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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Good Time (2017) in Movies
Jan 22, 2021
Here is another example of a very watchable low budget film that may have passed by your radar undetected. It came to my attention in two ways. The first because I disliked Uncut Gems so much folk started telling me to watch Good Time to get a better idea of what the Safdie brothers were all about. The second because Robert Pattinson kept popping up and being good in things, when again, there was a time I wouldn’t have thought that possible.
Josh and Benny Safdie have a lot of energy as filmmakers it seems; if the two films I’ve seen so far indicate a motif then it is people forced to act without much thought when the stakes are pretty much life and death. A raw, desperate energy exists in their work that comes straight at you through the screen. In Uncut Gems I found they pushed that feeling too hard, and what we were left with was a massively uncomfortable experience that felt like drinking too much coffee and then being screamed at by someone you hated. Good Time tempers that a little by having a protagonist whose motives you can at least identify with, played by a better, less shouty, more subtle and more likeable actor.
The plot revolves around Pattinson’s Connie frantically trying to find and save his mentally challenged brother, Nick, played by co-director Benny Safdie, after forcing him to participate in a bank robbery that goes wrong. Safdie as an actor is superb and memorable in the role, as is Pattinson. The chemistry between the two is simultaneously edgy, heartbreaking and somehow genuine. You believe they are brothers and invest in it – feeling Nick’s guilt and need to atone driving every bad decision along the grimy path he treads through the seedier parts of the city.
The camerawork and direction make the lights and sounds of the city a character in itself. It may not be true, but I see this film in my head, now as I think of it, as being 90% at night, lit by flashing headlights. Certainly that feel of running head-on into traffic is a big part of it. But there are slower, more sensitive scenes that spring to mind too. Constantly we are being asked if we can forgive Nick, or at least understand why he is making the choices he is making. Essentially he wants the panic to stop, but can’t ever get himself to a place of peace. An idea beautifully illustrated in the scenes involving the female characters of Corey and Crystal (the former played by Jennifer Jason Leigh with typical edge); Nick wants to be loved and respected, but how will that ever be possible?
Contrasting Pattinson’s work here with other recent efforts, including Tenet, The Lighthouse and The Lost City of Z, you can see an impressive range where his true personality disappears into his character. Something not every actor can do by any means, and something Adam Sandler failed to do in Uncut Gems, for example. I continue to be more impressed by him from film to film, to the extent that if I saw him in a cast it would be reason enough to see something. He has that ability to make an average film watchable, often being the best thing about the project. And I have to admit that has surprised me. But I like Kristen Stewart too these days, so it just shows how much the Twilight franchise has to answer for!
I wouldn’t go mad recommending this to everyone, but there is a time and a place for it, and I’m pleased I can appreciate the talent and potential the Safdie Brothers have inherently. There certainly aren’t enough young filmmakers taking risks in this way any more. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see their formula strike true gold before too long.
Josh and Benny Safdie have a lot of energy as filmmakers it seems; if the two films I’ve seen so far indicate a motif then it is people forced to act without much thought when the stakes are pretty much life and death. A raw, desperate energy exists in their work that comes straight at you through the screen. In Uncut Gems I found they pushed that feeling too hard, and what we were left with was a massively uncomfortable experience that felt like drinking too much coffee and then being screamed at by someone you hated. Good Time tempers that a little by having a protagonist whose motives you can at least identify with, played by a better, less shouty, more subtle and more likeable actor.
The plot revolves around Pattinson’s Connie frantically trying to find and save his mentally challenged brother, Nick, played by co-director Benny Safdie, after forcing him to participate in a bank robbery that goes wrong. Safdie as an actor is superb and memorable in the role, as is Pattinson. The chemistry between the two is simultaneously edgy, heartbreaking and somehow genuine. You believe they are brothers and invest in it – feeling Nick’s guilt and need to atone driving every bad decision along the grimy path he treads through the seedier parts of the city.
The camerawork and direction make the lights and sounds of the city a character in itself. It may not be true, but I see this film in my head, now as I think of it, as being 90% at night, lit by flashing headlights. Certainly that feel of running head-on into traffic is a big part of it. But there are slower, more sensitive scenes that spring to mind too. Constantly we are being asked if we can forgive Nick, or at least understand why he is making the choices he is making. Essentially he wants the panic to stop, but can’t ever get himself to a place of peace. An idea beautifully illustrated in the scenes involving the female characters of Corey and Crystal (the former played by Jennifer Jason Leigh with typical edge); Nick wants to be loved and respected, but how will that ever be possible?
Contrasting Pattinson’s work here with other recent efforts, including Tenet, The Lighthouse and The Lost City of Z, you can see an impressive range where his true personality disappears into his character. Something not every actor can do by any means, and something Adam Sandler failed to do in Uncut Gems, for example. I continue to be more impressed by him from film to film, to the extent that if I saw him in a cast it would be reason enough to see something. He has that ability to make an average film watchable, often being the best thing about the project. And I have to admit that has surprised me. But I like Kristen Stewart too these days, so it just shows how much the Twilight franchise has to answer for!
I wouldn’t go mad recommending this to everyone, but there is a time and a place for it, and I’m pleased I can appreciate the talent and potential the Safdie Brothers have inherently. There certainly aren’t enough young filmmakers taking risks in this way any more. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see their formula strike true gold before too long.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Invisible Man (2020) in Movies
Mar 8, 2020
When the trailers for this landed I knew I needed to see it, despite a large reservation it looked good and I was excited to see what they'd done with the story.
Cecilia has made the break from her abusive boyfriend and is trying to retake her life. It isn't easy when she's worried he'll be waiting for her or following the people she knows. That all changes when her sister tells her that he's been found dead, she can finally come out of hiding.
It's liberating, but she soon feels like his death might not have been as final as everyone thought. The creak of a floorboard, a noise in the next room, she's not alone. As terrible things start to befall her can she prove there's something to her claims or will everyone just think she's lost her mind?
I was not disappointed by this film, it really was a thrilling watch. It amazed me that you can achieve things like this on a (relatively) teeny tiny budget. I haven't seen or gone looking for details on how they did the invisible bits of the Invisible Man yet but my first instinct would be a morph suit and some wires (if you know please do let me know in the comments)... I'm guessing that inventing a real invisible suit was definitely out of their budget.
The effects never looked bad, there was one moment where it didn't entirely look real but that was during the very first physical interaction with him and I'm inclined to put it down to my surprise. I do want to go and see this again though so we'll see how it fairs then. I'm going to skip to another topic that crosses with this one...
The scares... normally I find horror films with obvious jump scares easier to deal with, it's a classic, and mainly predictable, device. There were a lot of times I was scared during the screening, but not in the way I expected. Those jump scares were there and I was feeling rather confident I'd do fine... I didn't do fine. They managed to scare me in a way I've never quite experienced before. Even the moment we see in the trailer where Cecilia is peering out of the attic got me. The build up to all these moments and the anticipation made them so much more than simple jumps and that really impressed me. The moments where he's revealed from behind his invisibility blend in really well with everything despite the fact your brain is telling you it isn't possible... or is it?!
I loved the camerawork. You'd pan out to an empty space and wonder if it was really empty, a doorway, an empty corridor... the way we zoom out to view the whole room with the realisation that he could be anywhere is an excellent way to make the audience as paranoid as she is.
When Cecilia makes her escape from Adrian she is taken in by James and his daughter Sydney, played by Aldis Hodge and Storm Reid. The dynamic the three of them have together is great, James is such a strong person when it comes to trying to help Cecilia get back to a normal life. That was a great thing to see and Hodge plays it perfectly. I'm also relieved that in the whole film we're never made to see a romance between the two, it's friendship and survival, nothing more.
Elisabeth Moss in the lead role had been my initial hesitation, I'm not really a fan. She was good, if she hadn't been I wouldn't have enjoyed the movie so much, but I felt like she managed to make Cecilia a little too manic at times. Occasionally that worked, and since I saw the film I've been wondering what sort of difference it would have made had she not been that way.
I liked that there were nods to things throughout the film, those little references were fun to look for but I wish they'd kept it out of the trailers. The bandaged man had no context in the trailer apart from a little flag for people who know previous versions. I can see trying to appeal to them with it but I'm not convinced the rest of the trailer would have anyway so what was the point?
The Invisible Man was much more that I had hoped for, it created so much suspense out of an empty room and some clever angles that I was just ever so slightly paranoid by the time I got home.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-invisible-man-movie-review.html
Cecilia has made the break from her abusive boyfriend and is trying to retake her life. It isn't easy when she's worried he'll be waiting for her or following the people she knows. That all changes when her sister tells her that he's been found dead, she can finally come out of hiding.
It's liberating, but she soon feels like his death might not have been as final as everyone thought. The creak of a floorboard, a noise in the next room, she's not alone. As terrible things start to befall her can she prove there's something to her claims or will everyone just think she's lost her mind?
I was not disappointed by this film, it really was a thrilling watch. It amazed me that you can achieve things like this on a (relatively) teeny tiny budget. I haven't seen or gone looking for details on how they did the invisible bits of the Invisible Man yet but my first instinct would be a morph suit and some wires (if you know please do let me know in the comments)... I'm guessing that inventing a real invisible suit was definitely out of their budget.
The effects never looked bad, there was one moment where it didn't entirely look real but that was during the very first physical interaction with him and I'm inclined to put it down to my surprise. I do want to go and see this again though so we'll see how it fairs then. I'm going to skip to another topic that crosses with this one...
The scares... normally I find horror films with obvious jump scares easier to deal with, it's a classic, and mainly predictable, device. There were a lot of times I was scared during the screening, but not in the way I expected. Those jump scares were there and I was feeling rather confident I'd do fine... I didn't do fine. They managed to scare me in a way I've never quite experienced before. Even the moment we see in the trailer where Cecilia is peering out of the attic got me. The build up to all these moments and the anticipation made them so much more than simple jumps and that really impressed me. The moments where he's revealed from behind his invisibility blend in really well with everything despite the fact your brain is telling you it isn't possible... or is it?!
I loved the camerawork. You'd pan out to an empty space and wonder if it was really empty, a doorway, an empty corridor... the way we zoom out to view the whole room with the realisation that he could be anywhere is an excellent way to make the audience as paranoid as she is.
When Cecilia makes her escape from Adrian she is taken in by James and his daughter Sydney, played by Aldis Hodge and Storm Reid. The dynamic the three of them have together is great, James is such a strong person when it comes to trying to help Cecilia get back to a normal life. That was a great thing to see and Hodge plays it perfectly. I'm also relieved that in the whole film we're never made to see a romance between the two, it's friendship and survival, nothing more.
Elisabeth Moss in the lead role had been my initial hesitation, I'm not really a fan. She was good, if she hadn't been I wouldn't have enjoyed the movie so much, but I felt like she managed to make Cecilia a little too manic at times. Occasionally that worked, and since I saw the film I've been wondering what sort of difference it would have made had she not been that way.
I liked that there were nods to things throughout the film, those little references were fun to look for but I wish they'd kept it out of the trailers. The bandaged man had no context in the trailer apart from a little flag for people who know previous versions. I can see trying to appeal to them with it but I'm not convinced the rest of the trailer would have anyway so what was the point?
The Invisible Man was much more that I had hoped for, it created so much suspense out of an empty room and some clever angles that I was just ever so slightly paranoid by the time I got home.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-invisible-man-movie-review.html
Pogg - kids game to learn spelling, language and vocabulary such as verbs, especially in slp and special education like autism and speech therapy
Education and Games
App
Pogg is a game that will help your kids learn words, objects, actions, and have a great time in the...
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated The Triumphant Tails of Rescue Dogs: Punk's Plight in Books
Aug 31, 2021
I have found a book about neglect. It's about a dog that gets mistreated. This book talks about a topic that is hard to bring up. This book explains well to children. Yes, this is about a dog, but it could be for children.
This book was a bit heartbroken at first. Though it does help with making children and adults understand about being mistreated. Please, if you see neglect, please help, whether it's children or dogs. This book is about a rescue dog.
He tells his story of being mistreated and how he recovered. Here is an excellent book to have on your bookshelves, and it is unique. What will happen to Punk? Will he ever learn to trust again? If you have a rescue dog, please let them know you love them but let them know. Let them come to you when they are ready.
Children will learn about some life lessons and rescue dogs. They will learn about how to take care and be in love and be patient. We all need to know this same lesson sometime. We remember we do learn how to take care of and love a rescue dog. This book is suitable for children to know that children and dogs can be loved, healed, and overcome neglect and mistreatment. There are some resources in the back of this book for help. Great for classrooms and bookshelves.
This book was a bit heartbroken at first. Though it does help with making children and adults understand about being mistreated. Please, if you see neglect, please help, whether it's children or dogs. This book is about a rescue dog.
He tells his story of being mistreated and how he recovered. Here is an excellent book to have on your bookshelves, and it is unique. What will happen to Punk? Will he ever learn to trust again? If you have a rescue dog, please let them know you love them but let them know. Let them come to you when they are ready.
Children will learn about some life lessons and rescue dogs. They will learn about how to take care and be in love and be patient. We all need to know this same lesson sometime. We remember we do learn how to take care of and love a rescue dog. This book is suitable for children to know that children and dogs can be loved, healed, and overcome neglect and mistreatment. There are some resources in the back of this book for help. Great for classrooms and bookshelves.
Merissa (11958 KP) rated Victor (Tangled Tentacles #2) in Books
May 12, 2022 (Updated Jun 20, 2023)
VICTOR is the second book in the Tangled Tentacles series and follows on from book one. I have to say I am loving these brothers. This time, it's Victor's turn. He found his mate, Azim, being held captive and in a very bad way. He thought it would be easy, but when does love ever run smoothly?
To begin with, Victor and Azim are on an island, far from civilisation. They can't communicate as Azim can't speak and when he emerged naked from the sea, with Azim in his arms, Victor misplaced his phone. Although he wanted to communicate with Azim, his first priority was keeping him alive. Azim did what he could, but there was always going to be a communications issue. This didn't bother me at all, as I knew it would be sorted out. My heart broke for Victor when he described himself and his brothers though. Bless him, he is special. He is the world to Azim! Azim shows his strength of will and character and it was wonderful to see his teasing side come out once his health was better.
This wasn't as 'fun' as book one and, you know what? It worked. In Alexi and Danik's story, the missing paranormals were mentioned and were a bit part of the storyline. In Victor and Azim's story, the focus is on one of the survivors, his health, and how he moves forward. The emphasis in this book is on how important mates are, and how you protect each other. And didn't that just make my heart melt?!
As an aside, Alexi was a bit of a jerk in this for a "slightly" important piece of information he forgot to give Danik! All good in the end, but still... He wasn't as bad as Cassius or his fellow Shadows though. They really did me in. And the connection between Markov and Cassius is something I look forward to reading more about. I thought Markov maybe next but instead, it's Todd. And, once again, my heart took a beating. I just want to give him a hug and slap the other two!!!!
This was a fantastic addition to the series and I loved seeing Alexi and Danik's story move forwards whilst keeping Victor and Azim in the foreground. Now, I just have to (im)patiently wait for Todd's book to be released. An absolute corker and highly recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 11, 2022
To begin with, Victor and Azim are on an island, far from civilisation. They can't communicate as Azim can't speak and when he emerged naked from the sea, with Azim in his arms, Victor misplaced his phone. Although he wanted to communicate with Azim, his first priority was keeping him alive. Azim did what he could, but there was always going to be a communications issue. This didn't bother me at all, as I knew it would be sorted out. My heart broke for Victor when he described himself and his brothers though. Bless him, he is special. He is the world to Azim! Azim shows his strength of will and character and it was wonderful to see his teasing side come out once his health was better.
This wasn't as 'fun' as book one and, you know what? It worked. In Alexi and Danik's story, the missing paranormals were mentioned and were a bit part of the storyline. In Victor and Azim's story, the focus is on one of the survivors, his health, and how he moves forward. The emphasis in this book is on how important mates are, and how you protect each other. And didn't that just make my heart melt?!
As an aside, Alexi was a bit of a jerk in this for a "slightly" important piece of information he forgot to give Danik! All good in the end, but still... He wasn't as bad as Cassius or his fellow Shadows though. They really did me in. And the connection between Markov and Cassius is something I look forward to reading more about. I thought Markov maybe next but instead, it's Todd. And, once again, my heart took a beating. I just want to give him a hug and slap the other two!!!!
This was a fantastic addition to the series and I loved seeing Alexi and Danik's story move forwards whilst keeping Victor and Azim in the foreground. Now, I just have to (im)patiently wait for Todd's book to be released. An absolute corker and highly recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 11, 2022
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Toy Story 2 (1999) in Movies
Jan 23, 2018
Masterpiece
Toy Story 2 picks up right where it left off packing the same creativity from the first film. It's an absolute marvel from start to finish, a film that not only checks all the boxes but touches you on every level. I found myself laughing way harder than someone should've after multiple watches. Is it perfect? Maybe not, but it's damn close.
If the animation was groundbreaking in the original movie, Toy Story 2 surpasses that by taking it up to new heights. Spectacular doesn't even begin to define it. Colors are more vibrant. Movements are more crisp. The attention to detail in every single frame is unreal.
Success also comes from a number of clever moments sprinkled throughout the film. In one scene, the gang is driving a toy car down an aisle being led by Barbie while Rex is chasing after them. He gets closer and closer to their rearview mirroring a very similar moment in Jurassic Park. It was terrifying in the dinosaur film, but hilarious in this context.
With such a fun film, you never expect your feelings to get caught up in it but they do. You feel heartbroken for Woody (Tom Hanks) when Andy feels he has to leave him behind while Andy goes to Cowboy Camp. Woody was so excited to be chosen to go and he's devastated when Andy decides to leave him.
I can't think of anything to dislike about the film as a whole. It's a fun ride to remember about a toy trying to find himself and his place in the world. You'll love everything from the old characters to the new dog who is just plain adorable. Welcome to my All-Time Top Ten, Toy Story 2. Hope you enjoyed the stay, Safety Not Guaranteed. We have another well-deserved 100.
If the animation was groundbreaking in the original movie, Toy Story 2 surpasses that by taking it up to new heights. Spectacular doesn't even begin to define it. Colors are more vibrant. Movements are more crisp. The attention to detail in every single frame is unreal.
Success also comes from a number of clever moments sprinkled throughout the film. In one scene, the gang is driving a toy car down an aisle being led by Barbie while Rex is chasing after them. He gets closer and closer to their rearview mirroring a very similar moment in Jurassic Park. It was terrifying in the dinosaur film, but hilarious in this context.
With such a fun film, you never expect your feelings to get caught up in it but they do. You feel heartbroken for Woody (Tom Hanks) when Andy feels he has to leave him behind while Andy goes to Cowboy Camp. Woody was so excited to be chosen to go and he's devastated when Andy decides to leave him.
I can't think of anything to dislike about the film as a whole. It's a fun ride to remember about a toy trying to find himself and his place in the world. You'll love everything from the old characters to the new dog who is just plain adorable. Welcome to my All-Time Top Ten, Toy Story 2. Hope you enjoyed the stay, Safety Not Guaranteed. We have another well-deserved 100.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated It Follows (2015) in Movies
Oct 9, 2020
There are plenty of positive aspects to It Follows. The concept for one is decent and an original idea for a horror film. A sexually transmitted disease that causes an entity to relentlessly hunt you down at the pace of a Romero era zombie, never giving up until you're dead, unless you pass it on to someone new.
It's a very modern take on horror, acting as an age old cautionary tale about casual sex, masquerading as a creepy stalker flick.
The image of a person slowly walking towards you, staring at you the whole time is unsettling enough, but the entity's appearance will frequently change. This allows even people in the background shots to carry a weight of danger in the times where the audience is unaware of its whereabouts. It's a simple yet clever trick that gives It Follows a steady undercurrent of dread.
There's some really nice cinematography on display as well. Lingering shots of empty spaces are intimidating (I found myself constantly scanning for the entity, and got caught out more than once) It also has a phenomenal synth soundtrack courtesy of Disasterpiece. It will switch from ethereal to jarring in a flash and contributes greatly to the dark tone this film carries.
I wasn't a huge fan of the constant frame dissolves and screen wipes. It's kept taking me out of the narrative a bit, and the film suffers greatly with it's characters constantly making silly decisions. Although Maika Monroe is a solid lead.
Overall, It Follows is a genuinely unsettling horror-thriller with some truly chilling moments. It's just a little frustrating that the great concept isn't explored as much as it could have been.
It's a very modern take on horror, acting as an age old cautionary tale about casual sex, masquerading as a creepy stalker flick.
The image of a person slowly walking towards you, staring at you the whole time is unsettling enough, but the entity's appearance will frequently change. This allows even people in the background shots to carry a weight of danger in the times where the audience is unaware of its whereabouts. It's a simple yet clever trick that gives It Follows a steady undercurrent of dread.
There's some really nice cinematography on display as well. Lingering shots of empty spaces are intimidating (I found myself constantly scanning for the entity, and got caught out more than once) It also has a phenomenal synth soundtrack courtesy of Disasterpiece. It will switch from ethereal to jarring in a flash and contributes greatly to the dark tone this film carries.
I wasn't a huge fan of the constant frame dissolves and screen wipes. It's kept taking me out of the narrative a bit, and the film suffers greatly with it's characters constantly making silly decisions. Although Maika Monroe is a solid lead.
Overall, It Follows is a genuinely unsettling horror-thriller with some truly chilling moments. It's just a little frustrating that the great concept isn't explored as much as it could have been.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I found Start Here to be very inspirational. The Harris’ get down to the point quickly and concisely.
Start Here is a light easy read, but then how can a Christian living book be light? They talk about pride and sin and giving glory to God, they talk about peer pressure and stress and fears and the Father of Lies. But they also encourage teenagers to get out of the box that our society has put them in. It’s light and easy in that it’s an easily understood page-turner.
The Harris’ first book, Do Hard Things, was about encouraging teens to do just that—to do hard things—for God. In Start Here, they talk about how to go about doing those hard things, what to do when you encounter fear, press, or peer pressure, and answer all the tough questions.
One of the points that they make is that your hard thing may not be to sail around the world at age sixteen or to make a movie or to start a nonprofit organization or anything else big. Your hard thing might be what some people consider a small thing, and it may be something that nobody even knows about. But God wants you to do that hard thing because in the long run, it changes your heart for the better. At the back of Start Here is a list of 100 things that people have contributed too, and I want to share a few with you:
Sold all the clothes I didn’t need and gave the money to charity
worked up to 100 pushups in four weeks
saved my first kiss for my wedding day
read a book out loud to my younger siblings
let my brother win an argument
Babysat for a single mom who could not pay me much
Set a budget and stuck with it.
Maybe these people aren’t going to be front page news… but their hard things are pretty important.
Start Here will encourage, inspire, and help you through whatever it is that God has for you, whether you know about it right now or not. Consider it a handbook, and use it side by side with your main instruction manual (The Bible).
Recommendation: Ages 11+ Adults do hard things, too! They also will benefit from this book.
(book provided for review by publisher)
Start Here is a light easy read, but then how can a Christian living book be light? They talk about pride and sin and giving glory to God, they talk about peer pressure and stress and fears and the Father of Lies. But they also encourage teenagers to get out of the box that our society has put them in. It’s light and easy in that it’s an easily understood page-turner.
The Harris’ first book, Do Hard Things, was about encouraging teens to do just that—to do hard things—for God. In Start Here, they talk about how to go about doing those hard things, what to do when you encounter fear, press, or peer pressure, and answer all the tough questions.
One of the points that they make is that your hard thing may not be to sail around the world at age sixteen or to make a movie or to start a nonprofit organization or anything else big. Your hard thing might be what some people consider a small thing, and it may be something that nobody even knows about. But God wants you to do that hard thing because in the long run, it changes your heart for the better. At the back of Start Here is a list of 100 things that people have contributed too, and I want to share a few with you:
Sold all the clothes I didn’t need and gave the money to charity
worked up to 100 pushups in four weeks
saved my first kiss for my wedding day
read a book out loud to my younger siblings
let my brother win an argument
Babysat for a single mom who could not pay me much
Set a budget and stuck with it.
Maybe these people aren’t going to be front page news… but their hard things are pretty important.
Start Here will encourage, inspire, and help you through whatever it is that God has for you, whether you know about it right now or not. Consider it a handbook, and use it side by side with your main instruction manual (The Bible).
Recommendation: Ages 11+ Adults do hard things, too! They also will benefit from this book.
(book provided for review by publisher)
Midge (525 KP) rated Whatever It Takes in Books
Jan 22, 2019
Beautifully compelling (1 more)
Strong and confident main character
Captivating and Engaging
"Whatever It Takes" is a beautifully compelling story that has a bit of everything. From drama, romance and conflict, to joy and sorrow, there is really something for everyone.
It is a contemporary fiction and romance novel set in Highland Springs, West Virginia, a wonderfully scenic, American small town with a close-knit community.
What’s really likeable about it straight-away are the opening chapters that draw you straight into the main character, Darla Jean Heartwood. She is a strong, confident, very successful businesswoman, however, she is also emotional and impulsive. You feel instantly on her side, particularly in her initial dealings with Jason Byrne the handsome fellow who has been following her. You can immediately sense there is something going on, and one of the highlights of the book is following how that relationship develops. The handsome, charismatic, distinguished, silver fox Jason is, at first, hard to work out but you gradually get to know him as the story unfolds and see that he has many surprising qualities.
Darla has kept a family secret for eighteen years until she receives an unwanted telephone call. Family relationships are put to the test when she decides to correct some of her past decisions, for her daughter, Meghan, the man she loves, and also herself. She will let nothing stand in her way to expose the high-profile Governor, a man who took away her innocence and brought great angst to her life for years.
Both the plot and the character development are excellent, and the story-line is very believable. The story is also both captivating and engaging. It held my interest from start to finish, and I found myself rooting for Darla as she showed extremes of courage in confronting her challenges.
The writing style is very easy to read and it’s an interesting novel particularly for the interplay of the different characters - a wacky and psychic aunty, a loud and pushy cousin and a large group of girlfriends. Plenty of romantic ups and downs along the way and plenty of surprises. I loved it!
I highly recommend this book and suggest wholeheartedly that you add it to your booklist.
Thank you to Hidden Gems for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
It is a contemporary fiction and romance novel set in Highland Springs, West Virginia, a wonderfully scenic, American small town with a close-knit community.
What’s really likeable about it straight-away are the opening chapters that draw you straight into the main character, Darla Jean Heartwood. She is a strong, confident, very successful businesswoman, however, she is also emotional and impulsive. You feel instantly on her side, particularly in her initial dealings with Jason Byrne the handsome fellow who has been following her. You can immediately sense there is something going on, and one of the highlights of the book is following how that relationship develops. The handsome, charismatic, distinguished, silver fox Jason is, at first, hard to work out but you gradually get to know him as the story unfolds and see that he has many surprising qualities.
Darla has kept a family secret for eighteen years until she receives an unwanted telephone call. Family relationships are put to the test when she decides to correct some of her past decisions, for her daughter, Meghan, the man she loves, and also herself. She will let nothing stand in her way to expose the high-profile Governor, a man who took away her innocence and brought great angst to her life for years.
Both the plot and the character development are excellent, and the story-line is very believable. The story is also both captivating and engaging. It held my interest from start to finish, and I found myself rooting for Darla as she showed extremes of courage in confronting her challenges.
The writing style is very easy to read and it’s an interesting novel particularly for the interplay of the different characters - a wacky and psychic aunty, a loud and pushy cousin and a large group of girlfriends. Plenty of romantic ups and downs along the way and plenty of surprises. I loved it!
I highly recommend this book and suggest wholeheartedly that you add it to your booklist.
Thank you to Hidden Gems for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
The story of Valerian is a good one. We open on Mül, a idyllic place of peace and a simple life. But this peace is shattered when fire rains from the sky devastating the entire planet. The last moment of Mül sees the Princess, doomed to die in the explosion, release her energy into the universe, through time and space.
Valerian, sunning himself on his ship, is hit with a sudden vision of the cataclysm on Mül. Unsure about it's meaning he goes back to the task at hand, retrieving a relic from some disreputable people on the black market. The "converter" is the last of it's kind in the universe, it will eat anything and rapidly replicate it, and as such is a very valuable commodity.
The mission is to return the converter to Alpha station. But when they arrive they discover that the station has been infected with something right at its heart. It's spreading, and all those that enter do not come back. When events lead to Valerian being drawn into the infected area, Laureline isn't willing to give up hope, and she battles her way in. Once she's reunited with Valerian they work travel to the centre of the station and discover the shocking truth about how the infection began...
The film is based on Valerian and Laureline, a French sci-fi comic series written by Pierre Christin and illustrated by Jean-Claude Mézières. I have got the first one to read, but as is my tradition, I have yet to do so. The first one is available free on Kindle at the moment if anybody is that way inclined. I expect that it will get a much better reaction in Europe than it seem to have done in the States, which is a bit of a shame. Possibly the way to go would have been with bigger stars, but *shrugs shoulders* it's too late now.
As I said, the story itself is a good one, and while people are nit picking and saying there are plot holes... there aren't if you don't look for them. I have this horrible ability to just watch a film for what it is, if you just go and see something to have some fun you don't notice any of that. It's a horribly nice way to be able to live my life, I enjoy a lot more things that way.
What I'm about to say is going to contradict my overall feeling for the film... I didn't really enjoy Dane DeHaan or Cara Delevingne. I had originally thought that I hadn't seen DeHaan in anything before, but was soon getting recollections of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Scrolling through Delevingne's few years of films I've only seen Suicide Squad, and her acting as a "real person" is quite a small piece in that. While I can't think of anyone who would have perfectly suited either role, I feel like many other actors could have done an equal, or better, performance.
You get a wonderful introduction to what the station is, and has become. And we're treated to the potted history of alien species, several of which would sit quite nicely in the Whoniverse. I'm quite looking forward to reading the graphic novel. I can see stories unfolding in the different sections of the station, and that works. It almost feels like it would have made an amazing TV series, because it is essentially Star Trek with glitzier aliens and ecosystems.
As far as the secondary characters go we're treated to several memorable moments. Including Ethan Hawke as Jolly the Pimp, which is as flamboyant as you'd expect. Clive Owen as Commander Filitt, stern and ruthless, the sort who would stab you in the back (or the front) for his own gain. Sam Spruell as General Okto-Bar, who acted his part incredibly well... I'm honestly surprised I've not seen any of the other things he's been in, but I will be checking them out. Rihanna as Bubble, I'm a little surprised about how much I heard about her being in this considering how short her role is. But the same is true of a few things I've seen recently. We first meet her at Jolly's den of iniquity, where the music video training definitely came in handy.
As a whole the film moves along smoothly, with only a few little bits that seemed like they didn't belong, or could have been cut out. Unlike other films though, these little additions didn't harm the overall product.
Here is where my love for the film takes a steep nose-drive. Imagine crying with joy to resting bitch-face in the space of a few seconds. The 3D was hideous. I can't even think of a nice thing to say about it.
When the scenes were general crowd shots or indoors, everything was fine... although these shots didn't really benefit from the effect. The exterior shots however, in my not so expert opinion, were a terrible idea. I found some of them actually painful to watch, particularly long range shots of Alpha with ships coming in to dock. It was near on impossible to deal with the perspective as there was so much happening. For the last half of the film I took my 3D glasses off every time these shots appeared on screen as my head was rapidly starting to hurt, and I wasn't the only one having trouble.
If it wasn't for the painful exterior shots I honestly would have forgotten I was watching the film in 3D. Unlike other 3D films, you weren't aware that things were coming out of the screen at you. Not once.
I really don't want to be so negative about this film, it was an enjoyable watch (without the optical illusion created by the 3D). I would recommend it to anyone who has a passing interest in sci-fi and adaptations of comics. And I feel like, if nothing else, it might get the graphic novels themselves more circulation outside of Europe.
But please... watch it in 2D.
Valerian, sunning himself on his ship, is hit with a sudden vision of the cataclysm on Mül. Unsure about it's meaning he goes back to the task at hand, retrieving a relic from some disreputable people on the black market. The "converter" is the last of it's kind in the universe, it will eat anything and rapidly replicate it, and as such is a very valuable commodity.
The mission is to return the converter to Alpha station. But when they arrive they discover that the station has been infected with something right at its heart. It's spreading, and all those that enter do not come back. When events lead to Valerian being drawn into the infected area, Laureline isn't willing to give up hope, and she battles her way in. Once she's reunited with Valerian they work travel to the centre of the station and discover the shocking truth about how the infection began...
The film is based on Valerian and Laureline, a French sci-fi comic series written by Pierre Christin and illustrated by Jean-Claude Mézières. I have got the first one to read, but as is my tradition, I have yet to do so. The first one is available free on Kindle at the moment if anybody is that way inclined. I expect that it will get a much better reaction in Europe than it seem to have done in the States, which is a bit of a shame. Possibly the way to go would have been with bigger stars, but *shrugs shoulders* it's too late now.
As I said, the story itself is a good one, and while people are nit picking and saying there are plot holes... there aren't if you don't look for them. I have this horrible ability to just watch a film for what it is, if you just go and see something to have some fun you don't notice any of that. It's a horribly nice way to be able to live my life, I enjoy a lot more things that way.
What I'm about to say is going to contradict my overall feeling for the film... I didn't really enjoy Dane DeHaan or Cara Delevingne. I had originally thought that I hadn't seen DeHaan in anything before, but was soon getting recollections of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Scrolling through Delevingne's few years of films I've only seen Suicide Squad, and her acting as a "real person" is quite a small piece in that. While I can't think of anyone who would have perfectly suited either role, I feel like many other actors could have done an equal, or better, performance.
You get a wonderful introduction to what the station is, and has become. And we're treated to the potted history of alien species, several of which would sit quite nicely in the Whoniverse. I'm quite looking forward to reading the graphic novel. I can see stories unfolding in the different sections of the station, and that works. It almost feels like it would have made an amazing TV series, because it is essentially Star Trek with glitzier aliens and ecosystems.
As far as the secondary characters go we're treated to several memorable moments. Including Ethan Hawke as Jolly the Pimp, which is as flamboyant as you'd expect. Clive Owen as Commander Filitt, stern and ruthless, the sort who would stab you in the back (or the front) for his own gain. Sam Spruell as General Okto-Bar, who acted his part incredibly well... I'm honestly surprised I've not seen any of the other things he's been in, but I will be checking them out. Rihanna as Bubble, I'm a little surprised about how much I heard about her being in this considering how short her role is. But the same is true of a few things I've seen recently. We first meet her at Jolly's den of iniquity, where the music video training definitely came in handy.
As a whole the film moves along smoothly, with only a few little bits that seemed like they didn't belong, or could have been cut out. Unlike other films though, these little additions didn't harm the overall product.
Here is where my love for the film takes a steep nose-drive. Imagine crying with joy to resting bitch-face in the space of a few seconds. The 3D was hideous. I can't even think of a nice thing to say about it.
When the scenes were general crowd shots or indoors, everything was fine... although these shots didn't really benefit from the effect. The exterior shots however, in my not so expert opinion, were a terrible idea. I found some of them actually painful to watch, particularly long range shots of Alpha with ships coming in to dock. It was near on impossible to deal with the perspective as there was so much happening. For the last half of the film I took my 3D glasses off every time these shots appeared on screen as my head was rapidly starting to hurt, and I wasn't the only one having trouble.
If it wasn't for the painful exterior shots I honestly would have forgotten I was watching the film in 3D. Unlike other 3D films, you weren't aware that things were coming out of the screen at you. Not once.
I really don't want to be so negative about this film, it was an enjoyable watch (without the optical illusion created by the 3D). I would recommend it to anyone who has a passing interest in sci-fi and adaptations of comics. And I feel like, if nothing else, it might get the graphic novels themselves more circulation outside of Europe.
But please... watch it in 2D.