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Mauritius Guide - Totally Offline
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Planning to visit Mauritius or a resident of Mauritius? This small application on iPhone and iPod...
Tide: Focus, Relax, Meditation
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–––– Featured by “Apple Best New App” –––– Tide lets you get things done by...
Diner Dash
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Flo’s back in the biggest Diner Dash game ever—the latest and greatest in the world’s #1 hit...
Between the Stops: The View of My Life from the Top of the Number 12 Bus
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This long-awaited memoir from one of Britain's best-loved celebrities - a writer, broadcaster,...
Merissa (12325 KP) rated Caelius (Fueled By Lust #5) in Books
Dec 17, 2018 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
Caelius is a young man with oodles of old-fashioned charm. It is not just because he is still learning the 'slang' but because this is who he is. And I don't have a single complaint about that, let me tell you!
Rhia is an 'older' lady who can certainly feel like time is creeping not so slowly up on her but can't resist Caelius when he wants to get to know her, simply because of how drawn she is to him.
If, for some reason, you think that reading about an older lady with a young man will make you uncomfortable then let me reassure you. You notice it at the beginning, mainly because Rhia makes a big deal about it when Caelius asks her out for a coffee (psst, love the reactions of the old ladies next to them!!). But you will soon be carried away by the story and hoping and wishing for certain things to be different. And no, I'm not going to be giving away spoilers here. Suffice it to say, I was heartbroken during one part of the book and my eyes were leaking again.
Not only do we have Caelius and Rhia's story here though but we also have the continuation of Ulixes and Kallon. My god, I wanted to bash their heads together! I felt just as exasperated as some of the other characters but was completely unprepared for the emotional whallop their story gave me. Yep, you've guessed it, my eyes were leaking during this part too so consider this fair warning!
Old friends and family (well they feel like that to me anyway!) show up at various points and I am always happy to read about them. Nothing detracts from the main storylines though, just perfect cameo additions.
This series just keeps on getting better and better and I LOVE IT!!! Highly recommended for all fans of Celeste Prater, the Fueled by Lust series and/or erotic Sci-Fi! Absolutely fantastic! The snippet for Maxim already has me drooling and holding my breath - don't worry, Celeste, I promise to keep on breathing but I need to know more about this lady with the triple moon tattoo who knocks Maxim off his feet!
December 19, 2018
Rhia is an 'older' lady who can certainly feel like time is creeping not so slowly up on her but can't resist Caelius when he wants to get to know her, simply because of how drawn she is to him.
If, for some reason, you think that reading about an older lady with a young man will make you uncomfortable then let me reassure you. You notice it at the beginning, mainly because Rhia makes a big deal about it when Caelius asks her out for a coffee (psst, love the reactions of the old ladies next to them!!). But you will soon be carried away by the story and hoping and wishing for certain things to be different. And no, I'm not going to be giving away spoilers here. Suffice it to say, I was heartbroken during one part of the book and my eyes were leaking again.
Not only do we have Caelius and Rhia's story here though but we also have the continuation of Ulixes and Kallon. My god, I wanted to bash their heads together! I felt just as exasperated as some of the other characters but was completely unprepared for the emotional whallop their story gave me. Yep, you've guessed it, my eyes were leaking during this part too so consider this fair warning!
Old friends and family (well they feel like that to me anyway!) show up at various points and I am always happy to read about them. Nothing detracts from the main storylines though, just perfect cameo additions.
This series just keeps on getting better and better and I LOVE IT!!! Highly recommended for all fans of Celeste Prater, the Fueled by Lust series and/or erotic Sci-Fi! Absolutely fantastic! The snippet for Maxim already has me drooling and holding my breath - don't worry, Celeste, I promise to keep on breathing but I need to know more about this lady with the triple moon tattoo who knocks Maxim off his feet!
December 19, 2018
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Assistant (2020) in Movies
May 24, 2020
Julia Garner's performance (1 more)
The tension that manages to be created through a portrayal of the mundane
The movie seems to have a lot of haters on IMDB (a rating at the time of writing of 5.9)... but I refuse to follow "the pack" on this one... I thought it was great. It manages to make the mundane incredibly tense. This is this first (semi-)fictional feature from documentary-maker Kitty Green.... and in my book she does a knock-out job.
We first meet Jane (Julia Garner) at 'God-knows-what-o-clock' in the morning as she arrives at her workplace - a New York film-production company. First to arrive every morning, she turns on the lights, turns on the screens, makes the pot of coffee and cleans off stains from her boss's couch. The stain isn't coffee. A lost gold bracelet is recovered.
For we are in a truly toxic working environment here. 'The boss' - clearly modelled on Harvey Weinstein - is a bullying tyrant who can reduce Jane and her two male assistants (Jon Orsini and Noah Robbins) to quivering wrecks. "WHAT THE F*** DID YOU SAY TO HER" barks the boss down the phone at Jane, after she has had a perfectly reasonable phone conversation with the estranged Mrs Boss.
The toxicity is pervasive though throughout Miram..., sorry...., 'the company'. Jane is almost invisible to her other co-workers who don't give her eye-contact even when she's talking to them and barely register her presence when sharing a lift.
But bullying and workplace toxicity is just part of this story. A steady stream of starlets arrive in the office, like meat deliveries to a butcher. In a chilling sequence, the photocopier churns out photos of beautiful actresses.... a paper-based equivalent of swiping-left or -right in the selection process. None of the "if you... I will" discussions are shown, but they don't need to be: the inference is clear.
Jane is smart, slim and pretty... but not in an obvious 'Hollywood way'. "You'll be OK..." says a co-worker "you're not his type".
But someone who distinctly is "his type" is Sienna (Kristine Froseth), a "very very young" aspiring waitress-come-actress from Boise, who suddenly and unexpectedly arrives as a "new assistant"... to be promptly put up in a swanky hotel room. It's time to act... and Jane approaches the company HR manager (Matthew Macfadyen)....
An old Spielberg trick is to increase tension by keeping the "monster" hidden from view: cue the tanker driver from "Duel" and (for most of the film) the shark from "Jaws". Here, the boss is felt only as a malevolent force and never seen on screen. It's an approach that works brilliantly, focusing the emotion on the effect he has on those flamed.
There is also recognition that these powerful people are also hugely intelligent and manipulative. Seeing that Jane is a valuable asset, the public berating is sometimes followed up with a private email apology.... dripping a few words of encouragement and praise like a few drops of Methadone to a drug-addict.
This is an excellent movie and thoughtfully and elegantly directed. Following a normal day in Jane's work life.... albeit a day where perhaps the penny finally drops... is immersive and engaging. And at only 88 minutes long, the movie never outstays its welcome.
The performances are first rate. Julia Garner is magnificent, and in a year where the Oscars will be "interesting", here's a good candidate for Best Actress I would suggest if not Best Picture. Garner's an actress I'm unfamiliar with: the only one of her previous flicks I've seen was Sin City 2.
Also oily and impressive is Matthew Macfadyen as the HR manager. There's also a sparse but well-used score by Tamar-kali.
The one area I found poor was in the sound design. It's clearly filmed in an office environment, rather than on a sound stage, and unfortunately the combination of the acoustics and the New York accents makes some of the dialogue really difficult to hear. An example is a discussion between two co-workers in an office kitchen, which was completely indecipherable for me.
Should I watch this? In my view, definitely, yes. It's chilling and an insight into the terrible ordeal that many professional women in the film industry, and other industries, have had to put up with before the "Me Too" lid was blown off (and many probably still do). The most telling line in the film? At the end of the "Thanks" in the end-titles: "All those who shared their experiences".
(See the full graphical review at One Mann's Movies here https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/05/24/one-manns-movies-film-review-the-assistant-2020/ . Thanks).
We first meet Jane (Julia Garner) at 'God-knows-what-o-clock' in the morning as she arrives at her workplace - a New York film-production company. First to arrive every morning, she turns on the lights, turns on the screens, makes the pot of coffee and cleans off stains from her boss's couch. The stain isn't coffee. A lost gold bracelet is recovered.
For we are in a truly toxic working environment here. 'The boss' - clearly modelled on Harvey Weinstein - is a bullying tyrant who can reduce Jane and her two male assistants (Jon Orsini and Noah Robbins) to quivering wrecks. "WHAT THE F*** DID YOU SAY TO HER" barks the boss down the phone at Jane, after she has had a perfectly reasonable phone conversation with the estranged Mrs Boss.
The toxicity is pervasive though throughout Miram..., sorry...., 'the company'. Jane is almost invisible to her other co-workers who don't give her eye-contact even when she's talking to them and barely register her presence when sharing a lift.
But bullying and workplace toxicity is just part of this story. A steady stream of starlets arrive in the office, like meat deliveries to a butcher. In a chilling sequence, the photocopier churns out photos of beautiful actresses.... a paper-based equivalent of swiping-left or -right in the selection process. None of the "if you... I will" discussions are shown, but they don't need to be: the inference is clear.
Jane is smart, slim and pretty... but not in an obvious 'Hollywood way'. "You'll be OK..." says a co-worker "you're not his type".
But someone who distinctly is "his type" is Sienna (Kristine Froseth), a "very very young" aspiring waitress-come-actress from Boise, who suddenly and unexpectedly arrives as a "new assistant"... to be promptly put up in a swanky hotel room. It's time to act... and Jane approaches the company HR manager (Matthew Macfadyen)....
An old Spielberg trick is to increase tension by keeping the "monster" hidden from view: cue the tanker driver from "Duel" and (for most of the film) the shark from "Jaws". Here, the boss is felt only as a malevolent force and never seen on screen. It's an approach that works brilliantly, focusing the emotion on the effect he has on those flamed.
There is also recognition that these powerful people are also hugely intelligent and manipulative. Seeing that Jane is a valuable asset, the public berating is sometimes followed up with a private email apology.... dripping a few words of encouragement and praise like a few drops of Methadone to a drug-addict.
This is an excellent movie and thoughtfully and elegantly directed. Following a normal day in Jane's work life.... albeit a day where perhaps the penny finally drops... is immersive and engaging. And at only 88 minutes long, the movie never outstays its welcome.
The performances are first rate. Julia Garner is magnificent, and in a year where the Oscars will be "interesting", here's a good candidate for Best Actress I would suggest if not Best Picture. Garner's an actress I'm unfamiliar with: the only one of her previous flicks I've seen was Sin City 2.
Also oily and impressive is Matthew Macfadyen as the HR manager. There's also a sparse but well-used score by Tamar-kali.
The one area I found poor was in the sound design. It's clearly filmed in an office environment, rather than on a sound stage, and unfortunately the combination of the acoustics and the New York accents makes some of the dialogue really difficult to hear. An example is a discussion between two co-workers in an office kitchen, which was completely indecipherable for me.
Should I watch this? In my view, definitely, yes. It's chilling and an insight into the terrible ordeal that many professional women in the film industry, and other industries, have had to put up with before the "Me Too" lid was blown off (and many probably still do). The most telling line in the film? At the end of the "Thanks" in the end-titles: "All those who shared their experiences".
(See the full graphical review at One Mann's Movies here https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/05/24/one-manns-movies-film-review-the-assistant-2020/ . Thanks).
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Chocolat (Chocolat #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I have lost count of the number of times I have watched the movie that is based off of this book, so I figured it was time for me to read the book. Like most movies based on books, the movie is only about half true to the book. In this case though, that did not really bother me.
Joanne Harris has a way of writing that has me savoring every word like one of Vianne Rocher's fine chunks of dark chocolate. What I would have given for a few recipes of the dishes she served in La Celeste Praline, especially the pots of chocolate that were served as frequently as coffee. The descriptions of the various confectioneries and even the non-chocolate dishes were detailed with a light touch, so that I never felt too overwhelmed -- but I still wanted to dive into the pages all the same.
All of the characters, large parts and small, were unique and original, even down to the quirky preferences and hidden burdens. I could easily relate to Armande's attraction to the color red and her unrefined mannerisms, as well as Guillaume's indulgence of his pet dog. So many of the characters could pass for people that I encounter every day -- from Roux's skepticism to Josephine's renewed independence to Caro's need to control. These characters will stay with me for a long time.
Probably the most interesting character, aside from Vianne Rocher, is the town's priest, Pere Reynaud. Like most of the rest of the town, he masks inner demons and makes up for them with his profession of choice. Though those inner torments are slowly revealed through the course of the book, I don't feel that his story was completely resolved, or that he even experienced any true character growth.
Vianne Rocher is certainly the most creative character in the book, both easily likeable and eternally mysterious. Haunted by memories of a nomadic lifestyle with her mother, she intermittently addresses her conflicting desires to both travel and put down roots even as her simple, self-taught cooking and hospitality brings about subtle and lasting change in the village of Lansquenet. A thread of fantasy runs through the plot as Vianne hints at the ability to read people's thoughts, choosing not to influence them, and consults her mother's tarot cards in her darker hours of contemplation. She even adds a touch of magic and mystery to her Chocolaterie to draw the wary villagers into the shop. Oh, what I would give to pay a visit to that amazing place myself.
Joanne Harris has a way of writing that has me savoring every word like one of Vianne Rocher's fine chunks of dark chocolate. What I would have given for a few recipes of the dishes she served in La Celeste Praline, especially the pots of chocolate that were served as frequently as coffee. The descriptions of the various confectioneries and even the non-chocolate dishes were detailed with a light touch, so that I never felt too overwhelmed -- but I still wanted to dive into the pages all the same.
All of the characters, large parts and small, were unique and original, even down to the quirky preferences and hidden burdens. I could easily relate to Armande's attraction to the color red and her unrefined mannerisms, as well as Guillaume's indulgence of his pet dog. So many of the characters could pass for people that I encounter every day -- from Roux's skepticism to Josephine's renewed independence to Caro's need to control. These characters will stay with me for a long time.
Probably the most interesting character, aside from Vianne Rocher, is the town's priest, Pere Reynaud. Like most of the rest of the town, he masks inner demons and makes up for them with his profession of choice. Though those inner torments are slowly revealed through the course of the book, I don't feel that his story was completely resolved, or that he even experienced any true character growth.
Vianne Rocher is certainly the most creative character in the book, both easily likeable and eternally mysterious. Haunted by memories of a nomadic lifestyle with her mother, she intermittently addresses her conflicting desires to both travel and put down roots even as her simple, self-taught cooking and hospitality brings about subtle and lasting change in the village of Lansquenet. A thread of fantasy runs through the plot as Vianne hints at the ability to read people's thoughts, choosing not to influence them, and consults her mother's tarot cards in her darker hours of contemplation. She even adds a touch of magic and mystery to her Chocolaterie to draw the wary villagers into the shop. Oh, what I would give to pay a visit to that amazing place myself.
JT (287 KP) rated The Sweeney (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Nick Love’s take on the ’70s TV cop show of the same name packs every bit a hard knuckled punch as you would expect it to. The director of such films as The Football Factory and The Business even manages to stay clear of Danny Dyer and cast a slick and talented bunch of individuals, led by Ray Winstone.
Regan (Winstone) and Carter (Drew) are a pair of detectives on the flying squad, they don’t play nice or appreciate authority and when it comes to nicking thieves they go in armed with an array of unique weapons including pick axe handles. Quite simply put they “do the things you can only dream of”.
The plot is a little thin on the ground at times, and centres on former villain Allen (Paul Anderson) making a return to Regan’s patch, of which he doesn’t take too kindly when he has to let Allen go after having pulled him in for questioning in relation to a bank job that ends with an execution.
Regan himself is under the watchful eye of not just his boss Frank Haskins (Damian Lewis) but internal watchdog Ivan Lewis (Steven Mackintosh) who has a greater reason than anyone to note Regan’s movements, with Regan sharing more than coffee with Lewis’s wife Nancy.
The action is well choreographed from the opening heist to a shootout through Trafalgar Square (of which annoyingly they can only hit innocent bystanders), the film’s climactic car chase is a bit of a let down however. After all that proceeded before it I was expecting something a little better than a blast around a caravan park.
The chemistry between Regan and Carter is good, a father and son styled relationship is pushed to breaking point at times, but beneath the hardened exterior lies a mutual respect for each other that is followed through to the very end.
Winstone looks battle weary and sounds more cockney than ever (if that could be at all possible), he’s like a bulldog that won’t let go of a bone or come when called. Drew is a fresh casting choice and I enjoyed his performance in Harry Brown, but here he seems to deliver his lines in a slow and laborious manner.
The sweeping landscape of London is painted in cold grey light, panels of sun laying across pavements and car windows trying to brighten the mood. It’s a violent mood, twinned with colourful dialogue that is more than to be expected. It’s a decent enough effort and certainly Love’s best film to date.
Regan (Winstone) and Carter (Drew) are a pair of detectives on the flying squad, they don’t play nice or appreciate authority and when it comes to nicking thieves they go in armed with an array of unique weapons including pick axe handles. Quite simply put they “do the things you can only dream of”.
The plot is a little thin on the ground at times, and centres on former villain Allen (Paul Anderson) making a return to Regan’s patch, of which he doesn’t take too kindly when he has to let Allen go after having pulled him in for questioning in relation to a bank job that ends with an execution.
Regan himself is under the watchful eye of not just his boss Frank Haskins (Damian Lewis) but internal watchdog Ivan Lewis (Steven Mackintosh) who has a greater reason than anyone to note Regan’s movements, with Regan sharing more than coffee with Lewis’s wife Nancy.
The action is well choreographed from the opening heist to a shootout through Trafalgar Square (of which annoyingly they can only hit innocent bystanders), the film’s climactic car chase is a bit of a let down however. After all that proceeded before it I was expecting something a little better than a blast around a caravan park.
The chemistry between Regan and Carter is good, a father and son styled relationship is pushed to breaking point at times, but beneath the hardened exterior lies a mutual respect for each other that is followed through to the very end.
Winstone looks battle weary and sounds more cockney than ever (if that could be at all possible), he’s like a bulldog that won’t let go of a bone or come when called. Drew is a fresh casting choice and I enjoyed his performance in Harry Brown, but here he seems to deliver his lines in a slow and laborious manner.
The sweeping landscape of London is painted in cold grey light, panels of sun laying across pavements and car windows trying to brighten the mood. It’s a violent mood, twinned with colourful dialogue that is more than to be expected. It’s a decent enough effort and certainly Love’s best film to date.
Back in Time
Education and Book
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• "The coolest history textbook you’ll find on the iPad" - The New York Times • Winner of the...