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Awix (3310 KP) rated The Incredibles 2 (2018) in Movies
Jul 19, 2018
A very good film by any objective standards, with a wonderful aesthetic, solid plot and brilliantly-directed animation. It's role-reversal time in the Parr household as Elastigirl is obliged to go out and fight crime while Mr Incredible has to stay at home and take care of the children - needless to say another supervillain is lurking who will require the whole family to come together in order for good to triumph.
The thing is, for a Pixar film (and especially an Incredibles sequel) to be simply 'very good' is somehow not quite good enough, especially when they've had 14 years to work on it. The script sort of lets the whole thing down a bit - it's not quite as sharp or as tight as it needs to be, with a middle section that feels distinctly saggy. Apparently the release date was moved up by a year, which may explain why the film has this not-quite-completely-done air about it. It's a good, entertaining watch, but not as smart or as original as the first one; it never quite grabs the emotions, either.
The thing is, for a Pixar film (and especially an Incredibles sequel) to be simply 'very good' is somehow not quite good enough, especially when they've had 14 years to work on it. The script sort of lets the whole thing down a bit - it's not quite as sharp or as tight as it needs to be, with a middle section that feels distinctly saggy. Apparently the release date was moved up by a year, which may explain why the film has this not-quite-completely-done air about it. It's a good, entertaining watch, but not as smart or as original as the first one; it never quite grabs the emotions, either.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated No Lawyers in Heaven [Audiobook] in Books
Aug 28, 2022
![No Lawyers in Heaven [Audiobook]](/uploads/profile_image/dc1/86ac7f50-b2e0-4dc5-8fd7-a2e789f59dc1.jpg?m=1661693426)
I read and listen a lot of crime books and I thought it would be interesting to listen to something a bit different and I wasn't disappointed.
This is a glimpse into the life of a criminal defence lawyer and whilst this might sound a bit heavy going, let me reassure you it is not. It's an interesting insight into side of the defence with lots of humour thrown in. The cases discussed might be familiar to some, especially if you're in the UK, and some of the alleged criminals defended by Mr Milner are 'household names'.
This is not a sensationalised or in depth look into the alleged crimes committed but rather an account of a man who clearly cares about the law and everyone's right to be represented regardless of their guilt or innocence.
Mr Milner made what could have a been a very dry subject come to life all helped by the excellent narration of Mark Elstob whose voice was absolutely perfect for this book and my thanks must go to W.F. Howes Ltd and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to No Lawyers in Heaven and share my thoughts.
This is a glimpse into the life of a criminal defence lawyer and whilst this might sound a bit heavy going, let me reassure you it is not. It's an interesting insight into side of the defence with lots of humour thrown in. The cases discussed might be familiar to some, especially if you're in the UK, and some of the alleged criminals defended by Mr Milner are 'household names'.
This is not a sensationalised or in depth look into the alleged crimes committed but rather an account of a man who clearly cares about the law and everyone's right to be represented regardless of their guilt or innocence.
Mr Milner made what could have a been a very dry subject come to life all helped by the excellent narration of Mark Elstob whose voice was absolutely perfect for this book and my thanks must go to W.F. Howes Ltd and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to No Lawyers in Heaven and share my thoughts.
Lindsay (1706 KP) rated Brothers and Sisters in Books
Mar 15, 2022
Are you looking for a warm-felt book for your child or children that shows the strong bond created between brothers and sisters? Well, this book “Brothers and Sisters” does just that. It shows it through the eyes of a little boy.
Your child can imagine themselves as the little boy with their siblings as Sisters having a bond with their brother and sister or just their sisters if that is what they have. Or just their brothers if that is all she has, or he has.
Parents will enjoy this book as it shows that siblings fight, but there is also that bond of love for every sibling as they get older. The picture is lovely. I enjoyed looking at the pictures and enjoying myself. I was able to see my cousins with their siblings being somewhat like this. I, at this point, did have some step-siblings and still cherish that.
This book is excellent for parents to have in the family home if they have quite a few children in their household. This book may help with what goes on with siblings, or you may have experience with siblings of your own.
Your child can imagine themselves as the little boy with their siblings as Sisters having a bond with their brother and sister or just their sisters if that is what they have. Or just their brothers if that is all she has, or he has.
Parents will enjoy this book as it shows that siblings fight, but there is also that bond of love for every sibling as they get older. The picture is lovely. I enjoyed looking at the pictures and enjoying myself. I was able to see my cousins with their siblings being somewhat like this. I, at this point, did have some step-siblings and still cherish that.
This book is excellent for parents to have in the family home if they have quite a few children in their household. This book may help with what goes on with siblings, or you may have experience with siblings of your own.
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Night Sitter (2019) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: The Night Sitter starts when a con-artist Amber (Dufour) poses as a babysitter for her latest job, she finds a wealthy occult enthusiast child Kevin (Champion) to babysit for the night, along with his father’s new girlfriend son Ronnie (Campbell).
With Amber setting up her plan with her partners in crime Rod (Rivers), Lindsey (Neukum) and her over-protective stalker who thinks he is her boyfriend Martin (Larmore), the boys enter the relic room and unwittingly release three witches upon the household.
Thoughts on The Night Sitter
Characters – Amber is a con-artist that poses as a babysitter for her latest job, she has the experience to trick the adult into believing she is qualified for the job and keeps the kids occupied enough to prepare for her robbery. She remains calm however many obstacles get thrown in her way including her partner bring his girlfriend, her stalker boyfriend and obsessed man from across the road. Kevin is the son from the house, he isn’t willing to get overly involved in searching around the house, he doesn’t want to be friends with Ronnie and spends time trying to prove the witches are real. Rod is the criminal partner, he brings his girlfriend on the latest job which shows him being a slacker when it comes to the jobs. Lindsey is the girlfriend of Rod’s she comes dressed like a cat burglar getting into the role of criminal thief, willing to get involved in everything going on.
Performances – Elyse Dufour in the leading role is the strongest of the cast, she shows the calm required while keeping her character in control through the night. Jack Champion is the young actor playing one of the children, he brings the nervous innocence needed for this film. Jermain Rivers does get a lot of the comedy to do with his character being the dumb one in the criminal act. Each actor does give their character enough to be a standout.
Story – The story here follows a con-artist working on her latest job which turns into a nightmare when three witches are released into the house searching for their latest victims. This is a story with plenty going on, in other films this hasn’t worked, for this one it does, the kids are troublesome like you would imagine, the criminal characters bring the laughs, which has moments that feel like we are watching the Home Alone thieves and once we add the witches into the mix, everything ties together effortlessly. If you have seen Annabelle Comes Home, you can see certain similarities, though this movie was made first before anyone thinks I am calling it a copy, having the household needing to deal with hauntings from a secret room, shows that this could be compared.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy in the film comes from criminals for the most part, with them not having everything going to plan, the horror comes from witches that have started to haunt the members of the household for the night.
Settings – The film is set in the one location of the house that has the occult material inside, they become trapped which plays into the idea of what the horror is coming for them.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are great, we get to see the blood covered moments that the witches put on their victims.
Scene of the Movie – Heading down to the basement.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Martin the character, mostly because he changes through the whole film, starting nervous, turning into the ass by the end.
Final Thoughts – This is a fun horror comedy that will get a couple of laughs, while giving us the blood needing for the witches getting the blood needed.
Overall: Three Witches, One Solution, Enjoy.
With Amber setting up her plan with her partners in crime Rod (Rivers), Lindsey (Neukum) and her over-protective stalker who thinks he is her boyfriend Martin (Larmore), the boys enter the relic room and unwittingly release three witches upon the household.
Thoughts on The Night Sitter
Characters – Amber is a con-artist that poses as a babysitter for her latest job, she has the experience to trick the adult into believing she is qualified for the job and keeps the kids occupied enough to prepare for her robbery. She remains calm however many obstacles get thrown in her way including her partner bring his girlfriend, her stalker boyfriend and obsessed man from across the road. Kevin is the son from the house, he isn’t willing to get overly involved in searching around the house, he doesn’t want to be friends with Ronnie and spends time trying to prove the witches are real. Rod is the criminal partner, he brings his girlfriend on the latest job which shows him being a slacker when it comes to the jobs. Lindsey is the girlfriend of Rod’s she comes dressed like a cat burglar getting into the role of criminal thief, willing to get involved in everything going on.
Performances – Elyse Dufour in the leading role is the strongest of the cast, she shows the calm required while keeping her character in control through the night. Jack Champion is the young actor playing one of the children, he brings the nervous innocence needed for this film. Jermain Rivers does get a lot of the comedy to do with his character being the dumb one in the criminal act. Each actor does give their character enough to be a standout.
Story – The story here follows a con-artist working on her latest job which turns into a nightmare when three witches are released into the house searching for their latest victims. This is a story with plenty going on, in other films this hasn’t worked, for this one it does, the kids are troublesome like you would imagine, the criminal characters bring the laughs, which has moments that feel like we are watching the Home Alone thieves and once we add the witches into the mix, everything ties together effortlessly. If you have seen Annabelle Comes Home, you can see certain similarities, though this movie was made first before anyone thinks I am calling it a copy, having the household needing to deal with hauntings from a secret room, shows that this could be compared.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy in the film comes from criminals for the most part, with them not having everything going to plan, the horror comes from witches that have started to haunt the members of the household for the night.
Settings – The film is set in the one location of the house that has the occult material inside, they become trapped which plays into the idea of what the horror is coming for them.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are great, we get to see the blood covered moments that the witches put on their victims.
Scene of the Movie – Heading down to the basement.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Martin the character, mostly because he changes through the whole film, starting nervous, turning into the ass by the end.
Final Thoughts – This is a fun horror comedy that will get a couple of laughs, while giving us the blood needing for the witches getting the blood needed.
Overall: Three Witches, One Solution, Enjoy.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated The Beguiled in Books
Jun 5, 2019
“A classic slice of Southern Gothic, shot through with psychological suspense, which is the basis for Sofia Coppola’s (winner of Best Director at Cannes) 2017 film of the same name starring Nicola Kidman, Colin Farrell and Kirsten Dunst”. Source: wiki/The_Beguiled_(2017_film).
The book was originally written with the title A Painted Devil and some of you eagle-eyed readers and film fanatics may also remember this was a film starring Clint Eastwood and Geraldine Page in the ’70s. The maid in the latter film and this 1966 novel, was black and there was also another bi-racial character, too. However, in the new film, mentioned above, this bi-racial character was played by Kirsten Dunst. This totally ruined the whole point of the book that the black woman was really a slave in their household and the bi-racial woman (who was a free woman) could not seem to see that she herself was not truly white. And that, dear readers, is a very relevant part of the original book, why change it? (Rolls eyes). Is it so wrong to portray this black woman exactly how the author intended her to be? The way I see it, what she did in that house was her way of surviving. It’s an integral part of the story. Why hide it?
After all, if you look at the underage sex and the way the main male character acts by taking advantage of his position in a household full of young girls who are basically shut away from society, should he also be seen as wrong? These young girls are easy prey, but some, are also very willing to learn… Incidentally, I must say the heat and sexual tension within the book is superbly done.
I found parts of the way this was written to be a little repetitive and confusing in style, despite this, it was still a great story. It’s only told from the girls’ perspective, which in many ways adds to this atmospheric, hothouse of lies and deceit the further into the story you delve.
The Beguiled is chock full with a Gothic sense of foreboding and unease, set against a backdrop of the Civil War, which made for some serious, ghostly tension. Who is this injured solider who turns up on their doorstep? How can these girls protect themselves from this seductive man when they have no idea what life is like outside the four walls of the house they live in?
If you read right to the end you’ll find out the brilliant twist of fate this story has in store for you. A devious surprise!
The book was originally written with the title A Painted Devil and some of you eagle-eyed readers and film fanatics may also remember this was a film starring Clint Eastwood and Geraldine Page in the ’70s. The maid in the latter film and this 1966 novel, was black and there was also another bi-racial character, too. However, in the new film, mentioned above, this bi-racial character was played by Kirsten Dunst. This totally ruined the whole point of the book that the black woman was really a slave in their household and the bi-racial woman (who was a free woman) could not seem to see that she herself was not truly white. And that, dear readers, is a very relevant part of the original book, why change it? (Rolls eyes). Is it so wrong to portray this black woman exactly how the author intended her to be? The way I see it, what she did in that house was her way of surviving. It’s an integral part of the story. Why hide it?
After all, if you look at the underage sex and the way the main male character acts by taking advantage of his position in a household full of young girls who are basically shut away from society, should he also be seen as wrong? These young girls are easy prey, but some, are also very willing to learn… Incidentally, I must say the heat and sexual tension within the book is superbly done.
I found parts of the way this was written to be a little repetitive and confusing in style, despite this, it was still a great story. It’s only told from the girls’ perspective, which in many ways adds to this atmospheric, hothouse of lies and deceit the further into the story you delve.
The Beguiled is chock full with a Gothic sense of foreboding and unease, set against a backdrop of the Civil War, which made for some serious, ghostly tension. Who is this injured solider who turns up on their doorstep? How can these girls protect themselves from this seductive man when they have no idea what life is like outside the four walls of the house they live in?
If you read right to the end you’ll find out the brilliant twist of fate this story has in store for you. A devious surprise!
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Beauty and the Beast (2017) in Movies
Jul 27, 2017
Emma Watson (2 more)
The Beast
CGI
Just watch the original animated version instead
The original animated version is one of my all time favourite films from when I was a kid, so this was always going to be a hard sell.
Sadly it lived up to my very low expectations, they've really messed this up. One major problem is the casting. Emma Watson is just not right for Belle, I've said this from the second she was cast & I'm afraid she hasn't proven me wrong. Even some of the other fantastic actors like Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson seem strangely out of place as the voices. The second major issue is the CGI. The beast looks ridiculous (and what's with his voice?!) and the household appliances just don't translate over well into CGI. The only saving graces for this film were the fact that it gave you a sense of nostalgia for the original (something it seemed to rely on) and the only decent casting was Luke Evans and Josh Gad as Gaston and Le Fou. They're the only ones that seemed to be having fun and are the only thing I enjoyed, and it's them alone that deserve the very few stars I've given this.
Sadly it lived up to my very low expectations, they've really messed this up. One major problem is the casting. Emma Watson is just not right for Belle, I've said this from the second she was cast & I'm afraid she hasn't proven me wrong. Even some of the other fantastic actors like Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson seem strangely out of place as the voices. The second major issue is the CGI. The beast looks ridiculous (and what's with his voice?!) and the household appliances just don't translate over well into CGI. The only saving graces for this film were the fact that it gave you a sense of nostalgia for the original (something it seemed to rely on) and the only decent casting was Luke Evans and Josh Gad as Gaston and Le Fou. They're the only ones that seemed to be having fun and are the only thing I enjoyed, and it's them alone that deserve the very few stars I've given this.
I think I’m starting to become a fan of dystopia thanks to Matt Haig. Echo Boy was an exciting read and full of surprises.
Set in 2115, Echos are a normal household item. They look like humans, act like humans, but are robots created to help with human tasks. Audrey’s father hates new technology, despite his own brother, Alex, owning Castle Industries – one of the largest technology companies.
Echos are definitely not all they seem though, especially when Alissa, the Echo who teaches Audrey at home, kills both of her parents.
Echo Boy isn’t like anything I’ve read before. It’s young adult dystopia (which I usually avoid) but it’s actually quite adult in the ways it deals with grief and uncovering the truth. It was exactly what I expected from Matt Haig though because even though it’s a dystopia it still takes a serious view on the issues of the real world.
It also focuses a lot on the problems in being part of a generation who are obsessed with technology, such as the over-reliance on it and the susceptibility of it going wrong.
I absolutely loved Echo Boy. It brought me back to YA and is another brilliant novel by Matt Haig.
Set in 2115, Echos are a normal household item. They look like humans, act like humans, but are robots created to help with human tasks. Audrey’s father hates new technology, despite his own brother, Alex, owning Castle Industries – one of the largest technology companies.
Echos are definitely not all they seem though, especially when Alissa, the Echo who teaches Audrey at home, kills both of her parents.
Echo Boy isn’t like anything I’ve read before. It’s young adult dystopia (which I usually avoid) but it’s actually quite adult in the ways it deals with grief and uncovering the truth. It was exactly what I expected from Matt Haig though because even though it’s a dystopia it still takes a serious view on the issues of the real world.
It also focuses a lot on the problems in being part of a generation who are obsessed with technology, such as the over-reliance on it and the susceptibility of it going wrong.
I absolutely loved Echo Boy. It brought me back to YA and is another brilliant novel by Matt Haig.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2097 KP) rated The Ghost of Christmas Past (Molly Murphy #17) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
December of 1906 finds Molly Murphy Sullivan hoping that the new year will bring some changes and good news. When she, her husband Daniel, and their son Liam get invited to a house party for Christmas on the Hudson, Molly thinks this might help take her mind off everything going on in her life. However, she finds the household has a weird tension to it, with relationships she can’t quite read. Then she learns that a child disappeared from this house 10 years before right before Christmas. Molly is determined to figure out what happened, but has it been too long?
As is often the case, we start out with some updates on the series regulars before Molly fully plunges into the mystery, but once she does, I was hooked. In fact, as soon as I got off work, I sat down to finish. While I don’t feel like Daniel has grown, I love the rest of the cast, and the new characters are very strong. There is a more serious tone than you might expect from a Christmas mystery, but the contrast works well in this case.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-review-ghost-of-christmas-past-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
As is often the case, we start out with some updates on the series regulars before Molly fully plunges into the mystery, but once she does, I was hooked. In fact, as soon as I got off work, I sat down to finish. While I don’t feel like Daniel has grown, I love the rest of the cast, and the new characters are very strong. There is a more serious tone than you might expect from a Christmas mystery, but the contrast works well in this case.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-review-ghost-of-christmas-past-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Edgar Wright recommended The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) in Movies (curated)
Alana (9 KP) rated Reflection in Books
Jun 26, 2019
Well written and planned out (1 more)
Original concept
A true twist on a classic!
Contains spoilers, click to show
A fantastic original concept created using a classic well loved Disney character Mulan.
Title is clever, referring to character growth throughout Mulans journey and a part of the book where she must face the chamber of mirrors in order to complete her challenge and save Shang from moving on before he is ready.
This original concept fits well with character which is not easy to do when using characters who are household names and often remind us of our childhood watching Disney classics but it is a risk that has played off.
There is little to critique but I do however believe that there should have been a chapter written exploring Mulan returning home to her family after the war, seeing if she was correct in the chamber of mirrors about her father and mothers reactions to her running off to war as this could differ greatly from the classic plot, I personally would have loved to see grandmother Fa's reaction to Mulans trip to the underworld or at the very least mushu's reaction- as this would have extended the plot leaving a more well rounded ending.
Title is clever, referring to character growth throughout Mulans journey and a part of the book where she must face the chamber of mirrors in order to complete her challenge and save Shang from moving on before he is ready.
This original concept fits well with character which is not easy to do when using characters who are household names and often remind us of our childhood watching Disney classics but it is a risk that has played off.
There is little to critique but I do however believe that there should have been a chapter written exploring Mulan returning home to her family after the war, seeing if she was correct in the chamber of mirrors about her father and mothers reactions to her running off to war as this could differ greatly from the classic plot, I personally would have loved to see grandmother Fa's reaction to Mulans trip to the underworld or at the very least mushu's reaction- as this would have extended the plot leaving a more well rounded ending.