Awix (3310 KP) rated The Two Popes (2019) in Movies
Dec 6, 2019 (Updated Dec 6, 2019)
The question is what that is. No doubt the decision to make the film a comedy-drama was partly inspired by concerns it could be offputtingly talky, but the talk works when it's delivered by two actors like Pryce and Hopkins, working with a very good script. The film is arguably biased in favour of Jorge Bergoglio, who is presented as warm, human, and compassionate; his life story is explored in much more detail than that of Joseph Ratzinger - but then again you could say the film does Ratzinger a big favour by largely ignoring the elephant in the room and his role in covering it up. Most of the film is very plausible, and it's only near the end that you begin to suspect how much of it is complete fiction. Still, it's engaging and plausible fiction, and - some distracting hand-held camerawork aside - mostly very well played and filmed.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Secret Admirer (Detective Natalie Ward Book 6) in Books
Apr 2, 2020
The Secret Admirer is the 6th book in Carol Wyer's Detective Natalie Ward series. I enjoyed books 1 - 4 and was surprised to learn I had missed the 5th, The Blossom Twins. I read it before beginning this and I am so glad I did.
Detective Natalie Ward is immediately thrust into a case after she returns to work. A student is found dead from an acid attack. As Ward has learned, everyone has secrets. Now, she has to uncover the secrets surrounding Gemma and her murder.
All of the books in the series focus on a crime and the police team's interactions with each other and with their home life. This book continues the storyline well. Ward's family, the team and their families continue to be a large presence in the story.
Often, I will say you could start the series with the current book but you would not understand the characters as well. This is true here but Wyer brings the characters to life in such a way it feels she is writing about real people. I strongly encourage you to read the whole series and start at the beginning. You will be in for a great read.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 4/2/2020.
Jackjack (877 KP) rated Paradise Hills (2019) in Movies
Apr 2, 2020
Story about young ladies who don't always see eye to eye with everyone, who make their own choices in life but those choices are not respected and they go to paradise to learn to be a lady. It seems harmless at first until things slowly unravel and you learn the unspeakable truth about how these girls become the perfect women.
SPOILER ALERT...........
I don't quite understand after watching so many films like this why they tried at the very beginning to make it so futuristic to then go on to be a perfectly good film with nothing that hasn't been done already. The next part I didn't like was the duchess 'Milla Jovovich' through the film you can see she has weird moments and the final scene you see her in all her power and her true nature, I just didn't like the fact you didn't find out more, why she was the way she was, what made her that way. Apart from these two parts it's an all-round good film with actresses I have enjoyed in plenty of other movies and definitely worth the watch!!
Enjoy, I would love to hear someone else's views.......
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