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Ari Aster recommended The Life of Oharu (1952) in Movies (curated)
Erika (17789 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Feb 18, 2019 (Updated Feb 18, 2019)
This movie was on the borderline between good and just ok, I rounded up. I was irritated because the theater where I have the subscription with was only showing the film in 3D. I'm not a huge 3D fan, and don't think anything is really added by it.
I know James Cameron was supposed to be the main draw, but I think he's pompous, and Avatar is not a good movie (IMO/it's lame and a snore). I was there mainly for Robert Rodriguez, he's a BFD here.
Essentially, it's Ghost in the Shell with a different story around it. I loved the fight/actions scenes, I was riveted by those. But, everything around it was kind of lame with bad dialogue and an unnecessary love story.
I also hated that it left on a cliffhanger. The movie drastically under-performed, leading to the worst Presidents' Day box office in the US since 2004. Likelihood of a sequel? Slim to none.
I know James Cameron was supposed to be the main draw, but I think he's pompous, and Avatar is not a good movie (IMO/it's lame and a snore). I was there mainly for Robert Rodriguez, he's a BFD here.
Essentially, it's Ghost in the Shell with a different story around it. I loved the fight/actions scenes, I was riveted by those. But, everything around it was kind of lame with bad dialogue and an unnecessary love story.
I also hated that it left on a cliffhanger. The movie drastically under-performed, leading to the worst Presidents' Day box office in the US since 2004. Likelihood of a sequel? Slim to none.
The Rolls-Royce: The Magic of a Name: The First Forty Years of Britain's Most Prestigious Company, 1904-1944
Book
The Magic of a Name tells the story of the first forty years of Britain's most prestigious...
The Turn of the Screw: Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism
Henry James, Deborah Esch and Jonathan Warren
Book
Contexts includes twenty-six selections, from James's letters, notebooks, and other writings during...
Andrew Kennedy (199 KP) rated The Conjuring (2013) in Movies
Nov 15, 2020
I can't believe it took me 7 years to watch this film.
The story of Ed and Lorraine Warren who are demnologists that investigate supernatural and paranormal phenomena. In an opening we are also introduced to Annabelle (more of her to come) a possessed doll and how the Warren's dealt with her.
The film depicts the events from the Perron family haunting. A family who bought an old farm house only to find they may not be alone.
This is beautifully shot, the dark looks so good, cinematography is amazing as is the use of sound. From the score to the use of voices and creaks that populate the house the feeling of "something " been there is constant.
James Wan shows he is a master of his craft the film delivers on all the ghost story/haunted house/ possession vibe it's going for.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are very likeable leads as the Warren's
Who would think clapping is scary?
The story of Ed and Lorraine Warren who are demnologists that investigate supernatural and paranormal phenomena. In an opening we are also introduced to Annabelle (more of her to come) a possessed doll and how the Warren's dealt with her.
The film depicts the events from the Perron family haunting. A family who bought an old farm house only to find they may not be alone.
This is beautifully shot, the dark looks so good, cinematography is amazing as is the use of sound. From the score to the use of voices and creaks that populate the house the feeling of "something " been there is constant.
James Wan shows he is a master of his craft the film delivers on all the ghost story/haunted house/ possession vibe it's going for.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are very likeable leads as the Warren's
Who would think clapping is scary?
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Curse of the Cat People (1944) in Movies
Jun 4, 2020
Odd, dreamy follow-up to Cat People; not really a sequel in the conventional sense at all, barely qualifies as a horror movie, either. Picks up the story a few years later; the couple from the original film are now married with a child, who has a problematically rich fantasy life. Given a 'wishing ring' by a lonely old woman, she wishes for a friend - and what appears to be the ghost of her father's first wife (Irena the Cat Woman) materialises...
Much, much gentler than it might sound; there's virtually no reference to Irena's supposedly cursed blood (she turns into a cat in moments of passion), the 'curse' mentioned in the title is the shadow her death still casts over the family. But here Irena seems entirely benign and the story is about the relationship between parents and a child struggling to fit in. Nicely made and performed, but very hard to categorise.
Much, much gentler than it might sound; there's virtually no reference to Irena's supposedly cursed blood (she turns into a cat in moments of passion), the 'curse' mentioned in the title is the shadow her death still casts over the family. But here Irena seems entirely benign and the story is about the relationship between parents and a child struggling to fit in. Nicely made and performed, but very hard to categorise.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Ghosts in the Mirror in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Ghosts in the Mirror pretty much lands on my list of most unique ghost (okay, related to ghosts) reads of all time.
The particular uniqueness of the story? The main character, Jeremy, goes into a coma every time a ghost possesses him due to unfinished business. The only way to "see" the ghost is to use a mirror. To see how a ghost feels depends on the color of Jeremy's vomit. I know, it's really gross, but it's pretty cool.
Except... Jeremy keeps going in and out of sleep. Interesting? Um... no. Not after awhile. Apparently when you're asleep way too much, you don't really accomplish much. Add that to Jeremy as a character, and how this ghost possession thingamajig works. The ghost possession is all very confusing I don't get this "spirit hand" or "phantom hand." Does Jeremy have a third hand? Is it still his right hand but the ghost possessing him can only "access" his right hand and that's why he calls it a phantom/spirit hand? Is it basically as though he and the ghost are like one spirit? I have some ideas on what it may all mean, but I'm not 100% sure. It all feels very much as though Mangola knows what she's talking about and explains it as much as she can, but has a bit of a hard time getting her point across and clarifying how it all works.
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NBKk2YUdg_o/U-PQlt7nnrI/AAAAAAAADtc/Z8jqVhV4-uk/s1600/Very+Unclear.gif"; border="0">
Jeremy as a character. He has quite a few moments in the book where I'm wondering if he's 6 years old or 16 years old. I don't really mind it as much since when you're in a coma a lot and suddenly realize you're growing up, you're going to want to retain your kid years as much as possible before having to officially grow up. And time goes by really fast OMG, I'm almost 17. NOOO.
But he eats soooooo much junk food candy and lollipops and donuts, oh my! I pretty much started wondering what would get to him first: the Strigoi, or a heart attack? If it were the latter, I would have been extremely furious because then I would assume the book's point is to tell us not to eat so much junk food or we would all get a heart attack one day (or we'll be in a Wall-E world). I do hate one too many sugar, thank you very much (moi can't handle too much vanilla frosting).
Which pretty much makes me bring up a point about him getting car sick so easily. Cannoli and Lattes? They have dairy products. Cannoli have cream and cheese, lattes have cream it's the perfect one way trip to Vomit Wonderland (at least one of the ways). Getting a car ride after eating what looks like a gallon of milk and dairy products? Of course the guy's going to throw up all over the place. And if anyone's going to make a point about Jeremy's condition in defense, I get car sick just as easily and I'm technically normal.
Of course, after Jeremy's millions of trips to Vomit Wonderland throughout the book, I'm pretty grossed out. The book doesn't sound as cool as it did in the beginning, but I believe Mangola has not just the bones of a really good book, but the tissues. Or muscles. *sigh* I may have prolonged my trip to the Medical world, but I probably won't get the anatomy of myself or anyone really right anytime soon. Certainly no future doctors are going to be impressed by my pitiful attempts.
----------------------
Review copy provided by the author for review
original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/review-ghosts-in-the-mirror-by-joyce-mangola.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
The particular uniqueness of the story? The main character, Jeremy, goes into a coma every time a ghost possesses him due to unfinished business. The only way to "see" the ghost is to use a mirror. To see how a ghost feels depends on the color of Jeremy's vomit. I know, it's really gross, but it's pretty cool.
Except... Jeremy keeps going in and out of sleep. Interesting? Um... no. Not after awhile. Apparently when you're asleep way too much, you don't really accomplish much. Add that to Jeremy as a character, and how this ghost possession thingamajig works. The ghost possession is all very confusing I don't get this "spirit hand" or "phantom hand." Does Jeremy have a third hand? Is it still his right hand but the ghost possessing him can only "access" his right hand and that's why he calls it a phantom/spirit hand? Is it basically as though he and the ghost are like one spirit? I have some ideas on what it may all mean, but I'm not 100% sure. It all feels very much as though Mangola knows what she's talking about and explains it as much as she can, but has a bit of a hard time getting her point across and clarifying how it all works.
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NBKk2YUdg_o/U-PQlt7nnrI/AAAAAAAADtc/Z8jqVhV4-uk/s1600/Very+Unclear.gif"; border="0">
Jeremy as a character. He has quite a few moments in the book where I'm wondering if he's 6 years old or 16 years old. I don't really mind it as much since when you're in a coma a lot and suddenly realize you're growing up, you're going to want to retain your kid years as much as possible before having to officially grow up. And time goes by really fast OMG, I'm almost 17. NOOO.
But he eats soooooo much junk food candy and lollipops and donuts, oh my! I pretty much started wondering what would get to him first: the Strigoi, or a heart attack? If it were the latter, I would have been extremely furious because then I would assume the book's point is to tell us not to eat so much junk food or we would all get a heart attack one day (or we'll be in a Wall-E world). I do hate one too many sugar, thank you very much (moi can't handle too much vanilla frosting).
Which pretty much makes me bring up a point about him getting car sick so easily. Cannoli and Lattes? They have dairy products. Cannoli have cream and cheese, lattes have cream it's the perfect one way trip to Vomit Wonderland (at least one of the ways). Getting a car ride after eating what looks like a gallon of milk and dairy products? Of course the guy's going to throw up all over the place. And if anyone's going to make a point about Jeremy's condition in defense, I get car sick just as easily and I'm technically normal.
Of course, after Jeremy's millions of trips to Vomit Wonderland throughout the book, I'm pretty grossed out. The book doesn't sound as cool as it did in the beginning, but I believe Mangola has not just the bones of a really good book, but the tissues. Or muscles. *sigh* I may have prolonged my trip to the Medical world, but I probably won't get the anatomy of myself or anyone really right anytime soon. Certainly no future doctors are going to be impressed by my pitiful attempts.
----------------------
Review copy provided by the author for review
original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/review-ghosts-in-the-mirror-by-joyce-mangola.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
Rachel King (13 KP) rated The Thirteenth Tale in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This book is like several stories woven together - Margaret's story, Vida Winter's story, and the story that Vida tells to Margaret. There was so much to keep track of that I really took my time reading and digesting the book.
Before Margaret meets Vida, the reader learns about Margaret's childhood filled with books, growing up in an antique bookstore with a book trader for a father - so many things for a bookworm to envy! Her love of nineteenth century literature seeps through the pages of the book in subtle ways, and I doubt I picked up on all of the hints.
Vida draws Margaret into her world through secrets, ghosts, and promises of some greater truth. Margaret is suspicious enough of Vida's story to do her own investigative work into Vida's past, which reveals more secrets and ghosts, as she is also battling with her own personal ghost.
The "thirteenth tale" is the big mystery and hook for Margaret, and very little of the book is predictable, so I was just as surprised by how it all ends as Margaret is. Margaret's dedication to Vida' story and her past goes way beyond that of a simple biographer, and I can't help but root all her varied efforts in tying up all the loose ends before Vida expires.
The over-riding theme of the book is the duality of twins, which makes for a very interesting concept and plays into so many sub-plots throughout the book. Without giving it away, uncovering the big revelation is worth the 400-plus page read!
Before Margaret meets Vida, the reader learns about Margaret's childhood filled with books, growing up in an antique bookstore with a book trader for a father - so many things for a bookworm to envy! Her love of nineteenth century literature seeps through the pages of the book in subtle ways, and I doubt I picked up on all of the hints.
Vida draws Margaret into her world through secrets, ghosts, and promises of some greater truth. Margaret is suspicious enough of Vida's story to do her own investigative work into Vida's past, which reveals more secrets and ghosts, as she is also battling with her own personal ghost.
The "thirteenth tale" is the big mystery and hook for Margaret, and very little of the book is predictable, so I was just as surprised by how it all ends as Margaret is. Margaret's dedication to Vida' story and her past goes way beyond that of a simple biographer, and I can't help but root all her varied efforts in tying up all the loose ends before Vida expires.
The over-riding theme of the book is the duality of twins, which makes for a very interesting concept and plays into so many sub-plots throughout the book. Without giving it away, uncovering the big revelation is worth the 400-plus page read!
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Ghost in the Shell (2017) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Turning the beloved Ghost in the Shell manga franchise into a Hollywood film that’ll please picky Western audiences was always going to be a tough job for director Rupert Sanders (Snow White & the Huntsman).
Casting the central lead, The Major, proved even more difficult. When Scarlett Johansson’s name was attached to play the role, Hollywood was once again accused of white-washing, a tag lobbied at Gods of Egypt last year. The finished product is now in cinemas around the globe, but is it the disaster many predicted?
In the near future, Major (Scarlett Johansson) is the first of her kind: a human who has been cyber-enhanced to create a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world’s most dangerous criminals. When terrorism reaches a new level that includes the ability to hack into people’s minds and control them, Major is uniquely qualified to stop it. As she prepares to face a new enemy, Major finds truths about her past that changes her view on the world forever.
The greatest accolade that can be given to Ghost in the Shell is that its pre-release detractors haven’t stopped people from going to see it. The cinema was busy on its opening night, with many itching to see how such a universally loved manga could be fine-tuned for a Western palate.
Visually; the film is absolutely stunning and is best viewed on the biggest screen possible. Each frame is dripping with detail and the naturally heavy use of CGI doesn’t detract from creating a vibrant metropolis that feels every bit alive.
The story is simple to follow and easy to enjoy. It’s exciting, emotional and boosted by a fine, if slightly uninspiring performance from Johansson. The rest of the cast can also be described as fine, with only Juliette Binoche’s mother-like Dr. Ouélet creating any sort of lasting impact.
And this is Ghost in the Shell’s fundamental weakness. Outside of Binoche, the rest of the cast are largely forgettable and that’s a real shame considering the characters in its excellent source material were, for want of a better word, magical. Even the villain is devoid any sort of tyranny.
Thankfully though, the impressive set design and well-choreographed action sequences mask the disappointing array of characters well and steamroll this thrilling adventure to a very satisfying conclusion. It’s also accompanied by a gorgeous soundtrack by Clint Mansell and Lorne Balfe that compliments the futuristic nature of the film beautifully.
Sitting in the theatre, it felt at times like I was watching an updated version of Total Recall, and that’s no bad thing. Comparing it to a cult classic is probably what director Rupert Sanders was trying to achieve and despite its poor characters, Ghost in the Shell has every opportunity to succeed as a film we look back on in 30 years and think “hey, that’s actually pretty good”.
Overall, Ghost in the Shell is one hell of a good-looking film. Couple this with impressive special effects and a rollercoaster ride of a story and you have a big screen experience that’s great for 106 minutes, but probably won’t have any lasting impact once the end credits roll.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/03/31/not-without-its-faults-ghost-in-the-shell-review/
Casting the central lead, The Major, proved even more difficult. When Scarlett Johansson’s name was attached to play the role, Hollywood was once again accused of white-washing, a tag lobbied at Gods of Egypt last year. The finished product is now in cinemas around the globe, but is it the disaster many predicted?
In the near future, Major (Scarlett Johansson) is the first of her kind: a human who has been cyber-enhanced to create a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world’s most dangerous criminals. When terrorism reaches a new level that includes the ability to hack into people’s minds and control them, Major is uniquely qualified to stop it. As she prepares to face a new enemy, Major finds truths about her past that changes her view on the world forever.
The greatest accolade that can be given to Ghost in the Shell is that its pre-release detractors haven’t stopped people from going to see it. The cinema was busy on its opening night, with many itching to see how such a universally loved manga could be fine-tuned for a Western palate.
Visually; the film is absolutely stunning and is best viewed on the biggest screen possible. Each frame is dripping with detail and the naturally heavy use of CGI doesn’t detract from creating a vibrant metropolis that feels every bit alive.
The story is simple to follow and easy to enjoy. It’s exciting, emotional and boosted by a fine, if slightly uninspiring performance from Johansson. The rest of the cast can also be described as fine, with only Juliette Binoche’s mother-like Dr. Ouélet creating any sort of lasting impact.
And this is Ghost in the Shell’s fundamental weakness. Outside of Binoche, the rest of the cast are largely forgettable and that’s a real shame considering the characters in its excellent source material were, for want of a better word, magical. Even the villain is devoid any sort of tyranny.
Thankfully though, the impressive set design and well-choreographed action sequences mask the disappointing array of characters well and steamroll this thrilling adventure to a very satisfying conclusion. It’s also accompanied by a gorgeous soundtrack by Clint Mansell and Lorne Balfe that compliments the futuristic nature of the film beautifully.
Sitting in the theatre, it felt at times like I was watching an updated version of Total Recall, and that’s no bad thing. Comparing it to a cult classic is probably what director Rupert Sanders was trying to achieve and despite its poor characters, Ghost in the Shell has every opportunity to succeed as a film we look back on in 30 years and think “hey, that’s actually pretty good”.
Overall, Ghost in the Shell is one hell of a good-looking film. Couple this with impressive special effects and a rollercoaster ride of a story and you have a big screen experience that’s great for 106 minutes, but probably won’t have any lasting impact once the end credits roll.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/03/31/not-without-its-faults-ghost-in-the-shell-review/
PA
Paranormal America: Ghost Encounters, UFO Sightings, Bigfoot Hunts, and Other Curiosities in Religion and Culture
Christopher D. Bader, F. Carson Mencken and Joseph O. Baker
Book
The untold account of the countless Americans who believe in, or personally experience, paranormal...