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Ross (3284 KP) rated The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) in Movies
Nov 5, 2018 (Updated Nov 5, 2018)
Slight variation on the Alice in Wonderland reboot
I'm guessing Disney want to keep going with their live action Princess films, and thought they'd hit gold with the rights to the Nutcracker for a Christmas release. Similar to the 2010 Alice in Wonderland, the film intends to act as a sequel to the original tale of the Nutcracker, where the world has fallen into disarray. Clara is the daughter of the original story's Marie, who has passed away, and looking to open the intriguing present left by her mother she finds herself following a mouse (not a rabbit!) into a strange world. She is introduced to the world her mother was made queen of, though sadly learns that the "fourth realm" (led by Helen Mirren as Mother Ginger) is at war with the other three (among them are realms led by Keira Knightley and an underused Richard E Grant).
Here Disney have taken some liberties as Clara's brother and sister take the roles and names of her mother's siblings in the original, and for no apparent reason the film based on the Russian ballet that was based on the French adaptation of the German fairy tale, is set in London. I can only assume this was to up the Festive quotient, but seems a very odd choice, despite keeping a number of the German themes.
Keira Knightley is very irritating, doing an ear-piercing impression of Queenie from Blackadder.
Neither of the actors playing Clara or the Nutcracker are very good or likeable and you find yourself bored and starting to root for Mother Ginger just to end it.
The film is too long, and drags in large parts, and all three of my kids were restless for a lot of it. And there was a definite lack of large-scale special effects, some impressive scenes but audiences expect spectacles (not 3D glasses, I mean big scenes!) these days and those were lacking.
The most enjoyable scene was the use of ballet to get Clara up to date with the world she found herself in, being quite respectful to the medium it was adapting (though I can't say how authentic it was!).
Here Disney have taken some liberties as Clara's brother and sister take the roles and names of her mother's siblings in the original, and for no apparent reason the film based on the Russian ballet that was based on the French adaptation of the German fairy tale, is set in London. I can only assume this was to up the Festive quotient, but seems a very odd choice, despite keeping a number of the German themes.
Keira Knightley is very irritating, doing an ear-piercing impression of Queenie from Blackadder.
Neither of the actors playing Clara or the Nutcracker are very good or likeable and you find yourself bored and starting to root for Mother Ginger just to end it.
The film is too long, and drags in large parts, and all three of my kids were restless for a lot of it. And there was a definite lack of large-scale special effects, some impressive scenes but audiences expect spectacles (not 3D glasses, I mean big scenes!) these days and those were lacking.
The most enjoyable scene was the use of ballet to get Clara up to date with the world she found herself in, being quite respectful to the medium it was adapting (though I can't say how authentic it was!).
ClareR (6086 KP) rated Stepsister in Books
Sep 29, 2020
The story, with a feminist slant, of the ugly sisters that Cinderella left behind.
I do like a good fairytale, and I seem to be enjoying fairytale retellings quite a bit when I come across them. Stepsister is a great example of a retelling - told from the other side.
Isabelle and Tavi are the ugly sisters, left behind with their unhinged mother, after Cinderella has left with her Prince. The ‘ugly’ sisters actions aren’t excused, in fact they are left to live and struggle with the consequences of their actions. Isabelle has a permanent limp where she sliced off her toes in the hope that she would be able to fit in to the glass slipper. All on the instructions of her mother. Isabelle is a strong character who feels hemmed in by her mother and the restrictions that society has thrust upon her. Her worth is dictated by her looks - something which she falls short on, as does her sister. Instead of the soft mannered, beautiful, obedient girls that society wants, the sisters are clever, resourceful and regrettably ugly. Maman tries to marry them off to the Prince in any way that she can - even making them mutilate themselves. When Cinderella leaves to marry her Prince and the locals discover how she was treated, Isabelle, Tavi and Maman are both ostracised and vilified. Isabelle truly regrets the way that she treated Cinderella, but doesn’t know how she can put right what she did. However, both Fate and Chance have now got an influence over her life, a vested interest, and they have opposing opinions on how Isabelle’s life should play out.
I thought this feminist slant on the after-story of Cinderella was really engaging. I loved it, and if I had a daughter I’d be passing it on to her to read next!
Many thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book.
Isabelle and Tavi are the ugly sisters, left behind with their unhinged mother, after Cinderella has left with her Prince. The ‘ugly’ sisters actions aren’t excused, in fact they are left to live and struggle with the consequences of their actions. Isabelle has a permanent limp where she sliced off her toes in the hope that she would be able to fit in to the glass slipper. All on the instructions of her mother. Isabelle is a strong character who feels hemmed in by her mother and the restrictions that society has thrust upon her. Her worth is dictated by her looks - something which she falls short on, as does her sister. Instead of the soft mannered, beautiful, obedient girls that society wants, the sisters are clever, resourceful and regrettably ugly. Maman tries to marry them off to the Prince in any way that she can - even making them mutilate themselves. When Cinderella leaves to marry her Prince and the locals discover how she was treated, Isabelle, Tavi and Maman are both ostracised and vilified. Isabelle truly regrets the way that she treated Cinderella, but doesn’t know how she can put right what she did. However, both Fate and Chance have now got an influence over her life, a vested interest, and they have opposing opinions on how Isabelle’s life should play out.
I thought this feminist slant on the after-story of Cinderella was really engaging. I loved it, and if I had a daughter I’d be passing it on to her to read next!
Many thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book.
Make Your Home Among Strangers
Book
A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice, winner of the International Latino Book Award for Best...
Darren (1599 KP) rated Dolls (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Story: Dolls starts when alcoholic children’s book author Robert Holbrook (Downey) moves into his recently deceased mother’s home to start work on his latest work, when he is joined by his teenage daughter Sammey (Simpson) who wants to get away from her mother.
When Robert and Sammey discover three creepy dolls in the attic, Robert decides that he wants to use these characters to create his latest story, known as the Attic Dolls. When a sister of a former patient Margaret (Wallace) appears, she warns Sammey about the evil inside the dolls that come out to play when you look away.
Thoughts on Dolls
Characters – Robert is an alcoholic children’s author, he has made mistakes in his life which has left his family facing financial ruin, his daughter struggle to be able to face a college future, he has moved out to focus on his new book, which will see him being joined by his daughter. The latest book idea uses the creepy dolls found in the attic of his mother’s home, which will see him suffer nightmares as he looks to withdraw from his drinking problems. Sammey is his 17-year-old daughter who wants to live with him over her mother, she has been on certain medications, though it is unclear what is wrong with her to need them. She first gets scared by the dolls believing the story she hears about them, while trying to remain rebellious about her future. Margaret was the sister of one of the patient’s of Robert’s mother, she warns the family about the evil from the dolls which might be connected to the deaths.
Performances – Thomas Downey is strong through the film, we believe that he is going through troubles. Trinity Simpson is entertaining in her role, she brings the fear of what is going on to make us believe everything happening. Dee Wallace is the biggest name in the film, she is in a supporting role, which lets her bring the experience to the film.
Story – The story here follows a family that move into a house of a deceased relative only to discover three creepy dolls in the attic, soon strange things start happening around the house as it appears the dolls come to life when people aren’t looking. This story does play into the creepy dolls genre of horror which does to use mental health and addiction to try and reflect the situation going on through the events of the film. It does start by going in one direction, but it does feel like it is going to target on a rampage, then throws another twist to them in and it does seem to rush a lot of the story going on through the film. it does end in a very confusing manor which could make most of the film feel almost redundant.
Horror – The horror in this comes from the dolls which do feel creepy and make us feel uneasy wondering what they will be doing next.
Settings – The film is set in the one location which is the house, it is filled with locations where the dolls could sneak around without being seen, only heard, which does play into the rules created.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are only used when they are needed, they are simply with certain small movements which does help the film unfold.
Scene of the Movie – The dolls appearance.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The ending.
Final Thoughts – This is a new creepy doll movie, which has been the it feature at the moment, with Child’s Play and Annabelle in the cinema, this one does have a creepy feel to it even if the story does seem to be rushed.
Overall: Creepy Fun horror.
When Robert and Sammey discover three creepy dolls in the attic, Robert decides that he wants to use these characters to create his latest story, known as the Attic Dolls. When a sister of a former patient Margaret (Wallace) appears, she warns Sammey about the evil inside the dolls that come out to play when you look away.
Thoughts on Dolls
Characters – Robert is an alcoholic children’s author, he has made mistakes in his life which has left his family facing financial ruin, his daughter struggle to be able to face a college future, he has moved out to focus on his new book, which will see him being joined by his daughter. The latest book idea uses the creepy dolls found in the attic of his mother’s home, which will see him suffer nightmares as he looks to withdraw from his drinking problems. Sammey is his 17-year-old daughter who wants to live with him over her mother, she has been on certain medications, though it is unclear what is wrong with her to need them. She first gets scared by the dolls believing the story she hears about them, while trying to remain rebellious about her future. Margaret was the sister of one of the patient’s of Robert’s mother, she warns the family about the evil from the dolls which might be connected to the deaths.
Performances – Thomas Downey is strong through the film, we believe that he is going through troubles. Trinity Simpson is entertaining in her role, she brings the fear of what is going on to make us believe everything happening. Dee Wallace is the biggest name in the film, she is in a supporting role, which lets her bring the experience to the film.
Story – The story here follows a family that move into a house of a deceased relative only to discover three creepy dolls in the attic, soon strange things start happening around the house as it appears the dolls come to life when people aren’t looking. This story does play into the creepy dolls genre of horror which does to use mental health and addiction to try and reflect the situation going on through the events of the film. It does start by going in one direction, but it does feel like it is going to target on a rampage, then throws another twist to them in and it does seem to rush a lot of the story going on through the film. it does end in a very confusing manor which could make most of the film feel almost redundant.
Horror – The horror in this comes from the dolls which do feel creepy and make us feel uneasy wondering what they will be doing next.
Settings – The film is set in the one location which is the house, it is filled with locations where the dolls could sneak around without being seen, only heard, which does play into the rules created.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are only used when they are needed, they are simply with certain small movements which does help the film unfold.
Scene of the Movie – The dolls appearance.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The ending.
Final Thoughts – This is a new creepy doll movie, which has been the it feature at the moment, with Child’s Play and Annabelle in the cinema, this one does have a creepy feel to it even if the story does seem to be rushed.
Overall: Creepy Fun horror.
ClareR (6086 KP) rated Little Women in Books
Dec 11, 2018
An enjoyable classic!
The thing with Classics, is that they don't tend to stand up to modern scrutiny. I've seen far too many people slating this book because the women had such low aspirations: wife, mother, to be well-behaved, well-mannered at all times. Did they read the bits with Jo in? Ok, so Meg is happy to marry and stay at home with the children, something which would have been expected of her at the time anyway. She doesn't make any complaints about wanting to do anything different though. The majority of women had different expectations at this time - and Jo butts heads against these expectations. She isn't an obedient daughter to a large extent (although her parents recognise her needs and pretty much let her run with it). She isn't an obedient daughter to a large extent. She makes her own money with her writing and goes away to work. Even after marriage she continues to work at the school she and Professor Behr open. So there was some indication that doors would open to those who were forceful and outgoing enough. But why can't we just enjoy these books for what they are? It's a good story that people still enjoy reading, with the added bonus of a bit of social history!
This is the second time that I've read this (which is a rare thing in itself), and I have to say that I really enjoyed it!
Many thanks to Jellybooks for giving me the impetus to read it again!
This is the second time that I've read this (which is a rare thing in itself), and I have to say that I really enjoyed it!
Many thanks to Jellybooks for giving me the impetus to read it again!
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