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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Tomorrow War (2021) in Movies
Aug 1, 2021
A rather impulsive watch on this one, other than one of those pre-Prime adverts I hadn't seen anything about it. But it looked intriguing.
The future arrives in the present in an event that's never been seen before, but it brings news of a war raging 30 years in the future.
Tomorrow War has an interesting idea behind it, but I decided early on that I would stop trying to think about the ramifications of everything happening. We watch the events unfold along with the characters, I found that annoying at the beginning as I was keen to get into the nitty gritty and it was taking its sweet time.
I felt that some of the interactions took shortcuts. A character will ask a question, get refused, but instantly be told the answer after a second half arsed enquiry. Yes it moves the story along, but not in a very satisfying way. At the same time, it throws in a selection of completely unnecessary interactions like it doesn't know exactly what it wants to achieve.
I would like to say that there was some acting that helped redeem the rollercoaster of Tomorrow War's story, but everything is "they were working with what they got". There wasn't always a lot.
Despite the opportunity for Chris Pratt to be a strong action lead, the set up doesn't really allow for it. Initially we get presented with him being a scientist, when the action begins we're given the soldier angle. I'm not saying people can't have to sides to them, but it felt very strange to swap it up. It seemed entirely based off the need to have a scientific element later in the story, but with so many characters, it felt odd to have those elements in one person when there was plenty of scope to have two different people, one for each role.
With all these characters it's hard to differentiate between them... but don't worry, the costume department have a solution to that... I don't want to ruin the surprise, but it's truly ridiculous. There's very little sense to it, and I can't fathom how anyone signed it off.
The effects didn't really bother me, it all seemed to work, nothing stood out for negative reasons. With so many other questionable things happening, that was a bit of a relief really. The creatures were kind of familiar and just creepy enough to work, their movement helped with that, but overall there really didn't feel like enough of them in the film to warrant the effort.
I liked the idea behind Tomorrow War, but while I tried to switch my brain off, I came out with questions... so many questions. They just popped in there. And if it wasn't questions, it was predictions that were often right. With all of this I haven't even dealt with the ending. Everything before the conclusion wasn't bad, the ending was rushed and didn't fit with what had come before. The balance was definitely off, and I think with some changes this could really have knocked it out of the park.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-tomorrow-war-movie-review.html
The future arrives in the present in an event that's never been seen before, but it brings news of a war raging 30 years in the future.
Tomorrow War has an interesting idea behind it, but I decided early on that I would stop trying to think about the ramifications of everything happening. We watch the events unfold along with the characters, I found that annoying at the beginning as I was keen to get into the nitty gritty and it was taking its sweet time.
I felt that some of the interactions took shortcuts. A character will ask a question, get refused, but instantly be told the answer after a second half arsed enquiry. Yes it moves the story along, but not in a very satisfying way. At the same time, it throws in a selection of completely unnecessary interactions like it doesn't know exactly what it wants to achieve.
I would like to say that there was some acting that helped redeem the rollercoaster of Tomorrow War's story, but everything is "they were working with what they got". There wasn't always a lot.
Despite the opportunity for Chris Pratt to be a strong action lead, the set up doesn't really allow for it. Initially we get presented with him being a scientist, when the action begins we're given the soldier angle. I'm not saying people can't have to sides to them, but it felt very strange to swap it up. It seemed entirely based off the need to have a scientific element later in the story, but with so many characters, it felt odd to have those elements in one person when there was plenty of scope to have two different people, one for each role.
With all these characters it's hard to differentiate between them... but don't worry, the costume department have a solution to that... I don't want to ruin the surprise, but it's truly ridiculous. There's very little sense to it, and I can't fathom how anyone signed it off.
The effects didn't really bother me, it all seemed to work, nothing stood out for negative reasons. With so many other questionable things happening, that was a bit of a relief really. The creatures were kind of familiar and just creepy enough to work, their movement helped with that, but overall there really didn't feel like enough of them in the film to warrant the effort.
I liked the idea behind Tomorrow War, but while I tried to switch my brain off, I came out with questions... so many questions. They just popped in there. And if it wasn't questions, it was predictions that were often right. With all of this I haven't even dealt with the ending. Everything before the conclusion wasn't bad, the ending was rushed and didn't fit with what had come before. The balance was definitely off, and I think with some changes this could really have knocked it out of the park.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-tomorrow-war-movie-review.html
TheDefunctDiva (304 KP) rated The Wicker Man (1973) in Movies
Aug 29, 2021
Something Wicker This Way Comes
Contains spoilers, click to show
Forgive me, Father, for I am about to spoil this whole film. I am a novice film reviewer, and as such, I know no other way.
This film opens up with a police officer (Sergeant Howie) flying to an island in Scotland. I knew something was up when the older gentlemen in the harbor refused to send a dinghy for him to get onto the island. The older men seemed to be in on some kind of joke. As my teenager would say, “Very sus.”
The rather uppity lawman, portrayed quite convincingly by Edward Woodward, is searching for a girl on the island. The girl, Rowan Morrison, was reported missing by way of an anonymous letter sent to the mainland.
We are then introduced to the woman who is allegedly the missing girl’s mother. She runs the most unsettling candy shop ever. There are a lot of chocolate bunnies, which I am normally all in favor of. But she corrects the officer when he refers to them as bunnies. They are rabbits, of course. Because that increases the creepiness factor by ten.
Howie’s lodging is above a righteously rollicking pub. The locals sing and play about in the pub, and all seems normal.
Forward to the next scene. Holy unexpected nudity, Batman. I am glad my son chose to stay in his room and play Roblox. There are a bunch of naked locals openly copulating in and around the churchyard. Of course, it is later explained that it is not a churchyard, because poor, very stodgy, very Puritan Sergeant Howie has stumbled upon an island of RECKLESS HEATHEN PAGANS.
The lovely Britt Ekland portrays Willow, the barmaid. In a scene early on, she does a ritualistic dance in the nude, in the room next to the very tempted police officer. My boyfriend correctly observed that Howie should stay away from this woman, as she is clearly a siren. Her dance moves were odd to me, and at one point, I asked aloud, “What is she doing?” My boyfriend responded, “She’s twerking.”
The plot thickens like a good rabbit stew. Christopher Lee aptly portrays Lord Summerisle, the leader of the island. Summerisle makes some strange claims about the island, and says the women there get pregnant asexually by way of a ritual. This claim seems counterintuitive, since there seemed to be a lot of unprotected boinking going on by various members of the island, in the open air no less. But hey, maybe these adulterated pagans missed the lecture on the birds and the bees.
As a heathen myself, I didn’t find this movie too horrific until it neared the end. I was more focused on Sergeant Howie’s unwillingness to entertain a faith other than his own. The scenery was breathtaking, as it was filmed entirely on location in Scotland.
I’m not really going to spoil every detail of the ending. But I must observe that this is the strangest version of The 40-Year-Old Virgin I have ever seen.
This film opens up with a police officer (Sergeant Howie) flying to an island in Scotland. I knew something was up when the older gentlemen in the harbor refused to send a dinghy for him to get onto the island. The older men seemed to be in on some kind of joke. As my teenager would say, “Very sus.”
The rather uppity lawman, portrayed quite convincingly by Edward Woodward, is searching for a girl on the island. The girl, Rowan Morrison, was reported missing by way of an anonymous letter sent to the mainland.
We are then introduced to the woman who is allegedly the missing girl’s mother. She runs the most unsettling candy shop ever. There are a lot of chocolate bunnies, which I am normally all in favor of. But she corrects the officer when he refers to them as bunnies. They are rabbits, of course. Because that increases the creepiness factor by ten.
Howie’s lodging is above a righteously rollicking pub. The locals sing and play about in the pub, and all seems normal.
Forward to the next scene. Holy unexpected nudity, Batman. I am glad my son chose to stay in his room and play Roblox. There are a bunch of naked locals openly copulating in and around the churchyard. Of course, it is later explained that it is not a churchyard, because poor, very stodgy, very Puritan Sergeant Howie has stumbled upon an island of RECKLESS HEATHEN PAGANS.
The lovely Britt Ekland portrays Willow, the barmaid. In a scene early on, she does a ritualistic dance in the nude, in the room next to the very tempted police officer. My boyfriend correctly observed that Howie should stay away from this woman, as she is clearly a siren. Her dance moves were odd to me, and at one point, I asked aloud, “What is she doing?” My boyfriend responded, “She’s twerking.”
The plot thickens like a good rabbit stew. Christopher Lee aptly portrays Lord Summerisle, the leader of the island. Summerisle makes some strange claims about the island, and says the women there get pregnant asexually by way of a ritual. This claim seems counterintuitive, since there seemed to be a lot of unprotected boinking going on by various members of the island, in the open air no less. But hey, maybe these adulterated pagans missed the lecture on the birds and the bees.
As a heathen myself, I didn’t find this movie too horrific until it neared the end. I was more focused on Sergeant Howie’s unwillingness to entertain a faith other than his own. The scenery was breathtaking, as it was filmed entirely on location in Scotland.
I’m not really going to spoil every detail of the ending. But I must observe that this is the strangest version of The 40-Year-Old Virgin I have ever seen.
readwithg (6 KP) rated Bad Girls with Perfect Faces in Books
Mar 20, 2018
plot (3 more)
sentence structure
storyline
plot twists
My eyes were physically glued to Weingarten's work.
If you're stuck in a book rut like I was, I'm going to need you to stop what you're doing immediately and listen the hell up, 'cause you're about to sprint to the nearest Target to scoop this bad boy, do you understand? my LAWDY-LAWD, Lynn Weingarten is a creepy little angel baby and I wanna take a little look-see inside dat braaiinnn, ya dig? Not only did she write this mindblowing little gem, but she's the author of one of my top reads of 2016, Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls (see my review here). She's back with a vengeance and besides this fantastic cover art, this story is going to rock your socks off, and then on, and then back off again once more.
This was my first book purchase of 2016, and because I was wasting my fucking TIME reading the Red Crown series I never had a chance to start it. I immediately sent a picture of the book to my fellow Lynn Weingarten lovers, and had yet to hear anything about it. That is, until I received I text from a friend at 3 AM, filled with expletives regarding the pure love she now had for the book.
That was the precise moment I knew I was royally fucking my shit up by continuing to force-read a bullshit dystopian series. I immediately stopped Red Crown and scrambled into the next room to my library, desperately searching through books for Weingarten's newest gem. and HONEYS, KATIE WAS RIGHT. I shit you not, I started that book at 10:00 PM, went to bed, woke up before work to read some more, and finished it during an "extended" lunch break. And by that, I mean I refused to do any more work until I finished the goddamn book. I read this baby in 16 hours, and that's including 8 hours of sleep and half a work day. I. could. not. stop. Here's a little synopsis for you, boo boos:
"When Sasha's best friend, Xavier, gets back together with his cheating ex, Ivy, Sasha knows she needs to protect him. So she poses as a guy online to lure Ivy away.
But Sasha's plan goes sickeningly wrong. And she soons learns to be careful of who you pretend to be or you might be suprised by who you become...
Told in multiple points of view, Bad Girls with Perfect Faces is sexy and twisted, with shocks at every turn."
I haven't experienced a book like this in a damn long time. You know the kind: you physically cannot do anything productive unless it involves your eyeballs on the novel. Lynn Weingarten, the inside of your mind is a beautifully frightful place. I will read every single book you put out into the universe.
The book is available on Amazon. If you're currently halfway out the door on your way to grab a copy ASAP, I got mine at Target so head straight there. And when you're finished, come back here and let's chat the fuck UP about it cause MY MIND IS STILL BLOWN AND IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS.
♥ G
This was my first book purchase of 2016, and because I was wasting my fucking TIME reading the Red Crown series I never had a chance to start it. I immediately sent a picture of the book to my fellow Lynn Weingarten lovers, and had yet to hear anything about it. That is, until I received I text from a friend at 3 AM, filled with expletives regarding the pure love she now had for the book.
That was the precise moment I knew I was royally fucking my shit up by continuing to force-read a bullshit dystopian series. I immediately stopped Red Crown and scrambled into the next room to my library, desperately searching through books for Weingarten's newest gem. and HONEYS, KATIE WAS RIGHT. I shit you not, I started that book at 10:00 PM, went to bed, woke up before work to read some more, and finished it during an "extended" lunch break. And by that, I mean I refused to do any more work until I finished the goddamn book. I read this baby in 16 hours, and that's including 8 hours of sleep and half a work day. I. could. not. stop. Here's a little synopsis for you, boo boos:
"When Sasha's best friend, Xavier, gets back together with his cheating ex, Ivy, Sasha knows she needs to protect him. So she poses as a guy online to lure Ivy away.
But Sasha's plan goes sickeningly wrong. And she soons learns to be careful of who you pretend to be or you might be suprised by who you become...
Told in multiple points of view, Bad Girls with Perfect Faces is sexy and twisted, with shocks at every turn."
I haven't experienced a book like this in a damn long time. You know the kind: you physically cannot do anything productive unless it involves your eyeballs on the novel. Lynn Weingarten, the inside of your mind is a beautifully frightful place. I will read every single book you put out into the universe.
The book is available on Amazon. If you're currently halfway out the door on your way to grab a copy ASAP, I got mine at Target so head straight there. And when you're finished, come back here and let's chat the fuck UP about it cause MY MIND IS STILL BLOWN AND IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS.
♥ G
Inky Books (3 KP) rated These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1) in Books
Jun 21, 2018
Well, I’m sure this might be a surprise for you because I have already reviewed this book. No, you’re not crazy, but after going back and rereading it I decided that I would listen to it again and write a real review, not one where more than half of it is a spoiler.
This book was just as amazing the second time as it was the first time. The characters were as fresh and complicated as I remember and I was even surprised by details I had forgotten about them.
Lilac was as privileged, stubborn and as not-crazy as I remember, but now I can appreciate it even more now that I have read the next two books in the series. Despite being a rich and spoiled debutant she certainly pushes through to her very core to survive, especially in the middle and at the end of the book.
And Tarver, he broke my heart. He was wonderfully written, from the beginning, to the interludes where he is being debriefed (where he was so sarcastic I couldn’t help but appreciate his nerve), and then those events at the end. You’ll know what I mean when you read the book.
The main plot is so beautifully simple and can be summed up into one, single word. Survive. There is a larger story arch for the next two books of the series, but just surviving, that’s what this book is about. Well, that and Lilac and Tarver trying not to kill each other while also trying to get the other to stay alive long enough to reach their goal.
Now, this book is almost entirely starring just Lilac and Tarver. Usually, only two characters together, alone would have caused me to whine about how the author was unimaginative but this works really, really well. Yes, I want other people there because the are stranded on an abandoned planet and I don’t want them to suffer, but their dynamic would have been completely ruined if there was someone else there.
Yes, this is considered a romance book, and it didn’t seem at all out of place. It fell in quite easily and it wasn’t a sudden thing forced upon two people who hated each other from the very start. If anything, these two pushed their feelings aside as the tragic accident pulls them closer together without them even knowing it. I think I lived for the moment these two finally accepted each other and I would not have had it any other way. It all just works so well!
So much goes on, yet so little happens. I mean this in the most amazing way possible. There is no one else to interfere with Lilac and Tarver’s mission of surviving, or working towards a goal other than nature and themselves. And when they get to one of the destinations, and what happens to both of them, well, it was hard. But the next place, it is so much harder. They are so sweet and it just breaks my heart.
I knew what was coming, knew what had to happen for the story to move on, and still, it rocked me and almost brought me to tears again. I knew how this book, and the series, ended, but still I couldn’t help the emotions that refused to stay pushed down. I don’t even have words to explain it in a way that will do it justice and not spoil it at the same time. Please, just read it!
This book was just as amazing the second time as it was the first time. The characters were as fresh and complicated as I remember and I was even surprised by details I had forgotten about them.
Lilac was as privileged, stubborn and as not-crazy as I remember, but now I can appreciate it even more now that I have read the next two books in the series. Despite being a rich and spoiled debutant she certainly pushes through to her very core to survive, especially in the middle and at the end of the book.
And Tarver, he broke my heart. He was wonderfully written, from the beginning, to the interludes where he is being debriefed (where he was so sarcastic I couldn’t help but appreciate his nerve), and then those events at the end. You’ll know what I mean when you read the book.
The main plot is so beautifully simple and can be summed up into one, single word. Survive. There is a larger story arch for the next two books of the series, but just surviving, that’s what this book is about. Well, that and Lilac and Tarver trying not to kill each other while also trying to get the other to stay alive long enough to reach their goal.
Now, this book is almost entirely starring just Lilac and Tarver. Usually, only two characters together, alone would have caused me to whine about how the author was unimaginative but this works really, really well. Yes, I want other people there because the are stranded on an abandoned planet and I don’t want them to suffer, but their dynamic would have been completely ruined if there was someone else there.
Yes, this is considered a romance book, and it didn’t seem at all out of place. It fell in quite easily and it wasn’t a sudden thing forced upon two people who hated each other from the very start. If anything, these two pushed their feelings aside as the tragic accident pulls them closer together without them even knowing it. I think I lived for the moment these two finally accepted each other and I would not have had it any other way. It all just works so well!
So much goes on, yet so little happens. I mean this in the most amazing way possible. There is no one else to interfere with Lilac and Tarver’s mission of surviving, or working towards a goal other than nature and themselves. And when they get to one of the destinations, and what happens to both of them, well, it was hard. But the next place, it is so much harder. They are so sweet and it just breaks my heart.
I knew what was coming, knew what had to happen for the story to move on, and still, it rocked me and almost brought me to tears again. I knew how this book, and the series, ended, but still I couldn’t help the emotions that refused to stay pushed down. I don’t even have words to explain it in a way that will do it justice and not spoil it at the same time. Please, just read it!
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated A Very Austen Valentine in Books
Nov 4, 2019
ix beloved authors deliver romantic Valentine novellas set in Jane Austens Regency world. Robin Helm, Laura Hile, Wendi Sotis, and Barbara Cornthwaite, together with Susan Kaye and Mandy Cook, share variations of Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, and Sense and Sensibility, featuring your favorite characters in sequels, adaptations, and spinoffs of Austens adored novels. Experience uplifting romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and poignant regret as these authors deftly tug on your heartstrings this Valentines Day.
I Dream of You by Robin Helm
Newly-married Elizabeth Darcy has a plan: to charm her too-busy husband into desiring her company as much as he did when he was courting her. A series of romantic dreams gives her just the push she needs to put that plan into action.
Sir Walter Takes a Wife by Laura Hile
Faced with a lonely future and finding himself strapped for cash, Persuasions Sir Walter Elliot manfully decides to marry again. But his careful plans go sadly awry! A lighthearted Valentine mash-up featuring two of Jane Austens worst snobs.
My Forever Valentine by Wendi Sotis
Jane and Charles Bingley have married, even though Miss Elizabeth Bennet remains certain Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy gave his best effort to keep them apart. After Mr. Darcy refused to stand up with Bingley and did not attend the wedding, she despises the gentleman more than ever and finds his company intolerable. How will she endure her visit to Kent if Mr. Darcy turns up everywhere she goes?
Pretence and Prejudice by Barbara Cornthwaite
A chance encounter with a handsome stranger forces Elizabeth to resort to subterfuge in order to discover his true intentions.
My Valentine by Mandy H. Cook Mandy H. Cook
Little Charlotte was always determined and independent, traits which served her well as she battled a serious childhood illness and later as she took on Polite Society. Will those traits now deprive her of true love? Or would her lifelong Valentine win her heart?
The Lovers Ruse by Susan Kaye
In this Persuasion alteration, Anne is so altered by Wentworths love in the summer of 1806, she refuses to give him up when both her godmother and father try to persuade her. The Lovers Rusefollows Frederick and Anne through their whirlwind courtship and their secret engagement. When Wentworth returns for his Annie girl, the cat comes out of the bag.
My Thoughts: These six charming novellas centered around Valentines will entice all those who adore Jane Austen's writings. Based on characters from Jane Austen's novels; I enjoyed reading into the lives of the Darcy's; I was impressed that the writers Robin Helm, Wendi Sotis and Mandy H. Cook are all centered their novellas around the same family. Each storytelling its own unique view of their lives.
Each story is fun to read, and takes the reader back to a simpler time, of love, romance, and proper etiquette. Each story has it's own charm and brings the reader closer to the characters.
My favorites have to be the novellas containing the characters Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, my absolute favorite being "I Dream of You". In this novella we learn how to give rather than to receive and the joys we can draw from each act of kindness.
If you love historical fiction, and Jane Austen novels, then this is certainly a book for you.
I Dream of You by Robin Helm
Newly-married Elizabeth Darcy has a plan: to charm her too-busy husband into desiring her company as much as he did when he was courting her. A series of romantic dreams gives her just the push she needs to put that plan into action.
Sir Walter Takes a Wife by Laura Hile
Faced with a lonely future and finding himself strapped for cash, Persuasions Sir Walter Elliot manfully decides to marry again. But his careful plans go sadly awry! A lighthearted Valentine mash-up featuring two of Jane Austens worst snobs.
My Forever Valentine by Wendi Sotis
Jane and Charles Bingley have married, even though Miss Elizabeth Bennet remains certain Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy gave his best effort to keep them apart. After Mr. Darcy refused to stand up with Bingley and did not attend the wedding, she despises the gentleman more than ever and finds his company intolerable. How will she endure her visit to Kent if Mr. Darcy turns up everywhere she goes?
Pretence and Prejudice by Barbara Cornthwaite
A chance encounter with a handsome stranger forces Elizabeth to resort to subterfuge in order to discover his true intentions.
My Valentine by Mandy H. Cook Mandy H. Cook
Little Charlotte was always determined and independent, traits which served her well as she battled a serious childhood illness and later as she took on Polite Society. Will those traits now deprive her of true love? Or would her lifelong Valentine win her heart?
The Lovers Ruse by Susan Kaye
In this Persuasion alteration, Anne is so altered by Wentworths love in the summer of 1806, she refuses to give him up when both her godmother and father try to persuade her. The Lovers Rusefollows Frederick and Anne through their whirlwind courtship and their secret engagement. When Wentworth returns for his Annie girl, the cat comes out of the bag.
My Thoughts: These six charming novellas centered around Valentines will entice all those who adore Jane Austen's writings. Based on characters from Jane Austen's novels; I enjoyed reading into the lives of the Darcy's; I was impressed that the writers Robin Helm, Wendi Sotis and Mandy H. Cook are all centered their novellas around the same family. Each storytelling its own unique view of their lives.
Each story is fun to read, and takes the reader back to a simpler time, of love, romance, and proper etiquette. Each story has it's own charm and brings the reader closer to the characters.
My favorites have to be the novellas containing the characters Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, my absolute favorite being "I Dream of You". In this novella we learn how to give rather than to receive and the joys we can draw from each act of kindness.
If you love historical fiction, and Jane Austen novels, then this is certainly a book for you.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Ned Kelly (2003) in Movies
Nov 24, 2019
Verdict: Biopic 101
Story: Ned Kelly starts in 1871 Australia where an Irish family the Kelly’s have settled in with the eldest son Ned (Ledger) ends up getting into trouble with the law, that has always targeted his family, seeing him placed in prison for a couple of years. Once out Ned does start to try and turn his family’s luck around with his friends Joseph Byrne (Bloom) and Aaron Sherritt (Edgerton), while working for an English family where Ned falls for Julia (Watts).
When Ned gets framed for assault by the constable that has always been out for his blood, his family gets targeted, but not the police are not going to stop until they have his head, forcing Ned to go on the run to protect his family, making him one of the most wanted criminals in the world.
Thoughts on Ned Kelly
Characters – Ned Kelly is a young Irish man that has always seen his family targeted by the law, he has gotten himself in trouble because of this, which sees him falsely accused and becoming a target. Ned refused to back down from the law needing to go on the run, leading to him becoming an outlaw taking from the rich inspiring the poor as he fights for what is right and his family’s pride. Joseph Byrne is Ned’s best friend, he will stand by his side through his battles, needing to do the right thing. Superintendent Francis Hare is the man charged with capturing the Kelly gang, he doesn’t want to hear the story, he just wants them gone. Julia Cook is an English woman that Ned was working for, she is one of the few that will help him seeing the good in his nature, but being held back by her own family.
Performances – Heath Ledger does a great job here showing how he wanted to break his pretty boy image, this performance makes this happen with ease. Orlando Bloom in the supporting role is strong without being truly great, while Geoffrey Rush feels wasted, with him being involved but not getting too much screen time, same goes for Naomi Watts, she just doesn’t get enough time to shine.
Story – The story here follows the innocent man that gets forced into become an outlaw who becomes the most wanted man in Australia. This story shows how settlers in other countries would always be unfairly targeted by the locals who saw them as threats, how people’s words could create outlaws because nobody would listen or understand the truths within a world. The story is only really told from Ned’s which will always make him look like the innocent man he was, but we do hear and see that most of the group have served time, so they might not be as innocent as they look (this is only from what the film shows, not what I know about the truth).
Action/Biopic/Western – The action is everything you would expect from a western, we have seen the shooting like always. The biopic does only show one side of the story and it does feel like there is more to tell.
Settings – The film utilises the location to show how Ned Kelly has to go into hiding and including the showdown.
Scene of the Movie – The showdown.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It does seem one sided.
Final Thoughts – This is a by the book biopic that showed one of the most famous outlaws in Australia, though it doesn’t seem to reach an intensity level that it could have.
Overall: Nice biopic.
Story: Ned Kelly starts in 1871 Australia where an Irish family the Kelly’s have settled in with the eldest son Ned (Ledger) ends up getting into trouble with the law, that has always targeted his family, seeing him placed in prison for a couple of years. Once out Ned does start to try and turn his family’s luck around with his friends Joseph Byrne (Bloom) and Aaron Sherritt (Edgerton), while working for an English family where Ned falls for Julia (Watts).
When Ned gets framed for assault by the constable that has always been out for his blood, his family gets targeted, but not the police are not going to stop until they have his head, forcing Ned to go on the run to protect his family, making him one of the most wanted criminals in the world.
Thoughts on Ned Kelly
Characters – Ned Kelly is a young Irish man that has always seen his family targeted by the law, he has gotten himself in trouble because of this, which sees him falsely accused and becoming a target. Ned refused to back down from the law needing to go on the run, leading to him becoming an outlaw taking from the rich inspiring the poor as he fights for what is right and his family’s pride. Joseph Byrne is Ned’s best friend, he will stand by his side through his battles, needing to do the right thing. Superintendent Francis Hare is the man charged with capturing the Kelly gang, he doesn’t want to hear the story, he just wants them gone. Julia Cook is an English woman that Ned was working for, she is one of the few that will help him seeing the good in his nature, but being held back by her own family.
Performances – Heath Ledger does a great job here showing how he wanted to break his pretty boy image, this performance makes this happen with ease. Orlando Bloom in the supporting role is strong without being truly great, while Geoffrey Rush feels wasted, with him being involved but not getting too much screen time, same goes for Naomi Watts, she just doesn’t get enough time to shine.
Story – The story here follows the innocent man that gets forced into become an outlaw who becomes the most wanted man in Australia. This story shows how settlers in other countries would always be unfairly targeted by the locals who saw them as threats, how people’s words could create outlaws because nobody would listen or understand the truths within a world. The story is only really told from Ned’s which will always make him look like the innocent man he was, but we do hear and see that most of the group have served time, so they might not be as innocent as they look (this is only from what the film shows, not what I know about the truth).
Action/Biopic/Western – The action is everything you would expect from a western, we have seen the shooting like always. The biopic does only show one side of the story and it does feel like there is more to tell.
Settings – The film utilises the location to show how Ned Kelly has to go into hiding and including the showdown.
Scene of the Movie – The showdown.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It does seem one sided.
Final Thoughts – This is a by the book biopic that showed one of the most famous outlaws in Australia, though it doesn’t seem to reach an intensity level that it could have.
Overall: Nice biopic.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Lost Property in Books
Jul 2, 2021
Dot Watson works in the TfL Lost Property office, meticulously labelling items found on London’s public transport in the hope of reuniting them with their owner. However, it soon becomes apparent that it is Dot who is lost, grieving the loss of her father to suicide, her mother to dementia and her ever-deteriorating relationship with her sister.
What isn’t initially clear is why Dot feels guilt-ridden by her father’s suicide but Paris carefully peels back the layers of Dot and her family’s lives to expose their loss, their love and their vulnerability.
Dot herself is fastidious in details, finding safety in rules, routine and order. Her safe words (Sellotape, safety pin, superglue) echo through the novel with no real context except to calm Dot, to allow her to keep everything together and in place. In contrast to this, Dot is clearly falling apart.
Dot’s life is already poles apart from what she envisioned for herself but circumstances cause her to fall further and start looking for an escape: an escape that she finds amongst the stacks of unclaimed items, with a little help from a bottle of absinthe!
Dot’s hallucinations do cause moments of humour but more than this they portray her raw grief and her depression. Dot tries to find a story behind every item in the stacks, to give the item an identity, an owner, a purpose. But what she is really looking for is her identity, her purpose. She passionately fights for these items, believing that their worth surpasses monetary value, but she cannot apply this to herself until it is almost too late.
The characters surrounding Dot serve to reflect how isolated she has made herself.
Our protagonist has few friends in her social circle and those that she does have seem to be work friends, in whom she often finds criticism. I really appreciated the roles of characters such as Anita, she never stopped inviting Dot to events even when Dot had refused several times before. Anita is the perfect model for a friend of someone with depression: keep showing up, keep listening and never give up.
Dot’s mother, Gail, has dementia and has recently moved out of the maisonette she shared with Dot and into a care home. The relationship between mother and daughter has never been as close as the bond Dot had with her father but Dot’s memories of her mother slowly unfurl into the recognition and acceptance of her as a person and a protector, rather than the background character she has always assumed her mother to be.
Dot’s sister Philippa seems to be a bit of a steamroller of a character at first, bossy and controlling in that she plans to sell the maisonette and thus make Dot homeless. However, Philippa finds her spotlight in the final few chapters, perhaps because Dot allows herself to see her sister properly and acknowledge the life and pain that they both shared. The resulting love between the two sisters is heart-warming.
Lost Property is heart-breakingly honest and open. I laughed and, as someone coming to terms with a dementia diagnosis within the family, I cried my little heart out. I frankly couldn’t believe Lost Property is Helen Paris’ debut novel. This is the most emotive book I have read this year.
Thank you to Bookstagrammers.com, Helen Paris and Penguin Random House UK for gifting me a hard copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What isn’t initially clear is why Dot feels guilt-ridden by her father’s suicide but Paris carefully peels back the layers of Dot and her family’s lives to expose their loss, their love and their vulnerability.
Dot herself is fastidious in details, finding safety in rules, routine and order. Her safe words (Sellotape, safety pin, superglue) echo through the novel with no real context except to calm Dot, to allow her to keep everything together and in place. In contrast to this, Dot is clearly falling apart.
Dot’s life is already poles apart from what she envisioned for herself but circumstances cause her to fall further and start looking for an escape: an escape that she finds amongst the stacks of unclaimed items, with a little help from a bottle of absinthe!
Dot’s hallucinations do cause moments of humour but more than this they portray her raw grief and her depression. Dot tries to find a story behind every item in the stacks, to give the item an identity, an owner, a purpose. But what she is really looking for is her identity, her purpose. She passionately fights for these items, believing that their worth surpasses monetary value, but she cannot apply this to herself until it is almost too late.
The characters surrounding Dot serve to reflect how isolated she has made herself.
Our protagonist has few friends in her social circle and those that she does have seem to be work friends, in whom she often finds criticism. I really appreciated the roles of characters such as Anita, she never stopped inviting Dot to events even when Dot had refused several times before. Anita is the perfect model for a friend of someone with depression: keep showing up, keep listening and never give up.
Dot’s mother, Gail, has dementia and has recently moved out of the maisonette she shared with Dot and into a care home. The relationship between mother and daughter has never been as close as the bond Dot had with her father but Dot’s memories of her mother slowly unfurl into the recognition and acceptance of her as a person and a protector, rather than the background character she has always assumed her mother to be.
Dot’s sister Philippa seems to be a bit of a steamroller of a character at first, bossy and controlling in that she plans to sell the maisonette and thus make Dot homeless. However, Philippa finds her spotlight in the final few chapters, perhaps because Dot allows herself to see her sister properly and acknowledge the life and pain that they both shared. The resulting love between the two sisters is heart-warming.
Lost Property is heart-breakingly honest and open. I laughed and, as someone coming to terms with a dementia diagnosis within the family, I cried my little heart out. I frankly couldn’t believe Lost Property is Helen Paris’ debut novel. This is the most emotive book I have read this year.
Thank you to Bookstagrammers.com, Helen Paris and Penguin Random House UK for gifting me a hard copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Dana (24 KP) rated Blood and Salt (Blood and Salt, #1) in Books
Mar 23, 2018
Once again, I am giving the old spoiler alert right at the beginning, so you have been warned.
I am actually giving this book a 3.5 stars instead of a three star review.
Okay, so now onto the actual review. I found this book very interesting. Though I was expecting something more like a thriller and/or horror novel, this was more like a non-scary cult novel. But it was not as creepy as I had hoped. I wanted to be terrified, but instead I was left without much of an emotional response at all.
This book reminded me, in a lot of ways, of that movie Children of the Corn. I don't really know why because the plot is not the same, but I think because it was set in the middle of a corn field that ate people with a cult in the middle of it. (Side note: I am not a fan of that movie, but my friends made me watch it with them. I found the movie quite boring, to be honest.)
Ash was an okay main character. I mean, she was strong, in a way, but she wasn't particularly striking in many ways. She, like many other young adult heroines, falls in love with the wrong guy, then gets betrayed by him, but unlike some of those other heroines, she doesn't really do much about it. Yes, she gets angry, but it almost feels like she is about to forgive him immediately. That didn't particularly make sense to me because if she was really pissed at him, I doubt she would forgive him that quickly.
Rhys was kinda annoying, to me. Yes, he is the twin brother so he is going to feel protective of his sister, but he refused to listen to anyone but himself. There is also the fact that, even though he sees all this magic stuff around him, he doesn't believe in it. Plus, to top it all off, he thinks his sister and his mother are crazy just because he thinks differently. I was not a fan of any of this. He is discounting the women in his family because he does not know how to deal with what he cannot see.
I wasn't a fan of Dane either, to be honest. He didn't help Ash as much as he said he was and when she would come to him for help, he would brush it off as if it didn't matter. He was kind of an ass.
The whole Katia plot was a bit weak. I saw it coming from a mile away, but I did enjoy the bits with Marie (her daughter). Whenever Marie was in a scene, even though she hardly talked, the scene, to me, got a whole lot more interesting. I loved seeing Ash try to figure out what the hell was going on with her.
I am not sure where I stand with the whole "light and dark" blood with Ash and Rhys. It seems a bit strange, but I think I can be okay with it if it is explained more in the next book.
Also, the magic as a whole has not been fully fleshed out and I hope to see more of it in the next book. I feel like there was a lot briefly touched on, but not fully explained.
All in all, I am looking forward to the next book, if only to see what the hell is going to happen next. The characters, while not my favorite, have the potential to grow into who they are and be developed more. I did not hate this book, but going with that, it wasn't my favorite book either. I am giving it the extra half-star because it has the potential to become something really cool in the next book.
Speaking of: The Last Harvest comes out 7 February 2017.
I am actually giving this book a 3.5 stars instead of a three star review.
Okay, so now onto the actual review. I found this book very interesting. Though I was expecting something more like a thriller and/or horror novel, this was more like a non-scary cult novel. But it was not as creepy as I had hoped. I wanted to be terrified, but instead I was left without much of an emotional response at all.
This book reminded me, in a lot of ways, of that movie Children of the Corn. I don't really know why because the plot is not the same, but I think because it was set in the middle of a corn field that ate people with a cult in the middle of it. (Side note: I am not a fan of that movie, but my friends made me watch it with them. I found the movie quite boring, to be honest.)
Ash was an okay main character. I mean, she was strong, in a way, but she wasn't particularly striking in many ways. She, like many other young adult heroines, falls in love with the wrong guy, then gets betrayed by him, but unlike some of those other heroines, she doesn't really do much about it. Yes, she gets angry, but it almost feels like she is about to forgive him immediately. That didn't particularly make sense to me because if she was really pissed at him, I doubt she would forgive him that quickly.
Rhys was kinda annoying, to me. Yes, he is the twin brother so he is going to feel protective of his sister, but he refused to listen to anyone but himself. There is also the fact that, even though he sees all this magic stuff around him, he doesn't believe in it. Plus, to top it all off, he thinks his sister and his mother are crazy just because he thinks differently. I was not a fan of any of this. He is discounting the women in his family because he does not know how to deal with what he cannot see.
I wasn't a fan of Dane either, to be honest. He didn't help Ash as much as he said he was and when she would come to him for help, he would brush it off as if it didn't matter. He was kind of an ass.
The whole Katia plot was a bit weak. I saw it coming from a mile away, but I did enjoy the bits with Marie (her daughter). Whenever Marie was in a scene, even though she hardly talked, the scene, to me, got a whole lot more interesting. I loved seeing Ash try to figure out what the hell was going on with her.
I am not sure where I stand with the whole "light and dark" blood with Ash and Rhys. It seems a bit strange, but I think I can be okay with it if it is explained more in the next book.
Also, the magic as a whole has not been fully fleshed out and I hope to see more of it in the next book. I feel like there was a lot briefly touched on, but not fully explained.
All in all, I am looking forward to the next book, if only to see what the hell is going to happen next. The characters, while not my favorite, have the potential to grow into who they are and be developed more. I did not hate this book, but going with that, it wasn't my favorite book either. I am giving it the extra half-star because it has the potential to become something really cool in the next book.
Speaking of: The Last Harvest comes out 7 February 2017.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The City of Brass: Daevabad Trilogy in Books
Mar 25, 2018
Fantastic world-building (1 more)
Character Development
So much to say about this outstanding debut novel! First I'd like to address the issues around the author, then I'll delve into the book itself. (It's fantastic, though!)
So the book has been touted as an "own voices" novel, seemingly much to the author's chagrin. She is Muslim, but she's a white convert (Chakraborty is her married name). She has striven to correct the misconception about her ethnicity when she finds it, tweeting about it and talking about it in interviews. (This interview is a good example.) Because the book is pure fantasy, in a fantasy realm after the first few chapters, I'm not too worried about it not actually being written by a middle-eastern author. She does note in the interview I linked that she's not qualified to write some stories because of her ethnicity, and I appreciate that recognition of privilege. As far as I can tell, (as a white person myself) she did justice to the bits of mythology that she included. (Given the reception by people who were so excited about it being an Own Voices book, I think I'm probably right.) Her twitter (@SChakrabs) is FULL of links to minority authors and retweets about their books. I am very impressed by the level of her advocacy for minority authors.
So that aside, I LOVED THIS BOOK. I almost always enjoy fantasy inspired by non-western mythology: Children of Blood and Bone was fantastic, and though Forest of a Thousand Lanterns had a western fairytale at its heart, being reimagined through an Asian lense was really neat to read. The Bear and The Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower were Russian inspired, as were The Crown's Game/The Crown's Fate. I really do try to pick up non-western inspired fantasy when I can. City of Brass scratched that itch perfectly.
City of Brass opens in Cairo, where our heroine, Nahri, is a con-woman with small healing magics. When a ritual goes awry, she's thrust into the world of the djinn. It's when Nahri and her accidental bodyguard, Dara, arrive at the Djinns' city of Daevabad that the story really gets started.
I'm still a little confused about the difference between djinn and Daeva; Daeva seem to be one of the tribes but also the name for the entire race, and some of them get offended at being called djinn but some of them don't? I'm not really sure about that distinction. There is a clear line between djinn and Ifrit, though - Ifrit are immensely powerful, immortal beings who refused to subject themselves to punishment many centuries ago. I'm not sure I actually see a downside to being Ifrit, other than the djinn all think they're evil. The Ifrit, however, are out to get Nahri, and Dara's not having any of THAT.
I love Dara - he's a fascinating character, with a violent, mysterious backstory. I'm very eager to read more about him and figure out exactly what's up with his background. Nahri is also awesome - a little arrogant, but by the end of the book she's starting to learn she might need help from those around her. Unfortunately, also by the end of the book she doesn't know who to trust. The naive djinn prince, Ali, is the third main character of the book, and while I can see him having an interesting story, his personality is still a little flat. Hopefully the second book will see advancement in all three of these characters' personalities.
And I can't WAIT for the second book! City of Brass didn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but it did leave many questions unanswered and our main characters' fates uncertain. Unfortunately, I can't find any information on the sequel, just that it's being edited. No release date or title yet.
Read this book. It's fantastic.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
So the book has been touted as an "own voices" novel, seemingly much to the author's chagrin. She is Muslim, but she's a white convert (Chakraborty is her married name). She has striven to correct the misconception about her ethnicity when she finds it, tweeting about it and talking about it in interviews. (This interview is a good example.) Because the book is pure fantasy, in a fantasy realm after the first few chapters, I'm not too worried about it not actually being written by a middle-eastern author. She does note in the interview I linked that she's not qualified to write some stories because of her ethnicity, and I appreciate that recognition of privilege. As far as I can tell, (as a white person myself) she did justice to the bits of mythology that she included. (Given the reception by people who were so excited about it being an Own Voices book, I think I'm probably right.) Her twitter (@SChakrabs) is FULL of links to minority authors and retweets about their books. I am very impressed by the level of her advocacy for minority authors.
So that aside, I LOVED THIS BOOK. I almost always enjoy fantasy inspired by non-western mythology: Children of Blood and Bone was fantastic, and though Forest of a Thousand Lanterns had a western fairytale at its heart, being reimagined through an Asian lense was really neat to read. The Bear and The Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower were Russian inspired, as were The Crown's Game/The Crown's Fate. I really do try to pick up non-western inspired fantasy when I can. City of Brass scratched that itch perfectly.
City of Brass opens in Cairo, where our heroine, Nahri, is a con-woman with small healing magics. When a ritual goes awry, she's thrust into the world of the djinn. It's when Nahri and her accidental bodyguard, Dara, arrive at the Djinns' city of Daevabad that the story really gets started.
I'm still a little confused about the difference between djinn and Daeva; Daeva seem to be one of the tribes but also the name for the entire race, and some of them get offended at being called djinn but some of them don't? I'm not really sure about that distinction. There is a clear line between djinn and Ifrit, though - Ifrit are immensely powerful, immortal beings who refused to subject themselves to punishment many centuries ago. I'm not sure I actually see a downside to being Ifrit, other than the djinn all think they're evil. The Ifrit, however, are out to get Nahri, and Dara's not having any of THAT.
I love Dara - he's a fascinating character, with a violent, mysterious backstory. I'm very eager to read more about him and figure out exactly what's up with his background. Nahri is also awesome - a little arrogant, but by the end of the book she's starting to learn she might need help from those around her. Unfortunately, also by the end of the book she doesn't know who to trust. The naive djinn prince, Ali, is the third main character of the book, and while I can see him having an interesting story, his personality is still a little flat. Hopefully the second book will see advancement in all three of these characters' personalities.
And I can't WAIT for the second book! City of Brass didn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but it did leave many questions unanswered and our main characters' fates uncertain. Unfortunately, I can't find any information on the sequel, just that it's being edited. No release date or title yet.
Read this book. It's fantastic.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Asbury Park in Books
Nov 8, 2019
Virginia State Trooper Samuel 'Sailor' Doyle is recovering from his previous case, also trying to save his marriage and his job. Although he is a national hero he is suspended and under investigation for shooting a suspect while under the influence of prescription pain killers. To rehabilitate he takes his wife, young son and baby daughter to the beach near Asbury Park in New Jersey.
Doyle's problems are many: His wife has discovered that he had an affair, he is in withdrawal from his drug and alcohol abuse and he is still recovering from being shot. But far from getting away from it all his vacation just throws mysterious deaths at Doyle and strange things happen. He hears Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here playing from what seems like every car that passes and every shop he goes into as well as an old callope fairground tune. He starts to persuade himself that events are connected and sets out to find out what is going on.
This book definitely follows its own path and refused to be pigeon- holed into one genre or another. In the main this is a police procedural with Doyle assisting the local police with a gang related shooting and his own investigations into events that occurred in the 1970s in Canada. But the weirdness of the Pink Floyd, scratches and greasepaint (to name just a few of the odd occurrences that Doyle encounters) takes it beyond this and into the realms of the paranormal with Doyle convinced he is being haunted by the ghost of a dead teenager - or that he is going insane.
All this means that it is going to divide opinion (and quick check of the scores given to the book confirm that). It is not a standard police procedural so will disappoint if that is what is expected. But neither is it a ghost or horror story in the classic sense and so will disappoint if that is what is expected as well. What it is is an exploration of despair, revenge and redemption set against the decaying backdrop of the faded glory of the towns between Asbury Park and Spring Lake. Take the story on its own merits and go where it leads is my advice. Live a little.
I really liked the writing. There is a very noir feel to the way Doyle narrates the events first person and a certain nihilism to a lot of his observations that can be quite amusing. The other characters are also good and his interations with them very well written. Hodges the local detective he both assists and irritates is great as is her right hand man, Ed Hess to name just two.
The pace is slow, giving the story time to unfold but never dull or boring. When events do occur they are almost jarring and some of the more supernatural experiences of Doyle did send shivers down my spine.
The revelations of the story behind everything does work (in the terms of the book) and closure is finally achieved at the end, I couldn't think of a loose end that wasn't tidied up. Yes there isn't a rational explanation for everything - at least not if filtered by Doyle's somewhat damaged perception - but there is an explanation.
I didn't hesitate to give this book 5 stars. It was one of those that I enjoyed reading hugely and didn't want to get to the end... but wanted to get to the end to find out what happened. Overall I rate this book very highly.
Rating: Lots of violence, language and dead bodies
Doyle's problems are many: His wife has discovered that he had an affair, he is in withdrawal from his drug and alcohol abuse and he is still recovering from being shot. But far from getting away from it all his vacation just throws mysterious deaths at Doyle and strange things happen. He hears Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here playing from what seems like every car that passes and every shop he goes into as well as an old callope fairground tune. He starts to persuade himself that events are connected and sets out to find out what is going on.
This book definitely follows its own path and refused to be pigeon- holed into one genre or another. In the main this is a police procedural with Doyle assisting the local police with a gang related shooting and his own investigations into events that occurred in the 1970s in Canada. But the weirdness of the Pink Floyd, scratches and greasepaint (to name just a few of the odd occurrences that Doyle encounters) takes it beyond this and into the realms of the paranormal with Doyle convinced he is being haunted by the ghost of a dead teenager - or that he is going insane.
All this means that it is going to divide opinion (and quick check of the scores given to the book confirm that). It is not a standard police procedural so will disappoint if that is what is expected. But neither is it a ghost or horror story in the classic sense and so will disappoint if that is what is expected as well. What it is is an exploration of despair, revenge and redemption set against the decaying backdrop of the faded glory of the towns between Asbury Park and Spring Lake. Take the story on its own merits and go where it leads is my advice. Live a little.
I really liked the writing. There is a very noir feel to the way Doyle narrates the events first person and a certain nihilism to a lot of his observations that can be quite amusing. The other characters are also good and his interations with them very well written. Hodges the local detective he both assists and irritates is great as is her right hand man, Ed Hess to name just two.
The pace is slow, giving the story time to unfold but never dull or boring. When events do occur they are almost jarring and some of the more supernatural experiences of Doyle did send shivers down my spine.
The revelations of the story behind everything does work (in the terms of the book) and closure is finally achieved at the end, I couldn't think of a loose end that wasn't tidied up. Yes there isn't a rational explanation for everything - at least not if filtered by Doyle's somewhat damaged perception - but there is an explanation.
I didn't hesitate to give this book 5 stars. It was one of those that I enjoyed reading hugely and didn't want to get to the end... but wanted to get to the end to find out what happened. Overall I rate this book very highly.
Rating: Lots of violence, language and dead bodies