Blackbird (2019)
Movie
A terminally ill mother (Susan Sarandon) invites her family to their country house for one final...
The Song of Names (2019)
Movie Watch
Tim Roth and Clive Owen star in François Girard’s (Hochelaga, Land of Souls) latest sweeping...
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) in Movies
May 11, 2022
The narrative is part family drama, and part mind bending sci-fi. The family drama is well crafted and effortless to become invested in. It's gives the characters room to breathe whilst simultaneously wasting little time before shit goes off the rails. When I say mind bending, that's exactly what it sounds like. The sci-fi element is just bonkers. The alternative universes that are shown off are memorable and colourful, and the action set pieces are joyous to behold. There's some solid martial arts on display, and multiple scenarios where you can safely say "well I've never seen that in a film before".
Towering above all of the batshit insane fun however, is the very human centre that EEAAO carries with it. The last 40 minutes or so get unashamedly existential, and accurately convey the feeling of how easy it is to feel like a failure, or to feel alone and unheard in a bustling universe. It's hard hitting but is wholesome as hell (never thought a silent and subtitled conversation between two rocks would hit me in the feels but here we are)
Michelle Yeoh is wonderful and delivers a career best performance. Stephanie Hsu is also great and it's bloody lovely to see Ke Huy Quan back with a vengeance. Jamie Lee Curtis remains easy to love, even as a pain in the arse, pro wrestling tax auditer.
The Daniels have delivered and then some in their follow up effort to the equally weird Swiss Army Man and truly deserve all the praise coming their way.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is a phenomenal experience. I can't imagine anything will beat it for my personal best film of 2022. It's a bonafide, head fucking masterpiece.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Everybody Knows (Todos Lo Saben) (2018) in Movies
Mar 12, 2019 (Updated Mar 12, 2019)
The thriller elements are definitely a bit of a red herring, as for much of the film the plight of the missing girl seems to get rather forgotten about while everyone sits or stands around articulating their personal baggage and unfinished emotional business. It does get a bit slow and talky (I believe I dozed off for a few moments), but the performances are meaty, involving ones with Cruz and Bardem showing every bit of their star quality and acting ability. Too well-scripted to really qualify as a melodrama, but certainly slices itself a thick slab of theatrical ham; performances make it a worthwhile watch.
Alicia S (193 KP) rated Murder Notes (Lilah Love #1) in Books
Sep 28, 2018
This book was fast-paced, full of tension and suspense and I just could not put it down! Highly, highly recommended!
Becs (244 KP) rated A Room Away From the Wolves in Books
Jan 4, 2019
The only reason why this novel isn't sitting at a 5-star rating is that it was a little confusing in the beginning. I didn't quite understand the story-line and plot and the characters seemed to be lacking. But once I actually delved deeper into the novel, I got my answers and everything became clear yet again.
Want to read more? Head over to my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Book
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. Born a poor black tobacco farmer, her...
King Stephen
Book
This compelling new biography provides the most authoritative picture yet of King Stephen, whose...
Holiday (1938)
Movie
Two years before stars Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant and director George Cukor would collaborate...