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Best of Fragments from France
Bruce Bairnsfather, Tonie Holt and Valmai Holt
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Bruce Bairnsfather (BB) was the most famous cartoonist of the First World War and his soldier...
Kurt Vile recommended Good Old Boys by Randy Newman in Music (curated)
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Bloodshot (2020) in Movies
Oct 9, 2020
Brainless fun
Bloodshot is not the kind of film I’d waste my time going to watch at the cinema, however I jumped at the opportunity to watch it in the comfort of my own home where I could tune out and do other things if it got dull. And I’m rather pleasantly surprised to admit that it never did.
Bloodshot is based on a Valiant comic of the same name which tells the story of Ray Garrison, a soldier killed and brought back to life with the use of nanites, giving him superhuman powers and a thirst for revenge.
Going into this film I knew nothing about it, I hadn’t even seen a trailer. My only misgiving was regarding Vin Diesel, who like Keanu Reeves, is great to watch in action but sadly his acting skills leave a little to be desired. Surprisingly I didn’t mind Vin Diesel in this, and it probably stems from the fact that he spends most of his time in action with very little opportunity for any more meaningful or emotional scenes (thankfully).
The first half of this film had me worried. It opens with some irritating slow motion action shots and then progresses into what is rather a predictable and done to death origin film revenge plot. There are some good points though: the action scenes and CGI were very well done and choreographed, the filming locations are beautifully shot, and the dancing scene with Toby Kebbell was a riot, almost feeling like it would’ve been better placed in something made by Tarantino rather than this.
Had the film carried on in this same vein for it’s entire runtime, I would’ve switched off. However there was a reveal halfway through that provided a much needed boost to the story and a great deal of humour, and I never saw it coming. This pushed this film from being pretty poor to fairly enjoyable and entertaining.
That isn’t to say it doesn’t have it’s flaws. Guy Pearce is playing the same character he seems to have played in everything else recently and Toby Kebbell is massively underused. The remaining members of the team are rather cliched villains or just completely forgettable. And there’s a scene towards the end with a pouting and over the top KT that is so cheesy and cringeworthy it’s laughably bad. There’s also an action scene set in London that has been obviously not been filmed in London (or in the UK at all from the look of the buildings and vehicle registrations), so there are a few missteps with the production and the finale has far too much CGI as well.
Overall I was expecting this to be atrocious and was rather pleasantly surprised to find myself laughing and enjoying it to a point. It is by no means perfect and will never win any awards, however if you’re looking for some brainless action and entertainment you could do much worse than Bloodshot.
Bloodshot is based on a Valiant comic of the same name which tells the story of Ray Garrison, a soldier killed and brought back to life with the use of nanites, giving him superhuman powers and a thirst for revenge.
Going into this film I knew nothing about it, I hadn’t even seen a trailer. My only misgiving was regarding Vin Diesel, who like Keanu Reeves, is great to watch in action but sadly his acting skills leave a little to be desired. Surprisingly I didn’t mind Vin Diesel in this, and it probably stems from the fact that he spends most of his time in action with very little opportunity for any more meaningful or emotional scenes (thankfully).
The first half of this film had me worried. It opens with some irritating slow motion action shots and then progresses into what is rather a predictable and done to death origin film revenge plot. There are some good points though: the action scenes and CGI were very well done and choreographed, the filming locations are beautifully shot, and the dancing scene with Toby Kebbell was a riot, almost feeling like it would’ve been better placed in something made by Tarantino rather than this.
Had the film carried on in this same vein for it’s entire runtime, I would’ve switched off. However there was a reveal halfway through that provided a much needed boost to the story and a great deal of humour, and I never saw it coming. This pushed this film from being pretty poor to fairly enjoyable and entertaining.
That isn’t to say it doesn’t have it’s flaws. Guy Pearce is playing the same character he seems to have played in everything else recently and Toby Kebbell is massively underused. The remaining members of the team are rather cliched villains or just completely forgettable. And there’s a scene towards the end with a pouting and over the top KT that is so cheesy and cringeworthy it’s laughably bad. There’s also an action scene set in London that has been obviously not been filmed in London (or in the UK at all from the look of the buildings and vehicle registrations), so there are a few missteps with the production and the finale has far too much CGI as well.
Overall I was expecting this to be atrocious and was rather pleasantly surprised to find myself laughing and enjoying it to a point. It is by no means perfect and will never win any awards, however if you’re looking for some brainless action and entertainment you could do much worse than Bloodshot.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated A Star Is Born (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I don't want you all to think I'm harsh here. "Only three and a half stars?!? What's wrong with this woman?!" This film is immense and the emotion is so real that I was bawling my eyes out, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't feel the need to rewatch this one. And yes, I do feel slightly terrible about that.
The introduction to both characters at the beginning works incredibly well, you get the chaotic and drunken nature of Jackson and I think Ally really sums up how many women and men feel about men that are in their lives.
When singing was involved with the two of them together their chemistry was undeniable. But the rest of the time I didn't particularly enjoy them. The story was still flowing well and the subject matter was being handled well, but I think the awkwardness of the situations was probably a little too real for me.
Lady Gaga, is just incredible. As a singer. As an actress. She's just marvelous. Her voice gives me goosebumps and I love that feeling.
The supporting cast were really good too. Her father's driver buddies offer some humour during the film, and Greg Grunberg as Jackson's drive is just adorable. By far my favourite was Dave Chappelle, I've loved him ever since Robin Hood: Men In Tights, this was a real step away from everything I've seen him in and it worked so well.
Sound was used incredibly well in this film, and not just for the songs. All the little touches that were used really helped get the message of the scene across.
On that note I will just give a brief mention the events at the end of the film. What transpires is really raw, and you can feel every emotion that's flying around. I always keep a notepad with me to scribble words to remind me of certain things to add to my reviews... all I wrote at the end of of this was "f****** dog"... it really got to me... and yep, there go the waterworks again!
What should you do?
You should see it, plain and simple. This film will stay with you. You will hum and sing the songs. 95% of you are going to cry whether you liked it or not.
As I left the cinema the night I watched this I sat in my car and looked at the clock. It was just 10pm and normally on a "school" night I'd go straight home to bed, but I knew I couldn't. I needed chocolate. I never need anything at this time of night apart from sleep on a normal night. I drove to Tesco to go shopping and then sat in bed eating chocolate buttons. It helped.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would love Lady Gaga's voice, or just a smidgen of her talent.
The introduction to both characters at the beginning works incredibly well, you get the chaotic and drunken nature of Jackson and I think Ally really sums up how many women and men feel about men that are in their lives.
When singing was involved with the two of them together their chemistry was undeniable. But the rest of the time I didn't particularly enjoy them. The story was still flowing well and the subject matter was being handled well, but I think the awkwardness of the situations was probably a little too real for me.
Lady Gaga, is just incredible. As a singer. As an actress. She's just marvelous. Her voice gives me goosebumps and I love that feeling.
The supporting cast were really good too. Her father's driver buddies offer some humour during the film, and Greg Grunberg as Jackson's drive is just adorable. By far my favourite was Dave Chappelle, I've loved him ever since Robin Hood: Men In Tights, this was a real step away from everything I've seen him in and it worked so well.
Sound was used incredibly well in this film, and not just for the songs. All the little touches that were used really helped get the message of the scene across.
On that note I will just give a brief mention the events at the end of the film. What transpires is really raw, and you can feel every emotion that's flying around. I always keep a notepad with me to scribble words to remind me of certain things to add to my reviews... all I wrote at the end of of this was "f****** dog"... it really got to me... and yep, there go the waterworks again!
What should you do?
You should see it, plain and simple. This film will stay with you. You will hum and sing the songs. 95% of you are going to cry whether you liked it or not.
As I left the cinema the night I watched this I sat in my car and looked at the clock. It was just 10pm and normally on a "school" night I'd go straight home to bed, but I knew I couldn't. I needed chocolate. I never need anything at this time of night apart from sleep on a normal night. I drove to Tesco to go shopping and then sat in bed eating chocolate buttons. It helped.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would love Lady Gaga's voice, or just a smidgen of her talent.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Beetlejuice (1988) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I'm really enjoying the classic movie re-releases at Cineworld. I've been along to several in the last year and enjoyed every one of them, so when Beetlejuice came up in the listings it was a must see for me as I loved this from the very first time I saw it.
With the other releases I didn't have much to worry about, they were either brand new to me or I'd never seen them the whole way through so it was going to be a new experience... but this time... could I be risking those great memories? While it did run through my head while I waited for the film to start I wasn't going to deny myself the chance to see it on the big screen. It did bring up a few moments that made me ponder, but all in all I'm glad that I got the chance to see it in the cinema.
At 30 years old you'd expect things to be a little dated, and perhaps the general feel of the film is with some old fashioned clothing, but most of it still holds up. The one thing that makes you notice the age is the cast. Everyone looks so young!
It's a fantastic cast too. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, Adam and Barbara, the perfect couple living a peaceful life out in the country. Winona Ryder, Lydia, the dark and brooding teenage daughter of Jeffrey Jones' Charles and step-daughter to Catherine O'Hara's Delia. We of course can't forget the film's (almost) namesake, Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse. Each one brings a little something different to the film and you get some fun interactions between them all as well as with the supporting cast.
The only real thing that struck me after rewatching this after a few years is that Beetlejuice doesn't actually feature in it as much as I remember. But then the film itself also feels quite short, which at 1 and a half hours it is, again, I just didn't remember it that way.
Some of Beetlejuice's antics may feel a little cringe worthy to newer viewers. To be fair some did to me as a seasoned veteran of the movie. But his over the top nature and motor mouth lead to some entertaining diversions throughout.
The highlights for me as always are the dance routines. (And possibly some of the earliest twerking in the movie biz?) I think we were all dancing a little in our seats as they played out in front of us.
It still brings just as much fun as it did before, it's one of those favourites that you can watch anytime you need something a bit upbeat
What you should do
You should watch this at least once. It's daft and some fun lighthearted humour to break up a dull day.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
If I could have the full backing band when I sing at home that would be great!
With the other releases I didn't have much to worry about, they were either brand new to me or I'd never seen them the whole way through so it was going to be a new experience... but this time... could I be risking those great memories? While it did run through my head while I waited for the film to start I wasn't going to deny myself the chance to see it on the big screen. It did bring up a few moments that made me ponder, but all in all I'm glad that I got the chance to see it in the cinema.
At 30 years old you'd expect things to be a little dated, and perhaps the general feel of the film is with some old fashioned clothing, but most of it still holds up. The one thing that makes you notice the age is the cast. Everyone looks so young!
It's a fantastic cast too. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, Adam and Barbara, the perfect couple living a peaceful life out in the country. Winona Ryder, Lydia, the dark and brooding teenage daughter of Jeffrey Jones' Charles and step-daughter to Catherine O'Hara's Delia. We of course can't forget the film's (almost) namesake, Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse. Each one brings a little something different to the film and you get some fun interactions between them all as well as with the supporting cast.
The only real thing that struck me after rewatching this after a few years is that Beetlejuice doesn't actually feature in it as much as I remember. But then the film itself also feels quite short, which at 1 and a half hours it is, again, I just didn't remember it that way.
Some of Beetlejuice's antics may feel a little cringe worthy to newer viewers. To be fair some did to me as a seasoned veteran of the movie. But his over the top nature and motor mouth lead to some entertaining diversions throughout.
The highlights for me as always are the dance routines. (And possibly some of the earliest twerking in the movie biz?) I think we were all dancing a little in our seats as they played out in front of us.
It still brings just as much fun as it did before, it's one of those favourites that you can watch anytime you need something a bit upbeat
What you should do
You should watch this at least once. It's daft and some fun lighthearted humour to break up a dull day.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
If I could have the full backing band when I sing at home that would be great!
Mouviz Gay & Lesbian
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Day Shift (2022) in Movies
Oct 12, 2022
Vampires vs. The Bronx, Night Teeth, and now Day Shift. Someone over at Netflix really likes investing in vampire horror-comedies of varying quality. Day Shift, for the most part, is a competent and entertaining action flick, thanks in no small part to the cast. Jamie Foxx has shown time and again that he's more than capable of taking on lead duties, whether he's winning Oscars for music biopics, or kicking vampire ass up and down California. His chemistry with Dave Franco lays the foundation for much of the films humour, and introduces a kind of buddy cop dynamic into the mix. The cast is further bolstered with some smaller roles from industry veteran Peter Stormare, and living legend Snoop Dogg (patiently waiting for a Big John spin-off project).
The action scenes are a whole lot of fun. The vampires contort and twist in horrible ways, and are dispatched in equally horrible ways. There's plenty of blood and viscera, limbs flying about the place, decapitations. It's all well choreographed, fast paced, and hugely entertaining.
There's a lot going for Day Shift, but it does faulter at times. After an exciting opening scene, there's quite a lengthy dip in pacing. This leads to a lot of exposition dumps and world building. Crafting lore for a new IP is something that can be tricky to navigate, and Day Shift misses the mark in this instance. It's all well and good providing the audience with background information that would be everyday knowledge for these characters, but it's executed in a way that feels wayward and messy, and almost 100% through dialogue. And example of a film that does this kind of thing well would be Zombieland. Withing minutes, we know plenty of in-universe rules for surviving the zombie apocalypse, and it's done in a fun, breezy, and brisk manner. In contrast, Day Shift puts a pin in any sort of excitement to throw all sorts of exposition at us in a way that feels like it's relying on potential sequels for any kind of pay off. It's just a little deflating, and not even Foxx's charisma can keep it from becoming boring.
To add to the negative side of things, the villain of the piece is aggressively forgettable. There's a semi-clever reference to how estate realtors are evil, but other than that, she's just an uninspired bad guy that causes the protagonists mild peril. The narrative also suffers from the age old issue of characters doing stupid things to drive the plot forward. Some of the events that unfold don't make a huge amount of sense with what we've been told previously.
Despite these misgivings and a messy middle, Day Shift ends on a high note, with an entertaining final third, and ultimately manages to be a perfectly passable popcorn movie. What it lacks in substance, it's makes up for in style, and will surely leave most with a smile on their faces by the time the credits roll.
The action scenes are a whole lot of fun. The vampires contort and twist in horrible ways, and are dispatched in equally horrible ways. There's plenty of blood and viscera, limbs flying about the place, decapitations. It's all well choreographed, fast paced, and hugely entertaining.
There's a lot going for Day Shift, but it does faulter at times. After an exciting opening scene, there's quite a lengthy dip in pacing. This leads to a lot of exposition dumps and world building. Crafting lore for a new IP is something that can be tricky to navigate, and Day Shift misses the mark in this instance. It's all well and good providing the audience with background information that would be everyday knowledge for these characters, but it's executed in a way that feels wayward and messy, and almost 100% through dialogue. And example of a film that does this kind of thing well would be Zombieland. Withing minutes, we know plenty of in-universe rules for surviving the zombie apocalypse, and it's done in a fun, breezy, and brisk manner. In contrast, Day Shift puts a pin in any sort of excitement to throw all sorts of exposition at us in a way that feels like it's relying on potential sequels for any kind of pay off. It's just a little deflating, and not even Foxx's charisma can keep it from becoming boring.
To add to the negative side of things, the villain of the piece is aggressively forgettable. There's a semi-clever reference to how estate realtors are evil, but other than that, she's just an uninspired bad guy that causes the protagonists mild peril. The narrative also suffers from the age old issue of characters doing stupid things to drive the plot forward. Some of the events that unfold don't make a huge amount of sense with what we've been told previously.
Despite these misgivings and a messy middle, Day Shift ends on a high note, with an entertaining final third, and ultimately manages to be a perfectly passable popcorn movie. What it lacks in substance, it's makes up for in style, and will surely leave most with a smile on their faces by the time the credits roll.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Hellboy (2019) in Movies
Apr 17, 2019 (Updated Apr 17, 2019)
The script (4 more)
The CGI
The editing
The performances
Everything else
Actual Hell
If the Hellboy 2019 movie has one thing going for it, it's that it's impressive. It is impressive in the sense that it actually made me question the futility of time and why I was wasting my short time on this earth watching this atrocious piece of trash. There were several times when I was watching the film that I actually couldn't bring myself to believe how bad what I was witnessing onscreen really was. This might be the worst film I have ever seen.
It has without a doubt taken the crown of the worst superhero movie ever made from Fan4stic and is downright insulting. I cannot believe that they chose to make this dogshit over another one with Ron Perlman and Del Toro. Almost every single aspect of this movie is garbage and there are hardly any redeeming features.
Let's talk about the main character, this movie's version of Hellboy. We all knew going in that David Harbour had some pretty big shoes to fill left by Perlman and in Harbour's defence, pretty much the only slightly positive aspect of this thing is the fact that you can tell that Harbour is doing the very best with the piss poor material he has been given to work with. Most of his lines are awful and the way that his character is written as a moaning, whiny bitch is actually insulting to the character. Also, the excessive makeup he is wearing means that he is hardly able to emote with his mouth. When he is talking, his mouth simply opens and closes like a puppet and it is painfully obvious that the dialogue has been dubbed in later and it's not even been done very well. The other slight positive in this movie is seeing Hellboy in his full demonic getup with long horns and donning the flaming crown and sword was pretty cool, unfortunately this is only a fleeting glimpse of coolness before we get right back to the crap.
The other memorable part of the Del Toro Hellboy movies was the endearing supporting cast, unfortunately they have been substituted with an insufferable lot of replacements. The actress playing Alice may give the worst performance that I have ever seen in a comic book movie, (and I saw Polar!) Every single line that she uttered was extremely cringe-worthy and poorly delivered. Daniel Dae Kim was almost as bad as Hellboy's other sidekick. Again, a lot of his lines were ADR'd in later and it is really shoddily done. Ian McShane plays Broom, the scientist that found Hellboy and adopted him and he is sleepwalking his way through this role for the sake of an easy paycheck. As is Milla Jovovich, she plays a stereotypical villainous witch and she does nothing here that we haven't seen her do before in other movies.
Over my years of watching almost every comic book movie that releases, I have seen my fair share of cheap, cartoony looking CGI, but this takes the cake. Almost every scene in the movie features some kind of CGI creature and they are all on a similar level of quality to an unfinished student project. One of the moments it really stood out was the giant fight, where we were subjected to not only one bad CGI giant, but three of them. The scene is also shot in broad daylight, which really does the bad CGI no favours. Not once, did anything in this movie look better than anything in the Del Toro movies which came out 10+ years ago.
I'm going to spoil something here, because seriously who gives a fuck at this point? The absolute worst part of CGI though in the entire movie, is undoubtedly during one of the final scenes in the movie where Ian McShane comes back to speak to Hellboy as a ghost. The CG in this scene is genuinely on par with the Rock's CG in in the Scorpion King. Yes, it really is that bad.
The soundtrack is so misused here also. The songs themselves that are featured are all half decent songs, but they do not work in the context of this film and they add absolutely nothing to the scenes that they are used in. The editing is also horrible, there were several times that I was reminded of the cheap editing in shows like Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
The last thing that I want to talk about is the tone and humour, (or lack of,) present throughout the film. The movie opens with a flashback scene showing King Arthur chopping up the witch. The scene is being narrated by Ian McShane and it is chock-full of diabolically awful dialogue and insufferably cheesy line delivery. Whilst watching it I thought, "Oh they are really hamming it up here and going for a really corny tone for these flashback scenes." I then swiftly came to the soul-crushing conclusion that no, this was how the next 2 hours of this movie was going to go. The awful sense of humour is actually comparable to that in a poor quality kids film, with gross out burp and kiss jokes to boot. What happened to the darker, more horror orientated tone that we were teased with when the movie was in pre-production? Any semblance of that is sorely lacking here and it is a shame because I would have quite liked to have seen that movie and there is a good chance that it would have been a lot better than this dumpster fire.
Overall, please don't see this unless you hate yourself. It is two hours of your life that would be better spent doing literally anything else. At the end it has the audacity to tease a sequel which, (if there is a God,) will never happen.
It has without a doubt taken the crown of the worst superhero movie ever made from Fan4stic and is downright insulting. I cannot believe that they chose to make this dogshit over another one with Ron Perlman and Del Toro. Almost every single aspect of this movie is garbage and there are hardly any redeeming features.
Let's talk about the main character, this movie's version of Hellboy. We all knew going in that David Harbour had some pretty big shoes to fill left by Perlman and in Harbour's defence, pretty much the only slightly positive aspect of this thing is the fact that you can tell that Harbour is doing the very best with the piss poor material he has been given to work with. Most of his lines are awful and the way that his character is written as a moaning, whiny bitch is actually insulting to the character. Also, the excessive makeup he is wearing means that he is hardly able to emote with his mouth. When he is talking, his mouth simply opens and closes like a puppet and it is painfully obvious that the dialogue has been dubbed in later and it's not even been done very well. The other slight positive in this movie is seeing Hellboy in his full demonic getup with long horns and donning the flaming crown and sword was pretty cool, unfortunately this is only a fleeting glimpse of coolness before we get right back to the crap.
The other memorable part of the Del Toro Hellboy movies was the endearing supporting cast, unfortunately they have been substituted with an insufferable lot of replacements. The actress playing Alice may give the worst performance that I have ever seen in a comic book movie, (and I saw Polar!) Every single line that she uttered was extremely cringe-worthy and poorly delivered. Daniel Dae Kim was almost as bad as Hellboy's other sidekick. Again, a lot of his lines were ADR'd in later and it is really shoddily done. Ian McShane plays Broom, the scientist that found Hellboy and adopted him and he is sleepwalking his way through this role for the sake of an easy paycheck. As is Milla Jovovich, she plays a stereotypical villainous witch and she does nothing here that we haven't seen her do before in other movies.
Over my years of watching almost every comic book movie that releases, I have seen my fair share of cheap, cartoony looking CGI, but this takes the cake. Almost every scene in the movie features some kind of CGI creature and they are all on a similar level of quality to an unfinished student project. One of the moments it really stood out was the giant fight, where we were subjected to not only one bad CGI giant, but three of them. The scene is also shot in broad daylight, which really does the bad CGI no favours. Not once, did anything in this movie look better than anything in the Del Toro movies which came out 10+ years ago.
I'm going to spoil something here, because seriously who gives a fuck at this point? The absolute worst part of CGI though in the entire movie, is undoubtedly during one of the final scenes in the movie where Ian McShane comes back to speak to Hellboy as a ghost. The CG in this scene is genuinely on par with the Rock's CG in in the Scorpion King. Yes, it really is that bad.
The soundtrack is so misused here also. The songs themselves that are featured are all half decent songs, but they do not work in the context of this film and they add absolutely nothing to the scenes that they are used in. The editing is also horrible, there were several times that I was reminded of the cheap editing in shows like Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
The last thing that I want to talk about is the tone and humour, (or lack of,) present throughout the film. The movie opens with a flashback scene showing King Arthur chopping up the witch. The scene is being narrated by Ian McShane and it is chock-full of diabolically awful dialogue and insufferably cheesy line delivery. Whilst watching it I thought, "Oh they are really hamming it up here and going for a really corny tone for these flashback scenes." I then swiftly came to the soul-crushing conclusion that no, this was how the next 2 hours of this movie was going to go. The awful sense of humour is actually comparable to that in a poor quality kids film, with gross out burp and kiss jokes to boot. What happened to the darker, more horror orientated tone that we were teased with when the movie was in pre-production? Any semblance of that is sorely lacking here and it is a shame because I would have quite liked to have seen that movie and there is a good chance that it would have been a lot better than this dumpster fire.
Overall, please don't see this unless you hate yourself. It is two hours of your life that would be better spent doing literally anything else. At the end it has the audacity to tease a sequel which, (if there is a God,) will never happen.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Kids of Appetite in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
They lived and they laughed and they saw that it was good.</i>
<i>Mosquitoland </i>was the best book I read last year (2015) and I was excited to discover what David Arnold would write next. I approached<i> Kids of Appetite</i> with mild trepidation; what if it did not live up to my expectations? Need not have worried – it was brilliant. Dubbed a “tragicomedy” <i>Kids of Appetite</i> is a combination of realistic, heartbreaking experiences with intellectual humour.
The book opens mid interview at a local police station where two teenagers, Vic and Mad, are being questioned about a murder their friend has supposedly committed. From there, the story backtracks a week and proceeds to bring the reader up to date. It all begins with Vic running away from home, distancing himself from his mother and her new partner. By chance, a coincidence – a bump, Vic would say – he is found by Mad who introduces him to a small group of homeless friends. Vic may not have packed in preparation for life on the streets – or in a greenhouse as it turns out – however he did grab the urn containing his late father’s ashes before racing out of the house. Along with the urn is a letter containing cryptic clues that lead to various locations that Vic’s father wished for his ashes to be scattered. He, along with his new found friends; make it a mission to put his father to rest.
It is not possible to label the general theme of the book. <i>Kids of Appetite</i> is a story full of stories. Each character has their own past, something that led them to the situation they find themselves in now. The group consists of five members – once Vic has been accepted. Baz, at age twenty-seven, is clearly the leader: responsible, caring, and fatherly – until accused of murder. Seven years younger is Zuz, Baz’s mute brother, and finally Coco, an eleven year old with the mouth of a foul old lady. It is Coco, amongst all her swearing and hilarious misuse of words, that coins the name <i>Kids of Appetite, KOA</i> for short, a play on words: they are not solely in want of food, they hunger for life.
Initially it would appear that the main focus will be on Vic: his father’s death, his mother’s new partner, Moebius (facial paralysis) – a syndrome that results in a lot of bullying and discrimination – and, of course, his flight from home. However the remaining members of <i>KOA </i>equally contribute to the overall narrative. Mad, like Vic, knows what it is like to lose a father. Unfortunately she also knows what it is like to lose a mother. Her life since the fateful car crash that left her and orphan has been full of abuse and uncertainty. Baz and Zuz, on the other hand, have escaped a traumatizing childhood in the midst of the Congo Civil War.
Similarly with <i>Mosquitoland</i>, Arnold’s second book is full of intellectual knowledge and humour complete with references to highbrow material. Vic is obsessed with an operatic song and deeply interested in abstract art, particularly Matisse. He pulls the artist’s work apart in search of meaning and relatable truths of life. Like Vic, Mad has a particular song she draws comfort from. The lyrics help her make sense of the world around her, and produce her own manifesto – Madifesto, rather. She is particularly fascinated by S E Hinton’s <i>The Outsiders</i> – a book I have not read, but am obviously going to now. With in-depth theories purloined from her favourite novel, she encourages and advises those around her.
The murder investigation is evidently another key point of the book. I do not want to say too much on the matter as it would not be fair to give the ending away. Be reassured that<i> Kids of Appetite</i> is not a thriller, crime or horror novel; it is the events and dialogue leading up to the conclusion that make up the greatest parts of the story.
It is essentially the characters that make <i>Kids of Appetite</i> such a fantastic work of fiction. Their background stories are all based on real life experiences of many people throughout the world, but it is their opinion of life, their terminology, and their reckless enthusiasm that really impacts the reader. <i>Kids of Appetite</i> is a book to be read over and over again. So many phrases can be lifted and quoted to explain our own lives and feelings. In fact, the entire novel is one big quote to sum up life itself. Although there are so many themes, stories and ideas, there is one clear message. Let go. Let go of the past. Let go of the things that hold you back. For Vic and Mad it is the death of their parents; for Coco it is abandonment; and Baz and Zuz learn to let go of their violent childhood.
David Arnold is an extremely talented author, seamlessly flowing from one notion to another, whilst sweeping the reader into a sea of pure emotion. He may over use the word “ergo” and have an unconventional penchant for ellipses, but that only adds to the uniqueness of the writing. There may be an excessive amount of expletives, however that is overshadowed by the pure genius of the story itself. <i>Kids of Appetite</i> is a book I want to recommend to all. The blurb likens it to authors Rainbow Rowell and Jennifer Niven – I would like to throw John Green into the mix – and should appeal to many Young Adult readers. I could write forever about this book, but I would rather you go and read it yourself. And whilst you read, remember:
<i>They lived and they laughed and they saw that it was good. </i>
They lived and they laughed and they saw that it was good.</i>
<i>Mosquitoland </i>was the best book I read last year (2015) and I was excited to discover what David Arnold would write next. I approached<i> Kids of Appetite</i> with mild trepidation; what if it did not live up to my expectations? Need not have worried – it was brilliant. Dubbed a “tragicomedy” <i>Kids of Appetite</i> is a combination of realistic, heartbreaking experiences with intellectual humour.
The book opens mid interview at a local police station where two teenagers, Vic and Mad, are being questioned about a murder their friend has supposedly committed. From there, the story backtracks a week and proceeds to bring the reader up to date. It all begins with Vic running away from home, distancing himself from his mother and her new partner. By chance, a coincidence – a bump, Vic would say – he is found by Mad who introduces him to a small group of homeless friends. Vic may not have packed in preparation for life on the streets – or in a greenhouse as it turns out – however he did grab the urn containing his late father’s ashes before racing out of the house. Along with the urn is a letter containing cryptic clues that lead to various locations that Vic’s father wished for his ashes to be scattered. He, along with his new found friends; make it a mission to put his father to rest.
It is not possible to label the general theme of the book. <i>Kids of Appetite</i> is a story full of stories. Each character has their own past, something that led them to the situation they find themselves in now. The group consists of five members – once Vic has been accepted. Baz, at age twenty-seven, is clearly the leader: responsible, caring, and fatherly – until accused of murder. Seven years younger is Zuz, Baz’s mute brother, and finally Coco, an eleven year old with the mouth of a foul old lady. It is Coco, amongst all her swearing and hilarious misuse of words, that coins the name <i>Kids of Appetite, KOA</i> for short, a play on words: they are not solely in want of food, they hunger for life.
Initially it would appear that the main focus will be on Vic: his father’s death, his mother’s new partner, Moebius (facial paralysis) – a syndrome that results in a lot of bullying and discrimination – and, of course, his flight from home. However the remaining members of <i>KOA </i>equally contribute to the overall narrative. Mad, like Vic, knows what it is like to lose a father. Unfortunately she also knows what it is like to lose a mother. Her life since the fateful car crash that left her and orphan has been full of abuse and uncertainty. Baz and Zuz, on the other hand, have escaped a traumatizing childhood in the midst of the Congo Civil War.
Similarly with <i>Mosquitoland</i>, Arnold’s second book is full of intellectual knowledge and humour complete with references to highbrow material. Vic is obsessed with an operatic song and deeply interested in abstract art, particularly Matisse. He pulls the artist’s work apart in search of meaning and relatable truths of life. Like Vic, Mad has a particular song she draws comfort from. The lyrics help her make sense of the world around her, and produce her own manifesto – Madifesto, rather. She is particularly fascinated by S E Hinton’s <i>The Outsiders</i> – a book I have not read, but am obviously going to now. With in-depth theories purloined from her favourite novel, she encourages and advises those around her.
The murder investigation is evidently another key point of the book. I do not want to say too much on the matter as it would not be fair to give the ending away. Be reassured that<i> Kids of Appetite</i> is not a thriller, crime or horror novel; it is the events and dialogue leading up to the conclusion that make up the greatest parts of the story.
It is essentially the characters that make <i>Kids of Appetite</i> such a fantastic work of fiction. Their background stories are all based on real life experiences of many people throughout the world, but it is their opinion of life, their terminology, and their reckless enthusiasm that really impacts the reader. <i>Kids of Appetite</i> is a book to be read over and over again. So many phrases can be lifted and quoted to explain our own lives and feelings. In fact, the entire novel is one big quote to sum up life itself. Although there are so many themes, stories and ideas, there is one clear message. Let go. Let go of the past. Let go of the things that hold you back. For Vic and Mad it is the death of their parents; for Coco it is abandonment; and Baz and Zuz learn to let go of their violent childhood.
David Arnold is an extremely talented author, seamlessly flowing from one notion to another, whilst sweeping the reader into a sea of pure emotion. He may over use the word “ergo” and have an unconventional penchant for ellipses, but that only adds to the uniqueness of the writing. There may be an excessive amount of expletives, however that is overshadowed by the pure genius of the story itself. <i>Kids of Appetite</i> is a book I want to recommend to all. The blurb likens it to authors Rainbow Rowell and Jennifer Niven – I would like to throw John Green into the mix – and should appeal to many Young Adult readers. I could write forever about this book, but I would rather you go and read it yourself. And whilst you read, remember:
<i>They lived and they laughed and they saw that it was good. </i>
Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Hart Broken (Cale & Mickey #1) in Books
Oct 6, 2017
Hart Broken (Cale & Mickey #1) oh where do I start with this amazingly different love story.
This is one book I was really looking forward to devouring and then to realise it's part of a series, well it just made my day.
So Hart Broken is the tale of Mickey Hart and Cale Windermere, it begins when Cale rescues an inebriated Mickey one night and after the encounter, he falls fast.
Mickey herself is a screwed up mess, but she really does like her wickedly handsome knight who just happens to be in a wheelchair.
Hart Broken follows these two lovers as they traverse the rocky road to a HEA.
So I really loved this book it certainly helped that our two main characters were exceptionally likeable and yummy.
So to give my take on these two, let's start with Cale, I adored his sense of humour and lopsided smile, it was super cute and adorable how he thought of Mickey "This Girl"
I loved how capable Cale was and that he didn't wallow in what if's, just takes his hand in life and gets on with it.
I also adored the peek we got of his vulnerable side, the glimpse into his head showcased his inner insecurities, whatever the face he put on to the outside world. It humanised Cale to the reader.
Also, his relationship with his parents and brother show such an appealing picture looking in.
Now, Mickey, she's a bit of a flake, an enchanting one, a bit all over the place, but she does mean well. Mickeys past and her enormous mountain of baggage is definitely impacting her here and now.
So Hart Broken starts by lulling you into a false sense of security, everything's puppies and roses Mickey and Cale are all loved up then wham Mickey self-sabotages herself, Lots of Baggage from Mickey sigh.
The rest of this novel traverses the path and obstacles these two lovers have to overcome to fully connect again.
I really enjoyed the way this was written the dialogue had a punchy feel to it that was easy to immerse yourself in.
If I had to find a criticism of Hart Broken it would be the sex, I would have liked to know more about the mechanics of the act, I was actually and still am a bit confused as to the how.
I know that Cale took something to enable him, but then it mentioned he could feel nothing below the waist, so was this just for Mickey's benefits?
mmm, Some clarity on this would be much appreciated.
I actually won an E-Copy of Hart Broken in a Facebook giveaway so glad I did As I really enjoyed this and am so looking forward to reading the next instalment, its definitely on my HUGE TBR pile.
So would I recommend this, of course, it's a hot sexy read whats not to love.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
This is one book I was really looking forward to devouring and then to realise it's part of a series, well it just made my day.
So Hart Broken is the tale of Mickey Hart and Cale Windermere, it begins when Cale rescues an inebriated Mickey one night and after the encounter, he falls fast.
Mickey herself is a screwed up mess, but she really does like her wickedly handsome knight who just happens to be in a wheelchair.
Hart Broken follows these two lovers as they traverse the rocky road to a HEA.
So I really loved this book it certainly helped that our two main characters were exceptionally likeable and yummy.
So to give my take on these two, let's start with Cale, I adored his sense of humour and lopsided smile, it was super cute and adorable how he thought of Mickey "This Girl"
I loved how capable Cale was and that he didn't wallow in what if's, just takes his hand in life and gets on with it.
I also adored the peek we got of his vulnerable side, the glimpse into his head showcased his inner insecurities, whatever the face he put on to the outside world. It humanised Cale to the reader.
Also, his relationship with his parents and brother show such an appealing picture looking in.
Now, Mickey, she's a bit of a flake, an enchanting one, a bit all over the place, but she does mean well. Mickeys past and her enormous mountain of baggage is definitely impacting her here and now.
So Hart Broken starts by lulling you into a false sense of security, everything's puppies and roses Mickey and Cale are all loved up then wham Mickey self-sabotages herself, Lots of Baggage from Mickey sigh.
The rest of this novel traverses the path and obstacles these two lovers have to overcome to fully connect again.
I really enjoyed the way this was written the dialogue had a punchy feel to it that was easy to immerse yourself in.
If I had to find a criticism of Hart Broken it would be the sex, I would have liked to know more about the mechanics of the act, I was actually and still am a bit confused as to the how.
I know that Cale took something to enable him, but then it mentioned he could feel nothing below the waist, so was this just for Mickey's benefits?
mmm, Some clarity on this would be much appreciated.
I actually won an E-Copy of Hart Broken in a Facebook giveaway so glad I did As I really enjoyed this and am so looking forward to reading the next instalment, its definitely on my HUGE TBR pile.
So would I recommend this, of course, it's a hot sexy read whats not to love.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm