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London: A History in Paintings & Illustrations
Book
London has been an irresistible subject for generations of artists and draughtsmen, who have...
Steadfast Boats and Fisher People
Book
ILLUSTRATED with 200 photographs, all of which were taken by the author, this evocative book reveals...
How to Love Yourself (and Sometimes Other People): Spiritual Advice for Modern Relationships
Meggan Watterson and Lodro Rinzler
Book
How to Love Yourself (and Sometimes Other People) is a smart, hip guide for spiritual seekers who...
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated The Rules of Attraction (2002) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020
Bracingly twisted, disturbing 110 minutes of sex-crazed, sleazebag college sociopaths and the unenviably depressing lives they lead. A more quintessential Bret Easton Ellis film than even ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ด๐บ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฐ in showcasing his deliriously warped sense of the world. A university 'romance' drama soaked in booze, coke, apathy, sex, and a seething disdain for living well - naturally I loved it in all its parasitic debauchery. One of the most quietly experimental films of the early 2000s and also one of the fewer ones from that era that actually has a righteous soundtrack and tolerable sense of style. James Van Der Beek is a beast - existing on some other religious, primordial plane of existence that we can't comprehend in our current timeline just yet - and every other performance isn't too far behind. We should probably check up on the people who view this as some sort of misunderstood Truth Serum though, I just love it because it's fucked up tbh and I unashamedly dig me some rich slime. Loathes its characters but never superficially, like it *really* does - revels in the glee of inflicting cruelty on these horrid people but backs it up with tangible emotion to create this hypnotic clash of feelings. Couldn't take my eyes off it. I shudder to even use this now meaningless saying but... I'd be hard pressed to say you could have gotten away with making this today.
The Lies They Tell
6.0
Rate It
Book
With shades of E. Lockhart's We Were Liars and Courtney Summers's Sadie, this dark and twisted...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Crazy Rich Asians (2018) in Movies
Aug 23, 2018
You don't have to be a CRA to enjoy this film
I am not Crazy (debatable), Rich (not even close) or Asian (not going to touch that one). So, it was an interesting test to see if I would be entertained by CRAZY RICH ASIANS, a RomCom focused on groups that I am not a part of.
Surprisingly, the answer is not just "yes", it's "heck, yes!"
Based on the bestselling book by Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians (CRA from hereout) tells the story of Asian-American College Economics Professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) who heads to Singapore for a wedding with her boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding) unknowingly heading into the "belly of the beast" of his ultra-rich family and the various relatives, friends and hangers-on who are not shy about letting Rachel know if they approve of her.
This film is being hailed as a landmark in Cinema, for a mainstream movie is filled with nothing by Asian actors and actresses, and it acquits itself nicely not just as a mainstream film filled with Asian actors and actresses, but as a GOOD film regardless of the nationalities of the people portrayed and the actors portraying them.
For the most part, Director Jon M. Chu has crafted a beautiful, funny film that sends a message and brings the viewer into a world that is, heretofore, not seen on the screen. And he brings this to the viewer with a loving eye and deep, soulful heart that shines throughout.
As the lead couple, Wu and Golding are charming, charismatic and VERY GOOD TO LOOK AT, they are an easy pair of people to spend some time with. Most of the other actors on the screen are very well cast and some standouts include Nico Santos as Oliver and good ol' Ken Jeong as Wye Mun Goh.
But it is the work of three very good, very different, but very PROFESSIONAL actresses that caught my eye. The first is Awkwafina (OCEAN'S 8) as an old College roommate of Rachel's who is the funniest thing in the film (think Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids) she brings a much needed level of irreverence to the stodginess of Nick's family. Gemma Chan (TV's HUMANS) carries a good deal of the dramatic and emotional weight of this film as Nick's Sister - a "cool on the outside, emotionally troubled on the inside" soul who steals any scene she is in. I think we have a real star in the making with her.
And then there is Michelle Yeoh (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON) as Nick's "Tiger Mom" who disapproves of his girlfriend and her "American ways". She's a traditionalist who gave up quite a bit for her family and expects the same level of familiar commitment from her children. It would be easy to make this character one-dimensional, but in Yeoh's capable hands, it is anything but.
It's not a perfect film - I felt it dragged a bit in the middle - but the beginning and (especially) the last 1/2 hour of this film is funny, poignant and emotional (bring your hankies - you're gonna need them).
Oh...and stay through the first part of the credits, there is a scene about 2 minutes in that sets up the sequel (there are 3 books in this series).
This is a good film for EVERYONE - whether your are a CRA or not!
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Surprisingly, the answer is not just "yes", it's "heck, yes!"
Based on the bestselling book by Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians (CRA from hereout) tells the story of Asian-American College Economics Professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) who heads to Singapore for a wedding with her boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding) unknowingly heading into the "belly of the beast" of his ultra-rich family and the various relatives, friends and hangers-on who are not shy about letting Rachel know if they approve of her.
This film is being hailed as a landmark in Cinema, for a mainstream movie is filled with nothing by Asian actors and actresses, and it acquits itself nicely not just as a mainstream film filled with Asian actors and actresses, but as a GOOD film regardless of the nationalities of the people portrayed and the actors portraying them.
For the most part, Director Jon M. Chu has crafted a beautiful, funny film that sends a message and brings the viewer into a world that is, heretofore, not seen on the screen. And he brings this to the viewer with a loving eye and deep, soulful heart that shines throughout.
As the lead couple, Wu and Golding are charming, charismatic and VERY GOOD TO LOOK AT, they are an easy pair of people to spend some time with. Most of the other actors on the screen are very well cast and some standouts include Nico Santos as Oliver and good ol' Ken Jeong as Wye Mun Goh.
But it is the work of three very good, very different, but very PROFESSIONAL actresses that caught my eye. The first is Awkwafina (OCEAN'S 8) as an old College roommate of Rachel's who is the funniest thing in the film (think Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids) she brings a much needed level of irreverence to the stodginess of Nick's family. Gemma Chan (TV's HUMANS) carries a good deal of the dramatic and emotional weight of this film as Nick's Sister - a "cool on the outside, emotionally troubled on the inside" soul who steals any scene she is in. I think we have a real star in the making with her.
And then there is Michelle Yeoh (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON) as Nick's "Tiger Mom" who disapproves of his girlfriend and her "American ways". She's a traditionalist who gave up quite a bit for her family and expects the same level of familiar commitment from her children. It would be easy to make this character one-dimensional, but in Yeoh's capable hands, it is anything but.
It's not a perfect film - I felt it dragged a bit in the middle - but the beginning and (especially) the last 1/2 hour of this film is funny, poignant and emotional (bring your hankies - you're gonna need them).
Oh...and stay through the first part of the credits, there is a scene about 2 minutes in that sets up the sequel (there are 3 books in this series).
This is a good film for EVERYONE - whether your are a CRA or not!
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Night Falling in Books
Dec 17, 2018
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads
The Night Falling by Katherine Webb is a historical novel with a romantic theme. The story is told from the perspective of two people: Clare, a middle class wife from England, and Ettore, a poor Italian "peasant". Set in Puglia in the summer of 1921, the two characters meet when Clare and her step-son, Pip, are forced to accompany Boyd to Italy where he is going to be working for Leandro, Ettore's uncle.
Clare and Ettore's relationship become more involved as they try to avoid their complicated feelings surrounding their other family members. Not only do they have their personal issues, there is antagonism between the rich and the poor. The so called "peasants" with their lack of food and jobs are fed up with the way they are treated by the rich authorities. Strikes have been unsuccessful so their only other plan is an uprising.
As well as the hostile environment story line there are many secrets that begin to be uncovered. Obviously Clare is keeping Ettore secret from her husband but she is unaware of the secrets and dangers he harbours.
It was interesting to see the contrast between the two classes of characters. Unlike England where the lines are slightly blurred between upper, middle and lower classes, Italy in the 1920s the differences were very clear cut.
In all honesty I did not think much of this book. I found it hard to get into and it did not get any easier as it progressed. Although I understand the storyline I found it a little bit boring and took me a while to get through.
The Night Falling by Katherine Webb is a historical novel with a romantic theme. The story is told from the perspective of two people: Clare, a middle class wife from England, and Ettore, a poor Italian "peasant". Set in Puglia in the summer of 1921, the two characters meet when Clare and her step-son, Pip, are forced to accompany Boyd to Italy where he is going to be working for Leandro, Ettore's uncle.
Clare and Ettore's relationship become more involved as they try to avoid their complicated feelings surrounding their other family members. Not only do they have their personal issues, there is antagonism between the rich and the poor. The so called "peasants" with their lack of food and jobs are fed up with the way they are treated by the rich authorities. Strikes have been unsuccessful so their only other plan is an uprising.
As well as the hostile environment story line there are many secrets that begin to be uncovered. Obviously Clare is keeping Ettore secret from her husband but she is unaware of the secrets and dangers he harbours.
It was interesting to see the contrast between the two classes of characters. Unlike England where the lines are slightly blurred between upper, middle and lower classes, Italy in the 1920s the differences were very clear cut.
In all honesty I did not think much of this book. I found it hard to get into and it did not get any easier as it progressed. Although I understand the storyline I found it a little bit boring and took me a while to get through.
Tim McGuire (301 KP) rated The Invisible Man (2020) in Movies
Mar 14, 2020
403. The Invisible Man. One of the most uninteresting versions of this tale I've seen. It should be called The Woman that fled the Invisible Man, well he's not invisible during the actual fleeing, which is right at the start of the film. Cecilla wakes up in the middle of the night and books it from the compound, um, home, that she and husband Adrian share, because he's a controlling abusive dick, this has all happened at this point already. So with the help of her lawyer sister she escapes her psychopath boyfriend by stashing her with a cop friend James and his teen daughter. So they are totally safe here, I mean Cecilla can't go outside due to crippling fear, and the teen girl,are perfectly safe and can take care of themselves if Adrian, the psychopathic, rich genius could never get at them while policeman James is at work. But then, Adrian kills himself, and leaves Cece 5 million bucks. Yay she's safe. Then for the next hour, she stares into corners and hears things, and thinks Adrian is there but invisible, because he's a rich genius and has a thing in his basement that looks like you can strap a person into it! But when this invisible Adrian starts killing people and guess who's going to get blamed? Elisabeth Moss did great with what she had to work with, which wasn't much. Lots of logic goes out the window with this one. And the trailer for it, is literally the whole movie! Watch a few a those stringed together and save yourself 2 hours! Filmbufftim on FB
Classic Recipes of Russia: Traditional Food and Cooking in 25 Authentic Dishes
Book
This title explores the rich and varied delights of Russian cuisine from Georgian meat soup to the...
ClickMeeting. Webinar Your Way
Business and Productivity
App
ClickMeeting, the worldโs leading webinar solution for business, just got easier. How? We combined...