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The Keeper Of Lost Things
The Keeper Of Lost Things
Ruth Hogan | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.8 (18 Ratings)
Book Rating
Nice Writing, some believable characters (0 more)
Muddled plot, convenient ending (0 more)
Contains spoilers, click to show
I thought that this book was generally good. The writing of this was, at times, beautiful and I think that the majority of the characters were likable and well formed. I think that Portia, Bomber's sister was rather cartoony and over exaggerated and I didn't really like her involvement in the story, it was a little bit too silly for me.

 I think the story line with Bomber was much more interesting and heart wrenching than the modern one. The idea of lost things, kind of fizzled out into something that was conventional, rather than having a more mysterious edge to it.

 I thought that the way the story lines in the present and the past were tied together, was rather flimsy and too convenient. I liked all of the characters in the present, but this story line was a little cheesy and a bit cliche ( it seems like every single woman that has a break up or a bad marriage gets a dog!)

Personally, I think it would have been better to get rid of the modern plot line all together and just have a book about Bomber and a separate book of the different short stories about the lost things, as I enjoyed reading them and felt they were the stronger points of the book.

Despite its problems, I enjoyed reading this book. It was a easy and quick read.
  
Sleeping with Other People (2015)
Sleeping with Other People (2015)
2015 | Comedy
7
7.0 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Relationships can be a complicated and challenge for many people. Combined with the pressures of work and modern society, it is a wonder how many people still manage to find one another and make meaningful connections.

In the new film “Sleeping With Other People”, audiences are introduced to Jake (Jason Sudeikis), and Lainey (Alison Brie), who meet by chance in a dorm, and have a very memorable evening with one another.

Flash forward years later and Jake and Lainey are struggling with relationships as Jake is a womanizer and Lainey has issued with fidelity in relationships and her self-destructive nature.

The two reunite by chance and begin a friendship which as time goes on, blossoms into something more. Of course both characters have their share of demons to contend with and have people in their past and present that have to be factored in as they struggle to grasp the rules of modern life.

Sudeikis and Brie work well with one another as their relationship seems natural and forced as they are both people trying to do the right thing yet haunted by their destructive patterns when it comes to love and relationships.

Solid supporting work by Amanda Peet and Adam Scott and the talented and enjoyable ensemble cast make the film a pleasant surprise and one that you should not miss.

http://sknr.net/2015/09/18/sleeping-with-other-people/
  
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Andy K (10821 KP) rated Pet Sematary (2019) in Movies

Nov 30, 2019 (Updated Nov 30, 2019)  
Pet Sematary (2019)
Pet Sematary (2019)
2019 | Horror
I don't read
I don't watch a lot of remakes, especially horror remakes, especially modern horror remakes, but on the advice of a friend, I thought I would give it a try.

If you want to start an argument with me, please say the book is better simply because it is different the film. I double dare you. Books and movies are different mediums, therefore, certain elements may lend themselves to one medium better than the other. Did you really want to see young Beverly Marsh have an orgy with the other It kids right after their conquest of Pennywise (or something like that)? I didn't think so. Sometimes changing things is all right and not automatically bad just because it is different!

OK got that off my chest! 😌

So it was 80-90% the same as the 1989 version? That was all right with me this time around. The acting and use of modern CGI effects were good and fit this film well. The CGI was not overused, so my usual complaint about that is unfounded this time. The major plot change for this film I felt was a great idea and kept the audience confused as to them already thinking they knew what was going to happen during that one particular scene.

The ending was somewhat gruesome, but this is a horror movie after all so I enjoyed it.


  
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Erika (17788 KP) Nov 30, 2019

😂 on the book comment. I agree

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Andy K (10821 KP) Nov 30, 2019

THANK YOU!

Knives Out (2019)
Knives Out (2019)
2019 | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Fun modern sleuthing
I've been wanting to see this since I first saw the trailer, with such a stellar cast and Rian Johnson behind the helm I had high hopes and this did a fairly decent job of living up to my expectations.

The cast are brilliant. There are some great names in this and they all do well and for the most part they're all fairly equally featured. Nobody really stands out above the others, except for maybe Daniel Craig's southern accent. The film itself looks great and the way the story unfolds is interesting, it's very much like a modern day take on an Agatha Christie story - but a hell of a lot better than the bore that was 2017's Murder on the Orient Express. I do think it seemed to flag a little during the middle (after the midway twist but before the big reveal at the end), but it picked up at the end. I don't want to say the ending was predictable, but more like it wasn't entirely surprising. Still a good ending though and let's face it, with the amount of twist endings in books and crime/thriller films, it takes a lot to come up with a truly unpredictable and shocking denoument so this gives it a good go.

Overall a pretty entertaining and fun sleuthing caper, definitely worth a watch if you're into your murder mysteries. Maybe a little more Chris Evans next time...? 😉
  
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Emma (519 KP) Dec 4, 2019

I loved this, and maybe I'm just totally naive, but I didn't guess the ending lol. Definitely more Chris Evans needed

Annie (2014)
Annie (2014)
2014 | Drama, Family, Musical
7
6.0 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The 2014 re-make of Annie, starring Jamie Foxx as Will Stacks, Quvenzhané Wallis as
Annie, Rose Byrne as Grace, Bobby Cannavale as Guy and Cameron Diaz as Miss Hannigan
is a musical that is fun and caused me to sing along.

The story was cute, and obviously at least somewhat predictable if you are older
than 30-ish.

Parts of it were a very tiny bit scary for my son (6), mostly centered around Annie
being swept off by 'bad guys'.

Cameron Diaz does a pretty good job as Miss Hannigan and sings fairly well. She
doesn't 'copy' Carol Burnetts role as Miss Hannigan, but rather makes it her own,
modern version.

Jamie Foxx is great as Will Stacks and has a great voice. He portrays gruff and
unapproachable very well, and I liked him in the role.

The show stealer was Quvenzhané Wallis as Annie. Her performance was great and she
sang her little heart out. I connected with her emotionally and found her to be very
believable as a kid trying to find her place in the world.

I liked the film, and feel it is a good re-make. It isn't one hundred percent like
the original, but a new, modern twist on it.

My son liked it, and my husband liked it more than he thought he would.

We would be happy to see it again in the theatre.

I would give this over 3.5 out of 5 stars.