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Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Pet Sematary (2019) in Movies
Jun 2, 2022
As the movie starts we see an open car door and muddy prints and a blood trail leading to the front door of a house, cut to white and a family are driving to their new home. This family consists of mum, dad, baby gage, daughter Ellie and a cat called church all names from the original movie we know and love.
One day whilst dad is in work, mum and Ellie witness a strange prossesion involving a group of masked people wheeling what looks like a dead dog in a wheelbarrow towards the woods, Ellie decides to investigate and walks into a pet cemetery. As she proceeds to climb the stick wall to see what's on the other side, she is stopped by a passerby who informs Ellie and her mum that the woods aren't safe.
Whilst dad is working a guy comes in losing a lot of blood with half of his face missing and he dies, coming back momentarily in a vision to tell him the barrier isn't meant to be broken, but what does this mean?? Of course if you're familiar with the original you'll know the meaning of this.
Just like the original, we see the dad have his dream which turns out not to be a dream, we see the trauma Rachel still lives with about her sister and of course church dying and being buried in the pet cemetery.
The day after church is buried, the cat turns up alive and well, but smelly and bad tempered, what is going on? You will have to watch and find out.
I was put off watching this for so long, due to the mention of cults and wendigos in the trailer, so I expected it to be awful and completely different from the original, but apart from a few changes such as a different breed of cat and a role reversal of who dies, the movie more or less stayed true to the original and moves at a steady pace. The ending, however, is very different and unexpected. It definitely leaves a lasting impression that's for sure. I very much enjoyed this movie, everybody's acting Is spot on and believable, and would probably go as far as preferring it to the original.
One day whilst dad is in work, mum and Ellie witness a strange prossesion involving a group of masked people wheeling what looks like a dead dog in a wheelbarrow towards the woods, Ellie decides to investigate and walks into a pet cemetery. As she proceeds to climb the stick wall to see what's on the other side, she is stopped by a passerby who informs Ellie and her mum that the woods aren't safe.
Whilst dad is working a guy comes in losing a lot of blood with half of his face missing and he dies, coming back momentarily in a vision to tell him the barrier isn't meant to be broken, but what does this mean?? Of course if you're familiar with the original you'll know the meaning of this.
Just like the original, we see the dad have his dream which turns out not to be a dream, we see the trauma Rachel still lives with about her sister and of course church dying and being buried in the pet cemetery.
The day after church is buried, the cat turns up alive and well, but smelly and bad tempered, what is going on? You will have to watch and find out.
I was put off watching this for so long, due to the mention of cults and wendigos in the trailer, so I expected it to be awful and completely different from the original, but apart from a few changes such as a different breed of cat and a role reversal of who dies, the movie more or less stayed true to the original and moves at a steady pace. The ending, however, is very different and unexpected. It definitely leaves a lasting impression that's for sure. I very much enjoyed this movie, everybody's acting Is spot on and believable, and would probably go as far as preferring it to the original.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Burial Society in Books
Jan 10, 2018
Surprising (2 more)
Fast read
Original plot
Enjoyable, twisty novel
In Paris with her father and brother, eighteen-year-old Natalie Burrows returns back to their hotel room and finds her father dead. His death triggers an open wound in Natalie, reminding her of when her mother, Mallory, went missing three years earlier and was never found. A man who was her mother's supposed lover claimed responsibility for her disappearance and death. Natalie and her older brother Jake are both still reeling from that incident, as is Brian's brother, Frank, who must come to Paris to help his niece and nephew after his brother's death--much like he did following Mallory's disappearance. Meanwhile, also in Paris is a woman named Catherine who goes by many aliases; she has a vested interest in the Burrows family and is watching them from afar. When Brian is killed, the fate all these characters intertwines in ways no one could quite possibly imagine.
This was a really interesting novel that took me by surprise. It's told in very short bursts of chapters, each one from a different point of view--Catherine, Natalie, Jake, Frank, and so on. Most of the narrative is in the present, but we occasionally go back in time. The format takes a little getting used to but it's also incredibly effective in building up suspense and keeping you guessing, wondering, and frustrated (in a good way) as to what is happening.
The novel gets off to an interesting start and just keeps on rolling. I was completely bewildered from the beginning and fascinated, wondering how all the characters related to each other. The book was perplexing and if I hadn't read it while I was moving, I probably would have whipped through it in a day or two--it has all the makings of a very fast read.
I do want to note that there is a self-harm trigger in the book, so please take note if that's something that affects you.
The characters in the novel are all varied. I was probably drawn more to Catherine and Jake, but each is fascinating in their own right. You are always a little wary of each, contemplating how much we truly know them and can trust them. The book gives us a couple of good "oh wow" moments, which I certainly appreciated. I eventually mostly worked things out near the end, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the novel. Through it all, we're always puzzling things out, wondering what happened to Mallory and how things will play out.
Overall, this is a different sort of book, and I enjoyed the original plot. It's a bit odd at times and sometimes confusing, but it certainly kept me reading. An enjoyable, twisty read. 4 stars.
This was a really interesting novel that took me by surprise. It's told in very short bursts of chapters, each one from a different point of view--Catherine, Natalie, Jake, Frank, and so on. Most of the narrative is in the present, but we occasionally go back in time. The format takes a little getting used to but it's also incredibly effective in building up suspense and keeping you guessing, wondering, and frustrated (in a good way) as to what is happening.
The novel gets off to an interesting start and just keeps on rolling. I was completely bewildered from the beginning and fascinated, wondering how all the characters related to each other. The book was perplexing and if I hadn't read it while I was moving, I probably would have whipped through it in a day or two--it has all the makings of a very fast read.
I do want to note that there is a self-harm trigger in the book, so please take note if that's something that affects you.
The characters in the novel are all varied. I was probably drawn more to Catherine and Jake, but each is fascinating in their own right. You are always a little wary of each, contemplating how much we truly know them and can trust them. The book gives us a couple of good "oh wow" moments, which I certainly appreciated. I eventually mostly worked things out near the end, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the novel. Through it all, we're always puzzling things out, wondering what happened to Mallory and how things will play out.
Overall, this is a different sort of book, and I enjoyed the original plot. It's a bit odd at times and sometimes confusing, but it certainly kept me reading. An enjoyable, twisty read. 4 stars.
Kiss Kiss
Book
In Kiss Kiss you will find eleven devious, shocking stories from the master of the unpredictable,...
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Broken Warrior (The Weavers Circle #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2020
This series is gonna be amazing!
Independent reviewer for GAy Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Running from what, he doesn't know, but Clay needs to run, and run south. He follows his instincts and finds himself in a fight to save the earth from destruction. Dane finds himself fighting his attraction to Clay, even as he fights himself over his guilt at the death of his wife and son. Dane doesn't know whats going on in the house, but he wants to find out, and he knows, deep down, he wants Clay.
So! Different, very different and I really rather loved it!
Clay finds himself at the helm of The Weavers. These are a band of 6 brothers, that come together time and time again to save the earth from destruction by beings from another dimension. And when i say time and time AGAIN, I mean that quite literally. The Weavers have been gathered together many times over the years and they have yet to finally close the rift that bring the beings to earth. Maybe this time will be different but the Goddess who brings Clay to the house doesn't know why they didn't manage to close the rift yet. Her and her sisters are hoping this time they will.
I loved Clay and I loved Dane. I loved Grey and Bear too, another 2 of the brothers who manage to get to the house in this book. I'm assuming they will get their own books at some point. The three Goddesses keep popping in and out, and they are amusing at times, in that they are VERY cryptic in what they are letting these three brothers know, in this book, anyway.
They are also, I think, tired. Having been doing this song and dance for EVER, there comes a time when anyone would say, enough is enough. I *think* this might be the case, although nothing is actually said here, it's just an impression I get.
I loved this book, I really did. Not quite a one sitting, cos, you know, a girl gotta sleep, but very nearly.
Both Clay and Dane have a say, although at first I thought it might just be Clay. You get all their interactions in the beginning, and what I really liked, when I realised Dane would get a say, was that we get all his fighting with himself. We get Clay's fighting with the beings, but it is Dane's fighting with himself, with his guilt and his feelings for his dead wife, and for Clay, that really make this book, for me anyway.
It's sexy, but its equally deadly. The fights are described in some detail, but I liked that.
I really like how this book lays most of it out for you, but I have a feeling there is MUCH we don't know yet. I really look forward to reading future books in this series!
5 very excited for the next book stars
Running from what, he doesn't know, but Clay needs to run, and run south. He follows his instincts and finds himself in a fight to save the earth from destruction. Dane finds himself fighting his attraction to Clay, even as he fights himself over his guilt at the death of his wife and son. Dane doesn't know whats going on in the house, but he wants to find out, and he knows, deep down, he wants Clay.
So! Different, very different and I really rather loved it!
Clay finds himself at the helm of The Weavers. These are a band of 6 brothers, that come together time and time again to save the earth from destruction by beings from another dimension. And when i say time and time AGAIN, I mean that quite literally. The Weavers have been gathered together many times over the years and they have yet to finally close the rift that bring the beings to earth. Maybe this time will be different but the Goddess who brings Clay to the house doesn't know why they didn't manage to close the rift yet. Her and her sisters are hoping this time they will.
I loved Clay and I loved Dane. I loved Grey and Bear too, another 2 of the brothers who manage to get to the house in this book. I'm assuming they will get their own books at some point. The three Goddesses keep popping in and out, and they are amusing at times, in that they are VERY cryptic in what they are letting these three brothers know, in this book, anyway.
They are also, I think, tired. Having been doing this song and dance for EVER, there comes a time when anyone would say, enough is enough. I *think* this might be the case, although nothing is actually said here, it's just an impression I get.
I loved this book, I really did. Not quite a one sitting, cos, you know, a girl gotta sleep, but very nearly.
Both Clay and Dane have a say, although at first I thought it might just be Clay. You get all their interactions in the beginning, and what I really liked, when I realised Dane would get a say, was that we get all his fighting with himself. We get Clay's fighting with the beings, but it is Dane's fighting with himself, with his guilt and his feelings for his dead wife, and for Clay, that really make this book, for me anyway.
It's sexy, but its equally deadly. The fights are described in some detail, but I liked that.
I really like how this book lays most of it out for you, but I have a feeling there is MUCH we don't know yet. I really look forward to reading future books in this series!
5 very excited for the next book stars
Bad writing (1 more)
Mostly romance
Drowning is one of the top fears in the world, and it's also one of the top ways to cover up a murder. In Lie to Me, Ward's fourth YA novel, she uses drowning as the basis of the story. Yet, this book fell very short in the thriller/mystery genre: Ward gives away too many hints at the beginning of the book, that most readers will have the murderer figured out by chapter 7; she also focuses too much on romance, something that should have caused this story to be filed under a different category other than mystery/thriller. But luckily she didn't bring in a wide circle of characters to cause confusion, using only one view point from the main character of Lie to Me: Amelia- - - a teen girl who believes she was pushed down a ravine to be left for dead in the raging water below.
Besides her 'accident,' Amelia leads a normal life with her mother, father and brother, Hunter - - - she also has a small group of friends. After her 'fall,' a body of a teen girl from the same town is found in a nearby river, but the town gossips, and makes it seem that this girl committed suicide, leaving Amelia worried that her family would think the same thing about her. Depression is something that Amelia's family has had to deal with before, but the talk of depression is candid and not very enlightening; her brother, Hunter, who is in therapy for such doesn't even talk about it, instead he's usually seen playing soccer or Fortnite, this seems to be a broad attempt to bring mental health into the story,but without going into that subject, it failed as a story line. Yet, one of the main causes of depression today is social media, which we find Amelia stalking one of her best friends/love interest on- - -if Ward was trying to reach the YA community about depression, she went the wrong way about it.
Another mistake that Ward made was when Amelia receives an anonymous text message from someone telling her to 'Just let it go,Amelia,' this occurs after she has started investigating whether her 'accident' was an accident. Amelia tells us that she is always suspicious of everyone, but when this text message comes around, it's as if she could care less. She even tries to take the anonymous message as advice: " 'Or it's advice.' I feel backed into a corner. It's one thing to believe someone hurt me and another thing to have proof of it. I don't want this to be proof. 'I mean, Sky's always telling me I should let my life get back to normal, and she doesn't even know I'm thinking any of this. Maybe someone else feels that way,too.' " In reality, if you believed that someone attempted to murder you, and suddenly you are receiving a cryptic message about letting it go, wouldn't the logic thing to do is go to the police?? Amelia doesn't!
Ward has written three other YA novels, 'Lie to Me' being her fourth. The writing in this story is bad in some places, for example, a scene with Amelia and her best friend, Sky, meeting up at the 'screen' (technically a giant drive-in movie theater screen); Amelia thinks about how this town is a haven for her, that everyone feels safe, but the very next paragraph, she's stating she doesn't feel safe anymore. This makes sense if you haven't read it, but the way it's written could have been in a much better and concise way. This and most scenes makes the story read like a sloppy diary entry. That, and the killer being predictable so early on in the story made me very disappointed with this book. 'Lie to Me' had great potential from the synopsis, but it lacked story, mystery, suspense and diverse characters.
I can't recommend this book to people who love horror stories, like I do. I think the only ones who would enjoy this story are the die-hard YA fans. It has everything that YA is known for: romance and teen drama, but it's lacking in everything else. Other than that, I don't think I'll read another book by Ward, but as far as Point horror books go, I will still give them a shot.
Besides her 'accident,' Amelia leads a normal life with her mother, father and brother, Hunter - - - she also has a small group of friends. After her 'fall,' a body of a teen girl from the same town is found in a nearby river, but the town gossips, and makes it seem that this girl committed suicide, leaving Amelia worried that her family would think the same thing about her. Depression is something that Amelia's family has had to deal with before, but the talk of depression is candid and not very enlightening; her brother, Hunter, who is in therapy for such doesn't even talk about it, instead he's usually seen playing soccer or Fortnite, this seems to be a broad attempt to bring mental health into the story,but without going into that subject, it failed as a story line. Yet, one of the main causes of depression today is social media, which we find Amelia stalking one of her best friends/love interest on- - -if Ward was trying to reach the YA community about depression, she went the wrong way about it.
Another mistake that Ward made was when Amelia receives an anonymous text message from someone telling her to 'Just let it go,Amelia,' this occurs after she has started investigating whether her 'accident' was an accident. Amelia tells us that she is always suspicious of everyone, but when this text message comes around, it's as if she could care less. She even tries to take the anonymous message as advice: " 'Or it's advice.' I feel backed into a corner. It's one thing to believe someone hurt me and another thing to have proof of it. I don't want this to be proof. 'I mean, Sky's always telling me I should let my life get back to normal, and she doesn't even know I'm thinking any of this. Maybe someone else feels that way,too.' " In reality, if you believed that someone attempted to murder you, and suddenly you are receiving a cryptic message about letting it go, wouldn't the logic thing to do is go to the police?? Amelia doesn't!
Ward has written three other YA novels, 'Lie to Me' being her fourth. The writing in this story is bad in some places, for example, a scene with Amelia and her best friend, Sky, meeting up at the 'screen' (technically a giant drive-in movie theater screen); Amelia thinks about how this town is a haven for her, that everyone feels safe, but the very next paragraph, she's stating she doesn't feel safe anymore. This makes sense if you haven't read it, but the way it's written could have been in a much better and concise way. This and most scenes makes the story read like a sloppy diary entry. That, and the killer being predictable so early on in the story made me very disappointed with this book. 'Lie to Me' had great potential from the synopsis, but it lacked story, mystery, suspense and diverse characters.
I can't recommend this book to people who love horror stories, like I do. I think the only ones who would enjoy this story are the die-hard YA fans. It has everything that YA is known for: romance and teen drama, but it's lacking in everything else. Other than that, I don't think I'll read another book by Ward, but as far as Point horror books go, I will still give them a shot.
Villainous Vee (53 KP) rated Sweetpea in Books
Feb 10, 2019
Funny (2 more)
Starts off with a kick
Down to earth writing
Didn't want it too end (1 more)
Not sure the follow up book will be as good
The last person who called me ‘Sweetpea’ ended up dead…
In many ways Rhiannon is just like you or me. She lives a fairly ordinary life working a job at a local newspaper she doesn't really enjoy with people she can't stand (most of the time), hanging out with her friends who she calls PICSO's (people I can't shake off). She lived with her boyfriend Craig (who is having an affair with one of Rhiannon colleagues) and her little chihuahua Tink.
Except for the most part Rhiannon has lived anything but a normal life... A childhood trauma that she survived turned her into a local and national celebrity over night and she is a murderer... And she wants to kill again and again.
The book follows Rhiannon through a few months of her life in a diary format. In this diary she spills her darkest secrets and every day life, moans about her boyfriend, her neighbour, her friends and her colleagues.
Not for the faint hearted as the book can get very graphic and there is a lot of sexual content but this is all balanced out by the humour contained within. If you like crime novels, girly books or thriller I would recommend checking this out. It has earned its place in my permanent collection.
Except for the most part Rhiannon has lived anything but a normal life... A childhood trauma that she survived turned her into a local and national celebrity over night and she is a murderer... And she wants to kill again and again.
The book follows Rhiannon through a few months of her life in a diary format. In this diary she spills her darkest secrets and every day life, moans about her boyfriend, her neighbour, her friends and her colleagues.
Not for the faint hearted as the book can get very graphic and there is a lot of sexual content but this is all balanced out by the humour contained within. If you like crime novels, girly books or thriller I would recommend checking this out. It has earned its place in my permanent collection.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2400 KP) rated The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper in Books
Jul 12, 2025 (Updated Jul 12, 2025)
Sandy’s Cruising Toward Another Murder
Sandy’s agent has booked his next job on the comeback trail. He’s joined by his sister and a band, and his job is to provide two shows a night on a week-long Caribbean cruise. It should be easy enough, right? Complicating things is the dead body that Sandy finds in his dressing room the first night of the cruise. The victim was part of another show on board the ship. Sandy doesn’t feel like the cruise ship’s security is taking the murder seriously, especially if they consider him a suspect. Can he figure out what really happened before the cruise ends?
This is another fun mystery with Sandy. The mystery could have kicked off sooner, but the setup was still entertaining and did set up some subplots. Once it did get going, we had some nice twists before the logical solution. I did figure part of it out a little early, but not too much before the big reveal. I enjoyed watching Sandy develop more here, especially in his relationship with his sister. And I liked how her blindness came into play in the story. There was one reference to something that happened after the book is set, but it’s a minor issue. I’m glad I finally started this series. If you are looking for a new cozy series, you’ll be glad you picked it up as well.
This is another fun mystery with Sandy. The mystery could have kicked off sooner, but the setup was still entertaining and did set up some subplots. Once it did get going, we had some nice twists before the logical solution. I did figure part of it out a little early, but not too much before the big reveal. I enjoyed watching Sandy develop more here, especially in his relationship with his sister. And I liked how her blindness came into play in the story. There was one reference to something that happened after the book is set, but it’s a minor issue. I’m glad I finally started this series. If you are looking for a new cozy series, you’ll be glad you picked it up as well.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Blackbird Season in Books
Dec 24, 2017
character-driven (2 more)
well-written
compelling
Complicated character-driven mystery
It's just another day in Mount Oanoke, Pennsylvania when the birds start to fall. Hundreds of dead starlings, dropping from the sky during a baseball game. It seems like the birds started it all, but really the secrets and lies began much earlier. Nate Winters, high school teacher and baseball coach, is beloved in the town. That is, until a reporter, in town to cover the birds, catches Nate hugging a student at a local motel. Suddenly, the birds are forgotten, and the story becomes much juicier: Nate; his student, Lucia; and their supposed affair. Lucia fuels the fire by affirming the affair and suddenly Nate and his wife, Alecia, are swept up in the story. The only who believes in Nate's innocence, even a sliver, is his friend and co-worker, Bridget. As Lucia's creative writing teacher, she has unique insight into the girl's mind. But when Lucia suddenly goes missing--with Nate as the prime suspect in her disappearance--not even Bridget may be able to save Nate. But is there more to Lucia's disappearance than an affair with her teacher?
Wow, I was really impressed by this novel. It's a complicated novel that is just as much a character-driven study as it is a mystery. It's incredibly well-written, and Moretti expertly embodies the voice of each of her characters, from beleaguered Alecia, who is worn down from mothering her autistic son, Gabe; to the cast of teenager characters; to Bridget, who lost her husband to cancer a year ago. It's so well-done that often with each chapter (which skip from various points of view -- Bridget, Kate, Lucia, Nate, etc.), I found my myself veering between whom I preferred or believed, constantly second-guessing my allegiances or what happened. This is very rare for me: typically I find my "person" in a novel and stick with them, no matter what.
But here, I was confused, wondering. Was Nate really a cad, who cheated on his wife every second he got, or was he the sweet, affable teacher and baseball coach that the whole town admired and adored? And Alecia--was she more than just a weary mom, broken down by years of staying at home with her autistic son, Gabe, unable to give to anyone beyond him? Did she push Nate away, into the arms of others? Or was the truth more complicated that all of this? I have to hand it to Moretti--she was excellent at creating confusion and doubt. In addition to different perspectives, the novel shifts in time (before the birds fell, after the birds fell, before Lucia disappeared, etc.). It's a little tough to keep track of, but it also keeps you on your toes and always wondering, as you piece various parts of the puzzle together.
For me--even more than the mystery of what exactly happened with Lucia--the strength of this novel was the writing and the characters. I felt for them, even when I was frustrated with them. Moretti captures the angst and meanness of high school extremely well, portraying the cliques of a small town quite superbly. (I was reminded of WHEN WE WERE WORTHY, which I just finished.) I loved the juxtaposition of this being a small town, so the idea is that everyone knows everyone and everything, and yet there are so many secrets, so much unknown. Being a witness to Alecia and Nate's marriage is amazing-- you see firsthand how the events affect them and how they've reached this point. It's an incredibly realistic portrayal of marriage and of motherhood.
As you probably tell, I just really liked this novel. It's very well-written, with quite compelling characters. I worked out some of the plot, but it didn't stop me from reading at all. I think some of the emphasis on character development slows the story at places, but not in any detrimental way. This one will make you think, as well as intrigue you with what happened to Lucia. Quite worth the read.
Wow, I was really impressed by this novel. It's a complicated novel that is just as much a character-driven study as it is a mystery. It's incredibly well-written, and Moretti expertly embodies the voice of each of her characters, from beleaguered Alecia, who is worn down from mothering her autistic son, Gabe; to the cast of teenager characters; to Bridget, who lost her husband to cancer a year ago. It's so well-done that often with each chapter (which skip from various points of view -- Bridget, Kate, Lucia, Nate, etc.), I found my myself veering between whom I preferred or believed, constantly second-guessing my allegiances or what happened. This is very rare for me: typically I find my "person" in a novel and stick with them, no matter what.
But here, I was confused, wondering. Was Nate really a cad, who cheated on his wife every second he got, or was he the sweet, affable teacher and baseball coach that the whole town admired and adored? And Alecia--was she more than just a weary mom, broken down by years of staying at home with her autistic son, Gabe, unable to give to anyone beyond him? Did she push Nate away, into the arms of others? Or was the truth more complicated that all of this? I have to hand it to Moretti--she was excellent at creating confusion and doubt. In addition to different perspectives, the novel shifts in time (before the birds fell, after the birds fell, before Lucia disappeared, etc.). It's a little tough to keep track of, but it also keeps you on your toes and always wondering, as you piece various parts of the puzzle together.
For me--even more than the mystery of what exactly happened with Lucia--the strength of this novel was the writing and the characters. I felt for them, even when I was frustrated with them. Moretti captures the angst and meanness of high school extremely well, portraying the cliques of a small town quite superbly. (I was reminded of WHEN WE WERE WORTHY, which I just finished.) I loved the juxtaposition of this being a small town, so the idea is that everyone knows everyone and everything, and yet there are so many secrets, so much unknown. Being a witness to Alecia and Nate's marriage is amazing-- you see firsthand how the events affect them and how they've reached this point. It's an incredibly realistic portrayal of marriage and of motherhood.
As you probably tell, I just really liked this novel. It's very well-written, with quite compelling characters. I worked out some of the plot, but it didn't stop me from reading at all. I think some of the emphasis on character development slows the story at places, but not in any detrimental way. This one will make you think, as well as intrigue you with what happened to Lucia. Quite worth the read.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated The Other Woman in Books
Jun 5, 2019
When Sophie discovers her husband is having an affair, she sets out to tackle the problem head on and confront his mistress face-to-face, in her own home, so his mistress can see her happy idyllic home life with their teenage children for herself, and perhaps back off. But they get into a tussle and the mistress accidentally gets killed, from then on one disaster after another happens to poor Sophie who is just trying to get rid of the body, but with such a busy household she ends up hiding the dead mistress in the freezer until she has more time to dispose of it. This idea had me thinking of that Fawlty Towers episode where a man dies in his hotel room and Basil ends up hiding him in the laundry basket, instead of doing the sensible, normal thing and owning up.
Although I did read this very fast and strangely have to admit I also thoroughly enjoyed this story, I did have a chuckle at quite a few of the things that happened. The nosy neighbour seemed to be constantly following Sophie around as if she had nothing better to do. The housekeeper who spotted everything going on! The twist at the end (featuring the truth about the mistress and what was really going on with the husband), was totally unexpected, and possibly pulled out of a hat to surprise us. Then the final wrap up session kind of happened far too easily for my liking. It was also a tad unbelievable, too. But hey, the way I looked at it was the husband needed to repent and unleash some of this guilt, and maybe even needed to prove his love for Sophie. Whilst Sophie (it turns out) was most certainly not a woman to be messed with, even though I doubted she realised it at the time until these disasters kept happening to her.
Overall, I did enjoy how fast I read this book, and how it kept me on tenterhooks whipping through the pages eager to get to the end to find out how they were going to round this off without getting caught. Seriously, Sophie was just trying to dispose of a body, and yet everything that could go wrong for her, did go wrong and I was constantly wondering just how was she going to get out of this mess! I also loved the ‘mysterious’ ending, which kind of made everything Sophie tried to avoid, come true and all her past efforts just a waste of time… comeuppance? Karma can be a bitch, even if the whole thing was just one big mistake. Worth a read if you don’t take it too seriously.
Although I did read this very fast and strangely have to admit I also thoroughly enjoyed this story, I did have a chuckle at quite a few of the things that happened. The nosy neighbour seemed to be constantly following Sophie around as if she had nothing better to do. The housekeeper who spotted everything going on! The twist at the end (featuring the truth about the mistress and what was really going on with the husband), was totally unexpected, and possibly pulled out of a hat to surprise us. Then the final wrap up session kind of happened far too easily for my liking. It was also a tad unbelievable, too. But hey, the way I looked at it was the husband needed to repent and unleash some of this guilt, and maybe even needed to prove his love for Sophie. Whilst Sophie (it turns out) was most certainly not a woman to be messed with, even though I doubted she realised it at the time until these disasters kept happening to her.
Overall, I did enjoy how fast I read this book, and how it kept me on tenterhooks whipping through the pages eager to get to the end to find out how they were going to round this off without getting caught. Seriously, Sophie was just trying to dispose of a body, and yet everything that could go wrong for her, did go wrong and I was constantly wondering just how was she going to get out of this mess! I also loved the ‘mysterious’ ending, which kind of made everything Sophie tried to avoid, come true and all her past efforts just a waste of time… comeuppance? Karma can be a bitch, even if the whole thing was just one big mistake. Worth a read if you don’t take it too seriously.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated White Noise (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Ever since the phenomenal success of “The Sixth Sense”, films dealing with the supernatural have been an ever increasing presence at theaters world wide as studios attempt to find the next break out film in the genre to ensure lucrative box office and video returns.
The latest foray into the Supernatural is the new Michael Keaton film White Noise, which is based on the actual study of E.V.P. or Electronic Voice Phenomena which is reputed some paranormal investigators to be the voices of dead people speaking to the living via static in electronic devices.
Although the factuality of this is still a topic of hot debate, as after decades of study, no conclusive finding either way as to the legitimacy of E.V.P. have been found as many people attribute the supposed voices as simply the mind hearing what it wants to hear. Despite this, there are a growing number of groups and organizations worldwide who are dedicated to the study of E.V.P.
The film centers on Jonathan Rivers’s (Michael Keaton), a successful architect who is married to a best selling author Anna (Chandra West). The couple is anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first child as Jonathan has a son from a previous marriage and is thrilled to see his family grow
Tragedy sets in when Anna goes missing and eventually is found dead after an apparent accident. Jonathan has his world collapse around him yet and is living in a state of despair. Shortly, a man named Raymond Price (Ian McNeice) comes to Jonathan claiming that he has been receiving messages from Anna from the afterlife. Jonathan is at first dismissive but when he gets calls on his cell that are originating from Anna’s cell number; he visits Raymond and learns about E.V.P.
Jonathan becomes drawn into the study of E.V.P. and soon becomes obsessed with recording voices and images from the afterlife as he is desperate to stay in contact with Anna. All is not well though as Raymond failed to tell Jonathan that there are evil and dangerous entities in the afterlife and they can also use E.V.P. as a way to access and influence the living.
Jonathan also meets a fellow E.V.P user named Sara (Deborah Kara Unger), who like Jonathan becomes involved in a deeper and darker mystery as Jonathan begins to decipher a pattern behind the messages as well as the intentions behind them.
White Noise starts well as a solid mystery and had a few moments where what you imagine is often more intense than what the reality really is. Early in the film there are some good chills and creepy moments as the story unfolds. Roughly ¾ of the way into the film, the tone of the film changes from supernatural thriller to that of a mystery and I suspect that the film will lose many people at this point. The film was working well as a thrill, yet the last ¼ of the film and the conclusion become confused and sporadic as the momentum and flow of the film is lost.
The conclusion was unsatisfying as I was able to see where it was going and based on the very promising first hour of the film, it was sad to see that the film took the easy way out and relied on tired premises instead of continuing to forge ahead with the new premise and take it to what should have been a much better and more logical conclusion.
Keaton does solid work and carries the film very well. It is great to see him back on the big screen as he is a gifted and versatile actor who is capable of handling a wide range of roles.
While not a bad film, White Noise is sunk by the issues with the finale that I mentioned above. That being said, it is an entertaining film that aside from the ending, does generally work and holds the attention of the viewer.
The latest foray into the Supernatural is the new Michael Keaton film White Noise, which is based on the actual study of E.V.P. or Electronic Voice Phenomena which is reputed some paranormal investigators to be the voices of dead people speaking to the living via static in electronic devices.
Although the factuality of this is still a topic of hot debate, as after decades of study, no conclusive finding either way as to the legitimacy of E.V.P. have been found as many people attribute the supposed voices as simply the mind hearing what it wants to hear. Despite this, there are a growing number of groups and organizations worldwide who are dedicated to the study of E.V.P.
The film centers on Jonathan Rivers’s (Michael Keaton), a successful architect who is married to a best selling author Anna (Chandra West). The couple is anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first child as Jonathan has a son from a previous marriage and is thrilled to see his family grow
Tragedy sets in when Anna goes missing and eventually is found dead after an apparent accident. Jonathan has his world collapse around him yet and is living in a state of despair. Shortly, a man named Raymond Price (Ian McNeice) comes to Jonathan claiming that he has been receiving messages from Anna from the afterlife. Jonathan is at first dismissive but when he gets calls on his cell that are originating from Anna’s cell number; he visits Raymond and learns about E.V.P.
Jonathan becomes drawn into the study of E.V.P. and soon becomes obsessed with recording voices and images from the afterlife as he is desperate to stay in contact with Anna. All is not well though as Raymond failed to tell Jonathan that there are evil and dangerous entities in the afterlife and they can also use E.V.P. as a way to access and influence the living.
Jonathan also meets a fellow E.V.P user named Sara (Deborah Kara Unger), who like Jonathan becomes involved in a deeper and darker mystery as Jonathan begins to decipher a pattern behind the messages as well as the intentions behind them.
White Noise starts well as a solid mystery and had a few moments where what you imagine is often more intense than what the reality really is. Early in the film there are some good chills and creepy moments as the story unfolds. Roughly ¾ of the way into the film, the tone of the film changes from supernatural thriller to that of a mystery and I suspect that the film will lose many people at this point. The film was working well as a thrill, yet the last ¼ of the film and the conclusion become confused and sporadic as the momentum and flow of the film is lost.
The conclusion was unsatisfying as I was able to see where it was going and based on the very promising first hour of the film, it was sad to see that the film took the easy way out and relied on tired premises instead of continuing to forge ahead with the new premise and take it to what should have been a much better and more logical conclusion.
Keaton does solid work and carries the film very well. It is great to see him back on the big screen as he is a gifted and versatile actor who is capable of handling a wide range of roles.
While not a bad film, White Noise is sunk by the issues with the finale that I mentioned above. That being said, it is an entertaining film that aside from the ending, does generally work and holds the attention of the viewer.