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Darren (1599 KP) rated Eli (2019) in Movies
Oct 24, 2019
Characters – Eli is the young boy with the auto-immune disease, he does suffer nightmares about what would happen if he was outside, he lives in a bubble, which is his only safety in life. He is going through an experimental procedure which is meant to cure him, only for him to start suffering haunting visions and attacks by ghosts, he must figure out if they are trying to harm him or help him before he reaches the latest procedure. Rose and Paul are the religious parents that have given up nearly everything to make their son’s life better, trying to remain strong for him throughout the events of the film. Dr Isabella Horn is the doctor that is trying to help Eli, only her methods don’t seem to get explained to the family, while they are left to just believe anything she says. Haley is a girl from the neighbourhood that visits Eli, hoping to find friendship, though she does know the fate of most of the people in the house.
Performances – Charlie Shotwell does a wonderful job in the leading role, suffering through medical procedures, hauntings and emotional problems with ease through the film. Kelly Reilly, Max Martini and Lili Taylor are all strong through the film, which we don’t see much away from Charlie from any of them. Sadie Sink is solid without having much to do, other than being a friend to talk too.
Story – The story here follows a young boy with a medical condition who gets taken to an experimental hospital for treatment, when he starts getting visits from ghosts, where he might learn the truth about the hospital. This is a story which does keep you on your toes, you will constantly be thrown through different sub-genres of horror and it is excellent to see how the film can keep you guessing and leave you surprised by the ending, because if anybody saw this coming, they would be a liar. This is a story where not learning too much going in is even better because it does start with what could be a routine horror, but will leave you shocked by the end.
Horror – The horror here does seem to jump through so many sub-genres of horror it is a joy to watch, because the transition is seamless throughout.
Settings – The film keeps most of the film inside the hospital, this is an excellent location for the film to be set, which sees everything unfold down the dark filled hallways.
Special Effects – The effects do come off well too with how everything happens, be it the ghostly figures or the more practical ones too.
Scene of the Movie – The ghosts in the mirror.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The abusive people at the start of the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that does truly keep you on your toes, it is great to see this too, we will get scares and surprises and you won’t believe how everything unfolds.
Overall: Surprising Throughout.
Performances – Charlie Shotwell does a wonderful job in the leading role, suffering through medical procedures, hauntings and emotional problems with ease through the film. Kelly Reilly, Max Martini and Lili Taylor are all strong through the film, which we don’t see much away from Charlie from any of them. Sadie Sink is solid without having much to do, other than being a friend to talk too.
Story – The story here follows a young boy with a medical condition who gets taken to an experimental hospital for treatment, when he starts getting visits from ghosts, where he might learn the truth about the hospital. This is a story which does keep you on your toes, you will constantly be thrown through different sub-genres of horror and it is excellent to see how the film can keep you guessing and leave you surprised by the ending, because if anybody saw this coming, they would be a liar. This is a story where not learning too much going in is even better because it does start with what could be a routine horror, but will leave you shocked by the end.
Horror – The horror here does seem to jump through so many sub-genres of horror it is a joy to watch, because the transition is seamless throughout.
Settings – The film keeps most of the film inside the hospital, this is an excellent location for the film to be set, which sees everything unfold down the dark filled hallways.
Special Effects – The effects do come off well too with how everything happens, be it the ghostly figures or the more practical ones too.
Scene of the Movie – The ghosts in the mirror.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The abusive people at the start of the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that does truly keep you on your toes, it is great to see this too, we will get scares and surprises and you won’t believe how everything unfolds.
Overall: Surprising Throughout.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Operation Finale (2018) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Fifteen years after the end of World War II there are still high ranking Nazi officials who have not been brought to justice. One of the biggest names to yet be captured is Adolph Eichmann (Ben Kingsley), the so called Architect of the Final Solution. Then in May 1960 someone in Argentina tips off the Israeli government that Eichmann may be hiding out in near Buenos Ares, Argentina. When the leader of an Israeli special unit finds out he sends an agent, Zvi Aharoni (Michael Aronov), to confirm the identity of the war criminal. When they determine that this has to be their man, a unit of operatives led by Peter Malkin (Oscar Isaac) set out to bring Eichmann to justice. In the past the unit has been able to deliver swift justice and in most cases there was no trial. But for a man that brought so much pain to so many Jewish people they must bring him to justice in the newly established state of Israel for all the world to see. Unfortunately the Argentine government would object to such an operation on its soil. So risky and daring plan for Peter to grab Eichmann near his home and get him to a safe house nearby. The would then have disguise him and Doctor Hanna Elian (Melanie Laurent) would have to keep him drugged all the way to the airport and on to awaiting plane out of the country. All of this will dodging Nazi sympathizers both in the police and roaming the streets. But for the 6 million of their people who died at the hands of men like Eichmann they must try.
This is the incredible true story of the capture of one of the top Nazi officials. The story is set up well by Director Chris Weitz (About a Boy, The Golden Compass). Ben Kingsley and Oscar Isaac give outstanding performances. Kingsley’s character and how his story develops is interesting. The entire supporting cast does well and Nick Kroll (Sing, The House) brings a surprising bit of fun to a heavy story line. Some may say the bits of humor might be a little odd given the subject matter but I thought it brought a realness and humanity to the film. The balance between the humor and showing the horror of World War II was really well done. At a little over two hours it does run a little long and there are flashback scenes that are at inconsistent times.
I was pleasantly surprised by this film. Not having heard this story before I enjoyed how this film was laid out for the audience. It definitely made me want to learn more about this unique true story. I think this is a film that shows the importance of people fighting to bring truth and justice to the world regardless of the odds.
This is the incredible true story of the capture of one of the top Nazi officials. The story is set up well by Director Chris Weitz (About a Boy, The Golden Compass). Ben Kingsley and Oscar Isaac give outstanding performances. Kingsley’s character and how his story develops is interesting. The entire supporting cast does well and Nick Kroll (Sing, The House) brings a surprising bit of fun to a heavy story line. Some may say the bits of humor might be a little odd given the subject matter but I thought it brought a realness and humanity to the film. The balance between the humor and showing the horror of World War II was really well done. At a little over two hours it does run a little long and there are flashback scenes that are at inconsistent times.
I was pleasantly surprised by this film. Not having heard this story before I enjoyed how this film was laid out for the audience. It definitely made me want to learn more about this unique true story. I think this is a film that shows the importance of people fighting to bring truth and justice to the world regardless of the odds.
Don’t Wake Up is the story of Alex, a Doctor working in a busy emergency department. Alex seems to have everything going for her. She has a fiance, she has a home, a career. Until one day, she is attacked and sexually assaulted, in circumstances that seem totally unrealistic to anyone and everyone. Support quickly dies, and nobody believes her. Her fiance leaves, her friends and colleagues leave. She’s left doubting her own sanity. Then, she ends up framed for a murder she didn’t commit. The trail of destruction runs through her life whilst she tries to prove that she’s innocent, and is indeed a victim herself.
With well thought out unpredictable twists and a very good element of surprise, I found this book to be a fantastic read. The main character, the victim Alex, is well thought out with an enormous layer of depth to her. You truly feel empathy for her, and her situation. Her story takes you on a rollercoaster of emotion, where you feel like you want to reach through the pages and hold her hand as she stumbles and falls through trying to survive her ordeal. Although what happened to Alex seems unbelievable to the other characters, you as a reader know the truth, and you’ll want to scream it. Especially to a certain Detective Best.
There are too many positives from this book to list. So I’ll keep it as short as I can. The character depth is amazing, the story world is immersive and interesting. Every details is covered, you’re left imagining nothing as the whole picture is painted for you. The entire book is consistent without, as are the characters and their belief systems and backstories. It’s a brilliantly thought out plot, and an ending so unique I haven’t seen it in a while.
I only have two criticisms, and even then they’re mild. One is the books length. It’s shorter than it needed to be. I’d have loved for an extra few chapters on the end, showing Alex truly move from victim to survivor. It wouldn’t affect the main story in any way at all, and doesn’t cause the book to be anything less than brilliant. It just would’ve been nice from a personal point of view, to watch Alex step into her future. The second, and again only small, criticism I have is that the time hops are often hard to place. A chapter will skip ahead by a few days / weeks etc, and it’s hard to know where we are. Within a few pages though it’s either a] easier to work out, or b] it doesn’t actually matter as it doesn’t affect the story.
Overall, this book is fantastic. It’s a thoroughly good read, with twists and an ending, that comes out of no where. A genuine page turner that really keeps you interested in what’s to come next.
With well thought out unpredictable twists and a very good element of surprise, I found this book to be a fantastic read. The main character, the victim Alex, is well thought out with an enormous layer of depth to her. You truly feel empathy for her, and her situation. Her story takes you on a rollercoaster of emotion, where you feel like you want to reach through the pages and hold her hand as she stumbles and falls through trying to survive her ordeal. Although what happened to Alex seems unbelievable to the other characters, you as a reader know the truth, and you’ll want to scream it. Especially to a certain Detective Best.
There are too many positives from this book to list. So I’ll keep it as short as I can. The character depth is amazing, the story world is immersive and interesting. Every details is covered, you’re left imagining nothing as the whole picture is painted for you. The entire book is consistent without, as are the characters and their belief systems and backstories. It’s a brilliantly thought out plot, and an ending so unique I haven’t seen it in a while.
I only have two criticisms, and even then they’re mild. One is the books length. It’s shorter than it needed to be. I’d have loved for an extra few chapters on the end, showing Alex truly move from victim to survivor. It wouldn’t affect the main story in any way at all, and doesn’t cause the book to be anything less than brilliant. It just would’ve been nice from a personal point of view, to watch Alex step into her future. The second, and again only small, criticism I have is that the time hops are often hard to place. A chapter will skip ahead by a few days / weeks etc, and it’s hard to know where we are. Within a few pages though it’s either a] easier to work out, or b] it doesn’t actually matter as it doesn’t affect the story.
Overall, this book is fantastic. It’s a thoroughly good read, with twists and an ending, that comes out of no where. A genuine page turner that really keeps you interested in what’s to come next.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Doctor Sleep (2019) in Movies
Nov 13, 2019
Brilliantly done
I always go into a Stephen King film with a huge sense of trepidation. He’s my favourite author and sadly far too many film adaptations of his books have been badly mistreated. I have read Doctor Sleep, however this was a long time ago and I’m not quite sure how my vague recollections have impacted on my opinion of this film, but I’m very pleased to say that I absolutely loved it.
This film is very long, but necessarily so. Nothing in this feels like it isn’t needed and apart from feeling ridiculously tired, I was never bored or never found this was dragging at all. It’s helped by a haunting and wonderful score, and the entire film just looks and feels great. The horror aspects whilst scarce, when they do appear they’re very well done and I was pleasantly surprised by one of the especially gorier scenes. Story-wise as far as the book goes, it stays fairly close for the most part. Other than the references to the original film (as the book and the original are polar opposites), there is only one major difference that I identified which was the ending and I actually thought it was a good choice to do this. Ewan McGregor is great as Danny, he isn’t how I would’ve pictured Danny whilst reading the book but he does a great job and Kyleigh Curran is fantastic as Abra, such a talented young actress. The star of this though has to be Rebecca Ferguson. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while and she’s truly menacing as Rose the Hat. I can’t imagine anyone having played her better.
Throughout the film there are of course references to the original and these are so impressively well done. I was surprised at first that they didn’t just use clips from the original, but by the end of the film the reasons for this were made very clear and this worked well. I am torn between being disappointed and happy that they didn’t use CGI to bring back the original actors, but considering the original was made in 1980 I’m overall quite glad they didn’t go down this route when most other films are.
For me, the best part of this film was the final act and this is where I’m so happy they differed from the book. Going back into the Overlook is a truly terrifying and tense experience. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, both because I was scared and elated to be back where it all began.
Other than the rather lengthy runtime and the slight differences (for the better?) to the book, I can’t think of anything negative to say about this film. Which for me is a rather novel experience. I cannot wait to get this on blu-ray and watch in the comfort of my own home.
This film is very long, but necessarily so. Nothing in this feels like it isn’t needed and apart from feeling ridiculously tired, I was never bored or never found this was dragging at all. It’s helped by a haunting and wonderful score, and the entire film just looks and feels great. The horror aspects whilst scarce, when they do appear they’re very well done and I was pleasantly surprised by one of the especially gorier scenes. Story-wise as far as the book goes, it stays fairly close for the most part. Other than the references to the original film (as the book and the original are polar opposites), there is only one major difference that I identified which was the ending and I actually thought it was a good choice to do this. Ewan McGregor is great as Danny, he isn’t how I would’ve pictured Danny whilst reading the book but he does a great job and Kyleigh Curran is fantastic as Abra, such a talented young actress. The star of this though has to be Rebecca Ferguson. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while and she’s truly menacing as Rose the Hat. I can’t imagine anyone having played her better.
Throughout the film there are of course references to the original and these are so impressively well done. I was surprised at first that they didn’t just use clips from the original, but by the end of the film the reasons for this were made very clear and this worked well. I am torn between being disappointed and happy that they didn’t use CGI to bring back the original actors, but considering the original was made in 1980 I’m overall quite glad they didn’t go down this route when most other films are.
For me, the best part of this film was the final act and this is where I’m so happy they differed from the book. Going back into the Overlook is a truly terrifying and tense experience. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, both because I was scared and elated to be back where it all began.
Other than the rather lengthy runtime and the slight differences (for the better?) to the book, I can’t think of anything negative to say about this film. Which for me is a rather novel experience. I cannot wait to get this on blu-ray and watch in the comfort of my own home.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated American Panda in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<h2><em><strong>American Panda</strong></em><strong> is one of the books I needed my entire life.</strong></h2>
Gloria Chao's debut novel is about Mei, a Chinese-American teen who has no desire to be the doctor her parents want and a crush on a boy who wouldn't get a parental stamp of approval. Her older brother, Xing, is disowned by the family for falling in love with the wrong person, and a few meetups with him to reconnect makes her question the traditions she grew up with.
<h3><strong>I related to Mei so, so much.</strong></h3>
95% of the time growing up and now I feel like I'm alone in my experiences - <em><strong>American Panda</strong></em><strong> reminded me that I'm not alone. At all.</strong> There are other people like me who go through relatively similar experiences! 😭😭😭 (Honestly, I want to cry happy tears the entire time reading.)
And while my experiences aren't the same as Mei, it hit close to my heart with her struggles to choose between fulfilling her parents' dreams and what her heart wants. This is something I continue to struggle with, along with balancing two different cultures.
<h3><strong>Cute, adorable, hilarious.</strong></h3>
On top of relating to virtually every page, paragraph and line in the novel, there's a cute and adorable romance! I loved reading the moments between Darren and Mei.
But while <em>American Panda</em> is all three of those traits, it can also be really heavy and emotional later on as Mei is having an internal struggle with herself, and eventually external with her family members. <strong>If you are expecting a fluffy contemporary read when going into this novel, you will find yourself a little disappointed.</strong>
<h3><strong>But sometimes it wasn't funny.</strong></h3>
There were a few moments in the book where I felt the novel was not funny - most of that occurred near the end. While I understand the approach was meant to be comedic, I felt like it played into the Asian stereotypes a little too much. It also felt like Chao was trying too hard (and maybe that was intentional?) with some of those scenes. At the same time though, most of the stereotypes I feel were handled well by Chao. Again, I'm only one Chinese-American - my experiences compared to another will be different.
<h2><strong>Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed <em>American Panda</em> and how it deals with the struggles of Chinese-American teens growing up.</strong></h2>
While this specifically deals with one Chinese-American experience (and as noted by the author, Mei's experience is taken from many backgrounds and fictionalized), I think a lot of teens will relate to the book in other ways.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/american-panda-by-gloria-chao/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Gloria Chao's debut novel is about Mei, a Chinese-American teen who has no desire to be the doctor her parents want and a crush on a boy who wouldn't get a parental stamp of approval. Her older brother, Xing, is disowned by the family for falling in love with the wrong person, and a few meetups with him to reconnect makes her question the traditions she grew up with.
<h3><strong>I related to Mei so, so much.</strong></h3>
95% of the time growing up and now I feel like I'm alone in my experiences - <em><strong>American Panda</strong></em><strong> reminded me that I'm not alone. At all.</strong> There are other people like me who go through relatively similar experiences! 😭😭😭 (Honestly, I want to cry happy tears the entire time reading.)
And while my experiences aren't the same as Mei, it hit close to my heart with her struggles to choose between fulfilling her parents' dreams and what her heart wants. This is something I continue to struggle with, along with balancing two different cultures.
<h3><strong>Cute, adorable, hilarious.</strong></h3>
On top of relating to virtually every page, paragraph and line in the novel, there's a cute and adorable romance! I loved reading the moments between Darren and Mei.
But while <em>American Panda</em> is all three of those traits, it can also be really heavy and emotional later on as Mei is having an internal struggle with herself, and eventually external with her family members. <strong>If you are expecting a fluffy contemporary read when going into this novel, you will find yourself a little disappointed.</strong>
<h3><strong>But sometimes it wasn't funny.</strong></h3>
There were a few moments in the book where I felt the novel was not funny - most of that occurred near the end. While I understand the approach was meant to be comedic, I felt like it played into the Asian stereotypes a little too much. It also felt like Chao was trying too hard (and maybe that was intentional?) with some of those scenes. At the same time though, most of the stereotypes I feel were handled well by Chao. Again, I'm only one Chinese-American - my experiences compared to another will be different.
<h2><strong>Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed <em>American Panda</em> and how it deals with the struggles of Chinese-American teens growing up.</strong></h2>
While this specifically deals with one Chinese-American experience (and as noted by the author, Mei's experience is taken from many backgrounds and fictionalized), I think a lot of teens will relate to the book in other ways.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/american-panda-by-gloria-chao/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Serpent's Mark in Books
Feb 3, 2020
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
<b>Nicholas Shelby Series</b>
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39904044-the-angel-s-mark">The Angel's Mark</a> - Not Read
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2849284383">The Serpent's Mark</a> - DNF
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Book-Review-Banner-1.png"/>;
<b><i>The first book in 2019 that I didn't manage to finish is The Serpent's Mark by S.W. Perry.</i></b>
I am sad and disappointed. If you know me, you will know how I don't want to leave things unfinished, especially when reading books. I want to finish every book I read, so I can have a thorough opinion and valid comments.
I stopped reading this book at page 75, which is very early days, but I just couldn't continue because of a few points.
Before I start, I need to mention all the things that attracted me to this book in the first place. I love mysteries, and this book promised conspiracy, murder and espionage in Elizabethan London. It is set in the year 1591, where a doctor is investigated of his questionable practices. This was, by itself a promising start. And if you haven't seen the beautiful cover already, please do. It's art to have this book on your shelves.
However, while reading those 75 pages, I haven't encountered any murder. Conspiracy and espionage maybe, but it is so subtle, that everything else comes in first place, while I am here, flipping pages and desperately waiting for something to happen.
A book that contains a lot of politics and religion in a same chapter is just not the book for me. As a person that moved into the UK, I know a little bit about politics and not much about history politics, but I am also not very interested in it either. Documentaries, yes - but books for pleasure, not quite so much. This book was over-flooding with politics and religion, and it is something I just couldn't put past me. After deciding to DNF it, I also realized that it was a second book of a series, but can also be read as a standalone.
I wish I enjoyed it, but I just couldn't. However, if the book seems like something you might enjoy, please go for it, read it, and let me know how it went. <b>We all have different tastes in book - and that's OKAY! :)</b>
Thank you to ReadersFirst, a UK based website that sends me books every month in exchange for my honest reviews. What you do it absolutely amazing!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
<b>Nicholas Shelby Series</b>
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39904044-the-angel-s-mark">The Angel's Mark</a> - Not Read
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2849284383">The Serpent's Mark</a> - DNF
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Book-Review-Banner-1.png"/>;
<b><i>The first book in 2019 that I didn't manage to finish is The Serpent's Mark by S.W. Perry.</i></b>
I am sad and disappointed. If you know me, you will know how I don't want to leave things unfinished, especially when reading books. I want to finish every book I read, so I can have a thorough opinion and valid comments.
I stopped reading this book at page 75, which is very early days, but I just couldn't continue because of a few points.
Before I start, I need to mention all the things that attracted me to this book in the first place. I love mysteries, and this book promised conspiracy, murder and espionage in Elizabethan London. It is set in the year 1591, where a doctor is investigated of his questionable practices. This was, by itself a promising start. And if you haven't seen the beautiful cover already, please do. It's art to have this book on your shelves.
However, while reading those 75 pages, I haven't encountered any murder. Conspiracy and espionage maybe, but it is so subtle, that everything else comes in first place, while I am here, flipping pages and desperately waiting for something to happen.
A book that contains a lot of politics and religion in a same chapter is just not the book for me. As a person that moved into the UK, I know a little bit about politics and not much about history politics, but I am also not very interested in it either. Documentaries, yes - but books for pleasure, not quite so much. This book was over-flooding with politics and religion, and it is something I just couldn't put past me. After deciding to DNF it, I also realized that it was a second book of a series, but can also be read as a standalone.
I wish I enjoyed it, but I just couldn't. However, if the book seems like something you might enjoy, please go for it, read it, and let me know how it went. <b>We all have different tastes in book - and that's OKAY! :)</b>
Thank you to ReadersFirst, a UK based website that sends me books every month in exchange for my honest reviews. What you do it absolutely amazing!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
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