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Lee (2222 KP) rated It Comes At Night (2017) in Movies
Jul 14, 2017
Tension packed, slow burner
I headed into ‘It Comes At Night’ in a similar way to when I saw ‘Get Out‘ a few months back – having seen a lot of positive four or five star buzz about it on my news feeds, but without actually seeing the trailer. I skimmed a couple of reviews this time, just to get a rough idea of what I was in for, and one of the words which seemed to crop up on a number of them was ‘unsettling’. Well, that sold it for me! Get Out is my favourite movie of the year so far, and I felt that my enjoyment of seeing that had been greatly improved having not seen the trailer, and with no expectations. So, I went into ‘It Comes At Night’ hoping for a similar experience.
The opening scene sets the tone for what’s to come. A sick old man listens to his daughter Sarah tell him she loves him. She’s wearing a protective gas mask, as are her husband and son. Husband Paul and son Travis then take grandpa out of the cabin they’re in, into the woods where they proceed to wrap him up in a sheet, shoot him in the head, roll him into a ditch and set fire to him. It becomes apparent that we’re in a post apocalyptic world where some kind of plague has taken hold, and Grandpa had unfortunately become infected. We’re not shown any TV news footage, we don’t hear any radio broadcast of any kind and there aren’t any zombies or infected people wandering around. There’s just this small family, out in the middle of nowhere and with no idea what state the rest of the world is currently in or how bad things are. They keep their cabin boarded up, with only one locked door for entry. They lead a lonely, basic existence, taking no chances with whatever is going on out in the rest of the world.
And then one night they’re awoken by somebody breaking in downstairs. A man who claims he thought the place was empty. He claims to be only out scavenging for water for his family. His name is Will and he says that he’s left his wife and young son behind some 50 miles away and is only interested in providing for them. Paul and his family don’t know whether to believe him and this feeling of uncertainty, paranoia and tension is something which takes hold and continues throughout the entire movie. Not knowing if Will is infected or not, they tie him to a tree overnight to see if infection sets in. When it doesn’t, they come to an understanding and agree to go and get Wills family and bring them back to the safety of the cabin. The family seem to integrate well, falling in line with Pauls strict routine of eating, washing and going to the toilet, and all seems to be going well for a while.
Sadly, I think the expectation of an experience similar to ‘Get Out’ affected my overall enjoyment of the movie. Sure I was tense and on edge for pretty much the whole movie, but I guess I was expecting it all to build up to something much more. It did reach a pretty intense finale of sorts, but then it just seemed to fizzle out until the credits rolled and a sense of overall disappointment set in. I don’t think I was the only one either. As I stood to leave the cinema, the guy across the aisle from me, along with a couple of others seated nearby, all kind of looked at each other in disbelief and with a ‘WTF?!’ expression. It was definitely a good movie, which deserves to be seen, but it just didn’t leave that much of a lasting impression on me.
The opening scene sets the tone for what’s to come. A sick old man listens to his daughter Sarah tell him she loves him. She’s wearing a protective gas mask, as are her husband and son. Husband Paul and son Travis then take grandpa out of the cabin they’re in, into the woods where they proceed to wrap him up in a sheet, shoot him in the head, roll him into a ditch and set fire to him. It becomes apparent that we’re in a post apocalyptic world where some kind of plague has taken hold, and Grandpa had unfortunately become infected. We’re not shown any TV news footage, we don’t hear any radio broadcast of any kind and there aren’t any zombies or infected people wandering around. There’s just this small family, out in the middle of nowhere and with no idea what state the rest of the world is currently in or how bad things are. They keep their cabin boarded up, with only one locked door for entry. They lead a lonely, basic existence, taking no chances with whatever is going on out in the rest of the world.
And then one night they’re awoken by somebody breaking in downstairs. A man who claims he thought the place was empty. He claims to be only out scavenging for water for his family. His name is Will and he says that he’s left his wife and young son behind some 50 miles away and is only interested in providing for them. Paul and his family don’t know whether to believe him and this feeling of uncertainty, paranoia and tension is something which takes hold and continues throughout the entire movie. Not knowing if Will is infected or not, they tie him to a tree overnight to see if infection sets in. When it doesn’t, they come to an understanding and agree to go and get Wills family and bring them back to the safety of the cabin. The family seem to integrate well, falling in line with Pauls strict routine of eating, washing and going to the toilet, and all seems to be going well for a while.
Sadly, I think the expectation of an experience similar to ‘Get Out’ affected my overall enjoyment of the movie. Sure I was tense and on edge for pretty much the whole movie, but I guess I was expecting it all to build up to something much more. It did reach a pretty intense finale of sorts, but then it just seemed to fizzle out until the credits rolled and a sense of overall disappointment set in. I don’t think I was the only one either. As I stood to leave the cinema, the guy across the aisle from me, along with a couple of others seated nearby, all kind of looked at each other in disbelief and with a ‘WTF?!’ expression. It was definitely a good movie, which deserves to be seen, but it just didn’t leave that much of a lasting impression on me.
Lindsay (1693 KP) rated An Amish Family Christmas: Heart of Christmas\A Plain Holiday in Books
Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)
I enjoyed both stories in this book. They are quite sweet and it will put you in the holiday spirit. Can Susannah forgive her former love Toby Unger? Toby has two little children who are new students for Susannah. Susannah will need to help her new to students that needs some help with them being a little trouble but will it work? Will they find the love before Christmas? Toby two little children are having a little trouble adjusting to their new surrounding. The handsome Amish man needs desperately needs some help with his two children. Susannah had gotten a broken heart ten years ago when Toby left. Can Susannah find the forgiven him? Will they find they are a true match for each other before Christmas? You can find out by reading the book called "Heart of Christmas" by Marta Perry.
Sally Yoder left her community during her teen years. Her heart is back at home and she believes that her young man named Ben Lapp will not love a bold woman like her. There are some surprises in the book. Sally and her charges are to spend time with their grandmother. The children and Sally are going to experience what an Amish Christmas is. Sally and Ben and the children are going on a sleigh ride to pick out a tree and visit the children Great Grandmother. They get stranded in a snowstorm. Will Sally and Ben find Love? Will the children learn that they can have fun with a plain holiday with no modern electronics? You can read about this story in the book called "A Plain Holiday" by Patricia Davids. You could read both these stories in the book called "An Amish Family Christmas" by Martha Perry and Patricia Davids.
Sally Yoder left her community during her teen years. Her heart is back at home and she believes that her young man named Ben Lapp will not love a bold woman like her. There are some surprises in the book. Sally and her charges are to spend time with their grandmother. The children and Sally are going to experience what an Amish Christmas is. Sally and Ben and the children are going on a sleigh ride to pick out a tree and visit the children Great Grandmother. They get stranded in a snowstorm. Will Sally and Ben find Love? Will the children learn that they can have fun with a plain holiday with no modern electronics? You can read about this story in the book called "A Plain Holiday" by Patricia Davids. You could read both these stories in the book called "An Amish Family Christmas" by Martha Perry and Patricia Davids.
James Koppert (2698 KP) rated Starve Acre in Books
Nov 24, 2019
His others were good. This is exceptional
I have enjoyed Andrew Michael Hurley's previous books very much but he has surpassed himself with Starve Acre. This is a dark and suturing read that gives you the same feels as Iain Banks' masterpiece The Wasp Factory. Anyone who was fans of the exceptional read as well as possibly Neil Gaimen's folk horror will find pleasure in this read.
I love it when you are so into a book you sprint upstairs when you get in from work to read a few pages before starting the evenings cooking etc, as I did with Starve Acre.
It's hard to tell you what happens in the story without giving away plot twists but this is a book of the supernatural, of a future dictated to by the past and of a family grieving trying to rationalise feelings and hurt. It is a place where they will remain outsiders and a tree that holds the mystery of it all.
Everything about this book should make it a classic. Its presentation and cover is beautiful. Michael-Hurley's writing is beautiful capturing the darkness in a way that is delicate and sweet which only makes the horror more shocking. The Lonely and Devil's Day were very good, but the writing here is some f the best I have ever read and the story is incredible. He has now become of a level that the next book he releases I standing outside the book shop at 9am and taking a day off work to read it, he is simply that good.
Miss this book at your peril, this is better than Stephen King and the rest. Andrew Michael-Hurley is now the true king!
I love it when you are so into a book you sprint upstairs when you get in from work to read a few pages before starting the evenings cooking etc, as I did with Starve Acre.
It's hard to tell you what happens in the story without giving away plot twists but this is a book of the supernatural, of a future dictated to by the past and of a family grieving trying to rationalise feelings and hurt. It is a place where they will remain outsiders and a tree that holds the mystery of it all.
Everything about this book should make it a classic. Its presentation and cover is beautiful. Michael-Hurley's writing is beautiful capturing the darkness in a way that is delicate and sweet which only makes the horror more shocking. The Lonely and Devil's Day were very good, but the writing here is some f the best I have ever read and the story is incredible. He has now become of a level that the next book he releases I standing outside the book shop at 9am and taking a day off work to read it, he is simply that good.
Miss this book at your peril, this is better than Stephen King and the rest. Andrew Michael-Hurley is now the true king!
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Dee (0 KP) rated Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1) in Books
Mar 12, 2021
Contains spoilers, click to show
Minor spoilers ...
This started out so well. It was incredibly magical - secret doorways on earth, which took the main character Karou, into a shop where her chimeara 'family' resided. Karou has little knowledge, being human, about her own origins or how she ended up in the care of Brimstone, the shop's custodian. All she knows is that he collects an endless supply of teeth (which she is often sent to pick up from around the world - the shop's doorway acting as a portal that deposits her anywhere on earth). There is a second door within the shop, which Karou is not allowed near and she has no idea what lies beyond it. Messages are sent to her via a crow-like creature. So far, so mysterious. It reminded me a little of Narnia or The Adventures of the Wishing Chair / Magic Faraway Tree. Oh, and if that's not enough - the teeth are used to help grant wishes (ranging from minor to major).
I'm a big fan of dual-world/magic-portal books. However, as the novel went on it became less intriguing. It slips into the sort of insta-love that is ten-a-penny in YA fiction. Also, I just felt that the 'big reveal' of what was behind the second door was a bit of a letdown. And the whole war between angels and chimera felt somehow jarring and unimaginative. I feel mean-spirited saying this, but the dynamic and world-building just didn't capture my imagination. The layering of the back-story also felt a bit forced and I started to find it dull.
I suppose the real test of the first book in a trilogy (as this is) is whether the reader can't wait to pick up the next instalment. Personally, I'm not sure I would bother. A shame, really, as it started out so well.
This started out so well. It was incredibly magical - secret doorways on earth, which took the main character Karou, into a shop where her chimeara 'family' resided. Karou has little knowledge, being human, about her own origins or how she ended up in the care of Brimstone, the shop's custodian. All she knows is that he collects an endless supply of teeth (which she is often sent to pick up from around the world - the shop's doorway acting as a portal that deposits her anywhere on earth). There is a second door within the shop, which Karou is not allowed near and she has no idea what lies beyond it. Messages are sent to her via a crow-like creature. So far, so mysterious. It reminded me a little of Narnia or The Adventures of the Wishing Chair / Magic Faraway Tree. Oh, and if that's not enough - the teeth are used to help grant wishes (ranging from minor to major).
I'm a big fan of dual-world/magic-portal books. However, as the novel went on it became less intriguing. It slips into the sort of insta-love that is ten-a-penny in YA fiction. Also, I just felt that the 'big reveal' of what was behind the second door was a bit of a letdown. And the whole war between angels and chimera felt somehow jarring and unimaginative. I feel mean-spirited saying this, but the dynamic and world-building just didn't capture my imagination. The layering of the back-story also felt a bit forced and I started to find it dull.
I suppose the real test of the first book in a trilogy (as this is) is whether the reader can't wait to pick up the next instalment. Personally, I'm not sure I would bother. A shame, really, as it started out so well.