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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Night Before in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Laura Lochner has returned to her hometown, a bit disgraced, after falling in love with the wrong man yet again. This is a pattern with Laura--always seeking the wrong guys. Her last breakup has hit her particularly hard, causing her to leave her job and apartment and return home to live with her sister, Rosie, Rosie's husband, Joe, and their young son, Mason. Rosie has worried about her sister since they were kids. Laura's always been a little angry and damaged. Both Rosie and Joe feel protective of Laura, especially as she leaves to go on a blind date with a man she "met" on a dating website. So when Laura isn't back the next morning and not responding to texts or calls, Rosie jumps to the worst conclusions. Rosie and Joe begin a frantic search to find Laura. Are they too late?
So this wasn't exactly what I was expecting, and I have to admit, it was a slightly strange and weird--almost trippy--read. The book alternates between Laura and Rosie's viewpoints, with Laura's leading up to and covering her blind date, while Rosie's cover the "after" period, when she searches for her sister. No matter what, I will emphasize that the book mainly held my interest, and while I didn't love it as much as many other reviewers, it was an interesting read, for sure. It's different, too, which is always fun and sometimes hard to find when it comes to thrillers. I just wasn't as "wowed" as I'd hoped, based on some of the reviews I'd read.
The premise here is that Laura has a horrible track record with men. And that she has a bit of a history with violence and unpredictability. The first part you will certainly get, as it's hammered over and over. And over. A bit too much for my taste. We get it. She has bad taste in men and makes poor choices. The second part--her unreliability and potential for violence--is a bit more intriguing. Instead of Rosie thinking that something might have happened to Laura, she almost fears Laura might have done something to her date. I liked this premise: it goes back to the fact that the book was different. A lot of this stemmed to Laura's past and a mysterious encounter with an old boyfriend, which was slowly revealed.
"It was in my hand. The weapon that killed him. But that night didn't change me. That night made me see what I've always been."
There are definitely some interesting twists in this one. Some, eh, while others were very unexpected. But, more in the far-fetched unexpected realm, versus whoa!, which led to a little bit of my letdown feeling. I wasn't particularly impressed with the big reveal of whodunnit and had no real attachment to any of the characters, including Laura, which was a bit disappointing.
Still, as I said, this one definitely held my interest, especially in the last 1/2 - 1/3 of the book. It's different and a little weird and dark. Some of the twists didn't really do it for me, but there are a ton of people who really liked this one, so take my review with a grain of salt. I'm still glad I read this book, and I will definitely continue to seek out Wendy Walker's books, as they are always a fun read. 3+ stars.
So this wasn't exactly what I was expecting, and I have to admit, it was a slightly strange and weird--almost trippy--read. The book alternates between Laura and Rosie's viewpoints, with Laura's leading up to and covering her blind date, while Rosie's cover the "after" period, when she searches for her sister. No matter what, I will emphasize that the book mainly held my interest, and while I didn't love it as much as many other reviewers, it was an interesting read, for sure. It's different, too, which is always fun and sometimes hard to find when it comes to thrillers. I just wasn't as "wowed" as I'd hoped, based on some of the reviews I'd read.
The premise here is that Laura has a horrible track record with men. And that she has a bit of a history with violence and unpredictability. The first part you will certainly get, as it's hammered over and over. And over. A bit too much for my taste. We get it. She has bad taste in men and makes poor choices. The second part--her unreliability and potential for violence--is a bit more intriguing. Instead of Rosie thinking that something might have happened to Laura, she almost fears Laura might have done something to her date. I liked this premise: it goes back to the fact that the book was different. A lot of this stemmed to Laura's past and a mysterious encounter with an old boyfriend, which was slowly revealed.
"It was in my hand. The weapon that killed him. But that night didn't change me. That night made me see what I've always been."
There are definitely some interesting twists in this one. Some, eh, while others were very unexpected. But, more in the far-fetched unexpected realm, versus whoa!, which led to a little bit of my letdown feeling. I wasn't particularly impressed with the big reveal of whodunnit and had no real attachment to any of the characters, including Laura, which was a bit disappointing.
Still, as I said, this one definitely held my interest, especially in the last 1/2 - 1/3 of the book. It's different and a little weird and dark. Some of the twists didn't really do it for me, but there are a ton of people who really liked this one, so take my review with a grain of salt. I'm still glad I read this book, and I will definitely continue to seek out Wendy Walker's books, as they are always a fun read. 3+ stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) in Movies
Oct 17, 2019
It is hard to believe it has been ten years since audiences were introduced to the hysterical yet violent Post-Apocalypse world of Zombieland; but thankfully the crew is back again with the highly enjoyable “Zombieland: Double Tap”.
The story begins with Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), bringing the audience up to speed on what has happened since the last film. The Zombies have evolved into different classes of abilities and Columbus and his ersatz family have taken up residence in The White House.
Columbus and Wichita (Emma Stone) are still dating; well at least as best as one can do in a Zombie Apocalypse which is painfully short on options. This situation does not seem to bother Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), as he is happy to work on his loaded vehicle dubbed “The Beast” but for Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), the situation has become intolerable.
Little Rock is eager to find someone to have a relationship with and when her frustrations combine with Wichita’s insecurities; the girls take off leaving the men to fend for themselves.
While Tallahassee has no issues with this, Columbus is a moping mess and even a trip to the local mall cannot lighten his mood. Things change when they meet the ditzy and clueless Madison (Zoey Deutch); who steals her scenes with her Clueless Pop Culture Princess who is as oblivious to their situation as a person can be.
When Wichita returns to tell them that Little Rock has run off with a guy she met, the crew load up and take to the road to save the day but are blissfully unaware of the new dangers waiting for them.
This is the rare sequel that is as good if not better than the original. The cast works very well with one another and the introduction of new characters brought some additional comedy to the film as well as enhancement to the action sequences.
While the film is at times very gory; it is done in a humorous way that balances the dangers the characters are in with a wink and smile to let the audience know that this is still an Action/Comedy that is light on the darkness and big on the levity.
The film has some great continuity with the original film without repeating itself as Columbus’s rules for survival still pop up when they are used and we also get some hysterical new updates to the coveted Zombie Kill of the Week.
Director Ruben Fleischer knows what audiences want and does a great job giving them more of what he gave them in the first film without being gratuitous or heavy handed with the material.
The new cast works well with the returning players especially Rosario Dawson and the previously mentioned Zoey Deutch who fit seamlessly into the comedic Zombie mayhem.
You will want to make sure to stay into the credits for a fantastic bonus scene which puts a great capper on the film which was one of the best times I have had at the movies in recent years and one of the better movies of 2019.
Hopefully this is not the last outing for the crew as I would love to see further adventures in Zombieland but hopefully we will not have to wait 10 years for the next chapter.
4 stars out of 5
The story begins with Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), bringing the audience up to speed on what has happened since the last film. The Zombies have evolved into different classes of abilities and Columbus and his ersatz family have taken up residence in The White House.
Columbus and Wichita (Emma Stone) are still dating; well at least as best as one can do in a Zombie Apocalypse which is painfully short on options. This situation does not seem to bother Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), as he is happy to work on his loaded vehicle dubbed “The Beast” but for Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), the situation has become intolerable.
Little Rock is eager to find someone to have a relationship with and when her frustrations combine with Wichita’s insecurities; the girls take off leaving the men to fend for themselves.
While Tallahassee has no issues with this, Columbus is a moping mess and even a trip to the local mall cannot lighten his mood. Things change when they meet the ditzy and clueless Madison (Zoey Deutch); who steals her scenes with her Clueless Pop Culture Princess who is as oblivious to their situation as a person can be.
When Wichita returns to tell them that Little Rock has run off with a guy she met, the crew load up and take to the road to save the day but are blissfully unaware of the new dangers waiting for them.
This is the rare sequel that is as good if not better than the original. The cast works very well with one another and the introduction of new characters brought some additional comedy to the film as well as enhancement to the action sequences.
While the film is at times very gory; it is done in a humorous way that balances the dangers the characters are in with a wink and smile to let the audience know that this is still an Action/Comedy that is light on the darkness and big on the levity.
The film has some great continuity with the original film without repeating itself as Columbus’s rules for survival still pop up when they are used and we also get some hysterical new updates to the coveted Zombie Kill of the Week.
Director Ruben Fleischer knows what audiences want and does a great job giving them more of what he gave them in the first film without being gratuitous or heavy handed with the material.
The new cast works well with the returning players especially Rosario Dawson and the previously mentioned Zoey Deutch who fit seamlessly into the comedic Zombie mayhem.
You will want to make sure to stay into the credits for a fantastic bonus scene which puts a great capper on the film which was one of the best times I have had at the movies in recent years and one of the better movies of 2019.
Hopefully this is not the last outing for the crew as I would love to see further adventures in Zombieland but hopefully we will not have to wait 10 years for the next chapter.
4 stars out of 5
Natari (73 KP) rated Christmas At The Palace in Books
Jul 19, 2019
This book takes a very ordinary romance between two people and places it in an extraordinary circumstance. Boy meets girl, girl and boy fall in love. Ordinary. But boy is a prince of England and girl is a doctor in love with her career and charity work. But that isn't the only conflicts in this romance. They don't fall out over "PUTTING THE DISHES IN THE VICINITY OF THE DISHWASHER IS NOT DOING THE DISHES" like ordinary couples, but there are many ups and downs in their whirlwind romance. That is what makes the story fun to read. Stories need conflict, and human relationships provide such novelties aplenty in various guises.
But what makes this a great book is the sheer genuine interactions. It makes it pleasant, because you can believe the story. The couple are a little older, they aren't the rush of youth stumbling into a relationship, but wizened 30 year olds who are looking for more meaning in each other. It is very fast paced, and definitely a whirlwind romance spanning major milestones in the novel. However, the plot backs up the reasoning for this. You don't feel rushed. It's like a Sunday afternoon drive in bumper cars. Thrilling but relaxing.
The book is very obviously, and at times heavily, inspired by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, with telling traits of other family members and situations. But it isn't a fictionalised version of their story. It is definitely Kumari's story, it is just set in our modern world.
Characters are well rounded and deep. I like the Goofball prince. He isn't your typical prince charming, he's quite blokey but loveable. Kumari is fantastic. I love her character and her rebellious resolve. She's mature and can be quite reserved, which helps her cope better with the extreme situation the book demands. I liked how her cultural attributes were used in the book. Not in the sense of the "scandal" that that led the plot, but in the natural fit of words like amma and thatha (Sri Lankan words for mother and father). Never explained, just in use. These things are so easily taken for granted in 'white person' literature. As the white girl dating a British guy whose parents migrated from abroad, I'm fortunate to understand the story from Prince Ben's point of view. Or rather, unfortunate, as the toxicity of Brexit campaigns are polluting the UK right now and we have to watch our loved ones bear the force of idiots. I hope more books with British heros of non-white backgrounds litter our library shelves and top reads at supermarkets more quickly. I very much want people to understand that people are people. And Christmas at the Palace makes this point so beautifully. It isn't being preached, it's just telling it like it is, for better or for worse.
My favourite character is Ophelia, whose story has been set up for a sequel. She's loud but polite and acts as if she is brash, but is terrifyingly calculating. She's wonderful.
All in all, the book was an easy, enjoyable read. Normally I read non-stop but life and work happened and I had to take frequent breaks. It was easy to do with Christmas at the Palace because there are sections that separate the major points of the story. If you don't always have a lot of time to read, this is a good recommendation as you can pick it up and continue and not be missing out or having to re-read passages.
But what makes this a great book is the sheer genuine interactions. It makes it pleasant, because you can believe the story. The couple are a little older, they aren't the rush of youth stumbling into a relationship, but wizened 30 year olds who are looking for more meaning in each other. It is very fast paced, and definitely a whirlwind romance spanning major milestones in the novel. However, the plot backs up the reasoning for this. You don't feel rushed. It's like a Sunday afternoon drive in bumper cars. Thrilling but relaxing.
The book is very obviously, and at times heavily, inspired by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, with telling traits of other family members and situations. But it isn't a fictionalised version of their story. It is definitely Kumari's story, it is just set in our modern world.
Characters are well rounded and deep. I like the Goofball prince. He isn't your typical prince charming, he's quite blokey but loveable. Kumari is fantastic. I love her character and her rebellious resolve. She's mature and can be quite reserved, which helps her cope better with the extreme situation the book demands. I liked how her cultural attributes were used in the book. Not in the sense of the "scandal" that that led the plot, but in the natural fit of words like amma and thatha (Sri Lankan words for mother and father). Never explained, just in use. These things are so easily taken for granted in 'white person' literature. As the white girl dating a British guy whose parents migrated from abroad, I'm fortunate to understand the story from Prince Ben's point of view. Or rather, unfortunate, as the toxicity of Brexit campaigns are polluting the UK right now and we have to watch our loved ones bear the force of idiots. I hope more books with British heros of non-white backgrounds litter our library shelves and top reads at supermarkets more quickly. I very much want people to understand that people are people. And Christmas at the Palace makes this point so beautifully. It isn't being preached, it's just telling it like it is, for better or for worse.
My favourite character is Ophelia, whose story has been set up for a sequel. She's loud but polite and acts as if she is brash, but is terrifyingly calculating. She's wonderful.
All in all, the book was an easy, enjoyable read. Normally I read non-stop but life and work happened and I had to take frequent breaks. It was easy to do with Christmas at the Palace because there are sections that separate the major points of the story. If you don't always have a lot of time to read, this is a good recommendation as you can pick it up and continue and not be missing out or having to re-read passages.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
Scott Pilgrim, played by Michael Cera, is a young man whose life is going nowhere fast. At 23, he describes himself as in between jobs and spends his free time playing bass in a struggling band. But Scott does have a girlfriend named Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), never mind that she is still in high school and things are about as chaste as they can get. Undaunted, Scott keeps plugging away despite the supportive taunts of his gay roomie Wallace (Kieran Culkin), and the members of his band.
Things change for Scott when he meets a girl named Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), at a party. Ramona shows no interest in Scott but he’s inexplicably drawn to her and eventually gets the roller blading delivery girl to go out with him, despite the strong protests of his sister Stacey (Anna Kendrick), and his drummer/ex-girlfriend Kim (Allison Pine). The upswing Scott’s life takes at meeting the girl of his dreams and his band’s shot at a recording deal is tempered by the complications of choosing between Knives, who is becoming more clingy, and Ramona, who brings with her a lot of angry baggage.
This baggage actually comes in the form of seven evil exes whom Scott must battle and defeat if he wishes to continue dating her. Scott accepts the challenge and finds himself in a life and death battle with some true psychos, all of whom have strange powers and appear out of nowhere to pummel Scott. I will not spoil the surprises but suffice it to say that the exes are played by some great names, and each one brings plenty of humor to go with the action.
Action and music blend well with comedy and romance and the video game-inspired fight sequences complete with numerous inside jokes for gamers are truly a delight. The frantic sequences mix music, and over the top action with cartoonish gags and humor in a winning formula. Seeing Scott take flying leaps across a room to battle for Ramona and rebounding from one pummeling after another is great fun. Scott give as good as he gets, learning at times that brains will win out over brawn.
The film has a frantic pacing that Director Edgar Wright never lets get out of control. Like his great work in Shaun of the Dead, Wright keeps the characters and their relationships at the center of the film, making them not only relatable but easy to root for despite the bizarre scenario the characters find themselves in.
The film is based on a graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley and delivers a fun adventure that should delight fans of the novel as well as video gamers everywhere. The film knows who its audience is and plays the zany plot with a wink and smile and does not get caught up with intricate plotlines and overly complex characters. Instead the movie keeps the attention on the action and the great cast of characters. Cera does his best work yet in the title role and Culkin nearly steals every scene he is in as does Wong. Jason Schwartzman shines as the uber villain Gideon and rounds out the effective cast in this pleasant surprise of the summer.
Things change for Scott when he meets a girl named Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), at a party. Ramona shows no interest in Scott but he’s inexplicably drawn to her and eventually gets the roller blading delivery girl to go out with him, despite the strong protests of his sister Stacey (Anna Kendrick), and his drummer/ex-girlfriend Kim (Allison Pine). The upswing Scott’s life takes at meeting the girl of his dreams and his band’s shot at a recording deal is tempered by the complications of choosing between Knives, who is becoming more clingy, and Ramona, who brings with her a lot of angry baggage.
This baggage actually comes in the form of seven evil exes whom Scott must battle and defeat if he wishes to continue dating her. Scott accepts the challenge and finds himself in a life and death battle with some true psychos, all of whom have strange powers and appear out of nowhere to pummel Scott. I will not spoil the surprises but suffice it to say that the exes are played by some great names, and each one brings plenty of humor to go with the action.
Action and music blend well with comedy and romance and the video game-inspired fight sequences complete with numerous inside jokes for gamers are truly a delight. The frantic sequences mix music, and over the top action with cartoonish gags and humor in a winning formula. Seeing Scott take flying leaps across a room to battle for Ramona and rebounding from one pummeling after another is great fun. Scott give as good as he gets, learning at times that brains will win out over brawn.
The film has a frantic pacing that Director Edgar Wright never lets get out of control. Like his great work in Shaun of the Dead, Wright keeps the characters and their relationships at the center of the film, making them not only relatable but easy to root for despite the bizarre scenario the characters find themselves in.
The film is based on a graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley and delivers a fun adventure that should delight fans of the novel as well as video gamers everywhere. The film knows who its audience is and plays the zany plot with a wink and smile and does not get caught up with intricate plotlines and overly complex characters. Instead the movie keeps the attention on the action and the great cast of characters. Cera does his best work yet in the title role and Culkin nearly steals every scene he is in as does Wong. Jason Schwartzman shines as the uber villain Gideon and rounds out the effective cast in this pleasant surprise of the summer.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Transformers Revenge of the Fallen (2009) in Movies
Aug 9, 2019
Following up the success of “Transformers” was not easy task, and thankfully Director Michael Bay and the amazing wizards at Industrial Light and Magic are up to the challenge as “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” is the rare sequel that outdoes the original in almost every way.
The film once again stars Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky who is still dating the lovely Mikaela (Megan Fox), as he prepares to head east for college.
Mikaela is unable to head east with Sam as she must stay behind to help her recently paroled father. Sam and his parents head off to his college campus and leave his transforming Camero Bumblebee at home.
At the same time, Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), and the rest of the heroic Autobots have joined forces with the government in an effort to locate and remove any remaining Decepticon threat. The special unit has worked well for two years as they have not only managed to contain the threat, but have kept their existence on Earth a secret until a mission in Shanghai escalates and has giant robots racing through the streets creating a path of destruction.
The aftermath of the mission causes some in authority to question the need for the Autobots and despite concerns that a major offensive is in the planning, the movements of the team are curtailed.
Sam and Mikaela are soon reunited when a shard from the All Spark is stolen. Sam also starts to have visions of mysterious alien symbols making him the prime target of the recently resurrected Megatron (Hugo Weaving), and his minions.
It is learned that the life essences of the Autobots and Decepticons may have a supply located on Earth and that Megatron will stop at nothing to locate it even if it means destroying the sun and all life on earth in the process.
What follows is a spectacular and extended series of battles which range from the city, to the countryside and deserts and pyramids of Egypt.
The new film has a surprisingly good amount of humor in it, which is needed as the film has a run time of over 2.5 hours and does take its time getting started in the first 40 minutes.
While the plot may be fairly basic and a bit convoluted, the real stars of the film are the action sequences, and Michael Bay ups the ante on explosions, destruction, and robot mayhem. It is clear that a lot of money was spent on the film and it is all up there on the screen. Lavish battles between the robotic forces and the military unfold often and the finale is an extended battle sequences that is amongst the most ambitious and lavish in action film history.
LaBeouf and Fox do the best with their parts even though they are not given much to do except run, jump, and look attractive when they are not interacting with their CGI Co stars.
That being said, the film knows what its audience is as does not try to reinvent what worked so well in the previous film. Instead its focus is on giving you more of what the audience loved and in that we get much more of the robots in combat and more of Megan Fox is skimpy tops and shorts.
The lavish and amazing visuals and action carry the film and establish Transformers as a heavyweight franchise for summers to come.
The film once again stars Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky who is still dating the lovely Mikaela (Megan Fox), as he prepares to head east for college.
Mikaela is unable to head east with Sam as she must stay behind to help her recently paroled father. Sam and his parents head off to his college campus and leave his transforming Camero Bumblebee at home.
At the same time, Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), and the rest of the heroic Autobots have joined forces with the government in an effort to locate and remove any remaining Decepticon threat. The special unit has worked well for two years as they have not only managed to contain the threat, but have kept their existence on Earth a secret until a mission in Shanghai escalates and has giant robots racing through the streets creating a path of destruction.
The aftermath of the mission causes some in authority to question the need for the Autobots and despite concerns that a major offensive is in the planning, the movements of the team are curtailed.
Sam and Mikaela are soon reunited when a shard from the All Spark is stolen. Sam also starts to have visions of mysterious alien symbols making him the prime target of the recently resurrected Megatron (Hugo Weaving), and his minions.
It is learned that the life essences of the Autobots and Decepticons may have a supply located on Earth and that Megatron will stop at nothing to locate it even if it means destroying the sun and all life on earth in the process.
What follows is a spectacular and extended series of battles which range from the city, to the countryside and deserts and pyramids of Egypt.
The new film has a surprisingly good amount of humor in it, which is needed as the film has a run time of over 2.5 hours and does take its time getting started in the first 40 minutes.
While the plot may be fairly basic and a bit convoluted, the real stars of the film are the action sequences, and Michael Bay ups the ante on explosions, destruction, and robot mayhem. It is clear that a lot of money was spent on the film and it is all up there on the screen. Lavish battles between the robotic forces and the military unfold often and the finale is an extended battle sequences that is amongst the most ambitious and lavish in action film history.
LaBeouf and Fox do the best with their parts even though they are not given much to do except run, jump, and look attractive when they are not interacting with their CGI Co stars.
That being said, the film knows what its audience is as does not try to reinvent what worked so well in the previous film. Instead its focus is on giving you more of what the audience loved and in that we get much more of the robots in combat and more of Megan Fox is skimpy tops and shorts.
The lavish and amazing visuals and action carry the film and establish Transformers as a heavyweight franchise for summers to come.
Darren (1599 KP) rated This Is England (2007) in Movies
Dec 2, 2019
Verdict: Gritty, Hard Hitting Reality Check
Story: This is England starts as young boy Shaun (Turgoose) is struggling with the death of his father in conflict in 1983, he gets picked on at school, he doesn’t fit in, until a group of skinheads led by Woody (Gilgun) welcoming him into their circle of friends for an afternoon of trouble, while his mother Cynth (Hartley) isn’t completely happy with this group, she does see him being happy for the first time in years.
When the other leader of the group Combo (Graham) gets out of prisons, he brings a more aggressive nature to what the gang wants to be, despite Woody, just wanting it to be friends hanging out.
Thoughts on This is England
Characters – Shaun is a 12-year-old boy that has suffered with the loss of his own father’s death in the Falklands, he gets bullied by the other school kids and has always just been left feeling alone in the world. The only people that let him in are Woody and the gang of skin heads who just want to hang out and soon gets drawn into a darker side by the more aggressive leaders of the gang. Combo is the older leader of the gang that doesn’t hold back with his hatred to other races in his country, he will fight anybody who goes again his gang too, being a horrendous role model for Shaun. Cynth is the mother of Shaun, she wants to see her son enjoying his life more but is getting worried about his own life choices. Woody is the member of the skin head gang that invites Shaun into the gang, he wants to help him fight back against the bullies, by offering somebody to hang out with.
Performances – Thomas Turgoose in the leading role is fantastic as we see just how he is dealing with his own grief in all the wrong places. Stephen Graham steals the show with his hyper aggressive character, while the rest of the cast do make us feel like we are watching mates hanging out.
Story – The story here follows a 12-year-old boy that ends up joining a skinhead gang after he struggles to find a way to deal with the grief in his life from his father’s death. The story does tackle just how difficult grief could be for the children of the victims of war, with Shaun having his school friends pick on him because of his father’s death, which in todays, not the 80s wouldn’t be acceptable in anyway, with everybody being more supportive. The idea of joining the gang and just how the gang soon starts to consume his life, effecting his behaviour shows how being given the wrong lines to follow will not make life any easier. We do see how the world has changed since the 80s and how the skinhead culture should never be forced onto anybody.
Crime – The crime world we get placed into here it, involves the violent behaviour of the skinhead gangs to anybody that doesn’t fit into their profile.
Settings – The film is set in the midlands of the UK which does show the neighbours that would have been struggling in the 1980s.
Scene of the Movie – The first day out with the gang.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – 12-year-old dating an 18-year-old seems weird.
Final Thoughts – This film does show the violence being pushed onto people if they can’t deal with grief when they have nobody else in their lives.
Overall: Violent Drama.
Story: This is England starts as young boy Shaun (Turgoose) is struggling with the death of his father in conflict in 1983, he gets picked on at school, he doesn’t fit in, until a group of skinheads led by Woody (Gilgun) welcoming him into their circle of friends for an afternoon of trouble, while his mother Cynth (Hartley) isn’t completely happy with this group, she does see him being happy for the first time in years.
When the other leader of the group Combo (Graham) gets out of prisons, he brings a more aggressive nature to what the gang wants to be, despite Woody, just wanting it to be friends hanging out.
Thoughts on This is England
Characters – Shaun is a 12-year-old boy that has suffered with the loss of his own father’s death in the Falklands, he gets bullied by the other school kids and has always just been left feeling alone in the world. The only people that let him in are Woody and the gang of skin heads who just want to hang out and soon gets drawn into a darker side by the more aggressive leaders of the gang. Combo is the older leader of the gang that doesn’t hold back with his hatred to other races in his country, he will fight anybody who goes again his gang too, being a horrendous role model for Shaun. Cynth is the mother of Shaun, she wants to see her son enjoying his life more but is getting worried about his own life choices. Woody is the member of the skin head gang that invites Shaun into the gang, he wants to help him fight back against the bullies, by offering somebody to hang out with.
Performances – Thomas Turgoose in the leading role is fantastic as we see just how he is dealing with his own grief in all the wrong places. Stephen Graham steals the show with his hyper aggressive character, while the rest of the cast do make us feel like we are watching mates hanging out.
Story – The story here follows a 12-year-old boy that ends up joining a skinhead gang after he struggles to find a way to deal with the grief in his life from his father’s death. The story does tackle just how difficult grief could be for the children of the victims of war, with Shaun having his school friends pick on him because of his father’s death, which in todays, not the 80s wouldn’t be acceptable in anyway, with everybody being more supportive. The idea of joining the gang and just how the gang soon starts to consume his life, effecting his behaviour shows how being given the wrong lines to follow will not make life any easier. We do see how the world has changed since the 80s and how the skinhead culture should never be forced onto anybody.
Crime – The crime world we get placed into here it, involves the violent behaviour of the skinhead gangs to anybody that doesn’t fit into their profile.
Settings – The film is set in the midlands of the UK which does show the neighbours that would have been struggling in the 1980s.
Scene of the Movie – The first day out with the gang.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – 12-year-old dating an 18-year-old seems weird.
Final Thoughts – This film does show the violence being pushed onto people if they can’t deal with grief when they have nobody else in their lives.
Overall: Violent Drama.
Darren (1599 KP) rated All Good Things (2010) in Movies
Jan 21, 2020
Verdict: Lacks Focus
Story: All Good Things starts as we see David Marks (Gosling) the son of a property tycoon Sanford (Langella) who meets Katie (Dunst) who eventually becomes his wife, only for the perfect marriage to take a turn when Katie learns David doesn’t want to have kids.
The marriage continues to spiral out of control after Katie gets pregnant, with her disappearance being the reason why David sees his own life come under the spotlight, with people believing her murdered her and he doesn’t help his case.
Thoughts on All Good Things
Characters – David Marks comes from a property tycoon family who could have walked into any job for his father, he decides to go away from this lifestyle, dating a woman before marrying her, which shows a darker side to his nature, or is he just cold, he are never let into see if he is a calculated person or just somebody dealing with the issues bought on from his mother’s suicide. Katie is the woman David marries, she does give up her career and after learning of his own life decision, spirals out of control with drinks and drugs, before disappearing without a trace. Sanford is the father of David who wants him to remain in the wealthy lifestyle following in his footsteps over anything else. We do see many other people who are involved in the lives who have been involved in the lives even if the names have been changed.
Performances – We have a brilliant cast on paper here with Ryan Gosling in the leading role, where he really doesn’t show his skills, Kirsten Dunst does the most with her character, only it seems we don’t get the right outlet for the character, where we also seem to waste Frank Langella too.
Story – The story follows a heir to a successful business that marries a women his family don’t approve of, only for her to go missing, with him being the prime suspect in the disappearance. The problems mount up quickly in this story because we do spend way too much time focusing on the early relationship and not enough time on the investigation to what might have happened, this is clearly the more interesting side of the story that we need to get watching before needing to care that much about their relationship as a hole.
Crime/Mystery/Romance – The crime is more about if, buts or maybes, with no concrete evidence to what might have happened, which shows in the mystery not being solved in the film, while the romance starts strong before showing why it might not have worked out.
Settings – The film uses a couple of settings which shows us the luxury lakeside house the couple have, while showing how they interact with people on a social occasion in the big parties.
Scene of the Movie – Strange new friendship.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not enough focus on the disappearance investigation.
Final Thoughts -This does feel like a film that gets caught up following the wrong part too easily, we don’t seem to get any clues to what did actually happen, just following the man’s life for large parts both before and after the disappearance.
Overall: Disappointing mystery.
Story: All Good Things starts as we see David Marks (Gosling) the son of a property tycoon Sanford (Langella) who meets Katie (Dunst) who eventually becomes his wife, only for the perfect marriage to take a turn when Katie learns David doesn’t want to have kids.
The marriage continues to spiral out of control after Katie gets pregnant, with her disappearance being the reason why David sees his own life come under the spotlight, with people believing her murdered her and he doesn’t help his case.
Thoughts on All Good Things
Characters – David Marks comes from a property tycoon family who could have walked into any job for his father, he decides to go away from this lifestyle, dating a woman before marrying her, which shows a darker side to his nature, or is he just cold, he are never let into see if he is a calculated person or just somebody dealing with the issues bought on from his mother’s suicide. Katie is the woman David marries, she does give up her career and after learning of his own life decision, spirals out of control with drinks and drugs, before disappearing without a trace. Sanford is the father of David who wants him to remain in the wealthy lifestyle following in his footsteps over anything else. We do see many other people who are involved in the lives who have been involved in the lives even if the names have been changed.
Performances – We have a brilliant cast on paper here with Ryan Gosling in the leading role, where he really doesn’t show his skills, Kirsten Dunst does the most with her character, only it seems we don’t get the right outlet for the character, where we also seem to waste Frank Langella too.
Story – The story follows a heir to a successful business that marries a women his family don’t approve of, only for her to go missing, with him being the prime suspect in the disappearance. The problems mount up quickly in this story because we do spend way too much time focusing on the early relationship and not enough time on the investigation to what might have happened, this is clearly the more interesting side of the story that we need to get watching before needing to care that much about their relationship as a hole.
Crime/Mystery/Romance – The crime is more about if, buts or maybes, with no concrete evidence to what might have happened, which shows in the mystery not being solved in the film, while the romance starts strong before showing why it might not have worked out.
Settings – The film uses a couple of settings which shows us the luxury lakeside house the couple have, while showing how they interact with people on a social occasion in the big parties.
Scene of the Movie – Strange new friendship.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not enough focus on the disappearance investigation.
Final Thoughts -This does feel like a film that gets caught up following the wrong part too easily, we don’t seem to get any clues to what did actually happen, just following the man’s life for large parts both before and after the disappearance.
Overall: Disappointing mystery.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Confessions of a Queen B* (The Queen B*, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<b>I am in love with that title</b> it's probably what got me interested in reading this in the first place. The first in Crista McHugh's <i>The Queen B*</i> series focuses on Alexis Wyndham, a high school senior who got bullied for years and decided to start a blog to expose the popular crowd at her school. Using her status as the Queen Bitch, Alexis primarily helps out other students who get bullied.
It goes without saying: <b><i>Confessions of a Queen B*</i> is quite literally a book with many common high school stereotypes and clichés.</b> There's the Queen Bee with her tiaras, entourage, and more often than not the head cheerleader. There's the star quarterback of the football team who probably has a six pack (if not, a flat stomach), dating the head cheerleader, and seems to have a perfect life with colleges all around trying to recruit him. There are the "freaks" and the "outcasts," who really have a different perspective on life but the Queen Bee says they're completely abnormal and probably asks "Why are you even here on this planet?" on a daily basis.
<b>The book has it all high school stereotypes wise.</b> Not exactly my type high schools in books are full of immature drama and I hate dramatic books unless you're highly entertaining. But <b>every once in a while, a book set in high school with all the bells and whistles comes around and sneakily gets into my good graces, even if it has immature moments here and there committed by the characters.</b>
<i>Confessions of a Queen B*</i> is just <b>a fun book to read and I enjoyed every moment. You see all sides of Alexis the sarcastic and snarky one that's public, and the secretly hidden side where she's actually a nice and down to earth person. You also see all sides of Brett the whole star quarterback with the perfect life, and the secretly hidden side where he's an absolute inner geek</b> who will probably like Sherlock and <a title="Read Ella's Confessions of a Queen B* review" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-confessions-of-a-queen-b-by-crista-mchugh/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">sweep Ella's heart away (damage is already done there)</a>. Woe is to Brett if he ever reveals it out to the world.
Their relationship is pretty typical the popular falling for the smart but it's quite realistic. <b>There are complications and ups and downs that stop Brett's and Alexis' romance from falling into THE ugly trap.</b> There are heartfelt moments and banters between the two-layered throughout the book <b>it's adorable and I ship them.</b>
The whole x-rated videos might be a subtle plot, but I was too busy enjoying myself to even care I already have a soft spot for this book.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-confessions-of-a-queen-b-by-crista-mchugh-review-and-giveaway/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<b>I am in love with that title</b> it's probably what got me interested in reading this in the first place. The first in Crista McHugh's <i>The Queen B*</i> series focuses on Alexis Wyndham, a high school senior who got bullied for years and decided to start a blog to expose the popular crowd at her school. Using her status as the Queen Bitch, Alexis primarily helps out other students who get bullied.
It goes without saying: <b><i>Confessions of a Queen B*</i> is quite literally a book with many common high school stereotypes and clichés.</b> There's the Queen Bee with her tiaras, entourage, and more often than not the head cheerleader. There's the star quarterback of the football team who probably has a six pack (if not, a flat stomach), dating the head cheerleader, and seems to have a perfect life with colleges all around trying to recruit him. There are the "freaks" and the "outcasts," who really have a different perspective on life but the Queen Bee says they're completely abnormal and probably asks "Why are you even here on this planet?" on a daily basis.
<b>The book has it all high school stereotypes wise.</b> Not exactly my type high schools in books are full of immature drama and I hate dramatic books unless you're highly entertaining. But <b>every once in a while, a book set in high school with all the bells and whistles comes around and sneakily gets into my good graces, even if it has immature moments here and there committed by the characters.</b>
<i>Confessions of a Queen B*</i> is just <b>a fun book to read and I enjoyed every moment. You see all sides of Alexis the sarcastic and snarky one that's public, and the secretly hidden side where she's actually a nice and down to earth person. You also see all sides of Brett the whole star quarterback with the perfect life, and the secretly hidden side where he's an absolute inner geek</b> who will probably like Sherlock and <a title="Read Ella's Confessions of a Queen B* review" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-confessions-of-a-queen-b-by-crista-mchugh/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">sweep Ella's heart away (damage is already done there)</a>. Woe is to Brett if he ever reveals it out to the world.
Their relationship is pretty typical the popular falling for the smart but it's quite realistic. <b>There are complications and ups and downs that stop Brett's and Alexis' romance from falling into THE ugly trap.</b> There are heartfelt moments and banters between the two-layered throughout the book <b>it's adorable and I ship them.</b>
The whole x-rated videos might be a subtle plot, but I was too busy enjoying myself to even care I already have a soft spot for this book.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-confessions-of-a-queen-b-by-crista-mchugh-review-and-giveaway/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Darren (1599 KP) rated In Fabric (2018) in Movies
Feb 29, 2020
Verdict: Weird
Story: In Fabric starts as we meet divorced mother Sheila (Jean-Baptiste) who is seeing her son Vince (Ayeh) prepare for college with his muse Gwen (Christie) slowly taking over the house, Sheila is looking for love in the personal ads with her needing to by a brand-new dress.
Soon after wearing the dress for the first time, Sheila notices strange things happening around the house as the tensions between Shelia and Gwen continue to rise. Shelia’s life gets turned upside down, which only escalates the more she investigates the original model of the dress.
Thoughts on In Fabric
Characters – Sheila is a divorced single mother who works as a banker, she is trying to move on with her life, as her son is about to be moving on with his life, she is gets a new dress, which only starts to increase the troubles in her life. Gwen is the older woman dating Sheila’s teenage son, she is slowly taking over the house being very disturbing with the tension filled interaction with Sheila. Reg is on a stage-do which sees him get the dress to wear, he is preparing for his own wedding, starting to see his own life spiral out of control, with Babs being the wife-to-be that is still preparing the wedding.
Performances – Marianne Jean-Baptiste is great for her part of the film, this is mainly because the film is split into two stories with eh dress, Marianne has the first one and shows the struggles she would be experiencing. When it comes to the rest of the cast, it does feel too late into the movie to get truly invested in the second set of actors story.
Story – The story here follows two different people that come in contact with a mysterious dress that has its own abilities to ruin their lives, we are left to guess just what is causing the pain to happen and why this dress is acting the same way around people. This story is flat out weird to follow, mostly because we have two different stories that might well be connected, they are separate enough to leave us with different ideas for each family to deal with. The story doesn’t seem to give us enough answers about the dress itself and with on fleeting images of the store it came from, which only ends up leaving us feel like we could have had more from the story.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy in the film comes from just how outside the box the idea is, while the horror comes from seeing how the dress acts and what it causes to people’s lives.
Settings – The film tries to keep the locations down to everyday ones, be it the two homes, the store or the employment locations, it shows how the weird events of the characters lives happen without anything needing to come from outside the box.
Special Effects – The effects are used well through the film as they show different levels of damage being caused.
Scene of the Movie – The fight.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not enough behind the mystery of the dress.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that can be described with one key world, weird, it is filled with strange moments that only leave us with more questions than answers.
Overall: Very Strange.
Story: In Fabric starts as we meet divorced mother Sheila (Jean-Baptiste) who is seeing her son Vince (Ayeh) prepare for college with his muse Gwen (Christie) slowly taking over the house, Sheila is looking for love in the personal ads with her needing to by a brand-new dress.
Soon after wearing the dress for the first time, Sheila notices strange things happening around the house as the tensions between Shelia and Gwen continue to rise. Shelia’s life gets turned upside down, which only escalates the more she investigates the original model of the dress.
Thoughts on In Fabric
Characters – Sheila is a divorced single mother who works as a banker, she is trying to move on with her life, as her son is about to be moving on with his life, she is gets a new dress, which only starts to increase the troubles in her life. Gwen is the older woman dating Sheila’s teenage son, she is slowly taking over the house being very disturbing with the tension filled interaction with Sheila. Reg is on a stage-do which sees him get the dress to wear, he is preparing for his own wedding, starting to see his own life spiral out of control, with Babs being the wife-to-be that is still preparing the wedding.
Performances – Marianne Jean-Baptiste is great for her part of the film, this is mainly because the film is split into two stories with eh dress, Marianne has the first one and shows the struggles she would be experiencing. When it comes to the rest of the cast, it does feel too late into the movie to get truly invested in the second set of actors story.
Story – The story here follows two different people that come in contact with a mysterious dress that has its own abilities to ruin their lives, we are left to guess just what is causing the pain to happen and why this dress is acting the same way around people. This story is flat out weird to follow, mostly because we have two different stories that might well be connected, they are separate enough to leave us with different ideas for each family to deal with. The story doesn’t seem to give us enough answers about the dress itself and with on fleeting images of the store it came from, which only ends up leaving us feel like we could have had more from the story.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy in the film comes from just how outside the box the idea is, while the horror comes from seeing how the dress acts and what it causes to people’s lives.
Settings – The film tries to keep the locations down to everyday ones, be it the two homes, the store or the employment locations, it shows how the weird events of the characters lives happen without anything needing to come from outside the box.
Special Effects – The effects are used well through the film as they show different levels of damage being caused.
Scene of the Movie – The fight.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not enough behind the mystery of the dress.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that can be described with one key world, weird, it is filled with strange moments that only leave us with more questions than answers.
Overall: Very Strange.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated The Muppets (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
As a child, I have fond memories of watching The Muppet Show and enjoying the mix of comedy, music, and dance with my family and recapping the show with my friends the following day. Kermit, Ms. Piggy, Fozzie the Bear, and the whole gang were my childhood icons and provided countless hours of entertainment with their brilliant and inspired variety show as well as the three movies that followed. It is hard to believe that 1989 was the last time the gang graced the big screen with “The Muppets in Space”. Thankfully they are back in a big way to delight fans, old and new, this holiday season.
The new films stars Jason Segel as Gary, a mild-mannered guy who has a swell life in his small community. He has been dating the lovely Mary (Amy Adams) for ten years and they are excited to plan their first visit to Los Angeles. Gary has a younger brother named Walter who is a huge fan of the Muppets, having grown up watching the beloved show with Gary. The fact that Walter actually is a Muppet might explain his utter devotion to the show and characters. So when Gary invites Walter to accompany Mary and him on their trip, Walter is ecstatic. At long last, he can visit The Muppet Studios.
Upon their arrival in L.A., Walter is shocked to find the studio in shambles and disrepair. Undaunted, Walter sneaks into Kermit’s old office and accidentally overhears a businessman named Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) plotting to steal the property from the Muppets. Determined to thwart Richman, Walter and Gary look up Kermit the Frog who, despite his reluctance, agrees to reunite the gang to put on a tele-thon to raise the needed money to save the theater.
Along the way there are some great and touching segments where we see what many of the characters have been up to in the recent years, and more than a few laughs and musical numbers also follow. In a race against time, and despite the lack of confidence the network has in their relevance, Kermit must whip the cast and theater into shape for an epic performance.
The movie was an absolute joy. It was so refreshing to see how Segel and director James Bobin have brought the Muppets to a new generation without losing the previous ones and staying very faithful to the characters and to Jim Henson’s vision. Segel, who came up with the story and co-wrote the script, seems to be having the time of his life as he sings and dances his way through several production numbers and gives a very funny, and in turns, tender performance.
Adams is a joy as the sweet, yet determined Mary, and the addition of the new Muppet Walter was a treat. Sure the plot may have been fairly formulaic but there were more than enough moments to keep the adults happy. At our screener, the adults were laughing even lauder than the kids in attendance, especially at the numerous pop culture reference, celebrity cameos, and nostalgic nods to the show.
I do not want to spoil the film but from Beaker doing his take on the Nirvana classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, to the Swedish Chef channeling Tony Montana from “Scarface” I was thoroughly entertained. I can honestly say this is not only one of the best of the Muppet movies but it is a perfect film to take the family. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself enjoying the magic as much, if not more, than the kids.
The new films stars Jason Segel as Gary, a mild-mannered guy who has a swell life in his small community. He has been dating the lovely Mary (Amy Adams) for ten years and they are excited to plan their first visit to Los Angeles. Gary has a younger brother named Walter who is a huge fan of the Muppets, having grown up watching the beloved show with Gary. The fact that Walter actually is a Muppet might explain his utter devotion to the show and characters. So when Gary invites Walter to accompany Mary and him on their trip, Walter is ecstatic. At long last, he can visit The Muppet Studios.
Upon their arrival in L.A., Walter is shocked to find the studio in shambles and disrepair. Undaunted, Walter sneaks into Kermit’s old office and accidentally overhears a businessman named Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) plotting to steal the property from the Muppets. Determined to thwart Richman, Walter and Gary look up Kermit the Frog who, despite his reluctance, agrees to reunite the gang to put on a tele-thon to raise the needed money to save the theater.
Along the way there are some great and touching segments where we see what many of the characters have been up to in the recent years, and more than a few laughs and musical numbers also follow. In a race against time, and despite the lack of confidence the network has in their relevance, Kermit must whip the cast and theater into shape for an epic performance.
The movie was an absolute joy. It was so refreshing to see how Segel and director James Bobin have brought the Muppets to a new generation without losing the previous ones and staying very faithful to the characters and to Jim Henson’s vision. Segel, who came up with the story and co-wrote the script, seems to be having the time of his life as he sings and dances his way through several production numbers and gives a very funny, and in turns, tender performance.
Adams is a joy as the sweet, yet determined Mary, and the addition of the new Muppet Walter was a treat. Sure the plot may have been fairly formulaic but there were more than enough moments to keep the adults happy. At our screener, the adults were laughing even lauder than the kids in attendance, especially at the numerous pop culture reference, celebrity cameos, and nostalgic nods to the show.
I do not want to spoil the film but from Beaker doing his take on the Nirvana classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, to the Swedish Chef channeling Tony Montana from “Scarface” I was thoroughly entertained. I can honestly say this is not only one of the best of the Muppet movies but it is a perfect film to take the family. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself enjoying the magic as much, if not more, than the kids.