Search
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated I'll Be Your Blue Sky in Books
Feb 26, 2018
Revisits former characters (3 more)
Features unexpected twists and turns
Beautiful characters that fit together well
Funny and touching
Lovely look at some favorite characters
The weekend of her wedding, Clare Hobbes meets an elderly woman, Edith Herron, at the venue. While they only have a few brief conversations, they provide Clare with the insight and courage she so badly needs. So much that she finds the strength to call off her wedding and return home alone. A few weeks later, Clare receives some sad and surprising news: Edith has passed away and left Clare a seaside home in Delaware. Desperately seeking a place to reevaluate her life, Clare decamps to the "Blue Sky House" and there begins to learn more about Edith and the remarkable life she led. This includes the discovery of two ledgers--one depicting a list of the guests who stayed at Edith's home when it was a beach guesthouse and another, "shadow" ledger, with mysterious notations. With the help of her former boyfriend, now best friend Dev Tremain, Clare starts to unravel Edith's brave and fascinating past. Along the way, she starts to get closer to working out more about herself as well.
I absolutely adore Marisa de los Santos and was really excited to see she had written another book picking up on the characters first introduced in Love Walked In: A Novel and Belong to Me. Both still hold a place of honor on the bookshelves of my home. Still, Goodreads told me it was nearly ten years since I'd read those gems. Considering I can forget a lot of what I've read a few months ago, it took a little remembering and time to get back into the characters. There's a lot to keep track of in the beginning. Still, once I got into the groove, it was like being back with old friends.
Getting to know more about Clare--all grown up now--is lovely. You find yourself drawn to her immediately. Her finance, Zach, made me nervous from the start, and in many ways, the novel can be a little stressful, between Clare navigating Zach, learning about what Edith was up to, and just some of the general topics of the novel. I always know a book is well-written when I find myself getting nervous on the characters' behalf.
The book generally alternates chapters between Clare and the story of Edith, the woman she meets at her wedding venue. Edith's story mainly takes place in the 1940s and 1950s, and I found myself always wishing for more and more of her tale, as she's a fascinating character in her own right. As Clare moves into Edith's old home and starts to investigate the woman's past, we learn a little more about her through Clare and Dev's sleuthing. It's a very effective format, and I found the book surprisingly suspenseful, with several unexpected twists and turns thrown in along the way.
Indeed, I was never really sure where this one was going. It meanders a bit and kept surprising me as it did. There are points where the sadness can be really hard and heartbreaking (in a wow, this novel is incredibly well-written and I feel as if these characters are real way). All the characters fit together so well and come to life before you--no surprise to anyone who has read a Marisa de los Santos novel before. It's so easy to get lost in the world she creates for us. At other times, I just found myself laughing, as Clare and Dev, for instance, could just be so funny and real.
In the end, I just wound up really loving this one. I was along for the ride wherever Clare and her gang were going to take me. I loved her, I loved Edith, and now I'd wait ten years for another book without any issue whatsoever. It's a lovely book about connections and about the family we have and the family we make. It's about love (very appropriate that I finished it on Valentine's Day). Thanks for revisiting these characters, Ms. de los Santos. I didn't know I needed them again, but I'm glad you did. 4+ stars.
I I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for a honest review. More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/
I absolutely adore Marisa de los Santos and was really excited to see she had written another book picking up on the characters first introduced in Love Walked In: A Novel and Belong to Me. Both still hold a place of honor on the bookshelves of my home. Still, Goodreads told me it was nearly ten years since I'd read those gems. Considering I can forget a lot of what I've read a few months ago, it took a little remembering and time to get back into the characters. There's a lot to keep track of in the beginning. Still, once I got into the groove, it was like being back with old friends.
Getting to know more about Clare--all grown up now--is lovely. You find yourself drawn to her immediately. Her finance, Zach, made me nervous from the start, and in many ways, the novel can be a little stressful, between Clare navigating Zach, learning about what Edith was up to, and just some of the general topics of the novel. I always know a book is well-written when I find myself getting nervous on the characters' behalf.
The book generally alternates chapters between Clare and the story of Edith, the woman she meets at her wedding venue. Edith's story mainly takes place in the 1940s and 1950s, and I found myself always wishing for more and more of her tale, as she's a fascinating character in her own right. As Clare moves into Edith's old home and starts to investigate the woman's past, we learn a little more about her through Clare and Dev's sleuthing. It's a very effective format, and I found the book surprisingly suspenseful, with several unexpected twists and turns thrown in along the way.
Indeed, I was never really sure where this one was going. It meanders a bit and kept surprising me as it did. There are points where the sadness can be really hard and heartbreaking (in a wow, this novel is incredibly well-written and I feel as if these characters are real way). All the characters fit together so well and come to life before you--no surprise to anyone who has read a Marisa de los Santos novel before. It's so easy to get lost in the world she creates for us. At other times, I just found myself laughing, as Clare and Dev, for instance, could just be so funny and real.
In the end, I just wound up really loving this one. I was along for the ride wherever Clare and her gang were going to take me. I loved her, I loved Edith, and now I'd wait ten years for another book without any issue whatsoever. It's a lovely book about connections and about the family we have and the family we make. It's about love (very appropriate that I finished it on Valentine's Day). Thanks for revisiting these characters, Ms. de los Santos. I didn't know I needed them again, but I'm glad you did. 4+ stars.
I I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for a honest review. More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Songs from the Phenomenal Nothing in Books
Nov 5, 2018
IÕll be honest, I had never heard of this author or read the blurb when I signed up to this event, but I am so grateful that this particular opportunity came knocking on my door. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and have to thank the author, Steven Luna, for the chance to read and review his amazing writing. I have so much good to say about this book that IÕll waste no time in getting started, and I hope I donÕt repeat myself too much.
The first thing I absolutely adored about this book is how incredibly engaging and well written the plot was. In all honesty, TylerÕs struggles with his motherÕs death could have very easily become cliche and tiresome very quickly, but not once when reading this book did I feel bored or like I wasnÕt fully engaged with Tyler and his dilemma. Luna really pulls you right into his story quickly, leaving no time to Ôum and aahÕ over things, you just jump straight in and keep on going on what is a roller coaster of superbly written twists and turns. IÕve not read many books with this kind of subject matter, but I feel like I want to read more, and almost felt a little bereft when I finished the book as I so wanted there to be more to it! That is, perhaps, the only negative I have Ð I was gutted to find that the book had finished! It was just that good I didnÕt want it to ever end!
This is, in part, to how wonderful the characters are. Tyler, as the lead, is incredibly easy to invest emotionally in. HeÕs believable, much like the entire plot, and his emotions are so easy to understand, even if they do break your heart as you watch him, essentially, turn his rage and grief on himself and Tom. Xan and Chelsea, although minor characters, also leave a lasting impression, much like Trevor and Tom. This is a testament to Steven LunaÕs way of writing as it is very rare a minor character grabs my attention and thoughts much when I put the book down, but IÕve found myself not only thinking about Tyler, but also Tom and Xan quite a lot too.
Something else that really needs a mention is how emotionally charged this book is, but in all the right ways. I guess IÕd better explain exactly what I mean here, because I mean to give the highest praise to Steven Luna on this note. I love a book that not only engages my brain as IÕm reading, but also engages my heart, and ÔSongsÕ does this so completely that at times I truly wished I could reach into the kindle and make everything all right again for Tyler. Having recently experienced my own loss to cancer, this book really did touch a delicate part of my heart but in the best possible way. Steven Luna writes with such sincerity and honesty in this tale that I truly believed every word, my heart aching and my eyes moistening as I lived through TylerÕs sadness. ItÕs very hard for an author to make me cry, but within the first few pages that is exactly what was happening, and I wish to offer the highest praise for the style with which Luna manages this.
And so, IÕm going to wrap this up, partly because the superlatives are running out, and partly because I am literally dying to get onto reading some of his other writing. This book is, like the title suggests, truly phenomenal. It was difficult to put down, gripping from the first chapter and above all, a very believable and easy book to read. I cannot recommend this twisting tale highly enough, and I wish to take this opportunity to thank Steven Luna for opening my heart to a new range of emotions.
ARC received in return for an honest review as part of a blog tour on Lily Loves Indie - http://lilylovesindie.co.uk/?p=250
The first thing I absolutely adored about this book is how incredibly engaging and well written the plot was. In all honesty, TylerÕs struggles with his motherÕs death could have very easily become cliche and tiresome very quickly, but not once when reading this book did I feel bored or like I wasnÕt fully engaged with Tyler and his dilemma. Luna really pulls you right into his story quickly, leaving no time to Ôum and aahÕ over things, you just jump straight in and keep on going on what is a roller coaster of superbly written twists and turns. IÕve not read many books with this kind of subject matter, but I feel like I want to read more, and almost felt a little bereft when I finished the book as I so wanted there to be more to it! That is, perhaps, the only negative I have Ð I was gutted to find that the book had finished! It was just that good I didnÕt want it to ever end!
This is, in part, to how wonderful the characters are. Tyler, as the lead, is incredibly easy to invest emotionally in. HeÕs believable, much like the entire plot, and his emotions are so easy to understand, even if they do break your heart as you watch him, essentially, turn his rage and grief on himself and Tom. Xan and Chelsea, although minor characters, also leave a lasting impression, much like Trevor and Tom. This is a testament to Steven LunaÕs way of writing as it is very rare a minor character grabs my attention and thoughts much when I put the book down, but IÕve found myself not only thinking about Tyler, but also Tom and Xan quite a lot too.
Something else that really needs a mention is how emotionally charged this book is, but in all the right ways. I guess IÕd better explain exactly what I mean here, because I mean to give the highest praise to Steven Luna on this note. I love a book that not only engages my brain as IÕm reading, but also engages my heart, and ÔSongsÕ does this so completely that at times I truly wished I could reach into the kindle and make everything all right again for Tyler. Having recently experienced my own loss to cancer, this book really did touch a delicate part of my heart but in the best possible way. Steven Luna writes with such sincerity and honesty in this tale that I truly believed every word, my heart aching and my eyes moistening as I lived through TylerÕs sadness. ItÕs very hard for an author to make me cry, but within the first few pages that is exactly what was happening, and I wish to offer the highest praise for the style with which Luna manages this.
And so, IÕm going to wrap this up, partly because the superlatives are running out, and partly because I am literally dying to get onto reading some of his other writing. This book is, like the title suggests, truly phenomenal. It was difficult to put down, gripping from the first chapter and above all, a very believable and easy book to read. I cannot recommend this twisting tale highly enough, and I wish to take this opportunity to thank Steven Luna for opening my heart to a new range of emotions.
ARC received in return for an honest review as part of a blog tour on Lily Loves Indie - http://lilylovesindie.co.uk/?p=250
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Fighting with My Family (2019) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
A biopic that’s not just for wrestling fans
Let me make something clear before I dive into my review: I don’t like wrestling. Actually, I hate wrestling. I could barely name another wrestler aside from The Rock and John Cena, so at a glance this film really isn’t marketed towards me. But when we go a little deeper, it becomes clear that this is an incredibly accessible film with a powerful message.
Fighting With My Family tells the story of Norwich-born Saraya “Paige” Bevis. Brought up in a family of wrestlers, Bevis spent her life wrestling alongside her parents, brother and the local community, drawing in small crowds on a regular basis. The family has dreams of making WWE and becoming professional wrestlers, even going as far as sending audition tapes to the company. When Saraya and her brother Zak “Zodiac” are called for an official audition, the family’s lives change for better and for worse.
With an all-star cast including The Rock (obviously), Vince Vaughn, Nick Frost, Lena Headey and Florence Pugh, it’s an incredibly appealing film. Everyone involved takes to their roles effortlessly, bringing all the charm and quirks of the characters to life. It’s so easy to like the Knight family, as they come across as a strange yet passionate family who’d do everything in their power to support the community around them. It’s refreshing to see a depiction of working-class life that doesn’t make the audience sneer or judge. I found myself rooting for the Knights all the way, and wishing them all the best. Pugh embodies Paige so well, to the point where it was easy to believe you were watching the woman herself. She’s so awkward, British and hugely likeable throughout.
I was also surprised to learn that Stephen Merchant (yes, that Stephen Merchant) was at the helm of this film. I adored his direction style and hilarious cameo, making this an unlikely project that worked like a charm. Based off the documentary of the same name, Merchant brings his own unique vision to the project, with the legendary Dwayne Johnson helping out as an an executive producer. It feels like an unlikely duo, but it seriously works.
Fighting With My Family has classic British humour and a familiar grittiness to it, reminding me why I adore British cinema so much. There are clear tonal shifts between the UK and US, emphasising the cultural differences and how out of her depth Bevis felt at first. This is where a lot of the humour comes into play too, as a pale, pierced Norwich girl sticks out like a sore thumb amongst blonde, bronzed models. As Saraya steps into the world of WWE with the ring name “Paige”, she has to face numerous obstacles that are both mentally and physically challenging. As it happens, her identity is one of them, and she soon becomes an outcast.
Yes, this film is about one girl’s rise to the top of the WWE ranks, but it’s also so much more than that. It’s about family, class divide, jealousy, among others. I particularly enjoyed the dynamic between Saraya and Zak, as there’s a clear case of sibling rivalry here. Whilst Saraya succeeds, Zak is dealing with a whole host of personal issues whilst wallowing in his own sadness. This is jealousy on a massive scale, causing a rift between the siblings, and in turn, the rest of the family.
I loved the overall message that the film delivers: that it’s important to always be true to yourself, and do what makes you great. Whether that’s big or small, you can make an impact. This is something that Zak eventually learns whilst he’s feeling jealous of his sister’s success. The familial bond is so strong in this film, and it’s a truly beautiful thing to witness. They might be slightly bonkers, dysfunctional and off the wall, but they’d do anything to support each other. Isn’t that wonderful?
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2019/03/21/a-biopic-thats-not-just-for-wrestling-fans-my-thoughts-on-fighting-with-my-family/
Fighting With My Family tells the story of Norwich-born Saraya “Paige” Bevis. Brought up in a family of wrestlers, Bevis spent her life wrestling alongside her parents, brother and the local community, drawing in small crowds on a regular basis. The family has dreams of making WWE and becoming professional wrestlers, even going as far as sending audition tapes to the company. When Saraya and her brother Zak “Zodiac” are called for an official audition, the family’s lives change for better and for worse.
With an all-star cast including The Rock (obviously), Vince Vaughn, Nick Frost, Lena Headey and Florence Pugh, it’s an incredibly appealing film. Everyone involved takes to their roles effortlessly, bringing all the charm and quirks of the characters to life. It’s so easy to like the Knight family, as they come across as a strange yet passionate family who’d do everything in their power to support the community around them. It’s refreshing to see a depiction of working-class life that doesn’t make the audience sneer or judge. I found myself rooting for the Knights all the way, and wishing them all the best. Pugh embodies Paige so well, to the point where it was easy to believe you were watching the woman herself. She’s so awkward, British and hugely likeable throughout.
I was also surprised to learn that Stephen Merchant (yes, that Stephen Merchant) was at the helm of this film. I adored his direction style and hilarious cameo, making this an unlikely project that worked like a charm. Based off the documentary of the same name, Merchant brings his own unique vision to the project, with the legendary Dwayne Johnson helping out as an an executive producer. It feels like an unlikely duo, but it seriously works.
Fighting With My Family has classic British humour and a familiar grittiness to it, reminding me why I adore British cinema so much. There are clear tonal shifts between the UK and US, emphasising the cultural differences and how out of her depth Bevis felt at first. This is where a lot of the humour comes into play too, as a pale, pierced Norwich girl sticks out like a sore thumb amongst blonde, bronzed models. As Saraya steps into the world of WWE with the ring name “Paige”, she has to face numerous obstacles that are both mentally and physically challenging. As it happens, her identity is one of them, and she soon becomes an outcast.
Yes, this film is about one girl’s rise to the top of the WWE ranks, but it’s also so much more than that. It’s about family, class divide, jealousy, among others. I particularly enjoyed the dynamic between Saraya and Zak, as there’s a clear case of sibling rivalry here. Whilst Saraya succeeds, Zak is dealing with a whole host of personal issues whilst wallowing in his own sadness. This is jealousy on a massive scale, causing a rift between the siblings, and in turn, the rest of the family.
I loved the overall message that the film delivers: that it’s important to always be true to yourself, and do what makes you great. Whether that’s big or small, you can make an impact. This is something that Zak eventually learns whilst he’s feeling jealous of his sister’s success. The familial bond is so strong in this film, and it’s a truly beautiful thing to witness. They might be slightly bonkers, dysfunctional and off the wall, but they’d do anything to support each other. Isn’t that wonderful?
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2019/03/21/a-biopic-thats-not-just-for-wrestling-fans-my-thoughts-on-fighting-with-my-family/
Sophie Wink (11 KP) rated It's Kind of a Funny Story in Books
Jun 20, 2019
"Insightful and utterly authentic... This is an important book." - The New York Times Book Review
I do very much agree with this comment as it is insightful reading about a mind that is depressed as it can be very hard to compute if you are not depressed yourself, even though this is just one story of an individual with depression it does give you a really good indication of what it's like. And from what I've just read, it sounds horrendous and I would never wish it on anybody.
I really like how the story is set out as even though it only takes place over a few days, the flashbacks convey the depth of the story and really show the development of the main character Craig. I love the way the novel helps the reader understand the mental illness with the little man in his stomach, the soldier in his head, over-sweating, his tentacles, and anchors, it is a clear projection of what it is like. Overall the portrayal of this increasingly common illness is beautifully done.
The character Craig is very likable, even the title immediately portrays the kind of guy that he is; funny and good yet complex. Correct me if I am wrong but he is kind of a walking contradiction as while he can be quite melodramatic he also plays things down, he can be very funny but inside his mind is cluttered with sadness. While he sometimes seems angry he can never actually convey that through his actions. The depth of this character is very thorough, it works really well as even though this character is so complex Vizzini portrays him in such an understandable way. The majority of the characters have two common traits; they're likable yet deeply troubled. I enjoyed reading about everyone in the hospital as there was something about the way they're described and portrayed that makes them, somehow familiar and very much likable. I think the development of the main character is truly fantastic and it made me smile, that's all I can really say without giving too much of the story away.
One thing I really did love within the book was the connection between school and stress with these illnesses as far too often it takes up a good portion of why the individual has a mental illness. From personal experience I know that it is beyond difficult to balance everything between, socialising, family time, the school itself, homework, revision, exams, hobbies, extracurricular activities and jobs and then within that you have to eat, drink and sleep. I definitely connected with the story and Craig himself considering this theme. Another aspect of the story I really love is him finding his love for art. That really made me smile, as it was sometimes my anchor too.
As for the movie... It was terrible. I feel bad for saying it but it really was awful. A lot of the acting in it was really bad, a lot of the plot taken from the story was wrong and mixed up which to an extent I understand as obviously you cannot have every detail of the book in the film but it was too muddled. I think the only character that I thought was portrayed quite well in the movie was Bobby, played by Zach Galifianakis as I connected with him and really felt sympathy and joy for him, there is also a lot of humour associated with him too that I liked and really did laugh out loud at. I thought that the guy who played Craig was really bad, I felt nothing for the character in the movie compared to the book, the acting overall was bad and his chemistry with the other actors wasn't all that great either. I apologise for the bad review of the movie but I have to be honest, as an aspiring actor myself I would want to know if I had done well or not.
Overall the novel is incredibly insightful and beautifully written.
I do very much agree with this comment as it is insightful reading about a mind that is depressed as it can be very hard to compute if you are not depressed yourself, even though this is just one story of an individual with depression it does give you a really good indication of what it's like. And from what I've just read, it sounds horrendous and I would never wish it on anybody.
I really like how the story is set out as even though it only takes place over a few days, the flashbacks convey the depth of the story and really show the development of the main character Craig. I love the way the novel helps the reader understand the mental illness with the little man in his stomach, the soldier in his head, over-sweating, his tentacles, and anchors, it is a clear projection of what it is like. Overall the portrayal of this increasingly common illness is beautifully done.
The character Craig is very likable, even the title immediately portrays the kind of guy that he is; funny and good yet complex. Correct me if I am wrong but he is kind of a walking contradiction as while he can be quite melodramatic he also plays things down, he can be very funny but inside his mind is cluttered with sadness. While he sometimes seems angry he can never actually convey that through his actions. The depth of this character is very thorough, it works really well as even though this character is so complex Vizzini portrays him in such an understandable way. The majority of the characters have two common traits; they're likable yet deeply troubled. I enjoyed reading about everyone in the hospital as there was something about the way they're described and portrayed that makes them, somehow familiar and very much likable. I think the development of the main character is truly fantastic and it made me smile, that's all I can really say without giving too much of the story away.
One thing I really did love within the book was the connection between school and stress with these illnesses as far too often it takes up a good portion of why the individual has a mental illness. From personal experience I know that it is beyond difficult to balance everything between, socialising, family time, the school itself, homework, revision, exams, hobbies, extracurricular activities and jobs and then within that you have to eat, drink and sleep. I definitely connected with the story and Craig himself considering this theme. Another aspect of the story I really love is him finding his love for art. That really made me smile, as it was sometimes my anchor too.
As for the movie... It was terrible. I feel bad for saying it but it really was awful. A lot of the acting in it was really bad, a lot of the plot taken from the story was wrong and mixed up which to an extent I understand as obviously you cannot have every detail of the book in the film but it was too muddled. I think the only character that I thought was portrayed quite well in the movie was Bobby, played by Zach Galifianakis as I connected with him and really felt sympathy and joy for him, there is also a lot of humour associated with him too that I liked and really did laugh out loud at. I thought that the guy who played Craig was really bad, I felt nothing for the character in the movie compared to the book, the acting overall was bad and his chemistry with the other actors wasn't all that great either. I apologise for the bad review of the movie but I have to be honest, as an aspiring actor myself I would want to know if I had done well or not.
Overall the novel is incredibly insightful and beautifully written.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Black and Blue (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
Having seen the film I can confidently say that this has been woefully under screened. Just one screening at my local, luckily at the sensible time of 17.20 every day. Looking at other times it's getting relegated to some late slots which is never good.
Alicia West has come back to her home town and joined the local police department after being deployed. It's not the neighbourhood she remembers, there's distrust and gangs everywhere she looks, even her old friend pretends not to know her.
Taking a double shift as a favour to her partner she goes out on patrol with Officer Brown, he's old school and not going to change his ways... they don't see eye to eye. He takes a private call and says they need to go on a call so he cn meet a CI. He orders her to stay in the car and she waits suspiciously until two shots ring out. She enters the building to investigate, body cam turned on, and comes across a group of police officers who have executed members of a local gang. Thinking on instinct they shoot at her which allows her to escape. She needs to get the footage uploaded to expose the corruption but between her and the station are corrupt police officers and a community that hates cops. Who can she trust?
I found Black And Blue to be a really enjoyable. The action was tense and the story had a consistent pace all the way through and I felt really gripped as I watched it. My only disappointment was that they gave it sickly sweet ending. It brought the story full circle for West but it was so out of place with what we'd already seen. It wasn't necessary and I feel like it detracted from the effort everything else put in.
Naomie Harris is our lead and she handles the role like a seasoned pro. She brings across the optimism of West's character and you can see the intrigue and sadness in her as she realises just how bad things have become in her neighbourhood. Harris adapts well to each scenario and at times you could feel a genuine sense of fear as she's being pursued.
Frank Grillo plays Terry Malone, the leader of our group of corrupt cops. He's a great bit of casting. Towards the end I feel like the character deviates a little from what I might have expected but the performance was so good to watch that I wasn't too bothered by that.
Another face you'll recognise is Mike Colter as Darius, Darius is the head of one of the local gangs and during the course of the story he's also hot on West's heals. He's a very dark character and Colter captures that well, there's a particularly good scene with West where we're preparing for the finale of the film and the way he changes in his split second decisions really elevates the moment.
The last actor I'll mention is Tyrese Gibson as Milo, Milo brings a much softer side to the whole story, he's not about the violence and I think that Gibson had the perfect demeanour for this role. We get some much needed respite from the heavy tension and action with his scenes. I feel like there's some back story we needed to know for him though, he needed some more explaining and that was just missing in everything we saw.
Black And Blue has a strong message about society divided by hate, I'm not the right person to tell ou its accuracy. There are stereotypes knocking around all over the place but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. The film focused on the corruption in the neighbourhood and that's what you see, you wouldn't be getting other walks of life so it fits the idea perfectly.
I genuinely enjoyed watching this and the film kept me on the edge of my seat, this it something I'll look forward to watching again.
What you should do
If you like crime drama then I think you'll enjoy this, there's good action and great characters.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Some of West's kickass moves and super human will to survive.
Alicia West has come back to her home town and joined the local police department after being deployed. It's not the neighbourhood she remembers, there's distrust and gangs everywhere she looks, even her old friend pretends not to know her.
Taking a double shift as a favour to her partner she goes out on patrol with Officer Brown, he's old school and not going to change his ways... they don't see eye to eye. He takes a private call and says they need to go on a call so he cn meet a CI. He orders her to stay in the car and she waits suspiciously until two shots ring out. She enters the building to investigate, body cam turned on, and comes across a group of police officers who have executed members of a local gang. Thinking on instinct they shoot at her which allows her to escape. She needs to get the footage uploaded to expose the corruption but between her and the station are corrupt police officers and a community that hates cops. Who can she trust?
I found Black And Blue to be a really enjoyable. The action was tense and the story had a consistent pace all the way through and I felt really gripped as I watched it. My only disappointment was that they gave it sickly sweet ending. It brought the story full circle for West but it was so out of place with what we'd already seen. It wasn't necessary and I feel like it detracted from the effort everything else put in.
Naomie Harris is our lead and she handles the role like a seasoned pro. She brings across the optimism of West's character and you can see the intrigue and sadness in her as she realises just how bad things have become in her neighbourhood. Harris adapts well to each scenario and at times you could feel a genuine sense of fear as she's being pursued.
Frank Grillo plays Terry Malone, the leader of our group of corrupt cops. He's a great bit of casting. Towards the end I feel like the character deviates a little from what I might have expected but the performance was so good to watch that I wasn't too bothered by that.
Another face you'll recognise is Mike Colter as Darius, Darius is the head of one of the local gangs and during the course of the story he's also hot on West's heals. He's a very dark character and Colter captures that well, there's a particularly good scene with West where we're preparing for the finale of the film and the way he changes in his split second decisions really elevates the moment.
The last actor I'll mention is Tyrese Gibson as Milo, Milo brings a much softer side to the whole story, he's not about the violence and I think that Gibson had the perfect demeanour for this role. We get some much needed respite from the heavy tension and action with his scenes. I feel like there's some back story we needed to know for him though, he needed some more explaining and that was just missing in everything we saw.
Black And Blue has a strong message about society divided by hate, I'm not the right person to tell ou its accuracy. There are stereotypes knocking around all over the place but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. The film focused on the corruption in the neighbourhood and that's what you see, you wouldn't be getting other walks of life so it fits the idea perfectly.
I genuinely enjoyed watching this and the film kept me on the edge of my seat, this it something I'll look forward to watching again.
What you should do
If you like crime drama then I think you'll enjoy this, there's good action and great characters.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Some of West's kickass moves and super human will to survive.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Hitman: Agent 47 (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Video game movies get an incredibly bad rep these days. I think it’s because people go into them expecting them to be something there not. The expectation of these films to follow the rules of our reality, instead of the reality of the game itself, which is not always the same. I think that it is for this reason that many reviewers out there, including some that I saw the film with, will lambaste this movie in their write-ups. Now full disclosure, I may be one of the few who actually enjoyed the first Timothy Olyphant Hitman from 2007. I own the DVD. But did Hitman: Agent 47 surpass it, or will it join it down at the very bottom of everyone’s list? Read on.
Agent 47 begins by giving background on what the “Agent” program is: a research project to genetically enhance humans to make them the perfect weapons; however, Litvenko (Clarán Hinds), the man who unlocked the key to the genetics behind the program, morally disagreed with the direction the program was going in and went on the run with his young daughter. Fast forward to present day where we find Katia (Hannah Ware) search for Litvenko, but she doesn’t know that he is her father. She just know that she needs to find him. The problem is that Syndicate International, the corporation trying to restart the agent program, is searching for her believing that she knows where her father is. They send an agent of their own, John Smith (Zachary Quinto), to find her and protect her, though he is not exactly what he seems to be. Enter Agent 47 (Rupert Friend) who reveals the nefarious plans of Syndicate International, and begins to unlock the secrets to Katia’s past, and her own enhanced abilities.
Now remember, this is based on a very popular video game franchise. The rules of reality that we know do not necessarily apply. You already need to take into account the fact that “Agents” exist where they have been genetically altered to not feel fear, love, sadness… anything really. Genetically altered humans to be faster, smarter, instinctual, and emotionless. But people tend to forget this when we start to see what Syndicate International has done in their own attempts to create an agent. I do not want to give much away on that, as some of it plays big to the plot, but just keep an open mind.
So was it good? I believe so. I am a big fan of the highly successful game franchise. Even though I liked the 2007 film, it did bother me that it didn’t feel like the game I had come to love and play over and over. Agent 47 hits that feel right on the nose. The mission he is sent on is fraught with scenarios that would be right in the game, and the story line is similar enough to some of the plots we have seen, that the movie was really enjoyable. The action sequences were great, the story was decent, and Friend managed to portray the stoic agent well enough that I almost thought I was watching the game for a short time.
All in all, this is a good film if you are a fan of the game franchise. Also, if you can go into it with an open mind about some of the ideals and plotlines involved in the movie, you will love it. Some do not know this, but the late Paul Walker was originally set to star in the role as Agent 47. Knowing this going into the film, I could pinpoint certain lines of dialogue that may have been written with him in mind, and it made me wonder if the film would have been better, or worse, received than its current form. Sadly, we will never know.
If you want some good, if not over the top, action sequences, along with an interesting take on the Hitman universe, definitely check out this film. This is one that is going into my collection upon home release.
Agent 47 begins by giving background on what the “Agent” program is: a research project to genetically enhance humans to make them the perfect weapons; however, Litvenko (Clarán Hinds), the man who unlocked the key to the genetics behind the program, morally disagreed with the direction the program was going in and went on the run with his young daughter. Fast forward to present day where we find Katia (Hannah Ware) search for Litvenko, but she doesn’t know that he is her father. She just know that she needs to find him. The problem is that Syndicate International, the corporation trying to restart the agent program, is searching for her believing that she knows where her father is. They send an agent of their own, John Smith (Zachary Quinto), to find her and protect her, though he is not exactly what he seems to be. Enter Agent 47 (Rupert Friend) who reveals the nefarious plans of Syndicate International, and begins to unlock the secrets to Katia’s past, and her own enhanced abilities.
Now remember, this is based on a very popular video game franchise. The rules of reality that we know do not necessarily apply. You already need to take into account the fact that “Agents” exist where they have been genetically altered to not feel fear, love, sadness… anything really. Genetically altered humans to be faster, smarter, instinctual, and emotionless. But people tend to forget this when we start to see what Syndicate International has done in their own attempts to create an agent. I do not want to give much away on that, as some of it plays big to the plot, but just keep an open mind.
So was it good? I believe so. I am a big fan of the highly successful game franchise. Even though I liked the 2007 film, it did bother me that it didn’t feel like the game I had come to love and play over and over. Agent 47 hits that feel right on the nose. The mission he is sent on is fraught with scenarios that would be right in the game, and the story line is similar enough to some of the plots we have seen, that the movie was really enjoyable. The action sequences were great, the story was decent, and Friend managed to portray the stoic agent well enough that I almost thought I was watching the game for a short time.
All in all, this is a good film if you are a fan of the game franchise. Also, if you can go into it with an open mind about some of the ideals and plotlines involved in the movie, you will love it. Some do not know this, but the late Paul Walker was originally set to star in the role as Agent 47. Knowing this going into the film, I could pinpoint certain lines of dialogue that may have been written with him in mind, and it made me wonder if the film would have been better, or worse, received than its current form. Sadly, we will never know.
If you want some good, if not over the top, action sequences, along with an interesting take on the Hitman universe, definitely check out this film. This is one that is going into my collection upon home release.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Beast Rider in Books
Oct 5, 2020
A fantasy that stays true to many young people, that dare cross a border, searching for a better life. A fantasy, but also a cruel reality of what truly happens to these young boys and girls, and all the journeys they have to go through, fighting for a better tomorrow.
This is the first book I have read by Tony Johnston, and the reason I chose to read Beast Rider was because we get to see a twelve-year-old Manuel leave his small town in Mexico to join his older brother in the US.
As a girl myself, I had a family member that lived in another country, and I have always had my inner battle of going abroad to search for a better tomorrow and sadness of leaving my old life behind. With Manuel, you get to feel his hopes and fears, his nostalgia for his hometown and family, his thoughts and learnings at every step of his journey.
A few points bothered me slightly; the grammar in this book needs to be edited immediately. The character keeps using two words in a row row, and after a while while, it gets quite off putting off putting (you see what I mean?). I truly hope this is editing mistake, and not a writing style. There are a lot of Mexican words, without any glossary included. I can understand the words, but some people wouldn’t – and not being able to know the meaning can be a nuisance.
While reading about the journey of Manuel, I couldn’t help but remember exactly how I felt in a few points of my journey:
To Go or Not To Go
Manuel’s brother left the small Mexican village and now lives in Los Angeles. Manuel loves his big brother, and wants to join him desperately. He secretly plans his journey and decides to leave the town, after a lot of hesitation, in order to find his older brother. The battle between to go or not to go is the biggest battle one person can have with themselves. It is always hard, no matter which way one decides to go. And when Manuel decides it is time to go, I knew exactly how he felt, when I myself made that hard decision as well, and left my comfortable home to go and live in a foreign country.
The Journey To a Better Tomorrow
Manuel’s journey is not easy at all. In order to cross the US border, he had to become a ‘’beast rider’’ – someone who hops on a train. He tries multiple times, and various unlucky things happen to him, he gets stopped by the police, he is attached by a gang, people steal his most valuable items. But despite everything, Manuel’s spirit never leaves him, he is always hopeful he will find his brother soon. I loved the motivation and determination in the young Manuel, and it is so amazing to watch him grow through his experiences.
The Final Destination – Was This What I Really Wanted?
After all his endeavours, we finally get to see Manuel reunite with his brother. But what happens if you finally reach your destination, and this happens to not be what you wanted to? Manuel struggles to fit in this lifestyle, he can’t recognise himself, or his brother, and he is emotionally wrecked. He misses his family back home, and he realises that what he thought he would achieve once he finds his brother is not happening. When you feel all roads are closing on you, it is time to make a decision. And making his final decision, Manuel proves to have grown so much, and I admired him this entire book.
A beautiful story about all the emotions and journeys that young people go to. We all have dreams, and some of us reach for them, and act on them. Sometimes, these dreams turn out to be our life-changers, and sometimes, these dreams seem great, but are not ours to take. And this book showed me that that’s fine too. It’s okay to realise you suddenly don’t belong. It’s okay to act on your dreams, and it’s also okay to make mistakes. As long as you stay true to yourself, everything will be alright.
This is the first book I have read by Tony Johnston, and the reason I chose to read Beast Rider was because we get to see a twelve-year-old Manuel leave his small town in Mexico to join his older brother in the US.
As a girl myself, I had a family member that lived in another country, and I have always had my inner battle of going abroad to search for a better tomorrow and sadness of leaving my old life behind. With Manuel, you get to feel his hopes and fears, his nostalgia for his hometown and family, his thoughts and learnings at every step of his journey.
A few points bothered me slightly; the grammar in this book needs to be edited immediately. The character keeps using two words in a row row, and after a while while, it gets quite off putting off putting (you see what I mean?). I truly hope this is editing mistake, and not a writing style. There are a lot of Mexican words, without any glossary included. I can understand the words, but some people wouldn’t – and not being able to know the meaning can be a nuisance.
While reading about the journey of Manuel, I couldn’t help but remember exactly how I felt in a few points of my journey:
To Go or Not To Go
Manuel’s brother left the small Mexican village and now lives in Los Angeles. Manuel loves his big brother, and wants to join him desperately. He secretly plans his journey and decides to leave the town, after a lot of hesitation, in order to find his older brother. The battle between to go or not to go is the biggest battle one person can have with themselves. It is always hard, no matter which way one decides to go. And when Manuel decides it is time to go, I knew exactly how he felt, when I myself made that hard decision as well, and left my comfortable home to go and live in a foreign country.
The Journey To a Better Tomorrow
Manuel’s journey is not easy at all. In order to cross the US border, he had to become a ‘’beast rider’’ – someone who hops on a train. He tries multiple times, and various unlucky things happen to him, he gets stopped by the police, he is attached by a gang, people steal his most valuable items. But despite everything, Manuel’s spirit never leaves him, he is always hopeful he will find his brother soon. I loved the motivation and determination in the young Manuel, and it is so amazing to watch him grow through his experiences.
The Final Destination – Was This What I Really Wanted?
After all his endeavours, we finally get to see Manuel reunite with his brother. But what happens if you finally reach your destination, and this happens to not be what you wanted to? Manuel struggles to fit in this lifestyle, he can’t recognise himself, or his brother, and he is emotionally wrecked. He misses his family back home, and he realises that what he thought he would achieve once he finds his brother is not happening. When you feel all roads are closing on you, it is time to make a decision. And making his final decision, Manuel proves to have grown so much, and I admired him this entire book.
A beautiful story about all the emotions and journeys that young people go to. We all have dreams, and some of us reach for them, and act on them. Sometimes, these dreams turn out to be our life-changers, and sometimes, these dreams seem great, but are not ours to take. And this book showed me that that’s fine too. It’s okay to realise you suddenly don’t belong. It’s okay to act on your dreams, and it’s also okay to make mistakes. As long as you stay true to yourself, everything will be alright.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Let It Go: A Frozen Twisted Tale in Books
Aug 20, 2019
“What if Anna and Elsa never knew each other?”
I did it again! A new shiny twisted tale came out and I let it jump to the top of my TBR pile! I’m weak!
Let It Go is the latest instalment in the twisted tale’s series and explores how Anna and Elsa’s story would play out if a magical accident caused the two sisters to be cursed.
As always, Jen Calonita writes this very well: drip feeding us information by opening the novel on eighteen-year-old Elsa shadowing her parents’ royal duties and preparing to become a leader when she comes of age.
It is quite refreshing for the reader to meet the King and Queen of Arendelle: they didn’t have much depth in the movie but Jen Calonita presents an intimidating yet loving King with his kind and gentle Queen. They are both, however, marred by a melancholy which even Elsa cannot fathom; the Queen in particular has an air of sadness around her and has a habit of taking mysterious day trips, always alone.
Elsa is an adoring daughter and will clearly be a benevolent Queen as she follows in her father’s footsteps. She is, however, lonely and has always pined for someone of her own age for company: she has always wished for a sister. It isn’t until Elsa overhears an argument between her parents that she begins to question the life around her.
Unlike other books in the twisted tale’s franchise we aren’t introduced to any new characters apart from the King and Queen. There are a few servants who have minor roles but no one who has a real impact upon the story. Instead, Let It Go focuses on all the characters we already love: I really liked how Jen Calonita included everybody, even the irritating Duke of Weselton. True to form though, the characters don’t meet quite as they did in the movie. Hans and Olaf meet Elsa first whereas Anna and Kristoff are acquaintances in Anna’s “cursed” life. In truth I preferred Anna and Kristoff’s relationship in this novel as it seemed more realistic, with Kristoff being irritated by Anna’s stubbornness and incessant chatter.
Like I mentioned, Calonita isn’t forthcoming with information regarding the curse and it is only with the help of a certain troll that we learn the details of how Elsa and Anna were parted as well as the severity of the curse that has been placed upon them: if they come too close to each other Elsa’s powers will freeze Anna.
I did appreciate how Calonita didn’t just settle for a storyline that the girls had to be kept apart to avoid further accidents and the impossible, heat-wrenching decision for their parents is beautifully written. I also liked how the curse came about due to the sheer love between the sisters and specifically, Elsa’s defiance to lose their special bond and friendship.
In fact, I loved how the twist is all about the sister’s love for each other: the red herring of true love’s kiss is not even considered.
Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for the book didn’t continue all the way through to the conclusion as the second half seemed to mirror the film a lot. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely loved the little references to the film all the way through the book, as I do with all the twisted tales. However, towards the end Let It Go felt like it was just writing out the movie, with a few characters in different locations. For this reason, I did feel the ending was a little lacklustre.
Overall Let It Go is an enjoyable, easy read. Anna’s flashbacks provide an insight into the childhood of the princesses that we don’t get in the film and my favourite, Olaf, plays a more important role than that of dismembered tour guide. For me, the second half of the book was not as gripping and more of a retelling of the film but it is still a good addition to the twisted tale franchise.
I did it again! A new shiny twisted tale came out and I let it jump to the top of my TBR pile! I’m weak!
Let It Go is the latest instalment in the twisted tale’s series and explores how Anna and Elsa’s story would play out if a magical accident caused the two sisters to be cursed.
As always, Jen Calonita writes this very well: drip feeding us information by opening the novel on eighteen-year-old Elsa shadowing her parents’ royal duties and preparing to become a leader when she comes of age.
It is quite refreshing for the reader to meet the King and Queen of Arendelle: they didn’t have much depth in the movie but Jen Calonita presents an intimidating yet loving King with his kind and gentle Queen. They are both, however, marred by a melancholy which even Elsa cannot fathom; the Queen in particular has an air of sadness around her and has a habit of taking mysterious day trips, always alone.
Elsa is an adoring daughter and will clearly be a benevolent Queen as she follows in her father’s footsteps. She is, however, lonely and has always pined for someone of her own age for company: she has always wished for a sister. It isn’t until Elsa overhears an argument between her parents that she begins to question the life around her.
Unlike other books in the twisted tale’s franchise we aren’t introduced to any new characters apart from the King and Queen. There are a few servants who have minor roles but no one who has a real impact upon the story. Instead, Let It Go focuses on all the characters we already love: I really liked how Jen Calonita included everybody, even the irritating Duke of Weselton. True to form though, the characters don’t meet quite as they did in the movie. Hans and Olaf meet Elsa first whereas Anna and Kristoff are acquaintances in Anna’s “cursed” life. In truth I preferred Anna and Kristoff’s relationship in this novel as it seemed more realistic, with Kristoff being irritated by Anna’s stubbornness and incessant chatter.
Like I mentioned, Calonita isn’t forthcoming with information regarding the curse and it is only with the help of a certain troll that we learn the details of how Elsa and Anna were parted as well as the severity of the curse that has been placed upon them: if they come too close to each other Elsa’s powers will freeze Anna.
I did appreciate how Calonita didn’t just settle for a storyline that the girls had to be kept apart to avoid further accidents and the impossible, heat-wrenching decision for their parents is beautifully written. I also liked how the curse came about due to the sheer love between the sisters and specifically, Elsa’s defiance to lose their special bond and friendship.
In fact, I loved how the twist is all about the sister’s love for each other: the red herring of true love’s kiss is not even considered.
Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for the book didn’t continue all the way through to the conclusion as the second half seemed to mirror the film a lot. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely loved the little references to the film all the way through the book, as I do with all the twisted tales. However, towards the end Let It Go felt like it was just writing out the movie, with a few characters in different locations. For this reason, I did feel the ending was a little lacklustre.
Overall Let It Go is an enjoyable, easy read. Anna’s flashbacks provide an insight into the childhood of the princesses that we don’t get in the film and my favourite, Olaf, plays a more important role than that of dismembered tour guide. For me, the second half of the book was not as gripping and more of a retelling of the film but it is still a good addition to the twisted tale franchise.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated I, Tonya (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Some Darwin award winners.
Man, I personally found this one to be an exceedingly uncomfortable watch.
“I, Tonya” is cleverly filmed as a pseudo-documentary, featuring re-enactments of the real-life interviews of most of the participants in this true-life drama. I recently bitterly criticised some film critics for spoiling the story of Donald Crowhurst, the subject of the recent “The Mercy”. But I was about to do exactly the same here, *assuming* that you all know the lurid tale of the rivalry between Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan that led up to an ‘event’ in 1994 that shocked the world. And of course, many of you younger folk don’t know: case in point my 26 year old son who I went to see this with, and who went into the story blissfully blind of the drama about to unfold. So I will try to keep this review spoiler-free.
Playing Tonya from a (not very credible!) 15 years old to her mid-20’s is Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street”, “Suicide Squad”) in what is a BAFTA and Oscar nominated performance. And for good reason: the performance is raw, visceral and disturbing in reflecting a victim who still thinks everything at heart is her own fault.
Also BAFTA and Oscar nominated is Allison Janney (“The Girl on the Train”) as Tonya’s obnoxious chain-smoking mother LaVona. Janney is truly terrifying as the mother who abuses her daughter both physically and mentally in a driven attempt to make her the best ice-skater in the world.
Victims seem to attract abusers, and Tonya is surrounded by people who are just plain bad for her: notably her husband Jeff (Sebastian Stan, “The Martian”, “Captain America: Winter Soldier”) and his slimy and pitifully self-deluded friend Shawn (Paul Walter Hauser). The end credits video footage of the real-life players show just how well these parts were cast.
Why so uncomfortable to watch? There is a significant degree of domestic abuse featured in the film, both in terms of LaVona on her child and Jeff on his wife. This is something I abhor in general, having been brought up to believe it is never EVER acceptable to lay a hand on a woman. To have these cowardly individuals sensationalised in the movie I found to be really upsetting. I strongly feel, for this reason alone, that the film should have had an 18 certificate. Violence in film should be related to the context as well as the severity. (Note that this is in stark contrast to my comments of recent BBFC decisions to make “Phantom Thread” and “Lady Bird” 15-certificates when I believe they should have been 12A).
The film is executed extremely well, with 4:3 framing for the staged interviews, and ice skating scenes that seamlessly cut between the professional clearly doing the stunts and Robbie (who must also be a half decent skater too). The soundtrack is nicely littered – “Guardians of the Galaxy” style – with classic hits of the early 90’s.
To think that this story actually unfolded in this way is nothing short of astounding… but it did! There is an astonishing video clip here (#spoilers) of the run up to, and the immediate aftermath of, the Kerrigan incident. I came out of the film with a deep feeling of sadness for Harding (at least, as portrayed) and utter disgust that the villains of this piece could be a) so cruel and out of control and b) so utterly stupid. These are individuals who really should have been sterilised to stop them polluting the gene pool any further.
Written by Steven Rogers (“Stepmom”) and directed by Australian Craig Gillespie, there is no doubting that this is a powerful film: played to an absolutely silent and gripped Saturday night cinema audience. And it has truly dynamite performances from Allison Janney and Margot Robbie. But be warned that you’ll need a strong stomach to go and see it without being affected by it afterwards. It’s a mental keeper.
“I, Tonya” is cleverly filmed as a pseudo-documentary, featuring re-enactments of the real-life interviews of most of the participants in this true-life drama. I recently bitterly criticised some film critics for spoiling the story of Donald Crowhurst, the subject of the recent “The Mercy”. But I was about to do exactly the same here, *assuming* that you all know the lurid tale of the rivalry between Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan that led up to an ‘event’ in 1994 that shocked the world. And of course, many of you younger folk don’t know: case in point my 26 year old son who I went to see this with, and who went into the story blissfully blind of the drama about to unfold. So I will try to keep this review spoiler-free.
Playing Tonya from a (not very credible!) 15 years old to her mid-20’s is Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street”, “Suicide Squad”) in what is a BAFTA and Oscar nominated performance. And for good reason: the performance is raw, visceral and disturbing in reflecting a victim who still thinks everything at heart is her own fault.
Also BAFTA and Oscar nominated is Allison Janney (“The Girl on the Train”) as Tonya’s obnoxious chain-smoking mother LaVona. Janney is truly terrifying as the mother who abuses her daughter both physically and mentally in a driven attempt to make her the best ice-skater in the world.
Victims seem to attract abusers, and Tonya is surrounded by people who are just plain bad for her: notably her husband Jeff (Sebastian Stan, “The Martian”, “Captain America: Winter Soldier”) and his slimy and pitifully self-deluded friend Shawn (Paul Walter Hauser). The end credits video footage of the real-life players show just how well these parts were cast.
Why so uncomfortable to watch? There is a significant degree of domestic abuse featured in the film, both in terms of LaVona on her child and Jeff on his wife. This is something I abhor in general, having been brought up to believe it is never EVER acceptable to lay a hand on a woman. To have these cowardly individuals sensationalised in the movie I found to be really upsetting. I strongly feel, for this reason alone, that the film should have had an 18 certificate. Violence in film should be related to the context as well as the severity. (Note that this is in stark contrast to my comments of recent BBFC decisions to make “Phantom Thread” and “Lady Bird” 15-certificates when I believe they should have been 12A).
The film is executed extremely well, with 4:3 framing for the staged interviews, and ice skating scenes that seamlessly cut between the professional clearly doing the stunts and Robbie (who must also be a half decent skater too). The soundtrack is nicely littered – “Guardians of the Galaxy” style – with classic hits of the early 90’s.
To think that this story actually unfolded in this way is nothing short of astounding… but it did! There is an astonishing video clip here (#spoilers) of the run up to, and the immediate aftermath of, the Kerrigan incident. I came out of the film with a deep feeling of sadness for Harding (at least, as portrayed) and utter disgust that the villains of this piece could be a) so cruel and out of control and b) so utterly stupid. These are individuals who really should have been sterilised to stop them polluting the gene pool any further.
Written by Steven Rogers (“Stepmom”) and directed by Australian Craig Gillespie, there is no doubting that this is a powerful film: played to an absolutely silent and gripped Saturday night cinema audience. And it has truly dynamite performances from Allison Janney and Margot Robbie. But be warned that you’ll need a strong stomach to go and see it without being affected by it afterwards. It’s a mental keeper.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Whistle In The Dark in Books
Mar 10, 2019
Jen Maddox is on holiday with her fifteen-year-old daughter, Lana, when Lana disappears. But, somehow, Lana is found four days later: confused and bloody, but in one piece. Jen and her husband, Hugh, are beyond relieved, but Jen cannot shake the fear plaguing her. Lana has struggled with depression these past few years. What happened over those four days? Why can't her daughter remember anything? Jen knows she should welcome Lana back with welcome arms, but she cannot rest until she knows what happened to her daughter.
This was a complicated read, which made me feel and think all sorts of feelings. I have to definitely point out that there are triggers for self-harm and suicide in this one. The book hit home for me, as I lost a dear cousin-who was more like a sister to me-to suicide. She was a little older than Lana when she died, but I saw a lot of similarity between the two, and I could understand some of Jen's frustration and sadness with her daughter because of it. Because, honestly, a lot of this book is just sad and depressing.
It's written in short snippets, not long chapters, each with a title, and they are all told from Jen's perspective. I would have liked to have heard from Lana sometimes. Because this is Emma Healey, many of these little pieces and insights are brilliant, truly. But, also, I won't lie, some of this book is a slog. It mirrors living with someone with depression--it's slow, painful, and tough. I wouldn't call this a fun read, even though I could definitely enjoy some of the breakthroughs and beautiful moments Lana and Jen did share.
While the premise of this book is finding out what happened to Lana, much of it is just Jen and Lana's daily life--trying to find themselves after Lana's disappearance. You see the guilt Jen feels about her daughter's mental illness and the complications of motherhood--how hard it can be. Jen's older daughter Meg and her husband, Hugh, are more supporting characters to the Jen and Lana show. There definitely are some humorous pieces among the sad parts--Jen and her husband struggling to raise a teen, Jen's interactions with her mom stand out. And Lana, as she comes across through her mom's eyes, is an interesting and dynamic character. Her grim sense of humor is enjoyable, too.
I found this novel to be very driven by emotions and to be a deep look at a family who is torn apart not only by Lana's disappearance, but by mental illness. I think, too, overall it does a very good job portraying what mental illness can do to a family. Even Lana's descriptions of what her depression feels like are quite well-done. So much of the book actually made me feel tense on Jen's behalf, and you just can't help but feel so sad and scared for both Jen and Lana. The little snippets of the book really do a good job of capturing moments--that is life, after all. A series of moments that add up.
I wish that Jen had been less obsessed with figuring out what had happened to Lana, but I think I can understand where it came from (her fear). For a little bit, I wasn't sure I could push through the book, but I was also motivated to figure out where Lana had been for those four days, and I was attached to Lana (and even Jen), I won't lie. The end of the book also redeemed it for me. There was something about it that made it all work.
This book isn't for everyone, and in some ways, I even have trouble recommending it for those who have struggled with mental illness, because it can be really triggering. Still, I think the author treated the topic very respectfully. I couldn't help but feel for Jen and I really found myself wanting to help Lana, to reach out to her. Healey really does know how to create nuanced characters. Still, if this is your first time reading her, I can't help but recommend the amazing Elizabeth Is Missing, which I just adore. Still, it has its lovely moments and is certainly well-written, if not a slow read.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
This was a complicated read, which made me feel and think all sorts of feelings. I have to definitely point out that there are triggers for self-harm and suicide in this one. The book hit home for me, as I lost a dear cousin-who was more like a sister to me-to suicide. She was a little older than Lana when she died, but I saw a lot of similarity between the two, and I could understand some of Jen's frustration and sadness with her daughter because of it. Because, honestly, a lot of this book is just sad and depressing.
It's written in short snippets, not long chapters, each with a title, and they are all told from Jen's perspective. I would have liked to have heard from Lana sometimes. Because this is Emma Healey, many of these little pieces and insights are brilliant, truly. But, also, I won't lie, some of this book is a slog. It mirrors living with someone with depression--it's slow, painful, and tough. I wouldn't call this a fun read, even though I could definitely enjoy some of the breakthroughs and beautiful moments Lana and Jen did share.
While the premise of this book is finding out what happened to Lana, much of it is just Jen and Lana's daily life--trying to find themselves after Lana's disappearance. You see the guilt Jen feels about her daughter's mental illness and the complications of motherhood--how hard it can be. Jen's older daughter Meg and her husband, Hugh, are more supporting characters to the Jen and Lana show. There definitely are some humorous pieces among the sad parts--Jen and her husband struggling to raise a teen, Jen's interactions with her mom stand out. And Lana, as she comes across through her mom's eyes, is an interesting and dynamic character. Her grim sense of humor is enjoyable, too.
I found this novel to be very driven by emotions and to be a deep look at a family who is torn apart not only by Lana's disappearance, but by mental illness. I think, too, overall it does a very good job portraying what mental illness can do to a family. Even Lana's descriptions of what her depression feels like are quite well-done. So much of the book actually made me feel tense on Jen's behalf, and you just can't help but feel so sad and scared for both Jen and Lana. The little snippets of the book really do a good job of capturing moments--that is life, after all. A series of moments that add up.
I wish that Jen had been less obsessed with figuring out what had happened to Lana, but I think I can understand where it came from (her fear). For a little bit, I wasn't sure I could push through the book, but I was also motivated to figure out where Lana had been for those four days, and I was attached to Lana (and even Jen), I won't lie. The end of the book also redeemed it for me. There was something about it that made it all work.
This book isn't for everyone, and in some ways, I even have trouble recommending it for those who have struggled with mental illness, because it can be really triggering. Still, I think the author treated the topic very respectfully. I couldn't help but feel for Jen and I really found myself wanting to help Lana, to reach out to her. Healey really does know how to create nuanced characters. Still, if this is your first time reading her, I can't help but recommend the amazing Elizabeth Is Missing, which I just adore. Still, it has its lovely moments and is certainly well-written, if not a slow read.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).