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5150, rue des Ormes (2009)
Movie
5150 ELM'S WAY is located at the end of a quiet street in a small town. When Yannick fell off his...
26 Years (2012)
Movie
26 years ago, state troops were ordered to open fire on civilians in the city of Gwangju who were...
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder
8.0
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Book
Astoria, Queens, is decorated within an inch of its life for the Christmas season, and Mia Carina is...
Berlin
9.0
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Book
*FOR FANS OF MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION, EXCITING TIMES AND WRITERS & LOVERS * When Daphne...
Literary fiction Germany Berlin
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Salt House in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Hope and Jack Kelly's life changes irrevocably when their young daughter, Maddie, doesn't wake up from her nap. Hope, working a few rooms away from Maddie's crib, is paralyzed by grief and unable to return her to freelance writing job or really, most portions of her life. Jack, meanwhile, throws himself into work to escape the pain: spending hours away from his family on his lobster boat. Maddie's two older sisters, Jess and Kat, are forced to deal with the loss of their sister while watching their parents fall apart. Young Kat is trying to make sense of it all, while teenage Jess struggles watching her parents argue constantly. Then Jack's childhood rival, Finn, returns to town: threatening Jack's fishing territory and sanity.
This is a raw, heartbreaking novel full of real emotion. It's honestly awful and a little gut-wrenching at times: it's so powerfully written that it made me want to hold my two young daughters extra close. The brutal reactions and grief of poor Hope and Jack are tough to read, as is watching their children struggle.
Duffy is an excellent writer: the book is quite well-done. The story unfolds a year after Maddie's death and is told in varying perspectives by each member of the Kelly family. She captures each of their voices perfectly, even young Kat, who may be the best of all.
There is certainly some drama in this novel, though it's mainly the story of two hurt people coping in their own (stubborn) way. My heart went out to Hope, and I quite liked her two daughters, but I found myself often frustrated with Jack, even though I recognized he was grieving. Even so, his stupidity and inability to communicate drove me a bit crazy at times.
This is a well-written story of family, grief, and love. It's not always an easy read, but it's a certainly a worthy one.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 06/13/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
This is a raw, heartbreaking novel full of real emotion. It's honestly awful and a little gut-wrenching at times: it's so powerfully written that it made me want to hold my two young daughters extra close. The brutal reactions and grief of poor Hope and Jack are tough to read, as is watching their children struggle.
Duffy is an excellent writer: the book is quite well-done. The story unfolds a year after Maddie's death and is told in varying perspectives by each member of the Kelly family. She captures each of their voices perfectly, even young Kat, who may be the best of all.
There is certainly some drama in this novel, though it's mainly the story of two hurt people coping in their own (stubborn) way. My heart went out to Hope, and I quite liked her two daughters, but I found myself often frustrated with Jack, even though I recognized he was grieving. Even so, his stupidity and inability to communicate drove me a bit crazy at times.
This is a well-written story of family, grief, and love. It's not always an easy read, but it's a certainly a worthy one.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 06/13/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated What They Had (2018) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
What They Had is what I wanted from The Leisure Seeker, it ends up being a touching look at how Alzheimer's can affect the family unit. That being said, it is still just an average family drama that has a great cast.
All four of our leads bring something special to this film, for me though, Robert Forster was far and away the best of them. His progression throughout the film makes for such a powerful moment at the end when he finally sees the reality of his situation.
There's no denying that if you take out these big name actors you've just got another Lifetime movie. It needed some more punch in the other areas to bring it up, but I honestly don't know how it could have done that. It is what it is, there isn't a lot to play with apart from a more dramatic storyline.
The main story does flow well but the side stories are rather forgettable. When we get to the end and they're all neatly tied up I wasn't overly bothered. Even with these great actors in all of the scenes nothing was particularly tugging at my heartstrings.
Blythe Danner really came into her own towards the end of What They Had. The sequence of events that takes place brought more than the odd tear to my eye. There's some beautiful logic from Ruth and if I'd been in her daughter's position in that moment I would have been snotty crying.
We also need to acknowledge the elephant (or in this case, turkey) in the room. We've had Ruth's emotional scenes, we get the last bit of the story sewn up in possibly an overly sweet scenario and then... a turkey... literally. I honestly didn't get it.
Sadly, although I enjoy it and I wasn't bored I think this is going to quickly be cast into the "oh yeah, I remember that film" pile.
What you should do
If you enjoy family dramas then this is one of the better ones recently and is certainly worth a watch.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I quite liked the look of Nick's bar, I wouldn't mind getting my own one... it would be movie-themed of course.
All four of our leads bring something special to this film, for me though, Robert Forster was far and away the best of them. His progression throughout the film makes for such a powerful moment at the end when he finally sees the reality of his situation.
There's no denying that if you take out these big name actors you've just got another Lifetime movie. It needed some more punch in the other areas to bring it up, but I honestly don't know how it could have done that. It is what it is, there isn't a lot to play with apart from a more dramatic storyline.
The main story does flow well but the side stories are rather forgettable. When we get to the end and they're all neatly tied up I wasn't overly bothered. Even with these great actors in all of the scenes nothing was particularly tugging at my heartstrings.
Blythe Danner really came into her own towards the end of What They Had. The sequence of events that takes place brought more than the odd tear to my eye. There's some beautiful logic from Ruth and if I'd been in her daughter's position in that moment I would have been snotty crying.
We also need to acknowledge the elephant (or in this case, turkey) in the room. We've had Ruth's emotional scenes, we get the last bit of the story sewn up in possibly an overly sweet scenario and then... a turkey... literally. I honestly didn't get it.
Sadly, although I enjoy it and I wasn't bored I think this is going to quickly be cast into the "oh yeah, I remember that film" pile.
What you should do
If you enjoy family dramas then this is one of the better ones recently and is certainly worth a watch.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I quite liked the look of Nick's bar, I wouldn't mind getting my own one... it would be movie-themed of course.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Saint Anything in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Sydney is a high school kid with a seemingly average life - navigating homework and a new school and typical teen problems. Except that Sydney is at a new school because she's trying to escape the shadow of her older brother, Peyton, who has recently gone to jail for injuring a local kid while driving drunk. For her whole life, Sydney has felt like her parents have focused on Peyton and his antics - and even with him in jail, it seems like nothing has changed. At her new school, Sydney meets Layla Chatham, a member of the Chatham family. They run the local pizza parlor near her new school and soon Sydney feels comfortable and nearly adopted by her Layla and her parents, her older sister, Rosie, and her brother, Mac. They are everything her family is not.
This was a good book, with a typical Dessen teenage drama and love story plot, but it wasn't anything earth-shattering. Sydney is a good kid and I liked her character, and I very much liked Layla and Mac, as well. Sydney's back-story with her brother is a good one, but seems a little unbelievable at times, and her rigid mother is almost too uptight and clueless. Her father is totally spineless and frustrating. For much of the story, you're waiting for something to happen and then when it finally does, it all seems a bit anti-climatic and it all gets fixed up rather quickly to seem truly plausible.
Still, a fun little read, but I do prefer "Lock and Key" or "Someone Like You." (However, I feel like a sequel featuring the Chathams would somehow be awesome.)
This was a good book, with a typical Dessen teenage drama and love story plot, but it wasn't anything earth-shattering. Sydney is a good kid and I liked her character, and I very much liked Layla and Mac, as well. Sydney's back-story with her brother is a good one, but seems a little unbelievable at times, and her rigid mother is almost too uptight and clueless. Her father is totally spineless and frustrating. For much of the story, you're waiting for something to happen and then when it finally does, it all seems a bit anti-climatic and it all gets fixed up rather quickly to seem truly plausible.
Still, a fun little read, but I do prefer "Lock and Key" or "Someone Like You." (However, I feel like a sequel featuring the Chathams would somehow be awesome.)
TacoDave (3607 KP) rated Parasite (2019) in Movies
Nov 14, 2019
Story (3 more)
Acting
Humor
Unexpected twists
This Parasite gets under your skin...
I will try not to spoil anything, because I really enjoyed watching this movie unfold. It's the kind of film where you can't really guess where it is going, because where it is going is so strange...
Based on the director, I expected sci-fi or horror. This movie isn't either of those genres: it is basically a human-level character study, but in a universe with slightly-cartoonish logic.
I know that doesn't make much sense, but if you watch the movie you might agree.
The main family is broke. They have no money for food and their neighbor recently put a password on their wifi, so they don't even have phones that work. When the son gets the chance to become a tutor to a rich girl, even though he isn't qualified, he jumps at the chance. And, slowly but surely, he and his family plan ways to get all four of them hired on at the rich owners' house.
That's all I will say, because discovery is important for this movie to work. There is a lot of drama and real-life class struggle, but the movie is often punctuated by humor that takes a second to register. It might be a physical sight gag; it might be a turn of phrase; it might be a facial expression; but I found myself laughing out loud, even as uncomfortable things were happening.
If you don't mind subtitles, I strongly recommend Parasite. It is as good as the reviews say.
Based on the director, I expected sci-fi or horror. This movie isn't either of those genres: it is basically a human-level character study, but in a universe with slightly-cartoonish logic.
I know that doesn't make much sense, but if you watch the movie you might agree.
The main family is broke. They have no money for food and their neighbor recently put a password on their wifi, so they don't even have phones that work. When the son gets the chance to become a tutor to a rich girl, even though he isn't qualified, he jumps at the chance. And, slowly but surely, he and his family plan ways to get all four of them hired on at the rich owners' house.
That's all I will say, because discovery is important for this movie to work. There is a lot of drama and real-life class struggle, but the movie is often punctuated by humor that takes a second to register. It might be a physical sight gag; it might be a turn of phrase; it might be a facial expression; but I found myself laughing out loud, even as uncomfortable things were happening.
If you don't mind subtitles, I strongly recommend Parasite. It is as good as the reviews say.
Winter of the World
9.0
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Berlin in 1933 is in upheaval. Eleven-year-old Carla von Ulrich struggles to understand the tensions...
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
10.0
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On Winston Churchill's first day as prime minister, Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Poland and...