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This is the twenty-fourth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
Xeni Everly-Wilkins is devastated when her beloved Aunt Sable passes away. The two were less close than she wanted, thanks to Sable's ongoing feud with her sisters (including Xeni's mom), but Xeni loved her nonetheless. Xeni heads to New York to help clean out her aunt's house and learn what she may have inherited. But when Xeni arrives at the lawyer's office, she finds out her inheritance comes with a big catch: she must marry to claim Sable's (sizable) estate. And Sable had someone in mind: local chef Mason McInroy, a handsome Scottish man who just happened to play the bagpipes at Sable's funeral. Mason stands to inherit from this scheme too; he and Sable were close. Xeni and Mason each have their own reasons to say yes to Sable's insane scheme, but neither has any plans to fall in love. Right?
"'In order for either of you to claim any of this, Ms. Everly asked that you to be married. To each other.'"
OK, I have no idea where this book came from, but it was the one "X" book on my shelves. It's a total trip with a ton of crazy story threads going on, but honestly, I enjoyed it! Even with the family drama, the arranged marriage, the mentions of witchcraft, the instalove, the sexy times, and more!
So, yes, the plot for this book is a bit outlandish. You have to roll with it--Xeni and Mason meet at the lawyer's, find out they have to marry quickly to inherit money, and... just get married. A lot of sexual scenes soon ensue--if you do not enjoy sexy times in your books, I would not recommend picking up this one. I was not prepared for, umm, all the detail, but I appreciated how open the author was with bisexuality and sexuality in general.
The instalove (instalust?) between Xeni and Mason is a bit hard to take at first, but truly, they are rather adorable and pretty easy to root for. Mason is just as cute and sweet as can be, and poor Xeni, she's going through a lot. Even though there is not a ton of character development here (why does Xeni believe in witchcraft, for instance?), you can't help but want Mason and Xeni to overcome their obstacles and make this absolutely ridiculous marriage work. Especially if they can spite their sometimes rather awful families. (Sidenote: Xeni's family clearly has a lot of issues, and it bothered me that we never got to see if they were truly resolved.)
Overall, I'm not sure if I would have gravitated immediately toward this book without my #AtoZChallenge, but it turned out to be a pretty fun read. It was silly, but rather beguiling and certainly steamy! It was a good change of pace. 3.5 stars.
Xeni Everly-Wilkins is devastated when her beloved Aunt Sable passes away. The two were less close than she wanted, thanks to Sable's ongoing feud with her sisters (including Xeni's mom), but Xeni loved her nonetheless. Xeni heads to New York to help clean out her aunt's house and learn what she may have inherited. But when Xeni arrives at the lawyer's office, she finds out her inheritance comes with a big catch: she must marry to claim Sable's (sizable) estate. And Sable had someone in mind: local chef Mason McInroy, a handsome Scottish man who just happened to play the bagpipes at Sable's funeral. Mason stands to inherit from this scheme too; he and Sable were close. Xeni and Mason each have their own reasons to say yes to Sable's insane scheme, but neither has any plans to fall in love. Right?
"'In order for either of you to claim any of this, Ms. Everly asked that you to be married. To each other.'"
OK, I have no idea where this book came from, but it was the one "X" book on my shelves. It's a total trip with a ton of crazy story threads going on, but honestly, I enjoyed it! Even with the family drama, the arranged marriage, the mentions of witchcraft, the instalove, the sexy times, and more!
So, yes, the plot for this book is a bit outlandish. You have to roll with it--Xeni and Mason meet at the lawyer's, find out they have to marry quickly to inherit money, and... just get married. A lot of sexual scenes soon ensue--if you do not enjoy sexy times in your books, I would not recommend picking up this one. I was not prepared for, umm, all the detail, but I appreciated how open the author was with bisexuality and sexuality in general.
The instalove (instalust?) between Xeni and Mason is a bit hard to take at first, but truly, they are rather adorable and pretty easy to root for. Mason is just as cute and sweet as can be, and poor Xeni, she's going through a lot. Even though there is not a ton of character development here (why does Xeni believe in witchcraft, for instance?), you can't help but want Mason and Xeni to overcome their obstacles and make this absolutely ridiculous marriage work. Especially if they can spite their sometimes rather awful families. (Sidenote: Xeni's family clearly has a lot of issues, and it bothered me that we never got to see if they were truly resolved.)
Overall, I'm not sure if I would have gravitated immediately toward this book without my #AtoZChallenge, but it turned out to be a pretty fun read. It was silly, but rather beguiling and certainly steamy! It was a good change of pace. 3.5 stars.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Stoker (2013) in Movies
Oct 5, 2019
Chan-wook Park, the director of Oldboy and Thirst brings audiences his unique visual style and unsettling themes in his first English speaking film.
After the death of the family's patriarch, his surviving wife and teenage daughter handle the grief in very different ways. Wife Evelyn cries at the funeral, then doesn't seem to be too morose after the appearance of her former brother-in-law, Charles. Daughter India thinks about times her and her father had together when she was a child. They seemed to have much more of a bond in hanging with one another hunting small game. Evelyn seems jealous of their relationship until brother Charlie arrives in her gazes full time.
Charlie just seems a bit to nice and proper and trying to fit in with his new female friends. Something not quite right about him. This is also noticed by the family's live in housekeeper and an aunt that drops by the house sometime after the funeral. Mysteriously, both women go missing sometime after.
India has her own issues at school dealing herself with bullies and an aggressive boy who tries to rape her. She deals with them herself, and with help from others. She seems very pleased with herself and remembers fondly what she has done.
Events then become very disturbing, family members start to show their true feelings for each and motives are explained and revealed for a memorable and unique third act.
Director Park's visual style of interesting camera angles, memorable images and close up photography here as well; however, muted compared to his usual over-the-top style of his Asian films. Disturbing images followed by exterior shots or interesting camera transitional moments are one I love to see if film and there are several of them in this piece.
The unraveling of the mystery and of the character motivations and the continually changing family dynamic are certainly the most interesting aspect of the story. Not sure if I completely understand some of the subtle thematic elements or how they relate to the overall message the film is trying to convey, but that is not a negative.
The ending is shocking and unexpected and not sure if I understand that either, but it ties the story up and makes the audience wonder what will happen to the characters after the credits roll.
Mia Wasikowska stood out to me as very good in this film. Her nuanced and emotional roller coaster of a character was done with conviction. You may remember her from the Alice in Wonderland Tim Burton reboots; however, she is much more wicked this time around.
Not sure if everyone would enjoy as it may seem boring or confusing to some. I did read several 1 and 3 star reviews along with many 9 and 10 star reviews which seem to be the type of movie I am watching lately. Those types of movies are divisive and I like to see which side I am on.
Watch for yourself and tell me what you think.
After the death of the family's patriarch, his surviving wife and teenage daughter handle the grief in very different ways. Wife Evelyn cries at the funeral, then doesn't seem to be too morose after the appearance of her former brother-in-law, Charles. Daughter India thinks about times her and her father had together when she was a child. They seemed to have much more of a bond in hanging with one another hunting small game. Evelyn seems jealous of their relationship until brother Charlie arrives in her gazes full time.
Charlie just seems a bit to nice and proper and trying to fit in with his new female friends. Something not quite right about him. This is also noticed by the family's live in housekeeper and an aunt that drops by the house sometime after the funeral. Mysteriously, both women go missing sometime after.
India has her own issues at school dealing herself with bullies and an aggressive boy who tries to rape her. She deals with them herself, and with help from others. She seems very pleased with herself and remembers fondly what she has done.
Events then become very disturbing, family members start to show their true feelings for each and motives are explained and revealed for a memorable and unique third act.
Director Park's visual style of interesting camera angles, memorable images and close up photography here as well; however, muted compared to his usual over-the-top style of his Asian films. Disturbing images followed by exterior shots or interesting camera transitional moments are one I love to see if film and there are several of them in this piece.
The unraveling of the mystery and of the character motivations and the continually changing family dynamic are certainly the most interesting aspect of the story. Not sure if I completely understand some of the subtle thematic elements or how they relate to the overall message the film is trying to convey, but that is not a negative.
The ending is shocking and unexpected and not sure if I understand that either, but it ties the story up and makes the audience wonder what will happen to the characters after the credits roll.
Mia Wasikowska stood out to me as very good in this film. Her nuanced and emotional roller coaster of a character was done with conviction. You may remember her from the Alice in Wonderland Tim Burton reboots; however, she is much more wicked this time around.
Not sure if everyone would enjoy as it may seem boring or confusing to some. I did read several 1 and 3 star reviews along with many 9 and 10 star reviews which seem to be the type of movie I am watching lately. Those types of movies are divisive and I like to see which side I am on.
Watch for yourself and tell me what you think.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated CODA (2021) in Movies
Feb 25, 2022
Fairly Standard Fare
I am a film completionist, meaning I must see a film through to the end no matter what. At times, I take a break and come back to it (figuring I might not have been in the right mood for the film) but in other times, I fight through whatever emotion I am feeling (most of the time boredom) to keep focused on what the filmmakers are attempting to do in their film - and, at times, I am rewarded for this perseverance.
Such is the case with the Oscar Nominated film CODA. Written and Directed by Sian Heder (who was Oscar Nominated for her Screenplay), CODA tells the tale of Ruby who is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), who runs afoul of her family (especially her parents) and their expectations of her.
For the first half of this film it is pretty standard fare - one that has been shown on many, many movie screens throughout the years. Even though this one had the added “plot twist” of Ruby being able to hear while her Parents and Brothers are all deaf, the first half of this film never rose above the ordinary.
But, something happened in the 2nd half of the film, I fell in love with this family and their foibles and was rooting for them all to resolve their issues and for Ruby to get what she wanted.
Credit for this must go to Writer/Director Heder, who is not deaf, who came up with the idea/concept for the film and then felt a strong obligation to “get it right” for the deaf community. And get it right she does.
Her first good move was to cast Oscar Winner Marlee Matlin, a well known deaf performer and advocate for the Deaf Community. She brought instant credibility and star power to this film and she also insisted that the other 2 deaf characters in this film be performed by deaf performers.
Troy Kotsur is Oscar Nominated as Best Supporting Actor for his turn as Ruby’s father and he, for the first 1/2 of this film, acts in black and white - either funny (the comic relief) or angry (the drama) and I was unimpressed by him, but - just like the film - his performance gains some nuance in the 2nd half and he does have the “Oscar Moment” in this part of the movie that makes him a deserving nominee.
Emilia Jones is “just fine” in the lead role of Ruby and Daniel Durant (the other deaf actor in this film who plays her brother) and Lonnie Farmer (who plays her teacher) are also “fine”. Thank goodness we had the star wattage of Matlin to elevate the first half of the film before things got interesting - and nuanced - in the 2nd half.
Kudos to CODA for shining a light on a group that does not normally get the light shone upon it and kudos to the Academy for nominating this Sundance darling in the Best Picture category.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Such is the case with the Oscar Nominated film CODA. Written and Directed by Sian Heder (who was Oscar Nominated for her Screenplay), CODA tells the tale of Ruby who is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), who runs afoul of her family (especially her parents) and their expectations of her.
For the first half of this film it is pretty standard fare - one that has been shown on many, many movie screens throughout the years. Even though this one had the added “plot twist” of Ruby being able to hear while her Parents and Brothers are all deaf, the first half of this film never rose above the ordinary.
But, something happened in the 2nd half of the film, I fell in love with this family and their foibles and was rooting for them all to resolve their issues and for Ruby to get what she wanted.
Credit for this must go to Writer/Director Heder, who is not deaf, who came up with the idea/concept for the film and then felt a strong obligation to “get it right” for the deaf community. And get it right she does.
Her first good move was to cast Oscar Winner Marlee Matlin, a well known deaf performer and advocate for the Deaf Community. She brought instant credibility and star power to this film and she also insisted that the other 2 deaf characters in this film be performed by deaf performers.
Troy Kotsur is Oscar Nominated as Best Supporting Actor for his turn as Ruby’s father and he, for the first 1/2 of this film, acts in black and white - either funny (the comic relief) or angry (the drama) and I was unimpressed by him, but - just like the film - his performance gains some nuance in the 2nd half and he does have the “Oscar Moment” in this part of the movie that makes him a deserving nominee.
Emilia Jones is “just fine” in the lead role of Ruby and Daniel Durant (the other deaf actor in this film who plays her brother) and Lonnie Farmer (who plays her teacher) are also “fine”. Thank goodness we had the star wattage of Matlin to elevate the first half of the film before things got interesting - and nuanced - in the 2nd half.
Kudos to CODA for shining a light on a group that does not normally get the light shone upon it and kudos to the Academy for nominating this Sundance darling in the Best Picture category.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Blueprints in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Caroline MacAfee is a divorced carpenter; one who has kept her last name because she is still part of the well-known MacAfee family, which owns MacAfee Homes, a popular business in their town. Caroline is also host of the popular TV show "Gut It" (think something on DIY or HGTV) - that is until she's told she's too old to host the show the day after her 56th birthday. The network wants a new host: Caroline's 29-year-old daughter, Jamie MacAfee, an architect with the family company. Pushing for the change is Caroline's ex-husband, Roy, and her ex-father-in-law, Theo. The news rattles Caroline and upsets the foundation of her happy mother/daughter relationship with Jamie.
But everyone's life is further upended when Roy and his new wife die suddenly on a stormy night, leaving MacAfee Homes without its charismatic marketing lead and Jamie to deal with sudden guardianship of her toddler half-brother, Tad. Quickly, she must navigate life as a new mom; deal with the impact of motherhood on her relationship with her fiance; juggle the impact on her work, especially with her father no longer with the company; and try to heal her fractured relationship with Caroline.
If it sounds like there is a lot going on in this novel, there is. Yet, it seemed like it got off to a slow start. I almost put the book aside for some others on my "to-read" list until I got to the accident and things picked up. After that, even if parts of the plot and the characters' actions irked me, the book itself breezed by, and I found myself wanting to finish it quickly.
One of my biggest pet peeves with this novel was all of the talk of sex. I am no prude and have no issues with sex being in a novel, when appropriate. In this book, it seemed like it was inserted just because. Delinsky made several veiled references to "50 Shades of Grey" (the characters were reading it, for instance) and it almost seemed as if, because of that, it felt necessary to insert dialogue about sex, sex scenes, and more. Caroline and Jamie's discussions of sex, Caroline's discussions of sex with her friend, Annie - they were all painful and came across as extremely stilted. In fact, several times, it seemed like the characters were having various conversations to make sure we really, really knew how they felt about certain things, when, truly, if Delinksy would have just let the plot unfold naturally, it would have all come out on its own. It was a little unnatural and forced.
Speaking of said plot, it is a Delinsky novel, so be prepared that it will all seem a little fantastical at times. I would have liked to have been reading this novel on the beach - it's the perfect beach read where you can just suspend real life for a little while and get caught up in a slightly unrealistic plot.
That being said, Caroline and Jamie are fairly likable characters. They grow on you. I found myself empathizing with Jamie and her struggles with working motherhood, for instance. If you go in expecting a fun, silly book, you won't be disappointed.
(Note: I received an ARC of this book via the Goodreads First Reads program in return for an unbiased review.)
But everyone's life is further upended when Roy and his new wife die suddenly on a stormy night, leaving MacAfee Homes without its charismatic marketing lead and Jamie to deal with sudden guardianship of her toddler half-brother, Tad. Quickly, she must navigate life as a new mom; deal with the impact of motherhood on her relationship with her fiance; juggle the impact on her work, especially with her father no longer with the company; and try to heal her fractured relationship with Caroline.
If it sounds like there is a lot going on in this novel, there is. Yet, it seemed like it got off to a slow start. I almost put the book aside for some others on my "to-read" list until I got to the accident and things picked up. After that, even if parts of the plot and the characters' actions irked me, the book itself breezed by, and I found myself wanting to finish it quickly.
One of my biggest pet peeves with this novel was all of the talk of sex. I am no prude and have no issues with sex being in a novel, when appropriate. In this book, it seemed like it was inserted just because. Delinsky made several veiled references to "50 Shades of Grey" (the characters were reading it, for instance) and it almost seemed as if, because of that, it felt necessary to insert dialogue about sex, sex scenes, and more. Caroline and Jamie's discussions of sex, Caroline's discussions of sex with her friend, Annie - they were all painful and came across as extremely stilted. In fact, several times, it seemed like the characters were having various conversations to make sure we really, really knew how they felt about certain things, when, truly, if Delinksy would have just let the plot unfold naturally, it would have all come out on its own. It was a little unnatural and forced.
Speaking of said plot, it is a Delinsky novel, so be prepared that it will all seem a little fantastical at times. I would have liked to have been reading this novel on the beach - it's the perfect beach read where you can just suspend real life for a little while and get caught up in a slightly unrealistic plot.
That being said, Caroline and Jamie are fairly likable characters. They grow on you. I found myself empathizing with Jamie and her struggles with working motherhood, for instance. If you go in expecting a fun, silly book, you won't be disappointed.
(Note: I received an ARC of this book via the Goodreads First Reads program in return for an unbiased review.)
Maribeth is an overworked mother of four-year-old twins: busy dividing her time as an editor of a magazine, mothering her twins, and taking care of her household. But Maribeth is so busy she doesn't even realize she's had a heart attack. Once out of the hospital, Maribeth is shocked to realize that her mother and husband seem clueless when it comes to taking care of her (and in many ways, the household). Maribeth feels overwhelmed and frustrated. Angry at her husband, Jason, she packs a bag and flees her husband and the twins, basically starting her life over in another city. Once there, Maribeth makes new friends and starts a search for her own birth mother. But obviously she has left behind unresolved issues in New York, such as her husband and family. (Minor issue, right?)
Wow, this is quite a book, and honestly, I'm still processing some of my feelings about it. I've previously read two of Forman's YA novels (both of which I enjoyed), but this was my first time reading her foray into general fiction. For me, this book really hit home, considering I am an overworked mother of four-year-old twins, who juggles work and motherhood much like Maribeth. Lucky for me, my spouse isn't clueless like Maribeth's husband (in fact: she's lovely). I also don't have a mother who is basically totally worthless; I mean, seriously, how pathetic is Maribeth's mom? Can these people not help the woman mere weeks after she's had a freaking heart attack? The whole episode where Meredith's kids have lice and her spouse and mother flake on her had me completely stressed out.
In fact, there were honestly times reading this book that I felt my own heart hurting, both from Forman's realistic description of Maribeth's cardiac attack, as well as from the stressful scenario she's in. Forman does an excellent job of conveying the pressure Maribeth is under and the frustration she feels in her life--overwhelmed, alone, trapped, desperate. What mother hasn't felt that way at some point, and truly, what mother hasn't wanted to run away at times?
My issue with this book is that Maribeth actually does run away. It's really hard to believe she'd actually leave her kids - not for a week or two - but for a good chunk of time (and taking a sizable chunk of her family's savings with her). But, while I really didn't agree with all of her choices (they didn't truly seem realistic), I have to admit, I found myself liking the book in spite of them. The life Maribeth creates for herself away from her family is unique and readable, and her world away is compelling. My only beef: should a woman really have to leave for her spouse to appreciate all she does? I am not totally sure I agree with the message.
Overall, this book is different. It's not your typical contemporary fiction, but it's certainly worth reading. 3.5 stars (and leaves you thinking).
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 9/6.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
Wow, this is quite a book, and honestly, I'm still processing some of my feelings about it. I've previously read two of Forman's YA novels (both of which I enjoyed), but this was my first time reading her foray into general fiction. For me, this book really hit home, considering I am an overworked mother of four-year-old twins, who juggles work and motherhood much like Maribeth. Lucky for me, my spouse isn't clueless like Maribeth's husband (in fact: she's lovely). I also don't have a mother who is basically totally worthless; I mean, seriously, how pathetic is Maribeth's mom? Can these people not help the woman mere weeks after she's had a freaking heart attack? The whole episode where Meredith's kids have lice and her spouse and mother flake on her had me completely stressed out.
In fact, there were honestly times reading this book that I felt my own heart hurting, both from Forman's realistic description of Maribeth's cardiac attack, as well as from the stressful scenario she's in. Forman does an excellent job of conveying the pressure Maribeth is under and the frustration she feels in her life--overwhelmed, alone, trapped, desperate. What mother hasn't felt that way at some point, and truly, what mother hasn't wanted to run away at times?
My issue with this book is that Maribeth actually does run away. It's really hard to believe she'd actually leave her kids - not for a week or two - but for a good chunk of time (and taking a sizable chunk of her family's savings with her). But, while I really didn't agree with all of her choices (they didn't truly seem realistic), I have to admit, I found myself liking the book in spite of them. The life Maribeth creates for herself away from her family is unique and readable, and her world away is compelling. My only beef: should a woman really have to leave for her spouse to appreciate all she does? I am not totally sure I agree with the message.
Overall, this book is different. It's not your typical contemporary fiction, but it's certainly worth reading. 3.5 stars (and leaves you thinking).
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 9/6.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Last Christmas (2019) in Movies
Dec 8, 2019
I ummed and erred about how to start this review, should I burst into song? Should I be writing it while adorned with fairy lights? None of that is needed though, and I'll tell you why in a moment.
Kate the Christmas elf has lost her Christmas spirit, life just hasn't felt the same recently and it's affecting her friends and family as well as everything in her life. Tensions run high as she takes advantage of her close friends and slowly burns almost all of her bridges.
Then she meets Tom, he's happy-go-lucky and all about something more to life. Where she's single-minded and oblivious he's caring and mindful of everyone, the pair couldn't be more different while still being the perfect match.
So... a Christmas film using the music of George Michael. Christmas probably appears in 95% of the shots and yet at no point did I feel very Christmassy. As for the music, if I hadn't been told they use his tracks in there I would have just said they just used Last Christmas because they thought they should match the title.
A fair bit of the film takes place at night which does allow for some beautiful illuminated shots of London. The settings are all very well suited for this, I always think that Covent Garden looks like the perfect place for a Christmas paradise when it's made up properly... and that Christmas shop! I died and went to heaven!
I've had no real previous experience with Emilia Clarke as an actress, I've never knowingly seen her in anything (yes, I've never watched Game Of Thrones), but I was impressed with her portrayal of Kate. It all felt very natural, there was a lot of sass but she also managed to keep it together during the serious moments. I don't think I'll be going back to watch GoT after this but I may well give some of her other films a go.
Henry Golding plays the perfect gentleman, that might be his niche. There's nothing to object to in his performance at all, I might have some issues with the way he's written in the script but Golding brought Tom to life perfectly on screen.
The best support performance for me was definitely Santa, played by Michelle Yeoh. Santa and Kate playing off against each other was wonderful to see, no matter whether it eas a dramatic moment or a comedy one they bounced back and forth incredibly well. Seeing Yeoh listed for this was a little dubious but it was delightful to see.
Emma Thompson's portrayal was enjoyable, though the accent did change the feel of the humour. I do question why Kate's family needed to be of Croatian descent. I'm not one to say "this was trying to make a statement" but there wasn't anything of any major consequence in the film that required it to be that way. It didn't feel like the film gained anything from this apart from an opportunity to shoehorn in Brexit.
Despite my quibbling, which you know I love to do, Last Christmas was a thoroughly enjoyable film. It is much more drama than it is Christmas film, Christmas honestly feels incidental even though Emilia Clarke is dressed as an elf most of the time. Sure its message might be a little "hidden agenda" and overly sweet but it's a great bit of entertainment. Just remember, don't be the arsehole who spoils it for someone.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/11/last-christmas-movie-review.html
Kate the Christmas elf has lost her Christmas spirit, life just hasn't felt the same recently and it's affecting her friends and family as well as everything in her life. Tensions run high as she takes advantage of her close friends and slowly burns almost all of her bridges.
Then she meets Tom, he's happy-go-lucky and all about something more to life. Where she's single-minded and oblivious he's caring and mindful of everyone, the pair couldn't be more different while still being the perfect match.
So... a Christmas film using the music of George Michael. Christmas probably appears in 95% of the shots and yet at no point did I feel very Christmassy. As for the music, if I hadn't been told they use his tracks in there I would have just said they just used Last Christmas because they thought they should match the title.
A fair bit of the film takes place at night which does allow for some beautiful illuminated shots of London. The settings are all very well suited for this, I always think that Covent Garden looks like the perfect place for a Christmas paradise when it's made up properly... and that Christmas shop! I died and went to heaven!
I've had no real previous experience with Emilia Clarke as an actress, I've never knowingly seen her in anything (yes, I've never watched Game Of Thrones), but I was impressed with her portrayal of Kate. It all felt very natural, there was a lot of sass but she also managed to keep it together during the serious moments. I don't think I'll be going back to watch GoT after this but I may well give some of her other films a go.
Henry Golding plays the perfect gentleman, that might be his niche. There's nothing to object to in his performance at all, I might have some issues with the way he's written in the script but Golding brought Tom to life perfectly on screen.
The best support performance for me was definitely Santa, played by Michelle Yeoh. Santa and Kate playing off against each other was wonderful to see, no matter whether it eas a dramatic moment or a comedy one they bounced back and forth incredibly well. Seeing Yeoh listed for this was a little dubious but it was delightful to see.
Emma Thompson's portrayal was enjoyable, though the accent did change the feel of the humour. I do question why Kate's family needed to be of Croatian descent. I'm not one to say "this was trying to make a statement" but there wasn't anything of any major consequence in the film that required it to be that way. It didn't feel like the film gained anything from this apart from an opportunity to shoehorn in Brexit.
Despite my quibbling, which you know I love to do, Last Christmas was a thoroughly enjoyable film. It is much more drama than it is Christmas film, Christmas honestly feels incidental even though Emilia Clarke is dressed as an elf most of the time. Sure its message might be a little "hidden agenda" and overly sweet but it's a great bit of entertainment. Just remember, don't be the arsehole who spoils it for someone.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/11/last-christmas-movie-review.html
Darren (1599 KP) rated All Good Things (2010) in Movies
Jan 21, 2020
Verdict: Lacks Focus
Story: All Good Things starts as we see David Marks (Gosling) the son of a property tycoon Sanford (Langella) who meets Katie (Dunst) who eventually becomes his wife, only for the perfect marriage to take a turn when Katie learns David doesn’t want to have kids.
The marriage continues to spiral out of control after Katie gets pregnant, with her disappearance being the reason why David sees his own life come under the spotlight, with people believing her murdered her and he doesn’t help his case.
Thoughts on All Good Things
Characters – David Marks comes from a property tycoon family who could have walked into any job for his father, he decides to go away from this lifestyle, dating a woman before marrying her, which shows a darker side to his nature, or is he just cold, he are never let into see if he is a calculated person or just somebody dealing with the issues bought on from his mother’s suicide. Katie is the woman David marries, she does give up her career and after learning of his own life decision, spirals out of control with drinks and drugs, before disappearing without a trace. Sanford is the father of David who wants him to remain in the wealthy lifestyle following in his footsteps over anything else. We do see many other people who are involved in the lives who have been involved in the lives even if the names have been changed.
Performances – We have a brilliant cast on paper here with Ryan Gosling in the leading role, where he really doesn’t show his skills, Kirsten Dunst does the most with her character, only it seems we don’t get the right outlet for the character, where we also seem to waste Frank Langella too.
Story – The story follows a heir to a successful business that marries a women his family don’t approve of, only for her to go missing, with him being the prime suspect in the disappearance. The problems mount up quickly in this story because we do spend way too much time focusing on the early relationship and not enough time on the investigation to what might have happened, this is clearly the more interesting side of the story that we need to get watching before needing to care that much about their relationship as a hole.
Crime/Mystery/Romance – The crime is more about if, buts or maybes, with no concrete evidence to what might have happened, which shows in the mystery not being solved in the film, while the romance starts strong before showing why it might not have worked out.
Settings – The film uses a couple of settings which shows us the luxury lakeside house the couple have, while showing how they interact with people on a social occasion in the big parties.
Scene of the Movie – Strange new friendship.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not enough focus on the disappearance investigation.
Final Thoughts -This does feel like a film that gets caught up following the wrong part too easily, we don’t seem to get any clues to what did actually happen, just following the man’s life for large parts both before and after the disappearance.
Overall: Disappointing mystery.
Story: All Good Things starts as we see David Marks (Gosling) the son of a property tycoon Sanford (Langella) who meets Katie (Dunst) who eventually becomes his wife, only for the perfect marriage to take a turn when Katie learns David doesn’t want to have kids.
The marriage continues to spiral out of control after Katie gets pregnant, with her disappearance being the reason why David sees his own life come under the spotlight, with people believing her murdered her and he doesn’t help his case.
Thoughts on All Good Things
Characters – David Marks comes from a property tycoon family who could have walked into any job for his father, he decides to go away from this lifestyle, dating a woman before marrying her, which shows a darker side to his nature, or is he just cold, he are never let into see if he is a calculated person or just somebody dealing with the issues bought on from his mother’s suicide. Katie is the woman David marries, she does give up her career and after learning of his own life decision, spirals out of control with drinks and drugs, before disappearing without a trace. Sanford is the father of David who wants him to remain in the wealthy lifestyle following in his footsteps over anything else. We do see many other people who are involved in the lives who have been involved in the lives even if the names have been changed.
Performances – We have a brilliant cast on paper here with Ryan Gosling in the leading role, where he really doesn’t show his skills, Kirsten Dunst does the most with her character, only it seems we don’t get the right outlet for the character, where we also seem to waste Frank Langella too.
Story – The story follows a heir to a successful business that marries a women his family don’t approve of, only for her to go missing, with him being the prime suspect in the disappearance. The problems mount up quickly in this story because we do spend way too much time focusing on the early relationship and not enough time on the investigation to what might have happened, this is clearly the more interesting side of the story that we need to get watching before needing to care that much about their relationship as a hole.
Crime/Mystery/Romance – The crime is more about if, buts or maybes, with no concrete evidence to what might have happened, which shows in the mystery not being solved in the film, while the romance starts strong before showing why it might not have worked out.
Settings – The film uses a couple of settings which shows us the luxury lakeside house the couple have, while showing how they interact with people on a social occasion in the big parties.
Scene of the Movie – Strange new friendship.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not enough focus on the disappearance investigation.
Final Thoughts -This does feel like a film that gets caught up following the wrong part too easily, we don’t seem to get any clues to what did actually happen, just following the man’s life for large parts both before and after the disappearance.
Overall: Disappointing mystery.
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Lee (2222 KP) rated The Umbrella Academy in TV
Mar 4, 2019
I hadn’t even heard anything about The Umbrella Academy before, let alone read any of the Dark Horse comic series on which this Netflix show is adapted from. The premise, and the trailer for the show, didn’t initially appeal to me if I’m honest. But, it turns out that Netflix have only gone and done it again, turning out yet another binge worthy little gem of a show.
The setup for Umbrella Academy is that one day in 1989, 43 babies were born to mothers who were not pregnant when that day began. An eccentric billionaire, Sir Reginald Hargreeves, purchases seven of those babies and raises them, training them to become a powerful crime fighting team. Living with them at the Umbrella Academy is an android Nanny, who the children refer to as Mom, and a well spoken elderly chimpanzee butler called Dr Pogo (impressive work from Weta, the team behind the recent Planet of The Apes trilogy). Each child is known only by a number given to them by their ‘Father’, Sir Reginald – Number 1 through to Number 7 – ranked in order of their usefulness to him!
Fast forward to present day and the team have all but disbanded, with what’s left of them living out problem filled adult lives. Number 1 (now known as Luther) has been living on the moon for the past 4 years. He possesses super strength and has a very bulky appearance, wearing roll neck jumpers and a long coat. Number 2 (now Diego) is a vigilante and a bit of a knife expert. Number 3 (Allison) is now a famous actress, gifted with the ability to alter reality with her voice. Number 4 (Klaus) is a junkie who can communicate with the dead. Number 5 is able to perform small teleportations, or time jumps, but has been missing since they were all teenagers. Number 6 (Ben) was killed prior to the events in this show and Number 7 (Vanya) is believed not to have any special abilities, always being neglected and overlooked by the others while growing up. When news reaches them all that Sir Reginald has died, they all return to the academy.
The opening episode of The Umbrella Academy is packed full of thrills, mystery and a very exciting setup for the remainder of the season. We get a taste of the childrens abilities and teamwork, impressively taking out a bunch of bad guys. Then in present day, Number 5 suddenly appears from a portal in the sky. He claims to have spent decades living in a post-apocalyptic future, having jumped there all those years ago, but unable to return. He survived there until the age of 58, but on his return to present day he returned to his 13 year old appearance. We get a glimpse of the apocalyptic world that Number 5 arrived in and discover that whatever causes it is due to happen in just a few days from present day.
From there, the show suffers with what a lot of high concept shows tend to suffer from – second episode drag. That’s not to say that it’s boring, but we begin to delve into some of the Daddy issues that the various team members have, along with issues some of them have with each other and it’s a sharp contrast to the impressive opening episode. If I’m honest, by the end of episode 3 I was considering giving up, but I stuck with it. I really grew to like this dysfunctional family, and as the show dips back and forth between their teenage years and the present day, I really became invested in the show and its characters. They begin to band together to work through their issues and try and find a way of working out what causes the impending apocalypse, and how to stop it.
There are certainly consequences which play out throughout the season though. We discover that during his time in the future, Number 5 became involved in an organisation which works to correct events in time in order to ensure the destined timeline plays out as it should. Because of Number 5’s return to the present, he is now being hunted by a pair of black suited assassins called Hazel and Cha-Cha. Consequently, the body count in this show is pretty high, usually accompanied by a killer soundtrack!
I’m glad I stuck with it, because the whole thing soon became compulsive viewing, building to an incredibly entertaining and satisfying finale. With the apocalypse imminent, the whole team finally work together once more – a few twists and turns along the way, and a great cliffhanger setting things up for another season. I really loved everything about this show and the way that something so completely bonkers is presented so well, so believable and so intense.
The setup for Umbrella Academy is that one day in 1989, 43 babies were born to mothers who were not pregnant when that day began. An eccentric billionaire, Sir Reginald Hargreeves, purchases seven of those babies and raises them, training them to become a powerful crime fighting team. Living with them at the Umbrella Academy is an android Nanny, who the children refer to as Mom, and a well spoken elderly chimpanzee butler called Dr Pogo (impressive work from Weta, the team behind the recent Planet of The Apes trilogy). Each child is known only by a number given to them by their ‘Father’, Sir Reginald – Number 1 through to Number 7 – ranked in order of their usefulness to him!
Fast forward to present day and the team have all but disbanded, with what’s left of them living out problem filled adult lives. Number 1 (now known as Luther) has been living on the moon for the past 4 years. He possesses super strength and has a very bulky appearance, wearing roll neck jumpers and a long coat. Number 2 (now Diego) is a vigilante and a bit of a knife expert. Number 3 (Allison) is now a famous actress, gifted with the ability to alter reality with her voice. Number 4 (Klaus) is a junkie who can communicate with the dead. Number 5 is able to perform small teleportations, or time jumps, but has been missing since they were all teenagers. Number 6 (Ben) was killed prior to the events in this show and Number 7 (Vanya) is believed not to have any special abilities, always being neglected and overlooked by the others while growing up. When news reaches them all that Sir Reginald has died, they all return to the academy.
The opening episode of The Umbrella Academy is packed full of thrills, mystery and a very exciting setup for the remainder of the season. We get a taste of the childrens abilities and teamwork, impressively taking out a bunch of bad guys. Then in present day, Number 5 suddenly appears from a portal in the sky. He claims to have spent decades living in a post-apocalyptic future, having jumped there all those years ago, but unable to return. He survived there until the age of 58, but on his return to present day he returned to his 13 year old appearance. We get a glimpse of the apocalyptic world that Number 5 arrived in and discover that whatever causes it is due to happen in just a few days from present day.
From there, the show suffers with what a lot of high concept shows tend to suffer from – second episode drag. That’s not to say that it’s boring, but we begin to delve into some of the Daddy issues that the various team members have, along with issues some of them have with each other and it’s a sharp contrast to the impressive opening episode. If I’m honest, by the end of episode 3 I was considering giving up, but I stuck with it. I really grew to like this dysfunctional family, and as the show dips back and forth between their teenage years and the present day, I really became invested in the show and its characters. They begin to band together to work through their issues and try and find a way of working out what causes the impending apocalypse, and how to stop it.
There are certainly consequences which play out throughout the season though. We discover that during his time in the future, Number 5 became involved in an organisation which works to correct events in time in order to ensure the destined timeline plays out as it should. Because of Number 5’s return to the present, he is now being hunted by a pair of black suited assassins called Hazel and Cha-Cha. Consequently, the body count in this show is pretty high, usually accompanied by a killer soundtrack!
I’m glad I stuck with it, because the whole thing soon became compulsive viewing, building to an incredibly entertaining and satisfying finale. With the apocalypse imminent, the whole team finally work together once more – a few twists and turns along the way, and a great cliffhanger setting things up for another season. I really loved everything about this show and the way that something so completely bonkers is presented so well, so believable and so intense.