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Flynn (6 KP) rated Lizard Radio in Books
Sep 18, 2018
<spoiler>Kind of disappointed there weren't actual lizard people, and we never learned what vaping actually was, or if blight was as bad as they made it out to be,</spoiler> so the book left me wanting a lot more answers to my questions in a fairly unsatisfying way. A lot of terms thrown at you to with no explanation, and the context makes it hard to actually figure out what stuff means.
Pretty good rep of non-binary and trans folk though and how confusing and hard it can be to be yourself in a strict binary world, but for people who haven't experienced anything really related to being gender non-conforming, it might be a bit hard to understand Kivali's perspective.
As a kid who legit thought they weren't human because they were different and wished I was picked up by my fellow aliens, having actual aliens get Kivali would've been a lot more satisfying than them not being real.
Pretty good rep of non-binary and trans folk though and how confusing and hard it can be to be yourself in a strict binary world, but for people who haven't experienced anything really related to being gender non-conforming, it might be a bit hard to understand Kivali's perspective.
As a kid who legit thought they weren't human because they were different and wished I was picked up by my fellow aliens, having actual aliens get Kivali would've been a lot more satisfying than them not being real.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Queen & Slim (2019) in Movies
Feb 6, 2020
Another powerful film about racial tensions in America; this one is unusually subtle and sophisticated, too. A young couple are forced to kill a racist cop and go on the run from the authorities, falling in love as they go. The subtext - that the bias in the system inevitable ends up criminalising decent young folk - is obvious, but the film finds nuance as well. There are decent white people and corrupt black people, while the protagonists have no interest in bigger political issues - but find themselves being claimed as symbols or representatives of some dubious political movements.
The film seems to be suggesting that in a conflicted and corrupt world, the best thing is to find joy where you can, and the developing romance between the two leads is as memorable as any of the political or dramatic content. Possibly a bit overlong at two and a quarter hours, but an engaging, intelligent and moving film from the first moment to the last.
The film seems to be suggesting that in a conflicted and corrupt world, the best thing is to find joy where you can, and the developing romance between the two leads is as memorable as any of the political or dramatic content. Possibly a bit overlong at two and a quarter hours, but an engaging, intelligent and moving film from the first moment to the last.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Worzel Gummidge in TV
Jan 3, 2020
Writer-director-actor-everything Mackenzie Crook's new take on the famous scarecrow draws much more from the original books than the first TV series with Jon Pertwee forty years ago. It certainly sounds like the stuff of classic children's literature: two children visiting the countryside discover Worzel Gummidge, a walking, talking scarecrow.
What makes it special is that, firstly, it is genuinely very funny, with strong performances from all concerned, and, secondly, when it's not trying to be funny, it is actually quite eerie: as the Unthanks' soundtrack played and the scarecrows of Albion stirred into awkward life, I felt a genuine shiver down my spine. It's not quite folk horror for kids, but there is a mystical atmosphere to the whole thing which suits the story extremely well. All of this is handled with a surprising but very welcome lightness of touch. One of the best things I saw on TV in 2019 (not that this is necessarily saying much).
What makes it special is that, firstly, it is genuinely very funny, with strong performances from all concerned, and, secondly, when it's not trying to be funny, it is actually quite eerie: as the Unthanks' soundtrack played and the scarecrows of Albion stirred into awkward life, I felt a genuine shiver down my spine. It's not quite folk horror for kids, but there is a mystical atmosphere to the whole thing which suits the story extremely well. All of this is handled with a surprising but very welcome lightness of touch. One of the best things I saw on TV in 2019 (not that this is necessarily saying much).
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated City Of God (2002) in Movies
Mar 2, 2020 (Updated Mar 3, 2020)
If there is one film I insist folk who don’t often go for a subtitled film watch, then City of God is it. Organised crime takes on a much different flavour in different cultures, and here we see how it is not merely a choice in search of riches and power, but a way of life that becomes a matter of survival. This exceptional film has everything: story, character, beauty, cruelty, ugliness, religion, morality and an abundance of heart and soul. Importantly it was co-directed, including a rare female eye in the genre, and it shows. There is a sensibility to City of God that transcends the trivial nature of many gangster / crime films. The violence is a means by which we feel genuine sorrow and empathy for a world gone mad. A highly polished work of art that resonates in human ways a lot of films on this list fail to do.
Amy Norman (1048 KP) rated Queen of Nothing in Books
Apr 1, 2020
This is the final book for the trilogy of The Folk of the Air series.
I adored this book, and struggled to put it down; the culmination of a very fast paced series that delivers.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who preferred Arya's story arc in Game of Thrones but with more magic, intrigue, and scheming oh so many schemes.
Holly has built a beautiful world, that is absolutely intoxicating, and I will honestly ache for more to come from this series.
I also appreciate this book so much for the strong female characters, there were some really subtle and nuanced details that I don't believe a male writer could portray, or even think of.
It is vulnerable in a way that I think most will relate to, and might get under your skin 😉but it is not overwhelming or over the top, in fact it is extremely well balanced overall.
Please go and enjoy for yourself ☺
I adored this book, and struggled to put it down; the culmination of a very fast paced series that delivers.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who preferred Arya's story arc in Game of Thrones but with more magic, intrigue, and scheming oh so many schemes.
Holly has built a beautiful world, that is absolutely intoxicating, and I will honestly ache for more to come from this series.
I also appreciate this book so much for the strong female characters, there were some really subtle and nuanced details that I don't believe a male writer could portray, or even think of.
It is vulnerable in a way that I think most will relate to, and might get under your skin 😉but it is not overwhelming or over the top, in fact it is extremely well balanced overall.
Please go and enjoy for yourself ☺
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