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Sailing toward Osiris
Tabletop Game
Pharaoh is dead and his funerary barge sails slowly down the Nile toward his tomb where his spirit...
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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Bread & Tulips (2001) in Movies
Nov 17, 2021
Pacing not quite enough to save this movie
When a woman is left behind at a rest stop during a family vacation, she uses the opportunity to settle into the town a become a local.
Acting: 10
Licia Maglietta is magnificent as main star Rosalba. She holds her own in a number of different scenes throughout and really is the standout of the movie. I was impressed with a number of the other performances as well, but Bread and Tulips wouldn’t have had nearly the same amount of quality without her.
Beginning: 10
Characters: 1
Cinematography/Visuals: 1
One of the areas in which the film grossly suffers. There isn’t much that stands out in my memory about how this film was shot other than it being just plain…meh. It shoots like a monotonous mess making it hard for you to really want to commit your attention and time. Scenes are extremely basic with no real pop.
Conflict: 4
Entertainment Value: 5
While Bread and Tulips has its moments, it really was more of a background movie for me. The effort is solid in a few spots, but the movie ultimately just dragged and had me counting down to the resolution. Ultimately it never really succeeded in holding my attention.
Memorability: 6
With a handful of solid moments, nothing really jumped out here as overly memorable for me. It is memorable in the sense of having a unique concept, but it never fringes on impactful. I was hoping for more meat and I got scraps instead.
Pace: 7
The film does drag in spots where it should be moving a bit more quickly. However, it moves pretty evenly through the story for the most part. Could there have been a handful of parts that were cut out? Sure. Overall, though, the pace is pretty fluid.
Plot: 5
Resolution: 4
After all was said and done, the ending was just ok. I was hoping for some kind of surprise to redeem the movie, but it went pretty much how I expected it to go. Not impressed.
Overall: 53
A lot of people enjoyed Bread and Tulips if we go by what Rotten Tomatoes is saying. Unfortunately, I was not one of those people. The story overall is very underwhelming. I am absolutely ok with never seeing this one again.
Acting: 10
Licia Maglietta is magnificent as main star Rosalba. She holds her own in a number of different scenes throughout and really is the standout of the movie. I was impressed with a number of the other performances as well, but Bread and Tulips wouldn’t have had nearly the same amount of quality without her.
Beginning: 10
Characters: 1
Cinematography/Visuals: 1
One of the areas in which the film grossly suffers. There isn’t much that stands out in my memory about how this film was shot other than it being just plain…meh. It shoots like a monotonous mess making it hard for you to really want to commit your attention and time. Scenes are extremely basic with no real pop.
Conflict: 4
Entertainment Value: 5
While Bread and Tulips has its moments, it really was more of a background movie for me. The effort is solid in a few spots, but the movie ultimately just dragged and had me counting down to the resolution. Ultimately it never really succeeded in holding my attention.
Memorability: 6
With a handful of solid moments, nothing really jumped out here as overly memorable for me. It is memorable in the sense of having a unique concept, but it never fringes on impactful. I was hoping for more meat and I got scraps instead.
Pace: 7
The film does drag in spots where it should be moving a bit more quickly. However, it moves pretty evenly through the story for the most part. Could there have been a handful of parts that were cut out? Sure. Overall, though, the pace is pretty fluid.
Plot: 5
Resolution: 4
After all was said and done, the ending was just ok. I was hoping for some kind of surprise to redeem the movie, but it went pretty much how I expected it to go. Not impressed.
Overall: 53
A lot of people enjoyed Bread and Tulips if we go by what Rotten Tomatoes is saying. Unfortunately, I was not one of those people. The story overall is very underwhelming. I am absolutely ok with never seeing this one again.
ClareR (5854 KP) rated The Women of Troy in Books
Jan 11, 2022
The Women of Troy picks up where The Silence of the Girls finished. Greece has won. The men of Troy are dead, their wealth and women now belong to the Greeks, but due to the fact that the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, the Greeks are going nowhere. Someone must have done something to displease the Gods, but until they come to that conclusion, there’s a lot of eating, drinking, sports competitions and rape. The women, as is usual in any conflict, get the shitty end of the stick. They may not have been killed, but they face a lifetime of slavery and rape.
Briseis is lucky, in that she is now married to Alcimus and is now a respectable, protected woman. But she now feels as though she belongs to neither side. She knows how the female slaves feel: she was one of them once. But they don’t see her as one of them anymore, and she isn’t wholly Greek either. She does manage to see the main female characters from Troy, though. Cassandra makes an appearance - she is still telling everyone what will happen, and on one is believing her. Hecuba is being kept in comfort by Odysseus, but she has seen all but one of her sons killed, and her husband is lying unburied on the beach - she wants to see him sent off to the afterlife before she dies.
We even see Helen and how she’s getting on. Her husband has taken her back, but no one else can see why she hasn’t been killed. After all, she’s to blame for the whole situation, isn’t she?!
Amina is Briseis’ own slave, given to her by Alcimus. It’s clear that she doesn’t like Briseis - after all, Briseis hasn’t tried to convince Agamemnon to have proper funeral rites for Priam. I liked Amina. She stands by her convictions, no matter the consequences (and there are consequences).
In fact, they’re all strong women, trying their best in very difficult circumstances. I always enjoy Greek mythology re-telling, and this book really does it for me. I’d love to see if Pat Barker writes about the times after the Greeks return to their homes. What happens to Cassandra? Helen? And Briseis? Yes, I know I can look it up in any Greek mythology book, but Pat Barkers storytelling is so emotive and really compelling. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed!
Briseis is lucky, in that she is now married to Alcimus and is now a respectable, protected woman. But she now feels as though she belongs to neither side. She knows how the female slaves feel: she was one of them once. But they don’t see her as one of them anymore, and she isn’t wholly Greek either. She does manage to see the main female characters from Troy, though. Cassandra makes an appearance - she is still telling everyone what will happen, and on one is believing her. Hecuba is being kept in comfort by Odysseus, but she has seen all but one of her sons killed, and her husband is lying unburied on the beach - she wants to see him sent off to the afterlife before she dies.
We even see Helen and how she’s getting on. Her husband has taken her back, but no one else can see why she hasn’t been killed. After all, she’s to blame for the whole situation, isn’t she?!
Amina is Briseis’ own slave, given to her by Alcimus. It’s clear that she doesn’t like Briseis - after all, Briseis hasn’t tried to convince Agamemnon to have proper funeral rites for Priam. I liked Amina. She stands by her convictions, no matter the consequences (and there are consequences).
In fact, they’re all strong women, trying their best in very difficult circumstances. I always enjoy Greek mythology re-telling, and this book really does it for me. I’d love to see if Pat Barker writes about the times after the Greeks return to their homes. What happens to Cassandra? Helen? And Briseis? Yes, I know I can look it up in any Greek mythology book, but Pat Barkers storytelling is so emotive and really compelling. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed!
Like a Lily Among the Thorns
6.0
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Book
There are those who are born into loving families and then there are the less fortunate who must...
Climate Fiction Speculative Fiction Fantasy
Darkness Falling (Light Up the Dark, #1)
10.0
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When the world goes dark, can true love light the way? Lex I seem like the luckiest witch in...
Paranormal Post-Apocalyptic MM Romance
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Jimmy's Hall (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
It’s not to often that we folks in America have the opportunity to catch any movies from Ireland.
The few that do come along almost certainly rate high on the scale of exceptional movies that one would want to see. I myself can’t remember a ‘bad’ Irish film. Perhaps one of the reasons for that is the fact that this country has a solid history of countless Irish immigrants coming here and helping to build the foundations for America. Well, today’s film for your consideration doesn’t go back THAT far. It doesn’t even take place in America. However, the history of Irish immigrants (specifically one immigrant) does play a role. Only it involves an Irish immigrant how came to America and then several years later returned to Ireland only to be forcibly deported back to America. I know I know. That explanation makes it sound like a comedy and although the film has many lighthearted moments, I can assure you it’s NOT a comedy. In fact, it deals with an influential figure in one of the more politically turbulent periods in Ireland’s history just before the beginning of the Second World War.
‘Jimmy’s Hall’ is a 2014 Irish-British drama directed by English television and film director Kenneth ‘Ken’ Loach. The film focuses on the events leading up to the deportation from Ireland of Jimmy Gralton, who led a precursor to Ireland’s communist party in the county Leitrim.
Starring Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, and Irish character actor Jim Norton, the film opens in 1932. Jimmy (Ward) has just returned to his home to help his mother tend the family farm after spending 10 years in the United States in the midst of the Great Depression coinciding with the establishment of a new government in the aftermath of the Civil War between pro-British and anti-British forces.
Reluctant to anger his old enemies, the church and the landowners who forced him to leave Ireland, but eager to meet the needs of the people of Leitrim, Jimmy (Ward) decides to reopen the ‘Hall’, a center for young people where they can meet to study, talk, dance, play music, learn to read, debate issues of the day. Free to all and open to anyone who wishes to learn while respecting the views and opinions of others, the ‘Hall’ is an immediate success. Not everyone is pleased to see Jimmy resuming his old activities. In particular the church and local priest (Norton) who see Gralton as not only a ‘bad influence’, but also as a follower of Stalin who as history knows sent countless millions (including religious leaders) to their deaths.
Despite the complaints and at times violent reactions on the part of the supporters of the church and the landowners, Gralton tries desperately to make them realize he has absolutely no connection to Stalin and has no desire to bring down the church. Only to better the situation for everyone. Jimmy even invites the local priest to take a leadership role in the Hall’s committee. In the end though, the fears of the church and the state go unchanged. Jimmy is a communist and although he has no connection Stalin the church and the government see them as one in the same. The police take Jimmy into custody at his family’s farm and forcibly deport him back to America even so much as denying him on last chance to see his ailing mother.
In education systems there are books and films which are considered ‘required reading’ or in this case ‘required viewing’. This film should be required viewing. It is not just an excellent film about a historical Irish political figure or as I mentioned earlier a film about a turbulent point in Irish history. It’s an example of the greater ‘world conflict’ between what became the western bloc and the eastern bloc. Both sides in that grater conflict saw each other the same way the two sides in the Irish countryside of the 1930s saw each other. The ones that meant well and only wanted to better the situation for everyone including themselves inspired fear in those who had power and those who had the power inspired fear in those who meant well. This movie showed that not all political figures are evil … nor are all religious figures. It’s the individual or several individuals within those groups that are reluctant to change.
I would highly recommend this film. Regardless of the content it’s an excellent film. If this film is as good as most films made in Ireland, they definitely need to start exporting them on a grander scale. I’d give this film 4 out of 5 stars.
This is your friendly neighborhood photographer ‘The CameraMan’ and on behalf of my fellows at ‘Skewed & Reviewed’ I’d like to say thanks for reading and we’ll see you at the movies
The few that do come along almost certainly rate high on the scale of exceptional movies that one would want to see. I myself can’t remember a ‘bad’ Irish film. Perhaps one of the reasons for that is the fact that this country has a solid history of countless Irish immigrants coming here and helping to build the foundations for America. Well, today’s film for your consideration doesn’t go back THAT far. It doesn’t even take place in America. However, the history of Irish immigrants (specifically one immigrant) does play a role. Only it involves an Irish immigrant how came to America and then several years later returned to Ireland only to be forcibly deported back to America. I know I know. That explanation makes it sound like a comedy and although the film has many lighthearted moments, I can assure you it’s NOT a comedy. In fact, it deals with an influential figure in one of the more politically turbulent periods in Ireland’s history just before the beginning of the Second World War.
‘Jimmy’s Hall’ is a 2014 Irish-British drama directed by English television and film director Kenneth ‘Ken’ Loach. The film focuses on the events leading up to the deportation from Ireland of Jimmy Gralton, who led a precursor to Ireland’s communist party in the county Leitrim.
Starring Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, and Irish character actor Jim Norton, the film opens in 1932. Jimmy (Ward) has just returned to his home to help his mother tend the family farm after spending 10 years in the United States in the midst of the Great Depression coinciding with the establishment of a new government in the aftermath of the Civil War between pro-British and anti-British forces.
Reluctant to anger his old enemies, the church and the landowners who forced him to leave Ireland, but eager to meet the needs of the people of Leitrim, Jimmy (Ward) decides to reopen the ‘Hall’, a center for young people where they can meet to study, talk, dance, play music, learn to read, debate issues of the day. Free to all and open to anyone who wishes to learn while respecting the views and opinions of others, the ‘Hall’ is an immediate success. Not everyone is pleased to see Jimmy resuming his old activities. In particular the church and local priest (Norton) who see Gralton as not only a ‘bad influence’, but also as a follower of Stalin who as history knows sent countless millions (including religious leaders) to their deaths.
Despite the complaints and at times violent reactions on the part of the supporters of the church and the landowners, Gralton tries desperately to make them realize he has absolutely no connection to Stalin and has no desire to bring down the church. Only to better the situation for everyone. Jimmy even invites the local priest to take a leadership role in the Hall’s committee. In the end though, the fears of the church and the state go unchanged. Jimmy is a communist and although he has no connection Stalin the church and the government see them as one in the same. The police take Jimmy into custody at his family’s farm and forcibly deport him back to America even so much as denying him on last chance to see his ailing mother.
In education systems there are books and films which are considered ‘required reading’ or in this case ‘required viewing’. This film should be required viewing. It is not just an excellent film about a historical Irish political figure or as I mentioned earlier a film about a turbulent point in Irish history. It’s an example of the greater ‘world conflict’ between what became the western bloc and the eastern bloc. Both sides in that grater conflict saw each other the same way the two sides in the Irish countryside of the 1930s saw each other. The ones that meant well and only wanted to better the situation for everyone including themselves inspired fear in those who had power and those who had the power inspired fear in those who meant well. This movie showed that not all political figures are evil … nor are all religious figures. It’s the individual or several individuals within those groups that are reluctant to change.
I would highly recommend this film. Regardless of the content it’s an excellent film. If this film is as good as most films made in Ireland, they definitely need to start exporting them on a grander scale. I’d give this film 4 out of 5 stars.
This is your friendly neighborhood photographer ‘The CameraMan’ and on behalf of my fellows at ‘Skewed & Reviewed’ I’d like to say thanks for reading and we’ll see you at the movies
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Doll House in Books
May 15, 2018
Slowly but surely, I’m getting caught up on my NetGalley reviews. (I’m waaaay behind.) This time around, I finished reading The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan. It’s a slow simmer with a bit of predictability and a lot of unnecessary information, but in the end, Morgan manages to redeem the book through fast-paced, constant action.
The plot is a bit all over the place for the majority of the book, but, like The Roanoke Girls, this seems to be a technique used to drive the story forward. That said, the chapters end with a bit of suspense before the jump to another character. (Also, it should be mentioned that I HATE how Morgan switches between first and third person.) Unfortunately, the first 80% of the book feel like a drag. There’s little to no action, with the most exciting parts being an apparent flashback to the antagonist’s past. The last little bit of the book picks up drastically, which was a nice relief from what came before.
I said earlier that it’s a slow burn, and The Doll House really is. Morgan leaves enough clues throughout the book that a reader can pick up on something awful culminating at the end, but its done in a manner that is simply alright. For instance, the conflict between Ashley and her husband is unnecessary. The title, The Doll House, is a bit of a misnomer because aside from a few parts of the house showing up and a few references to it, the dollhouse is very rarely mentioned. (Also, let’s take a moment here to point out that the dollhouse on the cover of the book is white and it’s made extremely clear that the actual dollhouse is pink. That would have been a simple photoshop fix.)
Now, the characters in The Doll House are really something else. Personally, my favorite is Ashley, the self-conscious, overweight mom of three whom I feel is quite realistically depicted. Corinne is more skittish than my Dad’s dog, which is pretty impressive. Which… it amazes me that she keeps her job with how much she calls out in the book alone. The male characters are alright, albeit apparently quite handsome. Andy is a pig, but you’d have to read the book to see why.
Overall, I didn’t hate or love this book to death. It’s a pretty solid three out of five, which is better than some of the other stuff I’ve read lately. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.
The plot is a bit all over the place for the majority of the book, but, like The Roanoke Girls, this seems to be a technique used to drive the story forward. That said, the chapters end with a bit of suspense before the jump to another character. (Also, it should be mentioned that I HATE how Morgan switches between first and third person.) Unfortunately, the first 80% of the book feel like a drag. There’s little to no action, with the most exciting parts being an apparent flashback to the antagonist’s past. The last little bit of the book picks up drastically, which was a nice relief from what came before.
I said earlier that it’s a slow burn, and The Doll House really is. Morgan leaves enough clues throughout the book that a reader can pick up on something awful culminating at the end, but its done in a manner that is simply alright. For instance, the conflict between Ashley and her husband is unnecessary. The title, The Doll House, is a bit of a misnomer because aside from a few parts of the house showing up and a few references to it, the dollhouse is very rarely mentioned. (Also, let’s take a moment here to point out that the dollhouse on the cover of the book is white and it’s made extremely clear that the actual dollhouse is pink. That would have been a simple photoshop fix.)
Now, the characters in The Doll House are really something else. Personally, my favorite is Ashley, the self-conscious, overweight mom of three whom I feel is quite realistically depicted. Corinne is more skittish than my Dad’s dog, which is pretty impressive. Which… it amazes me that she keeps her job with how much she calls out in the book alone. The male characters are alright, albeit apparently quite handsome. Andy is a pig, but you’d have to read the book to see why.
Overall, I didn’t hate or love this book to death. It’s a pretty solid three out of five, which is better than some of the other stuff I’ve read lately. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Ghostbusters (1984) in Movies
Apr 15, 2018
Stellar
A group of four armed with special proton packs come together to protect Manhattan from crazy supernatural forces that have taken hold of the city.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
In the opening scene, Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) is doing an ESP exercise with a couple. He's having them use their brain power to identify something from a card they can't see. He's clearly sweet on the girlfriend because he keeps giving her soft-lob answers while taking the boyfriend through hell. The scene is one of the best openers I've seen in a movie and is a clever, hilarious way to kick things off. It doesn't take long for you to fall in love with Murray's character.
Characters: 10
Without Venkman, the film doesn't exist period. He carries a lax, dry attitude while everyone else around him is freaking out and for good reason. He's not even close to being a scientist like his counterparts, but that's a strong reason for what makes the film so great. All four of the characters are unique and bring something different to the table. The supporting roles are also awesome, each providing their own quirky, unique flare.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Considering the film was made in 1984 (and special effects have greatly increased since then), I was pretty happy with the visuals throughout Ghostbusters. The ghosts are creative and original providing enough variety without being overly repetitive. This film put Slimer on the map, a disgusting green blob of a ghost that tries to devour everything in his path. Watching food pass from his mouth and through his body before exiting out the other end was a hilarious touch.
Oh, and can't forget about Stay Puft. Fun times watching that scene unfold.
Conflict: 10
Genre: 10
Memorability: 10
Pace: 10
Consistent blending of comedy and the paranormal helps maintain a healthy pace. The dialogue is so crisp and on point, it's hard to get bored as there is always something happening or something hilarious being said. Director Ivan Reitman even managed to take advantage of moments that would have otherwise been bland. The best example that comes to mind is the scene where they are riding up an elevator. Instead of just sitting around aimlessly, the group takes turns firing up their proton packs for the first time. One memorable scene among many.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
Overall: 100
Ghostbusters is an unforgettable ride from start to finish. It's one of those films you can watch over and over and it never gets old. A definite classic.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
In the opening scene, Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) is doing an ESP exercise with a couple. He's having them use their brain power to identify something from a card they can't see. He's clearly sweet on the girlfriend because he keeps giving her soft-lob answers while taking the boyfriend through hell. The scene is one of the best openers I've seen in a movie and is a clever, hilarious way to kick things off. It doesn't take long for you to fall in love with Murray's character.
Characters: 10
Without Venkman, the film doesn't exist period. He carries a lax, dry attitude while everyone else around him is freaking out and for good reason. He's not even close to being a scientist like his counterparts, but that's a strong reason for what makes the film so great. All four of the characters are unique and bring something different to the table. The supporting roles are also awesome, each providing their own quirky, unique flare.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Considering the film was made in 1984 (and special effects have greatly increased since then), I was pretty happy with the visuals throughout Ghostbusters. The ghosts are creative and original providing enough variety without being overly repetitive. This film put Slimer on the map, a disgusting green blob of a ghost that tries to devour everything in his path. Watching food pass from his mouth and through his body before exiting out the other end was a hilarious touch.
Oh, and can't forget about Stay Puft. Fun times watching that scene unfold.
Conflict: 10
Genre: 10
Memorability: 10
Pace: 10
Consistent blending of comedy and the paranormal helps maintain a healthy pace. The dialogue is so crisp and on point, it's hard to get bored as there is always something happening or something hilarious being said. Director Ivan Reitman even managed to take advantage of moments that would have otherwise been bland. The best example that comes to mind is the scene where they are riding up an elevator. Instead of just sitting around aimlessly, the group takes turns firing up their proton packs for the first time. One memorable scene among many.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
Overall: 100
Ghostbusters is an unforgettable ride from start to finish. It's one of those films you can watch over and over and it never gets old. A definite classic.
Jayme (18 KP) rated Turtles All The Way Down in Books
Apr 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 15, 2018)
Characters (3 more)
Plot
Accurate depiciton of mental illness
Didn't have an "easy" or cliche "fairytale" ending
I’ve been meaning to pick up a John Green book for a very long time, but it wasn’t until I heard good reviews of this book that I finally did. My initial thought after finishing the book is this: I now understand all the hype.
I read a great deal of YA fiction, but it is not very often that I finish the book feeling whole. Not because the ending was that of a fairy tale — John Green has a reputation for ensuring those endings don’t exist in his novels — but because the book was just so well-written. I feel as if many YA writers sit down to write books, but forget who their audience is. They are writing a much more washed out and juvenile version of what teenagers are actually like today. They are afraid to let their characters cuss or talk about sex, as if neither action actually exists among young adults. YA authors tend to stray away from the reality of teen behavior, but this book faced realities in a compelling way.
The novel follows Aza, a sixteen year old with an obsessive compulsive disorder, as she navigates the implications of her illness on her relationships with other people. Simultaneously, Aza and her best friend Daisy make it their mission to find Davis Pickett’s billionaire father wanted by the police, and it just so happens that Davis is an old friend of Aza’s from camp.
I appreciated the way the Aza, Daisy, and Davis (as well as the other secondary characters) were facing so many different conflicts (i.e. grief, financial classes, love, mental health, college decisions) at once, because that is exactly how the world works. Real teenagers do not fixate their lives on one specific conflict for extended periods of time, rather they balance several conflicts. I love the way this book was able to depict that struggle to maintain a balance in such a way that allowed readers to follow each plot line to the very end.
I loved the characterization, as they all felt tangible. Their mannerisms and tendancies were displayed through each appearance on the page. There was not a single moment in any interaction that made me feel as if the personalities of these characters were lost, not even in the dialogue (which was also incredible). This attention to detail is something that will drive me to pick up another John Green novel in the near future.
I read a great deal of YA fiction, but it is not very often that I finish the book feeling whole. Not because the ending was that of a fairy tale — John Green has a reputation for ensuring those endings don’t exist in his novels — but because the book was just so well-written. I feel as if many YA writers sit down to write books, but forget who their audience is. They are writing a much more washed out and juvenile version of what teenagers are actually like today. They are afraid to let their characters cuss or talk about sex, as if neither action actually exists among young adults. YA authors tend to stray away from the reality of teen behavior, but this book faced realities in a compelling way.
The novel follows Aza, a sixteen year old with an obsessive compulsive disorder, as she navigates the implications of her illness on her relationships with other people. Simultaneously, Aza and her best friend Daisy make it their mission to find Davis Pickett’s billionaire father wanted by the police, and it just so happens that Davis is an old friend of Aza’s from camp.
I appreciated the way the Aza, Daisy, and Davis (as well as the other secondary characters) were facing so many different conflicts (i.e. grief, financial classes, love, mental health, college decisions) at once, because that is exactly how the world works. Real teenagers do not fixate their lives on one specific conflict for extended periods of time, rather they balance several conflicts. I love the way this book was able to depict that struggle to maintain a balance in such a way that allowed readers to follow each plot line to the very end.
I loved the characterization, as they all felt tangible. Their mannerisms and tendancies were displayed through each appearance on the page. There was not a single moment in any interaction that made me feel as if the personalities of these characters were lost, not even in the dialogue (which was also incredible). This attention to detail is something that will drive me to pick up another John Green novel in the near future.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Thank You for Smoking (2006) in Movies
Apr 21, 2018
Solid Film
Thank You For Smoking centers around the life of Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart), chief spokesman for Big Tobacco as he tries to balance his crazy work life while being there for his son.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 8
The film gets off to a solid start. You immediately fall in love with Nick as he uses his charisma to talk a crazed mob down. He's defending smoking, something we've known all our lives to be bad. Watching him in action makes you wonder just how long he can keep it up.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 5
Conflict: 10
Nick is juggling a lot in his life, some of it self-induced. There are enough dominoes that could fall at any moment which is a part of what makes the film fun to watch. You're thinking, "Things have to go awry at some point." When they do, the film is even more exciting to watch as you're waiting to see how Nick is going to pull himself out of his mess.
Genre: 9
Memorability: 8
Some of the conversations had throughout, especially between Nick and his son, are priceless. I loved the scene where Nick is talking to his son's classmates explaining to them what exactly he does. Nick manages to turn the idea of arguing on its head. According to him, if you argue correctly, you can never be wrong. The film actually makes you question the morality of selling the "wrong" things.
One of my favorite scenes involves Nick's interaction with the old Marlboro Man, a man that turned his back on the tobacco industry. Nick arrives to give the man a payoff to keep quiet. The way he goes about it is just phenomenal.
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Lack of linearity helps to make the film successful. There's not much of an endgame here, but in this case, it keeps things fresh. It's not just one story, but a multitude of smaller stories within the film that make up its whole. It's a method that works well for this film.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 90
Thank You For Smoking is an eye-opening film that gives us a perspective from the view of the "bad guy". Is Nick Naylor actually a villain? Or is it merely that people want him to be the bad guy so they don't have to deal with the concept of free will and the bad decisions we make? It's always better when someone else can be the scapegoat. Great film.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 8
The film gets off to a solid start. You immediately fall in love with Nick as he uses his charisma to talk a crazed mob down. He's defending smoking, something we've known all our lives to be bad. Watching him in action makes you wonder just how long he can keep it up.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 5
Conflict: 10
Nick is juggling a lot in his life, some of it self-induced. There are enough dominoes that could fall at any moment which is a part of what makes the film fun to watch. You're thinking, "Things have to go awry at some point." When they do, the film is even more exciting to watch as you're waiting to see how Nick is going to pull himself out of his mess.
Genre: 9
Memorability: 8
Some of the conversations had throughout, especially between Nick and his son, are priceless. I loved the scene where Nick is talking to his son's classmates explaining to them what exactly he does. Nick manages to turn the idea of arguing on its head. According to him, if you argue correctly, you can never be wrong. The film actually makes you question the morality of selling the "wrong" things.
One of my favorite scenes involves Nick's interaction with the old Marlboro Man, a man that turned his back on the tobacco industry. Nick arrives to give the man a payoff to keep quiet. The way he goes about it is just phenomenal.
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Lack of linearity helps to make the film successful. There's not much of an endgame here, but in this case, it keeps things fresh. It's not just one story, but a multitude of smaller stories within the film that make up its whole. It's a method that works well for this film.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 90
Thank You For Smoking is an eye-opening film that gives us a perspective from the view of the "bad guy". Is Nick Naylor actually a villain? Or is it merely that people want him to be the bad guy so they don't have to deal with the concept of free will and the bad decisions we make? It's always better when someone else can be the scapegoat. Great film.