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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Drawn (Moon Claimed, #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2021
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
3.5 stars.
I really like the books cover, which is always a good thing :)
So, this is the debut story from the author and I was intrigued from the beginning. Why did she have these dreams? Why did she recognise the lake in the picture?
I liked Nathan. He seemed like a really nice, sexy guy who had his eye on Tess right from the start. And some of the sex scenes were fairly steamy... ;P
The story concept was different to any other I've read in the "mates" sense, though I wont spoil it by telling you how and let you read it for yourself.
There are a few minor wording issues but considering the author is from France, it is overall very good.
3.5 stars.
I really like the books cover, which is always a good thing :)
So, this is the debut story from the author and I was intrigued from the beginning. Why did she have these dreams? Why did she recognise the lake in the picture?
I liked Nathan. He seemed like a really nice, sexy guy who had his eye on Tess right from the start. And some of the sex scenes were fairly steamy... ;P
The story concept was different to any other I've read in the "mates" sense, though I wont spoil it by telling you how and let you read it for yourself.
There are a few minor wording issues but considering the author is from France, it is overall very good.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Last Duel (2021) in Movies
Oct 28, 2021
Three nuanced perspectives on a winter’s tale.
In Ridley Scott’s new movie “The Last Duel” we are in the late 14th century in France. And – apart from in one scene – it appears to be perpetual winter!
Plot Summary:
Widowed Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) is a battle-hardened warrior, loyal to King Charles VI of France (Alex Lawther). He is becoming progressively estranged from his one-time friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), a personal favourite of Normandy ruler Pierre d’Alençon (Ben Affleck).
But Carrouges’ lovely new wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer) accuses Le Gris of a terrible crime. But who is telling the truth? Only God can decide, as Carrouges and Le Gris must duel to the death.
Certification:
US: R. UK: 18.
Talent:
Starring: Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Ben Affleck.
Directed by: Ridley Scott.
Written by: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener.
“The Last Duel” Review: Positives:
It’s an intriguing script – the first collaboration between Damon and Affleck since their Oscar-winning “Good Will Hunting” from 25 years ago. It presents 3 different versions of “the truth” from three different perspectives. (One of these – Marguerite’s version – is suggested as being the ‘actual’ truth through a clever delayed fade of the chapter title). Many of the same scenes are repeated in each variant: sometimes with obvious differences in fact; sometimes with the slightest nuance of tone or expression; and sometimes with no change to the visuals, but with the benefit of hearing the dialogue being spoken. Very clever.
“Killing Eve”‘s Jodie Comer is just brilliant here. She is the master of nuanced expression, and she genuinely deserves an Oscar nomination for this work. Combined with her great and fun role in the surprise summer hit “Free Guy“, Comer is surely on a path to movie acting greatness.
Damon, Driver and Affleck also have great fun with their roles: they are all eminently watchable and this is a study in acting greatness. But I particularly loved Alex Lawther’s turn as the king: all excitable childish power in the body of a young adult.
Battle scenes and the final duel are delivered in visceral nature reminiscent of Ridley Scott’s famous battle and arena scenes in “Gladiator”.
Excellent production design and special effects on show here. Another Oscar nomination perhaps? The movie was filmed in the Dordogne region of France and also – after a 2020 Covid lockdown – in Ireland.
Negatives:
At two and a half hours it’s another long film (is October 2021 designated long film month??). And although the nuances between the different versions of reality are fascinating, there’s a degree of tedium involved in rehashing the same scenes (in some cases) for the third time. Arguably I think a few of these re-versions could have been omitted to reduce the bladder-testing run time.
Summary Thoughts on “The Last Duel”
This is Ridley Scott back on top form again. I found this a gripping watch. As the film opens, we are teased with the start of the ‘boss level’ duel between Damon and Driver. But these final dramatic scenes are the emotional lynchpin of the movie since only then do you understand the background and the ramifications of the fight.
Evidently, 14th Century France was NOT a great time for sexual equality. Women were merely chattels, denied not only fair play and self-determination, but also the bedroom niceties of foreplay and, in most cases, orgasms. As the story was based on real events, the courage and determination of Marguerite of Carrouges were extraordinary. And Jodie Comer’s portrayal of her wonderfully demonstrates, yet again, why she is the UK’s most exciting acting export for many years.
Plot Summary:
Widowed Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) is a battle-hardened warrior, loyal to King Charles VI of France (Alex Lawther). He is becoming progressively estranged from his one-time friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), a personal favourite of Normandy ruler Pierre d’Alençon (Ben Affleck).
But Carrouges’ lovely new wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer) accuses Le Gris of a terrible crime. But who is telling the truth? Only God can decide, as Carrouges and Le Gris must duel to the death.
Certification:
US: R. UK: 18.
Talent:
Starring: Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Ben Affleck.
Directed by: Ridley Scott.
Written by: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener.
“The Last Duel” Review: Positives:
It’s an intriguing script – the first collaboration between Damon and Affleck since their Oscar-winning “Good Will Hunting” from 25 years ago. It presents 3 different versions of “the truth” from three different perspectives. (One of these – Marguerite’s version – is suggested as being the ‘actual’ truth through a clever delayed fade of the chapter title). Many of the same scenes are repeated in each variant: sometimes with obvious differences in fact; sometimes with the slightest nuance of tone or expression; and sometimes with no change to the visuals, but with the benefit of hearing the dialogue being spoken. Very clever.
“Killing Eve”‘s Jodie Comer is just brilliant here. She is the master of nuanced expression, and she genuinely deserves an Oscar nomination for this work. Combined with her great and fun role in the surprise summer hit “Free Guy“, Comer is surely on a path to movie acting greatness.
Damon, Driver and Affleck also have great fun with their roles: they are all eminently watchable and this is a study in acting greatness. But I particularly loved Alex Lawther’s turn as the king: all excitable childish power in the body of a young adult.
Battle scenes and the final duel are delivered in visceral nature reminiscent of Ridley Scott’s famous battle and arena scenes in “Gladiator”.
Excellent production design and special effects on show here. Another Oscar nomination perhaps? The movie was filmed in the Dordogne region of France and also – after a 2020 Covid lockdown – in Ireland.
Negatives:
At two and a half hours it’s another long film (is October 2021 designated long film month??). And although the nuances between the different versions of reality are fascinating, there’s a degree of tedium involved in rehashing the same scenes (in some cases) for the third time. Arguably I think a few of these re-versions could have been omitted to reduce the bladder-testing run time.
Summary Thoughts on “The Last Duel”
This is Ridley Scott back on top form again. I found this a gripping watch. As the film opens, we are teased with the start of the ‘boss level’ duel between Damon and Driver. But these final dramatic scenes are the emotional lynchpin of the movie since only then do you understand the background and the ramifications of the fight.
Evidently, 14th Century France was NOT a great time for sexual equality. Women were merely chattels, denied not only fair play and self-determination, but also the bedroom niceties of foreplay and, in most cases, orgasms. As the story was based on real events, the courage and determination of Marguerite of Carrouges were extraordinary. And Jodie Comer’s portrayal of her wonderfully demonstrates, yet again, why she is the UK’s most exciting acting export for many years.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna (Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery, #3) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna is the 3rd book in the Fairy Tale Fatal series, set in 1867. I love cozies and historical fiction, and this story was a wonderful mix of the two. Variety hall actress Ophelia Flax finds herself at a hunting party in France, pretending to be someone she is not, and trying to figure out how to avoid getting herself married to the Compte de Griffe. When an unexpected guest turns up dead after a string of petty thefts, she must try to find both the thief and the killer to get herself out of more than one entanglement. I absolutely loved the colorful characters, the time period, and the setting in this story. I plan on going back soon to read this series from the start!
NOTE: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
NOTE: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Awix (3310 KP) rated Casablanca (1942) in Movies
Mar 12, 2018 (Updated Mar 12, 2018)
Enduringly popular wartime romantic drama is also sparklingly quotable and (not often mentioned) works as an allegory about the Second World War - Western Europe (Henreid and Bergman) would really like the help of America (Bogart) to escape from the clutches of Nazi Germany (Veidt); France (Rains) is in two minds about the whole thing.
Despite the fact this is regularly studied as an example of a perfectly-constructed story, it's probably best not to look too closely at some elements of the plot. The performances and dialogue are so winning that you give the movie a pass on this anyway. Everyone has their favourite Casablanca moment, whether it's one of the romantic bits, one of the jokes, a song, or whatever. Beyond simply being made with skill and sincerity, it's quite hard to determine what makes this film quite so special, but the fact remains that it is deservedly a legend.
Despite the fact this is regularly studied as an example of a perfectly-constructed story, it's probably best not to look too closely at some elements of the plot. The performances and dialogue are so winning that you give the movie a pass on this anyway. Everyone has their favourite Casablanca moment, whether it's one of the romantic bits, one of the jokes, a song, or whatever. Beyond simply being made with skill and sincerity, it's quite hard to determine what makes this film quite so special, but the fact remains that it is deservedly a legend.
Aurora recommended track Rez by Underworld in Dubnobasswithmyheadman by Underworld in Music (curated)
10.0
Album
Favorite
Gaz Coombes recommended Histoire de Melody Nelson by Serge Gainsbourg in Music (curated)
Awix (3310 KP) rated And Soon the Darkness (1970) in Movies
Jul 31, 2020 (Updated Jul 31, 2020)
Slightly underpowered psycho-horror movie. Two nurses on a cycling holiday in France find themselves being stalked by a murderous psychopath, but who? There are various slightly suspicious French locals about the place (mostly played by Hungarians and Czechs, because all those foreigners are the same, aren't they), most of whom insist on not knowing any English. Merde!
Sticks admirably to genre conventions, up to a point, and it has a certain sort of bleak creepiness. However, it feels very long and slow - short on incident, certainly, also on warmth and humour (I know it's a horror movie, but you need some light and shade). Considering this is practically the very next thing the Avengers TV show team did next - the script is by renowned pulp storytellers Brian Clemens and Terry Nation - you could be forgiven for expecting something with more charm and imagination.
Sticks admirably to genre conventions, up to a point, and it has a certain sort of bleak creepiness. However, it feels very long and slow - short on incident, certainly, also on warmth and humour (I know it's a horror movie, but you need some light and shade). Considering this is practically the very next thing the Avengers TV show team did next - the script is by renowned pulp storytellers Brian Clemens and Terry Nation - you could be forgiven for expecting something with more charm and imagination.
Awix (3310 KP) rated La derniere vague (The Last Wave) in TV
Aug 8, 2020
Le goings-on spooky in the south of France: a mysterious, apparently sentient cloud which may or may not embody nature's vengeance on civilisation abducts a group of surfers for five hours and then returns them, with strange powers. (Not that the media takes any notice of any of this.) This provides everyone in town with un beaucoup lovely chance to work through all their various personal issues before the end of the last episode.
Comes across a bit like a mid-table Stephen King novel, or possibly just a very glossy soap opera with a guest appearance by Giant Space Monster Dogorah. Fairly engaging stuff, though unlikely to feel terribly original to the clued-up viewer; passes the time nicely without demanding your full attention. Avoids too many explanations (they're clearly hoping for a second season), which could be irritating, but the end-of-series cliffhanger is okay.
Comes across a bit like a mid-table Stephen King novel, or possibly just a very glossy soap opera with a guest appearance by Giant Space Monster Dogorah. Fairly engaging stuff, though unlikely to feel terribly original to the clued-up viewer; passes the time nicely without demanding your full attention. Avoids too many explanations (they're clearly hoping for a second season), which could be irritating, but the end-of-series cliffhanger is okay.
ClareR (5674 KP) rated The Battle For England: Women at war in Medieval England (Wars of the Magna Carta #1) in Books
Jan 22, 2019 (Updated Jan 22, 2019)
Women in medieval England
This is a book packed with history, told from the points of view of a priest, a female castellan, a female Keeper of the Kings Forest and a Knight (he gets about a chapter). It must have been very unusual for there to be female Castellans and Keepers of the Forest in a time where a womans primary function was to get married and give birth to sons who could inherit a title. The women in this story seem to have to prove themselves constantly to outsiders - the people who live under their rule don't need to see the proof, they have experience of how good these two women are at their jobs.
The years after the Magna Carta was signed were very unsettled. King John had problems with Phillip of France, losing lands in France and allowing the French in to England to take over castles and land by force. With the death of John, his 9 year old son succeeds him and William Marshall becomes his Regent. I have read other books about William Marshall, and what I read here seemed to be in keeping (most writers seem to be in agreement at the kind of man he must have been).
Nicolaa of Lincoln and Matilda of Laxton were not weak females. I really liked how they were portrayed, and I enjoyed reading the chapters from their points of view as it showed how strong and independent they were. I really liked Father Barnards chapters too. It gave an objective look at how these two women reacted in their situations.
I am a real sucker for historical fiction, and I feel that this was a really well researched novel. There was nothing overly sensationalised, which made it more believable for me. I will probably read the next book in this series. I'm interested to see if there is more from these two impressive women.
Many thanks to Sapere Books for a copy of this book to read and review.
The years after the Magna Carta was signed were very unsettled. King John had problems with Phillip of France, losing lands in France and allowing the French in to England to take over castles and land by force. With the death of John, his 9 year old son succeeds him and William Marshall becomes his Regent. I have read other books about William Marshall, and what I read here seemed to be in keeping (most writers seem to be in agreement at the kind of man he must have been).
Nicolaa of Lincoln and Matilda of Laxton were not weak females. I really liked how they were portrayed, and I enjoyed reading the chapters from their points of view as it showed how strong and independent they were. I really liked Father Barnards chapters too. It gave an objective look at how these two women reacted in their situations.
I am a real sucker for historical fiction, and I feel that this was a really well researched novel. There was nothing overly sensationalised, which made it more believable for me. I will probably read the next book in this series. I'm interested to see if there is more from these two impressive women.
Many thanks to Sapere Books for a copy of this book to read and review.
