Search

Search only in certain items:

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
1942 | Drama
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"Well, it has a lot of what makes Citizen Kane amazing; you know, the incredible camera angles and perspectives, and the sense of history — American history — great performances. But to me, it’s a much juicier story. So it’s from a Booth Tarkington novel — which I’ve never read — and it’s the story of a young man who’s played by Joseph Cotten — who you know is also in Citizen Kane — who will go on to become the man who invents the automobile. But at the time, he is the ruler of our heroine, and he does not win her hand because he’s not a big deal enough — not from her point of view, but from her family’s point of view. Because they are the magnificent Ambersons; they are the richest, most important family in town. And instead she marries someone that she doesn’t love and who’s not as impressive a person. So she takes all that love she doesn’t really have for her husband, and pours it onto her son, who becomes a spoiled nightmarish brat. And it is the downward trajectory of the Ambersons — as Joseph Cotten’s character, in his ingenuity, makes all these important scientific advances, and he gains money. And the Ambersons spend their money terribly and they’re dissolute. And all this tragedy ensues — finally, finally, finally at the end. When he’s a baby — when he’s a young boy — he’s so spoiled. And they’re all waiting for the day when George Amberson will get his comeuppance. And finally, everything horrible that could happen to a person happens to him. But by the time George Amberson got his comeuppance, the people who had so longed to see it were no longer around. And in the end, he finally, finally, finally comes to his senses and embraces his mother’s true love and accepts help. It’s just a beautifully told story of star-crossed lovers; but also how when everything is going for you — and you think you’re so great, because you come from people who’ve told you that you’re great — but actually, if you can’t fend for yourself you’re gonna float to the bottom pretty quickly."

Source
  
The Evidence Against You
The Evidence Against You
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
It's the day Izzy's father will be released from jail.
She has every reason to feel conflicted - he's the man who gave her a childhood filled with happy memories.
But he has also just served seventeen years for the murder of her mother.
Now, Izzy's father sends her a letter. He wants to talk, to defend himself against each piece of evidence from his trial.
But should she give him the benefit of the doubt?
Or is her father guilty as charged, and luring her into a trap?

This is an utterly amazing thriller,
The story is told in a very good way in that the past and present are told in alternating way and we get to find out facts about the case in drips.
Lots of twists and turns and keeps you wanting to know what’s going to happen next and leaves the best to the very end.
A must read for 2019!
Highly Recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin UK Michael Joseph and the author for the chance to review.
  
Hostiles (2017)
Hostiles (2017)
2017 | Western
Bring westerns back!
I love Christian Bale and I love westerns, so it is no surprise I found this an immensely entertaining film.

It is hard to believe humanity even survived the relentless, bleak, hostile and morose period in American history when native Americans were hunted down, slaughtered and removed from their land. They became equally brutal in retaliation and defending their property.


When Bale (Capt. Joseph J. Blocker) is ordered to transport a dying Indian Chief and former adversary and his family back to Montana based on his dying wish, Bale reluctantly agrees.


Their journey would be marked with heartache, sacrifice and brutality. Bale and his men come under attack and have to band together to survive.


I have seen few westerns which showcase the brutality of the Old West better than this film. Your heart goes out to the men and women left to survive with very little left in their lives to look forward to. Somehow, they manage to carry on and should be inspiring to the rest of us to do the same.

  
Your Closest Friend
Your Closest Friend
Karen Perry | 2018 | Crime, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What a unique story and nothing like anything I've read before. You are thrown into the middle of a terrorist attack at the beginning of the story and not knowing whether she is going to survive or not, Cara confides her deepest secrets to the young lady who plucked her to safety. Secrets that should have stayed hidden as they are now used against her.

The writing style is easy to read and flows really well with each chapter written from the perspectives of the 2 main characters - Cara and Amy - which works extremely well for this book and the story. I did feel there was a bit of a lull in the middle but it certainly makes up for it as we move towards the thrilling conclusion.

Never having read anything by these authors before (Paul Perry and Karen Gillece ), I will most certainly keep my eyes open in future and thank you to the Publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph, and NetGalley for once again introducing me to yet another great book that would likely have passed me by.
  
The Death Of Stalin (2017)
The Death Of Stalin (2017)
2017 | Comedy
Several Russian politicians desperately attempt to solve the question (by scheming, plotting and conspiring) of who is to assume leadership of the Soviet Union after the death of dictator Joseph Stalin in 1953.



I'm amazed at how many films that come out I haven't heard of in advance. This being one of them. It's not my sort of film, and yet it is, all in one go. The trailer was amusing and intriguing, and I knew I had to see it. Then, as if by magic, it appeared as an Unlimited Screening.

With such a varied cast I honestly had no clue what to expect. From Michael Palin to Steve Buscemi... come on! But I, just like everyone else in the screen, was amused and left laughing. I'm not entirely sure we knew what we were watching though, not because it was confusing, but because it is a weird combination of all sorts of different things. You leave and you wonder what you really watched. One thing's for sure, I really want to read the graphic novel now.
  
For Your Own Good
For Your Own Good
Samantha Downing | 2021 | Crime, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fun and Over The Top!
I read a lot of thrillers and I am getting harder to please but I'm happy to say that For Your Own Good pleased me!

This book had me hooked and I read it in super quick time. It is full of thoroughly unlikeable characters where few had any redeeming qualities and I have to admit that I actually smiled when at least one of them came to their sticky end!

The story is written from various points of view and whilst this puts you right into the heads of the characters, it does take away some of the tension and thrills but it was fun being in the heads of people who had clearly lost the plot!

This was a fun and over the top read that I would recommend to those who are able to put reality and plausibility aside for a few hours and just hop on and enjoy the ride.

My thanks go to Penguin Michael Joseph UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
40x40

Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Inheritance in Books

Sep 21, 2022  
The Inheritance
The Inheritance
Howard Linskey | 2022 | Crime, Mystery
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
What an enthralling read!

Sarah will inherit a small fortune and a grand house IF she is able to solve the mystery of the disappearance of her late aunt's best friend something neither her aunt or the Police were able to do in over 30 years ... Sarah has 6 months and if she fails, it all goes to the Conservative Party!!!

This book is full of interesting characters; most of which are not particularly likeable but this works really well with the story and brings up all manner of likely suspects. The setting of Craigsmoor Manor is wonderfully described and creates additional atmosphere and a creeping sense of foreboding.

The plot is intriguing and very engaging and although it's a slow burn, the author keeps you gripped by his excellent story telling and I would definitely recommend to those who love a great mystery.

My thanks must go to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Inheritance.
  
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/under-the-banner-of-heaven-a-story-of-violent-faith-by-jon-krakauer

<b>TRIGGER WARNING: rape, incest, domestic abuse, child abuse, animal abuse, child murder</b>

I’m speechless. (OK, maybe not). What the <i>heck</i> did I just read? You’re telling me this is <b><i>non-fiction?</b></i> ...How? <b>HOW?</b> This isn’t just some freak incident either, people live like what’s described in this book, I’m baffled by it. I mean I’m a little baffled by strict religious following anyway (no offence meant) but Mormonism is just on another level.

The story of Mormonism is so strange because Joseph Smith was a fucking control freak and swindler but also the way society got away with treating him and his followers was awful. You really can’t pick a right and wrong side, they’re both pretty terrible.

This book's main focus is on how people's strong faith in Mormonism makes them believe they're above the laws of the land, so they go and commit crimes they think are justified and right. For example, Dan and Ron Lafferty, who <i>truly</i> believe God has spoken to them and told them they need to kill their brothers wife and young baby. A deed done by them so brutally, the poor baby was basically beheaded. <b>Clearly this book isn’t for the faint hearted.</b>

One of the saddest moments in this book is when Krakauer meets a Mormon family and their young daughter (I think she was between 8 to 12) comes into the room with floor plans of her dream house, where she's drawn out several different rooms for the other wives of the husband she is going to share. How <i>awful</i> is that, to believe that you must share your husband with other women, because for men of the Mormon faith, women are just child bearers, nothing more. <b>Joseph Smith actually declared God said "women shall be man's handmaid".</b> For this young girl to be planning her life with a shared husband and feeling that's <i>normal</i>, even feeling <i>happy</i> about it, is a terrible, terrible thing to think about.

This took me around 3 months to finish, not only because I accidentally left this in my dad’s suitcase when I came back from Spain, but also because this was such heavy non-fiction reading. Not only did it describe, in gruesome detail, the crimes committed by those under the Mormon faith, it was also a long historical timeline of how Mormonism was created and has grown to where it currently sits today. (<i>Did you know,</i> there are currently more Mormons on this planet than Jewish people?) Not to mention the confusion it causes when trying to remind you who everyone is and how everyone is related, because they’re pretty much <i>all</i> related through marriage.

This is certainly an interesting read. I'm sure you’ve heard about Mormon’s and the Book of Mormon and polygamy, etc, but never really looked further into it. Well, for those of you that would like to look further into it, then this is the book for you! It's incredible to read all about how Joseph Smith magicked up Mormon faith and how gruesome and evil polygamy really is.

I really recommend this book for all of you who love learning about religions or just love to have some random shocking facts to dish out around the dinner table. A seriously interesting, if not disturbing read.
  
40x40

Bob Mann (459 KP) rated 7500 (2019) in Movies

Jun 28, 2020  
7500 (2019)
7500 (2019)
2019 | Drama, Thriller
Joseph Gordon-Levitt... outstanding (0 more)
A 'small film' that packs a big punch
I'm not sure if there is an "IQ" table of Hollywood stars, but I would reckon if there is then Joseph Gordon-Levitt would rate pretty highly. Whenever I see him interviewed he comes across as a highly articulate and intelligent bloke. And that intelligence filters through into his choices of movie role. If you look back at his filmography on IMDB the first thing you notice is that his output is pretty sparse and selective, and the next is that the projects he's done mostly deliver a pretty strong hit rate: "500 Days of Summer"; "Inception", "Looper", "The Dark Knight Rises"; "Don Jon".... the list is impressive.

Here he stars (and really stars) in a small German film. It only had a $5 million budget and in some ways it shows: the speaking cast totals about a dozen; the single location used is the cockpit (an Airbus A320 simulator somewhere? Or a set? The production design is so good, it's difficult to tell) ; and the "score" is so minimalistic (a solo piano piece over the end titles) that it doesn't even merit an IMDB music credit!

But in many ways this is a case of 'small is beautiful'. For this is an extremely tense and claustrophobic action picture.

The Plot: German Captain Michael Lutzmann (Carlo Kitzlinger) and American Co-pilot Tobias Ellis (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) are about to pilot an Airbus A320 on a routine flight from Berlin to Paris. By coincidence, also on the flight is Tobias's partner and mother of his son, stewardess Gökce (Aylin Tezel). Shortly into the flight, three terrorists - Kenan (Murathan Muslu), Daniel (Paul Wollin) and youngster Vedat (Omid Memar) - take over the aircraft. Tobias issues a "7500" (hijack in progress) code. All that is protecting the injured pilots and the security of the 80 people on the flight is the cockpit door.

The film starts slowly, building atmosphere through the pre-flight chit-chat between the pilots and a leisurely take-off. I loved this development of character by Oscar-nominated shorts director Patrick Vollrath. But when the action starts, it starts with a bang and continues in truly tense and visceral style. There's a sense of creeping dread when you realise the terrorist's use of hostages to get the door open, and of who the hostages might be.

I note that one of the "thanks" for the film was director Paul Greengrass, who of course made the outstanding 9/11-themed "United 93" back in 2006. It would be fascinating to understand whether this was a "thank-you" for the inspiration the classic film gave Vollrath, or if there was some practical consultancy undertaken there.

Star of the show here is Joseph Gordon-Levitt who delivers a peerless performance as the pilot under extreme stress. Veering cyclically through terror, emotional breakdown and calm 'training-kicking-in' modes, it's a performance that is almost Oscar nomination-worthy in my book. He's on screen for virtually every shot of the film, and really earned his fee here. He makes for a very believable pilot.

I've read other comment that says the terrorists are rather 2-dimensional in their attempts to "do a 9/11". And to a degree I agree. A nice angle though is the relationship that develops between Tobias and young Vedat in the second half of the movie. There's a 'Stockholm Syndrome' vibe going on here, but this never quite gets resolved satisfactorily.

As such, unfortunately this 'back 9' never really quite lived up to the promise of the first 45 minutes for me. And as a single-location story that had nowhere else to go, the abrupt ending will not be to the liking of some I'm sure.

Not to be confused with the 2014 horror "Flight 7500", this is for once a B-movie that's real nail-biter. The movie doesn't pull its punches, and although there is little of the more graphic violence actually shown, the mind can fill in the gaps effectively which makes for some upsetting moments. Although it never quite lives up to its early promise at only 93 minutes it is strongly deserving of your attention. The movie is available for viewing via Amazon-Prime.

(For the full graphical review please check out One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/06/28/one-manns-movies-film-review-the-7500-2020/ .)
  
Last Podcast On The Left
Last Podcast On The Left
Comedy
9
8.6 (16 Ratings)
Podcast Rating
Incredibly well researched (1 more)
Pretty Funny
Can occasionally get a little too silly. (0 more)
This is truly an amazing podcast. If you're in to things that are a little weird, such as Area 51, or skinwalker ranch, or if you have an interest in anything to do with serial killers both well known, or slightly more obscure, then this is something you will love. Marcus Parks, Ben Kissel, and Henry Zebrowski have the kind of chemistry you find when actual friends work together. The amount of research that goes in to all of their episodes, makes each one incredibly informative. Despite this technically being a comedy podcast, it can get really chilling at times. Their recent episodes surrounding the Auschwitz doctor Joseph Mengele, is one prime example. The occasional injection of a silly joke works to break the tension of some episodes, although sometimes, not often though, it can take you a bit too far away from the subject matter. Overall, this is easily my favourite podcast. I will happily sit for hours listening to the three guys talk. I can't recommend it any more highly.