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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Strong Island (2017) in Movies
Sep 15, 2017
Hugely tragic, a family destroyed
I wasn't sure what to expect with this new Netflix documentary film especially as it was tipped alongside the likes of The Confession Tapes and The Keepers.
However, this was rather different. This wasn't about getting to the bottom of a mystery. This was about a family's personal tragedy - in this case, the family of the director Yance Ford. At the time of this film she had not started her transition to becoming transgender, so he now refers as a male.
His story is about the death of his older brother William, shot dead by a white man in dubious self defence circumstances. It shows how his family struggled to cope in the aftermath, and there's a scene where the director cries in agony and it is sheer horror to watch it. A delicately tragic insight into Ford's trauma.
However, this was rather different. This wasn't about getting to the bottom of a mystery. This was about a family's personal tragedy - in this case, the family of the director Yance Ford. At the time of this film she had not started her transition to becoming transgender, so he now refers as a male.
His story is about the death of his older brother William, shot dead by a white man in dubious self defence circumstances. It shows how his family struggled to cope in the aftermath, and there's a scene where the director cries in agony and it is sheer horror to watch it. A delicately tragic insight into Ford's trauma.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Curse of the Pharaohs (Amelia Peabody, #2) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
<b><i>The Curse of the Pharaohs</i></b> is a fast, fun, and humorous second outing with Amelia and her husband Emerson. The first half isn't quite as good as the second, but it quickly picks up and is enjoyable until the end. Amelia's outlook is a joy to read and I love how Elizabeth Peters writes her, which to me, seems like it would be very hard to do in a first person narrative (particularly with a character like Amelia Peabody Emerson!). There are some truly hilarious lines and passages, especially between Amelia and Emerson.
One line I just have to keep for posterity: <i>"It is impossible for any rational mind to follow the peculiar mental convolutions that pass for logic among the male sex."</i>
That is the genius of Ms. Peters writing and I look forward to the rest of the series.
One line I just have to keep for posterity: <i>"It is impossible for any rational mind to follow the peculiar mental convolutions that pass for logic among the male sex."</i>
That is the genius of Ms. Peters writing and I look forward to the rest of the series.
Another enjoyable book from Keyes!
I listened to this on audiobook, and the narrator, Aoife McMahon, did a great job - except for the Geordie, male accent, but you can’t be good at everything, right?!
This is a funny, engaging book (a bit cringy during the sex scenes, but I suspect that might just be the convent-school educated girl in me ??♀️ ). The story was very enjoyable, although I did feel that she jumped into another relationship rather quickly (ahem, convent school...). But after listening further, it does make sense. She hadn’t been happy for a while, it seems. I loved the teenaged girls in the family - I think she wrote them realistically. I loved the family members too, and you get a real feel for an Irish family, and family dynamics generally. A great, fun book, with a few rather teary moments. Lots of feels, people!
This is a funny, engaging book (a bit cringy during the sex scenes, but I suspect that might just be the convent-school educated girl in me ??♀️ ). The story was very enjoyable, although I did feel that she jumped into another relationship rather quickly (ahem, convent school...). But after listening further, it does make sense. She hadn’t been happy for a while, it seems. I loved the teenaged girls in the family - I think she wrote them realistically. I loved the family members too, and you get a real feel for an Irish family, and family dynamics generally. A great, fun book, with a few rather teary moments. Lots of feels, people!
Awix (3310 KP) rated Ex Machina (2015) in Movies
Feb 13, 2018
The Fembot Awakens
Slightly-retro-but-in-a-good-way SF movie from the writer of The Beach and 28 Days Later. Corporate minion is whisked off to the wilderness by wealthy boss to participate in experiments testing the intelligence of a female-looking android he has built; android indeed proves to have a mind of her own.
Wears its influences relatively lightly and looks good; that said, seems more content to play with the issues it raises than actually explore them with any real rigour. Ending is a bit silly, but forgivably so. If, as seems possible, the director wants to make a point about male exploitation of women, it might be better not to do so in a movie where every female actress is required to do a full-frontal nude scene. Smarter than the usual studio SF film, anyway; passes the time entertainingly.
Wears its influences relatively lightly and looks good; that said, seems more content to play with the issues it raises than actually explore them with any real rigour. Ending is a bit silly, but forgivably so. If, as seems possible, the director wants to make a point about male exploitation of women, it might be better not to do so in a movie where every female actress is required to do a full-frontal nude scene. Smarter than the usual studio SF film, anyway; passes the time entertainingly.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Omen (2006) in Movies
Mar 1, 2018
Bafflingly superfluous and redundant mid-budget remake of the classic horror blockbuster. American diplomat and his wife discover their adopted son is a right little devil.
In no way an actively bad film, but given it cleaves so closely to the original, what exactly is the point of it? You would expect that the inclusion of a top-billed Julia Stiles would mean the character of Thorn's wife would be beefed up and given a little bit of agency in the plot (heaven knows she could use some); but no, the focus is still on the manly men doing masculine male things together. Pretty well cast, but you could guess who's playing which part just from looking at a list of actors, it is that unimaginative and unsurprising. Worth watching only if you've never seen the original and are unlikely ever to do so.
In no way an actively bad film, but given it cleaves so closely to the original, what exactly is the point of it? You would expect that the inclusion of a top-billed Julia Stiles would mean the character of Thorn's wife would be beefed up and given a little bit of agency in the plot (heaven knows she could use some); but no, the focus is still on the manly men doing masculine male things together. Pretty well cast, but you could guess who's playing which part just from looking at a list of actors, it is that unimaginative and unsurprising. Worth watching only if you've never seen the original and are unlikely ever to do so.
AT (1676 KP) rated Alice in the Country of Hearts: Vol. 1 in Books
Nov 13, 2019
I generally liked volume 1 of Alice in the Country of Hearts. It was trippy and bordering on perverse at times because of the male characters in Wonderland, but it's an interesting manga take on Alice in Wonderland. Alice is kidnapped and brought to an unfamiliar land that's filled with odd gun-wielding characters, most of which are constantly at war with each other. They see life very differently than Alice, so as she tries to navigate her way through Wonderland, she begins to get to know some of the people, and an exchange of ideas and emotions take place. Some of them are set in their ways, and some are open to learning about Alice, the Outsider, who is a normal human. It's more complicated and frustrating than it probably needs to be, because everyone that she meets falls in love with her.
John Osborne: A Patriot for Us
Book
John Osborne (1929-1994), unapologetic rebel and original Angry Young Man, changed the face of...
Critical Perspectives on Entrepreneurship: Challenging Dominant Discourses
Caroline Essers, Pascal Dey, Deirdre Tedmanson and Karen Verduyn
Book
Entrepreneurship is largely considered to be a positive force, driving venture creation and economic...
The Female Voice
Book
The Female Voice" follows the passage of the voice from fetus to new born, from infancy to childhood...
Life and Beth
Book
This title features 3 Males, 3 Females and 2 voices (1 Male, 1Female). A living room. It's...