Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (4872)

Content

ClareR (5864 KP) rated One Year of Ugly in Books

Apr 3, 2020

One Year of Ugly

Caroline Mackenzie | 2020 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

A different look at refugees.

I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, and I really didn’t expect to laugh as much. It’s not a particularly funny subject, when you consider that it’s about Venezuelan refugees in Trinidad. Honestly, I didn’t know that there WERE Venezuelan refugees in Trinidad. The whole Palacio family have fled Venezuela and it’s corrupt regime, and have started a new life in Trinidad as refugees. The work they do is under the radar of the authorities. When their matriarch, Aunt Celia, suddenly dies, a rather flamboyant character, Ugly, turns up and demands his money. This is the point where they find out that they’re actually illegal refugees, and that Aunt Celia hadn’t actually secured them any legitimate, legal rights to be there. So they’re now at the mercy of Ugly. He demands that they work off the debts that Celia incurred, by taking in fellow refugees as they pass through to nw lives in Trinidad. He leaves them under no misapprehension that if they don’t comply to his wishes, violence will follow.

There is a real dark humour throughout this book. Parts are genuinely funny, but there are other parts, mainly those involving Ugly, which are really menacing. This isn’t a fluffy ‘everything works out for the best’ type of story, and I think it’s really good that Mackenzie is highlighting something that a lot of us know nothing about. It seems universal that no matter where a refugee comes from, that their lives are constantly in danger and that they are preyed upon by the unscrupulous. I’ve read a couple of books about refugees that broke my heart, and while I did feel sympathy for the characters in this book, I appreciated the humour - after all, some people do deal with trauma with humour.

I was really pleasantly surprised by this book, and yes, I would recommend it. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author will write about next.

Kudos

Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Grinch (2018) in Movies

Apr 13, 2020

The Grinch (2018)

2018 | Animation, Family, Sci-Fi

6.9

(53 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

A Quick Story That Doesn't Linger

A retelling of an old classic, The Grinch is the story of a cranky green curmudgeon hell bent on destroying Christmas.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 10

Characters: 10
What’s a great Grinch movie without the star of the show being an awesome character you love to hate? I loved his story that touched a bit on his history and what made him the character he became. The supporting cast adds more excellence to the movie, but it would be nothing overall without the green guy. The movie captures exactly how mean he is like when he knocks down a kid’s snowman or puts something out of reach for a group of old ladies.

The side characters were something to love which added to the film’s originality. I loved the goat and the reindeer as well as his trusted dog Max. Cindy Lou was just the cutest.

Cinematography/Visuals: 10

Conflict: 6
The conflict is there, but there is a bit of detraction having heard and seen this tale before. You kind of know what’s going to happen and would be very surprised if the Grinch didn’t end up turning over a new leaf by the end of it. The Who’s aren’t going to lose Christmas and we know it’s only a matter of time before everyone is happy again. Still, it was fun watching everything unfold again.

Entertainment Value: 6
The Grinch does have its merits of originality, but you can’t help but feel like you’ve seen this all before just in a different packaging. It is still funny, endearing, and touching even though it can be a bit repetitive at times.

Memorability: 9

Pace: 10

Plot: 10

Resolution: 6

Overall: 87
Yes The Grinch is a borrowed story, but I loved what Universal Pictures did with this movie. With beautiful animations and sweet story, this movie is definitely worth incorporating into the rotation. I highly recommend it.