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Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated The Kindergarten Teacher (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
It’s always nice to see teachers encouraging and motivating their students, but in Sara Colangelo’s The Kindergarten Teacher, this is taken to a terrifying new level. Based on an Israeli film of the same name, it explores the line between encouragement and obsession. What happens when a bored kindergarten teacher meets a child prodigy? That’s what this film attempts to answer.
When teacher Lisa Spinelli (Maggie Gyllenhaal) meets pre-schooler Jimmy (Parker Sevak), her life is flipped upside down. Lisa attends poetry night classes, but her work is frequently criticised by teacher Simon (Gael García Bernal). Her family life is unsatisfactory, with her two children underachieving in her eyes. Because of her dissatisfaction with her life, she finds herself latching onto Jimmy and attempting to live vicariously through him. The film takes the two of them on a journey, where Lisa does everything she can to nurture Jimmy’s talent.
The pair’s first encounter happens when Jimmy reads out a poem, which Lisa believes to be way beyond his age group. Throughout the film, she encourages him to write more and more, and the scenes where Jimmy reads his work aloud are captivating. This is Parker Sevak’s acting debut, and he is a seriously impressive child actor. Because the level of poetry in the film is so advanced, he speaks incredibly clearly which stuns both Lisa and the audience. He was the stand-out performance for me, and at the age of 5, manages to steal the show. I am keen to see more films starring him in the future.
That doesn’t mean Gyllenhaal’s performance was bad. In fact, this is probably my favourite of hers in such a long time. Her tenacity and passion are admirable at first and then turns into obsession very quickly. The dark turn her character takes genuinely shocked me, even though it’s inevitable she’s going to do whatever it takes to get her own way. Despite this, I felt sorry for her throughout, which is a testament to the strength of Gyllenhaal’s acting. Lisa does questionable things, she lashes out, yet I was still hoping for a better outcome. I was hoping she’d see sense one way or another. She’s a problematic character for sure, but she doesn’t have to be this way. I felt like she had the power to stop what she was doing.
The film’s pacing worked very well for me, slowly building until the final act. I loved the way it ended, as it left me with a sinking feeling. The last line by Jimmy broke my heart, and if you’ve seen it for yourself, I’m sure you’ll understand why. The screenplay is brilliantly written and tells an incredibly controversial story of what is essentially child exploitation. Jimmy’s young and impressionable mind is taken advantage of based on his talents, resulting in a series of increasingly concerning events. Just when you think Lisa can’t cross any more lines, she does, and it’s enough to shock anyone.
I was completely glued to the screen for the entire third act. If you’re looking for a fresh, thought-provoking drama then I would certainly recommend this. Maggie Gyllenhaal is at the top of her game in The Kindergarten Teacher, delivering a performance that leaves audiences feeling conflicted. This is certainly a heavy film, but I’d also consider it a must-watch and a cautionary tale for the modern age.
https://jumpcutonline.co.uk/review-the-kindergarten-teacher-2019/
When teacher Lisa Spinelli (Maggie Gyllenhaal) meets pre-schooler Jimmy (Parker Sevak), her life is flipped upside down. Lisa attends poetry night classes, but her work is frequently criticised by teacher Simon (Gael García Bernal). Her family life is unsatisfactory, with her two children underachieving in her eyes. Because of her dissatisfaction with her life, she finds herself latching onto Jimmy and attempting to live vicariously through him. The film takes the two of them on a journey, where Lisa does everything she can to nurture Jimmy’s talent.
The pair’s first encounter happens when Jimmy reads out a poem, which Lisa believes to be way beyond his age group. Throughout the film, she encourages him to write more and more, and the scenes where Jimmy reads his work aloud are captivating. This is Parker Sevak’s acting debut, and he is a seriously impressive child actor. Because the level of poetry in the film is so advanced, he speaks incredibly clearly which stuns both Lisa and the audience. He was the stand-out performance for me, and at the age of 5, manages to steal the show. I am keen to see more films starring him in the future.
That doesn’t mean Gyllenhaal’s performance was bad. In fact, this is probably my favourite of hers in such a long time. Her tenacity and passion are admirable at first and then turns into obsession very quickly. The dark turn her character takes genuinely shocked me, even though it’s inevitable she’s going to do whatever it takes to get her own way. Despite this, I felt sorry for her throughout, which is a testament to the strength of Gyllenhaal’s acting. Lisa does questionable things, she lashes out, yet I was still hoping for a better outcome. I was hoping she’d see sense one way or another. She’s a problematic character for sure, but she doesn’t have to be this way. I felt like she had the power to stop what she was doing.
The film’s pacing worked very well for me, slowly building until the final act. I loved the way it ended, as it left me with a sinking feeling. The last line by Jimmy broke my heart, and if you’ve seen it for yourself, I’m sure you’ll understand why. The screenplay is brilliantly written and tells an incredibly controversial story of what is essentially child exploitation. Jimmy’s young and impressionable mind is taken advantage of based on his talents, resulting in a series of increasingly concerning events. Just when you think Lisa can’t cross any more lines, she does, and it’s enough to shock anyone.
I was completely glued to the screen for the entire third act. If you’re looking for a fresh, thought-provoking drama then I would certainly recommend this. Maggie Gyllenhaal is at the top of her game in The Kindergarten Teacher, delivering a performance that leaves audiences feeling conflicted. This is certainly a heavy film, but I’d also consider it a must-watch and a cautionary tale for the modern age.
https://jumpcutonline.co.uk/review-the-kindergarten-teacher-2019/
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Copycat in Books
May 10, 2018
Traci Calloway Cole is about to release her 3rd book called <u>Copycat</u>, when she meets Simone Phillips. Simone is an aspiring writer herself and she loves Traci's books. After Traci agrees to read a few chapters of Simone's book and introduce her to a few people that could help get it published, Simone becomes obsessed. She wants to be just like Traci, but how far will her obsession grow?
This was a quick read for me. I have read a few books by Kimberla Lawson Roby and I have enjoyed them all. She is a great Christian Fiction author.
There are a few people in this world that I look up to and aspire to be, but I don't think would go to the same extremes that Simone goes through. She has quite the troubled past and has never truly discovered who she is as an individual. She already has so many positive things going on in her life. She has a decent job, a fiance and according to Traci, her book is going to be a hit. So why would she need to resort to the antics she pulls throughout this book? It makes her look weak and needy. Will she be able to see the error of her ways and turn things around before it's too late and everything she has worked for blows up in her face?
There are times where I felt sorry for Simone and other times I wanted to smack her and say, can't you see what you are doing is ridiculous and makes you look insane. Unfortunately the one person who told her this, she refused to listen to.
This was a quick read for me. I have read a few books by Kimberla Lawson Roby and I have enjoyed them all. She is a great Christian Fiction author.
There are a few people in this world that I look up to and aspire to be, but I don't think would go to the same extremes that Simone goes through. She has quite the troubled past and has never truly discovered who she is as an individual. She already has so many positive things going on in her life. She has a decent job, a fiance and according to Traci, her book is going to be a hit. So why would she need to resort to the antics she pulls throughout this book? It makes her look weak and needy. Will she be able to see the error of her ways and turn things around before it's too late and everything she has worked for blows up in her face?
There are times where I felt sorry for Simone and other times I wanted to smack her and say, can't you see what you are doing is ridiculous and makes you look insane. Unfortunately the one person who told her this, she refused to listen to.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Neon Demon (2016) in Movies
May 13, 2019
A diamond in a sea of glass
Number 1 in my #top10 favourite films of all time is 'The Neon Demon'
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Not only my #favourite film of all time #theneondemon is all my #passion, my #addiction & my #love for cinema as well as everything that #inspires me, excites me & drives me in life all crammed together into one cinematic masterpiece. In fact this film is so #perfect & such an #obsession of mine I think about it on a daily basis & even have my phone & alarm clock themed around it. Directed by #nicholaswindingrefn (the greatest director of all time) & just like #OnlyGodForgives #neondemon is visually immense, beautiful, intimidating, full of mystery & #emotion. Every scene is rich & stylish with clearly a lot of care/thought put into every single one wether it be the colours or placement of everything it contains. This film invokes & awakens so many emotions with me every single time I watch it & every time it ends I feel I've learnt something new about not only the film but about myself too. With next level acting & such an unnerving yet spellbinding soundtrack 'The Neon Demon' almost sends sends shivers down my spine & catapults me into a hypnotic state of immersion still to this day. I doubt any film will ever replace this film as my top spot & although its slated by pretty much everyone the sheer depth of it & the #horror, #inspiration, courage, enlightenment & joy I personally get from it makes me feel so alive that if I met #nwr I think I'd just burst into tears of gratitude.
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#neon #drive #beauty #beautiful #arthouse #art #thursdaythoughts #ellefanning #ryangosling #modeling #model #fashion #filmcritic #glamourous
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Not only my #favourite film of all time #theneondemon is all my #passion, my #addiction & my #love for cinema as well as everything that #inspires me, excites me & drives me in life all crammed together into one cinematic masterpiece. In fact this film is so #perfect & such an #obsession of mine I think about it on a daily basis & even have my phone & alarm clock themed around it. Directed by #nicholaswindingrefn (the greatest director of all time) & just like #OnlyGodForgives #neondemon is visually immense, beautiful, intimidating, full of mystery & #emotion. Every scene is rich & stylish with clearly a lot of care/thought put into every single one wether it be the colours or placement of everything it contains. This film invokes & awakens so many emotions with me every single time I watch it & every time it ends I feel I've learnt something new about not only the film but about myself too. With next level acting & such an unnerving yet spellbinding soundtrack 'The Neon Demon' almost sends sends shivers down my spine & catapults me into a hypnotic state of immersion still to this day. I doubt any film will ever replace this film as my top spot & although its slated by pretty much everyone the sheer depth of it & the #horror, #inspiration, courage, enlightenment & joy I personally get from it makes me feel so alive that if I met #nwr I think I'd just burst into tears of gratitude.
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#neon #drive #beauty #beautiful #arthouse #art #thursdaythoughts #ellefanning #ryangosling #modeling #model #fashion #filmcritic #glamourous
Dana (24 KP) rated Saga, Vol. 2 in Books
Mar 23, 2018
Here's another review that is 4.5 stars.
I love Alana's obsession with that book. I feel like that is me on the page because I do the same thing: push a book at people until they begrudgingly read it and then tell me to piss off. Well, except for Marco, he liked it, but everyone else was so exasperated with her, it was too real. I died laughing at the parts where she got over excited about it! And the backstory of how Marco and Alana met: so freaking cute, but still kinda scary in the fact that it's illegal as hell.
We get Marco's origin story! I loved seeing him as a wee little bab. SO adorable! I enjoyed getting to know Marco's past and his parents. They are very interesting because they show a lot more of the issues that are going on between the races in the war. It gives more insight into why the war is going on itself.
I also love Izabel. She is so sweet and sassy and cares about the trio. It was really cool that she got a lot more page time in this issue, which I appreciated.
I do like reading the other characters' story lines, but I'm not going to lie, I will always be more interested in the main characters, at least in this series. While everyone else is very compelling and have interesting aspects to their story, I felt like I was just trying to rush through their parts to be able to get to Hazel, Alana, and Marco.
I am still really excited to read more of the series!
I love Alana's obsession with that book. I feel like that is me on the page because I do the same thing: push a book at people until they begrudgingly read it and then tell me to piss off. Well, except for Marco, he liked it, but everyone else was so exasperated with her, it was too real. I died laughing at the parts where she got over excited about it! And the backstory of how Marco and Alana met: so freaking cute, but still kinda scary in the fact that it's illegal as hell.
We get Marco's origin story! I loved seeing him as a wee little bab. SO adorable! I enjoyed getting to know Marco's past and his parents. They are very interesting because they show a lot more of the issues that are going on between the races in the war. It gives more insight into why the war is going on itself.
I also love Izabel. She is so sweet and sassy and cares about the trio. It was really cool that she got a lot more page time in this issue, which I appreciated.
I do like reading the other characters' story lines, but I'm not going to lie, I will always be more interested in the main characters, at least in this series. While everyone else is very compelling and have interesting aspects to their story, I felt like I was just trying to rush through their parts to be able to get to Hazel, Alana, and Marco.
I am still really excited to read more of the series!
ClareR (6074 KP) rated The Ash Doll in Books
Sep 24, 2018
A thrillingly dark read!
This is the second in the Charlie Priest series, but I have to say that it's so well written that it's not necessary to have read the first book in the series, 'The Mayfly' to enjoy this. Suffice to say, I got three chapters in to this book and immediately bought the first book. I can see Charlie Priest becoming my new book obsession!
We're thrown right in to the action on the first page with a small girl, who appears to be on the verge of throwing herself off a cliff in front of a group of hikers. No one knows who she is or where she has come from.
We then flash forward to the present day, and the court case that Charlie Priest and his colleagues are involved with - a libel case between a charity and a magazine. Believe me, I couldn't see how there could possibly be any kind of connection between the two.
The start of the book isn't particularly pleasant (trigger warnings here for anyone that doesn't like reading about child abuse!), but it really drew me in: who is the child? What has happened to her? Ho what she come to be imprisoned and abused? Yes, there's some pretty graphic content, both with regards to her treatment and the murders.
Charlie and his sidekick, Georgie Someday, are so likeable, and Charlie's medical condition adds an interesting layer to the story.
I would highly recommend this, especially if you like dark, well written thrillers.
Many thanks to Readers First, NetGalley and the publisher Bonnier Zaffre for sending me a copy to read.
We're thrown right in to the action on the first page with a small girl, who appears to be on the verge of throwing herself off a cliff in front of a group of hikers. No one knows who she is or where she has come from.
We then flash forward to the present day, and the court case that Charlie Priest and his colleagues are involved with - a libel case between a charity and a magazine. Believe me, I couldn't see how there could possibly be any kind of connection between the two.
The start of the book isn't particularly pleasant (trigger warnings here for anyone that doesn't like reading about child abuse!), but it really drew me in: who is the child? What has happened to her? Ho what she come to be imprisoned and abused? Yes, there's some pretty graphic content, both with regards to her treatment and the murders.
Charlie and his sidekick, Georgie Someday, are so likeable, and Charlie's medical condition adds an interesting layer to the story.
I would highly recommend this, especially if you like dark, well written thrillers.
Many thanks to Readers First, NetGalley and the publisher Bonnier Zaffre for sending me a copy to read.
An interesting take on the tale
If you take for granted that the makers of this short series have taken some liberties with the classic tale, then you will enjoy this adaptation all the more. My wife, who hasn't read the book and barely remembers the Gary Oldman film, really enjoyed this series. I, who have read and loved the book and a few prequel/sequel attempts, enjoyed it a little less. However, for what it is, it's a very clever and witty interpretation of the story.
The three episodes are largely standalone and in a different setting. The first episode we are in familiar territory with Jonathan Harker in Castle Dracula. Here the makers explored Harker's passive imprisonment and gradual blood-draining far more than in other adaptations, giving the viewer a real confused, frustrated and claustrophobic feeling. The second episode takes place on the Count's journey to the UK. Again previous adaptations have skipped over this, and the crew's gradual diminution, which was a bigger factor of the book. This is when Dracula's psychological twisting and sick sense of humour start to feature more heavily, with some good head-scratching twists.
The third episode covers Dracula's time in the UK, but not as you've ever seen before. I thought this part was brilliant, but won't give any spoilers. The main features of this part of the original story are retained (Dracula's mutual obsession with Lucy Westenra), but Dracula is now revealed like never before, with some of his weaknesses explored and exposed for what they are.
Like I say, if you can accept the liberties taken, this is a great adaptation with a really sassy Dracula.
The three episodes are largely standalone and in a different setting. The first episode we are in familiar territory with Jonathan Harker in Castle Dracula. Here the makers explored Harker's passive imprisonment and gradual blood-draining far more than in other adaptations, giving the viewer a real confused, frustrated and claustrophobic feeling. The second episode takes place on the Count's journey to the UK. Again previous adaptations have skipped over this, and the crew's gradual diminution, which was a bigger factor of the book. This is when Dracula's psychological twisting and sick sense of humour start to feature more heavily, with some good head-scratching twists.
The third episode covers Dracula's time in the UK, but not as you've ever seen before. I thought this part was brilliant, but won't give any spoilers. The main features of this part of the original story are retained (Dracula's mutual obsession with Lucy Westenra), but Dracula is now revealed like never before, with some of his weaknesses explored and exposed for what they are.
Like I say, if you can accept the liberties taken, this is a great adaptation with a really sassy Dracula.
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