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LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Fonzo (Capone) (2020) in Movies
Jul 4, 2021
What's the scariest thing to reckon with: mortality, humanity, or yourself? Tom Hardy plays a constipated bulldog with a pinch of Beetlejuice in this utterly beguiling Frankenstein's monster of a film which can only be described as 𝘎𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘪 (2018) hopped up on a bunch of prescription medication. I think the major takeaway from this is that Trank makes a tedious gangster movie - but a pretty fuckin' sweet horror/fantasy curio. Right off the bat I admire it for being so scene-to-scene fascinating based solely on how wholeheartedly unique it is; I expected no less from Trank than an auteurist stamp as big, original, and defined as this. Yes this is wonderfully experimental, yes this is very uncomfortable - seasoned with bodily fluids, a good amount of violence, and the sort of medical anguish which starts out grim and only gets more merciless as it continues... however, it also doesn't amount to too much. Hardy's grotesque turn here is memorable but 80% of the time it's reduced to staring off into the distance making various faces. It also has a similar issue to Barry Levinson's 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴 in that the show-stealing macabre nightmare segments are just *crying* to break out more than the seemingly stock, incompetently structured narrative. However this was still super cool just on principle alone, and as someone who is sick of rote biopics it's nice to see one of them not be afraid to try something unquestionably different for a change (especially by dragging such a historic, opulent figure through the mud the whole time). Plus one of these are finally under an hour-45, go figure!
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Sherlock, Jr. (1924) in Movies
Jan 28, 2021
I have seen and very much enjoyed the work of Buster Keaton in the past, most notably The General, which knocked me sideways by how inventive and genuinely funny it was. My main movie love for the silent era is Charlie Chaplin, and much like it is possible to like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones but only truly love one, Keaton will always be second best for me. But what a second best. Genius is an overused word, of course, but pioneer says it better anyway. The sheer volume of invention per minute is magnificent – from the technical editing techniques that were created just for this film, to the forms of visual comedy that broke the mould and raised the bar in every scene.
Most memorable is the cinema scene where Keaton’s love sick amateur sleuth tries to hide by actually entering the screen – a trick paid homage to in many movies since, including Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo. It is astonishing to think he not only thought of doing this in 1924, but also pulled it off with jaw-dropping special effects for the time. It’s also really funny. You don’t have to force a laugh because you feel you should, it is still clever and amusing almost 100 years later. In fact, the entire 46 minute print still looks so good it is hard to believe it is that old in any way. Surely one of a handful of half length films from the period that will always be watched for what they are and not just museum pieces.
Most memorable is the cinema scene where Keaton’s love sick amateur sleuth tries to hide by actually entering the screen – a trick paid homage to in many movies since, including Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo. It is astonishing to think he not only thought of doing this in 1924, but also pulled it off with jaw-dropping special effects for the time. It’s also really funny. You don’t have to force a laugh because you feel you should, it is still clever and amusing almost 100 years later. In fact, the entire 46 minute print still looks so good it is hard to believe it is that old in any way. Surely one of a handful of half length films from the period that will always be watched for what they are and not just museum pieces.
Managing Bee Health: A Practical Guide for Beekeepers
Book
The crucial role that bees play in the Earth's ecosystem is well known. Over the last decades a...
Young Readers' edition of The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
The Radium Girls: The Scary But True Story of the Poison That Made People Glow in the Dark was adapted for younger readers by Kate Moore from her bestselling novel The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women.
It tells the story of the wonder drug of the early 1900s, radium. It was thought to cure illnesses, and its luminescent properties made it ideal for glow-in-the-dark watches and for dials and instruments of pilots during WWI. To paint these devices, women would lick the brushes, dip them into the radium, paint, then repeat. The women did not know they were becoming sick with radium poisoning. Some did not show symptoms until years after they stopped working with the radium.
If you read the original version, you know it is detailed and includes timelines of multiple people. The version for a younger audience is written with age-appropriate content, but it is still incredibly detailed and more than 400 pages. The story shows these women as individuals, showing their separate lives, but also the strong, tight-knit group who fought for themselves and to ensure workplace safety for all.
This book is perfect for assigned reading for history or science classes.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 9/1/20.
The Radium Girls: The Scary But True Story of the Poison That Made People Glow in the Dark was adapted for younger readers by Kate Moore from her bestselling novel The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women.
It tells the story of the wonder drug of the early 1900s, radium. It was thought to cure illnesses, and its luminescent properties made it ideal for glow-in-the-dark watches and for dials and instruments of pilots during WWI. To paint these devices, women would lick the brushes, dip them into the radium, paint, then repeat. The women did not know they were becoming sick with radium poisoning. Some did not show symptoms until years after they stopped working with the radium.
If you read the original version, you know it is detailed and includes timelines of multiple people. The version for a younger audience is written with age-appropriate content, but it is still incredibly detailed and more than 400 pages. The story shows these women as individuals, showing their separate lives, but also the strong, tight-knit group who fought for themselves and to ensure workplace safety for all.
This book is perfect for assigned reading for history or science classes.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 9/1/20.
The Girl Next Door
Book
The dazzling new novel from Ruth Rendell. When the bones of two severed hands are discovered in a...
Lock In (Lock In #1)
8.3
Rate It
Book
Not too long from today, a new, highly contagious virus makes its way across the globe. Most who get...
Monster: A Novel of Extreme Horror and Gore
6.5
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Book
There are scenes of domestic abuse. But hidden underneath it all is also a chilling story. Please do...
10 Things I Hate About Pinky
Book
The delightful follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie, which...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Housemates in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I cant put it into words how much I enjoyed this book. There are only a select few books that I cant help talking about with my family and work colleagues, whether they want to hear about it or not, but this is one of them
I just couldnt help myself!
Be warned, there is gratuitous violence throughout!
Im not going to give anything away about the story-line but basically, its a twisted Big Brother with a bit of Saw thrown in for good measure where the contestants have to take part in tasks and eliminations with the last person standing having the chance of walking away with £2 million.
The contestants inside the house are a mix of characters some of which more likeable than others and some thoroughly despicable we learn more about each person as time goes on and it can be a bit of an eye-opener in some cases.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this is going to put your brain cells to work extra hard nor am I going to say that the twist is a massive surprise but what I will say is that if you, like me, are a little bit sick of the raft of reality TV programmes being rammed down our throats and just wish they would up the anti just a little, then this is the book for you!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review. I will, most definitely, read more from Mr Wright as I do like a bit of gore every now and then 😃.
Be warned, there is gratuitous violence throughout!
Im not going to give anything away about the story-line but basically, its a twisted Big Brother with a bit of Saw thrown in for good measure where the contestants have to take part in tasks and eliminations with the last person standing having the chance of walking away with £2 million.
The contestants inside the house are a mix of characters some of which more likeable than others and some thoroughly despicable we learn more about each person as time goes on and it can be a bit of an eye-opener in some cases.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this is going to put your brain cells to work extra hard nor am I going to say that the twist is a massive surprise but what I will say is that if you, like me, are a little bit sick of the raft of reality TV programmes being rammed down our throats and just wish they would up the anti just a little, then this is the book for you!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review. I will, most definitely, read more from Mr Wright as I do like a bit of gore every now and then 😃.
Merissa (12069 KP) rated Kiss of Forever (Shadow Creek #3) in Books
Aug 24, 2017
Kiss of Forever (Shadow Creek #3) by Leah Blake
The Shadow Creek series is one that I am loving. Kiss of Forever is the third book in the series, and this time we focus on the Alpha of Shadow Creek, Raul, and the enigmatic vampire, Victor. After reading Vuk and Ashly's book, you know that these two are intertwined somehow, but it's only once you start reading Raul's side of things that you learn just what he has done for the past 20 years to protect Victor. Yeesh, that man has a will of iron! Okay, so he had some magical help, but still...
Victor doesn't know why Raul has rejected him for so long, and now that Raul is sick, and getting sicker by the hour, he can't bear to see him in pain. Not once does Victor come across as a 'poor me' type of guy, desperately clinging onto someone who doesn't want. Instead, we see someone who has a will just as strong as the Alpha, who just wants the truth.
The story is more in-depth in this one, as we learn the twists and turns that have landed Raul and Victor in their positions. Pairs from previous stories also play a part in this story, although Vuk and Ashly get more of a mention simply due to who they are. This was exceedingly well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I think there is still so much more to come, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book and the series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Victor doesn't know why Raul has rejected him for so long, and now that Raul is sick, and getting sicker by the hour, he can't bear to see him in pain. Not once does Victor come across as a 'poor me' type of guy, desperately clinging onto someone who doesn't want. Instead, we see someone who has a will just as strong as the Alpha, who just wants the truth.
The story is more in-depth in this one, as we learn the twists and turns that have landed Raul and Victor in their positions. Pairs from previous stories also play a part in this story, although Vuk and Ashly get more of a mention simply due to who they are. This was exceedingly well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I think there is still so much more to come, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book and the series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!