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Rick Astley recommended Under the Pink by Tori Amos in Music (curated)
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Upside (2019) in Movies
May 8, 2019 (Updated May 8, 2019)
On The Up and Up
This movie had a bit of a strange release, at least in my area. It was one of those movies that only had two showings a day on it's opening weekend and they were both at really obscure times like 10:30am and 2:40pm, - times that would suggest that this movie was being put out to die. This was disappointing as, after seeing the trailers, I was looking forward to seeing it and never got the chance while it was in cinemas. Anyway, I finally got around to seeing it upon it's home release and I really enjoyed it.
Although I did like the look of this project from the trailer and I am a big fan of Bryan Cranston, I was wary of Kevin Hart starring opposite him in this role. It looked like a role that would require a more serious actor than Kevin Hart and I was concerned that Hart had been miscast and only chosen because of the recognition of his name rather than whether or not he was the right actor for the part.
Surprisingly and thankfully, I was proven entirely wrong. Hart shows here that he is in fact very capable in a more serious role such as this and doesn't just have to resort to screaming in every film he is in. I hope that he takes on more serious stuff following this as I much prefer it to any of his 'comedic,' roles. The rest of the cast are also great, Cranston gives a sublime performance as he always does and Nicole Kidman works well as Cranston's character's secretary/ potential love interest.
This film is a remake of a French film called The Intouchables and there are other elements of it that bear similarities to other movies that we have seen before, but it is a well told story that has various worthwhile messages littered throughout it. The script is witty and snappy enough that the film never feels slow or boring.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this one. It isn't the most original thing I have ever seen, but it was entertaining and it had heart. The script was well written and the direction was solid. The performances from the entire cast also help elevate the already funny script even further.
Although I did like the look of this project from the trailer and I am a big fan of Bryan Cranston, I was wary of Kevin Hart starring opposite him in this role. It looked like a role that would require a more serious actor than Kevin Hart and I was concerned that Hart had been miscast and only chosen because of the recognition of his name rather than whether or not he was the right actor for the part.
Surprisingly and thankfully, I was proven entirely wrong. Hart shows here that he is in fact very capable in a more serious role such as this and doesn't just have to resort to screaming in every film he is in. I hope that he takes on more serious stuff following this as I much prefer it to any of his 'comedic,' roles. The rest of the cast are also great, Cranston gives a sublime performance as he always does and Nicole Kidman works well as Cranston's character's secretary/ potential love interest.
This film is a remake of a French film called The Intouchables and there are other elements of it that bear similarities to other movies that we have seen before, but it is a well told story that has various worthwhile messages littered throughout it. The script is witty and snappy enough that the film never feels slow or boring.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this one. It isn't the most original thing I have ever seen, but it was entertaining and it had heart. The script was well written and the direction was solid. The performances from the entire cast also help elevate the already funny script even further.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated My Lovely Wife in Books
Apr 6, 2019
A gem of a read
This book is like nothing I have read before ... in a good way of course but I am slightly worried that I may be moving onto the dark side of normal! Why? you may ask - just read this book and you'll understand!
What we have here is an absolute gem of a read that had me hooked from the start. I won't go into the plot as I don't want to give anything away but will describe it as being edgy, dark, twisted, engrossing, disturbingly entertaining and totally unique. The characters are just excellent but more than that, they are frighteningly believable and rarely do I find myself feeling so wrong about liking and rooting for someone so disturbed but scarily normal!
The writing is crisp and effective and easy to read with excellent pacing; great suspense and twists leave you reading way too late into the night in anticipation of what the heck is going to happen next.
I can't believe this is a debut and I am waiting on tenterhooks for Samantha Downing's next book and I only hope it's as disturbingly good as this one. On her website, she says that she wants to "tell stories that make people walk into walls"; I think she did with this one.
Thank you to the publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph, and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
What we have here is an absolute gem of a read that had me hooked from the start. I won't go into the plot as I don't want to give anything away but will describe it as being edgy, dark, twisted, engrossing, disturbingly entertaining and totally unique. The characters are just excellent but more than that, they are frighteningly believable and rarely do I find myself feeling so wrong about liking and rooting for someone so disturbed but scarily normal!
The writing is crisp and effective and easy to read with excellent pacing; great suspense and twists leave you reading way too late into the night in anticipation of what the heck is going to happen next.
I can't believe this is a debut and I am waiting on tenterhooks for Samantha Downing's next book and I only hope it's as disturbingly good as this one. On her website, she says that she wants to "tell stories that make people walk into walls"; I think she did with this one.
Thank you to the publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph, and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Willy's Wonderland (2021) in Movies
Feb 21, 2021
I can safely say that I got exactly what I expected from Willy's Wonderland, a schlocky as hell B-Movie horror that manifests Nicolas Cage going toe-to-toe with a host of murderous animatronic mascots, set to a music score of synth heavy electronica/children's party jingles. Is it silly and dumb? Yes. Does it have annoying and unlikable teenage human characters who are there just to die horribly? Also yes. Is it entertaining as fuck? Most definitely.
Cage's silent protagonist feels like the role that his career has been leading up to all these years. He has his very own corner of the zeitgeist at this point, and is just running with it, happily poking fun at himself whilst managing to be undeniably badass, whether it be the Mad Max-esque opening, tearing the robots to shreds with his bare hands, or him furiously dancing whilst playing pinball. Whenever he's on screen, he steals all the focus, without uttering a word. It's so ridiculous and enjoyable, that it renders the half-baked plot a moot point.
The animatronics themselves look pretty decent for the most part, and there's some solid gore here and there. It's the kind of gore that will make you burst out laughing, but in a good way.
Willy's Wonderland is far from a perfect experience, but it is what it is, and never tries to be anything more, and therefore succeeds in what it's trying to achieve.
Cage's silent protagonist feels like the role that his career has been leading up to all these years. He has his very own corner of the zeitgeist at this point, and is just running with it, happily poking fun at himself whilst managing to be undeniably badass, whether it be the Mad Max-esque opening, tearing the robots to shreds with his bare hands, or him furiously dancing whilst playing pinball. Whenever he's on screen, he steals all the focus, without uttering a word. It's so ridiculous and enjoyable, that it renders the half-baked plot a moot point.
The animatronics themselves look pretty decent for the most part, and there's some solid gore here and there. It's the kind of gore that will make you burst out laughing, but in a good way.
Willy's Wonderland is far from a perfect experience, but it is what it is, and never tries to be anything more, and therefore succeeds in what it's trying to achieve.
Alice (117 KP) rated Daisy Jones & the Six in Books
Mar 3, 2021
THIS BOOK DESTROYED ME!!!! I'll do a proper review soon but right now I don't have the words
<blockquote><b>"Fire is great man, but we're made of water. Water is how we keep living. Water is what we need to survive."</b>- Billy Dunne</blockquote>
I have so many emotions. When I picked this book up having read the description I didn't think that it was going to be my sort of thing. OH, HOW WRONG I WAS! I ended up falling in love with the writing, the characters and the story. There were so many quotes in this book that I loved that I ended up having a whole note in my notes app filled with quotes from this book alone. This book broke me, I don't know how I'm moving on from this point, there were times I had to pause so I could adequately cry. I can't actually put into words just how special this book is and I'm so happy that I decided to pick it up and give it a go. This little book has somehow managed to leapfrog its way from a book I didn't even think I'd like, to the very top of my list of favourite books of all time. I listened to the audiobook version through my local library but I've literally just bought myself a physical copy so that I can love and cherish it forever.
<blockquote><b>"Fire is great man, but we're made of water. Water is how we keep living. Water is what we need to survive."</b>- Billy Dunne</blockquote>
I have so many emotions. When I picked this book up having read the description I didn't think that it was going to be my sort of thing. OH, HOW WRONG I WAS! I ended up falling in love with the writing, the characters and the story. There were so many quotes in this book that I loved that I ended up having a whole note in my notes app filled with quotes from this book alone. This book broke me, I don't know how I'm moving on from this point, there were times I had to pause so I could adequately cry. I can't actually put into words just how special this book is and I'm so happy that I decided to pick it up and give it a go. This little book has somehow managed to leapfrog its way from a book I didn't even think I'd like, to the very top of my list of favourite books of all time. I listened to the audiobook version through my local library but I've literally just bought myself a physical copy so that I can love and cherish it forever.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Saw (2004) in Movies
Sep 26, 2020
The first Saw film has become tarnished over the years, due to the relentless shit filled wave of increasingly torturous (both for the audience and the characters) sequels, when really, Saw is a relatively low budget but super tight thriller.
The premise of a serial killer who kidnaps people who don't appreciate life itself, puts them in a dire situation, but gives them a chance to escape if they fight hard enough for it, is one that is intriguing, and captured the imagination of thousands - Jigsaw has since become an iconic horror antagonist.
The unlucky victims first time around are played by Cary Elwes and writer Leigh Whannell.
The two of them are situated in a very minimalist setting. It's grimy and nasty. Director James Wan works wonders with what little he has in that respect.
The cast also includes Danny Glover, which is always a win in my book.
The gore on show in Saw is pretty minimal compared to what's to come, but what we do see is effective and was just right - coupled with a plot that keeps the audience guessing until the final minute, it was enough to get everyone talking back in 2004.
And that ending absolutely shattered me on first watch. An iconic 'Gotcha!' moment for the ages.
Saw is a genuinely decent horror thriller and a rewarding experience for those that like a good twist. Just a shame about those sequels!
The premise of a serial killer who kidnaps people who don't appreciate life itself, puts them in a dire situation, but gives them a chance to escape if they fight hard enough for it, is one that is intriguing, and captured the imagination of thousands - Jigsaw has since become an iconic horror antagonist.
The unlucky victims first time around are played by Cary Elwes and writer Leigh Whannell.
The two of them are situated in a very minimalist setting. It's grimy and nasty. Director James Wan works wonders with what little he has in that respect.
The cast also includes Danny Glover, which is always a win in my book.
The gore on show in Saw is pretty minimal compared to what's to come, but what we do see is effective and was just right - coupled with a plot that keeps the audience guessing until the final minute, it was enough to get everyone talking back in 2004.
And that ending absolutely shattered me on first watch. An iconic 'Gotcha!' moment for the ages.
Saw is a genuinely decent horror thriller and a rewarding experience for those that like a good twist. Just a shame about those sequels!
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Immortal in Death (In Death, #3) in Books
Nov 18, 2019
I read the first two books in this series quite a while ago now and the only thing I remember is Eve and Roarke's relationship progressing quite quickly.
This has taken me a long time to finish and I think that's due to its length. I'm not the biggest fan of long books and the fact the writing in the kindle app for PC is so tiny tells me it's a long one. I've been reading it in spurts between other books but as the investigation into Pandora's death got going I decided to just concentrate on this one and finally get it finished.
So Pandora is a successful model, loved the world over for her style and flair but also loathed for being vicious and cruel. When she's murdered and the prime suspect is Mavis, Eve's long time friend, Eve is determined to help solve the mystery and get her friend off the charge of murder and find the real killer.
I loved the twists and turns in this. I, like Eve, thought that they'd found the killers at about the 66% mark but then like how did they go about proving it? And then it turns out it wasn't those people?! I was like, WHAT?!
Of course, this one also contains Eve and Roarke's wedding and the stuff that leads up to it, including dress shopping, hen and stag nights and picking flowers. Admittedly, we don't get the wedding in this as such, just Eve getting dressed and walking out to make her promise to Roarke.
Although I didn't enjoy this as much as previous books, I think that was down to me not being in the mood for a mystery/crime/romantic suspense book as well as it's long length. Nevertheless I will be reading more books in the series at a later date.
This has taken me a long time to finish and I think that's due to its length. I'm not the biggest fan of long books and the fact the writing in the kindle app for PC is so tiny tells me it's a long one. I've been reading it in spurts between other books but as the investigation into Pandora's death got going I decided to just concentrate on this one and finally get it finished.
So Pandora is a successful model, loved the world over for her style and flair but also loathed for being vicious and cruel. When she's murdered and the prime suspect is Mavis, Eve's long time friend, Eve is determined to help solve the mystery and get her friend off the charge of murder and find the real killer.
I loved the twists and turns in this. I, like Eve, thought that they'd found the killers at about the 66% mark but then like how did they go about proving it? And then it turns out it wasn't those people?! I was like, WHAT?!
Of course, this one also contains Eve and Roarke's wedding and the stuff that leads up to it, including dress shopping, hen and stag nights and picking flowers. Admittedly, we don't get the wedding in this as such, just Eve getting dressed and walking out to make her promise to Roarke.
Although I didn't enjoy this as much as previous books, I think that was down to me not being in the mood for a mystery/crime/romantic suspense book as well as it's long length. Nevertheless I will be reading more books in the series at a later date.
Unstuck: A Story About Gaining Perspective, Creating Traction, and Pursuing Your Passion
Jon Gordon, Dan Webster and Randy Gravitt
Book
Untwist the question mark from your life to start living authentically UNSTUCK offers a path forward...
Marijuana Handbook Lite
Lifestyle and Medical
App
Containing hours upon hours of content, resources, and information for medicinal marijuana users to...
