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Ama (21 KP) rated Detroit (2017) in Movies
Sep 11, 2017
Shattering
The first couple of questions when writing a review here are What's good? and What's bad?
Now, as you've seen I have given this film a full score, but I could not for the life of me put into a sentence what was good about it. It's not a nice film. Nothing about it is good. Except the way it makes you feel with it. But then even that is not a good thing. It's ugly.
I watched Detroit yesterday at the local cinema. I had seen the trailer, knew it was gonna be a tearjerker, knew I would hate the world and myself after watching it.
What I realised is that I completely underestimated the film.
About half an hour to an hour in all I wanted to do was to turn it off. I had an urge to just turn the cinema off, go home and potentially have some chocolate.
It wasn't the fact that the film was bad (I repeat, I gave it a full score), nor was it surprising narrative (again, I had seen the trailer and my tiny bit of historical knowledge filled in the gaps), but something in the way it was presented somehow evoked that feeling of wanting it to go away.
When I walked out of the cinema and forced myself to think about it, I realised a couple of things (all of which eventually made me come to the conclusion that that might have been deliberate).
First of all that film was lit like a feature film and shot like a documentary. This means that watching it, my brain was trying to fool me into thinking this was real a lot more than it usually would. It's film like a documentary, so it's a documentary so this is exactly what must have happened, right? There was a camera at the scene, right?
Well, of course there wasn't. Of course it was still a feature film and of course before the credit it was even stated that besides the testimonies of the parties involved, there was still dramatic licence taken. But that didn't change the fact that it shook me. It shook me because that little shake of the camera that was a little more intense that I was used to and that little zoom every now and then to get closer to an action as though the camera had only just noticed it all lead to that convincing idea of this being real and having happened exactly as I was seeing it.
The acting was splendid. Again, upon contemplating the film, I wondered what it was like for all of these black people (the term used deliberately) to play these roles, having grown up in that country themselves. I wondered what it was like for Will Poulter to become an asshole from the work 'Action!' and while that isn't any different than any other set, somehow, in Detroit, it seemed like so much bigger a deal. On this note, kudos to all the actors in this piece. There was none of you that felt out of place or irrelevant. Each of you portrayed a character dealing with the situation at hand differently and on a spectrum that showed how truly diverse humans are - even if united in a cause, be it on the white side or the black.
I could go on for hours (which I did, with the friend I went to see it with) about how this film made me feel and how much insecurity in the current world it made me feel, but there is no point in doing that. Feelings are best felt, rather than read so just watch it and I'm sure you'll understand.
I do want to say this though:
This film made me realise that the world we live in today is not the product from its past, but rather a work in progress towards what is to come.
I in no way mean that I did not know that previously, but there is a difference between knowing and understanding.
On this note, this film is not for the faint hearted but it is one of those important films that need to be watched at the moment.
Now, as you've seen I have given this film a full score, but I could not for the life of me put into a sentence what was good about it. It's not a nice film. Nothing about it is good. Except the way it makes you feel with it. But then even that is not a good thing. It's ugly.
I watched Detroit yesterday at the local cinema. I had seen the trailer, knew it was gonna be a tearjerker, knew I would hate the world and myself after watching it.
What I realised is that I completely underestimated the film.
About half an hour to an hour in all I wanted to do was to turn it off. I had an urge to just turn the cinema off, go home and potentially have some chocolate.
It wasn't the fact that the film was bad (I repeat, I gave it a full score), nor was it surprising narrative (again, I had seen the trailer and my tiny bit of historical knowledge filled in the gaps), but something in the way it was presented somehow evoked that feeling of wanting it to go away.
When I walked out of the cinema and forced myself to think about it, I realised a couple of things (all of which eventually made me come to the conclusion that that might have been deliberate).
First of all that film was lit like a feature film and shot like a documentary. This means that watching it, my brain was trying to fool me into thinking this was real a lot more than it usually would. It's film like a documentary, so it's a documentary so this is exactly what must have happened, right? There was a camera at the scene, right?
Well, of course there wasn't. Of course it was still a feature film and of course before the credit it was even stated that besides the testimonies of the parties involved, there was still dramatic licence taken. But that didn't change the fact that it shook me. It shook me because that little shake of the camera that was a little more intense that I was used to and that little zoom every now and then to get closer to an action as though the camera had only just noticed it all lead to that convincing idea of this being real and having happened exactly as I was seeing it.
The acting was splendid. Again, upon contemplating the film, I wondered what it was like for all of these black people (the term used deliberately) to play these roles, having grown up in that country themselves. I wondered what it was like for Will Poulter to become an asshole from the work 'Action!' and while that isn't any different than any other set, somehow, in Detroit, it seemed like so much bigger a deal. On this note, kudos to all the actors in this piece. There was none of you that felt out of place or irrelevant. Each of you portrayed a character dealing with the situation at hand differently and on a spectrum that showed how truly diverse humans are - even if united in a cause, be it on the white side or the black.
I could go on for hours (which I did, with the friend I went to see it with) about how this film made me feel and how much insecurity in the current world it made me feel, but there is no point in doing that. Feelings are best felt, rather than read so just watch it and I'm sure you'll understand.
I do want to say this though:
This film made me realise that the world we live in today is not the product from its past, but rather a work in progress towards what is to come.
I in no way mean that I did not know that previously, but there is a difference between knowing and understanding.
On this note, this film is not for the faint hearted but it is one of those important films that need to be watched at the moment.
AT (1676 KP) rated My Dark Vanessa in Books
Mar 31, 2020
Obviously, this is a difficult subject to read about. However, it was told in the girl's point of view, and it really brought to light how she comprehended the situation, even when she was being abused. I liked the fact that there were opposing sides in this situation represented in the story, without dragging either side through the mud. I also really appreciated the fact that the author didn't do a sudden turn ending, like saying it was a dream or something. I can't stand that. She held true to the actual story all the way through the novel. It's a story about a young woman that had a sexual affair with her teacher when she was 15, however, the things that happened, emotionally, are relatable to many other types of poisonous relationships. Not just a man with a minor. I appreciated all of that, because it was much easier to be inside the story that way. As difficult as the subject matter was, it is a smooth read, and if you've ever been in any sort of toxic relationship like this, you might be able to relate to a lot of the feelings. Even if you haven't, it's worth reading! It's a well-crafted story about a taboo subject.
Colin Newman recommended Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich in Music (curated)
Book Divas (227 KP) rated Choices in Books
Dec 12, 2017 (Updated Dec 12, 2017)
Though this book can be read as a stand alone; as it does work rather well by itself, I recommend that you read The Guardian first. I truly enjoyed reading this book.
Adela is a powerful vampire that has suffered an abundance of losses and is now caught up in a romantic love triangle with John and Gala. The story line and characters are well developed with just the right amount of action and romance. This well paced story quickly pulls you in and you feel like you are right there so that for me made it a unique read. If you love reading vampire books then this is definitely one for you.
Adela is a powerful vampire that has suffered an abundance of losses and is now caught up in a romantic love triangle with John and Gala. The story line and characters are well developed with just the right amount of action and romance. This well paced story quickly pulls you in and you feel like you are right there so that for me made it a unique read. If you love reading vampire books then this is definitely one for you.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Nightingale in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Wow! Just wow! This book was beautifully written. It is so full of heartbreak & evil but in the end the fact that love is what remained makes it beautiful. It felt so real, I don't doubt that there are women out there that did what Vianne & Isabelle did. They are 2 brave sisters who risk everything to help make the world a better place despite being surrounded by all the horrors of WWII. It has been a long time since I cried like I did at the end of a book. I'd have to stop reading several times in the last few chapters because I was so moved. What a beautiful story!
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
I’ve always said that the best Marvel films are the ones that feature a different genre, rather than just ‘superhero movie’. Case in point with The Winter Soldier. Directed by the Russo brothers, this second outing for the First Avenger is almost heist-like in its presentation.
With a great cast and some absolutely breath-taking action sequences, it remains one of the very best films in the MCU with very few negatives. If I had to criticise, I’d say that Henry Jackman’s score is a little forgettable but this is a very small point in a film filled with surprises.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/04/21/the-entire-marvel-cinematic-universe-ranked/
With a great cast and some absolutely breath-taking action sequences, it remains one of the very best films in the MCU with very few negatives. If I had to criticise, I’d say that Henry Jackman’s score is a little forgettable but this is a very small point in a film filled with surprises.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/04/21/the-entire-marvel-cinematic-universe-ranked/
starwarsluvr (236 KP) rated Unbreak My Heart (Unbreak My Heart, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2018
This story was very well done. The characters made me like them.. I laughed several times while reading this and it kept me interested enough that I had to keep reading and miss sleep so that I could finish it. I loved that it wasn't an easy love. It had a lot of complex emotions involved in this. The sadness from Brett devastated me.. and then when he started feeling and had no idea what to do with it. JT was just adorable and amazing. He understood.. he accepted. and he made Brett become who he needed to be. They had a rough go but got it together. I really enjoyed this
I really enjoyed this series and I feel like it was just the right length.
I liked the split between present day and their time in Australia as the left you trying to guess how they had got to the present day situation. At the start I did make a prediction that was right but only because it was obvious but it was the how they got to that point that was the reveal not the event itself.
My loyalties were switching between people as new bits of information and backstories were revealed.
I would recommend this series if you are looking for a short drama especially one with a bit of crime/ mystery.
I liked the split between present day and their time in Australia as the left you trying to guess how they had got to the present day situation. At the start I did make a prediction that was right but only because it was obvious but it was the how they got to that point that was the reveal not the event itself.
My loyalties were switching between people as new bits of information and backstories were revealed.
I would recommend this series if you are looking for a short drama especially one with a bit of crime/ mystery.
Amy Curtis (49 KP) rated The Strangers (2008) in Movies
Jan 6, 2019
Predictable
I've been meaning to watch this film for quite a while now particular when everyone was excited to see the second one when it hit the cinema. I didn't mind the film and it gave a few good jump scares. However, I just found that the ending was a bit predictable. The one thing I did like is that you never saw the identity of The Strangers. It was supposedly based on true events and I'd be intrigued to know what happened. The scary part about it is the fact that it is realistic and the concept of someone invading your home which you always consider your safe place.
The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1)
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Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming,...
Young adult SciFi Fantasy Dystopia