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Tamara Wagner (3 KP) rated An Anonymous Girl in Books
Jan 3, 2022
Split Narration Format (1 more)
Engaging Plot
Yet Another Great Psychological Thriller
Contains spoilers, click to show
“An Anonymous Girl” is the newest book written by the authors of the prior bestseller “The Wife Between Us”, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. The book follows the stories of two people, a young woman named Jessica, a makeup artist, who enters a psychological study, and the prominent psychiatrist who runs the study, Dr Lydia Shields.
Written in a split narration format, the story unfolds from the perspectives of both characters simultaneously, allowing you to be immersed in the inner workings of both minds, pulling you into their world, and making you feel their emotions. It pulls you into the uncertainty and fear of a participant lured into a dangerous place unknowingly, and the rage, despair, and hope of a psychiatrist who has been betrayed and seeks retribution.
Guilt and fear can be powerful motivators, and “An Anonymous Girl” plays on that narrative quite well. A book full of twists and turns, it definitely lures you in. It is hard to put down, and leaves you wanting more. I would recommend picking it up and giving it a Good Read!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced readers copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Written in a split narration format, the story unfolds from the perspectives of both characters simultaneously, allowing you to be immersed in the inner workings of both minds, pulling you into their world, and making you feel their emotions. It pulls you into the uncertainty and fear of a participant lured into a dangerous place unknowingly, and the rage, despair, and hope of a psychiatrist who has been betrayed and seeks retribution.
Guilt and fear can be powerful motivators, and “An Anonymous Girl” plays on that narrative quite well. A book full of twists and turns, it definitely lures you in. It is hard to put down, and leaves you wanting more. I would recommend picking it up and giving it a Good Read!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced readers copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
365Flicks (235 KP) rated Deadly Intent (2016) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
Deadly Intent is a Powerful, Viseceral, Performance Driven, British Thriller Unlike Others… Reaney is Superb…
I am on a pretty big Indie kick right now. Trying to rekindle my love of the the Movie Gems you can find out there if you just look past the top 10 of the moment. In doing this we have created a Spin-Off of our podcast in which we will endeavor to promote Indie Cinema and Indie releases on such forms as VOD because not everything has to be capes and spandex or break a billion at the box office.
Director Rebekah Fortune’s unnerving British horror-thriller Deadly Intent is now available On Demand in the U.S.
Deadly Intent is a movie I would stick in the above category. A low budget Few thrills Intense Psychological Horror/Thriller that ticks all the boxes it promises to. Think Babadook, a tense movie that runs at its own pace and is driven by the performances of its leading Female (Rebecca Reaney) as a mother who’s thread is slowly being unwoven and James (Gus Barry) a child who is struggling to deal with the loss of his father… But wait something is afoot.
download-40
I will only dive into this movie a little because to be honest it is only a roughly 90 minute flick that takes half the time your normal thriller would take to actually get into things and keeps the momentum going till the credits. Rebecca Reaney plays Bryony, a mother who is really trying to keep it together for her son James after the death of his father. As with every child in a movie of this genre, James begins to have some paranormal interaction with his father. Not in a Field of Dreams “Do you wanna play catch” type of way, more of a “If im heading to the light your coming with me”. As things really begin to turn to shit for our mother and son we are also given a backstory of the lead up to the fathers supposed death in the form of flashbacks, we find him to be a former soldier suffering from PTSD and… Well not a very nice man.
This movie held my attention in a way I was not really expecting, you hear British, Horror, Thriller and it doesn’t immediately fill you with hope. However we have been able to make some corkers at times and like I say i’m on an Indie kick so this fell into my wheelhouse. The movie is very well executed by not only its reasonably small cast of characters but also script wise and directorial wise. It really doesn’t out stay its welcome, and you can really draw comparisons with movies like Babadook which is a cult darling so thats never a bad thing.
I recommend you give this flick a watch if only for the performances given by Rebecca Reaney and the rest of the cast. As for the movies director Rebekah Fortune, I fully expect to be seeing more from this woman in the future.
I am on a pretty big Indie kick right now. Trying to rekindle my love of the the Movie Gems you can find out there if you just look past the top 10 of the moment. In doing this we have created a Spin-Off of our podcast in which we will endeavor to promote Indie Cinema and Indie releases on such forms as VOD because not everything has to be capes and spandex or break a billion at the box office.
Director Rebekah Fortune’s unnerving British horror-thriller Deadly Intent is now available On Demand in the U.S.
Deadly Intent is a movie I would stick in the above category. A low budget Few thrills Intense Psychological Horror/Thriller that ticks all the boxes it promises to. Think Babadook, a tense movie that runs at its own pace and is driven by the performances of its leading Female (Rebecca Reaney) as a mother who’s thread is slowly being unwoven and James (Gus Barry) a child who is struggling to deal with the loss of his father… But wait something is afoot.
download-40
I will only dive into this movie a little because to be honest it is only a roughly 90 minute flick that takes half the time your normal thriller would take to actually get into things and keeps the momentum going till the credits. Rebecca Reaney plays Bryony, a mother who is really trying to keep it together for her son James after the death of his father. As with every child in a movie of this genre, James begins to have some paranormal interaction with his father. Not in a Field of Dreams “Do you wanna play catch” type of way, more of a “If im heading to the light your coming with me”. As things really begin to turn to shit for our mother and son we are also given a backstory of the lead up to the fathers supposed death in the form of flashbacks, we find him to be a former soldier suffering from PTSD and… Well not a very nice man.
This movie held my attention in a way I was not really expecting, you hear British, Horror, Thriller and it doesn’t immediately fill you with hope. However we have been able to make some corkers at times and like I say i’m on an Indie kick so this fell into my wheelhouse. The movie is very well executed by not only its reasonably small cast of characters but also script wise and directorial wise. It really doesn’t out stay its welcome, and you can really draw comparisons with movies like Babadook which is a cult darling so thats never a bad thing.
I recommend you give this flick a watch if only for the performances given by Rebecca Reaney and the rest of the cast. As for the movies director Rebekah Fortune, I fully expect to be seeing more from this woman in the future.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Split (2016) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
M. Night Shyamalan once again has audiences very excited for absolutely no reason. The trailer portrays an interesting psychological thriller of a man (James McAvoy) subjected to many different forms of consciousness, as the plot tells he is one of the first to openly portray over twenty different personalities.
He even takes on different physical characteristics down to a metabolic level as he switches from persona to persona. This combined with the character of a doctor (Betty Buckley) who is thrilled to perhaps have discovered the missing link to understanding the unused portion of the human mind, sounds like it makes for a great sci-fi thriller.
Unfortunately rather quickly the plot devolves after the disturbed man’s abduction of three teenage girls turns over the top hokey and stereotypical. Nothing can be said that will make up for the impending disappointment of viewers as yet again Mr. Shyamalan has an idea that sounds quite intriguing, yet falls completely flat and leaves viewers feeling as if they are the brunt of the joke.
As the psychotic killer develops into a character audiences could really be scared of, a turn for the worst happens when he is transformed by his own mind into an animal. Reaching beyond anything physically possible in a much staged way, he becomes a superhuman creature who rampages until he is caught.
Even with skilled acting at his disposal Shyamalan has managed to make another very poor quality film. At each step of the way, the suspense almost grabs you but is completely predictable. It’s too bad but this one earns
He even takes on different physical characteristics down to a metabolic level as he switches from persona to persona. This combined with the character of a doctor (Betty Buckley) who is thrilled to perhaps have discovered the missing link to understanding the unused portion of the human mind, sounds like it makes for a great sci-fi thriller.
Unfortunately rather quickly the plot devolves after the disturbed man’s abduction of three teenage girls turns over the top hokey and stereotypical. Nothing can be said that will make up for the impending disappointment of viewers as yet again Mr. Shyamalan has an idea that sounds quite intriguing, yet falls completely flat and leaves viewers feeling as if they are the brunt of the joke.
As the psychotic killer develops into a character audiences could really be scared of, a turn for the worst happens when he is transformed by his own mind into an animal. Reaching beyond anything physically possible in a much staged way, he becomes a superhuman creature who rampages until he is caught.
Even with skilled acting at his disposal Shyamalan has managed to make another very poor quality film. At each step of the way, the suspense almost grabs you but is completely predictable. It’s too bad but this one earns
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The Breakdown in Books
Jul 24, 2017
Stick with it, takes a while to like the protagonist
After reading the brilliant 'Behind Closed Doors', I was wondering how BA Paris would be able to excel expectations - and she has thankfully managed to avoid the usual psychological thriller pitfalls once again.
There was a massive red herring which provides a brilliant twist and opportunity for the ultimate revenge. Feeling claustrophobic throughout, due to the main character's apparent early onset dementia, it sets an unnerving tone from the outset. At this point I did worry it would end up with the same gaps in information such as in The Girl on the Train. However, Paris manages to steer clear of becoming another wannabe Gone Girl, and totally holds her own.
For about 75 per cent of the time, you will find the protagonist's almost neurotic personality quite annoying until the last quarter of the book where you will end up completely empathising with her. Another fantastic dark tale from BA Paris.
There was a massive red herring which provides a brilliant twist and opportunity for the ultimate revenge. Feeling claustrophobic throughout, due to the main character's apparent early onset dementia, it sets an unnerving tone from the outset. At this point I did worry it would end up with the same gaps in information such as in The Girl on the Train. However, Paris manages to steer clear of becoming another wannabe Gone Girl, and totally holds her own.
For about 75 per cent of the time, you will find the protagonist's almost neurotic personality quite annoying until the last quarter of the book where you will end up completely empathising with her. Another fantastic dark tale from BA Paris.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Beast (2017) in Movies
May 18, 2018
Impressive debut film from Michael Pearce with an outstanding performance from Jessie Buckley at its centre. The setting is Jersey, but this is more like Cracker than Bergerac: a young woman trapped in a smothering relationship with her controlling mother starts a relationship with a drifter almost as an act of rebellion, but having committed to this what is she supposed to do when she learns he is a suspect in a string of local murders?
The thriller element is really kind of an afterthought, and the manner in which the did-he-or-didn't-do-it plotline is resolved would be unlikely to satisfy anyone if it were the sole focus of the film. But the film is built around characterisation and atmosphere much more than genre conventions, and is very strong here: as it continues it shades more into psychological horror than anything else, with a genuinely intense and impossible-to-predict denouement. An accomplished film in every department.
The thriller element is really kind of an afterthought, and the manner in which the did-he-or-didn't-do-it plotline is resolved would be unlikely to satisfy anyone if it were the sole focus of the film. But the film is built around characterisation and atmosphere much more than genre conventions, and is very strong here: as it continues it shades more into psychological horror than anything else, with a genuinely intense and impossible-to-predict denouement. An accomplished film in every department.
Tammykayla (20 KP) rated Split (2016) in Movies
Feb 16, 2019
Split
Contains spoilers, click to show
Split is a psychological thriller based on a guy with dissociative personality disorder, with 23 personalities. Kevin the original personality is taken over by Mr Dennis, a twisted personality steals three teenage girls and locks them up in his basement. The girls are then visited my his multiple personalities, these include; Patricia a woman whose in it with Mr Dennis, Hedwig a nine year old boy and many more. The girls try and make several attempts to escape but are caught and kept separated.
In the mean time several of the personalities are aware of what Mr Dennis and Patricia are doing and attempt to email their psyciatrist/ therapist, who has been working with them for year, for help. However Mr Dennis always the one who attends these meetings and lies about his intentions.
The race to escape is on when it is revealed that there is a 24th personality called Mr Beast; with inhuman strength and cannibalistic tendencies.
Will the girls escape alive??
In the mean time several of the personalities are aware of what Mr Dennis and Patricia are doing and attempt to email their psyciatrist/ therapist, who has been working with them for year, for help. However Mr Dennis always the one who attends these meetings and lies about his intentions.
The race to escape is on when it is revealed that there is a 24th personality called Mr Beast; with inhuman strength and cannibalistic tendencies.
Will the girls escape alive??
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Pretty Baby in Books
Feb 8, 2018
Heidi lives a busy life, trying to keep up with a busy job in public service, her role as a mom to her distant 12-year-old daughter Zoe, and juggling marriage to her husband Chris, a corporate lawyer. One day on the way to work, Heidi spots a young teen holding a baby-- the two are waiting for the train in the pouring rain. Heidi is haunted by the image and when she spots them again, she reaches out and makes contact with the teen, Willow. Eventually, Heidi's life becomes embroiled with that of Willow's and the baby, Ruby.
This book certainly lives up to its psychological thriller billing. It's a page-turner, even as it gets slightly more bizarre as the plot thickens. It captivated my attention and has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The plot is definitely a little "out there," and I'd probably rate it as 3.5 stars overall, but still a fun and intriguing read.
This book certainly lives up to its psychological thriller billing. It's a page-turner, even as it gets slightly more bizarre as the plot thickens. It captivated my attention and has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The plot is definitely a little "out there," and I'd probably rate it as 3.5 stars overall, but still a fun and intriguing read.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Good Liar (2019) in Movies
Nov 13, 2019
Roaringly bonkers British movie probably thinks that it's a dark and convoluted psychological thriller but is undone by a couple of overcooked lead performances and a frankly ludicrous script. Career con man Roy Courtnay (McKellen) sets his sights on rich widow Betty (Mirren). But as his activities draw near to their climax, could it be that the old rogue is suffering from pangs of conscience? Can he bring himself to go through with it?
Sounds fairly ordinary, but this does not take into account quite how nutty the various twists in the tale turn out to be, nor the sheer relish with which the stars attack their roles: to say that McKellen, in particular, carves himself off a thick slice of ham is probably to understate things considerably. Still, very easy to watch (though it has an unexpectedly hard and vicious edge to it in places), and a lot of fun, provided you don't take it too seriously.
Sounds fairly ordinary, but this does not take into account quite how nutty the various twists in the tale turn out to be, nor the sheer relish with which the stars attack their roles: to say that McKellen, in particular, carves himself off a thick slice of ham is probably to understate things considerably. Still, very easy to watch (though it has an unexpectedly hard and vicious edge to it in places), and a lot of fun, provided you don't take it too seriously.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Sometimes I Lie in Books
May 5, 2023
54 of 235
Kindle
Sometimes I Lie
By Alice Feeney
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:
1. I’m in a coma.
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.
3. Sometimes I lie.
Amber wakes up in a hospital. She can’t move. She can’t speak. She can’t open her eyes. She can hear everyone around her, but they have no idea. Amber doesn’t remember what happened, but she has a suspicion her husband had something to do with it. Alternating between her paralyzed present, the week before her accident, and a series of childhood diaries from twenty years ago, this brilliant psychological thriller asks: Is something really a lie if you believe it's the truth?
This was brilliant! I absolutely loved it dark and twisted. Sent you in so many directions and dealt with so many things. Very well written and can’t wait to read more from this author.
Kindle
Sometimes I Lie
By Alice Feeney
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:
1. I’m in a coma.
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.
3. Sometimes I lie.
Amber wakes up in a hospital. She can’t move. She can’t speak. She can’t open her eyes. She can hear everyone around her, but they have no idea. Amber doesn’t remember what happened, but she has a suspicion her husband had something to do with it. Alternating between her paralyzed present, the week before her accident, and a series of childhood diaries from twenty years ago, this brilliant psychological thriller asks: Is something really a lie if you believe it's the truth?
This was brilliant! I absolutely loved it dark and twisted. Sent you in so many directions and dealt with so many things. Very well written and can’t wait to read more from this author.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated One Hour Photo (2002) in Movies
Nov 1, 2019
Psychological Photo's
One Hour Photo- is a underrated movie, that more people should watch, see and know about. It is twisted, psychological, thrilling, chilling, intense, creepy and dramatic. Robin Williams is excellent in this film. He freaks you out. He makes you scared. So lets talk about the film..
The Plot: Sy Parrish runs a one-hour photo developing lab in a small mall. He's a perfectionist about his work and generous to his regular customers, including a typical family headed by Will Yorkin. Over the years, he's seen their family grow through their photographs, but when he sees evidence of Yorkin being unfaithful, coupled with a threat to his position, his already precarious mental state tips over the edge.
In one of the voice-over pieces Sy can be heard to say "They actually believe that any idiot that attends a two-day seminar can master the art of making beautiful prints in less than an hour. But of course, like most things, there's far more to it than meets the eye." Robin Williams prepared for the role by training for two and-a-half days in a Southern California photo development lab.
In the DVD commentary, Romanek says that Jack Nicholson was first approached to play the lead character. Nicholson turned the role down reportedly because he thought the character was too similar to the role he played in The Shining.
Speaking of the Shining, Robin Williams was up for the part of Jack, but Jack Nicolson got the part. Intresting fact.
This film is a must see, a great psychological thriller.
The Plot: Sy Parrish runs a one-hour photo developing lab in a small mall. He's a perfectionist about his work and generous to his regular customers, including a typical family headed by Will Yorkin. Over the years, he's seen their family grow through their photographs, but when he sees evidence of Yorkin being unfaithful, coupled with a threat to his position, his already precarious mental state tips over the edge.
In one of the voice-over pieces Sy can be heard to say "They actually believe that any idiot that attends a two-day seminar can master the art of making beautiful prints in less than an hour. But of course, like most things, there's far more to it than meets the eye." Robin Williams prepared for the role by training for two and-a-half days in a Southern California photo development lab.
In the DVD commentary, Romanek says that Jack Nicholson was first approached to play the lead character. Nicholson turned the role down reportedly because he thought the character was too similar to the role he played in The Shining.
Speaking of the Shining, Robin Williams was up for the part of Jack, but Jack Nicolson got the part. Intresting fact.
This film is a must see, a great psychological thriller.
