Search
Search results
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Split (2016) in Movies
Oct 19, 2017 (Updated Oct 19, 2017)
A little better from M Night Shyamalan, but still not spectacular
By far, James McAvoy steals the show in this psychological thriller, in which he plays 23 different personalities. Suffering from the condition Dissociative Identity Disorder, McAvoy reveals a dark side, where he kidnaps three girls and holds them hostage to his whims, while attempting to seek help from a psychiatrist. In between, we see one girl in particular engage with him, the trauma also bringing out her own demons. And of course a mandatory cameo from the director himself.
While the story has potential, and his acting is flawless - it lacks substance somewhat. Apart from his 'transformation', the film seems to have been created mainly on the premise that there will be a sequel, so you're left in limbo at the end with a small clue of what's next.
It's not particularly scary, so I wouldn't deem it a horror movie as such. The girls' kidnapping also seems slightly pointless, like tools in the movie so that they can showcase Kevin's (the main personality) different sides and what a 'monster' he is. Disappointing, but better than Shyamalan's recent terrible films.
While the story has potential, and his acting is flawless - it lacks substance somewhat. Apart from his 'transformation', the film seems to have been created mainly on the premise that there will be a sequel, so you're left in limbo at the end with a small clue of what's next.
It's not particularly scary, so I wouldn't deem it a horror movie as such. The girls' kidnapping also seems slightly pointless, like tools in the movie so that they can showcase Kevin's (the main personality) different sides and what a 'monster' he is. Disappointing, but better than Shyamalan's recent terrible films.
BeaconVenom (10 KP) rated Fifty Shades of Grey in Books
Sep 5, 2017
It's difficult to explain this book without being inappropriate towards a younger audience but I'll do my best.
EL James takes a lot of women's fantasies, that they are too afraid to ever ask their partner to try, and normalises them. A lot of people have described this book as "mummy porn" and okay yes maybe to a degree it is. However it is also so much more, it inadvertently investigates how far we are willing to push ourselves and change for someone we believe we are attracted to or even love. I don't know if she meant to but she certainly challenged mindsets with this book and challenges what we consider normal and acceptable behaviour.
It also brought the BDSM culture into the light and helped make it a lot less taboo. Until this book was released BDSM was seen as sex dungeons, dirty old men and scared, low self-esteem girls. This book helped challenge and change this perception and open people's minds to alternative forms of.... enjoyment.
It is certainly worth a read, if nothing else just to give you an alternative perspective of what society should and shouldn't see as acceptable in relationships.
EL James takes a lot of women's fantasies, that they are too afraid to ever ask their partner to try, and normalises them. A lot of people have described this book as "mummy porn" and okay yes maybe to a degree it is. However it is also so much more, it inadvertently investigates how far we are willing to push ourselves and change for someone we believe we are attracted to or even love. I don't know if she meant to but she certainly challenged mindsets with this book and challenges what we consider normal and acceptable behaviour.
It also brought the BDSM culture into the light and helped make it a lot less taboo. Until this book was released BDSM was seen as sex dungeons, dirty old men and scared, low self-esteem girls. This book helped challenge and change this perception and open people's minds to alternative forms of.... enjoyment.
It is certainly worth a read, if nothing else just to give you an alternative perspective of what society should and shouldn't see as acceptable in relationships.
Midge (525 KP) rated Two Months and Three Days in Books
Feb 27, 2019
Erotic And Emotional
"Two Months and Three Days" is an unusual combination of a romance and a detective story. It is one of the best contemporary romance books that I have read in a while.
It is the first in a trilogy of books by Tatiana Vedenska that was originally published in Russian under the pen-name of Alisa Klever. A complete best-selling contemporary romance series in Russia, the trilogy very loosely adapts ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ by E.L. James. For me, Tatiana Vedenska is in a league of her own with her individual style of writing, and steamy sex scenes!
This, the opening book of the #SinisterRomance series is a steamy, sensual and emotional read. It is a wonderful tale of a spoiled billionaire and an ordinary student that explores themes such as family bonds, experience and relationships, as well as happiness, belonging and naivety.
This English translation is nicely done and keeps the moments of humour and spicy sex scenes that make "Two Months and Three Days" such a fulfilling and enjoyable read.
{Thank you to NetGalley, LitHunters and Tatiana Vedenska for a free copy and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
It is the first in a trilogy of books by Tatiana Vedenska that was originally published in Russian under the pen-name of Alisa Klever. A complete best-selling contemporary romance series in Russia, the trilogy very loosely adapts ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ by E.L. James. For me, Tatiana Vedenska is in a league of her own with her individual style of writing, and steamy sex scenes!
This, the opening book of the #SinisterRomance series is a steamy, sensual and emotional read. It is a wonderful tale of a spoiled billionaire and an ordinary student that explores themes such as family bonds, experience and relationships, as well as happiness, belonging and naivety.
This English translation is nicely done and keeps the moments of humour and spicy sex scenes that make "Two Months and Three Days" such a fulfilling and enjoyable read.
{Thank you to NetGalley, LitHunters and Tatiana Vedenska for a free copy and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
Awix (3310 KP) rated Glass (2019) in Movies
Jan 22, 2019 (Updated Jan 22, 2019)
More Than Half Empty
Long-awaited sequel to Unbreakable; also not-quite-so-long-awaited sequel to Split, as M Night Shyamalan's various superheroes and villains assemble in a nuthouse: roll-call includes Bruce Willis (special power: being, um, unbreakable), James McAvoy (special power: one of his multiple personalities is a bit of an animal), and Samuel L Jackson (special power: being older than his own mum - it's true, I checked Wikipedia).
Starts off very promisingly but soon collapses into a saggy and self-indulgent mess in the traditional Shyamalan style; many long-winded scenes and much mysto-babble. Another bravura performance from McAvoy, and Jackson (when he finally turns up) carves himself a thick slice of ham, but the consequence of this is that Bruce Willis mostly vanishes into the background. The climax is remarkably portentous considering it's mostly just two guys wrestling each other fairly clumsily in a car park. Not sure three half-assed plot twists add up to a decent ending. All in all, a curious attempt to make a superhero movie in the style of a horror film, but ultimately rather disappointing given the potential and the talent involved.
Starts off very promisingly but soon collapses into a saggy and self-indulgent mess in the traditional Shyamalan style; many long-winded scenes and much mysto-babble. Another bravura performance from McAvoy, and Jackson (when he finally turns up) carves himself a thick slice of ham, but the consequence of this is that Bruce Willis mostly vanishes into the background. The climax is remarkably portentous considering it's mostly just two guys wrestling each other fairly clumsily in a car park. Not sure three half-assed plot twists add up to a decent ending. All in all, a curious attempt to make a superhero movie in the style of a horror film, but ultimately rather disappointing given the potential and the talent involved.
Deborah (162 KP) rated The Beau Monde: Fashionable Society in Georgian London in Books
Dec 21, 2018
Greig's book takes a look at the Beau Monde - the fashionable elite - ranging from the 'Glorious Revolution' up to the early part of the 19th century. The Beau Monde and The Season were instigated by the more important role of parliament following the deposition of James II by his daughter and her husband - William III & Mary II. The peerage would spend a good deal of their time in London attending parliament, and so so social 'Season' was born. It was interesting to see the extent to which politics permeated the fashionable society and the importance of 'gossip' and 'chit chat' which letters from wives to husbands can be full of. The book covers jewellery and dress, exile from the Beau Monde and fraudulent claims to membership, court attendance and much more. Particularly with the clothing and jewellery, I think this would really have been enhanced with coloured plates, but sadly all the illustrations are black and white.
In her introduction, Greig states that this book has grown out of her doctoral thesis on the subject. It is a quite a scholarly read, but not completely inaccessible to the general reader.
In her introduction, Greig states that this book has grown out of her doctoral thesis on the subject. It is a quite a scholarly read, but not completely inaccessible to the general reader.
The Red Lioness: One Woman. Four Years. 90,000 Miles. 650 Plus Pubs
Book
It was Grand National weekend and Cathy Price had just popped into a pub in the Lake District to see...
The British Witch: The Biography
Book
For over five hundred years witches, male and female, practised magic for harm and for good in their...
JH
Johnny Haynes: Portrait of a Football Genius
Book
Johnny Haynes: Portrait of a Football Genius is the biography of one of England's greatest ever...
Jonathan Rhys Meyers recommended Seven Samurai (1954) in Movies (curated)
