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Promotion app - # top hashtags for more followers

Catalogs and Social Networking

(0 Ratings) Rate It

App

Want to tag your photos fast? Want to see the most popular hashtags on Instagram? Using our top...

Amelia Peabody's Egypt: A Compendium

Elizabeth Peters and Kristen Whitbread

8.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

The Egypt that so enticed and enchanted intrepid archaeologist-sleuth Amelia Peabody in the late...

Sewing Knits from Fit to Finish: Proven Methods for Conventional Machine and Serger

Linda Lee

9.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Do you ever look at the price tag on a piece of clothing and think, I could sew that myself? Well,...

sewing crafts art fashion nonfiction diy

Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Flare (Style #1) in Books

Apr 17, 2022

Flare (Style #1)

Jay Hogan | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

great start to a new series!

I was gifted my copy of this book via Booksprout.

This is the first in a new series by Hogan, set in and around a fashion store for men. As such, it lays down the setting for the series, and introduces us to a lot of people who need close attention paid to!

I liked this, I liked this a lot. Its very well told, with both Rhys and Beck having a say. I loved the supporting cast too, getting to knew new book people is far more enjoyable than getting to know new real people!

The way Hogan deals with Rhys' attack, and the aftermath that he is still dealing with all this time later is classic Hogan: VERY well written, dealt with VERY sensitively, extremely well researched and delivered in a way that doesn't overwhelm you with the techincal details.

So why 4 stars and not 5? I dunno, but I wrote 4 stars at the top of the page, and I can't make myself change it to 5, and that pains me so.

Because Rhys and Beck are PERFECT for each other: polar opposites, but very well suited. I loved that Beck keeps putting his foot in it with Rhys' and, I think, Rhys begins to like that. Loved that Beck was looking after his teenage nephew, while his mother is . . away (*spoilers!) Loved that Rhys has a whole host of friends, who may or may not know what happened all those years ago.

I loved that circle of friends, and the supporting cast, and I was putting together pairings cos I haven't paid too close attention to who might be next!

A really REALLY strong 4 star read, sorry I can't stretch!

*same worded review will appear elsewhere

Kudos

Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Bruno (2009) in Movies

Aug 9, 2019

Bruno (2009)

2009 | Comedy

6.0

(3 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Life is good for Austrian fashonista Bruno (Sacha Baron Cohen). As the star of the top Austrian fashion show, he is a fixture at all of the social events and is the flamboyant highpoint of any event he graces.
That is until things go awry and Bruno finds himself on the outside looking in and is blacklisted from the European fashion industry he lives for.

Undaunted, Bruno sets out to become a star and take America by storm in the shockingly outrageous and sure to be controversial “Bruno”. The film is a follow up to “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” which took the box office by storm when it was released three years ago.

Upon arriving in America, Bruno sets out to be a star, but soon runs into trouble when his first day on a television set goes out of control. If this was not bad enough, Bruno’s pitch for a variety shows scores badly with a focus group who are dismayed at the very graphic depiction of the male form and other outrageous humor.

Undaunted even when his attempts at celebrity interviews crash and burn around him, Bruno sets out to get tabloid attention by adopting a baby from Africa. This leads to a daring and outrageous segment on a Texas talk show where Bruno is verbally chastised by the predominately African American audience.

Unable to catch a break, Bruno travels to locales as diverse as Israel, Alabama, and Los Angeles hoping to get a break, but only finds failure. Despite his horrible luck, Bruno has the adoration of his assistant Lutz (Gustaf Hammarsten), which sadly for Gustaf is unrequited.

Desperate for acceptance, Bruno decides to become straight and sets off to the South to learn what being a straight man is all about which sets up some outrageous encounters ranging from a swingers party to a hilarious macho man event hosted by Bruno as “Straight Dave”.

While there are those who will see only the nudity and crude humor of the film and dismiss it, those who are more open minded will see the genius of Cohen who is a master of improvisational. It is fascinating to see how much he throws himself into a scene and literally becomes his characters. No matter how outrageous the scenario, Cohen is not afraid to push the boundaries and get people to expose their true selves.

While his scenarios shock, they also educate and enlighten as he gets his unsuspecting co-stars to show sides of themselves and human nature which people try to hide and ignore. Despite thinking we are an enlightened society, there are those that are shocked by a person who is so flamboyant and open, even swingers whose very lifestyle is considered by most to be out of the norm and for others to be unordinary.

Numerous celebrity appearances also grace the film, which I will refrain from spoiling but suffice it to say add to the enjoyment of the film.

The movie does not have much in the way of plot and character development, but that is not the intention of the film, as the plot is a framework to connect the segments which work well in my opinion.

Unlike a Saturday Night Live sketch turned into a movie, “Bruno” works well within the films run time without overstaying its welcome and losing momentum.

In the end, you will either love or hate the film, and much of this will depend on your tolerance for very mature, bawdy, and controversial humor. For my taste, this was one of the funniest films I have ever seen and I could not stop laughing.