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Louise (64 KP) rated The Moonlight Dreamers in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I won a copy of this book over at Maximumpopbooks in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book all about friendship.It was a cute, fun and heart warming read and I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way.
Amber is sick and tired of being treated differently at school, she is not one to conform. All the girls at school are obsessed with beauty, fashion and boys! All she wants is to have a proper conversation with someone her own age about her interests and not to be judged on her views. Inspired by her favourite author Oscar Wilde she plans to start a group called the Moonlight Dreamers, where she can find like-minded people, others who have dreams,others that are different and can talk about anything in the group without being taunted. Four girls join the group but they couldn’t be more different.
Amber,Sky, Maali and Rose couldn’t be more different. Amber is being bullied at school, the main reason being that she has two dads, also she is not getting on with one of them and is leaving her quite stressed. She tries to de-stress with writing on her blog and starting the Moonlight Dreamers. Sky is still grieving for her mother, trying to become a poet and perform in front of others whilst her dad is canoodling with a celebrity. Maali is trying to get the courage to speak to boys so one day she will find her soul mate and Rose is sick and tired of being told what to do by her mother and feeling pressurised by her boyfriend. These girls were so different from one another,we had different religions, race and backgrounds. There was also so much creativity from poetry, writing, art and baking.The diversity in this book was amazing. As soon as I had read that Amber had two dads I knew that I was going to enjoy this book, I have never read anything where there have been same-sex parents and loved that Siobhan Curham added it into the book. There were parts in the book where I was so worried for some of the characters that I was reading as fast as possible to make sure they were alright.
" Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”
The book is mostly about developing friendships, families and identity. I liked that this book had no romance in it and it wasn’t needed as there was so much going in on with the girls lives that you were focused on their individual issues. The book was fast paced with a short paragraph or two from each of their point of views. There were also different formats used such as texts, emails and notes from blogs which made the book read quicker.
This book was so honest and relatable,the problems that Teenagers go through at school such as not fitting in, bullying,boyfriends,sex etc etcera. Parents are being……well… Parents!,you know what it’s like when your young, your parents are insufferable, embarrassing and doing everything in their power to make your life hell. I think this book will be great for teenagers and very influential, I personally would have loved a secret society when I was at school.
The ending was really heart warming and wrapped up nicely. My favourite characters from the book are Rose and Maali, I would say this book is for younger YA readers from 13+
I rated this 4.25 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book all about friendship.It was a cute, fun and heart warming read and I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way.
Amber is sick and tired of being treated differently at school, she is not one to conform. All the girls at school are obsessed with beauty, fashion and boys! All she wants is to have a proper conversation with someone her own age about her interests and not to be judged on her views. Inspired by her favourite author Oscar Wilde she plans to start a group called the Moonlight Dreamers, where she can find like-minded people, others who have dreams,others that are different and can talk about anything in the group without being taunted. Four girls join the group but they couldn’t be more different.
Amber,Sky, Maali and Rose couldn’t be more different. Amber is being bullied at school, the main reason being that she has two dads, also she is not getting on with one of them and is leaving her quite stressed. She tries to de-stress with writing on her blog and starting the Moonlight Dreamers. Sky is still grieving for her mother, trying to become a poet and perform in front of others whilst her dad is canoodling with a celebrity. Maali is trying to get the courage to speak to boys so one day she will find her soul mate and Rose is sick and tired of being told what to do by her mother and feeling pressurised by her boyfriend. These girls were so different from one another,we had different religions, race and backgrounds. There was also so much creativity from poetry, writing, art and baking.The diversity in this book was amazing. As soon as I had read that Amber had two dads I knew that I was going to enjoy this book, I have never read anything where there have been same-sex parents and loved that Siobhan Curham added it into the book. There were parts in the book where I was so worried for some of the characters that I was reading as fast as possible to make sure they were alright.
" Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”
The book is mostly about developing friendships, families and identity. I liked that this book had no romance in it and it wasn’t needed as there was so much going in on with the girls lives that you were focused on their individual issues. The book was fast paced with a short paragraph or two from each of their point of views. There were also different formats used such as texts, emails and notes from blogs which made the book read quicker.
This book was so honest and relatable,the problems that Teenagers go through at school such as not fitting in, bullying,boyfriends,sex etc etcera. Parents are being……well… Parents!,you know what it’s like when your young, your parents are insufferable, embarrassing and doing everything in their power to make your life hell. I think this book will be great for teenagers and very influential, I personally would have loved a secret society when I was at school.
The ending was really heart warming and wrapped up nicely. My favourite characters from the book are Rose and Maali, I would say this book is for younger YA readers from 13+
I rated this 4.25 out of 5 stars
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Falling Short in Books
Oct 2, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
When I first found out about Falling Short, written by Lex Coulton, the blurb promised to be ''fresh, funny and life-affirming''. I am sorry, but no. That is not correct. This book was none of those things. It wasn’t bad at all, but I would prefer describing it as a slow-paced, and confusingly complex in an unsatisfying way.
About the book:
Frances Pilgrim’s father went missing when she was five, and ever since all sorts of things have been going astray: car keys, promotions, a series of underwhelming and unsuitable boyfriends . . . Now here she is, thirty-bloody-nine, teaching Shakespeare to rowdy sixth formers and still losing things.
But she has a much more pressing problem. Her mother, whose odd behaviour Frances has long put down to eccentricity, is slowly yielding to Alzheimer’s, leaving Frances with some disturbing questions about her father’s disappearance, and the family history she’s always believed in. Frances could really do with someone to talk to. Ideally Jackson: fellow teacher, dedicated hedonist, erstwhile best friend. Only they haven’t spoken since that night last summer when things got complicated . . .
As the new school year begins, and her mother’s behavior becomes more and more erratic, Frances realizes that she might just have a chance to find something for once. But will it be what she’s looking for?
My thoughts:
I am usually good at explaining why I don’t like a certain book, or why I feel the way I feel, and believe me, with this one, I have spent two days and 6 sittings in front of this draft (now published post) to try and write about it. So I am doing my best now…
First of all, there has to be something about a certain book to make me want to read it. With this one – there were two things:
I love romance and intrigue, and the blurb promised two people not really talking to each other, but sparks flying around… so yes, that got me.
The Alzheimer’s disease – as a person that has worked with people suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer’s, this subject is very close to my heart. I couldn’t miss this book for this reason.
Now – the romance part disappointed me, as there was no romance. No romance at all. Unless, of course, you count as a romance a person in their mid-forties sleeping around with drunk teens, and is then too complicated of a character to even realise who he loves, and why, and the moment he does, he still has no idea what to do with that information.
The other disappointment I had was that I expected to read about the Alzheimer’s, and not only that they weren’t there, but also some of the symptoms mentioned were not correct at all. There were only sex relationships and sex scenes, and that was supposed to define their relationship in the end. Not realistic at all.
Even though it seems that we follow Frances’s story throughout, we actually follow Jackson’s story as well. Their characters were too complicated and confusing for me, and it let me to now feel nor care about them at all. I honestly cared about Frances’s dog the most in this book.
The plot wasn’t perfect – there were times when the information given didn’t match.
[SPOILER ALERT]
The scene how Frances searches on Google to find the address of her dad. We are then told that she found out his address through Jean. Which one is it, then?
I am actually quite sad that I didn’t enjoy this book, but I will still be curious about new works from Lex Coulton, because, somehow, I really liked her writing style, despite all the flaws.
About the book:
Frances Pilgrim’s father went missing when she was five, and ever since all sorts of things have been going astray: car keys, promotions, a series of underwhelming and unsuitable boyfriends . . . Now here she is, thirty-bloody-nine, teaching Shakespeare to rowdy sixth formers and still losing things.
But she has a much more pressing problem. Her mother, whose odd behaviour Frances has long put down to eccentricity, is slowly yielding to Alzheimer’s, leaving Frances with some disturbing questions about her father’s disappearance, and the family history she’s always believed in. Frances could really do with someone to talk to. Ideally Jackson: fellow teacher, dedicated hedonist, erstwhile best friend. Only they haven’t spoken since that night last summer when things got complicated . . .
As the new school year begins, and her mother’s behavior becomes more and more erratic, Frances realizes that she might just have a chance to find something for once. But will it be what she’s looking for?
My thoughts:
I am usually good at explaining why I don’t like a certain book, or why I feel the way I feel, and believe me, with this one, I have spent two days and 6 sittings in front of this draft (now published post) to try and write about it. So I am doing my best now…
First of all, there has to be something about a certain book to make me want to read it. With this one – there were two things:
I love romance and intrigue, and the blurb promised two people not really talking to each other, but sparks flying around… so yes, that got me.
The Alzheimer’s disease – as a person that has worked with people suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer’s, this subject is very close to my heart. I couldn’t miss this book for this reason.
Now – the romance part disappointed me, as there was no romance. No romance at all. Unless, of course, you count as a romance a person in their mid-forties sleeping around with drunk teens, and is then too complicated of a character to even realise who he loves, and why, and the moment he does, he still has no idea what to do with that information.
The other disappointment I had was that I expected to read about the Alzheimer’s, and not only that they weren’t there, but also some of the symptoms mentioned were not correct at all. There were only sex relationships and sex scenes, and that was supposed to define their relationship in the end. Not realistic at all.
Even though it seems that we follow Frances’s story throughout, we actually follow Jackson’s story as well. Their characters were too complicated and confusing for me, and it let me to now feel nor care about them at all. I honestly cared about Frances’s dog the most in this book.
The plot wasn’t perfect – there were times when the information given didn’t match.
[SPOILER ALERT]
The scene how Frances searches on Google to find the address of her dad. We are then told that she found out his address through Jean. Which one is it, then?
I am actually quite sad that I didn’t enjoy this book, but I will still be curious about new works from Lex Coulton, because, somehow, I really liked her writing style, despite all the flaws.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Phantom Thread (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
“There’s an air of quiet death in this house”.
The alleged acting swan-song of Daniel Day-Lewis (“Lincoln“) sees him deliver a brilliantly intense portrayal of a maestro in his craft with all the quirks and egotistical faults that come with that position.
Reynolds Woodcock is the craftsman behind a world-renowned 1950’s fashion house, in demand from the elite classes and even royalty. He has a magnetic personality, is overtly self-confident, obsessive, a cruel bully and treats his girlfriends as chattels that he can tire of and dismiss from his life without a backward glance. Trying to keep the business and Reynolds on track, with ruthless efficiency, is his sister Cyril (Leslie Manville, “Maleficent“).
Looking for his next conquest during a trip to his seaside residence, he reels in blushing young waitress Alma (Vicky Krieps, “The Colony”). But he gets more than he bargains for.
This is a really exquisite and gentle film. Aside from some dubious fungi-related practices, there is no violence, no sex and – aside from about half a dozen well-chosen F-words – limited swearing (of which more below). This is a study of the developing relationship between the two protagonists, with little in the way of plot. Sounds dull? Far from it. This is two hours that flew by.
What it also features is (yet) another example of extremely strong women asserting their power. A scene (well trailed in Manville’s award snippets) where Cyril firmly puts Reynolds back in his box is brilliant: a real turning of tables with Woodcock meekly falling into line. And Alma makes for an incredibly rich and complicated character, one of the most interesting female roles I’ve seen this year so far.
It’s a stellar acting performance from Day-Lewis, and while Oldman fully deserves all of his award kudos for “Darkest Hour”, Day-Lewis delivers the goods without any of the make-up. It feels like Day-Lewis is a long way down the betting odds this year because “he always gets one”. He certainly gets my vote ahead of all of the other three nominees.
Kreips – not an actress I know – also brilliantly holds her own, and if it wasn’t such a strong female field this year she could well have been nominated.
Also worthy of note is the pervasive piano score by (suprisingly) Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. It’s really lovely and counterpoints the rest of the classical score nicely. Its BAFTA and Oscar nominations are both well deserved (though I would expect the Oscar to follow the BAFTA steer with “The Shape of Water“).
All in all, this is a real tour de force by writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson (“Inherent Vice”, “There Will Be Blood”). How much I enjoyed this film was a surprise to me, since I have no interest in the “fashion industry” (as my family will no doubt be quick to point out!) and I went to see this more out of ‘duty’ based on its Oscar buzz than because I really wanted to see it.
The big curiosity is why exactly the BBFC decided that this film was worthy of a 15 certificate rather than a 12A. Their comments on the film say “There is strong language (‘f**k’), as well as milder terms including ‘bloody’ and ‘hell’. Other issues include mild sex references and scenes of emotional upset. In one scene, a woman’s nipples are visible through her slip while she is measured for a dress.” For a 12A, the board say “The use of strong language (for example, ‘f***’) must be infrequent”. I didn’t count the f-words… but as I said I don’t think it amounts to more than a half-dozen. Is that “frequent”? And – SHOCK, HORROR… visible covered nipples you say?! Lock up your teenagers! When you look at the gentleness of this film versus the violence within “Black Panther”, you have to question this disparity.
Reynolds Woodcock is the craftsman behind a world-renowned 1950’s fashion house, in demand from the elite classes and even royalty. He has a magnetic personality, is overtly self-confident, obsessive, a cruel bully and treats his girlfriends as chattels that he can tire of and dismiss from his life without a backward glance. Trying to keep the business and Reynolds on track, with ruthless efficiency, is his sister Cyril (Leslie Manville, “Maleficent“).
Looking for his next conquest during a trip to his seaside residence, he reels in blushing young waitress Alma (Vicky Krieps, “The Colony”). But he gets more than he bargains for.
This is a really exquisite and gentle film. Aside from some dubious fungi-related practices, there is no violence, no sex and – aside from about half a dozen well-chosen F-words – limited swearing (of which more below). This is a study of the developing relationship between the two protagonists, with little in the way of plot. Sounds dull? Far from it. This is two hours that flew by.
What it also features is (yet) another example of extremely strong women asserting their power. A scene (well trailed in Manville’s award snippets) where Cyril firmly puts Reynolds back in his box is brilliant: a real turning of tables with Woodcock meekly falling into line. And Alma makes for an incredibly rich and complicated character, one of the most interesting female roles I’ve seen this year so far.
It’s a stellar acting performance from Day-Lewis, and while Oldman fully deserves all of his award kudos for “Darkest Hour”, Day-Lewis delivers the goods without any of the make-up. It feels like Day-Lewis is a long way down the betting odds this year because “he always gets one”. He certainly gets my vote ahead of all of the other three nominees.
Kreips – not an actress I know – also brilliantly holds her own, and if it wasn’t such a strong female field this year she could well have been nominated.
Also worthy of note is the pervasive piano score by (suprisingly) Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. It’s really lovely and counterpoints the rest of the classical score nicely. Its BAFTA and Oscar nominations are both well deserved (though I would expect the Oscar to follow the BAFTA steer with “The Shape of Water“).
All in all, this is a real tour de force by writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson (“Inherent Vice”, “There Will Be Blood”). How much I enjoyed this film was a surprise to me, since I have no interest in the “fashion industry” (as my family will no doubt be quick to point out!) and I went to see this more out of ‘duty’ based on its Oscar buzz than because I really wanted to see it.
The big curiosity is why exactly the BBFC decided that this film was worthy of a 15 certificate rather than a 12A. Their comments on the film say “There is strong language (‘f**k’), as well as milder terms including ‘bloody’ and ‘hell’. Other issues include mild sex references and scenes of emotional upset. In one scene, a woman’s nipples are visible through her slip while she is measured for a dress.” For a 12A, the board say “The use of strong language (for example, ‘f***’) must be infrequent”. I didn’t count the f-words… but as I said I don’t think it amounts to more than a half-dozen. Is that “frequent”? And – SHOCK, HORROR… visible covered nipples you say?! Lock up your teenagers! When you look at the gentleness of this film versus the violence within “Black Panther”, you have to question this disparity.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Shape of Water (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
A mystical tale of fish and fingers.
With perfect timing after scooping 13 Oscar nominations, “The Shape of Water” arrives for preview screenings in the UK. Is it worth all the hype?
Well, in a word, yes.
Not since Spielberg entranced the world in 1982 with a love story between an isolated and lonely child and an alien, stranded a million light-years from home, have we seen a magical fairy-tale so well told.
Cleaning up at the (box) office. Sally Hawkins and Doug Jones as the creature.
Here Lewisham’s own Sally Hawkins (“Paddington”, “Godzilla“) plays Elisa Esposito, an attractive but mousy mute living above a cinema and next door to her best friend: a struggling artist called Giles (Richard Jenkins). Sexually-frustrated, Elisa works out those tensions in the bath every morning before heading off to work as a cleaner at a government research institute. Together with partner Zelda Fuller (Octavia Spencer, “Hidden Figures“) she is asked to clean a highly secured room where a mysterious aquatic creature is being studied by the cruel and militaristic Strickland (Michael Shannon, “Midnight Special“, “Nocturnal Animals“) and the more compassionate scientist Hoffstetler. (The latter is played by Michael Stuhlbarg (“Miss Sloane“, “Steve Jobs“) in a performance that wasn’t recognised by the Academy, but for me really held the film’s story together). Elisa forms a relationship with the creature, and as the scientific investigations turn darker, she becomes determined to help him.
When you think about it, the similarities in the screenplay with E.T. are quite striking. But this is most definitely not a kid’s film, containing full frontal nudity, sex and some considerable violence, some of it “hands-over-the-eyes” worthy. Most of this violence comes courtesy of Shannon’s character, who is truly monstrous. He is uncontrollably vicious, single-minded and amoral: a hand over the mouth to silence his wife during vigourous sex cleverly belies where his true lust currently lies. (Shannon is just so convincing in all of his roles that, after “Nocturnal Animals“, it is a bit of a surprise to see that he is still alive and well!)
It’s worth pointing out for balance at this point that my wife thought this portrayal was over-egged for its villany, and she rated the film less highly than I did because of it.
Michael Shannon as evil incarnate.
So its no Oscar nomination this time for Shannon as a supporting actor. But that honour goes to Richard Jenkins, who is spectacularly good as the movie-musical-loving and pie-munching neighbour who is drawn unwillingly into Elisa’s plans. Giles is a richly fashioned character – also the film’s narrator – who struggles to fit in with the cruel and rascist 1962 world that he finds himself in. “Sometimes I think I was born too early or too late for my life” he bemoans to the creature whose loneliness he relates to. A scene in a cafe where he fastidiously wipes all traces of pie-filling from his tongue is masterfully done.
Richard Hawkins and Sally Hawkins, hatching a plan.
Octavia Spencer is also Oscar nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and it’s a magical partnership she shares with Hawkins, with each bouncing off each other wonderfully.
This leads to a ‘no brainer’ Oscar nomination for Sally Hawkins who delivers a star turn. She has to go through such a huge range of emotions in this film, and she genuinely makes you really care about the outcome like few films this year. It’s a little tricky since I haven’t seen “I Tonya” or “Ladybird” yet, but I would have thought that Ms Hawkins is going to possibly give Frances McDormand the closest run for her money on March 4th. My money would still be on McDormand for “3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri“, but the Oscar voters are bound to love “The Shape of Water”. For like “La La Land” last year, the film is (rather surprisingly for me) another love letter to Hollywood’s golden years, with Elisa and Giles living out their lives with classic movie music and dance numbers: a medium that Elisa only ever truly finds here “voice” through.
Eliza and Zelda about to give two fingers to the establishment.
In the technical categories the Oscar nominations were for Cinematography (Dan Laustsen); Film Editing (Sidney Wolinsky); Sound Editing (Nathan Robitaille and Nelson Ferreira); Sound Mixing (Glen Gauthier, Christian Cooke and Brad Zoern); Production Design (Paul D. Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin and Shane Vieau); Original Score (Alexandre Desplat) and Costume Design (Luis Sequeira). And you really wouldn’t want to bet against any of these not to win, for the film is a technical delight. Right from the dreamlike opening titles (arguably, they missed a deserved nomination here for Visual Effects), the film is gorgeous to look at, with such brilliant detail in the production design that there is interesting stuff to look at in every frame. And the film editing is extraordinary: Elisa wobbles on the bucket she’s standing on, but it’s Strickland’s butt, perched on a table, that slips off. This is a film that deserves multiple repeat viewings.
The monster feeding the monster. Nick Searcy as General Hoyt with Strickland (Michael Shannon).
An the helm is the multi-talented Guillermo del Toro (“Pacific Rim”, “Crimson Peak”) who both directed and co-wrote the exceptionally smart screenplay (with Vanessa Taylor, “Divergent”) and is nominated for both. I actually found the story to be rather predictable, as regards Elisa’s story arc, but that in no way reduced my enjoyment of the film. For the “original screenplay” is nothing if not “original”…. it’s witty, intelligent and shocking at different turns.
The violence and sex won’t be for everyone… but this is a deep and rich movie experience that everyone who loves the movies should at least appreciate… hopefully in a dry cinema!
Well, in a word, yes.
Not since Spielberg entranced the world in 1982 with a love story between an isolated and lonely child and an alien, stranded a million light-years from home, have we seen a magical fairy-tale so well told.
Cleaning up at the (box) office. Sally Hawkins and Doug Jones as the creature.
Here Lewisham’s own Sally Hawkins (“Paddington”, “Godzilla“) plays Elisa Esposito, an attractive but mousy mute living above a cinema and next door to her best friend: a struggling artist called Giles (Richard Jenkins). Sexually-frustrated, Elisa works out those tensions in the bath every morning before heading off to work as a cleaner at a government research institute. Together with partner Zelda Fuller (Octavia Spencer, “Hidden Figures“) she is asked to clean a highly secured room where a mysterious aquatic creature is being studied by the cruel and militaristic Strickland (Michael Shannon, “Midnight Special“, “Nocturnal Animals“) and the more compassionate scientist Hoffstetler. (The latter is played by Michael Stuhlbarg (“Miss Sloane“, “Steve Jobs“) in a performance that wasn’t recognised by the Academy, but for me really held the film’s story together). Elisa forms a relationship with the creature, and as the scientific investigations turn darker, she becomes determined to help him.
When you think about it, the similarities in the screenplay with E.T. are quite striking. But this is most definitely not a kid’s film, containing full frontal nudity, sex and some considerable violence, some of it “hands-over-the-eyes” worthy. Most of this violence comes courtesy of Shannon’s character, who is truly monstrous. He is uncontrollably vicious, single-minded and amoral: a hand over the mouth to silence his wife during vigourous sex cleverly belies where his true lust currently lies. (Shannon is just so convincing in all of his roles that, after “Nocturnal Animals“, it is a bit of a surprise to see that he is still alive and well!)
It’s worth pointing out for balance at this point that my wife thought this portrayal was over-egged for its villany, and she rated the film less highly than I did because of it.
Michael Shannon as evil incarnate.
So its no Oscar nomination this time for Shannon as a supporting actor. But that honour goes to Richard Jenkins, who is spectacularly good as the movie-musical-loving and pie-munching neighbour who is drawn unwillingly into Elisa’s plans. Giles is a richly fashioned character – also the film’s narrator – who struggles to fit in with the cruel and rascist 1962 world that he finds himself in. “Sometimes I think I was born too early or too late for my life” he bemoans to the creature whose loneliness he relates to. A scene in a cafe where he fastidiously wipes all traces of pie-filling from his tongue is masterfully done.
Richard Hawkins and Sally Hawkins, hatching a plan.
Octavia Spencer is also Oscar nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and it’s a magical partnership she shares with Hawkins, with each bouncing off each other wonderfully.
This leads to a ‘no brainer’ Oscar nomination for Sally Hawkins who delivers a star turn. She has to go through such a huge range of emotions in this film, and she genuinely makes you really care about the outcome like few films this year. It’s a little tricky since I haven’t seen “I Tonya” or “Ladybird” yet, but I would have thought that Ms Hawkins is going to possibly give Frances McDormand the closest run for her money on March 4th. My money would still be on McDormand for “3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri“, but the Oscar voters are bound to love “The Shape of Water”. For like “La La Land” last year, the film is (rather surprisingly for me) another love letter to Hollywood’s golden years, with Elisa and Giles living out their lives with classic movie music and dance numbers: a medium that Elisa only ever truly finds here “voice” through.
Eliza and Zelda about to give two fingers to the establishment.
In the technical categories the Oscar nominations were for Cinematography (Dan Laustsen); Film Editing (Sidney Wolinsky); Sound Editing (Nathan Robitaille and Nelson Ferreira); Sound Mixing (Glen Gauthier, Christian Cooke and Brad Zoern); Production Design (Paul D. Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin and Shane Vieau); Original Score (Alexandre Desplat) and Costume Design (Luis Sequeira). And you really wouldn’t want to bet against any of these not to win, for the film is a technical delight. Right from the dreamlike opening titles (arguably, they missed a deserved nomination here for Visual Effects), the film is gorgeous to look at, with such brilliant detail in the production design that there is interesting stuff to look at in every frame. And the film editing is extraordinary: Elisa wobbles on the bucket she’s standing on, but it’s Strickland’s butt, perched on a table, that slips off. This is a film that deserves multiple repeat viewings.
The monster feeding the monster. Nick Searcy as General Hoyt with Strickland (Michael Shannon).
An the helm is the multi-talented Guillermo del Toro (“Pacific Rim”, “Crimson Peak”) who both directed and co-wrote the exceptionally smart screenplay (with Vanessa Taylor, “Divergent”) and is nominated for both. I actually found the story to be rather predictable, as regards Elisa’s story arc, but that in no way reduced my enjoyment of the film. For the “original screenplay” is nothing if not “original”…. it’s witty, intelligent and shocking at different turns.
The violence and sex won’t be for everyone… but this is a deep and rich movie experience that everyone who loves the movies should at least appreciate… hopefully in a dry cinema!
Merissa (12854 KP) rated Down on the Farm (Ames Bridge #1) in Books
Oct 24, 2017
Down on the Farm (Ames Bridge #1) by Silvia Violet
Down on the Farm is the first book in the Ames Bridge series, and we meet Beck, who has returned to the town he grew up in to sort out his grandma's home, and get some respite from the stress that he has been under recently. The only trouble is his grandma's house is right next door to the guy that Beck had a crush on when he was younger, but who bullied Beck whenever he saw him.
This story got me from the start. Beck and Cal have an instant spark between them that everyone else can see. Cal is worried, with reason, about how being 'out' and dating will affect his farm. He already struggles because of his sexuality, and thinks dating will just make it even harder. Beck has to learn that Cal has changed from his younger days, and perhaps, there is a chance for them both.
Down on the Farm is full of amazing characters, some huggable, some punchable. Either way, they are never bland, and it does give an insight into just how hard it might be. There is plenty of story, with steamy bits too (gotta say, I loved the barn scene! phew!!) It isn't all about the sex though, but about how these two men have to think about what they want and if they are brave enough to reach out for it.
With no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pacing was smooth, with enough angst to make it tense in places. Highly recommended by me.
Oh, and one other thing - can I just say how much I loved Elsie and Irene! A couple of stars right there. And I certainly hope they make an appearance in future books.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This story got me from the start. Beck and Cal have an instant spark between them that everyone else can see. Cal is worried, with reason, about how being 'out' and dating will affect his farm. He already struggles because of his sexuality, and thinks dating will just make it even harder. Beck has to learn that Cal has changed from his younger days, and perhaps, there is a chance for them both.
Down on the Farm is full of amazing characters, some huggable, some punchable. Either way, they are never bland, and it does give an insight into just how hard it might be. There is plenty of story, with steamy bits too (gotta say, I loved the barn scene! phew!!) It isn't all about the sex though, but about how these two men have to think about what they want and if they are brave enough to reach out for it.
With no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pacing was smooth, with enough angst to make it tense in places. Highly recommended by me.
Oh, and one other thing - can I just say how much I loved Elsie and Irene! A couple of stars right there. And I certainly hope they make an appearance in future books.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Annie Chanse (15 KP) rated The Dream Runner in Books
Dec 19, 2017
Contains spoilers, click to show
DEFINITELY DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!!!!!!
Hmmmm.... I am of a mixed mind about this book. First of all -- my very first thought? It ended much too abruptly. I was reading right along, and all of a sudden, I turn the page expecting to see the next paragraph and see "Thank you so much for reading 'The Dream Runner' by Kerry Schafer!"
What what?!?!
Totally threw me off... completely. I realize this was a novella AND part of a series to boot, but still... very disappointing ending.
On the plus side of things, the premise for the book was pretty great. Custom-tailored dreams, made to order? Piping hot, fresh, and delivered in 40 minutes or less or its free? (Wait... is that pizza?)
Still. Very cool. I even really like the mystery surrounding the Dream Merchant. But Jesse is not a great protagonist. I felt no empathy for her at all. She suffered a terrible loss as a teenager, but her reaction to it is so far BEYOND extreme... she literally terrorizes her ex lover every night in her custom dream world because he killed her father in a complete freak accident to which he could not POSSIBLY have changed the outcome. Even at the end, when she has her big moment of honesty and self-realization... yeah. It actually made me like her even less.
Furthermore, some of the scenes in the book were very "out of left field" and felt very forced. There was no reason for them at all. It was as though the author thought, 'Hmmmm...maybe people would enjoy this more if I threw some obligatory sex in there. Or at least hint at it.' But it is very clumsily done and adds nothing to the story.
However, all that being said, this was by no means the worst book I have ever read. With a lot of work, I think this could potentially be turned around and made into a great series.
Hmmmm.... I am of a mixed mind about this book. First of all -- my very first thought? It ended much too abruptly. I was reading right along, and all of a sudden, I turn the page expecting to see the next paragraph and see "Thank you so much for reading 'The Dream Runner' by Kerry Schafer!"
What what?!?!
Totally threw me off... completely. I realize this was a novella AND part of a series to boot, but still... very disappointing ending.
On the plus side of things, the premise for the book was pretty great. Custom-tailored dreams, made to order? Piping hot, fresh, and delivered in 40 minutes or less or its free? (Wait... is that pizza?)
Still. Very cool. I even really like the mystery surrounding the Dream Merchant. But Jesse is not a great protagonist. I felt no empathy for her at all. She suffered a terrible loss as a teenager, but her reaction to it is so far BEYOND extreme... she literally terrorizes her ex lover every night in her custom dream world because he killed her father in a complete freak accident to which he could not POSSIBLY have changed the outcome. Even at the end, when she has her big moment of honesty and self-realization... yeah. It actually made me like her even less.
Furthermore, some of the scenes in the book were very "out of left field" and felt very forced. There was no reason for them at all. It was as though the author thought, 'Hmmmm...maybe people would enjoy this more if I threw some obligatory sex in there. Or at least hint at it.' But it is very clumsily done and adds nothing to the story.
However, all that being said, this was by no means the worst book I have ever read. With a lot of work, I think this could potentially be turned around and made into a great series.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Happy Birthday to Me (Birthday Trilogy, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Cameron was that typical jock who only cared about his sexy girlfriend and how soon she'd let him sleep with her. He got drunk and insulted his pretty waitress—which was a bad idea because she turned out to be a witch of sorts. She laid a curse on him out of spite: Every day, he grew to be one year older.
As he aged rapidly he was faced with a reality check: His life would end in a few short weeks. He would never see his graduation. His girlfriend breaks up with him and goes back to her ex. He's not sure if his parents love him or hate him. And they're not sure either.
Then he meets Leisel. And Leisel had her own secret.
The first third of the book frustrated me because Cameron was stupid, rude, immature, irresponsible, and disrespectful. But further in, I started to feel for him a little more. Near the last third of the book I was really enjoying it, I liked all the characters more (or less, in his girlfriend's case) and I was hooked on the story. It was fast-paced and interesting. I think the part I liked most was watching Cameron change from an obnoxious jerk into someone who had some depth and good qualities. It was what I wanted to see, and it made me happy to see him change.
The writing was a little frustrating only because there were ALL CAPS sprinkled in through the book. Now I understand why Rowe used all caps (If I woke up and looked like a thirty year old, I'd say everything in all caps too) but it still makes the editor in me cringe. Aside from that, I liked the writing and the style, I liked the pacing, I liked the humor, and I liked the dialogue. I don't often find a self-published book with good writing, so I'm wary to accept them. I'm glad I made an exception!
Content/Recommendation: Some language, some sexual references, no sex. Ages 16+
As he aged rapidly he was faced with a reality check: His life would end in a few short weeks. He would never see his graduation. His girlfriend breaks up with him and goes back to her ex. He's not sure if his parents love him or hate him. And they're not sure either.
Then he meets Leisel. And Leisel had her own secret.
The first third of the book frustrated me because Cameron was stupid, rude, immature, irresponsible, and disrespectful. But further in, I started to feel for him a little more. Near the last third of the book I was really enjoying it, I liked all the characters more (or less, in his girlfriend's case) and I was hooked on the story. It was fast-paced and interesting. I think the part I liked most was watching Cameron change from an obnoxious jerk into someone who had some depth and good qualities. It was what I wanted to see, and it made me happy to see him change.
The writing was a little frustrating only because there were ALL CAPS sprinkled in through the book. Now I understand why Rowe used all caps (If I woke up and looked like a thirty year old, I'd say everything in all caps too) but it still makes the editor in me cringe. Aside from that, I liked the writing and the style, I liked the pacing, I liked the humor, and I liked the dialogue. I don't often find a self-published book with good writing, so I'm wary to accept them. I'm glad I made an exception!
Content/Recommendation: Some language, some sexual references, no sex. Ages 16+
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Triangles in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The thing about Ellen Hopkins is she writes about the stuff that everyone knows happens, but nobody is willing to admit to. She gives emotion and reason to why people make the choices we do, and what they feel like in the middle of a messy hurtful situation. She is the opposite of happyland syndrome. She tells it how it is.
I had read a little bit of Hopkins's work before: I started Crank (When I say started I mean read the first few pages) and loved it, but I was busy and never got the chance to get into it. But I got an ARC of Triangles, so I sat down and read it—and after one page I was hooked.
If you've been reading my blog at all, you know I'm not a person who likes stories about love gone wrong and marriages failing and extramarital sex etc. because I'm a Christian, and a romantic, and a softie (read 'wimp'). But I went ahead and dove into this book, because I knew Hopkins is a good writer.
It surpassed my expectations. I should have expected her to be this awesome, since obviously she's pretty famous and everyone else figured it out before I did, but I really am blown away, not only by her blunt yet graceful storytelling, but by her nerve to tackle the stories nobody wants to tell: a dying child, a gay son, a pregnant teen, sexual disease, threesomes, a woman sleeping with her best friend's husband… it's all in here. Yet, it's not plot overkill. She made it work. Somehow.
Though, be warned. Since she does say it like it is, this book is not for the easily offended. But if you're willing to look past the content, there's a gem waiting for you about forgiveness, hope, and what love really means.
Content/recommendation: explicit sexual content, swearing. Ages 18+
I had read a little bit of Hopkins's work before: I started Crank (When I say started I mean read the first few pages) and loved it, but I was busy and never got the chance to get into it. But I got an ARC of Triangles, so I sat down and read it—and after one page I was hooked.
If you've been reading my blog at all, you know I'm not a person who likes stories about love gone wrong and marriages failing and extramarital sex etc. because I'm a Christian, and a romantic, and a softie (read 'wimp'). But I went ahead and dove into this book, because I knew Hopkins is a good writer.
It surpassed my expectations. I should have expected her to be this awesome, since obviously she's pretty famous and everyone else figured it out before I did, but I really am blown away, not only by her blunt yet graceful storytelling, but by her nerve to tackle the stories nobody wants to tell: a dying child, a gay son, a pregnant teen, sexual disease, threesomes, a woman sleeping with her best friend's husband… it's all in here. Yet, it's not plot overkill. She made it work. Somehow.
Though, be warned. Since she does say it like it is, this book is not for the easily offended. But if you're willing to look past the content, there's a gem waiting for you about forgiveness, hope, and what love really means.
Content/recommendation: explicit sexual content, swearing. Ages 18+