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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Dumbo (2019) in Movies
Apr 10, 2019
A poor adaptation
I'm afraid to say that this version of Dumbo is probably the worst Disney live adaptation to date.
Other than having some mostly decent special effects and the nods to the original (Timothy Mouse, the songs and the pink elephants), I really can't find anything nice to say about this film. It has a great cast, who are sadly underused and struggle with the poor story and shoddy script. I hated Michael Keaton's villain Vandevere, he wasnt particularly villainous and I really don't know what was going on with Keaton's acting, he was really hamming it up to the point of being terrible. The kids were irritating too and such a poor substitute for Timothy Mouse. The entire film was just dull, boring, cheesy and cringeworthy, and I've never seen a Disney film that lacked heart as much as this one does. How can a film about the circus be so dull?! You also can't tell this is a Tim Burton film, and that is such a shame. Maybe if this had been a little creepy or dark, it might have turned out a lot better.
Other than having some mostly decent special effects and the nods to the original (Timothy Mouse, the songs and the pink elephants), I really can't find anything nice to say about this film. It has a great cast, who are sadly underused and struggle with the poor story and shoddy script. I hated Michael Keaton's villain Vandevere, he wasnt particularly villainous and I really don't know what was going on with Keaton's acting, he was really hamming it up to the point of being terrible. The kids were irritating too and such a poor substitute for Timothy Mouse. The entire film was just dull, boring, cheesy and cringeworthy, and I've never seen a Disney film that lacked heart as much as this one does. How can a film about the circus be so dull?! You also can't tell this is a Tim Burton film, and that is such a shame. Maybe if this had been a little creepy or dark, it might have turned out a lot better.
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David McK (3425 KP) rated Commander (Jack Lark #10) in Books
Aug 7, 2022
Book number 10 in Paul Fraser Collard's Jack Lark series - a series which has, over time, moved away from its earlier Richard Sharpe stylings, which (and, at least, in The Scarlet Thief) it seemed to wear proudly on its sleeve.
To be clear: that's neither a con nor a pro: just something to be aware of!
In this one, the latest at the time of reviewing, Jack Lark is in Egypt, between employment (well, of a salubrious sort), when he is offered the opportunity to join an expedition into the Sudan, taking charge of new recruits in doing so.
What follows is the delays and danger (both of the natural variety as well as the man-made) of such an expedition into the wilderness, including the hunting of Elephants for ivory (on an industrial scale), slave trading and other such unsavoury pursuits which the expedition both aims to take part in and to stop.
As for Lark himself? He comes across as more melancholy than I remember from previous entries; more given to introspection than before. However, he also seems to end the novel in a better place than when he started: let's see how long that lasts!
To be clear: that's neither a con nor a pro: just something to be aware of!
In this one, the latest at the time of reviewing, Jack Lark is in Egypt, between employment (well, of a salubrious sort), when he is offered the opportunity to join an expedition into the Sudan, taking charge of new recruits in doing so.
What follows is the delays and danger (both of the natural variety as well as the man-made) of such an expedition into the wilderness, including the hunting of Elephants for ivory (on an industrial scale), slave trading and other such unsavoury pursuits which the expedition both aims to take part in and to stop.
As for Lark himself? He comes across as more melancholy than I remember from previous entries; more given to introspection than before. However, he also seems to end the novel in a better place than when he started: let's see how long that lasts!
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Leaving Time: A Novel in Books
May 10, 2018
Jenna Metcalf is thirteen years old and more than anything, she wants to find her mother, Dr. Alice Metcalf. Alice is a doctor who studies the behavior of elephants, specifically, grief. She goes missing when Jenna is just three years old and there was a tragic accident at the Elephant Sanctuary where they lived and that her parents owned/worked. Jenna doesn't believe that her mother would have ever left her behind, so she enlists the help of Serenity Jones, a once famous psychic who helped to find missing people and Virgil Stanhope, a private detective, who was on the police force and was a part of the investigation of the accident at the Sanctuary. With their help, will Jenna be able to find her mother? And when she does, will she be disappointed by what she finds?
I have enjoyed reading Jodi Picoult novels for a long time. They always leave me with different kinds of emotions. Some happy, some sad, sometimes confused. [b:Leaving Time|18816603|Leaving Time|Jodi Picoult|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394487223s/18816603.jpg|26757264] was no exception. I felt a connection to each character. With Jenna, I felt sadness of the loss of her mother and her plight to find her. For Alice, a felt compassion for her work and the situation she was living in. For Serenity, I'm not quite sure my feelings about her, but she was a caring force in Jenna's life. For Virgil, it was pity, that he was unable to get his life together and accomplish his goals.
Listening to this book I was intrigued by the subject matter. Based on the idea that "an elephant never forgets" it was fascinating to learn about how elephants interact with humans and with each other, especially after they suffer a loss. A lot how we as humans grieve. This is another book that will make you think and keep you on your toes, covering subject matters of wildlife, mental illness and supernatural abilities. In the last 5% of the book there was a twist that I didn't see coming and it made me rethink everything I had just read/listened to. This is why Jodi Picoult is one of my favorites.
My favorite line from the book: "...there was a tear in the fabric I was made of and he was the only color thread that would match to stitch it back up."
See more of my reviews at http://whatchatreadin.blogspot.com
I have enjoyed reading Jodi Picoult novels for a long time. They always leave me with different kinds of emotions. Some happy, some sad, sometimes confused. [b:Leaving Time|18816603|Leaving Time|Jodi Picoult|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394487223s/18816603.jpg|26757264] was no exception. I felt a connection to each character. With Jenna, I felt sadness of the loss of her mother and her plight to find her. For Alice, a felt compassion for her work and the situation she was living in. For Serenity, I'm not quite sure my feelings about her, but she was a caring force in Jenna's life. For Virgil, it was pity, that he was unable to get his life together and accomplish his goals.
Listening to this book I was intrigued by the subject matter. Based on the idea that "an elephant never forgets" it was fascinating to learn about how elephants interact with humans and with each other, especially after they suffer a loss. A lot how we as humans grieve. This is another book that will make you think and keep you on your toes, covering subject matters of wildlife, mental illness and supernatural abilities. In the last 5% of the book there was a twist that I didn't see coming and it made me rethink everything I had just read/listened to. This is why Jodi Picoult is one of my favorites.
My favorite line from the book: "...there was a tear in the fabric I was made of and he was the only color thread that would match to stitch it back up."
See more of my reviews at http://whatchatreadin.blogspot.com
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Water for Elephants (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
The future is bright with promise for Jacob, a Cornell veterinary sciences student, ready to graduate and follow in his father’s footsteps. But after a series of unfortunate events, Jacob finds himself a college dropout, homeless and penniless. He sets out to find work and stows away on a passing train which turns out to be the Benzini Brothers Circus train.
Jacob appeals to the vanity of the heartless circus owner and ringmaster, August, convincing him to keep him on as the circus veterinary doctor. One of his first patients is the horse of the circus’ star attraction, Marlena, who also happens to be August’s wife. When Marlena’s horse is replaced by an elephant, Jacob is made responsible for the elephant’s care and training. This gives Marlena and Jacob a common ally in Rosie, the elephant, and a common enemy in an increasingly violent August. Cue the furtive glances, the stilted conversations and awkward moments that signal the start of the mutual attraction between Marlena and Jacob.
While Jacob, Marlena and August form the romantic triangle that drives the story, it’s Rosie and the circus backdrop that provide the more entertaining aspects of the movie. Director Francis Lawrence (Constantine and I Am Legend) pays decent attention to period detail, highlighting the desperation and brutality of The Great Depression while romanticizing the ephemeral circus life and the subversive lifestyles enjoyed in defiance of The Prohibition. Sadly they were just quick peeks into a curious world.
Based on a best-selling novel of the same name by Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants is a sweet tale told in retrospect by a 90-something-year old Jacob, played by a wistful Hal Holbrook. Robert Pattinson plays young Jacob capably, and I have no doubt his fans will swoon at the many close ups of his brooding stare, pained grimaces and the occasional delighted smile. While this character gives him a few more lines than his more well-known role as Edward, the tortured vampire of the Twilight saga, it was difficult to watch him and not see the similarities in how he portrays Jacob and Edward. Reese Witherspoon’s Marlena was in turns adequately fragile and sufficiently steely. With negligible chemistry, Pattinson and Witherspoon’s performances paled in comparison to that of Christoph Waltz whose sadistic August was played with cunning zeal.
A carefully told story, Water for Elephants is however too carefully told, in a predictable, pedantic pace. However, fans of Pattinson will not be disappointed.
Jacob appeals to the vanity of the heartless circus owner and ringmaster, August, convincing him to keep him on as the circus veterinary doctor. One of his first patients is the horse of the circus’ star attraction, Marlena, who also happens to be August’s wife. When Marlena’s horse is replaced by an elephant, Jacob is made responsible for the elephant’s care and training. This gives Marlena and Jacob a common ally in Rosie, the elephant, and a common enemy in an increasingly violent August. Cue the furtive glances, the stilted conversations and awkward moments that signal the start of the mutual attraction between Marlena and Jacob.
While Jacob, Marlena and August form the romantic triangle that drives the story, it’s Rosie and the circus backdrop that provide the more entertaining aspects of the movie. Director Francis Lawrence (Constantine and I Am Legend) pays decent attention to period detail, highlighting the desperation and brutality of The Great Depression while romanticizing the ephemeral circus life and the subversive lifestyles enjoyed in defiance of The Prohibition. Sadly they were just quick peeks into a curious world.
Based on a best-selling novel of the same name by Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants is a sweet tale told in retrospect by a 90-something-year old Jacob, played by a wistful Hal Holbrook. Robert Pattinson plays young Jacob capably, and I have no doubt his fans will swoon at the many close ups of his brooding stare, pained grimaces and the occasional delighted smile. While this character gives him a few more lines than his more well-known role as Edward, the tortured vampire of the Twilight saga, it was difficult to watch him and not see the similarities in how he portrays Jacob and Edward. Reese Witherspoon’s Marlena was in turns adequately fragile and sufficiently steely. With negligible chemistry, Pattinson and Witherspoon’s performances paled in comparison to that of Christoph Waltz whose sadistic August was played with cunning zeal.
A carefully told story, Water for Elephants is however too carefully told, in a predictable, pedantic pace. However, fans of Pattinson will not be disappointed.