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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Edge of Seventeen (2016) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
Growing up is hard to do especially when your seventeen. When something bad happens it is easy to feel like it’s the end of the world. That’s why “The Edge of Seventeen” is such a great coming of age story with relatable characters.
The film opens with Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), a uniquely dressed junior in high school who in a rush plops down in front of her English teacher (Woody Harrelson) to forewarn him of her impending suicide. While he is frustrated with her barging in and interrupting his lunch he shares that he was just in the process of writing his own suicide note and thus a sort of friendship is born. We are then flashed back into the past to Nadine’s childhood.
There we meet Nadine’s older brother (Blake Jenner) the “favorite” child at least in their scattered brained mothers (Kyra Sedgwick) eyes. We also meet her best and only friend Krista. After a night of partying Nadine ends up finding Krista in bed with her brother. Feeling like she has been betrayed by her bestie, she gives Krista an ultimatum.
Either she chooses their friendship or her out of control hormones for her brother. Her brother wins yet again and this is where she is forced to find herself in all of the mess that is happening. This however can’t be done without the adorkable boy helping her along the way.
While I am an only child, I found myself relating to Nadine so much. She is portrayed in such a way that is not becoming as annoying as teenagers often are portrayed or as her teacher (Harrleson) may think she is. Steinfeld has done this perfectly with this role.
She has been in a couple of films since her breakthrough roll as Mattie Ross but I think this one might be my favorite film she has done so far. Harrelson continues to impress with his performance as her teacher and I think in the end they help each other out. The film reminds me of an eighties John Hugh’s flick except for millennials. I definitely recommend seeing this film for a good laugh and to bring yourself back to those good old high school days.
The film opens with Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), a uniquely dressed junior in high school who in a rush plops down in front of her English teacher (Woody Harrelson) to forewarn him of her impending suicide. While he is frustrated with her barging in and interrupting his lunch he shares that he was just in the process of writing his own suicide note and thus a sort of friendship is born. We are then flashed back into the past to Nadine’s childhood.
There we meet Nadine’s older brother (Blake Jenner) the “favorite” child at least in their scattered brained mothers (Kyra Sedgwick) eyes. We also meet her best and only friend Krista. After a night of partying Nadine ends up finding Krista in bed with her brother. Feeling like she has been betrayed by her bestie, she gives Krista an ultimatum.
Either she chooses their friendship or her out of control hormones for her brother. Her brother wins yet again and this is where she is forced to find herself in all of the mess that is happening. This however can’t be done without the adorkable boy helping her along the way.
While I am an only child, I found myself relating to Nadine so much. She is portrayed in such a way that is not becoming as annoying as teenagers often are portrayed or as her teacher (Harrleson) may think she is. Steinfeld has done this perfectly with this role.
She has been in a couple of films since her breakthrough roll as Mattie Ross but I think this one might be my favorite film she has done so far. Harrelson continues to impress with his performance as her teacher and I think in the end they help each other out. The film reminds me of an eighties John Hugh’s flick except for millennials. I definitely recommend seeing this film for a good laugh and to bring yourself back to those good old high school days.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Iron Giant (1999) in Movies
Jun 14, 2020
A Warm Tale of Friendship
In the 1990's, it was rare for a studio besides Disney to release an animated film. So when Warner Brothers (home of Bugs Bunny) decided to release an animated film, everyone expected it to be some sort of "Looney Tunes" and were sorely disappointed when it was not.
And that is too bad...for the film that was released - THE IRON GIANT - is a wonderfully warm and heartwarming tale of friendship, acceptance and, yes, intolerance of those different from you, set against the backdrop of the Cold War of the 1950's.
Marking the full length feature animation Directing debut by Brad Bird (THE INCREDIBLES), THE IRON GIANT tells the tale of young Hogarth, who finds a...well...Iron Giant... who has fallen to Earth from Outer Space. Hogarth befriends The Iron Giant and helps to hide him from Military-types who see this as a threat to the safety, security and superiority of the United States.
Featuring the vocal talents of Jennifer Aniston, John Mahoney, Harry Connick, Jr., Christopher McDonald and Eli Marienthal (as Hogarth), this film is warm and inviting, showing "good characters" that you want to root for and spend time with spar with "bad guys" that you want to see defeated. All of this over a character that is naive to what is going on around him. Special notice should be made of Vin Diesel's vocal work as The Iron Giant. He says very few things, but the words that he does say, convey strong emotions.
You can see the seeds of THE INCREDIBLES in this work of Director Bird. The action sequences are fun and effective and are off-set by slower, more personal, scenes of the characters getting to know - and interact with - each other. He shows a deft touch in balancing these items, finding the right amount of pathos and pace throughout.
The main themes in this film - fearing that which you do not know/do not care to understand resonates to this day and is a reminder that kindness can go much further than fear/ignorance/intolerance.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And that is too bad...for the film that was released - THE IRON GIANT - is a wonderfully warm and heartwarming tale of friendship, acceptance and, yes, intolerance of those different from you, set against the backdrop of the Cold War of the 1950's.
Marking the full length feature animation Directing debut by Brad Bird (THE INCREDIBLES), THE IRON GIANT tells the tale of young Hogarth, who finds a...well...Iron Giant... who has fallen to Earth from Outer Space. Hogarth befriends The Iron Giant and helps to hide him from Military-types who see this as a threat to the safety, security and superiority of the United States.
Featuring the vocal talents of Jennifer Aniston, John Mahoney, Harry Connick, Jr., Christopher McDonald and Eli Marienthal (as Hogarth), this film is warm and inviting, showing "good characters" that you want to root for and spend time with spar with "bad guys" that you want to see defeated. All of this over a character that is naive to what is going on around him. Special notice should be made of Vin Diesel's vocal work as The Iron Giant. He says very few things, but the words that he does say, convey strong emotions.
You can see the seeds of THE INCREDIBLES in this work of Director Bird. The action sequences are fun and effective and are off-set by slower, more personal, scenes of the characters getting to know - and interact with - each other. He shows a deft touch in balancing these items, finding the right amount of pathos and pace throughout.
The main themes in this film - fearing that which you do not know/do not care to understand resonates to this day and is a reminder that kindness can go much further than fear/ignorance/intolerance.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution
6.0
Rate It
Book
From the acclaimed author of River Town and Oracle Bones, an intimate excavation of life in one of...
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Ron's Gone Wrong (2021) in Movies
Oct 14, 2021
Cute animation with funny characters, this seemed like a nice diversion from the usual, mainly heavy, festival lineup.
Barney has an eccentric family. Dad is trying to make ends meet and Gran’s solution is food and a song. But for Barney, who just wants to fit in with his classmates, scraping by means not having the latest “Best friend in a box” robot to hang out with like everyone in his class.
As well as looking for something light hearted to watch, I was a little bit excited to see a children’s film in an adult only screening. I’m easily pleased, it’s the dream screening really.
When kids films from bigger studios don’t appear on my radar well in advance of their release I’m always a little sceptical. But the idea behind Ron’s Gone Wrong sounded like it was going to be a bit of a win, after all, it's either friendship or all out war, there's generally no in between.
Despite it having some bigger names in the cast, I really couldn’t put my finger on any of them as I watched. Performances were a little forgettable if I’m honest, out of everything, it’s the antics that are memorable, not the voices. The dialogue felt a little anaemic and it really just didn’t hit the spot for me.
Then there’s the animation, again, a bit of a shrug. It’s lovely but familiar. The little robots are a fun creation though and the way they interact with their humans and the online world is nicely done. As I watched it though I had flashes of other films. I tried to remember the name of the bots as I wrote the synopsis, but all I could think was PAL… but that’s Mitchell’s vs the Machines, and if you’ve seen that then you’ll more than likely draw some comparisons. That’s not the only film either.
Ron's Gone Wrong has some nice messages about friendship and it tries to shoehorn some ethics in there for the adults, but all in all, despite being a nice film, it doesn’t hold much of a punch to stand out from the crowd.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/10/rons-gone-wrong-movie-review.html
Barney has an eccentric family. Dad is trying to make ends meet and Gran’s solution is food and a song. But for Barney, who just wants to fit in with his classmates, scraping by means not having the latest “Best friend in a box” robot to hang out with like everyone in his class.
As well as looking for something light hearted to watch, I was a little bit excited to see a children’s film in an adult only screening. I’m easily pleased, it’s the dream screening really.
When kids films from bigger studios don’t appear on my radar well in advance of their release I’m always a little sceptical. But the idea behind Ron’s Gone Wrong sounded like it was going to be a bit of a win, after all, it's either friendship or all out war, there's generally no in between.
Despite it having some bigger names in the cast, I really couldn’t put my finger on any of them as I watched. Performances were a little forgettable if I’m honest, out of everything, it’s the antics that are memorable, not the voices. The dialogue felt a little anaemic and it really just didn’t hit the spot for me.
Then there’s the animation, again, a bit of a shrug. It’s lovely but familiar. The little robots are a fun creation though and the way they interact with their humans and the online world is nicely done. As I watched it though I had flashes of other films. I tried to remember the name of the bots as I wrote the synopsis, but all I could think was PAL… but that’s Mitchell’s vs the Machines, and if you’ve seen that then you’ll more than likely draw some comparisons. That’s not the only film either.
Ron's Gone Wrong has some nice messages about friendship and it tries to shoehorn some ethics in there for the adults, but all in all, despite being a nice film, it doesn’t hold much of a punch to stand out from the crowd.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/10/rons-gone-wrong-movie-review.html
Micah's Calling (All The King's Men #3)
9.0
Rate It
Book
Author’s Note: This is a novella supplement to the All the King’s Men series. It is highly...
Erotica BDSM Paranormal Romance Novella
DMcQ (4 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) in Movies
Dec 13, 2017
From the first moment I saw this as a kid, years ago, even til now, I still feel the same sense of wonder, of magic, of mystery and adventure when I see this film. George Lucas created a classic that will surely live on and on long after we're gone. The story sucked me in. Of course, as a kid I was immediately more interested in the weapons/gadgets and how could I recreate them with what resources I had? But as I grew to understand the characters, the story, which really didn't take me long, I loved the story that much more. They kind of became extended family. The interaction between the main trio of course (Han, Leia, Luke) was hysterical. The at times strained friendship between R2 and 3P0 made them that much more real. And how could you not love Yoda and Chewie? I could go on for hours, truly, but I'll leave it at this. Wonderful movie! Great message for everyone, fantastic fun for the family!
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Autumn in Books
Jan 10, 2018
Unusual story yet beautiful prose
Ali Smith has a wonderful way with words, describing a relationship between a young girl and her eccentric older neighbour, which seems to mirror the title of this book. Autumn shows the blossoming and withering of a man, Daniel Gluck, describing his younger years as a respected art critic of sorts, and the beauty he was constantly surrounded by. When he meets the younger Elisabeth Demand, he is already in the process of change, but she continues to help him feel alive, while he has a mentor-like relationship with her.
In between, Smith describes all of the major events plaguing Britain. From protesting the Iraq war, to Brexit doom, the perpetual markers that appear in the background of this constant, unwaning friendship. Can love and art really triumph over war? Smith believes it can.
The main issue with this novel is the fact that it is completely disjointed, and ends on a quite anti-climactic note. Read for the tone and not the story.
In between, Smith describes all of the major events plaguing Britain. From protesting the Iraq war, to Brexit doom, the perpetual markers that appear in the background of this constant, unwaning friendship. Can love and art really triumph over war? Smith believes it can.
The main issue with this novel is the fact that it is completely disjointed, and ends on a quite anti-climactic note. Read for the tone and not the story.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Silver Sparrow in Books
May 10, 2018
Two women, two daughters. One who can speak openly about her father, one who has to hide who her father is. He isn't even named correctly on her birth certificate. One knows about the other, one is in the dark. When the two of them become friends, what will be revealed about each others lives that makes this friendship seem a little odd.
Dana & Chaurisse are sisters. James Witherspoon is their father. They are only a few months apart in age. They live in the same town, and often cross paths. Dana misses out on a lot of things because her father doesn't want her to run into Chaurisse and expose this secret. But living in the same town, this secret won't stay secret for long. How will Chaurisse act when she find out the girl she has befriended is really her sister. That her father has been living a double life all these years. That she has been running into her sister and her mother all her life, but never realized that these people were of any significance to her.
Dana & Chaurisse are sisters. James Witherspoon is their father. They are only a few months apart in age. They live in the same town, and often cross paths. Dana misses out on a lot of things because her father doesn't want her to run into Chaurisse and expose this secret. But living in the same town, this secret won't stay secret for long. How will Chaurisse act when she find out the girl she has befriended is really her sister. That her father has been living a double life all these years. That she has been running into her sister and her mother all her life, but never realized that these people were of any significance to her.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Frog Music in Books
May 10, 2018
**Received as a First Read for an honest review**
I was really excited to read this book. I have had [b:Room|7937843|Room|Emma Donoghue|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344265419s/7937843.jpg|9585076] on my TBR list for a very long time, just haven't gotten my hands on it yet.
Blanche Beunon is a french burlesque dancer living in San Francisco in 1876. It's the end of the gold rush and smallpox is everywhere. Blanche is returning home one afternoon, when she literally runs into Jenny Bonnet and her riding machine. They quickly form a "friendship" and Blanche's life gets turned upside down.
During the week that Blanche has left her job and is trolling around town with Jenny, Jenny is murdered. Blanche is sure it's her "maques" Arthur and Ernest who have done it, since they have been so upset with her since becoming friends with Jenny.
This book just didn't do it for me. It was a very slow start and really didn't get interesting until the last 60 pages.
I was really excited to read this book. I have had [b:Room|7937843|Room|Emma Donoghue|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344265419s/7937843.jpg|9585076] on my TBR list for a very long time, just haven't gotten my hands on it yet.
Blanche Beunon is a french burlesque dancer living in San Francisco in 1876. It's the end of the gold rush and smallpox is everywhere. Blanche is returning home one afternoon, when she literally runs into Jenny Bonnet and her riding machine. They quickly form a "friendship" and Blanche's life gets turned upside down.
During the week that Blanche has left her job and is trolling around town with Jenny, Jenny is murdered. Blanche is sure it's her "maques" Arthur and Ernest who have done it, since they have been so upset with her since becoming friends with Jenny.
This book just didn't do it for me. It was a very slow start and really didn't get interesting until the last 60 pages.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Zodiac Starforce: by the Power of Astra in Books
Feb 15, 2019
I really wanted to like this more than what ended up happening. With its Jem-like coloration, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic girl power theme, plus good versus evil, it was right up my alley. The main problem was that it needed fleshed out. The characters, mostly Emma/Gemini, the relationships, and the overall plot should have had more expansion. It felt like slightly more than an outline. Major events happened in the past that were alluded to, which made me wish this had been an origin story instead. The artwork is wonderful and I have no problem with that. I did like the three team members (Kim is awesome!) who were featured more and would like to know more about them, plus more expansion of Emma and Lily. I will read the next one and hope that the series improves from here. Plus, anyone who throws out a Mystery Science Theater 3000 reference has my admiration.
<img src="http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d6/satilanna/GR/zodiacstarforcemst3k_zpszzjattll.jpg">;
Check out more illustrations from Paulina Ganucheau: https://paulinaganucheau.tumblr.com/
<img src="http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d6/satilanna/GR/zodiacstarforcemst3k_zpszzjattll.jpg">;
Check out more illustrations from Paulina Ganucheau: https://paulinaganucheau.tumblr.com/