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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Lothaire (Immortals After Dark #12) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
4.5 stars
Lothaire The Enemy of Old's book had been brewing for a really long time and I couldn't wait to start it to see what kind of woman it would take to bring Lothaire to his knees. And the answer is one tough chick in the form of Ellie Peirce.
It started with a flashback to Lothaire's childhood and I almost wanted to throw my book when I saw what kind of a man he had for a father and what happened to his poor mother. It helped us to understand him a little more.
Then we forwarded to "5 years ago" and we met Elizabeth Peirce, a poor girl sharing a body with an evil deity who enjoyed killing people while Ellie slept. It was really gruesome reading as Saroya killed the people who had come to try and exercise her from Ellie.
And that is the three main characters met. Saroya, I did not like at all, she was manipulative and just plain evil. Lothaire, after the beginning, I could understand him more and though he's a bit arrogant in the things he says and does I did grow to like him. Ellie was just awesome, she didn't take none of Lothaire's crap and liked to wind him up. It was quite fun reading.
One thing I did enjoy was Lothaire being brought to his knees by a human. He needed a woman exactly like Ellie and she was a force to be reckoned with at times.
The only thing I didn't like, and what lost it half a star for me, was their split. It all seemed to be going so well for them and then Lothaire did something against her will and then for like the next 60 pages they're not together. I was like WTF?
In the end it all worked out and apart from that one thing mentioned above, I really liked it. This is probably one of my favourite books in the series!
Lothaire The Enemy of Old's book had been brewing for a really long time and I couldn't wait to start it to see what kind of woman it would take to bring Lothaire to his knees. And the answer is one tough chick in the form of Ellie Peirce.
It started with a flashback to Lothaire's childhood and I almost wanted to throw my book when I saw what kind of a man he had for a father and what happened to his poor mother. It helped us to understand him a little more.
Then we forwarded to "5 years ago" and we met Elizabeth Peirce, a poor girl sharing a body with an evil deity who enjoyed killing people while Ellie slept. It was really gruesome reading as Saroya killed the people who had come to try and exercise her from Ellie.
And that is the three main characters met. Saroya, I did not like at all, she was manipulative and just plain evil. Lothaire, after the beginning, I could understand him more and though he's a bit arrogant in the things he says and does I did grow to like him. Ellie was just awesome, she didn't take none of Lothaire's crap and liked to wind him up. It was quite fun reading.
One thing I did enjoy was Lothaire being brought to his knees by a human. He needed a woman exactly like Ellie and she was a force to be reckoned with at times.
The only thing I didn't like, and what lost it half a star for me, was their split. It all seemed to be going so well for them and then Lothaire did something against her will and then for like the next 60 pages they're not together. I was like WTF?
In the end it all worked out and apart from that one thing mentioned above, I really liked it. This is probably one of my favourite books in the series!
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) in Movies
Sep 16, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
25 years after their Bogus Journey, Wylde Stallions are on the verge of splitting up only to be told that they only only have 70 minuets to wright and perform the song that will bring harmony to, not only all of time but reality itself.
Bill & Ted Face the Music is an amalgam of the two previous films that is designed the trilogy or pass it on to the next generation and is split into two narratives. Bill and Ted head to the future to try to find the song, save their marriage and avoid being killed by robot from the future whilst their daughters have their own Excellent Adventure, travelling back in time to put the ultimate band together.
Bill & Ted Face the music tries to replicate the feel of the previous films and, for the most part succeeds, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter both do well in portraying an ageing Bill & Ted who are trying to live up to their destiny whilst keeping their lives together as well a number of future Bill and Ted's who all have their own agenda and it's nice to many of the original cast back in their original roles, even George Carlin makes a cameo as Rufus (kind of).
New comers to the franchise, Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine do a fair job as Thea and Billie, Bill & Teds teenage daughters, both of whom are exactly like their respective farther's but more modern.
The only two complaints I would have is that the robot is very annoying, he's meant to be but it just doesn't seem to work. Also I didn't know who Kid Cudi was (Showing my age and musical tastes here).
Bill & Ted Face the music is great, fun film that is, in essence, a tribute to the enjoyment and power of music, it fails only in the fact that it doesn't really have an effective bad guy, it tries to replicate De Nomolos, or at least his robots from Bogus Journey but, like Excellent Adventure it would have worked (almost) without him as he was really only used for one reason.
Oh and FYI there is an end of credits scene so make sure you sit through to the end.
Bill & Ted Face the Music is an amalgam of the two previous films that is designed the trilogy or pass it on to the next generation and is split into two narratives. Bill and Ted head to the future to try to find the song, save their marriage and avoid being killed by robot from the future whilst their daughters have their own Excellent Adventure, travelling back in time to put the ultimate band together.
Bill & Ted Face the music tries to replicate the feel of the previous films and, for the most part succeeds, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter both do well in portraying an ageing Bill & Ted who are trying to live up to their destiny whilst keeping their lives together as well a number of future Bill and Ted's who all have their own agenda and it's nice to many of the original cast back in their original roles, even George Carlin makes a cameo as Rufus (kind of).
New comers to the franchise, Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine do a fair job as Thea and Billie, Bill & Teds teenage daughters, both of whom are exactly like their respective farther's but more modern.
The only two complaints I would have is that the robot is very annoying, he's meant to be but it just doesn't seem to work. Also I didn't know who Kid Cudi was (Showing my age and musical tastes here).
Bill & Ted Face the music is great, fun film that is, in essence, a tribute to the enjoyment and power of music, it fails only in the fact that it doesn't really have an effective bad guy, it tries to replicate De Nomolos, or at least his robots from Bogus Journey but, like Excellent Adventure it would have worked (almost) without him as he was really only used for one reason.
Oh and FYI there is an end of credits scene so make sure you sit through to the end.
2.5 Stars
I was intrigued with The Widow. From the beginning, the suspicion was so focused on Glen, I was curious to find out if the real suspect was, in fact, someone else entirely. I had my options: Mike Doonan, the mother herself, or even Jean. Even as the evidence piled up against Glen, I held a sliver of doubt, because I don't like to leave any possible scenario unexplored. For a good while, I seriously thought Dawn had been involved somehow - I was extremely relieved when I discovered she wasn't. Mike was a momentary thought but, even though I didn't believe his disability claim for even a moment, I didn't dwell on his involvement for long. It was quite easy to be biased, with all the evidence and the fact the police continued to zero in on Glen. When the scrapbooks of baby pictures were mentioned, I began to consider Jean might actually be a suspect. I mean, she's telling the story, so she could twist and change anything she wanted to; she was desperate enough for a child, I figured maybe she just blocked it all out or maybe her medication had resulted in some kind of split personality. However, it was difficult to keep up with the different perspectives. First there's Jean ("The Widow"), Kate ("The Reporter"), DI Sparkes ("The Detective"), and even Dawn ("The Mother"). There was even one chapter written from Glen's perspective. I also had a hard time keeping the timeline straight, because even during the present, Jeanie would look back on a memory - that was pretty confusing, even with the dates. To be honest, I skimmed through most of Kate's and Sparke's chapters, briefed over Dawn's, and looked for interesting pieces of information in Jean's. Had I known Glen was the kidnapper the whole time, I doubt I would have read this book in its entirety. Like I said, I was hoping the suspect was another character and that Fiona was deliberately misleading her readers. I was disappointed in the story as a whole, because the majority of it was slow going and kind of boring. It didn't feel fast paced or "edge of your seat" exciting.
I was intrigued with The Widow. From the beginning, the suspicion was so focused on Glen, I was curious to find out if the real suspect was, in fact, someone else entirely. I had my options: Mike Doonan, the mother herself, or even Jean. Even as the evidence piled up against Glen, I held a sliver of doubt, because I don't like to leave any possible scenario unexplored. For a good while, I seriously thought Dawn had been involved somehow - I was extremely relieved when I discovered she wasn't. Mike was a momentary thought but, even though I didn't believe his disability claim for even a moment, I didn't dwell on his involvement for long. It was quite easy to be biased, with all the evidence and the fact the police continued to zero in on Glen. When the scrapbooks of baby pictures were mentioned, I began to consider Jean might actually be a suspect. I mean, she's telling the story, so she could twist and change anything she wanted to; she was desperate enough for a child, I figured maybe she just blocked it all out or maybe her medication had resulted in some kind of split personality. However, it was difficult to keep up with the different perspectives. First there's Jean ("The Widow"), Kate ("The Reporter"), DI Sparkes ("The Detective"), and even Dawn ("The Mother"). There was even one chapter written from Glen's perspective. I also had a hard time keeping the timeline straight, because even during the present, Jeanie would look back on a memory - that was pretty confusing, even with the dates. To be honest, I skimmed through most of Kate's and Sparke's chapters, briefed over Dawn's, and looked for interesting pieces of information in Jean's. Had I known Glen was the kidnapper the whole time, I doubt I would have read this book in its entirety. Like I said, I was hoping the suspect was another character and that Fiona was deliberately misleading her readers. I was disappointed in the story as a whole, because the majority of it was slow going and kind of boring. It didn't feel fast paced or "edge of your seat" exciting.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Painter And The Thief (2020) in Movies
Oct 23, 2020
After seeing the trailer for this one I was intrigued to see how the subject was handled in this format.
Barbora Kysilkova's prized paintings have been stolen from a gallery, the culprits were not careful and are soon picked up by the police. But all investigations come back empty handed and the two paintings may never resurface. Barbora is interested to meet one of the men responsible for her loss and soon an unlikely friendship begins between the two of them. As their lives become even more entwined we follow their path through troubles and redemption.
The documentary is split into two main parts, first we follow the painter as she uncovers whatever she can about the crime in an attempt to recover the pieces. The second follows out thief and the struggles of his life. Each side of the story shows very different ways of existing, but as it evolves you make surprising discoveries about them both that open your eyes to how reality is sometimes hidden underneath a persona we project.
We're treated to an enlightening journey with the way the narrative is laid out, and it's one that's almost impossible not to react to. Everything from the simple frustrations, to fear and worry, shows through as the connection between them grows, it feels more and more... uncomfortable. This is actually addressed by Barbora's boyfriend and it seems only evident to us and him that it's all a little nuts. At the end I was particularly shocked by the outcome.
Overall I had expected to see more about the crime itself, and in what I'd seen leading up to this it felt like it was bigger, but the crime actually comes across as quite unexceptional. That leaves us with a documentary that's much more focused on human fascination and curiosity, and in my opinion, how that can turn into an unhealthy obsession. While the second half feels more engaging, it was a bit of a slog getting to that. As a piece about human nature it's interesting, but when presented with something involving a crime I'm much more interested in seeing that than anything else.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-painter-thief-movie-review.html
Barbora Kysilkova's prized paintings have been stolen from a gallery, the culprits were not careful and are soon picked up by the police. But all investigations come back empty handed and the two paintings may never resurface. Barbora is interested to meet one of the men responsible for her loss and soon an unlikely friendship begins between the two of them. As their lives become even more entwined we follow their path through troubles and redemption.
The documentary is split into two main parts, first we follow the painter as she uncovers whatever she can about the crime in an attempt to recover the pieces. The second follows out thief and the struggles of his life. Each side of the story shows very different ways of existing, but as it evolves you make surprising discoveries about them both that open your eyes to how reality is sometimes hidden underneath a persona we project.
We're treated to an enlightening journey with the way the narrative is laid out, and it's one that's almost impossible not to react to. Everything from the simple frustrations, to fear and worry, shows through as the connection between them grows, it feels more and more... uncomfortable. This is actually addressed by Barbora's boyfriend and it seems only evident to us and him that it's all a little nuts. At the end I was particularly shocked by the outcome.
Overall I had expected to see more about the crime itself, and in what I'd seen leading up to this it felt like it was bigger, but the crime actually comes across as quite unexceptional. That leaves us with a documentary that's much more focused on human fascination and curiosity, and in my opinion, how that can turn into an unhealthy obsession. While the second half feels more engaging, it was a bit of a slog getting to that. As a piece about human nature it's interesting, but when presented with something involving a crime I'm much more interested in seeing that than anything else.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-painter-thief-movie-review.html
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Juliet, Naked (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
If there's one thing you can guarantee it's that Nick Hornby can write a good book that turns into a good movie. While they never usually hit my favourites list they're always consistent.
This year has seen the romcom take a step back to something more traditional, and I'm loving it. So many have been more about the comedy, but while this one is funny it's very much focused on the relationships.
The movie opens with Duncan's video that sets up part of the background really well and goes a long way to explaining his life's obsession. What follows is a really well implemented flow with the voice overs mixed in.
I went off and read some comments people had been writing about some of my thoughts on Juliet, Naked. It made me remember that a film like this is only ever as good as your own personal experience. It depicts mild obsession in such a realistic way. Watching Chris O'Dowd reactions to Annie and then later Tucker was really on point, and as his behaviour starts to really cause the split between him and Annie her reaction too was just right. In fact I felt the three of them were brilliant on screen throughout.
As a focus for the film, Annie is a wonderful character. Rose Byrne really brings an honesty out of her. You can feel her exacerbation with Duncan's behaviour, her nervousness around Tucker as well as her joy and sadness. That accompanied with the way Tucker changes around her is really beautiful to watch.
Overall there wasn't much to grumble about in this film... but... there's always a but! I didn't feel that the supporting cast were quite as essential. Annie's sister was a little over the top for me, and the diversion around Duncan's affair didn't really match up to the calibre of the rest of the film either.
What you should do
It's definitely one to watch, and remember to watching into the credits!
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I actually wouldn't mind taking home my own Tucker Crowe.
This year has seen the romcom take a step back to something more traditional, and I'm loving it. So many have been more about the comedy, but while this one is funny it's very much focused on the relationships.
The movie opens with Duncan's video that sets up part of the background really well and goes a long way to explaining his life's obsession. What follows is a really well implemented flow with the voice overs mixed in.
I went off and read some comments people had been writing about some of my thoughts on Juliet, Naked. It made me remember that a film like this is only ever as good as your own personal experience. It depicts mild obsession in such a realistic way. Watching Chris O'Dowd reactions to Annie and then later Tucker was really on point, and as his behaviour starts to really cause the split between him and Annie her reaction too was just right. In fact I felt the three of them were brilliant on screen throughout.
As a focus for the film, Annie is a wonderful character. Rose Byrne really brings an honesty out of her. You can feel her exacerbation with Duncan's behaviour, her nervousness around Tucker as well as her joy and sadness. That accompanied with the way Tucker changes around her is really beautiful to watch.
Overall there wasn't much to grumble about in this film... but... there's always a but! I didn't feel that the supporting cast were quite as essential. Annie's sister was a little over the top for me, and the diversion around Duncan's affair didn't really match up to the calibre of the rest of the film either.
What you should do
It's definitely one to watch, and remember to watching into the credits!
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I actually wouldn't mind taking home my own Tucker Crowe.
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