comedies, with true blue queer characters, with their own problems and characterization and their gayness just being a part of who they are.
This is an incredibly witty, sexy, and sappy read. Yes, it was a bit drawn out and repetitive at times. Okay, we understand that Elle is the flitty one who needs family approval and Darcy is the hurt one unwilling to commit. That point was emphasized perhaps a bit too much. I get stressed out when books have a lot of misunderstandings, so one based on a fake dating relationship took a lot of my strength.
But, it makes up for it with some wonderful characters. I adored Elle, who is so sweet and funny and just "her." And, of course, I identified 110% with uptight, wary workaholic Darcy who was scared of falling in love again. Then there's Margot, Elle's best friend, who was the secret star of the show. I tell you, everyone needs a wise best friend like Margot!
In this end, this book is downright adorable, laugh out loud funny, and full of chemistry. A few pieces might have hit their point one (or two) too many times, but I still really enjoyed it. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 here.
"What if? Wasn't that the million-dollar question, the spark of hope that kept her coming back for more time and time--and time--again?"
Bellefleur states that she set out to write a "quirky, queer rom com," and I have to say, I'm here for it. It's not often we get our own romantic comedies, with true blue queer characters, with their own problems and characterization and their gayness just being a part of who they are.
This is an incredibly witty, sexy, and sappy read. Yes, it was a bit drawn out and repetitive at times. Okay, we understand that Elle is the flitty one who needs family approval and Darcy is the hurt one unwilling to commit. That point was emphasized perhaps a bit too much. I get stressed out when books have a lot of misunderstandings, so one based on a fake dating relationship took a lot of my strength.
But, it makes up for it with some wonderful characters. I adored Elle, who is so sweet and funny and just "her." And, of course, I identified 110% with uptight, wary workaholic Darcy who was scared of falling in love again. Then there's Margot, Elle's best friend, who was the secret star of the show. I tell you, everyone needs a wise best friend like Margot!
In this end, this book is downright adorable, laugh out loud funny, and full of chemistry. A few pieces might have hit their point one (or two) too many times, but I still really enjoyed it. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 here.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Green Book (2018) in Movies
Mar 28, 2019
Deserving of the Oscar
I knew very little about Green Book heading in to it, other than the basic plot and that it had won the Oscar. I hadn't even seen a trailer, but when deciding what to watch on an afternoon off work, it seemed like a good choice. And I can honestly say that this is the best 2 hours I've spent in the cinema recently that didn't involve a Marvel film. It really is that good.
Right from the opening scene, this film was captivating and engaging. It's funny and heartwarming and really quite sad at times, without ever becoming dull or drawn out. It's such a beautiful story of a journey between two polar opposite characters. Viggo Mortensen's brash and uncultured Tony is a loveable rogue, and his clashes against the cultured, prim and proper pianist played by Mahershala Ali are a delight and often humorous to watch. It's the interaction and development of these two characters that make this film brilliant. Both actors are superb, and both would have been deserving of an Oscar in their own rights for their performances. The scene with them discussing KFC had me in stitches and is possibly the funniest thing I've seen in quite a long time.
The film itself is beautifully made and shot, and I cannot believe that this film has come from Peter Farrelly, who's previous films with his brother Bobby were as far from Oscar winners as you could get. The entire film from the costumes and soundtrack to the script were well done and altogether faultless. The film also does very well to get across the important attitudes and messages about racism and it does so in a very subtle yet powerful way.
I spent the entirety of this film with a smile on my face and a warm fuzzy feeling inside, which I still have now writing this review just thinking about unexpectedly brilliant this film was. I usually think most Oscar winners and nominees are entirely overrated, but not Green Book - this deserves every accolade it can get and more.
Right from the opening scene, this film was captivating and engaging. It's funny and heartwarming and really quite sad at times, without ever becoming dull or drawn out. It's such a beautiful story of a journey between two polar opposite characters. Viggo Mortensen's brash and uncultured Tony is a loveable rogue, and his clashes against the cultured, prim and proper pianist played by Mahershala Ali are a delight and often humorous to watch. It's the interaction and development of these two characters that make this film brilliant. Both actors are superb, and both would have been deserving of an Oscar in their own rights for their performances. The scene with them discussing KFC had me in stitches and is possibly the funniest thing I've seen in quite a long time.
The film itself is beautifully made and shot, and I cannot believe that this film has come from Peter Farrelly, who's previous films with his brother Bobby were as far from Oscar winners as you could get. The entire film from the costumes and soundtrack to the script were well done and altogether faultless. The film also does very well to get across the important attitudes and messages about racism and it does so in a very subtle yet powerful way.
I spent the entirety of this film with a smile on my face and a warm fuzzy feeling inside, which I still have now writing this review just thinking about unexpectedly brilliant this film was. I usually think most Oscar winners and nominees are entirely overrated, but not Green Book - this deserves every accolade it can get and more.
Katie Guinn (34 KP) rated Goodbye Days in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Where do I start with this book? I read Jeff Zentner’s debut novel, The Serpent King, last year and I absolutely loved it, I’m talking one of my favorite reads of the year. And after finishing his follow-up novel, it’s safe to say that he’s becoming an auto-read author for me. The story opens with Carver Briggs (named after Raymond Carver and nicknamed Blade, how cool is that?) attending the funerals of his three best friends who were killed in an auto accident while texting Carver. As you can imagine, Carver is constantly plagued by guilt, grief, and the threat of possible prosecution. Every time I picked up this book, I immediately had a lump in my throat, the emotion was so real and so raw. Throughout the course of the book, Carver has “goodbye days” with each of his friends’ families, sharing memories and trying to make peace with his loss. They were the hardest parts to read, but also the most beautiful, where you could really feel Carver’s love for his friends and the depth of his grief.
One of my favorite things about Jeff Zentner is how he writes his characters. Carver and his friends, The Sauce Crew, feel like real teenage boys, sometimes cringingly so. Zentner writes misfits and outcasts as only someone who has been there can; honestly and compassionately. His prose sometimes feels almost poetical, lyrical; which makes sense. He’s also a guitarist and songwriter with five albums under his belt, who’s recorded with Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry. His love for music is a common thread in his books, both of which feature musicians and the power of music to heal and inspire. (The music-related Serpent King cameo was possibly my favorite thing in this novel)
While I didn’t love this one quite as much as The Serpent King, it was still a five star read for me and I recommend it if you’re a YA contemporary fan or if you just enjoy having your heart ripped out of your chest and shredded into confetti multiple times.
One of my favorite things about Jeff Zentner is how he writes his characters. Carver and his friends, The Sauce Crew, feel like real teenage boys, sometimes cringingly so. Zentner writes misfits and outcasts as only someone who has been there can; honestly and compassionately. His prose sometimes feels almost poetical, lyrical; which makes sense. He’s also a guitarist and songwriter with five albums under his belt, who’s recorded with Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry. His love for music is a common thread in his books, both of which feature musicians and the power of music to heal and inspire. (The music-related Serpent King cameo was possibly my favorite thing in this novel)
While I didn’t love this one quite as much as The Serpent King, it was still a five star read for me and I recommend it if you’re a YA contemporary fan or if you just enjoy having your heart ripped out of your chest and shredded into confetti multiple times.