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Darren (1599 KP) rated 22 Chaser (2018) in Movies
Aug 5, 2019
Story: 22 Chaser starts as we meet Ben (Smith) a tow truck driver who has been struggling to keep everything together with his family and with friendly rivalries in the field with the like of Wayne (Trujillo) and Sean (Ashmore) who offer him the advice he needs.
When his company gets a big break he must make the decision to continue to work for the company even if it means he must pay upfront it should bring more money back at the end, while his wife Avery (Horn) trying to get into cookery school. We are left to see just how far he will go.
Thoughts on 22 Chaser
Characters – Ben is an honest hard-working tow truck driver, he does the right thing for the injured people on accident sites which often loses him the tows. He is struggling with money back home which is putting a strain on his marriage and on this one night he will go for broke to make his son’s birthday special. Avery is Ben’s wife who is being strong around their son, trying to push Ben into a better life for them both. The rest of the characters we meet a different people in the tow truck business, we see how they operate both sides of the law.
Performances – Brian J Smith in the leading role shows how desperate side to his character, we feel how much he needs his break from this world and life. When we dive into the rest of the cast each performer is good without taking the spotlight off Brian.
Story – The story here focuses on a tow truck driver that needs to learn the reality of the game he is in, while trying to support his family, it is strange that we can compare this to ‘Nightcrawler’ when talking about the story because it shows us one man that gets deeper into a field that has darker sides about it becoming everything he doesn’t want to be to make sure his wife and child are supported. It does show how hard working people are often over looked until they show a meaner side. This isn’t the deepest and stories and does have a slow pace about it for the most part which can bring it down at times.
Crime – The crime side of the film shows us how Ben can fall into the wrong side of the law when it comes to making the right decisions about what is happening with accidents, he doesn’t cause them and the competition can become fierce.
Settings – The film keeps us in a big city, this gives us enough reason for traffic accidents to happen and shows us who the people cleaning them up are.
Scene of the Movie – The race to the accident.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The pacing is very slow early on.
Final Thoughts – This is a solid enough movie that does get to put us in the world of tow trucks, showing the competition between drivers for jobs and how good guys might not always be first on call.
Overall: Slow but interesting crime drama.
When his company gets a big break he must make the decision to continue to work for the company even if it means he must pay upfront it should bring more money back at the end, while his wife Avery (Horn) trying to get into cookery school. We are left to see just how far he will go.
Thoughts on 22 Chaser
Characters – Ben is an honest hard-working tow truck driver, he does the right thing for the injured people on accident sites which often loses him the tows. He is struggling with money back home which is putting a strain on his marriage and on this one night he will go for broke to make his son’s birthday special. Avery is Ben’s wife who is being strong around their son, trying to push Ben into a better life for them both. The rest of the characters we meet a different people in the tow truck business, we see how they operate both sides of the law.
Performances – Brian J Smith in the leading role shows how desperate side to his character, we feel how much he needs his break from this world and life. When we dive into the rest of the cast each performer is good without taking the spotlight off Brian.
Story – The story here focuses on a tow truck driver that needs to learn the reality of the game he is in, while trying to support his family, it is strange that we can compare this to ‘Nightcrawler’ when talking about the story because it shows us one man that gets deeper into a field that has darker sides about it becoming everything he doesn’t want to be to make sure his wife and child are supported. It does show how hard working people are often over looked until they show a meaner side. This isn’t the deepest and stories and does have a slow pace about it for the most part which can bring it down at times.
Crime – The crime side of the film shows us how Ben can fall into the wrong side of the law when it comes to making the right decisions about what is happening with accidents, he doesn’t cause them and the competition can become fierce.
Settings – The film keeps us in a big city, this gives us enough reason for traffic accidents to happen and shows us who the people cleaning them up are.
Scene of the Movie – The race to the accident.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The pacing is very slow early on.
Final Thoughts – This is a solid enough movie that does get to put us in the world of tow trucks, showing the competition between drivers for jobs and how good guys might not always be first on call.
Overall: Slow but interesting crime drama.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Alien: Covenant (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Horrific Beasts and How to Avoid Them.
I seem to be in a bit of a minority in quite liking Ridley Scott’s last Alien outing – 2012’s “Prometheus”: a heady, if at times ponderous, theory to the origins of man. The first hour of that film is really good. But for me, what made the original 1979 film so enthralling was the life cycle of the ‘traditional’ Xenomorph aliens through egg to evil hatchling to vicious killing machine. This somewhat got lost with “Prometheus” with a range of alien-like-things ranging from wiggly black goo to something more familiar… and frankly I was confused. Some – repeat, some – of the explanation for that diversity of forms in “Prometheus” is made clearer in the sequel “Alien: Covenant”.
“Covenant” (named again after the spaceship at its heart) is a follow-on sequel to “Prometheus”, so it is worth re-watching it if you can before a cinema trip. At the end of that film we saw Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and a reconstructed android David (Michael Fassbender, “Steve Jobs“) flying off in an alien craft still loaded with its cargo of nasty alien black goo. Shaw had a mission to seek out The Engineer’s home world – named “Paradise” – to find out why after creating man they were intent on going back to finish them off with a WMD. A neat prologue has been released which documents this… here:
We pick up the action 10 years later in a totally improbable 2104. (Give us a break writing team! [Story by Jack Paglen and Michael Green; screenplay by John Logan and Dante Harper]. We know they won’t have got through planning permission on the third Heathrow runway by then, let alone invented interplanetary travel…! 2504, maybe!)
Daniels (Katherine Waterston, “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them“) has just suffered a sudden bereavement (an uncredited James Franco – – blink and you’ll miss him). She has also been rudely awakened from hypersleep due to a sudden system mishap: no, not to find Chris Pratt there like “Passengers“, but by the ship’s android Walter (also Michael Fassbender) who’s also revived the rest of the crew. While effecting repairs they receive a garbled John Denver track mysteriously beamed to them from an earth-like planet not too far away. As this might be a suitable homestead, and as spending weeks more in hypersleep is unattractive, Captain Oram (Billy Crudup, “Spotlight“) votes to check it out, against Daniels’ strong objections. Needless to say, this proves to be a BIG MISTAKE as the new film neatly links hands with the first film.
Kick-ass… Katherine Waterston being careful not to slip in the shower.
There’s a limit to what more I can say about the film without delivering spoilers (so I have added a few more comments in the spoiler section BELOW the trailer). It’s a far more action-oriented film than “Prometheus” and has enough jump scares and gore to please most Alien fans. (In fact, it’s a surprise to me that it got a UK “15” certificate rather than an “18”: how much more violence do you need to show in the film?) A shower scene towards the end of the film is particularly effective and will likely put an end to relaxing shower sex for many people for good!
It also looks visually stunning (cinematography is by Dariusz Wolski (“The Martian“, “Pirates of the Caribbean”) with location shooting in Milford Sound in New Zealand. The special effects are also a cut-above the normal CGI with a devastated Pompeii-like city, a picture of blacks and greys, being particularly effective.
In the acting stakes it is really all down to Waterston and Fassbinder. I wasn’t a great fan of Waterston in “Fantastic Beasts” – a bit insipid I thought – but here she adopts Ripley’s kick-ass mantle with ease but blends it beautifully with doe-eyed vulnerability. Some of her scenes reminded me strongly of Demi Moore in “Ghost”. Fassbinder is fascinating to watch with his dual roles of Walter and David, both slightly different versions of the same being. And the special effects around the Fassbinder-on-Fassbinder action, tending somewhat towards the homoerotic in places, are well done.
Unfortunately the rest of the crew get little in the way of background development, which limits the impact of the inevitable demises. They are also about as clinically stupid as the spaceship crew in “Life” in some of their actions; I guess you could put some of this down to the effects of panic, but in other cases you might see it as a simple cleansing of the gene pool in Darwinian fashion.
Also making uncredited guest appearances are Guy Pearce as Weyland (in a flashback scene) and Noomi Rapace.
Music is “by” Jed Kurzel, but to be honest he does little than wrap around re-versions of the original Jerry Goldsmith classics: not that this is a bad thing, since those themes are iconic and a joy to hear again on the big screen.
My expectations for this movie were sky-high, as it was hinted as a return to form for the franchise. And in many ways it was, with a “man, Gods and androids” theme adding depth to the traditional anatomical-bursting gore. But to be honest, some of the storytelling was highly predictable, and I left slightly disappointed with the overall effort. If my expectations were an 11/10, my reality was more like a 7/10. It’s still a good film, and I look forward to watching it again. But perhaps this is a franchise that has really run its course now for Mr Scott and he should look to his next “Martian”-type movie for a more novel foundation to build his next movie “log cabin on the lake” on.
“Covenant” (named again after the spaceship at its heart) is a follow-on sequel to “Prometheus”, so it is worth re-watching it if you can before a cinema trip. At the end of that film we saw Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and a reconstructed android David (Michael Fassbender, “Steve Jobs“) flying off in an alien craft still loaded with its cargo of nasty alien black goo. Shaw had a mission to seek out The Engineer’s home world – named “Paradise” – to find out why after creating man they were intent on going back to finish them off with a WMD. A neat prologue has been released which documents this… here:
We pick up the action 10 years later in a totally improbable 2104. (Give us a break writing team! [Story by Jack Paglen and Michael Green; screenplay by John Logan and Dante Harper]. We know they won’t have got through planning permission on the third Heathrow runway by then, let alone invented interplanetary travel…! 2504, maybe!)
Daniels (Katherine Waterston, “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them“) has just suffered a sudden bereavement (an uncredited James Franco – – blink and you’ll miss him). She has also been rudely awakened from hypersleep due to a sudden system mishap: no, not to find Chris Pratt there like “Passengers“, but by the ship’s android Walter (also Michael Fassbender) who’s also revived the rest of the crew. While effecting repairs they receive a garbled John Denver track mysteriously beamed to them from an earth-like planet not too far away. As this might be a suitable homestead, and as spending weeks more in hypersleep is unattractive, Captain Oram (Billy Crudup, “Spotlight“) votes to check it out, against Daniels’ strong objections. Needless to say, this proves to be a BIG MISTAKE as the new film neatly links hands with the first film.
Kick-ass… Katherine Waterston being careful not to slip in the shower.
There’s a limit to what more I can say about the film without delivering spoilers (so I have added a few more comments in the spoiler section BELOW the trailer). It’s a far more action-oriented film than “Prometheus” and has enough jump scares and gore to please most Alien fans. (In fact, it’s a surprise to me that it got a UK “15” certificate rather than an “18”: how much more violence do you need to show in the film?) A shower scene towards the end of the film is particularly effective and will likely put an end to relaxing shower sex for many people for good!
It also looks visually stunning (cinematography is by Dariusz Wolski (“The Martian“, “Pirates of the Caribbean”) with location shooting in Milford Sound in New Zealand. The special effects are also a cut-above the normal CGI with a devastated Pompeii-like city, a picture of blacks and greys, being particularly effective.
In the acting stakes it is really all down to Waterston and Fassbinder. I wasn’t a great fan of Waterston in “Fantastic Beasts” – a bit insipid I thought – but here she adopts Ripley’s kick-ass mantle with ease but blends it beautifully with doe-eyed vulnerability. Some of her scenes reminded me strongly of Demi Moore in “Ghost”. Fassbinder is fascinating to watch with his dual roles of Walter and David, both slightly different versions of the same being. And the special effects around the Fassbinder-on-Fassbinder action, tending somewhat towards the homoerotic in places, are well done.
Unfortunately the rest of the crew get little in the way of background development, which limits the impact of the inevitable demises. They are also about as clinically stupid as the spaceship crew in “Life” in some of their actions; I guess you could put some of this down to the effects of panic, but in other cases you might see it as a simple cleansing of the gene pool in Darwinian fashion.
Also making uncredited guest appearances are Guy Pearce as Weyland (in a flashback scene) and Noomi Rapace.
Music is “by” Jed Kurzel, but to be honest he does little than wrap around re-versions of the original Jerry Goldsmith classics: not that this is a bad thing, since those themes are iconic and a joy to hear again on the big screen.
My expectations for this movie were sky-high, as it was hinted as a return to form for the franchise. And in many ways it was, with a “man, Gods and androids” theme adding depth to the traditional anatomical-bursting gore. But to be honest, some of the storytelling was highly predictable, and I left slightly disappointed with the overall effort. If my expectations were an 11/10, my reality was more like a 7/10. It’s still a good film, and I look forward to watching it again. But perhaps this is a franchise that has really run its course now for Mr Scott and he should look to his next “Martian”-type movie for a more novel foundation to build his next movie “log cabin on the lake” on.
The Star (Charleston Condors #1)
8.0
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Tight end Landry Banks knows the score when he signs with the Charleston Condors in a rebuilding...
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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Mad Max (1979) in Movies
Jan 5, 2018
Decent
Guilty confession: Typically when I watch a "classic" or a film I've really been looking forward to, I go into it expecting to like it. In other words, the film is already ahead of the curve when it comes to my grading scale. It has to do a lot to let me down. I hate to say it, but Mad Max? It let me down. Not in the sense that it was bad, but rather in the sense that I was hoping for more.
Max is a police officer in a post-apocalyptic world where biker gangs rule the road. After his partner is brutally burned by one of the most dangerous gangs, Max decides to retire but a terrible turn of events sucks him right back in.
The film got off to a slow start for me. I was confused by what was happening and why it was happening. It's not a good sign when I have to jump on to Wikipedia to clarify things. Unfortunately things never quite bounced back for me after that. I spent a good majority of the film thinking, "What are the stakes for Max? Why should I care about his character?" You're not really given a ton of insight into who he is and why he's a hero you want to root for. Read to kids in the hospital. Pull a cat out of a tree. Do something! Give me a reason to care. I don't think that's too much to ask for.
Despite my issues with the film, Mad Max is carried by a solid performance from Gibson. Visceral rage just oozes from the man as he goes out for his revenge. He's got that look, one we've seen in many films before. A look that says, "I'm crazy and I want you to know it." His passion in the role is a shining spot.
The film also benefits from solid world-building. Though you're only given a small taste, it's all you need to see. The road is what's important, the heartbeat of the film. You witness it in the attention to detail behind the cars (Max's car in the end was dope) and the gangs' constant power struggle over maintaining territory. The road is a wasteland, yet extremely vital for those living in it.
I'm giving Mad Max a 73. Perhaps that's not a bad thing. For a movie to be missing some key components and still get a decent score says a lot. It's kind of like eating at an expensive restaurant: When you see your plate, you're slightly let down because you were hoping for more, but you quickly find that the portion you received was good enough.
Max is a police officer in a post-apocalyptic world where biker gangs rule the road. After his partner is brutally burned by one of the most dangerous gangs, Max decides to retire but a terrible turn of events sucks him right back in.
The film got off to a slow start for me. I was confused by what was happening and why it was happening. It's not a good sign when I have to jump on to Wikipedia to clarify things. Unfortunately things never quite bounced back for me after that. I spent a good majority of the film thinking, "What are the stakes for Max? Why should I care about his character?" You're not really given a ton of insight into who he is and why he's a hero you want to root for. Read to kids in the hospital. Pull a cat out of a tree. Do something! Give me a reason to care. I don't think that's too much to ask for.
Despite my issues with the film, Mad Max is carried by a solid performance from Gibson. Visceral rage just oozes from the man as he goes out for his revenge. He's got that look, one we've seen in many films before. A look that says, "I'm crazy and I want you to know it." His passion in the role is a shining spot.
The film also benefits from solid world-building. Though you're only given a small taste, it's all you need to see. The road is what's important, the heartbeat of the film. You witness it in the attention to detail behind the cars (Max's car in the end was dope) and the gangs' constant power struggle over maintaining territory. The road is a wasteland, yet extremely vital for those living in it.
I'm giving Mad Max a 73. Perhaps that's not a bad thing. For a movie to be missing some key components and still get a decent score says a lot. It's kind of like eating at an expensive restaurant: When you see your plate, you're slightly let down because you were hoping for more, but you quickly find that the portion you received was good enough.
Debbiereadsbook (1154 KP) rated Guarding His Melody (Enhacned World #1) in Books
Sep 25, 2018
loved this addition to this world!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is billed as book 1 in the Enhanced World Standalones series, but you don't need to have red the 3 books in the main series, before this one. I have listened to book one, Five More Minutes, and am currently part way through book two, Who We Truly are and will get to Beneath This Mask after that. Mild spoilers, is all. and a hint at what I have to come.
After getting meningitis as a child, Seb is left deaf. Throw in mark of the Enhanced that appeared when he was 12, and life has thrown him a double whammy. When there are death threats, Seb hires Gray as a bodyguard. But the Threat is getting worse, after the death of his previous bodyguard and that of his music teacher. If Seb could shake these crippling headaches, and just play his piano, he'll be happy.
I'm really enjoying these books! They are different and different is always good in my book!
Seb is pretty much housebound, but the first thing Gray does, is drag him out of bed at stoopid o'clock to do Tia-Chi in the garden. Helped him, so gotta be worth a try, right?? And that there, is what I particularly LOVED about this book.
The HINTS at what Gray suffered. You don't get the FULL story, not at all, just hints and clues along the way that make you put together a picture, a bigger picture at what Gray suffered, HOW much he suffered and how he got through it. But you just know, that someone else will put together a different picture, with the same clues. And I LOVED that!
Seb's threat isn't who I thought it was, but it was just as bad. I do love being proven wrong!
The chemistry between Gray and Seb bubbles along for much of the book, and I did, at one point, think we wouldn't get to the main event, but we do, and it is glorious!
Talon and Finn (Five Minutes Longer) pop up at the end, and the others are mentioned at various places in the book, so ties the books together.
The Enhanced status of Seb plays very much second fiddle to his deafness.
But I'm not left wanting to LISTEN to this book. Nick J Russo narrates the other books, and I hope he does this one too. I'm eager to see how Seb's voice comes across.
I originally wrote 4 stars at the top of the page (and yes, i do WRITE them up by hand before I post them!) but, actually, I can't find anything to knock that star off, so...
5 full stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is billed as book 1 in the Enhanced World Standalones series, but you don't need to have red the 3 books in the main series, before this one. I have listened to book one, Five More Minutes, and am currently part way through book two, Who We Truly are and will get to Beneath This Mask after that. Mild spoilers, is all. and a hint at what I have to come.
After getting meningitis as a child, Seb is left deaf. Throw in mark of the Enhanced that appeared when he was 12, and life has thrown him a double whammy. When there are death threats, Seb hires Gray as a bodyguard. But the Threat is getting worse, after the death of his previous bodyguard and that of his music teacher. If Seb could shake these crippling headaches, and just play his piano, he'll be happy.
I'm really enjoying these books! They are different and different is always good in my book!
Seb is pretty much housebound, but the first thing Gray does, is drag him out of bed at stoopid o'clock to do Tia-Chi in the garden. Helped him, so gotta be worth a try, right?? And that there, is what I particularly LOVED about this book.
The HINTS at what Gray suffered. You don't get the FULL story, not at all, just hints and clues along the way that make you put together a picture, a bigger picture at what Gray suffered, HOW much he suffered and how he got through it. But you just know, that someone else will put together a different picture, with the same clues. And I LOVED that!
Seb's threat isn't who I thought it was, but it was just as bad. I do love being proven wrong!
The chemistry between Gray and Seb bubbles along for much of the book, and I did, at one point, think we wouldn't get to the main event, but we do, and it is glorious!
Talon and Finn (Five Minutes Longer) pop up at the end, and the others are mentioned at various places in the book, so ties the books together.
The Enhanced status of Seb plays very much second fiddle to his deafness.
But I'm not left wanting to LISTEN to this book. Nick J Russo narrates the other books, and I hope he does this one too. I'm eager to see how Seb's voice comes across.
I originally wrote 4 stars at the top of the page (and yes, i do WRITE them up by hand before I post them!) but, actually, I can't find anything to knock that star off, so...
5 full stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
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Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Our Kind of Cruelty: A Novel in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall is a domestic thriller and courtroom drama like no other! I’ve never read one quite like it. Not only do we have a male narrator named Mike, and see things from his point of view, we’re also dealing with other issues of autism and passionate obsessions, too. Until recently, Mike and his girlfriend Verity ( V as he likes to call her) have played a dangerous, sexual game called ‘Crave’, for years. But when they break up obsessed Mike still believes V is playing the game and will come back to him, despite V telling him she’s getting married to someone else and inviting him to the wedding. Nothing deters single-minded, Mike from his expected outcome.
The book begins like any other but it wasn’t long before I felt sorry for Mike, even though I knew he was a nasty piece of work. Why? I found the reason I sympathised with him was in the details. The way the author, Araminta Hall, portrayed Mike’s years as he talked about life as a kid; the things he refused to do, or accept, because his thinking was always logical and he didn’t understand why no one else could see things the way he did. Why say sorry when you don’t mean it? Why say you could kill someone and not do it?
As an adult Mike’s learnt to fit in with the world and act as society expects. To a certain degree. But it doesn’t mean he has to like it, or find it easy to do. He’s also one for keeping himself in check with routines of which he thrives on. Clearly, when you get to the end you’ll realise Mike’s attitude plays a massive part of the final twist.
I really enjoyed this book and its flawed characters. Although it’s not particularly fast-paced to start with, the journey fascinated me. Our Kind of Cruelty is about obsessive love, unhealthy relationships, and the psychology of the human mind. Details. It’s all in the details.
#WhatsYourVerdict? My verdict would give the whole twist away… This would translate well to film.
The book begins like any other but it wasn’t long before I felt sorry for Mike, even though I knew he was a nasty piece of work. Why? I found the reason I sympathised with him was in the details. The way the author, Araminta Hall, portrayed Mike’s years as he talked about life as a kid; the things he refused to do, or accept, because his thinking was always logical and he didn’t understand why no one else could see things the way he did. Why say sorry when you don’t mean it? Why say you could kill someone and not do it?
As an adult Mike’s learnt to fit in with the world and act as society expects. To a certain degree. But it doesn’t mean he has to like it, or find it easy to do. He’s also one for keeping himself in check with routines of which he thrives on. Clearly, when you get to the end you’ll realise Mike’s attitude plays a massive part of the final twist.
I really enjoyed this book and its flawed characters. Although it’s not particularly fast-paced to start with, the journey fascinated me. Our Kind of Cruelty is about obsessive love, unhealthy relationships, and the psychology of the human mind. Details. It’s all in the details.
#WhatsYourVerdict? My verdict would give the whole twist away… This would translate well to film.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Disappearing Girl in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a> at the end of September).
For some reason, this is a book that I really wanted to read. It's like it just spoke out to me. I'm glad I read it because this was such an interesting read!
It's so annoying when a book's blurb tells you what the book's going to be about, but then it turn's out the book is nothing like the blurb. However, The Disappearing Girl's blurb is spot on, so I won't bore you with my own words with what it's about.
The title is what first drew my attention to this book. I think it's intriguing, and it made me want to know why this girl was disappearing.
The cover is alright. For some reason, the girl on the front annoys me. There's just something about her appearance. However, that's just a personal thing. I do like the photo frame of just a brick wall with the title in it though.
I think Ms. Wood did a brilliant job with the world building! I struggled with anorexia when I was 13 years old, so I know what's it like. Ms. Wood seem to get the thought process right and the mannerisms of having this disorder. I remembered thinking those same things that Kayla would think. This book has one of the best built words I've read about in awhile!
I won't lie. I did think there would be times when the pacing would slow down. However, I needn't have worried. This book draws you in and doesn't let you go until the very end. I found myself fully immersed, and not once did my attention waver.
The plot line of a girl with anorexia has been done before, but Heather Topham Wood does an excellent job of creating fantastic sub-plots that support the main plot. As I said before, this is a great read!
Like everything else, the characters were written fantastically! I could totally relate to Kayla and what extreme lengths she'd go to to get to her goal weight. I liked how even though she had this internal struggle going on, she tried her hardest to please everyone. I know that if you end up trying to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one, but I do like how Kayla tried to make everyone happy. Cameron was a sweetie! I admired him for his dedication and loyalty to Kayla. I loved how he kept trying to stick by her side even when she tried pushing him away. I was so angry with Kayla's mother though! I hated how she treated Kayla and her sister Lila. There were times when I felt like screaming at my book to try to reach this literary character! Kayla's mom isn't written horribly, but quite the opposite. In fact, I'd go to say that she's that person you love to hate. I loved Lila! She isn't mentioned a whole lot throughout the story, but I loved reading about how her character grew emotionally. She goes from being a very vulnerable teen to a strong woman.
I thought the dialogue suited this book quite well. The whole anorexia talk doesn't just sound like something the author came up with. Instead, it sounds like the author did her research about this disease. As for bad language, there are some swear words so be warned.
Overall, The Disappearing Girl by Heather Topham Wood is like actually knowing someone with anorexia. This book makes you feel as if the main character is one of your best friends, and you just want her to get better. Everything about this book is perfect, and I can't find even one thing to fault.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 17+ (due to adult themes) who want to know the characters on a very emotional, personal level.
(I received a free ebook of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
For some reason, this is a book that I really wanted to read. It's like it just spoke out to me. I'm glad I read it because this was such an interesting read!
It's so annoying when a book's blurb tells you what the book's going to be about, but then it turn's out the book is nothing like the blurb. However, The Disappearing Girl's blurb is spot on, so I won't bore you with my own words with what it's about.
The title is what first drew my attention to this book. I think it's intriguing, and it made me want to know why this girl was disappearing.
The cover is alright. For some reason, the girl on the front annoys me. There's just something about her appearance. However, that's just a personal thing. I do like the photo frame of just a brick wall with the title in it though.
I think Ms. Wood did a brilliant job with the world building! I struggled with anorexia when I was 13 years old, so I know what's it like. Ms. Wood seem to get the thought process right and the mannerisms of having this disorder. I remembered thinking those same things that Kayla would think. This book has one of the best built words I've read about in awhile!
I won't lie. I did think there would be times when the pacing would slow down. However, I needn't have worried. This book draws you in and doesn't let you go until the very end. I found myself fully immersed, and not once did my attention waver.
The plot line of a girl with anorexia has been done before, but Heather Topham Wood does an excellent job of creating fantastic sub-plots that support the main plot. As I said before, this is a great read!
Like everything else, the characters were written fantastically! I could totally relate to Kayla and what extreme lengths she'd go to to get to her goal weight. I liked how even though she had this internal struggle going on, she tried her hardest to please everyone. I know that if you end up trying to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one, but I do like how Kayla tried to make everyone happy. Cameron was a sweetie! I admired him for his dedication and loyalty to Kayla. I loved how he kept trying to stick by her side even when she tried pushing him away. I was so angry with Kayla's mother though! I hated how she treated Kayla and her sister Lila. There were times when I felt like screaming at my book to try to reach this literary character! Kayla's mom isn't written horribly, but quite the opposite. In fact, I'd go to say that she's that person you love to hate. I loved Lila! She isn't mentioned a whole lot throughout the story, but I loved reading about how her character grew emotionally. She goes from being a very vulnerable teen to a strong woman.
I thought the dialogue suited this book quite well. The whole anorexia talk doesn't just sound like something the author came up with. Instead, it sounds like the author did her research about this disease. As for bad language, there are some swear words so be warned.
Overall, The Disappearing Girl by Heather Topham Wood is like actually knowing someone with anorexia. This book makes you feel as if the main character is one of your best friends, and you just want her to get better. Everything about this book is perfect, and I can't find even one thing to fault.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 17+ (due to adult themes) who want to know the characters on a very emotional, personal level.
(I received a free ebook of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Gareth von Kallenbach (974 KP) rated Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
Rewind back to the 80s, what was every kid doing Saturday mornings? Watching TV and catching up on their latest Smurfs’ adventure; running from the clutches of the evil wizard Gargamel. Who’s only purpose was to catch the Smurfs steal their powers and become the most powerful wizard in the world. I couldn’t help but feel a bit of nostalgia back to my childhood while watching this movie.
The film centered around Smurfette, the only female Smurf, and her struggle to find her place in Smurf Village. Smurfette was not born a Smurf. Gargamel used his magic to turn a piece of clay into Smurfette. His intent was to have his creation, Smurfette, lead him to Smurf village and capture all the Smurfs. Fortunately, Papa Smurf had his own magic and used it to turn Smurfette from evil to good.
Fast forward to present Smurf-day, Smurfette (Demi Lovato) tries her best to fit in, but ultimately has a serious identity crisis. So what does one do when they can’t figure out who they are? They go in search of their own identity. Along the way, Smurfette crosses paths with a strange creature. Eager to find out who this creature is, against Papa Smurf”s request, Smurfette decides to enter the Forbidden Forest. An area no Smurf has even been allowed to visit. She is joined by her brothers Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty-who unfortunately end up in Gargamel’s clutches. Gargamel (Rainn Wilson) uses his magic and finds out the there is another Smurf village, one that lies beyond the Forbidden Forest. Knowing the damage they have caused, Smurfette and her brothers trek has now changed into a rescue mission. They must reach the lost village before Gargamel and his cat, Azrael and warn the villagers of his evil plan. Who are these villagers? Hmm….
You don’t have to watch the first 2 Smurf films to understand what this one is about. They are completely different storylines and this one is 100% animation. A full return to the tone and characteristics of the beloved 80s cartoon. From the comedic gestures to the close escape from Gagamel, the movie provides loads of entertainment. It tugs at the heartstrings because we’ve all experienced self doubt. It does brush on moments of girl power and of course there are musical dance numbers. Really all the Smurfy fans that enjoyed the Smurfiness of yester-year Smurfs, will definitely find this movie the Smurftastic.
The film centered around Smurfette, the only female Smurf, and her struggle to find her place in Smurf Village. Smurfette was not born a Smurf. Gargamel used his magic to turn a piece of clay into Smurfette. His intent was to have his creation, Smurfette, lead him to Smurf village and capture all the Smurfs. Fortunately, Papa Smurf had his own magic and used it to turn Smurfette from evil to good.
Fast forward to present Smurf-day, Smurfette (Demi Lovato) tries her best to fit in, but ultimately has a serious identity crisis. So what does one do when they can’t figure out who they are? They go in search of their own identity. Along the way, Smurfette crosses paths with a strange creature. Eager to find out who this creature is, against Papa Smurf”s request, Smurfette decides to enter the Forbidden Forest. An area no Smurf has even been allowed to visit. She is joined by her brothers Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty-who unfortunately end up in Gargamel’s clutches. Gargamel (Rainn Wilson) uses his magic and finds out the there is another Smurf village, one that lies beyond the Forbidden Forest. Knowing the damage they have caused, Smurfette and her brothers trek has now changed into a rescue mission. They must reach the lost village before Gargamel and his cat, Azrael and warn the villagers of his evil plan. Who are these villagers? Hmm….
You don’t have to watch the first 2 Smurf films to understand what this one is about. They are completely different storylines and this one is 100% animation. A full return to the tone and characteristics of the beloved 80s cartoon. From the comedic gestures to the close escape from Gagamel, the movie provides loads of entertainment. It tugs at the heartstrings because we’ve all experienced self doubt. It does brush on moments of girl power and of course there are musical dance numbers. Really all the Smurfy fans that enjoyed the Smurfiness of yester-year Smurfs, will definitely find this movie the Smurftastic.
Maddog (122 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
May 16, 2020
A must see, even if your not a superhero fan.
I'm a massive Joker fan - always have been ever since I was little, so this may be a little one sided.
So out of all the films he's been involved with this is Joker’s first stand alone movie which I was so excited for. Joker’s back story has of course been talked about for many years as most of his life is unknown and simply everyone is guessing. The film 'Joker' decides to go down the back story of mental health which many believe is the cause of his behaviour.
The film starts off very simple, so much so that you believe you could be watching any other film. You get little hints of the Joker’s mental health issues and how people see him (at one point I felt sorry for him because of everything happening in the movie). As the movie progresses your then thrown into the world and mindset of the Joker himself; you start to see more mental health issues and start to notice the Joker that everyone knows. As the film progresses towards to the end, it creates many moments that leave you questioning your own sanity as you start to wonder what the truth is.
Yes this film has it flaws; it wasn’t quite the stand alone I was hoping for as I thought maybe a lesser well known reason would have been chosen but still the film did well with its chosen plot.
Yes it has 'that song' but in reality I feel it actually helps with the story that's happening. Here's my take; I feel that the song is in fact a hidden message. The song was performed by someone many would call 'a monster' so in truth is this not fitting for Joker? I believe that the playing of this song is Joker showing the audience in only true Joker fashion that 'the monster' he has hidden for so long is finally free.
There are many things I could say about this film but I feel I'd be here forever. In truth, many people don't enjoy this film for whatever their reason, or only enjoy parts. However, I enjoyed all of the film and everything it stands for or represents. As I said at the beginning I'm a Joker fan so this may seem one sided. I will say this though no matter what you may think about the film it’s 100% worth a watch, we can all take something away from this film, even if it's just how well done the movie was made. put together and portrayed.
So out of all the films he's been involved with this is Joker’s first stand alone movie which I was so excited for. Joker’s back story has of course been talked about for many years as most of his life is unknown and simply everyone is guessing. The film 'Joker' decides to go down the back story of mental health which many believe is the cause of his behaviour.
The film starts off very simple, so much so that you believe you could be watching any other film. You get little hints of the Joker’s mental health issues and how people see him (at one point I felt sorry for him because of everything happening in the movie). As the movie progresses your then thrown into the world and mindset of the Joker himself; you start to see more mental health issues and start to notice the Joker that everyone knows. As the film progresses towards to the end, it creates many moments that leave you questioning your own sanity as you start to wonder what the truth is.
Yes this film has it flaws; it wasn’t quite the stand alone I was hoping for as I thought maybe a lesser well known reason would have been chosen but still the film did well with its chosen plot.
Yes it has 'that song' but in reality I feel it actually helps with the story that's happening. Here's my take; I feel that the song is in fact a hidden message. The song was performed by someone many would call 'a monster' so in truth is this not fitting for Joker? I believe that the playing of this song is Joker showing the audience in only true Joker fashion that 'the monster' he has hidden for so long is finally free.
There are many things I could say about this film but I feel I'd be here forever. In truth, many people don't enjoy this film for whatever their reason, or only enjoy parts. However, I enjoyed all of the film and everything it stands for or represents. As I said at the beginning I'm a Joker fan so this may seem one sided. I will say this though no matter what you may think about the film it’s 100% worth a watch, we can all take something away from this film, even if it's just how well done the movie was made. put together and portrayed.