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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Incredibles 2 (2018) in Movies

Sep 25, 2019

The Incredibles 2 (2018)

2018 | Action, Animation, Comedy

8.2

(177 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Contains spoilers, click to show

Talking to friends about what this one could be was a roller coaster. Lots of us were hoping it would be Skyscraper, but our realistic guesses were somewhere nearer previous secret screening offerings. Films that looked good but were probably not going to make massive waves on their own. We mused on the possibility of The Incredibles 2, but it didn't get much further than "that would be the dream" kind of thinking.

I have never attended a screening that filled me (pretty much everyone) with so much glee. Glee is the only appropriate word there because I had a smile on my face the whole way through.

14 years of waiting and I wasn't disappointed. For me, this one was much more enjoyable than the first. I can't deny that that's partly from the rush of getting to see it before friends do and I get to rub it in their faces... yes I know. No I won't grow up.

Skip forward to getting out of the cinema after 10pm. What? How?! The film itself runs at just under 2 hours long. That's a long time to get a kid to sit still. Hell, that's a long time to get me to sit still. There are certainly parts of the film that could have been trimmed down. Some of them made little sense to me, and some just seemed unnecessary. That being said, it didn't detract from the enjoyment.

Neither did the fact that the villain was rather predictable, as was "big twist". Had this been a new movie with no previous incarnation to give me expectations then I'm not sure how I'd have felt about it. At a guess I probably would have been disappointed. The rush of what it was has probably helped the movie over these issues.

Months ago I joked that I would have just watched a movie of Jack-Jack and his powers. That feeling hasn't changed. Every time I see this film I will be giggling and laughing so hard at that I may embarrass myself. Jack-Jack and that raccoon stole the show. A whole screen full of grown adults wheezing and crying with laughter is something to behold.

Throughout the whole 2 hours little Jack-Jack is definitely the bright spot that put a grin on my face. The raccoon incident it definitely the top scene for me. Auntie Edna came into her own, and I feel like they were channeling some Baby Herman from Roger Rabbit when they came up with that scene. What had me mesmerised though was when Lucius/Frozone gave Jack-Jack a ball of ice to eat. The attention to detail had me a little speechless, just try and look at the lens effect on that sphere of ice and tell me it's not amazing

Kudos

Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Note to Self in Books

Sep 10, 2019

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ

Goodreads rating: 3.73 out of 5 stars

My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Anna never considered herself bisexual or a lesbian. She’s totally in love with her husband and happy with her life as a wife, mother, and cop. But that all changes when she meets Susan, a pretty, feminine doctor, who turns Anna’s world upside down. Confused and full of guilt from thinking erotic thoughts about Susan while married to Nick, Anna turns to her journal to sort it all out.

Okay, once this story gets going, it’s great. But in the beginning it is so damn boring. Journal or not, Anna does not get to the frigging point for like four or five pages! I was tempted to go wash the dishes at least twice in the beginning of the book. When the dishes are pulling me away from a book, and not the other way around, something is very wrong.

However, it does read like a real diary, so kudos on that.

Once Anna gets her shit together and actually starts telling what happened, the story gets a lot better. Her inner turmoil is relatable and realistic and makes me like her alot. Susan’s character is also great. Being very girly, Susan has a nice contrast with Anna, and that makes their time together that much sweeter. I always love it when characters are developed, even for short erotica pieces like this one.

I do have a problem with Anna being married, though. Her husband is a great guy who is very supportive of her and their son. He showed up to their son’s kindergarten barbecue, doesn’t mind his wife being “one of the guys”, and doesn’t even get jealous from other men’s stares at her.

It’s really clear that they are still very much in love and unless it becomes clear in the sequel that he’s a serial cheater or hiding huge secrets, (like, “I killed my boss and embezzled five million dollars” type of secret. Not “that purple dress really did make you look like Barney and I didn’t tell you even though I knew pictures were going on Facebook” type of secret) then I’m never going to like Anna’s and Susan’s relationship as much as I could.

Lesbian relationship? No problem. More power to ya. Cheating on a very sweet person? Huge problem. Shouldn’t happen. Burn in hell.

You can read Note to Self on Smashwords for free. I recommend you check it out if it sounds like your cup of tea. Speaking of tea, take some time to read with a cup of it. The holidays are coming up, and you need some relaxation before your life dissolves into chaos. Take care!

Kudos

Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Lynn + Lucy (2019) in Movies

Oct 14, 2019

The titular characters in Lynn + Lucy are lifelong best friends, and even live opposite each other on the same street. But the film explores tragic circumstances where a bond this strong can swiftly be broken.

Lynn (Roxanne Scrimshaw) is a married stay-at-home mum turned hairdressing assistant, who is delighted when her best friend Lucy (Nichola Burley) gives birth to her first child. But she is clearly struggling with a new baby and her volatile relationship.

The two friends differ in a lot of ways, as Lynn seems more grounded and content with being a mother, whereas Lucy is a party animal, impulsive and misses life before motherhood. Yet their friendship works and has stood the test of time – until one awful day where everything changes.

Lynn + Lucy plays like an elevated soap opera, that’s reminiscent of kitchen sink realism. The film is fuelled by honest depictions of everyday domestic life, and as a result you won’t see any beautiful cinematography from this.

It’s bleak, it’s raw, and it even feels intrusive at times. It’s likely you’ll feel uncomfortable watching this as a result. Director and writer Fyzal Boulifa forces you to join this community even if you don’t want to be there.

As we’re given insight into what happens behind closed doors, we’re able to see exactly why Lynn and Lucy’s friendship rapidly falls apart. It’s not long before others start gossiping about the tragedy that unfolds for the two friends and the community they live in.

Lynn is forced to get a job as her husband is injured and she’s never been employed before, so she goes to a hairdressers owned by a former classmate. There is certainly a hierarchy there, Lynn sweeps the floors and makes teas and coffees, whilst being reminded that it’s typically a job for a school leaver.

But with no formal qualifications on her CV, it’s all she’s got. And salon owner Janelle (Jennifer Lee Moon) makes sure Lynn knows that, making her life hell and talking about her behind her back. However, Lynn grows close to hairdresser Caroline (Kacey Ainsworth) once her friendship with Lucy is tested.

The salon feels like a high school clique, and is a sad reminder of history repeating itself. I really enjoyed the performances here as it reflected the bleak, realistic nature of the overall story, and how horrible people can still be even when several years have passed.

Lynn + Lucy is a tragic, sometimes amusing, look at working class families and close knit communities, as well as the devastating effects of a personal tragedy.

Expect very difficult themes, lingering camera shots, and a sinking feeling in your stomach at the end. Bring tissues.