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Awix (3310 KP) rated Hands of the Ripper (1971) in Movies
May 27, 2018 (Updated May 27, 2018)
Bring the Daughter; Have some Slaughter
Pretty decent Hammer horror melodrama set in a sort of grab-bag version of late Victorian London. Anna (Rees) grows up an orphan, little suspecting the identity of her father, or the fact that she seems to have inherited his compulsion to kill. An ambitious psychiatrist (Porter) takes her under his wing, believing he can help her with her little problem. (As ever, hubris comes before a gory comeuppance.) Meanwhile, Hammer whips up gallons of fake blood.
Not-bad production values and decent performances go a long way to make up for some fairly preposterous plotting; you get the classic Hammer sense of a traditional costume drama coupling energetically with a disreputable exploitation movie, with a good time had by all. On the one hand this is another tale of an improbably arrogant man whose specific area of brilliance doesn't stop him making a whole series of insanely bad decisions; on the other it is about the power of men to seriously screw up the lives of women in patriarchal societies (so perhaps still somewhat relevant). Film does an interesting little dance, too: are Anna's problems purely psychological or is she genuinely possessed by the spirit of the Ripper? Well put together, some interesting ideas, doesn't outstay its welcome - definitely worth a look if old British horror movies are your thing.
Not-bad production values and decent performances go a long way to make up for some fairly preposterous plotting; you get the classic Hammer sense of a traditional costume drama coupling energetically with a disreputable exploitation movie, with a good time had by all. On the one hand this is another tale of an improbably arrogant man whose specific area of brilliance doesn't stop him making a whole series of insanely bad decisions; on the other it is about the power of men to seriously screw up the lives of women in patriarchal societies (so perhaps still somewhat relevant). Film does an interesting little dance, too: are Anna's problems purely psychological or is she genuinely possessed by the spirit of the Ripper? Well put together, some interesting ideas, doesn't outstay its welcome - definitely worth a look if old British horror movies are your thing.
SunnyD (6 KP) rated Lady Bird (2017) in Movies
Jun 19, 2018
Not extraordinary
If you love the starting actress, Saoirse Ronan, and indie films, then this is a fairly good watch. Lady Bird's relationship with her mother is the main theme here. The two continuously butt heads. At first, Lady Bird says that her mother is hard on her because she loves her so much, but it later gets harder for Lady Bird to accept their rough relationship as she questions whether her mother loves her because she has to or if she actually likes Lady Bird as a person. Her mother struggles to maintain their relationship while keeping their household afloat financially, especially after her father is laid off from his job.
I liked that, in addition to the mother-daughter theme, Lady Bird goes through a journey of selfdiscovery that starts when she dates her first crush at her Catholic high school. Lady Bird learns more about herself and those closest to her with every decision that she makes.
The quality of the ending might be up for some debate. If you're looking for real closure here, you won't be getting one. Ultimately, what happens after Lady Bird gets to college is up to your interpretation. The only thing that leaves your mind at some peace is that Lady Bird seems to learn to be grateful for what she has been given in life.
I liked that, in addition to the mother-daughter theme, Lady Bird goes through a journey of selfdiscovery that starts when she dates her first crush at her Catholic high school. Lady Bird learns more about herself and those closest to her with every decision that she makes.
The quality of the ending might be up for some debate. If you're looking for real closure here, you won't be getting one. Ultimately, what happens after Lady Bird gets to college is up to your interpretation. The only thing that leaves your mind at some peace is that Lady Bird seems to learn to be grateful for what she has been given in life.
ClareR (6129 KP) rated The Queen Of Bloody Everything in Books
Sep 9, 2018
A challenging mother/ daughter relationship.
This starts in 1976 and really captures the feelings and experiences of someone growing up through the 1970s and 1980s in the UK. There are so many familiar cultural references: from Margaret Thatcher to Mivvi ice lollies.
I listened to this through Audible, and I think the narrator was exactly the right choice. Dido, the main character, starts off as a six year old in 1976. We follow her through a difficult childhood with her single, bohemian, hard and fast living mother, Edie, in a very conservative small town. There are times where I wondered who the adult actually was. There is no doubt that Dido loves her mother no matter how difficult she is, but it's also evident that she is largely responsible for the direction that Dido's life takes. Dido is mainly cared for by the Trevelyans, who she meets on the day she and her mother move in to the house left to Edie in her aunts will. Mrs Trevelyan is clearly disapproving of Edie (as are a lot of people in their small town). Dido attempts to become part of the Trevelyan family, and she does succeed in time.
I loved all of these characters and the way their lives played out, and I think the use of the first person narrative was really effective. A really lovely book.
I listened to this through Audible, and I think the narrator was exactly the right choice. Dido, the main character, starts off as a six year old in 1976. We follow her through a difficult childhood with her single, bohemian, hard and fast living mother, Edie, in a very conservative small town. There are times where I wondered who the adult actually was. There is no doubt that Dido loves her mother no matter how difficult she is, but it's also evident that she is largely responsible for the direction that Dido's life takes. Dido is mainly cared for by the Trevelyans, who she meets on the day she and her mother move in to the house left to Edie in her aunts will. Mrs Trevelyan is clearly disapproving of Edie (as are a lot of people in their small town). Dido attempts to become part of the Trevelyan family, and she does succeed in time.
I loved all of these characters and the way their lives played out, and I think the use of the first person narrative was really effective. A really lovely book.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated The Hate u Give in Books
Sep 15, 2018
Everyone needs to read this
Wow, what a stunning and unforgettable read/listen. I have been through a number of emotions with this book and most of those emotions have been extreme. This is a book of intense situations with tension pulling at the seams of the characters and therefore, the reader.
The protagonist, Starr, is as real as characters come, a black girl originally from The Projects, sent to a white, privledged school to try and protect her and her brother somewhat from danger. Her family and friends are more than background characters in this book and their connections are complicated. Starr finds herself in a situation that is heart-rending and there it all begins. The beginning of my tears, the beginning of my anger, the beginning of empathy so overwhelming. The emotional pain that Star experiences is utterly palpable; you cannot but help feel it.
The storytelling was exceptional with the ability to move from the profound to the ordinary and back seamlessly.
I don’t have eloquent words but I can recommend this to all and everyone, whatever genre you might normally read. This is for everyone. My daughter now has a copy, I am shoving it under my husband’s nose.
I listened to this on audio and the narration was superb in every way, bringing emotions to life.
Read it.
The protagonist, Starr, is as real as characters come, a black girl originally from The Projects, sent to a white, privledged school to try and protect her and her brother somewhat from danger. Her family and friends are more than background characters in this book and their connections are complicated. Starr finds herself in a situation that is heart-rending and there it all begins. The beginning of my tears, the beginning of my anger, the beginning of empathy so overwhelming. The emotional pain that Star experiences is utterly palpable; you cannot but help feel it.
The storytelling was exceptional with the ability to move from the profound to the ordinary and back seamlessly.
I don’t have eloquent words but I can recommend this to all and everyone, whatever genre you might normally read. This is for everyone. My daughter now has a copy, I am shoving it under my husband’s nose.
I listened to this on audio and the narration was superb in every way, bringing emotions to life.
Read it.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2530 KP) rated Reason to Doubt in Books
Nov 14, 2018
Plenty of Reasons to Read This Book
Radio reporter Carol Childs's daughter, Cate, is home for the summer, and she's brought a boyfriend with her. Pete makes his living as a photographer, and the police begin to suspect him of being the Model Slayer, a serial killer who has been claiming victims in the Los Angeles area for the past several months. Cate insists that Pete is innocent, and Carol doesn't find him a compelling suspect either, but then a phone call at the station sheds new light on the case. Is Pete innocent? Can Carol figure out who the killer really is?
The premise of this entry in the series intrigued me, and it didn't disappoint at all. This case becomes very personal for Carol for a couple of reasons, and that helped drive the plot. We got plenty of twists before reaching a page turning climax. The plot also brings out a different side of Carol, which I enjoyed seeing. The characters are all strong, and I loved seeing how Carol's love life progressed. The series straddles the line between cozy and traditional, and the subject matter here makes this book no exception. Just know that going in, and you'll be fine. Once you start, you'll definitely be hooked and turning pages as quickly as you can.
The premise of this entry in the series intrigued me, and it didn't disappoint at all. This case becomes very personal for Carol for a couple of reasons, and that helped drive the plot. We got plenty of twists before reaching a page turning climax. The plot also brings out a different side of Carol, which I enjoyed seeing. The characters are all strong, and I loved seeing how Carol's love life progressed. The series straddles the line between cozy and traditional, and the subject matter here makes this book no exception. Just know that going in, and you'll be fine. Once you start, you'll definitely be hooked and turning pages as quickly as you can.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated The Greatest Showman (2017) in Movies
Nov 25, 2018
A truly remarkable original modern musical classic!
I'm sure by now I am the only person in the world who hadn't seen The Greatest Showman until tonight. It was very much worth the wait.
The songs, look, art direction, make up, costumes, sets and cinematography were the true stars along with fantastic, mesmerizing performances by the entire cast. I was worried about Zac Efron, but he really held his own and I forgot about his High School Musical days. It was also surprising to see Michelle Williams in this type of role since I am used to seeing her in heavy dramas where she nearly never smiles. That was a pleasant surprise also.
Have to mention Hugh Jackman, a role he was born to play. He has to be the only actor who can command such a presence in gritty action films and charismatic characters like this one.
I could've done without the CGI lions and elephants since they did not look realistic and kind of took you out of those moments but a minor complaint.
The plot is certainly one from a musical meaning non super complicated or in-depth, maybe a little cheesy; however, it didn't bother me in this case.
I'm sure I'll be humming these songs for some time to come and watching it again with my daughter soon.
The songs, look, art direction, make up, costumes, sets and cinematography were the true stars along with fantastic, mesmerizing performances by the entire cast. I was worried about Zac Efron, but he really held his own and I forgot about his High School Musical days. It was also surprising to see Michelle Williams in this type of role since I am used to seeing her in heavy dramas where she nearly never smiles. That was a pleasant surprise also.
Have to mention Hugh Jackman, a role he was born to play. He has to be the only actor who can command such a presence in gritty action films and charismatic characters like this one.
I could've done without the CGI lions and elephants since they did not look realistic and kind of took you out of those moments but a minor complaint.
The plot is certainly one from a musical meaning non super complicated or in-depth, maybe a little cheesy; however, it didn't bother me in this case.
I'm sure I'll be humming these songs for some time to come and watching it again with my daughter soon.
Cori June (3033 KP) rated The Wolf and the Rain in Books
Dec 3, 2018
Voluntary honest review after receiving a free ARC.
An excellent book and fun read, if a bit of a bumpy beginning. It takes a little time to get into it.
After a collapse of civilization due to climate change. The North and South of a country has split into opposites. Divided by a heavily militarized border. The North is chaos and almost anarchy where the only authority are the elite compounds or the gangs there are many ways to die in the harsh living conditions. The people are ruled by superstition and fear. Most of the citizens are illiterate and disease is rampant, even if you go to a "stitcher" it is just as risky or riskier as doing nothing. In the South there is order and an almost totalitarian society where the government uses science and logic asking for complete obedience in return. And that you fill out a form for almost everything, even when choosing a sexual partner.
Samarra (Sam) is the main character. She has made a new home in the North after escaping from the South. She has a job as a carrier to one of the compounds that inhabit the North. Felling guilty about taking the place of a former teammate and daughter of a friend. She becomes obsessed with trying to find out what happened to the missing (possibly dead) girl.
An excellent book and fun read, if a bit of a bumpy beginning. It takes a little time to get into it.
After a collapse of civilization due to climate change. The North and South of a country has split into opposites. Divided by a heavily militarized border. The North is chaos and almost anarchy where the only authority are the elite compounds or the gangs there are many ways to die in the harsh living conditions. The people are ruled by superstition and fear. Most of the citizens are illiterate and disease is rampant, even if you go to a "stitcher" it is just as risky or riskier as doing nothing. In the South there is order and an almost totalitarian society where the government uses science and logic asking for complete obedience in return. And that you fill out a form for almost everything, even when choosing a sexual partner.
Samarra (Sam) is the main character. She has made a new home in the North after escaping from the South. She has a job as a carrier to one of the compounds that inhabit the North. Felling guilty about taking the place of a former teammate and daughter of a friend. She becomes obsessed with trying to find out what happened to the missing (possibly dead) girl.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated The Hate u Give in Books
Jan 28, 2019
Everyone needs to read this
Wow, what a stunning and unforgettable read/listen. I have been through a number of emotions with this book and most of those emotions have been extreme. This is a book of intense situations with tension pulling at the seams of the characters and therefore, the reader.
The protagonist, Starr, is as real as characters come, a black girl originally from The Projects, sent to a white, privledged school to try and protect her and her brother somewhat from danger. Her family and friends are more than background characters in this book and their connections are complicated. Starr finds herself in a situation that is heart-rending and there it all begins. The beginning of my tears, the beginning of my anger, the beginning of empathy so overwhelming. The emotional pain that Star experiences is utterly palpable; you cannot but help feel it.
The storytelling was exceptional with the ability to move from the profound to the ordinary and back seamlessly.
I don’t have eloquent words but I can recommend this to all and everyone, whatever genre you might normally read. This is for everyone. My daughter now has a copy, I am shoving it under my husband’s nose.
I listened to this on audio and the narration was superb in every way, bringing emotions to life.
Read it.
The protagonist, Starr, is as real as characters come, a black girl originally from The Projects, sent to a white, privledged school to try and protect her and her brother somewhat from danger. Her family and friends are more than background characters in this book and their connections are complicated. Starr finds herself in a situation that is heart-rending and there it all begins. The beginning of my tears, the beginning of my anger, the beginning of empathy so overwhelming. The emotional pain that Star experiences is utterly palpable; you cannot but help feel it.
The storytelling was exceptional with the ability to move from the profound to the ordinary and back seamlessly.
I don’t have eloquent words but I can recommend this to all and everyone, whatever genre you might normally read. This is for everyone. My daughter now has a copy, I am shoving it under my husband’s nose.
I listened to this on audio and the narration was superb in every way, bringing emotions to life.
Read it.
I love Stephanie Laurens' book, especially the Cynster series. This latest offering is part of said series, but forms the final part of the Cynster sisters trilogy, which between them have a story all of their own. If you haven't read any of the earlier Cynster books,that's not too much of a problem, but you should read the three Cynster sisters books in the proper order to see parts of the plot unveiled as they should be!
Following from Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue (Heather's story) and In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster (no prizes for guessing the heroine of that one!) this is the story of Angelica the youngest daughter of Lord Martin & Celia Cynster and sister of Gabriel and Lucifer.
The book has excitement, adventure, passion and lots of tall handsome males practically oozing testosterone - what's not to like?! I was looking forward to this volume and having the whole mystery cleared up and this was a clever, imaginative idea. Over the three books it's been great to see so many other members of the Cynster family, with a few Bastion Club and Black Cobra members thrown in for good measure! I love the feeling of continuity this gives to Laurens' world.
I think we have a hint that we may have more to come with the Cynster ladies - I for one can't wait!
Following from Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue (Heather's story) and In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster (no prizes for guessing the heroine of that one!) this is the story of Angelica the youngest daughter of Lord Martin & Celia Cynster and sister of Gabriel and Lucifer.
The book has excitement, adventure, passion and lots of tall handsome males practically oozing testosterone - what's not to like?! I was looking forward to this volume and having the whole mystery cleared up and this was a clever, imaginative idea. Over the three books it's been great to see so many other members of the Cynster family, with a few Bastion Club and Black Cobra members thrown in for good measure! I love the feeling of continuity this gives to Laurens' world.
I think we have a hint that we may have more to come with the Cynster ladies - I for one can't wait!
Sam (228 KP) rated Aladdin (2019) in Movies
Oct 20, 2019 (Updated Oct 20, 2019)
Grows On You
I have very mixed feelings about this film. When I first started watching I hated all of it, the costumes were childlike, the acting mediocre, and the music didnt not transition well throughout the film.
So I watched it a second time with my newborn daughter (she likes musicals and I had nothing else in the house). She fell asleep instantly but that's beside the point. The second time watching I started to enjpy the music a little bit more, the transitions were terrible but the music itself wasn't bad. The acting also didnt seem as bad though I began to notice that Will Smith overshadowed the main characters as his acting alone read to be far superior. He dominated majority of the scenes, which wasn't a bad thing as he seemed to be the only one going above and beyond.
However I'm sad to say that even as the film proves to grow on you little by little I'd still have to say that it read to be more of a Disney Channel Movie rather than an actual Big Picture Film. Certainly didn't hold to the quality or standard that Disney demands of it's Main Features, especially one of the one's meant to be a part of their Princess Film Collection.
So I watched it a second time with my newborn daughter (she likes musicals and I had nothing else in the house). She fell asleep instantly but that's beside the point. The second time watching I started to enjpy the music a little bit more, the transitions were terrible but the music itself wasn't bad. The acting also didnt seem as bad though I began to notice that Will Smith overshadowed the main characters as his acting alone read to be far superior. He dominated majority of the scenes, which wasn't a bad thing as he seemed to be the only one going above and beyond.
However I'm sad to say that even as the film proves to grow on you little by little I'd still have to say that it read to be more of a Disney Channel Movie rather than an actual Big Picture Film. Certainly didn't hold to the quality or standard that Disney demands of it's Main Features, especially one of the one's meant to be a part of their Princess Film Collection.