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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Juliet, Naked (2018) in Movies

Sep 25, 2019

Juliet, Naked (2018)

2018 | Comedy, Drama, Musical

7.8

(4 Ratings)

Movie Rating

If there's one thing you can guarantee it's that Nick Hornby can write a good book that turns into a good movie. While they never usually hit my favourites list they're always consistent.

This year has seen the romcom take a step back to something more traditional, and I'm loving it. So many have been more about the comedy, but while this one is funny it's very much focused on the relationships.

The movie opens with Duncan's video that sets up part of the background really well and goes a long way to explaining his life's obsession. What follows is a really well implemented flow with the voice overs mixed in.

I went off and read some comments people had been writing about some of my thoughts on Juliet, Naked. It made me remember that a film like this is only ever as good as your own personal experience. It depicts mild obsession in such a realistic way. Watching Chris O'Dowd reactions to Annie and then later Tucker was really on point, and as his behaviour starts to really cause the split between him and Annie her reaction too was just right. In fact I felt the three of them were brilliant on screen throughout.

As a focus for the film, Annie is a wonderful character. Rose Byrne really brings an honesty out of her. You can feel her exacerbation with Duncan's behaviour, her nervousness around Tucker as well as her joy and sadness. That accompanied with the way Tucker changes around her is really beautiful to watch.

Overall there wasn't much to grumble about in this film... but... there's always a but! I didn't feel that the supporting cast were quite as essential. Annie's sister was a little over the top for me, and the diversion around Duncan's affair didn't really match up to the calibre of the rest of the film either.

What you should do

It's definitely one to watch, and remember to watching into the credits!

Movie thing you wish you could take home

I actually wouldn't mind taking home my own Tucker Crowe.

Kudos

Lenard (726 KP) rated Blinded by the Light (2019) in Movies

Sep 2, 2019

Blinded by the Light (2019)

2019 | Biography, Comedy, Drama

7.1

(16 Ratings)

Movie Rating

It's a Sin

1987 Luton, UK: New wave rules the radio, Margaret Thatcher controls the country which is leading to closed factories and people losing their jobs, and Pakistanis are moving into neighbors which the "white" majority resents (when people are losing their jobs, it is easier to blame the "others" moving in instead of the government whose policies have led to these losses). But I digress. Ravi is trapped between two cultures, his Pakistani family and the culture he grows up in in Luton. One day at his school, he meets a Sikh student who gives him two cassettes by Bruce Springsteen and he meets a writing teacher who encourages him to write what he knows. Like the culture clash in his soul, his heart is consumed by these Springsteen songs and expressing his feelings through writing. As is wont in these films, his parents and town learn to accept him and his obvious talent.

Two things struck me about the film. The first is the costume for the father. With the exception of the wedding party which I will discuss in my second, the father is dressed in a dress shirt, tie, and slacks, sometimes a sportcoat. This is the traditional outfit of a 1st generation immigrant. Even though he works in a factory manufacturing cars, he still goes to work or out in public dressed like a successful businessman/financial advisor. There is a belief that in order to achieve success, you must dress as though you have already attained that success. The second is the connection to Bend It Like Beckham, Chadha's previous film, which had a lot more success in the US. There is the best friend's parent who accepts the protagonist quicker than their own. But I am talking about the wedding party scene. In both films, the family is having a wedding party and the protagonist has to leave because there is something urgent that they need to do (play in a soccer game, buy tickets to a Springsteen concert). Family members assist the protagonist to get away without the parents noticing and in each case conflict ensues that brings a feeling of abandonment from the immediate family.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2444 KP) rated Tilling the Truth in Books

Aug 28, 2019

Tilling the Truth

Julia Henry | 2019 | Mystery

9.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Tilling Through the Lies Until the Truth is Left

It’s August in Goosebush, Massachusetts, but Lilly Jayne and the rest of the Garden Squad just as busy as every trying to make their town beautiful again. But there are some thorns among the blooms. The recent death of a friend has left Lilly, as executor of his estate, dealing with his greedy relatives. Meanwhile, Lilly’s best friend, Tamara, is finding her efforts to sell the dead man’s house meeting with sabotage, something that is only making her stress over the new relator in town worse. But things come to a head when Tamara is found standing over the dead body of Gladys Preston. Gladys didn’t have many friends in town, but she recently had a very public fight with Tamara. As the rumor mill begins to heat up, Lilly knows she needs to figure out what really happened to help her friend clear her name. Can she do it?

I fell in love with these characters with the first book in the series, and it was great to be back to visit them again. I will admit it took me a bit to get completely back in the flow of the characters and Goosebush, but it wasn’t long before I had. Lilly and many of her friends are on the older side, and I enjoy this break from the traditional cozy lead character. They and the new characters came to life for me as the story unfolded. The plot takes on quite a bit, so as a result the book appears to be wandering a little before Gladys dies, but everything is important and comes into play. I’m actually a little in awe of how it all came together, although the ending was a tad rushed. I also appreciated how the theme of old versus new or tradition versus change played out in the book. I suspect we will see that again in future books. For those who have a green thumb, some gardening tips are included at the back of the book. This second book is fun as we get to watch Lilly weed out another killer.