Search
Search results
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Oh Dear Silvia in Books
Jun 7, 2018
I received this book for free through the Goodreads Firstreads program.
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I love Dawn French! I think she is such a funny woman!! I was so happy to have won a copy of her fiction book entitled Oh Dear Silvia from Goodreads. However, once I started reading the book, it became apparent that I wasn't going to enjoy it.
Silvia is in a coma after falling from a balcony and hitting her head. Throughout her time in hospital, she is visited by family, her best friend, her ex-husband, her nurse, and her cleaner. Each has their own story to tell however odd it may be. Throughout this book, we will find out about who Silvia is.
The title of this book really works. After reading the book, I would say it definitely fits well with the story.
The cover of this book is quite bland. The tree on the cover of the book does have significance, but it's just rather boring. It wouldn't entice me to pick up this book to see what it's about. Surely, the cover could've been a bit more decorative.
The setting takes place mostly in suite 5 which is Silvia's room in hospital. The world building is alright. The memories of each visitor help set the story.
I found the pacing of Oh Dear Silvia to be extremely and painfully slow. At some points, I found myself skim reading the especially boring parts. I couldn't wait for this book to be over. There's not even one bit in this book where the pacing picks up. There's no real plot in this book, so there's definitely no plot twists. The pacing definitely lets this book down.
The dialogue is comedic at times which I found to be a small reprieve from the slowness of this book. Ed's dialogue really bored me.
The characters are well-developed which I found to be a relief. Each chapter of the book is told by someone who knows Silvia. The main characters that have their own chapters being Ed, Cat, Jo, Cassie, Winnie, and Tia. Ed is by far the most boring character that could ever be in a book. All he mostly talks about is his boring trees. Whilst I did find him to be a well-developed character, I found him extremely dull and found myself wishing that he'd just stop talking. Winnie and Tia were my favourite characters. Winnie has a big heart, and it really comes across in this book. Tia is from Indonesia so has a hard time pronouncing Silvia's surname which always made me laugh!! I found Tia and Jo to be the characters that brought the humour, and they delivered! Cat is the high strung character, and Cassie is the angry daughter. Each character has a unique personality. Well done to Dawn French for making each character unique! Through each of the characters' stories, we learn more and more about Silvia.
Even with the strong character personalities and comedic timing, this book still fell flat. I felt that this book was missing a plot. Oh Dear Silvia comes across more as a memoir about Silvia then anything else.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone except those who need help falling asleep. Dawn French is great, but this book just didn't do it for me.
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I love Dawn French! I think she is such a funny woman!! I was so happy to have won a copy of her fiction book entitled Oh Dear Silvia from Goodreads. However, once I started reading the book, it became apparent that I wasn't going to enjoy it.
Silvia is in a coma after falling from a balcony and hitting her head. Throughout her time in hospital, she is visited by family, her best friend, her ex-husband, her nurse, and her cleaner. Each has their own story to tell however odd it may be. Throughout this book, we will find out about who Silvia is.
The title of this book really works. After reading the book, I would say it definitely fits well with the story.
The cover of this book is quite bland. The tree on the cover of the book does have significance, but it's just rather boring. It wouldn't entice me to pick up this book to see what it's about. Surely, the cover could've been a bit more decorative.
The setting takes place mostly in suite 5 which is Silvia's room in hospital. The world building is alright. The memories of each visitor help set the story.
I found the pacing of Oh Dear Silvia to be extremely and painfully slow. At some points, I found myself skim reading the especially boring parts. I couldn't wait for this book to be over. There's not even one bit in this book where the pacing picks up. There's no real plot in this book, so there's definitely no plot twists. The pacing definitely lets this book down.
The dialogue is comedic at times which I found to be a small reprieve from the slowness of this book. Ed's dialogue really bored me.
The characters are well-developed which I found to be a relief. Each chapter of the book is told by someone who knows Silvia. The main characters that have their own chapters being Ed, Cat, Jo, Cassie, Winnie, and Tia. Ed is by far the most boring character that could ever be in a book. All he mostly talks about is his boring trees. Whilst I did find him to be a well-developed character, I found him extremely dull and found myself wishing that he'd just stop talking. Winnie and Tia were my favourite characters. Winnie has a big heart, and it really comes across in this book. Tia is from Indonesia so has a hard time pronouncing Silvia's surname which always made me laugh!! I found Tia and Jo to be the characters that brought the humour, and they delivered! Cat is the high strung character, and Cassie is the angry daughter. Each character has a unique personality. Well done to Dawn French for making each character unique! Through each of the characters' stories, we learn more and more about Silvia.
Even with the strong character personalities and comedic timing, this book still fell flat. I felt that this book was missing a plot. Oh Dear Silvia comes across more as a memoir about Silvia then anything else.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone except those who need help falling asleep. Dawn French is great, but this book just didn't do it for me.
Louise (64 KP) rated The Breakdown in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Sometimes it’s hard to find a really good Thriller novel, what with there being absolutely thousands upon thousands of them, you will read some mediocre and some pretty bad ones, ‘The Breakdown’ was neither of these, it was fantastic.
Cass has just been to a house-warming and deciding to call it a night, gets into her car and makes her way home. The weather is horrendous, it’s raining heavily, wild wind and it’s pitch black. Before she leaves she rings her husband to let him know she is on her way home and he makes her promise to take the longer route home due to the weather and that it’s 1am in the morning. However, Cass decides to take the shortcut through the woods despite promising her husband she wouldn’t. Through the woods/forest is 20 minutes off her journey and she really just wants to get to bed, however halfway through she sees a car parked up and a glimpses and woman inside. Cass pulls up and waits to see if the woman will jump out of her car for help, after 5 minutes with no sight of the woman Cass decides to carry on home. In the local papers the next morning a woman has been found dead exactly where Cass had stopped, the guilt builds up and she wants to tell the police but what if they think it was her? and what would her husband say if he knew she was in the woods?
I am not going to lie, I flipping loved this book a lot. I loved the characters, I loved the plot and the twist too. It just has everything you want in a good thriller. What made it great for me was the unreliable narrator and that it was so realistic and believable.
I adored Cass,I felt that I could relate to her in so many ways. She drove off after no-one jumped out of the car but I would have done the exact same thing. A young woman on their own in the woods is a no-go but I might have done somethings differently, who knows until you are put in that situation. She has a great husband who adores her and is very understanding. She seems to be having memory issues and becoming rather forgetful which is causing her to get stressed, the guilt of not doing anything in the woods is eating away at her and everything starts to become too much. Also she is getting silent phone calls,I mean how much more can one woman take.
All the side characters were good, such as her friends and colleagues and felt they were all integral to the story.
This is the first B A Paris book that I have read and I absolutely adored it, it was fast paced and had you on the edge of your seat. I felt so much sympathy for Cass but also a lot of respect. I cannot wait to read ‘Behind Closed Doors’.
The only thing that let this book down for me that it was a little bit predictable but the joy I got reading this book out weighed that con.
I rated this 4.5 out of 5 stars
Sometimes it’s hard to find a really good Thriller novel, what with there being absolutely thousands upon thousands of them, you will read some mediocre and some pretty bad ones, ‘The Breakdown’ was neither of these, it was fantastic.
Cass has just been to a house-warming and deciding to call it a night, gets into her car and makes her way home. The weather is horrendous, it’s raining heavily, wild wind and it’s pitch black. Before she leaves she rings her husband to let him know she is on her way home and he makes her promise to take the longer route home due to the weather and that it’s 1am in the morning. However, Cass decides to take the shortcut through the woods despite promising her husband she wouldn’t. Through the woods/forest is 20 minutes off her journey and she really just wants to get to bed, however halfway through she sees a car parked up and a glimpses and woman inside. Cass pulls up and waits to see if the woman will jump out of her car for help, after 5 minutes with no sight of the woman Cass decides to carry on home. In the local papers the next morning a woman has been found dead exactly where Cass had stopped, the guilt builds up and she wants to tell the police but what if they think it was her? and what would her husband say if he knew she was in the woods?
I am not going to lie, I flipping loved this book a lot. I loved the characters, I loved the plot and the twist too. It just has everything you want in a good thriller. What made it great for me was the unreliable narrator and that it was so realistic and believable.
I adored Cass,I felt that I could relate to her in so many ways. She drove off after no-one jumped out of the car but I would have done the exact same thing. A young woman on their own in the woods is a no-go but I might have done somethings differently, who knows until you are put in that situation. She has a great husband who adores her and is very understanding. She seems to be having memory issues and becoming rather forgetful which is causing her to get stressed, the guilt of not doing anything in the woods is eating away at her and everything starts to become too much. Also she is getting silent phone calls,I mean how much more can one woman take.
All the side characters were good, such as her friends and colleagues and felt they were all integral to the story.
This is the first B A Paris book that I have read and I absolutely adored it, it was fast paced and had you on the edge of your seat. I felt so much sympathy for Cass but also a lot of respect. I cannot wait to read ‘Behind Closed Doors’.
The only thing that let this book down for me that it was a little bit predictable but the joy I got reading this book out weighed that con.
I rated this 4.5 out of 5 stars
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated A Faerie's Revenge in Books
Jan 23, 2020
ARC provided by the author.
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2015/11/arc-review-a-faeries-revenge-by-rachel-morgan.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
All formatting is lost.
The fifth book in Rachel Morgan's Creepy Hollow series just further proves books four and beyond (however long this one will last) are so much better than the first three books. After the daytime drama-like ending Morgan leaves us back in A Faerie's Secret, we're brought straight back to Creepy Hollow to find Calla Larkenwood in a pretty miserable and "I don't give a care but I'm going to act like I do" state.
My mother watches too much Days of Our Lives (and Dateline). Lupe and I say it just makes her more overprotective because she thinks it's based off of real events. (Dateline is. Days of Our Lives probably is, but it's most likely exaggerated.)
However, by the end of the book, I find I like Calla as a character far more than I ever liked Violet. Calla is like Violet in a lot of ways (have I mentioned this when I reviewed the fourth book?) she's ambitious and kicks faerie butt, but I feel she's more well-rounded than Violet (not that Violet wasn't well-rounded). Calla's afraid of a little thing like claustrophobia, while Violet is completely fearless. To be honest, I don't think I even remember Violet ever being afraid of anything (aside from losing her loved ones), and here's Calla, squeaking over narrow spaces. More things, bad things, happen to Calla, and I absolutely love it.
I know. You must be worried about me now. You'll have to line up behind my mom and Lupe and a few other people who know me very well, which turns out to be very few.
I also find that I miss Oryn so much from the first three books because he just goes straight to the point (and he made things entertaining).
<blockquote>The awkward moment in which I discover that both my wife and my sister have made out with the same guy.</blockquote>
Of course, by books four and five, most of the characters from the first three are pretty much just starting their future with sparkling baby faeries (I imagine them to be much more adorable). Meanwhile, Calla is still getting treated poorly by her trainer (who is really just playing favoritism possibly due to jealousy) and getting flashbacks/nightmares in the midst of dreams from Gaius trying to tell her something.
And murder. Lovely, lovely murder where Calla gets framed and accused for it. It's also by this point where Calla is confronted with the question, as Oryn so fabulously points out, "Why did you really want to join the guild? The guild, or the representation?" (See? He gets straight to the point.)
But in a nutshell, A Faerie's Revenge is really just revenge of the past something that happened ten years ago and that person wants everyone to pay. How that person will do it (and how Calla is connected) is currently unknown, but it's official: you'll definitely want to read the first three books or you'll be spoiled and possibly lost.
<blockquote>Maybe theres no such thing as good guys and bad guys after all. Not when the good guys fail to see whats wrong, and the bad guys are the ones who end up helping you.</blockquote>
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2015/11/arc-review-a-faeries-revenge-by-rachel-morgan.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
All formatting is lost.
The fifth book in Rachel Morgan's Creepy Hollow series just further proves books four and beyond (however long this one will last) are so much better than the first three books. After the daytime drama-like ending Morgan leaves us back in A Faerie's Secret, we're brought straight back to Creepy Hollow to find Calla Larkenwood in a pretty miserable and "I don't give a care but I'm going to act like I do" state.
My mother watches too much Days of Our Lives (and Dateline). Lupe and I say it just makes her more overprotective because she thinks it's based off of real events. (Dateline is. Days of Our Lives probably is, but it's most likely exaggerated.)
However, by the end of the book, I find I like Calla as a character far more than I ever liked Violet. Calla is like Violet in a lot of ways (have I mentioned this when I reviewed the fourth book?) she's ambitious and kicks faerie butt, but I feel she's more well-rounded than Violet (not that Violet wasn't well-rounded). Calla's afraid of a little thing like claustrophobia, while Violet is completely fearless. To be honest, I don't think I even remember Violet ever being afraid of anything (aside from losing her loved ones), and here's Calla, squeaking over narrow spaces. More things, bad things, happen to Calla, and I absolutely love it.
I know. You must be worried about me now. You'll have to line up behind my mom and Lupe and a few other people who know me very well, which turns out to be very few.
I also find that I miss Oryn so much from the first three books because he just goes straight to the point (and he made things entertaining).
<blockquote>The awkward moment in which I discover that both my wife and my sister have made out with the same guy.</blockquote>
Of course, by books four and five, most of the characters from the first three are pretty much just starting their future with sparkling baby faeries (I imagine them to be much more adorable). Meanwhile, Calla is still getting treated poorly by her trainer (who is really just playing favoritism possibly due to jealousy) and getting flashbacks/nightmares in the midst of dreams from Gaius trying to tell her something.
And murder. Lovely, lovely murder where Calla gets framed and accused for it. It's also by this point where Calla is confronted with the question, as Oryn so fabulously points out, "Why did you really want to join the guild? The guild, or the representation?" (See? He gets straight to the point.)
But in a nutshell, A Faerie's Revenge is really just revenge of the past something that happened ten years ago and that person wants everyone to pay. How that person will do it (and how Calla is connected) is currently unknown, but it's official: you'll definitely want to read the first three books or you'll be spoiled and possibly lost.
<blockquote>Maybe theres no such thing as good guys and bad guys after all. Not when the good guys fail to see whats wrong, and the bad guys are the ones who end up helping you.</blockquote>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Knight Assassin in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Am I alone to say that this sort of felt like history + Downton Abbey + a little Arabian mythology? Perhaps it's the royal technicalities that make me think of Downton Abbey with its lords and ladies, despite the fact the book seems to be set around the Crusades and everyone seemed to be fighting over the Holy Land.
I was actually a bit reluctant to accept Knight Assassin for review for a few reasons:
1. It didn't sound very appealing A girl's mother gets murdered and she wants revenge. Then she meets a guy from her past who actually ends up being her enemy. Nope... not really for me, though the last part is semi-intriguing.
2. I don't know that much about the Knights Templar. I don't even remember that one book I read and it was nominated for a state award once.
3. I had a pretty big review pile already
However, as I got started, I realized I was underestimating, and I actually enjoyed it in most cases. But what really started to get the ball rolling?
Zayn's mother gets accused of witchcraft and burned to death.
I know it sounds really mean and really odd of me that it would catch my attention. But think about it. If that happened to me (or any of us really), I would be looking for revenge as well after I get over my initial shock, which could last for who knows how long.
Zayn gah, I keep putting an e at the end. One Direction, this is not the time to slip into a review is probably by far one of the strongest heroines I've read about. She goes through so many trials throughout the book from her mother's murder to rape to finding out what she really is and hasn't broken down for most of the book. Definitely shorter than me, but Zayn seems to be pretty impulsive for a good half of the book.
For the first half, there's a lot of flashbacks throughout the beginning to Zayn's childhood, in which I sort of found pointless. I'm not exactly sure what the connection really is, aside from how she meets Guy de Molay and Earic Goodwin. It's not until the second half where the interesting stuff happens and there's not as many flashbacks, but the first half by all means isn't boring at all. I find that Zayn has a lot of backstory, which frankly makes her less of a pancake (flat characters).
The ending though, felt like a stand alone, but it didn't feel like a stand alone. I'm surprised this isn't a series to be honest. However, if you're the type who enjoys reading a bit of history and a little mythology, perhaps you should consider Knight Assassin. It's a nice change from other genres (particularly aliens and angels at the moment) as there aren't many books set in the late 1100s.
<b>Random Thought:</b>
<blockquote>I will never recover my male ego, so long as Zayn is around to humble me.</blockquote>
Perhaps where there's a Carter, Jace, Daemon or a Herondale, there needs to be a Zayn. She might be able to keep their ego in check... well, particularly the third one. ;)
--------------------
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Owls
Advance review copy provided by publisher for review
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/arc-review-knight-assassin-by-rima-jean.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
I was actually a bit reluctant to accept Knight Assassin for review for a few reasons:
1. It didn't sound very appealing A girl's mother gets murdered and she wants revenge. Then she meets a guy from her past who actually ends up being her enemy. Nope... not really for me, though the last part is semi-intriguing.
2. I don't know that much about the Knights Templar. I don't even remember that one book I read and it was nominated for a state award once.
3. I had a pretty big review pile already
However, as I got started, I realized I was underestimating, and I actually enjoyed it in most cases. But what really started to get the ball rolling?
Zayn's mother gets accused of witchcraft and burned to death.
I know it sounds really mean and really odd of me that it would catch my attention. But think about it. If that happened to me (or any of us really), I would be looking for revenge as well after I get over my initial shock, which could last for who knows how long.
Zayn gah, I keep putting an e at the end. One Direction, this is not the time to slip into a review is probably by far one of the strongest heroines I've read about. She goes through so many trials throughout the book from her mother's murder to rape to finding out what she really is and hasn't broken down for most of the book. Definitely shorter than me, but Zayn seems to be pretty impulsive for a good half of the book.
For the first half, there's a lot of flashbacks throughout the beginning to Zayn's childhood, in which I sort of found pointless. I'm not exactly sure what the connection really is, aside from how she meets Guy de Molay and Earic Goodwin. It's not until the second half where the interesting stuff happens and there's not as many flashbacks, but the first half by all means isn't boring at all. I find that Zayn has a lot of backstory, which frankly makes her less of a pancake (flat characters).
The ending though, felt like a stand alone, but it didn't feel like a stand alone. I'm surprised this isn't a series to be honest. However, if you're the type who enjoys reading a bit of history and a little mythology, perhaps you should consider Knight Assassin. It's a nice change from other genres (particularly aliens and angels at the moment) as there aren't many books set in the late 1100s.
<b>Random Thought:</b>
<blockquote>I will never recover my male ego, so long as Zayn is around to humble me.</blockquote>
Perhaps where there's a Carter, Jace, Daemon or a Herondale, there needs to be a Zayn. She might be able to keep their ego in check... well, particularly the third one. ;)
--------------------
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Owls
Advance review copy provided by publisher for review
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/arc-review-knight-assassin-by-rima-jean.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst in TV
Jun 27, 2018 (Updated Jun 27, 2018)
Mindblowing
Contains spoilers, click to show
I have been on a bit of a documentary kick lately and my most recent watch was the Jinx. I never watched this show back when it aired in 2015, or followed the story at the time, so I went into this show knowing very little about the tale it was telling. I'd say if you are in the same boat, then that is probably the best way to go into this doc. There are only six parts to the doc, so it can be binged over a few nights or in one day. Don't look up anything about it before watching and just go in blind, by the end your mind will be blown.
Please don't read on until you have seen the show in it's entirety as there are massive SPOILERS ahead. It feels weird to say that about a documentary, something that actually happened, but I promise you will not want this final revelation spoiled for you in any way.
Ok, so during the last interview, Andrew Jarecki confronts Robert Durst with two letters with the same address handwritten on each, one written by Durst years previous and the other was written by the killer and sent into a police station to notify them of the location of a body. Beverly Hills is spelt wrong in each, it is spelt BEVERLEY on each and the handwriting is exceptionally similar, especially the letter N. Durst initially appears pretty unphased by the accusation and brushes it off, until Jarecki asks him to look at a sheet that has the two versions of the address blown up and placed side by side and he asks him to tell him what one he wrote and what one he didn't and Durst is unable to tell the difference. He then begins burping uncontrollably as if trying to supress vomiting. The interview ends and Jarecki thanks Durst for his time. Durst then goes to the bathroom, unaware that he is still wearing a live microphone and says:
"There it is, you're caught.
You're right of course, but you can't imagine...
Arrest him.
I don't know what's in the house.
Oh, I want this.
What a disaster.
He was right, I was wrong.
And the burping?
I'm having difficulty understanding the question.
What the hell did I do?
Killed them all, of course."
Holy shit, these filmmakers just stumbled into getting an accidental confession from a guy who has dodged the law since 1982. Not only that, but what was recorded actually sounds like two different people having a conversation, almost like Gollum and Sméagol from Lord Of The Rings. The recording is creepy, but extremely important and provides an absolutely captivating ending to this already brilliant story. I think that what we hear in the bathroom is two sides of Durst arguing about what has just transpired. The way that each line is like a comment and then a response and the way that his tone of voice changes from line to line. I will type up my interpretation of the conversation below showing what side of Durst said what.
Good Bob: There it is, you're caught.
Bad Bob: You're right of course, but you can't imagine...
Good Bob: Arrest him.
Bad Bob: I don't know what's in the house.
Good Bob: Oh, I want this.
Bad Bob: What a disaster.
Good Bob:He was right, I was wrong.
Bad Bob: And the burping?
Good Bob: I'm having difficulty understanding the question.
What the hell did I do?
Bad Bob: Killed them all, of course.
This is obviously pure conjecture, but it's how I see the conversation going in Durst's head. Whether this is proof of disassociation or multiple personality disorder, I don't know as I'm not a psychiatrist, all that I know is that it is absolutely fascinating to hear this play out in a real world situation and makes for an absolutely brilliant piece of TV.
Please don't read on until you have seen the show in it's entirety as there are massive SPOILERS ahead. It feels weird to say that about a documentary, something that actually happened, but I promise you will not want this final revelation spoiled for you in any way.
Ok, so during the last interview, Andrew Jarecki confronts Robert Durst with two letters with the same address handwritten on each, one written by Durst years previous and the other was written by the killer and sent into a police station to notify them of the location of a body. Beverly Hills is spelt wrong in each, it is spelt BEVERLEY on each and the handwriting is exceptionally similar, especially the letter N. Durst initially appears pretty unphased by the accusation and brushes it off, until Jarecki asks him to look at a sheet that has the two versions of the address blown up and placed side by side and he asks him to tell him what one he wrote and what one he didn't and Durst is unable to tell the difference. He then begins burping uncontrollably as if trying to supress vomiting. The interview ends and Jarecki thanks Durst for his time. Durst then goes to the bathroom, unaware that he is still wearing a live microphone and says:
"There it is, you're caught.
You're right of course, but you can't imagine...
Arrest him.
I don't know what's in the house.
Oh, I want this.
What a disaster.
He was right, I was wrong.
And the burping?
I'm having difficulty understanding the question.
What the hell did I do?
Killed them all, of course."
Holy shit, these filmmakers just stumbled into getting an accidental confession from a guy who has dodged the law since 1982. Not only that, but what was recorded actually sounds like two different people having a conversation, almost like Gollum and Sméagol from Lord Of The Rings. The recording is creepy, but extremely important and provides an absolutely captivating ending to this already brilliant story. I think that what we hear in the bathroom is two sides of Durst arguing about what has just transpired. The way that each line is like a comment and then a response and the way that his tone of voice changes from line to line. I will type up my interpretation of the conversation below showing what side of Durst said what.
Good Bob: There it is, you're caught.
Bad Bob: You're right of course, but you can't imagine...
Good Bob: Arrest him.
Bad Bob: I don't know what's in the house.
Good Bob: Oh, I want this.
Bad Bob: What a disaster.
Good Bob:He was right, I was wrong.
Bad Bob: And the burping?
Good Bob: I'm having difficulty understanding the question.
What the hell did I do?
Bad Bob: Killed them all, of course.
This is obviously pure conjecture, but it's how I see the conversation going in Durst's head. Whether this is proof of disassociation or multiple personality disorder, I don't know as I'm not a psychiatrist, all that I know is that it is absolutely fascinating to hear this play out in a real world situation and makes for an absolutely brilliant piece of TV.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated To Best the Boys in Books
Oct 5, 2020
I love Mary Weber as much as her food recipes she shares with us every single month! I don’t usually decide whether to read a certain book by its cover, but this cover made me want to find out more about it. When I read the synopsis, I had to read it, as it captures women fighting for their rights in a young-adult format, and it simply was something I couldn’t miss.
I will be honest with you and say that this book didn’t deliver. Maybe it was my expectations, after all, that got me too excited for my own good.
Let’s start with Rhen. She is a girl that loves science, and her father has taught her everything he knows. They are poor family and don’t have all the equipment in the world, but that doesn’t stop them to keep discovering and learning every day. In their kingdom, an unknown disease comes around, and Rhen’s mum is ill, with no cure yet. Rhen wants desperately to find a cure, and a rich boy wanting to marry her might promise her all the equipment she needs, but now it’s time that she lacks.
When the men’s annual tournament is about to begin, with boys fighting for the science scholarship, Rhen knows that she has no choice but to enter, disguised as a boy, and try to win this – for her, for her dad, and most importantly, for her mum.
The book flows really slowly. We get to about half of the book when Rhen decides to enter the tournament. I expected this to happen in the first couple of chapters, and to then have the adventure from within the labyrinth. For me, it was quite a slow beginning, but some of you might enjoy that. The writing is beautiful throughout.
>I loved the fighter within Rhen. She is a fierce person, determined to fight for what she wants. Even though throughout the book she has trouble with realising what is it that she really wants, we can see a bit of character development in her.
As a book that is supposed to cover gender equality, and women fighting for the same rights as men, this book didn’t really deliver. The letter states that every gentleperson – not gentleman. Which means, that inequality never truly exists at all. Women could have entered this competition, but they just chose not to.
The whole competition, the labyrinth and the scholarship lacks details and has enormous loopholes: one scholarship is given to one person – the one that wins the labyrinth. And after the winner is chosen, we have a scene where they all take a test, including the winner?
The disguise was a huge and important part of this book, as Rhen and her friend are pretending to be boys. Rhen cuts her hair, and her friend just pins it and ties it with a hat. They both wear boy clothes and barely remember to lower their voices. And that is all they do to not get recognised. And somehow, the people that know them their whole life fail to recognise them. A bit unbelievable…
I wish I loved this book, because I truly fell in love with the cover and the synopsis. But the whole labyrinth set-up seemed to be a side-story, with the illness being the main story, and the realisation of what Rhen actually wants to achieve. Random characters were introduced, that didn’t drive the story one bit, and the author also happened to throw in an inconsistent romance and a love triangle.
I hate to say this, but the book seems like an unfinished draft. It seemed so promising, and all I thought I would get out of this was non-existent.
I am not sure if I would want to recommend this book to you guys. If you want to give it a try, I encourage you, and would love to talk about it and hear what you think, but if you are here because you loved the synopsis, this book will probably not satisfy you
I will be honest with you and say that this book didn’t deliver. Maybe it was my expectations, after all, that got me too excited for my own good.
Let’s start with Rhen. She is a girl that loves science, and her father has taught her everything he knows. They are poor family and don’t have all the equipment in the world, but that doesn’t stop them to keep discovering and learning every day. In their kingdom, an unknown disease comes around, and Rhen’s mum is ill, with no cure yet. Rhen wants desperately to find a cure, and a rich boy wanting to marry her might promise her all the equipment she needs, but now it’s time that she lacks.
When the men’s annual tournament is about to begin, with boys fighting for the science scholarship, Rhen knows that she has no choice but to enter, disguised as a boy, and try to win this – for her, for her dad, and most importantly, for her mum.
The book flows really slowly. We get to about half of the book when Rhen decides to enter the tournament. I expected this to happen in the first couple of chapters, and to then have the adventure from within the labyrinth. For me, it was quite a slow beginning, but some of you might enjoy that. The writing is beautiful throughout.
>I loved the fighter within Rhen. She is a fierce person, determined to fight for what she wants. Even though throughout the book she has trouble with realising what is it that she really wants, we can see a bit of character development in her.
As a book that is supposed to cover gender equality, and women fighting for the same rights as men, this book didn’t really deliver. The letter states that every gentleperson – not gentleman. Which means, that inequality never truly exists at all. Women could have entered this competition, but they just chose not to.
The whole competition, the labyrinth and the scholarship lacks details and has enormous loopholes: one scholarship is given to one person – the one that wins the labyrinth. And after the winner is chosen, we have a scene where they all take a test, including the winner?
The disguise was a huge and important part of this book, as Rhen and her friend are pretending to be boys. Rhen cuts her hair, and her friend just pins it and ties it with a hat. They both wear boy clothes and barely remember to lower their voices. And that is all they do to not get recognised. And somehow, the people that know them their whole life fail to recognise them. A bit unbelievable…
I wish I loved this book, because I truly fell in love with the cover and the synopsis. But the whole labyrinth set-up seemed to be a side-story, with the illness being the main story, and the realisation of what Rhen actually wants to achieve. Random characters were introduced, that didn’t drive the story one bit, and the author also happened to throw in an inconsistent romance and a love triangle.
I hate to say this, but the book seems like an unfinished draft. It seemed so promising, and all I thought I would get out of this was non-existent.
I am not sure if I would want to recommend this book to you guys. If you want to give it a try, I encourage you, and would love to talk about it and hear what you think, but if you are here because you loved the synopsis, this book will probably not satisfy you
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated When Marnie Was There (2015) in Movies
Apr 2, 2018
So Much Potential...
When Anna's mom sends her to stay with her aunt for the summer, Anna develops a strong friendship with Marnie, a girl that only Anna seems to know.
Acting: 9
Beginning: 1
Gets off to a bland start at best. I found myself tuning out very quickly. I was looking for a reason to get into it but it never grabbed me.
Characters: 8
You immediately sympathize with Anna. She's an introvert with seemingly no place in the world. To make matters worse, she's prone to panic attacks. From the very beginning, she's a character you wish you could reach out to and protect. Learning her history and the source of her pain is the best part of the film. There were a few other characters that were memorable as well, but none so much as Anna.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Another strong suit of the film. Animations were crisp with strong attention to detail. One scene inside of an abandoned silo particularly stands out. The blend of darkness and destructive winds really place you in the moment and breathe life into a film that was otherwise dull.
Conflict: 4
Genre: 8
The film isn't a favorite by any means and won't hold up against some of my other animated classics that I love. HOWEVER, I appreciate the animation style of the film and I also respected that it attempted to try something different. Even though it was a total miss, I give it the proper credit for daring to be different and take a chance.
Memorability: 6
Pace: 1
The word "snail" comes to mind here. A huge mistake was made here in merely focusing on the day-to-day of Anna. There wasn't a lot of conflict that dictated the pace. I was waiting for something to happen, ANYTHING. Before I knew it, I was begging for it to be over. As the story progresses there is no real momentum building that can give you a reason to keep your attention solely on the film.
Plot: 0
Unique or not, I had a hard time buying it in its entirety. Had this been a real situation, Anna probably would have been put in a nut house 10 minutes into the film. She was given an awful lot of freedom for someone known to not be adjusted to the world. That didn't make sense to me, neither did the fact that Anna couldn't somehow piece the whole situation together a little bit faster. Maybe the whole idea was that she couldn't piece things together because she didn't want to? I don't know. What I do know is that sometimes even the best intentions can yield some bad results. Perfect example.
Resolution: 10
Best part of the film and, no, I'm not being sarcastic. You essentially find out the mystery behind everything going on and I have to say it's a really nice payoff. Extremely touching, it makes the film 100 times better than what it could have been. I won't give anything away but it resolves around finding your place in life and appreciating who you are. While I loved it, it infuriated me at the same time. WHY COULDN'T THE REST OF THE FILM BE LIKE THIS???
Overall: 57
I have seen a number of films that get off to a great start and fizzle out at the end. When Marnie Was There does the opposite and the feeling it leaves you with ends up being far worse. Had the rest of the film hit home like the ending, this would have been a wonderful classic.
Acting: 9
Beginning: 1
Gets off to a bland start at best. I found myself tuning out very quickly. I was looking for a reason to get into it but it never grabbed me.
Characters: 8
You immediately sympathize with Anna. She's an introvert with seemingly no place in the world. To make matters worse, she's prone to panic attacks. From the very beginning, she's a character you wish you could reach out to and protect. Learning her history and the source of her pain is the best part of the film. There were a few other characters that were memorable as well, but none so much as Anna.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Another strong suit of the film. Animations were crisp with strong attention to detail. One scene inside of an abandoned silo particularly stands out. The blend of darkness and destructive winds really place you in the moment and breathe life into a film that was otherwise dull.
Conflict: 4
Genre: 8
The film isn't a favorite by any means and won't hold up against some of my other animated classics that I love. HOWEVER, I appreciate the animation style of the film and I also respected that it attempted to try something different. Even though it was a total miss, I give it the proper credit for daring to be different and take a chance.
Memorability: 6
Pace: 1
The word "snail" comes to mind here. A huge mistake was made here in merely focusing on the day-to-day of Anna. There wasn't a lot of conflict that dictated the pace. I was waiting for something to happen, ANYTHING. Before I knew it, I was begging for it to be over. As the story progresses there is no real momentum building that can give you a reason to keep your attention solely on the film.
Plot: 0
Unique or not, I had a hard time buying it in its entirety. Had this been a real situation, Anna probably would have been put in a nut house 10 minutes into the film. She was given an awful lot of freedom for someone known to not be adjusted to the world. That didn't make sense to me, neither did the fact that Anna couldn't somehow piece the whole situation together a little bit faster. Maybe the whole idea was that she couldn't piece things together because she didn't want to? I don't know. What I do know is that sometimes even the best intentions can yield some bad results. Perfect example.
Resolution: 10
Best part of the film and, no, I'm not being sarcastic. You essentially find out the mystery behind everything going on and I have to say it's a really nice payoff. Extremely touching, it makes the film 100 times better than what it could have been. I won't give anything away but it resolves around finding your place in life and appreciating who you are. While I loved it, it infuriated me at the same time. WHY COULDN'T THE REST OF THE FILM BE LIKE THIS???
Overall: 57
I have seen a number of films that get off to a great start and fizzle out at the end. When Marnie Was There does the opposite and the feeling it leaves you with ends up being far worse. Had the rest of the film hit home like the ending, this would have been a wonderful classic.
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Crazy Rich Asians (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
A Rom-Com with Substance
Yes, I know what you’re thinking. This isn’t really the kind of film I’m particularly fond of. Everything about it screams ‘cheesy rom-com’, just look at that poster. But, I’m happy to say I walked away from this film feeling so glad that I had watched it. This is a classic example of not judging a film by its poster or trailer, as it has so much more to offer.
As the title of my review suggests, I mainly loved this film because of the overall narrative. There’s a lot of character development and dark secrets, meaning your interest is constantly held throughout the film. You really start to care about these characters and their lives, and I didn’t feel like anyone was just thrown in there for the sake of it. The dynamics between characters is really well done and realistic, and it’s very easy for you to quickly love or hate them. I was so impressed by the quality of the acting, and how each actor brought their characters to life on screen. I was especially blown away by Michelle Yeoh and Gemma Chan, for very different reasons. I was also happy to see an all-Asian cast in a mainstream film, as we still have a lot to do when it comes to wider representation and films like this are a huge step in the right direction.
I also feel like people could identify with some of the themes, especially this idea of a class divide and feeling unwelcome. It was so eye-opening to see how some people are shunned by families because of their social status, and how important it is for families to protect their name and heritage at all costs. Whilst Crazy Rich Asians shows an extreme version of this type of behaviour, class divides are prevalent across the world so this was a really interesting theme to explore. This theme is one of the reasons why I felt this film had so much substance, as it goes beyond simply being just another rom-com and shows us some serious, real-life issues instead. There are some scenes in Crazy Rich Asians that are far from comedic, and shows us a darker side to life within a wealthy, influential circle. The results are as dark as you’d expect. I don’t want to give any spoilers – experience it for yourself instead.
As for the comedy, it was genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. I am always apprehensive with comedy films as sometimes it can become too ridiculous and slapstick, but Crazy Rich Asians was satirical and smart, with some silly moments thrown in there too. I’m so impressed with how they blended humour with drama this effortlessly. It knows how to balance this without going too far one way, and the result is an incredibly well-rounded and three dimensional film that made me laugh and cry in equal measure. It’s a truly captivating film from start to finish.
Visually, it’s a stunning piece of cinema. You’re greeted with bright colours, gorgeous set design, and you’re transported to a world of luxury and Chinese culture, with these hostile undertones. On the big screen it’s even better, because you get to experience this gorgeous film on a large scale. It’s hard to take your eyes off it. I’m looking forward to revisiting this film in future so I can look for more details the second time around, as I’m sure I missed stuff during my initial viewing!
If this is the future of rom-com, consider me converted. I was so impressed by the overall film and would recommend it to anyone. Please don’t let the title and synopsis put you off, it’s such a smart, funny, heartbreaking film and I urge you to give it a go. You might end up as surprised as me!
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2018/09/16/a-rom-com-with-substance-my-thoughts-on-crazy-rich-asians/
As the title of my review suggests, I mainly loved this film because of the overall narrative. There’s a lot of character development and dark secrets, meaning your interest is constantly held throughout the film. You really start to care about these characters and their lives, and I didn’t feel like anyone was just thrown in there for the sake of it. The dynamics between characters is really well done and realistic, and it’s very easy for you to quickly love or hate them. I was so impressed by the quality of the acting, and how each actor brought their characters to life on screen. I was especially blown away by Michelle Yeoh and Gemma Chan, for very different reasons. I was also happy to see an all-Asian cast in a mainstream film, as we still have a lot to do when it comes to wider representation and films like this are a huge step in the right direction.
I also feel like people could identify with some of the themes, especially this idea of a class divide and feeling unwelcome. It was so eye-opening to see how some people are shunned by families because of their social status, and how important it is for families to protect their name and heritage at all costs. Whilst Crazy Rich Asians shows an extreme version of this type of behaviour, class divides are prevalent across the world so this was a really interesting theme to explore. This theme is one of the reasons why I felt this film had so much substance, as it goes beyond simply being just another rom-com and shows us some serious, real-life issues instead. There are some scenes in Crazy Rich Asians that are far from comedic, and shows us a darker side to life within a wealthy, influential circle. The results are as dark as you’d expect. I don’t want to give any spoilers – experience it for yourself instead.
As for the comedy, it was genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. I am always apprehensive with comedy films as sometimes it can become too ridiculous and slapstick, but Crazy Rich Asians was satirical and smart, with some silly moments thrown in there too. I’m so impressed with how they blended humour with drama this effortlessly. It knows how to balance this without going too far one way, and the result is an incredibly well-rounded and three dimensional film that made me laugh and cry in equal measure. It’s a truly captivating film from start to finish.
Visually, it’s a stunning piece of cinema. You’re greeted with bright colours, gorgeous set design, and you’re transported to a world of luxury and Chinese culture, with these hostile undertones. On the big screen it’s even better, because you get to experience this gorgeous film on a large scale. It’s hard to take your eyes off it. I’m looking forward to revisiting this film in future so I can look for more details the second time around, as I’m sure I missed stuff during my initial viewing!
If this is the future of rom-com, consider me converted. I was so impressed by the overall film and would recommend it to anyone. Please don’t let the title and synopsis put you off, it’s such a smart, funny, heartbreaking film and I urge you to give it a go. You might end up as surprised as me!
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2018/09/16/a-rom-com-with-substance-my-thoughts-on-crazy-rich-asians/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated New In Town (2009) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
When asked my impression of “New in Town” the first thing I could come up with was, “It was cute.” That meant I felt positive about the movie, right? Right. It just wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement. However, anything less than “cute” would’ve been unfair, but anything more would’ve been effusive.
Now that I’ve had time to mull over my response, I can’t help but remember the time I overheard a coworker compliment another coworker with, “You look cute.” To which the complimented coworker replied, “Thank you, but cute is for puppies. I was hoping for great.” Her inability to accept compliments graciously aside, I suppose, when you’re in your mid-40s, as this coworker was, cute just doesn’t cut it anymore. There does come a time, with maturity, one would rather hear they made a more indelible impression.
So what made this movie simply cute and not great? Maybe because I can’t answer the following questions with “Great!” But I could certainly answer them with “Cute.”
How was Renee Zellwegger, who plays Lucy Hill, a determined and driven Miami executive presented with the opportunty to restructure a manufacturing plant in New Ulm, Minnesota? Cute. Okay, I can say she’s extremely fit. Dresses impeccably in tailored power suits and works designer stilletos something fierce. But the whole package, complete with a pretty, but oddly stiff, face that winces more than it smiles, is just…cute.
How was Harry Connick, Jr., who plays Ted Mitchell, the union rep Renee’s character must negotiate with to facilitate the reorganization. Cute. Real cute with that beard. But that’s as enthusiastic as I can get and I love love love Harry Connick, Jr. His role is lowkey and what charm it allows him to cast toward Lucy is from afar. Personally, I think he would’ve been great with a piano and some singing. But that’s HCJ the singer. Alas, HCJ the actor only had a truck, birdshot and malfunctioning factory equipment. Thus, he remained just darn cute.
How was the supporting cast, headed by Siobhan Fallon, who plays Lucy’s quirky secretary, Blanche, and J. K. Simmons as the dour factory foreman, Stu? Cute. The only thing not cute about the townfolk were the sweaters and wallpaper. Ghastly would work better there. Their Minnesotan accents were spot-on (well, as far as I know, considering the only other Minnesotans I’ve ever heard were in other movies). Apparently we’re to believe New Ulm is full of either scrapbooking, Christian do-gooders bearing food or joyless, implacable factory workers who would rather drink beer, ice-fish or shoot crow.
How was the storyline? Cute. Predictable. An unoriginal romantic comedy that attempts to have message. An ambitious up-and-comer has her eye on the CEO title and thinks playing the hardnose in a cost-cutting, streamlining reorganization project will impress the boss. Hardnose in high heels comes up against a tight-knit community in flannel that’s not impressed with her wardrobe, her multi-syllabic vocaulary or her city girl naivete at all. Despite the arctic attitudes and scenery, there’s thawing on both sides as Lucy is drawn into the fold by Blanche and her scrapbooking matchmakers. She and Ted take turns rescuing each other and eventually Lucy discovers there’s a time to be all-business and there’s a time to be human, and her success comes when she finds the balance between both.
So, while I was hoping I could tell you this movie was great, I can’t. Maybe with more story development, more tangible chemistry between Ted & Lucy, it would have made a more indelible impression. For this lighthearted rom-com, cute will just have to do.
Now that I’ve had time to mull over my response, I can’t help but remember the time I overheard a coworker compliment another coworker with, “You look cute.” To which the complimented coworker replied, “Thank you, but cute is for puppies. I was hoping for great.” Her inability to accept compliments graciously aside, I suppose, when you’re in your mid-40s, as this coworker was, cute just doesn’t cut it anymore. There does come a time, with maturity, one would rather hear they made a more indelible impression.
So what made this movie simply cute and not great? Maybe because I can’t answer the following questions with “Great!” But I could certainly answer them with “Cute.”
How was Renee Zellwegger, who plays Lucy Hill, a determined and driven Miami executive presented with the opportunty to restructure a manufacturing plant in New Ulm, Minnesota? Cute. Okay, I can say she’s extremely fit. Dresses impeccably in tailored power suits and works designer stilletos something fierce. But the whole package, complete with a pretty, but oddly stiff, face that winces more than it smiles, is just…cute.
How was Harry Connick, Jr., who plays Ted Mitchell, the union rep Renee’s character must negotiate with to facilitate the reorganization. Cute. Real cute with that beard. But that’s as enthusiastic as I can get and I love love love Harry Connick, Jr. His role is lowkey and what charm it allows him to cast toward Lucy is from afar. Personally, I think he would’ve been great with a piano and some singing. But that’s HCJ the singer. Alas, HCJ the actor only had a truck, birdshot and malfunctioning factory equipment. Thus, he remained just darn cute.
How was the supporting cast, headed by Siobhan Fallon, who plays Lucy’s quirky secretary, Blanche, and J. K. Simmons as the dour factory foreman, Stu? Cute. The only thing not cute about the townfolk were the sweaters and wallpaper. Ghastly would work better there. Their Minnesotan accents were spot-on (well, as far as I know, considering the only other Minnesotans I’ve ever heard were in other movies). Apparently we’re to believe New Ulm is full of either scrapbooking, Christian do-gooders bearing food or joyless, implacable factory workers who would rather drink beer, ice-fish or shoot crow.
How was the storyline? Cute. Predictable. An unoriginal romantic comedy that attempts to have message. An ambitious up-and-comer has her eye on the CEO title and thinks playing the hardnose in a cost-cutting, streamlining reorganization project will impress the boss. Hardnose in high heels comes up against a tight-knit community in flannel that’s not impressed with her wardrobe, her multi-syllabic vocaulary or her city girl naivete at all. Despite the arctic attitudes and scenery, there’s thawing on both sides as Lucy is drawn into the fold by Blanche and her scrapbooking matchmakers. She and Ted take turns rescuing each other and eventually Lucy discovers there’s a time to be all-business and there’s a time to be human, and her success comes when she finds the balance between both.
So, while I was hoping I could tell you this movie was great, I can’t. Maybe with more story development, more tangible chemistry between Ted & Lucy, it would have made a more indelible impression. For this lighthearted rom-com, cute will just have to do.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Promising Young Woman (2020) in Movies
Apr 18, 2021
The wait for this film was agonising, and I honestly don't know how I managed to avoid spoilers when some people on the internet were incapable of using hashtags.
Cassie can't forget the past, and the event that she's living with leaves her holding onto a taste for revenge. She doles out life lessons to those who deserve it as she looks for the way to get the ultimate revenge.
Promising Young Woman is a film I would have loved to have gone into blind. The opening sets up the rest of the film so well, but all I've been able to think is what my reaction would have been without having seen a trailer and knowing what was going to happen... it would have been horrific with a side of evil satisfaction.
Though Carey Mulligan has been in a lot of things, the only thing I can actually say I've seen her in is the Doctor Who episode, Blink... which freaks me out for obvious reasons. Her back catalogue is looking a lot more enticing after seeing her performance here. Cassandra is a thinker and a planner, and while others think she's not achieving her potential, but where she is in life gives her exactly what she needs. Mulligan snaps instantly between the two sides of Cassie's persona with such finesse that when you combine it with the production's editing and cinematography and those moments hold you in suspense for the next.
If you asked me my thoughts on Bo Burnham then I probably would have said I wasn't a fan. But actually, I only remember seeing his stand up, and I was surprised I'd seen films he's been in. Ryan was a great character, he's got that natural charm to him that made a great contrast to the other men we see throughout the film. The development in their relationship is great and follows that sort of "wholesome" and goof expectation of a "successful" dating life... admittedly, not for everyone though.
There was a large recognisable cast, but of the other actors, my main call out would be Alfred Molina. His scene with Carey Mulligan was easily one of my favourites, not just for his performance but the way his character impacts Cassie. In the rest of the cast there were some solid performances, Jennifer Coolidge definitely surprised me as I A) didn't know she was in this and B) have never seen her in a role like this before. But beyond them there were some actor/role combinations that didn't feel right to me.
Something that continually jumped out at me was the score. Great selection of songs, perfectly aligned, nice mix of styles... and that version of Toxic? Masterpiece. I adored every moment of it and I'm listening to the album right now on Spotify.
The feel of the film was a very interesting experience. The divide in Cassie's life is so clear, and I loved Madison's reaction to seeing it. The whole look shows you the drama and thriller side incredibly well and somehow managed to blend them together seamlessly. (Though as an inserted afterthought, I would have liked to have seen this in a murdery version.)
I would really like to talk about the end of the film, but won't for obvious reasons. There's a behind the scenes feature that goes into a specific point, and that attention to detail makes that scene. But in that same instance I knew what was going to happen, and I curse my brain for making it pop into my thoughts.
Promising Young Woman is a very good film, and yet again Emerald Fennell has created something darkly delightful. It embodies something that a lot of people can identify with, not just women, and I have to hope it might enlighten some people as well as entertain.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/04/promising-young-woman-movie-review.html
Cassie can't forget the past, and the event that she's living with leaves her holding onto a taste for revenge. She doles out life lessons to those who deserve it as she looks for the way to get the ultimate revenge.
Promising Young Woman is a film I would have loved to have gone into blind. The opening sets up the rest of the film so well, but all I've been able to think is what my reaction would have been without having seen a trailer and knowing what was going to happen... it would have been horrific with a side of evil satisfaction.
Though Carey Mulligan has been in a lot of things, the only thing I can actually say I've seen her in is the Doctor Who episode, Blink... which freaks me out for obvious reasons. Her back catalogue is looking a lot more enticing after seeing her performance here. Cassandra is a thinker and a planner, and while others think she's not achieving her potential, but where she is in life gives her exactly what she needs. Mulligan snaps instantly between the two sides of Cassie's persona with such finesse that when you combine it with the production's editing and cinematography and those moments hold you in suspense for the next.
If you asked me my thoughts on Bo Burnham then I probably would have said I wasn't a fan. But actually, I only remember seeing his stand up, and I was surprised I'd seen films he's been in. Ryan was a great character, he's got that natural charm to him that made a great contrast to the other men we see throughout the film. The development in their relationship is great and follows that sort of "wholesome" and goof expectation of a "successful" dating life... admittedly, not for everyone though.
There was a large recognisable cast, but of the other actors, my main call out would be Alfred Molina. His scene with Carey Mulligan was easily one of my favourites, not just for his performance but the way his character impacts Cassie. In the rest of the cast there were some solid performances, Jennifer Coolidge definitely surprised me as I A) didn't know she was in this and B) have never seen her in a role like this before. But beyond them there were some actor/role combinations that didn't feel right to me.
Something that continually jumped out at me was the score. Great selection of songs, perfectly aligned, nice mix of styles... and that version of Toxic? Masterpiece. I adored every moment of it and I'm listening to the album right now on Spotify.
The feel of the film was a very interesting experience. The divide in Cassie's life is so clear, and I loved Madison's reaction to seeing it. The whole look shows you the drama and thriller side incredibly well and somehow managed to blend them together seamlessly. (Though as an inserted afterthought, I would have liked to have seen this in a murdery version.)
I would really like to talk about the end of the film, but won't for obvious reasons. There's a behind the scenes feature that goes into a specific point, and that attention to detail makes that scene. But in that same instance I knew what was going to happen, and I curse my brain for making it pop into my thoughts.
Promising Young Woman is a very good film, and yet again Emerald Fennell has created something darkly delightful. It embodies something that a lot of people can identify with, not just women, and I have to hope it might enlighten some people as well as entertain.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/04/promising-young-woman-movie-review.html