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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Moana (2016) in Movies
Mar 20, 2020
A delightful journey
In what is probably not a surprise to those of you that know me well, I keep a list of films that I have seen and a list of "top films I need to catch up with." (I know, that makes me a "film nerd" and I wear that badge proudly). In perusing the list, I saw that I had yet to see the 2016 Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Disney animated flick Moana, so thought I'd check it out.
And...I'm glad I did...for I was thoroughly entertained by the story, the characters, the visuals and the music. How is this film not mentioned in the same breath with FROZEN? It is terrific.
Set in the South Pacific, MOANA, the 56th Disney Animated film, tells the tale of...well...Moana...who works with the Demigod Maui to reverse a curse that he started.
Hawaii native Auli'l Cravalho was perfectly cast as the voice of Moana, she is the perfect blend of perky, smart and grounded with a singing voice that is strong and bold. But this film belongs to Dwayne Johnson as Maui. His demigod is brash, egotistical, and cocky...but there is a tenderness and vulnerability to his character that makes Maui lovable and not arrogant and annoying. This is a delicate balance to make and Johnson balances it perfectly. He has a natural charm and charisma that shines through his characterization. I couldn't think of anyone else that could have pulled this role off - oh...did I mention - he sings!
And that is another part of this film that I was surprised by. The music is first rate. As written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Broadway's HAMILTON) and Opetaia Foa'i and Mark Mancina, the songs are joyous, fun and drive the plot and the characterizations forward. AS does the direction by Ron Clements and John Musker. It is a fast paced film that doesn't really slow down for audiences to think too much about the plot or plot machinations...and that is a good thing.
Is it a perfect film? Well..no. I found the character of the Sea Creature Tamatoa (Jermaine Clement) and the accompanying song to be..."meh"...it was a bump in a fun road. And...the way the plot was resolved was not entirely satisfying for me.
But...these are nits...for MOANA is more focused on the journey - and the relationship between Maui and Moana - than the destination. And this journey is a delightful one to go on.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars (out of 10) and you can take this to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And...I'm glad I did...for I was thoroughly entertained by the story, the characters, the visuals and the music. How is this film not mentioned in the same breath with FROZEN? It is terrific.
Set in the South Pacific, MOANA, the 56th Disney Animated film, tells the tale of...well...Moana...who works with the Demigod Maui to reverse a curse that he started.
Hawaii native Auli'l Cravalho was perfectly cast as the voice of Moana, she is the perfect blend of perky, smart and grounded with a singing voice that is strong and bold. But this film belongs to Dwayne Johnson as Maui. His demigod is brash, egotistical, and cocky...but there is a tenderness and vulnerability to his character that makes Maui lovable and not arrogant and annoying. This is a delicate balance to make and Johnson balances it perfectly. He has a natural charm and charisma that shines through his characterization. I couldn't think of anyone else that could have pulled this role off - oh...did I mention - he sings!
And that is another part of this film that I was surprised by. The music is first rate. As written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Broadway's HAMILTON) and Opetaia Foa'i and Mark Mancina, the songs are joyous, fun and drive the plot and the characterizations forward. AS does the direction by Ron Clements and John Musker. It is a fast paced film that doesn't really slow down for audiences to think too much about the plot or plot machinations...and that is a good thing.
Is it a perfect film? Well..no. I found the character of the Sea Creature Tamatoa (Jermaine Clement) and the accompanying song to be..."meh"...it was a bump in a fun road. And...the way the plot was resolved was not entirely satisfying for me.
But...these are nits...for MOANA is more focused on the journey - and the relationship between Maui and Moana - than the destination. And this journey is a delightful one to go on.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars (out of 10) and you can take this to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Savage ( Vixen Bluff book 3) in Books
May 15, 2022
85 of 230
Kindle
Savage ( Vixen Bluff book 3)
By C. Black ( Catherine Black)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶
One free-spirited tree hugger running from grief.
One technology-addicted IT manager on the road to self-discovery.
6 states. 1200 miles. 1 cramped SUV.
What could possibly go wrong?
**********
Skyler
I never thought I'd lose the best thing to ever happen to me...and then I did. Without my best friend at my side, the world drains of color and the commune I grew up in no longer feels like home. So I give into the wanderlust plaguing my heart and set out to rid myself of the grief hanging onto my soul like beggar's lice. Then he sits down in front of me in a small roadside diner and everything changes.
Reed is high-strung, materialistic, and shows little to no interest in the world around him, which is the only reason I take him under my wing. I'm bound and determined to teach him how to embrace the hideous beauty that comes with each sunrise, as well as the bliss and heartache that passes with each sunset. But it's hard as hell to learn anything new about life when you're weighed down by a secret, and Reed Stanley's has the power to ruin everything.
Reed
I don't stand a chance with a gypsy witch like Skyler Kassamali, but I don't care. Her tattoos and piercings are enough to intimidate me, but there's something else to her—a sharp sadness—that draws me in and refuses to let go. But she's so much more than a shattered heart lost on a grief-fueled adventure and I want to know her best-kept secrets, all while never revealing my own.
But secrets have a way of undoing you, whether you want them to or not, and despite all my shortcomings, Skyler sees something in me and takes a chance. On an adventure that brings us both to our knees, she teaches me the greatest lesson of all: No matter how convincing the smile is, no matter how untarnished the skin seems to be, no matter how we bend and fold to conform—inside, we're all a little savage.
This was good. It was quite sweet compared to book 2 which was just pure filth. I don’t think it was as good as I wanted it to be the start was a bit patchy but it did all come together nicely in the last third of the book.
Kindle
Savage ( Vixen Bluff book 3)
By C. Black ( Catherine Black)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶
One free-spirited tree hugger running from grief.
One technology-addicted IT manager on the road to self-discovery.
6 states. 1200 miles. 1 cramped SUV.
What could possibly go wrong?
**********
Skyler
I never thought I'd lose the best thing to ever happen to me...and then I did. Without my best friend at my side, the world drains of color and the commune I grew up in no longer feels like home. So I give into the wanderlust plaguing my heart and set out to rid myself of the grief hanging onto my soul like beggar's lice. Then he sits down in front of me in a small roadside diner and everything changes.
Reed is high-strung, materialistic, and shows little to no interest in the world around him, which is the only reason I take him under my wing. I'm bound and determined to teach him how to embrace the hideous beauty that comes with each sunrise, as well as the bliss and heartache that passes with each sunset. But it's hard as hell to learn anything new about life when you're weighed down by a secret, and Reed Stanley's has the power to ruin everything.
Reed
I don't stand a chance with a gypsy witch like Skyler Kassamali, but I don't care. Her tattoos and piercings are enough to intimidate me, but there's something else to her—a sharp sadness—that draws me in and refuses to let go. But she's so much more than a shattered heart lost on a grief-fueled adventure and I want to know her best-kept secrets, all while never revealing my own.
But secrets have a way of undoing you, whether you want them to or not, and despite all my shortcomings, Skyler sees something in me and takes a chance. On an adventure that brings us both to our knees, she teaches me the greatest lesson of all: No matter how convincing the smile is, no matter how untarnished the skin seems to be, no matter how we bend and fold to conform—inside, we're all a little savage.
This was good. It was quite sweet compared to book 2 which was just pure filth. I don’t think it was as good as I wanted it to be the start was a bit patchy but it did all come together nicely in the last third of the book.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Spencer (2021) in Movies
Nov 11, 2021
Diana hits rock bottom… as does the script.
Discordant strings sound as the royal party arrives at Sandringham for Christmas. “Is she here yet” intones the Queen. “No ma’am” her major domo replies. “Then she’s late”. Cut to a soulful choral version of “Perfect Day” as Diana Princess of Wales (née Spencer) arrives via a dramatic aerial shot. Hugs go to her sons William and Harry before she unhappily stalks through the corridors like a hunted animal.
This is the second movie in a row that I’ve intro’d via a positive emotional response to a great trailer. In the last case – for “Last Night in Soho” – the movie more than lived up to my high expectations from the trailer. But here – oh dear! It comes to something where the very best thing about the film is the trailer.
For, unfortunately for me, this came across as pretentious, vaguely insulting and with a dreadful script.
Plot Summary:
It’s Christmas 1991 at the Sandringham estate. Diana (Kristen Stewart) is the black sheep of the royal family, flouting tradition and always late for every formal event. She sees conspiracies at every turn, suspecting the household coordinator Major Gregory (Timothy Spall) of plotting against her. Her only allies that she can talk to are head chef Darren (Sean Harris) and her dresser Maggie (Sally Hawkins).
Mentally unstable, bulimic and self-harming, Diana must survive a tumultuous three days without destroying the Christmas spirit for her two sons and irreparably damaging her relationship with the wider royal family.
Certification:
US: R. UK: 12A.
Talent:
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins, Jack Farthing, Sean Harris.
Directed by: Pablo Larraín.
Written by: Steven Knight.
“Spencer” Review: Positives:
Kristen Stewart does a simply fabulous job of impersonating Diana. She’s clearly studied a lot of video of the lady in getting to mimic the way she looks, walks and dances. Although I didn’t rate the film, the performance is a cut-above.
It’s an ironic touch that in all of her driving scenes, Diana never wears a seat-belt.
Negatives:
Oh man, Steven Knight’s dialogue here I found to be simply atrocious. Head-in-the-hands bad. I decided about half way through this monstrosity that “The Room” had had its day as a cult student classic, and that “Spencer” should take over in that role.
These things evolve organically over time, but I came up with the following basic rules for a student showing:
Every time Kristen Stewart does a ‘simp’ look to camera, down a shot;
When Darren utters the line “What are you going to do with wirecutters?” the audience yells as one “CUT WIRE!” **;
When Diana intones “Beauty is useless. Beauty is clothing”** the audience should strip to their underwear;
Every time a member of the hunt shouts “PULL!” you throw a stuffed pheasant in the air. Otherwise you keep the stuffed pheasant next to you, and engage in studious conversation with it as the film progresses;
Whenever Anne Boleyn appears, shout “OFF WITH HER HEAD”;
When a character says to Diana “I love you. And yes, in that way”**, the audience must shout “Aye aye” and every female audience member needs to passionately kiss another female audience member; and finally…
When Diana says “Leave Me. I want to masturbate”**, the audience throws dildos at the screen.
** I’d really like to pretend that I made these lines up. They might be paraphrased a bit, but honestly, that’s the gist!
Oh yes. It’s a sure-fire student classic of the future. You read it here first folks! I can see the filmmakers lauding me with praise for turning their movie into a post-release sleeper hit. “WHAT A CULT” they shout at me. “WHAT A CULT”!
The rest of the cast do a good enough job with what they have, but have the general vibe of being embarrassed to deliver the dialogue they’ve been given. Sean Harris – a fine actor – inexplicably spouts Shakespeare like Christopher Plummer in “Star Trek VI”! And one can only assume that Timothy Spall was given direction to act as if he had a whole lemon stuck inside his mouth for the whole movie.
I’ve been a fan of Jonny Greenwood’s music in other movies like “Phantom Thread“. I’ve seen Mark Kermode describe this soundtrack as “fantastic”. But, for me, the intrusive atonal strings and laid-back jazz vibe just didn’t work for me at all.
Summary Thoughts on “Spencer”
As you can probably tell, I hated this one. And the illustrious Mrs Movie Man 100% agrees with me in this assessment. The trailer promised a lot, but the movie delivered very little for me. It just all felt to me like an affront to the memory of Diana. Making a highly fictitious “fable based on a real life tragedy” just feels wrong. This seems particularly the case when the Queen, Prince Charles and (particularly) William and Harry are alive to watch it. What must they think if and when they get to view this?
I was a big fan of Larrain’s 2017 biopic on Jackie Kennedy – “Jackie” – which really covered the very similar ground, of a lady in the focus of publicity struggling with mental illness. But at least that had the benefit of historical distance.
I seem to be swimming against the critical tide here, since the movie currently has an IMDB rating of 7.4/10. But frankly, for me, I thought the recent series of “The Crown” did this so much better.
This is the second movie in a row that I’ve intro’d via a positive emotional response to a great trailer. In the last case – for “Last Night in Soho” – the movie more than lived up to my high expectations from the trailer. But here – oh dear! It comes to something where the very best thing about the film is the trailer.
For, unfortunately for me, this came across as pretentious, vaguely insulting and with a dreadful script.
Plot Summary:
It’s Christmas 1991 at the Sandringham estate. Diana (Kristen Stewart) is the black sheep of the royal family, flouting tradition and always late for every formal event. She sees conspiracies at every turn, suspecting the household coordinator Major Gregory (Timothy Spall) of plotting against her. Her only allies that she can talk to are head chef Darren (Sean Harris) and her dresser Maggie (Sally Hawkins).
Mentally unstable, bulimic and self-harming, Diana must survive a tumultuous three days without destroying the Christmas spirit for her two sons and irreparably damaging her relationship with the wider royal family.
Certification:
US: R. UK: 12A.
Talent:
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins, Jack Farthing, Sean Harris.
Directed by: Pablo Larraín.
Written by: Steven Knight.
“Spencer” Review: Positives:
Kristen Stewart does a simply fabulous job of impersonating Diana. She’s clearly studied a lot of video of the lady in getting to mimic the way she looks, walks and dances. Although I didn’t rate the film, the performance is a cut-above.
It’s an ironic touch that in all of her driving scenes, Diana never wears a seat-belt.
Negatives:
Oh man, Steven Knight’s dialogue here I found to be simply atrocious. Head-in-the-hands bad. I decided about half way through this monstrosity that “The Room” had had its day as a cult student classic, and that “Spencer” should take over in that role.
These things evolve organically over time, but I came up with the following basic rules for a student showing:
Every time Kristen Stewart does a ‘simp’ look to camera, down a shot;
When Darren utters the line “What are you going to do with wirecutters?” the audience yells as one “CUT WIRE!” **;
When Diana intones “Beauty is useless. Beauty is clothing”** the audience should strip to their underwear;
Every time a member of the hunt shouts “PULL!” you throw a stuffed pheasant in the air. Otherwise you keep the stuffed pheasant next to you, and engage in studious conversation with it as the film progresses;
Whenever Anne Boleyn appears, shout “OFF WITH HER HEAD”;
When a character says to Diana “I love you. And yes, in that way”**, the audience must shout “Aye aye” and every female audience member needs to passionately kiss another female audience member; and finally…
When Diana says “Leave Me. I want to masturbate”**, the audience throws dildos at the screen.
** I’d really like to pretend that I made these lines up. They might be paraphrased a bit, but honestly, that’s the gist!
Oh yes. It’s a sure-fire student classic of the future. You read it here first folks! I can see the filmmakers lauding me with praise for turning their movie into a post-release sleeper hit. “WHAT A CULT” they shout at me. “WHAT A CULT”!
The rest of the cast do a good enough job with what they have, but have the general vibe of being embarrassed to deliver the dialogue they’ve been given. Sean Harris – a fine actor – inexplicably spouts Shakespeare like Christopher Plummer in “Star Trek VI”! And one can only assume that Timothy Spall was given direction to act as if he had a whole lemon stuck inside his mouth for the whole movie.
I’ve been a fan of Jonny Greenwood’s music in other movies like “Phantom Thread“. I’ve seen Mark Kermode describe this soundtrack as “fantastic”. But, for me, the intrusive atonal strings and laid-back jazz vibe just didn’t work for me at all.
Summary Thoughts on “Spencer”
As you can probably tell, I hated this one. And the illustrious Mrs Movie Man 100% agrees with me in this assessment. The trailer promised a lot, but the movie delivered very little for me. It just all felt to me like an affront to the memory of Diana. Making a highly fictitious “fable based on a real life tragedy” just feels wrong. This seems particularly the case when the Queen, Prince Charles and (particularly) William and Harry are alive to watch it. What must they think if and when they get to view this?
I was a big fan of Larrain’s 2017 biopic on Jackie Kennedy – “Jackie” – which really covered the very similar ground, of a lady in the focus of publicity struggling with mental illness. But at least that had the benefit of historical distance.
I seem to be swimming against the critical tide here, since the movie currently has an IMDB rating of 7.4/10. But frankly, for me, I thought the recent series of “The Crown” did this so much better.
Hadley (567 KP) rated Ghost Story in Books
May 14, 2019
Great story line (1 more)
Great characters
Don Wanderley is a writer who happens to meet a supernatural being, and this meeting causes his life to be turned upside down in the novel 'Ghost Story.' Wanderley's brother and uncle both die of strange circumstances, leading him to seek how their deaths came to be. What Wanderley finds is that they were both infatuated with two women: Alma Mobley and Ann- Veronica Moore; Mobley just so happens to be Don's ex-fiance'.
Even if it seems so, Wanderley is not the main character of this book, instead, we meet four older gentlemen who have been friends the majority of their lives: John, Lewis, Ricky and Sears. The four have created what they like to call 'the Chowder Society,' where they meet up in suit and tie at one of their houses to tell ghost stories. Sears tells one ghost story that will haunt them the rest of the book about his time as a teacher in a rural town known as Elmira: "Well, one of the most dreadful things in my life happened to me there, or it didn't happen and I imagined it all, but anyhow it scared the pants off me and eventually made it impossible for me to stay on. This is the worst story I know, and I've kept it locked up in my mind for fifty years."
After that story, strange things begin to happen in Milburn; a farmer named Elmer Scales, reports that his sheep have been slaughtered by having their throats slit and completely drained of blood, but there are no footprints nor blood stains where the sheep were killed: " 'Their throats were cut,' Elmer said to his wife. 'What did I tell you? Some crazyman's been out here. And -' his voice rose ' - a crazyman who can fly, because he didn't leave no prints.' "
When the reader finds out that the four life long friends have a dark secret that has seem to come back to haunt them, we witness them being killed off by a supernatural force, one by one. This story brings not only a great cast of characters and amazing story telling, but also twist and turns that are not seen from a mile away, like most paranormal thrillers have today.
The supernatural force readers are introduced to is a shape shifter, who takes on forms from a werewolf to a vampire " When he took off the dark glasses his eyes shone a uniform golden yellow. " But the book is not lacking on ghosts, either : "Then she saw a figure moving around out there and Nettie, who understood more than even her sister credited, fearfully watched it approach the house and barn. She uttered a few choked sounds, but knew that Rea would never hear them. The figure came nearer, hauntingly familiar. Nettie was afraid it was the boy from town Rea talked about - that wild boy in a rage that Rea had named him to police. She trembled, watching the figure come nearer across the field, imagining what life would be like if the boy did anything to Rea; and then squawked in terror and nearly tipped over the wheelchair. The man walking toward the barn was her brother Stringer, wearing the brown shirt he'd had on the day he died: it was covered with blood, just as it had been when they'd put him on the table and wrapped him in blankets, but his arms were whole."
The entire story takes place in the town of Milburn, with a few scenes outside of it, but because of this, there are so many secondary characters introduced that the reader may find themselves back tracking through the book just to remember who all of them are. On top of that, a lot of the characters are so much alike, that description can't even help tell who is who. Even our four main characters have similar descriptions, other than girth, that it takes a couple of chapters for readers to put a face to a name. Only some secondary characters become important enough to remember near the end of the book, this including a teenager named Peter.
'Ghost Story' is among the few paranormal books that can stand on it's own. There are scenes of hallucination that out-do those of the top paranormal writers of today. One of the most memorable scenes is with the character Lewis: "Lewis moved back and forth on the floorboards, willing his friends to return with the farmer's car. He did not want to look at the covered shape on the bed; he went to the window. Through the greasepaper he could see only vague orange light.. He glanced back at the sheet. 'Linda, ' he said miserably. " - the scene quickly changes - "He stood in a metal room, with gray metal walls. One light bulb hung from the ceiling. His wife lay under a sheet on a metal table. Lewis leaned over her body and sobbed. 'I won't bury you in the pond,' he said. 'I'll take you into the rose garden.' He touched his wife's lifeless fingers under the sheet and felt them twitch. He recoiled. "
When the ghost story is finally revealed from the main characters' past, pieces of the puzzle begin to fit together. To not give away too much, here is a portion of that story: " 'She said she was lonely,' Ricky said. 'Said she was sick of this damned town and all the hypocrites in it. She wanted to drink and she wanted to dance, and she didn't care who was shocked. Said this dead little town and all its dead little people could go to hell as far as she was concerned. And if we were men and not little boys, we'd damn the town too.' "
While our main characters are being killed off one by one, the town of Milburn is going through an odd blizzard that seems to put everyone on edge: " People settled down in front of the television and ate pizzas from the freezer and prayed that the power lines would stay up; they avoided one another. If you looked outside and saw your next-door neighbor fighting up his lawn to get to his front door, he looked unearthly, transformed by stress into a wild ragged frontier version of himself: you knew he'd damage anyone who threatened to touch his dwindling store of food. He'd been touched by that savage music you had tried to escape, and if he looked through your Thermopane picture window and saw you his eyes were barely human."
Although 'Ghost Story' was published in 1979, it still has a big impact on the way the paranormal genre is written today. Straub not only makes a convincing story line, but he also makes characters that the reader can actually care about. Even when we find out what has been going on in the small town of Milburn, the reader can still feel a very real threat from the supernatural force within it. 'Ghost Story' is by far the best paranormal thriller I have ever read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who believes that the past can come back to haunt you.
For more reviews by me, please check out my blog at goreandtea.com
Even if it seems so, Wanderley is not the main character of this book, instead, we meet four older gentlemen who have been friends the majority of their lives: John, Lewis, Ricky and Sears. The four have created what they like to call 'the Chowder Society,' where they meet up in suit and tie at one of their houses to tell ghost stories. Sears tells one ghost story that will haunt them the rest of the book about his time as a teacher in a rural town known as Elmira: "Well, one of the most dreadful things in my life happened to me there, or it didn't happen and I imagined it all, but anyhow it scared the pants off me and eventually made it impossible for me to stay on. This is the worst story I know, and I've kept it locked up in my mind for fifty years."
After that story, strange things begin to happen in Milburn; a farmer named Elmer Scales, reports that his sheep have been slaughtered by having their throats slit and completely drained of blood, but there are no footprints nor blood stains where the sheep were killed: " 'Their throats were cut,' Elmer said to his wife. 'What did I tell you? Some crazyman's been out here. And -' his voice rose ' - a crazyman who can fly, because he didn't leave no prints.' "
When the reader finds out that the four life long friends have a dark secret that has seem to come back to haunt them, we witness them being killed off by a supernatural force, one by one. This story brings not only a great cast of characters and amazing story telling, but also twist and turns that are not seen from a mile away, like most paranormal thrillers have today.
The supernatural force readers are introduced to is a shape shifter, who takes on forms from a werewolf to a vampire " When he took off the dark glasses his eyes shone a uniform golden yellow. " But the book is not lacking on ghosts, either : "Then she saw a figure moving around out there and Nettie, who understood more than even her sister credited, fearfully watched it approach the house and barn. She uttered a few choked sounds, but knew that Rea would never hear them. The figure came nearer, hauntingly familiar. Nettie was afraid it was the boy from town Rea talked about - that wild boy in a rage that Rea had named him to police. She trembled, watching the figure come nearer across the field, imagining what life would be like if the boy did anything to Rea; and then squawked in terror and nearly tipped over the wheelchair. The man walking toward the barn was her brother Stringer, wearing the brown shirt he'd had on the day he died: it was covered with blood, just as it had been when they'd put him on the table and wrapped him in blankets, but his arms were whole."
The entire story takes place in the town of Milburn, with a few scenes outside of it, but because of this, there are so many secondary characters introduced that the reader may find themselves back tracking through the book just to remember who all of them are. On top of that, a lot of the characters are so much alike, that description can't even help tell who is who. Even our four main characters have similar descriptions, other than girth, that it takes a couple of chapters for readers to put a face to a name. Only some secondary characters become important enough to remember near the end of the book, this including a teenager named Peter.
'Ghost Story' is among the few paranormal books that can stand on it's own. There are scenes of hallucination that out-do those of the top paranormal writers of today. One of the most memorable scenes is with the character Lewis: "Lewis moved back and forth on the floorboards, willing his friends to return with the farmer's car. He did not want to look at the covered shape on the bed; he went to the window. Through the greasepaper he could see only vague orange light.. He glanced back at the sheet. 'Linda, ' he said miserably. " - the scene quickly changes - "He stood in a metal room, with gray metal walls. One light bulb hung from the ceiling. His wife lay under a sheet on a metal table. Lewis leaned over her body and sobbed. 'I won't bury you in the pond,' he said. 'I'll take you into the rose garden.' He touched his wife's lifeless fingers under the sheet and felt them twitch. He recoiled. "
When the ghost story is finally revealed from the main characters' past, pieces of the puzzle begin to fit together. To not give away too much, here is a portion of that story: " 'She said she was lonely,' Ricky said. 'Said she was sick of this damned town and all the hypocrites in it. She wanted to drink and she wanted to dance, and she didn't care who was shocked. Said this dead little town and all its dead little people could go to hell as far as she was concerned. And if we were men and not little boys, we'd damn the town too.' "
While our main characters are being killed off one by one, the town of Milburn is going through an odd blizzard that seems to put everyone on edge: " People settled down in front of the television and ate pizzas from the freezer and prayed that the power lines would stay up; they avoided one another. If you looked outside and saw your next-door neighbor fighting up his lawn to get to his front door, he looked unearthly, transformed by stress into a wild ragged frontier version of himself: you knew he'd damage anyone who threatened to touch his dwindling store of food. He'd been touched by that savage music you had tried to escape, and if he looked through your Thermopane picture window and saw you his eyes were barely human."
Although 'Ghost Story' was published in 1979, it still has a big impact on the way the paranormal genre is written today. Straub not only makes a convincing story line, but he also makes characters that the reader can actually care about. Even when we find out what has been going on in the small town of Milburn, the reader can still feel a very real threat from the supernatural force within it. 'Ghost Story' is by far the best paranormal thriller I have ever read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who believes that the past can come back to haunt you.
For more reviews by me, please check out my blog at goreandtea.com
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Rainy Dog (1997) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Rainy Dog introduces us to Yuuji, a yakuza hitman who lives in Taiwan. He mentions later on in the film that his grandma always told him that going out in the rain was bad luck and that couldn't be more true. Not too long after he received word from his brother that a hit was put on his former boss and was killed recently, a woman comes busting into his house while he's sleeping. She's brought a little mute boy named Ah Chen with her who she says is his son. She's taken care of him up until this point and he is now Yuuji's responsibility. Yuuji pretty much ignores Ah Chen and continues to carry out hits to pay the bills and even goes to a whore house while Ah Chen tags along every step of the way. When the prostitute(Lily) he'd been spending time with says she'd like to go somewhere where it doesn't rain, Yuuji takes it a little too seriously and kills the wrong people in order to get a little extra cash. Now, trying to stay one step ahead of the boss he was working for in Taiwan and his men, Yuuji tries to get Lily and Ah Chen out of town but doesn't count on bonding with a prostitute and a mute to become a dysfunctional family of sorts.
Rainy Dog is part of Takashi Miike's Black Society Trilogy. Shinjuku Triad Society, Rainy Dog, and Ley Lines make up the entire trilogy. The main reason I'm writing this review is because if you're familiar with any of Miike's former works, then you're probably expecting the black humor, crazy sex, and over the top violence and gore you may have seen in films like Ichi the Killer, Visitor Q, or Audition. Well, this has none of that. Rainy Dog is still dark and has a great sense of atmosphere, but has none of the things you may have thought were signature of a Miike film. The heavy rain may not sound like a lot on paper, but its presence throughout the film adds more to the overall feel of the movie than you may think. This is a crime drama and while it could have still very easily attained that R rating, it still doesn't show a whole lot. It's actually what it doesn't show that helps get the point across. Sometimes it's just better to let the viewer use their imagination.
I'm a fan of Miike's work. I really am. I'm hearing this is the best of the Black Society Trilogy though and if that's the case, then I'm going to be a little disappointed. I enjoyed Rainy Dog, but I felt there was room for improvement since it did seem to drag in certain scenes. This is actually a more character driven effort with drama and heartfelt scenes, scenes you'd never think you'd see in a Miike film, and I'm all for the unexpected. Maybe I was just a little letdown though as I do like the over the top violence Miike is known best for.
Rainy Dog is not a bad film, by any means. In fact, I'd recommend seeing it. I actually heard people comparing it to Unforgiven and Leon the Professional, so you'll probably like this if you enjoyed either of those films. Some fans say this is in Miike's top three best films of all time. I wouldn't go that far, but it's definitely worth renting or owning if you like crime films.
Do you remember that line from Kill Bill Vol. 1 that went something like this:
"It was not my intention to do this in front of you. For that, I'm sorry. But you can take my word for it, your mother had it coming. When you grow up, if you still feel raw about it, I'll be waiting." ?
It feels like it's an homage to this movie as there's a line almost identical to it:
"Grow up. Then come and kill me. I'll be waiting for you."
Rainy Dog is part of Takashi Miike's Black Society Trilogy. Shinjuku Triad Society, Rainy Dog, and Ley Lines make up the entire trilogy. The main reason I'm writing this review is because if you're familiar with any of Miike's former works, then you're probably expecting the black humor, crazy sex, and over the top violence and gore you may have seen in films like Ichi the Killer, Visitor Q, or Audition. Well, this has none of that. Rainy Dog is still dark and has a great sense of atmosphere, but has none of the things you may have thought were signature of a Miike film. The heavy rain may not sound like a lot on paper, but its presence throughout the film adds more to the overall feel of the movie than you may think. This is a crime drama and while it could have still very easily attained that R rating, it still doesn't show a whole lot. It's actually what it doesn't show that helps get the point across. Sometimes it's just better to let the viewer use their imagination.
I'm a fan of Miike's work. I really am. I'm hearing this is the best of the Black Society Trilogy though and if that's the case, then I'm going to be a little disappointed. I enjoyed Rainy Dog, but I felt there was room for improvement since it did seem to drag in certain scenes. This is actually a more character driven effort with drama and heartfelt scenes, scenes you'd never think you'd see in a Miike film, and I'm all for the unexpected. Maybe I was just a little letdown though as I do like the over the top violence Miike is known best for.
Rainy Dog is not a bad film, by any means. In fact, I'd recommend seeing it. I actually heard people comparing it to Unforgiven and Leon the Professional, so you'll probably like this if you enjoyed either of those films. Some fans say this is in Miike's top three best films of all time. I wouldn't go that far, but it's definitely worth renting or owning if you like crime films.
Do you remember that line from Kill Bill Vol. 1 that went something like this:
"It was not my intention to do this in front of you. For that, I'm sorry. But you can take my word for it, your mother had it coming. When you grow up, if you still feel raw about it, I'll be waiting." ?
It feels like it's an homage to this movie as there's a line almost identical to it:
"Grow up. Then come and kill me. I'll be waiting for you."
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Answers Are In The Forest (The Answers Series Book One) in Books
May 6, 2019
An Interesting Mystery Horror
I'm a big fan of ghost stories and haunted houses, so when I heard about The Answers Are In The Forest by Katie Kaleski, I knew it was a book I had to read. Luckily, it was a good read.
I went into The Answers Are In The Forest thinking this would be more of a haunted house/ghost story, and while there are ghosts, it's not a spooky ghost story. This is more of a horror mystery than a ghost story. Local children ranging in age from 8 through 15 have been murdered. They use dead rabbits as vessels for their spirits to talk to Gabby, the main character. Gabby feels compelled to solve the mystery of who the killer is. However, this puts Gabby in grave danger. I will say that the plot has been done before in other books, but The Answers Are In The Forest still makes for an interesting read. I didn't predict who the actual killer was at all. Even those I thought were guilty turned out to be innocent. Sometimes the plot felt a bit confusing, but I was able to figure it out easily enough after reading a bit more. There is a bit of a cliff hangar at the end of the book, but this is to be expected as it's part of a new series. For those that aren't big into series, I think this book could do alright as a standalone.
All the characters felt like real life people. There were times when Gabby felt a bit spoiled, but she is a teen, and we've all had moments like that. I did admire her tenacity to find out what happened to the murdered children no matter the danger to herself. I found Gabby's mom to be annoying. This wasn't because she was written poorly, but I just didn't like how uninterested she was in what was going on with Gabby especially when Gabby ended up in the hospital. Gabby's mom started out being somewhat caring, but she seemed to just become uninterested as the book progressed. My favorite character was Rusck. I just loved how caring and loyal Rusck seemed to be. I also admired his determination.
The pacing for The Answers Are In The Forest was done well for the most part. There were a few times that it did go too quickly, and I found myself wondering what had just happened. However, it would slow down to a good pace quickly enough, and I was able to enjoy reading it again.
Trigger warnings include profanity, violence (sometimes fairly graphic), and murder (both children, adult, and animal).
Overall, The Answers Are In The Forest is an interesting read although the plot has been done before. The characters are interesting enough and the plot flows well for the most part. I would recommend The Answers Are In The Forest by Katie Kaleski to those aged 15+. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!
--
(A special thank you to YA Bound Book Tours for providing me with an eBook of The Answers Are In The Forest by Katie Kaleski in exchance for an honest and unbiased review.)
I went into The Answers Are In The Forest thinking this would be more of a haunted house/ghost story, and while there are ghosts, it's not a spooky ghost story. This is more of a horror mystery than a ghost story. Local children ranging in age from 8 through 15 have been murdered. They use dead rabbits as vessels for their spirits to talk to Gabby, the main character. Gabby feels compelled to solve the mystery of who the killer is. However, this puts Gabby in grave danger. I will say that the plot has been done before in other books, but The Answers Are In The Forest still makes for an interesting read. I didn't predict who the actual killer was at all. Even those I thought were guilty turned out to be innocent. Sometimes the plot felt a bit confusing, but I was able to figure it out easily enough after reading a bit more. There is a bit of a cliff hangar at the end of the book, but this is to be expected as it's part of a new series. For those that aren't big into series, I think this book could do alright as a standalone.
All the characters felt like real life people. There were times when Gabby felt a bit spoiled, but she is a teen, and we've all had moments like that. I did admire her tenacity to find out what happened to the murdered children no matter the danger to herself. I found Gabby's mom to be annoying. This wasn't because she was written poorly, but I just didn't like how uninterested she was in what was going on with Gabby especially when Gabby ended up in the hospital. Gabby's mom started out being somewhat caring, but she seemed to just become uninterested as the book progressed. My favorite character was Rusck. I just loved how caring and loyal Rusck seemed to be. I also admired his determination.
The pacing for The Answers Are In The Forest was done well for the most part. There were a few times that it did go too quickly, and I found myself wondering what had just happened. However, it would slow down to a good pace quickly enough, and I was able to enjoy reading it again.
Trigger warnings include profanity, violence (sometimes fairly graphic), and murder (both children, adult, and animal).
Overall, The Answers Are In The Forest is an interesting read although the plot has been done before. The characters are interesting enough and the plot flows well for the most part. I would recommend The Answers Are In The Forest by Katie Kaleski to those aged 15+. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!
--
(A special thank you to YA Bound Book Tours for providing me with an eBook of The Answers Are In The Forest by Katie Kaleski in exchance for an honest and unbiased review.)
Darren (1599 KP) rated Marauders (2016) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: Marauders starts when a bank robbery which leaves the bank manager executed, the president of the bank Hubert (Willis) has an excellent reputation and with the FBI investigating the robbery, Montgomery (Meloni) and his team Stockwell (Bautista) and newbie Wells (Grenier) try to put the clues together.
When the second heist happens, the fingers start pointing back at Hubert and a bigger conspiracy comes to the top with connection to a previous incident.
Thoughts on Marauders
Characters – Hubert is the bank president, he has always kept the face that the bank puts their customers first, but when his banks start getting robbed, he must deal with the fingers pointing back at him. Montgomery is the lead investigating from the FBI trying to get to the bottom of the heists, he has his own demons which haunt him everyday after the death of his wife and will not stop until he learns the truth. Stockwell is Montgomery’s trusted second, he is the tired cop figure, he is good at his job and hates people getting in his way. Wells is the rookie agent, with the qualifications to make him the best, he gets the jobs the others don’t want to do, while noticing things they miss.
Performances – The performances in the movie are mixed, we know that Bruce Willis is mostly mailing it in and it is a strange role for him. Christopher Meloni is the star of this movie, the determination and broken side of his character makes him stand out. Dave Bautista does get the funniest lines, some hit or than others, while Adrian Grenier starts strong but fades away in the biggest scenes of the middle of the movie.
Story – The story follows the effects of a brutal heist, the FBI must investigate the heist which brings us into the new web of conspiracies which could bring down a political powerhouse. This a story which does keep us guessing from start to finish, which is something I was surprised to see, as I thought this would be a lot messier. The positive of keeping us guessing, does leave the bigger question about just why the heists needed to be as brutal as they were because of certain injuries or deaths not needing to happen for the cause.
Action/Crime/Mystery – The action is brutal and often in your face when it comes to the gun sequences, the crime side of the film comes from the heists and just what they are aiming to achieve from the heists. The mystery is what draws us in because we don’t know what is happening which keeps us invested throughout.
Settings – The film is set in the city which shows how the panic of the robberies starts flying around we see how things get out of hand.
Scene of the Movie – The heists do feel very intense, which I did like.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The last sequence.
Final Thoughts – This was a surprisingly entertaining film, having no expectations going in, this did become intense and kept you guessing even if things unravel in the final scene.
Overall: Enjoyable crime thriller.
When the second heist happens, the fingers start pointing back at Hubert and a bigger conspiracy comes to the top with connection to a previous incident.
Thoughts on Marauders
Characters – Hubert is the bank president, he has always kept the face that the bank puts their customers first, but when his banks start getting robbed, he must deal with the fingers pointing back at him. Montgomery is the lead investigating from the FBI trying to get to the bottom of the heists, he has his own demons which haunt him everyday after the death of his wife and will not stop until he learns the truth. Stockwell is Montgomery’s trusted second, he is the tired cop figure, he is good at his job and hates people getting in his way. Wells is the rookie agent, with the qualifications to make him the best, he gets the jobs the others don’t want to do, while noticing things they miss.
Performances – The performances in the movie are mixed, we know that Bruce Willis is mostly mailing it in and it is a strange role for him. Christopher Meloni is the star of this movie, the determination and broken side of his character makes him stand out. Dave Bautista does get the funniest lines, some hit or than others, while Adrian Grenier starts strong but fades away in the biggest scenes of the middle of the movie.
Story – The story follows the effects of a brutal heist, the FBI must investigate the heist which brings us into the new web of conspiracies which could bring down a political powerhouse. This a story which does keep us guessing from start to finish, which is something I was surprised to see, as I thought this would be a lot messier. The positive of keeping us guessing, does leave the bigger question about just why the heists needed to be as brutal as they were because of certain injuries or deaths not needing to happen for the cause.
Action/Crime/Mystery – The action is brutal and often in your face when it comes to the gun sequences, the crime side of the film comes from the heists and just what they are aiming to achieve from the heists. The mystery is what draws us in because we don’t know what is happening which keeps us invested throughout.
Settings – The film is set in the city which shows how the panic of the robberies starts flying around we see how things get out of hand.
Scene of the Movie – The heists do feel very intense, which I did like.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The last sequence.
Final Thoughts – This was a surprisingly entertaining film, having no expectations going in, this did become intense and kept you guessing even if things unravel in the final scene.
Overall: Enjoyable crime thriller.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) in Movies
Oct 19, 2020 (Updated Oct 19, 2020)
Fascinating
The Trial of the Chicago 7 is Aaron Sorkin’s second foray into directing, a dramatisation of the true story of 7 people on trial following the events at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
The film centres around what is effectively a sham of a trial, and aside from a few flashbacks and prep scenes, it is virtually set entirely in the courtroom for the 2+ hour duration. There aren’t many films that can pull this off and aside from a slight lull in the middle, The Trial of the Chicago 7 manages this impressively well and this is mainly down to Aaron Sorkin himself and his rather stellar cast. It also helps that the story itself is a fascinating one. I knew nothing about the trial, the people or even the protests in Chicago, so watching this was a rather disturbing eye opener. It’s a truly compelling and interesting story which has a great deal of relevance to today’s politics – Netflix Ken what they were doing releasing this close to election time!
I’m a long time fan of Sorkin’s writing and alongside his directing, it definitely does not disappoint here. His usual sharp and quick witted dialogue is ever present and is delivered flawless by the marvellous cast. Sorkin even manages to throw in a few laughs which considering the rather serious aspects of the story is no mean feat, and these are often delivered from the ‘bromance’ between Sacha Baron Cohen’s Abbie Hoffman and Jeremy Strong’s Jerry Rubin. However every single member of this ensemble cast shines individually. From Mark Rylance’s exasperated lawyer William Kunstler to Frank Langella’s rather evil and incompetent judge, from Joseph Gordon Levitt’s prosecutor with a conscience to Eddie Redmayne’s intellectual Hayden. Even Michael Keaton who has a blink and you’ll miss it role as a former Attorney General is brilliant. I couldn’t pinpoint a single person in this case who excels above another as they are all fantastic.
I don’t believe this film is perfect. There is a slight lull in the middle due to the mostly courtroom setting, even with the cracking dialogue, and whilst I did enjoy Sorkin’s directing style, I did wonder if this film looked a little too slick and polished overall. The story is dark, gritty and rather disturbing when you think of the political and racial undertones and motivations, and the film itself doesn’t always reflect this – the ending especially is very moving, but feels a little too happy and Hollywood. I’d also question why not all of the major characters were included in the intertitles detailing what happened to the individuals after the events of this film. Considering it was such a balanced cast, it seemed odd not to include all the main characters especially for those who don’t know the real life history.
Overall this is a fantastic dialogue and performance driven film. Sorkin is without a doubt a master of the legal and political drama, and if you’re a fan of his earlier work then this is definitely one worth watching. Whilst “enjoyable” may not be the most appropriate word considering the subject matter, this is a hugely interesting and entertaining watch.
The film centres around what is effectively a sham of a trial, and aside from a few flashbacks and prep scenes, it is virtually set entirely in the courtroom for the 2+ hour duration. There aren’t many films that can pull this off and aside from a slight lull in the middle, The Trial of the Chicago 7 manages this impressively well and this is mainly down to Aaron Sorkin himself and his rather stellar cast. It also helps that the story itself is a fascinating one. I knew nothing about the trial, the people or even the protests in Chicago, so watching this was a rather disturbing eye opener. It’s a truly compelling and interesting story which has a great deal of relevance to today’s politics – Netflix Ken what they were doing releasing this close to election time!
I’m a long time fan of Sorkin’s writing and alongside his directing, it definitely does not disappoint here. His usual sharp and quick witted dialogue is ever present and is delivered flawless by the marvellous cast. Sorkin even manages to throw in a few laughs which considering the rather serious aspects of the story is no mean feat, and these are often delivered from the ‘bromance’ between Sacha Baron Cohen’s Abbie Hoffman and Jeremy Strong’s Jerry Rubin. However every single member of this ensemble cast shines individually. From Mark Rylance’s exasperated lawyer William Kunstler to Frank Langella’s rather evil and incompetent judge, from Joseph Gordon Levitt’s prosecutor with a conscience to Eddie Redmayne’s intellectual Hayden. Even Michael Keaton who has a blink and you’ll miss it role as a former Attorney General is brilliant. I couldn’t pinpoint a single person in this case who excels above another as they are all fantastic.
I don’t believe this film is perfect. There is a slight lull in the middle due to the mostly courtroom setting, even with the cracking dialogue, and whilst I did enjoy Sorkin’s directing style, I did wonder if this film looked a little too slick and polished overall. The story is dark, gritty and rather disturbing when you think of the political and racial undertones and motivations, and the film itself doesn’t always reflect this – the ending especially is very moving, but feels a little too happy and Hollywood. I’d also question why not all of the major characters were included in the intertitles detailing what happened to the individuals after the events of this film. Considering it was such a balanced cast, it seemed odd not to include all the main characters especially for those who don’t know the real life history.
Overall this is a fantastic dialogue and performance driven film. Sorkin is without a doubt a master of the legal and political drama, and if you’re a fan of his earlier work then this is definitely one worth watching. Whilst “enjoyable” may not be the most appropriate word considering the subject matter, this is a hugely interesting and entertaining watch.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Sugarless Plum in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Zippora’s memoir is touching, inspirational, dramatic, and profound. I felt 100% in her shoes through her story, not just because I am a dancer and can relate to a lot of the experiences, but because of the way she has written it. She writes like the whole thing is magic—because Ballet is magic. I just can’t think of words to describe how much I loved this book.
There was a lot of information about Diabetes in the text, and I did skip over a paragraph occasionally. But for the most part it all fit in perfect. She described how she worried about how much Insulin to take before a show so that she wouldn't faint on stage. She told about how she was in complete denial for a while. She told about the horror to find that after she broke down and tested her blood after eating off-diet for so long, and her reading was off the charts—and another time, while she was having short black-outs, her reading was so low she didn’t know that a human’s blood sugar level could get that low… and how she felt in all those situations.
How Zippora felt was a key element running through the book. It wasn’t just “this is my story, hope you enjoy.” No, it was “First this happened. It looked like this, it felt like this, it smelled and tasted like this. Then this happened!”
Would a non-dancer relate to this book? Yes I believe they would. Maybe they wouldn’t have the same respect for what she went through as I do, but they would still relate. I danced through injuries and illnesses and partnered people who could at any moment throw up all over me and had six hour rehearsals en pointe and stayed at the studio from 8:00am to 7:30 pm with only a few crackers and water keeping me alive and ate dinner at 11:30 at night. I remember how it feels. But Zippora’s memoir tells us how it is in the professional world—which is all that I mentioned to a higher degree—and does it in a way that you don’t have to have that background to understand and relate to it and feel it (Although dancers will know what a pirouette or a tendue is without the explanation that she gives. At least the better if they call themselves dancers :).
THE SUGARLESS PLUM wasn’t just for dancers. It’s for anyone who dreams of the stage. Any athlete who suffers from an illness or an injury, either Diabetes or otherwise. It shows people that although they may not be able to overcome or fix a chronic disease, but it is possible to achieve your goal and cope with it and still achieve what you dream of most.
Content: There is one scene with brief mention of sex but no explicit details, and there is no language.
Recommendation: Ages 12+ to anyone who has ever dreamed about the stage, any athlete who suffers from Diabetes and needs encouragement, or anyone who loves a touching and inspirational memoir.
There was a lot of information about Diabetes in the text, and I did skip over a paragraph occasionally. But for the most part it all fit in perfect. She described how she worried about how much Insulin to take before a show so that she wouldn't faint on stage. She told about how she was in complete denial for a while. She told about the horror to find that after she broke down and tested her blood after eating off-diet for so long, and her reading was off the charts—and another time, while she was having short black-outs, her reading was so low she didn’t know that a human’s blood sugar level could get that low… and how she felt in all those situations.
How Zippora felt was a key element running through the book. It wasn’t just “this is my story, hope you enjoy.” No, it was “First this happened. It looked like this, it felt like this, it smelled and tasted like this. Then this happened!”
Would a non-dancer relate to this book? Yes I believe they would. Maybe they wouldn’t have the same respect for what she went through as I do, but they would still relate. I danced through injuries and illnesses and partnered people who could at any moment throw up all over me and had six hour rehearsals en pointe and stayed at the studio from 8:00am to 7:30 pm with only a few crackers and water keeping me alive and ate dinner at 11:30 at night. I remember how it feels. But Zippora’s memoir tells us how it is in the professional world—which is all that I mentioned to a higher degree—and does it in a way that you don’t have to have that background to understand and relate to it and feel it (Although dancers will know what a pirouette or a tendue is without the explanation that she gives. At least the better if they call themselves dancers :).
THE SUGARLESS PLUM wasn’t just for dancers. It’s for anyone who dreams of the stage. Any athlete who suffers from an illness or an injury, either Diabetes or otherwise. It shows people that although they may not be able to overcome or fix a chronic disease, but it is possible to achieve your goal and cope with it and still achieve what you dream of most.
Content: There is one scene with brief mention of sex but no explicit details, and there is no language.
Recommendation: Ages 12+ to anyone who has ever dreamed about the stage, any athlete who suffers from Diabetes and needs encouragement, or anyone who loves a touching and inspirational memoir.