Search
Search results
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Good Liar (2019) in Movies
Nov 9, 2019
Murder She Wrote
The good liar is creaky but enjoyable little movie that screams 80s British murder mystery Tv show and while its extreamly predictable theres enough twists to keep you entertained. Whats aparent right from the start is Ian Mckellen and Helen Mirren's on screen chemistry, the two are just fantastic to watch interacting with each other and really help to carry the entire film with thier acting skills alone. Sadly I really cant say the same about the rest of the cast most of whomb come across as stiff, lifeless souls with no personality making most of thier scenes dull and unitresting filler (russell toveys character especially). Plot wise its fine and actually tries some quite brave ideas for this kind of film taking the movie places I really didnt expect it to go. Trouble is the film feels caught between what it wants to be switching between grisly violent crime thriller back to tame old light hearted drama randomly without the two ever seeming connected. Also while ian mckellen is fantastic the film tries far to hard to make the viewer dislike him by using seemingly forced reasons eg showing him far to often randomly cursing profoudly, smoking, drinking or comitting a random out of place extreame act of violence its all very unnecisary and seems only there to hide a twist that comes later in the film. Music cues frustrate too cheaply placed into the film to tell us how we should be feeling during certain scenes but instead making the film feel outdated. Theres no real sense of nail biting tension either and while the story is fun to watch play out with no real danger, urgency or any griping scenes its all just one tone throughout. A big plot twist can also be seen coming right from the start too but thankfully theres enough twists and turns to make that not to much of a problem. All this being said I did have a good time with good liar the two leads clearly enjoyed working together and while the film is extreamly out dated as far as film making goes it will no doubt spark nostalgia and bring enjoyment to people that grew up with shows such a Poirot and Coloumbo.
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated The Unity Game in Books
Nov 20, 2019
“The three moons were rising. The grey being lifted itself from the resting platform and rose to standing position. It turned its head to survey the subterranean chamber and ran a check over its physical condition. It had achieved maximum expenditure potential.”
The Unity Game is the second book by author Leonora Meriel. This beautifully written story follows three characters on their own journeys. First is David, a man who puts everything he has into his work at a bank, determined to find financial success. His plans do not go as plans, and he finds himself in deeper trouble than he could have anticipated. The second is a being of energy which has set out on a journey to extend its life. Then there is Alisdair, a barrister who has just died. His journey takes him on understanding the ins and outs of what life after death truly is. The three stories share themes of redemption, hope, the universe, death, and the question: what if the earth you knew was just the beginning?
The Unity game is an incredibly complex and intricate story. The three characters move around each other for a significant portion of the book until their lives finally interact with each other. It takes focus to maintain the different characters, perspectives, struggles, and ideas that each character is facing but the story being told makes that concentration completely worth it. I found myself immediately compelled into this story from the very beginning. It is strange for the structured business life to intrigue you so profoundly but from the very first page you can see that there are things about these characters that you want to understand. The introduction to each character brings you so vividly into their heads and their desires while leaving so much open to learn through the rest of the book.
Meriel has done an excellent job of creating a mix of science fiction and mystery in this book. The imagination to create this story is astounding, the pieces and themes fitting together so well while being so abstract and unique. Meriel has done an exquisite job of forming this book with the perfect amount of character development and intriguing story while giving the reader so many profound questions to ponder as they read. This book is a fantastic read, and I highly recommend it.
The Unity Game is the second book by author Leonora Meriel. This beautifully written story follows three characters on their own journeys. First is David, a man who puts everything he has into his work at a bank, determined to find financial success. His plans do not go as plans, and he finds himself in deeper trouble than he could have anticipated. The second is a being of energy which has set out on a journey to extend its life. Then there is Alisdair, a barrister who has just died. His journey takes him on understanding the ins and outs of what life after death truly is. The three stories share themes of redemption, hope, the universe, death, and the question: what if the earth you knew was just the beginning?
The Unity game is an incredibly complex and intricate story. The three characters move around each other for a significant portion of the book until their lives finally interact with each other. It takes focus to maintain the different characters, perspectives, struggles, and ideas that each character is facing but the story being told makes that concentration completely worth it. I found myself immediately compelled into this story from the very beginning. It is strange for the structured business life to intrigue you so profoundly but from the very first page you can see that there are things about these characters that you want to understand. The introduction to each character brings you so vividly into their heads and their desires while leaving so much open to learn through the rest of the book.
Meriel has done an excellent job of creating a mix of science fiction and mystery in this book. The imagination to create this story is astounding, the pieces and themes fitting together so well while being so abstract and unique. Meriel has done an exquisite job of forming this book with the perfect amount of character development and intriguing story while giving the reader so many profound questions to ponder as they read. This book is a fantastic read, and I highly recommend it.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Out of the Silence in Books
Nov 21, 2019
This book tackles a difficult subject without compromise but still manages to be a gripping and powerful read. In rural Pakistan a woman is found badly injured after a horrific attack. Sure she is about to die she tells the nurse tending her the story of her life.
She is called Afra and was courted by a boy called Jameel in her village. But her family only see profit in Afra and sell her to a rich businessman from a distant city to be his wife. Jameel leaves the village in shame. Their lives take very different paths from there.
Ralph Buchanan used to be the toast of the journalistic world, exposing corruption and scandal, his work earning him awards and fame. However too many corners cut and too many regrets have left him washed up in Lahore, a has-been drinking his life away. He is told the story of Afra and realises he could make a difference, but before that he needs to drag himself up from rock bottom.
The first part of the book, telling the story of Afra and Jameel is relatively slow paced. It is also a pretty grim read as Mullen describes the reality of life for many women who are still treated as property in Pakistan. There is much that is hard to read, but sometimes the truth can be very ugly. This is nothing like anything Mullen has written before. But he is a writer of considerable talent and weaves the tale expertly. Naturally there is a murder mystery woven into the story, so it is not a complete departure from his normal subject matter.
Once Buchanen enters, the pace picks up and something of the style of his other books returns, with Ralph being very much in the mould of a 'noir journalist'. The story from this point forward is not only his ongoing investigation into Afra's story and the murderer, but also his own personal journey. Mullen has a fabulously light touch with both characters and language that mean the reader is drawn into the events, even more so for having read the shocking story that kicks this book into life.
Owen Mullen has tried something different here, and has sought to expose a deep injustice in the world. He has succeeded on both counts. An author that deserves a wider audience
She is called Afra and was courted by a boy called Jameel in her village. But her family only see profit in Afra and sell her to a rich businessman from a distant city to be his wife. Jameel leaves the village in shame. Their lives take very different paths from there.
Ralph Buchanan used to be the toast of the journalistic world, exposing corruption and scandal, his work earning him awards and fame. However too many corners cut and too many regrets have left him washed up in Lahore, a has-been drinking his life away. He is told the story of Afra and realises he could make a difference, but before that he needs to drag himself up from rock bottom.
The first part of the book, telling the story of Afra and Jameel is relatively slow paced. It is also a pretty grim read as Mullen describes the reality of life for many women who are still treated as property in Pakistan. There is much that is hard to read, but sometimes the truth can be very ugly. This is nothing like anything Mullen has written before. But he is a writer of considerable talent and weaves the tale expertly. Naturally there is a murder mystery woven into the story, so it is not a complete departure from his normal subject matter.
Once Buchanen enters, the pace picks up and something of the style of his other books returns, with Ralph being very much in the mould of a 'noir journalist'. The story from this point forward is not only his ongoing investigation into Afra's story and the murderer, but also his own personal journey. Mullen has a fabulously light touch with both characters and language that mean the reader is drawn into the events, even more so for having read the shocking story that kicks this book into life.
Owen Mullen has tried something different here, and has sought to expose a deep injustice in the world. He has succeeded on both counts. An author that deserves a wider audience
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Girl Last Seen in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
I really thought I had written a review for this one during winter break, but since it has been sitting on my Kindle App shelf since I read it and there are no signs of its existence on the blog, Goodreads, or Netgalley . I mean, that says something, right?
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2017/03/oops.gif"; width="320" height="180" border="0" /></div>
I remember almost nothing from the book (this is the saddest thing ever, because Im still in that stupid thing called reviewing slump and all I want to do is write creative posts consisting of GIFs) aside from two girls, Kadence and Lauren, who make videos and got famous on YouTube for it. One of them cant really speak, so she primarily focuses on writing music while the other does the singing. Kadence ends up missing and no one actually knows where shes at, if shes even alive, etc.
(I hope my notes are somewhat helpful )
<i>Girl Last Seen</i>, despite the fact the story is primarily focused on the characters trying to find Kadence, isnt just about looking for a YouTube sensation. Kadence I couldnt care less about (I know that sounds really insensitive) - shes a spoiled brat who likes to get what she wants and doesnt let anything stop her, but she also likes to use people like little puppets on a string.
I cared far more about the other characters: Lauren, Mason, Jude, and how they all related to each other or to Kadence. Their relationships with each other and Kadence were complex, and I really liked how they all connected. <i>Girl Last Seen</i> feels much more along the lines of relationships and finding oneself without constantly looking towards someone else as support than a mystery (though that is certainly a bonus).
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/girl-last-seen-by-heather-anastasiu/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I really thought I had written a review for this one during winter break, but since it has been sitting on my Kindle App shelf since I read it and there are no signs of its existence on the blog, Goodreads, or Netgalley . I mean, that says something, right?
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2017/03/oops.gif"; width="320" height="180" border="0" /></div>
I remember almost nothing from the book (this is the saddest thing ever, because Im still in that stupid thing called reviewing slump and all I want to do is write creative posts consisting of GIFs) aside from two girls, Kadence and Lauren, who make videos and got famous on YouTube for it. One of them cant really speak, so she primarily focuses on writing music while the other does the singing. Kadence ends up missing and no one actually knows where shes at, if shes even alive, etc.
(I hope my notes are somewhat helpful )
<i>Girl Last Seen</i>, despite the fact the story is primarily focused on the characters trying to find Kadence, isnt just about looking for a YouTube sensation. Kadence I couldnt care less about (I know that sounds really insensitive) - shes a spoiled brat who likes to get what she wants and doesnt let anything stop her, but she also likes to use people like little puppets on a string.
I cared far more about the other characters: Lauren, Mason, Jude, and how they all related to each other or to Kadence. Their relationships with each other and Kadence were complex, and I really liked how they all connected. <i>Girl Last Seen</i> feels much more along the lines of relationships and finding oneself without constantly looking towards someone else as support than a mystery (though that is certainly a bonus).
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/girl-last-seen-by-heather-anastasiu/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
ClareR (5885 KP) rated The Guest List in Books
Feb 27, 2020
The Guest List is a murder mystery set at a wedding - and not just any wedding. This is the event of the year. It's set on an exclusive island off the coast of Ireland. The bride, Jules Keegan, is a magazine publisher, and the groom, Will Slater, is a handsome survivalist TV star. But all is not as it seems. Will's guests consist mainly of old public school friends who aren't particularly nice people (the ushers are frankly appalling), and Jules' 'Best Man' is an ex-boyfriend from when she was a teenager. Now, he seems perfectly nice, as does his 'plus one', his wife Hannah. Part of the story is actually told from Hannah's perspective. She's the person that you could see being your friend, someone who you could go out drinking with (coffee or alcohol!).
Jules is a very strong, confident woman - the polar opposite of her sister Olivia. Olivia seems to have had a bad breakup and is very fragile.
All of these characters (apart from Hannah) have secrets and grudges against another person at the wedding - even Will's Best Man, Johnno, who at first appears not to have a care in the world. But appearances can be deceptive.
I really enjoyed the way this story was constructed, with jumps backwards and forwards in time. There's the linear story of the build-up to the wedding, with leaps in to the future where one of the waitresses has found an unidentified dead body on the wedding night at the evening party.
This book had me guessing as to the identity of both the murderer and the victim, and I had great fun trying to guess who they were (I didn't get anywhere near the right people, and I also now realise that I have something of a bloodthirsty penchant for retribution). I'm looking forward to Lucy Foley's next book already!
I read this on The Pigeonhole, and Lucy Foley joined in, showing us photos of places she'd been in Ireland that inspired her, and commenting on our (the readers) comments. Another great Pigeonhole experience - and another book that I had also requested and received from NetGalley. So thanks to NetGalley, but especially thanks to The Pigeonhole for helping me to make a dent in my NetGalley book mountain!!
Jules is a very strong, confident woman - the polar opposite of her sister Olivia. Olivia seems to have had a bad breakup and is very fragile.
All of these characters (apart from Hannah) have secrets and grudges against another person at the wedding - even Will's Best Man, Johnno, who at first appears not to have a care in the world. But appearances can be deceptive.
I really enjoyed the way this story was constructed, with jumps backwards and forwards in time. There's the linear story of the build-up to the wedding, with leaps in to the future where one of the waitresses has found an unidentified dead body on the wedding night at the evening party.
This book had me guessing as to the identity of both the murderer and the victim, and I had great fun trying to guess who they were (I didn't get anywhere near the right people, and I also now realise that I have something of a bloodthirsty penchant for retribution). I'm looking forward to Lucy Foley's next book already!
I read this on The Pigeonhole, and Lucy Foley joined in, showing us photos of places she'd been in Ireland that inspired her, and commenting on our (the readers) comments. Another great Pigeonhole experience - and another book that I had also requested and received from NetGalley. So thanks to NetGalley, but especially thanks to The Pigeonhole for helping me to make a dent in my NetGalley book mountain!!
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes in TV
Mar 3, 2020
The third of these was the most powerful for me. It was Confessions of a killer: the Ted Bundy tapes. I mean… I had no idea. His name was in my imagination somewhere as a candidate for pure evil, but I had no notion of the level of media hype and drama behind and before this. Which is why I recommend this absolutely comprehensive 4 part series as the best in this dubious category I have yet to see.
With the benefit of at least some hindsight, we can see in this case the epitome of such terms as “serial killer” and “sociopath”. Looking at it in pure terms of an idea worthy of dramatic exploration, then this is it! And, interestingly, to this date, besides the Zac Efron misfire, it is a story beyond worthy of correct telling, the basis of which should be the real footage. Because nothing is more bizarre than the real man and what he not only attempted to do, but actually did.
Take the basic idea that one individual is capable of murdering 30 plus women and girls over a period of two decades… then accept that he systematically went back to the corpses and committed acts of necropholia and decapitation without ever skipping a beat in what he perceived as his true persona as a competent lawyer in his own right, and you have the stuff of true nightmare. Add to that the fact that he escaped custody twice, and defended himself in court to such a charming extent that the judge himself admitted an affinity with him, and you have the recipe for something that transcends fact and becomes myth. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourself.
Do I agree with these cases being shown as entertainment? No, I don’t. Essentially. Because they are rarely told from the victim’s point of view. We have a fascination with an unsolved mystery and grim death that is undeniably curious. The cult of personality pervades, and we should be wary of why we get involved with this stuff. As addictive TV it is undeniably going to continue. Please be careful of the line between understanding and entertainment. God forbid I would give these shows a rating, as if it were a thing worthy of encouragement. It is the most undeniable yet horrific side effect of our media growth imaginable. Watch at your peril. But watch discerningly with interest.
With the benefit of at least some hindsight, we can see in this case the epitome of such terms as “serial killer” and “sociopath”. Looking at it in pure terms of an idea worthy of dramatic exploration, then this is it! And, interestingly, to this date, besides the Zac Efron misfire, it is a story beyond worthy of correct telling, the basis of which should be the real footage. Because nothing is more bizarre than the real man and what he not only attempted to do, but actually did.
Take the basic idea that one individual is capable of murdering 30 plus women and girls over a period of two decades… then accept that he systematically went back to the corpses and committed acts of necropholia and decapitation without ever skipping a beat in what he perceived as his true persona as a competent lawyer in his own right, and you have the stuff of true nightmare. Add to that the fact that he escaped custody twice, and defended himself in court to such a charming extent that the judge himself admitted an affinity with him, and you have the recipe for something that transcends fact and becomes myth. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourself.
Do I agree with these cases being shown as entertainment? No, I don’t. Essentially. Because they are rarely told from the victim’s point of view. We have a fascination with an unsolved mystery and grim death that is undeniably curious. The cult of personality pervades, and we should be wary of why we get involved with this stuff. As addictive TV it is undeniably going to continue. Please be careful of the line between understanding and entertainment. God forbid I would give these shows a rating, as if it were a thing worthy of encouragement. It is the most undeniable yet horrific side effect of our media growth imaginable. Watch at your peril. But watch discerningly with interest.
Ali A (82 KP) rated The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly in Books
Mar 3, 2020 (Updated Mar 4, 2020)
Sisters Ivy and Autumn couldn’t be any more different. Ivy is a band-geek with a tight knit group of friends she loves to play board games with. Autumn is the school’s drug dealer and hasn’t trusted anyone, even Ivy, in years.
After a drug deal gone wrong, Autumn is beaten, bound, and hidden away. Tittering between life and death, Autumn leaves her body trying to find help - the problem is the only one who can really sense her is Ivy.
When Autumn doesn’t come home, Ivy knows her sister is in trouble, even though she’s done this before, this time is different. Following chills and intuitions she can’t explain, Ivy follows clues that bring her closer to Autumn’s dangerous location. But soon, dots are connected that lead to the truth - both where Autumn is being kept and what secrets Autumn has been keeping.
This book was so much more than I originally thought it would be. I read it in a day and a half and that was only because I had work in between. The book has a bit of everything… coming of age, sister relationships, broken families, suspense, and mystery… something for anyone who likes something heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. I’m not someone who reads a lot of mysteries, but this novel grabbed me within the first few pages and I couldn’t let go until I knew what happened.
The viewpoint shifts between Ivy and Autumn and it allows you to see more in depth of each sisters’ side of the story, allowing you to dig deeper into the layers of Autumn’s past. I connected with both Ivy (her Nerd Herd is something I would have called my group of friends back in the day) and Autumn (the chip on her shoulder she has after her mother died is one I also had after my father died). Meredith Tate has such an amazing writing style that even the side characters are realistic and have so much depth that it makes you care for them as well. Tate is definitely an author that I will have on my ‘To Read’ list for any future releases.
The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly is a book I would recommend to those of all ages who like suspense but also something heartwarming as well.
I was given an advance copy of this book through BookishFirst in exchange for an honest review.
After a drug deal gone wrong, Autumn is beaten, bound, and hidden away. Tittering between life and death, Autumn leaves her body trying to find help - the problem is the only one who can really sense her is Ivy.
When Autumn doesn’t come home, Ivy knows her sister is in trouble, even though she’s done this before, this time is different. Following chills and intuitions she can’t explain, Ivy follows clues that bring her closer to Autumn’s dangerous location. But soon, dots are connected that lead to the truth - both where Autumn is being kept and what secrets Autumn has been keeping.
This book was so much more than I originally thought it would be. I read it in a day and a half and that was only because I had work in between. The book has a bit of everything… coming of age, sister relationships, broken families, suspense, and mystery… something for anyone who likes something heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. I’m not someone who reads a lot of mysteries, but this novel grabbed me within the first few pages and I couldn’t let go until I knew what happened.
The viewpoint shifts between Ivy and Autumn and it allows you to see more in depth of each sisters’ side of the story, allowing you to dig deeper into the layers of Autumn’s past. I connected with both Ivy (her Nerd Herd is something I would have called my group of friends back in the day) and Autumn (the chip on her shoulder she has after her mother died is one I also had after my father died). Meredith Tate has such an amazing writing style that even the side characters are realistic and have so much depth that it makes you care for them as well. Tate is definitely an author that I will have on my ‘To Read’ list for any future releases.
The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly is a book I would recommend to those of all ages who like suspense but also something heartwarming as well.
I was given an advance copy of this book through BookishFirst in exchange for an honest review.
ClareR (5885 KP) rated You Let Me In in Books
Mar 10, 2020
A satisfyingly dark read!
You Let Me In is unlike anything I’ve read before. I signed up to read this on The Pigeonhole based purely on the cover. I didn’t read anything about it, in fact I thought it was going to be a thriller. The cover though: I actually thought it was a hand showing someone then bird’, and I was half right. It’s a dead bird, and the main character, Cassandra Tipp, does seem to spend most of her life metaphorically giving everyone ‘the bird’ (ie. telling them to leave her alone).
There is a mystery at the start of this. Cassandra Tipp has disappeared, and her niece and nephew have been told that after a year they can have her worldly goods if they go to her house, find the manuscript she has left them and deduce a code word.
This book is that story.
It transpires that Cassie has been involved in the death of three people: her husband Tommy Tipp, her father and her brother. But how did she get away with it? Or more importantly: who did it if she didn’t? And who is Pepper Man?
Ok, I don’t want to give too much away, but fairies are involved from the beginning, and they’re unlike the fairies I’ve read about in the past. They come with a fascinating origin story, and I’d be interested to know if they were a construct of the authors imagination, or whether they’re a Norwegian version of the fairies I’ve learnt about with my Anglo-Irish background. Either way, they’re great characters.
There’s also a chance that child abuse is involved, either by humans or fairies, it all depends on what you read in to things that happen, whether or not you believe that Cassie is in fact sane. Some of the violence is pretty graphic too, and did put some Pigeonhole readers off.
It’s a puzzling book, a book where you’re never sure whether the narrator is reliable. And I loved it. So, if you like quirky, puzzling, violent(ish), dark books, with fairies (or perhaps not) and potentially with characters with mental health issues, then you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did. It was a satisfying, startling ten days with The Pigeonhole!
There is a mystery at the start of this. Cassandra Tipp has disappeared, and her niece and nephew have been told that after a year they can have her worldly goods if they go to her house, find the manuscript she has left them and deduce a code word.
This book is that story.
It transpires that Cassie has been involved in the death of three people: her husband Tommy Tipp, her father and her brother. But how did she get away with it? Or more importantly: who did it if she didn’t? And who is Pepper Man?
Ok, I don’t want to give too much away, but fairies are involved from the beginning, and they’re unlike the fairies I’ve read about in the past. They come with a fascinating origin story, and I’d be interested to know if they were a construct of the authors imagination, or whether they’re a Norwegian version of the fairies I’ve learnt about with my Anglo-Irish background. Either way, they’re great characters.
There’s also a chance that child abuse is involved, either by humans or fairies, it all depends on what you read in to things that happen, whether or not you believe that Cassie is in fact sane. Some of the violence is pretty graphic too, and did put some Pigeonhole readers off.
It’s a puzzling book, a book where you’re never sure whether the narrator is reliable. And I loved it. So, if you like quirky, puzzling, violent(ish), dark books, with fairies (or perhaps not) and potentially with characters with mental health issues, then you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did. It was a satisfying, startling ten days with The Pigeonhole!
JT (287 KP) rated Shutter Island (2010) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
It’s all very film noir from Scorsese, more at home among gangsters and moles, here he turns his attention to a period mystery thriller.
The film has touches of Hitchcockian flair throughout it as we watch DiCaprio and Ruffalo embark through mist and fog in order to reach a desolate island, over run with guards and orderlies whose job it seems is to keep a watchful eye over the criminally insane.
And so begins a puzzling quest for the truth as DiCaprio attempts to leave no stone unturned in the search for the missing patient while at the same time battling his own demons.
The death of his wife in an apartment fire seems to be the catalyst for a lot of dream-scape and it only proves to be a distraction from the impending outcome, as an array of colourful characters try and put him and his partner off the scent. That and its also revealed that Teddy, an ex-GI has been tormented by memories of liberating Dachau nine years earlier.
It’s a very well directed film with an added musical score that will have the hairs on your neck standing on end.
DiCaprio is nothing short of sublime and the transformation from seemingly sane individual to… well, anything else would be seen as a massive plot spoiler. The supporting cast are as equally good, with strong performances from Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams and Jackie Earle Haley as a disfigured inmate who pops up to reveal to Teddy more clues about the mysterious secrets the island hides.
The cinematography is also exceptional with some really harrowing shots, one of which places us in the sights of a firing squad that cuts to pieces a group of death camp Nazis. Not to mention the dream sequence involving Teddy’s wife, covered in blood and disappearing into ash as a desperate DiCaprio grasps at one last embrace.
The film drops hints and clues all through it. There are some purposely shot continuity errors that film viewers should be watchful of that will lead them to the jaw dropping and well thought out if not predictable conclusion. It’s a very well directed film with an added musical score that will have the hairs on your neck standing on end.
The film has touches of Hitchcockian flair throughout it as we watch DiCaprio and Ruffalo embark through mist and fog in order to reach a desolate island, over run with guards and orderlies whose job it seems is to keep a watchful eye over the criminally insane.
And so begins a puzzling quest for the truth as DiCaprio attempts to leave no stone unturned in the search for the missing patient while at the same time battling his own demons.
The death of his wife in an apartment fire seems to be the catalyst for a lot of dream-scape and it only proves to be a distraction from the impending outcome, as an array of colourful characters try and put him and his partner off the scent. That and its also revealed that Teddy, an ex-GI has been tormented by memories of liberating Dachau nine years earlier.
It’s a very well directed film with an added musical score that will have the hairs on your neck standing on end.
DiCaprio is nothing short of sublime and the transformation from seemingly sane individual to… well, anything else would be seen as a massive plot spoiler. The supporting cast are as equally good, with strong performances from Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams and Jackie Earle Haley as a disfigured inmate who pops up to reveal to Teddy more clues about the mysterious secrets the island hides.
The cinematography is also exceptional with some really harrowing shots, one of which places us in the sights of a firing squad that cuts to pieces a group of death camp Nazis. Not to mention the dream sequence involving Teddy’s wife, covered in blood and disappearing into ash as a desperate DiCaprio grasps at one last embrace.
The film drops hints and clues all through it. There are some purposely shot continuity errors that film viewers should be watchful of that will lead them to the jaw dropping and well thought out if not predictable conclusion. It’s a very well directed film with an added musical score that will have the hairs on your neck standing on end.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Elvis & Nixon (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Elvis Presley has always been a mystery to me. I never understood the fascination around him and the length at which his fans adore him. Growing up in the south, his image and legend permeated throughout the culture and made it impossible to criticize him or his music. He was infallible. Nixon, on the other hand, is universally loathed for having a Presidential administration built on division and corruption. Through one bold idea, on the part of Presley, they cross paths. Elvis and Nixon, sounds as though it would be perfect for an 80s sitcom, however, the reality of this interaction is put on display through this film. In total, the film is fun in that it gives a bit of insight as to what their interaction may have been like, given their personalities and styles, however, there is a lack of depth with anyone in the film. Michael Shannon’s (Midnight Special, Man of Steel) portrayal of Elvis comes off as wooden and lacking any personality.
I felt as though I was watching an impersonator on screen rather an actor portraying a character. Kevin Spacey (House of Cards) plays a strong Nixon in which you feel a little bit of sympathy for the President considering the circumstances that he finds himself in toward the end of his first term. Unfortunately, due to his character Frank Underwood on House of Cards, audiences will feel as though it is President Underwood playing Nixon. There isn’t much space between the two characters that he plays. There also isn’t much space between Elvis and Nixon with their approach to social ills and the American landscape.
There is very little this film offers other than an imagining of what possibly took place due to now recordings of their meeting other than a photo. In that sense, it is an interesting “what if” piece. The imagination of the filmmakers allows us to question who these two men and the circumstances that faced America during 1971. Although provocative in its approach, it doesn’t allow for much growth or ability to connect with any of the characters. It has its fun and funny moments, which will keep audiences interested, but nothing that will have them talking about the film well after they have seen it. Through the portrayals by Shannon and Spacey, I find myself liking Nixon a little more and hating Elvis a little less.
I felt as though I was watching an impersonator on screen rather an actor portraying a character. Kevin Spacey (House of Cards) plays a strong Nixon in which you feel a little bit of sympathy for the President considering the circumstances that he finds himself in toward the end of his first term. Unfortunately, due to his character Frank Underwood on House of Cards, audiences will feel as though it is President Underwood playing Nixon. There isn’t much space between the two characters that he plays. There also isn’t much space between Elvis and Nixon with their approach to social ills and the American landscape.
There is very little this film offers other than an imagining of what possibly took place due to now recordings of their meeting other than a photo. In that sense, it is an interesting “what if” piece. The imagination of the filmmakers allows us to question who these two men and the circumstances that faced America during 1971. Although provocative in its approach, it doesn’t allow for much growth or ability to connect with any of the characters. It has its fun and funny moments, which will keep audiences interested, but nothing that will have them talking about the film well after they have seen it. Through the portrayals by Shannon and Spacey, I find myself liking Nixon a little more and hating Elvis a little less.