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Amanda (96 KP) rated You in Books

Mar 11, 2019  
You
You
Caroline Kepnes | 2014 | Crime, Mystery
7
8.0 (27 Ratings)
Book Rating
I first learned about you, Joe, when I sat one Sunday morning on Netflix and I could not keep my eyes off of the promo for this show about you fixating on a blonde woman. Naturally, I was intrigued and I had to learn about you, Joe, and how exactly you could see stalking as a way of getting close to someone and love them. I do wish you hadn't been a manager at a bookstore, Joe. I'm a booknerd, it was difficult to not like you, most of the time.

I watched your story and then I listened to your story. Joe, there are quite a few differences between the BookJoe and the NetflixJoe. Either way, Joe, I judge you harshly at each passing moment when you follow this girl, Guinevere Beck (can we just laugh at the irony that her name is Guinevere? If you haven't read King Author, you should) or stalk her using her old phone that she believed lost.

Just a little nit pick on my part, Netflix, Android and Apple DO NOT use the same cloud! They are ENTIRELY different companies with entirely different hardware. There was no way, NetflixJoe, that you could have seen the woman's emails or texts from an Android phone when she got a new phone that is an Apple. Rant over, now back to you, Joe.

BookJoe is more wordy and more story telling. Perhaps your warped mind may have believed Guinevere (Beck in both stories) might have flirted with you. This begs the question, what made her stand out from any other WOMAN who doesn't wear a bra (and don't state that you can't tell because you point that out about Beck every chance you got)? It couldn't have been the books she purchased as how you mentally made fun of the fact that she bought a certain book because the author was a relative of a celebrity.

I'll give you credit, NetflixJoe, while NetflixBeck was still a bit off with her procrastination and her obsessiveness with a crack head and drinking, she still grew some character and made for someone with potential. BookBeck, on the other hand, BookJoe, you really could have picked a much better person to stalk.

BookBeck is highly ditzy, a pushover, loves to drink (a lot!), and prefers casual encounters (which you found that out by going through her email) with other men, except you! She claims she wants to write, yet spends little if any time doing it, and while you do somewhat encourage her, it doesn't work. She just wants to say she wants to write, but not do it. And when she does write, and BookJoe you have stated this a little annoyance before, it's pure pornography.

BookJoe, I often pitied you because you are highly intelligent yet so stupid. BookBeck was all wrong for you and you spent all this time trying to make her right and doing it all the wrong way. Oh, Joe, you just couldn't take it. And you couldn't see it. So stupid, Joe.

Okay, as fun as that was, here's the remainder of the review without me talking to Joe. The show on Netflix was so hard to turn off because it was that intense. No, I DO NOT ship Beck and Joe. HE IS STILL A STALKER!! The show really showed that even the people who seem all nice and laid back CAN BE THE PERSON THAT IS DANGEROUS! The book does the same thing as well.

In the book, it's all told in Joe's point of view, and he could very well be not a very reliable narrator. All of it is told from what he sees and sometimes what he wishes he could see. At least on Netflix, though Joe narrates mostly, you're able to see the evidence instead of going off by his word. He also gives off of how delusional he really is when it comes to Beck. He makes himself BELIEVE that Beck is just suffering from daddy issues with all these men and he can help her and make her only want him.

The story itself was really well put together. The book will definitely not give you the shipping feels like Netflix seems to do for some people. Most of the time, I do just say out loud how stupid Joe really is and how he maybe he should move on. I wasn't lying when I said BookBeck was all those things. She really was. I actually did not like her character at all. To me, there wasn't much growth except for small things here and there, but for the most part, she just remained this person who had daddy issues and tried to do everything she could to NOT write. I'll give her credit for finding out about Joe and trying to figure out how to get away, but that's about it.

The show is a great watch cause the story is pretty good. If you want to see everything and not go by Joe, watch the show first. If you are curious as to how BookJoe started and became NetflixJoe, read this book first. Do you think he's a reliable narrator?

I have to point out the similarities with these characters that of King Arthur, however. I mentioned that earlier because Beck's first name is Guinevere. Think about it (if you've read King Arthur when you were in school).

Joe is Arthur - he manages a bookstore and reads. He fixates himself on a woman who apparently is so enchanting that he must have her no matter what.

Benji in retrospect is Merlin - He may be hooked on drugs and a total douche, but he WARNS Joe about Beck and that she is indeed crazy and not faithful. Joe does NOT listen.

Dr. Nicky is Lancelot - he is a therapist to both Joe and Beck (separately and without the other knowing) and he tries to guide Joe through his therapy, but in the end, he falls for Beck and they have an affair.

Beck IS GUINEVERE - Not at all the person she appears to be for Joe and winds up being entirely unfaithful and suffers for it.

**I haven't figured out Peach, but she's just crazy**

It is a two part series - I need a break from Joe before I think about reading the second book.
  
The Midnight Sky (2020)
The Midnight Sky (2020)
2020 | Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
6
6.6 (12 Ratings)
Movie Rating
As a movie star, which, let’s face it, is George Clooney’s main and best job, we haven’t seen the guy for four years, since the largely underwhelming Money Monster. And, as a director, you’d be forgiven for thinking he hasn’t done anything for years, so unmemorable was 2017’s Suburbicon, with Matt Damon. It is a worrying trend of his entire career, that despite some genuine gold, and even a few diamonds here and there over the years, there are way more duds, with large pockets of “meh” thrown in.

The Netflix original movie The Midnight Sky was never going to be met with very high expectations, therefore. Although, it is testament to gorgeous George’s allure that we are still curious to at least see for ourselves what all the poor reviews are about. It seemed to be unanimous around the big voices that the main issue is that “nothing happens”. This does not worry me normally, as it quite often demonstrates how a 2020s audience, especially a Netflix one, has the attention span of a hungry vole in search of a fast worm followed by a quick nap! Patient story building and minimalism are not well regarded any more in the main. And that is a big problem for this film in finding an appreciative audience.

Clooney himself pitched it as Gravity meets The Revenant. Now, what you have done there, George, is set yourself up to be compared to two works of relative genius, both with far bigger budgets and the actual big screen in mind, not the “yes, it’s still a movie, but it is made for TV and phones” phenomenon. So it is bound to suffer in any critique. It didn’t stand a chance.

OK, it is ponderously slow. Fact. And there are moments when staring at Clooney’s extremely compelling beard is the most interesting thing to do with your brain or eyes in that moment. But to say nothing happens is erroneously unfair – Augustine is dying, and alone, in a world that has destroyed itself in an unspecified way. As he navigates a nightmare landscape of ice and his own diminishing sanity his subconscious creates an ethereal presence to guide him to his “essential” purpose: getting a message to a distant space station not to return to Earth under any circumstances.

Whilst not remotely original, and borrowing from the previously specified references in big, obvious ways (as well as Solaris, which GC didn’t mention, but its influence is apparent, both the Soderburgh and Tarkovsky versions), the heart of the idea isn’t anywhere near as weak as the naysayers would have you believe. If, in fact, you tune in to Clooney’s fine, sensitive performance, whilst reading between the lines of emotion and meaning, it is quite a satisfying tale. Yes, with a lot of problems, not least of all in momentum and the excitement you might expect from a sci-fi. But it isn’t “bad”, per se. Merely ponderous.

As for those up in space, including the always watchable and wonderful Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, and Kyle Chandler, their lot is much more difficult than the Earthbound sequences. Caught between budget CGI and sets, and trapped in recreations of better space films, they simply don’t have the script to create any atmosphere or chemistry between themselves. Including an excruciating sing-along sequence that serves no purpose other than to make you cringe! The shame then is that we never feel like they are worth saving, which makes Augustine’s efforts feel futile and hollow – maybe something Clooney as director wanted to convey… but he shouldn’t have done it by making us care absolutely zero about those being saved.

Ultimately, it is an admirable failure in many ways, and not worth an earnest recommendation. It is another flop for Clooney as director. But there is just enough beauty and fragility in what Clooney is doing as an actor to make it far from a complete waste of time. Yes, it is a further example of Netflix producing something that feels churned out and corner cutting, rather than a fully rounded work that has all the framework a big cinema release would receive. It just isn’t quite as bad as the reviews suggest.
  
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Sing Street (2016)
Sing Street (2016)
2016 | International, Drama, Musical
10
8.8 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Great music (1 more)
Great acting
Feels too short (0 more)
The new commitments
This unashamedly small but brilliant movie set in 80s Ireland was the film of 2016 for me. Due to the size and marketing of this movie it sadly didn't receive the audience in cinema it deserved. Thank God for Netflix.

This follows the tale of Connor who's struggling working class parents pull him from private school and into the harsh reality of 80s public school run by a hard nosed priest and bullys. He meets a young beauty Raphina and convinces her he has a band to try and win her over.

This movie does not try and be something it's not and almost having a small budget and unknown cast helps make everything seem real. the acting is fantastic which is something indie films usually lack performances are great especially from Brendon the older brother.

the real star of this film however is the original music used by the titular band. It is 2 parts 80s nostalgia and 1 part genius. I truly belive the song Drive it like you stole it is Oscar worthy and deserves a nod in the least.

I would recommend this film to anyone and suggest people of all ages to watch this film with lots of heart and lots of great music.
  
The Eyes of My Mother (2016)
The Eyes of My Mother (2016)
2016 | Drama, Horror
10
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Though The Eyes of My Mother is listed as a slasher movie, the term “psychological thriller” feels far more appropriate. If a film bears the “slasher” label, I expect lots of gore. This film fails to meet that expectation. It may be the fact that this movie is in black and white that lessens the impact of its more gruesome moments. Nonetheless, The Eyes of My Mother is a haunting and terrifying journey that explores the depths of human depravity.

Starring Kika Magalhaes, The Eyes of My Mother follows Francisca as she matures. Her fear of loneliness reminds us that she is still human while her “hobbies” simultaneously tell us differently. Francisca is an extremely complicated character, but Magalhaes’s performance is genuine and lends credence to the role. It also helps that Magalhaes shares the same cultural background.

This movie is an art house film. If you aren’t a fan of this style, you may not enjoy it. If you are, you can find it on Netflix. I don’t have any large gripes about the film, nor do I have any complaints about its plot. It’s fairly simple and direct. If I must find an issue, it is the fact that no one takes notice of the fact that people disappear.

Overall, I can say that this is a film that I will watch again in the future.
  
Gerald's Game
Gerald's Game
Stephen King | 1992 | Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
8
7.0 (22 Ratings)
Book Rating
Being the first Stephen King book I've read and my interest piqued by the Netflix movie trailer, I had a vague idea of what I was getting myself into. I don't mind a long book but I feel like the story could have been told in a somewhat shorter way but still appreciated the descriptiveness and detail. I wasn't prepared for just how dark this story would get. It just got darker and darker the further I got in (I'm no stranger to the macabre or disturbing but parts still affected me greatly). The writing was amazing, relatable in it's own way. You could really feel the main characters wide range of emotions each time she was faced with something new. This was definitely the first time I've read a book where I had to pause to give myself a moment to fight back the bile trying to rise up my throat because the description of one of the darker parts was so vividly recounted (Chapter 31 for anyone wondering). Regardless of this physical manifestation, I did find the book very interesting and would recommend it (although I think I'd be careful who I did so with because I think it could be quite triggering to anyone who has experienced sexual assault of any kind as it is very realistically told in that aspect).
  
Fyre Fraud (2019)
Fyre Fraud (2019)
2019 | Documentary
I won't lie I just wanted to watch a bunch a rich assholes lose their shit.....
I remember following the fyre festive mess when the event was actually happening like most people and I heard that this one was a bit better than the Netflix one (which I haven't watched yet but I do plan on doing so.)

I had never heard of any of these people or even the fyre festival until twitter literally blew up with the mess of the actual event, so I really had no clue what I was in for when I kept hearing about the two specials. And I have to be honest that I was surprised how interesting it actually was and I still can't for the life of me figure out why people kept giving the main guy who was running the scam money. I did like that they actually interviewed the guy not sure if they were trying to make you pity him or really get a first-hand impression on how big of a scum bag he was.

The main thing I wanted to see was footage from the actual festival so I was pretty disappointed that they didn't show as much as I would have like but all in all it is a good doc and I recommend it.
  
The Haunting of Hill House- Season 1
The Haunting of Hill House- Season 1
2018 | Horror
Surpassed Expectations
I started watching this alone, as I'd heard so many people talking about how good it was and how scary it was - I didn't expect much, as I don't scare easily (I tend to prefer scary books over scary films, as the frights can be a little predictable on screen, whereas your own imagination can conjure up the things that are truly terrifying!), but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

After the first three episodes, I was so enthralled by the story, I roped my husband in and started watching from the beginning again.

There were moments where I was unable to tear myself away from the screen, even though I didn't want to look! Parts where my husband and I both almost jumped out of our skins, and by the very end of the series, I think I'd run the gamut of human emotion. I think the most surprising thing of all was just how moving the series was; a few times, I'd been close to tears and in the final episode I was bawling my eyes out!

It is, without a doubt, a must-watch series on Netflix - in fact, it's one of the best shows I've seen of late - but be prepared to hold your breath, hide behind the cushions, and have the tissues ready for the finale.
  
A Series of Unfortunate Events  - Season 1
A Series of Unfortunate Events - Season 1
2017 | Drama, Fantasy
Everything! (0 more)
This is how you adapt a book to a tv show!
A Series of Unfortunate Events is one of my all-time favorite book series and when I found out Netflix was going to be making it into a TV show I'm not going to lie I was excited. The books are just so fun and strange and wonderful that I really wanted to put full faith into them to do a really good adoption and let me tell you I was not let down. From the very first opening of the very first scene you knew they were going to stay true to the book. The set design was absolutely perfection the casting was even better somehow Neil Patrick Harris meet such a perfect Count Olaf and the three actors that played the baudelaire children you're absolutely amazing.

I blew through the first season in the first day in one sitting because I just could not stop watching! I wanted to cry because of just how an amazing of a job adapting the books. It was almost word for word correct abd what was changed was foe the best and I didn't mind at all!

And best of all they kept all the dark humour of the books!

Also they ended on thw perfect book/episode.
  
The Hurricane Heist (2018)
The Hurricane Heist (2018)
2018 | Action, Thriller
Imagine, if you will, a film released in theaters, with Syfy Channel level special effects, acting, and writing. Imagine, if you will, a hurricane that has skulls not so well hidden in the storm clouds in nearly every shot. Imagine, if you will, the hackneyed plot of people trying to steal old money from the Treasury before it gets shredded. You will have imagined Hurricane Heist.

Now, this film is bad, but it's not garden variety bad. It's bad enough that it wrapped itself all the way back around to entertaining. Hurricane Heist is blatantly dumb yet the actors, as much as they can, play it straight. For an hour and a half, you will ask yourself, "Can this movie get any dumber?" The answer is, "Yes. Yes, it can."

Was I entertained? Greatly. Is there any way that I can recommend spending any money on seeing a movie that has nothing going for it besides your incredulity at the fact that it not only got made, but got a theatrical release? No. But, for dang sure, if it shows up on Netflix or on something that you already pay for, check it out, if only for a few minutes. You won't gain anything from those few minutes, but there's a fairly high chance that you will laugh.