Search
Search results
Sam (228 KP) rated Aladdin (2019) in Movies
Oct 20, 2019 (Updated Oct 20, 2019)
Grows On You
I have very mixed feelings about this film. When I first started watching I hated all of it, the costumes were childlike, the acting mediocre, and the music didnt not transition well throughout the film.
So I watched it a second time with my newborn daughter (she likes musicals and I had nothing else in the house). She fell asleep instantly but that's beside the point. The second time watching I started to enjpy the music a little bit more, the transitions were terrible but the music itself wasn't bad. The acting also didnt seem as bad though I began to notice that Will Smith overshadowed the main characters as his acting alone read to be far superior. He dominated majority of the scenes, which wasn't a bad thing as he seemed to be the only one going above and beyond.
However I'm sad to say that even as the film proves to grow on you little by little I'd still have to say that it read to be more of a Disney Channel Movie rather than an actual Big Picture Film. Certainly didn't hold to the quality or standard that Disney demands of it's Main Features, especially one of the one's meant to be a part of their Princess Film Collection.
So I watched it a second time with my newborn daughter (she likes musicals and I had nothing else in the house). She fell asleep instantly but that's beside the point. The second time watching I started to enjpy the music a little bit more, the transitions were terrible but the music itself wasn't bad. The acting also didnt seem as bad though I began to notice that Will Smith overshadowed the main characters as his acting alone read to be far superior. He dominated majority of the scenes, which wasn't a bad thing as he seemed to be the only one going above and beyond.
However I'm sad to say that even as the film proves to grow on you little by little I'd still have to say that it read to be more of a Disney Channel Movie rather than an actual Big Picture Film. Certainly didn't hold to the quality or standard that Disney demands of it's Main Features, especially one of the one's meant to be a part of their Princess Film Collection.
Merissa (13701 KP) rated Guardian in Books
Dec 17, 2018
I received this book from Goddess Fish Promotions in return for a fair and honest review.
Holy Smoke, this book will give you something new to read. The story starts with 17-year-old Maggie suffering from being bullied by a jock, Serge. As you read, you find out that Maggie has strange abilities although she is quite content and able to deal with them. What makes this all the better is that her dad knows and helps too. There is no absentee parenting with this pair!
There is no slacking off in this book, you are literally carried from one thing to another. It has multiple layers and is woven together so well, that you will go where the book takes you instead of trying to figure it out beforehand.
Along with trying to solve a murder and not being killed in the process, you also have teenage angst in there of the uncertainty of knowing if someone likes you or not. There are also humorous moments, scary moments, tragic moments and sad. This book basically has it all.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and I really hope there is more to come. Favourite line of the book has to be right at the end - "Who knew I'd have to die to start living?" Excellent stuff and highly recommended.
Holy Smoke, this book will give you something new to read. The story starts with 17-year-old Maggie suffering from being bullied by a jock, Serge. As you read, you find out that Maggie has strange abilities although she is quite content and able to deal with them. What makes this all the better is that her dad knows and helps too. There is no absentee parenting with this pair!
There is no slacking off in this book, you are literally carried from one thing to another. It has multiple layers and is woven together so well, that you will go where the book takes you instead of trying to figure it out beforehand.
Along with trying to solve a murder and not being killed in the process, you also have teenage angst in there of the uncertainty of knowing if someone likes you or not. There are also humorous moments, scary moments, tragic moments and sad. This book basically has it all.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and I really hope there is more to come. Favourite line of the book has to be right at the end - "Who knew I'd have to die to start living?" Excellent stuff and highly recommended.
Rebecca Billcliff (2409 KP) rated The Simpsons in TV
Nov 26, 2019 (Updated Nov 26, 2019)
Going down hill
When I was a child, I loved the Simpsons. Even now, as an adult, I re-watch episodes and find subtle and adult jokes I missed entirely as a child. Those fist 8 or so seasons were very good. Full of little details, great humour, and plenty of theme variety. After that, things started to go down hill.
My new sustain of the more modern show, culminated in an episode involving a screaming caterpillar.... after that, I lost all hope they would produce a good episode again.
The characters have now become very one dimensional, with personalities in the extremes. For example, homer is no longer just quite dim, with a fair few moments of total stupidity, but with a good heart; now he is mentally defective, and to dumb to realy feel love. This is seen right across the board, with each story now being a rip off of either a film, tv series or book, or some crazy nonsense that seems to fizzle out by the third act.
All in all, the original seasons, up to 10, are either great or at least worth a watch, after that, I would not bother.
How sad the fall from greatness, if only they had quite while they were ahead, instead of milking this yellow cow dry.
My new sustain of the more modern show, culminated in an episode involving a screaming caterpillar.... after that, I lost all hope they would produce a good episode again.
The characters have now become very one dimensional, with personalities in the extremes. For example, homer is no longer just quite dim, with a fair few moments of total stupidity, but with a good heart; now he is mentally defective, and to dumb to realy feel love. This is seen right across the board, with each story now being a rip off of either a film, tv series or book, or some crazy nonsense that seems to fizzle out by the third act.
All in all, the original seasons, up to 10, are either great or at least worth a watch, after that, I would not bother.
How sad the fall from greatness, if only they had quite while they were ahead, instead of milking this yellow cow dry.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Charly (1968) in Movies
Aug 3, 2019
Touching, sad and moving
Cliff Robertson won a Best Actor actor in 1968 fr his portrayal of a simple minded man who undergoes an experimental surgery first performed on mice to supposedly increase his intelligence.
Charly is a man who wants better for himself and for his simple life. He tries to do better by constantly challenging himself, but it is no use. He is the butt of jokes at his job at a bakery and he doesn't even know it. He can't even beat a mouse at a maze game given out by his physician friends. When a wild chance arises that could resolve all of Charly's woes, he jumps at the chance.
The operation does seem to be a slow success. His intelligence grows as well as his zest for life, his noticing the little things in live and also an interest in the opposite sex. Will his happiness be temporary or permanent?
The acting and screenplay in this film are superb as well as some interesting split screen camera work. Charly's growth and development are in stark contrast from the beginning of the film through his discovery of knowledge.
I had seen this film in middle school I think after we had read the source material "Flowers for Algernon" so I was anxious to revisit.
So glad I did.
Charly is a man who wants better for himself and for his simple life. He tries to do better by constantly challenging himself, but it is no use. He is the butt of jokes at his job at a bakery and he doesn't even know it. He can't even beat a mouse at a maze game given out by his physician friends. When a wild chance arises that could resolve all of Charly's woes, he jumps at the chance.
The operation does seem to be a slow success. His intelligence grows as well as his zest for life, his noticing the little things in live and also an interest in the opposite sex. Will his happiness be temporary or permanent?
The acting and screenplay in this film are superb as well as some interesting split screen camera work. Charly's growth and development are in stark contrast from the beginning of the film through his discovery of knowledge.
I had seen this film in middle school I think after we had read the source material "Flowers for Algernon" so I was anxious to revisit.
So glad I did.
ClareR (6054 KP) rated Love After Love in Books
Apr 17, 2020
I absolutely loved Love After Love, but I will start this review with a warning. The first chapter goes in to graphic detail about the domestic abuse that one of the main characters, Betty Ramin, suffers at the hands of her husband. It does set the scene well, and explains not only why she is such a strong character and her motivations, but also the cultural attitudes behind domestic abuse.
I really liked the characters in this novel (other than Betty’s husband, of course), particularly Betty and Mr Chetan. Mr Chetan is the glue joining Betty and her son Solo together for a time, until Solo learns a terrible secret about his mother. After this, Solo goes to live with his paternal uncle in New York. I expected to not like his uncle, but he turned out to be another lovely character, who treated Solo like his own son. Solo becomes increasingly lonely, and struggles with his mental health.
The end of this book broke my heart completely. It was so sad and unjust and again, highlighted cultural attitudes.
I loved the way this was written, and became immersed in the Trinidadian turns of phrase, made all the more immersive by the author recording themselves reading the first chapter so that we on The Pigeonhole app could hear them.
It’s a beautiful book, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly.
I really liked the characters in this novel (other than Betty’s husband, of course), particularly Betty and Mr Chetan. Mr Chetan is the glue joining Betty and her son Solo together for a time, until Solo learns a terrible secret about his mother. After this, Solo goes to live with his paternal uncle in New York. I expected to not like his uncle, but he turned out to be another lovely character, who treated Solo like his own son. Solo becomes increasingly lonely, and struggles with his mental health.
The end of this book broke my heart completely. It was so sad and unjust and again, highlighted cultural attitudes.
I loved the way this was written, and became immersed in the Trinidadian turns of phrase, made all the more immersive by the author recording themselves reading the first chapter so that we on The Pigeonhole app could hear them.
It’s a beautiful book, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly.
The First Modern Japanese: The Life of Ishikawa Takuboku
Book
Many books in Japanese have been devoted to the poet and critic Ishikawa Takuboku (1886-1912)....
Cancer with a Small 'C'
Book
Although any cancer diagnosis is devastating not only to a patient but also to their family, a...
Confessions of a Fashionista
8.0
Rate It
Book
The incredibly popular Daily Mail column, "Confessions of a Fashionista", feeds its hungry readers...
Little Failure: A Memoir
Book
Little Failure is Gary Shteyngart's bestselling and very funny memoir. A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER...
The Sky Is Yours
9.0
Rate It
Book
A sprawling, genre-defying epic set in a dystopian metropolis plagued by dragons, this debut about...
science fiction fantasy