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Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Hillbilly Elegy (2020) in Movies
Apr 22, 2021
General Shoutiness and a glowering Glenn Close
I missed Ron Howard's "Hillbilly Elegy" when it came out at the end of last year, but principally wanted to catch up on it to see Glenn Close's Oscar nominated performance before Sunday's Oscars.
Positives:
- When this film started, I suspected that the Glenn Close nomination might be another 'Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love' - - where her acceptance speech is longer than the time spent on screen! But no. Because of the flashback format deployed in the film, she actually gets a good amount of air time. And it's a really solid and impressive performance.
- The supporting cast is also good. Amy Adams is given a lot to do with a challenging role, and (just about) pulls it off. And young Owen Asztalos as the younger J. D. particularly impressed me.
Negatives:
- Although it's based on J. D. Vance's true life story, I really struggled to get very invested in the story. The choppy nature of the narrative - hopping repeatedly between 'the present' and multiple flashback timelines - really doesn't help with this.
- The whole J. D. / Usha romance element almost felt like it belonged in a different film. In fact, I found it frustrating that I found the elements with J. D.'s struggles at college, with the emerging love and guidance of Usha, as a more compelling narrative than the druggie mother lead story. Perhaps the movie was just trying to be too ambitious?
- Apart from one 'personal decision' scene in a motel bedroom, there's not much of an "up-side" to the story for the viewer to take away. It's not a movie that I found a positive experience.
Viewer Advisory;
If you've had any history of life in a dysfunctional family, there is a lot of shouting, slapping and general tension in this movie which you might find disturbing.
Summary Thoughts:
So, I came to this to see the performance of Glenn Close, and it's very good. I would personally be surprised if she takes the Oscar for this. However, having been nominated eight times before and never won, the 'sympathy vote' may play here.
But one of my bellweathers for a movie is to think whether I'll remember it in six months time. I'm afraid this one is unlikely to pass the test. If you say "Hillbilly Elegy" to me in October, I'll probably recall a whole lot of shouty people and Glenn Close glowering at me from the screen. That's not a wholly great recommendation for a movie. Sorry Mr Howard, but this one's a 'miss' for me.
(For the full graphical review, please see the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/04/21/hillbilly-elegy-review/ ).
Positives:
- When this film started, I suspected that the Glenn Close nomination might be another 'Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love' - - where her acceptance speech is longer than the time spent on screen! But no. Because of the flashback format deployed in the film, she actually gets a good amount of air time. And it's a really solid and impressive performance.
- The supporting cast is also good. Amy Adams is given a lot to do with a challenging role, and (just about) pulls it off. And young Owen Asztalos as the younger J. D. particularly impressed me.
Negatives:
- Although it's based on J. D. Vance's true life story, I really struggled to get very invested in the story. The choppy nature of the narrative - hopping repeatedly between 'the present' and multiple flashback timelines - really doesn't help with this.
- The whole J. D. / Usha romance element almost felt like it belonged in a different film. In fact, I found it frustrating that I found the elements with J. D.'s struggles at college, with the emerging love and guidance of Usha, as a more compelling narrative than the druggie mother lead story. Perhaps the movie was just trying to be too ambitious?
- Apart from one 'personal decision' scene in a motel bedroom, there's not much of an "up-side" to the story for the viewer to take away. It's not a movie that I found a positive experience.
Viewer Advisory;
If you've had any history of life in a dysfunctional family, there is a lot of shouting, slapping and general tension in this movie which you might find disturbing.
Summary Thoughts:
So, I came to this to see the performance of Glenn Close, and it's very good. I would personally be surprised if she takes the Oscar for this. However, having been nominated eight times before and never won, the 'sympathy vote' may play here.
But one of my bellweathers for a movie is to think whether I'll remember it in six months time. I'm afraid this one is unlikely to pass the test. If you say "Hillbilly Elegy" to me in October, I'll probably recall a whole lot of shouty people and Glenn Close glowering at me from the screen. That's not a wholly great recommendation for a movie. Sorry Mr Howard, but this one's a 'miss' for me.
(For the full graphical review, please see the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/04/21/hillbilly-elegy-review/ ).
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Loving Mr. Daniels in Books
Jan 30, 2019
This book was mentioned several times in the blogging community, and I finally decided to check it out and see what all the fuss was about. I���d never read anything by Brittainy Cherry before, and the book sounded promising. Then I went on Goodreads and saw the slew of 5 star reviews (many were from my friends). As soon as payday rolled around I sat on my couch with my list of books to one click, and Loving Mr. Daniels was on the top of my list. I was determined to have this book. So, I bought it, and I couldn���t wait to start it. That day on my first break at work I started in on page 1 ���Absorbed in a stream of murky thoughts������ ooo this sounds promising already. Fifteen minutes later I had devoured the prologue and most of chapter 1, and I was trying to keep myself from crying. Sigh. From that point on sitting at my desk and trying to focus on my work was impossible. I kept looking at my kindle and I could hear it calling to me. ���Jessica���Jessica, you know you want to read me.��� I fought the good fight, but lunch hit and I was out of my seat scurrying to the break room hoping to get 45 minutes alone. I wanted to be alone with these amazing characters and pages.
The story of Ashlyn and Daniel was so fresh, which is exactly what I needed. Lately it seems like all the contemporary romance, new adult romance, and even the erotica books are all the same, and I was demanding something fresh. This was that story! Yes, it is a boy meets girl, woos her with Shakespeare inspired music, falls for her, and finds out she���s his student���WHAT?!?! Immediately, I thought of Pretty Little Liars, which I LOVE! Aria and Ezra���s story started like this���minus the Shakespeare band. This story has a twist to it, and I loved it. I loved that the author didn���t leave us hanging.
The characters in this book were phenomenally written. I felt like I knew them. I felt like the loss of a sister and a dear friend was changing me the same way it did Ashlyn. I laughed with her, I cried with her, and I regained faith in mankind with her. I loved that she had that one person for her that completely changed her world. Loving Mr. Daniels turned her world on its axis and changed her views on everything she held true.
<p><b>���I was convinced that everyone in the world had a form of weirdness to them. And the cool thing, at least I hoped so, was the idea that there was someone out there just as quirky as you were. The idea of finding your other weirdo was so attractive to me.���</b></p>
Ashlyn and Daniel are written in such a way that you feel like they are two people cut from the same mold. Ashlyn is young and hurting, torn apart by the death of her twin sister. She���s trying to move on, but is suddenly ripped out of her world and forced to live with her absentee father and his new family. Daniel is an English teacher and he is reeling from the recent death of both of his parents. Neither one knows how to move on and move past it, but together they forge ahead in this strange new world.
Hailey, Ryan, and Gabby are amazing supporting characters. Hailey and Ryan are brother and sister and they are the children of Ashlyn���s father���s new family. When they all first meet Ashlyn doesn���t like this dynamic duo. She doesn���t hate them but doesn���t really know what to think. As the book goes on there is a wonderful bond that forms between these three characters pulling them closer together, and has them sharing secrets with each other they never thought possible. Gabby is Ashlyn���s twin sister who loses her battle to leukemia at the opening of the book. She isn���t present in the physical sense, but she very much has a presence in this book. Each of the characters gets a chance to know Gabby in their own way.
<p><b>���You���re the reason people believe in tomorrow. You���re the voice that scares the shadows away. You���re the love that makes me breathe. So for the next few seconds, I���m going to be selfish. I���m going to say things that I don���t want you to listen to���Don���t go. Stay with me forever. Please, Ashlyn. Let me be your everything. Make me your golden. Don���t go.���</b></p>
If you���re a romance junkie like me, love Pretty Little Liars, or even a fan of P.S. I love you, than I implore you to go out and buy this book. If there is one book you read this summer, make it this one. Let yourself get swept up in this brilliantly beautiful love story. Spend time with these astoundingly well written characters and remember what first love feels like.
I give this book not just 5 stars, but all of the stars in the sky. Brittainy Cherry deserves every one of them. It���s been a long time since a book has stayed with me the way this one has. Loving Mr. Daniels will be my absolute favorite book of 2014 and possibly ever, I guarantee it. I���ve got a book hangover that's going to take me months to recover from.
The story of Ashlyn and Daniel was so fresh, which is exactly what I needed. Lately it seems like all the contemporary romance, new adult romance, and even the erotica books are all the same, and I was demanding something fresh. This was that story! Yes, it is a boy meets girl, woos her with Shakespeare inspired music, falls for her, and finds out she���s his student���WHAT?!?! Immediately, I thought of Pretty Little Liars, which I LOVE! Aria and Ezra���s story started like this���minus the Shakespeare band. This story has a twist to it, and I loved it. I loved that the author didn���t leave us hanging.
The characters in this book were phenomenally written. I felt like I knew them. I felt like the loss of a sister and a dear friend was changing me the same way it did Ashlyn. I laughed with her, I cried with her, and I regained faith in mankind with her. I loved that she had that one person for her that completely changed her world. Loving Mr. Daniels turned her world on its axis and changed her views on everything she held true.
<p><b>���I was convinced that everyone in the world had a form of weirdness to them. And the cool thing, at least I hoped so, was the idea that there was someone out there just as quirky as you were. The idea of finding your other weirdo was so attractive to me.���</b></p>
Ashlyn and Daniel are written in such a way that you feel like they are two people cut from the same mold. Ashlyn is young and hurting, torn apart by the death of her twin sister. She���s trying to move on, but is suddenly ripped out of her world and forced to live with her absentee father and his new family. Daniel is an English teacher and he is reeling from the recent death of both of his parents. Neither one knows how to move on and move past it, but together they forge ahead in this strange new world.
Hailey, Ryan, and Gabby are amazing supporting characters. Hailey and Ryan are brother and sister and they are the children of Ashlyn���s father���s new family. When they all first meet Ashlyn doesn���t like this dynamic duo. She doesn���t hate them but doesn���t really know what to think. As the book goes on there is a wonderful bond that forms between these three characters pulling them closer together, and has them sharing secrets with each other they never thought possible. Gabby is Ashlyn���s twin sister who loses her battle to leukemia at the opening of the book. She isn���t present in the physical sense, but she very much has a presence in this book. Each of the characters gets a chance to know Gabby in their own way.
<p><b>���You���re the reason people believe in tomorrow. You���re the voice that scares the shadows away. You���re the love that makes me breathe. So for the next few seconds, I���m going to be selfish. I���m going to say things that I don���t want you to listen to���Don���t go. Stay with me forever. Please, Ashlyn. Let me be your everything. Make me your golden. Don���t go.���</b></p>
If you���re a romance junkie like me, love Pretty Little Liars, or even a fan of P.S. I love you, than I implore you to go out and buy this book. If there is one book you read this summer, make it this one. Let yourself get swept up in this brilliantly beautiful love story. Spend time with these astoundingly well written characters and remember what first love feels like.
I give this book not just 5 stars, but all of the stars in the sky. Brittainy Cherry deserves every one of them. It���s been a long time since a book has stayed with me the way this one has. Loving Mr. Daniels will be my absolute favorite book of 2014 and possibly ever, I guarantee it. I���ve got a book hangover that's going to take me months to recover from.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Unrivalled in Books
May 25, 2017
Indistinctive
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Unrivalled is the first book in a new young adult series by Alyson Noël. Set in Hollywood, this story takes a look at what it is like to be young and famous, as well as what it is like to be aspiring to be. The lives of four eighteen year olds from completely different circumstances are suddenly thrown together in a prestigious competition to become the best promoter of VIP nightclubs owned by the infamous Ira Redmond.
Layla and Tommy, from less notable backgrounds, are determined to become famous through journalism and guitar playing. For Layla, this competition means winning enough money to go to college in New York. For Tommy, the prize will help him to move up from his lowly rented apartment and begin to make himself known. Aster, on the other hand, is already rich, she does not care about the money, she cares about winning. Winning means being noticed, which for an aspiring actress is an important career move.
The fourth character is already famous and is a face that Redmond has challenged the competitors to get to enter their respective nightclubs. Madison Brooks has made her way to the top as America’s hottest teenage actress – yet how she has managed this is unclear. As the story goes on it becomes clear that Madison has a shaky past that is constantly trying to catch up with her. No one other than her trusted staff know of the true Madison, so when she goes missing the police suspect foul play. The only problem is Layla, Tommy and Aster are so mixed up in recent events surrounding Madison that they immediately become the prime suspects.
Unrivalled is a book that needs a required taste to fully enjoy. The focus is on celebrity life style, which for me is not something I am interested in. I found myself lacking in sympathy for any of the characters – although I slightly liked Layla’s ambition to become a reporter as journalism and writing IS something I am drawn to. What is annoying is that Unrivalled is only the first novel in a series, so I never got to find out what happened to Madison after plowing through pages of tedious narrative. But to be honest, I do not really care about the result.
It is my lack of interest in the subject matter that consequently leaves me to only give this book a two star rating. However, I would like to emphasize that Noël knows how to write. For the right target audience Unrivalled will be a captivating novel. It emphasizes the glamorous and the not-so-glamorous aspects of becoming famous, which the three contestants soon discover: as Shakespeare put it “All that glitters is not gold.”
If you have an interest in celebrity culture, teenage romance and a bit of mystery, then this book may well be for you. If not, you may be headed for disappointment.
Unrivalled is the first book in a new young adult series by Alyson Noël. Set in Hollywood, this story takes a look at what it is like to be young and famous, as well as what it is like to be aspiring to be. The lives of four eighteen year olds from completely different circumstances are suddenly thrown together in a prestigious competition to become the best promoter of VIP nightclubs owned by the infamous Ira Redmond.
Layla and Tommy, from less notable backgrounds, are determined to become famous through journalism and guitar playing. For Layla, this competition means winning enough money to go to college in New York. For Tommy, the prize will help him to move up from his lowly rented apartment and begin to make himself known. Aster, on the other hand, is already rich, she does not care about the money, she cares about winning. Winning means being noticed, which for an aspiring actress is an important career move.
The fourth character is already famous and is a face that Redmond has challenged the competitors to get to enter their respective nightclubs. Madison Brooks has made her way to the top as America’s hottest teenage actress – yet how she has managed this is unclear. As the story goes on it becomes clear that Madison has a shaky past that is constantly trying to catch up with her. No one other than her trusted staff know of the true Madison, so when she goes missing the police suspect foul play. The only problem is Layla, Tommy and Aster are so mixed up in recent events surrounding Madison that they immediately become the prime suspects.
Unrivalled is a book that needs a required taste to fully enjoy. The focus is on celebrity life style, which for me is not something I am interested in. I found myself lacking in sympathy for any of the characters – although I slightly liked Layla’s ambition to become a reporter as journalism and writing IS something I am drawn to. What is annoying is that Unrivalled is only the first novel in a series, so I never got to find out what happened to Madison after plowing through pages of tedious narrative. But to be honest, I do not really care about the result.
It is my lack of interest in the subject matter that consequently leaves me to only give this book a two star rating. However, I would like to emphasize that Noël knows how to write. For the right target audience Unrivalled will be a captivating novel. It emphasizes the glamorous and the not-so-glamorous aspects of becoming famous, which the three contestants soon discover: as Shakespeare put it “All that glitters is not gold.”
If you have an interest in celebrity culture, teenage romance and a bit of mystery, then this book may well be for you. If not, you may be headed for disappointment.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink (Pilgrims, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I liked Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink. For the most part, it was a good read. There was only one thing that I didn't particularly like, but it was a pretty large part.
The good:
-The plot was fun. I enjoyed the storyline, the twists and turns, and the ending. Some of it I saw coming, some of it I didn't—but even when I expected it, I enjoyed seeing it work out.
-The characters: Dev (Libby's extremely gay friend) was fabulous in every sense of the word. If he were real, he'd be my buddy, even though he'd be constantly criticizing my shoes. Garrett, the reporter, is so nerd-tastic that I literally geeked out when he was introduced. Cam's romantic side was the hero every girl dreams about.
-The relationship progression: I knew from the get-go that Cam was going to be the greasy sleazy character that charms the girls but is really a jerk, and that Garrett was going to be the awesome-sauce hero. But when Libby first meets the characters, the reader perceives them just like she does: that Cam was a Shakespeare-quoting flower-throwing romantic, and Garrett was a nerd (again, I liked him more from the beginning anyway). The transition happened so slowly and flawlessly that I didn't see it happen, it just did.
-I've lead camps before. They're so much fun. Strohm nailed it! I loved the little girls! Ah for those scenes I totally wanted to be Libby.
-The writing was totally great. It felt like a teen's interior monologue, it was witty, fun, clear, and easy to read. It was perfect for the genre.
-The ending was pretty darn perfect. I liked what Libby learned, and how she changed. If the character hasn't changed from the beginning of the book to the end, nothing happened! The change was good. All in all the whole book was pretty cute.
The only not-so-good thing:
-I couldn't figure Libby out. Why doesn't she watch Battlestar Galactica or play Assassin's Creed? (That would totally be her thing. I bet after this story ends she turns into a total geek.) Libby was somewhat contradictory. She seemed to have a pretty clear view of right and wrong, and she was smart, but she didn't pick up on things that were blatantly obvious (trying to keep it spoiler-free here).
When there is only one not-so-good thing in the whole book, usually I'll rate it pretty high. But when the only not-so-good thing in the whole book is the main character? The whole way through reading this I kept thinking "Libby, what the heck are you thinking?" and she kind of annoyed me. I liked her, but again, her character seemed conflicting.
All in all, I enjoyed Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink, and would still recommend it for a fun quick light read.
Content/Recommendation: Little language, few references to sex. Ages 14+
The good:
-The plot was fun. I enjoyed the storyline, the twists and turns, and the ending. Some of it I saw coming, some of it I didn't—but even when I expected it, I enjoyed seeing it work out.
-The characters: Dev (Libby's extremely gay friend) was fabulous in every sense of the word. If he were real, he'd be my buddy, even though he'd be constantly criticizing my shoes. Garrett, the reporter, is so nerd-tastic that I literally geeked out when he was introduced. Cam's romantic side was the hero every girl dreams about.
-The relationship progression: I knew from the get-go that Cam was going to be the greasy sleazy character that charms the girls but is really a jerk, and that Garrett was going to be the awesome-sauce hero. But when Libby first meets the characters, the reader perceives them just like she does: that Cam was a Shakespeare-quoting flower-throwing romantic, and Garrett was a nerd (again, I liked him more from the beginning anyway). The transition happened so slowly and flawlessly that I didn't see it happen, it just did.
-I've lead camps before. They're so much fun. Strohm nailed it! I loved the little girls! Ah for those scenes I totally wanted to be Libby.
-The writing was totally great. It felt like a teen's interior monologue, it was witty, fun, clear, and easy to read. It was perfect for the genre.
-The ending was pretty darn perfect. I liked what Libby learned, and how she changed. If the character hasn't changed from the beginning of the book to the end, nothing happened! The change was good. All in all the whole book was pretty cute.
The only not-so-good thing:
-I couldn't figure Libby out. Why doesn't she watch Battlestar Galactica or play Assassin's Creed? (That would totally be her thing. I bet after this story ends she turns into a total geek.) Libby was somewhat contradictory. She seemed to have a pretty clear view of right and wrong, and she was smart, but she didn't pick up on things that were blatantly obvious (trying to keep it spoiler-free here).
When there is only one not-so-good thing in the whole book, usually I'll rate it pretty high. But when the only not-so-good thing in the whole book is the main character? The whole way through reading this I kept thinking "Libby, what the heck are you thinking?" and she kind of annoyed me. I liked her, but again, her character seemed conflicting.
All in all, I enjoyed Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink, and would still recommend it for a fun quick light read.
Content/Recommendation: Little language, few references to sex. Ages 14+
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
William Shakespeare once wrote that “Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned”. Never was a phrase more prophetic than in the case of the new Ivan Reitman comedy My “Super-Ex Girlfriend” which is a clever twist on the obsessive lover genre made popular by films such as “Fatal Attraction”.
The film stars Luke Wilson as Matt Saunders, an easy going guy who works with a architecture firm and who is on the rebound after becoming single from what his friends refer to as a crazy woman.
Since Matt has been single for six months, he at the urging of his friend Vaughn (Rain Wilson), approaches a woman on the subway, who is at first very icy towards him. Fate steps in and soon the two decide to setup a date.
Soon after Matt meets up with his new acquaintance Jenny Johnson (Uma Thurman) and the two begin to see each other despite the concern Matt has that something is different about Jenny.
In time, Jenny reveals to Matt that she is in fact the super heroine G-Girl which is a huge ego stroke to Matt and convinces him that is why he is getting an odd vibe from Jenny due to the train of hiding her real identity from the world.
Since Matt is the only person Jenny has ever told about her secret, she believes that this is a huge step in their relationship which will help them become closer and fall deeply in love.
That does not happen as Jenny soon becomes very Jealous of Matt and his friendship with perky co-worker Hannah (Anna Faris). Soon things begin to deteriorate for Matt as Jenny is becoming very obsessive, needy and psychotic, which forces Matt at the urging of Vaughn to call things off with Jenny.
This decision by Matt turns out to be a big mistake as the emotionally unbalanced Jenny decides to use her super abilities to make like hell for Matt who before he knows what hit him, has every aspect of his life and career under assault from the vindictive G-Girl.
As if this was not enough trouble for Matt, he realizes that he is falling for Hannah, all of which only adds to the fury and wrath brought on By G-Girl.
Further complications arise when Professor Bedlam (Eddie Izzard) enters the scene as the arch-nemesis for G-Girl. The two become wary allies and the comedic aftermath that follows is packed with light hearted fun.
The film is thin on plot and character development by the leads work well with one another as does Wanda Sykes as an over zealous office manager. While some may dismiss the inane and lightweight nature of the film, others may see this as charming, which in the end is how I found this film, lightweight, but a fun diversion.
The film stars Luke Wilson as Matt Saunders, an easy going guy who works with a architecture firm and who is on the rebound after becoming single from what his friends refer to as a crazy woman.
Since Matt has been single for six months, he at the urging of his friend Vaughn (Rain Wilson), approaches a woman on the subway, who is at first very icy towards him. Fate steps in and soon the two decide to setup a date.
Soon after Matt meets up with his new acquaintance Jenny Johnson (Uma Thurman) and the two begin to see each other despite the concern Matt has that something is different about Jenny.
In time, Jenny reveals to Matt that she is in fact the super heroine G-Girl which is a huge ego stroke to Matt and convinces him that is why he is getting an odd vibe from Jenny due to the train of hiding her real identity from the world.
Since Matt is the only person Jenny has ever told about her secret, she believes that this is a huge step in their relationship which will help them become closer and fall deeply in love.
That does not happen as Jenny soon becomes very Jealous of Matt and his friendship with perky co-worker Hannah (Anna Faris). Soon things begin to deteriorate for Matt as Jenny is becoming very obsessive, needy and psychotic, which forces Matt at the urging of Vaughn to call things off with Jenny.
This decision by Matt turns out to be a big mistake as the emotionally unbalanced Jenny decides to use her super abilities to make like hell for Matt who before he knows what hit him, has every aspect of his life and career under assault from the vindictive G-Girl.
As if this was not enough trouble for Matt, he realizes that he is falling for Hannah, all of which only adds to the fury and wrath brought on By G-Girl.
Further complications arise when Professor Bedlam (Eddie Izzard) enters the scene as the arch-nemesis for G-Girl. The two become wary allies and the comedic aftermath that follows is packed with light hearted fun.
The film is thin on plot and character development by the leads work well with one another as does Wanda Sykes as an over zealous office manager. While some may dismiss the inane and lightweight nature of the film, others may see this as charming, which in the end is how I found this film, lightweight, but a fun diversion.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Three Hours in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<b><i>Three hours is 180 minutes or 10,800 seconds.
It is a morning’s lessons, a dress rehearsal of Macbeth, a snowy trek through the woods.
It’s an eternity waiting for news. Or a countdown to something terrible.
It is 180 minutes to discover who you will die for and what men will kill for.</i></b>
I am glad I got the chance to be part of the blog tour for Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton. I was reading this book while I was on a plane, travelling to Macedonia, and it was a great adventure all the way through. In all honesty, I enjoyed it a lot, but it didn’t make my favourites list.
A school is under a siege and the headmaster has been shot. The story is being told from the point of view of everyone involved – the students, the teachers, the worried parents, the investigators, even the bad guys… Different people are hiding in different places in the school, all hoping this is just a dream.
During the book, we follow a few story lines:
*Hannah, the teenage girl who is in love for the first time, trying to help the wounded headmaster.
*Rafi and his younger brother Basi, Syrian refugees, still suffering from PTSD.
*The parents that are gathered together, desperate for news that their children are safe.
*The police psychologist and investigators, who are trying to identify the gunmen.
*The students hiding in the school theatre, who rely on a Shakespeare play to calm themselves.
As the chapters go through, the time passes and we get a better glimpse of the whole picture, and the story behind the whole attack of the school. It is very nicely written and amazingly put together.
The ending was unpredictable.
I loved the ending. Even though I had a lot of guesses, and I desperately tried to convince myself that the person responsible couldn’t possibly be the guilty one, the book proved me wrong in the most unpredictable way possible. The book’s ending is the ending you have been waiting for in a thriller for a very long time, and I was quite pleased for a few days after reading it.
Throughout the book, you will get hundreds of small clues that you won’t even notice, and in the end it will all make sense. I may have to read this book again, just to enjoy all those little hidden clues throughout the way and cherish them for the amazing clues they were. Also, to simply mock my inability to spot them as well.
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<b><i>Three hours is 180 minutes or 10,800 seconds.
It is a morning’s lessons, a dress rehearsal of Macbeth, a snowy trek through the woods.
It’s an eternity waiting for news. Or a countdown to something terrible.
It is 180 minutes to discover who you will die for and what men will kill for.</i></b>
I am glad I got the chance to be part of the blog tour for Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton. I was reading this book while I was on a plane, travelling to Macedonia, and it was a great adventure all the way through. In all honesty, I enjoyed it a lot, but it didn’t make my favourites list.
A school is under a siege and the headmaster has been shot. The story is being told from the point of view of everyone involved – the students, the teachers, the worried parents, the investigators, even the bad guys… Different people are hiding in different places in the school, all hoping this is just a dream.
During the book, we follow a few story lines:
*Hannah, the teenage girl who is in love for the first time, trying to help the wounded headmaster.
*Rafi and his younger brother Basi, Syrian refugees, still suffering from PTSD.
*The parents that are gathered together, desperate for news that their children are safe.
*The police psychologist and investigators, who are trying to identify the gunmen.
*The students hiding in the school theatre, who rely on a Shakespeare play to calm themselves.
As the chapters go through, the time passes and we get a better glimpse of the whole picture, and the story behind the whole attack of the school. It is very nicely written and amazingly put together.
The ending was unpredictable.
I loved the ending. Even though I had a lot of guesses, and I desperately tried to convince myself that the person responsible couldn’t possibly be the guilty one, the book proved me wrong in the most unpredictable way possible. The book’s ending is the ending you have been waiting for in a thriller for a very long time, and I was quite pleased for a few days after reading it.
Throughout the book, you will get hundreds of small clues that you won’t even notice, and in the end it will all make sense. I may have to read this book again, just to enjoy all those little hidden clues throughout the way and cherish them for the amazing clues they were. Also, to simply mock my inability to spot them as well.
The Whispering Room: A Jane Hawk Novel
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Jane Hawk--fiction's most relentless, resourceful, stunning new heroine--continues her battle...
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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Hurricane Heist (2018) in Movies
Mar 10, 2018
Doesn't Go Far Enough
There are times when all I want to do is to sit in a darkened movie theater, turn off my brain, and let a movie with a silly, over-the-top premise wash all over me. THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS films are an example of an "A" in this category. Last year's GEOSTORM was a "B" (it was so over-the-top that it was fun, especially when the meteorologist declared - as if he was reciting Shakespeare - "Oh my God, it's a GEOSTORM!"). Unfortunately, a "C" example of this is THE HURRICANE HEIST.
Directed by Rob Cohen - who brought us the original FAST AND FURIOUS film lo' those many years ago - THE HURRICANE HEIST tells the tale of a HEIST set during a...anyone?...HURRICANE. That's pretty much all you need to know of the plot. The rest is action, escapes, weather gone bad, bad guys being bad guys and good guys being good guys.
The good guys are Toby Kebbel (so good as the motion capture bad-guy ape in DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES), perennial "B"-movie actress Maggie Grace (TAKEN, LOST and the immortal HOT GIRL, FAST CAR, EATING A BANANA) and Ryan Kwanten (I guess he was in TRUE BLOOD). What do these good guys have in common? They are not hard to look at on the screen. The two men also have really bad Southern accents.
The bad guys are led by Ralph Ineson ( a perennial "that guy" in such films as STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE) and a host of "red shirts". The problem is that Ineson plays his bad guy role as a "that guy" and the "red shirts" have no personality at all. One guy tries to be the "loose cannon" but he doesn't go far enough, nor does Ineson or ANY of the bad guys.
Oh...did I mention Ben Cross (Sarek in the new STAR TREK films)? Cross leaped off the screen in the Oscar winning film CHARIOTS OF FIRE way back in 1981 and was going to be "the next big thing". How has that worked out for him? I'm sure he's making a nice living, but...
But...you don't come to this kind of films for the acting. You come to it for the insane premise, the over-the-top acting, the out-of-this-world stunts and special effects. Unfortunately, THE HURRICANE HEIST plays each one of these "safely". The premise is insane, just not insane enough. The acting is melodramatic - just not over-the-top. The script doesn't really have any "oh-my-gosh, did he just say that" lines and the action, stunts and special effects are pretty good, (maybe even good), but not great.
A pretty mediocre time at the movies. It did serve it's purpose, I turned my brain off for two hours. I just wish it didn't power down as well.
Letter Grade: C (thanks for trying)
5 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Directed by Rob Cohen - who brought us the original FAST AND FURIOUS film lo' those many years ago - THE HURRICANE HEIST tells the tale of a HEIST set during a...anyone?...HURRICANE. That's pretty much all you need to know of the plot. The rest is action, escapes, weather gone bad, bad guys being bad guys and good guys being good guys.
The good guys are Toby Kebbel (so good as the motion capture bad-guy ape in DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES), perennial "B"-movie actress Maggie Grace (TAKEN, LOST and the immortal HOT GIRL, FAST CAR, EATING A BANANA) and Ryan Kwanten (I guess he was in TRUE BLOOD). What do these good guys have in common? They are not hard to look at on the screen. The two men also have really bad Southern accents.
The bad guys are led by Ralph Ineson ( a perennial "that guy" in such films as STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE) and a host of "red shirts". The problem is that Ineson plays his bad guy role as a "that guy" and the "red shirts" have no personality at all. One guy tries to be the "loose cannon" but he doesn't go far enough, nor does Ineson or ANY of the bad guys.
Oh...did I mention Ben Cross (Sarek in the new STAR TREK films)? Cross leaped off the screen in the Oscar winning film CHARIOTS OF FIRE way back in 1981 and was going to be "the next big thing". How has that worked out for him? I'm sure he's making a nice living, but...
But...you don't come to this kind of films for the acting. You come to it for the insane premise, the over-the-top acting, the out-of-this-world stunts and special effects. Unfortunately, THE HURRICANE HEIST plays each one of these "safely". The premise is insane, just not insane enough. The acting is melodramatic - just not over-the-top. The script doesn't really have any "oh-my-gosh, did he just say that" lines and the action, stunts and special effects are pretty good, (maybe even good), but not great.
A pretty mediocre time at the movies. It did serve it's purpose, I turned my brain off for two hours. I just wish it didn't power down as well.
Letter Grade: C (thanks for trying)
5 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
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