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Coming-of-age novel about two boys who fall in love in a writing class—one from a progressive...
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Table 19 (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Mean spirited and atrocious.
I really hated this film. There. BOOM. Got it off my chest.
It all starts so promisingly, with a scene of Anna Kendrick (“The Accountant“, who can be a very good actress) rejecting a wedding invitation; then accepting it; then burning it; then blowing it out; then posting it. I laughed. This was a rarity. There are about five more smile-worthy moments in the movie, most of which are delivered by Stephen Merchant.
Anna plays Eloise who was SUPPOSED to be maid-of-honour at her best friend’s wedding, but then broke up – messily – with her brother (the best man). She stubbornly attends the wedding in a posh hotel and finds herself on “Table 19” – a socially unfavourable location, full of a bunch of misfits that everyone expected to say “no” but didn’t; a molly-coddled and awkward teen (Tony Revolori, “Spider-man: Homecoming“) with the single goal of getting laid; “The Kepps” – a bickering married couple (Lisa Kudrow (“The Girl on the Train“, “Friends”) and Craig Robinson (“Hot Tub Time Machine”)); a convicted fraudster serving his sentence in an open prison ( Stephen Merchant, “Logan“) and a druggie former nanny of the bride (June Squibb, “In and Out”).
The fundamental problem with the movie is that Jeffrey Blitz’s script (he also directs) is not only not very funny, but it is so fundamentally focused on the greedy and needy nature of the table’s American reprobates that at every turn it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Their motives are all utterly selfish and there’s an “if we get away with it, then that’s fine” attitude that pervades the plot.
The nadir for me happens when – after trashing (albeit accidently) a key part of the wedding they are attending, they cover their selfish backsides by (deliberately) trashing the same key part of another wedding going on in the same hotel.
This is kind of positioned as a “revenge” sort of thing, but (in analysis) no wrong seems to have actually been done: its just another misunderstanding of the self-obsessed Eloise.
The Kepp’s story is also sad and selfish rather than comedic, and the resolution of this (and in fact all of the other sub-stories) for a nicely gift-wrapped ending is just saccharine and vomit-inducing.
This is a wedding present that should have come with a label in big red writing: “DO NOT OPEN“.
It all starts so promisingly, with a scene of Anna Kendrick (“The Accountant“, who can be a very good actress) rejecting a wedding invitation; then accepting it; then burning it; then blowing it out; then posting it. I laughed. This was a rarity. There are about five more smile-worthy moments in the movie, most of which are delivered by Stephen Merchant.
Anna plays Eloise who was SUPPOSED to be maid-of-honour at her best friend’s wedding, but then broke up – messily – with her brother (the best man). She stubbornly attends the wedding in a posh hotel and finds herself on “Table 19” – a socially unfavourable location, full of a bunch of misfits that everyone expected to say “no” but didn’t; a molly-coddled and awkward teen (Tony Revolori, “Spider-man: Homecoming“) with the single goal of getting laid; “The Kepps” – a bickering married couple (Lisa Kudrow (“The Girl on the Train“, “Friends”) and Craig Robinson (“Hot Tub Time Machine”)); a convicted fraudster serving his sentence in an open prison ( Stephen Merchant, “Logan“) and a druggie former nanny of the bride (June Squibb, “In and Out”).
The fundamental problem with the movie is that Jeffrey Blitz’s script (he also directs) is not only not very funny, but it is so fundamentally focused on the greedy and needy nature of the table’s American reprobates that at every turn it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Their motives are all utterly selfish and there’s an “if we get away with it, then that’s fine” attitude that pervades the plot.
The nadir for me happens when – after trashing (albeit accidently) a key part of the wedding they are attending, they cover their selfish backsides by (deliberately) trashing the same key part of another wedding going on in the same hotel.
This is kind of positioned as a “revenge” sort of thing, but (in analysis) no wrong seems to have actually been done: its just another misunderstanding of the self-obsessed Eloise.
The Kepp’s story is also sad and selfish rather than comedic, and the resolution of this (and in fact all of the other sub-stories) for a nicely gift-wrapped ending is just saccharine and vomit-inducing.
This is a wedding present that should have come with a label in big red writing: “DO NOT OPEN“.
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Love you to death (2019) in Movies
Jun 2, 2022
Police arrive at a house in 2013, The door is unlocked so they enter to find a dead body on the bed. We are shown a montage of pictures of a sick teen girl called Esme and her mum, it seems they had been raising a lot of money because of her illness.
Rewind to a few months before the death, it's Esmes 16th birthday and then her routine appointment, but sadly she is showing no signs of improving. During a shopping trip they bump into Esmes estranged dad, and it's clear there is hostility between him and Esmes mum. We soon discover that Esme has had the illness since she was 4 years old and also has a learning disability which just adds to the sadness of her illness.
It soon becomes evident how controlling her mother is though, she refuses to let anyone take Esme anywhere, controls what she eats as well as which doctors are allowed to treat her. After Esme is attacked at a gaming convention, the mother purchases a gun for protection and it isn't long before she's using it against an intruder.
About half an hour into the movie, we are thrown back to 2005, and we see Esmes side of the story. Esmes mum has a conversation with a nurse who confirms that Esme was misdiagnosed and she was fine, I won't go into that too much incase you want to watch it, but basically Esmes mum continues to fake Esmes illness. You will have to watch the movie to see how she achieves this, by tricking everyone including medical staff.
I enjoyed the movie but I was so shocked to find out it was based on a true story, I immediately went on to watch the documentary to compare and I felt they did do the true story justice, they included Esmes mum always holding her hand and hitting her if she didn't do as she was expected to do. The way Esme (gypsy rose) meets her boyfriend was different in real life, I felt the movie made him out to be this sweet guy trying to save Esme but in real life he was very disturbed, but then again it was told through Esmes eyes, so it was probably to show what she saw at the time.
Rewind to a few months before the death, it's Esmes 16th birthday and then her routine appointment, but sadly she is showing no signs of improving. During a shopping trip they bump into Esmes estranged dad, and it's clear there is hostility between him and Esmes mum. We soon discover that Esme has had the illness since she was 4 years old and also has a learning disability which just adds to the sadness of her illness.
It soon becomes evident how controlling her mother is though, she refuses to let anyone take Esme anywhere, controls what she eats as well as which doctors are allowed to treat her. After Esme is attacked at a gaming convention, the mother purchases a gun for protection and it isn't long before she's using it against an intruder.
About half an hour into the movie, we are thrown back to 2005, and we see Esmes side of the story. Esmes mum has a conversation with a nurse who confirms that Esme was misdiagnosed and she was fine, I won't go into that too much incase you want to watch it, but basically Esmes mum continues to fake Esmes illness. You will have to watch the movie to see how she achieves this, by tricking everyone including medical staff.
I enjoyed the movie but I was so shocked to find out it was based on a true story, I immediately went on to watch the documentary to compare and I felt they did do the true story justice, they included Esmes mum always holding her hand and hitting her if she didn't do as she was expected to do. The way Esme (gypsy rose) meets her boyfriend was different in real life, I felt the movie made him out to be this sweet guy trying to save Esme but in real life he was very disturbed, but then again it was told through Esmes eyes, so it was probably to show what she saw at the time.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Our Little Racket: A Novel in Books
Feb 8, 2018
The idyllic community of Greenwich, Connecticut is shaken when the investment bank, Weiss & Partners, fails. Its CEO, Bob D'Amico--a man known throughout the banking community for his loyalty to his employees--is at the center of the storm: did Bob know this was coming? And even worse, did things fall apart due to criminal actions on his part? Meanwhile, Bob's teenage daughter, Madison, struggles to understand what this all means, both for her father and her family. She gets little help from her mother, Isabel, who offers Madison no comfort during this crazy time. Madison's nanny, Lily, is busy caring for her younger twin brothers. Isabel's best friend, Mina, wants to help, but is still too afraid of offending Isabel: a pillar of the Greenwich scene. And Madison and her best friend, Amanda, seem to be drifting further apart every day. Madison and her family are under intense scrutiny, yet she's still just a girl trying to navigate being a teen. She's sure her father didn't do anything wrong; right?
I had a tough time with this book. There were several points where I considered setting it down for others in my always growing "to be read" pile, but I soldiered on. <i>I can't say I really enjoyed it, though I did find parts of it interesting.</i> It's clearly influenced by the Madoff scandal, which is referenced in the novel, and there is a lot of financial lingo in the book, even if it's really a story of a troubled family at its core.
The problem is that so few of the characters are really engaging, and the story seems to drag on endlessly at points. It's a peek in the world of the truly wealthy (think household servants, golf courses at their homes, multiple residences, hired cars, etc.), but I found myself unable to care for most of the characters. None of them are very nice to each other, and Bob and Isabel come across as neglectful and awful parents for the majority of the story. Even worse is the gaggle of Greenwich women, who gossip about the situation, feel like they are unable to continue to purchase expensive clothing and wares after Bob's "situation," and generally just annoy you with their harping. They don't understand anything about what their husbands do, but they run their households (well, they delegate it all) and fear that their carefully polished way of life is in jeopardy. You understand that this is a serious event for them, but you don't really care. Was I supposed to feel sorry for them? The novel is confusing at times in this facet. Perhaps I missed a great point somewhere: is it profound or just pretentious? Hard to tell.
The one thing that kept me reading was Madison. While she could be hateful at times, the story of her coming of age in a very strange environment, with a spotlight shining on her, was the most interesting part of the novel. Her dynamic with her father, whom she clearly adored, and her cold, distant mother, was far more fleshed out than any of the other characters. You could see her struggling to find her place in the world: she was just doing it under the watchful eye of the community (and a security detail hired to keep the press away from her family). Baker deftly portrays Madison's heartbreaking forays in romance, as well as some great scenes in which the teen shows off some spunk that will have you rooting for her. I couldn't help but want to give her a hug: even though I could see that her mother was a complicated individual, her parents were pretty awful, and poor Madison was forced to confront that in some terrible ways.
Still, despite Madison's story, most of this book fell flat for me. The epilogue was interesting and tied up some loose ends, but it ended things very abruptly as well. So much of the novel was about how Greenwich was nothing but smoke and mirrors: nothing was real in this world. Yet, I would have enjoyed some characters who felt more human, whom I could relate to in some way, whom I wanted to care for and to see come out of this "crisis" intact. Rating a 3-star due to Madison and the intricate story, but probably more of a 2.5-star on the overall enjoyment level scale for me.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 06/20/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
I had a tough time with this book. There were several points where I considered setting it down for others in my always growing "to be read" pile, but I soldiered on. <i>I can't say I really enjoyed it, though I did find parts of it interesting.</i> It's clearly influenced by the Madoff scandal, which is referenced in the novel, and there is a lot of financial lingo in the book, even if it's really a story of a troubled family at its core.
The problem is that so few of the characters are really engaging, and the story seems to drag on endlessly at points. It's a peek in the world of the truly wealthy (think household servants, golf courses at their homes, multiple residences, hired cars, etc.), but I found myself unable to care for most of the characters. None of them are very nice to each other, and Bob and Isabel come across as neglectful and awful parents for the majority of the story. Even worse is the gaggle of Greenwich women, who gossip about the situation, feel like they are unable to continue to purchase expensive clothing and wares after Bob's "situation," and generally just annoy you with their harping. They don't understand anything about what their husbands do, but they run their households (well, they delegate it all) and fear that their carefully polished way of life is in jeopardy. You understand that this is a serious event for them, but you don't really care. Was I supposed to feel sorry for them? The novel is confusing at times in this facet. Perhaps I missed a great point somewhere: is it profound or just pretentious? Hard to tell.
The one thing that kept me reading was Madison. While she could be hateful at times, the story of her coming of age in a very strange environment, with a spotlight shining on her, was the most interesting part of the novel. Her dynamic with her father, whom she clearly adored, and her cold, distant mother, was far more fleshed out than any of the other characters. You could see her struggling to find her place in the world: she was just doing it under the watchful eye of the community (and a security detail hired to keep the press away from her family). Baker deftly portrays Madison's heartbreaking forays in romance, as well as some great scenes in which the teen shows off some spunk that will have you rooting for her. I couldn't help but want to give her a hug: even though I could see that her mother was a complicated individual, her parents were pretty awful, and poor Madison was forced to confront that in some terrible ways.
Still, despite Madison's story, most of this book fell flat for me. The epilogue was interesting and tied up some loose ends, but it ended things very abruptly as well. So much of the novel was about how Greenwich was nothing but smoke and mirrors: nothing was real in this world. Yet, I would have enjoyed some characters who felt more human, whom I could relate to in some way, whom I wanted to care for and to see come out of this "crisis" intact. Rating a 3-star due to Madison and the intricate story, but probably more of a 2.5-star on the overall enjoyment level scale for me.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 06/20/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
Mothergamer (1546 KP) rated BEYOND: Two Souls in Video Games
Jun 21, 2019
I had never played Beyond: Two Souls and I got the game for free with my Playstation Plus subscription. I decided to check it out. Right from the start of the game, the story hooks you in with an introduction to a young woman (played by Ellen Page) sitting in a sheriff's office looking grim. This is where Beyond really begins. It's an intriguing way to start a story and I found myself wanting to know who this young woman was and how she got to this point.
As the story progresses, you learn that the young woman's name is Jodie and she has a psychic connection with an entity known as Aiden. Jodie can communicate and work with Aiden to use telepathic abilities such as moving objects or possessing people's minds. This is where the game has time jumps between Jodie's childhood, her teen years, and adulthood. It seems the story does this on purpose, showing that memories in Jodie's mind are jumbled so there are frequent time jumps back and forth. It can be a little confusing at times, but it seems to meld well with the story.
You can adjust the difficulty settings in the game from easy to normal depending on your play style which is nice. Since this was my first time playing the game, I went with the easy setting so I could get a feel for things and just enjoy the story. As the story switched back and forth in the timeline you get to see the things Jodie went through as a kid with Aiden and how she came to be with the lead scientist of the paranormal department, Nathan who is played by Willem Dafoe. Throughout Jodie's childhood, Nathan is a constant presence and a bit of a father figure to her as they run tests to see how strong Jodie's abilities are as well as testing her connection to Aiden. This is where the game introduces you to the controls and the quick action button events.
You can also switch views between Jodie and Aiden. There are many points in the game where Jodie relies on Aiden for certain parts of the story in order to move objects, possess people, or fight enemies. This is where the quick action controls come in. Honestly, I did not like the quick action controls because for me it detracted from the story immersion and often felt like a chore to do especially if I missed it the first time. There were times where it was vital that I not miss the quick action moment and it could be very frustrating when I did miss it.
The aspect of Jodie and Aiden learning and growing together as the story progresses is definitely interesting. There are great emotional moments in the story with Jodie as she is trying to navigate what it means to be herself while trying to adjust and separate herself from Aiden. You also get to see how her relationships change with people like Nathan as she grows. The time skips through the fifteen year span of Jodie's life fill in some of the gaps in the story, but there are times where it feels a bit muddled because in some aspects it takes away the player control and just takes you along for the ride. That is not necessarily a bad thing, because Ellen Page does a phenomenal job as Jodie and I found myself caring a lot about this character and wanting to protect her from all the people who were trying to control or manipulate her.
There are multiple endings to Beyond depending on choices you make as Jodie, but it doesn't always seem like there are a ton of choices because you are basically there to see Jodie's story unfold and see how she came to be where she is. The voice acting and motion capture of the game is incredible and everyone did a fantastic job telling this story. That's not to say Beyond isn't flawed. As I said before, I did not like the quick action event sequences. I felt this detracted from the story a bit. I also felt there were a couple of writing choices that could have been done better and in a more thoughtful manner such as a troubling scene in one of Jodie's teen years memories. I also felt the ending could have been stronger because it took an odd cliffhanger turn. That being said, I did enjoy Beyond: Two Souls because of the great casting and the story. Ellen Page as Jodie is the real deal bringing a great sincerity to the character that made me care genuinely about Jodie and wanting her to be okay. That is the sign of some good storytelling. Beyond is definitely worth playing through at least once to see the story unfold through Jodie's eyes.
As the story progresses, you learn that the young woman's name is Jodie and she has a psychic connection with an entity known as Aiden. Jodie can communicate and work with Aiden to use telepathic abilities such as moving objects or possessing people's minds. This is where the game has time jumps between Jodie's childhood, her teen years, and adulthood. It seems the story does this on purpose, showing that memories in Jodie's mind are jumbled so there are frequent time jumps back and forth. It can be a little confusing at times, but it seems to meld well with the story.
You can adjust the difficulty settings in the game from easy to normal depending on your play style which is nice. Since this was my first time playing the game, I went with the easy setting so I could get a feel for things and just enjoy the story. As the story switched back and forth in the timeline you get to see the things Jodie went through as a kid with Aiden and how she came to be with the lead scientist of the paranormal department, Nathan who is played by Willem Dafoe. Throughout Jodie's childhood, Nathan is a constant presence and a bit of a father figure to her as they run tests to see how strong Jodie's abilities are as well as testing her connection to Aiden. This is where the game introduces you to the controls and the quick action button events.
You can also switch views between Jodie and Aiden. There are many points in the game where Jodie relies on Aiden for certain parts of the story in order to move objects, possess people, or fight enemies. This is where the quick action controls come in. Honestly, I did not like the quick action controls because for me it detracted from the story immersion and often felt like a chore to do especially if I missed it the first time. There were times where it was vital that I not miss the quick action moment and it could be very frustrating when I did miss it.
The aspect of Jodie and Aiden learning and growing together as the story progresses is definitely interesting. There are great emotional moments in the story with Jodie as she is trying to navigate what it means to be herself while trying to adjust and separate herself from Aiden. You also get to see how her relationships change with people like Nathan as she grows. The time skips through the fifteen year span of Jodie's life fill in some of the gaps in the story, but there are times where it feels a bit muddled because in some aspects it takes away the player control and just takes you along for the ride. That is not necessarily a bad thing, because Ellen Page does a phenomenal job as Jodie and I found myself caring a lot about this character and wanting to protect her from all the people who were trying to control or manipulate her.
There are multiple endings to Beyond depending on choices you make as Jodie, but it doesn't always seem like there are a ton of choices because you are basically there to see Jodie's story unfold and see how she came to be where she is. The voice acting and motion capture of the game is incredible and everyone did a fantastic job telling this story. That's not to say Beyond isn't flawed. As I said before, I did not like the quick action event sequences. I felt this detracted from the story a bit. I also felt there were a couple of writing choices that could have been done better and in a more thoughtful manner such as a troubling scene in one of Jodie's teen years memories. I also felt the ending could have been stronger because it took an odd cliffhanger turn. That being said, I did enjoy Beyond: Two Souls because of the great casting and the story. Ellen Page as Jodie is the real deal bringing a great sincerity to the character that made me care genuinely about Jodie and wanting her to be okay. That is the sign of some good storytelling. Beyond is definitely worth playing through at least once to see the story unfold through Jodie's eyes.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Five Feet Apart (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
Firstly, I think it's nice to see a film partnering with a charity and bringing awareness to a wider audience. The advert for the charity before the film was a nice touch too.
Secondly, it appears that they shook the Disney tree hard for this one. Cole Sprouse and Moises Arias both had big roles on top Disney shows and Haley Lu Richardson appeared once in a show I've never heard of before.
Five Feet Apart opens really nicely with Stella and her friends. Everything is jolly old teen movie until they leave and Stella's demeanour changes. She isn't happy, her face is instantly one of resolve and sadness. The transformation of the room shows you everything that was hiding behind the camera, homely teen bedroom to sterile hospital room. It's a simple scene but it sets up Stella's character nicely.
This isn't a new tale, the idea is tried and tested over the years. A love story through the battle of illness is a guaranteed tearjerker, and this certainly delivered on that point.
Will's arrival at the hospital intrigues her almost instantly. He's the polar opposite of Stella, she has her reasons to battle through while Will is more for living for the moment, consequences be damned.
It's an enjoyable film, but the thing I think stands in the way for some people is the fact that we've never been in this sort of situation so everything seems farfetched. I can't imagine what it's like, but I can imagine emotions running high and recklessness coming from it. As an adult (ugh) I can't imagine putting my life in danger like the characters do, but I'm certain that teenage me would have done the same things... boy was she an idiot.
During the scene where Stella goes under general anaesthetic she's looking up at a drawing placed on the ceiling above her, as the drugs take hold the picture starts to come to life. It was a little whimsical for the film, but being that they use illustration in different areas it was a nice inclusion.
Stella's optimism and determination in the face of her CF is so strong and Haley Lu Richardson does a great job of dealing with the wide range of emotions that she cycles through. (Am I the only one who was getting Olivia Cooke vibes through this?)
The cheese to Stella's chalk is Will played by Cole Sprouse. Will is the fun-at-any-price sort of rebel so of course those two are perfect for each other. If I'm being brutally honest I always thought Cole Sprouse was the one that couldn't act. His performance in this has convinced me otherwise. As frustrating as I found Will's actions I thought he was an interesting character and that Sprouse brought him to life in a very believable way.
The pair make for a great lead couple, even if we are subjected to a rather condensed romance. I didn't really get much sense of how time flowed in this movie, it could be weeks, months, I couldn't tell. Due to the nature of their condition there's a necessary separation throughout the film and as you watch you wonder how they're going to deal with that when romances are traditionally full of closeness... I didn't think that something so simple could make me cry, but somehow there I was with tears rolling down my face. It was a bizarre idea but it worked really well visually even if it did get a little weird at one point.
At the end we ramp up fairly quickly and we see a swift change in our main characters. Emotions are so high that everything gets a little crazier. While the change in Stella didn't feel quite right to me, Will's change was a nice move and Sprouse's performance really showed the panic and reality behind the situation.
When we come to the conclusion of the film I could not have been more annoyed. If someone did that to me I think I'd punch their lights out, five feet rule or not.
Oh! And that five feet rule, you know, the one in the title of the film? We see it referred to early on and it's actually a six feet rule... that discrepancy annoyed me for longer than it probably should have done.
This might not be groundbreaking in its genre but it was an enjoyable watch. It gives you a different take on this popular medi-romance trend.
What you should do
If you like these devastating romances then this is definitely worth catching at some point.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
There's a lot of artistic talent flying around between the main characters and I'd love to pinch a little bit of that.
Secondly, it appears that they shook the Disney tree hard for this one. Cole Sprouse and Moises Arias both had big roles on top Disney shows and Haley Lu Richardson appeared once in a show I've never heard of before.
Five Feet Apart opens really nicely with Stella and her friends. Everything is jolly old teen movie until they leave and Stella's demeanour changes. She isn't happy, her face is instantly one of resolve and sadness. The transformation of the room shows you everything that was hiding behind the camera, homely teen bedroom to sterile hospital room. It's a simple scene but it sets up Stella's character nicely.
This isn't a new tale, the idea is tried and tested over the years. A love story through the battle of illness is a guaranteed tearjerker, and this certainly delivered on that point.
Will's arrival at the hospital intrigues her almost instantly. He's the polar opposite of Stella, she has her reasons to battle through while Will is more for living for the moment, consequences be damned.
It's an enjoyable film, but the thing I think stands in the way for some people is the fact that we've never been in this sort of situation so everything seems farfetched. I can't imagine what it's like, but I can imagine emotions running high and recklessness coming from it. As an adult (ugh) I can't imagine putting my life in danger like the characters do, but I'm certain that teenage me would have done the same things... boy was she an idiot.
During the scene where Stella goes under general anaesthetic she's looking up at a drawing placed on the ceiling above her, as the drugs take hold the picture starts to come to life. It was a little whimsical for the film, but being that they use illustration in different areas it was a nice inclusion.
Stella's optimism and determination in the face of her CF is so strong and Haley Lu Richardson does a great job of dealing with the wide range of emotions that she cycles through. (Am I the only one who was getting Olivia Cooke vibes through this?)
The cheese to Stella's chalk is Will played by Cole Sprouse. Will is the fun-at-any-price sort of rebel so of course those two are perfect for each other. If I'm being brutally honest I always thought Cole Sprouse was the one that couldn't act. His performance in this has convinced me otherwise. As frustrating as I found Will's actions I thought he was an interesting character and that Sprouse brought him to life in a very believable way.
The pair make for a great lead couple, even if we are subjected to a rather condensed romance. I didn't really get much sense of how time flowed in this movie, it could be weeks, months, I couldn't tell. Due to the nature of their condition there's a necessary separation throughout the film and as you watch you wonder how they're going to deal with that when romances are traditionally full of closeness... I didn't think that something so simple could make me cry, but somehow there I was with tears rolling down my face. It was a bizarre idea but it worked really well visually even if it did get a little weird at one point.
At the end we ramp up fairly quickly and we see a swift change in our main characters. Emotions are so high that everything gets a little crazier. While the change in Stella didn't feel quite right to me, Will's change was a nice move and Sprouse's performance really showed the panic and reality behind the situation.
When we come to the conclusion of the film I could not have been more annoyed. If someone did that to me I think I'd punch their lights out, five feet rule or not.
Oh! And that five feet rule, you know, the one in the title of the film? We see it referred to early on and it's actually a six feet rule... that discrepancy annoyed me for longer than it probably should have done.
This might not be groundbreaking in its genre but it was an enjoyable watch. It gives you a different take on this popular medi-romance trend.
What you should do
If you like these devastating romances then this is definitely worth catching at some point.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
There's a lot of artistic talent flying around between the main characters and I'd love to pinch a little bit of that.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) in Movies
Oct 11, 2020 (Updated Jan 22, 2021)
I’m sure I wasn’t alone in the Summer of 2019 when Spider-Man: Far From Home was released in just needing a minute or two, maybe a couple of months, longer to catch my breath after Avengers: Engame, and what very much felt like an ending to the MCU plan that had been in motion since 2008. That climax was so satisfying and complete that the thought of any of them donning the costume and fighting bad guys again so soon felt wrong.
I wasn’t against the survivors having continued adventures, of course not. It was more a question of where do we go from here? And how? Well, perhaps Tom Holland as the youngest and most emotionally resilient of the bunch was the right choice to continue the universe, if any at all. Knowing that Jake Gyllenhaal had been brought onboard certainly added to the appeal, being one of my very favourite actors of the last decade (together with Ryan Gosling and Joaquin Phoenix), but I had made up my mind to skip this one at the cinema.
And so, before any of us knew where we were, it was Spring 2020 and we were all in a different place. Needing films, any films, to fill out the days of lockdown and isolation became a case of make a list and tick them off. This was one of those that made the shortlist around June when I began the trial month of Now TV and discovered that this was where all the big films of the last year I had missed were hiding.
I liked Spider-Man: Homecoming very much, after some initial trepidation over who the heck Jon Watts was, and why he had been trusted with such a big job out of seemingly nowhere? I also really like Tom Holland in the role. I think the idea of making him seem like a naive teenager again is a masterstroke, and he fast became The real Spider-Man in my head. His relationship with Robert Downey Jnr across the last handful of MCU films was rich, genuine and fully rounded, and Holland has managed to pitch the balance between nervy teen and likeable hero quite deftly.
The charm of the first film from Watts was how much it felt like a teen film, full of teens that were actual teens, not adults pretending to be teens. And in this second instalment that element is even more to the fore. It is a travelling road movie that keeps everything fresh and energetic, not giving a moment to dwell despondently on previous events, but looking forward to a bright, hopeful world, full of romance and adventure and discovery.
Other than Holland himself, who grows in stature and maturity as an actor every minute, the rising star of Zendaya as MJ fills the screen very pleasantly, she has a great aura about her for one so young. I am expecting great things from her, especially in the upcoming yet delayed Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve. She doesn’t have a lot to do here, but steals enough scenes to hint at a serious talent. In fact, most of his classmates seem beyond their years ability-wise, or do they seem that way because of the skilled direction and bottomless production?
It’s also nice to get more time with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May in this one. You always do wonder what the lesser characters have been up to while everyone else was saving the world. But the backbone of the film as a spectacle is the Peter Parker / Quentin Beck face off. Every moment of Holland and Gyllenhaal together feels like a huge movie treat. And knowing nothing about who Quentin Beck was going in from comic book lore, I got a real thrill out of how it all develops.
I came away from my small screen experience of this movie thinking that I had really enjoyed it, but in a very disposable way, that I was happy to leave behind almost instantly. Nothing about it is especially deep or meaningful, just fun! And that was 100% what Marvel needed at this junction in the pantheon. These guys are pretty smart at knowing when and why and how much with these movies, and I’m pleased to say they did it again!
There is some serious work to be done to ever reach the heights of interest generated by the final pairing of Avengers films, and a lot has changed, as it must, as some actors age, some even pass away (RIP CB) and some call it a day. But if nothing else, there feels like there is plenty of mileage left in this incarnation of the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, and a lot of new fans to be hauled in by the onscreen romance between Tom Holland and Zendaya’s MJ. Older fans, like me, could maybe care less, but I believe that is the hook to ensure a future generation of fans stay loyal to Marvel. Every hero needs someone to save, after all. I’m still watching.
I wasn’t against the survivors having continued adventures, of course not. It was more a question of where do we go from here? And how? Well, perhaps Tom Holland as the youngest and most emotionally resilient of the bunch was the right choice to continue the universe, if any at all. Knowing that Jake Gyllenhaal had been brought onboard certainly added to the appeal, being one of my very favourite actors of the last decade (together with Ryan Gosling and Joaquin Phoenix), but I had made up my mind to skip this one at the cinema.
And so, before any of us knew where we were, it was Spring 2020 and we were all in a different place. Needing films, any films, to fill out the days of lockdown and isolation became a case of make a list and tick them off. This was one of those that made the shortlist around June when I began the trial month of Now TV and discovered that this was where all the big films of the last year I had missed were hiding.
I liked Spider-Man: Homecoming very much, after some initial trepidation over who the heck Jon Watts was, and why he had been trusted with such a big job out of seemingly nowhere? I also really like Tom Holland in the role. I think the idea of making him seem like a naive teenager again is a masterstroke, and he fast became The real Spider-Man in my head. His relationship with Robert Downey Jnr across the last handful of MCU films was rich, genuine and fully rounded, and Holland has managed to pitch the balance between nervy teen and likeable hero quite deftly.
The charm of the first film from Watts was how much it felt like a teen film, full of teens that were actual teens, not adults pretending to be teens. And in this second instalment that element is even more to the fore. It is a travelling road movie that keeps everything fresh and energetic, not giving a moment to dwell despondently on previous events, but looking forward to a bright, hopeful world, full of romance and adventure and discovery.
Other than Holland himself, who grows in stature and maturity as an actor every minute, the rising star of Zendaya as MJ fills the screen very pleasantly, she has a great aura about her for one so young. I am expecting great things from her, especially in the upcoming yet delayed Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve. She doesn’t have a lot to do here, but steals enough scenes to hint at a serious talent. In fact, most of his classmates seem beyond their years ability-wise, or do they seem that way because of the skilled direction and bottomless production?
It’s also nice to get more time with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May in this one. You always do wonder what the lesser characters have been up to while everyone else was saving the world. But the backbone of the film as a spectacle is the Peter Parker / Quentin Beck face off. Every moment of Holland and Gyllenhaal together feels like a huge movie treat. And knowing nothing about who Quentin Beck was going in from comic book lore, I got a real thrill out of how it all develops.
I came away from my small screen experience of this movie thinking that I had really enjoyed it, but in a very disposable way, that I was happy to leave behind almost instantly. Nothing about it is especially deep or meaningful, just fun! And that was 100% what Marvel needed at this junction in the pantheon. These guys are pretty smart at knowing when and why and how much with these movies, and I’m pleased to say they did it again!
There is some serious work to be done to ever reach the heights of interest generated by the final pairing of Avengers films, and a lot has changed, as it must, as some actors age, some even pass away (RIP CB) and some call it a day. But if nothing else, there feels like there is plenty of mileage left in this incarnation of the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, and a lot of new fans to be hauled in by the onscreen romance between Tom Holland and Zendaya’s MJ. Older fans, like me, could maybe care less, but I believe that is the hook to ensure a future generation of fans stay loyal to Marvel. Every hero needs someone to save, after all. I’m still watching.
BobbiesDustyPages (1259 KP) rated Alice in Zombieland - White Rabbit Chronicles in Books
Jul 23, 2017
This was bad. read in 2013
Contains spoilers, click to show
I have to say this is one of the most misleading titles I have ever seen. I was really excited to read this book it sounded interesting and I've been a fan of both Alice in Wonderland and Zombies since I was just a kid so this seemed right up my alley..too bad that's not what I got at all. I read a little less than half the book and I just couldn't make myself finish it it was causing me actual pain.
One of the things that really got to me that actually had nothing to do with the plot was that it was so damn preachy and that was only in the first chapter, I don't mind books that talk about religion or a charter having a set religion but please do not make me feel like I'm being tricked in to going to church with out warning.
The only thing that this book had to do with Alice in Wonderland was a cloud that looked like a white rabbit, the name Alice and a few very small things.
Also, it was like the author looked up every cliche for a YA book and every teenage cliche from books and movies,(the perfect popular girl, the stunningly pretty but I'm so average protagonist, and the dark bad boy and slut shaming.)threw them in a blender and came out this.
Alice or Ali could have been a strong female lead but she came off as a mean, selfish, and a whiny person that I did not connect with at all, actually the only character I kind of like was her little sister Emma..and that didn't last long.
Cole was absolutely horrid, please stop making these alpha male asshole characters in YA books it's not clever or cute or romantic it down right unhealthy.
The writing was about average and since I know nothing about this author it doesn't really make me want to give any of her other works even a chance if this is what I'm in for.
The only thing I liked about this book was the title which wasn't even original and the cover art.
So all in all if you're looking for:
A take on Alice in Wonderland
Zombies and everything that comes with them
A teen girl kicking ass and killing the undead
Actual zombies at all
A good book
Then move along and don't waste your money because you'll get none of that here.
One of the things that really got to me that actually had nothing to do with the plot was that it was so damn preachy and that was only in the first chapter, I don't mind books that talk about religion or a charter having a set religion but please do not make me feel like I'm being tricked in to going to church with out warning.
The only thing that this book had to do with Alice in Wonderland was a cloud that looked like a white rabbit, the name Alice and a few very small things.
Also, it was like the author looked up every cliche for a YA book and every teenage cliche from books and movies,(the perfect popular girl, the stunningly pretty but I'm so average protagonist, and the dark bad boy and slut shaming.)threw them in a blender and came out this.
Alice or Ali could have been a strong female lead but she came off as a mean, selfish, and a whiny person that I did not connect with at all, actually the only character I kind of like was her little sister Emma..and that didn't last long.
Cole was absolutely horrid, please stop making these alpha male asshole characters in YA books it's not clever or cute or romantic it down right unhealthy.
The writing was about average and since I know nothing about this author it doesn't really make me want to give any of her other works even a chance if this is what I'm in for.
The only thing I liked about this book was the title which wasn't even original and the cover art.
So all in all if you're looking for:
A take on Alice in Wonderland
Zombies and everything that comes with them
A teen girl kicking ass and killing the undead
Actual zombies at all
A good book
Then move along and don't waste your money because you'll get none of that here.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Dancing on Broken Glass in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I think this is the best book I've read in a really long time.
Let's start with a critical analysis and break down the text: First, the writing was really good. Like, Dianne Dixon good, or JK Rowling good. It was filled with flowing and descriptive prose and beautiful metaphors. I could probably write a ten-page paper on some of the literary themes in this novel. It wasn't just fiction for the sake of the story: There was so much beauty about the meaning of life and love and commitment and… well, I'll let you read it.
The pacing was excellent. The very first sentence caught me by the hair and dragged me the whole way through the book. I read most of it in one setting, stopping only to readjust the pillow behind my back.
Now for the really important stuff:
The characters in Dancing on Broken Glass were so epic that I truly didn't want this book to end. They were so wonderful, but so terribly and humanly flawed, just like real people are, that I feel like if I saw Mickey or Lily on the street, I'd recognize them right away.
And boy did I relate to some of these characters!
The ending was just superb. It was heartbreaking, but I knew it was destined from the moment I started reading. It was so perfect and fulfilling that it was worth all the emotional turmoil the rest of the novel put me through.
On that note, it wasn't one of those books that are so hard to read that you can only take it in small doses or that it makes you cry, or extremely emotional readers can't handle it. Nor did it have any offensive language or sex scenes (okay there was some mention of sex, but it wasn't explicit in any way). In fact, it was one of the least offensive novels I've read in a very long time. We're talking years.
The romance was better than anything I've read in any teen novel. The relationships were true and realistic to the core. The flawed characters were just as real to me as I am to myself. The message of hope and grief and dedication and sacrifice will stay with me forever. I hope I never forget this story.
Dancing on Broken Glass was an absolutely beautiful novel. Ka Hancock is going on my Author Watch, and this novel is staying on my "re-read" bookshelf. I recommend it to absolutely anyone willing to hear a really good story.
Let's start with a critical analysis and break down the text: First, the writing was really good. Like, Dianne Dixon good, or JK Rowling good. It was filled with flowing and descriptive prose and beautiful metaphors. I could probably write a ten-page paper on some of the literary themes in this novel. It wasn't just fiction for the sake of the story: There was so much beauty about the meaning of life and love and commitment and… well, I'll let you read it.
The pacing was excellent. The very first sentence caught me by the hair and dragged me the whole way through the book. I read most of it in one setting, stopping only to readjust the pillow behind my back.
Now for the really important stuff:
The characters in Dancing on Broken Glass were so epic that I truly didn't want this book to end. They were so wonderful, but so terribly and humanly flawed, just like real people are, that I feel like if I saw Mickey or Lily on the street, I'd recognize them right away.
And boy did I relate to some of these characters!
The ending was just superb. It was heartbreaking, but I knew it was destined from the moment I started reading. It was so perfect and fulfilling that it was worth all the emotional turmoil the rest of the novel put me through.
On that note, it wasn't one of those books that are so hard to read that you can only take it in small doses or that it makes you cry, or extremely emotional readers can't handle it. Nor did it have any offensive language or sex scenes (okay there was some mention of sex, but it wasn't explicit in any way). In fact, it was one of the least offensive novels I've read in a very long time. We're talking years.
The romance was better than anything I've read in any teen novel. The relationships were true and realistic to the core. The flawed characters were just as real to me as I am to myself. The message of hope and grief and dedication and sacrifice will stay with me forever. I hope I never forget this story.
Dancing on Broken Glass was an absolutely beautiful novel. Ka Hancock is going on my Author Watch, and this novel is staying on my "re-read" bookshelf. I recommend it to absolutely anyone willing to hear a really good story.
Jayme (18 KP) rated Turtles All The Way Down in Books
Apr 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 15, 2018)
Characters (3 more)
Plot
Accurate depiciton of mental illness
Didn't have an "easy" or cliche "fairytale" ending
I’ve been meaning to pick up a John Green book for a very long time, but it wasn’t until I heard good reviews of this book that I finally did. My initial thought after finishing the book is this: I now understand all the hype.
I read a great deal of YA fiction, but it is not very often that I finish the book feeling whole. Not because the ending was that of a fairy tale — John Green has a reputation for ensuring those endings don’t exist in his novels — but because the book was just so well-written. I feel as if many YA writers sit down to write books, but forget who their audience is. They are writing a much more washed out and juvenile version of what teenagers are actually like today. They are afraid to let their characters cuss or talk about sex, as if neither action actually exists among young adults. YA authors tend to stray away from the reality of teen behavior, but this book faced realities in a compelling way.
The novel follows Aza, a sixteen year old with an obsessive compulsive disorder, as she navigates the implications of her illness on her relationships with other people. Simultaneously, Aza and her best friend Daisy make it their mission to find Davis Pickett’s billionaire father wanted by the police, and it just so happens that Davis is an old friend of Aza’s from camp.
I appreciated the way the Aza, Daisy, and Davis (as well as the other secondary characters) were facing so many different conflicts (i.e. grief, financial classes, love, mental health, college decisions) at once, because that is exactly how the world works. Real teenagers do not fixate their lives on one specific conflict for extended periods of time, rather they balance several conflicts. I love the way this book was able to depict that struggle to maintain a balance in such a way that allowed readers to follow each plot line to the very end.
I loved the characterization, as they all felt tangible. Their mannerisms and tendancies were displayed through each appearance on the page. There was not a single moment in any interaction that made me feel as if the personalities of these characters were lost, not even in the dialogue (which was also incredible). This attention to detail is something that will drive me to pick up another John Green novel in the near future.
I read a great deal of YA fiction, but it is not very often that I finish the book feeling whole. Not because the ending was that of a fairy tale — John Green has a reputation for ensuring those endings don’t exist in his novels — but because the book was just so well-written. I feel as if many YA writers sit down to write books, but forget who their audience is. They are writing a much more washed out and juvenile version of what teenagers are actually like today. They are afraid to let their characters cuss or talk about sex, as if neither action actually exists among young adults. YA authors tend to stray away from the reality of teen behavior, but this book faced realities in a compelling way.
The novel follows Aza, a sixteen year old with an obsessive compulsive disorder, as she navigates the implications of her illness on her relationships with other people. Simultaneously, Aza and her best friend Daisy make it their mission to find Davis Pickett’s billionaire father wanted by the police, and it just so happens that Davis is an old friend of Aza’s from camp.
I appreciated the way the Aza, Daisy, and Davis (as well as the other secondary characters) were facing so many different conflicts (i.e. grief, financial classes, love, mental health, college decisions) at once, because that is exactly how the world works. Real teenagers do not fixate their lives on one specific conflict for extended periods of time, rather they balance several conflicts. I love the way this book was able to depict that struggle to maintain a balance in such a way that allowed readers to follow each plot line to the very end.
I loved the characterization, as they all felt tangible. Their mannerisms and tendancies were displayed through each appearance on the page. There was not a single moment in any interaction that made me feel as if the personalities of these characters were lost, not even in the dialogue (which was also incredible). This attention to detail is something that will drive me to pick up another John Green novel in the near future.