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Rachel King (13 KP) rated Divergent in Books

Feb 11, 2019  
Divergent
Divergent
Veronica Roth | 2012 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
8.1 (140 Ratings)
Book Rating
So this book is a bit of a recycled plot - whether or not Roth was aware that it resembled Hunger Games. Honestly, though, I really don't care. The book was entertaining, the world-building was still unique, and I can't wait to read the next one.
I found the idea of dividing society into factions based on a specific personality trait interesting in that I wanted much greater detail about each faction, much more so than the main character, Tris, was willing to provide. Tris is a teenager being forced into making the greatest decision of her life, and there just is not time for dwelling on the details. I found the simulation that is designed to help decide the faction of each individual too simplistic. Human beings are complex creatures, and an individual's personal prerogatives can change very easily from year to year. Abnegation, Amity, Erudite, Candor, Dauntless, or the rebellious Divergent - I could easily fit into any of these at different times in my life. The characters in the book are no different.
Much of the book centers around Tris undergoing the trials of becoming Dauntless, with details of the other factions trickling in, as well as the state of the political current. While this world of factions was originally created with the best of intentions, corruption has set in at all levels, and Tris's world will be toppled by the end of the book. While her trials are a journey of self-discovery, she is also forced to grow up quickly to protect the people she loves.
The only thing I would have liked to end differently is what happens to Tris's mother - with everything that we discover about her, she could have been a fountain of fascinating plot elements. Unfortunately, in most YA books, parental figures rarely stick around. Hopefully, I will get my hands on Insurgent soon!
  
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Jeff Bridges recommended Tideland (2006) in Movies (curated)

 
Tideland (2006)
Tideland (2006)
2006 | Drama, Sci-Fi
7.5 (6 Ratings)
Movie Favorite Watch

"Another movie that I’ll maybe bring some attention to… not one of, but I think the strangest movie that I’ve ever been involved with, with the strangest character was a Terry Gilliam movie called Tideland. And this one is really great. We had a wonderful time making it. You know, these big-budgeted movies… Fisher King was a pretty big-budget movie and Terry kind of goes after these big-budget things that need a lot of money to pull off what he has in mind. But this one was very low-tech and not a giant budget movie. We shot it in Canada and I play a junkie rock star in it for some of the film, and for a lot of the film, I’m a carcass, you know, a dead body. It’s based on a great book with the same title by Mitch Cullin, and very, very surreal. I’d even stretch it and say it’s the weirdest movie that Terry has ever made, for my tastes (although everyone’s got different tastes). But it’s macabre."

Source
  
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Andy K (10823 KP) Jan 9, 2022

Fantastic film!
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LaBMaC (116 KP) rated Brain on Fire (2016) in Movies

Aug 3, 2019  
Brain on Fire (2016)
Brain on Fire (2016)
2016 | Drama
7
8.2 (10 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Highlights the real life presentation of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (2 more)
Engaging and emotive plot
Highlights issues surrounding misdiagnosis and psychiatric incarceration
Over acted (0 more)
Contains spoilers, click to show
This movie is unsettling as it is based on a true story, told in the book of the same name by Suzannah Cahalan.
A healthy young woman in her early 20's suddenly and inexplicably withdraws from life. As her personality is destroyed as is much of her life. The illness begins with sensory sensitivity and confusion and ends in catatonia.
When watching it I found myself trying to figure out what exactly what could make someone act like this. Epilepsy, stress, schizophrenia, mental breakdown. The diagnosis was none of these and it reminds the viewer that the brain is a complex and vulnerable entity that could fail in numerous ways.