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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Look For Me in Books
Apr 9, 2019
DD Warren is trying to find out who has killed the Baez family. Mother, Justine; her boyfriend, Charlie; her youngest daughter, Lola; and her only son, Manny. But there is another child, Roxanna, as well as two dogs, Rosie and Blaze. Where are they? Did Roxanna do this to her family? If so, why? But Roxy was the protector of the family. Her mom is a recovering alcoholic and when she was drinking Roxy made sure her siblings ate and made it to school. When the state took the kids away from Justine for a year, this role for Roxy became more prominent. After that year, the girls were never the same. Did something happen during their year in foster care that could have warranted this kind of violence? Will DD be able to find the person or people responsible for this before more people are killed? Will her new CI, Flora Dane prove to be helpful or detrimental to this case?
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
When I made the request from NetGalley for this book, I was intrigued by the description and didn't know that this was the 9th book in the series. I don't think that I needed to read the entire series to get into this book, but I'm sure the background on some of the characters would have been helpful. So, I'm definitely going to go back now and read the rest of the series.
Can you imagine coming home and finding your whole family dead? Your younger sister clutching your brother in order to protect him from a crazy killer? How do you come back from that? Over the course of a few days Detective DD Warren is trying to find out who could do such a thing to this family. With the help of confidential informant, Flora Dane, will they be able to find the killer as well as find Roxana before it's too late. Who would want to hurt these people? What did they do? So many questions and the answers can't come fast enough, until they all do come crashing into one another in one fell swoop.
I can't wait to read more books in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
When I made the request from NetGalley for this book, I was intrigued by the description and didn't know that this was the 9th book in the series. I don't think that I needed to read the entire series to get into this book, but I'm sure the background on some of the characters would have been helpful. So, I'm definitely going to go back now and read the rest of the series.
Can you imagine coming home and finding your whole family dead? Your younger sister clutching your brother in order to protect him from a crazy killer? How do you come back from that? Over the course of a few days Detective DD Warren is trying to find out who could do such a thing to this family. With the help of confidential informant, Flora Dane, will they be able to find the killer as well as find Roxana before it's too late. Who would want to hurt these people? What did they do? So many questions and the answers can't come fast enough, until they all do come crashing into one another in one fell swoop.
I can't wait to read more books in this series.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Paper Magician (The Paper Magician Trilogy, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
<i>The Paper Magician</i> is the first in a trilogy of fantasy books by Charlie N. Holmberg. Set in London in the early 1900s it explores the idea of magic in a unique and original way. The protagonist, Ceony Twill, is only nineteen and has recently graduated from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined. For the next few years of her life she is to be apprenticed to a magician who will teach her to use the magic of their chosen material. To Ceony’s disgust she is paired with Magician Emery Thane, a Folder. She is going to spend the rest her life bonded to an extremely boring object: paper.
Ceony and the reader soon discover that there is a particular art to folding paper correctly in order to produce something (e.g. a paper bird) that lives and breathes. But there is something peculiar about Mg. Thane and he ends up in a life and death situation that only Ceony can save him from.
The originality of the plot made this book fascinating to read. A large variety of magical abilities have been explored throughout novels over the years but until now I have not read one that focuses on the material paper. The author has taken something that exists in the known world – origami – and given it a whole new purpose.
Both Ceony and Mg. Thane are likable characters that have a variety of character traits that appeal to a range of different personalities. There were times when their behaviour and speech felt too contemporary for the historical setting resulting in the time period being completely irrelevant to the narrative. Despite this the general storyline was still exciting.
Fantasy novels naturally involve ideas a little beyond the average person’s comprehension, however the middle of <i>The Paper Magician</i> became so far fetched that it was a little confusing for a while.
Overall, <i>The Paper Magician</i> is a fast paced, easy to read book suitable for young adults and fans of fantasy and magic. The story continues in <i>The Glass Magician</i> and the third and finally book can be expected in 2015.
<i>The Paper Magician</i> is the first in a trilogy of fantasy books by Charlie N. Holmberg. Set in London in the early 1900s it explores the idea of magic in a unique and original way. The protagonist, Ceony Twill, is only nineteen and has recently graduated from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined. For the next few years of her life she is to be apprenticed to a magician who will teach her to use the magic of their chosen material. To Ceony’s disgust she is paired with Magician Emery Thane, a Folder. She is going to spend the rest her life bonded to an extremely boring object: paper.
Ceony and the reader soon discover that there is a particular art to folding paper correctly in order to produce something (e.g. a paper bird) that lives and breathes. But there is something peculiar about Mg. Thane and he ends up in a life and death situation that only Ceony can save him from.
The originality of the plot made this book fascinating to read. A large variety of magical abilities have been explored throughout novels over the years but until now I have not read one that focuses on the material paper. The author has taken something that exists in the known world – origami – and given it a whole new purpose.
Both Ceony and Mg. Thane are likable characters that have a variety of character traits that appeal to a range of different personalities. There were times when their behaviour and speech felt too contemporary for the historical setting resulting in the time period being completely irrelevant to the narrative. Despite this the general storyline was still exciting.
Fantasy novels naturally involve ideas a little beyond the average person’s comprehension, however the middle of <i>The Paper Magician</i> became so far fetched that it was a little confusing for a while.
Overall, <i>The Paper Magician</i> is a fast paced, easy to read book suitable for young adults and fans of fantasy and magic. The story continues in <i>The Glass Magician</i> and the third and finally book can be expected in 2015.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword (2017) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Over countless decades the legend of King Arthur has been depicted across a range of mediums. The timeless tale of love, betrayals, action, and adventure has remained a popular and enduring tale ever since it was first introduced.
Director Guy Ritchie has crafted a very different take on the tale as he even contributed to the screenplay for the film. As such “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword”, is brimming with many of his signature elements ranging from a caper story and characters who are filled with quirks and issues.
Charlie Hunnam plays Arthur who is orphaned at an early age when his family is betrayed by his Uncle Vortigern (Jude Law). Arthur is raised in a London brothel with no knowledge of his true lineage.
Arthur learns combat and life on the streets and quickly learns how to make money through various dealings, some of which are not exactly on the level. This is where Ritchie shows his trademark style as there is a caper element to the early part of the story and a scene of Arthur and his pals walking through the aftermath of an event is complete with his signature, start, stop, and rewind moments that made up his recent “Sherlock Holmes” films.
Naturally events put Arthur and Vortigern against each other when Arthur is able to pull the legendary Excalibur from a stone as part of a test imposed on all young men of a certain age.
With his true identity in place, Arthur is marked by his Uncle as he is the only threat to his power and this forces Arthur into the protection of the resistance where he must embrace his past and find his destiny.
The film does take some liberties with the Arthurian Legend and does go a bit heavy on the FX especially with the inclusion of giant creatures which made me think at times I was watching something from the “Lord of the Rings”. The film does drag in parts but does rebound with a finale that seemed very video game esque, but sets up future films well. The cast is strong and there is plenty to like about the film as long as you are willing to be patient with the pacing of the film.
http://sknr.net/2017/05/10/king-arthur-legend-sword/
Director Guy Ritchie has crafted a very different take on the tale as he even contributed to the screenplay for the film. As such “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword”, is brimming with many of his signature elements ranging from a caper story and characters who are filled with quirks and issues.
Charlie Hunnam plays Arthur who is orphaned at an early age when his family is betrayed by his Uncle Vortigern (Jude Law). Arthur is raised in a London brothel with no knowledge of his true lineage.
Arthur learns combat and life on the streets and quickly learns how to make money through various dealings, some of which are not exactly on the level. This is where Ritchie shows his trademark style as there is a caper element to the early part of the story and a scene of Arthur and his pals walking through the aftermath of an event is complete with his signature, start, stop, and rewind moments that made up his recent “Sherlock Holmes” films.
Naturally events put Arthur and Vortigern against each other when Arthur is able to pull the legendary Excalibur from a stone as part of a test imposed on all young men of a certain age.
With his true identity in place, Arthur is marked by his Uncle as he is the only threat to his power and this forces Arthur into the protection of the resistance where he must embrace his past and find his destiny.
The film does take some liberties with the Arthurian Legend and does go a bit heavy on the FX especially with the inclusion of giant creatures which made me think at times I was watching something from the “Lord of the Rings”. The film does drag in parts but does rebound with a finale that seemed very video game esque, but sets up future films well. The cast is strong and there is plenty to like about the film as long as you are willing to be patient with the pacing of the film.
http://sknr.net/2017/05/10/king-arthur-legend-sword/
Merissa (12929 KP) rated Finding Mr. Wrong in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Finding Mr. Wrong starts off with Matthew having a near-death experience. He is the very successful owner of the family run firm Hart & Home. However, he isn't sure about his cousin, who is coming up with very strange ideas. Following his experience, he speaks to his best friend/PA, Adam, and they decide he is going to find Mr Right. They put down a few things, and then Adam wangles the story out of 'the one that got away'. It is obvious that Matthew has never got over this. Circumstances (and people) conspire, and Matthew and Jax end up meeting again. Jax can't believe his eyes, whilst Matthew is spitting feathers he is so angry. Don't worry, they do work it out... for a while at least.
This story just swept you along, and I thoroughly enjoyed every word. Charlie Cochet is an amazing author, and I have yet to read anything by her that I didn't like. There are a couple of side stories that help to make this the enjoyable read that it is - one is Jax's dad, and the other is Adam. Now, I won't say too much about Jax's dad (Dale), as I feel you should really read it and make up your own mind. As for me, I would say that Jax is a saint, and I honestly don't know if I could have done that. As for Adam, I really REALLY want to know his story. He comes across as very sweet and caring, but he has a history. I know he does. I just don't know what it is just yet. He knew immediately what Rai did for a living, whereas I didn't have a clue! He knows what it's like to be without money too. I really need to know!
With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, this is one contemporary M/M romance that I have no hesitation in recommending. With humour, grit, action, misunderstandings, and a little twist that I never saw coming at the end, this was absolutely wonderful. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This story just swept you along, and I thoroughly enjoyed every word. Charlie Cochet is an amazing author, and I have yet to read anything by her that I didn't like. There are a couple of side stories that help to make this the enjoyable read that it is - one is Jax's dad, and the other is Adam. Now, I won't say too much about Jax's dad (Dale), as I feel you should really read it and make up your own mind. As for me, I would say that Jax is a saint, and I honestly don't know if I could have done that. As for Adam, I really REALLY want to know his story. He comes across as very sweet and caring, but he has a history. I know he does. I just don't know what it is just yet. He knew immediately what Rai did for a living, whereas I didn't have a clue! He knows what it's like to be without money too. I really need to know!
With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, this is one contemporary M/M romance that I have no hesitation in recommending. With humour, grit, action, misunderstandings, and a little twist that I never saw coming at the end, this was absolutely wonderful. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Papillon (2018) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Henry “Papillon” Charriere (Charlie Hunnam) is a safecracker making his name in the Parisian underworld. But when he decides to keep some diamonds from a big score to himself his luck changes. He is framed for a murder and given a life sentence. Even worse for Papillon is that he is being shipped to the Devil’s Island penal colony in French Giana. With no chance at an appeal his only chance at freedom is to escape. On the long boat ride from France to South America he finds an unlikely ally in the form of the forger Louis Dega (Rami Malek). The slight and awkward Dega does not want to escape but rather just survive long enough to have his appeal heard. Papillon agrees to protect Dega in exchange for financing any escape plan Papillon can devise. With Dega’s financial backing Papillon now only has to figure out how to escape from prison no one has been known to escape from on an island surrounded by rivers and ocean, unforgiving jungle and guards who shoot to kill.
Papillon is based on a true story and adapted from the novels “Papillon” and “Banco” written by Charriere himself. This is the second film adaptation of these novels. The other film, also Papillon, is from 1973 stared Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. I have not seen the 1973 version but I did enjoy the story and could be worth viewing to get another directors vision.
The 2018 version is powered but a captivating story of survival and the unlikely friendship of two men thrust together in a harsh environment. Both Hunnam (King Arthur, Pacific Rim) and Malek (Mr. Robot – TV Series, Night at the Museum) give excellent performances. The rest of the cast is okay but these two stars give great performances. Danish director Michael Noer (R, Northwest) does a decent job in the telling of the story visually. There was blood in one scene that was a pink colored and did not look anything like blood and that was a little distracting. The prison seemed realistic and grimy, but also weirdly bright.
Overall I enjoyed this film. I didn’t have any expectations going in and was pleasantly surprised but interesting story. At 2 hours and 13 minutes it does seem a bit too long. This would be a film I would enjoy watching at home and not necessarily something I would spend theater money on.
Papillon is based on a true story and adapted from the novels “Papillon” and “Banco” written by Charriere himself. This is the second film adaptation of these novels. The other film, also Papillon, is from 1973 stared Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. I have not seen the 1973 version but I did enjoy the story and could be worth viewing to get another directors vision.
The 2018 version is powered but a captivating story of survival and the unlikely friendship of two men thrust together in a harsh environment. Both Hunnam (King Arthur, Pacific Rim) and Malek (Mr. Robot – TV Series, Night at the Museum) give excellent performances. The rest of the cast is okay but these two stars give great performances. Danish director Michael Noer (R, Northwest) does a decent job in the telling of the story visually. There was blood in one scene that was a pink colored and did not look anything like blood and that was a little distracting. The prison seemed realistic and grimy, but also weirdly bright.
Overall I enjoyed this film. I didn’t have any expectations going in and was pleasantly surprised but interesting story. At 2 hours and 13 minutes it does seem a bit too long. This would be a film I would enjoy watching at home and not necessarily something I would spend theater money on.
Anne (15117 KP) rated The Will and the Wilds in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Thanks so much to NetGalley and 47North Publishing for letting me read and review this awesome eARC. I discovered Charlie N. Holmberg through Deep Magic e-zine a few years or so back now and I love her writing. This book reminded me of how much I love her writing and the story here in The Will and the Wilds also reminded me a bit of her earlier book, Followed by Frost. I also feel like there are some similarities to Beauty and the Beast as well, but it's also its very own unique, amazing and magical story.
This story is heartbreaking, beautiful and soul-wrenching and I love it so much. I think it's a definite must-read especially if you like kissing books and romance although it's not only for that part that it is awesome, it's also for the adventure, the magic and the journey from within each of these two characters.
This story is about a girl who lives with her father, just the two of them by the edge of the wildwood and one day she's outside and a mysting from within the wildwood comes after her to get the magic stone she has on her wrist. Enna decides when this mysting comes after her to fight back so she gets another mysting to help her and his name is Maekallus. He wants her to pay him for his help with a kiss, which gives him the power to steal her soul, but the kiss has to be given willingly by Enna. The deal ends up getting Maekallus stuck in the mortal realm where he starts to get eaten alive. They become bound together through the bargain and share in each other's suffering because Maekallus feels for the first time with part of Enna's soul in him.
Enna is the only thing saving him by having kissed him and given him part of her soul to save him from dying so they have to break the deal that has bound him to the mortal realm to save them both.
It's a wonderful and moving story that I would give more than 5 stars if I could because of what you take away from it. If you don't have this one on your list, then put it on your list, preorder it and get ready for an amazing and beautiful magical mystical tale to sweep you away.
This story is heartbreaking, beautiful and soul-wrenching and I love it so much. I think it's a definite must-read especially if you like kissing books and romance although it's not only for that part that it is awesome, it's also for the adventure, the magic and the journey from within each of these two characters.
This story is about a girl who lives with her father, just the two of them by the edge of the wildwood and one day she's outside and a mysting from within the wildwood comes after her to get the magic stone she has on her wrist. Enna decides when this mysting comes after her to fight back so she gets another mysting to help her and his name is Maekallus. He wants her to pay him for his help with a kiss, which gives him the power to steal her soul, but the kiss has to be given willingly by Enna. The deal ends up getting Maekallus stuck in the mortal realm where he starts to get eaten alive. They become bound together through the bargain and share in each other's suffering because Maekallus feels for the first time with part of Enna's soul in him.
Enna is the only thing saving him by having kissed him and given him part of her soul to save him from dying so they have to break the deal that has bound him to the mortal realm to save them both.
It's a wonderful and moving story that I would give more than 5 stars if I could because of what you take away from it. If you don't have this one on your list, then put it on your list, preorder it and get ready for an amazing and beautiful magical mystical tale to sweep you away.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Stranger in the Lake in Books
Jun 18, 2020
Charlotte and her husband, Paul, live in a small lake town. But their marriage has caused gossip and rumors, when poor Charlotte, who grew up in a trailer park, marries the rich and older Paul. Then Charlotte discovers a body floating in the lake beside their house--in the exact spot where Paul's first wife died. Even worse, Charlotte saw Paul talking to the woman the day before, but he lied to the police about it. Then he disappears into the woods, leaving her to deal with the aftermath. As Charlotte begins digging into her husband's past, she starts wondering how much she can trust him.
"Something very bad has happened, right outside our door. Again."
This was an excellent and easy-to-read book with a compelling plot. I was drawn in by the story from the start and flew through the pages. Belle creates an atmospheric read, with the snow and lake basically appearing as extra characters. We find Charlotte (once "Charlie") pitted against her old best friend, Sam, who is on the police force and believes Paul killed his first wife. And we learn that Paul had a high school friendship with Micah, the son of the police chief, and Jax, who is now homeless and known as the town kook. It is Jax who asked to see Paul the day before the woman is found--and Jax who is lurking around Charlotte's house. Is he threatening her, or trying to warn her of something? And is there truly a chance that Paul killed his first wife? I loved how much this one kept me guessing.
What I found amazing is that Belle is able to take a familiar plot--a younger woman marrying an older guy with a past--and transform it into such a spellbinding thriller. What could come across as trite and stale is instead fascinating and intriguing. Charlotte is an easy-to-like protagonist who didn't seem to make dumb decisions. This can't be said of her husband, who was, frankly, an idiot. I had an inkling early about who might be responsible, but it did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of the story.
If you like your thrillers filled with secrets and lies, the power of family, and featuring a fascinating plot, this one is for you. 4+ stars.
"Something very bad has happened, right outside our door. Again."
This was an excellent and easy-to-read book with a compelling plot. I was drawn in by the story from the start and flew through the pages. Belle creates an atmospheric read, with the snow and lake basically appearing as extra characters. We find Charlotte (once "Charlie") pitted against her old best friend, Sam, who is on the police force and believes Paul killed his first wife. And we learn that Paul had a high school friendship with Micah, the son of the police chief, and Jax, who is now homeless and known as the town kook. It is Jax who asked to see Paul the day before the woman is found--and Jax who is lurking around Charlotte's house. Is he threatening her, or trying to warn her of something? And is there truly a chance that Paul killed his first wife? I loved how much this one kept me guessing.
What I found amazing is that Belle is able to take a familiar plot--a younger woman marrying an older guy with a past--and transform it into such a spellbinding thriller. What could come across as trite and stale is instead fascinating and intriguing. Charlotte is an easy-to-like protagonist who didn't seem to make dumb decisions. This can't be said of her husband, who was, frankly, an idiot. I had an inkling early about who might be responsible, but it did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of the story.
If you like your thrillers filled with secrets and lies, the power of family, and featuring a fascinating plot, this one is for you. 4+ stars.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Triple Frontier (2019) in Movies
Jul 5, 2020
Choices and Consequences - 7/10
Triple Frontier is a 2019 action/thriller movie directed by J.C. Chandor. The screenplay was written by J.C. Chandor and Mark Boal with story also by Mark Boal. Starring Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund, and Pedro Pascal.
In Columbia fighting drug crime, Santiago "Pope" Garcia (Oscar Isaac), has been working for 3 years. Finally the moment he's been waiting for occurs, when his informant, a woman named Yovanna (Adria Arjona), offers the location of a big time drug lord in exchange for smuggling her brother and her out of the country. She also tells him that the drug lord Lorea keeps all his money with him in his safe house in the jungle. Pope recruits his friends, a group of ex Army Special Forces, for a mission to take out Lorea and seize the money for themselves. But when things go wrong it's one unexpected turn of events after the other, with things spiralling out of control. In an epic battle for survival they are pushed to their breaking point, putting their morals, skills, and loyalties to the test.
This movie was good. Wasn't quite what I expected. As good as it was, I feel like it was missing something. It was a little slow in the beginning, after the first action sequence, and pacing was a bit off. Definitely as advertised in being an action/thriller. If you like action scenes where they shoot-'em-up, this definitely has plenty. I just felt with the pacing that they were far and in between. The acting was very good, the only thing I would say is that the characters didn't have much to keep you connected to them and really care about what happens to them in the long run. It felt like they weren't fully fleshed out and they could have done more to do that better. One thing it did do very well was how it showed the motivations of some of the characters and what led them to the decisions they made. I give this movie a 7/10.
In Columbia fighting drug crime, Santiago "Pope" Garcia (Oscar Isaac), has been working for 3 years. Finally the moment he's been waiting for occurs, when his informant, a woman named Yovanna (Adria Arjona), offers the location of a big time drug lord in exchange for smuggling her brother and her out of the country. She also tells him that the drug lord Lorea keeps all his money with him in his safe house in the jungle. Pope recruits his friends, a group of ex Army Special Forces, for a mission to take out Lorea and seize the money for themselves. But when things go wrong it's one unexpected turn of events after the other, with things spiralling out of control. In an epic battle for survival they are pushed to their breaking point, putting their morals, skills, and loyalties to the test.
This movie was good. Wasn't quite what I expected. As good as it was, I feel like it was missing something. It was a little slow in the beginning, after the first action sequence, and pacing was a bit off. Definitely as advertised in being an action/thriller. If you like action scenes where they shoot-'em-up, this definitely has plenty. I just felt with the pacing that they were far and in between. The acting was very good, the only thing I would say is that the characters didn't have much to keep you connected to them and really care about what happens to them in the long run. It felt like they weren't fully fleshed out and they could have done more to do that better. One thing it did do very well was how it showed the motivations of some of the characters and what led them to the decisions they made. I give this movie a 7/10.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Rental (2020) in Movies
Feb 28, 2021
After saying in my review of Tone Deaf that there are a lot of films that seem to be very similar coming out, you'd think I'd choose different films to watch... evidently not.
Charlie and Mina's hard work is finally paying off and they book a holiday home for some well deserved downtime. When they arrive with their partners they attempt to settle into the idyllic setting. But there's something not quite right about their host and their relaxing weekend starts to take a turn.
So... The Rental, Tone Deaf, The Intruder... People go to homes with weird owners and bad things happen. Something grabbed me about this one, it was a little different to the others and I'm glad I didn't dismiss it for the initial similarities.
I think the success for The Rental is its serious tone. In the other two films I mentioned we have an underlying humour, whether intentional or from overacting. It's much more of a thriller that made for some compelling moments.
Although the main cast are very familiar for various things, the "star power" didn't outshine the film around it. It's well balanced, and the chemistry between the four of them is incredibly good. The characters themselves aren't all that exciting though, and normally that would be a massive problem. While it may have been better to have something a little more thrilling happening with them, it actually leaves the film to do its thing around them.
The film was noticeably quiet to me, though the music did pipe up at key points to good effect. (Apart from one point that felt entirely out of place.) The pinpointed music combined with the location worked well together to add to the suspense as the film ramps up.
At only 88 minutes I worried about what a thriller could do in that time, but I needn't have. The build up across the film led well into the "action" of the ending, and that ending really appealed to me for how it dealt with everything that came before it. While I don't think The Rental is going to become a must see movie, it was definitely a pleasant surprise and worth the time I spent watching it.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-rental-movie-review.html
Charlie and Mina's hard work is finally paying off and they book a holiday home for some well deserved downtime. When they arrive with their partners they attempt to settle into the idyllic setting. But there's something not quite right about their host and their relaxing weekend starts to take a turn.
So... The Rental, Tone Deaf, The Intruder... People go to homes with weird owners and bad things happen. Something grabbed me about this one, it was a little different to the others and I'm glad I didn't dismiss it for the initial similarities.
I think the success for The Rental is its serious tone. In the other two films I mentioned we have an underlying humour, whether intentional or from overacting. It's much more of a thriller that made for some compelling moments.
Although the main cast are very familiar for various things, the "star power" didn't outshine the film around it. It's well balanced, and the chemistry between the four of them is incredibly good. The characters themselves aren't all that exciting though, and normally that would be a massive problem. While it may have been better to have something a little more thrilling happening with them, it actually leaves the film to do its thing around them.
The film was noticeably quiet to me, though the music did pipe up at key points to good effect. (Apart from one point that felt entirely out of place.) The pinpointed music combined with the location worked well together to add to the suspense as the film ramps up.
At only 88 minutes I worried about what a thriller could do in that time, but I needn't have. The build up across the film led well into the "action" of the ending, and that ending really appealed to me for how it dealt with everything that came before it. While I don't think The Rental is going to become a must see movie, it was definitely a pleasant surprise and worth the time I spent watching it.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-rental-movie-review.html
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated The Gentlemen (2020) in Movies
Jan 22, 2021
It’s been a while since Guy Ritchie dealt with some proper geezers doing crime and talking bollocks. Maybe there were elements of it in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. but really it’s Rock ‘n Rolla from 2008 we are talking about. Personally I hadn’t missed it. I pretty much think he took it as far as it needed to be taken, and I much prefer the Sherlock Holmes stuff, anyway.
Judging from the inexplicably high rating (currently 7.8) for this on IMDb somehow someone had missed it big time though! Or is it just easy for those in search of a nutter with a gun and a swear word or six to click 9/10? I don’t want to speculate. Suffice to say The Gentlemen is not very good. Not awful. Colin Farrell wins by having a lot of fun hamming up a bonkers creation of a man (as he does so expertly and effortlessly), and Hugh Grant comes out of it with credit too, for at least looking engaged and having some of the best lines to deliver.
As for Matthew McConnaughey, who is surely to be considered top billing, I can’t honestly remember a thing about his role in this forgettable fable some 9 weeks after seeing it. Literally, can’t recall anything he does in it to mind. Bad sign. And Charlie Hunnam doesn’t fare much better, but that’s probably because he isn’t that good or memorable in anything in the first place. There are a couple of women in this as well, but they really don’t make a difference to anything, and no one cares (sadly).
We’ve seen the whole thing before, I’m afraid, and even first time the style wasn’t for everyone and felt a bit “wrong” to a 21st century sensibility. It really is just guns and violence and swearing in ever decreasing creativity. I liked some of the costumes though.
No one involved’s best work, by a long way. A distracting way to kill a few hours if you are completely stuck for ideas, but little more than that. In a year or two no one will remember or talk about it at all. May that be a lesson to you Mr Ritchie. Leave outdated indulgences, even with your pals, in the past where they belong.
Judging from the inexplicably high rating (currently 7.8) for this on IMDb somehow someone had missed it big time though! Or is it just easy for those in search of a nutter with a gun and a swear word or six to click 9/10? I don’t want to speculate. Suffice to say The Gentlemen is not very good. Not awful. Colin Farrell wins by having a lot of fun hamming up a bonkers creation of a man (as he does so expertly and effortlessly), and Hugh Grant comes out of it with credit too, for at least looking engaged and having some of the best lines to deliver.
As for Matthew McConnaughey, who is surely to be considered top billing, I can’t honestly remember a thing about his role in this forgettable fable some 9 weeks after seeing it. Literally, can’t recall anything he does in it to mind. Bad sign. And Charlie Hunnam doesn’t fare much better, but that’s probably because he isn’t that good or memorable in anything in the first place. There are a couple of women in this as well, but they really don’t make a difference to anything, and no one cares (sadly).
We’ve seen the whole thing before, I’m afraid, and even first time the style wasn’t for everyone and felt a bit “wrong” to a 21st century sensibility. It really is just guns and violence and swearing in ever decreasing creativity. I liked some of the costumes though.
No one involved’s best work, by a long way. A distracting way to kill a few hours if you are completely stuck for ideas, but little more than that. In a year or two no one will remember or talk about it at all. May that be a lesson to you Mr Ritchie. Leave outdated indulgences, even with your pals, in the past where they belong.