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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Happy Death Day (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Groundhog Day, but a little more kick ass. Theresa wakes up on her birthday on Monday, September 18th in a strangers bed. She heads back to her house dismissing everyone she sees, she throws out her roommate's cupcake, she carries on with her professor, and then gets murdered by a hooded figure wearing the mask of their campus mascot.
Groundhog Day, but a little more kick ass. Theresa wakes up on her birthday on Monday, September 18th in a strangers bed... well you get the idea. She runs through her day, but instead of heading to the tunnel that led to her death the night before (tonight?) she heads back to her sorority house where, you've guessed it, she gets murdered.
As she loops through her birthday over and over she gets to know Carter, the guy who's bedroom she keeps waking up in, and he encourages her to try and work out what's going on in the hopes that she might be able to change the outcome.
Yet another one that I hadn't seen anything about until a couple of days before I saw it... and you know what? It was really entertaining. It's down as a slasher movie, but there's a bit of everything in it. I jumped in my seat, which doesn't happen very often. I just really enjoyed it. I was so wrapped up in it that I didn't even see the twist coming.
My only quibble, and this really isn't a major thing (I noticed it, so for me to do that I guess it is a little bit major), was when she was admitted to hospital. Her professor/doctor/lover (talk about conflict of interest) says that she's showing signs of trauma, which as we and she knows is because of how she died in the last loop. If she's showing signs of that trauma, and she says that she's feeling weaker with each loop... then... well... how does she make it too the end of the movie? Admittedly she's going to be running on a lot of adrenaline, but... well, it bugged me a little.
Groundhog Day, but a little more kick ass. Theresa wakes up on her birthday on Monday, September 18th in a strangers bed... well you get the idea. She runs through her day, but instead of heading to the tunnel that led to her death the night before (tonight?) she heads back to her sorority house where, you've guessed it, she gets murdered.
As she loops through her birthday over and over she gets to know Carter, the guy who's bedroom she keeps waking up in, and he encourages her to try and work out what's going on in the hopes that she might be able to change the outcome.
Yet another one that I hadn't seen anything about until a couple of days before I saw it... and you know what? It was really entertaining. It's down as a slasher movie, but there's a bit of everything in it. I jumped in my seat, which doesn't happen very often. I just really enjoyed it. I was so wrapped up in it that I didn't even see the twist coming.
My only quibble, and this really isn't a major thing (I noticed it, so for me to do that I guess it is a little bit major), was when she was admitted to hospital. Her professor/doctor/lover (talk about conflict of interest) says that she's showing signs of trauma, which as we and she knows is because of how she died in the last loop. If she's showing signs of that trauma, and she says that she's feeling weaker with each loop... then... well... how does she make it too the end of the movie? Admittedly she's going to be running on a lot of adrenaline, but... well, it bugged me a little.
ClareR (5854 KP) rated The Familiars in Books
Jul 14, 2019 (Updated Jul 14, 2019)
The fact that this book is based on true events makes it all the more harrowing, in my opinion. When people ask “What era would you like to visit or live in?”, I pretty much always answer “I’m fine just where I am. I rather like the antibiotics, general freedom and option not to be hung and/ or burned as a witch, thanks very much”. I do however, very much like reading about the past, and this gives a fascinating insight to the Pendle Hill Witch Trials.
Fleetwood is seventeen years old and pregnant for the fourth time. Her three previous pregnancies have all resulted in stillbirth or miscarriage, and she has found letters from a doctor to her husband, saying that she will not survive another. She meets Alice Grey, who is a midwife, by chance. Alice promises to help her give birth to a living child, and assures her that she will survive the birth.
The fact that Alice is a midwife leaves her vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft, and accused she is. Fleetwood is adamant that she will save her as she is her friend and the only person who will be able to save hers and her baby’s lives. No one takes Fleetwood seriously though; when they do take her seriously, they expect her to go home and knuckle down to the more womanly pursuits of child bearing and being a wife.
Fleetwoods frustration is described so well - no one will listen, and no one will help. It’s such a tense atmosphere - Fleetwood just wants to help,her friend, and there are so many obstacles in the way. Even her social standing is no deterrent if someone were to accuse her of witchcraft if she becomes too troublesome (there’s the example of Margaret Pearson in the story, whose maid accused her of having a toad as a familiar, and spent time in the stocks before being imprisoned)
I really enjoyed this book, and I’ll be waiting for whatever the author writes next (I’m on the mailing list!).
Many thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book.
Fleetwood is seventeen years old and pregnant for the fourth time. Her three previous pregnancies have all resulted in stillbirth or miscarriage, and she has found letters from a doctor to her husband, saying that she will not survive another. She meets Alice Grey, who is a midwife, by chance. Alice promises to help her give birth to a living child, and assures her that she will survive the birth.
The fact that Alice is a midwife leaves her vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft, and accused she is. Fleetwood is adamant that she will save her as she is her friend and the only person who will be able to save hers and her baby’s lives. No one takes Fleetwood seriously though; when they do take her seriously, they expect her to go home and knuckle down to the more womanly pursuits of child bearing and being a wife.
Fleetwoods frustration is described so well - no one will listen, and no one will help. It’s such a tense atmosphere - Fleetwood just wants to help,her friend, and there are so many obstacles in the way. Even her social standing is no deterrent if someone were to accuse her of witchcraft if she becomes too troublesome (there’s the example of Margaret Pearson in the story, whose maid accused her of having a toad as a familiar, and spent time in the stocks before being imprisoned)
I really enjoyed this book, and I’ll be waiting for whatever the author writes next (I’m on the mailing list!).
Many thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Pod (2015) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
Characters – Lyla is the loose cannon sibling, she enjoys a drink and a party and is tired of her big brother trying to protect her, once we hit the cabin though she is generic woman in trouble screaming a lot. Ed is the doctor and big brother of the siblings. He wants the family together to help on edge sibling and stays calm through the film through each decision going on. Martin is the former soldier that has returned a different man, he has been in and out of hospitals and now living alone his paranoia can only grow.
Performances – The performances in this film are focused on the three main actors, if we are being honest none of them set the world alight here, with Lauren Ashley Carter being completely over the top with her reactions, Dean Cates being very bland with his actions and Brian Morvant never hitting the marks of a true crazy person.
Story – The story here feels like it should be focusing on the relationship between the siblings, as we have the two left to decide whether their brother is insane or there is something happening in the cabin, the balance is shown early on but then soon just becomes a creature feature which fails to deliver because of the abrupt style of anything happening. There was a large part of potential here, but the bickering doesn’t make you care and the conspiracy theory all becomes something we have seen.
Horror/Mystery – The horror in the film comes in the final 15 minutes and never draws us into being scared and like the mystery side of the film just doesn’t become the important side of things like it should do.
Settings – Most of the film is set in the cabin which does plan into the isolation and paranoid idea.
Special Effects – The effects are used well and only when needed with most being practical dealing with creating the pod.
Scene of the Movie – What is in the basement.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We didn’t explore the different life styles of the two siblings.
Final Thoughts – This is a lacklustre horror mystery movie that doesn’t use its strengths well enough through the film.
Overall: Lacklustre Horror Movie.
Performances – The performances in this film are focused on the three main actors, if we are being honest none of them set the world alight here, with Lauren Ashley Carter being completely over the top with her reactions, Dean Cates being very bland with his actions and Brian Morvant never hitting the marks of a true crazy person.
Story – The story here feels like it should be focusing on the relationship between the siblings, as we have the two left to decide whether their brother is insane or there is something happening in the cabin, the balance is shown early on but then soon just becomes a creature feature which fails to deliver because of the abrupt style of anything happening. There was a large part of potential here, but the bickering doesn’t make you care and the conspiracy theory all becomes something we have seen.
Horror/Mystery – The horror in the film comes in the final 15 minutes and never draws us into being scared and like the mystery side of the film just doesn’t become the important side of things like it should do.
Settings – Most of the film is set in the cabin which does plan into the isolation and paranoid idea.
Special Effects – The effects are used well and only when needed with most being practical dealing with creating the pod.
Scene of the Movie – What is in the basement.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We didn’t explore the different life styles of the two siblings.
Final Thoughts – This is a lacklustre horror mystery movie that doesn’t use its strengths well enough through the film.
Overall: Lacklustre Horror Movie.
ClareR (5854 KP) rated Bone China in Books
Aug 19, 2019
Bone China by Laura Purcell is a gothic novel set in Cornwall. Hester Why has travelled to Cornwall to take up a post as a Lady’s maid - and also to escape her past. But if she thinks she’s going to have an easy time of it, she has another thing coming! Morvoren House has its own secrets, not helped by the very strange Creeda, who believes that fairies will spirit Miss Rosewyn (the ward of Miss Pinecroft, the elderly woman that Hester is looking after) away.
We also get to see some of Hester’s past before Cornwall - and the reason why she has ended up in Morvoren House; and that of Louise, some 40 years before Hester’s arrival.
Unsurprisingly, bone china features prominently in this story, and I was delighted to hear the story of the willow pattern again - a story that my own grandmother used to tell me when showing me her willow pattern tea service.
Louise’s story tells of the time after her mother and siblings have died of phthisis (or tuberculosis), and her father, who was a doctor, deciding that he will find a cure for it. Prisoners from the local prison are kept in caves beneath the house, the theory being that the fresh air would strengthen their lungs. I know! Horrifying!!
I didn’t find the jumping between timelines at all confusing, and I really enjoyed the way it did this. The unreliability of Hester’s narrative due to gin and laudanum was also really well done. I never knew if what was happening was due to the gin, laudanum, actual reality or the fairies!
And the landscape and sights of Cornwall were beautifully described. I love Cornwall - it’s one of my most favourite places. The rawness of the coast is a pleasure to read about, and instantly took me to the cliffs by the sea.
I tried to make this book last longer, but had no luck at all because I was desperate to know what was going to happen! And that ending - I’m still in shock!!!!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this completely absorbing book! It was a pleasure to read.
We also get to see some of Hester’s past before Cornwall - and the reason why she has ended up in Morvoren House; and that of Louise, some 40 years before Hester’s arrival.
Unsurprisingly, bone china features prominently in this story, and I was delighted to hear the story of the willow pattern again - a story that my own grandmother used to tell me when showing me her willow pattern tea service.
Louise’s story tells of the time after her mother and siblings have died of phthisis (or tuberculosis), and her father, who was a doctor, deciding that he will find a cure for it. Prisoners from the local prison are kept in caves beneath the house, the theory being that the fresh air would strengthen their lungs. I know! Horrifying!!
I didn’t find the jumping between timelines at all confusing, and I really enjoyed the way it did this. The unreliability of Hester’s narrative due to gin and laudanum was also really well done. I never knew if what was happening was due to the gin, laudanum, actual reality or the fairies!
And the landscape and sights of Cornwall were beautifully described. I love Cornwall - it’s one of my most favourite places. The rawness of the coast is a pleasure to read about, and instantly took me to the cliffs by the sea.
I tried to make this book last longer, but had no luck at all because I was desperate to know what was going to happen! And that ending - I’m still in shock!!!!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this completely absorbing book! It was a pleasure to read.
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