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George's Marvellous Medicine
George's Marvellous Medicine
Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl | 2016 | Children
9
8.0 (11 Ratings)
Book Rating
humorous child's book (0 more)
Where I found this book: I read The BFG in 3rd grade and basically fell in love with Roald Dahl. I went to my local library very soon after and looked for any Roald Dahl book. I came back with George’s Marvelous Medicine and I’m the better for it.

How it’s written: From George’s perspective, you get to see how awful his grandmother is and his hilarious remedy for it. Then read as the madness continues when it’s time to give grandma more medicine.

What I like about this book: For me, it was one of the funniest things I had read up to that point. My own grandma would say rude things to me and my sisters, which I guess is why I was drawn to this book. A combination of the hilarious writing and the wonderful plot had me absorbed by this book when I was young.

Final Thoughts: There is always something so ridiculous and curious about Roald Dahl’s work. He really knew how to make reading fun.

If you'd like to read more of my reviews, check out ificouldgo.com
  
I'd Climb the Highest Mountain (1951)
I'd Climb the Highest Mountain (1951)
1951 | Biography, Drama, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Good cast. (3 more)
Good acting, even among the children.
Scenery
Not too religious.
Subservient wife role. (2 more)
Some plot holes.
Lack of character development in minor roles.
A sweet, simple feel-good movie.
This is a simple film about a new wife (from the city) who has gone to live with her preacher husband in the country around the turn on the century. It's based on the protagonist's biography. At first, she's unsure that she'll like it or will fit in but she grows into her role as a preacher's wife and grows to love those in the community.

Though the characters are religious, they are not all fire and brimstone about their faith. Instead, the characters are simple, gentle, kind, and moral. The preacher's attitude reminds me of Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird.

Susan Hayward plays the preacher's wife in a very believable way as the character journeys from a new wife to a more well-rounded person. Her character grows through hardship and shows real grit and backbone.

If you like classic movies and long for simpler times, this is a good one to watch.
  
The Umbrella Academy
The Umbrella Academy
2018 | Action, Fantasy
Characters (2 more)
Storyline
Klaus ❤
Family... the other 'F' Word
I was seriously late to the party on this show but still managed to avoid all spoilers (yay!) What can I say except this is literally the greatest thing I watched all year and it is an utter masterpiece which will be forever in my heart. I finished the final episode last night and I had a fandom hangover for like 3 hours, I must have sat there for ages just wondering where the hell it's going now. Every character is their own unique mess and I love them. Oh and Klaus, good gravy, Klaus is just a beautiful mess of a human being who I just want to bundle up in a blanket and feed him hot chocolate ❤. There's so much realness to the characters, such utterly human flaws that make it feel like you're surrounded by your own insane super family. I'm freaking dying for the next season. If you're looking for something sci fi/super heroish with a dash of apocalypse, a sprinkle of humour then this is definitely the show for you. It's just - *sighs* I loved it.
  
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    Nike Training Club

    Health & Fitness and Lifestyle

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Go Back to China (2020)
Go Back to China (2020)
2020 | Comedy
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Couldn't Hold My Interest
I’m always on the lookout for hidden gems, especially when it comes to films starring minorities. I was hoping to find that in Go Back to China but wasn’t as impressed as I thought it would be. In the movie, a woman living in the states is forced to go to China to work for her father in his toy factory after he cuts off her trust fund.

Acting: 10
Great performances all around from a stellar Asian cast. While I don’t know much about them from previous films, I was extremely impressed with the range of Anna Akana, Richard Ng, and Lynn Chen who all shared the most screen time. They breathed a life and a realism into their characters that really made them feel like family.

Beginning: 2

Characters: 10
I appreciated that the three main characters experienced a great growth over the course of the movie. Each of them played off of each others’ personalities and experiences which gave the movie a true dynamic feel. The main character Sasha Li is likable right from jump even as a pretentious snob. She gives you a reason to stay interested in the movie.

Cinematography/Visuals: 6
The camera work is just slightly above par here. Outside of the toy factory, the setpieces are pretty bland. I honestly can’t remember any scenes that stand out or a shot that made my jaw drop. The movie instead seems content with going through the motions.

Conflict: 3

Entertainment Value: 6
Go Back to China is not without its share of entertaining moments but unfortunately those moments are too few and far between for the movie to consistently be entertaining. Just when it starts to get a bit of momentum, it finds itself going in reverse. Too much talking, not enough action. In the thick of it, it felt more like a Hallmark movie than anything else.

Memorability: 8

Pace: 8
The story moves along gracefully, albeit with a few trip-ups here and there. I always felt like the story was going somewhere at the very least. This would have worked more in the film’s favor had the story itself been a little more solid.

Plot: 5
As I mentioned above, the story definitely has a very Hallmarky-type feel. The cheese runs super high throughout. The premise is interesting, but things become very predictable very fast the longer the story plays out.

Resolution: 10
Say what you want about Hallmark movies, who doesn’t love a good Hallmark ending? All the pieces of the puzzle ended up exactly where they needed to be. If the movie had began just as strongly as it had ended, the movie would have been way more enjoyable.

Overall: 68
As a man that loves to appreciate and understand different cultures, I did love the perspective the movie provided into the life of people in China and the different hardships they face. Unfortunately, I didn’t love Go Back to China as a whole. A few tweaks here and there and this review would look a lot different.