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Leigh J (71 KP) rated Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975) in Movies

Nov 10, 2019 (Updated Nov 10, 2019)

Does Salo stand for Boring?!

Contains spoilers, click to show

Salo, based on the book called "100 Days of Sodom" by Marquis de Sade, is about 4 men in positions of power (The Duke, The Bishop, The Masgistrate and The President) who kidnap a large group of girls and boys and subject them to severe abuse, torture and even murder; just to, well, get their deviant rocks off basically. The cruel and sadistic abuse soon builds to a cresendo of sickening torture and murder.
I went into Salo VERY nervous; I'd read the Book so had a good idea of what was coming, and especially so as this Movie is always on those "sickest Movies ever" lists, and is almost always very near the #1 spot. Rarely does it ever take the crown though, and after seeing Salo, I understand why. It's so boring!! It's very diagloue heavy, which if done right makes a Movie engaging and compelling. If done wrong, as is the case with Salo, it becomes a tedious chore. Unfortunately for Salo, I was so bored with the pointless drivel that when it eventually did get to the shocking parts, I was over it and not as shocked as I really should have been. I mean, it was bad (two words: poop banquet) but I was left thinking "all that hype and waffle... for this?!" Definitely overrated. The small saving grace of this Movie was a bunch of Prostitutes, ironically. They were telling stories of their own deviancies; I found their stories shocking and they made me sit up and pay attention, some stories being more shocking than what we were seeing. I found those Women disgustingly wonderful and able to actually make something out of the literal crap-show that was Salo. I would only recommend Salo to the die hard "Sick Movie" fans (and that's for the sole purpose of ticking it off your list) and Cinema buffs because the Cinematography is quite nice. Other than that, it would make a fantastic sleep aid!

Kudos

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Summer of '79 in Books

Mar 19, 2020

Summer of '79

Elin Hilderbrand | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

This is an excellent novella following up with the Foley/Levin gang ten years after the events of Summer of '69. Kate and her children, Blair, Kirby, Tiger, and Jessie, gather again on Nantucket after the death of Kate's mother, Exalta.

"Exalta is dead. She died in her sleep two days earlier in the house on Fair Street, while Mr. Crimmins, their former caretaker, slept beside her."

There are a few books in the world that end perfectly, and you don't need another word. But many books are so engaging--the characters so vivid--that you often wonder what has happened to them. Elin Hilderbrand is such an excellent author and so good at world-building for her characters. It only makes sense that she would allow us to check in on her characters at a later date. And, because she's so good at bringing them to life, the concept works perfectly.

This is a slim e-book (coming out later in book form as part of a tribute anthology to the late Dorothea Benton Frank). I read it easily in one setting and quite enjoyed catching up with Kate and the kids, particularly the youngest, Jessie, who was my favorite in '69 and remains so ten years later.

"She feels like a stranger in her own family, but there’s nothing new about that."

Despite the somber occasion for which the family has gathered, it's quite fun to check in on them ten years later. Hilderbrand switches POV from Kate to all four of the kids, allowing us to see what they've been doing and how they feel. We also find Kate adjusting to moving into the role of family matriarch with the passing of her mother.

Overall, if you enjoyed Summer of '69, this is a great novella to catch you up on some beloved characters. I kind of wish we could have novellas like this for other favorite books. 4 stars.

Kudos

Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated NOS4A2 in Books

Apr 26, 2020

NOS4A2

Joe Hill | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror, Science Fiction/Fantasy

8.5

(23 Ratings)

Book Rating

Wonderfully detailed, amazing world and story. (0 more)

Not unique to Joe Hill, feels more like a book by his father (0 more)

Just Because Review

While I imagine a few already know this it is important to note that Joe Hill is Stephen King's son, which is actually what made me interested in his work. This book reflects the works of Stephen King so much that I almost thought he was the actual author. It is very clear that this book resides in the same universe as Stephen King's works. It mentions things like the Pennywise Circus and True Knot (Doctor Sleep). It also reminded me of Christine and multiple people in the book have "a touch of the shinning" and if readers pay attention they may notice elements from Dreamcatcher and Finders Keepers as well.

As a child, Vic discovers a bike that gives her the ability to cross the Shorter Way Bridge to locate lost things, so long as they are in a fixed position. The bad thing about this is that using the ability has its cost and the price she must pay is the risk of losing part of her mind each time she goes across. One day after fighting with her mother she takes off across the bridge looking for trouble and finds just that in Charles Manx. Luckily she manages to escape but Charles Manx will forever hold a grudge against her and she will see him again after she is an adult and has convinced herself that the Shorter Way Bridge was just a fantasy from a delusional mind.

I highly recommend this book. The only reason why it did not get a 5 out of 5 was that while the story was original the world felt to firmly set in the Stephen King universe and I am not sure if that was intentional or if it was just a by-product of the household that Joe Hill grew up in.

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