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Andy K (10821 KP) rated Enter the Void (Soudain le vide) (2010) in Movies
Oct 13, 2019
WOW!
Not many modern filmmakers garner such a reputation for being controversial and are well deserved. Lars von Trier and Ari Aster come to mind, but I am sure there are others. They pull no punches with their work, so most provoke extreme reactions either love or hate. Maybe also appreciate the art form or what they are trying to say, but do not enjoy the extreme sex or violence or shock value from many of their scenes.
From the psychedelic opening credits (which are the complete film credits by the way, meaning no end credits at all) this film grabs your attention and should immediately realize what you are about to watch is going to be different, exciting, revolting and most of all unique in every way from most movies you have seen in your life until now.
The film focuses on the relationship between Oscar and Linda, a brother and sister living in Japan when tragedy strikes. Oscar goes to meet a friend for a drug deal only to have something go very wrong. For some reason, the police are present and pursue Oscar to the bathroom where he tries to dispense the drugs eliminating the evidence down the facilities. Shortly after, Oscar is shot in the chest and dies on the bathroom floor.
It seems as if Oscar's "soul" leaves his body and begins a hallucinatory journey interacting with his former friends, acquaintances and sister in a spiritual and mind blowing way to help make him and the audience understand the events which led to his death.
The siblings have had a rough life including the horrible death of their parents in an automobile accident when they were young. They were in the back seat as well, so not only witnessed the physical and emotional trauma, but also had to endure the subsequent separation from each other through foster care having to grow up without each other. Before they were separated, they made a blood pact and said they would always be there for each other no matter what.
Linda works at a dance/strip club and the forlorn about the death of her brother, but continues her job duties including dancing and having sex. She gets pregnant, then deals with the repercussions of the act. She becomes increasingly despondent with her life and wishes her brother was still with her.
Oscar's spirit meanders through the lives of his former life watching and understanding the emotions of those left on Earth.
The film is hard to explain and therefore maybe hard to understand as well. This seems to be one of those movies that is not only the words that are spoken, but the emotions that are portrayed and not said aloud. Whatever you believe spiritually about the soul and reincarnation, this film is not here to change your religious beliefs. It is shown in "first person" most of the time, so you interact with the characters of Oscar's life just as he is.
The use of neon colors both on the exterior cityscape of Japan and interior shots o the dance club are gorgeous and reminded me of what the world would appear as if life used a blacklight. The sequences of drug use could not be described as anything else other than living artwork. The rainbow kaleidoscope of the "trip" were reminiscent of "2001: A Space Odyssey" and I read afterwards which is where Noe drew some of his inspiration.
Undoubtedly, the multitude of graphic sex scenes and shocking imagery will turn many off as some of it is pretty extreme, but I feel suits this film symbiotically and perfectly. In fact, the second half of the film is more style than substance (which you could probably say for a lot of Noe's films), but somehow you don't mind since you are along for the ride and enjoy the spectacle anyways.
After reading about the film after my viewing, I discovered there is a "director's cut" including around 20 minutes of additional scenes bring the running time to over 2 1/2 hours.
It looks like I'll be getting the Blu-Ray and watching again in a few weeks!
From the psychedelic opening credits (which are the complete film credits by the way, meaning no end credits at all) this film grabs your attention and should immediately realize what you are about to watch is going to be different, exciting, revolting and most of all unique in every way from most movies you have seen in your life until now.
The film focuses on the relationship between Oscar and Linda, a brother and sister living in Japan when tragedy strikes. Oscar goes to meet a friend for a drug deal only to have something go very wrong. For some reason, the police are present and pursue Oscar to the bathroom where he tries to dispense the drugs eliminating the evidence down the facilities. Shortly after, Oscar is shot in the chest and dies on the bathroom floor.
It seems as if Oscar's "soul" leaves his body and begins a hallucinatory journey interacting with his former friends, acquaintances and sister in a spiritual and mind blowing way to help make him and the audience understand the events which led to his death.
The siblings have had a rough life including the horrible death of their parents in an automobile accident when they were young. They were in the back seat as well, so not only witnessed the physical and emotional trauma, but also had to endure the subsequent separation from each other through foster care having to grow up without each other. Before they were separated, they made a blood pact and said they would always be there for each other no matter what.
Linda works at a dance/strip club and the forlorn about the death of her brother, but continues her job duties including dancing and having sex. She gets pregnant, then deals with the repercussions of the act. She becomes increasingly despondent with her life and wishes her brother was still with her.
Oscar's spirit meanders through the lives of his former life watching and understanding the emotions of those left on Earth.
The film is hard to explain and therefore maybe hard to understand as well. This seems to be one of those movies that is not only the words that are spoken, but the emotions that are portrayed and not said aloud. Whatever you believe spiritually about the soul and reincarnation, this film is not here to change your religious beliefs. It is shown in "first person" most of the time, so you interact with the characters of Oscar's life just as he is.
The use of neon colors both on the exterior cityscape of Japan and interior shots o the dance club are gorgeous and reminded me of what the world would appear as if life used a blacklight. The sequences of drug use could not be described as anything else other than living artwork. The rainbow kaleidoscope of the "trip" were reminiscent of "2001: A Space Odyssey" and I read afterwards which is where Noe drew some of his inspiration.
Undoubtedly, the multitude of graphic sex scenes and shocking imagery will turn many off as some of it is pretty extreme, but I feel suits this film symbiotically and perfectly. In fact, the second half of the film is more style than substance (which you could probably say for a lot of Noe's films), but somehow you don't mind since you are along for the ride and enjoy the spectacle anyways.
After reading about the film after my viewing, I discovered there is a "director's cut" including around 20 minutes of additional scenes bring the running time to over 2 1/2 hours.
It looks like I'll be getting the Blu-Ray and watching again in a few weeks!
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Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Jackie (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Spoiler! Her husband gets shot.
“Jackie” tells the story of the spiralling grief, loss and anger of Jackie Kennedy driven by the assassination of JFK in Dallas in November 1963. Hopping backwards and forwards in flashback, the film centres on the first interview given by Jackie (Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”) to a ‘Time’ journalist (Billy Crudup, “Watchmen”, “Spotlight”).
Through this interview we flashback to see Jackie as the young First Lady engaged in recording a TV special for a tour of the White House: nervous, unsure of herself and with a ‘baby girl’ voice. This contrasts with her demeanour in the interview which – although subject to emotional outburst and grief – is assured, confident and above all extremely assertive. We live the film through Jackie’s eyes as she experiences the arrival in Dallas, the traumatic events of November 22nd in Dealey Plaza, the return home to Washington and the complicated arrangement of the President’s funeral.
This is an acting tour de force for Natalie Portman, who is astonishingly emotional as the grief-stricken ex-first lady. She nails this role utterly and completely. Having already won the Golden Globe for an actress in a dramatic role, you would be a foolish man to bet against her not taking the Oscar. (I know I said just the other week that I though Emma Stone should get it for “La La Land” – as another Golden Globe winner, for the Comedy/Musical category – and a large part of my heart would still really like to see Stone win it…. But excellent as that performance was, this is a far more challenging role.)
In a key supporting role is Peter Sarsgaard (“The Magnificent Seven”) as Bobby Kennedy (although his lookalike is not one of the best: that accolade I would give to Gaspard Koenig, in an un-speaking role, as the young Ted Kennedy).
Also providing interesting support as Jackie’s priest is John Hurt (“Alien”, “Dr Who”) and, as Jackie’s close friend, the artist Bill Walton, is Richard E Grant (“Withnail and I”, who as he grows older is looking more and more like Geoffrey Rush – I was sure it was him!).
Director Pablo Larraín (whose previous work I am not familiar with) automatically assumes that EVERYONE has the background history to understand the narrative without further explanation: perhaps as this happened 54 years ago, this is a bit of a presumption for younger viewers? Naturally for people of my advanced years, these events are as burned into our collective psyches as the images in the Zapruder film.
While the film focuses predominantly, and brilliantly, on Jackie’s mental state, the film does gently question (via an outburst from Bobby) as to what JFK actually achieved in his all too short presidency – ‘Will he be remembered for resolving the Cuban missile crisis: something he originally created?’ rants Bobby. In reality, JFK is remembered in history for this assassination and the lost potential for what he might have done. I would have liked the script to have delved a little bit further into that collective soul-searching.
This is a very sombre movie in tone, from the bleak opening, with a soundtrack of sonorous strings, to the bleak weather-swept scenes at Arlington cemetery. The cinematography (by Stéphane Fontaine, “Rust and Bone”) cleverly contrasts between the vibrant hues of Jackie’s “Camelot” to the washed-out blueish tones of the post-assassination events. If you don’t feel depressed going into this film, you probably will be coming out! But the journey is a satisfying one nonetheless, and the script by Noah Oppenheim – in a SIGNIFICANT departure from his previous teen-flick screenplays for “Allegiant” and “The Maze Runner” – is both tight and thought-provoking.
Overall, a recommended watch which comes with a prediction: “And the Oscar goes to… Natalie Portman”.
Finally, note that for those of a squeamish disposition, there is a very graphic depiction of the assassination from Jackie’s point-of-view…. but this is not until nearly the end of the film, so you are reasonably safe until then!
Also as a final general whinge, could directors PLEASE place an embargo on the logos of more than two production companies coming up at the start of a film? This has about six of them and is farcical, aping the (very amusing) parody in “Family Guy” (as shown here).
Through this interview we flashback to see Jackie as the young First Lady engaged in recording a TV special for a tour of the White House: nervous, unsure of herself and with a ‘baby girl’ voice. This contrasts with her demeanour in the interview which – although subject to emotional outburst and grief – is assured, confident and above all extremely assertive. We live the film through Jackie’s eyes as she experiences the arrival in Dallas, the traumatic events of November 22nd in Dealey Plaza, the return home to Washington and the complicated arrangement of the President’s funeral.
This is an acting tour de force for Natalie Portman, who is astonishingly emotional as the grief-stricken ex-first lady. She nails this role utterly and completely. Having already won the Golden Globe for an actress in a dramatic role, you would be a foolish man to bet against her not taking the Oscar. (I know I said just the other week that I though Emma Stone should get it for “La La Land” – as another Golden Globe winner, for the Comedy/Musical category – and a large part of my heart would still really like to see Stone win it…. But excellent as that performance was, this is a far more challenging role.)
In a key supporting role is Peter Sarsgaard (“The Magnificent Seven”) as Bobby Kennedy (although his lookalike is not one of the best: that accolade I would give to Gaspard Koenig, in an un-speaking role, as the young Ted Kennedy).
Also providing interesting support as Jackie’s priest is John Hurt (“Alien”, “Dr Who”) and, as Jackie’s close friend, the artist Bill Walton, is Richard E Grant (“Withnail and I”, who as he grows older is looking more and more like Geoffrey Rush – I was sure it was him!).
Director Pablo Larraín (whose previous work I am not familiar with) automatically assumes that EVERYONE has the background history to understand the narrative without further explanation: perhaps as this happened 54 years ago, this is a bit of a presumption for younger viewers? Naturally for people of my advanced years, these events are as burned into our collective psyches as the images in the Zapruder film.
While the film focuses predominantly, and brilliantly, on Jackie’s mental state, the film does gently question (via an outburst from Bobby) as to what JFK actually achieved in his all too short presidency – ‘Will he be remembered for resolving the Cuban missile crisis: something he originally created?’ rants Bobby. In reality, JFK is remembered in history for this assassination and the lost potential for what he might have done. I would have liked the script to have delved a little bit further into that collective soul-searching.
This is a very sombre movie in tone, from the bleak opening, with a soundtrack of sonorous strings, to the bleak weather-swept scenes at Arlington cemetery. The cinematography (by Stéphane Fontaine, “Rust and Bone”) cleverly contrasts between the vibrant hues of Jackie’s “Camelot” to the washed-out blueish tones of the post-assassination events. If you don’t feel depressed going into this film, you probably will be coming out! But the journey is a satisfying one nonetheless, and the script by Noah Oppenheim – in a SIGNIFICANT departure from his previous teen-flick screenplays for “Allegiant” and “The Maze Runner” – is both tight and thought-provoking.
Overall, a recommended watch which comes with a prediction: “And the Oscar goes to… Natalie Portman”.
Finally, note that for those of a squeamish disposition, there is a very graphic depiction of the assassination from Jackie’s point-of-view…. but this is not until nearly the end of the film, so you are reasonably safe until then!
Also as a final general whinge, could directors PLEASE place an embargo on the logos of more than two production companies coming up at the start of a film? This has about six of them and is farcical, aping the (very amusing) parody in “Family Guy” (as shown here).
TheDefunctDiva (304 KP) rated Alice in Wonderland (2010) in Movies
Sep 26, 2017
A is for Artful
Contains spoilers, click to show
As with another of Tim Burton’s films, Sleepy Hollow, Alice in Wonderland strays significantly from the original material. And, in a vein similar to Sleepy Hollow, decapitation is a much-discussed topic.
Alice is introduced to the audience as a child who has strange dreams. In the subsequent scenes, an older Alice is seen in a carriage with her mother. She is unwittingly on her way to her engagement party, and she is fully expected to accept the offer of marriage from someone who seems quite ill-suited for her. “Your life will be perfect. It’s already been decided,” says her sister Margaret.
Elements of the engagement party offer foreshadowing for the alternate reality Alice soon finds herself in. Instead of accepting her suitor’s proposal, Alice runs away and follows a rabbit wearing a waistcoat into an exceptionally large rabbit hole. There, she is found falling with a variety of household objects, including one particularly friendly piano.
Once in Wonderland, Alice’s world has literally turned upside-down. She falls from her perch on the ceiling to the floor. Alice solves a puzzle of many locked doors, using the expected growing and shrinking mechanisms, and then she emerges into a strange topiary. There she is greeted by the rabbit and other residents of Wonderland, who argue whether this Alice is “the right Alice.”
Many of the traditional characters are found in this Wonderland, but most of the ominous poetry associated with those characters has been omitted. Tweedledum and Tweedledee are introduced, but they don’t seem to serve much purpose. I missed the recitation of “the Walrus and the Carpenter” very much.
Alice insists that the world around her must be a dream, as she is led through oversized mushrooms to a blue caterpillar, voiced by the talented Alan Rickman. Once again, Alice’s destiny is written: the caterpillar reveals a scroll which shows an image of Alice slaying the dreaded Jabberwocky. Indeed, it is her role to become the champion of Wonderland, to rise up and defeat the Red Queen who keeps this horrible beast as a weapon.
Later, we come across a dysfunctional tea party held under the shadow of a dilapidated windmill. Johnny Depp appears as the wild and wide-eyed Mad Hatter. Alice, it seems, is late to her tea just as she was to her engagement party. We learn that there is a whole network of characters, including the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), who wish to bring down the tyrannical Red Queen.
The struggle between the Red and White Queens eventually comes to a head, and Alice bravely accepts her fate to fight the Jabberwocky. And the Jabberwocky is indeed a terrifying entity, as it seems to be part dinosaur and part dragon.
The visual effects in this film were striking. Burton paints a beautiful landscape full of dark, rich colors. Several moments in the film are surreal and disturbing, such as when Alice crosses a moat full of dismembered heads to gain access to the Red Queen’s castle. However, some of the characters, such as the Cheshire cat, had a more cartoonish quality about them that I found off-putting.
The acting and voice-overs in the film were also impressive. Actress Mia Wasikowska was enchanting as Alice. She reflected the vulnerability and the more intrepid characteristics of the young girl quite well. Depp was delightfully creepy as the Mad Hatter. Crispin Glover was effective as the Knave of Hearts, the Red Queen’s lead henchman. And Stephen Fry was a marvelous voice choice for the strange and eerie Cheshire Cat.
The Red Queen is quite the character in this film. Helena Bonham Carter perfectly captures the Queen’s cruelty and absurdity. She delivers the “off with his head” line repeatedly and with gusto. The Queen’s cranium was so large that I was surprised she didn’t fall forward from the weight of it. And I haven’t seen that much blue eyeshadow since the 80s.
The Blu-ray version of this film enhanced the quality of the computer graphic imagery quite well. The special features consisted of interviews of the cast regarding the characters. These interviews contained behind-the-scenes looks at some of the makeup and green screen work done on this film. Though these interviews were enlightening, I would have loved to see more about the production process, since the sets and some characters were entirely computer-generated.
All things considered, Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is a delightful departure from reality. Fans of Burton’s other films are sure to love it.
Alice is introduced to the audience as a child who has strange dreams. In the subsequent scenes, an older Alice is seen in a carriage with her mother. She is unwittingly on her way to her engagement party, and she is fully expected to accept the offer of marriage from someone who seems quite ill-suited for her. “Your life will be perfect. It’s already been decided,” says her sister Margaret.
Elements of the engagement party offer foreshadowing for the alternate reality Alice soon finds herself in. Instead of accepting her suitor’s proposal, Alice runs away and follows a rabbit wearing a waistcoat into an exceptionally large rabbit hole. There, she is found falling with a variety of household objects, including one particularly friendly piano.
Once in Wonderland, Alice’s world has literally turned upside-down. She falls from her perch on the ceiling to the floor. Alice solves a puzzle of many locked doors, using the expected growing and shrinking mechanisms, and then she emerges into a strange topiary. There she is greeted by the rabbit and other residents of Wonderland, who argue whether this Alice is “the right Alice.”
Many of the traditional characters are found in this Wonderland, but most of the ominous poetry associated with those characters has been omitted. Tweedledum and Tweedledee are introduced, but they don’t seem to serve much purpose. I missed the recitation of “the Walrus and the Carpenter” very much.
Alice insists that the world around her must be a dream, as she is led through oversized mushrooms to a blue caterpillar, voiced by the talented Alan Rickman. Once again, Alice’s destiny is written: the caterpillar reveals a scroll which shows an image of Alice slaying the dreaded Jabberwocky. Indeed, it is her role to become the champion of Wonderland, to rise up and defeat the Red Queen who keeps this horrible beast as a weapon.
Later, we come across a dysfunctional tea party held under the shadow of a dilapidated windmill. Johnny Depp appears as the wild and wide-eyed Mad Hatter. Alice, it seems, is late to her tea just as she was to her engagement party. We learn that there is a whole network of characters, including the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), who wish to bring down the tyrannical Red Queen.
The struggle between the Red and White Queens eventually comes to a head, and Alice bravely accepts her fate to fight the Jabberwocky. And the Jabberwocky is indeed a terrifying entity, as it seems to be part dinosaur and part dragon.
The visual effects in this film were striking. Burton paints a beautiful landscape full of dark, rich colors. Several moments in the film are surreal and disturbing, such as when Alice crosses a moat full of dismembered heads to gain access to the Red Queen’s castle. However, some of the characters, such as the Cheshire cat, had a more cartoonish quality about them that I found off-putting.
The acting and voice-overs in the film were also impressive. Actress Mia Wasikowska was enchanting as Alice. She reflected the vulnerability and the more intrepid characteristics of the young girl quite well. Depp was delightfully creepy as the Mad Hatter. Crispin Glover was effective as the Knave of Hearts, the Red Queen’s lead henchman. And Stephen Fry was a marvelous voice choice for the strange and eerie Cheshire Cat.
The Red Queen is quite the character in this film. Helena Bonham Carter perfectly captures the Queen’s cruelty and absurdity. She delivers the “off with his head” line repeatedly and with gusto. The Queen’s cranium was so large that I was surprised she didn’t fall forward from the weight of it. And I haven’t seen that much blue eyeshadow since the 80s.
The Blu-ray version of this film enhanced the quality of the computer graphic imagery quite well. The special features consisted of interviews of the cast regarding the characters. These interviews contained behind-the-scenes looks at some of the makeup and green screen work done on this film. Though these interviews were enlightening, I would have loved to see more about the production process, since the sets and some characters were entirely computer-generated.
All things considered, Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is a delightful departure from reality. Fans of Burton’s other films are sure to love it.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Lying Game in Books
Feb 9, 2019 (Updated Feb 9, 2019)
Awesome plot twist (2 more)
Interesting story line
Fast paced
Overuse of profanity (1 more)
Immature characters
A Good Read
There was something about the synopsis for The Lying Game by Ruth Ware that caught my attention. I guess I wanted to see how this lying game the girls played would turn out. While The Lying Game was a good read, it didn't really focus on the actual lying game too much.
The plot for The Lying Game was interesting enough. Thea, Isa, Fatima, and Kate all met at Salten, a boarding school for girls, when they were all 15 years old. Thea and Kate tell Fatima and Isa about they lying game as well as the rules. However, that's about as much as the plot focuses on the the actual game which was disappointing. When a body is found near Salten many years after the girls were expelled from their boarding school, they must all come together to get their story straight. Isa isn't taking what happened at face value and begins to become suspicious of Kate's tell of events. She will do whatever it takes to discover the truth about what happened that fateful night that changed all four of the girls' lives. I will admit that there were some great plot twists in The Lying Game that I never figured out.
The world building in The Lying Game was mostly believable. I do feel like the townspeople of Salten would have been a bit more suspicious of the women coming back to Salten when a body is found. The women say it's because of Salten school's reunion dinner (which happens during the middle of the week, strangely), but this is the first time they've ever been to one of the dinners. I also had a hard time with Isa's baby, Freya. Freya seemed to be the most well behaved six month old baby! Isa brought Freya with her to Kate's house, but during much of the story, Freya never cries. Yes, there are a few times where it's mentioned she cries, but for the most part, Freya is happy wherever she is. Isa seems to be more obsessed with Freya more than any mother I've ever known, yet she puts that baby in a lot of danger during the course of the story.
The characters in The Lying Game were just okay. I did like Fatima the most. She seemed to be the most mature and reasonable out of the lot of them. Thea was alright. I did like how blunt she could be. Kate came across as being a bit whiny and manipulative. Isa was just very selfish. She seemed to only think of herself instead of her baby and husband. She blamed her husband for so much when it was clearly her fault their relationship was falling apart. I felt so sorry for Owen, her husband. Luc was an interesting character. I did feel sorry for him for how he was treated during his childhood. The major thing that annoyed me was all the profanity. The four main characters, Thea, Fatima, Kate, and Isa, swore so much. I'm okay with swearing, but a lot of the swearing seemed misplaced and like it was written in just to be there. It served no purpose. I would understand it more if they swore a lot in their teens, but these were women in their thirties sounding like they were swearing to sound cool or because they normally weren't allowed to. I just think the swearing was a bit over the top.
The pacing is very good in The Lying Game. Events flowed well, and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I had to know what would happen next. Not one part of this story became too boring.
Trigger warnings in The Lying Game include lots of profanity, drinking (both underage and of age), cigarette smoking (underage and of age), animal violence (the death of a sheep), no sex but things leading up to it although not graphic, some drug references, overdosing, the drawings of naked underage girls, and murder.
All in all, The Lying Game is a good read. Yes, it doesn't have some problems like the characters being immature and selfish and the overuse of profanity, but it's still a fast paced thriller with a fantastic plot twist. I would recommend The Lying Game by Ruth Ware to those aged 18+ who are fans of thrillers.
The plot for The Lying Game was interesting enough. Thea, Isa, Fatima, and Kate all met at Salten, a boarding school for girls, when they were all 15 years old. Thea and Kate tell Fatima and Isa about they lying game as well as the rules. However, that's about as much as the plot focuses on the the actual game which was disappointing. When a body is found near Salten many years after the girls were expelled from their boarding school, they must all come together to get their story straight. Isa isn't taking what happened at face value and begins to become suspicious of Kate's tell of events. She will do whatever it takes to discover the truth about what happened that fateful night that changed all four of the girls' lives. I will admit that there were some great plot twists in The Lying Game that I never figured out.
The world building in The Lying Game was mostly believable. I do feel like the townspeople of Salten would have been a bit more suspicious of the women coming back to Salten when a body is found. The women say it's because of Salten school's reunion dinner (which happens during the middle of the week, strangely), but this is the first time they've ever been to one of the dinners. I also had a hard time with Isa's baby, Freya. Freya seemed to be the most well behaved six month old baby! Isa brought Freya with her to Kate's house, but during much of the story, Freya never cries. Yes, there are a few times where it's mentioned she cries, but for the most part, Freya is happy wherever she is. Isa seems to be more obsessed with Freya more than any mother I've ever known, yet she puts that baby in a lot of danger during the course of the story.
The characters in The Lying Game were just okay. I did like Fatima the most. She seemed to be the most mature and reasonable out of the lot of them. Thea was alright. I did like how blunt she could be. Kate came across as being a bit whiny and manipulative. Isa was just very selfish. She seemed to only think of herself instead of her baby and husband. She blamed her husband for so much when it was clearly her fault their relationship was falling apart. I felt so sorry for Owen, her husband. Luc was an interesting character. I did feel sorry for him for how he was treated during his childhood. The major thing that annoyed me was all the profanity. The four main characters, Thea, Fatima, Kate, and Isa, swore so much. I'm okay with swearing, but a lot of the swearing seemed misplaced and like it was written in just to be there. It served no purpose. I would understand it more if they swore a lot in their teens, but these were women in their thirties sounding like they were swearing to sound cool or because they normally weren't allowed to. I just think the swearing was a bit over the top.
The pacing is very good in The Lying Game. Events flowed well, and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I had to know what would happen next. Not one part of this story became too boring.
Trigger warnings in The Lying Game include lots of profanity, drinking (both underage and of age), cigarette smoking (underage and of age), animal violence (the death of a sheep), no sex but things leading up to it although not graphic, some drug references, overdosing, the drawings of naked underage girls, and murder.
All in all, The Lying Game is a good read. Yes, it doesn't have some problems like the characters being immature and selfish and the overuse of profanity, but it's still a fast paced thriller with a fantastic plot twist. I would recommend The Lying Game by Ruth Ware to those aged 18+ who are fans of thrillers.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Little Teashop on Main in Books
May 6, 2019
An Emotional Read
I'd been wanting to read The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas for awhile. When the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance. I must say this book really packs a punch when it comes to emotions!
The plot for The Little Teashop on Main was done brilliantly! Jodi Thomas has written a beautiful story that really sucks you in and makes you feel every single written word. Zoe, Shannon, and Emily meet for a tea party whenever they can starting from when they were little. As the story progresses, the reader gets to watch each of the girls grow into strong women. The reader gets to grow up with all of the girls through all of the ups and downs of life. Each chapter in the book is focused on a certain character so the reader gets to gain that character's perspective on things. While there are similar story lines to The Little Teashop on Main, Jodi Thomas does such an excellent job of making this one feel unique. I felt like I was instantly transported to the small town of Laurel Springs whenever I was reading The Little Teashop on Main. While there weren't any major plot twists, I felt as if this was the type of book that doesn't need to rely on plot twists to keep it interesting. The emotional pull is all it needs. I loved how there were no cliffhangers and all of my questions were answered by the end of the book.
The characters in The Little Teashop on Main were so well written and such a delight to read about! I loved every one of them. Usually I have a favorite, but I would hate to be forced to choose just one favorite. I loved Zoe's zest for life. Her larger than life presence was such a joy to read about. I would have loved to have a friendship like Zoe's and Jack's. Shannon had such a great work ethic that was admirable. Just how focused she was was an inspiration. I kept on wanting things between her and Jack to work out. I don't think I've ever wanted to a couple to be together more than Jack and Shannon. Shannon was such a planner and so focused. Sometimes I wanted to just grab her by the shoulders until she realized how great she'd be with Jack! I just wanted to hug Emily. She had struggled with depression for so long. I could relate to her the most. Emily was such a sweet girl that blossomed into a sweet woman. I was always cheering Emily on when I would read about her. I loved how much Jack cared about all three girls and how much he loved them all. He was such a loyal friend. I'm glad I got to read and get to know Fuller. What a sweet boy/man he turned out to be! Alex and Mack were also great characters and great parents. The love for their daughters was so obvious. The way the townspeople of Laurel Springs came together was so heartwarming to read about.
I will admit that the first 45 percent or so of The Little Teashop on Main was a little slow. I did wonder if I had made a mistake with this book. However, I'm glad I persevered. The pacing quickly picked up after that, and I could not put this novel down. I hungered for more, yet I would become sad because I realized that this story would be over soon. When I did finish The Little Teashop on Main, I was disappointed only because I wished it didn't have to end!
Trigger warnings for The Little Teashop on Main include depression, suicide attempts, cancer, a car accident (wounds aren't described too graphically), and sex (although not graphic).
All in all, The Little Teashop on Main is such a heartwarming read. This book makes you feel as if you are one of the characters. It is written so beautifully, and I can't gush enough about how great it is! I would definitely recommend The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas to those aged 16+. This book gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.
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(Thanks to HQN for providing me with a paperback of The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot for The Little Teashop on Main was done brilliantly! Jodi Thomas has written a beautiful story that really sucks you in and makes you feel every single written word. Zoe, Shannon, and Emily meet for a tea party whenever they can starting from when they were little. As the story progresses, the reader gets to watch each of the girls grow into strong women. The reader gets to grow up with all of the girls through all of the ups and downs of life. Each chapter in the book is focused on a certain character so the reader gets to gain that character's perspective on things. While there are similar story lines to The Little Teashop on Main, Jodi Thomas does such an excellent job of making this one feel unique. I felt like I was instantly transported to the small town of Laurel Springs whenever I was reading The Little Teashop on Main. While there weren't any major plot twists, I felt as if this was the type of book that doesn't need to rely on plot twists to keep it interesting. The emotional pull is all it needs. I loved how there were no cliffhangers and all of my questions were answered by the end of the book.
The characters in The Little Teashop on Main were so well written and such a delight to read about! I loved every one of them. Usually I have a favorite, but I would hate to be forced to choose just one favorite. I loved Zoe's zest for life. Her larger than life presence was such a joy to read about. I would have loved to have a friendship like Zoe's and Jack's. Shannon had such a great work ethic that was admirable. Just how focused she was was an inspiration. I kept on wanting things between her and Jack to work out. I don't think I've ever wanted to a couple to be together more than Jack and Shannon. Shannon was such a planner and so focused. Sometimes I wanted to just grab her by the shoulders until she realized how great she'd be with Jack! I just wanted to hug Emily. She had struggled with depression for so long. I could relate to her the most. Emily was such a sweet girl that blossomed into a sweet woman. I was always cheering Emily on when I would read about her. I loved how much Jack cared about all three girls and how much he loved them all. He was such a loyal friend. I'm glad I got to read and get to know Fuller. What a sweet boy/man he turned out to be! Alex and Mack were also great characters and great parents. The love for their daughters was so obvious. The way the townspeople of Laurel Springs came together was so heartwarming to read about.
I will admit that the first 45 percent or so of The Little Teashop on Main was a little slow. I did wonder if I had made a mistake with this book. However, I'm glad I persevered. The pacing quickly picked up after that, and I could not put this novel down. I hungered for more, yet I would become sad because I realized that this story would be over soon. When I did finish The Little Teashop on Main, I was disappointed only because I wished it didn't have to end!
Trigger warnings for The Little Teashop on Main include depression, suicide attempts, cancer, a car accident (wounds aren't described too graphically), and sex (although not graphic).
All in all, The Little Teashop on Main is such a heartwarming read. This book makes you feel as if you are one of the characters. It is written so beautifully, and I can't gush enough about how great it is! I would definitely recommend The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas to those aged 16+. This book gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.
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(Thanks to HQN for providing me with a paperback of The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
If you got the chance to look into your dead husband’s cold case, would you? Would you really want to know who killed him? Why? Detective Rogers does. Detective Rogers, a retired detective from Reno, had joined a group of cold case solving retired detectives. Finally after 22 years, she wants to know who killed her husband and why. As she and the gang of cold case solving detectives begin to unravel his life and his secrets, she finds herself more and more angry that she didn’t know that much about that man she had married and had a child with. As the story goes on, secrets and lies that he had hidden from her and others close to him begin to shape him into an unpleasant way that makes it hard to swallow for Detective Rogers. With all his secrets and lies, it becomes unreal when they realize it wasn’t his body with his wallet attached to it and who all was behind such a crime.
Kill Game: A Cold Poker Gang Mystery by Dean Wesley Smith was a fabulous book. As you follow the retired detectives and try to piece together all the evidence and clues they obtain to solve this case, you can’t help but begin to wonder what the whole story behind the dead ex-husband is. Who was he really and what could cause him to find trouble that would get him killed. In this mystery you get to sink your teeth in such a mystery that you try to figure it out yourself as you read, hoping to beat the detectives to their own results. With the twists and realizations of uncovered secrets and lies, you can’t help to find yourself in the shoes of Detective Rogers as she learns about her dead husband’s life and all this secrets.
Wesley had written the book extremely well with only one minor issue that may go undetected to someone reading it without doing a double take. On page 134 instead of using Detective Julia Rogers name, Detective Lott’s daughter name was used. At first I almost missed it, but as I continued reading the page I realized Annie wasn’t on the phone of even with them at that particular point. This wasn’t a huge flaw, but one I kind of wished was caught before publishing as I had to read the page eight times before realizing it had to be a typo. I totally understand typos happen, but it was just a slight irritation. Wesley was able to write such beautiful if no graphic at time scenes, that it was easy to get lost in the story rather quickly. Adding humor and romance to underlying tones makes it hard not to admire how he could capture the essence some detectives have after many years in service. It was truly amazing to read. I found the mystery truly astounding and enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing how different eyes can bring knew things to light as well as new questions to be asked.
I really enjoyed how Wesley was able to bring in the interesting things detectives working on cold cases would do or ask and how having links to help gather information and to get to different places can help a cold case make it easier to find clues and solve a case that has little to no information. I have always had an interest in cold cases and found that being walked through how the team of retired detectives solves this case brought so much excitement and interesting things that makes you wonder if you could solve cold cases yourself if you had the money and resources that these detectives have. As you try to figure it out with them you can’t help to make mental notes and develop your own theories and questions that you may wish to have answered or worked through. Wesley easily makes you feel like you could be a detective.
Kill Game: A Cold Poker Gang Mystery is the first book in its series and definitely leaves you craving the next one. With all the aspects in view that makes a mystery good, as well as the depth of the characters, you will find yourself wanting to take notes alongside the detectives. This makes it harder to put the book down while you're craving a new cold case to solve. I absolutely loved this book. I rate it 3 stars out of 4 because of the minor error in the text. Other than that, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking to sink their teeth in a murder mystery that had become a cold case and solved 22 years later.
Kill Game: A Cold Poker Gang Mystery by Dean Wesley Smith was a fabulous book. As you follow the retired detectives and try to piece together all the evidence and clues they obtain to solve this case, you can’t help but begin to wonder what the whole story behind the dead ex-husband is. Who was he really and what could cause him to find trouble that would get him killed. In this mystery you get to sink your teeth in such a mystery that you try to figure it out yourself as you read, hoping to beat the detectives to their own results. With the twists and realizations of uncovered secrets and lies, you can’t help to find yourself in the shoes of Detective Rogers as she learns about her dead husband’s life and all this secrets.
Wesley had written the book extremely well with only one minor issue that may go undetected to someone reading it without doing a double take. On page 134 instead of using Detective Julia Rogers name, Detective Lott’s daughter name was used. At first I almost missed it, but as I continued reading the page I realized Annie wasn’t on the phone of even with them at that particular point. This wasn’t a huge flaw, but one I kind of wished was caught before publishing as I had to read the page eight times before realizing it had to be a typo. I totally understand typos happen, but it was just a slight irritation. Wesley was able to write such beautiful if no graphic at time scenes, that it was easy to get lost in the story rather quickly. Adding humor and romance to underlying tones makes it hard not to admire how he could capture the essence some detectives have after many years in service. It was truly amazing to read. I found the mystery truly astounding and enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing how different eyes can bring knew things to light as well as new questions to be asked.
I really enjoyed how Wesley was able to bring in the interesting things detectives working on cold cases would do or ask and how having links to help gather information and to get to different places can help a cold case make it easier to find clues and solve a case that has little to no information. I have always had an interest in cold cases and found that being walked through how the team of retired detectives solves this case brought so much excitement and interesting things that makes you wonder if you could solve cold cases yourself if you had the money and resources that these detectives have. As you try to figure it out with them you can’t help to make mental notes and develop your own theories and questions that you may wish to have answered or worked through. Wesley easily makes you feel like you could be a detective.
Kill Game: A Cold Poker Gang Mystery is the first book in its series and definitely leaves you craving the next one. With all the aspects in view that makes a mystery good, as well as the depth of the characters, you will find yourself wanting to take notes alongside the detectives. This makes it harder to put the book down while you're craving a new cold case to solve. I absolutely loved this book. I rate it 3 stars out of 4 because of the minor error in the text. Other than that, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking to sink their teeth in a murder mystery that had become a cold case and solved 22 years later.