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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Somebody's Daughter in Books
Apr 4, 2019
So this is a very timely book--as it seems like sexting and its repercussions is everywhere right now--and its horrifying to see how quickly one bad decision can affect the course of so many kids' lives. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. I actually really liked Zoe--and even her twin, though she wasn't as prominently featured--but the book was told from Emma's perspective, and she drove me crazy.
It's made clear from the beginning that Zoe's incident parallels something Emma herself did as a teen or young woman. But, of course, we can't just be told what that is. Heaven forbid. Instead, there are constant allusions to whatever happened, or Emma mentioning it (to herself, since it's a secret) and agonizing whether she should tell Zoe or her husband, or blah blah blah. We go over half the book before finding out what really happened and by then I was way too annoyed to care.
Not to mention, Emma's husband, Bobby, is a total jerk. The guy turns on his teenage daughter when she needs him and then spends the majority of the book being a total a** to his wife and kids. I had zero sympathy for him and honestly wished either Emma or the kids would just kick him to the curb. Most of the book is Bobby sniping at Emma (or his fifteen-year-old daughter, who has just been through a huge trauma!), or Emma endlessly worrying about Bobby and the state of things. Ugh. Rinse and repeat. I found myself sort of skimming waiting to see if more was going to happen. (It really didn't.)
It's a shame, because there was real potential with Zoe's character, and the message of the book--about the dangers of sexting--is a good one, I think.
“There’s a monster out there,” she says. “It can be anyone pushing a button and ruining my life. I can’t see them, but they’re out there, and I’m terrified.”
Alas, the book was just too melodramatic and repetitive for me. I couldn't handle how long it took to reveal Emma's past, especially after all the build-up to said revelation. The rehashed bickering between Emma and Bobby is just way too much (and I couldn't stand Bobby whatsoever). I felt so bad for those poor kids. And, of course, to end it all, we have a predictable ending that you could see coming a mile away. I should have abandoned this one, but I kept holding out hope it would surprise me. It did not. 2 stars.
It's made clear from the beginning that Zoe's incident parallels something Emma herself did as a teen or young woman. But, of course, we can't just be told what that is. Heaven forbid. Instead, there are constant allusions to whatever happened, or Emma mentioning it (to herself, since it's a secret) and agonizing whether she should tell Zoe or her husband, or blah blah blah. We go over half the book before finding out what really happened and by then I was way too annoyed to care.
Not to mention, Emma's husband, Bobby, is a total jerk. The guy turns on his teenage daughter when she needs him and then spends the majority of the book being a total a** to his wife and kids. I had zero sympathy for him and honestly wished either Emma or the kids would just kick him to the curb. Most of the book is Bobby sniping at Emma (or his fifteen-year-old daughter, who has just been through a huge trauma!), or Emma endlessly worrying about Bobby and the state of things. Ugh. Rinse and repeat. I found myself sort of skimming waiting to see if more was going to happen. (It really didn't.)
It's a shame, because there was real potential with Zoe's character, and the message of the book--about the dangers of sexting--is a good one, I think.
“There’s a monster out there,” she says. “It can be anyone pushing a button and ruining my life. I can’t see them, but they’re out there, and I’m terrified.”
Alas, the book was just too melodramatic and repetitive for me. I couldn't handle how long it took to reveal Emma's past, especially after all the build-up to said revelation. The rehashed bickering between Emma and Bobby is just way too much (and I couldn't stand Bobby whatsoever). I felt so bad for those poor kids. And, of course, to end it all, we have a predictable ending that you could see coming a mile away. I should have abandoned this one, but I kept holding out hope it would surprise me. It did not. 2 stars.
Sheridan (209 KP) rated Mindhunter - Season 1 in TV
Apr 28, 2019
The Content (1 more)
The Concept
Slow Yet Twisted
I had a friend recommend this show to me and I thought, alright I'm constantly attempting to figure out why people's minds work the way they do, this could be interesting. Let me tell you right off the bat, push through that first episode, I promise you it gets more interesting. The first episode is a disaster, there's too much shoved in there (one second Ford is an active agent, then suddenly he's teaching, straight after he's at college, then he's working in the BSU) it was dull at best and dead confusing at worst. While the content is interesting, the characters and the relationships are odd and strained. Ford comes across like an actual serial killer (especially when he does that creepy wide-eyed stare *shivers*), he's socially awkward, his mannerisms feel stunted and strange and overall he is not a likeable character. I like to feel connected in some way to the characters I'm watching and at this stage Ed is more relatable than Ford (which is terrifying because - actual murderer there ?). The girlfriend is even worse, they both feel just - forced (and what's with the weirdly placed sex scenes?! They don't add anything to the story at all!) There's oddly placed scenes which are weird and don't make sense (Carr and the tuna/invisible cat - why - just why was that in there? It wasn't necessary and what was the point of that? Was it supposed to be creepy? Unsettling? Because for me it was just random and pointless). Tench is the only consistant, interesting character (who, bless him, smokes waaaay too much). Overall the show is slow, which admittedly can be a good thing, especially because at first they see so much resistance to the idea that people aren't always just 'born bad', but it never really picks up speed (like you're kind of expecting it to). The last episode is very odd, Ford becomes confusing and erratic, which is a complete 360 from his dead-eyed emotionally inept character in the first episodes. Is he having a breakdown? Is he realising he shares traits with the violent killers he's interviewing? The ending didn't make sense to me at all. I give the show an 8 for content because it is super fascinating, and appropriately disturbing but character wise it's definitely a 5, you just never really 'connect' with anyone. That being said, I will watch the next season, because it's still an interesting show, though it will be at the bottom of my 'to watch' list.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Then She Was Gone in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Then She Was Gone by the Sunday Times Bestseller Lisa Jewell, was a super-fast read for me. Several years after her daughter Ellie has gone missing , Laurel meets new man Floyd, who is absolutely smitten with her. When he takes her home to meet his kid Poppy, Laurel is surprised as how much she reminds her of her missing daughter when she was the same age. Coincidence? Or something much more untoward?
I think you can tell where this one is heading…
Admittedly, I guessed pretty early on, what was going to happen and how Noelle was involved in the whole situation. Yes, I’m being cryptic here, trying hard not to reveal spoilers for anyone who has not read this yet. But, even the blurb is an unsubtle clue. What blew me away was what was really going on with Laurel’s new boyfriend, Floyd in the final scenes. The way Lisa Jewell connected everything together and revealed the truth made this a very exciting read.
Was Floyd really as bad as Jake’s girlfriend, Blue had thought? Could he really be blamed for his actions bearing in mind his upbringing and how he came to be with Poppy? Would there ever have been a right time to reveal all? It’s bit like those situations when you mean to call someone up, but forget, and keep forgetting until much later. Only by then, so much time has passed it feels too late to ring at all. But in Floyd’s case, and in this analogy, he doesn’t even own a phone…
I thought the plot was a little bit far fetched, but despite this it worked. In fact, as we hear what really happened to Ellie, I found myself thinking the theme had changed from psychological thriller to borderline horror. By the time I got to the end I was positive this was a four star read, and then the last page did it for me. I shed a tear! Yep, I thought it was sad and unless my hormones are playing up for some odd reason, that last page did it for me. In between howling and sniffing, I moved my 4 stars to a 4.5 star rating! Oh, Lisa Jewell, please promise me you’ll never go back to chicklit! I cannot wait to see what you come up with next in this genre. I await to be dazzled! (And I don’t have to wait long as Watching You is due out in July).
Clever, moving and addictive reading.
I think you can tell where this one is heading…
Admittedly, I guessed pretty early on, what was going to happen and how Noelle was involved in the whole situation. Yes, I’m being cryptic here, trying hard not to reveal spoilers for anyone who has not read this yet. But, even the blurb is an unsubtle clue. What blew me away was what was really going on with Laurel’s new boyfriend, Floyd in the final scenes. The way Lisa Jewell connected everything together and revealed the truth made this a very exciting read.
Was Floyd really as bad as Jake’s girlfriend, Blue had thought? Could he really be blamed for his actions bearing in mind his upbringing and how he came to be with Poppy? Would there ever have been a right time to reveal all? It’s bit like those situations when you mean to call someone up, but forget, and keep forgetting until much later. Only by then, so much time has passed it feels too late to ring at all. But in Floyd’s case, and in this analogy, he doesn’t even own a phone…
I thought the plot was a little bit far fetched, but despite this it worked. In fact, as we hear what really happened to Ellie, I found myself thinking the theme had changed from psychological thriller to borderline horror. By the time I got to the end I was positive this was a four star read, and then the last page did it for me. I shed a tear! Yep, I thought it was sad and unless my hormones are playing up for some odd reason, that last page did it for me. In between howling and sniffing, I moved my 4 stars to a 4.5 star rating! Oh, Lisa Jewell, please promise me you’ll never go back to chicklit! I cannot wait to see what you come up with next in this genre. I await to be dazzled! (And I don’t have to wait long as Watching You is due out in July).
Clever, moving and addictive reading.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Heartwishes (Edilean, #5) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
This has to be one the blandest, most boring books I have ever read in my life. Conflict? The little it has makes absolutely no sense.
First, let me start by saying that everything in this book fell into place a little too easily. Everyone loved Gemma and she was just so perfect in every way. Everyone immediately got along with including the few people who don't get along with others. The only people Gemma didn't get along with were the people who were the bad guys. It was actually sickening to read how peachy keen everything seemed.
And pardon me, but isn't this story called Heartwishes? We really get to read anything about Gemma's research or the stone unless it's in quick spurts or the letter she reads at the very end. Kind of a cop-out if you ask me. I was more curious about the stone than Gemma and Colin's relationship.
This brings me to another point. The only romance novels I hate reading more than the ones where the couple fights every second they are not having sex is the ones where there is absolutely no conflict between the two. The only fight the two had, I thought Gemma had lost her mind. It seriously made no sense to me. Gemma doesn't like Colin's "jealousy" and says she can't handle it when Colin gets upset about her spending time with Tris alone, but Colin never acted on his jealousy. In fact, he had to tell her he was even jealous at all. But it's okay for Gemma to get hysterically agree and storm off when Colin says his ex-girlfriend is connected to a case he is working on. Gemma, who is carrying Colin's child, comes up with all these plans of living her life and raising the child without Colin after he tells her this. Completely ridiculous if you ask me, especially since Gemma goes around kissing everyone the entire novel. Not even kidding. It seemed like every other page, Gemma was kissing people for absolutely no reason. The first time she ever meets Colin's sister, Ariel, and Ariel tells Gemma she is getting married, Gemma turns and kisses Ariel's fiancé in congratulations. Not only had she just met the guy, I don't think they even talked to each other. A simple congratulation could have worked.
Overall, this novel bored me to death when it wasn't annoying me with its nonsensical behaviors. Had I known how it was going to be, I would have never wasted a penny on it. And I am a huge Deveraux fan.
First, let me start by saying that everything in this book fell into place a little too easily. Everyone loved Gemma and she was just so perfect in every way. Everyone immediately got along with including the few people who don't get along with others. The only people Gemma didn't get along with were the people who were the bad guys. It was actually sickening to read how peachy keen everything seemed.
And pardon me, but isn't this story called Heartwishes? We really get to read anything about Gemma's research or the stone unless it's in quick spurts or the letter she reads at the very end. Kind of a cop-out if you ask me. I was more curious about the stone than Gemma and Colin's relationship.
This brings me to another point. The only romance novels I hate reading more than the ones where the couple fights every second they are not having sex is the ones where there is absolutely no conflict between the two. The only fight the two had, I thought Gemma had lost her mind. It seriously made no sense to me. Gemma doesn't like Colin's "jealousy" and says she can't handle it when Colin gets upset about her spending time with Tris alone, but Colin never acted on his jealousy. In fact, he had to tell her he was even jealous at all. But it's okay for Gemma to get hysterically agree and storm off when Colin says his ex-girlfriend is connected to a case he is working on. Gemma, who is carrying Colin's child, comes up with all these plans of living her life and raising the child without Colin after he tells her this. Completely ridiculous if you ask me, especially since Gemma goes around kissing everyone the entire novel. Not even kidding. It seemed like every other page, Gemma was kissing people for absolutely no reason. The first time she ever meets Colin's sister, Ariel, and Ariel tells Gemma she is getting married, Gemma turns and kisses Ariel's fiancé in congratulations. Not only had she just met the guy, I don't think they even talked to each other. A simple congratulation could have worked.
Overall, this novel bored me to death when it wasn't annoying me with its nonsensical behaviors. Had I known how it was going to be, I would have never wasted a penny on it. And I am a huge Deveraux fan.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Among the Ten Thousand Things in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Review on my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/2016/01/oh-im-becoming-ghost-in-your-life-and.html">blog here</a>.
Jack Shanley is a fairly well-known New York artist. He's a married father of two. He's also an adulterer, who carries on affairs in his New York studio. This comes back to bite him, so to speak, when one of his exes sends his wife a large box chronicling their entire relationship - emails, texts, sexts - all printed and contained in this one box. The box is delivered to Jack's apartment and opened by his eleven-year-old daughter, Kay, and fifteen-year-old son, Simon. They show the box to their mother, Deb, forcing her to confront the many flaws of her husband. Meanwhile, Kay and Simon are (justifiably) traumatized by the box's contents and the possible dissolution of their parents' marriage.
This was an odd book. As a child of divorce, a lot of this book hit home, and I felt myself feeling a great deal of sympathy for Deb, Kay, and Simon - especially as they disappear off to their vacation home, of sorts, to recover. (Alas, no vacation home when I was a child.) Julia Pierpoint is certainly a strong writer and her prose is lovely and well-crafted. Still, the book often just seems a little flat.
The strangest part of this book, to me, as many other reviewers have pointed out - is that is constructed in four parts - parts one and three basically deal with the immediate aftermath of the box's delivery and how the family reacts. Parts two and four tell us what happen to Jack, Deb, Kay, and Simon for their entire lives. It's an odd author tool, and I'm not sure it entirely works. For me, I was caught up enough in Part One's tale and then found Part Two incredibly jarring - even more so to be dumped back into the current story at Part Three. Part Four repeats Two a bit and tells a bit more about what happens to the characters. It's an odd device, and I really would have preferred not to have had Part Two stuck in there at all. I suppose it's an artistic overreach that appeals to critics but not most actual readers.
Overall, I found the book an intriguing look at a family dealing with a father's betrayal. Not a ton happens - it's not that sort of book - but Pierpont's writing is strong, and I liked Simon and Kay. I am not sure the book is one that will leave a lasting impression with me, though.
Jack Shanley is a fairly well-known New York artist. He's a married father of two. He's also an adulterer, who carries on affairs in his New York studio. This comes back to bite him, so to speak, when one of his exes sends his wife a large box chronicling their entire relationship - emails, texts, sexts - all printed and contained in this one box. The box is delivered to Jack's apartment and opened by his eleven-year-old daughter, Kay, and fifteen-year-old son, Simon. They show the box to their mother, Deb, forcing her to confront the many flaws of her husband. Meanwhile, Kay and Simon are (justifiably) traumatized by the box's contents and the possible dissolution of their parents' marriage.
This was an odd book. As a child of divorce, a lot of this book hit home, and I felt myself feeling a great deal of sympathy for Deb, Kay, and Simon - especially as they disappear off to their vacation home, of sorts, to recover. (Alas, no vacation home when I was a child.) Julia Pierpoint is certainly a strong writer and her prose is lovely and well-crafted. Still, the book often just seems a little flat.
The strangest part of this book, to me, as many other reviewers have pointed out - is that is constructed in four parts - parts one and three basically deal with the immediate aftermath of the box's delivery and how the family reacts. Parts two and four tell us what happen to Jack, Deb, Kay, and Simon for their entire lives. It's an odd author tool, and I'm not sure it entirely works. For me, I was caught up enough in Part One's tale and then found Part Two incredibly jarring - even more so to be dumped back into the current story at Part Three. Part Four repeats Two a bit and tells a bit more about what happens to the characters. It's an odd device, and I really would have preferred not to have had Part Two stuck in there at all. I suppose it's an artistic overreach that appeals to critics but not most actual readers.
Overall, I found the book an intriguing look at a family dealing with a father's betrayal. Not a ton happens - it's not that sort of book - but Pierpont's writing is strong, and I liked Simon and Kay. I am not sure the book is one that will leave a lasting impression with me, though.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Stone of Destiny: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure in Books
Jul 30, 2018
Fans of Sherlock Holmes, fans of mystery, fans of adventure and suspense - this might be your next favorite book! Now, I have never read a Sherlock Holmes book before, so I can’t compare this book to the original books from Arthur Conan Doyle. But, what I will do for you is tell you all I thought about this book!
The story begins when during the funeral of Queen Victoria, a group of Irish separatists steal the Coronation Stone, on which every royal has been crowned. To retrieve this important object, the royals will hire Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery. Holmes and his friend Watson travel to Ireland and try to infiltrate the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a group they think is responsible for all that happened.
Even though this is a Sherlock Holmes book, we actually unravel the story through a Watson-first-person point of view. He, to me, is a very interesting character, even though he follows Holmes like a puppy and doesn’t seem to have a personal opinion.
As for Sherlock Holmes, even though I really like the mysterious aura about him, and how smart he can be - I also see him as one of the rude aristocrats that refuse to speak to other people that seem to be lower in the hierarchy to them. This is of course, not presented in the book in any way - but I simply had that impression.
I loved the beginning, and I loved the mystery and suspense throughout the whole book. I was never ahead of the book, and my assumptions were never correct. I loved how the author kept us in the dark right until the end.
The small things I didn’t like though, were the slow pace - I have to admit, the pace was really slow for me, and I couldn’t wait until a chapter is finished to see if there would be more action. Then, even the action scenes weren’t as thrilling as I would expect them to be. And finally, there were no big plot twists, which I think we might have used in the book.
But - we did have a lovely mystery solving story, and we had a lot of history information floating around. We also had another book with Sherlock Holmes, that for you - lovers of the Sherlock Holmes books will of course be something you enjoy.
I greatly recommend it to you if you love the good old Sherlock Holmes adventures!
Many thanks to the author, Richard T. Ryan, for sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story begins when during the funeral of Queen Victoria, a group of Irish separatists steal the Coronation Stone, on which every royal has been crowned. To retrieve this important object, the royals will hire Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery. Holmes and his friend Watson travel to Ireland and try to infiltrate the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a group they think is responsible for all that happened.
Even though this is a Sherlock Holmes book, we actually unravel the story through a Watson-first-person point of view. He, to me, is a very interesting character, even though he follows Holmes like a puppy and doesn’t seem to have a personal opinion.
As for Sherlock Holmes, even though I really like the mysterious aura about him, and how smart he can be - I also see him as one of the rude aristocrats that refuse to speak to other people that seem to be lower in the hierarchy to them. This is of course, not presented in the book in any way - but I simply had that impression.
I loved the beginning, and I loved the mystery and suspense throughout the whole book. I was never ahead of the book, and my assumptions were never correct. I loved how the author kept us in the dark right until the end.
The small things I didn’t like though, were the slow pace - I have to admit, the pace was really slow for me, and I couldn’t wait until a chapter is finished to see if there would be more action. Then, even the action scenes weren’t as thrilling as I would expect them to be. And finally, there were no big plot twists, which I think we might have used in the book.
But - we did have a lovely mystery solving story, and we had a lot of history information floating around. We also had another book with Sherlock Holmes, that for you - lovers of the Sherlock Holmes books will of course be something you enjoy.
I greatly recommend it to you if you love the good old Sherlock Holmes adventures!
Many thanks to the author, Richard T. Ryan, for sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Necole (36 KP) rated The Hospital: How I Survived the Secret Child Experiments at Aston Hall in Books
Aug 12, 2018
Wow … I had to keep putting this book down to wrap my head around the abuse and neglect that Barbara had to deal with at such a young age. It was a very emotionally read. My brain and heart didn't want to believe these events could happen to a child as I was reading it. I couldn't believe her real mom left her and left her in the care of her father.
When she was 5 with the emotional and physical abuse she endured from her father and the "mum" her father left her with. I couldn't believe her father would call her a dirty little tinker and belittle her like that and made her think she was nothing. And the "mum" she was left with, leaving her by herself, treating her the way she did, and using Barbara as a way to get money is such a disgrace.
And then when her dad had a son, to read how the two were treated completely differently all because of blood line, oh my heart went out for poor Barbara.
Unfortunately the abuse and turmoil continued after she was put in homes and then into the hospital. To read what happened in the hospital and what the Dr. did she Barbra and the other poor girls, I was in complete shock. Aston Hall was a complete nightmare and how any girl survived that is amazing in itself.
She finally was treated with dignity and love and kindness when she went to Blackbrook by some of the nuns, only to have that taken away and be mistreated yet again.
I commend Barbara for writing this story, to open our eyes to an event that occurred in 1971, and be brave enough to tell us her story. I praise the fact that she could over come all these obstacles in life and be how she is now. It is truly astonishing.
I just hate that she voiced what was going on to so many deaf ears and no one listened or believed her until she was in her teen years. I would hope in todays society that this would never happen and people are now more than ever willing to give children a voice, listen to them, and investigate. I wonder if this happened to Barbara now, would the abuse and neglect been stopped sooner.
I would so recommend this book but be prepared for a shocking, emotional and heart wrenching story. I hope Barbara knows now her own self worth and wish she would have known it her entire life.
When she was 5 with the emotional and physical abuse she endured from her father and the "mum" her father left her with. I couldn't believe her father would call her a dirty little tinker and belittle her like that and made her think she was nothing. And the "mum" she was left with, leaving her by herself, treating her the way she did, and using Barbara as a way to get money is such a disgrace.
And then when her dad had a son, to read how the two were treated completely differently all because of blood line, oh my heart went out for poor Barbara.
Unfortunately the abuse and turmoil continued after she was put in homes and then into the hospital. To read what happened in the hospital and what the Dr. did she Barbra and the other poor girls, I was in complete shock. Aston Hall was a complete nightmare and how any girl survived that is amazing in itself.
She finally was treated with dignity and love and kindness when she went to Blackbrook by some of the nuns, only to have that taken away and be mistreated yet again.
I commend Barbara for writing this story, to open our eyes to an event that occurred in 1971, and be brave enough to tell us her story. I praise the fact that she could over come all these obstacles in life and be how she is now. It is truly astonishing.
I just hate that she voiced what was going on to so many deaf ears and no one listened or believed her until she was in her teen years. I would hope in todays society that this would never happen and people are now more than ever willing to give children a voice, listen to them, and investigate. I wonder if this happened to Barbara now, would the abuse and neglect been stopped sooner.
I would so recommend this book but be prepared for a shocking, emotional and heart wrenching story. I hope Barbara knows now her own self worth and wish she would have known it her entire life.
Steven Sklansky (231 KP) rated The Happytime Murders (2017) in Movies
Aug 23, 2018
Funny for a Puppet Movie
I did not go in to this movie with the highest of hopes but I came out with a big smile on my face. There were a lot of people that told me not to go to this movie, but I never listen to anyone and this is a good reason why. I try not to judge a movie by the trailer for the the big reason they never tell the whole story and you have to trust the person making the trailer. So I went anyway.
I am really glad I did because it was really funny from start to finish. I thought they would put in to much toilet humor and they didn't. What they did put in was well placed and fit the story line great. It was also kind of great seeing a different side to brutal murders. Without blood and guts they were able to be more creative with the killing and give you something very different.
I do have to give props to the puppeteers. At the end of the movie they showed some clips of behind the scenes and some of the things they had to do to get the shots looked difficult. Also how they shot the interactions with human puppet were done fantastic, It really did not look like CGI was used at all even though there was a lot.
Brian Henson did a great job writing the script. The use of humans vs puppets was done very well. It almost reminded me of a Who Framed Roger Rabbit type of movie. I almost thought at the end the killer was going to be a puppet in a human body. Wouldn't that have been a twist.
Buddy cop movies have always been a favorite of mine from Lethal Weapon to Bad Boys. This movie was right up there. I would say the best but it had its moments. I did think Melissa McCarthy wasn't going to be the choice, but she worked out. He type of humor did have place in this movie, although in some places it was over the top. All the puppet cast was really good. You mostly had human puppets but there were some animals thrown in the mix. I do with there were more monster puppets like Oscar the Grouch or Elmo. That would have been great.
Overall I think it is worth a watch if you like puppets and murder mysteries and don't mind the occasional sex joke. Until next time, enjoy the show.
I am really glad I did because it was really funny from start to finish. I thought they would put in to much toilet humor and they didn't. What they did put in was well placed and fit the story line great. It was also kind of great seeing a different side to brutal murders. Without blood and guts they were able to be more creative with the killing and give you something very different.
I do have to give props to the puppeteers. At the end of the movie they showed some clips of behind the scenes and some of the things they had to do to get the shots looked difficult. Also how they shot the interactions with human puppet were done fantastic, It really did not look like CGI was used at all even though there was a lot.
Brian Henson did a great job writing the script. The use of humans vs puppets was done very well. It almost reminded me of a Who Framed Roger Rabbit type of movie. I almost thought at the end the killer was going to be a puppet in a human body. Wouldn't that have been a twist.
Buddy cop movies have always been a favorite of mine from Lethal Weapon to Bad Boys. This movie was right up there. I would say the best but it had its moments. I did think Melissa McCarthy wasn't going to be the choice, but she worked out. He type of humor did have place in this movie, although in some places it was over the top. All the puppet cast was really good. You mostly had human puppets but there were some animals thrown in the mix. I do with there were more monster puppets like Oscar the Grouch or Elmo. That would have been great.
Overall I think it is worth a watch if you like puppets and murder mysteries and don't mind the occasional sex joke. Until next time, enjoy the show.
Darren (1599 KP) rated 7 Seconds (2005) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Story: What is a simple bank heist revenge plot we get some of the worst cops in the history of film, the worst gangsters and worst acting ever. While watching all I could think was a very poor man’s version of ‘Ronin’ and it would be hard to disagree with the idea of the film. (3/10)
Actor Review: Wesley Snipes – Jack Tuliver thief who is also ex-delta force who arranges a heist that he gets double crossed on and left to find out by whom. Snipes’ gets some good one-liners and really is the only good thing about this film. (6/10)
snipes
Actor Review: Tamzin Outhwaite – Sgt Kelly Anders a military Police officer who somehow gets caught up in the middle of the event but is the only one with brains. Awful performance she really should have stuck to the soaps. (2/10)
tamzin
Actor Review: Deobia Oparei – Spanky when things are going his way he is all talk but when it’s not he runs and hides. Funny character, but in the end a waste of use of the actors potential talent. (4/10)
spanky
Actor Review: Georgina Rylance – Suza, Jack’s partner in the crime but gets kidnapped leading him to try his best to save her. Simple support role that doesn’t get a chance to do much. (4/10)
suza
Actor Review: Peter Lee-Wilson – Alexsie Kutchinov the gangster who wants the heist prize and will do anything in his power to get it. Good performance as he gets to use the characters disability well. (6/10)
alex
Director Review: Simon Fellows – Can tell a known thinking man’s action thriller well but doesn’t try anything new. (5/10)
Action: The car chases work well, and some fights are good. (7/10)
Crime: Simple crime side to the story. (5/10)
Thriller: Doesn’t really get you routing for anyone or anywhere near the edge of the seat. (5/10)
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Settings: Set in Romania we get some good settings and look at the city. (8/10)
Suggestion: This is one that is really just for late night TV viewing any other time would be waste of time and money. (Late Night)
Best Part: Car chase one
Worst Part: The Police
Action Scene Of The Film: Car chase
Kill Of The Film: Some the of henchmen
Oscar Chances: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Overall: Crime Caper With No Brains Required
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/07/22/7-seconds-2005/
Actor Review: Wesley Snipes – Jack Tuliver thief who is also ex-delta force who arranges a heist that he gets double crossed on and left to find out by whom. Snipes’ gets some good one-liners and really is the only good thing about this film. (6/10)
snipes
Actor Review: Tamzin Outhwaite – Sgt Kelly Anders a military Police officer who somehow gets caught up in the middle of the event but is the only one with brains. Awful performance she really should have stuck to the soaps. (2/10)
tamzin
Actor Review: Deobia Oparei – Spanky when things are going his way he is all talk but when it’s not he runs and hides. Funny character, but in the end a waste of use of the actors potential talent. (4/10)
spanky
Actor Review: Georgina Rylance – Suza, Jack’s partner in the crime but gets kidnapped leading him to try his best to save her. Simple support role that doesn’t get a chance to do much. (4/10)
suza
Actor Review: Peter Lee-Wilson – Alexsie Kutchinov the gangster who wants the heist prize and will do anything in his power to get it. Good performance as he gets to use the characters disability well. (6/10)
alex
Director Review: Simon Fellows – Can tell a known thinking man’s action thriller well but doesn’t try anything new. (5/10)
Action: The car chases work well, and some fights are good. (7/10)
Crime: Simple crime side to the story. (5/10)
Thriller: Doesn’t really get you routing for anyone or anywhere near the edge of the seat. (5/10)
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Settings: Set in Romania we get some good settings and look at the city. (8/10)
Suggestion: This is one that is really just for late night TV viewing any other time would be waste of time and money. (Late Night)
Best Part: Car chase one
Worst Part: The Police
Action Scene Of The Film: Car chase
Kill Of The Film: Some the of henchmen
Oscar Chances: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Overall: Crime Caper With No Brains Required
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/07/22/7-seconds-2005/
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) in Movies
Jan 10, 2019 (Updated Jan 10, 2019)
A winning anthology
I am NOT a Coen Brothers apologist. For every good/great film that they have made (like FARGO, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN or underrated THE HUDSUCKER PROXY) there are duds/movies that didn't work for me (like O' BROTHER WHER ART THOU, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS and the movie I ranked as the worst film of 2016, HAIL, CAESAR). So when I heard that the latest Coen Brothers flick was going straight to Netflix AND (like HAIL, CAESAR), it was a film anthology of 6 short stories, I dragged my feet in checking this out.
But...I am glad I finally got around to it...for THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS is a strong film, taking on a heavy subject (death) in a variety of ways - light-hearted, poignant and deadly (pun intended) serious. The tone of this film - or, more accurately, these 6 short films - worked for me and I felt they wove together very well to tell an overarching story of man's relationship with death - as seen through the eyes of Wild, Wild West characters.
And what characters they are! From Tim Blake Nelson's titular character, Buster Scruggs, to James Franco's hapless (but lucky) Outlaw to Liam Neeson's traveling theatrical show to Tom Waite's grizzled prospector to Zoe Kazan's lonesome Prairie Widow to the group of passengers on the Stagecoach in the last vignette, all are interesting to watch, and listen to.
Credit, of course, needs to go to Joel and Ethan Cohen. These characters are interesting to watch, because these two put wonderful scenes and scenery up on the screen with dialogue (or lack of dialogue) that perfectly reflects what is going on and what the characters are feeling. In my opinion, the Coen Brothers are at their best when they focus on gritty subjects with poignancy (BARTON FINK) but fail when they try to get "wacky" or "over-serious" (BURN AFTER READING, A SERIOUS MAN), this film is full of the former and has very little of the latter.
I'm sure, like all Coen Brothers films, that this anthology of short films is not for everyone - and not every film will work for everyone - but they did for me. I thought each short film was the better than the one before it. I caught the vibe of what the Coen's were after and I fell under their spell.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars out of 10 and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
But...I am glad I finally got around to it...for THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS is a strong film, taking on a heavy subject (death) in a variety of ways - light-hearted, poignant and deadly (pun intended) serious. The tone of this film - or, more accurately, these 6 short films - worked for me and I felt they wove together very well to tell an overarching story of man's relationship with death - as seen through the eyes of Wild, Wild West characters.
And what characters they are! From Tim Blake Nelson's titular character, Buster Scruggs, to James Franco's hapless (but lucky) Outlaw to Liam Neeson's traveling theatrical show to Tom Waite's grizzled prospector to Zoe Kazan's lonesome Prairie Widow to the group of passengers on the Stagecoach in the last vignette, all are interesting to watch, and listen to.
Credit, of course, needs to go to Joel and Ethan Cohen. These characters are interesting to watch, because these two put wonderful scenes and scenery up on the screen with dialogue (or lack of dialogue) that perfectly reflects what is going on and what the characters are feeling. In my opinion, the Coen Brothers are at their best when they focus on gritty subjects with poignancy (BARTON FINK) but fail when they try to get "wacky" or "over-serious" (BURN AFTER READING, A SERIOUS MAN), this film is full of the former and has very little of the latter.
I'm sure, like all Coen Brothers films, that this anthology of short films is not for everyone - and not every film will work for everyone - but they did for me. I thought each short film was the better than the one before it. I caught the vibe of what the Coen's were after and I fell under their spell.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars out of 10 and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)