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okletmereviewit (4 KP) rated Closet Monster (2016) in Movies
May 11, 2018
PTSD and Coming of Age and Out
This movie is an amazing tale of coming of age and coming to terms with ones own sexuality. This movie for being an Indie film portrays the inner dialogue and the inner turmoil of coming to terms with ones sexuality, as well as showing the hidden side of a broken home. The movie begins with young Oscar (Jack Fulton) and his father tucking him into bed and their nightly rituals of his father (Aaron Abrams) "giving him a dream".
In the next scene you see Oscar and mother (Joanne Kelly) and father giving him a present of a Hamster, and then his father declaring that Oscars mother is leaving them. You then see Oscar in his room with the hamster, who begins "talking" to Oscar (voiced by Isabella Rossellini) and names herself "Buffy" (as in Buffy the Vampire Slayer) but the voice is an inner monologue that Oscar creates for the critter and is a comforting mechanism for him, as throughout the movie you gain the feeling that Oscar only has one friend, Gemma (Sofia Banzhaf).
The PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) comes in when while coming home from school one day, Oscar notices a group of kids bullying another student. He follows them to a secluded cemetery where they see them beating the kids and sodomizing him with a piece of re-bar. Later that night Oscar and his dad are watching the News coverage of the situation and Oscars asks his dad why they did that and the father said "because he was gay" and makes a side reference to Oscars long shaggy hair. To which Oscar being scared cuts his hair himself.
Skip forward: Now Oscar as a teen (Connor Jessup) is taking pictures of Gemma for his portfolio for admissions into college. We also see that the now 18yr old Oscar is now working in a general hardware store who is ran by Allison (Mary Walsh) who teaches him the basics of greeting customers and how to help them make selections, etc. After his shift while in the employee locker room a strapping young man named Wilder (Aliocha Schneider) checks his locker for his employee uniform and realizes that it is not there and asks to borrow Oscars shirt. This is the first time that we witness Oscar's sexual preference, when Wilder takes off his shirt and puts on Oscars shirt. Oscar longingly looks at the finely toned body of Wilder.
Later the next day Wilder gives Oscar his shirt back before work, and says thanks. You then see Oscar smelling the shirt to see if it was "ok" to wear. And then he rushes into the restroom with the shirt and begins touching himself and fantasizing about Wilder, and then has a flash of the students sodomizing that other student when he was a kid.
Slowly Oscar and Wilder begin a friendship and get closer. As Oscar and Gemma seem to grow apart. Things at home take a turn for the worse as Oscars father begins seeing a woman, and Oscar becomes more frustrated with himself, work, life and everything between. It finally escalates into a fight with his father that leaves Oscar physically assaulting his dad, and running away to a party that Wilder had invited him to.
At the party he finds Wilder and his friends, and they take Oscar to a room and put together a costume for him to wear for the party. Wilders friends take some Ecstasy and begin to really party it up. Gemma runs into Oscar and realizes that he is high and Oscar excuses himself as he notices that Wilder is talking to some girls. A guy approaches Oscar and begins hitting on him, and Oscar who was holding out for Wilder notices that he is kissing a girl. So Oscar and the guy make their way into the bathroom where they begin to kiss and have sex. In the midst of it Oscar begins to have flash backs of the beaten boy in the cemetery and freaks out, vomits and passes out.
We then see Wilder waking him up and helping him home. Oscar and Wilder spend the night together in Oscars tree house. Oscar and Wilder begin talking about the escapades of the night and things turn to sexuality when Oscar mistakes Wilders reaching for a bottle of water as him wanting to kiss. Embarrassed, Oscar asks him to leave, and they begin to talk about it, and then Wilder kisses him. In the morning you see Oscar wake up and find a note from Wilder basically saying "See you later gotta run" and you are not sure if the two had slept together or not. Oscar sneaks back into his room only to find that everything had been destroyed by his father.
The next scene you see his mother and father fighting as Oscar is looking through whats left of his possessions that are scattered throughout the drive way. Oscar sees his beloved Buffy laying dead in her cage. Enraged by this, Oscar comes to terms with his sexuality and breaks something of his fathers and then moves in with his mother. The movie ends with Oscar moving to a small house near the beach. Leaving you wondering how much time had passed or if he was in a school or what was going on.
But throughout the whole of the movie. The sexuality is done in a very muted and respectable manner. There is some cussing and things like that but over all very tastefully done. If you are a lover of coming to age films or films dealing with the nature of coming out, then you are sure to love this movie.
In the next scene you see Oscar and mother (Joanne Kelly) and father giving him a present of a Hamster, and then his father declaring that Oscars mother is leaving them. You then see Oscar in his room with the hamster, who begins "talking" to Oscar (voiced by Isabella Rossellini) and names herself "Buffy" (as in Buffy the Vampire Slayer) but the voice is an inner monologue that Oscar creates for the critter and is a comforting mechanism for him, as throughout the movie you gain the feeling that Oscar only has one friend, Gemma (Sofia Banzhaf).
The PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) comes in when while coming home from school one day, Oscar notices a group of kids bullying another student. He follows them to a secluded cemetery where they see them beating the kids and sodomizing him with a piece of re-bar. Later that night Oscar and his dad are watching the News coverage of the situation and Oscars asks his dad why they did that and the father said "because he was gay" and makes a side reference to Oscars long shaggy hair. To which Oscar being scared cuts his hair himself.
Skip forward: Now Oscar as a teen (Connor Jessup) is taking pictures of Gemma for his portfolio for admissions into college. We also see that the now 18yr old Oscar is now working in a general hardware store who is ran by Allison (Mary Walsh) who teaches him the basics of greeting customers and how to help them make selections, etc. After his shift while in the employee locker room a strapping young man named Wilder (Aliocha Schneider) checks his locker for his employee uniform and realizes that it is not there and asks to borrow Oscars shirt. This is the first time that we witness Oscar's sexual preference, when Wilder takes off his shirt and puts on Oscars shirt. Oscar longingly looks at the finely toned body of Wilder.
Later the next day Wilder gives Oscar his shirt back before work, and says thanks. You then see Oscar smelling the shirt to see if it was "ok" to wear. And then he rushes into the restroom with the shirt and begins touching himself and fantasizing about Wilder, and then has a flash of the students sodomizing that other student when he was a kid.
Slowly Oscar and Wilder begin a friendship and get closer. As Oscar and Gemma seem to grow apart. Things at home take a turn for the worse as Oscars father begins seeing a woman, and Oscar becomes more frustrated with himself, work, life and everything between. It finally escalates into a fight with his father that leaves Oscar physically assaulting his dad, and running away to a party that Wilder had invited him to.
At the party he finds Wilder and his friends, and they take Oscar to a room and put together a costume for him to wear for the party. Wilders friends take some Ecstasy and begin to really party it up. Gemma runs into Oscar and realizes that he is high and Oscar excuses himself as he notices that Wilder is talking to some girls. A guy approaches Oscar and begins hitting on him, and Oscar who was holding out for Wilder notices that he is kissing a girl. So Oscar and the guy make their way into the bathroom where they begin to kiss and have sex. In the midst of it Oscar begins to have flash backs of the beaten boy in the cemetery and freaks out, vomits and passes out.
We then see Wilder waking him up and helping him home. Oscar and Wilder spend the night together in Oscars tree house. Oscar and Wilder begin talking about the escapades of the night and things turn to sexuality when Oscar mistakes Wilders reaching for a bottle of water as him wanting to kiss. Embarrassed, Oscar asks him to leave, and they begin to talk about it, and then Wilder kisses him. In the morning you see Oscar wake up and find a note from Wilder basically saying "See you later gotta run" and you are not sure if the two had slept together or not. Oscar sneaks back into his room only to find that everything had been destroyed by his father.
The next scene you see his mother and father fighting as Oscar is looking through whats left of his possessions that are scattered throughout the drive way. Oscar sees his beloved Buffy laying dead in her cage. Enraged by this, Oscar comes to terms with his sexuality and breaks something of his fathers and then moves in with his mother. The movie ends with Oscar moving to a small house near the beach. Leaving you wondering how much time had passed or if he was in a school or what was going on.
But throughout the whole of the movie. The sexuality is done in a very muted and respectable manner. There is some cussing and things like that but over all very tastefully done. If you are a lover of coming to age films or films dealing with the nature of coming out, then you are sure to love this movie.
Coming Back To Cornwall (#1 Second Chance Summer)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Alice knows that coming back to Cornwall means she will have to see Sam, the man she fell in love...
Debbiereadsbook (1421 KP) rated Percolation Play ( Leather and Lattes #3) in Books
Mar 20, 2025
It proper crept up on me!
I was gifted my copy of this book.
Kai is new in town, and being paired with Ezra and Sloan in a class at Whipped, the local kink cafe, sets off a chain reaction, one he never saw coming. Sloan and Ezra are already known to each other, as friends and play partners. Kai throws a bit of a spanner in the works, but these three are drawn to each other again and again. The Ezra and Sloan's past comes crashing back into their lives and all three are fighting to keep the other afloat.
The thing I loved most about this, was that all three were blindsided by the need they all had for each other, and NOT the smex. Oh don't get me wrong, the smexy thimes here are high level, as we are accustomed for the staff at Whipped, but the emotional connection grew from that, and they never saw it coming.
In all honesty, I LOVED the way Ezra and Sloan's past collided! I did not see that coming, and then again when it affects a Whipped member. Absolutely well played there, Ms McIntyre!
I loved that kai doesn't question what he's feeling, he just goes with it, and finally feels at home. He lets himself just be open to everything and Ezra and Sloan are super open about what they want, and they want Kai. Well, they want each other as well as Kai, and that they be a threeway.
The emotions that Sloan and Ezra let loose are painful reading. I cried for them both, when their stories came out. What they both suffered. How they are dealing (or not) with it now, and how they can all move forward.
I could gush all day, but I might end up with spoilers and I really don't wanna, so I'll just say this:
I bloody LOVED this book!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Kai is new in town, and being paired with Ezra and Sloan in a class at Whipped, the local kink cafe, sets off a chain reaction, one he never saw coming. Sloan and Ezra are already known to each other, as friends and play partners. Kai throws a bit of a spanner in the works, but these three are drawn to each other again and again. The Ezra and Sloan's past comes crashing back into their lives and all three are fighting to keep the other afloat.
The thing I loved most about this, was that all three were blindsided by the need they all had for each other, and NOT the smex. Oh don't get me wrong, the smexy thimes here are high level, as we are accustomed for the staff at Whipped, but the emotional connection grew from that, and they never saw it coming.
In all honesty, I LOVED the way Ezra and Sloan's past collided! I did not see that coming, and then again when it affects a Whipped member. Absolutely well played there, Ms McIntyre!
I loved that kai doesn't question what he's feeling, he just goes with it, and finally feels at home. He lets himself just be open to everything and Ezra and Sloan are super open about what they want, and they want Kai. Well, they want each other as well as Kai, and that they be a threeway.
The emotions that Sloan and Ezra let loose are painful reading. I cried for them both, when their stories came out. What they both suffered. How they are dealing (or not) with it now, and how they can all move forward.
I could gush all day, but I might end up with spoilers and I really don't wanna, so I'll just say this:
I bloody LOVED this book!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Nick McCabe recommended EPs 1991-2002 by Autechre in Music (curated)
Merissa (12822 KP) rated Leo (Three Divisions #1) in Books
Apr 25, 2023
Having been a mahoosive fan of Celeste Prater's Fueled by Lust series, I had a few trepidations about reading this one. For starters, the BDSM scene isn't really my thing, and the few books I have read involving it didn't do anything for me at all. BUT!!! being as how I loved her Sci-Fi, I thought I would give it a go... and I'm glad I did!
Whether or not it rings true doesn't matter to me. What matters is that I found it completely believable within the constraints of the story. The definition of 'Three Divisions' made so much sense, and it made a nice change to have it spelt out in a way that was understandable without being condescending. It actually gave me the warm fuzzies to think that there is someone out there who would be able to take control but also put someone else's needs above their own. I absolutely loved how Leo took care of Jillian, in all ways! The humour was witty and well-timed. I really enjoyed watching Jillian grow, both in the playroom and out. Her put down of Brent was fantastic and I was giving her a high-five at the time!
The suspense side of it was exceedingly well-written, with surprises coming left, right and centre. You knew something was up with the amount of 'air time' that Jillian's client got, but the actual outcome, I didn't see coming. Jillian's handling of said event, and the aftermath, were superb - cool, calm and collected.
Hopefully, without giving anything away, I loved the wrap-up to this book. Everything was as it should be, and I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series. For not liking BDSM books, to giving this one a 5-star and feeling the fuzzies, I can highly recommend it to anyone considering reading about BDSM, or who just wants a steamy, sexy, suspenseful, romantic read. LOVED IT!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 22, 2015
Whether or not it rings true doesn't matter to me. What matters is that I found it completely believable within the constraints of the story. The definition of 'Three Divisions' made so much sense, and it made a nice change to have it spelt out in a way that was understandable without being condescending. It actually gave me the warm fuzzies to think that there is someone out there who would be able to take control but also put someone else's needs above their own. I absolutely loved how Leo took care of Jillian, in all ways! The humour was witty and well-timed. I really enjoyed watching Jillian grow, both in the playroom and out. Her put down of Brent was fantastic and I was giving her a high-five at the time!
The suspense side of it was exceedingly well-written, with surprises coming left, right and centre. You knew something was up with the amount of 'air time' that Jillian's client got, but the actual outcome, I didn't see coming. Jillian's handling of said event, and the aftermath, were superb - cool, calm and collected.
Hopefully, without giving anything away, I loved the wrap-up to this book. Everything was as it should be, and I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series. For not liking BDSM books, to giving this one a 5-star and feeling the fuzzies, I can highly recommend it to anyone considering reading about BDSM, or who just wants a steamy, sexy, suspenseful, romantic read. LOVED IT!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 22, 2015
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Genuine Fraud in Books
Jan 23, 2018
Predictable (1 more)
Fizzles out at the end
Had high hopes but this one didn't deliver
Imogen is a wealthy, spoiled heiress escaping life on Martha's Vineyard. Jule is a scrappy individual looking out for only herself. When their paths intersect on the Vineyard, they form an interesting sort of friendship. Jule admires Imogen's wealth and inscrutability. Imogen takes Jule under her wing, lending her clothes and giving her a place to stay. Jule quickly finds herself caught up in Imogen's life, meeting her friends and boyfriend. But is anything as it seems?
This is one of those where I don't want to say too much as to ruin the plot, although honestly, you'll figure out the entire thing within the first few chapters, so I wouldn't be doing you much of a disservice. I had high hopes for this one, having read some great reviews, but this novel wasn't for me. The shtick here is that the story unfurls backward, with the chapters counting down, but there's no great twist or surprise, and I was left completely disappointed, as things just... fizzle out at the end. There's supposedly a little surprise at the end, but it can't save this predictable novel.
For me, this was violent and full of inevitable plot points that you'll see coming from a mile away. Neither Jule nor Imogen are sympathetic in any way--I couldn't find any reason to root for or engage with them in any fashion. The backward chapters didn't add any real excitement to the tale, at all. I read this one at the same time as my wife--she was listening to the audiobook version--and we were both waiting for some exciting twist or turn--but it never came. I had high hopes, but alas, GENUINE FRAUD didn't deliver on them.
More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
This is one of those where I don't want to say too much as to ruin the plot, although honestly, you'll figure out the entire thing within the first few chapters, so I wouldn't be doing you much of a disservice. I had high hopes for this one, having read some great reviews, but this novel wasn't for me. The shtick here is that the story unfurls backward, with the chapters counting down, but there's no great twist or surprise, and I was left completely disappointed, as things just... fizzle out at the end. There's supposedly a little surprise at the end, but it can't save this predictable novel.
For me, this was violent and full of inevitable plot points that you'll see coming from a mile away. Neither Jule nor Imogen are sympathetic in any way--I couldn't find any reason to root for or engage with them in any fashion. The backward chapters didn't add any real excitement to the tale, at all. I read this one at the same time as my wife--she was listening to the audiobook version--and we were both waiting for some exciting twist or turn--but it never came. I had high hopes, but alas, GENUINE FRAUD didn't deliver on them.
More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Watcher in Books
Mar 15, 2018
My author Q&A is now live on my blog! Go check it out: http://bookbum.weebly.com/author-qas/qa-with-ross-armstrong-author-of-the-watcher
<i><b>...some lies, even errors and guesses, do turn out to be true.</i></b>
Stay clear of <b>most</b> the reviews on this book so far because I accidentally skimmed over them and got some stuff ruined! Ugh! I <i>promise</i> I won’t spoil anything in my review!
I really like Armstrong’s style of writing, this is <i>a fantastic debut.</i> It’s fast paced, witty and thrilling!
The plot was so intriguing and entertaining, which is why I don’t get why people found this so average on Goodreads! Yeah, maybe the plot has been done before, but that made this no less interesting or fun to read. There were certain aspects of the story that were easily predictable, but reading them unfold made up for the fact you could guess them beforehand.
Lily was a great character! She was really sweet but also incredibly funny! I found myself chuckling at the situations she got herself into and the little anecdotes she’d often share. It was really nice to have this down-to-earth character, who was pretty barmy, troubled and weird, but also happy and friendly to the reader and fictitious neighbours.
This was a really fun book to get carried away with, totally unputdownable! I’m certainly going to keep my eyes peeled for more of Armstrong’s writing in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
<i>p.s. I have an interview with Armstrong coming out on the 29th (the same day this is published), so please check that out on my blog! I'll link it when it's up :-)
<i><b>...some lies, even errors and guesses, do turn out to be true.</i></b>
Stay clear of <b>most</b> the reviews on this book so far because I accidentally skimmed over them and got some stuff ruined! Ugh! I <i>promise</i> I won’t spoil anything in my review!
I really like Armstrong’s style of writing, this is <i>a fantastic debut.</i> It’s fast paced, witty and thrilling!
The plot was so intriguing and entertaining, which is why I don’t get why people found this so average on Goodreads! Yeah, maybe the plot has been done before, but that made this no less interesting or fun to read. There were certain aspects of the story that were easily predictable, but reading them unfold made up for the fact you could guess them beforehand.
Lily was a great character! She was really sweet but also incredibly funny! I found myself chuckling at the situations she got herself into and the little anecdotes she’d often share. It was really nice to have this down-to-earth character, who was pretty barmy, troubled and weird, but also happy and friendly to the reader and fictitious neighbours.
This was a really fun book to get carried away with, totally unputdownable! I’m certainly going to keep my eyes peeled for more of Armstrong’s writing in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
<i>p.s. I have an interview with Armstrong coming out on the 29th (the same day this is published), so please check that out on my blog! I'll link it when it's up :-)
Veggie Samurai
Games and Entertainment
App
JOIN OVER 4 MILLION VEGGIE SAMURAI PLAYERS!! It's time to give veggies what they have had coming for...
A Little Christmas: Blake
10.0
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Can a Christmas miracle make Blake’s secret dream come true? Blake has no one. His boyfriend...
Contemporary MM Romance Seasonal Age Play
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated From the Wreckage(From the Wreckage, #1) in Books
Dec 28, 2017
Growing up can be tough
Michele G. Miller tells the story of a teenage girl who's life has been turned upside down by a tornado. Jules loses a lot but she also learns alot about herself. This book is almost written in the form of introspection. The main character, Jules, is the narrator as she makes her senior year video. It is from this unique perspective we hear the story.
I liked the different form of flashback. The plot was scattered in some places but I feel that was on purpose because that was how Jules was feeling at the time. Miller takes us on a rollercoaster ride of emotions throughout the novel. She starts with the innocence of being young then uses the tornado to throw it all in turmoil. It was almost like the tornado was a metephor for the trials of growing up but put in a physical form that can be understood.
This would be a coming of age novel but with a forceful punch. Death is a hard lesson but so is out growing what you know and are comfortable with. Losing your first love and friends is a traumatic experience no matter how it happens.
A sequel to this book has been written and I hope to read it soon. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys coming of age books or YA literature.
I liked the different form of flashback. The plot was scattered in some places but I feel that was on purpose because that was how Jules was feeling at the time. Miller takes us on a rollercoaster ride of emotions throughout the novel. She starts with the innocence of being young then uses the tornado to throw it all in turmoil. It was almost like the tornado was a metephor for the trials of growing up but put in a physical form that can be understood.
This would be a coming of age novel but with a forceful punch. Death is a hard lesson but so is out growing what you know and are comfortable with. Losing your first love and friends is a traumatic experience no matter how it happens.
A sequel to this book has been written and I hope to read it soon. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys coming of age books or YA literature.