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Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Mathos (The Hawks #3) in Books
Nov 21, 2021
loving this series so hard!
I was gifted my copy of this book, that I write a review was not required.
This is book 3 in The Hawks series, and you really MUST read books one, Tristan, and book 2, Val before this one. There is an on-going story arc across the series, that is not fully recapped. And you, cos I said so! I loved those books, and I loved this one too.
Mathos is a player, calls everyone darlin' and never spends more than one night with a woman. He's happy with his lot. So why then, does Lucilla push all his buttons and make him want things he never knew he wanted? She's a spoilt princess, and he just has to get her to the palace. Lucy, however, does not want to go. Her brother will kill her, and she's suffered enough. Finding out though, that Ballinor is dead and a far darker mind wishes to possess her, mean she has to trust Mathos, and his band of the Hawks.
I loved Mathos in the other books, and here he really does shine. Lucy (as Mathos begins to call her) shines also, but in an entirely different way.
Lucilla has been kept behind closed doors for so long, so she can't remember life before. Suffering at the hands of her brother and his cronies has been her life. She doesn't want to be controlled or coralled anywhere, but Mathos makes a good point. Getting to the palace will secure her future and mean she can make all the choices she wants. But Mathos creeps into her heart, and when he does what he does, you can feel how much Mathos means to her.
Mathos though, feels he does not deserve anyone, let alone a queen. No one can love him, if his own mother can't, surely? Walking away from Lucy and from his brothers was probably the hardest thing he ever did, but also the most stoopidest thing, EVER! But it's WHO that makes him see clearly for the first time in weeks that surprised me! Given as said someone has been missing since the first book, you'll understand why and I really pray that he gets some peace.
He's not next though! Tor is next and given whats said here, I'm intrigued as to what has happened between him and Keeley!
I'm loving this series, I really am! Please keep them coming, I still cannot see the bigger picture and what's going to happen!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 3 in The Hawks series, and you really MUST read books one, Tristan, and book 2, Val before this one. There is an on-going story arc across the series, that is not fully recapped. And you, cos I said so! I loved those books, and I loved this one too.
Mathos is a player, calls everyone darlin' and never spends more than one night with a woman. He's happy with his lot. So why then, does Lucilla push all his buttons and make him want things he never knew he wanted? She's a spoilt princess, and he just has to get her to the palace. Lucy, however, does not want to go. Her brother will kill her, and she's suffered enough. Finding out though, that Ballinor is dead and a far darker mind wishes to possess her, mean she has to trust Mathos, and his band of the Hawks.
I loved Mathos in the other books, and here he really does shine. Lucy (as Mathos begins to call her) shines also, but in an entirely different way.
Lucilla has been kept behind closed doors for so long, so she can't remember life before. Suffering at the hands of her brother and his cronies has been her life. She doesn't want to be controlled or coralled anywhere, but Mathos makes a good point. Getting to the palace will secure her future and mean she can make all the choices she wants. But Mathos creeps into her heart, and when he does what he does, you can feel how much Mathos means to her.
Mathos though, feels he does not deserve anyone, let alone a queen. No one can love him, if his own mother can't, surely? Walking away from Lucy and from his brothers was probably the hardest thing he ever did, but also the most stoopidest thing, EVER! But it's WHO that makes him see clearly for the first time in weeks that surprised me! Given as said someone has been missing since the first book, you'll understand why and I really pray that he gets some peace.
He's not next though! Tor is next and given whats said here, I'm intrigued as to what has happened between him and Keeley!
I'm loving this series, I really am! Please keep them coming, I still cannot see the bigger picture and what's going to happen!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
TheFiend13420 (21 KP) rated Where The Scary Things Are (2022) in Movies
Jun 28, 2022 (Updated Jun 28, 2022)
Excellent performances by virtually unknown cast (2 more)
Well written, fun and flows well
Beauty make-up job on the creature
The Loser's Club these kids are NOT
I have been waiting for this film to come out for months now. And it was totally worth the wait.
A group of friends, led by angry disruptive Ayla, venture out to the closed down Field of Screams Halloween Haunt in search of a local urban legend. Prompted by one of their teachers, They are asked to make up their own Legend and try to bring it to life to prove how false facts can create a sort of mass hysteria. And eventually. They become real... Like local urban legend, Lockjaw.
First off... These fucking kids
None of them are likable. They all have something that makes them horrible. There's no smiles and laughs while walking down the fucking train tracks in this not so feel good movie. The performances by these kids. Even the youngest one... Who you kind of want to kick in the face... puts in a stellar showing. The lead girl. With her serial killer like lack of emotion and empathy. If there were Oscars for horror. She would most definitely be nominated. Even the one kid who shows some form of common sense. Has not one real redeeming quality. These kids are just plain horrid. You literally wish death upon these teenagers
Second. The originality of the whole thing. I know it will probably garner some comparisons to Psycho Goreman. But... Believe me when i tell you... There is no similarity. These are two completely seperate entities.
The idea of Urban Legends coming true. And not being projected by some killer in a parka. makes me extremely happy. Not a slight against the series of Urban Legend movies... I love them... But...
Third. I love the pace of the film. It keeps going, doesn't let up in the slightest. Just when you think you've seen it all. The little bastards just break down the morality wall a little bit more. Such a fun ride to be on.
Was it worth the wait. Absolutely.
Would I recommend it to my friends.... 100%.
Will it be something I'd watch again... I'm actually watching it again... Right now... While I do this review.
Mr. Smith, you've done it again.
You have kept my interest and left me utterly satisfied with an hour and a half of pure horrific pleasure.
Not one stitch of disappointment here...
A group of friends, led by angry disruptive Ayla, venture out to the closed down Field of Screams Halloween Haunt in search of a local urban legend. Prompted by one of their teachers, They are asked to make up their own Legend and try to bring it to life to prove how false facts can create a sort of mass hysteria. And eventually. They become real... Like local urban legend, Lockjaw.
First off... These fucking kids
None of them are likable. They all have something that makes them horrible. There's no smiles and laughs while walking down the fucking train tracks in this not so feel good movie. The performances by these kids. Even the youngest one... Who you kind of want to kick in the face... puts in a stellar showing. The lead girl. With her serial killer like lack of emotion and empathy. If there were Oscars for horror. She would most definitely be nominated. Even the one kid who shows some form of common sense. Has not one real redeeming quality. These kids are just plain horrid. You literally wish death upon these teenagers
Second. The originality of the whole thing. I know it will probably garner some comparisons to Psycho Goreman. But... Believe me when i tell you... There is no similarity. These are two completely seperate entities.
The idea of Urban Legends coming true. And not being projected by some killer in a parka. makes me extremely happy. Not a slight against the series of Urban Legend movies... I love them... But...
Third. I love the pace of the film. It keeps going, doesn't let up in the slightest. Just when you think you've seen it all. The little bastards just break down the morality wall a little bit more. Such a fun ride to be on.
Was it worth the wait. Absolutely.
Would I recommend it to my friends.... 100%.
Will it be something I'd watch again... I'm actually watching it again... Right now... While I do this review.
Mr. Smith, you've done it again.
You have kept my interest and left me utterly satisfied with an hour and a half of pure horrific pleasure.
Not one stitch of disappointment here...
Dragon's Mate Volume Two: Books 4-7
6.0
Rate It
Book
Enjoy the Dragon’s Mate series in this convenient bundle. Witch Mate? Anthony is in trouble....
MM Paranormal Romance Shifters Dragons
Lee (2222 KP) rated Triple 9 (2016) in Movies
Jul 26, 2017
Incoherent plot (2 more)
Bad acting
Dodgy accents
The worst movie of 2016
It's early February 2016. I’m sitting in my local cinema waiting for a secret screening to start. A lot of people are expecting Deadpool. A member of staff comes out to welcome us and tells us that it’s not going to be Deadpool. The film starts. It’s Triple 9 – a film I hadn’t heard a lot about, but I’m there for free, so willing to give it a try.
Daryl from The Walking Dead and Jesse from Breaking Bad are both in it, which isn’t a good sign as their movie track records aren’t so good. There seems to be some sort of well planned heist going on, lots of action, not entirely clear what’s going on. Then it’s over. Wait a minute, some of them are cops?! What’s that all about? No time to explain, here’s Kate Winslet. She’s a good actress, maybe she’ll help. But why is she putting on a really bad accent? It’s not very convincing, and I’m now finding it very difficult to concentrate on anything else that’s going on. Ooh, there’s Gal Gadot. Lots of people seem to be in this, maybe it will get better. But before I know it, she’s gone, and lots more characters are being introduced.
Some people are starting to leave the cinema. A combination of being pissed at the lack of Deadpool, and disappointment at the shit storm that we’re being subjected to on screen.
Some more action!! Some of it is actually quite good, but without context or explanation, it’s completely pointless. Matthew McConaughey is there, then he’s at home, then straight away in the next scene he’s in a diner. Hmm, it would be nice if some of this movie wasn’t such an incoherent mess!
More people leave the cinema. I wonder if I should join them. I haven’t paid for this, so nothing would be lost other than my time if I walk. But no, I don’t walk out of cinemas. I want to give this a chance and I hope that it might redeem itself.
Sadly it doesn’t. Characters start dying, and double crossing each other. There’s a bit more action. There’s Gal Gadot again, I’d forgotten she was in this. And there’s Kate and her dodgy accent again too. God I hope this is over soon…
And then it is over. Afterwards, people ask me what the film was about. I tell them I have absolutely no idea. They ask me if it was any good. I tell them that it was the one of the worst films I have ever seen.
Daryl from The Walking Dead and Jesse from Breaking Bad are both in it, which isn’t a good sign as their movie track records aren’t so good. There seems to be some sort of well planned heist going on, lots of action, not entirely clear what’s going on. Then it’s over. Wait a minute, some of them are cops?! What’s that all about? No time to explain, here’s Kate Winslet. She’s a good actress, maybe she’ll help. But why is she putting on a really bad accent? It’s not very convincing, and I’m now finding it very difficult to concentrate on anything else that’s going on. Ooh, there’s Gal Gadot. Lots of people seem to be in this, maybe it will get better. But before I know it, she’s gone, and lots more characters are being introduced.
Some people are starting to leave the cinema. A combination of being pissed at the lack of Deadpool, and disappointment at the shit storm that we’re being subjected to on screen.
Some more action!! Some of it is actually quite good, but without context or explanation, it’s completely pointless. Matthew McConaughey is there, then he’s at home, then straight away in the next scene he’s in a diner. Hmm, it would be nice if some of this movie wasn’t such an incoherent mess!
More people leave the cinema. I wonder if I should join them. I haven’t paid for this, so nothing would be lost other than my time if I walk. But no, I don’t walk out of cinemas. I want to give this a chance and I hope that it might redeem itself.
Sadly it doesn’t. Characters start dying, and double crossing each other. There’s a bit more action. There’s Gal Gadot again, I’d forgotten she was in this. And there’s Kate and her dodgy accent again too. God I hope this is over soon…
And then it is over. Afterwards, people ask me what the film was about. I tell them I have absolutely no idea. They ask me if it was any good. I tell them that it was the one of the worst films I have ever seen.
Camera (1 more)
Available functionality
The app (1 more)
The sensors
Promising but glitchy
Im going to be frankly honest. When I first bought this system, I thought it was fantastic. It's only through regular and continued use that I've become a little more negative.
I bought this 4 years ago as I lived on my own and wanted some security, but didn't want to faff about with a standard wired in alarm. I found Piper at a fairly reasonable price and good reviews, so decided to give it a go.
I have the standard version as the night vision hadn't been released at the time. Firstly the unit itself is very handy as the camera can cover the entire of my ground floor (I have a small open plan house). The camera also means I can spy on the cat to see what she gets up to while I'm out. The notification options too are very good and all work very well, and the functionality available through the system is pretty comprehensive (like house stats etc). It also gives you a pet sensitivity option so you can lower the sensitivity of the motion sensors to account for pets. Which is great, apart from if you have your system on a lower shelf that your cat insists on walking past EVERY day and tripping the alarm...
Now for the negatives. The door/window sensors are terrible. You attach them, they work fine when you test them but then suddenly trip for no reason. Being woken up at 4am by a ridiculous loud siren because a sensor accidentally tripped is not a pleasant experience. To the point where I've turned the siren on my alarm off to avoid disturbing myself and the neighbours. The sensors also have a fairly small distance range from the system (an excuse to buy multiple systems dotted around the house I'm sure) and after a couple of years, some of mine have stopped working completely and new batteries won't fix them.
The app itself is very glitchy. Half of the time I open the app only to get a cannot connect message, when there's nothing wrong with the internet. So it means you often can't set the alarm or turn it off (another reason why I've disabled the siren) . I've also found that when the app does work, it takes time to load so I'm usually sat outside my house for 5 minutes before I can turn the alarm off to go inside. Not ideal.
In short I think this alarm is a good idea, i just don't think it quite works practically with some of the software and hardware. A shame as the functionality is quite impressive.
I bought this 4 years ago as I lived on my own and wanted some security, but didn't want to faff about with a standard wired in alarm. I found Piper at a fairly reasonable price and good reviews, so decided to give it a go.
I have the standard version as the night vision hadn't been released at the time. Firstly the unit itself is very handy as the camera can cover the entire of my ground floor (I have a small open plan house). The camera also means I can spy on the cat to see what she gets up to while I'm out. The notification options too are very good and all work very well, and the functionality available through the system is pretty comprehensive (like house stats etc). It also gives you a pet sensitivity option so you can lower the sensitivity of the motion sensors to account for pets. Which is great, apart from if you have your system on a lower shelf that your cat insists on walking past EVERY day and tripping the alarm...
Now for the negatives. The door/window sensors are terrible. You attach them, they work fine when you test them but then suddenly trip for no reason. Being woken up at 4am by a ridiculous loud siren because a sensor accidentally tripped is not a pleasant experience. To the point where I've turned the siren on my alarm off to avoid disturbing myself and the neighbours. The sensors also have a fairly small distance range from the system (an excuse to buy multiple systems dotted around the house I'm sure) and after a couple of years, some of mine have stopped working completely and new batteries won't fix them.
The app itself is very glitchy. Half of the time I open the app only to get a cannot connect message, when there's nothing wrong with the internet. So it means you often can't set the alarm or turn it off (another reason why I've disabled the siren) . I've also found that when the app does work, it takes time to load so I'm usually sat outside my house for 5 minutes before I can turn the alarm off to go inside. Not ideal.
In short I think this alarm is a good idea, i just don't think it quite works practically with some of the software and hardware. A shame as the functionality is quite impressive.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated At Eternity's Gate (2018) in Movies
Feb 16, 2019
A slow meditation of the last days of a tortured artist
he artist as a tortured soul.
How many films have been made on this subject? Too many to count. Add AT ETERNITY'S GATE to this list as it tells the tale of the tortured final days of Vincent Van Gogh - including cutting his own ear off - so perhaps no one deserves the title of "tortured artist" more than he.
Directed by Julian Schnabel (THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY) and starring Willem DaFoe (AQUAMAN) in an Oscar nominated turn as Van Gogh, AT ETERNITY'S GATE follows Van Gogh in the final weeks of his life. Since it is a film by Schnabel, you get an introspective, languid, haunting, beautifully shot meditation on life, art, madness and misunderstanding. Which, of course, is both the blessing and the curse of the film. Schnabel trains his camera - sometimes for long stretches - on the mundane...Van Gogh walking through a field, Van Gogh looking out at a landscape, Van Gogh thinking and, most importantly. Van Gogh painting...and painting...and painting...
Do you know how exciting it is to WATCH someone paint? About as exciting as watching paint dry.
Thank goodness DaFoe is mesmerizing as Van Gogh, for he really holds the film - and attention - throughout. His Academy Award nomination is justified for he brings a haunted, world weariness quality to his portrayal. - check this film out just for this performance. Rupert Friend, Oscar Isaac, Mads Mikkelson and Mathieu Amalric all show up in glorified cameos to punch a little dialogue and forward momentum into this narrative. But, mostly, we watch DaFoe - as Van Gogh - walk and think and look and paint and paint and paint...
I know I am repeating myself, but I felt the film repeated itself over and over again as well. I think there is about 1/2 of interesting film in this 1 hour 54 minute movie. The rest is just "art" and "artistic expression" of images on the screen by Schnabel. If that sort of thing is up your alley, you'll enjoy this. For the rest , it will just become repetitive and boring.
I will say, however, that after seeing this film, I have a greater appreciation for Van Gogh's work, how he made them and how his style differs from ANYBODY else. I am now going to make it a point to find a museum that shows some of his works and check it out.
So, I guess, that's a good thing.
Letter Grade: B- (it is a well made and acted film)
6 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
How many films have been made on this subject? Too many to count. Add AT ETERNITY'S GATE to this list as it tells the tale of the tortured final days of Vincent Van Gogh - including cutting his own ear off - so perhaps no one deserves the title of "tortured artist" more than he.
Directed by Julian Schnabel (THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY) and starring Willem DaFoe (AQUAMAN) in an Oscar nominated turn as Van Gogh, AT ETERNITY'S GATE follows Van Gogh in the final weeks of his life. Since it is a film by Schnabel, you get an introspective, languid, haunting, beautifully shot meditation on life, art, madness and misunderstanding. Which, of course, is both the blessing and the curse of the film. Schnabel trains his camera - sometimes for long stretches - on the mundane...Van Gogh walking through a field, Van Gogh looking out at a landscape, Van Gogh thinking and, most importantly. Van Gogh painting...and painting...and painting...
Do you know how exciting it is to WATCH someone paint? About as exciting as watching paint dry.
Thank goodness DaFoe is mesmerizing as Van Gogh, for he really holds the film - and attention - throughout. His Academy Award nomination is justified for he brings a haunted, world weariness quality to his portrayal. - check this film out just for this performance. Rupert Friend, Oscar Isaac, Mads Mikkelson and Mathieu Amalric all show up in glorified cameos to punch a little dialogue and forward momentum into this narrative. But, mostly, we watch DaFoe - as Van Gogh - walk and think and look and paint and paint and paint...
I know I am repeating myself, but I felt the film repeated itself over and over again as well. I think there is about 1/2 of interesting film in this 1 hour 54 minute movie. The rest is just "art" and "artistic expression" of images on the screen by Schnabel. If that sort of thing is up your alley, you'll enjoy this. For the rest , it will just become repetitive and boring.
I will say, however, that after seeing this film, I have a greater appreciation for Van Gogh's work, how he made them and how his style differs from ANYBODY else. I am now going to make it a point to find a museum that shows some of his works and check it out.
So, I guess, that's a good thing.
Letter Grade: B- (it is a well made and acted film)
6 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Louise (64 KP) rated Izombie: Volume 1: Dead to the World in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I first heard about this book from Elena reads books and was instantly intrigued!This book sounded fun, I haven’t read much about zombies and also just wanted to read more comics/graphic novels. It was totally fascinating from the start and definitely different.
Gwen appears to be you average everyday person at the start, other than working as a gravedigger she is normal, except she’s not! She is a zombie! but not your stereotypical zombie – she doesn’t walk around groaning, her face and body are not decaying. As long as she eats one brain per month she will not turn full zombie. However eating brains comes at a cost, first of all the brain has to be pretty fresh (hence being a gravedigger), she obviously can’t get caught, they taste bad….oh and she gets stuck with the deceased’s memories for a period of time. The last brain she ate was from a young family man who was killed by a serial killer. Gwen takes it upon herself to investigate why the man was murdered. Also there are a group of female vampires who don’t kill their victims they just feed little and often from men that attend paint balling in the woods. However there is always one that can’t play by the rules and is starting to attract attention from these ancient monster hunters.
There were so many different types of character/monsters in this book, we had zombies (obvs)Ghosts, Vampires and even a WereTerrier which I thought was kind of cute. This is a more of a fluffy zombie book and totally different from the walking dead. I liked all the individual characters but there wasn’t a lot of development and I think this was because there was too much trying to happen in one volume. We had the story of Gwen, it would then jump to the Vampires and then to the hunters, which made the plot line a bit disjointed. Some of the characters….Mainly Dixie was portrayed as being self-centred, all she thinks about is herself and Gwen is unable to rely on her even though she is her best friend. All the females in the book all seemed to have perfect bodies… I wish they just made some females different shapes and sizes. I really liked the art style and colours that were used to set the tone of the book. This was a great introduction to the story and I will be continuing on with the second volume.
Also there is a series on Netflix adaptation that is loosely based on the comic, I might start watching it as my partner has watched it and said it’s alright. Have you watched izombie? whats your thoughts on it?
Overall I rated this 3.75 out of 5 stars
Gwen appears to be you average everyday person at the start, other than working as a gravedigger she is normal, except she’s not! She is a zombie! but not your stereotypical zombie – she doesn’t walk around groaning, her face and body are not decaying. As long as she eats one brain per month she will not turn full zombie. However eating brains comes at a cost, first of all the brain has to be pretty fresh (hence being a gravedigger), she obviously can’t get caught, they taste bad….oh and she gets stuck with the deceased’s memories for a period of time. The last brain she ate was from a young family man who was killed by a serial killer. Gwen takes it upon herself to investigate why the man was murdered. Also there are a group of female vampires who don’t kill their victims they just feed little and often from men that attend paint balling in the woods. However there is always one that can’t play by the rules and is starting to attract attention from these ancient monster hunters.
There were so many different types of character/monsters in this book, we had zombies (obvs)Ghosts, Vampires and even a WereTerrier which I thought was kind of cute. This is a more of a fluffy zombie book and totally different from the walking dead. I liked all the individual characters but there wasn’t a lot of development and I think this was because there was too much trying to happen in one volume. We had the story of Gwen, it would then jump to the Vampires and then to the hunters, which made the plot line a bit disjointed. Some of the characters….Mainly Dixie was portrayed as being self-centred, all she thinks about is herself and Gwen is unable to rely on her even though she is her best friend. All the females in the book all seemed to have perfect bodies… I wish they just made some females different shapes and sizes. I really liked the art style and colours that were used to set the tone of the book. This was a great introduction to the story and I will be continuing on with the second volume.
Also there is a series on Netflix adaptation that is loosely based on the comic, I might start watching it as my partner has watched it and said it’s alright. Have you watched izombie? whats your thoughts on it?
Overall I rated this 3.75 out of 5 stars
FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated The Other Woman in Books
Aug 21, 2018
A thrillingly fast-paced read from Sandie Jones, The Other Woman finds her novel's hardworking, unlucky-in-love British heroine Emily unwittingly (and very quickly) caught up in an escalating game of psychological chicken with her boyfriend's mother Pammie that unfortunately, her boyfriend and the rest of the world is unable to see.
Sure to be a popular late summer beach read, while it suffers from a few gaps in logic and common sense as our lead character never thinks to use technology to snap a photo, record a threat as evidence, or merely research one of two sketchy backstories involving both her boyfriend as well as Pammie, as a journalist, Jones knows how to assemble a compelling story.
Although it raises a valid concern regarding how much we change and/ore are willing to take when we're in a committed relationship, because more than a few people in Pammie's orbit suffer from serious likability issues, I kept wanting to yell at the fictional Emily as though she were on the other end of the phone, “honey, just leave already!”
Nonetheless still able to reel me back in and (mostly) suspend my disbelief, as I grew closer to the final Emily vs. Pammie standoff, I found myself walking around with the book in hand, waiting to see what Jones had in store for the finale.
Needing to reveal, explain, and wrap-up everything in a very rushed showdown that perhaps involves way too much spoken exposition, while that device has been used so often in books and film that it's easy to overlook, one of Woman's biggest hurdles isn't in the book at all but on the cover.
A vital reminder for publishers to be careful as to which blurbs you include on the book itself, because my Advanced Reader Copy arrived complete with a quotation advertising “a twist you will not see coming,” readers (like yours truly) are sure to find their brains working overtime to the point that I was able to correctly deduce where Jones might be going roughly halfway through.
Of course it's still an incredibly fun read and I didn't have all of the nuts and bolts of said twist squared away to the point that it ruined everything. All the same and regardless of the fact that all of these genre titles have twists, I would've loved it even more if I'd never been tipped off that there was something that far out of left field for which to look.
Even so an impressive debut that I thank Minotaur Books for sending me, The Other Woman might make you uneasy to meet your new love's parents but it'll definitely excite you to imagine what new novels and twists Jones might have up her sleeve.
Sure to be a popular late summer beach read, while it suffers from a few gaps in logic and common sense as our lead character never thinks to use technology to snap a photo, record a threat as evidence, or merely research one of two sketchy backstories involving both her boyfriend as well as Pammie, as a journalist, Jones knows how to assemble a compelling story.
Although it raises a valid concern regarding how much we change and/ore are willing to take when we're in a committed relationship, because more than a few people in Pammie's orbit suffer from serious likability issues, I kept wanting to yell at the fictional Emily as though she were on the other end of the phone, “honey, just leave already!”
Nonetheless still able to reel me back in and (mostly) suspend my disbelief, as I grew closer to the final Emily vs. Pammie standoff, I found myself walking around with the book in hand, waiting to see what Jones had in store for the finale.
Needing to reveal, explain, and wrap-up everything in a very rushed showdown that perhaps involves way too much spoken exposition, while that device has been used so often in books and film that it's easy to overlook, one of Woman's biggest hurdles isn't in the book at all but on the cover.
A vital reminder for publishers to be careful as to which blurbs you include on the book itself, because my Advanced Reader Copy arrived complete with a quotation advertising “a twist you will not see coming,” readers (like yours truly) are sure to find their brains working overtime to the point that I was able to correctly deduce where Jones might be going roughly halfway through.
Of course it's still an incredibly fun read and I didn't have all of the nuts and bolts of said twist squared away to the point that it ruined everything. All the same and regardless of the fact that all of these genre titles have twists, I would've loved it even more if I'd never been tipped off that there was something that far out of left field for which to look.
Even so an impressive debut that I thank Minotaur Books for sending me, The Other Woman might make you uneasy to meet your new love's parents but it'll definitely excite you to imagine what new novels and twists Jones might have up her sleeve.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Rope (1948) in Movies
Nov 15, 2018
Master Director working some Masterful Camerawork
For my next deep dive into a film of the "Master of Suspense", Alfred Hitchock, I thought I'd pull out a "one-trick pony" film of his, 1948's ROPE. Based on a stage play, HItchock decided to film this movie as it were a play - keeping the entire film in one location (an apartment) and to film it in (what appears to be) one long take.
And, darn it all, if he doesn't pull it off.
The film starts off with a murder, we see two young men (John Dall and Farley Granger) strangling their "inferior" friend. They then decide to hold a dinner party to see if anyone can tell that they have committed murder. Included in this party is the dead friend's girlfriend (Joan Chandler), his father (Sir Cedrick Hardwicke) and their old school teacher (James Stewart).
The fun of this film isn't "will they get caught", it's "how will they get caught - and by who". The cast is wonderful (especially Hardwicke) but they all take a back seat to the absolute stellar performance of Stewart who begins to piece together that something is amiss and turns the tide on the two murderers.
The real star of this film is Director HItchock and his camera. Since he decided to make this in one long take, it took a master of organization and logistics to pull this off, having stagehands move furniture and walls out of the way (and back in again) as the camera moved around. In 1948, a camera could only hold 10 minutes worth of film, so the "one long take" aspect of this is a trick, as it is really 8 takes with strategic timing of camera movements behind walls and backs to give the illusion of seamlessness.
The interesting thing of this "trick" is that you are totally at the control of what Hitchock wants you to see (and not see). There is a scene about 1/2 way through the film that completely ignores the action and the people in the scene and focuses on the trunk the body is in. It is a masterwork, and the tension of keeping your focus there throughout the course of this part of the film is scary, tense and mesmerizing.
One last thing, Hitchock makes a cameo in every one of his films. Try to tell where Hitch is in this film (and, no, it is not as someone walking by the apartment at the beginning of the movie).
Not one of Hitchock's best, plotwise, but one of his best, camera-wise. Well worth checking out.
Letter Grade A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
And, darn it all, if he doesn't pull it off.
The film starts off with a murder, we see two young men (John Dall and Farley Granger) strangling their "inferior" friend. They then decide to hold a dinner party to see if anyone can tell that they have committed murder. Included in this party is the dead friend's girlfriend (Joan Chandler), his father (Sir Cedrick Hardwicke) and their old school teacher (James Stewart).
The fun of this film isn't "will they get caught", it's "how will they get caught - and by who". The cast is wonderful (especially Hardwicke) but they all take a back seat to the absolute stellar performance of Stewart who begins to piece together that something is amiss and turns the tide on the two murderers.
The real star of this film is Director HItchock and his camera. Since he decided to make this in one long take, it took a master of organization and logistics to pull this off, having stagehands move furniture and walls out of the way (and back in again) as the camera moved around. In 1948, a camera could only hold 10 minutes worth of film, so the "one long take" aspect of this is a trick, as it is really 8 takes with strategic timing of camera movements behind walls and backs to give the illusion of seamlessness.
The interesting thing of this "trick" is that you are totally at the control of what Hitchock wants you to see (and not see). There is a scene about 1/2 way through the film that completely ignores the action and the people in the scene and focuses on the trunk the body is in. It is a masterwork, and the tension of keeping your focus there throughout the course of this part of the film is scary, tense and mesmerizing.
One last thing, Hitchock makes a cameo in every one of his films. Try to tell where Hitch is in this film (and, no, it is not as someone walking by the apartment at the beginning of the movie).
Not one of Hitchock's best, plotwise, but one of his best, camera-wise. Well worth checking out.
Letter Grade A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Lion (2017) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Upon discovering this short film, I was impressed with how well it had performed. During its first year of distribution, it has won 126 awards at a variety of film festivals which is quite the selling point. Walking in to the film, I didn’t know much about it but the air of mystery made my viewing experience even better. The film is set in an isolated cabin, on a snowy night, which creates the perfect backdrop for a horror tale…
From the very first scene you can tell this cabin is not a happy place to be. Straight away we’re created with sounds of domestic violence, making the viewer feel instantly uncomfortable. The father in the film is repulsive and lives in a squalor, with cigarette butts, leftover pizza and empty cans of beer dotted everywhere. Michael Segal really brought this character to life, showing us that not all villains are supernatural or machete wielding psychopaths. Some evil can be found in the average home, behind closed doors, where violence takes over. Sometimes humans can be more terrifying than anything else.
The way Lion deals with domestic violence, particularly against children, was done incredibly well. It’s not an easy topic to cover but this short makes an impact without going too far and making it gratuitous. Part of what makes this film so good is what you don’t see on screen, and how your imagination runs wild. It has a slow burning narrative that builds up the suspense and finally unleashes the climactic moment with only a few minutes to spare, providing closure and satisfaction for the spectator.
I really liked the use of special effects throughout the film, because they blended in nicely with the rest of the scene and weren’t overdone at any point. Cinematically it hits all the right notes for a horror film through it’s use of low-lighting, tense creeping moments, and an excellent use of music. Jump scares and gore weren’t needed in Lion, because it manages to deliver real horror in a much more subtler, but effective way. The presence of the lion throughout was a good motif to use as well, as they’re synonymous with courage and being a fighter. You’ll see what I mean when you watch it.
Lion is an incredibly important short film that I believe is a must watch, even for those who don’t tend to reach for horrors. The final card at the end reiterates the important message that is present throughout the film, and it really resonated with me. It’s a film with fantasy elements, yet still deep rooted within reality that it makes you want to stand up and take action in any way you can.
https://jumpcutonline.co.uk/lion-short/
From the very first scene you can tell this cabin is not a happy place to be. Straight away we’re created with sounds of domestic violence, making the viewer feel instantly uncomfortable. The father in the film is repulsive and lives in a squalor, with cigarette butts, leftover pizza and empty cans of beer dotted everywhere. Michael Segal really brought this character to life, showing us that not all villains are supernatural or machete wielding psychopaths. Some evil can be found in the average home, behind closed doors, where violence takes over. Sometimes humans can be more terrifying than anything else.
The way Lion deals with domestic violence, particularly against children, was done incredibly well. It’s not an easy topic to cover but this short makes an impact without going too far and making it gratuitous. Part of what makes this film so good is what you don’t see on screen, and how your imagination runs wild. It has a slow burning narrative that builds up the suspense and finally unleashes the climactic moment with only a few minutes to spare, providing closure and satisfaction for the spectator.
I really liked the use of special effects throughout the film, because they blended in nicely with the rest of the scene and weren’t overdone at any point. Cinematically it hits all the right notes for a horror film through it’s use of low-lighting, tense creeping moments, and an excellent use of music. Jump scares and gore weren’t needed in Lion, because it manages to deliver real horror in a much more subtler, but effective way. The presence of the lion throughout was a good motif to use as well, as they’re synonymous with courage and being a fighter. You’ll see what I mean when you watch it.
Lion is an incredibly important short film that I believe is a must watch, even for those who don’t tend to reach for horrors. The final card at the end reiterates the important message that is present throughout the film, and it really resonated with me. It’s a film with fantasy elements, yet still deep rooted within reality that it makes you want to stand up and take action in any way you can.
https://jumpcutonline.co.uk/lion-short/