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Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Justice League (2017) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Hoorah, it's not a total dud
The entire production of Justice League has been enveloped in the tragedy surrounding director Zack Snyder’s sudden departure from the project in March this year.
After losing his daughter, Autumn, to suicide, the DC regular decided to hand over the reins of his passion project to Avengers director Joss Whedon so that he could spend time with his family. Whedon came on board and decided to undertake costly reshoots in order to get the film finished on time.
In that respect, it’s a miracle we’ve even got a Justice League movie in the first place. What’s even more of a miracle is that it turns out to be not rubbish – unfortunately that’s probably the biggest compliment I can give this frequently entertaining but messy outing for our favourite selection of DC Comic superheroes.
Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) act of selflessness, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists newfound ally Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against their newly awakened enemy, Steppenwolf. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes — Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and the Flash (Ezra Miller) – it may be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
This year’s Wonder Woman proved that the DC Universe can be at least a passable alternative to the might of Marvel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was an entertaining, if entirely forgettable mash up of the two titular heroes. Justice League sits somewhere in between – it’s not as much of an ordeal as BvS, but it’s also not as interesting as Wonder Woman. The less said about Suicide Squad, the better.
Acting wise, it’s a good start for the League. Ben Affleck is a cracking Bruce Wayne, but his Batman is lacking the gritty humanity of Christian Bale’s turn as the caped crusader. Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa and Ray Fisher all perform well with the former in particular being a highlight, but their rushed introductions do them no favours. However, the standout once again is the wonderful Gal Gadot. Her selfless Diana Prince really is magnificent and her increased screen-time in Justice League when compared to Batman v Superman is more than welcome.
Justice League is a film with a bit of an identity crisis as it frequently feels like a mishmash of scenes put together to make a film.
The main villain, Steppenwolf, voiced well by Ciarán Hinds is less successful. Masked behind walls of at-times poor CGI, his threat never feels truly realised and poor Hinds is wasted in a role reminiscent of the dreadful work 20th Century Fox did on Oscar Issac in X-Men: Apocalypse. He gets some good lines however, and makes for a decent, if unremarkable antagonist.
Amy Adams and Diane Lane are once again side-lined in their roles as Lois Lane and Martha Kent respectively. These incredible actresses really are wasted in roles that have little-to-no outcome to the plot. And this is a problem that has blighted the DCEU from the get-go. The calibre of actors used in these films is frankly, astounding and each one of them deserves better than the overly expositional and cringe worthy dialogue they continue to be lumped with.
The final act, like so many films before it, is a mess of ugly CGI that spoils a very decent middle section that has some truly poignant moments. The return of Superman (that isn’t a spoiler if you’ve been following the marketing for Justice League) is handled well and the moment he is reunited with his mother is touching and well-acted.
Justice League is a film with a bit of an identity crisis as it frequently feels like a mishmash of scenes put together to make a film. It’s also painfully obvious where Snyder’s very ‘operatic’ filming style is replaced with Joss Whedon’s trademark wit and this doesn’t sit well all of the time. It’s clear that a turbulent production has created a film that’s biggest merit is that it even managed to exist in the first place, and that’s a real shame. Entertaining? Yes. But entertainment can’t mask a film that reeks of mediocrity.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/11/19/justice-league-review/
After losing his daughter, Autumn, to suicide, the DC regular decided to hand over the reins of his passion project to Avengers director Joss Whedon so that he could spend time with his family. Whedon came on board and decided to undertake costly reshoots in order to get the film finished on time.
In that respect, it’s a miracle we’ve even got a Justice League movie in the first place. What’s even more of a miracle is that it turns out to be not rubbish – unfortunately that’s probably the biggest compliment I can give this frequently entertaining but messy outing for our favourite selection of DC Comic superheroes.
Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) act of selflessness, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists newfound ally Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against their newly awakened enemy, Steppenwolf. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes — Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and the Flash (Ezra Miller) – it may be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
This year’s Wonder Woman proved that the DC Universe can be at least a passable alternative to the might of Marvel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was an entertaining, if entirely forgettable mash up of the two titular heroes. Justice League sits somewhere in between – it’s not as much of an ordeal as BvS, but it’s also not as interesting as Wonder Woman. The less said about Suicide Squad, the better.
Acting wise, it’s a good start for the League. Ben Affleck is a cracking Bruce Wayne, but his Batman is lacking the gritty humanity of Christian Bale’s turn as the caped crusader. Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa and Ray Fisher all perform well with the former in particular being a highlight, but their rushed introductions do them no favours. However, the standout once again is the wonderful Gal Gadot. Her selfless Diana Prince really is magnificent and her increased screen-time in Justice League when compared to Batman v Superman is more than welcome.
Justice League is a film with a bit of an identity crisis as it frequently feels like a mishmash of scenes put together to make a film.
The main villain, Steppenwolf, voiced well by Ciarán Hinds is less successful. Masked behind walls of at-times poor CGI, his threat never feels truly realised and poor Hinds is wasted in a role reminiscent of the dreadful work 20th Century Fox did on Oscar Issac in X-Men: Apocalypse. He gets some good lines however, and makes for a decent, if unremarkable antagonist.
Amy Adams and Diane Lane are once again side-lined in their roles as Lois Lane and Martha Kent respectively. These incredible actresses really are wasted in roles that have little-to-no outcome to the plot. And this is a problem that has blighted the DCEU from the get-go. The calibre of actors used in these films is frankly, astounding and each one of them deserves better than the overly expositional and cringe worthy dialogue they continue to be lumped with.
The final act, like so many films before it, is a mess of ugly CGI that spoils a very decent middle section that has some truly poignant moments. The return of Superman (that isn’t a spoiler if you’ve been following the marketing for Justice League) is handled well and the moment he is reunited with his mother is touching and well-acted.
Justice League is a film with a bit of an identity crisis as it frequently feels like a mishmash of scenes put together to make a film. It’s also painfully obvious where Snyder’s very ‘operatic’ filming style is replaced with Joss Whedon’s trademark wit and this doesn’t sit well all of the time. It’s clear that a turbulent production has created a film that’s biggest merit is that it even managed to exist in the first place, and that’s a real shame. Entertaining? Yes. But entertainment can’t mask a film that reeks of mediocrity.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/11/19/justice-league-review/
Thursday and her husband, Seth, have a slightly different marriage. Seth, you see, has two other wives. Thursday therefore typically only sees Seth one day a week. But she agrees to the arrangement because she loves him, deeply and unconditionally. But then something happens and she starts to see some cracks in their marriage. It causes her to doubt their union--and to seek out his other wives. And once she does, nothing will ever be the same.
"He comes over on Thursday of every week. That's my day, I'm Thursday."
Oh man guys, this is a fun one. If you're able to suspend a little disbelief, you will greatly enjoy this thriller. From the moment I picked up this book, I was pretty much captivated by Thursday's story. There's so much to wonder about. Why on earth would she share her husband with two other women? What on earth is her husband's deal--and, seriously, what is the draw of this guy? What are the two other women like; why would they sign on to this arrangement? And, this is a thriller... is some shoe waiting to drop somewhere?
"Imagining what the future holds proves difficult when factoring in two other women who share your husband."
I can promise that, for the most part, you will not be disappointed. This is a wild ride. It's completely engaging, surprising, and for the most part, totally unpredictable. I wasn't 100% sure about the ending--things came on a little fast and it didn't feel fully resolved--but overall, this was a really enthralling and different read. It's fascinating and bizarre and cringe-worthy and amazingly enjoyable. 4+ stars.
"I shouldn't wonder, but I do. How does a man love so many women? A different woman every other day."
"He comes over on Thursday of every week. That's my day, I'm Thursday."
Oh man guys, this is a fun one. If you're able to suspend a little disbelief, you will greatly enjoy this thriller. From the moment I picked up this book, I was pretty much captivated by Thursday's story. There's so much to wonder about. Why on earth would she share her husband with two other women? What on earth is her husband's deal--and, seriously, what is the draw of this guy? What are the two other women like; why would they sign on to this arrangement? And, this is a thriller... is some shoe waiting to drop somewhere?
"Imagining what the future holds proves difficult when factoring in two other women who share your husband."
I can promise that, for the most part, you will not be disappointed. This is a wild ride. It's completely engaging, surprising, and for the most part, totally unpredictable. I wasn't 100% sure about the ending--things came on a little fast and it didn't feel fully resolved--but overall, this was a really enthralling and different read. It's fascinating and bizarre and cringe-worthy and amazingly enjoyable. 4+ stars.
"I shouldn't wonder, but I do. How does a man love so many women? A different woman every other day."
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Heartless (The Privileged of Pembroke High #1) in Books
Dec 18, 2020
210
Kindle
Heartless (The Privileged of Pembroke High book 1)
By Ivy Fox
Review will be completed on Smashbomb once finished link will be placed in comments
I had their love once.
They saw me for the girl I am and the person I yearn to become one day—a woman who thrives in her freedom and dances away in her rightfully earned independence.
They saw all the strong, unafraid parts of me, and coaxed each one of them out, daring me to dream bigger, climb higher.
They never once saw the girl I had been groomed to see in the mirror.
The abandoned daughter of a dead man.
The unwanted child of a woman who despised her.
The broken body formed wrong and built on a shaky foundation, threatening to fall apart and shatter.
They made all the ugliness disappear and left only wonder and promise. The love we shared for each other was probably the only miracle I would be granted in this life, and I knew they felt the same.
Or so I thought.
Everything I held dear has been robbed from me, and I’ve been a victim of theft too many times to mention.
I will not have them steal my pride.
They can keep my heart, for all I care.
The day they became my stepbrothers, it stopped working anyway.
Well that was so much better than I thought it was going to be! I do love Ivy’s books. This was brilliant I didn’t put it down. So much has happened and we haven’t hit the school yet! The epilogue was sooo good!
Kindle
Heartless (The Privileged of Pembroke High book 1)
By Ivy Fox
Review will be completed on Smashbomb once finished link will be placed in comments
I had their love once.
They saw me for the girl I am and the person I yearn to become one day—a woman who thrives in her freedom and dances away in her rightfully earned independence.
They saw all the strong, unafraid parts of me, and coaxed each one of them out, daring me to dream bigger, climb higher.
They never once saw the girl I had been groomed to see in the mirror.
The abandoned daughter of a dead man.
The unwanted child of a woman who despised her.
The broken body formed wrong and built on a shaky foundation, threatening to fall apart and shatter.
They made all the ugliness disappear and left only wonder and promise. The love we shared for each other was probably the only miracle I would be granted in this life, and I knew they felt the same.
Or so I thought.
Everything I held dear has been robbed from me, and I’ve been a victim of theft too many times to mention.
I will not have them steal my pride.
They can keep my heart, for all I care.
The day they became my stepbrothers, it stopped working anyway.
Well that was so much better than I thought it was going to be! I do love Ivy’s books. This was brilliant I didn’t put it down. So much has happened and we haven’t hit the school yet! The epilogue was sooo good!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A Madness of Sunshine in Books
May 22, 2020
86 of 200
Book
A Madness of Sunshine
By Nalini Singh
Golden Cove is a peaceful town.
That is until one fateful summer, when tragedy shatters the trust holding the community together. All that's left are whispers behind closed doors, broken friendships and a silent agreement to never look back. But they can't run from the past forever.
Eight years later, a young woman disappears without a trace, and the residents of Golden Cove wonder if their home shelters something far more dangerous than an unforgiving landscape.
The town's dark past and haunted present are about to collide . . . in a murder mystery that's been years in the making.
I’ve been a Nalini fan for a few years and I love her work, I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book as she stepped away from the paranormal romance. What I got was a very well written crime/thriller I really enjoyed reading it her characters were interesting and the plot was good. Her books always flow so well and this was no different I’m excited to see what else can come from this brilliant writer!
Book
A Madness of Sunshine
By Nalini Singh
Golden Cove is a peaceful town.
That is until one fateful summer, when tragedy shatters the trust holding the community together. All that's left are whispers behind closed doors, broken friendships and a silent agreement to never look back. But they can't run from the past forever.
Eight years later, a young woman disappears without a trace, and the residents of Golden Cove wonder if their home shelters something far more dangerous than an unforgiving landscape.
The town's dark past and haunted present are about to collide . . . in a murder mystery that's been years in the making.
I’ve been a Nalini fan for a few years and I love her work, I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book as she stepped away from the paranormal romance. What I got was a very well written crime/thriller I really enjoyed reading it her characters were interesting and the plot was good. Her books always flow so well and this was no different I’m excited to see what else can come from this brilliant writer!
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
This is the Trek movie that I’ve probably seen least often. It’s one that is very “planet-bound” ones (another of those is still to come in the series), and as such it has never grabbed my interest in the same way as many of the others. Having watched it again, it’s actually better than I remember it. The rejuvenating capabilities of the planet on Geordi LeForge’s eyes leads to a genuinely moving sunset scene. And love is in the air too. Firstly, between Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the ‘older woman’ Anij (Donna Murphy): very tastefully and nicely done. And secondly, the relationship is also rekindled between Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Riker (Jonathan Frakes), though you have to wonder if Frakes pulled ‘director’s privilege’ in getting the naked bath scene with Sirtis – lucky dog!
That being said, and despite the heavyweight involvement of F. Murray Abraham and Anthony Zerbe. the “First Contact” magic is rather missing here. There’s a sense of desperation when a previously unknown ‘Captain’s Yacht’ hoves into view (as if!) and when the Enterprise’s “manual steering column” (a PS/2 joystick!) pops up!
So, will the TNG era end with a bang or a whimper?
That being said, and despite the heavyweight involvement of F. Murray Abraham and Anthony Zerbe. the “First Contact” magic is rather missing here. There’s a sense of desperation when a previously unknown ‘Captain’s Yacht’ hoves into view (as if!) and when the Enterprise’s “manual steering column” (a PS/2 joystick!) pops up!
So, will the TNG era end with a bang or a whimper?
ClareR (5603 KP) rated Tapestry of Treason in Books
Aug 26, 2019
Intrigue in Henry Vs Court.
A Tapestry of Treason follows the life and intrigues of Constance of York, Lady Despenser from 1399 through to the early 1400s. And she was an absolutely fascinating woman. Hers was a totally dysfunctional family - but you do wonder how anyone could have a ‘normal’ family when mothers gave birth, handed their baby over to a wet nurse and went back to the Royal Court as soon as they were Churched. And the fathers didn’t seem to be there either. But this did make for some pretty interesting family dynamics. I’m surprised that there weren’t more illegitimate children, what with all the arranged, loveless marriages that seemed to be going on (although there were probably loads, and plenty of loving marriages too!).
Anyway, Constance was involved with her family in two plots against Henry V. York had been big supporters and cousins of Richard II, and were luckily also relatives of Henry V. So when Henry ousted Richard and imprisoned him, the Yorks were relatively safe. That was until they tried to reinstate Richard. Constance was fully a part of this plot: she’s portrayed as a strong-minded, confident woman who made her own mind up, and was loyal to her family. I do like female characters like this, and I like that Anne O’Brien didn’t make her into a caricature of a strident, bossy woman, as often happens in these cases.
I thought that the whole book was sensitively done. Henry isn’t made out to be a villain, in fact he’s always fair, and in some instances he may well have been thought of as too soft towards his York cousins (they were certainly dangerous to know).
I loved this book, actually. My mum has been pointing out Anne O’Brien books to me for ages, but I’ve avoided them because I knew I’d want to read everything once I started. Ah well, looks like I’ve started then (and always listen to your mum!).
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for choosing yet another fabulous book, and to Anne O’Brien for reading along with the serialisation and answering questions. I had the best time!
Anyway, Constance was involved with her family in two plots against Henry V. York had been big supporters and cousins of Richard II, and were luckily also relatives of Henry V. So when Henry ousted Richard and imprisoned him, the Yorks were relatively safe. That was until they tried to reinstate Richard. Constance was fully a part of this plot: she’s portrayed as a strong-minded, confident woman who made her own mind up, and was loyal to her family. I do like female characters like this, and I like that Anne O’Brien didn’t make her into a caricature of a strident, bossy woman, as often happens in these cases.
I thought that the whole book was sensitively done. Henry isn’t made out to be a villain, in fact he’s always fair, and in some instances he may well have been thought of as too soft towards his York cousins (they were certainly dangerous to know).
I loved this book, actually. My mum has been pointing out Anne O’Brien books to me for ages, but I’ve avoided them because I knew I’d want to read everything once I started. Ah well, looks like I’ve started then (and always listen to your mum!).
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for choosing yet another fabulous book, and to Anne O’Brien for reading along with the serialisation and answering questions. I had the best time!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Justice League (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
A powerful force is hidden on Earth, three Mother Boxes, previously used by Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons in an attempt to conquer Earth. As the planet mourns the loss of Superman the power is ignited again and triggers Steppenwolf's return to Earth. When Themyscira is attacked and their Mother Box is stolen, Queen Hippolyta warns her daughter of what is to come.
Bruce Wayne (Batman, shhhh don't tell anyone) enlists Diana Prince to help him gather other metahumans in an effort to stop the impending destruction of the Earth. It's time to meet the new recruits: Arthur Curry AKA Aquaman, Barry Allen AKA The Flash, and Victor Stone AKA Cyborg.
My worry here was that they couldn't come close to how well they did with Wonder Woman. Thankfully, while not everything was quite right, I really enjoyed this film and I barely felt any pain at watching this... all the pain happened when I rewatched Batman Vs Superman before going to see Justice League.
Let me get the gripes out of the way. The CGI, which seems to be a quibble from a lot of people. I'm not really sure how you manage to successfully do so much of it, and yet the villain... quite a major part of the film... looked terrible. In all honesty he kind of looked like they'd tried to recreate Liam Neeson in some shots so why not just get Liam Neeson in and wack some makeup on him. I'd totally have watched that. As for CGIing off Henry Cavill's moustache, admittedly some of the shots looked a little bit off, but I'm not convinced that if we hadn't known about it that most of us would have been able to tell, because who is going to be staring at that unless you have a fetish for his upper lip?
They also tried to make Batman/Bruce Wayne funny, which felt a little odd, and slightly forced at times. You can understand it to some degree, when you're bringing in Flash who is generally regarded as the comedian of the bunch then you're going to have to add some humour in so that he doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.
Obviously we know that I love Wonder Woman, so there isn't a lot I need to say there, she still rocked. I enjoyed Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and yes, a significant portion of that was looking at his half naked body. But I thought he played the part really well, and I loved him getting caught out by Diana's lasso. With the other two I was worried that me knowing them from other things would make it difficult getting to grips with these new incarnations. Thankfully it wasn't too bad though. As it happens I'm not a fan of either Grant Gustin or Ezra Miller in the role of Flash. This film version is probably more how I picture his character, but neither actor really brings it across to me quite how I'd hope. Finally, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, mock me if you must, but I've only seen the character in action as part of Teen Titans Go! In that he's a somewhat happy go lucky chap who loves his food, and this one is a bit more angsty as his creation is quite fresh. I enjoyed him as a character though, it was interesting to see how he developed as his powers did.
I'm not really sure how I felt about the Superman regeneration part of the story, I suppose at least he did a David Tennant and regenerated into himself.
Not a bad offering after Wonder Woman, and I'm looking forward to the follow up films that'll be coming out over the next few years.
Bruce Wayne (Batman, shhhh don't tell anyone) enlists Diana Prince to help him gather other metahumans in an effort to stop the impending destruction of the Earth. It's time to meet the new recruits: Arthur Curry AKA Aquaman, Barry Allen AKA The Flash, and Victor Stone AKA Cyborg.
My worry here was that they couldn't come close to how well they did with Wonder Woman. Thankfully, while not everything was quite right, I really enjoyed this film and I barely felt any pain at watching this... all the pain happened when I rewatched Batman Vs Superman before going to see Justice League.
Let me get the gripes out of the way. The CGI, which seems to be a quibble from a lot of people. I'm not really sure how you manage to successfully do so much of it, and yet the villain... quite a major part of the film... looked terrible. In all honesty he kind of looked like they'd tried to recreate Liam Neeson in some shots so why not just get Liam Neeson in and wack some makeup on him. I'd totally have watched that. As for CGIing off Henry Cavill's moustache, admittedly some of the shots looked a little bit off, but I'm not convinced that if we hadn't known about it that most of us would have been able to tell, because who is going to be staring at that unless you have a fetish for his upper lip?
They also tried to make Batman/Bruce Wayne funny, which felt a little odd, and slightly forced at times. You can understand it to some degree, when you're bringing in Flash who is generally regarded as the comedian of the bunch then you're going to have to add some humour in so that he doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.
Obviously we know that I love Wonder Woman, so there isn't a lot I need to say there, she still rocked. I enjoyed Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and yes, a significant portion of that was looking at his half naked body. But I thought he played the part really well, and I loved him getting caught out by Diana's lasso. With the other two I was worried that me knowing them from other things would make it difficult getting to grips with these new incarnations. Thankfully it wasn't too bad though. As it happens I'm not a fan of either Grant Gustin or Ezra Miller in the role of Flash. This film version is probably more how I picture his character, but neither actor really brings it across to me quite how I'd hope. Finally, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, mock me if you must, but I've only seen the character in action as part of Teen Titans Go! In that he's a somewhat happy go lucky chap who loves his food, and this one is a bit more angsty as his creation is quite fresh. I enjoyed him as a character though, it was interesting to see how he developed as his powers did.
I'm not really sure how I felt about the Superman regeneration part of the story, I suppose at least he did a David Tennant and regenerated into himself.
Not a bad offering after Wonder Woman, and I'm looking forward to the follow up films that'll be coming out over the next few years.
Booksnthreads (19 KP) rated Behind the Beautiful Forevers in Books
Jun 5, 2018
I must say, I’m disappointed. I discovered this book from a list of “books every woman MUST read” sort of thing, and I still don’t understand why this book was on that particular list. There’s nothing about the story that appeals to or directly speaks to being a woman. BUT, that’s not the only reason why I didn’t particularly like this book.
Maybe if you chose to read the book because you wanted a glimpse into the sordid lives of slum dwellers in Mumbai, you might actually appreciate the book. The story isn’t really about an individual character, or even about the characters at all, but about the political and social constructs that serve to keep people in poverty, about the corruption in the government that, while professing to advance the cause of helping these people, only serves to perpetuate injustice. If that’s what you are reading it for, to see an absolutely horrific depiction of Indian social services, then by all means, read on. If you prefer to read something that uses character development and plot to more subtly put forward ideas and truths, look elsewhere.
The other thing to keep in mind as you read this novel is that it is written by an American reporter. While I do not question Boo’s qualifications and knowledge of the topic, it’s good to remember that she is an outsider with an agenda. However positive her agenda may be, and however knowledgeable about the Indian slums and the plight of the poor she may be, I couldn’t help but wonder as I read how the narrative might have been influenced by her Western lens and how it might have been different if written by an Indian author.
Maybe if you chose to read the book because you wanted a glimpse into the sordid lives of slum dwellers in Mumbai, you might actually appreciate the book. The story isn’t really about an individual character, or even about the characters at all, but about the political and social constructs that serve to keep people in poverty, about the corruption in the government that, while professing to advance the cause of helping these people, only serves to perpetuate injustice. If that’s what you are reading it for, to see an absolutely horrific depiction of Indian social services, then by all means, read on. If you prefer to read something that uses character development and plot to more subtly put forward ideas and truths, look elsewhere.
The other thing to keep in mind as you read this novel is that it is written by an American reporter. While I do not question Boo’s qualifications and knowledge of the topic, it’s good to remember that she is an outsider with an agenda. However positive her agenda may be, and however knowledgeable about the Indian slums and the plight of the poor she may be, I couldn’t help but wonder as I read how the narrative might have been influenced by her Western lens and how it might have been different if written by an Indian author.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Sylvia Scarlett (1935) in Movies
Jan 4, 2019
Surprised it Wasn't Better
I was hoping my first review of 2019 would be for a quality film, but you can’t win ‘em all. Sylvia Scarlett is awful and that is putting it nicely. The plot: a young woman pretends to be a boy to travel with her con artist father and trick people into giving them money.
Acting: 4
Beginning: 2
Characters: 7
On paper the characters aren’t horrible even if the acting is shoddy. A woman, pretending to be a young boy. A con artist. A pair of jewel smugglers. Together, they’re an interesting group. It’s a wonder the storyline wasn’t more intriguing. Although there is a wide variety of characters they’re pretty flat for the most part making it hard to get emotionally invested.
Cinematography/Visuals: 2
Conflict: 7
Genre: 7
As hard as this movie was to watch at times, I’ve seen worse. I try to have a bit of leniency for older films because they don’t have half the knowledge we have now when it comes to movies. Today’s films have no excuses to be terrible yet they still are. Not saying director George Cukor is completely devoid of blame, but I’m willing to cut a bit of slack here.
Memorability: 7
Pace: 2
Plot: 0
Resolution: 6
Expected and a bit predictable, but at the very least it fit with the overall storyline. It didn’t enhance the film in anyway, but it also didn’t do any further damage.
Overall: 44
Sylvia Scarlett was pretty painful to sit through. I felt like I was being kidnapped because the movie spent most of its time trying to force me to feel something that just wasn’t there. It surprises me that a movie with Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant was such a dud. Like I said, you can’t win ‘em all.
Acting: 4
Beginning: 2
Characters: 7
On paper the characters aren’t horrible even if the acting is shoddy. A woman, pretending to be a young boy. A con artist. A pair of jewel smugglers. Together, they’re an interesting group. It’s a wonder the storyline wasn’t more intriguing. Although there is a wide variety of characters they’re pretty flat for the most part making it hard to get emotionally invested.
Cinematography/Visuals: 2
Conflict: 7
Genre: 7
As hard as this movie was to watch at times, I’ve seen worse. I try to have a bit of leniency for older films because they don’t have half the knowledge we have now when it comes to movies. Today’s films have no excuses to be terrible yet they still are. Not saying director George Cukor is completely devoid of blame, but I’m willing to cut a bit of slack here.
Memorability: 7
Pace: 2
Plot: 0
Resolution: 6
Expected and a bit predictable, but at the very least it fit with the overall storyline. It didn’t enhance the film in anyway, but it also didn’t do any further damage.
Overall: 44
Sylvia Scarlett was pretty painful to sit through. I felt like I was being kidnapped because the movie spent most of its time trying to force me to feel something that just wasn’t there. It surprises me that a movie with Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant was such a dud. Like I said, you can’t win ‘em all.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Molly's Game (2017) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
Perfectionism, pressure, drive, success – “Molly’s Game” tells the story of a woman pushed to achieve these qualities by her father (Kevin Costner) throughout her childhood and adolescence. The pressure to become perfect went far with Molly (Jessica Chastain), who grows up to become an Olympic-class skier and scores astronomically on the law school entrance exam.
But Molly doesn’t go to law school, and she doesn’t win the gold medal. She comes in fourth and slides into the seedy world of high stakes gambling, where her clever mind and charming appearance take her far. She becomes a leader of an underground world, filled with money, greed, and glamour.
Her gambling ring included players that were famous, wealthy, and in some cases criminal. She became the target of an FBI investigation, that revealed how little she was actually in the know about her own game.
Chastain does a great job in her role as Molly. Her striking features and strong demeanor exude a woman in charge. Particularly enjoyable is the performance by Michael Cera as Player X, a celebrity poker player who always plays in the big leagues. Cera, does a great job of making you wonder which celebrity Player X was, and why he was so heavily involved in the high stakes gaming world. It is a nice switch u for Cera into a more serious kind of role.
The consequences of Molly’s choices unfold rapidly. Making it fast paced and suspenseful, without a dull moment.
The style of the film paints a pretty picture of an ugly scene, with each shot appearing beautifully smooth and gliding transitions that grab a viewer’s focus.
“Molly’s Game” is a must see for anyone who loves a good crime-thriller, especially one based on a tell all of a real human experience in a wild reality.
But Molly doesn’t go to law school, and she doesn’t win the gold medal. She comes in fourth and slides into the seedy world of high stakes gambling, where her clever mind and charming appearance take her far. She becomes a leader of an underground world, filled with money, greed, and glamour.
Her gambling ring included players that were famous, wealthy, and in some cases criminal. She became the target of an FBI investigation, that revealed how little she was actually in the know about her own game.
Chastain does a great job in her role as Molly. Her striking features and strong demeanor exude a woman in charge. Particularly enjoyable is the performance by Michael Cera as Player X, a celebrity poker player who always plays in the big leagues. Cera, does a great job of making you wonder which celebrity Player X was, and why he was so heavily involved in the high stakes gaming world. It is a nice switch u for Cera into a more serious kind of role.
The consequences of Molly’s choices unfold rapidly. Making it fast paced and suspenseful, without a dull moment.
The style of the film paints a pretty picture of an ugly scene, with each shot appearing beautifully smooth and gliding transitions that grab a viewer’s focus.
“Molly’s Game” is a must see for anyone who loves a good crime-thriller, especially one based on a tell all of a real human experience in a wild reality.