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St. Vincent (2014)
St. Vincent (2014)
2014 | Comedy
10
7.8 (10 Ratings)
Movie Rating
“St. Vincent” is a comedy about the complexity of being human, and the need to make connections with one another. It mostly follows the daily life of Vincent (Bill Murray), a crotchety old man who likes to gamble, keeps the company of a “lady of the night,” and could care less what anybody thinks about him.

 

I think it’s safe to say Bill Murray is a comedy legend. So it should come as no surprise that yet again, Murray has delivered an impeccable performance.

The audience experience is not just one of watching a very famous actor play a role, but instead Murray steps outside of himself and truly becomes Vincent. Each detail, from his physical appearance, to his demeanor, are flawless.

He is a man stuck in his ways, though his life appears to be in disarray. His house is filled with dirt. He owes money to bad people. He lives alone with his cat, and doesn’t really like anyone.

When Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) and her son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) move in next door, Vincent is in no way kind to them.

 

In this film McCarthy is subtle in a good way. She is funny, but at the same time her role is heart wrenching. She is a single mom who is pushed to the limit of what one person can do, and has no choice but to roll with the punches.

She becomes swamped at her new job, and Vincent kind of just falls into the role of Oliver’s babysitter (paid babysitter of course). From that point on, Vincent takes Oliver along with him as he continues with his mostly seedy life.

The interplay between the young boy and the grouchy old man is where the element of humanness is communicated most. Despite differences in age or perspective, people need each other and can make profound connections.

The characters are developed well enough to illustrate that people are not one dimensional. Whether they have a hard or a soft exterior, there is always more than meets the eye.

 

It is filled with moments of outrageous hilarity, but also has a few emotional ones. Life isn’t always pleasant, and this comedy stays true to that reality.

Don’t be surprised if, at the end of the film, the audience gives a standing ovation.

I give “St. Vincent” 5 out of 5 stars.
  
The Mother and the Whore (1973)
The Mother and the Whore (1973)
1973 | Drama, Romance
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"It’s a movie from 1973, directed by Jean Eustache, and it’s a three hours and thirty minutes movie based on his personal life. He tried to do a documentary about his relationship with his girlfriend and his lover and how they tried to have a threesome, and he was noting everything that was going on while it was going on and he was noting the dialogue, he was taking notes. And then he decided he wanted to do a documentary of his emotional, personal life just after it happened, and it’s the best depiction on screen of dysfunctional passion that I’ve ever seen, because it’s so true, everything that he said. He put all his closest friends and ex-lovers in the movie. His wife was next to the camera where they were shooting with Bernadette Lafont playing his wife, and they shot the movie is in his girlfriend’s house. But the whole movie concept is so good, because the end the movie is really emotional. It’s all about three people who cannot manage to love each other, and drama, drama, drama. It’s so close to watching his experience in life, that how could he manage to do this? He was obsessed with shooting the scenes of him and his lover in the real location where he had his relations with his lover. But it was great doing a documentary about his life with actors playing his part and his girlfriend and his lover’s part, but also his ex-lovers who were playing the part. The whole concept of the movie is such a puzzle. And he was someone who was very tormented since he was young, and he ended up committing suicide some years later. But, that movie actually is very hard to find, because for rights reasons it’s kind of in the closet, but you can find it on the net sometimes. I watched one year ago, I watched it three times in a row. I’m obsessed with that movie. When people say to go to an island, which movie would you bring, I guess I would bring 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Mother and The Whore, and Un Chien Andalou. That’s an absolute masterpiece that should be rediscovered, like transferred to 4K or Blu-ray. It’s one of the biggest movies that I know that is not being released as it should nowadays."

Source
  
Thorn
Thorn
Intisar Khanani | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3214627135">Thorn</a>; - ★★★★★

<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Book-Review-Banner-56.png"/>;

Thorn by Intisar Khanani is such a powerful story about finding your true self, fighting against the injustice and loving with your whole heart. 

<b>Synopsis</b>

Princess Alyrra grew up in a cruel family, fearing that her brother might hurt her every day. She despises the fact that she needs to behave in a certain way to appeal to the court. Her despise grows even more when she learns that she's been betrothed to the powerful Prince Kestrin, a stranger from another kingdom.

But when a sorceress robes Alyrra of her true identity, she sees this as an opportunity to start a new life as a goose girl, where she doesn't have to pretend in front of everyone and be her true self. 

Soon enough, she realises what is actually going on with the regular people in the kingdom. The poverty, the crimes, the fact that the royal guards don't care at all. The fact that the street thieves have to make their own sets of rules in order to keep the peace on the streets. 

When a big tragedy hits home, Alyrra knows she needs to make a choice. Stay here and give up the identity of the princess forever, or go back to being a princess, only for the sake of saving the people.

<b><i>"It is rare for someone who wants power to truly deserve it."</i></b>

<b>My Thoughts:</b>

Thorn is the first book of the Dauntless Path series, and I am so happy I had the chance to read it! Very powerful book, with a very strong female character, who is not afraid to say what she thinks and fight for what she believes in!

<b><i>"I've found that acting when you are afraid is the greatest sign of courage there is."</i></b>

What I loved about Alyrra's character is that it shows us how much of a hardship it can be to make a certain choice. It is not just black and white. At first, we all root for the - get your identity back. However, Alyrra has been abused all her life. Her brother abused her physically and her mother mentally. She then had to deal with the pressure of being a princess. Following rules. Not saying what she really thinks, but what others want to hear. She is then promised to marry someone she doesn't know and pretend to be someone she is not, again. 

<b><i>And suddenly, she can be someone else.</i></b>

She has the chance to start a brand new life. A person that is not in the spotlight. She can think and speak freely. And that is why I understand her choice to want to stay as a goose girl forever.

<b><i>"We all have our unspoken sorrows, hopes we cannot mention, choices we may yet regret."</i></b>

But then she sees the true picture of how people are treated in the kingdom. How people live. The injustice that happens on the streets every single day. And then she also gets the attention of the prince and being who she is, she is not afraid to say her mind. 

But to truly change things, she needs to become a princess again. And making such a choice comes not only with consequences, but with huge sacrifices too. 

The ending of Thorn was very well written and very satisfying. I am looking forward to reading more about Alyrra's story and get more answers in the next book. I cannot recommend Thorn enough!

Thank you to ReadersFirst and Hot Key Books, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.