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Big Little Lies
Big Little Lies
Liane Moriarty | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.6 (97 Ratings)
Book Rating
So much more than I expected
This was my first read by Liane Moriarty and I'm fairly blown away by this book. BIG LITTLE LIES takes the ridiculousness of a bunch of mainly elitist mums surrounding their kids' kindergarten class. Oh and there's husbands too. It was a witty painting of cliques, bitchiness, friendships strong and true and tragedy.

"Jane, nice to meet you! I'm Amabella's mum, and I have Jackson in Year 2. That's Amabella by the way, not Annabella. It's French. We didn't make it up."

"We're a bit too white bread here in the peninsula. We like to think we're terribly diverse but it's only our bank accounts that vary."

There are three friends in this book, each carrying secrets but these three really did care for one another. I liked each flawed woman in this threesome, Madeline, Celeste and Jane. There were characters to love, like, hate and those that redeemed themselves.

Bullying and more is a thread in this book and I felt sick, heart-sick, at times in terms of the nature of these issues. There is also some gut wrenching heart ache and I felt each emotion in full technicolor.

"She'd always known that her reaction to this night had been too big, or perhaps too small. She hadn't ever cried. She hadn't told anyone. She'd swallowed it while and pretended it meant nothing, and therefore it had come to mean everything."

At the heart of BIG LITTLE LIES is a tale of suspense. The seeds are placed right at the beginning and I spent the whole book guessing, re-guessing and second-guessing all my suspicions. Liane Moriarty is a truly talented writer, I enjoyed the light, the witty quips and dialogue, alongside the dark and sad. I'm definitely eager to read more by her.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for a honest review.
  
The Martian
The Martian
Andy Weir | 2014 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
8.9 (50 Ratings)
Book Rating
When a sarcastic botanist is trapped on Mars
This was pretty hilarious, much more humorous than expected even after watching the film. The story follows American astronaut Mark Watney, as he becomes stranded alone on Mars in the year 2035 and must improvise in order to survive. As a botanist and engineer, he's able to think on his feet - and much of the science sounds incredibly plausible, explained in great detail.

But the best part is Watney's alter-personality from being logical and organised, to being extremely witty and sarcastic. All the while surviving on godforsaken potatoes. There are also snapshots of how his other crew members are managing, and how earth is following his progress as he becomes the face of primetime TV. It's a race against time.

All I know is that if you're ever stranded on a desert island, you'll definitely need to bring a botanist engineer space pirate with you.
  
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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Molly's Game (2017) in Movies

Jan 6, 2018 (Updated Jan 6, 2018)  
Molly's Game (2017)
Molly's Game (2017)
2017 | Drama
Jessica Chastain (0 more)
Far too long (0 more)
A bit of a disappointment
Considering all of the other things Aaron Sorkin has been involved in, I was expecting big things from this and sadly it was a bit of a disappointment.

Jessica Chastain is great as expected, and Idris Elba and Kevin Costner do well too despite limited screentime. Costner even gets some of the funniest lines. The story itself is interesting, it just isn't well executed. It's far too long and gets very boring at times. I was expecting something very smart, stylish and witty but it isn't really any of those things. It tries hard with the wit and humour but really falls flat and doesn't live up to Sorkin's usual standard.

Also I have to say it, but was all the cleavage really necessary? That is the only reason my other half came to watch it with me, and he's openly admitted he'd have found it very dull otherwise...
  
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Lee (2222 KP) Jan 8, 2018

I totally agree with you.... and your other half

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
2017 | Action, Adventure
Credit Scenes (3 more)
Tom Holland Is A Great Spider
So Funny
Not A Ready Made Superhero
SpiderSence (2 more)
The Shocker
Not Quite Enough Witty Comebacks In Fight Scenes
The Spider Has Come Home To The MCU & He Fits In Perfectly... Not Like The Wierd Uncle
Contains spoilers, click to show
I loved this film, and as spiderman is my favourite hero im glad that this was done great.
Iron man didnt steal the show, it only added more depth and created more space for story telling.
I love that he is not straight away brilliant with his powers, just like the rest of the MCU with there new powers comes a learning curve.
If the learning curve is falling through the roof as ironman, or falling through a shop window as captain america. spider man nails this with his swing into the floor.
I would like to see some more villians, spidermans villians are the most creative that it would be interesting
  
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
2017 | Comedy, Crime, Drama
One of the best scripts ever used in a movie (2 more)
Brilliant direction
Astonishing performances
One Of The Best Movies Of 2017
I was excited for this one ever since it first got announced, as I adore the last two movies written and directed by Martin McDonagh; Seven Psychopaths and In Bruges. This film did not disappoint me. The plot takes several unexpected turns, the dialogue is witty and darkly hilarious and the way that each scene is crafted is masterful. The cinematography compliments the tone set in each scene beautifully. The performances are all fantastic and if Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell don't get an Oscar nod for their respective performances, then there really is no justice.
Everything from the way that the film is structured to the more technical elements such as lighting and score, is absolutely flawless. This film's screenplay is one of the best I've ever seen play out onscreen and it is one of my favourite movies of 2017.