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TheBookMother (105 KP) rated All That She Can See in Books
May 11, 2019 (Updated May 11, 2019)
As light and pleasant as one of Mary Berry's bakes!
I had some doubts about this book when I picked it up in a charity shop recently but hands up now, I was pleasantly surprised and did enjoy it.
I am a bit of a fan of the Fletcher's and find them to write some quite charming books which I tend to think of as my guilty pleasure!
They are the ones that have a heart warming tail or romantic fairy tale twist that gives you the warm fuzzies.
They are what I turn to in-between some heavy reads for some light relief.
It started off in a fairly standard way but I was very taken aback to where the story did lead and in fact end!
There is a sci fi and almost paranormal element that reminded me of something you can imagine watching on Netflix a bit like The OA. It was similar to The Book of Tomorrow by Celia Adhern.
It was very emotive which was to be expected when alot of the story is about feelings.
There is alot of very imaginative text which really does draw you in and you want to carry on reading.
I did devour this book in a couple of days. Some areas are a tad predictable but all in all it is a pleasant read.
It isn't a literary masterpiece per se but I don't think it's pretending to be either.
It may not change your life but it will stay with you for a little while afterwards and what it did do was help one mum escape the chaos of raising two young boys for a little while!
If you like Celia Adhern, Joanne Harris and of course Giovanna Fletcher then you will no doubt enjoy this read too.
I am a bit of a fan of the Fletcher's and find them to write some quite charming books which I tend to think of as my guilty pleasure!
They are the ones that have a heart warming tail or romantic fairy tale twist that gives you the warm fuzzies.
They are what I turn to in-between some heavy reads for some light relief.
It started off in a fairly standard way but I was very taken aback to where the story did lead and in fact end!
There is a sci fi and almost paranormal element that reminded me of something you can imagine watching on Netflix a bit like The OA. It was similar to The Book of Tomorrow by Celia Adhern.
It was very emotive which was to be expected when alot of the story is about feelings.
There is alot of very imaginative text which really does draw you in and you want to carry on reading.
I did devour this book in a couple of days. Some areas are a tad predictable but all in all it is a pleasant read.
It isn't a literary masterpiece per se but I don't think it's pretending to be either.
It may not change your life but it will stay with you for a little while afterwards and what it did do was help one mum escape the chaos of raising two young boys for a little while!
If you like Celia Adhern, Joanne Harris and of course Giovanna Fletcher then you will no doubt enjoy this read too.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Us (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
A stab in the dark
#usmovie is a powerful, #political & psychological #horror that has so many strong messages to convay that it constantly intimates & frightens the viewer in ways that most mainstream horror films simply can't comprehend. ?THIS #REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS? #jordanpeele manages to do it again this time around & while not quite to the quality of #getout #us manages to shine with its impressive direction & nerve shattering soundtrack. To start i want to talk about the messages that I think came across to me while viewing Us. For most of its runtime you could be fooled into thinking Peele has made a simple but very decent #80s #nostalgia/home invasion/#slasher movie but once we hit the final act it almost tests you to see how much of the finer details you been paying attention to by hitting you with the overall message its been trying to convey. This world is falling apart at the seems & we are the ones responsible, we create imaginary #borders, distance/alienate ourselves from one another day by day, weve stoped comunicating, #loving trusting in one another & we gradually grow our hatred & fuel our #social awkwardness with technology. Its highly #depressing stuff & when it finally sinks in this is whats at the movies core & how it relates so well to the world today the burden of it ways heavy as you leave the cinema. Cutting ties with one another is a strong theme here as well as how lack of comunication, childhood trauma & inner #demons can become toxic/contagious & lead to the destruction of a family. Acting is simply phenomenal with #LupitaNyongo giving a performance so nerve shattering yet so humble that she deserves an award for sure. Its not a flawless movie however as does have flaws, its a little drawn out at times & when the film feels the need to talk you through & explain itself i found it a little tedious but that being said it accomplishes a perfect balance of #comedy, horror & seriousness with a spine tingling score & #gorgeous cinematography making it well worth experiencing. #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmcritic #friyay #weekend #scary #black #gore #trump #america #usa
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Glass (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
See the cracks
#glass may open like its #unbreakable but soon after starts to #split at the seems becoming a #disappointing & unnecessary conclusion to a trilogy we didnt really need. I confess I didnt really care that much for Split but as with Glass i found the most impressive aspect of both of these films is simply watching #jamesmacavoy put in some seriously impressive character work & ultimatly carry both films alone. His ability to flip seamlessly between these inner characters is not only impressive stuff to watch but adds great tension & unpredictability to what is other wise a very dull movie. At first i was slightly #impressed with Glass (as it seem as if #mnightshyamalan had progressed as a film maker & not only learnt from his mistakes but also adapted completely new styles of film making too) but as the film played out i realised what he has actually done is instead stolen ideas from much better films (ie #getout) then re used them again here. Dont get me wrong at times Glass is filmed great, the score is good & there are some well done #tense moments but theses are more often on not ruined by Shyamalans dorky & damn right #silly sense of #humour, bad writing & forced exposition heavy visual cues & dialog. Its so patronising & predictable at times its almost like hes not only taking the piss out of the #superhero genre but us the viewer too. For a #film thats been so heavily promoted & built up now for such a long time i feel weve all been eagerly anticipating its release to see this big conclusion & i can tell you now its so not been worth the wait. Not only is the final act so #boring & increadibly anticlimactic the end its self feels flat, tact on & empty like M Night just straight up ran out of ideas. This film series started out so #fresh & interesting but Glass takes a strange turn to the generic & mundane side of the superhero genre that most #Marvel films these days have managed to grow out of by now. This is one #trilogy that should of stayed Unbreakable. Very disappointing. #odeonlimitless #odeon #saturday #weekendvibes #filmcritic #comicbook #hero #filmbuff #samuelljackson #brucewillis #comic #villain #sundayfunday
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Out of this world
#spidermanintothespiderverse isn't just an incredible film its also hands down THE best #Spiderman film period & a film fans of the #webhead simply must see. Wow what an intense, #nostalgic & visually breath taking movie, its downright #gorgeous with a dazzling & explosive colour pallet, great dimensional pop, slick smooth unique #animation & some of the most absolutely insane/creative camera angles ive seen all year. This film had my eyes constantly opening wider, searching around the screen trying to take in the immense/painstaking detail literally crammed into every scene. So much attention to detail & #love for years of spiderman material has gone into the making of this film that its honestly just a complete joy to behold. Story wise its a complete breath of fresh air too with constantly shocking plot twists a new spin on origins & extremely informative catch up scenes. Characters are all extremely likable & really well fleshed out & human that have to deal with some really tuff adult problems that i was not expecting to delve into in an #animated #film. Themes are vast here & my favourite explored how none of our #hero's really want the burden or responsibility of doing this as a job but understanding its their purpose/#destiny keeps them dedicated to it. There's also alot on commitment, loss, #courage, inner #demons, fate & #fear which again was awesome to see. Score & soundtrack wise it also shines with all the music intensifying & complimenting not only the tension but the obscure telltale visual style too. Speaking of tension its top notch too, there were scenes that had me sweating & sat on the edge of my seat in suspense & action so energetic, fluid & busy i felt goosebumps on my arms. While also absolutely #laugh out loud #hillarious the film can also be emotionally heavy at times too & i was surprised at just how often the film quickly got dark with either a surprising character death or deep philosophical dialog. Do yourself a favour see this in cinemas & in 3d we need #sony to realise this is the high quality spiderman we want more of. Simply stunning. #marvel #spidergwen #stanlee #mcu #comic #spiderpig #milesmorales #odeon #filmbuff #superhero
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Widows (2018) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Perfection
#widows is this years biggest surprise. Just like a punch to the gut its full of #pain, suffering an overload of #emotion & shock. My goodness what an exceptional & #stunning piece of work this is. As soon as the film opened is was hanging off my seat, with an opening which not only sets the stage for what's to come but showcases just how talented #stevemcqueen is as a director. This calm before the storm style of directing works so well that it constantly lulls you into a false sense of security (by using #beautiful/unique camera work, a powerful score, subbtle #humour, interesting characters & deep character connections) to pull you in which are then followed instantly by incredibly tense action or scenes of #brutal #violence or shocking emotional breakdowns which hit you hard like a slap across the face. Long but never once #boring this is such a heavy, bleak & #depressing film not only about grief, loss, #broken trust & #survival but also about #racism, corruption, power abuse & the using of money & #religion as a control tool. I dont want to spoil to much because its best to go in blind here to feel the full impact of the #film & its twists. #Widowsmovie is so powerful & full of so much depth I felt like id been hit by a train walking out. Everything flows together so perfectly here from its pacing to its plot & its cinematography right down to its sound & set design. Theres also stellar acting all across the board here & i mean seriously impressive preformances by a good chunk of the cast which makes sure each & every characters pain, grief & struggle through #life is felt deeply, making it at times increadibly #heartbreaking & tuff to watch. This film overall was such an engaging/draining & absorbing thrill ride full of intelligent & current themes that I cant wait to see it again & delve deeper into its layers. Absolutely mind blowing & one of the most tense & well constructed #heist films ive seen in a long long time. #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmcritic #thursdaythoughts #violadavis #collinfarrell #liamnesson #danielkaluuya #love
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Creed II (2018) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Fighting fit
#creed2 ups the stakes & hits the viewer hard right in the #feels. I was so pumped for this as the first is probably one of my favourite #boxing movies & yet while the second isnt quite as good it still manages to pack an extremely impressive #punch. The thing about #Creed 2 that was instantly noticeable right from its powerful opening is just how god damn good it is at creating relatable/believable #emotion. This is done by creating such a strong believable bond between all of the main characters be it by #love/ passion or rivalry ensuring we care about everyone & really feel the struggles/#pain they experience (which almost lead to me tearing up at times). I also loved how they showed more from the #Drago perspective this time & how he he maybe an unstoppable force in the ring but in real life he's bullied & pushed around like a nobody, this was so refreshing to see & left me rooting for him just as much as Creed in the final #fight. Drago is a man clearly fuelled by #hate & anger kept under control by discipline & respect for his #father yet Creeds motivations are more cloudy, muddled & reckless fuelled more by #revenge & anger than focus/control & I found this to be by far the most interesting/intricate part of the movie. More of a drama than a #brawling film Creed 2 deals with incredibly depressing, realistic & tuff themes of overcoming mental torture, loss, revenge, neglect, conditioning, humiliation, passion, loyalty & at times I found it extremely heavy going with all of the cast delivering some strong & memorable performances adding to the realism. Sound design was also punchy giving tremendous weight to the fights & the soundtrack is a perfect balance between epic & sombre. Camera work is graceful & never hides any of the action & there's some #beautiful imagery that combine with clever set design make for some brilliantly deep symbolism. Only let down by its predictable & cliched second half/some cheesy scenes every now & then Creed 2 is a must watch, its #inspiring, uplifting yet hard hitting & at times emotionally draining. A second round thats well worth a shot. #limitless #sylvesterstallone #fighting #fightnight #rocky #michaelbjordan #rockybalboa
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Avengers: Endgame (2019) in Movies
May 14, 2019 (Updated May 14, 2019)
A truly incredible end to the MCU Infinity Saga
SPOLIER FREE REVIEW
Avengers: Endgame is finally here after the shocking events of Infinity War.
First and foremost, a huge amount of respect is owed to the Russo brothers for managing to juggle so many characters across these two films (and Civil War) to a hugely satisfying degree.
But with a smaller cast to manage this time around, this is a film that is able to focus more on the original six Avengers from 2012.
The majority of the film is quite dialogue heavy, as the film focuses on a fun time travel plot, that takes us through a nostalgia filled trip through some of the past MCU films, filled with cameos galore.
The usual mix of thrilling set pieces, emotional beats (that scene set in 1970?), and comedy land just as well as they always have done, with Paul Rudd and Chris Hemsworth delivering most of the humour.
Robert Downey Jr and Scarlett Johansson shine as Tony Stark and Black Widow, as they always do, and I also enjoyed the amount of time they spent with characters like Hawkeye and Nebula, characters who would usually be considered secondary.
A concern I had going in was that they might use the recently added Captain Marvel, but thankfully isn't the case. She is used sparingly, and therefore effectively.
The only real gripe I have with Endgame, is that Thanos is forced more into a backseat role, after his incredible character arc throughout Infinity War, but is understandable, as mentioned above, this film is all about the original 6, and that's where the main focus lies. Saying that though, I did feel pretty unsatisfied with how they concluded the story arc for Black Widow...
As the movie approaches the inevitable big showdown, the ensuing battle is nothing short of thrilling, a pure scene of unobstructed comic book joy, that will have any Marvel fan trying not to shout at the screen.
All in all, it's a phenomenal ending to this chapter of the MCU, and I can't wait for what comes next (especially now that Marvel Studios have the Fox properties back)
Avengers: Endgame is finally here after the shocking events of Infinity War.
First and foremost, a huge amount of respect is owed to the Russo brothers for managing to juggle so many characters across these two films (and Civil War) to a hugely satisfying degree.
But with a smaller cast to manage this time around, this is a film that is able to focus more on the original six Avengers from 2012.
The majority of the film is quite dialogue heavy, as the film focuses on a fun time travel plot, that takes us through a nostalgia filled trip through some of the past MCU films, filled with cameos galore.
The usual mix of thrilling set pieces, emotional beats (that scene set in 1970?), and comedy land just as well as they always have done, with Paul Rudd and Chris Hemsworth delivering most of the humour.
Robert Downey Jr and Scarlett Johansson shine as Tony Stark and Black Widow, as they always do, and I also enjoyed the amount of time they spent with characters like Hawkeye and Nebula, characters who would usually be considered secondary.
A concern I had going in was that they might use the recently added Captain Marvel, but thankfully isn't the case. She is used sparingly, and therefore effectively.
The only real gripe I have with Endgame, is that Thanos is forced more into a backseat role, after his incredible character arc throughout Infinity War, but is understandable, as mentioned above, this film is all about the original 6, and that's where the main focus lies. Saying that though, I did feel pretty unsatisfied with how they concluded the story arc for Black Widow...
As the movie approaches the inevitable big showdown, the ensuing battle is nothing short of thrilling, a pure scene of unobstructed comic book joy, that will have any Marvel fan trying not to shout at the screen.
All in all, it's a phenomenal ending to this chapter of the MCU, and I can't wait for what comes next (especially now that Marvel Studios have the Fox properties back)
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Searching (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
Look deeper
#searching #searchingmovie is an extremely intense, clever & emotionally draining film that for a directorial debut is actually quite a remarkable achievement. I like #Johncho I feel he's one of those actors that really doesnt get enough time to truly shine, so with him being the star of searching its great to see him finally get to seriously act. He's just so extremely likable & within the first 10 minutes we are introduced to him & his #family so well that an instant #emotional connection to them is formed. Told entirely through a screen searching does a great job of creating suspense & tension by using the flaws/interface of things we have all become a custom to as neat little visual cues (eg just missing a call by a few seconds, waiting for a video to buffer, seeing someone go offline while talking to them or even typing what you want to say only to delete it & type something different). This works perfectly & is never boring keeping you on edge & invested throughout while also being eerily #beautiful at times. Themes of neglect, distrust, loss & #depression are present throughout & theres also a sad look at how although we are all so connected to one another nowadays the sad fact is we have never also been more alone & afraid to show who we really are or what we are really thinking. Different sides of #Socialmedia are also explored well here too & we are shown how it can not only be used to help but also to hinder & manipulate even in a serious case like this (as well as people using the case to gain thier own fame too). Story wise its good with all the plot twists constantly shocking & unexpected with great build up too. Characters all have great back story & are all played well by the cast. My only gripe was the pacing after the final twist as it not only felt rushed but a little exposition heavy too. If your looking for a #film thats going to give your #emotions a run you'll #love Searching, while its no #nocturnalanimals its still smart, well constructed, gripping & an extremely entertaining little #drama. #instagram #apple #catfish #weekend #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmreview #filmcritic #internet #trending #youtube #facebook #followers #like
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Incredibles 2 (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
Super
#pixar #disney #incredibles2 is an exceptional #sequel with a much more mature tone & flawless #animation. After doing a double bill of the incredibles films today in #4k I found myself awe of the technical achievement on show. This #film is stunning & I mean visual #perfection, particle effects are complex & mesmerising, #eyes house tiny red veins, faces blush & cloths contain intricate stitching too with character animation also being fluid & #natural. Subject matter is dark this time around & deals with extremely #adult themes, parents might want to think twice before taking kids to see this one as id say almost 80% of the film is a heavily dialog driven #drama. I wont lie at times its incredibly intense, heavy going & hard work but its also always fascinating & higly rewarding housing many very real world/mature themes with great complexity & depth. With things getting very serious the film does break things up every now & again with just enough huge scale top notch memorable action set pieces & slick comedy to let your brain rest briefly (however I found most #Kids in my screening were getting restless & bored by then so parents may want to think twice before taking the #family). Themes of death, jealousy, trust, lies, parent roll reversal, balancing home #life & family with work, teaching kids to be themselves while also making sure they obey the law & fit in, as well as metaphors about technology enslaving us all & how superhero films are only pushed on us to distract us from real world problems & belief someone else will solve all our problems for us (this is not only refreshing but expertly handled & over flowing with intelligence giving the #film a more human, realistic & relevant tone). Voice work is simply top notch with #bobodenkirk being the most interesting & going the extra mile. Score & #sound design are also on point & at times I swear I thought #jackjack was a #kid in my screening running around behind me. The last 20mins felt a tad rushed but with such likeable & well fleshed out characters & a more mature story #incredibles 2 might just be the most intelligent & #fun #superhero film or the year. #odeon #odeonlimitless #beautiful #hero #super
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated The Surgeon (Rizzoli & Isles, #1) in Books
May 22, 2019
Gore heavy police procedural
This is the first book in the Rizzoli and Isles thriller series, apparently there is a TV series based off this but I’ve never seen it so went into this blind. Isles does not appear as a character in this book and even RIzzoli is more of a secondary character.
Catherine Cordell is a skilled surgeon working in Boston where she fled to following a horrific attack two years ago. Although she killed her attacker her exterior confidence hides the continued fear the trauma has instilled in her everyday life. When the impossible seems to occur and the killer returns to stalk her, Detective Moore is determined to protect along with fellow officer Rizzoli.
The villain and what he does is full on terrifying and creepy as hell (just the way I like them.) However if you are in any way squeamish and don’t like a lot of blood and gore you should probably avoid this book. There is a lot of graphic descriptions of injuries of people coming into an emergency room, surgery and torture. Rape is also a central theme and again descriptions can be disturbing so be warned.
This felt like a very solid police procedural book. The style will be familiar with Criminal Minds fans in that you get to see a bit behind the curtain. I didn’t feel there was a lot of puzzling mystery, but you were swept along in the investigation to find the unsub.
My main hope with this series is Rizzoli becomes a bit more human, in this book I just wanted to slap her for being such a cow to both victims and colleagues. Her constant internal moaning about how bad she is treated because she’s a woman made me laugh, it seemed more to be just because she isn’t a very nice person. She doesn't come across as a very good cop at all, poor at doing interviews, following procedure, working as a team. Meanwhile Moore was a much more sympathetic character.
Looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here.
Catherine Cordell is a skilled surgeon working in Boston where she fled to following a horrific attack two years ago. Although she killed her attacker her exterior confidence hides the continued fear the trauma has instilled in her everyday life. When the impossible seems to occur and the killer returns to stalk her, Detective Moore is determined to protect along with fellow officer Rizzoli.
The villain and what he does is full on terrifying and creepy as hell (just the way I like them.) However if you are in any way squeamish and don’t like a lot of blood and gore you should probably avoid this book. There is a lot of graphic descriptions of injuries of people coming into an emergency room, surgery and torture. Rape is also a central theme and again descriptions can be disturbing so be warned.
This felt like a very solid police procedural book. The style will be familiar with Criminal Minds fans in that you get to see a bit behind the curtain. I didn’t feel there was a lot of puzzling mystery, but you were swept along in the investigation to find the unsub.
My main hope with this series is Rizzoli becomes a bit more human, in this book I just wanted to slap her for being such a cow to both victims and colleagues. Her constant internal moaning about how bad she is treated because she’s a woman made me laugh, it seemed more to be just because she isn’t a very nice person. She doesn't come across as a very good cop at all, poor at doing interviews, following procedure, working as a team. Meanwhile Moore was a much more sympathetic character.
Looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here.