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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Visit (2015) in Movies
Nov 2, 2020
This movie, and I can't stress this enough, spends way too much time on the young kids budding rapping career. Not convinced I ever want to watch 13 year old white boys rap, let alone 3 or 4 seperate scenes of it...
Anyway, The Visit is pretty good (if you ignore the whole rapping part - not sure if I've mentioned that yet). It has a minimal yet great cast, some solid creepy moments, and a surprisingly grounded twist from the notoriously inconsistent M. Night Shyamalan.
Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould are likable as the two leads. The framing device of them filming a documentary about their estranged grandparents is a natural explanation for the 'found footage' camera style.
The stand out though is Deanna Dunagan as the grandma. Christ she is unsettlingly creepy, even when she's being kind. Her contribution to this film really lends the narrative as a whole, a huge help of tension. The slow burn nature of it is fantastically realised, and presents the audience with a decent mystery plot, and a chance to try and unravel what is really going on before the inevitable twist hits.
The twist itself is simple yet effective, and is certainly an "oh shit" moment, but unfortunately it leads to a final act that feels a bit over the top and silly. It shifts from an atmospheric creepy chiller to a sub par horror trying a little too hard to pack in the scares. It's a shame because 80% of the runtime is genuinely engaging!
Despite the lackluster ending, The Visit is a solid POV thriller that is head and shoulders above a huge chunk of Shyamalan's back catalogue, and is decent enough way to spend 90 minutes, except for the 3-4 minutes spent with the kid rapping...
Anyway, The Visit is pretty good (if you ignore the whole rapping part - not sure if I've mentioned that yet). It has a minimal yet great cast, some solid creepy moments, and a surprisingly grounded twist from the notoriously inconsistent M. Night Shyamalan.
Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould are likable as the two leads. The framing device of them filming a documentary about their estranged grandparents is a natural explanation for the 'found footage' camera style.
The stand out though is Deanna Dunagan as the grandma. Christ she is unsettlingly creepy, even when she's being kind. Her contribution to this film really lends the narrative as a whole, a huge help of tension. The slow burn nature of it is fantastically realised, and presents the audience with a decent mystery plot, and a chance to try and unravel what is really going on before the inevitable twist hits.
The twist itself is simple yet effective, and is certainly an "oh shit" moment, but unfortunately it leads to a final act that feels a bit over the top and silly. It shifts from an atmospheric creepy chiller to a sub par horror trying a little too hard to pack in the scares. It's a shame because 80% of the runtime is genuinely engaging!
Despite the lackluster ending, The Visit is a solid POV thriller that is head and shoulders above a huge chunk of Shyamalan's back catalogue, and is decent enough way to spend 90 minutes, except for the 3-4 minutes spent with the kid rapping...
Debbiereadsbook (1681 KP) rated Breakaway in Books
Feb 18, 2021
A much needed fix, this really was a warm and fuzzies book.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Its been a long, LONG time since I had my Kindle Alexander fix, and this was a very welcome fix indeed.
Dallas and his brothers need a cash injection to their fitness app, and Greer has the cash and the business knowledge to help. The attraction is instant and powerful from both men to each other, but Dallas hides, remembering what happened the last time he was caught with a man. But once Greer sets his sights on him, Dallas doesn't stand a chance. He just gotta deal with his dad and his brother.
Slow burn is what Alexander does so well, and here is a prime example of that skill. The attraction bubbles and simmers along til they cannot deny each other any longer. I loved that.
The father and big brother were a nasty piece of work and I wanted so badly to punch the pair of them! Mum, however, surprised me when she does what she does, and I have a huge amount of pride in her for doing what she should have done a long time ago!
Apart from the dad/brother, it's relatively low angst, and it was just what I needed to read.
I loved the appearences of Dylan and Tristan from Secret, and the part they play here.
I would love a story for Ducky, Dallas' younger brother, he seems like a character who would write a great story!
A much needed fix, this really was a warm and fuzzies book.
4.5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Its been a long, LONG time since I had my Kindle Alexander fix, and this was a very welcome fix indeed.
Dallas and his brothers need a cash injection to their fitness app, and Greer has the cash and the business knowledge to help. The attraction is instant and powerful from both men to each other, but Dallas hides, remembering what happened the last time he was caught with a man. But once Greer sets his sights on him, Dallas doesn't stand a chance. He just gotta deal with his dad and his brother.
Slow burn is what Alexander does so well, and here is a prime example of that skill. The attraction bubbles and simmers along til they cannot deny each other any longer. I loved that.
The father and big brother were a nasty piece of work and I wanted so badly to punch the pair of them! Mum, however, surprised me when she does what she does, and I have a huge amount of pride in her for doing what she should have done a long time ago!
Apart from the dad/brother, it's relatively low angst, and it was just what I needed to read.
I loved the appearences of Dylan and Tristan from Secret, and the part they play here.
I would love a story for Ducky, Dallas' younger brother, he seems like a character who would write a great story!
A much needed fix, this really was a warm and fuzzies book.
4.5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Saint Maud (2020) in Movies
May 28, 2021
God damn, am I a sucker for horrors that are equally beautiful and unsettling. Saint Maud hit all the right notes for me.
A big chunk of the runtime is dedicated to the extremly authentic-feeling relationship between the titular Maud (Morfydd Clark), a live-in nurse and her patient Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), a retired dancer who is terminally ill with cancer. The sweet connection between the two of them is subtle but well realised, making it all the more uncomfortable when things take a sinister turn.
The religious premise is nothing new in this genre, and there is a bit of a Rosemary's Baby vibe going on, but it's execution is pretty much flawless. Maud's devotion to God is occasionlly terrifying, but her human doubt and her occasional shake in faith stops the narrative from going full blown religious fanatic, and instead touches upon mental health issues. For all of her preaching at Amanda, Maud is the one who is portrayed as lost and lonely, trying to suppress past trauma. Her character is certainly a sympathetic one.
95% of its runtime is a slow burn, one that is complimented by wonderful cinematography and a haunting music score. However, I'm struggling to think of a film in recent memory that escalates so severely in such a short space of time, when the other 5% finally hits. To say anymore would be stepping into spoiler territory, but I will say that it's beautifully horrifying to watch unfold, with a final shot that will be seared into my brain for a while.
Rose Glass has created a true horror masterpiece with Saint Maud. Her presence withing the horror genre is a welcome one, and I'm excited to see what she does next.
A big chunk of the runtime is dedicated to the extremly authentic-feeling relationship between the titular Maud (Morfydd Clark), a live-in nurse and her patient Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), a retired dancer who is terminally ill with cancer. The sweet connection between the two of them is subtle but well realised, making it all the more uncomfortable when things take a sinister turn.
The religious premise is nothing new in this genre, and there is a bit of a Rosemary's Baby vibe going on, but it's execution is pretty much flawless. Maud's devotion to God is occasionlly terrifying, but her human doubt and her occasional shake in faith stops the narrative from going full blown religious fanatic, and instead touches upon mental health issues. For all of her preaching at Amanda, Maud is the one who is portrayed as lost and lonely, trying to suppress past trauma. Her character is certainly a sympathetic one.
95% of its runtime is a slow burn, one that is complimented by wonderful cinematography and a haunting music score. However, I'm struggling to think of a film in recent memory that escalates so severely in such a short space of time, when the other 5% finally hits. To say anymore would be stepping into spoiler territory, but I will say that it's beautifully horrifying to watch unfold, with a final shot that will be seared into my brain for a while.
Rose Glass has created a true horror masterpiece with Saint Maud. Her presence withing the horror genre is a welcome one, and I'm excited to see what she does next.
Merissa (13854 KP) rated Val (The Hawks #2) in Books
Jul 9, 2021
VAL is the second book in The Hawks series, and to get the most out of this story, I would recommend you read Tristan first. We start where Tristan finished - Val has been rescued but Alanna is still in the castle.
Val is... I would say disheartened but it's so much more than that. He's broken. He believes his brothers left him when he needed them the most. It didn't help when they started to believe the hype and lies told about Alanna, when he alone knew the truth. Of course, he could have opened his mouth, but then he wouldn't be the tortured hero.
Alanna is stronger than she realises. When you find out her back story and just what she went through? Horrible! I was really rooting for Alanna and Val to get together, but Ballanor is on their tail all the way. Val and Lanni have a slow-burn romance, which drove me insane, as I really wanted them to do the do, but it was all for a very good reason which I only figured out at the same time as the other characters! Loved that.
There are new characters introduced in this book, and Ramiel and Haniel are my favourites (so far!) I can't wait to see them in future books.
The pacing is smooth and the story is well maintained, both with Val and Lanni's individual story plus the overall arc. Oh, and if you thought Ballanor was bad, brace yourself. There's someone far worse!
A fantastic addition to the series and highly recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Val is... I would say disheartened but it's so much more than that. He's broken. He believes his brothers left him when he needed them the most. It didn't help when they started to believe the hype and lies told about Alanna, when he alone knew the truth. Of course, he could have opened his mouth, but then he wouldn't be the tortured hero.
Alanna is stronger than she realises. When you find out her back story and just what she went through? Horrible! I was really rooting for Alanna and Val to get together, but Ballanor is on their tail all the way. Val and Lanni have a slow-burn romance, which drove me insane, as I really wanted them to do the do, but it was all for a very good reason which I only figured out at the same time as the other characters! Loved that.
There are new characters introduced in this book, and Ramiel and Haniel are my favourites (so far!) I can't wait to see them in future books.
The pacing is smooth and the story is well maintained, both with Val and Lanni's individual story plus the overall arc. Oh, and if you thought Ballanor was bad, brace yourself. There's someone far worse!
A fantastic addition to the series and highly recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Jordan Binkerd (567 KP) rated Ad Astra (2019) in Movies
Sep 27, 2019
The cast (3 more)
The score
Realistic science
Beautiful VFX
Anticlimactic/possibly unreliable ending (3 more)
Awkward voiceover
Pacing? Some would disagree....
Action scenes are kind of shoehorned in
Beautiful and haunting
First off, you've got to see this in the theater if you're going to see it. The sparse lunar and Martian vistas, not to mention the star-strewn expanses of space, will be so much less impressive on your living room television. The cast is amazing, though there's not nearly enough Tommy Lee Jones or Donald Sutherland. The tone is haunting and uncomfortable, aided by a subdued score that at times seems to pay tribute to the soundless vacuum in which parts of the film are set. The science is up to date, in that it accurately reflects the fact that after getting sidetracked for a decade or four, we're back to using rockets to explore the solar system. The plot is at heart an exploration of humanity, our needs, drives, relationships and obsessive stubbornness, and dips somewhat into questions of sanity and mental health, again sometimes uncomfortably, though the slow-burn pacing is not for everyone. There are occasional action sequences, but they often feel disconnected and shoehorned in. The ending was a little anti-climactic, and I'm not entirely sure it actually happened - it's barely a spoiler to suggest that the protagonist is in danger as the ending nears, and everything that follows his return to Earth could easily be a dream or dying hallucination (and in fact if argue that this would be a stronger ending). The voiceover was a bit awkward, and would have benefitted from an in-story justification such as the character journalling or leaving a sealed log of some sort. Basically, I think it was worth seeing, but it's not going to be for everyone.
Lost in the Wilderness
Book
"As you drive across the midwest of America, one is in awe of the vast endless landscape. If the...
Photography
Merissa (13854 KP) rated Warlord's Oath (Legends of Kilrhinn #1) in Books
Sep 6, 2021
WARLORD'S OATH is the first book in the Legends of Kilrhinn series and, if this is the first, then I really can't wait for the second!
The main story takes place between the Kilrhinn and the Lhianne. The Kilrhinn are stronger and faster than the Lhianne (to name a couple of differences) but the Lhianne can control the wind. Freya is seen as a Lhianne but she is actually a half-breed, which is a dangerous thing for her as she is being hunted by someone who wants to make her his bride due to her powers. And he won't take no for an answer.
I loved this story. In fact, if I did half stars, it would a 4-and-a-half-star book. Freya is a strong-will individual who wants to settle down but is afraid to. She desperately wants friends, but worries she will only have to leave them behind. Garrett will do all he can to protect Freya, even from herself. I adored how Garrett was with her, and how completely oblivious she was to it all, not surprising considering her past.
There are other 'breeds' in this story and I really can't wait to learn more about them, their strengths and weaknesses. I am also hoping to learn more about the world, as well as more from the Lhianne and Kilrhinn people.
A slow-burn romance with plenty of action and told from dual POVs. There are so many characters whose stories I now want. A great start to the series, and absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
The main story takes place between the Kilrhinn and the Lhianne. The Kilrhinn are stronger and faster than the Lhianne (to name a couple of differences) but the Lhianne can control the wind. Freya is seen as a Lhianne but she is actually a half-breed, which is a dangerous thing for her as she is being hunted by someone who wants to make her his bride due to her powers. And he won't take no for an answer.
I loved this story. In fact, if I did half stars, it would a 4-and-a-half-star book. Freya is a strong-will individual who wants to settle down but is afraid to. She desperately wants friends, but worries she will only have to leave them behind. Garrett will do all he can to protect Freya, even from herself. I adored how Garrett was with her, and how completely oblivious she was to it all, not surprising considering her past.
There are other 'breeds' in this story and I really can't wait to learn more about them, their strengths and weaknesses. I am also hoping to learn more about the world, as well as more from the Lhianne and Kilrhinn people.
A slow-burn romance with plenty of action and told from dual POVs. There are so many characters whose stories I now want. A great start to the series, and absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Merissa (13854 KP) rated The Fulbourn (Pitch & Sickle, #5) in Books
Apr 18, 2023
THE FULBOURN is the fifth book in the Pitch & Sickle series and oh, man. Hold on to your seatbelt as you're in for a bumpy ride!!
I said in my review of The Greensward that it was the best one. Well, let me rephrase that. It was the best one up to that point! THE FULBOURN takes Pitch and Silas' story to another level and I loved every single word.
Pitch and Silas are now close to realising just how much the other one means and it is so well-written! Their relationship may seem gruff to some but that is only until they know them. The bonds between the two are there to see and I'm loving it. The slow burn that started them off is now moving to steamy - whenever their lives give them a moment's peace. And sometimes, you just have to make the time!
Not only is their relationship changing, but the overall story arc is moving along swiftly too. You honestly don't get a chance to catch your breath. Filled with characters from previous books, Pitch and Silas are on the hunt for Charlie and Edward. It takes them to London and Cambridgeshire. The descriptions of the asylum are horrific - exactly as they are supposed to be during that time.
Absolutely gripping, I am thoroughly loving every book in this series and have no hesitation in recommending any of them. Just make sure you start at the beginning or you will miss the full effect.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 17, 2023
I said in my review of The Greensward that it was the best one. Well, let me rephrase that. It was the best one up to that point! THE FULBOURN takes Pitch and Silas' story to another level and I loved every single word.
Pitch and Silas are now close to realising just how much the other one means and it is so well-written! Their relationship may seem gruff to some but that is only until they know them. The bonds between the two are there to see and I'm loving it. The slow burn that started them off is now moving to steamy - whenever their lives give them a moment's peace. And sometimes, you just have to make the time!
Not only is their relationship changing, but the overall story arc is moving along swiftly too. You honestly don't get a chance to catch your breath. Filled with characters from previous books, Pitch and Silas are on the hunt for Charlie and Edward. It takes them to London and Cambridgeshire. The descriptions of the asylum are horrific - exactly as they are supposed to be during that time.
Absolutely gripping, I am thoroughly loving every book in this series and have no hesitation in recommending any of them. Just make sure you start at the beginning or you will miss the full effect.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 17, 2023
The Fulbourn (Pitch & Sickle, #5)
10.0
Rate It
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When the King of Daemonkind comes to call, be ready for hell to follow. After Lucifer’s...
MM Historical Gaslamp Fantasy
Merissa (13854 KP) rated Leviathan's Song (The Boundlands #1) by Elsie Winters in Books
Aug 5, 2022
This is the first in a series and I can't wait to see what happens next between Sidney and Jordan!
LEVIATHAN'S SONG is the first book in The Boundlands series, and we start off where two worlds combine. Elara is a golemancer and tinker. She is small in height but big in competency. She first meets Levi when she hears him busking and she can hear the lure in his voice. When her life gets complicated, Levi is the one who is there for her - along with friends both new and old.
I loved every word of this story! The world-building is fantastic, leaving you in no doubt about what it means to live in the Void. Each character could easily stand by itself, but they do so much better together.
I also loved the slow-burn build-up between Elara and Levi. Yes, the attraction is instant, but it takes them time to act on it, down to Levi's reluctance more than Elara's! You find out the reasons why, plus how difficult it is for both of them. Stressful circumstances make them realise just what it is they have, and from then on, it's full-steam ahead. I loved that they took that time and had a relationship built on more than s*x.
This is the first in a series and I can't wait to see what happens next between Sidney and Jordan! A fantastic start that I highly recommend.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
I loved every word of this story! The world-building is fantastic, leaving you in no doubt about what it means to live in the Void. Each character could easily stand by itself, but they do so much better together.
I also loved the slow-burn build-up between Elara and Levi. Yes, the attraction is instant, but it takes them time to act on it, down to Levi's reluctance more than Elara's! You find out the reasons why, plus how difficult it is for both of them. Stressful circumstances make them realise just what it is they have, and from then on, it's full-steam ahead. I loved that they took that time and had a relationship built on more than s*x.
This is the first in a series and I can't wait to see what happens next between Sidney and Jordan! A fantastic start that I highly recommend.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!