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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Europa Europa (1992) in Movies
Nov 5, 2019
A Steady Boil That Produces a Successful Stew
A Jewish boy tries to survive the holocaust by pretending he is a German soldier.
Acting: 10
This movie can’t be found in many places. In fact, I had to watch the full version on Youtube, something I typically hate to do. We can get into supporting art later. The point I’m trying to make is, I didn’t really know many of these actors, but I was captivated by a lot of their performances, especially the main actor Marco Hofschneider playing the role of Solomon the Jewish boy trying to survive. He captures such a wave of emotions, sometimes in the same scene and you can feel him throughout his entire journey. Before the end of it, his character seemingly feels like a friend that you want to reach out to and help. It wasn’t hard to connect with the characters here.
Beginning: 10
We learn early on why Solomon ends up having to become a German. Essentially everything around him is destroyed and we get to see that in the first ten minutes of the movie. There were a couple of hard scenes involving explosions that really leant themselves to the reality of the movie as a whole.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
There is a heartbreaking scene towards the beginning of the movie where men are trying to escape the gruesome war by boat. One of the men jumps back into the ocean as he decides it would be better to go back to the fate they were trying to escape. It’s a scene shot so well in such a bleak fashion of hopelessness as you see throughout the movie.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Keeps you engaged from beginning to end. Just about everything a movie should be. This action-drama war mix definitely does not disappoint.
Memorability: 8
Pace: 8
Just over an hour in, things start to slow down a taste and you feel the conflict starting to fade. Fortunately it doesn’t take too long for the pace to pick right back up. There is a lingering intensity here from the threat of Solomon being uncovered that keeps the movie at a steady boil.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
Overall: 96
I honestly had no idea I would like Europa Europa as much as I did, but was pleasantly surprised. It’s not only thought-provoking but it tugs at your heartstrings while giving you a unique look at a dark time. A highly recommended classic.
Acting: 10
This movie can’t be found in many places. In fact, I had to watch the full version on Youtube, something I typically hate to do. We can get into supporting art later. The point I’m trying to make is, I didn’t really know many of these actors, but I was captivated by a lot of their performances, especially the main actor Marco Hofschneider playing the role of Solomon the Jewish boy trying to survive. He captures such a wave of emotions, sometimes in the same scene and you can feel him throughout his entire journey. Before the end of it, his character seemingly feels like a friend that you want to reach out to and help. It wasn’t hard to connect with the characters here.
Beginning: 10
We learn early on why Solomon ends up having to become a German. Essentially everything around him is destroyed and we get to see that in the first ten minutes of the movie. There were a couple of hard scenes involving explosions that really leant themselves to the reality of the movie as a whole.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
There is a heartbreaking scene towards the beginning of the movie where men are trying to escape the gruesome war by boat. One of the men jumps back into the ocean as he decides it would be better to go back to the fate they were trying to escape. It’s a scene shot so well in such a bleak fashion of hopelessness as you see throughout the movie.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Keeps you engaged from beginning to end. Just about everything a movie should be. This action-drama war mix definitely does not disappoint.
Memorability: 8
Pace: 8
Just over an hour in, things start to slow down a taste and you feel the conflict starting to fade. Fortunately it doesn’t take too long for the pace to pick right back up. There is a lingering intensity here from the threat of Solomon being uncovered that keeps the movie at a steady boil.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
Overall: 96
I honestly had no idea I would like Europa Europa as much as I did, but was pleasantly surprised. It’s not only thought-provoking but it tugs at your heartstrings while giving you a unique look at a dark time. A highly recommended classic.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) in Movies
Nov 8, 2019
I genuinely find The Phantom Menace really hard to review.
I was 11 years old when it came out in cinemas, and I of course absolutely loved it, and I did for a good few years.
As I grew older, it became apparent that the original Star Wars trilogy was a set of films that truly stood the test of time, a statement that doesn't hold true to the prequel films, but when I look back on Episode I in particular, it's a huge part of the Star Wars that I grew up with, so I really can't hate on it too aggressively!
Episode 1 is undeniably geared towards a younger audience. It has a pretty basic script, colourful characters, low brow humour, and is dripping with CGI. This direction is a huge part of it's downfall, with infamous characters like Jar Jar Binks being a big source of fan contempt. Likewise, young Anakin Skywalker was also not received well by a lot of fans, a character geared towards the young audience TPM is aimed at, and so unbelievably far away from the iconic villain he will eventually become.
A big part of Episode I that I personally dislike is the need to give a backstory to everything. An example of this is the scientific explanation behind The Force, taking away the mystical side of it. (I'm also not a huge fan of C3-PO being built by a pre-adolescent Darth Vader, but here we are)
The above mentioned CGI is completely overloaded. It's aged pretty badly when it comes to characters like the Gungans, and is a far cry from the practical effects and sets of the original trilogy.
Saying all this though, there is still a load of stuff I love about TPM, and I don't care what you think...
Ewan McGregor is great casting as a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, and is the beating heart of this whole trilogy.
I also like Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon.
It gets a lot of flack, but I love the pod race scene (sue me) and then of course, Darth Maul. No backstory is given here, just a badass Sith Lord with a dual ended lightsaber, and that's all we need to know.
The Phantom Menace, isn't the most gracious start to the chronological Star Wars story, but it still has an odd sort of charm and it's certainly not the worst Star Wars film out there.
To be honest, I lost count a long time ago in regards to how many times I've seen it, and dammit, I'll watch it again 🖕
I was 11 years old when it came out in cinemas, and I of course absolutely loved it, and I did for a good few years.
As I grew older, it became apparent that the original Star Wars trilogy was a set of films that truly stood the test of time, a statement that doesn't hold true to the prequel films, but when I look back on Episode I in particular, it's a huge part of the Star Wars that I grew up with, so I really can't hate on it too aggressively!
Episode 1 is undeniably geared towards a younger audience. It has a pretty basic script, colourful characters, low brow humour, and is dripping with CGI. This direction is a huge part of it's downfall, with infamous characters like Jar Jar Binks being a big source of fan contempt. Likewise, young Anakin Skywalker was also not received well by a lot of fans, a character geared towards the young audience TPM is aimed at, and so unbelievably far away from the iconic villain he will eventually become.
A big part of Episode I that I personally dislike is the need to give a backstory to everything. An example of this is the scientific explanation behind The Force, taking away the mystical side of it. (I'm also not a huge fan of C3-PO being built by a pre-adolescent Darth Vader, but here we are)
The above mentioned CGI is completely overloaded. It's aged pretty badly when it comes to characters like the Gungans, and is a far cry from the practical effects and sets of the original trilogy.
Saying all this though, there is still a load of stuff I love about TPM, and I don't care what you think...
Ewan McGregor is great casting as a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, and is the beating heart of this whole trilogy.
I also like Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon.
It gets a lot of flack, but I love the pod race scene (sue me) and then of course, Darth Maul. No backstory is given here, just a badass Sith Lord with a dual ended lightsaber, and that's all we need to know.
The Phantom Menace, isn't the most gracious start to the chronological Star Wars story, but it still has an odd sort of charm and it's certainly not the worst Star Wars film out there.
To be honest, I lost count a long time ago in regards to how many times I've seen it, and dammit, I'll watch it again 🖕
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Heartbreakers (The Heartbreakers Chronicles, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<h2><em><strong>The Heartbreakers</strong></em><strong> by Ali Novak has got to be one of the cutest novels I've read in 2018.</strong></h2>
Wow. Way to expose that this review is months late, Sophia.
I adored every moment of reading and want more from Novak because she brought out nearly <em>all</em> the feels. Plus if I didn't have final projects or work at the time, I'm pretty sure I would have finished this in one sitting and be a sad bookwyrm right after.
<h3>The relationships are A+! 😍</h3>
From the very beginning, the band members and Stella have a great friendship and Novak does a phenomenal job showing that. They got along well quickly and while they had their disputes here and there, it's obvious they all enjoyed hanging out and spending time together.
I also loved the sibling relationship between Stella and her siblings. Since her sister, Cara found out she had cancer, Stella has been making the effort to stay with her sister as much as she can and that made me cry on the inside. This is one of the struggles that Stella deals with throughout the novel: how can she be with Cara and make the most of the time they have left while creating a life for herself as well?
<h3>Lots of cheese and insta-love, but we're not complaining.</h3>
I hate cheese and insta-love, but I had no issues with the massive amounts of them throughout <em>The Heartbreakers</em>. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the novel regardless of the tropes and cliches that I find myself trying to avoid often. The characters play pranks on each other often, which sometimes aggravate me personally in other books because they go too far, but I loved reading them. Plus I personally felt the pranks fit the characters' personalities and really added to the relationship value.
<h3>It's unrealistic but I don't think I cared.</h3>
I really don't think I cared because I was enjoying other aspects of the book and it kind of balanced everything out. And well... maybe my mood. I think I was reading way too much fantasy and got tired of that so I needed a good, fluffy AF contemporary novel to get me back on my reading toes. <em>The Heartbreakers</em> certainly delivered the fluffiness I needed.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-heartbreakers-by-ali-novak/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Wow. Way to expose that this review is months late, Sophia.
I adored every moment of reading and want more from Novak because she brought out nearly <em>all</em> the feels. Plus if I didn't have final projects or work at the time, I'm pretty sure I would have finished this in one sitting and be a sad bookwyrm right after.
<h3>The relationships are A+! 😍</h3>
From the very beginning, the band members and Stella have a great friendship and Novak does a phenomenal job showing that. They got along well quickly and while they had their disputes here and there, it's obvious they all enjoyed hanging out and spending time together.
I also loved the sibling relationship between Stella and her siblings. Since her sister, Cara found out she had cancer, Stella has been making the effort to stay with her sister as much as she can and that made me cry on the inside. This is one of the struggles that Stella deals with throughout the novel: how can she be with Cara and make the most of the time they have left while creating a life for herself as well?
<h3>Lots of cheese and insta-love, but we're not complaining.</h3>
I hate cheese and insta-love, but I had no issues with the massive amounts of them throughout <em>The Heartbreakers</em>. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the novel regardless of the tropes and cliches that I find myself trying to avoid often. The characters play pranks on each other often, which sometimes aggravate me personally in other books because they go too far, but I loved reading them. Plus I personally felt the pranks fit the characters' personalities and really added to the relationship value.
<h3>It's unrealistic but I don't think I cared.</h3>
I really don't think I cared because I was enjoying other aspects of the book and it kind of balanced everything out. And well... maybe my mood. I think I was reading way too much fantasy and got tired of that so I needed a good, fluffy AF contemporary novel to get me back on my reading toes. <em>The Heartbreakers</em> certainly delivered the fluffiness I needed.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-heartbreakers-by-ali-novak/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Three Mages and a Margarita </em>is entertaining, funny and mythical (ha. ha. pun intended)</strong></h2>
There are books you can tell you'll love or hate right away from the synopsis right away, and ones you can't tell until you actually read the book. I LOVED <em>Three Mages and a Margarita</em> and can't wait for the sequel to come out so I can go back to the Mythic world.
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-10327 size-medium" src="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2018/10/come-to-me-300x169.gif"; alt="come to me gif" width="300" height="169" />
<h3>Tori is funny and sassy</h3>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;">Tori Dawson, the Server of Doom and Despair.
</blockquote>
Our main character Tori takes no bullshit - literally! She gets fired from all her jobs because she doesn't take crap from her guests. While Tori's actions in <em>Three Mages and a Margarita</em> are an exaggeration, it was funny and entertaining to read. I think the last time I laughed was <a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/american-panda-by-gloria-chao/"><em>American Panda</em> by Gloria Chao</a>.
<h3>The friendship is genuine, golden and #goals.</h3>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left;">"If you want pizza with pineapple on it, we'll have throw you out."
<p style="text-align: left;">I blinked, not entirely sure if he was joking, but Aaron laughed. "If she wants pineable, she can have it. You don't have to eat it."
"Its existence alone is an insult to all pizza."</blockquote>
The friendship between the three mages Tori meets is genuine, and I loved seeing the interactions between Aaron, Kai and Ezra. They're a close group but are also welcoming to Tori despite the rough beginning.
<h3>Fast-paced and full of action</h3>
I got through <em>Three Mages and a Margarita</em> in less than two days. Annette Marie's latest novel is full of humor, but it is also fast-paced and full of action. Whether the book will make you laugh out loud or worry over the characters, there is never a dull moment.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/three-mages-and-a-margarita-by-annette-marie/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Three Mages and a Margarita </em>is entertaining, funny and mythical (ha. ha. pun intended)</strong></h2>
There are books you can tell you'll love or hate right away from the synopsis right away, and ones you can't tell until you actually read the book. I LOVED <em>Three Mages and a Margarita</em> and can't wait for the sequel to come out so I can go back to the Mythic world.
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-10327 size-medium" src="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2018/10/come-to-me-300x169.gif"; alt="come to me gif" width="300" height="169" />
<h3>Tori is funny and sassy</h3>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;">Tori Dawson, the Server of Doom and Despair.
</blockquote>
Our main character Tori takes no bullshit - literally! She gets fired from all her jobs because she doesn't take crap from her guests. While Tori's actions in <em>Three Mages and a Margarita</em> are an exaggeration, it was funny and entertaining to read. I think the last time I laughed was <a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/american-panda-by-gloria-chao/"><em>American Panda</em> by Gloria Chao</a>.
<h3>The friendship is genuine, golden and #goals.</h3>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left;">"If you want pizza with pineapple on it, we'll have throw you out."
<p style="text-align: left;">I blinked, not entirely sure if he was joking, but Aaron laughed. "If she wants pineable, she can have it. You don't have to eat it."
"Its existence alone is an insult to all pizza."</blockquote>
The friendship between the three mages Tori meets is genuine, and I loved seeing the interactions between Aaron, Kai and Ezra. They're a close group but are also welcoming to Tori despite the rough beginning.
<h3>Fast-paced and full of action</h3>
I got through <em>Three Mages and a Margarita</em> in less than two days. Annette Marie's latest novel is full of humor, but it is also fast-paced and full of action. Whether the book will make you laugh out loud or worry over the characters, there is never a dull moment.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/three-mages-and-a-margarita-by-annette-marie/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
JT (287 KP) rated The Reef (2010) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
“You’re gonna need a bigger boat!” those few words struck terror into the hearts of cinema goers who got a first glimpse of Steven Spielberg’s monster rising out of the water in Jaws. Others have attempted to recreate that fear.
Open Water saw two divers float around for ages before finally becoming lunch for a pack of hunting tiger sharks. Deep Blue Sea used CGI technology to create massive predators with a smart enough brain to devour the hapless crew of a scientific research station. And Shark Night 3D gave us blood curdling horror with half naked women thrown in for good measure. The Reef, encompasses most of the above minus the CGI. Here it’s replaced with clever and careful editing of one of the most beautiful but sinister creatures of the ocean….the Great White Shark.
A small group of friends, some with a past, get together on a yacht and hit the clear blue waters to deliver it to a waiting recipient. When it capsizes they are faced with the choice, swim for it to the nearest land miles away or wait it out on a potentially sinking vessel. Four members venture out leaving one behind, who after confessing he fishes the waters has no desire to get his feet wet, but excelling in scaring the shit out of his friends by telling them they all look like seals ready for the slaughter.
For any low budget indie film such as this creating tension when you have a location that looks exactly the same for miles in each direction is always going to be hard. But to his credit Andrew Traucki does extremely well in building up the entrance of our finned friend. Capturing the underwater viewpoint from Luke (the only one with a face mask) he dives down now and again to check the murky undertow for signs of life at the request of some very distressed friends. You’re always half expecting to see something but it never comes, until you finally catch a glimpse of the tail, and then your heart will race.
Of course this tension has to be sustained for the next forty-five minutes which is pretty hard. The acting is OK, made all the more effective by the fact that the cast is a bunch of relative unknowns. It’s hardly a surprise ending however, but given what Traucki has to work with he’s a produced good effort. There’s enough here to keep anyone happy, more so if you’re afraid of being left to die in miles of open water….oh, and you hate sharks!
Open Water saw two divers float around for ages before finally becoming lunch for a pack of hunting tiger sharks. Deep Blue Sea used CGI technology to create massive predators with a smart enough brain to devour the hapless crew of a scientific research station. And Shark Night 3D gave us blood curdling horror with half naked women thrown in for good measure. The Reef, encompasses most of the above minus the CGI. Here it’s replaced with clever and careful editing of one of the most beautiful but sinister creatures of the ocean….the Great White Shark.
A small group of friends, some with a past, get together on a yacht and hit the clear blue waters to deliver it to a waiting recipient. When it capsizes they are faced with the choice, swim for it to the nearest land miles away or wait it out on a potentially sinking vessel. Four members venture out leaving one behind, who after confessing he fishes the waters has no desire to get his feet wet, but excelling in scaring the shit out of his friends by telling them they all look like seals ready for the slaughter.
For any low budget indie film such as this creating tension when you have a location that looks exactly the same for miles in each direction is always going to be hard. But to his credit Andrew Traucki does extremely well in building up the entrance of our finned friend. Capturing the underwater viewpoint from Luke (the only one with a face mask) he dives down now and again to check the murky undertow for signs of life at the request of some very distressed friends. You’re always half expecting to see something but it never comes, until you finally catch a glimpse of the tail, and then your heart will race.
Of course this tension has to be sustained for the next forty-five minutes which is pretty hard. The acting is OK, made all the more effective by the fact that the cast is a bunch of relative unknowns. It’s hardly a surprise ending however, but given what Traucki has to work with he’s a produced good effort. There’s enough here to keep anyone happy, more so if you’re afraid of being left to die in miles of open water….oh, and you hate sharks!
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The House on the Lake in Books
Apr 20, 2020
When the publishing team at Penguin Random House asked me not only to read and review The House on the Lake, but also to be part of the Instagram Tour, I couldn’t have been happier!
The Synopsis
Lisa needs to disappear. And her friend’s rambling old home in the wilds of Yorkshire seems like the perfect place. It’s miles away from the closest town, and no one there knows her or her little boy, Joe.
But when a woman from the local village comes to visit them, Lisa realizes that she and Joe aren’t as safe as she thought.
What secret has Rowan Isle House – and her friend – kept hidden all these years?
And what will Lisa have to do to survive, when her past finally catches up with her?
My Thoughts:
I found the beginning to be quite slow, but after a few chapters the pace was beginning to speed up. It’s important for me to note that I was not a fan of the main character and I had my fears that this will make me regret reading this book.
But luckily, we have different story lines and different perspectives, and I think that helped me appreciate and love the book more than I originally anticipated.
We have two stories happening in the same house, but in different times.
The first story is the story of the mother Lisa, who runs away with her small son, hiding from her controlling husband, Mark. Her friend Grace tells her she can come to this house on the lake and hide for however long she needs to.
The second story is of Grace and her father, many years back in the past. Grace’s father used to be in the army and is suffering from PTSD.
It is an interesting moment when both stories tangle each other and Lisa is found in a dangerous situation.
In conclusion, I enjoyed this book a lot.
There was a story presented to me that I did not expect, and I devoured it completely. I grew to love a few characters, and grew to hate a few more. This is not my favourite book of all time, and after the plot twist the ending was a bit predictable and a bit boring, but I did enjoy my time spent with this book.
I would definitely recommend it to all thriller lovers, mystery house adventurers and supporters of mums that run away with their children.
The Synopsis
Lisa needs to disappear. And her friend’s rambling old home in the wilds of Yorkshire seems like the perfect place. It’s miles away from the closest town, and no one there knows her or her little boy, Joe.
But when a woman from the local village comes to visit them, Lisa realizes that she and Joe aren’t as safe as she thought.
What secret has Rowan Isle House – and her friend – kept hidden all these years?
And what will Lisa have to do to survive, when her past finally catches up with her?
My Thoughts:
I found the beginning to be quite slow, but after a few chapters the pace was beginning to speed up. It’s important for me to note that I was not a fan of the main character and I had my fears that this will make me regret reading this book.
But luckily, we have different story lines and different perspectives, and I think that helped me appreciate and love the book more than I originally anticipated.
We have two stories happening in the same house, but in different times.
The first story is the story of the mother Lisa, who runs away with her small son, hiding from her controlling husband, Mark. Her friend Grace tells her she can come to this house on the lake and hide for however long she needs to.
The second story is of Grace and her father, many years back in the past. Grace’s father used to be in the army and is suffering from PTSD.
It is an interesting moment when both stories tangle each other and Lisa is found in a dangerous situation.
In conclusion, I enjoyed this book a lot.
There was a story presented to me that I did not expect, and I devoured it completely. I grew to love a few characters, and grew to hate a few more. This is not my favourite book of all time, and after the plot twist the ending was a bit predictable and a bit boring, but I did enjoy my time spent with this book.
I would definitely recommend it to all thriller lovers, mystery house adventurers and supporters of mums that run away with their children.
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