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LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Divergent (2014) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
ššŖš·š¦š³šµšŖšÆšØ. Unabashed (better) šš¶šÆšØš¦š³ šš¢š®š¦š“ ripoff which doesn't just have nothing to say - but worse - it has nothing to say yet *thinks* it has something to say. A fucking terrible metaphor about conformity depicted through surface-level teenage angst and wince-worthy 2014 YA genre tropes while deliberately (and frustratingly) refusing to provide any world-building above routine exposition, but sometimes it's fun! Woodley is pretty crappy but everyone else is solidly engaging, Teller is great as a piece of shit and James is shockingly one of the better 'faceless white beefcake' roles - but of course the winner goes to evil Kate Winslet in full Hillary Clinton mode, pantsuit and all. I fully admit to being enchanted by this movie's stupid little world and it's never unwatchable either, often quite enjoyable - but can we talk about how idiotic of a system this is? You're telling me in order to stop discrimination and foster peace (from some conveniently absent events just known as "the war" [ugh]) they thought it'd be a good idea to make distinctly unconnected factions based on - essentially - a Buzzfeed "What's Your Personality Type" quiz, which aren't allowed to communicate and all of whom evidently hate each other that they then force a bunch of moody TEENAGERS to choose which one they want to be in - the single MOST IMPORTANT AND PERMANENT LIFE DECISION they'll ever make - and AREN'T ALLOWED a single switch EVER (because... reasons, ostensibly you aren't allowed to change as a person); and if they fail or want to choose a different path they just become HOMELESS FOR LIFE. (A sadly close unintentional riff on capitalism, actually). Anyway I like when this gets trippy and when it acts as a slideshow of these supposedly helpful organizations (which don't serve their respective purposes here at all) just start doing a bunch of fucked up things to their new recruits literally from day one but all its non-politics aside I'm sick of when movies like these make the blandest character in the movie not only lead the whole thing, but also make their only discernable personality feature that they're "not like the rest of us". Yeah, no shit they aren't - they're way less interesting.
Debbiereadsbook (1484 KP) rated A Fall of Light in Books
Sep 9, 2023
only ONE thing knocked that star off!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Greg appears as a side character in a series by Greene. I have not read those books, but I don't feel I missed out on anything by not doing. I'm intrigued by this group, though, and may well go back and read them. *if I can find the time*
I gave this 4 stars, and one thing ONLY knocked that star off.
Single person point of view.
Only Greg gets a say here, and I wanted, so desperately wanted to hear from Louis, at many key points along the way and I don't get him.
That said, it's the only fault I can find with this book.
I loved that Greg knew, deep down, that he wasn't a casual person, and he could never be casual with Louis. Yet he jumped right in with everything. I loved that Greg let Louis keep his secret for as long as he wanted to. He knew it would come out in the end, he just had to bide his time. I hated what Greg's brother was doing to him, I really did. Said brother does get his comeuppence though.
Greg's past is dark and shocking, being made homeless at 16, he did what he had to do to survive. Loved that Louis did NOT hold it against him, even if his own flesh and blood did. Loved that the band supported him doing the solo stuff, to appease his brother, and also that they stood by him.
It's not especially explicit for a MM romance, but I liked that here, it's more about the emotions going through Greg (since we don't get Louis!) than anything else.
Some difficult topics dealt with: religious intervention, conversion therapy, street life and doing what you need to do to survive. Triggers for some, be mindful.
This is the first I've read of Greene's work. Like I said, I'd like, *time allowing* to read the series that Greg first appears in, but if not, I will absolutely read any future books by this author.
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Greg appears as a side character in a series by Greene. I have not read those books, but I don't feel I missed out on anything by not doing. I'm intrigued by this group, though, and may well go back and read them. *if I can find the time*
I gave this 4 stars, and one thing ONLY knocked that star off.
Single person point of view.
Only Greg gets a say here, and I wanted, so desperately wanted to hear from Louis, at many key points along the way and I don't get him.
That said, it's the only fault I can find with this book.
I loved that Greg knew, deep down, that he wasn't a casual person, and he could never be casual with Louis. Yet he jumped right in with everything. I loved that Greg let Louis keep his secret for as long as he wanted to. He knew it would come out in the end, he just had to bide his time. I hated what Greg's brother was doing to him, I really did. Said brother does get his comeuppence though.
Greg's past is dark and shocking, being made homeless at 16, he did what he had to do to survive. Loved that Louis did NOT hold it against him, even if his own flesh and blood did. Loved that the band supported him doing the solo stuff, to appease his brother, and also that they stood by him.
It's not especially explicit for a MM romance, but I liked that here, it's more about the emotions going through Greg (since we don't get Louis!) than anything else.
Some difficult topics dealt with: religious intervention, conversion therapy, street life and doing what you need to do to survive. Triggers for some, be mindful.
This is the first I've read of Greene's work. Like I said, I'd like, *time allowing* to read the series that Greg first appears in, but if not, I will absolutely read any future books by this author.
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
The Sexy Seven Supernaturals
Book
Seven haunting tales of women, young female adults, and an adolescent girl whose lives change...
Fiction Short Stories Fantasy Paranormal Erotica
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Under the Silver Lake (2018) in Movies
Jul 6, 2019
In David Robert Mitchellās (It Follows) Under the Silver Lake, Andrew Garfield portrays a jobless and lethargic young man named Sam. Apart from his obsession with conspiracy theories and finding obscure messages in common pop culture, Sam typically spies on his topless and bird-loving neighbor. He also blatantly ignores the fact that heās facing eviction in five days for unpaid rent. His current infatuation is a zine entitled Under the Silver Lake, which seems to mirror whatās currently transpiring in Los Angeles. Sam develops a crush on his new neighbor named Sarah (Riley Keough), who seems to disappear without a trace overnight. What begins as an investigation into Sarahās current whereabouts evolves into something deeply rooted in the peculiar.
Thereās a lot to digest with Under the Silver Lake. Not only is the story constructed on finding clues and deciphering the bizarre, but the film itself is also loaded with homage to famous music, film, and people. Nirvana, The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo Power, and Spider-Man are just a few references in the film and that doesnāt cover the blatant influence of films such as Rear Window or 2001: A Space Odyssey. What you have to ask yourself, and this is probably what makes the film so polarizing, is if what lays between the admiration for popular culture a worthwhile experience?
What you can appreciate is Andrew Garfieldās performance. Sam is so bored with his uneventful existence that he tries to find hidden meaning in everyday items. He is basically a stalker fueled by paranoia and consistent lusting of whatever woman is closest to him. When sex isnāt an option for Sam, he masturbates and somehow this becomes a common theme of the film. The first thing you ever pleasured yourself to is suddenly a conversation piece. Garfield has an unusual demeanor as Sam, but never really comes off as creepy. The method in which the story keeps snowballing into something bigger with more and more connections helps Samās case. Sam beats the snot out of a kid who keyed a giant penis ejaculating onto the hood of his black GT Mustang and you only seem to like him more because of it.
The fact of the matter is you also become invested in Samās discoveries. Despite what you feel about Under the Silver Lake as a film, itās still unpredictable and intriguing even with its 139-minute duration. With its abrupt camera movements, a kamikaze squirrel, a serial dog killer on the loose, pets named after soda, the discovery of saltines and orange juice being one of the most unique combinations ever, a gory dream sequence, animated zine stories, people barking like dogs, the map on the back of a cereal box being the answer to everything, a seething hatred for the homeless, a way too impressive piano medley, and an almost unrecognizable Topher Grace as a reliable friend, Under the Silver Lake feels like it is overloaded with these overwhelmingly precise details that donāt necessarily lead to anything substantial.
On first watch, itās impossible to decipher if Under the Silver Lake is destined to be a cult classic or a misguided neo-noir mystery. David Robert Mitchell knows how to introduce elements of comedy, mystery, and drama, but that final product is what leaves you scratching your head. Maybe this gets better with multiple viewings and you find more Easter eggs with each watch or everything connects differently in your head after knowing what direction the story is headed in. In the meantime though, Under the Silver Lake mostly feels like a nearly two and a half hour session of stoner ramblings that canāt decide whether to be Brick, Inherent Vice, or Southland Tales; even The Homeless King feels like a side story lifted from Terry Gilliamās The Fisher King.
Whatās happening directly in Samās world isnāt what matters most in Under the Silver Lake. Heās more worried about Sarah and Los Angeles than he is about not having a job or possibly a place to live in a matter of days. The outside world is far more interesting to Sam because itās that, āThe grass is always greener,ā kind of mentality. Sam is consumed by Sarah because she is the one woman in the film he doesnāt get to sleep with. Having everlasting discussions of what your topless neighborās parrot is saying is far more humorous than revealing anything remotely personal. Becoming entangled in this crazy spiderās web of a conspiracy is far more interesting than living a boring existence. Sam makes the most out of nothing, literally. Under the Silver Lake is this spellbinding enigma of a film that is equally stimulating as it is mystifying.
Thereās a lot to digest with Under the Silver Lake. Not only is the story constructed on finding clues and deciphering the bizarre, but the film itself is also loaded with homage to famous music, film, and people. Nirvana, The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo Power, and Spider-Man are just a few references in the film and that doesnāt cover the blatant influence of films such as Rear Window or 2001: A Space Odyssey. What you have to ask yourself, and this is probably what makes the film so polarizing, is if what lays between the admiration for popular culture a worthwhile experience?
What you can appreciate is Andrew Garfieldās performance. Sam is so bored with his uneventful existence that he tries to find hidden meaning in everyday items. He is basically a stalker fueled by paranoia and consistent lusting of whatever woman is closest to him. When sex isnāt an option for Sam, he masturbates and somehow this becomes a common theme of the film. The first thing you ever pleasured yourself to is suddenly a conversation piece. Garfield has an unusual demeanor as Sam, but never really comes off as creepy. The method in which the story keeps snowballing into something bigger with more and more connections helps Samās case. Sam beats the snot out of a kid who keyed a giant penis ejaculating onto the hood of his black GT Mustang and you only seem to like him more because of it.
The fact of the matter is you also become invested in Samās discoveries. Despite what you feel about Under the Silver Lake as a film, itās still unpredictable and intriguing even with its 139-minute duration. With its abrupt camera movements, a kamikaze squirrel, a serial dog killer on the loose, pets named after soda, the discovery of saltines and orange juice being one of the most unique combinations ever, a gory dream sequence, animated zine stories, people barking like dogs, the map on the back of a cereal box being the answer to everything, a seething hatred for the homeless, a way too impressive piano medley, and an almost unrecognizable Topher Grace as a reliable friend, Under the Silver Lake feels like it is overloaded with these overwhelmingly precise details that donāt necessarily lead to anything substantial.
On first watch, itās impossible to decipher if Under the Silver Lake is destined to be a cult classic or a misguided neo-noir mystery. David Robert Mitchell knows how to introduce elements of comedy, mystery, and drama, but that final product is what leaves you scratching your head. Maybe this gets better with multiple viewings and you find more Easter eggs with each watch or everything connects differently in your head after knowing what direction the story is headed in. In the meantime though, Under the Silver Lake mostly feels like a nearly two and a half hour session of stoner ramblings that canāt decide whether to be Brick, Inherent Vice, or Southland Tales; even The Homeless King feels like a side story lifted from Terry Gilliamās The Fisher King.
Whatās happening directly in Samās world isnāt what matters most in Under the Silver Lake. Heās more worried about Sarah and Los Angeles than he is about not having a job or possibly a place to live in a matter of days. The outside world is far more interesting to Sam because itās that, āThe grass is always greener,ā kind of mentality. Sam is consumed by Sarah because she is the one woman in the film he doesnāt get to sleep with. Having everlasting discussions of what your topless neighborās parrot is saying is far more humorous than revealing anything remotely personal. Becoming entangled in this crazy spiderās web of a conspiracy is far more interesting than living a boring existence. Sam makes the most out of nothing, literally. Under the Silver Lake is this spellbinding enigma of a film that is equally stimulating as it is mystifying.
Rooftoppers
Book
This is the winner of the Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, and...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Stranger in the Lake in Books
Jun 18, 2020
Charlotte and her husband, Paul, live in a small lake town. But their marriage has caused gossip and rumors, when poor Charlotte, who grew up in a trailer park, marries the rich and older Paul. Then Charlotte discovers a body floating in the lake beside their house--in the exact spot where Paul's first wife died. Even worse, Charlotte saw Paul talking to the woman the day before, but he lied to the police about it. Then he disappears into the woods, leaving her to deal with the aftermath. As Charlotte begins digging into her husband's past, she starts wondering how much she can trust him.
"Something very bad has happened, right outside our door. Again."
This was an excellent and easy-to-read book with a compelling plot. I was drawn in by the story from the start and flew through the pages. Belle creates an atmospheric read, with the snow and lake basically appearing as extra characters. We find Charlotte (once "Charlie") pitted against her old best friend, Sam, who is on the police force and believes Paul killed his first wife. And we learn that Paul had a high school friendship with Micah, the son of the police chief, and Jax, who is now homeless and known as the town kook. It is Jax who asked to see Paul the day before the woman is found--and Jax who is lurking around Charlotte's house. Is he threatening her, or trying to warn her of something? And is there truly a chance that Paul killed his first wife? I loved how much this one kept me guessing.
What I found amazing is that Belle is able to take a familiar plot--a younger woman marrying an older guy with a past--and transform it into such a spellbinding thriller. What could come across as trite and stale is instead fascinating and intriguing. Charlotte is an easy-to-like protagonist who didn't seem to make dumb decisions. This can't be said of her husband, who was, frankly, an idiot. I had an inkling early about who might be responsible, but it did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of the story.
If you like your thrillers filled with secrets and lies, the power of family, and featuring a fascinating plot, this one is for you. 4+ stars.
"Something very bad has happened, right outside our door. Again."
This was an excellent and easy-to-read book with a compelling plot. I was drawn in by the story from the start and flew through the pages. Belle creates an atmospheric read, with the snow and lake basically appearing as extra characters. We find Charlotte (once "Charlie") pitted against her old best friend, Sam, who is on the police force and believes Paul killed his first wife. And we learn that Paul had a high school friendship with Micah, the son of the police chief, and Jax, who is now homeless and known as the town kook. It is Jax who asked to see Paul the day before the woman is found--and Jax who is lurking around Charlotte's house. Is he threatening her, or trying to warn her of something? And is there truly a chance that Paul killed his first wife? I loved how much this one kept me guessing.
What I found amazing is that Belle is able to take a familiar plot--a younger woman marrying an older guy with a past--and transform it into such a spellbinding thriller. What could come across as trite and stale is instead fascinating and intriguing. Charlotte is an easy-to-like protagonist who didn't seem to make dumb decisions. This can't be said of her husband, who was, frankly, an idiot. I had an inkling early about who might be responsible, but it did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of the story.
If you like your thrillers filled with secrets and lies, the power of family, and featuring a fascinating plot, this one is for you. 4+ stars.
Heard (Breaking Free #3)
10.0
Rate It
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An omega who canāt speak meets an alpha who wonāt listenā¦. Karter Jenks is a first-year...
MPreg Omegaverse M_M Romance
Wesley (The Son Series Book 1)
Book
~Wesley~ Yeah, I donāt trust them. Who are they? The family who takes me in after they catch...
romance contemporary African American African-American adult fiction
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Godzilla Minus One (2023) in Movies
Dec 14, 2023
Surprisingly Human...for a Monster Movie
The BankofMarquis just viewed one of the most entertaining films of 2023 - and itās a GODZILLA film.
Yes, a GODZILLA film.
From famed Japanese Studio Toho, makers of the original Godzilla film from the 1950ās plus other āman in a rubber suitā monster movies like MOTHRA and WAR OF THE GARGANTUANS, Godzilla Minus One subverts the genre for a moment for instead of presenting a āMonster stomping on buildingsā movie with some people in the background, this film is about the Japanese people and how they deal with the aftermath of World War II while (also) running from a giant monster stomping on buildings - but the monster story is the āBā story and the people story is the āAā storyā¦and this subversion of the genre works very very well.
The title of the film, Godzilla Minus One, refers to the fact thatā¦after World War IIā¦.Japan was āstarting from zeroā. When Godzilla starts attacking, it knocks Japan back another peg, henceā¦Godzilla Minus One.
Director and Screenwriter Takashi Yamazaki tells the tale of Koichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki) who encounters Godzilla towards the end of WWII and freezes, causing the death of his fellow soldiers (so his PTSD continues to tell him throughout the film). Once back in Japan, he encounters a young woman, Noriko (Minami Hamabe) who has been left orphaned, homeless and alone and is sheparding an abandoned baby. This unlikely trio form a bondā¦and a homeā¦while trying to rebuild their lives and (in Koichiās case) tries to make sense of the devastation he encountered in the war.
Into to this rebuilding stomps Godzilla.
This story is effectively told by Yamazaki, who knows when to focus on the people aspect of the film and when to focus on the building stomping of Godzilla. Itās a delicate balance that is helped by the performances of Kamiki and Hamabeā¦and the special effects that brings the spirit of the 1950ās and 1960ās Toho monster films to light.
A surpwisingly rich entertainment, Godzilla Minus One will entertain you with monster stompingā¦and deep human emotion.
Letter Grade: A- (Iām as surprised as you are)
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Yes, a GODZILLA film.
From famed Japanese Studio Toho, makers of the original Godzilla film from the 1950ās plus other āman in a rubber suitā monster movies like MOTHRA and WAR OF THE GARGANTUANS, Godzilla Minus One subverts the genre for a moment for instead of presenting a āMonster stomping on buildingsā movie with some people in the background, this film is about the Japanese people and how they deal with the aftermath of World War II while (also) running from a giant monster stomping on buildings - but the monster story is the āBā story and the people story is the āAā storyā¦and this subversion of the genre works very very well.
The title of the film, Godzilla Minus One, refers to the fact thatā¦after World War IIā¦.Japan was āstarting from zeroā. When Godzilla starts attacking, it knocks Japan back another peg, henceā¦Godzilla Minus One.
Director and Screenwriter Takashi Yamazaki tells the tale of Koichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki) who encounters Godzilla towards the end of WWII and freezes, causing the death of his fellow soldiers (so his PTSD continues to tell him throughout the film). Once back in Japan, he encounters a young woman, Noriko (Minami Hamabe) who has been left orphaned, homeless and alone and is sheparding an abandoned baby. This unlikely trio form a bondā¦and a homeā¦while trying to rebuild their lives and (in Koichiās case) tries to make sense of the devastation he encountered in the war.
Into to this rebuilding stomps Godzilla.
This story is effectively told by Yamazaki, who knows when to focus on the people aspect of the film and when to focus on the building stomping of Godzilla. Itās a delicate balance that is helped by the performances of Kamiki and Hamabeā¦and the special effects that brings the spirit of the 1950ās and 1960ās Toho monster films to light.
A surpwisingly rich entertainment, Godzilla Minus One will entertain you with monster stompingā¦and deep human emotion.
Letter Grade: A- (Iām as surprised as you are)
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Lady In The Van (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
In the last two decades America has seen an almost literal āinvasionā of British film and television programming. Like the British āmusic invasionā some 60 years ago we just canāt seem to get enough of it. Todayās film for your consideration is the 2015 British dramatic comedy āThe Lady In The Vanā. Based upon the 1999 West End play of the same name written by Alan Bennett and starring famed British actress Maggie Smith, who also portrayed the lead in the original stage production at Queens Theater in London and again in a 2009 BBC 4 radio adaption, āThe Lady In The Vanā follows the true story of Maggie Shepherd. An elderly lady who lived in a rundown van in Bennettās driveway for 15 years.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner, who also directed the stage play, the film stars legendary British actress Maggie Smith as Maggie Shepherd, Alex Jennings as Alan Bennett, Jim Broadbent as Underwood, Deborah Findlay as Pauline, Roger Allam as Rufus, Gwen Taylor as Mam, Cecillia Noble as Miss Brisco, Nicholas Burns as Giles Perry, Pandora Colin as Mrs Perry, and Frances de la Tour As Ursula Vaughan Williams.
āThe Lady In The Vanā follows the true story of playwright Alan Bennettās strained and tested relationship with Miss Maggie Shepherd. An eccentric and frightened homeless woman whom he befriended in the 1970s shortly after he moved into Londonās Camden neighborhood. Originally, Bennett invites Shepherd to park her aging Bedford van in his driveway so she can list it as an address in order to collect benefits and eventually move on. Instead, Shepherd ends up living in the van in Bennettās driveway for 15 years. Just before her death in 1989, Alan learns that Maggie Shepherd is actually Margaret Fairchild. A gifted piano player who was a pupil of pianist Alfred Cortot and had a fondness for Chopin. So much so that when she tried to become a nun, she was kicked out of her religious order twice for wanting to play music. Bennett also learns that the reason Shepherd was homeless was that she was on the run for leaving the scene of a crime she didnāt commit after escaping an institution where sheād been committed by her own brother.
I found this movie to be a prime example of the concept āEveryone Has A Story To Tellā. Whether the person wants to tell the story or not is a whole other idea entirely. The strange friendship between Bennett and Shepherd is certainly an unusual one to be sure. While Bennettās neighbors would be happy to see they as they describe āthe crazy old lady leave the neighborhood, Bennett seems to follow his writerās instincts and also his humanity. Maggie Smithās and Alex Jenningsās performances as the oddly paired friends go far in helping to comprehend what went on between the two. Shepherd and Bennett both excelled as artists in their own way. One as a writer one as a musician. Both kinds of artists tell stories thorough their respective crafts. In this case though, the writer (Bennett) had the āresponsibilityā of telling Shepherdās story after debating with himself more than once whether he had the right to do so and whether it was moral or not. On top of that, it took over a decade to find the answers Bennett was looking for. In the end, it seems Bennett did what writers do. They use whatās around them in their lives to write about. And perhaps, by doing so, he helped give Shepherd some sort of closure and perhaps peace as well just before her death.
Iām going to give this film 4 out of 5 stars. The movie clocks in at 104 minutes so it is a long movie but honestly, how can you say ānoā to a movie with Maggie Smith? Honestly, explain that one to me. She definitely ācarries the filmā with her performance as Miss Mary Shepherd but the combination of her performance and that of Alex Jennings as the writer Alan Bennett that really make the film. I think another one of the reasons this film was good was because you had so many of the people that were involved in the original play that worked on the film itself. I personally find some British films, comedies in particular, to be a bit quirky sometimes. As funny as British humor is its sometimes difficult to grasp at first and thereās a bit of that in this film. Donāt let that discourage you though. If you can find an awesome art house movie theater, Iād certainly recommend going to catch it there. If you canāt, watch it online.
This is your friendly neighborhood freelance photographer and movie fanatic āThe CameraManā and on behalf of my fellows at Skewed & Reviewed Iād like to say āThanks For Readingā and weāll see you at the movies.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner, who also directed the stage play, the film stars legendary British actress Maggie Smith as Maggie Shepherd, Alex Jennings as Alan Bennett, Jim Broadbent as Underwood, Deborah Findlay as Pauline, Roger Allam as Rufus, Gwen Taylor as Mam, Cecillia Noble as Miss Brisco, Nicholas Burns as Giles Perry, Pandora Colin as Mrs Perry, and Frances de la Tour As Ursula Vaughan Williams.
āThe Lady In The Vanā follows the true story of playwright Alan Bennettās strained and tested relationship with Miss Maggie Shepherd. An eccentric and frightened homeless woman whom he befriended in the 1970s shortly after he moved into Londonās Camden neighborhood. Originally, Bennett invites Shepherd to park her aging Bedford van in his driveway so she can list it as an address in order to collect benefits and eventually move on. Instead, Shepherd ends up living in the van in Bennettās driveway for 15 years. Just before her death in 1989, Alan learns that Maggie Shepherd is actually Margaret Fairchild. A gifted piano player who was a pupil of pianist Alfred Cortot and had a fondness for Chopin. So much so that when she tried to become a nun, she was kicked out of her religious order twice for wanting to play music. Bennett also learns that the reason Shepherd was homeless was that she was on the run for leaving the scene of a crime she didnāt commit after escaping an institution where sheād been committed by her own brother.
I found this movie to be a prime example of the concept āEveryone Has A Story To Tellā. Whether the person wants to tell the story or not is a whole other idea entirely. The strange friendship between Bennett and Shepherd is certainly an unusual one to be sure. While Bennettās neighbors would be happy to see they as they describe āthe crazy old lady leave the neighborhood, Bennett seems to follow his writerās instincts and also his humanity. Maggie Smithās and Alex Jenningsās performances as the oddly paired friends go far in helping to comprehend what went on between the two. Shepherd and Bennett both excelled as artists in their own way. One as a writer one as a musician. Both kinds of artists tell stories thorough their respective crafts. In this case though, the writer (Bennett) had the āresponsibilityā of telling Shepherdās story after debating with himself more than once whether he had the right to do so and whether it was moral or not. On top of that, it took over a decade to find the answers Bennett was looking for. In the end, it seems Bennett did what writers do. They use whatās around them in their lives to write about. And perhaps, by doing so, he helped give Shepherd some sort of closure and perhaps peace as well just before her death.
Iām going to give this film 4 out of 5 stars. The movie clocks in at 104 minutes so it is a long movie but honestly, how can you say ānoā to a movie with Maggie Smith? Honestly, explain that one to me. She definitely ācarries the filmā with her performance as Miss Mary Shepherd but the combination of her performance and that of Alex Jennings as the writer Alan Bennett that really make the film. I think another one of the reasons this film was good was because you had so many of the people that were involved in the original play that worked on the film itself. I personally find some British films, comedies in particular, to be a bit quirky sometimes. As funny as British humor is its sometimes difficult to grasp at first and thereās a bit of that in this film. Donāt let that discourage you though. If you can find an awesome art house movie theater, Iād certainly recommend going to catch it there. If you canāt, watch it online.
This is your friendly neighborhood freelance photographer and movie fanatic āThe CameraManā and on behalf of my fellows at Skewed & Reviewed Iād like to say āThanks For Readingā and weāll see you at the movies.