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Karla Bergado (17 KP) rated In the Tall Grass (2019) in Movies
Nov 6, 2019
In the Tall Grass Review: Is the Stephen King horror worth a watch? (Spoilers ahead)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Netflix has really been stepping up their game with the number of horror shows being released this year.
What makes it better is the addition of a film adaptation of a Stephen King novella to satiate
fanatics’ hunger.
Except the question lies in whether I felt full watching this movie.
The story begins with a brother and sister duo on a long journey to San Diego. Sweltering heat and pregnancy do not mix well, alongside the long-winding roads of America until they stop by a field of tall grass. What can go wrong by stopping in the middle of nowhere that’s giving out a Children of the Corn vibe?
The siblings find themselves going through the tall grass after hearing cries from a very distressed child, only to find themselves stuck in a never-ending cycle where there is seemingly no way out and only a rock statue that apparently lets you see things you will never imagine of seeing.
The concept had a potential to give viewers something more and unexpected. But that’s the thing.
It didn’t.
The first half of the movie set the scene of being trapped in a maze of grass, but then the second
half was pretty much the same, with only a couple of weird occult-like elements thrown in to fuel the dying flame. Not only this, but the viewer is left to piece the puzzles together, only to find out that they don’t match. You are left to question the purpose of the rock, the baby and Patrick Wilson’s seemingly possessed character.
If you enjoy watching a slow paced, psychological horror movie and the feeling of being confused, then you can go check this film out.
There is something captivating about this adaptation that keeps you hooked until the end but bear in mind, it requires you to have an open mind and low expectations.
Needless to say, you might as well go and have read of the book, which was also co-written by Joe Hill,the king of horror’s son.
What makes it better is the addition of a film adaptation of a Stephen King novella to satiate
fanatics’ hunger.
Except the question lies in whether I felt full watching this movie.
The story begins with a brother and sister duo on a long journey to San Diego. Sweltering heat and pregnancy do not mix well, alongside the long-winding roads of America until they stop by a field of tall grass. What can go wrong by stopping in the middle of nowhere that’s giving out a Children of the Corn vibe?
The siblings find themselves going through the tall grass after hearing cries from a very distressed child, only to find themselves stuck in a never-ending cycle where there is seemingly no way out and only a rock statue that apparently lets you see things you will never imagine of seeing.
The concept had a potential to give viewers something more and unexpected. But that’s the thing.
It didn’t.
The first half of the movie set the scene of being trapped in a maze of grass, but then the second
half was pretty much the same, with only a couple of weird occult-like elements thrown in to fuel the dying flame. Not only this, but the viewer is left to piece the puzzles together, only to find out that they don’t match. You are left to question the purpose of the rock, the baby and Patrick Wilson’s seemingly possessed character.
If you enjoy watching a slow paced, psychological horror movie and the feeling of being confused, then you can go check this film out.
There is something captivating about this adaptation that keeps you hooked until the end but bear in mind, it requires you to have an open mind and low expectations.
Needless to say, you might as well go and have read of the book, which was also co-written by Joe Hill,the king of horror’s son.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Door (Seventh Dimenson #1) in Books
Nov 12, 2019
Shale Snyder is a troubled teenager. Her father left her mother when she was little, she has alienated almost all of the other children around her and has problems at school. Following yet another incident she is suspended and feels totally cast adrift. At this point she finds a door and hears a voice calling her to enter...
There is quite a clever concept at the heart of this book; that the Holy Land at the time of Jesus is a sort of dimensional nexus where those who are called can travel and gain spiritual help for themselves as well as the other travellers. It is a fine blending of both science fiction and Christian concepts.
There is also much of The Pilgrim's Progress about this, with Shale's journey and the characters she meets. And although she is living near Nazareth and does encounter Jesus (and other people mentioned in the bible) the religious side is not forced but comes naturally from the narrative. There is also a fair smattering of The Wizard of Oz, as the dimensional copy of the Holy Land from 2000 years ago also contains versions of people that Shale knows from home.
The result is a book that shows how even a little faith by someone as lost as Shale can give her the will to turn her life around and make herself and those around her better people. It is a very positive message, though not gained without significant trials.
There are a couple of negatives. Sometimes the narrative thread can be a little confusing, a side-effect of the dimension-hopping aspect of the story. Also some of the characters appear to serve little purpose, but perhaps as this is the first of a series they will come into play in later books. There is also one comment from her friend Daniel (another traveller from modern-day Israel) that did concern me, I hope this is due to his personal experience rather than a theme of future books.
Overall this is an engrossing read, managing to deliver a positive Christian message without labouring the point and providing a good story arc for Shale to keep the reader invested in the story
There is quite a clever concept at the heart of this book; that the Holy Land at the time of Jesus is a sort of dimensional nexus where those who are called can travel and gain spiritual help for themselves as well as the other travellers. It is a fine blending of both science fiction and Christian concepts.
There is also much of The Pilgrim's Progress about this, with Shale's journey and the characters she meets. And although she is living near Nazareth and does encounter Jesus (and other people mentioned in the bible) the religious side is not forced but comes naturally from the narrative. There is also a fair smattering of The Wizard of Oz, as the dimensional copy of the Holy Land from 2000 years ago also contains versions of people that Shale knows from home.
The result is a book that shows how even a little faith by someone as lost as Shale can give her the will to turn her life around and make herself and those around her better people. It is a very positive message, though not gained without significant trials.
There are a couple of negatives. Sometimes the narrative thread can be a little confusing, a side-effect of the dimension-hopping aspect of the story. Also some of the characters appear to serve little purpose, but perhaps as this is the first of a series they will come into play in later books. There is also one comment from her friend Daniel (another traveller from modern-day Israel) that did concern me, I hope this is due to his personal experience rather than a theme of future books.
Overall this is an engrossing read, managing to deliver a positive Christian message without labouring the point and providing a good story arc for Shale to keep the reader invested in the story
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Each To Their Own in Books
Nov 12, 2019
When teenager Kayleigh falls to her death her de facto stepfather Dan is convinced that there has been foul play and sets out to discover the events that led to her death and also to find out why a couple of her college friends have not been seen since. When he meets a college friend who also has suspicions he becomes more determined to find out the truth. But just how far is Dan prepared to go and just who can he trust?
This book is told in the first person from the point of view of some of the major players in the drama. This works really well as it gives the reader a chance to see the other narrators as others see them and see how their actions, taken with consideration or not, can affect others. This also allows for the facts to be gently teased out by the reader - initially we know only that Kayleigh has died and very little of the circumstances. As the story goes on and each character discovers or reveals another clue to what has been going on it builds the story like a jigsaw puzzle. I found it very reminiscent of another great thriller author, Robert Goddard, who carefully controls the facts the reader has to work on.
The writing is terrific as are the characters, each with their own voice and personalities. Each has their own weaknesses that they are either unaware of or overlook and these add a great deal of depth and dimension. There are a number of twists to the plot, some quite sudden and shocking others more a realisation that things are not quite as they have seemed.
This book was a pleasure to read, the plot moving at pace as it switched between viewpoints towards the final climax and with a satisfying ending. The story would make for a terrific prime time drama on television.
My only criticism was that the world of Kayleigh felt a bit too small - things like Alice being an old friend of Dan but independently related to and involved in events. But that didn't really spoil the book.
Thoroughly recommended.
This book is told in the first person from the point of view of some of the major players in the drama. This works really well as it gives the reader a chance to see the other narrators as others see them and see how their actions, taken with consideration or not, can affect others. This also allows for the facts to be gently teased out by the reader - initially we know only that Kayleigh has died and very little of the circumstances. As the story goes on and each character discovers or reveals another clue to what has been going on it builds the story like a jigsaw puzzle. I found it very reminiscent of another great thriller author, Robert Goddard, who carefully controls the facts the reader has to work on.
The writing is terrific as are the characters, each with their own voice and personalities. Each has their own weaknesses that they are either unaware of or overlook and these add a great deal of depth and dimension. There are a number of twists to the plot, some quite sudden and shocking others more a realisation that things are not quite as they have seemed.
This book was a pleasure to read, the plot moving at pace as it switched between viewpoints towards the final climax and with a satisfying ending. The story would make for a terrific prime time drama on television.
My only criticism was that the world of Kayleigh felt a bit too small - things like Alice being an old friend of Dan but independently related to and involved in events. But that didn't really spoil the book.
Thoroughly recommended.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Hold Your Tongue in Books
Dec 13, 2019
A creditable debut
This is what I call a slow burner and a very creditable debut from this new British author. It did take me a while to get into it and to get used to the writing style but once I did, I was hooked.
DI Eve Hunter is returning to work under a cloud after being injured in the line of duty which saw her colleague paralysed. She walks into the gruesome murder of a young woman and so begins the hunt for a brutal killer by her and her team and so begins this dark, gruesome and gritty police procedural set in the Scottish city of Aberdeen.
Mainly written from Eve's perspective interspersed with sections from members of her team and those of the killer, this gave insight from all the important characters in this book. The characters are well developed and believable with the relationships between Eve and the wider team excellently portrayed however, and this is my main criticism of this book, it took an awfully long time to get to the bottom of what happened with Eve and her colleague; you get snippets of the story here and there but, for me, this ended up annoying me slightly as I just wanted to know! In my humble opinion, this should have been explained close to the beginning of the book (maybe in a prologue?) so that the actions and reactions of Eve and her fellow officers would have been better understood.
I must applaud the author for keeping the identity of the killer well hidden amongst several red herrings; I changed my mind about who the person was a couple of times and was still caught out when the reveal happened ... excellent twist.
Overall, although I did find the first half of the book a little slow, the second made up for it and I am very much looking forward to what I hope are more outings for DI Hunter and her team.
My thanks go to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers via NetGalley for an advance copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
DI Eve Hunter is returning to work under a cloud after being injured in the line of duty which saw her colleague paralysed. She walks into the gruesome murder of a young woman and so begins the hunt for a brutal killer by her and her team and so begins this dark, gruesome and gritty police procedural set in the Scottish city of Aberdeen.
Mainly written from Eve's perspective interspersed with sections from members of her team and those of the killer, this gave insight from all the important characters in this book. The characters are well developed and believable with the relationships between Eve and the wider team excellently portrayed however, and this is my main criticism of this book, it took an awfully long time to get to the bottom of what happened with Eve and her colleague; you get snippets of the story here and there but, for me, this ended up annoying me slightly as I just wanted to know! In my humble opinion, this should have been explained close to the beginning of the book (maybe in a prologue?) so that the actions and reactions of Eve and her fellow officers would have been better understood.
I must applaud the author for keeping the identity of the killer well hidden amongst several red herrings; I changed my mind about who the person was a couple of times and was still caught out when the reveal happened ... excellent twist.
Overall, although I did find the first half of the book a little slow, the second made up for it and I am very much looking forward to what I hope are more outings for DI Hunter and her team.
My thanks go to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers via NetGalley for an advance copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated The Downtown Desperadoes in Books
Jan 19, 2020
Returning to NYC to Help a Friend
It all starts with a phone call. Ricky Kidd is confused by the strange message, and he is certain it is a prank, expect for the fact that the voice sounds familiar. It’s a couple of hours later when he recognizes it as Brother Phillip, the man who had helped him track down his younger brother when Joel was kidnapped during the class trip to New York City back in the spring. When his father tries to find out what is happening with Brother Phillip, he discovers the mission the man run has burned down, and the police believe that Brother Phillip died in the fire. The only problem is, the fire took place before the phone call. Ricky is able to convince his family and friends, Ralphy and Mike, to change their Thanksgiving plans and go to the city, but when they arrive, things only get weirder. Did they really know Brother Phillip? Is he in danger? Or is he a criminal?
Unlike many middle grade mysteries, this one is a direct sequel to an earlier book. To completely understand the events that happen here, it is best to have already read LOST BENEATH MANHATTAN. But if you haven’t read that one yet, there is enough context here to follow the events as they unfold. And what a plot! While I remembered a few key things, like the climax, I was still caught up in the twists and turns. This book is a master class is dropping clues into a story, and I still marvel at how Mr. Brouwer does it. The characters are developed enough to make us care, but they are a bit on the thin side. The adult in me notices that, but as I’m reading I don’t care. The book was originally written for the Christian market, but the Christian elements aren’t overwhelming here. These stories were originally released in the 1990’s, so a few references are dated, but it isn’t enough to ruin the story in the slightest. This book is still as strong now as when I first read it. Readers of all ages will be thrilled they picked it up.
Unlike many middle grade mysteries, this one is a direct sequel to an earlier book. To completely understand the events that happen here, it is best to have already read LOST BENEATH MANHATTAN. But if you haven’t read that one yet, there is enough context here to follow the events as they unfold. And what a plot! While I remembered a few key things, like the climax, I was still caught up in the twists and turns. This book is a master class is dropping clues into a story, and I still marvel at how Mr. Brouwer does it. The characters are developed enough to make us care, but they are a bit on the thin side. The adult in me notices that, but as I’m reading I don’t care. The book was originally written for the Christian market, but the Christian elements aren’t overwhelming here. These stories were originally released in the 1990’s, so a few references are dated, but it isn’t enough to ruin the story in the slightest. This book is still as strong now as when I first read it. Readers of all ages will be thrilled they picked it up.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Fake It Till You Break It in Books
Jan 23, 2020
From the moment I read the synopsis, I wanted to read Fake It Till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen. Fake dating that might backfire on the characters in the end? That sounded like pure fun (for the reader, probably not the characters), and Nguyen delivered. Some people may think the book is predictable and full of clichés, which can definitely be the case depending on reading preferences (and mood).
But if anyone is looking for a light and funny young adult contemporary romance to read, Fake It Till You Break It is the perfect new release from Swoon Reads. Knowing each other since childhood, Mia and Jake have constantly been in each others presence thanks to their mothers being friends. From dentist visits to brunch and even vacation, theyve done practically everything together growing up.
But now that theyre old enough to be in romantic relationships, their moms think the two of them will be perfect (and bonus: they can continue hanging out together if everything goes well). Tiring? Mia and Jake seem to think so. To get their moms off their backs about being the perfect couple, the two devise a plan: pretend to date, then break it off bad enough that theyll be out of each others lives forever. So much for their moms trying to get them together, right?
Spoiler: Jokes on Mia and Jake.
Mia and Jake were cute together and I loved their individual viewpoints throughout the book as they evolved from we hate each other to maybe we dont hate each other. Their voices were easily distinguishable and not confusing between chapters while adding to the story overall. Both of their moms were so much fun to read despite the irritation Mia and Jake felt with the constant pushing for them to be together.
Fake It Till You Break is such a cute and pure romance, and I highly encourage giving Nguyens book a chance if you enjoy the fake dating trope and good banter, and you want a light read for the summer.
<a href="http://theartsstl.com/jenn-p-nguyen-fake-it-till-you-break-it-swoon-reads/">This review is originally posted on The Arts STL</a>
But if anyone is looking for a light and funny young adult contemporary romance to read, Fake It Till You Break It is the perfect new release from Swoon Reads. Knowing each other since childhood, Mia and Jake have constantly been in each others presence thanks to their mothers being friends. From dentist visits to brunch and even vacation, theyve done practically everything together growing up.
But now that theyre old enough to be in romantic relationships, their moms think the two of them will be perfect (and bonus: they can continue hanging out together if everything goes well). Tiring? Mia and Jake seem to think so. To get their moms off their backs about being the perfect couple, the two devise a plan: pretend to date, then break it off bad enough that theyll be out of each others lives forever. So much for their moms trying to get them together, right?
Spoiler: Jokes on Mia and Jake.
Mia and Jake were cute together and I loved their individual viewpoints throughout the book as they evolved from we hate each other to maybe we dont hate each other. Their voices were easily distinguishable and not confusing between chapters while adding to the story overall. Both of their moms were so much fun to read despite the irritation Mia and Jake felt with the constant pushing for them to be together.
Fake It Till You Break is such a cute and pure romance, and I highly encourage giving Nguyens book a chance if you enjoy the fake dating trope and good banter, and you want a light read for the summer.
<a href="http://theartsstl.com/jenn-p-nguyen-fake-it-till-you-break-it-swoon-reads/">This review is originally posted on The Arts STL</a>
Nick Beaty (70 KP) rated The Irishman (2019) in Movies
Jan 26, 2020 (Updated Jan 26, 2020)
De Niro is the best he has been in a long time...
First off any movie that has Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Martin Scorsese connected to it has me from the get go.
De Niro is the best he has been in a long time as mob hitman Frank Sheeran, Joe Pesci is excellent in a much more reserved role as Russell Bufalino and Al Pacino is superb as the loud and brash Jimmy Hoffa. All the buzz is around the three lead actors, as all have been nominated for Oscars. Although for me Stephen Graham more than holds his own alongside these legends, as the cocky and destructive 'Tony Pro'. Some of the best scenes are with him and Pacino not seeing eye to eye on various occasions.
Personally I felt it wasn't as Scorsese as I expected, it didn't have the same narrative or feel as say Goodfellas or Casino, I'm not saying that is a bad thing as it's still a very good movie, it's just not on their level in my opinion.
There has been a lot of talk about the 3 hour 29 minutes running time. I personally don't understand all the fuss, as there have been many classic, award winning movies even longer than this. Gone with the Wind took home the Oscar in 1940 and ran a whopping 3h 58m. Ben Hur won best picture in 1960 at 3h 32m and more recently Titanic in 1998 was slightly less at 3h 14m.
I also feel the need to mention a couple of scenes that felt very reminiscent of one of my favourite movies Pulp Fiction. The opening sequence when the words 'I heard you paint houses' flash on the screen felt very Tarantino and the whole car scene with Jesse Plemons & Louis Cancelmi talking about the fish, was very Jule's & Vincent like. I'm not sure if that is just me or whether other people agree.
Overall I get that it is a long movie and people have very busy lives but if you get the chance you really should watch it, just to see these big screen legends at work and doing what they do best.
De Niro is the best he has been in a long time as mob hitman Frank Sheeran, Joe Pesci is excellent in a much more reserved role as Russell Bufalino and Al Pacino is superb as the loud and brash Jimmy Hoffa. All the buzz is around the three lead actors, as all have been nominated for Oscars. Although for me Stephen Graham more than holds his own alongside these legends, as the cocky and destructive 'Tony Pro'. Some of the best scenes are with him and Pacino not seeing eye to eye on various occasions.
Personally I felt it wasn't as Scorsese as I expected, it didn't have the same narrative or feel as say Goodfellas or Casino, I'm not saying that is a bad thing as it's still a very good movie, it's just not on their level in my opinion.
There has been a lot of talk about the 3 hour 29 minutes running time. I personally don't understand all the fuss, as there have been many classic, award winning movies even longer than this. Gone with the Wind took home the Oscar in 1940 and ran a whopping 3h 58m. Ben Hur won best picture in 1960 at 3h 32m and more recently Titanic in 1998 was slightly less at 3h 14m.
I also feel the need to mention a couple of scenes that felt very reminiscent of one of my favourite movies Pulp Fiction. The opening sequence when the words 'I heard you paint houses' flash on the screen felt very Tarantino and the whole car scene with Jesse Plemons & Louis Cancelmi talking about the fish, was very Jule's & Vincent like. I'm not sure if that is just me or whether other people agree.
Overall I get that it is a long movie and people have very busy lives but if you get the chance you really should watch it, just to see these big screen legends at work and doing what they do best.
JT (287 KP) rated Takers (2010) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
The bank heist, it’s been done to death in Hollywood over the years but it still seems to be a film favourite. You’d be hard pressed to find a really bad one out there and most of the ones that I have seen have been exceptional films.
Of course they all follow a very similar pattern. Group steals money, plan one last job which will inevitable go wrong where someone will get double crossed and not everyone walks off into the sunset with the money.Its a no brainer really and only an idiot could really mess up that style of plot.
Takers is no different from any other before it, the cast here seem to be a bit mismatched in places. There are real life rappers Chris Brown and T.I. aka Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., eye candy favourites Matt Dillon and Paul Walker with Brit Idris Elba making it the most unconventional mix of cops and robbers ever.
The film’s highlights are the well choreographed set pieces including a decent hotel gun fight, a hiest that goes wrong leading to more gun play, and an impressive chase through the city. Even the opening does well to set the story and character back grounds.
Where the film let’s itself down, through no fault of its own, is the way in which we are always one step ahead of the plot. This is just down to all the hiest films we have seen before and we’re pretty much going to make our own assumptions as to what is going to happen and who is going to get away with what at the climax.
There are a couple of wasted back stories which do little to the film such as Matt Dillon’s corrupt partner or Idris Elba’s crackhead sister. Zoe Saldana is a virtual unknown in this and pops up from time to time doing nothing but enlighten the screen with her clear beauty.
It’s never going to compete against the big boys such as Heat, Point Break or The Town, but it does well enough to hold the attention for 90 minutes or so.
Of course they all follow a very similar pattern. Group steals money, plan one last job which will inevitable go wrong where someone will get double crossed and not everyone walks off into the sunset with the money.Its a no brainer really and only an idiot could really mess up that style of plot.
Takers is no different from any other before it, the cast here seem to be a bit mismatched in places. There are real life rappers Chris Brown and T.I. aka Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., eye candy favourites Matt Dillon and Paul Walker with Brit Idris Elba making it the most unconventional mix of cops and robbers ever.
The film’s highlights are the well choreographed set pieces including a decent hotel gun fight, a hiest that goes wrong leading to more gun play, and an impressive chase through the city. Even the opening does well to set the story and character back grounds.
Where the film let’s itself down, through no fault of its own, is the way in which we are always one step ahead of the plot. This is just down to all the hiest films we have seen before and we’re pretty much going to make our own assumptions as to what is going to happen and who is going to get away with what at the climax.
There are a couple of wasted back stories which do little to the film such as Matt Dillon’s corrupt partner or Idris Elba’s crackhead sister. Zoe Saldana is a virtual unknown in this and pops up from time to time doing nothing but enlighten the screen with her clear beauty.
It’s never going to compete against the big boys such as Heat, Point Break or The Town, but it does well enough to hold the attention for 90 minutes or so.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Dead to Her in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Marcie Maddox is Jason's second wife. She's younger than most of the elite set she associates with in Savannah, Georgia. That all changes when Jason's boss, William Radford IV brings home his own second wife. Keisha is even younger than Marcie. She's English, irreverent, and strikingly beautiful. Jason's been distracted lately, but he seems to have no problem focusing on Keisha. Suddenly Marcie finds herself feeling second best, and she doesn't like it one bit.
I hate to say it, but this book really just wasn't for me. The writing felt cheesy and stilted, and for most of the book, I just couldn't get into the plot. It had a slow start--we're introduced to Keisha, who has obviously married the much older "Billy" for his money, and we learn that Jason (and Marcie) have secrets of their own. But we don't get to learn any of these secrets, and so the plot is just a drawn out introduction to everyone, with constant teasing to these supposedly explosive secrets. I just felt like yelling, "get on with it already!"
Then things do finally move on, but they take some outrageous turns that felt a bit melodramatic and, at times, completely unbelievable. This is a really strange, weird read. There's voodoo and black magic, a lesbian storyline, and some very odd, often unlikable characters. I really wasn't invested in anyone. And while I am typically really excited for a lesbian plotline, this one felt forced, and the LGBTIA treatment of the characters was often pretty despicable: a gay party-planning couple is treated really derogatory and mocked, as well as portrayed in really stereotypical fashion, while lesbians are called "dykes" and just not really shown any respect at all. Ugh. Maybe I was being over-sensitive, but I wasn't impressed.
The book picks up a bit near the end, and there are a few good twists, but overall, not enough to redeem it for me. Others seem to enjoy this one, so take my review with a grain of salt, but this was a 2.5-star read for me.
I hate to say it, but this book really just wasn't for me. The writing felt cheesy and stilted, and for most of the book, I just couldn't get into the plot. It had a slow start--we're introduced to Keisha, who has obviously married the much older "Billy" for his money, and we learn that Jason (and Marcie) have secrets of their own. But we don't get to learn any of these secrets, and so the plot is just a drawn out introduction to everyone, with constant teasing to these supposedly explosive secrets. I just felt like yelling, "get on with it already!"
Then things do finally move on, but they take some outrageous turns that felt a bit melodramatic and, at times, completely unbelievable. This is a really strange, weird read. There's voodoo and black magic, a lesbian storyline, and some very odd, often unlikable characters. I really wasn't invested in anyone. And while I am typically really excited for a lesbian plotline, this one felt forced, and the LGBTIA treatment of the characters was often pretty despicable: a gay party-planning couple is treated really derogatory and mocked, as well as portrayed in really stereotypical fashion, while lesbians are called "dykes" and just not really shown any respect at all. Ugh. Maybe I was being over-sensitive, but I wasn't impressed.
The book picks up a bit near the end, and there are a few good twists, but overall, not enough to redeem it for me. Others seem to enjoy this one, so take my review with a grain of salt, but this was a 2.5-star read for me.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Cinderella (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Throw together two beautiful faces from a couple of popular TV shows, award-winning veterans of the big screen, a director who loves to immerse viewers in story in the most spectacular of ways and what do you get? Sweet, magical enchantment.
Cinderella is Disney’s latest live-action translation of a classic animated film and under Kenneth Branagh’s deft direction it is simply wonderful. Retelling a beloved fairytale and making it feel fresh, delightful and satisfying is no small feat but Branagh does it with engaging actors, charming sets, captivating scenery and gorgeous costumes.
Lily James, recently of Downton Abbey, plays the heroine with sweet, innocent strength. Showered with love by her parents, played by Ben Chaplin and Hayley Atwell, Ella knows nothing about discontent or malice. Even after she loses her mother, and even after her father brings home an uncaring stepmother and disdainful stepsisters, Ella remains faithful to her mother’s dying wish for her daughter to “Have courage. Be Kind.”
Everyone knows how Ella became Cinderella and we all know just how badly she’s treated by her stepmother and stepsisters. Cate Blanchett is wickedly magnificent as the stepmother and Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger bring new meaning to gaudy and garish.
I have to admit I’m a sucker for any fairytale that involves grand, sweeping ballroom scenes like Beauty and the Beast, Enchanted and now Cinderella. Of course, the scene could not have been possible without the help of a Fairy Godmother. Helena Bonham Carter is simply delightful in her role as Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother. The special effects used to give Cinderella a stunning gown as well as a horse-drawn carriage and driver and footmen were flawless
We also know how the story ends, but that didn’t stop the audience from sighing, holding its collective breath, and cheering when the prince, played handsomely by Richard Madden, finds the maiden whose foot fits perfectly in the glass slipper.
Days after our screener, my husband and I were still discussing the movie, that’s how much we enjoyed it. And when you can get your husband to easily agree to watch it again when it’s released, you know it’s a great movie.
Cinderella is Disney’s latest live-action translation of a classic animated film and under Kenneth Branagh’s deft direction it is simply wonderful. Retelling a beloved fairytale and making it feel fresh, delightful and satisfying is no small feat but Branagh does it with engaging actors, charming sets, captivating scenery and gorgeous costumes.
Lily James, recently of Downton Abbey, plays the heroine with sweet, innocent strength. Showered with love by her parents, played by Ben Chaplin and Hayley Atwell, Ella knows nothing about discontent or malice. Even after she loses her mother, and even after her father brings home an uncaring stepmother and disdainful stepsisters, Ella remains faithful to her mother’s dying wish for her daughter to “Have courage. Be Kind.”
Everyone knows how Ella became Cinderella and we all know just how badly she’s treated by her stepmother and stepsisters. Cate Blanchett is wickedly magnificent as the stepmother and Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger bring new meaning to gaudy and garish.
I have to admit I’m a sucker for any fairytale that involves grand, sweeping ballroom scenes like Beauty and the Beast, Enchanted and now Cinderella. Of course, the scene could not have been possible without the help of a Fairy Godmother. Helena Bonham Carter is simply delightful in her role as Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother. The special effects used to give Cinderella a stunning gown as well as a horse-drawn carriage and driver and footmen were flawless
We also know how the story ends, but that didn’t stop the audience from sighing, holding its collective breath, and cheering when the prince, played handsomely by Richard Madden, finds the maiden whose foot fits perfectly in the glass slipper.
Days after our screener, my husband and I were still discussing the movie, that’s how much we enjoyed it. And when you can get your husband to easily agree to watch it again when it’s released, you know it’s a great movie.