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Love's Executioner
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Love's Executioner offers us the humane and extraordinary insight of renowned psychiatrist Irvin D....
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) in Movies
Feb 12, 2021
Give Chadwick the Oscar
Pulitzer Prize winning Playwright August Wilson wrote 10 plays that he labeled his “Century Cycle” - one placed in each decade of the 20th century that depicts the Negro experience in America. Denzel Washington has pledged to produce a film for each one of these plays.
The first film, FENCES (2016), earned Viola Davis an Oscar and was nominated for Best Film. The 2nd film, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM looks to be just as awarded.
Set in a recording studio in Chicago in the 1920’s (the only play of Wilson’s Century Cycle NOT set in Pittsburgh), MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM tells the story of a recording session for Ma Rainey and her band.
Nominated for the Tony for Best Play of 1984, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM is the perfect stage play, for it takes place in one room - the recording studio. The problem with turning this into a film is that Director George C. Wolf felt compelled to “open things up” and added scenes, mostly at the beginning of the film, that takes you out of the studio. He also included Ma Rainey in some of these scenes, thus taking away the power of her entrance about 1/3 of the way into the story. These added scenes add nothing to the story and waters down some of the strength that being confined in one place brings.
But, oh, with performances and dialogue like this, those things are quickly forgotten.
Davis, of course, is stellar as Ma Rainey grabbing the spotlight and commanding the room with her presence. Ma Rainey (and Davis) are not to be trifled with and this is a powerhouse performance, so much so that I can forgive the film for having Davis’ voice dubbed for much of her singing performance.
But…Davis performance pales in comparison to the elite level work of Chadwick Boseman in the central role of trumpet player Levee who has some demons to unpack, demons that drive both his artistic and emotional self. This is a difficult character to root for, but Boseman’s charm shines through and mixed with his rage and sadness, makes for a potent combination and an interesting character to watch. Adding to the poignancy of the performance is the knowledge that this as Boseman’s last role before succumbing to cancer.
Colman Domingo (my favorite actor in FEAR THE WALKING DEAD) brings a strong grounding to the preceedings in the role of Cutler while veteran character actor Glynn Turman (who I remember from the 1970’s mini-series CENTENNIAL) is at a career best as another musician, Toledo. Most of the film (and play) consist of Cutler, Toledo and Levee talking, arguing, bantering and pontificating and these 3 are more than up to this challenge.
All of this, of course, would not be possible without the power of the original stage play script by August Wilson. This work was ably adapted to the screen by Ruben Santiago-Hudson (a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination).
A very strong, very interesting tale with some very moving performances makes MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM a worthy Oscar-type film that should be checked out by all.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
The first film, FENCES (2016), earned Viola Davis an Oscar and was nominated for Best Film. The 2nd film, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM looks to be just as awarded.
Set in a recording studio in Chicago in the 1920’s (the only play of Wilson’s Century Cycle NOT set in Pittsburgh), MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM tells the story of a recording session for Ma Rainey and her band.
Nominated for the Tony for Best Play of 1984, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM is the perfect stage play, for it takes place in one room - the recording studio. The problem with turning this into a film is that Director George C. Wolf felt compelled to “open things up” and added scenes, mostly at the beginning of the film, that takes you out of the studio. He also included Ma Rainey in some of these scenes, thus taking away the power of her entrance about 1/3 of the way into the story. These added scenes add nothing to the story and waters down some of the strength that being confined in one place brings.
But, oh, with performances and dialogue like this, those things are quickly forgotten.
Davis, of course, is stellar as Ma Rainey grabbing the spotlight and commanding the room with her presence. Ma Rainey (and Davis) are not to be trifled with and this is a powerhouse performance, so much so that I can forgive the film for having Davis’ voice dubbed for much of her singing performance.
But…Davis performance pales in comparison to the elite level work of Chadwick Boseman in the central role of trumpet player Levee who has some demons to unpack, demons that drive both his artistic and emotional self. This is a difficult character to root for, but Boseman’s charm shines through and mixed with his rage and sadness, makes for a potent combination and an interesting character to watch. Adding to the poignancy of the performance is the knowledge that this as Boseman’s last role before succumbing to cancer.
Colman Domingo (my favorite actor in FEAR THE WALKING DEAD) brings a strong grounding to the preceedings in the role of Cutler while veteran character actor Glynn Turman (who I remember from the 1970’s mini-series CENTENNIAL) is at a career best as another musician, Toledo. Most of the film (and play) consist of Cutler, Toledo and Levee talking, arguing, bantering and pontificating and these 3 are more than up to this challenge.
All of this, of course, would not be possible without the power of the original stage play script by August Wilson. This work was ably adapted to the screen by Ruben Santiago-Hudson (a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination).
A very strong, very interesting tale with some very moving performances makes MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM a worthy Oscar-type film that should be checked out by all.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated One Two Three in Books
Jun 10, 2021
A touching read about family and resilience
Nothing new ever happens in the town of Bourne. Everyone knows everyone. So when the moving trucks arrive, it causes a stir. Bourne is a town known for one thing: seventeen years ago, their water turned green. Many of their citizens of died, others have cancer and other illnesses, and others gave birth to children with birth defects. You'll never find a town more accommodating to wheelchairs. But it has one doctor (also the priest) and one therapist (Nora Mitchell). Bourne houses Nora's triplets, beloved by all: Mab, the "normal" one, who is expected to go to college and escape this place; Monday, who runs the town library from their home and prefers yellow everything (food, clothes, and more); and Mirabel, the smartest of them all, confined to her wheelchair, dependent on her sisters and mom for so much and on a computer to act as her Voice. Nora has been fighting for justice since the water turned green. When the newcomers come to town, the past roars up, involving the Mitchell triplets and bringing to light decades old secrets. How hard will Mab, Monday, and Mirabel fight for their town?
This is such an original book from the author of THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS. It sneaks up on you with its quiet and touching story. Frankel weaves an emotional tale that makes you think. It's utterly fascinating, this devastated town and its broken people. So many of its citizens are sick or have lost someone they love. Yet there is a lot of hope in Bourne, especially as the story is told through young Mab, Monday, and Mirabel's eyes. They've only known their mom's sadness and bitterness, never having met their father, yet each has their own (often quirky) way of looking at life.
Frankel alternates viewpoints from each triplet, naming her chapters One (Mab), Two (Monday), and Three (Mirabel) and repeating from there. It takes a moment to get into the groove of each triplets' voice, but once you do, it's easy to get attached to them. Mab feels the weight of the world on her shoulders, sweet Monday takes everything literally, and Mirabel must remain cheerful, despite all her medical issues. Their mom holds a variety of jobs, including town therapist and working at the local bar, and maintains a decades long lawsuit and grievance. It's hard to know what the triplets' life might be like without Nora's anger and bitterness.
Still, ONE TWO THREE highlights the power of sisterhood and family. You'd think a book about a broken town would be depressing and a slugfest, but it's anything but. In many ways, I found this to be almost a mystery, as the sisters work together to figure out about the newcomers in their town and how they relate to the years of devastation wrecked upon Bourne. The result is utterly compelling, with years of intertwined secrets making for a fascinating read.
Still, at the core, this is a story about teenage girls and how they relate to the world. It's sweet, heartbreaking, and extremely well-written. There are a few points where I wish the plot sped up a bit, but overall, this is a touching and lovely story about a family and their small town.
I received a copy of this book from Henry Holt & Company and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. Look for ONE TWO THREE on 6/8/2021!
This is such an original book from the author of THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS. It sneaks up on you with its quiet and touching story. Frankel weaves an emotional tale that makes you think. It's utterly fascinating, this devastated town and its broken people. So many of its citizens are sick or have lost someone they love. Yet there is a lot of hope in Bourne, especially as the story is told through young Mab, Monday, and Mirabel's eyes. They've only known their mom's sadness and bitterness, never having met their father, yet each has their own (often quirky) way of looking at life.
Frankel alternates viewpoints from each triplet, naming her chapters One (Mab), Two (Monday), and Three (Mirabel) and repeating from there. It takes a moment to get into the groove of each triplets' voice, but once you do, it's easy to get attached to them. Mab feels the weight of the world on her shoulders, sweet Monday takes everything literally, and Mirabel must remain cheerful, despite all her medical issues. Their mom holds a variety of jobs, including town therapist and working at the local bar, and maintains a decades long lawsuit and grievance. It's hard to know what the triplets' life might be like without Nora's anger and bitterness.
Still, ONE TWO THREE highlights the power of sisterhood and family. You'd think a book about a broken town would be depressing and a slugfest, but it's anything but. In many ways, I found this to be almost a mystery, as the sisters work together to figure out about the newcomers in their town and how they relate to the years of devastation wrecked upon Bourne. The result is utterly compelling, with years of intertwined secrets making for a fascinating read.
Still, at the core, this is a story about teenage girls and how they relate to the world. It's sweet, heartbreaking, and extremely well-written. There are a few points where I wish the plot sped up a bit, but overall, this is a touching and lovely story about a family and their small town.
I received a copy of this book from Henry Holt & Company and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. Look for ONE TWO THREE on 6/8/2021!
Carter’s Encyclopaedia of Health and Medicine
Health & Fitness and Medical
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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) in Movies
Nov 18, 2022
Should have been called WAKANDA MOURNS
The passing of Chadwick Boseman from cancer is a unfortunate and sad thing. The makers of the Black Panther series of films for the MCU had a difficult task to accomplish. How do they pay tribute to their lost lead while also leading the series in a new direction? In the end, they ultimately decided to lean INTO (and not away from) his passing - and your emotional involvement in this film will be predicated on how you react to this, for basing an entire SuperHero Movie on grief and longing for a return to the past is not going to make the “feel good movie of the year”.
Directed and Written (with Joe Robert Cole) by Ryan Coogler (he of the first BLACK PANTHER film), BLACK PANTHER:WAKANDA FOREVER starts on a somber note with the off-screen passing of King T’Chala and the grief and celebration of life for him by his Sister Suri (Letitia Wright) and Mother Queen Ramonda (Angela Basset), both of whom are reprising their roles from previous MCU outings. This is all well and good and Basset, especially, shines in these early parts of the film for she is one of the best actresses working today and she rises above the material (and, if I’m honest, the other actors on the screen) to show actual grief and sorrow on the screen. Some are calling for her to be nominated for an Oscar for this role and she would be a deserved recipient of this.
With that out of the way, it’s time for this film to move on to it’s current adventure and the emergence of a new Black Panther. But, Coogler doesn’t do that, he hangs onto the grief, anger and sorrow that is being felt and this mood permeates the entire film - to, ultimately, it’s detriment.
Newcomer (at least to the MCU) Tenoch Huerta (THE FOREVER PURGE) shows up as Namor, the Sub-Mariner, the villain of the piece and he is formidable enough but with the lack of a Black Panther to battle him, it doesn’t seem like a fair fight. Suri, Okoye (Danai Gurira), M’Baku (Winston Duke) and the Dora Milaje (with Florence Kasumba and Michaela Coel being at the forefront - and they are terrific) all are game at the battles and trying to make it to the forefront. But this Wakandan group needed something.
They needed Chadwick Boseman.
While Angela Bassett was the star power the film needed in the first half of the film, Lupita Nyong’o filled that bill in the 2nd half and it was comforting to see her - and her character, Nakia - back in the MCU.
Unfortunately, the character that didn’t really gel was the catalyst to the conflict, Riri Williams (and her MCU SuperHero alter-ego Ironheart) played by Dominique Thorne. This character felt tacked onto this story and her Superhero origins were not really explained, so one will just need to “go with me here” on this one.
Because their is no real emotional center to the battles, they felt like CGI forces fighting CGI forces and the underwater scenery was “fine” but nothing special.
As stated earlier, this film has a dour, mourning mood to it throughout, making it feel more like a morose DC film than a life-affirming, fun MCU film. So just be prepared for that.
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER should have been titled BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA MOURNS and it would have been a more accurate title.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Directed and Written (with Joe Robert Cole) by Ryan Coogler (he of the first BLACK PANTHER film), BLACK PANTHER:WAKANDA FOREVER starts on a somber note with the off-screen passing of King T’Chala and the grief and celebration of life for him by his Sister Suri (Letitia Wright) and Mother Queen Ramonda (Angela Basset), both of whom are reprising their roles from previous MCU outings. This is all well and good and Basset, especially, shines in these early parts of the film for she is one of the best actresses working today and she rises above the material (and, if I’m honest, the other actors on the screen) to show actual grief and sorrow on the screen. Some are calling for her to be nominated for an Oscar for this role and she would be a deserved recipient of this.
With that out of the way, it’s time for this film to move on to it’s current adventure and the emergence of a new Black Panther. But, Coogler doesn’t do that, he hangs onto the grief, anger and sorrow that is being felt and this mood permeates the entire film - to, ultimately, it’s detriment.
Newcomer (at least to the MCU) Tenoch Huerta (THE FOREVER PURGE) shows up as Namor, the Sub-Mariner, the villain of the piece and he is formidable enough but with the lack of a Black Panther to battle him, it doesn’t seem like a fair fight. Suri, Okoye (Danai Gurira), M’Baku (Winston Duke) and the Dora Milaje (with Florence Kasumba and Michaela Coel being at the forefront - and they are terrific) all are game at the battles and trying to make it to the forefront. But this Wakandan group needed something.
They needed Chadwick Boseman.
While Angela Bassett was the star power the film needed in the first half of the film, Lupita Nyong’o filled that bill in the 2nd half and it was comforting to see her - and her character, Nakia - back in the MCU.
Unfortunately, the character that didn’t really gel was the catalyst to the conflict, Riri Williams (and her MCU SuperHero alter-ego Ironheart) played by Dominique Thorne. This character felt tacked onto this story and her Superhero origins were not really explained, so one will just need to “go with me here” on this one.
Because their is no real emotional center to the battles, they felt like CGI forces fighting CGI forces and the underwater scenery was “fine” but nothing special.
As stated earlier, this film has a dour, mourning mood to it throughout, making it feel more like a morose DC film than a life-affirming, fun MCU film. So just be prepared for that.
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER should have been titled BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA MOURNS and it would have been a more accurate title.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Merissa (12058 KP) rated A Songbird Novel Box Set #3 (Geronimo, Hole Hearted, Rather Be) in Books
May 21, 2017
A Songbird Novel Box Set #3 (Geronimo, Hole Hearted, Rather Be)
I have bought these books as individual stories, but I will leave my review for all three on the boxset.
Geronimo
Geronimo is Jane's story. We got a small insight when we had Sarah and Justin's story in Rough Waters, but this one goes into detail about how the tragic events of that day affected Jane's life. I loved how Jane and Harry got together, no angst, no drama, just two people out to enjoy as much as they could. Of course, knowing how the previous Songbird novels have gone, I was waiting for the other shoe to fall. And it did! Fate plays a bit part in this story, whether you believe in it or not, but pushing any doubts to one side, I loved how this story panned out.
With a smooth pace, well-written characters, and slow-building angst, this is a story with an abundance of emotion so be prepared! With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt the reading flow, this is a book to lose yourself in. With a nice hook into the next book, the Songbird series continues to delight, and Geronimo is most definitely recommended by me.
Hole-Hearted
Hole Hearted is the latest fantastic addition to the Songbird series, and features Felix, Troy, and Cassie. Felix and Cassie are nephew and aunt who didn't know each other existed until it became obvious that Felix's mum wasn't going to survive her battle with cancer. Troy is a counsellor who wants to help this pair professionally, but also on a personal note.
I won't go into the story itself, except to say that it is exceptionally written, will have you crying if you're anything like me, and will tug at your heartstrings throughout. With a smooth, flowing story, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. In fact, the only thing that disrupted me was either my tears, or when I had to listen to the music that was mentioned! This playlist was right up my alley, and I loved every song!!
An absolutely amazing addition to the Songbird series, and I really can't recommend this book or the series highly enough.
Rather Be
Rather Be is the tenth and final book in the Songbird series, and gives you the same emotional impact as every book that I have read by this author. Charlie and Nixon were best friends throughout school, and became more during one short break in Yosemite. However, life (and Nixon's father) had different plans than them getting together. So for four years, these two go their separate ways until a chance snowstorm strands them both at JFK airport. Charlie seizes the opportunity of spending time with the man she has always loved but can never have. Nixon can't believe that Charlie is here with him once more, and all his old feelings resurface.
The pacing in this book is superb, it never flags in any area. The writing is smooth and there are no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The soundtrack that accompanies this story is absolutely spot on, and like with all the books in this series, I love how it tells a story too. There was an added extra in this book though, and I LOVED IT!!! Every couple from the previous books in the Songbird series feature cameo appearances in the Chix storyline! Sheer perfection. We get a small snapshot of their lives and that left me with the warm fuzzies. Definitely and absolutely recommended by me.
Geronimo
Geronimo is Jane's story. We got a small insight when we had Sarah and Justin's story in Rough Waters, but this one goes into detail about how the tragic events of that day affected Jane's life. I loved how Jane and Harry got together, no angst, no drama, just two people out to enjoy as much as they could. Of course, knowing how the previous Songbird novels have gone, I was waiting for the other shoe to fall. And it did! Fate plays a bit part in this story, whether you believe in it or not, but pushing any doubts to one side, I loved how this story panned out.
With a smooth pace, well-written characters, and slow-building angst, this is a story with an abundance of emotion so be prepared! With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt the reading flow, this is a book to lose yourself in. With a nice hook into the next book, the Songbird series continues to delight, and Geronimo is most definitely recommended by me.
Hole-Hearted
Hole Hearted is the latest fantastic addition to the Songbird series, and features Felix, Troy, and Cassie. Felix and Cassie are nephew and aunt who didn't know each other existed until it became obvious that Felix's mum wasn't going to survive her battle with cancer. Troy is a counsellor who wants to help this pair professionally, but also on a personal note.
I won't go into the story itself, except to say that it is exceptionally written, will have you crying if you're anything like me, and will tug at your heartstrings throughout. With a smooth, flowing story, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. In fact, the only thing that disrupted me was either my tears, or when I had to listen to the music that was mentioned! This playlist was right up my alley, and I loved every song!!
An absolutely amazing addition to the Songbird series, and I really can't recommend this book or the series highly enough.
Rather Be
Rather Be is the tenth and final book in the Songbird series, and gives you the same emotional impact as every book that I have read by this author. Charlie and Nixon were best friends throughout school, and became more during one short break in Yosemite. However, life (and Nixon's father) had different plans than them getting together. So for four years, these two go their separate ways until a chance snowstorm strands them both at JFK airport. Charlie seizes the opportunity of spending time with the man she has always loved but can never have. Nixon can't believe that Charlie is here with him once more, and all his old feelings resurface.
The pacing in this book is superb, it never flags in any area. The writing is smooth and there are no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The soundtrack that accompanies this story is absolutely spot on, and like with all the books in this series, I love how it tells a story too. There was an added extra in this book though, and I LOVED IT!!! Every couple from the previous books in the Songbird series feature cameo appearances in the Chix storyline! Sheer perfection. We get a small snapshot of their lives and that left me with the warm fuzzies. Definitely and absolutely recommended by me.
RəX Regent (349 KP) rated Downfall (Der Untergang) (2004) in Movies
Feb 19, 2019
The true story of the last days of NAZI Germany, focusing on Hitler and his cohorts as they sought refuge on his Berlin Bunker and is chronicled here with such honesty.
Told in a straight forward manner, we are given a portrait of not only Adolf Hitler himself, played perfectly by Bruno Ganz, who manages to humanize him without ever apologising for his heinous acts, but also those close to him. Shown through the young eyes of his final secretary, Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara), we are given a picture of what The Third Reich was to those who believed in it as well as what it had become for those who would suffer at it bloody hands.
Directed by Hirschbiegel to put us, the audience in the anterooms with these monsters, we are placed into a complex environment, edgy, atmospheric and most of all, real, as we witness noble acts of patriotism, conscience and pure, despicable horror, none less so that Magda Geobells, with the full consent of her husband, Joseph, first drugging, then murdering their six children as they slept, rather than “let them live in a world without national socialism.”
The only redeeming factors were their eventual suicides and in terms of the film, their first rate performances throughout this harrowing scene. Corinna Harfouch, who portrays Magda manages to portray this evil woman yet convey the emotion which was subdued deep beneath the surface. No small feat to allow such a fleeting glimpse of humanity during such and inhuman act.
But the same must be said Bruno Ganz, who manages to portray Hitler with such humanity; whilst showing us the true nature of his monstrosities, highlighting that the REAL monsters live among us and can seduce us at any time, any where, especially when we are vulnerable.
During one of the film’s early scenes, Hitler and Albert Speer (Heino Ferch), his Armaments Minister, discussing his vision for The Third Reich as he looks over a model of the new Germany which would be built after he won the war, a Germany without department stores, instead focusing on art, literature and culture.
Surely a noble goal, but as we all know, this cultural hub would have been built at an unacceptable cost, mainly with the blood of those who Hitler and his cohorts deemed to be inferior.
This is one of many clever methods used to convey a fair portrait of Hitler and The Third Reich. To demonstrate how bad they were, you first have to show impartiality, pointing out the good in what they do, play devil’s advocate as it were. Because whether we like it or not, evil motives are often built upon decent goals.
But as this film demonstrates, as Hitler shows his destine for anyone, even his own people, who will not give their lives for HIS vision of Germany, his Third Reich was being eaten away by a cancer of his own making, a Germany rotting from the very top.
Downfall is without a doubt one of the best World War 2 films which I have ever seen, delivering a compelling and immersive look behind the scenes of one of the most important defeats in modern history.
But being British and having to follow this with subtitles, which was great as watching this in its native German only adds to the experience, it can be a bit difficult to keep up with every plot machination, as we spend two and half hours reading about troop deployments, tactics and the philosophy of the Third Reich as we are presented with such atmospheric work, but if you can keep up with but the text and visuals, this is one hell of an education for those who do not know and an immersive masterpiece for those who follow WW2 history.
Told in a straight forward manner, we are given a portrait of not only Adolf Hitler himself, played perfectly by Bruno Ganz, who manages to humanize him without ever apologising for his heinous acts, but also those close to him. Shown through the young eyes of his final secretary, Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara), we are given a picture of what The Third Reich was to those who believed in it as well as what it had become for those who would suffer at it bloody hands.
Directed by Hirschbiegel to put us, the audience in the anterooms with these monsters, we are placed into a complex environment, edgy, atmospheric and most of all, real, as we witness noble acts of patriotism, conscience and pure, despicable horror, none less so that Magda Geobells, with the full consent of her husband, Joseph, first drugging, then murdering their six children as they slept, rather than “let them live in a world without national socialism.”
The only redeeming factors were their eventual suicides and in terms of the film, their first rate performances throughout this harrowing scene. Corinna Harfouch, who portrays Magda manages to portray this evil woman yet convey the emotion which was subdued deep beneath the surface. No small feat to allow such a fleeting glimpse of humanity during such and inhuman act.
But the same must be said Bruno Ganz, who manages to portray Hitler with such humanity; whilst showing us the true nature of his monstrosities, highlighting that the REAL monsters live among us and can seduce us at any time, any where, especially when we are vulnerable.
During one of the film’s early scenes, Hitler and Albert Speer (Heino Ferch), his Armaments Minister, discussing his vision for The Third Reich as he looks over a model of the new Germany which would be built after he won the war, a Germany without department stores, instead focusing on art, literature and culture.
Surely a noble goal, but as we all know, this cultural hub would have been built at an unacceptable cost, mainly with the blood of those who Hitler and his cohorts deemed to be inferior.
This is one of many clever methods used to convey a fair portrait of Hitler and The Third Reich. To demonstrate how bad they were, you first have to show impartiality, pointing out the good in what they do, play devil’s advocate as it were. Because whether we like it or not, evil motives are often built upon decent goals.
But as this film demonstrates, as Hitler shows his destine for anyone, even his own people, who will not give their lives for HIS vision of Germany, his Third Reich was being eaten away by a cancer of his own making, a Germany rotting from the very top.
Downfall is without a doubt one of the best World War 2 films which I have ever seen, delivering a compelling and immersive look behind the scenes of one of the most important defeats in modern history.
But being British and having to follow this with subtitles, which was great as watching this in its native German only adds to the experience, it can be a bit difficult to keep up with every plot machination, as we spend two and half hours reading about troop deployments, tactics and the philosophy of the Third Reich as we are presented with such atmospheric work, but if you can keep up with but the text and visuals, this is one hell of an education for those who do not know and an immersive masterpiece for those who follow WW2 history.
Rupert Falkes is a wealthy, (somewhat) self-made man. A British orphan, he came to America, charmed his way into Yale Law, and made a career as a successful lawyer. He also married well: the beautiful (and rich) Eleanor Phipps. Together, the pair had five sons (Harry, Will, Sam, Jack, and Tom) and a happy life. When Rupert dies of cancer, a woman comes forward, claiming to have had two sons with him as well. The revelation causes different reactions among Eleanor and all the Falkes boys (now men), setting off a chain of reactions throughout the privileged family.
I'll be honest; I requested this ARC solely because I enjoyed Reiger's previous novel, [b:The Divorce Papers|18142403|The Divorce Papers|Susan Rieger|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1378708022s/18142403.jpg|25489091], so much. I did not realize THE HEIRS was set in New York City and focused purely on a wealthy family--it seems like so many of these novels lately are tedious, and I can't find any connection to the characters.
And, truly, at first seemed it seemed like a boring look at a bunch of rich people. However, the novel becomes more interesting and nuanced as it progresses, with the viewpoints varying by chapter (and really within each chapter). The story is told by the people who were within Rupert Falkes' orbit. We hear from his wife, some of his sons, and past love interests of both Rupert and Eleanor. It turns out to be an effective way to tell the story, with bits and pieces of various stories coming out from the characters throughout the book, including about the possible illegitimate sons. (The focus is less on these two potential heirs than you would think, albeit their potential existence sort of kicks off the story.)
About halfway through, I found many of the characters to be petulant and annoying again--probably because we were in whiny middle son Sam's chapter. Truly, a lot of the people in this book are jerks. Sadly, Eleanor and Rupert's sons aren't always of the best character. Still, Eleanor is a fascinating person. She's strong, witty, and deep. She was definitely my favorite character in the novel, and any stories related to her were my favorite as well.
There is a lot of talk about money, class, and heritage in the novel. It's set in an earlier time period; it sometimes seems a bit much, but I suppose it's a realistic portrayal of wealthy New York in that era. Still, it is a lot of Jews versus Gentiles, rich versus poor, Yale versus Princeton.
I was a bit torn on this one for a bit, but I can't deny that I really enjoyed it, even if I didn't always like the characters. Besides, I was quite taken with Eleanor and even Anne (the wife of Eleanor's past love, Jim). Rieger is simply a good writer: her books are crisp and sharp. While on the surface the novel seems to be about a bunch of rich people, it also depicts the ties that bind us; there's meaning behind the sniping. There are touching moments in this novel, heartbreaking ones, and even funny ones. I didn't love it quite as much as THE DIVORCE PAPERS, and would probably rate as it 3.75 stars, but I'll round up to 4 stars here.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Librarything (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 05/23/2017.
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I'll be honest; I requested this ARC solely because I enjoyed Reiger's previous novel, [b:The Divorce Papers|18142403|The Divorce Papers|Susan Rieger|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1378708022s/18142403.jpg|25489091], so much. I did not realize THE HEIRS was set in New York City and focused purely on a wealthy family--it seems like so many of these novels lately are tedious, and I can't find any connection to the characters.
And, truly, at first seemed it seemed like a boring look at a bunch of rich people. However, the novel becomes more interesting and nuanced as it progresses, with the viewpoints varying by chapter (and really within each chapter). The story is told by the people who were within Rupert Falkes' orbit. We hear from his wife, some of his sons, and past love interests of both Rupert and Eleanor. It turns out to be an effective way to tell the story, with bits and pieces of various stories coming out from the characters throughout the book, including about the possible illegitimate sons. (The focus is less on these two potential heirs than you would think, albeit their potential existence sort of kicks off the story.)
About halfway through, I found many of the characters to be petulant and annoying again--probably because we were in whiny middle son Sam's chapter. Truly, a lot of the people in this book are jerks. Sadly, Eleanor and Rupert's sons aren't always of the best character. Still, Eleanor is a fascinating person. She's strong, witty, and deep. She was definitely my favorite character in the novel, and any stories related to her were my favorite as well.
There is a lot of talk about money, class, and heritage in the novel. It's set in an earlier time period; it sometimes seems a bit much, but I suppose it's a realistic portrayal of wealthy New York in that era. Still, it is a lot of Jews versus Gentiles, rich versus poor, Yale versus Princeton.
I was a bit torn on this one for a bit, but I can't deny that I really enjoyed it, even if I didn't always like the characters. Besides, I was quite taken with Eleanor and even Anne (the wife of Eleanor's past love, Jim). Rieger is simply a good writer: her books are crisp and sharp. While on the surface the novel seems to be about a bunch of rich people, it also depicts the ties that bind us; there's meaning behind the sniping. There are touching moments in this novel, heartbreaking ones, and even funny ones. I didn't love it quite as much as THE DIVORCE PAPERS, and would probably rate as it 3.75 stars, but I'll round up to 4 stars here.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Librarything (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 05/23/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;