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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
Oct 10, 2019
Why so serious?
This is the first film in a long time that I've come out of feeling very divided, and it's taken a rather lengthy internal debate on the way home to figure out how I really feel about it.
This starts off slow, very slow and I was worried that I was going to get very bored very quickly. However Joaquin Phoenix's performance is phenomenal and although he is disturbingly thin for this, he's brilliant to watch, even considering the subject matter. If it wasn't for the Gotham setting and mention of the Wayne's, this wouldn't feel like a DC superhero/villain film and this is my main criticism. I love how dark and gritty Joker is and that this is mainly a study about mental health, but I do wish it had a little more in it to tie it to it's source material. Even just a nod to his most well known origin story as seen in some of the other films would've made this even better. I've heard a lot of people say this is uncomfortable viewing, but I didnt see that myself. It's just a stark portrayal of mental health and it does very well in this respect. The violence is sparse yet fits well - I didn't think it was overdone or excessive. And the final act with the talk show and ending was sheer brilliance and really brought Joker towards the character we know and love. It's this final part that sold this film for me, and I'm interested to see how they fit this into the rest of the DC universe, and if we start seeing more superhero films that are much darker and realistic. This is definitely a good example to follow!
This starts off slow, very slow and I was worried that I was going to get very bored very quickly. However Joaquin Phoenix's performance is phenomenal and although he is disturbingly thin for this, he's brilliant to watch, even considering the subject matter. If it wasn't for the Gotham setting and mention of the Wayne's, this wouldn't feel like a DC superhero/villain film and this is my main criticism. I love how dark and gritty Joker is and that this is mainly a study about mental health, but I do wish it had a little more in it to tie it to it's source material. Even just a nod to his most well known origin story as seen in some of the other films would've made this even better. I've heard a lot of people say this is uncomfortable viewing, but I didnt see that myself. It's just a stark portrayal of mental health and it does very well in this respect. The violence is sparse yet fits well - I didn't think it was overdone or excessive. And the final act with the talk show and ending was sheer brilliance and really brought Joker towards the character we know and love. It's this final part that sold this film for me, and I'm interested to see how they fit this into the rest of the DC universe, and if we start seeing more superhero films that are much darker and realistic. This is definitely a good example to follow!
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Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated He's Out There (2018) in Movies
Aug 16, 2019
The mask... Wicked (1 more)
One helluva great build up
Slow burn that heats up well
Contains spoilers, click to show
Woman takes kids to weekend home in the woods. Husband to meet up with them later that night. What could possibly go wrong?
Well... Lemme tell you.... Your whole fuckin day just got ruined by some psycho in a mask who starts of small... Banging on windows... Moving things around the yard... Typical teenage prank type stuff...
As the fear builds, his sadistic nature come to the surface... He intercepts the husband on his way through the darkened goat path of a road and proceeds to carve out his eyeballs and leave his corpse on the front step... Like some cat leaving his master a dead rat or bird... Seeking approval
There's a scene near the end of the film that I found kind of brilliant.
The killer hangs three life sized dolls, representing the mother and her children, for the three to find when they try to run... Stopping them in their tracks... Then... As if they were kids playing a game, he begins pelting them with paintballs to drive them back into the house... Giving himself total control over the situation. The killer has made it impossible for the victims to leave... Thinking the car is a good idea... Mommy hides her children in the closet... Telling them how brave they are and giving them a watch to time 20 seconds before they make a break for it to meet their mother at the car... Mom takes the keys from her dead husbands pocket and start a the car. She then grabs the kids from the closet and is immediately trapped in a room by Mr. Madman.
A neighbor comes over and sees the carnage that is the yard, smashed up SUV, deadman on the steps and tries to help... His fate is sealed by an axe to the head...
The killers total control of everything is what makes me like this movie... Reminds me of The Collector in so many ways... Total control...
Its worth a watch or two... When the climax of the film finally comes a long... Its kind of a let down... But the build up was nice and impressive... If you're looking to get blue balled by a movie... Its a great pick :)
Well... Lemme tell you.... Your whole fuckin day just got ruined by some psycho in a mask who starts of small... Banging on windows... Moving things around the yard... Typical teenage prank type stuff...
As the fear builds, his sadistic nature come to the surface... He intercepts the husband on his way through the darkened goat path of a road and proceeds to carve out his eyeballs and leave his corpse on the front step... Like some cat leaving his master a dead rat or bird... Seeking approval
There's a scene near the end of the film that I found kind of brilliant.
The killer hangs three life sized dolls, representing the mother and her children, for the three to find when they try to run... Stopping them in their tracks... Then... As if they were kids playing a game, he begins pelting them with paintballs to drive them back into the house... Giving himself total control over the situation. The killer has made it impossible for the victims to leave... Thinking the car is a good idea... Mommy hides her children in the closet... Telling them how brave they are and giving them a watch to time 20 seconds before they make a break for it to meet their mother at the car... Mom takes the keys from her dead husbands pocket and start a the car. She then grabs the kids from the closet and is immediately trapped in a room by Mr. Madman.
A neighbor comes over and sees the carnage that is the yard, smashed up SUV, deadman on the steps and tries to help... His fate is sealed by an axe to the head...
The killers total control of everything is what makes me like this movie... Reminds me of The Collector in so many ways... Total control...
Its worth a watch or two... When the climax of the film finally comes a long... Its kind of a let down... But the build up was nice and impressive... If you're looking to get blue balled by a movie... Its a great pick :)
Darren (1599 KP) rated Door in the Woods (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
Characters – Evelyn is the mother that is preparing to start her own internet business, she redecorates the random door they find and starts experiencing the events, she learns the truth and sets out to get help. Redd is the father that has moved here to start a new job hunt, he tries to help with the behavioural problems and joins Evelyn searching for the truth. Uriah is a pastor that has come to bless the house, he is turned to, to help deal with the hauntings knowing how to end the problems they are facing. Kane is the troublesome child that often finds himself getting into trouble at school, becoming the target of the sinister nature of the door.
Performances – When we look at the performances, we don’t have the strongest ones here, Jennifer Pierce Mathus and David Rees Snell do struggle to make us believe the situations and life they have lived with these characters, while CJ Jones is the standout performer in the film.
Story – The story here follows a family that are looking to start a new life in a small town only to find a door in the woods, inviting evil into their own home needing to get rid of it before it is too late. The start of this story is really good, with creepy elements of hauntings in the house, the problems start when the story tries to break out of following this trend and spends way too long with the final act that is more talking than anything thrilling, which is could have been. This is a story that could have become a lot deeper, but gets caught up in the middle of the two ideas and not using enough of the horror involved.
Thriller – The opening half of the film does offer plenty thrilling horror moments, only to spend more of the second half of the film trying to make up and discuss what has been happening.
Settings – The film uses the small town setting for everything to unfold, showing people can try to escape for a new life, but every small town has a secret.
Scene of the Movie – Background walking.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Would you really take that door home.
Final Thoughts – This is a film that has a lot of potential only to fall short in how everything unfolds.
Overall: Doesn’t hit the marks.
Performances – When we look at the performances, we don’t have the strongest ones here, Jennifer Pierce Mathus and David Rees Snell do struggle to make us believe the situations and life they have lived with these characters, while CJ Jones is the standout performer in the film.
Story – The story here follows a family that are looking to start a new life in a small town only to find a door in the woods, inviting evil into their own home needing to get rid of it before it is too late. The start of this story is really good, with creepy elements of hauntings in the house, the problems start when the story tries to break out of following this trend and spends way too long with the final act that is more talking than anything thrilling, which is could have been. This is a story that could have become a lot deeper, but gets caught up in the middle of the two ideas and not using enough of the horror involved.
Thriller – The opening half of the film does offer plenty thrilling horror moments, only to spend more of the second half of the film trying to make up and discuss what has been happening.
Settings – The film uses the small town setting for everything to unfold, showing people can try to escape for a new life, but every small town has a secret.
Scene of the Movie – Background walking.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Would you really take that door home.
Final Thoughts – This is a film that has a lot of potential only to fall short in how everything unfolds.
Overall: Doesn’t hit the marks.
Debbiereadsbook (1741 KP) rated Rue's Rapture (Divergent Omegaverse #5) in Books
Jan 16, 2026
back up to 5 full and shiny stars!
I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 5 in the Divergent Omegaverse series. While not strictly necessary, I do personally recommend that you read the other books before this one. There is some recap of what happened at the factory here, but you don't get it all. And you DO need it all. There is also overlap in timelines with these books. These brothers are falling hard and fast and so close together!
Rue is the youngest Starling brother, but by no means the smallest. He's a rhino. He came into the Starling family after the worst night of his life. Monty is Rue's PA and they share a night after a visit to the above mentioned factory and Rue is emotional. But Rue knows Monty, while enough, would never fully satisfy Rue. Enter Kendrick, the bar tender in town at the ranch the brothers are visiting. HE knows what he likes: he likes to watch, to watch and direct couples before he joins. A visit to the bar for Monty and Rue, and an event which changes everyone.
What I liked MOST about this, was the deeply emotional connection that all three men find after just one time. How much Kendrick loves having them in his home, after being single for so long. How much at home all three men feel in each other's company. And how much both Monty and Kendrick want Rue to drop his walls.
It's those walls that went up after that awful night. I'm not telling you what happened, you need to hear it from Rue but it really is shattering. And you understand why Rue feels as he does.
Obviously, as this is a three way, the smexy bits are hawt! But it really is the connection they form that stands out for me in this book.
We are introduced to the Thorn brothers in this book, but I've already ready Blood of The Damned : Thorn.
I love the group chats. The brothers and the PAs. So much ribbing of each other, but the love between them shines out the page.
Not sure who is next, whether they are in this series, or this world. I don't care, I need to read it!
Straight back up to: 5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 5 in the Divergent Omegaverse series. While not strictly necessary, I do personally recommend that you read the other books before this one. There is some recap of what happened at the factory here, but you don't get it all. And you DO need it all. There is also overlap in timelines with these books. These brothers are falling hard and fast and so close together!
Rue is the youngest Starling brother, but by no means the smallest. He's a rhino. He came into the Starling family after the worst night of his life. Monty is Rue's PA and they share a night after a visit to the above mentioned factory and Rue is emotional. But Rue knows Monty, while enough, would never fully satisfy Rue. Enter Kendrick, the bar tender in town at the ranch the brothers are visiting. HE knows what he likes: he likes to watch, to watch and direct couples before he joins. A visit to the bar for Monty and Rue, and an event which changes everyone.
What I liked MOST about this, was the deeply emotional connection that all three men find after just one time. How much Kendrick loves having them in his home, after being single for so long. How much at home all three men feel in each other's company. And how much both Monty and Kendrick want Rue to drop his walls.
It's those walls that went up after that awful night. I'm not telling you what happened, you need to hear it from Rue but it really is shattering. And you understand why Rue feels as he does.
Obviously, as this is a three way, the smexy bits are hawt! But it really is the connection they form that stands out for me in this book.
We are introduced to the Thorn brothers in this book, but I've already ready Blood of The Damned : Thorn.
I love the group chats. The brothers and the PAs. So much ribbing of each other, but the love between them shines out the page.
Not sure who is next, whether they are in this series, or this world. I don't care, I need to read it!
Straight back up to: 5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Over the last year and a half I have been reviewing books and have become somewhat critical, I was wondering if I would ever read a 5 star book again. It didn’t take too long, I would have given Forbidden all the stars if I was allowed. The story of forbidden is heart wrenching and soul-destroying but also wonderful.
Forbidden is a about a dysfunctional family in turmoil. The father left years ago and the mother of 5 children is never home! She is either out getting drunk or with her new boyfriend. Maya and Lochan are the eldest of the 5 children and had to take it upon themselves to keep the family afloat and to make sure social services never find out. Forbidden is about the relationship between Maya and Lochan and how it becomes more than brotherly sisterly love. They know it’s wrong but it feels so right.
I loved this book with all my heart, from the start you get a feeling that Maya and Lochan are not normal brother and sister. They have this connection, it feels like they are the mother and father of the 3 little’s, the way they manage everything from cooking,shopping,homework etc etc. They have been put in this impossible situation due to their mothers neglect.
All the characters are amazing, I could feel the utter despair that Lochan was going through, how he was torn between his feelings and what was socially acceptable. He would do anything for all of his family, he was smart and caring. Stress, taking on a role as father and loving his sister takes a toll on his mental health and starts having panic attacks. Maya was a great character but she wasn’t as vigilant as Lochan.
My feels were all over the place with this book, there is a point in the book where I had to stop reading (This has never happened to me before) I didn’t know if I could go on, it was so intense! My heart was in my mouth! The love in this book didn’t feel wrong and it’s not romaticizing incest, it’s just these children were put in this situation and they were living the role of mother and father in every possible way.
I have never read a book about incest before, it was extremely well written and I manged to read it very quickly despite it being 432 pages long. The book is from dual perspective alternating from Lochan and Maya, so you get an idea of what about both of them are thinking and feeling. No stone was left unturned. I am usually wary about reading books that have a lot of hype surrounding them but this is worth all the hype and more. If you have not read this yet, then you need to grab yourself a copy you won’t regret it.
Has anyone read other works by Tabitha Sazuma, are they as good as Forbidden?
I rated this 5 out of 5 stars.
Forbidden is a about a dysfunctional family in turmoil. The father left years ago and the mother of 5 children is never home! She is either out getting drunk or with her new boyfriend. Maya and Lochan are the eldest of the 5 children and had to take it upon themselves to keep the family afloat and to make sure social services never find out. Forbidden is about the relationship between Maya and Lochan and how it becomes more than brotherly sisterly love. They know it’s wrong but it feels so right.
I loved this book with all my heart, from the start you get a feeling that Maya and Lochan are not normal brother and sister. They have this connection, it feels like they are the mother and father of the 3 little’s, the way they manage everything from cooking,shopping,homework etc etc. They have been put in this impossible situation due to their mothers neglect.
All the characters are amazing, I could feel the utter despair that Lochan was going through, how he was torn between his feelings and what was socially acceptable. He would do anything for all of his family, he was smart and caring. Stress, taking on a role as father and loving his sister takes a toll on his mental health and starts having panic attacks. Maya was a great character but she wasn’t as vigilant as Lochan.
My feels were all over the place with this book, there is a point in the book where I had to stop reading (This has never happened to me before) I didn’t know if I could go on, it was so intense! My heart was in my mouth! The love in this book didn’t feel wrong and it’s not romaticizing incest, it’s just these children were put in this situation and they were living the role of mother and father in every possible way.
I have never read a book about incest before, it was extremely well written and I manged to read it very quickly despite it being 432 pages long. The book is from dual perspective alternating from Lochan and Maya, so you get an idea of what about both of them are thinking and feeling. No stone was left unturned. I am usually wary about reading books that have a lot of hype surrounding them but this is worth all the hype and more. If you have not read this yet, then you need to grab yourself a copy you won’t regret it.
Has anyone read other works by Tabitha Sazuma, are they as good as Forbidden?
I rated this 5 out of 5 stars.