Smashbomb

I am not a religious person though I find to discover about people's faith and acts of faith. This movie deals with the upheaval of after Vatican II was adopted in Catholicism in a convent where the mother superior refusing to give up the old ways while training prospective nuns under her care. The movie can be jarring at times in its violence and exploration of the novitiates and at other times is quite beautiful in showing pure live and faith, however misguided it seems to me. I'm not entirely sure what was happening in some of the scenes and even the ending was confusing. The movie, however, is well-acted. Maybe it's better understand by those of the same faith or who went to a Catholic school. This heathen was confused.

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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2603 KP) rated Twelve Angry Librarians (Cat in the Stacks, #8) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

Athena College is playing host to the Southern Academic Libraries Association convention and Charlie Harris’s old grad school classmate Gavin Fong is giving the keynote address. Charlie doesn’t have fond memories of Gavin, and an encounter opening night proves that Gavin is still as arrogant as ever. But when Gavin collapses and dies in the middle of his speech, Charlie is surprised. Yes, Gavin was a jerk, but who hated him enough to kill him?

As always, this is a strong mystery, with conflict and tension set up from the very first chapter. We have several strong motives and suspects before Gavin dies, and we get some nice twists before the logical solution. The suspects are all believable, and the returning characters continue to be strong. Charlie’s cat Diesel charms like always as well.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/02/book-review-twelve-angry-librarians-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

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Awix (3310 KP) rated Wonder Wheel (2017) in Movies

Mar 12, 2018 (Updated Mar 12, 2018)

Not-bad-by-his-recent-standards-at-least Woody Allen melodrama (NB: theme park attractions are not central to plot). Frustrated former actress trapped in unhappy marriage with Fred Flintstone lookalike starts an affair with intellectual lifeguard, becomes insanely jealous when her stepdaughter also catches her lover's eye.

One of Allen's more theatrical movies - it certainly seems to have been made on a relatively low budget. Feels very much like a pastiche of Tennessee Williams or Eugene O'Neill, only considerably less subtle. At least as a character piece focused on a (somewhat) older woman there are fewer of the more problematic Allen tropes on display, and no sign of a laboured message or theme. Film is carried by a tremendous performance from Kate Winslet; Juno Temple is also good in a supporting role. Watchable stuff, certainly for Allen's remaining followers, although you do still wish he'd just make one more all-out comedy in the old-school style.

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Awix (3310 KP) rated Lady Bird (2017) in Movies

Feb 26, 2018 (Updated Feb 27, 2018)

Lady Bird (2017)

2017 | Comedy, Drama

7.7

(53 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Warm and funny coming-of-age movie written and directed by Greta Gerwig. Seventeen-year-old girl Christine (aka Lady Bird) contends with the last year of school, troublesome romances, college applications, and her fraught relationship with her mother.

You could argue that there's nothing going on here we haven't seen in a dozen other movies, but surely the point of a coming-of-age movie (which is what this obviously is) is that it deals with universal experiences. This one feels fresh and sincere, anyway, even if it isn't actually autobiographical (or so we are assured). It's a bit dismaying to realise that people are now making films which are nostalgic about the 20th century, but the period detail is well-judged, along with everything else. Great performances and some lovely scenes, and very positive in a way that feels extremely of this moment, without seeming overly angry or political. A charming movie that deserves all the success it has achieved.

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AJaneClark (3975 KP) rated A Witch Awakens in Books

Apr 27, 2020 (Updated Apr 27, 2020)

A Witch Awakens

S D C Forster | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

I came across this lovely little book in a charity shop a while back, and it lingered in the TBR pile for a long while.
A relatively short read, coming in at less than 200 pages. This slow starter rapidly became one of those books that I struggled to put down.
Scarlett has felt different for a long while, but seems to develop her magick powers naturally without any guidance. Scarlett is your typical 21 year old, enjoying living away from home, in the big city, looking for love, finding a job after finishing school, managing finances and having fun with friends, oh and being a witch! That was until the night of the break in. After that Scarlett started to notice odd little things, would lose train of thought, or moments in time. Until one day when it all came together in an intriguing climax.

The first in this series, I would happily purchases the rest.