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The Everybody Writes: Your Go-to Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content
Ann Handley and Vahe Habeshian
Book
Finally a go-to guide to creating and publishing the kind of content that will make your business...
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Little Joe (2019) in Movies
Jun 15, 2020
Everyone knows a working Joe
Little Joe is a look into happiness and the lengths we will go to to achieve it while also delving deeply into the manipulation, the deprivation of freedom, greed and selfishness that can surround and alter that path too. After having a very limited cinema release in th Uk i decided to pre-order this on itunes. Today sees its release and after giving it a watch I can say I really did enjoy this movie despite a lot of other reviews saying its unwatchable due to its high pitched soundtrack. Little Joe most of the time is a very cold and clinically sterile looking film thats contrasted subtlety with bold pastle shades of colour in sets that almost have an art deco feel to them. This helps the film look constantly striking/beautiful but also adds a sense of unnatural uneasiness too it too. Combine this with a soundtrack made up of scratches, plucks, plinks and plonks woven together into a score that has an almost oriental sound to it which gives the film a constant chilling vibe and an unnerving/erie atmosphere. Its invokes intense stress on the senses thats for sure and it kept me feeling uncomfortable/stressed the entire movie and also leaving me ears ringing long after the film had had ended too. I wouldnt say its unbearable however and it definitely fits the film/adds to the atmosphere. Performances are great too feeling again very cold and focused with Ben Whishaw being the standout here as always playing a charcter so professional and confident when it comes to work yet so socially awkward when it comes to his relationships with other people. Theres running theme of happiness here thats for sure and the heights/lengths we as people will go to to just to achieve it. Primarily as a film it seems focused on questioning if drugs for conditions such as depression or dementia that are taken to make people feel happier/more 'normal' are worth the cost of losing personalities, emotions and in a sense freedom because like they say in the film "who cares if people are zombies as long as they are happy". Theres also a look at parents subduing childs behaviours for a quieter life which in a sence takes away all the traits youth and the joys of being a child bring, or partners that cant deal with thier other half being sad or having arguments all the time so they presure them onto drugs in a selfish/controlling way because to then its far easier and less time consuming than actually learning/undertsanding and putting in the effort in to helping them. Then theres how society mocks, neglects and fails to understand certain illnesses and also how companies profit from them making drugs with increasingly worse side effects but it doesnt phase them as long as they are meeting targets/company goals. Little Joe definitely contains a lot of very thought provoking stuff its just sadly all a bit messy when mixed in with all the films dark comedy and scifi horror elements and it does quite often lose its way or fall short on conclusions. That being said i found this film to be well worth the watch just be sure you know before you go in that its very slow, stressful and depressing with an intense score and a conclusion thats ultimately unrewarding but overall its great little look into the effects of drugs that are meant to help with making us all feel 'normal' and 'happy' in life.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Saving Ruby King in Books
Jun 18, 2020
Ruby King is twenty-four-years-old when her mother, Alice, is found murdered in the home she shared with Ruby and Ruby's father, Lebanon. The police show little interest in--to them--another death in the King's black neighborhood, but Alice's death unhinges Ruby and leaves her alone with her violent, abusive father. Her only confidante is her best friend, Layla, who knows how long Alice and Ruby have suffered under Lebanon's wrath. But Layla is angry that Ruby won't do more to get away from Lebanon and she's even angrier at her father, a pastor, who has been close to Lebanon all these years, and yet never did anything to free Alice or Ruby from his abuse. Layla is determined to save Ruby, but as she works to rescue her friend, she starts to uncover a world of secrets and lies flowing back generations.
"I'm stitched together by the lies I tell myself and the lies people want to believe about me." ~Alice
I found this excellent and timely book to be incredibly well-written, with a power and tenderness to it that goes far behind your typical debut novel (I had to double check that this was actually West's first novel, I was so impressed).
West tells her story from a variety of points of view--Ruby; her late mother, Alice; her father, Lebanon; her best friend, Layla; Layla's father, a pastor; and more. We even hear from a central figure in all of these characters' lives--their church, via its omnipresent voice. The plot spans generations, with West giving a nuanced look at each of her complex characters. She does an amazing job of showing the power of family, for both good and bad. How choices can affect generations: one person's bad decisions can pass poison on, with children reliving dysfunction and sins.
"How can there be a me without her?" ~Ruby
No one is simply good or bad here, though Lebanon is not an easy-to-like man. Abused and neglected by his own parent, Sara, we see how Sara's neglect has turned Lebanon hard. But West is such a good writer that Lebanon is not a one-dimensional bad guy, as much as you want to hate him. I was incredibly impressed at how she could create sympathy for so many of her players, even when they did despicable things.
"Without Sara, who do I blame for...being me? Are children supposed to forgive their parents for the horrible things they've done?" ~Lebanon
This novel does an impressive job at delving into racism, domestic abuse, and sexual assault and trauma. The city of Chicago appears as its own character, springing to life via West's lovely prose. She expertly shows the difficulties black people face on the south side (and in general). I read this book during George Floyd's murder and found myself highlighting passages about police brutality that just hit me right in the gut. It's very powerful.
West's book features a variety of characters--they can be hard to keep track of at first, and I was glad to have the family tree in the beginning of the book. A few times the plot felt repetitious and the middle dragged a bit, but it picked up in the second half. There's a surprising amount of twists and turns. Overall, this is a realistic look at racism and domestic violence, but also friendship. It's quite well-written and layered with a twinge of hope throughout. I can't wait to see what West writes next. 4+ stars.
"I'm stitched together by the lies I tell myself and the lies people want to believe about me." ~Alice
I found this excellent and timely book to be incredibly well-written, with a power and tenderness to it that goes far behind your typical debut novel (I had to double check that this was actually West's first novel, I was so impressed).
West tells her story from a variety of points of view--Ruby; her late mother, Alice; her father, Lebanon; her best friend, Layla; Layla's father, a pastor; and more. We even hear from a central figure in all of these characters' lives--their church, via its omnipresent voice. The plot spans generations, with West giving a nuanced look at each of her complex characters. She does an amazing job of showing the power of family, for both good and bad. How choices can affect generations: one person's bad decisions can pass poison on, with children reliving dysfunction and sins.
"How can there be a me without her?" ~Ruby
No one is simply good or bad here, though Lebanon is not an easy-to-like man. Abused and neglected by his own parent, Sara, we see how Sara's neglect has turned Lebanon hard. But West is such a good writer that Lebanon is not a one-dimensional bad guy, as much as you want to hate him. I was incredibly impressed at how she could create sympathy for so many of her players, even when they did despicable things.
"Without Sara, who do I blame for...being me? Are children supposed to forgive their parents for the horrible things they've done?" ~Lebanon
This novel does an impressive job at delving into racism, domestic abuse, and sexual assault and trauma. The city of Chicago appears as its own character, springing to life via West's lovely prose. She expertly shows the difficulties black people face on the south side (and in general). I read this book during George Floyd's murder and found myself highlighting passages about police brutality that just hit me right in the gut. It's very powerful.
West's book features a variety of characters--they can be hard to keep track of at first, and I was glad to have the family tree in the beginning of the book. A few times the plot felt repetitious and the middle dragged a bit, but it picked up in the second half. There's a surprising amount of twists and turns. Overall, this is a realistic look at racism and domestic violence, but also friendship. It's quite well-written and layered with a twinge of hope throughout. I can't wait to see what West writes next. 4+ stars.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Companion in Books
Jan 8, 2021
I've been a fan of Katie Alender's since I first read her book Bad Girls Don't Die. I haven't read a bad book from her yet, and reading Alender's latest book, The Companion, was no different. I enjoyed reading it.
After losing her parents and two younger sisters in a car accident, Margot is sent to the state institution as she has no other family. There, she has vivid nightmares that leave her screaming at night. The other orphans at the institution call her lucky although Margot isn't sure she'd consider herself lucky. When she is chosen by a rich family to come live with them at their large and gorgeous home, Margot's luck may be changing. However, it doesn't seem like it's for the better. Strange things are happening at Margot's new home. Plus, she's meant to play companion for the sick and mute Agatha. On the plus side, her nightmares have seemed to stop but at what price?
The plot of The Companion was a very strong one and had quite the creepy vibe to it which I thoroughly enjoyed. Everything about about the plot was solid and flowed smoothly. The pacing was superb, and I found myself dying to know what would happen next. In fact, I felt like I was actually part of the narrative the whole time. There are a few plot twists although I felt that most were easy to figure out long before they were revealed. While the majority of The Companion was a great read, the last 100 or so pages let this book down. Margot, the protagonist of the story, seems to lose her brain and common sense towards the ending of the novel. She does some really dumb things that put her life in danger. I had a hard time believing that anyone could be that dumb. Other than that, the rest of the story is really great! Loose ends are tied up by the end of the book. However, I would have liked to know how the flowers grew so quickly by a certain grave, but that's probably just a me thing.
All of the characters in The Companion were fleshed out enough to feel realistic. The only exception was Margot towards the end of the book as stated earlier. She started out so strong and smart, it was kind of a shock to see her dumbed down towards the ending. I had really enjoyed her character and her hunger to find out what was really going on when it came to Agatha as well as what happened to Lily. Agatha was definitely my favorite character. I loved how helpful and strong she tried to be despite what was going on with her. I liked Barrett, but I just wish he would have fought a bit harder to try to help Margot instead of just giving in all the time to his mom. Laura was definitely an interesting character for sure. I enjoyed trying to figure out her story alongside Margot. I felt that Laura was the best written character in The Companion.
Trigger warnings for The Companion include minor violence, death, murder, attempted murder, some heavy kissing, drugging, and gaslighting.
Although the last hundred pages do take away from the book a little, The Companion is still a worthwhile read. It does have an interesting plot and characters and will have you hooked from the very first page. I would recommend The Companion by Katie Alender to those aged 13+ who love a suspenseful story.
After losing her parents and two younger sisters in a car accident, Margot is sent to the state institution as she has no other family. There, she has vivid nightmares that leave her screaming at night. The other orphans at the institution call her lucky although Margot isn't sure she'd consider herself lucky. When she is chosen by a rich family to come live with them at their large and gorgeous home, Margot's luck may be changing. However, it doesn't seem like it's for the better. Strange things are happening at Margot's new home. Plus, she's meant to play companion for the sick and mute Agatha. On the plus side, her nightmares have seemed to stop but at what price?
The plot of The Companion was a very strong one and had quite the creepy vibe to it which I thoroughly enjoyed. Everything about about the plot was solid and flowed smoothly. The pacing was superb, and I found myself dying to know what would happen next. In fact, I felt like I was actually part of the narrative the whole time. There are a few plot twists although I felt that most were easy to figure out long before they were revealed. While the majority of The Companion was a great read, the last 100 or so pages let this book down. Margot, the protagonist of the story, seems to lose her brain and common sense towards the ending of the novel. She does some really dumb things that put her life in danger. I had a hard time believing that anyone could be that dumb. Other than that, the rest of the story is really great! Loose ends are tied up by the end of the book. However, I would have liked to know how the flowers grew so quickly by a certain grave, but that's probably just a me thing.
All of the characters in The Companion were fleshed out enough to feel realistic. The only exception was Margot towards the end of the book as stated earlier. She started out so strong and smart, it was kind of a shock to see her dumbed down towards the ending. I had really enjoyed her character and her hunger to find out what was really going on when it came to Agatha as well as what happened to Lily. Agatha was definitely my favorite character. I loved how helpful and strong she tried to be despite what was going on with her. I liked Barrett, but I just wish he would have fought a bit harder to try to help Margot instead of just giving in all the time to his mom. Laura was definitely an interesting character for sure. I enjoyed trying to figure out her story alongside Margot. I felt that Laura was the best written character in The Companion.
Trigger warnings for The Companion include minor violence, death, murder, attempted murder, some heavy kissing, drugging, and gaslighting.
Although the last hundred pages do take away from the book a little, The Companion is still a worthwhile read. It does have an interesting plot and characters and will have you hooked from the very first page. I would recommend The Companion by Katie Alender to those aged 13+ who love a suspenseful story.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Cruella (2021) in Movies
Jun 2, 2021 (Updated Jun 3, 2021)
The Acting- great performances by both Emma Stone and Emma Thompson (2 more)
The costume designs and wardrobe were amazing to see
The soundtrack was phenomenal - great music
Original cartoon Cruella vs this Cruella (1 more)
The pacing was sparratic and movie ran a little too long
Part Devil Wears Prada, Part The Joker, Surprisingly Splendid
https://youtu.be/Ja_Cl-9IKNI
I have to say this movie really wasn't on the top of my list for "must watch" movies as much as I like Disney movies and Emma Stone as an actress (loved her in Superbad as Jules, lol) but I really liked this movie and it was really good. Emma Stone was fantastic as Estella/Cruella and this movie really came off as a mix of Devil Wears Prada and The Joker in my opinion. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it in the beginning because I was weary of the concept of them trying to turn this villain into a good guy or giving them a compelling reason for their "villainy" ways but I'm a sucker for revenge movies. I have to say it had me right away with what happens to her mother and It was "hook, line and sinker" for me and I was along for the ride. I like how the movie kept the characters of Jasper and Horace which if I remember correctly were the name of her two helpers the skinny and fat one from the cartoons who helped her steal all those puppies so that was pretty cool as well. I really can't say how much I loved the soundtrack for this movie, it was just hit after hit, song after song the whole way through the film. Lots of great oldie music from around the times that they movie was supposed to be set in which was 1970's. There were some issues that I had with the movie like how it portrays Cruella when she's so horrible in the cartoons, how the plot turns into a whole heist situation, and how it takes until the end of the movie to answer a lot of the questions that were building up the whole movie. The movie did have good things too, such as the acting being great, especially the performances by Emma Stone and Emma Thompson, the setting and time period fitting the story in 1970's London and the clothes and the fashion, not to mention the soundtrack that knocked it out of the park. I give this movie a 7/10, unfortunately it doesn't get my "must see" seal of approval and I wouldn't suggest shelling out $30 on top of your Disney Plus subscription to see this movie by yourself. However, if you plan on watching as a family it is definitely worth it to watch it in the comfort of your own home and not worry about movie theater etiquette or prices especially if you have young ones. If your not in a rush to watch it, I would wait until it becomes free to watch on Disney Plus which has been announced as Friday August 27th, so around 3 months. If you want to hear more of what I thought about the movie stick around for the spoiler section review.
-------------------------------------------------------
Spoiler Section Review:
https://youtu.be/PvPC_yAMwFQ
I guess my spoiler section review ran a little long so if your interested in what else I had to say check out the full review on my website or check out my spoiler section video on YouTube.
I have to say this movie really wasn't on the top of my list for "must watch" movies as much as I like Disney movies and Emma Stone as an actress (loved her in Superbad as Jules, lol) but I really liked this movie and it was really good. Emma Stone was fantastic as Estella/Cruella and this movie really came off as a mix of Devil Wears Prada and The Joker in my opinion. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it in the beginning because I was weary of the concept of them trying to turn this villain into a good guy or giving them a compelling reason for their "villainy" ways but I'm a sucker for revenge movies. I have to say it had me right away with what happens to her mother and It was "hook, line and sinker" for me and I was along for the ride. I like how the movie kept the characters of Jasper and Horace which if I remember correctly were the name of her two helpers the skinny and fat one from the cartoons who helped her steal all those puppies so that was pretty cool as well. I really can't say how much I loved the soundtrack for this movie, it was just hit after hit, song after song the whole way through the film. Lots of great oldie music from around the times that they movie was supposed to be set in which was 1970's. There were some issues that I had with the movie like how it portrays Cruella when she's so horrible in the cartoons, how the plot turns into a whole heist situation, and how it takes until the end of the movie to answer a lot of the questions that were building up the whole movie. The movie did have good things too, such as the acting being great, especially the performances by Emma Stone and Emma Thompson, the setting and time period fitting the story in 1970's London and the clothes and the fashion, not to mention the soundtrack that knocked it out of the park. I give this movie a 7/10, unfortunately it doesn't get my "must see" seal of approval and I wouldn't suggest shelling out $30 on top of your Disney Plus subscription to see this movie by yourself. However, if you plan on watching as a family it is definitely worth it to watch it in the comfort of your own home and not worry about movie theater etiquette or prices especially if you have young ones. If your not in a rush to watch it, I would wait until it becomes free to watch on Disney Plus which has been announced as Friday August 27th, so around 3 months. If you want to hear more of what I thought about the movie stick around for the spoiler section review.
-------------------------------------------------------
Spoiler Section Review:
https://youtu.be/PvPC_yAMwFQ
I guess my spoiler section review ran a little long so if your interested in what else I had to say check out the full review on my website or check out my spoiler section video on YouTube.
Debbiereadsbook (1454 KP) rated Rattlesnake Road in Books
May 7, 2021
I loved the slow burn between Declan and Grey!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I don't know about you, but when I read a blurb, my mind goes off on one, and I get an idea in my head how this particular book is gonna go. Mostly, it runs along the lines of the book, but sometimes, it doesn't. Sometimes, my mind is so far off base, that the book surprieses you, and you can't say why!
This book, right here!
I have no idea where my mind when I read the blurb, I have long since given up questioning my book mind, cos it's far too much like hard work, but where it wasn't, I know, was NOT here!
Such a very different read for me than of late, and I thoroughyl enjoyed it, bar one thing, and I'll come back to that, but Lord, I really enjoyed this book.
Grey is suffering, and that suffering comes across clearly, and darkly. She drinks to blot it all out, until she takes a step too far and loses it all. Making good on a age old promise is the only way she get find herself again. But buying a house unseen comes with pitfalls, and that house being on prime real estate comes with a greedy man who wants her house. And the house has secrets, that take time to come out. The cabin in the middle of nowhere does come with a very nice side affect though: a cowboy, right next door.
I loved Grey. She is flawed, she knows that, but that final push makes her see she needs to get out, and get better. The cabin is close to her cousin and they made a promise years agao, that if Grey ever left New York, she would come here. Declan, the neighbour, is a balm to her soul, he really is. And the fact that he waits til her divorce is final, is very telling about his nature. That he thumps the developer for what he does to Grey is also telling.
Said developer, Lucas, was the one who surprised me. His past, what he did, what he got away with, and how it all came to light. While I didn't like what he does to Grey, he is an interesting character. And his part in the story is essential, I think.
I loved the slow burn between Declan and Grey, I really did. Chemistry is hot and bright, but the physical stuff takes time, and I loved being made to wait.
The only thing, the ONLY thing that stops me from giving it the full 5 stars is only Grey has a say. Declan, and maybe even Lucas, would have made this a full 5 star read. I am greedy, I know but I would have loved to get into both Declan and Lucas' mind, I really would. What Declan was thinking when he first meets Grey, when he tells her of his past. And Lucas, too, when he finds out what Grey has found!
Some difficult topics talked about here, all very well handled.
A very VERY enjoyable read!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I don't know about you, but when I read a blurb, my mind goes off on one, and I get an idea in my head how this particular book is gonna go. Mostly, it runs along the lines of the book, but sometimes, it doesn't. Sometimes, my mind is so far off base, that the book surprieses you, and you can't say why!
This book, right here!
I have no idea where my mind when I read the blurb, I have long since given up questioning my book mind, cos it's far too much like hard work, but where it wasn't, I know, was NOT here!
Such a very different read for me than of late, and I thoroughyl enjoyed it, bar one thing, and I'll come back to that, but Lord, I really enjoyed this book.
Grey is suffering, and that suffering comes across clearly, and darkly. She drinks to blot it all out, until she takes a step too far and loses it all. Making good on a age old promise is the only way she get find herself again. But buying a house unseen comes with pitfalls, and that house being on prime real estate comes with a greedy man who wants her house. And the house has secrets, that take time to come out. The cabin in the middle of nowhere does come with a very nice side affect though: a cowboy, right next door.
I loved Grey. She is flawed, she knows that, but that final push makes her see she needs to get out, and get better. The cabin is close to her cousin and they made a promise years agao, that if Grey ever left New York, she would come here. Declan, the neighbour, is a balm to her soul, he really is. And the fact that he waits til her divorce is final, is very telling about his nature. That he thumps the developer for what he does to Grey is also telling.
Said developer, Lucas, was the one who surprised me. His past, what he did, what he got away with, and how it all came to light. While I didn't like what he does to Grey, he is an interesting character. And his part in the story is essential, I think.
I loved the slow burn between Declan and Grey, I really did. Chemistry is hot and bright, but the physical stuff takes time, and I loved being made to wait.
The only thing, the ONLY thing that stops me from giving it the full 5 stars is only Grey has a say. Declan, and maybe even Lucas, would have made this a full 5 star read. I am greedy, I know but I would have loved to get into both Declan and Lucas' mind, I really would. What Declan was thinking when he first meets Grey, when he tells her of his past. And Lucas, too, when he finds out what Grey has found!
Some difficult topics talked about here, all very well handled.
A very VERY enjoyable read!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Wow, this read was an absolute emotional rollercoaster, sometimes shattering my heart into million pieces and making me angry for all the injustice author had to suffer, and sometimes making me feel so proud for all the achievements Christine was able to conquer.
This book is a memoir of Christine Clayfield, where she is sharing her life story. The story begins when she was five years old, and it continues throughout her life, including rebellious teenage years, until the present, when she is 58 years old. All the past memories were triggered when suddenly she gets a call, that her mother is very ill and she has to return to Belgium, where she faces the ghosts from her past. Her youth years are very brutal and the amount of violence and abuse she had to face from her father is absolutely unbelievable. To top her already sad life, she married a violent man, who made her life even more miserable. I tend to question people’s choices in these type of books. Why they didn’t look for help? Why they didn’t complain to other family members? Why they stayed silent? And in many books I do find the answers which sound illogical, but not in this book. Christine explains everything very clearly, and for me, her thoughts and feelings fully explain every choice she had to make. I’m absolutely touched by how honest this book is. Christine poured her heart out and is sharing the deepest and darkest events with the readers, and I applaud her bravery because, I believe, it should have been a really difficult book to write.
The events in this book were jumping between present and past, giving a little insight of what will come. The author shared a beautiful story of how she met her present husband and the letters they shared while apart. They were absolutely adorable. The amount of topics discussed in this book is huge, such as child abuse, bullying, mentally caused illnesses, family problems, relationships with friends, alcoholism, loose sexual behaviour, domestic violence, business ideas, distance relationship, effects of divorce, and many many more. The author is openly speaking about nuns and their cruelty, and I thought nuns supposed to be kind and helpful, but they looked like tyrants rather than saints. (I kind of knew it, but still, was stupidly surprised about this fact 😀 )
The writing style is very pleasant and the language is easy and understandable. The chapters are a decent length and it doesn’t leave you bored. I would like to throw in a disclaimer, this book is not very easy mentally, there is a lot of cruelty and violence and does have a lot of heartbreaking moments, so tissues and strong nerves are recommended. 🙂 I loved the way Christine rounded up her novel, it left me really satisfied. So, to conclude, this work is incredibly inspiring and I do believe it should be widely spread to share the awareness of how you can do anything you put your mind to. That “can do” attitude, clear goals and a lot of hard work will make you successful, no matter what you endured in life. It is all in you, you just need to find it. Please do support this book, there is a lot of things to learn from Christine because she is freaking amazing and her story is absolutely inspiring. Enjoy 🙂
This book is a memoir of Christine Clayfield, where she is sharing her life story. The story begins when she was five years old, and it continues throughout her life, including rebellious teenage years, until the present, when she is 58 years old. All the past memories were triggered when suddenly she gets a call, that her mother is very ill and she has to return to Belgium, where she faces the ghosts from her past. Her youth years are very brutal and the amount of violence and abuse she had to face from her father is absolutely unbelievable. To top her already sad life, she married a violent man, who made her life even more miserable. I tend to question people’s choices in these type of books. Why they didn’t look for help? Why they didn’t complain to other family members? Why they stayed silent? And in many books I do find the answers which sound illogical, but not in this book. Christine explains everything very clearly, and for me, her thoughts and feelings fully explain every choice she had to make. I’m absolutely touched by how honest this book is. Christine poured her heart out and is sharing the deepest and darkest events with the readers, and I applaud her bravery because, I believe, it should have been a really difficult book to write.
The events in this book were jumping between present and past, giving a little insight of what will come. The author shared a beautiful story of how she met her present husband and the letters they shared while apart. They were absolutely adorable. The amount of topics discussed in this book is huge, such as child abuse, bullying, mentally caused illnesses, family problems, relationships with friends, alcoholism, loose sexual behaviour, domestic violence, business ideas, distance relationship, effects of divorce, and many many more. The author is openly speaking about nuns and their cruelty, and I thought nuns supposed to be kind and helpful, but they looked like tyrants rather than saints. (I kind of knew it, but still, was stupidly surprised about this fact 😀 )
The writing style is very pleasant and the language is easy and understandable. The chapters are a decent length and it doesn’t leave you bored. I would like to throw in a disclaimer, this book is not very easy mentally, there is a lot of cruelty and violence and does have a lot of heartbreaking moments, so tissues and strong nerves are recommended. 🙂 I loved the way Christine rounded up her novel, it left me really satisfied. So, to conclude, this work is incredibly inspiring and I do believe it should be widely spread to share the awareness of how you can do anything you put your mind to. That “can do” attitude, clear goals and a lot of hard work will make you successful, no matter what you endured in life. It is all in you, you just need to find it. Please do support this book, there is a lot of things to learn from Christine because she is freaking amazing and her story is absolutely inspiring. Enjoy 🙂
Darren (1599 KP) rated You're Not You (2014) in Movies
Jun 25, 2019
Story: You’re Not You starts on Kate’s (Swank) 35th birthday, a classic pianist that notice something isn’t right with her body, 18 months later Kate is in need of care, even with her husband Evan (Duhamel) needing to work, while finding a new carer to help with ALS care.
That new carer is college student Bec (Rossum) who parties every night and doesn’t come with an off switch. Bec is the only person Kate want to care for her as she is the only one that treats her like a person not a patient and after Kate learns Evan has been having an affair, it leaves Kate and Bec together to handle the caring and living the remaining time with the disease.
Thoughts on You’re Not You
Characters – Kate was a successful pianist, happily married and wonderful party host, she soon starts to get the first symptoms of ALS which comes on strong, she now needs constant caring, but is tired of the nurses that treat her like a patient, she chooses Bec who offers her friendship, while also offering Bec life advice in a time where she could be going with no direction. Bec is a directionless brash college student who gets given a chance to care of Kate, she becomes the biggest challenge of her life, teaching her responsibility and helping guide her in the right direction. Evan is the husband of Kate, he has tried to care for her the best he can, but can’t give up his job which has put a distance between the two, causing him to have had an affair.
Performances – Hilary Swank has two Oscars to her name, this performance here shows the talent she has once again, she is fantastic as the victim of the ALS disease. Emmy Rossum has made a name for herself on television, but here you feel she should have broken out because her performance is great to. Josh Duhamel is good as the character we want to hate through the film.
Story – The story throws the spotlight on ALS, we follow one person suffering from the disease who knows the sacrifices people will have to make to care for her, we see how people who are sick do want to be treated like people rather than just patients and giving them, this treatment will make their remaining time worthwhile. We do have a story about how the older (but not old) woman helps give the lost student a direction for her life. This is a story about the battle against a disease which is taking people everyday, how the people around them need there for them to make the remain time in their lives positive.
Settings – The settings in this film show the different lives both Kate and Bec have come from, how they are joined together in the same battle to support each other. I feel the settings help us understand the disease making made by the characters in the film.
Scene of the Movie – Enjoying a drink or two together.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The only thing I feel we would have liked more of would be the medical side of what could have been done to try and help as we have plenty of talks about experimental treatments.
Final Thoughts – This is a very good drama, we get to see how one person’s suffering could impact many people and how helpless they will feel while fighting it.
Overall: Powerful, heart-breaking and inspiring.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/21/youre-not-you-2014/
That new carer is college student Bec (Rossum) who parties every night and doesn’t come with an off switch. Bec is the only person Kate want to care for her as she is the only one that treats her like a person not a patient and after Kate learns Evan has been having an affair, it leaves Kate and Bec together to handle the caring and living the remaining time with the disease.
Thoughts on You’re Not You
Characters – Kate was a successful pianist, happily married and wonderful party host, she soon starts to get the first symptoms of ALS which comes on strong, she now needs constant caring, but is tired of the nurses that treat her like a patient, she chooses Bec who offers her friendship, while also offering Bec life advice in a time where she could be going with no direction. Bec is a directionless brash college student who gets given a chance to care of Kate, she becomes the biggest challenge of her life, teaching her responsibility and helping guide her in the right direction. Evan is the husband of Kate, he has tried to care for her the best he can, but can’t give up his job which has put a distance between the two, causing him to have had an affair.
Performances – Hilary Swank has two Oscars to her name, this performance here shows the talent she has once again, she is fantastic as the victim of the ALS disease. Emmy Rossum has made a name for herself on television, but here you feel she should have broken out because her performance is great to. Josh Duhamel is good as the character we want to hate through the film.
Story – The story throws the spotlight on ALS, we follow one person suffering from the disease who knows the sacrifices people will have to make to care for her, we see how people who are sick do want to be treated like people rather than just patients and giving them, this treatment will make their remaining time worthwhile. We do have a story about how the older (but not old) woman helps give the lost student a direction for her life. This is a story about the battle against a disease which is taking people everyday, how the people around them need there for them to make the remain time in their lives positive.
Settings – The settings in this film show the different lives both Kate and Bec have come from, how they are joined together in the same battle to support each other. I feel the settings help us understand the disease making made by the characters in the film.
Scene of the Movie – Enjoying a drink or two together.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The only thing I feel we would have liked more of would be the medical side of what could have been done to try and help as we have plenty of talks about experimental treatments.
Final Thoughts – This is a very good drama, we get to see how one person’s suffering could impact many people and how helpless they will feel while fighting it.
Overall: Powerful, heart-breaking and inspiring.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/21/youre-not-you-2014/
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Green Book (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
It's always nice getting advanced screenings, but two months in advance has to be some sort of record. By the fact that the entire audience went "what?!" when the title card came up it was a very well kept secret screening.
I'm so pleased that this played to a packed screen. We lost maybe a dozen people within the first five minutes, which I think just goes to show how much of an unknown it was because normally people will leave immediately. I had seen it on the app, but not read the synopsis or seen a trailer so it was brilliant to be able to go into the film without any prejudgment.
Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen make a wonderful duo. They bounce of each other really well throughout the whole film.
One of the things I was dying to know was who was playing the piano. I'm reliably informed by IMDb's trivia that Kris Bowers who is the film's composer is Ali's piano double. I have no idea how they do that considering that a fair amount of the shots show Ali playing. It was certainly well done.
The film shows yet another important story in a well thought out and sensitive way. Hidden Figures, Marshall and now Green Book. We're seeing sides of history that we hardly knew of before. The Green Book was a complete shock of a discovery to me and this certainly made me want to research more on the topic.
Ultimately this story is about friendship and acceptance in the face of adversity. It's good to see the circle of change in Tony, and the ending paints the hopeful picture of what would unfold in the future.
I feel a little bit harsh only giving this four and a half stars. While Mortensen and Cardellini were spot on, Ali left me a little disappointed. I have loved him ever since The 4400 and it's been great seeing him in so many shows and films since then. This role obviously has some very powerful moments, and while he delivered them with grace I couldn't help noticing that something was missing. There was one point where he delivers a poignant speech to Tony and I realised that is was lacking the emotional kicker. It felt detached. Whether it was script, acting or just the natural way of the character I'm not sure, it had the potential to bring me to tears and yet... dry eyes.
That is honestly the only glitch in this wonderful film. I got home and I couldn't sleep because I was still buzzing from the screening. (I'm paying for that now.) I read the comments on Twitter and I was really struck by how many people loved it. This deserves to win awards on a lot of counts, I just hope that it gets the recognition it deserves.
When I got my Unlimited card I wasn't convinced that I'd go and see a lot of films (yes I know, what a joke!), and certainly without the card I would never have seen this. At home I never used to pick films that I'd have to "think about". Unlimited has changed the way I watch movies and given me the opportunity to see incredible productions like this. That to me is well worth the money.
What you should do
You should absolutely see this. Not quite a child friendly as Hidden Figures was but it offers another great insight into the past.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Just a fraction of that musical talent would be incredible.
I'm so pleased that this played to a packed screen. We lost maybe a dozen people within the first five minutes, which I think just goes to show how much of an unknown it was because normally people will leave immediately. I had seen it on the app, but not read the synopsis or seen a trailer so it was brilliant to be able to go into the film without any prejudgment.
Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen make a wonderful duo. They bounce of each other really well throughout the whole film.
One of the things I was dying to know was who was playing the piano. I'm reliably informed by IMDb's trivia that Kris Bowers who is the film's composer is Ali's piano double. I have no idea how they do that considering that a fair amount of the shots show Ali playing. It was certainly well done.
The film shows yet another important story in a well thought out and sensitive way. Hidden Figures, Marshall and now Green Book. We're seeing sides of history that we hardly knew of before. The Green Book was a complete shock of a discovery to me and this certainly made me want to research more on the topic.
Ultimately this story is about friendship and acceptance in the face of adversity. It's good to see the circle of change in Tony, and the ending paints the hopeful picture of what would unfold in the future.
I feel a little bit harsh only giving this four and a half stars. While Mortensen and Cardellini were spot on, Ali left me a little disappointed. I have loved him ever since The 4400 and it's been great seeing him in so many shows and films since then. This role obviously has some very powerful moments, and while he delivered them with grace I couldn't help noticing that something was missing. There was one point where he delivers a poignant speech to Tony and I realised that is was lacking the emotional kicker. It felt detached. Whether it was script, acting or just the natural way of the character I'm not sure, it had the potential to bring me to tears and yet... dry eyes.
That is honestly the only glitch in this wonderful film. I got home and I couldn't sleep because I was still buzzing from the screening. (I'm paying for that now.) I read the comments on Twitter and I was really struck by how many people loved it. This deserves to win awards on a lot of counts, I just hope that it gets the recognition it deserves.
When I got my Unlimited card I wasn't convinced that I'd go and see a lot of films (yes I know, what a joke!), and certainly without the card I would never have seen this. At home I never used to pick films that I'd have to "think about". Unlimited has changed the way I watch movies and given me the opportunity to see incredible productions like this. That to me is well worth the money.
What you should do
You should absolutely see this. Not quite a child friendly as Hidden Figures was but it offers another great insight into the past.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Just a fraction of that musical talent would be incredible.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Scar (2007) in Movies
Sep 26, 2019
Characters – Joan is a character we meet at two different ages and flashback between through the film, the teenage version of her gets tortured by the serial killer leaving her with the scar on her face. The adult one heads back to her hometown for the first time since to see her niece graduate. When the killings start again she becomes the prime suspect though she believes she killed the killer all those years ago. She must learn who the killer is before her niece goes through the same ordeal she does. Olympia is the niece that is living the normal teenage life graduating only to become the latest target by the killer who has already taken her friends. Bishop is the serial killer that targeted Joan and her friend all those years ago, forcing the through a torturous ordeal, has he return? He enjoys making the victims suffer as he cuts them. We do get to meet other characters who mostly become victims of the killer, each one interacts in their own way.
Performances – Angela Bettis is strong in the leading role of this film, she often took chances on horror and this is one where she can lead the film and deal with the horrors involved. Kirby Bliss Blanton is solid in her role though she doesn’t get as much to do other than be generic teenager. Ben Cotton does make for a good villain that showed just how twisted his character it. The supporting cast are all solid enough without being challenged to do anything to make them standout.
Story – The story follows a victim returning home for the first time only to face a serial killer she believed she had killed to protect her niece. The story does a good job balance the two timelines as we see how Joan is reacting to the ordeal from her first encounter to the new encounter, playing along the lines that she might not be as clean as she thought she was. We also get to deal with how people can become interested in killings over the stories about the killer over the victim. The strangest twist in the film is the fact that another bigger film seemed to use the exact same twist and motives behind the killings, I won’t mention the film because it will ruin the end of the film.
Crime/Horror – The crime side of the film follows the action of the serial killer which plays into the horror because of the torturous nature that they follow through the film, the wounds feel real, look real and brutal with just how they are made to look.
Settings – The film takes place in a small town, which has a reputation, we see the normal locations, but it is in the shadows where we see the killer conduct their actions.
Special Effects – The effects come from the graphic body horror we are put through by the killer, the wounds being enough to make the blood appear over causing fatal wounds.
Scene of the Movie – The killer’s identity.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The killer’s motivation.
Final Thoughts – When it comes to late night horrors sometimes we can just enjoy the events for what they are, this is one of the perfect examples of this giving us horror when we need it and a simple horror to watch.
Overall: Midnight horror treat.
Performances – Angela Bettis is strong in the leading role of this film, she often took chances on horror and this is one where she can lead the film and deal with the horrors involved. Kirby Bliss Blanton is solid in her role though she doesn’t get as much to do other than be generic teenager. Ben Cotton does make for a good villain that showed just how twisted his character it. The supporting cast are all solid enough without being challenged to do anything to make them standout.
Story – The story follows a victim returning home for the first time only to face a serial killer she believed she had killed to protect her niece. The story does a good job balance the two timelines as we see how Joan is reacting to the ordeal from her first encounter to the new encounter, playing along the lines that she might not be as clean as she thought she was. We also get to deal with how people can become interested in killings over the stories about the killer over the victim. The strangest twist in the film is the fact that another bigger film seemed to use the exact same twist and motives behind the killings, I won’t mention the film because it will ruin the end of the film.
Crime/Horror – The crime side of the film follows the action of the serial killer which plays into the horror because of the torturous nature that they follow through the film, the wounds feel real, look real and brutal with just how they are made to look.
Settings – The film takes place in a small town, which has a reputation, we see the normal locations, but it is in the shadows where we see the killer conduct their actions.
Special Effects – The effects come from the graphic body horror we are put through by the killer, the wounds being enough to make the blood appear over causing fatal wounds.
Scene of the Movie – The killer’s identity.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The killer’s motivation.
Final Thoughts – When it comes to late night horrors sometimes we can just enjoy the events for what they are, this is one of the perfect examples of this giving us horror when we need it and a simple horror to watch.
Overall: Midnight horror treat.