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Amy Christmas (171 KP) rated The Subtle Knife in Books

Jan 18, 2019 (Updated Jan 19, 2019)

Well paced (2 more)

Information is introduced quickly and effectively

Lyra having no idea how to function in our world

Lee scoresby (if you've read it you know why) (1 more)

A lack of Iorek Byrnison

Short so sweet and informative

Contains spoilers, click to show

For a conventional middle filler book this is beautiful, just as good as the first and possibly better?
It was extremely well paced for being only 15 chapters the shortest of all three books while still managing to introduce a myriad of new concepts and information without it being overwhelming for the reader.
At the start of the book we are introduced to will (AKA Roger 2.0 in my opinion) I loved will, his character and his back story. Will is a boy coming into his own being thrust into duties he doesn't want but duties he accepts and carries the burden of. We learn that will's father went missing on an exploration when he was a baby and it becomes clear that he didn't just die and no body was recovered, but something else.

Pullman beautifully builds on the religious background of Lyras world into the wider context of the universe with the introduction of angels and The Authority as he is primarily called.

Lyra's character doesn't unfortunately do much growing in this book as Will takes the focus, which I think was a good decision as it allows for each character to have their moment per sé.

But Lee scoresby, I loved Lee, our favourite drunken aeronaut, and we had to say farewell.

Going onto the third and final installment however, promises some more Iorek after his absence for all but one part of this book, more witches, angels and Mrs Coulter and her dreaded monkey.

I can't wait to see Will grow further as well as Lyra, nor can I wait for that crescendo that is a final battle.

Kudos

Andy K (10826 KP) rated First Reformed (2018) in Movies

Jul 6, 2019

First Reformed (2018)

2018 | Drama, Thriller

5.5

(6 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Emotionless emotion takes its toll

Father Toller is a troubled man. Every day his convictions are being tested in the world all around him. His marriage failed due to the death of a child. A couple comes to him for help only to have that end in tragedy. The 250th anniversary of his home base church is coming up bringing with it all sorts of planning and the forced inclusion of one of the sponsors; a large company who is a leading contributor of pollution to the Earth. Then, his health deteriorates and he won't let others in to help or console him.

How can he stand by and let these things happen? He sits in on group therapy sessions at the church and is confronted by those who don't believe or are conflicted by what they see happening around them as well.

He is approached by a grieving woman and is torn by his own emotional reactions to her and her needs.

First Reformed is a character study of this troubled, religious man and his actions and reactions to his crumbling encounters with the world. He wants to say more, but feels he can't while staying true to his convictions.

Ethan Hawke has a great resume and is performance here is breathtaking and should've received at least an Oscar nomination. It seems he is often overlooked and has given great performances for years in films like Training Day, Dead Poets Society and Alive. His role here is complex and I would imagine difficult to portray someone who has to lead a muffled existence.

I am still digesting the ending of the film, so I am not sure how I feel about that yet.

Ask me again in a couple days. Unique for sure.

Kudos

Leigh J (71 KP) rated The Chill Factor (1973) in Movies

Nov 9, 2019

The Chill Factor (1973)

1973 | Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi

4.0

(2 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Storyline (0 more)

Acting, Gore scenes (0 more)

Contains spoilers, click to show

A group of friends are out Snowmobile racing when one has a critical accident. Out in the middle of nowhere in freezing conditions, 2 of the friends go to find help and stumble across a Cabin. The Cabin looks like it was once a Religious Camp but seems abandoned; it has an upside down cross of the mantle and is just very creepy in general. They ignore this and move their friend into the Cabin. Whilst looking around the Cabin they find a picture of some kids in the 1950's who attended when the place was a Camp. Below their picture there is a scroll that says "keep the beast in the field", which one of the friends alludes to the fact that "the beast" often references the Devil. They also discover a "Devil's Eye" board, similar to a Ouija Board and decide to use it. During this, one of the friends that went out for help is killed, one has a seizure and one woman is convinced they've let something evil in; further strengthened by the fact that one of friends finds an article about a Satanic Killer murdering people around that area. Soon enough the friends are getting picked off one by one by supernatural forces, yet the critically injured man is thriving. Could the Killer have returned to the Cabin? Or could this be the work of the Devil's Eye Board?

Chill Factor is one of those typically terrible 80's Horrors (made in 1989). It's slow burning and not in a good way, it feels more like a cheesy TV drama and the murders are substandard and really nothing at all that us Horror fans haven't seen a million times over. Also, it ends in a ridiculous Snowmobile race between Woman and evil... ludicrous.