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okletmereviewit (4 KP) rated Closet Monster (2016) in Movies
May 11, 2018
PTSD and Coming of Age and Out
This movie is an amazing tale of coming of age and coming to terms with ones own sexuality. This movie for being an Indie film portrays the inner dialogue and the inner turmoil of coming to terms with ones sexuality, as well as showing the hidden side of a broken home. The movie begins with young Oscar (Jack Fulton) and his father tucking him into bed and their nightly rituals of his father (Aaron Abrams) "giving him a dream".
In the next scene you see Oscar and mother (Joanne Kelly) and father giving him a present of a Hamster, and then his father declaring that Oscars mother is leaving them. You then see Oscar in his room with the hamster, who begins "talking" to Oscar (voiced by Isabella Rossellini) and names herself "Buffy" (as in Buffy the Vampire Slayer) but the voice is an inner monologue that Oscar creates for the critter and is a comforting mechanism for him, as throughout the movie you gain the feeling that Oscar only has one friend, Gemma (Sofia Banzhaf).
The PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) comes in when while coming home from school one day, Oscar notices a group of kids bullying another student. He follows them to a secluded cemetery where they see them beating the kids and sodomizing him with a piece of re-bar. Later that night Oscar and his dad are watching the News coverage of the situation and Oscars asks his dad why they did that and the father said "because he was gay" and makes a side reference to Oscars long shaggy hair. To which Oscar being scared cuts his hair himself.
Skip forward: Now Oscar as a teen (Connor Jessup) is taking pictures of Gemma for his portfolio for admissions into college. We also see that the now 18yr old Oscar is now working in a general hardware store who is ran by Allison (Mary Walsh) who teaches him the basics of greeting customers and how to help them make selections, etc. After his shift while in the employee locker room a strapping young man named Wilder (Aliocha Schneider) checks his locker for his employee uniform and realizes that it is not there and asks to borrow Oscars shirt. This is the first time that we witness Oscar's sexual preference, when Wilder takes off his shirt and puts on Oscars shirt. Oscar longingly looks at the finely toned body of Wilder.
Later the next day Wilder gives Oscar his shirt back before work, and says thanks. You then see Oscar smelling the shirt to see if it was "ok" to wear. And then he rushes into the restroom with the shirt and begins touching himself and fantasizing about Wilder, and then has a flash of the students sodomizing that other student when he was a kid.
Slowly Oscar and Wilder begin a friendship and get closer. As Oscar and Gemma seem to grow apart. Things at home take a turn for the worse as Oscars father begins seeing a woman, and Oscar becomes more frustrated with himself, work, life and everything between. It finally escalates into a fight with his father that leaves Oscar physically assaulting his dad, and running away to a party that Wilder had invited him to.
At the party he finds Wilder and his friends, and they take Oscar to a room and put together a costume for him to wear for the party. Wilders friends take some Ecstasy and begin to really party it up. Gemma runs into Oscar and realizes that he is high and Oscar excuses himself as he notices that Wilder is talking to some girls. A guy approaches Oscar and begins hitting on him, and Oscar who was holding out for Wilder notices that he is kissing a girl. So Oscar and the guy make their way into the bathroom where they begin to kiss and have sex. In the midst of it Oscar begins to have flash backs of the beaten boy in the cemetery and freaks out, vomits and passes out.
We then see Wilder waking him up and helping him home. Oscar and Wilder spend the night together in Oscars tree house. Oscar and Wilder begin talking about the escapades of the night and things turn to sexuality when Oscar mistakes Wilders reaching for a bottle of water as him wanting to kiss. Embarrassed, Oscar asks him to leave, and they begin to talk about it, and then Wilder kisses him. In the morning you see Oscar wake up and find a note from Wilder basically saying "See you later gotta run" and you are not sure if the two had slept together or not. Oscar sneaks back into his room only to find that everything had been destroyed by his father.
The next scene you see his mother and father fighting as Oscar is looking through whats left of his possessions that are scattered throughout the drive way. Oscar sees his beloved Buffy laying dead in her cage. Enraged by this, Oscar comes to terms with his sexuality and breaks something of his fathers and then moves in with his mother. The movie ends with Oscar moving to a small house near the beach. Leaving you wondering how much time had passed or if he was in a school or what was going on.
But throughout the whole of the movie. The sexuality is done in a very muted and respectable manner. There is some cussing and things like that but over all very tastefully done. If you are a lover of coming to age films or films dealing with the nature of coming out, then you are sure to love this movie.
In the next scene you see Oscar and mother (Joanne Kelly) and father giving him a present of a Hamster, and then his father declaring that Oscars mother is leaving them. You then see Oscar in his room with the hamster, who begins "talking" to Oscar (voiced by Isabella Rossellini) and names herself "Buffy" (as in Buffy the Vampire Slayer) but the voice is an inner monologue that Oscar creates for the critter and is a comforting mechanism for him, as throughout the movie you gain the feeling that Oscar only has one friend, Gemma (Sofia Banzhaf).
The PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) comes in when while coming home from school one day, Oscar notices a group of kids bullying another student. He follows them to a secluded cemetery where they see them beating the kids and sodomizing him with a piece of re-bar. Later that night Oscar and his dad are watching the News coverage of the situation and Oscars asks his dad why they did that and the father said "because he was gay" and makes a side reference to Oscars long shaggy hair. To which Oscar being scared cuts his hair himself.
Skip forward: Now Oscar as a teen (Connor Jessup) is taking pictures of Gemma for his portfolio for admissions into college. We also see that the now 18yr old Oscar is now working in a general hardware store who is ran by Allison (Mary Walsh) who teaches him the basics of greeting customers and how to help them make selections, etc. After his shift while in the employee locker room a strapping young man named Wilder (Aliocha Schneider) checks his locker for his employee uniform and realizes that it is not there and asks to borrow Oscars shirt. This is the first time that we witness Oscar's sexual preference, when Wilder takes off his shirt and puts on Oscars shirt. Oscar longingly looks at the finely toned body of Wilder.
Later the next day Wilder gives Oscar his shirt back before work, and says thanks. You then see Oscar smelling the shirt to see if it was "ok" to wear. And then he rushes into the restroom with the shirt and begins touching himself and fantasizing about Wilder, and then has a flash of the students sodomizing that other student when he was a kid.
Slowly Oscar and Wilder begin a friendship and get closer. As Oscar and Gemma seem to grow apart. Things at home take a turn for the worse as Oscars father begins seeing a woman, and Oscar becomes more frustrated with himself, work, life and everything between. It finally escalates into a fight with his father that leaves Oscar physically assaulting his dad, and running away to a party that Wilder had invited him to.
At the party he finds Wilder and his friends, and they take Oscar to a room and put together a costume for him to wear for the party. Wilders friends take some Ecstasy and begin to really party it up. Gemma runs into Oscar and realizes that he is high and Oscar excuses himself as he notices that Wilder is talking to some girls. A guy approaches Oscar and begins hitting on him, and Oscar who was holding out for Wilder notices that he is kissing a girl. So Oscar and the guy make their way into the bathroom where they begin to kiss and have sex. In the midst of it Oscar begins to have flash backs of the beaten boy in the cemetery and freaks out, vomits and passes out.
We then see Wilder waking him up and helping him home. Oscar and Wilder spend the night together in Oscars tree house. Oscar and Wilder begin talking about the escapades of the night and things turn to sexuality when Oscar mistakes Wilders reaching for a bottle of water as him wanting to kiss. Embarrassed, Oscar asks him to leave, and they begin to talk about it, and then Wilder kisses him. In the morning you see Oscar wake up and find a note from Wilder basically saying "See you later gotta run" and you are not sure if the two had slept together or not. Oscar sneaks back into his room only to find that everything had been destroyed by his father.
The next scene you see his mother and father fighting as Oscar is looking through whats left of his possessions that are scattered throughout the drive way. Oscar sees his beloved Buffy laying dead in her cage. Enraged by this, Oscar comes to terms with his sexuality and breaks something of his fathers and then moves in with his mother. The movie ends with Oscar moving to a small house near the beach. Leaving you wondering how much time had passed or if he was in a school or what was going on.
But throughout the whole of the movie. The sexuality is done in a very muted and respectable manner. There is some cussing and things like that but over all very tastefully done. If you are a lover of coming to age films or films dealing with the nature of coming out, then you are sure to love this movie.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated The Sworn Virgin in Books
Sep 28, 2017
Great historical detail, but falls short
So what I really liked the most about the book is the historical background and aspect. It’s rich in detail and sheds a light on the customs in Albania. I loved the descriptions of the setting, the clothing especially and how family life was at the time. Despite that Eleanora lived differently from others in the village, traditions are deep rooted, strong and followed to the exact detail. It’s all about maintaining family honor and if disgraced, the way to gain it back is likely with someone killing the other from the rival family that did you wrong. It’s pretty harsh and during that time doesn’t give much voice to women in general, but Eleanora’s personality is strong and admirable even though she’s pretty much a daddy’s girl (which helps her let her be who she wants to be).
The first half of the book was great and got the reading going pretty quickly. It wasn’t until the last third of the novel where things bog down and I was afraid of this: the moment the ‘man of the her dreams’ came into the story. Then I was instantly reminded as to why I hated “Memoirs of a Geisha” so much and this mirrors it. Holy mother. The guy was the sun, moon and stars for Eleanora. I kind of get it after what happened to her dad but for crying out loud I was rooting for Eleanora for taking the vow and being strong. All it takes is an Adonis to break that all down. Eleanora then takes a complete 360 and becomes a mooncalf.
I lost admiration after her treatment of Meria. I get it. Meria shouldn’t have done that nonsense because she’s all obsessed with family honor and had Eleanora’s best interest even though it was far from beneficial. I thought her treatment was excessive to the point of abuse and cruelty and I felt like jumping in and giving Eleanora the beat down for her stupidities.
Then Eleanora’s mood swings go from pity party to guilt and goes back and forth for what seemed like the entire last third of the novel and it got tiresome to read. You know Eleanora, you could have solved all this if you JUST. TELL. HIM.
And when she does. Your patience is done with the book and depending how you found the book you either breathe a sigh in relief or roll your eyes because it took about 50 pages to get Eleanora to smarten up and the book would have ended sooner than later.
I liked the book at first, but it just didn’t hold it for me. The pity trips, and the self torment Eleanora goes through is just too much and made up a good half of the novel. I wish it could have been better because the historical aspect was excellent.
The first half of the book was great and got the reading going pretty quickly. It wasn’t until the last third of the novel where things bog down and I was afraid of this: the moment the ‘man of the her dreams’ came into the story. Then I was instantly reminded as to why I hated “Memoirs of a Geisha” so much and this mirrors it. Holy mother. The guy was the sun, moon and stars for Eleanora. I kind of get it after what happened to her dad but for crying out loud I was rooting for Eleanora for taking the vow and being strong. All it takes is an Adonis to break that all down. Eleanora then takes a complete 360 and becomes a mooncalf.
I lost admiration after her treatment of Meria. I get it. Meria shouldn’t have done that nonsense because she’s all obsessed with family honor and had Eleanora’s best interest even though it was far from beneficial. I thought her treatment was excessive to the point of abuse and cruelty and I felt like jumping in and giving Eleanora the beat down for her stupidities.
Then Eleanora’s mood swings go from pity party to guilt and goes back and forth for what seemed like the entire last third of the novel and it got tiresome to read. You know Eleanora, you could have solved all this if you JUST. TELL. HIM.
And when she does. Your patience is done with the book and depending how you found the book you either breathe a sigh in relief or roll your eyes because it took about 50 pages to get Eleanora to smarten up and the book would have ended sooner than later.
I liked the book at first, but it just didn’t hold it for me. The pity trips, and the self torment Eleanora goes through is just too much and made up a good half of the novel. I wish it could have been better because the historical aspect was excellent.
postapocalypticplayground (27 KP) rated Caraval in Books
Jan 9, 2018
Roll up roll up to the world of Caraval, a game where nothing is ever as it seems but if you succeed you can make your greatest wish come true! For Scarlett, she has been writing to Caraval Master Legend for many years, hoping that he will bring his players to her Isle of Trisda so she can experience the joy and wonder her Grandmother’s stories told her about. When her final letter see’s an older Scarlett informing Legend that she is about to marry, a pre-wedding gift arrives in the form of tickets to Caraval! One for her, her sister Donatella and Scarlett’s fiance, who by the way she has never met…. Her father is a cruel man and Scarlett see’s the opportunity for marriage as a way to escape, which won’t happen if she attends Caraval. But her sister and the young sailor, Julian, have other plans!
Sailed away to Master Legends Island, Scarlet must play the game of Caraval and the stakes are higher than she ever thought. Not everything is real and everything has a price, can Scarlett complete the game and get back to Trisda before her father knows she has gone and before her wedding day? Or will the secrets of Caraval pull her in too deep?
I went into Caraval a little sceptical, I had heard mixed reviews from friends but I wanted to love it as the story sounded amazing, thankfully I wasn’t disappointed. In a book where I was constantly told that not everything is real I found myself second guessing everything, trying to figure out the clues along with Scarlett. The Caraval itself is wonderful and vibrant but yet a little sinister if you scratch the surface, I almost felt transported to a Victorian era where the currency is secrets rather than coin. There are a ton of twists in this tale and I have to say that I struggled a little to keep up at times. My only quibble is that it did get quite ridiculous as the story progressed and I was longing for a little stability in the story. There are however, some genius bits that I loved especially around some of the forms of payment.
I found it a struggle to put this down, for the most part it was the kind of read that I didn’t have to think about as I flew through the pages and apart from the odd moments of wading through treacle I found myself utterly caught up in the world, my heart racing against the clock just as Scarlett’s did. I would totally recommend giving this a read, it’s not 100% up to the hype, but I’m glad I read it and I think it may end up in that rare pile of books that I have that I would want to read again!
Sailed away to Master Legends Island, Scarlet must play the game of Caraval and the stakes are higher than she ever thought. Not everything is real and everything has a price, can Scarlett complete the game and get back to Trisda before her father knows she has gone and before her wedding day? Or will the secrets of Caraval pull her in too deep?
I went into Caraval a little sceptical, I had heard mixed reviews from friends but I wanted to love it as the story sounded amazing, thankfully I wasn’t disappointed. In a book where I was constantly told that not everything is real I found myself second guessing everything, trying to figure out the clues along with Scarlett. The Caraval itself is wonderful and vibrant but yet a little sinister if you scratch the surface, I almost felt transported to a Victorian era where the currency is secrets rather than coin. There are a ton of twists in this tale and I have to say that I struggled a little to keep up at times. My only quibble is that it did get quite ridiculous as the story progressed and I was longing for a little stability in the story. There are however, some genius bits that I loved especially around some of the forms of payment.
I found it a struggle to put this down, for the most part it was the kind of read that I didn’t have to think about as I flew through the pages and apart from the odd moments of wading through treacle I found myself utterly caught up in the world, my heart racing against the clock just as Scarlett’s did. I would totally recommend giving this a read, it’s not 100% up to the hype, but I’m glad I read it and I think it may end up in that rare pile of books that I have that I would want to read again!
The kids are amazing (1 more)
So is Pennywise!
If you're of a certain age you'll probably remember the 'It' TV mini series of 1990, based on Stephen Kings classic novel. And you'll also have lasting memories of Tim Curry as Pennywise, the demonic clown who terrorises the town of Derry, Maine. His was the definitive evil clown, the benchmark for all scary movie clowns to come. This big screen version remake had a lot to live up to.
We meet the new Pennywise pretty early on in the movie as young Georgie ventures out into the heavy rain to play with the paper boat that he and older brother Bill just made. Anyone familiar with the story, or the trailer for the movie, knows exactly what's coming, so it's no surprise when Pennywise appears in the drain where Georgie loses his boat. Calmly menacing, and excellently played by Bill Skarsgård, but sounding strangely like Scooby-Doo as he chats away to Georgie, which kind of made him more funny than scary. It's not until he bites off Georgie's arm and drags him down into the sewer that you know he means business.
From there, Pennywise takes a bit of a backseat as we're introduced to our core cast of kids. It's been a while since Georgie disappeared and kids are still going missing around town, meaning there's now a 7pm curfew in effect. Bill is still mourning the loss of younger brother Georgie and his group of friends all have their own personal issues and demons too. These are gradually explored throughout the movie and are in some ways more sad and disturbing than Pennywise. On top of that, the local bully and his gang like to make their lives hell too and all of this is just hugely enjoyable, giving off a wonderful Stand By Me/The Goonies/Stranger Things feel, even more so as the movie is set in the 80s. The kids swear, make jokes together and at the expense of each other. They ride their bikes around town, have rock fights with the bullies and the entire cast is just a joy to watch.
Eventually, Pennywise steps things up a notch as he begins appearing to each of the kids, playing on their fears as he tries to lure them to their deaths. His appearances tend to involve a creepy, chilling build up, followed by a surprisingly effective jump scare (certainly some of the women in nearby seats to me seemed to be constantly on the brink of having a heart attack!). The scares become increasingly inventive and enjoyable as the movie progresses and while not as scary and gory as some might like, they still manage to work well within the whole movie.
I had a lot of fun watching It. And this is only Chapter One of a two part series, with Chapter Two set to focus on the part of the story where the kids are all adults. I can't wait to see what comes next!
We meet the new Pennywise pretty early on in the movie as young Georgie ventures out into the heavy rain to play with the paper boat that he and older brother Bill just made. Anyone familiar with the story, or the trailer for the movie, knows exactly what's coming, so it's no surprise when Pennywise appears in the drain where Georgie loses his boat. Calmly menacing, and excellently played by Bill Skarsgård, but sounding strangely like Scooby-Doo as he chats away to Georgie, which kind of made him more funny than scary. It's not until he bites off Georgie's arm and drags him down into the sewer that you know he means business.
From there, Pennywise takes a bit of a backseat as we're introduced to our core cast of kids. It's been a while since Georgie disappeared and kids are still going missing around town, meaning there's now a 7pm curfew in effect. Bill is still mourning the loss of younger brother Georgie and his group of friends all have their own personal issues and demons too. These are gradually explored throughout the movie and are in some ways more sad and disturbing than Pennywise. On top of that, the local bully and his gang like to make their lives hell too and all of this is just hugely enjoyable, giving off a wonderful Stand By Me/The Goonies/Stranger Things feel, even more so as the movie is set in the 80s. The kids swear, make jokes together and at the expense of each other. They ride their bikes around town, have rock fights with the bullies and the entire cast is just a joy to watch.
Eventually, Pennywise steps things up a notch as he begins appearing to each of the kids, playing on their fears as he tries to lure them to their deaths. His appearances tend to involve a creepy, chilling build up, followed by a surprisingly effective jump scare (certainly some of the women in nearby seats to me seemed to be constantly on the brink of having a heart attack!). The scares become increasingly inventive and enjoyable as the movie progresses and while not as scary and gory as some might like, they still manage to work well within the whole movie.
I had a lot of fun watching It. And this is only Chapter One of a two part series, with Chapter Two set to focus on the part of the story where the kids are all adults. I can't wait to see what comes next!
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated A Quilter's Diary: Written in Stitches in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Description (from Amazon): Ever wanted to write the story of your life? With fabric as your paper and a needle as your pen, you can chronicle your most memorable moments. Bestselling author Mimi Dietrich explains how to tell your personal story or the story of someone special to you in extraordinary quilts.
* Construct the pieces of your life in fabric with your choice of 100 pieced and appliquéd block patterns
* Let Mimi guide your designs with inspiring questions and themes 24 categories include family, friends, holidays, hobbies, and more
* A gallery of quilts, plus Mimi s unique setting tips, will help you launch your own ideas
A Quilter’s Diary is a simple guide book to telling your life story in quilt blocks. Mimi tells you how to pick the blocks, arrange the quilt in order, and make each square special and unique to you.
There are tons of blocks to pick from, and she encourages you to branch out from her suggestions and take a creative license, showing examples and giving ideas.
(Here is one page from the book with some ideas for a “hobby” quilt block. See the books on the left? Guess what’s going on my quilt!)
(photo url: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_-sER6e5xCaQ/S0K4VzGxaBI/AAAAAAAABgc/i_AHcoFr-hU/DSCN0052_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Some of the quilt squares that are suggested are: Heritage, Childhood, Parents, Grandparents, First Love, True Love, Wedding, Children, Pets, Seasons, Travel, Dreams and wishes… and tons more. Each theme has seven or eight ideas for you to use, or you can create your own using the theme.
Every quilt block has questions that you can answer to inspire you. They make you think about important things and decide what kind of square you’d like to make.
There was also some basic quilt making instructions and appliqué and embroidery instructions that are clear and concise with very good illustrations.
Then there were photographs of quilts. Oh the quilts were just beautiful! So artistic in every way.
This book had my mouth watering and my fingers itching for fabric and embroidery floss. The idea of a quilt as a diary and a permanent keepsake is an old one, but it looks so much less intimidating through this book because of the way it’s presented.
This book is incredibly inspiring, and I intend to start my own quilt diary. It will take years to finish because I don’t have much to share right now, but I’m sure as life goes on, with the help of this book, I’ll have a very special and unique keepsake when it’s finally done.
About the Author:
Mimi Dietrich is a nationally known teacher and the author of many best-selling books, including Martingale & Company's all-time best-seller, Happy Endings. Her books have sold over a half million copies to date. This is her 15th book for Martingale and Company
~Haleyknitz
* Construct the pieces of your life in fabric with your choice of 100 pieced and appliquéd block patterns
* Let Mimi guide your designs with inspiring questions and themes 24 categories include family, friends, holidays, hobbies, and more
* A gallery of quilts, plus Mimi s unique setting tips, will help you launch your own ideas
A Quilter’s Diary is a simple guide book to telling your life story in quilt blocks. Mimi tells you how to pick the blocks, arrange the quilt in order, and make each square special and unique to you.
There are tons of blocks to pick from, and she encourages you to branch out from her suggestions and take a creative license, showing examples and giving ideas.
(Here is one page from the book with some ideas for a “hobby” quilt block. See the books on the left? Guess what’s going on my quilt!)
(photo url: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_-sER6e5xCaQ/S0K4VzGxaBI/AAAAAAAABgc/i_AHcoFr-hU/DSCN0052_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Some of the quilt squares that are suggested are: Heritage, Childhood, Parents, Grandparents, First Love, True Love, Wedding, Children, Pets, Seasons, Travel, Dreams and wishes… and tons more. Each theme has seven or eight ideas for you to use, or you can create your own using the theme.
Every quilt block has questions that you can answer to inspire you. They make you think about important things and decide what kind of square you’d like to make.
There was also some basic quilt making instructions and appliqué and embroidery instructions that are clear and concise with very good illustrations.
Then there were photographs of quilts. Oh the quilts were just beautiful! So artistic in every way.
This book had my mouth watering and my fingers itching for fabric and embroidery floss. The idea of a quilt as a diary and a permanent keepsake is an old one, but it looks so much less intimidating through this book because of the way it’s presented.
This book is incredibly inspiring, and I intend to start my own quilt diary. It will take years to finish because I don’t have much to share right now, but I’m sure as life goes on, with the help of this book, I’ll have a very special and unique keepsake when it’s finally done.
About the Author:
Mimi Dietrich is a nationally known teacher and the author of many best-selling books, including Martingale & Company's all-time best-seller, Happy Endings. Her books have sold over a half million copies to date. This is her 15th book for Martingale and Company
~Haleyknitz
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Darkslayer: Wrath of the Royals in Books
Feb 5, 2019
Strong debut novel, deeper than expected
Wrath of the Royals, the first in the 16 book Darkslayer series following Venir, the Darkslayer (an axe-wielding barbarian) and his companion Melagal (the cowardly "rogue") as they run from the titular wrath of one of the royal families. Venir tends to get himself into bets, as alpha male types just seem attracted to him, and one such bet ends him in the bad books with one of the most powerful, and twisted, royal families.
This leads to the pair going on the run to escape the inevitable wrath. However, little do they know that the Underlings (those twisted, evil humanoids Venir is driven to hunt) are after Venir from different angles - one due to his relentless genocide of their race, and another due to being hired to hunt him down by the royals.
On the surface, I expected this to be a basic sword and sorcery tale; the barbarian wandering the wilds hacking down the Underlings. I was pleasantly surprised to find a fairly well told tale with different layers and a more intricate plot than I had expected.
Halloran's prose is decent, with a good knack for getting the balance between over-narration and concise descriptions. There is enough description of the world without it being laboured. There are some odd choices for phrases or wording here or there (eg "Impending pain was on its way"), and the book could do with a decent thorough edit, but for a first book it is a good effort.
The world of Bish turns out to be something of an experiment on the part of a God, seeing if she can design a world that will remain in permanent conflict for eternity, good and evil constantly vying but neither side ever truly winning. While this could be seen as literally setting up for "deus ex machina" whenever the author chooses, this didn't really come to the fore in this book.
Venir is a reasonably well-crafted character, albeit a stupid brute and something like Logen Ninefingers from Joe Abercrombie's First Law (when he puts on his magical helmet (yes I know!) he becomes more driven to destruction, somewhat akin to the emergence of The Bloody Nine). Numerous times he just gets up in the night and wanders off searching for the conflict he has sensed, the helmet guiding him onwards. But his actions play well off those of his travelling companions, which has now become something like the fellowship of the ring, but without a ring.
The book ends with an extended epilogue giving an idea of Venir's life before he found his magical axe, shield and mind-controlling helmet.
A good self-contained book, which concludes well and could be read on its own, without continuing the series, though I plan to (ideally before my Kindle Unlimited period runs out!).
This leads to the pair going on the run to escape the inevitable wrath. However, little do they know that the Underlings (those twisted, evil humanoids Venir is driven to hunt) are after Venir from different angles - one due to his relentless genocide of their race, and another due to being hired to hunt him down by the royals.
On the surface, I expected this to be a basic sword and sorcery tale; the barbarian wandering the wilds hacking down the Underlings. I was pleasantly surprised to find a fairly well told tale with different layers and a more intricate plot than I had expected.
Halloran's prose is decent, with a good knack for getting the balance between over-narration and concise descriptions. There is enough description of the world without it being laboured. There are some odd choices for phrases or wording here or there (eg "Impending pain was on its way"), and the book could do with a decent thorough edit, but for a first book it is a good effort.
The world of Bish turns out to be something of an experiment on the part of a God, seeing if she can design a world that will remain in permanent conflict for eternity, good and evil constantly vying but neither side ever truly winning. While this could be seen as literally setting up for "deus ex machina" whenever the author chooses, this didn't really come to the fore in this book.
Venir is a reasonably well-crafted character, albeit a stupid brute and something like Logen Ninefingers from Joe Abercrombie's First Law (when he puts on his magical helmet (yes I know!) he becomes more driven to destruction, somewhat akin to the emergence of The Bloody Nine). Numerous times he just gets up in the night and wanders off searching for the conflict he has sensed, the helmet guiding him onwards. But his actions play well off those of his travelling companions, which has now become something like the fellowship of the ring, but without a ring.
The book ends with an extended epilogue giving an idea of Venir's life before he found his magical axe, shield and mind-controlling helmet.
A good self-contained book, which concludes well and could be read on its own, without continuing the series, though I plan to (ideally before my Kindle Unlimited period runs out!).
Rachel King (13 KP) rated The Uncoupling in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The story is told in a third-person narrative and divided into three parts. The first part focuses on the events leading up to the introduction of the play Lysistrata by the school's new drama teacher. The second part goes into detail about all of the different couples affected by the spell that the play casts over the town. The third part tells what happens in the night of the actual high-school production of the play and afterwards.
The spell of Lysistrata resembled a cold wind and only affected "women who were in some way connected sexually to men." No woman in the book was strong enough to resist the power of this mysterious wind, not even the ones newly in love and lust. Every woman affected imagined her own reasons for abstaining, and though all of the different reasons had a logical ring to them, only other women could relate. The men were simply left in the dark to react however he felt could change his twist in circumstances.
Early on, I felt that this book was a bit like a study of sex and the affects of sex -- or lack thereof -- on individuals and relationships. Even though the play Lysistrata was meant to be a catalyst for all of these private events, the high-school reenactment seemed to take a minor background role. The spell seemed to empower the women, though they did not act any happier with their new freedom and individuality. Many were just as baffled or depressed with the chastity as the men, but no couple was able to converse with each other about it, which I found strange and attributed to the effects of the spell. Ironically, because the issues of sex are such a private matter, very few couples shared their problems with anyone else in town, and so no one truly recognized the correlation between the abstinence of the females in town and the play Lysistrata. This irritated me to no end throughout the book.
On the night of the play, the spell is magically lifted by, quite appropriately, a warm wind when the men in the audience begin to protest the essence of the play itself and use that to try and win their women back. Throughout the whole book, the reader is lead to believe that this spell has no designer, that it has simply attached itself to the performance of the play from Lysistrata's origins in 411 B.C. Though I at first was suspicious of a certain person as casting the spell, I was also lulled into changing my mind about this. Without giving away the ending, I was quite surprised at the truth behind the spell's beginnings. There is much I could say about the thoughts that raced through my head while reading the last few pages and the conclusions that I drew from the revelation, but I will resist. I will say that the book is worth every page for its startling culmination.
The spell of Lysistrata resembled a cold wind and only affected "women who were in some way connected sexually to men." No woman in the book was strong enough to resist the power of this mysterious wind, not even the ones newly in love and lust. Every woman affected imagined her own reasons for abstaining, and though all of the different reasons had a logical ring to them, only other women could relate. The men were simply left in the dark to react however he felt could change his twist in circumstances.
Early on, I felt that this book was a bit like a study of sex and the affects of sex -- or lack thereof -- on individuals and relationships. Even though the play Lysistrata was meant to be a catalyst for all of these private events, the high-school reenactment seemed to take a minor background role. The spell seemed to empower the women, though they did not act any happier with their new freedom and individuality. Many were just as baffled or depressed with the chastity as the men, but no couple was able to converse with each other about it, which I found strange and attributed to the effects of the spell. Ironically, because the issues of sex are such a private matter, very few couples shared their problems with anyone else in town, and so no one truly recognized the correlation between the abstinence of the females in town and the play Lysistrata. This irritated me to no end throughout the book.
On the night of the play, the spell is magically lifted by, quite appropriately, a warm wind when the men in the audience begin to protest the essence of the play itself and use that to try and win their women back. Throughout the whole book, the reader is lead to believe that this spell has no designer, that it has simply attached itself to the performance of the play from Lysistrata's origins in 411 B.C. Though I at first was suspicious of a certain person as casting the spell, I was also lulled into changing my mind about this. Without giving away the ending, I was quite surprised at the truth behind the spell's beginnings. There is much I could say about the thoughts that raced through my head while reading the last few pages and the conclusions that I drew from the revelation, but I will resist. I will say that the book is worth every page for its startling culmination.
Janeeny (200 KP) rated Things Fall Apart in Books
Jun 10, 2019
I was very confused by February’s ‘Penguin Reading Challenge’, as I don’t think I got one. Their February newsletter did recommend ‘Pride and Prejudice’ as a valentine read so potentially that may have been my classic recommendation for the month, however I’ve already read that one so I decided this month to go for January’s second recommendation of Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things fall apart’.
I don’t really know how to summarise this book without giving a lot away so I’m going to rely on Amazon –
Okonowo is the greatest warrior alive. His fame has spread like a bushfire in West Africa and he is one of the most powerful men of his clan.
But he also has a fiery temper. Determined not to be like his father, he refuses to show weakness to anyone – even if the only way he can master his feelings is with his fists. When outsiders threaten the traditions of his clan, Okonowo takes violent action. Will the great man’s dangerous pride eventually destroy him?
Again a Classic that did actually engross me. At the risk of sounding like a complete heel I was expecting to be lectured to by this book. Usually with Historical literature books of such high acclaim we encounter a lot of hidden and profound messages about our place in the world and how we treat others and the story can feel a bit dry. Also, with the other Historical fiction based in other countries I’ve read, I’ve appreciated the story, but they have essentially been based around problems exclusive to that era and culture, so it’s not really something I can relate to.
So oddly enough this little book set within a Nigerian tribe in the 1890s was actually quite relatable. Ok so maybe not many people can relate to a situation where you and a group of other men lead your foster son to a dark forest and kill him, but we can relate to making hard choices in life and letting down the ones we love.
You know as soon as you meet Okonowo that things are not going to go well for him, he is a prideful man quick to anger. He mistreats his wives and has high expectations of his children, and his intentions whilst well-meaning for his family are also misguided. Okonowo lives in a very superstitious village, and you can see that, after Okonowo does something that a close friend warns him against, that things will start to go bad from there. Things do not end well for Okonowo, as he doesn’t seem to learn or heed the warnings around him, but in the end you do start to sympathise with him a bit.
I think the best way to summarise the events in ‘Things fall apart’ is that whilst Okonowo’s problems are steered by his tribe’s beliefs and superstitions they are in essence problems that are relatable around the world.
I don’t really know how to summarise this book without giving a lot away so I’m going to rely on Amazon –
Okonowo is the greatest warrior alive. His fame has spread like a bushfire in West Africa and he is one of the most powerful men of his clan.
But he also has a fiery temper. Determined not to be like his father, he refuses to show weakness to anyone – even if the only way he can master his feelings is with his fists. When outsiders threaten the traditions of his clan, Okonowo takes violent action. Will the great man’s dangerous pride eventually destroy him?
Again a Classic that did actually engross me. At the risk of sounding like a complete heel I was expecting to be lectured to by this book. Usually with Historical literature books of such high acclaim we encounter a lot of hidden and profound messages about our place in the world and how we treat others and the story can feel a bit dry. Also, with the other Historical fiction based in other countries I’ve read, I’ve appreciated the story, but they have essentially been based around problems exclusive to that era and culture, so it’s not really something I can relate to.
So oddly enough this little book set within a Nigerian tribe in the 1890s was actually quite relatable. Ok so maybe not many people can relate to a situation where you and a group of other men lead your foster son to a dark forest and kill him, but we can relate to making hard choices in life and letting down the ones we love.
You know as soon as you meet Okonowo that things are not going to go well for him, he is a prideful man quick to anger. He mistreats his wives and has high expectations of his children, and his intentions whilst well-meaning for his family are also misguided. Okonowo lives in a very superstitious village, and you can see that, after Okonowo does something that a close friend warns him against, that things will start to go bad from there. Things do not end well for Okonowo, as he doesn’t seem to learn or heed the warnings around him, but in the end you do start to sympathise with him a bit.
I think the best way to summarise the events in ‘Things fall apart’ is that whilst Okonowo’s problems are steered by his tribe’s beliefs and superstitions they are in essence problems that are relatable around the world.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Halloween II (2009) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Michael Myers has returned, again! But this time it’s personal. Halloween II is the brainchild of Rob Zombie who directed the remake of the 1978 John Carpenter original.
However, in this, the first sequel of the rebooted slasher series, Zombie has been able to splash his creative wisdom all over the celluloid with somewhat successful results. Unfortunately, in some parts, the phrase somewhat successful seems even more appropriate.
By now, we all know that having Sheri Moon in a Rob Zombie film is a given, but her role here is perhaps slightly too implausible for even the most hardened fans to appreciate, playing what seems like a schizophrenic Michael’s dead mother. Unfortunately, the idea, whilst being excellent at the pre-production stages of the movie, is badly executed on screen and what we’re left with, is a mess of a storyline that doesn’t ever know which way it is going; supernatural thriller one-minute and slasher flick the next.
Regrettably, Zombie has made some horrific choices concerning Michael’s character. Of course we have to give him credit for taking on a Halloween sequel without any prior experience. The inexperience shows in Michael, who has been turned into a Jason Voorhees rip off; grunting as he kills and not using the typical kitchen knife as the primary weapon. Here, Zombie also decides to remove Michael’s iconic mask, which should in theory become an iconic cinema moment; unfortunately it does not and is forgotten in a mass of blood and gore.
Negativity aside, the story is pretty much the same as last time around, though Zombie has focused in on Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor Compton) and the way her character changes from the events of Halloween night. As with giving the characters a back-story in the 2007 Halloween, this storyline change really does work and gives the film something which isn’t usually necessary for the horror genre; depth.
The acting is surprisingly superb; Compton is much better this time around and really brings a whole new grungy side to her character and most of the other returning characters are given much more room to grown and develop, probably due to the film’s long running time. On the other hand, Malcolm McDowell’s portrayal of the iconic Sam Loomis has been shoddily remastered into a greedy, fame-obsessed man whose objectives are simply to make as much money as possible. This doesn’t suit the role and leaves the usually excellent McDowell wanting.
Overall, Halloween II is a decent stab at recreating the old franchise; Zombie has made it work on so many levels and it certainly moves the game on. Unfortunately, he has tried to pack too many elements into the film and the pay off for that is a messy looking cinema encounter. Enjoyable as a film, yes, but the jury is still out on whether this deserves a spot on the Halloween collector’s shelf.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2010/10/19/halloween-ii-2009/
However, in this, the first sequel of the rebooted slasher series, Zombie has been able to splash his creative wisdom all over the celluloid with somewhat successful results. Unfortunately, in some parts, the phrase somewhat successful seems even more appropriate.
By now, we all know that having Sheri Moon in a Rob Zombie film is a given, but her role here is perhaps slightly too implausible for even the most hardened fans to appreciate, playing what seems like a schizophrenic Michael’s dead mother. Unfortunately, the idea, whilst being excellent at the pre-production stages of the movie, is badly executed on screen and what we’re left with, is a mess of a storyline that doesn’t ever know which way it is going; supernatural thriller one-minute and slasher flick the next.
Regrettably, Zombie has made some horrific choices concerning Michael’s character. Of course we have to give him credit for taking on a Halloween sequel without any prior experience. The inexperience shows in Michael, who has been turned into a Jason Voorhees rip off; grunting as he kills and not using the typical kitchen knife as the primary weapon. Here, Zombie also decides to remove Michael’s iconic mask, which should in theory become an iconic cinema moment; unfortunately it does not and is forgotten in a mass of blood and gore.
Negativity aside, the story is pretty much the same as last time around, though Zombie has focused in on Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor Compton) and the way her character changes from the events of Halloween night. As with giving the characters a back-story in the 2007 Halloween, this storyline change really does work and gives the film something which isn’t usually necessary for the horror genre; depth.
The acting is surprisingly superb; Compton is much better this time around and really brings a whole new grungy side to her character and most of the other returning characters are given much more room to grown and develop, probably due to the film’s long running time. On the other hand, Malcolm McDowell’s portrayal of the iconic Sam Loomis has been shoddily remastered into a greedy, fame-obsessed man whose objectives are simply to make as much money as possible. This doesn’t suit the role and leaves the usually excellent McDowell wanting.
Overall, Halloween II is a decent stab at recreating the old franchise; Zombie has made it work on so many levels and it certainly moves the game on. Unfortunately, he has tried to pack too many elements into the film and the pay off for that is a messy looking cinema encounter. Enjoyable as a film, yes, but the jury is still out on whether this deserves a spot on the Halloween collector’s shelf.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2010/10/19/halloween-ii-2009/
Maddi Zoe (6 KP) rated The Disaster Artist (2017) in Movies
Feb 8, 2018
Comedic value (1 more)
Acting
Not such a disaster
The Franco brothers star side-by-side in their first major collaboration, in this comedic drama, The Disaster Artist, based on the making of the cult classic 'The Room'.
The film follows Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) as he writes, directs, produces and stars in his first movie alongside best friend Greg Sestero (Dave Franco). It is almost unbelievable as a true story, it just seems like another mad Franco/Rogen movie. But it isn't, this actually happened.
'The Room' was released in 2003, and became a cult classic because of how hilariously awful it was. The storyline, writing, and acting are all very bizarre, and very bad.
But The Disaster Artist is a great movie, with an array of amazing actors, bringing to life the making of the movie, with hilarity.
Before going into this movie, I knew about The Room and had seen several scenes. But all I knew was that it was about the making of the movie, starring James and Dave Franco and also Seth Rogen. But there are many more actors in this that I did not know about which made for a great surprise. Josh Hutcherson, one of my personal favourites, appears as Philip Haldiman who plays 'Denny' in 'The Room', and also Zac Efron, as Dan Janjigian who plays 'Chris-R'.
The actors play excellently all the things that went wrong on the set, such as Wiseau forgetting one line for two hours for a 30-second scene, and his insistence on the cameras catching some great shots of him during the sex scenes.
The casting was great, although they did as expected and almost the whole cast are friends of James, Dave or Rogen. It works though, and they all have brilliant chemistry. It will seem obvious that James and Dave work well together, as they are brothers, but in this movie they play best friends. I think the fact that they are brothers perhaps helped them out as it is a very rocky friendship, and they could perhaps remember times they have had spats about various things.
I can not say too much about the movie without giving away spoilers. But at end of the movie they play some of the scenes side by side; the scene from the movie, alongside the scene that this cast re-enacted. They are pretty accurate, but very funny.
Tommy Wiseau himself also makes a cameo. Make sure you stay until after the credits.
Overall, it is a brilliantly made movie, with both funny and endearing moments. Part of me hopes that on special features on their DVD you can watch the entirety of 'The Room' re-enacted by these actors. The film has already received many nominations for prestigious awards, and I am not surprised.
I would definitely recommend going to see this movie, but at least watch a YouTube summary of 'The Room' first.
The film follows Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) as he writes, directs, produces and stars in his first movie alongside best friend Greg Sestero (Dave Franco). It is almost unbelievable as a true story, it just seems like another mad Franco/Rogen movie. But it isn't, this actually happened.
'The Room' was released in 2003, and became a cult classic because of how hilariously awful it was. The storyline, writing, and acting are all very bizarre, and very bad.
But The Disaster Artist is a great movie, with an array of amazing actors, bringing to life the making of the movie, with hilarity.
Before going into this movie, I knew about The Room and had seen several scenes. But all I knew was that it was about the making of the movie, starring James and Dave Franco and also Seth Rogen. But there are many more actors in this that I did not know about which made for a great surprise. Josh Hutcherson, one of my personal favourites, appears as Philip Haldiman who plays 'Denny' in 'The Room', and also Zac Efron, as Dan Janjigian who plays 'Chris-R'.
The actors play excellently all the things that went wrong on the set, such as Wiseau forgetting one line for two hours for a 30-second scene, and his insistence on the cameras catching some great shots of him during the sex scenes.
The casting was great, although they did as expected and almost the whole cast are friends of James, Dave or Rogen. It works though, and they all have brilliant chemistry. It will seem obvious that James and Dave work well together, as they are brothers, but in this movie they play best friends. I think the fact that they are brothers perhaps helped them out as it is a very rocky friendship, and they could perhaps remember times they have had spats about various things.
I can not say too much about the movie without giving away spoilers. But at end of the movie they play some of the scenes side by side; the scene from the movie, alongside the scene that this cast re-enacted. They are pretty accurate, but very funny.
Tommy Wiseau himself also makes a cameo. Make sure you stay until after the credits.
Overall, it is a brilliantly made movie, with both funny and endearing moments. Part of me hopes that on special features on their DVD you can watch the entirety of 'The Room' re-enacted by these actors. The film has already received many nominations for prestigious awards, and I am not surprised.
I would definitely recommend going to see this movie, but at least watch a YouTube summary of 'The Room' first.