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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Guest Room in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Richard Chapman reluctantly agrees to host his younger brother's bachelor party--at his own home. He suspects his brother, Philip, and Philip's good friend Spencer may be hiring some "entertainment" for the party, but isn't expecting the two women and Russian bodyguards who show up for the evening. Nor is Richard expecting what follows -- an evening of drinking, partying, sex, and suddenly - murder, when the women kill their bodyguards and disappear. Suddenly, Richard finds himself trying to explain what happened to his wife, their young daughter, his employer, and the world at large. Further he finds himself haunted by memories of his interactions with one of the girls, Alexandra.
This was an interesting book with a somewhat fascinating premise. It brings up a lot of questions about morality. What role does our society play when it comes to bachelors parties -- and what is the expectation of those attending? And the spouses and fiancees on the other side? What do we tell ourselves about the origin of the "talent" that appears at such functions? Bohjalian attempts to explore these questions through Richard's story - which unfolds from Richard's perspective, that of his wife, Kristin, and one of the hired girls, Alexandra. It becomes almost a bit of a thriller - as we piece together bits before the party, the aftermath, and also learn what led up to the girls' fateful decision.
A bit of the book lags in the beginning, but it picks up quickly and becomes quite compelling. One would think Richard would be the main character, but for me, the story revolved around Alexandra. Her tale is the most thought-provoking and insightful. At points, the novel is simply heart-breaking. Richard's sections are often irritating and frustrating, as you can only have so much sympathy for the man at points. Kristin is a good go-between - the innocent bystander blindsided by what occurred in her home when she was not there.
Overall, the book weaves the story nicely around its characters. Little details give a nuanced perspective that authors less experienced than Bohjalian may lack (he's also one of the few authors that has me hitting the dictionary from time to time to look up words). There was a time when I really felt my rating for this could range from 2 - 4 stars. It received a bump for the ending, which just felt fitting, and for Alexandra, who was a lovely protagonist and written in such a quiet way that doesn't come along very often. In the end, this felt more than a "life in suburbia gone terribly wrong" story - it was cold and heartless, yet heart-breaking and compassionate. A worthwhile read, for sure.
(Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
This was an interesting book with a somewhat fascinating premise. It brings up a lot of questions about morality. What role does our society play when it comes to bachelors parties -- and what is the expectation of those attending? And the spouses and fiancees on the other side? What do we tell ourselves about the origin of the "talent" that appears at such functions? Bohjalian attempts to explore these questions through Richard's story - which unfolds from Richard's perspective, that of his wife, Kristin, and one of the hired girls, Alexandra. It becomes almost a bit of a thriller - as we piece together bits before the party, the aftermath, and also learn what led up to the girls' fateful decision.
A bit of the book lags in the beginning, but it picks up quickly and becomes quite compelling. One would think Richard would be the main character, but for me, the story revolved around Alexandra. Her tale is the most thought-provoking and insightful. At points, the novel is simply heart-breaking. Richard's sections are often irritating and frustrating, as you can only have so much sympathy for the man at points. Kristin is a good go-between - the innocent bystander blindsided by what occurred in her home when she was not there.
Overall, the book weaves the story nicely around its characters. Little details give a nuanced perspective that authors less experienced than Bohjalian may lack (he's also one of the few authors that has me hitting the dictionary from time to time to look up words). There was a time when I really felt my rating for this could range from 2 - 4 stars. It received a bump for the ending, which just felt fitting, and for Alexandra, who was a lovely protagonist and written in such a quiet way that doesn't come along very often. In the end, this felt more than a "life in suburbia gone terribly wrong" story - it was cold and heartless, yet heart-breaking and compassionate. A worthwhile read, for sure.
(Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Gareth von Kallenbach (974 KP) rated Sin City (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
In a dazzling blend of muted color, violence, and eroticism Frank Millers graphic novel Sin City has burst upon the screen with a visual style that is as diverse as the star studded cast that drives it.
Set in the fictional Basin City, the film is a series of segments that weave in and around each other to tell various stories and side plots without a clear cut beginning and end as the conclusion of one segment often mirrors portions of the events in another.
While the film does not have a linear plot in the traditional sense, each segment is a snapshot of life in Basin City and how it is viewed by the various people that dwell within. It does not take a genius to see that the city is rife with all manner of unsavory characters from child molesters to cannibals. Basin City is also a place where people are not always the sum of their parts as a violent and disfigured thug named Marv (Mickey Rourke) can show humanity and compassion as he attempts to avenge those who were wronged. It is a place where a person with a dubious past and a new face named Dwight (Clive Owen), is town between the life he left behind and his desire to protect those who are in danger.
The film is chocked full of dialogue that is reminiscent of classic pulp novels and comics of the 40’s and 50’s where characters were often as two dimensional as the pages in which their exploits were chronicled. While this at first seems awkward and hokey it tends to grow on you as it is an accurate reflection of the locales and inhabitants that comprise the city.
While most of the film is shot in a black and white style, there are flashes of color that make a gripping contrast to the usually blank characters. Examples of which are seen in many of the films violent action sequences where blood and other gore are used for artistic effect. In one example, graphic shooting segments are left in a muted black and white allowing us to see the gore in a muted sense. The impact of the scene is not lost but it is rendered in an artistic and unique manner that is amazing to see. While you should be horrified at what you see, you find yourself captivated by the clever color and camera work that is used to render the scene. At other times, the crimson color of blood is used to emphasize a scene and illustrate and illuminate a character.
If this sounds confusing, it is due to the fact that to many “Sin City”, is a film that is a unique looking film, that has a pacing and style all its own, and does not play by the traditional rules for a film. While films such as “Heavy Metal” and “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” have brought graphic novels and visually unique pulp stories to the screen, it is the constant adherence to the source material, and directors Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, and Quentin Tarantinos ability to blend their unique styles seamlessly that makes this film interesting.
The action of the film is very well choreographed and despite being very, very graphic in places, it nonetheless entertains and rarely seems gratuitous. The film also has a surprising amount of comedy as there were several moments that caused the audience at my press screening to erupt.
While it does not offer much in the way of plot or acting, the performances are appropriate to the characters and settings .The all-star cast does a great job in conveying the motivations of their characters as the audience is given just what the need to know about a character to make the segments work.
While the film may not appeal to a mass audience due to the unique look and structure of the film, fans of Tarantino and Rodriguez are likely to embrace this film which should likely result in further adventures in Basin City sometime in the near future.
Set in the fictional Basin City, the film is a series of segments that weave in and around each other to tell various stories and side plots without a clear cut beginning and end as the conclusion of one segment often mirrors portions of the events in another.
While the film does not have a linear plot in the traditional sense, each segment is a snapshot of life in Basin City and how it is viewed by the various people that dwell within. It does not take a genius to see that the city is rife with all manner of unsavory characters from child molesters to cannibals. Basin City is also a place where people are not always the sum of their parts as a violent and disfigured thug named Marv (Mickey Rourke) can show humanity and compassion as he attempts to avenge those who were wronged. It is a place where a person with a dubious past and a new face named Dwight (Clive Owen), is town between the life he left behind and his desire to protect those who are in danger.
The film is chocked full of dialogue that is reminiscent of classic pulp novels and comics of the 40’s and 50’s where characters were often as two dimensional as the pages in which their exploits were chronicled. While this at first seems awkward and hokey it tends to grow on you as it is an accurate reflection of the locales and inhabitants that comprise the city.
While most of the film is shot in a black and white style, there are flashes of color that make a gripping contrast to the usually blank characters. Examples of which are seen in many of the films violent action sequences where blood and other gore are used for artistic effect. In one example, graphic shooting segments are left in a muted black and white allowing us to see the gore in a muted sense. The impact of the scene is not lost but it is rendered in an artistic and unique manner that is amazing to see. While you should be horrified at what you see, you find yourself captivated by the clever color and camera work that is used to render the scene. At other times, the crimson color of blood is used to emphasize a scene and illustrate and illuminate a character.
If this sounds confusing, it is due to the fact that to many “Sin City”, is a film that is a unique looking film, that has a pacing and style all its own, and does not play by the traditional rules for a film. While films such as “Heavy Metal” and “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” have brought graphic novels and visually unique pulp stories to the screen, it is the constant adherence to the source material, and directors Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, and Quentin Tarantinos ability to blend their unique styles seamlessly that makes this film interesting.
The action of the film is very well choreographed and despite being very, very graphic in places, it nonetheless entertains and rarely seems gratuitous. The film also has a surprising amount of comedy as there were several moments that caused the audience at my press screening to erupt.
While it does not offer much in the way of plot or acting, the performances are appropriate to the characters and settings .The all-star cast does a great job in conveying the motivations of their characters as the audience is given just what the need to know about a character to make the segments work.
While the film may not appeal to a mass audience due to the unique look and structure of the film, fans of Tarantino and Rodriguez are likely to embrace this film which should likely result in further adventures in Basin City sometime in the near future.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Timmy Failure: The Cat Stole My Pants in Books
Sep 12, 2017
Amusing ... If you are a child
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Kinney, 2004) is a juvenile series by American author, Stephan Pastis, about a young boy who believes he is the world’s greatest detective. A series that is continually growing, the sixth Timmy Failure story is now available for fans and new readers. Subtitled The Cat Stole My Pants, Timmy Failure embarks on an adventure of mystery and crime solving whilst getting himself into all sorts of mischief.
Emulating both real and fictional detectives, Timmy has established his own agency, Failure, Inc., of which he is the sole employee after the flight of his (imaginary) ex-business partner, Total the polar bear, who is currently seeking political asylum in Cuba. Unfortunately, Timmy has been forced to join his mother and Doorman Dave on their honeymoon in Key West, Florida, along with Doorman Dave’s nephew, Emilio.
“Crime doesn’t take a holiday. Neither does greatness.” Determined to continue solving crimes, Timmy hires Emilio as an unpaid intern and sets off searching for crimes, greatly over exaggerating every little piece of “evidence” he finds. However, it soon appears that someone is out to get Timmy and he, along with Emilio, is determined to find out whom.
Timmy is a melodramatic, unconventional child with a large ego and is constantly getting told off. From annoying adults to having his pants stolen by a polydactyl cat – or so he claims – there is no end to the hilarious situations he causes.
The cat that stole Timmy’s pants only makes a brief appearance in the book, therefore the subtitle is more to attract the attention of young readers with its silliness rather than be suggestive of a certain storyline.
Despite his grand claims, Timmy is not a very good detective and a lot of his unsolved crimes have been invented by his overactive imagination. This adds to the humour because, although he seems like an intelligent child, his ideas are completely silly.
Adorned with childish drawings and diagrams, Timmy Failure narrates the story from his subjective point of view, inflating his successes and blaming any failure on poor Emilio. No one takes Timmy seriously, which is something many of the target readers may appreciate, although they should also understand how futile Timmy’s attempts are at being a detective.
The storyline is not particularly clear until the final chapters of the book. Up until that moment, the book is full of disastrous, imaginary detective endeavours that prove Timmy to be nothing more than an annoying, inventive boy.
Some of the language may be above children’s reading capabilities, however, the humour is directly on their level. Whereas an adult may not find the idea of a cat stealing someone’s pants amusing, a child would find that hysterical.
There is no reason to read the Timmy Failure books in order, so if you, like me, read book six first, there is no problem. The stories are particularly aimed at young boys and will hopefully encourage the demographic to start reading more. Whilst it may not be a great feat of literature, it is a good enough introduction to the world of books.
For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Kinney, 2004) is a juvenile series by American author, Stephan Pastis, about a young boy who believes he is the world’s greatest detective. A series that is continually growing, the sixth Timmy Failure story is now available for fans and new readers. Subtitled The Cat Stole My Pants, Timmy Failure embarks on an adventure of mystery and crime solving whilst getting himself into all sorts of mischief.
Emulating both real and fictional detectives, Timmy has established his own agency, Failure, Inc., of which he is the sole employee after the flight of his (imaginary) ex-business partner, Total the polar bear, who is currently seeking political asylum in Cuba. Unfortunately, Timmy has been forced to join his mother and Doorman Dave on their honeymoon in Key West, Florida, along with Doorman Dave’s nephew, Emilio.
“Crime doesn’t take a holiday. Neither does greatness.” Determined to continue solving crimes, Timmy hires Emilio as an unpaid intern and sets off searching for crimes, greatly over exaggerating every little piece of “evidence” he finds. However, it soon appears that someone is out to get Timmy and he, along with Emilio, is determined to find out whom.
Timmy is a melodramatic, unconventional child with a large ego and is constantly getting told off. From annoying adults to having his pants stolen by a polydactyl cat – or so he claims – there is no end to the hilarious situations he causes.
The cat that stole Timmy’s pants only makes a brief appearance in the book, therefore the subtitle is more to attract the attention of young readers with its silliness rather than be suggestive of a certain storyline.
Despite his grand claims, Timmy is not a very good detective and a lot of his unsolved crimes have been invented by his overactive imagination. This adds to the humour because, although he seems like an intelligent child, his ideas are completely silly.
Adorned with childish drawings and diagrams, Timmy Failure narrates the story from his subjective point of view, inflating his successes and blaming any failure on poor Emilio. No one takes Timmy seriously, which is something many of the target readers may appreciate, although they should also understand how futile Timmy’s attempts are at being a detective.
The storyline is not particularly clear until the final chapters of the book. Up until that moment, the book is full of disastrous, imaginary detective endeavours that prove Timmy to be nothing more than an annoying, inventive boy.
Some of the language may be above children’s reading capabilities, however, the humour is directly on their level. Whereas an adult may not find the idea of a cat stealing someone’s pants amusing, a child would find that hysterical.
There is no reason to read the Timmy Failure books in order, so if you, like me, read book six first, there is no problem. The stories are particularly aimed at young boys and will hopefully encourage the demographic to start reading more. Whilst it may not be a great feat of literature, it is a good enough introduction to the world of books.
TacoDave (3586 KP) rated Captain Marvel (2019) in Movies
Apr 10, 2019 (Updated Apr 10, 2019)
Special Effects (1 more)
90's Setting
Acting (2 more)
Story
Overt Politicalization
Captain "Meh"vel.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I finally saw Captain Marvel, just a few weeks after the rest of the world. It has already made over $1 billion, so I know I'm late to the game.
What can I say that hasn't already been said? It's a serviceable Marvel movie. It ranks up there with Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World as well-made, enjoyable, yet forgettable superhero fare. At the end I realized it doesn't really explain anything and doesn't really amount to much except a mouthpiece for feminists raging against toxic masculinity and a cry to help refugees, and that's disappointing.
What are Captain Marvel's powers? It never really explains. She shoots energy beams. She learns to fly, somehow. And apparently she can breathe in space (?). But how or why or what the limits of her powers are is never discussed.
Neither are weaknesses. Superman has kryptonite. Batman and Iron Man are humans using technology to help them, but can be killed. Even Vision died without his infinity stone. But apparently Captain Marvel is just such a kick-ass woman that she can't be hurt. The film seems to suggest that her only weakness is her lack of self-empowerment.
And while I don't mind a movie having a political bent, everything in this movie that is trying to promote a social message is too on-the-nose, too in-your-face to work. "I'm Just a Girl" plays while she beats people up. A man says she should smile. A pilot says "You know why it's called the COCKpit, right?" Ninety percent of the music features a female singer (the only one I noticed that didn't was Nirvana's "Come As You Are"). It's just ... too much. Or too blatant. It kept pulling me out of the movie, as if the director(s) were seated next to me, poking me in the arm, saying "See what we did there? Subtext!"
One of the aliens even refers to earth as a sh!t-hole, a clear, obvious reference to Donald Trump.
So that's Captain Marvel. 10% muddled action, 30% jokes (mostly funny), 5% story, and 55% political message. Oh, and 127% GURL POWER.
I enjoyed it as a prelude to Avengers: Endgame, but I don't think I'll ever watch it again.
What can I say that hasn't already been said? It's a serviceable Marvel movie. It ranks up there with Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World as well-made, enjoyable, yet forgettable superhero fare. At the end I realized it doesn't really explain anything and doesn't really amount to much except a mouthpiece for feminists raging against toxic masculinity and a cry to help refugees, and that's disappointing.
What are Captain Marvel's powers? It never really explains. She shoots energy beams. She learns to fly, somehow. And apparently she can breathe in space (?). But how or why or what the limits of her powers are is never discussed.
Neither are weaknesses. Superman has kryptonite. Batman and Iron Man are humans using technology to help them, but can be killed. Even Vision died without his infinity stone. But apparently Captain Marvel is just such a kick-ass woman that she can't be hurt. The film seems to suggest that her only weakness is her lack of self-empowerment.
And while I don't mind a movie having a political bent, everything in this movie that is trying to promote a social message is too on-the-nose, too in-your-face to work. "I'm Just a Girl" plays while she beats people up. A man says she should smile. A pilot says "You know why it's called the COCKpit, right?" Ninety percent of the music features a female singer (the only one I noticed that didn't was Nirvana's "Come As You Are"). It's just ... too much. Or too blatant. It kept pulling me out of the movie, as if the director(s) were seated next to me, poking me in the arm, saying "See what we did there? Subtext!"
One of the aliens even refers to earth as a sh!t-hole, a clear, obvious reference to Donald Trump.
So that's Captain Marvel. 10% muddled action, 30% jokes (mostly funny), 5% story, and 55% political message. Oh, and 127% GURL POWER.
I enjoyed it as a prelude to Avengers: Endgame, but I don't think I'll ever watch it again.
Debbiereadsbook (1154 KP) rated Fate in Suspension (Horn & Haven #1) in Books
Sep 15, 2022
Loved that Shifting was a back drop!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I liked this, a lot. It's a very different sort of shifter book and that its unicorns made it all the more special.
I can't stretch to 5 stars for a couple of reasons.
Its a LONG book, some 500+ pages. It does, however, even with all those pages, NOT say a lot!
I still have no idea what being an AGENT means, what that roll entails. Gates doesn't seem to like being an Agent much! Clearly it has some negative connotations, but those are explained when Tai tells gates about his experience with other Agents.
Something happened in Gates' work world, then there was the destruction of the Haven and I wasn't sure, STILL am not sure, whether these two events were one and the same! The implication, or at least I got an implication, that they were, but that point was never fully made clear.
I will always say, I don't like the massive info dumps you get when entering a new world. I like little and often. However, here? You are thrown in headfirst into the deep end, and it takes a time to be able to swim to the surface, and breathe!
It says at the back of the book that this is a spin off from another series by this author. One I have NOT read. I wonder it reading those would have given me a bit of a life raft before reading this one.
What I did like, nay, what I LOVED was the chemistry between Gates and Tai. It jumps off the page at every turn, and burns hot and bright right through the book. It's clear, right from the start, for both men, that this was something different to what had gone before. There was an air about it that scared them both, and it was great watching them battle with themselves, to work it all out.
AND!! I loved that shifting, turning, takes a massive back drop to this book, rather than being front and centre. Both men do turn at some point, but Gates only twice and Tai just the once.
So, I liked it, but found it a bit too long.
4 good solid stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
I liked this, a lot. It's a very different sort of shifter book and that its unicorns made it all the more special.
I can't stretch to 5 stars for a couple of reasons.
Its a LONG book, some 500+ pages. It does, however, even with all those pages, NOT say a lot!
I still have no idea what being an AGENT means, what that roll entails. Gates doesn't seem to like being an Agent much! Clearly it has some negative connotations, but those are explained when Tai tells gates about his experience with other Agents.
Something happened in Gates' work world, then there was the destruction of the Haven and I wasn't sure, STILL am not sure, whether these two events were one and the same! The implication, or at least I got an implication, that they were, but that point was never fully made clear.
I will always say, I don't like the massive info dumps you get when entering a new world. I like little and often. However, here? You are thrown in headfirst into the deep end, and it takes a time to be able to swim to the surface, and breathe!
It says at the back of the book that this is a spin off from another series by this author. One I have NOT read. I wonder it reading those would have given me a bit of a life raft before reading this one.
What I did like, nay, what I LOVED was the chemistry between Gates and Tai. It jumps off the page at every turn, and burns hot and bright right through the book. It's clear, right from the start, for both men, that this was something different to what had gone before. There was an air about it that scared them both, and it was great watching them battle with themselves, to work it all out.
AND!! I loved that shifting, turning, takes a massive back drop to this book, rather than being front and centre. Both men do turn at some point, but Gates only twice and Tai just the once.
So, I liked it, but found it a bit too long.
4 good solid stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Contract Killer: Sniper
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You are a master assassin, hired to infiltrate secure locations and eliminate high-profile targets....
A Tigers Destiny (Tiger Protectors #3)
8.5
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He's one beast of a bodyguard... Kel Cunningham is the only white tiger shifter in the world....
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Plague of the Zombies (1966) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: The Plague of the Zombies starts when Sir James Forbes (Morell) takes his daughter Sylvia (Clare) to Cornwell, to help a for student of his Dr Peter Tompson (Williams) with a string of cases which can’t be explained by the normal science.
When Peter’s wife Alice (Pearce) dies, the two try to figure out what killed her, only what they discover isn’t human. Soon it appears the village is being over run by the zombies and they must hunt down the master controlling them.
Thoughts on The Plague of the Zombies
Characters – Sir James Forbes is the respected doctor that gets called upon to help with an unknown medical case, he will help his former student uncover the case, he does believe something unusual is going on and starts to worry about his daughter. Sylvia is the daughter that goes on the journey, she becomes the target from the master who wants her to become his bride. She is the typical 60’s damsel in distress. Dr Peter Tompson is the one who called for help knowing his mentor wouldn’t let him down when it comes to figuring out the unexplainable. Alice is Peter’s wife that is the latest to become cursed with what is happening within the village, she makes it feel more personal for the two doctors.
Performances – Andre Morell as the more experienced doctor is entertaining to watch through the film, he fits the wiser role with ease. Diane Clare fits your typical 60’s horror figure for the era, never doing much more than screaming. Brooke Williams doesn’t make his character feel like a doctor though.
Story – The story follows a doctor that is asked to investigate a new outbreak of a disease in a small village, only to learn it has connection to voodoo and zombies. We must think that this story was put together before zombie movies had over taken the world, the idea behind voodoo and zombies was always a connection which works for the ideas being used in this story. the story might not be the most intense and does end up being rather safe with how everything being handled, never managing to reach any level of creepiness which could be associated with voodoo zombie creation.
Horror – The horror in this film comes from the ideas of zombies and voodoo, which for the time, was one of the scarier elements of horror, even if it has been watered down in the modern era.
Settings – The film is set in a small Cornwell village, which shows us how the community has become considered, while also showing how the community could stick together with a more evil idea going on.
Special Effects – The effects in the film comes from the zombie creations, which show us a wonderful use of make-up, with other elements of the film coming from how injuries are inflicted.
Scene of the Movie – Alice rises.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not as creepy as it could be.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that when released would have gotten more scares, now it has dated and just doesn’t connect the audience in the same way it once did.
Overall: Hammer horror 101
When Peter’s wife Alice (Pearce) dies, the two try to figure out what killed her, only what they discover isn’t human. Soon it appears the village is being over run by the zombies and they must hunt down the master controlling them.
Thoughts on The Plague of the Zombies
Characters – Sir James Forbes is the respected doctor that gets called upon to help with an unknown medical case, he will help his former student uncover the case, he does believe something unusual is going on and starts to worry about his daughter. Sylvia is the daughter that goes on the journey, she becomes the target from the master who wants her to become his bride. She is the typical 60’s damsel in distress. Dr Peter Tompson is the one who called for help knowing his mentor wouldn’t let him down when it comes to figuring out the unexplainable. Alice is Peter’s wife that is the latest to become cursed with what is happening within the village, she makes it feel more personal for the two doctors.
Performances – Andre Morell as the more experienced doctor is entertaining to watch through the film, he fits the wiser role with ease. Diane Clare fits your typical 60’s horror figure for the era, never doing much more than screaming. Brooke Williams doesn’t make his character feel like a doctor though.
Story – The story follows a doctor that is asked to investigate a new outbreak of a disease in a small village, only to learn it has connection to voodoo and zombies. We must think that this story was put together before zombie movies had over taken the world, the idea behind voodoo and zombies was always a connection which works for the ideas being used in this story. the story might not be the most intense and does end up being rather safe with how everything being handled, never managing to reach any level of creepiness which could be associated with voodoo zombie creation.
Horror – The horror in this film comes from the ideas of zombies and voodoo, which for the time, was one of the scarier elements of horror, even if it has been watered down in the modern era.
Settings – The film is set in a small Cornwell village, which shows us how the community has become considered, while also showing how the community could stick together with a more evil idea going on.
Special Effects – The effects in the film comes from the zombie creations, which show us a wonderful use of make-up, with other elements of the film coming from how injuries are inflicted.
Scene of the Movie – Alice rises.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not as creepy as it could be.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that when released would have gotten more scares, now it has dated and just doesn’t connect the audience in the same way it once did.
Overall: Hammer horror 101
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Say something. AutoRap turns your speech into rap. Choose from 100+ beats from artists like Drake,...
Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018) in Movies
Jul 1, 2019
25+ years in the making!
Up until its release, "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" would have been at the top of any movie list featuring movies in development hell never to actually make it to the big screen. Those who are interested should read the lengthy details of the various derailed productions of the film including its original incarnation starring Johnny Depp and the late Jean Rochefort. The film chronicles can even be viewed on their own in the 2002 documentary film "Lost in La Mancha".
To say director Terry Gilliam has had a hard time getting some of his quirky films made, financed and released is an understatement for sure. Films like "Brazil", "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" or "Tideland" had their difficulties making it to the big screen. How about having the main star of your film die in the middle of production? He had that issue as well during filming of "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" when Heath Ledger passed away. Thanks to the help of Johnny Depp, Collin Farrell and Jude Law stepping in, the film was able to be released eventually.
Over the years I had kept up with Gilliam's repeated attempts to get the film financed and made including another time where he had cast fellow Python vet Michael Palin in the lead or even Robert Duvall was attached at one point.
The movie itself is a marvel of tenacity for Gilliam and I am very glad he was finally able to make it.
This final version of the film stars Adam Driver as troubled film director, Toby, and Jonathan Pryce as Don Quixote.
Toby is not thrilled about his current production and wanders back to the small Spanish town where he had met some of the locals and made a student film about Quixote 10 years earlier. He finds his "Quixote" living out a sideshow fantasy having lost his grip on reality thinking he is still Quixote today. Toby decides to launch an adventure with him through the Spanish countryside as his "Sancho Panza". Through their quests they encounter a multitude of interesting, wacky and outlandish characters who feed into the Quixote fantasy.
I have to say the film's look left me breathless. As with Gilliam's entire library of films, the production design, art direction and cinematography were astonishing really delving you into this larger than life world and helped move along some of the weaker elements.
Gilliam's goal with the screenplay was to adapt the classic Quixote story to be told under up to date circumstances and I'm not sure he completely succeeded. Some of the scenes and dialogue were boring and the movie's plot dragged at times. The mixing of world's was a little confusing and not sure the payoff entirely wrapped the story to conclusion.
Besides playing Kylo Wren, I am not sure Adam Driver will end up having a long career in film as I thought he was flat and not entertaining to watch as I am sure Depp would have been in the role. Jonathan Pryce was a joy to watch and every scene he was in he really stole the show.
It was fun to watch some elements from some of Gilliam's other work on display including the red knight from "The Fisher King", the sprawling landscapes from "Baron Munchausen" or "Time Bandits" and even the sideshow from "Parnassus".
Overall, I am glad I finally got to watch it as I am sure Gilliam was to finally film and release his long-awaited project. I guess I would say I was entertained, but felt like it fell short of being a true classic.
To say director Terry Gilliam has had a hard time getting some of his quirky films made, financed and released is an understatement for sure. Films like "Brazil", "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" or "Tideland" had their difficulties making it to the big screen. How about having the main star of your film die in the middle of production? He had that issue as well during filming of "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" when Heath Ledger passed away. Thanks to the help of Johnny Depp, Collin Farrell and Jude Law stepping in, the film was able to be released eventually.
Over the years I had kept up with Gilliam's repeated attempts to get the film financed and made including another time where he had cast fellow Python vet Michael Palin in the lead or even Robert Duvall was attached at one point.
The movie itself is a marvel of tenacity for Gilliam and I am very glad he was finally able to make it.
This final version of the film stars Adam Driver as troubled film director, Toby, and Jonathan Pryce as Don Quixote.
Toby is not thrilled about his current production and wanders back to the small Spanish town where he had met some of the locals and made a student film about Quixote 10 years earlier. He finds his "Quixote" living out a sideshow fantasy having lost his grip on reality thinking he is still Quixote today. Toby decides to launch an adventure with him through the Spanish countryside as his "Sancho Panza". Through their quests they encounter a multitude of interesting, wacky and outlandish characters who feed into the Quixote fantasy.
I have to say the film's look left me breathless. As with Gilliam's entire library of films, the production design, art direction and cinematography were astonishing really delving you into this larger than life world and helped move along some of the weaker elements.
Gilliam's goal with the screenplay was to adapt the classic Quixote story to be told under up to date circumstances and I'm not sure he completely succeeded. Some of the scenes and dialogue were boring and the movie's plot dragged at times. The mixing of world's was a little confusing and not sure the payoff entirely wrapped the story to conclusion.
Besides playing Kylo Wren, I am not sure Adam Driver will end up having a long career in film as I thought he was flat and not entertaining to watch as I am sure Depp would have been in the role. Jonathan Pryce was a joy to watch and every scene he was in he really stole the show.
It was fun to watch some elements from some of Gilliam's other work on display including the red knight from "The Fisher King", the sprawling landscapes from "Baron Munchausen" or "Time Bandits" and even the sideshow from "Parnassus".
Overall, I am glad I finally got to watch it as I am sure Gilliam was to finally film and release his long-awaited project. I guess I would say I was entertained, but felt like it fell short of being a true classic.
