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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated M (Movie) (1931) in Movies
Jan 28, 2021
The maestro of dark shadows, Fritz Lang already had 14 feature films under his belt by 1931, including the much loved and much borrowed from Metropolis in 1927. It is said that he was such a slave driver with cast and crew alike that he had very few friends and was detested as a man. His work spoke for itself, however, and was always miles ahead of anything happening at the same time in Hollywood. Take the dark, sinister and serious M as an example. It tackles the subject of child abduction and murder, homelessness, crime in general and the punishment of a mob – subjects American cinema would never have touched in 1931, let alone done with such an exquisite non- melodramatic feel.
Peter Lorre as the killer compelled by his own weakness and madness gives an unfeasably nuanced performance for the era also. He is mesmerically creepy and unforgettable. Images and motifs (such as the whistle that indicates the murderer is lurking) abound, creating a landscape of pure mood and disease. As a morality tale it touches on issues of vigilantism and true justice that still has some relevance today. It also works as an entertaining thriller, and there wasn’t a minute I felt bored or distracted. The only jarring element are the scenes where Lang cuts the sound entirely to create tension and focus – they feel like technical mistakes, not deliberate choices. Otherwise, I could not have been more impressed and pleasantly surprised by this Euro classic for all time. If I were making a list of the best films ever made that disregarded the limitations of the age, then M would definitely make the cut.
Peter Lorre as the killer compelled by his own weakness and madness gives an unfeasably nuanced performance for the era also. He is mesmerically creepy and unforgettable. Images and motifs (such as the whistle that indicates the murderer is lurking) abound, creating a landscape of pure mood and disease. As a morality tale it touches on issues of vigilantism and true justice that still has some relevance today. It also works as an entertaining thriller, and there wasn’t a minute I felt bored or distracted. The only jarring element are the scenes where Lang cuts the sound entirely to create tension and focus – they feel like technical mistakes, not deliberate choices. Otherwise, I could not have been more impressed and pleasantly surprised by this Euro classic for all time. If I were making a list of the best films ever made that disregarded the limitations of the age, then M would definitely make the cut.
The Missing Ones
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In this gritty and gripping new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, Eve Dallas fights...
Nadja had a difficult childhood and spent time in prison after being convicted for a crime. But it's been years since her release and she's wanted nothing more than a normal life since: a quiet flat, a job, and maybe some friends. But when one of those few friends, Lauren--the wife of her boss--asks for help covering up a murder, Nadja cannot help but agree. Even if it means endangering all the peace she's worked for. The women quickly make a plan, but when it all starts to crumble, Nadja begins to question exactly what her role is in this plan.
I really enjoyed Hausmann's book DEAR CHILD, but this one didn't have quite the same flair. There are books with confusing timelines that you enjoy and then there are books with confusing timelines that simply muddle things and make it hard to enjoy the plot. This book was the latter for me. There are a lot of interconnected stories in varying timelines and points of view and, truly, it's a lot to follow.
This read seems rather slow and rather blah until the last bit, where it takes off and gets exciting. You sort of know where it's going, which makes it even harder to keep reading. The characters are not that engaging, making it hard to get attached. It's difficult to root for this gang--especially Lauren and her husband. The plot is crazy and rather violent, spinning toward preposterous. If you can suspend disbelief, you'll enjoy things a lot more.
Overall, this had hints of enjoyment, but wasn't my favorite. 2.5 stars.
I really enjoyed Hausmann's book DEAR CHILD, but this one didn't have quite the same flair. There are books with confusing timelines that you enjoy and then there are books with confusing timelines that simply muddle things and make it hard to enjoy the plot. This book was the latter for me. There are a lot of interconnected stories in varying timelines and points of view and, truly, it's a lot to follow.
This read seems rather slow and rather blah until the last bit, where it takes off and gets exciting. You sort of know where it's going, which makes it even harder to keep reading. The characters are not that engaging, making it hard to get attached. It's difficult to root for this gang--especially Lauren and her husband. The plot is crazy and rather violent, spinning toward preposterous. If you can suspend disbelief, you'll enjoy things a lot more.
Overall, this had hints of enjoyment, but wasn't my favorite. 2.5 stars.
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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/under-the-banner-of-heaven-a-story-of-violent-faith-by-jon-krakauer
<b>TRIGGER WARNING: rape, incest, domestic abuse, child abuse, animal abuse, child murder</b>
I’m speechless. (OK, maybe not). What the <i>heck</i> did I just read? You’re telling me this is <b><i>non-fiction?</b></i> ...How? <b>HOW?</b> This isn’t just some freak incident either, people live like what’s described in this book, I’m baffled by it. I mean I’m a little baffled by strict religious following anyway (no offence meant) but Mormonism is just on another level.
The story of Mormonism is so strange because Joseph Smith was a fucking control freak and swindler but also the way society got away with treating him and his followers was awful. You really can’t pick a right and wrong side, they’re both pretty terrible.
This book's main focus is on how people's strong faith in Mormonism makes them believe they're above the laws of the land, so they go and commit crimes they think are justified and right. For example, Dan and Ron Lafferty, who <i>truly</i> believe God has spoken to them and told them they need to kill their brothers wife and young baby. A deed done by them so brutally, the poor baby was basically beheaded. <b>Clearly this book isn’t for the faint hearted.</b>
One of the saddest moments in this book is when Krakauer meets a Mormon family and their young daughter (I think she was between 8 to 12) comes into the room with floor plans of her dream house, where she's drawn out several different rooms for the other wives of the husband she is going to share. How <i>awful</i> is that, to believe that you must share your husband with other women, because for men of the Mormon faith, women are just child bearers, nothing more. <b>Joseph Smith actually declared God said "women shall be man's handmaid".</b> For this young girl to be planning her life with a shared husband and feeling that's <i>normal</i>, even feeling <i>happy</i> about it, is a terrible, terrible thing to think about.
This took me around 3 months to finish, not only because I accidentally left this in my dad’s suitcase when I came back from Spain, but also because this was such heavy non-fiction reading. Not only did it describe, in gruesome detail, the crimes committed by those under the Mormon faith, it was also a long historical timeline of how Mormonism was created and has grown to where it currently sits today. (<i>Did you know,</i> there are currently more Mormons on this planet than Jewish people?) Not to mention the confusion it causes when trying to remind you who everyone is and how everyone is related, because they’re pretty much <i>all</i> related through marriage.
This is certainly an interesting read. I'm sure you’ve heard about Mormon’s and the Book of Mormon and polygamy, etc, but never really looked further into it. Well, for those of you that would like to look further into it, then this is the book for you! It's incredible to read all about how Joseph Smith magicked up Mormon faith and how gruesome and evil polygamy really is.
I really recommend this book for all of you who love learning about religions or just love to have some random shocking facts to dish out around the dinner table. A seriously interesting, if not disturbing read.
<b>TRIGGER WARNING: rape, incest, domestic abuse, child abuse, animal abuse, child murder</b>
I’m speechless. (OK, maybe not). What the <i>heck</i> did I just read? You’re telling me this is <b><i>non-fiction?</b></i> ...How? <b>HOW?</b> This isn’t just some freak incident either, people live like what’s described in this book, I’m baffled by it. I mean I’m a little baffled by strict religious following anyway (no offence meant) but Mormonism is just on another level.
The story of Mormonism is so strange because Joseph Smith was a fucking control freak and swindler but also the way society got away with treating him and his followers was awful. You really can’t pick a right and wrong side, they’re both pretty terrible.
This book's main focus is on how people's strong faith in Mormonism makes them believe they're above the laws of the land, so they go and commit crimes they think are justified and right. For example, Dan and Ron Lafferty, who <i>truly</i> believe God has spoken to them and told them they need to kill their brothers wife and young baby. A deed done by them so brutally, the poor baby was basically beheaded. <b>Clearly this book isn’t for the faint hearted.</b>
One of the saddest moments in this book is when Krakauer meets a Mormon family and their young daughter (I think she was between 8 to 12) comes into the room with floor plans of her dream house, where she's drawn out several different rooms for the other wives of the husband she is going to share. How <i>awful</i> is that, to believe that you must share your husband with other women, because for men of the Mormon faith, women are just child bearers, nothing more. <b>Joseph Smith actually declared God said "women shall be man's handmaid".</b> For this young girl to be planning her life with a shared husband and feeling that's <i>normal</i>, even feeling <i>happy</i> about it, is a terrible, terrible thing to think about.
This took me around 3 months to finish, not only because I accidentally left this in my dad’s suitcase when I came back from Spain, but also because this was such heavy non-fiction reading. Not only did it describe, in gruesome detail, the crimes committed by those under the Mormon faith, it was also a long historical timeline of how Mormonism was created and has grown to where it currently sits today. (<i>Did you know,</i> there are currently more Mormons on this planet than Jewish people?) Not to mention the confusion it causes when trying to remind you who everyone is and how everyone is related, because they’re pretty much <i>all</i> related through marriage.
This is certainly an interesting read. I'm sure you’ve heard about Mormon’s and the Book of Mormon and polygamy, etc, but never really looked further into it. Well, for those of you that would like to look further into it, then this is the book for you! It's incredible to read all about how Joseph Smith magicked up Mormon faith and how gruesome and evil polygamy really is.
I really recommend this book for all of you who love learning about religions or just love to have some random shocking facts to dish out around the dinner table. A seriously interesting, if not disturbing read.
Felicia (44 KP) rated People Kill People in Books
Sep 23, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
This book first interested me when I read it was a book written about guns and gun control by a person who grew up in a household that supported guns. This is a voice that I had not really heard from in YA literature. Sadly what was given to me was a book that lacked depth for the characters and was quite predictable.
The story follows a group of teen to early adults. 2 of them are white supremacists, 2 are married with a young child, 1 is a homeless teen, 1 is a victim of gun violence who has epilepsy and is also homosexual, and 1 is the greatest person ever. The group itself is so entwined by siblings, marriage, relationships, friendships it isn't weird to wonder just how big of a town it could be they are living in.
The book is full of poor choices, dealing drugs with a toddler present, constant fantasizing about killing a certain person, a lot of time spent in the minds of white supremacists.
The whole book we know someone is going to die. Most of the book is framed to make you think it will be the homeless youth at the hands of the white supremacists. But it is actually the great girl that is anti gun and everyone loves because a toddler got a hold of a gun his parents couldn't be bothered to properly store. The end murder affects the lives of everyone else so they mostly die or want to, to demonstrate that guns aren't the problem. Too bad the gun and people's selfish nature was an unaddressed problem in the whole book full of problems.
The plot was too weighed down for anything to stick and the characters fell very flat despite Hopkins best efforts.
The story follows a group of teen to early adults. 2 of them are white supremacists, 2 are married with a young child, 1 is a homeless teen, 1 is a victim of gun violence who has epilepsy and is also homosexual, and 1 is the greatest person ever. The group itself is so entwined by siblings, marriage, relationships, friendships it isn't weird to wonder just how big of a town it could be they are living in.
The book is full of poor choices, dealing drugs with a toddler present, constant fantasizing about killing a certain person, a lot of time spent in the minds of white supremacists.
The whole book we know someone is going to die. Most of the book is framed to make you think it will be the homeless youth at the hands of the white supremacists. But it is actually the great girl that is anti gun and everyone loves because a toddler got a hold of a gun his parents couldn't be bothered to properly store. The end murder affects the lives of everyone else so they mostly die or want to, to demonstrate that guns aren't the problem. Too bad the gun and people's selfish nature was an unaddressed problem in the whole book full of problems.
The plot was too weighed down for anything to stick and the characters fell very flat despite Hopkins best efforts.