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Santa Clarita Diet  - Season 1
Santa Clarita Diet - Season 1
2017 | Comedy
Timothy Olyphant (0 more)
A comedy with bite
My wife watched this when it first came out and I didn't bother. Kinda looked like a lame rom com. That was until I caught the end of a season 3 episode she was watching and laughed my arse off. So I went and watched season 1 in 2 days - its soooooo good. IRS the story of a nice suburban family Drew Barrymore & Timothy Olyphant with their teenage daughter. They are real estate agents and have a good if simple life. This all changes when Barrymore, after feeling a bit unwell, vomits (A Lot) during a house viewing. So much so she dies however then comes back to life - except shes now undead and can only eat human flesh. The star of the show is Olyphant. He has never really been a comedic actor but he is hilarious as Joel coming to terms with his wife's new condition and (trying) to help her find food is brilliant. Also there is a lot of really good gore. Like REALLY good and is often unexpected which adds to the comedy. At 30 mins an episode this is perfect for binge watching and will leave you hungry for more!!
  
If We’re Not Married By Thirty
If We’re Not Married By Thirty
Anna Bell | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A book that’s not hard to guess the ending, but did have some parts where I doubted that what I thought would happen would.
This is the second book that I have read by Anna Bell and her humour is poured into her books and her characters are just so loveable!
This book is definitely based around something that I think most people my age have done, which is make a pact with a friend about if you’re not both married or in a relationship by a certain age, then you will both get together. I think everyone makes the same pact thinking that it’s years and years away so it will never happen, and soon life creeps up on you and before you know it you’ve reached that age!
I loved the characters in this book and rooted for Lydia every step of the way. Although the book was predictable, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed it. Although the best characters were definitely the two mothers.
After enjoying two of Anna Bell’s books, I will definitely be looking at buying more that she has written. They are just good old rom-com chick lits, perfect for when you just need a bit of a giggle.
  
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ClareR (5584 KP) rated The Flatshare in Books

Sep 1, 2019  
The Flatshare
The Flatshare
Beth O'Leary | 2019 | Contemporary, Romance
9
8.7 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
A great feel-good story - and who knew I liked romance?!
In The Flatshare, Tiffy and Leon share a flat and a bed, and yet they’re never in the flat or bed at the same time. This is the only way for Tiffy to be able to afford to live in Central London, and Leon has his own financial reasons for sharing his flat.

Tiffy has recently split up with her rich boyfriend, and she has to leave his flat. Her friends offer her their sofa, but Tiffy realises that she needs her independence (and a decent bed!) - even if it is a bit of an odd arrangement. Actually, when I was reading about it in the book, it didn’t seem at all unreasonable!

Tiffy is a great character. She’s an assistant editor for a publisher specialising in Arts and Crafts, and she’s a real individual - in both her dress and her attitude towards life. She’s also discovering that her ex-boyfriend may not have been as lovely as she thought.

Leon wants someone to share his flat so that he can pay the legal fees for his brothers court appeal. He works the permanent night shift at a local hospice as a nurse (the pay is better for this shift), and he’s a man of few words. He loves his job and he’s very caring towards his patients. And he’s a lovely man.

I really enjoyed this. It’s not your typical rom-com. I would say that there’s a serious side to it as well. I did laugh a lot, but I also worried along with Leon about his younger brother, and joined Tiffy’s friends in their dislike of her decidedly dodgy ex.

So if you’re not usually in to rom-coms, this might just be the book for you too. It was a really very pleasant surprise!

Many thanks to a Readers First for my copy of this book.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) Sep 3, 2019

Oh this was so good!

Love, Simon (2018)
Love, Simon (2018)
2018 | Comedy, Drama, Romance
One of the most important films in a generation
I don’t think anyone will have any qualms in me saying that the LGBT community is one of the most vastly underrepresented parts of society when it comes to mainstream Hollywood movies.

Sure, we’ve had indie hits like Call Me by Your Name and Moonlight that have also performed well at the Oscars, but the closest we’ve ever gotten to a mass-market crowd pleaser has been Ang Lee’s 2005 flick Brokeback Mountain and if we’re being honest, that wasn’t marketed in a way that made it particularly mainstream.

Aiming to change all that is Love, Simon. Based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, Love, Simon is the first truly mainstream rom-com that features a lead gay character. But is the film a beacon of hope for a massively underrepresented LGBT community or a movie that daren’t go too far?

Everyone deserves a great love story, but for 17-year-old Simon Spier (Nick Robinson), it’s a little more complicated. He hasn’t told his family or friends that he’s gay, and he doesn’t know the identity of the anonymous classmate that he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, terrifying and life-changing.

Love, Simon is one of the most important films in a generation. Aiming to please both everyday movie-goers and be sensitive to the issues that gay people face on a daily basis, it needs to tread a very careful line, and I’m pleased to say, it does so beautifully. From the exceptional performances of the entire cast, to the warming attempts at humour, it succeeds on almost every level.

Jurassic World’s Nick Robinson is outstanding as Simon. A 17-year-old who consistently struggles to accept who he truly is would be an incredibly difficult role for even the most seasoned actors to take on, but he really is wonderful to watch. As we journey across his troubled story, the audience feels fully immersed in his actions, even those that are, shall we say, questionable.

The supporting cast too, is excellent. Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel are a great, if slightly underused presence, as Simon’s parents and along with his sister Nora (played by Talitha Bateman), they make an entirely believable family unit and it’s lovely to see them rallying around him when the inevitable ‘outing’ occurs. One touching scene in particular featuring Garner speaking to her son is sure to turn on the waterworks for many.

Love, Simon is a film with a massive heart anchored by a beautifully raw performance by Nick Robinson
Director Greg Berlanti is a relative newcomer to the world of romantic comedy, but he leads with a confidence that makes him appear seasoned at this game. Touching scenes of emotion are nicely interspersed with sequences of genuinely funny comedy – the sign of a great rom-com.

Special mention must go to Natasha Rothwell as drama teacher Ms. Albright, who manages to garner most of the laughs throughout. All of this culminates in a sweet finale that ties together everything that’s happened over the previous 110 minutes very well indeed.

If we’re to look at some of the flaws then it’s fair to say that the story outside of it featuring a gay lead is completely unoriginal. It’s been done before, but that’s kind of its charm. Flipping the classic rom-com story on its head by allowing audiences across the world to see that being gay really isn’t easy is a really nice thing to see.

In a nutshell, Love, Simon is a film with a massive heart anchored by a beautifully raw performance by Nick Robinson. It’ll make you laugh and it’ll make you cry, but this is a touching romantic comedy that will absolutely go down in the history books of film. Like Brokeback Mountain did for the older gay man, Love, Simon can be a shining light for young men who are struggling to accept who they truly are.

Is this a turning point for Hollywood? Well, let’s hope so.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/04/07/love-simon-review-one-of-the-most-important-films-in-a-generation/
  
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KerysJayne Draganova (21 KP) rated Resistance is futile in Books

Jan 13, 2018 (Updated Jan 14, 2018)  
Resistance is futile
Resistance is futile
Jenny Colgan | 2015 | Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
7
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Majority of the characters, especially the main (1 more)
Comedic style of writing
Luke (1 more)
The romance aspect
A decent sci-fi Rom-com hybrid.
First of let me just say, this is the type of book that makes you look incredibly silly when reading it in public. It had me laughing until I couldn't breathe, and thanking my lucky stars that I read it in the comfort of my own home.

The characters in Colgan's book are a breath of fresh air: smart, just the right amount of geeky, and incredibly funny. The mix of the different characters and personalities within the group works perfectly, and as I said they have you crying with laughter. Connie is a fantastic main character: interesting, smart and witty, and I loved reading the adventures from her point of view.

However, I was disappointed with the romance aspect of this book, I didn't find the relationship between Connie and Luke to be believable, and I just couldn't get behind Luke as a character as a whole. I didn't find his character very compelling, and I felt the author went further into the development of other smaller characters than Luke, considering he is supposed to be quite an important part of the story line.


Overall though the characters in this book are so lovable and funny it definitely makes the book worth a read.
  
Tangled (2010)
Tangled (2010)
2010 | Animation, Comedy, Family
6
8.3 (57 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Not Shrek 5... Though I can understand the error...
Contains spoilers, click to show
Last night I went to see Shrek 5… No, I actually went to see a Disney digimation which was trying to cash in on the former franchise. But despite its look, this was Disney through and through. Lacking the wit of Pixar and the sharp zaniness of Dreamworks, this was part musical, part sweeping rom-com.

What has happened to this studio, when they lack the confidence to make their films, their way? If this had been hand drawn animation it would have been twice the film, but instead we're treated to a mongrel 3D digimation with the story and style of Disney, Dreamworks and Pixar, but done without any of the flare of any of them.

The 3D was effective but the whole concept is now becoming very, very boring and I would have preferred to have seen it in 2D to be honest. It was never the less enjoyable, it made me laugh and some of the character development was quite effective, such a the horse, Maximus, who was as far removed from Shrek's 'Donkey' as you could imagine, especially as he never utters a word! I recon that kids and pure Disney fans will lap this up, though it is no Lion King, it's certainly an entertaining animation.
  
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Home Again (2017) in Movies

Jun 23, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)  
Home Again (2017)
Home Again (2017)
2017 | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Mother of two, Alice Kinney, is turning forty. She's separated from her husband and has just moved back to her father's old home in Los Angeles to start again. While out with her friends for her birthday she bumps into the youthful Harry, and his friends George and Teddy, who've come to LA to pitch their movie.

After an awkward encounter the morning after, Alice's mum convinces her to let the three of them stay in the guest house while they're in town. The three of them become part of family life, helping her with work and the kids. When her ex shows up unexpectedly, Alice is left in a confusing position, and when tension builds between everyone things start to change.

Is this the best rom-com? That's a strong no. Is it a bad film? Also no. It made me chuckle, and it brought a bit of a tear to my eye. It was just a nice film. The conclusion seemed to happen very suddenly, but then I feel that about quite a few films that I see. Personally if I fancied seeing a Reese Witherspoon film then I'd probably pick Sweet Home Alabama, Just Like Heaven, or even Hot Pursuit. I read online that the conclusion was that everyone in this film has done something better, and that is definitely true.