Death Tango
Book
In a Utopian twenty-third-century New York City, where corporations have replaced governments, AI...
Science Fiction Horror
Kathryn Bigelow: Interviews
Book
With her gripping film The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow (b. 1951) made history in 2010 by becoming...
Sarah (7798 KP) rated A Simple Favor (2018) in Movies
Sep 26, 2018
This film really can't decide what it is; dark comedy, thriller? It seems to seesaw between the two for the entire 2 hour run time, with very little success in either genre. There are a few funny-ish (I smiled a bit) parts but most of the humour is a little bit cheesy or niche. The thriller side too is very predictable, and most of the twists you can see coming a mile off - this almost feels like a second rate comedy rip off of Gone Girl. And then the final act just goes completely bonkers and ridiculous.
Anna Kendrick plays the same character she always does, and I've finally had enough as shes starting to grate on me. Some of the supporting actors like Andrew Rannells aren't given anywhere near enough screen time (loved him in Girls). The only one to come out of this film unscathed is Blake Lively. She's very charismatic and surprisingly endearing, despite her characters reputation and actions. I have to admit, I have a bit of a girl crush on her - id love to be able to dress like that at work!
For the most part, this film was pretty dull and predictable, and was only entertaining whenever Lively is on screen, which wasn't nearly often enough.
Grace is Gone
6.0
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Book
Intriguing characters and a storyline that suddenly throws everything in the air, I was completely...
Black-Eyed Susans
8.6
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Book
**THE TOP 5 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER** 'My book of the year so far. Breathtakingly, heart-stoppingly...
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated The Hiding Place / The Taking of Annie Thorne in Books
Jul 24, 2019
Returning to his childhood home; the former mining town of Arnhill has few attractive qualities; and some very upsetting memories for Joe. As we learn about Joe’s past; which is still very present in Arnhill we get a cross between a creepy mystery horror story and flat out crime thriller. Annie Thorne was Joe’s sister, she disappeared at age eight and reappeared 48 hours later but was somehow different….. When he receives a mysterious note suggesting that history is repeating itself in Arnhill he is drawn back.
It’s dark and twisty tale full of easily pictured characters. Joe himself is far from a reliable narrator and even his true motives are less than clear. The story is well written with some very high standard dialogue that really pulls you into the setting. I can imagine the supernatural nature may be a put off to those just out for a solid mystery thriller but I don’t think it’s too in your face creepy horror. In fact I could have gone for more delving into the history and supernatural origins side of things. The more standard mystery and thriller side of the book has some interesting twists and turns and I give the book a general bump for the high quality audio adaptation I experienced.
The Dark Lake
7.3
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Book
Rosalind's secrets didn't die with her. The lead homicide investigator in a rural town, Detective...
mystery thriller
Best Day Ever
8.7
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Book
Paul Strom has the perfect life: a glittering career as an advertising executive, a beautiful wife,...
fiction mystery thriller
Wish Upon (2017)
5.9
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Movie Watch
Twelve years after discovering her mother’s suicide, 17-year-old CLARE SHANNON (Joey King) is...
The Couple on Cedar Close (Detective Dan Riley, #2)
8.0
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Book
One sunny August afternoon, the residents of Cedar Close throw their annual summer barbecue....
Mystery Thriller Detective novel