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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Snowpiercer (2013) in Movies

May 3, 2019  
Snowpiercer (2013)
Snowpiercer (2013)
2013 | Sci-Fi
8
7.9 (59 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
A bleak and violent sci-fi
I wanted to see this film when it first came out, and was so annoyed it didnt get a UK release. At the time I managed to find a copy to watch, but havent seen it again until now.

To start with this has a fantastic cast. Whilst I struggle to forget Captain America every time I see Chris Evans, I do think he's a good actor and he's brilliant supported by the likes of John Hurt and Octavia Spencer. Jamie Bell is a great actor too and I think he's rather underrated. And Tilda Swinton simply steals the show as Mason. You hate her yet love her at the same time as she's absolutely hilarious. In part due to the genius idea to give her a Yorkshire accent, as this makes it even more surreal and funny.

The story itself is an interesting one and I was intrigued by the whole thing, I felt invested in the characters as they traversed along the train. And this plot plays out in a very bleak and violent manner. The action scenes are great and wonderfully brutal, and there is some very bleak and dark outcomes and conversations towards the end of the film that make this not your typical run of the mill sci-fi.

I do think there are some parts of this film that aren't great, namely some strange seemingly plot holes to do with character backstories. They're not the end of the world, but still a tad annoying. Also I'm not sure if this is just the Netflix version, but when the Korean characters were speaking there were no subtitles. Fine for minor scenes, but there is a least one major scene where the lack of subtitles is a huge detriment. I'm assuming/hoping the film hasn't been made that way, so I'll blame Netflix!

This is not your average happy sci-fi. However if you dont mind watching something with dark and bleak overtones and a decent amount of violence, this is definitely worth a watch.
  
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Andy K (10821 KP) May 3, 2019

Love this film!
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The House on the Lake in Books

Apr 20, 2020  
The House on the Lake
The House on the Lake
Nuala Ellwood | 2020 | Romance, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When the publishing team at Penguin Random House asked me not only to read and review The House on the Lake, but also to be part of the Instagram Tour, I couldn’t have been happier!

The Synopsis
Lisa needs to disappear. And her friend’s rambling old home in the wilds of Yorkshire seems like the perfect place. It’s miles away from the closest town, and no one there knows her or her little boy, Joe.

But when a woman from the local village comes to visit them, Lisa realizes that she and Joe aren’t as safe as she thought.

What secret has Rowan Isle House – and her friend – kept hidden all these years?

And what will Lisa have to do to survive, when her past finally catches up with her?

My Thoughts:
I found the beginning to be quite slow, but after a few chapters the pace was beginning to speed up. It’s important for me to note that I was not a fan of the main character and I had my fears that this will make me regret reading this book.

But luckily, we have different story lines and different perspectives, and I think that helped me appreciate and love the book more than I originally anticipated.

We have two stories happening in the same house, but in different times.

The first story is the story of the mother Lisa, who runs away with her small son, hiding from her controlling husband, Mark. Her friend Grace tells her she can come to this house on the lake and hide for however long she needs to.

The second story is of Grace and her father, many years back in the past. Grace’s father used to be in the army and is suffering from PTSD.

It is an interesting moment when both stories tangle each other and Lisa is found in a dangerous situation.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book a lot.

There was a story presented to me that I did not expect, and I devoured it completely. I grew to love a few characters, and grew to hate a few more. This is not my favourite book of all time, and after the plot twist the ending was a bit predictable and a bit boring, but I did enjoy my time spent with this book.

I would definitely recommend it to all thriller lovers, mystery house adventurers and supporters of mums that run away with their children.