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Kristina (502 KP) rated Thirteen Reasons Why in Books
Dec 7, 2020
It hurts. I hurt - my heart, most of all. Thirteen Reasons Why spoke to me on a deep and personal level, one I try to ignore more often than not. Listening to Hannah Baker explain, in great detail, the stories, events, and people, that lead to her decision to commit suicide, was jarring. The way she chose to reveal her past, to expose the cause, was more effective than if she had just walked through the story in real time. Reading the discoveries through Clay's point of view made things more interesting. From Hanna's first official kiss, to the rumors that spread afterward (and who can honestly say they've never had a single rumor said about them?), to out of control parties and signs of depression ignored, we're lead through a sort of "treasure hunt". Each moment builds and builds as her tolerance withers away, crumbling under thoughts of not being wanted or cared about. This book, Hannah's story, is something that should open every eye to who we are as people, how we act, what we believe without verification, and how we treat others. Some events in Thirteen Reasons Why are textbook examples of bullying, while others are moments where, if they had happened separately from all the other moments, probably wouldn't have amounted to much. It should make you realize how every little thing can effect someone. Your words have an effect; your actions have an effect; your behavior has an effect. If you don't stop to think to how you've treated people throughout your life, or even wondered if something you have said or done has ever meant more to another person than they did to you, then perhaps you need to reevaluate your life. Thirteen Reasons Why is a breath of truth, if not a breath of fresh air. Nothing has slapped me in the face as serious or as hard as this book. Please, if you feel like you didn't feel the same reaction, reread this book and try to look at it through a different mindset. Because each word is important and the moral of this particular story is life changing.
Nestia - Making Life Simple
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Nestia provides a one-stop platform that is dedicated to making your living in Singapore a breeze. ...
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
6.5
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In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us...
Psychology
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Nov 2, 2021
Green Hills and Daffodils (The Green Hills #1)
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The Green Hills Series: Nestled within the green sheep-covered hills of Wales is a tiny town that...
Fantasy LGBT+ Romance
Darren (1599 KP) rated American Beauty (1999) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: American Beauty starts narration from our lead Lester Burnham (Spacey) explaining his life and that he will be dead in a year. Lester lives through the same old routine and is overall tired of his life. Lester is married to Carolyn (Bening) a real estate agent and has a teenage daughter Jane (Birch) who is struggling with the typical teenage problems. Lester is being pressured by his new boss who he thinks has no experience in the field.
Lester & Carolyn decide to take more interest in their daughter’s life which includes going to watch her cheer leading performance where Lester starts getting an instant fascination with fellow cheerleader Angela Hayes (Suvari). The Burnham’s have just got new neighbours in the Fitts, Colonel (Cooper) and his son Ricky (Bentley) who has an obsession with filming his everyday life. What follows is a look into suburban life.
American Beauty manages to balance every character to end up telling a story of everyday life and how it can change because the people closest to you really don’t know what you are up too. We get to look closer are how the perception of a person can hide the reality that is going on in the life and we get to see the different things that could happen. It is hard to really discuss too much about this film because I have looked into the characters closer next and this film is very much character driven which helps the story shine through. (10/10)
Actor Review
Kevin Spacey: Lester Burnham is an average man who is tired of the same old routine and decides to break out, he gets himself fired, starts taking drugs all while obsessing over his daughters friend. Kevin gives a brilliant performance but as you would expect from him. (10/10)
lester
Annette Bening: Carolyn Burnham is a real estate agent who puts on a brave face all while struggling with her own problems leading to her having an affair as her relationship with Lester starts to get stretched. Annette shines here with mixed emotions about Lester through the film. (10/10)
caroluyn
Thora Birch: Jane Burnham is the moodiest cheerleader ever who doesn’t seem to get the attention a cheerleader gets from the guys, she is best friends most beautiful girl in school who gets all the attention, but Jane does attract the new neighbour who helps her come out of her shell. Thora gives a great performance showing that she was ready to break through in the role. (9/10)
jane
Wes Bentley: Ricky Fitts is the new neighbour that could be considered weird because of his obsession with filming everything in life, he also ends up being a drug dealer and the one that Lester uses, all while dealing with an over aggressive father. Wes shows all his talent here but it is a shame this is the highlight of his career to date. (9/10)
ricky
Mena Suvari: Angela Hayes is the beautiful girl from school that thinks all the guys want her but when Lester takes a shine to her we learn the truth about her nature. Mena comes away from her American Pie role with this much more adult role showing she didn’t need to just be a teen comedy star. (9/10)
angela
Chris Cooper: Colonel Fitts is the strict father of Ricky who hates everything that is different to his way of thinking, he is a generation behind but he really just wants to protect his son. Chris does a great job as the strict father because we just don’t know what his character will do next. (9/10)
Support Cast: American Beauty doesn’t have the biggest supporting cast with most just turning up in the odd scene while we focus on the main cast through the film.
Director Review: Sam Mendes – Sam burst onto the scene with this stunning piece of directing that will always be known as a classic. (10/10)
Drama: American Beauty shows the lives of these six people and manages to make us care about them all. (10/10)
Romance: American Beauty shows different levels of romance, we get a blossoming starting one, we have a long term one falling apart and we get to see the unavailable ones. (9/10)
Settings: American Beauty gives everything a realistic setting for the story being told through the film. (9/10)
Suggestion: American Beauty is absolute must watch for anyone, it will always go down as a classic in the history of film. (Must Watch)
Best Part: Lester getting fired.
Worst Part: While it is a brilliant drama, the casual fans will find this harder to find interesting.
Funniest Scene: Lester reacting to Angela spending the night.
Favourite Quote: Lester ‘Remember those posters that said, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life”? Well, that’s true of every day but one – the day you die.’
Believability: I do think this has plenty of realistic ideas of relationships but I do think the end wouldn’t happen. (8/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: Won 5 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor, Dest Directing, Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay. It was also nominated for another 3.
Box Office: $356 Million
Budget: $15 Million
Runtime: 2 Hours 2 Minutes
Tagline: … look closer
Trivia: Both Oscar winners Kevin Spacey and Chris Cooper got their film career starts playing New York subway criminals. Spacey played an untitled mugger in Heartburn. Cooper played a pyromaniac in Money Train.
Overall: American Beauty is a classic that will always be remembered once you have seen it.
https://moviesreview101.com/2015/08/01/american-beauty-1999/
Lester & Carolyn decide to take more interest in their daughter’s life which includes going to watch her cheer leading performance where Lester starts getting an instant fascination with fellow cheerleader Angela Hayes (Suvari). The Burnham’s have just got new neighbours in the Fitts, Colonel (Cooper) and his son Ricky (Bentley) who has an obsession with filming his everyday life. What follows is a look into suburban life.
American Beauty manages to balance every character to end up telling a story of everyday life and how it can change because the people closest to you really don’t know what you are up too. We get to look closer are how the perception of a person can hide the reality that is going on in the life and we get to see the different things that could happen. It is hard to really discuss too much about this film because I have looked into the characters closer next and this film is very much character driven which helps the story shine through. (10/10)
Actor Review
Kevin Spacey: Lester Burnham is an average man who is tired of the same old routine and decides to break out, he gets himself fired, starts taking drugs all while obsessing over his daughters friend. Kevin gives a brilliant performance but as you would expect from him. (10/10)
lester
Annette Bening: Carolyn Burnham is a real estate agent who puts on a brave face all while struggling with her own problems leading to her having an affair as her relationship with Lester starts to get stretched. Annette shines here with mixed emotions about Lester through the film. (10/10)
caroluyn
Thora Birch: Jane Burnham is the moodiest cheerleader ever who doesn’t seem to get the attention a cheerleader gets from the guys, she is best friends most beautiful girl in school who gets all the attention, but Jane does attract the new neighbour who helps her come out of her shell. Thora gives a great performance showing that she was ready to break through in the role. (9/10)
jane
Wes Bentley: Ricky Fitts is the new neighbour that could be considered weird because of his obsession with filming everything in life, he also ends up being a drug dealer and the one that Lester uses, all while dealing with an over aggressive father. Wes shows all his talent here but it is a shame this is the highlight of his career to date. (9/10)
ricky
Mena Suvari: Angela Hayes is the beautiful girl from school that thinks all the guys want her but when Lester takes a shine to her we learn the truth about her nature. Mena comes away from her American Pie role with this much more adult role showing she didn’t need to just be a teen comedy star. (9/10)
angela
Chris Cooper: Colonel Fitts is the strict father of Ricky who hates everything that is different to his way of thinking, he is a generation behind but he really just wants to protect his son. Chris does a great job as the strict father because we just don’t know what his character will do next. (9/10)
Support Cast: American Beauty doesn’t have the biggest supporting cast with most just turning up in the odd scene while we focus on the main cast through the film.
Director Review: Sam Mendes – Sam burst onto the scene with this stunning piece of directing that will always be known as a classic. (10/10)
Drama: American Beauty shows the lives of these six people and manages to make us care about them all. (10/10)
Romance: American Beauty shows different levels of romance, we get a blossoming starting one, we have a long term one falling apart and we get to see the unavailable ones. (9/10)
Settings: American Beauty gives everything a realistic setting for the story being told through the film. (9/10)
Suggestion: American Beauty is absolute must watch for anyone, it will always go down as a classic in the history of film. (Must Watch)
Best Part: Lester getting fired.
Worst Part: While it is a brilliant drama, the casual fans will find this harder to find interesting.
Funniest Scene: Lester reacting to Angela spending the night.
Favourite Quote: Lester ‘Remember those posters that said, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life”? Well, that’s true of every day but one – the day you die.’
Believability: I do think this has plenty of realistic ideas of relationships but I do think the end wouldn’t happen. (8/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: Won 5 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor, Dest Directing, Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay. It was also nominated for another 3.
Box Office: $356 Million
Budget: $15 Million
Runtime: 2 Hours 2 Minutes
Tagline: … look closer
Trivia: Both Oscar winners Kevin Spacey and Chris Cooper got their film career starts playing New York subway criminals. Spacey played an untitled mugger in Heartburn. Cooper played a pyromaniac in Money Train.
Overall: American Beauty is a classic that will always be remembered once you have seen it.
https://moviesreview101.com/2015/08/01/american-beauty-1999/
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Debut (2000) in Movies
Jan 18, 2018
Must See
Bottom Line: You need to watch The Debut. It's not the best movie out there, but I think it's absolutely necessary as we strive to understand race and our place in the world. No, the acting isn't out-of-this-world and the film is a bit cheesy in spots. The beauty of it all is that it still manages to deliver a powerful message in spite of its shortcomings.
The story revolves around Ben Mercado (Dante Basco). Ben is trying to find himself. He's torn between the lines of his Filipino culture and the rest of the majority world. Racism is tackled head-on, self-racism being one of the most central focuses. When you come from a strong, influential culture, it's not unreal to be scrutinized by others within that culture because you don't confine to the norm. There's power in seeing it unfold in front of you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the insight into the Filipino culture and their traditions. As different as cultures and races can be, it's very interesting to see the similarities that bind us. The birthday party that was thrown for Ben's sister had a familiar feel to the cookouts my mom used to host growing up. At the same time, the differences are also glaring. There is a scene where Ben hits up a party with his friends and he's the only minority there. While he was with people he knew, he still felt out of place. Been there. Interestingly enough, he felt most comfortable around the family and culture he spent part of his life running from, even when there was heavy tension afoot. If that's not real life, I don't know what is.
Director Gene Cajayon made it pretty easy for you to become invested in Ben. You've got everyone trying to decide his life for him while he puts his heart and soul into a passion that no one respects. His father wants him to go to medical school and follow in his own footsteps, but Ben has other plans. Everything comes to a head at his sister's birthday party where the story primarily takes place.
I do wish there were subtitles during the scenes were they were speaking Filipino, however I understand the director's choice to keep that barrier up. At the same time, I felt it lessened the impact of what was being said. It was awkward in spots, but awkwardly real.
The film reinforces one thing among many: We still struggle with race issues today and, unfortunately, it's hard for people on the other side of the coin to properly address those issues. Progress is slow, but as long as there is progress of some sort, it's the only way we can really hope to get better as a society.
So glad this film randomly found its way onto my Movies 365 list. I give it a 73.
The story revolves around Ben Mercado (Dante Basco). Ben is trying to find himself. He's torn between the lines of his Filipino culture and the rest of the majority world. Racism is tackled head-on, self-racism being one of the most central focuses. When you come from a strong, influential culture, it's not unreal to be scrutinized by others within that culture because you don't confine to the norm. There's power in seeing it unfold in front of you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the insight into the Filipino culture and their traditions. As different as cultures and races can be, it's very interesting to see the similarities that bind us. The birthday party that was thrown for Ben's sister had a familiar feel to the cookouts my mom used to host growing up. At the same time, the differences are also glaring. There is a scene where Ben hits up a party with his friends and he's the only minority there. While he was with people he knew, he still felt out of place. Been there. Interestingly enough, he felt most comfortable around the family and culture he spent part of his life running from, even when there was heavy tension afoot. If that's not real life, I don't know what is.
Director Gene Cajayon made it pretty easy for you to become invested in Ben. You've got everyone trying to decide his life for him while he puts his heart and soul into a passion that no one respects. His father wants him to go to medical school and follow in his own footsteps, but Ben has other plans. Everything comes to a head at his sister's birthday party where the story primarily takes place.
I do wish there were subtitles during the scenes were they were speaking Filipino, however I understand the director's choice to keep that barrier up. At the same time, I felt it lessened the impact of what was being said. It was awkward in spots, but awkwardly real.
The film reinforces one thing among many: We still struggle with race issues today and, unfortunately, it's hard for people on the other side of the coin to properly address those issues. Progress is slow, but as long as there is progress of some sort, it's the only way we can really hope to get better as a society.
So glad this film randomly found its way onto my Movies 365 list. I give it a 73.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
“Dreams come true. So do nightmares.” Dea Donahue has spent her entire life travelling from one state to another, starting school after school… and walking other people’s dreams in order to survive. Dea, like her mother, is a dream walker, but she must keep this a secret from everyone else. She must follow the rules: don’t walk a person’s dream more than once, don’t let the dreamer see you; otherwise the monsters will find you. Or so Dea’s eccentric mother says.
Dea’s mother is a very paranoid person, afraid of many things particularly mirrors, and has a strange obsession for clocks. At any moment she may decide they need to pack up and leave, but Dea has had enough. Especially now that she has met Connor, the first boy to ever treat her nicely, the first boy she could call a friend. But when Dea’s mother goes missing, Dea needs to take a closer look at her mother’s obscure fears in order to track her down. At the same time there are rumours going around suggesting that Connor may not be the nice guy Dea thinks he is.
<i>Dreamland</i> is both a fantasy novel and murder mystery. It is as though Robert L. Anderson has written two different stories and then seamlessly merged them together. The main narrative focuses on Dea’s predicament but Connor’s life is constantly present underneath it. The real life quality to the story line makes the incidents Dea experiences all the more creepy.
Part three of the book becomes more fantasy-like which is a little confusing and difficult to see the setting in the way the author perceives it, however the narrative soon returns to the real world and progresses on with Connor’s story. It is not until this point that the reader realizes that <i>Dreamland</i> is part murder mystery.
As a whole, <i>Dreamland</i> is a gripping read that is difficult to put down. Readers are plagued with questions and anticipations as they wait to find out why Dea can dream walk, what the significance of the mirrors and clocks are, and what happened to Dea’s mother. Once these are resolved a whole bunch of new questions crop up.
The ending is mostly satisfying although it is not completely clear what happens next. Although the reader knows where Dea and Connor both end up, it is largely up to our own interpretation as to what their lives are like once the story ends.
<i>Dreamland</i> is definitely a worthy young adult book to read. It is different to other novels in the genre and brings a whole new concept to the table. I expect this book to rise in popularity rather quickly – and if it does not? Well, lots of people are missing out!
“Dreams come true. So do nightmares.” Dea Donahue has spent her entire life travelling from one state to another, starting school after school… and walking other people’s dreams in order to survive. Dea, like her mother, is a dream walker, but she must keep this a secret from everyone else. She must follow the rules: don’t walk a person’s dream more than once, don’t let the dreamer see you; otherwise the monsters will find you. Or so Dea’s eccentric mother says.
Dea’s mother is a very paranoid person, afraid of many things particularly mirrors, and has a strange obsession for clocks. At any moment she may decide they need to pack up and leave, but Dea has had enough. Especially now that she has met Connor, the first boy to ever treat her nicely, the first boy she could call a friend. But when Dea’s mother goes missing, Dea needs to take a closer look at her mother’s obscure fears in order to track her down. At the same time there are rumours going around suggesting that Connor may not be the nice guy Dea thinks he is.
<i>Dreamland</i> is both a fantasy novel and murder mystery. It is as though Robert L. Anderson has written two different stories and then seamlessly merged them together. The main narrative focuses on Dea’s predicament but Connor’s life is constantly present underneath it. The real life quality to the story line makes the incidents Dea experiences all the more creepy.
Part three of the book becomes more fantasy-like which is a little confusing and difficult to see the setting in the way the author perceives it, however the narrative soon returns to the real world and progresses on with Connor’s story. It is not until this point that the reader realizes that <i>Dreamland</i> is part murder mystery.
As a whole, <i>Dreamland</i> is a gripping read that is difficult to put down. Readers are plagued with questions and anticipations as they wait to find out why Dea can dream walk, what the significance of the mirrors and clocks are, and what happened to Dea’s mother. Once these are resolved a whole bunch of new questions crop up.
The ending is mostly satisfying although it is not completely clear what happens next. Although the reader knows where Dea and Connor both end up, it is largely up to our own interpretation as to what their lives are like once the story ends.
<i>Dreamland</i> is definitely a worthy young adult book to read. It is different to other novels in the genre and brings a whole new concept to the table. I expect this book to rise in popularity rather quickly – and if it does not? Well, lots of people are missing out!
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Richard Jewell (2019) in Movies
Feb 2, 2020
Mellow paced - nothing special
89 year old Director/Actor Clint Eastwood has mellowed with age. He seems at peace with himself and prefers to work at a pace that he sets. His latest Directing effort - RICHARD JEWELL - has that sort of mellowness. It takes it time to tell it's story with no real urgency to it.
It could have used some life to be injected in it.
Based on the true events of the pipe bombing in Centennial Park in Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Olympics, RICHARD JEWELL tells the story of...well...Richard Jewell - the Security Guard who was hailed as a hero for warning people about the bomb, saving many lives, while also being listed as the #1 suspect in the bombing.
Director Eastwood and Writer Billy Ray do not spend much time making the audience guess at to whether or not they think that Jewell committed the crime (he did not - the real bomber was caught in 2006), rather they spend their time showing a person who's being railroaded by the FBI and who's life is caught up in the scramble by the press to "get the story." Again...this would be more interesting if Director Eastwood would show some sort of urgency to the proceedings, but this film is paced on an even keel from start to finish, and I never got caught up, emotionally, in the events that were transpiring in front of me.
Paul Walter Hauser (Shawn Eckhardt in I, TONYA) does a "fine enough" job as the titular character - but it isn't anything special and since the viewer is spending almost every scene with him "fine enough" isn't good enough. Adding to my disappointment are the portrayals by John Hamm (as an FBI Agent) and Olivia Wilde (as a Newspaper Reporter). Both of these performances border on caricature (especially Wilde's performance). I'm disappointed in Eastwood for letting this happen.
Injecting "some" life into this film is Kathy Bates - who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Richard Jewell's mother - and she delivers better than the others...but not "Oscar Worthy". She does nail her "Oscar moment", but I don't think the script gives her much else to do.
The brightest spot in this film - by far - is the portrayal of Richard Jewell's lawyer, Watson Bryant, by Sam Rockwell and the performance of Nina Ariande as Bryant's Secretary/Girlfriend. If anyone should have been nominated for an Oscar for their performance in this film, it is Rockwell - his is the best one in the film and Ariande plays off him wonderfully well. I sat up a little taller in my seat whenever these two had a scene together.
But that's about it. It's a pretty "meh" movie - professionally made and paced deliberately and mellowly - like Clint Eastwood. But not like an Oscar contending film.
Letter Grade: B-
6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
It could have used some life to be injected in it.
Based on the true events of the pipe bombing in Centennial Park in Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Olympics, RICHARD JEWELL tells the story of...well...Richard Jewell - the Security Guard who was hailed as a hero for warning people about the bomb, saving many lives, while also being listed as the #1 suspect in the bombing.
Director Eastwood and Writer Billy Ray do not spend much time making the audience guess at to whether or not they think that Jewell committed the crime (he did not - the real bomber was caught in 2006), rather they spend their time showing a person who's being railroaded by the FBI and who's life is caught up in the scramble by the press to "get the story." Again...this would be more interesting if Director Eastwood would show some sort of urgency to the proceedings, but this film is paced on an even keel from start to finish, and I never got caught up, emotionally, in the events that were transpiring in front of me.
Paul Walter Hauser (Shawn Eckhardt in I, TONYA) does a "fine enough" job as the titular character - but it isn't anything special and since the viewer is spending almost every scene with him "fine enough" isn't good enough. Adding to my disappointment are the portrayals by John Hamm (as an FBI Agent) and Olivia Wilde (as a Newspaper Reporter). Both of these performances border on caricature (especially Wilde's performance). I'm disappointed in Eastwood for letting this happen.
Injecting "some" life into this film is Kathy Bates - who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Richard Jewell's mother - and she delivers better than the others...but not "Oscar Worthy". She does nail her "Oscar moment", but I don't think the script gives her much else to do.
The brightest spot in this film - by far - is the portrayal of Richard Jewell's lawyer, Watson Bryant, by Sam Rockwell and the performance of Nina Ariande as Bryant's Secretary/Girlfriend. If anyone should have been nominated for an Oscar for their performance in this film, it is Rockwell - his is the best one in the film and Ariande plays off him wonderfully well. I sat up a little taller in my seat whenever these two had a scene together.
But that's about it. It's a pretty "meh" movie - professionally made and paced deliberately and mellowly - like Clint Eastwood. But not like an Oscar contending film.
Letter Grade: B-
6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
