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    Agitator (2001)

    Agitator (2001)

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    Movie

    thank you – and – fuck you - brother When a young Yakuza torments the customers in a rival...

The Secret of Marrowbone (2018)
The Secret of Marrowbone (2018)
2018 | Drama, Horror, Thriller
7
6.0 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Keep a secret
#marrowbone #marrowbonemovie is enchanting, tense & bleak psychological drama with a slow pace that ensures you feel the emotion its packed full of. To start with I feel this #film has been marketed completely wrong, its not a horror movie & more of a drama with slight horror elements (these being mainly psychological). This isnt a bad thing at all but for those of you expecting the like of #thenun you may want to avoid this one. Its also a tough movie to review for me as while i loved acts 1 & 2 so incredibly much that once the twist his in act 3 I felt a tad let down & cheated. Thats not saying act 3 is bad it just felt sub par to the rest of the film, rushed, tacked on & far too hand holding for my liking. Shot really creative & with a #gorgeous eye for cinematography at first marrowbone feels almost dreamlike with a sence of mysterious #fairytale edge to it. This doesnt last long however as what follows is an anxiety riddled downward spiral of a tale about the destruction of a family as it slowly falls apart because of its abusive past. Symbolism & metaphors are cleverly inserted everywhere from broken mirrors representing the cracks in family & a stain on the ceiling representing guilt that keeps seeping in. Watching as this #family gradually falls apart is upsetting & uncomfortable with themes of mental instability, deceit, abuse, loss & jealousy really hitting home constantly. Music is awesome too as well as the use of silence yo great pin sharp tension & dread. #anyataylorjoy steals the show here as always not only with her acting but with her beauty too. Over all its a great little film that could of been fantastic if it wasnt for its messy end chapter but its still a very well made deep, smart & well acted piece of work that id encourage film #fans to see at least once. Think #Split meets #itcomesatnight. #odeon #odeonlimitless #screamunseen #drama #horror #jumpy #scary #witch #metalillness #thesecretofmarrowbone #filmbuff #filmcritic #review #haunted #love #murder #gore #blood #mondaymotivation
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2672 KP) rated Death Down the Aisle in Books

Oct 29, 2026 (Updated Oct 29, 2026)  
Death Down the Aisle
Death Down the Aisle
Colleen Cambridge | 2026 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Family Drama and Murder
Dr. John Bhatt is getting married to Emily, a woman he met while home visiting in India. Emily’s family, such as it is, live in Coatesworth Manor, not too far from Mallowan Hall, and the entire staff has been given time off to attend if they wish. Of course, Phyllida Bright has been involved with helping to plan it, which is why she is on hand to witness some of the dynamics in Emily’s extended family. While things have been tense, Phyllida doesn’t expect murder, but after the happy couple depart, someone turns up dead. Can Phyllida figure out what happened?

While the book took a bit of time with the setup, the mystery delivered in spades. I was turning pages as quickly as possible at one point, and I was surprised by the climax. This ode to romantic triangles in Agatha Christie’s books did inflict Phyllida’s personal life, which I found annoying. The returning characters continue to entertain, and I really hope we see something come from what was set up here. And the suspects developed as the book went along, which made it easy to keep them straight. Now that I’ve caught up on this series, I am going to have to wait to see what happens next to Phyllida and the rest of the regulars.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Summer of '69 in Books

Aug 23, 2019  
Summer of '69
Summer of '69
Elin Hilderbrand | 2019 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Every year Kate Levin and her family spend the summer on Nantucket with Kate's mother, Exalta. But this summer is different. Kate's eldest, Blair, 24, is now married to a MIT professor named Angus Whalen and they're expecting their first baby in August. As such, Blair won't be on Nantucket this summer. Middle sister, Kirby, is a junior in college and spending the summer on Martha's Vineyard. Her only son, Tiger, recently deployed to Vietnam, which has left Kate feeling completely panicked and lost. Only her youngest, thirteen-year-old, Jessie, makes the trip. But without her siblings, Jessie feels overlooked and ignored. It's the historic summer of '69--and Levin family will have some memorable experiences of their own, too.

I just love Elin Hilderbrand's books and this was a really fun one. It didn't feel that much like "historical fiction," despite the 1969 setting, but it was fascinating to get a glimpse of how the late 1960s affected the family and their decisions--especially the females. The time period affects each woman, even Jessie, in their own way. Mom Kate was a tough one to love, at times, ignoring her poor daughter and moaning about Tiger and her own past. But, man, Hilderbrand just comes up with the best family dynamics. She sets an amazing scene, aided by her beloved Nantucket, and before you know it, you are there with her characters, immersed in their drama and daily lives.

For me, the star of this one was young Jessie. I loved how much of the book revolved around her--the points of view vary, but we hear from her a lot, and I couldn't help but love the kid. Nothing like growing up with a slightly absent mom, domineering grandmother, and a bunch of way older siblings, one of whom is at war. She was a breath of fresh air, and of course, Hilderbrand wrote from a teenage point of view perfectly. She gives all Kate's daughters their own unique voice, and it's amazing how each character stands out easily as distinct from one another.

This is not "simply" a tale of a family over a summer, it's captivating and engaging look at a family shaped by historical and domestic circumstances. I certainly enjoyed this novel and would definitely recommend it. I usually shy away from historical fiction, but I found it quite interesting--great characters and family dynamics as always from our summer novel queen. 4 stars.