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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Midsommar (2019) in Movies
Dec 16, 2019 (Updated Mar 31, 2020)
Beautiful, disturbing, utterly bizarre
Whether you like Midsommar or not, you have to admit, it's quite a trip.
It's so far removed from conventional horror, it's hard to pin to a genre.
It's every bit of a break up drama as a horror, and even quite amusing in places, but one things for sure, there nothing quite like it.
Midsommar starts in bleak fashion, grounded in concrete realism, as Dani (played by a fantastic Florence Pugh) deals with the sudden deaths of her parents and sister. Affected by this understandable trauma, she joins her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) and his friends as they head to Sweden to attend a rural 9-day festival.
As soon as the story shifts to the Swedish setting, the tone changes from bleak and grey, to vibrant and colourful. The rest of the film is set in broad daylight, and it carries an extremely unsettling undertone, and as the characters dabble in drugs, a sense of reality quickly becomes disorientating for both them and us as an audience.
As the narrative draws on, director Ari Aster serves up plot hints and hidden messages in almost every frame. The violence is seldom, but when it happens it's visceral and shocking. All of this combined makes for an almost dream like experience, as we watch the two leads toxic relationship collide with the unnervingly joyful people of Hårga.
Ari Aster uses jarring and emotionally charged sound cues to stir up tension (the last few minutes!) and these are complimented by the beautiful score by The Haxan Cloak.
Aster also spoils us with continuously striking shots, providing a really unique approach to horror.
Midsommar is not for everyone, but as far as I'm concerned, it's disturbing, heart breaking, and absolutely captivating - the whole package.
Definitely one of the best films this year.
It's so far removed from conventional horror, it's hard to pin to a genre.
It's every bit of a break up drama as a horror, and even quite amusing in places, but one things for sure, there nothing quite like it.
Midsommar starts in bleak fashion, grounded in concrete realism, as Dani (played by a fantastic Florence Pugh) deals with the sudden deaths of her parents and sister. Affected by this understandable trauma, she joins her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) and his friends as they head to Sweden to attend a rural 9-day festival.
As soon as the story shifts to the Swedish setting, the tone changes from bleak and grey, to vibrant and colourful. The rest of the film is set in broad daylight, and it carries an extremely unsettling undertone, and as the characters dabble in drugs, a sense of reality quickly becomes disorientating for both them and us as an audience.
As the narrative draws on, director Ari Aster serves up plot hints and hidden messages in almost every frame. The violence is seldom, but when it happens it's visceral and shocking. All of this combined makes for an almost dream like experience, as we watch the two leads toxic relationship collide with the unnervingly joyful people of Hårga.
Ari Aster uses jarring and emotionally charged sound cues to stir up tension (the last few minutes!) and these are complimented by the beautiful score by The Haxan Cloak.
Aster also spoils us with continuously striking shots, providing a really unique approach to horror.
Midsommar is not for everyone, but as far as I'm concerned, it's disturbing, heart breaking, and absolutely captivating - the whole package.
Definitely one of the best films this year.
Merissa (12066 KP) rated Azure (The Silver #5) in Books
Mar 5, 2020
Azure is the fifth book in the Silver series and we start off with a pack that isn't Jaze Carso's! Instead, Vance is the Alpha of Two, a hideaway retreat that rich parents can send their alpha sons to, supposedly to protect them. From the way we read about Vance, that protection comes at a cost. Things are going okay for Vance until they are ambushed and he has to protect his pack. Then, he falls for Nora, one of the Hunters who attacked them. No good can come from this, surely?!
Although this book didn't tick as many boxes for me as the others (and I have absolutely NO idea why!!!) I still thoroughly enjoyed the story. I think, for me, it was the love triangle between Nora-Vance-Gem. I'm really not a big fan of them so that may be why. However, I will say, in this situation, it is oh so believable! No matter how much you love someone, to go through what Vance and Gem did, gives you a bond that may be confused with love. I thought it was really well written and perfect for the story.
This is such a fantastic series and I really am loving every book. Yes, even this one! 😊 Cheree Alsop writes in such a spectacular way as to show the emotions of what her characters are going through. The limelight is also shared amongst the characters. Absolutely amazing and highly recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Although this book didn't tick as many boxes for me as the others (and I have absolutely NO idea why!!!) I still thoroughly enjoyed the story. I think, for me, it was the love triangle between Nora-Vance-Gem. I'm really not a big fan of them so that may be why. However, I will say, in this situation, it is oh so believable! No matter how much you love someone, to go through what Vance and Gem did, gives you a bond that may be confused with love. I thought it was really well written and perfect for the story.
This is such a fantastic series and I really am loving every book. Yes, even this one! 😊 Cheree Alsop writes in such a spectacular way as to show the emotions of what her characters are going through. The limelight is also shared amongst the characters. Absolutely amazing and highly recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
JT (287 KP) rated Bridesmaids (2011) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
This was quite a nice change of pace from the regular rom-coms we have seen. The dull and somewhat boring 27 Dresses, Runaway Bride and Bride Wars as examples all try to leave you feeling fluffy and emotionally satisfied.
Bridesmaids is simply The Hangover for females. With brilliant ad-libbing and standout scenes it only lets itself down by trying to fill the humour gaps with a genuine romance for Kristen Wiig‘s Annie. Beneficial to the film is producer Judd Apatow who has brought us some fantastic comedies such as The 40-Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up to name a few. Each with a collection of colourful and extremely funny characters – Bridesmaids is not a lot different.
Here he almost certainly lends a helping hand in making sure this misfit group of women can cause as much havoc as possible, and they do. Laugh out loud moments such as a trip to the bridal shop after some rather dodgy food is a disgusting but hilarious highlight, as is the plane trip to Vegas in which a nervous Annie mixes pills and scotch and tries to slip into first class.
One of the highlights was the supporting role of Melissa McCarthy as Megan, almost a female version of the loveable Zach Galifianakis‘ character Alan in The Hangover . She nearly steals the show, but if not for a great performance from Wig. Given the film’s high budget it did very well to profit such a huge sum worldwide so it must have hit the right notes with film goers.
Overall I enjoyed Bridesmaids a lot. The actresses not following the the script and add-libbing takes a lot of skill, more so to make the scene funny, so hats off to that.
Bridesmaids is simply The Hangover for females. With brilliant ad-libbing and standout scenes it only lets itself down by trying to fill the humour gaps with a genuine romance for Kristen Wiig‘s Annie. Beneficial to the film is producer Judd Apatow who has brought us some fantastic comedies such as The 40-Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up to name a few. Each with a collection of colourful and extremely funny characters – Bridesmaids is not a lot different.
Here he almost certainly lends a helping hand in making sure this misfit group of women can cause as much havoc as possible, and they do. Laugh out loud moments such as a trip to the bridal shop after some rather dodgy food is a disgusting but hilarious highlight, as is the plane trip to Vegas in which a nervous Annie mixes pills and scotch and tries to slip into first class.
One of the highlights was the supporting role of Melissa McCarthy as Megan, almost a female version of the loveable Zach Galifianakis‘ character Alan in The Hangover . She nearly steals the show, but if not for a great performance from Wig. Given the film’s high budget it did very well to profit such a huge sum worldwide so it must have hit the right notes with film goers.
Overall I enjoyed Bridesmaids a lot. The actresses not following the the script and add-libbing takes a lot of skill, more so to make the scene funny, so hats off to that.
Merissa (12066 KP) rated Initiated (Daywalker Academy #4) in Books
Mar 25, 2020
Initiated is the fourth book in the Daywalker Academy series and, yes, I know I've said this before but, it should definitely be read as a series or you just won't get what's happening.
So first off, thank you Ms. Daniels for giving me Zoltan back. I really do appreciate it! Sigh, every page he was on was just... *insert another sigh*. Now, if you could just get Franky and Zoltan to see eye-to-eye and stop giving me whiplash, that would be fantastic!
We are introduced to a major character in this book - and it's not very often I get the chance to say THAT with book four in a series! Tenebris, the black panther. You know, he hasn't spoken a single word (for obvious reasons) and yet he may just match the Queen of Snark, Maya, oops I mean, Franky, herself!
As with this whole series, this is a non-stop-action story. Franky is tired in one part and, to be honest, so was I! Honestly, I have no idea where she gets her stamina from. Maybe it's being a half-blood or maybe it's the dragon blood. Either way, I'm exhausted from reading but I wouldn't change a thing!
As always, it ends on one helluva cliffhanger. I really need to understand just what happened in those last couple of action-packed pages. All I can say is "Poor Franky!!!"
So... do I recommend this book? Abso-frickin'-lutely!!! Just, don't start here but back at book one so you get the full experience. You won't regret it. I promise you that!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
So first off, thank you Ms. Daniels for giving me Zoltan back. I really do appreciate it! Sigh, every page he was on was just... *insert another sigh*. Now, if you could just get Franky and Zoltan to see eye-to-eye and stop giving me whiplash, that would be fantastic!
We are introduced to a major character in this book - and it's not very often I get the chance to say THAT with book four in a series! Tenebris, the black panther. You know, he hasn't spoken a single word (for obvious reasons) and yet he may just match the Queen of Snark, Maya, oops I mean, Franky, herself!
As with this whole series, this is a non-stop-action story. Franky is tired in one part and, to be honest, so was I! Honestly, I have no idea where she gets her stamina from. Maybe it's being a half-blood or maybe it's the dragon blood. Either way, I'm exhausted from reading but I wouldn't change a thing!
As always, it ends on one helluva cliffhanger. I really need to understand just what happened in those last couple of action-packed pages. All I can say is "Poor Franky!!!"
So... do I recommend this book? Abso-frickin'-lutely!!! Just, don't start here but back at book one so you get the full experience. You won't regret it. I promise you that!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated The Closers (Harry Bosch, #11; Harry Bosch Universe, #14) in Books
Jul 31, 2019
Can Bosch Close a Cold Case?
Harry Bosch has returned to the LAPD, joining the Open/Unsolved Unit that has recently been established and partnering again with Kiz Rider. His first day back, they are given a new DNA hit on a cold case from 1988 to work. The case involved a sixteen-year-old girl that was murdered that summer, and the DNA was recovered from the gun that killed her. The match takes them to a petty criminal who has never been arrested for murder or come close to committing murder. Naturally, this make Bosch and Kiz question whether their suspect is guilty. If he isn’t, will he lead them to the killer?
This book started a bit slowly as we were introduced to all the players from the original investigation as Bosch and Kiz work on getting up to speed on the case and see if they can figure out how the DNA results fit. However, rest assured, there are still plenty of twists coming before the book is over, and fans of author Michael Connelly won’t be disappointed in how things unravel by the time the book ends. Bosch is still a fantastic lead character, and I enjoyed getting to spend time with Kiz again. Several other regular players pop in. Since this book takes place 17 years after the murder took place, it allows us to see how murder impacts those left behind, especially when they have no idea what happened. This adds a complexity to the book I enjoyed, and it left me wondering how these events impacted the new characters if it did at all. As always, Michael Connelly proves why he has so many fans.
This book started a bit slowly as we were introduced to all the players from the original investigation as Bosch and Kiz work on getting up to speed on the case and see if they can figure out how the DNA results fit. However, rest assured, there are still plenty of twists coming before the book is over, and fans of author Michael Connelly won’t be disappointed in how things unravel by the time the book ends. Bosch is still a fantastic lead character, and I enjoyed getting to spend time with Kiz again. Several other regular players pop in. Since this book takes place 17 years after the murder took place, it allows us to see how murder impacts those left behind, especially when they have no idea what happened. This adds a complexity to the book I enjoyed, and it left me wondering how these events impacted the new characters if it did at all. As always, Michael Connelly proves why he has so many fans.
Merissa (12066 KP) rated Black (The Silver #2) in Books
Feb 17, 2020
Black is the second book in the Silver series and this time the focus is on Jet. He was stolen from his family at a very young age and given to the Woman, who only wanted him for deathmatches. There was no love, care, or attention in Jet's life from that moment. All that changes when Jaze rescues him and takes him in. It doesn't all suddenly become sunshine and roses though and THAT is what made this book so good!
Jet has issues, he really does, and let's face it, you would do too if you'd gone through what he did. He proves he is intelligent by teaching himself English, Spanish, and lip-reading. He shows compassion by not killing someone until he realises that it just doesn't work that way and understands the pact made by the other wolves. My heart broke for him in so many ways and yet I was proud of him too. He didn't stop trying and would do anything to protect those he called his own.
This was incredibly written and I read it in one sitting. I was literally unable to stop reading until I knew all was good in Jet's world. The world-building just gets better as it becomes clearer with each book. The characters grow and change, becoming 'more'. I loved hearing about Jaze and Nikki and I hope we continue hearing about past couples as the series progresses.
A darker fantastic young adult paranormal that I absolutely recommend! The only thing I don't know is what happened to Shadow's Curse. I'm presuming he's dead but I really wish he wasn't!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jet has issues, he really does, and let's face it, you would do too if you'd gone through what he did. He proves he is intelligent by teaching himself English, Spanish, and lip-reading. He shows compassion by not killing someone until he realises that it just doesn't work that way and understands the pact made by the other wolves. My heart broke for him in so many ways and yet I was proud of him too. He didn't stop trying and would do anything to protect those he called his own.
This was incredibly written and I read it in one sitting. I was literally unable to stop reading until I knew all was good in Jet's world. The world-building just gets better as it becomes clearer with each book. The characters grow and change, becoming 'more'. I loved hearing about Jaze and Nikki and I hope we continue hearing about past couples as the series progresses.
A darker fantastic young adult paranormal that I absolutely recommend! The only thing I don't know is what happened to Shadow's Curse. I'm presuming he's dead but I really wish he wasn't!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
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