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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Nine Perfect Strangers in Books
Mar 18, 2019
Funny & heart-wrenching, but marred by an unbelievable plot!
Nine disparate strangers are gathering at Tranquillum House, a gated health resort. Each is seeking a form of peace and change: through meditation, losing weight, counseling, and more. For Frances Welty, a famous romance novelist, she needs a way to start over. Her back is in intense pain, and she's hurting from both a romantic misstep and a harsh review of her work. But once at Tranquillum House, Frances isn't exactly sure what to think. The owner, Masha, is both dynamic and odd. What exactly does she have in store for Frances and her fellow resort-goers?
Well, this was an interesting one, to say the least, and not really what I was expecting! So, at first, it drew me in immediately, with a quick introduction to Masha and her associate Yao, in the past, and then fast forwarding to Tranquillum House. You then meet all the various "strangers" at the resort. It's a pretty easy read; each character has their own unique voice, though it did take me some time to sort them all out and keep track of some of them.
However, once they are at the House, things sort of slow down (which you'll find especially ironic, as the book is filled with little insider jokes about books and writing, including a particularly apropos mention of pace from Frances). Everyone is there, they have to take a vow of silence (umm, ok?), they can't read (what?! I'd be out of there!), and you're wondering what on earth is happening as your characters just sort of sit around and ponder to themselves. Oh, but don't worry, dear Reader, it's going to get much weirder.
Because the thing with this book is that so many of the characters are great--I really liked Frances, for instance, and Zoe, and Tony, and well--a lot of them--but the plot they are dropped into becomes almost too preposterous. It felt as if Moriarty was trying to see how crazy she was allowed to go, but no one was brave enough to stop her, so she just kept going. It was odd, and hard to believe, and I just couldn't rationalize that everything that went on would really occur, could really occur, etc.
And, as I said, it's a shame, because so much of the book is funny, with these great characters, and some of it is gut-wrenching, and so well-done. There's a family whose son has committed suicide, and oh my goodness; their passages are just devastating. It's been nearly 15 years since I lost my loved one to suicide, and yet these parts of the story were so real and so well-done, they were almost too hard to read: they hit me right in the gut.
Also, as mentioned, Moriarty fits in a lot of fun little asides about reading and writing books--some about romances, due to Frances' occupation, but some just writing in general, and it's very meta and very cool. Big portions of the book are really humorous, real, and fun. So it's sad that I wasn't really sure of the overall point of the book and its insane plot.
The end of the book picks up too, which complicates my rating even more. Let's recap, shall we: oft funny and heart-wrenching story with realistic characters marred by an unbelievable plot that carries over for most of the book. What to do, what to do? It's quite a book, that's for sure!
Well, this was an interesting one, to say the least, and not really what I was expecting! So, at first, it drew me in immediately, with a quick introduction to Masha and her associate Yao, in the past, and then fast forwarding to Tranquillum House. You then meet all the various "strangers" at the resort. It's a pretty easy read; each character has their own unique voice, though it did take me some time to sort them all out and keep track of some of them.
However, once they are at the House, things sort of slow down (which you'll find especially ironic, as the book is filled with little insider jokes about books and writing, including a particularly apropos mention of pace from Frances). Everyone is there, they have to take a vow of silence (umm, ok?), they can't read (what?! I'd be out of there!), and you're wondering what on earth is happening as your characters just sort of sit around and ponder to themselves. Oh, but don't worry, dear Reader, it's going to get much weirder.
Because the thing with this book is that so many of the characters are great--I really liked Frances, for instance, and Zoe, and Tony, and well--a lot of them--but the plot they are dropped into becomes almost too preposterous. It felt as if Moriarty was trying to see how crazy she was allowed to go, but no one was brave enough to stop her, so she just kept going. It was odd, and hard to believe, and I just couldn't rationalize that everything that went on would really occur, could really occur, etc.
And, as I said, it's a shame, because so much of the book is funny, with these great characters, and some of it is gut-wrenching, and so well-done. There's a family whose son has committed suicide, and oh my goodness; their passages are just devastating. It's been nearly 15 years since I lost my loved one to suicide, and yet these parts of the story were so real and so well-done, they were almost too hard to read: they hit me right in the gut.
Also, as mentioned, Moriarty fits in a lot of fun little asides about reading and writing books--some about romances, due to Frances' occupation, but some just writing in general, and it's very meta and very cool. Big portions of the book are really humorous, real, and fun. So it's sad that I wasn't really sure of the overall point of the book and its insane plot.
The end of the book picks up too, which complicates my rating even more. Let's recap, shall we: oft funny and heart-wrenching story with realistic characters marred by an unbelievable plot that carries over for most of the book. What to do, what to do? It's quite a book, that's for sure!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
I saw Alita twice in two days, once in 3D and once in 2D. As far as I'm concerned it's another Valerian... where there's a lot of detail on the screen the 3D makes it unwatchable. There are also several artsy shots that have characters in the foreground and scenery to look at in the background but finding something to easily rest your eye on is challenging, your focus is drawn backwards and forwards and it became a little frustrating.
There was one major problem for me, it's quite a big problem... Alita. Firstly I really don't like the animation of her, I was hoping it was just the trailer but there wasn't really any change between that and the final version. They've tried to keep the manga characteristics, specifically her large eyes that are popular for the style, but what works for illustration and regular animation doesn't have the same effect in this "realistic" animation.
Secondly, I find her character to be chaotic? I think that's the word I'm looking for. Despite her body knowing she's a warrior it somehow doesn't remember that she's not a petulant teenager? She has also lost any common sense when it comes to boundaries and verges on being a stalker in her relationship with Hugo. He's definitely got an overly attached girlfriend problem.
I was particularly impressed with Mahershala Ali who was clearly channelling some vintage Wesley Snipes from Blade. He plays the bad guy, technically two bad guys, and his last scene of the film was quite an amusing affair... maybe that's just me thinking that though.
The action side of the film is exciting to watch, if it hadn't been then there would have been something seriously wrong. Fight scenes are occasionally interrupted by flashes of Alita's previous life, and yet that doesn't phase her at all. Maybe I'm just assuming that's the way it should be having seen it so often in other films.
Motorball is great fun to watch (although I keep wanting to call it murderball) and I'm glad that they mixed up some of the Alita manga to get this in here. It's lined up to be quite an important plot point so I'm a little nervous about how they might go forward with this if they make a second film.
Those last words are what give me reservations though, "if they make a second film". It leaves a very obvious opportunity at the end for the next instalment and they've spoken about wanting more films to happen. In my opinion it's not a film that can stand on its own, we're either going to be disappointed by no second film or have to wait years for the next one. Had it been condensed down into one film we'd have been presented with a much more satisfying production.
What you should do
It's a good bit of sci-fi action and worth seeing in 2D. I'm not sure how I feel about the 12A rating though, that's potentially something to think about if you're taking your kids to see it.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'm totally here for some cybernetic enhancements, I can't quite decide which ones but I don't think I need to go full motorball.
There was one major problem for me, it's quite a big problem... Alita. Firstly I really don't like the animation of her, I was hoping it was just the trailer but there wasn't really any change between that and the final version. They've tried to keep the manga characteristics, specifically her large eyes that are popular for the style, but what works for illustration and regular animation doesn't have the same effect in this "realistic" animation.
Secondly, I find her character to be chaotic? I think that's the word I'm looking for. Despite her body knowing she's a warrior it somehow doesn't remember that she's not a petulant teenager? She has also lost any common sense when it comes to boundaries and verges on being a stalker in her relationship with Hugo. He's definitely got an overly attached girlfriend problem.
I was particularly impressed with Mahershala Ali who was clearly channelling some vintage Wesley Snipes from Blade. He plays the bad guy, technically two bad guys, and his last scene of the film was quite an amusing affair... maybe that's just me thinking that though.
The action side of the film is exciting to watch, if it hadn't been then there would have been something seriously wrong. Fight scenes are occasionally interrupted by flashes of Alita's previous life, and yet that doesn't phase her at all. Maybe I'm just assuming that's the way it should be having seen it so often in other films.
Motorball is great fun to watch (although I keep wanting to call it murderball) and I'm glad that they mixed up some of the Alita manga to get this in here. It's lined up to be quite an important plot point so I'm a little nervous about how they might go forward with this if they make a second film.
Those last words are what give me reservations though, "if they make a second film". It leaves a very obvious opportunity at the end for the next instalment and they've spoken about wanting more films to happen. In my opinion it's not a film that can stand on its own, we're either going to be disappointed by no second film or have to wait years for the next one. Had it been condensed down into one film we'd have been presented with a much more satisfying production.
What you should do
It's a good bit of sci-fi action and worth seeing in 2D. I'm not sure how I feel about the 12A rating though, that's potentially something to think about if you're taking your kids to see it.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'm totally here for some cybernetic enhancements, I can't quite decide which ones but I don't think I need to go full motorball.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Coral & Bone in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Coral & Bone was a waste of my time. An absolute waste, because I could have spent 2 days reading other books that are so much more amazing (and obviously, worth my attention).
When reading the synopsis and first starting out the book, I thought Coral & Bone would be promising Sirens! Mermaids are the bad guys! How cool is that!
Problem? Early on in the book, I could already tell like I can with most books this would not go very well. The writing feels a bit choppy.
<blockquote>She was going through bookstore withdrawals and losing her sanity at the same time. She would have to try and persuade her mom to take her to Portland soon. If she could just nestle between the aisles of books, get lost for few hours, she might be able to harness some of these crazy new feelings she had been experiencing.</blockquote>
Think of a river, or any type of water source. If the water is choppy, it doesn't really bear a good sign. But if the water flows, it's pretty calm. It's precisely how I felt with Duane's writing. It just didn't seem to go really well and I felt as though I were reading a sample from a grammar book. "Sophia did this. Sophia did that. Sophia flipped. Sophia pouted. Sophia expressed her dislike."
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O2UQC1S43r4/VCDMO-p0xiI/AAAAAAAAD3I/_ZPjiz-LnPs/s1600/Throw%2BOut%2Ba%2BWindow.gif"; border="0">
BORING. Thing is, I'm not exactly one to give up on a book when it's just 4%. In fact, I personally thought I was a bit drained out... especially from Puritan readings (it's quite the brain exercise if you ask me). Except... it gets worse.
It's CONFUSING. If there's one thing I really dislike, it's people not giving me clarification. Please. If a math teacher doesn't teach you clearly how to do a problem, how do you pass a math class with a passable grade? But goody gumdrops, does Duane confuse me.
<blockquote>She discovered, through meditation, that she was able to speak to her mom. Are you still there? Mom?</blockquote>
If her mom's throat got slit and she's dead, how is Tage able to speak to her mom, even if it's through meditation? Is her mom a ghost? Is Tage just thinking about what her mother would say if she were still alive?
<blockquote>"They took the bait."</blockquote>
What bait? You would think that as Tage and Daspar are working together toward a common goal, Daspar would reveal what the bait would be. He doesn't. What the heck?
<blockquote>"After he consumed Puras soul he was different."</blockquote>
Eh? Whoa whoa whoa. When did we enter sucking your soul out zone? How does one do that exactly, and why did Daspar do it? Protection? Did Pura sacrifice herself?
<blockquote>Remember I told you the Elosians didnt like sirens?</blockquote>
Wait a minute. Wait a minute. If Etlis is for shifters and humans stay on Earth, yet Elosians don't like Sirens, where do Sirens live? Are they immigrants? Migrants? The world building has a good start, but it's too confusing to be a fully developed world.
<blockquote>"When Natalie died
Went missing, Pepper chimed in.
Died, Catch said.
Halen looked to Dax. Is she dead or alive?
We dont know for sure. We havent found her body, but that doesnt mean the hunters didnt destroy it.</blockquote>
Goodness, even the characters are confused. "Where's Natalie? Where's Natalie? Where's Natalie?" "Oh, let's just throw Halen in and see how she does and go from there because we're not sure if Natalie's alive or not!" What happens if Natalie really is alive? Ping, pong, let's have a sister fight!
<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rFkaK8GKFOE/VCDMTJnhFsI/AAAAAAAAD3Q/1Xq3NVQhCXM/s1600/i%2Bcan't.gif"; border="0" height="179" width="320">
And speaking of Halen, our main character, I have quite the complaint about her as a character.
For fun, I pretty much thought her name was Haden. Funny, because I actually read The Shadow Prince and what do you know? Haden's the main character (well, one of them).
It's probably even a coincidence they have similar personalities and are all mopey. "I can't do this! I give up! Blah blah blah!" It's all acceptable for the first book... usually. It becomes quite the problem if the character cries wolf quite loudly. Ahem... their bark is apparently bigger than their bite.
But here's one positive aspect: Halen isn't a quitter. Despite the fact she's completely frustrated all the time, she continues.
Unfortunately, it was pretty much the only thing about Coral & Bone I liked. When that happens, especially at around 60%, it pretty much means all hope is lost and I should move on.
With all that said, you don't really want to waste your time with Coral & Bone unless you're looking for a book that confuses you. Perhaps with major tweaks, Duane's latest work would certainly be one you wouldn't want to simply pass by. But no, that's not the case.
-----------------
Review copy provided by the author originally for the blog tour
Original Rating: 1.5 out of 5
Original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/10/dnf-review-coral-and-bone-by-tiffany-duane.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
When reading the synopsis and first starting out the book, I thought Coral & Bone would be promising Sirens! Mermaids are the bad guys! How cool is that!
Problem? Early on in the book, I could already tell like I can with most books this would not go very well. The writing feels a bit choppy.
<blockquote>She was going through bookstore withdrawals and losing her sanity at the same time. She would have to try and persuade her mom to take her to Portland soon. If she could just nestle between the aisles of books, get lost for few hours, she might be able to harness some of these crazy new feelings she had been experiencing.</blockquote>
Think of a river, or any type of water source. If the water is choppy, it doesn't really bear a good sign. But if the water flows, it's pretty calm. It's precisely how I felt with Duane's writing. It just didn't seem to go really well and I felt as though I were reading a sample from a grammar book. "Sophia did this. Sophia did that. Sophia flipped. Sophia pouted. Sophia expressed her dislike."
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O2UQC1S43r4/VCDMO-p0xiI/AAAAAAAAD3I/_ZPjiz-LnPs/s1600/Throw%2BOut%2Ba%2BWindow.gif"; border="0">
BORING. Thing is, I'm not exactly one to give up on a book when it's just 4%. In fact, I personally thought I was a bit drained out... especially from Puritan readings (it's quite the brain exercise if you ask me). Except... it gets worse.
It's CONFUSING. If there's one thing I really dislike, it's people not giving me clarification. Please. If a math teacher doesn't teach you clearly how to do a problem, how do you pass a math class with a passable grade? But goody gumdrops, does Duane confuse me.
<blockquote>She discovered, through meditation, that she was able to speak to her mom. Are you still there? Mom?</blockquote>
If her mom's throat got slit and she's dead, how is Tage able to speak to her mom, even if it's through meditation? Is her mom a ghost? Is Tage just thinking about what her mother would say if she were still alive?
<blockquote>"They took the bait."</blockquote>
What bait? You would think that as Tage and Daspar are working together toward a common goal, Daspar would reveal what the bait would be. He doesn't. What the heck?
<blockquote>"After he consumed Puras soul he was different."</blockquote>
Eh? Whoa whoa whoa. When did we enter sucking your soul out zone? How does one do that exactly, and why did Daspar do it? Protection? Did Pura sacrifice herself?
<blockquote>Remember I told you the Elosians didnt like sirens?</blockquote>
Wait a minute. Wait a minute. If Etlis is for shifters and humans stay on Earth, yet Elosians don't like Sirens, where do Sirens live? Are they immigrants? Migrants? The world building has a good start, but it's too confusing to be a fully developed world.
<blockquote>"When Natalie died
Went missing, Pepper chimed in.
Died, Catch said.
Halen looked to Dax. Is she dead or alive?
We dont know for sure. We havent found her body, but that doesnt mean the hunters didnt destroy it.</blockquote>
Goodness, even the characters are confused. "Where's Natalie? Where's Natalie? Where's Natalie?" "Oh, let's just throw Halen in and see how she does and go from there because we're not sure if Natalie's alive or not!" What happens if Natalie really is alive? Ping, pong, let's have a sister fight!
<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rFkaK8GKFOE/VCDMTJnhFsI/AAAAAAAAD3Q/1Xq3NVQhCXM/s1600/i%2Bcan't.gif"; border="0" height="179" width="320">
And speaking of Halen, our main character, I have quite the complaint about her as a character.
For fun, I pretty much thought her name was Haden. Funny, because I actually read The Shadow Prince and what do you know? Haden's the main character (well, one of them).
It's probably even a coincidence they have similar personalities and are all mopey. "I can't do this! I give up! Blah blah blah!" It's all acceptable for the first book... usually. It becomes quite the problem if the character cries wolf quite loudly. Ahem... their bark is apparently bigger than their bite.
But here's one positive aspect: Halen isn't a quitter. Despite the fact she's completely frustrated all the time, she continues.
Unfortunately, it was pretty much the only thing about Coral & Bone I liked. When that happens, especially at around 60%, it pretty much means all hope is lost and I should move on.
With all that said, you don't really want to waste your time with Coral & Bone unless you're looking for a book that confuses you. Perhaps with major tweaks, Duane's latest work would certainly be one you wouldn't want to simply pass by. But no, that's not the case.
-----------------
Review copy provided by the author originally for the blog tour
Original Rating: 1.5 out of 5
Original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/10/dnf-review-coral-and-bone-by-tiffany-duane.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Hadley (567 KP) rated The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek in Books
Jan 21, 2020
Likable characters (1 more)
Great storyline
If your best friend was sent away to a reform school, what would you do? You'd either let them do their 'time,' or you would come up with a plan to help them escape, and with a pinch of the supernatural, this is what 'The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek' is all about.
When you read this novel by two of the most well-known YouTube personalities (Rhett and Link of Good Mythical Morning), be sure you have plenty of time to spare because this is a book you won't want to put down. The novel follows three best friends of a small town in North Carolina in the early 1990's, when one of them gets sent to a infamous reform school for an accident, they start to uncover mysterious deaths that have taken place there, and begin to fear that their friend is going to be a victim of one.
In 'The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek,' the main characters, Rex, Leif and Alicia, make their debut at a pig roasting to raise funds for a church, whose copper organ pipes had been stolen days before. It's here we learn that the three are making a film called PolterDog, which leads to Alicia getting sent away after a near-deadly accident with the owner and headmaster of the local Whitewood Reform School.
Soon after, Rex and Leif run into an escapee from the school (Ben), who tells them that their friend's life is in danger while she's at Whitewood. While the three come up with a plan to rescue Alicia, a woman who's visiting the town of Bleak Creek, who is trying to film a documentary about kidney stones, becomes a valuable part of their rescue mission.
Not only do we get to see from Rex and Leif's point of view, but we also get to see from inside the Whitewood Reform School from Alicia's view. This view point is much needed to help readers experience the abuse that goes on inside the school (and to realize that Ben was telling the truth) and also to help readers root for the main characters' success in their rescue mission. Even though the majority of the story is the main characters getting everything together for this mission, the writing was done so well that all of it makes sense leading up to the end.
To not give too much away about this book, I have to cut my review short of it. The writing is really good, with the pace continuously keeping the reader going and wanting more.This story also encompasses everything that makes a great novel: best friends trying to save another, small town mysteries, well-placed humor and murder. I found all of the characters likable, and the situations they found themselves in made complete sense in the story. This will be one that readers can pick up more than once and enjoy it each time they read it. As a horror book, this story is high on my scale with scenarios happening that I couldn't see coming.
When you read this novel by two of the most well-known YouTube personalities (Rhett and Link of Good Mythical Morning), be sure you have plenty of time to spare because this is a book you won't want to put down. The novel follows three best friends of a small town in North Carolina in the early 1990's, when one of them gets sent to a infamous reform school for an accident, they start to uncover mysterious deaths that have taken place there, and begin to fear that their friend is going to be a victim of one.
In 'The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek,' the main characters, Rex, Leif and Alicia, make their debut at a pig roasting to raise funds for a church, whose copper organ pipes had been stolen days before. It's here we learn that the three are making a film called PolterDog, which leads to Alicia getting sent away after a near-deadly accident with the owner and headmaster of the local Whitewood Reform School.
Soon after, Rex and Leif run into an escapee from the school (Ben), who tells them that their friend's life is in danger while she's at Whitewood. While the three come up with a plan to rescue Alicia, a woman who's visiting the town of Bleak Creek, who is trying to film a documentary about kidney stones, becomes a valuable part of their rescue mission.
Not only do we get to see from Rex and Leif's point of view, but we also get to see from inside the Whitewood Reform School from Alicia's view. This view point is much needed to help readers experience the abuse that goes on inside the school (and to realize that Ben was telling the truth) and also to help readers root for the main characters' success in their rescue mission. Even though the majority of the story is the main characters getting everything together for this mission, the writing was done so well that all of it makes sense leading up to the end.
To not give too much away about this book, I have to cut my review short of it. The writing is really good, with the pace continuously keeping the reader going and wanting more.This story also encompasses everything that makes a great novel: best friends trying to save another, small town mysteries, well-placed humor and murder. I found all of the characters likable, and the situations they found themselves in made complete sense in the story. This will be one that readers can pick up more than once and enjoy it each time they read it. As a horror book, this story is high on my scale with scenarios happening that I couldn't see coming.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated 21 Bridges (2019) in Movies
Sep 22, 2020
Direction and Lead Performances elevate a "so-so" script
The world lost a tremendous talent when 44 year old Chadwick Boseman lost his battle with cancer. Whether it was as Jackie Robinson in 42, Thurgood Marshall in THURGOOD or as T'Challa/Black Panther in the Marvel movies, Boseman's charm and charisma lept off the screen and drew you into whatever project he is in.
This charm and charisma is very much in evidence in the by-the-book cops chasing robbers action flick 21 BRIDGES. As the cop chasing "the fugitive", Boseman elevates the proceedings to a level above what this average script had to offer.
Set in NYC, 21 BRIDGES tells the tale of Detective Andre Davis (Bozeman) who must chase down a couple of thieves - and cop killers - before they can escape New York. Told in one night, Davis makes the call to close the "21 Bridges" of the island of Manhattan so the bad guys are stuck on the island.
And...that's the first disappointment with this film, it doesn't do anything with that premise. Do the bad guys try to escape on one of those "21 Bridges"? Nope. The bridges are never really mentioned again...so why call this film "21 Bridges"?
What does work is Boseman's performance. His Davis is competent, honest, smart and earnest and you are drawn into his work. As is the work of the person who is thrust into the action as his partner, Vice Cop Frankie Burns (Sienna Miller). You might roll your eyes when you hear Miller's name for her early career was more about being on the tabloid pages than it was about being on the screen, but she has morphed herself - and her career - into something quite interesting through turns in films like FOXCATCHER and AMERICAN SNIPER and she is as equally interesting as Bozeman in this film. The 2 make a good pair.
The rest of the supporting cast - Taylor Kitsch, Keith David and the great J.K. Simmons - are solid, if not spectacular. But there are 2 standouts. Alexander Siddig (Dr. Bashir in STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE 9) is interesting as the "money launderer" and Stephan James (IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK) is just as charming and charismatic as Bozeman as one of the the thieves on the run. If you are looking for a young, charismatic actor to fill the hole created by Bozeman's death, James could very well fit the bill.
I've mentioned that the script by Adam Mervis and Matthew Michael Carnahan is nothing special, but what is special is the Direction by Brian Kirk (a TV Director of such shows as GAME OF THRONES and LUTHER). This is his Major Motion Picture debut (as far as I could tell) and there were some VERY interesting shots and some taught, tense moments. He'll be a director to watch in the future.
While nothing too special, 21 BRIDGES is better than "good enough" - a cops 'n robbers film that will hold your interest for the relatively quick 1 hour and 39 minute running time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
This charm and charisma is very much in evidence in the by-the-book cops chasing robbers action flick 21 BRIDGES. As the cop chasing "the fugitive", Boseman elevates the proceedings to a level above what this average script had to offer.
Set in NYC, 21 BRIDGES tells the tale of Detective Andre Davis (Bozeman) who must chase down a couple of thieves - and cop killers - before they can escape New York. Told in one night, Davis makes the call to close the "21 Bridges" of the island of Manhattan so the bad guys are stuck on the island.
And...that's the first disappointment with this film, it doesn't do anything with that premise. Do the bad guys try to escape on one of those "21 Bridges"? Nope. The bridges are never really mentioned again...so why call this film "21 Bridges"?
What does work is Boseman's performance. His Davis is competent, honest, smart and earnest and you are drawn into his work. As is the work of the person who is thrust into the action as his partner, Vice Cop Frankie Burns (Sienna Miller). You might roll your eyes when you hear Miller's name for her early career was more about being on the tabloid pages than it was about being on the screen, but she has morphed herself - and her career - into something quite interesting through turns in films like FOXCATCHER and AMERICAN SNIPER and she is as equally interesting as Bozeman in this film. The 2 make a good pair.
The rest of the supporting cast - Taylor Kitsch, Keith David and the great J.K. Simmons - are solid, if not spectacular. But there are 2 standouts. Alexander Siddig (Dr. Bashir in STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE 9) is interesting as the "money launderer" and Stephan James (IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK) is just as charming and charismatic as Bozeman as one of the the thieves on the run. If you are looking for a young, charismatic actor to fill the hole created by Bozeman's death, James could very well fit the bill.
I've mentioned that the script by Adam Mervis and Matthew Michael Carnahan is nothing special, but what is special is the Direction by Brian Kirk (a TV Director of such shows as GAME OF THRONES and LUTHER). This is his Major Motion Picture debut (as far as I could tell) and there were some VERY interesting shots and some taught, tense moments. He'll be a director to watch in the future.
While nothing too special, 21 BRIDGES is better than "good enough" - a cops 'n robbers film that will hold your interest for the relatively quick 1 hour and 39 minute running time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Mayhem in Books
Oct 2, 2020
I am so happy to have the opportunity to be part of the blog tour for Mayhem by Estelle Laure. Thank you to the team at Wednesday Books, for sending me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Estelle Laure, the author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back believes in love, magic, and the power of facing hard truths. She has a BA in Theatre Arts and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and she lives in Taos, New Mexico, with her family. Her work is translated widely around the world.
It's 1987 and Mayhem Brayburn has always known something's off about her and her mum, Roxy. Roxy is in constant physical pain, and Mayhem has an irresistible pull to water. She knows they aren't like the other people.
When one day, Mayhem's stepfather goes one step too far, her and Roxy escape to Santa Maria, California, the beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem's questions about who her mother is. There, she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and she opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage of the Brayburn family. The very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good.
But when she is on a mission to search for a man that has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she needs to pay the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.
My Thoughts:
Mayhem by Estelle Laure is one of a kind. Entwined with mystery, magic with family heritage and revenge, this book is full of emotions.
The beginning of the book, although powerful, is very slow. It took me a little while to get into it, but as soon as I was hooked, it stayed amazing.
Mayhem is an interesting character. She holds a lot of emotions inside of her, all from past experiences that have shaped her character. Sad to say that most of her experiences were not good, and she holds the burden for it all. I can imagine how hard it must be to write a character as complicated as Mayhem, and I think Estelle Laure did and amazing job doing it.
I loved the kids as well - each of them different in their own way, battling their own demons and living through their bad experiences in the past. Some of these characters drastically change over the course of the book, which was unbelievable to me.
The magic aspect of this book was interesting, and for me, original. I have seen many reviews mentioning that this might not be true, and it is a very similar story to The Lost Boys. Since I haven't watched The Lost Boys, I am unable to comment on this part. Personally, I really enjoyed the magic concept with the water, the dependency on it and the family heritage part too.
If you are searching for a YA fantasy thriller, with rich characters and mysterious adventures, I think you will definitely enjoy this book.
Estelle Laure, the author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back believes in love, magic, and the power of facing hard truths. She has a BA in Theatre Arts and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and she lives in Taos, New Mexico, with her family. Her work is translated widely around the world.
It's 1987 and Mayhem Brayburn has always known something's off about her and her mum, Roxy. Roxy is in constant physical pain, and Mayhem has an irresistible pull to water. She knows they aren't like the other people.
When one day, Mayhem's stepfather goes one step too far, her and Roxy escape to Santa Maria, California, the beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem's questions about who her mother is. There, she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and she opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage of the Brayburn family. The very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good.
But when she is on a mission to search for a man that has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she needs to pay the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.
My Thoughts:
Mayhem by Estelle Laure is one of a kind. Entwined with mystery, magic with family heritage and revenge, this book is full of emotions.
The beginning of the book, although powerful, is very slow. It took me a little while to get into it, but as soon as I was hooked, it stayed amazing.
Mayhem is an interesting character. She holds a lot of emotions inside of her, all from past experiences that have shaped her character. Sad to say that most of her experiences were not good, and she holds the burden for it all. I can imagine how hard it must be to write a character as complicated as Mayhem, and I think Estelle Laure did and amazing job doing it.
I loved the kids as well - each of them different in their own way, battling their own demons and living through their bad experiences in the past. Some of these characters drastically change over the course of the book, which was unbelievable to me.
The magic aspect of this book was interesting, and for me, original. I have seen many reviews mentioning that this might not be true, and it is a very similar story to The Lost Boys. Since I haven't watched The Lost Boys, I am unable to comment on this part. Personally, I really enjoyed the magic concept with the water, the dependency on it and the family heritage part too.
If you are searching for a YA fantasy thriller, with rich characters and mysterious adventures, I think you will definitely enjoy this book.
Year One: Chronicles of The One
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A stunning new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts―Year One is an...
science fiction fantasy
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Ferns Decision ( Sisters of Hex Fern book 1) in Books
Feb 6, 2022
22 of 230
Kindle
Ferns Decision ( sisters of Hex Fern book 1)
By Bea Paige
Death is a lonely place, silent, or so everyone thinks... Fern is no stranger to death, or the singing that accompanies it. She has always known when a person is about to die, for the singing foretells it. Her mother passed it off as an oddity never to be discussed, so she learned to tune out the voices until they disappeared for good. Or so she thought. Then one day, as she fights to bring back a dying baby in the hospital where she works, Fern hears the familiar melody once more. Except this time the voice belongs to a man with ice-blue eyes and black angel wings. As the baby takes its final breath, the angel sings his last note. For this isn't an angel who gives life, it is one that takes it. One year has passed since that encounter, and just when Fern is beginning to believe it had all been an illusion, the angel returns, and this time he's not alone. For now there are three Angels of Death and Fern appears to be their next victim.Fern's Decision is the first book of Fern's trilogy and continues the Sisters of Hex story. Although this is the start of a standalone trilogy, to get a full picture of the overarching storyline you might wish to read Accacia's trilogy first.***TRIGGER WARNING - This book contains content that some may find triggering***
I loved the first set of Hex sister books so I was looking forward to this set. I wasn’t disappointed in the first book at all I really enjoyed it although the first few chapters were extremely hard to get through with it being so close to my own heart of losing my own baby a few time I cried thinking I need to push through. It was well handled and I’m glad I pushed through a good start to the new trilogy and sister. I would recommend but with a caution of possible trigger warning if you have lost a baby.
Kindle
Ferns Decision ( sisters of Hex Fern book 1)
By Bea Paige
Death is a lonely place, silent, or so everyone thinks... Fern is no stranger to death, or the singing that accompanies it. She has always known when a person is about to die, for the singing foretells it. Her mother passed it off as an oddity never to be discussed, so she learned to tune out the voices until they disappeared for good. Or so she thought. Then one day, as she fights to bring back a dying baby in the hospital where she works, Fern hears the familiar melody once more. Except this time the voice belongs to a man with ice-blue eyes and black angel wings. As the baby takes its final breath, the angel sings his last note. For this isn't an angel who gives life, it is one that takes it. One year has passed since that encounter, and just when Fern is beginning to believe it had all been an illusion, the angel returns, and this time he's not alone. For now there are three Angels of Death and Fern appears to be their next victim.Fern's Decision is the first book of Fern's trilogy and continues the Sisters of Hex story. Although this is the start of a standalone trilogy, to get a full picture of the overarching storyline you might wish to read Accacia's trilogy first.***TRIGGER WARNING - This book contains content that some may find triggering***
I loved the first set of Hex sister books so I was looking forward to this set. I wasn’t disappointed in the first book at all I really enjoyed it although the first few chapters were extremely hard to get through with it being so close to my own heart of losing my own baby a few time I cried thinking I need to push through. It was well handled and I’m glad I pushed through a good start to the new trilogy and sister. I would recommend but with a caution of possible trigger warning if you have lost a baby.
Merissa (14152 KP) rated Bound (The Caelian Cycle #2) in Books
May 5, 2023
I said in my review of Lost that I needed to read book 2. Well, I have, and now I NEED to read book 3!!! This is a doozy of a book that just keeps on giving, with twists and turns that you won't see until it's too late, and things that won't make sense until the author decides it is time for you to know. Donnielle Tyner wraps up a fantastic story into a neat little bundle, presents it to you and then sits back whilst your emotions get ripped to pieces!
We stay with Sadie as she lives in the Underground, training in preparation to take down her grandfather, Miles Koenig. Kian doesn't agree with her decision, but he still supports her in her training. Sadie is one kickass main female and I love her to bits. Kian, well, he's just Kian! Dreamy, protective, stubborn, I could go on. The supporting cast is still as funny and heartwarming as before, although we don't see as much of them due to Sadie's living arrangements. When we do though, it's wonderful. She does make a new friend in Luca though, and their relationship is just as strong as the ones from the orphanage.
There is plenty of action in this book that will leave you gasping and, yes, even crying. I was on more than one occasion and I'm not ashamed to say it. THIS - this is how an author drags you into a story and makes you care about what's happening! There are two shocking events in this that tore me apart, but I will leave it to you to find out what they were.
With a cliffhanger ending that almost had me throwing my Kindle against the wall, this still manages to finish in the right place. Totally engrossed from page one, I can't wait to read book 3! Highly recommended!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 26, 2015
We stay with Sadie as she lives in the Underground, training in preparation to take down her grandfather, Miles Koenig. Kian doesn't agree with her decision, but he still supports her in her training. Sadie is one kickass main female and I love her to bits. Kian, well, he's just Kian! Dreamy, protective, stubborn, I could go on. The supporting cast is still as funny and heartwarming as before, although we don't see as much of them due to Sadie's living arrangements. When we do though, it's wonderful. She does make a new friend in Luca though, and their relationship is just as strong as the ones from the orphanage.
There is plenty of action in this book that will leave you gasping and, yes, even crying. I was on more than one occasion and I'm not ashamed to say it. THIS - this is how an author drags you into a story and makes you care about what's happening! There are two shocking events in this that tore me apart, but I will leave it to you to find out what they were.
With a cliffhanger ending that almost had me throwing my Kindle against the wall, this still manages to finish in the right place. Totally engrossed from page one, I can't wait to read book 3! Highly recommended!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 26, 2015
ClareR (6256 KP) rated The Other Side of Mrs Wood in Books
Aug 15, 2023
I’ve read a couple of books recently with mediums front and centre, and I really enjoyed The Other Side of Mrs Wood.
Mrs Violet Wood is one of the best known mediums in London, if not the whole country. People come to her for solace and pure entertainment, and the local Mediums meet up regularly to practice their skills on one another. Feeling her age (bearing in mind she’s not 40 yet - and this really got my goat, if I’m completely honest!), Mrs Wood agrees to take on an apprentice who has been standing outside her seances, hoping to be noticed. Emmie Finch is a very keen pupil. Or is she?
We all know that seances are pure showmanship, and highly unlikely to actually make contact with the dead, but these women really believe what they’re doing - even as they set up the room to cheat those who were paying for their services. The seances where the mediums are there on their own would make anyone think that they believed 100% in what they were doing. Clearly they had their own moral codes, and no one appeared to be cheated out of money (but if you have someone paying you regularly for work that isn’t genuine, are you cheating them?!).
I did feel for Mrs Wood as she was pushed out of her position by the upstart Emmie, and could understand how she worried about losing her livelihood and her house. Mrs Wood descends into a bad place and pushes all of her friends away for a time. This seems out of character, but she’s being pushed to her limit. She doesn’t have the backstop of a husband to save her if everything goes wrong. Self-sufficient women of means were probably few and far between at this time, and if you lost everything it was a long fall.
I read this with The Pigeonhole, who again helped me with my NetGalley reads (I do like reading along with everyone else on there, it really adds a different perspective to the books I read). Many thanks to the author, Lucy Barker, Fourth Estate and to The Pigeonhole for serialising this fascinating book.
Mrs Violet Wood is one of the best known mediums in London, if not the whole country. People come to her for solace and pure entertainment, and the local Mediums meet up regularly to practice their skills on one another. Feeling her age (bearing in mind she’s not 40 yet - and this really got my goat, if I’m completely honest!), Mrs Wood agrees to take on an apprentice who has been standing outside her seances, hoping to be noticed. Emmie Finch is a very keen pupil. Or is she?
We all know that seances are pure showmanship, and highly unlikely to actually make contact with the dead, but these women really believe what they’re doing - even as they set up the room to cheat those who were paying for their services. The seances where the mediums are there on their own would make anyone think that they believed 100% in what they were doing. Clearly they had their own moral codes, and no one appeared to be cheated out of money (but if you have someone paying you regularly for work that isn’t genuine, are you cheating them?!).
I did feel for Mrs Wood as she was pushed out of her position by the upstart Emmie, and could understand how she worried about losing her livelihood and her house. Mrs Wood descends into a bad place and pushes all of her friends away for a time. This seems out of character, but she’s being pushed to her limit. She doesn’t have the backstop of a husband to save her if everything goes wrong. Self-sufficient women of means were probably few and far between at this time, and if you lost everything it was a long fall.
I read this with The Pigeonhole, who again helped me with my NetGalley reads (I do like reading along with everyone else on there, it really adds a different perspective to the books I read). Many thanks to the author, Lucy Barker, Fourth Estate and to The Pigeonhole for serialising this fascinating book.