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The Exorcist
The Exorcist
2012 | Play
7
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Show Rating
Brilliant set design
I went to watch The Exorcist at the Opera House in Manchester in October 2019. I've never been a huge fan of The Exorcist film, I think it's a tad overrated but I was intrigued to see how they'd bring a story like this to life on the stage. And they've put together a well produced and atmospheric show. The set design is brilliant and the effects are spot on, producing a chilly and at times scary show, which isn't something you'd usually expect in such a big theatre and a large audience. The show is that well produced that it's a shame it's rather let down by the acting. A lot of the acting seemed very over the top and exaggerated, and some was just plain poor. Which is a shame as there was a standout performance from Tristram Wymark as Burke who was downright hilarious and a welcome relief to the scarier aspects of the show. Also having Ian McKellen voice the demon is a work of genius. Hearing such a seasoned actor voice a horrible character is brilliant and the young girl miming him is impressively good, even if she does seem to overact at times.

Overall definitely worth seeing for the production if nothing else, and I would've marked a little higher had it not been for some of the acting!
  
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Catherine Hardwicke recommended Parasite (2019) in Movies (curated)

 
Parasite (2019)
Parasite (2019)
2019 | Drama

"How could I not love it? I’m a former architect and “Parasite” even had a photo of the “architect” who designed the house. I was fascinated with the long horizontal window in the living room of the elegant house — looking out to the peaceful garden — in contrast to the long horizontal window in the semi-basement house looking out to the crowded neighborhood where a guy pisses regularly. As it rains at the elegant house — seen through the window, it’s a beautiful sight, but in the semi-basement house — rain becomes a flood of sewage! So many layers of detail which reveal economic inequities…. the cramped bathroom with the raised toilet — the only area where the sister could get cell phone reception… vs. how she “fit in” when bathing in the more luxurious bathroom. I loved the delicious details like the sister pointing out the “schizophrenic” area of the child’s paintings — the dark shape in the lower right hand corner — so she could be paid more for art therapy! Yummy! And of course the amazing shot where the former housekeeper is HORIZONTAL in the basement — trying to push open the bookcase. I thought she was possessed by a demon. Then the film surprised me again and took another unexpected seismic shift. All the visual delights strengthened the story in a great feedback loop! Bravo!"

Source
  
Death be Burned (Terra Vane #4)
Death be Burned (Terra Vane #4)
Katie Carys | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
76 of 250
Kindle
Death be Burned ( Terra Vane book 4)
By Katie Carys

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

My name is Terra, and I’m a Psychic. At times I wish I could control my visions; it would make tracking down the remaining nine escapees a lot simpler. That task just got a lot more urgent, as most of the psychos have blasted their way through a portal and are now wandering the streets of Seattle - one of them being a fire djinn intent on revenge following his brother’s recent recapture.

I’m heading after them with my hand-picked team of specialists; among them being my shifter partner who I’m more drawn to every day, and a lust demon who has her eyes set on him too - it’s going to be one hell of a bumpy ride. If we’re not careful, someone’s going to get burned, and with two worlds now on the line the stakes have never been higher.

I really fault these books, I love the writing, the characters and the storyline. Terra absolutely is the perfect female role. I’m still firmly in Kalebs corner of course there just so much tension! my stomach sank at the thought of losing Bernard that is just not an option!! Looking forward to book 5.
  
K-12 (2019)
K-12 (2019)
2019 | Drama, Fantasy, Musical
At a mesmerizing crossroads between 𝘈 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 and 𝘓𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘦, didn't know what the fuck I was watching half the time and I think that's precisely why I loved it. Blurs the line between sick and sweet exactly the way it wants to. Point of note that I've never been a huge Melanie Martinez fan, so this is my first 'real' experience with her. I think her passion (she co-wrote, directed, starred in, and costumed the thing) clearly shows in this endearingly clunky phantasmagoria of absurdist gore, demon cringe, political hostility, and demented babycore. The type of product where there's people throwing bowls of cockroaches at others, vomiting up orange liquid, then tearing out their eyeballs and swapping them between blunt critiques on American exceptionalism and musical numbers about body image and identity reclamation. The photography, sets, and costumes/wigs/makeup is seriously next level and it helps that the acting - shockingly - doesn't suck. The back half of the album has some clinical bops. For sure the one of these album-long music videos that feels closest to an actual movie, if this were any other artist you all would have adored it 🤐

Strawberry Shortcake > Class Fight > Lunchbox Friends > Fire Drill (should have been on the album) > Teacher's Pet > Detention > Orange Juice > Wheels on the Bus > Recess > The Principal > High School Sweethearts > Drama Club > Show & Tell > Nurse's Office.