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JT (287 KP) rated Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
As an action connoisseur I know what I like. I’m easily pleased and not overly bothered by plot. It doesn’t always have to make sense, and set pieces can be incoherently over the top. This is why Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw is so enjoyable.
It’s clear to see that out of the franchise’s many characters Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) have been by far the most entertaining. Johnson arrived in Fast & Furious 5 as the agent tasked with capturing Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew, while Statham’s debut was via a mid-credits scene during Fast & Furious 6 which connected to Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift.
What carries the film through the odd bump here and there is the chemistry between Johnson and Statham. They are not pleased at having to work together in order to locate a deadly virus called ‘Snowflake’. The pair engage in a number of funny put-downs and quips that start to build a love hate relationship. By the end of the film it’s pretty much guaranteed they are going to be back for a sequel.
Fast & Furious is well known for pushing boundaries when it comes to action sequences and this installment continues the trend. From running down a high-rise building to a chase through the streets of London, culminating with a totally bonkers helicopter finale that must be seen to be believed. The fight scenes are well choreographed and slick, all catering to the actor in question, with a vast array of objects at hand to be used as lethal weapons.
Idris Elba‘s Brixton Lore is an admirable villain. With built in cybernetic augmentations he has a spidey sense that is second to none. But he doesn’t get the screen time he deserves and his back story feels rushed. That said, his motorbike has a distinct Transformers feel about it and not surprisingly it emanates a familiar sound during a high speed pursuit.
What carries the film through the odd bump here and there is the chemistry between Johnson and Statham.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, there are a couple of great cameos thrown which actually work quite well [we won’t spoil them]. Helen Mirren pops up as Queenie, the matriarch of the Shaw family and Deckard’s sister Hattie (Vanessa Kirby) has an integral role to play.
Whatever you might think of the franchise or how tired it has become, there is no getting away from the fact that it has made a shed load of money. Things certainly don’t look like slowing down either, with the release of Fast & Furious 9 due out next year – although it could be minus this dynamic duo.
It’s clear to see that out of the franchise’s many characters Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) have been by far the most entertaining. Johnson arrived in Fast & Furious 5 as the agent tasked with capturing Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew, while Statham’s debut was via a mid-credits scene during Fast & Furious 6 which connected to Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift.
What carries the film through the odd bump here and there is the chemistry between Johnson and Statham. They are not pleased at having to work together in order to locate a deadly virus called ‘Snowflake’. The pair engage in a number of funny put-downs and quips that start to build a love hate relationship. By the end of the film it’s pretty much guaranteed they are going to be back for a sequel.
Fast & Furious is well known for pushing boundaries when it comes to action sequences and this installment continues the trend. From running down a high-rise building to a chase through the streets of London, culminating with a totally bonkers helicopter finale that must be seen to be believed. The fight scenes are well choreographed and slick, all catering to the actor in question, with a vast array of objects at hand to be used as lethal weapons.
Idris Elba‘s Brixton Lore is an admirable villain. With built in cybernetic augmentations he has a spidey sense that is second to none. But he doesn’t get the screen time he deserves and his back story feels rushed. That said, his motorbike has a distinct Transformers feel about it and not surprisingly it emanates a familiar sound during a high speed pursuit.
What carries the film through the odd bump here and there is the chemistry between Johnson and Statham.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, there are a couple of great cameos thrown which actually work quite well [we won’t spoil them]. Helen Mirren pops up as Queenie, the matriarch of the Shaw family and Deckard’s sister Hattie (Vanessa Kirby) has an integral role to play.
Whatever you might think of the franchise or how tired it has become, there is no getting away from the fact that it has made a shed load of money. Things certainly don’t look like slowing down either, with the release of Fast & Furious 9 due out next year – although it could be minus this dynamic duo.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Witch (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Based on New England folklore, Robert Eggers brings us his debut film The With.
William (Ralph Ineson) and Katherine (Kate Dickie) are the parents of five children living in 1630 New England. This God-fearing family has become dissatisfied with how their town chose to live by the word of God. William hopes to promote change in the town, instead he causes his family to be banished left only to find a patch of land bordered by dark dense woods to call home. Luckily they have Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) the eldest daughter who is in charge of looking after her younger siblings. A pre teen Caleb, unruly twins Mercy and Jonas and baby Samuel along with all of the household chores. Newborn Samuel has fate working against him when he suddenly disappears during an afternoon round of peekaboo.
The family is left heartbroken. With no sign of Samuel’s return William declares that this must have been the act of a wolf. Thomasin’s siblings soon become suspicious that this was not the work of a wolf, that she has to have succumbed to the malevolent forces of witchcraft. Mercy has also claimed that she and her twin brother have been conversing with their goat Black Phillip one would assume only jokingly from children. There might just be something darker going on. As the days progress and their crops continue to fail, tensions between the family grow. Things start to go bump in the night making the situation more oppressive each day.
This film is described as a horror genre film, after screening it though I felt it lean more towards a psychological thriller. When asked what films inspired The Witch Robert Eggers mentioned Stephen King’s The Shinning which to me really shines through the film. Most importantly the film is based on actual historical accounts of witchcraft in a time where men feared a woman’s power and sexuality. In my opinion the horror in it is the unknown, because even though you don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I suppose it can be viewed as both horror and psychological.
Paying close attention to detail Eggers’ immerses the audience into 1630 New England. It’s hard to believe that it was filmed in Canada and not New England because of how accurate every little detail is from the hand stitched costumes to the intricacies of the dialogue. Perhaps this can be credited to his former career as a production designer and costume designer. The music alone adds the perfect amount of horror to make those hairs on the back of your neck stand up. This film is an excellent portrait of amazing filmmaking and horrific historical folklore.
William (Ralph Ineson) and Katherine (Kate Dickie) are the parents of five children living in 1630 New England. This God-fearing family has become dissatisfied with how their town chose to live by the word of God. William hopes to promote change in the town, instead he causes his family to be banished left only to find a patch of land bordered by dark dense woods to call home. Luckily they have Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) the eldest daughter who is in charge of looking after her younger siblings. A pre teen Caleb, unruly twins Mercy and Jonas and baby Samuel along with all of the household chores. Newborn Samuel has fate working against him when he suddenly disappears during an afternoon round of peekaboo.
The family is left heartbroken. With no sign of Samuel’s return William declares that this must have been the act of a wolf. Thomasin’s siblings soon become suspicious that this was not the work of a wolf, that she has to have succumbed to the malevolent forces of witchcraft. Mercy has also claimed that she and her twin brother have been conversing with their goat Black Phillip one would assume only jokingly from children. There might just be something darker going on. As the days progress and their crops continue to fail, tensions between the family grow. Things start to go bump in the night making the situation more oppressive each day.
This film is described as a horror genre film, after screening it though I felt it lean more towards a psychological thriller. When asked what films inspired The Witch Robert Eggers mentioned Stephen King’s The Shinning which to me really shines through the film. Most importantly the film is based on actual historical accounts of witchcraft in a time where men feared a woman’s power and sexuality. In my opinion the horror in it is the unknown, because even though you don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I suppose it can be viewed as both horror and psychological.
Paying close attention to detail Eggers’ immerses the audience into 1630 New England. It’s hard to believe that it was filmed in Canada and not New England because of how accurate every little detail is from the hand stitched costumes to the intricacies of the dialogue. Perhaps this can be credited to his former career as a production designer and costume designer. The music alone adds the perfect amount of horror to make those hairs on the back of your neck stand up. This film is an excellent portrait of amazing filmmaking and horrific historical folklore.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Friended To Death (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Actress turned filmmaker Sarah Smick might well be the next Nicole Sullivan should fortune smile upon her. Not many people will have seen her debut film, Old Souls, but if Friended to Death is any indication, she shows that she has the chops to create satire. Although her second film is not entirely perfect, it shows that she does have a lot to say in a screenplay that examines friendship in the real life sense.
Ryan Hansen (Zach McGowan, Veronica Mars) is a terrific actor, and he plays the perfect narcissistic jerk. As Michael Harris, he’s unsympathetic to everyone he knows, including his new mate Emil (Zach McGowan, Shameless) whom he treats poorly.
Harris is more obsessive with telling his Facebook friends what is going on in his day-to-day life. But when he gets fired from his job as a traffic cop, just what does he do next? He definitely does not go crying to his mom about it. Instead, he hatches a plot to fake his death (with the help of Emil) and look online to see who will miss him.
No one. This movie is not about saying how terrible and unsympathetic people are. Instead, it reveals that one can not treat social media as the end all be all of how relationships are defined. The screenplay is well thought out to show a hyperbole of extremes. Harris is more obsessed with what is said online than in person. At the same time, Harris does not realize that Emil is helping him despite his many reservations. He does not realize that he does have a friend who is doing his best to pull that stick out of Harris’ ass, but the further in it goes, more problems arises.
However, social media has its uses. It has a purpose in the world of business, but in society, that’s another question. When Harris uses it as his lifeblood and measure of his worth, maybe what he needs is a reality check (with perhaps a sociologist/psychologist to treat him).
The underlying themes of what this film examines is great, but sadly the execution is hit and miss. Unless viewers can actually care for the protagonist, the reason to continue watching will depend on either wanting to see how Harris’ life will pan out or wondering who the comely women in red (Sarah Smick) is involved in this plot. As Sylvie, this woman has a beef to settle with Harris, and to watch how that pans out is almost as nutty as watching an episode of MadTV. This subplot actually carries this movie a lot more, and it has all the meat to make watching this movie all the more interesting.
Ryan Hansen (Zach McGowan, Veronica Mars) is a terrific actor, and he plays the perfect narcissistic jerk. As Michael Harris, he’s unsympathetic to everyone he knows, including his new mate Emil (Zach McGowan, Shameless) whom he treats poorly.
Harris is more obsessive with telling his Facebook friends what is going on in his day-to-day life. But when he gets fired from his job as a traffic cop, just what does he do next? He definitely does not go crying to his mom about it. Instead, he hatches a plot to fake his death (with the help of Emil) and look online to see who will miss him.
No one. This movie is not about saying how terrible and unsympathetic people are. Instead, it reveals that one can not treat social media as the end all be all of how relationships are defined. The screenplay is well thought out to show a hyperbole of extremes. Harris is more obsessed with what is said online than in person. At the same time, Harris does not realize that Emil is helping him despite his many reservations. He does not realize that he does have a friend who is doing his best to pull that stick out of Harris’ ass, but the further in it goes, more problems arises.
However, social media has its uses. It has a purpose in the world of business, but in society, that’s another question. When Harris uses it as his lifeblood and measure of his worth, maybe what he needs is a reality check (with perhaps a sociologist/psychologist to treat him).
The underlying themes of what this film examines is great, but sadly the execution is hit and miss. Unless viewers can actually care for the protagonist, the reason to continue watching will depend on either wanting to see how Harris’ life will pan out or wondering who the comely women in red (Sarah Smick) is involved in this plot. As Sylvie, this woman has a beef to settle with Harris, and to watch how that pans out is almost as nutty as watching an episode of MadTV. This subplot actually carries this movie a lot more, and it has all the meat to make watching this movie all the more interesting.
City Centre
Simon J. Halliday and Clive Woodward
Book
Simon Halliday has tackled everything that life has thrown at him, be it on the rugby field, or in...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Promising Young Woman (2020) in Movies
Apr 10, 2021
Powerful
Emerald Fennell’s feature length motion picture Directing debut, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, is a difficult film to categorize. Is it a Dark Comedy? A RomCom? A family drama? A portrait of a character’s descent? A hard critique of sexism and sexual predators? A revenge fantasy?
The answer is - it is ALL of these and thanks to a wonderful script (by Fennell), strong Direction (again, by Ferrell) and a terrific, Oscar-worthy performance in the lead role (by Carey Mulligan) it is a very effective, very powerful film.
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN tells the tale of Cassandra who we are introduced to at a bar, obviously drunk, getting picked up (and taken advantage of) by a “nice guy” at the bar. Once back at his place, it is clear that she is NOT drunk and she confronts the “nice guy”.
To say anything else would spoil this wonderful film.
At the center of this film is Carey Mulligan (deservedly) Oscar nominated turn as Cassandra. This is a tortured soul who is looking for some sort of catharsis from a previous trauma and seeks various ways to achieve this. You see an intelligence and sadness in Cassandra at every turn and Mulligan’s performance seemed rooted in reality and was, ultimately, an effective, chillingly and (yes) sad character brought to life. It is the type of performance that I will be rooting for in the Oscar race, it’s that good.
Most of the other characters in this film fleet in and out of Cassandra’s life but all are strong performances, seemingly willing to bring their “A” game to match Mulligan’s performance and the strong script. Kudos to Jennifer Coolidge, Alison Brie, Laverne Cox, Bo Burnham, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (yes, a McLovin’ sighting!), Alfred Molina, Moly Shannon, Connie Britton and, especially, the great Clancy Brown. They all enhanced the film with their performances, working off of Mulligan effectively.
But, credit to all of this must go to Writer/Director Emerald Fennell (probably best known for playing Camilla Parker Bowles in THE CROWN) who's script is smart and thought-provoking and who’s Direction is crisp and sure. She clearly had a certain type of film in her head - the type of film that does not easily lend itself to definition/classification and packs a powerful punch at it’s conclusion. Without spoiling anything, she “ups her game” at the end of this film and I sat in thoughtful silence as the end credits ran.
Fennell is up for the Oscar for both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay and I, for one, would vote for her Screenplay hands-down.
An intriguing film that is sticking with me a few days later…always a mark of quality.
Letter Grade: A
9 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
The answer is - it is ALL of these and thanks to a wonderful script (by Fennell), strong Direction (again, by Ferrell) and a terrific, Oscar-worthy performance in the lead role (by Carey Mulligan) it is a very effective, very powerful film.
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN tells the tale of Cassandra who we are introduced to at a bar, obviously drunk, getting picked up (and taken advantage of) by a “nice guy” at the bar. Once back at his place, it is clear that she is NOT drunk and she confronts the “nice guy”.
To say anything else would spoil this wonderful film.
At the center of this film is Carey Mulligan (deservedly) Oscar nominated turn as Cassandra. This is a tortured soul who is looking for some sort of catharsis from a previous trauma and seeks various ways to achieve this. You see an intelligence and sadness in Cassandra at every turn and Mulligan’s performance seemed rooted in reality and was, ultimately, an effective, chillingly and (yes) sad character brought to life. It is the type of performance that I will be rooting for in the Oscar race, it’s that good.
Most of the other characters in this film fleet in and out of Cassandra’s life but all are strong performances, seemingly willing to bring their “A” game to match Mulligan’s performance and the strong script. Kudos to Jennifer Coolidge, Alison Brie, Laverne Cox, Bo Burnham, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (yes, a McLovin’ sighting!), Alfred Molina, Moly Shannon, Connie Britton and, especially, the great Clancy Brown. They all enhanced the film with their performances, working off of Mulligan effectively.
But, credit to all of this must go to Writer/Director Emerald Fennell (probably best known for playing Camilla Parker Bowles in THE CROWN) who's script is smart and thought-provoking and who’s Direction is crisp and sure. She clearly had a certain type of film in her head - the type of film that does not easily lend itself to definition/classification and packs a powerful punch at it’s conclusion. Without spoiling anything, she “ups her game” at the end of this film and I sat in thoughtful silence as the end credits ran.
Fennell is up for the Oscar for both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay and I, for one, would vote for her Screenplay hands-down.
An intriguing film that is sticking with me a few days later…always a mark of quality.
Letter Grade: A
9 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Bo Burnham recommended Raw (2017) in Movies (curated)
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Gather the Daughters in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The first thing which attracted me to this book, was the cover; I think it’s absolutely stunning and incredibly mysterious. The second reason why I picked it up, was the blurb; cult on an island, I was absolutely intrigued with this, and it absolutely drawn me in once I started it.
This book absolutely hooked me with its diverse and complex characters. This novel is told by children, sharing different perspectives of the events happening in the book, and beautifully opening up their personalities and feelings. I loved how Melamed is giving insight into different lives, first of children, and then how it feels, once you are forced into adulthood. There is a great variety of characters to choose from, and everyone will be able to find their favourite. My favourite one was Janey, I absolutely loved her strength and her wish to do something, to change the lives of young girls. All the characters are carrying so much pain and sadness that it literary breaks your heart while reading the book. That’s why, if you are sensitive towards child abuse and incest, you might want to skip this one.
The plot of this book was incredibly well thought through and very amusing. Melamed’s experience with traumatised children was shining through in this novel. The whole narrative travels through seasons, starting in spring and finishing in spring again. Every season brought in different stories and different feelings. I really enjoyed the creative twists and turns in this novel, which made it more enticing and didn’t leave me bored. The topics discussed in this book are endless; every girl shared the issue they were facing, that’s why this book is really fascinating and intriguing. Even though this is a work of fiction, there are some of the described things still happening in this world. For example, child marriage and abusing children as soon as they hit puberty, is still a common practice in South Asia and Middle East, and is absolutely horrifying.
The writing style of this novel is gorgeous and I absolutely loved it. The chapters are decent length and didn’t make me bored while reading. The ending of the book rounded up everything really nicely, leaving me satisfied, but questioning at the same time. I think it is absolutely stunning debut of Melamed and I will be looking forward to read more of her books. So, to conclude, this is a very dark and sorrowful novel filled with complex family relations and children, who want to be children as long as they can. I do strongly recommend this book and I hope people find it as fascinating, as I did.
Was given this book by publisher for honest review.
This book absolutely hooked me with its diverse and complex characters. This novel is told by children, sharing different perspectives of the events happening in the book, and beautifully opening up their personalities and feelings. I loved how Melamed is giving insight into different lives, first of children, and then how it feels, once you are forced into adulthood. There is a great variety of characters to choose from, and everyone will be able to find their favourite. My favourite one was Janey, I absolutely loved her strength and her wish to do something, to change the lives of young girls. All the characters are carrying so much pain and sadness that it literary breaks your heart while reading the book. That’s why, if you are sensitive towards child abuse and incest, you might want to skip this one.
The plot of this book was incredibly well thought through and very amusing. Melamed’s experience with traumatised children was shining through in this novel. The whole narrative travels through seasons, starting in spring and finishing in spring again. Every season brought in different stories and different feelings. I really enjoyed the creative twists and turns in this novel, which made it more enticing and didn’t leave me bored. The topics discussed in this book are endless; every girl shared the issue they were facing, that’s why this book is really fascinating and intriguing. Even though this is a work of fiction, there are some of the described things still happening in this world. For example, child marriage and abusing children as soon as they hit puberty, is still a common practice in South Asia and Middle East, and is absolutely horrifying.
The writing style of this novel is gorgeous and I absolutely loved it. The chapters are decent length and didn’t make me bored while reading. The ending of the book rounded up everything really nicely, leaving me satisfied, but questioning at the same time. I think it is absolutely stunning debut of Melamed and I will be looking forward to read more of her books. So, to conclude, this is a very dark and sorrowful novel filled with complex family relations and children, who want to be children as long as they can. I do strongly recommend this book and I hope people find it as fascinating, as I did.
Was given this book by publisher for honest review.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Same Old - Single by SHY Martin in Music
Jun 25, 2019
SHY Martin (Sara Hjellström) is a singer-songwriter raised in the small town of Lerdala, Sweden. Not too long ago, she released a lyric video for her “Same Old” single.
“My whole life changed after I moved. I lived the dream he’d always supported, and I got to see the world we’d both dreamt of. For a long time, I thought I wasn’t allowed to be hurt or miss him because I was the one who left. Today, I know that sometimes it’s just as hard to be the one who has to leave, if not harder.” – SHY Martin
‘Same Old’ tells an elegant tale which touches on a bittersweet personal story of SHY Martin.
Apparently, not too long ago, she moved away to music school, and in doing so, she had to break up with a supportive lost love.
‘Same Old’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and lavish instrumentation scented with an electro-pop aroma.
Also, the Hampus Hjellström-directed audiovisual showcases moments from SHY Martin’s recent European tour.
‘Same Old’ follows the April release of SHY’s “Out of My Hands” single. Also, the likable tune follows in the success of her debut EP, entitled, “Overthinking”, which has amassed a collective 100M+ Spotify streams.
The impactful EP was driven by the singles “Forget To Forget”, “Good Together”, and “Just A Little Longer”.
Not too long ago, SHY established herself as a songwriter, which led to a co-write and feature vocals on Mike Perry’s “The Ocean” single.
SHY Martin recorded the vocals in one-take in her home wardrobe after a tonsil operation. She wrote the song with longtime Swedish songwriting partner, SHY Nodi, whom she has written several other songs with.
The track won Spotify Sweden’s Most Streamed Song of the Year with a groundbreaking 550M+ streams.
Since then, Martin’s songwriting catalog has gone on to generate 2.5 billion Spotify streams.
Her credits include “First Time” by Kygo ft. Ellie Goulding, “(Not) The One” by Bebe Rexha, “All We Know” by The Chainsmokers, “I Wanna Know” by NOTD (ft. Bea Miller), as well as songs for Jess Glynne, Astrid S, and ALMA, among others.
“I was never good at talking about my feelings so I wrote them down instead. When I felt sad, me and my mum wrote letters to each other about it. So expressing myself through songs came pretty naturally for me.” – SHY Martin
SHY Martin began writing songs and poetry in her youth as a means of self-expression. After winning a music contest at her school at age 17, she signed with EMI for a period though ultimately decided to go independent.
Recently, she just wrapped up her first European headline tour, which traversed 14 cities.
“My whole life changed after I moved. I lived the dream he’d always supported, and I got to see the world we’d both dreamt of. For a long time, I thought I wasn’t allowed to be hurt or miss him because I was the one who left. Today, I know that sometimes it’s just as hard to be the one who has to leave, if not harder.” – SHY Martin
‘Same Old’ tells an elegant tale which touches on a bittersweet personal story of SHY Martin.
Apparently, not too long ago, she moved away to music school, and in doing so, she had to break up with a supportive lost love.
‘Same Old’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and lavish instrumentation scented with an electro-pop aroma.
Also, the Hampus Hjellström-directed audiovisual showcases moments from SHY Martin’s recent European tour.
‘Same Old’ follows the April release of SHY’s “Out of My Hands” single. Also, the likable tune follows in the success of her debut EP, entitled, “Overthinking”, which has amassed a collective 100M+ Spotify streams.
The impactful EP was driven by the singles “Forget To Forget”, “Good Together”, and “Just A Little Longer”.
Not too long ago, SHY established herself as a songwriter, which led to a co-write and feature vocals on Mike Perry’s “The Ocean” single.
SHY Martin recorded the vocals in one-take in her home wardrobe after a tonsil operation. She wrote the song with longtime Swedish songwriting partner, SHY Nodi, whom she has written several other songs with.
The track won Spotify Sweden’s Most Streamed Song of the Year with a groundbreaking 550M+ streams.
Since then, Martin’s songwriting catalog has gone on to generate 2.5 billion Spotify streams.
Her credits include “First Time” by Kygo ft. Ellie Goulding, “(Not) The One” by Bebe Rexha, “All We Know” by The Chainsmokers, “I Wanna Know” by NOTD (ft. Bea Miller), as well as songs for Jess Glynne, Astrid S, and ALMA, among others.
“I was never good at talking about my feelings so I wrote them down instead. When I felt sad, me and my mum wrote letters to each other about it. So expressing myself through songs came pretty naturally for me.” – SHY Martin
SHY Martin began writing songs and poetry in her youth as a means of self-expression. After winning a music contest at her school at age 17, she signed with EMI for a period though ultimately decided to go independent.
Recently, she just wrapped up her first European headline tour, which traversed 14 cities.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Live From Studio Hotel Earth by Laura Jean Anderson in Music
Jun 25, 2019
Laura Jean Anderson is an LA-based singer-songwriter from Olympia, Washington. Not too long ago, she released an EP of live in-studio tracks, entitled, “Live From Studio Hotel Earth”.
The 6-track project contains songs from her debut EP, entitled, “Lonesome No More”, alongside a cover of The White Stripes’ “I’m Lonely (But I Ain’t That Lonely Yet)” single.
“I miss my mother, I miss being her one. As crazy as I was, I guess I wasn’t much fun. Sometimes, I miss her so much, want to hop on the next jet. I get lonely, but I ain’t that lonely yet.” – lyrics
‘I’m Lonely (But I Ain’t That Lonely Yet)’ tells a depressing tale of a young woman who is in need of human contact. Apparently, she doesn’t want to bother her loved ones, therefore, she doesn’t tell them that she misses them.
Later, she admits that sometimes she wants to give them a call, but doesn’t want to feel like a pest. Even though she feels regret for being desolate, she keeps on keeping on. What she really wants is to find a friend, someone who she can talk to one on one.
‘I’m Lonely (But I Ain’t That Lonely Yet)’ contains a gloomy storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and guitar-driven instrumentation flavored with sentimental blues and folk elements.
“Making a record and having the vast possibilities of production and instrumentation is exciting, but there is something special about limitation. This live EP brings the songs back to how they were written. Back to those intimate moments of writing alone late at night with just me and my guitar. These songs are really personal to me. All about very vivid moments and stories of my life so being able to record them stripped-down and intimately was really emotional but beautiful. The day of the recording was really special for me. I’m a huge believer in the power of a community of people. So it was really special having my old friend Theo Karon record this in his new studio.” – Laura Jean Anderson
Laura Jean Anderson had a strict Mormon upbringing. During her teenage years, she used music as an outlet for rebellion and enhanced her vocal skill in church choirs.
After a bronchitis-ridden audition, she gained acceptance to California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where she studied classical voice.
Since then, she has gained experience as a blue collared musician who built her career working odd jobs which involved painstaking hard labor.
Get acquainted with her music by streaming her “Live From Studio Hotel Earth” EP via Spotify.
Laura Jean Anderson recorded her “Live From Studio Hotel Earth” EP in one-take.
Also, this summer, she will embark on a tour as direct support with L.A. alt-rock outfit Grizfolk.
The 6-track project contains songs from her debut EP, entitled, “Lonesome No More”, alongside a cover of The White Stripes’ “I’m Lonely (But I Ain’t That Lonely Yet)” single.
“I miss my mother, I miss being her one. As crazy as I was, I guess I wasn’t much fun. Sometimes, I miss her so much, want to hop on the next jet. I get lonely, but I ain’t that lonely yet.” – lyrics
‘I’m Lonely (But I Ain’t That Lonely Yet)’ tells a depressing tale of a young woman who is in need of human contact. Apparently, she doesn’t want to bother her loved ones, therefore, she doesn’t tell them that she misses them.
Later, she admits that sometimes she wants to give them a call, but doesn’t want to feel like a pest. Even though she feels regret for being desolate, she keeps on keeping on. What she really wants is to find a friend, someone who she can talk to one on one.
‘I’m Lonely (But I Ain’t That Lonely Yet)’ contains a gloomy storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and guitar-driven instrumentation flavored with sentimental blues and folk elements.
“Making a record and having the vast possibilities of production and instrumentation is exciting, but there is something special about limitation. This live EP brings the songs back to how they were written. Back to those intimate moments of writing alone late at night with just me and my guitar. These songs are really personal to me. All about very vivid moments and stories of my life so being able to record them stripped-down and intimately was really emotional but beautiful. The day of the recording was really special for me. I’m a huge believer in the power of a community of people. So it was really special having my old friend Theo Karon record this in his new studio.” – Laura Jean Anderson
Laura Jean Anderson had a strict Mormon upbringing. During her teenage years, she used music as an outlet for rebellion and enhanced her vocal skill in church choirs.
After a bronchitis-ridden audition, she gained acceptance to California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where she studied classical voice.
Since then, she has gained experience as a blue collared musician who built her career working odd jobs which involved painstaking hard labor.
Get acquainted with her music by streaming her “Live From Studio Hotel Earth” EP via Spotify.
Laura Jean Anderson recorded her “Live From Studio Hotel Earth” EP in one-take.
Also, this summer, she will embark on a tour as direct support with L.A. alt-rock outfit Grizfolk.
Lee (2222 KP) rated The Rental (2020) in Movies
Sep 2, 2020
Business startup partners Charlie (Dan Stevens) and Mina (Sheila Vand) are celebrating the success of their company by looking at Airbnb rentals for a weekend getaway. As Mina casually rests on Charlie, looking over his shoulder at the amazing, but expensive house they’re thinking of renting, you get the impression they are a couple. That is, until Charlie’s brother Josh (Jeremy Allen White) walks in, and we learn that it is Josh and Mina who are together. And that the weekend trip is to include Charlie’s wife Michelle (Alison Brie).
Some obstacles to a perfect weekend arise before the foursome even make it to their rented house. Josh has decided to bring along his dog, Reggie, a violation of the homeowners no-pets rule, and Mina is concerned that the homeowner may be racist. She had tried to book the exact same house just an hour before Charlie did but was turned down, and she believes her Middle-Eastern name (her surname is Mohammadi) was the reason.
They arrive at the idyllic house, set out in the woods and right by the ocean, where they are greeted by the caretaker, and brother of the homeowner, Taylor (Toby Huss). He’s not exactly a welcoming barrel of laughs though – unhappy at the group for arriving an hour late and definitely giving off some racist vibes towards Mina which only add fuel to the concerns she’d raised in the car earlier.
With Taylor gone, the couples begin to settle into their weekend break with some music, drink and drugs. When Josh and Michelle decide to get an early night in preparation for a planned hike the next day, business partners Charlie and Mina decide to go and try out the hottub. And, well, I’m sure you can figure out how much of a mistake that turns out to be. To top it all off, somebody seems to be watching the group from afar…
The Rental is the directorial debut of actor Dave Franco. It’s a horror movie, but spends half of its 88 minute runtime with very little happening at all. If it wasn’t for the foreboding music, and the occasional hint at some sort of stalker, you’d think this was just a drama about two couples getting themselves into a whole heap of trouble in a strangers house.
When things do begin to shift, some potentially interesting twists and plot setups quickly fall by the wayside, as The Rental slips into being just a very generic slasher movie with nothing we haven’t seen before. I suddenly realised just how interesting that first half was in comparison and what a waste of a great cast it was.
Some obstacles to a perfect weekend arise before the foursome even make it to their rented house. Josh has decided to bring along his dog, Reggie, a violation of the homeowners no-pets rule, and Mina is concerned that the homeowner may be racist. She had tried to book the exact same house just an hour before Charlie did but was turned down, and she believes her Middle-Eastern name (her surname is Mohammadi) was the reason.
They arrive at the idyllic house, set out in the woods and right by the ocean, where they are greeted by the caretaker, and brother of the homeowner, Taylor (Toby Huss). He’s not exactly a welcoming barrel of laughs though – unhappy at the group for arriving an hour late and definitely giving off some racist vibes towards Mina which only add fuel to the concerns she’d raised in the car earlier.
With Taylor gone, the couples begin to settle into their weekend break with some music, drink and drugs. When Josh and Michelle decide to get an early night in preparation for a planned hike the next day, business partners Charlie and Mina decide to go and try out the hottub. And, well, I’m sure you can figure out how much of a mistake that turns out to be. To top it all off, somebody seems to be watching the group from afar…
The Rental is the directorial debut of actor Dave Franco. It’s a horror movie, but spends half of its 88 minute runtime with very little happening at all. If it wasn’t for the foreboding music, and the occasional hint at some sort of stalker, you’d think this was just a drama about two couples getting themselves into a whole heap of trouble in a strangers house.
When things do begin to shift, some potentially interesting twists and plot setups quickly fall by the wayside, as The Rental slips into being just a very generic slasher movie with nothing we haven’t seen before. I suddenly realised just how interesting that first half was in comparison and what a waste of a great cast it was.