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Andy K (10821 KP) rated Buster's Mal Heart (2016) in Movies
Sep 2, 2019
Someone tell me what I just watched?!?
On the recommendation from a friend, I checked this film out on Netflix (I think it is available on Netflix UK also).
Before he recently won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Bohemian Rhapsody, Rami Malek starred in this very unusual film about a guy who is either stranded out at sea on a one-person raft, running from the law after breaking in and stealing wealthy mansions for his own use or a married man working at a hotel with a wife and daughter. Or maybe all 3?
The character meets a paranoid man talking all about the "inversion" and Y2K (remember that?) which sends the man down a weird slope of cerebral? encounters throughout his various levels of existence.
The screenplay is so interesting that I want to sit in a room with writer/director Sarah Adina Smith to pick her brain just to make sure I either understand what I watched or if I am meant to. I have no issue with cerebral films like Donnie Darko, The Fountain, Under the Skin or Mulholland Drive. Since some of the film takes place in a hotel, I could see comparisons to shades of The Shining also.
It may take another viewing to let everything soak in or maybe I will pick up new things the next time around.
The look of the film is breathtaking with both beautiful outdoor landscapes, gorgeous mansions, and stuffy hotel lobbies.
I am ashamed to say I have not seen Bohemian Rhapsody yet, but based on this film alone Malek appears to be not only up and coming, but here to stay for a while and he deserves it. He was emotional and moving in this film so I am eager to see more of his work.
Please someone else watch this so we can discuss. I would love to hear your opinion!
Before he recently won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Bohemian Rhapsody, Rami Malek starred in this very unusual film about a guy who is either stranded out at sea on a one-person raft, running from the law after breaking in and stealing wealthy mansions for his own use or a married man working at a hotel with a wife and daughter. Or maybe all 3?
The character meets a paranoid man talking all about the "inversion" and Y2K (remember that?) which sends the man down a weird slope of cerebral? encounters throughout his various levels of existence.
The screenplay is so interesting that I want to sit in a room with writer/director Sarah Adina Smith to pick her brain just to make sure I either understand what I watched or if I am meant to. I have no issue with cerebral films like Donnie Darko, The Fountain, Under the Skin or Mulholland Drive. Since some of the film takes place in a hotel, I could see comparisons to shades of The Shining also.
It may take another viewing to let everything soak in or maybe I will pick up new things the next time around.
The look of the film is breathtaking with both beautiful outdoor landscapes, gorgeous mansions, and stuffy hotel lobbies.
I am ashamed to say I have not seen Bohemian Rhapsody yet, but based on this film alone Malek appears to be not only up and coming, but here to stay for a while and he deserves it. He was emotional and moving in this film so I am eager to see more of his work.
Please someone else watch this so we can discuss. I would love to hear your opinion!
BookishWoo (317 KP) rated Victims for Sale in Books
Jun 8, 2020
A good, solid, “Creepy” thriller
This caught my eye when I saw MMB Tours host a “ bookstagram” tour some time ago and was intrigued. I need more thrillers in my repertoire and I do enjoy reading lesser known authors.
It has been quite some time since I was creeped out by a book!
This was purely down to the premise, which was superb, (maybe not the right choice of word considering) and something I have not read in a thriller before. Nish tackles human trafficking and exploitation on a whole new level. Focusing on girls who are intellectually disabled in the care system and their subsequent offspring.
Nish also provides an interesting insight into cultural and generational issues within the confines of an Indian family living in London.
It did take me a while to get into the story as I had trouble following the timeline and characters, it jumped ahead at times and on occasion I had to go back a couple of pages to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. This however did not detract from the plot itself.
The plot was full of twists and turns and had me guessing right through to the end, which is always a a win for me. Nish crammed a lot into 336 pages, so I did find the ending crept up on me a little too quickly. Perhaps had this been maybe a 500 pager this would not have been the case.
Nish’s prose is without a doubt first class and you can clearly see her journalistic skill set shining through. However she could have relaxed it a little as the narrative was very formal in parts, but again I must stress that this did not distract from the story and is merely an opinion.
All in all Victims for Sale by Nish Amarnath was a good, solid, “creepy” thriller that should not be passed up!
Please note that this does come with trigger warnings, so hit me up if you are inclined to be effected by certain material
It has been quite some time since I was creeped out by a book!
This was purely down to the premise, which was superb, (maybe not the right choice of word considering) and something I have not read in a thriller before. Nish tackles human trafficking and exploitation on a whole new level. Focusing on girls who are intellectually disabled in the care system and their subsequent offspring.
Nish also provides an interesting insight into cultural and generational issues within the confines of an Indian family living in London.
It did take me a while to get into the story as I had trouble following the timeline and characters, it jumped ahead at times and on occasion I had to go back a couple of pages to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. This however did not detract from the plot itself.
The plot was full of twists and turns and had me guessing right through to the end, which is always a a win for me. Nish crammed a lot into 336 pages, so I did find the ending crept up on me a little too quickly. Perhaps had this been maybe a 500 pager this would not have been the case.
Nish’s prose is without a doubt first class and you can clearly see her journalistic skill set shining through. However she could have relaxed it a little as the narrative was very formal in parts, but again I must stress that this did not distract from the story and is merely an opinion.
All in all Victims for Sale by Nish Amarnath was a good, solid, “creepy” thriller that should not be passed up!
Please note that this does come with trigger warnings, so hit me up if you are inclined to be effected by certain material
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated The Hunger in Books
Jun 5, 2019
The Hunger by Alma Katsu is based on the true events of Donner Party tragedy where a party of pioneers travelling west came to a crossroads and the leader, George Donner had to make a decision to take the well documented but longer route across the desert towards California, or to take the untested path, which was rumoured to be far shorter. His decision could mean life or death to the families travelling with him.
It’s kind of funny that the first time I heard of the Donner Party was on one of my favourite horror films, The Shining, written by Stephen King and directed Stanley Kubrick. Jack Nicholson acting as the character Jack Torrance, mentions the Donner Party and it’s how the name came about for the Donner Pass on Interstate 80 in Northern California. Since hearing about this in the film I was eager to look it up, so when I read the synopsis of The Hunger, I had to read it!
This book is broken up into monthly sections starting from June 1846 to April 1847. The latter of which is actually the prologue and supplies the details of the findings of one man, Lewis Keseberg, the last known survivor of the Donna Party event. This makes for an intriguing hook for the rest of the book and I couldn’t wait to see what had happened. Why had no one else survived?
The Hunger is an atmospheric re-imagining of the Donner Party disaster, which blends true horror with the supernatural and is ideal for historical, paranormal and even dark horror fans! It’s full of drama, mystery, intrigue and is downright spooky. The tension Alma Katsu adds, it amazing! I really sympathised for the families, those that had no idea what was going on, and even those that were forced to survive the only way they knew how. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story about Westward migration that is so chilling! This is a study of human endurance tested to its very limits – and beyond. How far would YOU go in order to survive?
It’s kind of funny that the first time I heard of the Donner Party was on one of my favourite horror films, The Shining, written by Stephen King and directed Stanley Kubrick. Jack Nicholson acting as the character Jack Torrance, mentions the Donner Party and it’s how the name came about for the Donner Pass on Interstate 80 in Northern California. Since hearing about this in the film I was eager to look it up, so when I read the synopsis of The Hunger, I had to read it!
This book is broken up into monthly sections starting from June 1846 to April 1847. The latter of which is actually the prologue and supplies the details of the findings of one man, Lewis Keseberg, the last known survivor of the Donna Party event. This makes for an intriguing hook for the rest of the book and I couldn’t wait to see what had happened. Why had no one else survived?
The Hunger is an atmospheric re-imagining of the Donner Party disaster, which blends true horror with the supernatural and is ideal for historical, paranormal and even dark horror fans! It’s full of drama, mystery, intrigue and is downright spooky. The tension Alma Katsu adds, it amazing! I really sympathised for the families, those that had no idea what was going on, and even those that were forced to survive the only way they knew how. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story about Westward migration that is so chilling! This is a study of human endurance tested to its very limits – and beyond. How far would YOU go in order to survive?
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated L.A. - Single by Kyan in Music
Jun 18, 2019
Kyan is a singer-songwriter and producer from Cambridge, England. Not too long ago, he released a music video for his “L.A.” single, which was shot in South Africa.
“I came across an incredible self-portraiture photographer, Danielle Terblance, on Instagram. I had had this video concept in the back of my head for a while to create a narrative around a series of still images. We created it using 500 photographs, edited down from the 4,000 we took over the two shoot days. The piece follows my character as a fallen angel, attempting to navigate his way through the South African landscape back to The City of Angels (L.A.).” – Kyan
‘L.A.’ tells an interesting tale of a young guy with an aching heart who relocates to L.A to get his mind right.
Apparently, he tries his best to cope with life after experiencing an emotional breakup with his ex-girlfriend. Even though L.A. is five thousand miles away from where she stays, he can’t seem to get her out of his mind.
Later, he admits that he’s been lying on a sofa for a week. Also, in his mind, she’s everywhere he goes and in everything he knows. Therefore, he realizes that he needs her in his life.
‘L.A.’ contains a bittersweet storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and lush instrumentation flavored with sentimental elements.
“The narrative concept came from my personal experience of traveling to L.A. after a breakup with my long-term girlfriend and record label. I’d always viewed L.A. as this distant, shining beacon of dreams and opportunity. Then, all of a sudden, I was going there under really difficult circumstances. Due to the breakups, the trip had switched from being something I was running to, to something I was running from. In the weeks before the trip, L.A. became an escape, a chance for air amongst the intense emotional claustrophobia I was experiencing inside.” – Kyan
Since releasing his debut EP, entitled, “The Purple Experiment” in 2014, Kyan has toured with the critically acclaimed trio, London Grammar.
Also, he has had a series of collaborations with the likes of Cedric Gervais & Just Kiddin, Duke Dumont, electro-pop king Madeon, Benga, and Knox Brown.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/kyan-la/
“I came across an incredible self-portraiture photographer, Danielle Terblance, on Instagram. I had had this video concept in the back of my head for a while to create a narrative around a series of still images. We created it using 500 photographs, edited down from the 4,000 we took over the two shoot days. The piece follows my character as a fallen angel, attempting to navigate his way through the South African landscape back to The City of Angels (L.A.).” – Kyan
‘L.A.’ tells an interesting tale of a young guy with an aching heart who relocates to L.A to get his mind right.
Apparently, he tries his best to cope with life after experiencing an emotional breakup with his ex-girlfriend. Even though L.A. is five thousand miles away from where she stays, he can’t seem to get her out of his mind.
Later, he admits that he’s been lying on a sofa for a week. Also, in his mind, she’s everywhere he goes and in everything he knows. Therefore, he realizes that he needs her in his life.
‘L.A.’ contains a bittersweet storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and lush instrumentation flavored with sentimental elements.
“The narrative concept came from my personal experience of traveling to L.A. after a breakup with my long-term girlfriend and record label. I’d always viewed L.A. as this distant, shining beacon of dreams and opportunity. Then, all of a sudden, I was going there under really difficult circumstances. Due to the breakups, the trip had switched from being something I was running to, to something I was running from. In the weeks before the trip, L.A. became an escape, a chance for air amongst the intense emotional claustrophobia I was experiencing inside.” – Kyan
Since releasing his debut EP, entitled, “The Purple Experiment” in 2014, Kyan has toured with the critically acclaimed trio, London Grammar.
Also, he has had a series of collaborations with the likes of Cedric Gervais & Just Kiddin, Duke Dumont, electro-pop king Madeon, Benga, and Knox Brown.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/kyan-la/
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Deadpool (2016) in Movies
Aug 15, 2019
An X-Men spin off, of a poorly received character from an earlier X-Men spin off... FOX must have had some major trust in Ryan Reynolds to give Deadpool the green light after the mess of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
I've been a huge fan of Deadpool comics since as long as I can remember. When I was younger, the 4th wall breaking, the hyper violence, comedy, and self awareness that he is a comic book character, was always something that appealed to me.
So I, like many other Marvel fans, really hated what they did with the character in Origins, and it seems Ryan Reynolds did as well, pitching a rough sequence to FOX which convinced them to give this beloved characters another shot. God bless Ryan Reynolds.
And it paid off in spades. And it's easy to see why - Deadpool is a great movie.
The character himself is near perfect. He looks the part, he sounds the part, and it's great that the studio didn't shy away from an R rating.
The violence in Deadpool is frequent and messy, as is the cursing and crudeness, and the result is hilarious.
The story is told mostly in flashbacks before the big last showdown, and is nicely mapped out, and we're given a hugely likable cast.
Ryan Reynolds is of course , as is T.J. Miller and Morena Baccarin.
I even liked Ed Skrein's villain, Ajax.
Deadpool even manages to sneak in a couple of X-Men with a completely CGI Colossus joining the party, as well as Negasonic Teenage Warhead - the best superhero name ever, and coincidentally the films shining star after Ryan Reynolds - Brianna Hildebrand is a welcome addition to the film, and I genuinely hope that she makes in over to the MCU in the recent Disney Fox merge.
Deadpool is important for a number of reasons - it finally does the character justice. It's also shows that spin off films away from the main X-Men cast can be really decent, and it also shows that R rated superhero films can do the business at the box office.
It's certainly in the top tier of the FOX X-Men series.
I've been a huge fan of Deadpool comics since as long as I can remember. When I was younger, the 4th wall breaking, the hyper violence, comedy, and self awareness that he is a comic book character, was always something that appealed to me.
So I, like many other Marvel fans, really hated what they did with the character in Origins, and it seems Ryan Reynolds did as well, pitching a rough sequence to FOX which convinced them to give this beloved characters another shot. God bless Ryan Reynolds.
And it paid off in spades. And it's easy to see why - Deadpool is a great movie.
The character himself is near perfect. He looks the part, he sounds the part, and it's great that the studio didn't shy away from an R rating.
The violence in Deadpool is frequent and messy, as is the cursing and crudeness, and the result is hilarious.
The story is told mostly in flashbacks before the big last showdown, and is nicely mapped out, and we're given a hugely likable cast.
Ryan Reynolds is of course , as is T.J. Miller and Morena Baccarin.
I even liked Ed Skrein's villain, Ajax.
Deadpool even manages to sneak in a couple of X-Men with a completely CGI Colossus joining the party, as well as Negasonic Teenage Warhead - the best superhero name ever, and coincidentally the films shining star after Ryan Reynolds - Brianna Hildebrand is a welcome addition to the film, and I genuinely hope that she makes in over to the MCU in the recent Disney Fox merge.
Deadpool is important for a number of reasons - it finally does the character justice. It's also shows that spin off films away from the main X-Men cast can be really decent, and it also shows that R rated superhero films can do the business at the box office.
It's certainly in the top tier of the FOX X-Men series.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019 (Updated Dec 27, 2019)
The future is bright for the MCU
Contains spoilers, click to show
Far From Home is in a tricky position, coming out a couple of months after Avengers Endgame, having to deal with the fallout out of the Infinity story arc, and also having to follow up a great first entry into the MCU Spider-Man franchise, and it's does a damn fine job.
Tom Holland continues to be a near perfect Peter Parker, and he's surrounded by a charming cast - Zendaya is great as MJ, Jon Favreau is always welcome as Happy, and Samuel L. Jackson does his usual broody Nick Fury, this time going up against the more cooky humour of Peters classmates, and it all works - the humour all lands for the most part (and as Curb Your Enthusiasm fan, I couldn't help but enjoy JB Smoove).
But the shining star in Far From Home is of course Jake Gyllenhaal. His portrayal of Quentin Beck/Mysterio is great - watching him go from a sad and scarred man, looking to save the world and be Peters friend, to the eventual (and of course expected) reveal that he's actually a calculating-genius-maniac is pretty great.
The set pieces to begin with are standard Marvel fun, but the first time Spider-Man goes head to head with Mysterio and his illusions is ok another level (zombie Iron Man anyone!?) - it feels lifted straight from the comics, and is a visual treat, knocking down Doctor Strange in terms of crazy hallucinating sequences. It's perfect!
It's also a lovely touch just how much Tony Stark has to do in this film - his character may be gone but his presence is constant throughout.
And to top everything off - the first post credit scene includes a unexpected come back that made me grin from ear to ear, and then the second one, well that was just nuts - needless to say, I'm truly excited for what comes next in the MCU.
Far From Home is fun, visually thrilling, with great cast, and for me, is up there with the top tier MCU films.
Tom Holland continues to be a near perfect Peter Parker, and he's surrounded by a charming cast - Zendaya is great as MJ, Jon Favreau is always welcome as Happy, and Samuel L. Jackson does his usual broody Nick Fury, this time going up against the more cooky humour of Peters classmates, and it all works - the humour all lands for the most part (and as Curb Your Enthusiasm fan, I couldn't help but enjoy JB Smoove).
But the shining star in Far From Home is of course Jake Gyllenhaal. His portrayal of Quentin Beck/Mysterio is great - watching him go from a sad and scarred man, looking to save the world and be Peters friend, to the eventual (and of course expected) reveal that he's actually a calculating-genius-maniac is pretty great.
The set pieces to begin with are standard Marvel fun, but the first time Spider-Man goes head to head with Mysterio and his illusions is ok another level (zombie Iron Man anyone!?) - it feels lifted straight from the comics, and is a visual treat, knocking down Doctor Strange in terms of crazy hallucinating sequences. It's perfect!
It's also a lovely touch just how much Tony Stark has to do in this film - his character may be gone but his presence is constant throughout.
And to top everything off - the first post credit scene includes a unexpected come back that made me grin from ear to ear, and then the second one, well that was just nuts - needless to say, I'm truly excited for what comes next in the MCU.
Far From Home is fun, visually thrilling, with great cast, and for me, is up there with the top tier MCU films.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Hook in Books
Nov 11, 2019
Characters (1 more)
Action Packed
Heartbreaking & beautiful.
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault, Child Abuse, Murder, Abuse, Angst, Drug Use
As many of you know, I've been waiting anxiously for Hook to come out! I was one of the lucky bloggers that Gina gave a copy to in exchange for an honest review. I read Pan earlier this year and fell completely head over heels for Gina's writing, and I've been shoving Pan down everyone's throats because it is that amazing! Now, full disclosure, I have only read one other M/M romance, so I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was that I couldn't wait to fly into Neverland again.
I built Hook up in my head so much that at times I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. Luckily, Hook was everything I wanted and more. This book follows Hook & John's story. The chemistry between them was out of this world. It was fun to see the anger, the angst, and the fire between the two of them. The characters as always were well written and thoroughly entertaining. I laughed, I cried, and I had to put my book down a few times, so I didn't throw my kindle.
The plotline was one of the shining stars of this book. It was action-packed, intense, and extremely engaging. I never wanted to put the book down, yet I enjoyed it so much I never wanted it to end. I loved the undercover aspect of the book, and it makes me want to reread some of my favorite romantic suspense. I was always on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to see how everything unfolded.
All in all, I LOVED this book. It lived up to the hype that I had in my head, and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series when it comes out. If you enjoy angst-filled bad boys with a heart of gold, this is the book for you. Gina truly knows how to write angst in a way that everyone can enjoy.
As many of you know, I've been waiting anxiously for Hook to come out! I was one of the lucky bloggers that Gina gave a copy to in exchange for an honest review. I read Pan earlier this year and fell completely head over heels for Gina's writing, and I've been shoving Pan down everyone's throats because it is that amazing! Now, full disclosure, I have only read one other M/M romance, so I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was that I couldn't wait to fly into Neverland again.
I built Hook up in my head so much that at times I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. Luckily, Hook was everything I wanted and more. This book follows Hook & John's story. The chemistry between them was out of this world. It was fun to see the anger, the angst, and the fire between the two of them. The characters as always were well written and thoroughly entertaining. I laughed, I cried, and I had to put my book down a few times, so I didn't throw my kindle.
The plotline was one of the shining stars of this book. It was action-packed, intense, and extremely engaging. I never wanted to put the book down, yet I enjoyed it so much I never wanted it to end. I loved the undercover aspect of the book, and it makes me want to reread some of my favorite romantic suspense. I was always on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to see how everything unfolded.
All in all, I LOVED this book. It lived up to the hype that I had in my head, and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series when it comes out. If you enjoy angst-filled bad boys with a heart of gold, this is the book for you. Gina truly knows how to write angst in a way that everyone can enjoy.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated American Horror Story - Season 5 in TV
Dec 5, 2019
AHS season 5 - subtitled 'Hotel' - is a real mixture of genres. It's part vampire dram, part crime-mystery thriller, part haunted house... It's ambitious to say the least.
A lot of people took issue with Hotel before it even aired, mainly due the absence of series favourite Jessica Lange, but in all honesty, as much as I like her, I didn't find myself missing her all that much, and the same goes for subsequent entries!
The season this time around is headed by Lady Gaga, who plays a pretty decent psuedo-villain - The Countess is unnerving, relatable, creepy, and tragic all at the same time, and is the beating heart of Hotel.
Not far behind is Evan Peters Mr March. I personally found this character a bit too cartoony at times, but he's still an important character, especially pulling strings behind everyone else back.
I also loved Kathy Bates and Denis O'Hare in this season, and their characters, and especially their devotion to The Countess, make the Hotel Cortez and oddly alluring place to be.
Wes Bentley gets a starring turn this time around after a bit part in Freak Show, and I actually enjoyed his character arc after not particularly caring to begin with.
Once again, I liked most if the cast, I just found it a shame that Sarah Paulson didn't get much to do here!
The plot itself is pretty thick in Hotel, lots of twists and turns, lots of different time periods being visited, and it's quite disorientating to begin with. It's a less accessible season than before but once you get into it, it's a great supernatural mystery horror ride with some inspiration from The Shining and Twin Peaks thrown in for good measure.
Just to top it off, we even get an appearance from Queenie, creating a direct connection to Coven and the wider AHS universe, an aspect of this show that I truly enjoy.
It's not my favourite season of AHS, (that Devil's Night episode was annoyingly cringey) but all in all, Hotel is pretty engaging television.
A lot of people took issue with Hotel before it even aired, mainly due the absence of series favourite Jessica Lange, but in all honesty, as much as I like her, I didn't find myself missing her all that much, and the same goes for subsequent entries!
The season this time around is headed by Lady Gaga, who plays a pretty decent psuedo-villain - The Countess is unnerving, relatable, creepy, and tragic all at the same time, and is the beating heart of Hotel.
Not far behind is Evan Peters Mr March. I personally found this character a bit too cartoony at times, but he's still an important character, especially pulling strings behind everyone else back.
I also loved Kathy Bates and Denis O'Hare in this season, and their characters, and especially their devotion to The Countess, make the Hotel Cortez and oddly alluring place to be.
Wes Bentley gets a starring turn this time around after a bit part in Freak Show, and I actually enjoyed his character arc after not particularly caring to begin with.
Once again, I liked most if the cast, I just found it a shame that Sarah Paulson didn't get much to do here!
The plot itself is pretty thick in Hotel, lots of twists and turns, lots of different time periods being visited, and it's quite disorientating to begin with. It's a less accessible season than before but once you get into it, it's a great supernatural mystery horror ride with some inspiration from The Shining and Twin Peaks thrown in for good measure.
Just to top it off, we even get an appearance from Queenie, creating a direct connection to Coven and the wider AHS universe, an aspect of this show that I truly enjoy.
It's not my favourite season of AHS, (that Devil's Night episode was annoyingly cringey) but all in all, Hotel is pretty engaging television.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Judy (2019) in Movies
Feb 6, 2020
Brilliant performance by Zellwegger - and not much else
Renee Zellwegger is absolutely brilliant in her channeling of Judy Garland in the film JUDY. She deserves to - and WILL WIN - the Oscar for Best Actress. Her performance is amazing and I forgot that I was watching an actress playing Judy Garland and fell into a trance thinking I was actually watching the real Judy Garland.
Too bad the rest of the film is not this good.
Based on actual events, JUDY tells the story of a late in her career Judy Garland's trek to London for a series of Concerts. She is down on her luck, addicted to pills, filled with self doubt and ghosts from her past. In general...she is a wreck...and needs the $$ from these concerts to keep custody of her 2 young children.
And...Zellwegger plays all of these emotions as Judy very, very well as well as shining in the performance scenes where Judy was able - albeit for a short time - to "come up for air" and perform as the world class performer she is. Zellwegger trained for over a year with a vocal coach to get the singing/performance part of this film down - and it shows. She is brilliant in these moments.
The trouble with this film as written by Tom Edge (based on the stage play "End of the Rainbow" by Peter Quilter) and Director Rupert Goold is that this film doesn't really go anywhere. There is no arc to Judy's story. She starts the film as a trainwreck...and ends the film as a trainwreck. There isn't evem a realization by Judy that she is a trainwreck. She just IS a trainwreck.
And that does not a compelling movie make.
Rufus Sewell, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock and Michael Gambon are all along for a ride on this train and all choose to get off before the end and the inevitable trainwreck that is going to happen.
Is this film worth seeing? Sure...for Zellwegger's Oscar winning performance. Unfortunately, it doesn't have anything else to recommend it.
Letter Grade B (solely on the performance)
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (OfMarquis)
Too bad the rest of the film is not this good.
Based on actual events, JUDY tells the story of a late in her career Judy Garland's trek to London for a series of Concerts. She is down on her luck, addicted to pills, filled with self doubt and ghosts from her past. In general...she is a wreck...and needs the $$ from these concerts to keep custody of her 2 young children.
And...Zellwegger plays all of these emotions as Judy very, very well as well as shining in the performance scenes where Judy was able - albeit for a short time - to "come up for air" and perform as the world class performer she is. Zellwegger trained for over a year with a vocal coach to get the singing/performance part of this film down - and it shows. She is brilliant in these moments.
The trouble with this film as written by Tom Edge (based on the stage play "End of the Rainbow" by Peter Quilter) and Director Rupert Goold is that this film doesn't really go anywhere. There is no arc to Judy's story. She starts the film as a trainwreck...and ends the film as a trainwreck. There isn't evem a realization by Judy that she is a trainwreck. She just IS a trainwreck.
And that does not a compelling movie make.
Rufus Sewell, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock and Michael Gambon are all along for a ride on this train and all choose to get off before the end and the inevitable trainwreck that is going to happen.
Is this film worth seeing? Sure...for Zellwegger's Oscar winning performance. Unfortunately, it doesn't have anything else to recommend it.
Letter Grade B (solely on the performance)
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (OfMarquis)
JT (287 KP) rated Drive Angry (2011) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
The only thing going for this piece of red necked, muscle car mayhem was that it was shot in 3D, and maybe the inclusion of Amber Heard. Aside from that is was pretty poor and that is being nice. After Ghost Rider I thought Nicolas Cage might steer clear of the ‘escaped-from-hell- out-for-revenge’ type role, but he’s ventured straight back.
Cage plays Milton a father who is out for justice after escaping from hell (why he’s in there we’re not sure, all we know he’s a former criminal) to avenge the death of his daughter and save his granddaughter.
Hot on his heels is The Accountant played by William Fichtner, who was actually one of the shining lights of the film. Smartly dressed in a suit with a coin very reminiscent of Harvey Two Face for quick decision making or possible misdirection he ads some comedic presence and has some of the films’ best lines.
In the end the finale is the only thing to get excited about as you realise that the film is finally going to be over
Amber Heard was there for pure sex appeal, and when she was sat in that muscle car every bloke would have been reaching for the bucket of cold water. But she doesn’t hold up the side-kick role at all well, instead she swears a bit, kicks some ex boyfriends’ ass and gets her nails painted by a random naked bloke in a hotel room.
The title Drive Angry should suggest just that, but fails. We get the odd car chase but its hardly anything to get excited about. How can you, when a muscle car as powerful as it is fails to keep up with a camper van full of sadistic Satan worshippers!
In the end the finale is the only thing to get excited about as you realise that the film is finally going to be over. Cage looks bored practically all the way through it, and had he actually bothered to be awake it might have been a better vehicle.
Instead this one got a flat the moment the opening credits rolled.
Cage plays Milton a father who is out for justice after escaping from hell (why he’s in there we’re not sure, all we know he’s a former criminal) to avenge the death of his daughter and save his granddaughter.
Hot on his heels is The Accountant played by William Fichtner, who was actually one of the shining lights of the film. Smartly dressed in a suit with a coin very reminiscent of Harvey Two Face for quick decision making or possible misdirection he ads some comedic presence and has some of the films’ best lines.
In the end the finale is the only thing to get excited about as you realise that the film is finally going to be over
Amber Heard was there for pure sex appeal, and when she was sat in that muscle car every bloke would have been reaching for the bucket of cold water. But she doesn’t hold up the side-kick role at all well, instead she swears a bit, kicks some ex boyfriends’ ass and gets her nails painted by a random naked bloke in a hotel room.
The title Drive Angry should suggest just that, but fails. We get the odd car chase but its hardly anything to get excited about. How can you, when a muscle car as powerful as it is fails to keep up with a camper van full of sadistic Satan worshippers!
In the end the finale is the only thing to get excited about as you realise that the film is finally going to be over. Cage looks bored practically all the way through it, and had he actually bothered to be awake it might have been a better vehicle.
Instead this one got a flat the moment the opening credits rolled.