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Ducklady (1174 KP) rated The Cured (2017) in Movies
Oct 11, 2019
surprised by this
I decided to watch this movie as I was looking for a shortish one to watch, and I love zombies. I fully expected this to be shoddy so I was very surprised when it was actually kinda amazing.
Starts out with an interesting concept of people who were infected with the "maze virus" becoming cured. The kicker is that they remembered everything they had done when they were zombies.
Everyone who was "cured" then becomes subject to abuse, fear and polarised from the rest of society. They are outcast and given undesirable jobs and required to report back to the military every day.
The unrest within the "cured" starts bubbling over and terrorist groups are formed.
The main characters are believable and all the acting is on point. highly recommend this movie, it has a lot of depth to it and cultural and social relevance
Starts out with an interesting concept of people who were infected with the "maze virus" becoming cured. The kicker is that they remembered everything they had done when they were zombies.
Everyone who was "cured" then becomes subject to abuse, fear and polarised from the rest of society. They are outcast and given undesirable jobs and required to report back to the military every day.
The unrest within the "cured" starts bubbling over and terrorist groups are formed.
The main characters are believable and all the acting is on point. highly recommend this movie, it has a lot of depth to it and cultural and social relevance
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Letters to Juliet (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
Sophie’s life is heading in a good direction. She is the best fact checker at the New Yorker, engaged to an up-and-coming chef and is headed on a romantic trip to Verona, the setting of Shakespeare’s most famous play, Romeo and Juliet. But when Sophie discovers a multi-decade old letter written to Juliet she finds herself on a new and exciting adventure in the spirit of true love.
The film hitches its wagon on rising star Amanda Seyfried as the leading lady, playing romantically-inclined heroine Sophie. Amanda plays opposite Christopher Egan as Charlie, a pessimistic and overly protective grandson of Claire, a romantic adventurer and ideal parental-figure, played by the ever-enchanting Vanessa Redgrave.
It was easy to expect that this would be the same old American twenty-something in love tale, but I was unexpectedly surprised by the depth and honesty in “Letters to Juliet”. While it is much more a love story than a comedy, the film tackles a number of the usual subjects –love, loss, and destiny– in new ways. Throughout the film are touching scenes that blend laughter and keen, realistic emotion, without the all too familiar awkward result.
And it is hard not to smile while watching “Letters to Juliet”. The infusion of a love story mixes well with the films other themes: the importance of family and the value of cross-cultural perspectives. These complex themes support the romantic story so well that the experience is less like a fantasy and more akin to a well-layered tale told by a close friend. Mix in the stunning landscape of Italy and “Letters to Juliet” becomes a magically honest story about the quest for true love.
Filled with quality acting, romance, and many kinds of love while speaking across generations and cultural viewpoints, “Letters to Juliet” manages to pull at the heartstrings and share an inspiring and uplifting tale.
The film hitches its wagon on rising star Amanda Seyfried as the leading lady, playing romantically-inclined heroine Sophie. Amanda plays opposite Christopher Egan as Charlie, a pessimistic and overly protective grandson of Claire, a romantic adventurer and ideal parental-figure, played by the ever-enchanting Vanessa Redgrave.
It was easy to expect that this would be the same old American twenty-something in love tale, but I was unexpectedly surprised by the depth and honesty in “Letters to Juliet”. While it is much more a love story than a comedy, the film tackles a number of the usual subjects –love, loss, and destiny– in new ways. Throughout the film are touching scenes that blend laughter and keen, realistic emotion, without the all too familiar awkward result.
And it is hard not to smile while watching “Letters to Juliet”. The infusion of a love story mixes well with the films other themes: the importance of family and the value of cross-cultural perspectives. These complex themes support the romantic story so well that the experience is less like a fantasy and more akin to a well-layered tale told by a close friend. Mix in the stunning landscape of Italy and “Letters to Juliet” becomes a magically honest story about the quest for true love.
Filled with quality acting, romance, and many kinds of love while speaking across generations and cultural viewpoints, “Letters to Juliet” manages to pull at the heartstrings and share an inspiring and uplifting tale.
Ruth Frampton (577 KP) rated What Does Consent Really Mean? in Books
Apr 10, 2018
Where to start? Well, this is certainly the book I wish I'd had when I was growing up and when my own children were of the age to need this advice for that fact. This book, "What does consent really mean?" is presented as a graphic novel and shows multi-cultural characters discussing and growing in knowledge about the topic of consent. This inclusion of such a range of opinions, yet, still coming to a consensus, also demonstrates to young people how you can and should be able to discuss matters openly in a healthy relationship. I found especially good the part where the teenage girls were more able to discuss this area than the teenage lads although through their clearly good friendships they worked through this, once again demonstrating a mature attitude to the audience.
I can certainly recommend this book as a reference book for any teenagers, schools or those involved with working with this age group.
I can certainly recommend this book as a reference book for any teenagers, schools or those involved with working with this age group.
Ruth Frampton (577 KP) rated What Does Consent Really Mean? in Books
Apr 10, 2018
Where to start? Well, this is certainly the book I wish I'd had when I was growing up and when my own children were of the age to need this advice for that fact. This book, "What does consent really mean?" is presented as a graphic novel and shows multi-cultural characters discussing and growing in knowledge about the topic of consent. This inclusion of such a range of opinions, yet, still coming to a consensus, also demonstrates to young people how you can and should be able to discuss matters openly in a healthy relationship. I found especially good the part where the teenage girls were more able to discuss this area than the teenage lads although through their clearly good friendships they worked through this, once again demonstrating a mature attitude to the audience.
I can certainly recommend this book as a reference book for any teenagers, schools or those involved with working with this age group.
I can certainly recommend this book as a reference book for any teenagers, schools or those involved with working with this age group.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Abominable Science!: Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Famous Cryptids in Books
Mar 23, 2018 (Updated Mar 23, 2018)
A hard-headed look at a number of famous cryptids (legendary animals) from a palaeontologist (Prothero) and a 'professional skeptic' (Loxton), attempting to determine if cryptozoology really is a genuine science (Michael Sheard just writes the introduction). Also goes on to consider the further question - if people aren't actually seeing monsters, then why do they think they are?
Pretty much guaranteed to make your average Bigfoot hunter or Nessie spotter squeal in outrage, but the writers' main proposition - that the famous cryptids are essentially products of 20th century pop culture - is coherent and well-argued, if nothing else. Some of the chapters are a bit more accessible than others, and they do take a variety of approaches - the section on sea serpents mainly focuses on the cultural development of the idea of such a creature, while the one on the Congo dinosaur is a fierce critique of creationist attempts to hijack science. A thoughtful and persuasive book.
Pretty much guaranteed to make your average Bigfoot hunter or Nessie spotter squeal in outrage, but the writers' main proposition - that the famous cryptids are essentially products of 20th century pop culture - is coherent and well-argued, if nothing else. Some of the chapters are a bit more accessible than others, and they do take a variety of approaches - the section on sea serpents mainly focuses on the cultural development of the idea of such a creature, while the one on the Congo dinosaur is a fierce critique of creationist attempts to hijack science. A thoughtful and persuasive book.
ClareR (5603 KP) rated Family Lore in Books
Nov 11, 2023
Family Lore focuses on the Marie sisters: Matilda, Flor, Pastor and Camille, and two of their daughters, Ona and Yadi. Some of these women have special abilities, and for Flor, that is being able to predict when someone is going to die. So there is great consternation when she decides to hold a living wake.
Ona is an anthropologist and decides to interview the women in her family to find out about their origins: the older sisters come from the Dominican Republic, and their lives there were very different to those of their children.
This is a family with a lot going on! If you like family dramas, then you would be just the reader for this book. There’s a lot about the different relationships between the characters, marriages, unfaithfulness, low self esteem, maternal love, fertility problems, cultural differences, family arguments and resilience.
It’s beautifully written - Acevedo is a poet as well - and all the characters really do have their own voices in this wide-sweeping novel.
Ona is an anthropologist and decides to interview the women in her family to find out about their origins: the older sisters come from the Dominican Republic, and their lives there were very different to those of their children.
This is a family with a lot going on! If you like family dramas, then you would be just the reader for this book. There’s a lot about the different relationships between the characters, marriages, unfaithfulness, low self esteem, maternal love, fertility problems, cultural differences, family arguments and resilience.
It’s beautifully written - Acevedo is a poet as well - and all the characters really do have their own voices in this wide-sweeping novel.
ClareR (5603 KP) rated Other Names for Love in Books
Jan 28, 2023
This rather enjoyable novel is harder to describe than it is to read, so I’m not going to describe it!
I think at the heart of this is the need of the main character to be accepted for who he is: his personality, his sexuality, his life choices. He doesn’t want to carry on with the family businesses of either farming or politics, and he likes his life in London. This is only reinforced for him when he needs to go back to see his ailing father.
The language is evocative of the places and times, especially when Fahad is living in the countryside. It’s a place that’s barely contained - the jungle wants to reclaim the farmland, much like Fahad wanting to claim his own life.
You can feel how repressed Fahad is by cultural and familial expectations, as much as the oppressive heat seems to smother him as well.
I enjoyed this melancholy read, and look forward to seeing what the author writes next
I think at the heart of this is the need of the main character to be accepted for who he is: his personality, his sexuality, his life choices. He doesn’t want to carry on with the family businesses of either farming or politics, and he likes his life in London. This is only reinforced for him when he needs to go back to see his ailing father.
The language is evocative of the places and times, especially when Fahad is living in the countryside. It’s a place that’s barely contained - the jungle wants to reclaim the farmland, much like Fahad wanting to claim his own life.
You can feel how repressed Fahad is by cultural and familial expectations, as much as the oppressive heat seems to smother him as well.
I enjoyed this melancholy read, and look forward to seeing what the author writes next
Awix (3310 KP) rated Pacific Rim (2013) in Movies
Feb 25, 2018
Brave and comparatively rare (these days) attempt to do a blockbuster that isn't a remake nor based on a novel, comic book, toy line, TV show or theme park attraction. Which is not to say this isn't a tremendously derivative movie; clearly inspired by tokosatsu movies, manga, and anime, just with most of the actual Japanese characters replaced by Americans and Australians. (Hmmm, isn't this cultural appropriation?)
Anyway: big monsters lumber out of the sea, get smacked in the mouth by giant robots. Story isn't really anything special, but the background details of this slightly cartoony world are engaging, as are some of the supporting performances. Film subscribes to the prevailing American dogma, which is that giant monster fights must take place at night and preferably in bad weather: apparently this makes them much more believable. The Hong Kong battle is terrific, the others not so much. In the end I think the premise of this movie is really much better than the way it is realised; maybe the sequel will address some of the shortcomings here.
Anyway: big monsters lumber out of the sea, get smacked in the mouth by giant robots. Story isn't really anything special, but the background details of this slightly cartoony world are engaging, as are some of the supporting performances. Film subscribes to the prevailing American dogma, which is that giant monster fights must take place at night and preferably in bad weather: apparently this makes them much more believable. The Hong Kong battle is terrific, the others not so much. In the end I think the premise of this movie is really much better than the way it is realised; maybe the sequel will address some of the shortcomings here.
lurkykitty (3 KP) rated The Only Good Indians in Books
Mar 25, 2020 (Updated Mar 25, 2020)
A well written and superbly crafted horror story
The Only Good Indians is a well written and superbly crafted horror story which takes place in the northwestern US and has characters from the Blackfeet and Crow tribes. Four young Blackfeet men embark on a badly planned and illegal elk hunt which results in a violation of tribal values and the desecration of nature. Ten years later, an entity exacts her revenge in a chilling, suspenseful and brutal fashion. The characters are incredibly well developed given the length of the novel, and the reader develops sympathy for them. The reader also empathizes with the perspective of the entity who pursues the four men. This story has great depth in its exploration of themes of cultural identity, tradition, social justice, revenge and respect for the natural world. Horror readers will love this, but I would also recommend this book for readers of fiction in general. I can see why this The Only Good Indians is receiving so much critical acclaim.
