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Merissa (11654 KP) rated The Trouble with Trying to Date a Murderer (Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees #1) in Books
Mar 17, 2022 (Updated Jul 3, 2023)
THE TROUBLE WITH TRYING TO DATE A MURDERER is the first book in a new series by Jennifer Cody, Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees.
Told from Romily's point of view, we find out he had his vocal cords removed as a child, and lived through two mass murder attempts. For someone who is mute, he has a lot to say! And he manages just fine - so long as he has his trust mobile phone to hand, plus his attitude - he is able to get his meaning across.
I wasn't too sure about reading this book as Rom-Com isn't really my thing, due to the very personal nature of humour. However, I would say that Ms Cody has pulled this off brilliantly. The story keeps moving along, helped by Romily's sass, and you will be swept away by it.
I do wish it had had more in the way of world-building and relationship-building. The world wasn't so hard because I just simply saw it as contemporary and that was it. But I do like some build-up to the relationship side. I read more about who and what a Harbinger is and does than I did about how Romily and Fox went from being attracted to so much more.
Still, this was a thoroughly enjoyable, wacky, crazy book that I have no hesitation in recommending.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 10, 2022
Told from Romily's point of view, we find out he had his vocal cords removed as a child, and lived through two mass murder attempts. For someone who is mute, he has a lot to say! And he manages just fine - so long as he has his trust mobile phone to hand, plus his attitude - he is able to get his meaning across.
I wasn't too sure about reading this book as Rom-Com isn't really my thing, due to the very personal nature of humour. However, I would say that Ms Cody has pulled this off brilliantly. The story keeps moving along, helped by Romily's sass, and you will be swept away by it.
I do wish it had had more in the way of world-building and relationship-building. The world wasn't so hard because I just simply saw it as contemporary and that was it. But I do like some build-up to the relationship side. I read more about who and what a Harbinger is and does than I did about how Romily and Fox went from being attracted to so much more.
Still, this was a thoroughly enjoyable, wacky, crazy book that I have no hesitation in recommending.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 10, 2022
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated I Feel Pretty (2018) in Movies
Jun 29, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
A woman struggling with insecurity wakes from a fall believing she is the most beautiful and capable woman on the planet. Her new confidence empowers her to live fearlessly, but what happens when she realizes her appearance never changed?
Personally I'm not a fan of Amy Schumer, but I was sort of entertained by the trailer, and a rom-com is always in my favourite types of film so it made it into the cinema schedule fairly quickly.
I was so very nearly converted to being a fan... it was so close. *holds thumb and forefinger 2mm apart* But alas, the middle section sent me right back to where I'd been in the first place. Even though the ending redeemed the film slightly I still wasn't convinced by what had happened.
Let's forget all the talk of fat shaming that was going on before the film's release. Quite frankly that felt like nonsense. The movie basically holds to the idea that she thought she was overweight, got some confidence because of a random accident, and then realised that she had that confidence inside her all along. And as a message I thought that worked reasonably well.
Where I had the problem was in her fall to the dark side, that ultimately led her to picking it all back up at the end of the film. It doesn't take a massive break from reality to get into Renee's head in this one. I can see someone like that ditching friends to go to a classy party because it's something new and exciting, but I can't believe that she would have been that heartless to her friends. That's ultimately where the film lost me.
Personally I'm not a fan of Amy Schumer, but I was sort of entertained by the trailer, and a rom-com is always in my favourite types of film so it made it into the cinema schedule fairly quickly.
I was so very nearly converted to being a fan... it was so close. *holds thumb and forefinger 2mm apart* But alas, the middle section sent me right back to where I'd been in the first place. Even though the ending redeemed the film slightly I still wasn't convinced by what had happened.
Let's forget all the talk of fat shaming that was going on before the film's release. Quite frankly that felt like nonsense. The movie basically holds to the idea that she thought she was overweight, got some confidence because of a random accident, and then realised that she had that confidence inside her all along. And as a message I thought that worked reasonably well.
Where I had the problem was in her fall to the dark side, that ultimately led her to picking it all back up at the end of the film. It doesn't take a massive break from reality to get into Renee's head in this one. I can see someone like that ditching friends to go to a classy party because it's something new and exciting, but I can't believe that she would have been that heartless to her friends. That's ultimately where the film lost me.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Crazy Rich Asians (2018) in Movies
Sep 3, 2018
Gemma Chan (1 more)
Constance Wu
OK. I don't do books, so I wouldn't have been aware of the best selling book that Crazy Rich Asians is based on. I don't usually do rom coms either, but that only tends to be the ones where they're the typical boy and girl hate each other and are thrown together until they love each other type movies. But, I do love a movie that's done well, regardless of genre. And as Crazy Rich Asians continues to receive much hype and success in the US (I'm in the UK), I thought I'd better go and see what all the fuss is about. So, as part of date night with the wife, we decided to go check it out!
Now, for this movie I think the trailer nailed it in terms of what you see is what you're going to get. And in my opinion, I'd say how you feel after seeing the trailer for this movie is a pretty good gauge for how you'll feel about the movie as a whole. Personally, I watched the trailer and I didn't think it looked that great. The story looked mildly interesting, there were some funny characters and some potentially great performances, but there was nothing in the trailer that grabbed me and stuck with me. And that's exactly how I felt about the movie after I'd seen it.
The story centres around Rachel and Nick, both living in New York and having been dating for a while. Nick is due to head home to Singapore for his best friends wedding and has asked Rachel to join him. The opening scene of the movie, featuring Nick as a young child, gives us some insight into how much wealth and power his family possess. We also see how an innocent photo of Nick and Rachel talking in a bar quickly hits Singapore social media, setting thousands of tongues wagging and giving us a pretty good idea just how big a deal Nick and his family are over there. And how much of a talking point it is that Nick is dating a girl raised in America, rather than Asia. It's only when they land in Singapore that Rachel realises the full extent of what she's let herself in for.
Nick is part of a big, rich family, with each family member having their own set of problems and insecurities to deal with. I actually had trouble keeping track of who's who for a while, but one thing this movie does do is allow sufficient time for all family members to be explored and for some particularly strong performances to blossom. Nicks mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) is the one that Rachel is out to impress though, and although she remains polite at all times, it's clear that she doesn't approve. I thought this was going to be a variation of the boy and girl hate each other at first theme that I spoke about earlier, and while it kind of is in a way, it doesn't make for such a fun, easy ride like standard rom coms do.
For me, those strong performances I spoke about came from Gemma Chan as a millionaire cousin with an insecure cheating husband, and Constance Wu as Rachel. Michelle Yeoh is somebody we're probably a bit more familiar with, and she was also outstanding as Nicks mother Eleanor. There are plenty of characters providing comedy relief and bringing the 'crazy' to the films title. Most notably Awkwafina as Rachel’s best friend and Ken Jeong, who seemed slightly subdued for once.
Overall I didn't not enjoy this movie, but then I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped I would either. I laughed, I was entertained, but I felt the movie dragged and stumbled at times, and didn't really elevate itself above just a standard rom com for me.
Now, for this movie I think the trailer nailed it in terms of what you see is what you're going to get. And in my opinion, I'd say how you feel after seeing the trailer for this movie is a pretty good gauge for how you'll feel about the movie as a whole. Personally, I watched the trailer and I didn't think it looked that great. The story looked mildly interesting, there were some funny characters and some potentially great performances, but there was nothing in the trailer that grabbed me and stuck with me. And that's exactly how I felt about the movie after I'd seen it.
The story centres around Rachel and Nick, both living in New York and having been dating for a while. Nick is due to head home to Singapore for his best friends wedding and has asked Rachel to join him. The opening scene of the movie, featuring Nick as a young child, gives us some insight into how much wealth and power his family possess. We also see how an innocent photo of Nick and Rachel talking in a bar quickly hits Singapore social media, setting thousands of tongues wagging and giving us a pretty good idea just how big a deal Nick and his family are over there. And how much of a talking point it is that Nick is dating a girl raised in America, rather than Asia. It's only when they land in Singapore that Rachel realises the full extent of what she's let herself in for.
Nick is part of a big, rich family, with each family member having their own set of problems and insecurities to deal with. I actually had trouble keeping track of who's who for a while, but one thing this movie does do is allow sufficient time for all family members to be explored and for some particularly strong performances to blossom. Nicks mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) is the one that Rachel is out to impress though, and although she remains polite at all times, it's clear that she doesn't approve. I thought this was going to be a variation of the boy and girl hate each other at first theme that I spoke about earlier, and while it kind of is in a way, it doesn't make for such a fun, easy ride like standard rom coms do.
For me, those strong performances I spoke about came from Gemma Chan as a millionaire cousin with an insecure cheating husband, and Constance Wu as Rachel. Michelle Yeoh is somebody we're probably a bit more familiar with, and she was also outstanding as Nicks mother Eleanor. There are plenty of characters providing comedy relief and bringing the 'crazy' to the films title. Most notably Awkwafina as Rachel’s best friend and Ken Jeong, who seemed slightly subdued for once.
Overall I didn't not enjoy this movie, but then I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped I would either. I laughed, I was entertained, but I felt the movie dragged and stumbled at times, and didn't really elevate itself above just a standard rom com for me.
Eamon T.Hennedy (4 KP) rated The Mindy Project - Season 1 in TV
Jun 21, 2019 (Updated Jun 21, 2019)
The first season of Mindy Kaling's comedy drama, along with its second, is probably one of the best romantic comedies to come from American network television in a while. In fact, the one that is equal to it is New Girl and they were both on Fox at the same time and shared the same night in the UK where they aired on E4.
In a time when adult flavoured romantic comedies are dying at the box office and are finding a home on streaming services such as Netflix, it's good to see that there is a conventional home for themand right from its opening episode, The Mindy Project is all about someone who has watched too many romantic comedies and wants their life to be one.
There are many references throughout to the works of Nora Ephron and Garry Marshall, and with Kaling on writing and lead acting duties, the series work wonders. Even better, it's filled with an ensemble cast that works brilliantly. The series will have a rotating cast throughout its six season on the air, but it says something that at this stage that Ike Barinholtz is a scene stealer from the point he shows up.
The cast does rotate around the place until it settles down in season two, the most notable high profile member of the first season being Anna Camp who disappears halfway through, while Amanda Setton's character Shauna also disappears without a mention.
It would be nothing without Kaling who holds it together brilliantly. The first two seasons are a lighter concoction compared to where the series will go post-season two, not to mention its move to Hulu, but with rom-com successes like Crazy Rich Asians being all too rare nowadays, it's good to know a series with charm, sophistication, and not afraid of the odd fart joke every now and then could find a home on a mainstream network, even if it was for three seasons.
In a time when adult flavoured romantic comedies are dying at the box office and are finding a home on streaming services such as Netflix, it's good to see that there is a conventional home for themand right from its opening episode, The Mindy Project is all about someone who has watched too many romantic comedies and wants their life to be one.
There are many references throughout to the works of Nora Ephron and Garry Marshall, and with Kaling on writing and lead acting duties, the series work wonders. Even better, it's filled with an ensemble cast that works brilliantly. The series will have a rotating cast throughout its six season on the air, but it says something that at this stage that Ike Barinholtz is a scene stealer from the point he shows up.
The cast does rotate around the place until it settles down in season two, the most notable high profile member of the first season being Anna Camp who disappears halfway through, while Amanda Setton's character Shauna also disappears without a mention.
It would be nothing without Kaling who holds it together brilliantly. The first two seasons are a lighter concoction compared to where the series will go post-season two, not to mention its move to Hulu, but with rom-com successes like Crazy Rich Asians being all too rare nowadays, it's good to know a series with charm, sophistication, and not afraid of the odd fart joke every now and then could find a home on a mainstream network, even if it was for three seasons.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Murder Mystery (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
A Sandler-ized "Clue" Mystery, Mixed With Rom/Com
Murder Mystery is a 2019 comedy/mystery directed by Kyle Newacheck and written by James Vanderbilt. It was produced by Happy Madison Productions, Endgame Entertainment, Vinson Films, Denver & Delilah Films, Tower Hill Entertainment and Mythology Entertainment and distributed by Netflix. The film stars Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton, and Terrence Stamp.
New York police officer, Nick Spits (Adam Sandler) lies about booking a trip to Europe after their 15th anniversary dinner. His wife Audrey (Jennifer Aniston), a hairdresser, thinks they will never visit Europe as he promised at their wedding. Nick scrambles to put together a less than ideal vacation honeymoon when on the plane Audrey meets billionaire Charles Cavendish (Luke Evans) who invites them to join him on his family yacht. As they explore the yacht they meet several eccentric and unusual people who they learn have all gathered to celebrate the upcoming wedding of Charles' former fiancee and his elderly uncle Malcolm Quince (Terrence Stamp). After Quince announces that everyone invited have been cutoff from his money and only his new wife Suzi (Shiori Kutsuna) will receive his inheritance, the lights go out and he is killed with his own dagger before he can sign his new will. Now everyone is a suspect, in this murder mystery.
This movie was great, lots of laughs and had you guessing, who did it. I really enjoy watching mystery/thriller movies and trying to see if I can figure out who the killer is before the reveal and I like how this movie kept me guessing. Of course it doesn't take itself as serious as an actual murder mystery and also pokes fun of some of the cliches and tropes, I had a good time watching it. It reminded me both of the movie The Orient Express and Clue. I give this movie a 6/10.
New York police officer, Nick Spits (Adam Sandler) lies about booking a trip to Europe after their 15th anniversary dinner. His wife Audrey (Jennifer Aniston), a hairdresser, thinks they will never visit Europe as he promised at their wedding. Nick scrambles to put together a less than ideal vacation honeymoon when on the plane Audrey meets billionaire Charles Cavendish (Luke Evans) who invites them to join him on his family yacht. As they explore the yacht they meet several eccentric and unusual people who they learn have all gathered to celebrate the upcoming wedding of Charles' former fiancee and his elderly uncle Malcolm Quince (Terrence Stamp). After Quince announces that everyone invited have been cutoff from his money and only his new wife Suzi (Shiori Kutsuna) will receive his inheritance, the lights go out and he is killed with his own dagger before he can sign his new will. Now everyone is a suspect, in this murder mystery.
This movie was great, lots of laughs and had you guessing, who did it. I really enjoy watching mystery/thriller movies and trying to see if I can figure out who the killer is before the reveal and I like how this movie kept me guessing. Of course it doesn't take itself as serious as an actual murder mystery and also pokes fun of some of the cliches and tropes, I had a good time watching it. It reminded me both of the movie The Orient Express and Clue. I give this movie a 6/10.
Much Ado About Nauticaling
5.0
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The bubbly fun of a rom-com meets the irresistible quirkiness of a cozy mystery in this buoyant new...
The Rosie Project: No. 1: Don Tillman
8.3
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The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion is a story about love, life and lobster every...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated She Drives Me Crazy in Books
Jul 29, 2021
A stand-out queer romance
Scottie Zajac is reeling from her breakup with her toxic ex-girlfriend, Tally, whom she can't get over, no matter how bad she was for her. After losing to Tally's basketball team, she gets into a fender bender in the school parking lot with her nemesis, cheerleader Irene Abraham. Scottie is still smarting from when Irene had her car towed at a party. Unfortunately, Scottie and Irene's parents' decide that Scottie needs to drive Irene to school once the accident puts her car out of commission. Forced together, Scottie and Irene's tenuous relationship only gets more strained. But when Scottie sees a chance to get back at Tally, she bribes Irene to take part in a fake dating scheme. One that threatens to unravel when both Scottie and Irene realize they may have some very not fake feelings for each other.
Ok, I don't always love fake dating romances, but this book was practically perfect. I love a good (queer) YA rom com and basketball, so I thought this might be good. It was amazing: just so funny and sweet.
Quindlen captures Irene and Scottie perfectly--their vulnerability and their sarcasm. The book is often hilarious, but it also portrays the heartbreaking loss Scottie feels after breaking up with Tally and how she feels less worthy and less of a person after. We can understand that even though Tally is clearly wrong for her--and all her friends and family know it--it's so difficult for Scottie to grasp this and move on.
The story here is so genuine for a fake dating book. The cast of characters is wonderful, including Irene's best friend and Scottie's sister. I'm such a sucker for basketball, and I adored how Scottie's love of basketball was woven into the plot. This is a beautiful story about finding yourself as well as a funny book that made me grin goofily throughout. The ending definitely had me shedding some (happy) tears.
Easily one of my favorite queer books and one of the best books I've read this year.
Ok, I don't always love fake dating romances, but this book was practically perfect. I love a good (queer) YA rom com and basketball, so I thought this might be good. It was amazing: just so funny and sweet.
Quindlen captures Irene and Scottie perfectly--their vulnerability and their sarcasm. The book is often hilarious, but it also portrays the heartbreaking loss Scottie feels after breaking up with Tally and how she feels less worthy and less of a person after. We can understand that even though Tally is clearly wrong for her--and all her friends and family know it--it's so difficult for Scottie to grasp this and move on.
The story here is so genuine for a fake dating book. The cast of characters is wonderful, including Irene's best friend and Scottie's sister. I'm such a sucker for basketball, and I adored how Scottie's love of basketball was woven into the plot. This is a beautiful story about finding yourself as well as a funny book that made me grin goofily throughout. The ending definitely had me shedding some (happy) tears.
Easily one of my favorite queer books and one of the best books I've read this year.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Bridget Jones's Baby (2016) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
No Big Bloomers?
Bridget Jones’s Diary is a classic example of the perfect British rom-com. Upon its release in 2001, yes 15 years ago, it catapulted Renée Zellweger into the public eye and made household names of its other stars.
Its sequel, The Edge of Reason, on the other hand was a dramatic fall from grace, with a lowly 27% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Since then, the series has fallen into a dormant state with talks of another sequel doing the rounds since as early as 2004.
Fast-forward 12 years and the prayers of fans the world over have finally been answered. However, the comedy genre has moved on from the warm, fuzzy rom-coms of the past and in its place are the foul-mouthed female-led films of the present. But does Bridget Jones’s Baby get the balance right? Or is it a good decade too late?
Breaking up with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) leaves Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) over 40 and single again. Feeling that she has everything under control, Jones decides to focus on her career as a top news producer. Suddenly, her love life comes back from the dead when she meets a handsome American named Jack (Patrick Dempsey). Things couldn’t be better, until Bridget discovers that she is pregnant. From then on, the befuddled mum-to-be must figure out if the proud dad is Mark or Jack.
The casting choices throughout the film are spot on and it’s a pleasure to see Colin Firth back on the big screen. His quintessentially British persona has been a highlight of both previous films and it’s no exception here. Patrick Dempsey’s turn as the dashing American stallion is sheer perfection and both he and Firth remain intensely likeable as the movie progresses, despite their obvious flaws.
Of course, praise must go to Renée Zellweger who, despite 12 years in between filming, manages to channel that iconic character like it was yesterday. She may look different to how we all remember her, but as soon as she speaks, it’s impossible not to feel at home.
Elsewhere, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent and Celia Imrie all pop up from time to time with the former providing Bridget Jones’s Baby with some of its best comedic moments. Her character is sharp and very well written indeed.
It would be very easy to go picking around the plot; criticising its blatant lack of originality, but that’s not what director Sharon Maguire was aiming for. Instead, she cleverly crafts a film that remains faithful to its predecessors, all the while introducing a new generation of comedy fans to the titular character.
What does this mean? Well, it toes the line quite well between the heart-warming qualities of the original and the over-the-top hilarity of films like Bridesmaids and Spy. This may not sit well with some die-hard fans of the series, but it’s sure to be a winner for the more modern movie-goer.
Overall, Bridget Jones’s Baby is better than it ever had the right to be. It’s nostalgic, beautifully sweet, ridiculous, over-the-top and quite frankly, absolutely hilarious. I haven’t laughed that much in years, it’s a must see for fans and newcomers alike.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/09/17/no-big-bloomers-bridget-joness-baby-review/
Its sequel, The Edge of Reason, on the other hand was a dramatic fall from grace, with a lowly 27% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Since then, the series has fallen into a dormant state with talks of another sequel doing the rounds since as early as 2004.
Fast-forward 12 years and the prayers of fans the world over have finally been answered. However, the comedy genre has moved on from the warm, fuzzy rom-coms of the past and in its place are the foul-mouthed female-led films of the present. But does Bridget Jones’s Baby get the balance right? Or is it a good decade too late?
Breaking up with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) leaves Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) over 40 and single again. Feeling that she has everything under control, Jones decides to focus on her career as a top news producer. Suddenly, her love life comes back from the dead when she meets a handsome American named Jack (Patrick Dempsey). Things couldn’t be better, until Bridget discovers that she is pregnant. From then on, the befuddled mum-to-be must figure out if the proud dad is Mark or Jack.
The casting choices throughout the film are spot on and it’s a pleasure to see Colin Firth back on the big screen. His quintessentially British persona has been a highlight of both previous films and it’s no exception here. Patrick Dempsey’s turn as the dashing American stallion is sheer perfection and both he and Firth remain intensely likeable as the movie progresses, despite their obvious flaws.
Of course, praise must go to Renée Zellweger who, despite 12 years in between filming, manages to channel that iconic character like it was yesterday. She may look different to how we all remember her, but as soon as she speaks, it’s impossible not to feel at home.
Elsewhere, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent and Celia Imrie all pop up from time to time with the former providing Bridget Jones’s Baby with some of its best comedic moments. Her character is sharp and very well written indeed.
It would be very easy to go picking around the plot; criticising its blatant lack of originality, but that’s not what director Sharon Maguire was aiming for. Instead, she cleverly crafts a film that remains faithful to its predecessors, all the while introducing a new generation of comedy fans to the titular character.
What does this mean? Well, it toes the line quite well between the heart-warming qualities of the original and the over-the-top hilarity of films like Bridesmaids and Spy. This may not sit well with some die-hard fans of the series, but it’s sure to be a winner for the more modern movie-goer.
Overall, Bridget Jones’s Baby is better than it ever had the right to be. It’s nostalgic, beautifully sweet, ridiculous, over-the-top and quite frankly, absolutely hilarious. I haven’t laughed that much in years, it’s a must see for fans and newcomers alike.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/09/17/no-big-bloomers-bridget-joness-baby-review/