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Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Joe (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
So, officially … spring is here although it still feels like winter to your friendly
neighborhood freelance photographer but according to the calendar it’s spring.
Another indicator that it might be spring? Nicolas Cage has a new film out.
Seriously, he does .. and it’s actually a dark, heavy-duty drama.
‘Joe’ is based on the 1991 novel of the same name written by author Larry Brown.
Directed by David Gordon Green who’se credits include comedies like 2008’s
‘Pineapple Express’ and the HBO t.v. series ‘Eastbound & Down’ … ‘Joe’is certainly
no comedy.
Starring Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, and Ronnie Gene Belvins ‘Joe’ is a dark, gritty
film that tells the story of Joe Ransom. An angry ex-con who befriends Gary, a teenager
from an abusive, broken home who approaches Joe looking for work with his ‘tree poinsoning’
crew. Impressed by Gary’s stubborness and determination Joe gives him a job (and later
his truck) and attempts to set Gary on ‘the right path’ and becomes an unlikely rolemodel
for him. At home though, Gary’s family life is slowly spiraling at of control due to
his alcholic father and the situation points to a dark, violent confrontation.
I can honestly say that this is one of Nic Cage’s best and ‘sincere’ performances in a
while and due to the darkness of the film, it will most likely go unrecognized. The film
doesn’t hold back. It’s in-your-face, gritty, and violent. The minute you don’t think it
can get more disturbing, it does just that. As the viewer, the experience was like an
old-fashioned pinball machine only you, the viewer, ARE the pinball.
I don’t recommend this as a ‘date movie’ but if you like Nicolas Cage’s work and you’re
looking for a good drama, this is defintely one to see. If this movie is any indication,
I imagine it won’t be too long before Nic Cage has another great performance under his belt
so keep an eye out. ‘Joe’ is rated ‘R’ and you can catch it in theaters on April 11th.
I give the film 4 out of 5 stars.
neighborhood freelance photographer but according to the calendar it’s spring.
Another indicator that it might be spring? Nicolas Cage has a new film out.
Seriously, he does .. and it’s actually a dark, heavy-duty drama.
‘Joe’ is based on the 1991 novel of the same name written by author Larry Brown.
Directed by David Gordon Green who’se credits include comedies like 2008’s
‘Pineapple Express’ and the HBO t.v. series ‘Eastbound & Down’ … ‘Joe’is certainly
no comedy.
Starring Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, and Ronnie Gene Belvins ‘Joe’ is a dark, gritty
film that tells the story of Joe Ransom. An angry ex-con who befriends Gary, a teenager
from an abusive, broken home who approaches Joe looking for work with his ‘tree poinsoning’
crew. Impressed by Gary’s stubborness and determination Joe gives him a job (and later
his truck) and attempts to set Gary on ‘the right path’ and becomes an unlikely rolemodel
for him. At home though, Gary’s family life is slowly spiraling at of control due to
his alcholic father and the situation points to a dark, violent confrontation.
I can honestly say that this is one of Nic Cage’s best and ‘sincere’ performances in a
while and due to the darkness of the film, it will most likely go unrecognized. The film
doesn’t hold back. It’s in-your-face, gritty, and violent. The minute you don’t think it
can get more disturbing, it does just that. As the viewer, the experience was like an
old-fashioned pinball machine only you, the viewer, ARE the pinball.
I don’t recommend this as a ‘date movie’ but if you like Nicolas Cage’s work and you’re
looking for a good drama, this is defintely one to see. If this movie is any indication,
I imagine it won’t be too long before Nic Cage has another great performance under his belt
so keep an eye out. ‘Joe’ is rated ‘R’ and you can catch it in theaters on April 11th.
I give the film 4 out of 5 stars.
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Glow (Pleasure Seekers #3) in Books
Jun 26, 2024
There are sparks flying, right from that first meeting in the men's locker room!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Pleasure Seekers trilogy, but it can be read as a stand alone. BUT, people?? READ the other books, OK?? Cos they set the scene for Scott to be the last man standing, and that man falls fast and hard and he never saw it coming!
Scott is looking for love, but his latest date was another washout. He really feels left out now Tyler and Eddie are loved up. A theft at work brings him face to face with Prin, from the IT department. Then Scott must stay focussed or he might not see the one thing he has been looking for, is right under his nose.
I loved Thrill, and I really liked Kicks, but I think Scott and Prin might be my favourite couple!
There are sparks flying, right from that first meeting in the men's locker room, and they fly through the whole book, even when Scott messes up (accidentally!) and puts Prin in a difficult position. This is really the only drama between these two, and that's why I tagged it low angst.
There is a good deal of other drama though! The theft and who is doing it, Prin's friend Colin and what's happening to him, and we also get to catch up with Tyler and Eddie and their other halves. At this point, they are all just about living together in the shared flat, so it's hard not to catch up with them!
But I loved what happens at the end. Prin gets some closure with his family. He needed that, he really did.
It's always sad to see a series end, especially one I've thoroughly loved. But hey, maybe Parker will write a follow up, kind of an epilogue in a whole book, just so we can see how the guys are getting on!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 3 in the Pleasure Seekers trilogy, but it can be read as a stand alone. BUT, people?? READ the other books, OK?? Cos they set the scene for Scott to be the last man standing, and that man falls fast and hard and he never saw it coming!
Scott is looking for love, but his latest date was another washout. He really feels left out now Tyler and Eddie are loved up. A theft at work brings him face to face with Prin, from the IT department. Then Scott must stay focussed or he might not see the one thing he has been looking for, is right under his nose.
I loved Thrill, and I really liked Kicks, but I think Scott and Prin might be my favourite couple!
There are sparks flying, right from that first meeting in the men's locker room, and they fly through the whole book, even when Scott messes up (accidentally!) and puts Prin in a difficult position. This is really the only drama between these two, and that's why I tagged it low angst.
There is a good deal of other drama though! The theft and who is doing it, Prin's friend Colin and what's happening to him, and we also get to catch up with Tyler and Eddie and their other halves. At this point, they are all just about living together in the shared flat, so it's hard not to catch up with them!
But I loved what happens at the end. Prin gets some closure with his family. He needed that, he really did.
It's always sad to see a series end, especially one I've thoroughly loved. But hey, maybe Parker will write a follow up, kind of an epilogue in a whole book, just so we can see how the guys are getting on!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Best Possible Answer in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Viviana is under an immense amount of stress. It's the end of junior year and her future is in the balance. The goal was always to get perfect grades, rock her exams and attend Stanford. Then a distraction, and by distraction I mean boy, sets her off balance. They break up and he does something that sends her world spinning off its axis. Vivi starts having panic attacks and feels that she's not doing anything right in her life. To make it worse, her dad goes on a business trip to Singapore and doesn't come back. She puts every blame and burden on her overworked shoulders.
The characters in the book are very believable and relatable, even if you haven't experienced the same life events that they have. You can feel the friendship between Sammie and Vivi, with all of its ups and down. How much they love each other and do their best to protect one another.
The novel is about believing in yourself, learning to trust and rely on others even when you think you can do it all by yourself, and doing your best. Vivi must learn about herself and realizes that not everything in her life is as it seems.
Highly recommended to teens and young adults who enjoy contemporary ya fiction books about life, loves and high school. (With maybe a little family drama thrown into the mix.) Great, quick, enjoyable read!
The characters in the book are very believable and relatable, even if you haven't experienced the same life events that they have. You can feel the friendship between Sammie and Vivi, with all of its ups and down. How much they love each other and do their best to protect one another.
The novel is about believing in yourself, learning to trust and rely on others even when you think you can do it all by yourself, and doing your best. Vivi must learn about herself and realizes that not everything in her life is as it seems.
Highly recommended to teens and young adults who enjoy contemporary ya fiction books about life, loves and high school. (With maybe a little family drama thrown into the mix.) Great, quick, enjoyable read!
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated The Hidden Child (Patrik Hedström, #5) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
Had I realized when I picked it up that this was the 4th book in a series, I would have looked for the first book to start at the beginning. I didnt feel like I was missing anything starting at this point in the story, however. The relationships between characters were either evident or explained well enough that you can easily read or listen to this book without having read the previous books, and not feel lost.
A lot of Swedish crime fiction has a particular melancholy feel to it, and The Hidden Child is no exception. The author did injected occasional brief moments of humor into the story that helped lighten the mood, however, and they kept it from feeling too dark.
The story is told in both in the present, and through flashbacks, in the time around WW2. It follows the police investigation into the murder of a local historian, as well as the family drama unfolding as Erica Faulk digs into her mothers past. The two series of events turn out to be more intertwined than anyone could have imagined, and even though I could see where it was going, the story didnt give everything away at once and I didnt really know what had happened until the end.
If you are a fan of police procedural and / or historical mysteries, give this one a try!
A lot of Swedish crime fiction has a particular melancholy feel to it, and The Hidden Child is no exception. The author did injected occasional brief moments of humor into the story that helped lighten the mood, however, and they kept it from feeling too dark.
The story is told in both in the present, and through flashbacks, in the time around WW2. It follows the police investigation into the murder of a local historian, as well as the family drama unfolding as Erica Faulk digs into her mothers past. The two series of events turn out to be more intertwined than anyone could have imagined, and even though I could see where it was going, the story didnt give everything away at once and I didnt really know what had happened until the end.
If you are a fan of police procedural and / or historical mysteries, give this one a try!
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