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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2464 KP) rated What Child is This in Books

Jan 1, 2019

What Child is This

Rhys Bowen | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry

7.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Simple, Heart Warming Short Story

The story opens on Christmas Eve in London in 1940. It's the middle of the blitz, and rationing is in full effect, so it is looking like a very dismal Christmas for Maggie and Jack Harris. But then what little they do have is taken from them suddenly, and they find themselves on the streets. Jack goes looking for shelter and finds what looks like an abandoned house. Is it abandoned? What will Christmas day bring?

While I rarely read short stories, I had to grab this story from Rhys Bowen. Best known for her historical mysteries, this is more of a glimpse at tragedy and triumph during 24 hours. As such, it doesn't have the twists or shocks you might expect, but it is a very heartwarming tale. Jack and Maggie really shine, although I did find Maggie annoying at times. Believable, but annoying. A quick read (I read it in about an hour), this is a good way to hold on to the Christmas spirit just a little bit longer.

Kudos

Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) rated Finding your feet (2018) in Movies

Jan 30, 2019

Finding your feet (2018)

2018 | Comedy, Drama, Romance

6.6

(5 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Delightful

Contains spoilers, click to show

Finding Your Feet is a sweet movie with endearing characters. The stellar cast consists of Celie Imrie, Imelda Staunton, Joanna Lumley, Timothy Spall, and David Haymen. Staunton plays an up middle-class snob, who after finding her husband in the arms of another woman, moves in with her bohemian sister, Imrie, who lives in a council house and who occupies herself with dancing with other seniors. Her sister convinces her to join the class; she had previously been a dancer but gave it up for marriage and motherhood, and slowly, the snobbery gives way to living her best life and having fun, making new friends, and finding romance and adventure. It's a feel-good, hopeful movie, full of laughter and dance.

What I love about the Brits is that unlike Hollywood, actors are allowed to look like the average person on the street in both face and figure, with gray hair, wrinkles, moles, and a paunch. It's about talent and acting, not whether or not they look like gods and goddesses. It's so refreshing.

Kudos

Otway93 (580 KP) rated What? (1972) in Movies

Nov 15, 2019

What? (1972)

1972 | Comedy

6.0

(1 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Well Improvised (1 more)

Humour

Story (1 more)

Acting

Rather pointless...

Contains spoilers, click to show

Despite the controversy surrounding Roman Polanski for the past few decades, he has made some astounding movies over the past 50-something years, Rosemary's Baby, The Fearless Vampire Killers, The Pianist, and many others.

Unfortunately, this 1972 x-rated comedy doesn't come up to their standards, it's rumoured that the whole point of the film was so he could see Sydne Rome naked, which would explain the lack of effort put into this film.

The film itself has very little story, a woman (Sydne Rome) escapes from 3 rapists and comes to a luxurious Italian house full of strange sexual deviants, all of whom fit perfectly in with 1970s sex-comedies, but couldn't really do serious acting. That's basically the film.

The script itself is for the most improvised, and the humour from this is probably the best thing about this film, and does cause some funny moments.

For the most part though, the film is only good for those with a particular sense of humour, not dry, but also not crude, somewhere inbetween.