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A gifted singer and songwriter whose music puts a contemporary spin on classic folk and country...
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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021) in Movies
Jan 17, 2022
1/2 of a GREAT Movie
It is a fun surprise to be perusing all the streaming services available and tripping across a very entertaining film that, heretofore, was unknown.
Such was the case with THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN - a biography (of sorts) of the eponymous English painter, known for his fanciful portraits of cats.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch (in the title role) and Written and Directed by Will Sharpe (BLACK POND) based on a story by Simon Stephenson (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sharpe), THE ELECTICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN is 1/2 of a very good (maybe even GREAT) film that falls apart in the 2nd half.
The first half of this film finds the eccentric Wain finding love and discovering his artistic talent. It is this 1/2 of the film that draws you in - and must have been what drew the talents of Sharpe, Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth in the first few seasons of THE CROWN) and Cumberbatch to this film. Cumberbatch, of course, is superb as Wain (especially in this first half) and his chemistry with Foy (who plays his love interest/wife) is tremendous and IS the reason to see this film.
However, the film shifts focus, by necessity, in the 2nd half to the rising stardom of Wain and his descent into madness. Toby Jones (as his benefactor) and the always under-rated Andrea Riseborough (OBLIVION) take center stage with Cumberbatch in this part of the film and the love, fun, whimsey and depth of the first 1/2 of the film disappears. Riseborough, particularly, suffers from a poorly written role where her character - Wain’s disapproving sister - is (in essence) the “bad guy”, so Sharpe and Stephenson replace love, warmth and support with disapproval, anger and madness. While this is true to the life that Wain lived, it didn’t make for a particularly interesting 2nd half of a film.
Come for Benedict’s and Foy’s chemistry and performances, stay for the rest because…well…it’s still pretty good.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Such was the case with THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN - a biography (of sorts) of the eponymous English painter, known for his fanciful portraits of cats.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch (in the title role) and Written and Directed by Will Sharpe (BLACK POND) based on a story by Simon Stephenson (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sharpe), THE ELECTICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN is 1/2 of a very good (maybe even GREAT) film that falls apart in the 2nd half.
The first half of this film finds the eccentric Wain finding love and discovering his artistic talent. It is this 1/2 of the film that draws you in - and must have been what drew the talents of Sharpe, Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth in the first few seasons of THE CROWN) and Cumberbatch to this film. Cumberbatch, of course, is superb as Wain (especially in this first half) and his chemistry with Foy (who plays his love interest/wife) is tremendous and IS the reason to see this film.
However, the film shifts focus, by necessity, in the 2nd half to the rising stardom of Wain and his descent into madness. Toby Jones (as his benefactor) and the always under-rated Andrea Riseborough (OBLIVION) take center stage with Cumberbatch in this part of the film and the love, fun, whimsey and depth of the first 1/2 of the film disappears. Riseborough, particularly, suffers from a poorly written role where her character - Wain’s disapproving sister - is (in essence) the “bad guy”, so Sharpe and Stephenson replace love, warmth and support with disapproval, anger and madness. While this is true to the life that Wain lived, it didn’t make for a particularly interesting 2nd half of a film.
Come for Benedict’s and Foy’s chemistry and performances, stay for the rest because…well…it’s still pretty good.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Merissa (11953 KP) rated Boldly (Breakers Hockey #2) in Books
Aug 31, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)
BOLDLY is the second book in the Breakers Hockey series and hold onto your hats, folks, because you're in for one helluva ride!
Oliver was the Captain of the Breakers. Yes, he'd made mistakes along the way, but he had the respect of his teammates and the management team. But then one foul tackle and he's out. A shattered leg and an infection that won't go leaves him with a prosthetic and his dreams on ice are gone.
A year later and he's back, although not as he would wish to be. He finds himself attracted to Hazel and immediately works on making her his own. Of course, Hazel isn't prepared to just sit there and take it. Trust me, she makes her own stands too. Together, these two are sappy, hot, and crazy for each other.
I read this book in one sitting - simply unable to put it down. I really respected and admired Oliver's way of thinking, which helped him move forward after such a devastating thing happened to him. He hadn't had it easy but, with his mindset, he was able to make the best of a bad situation. Hazel is simply stunning. I loved her go-get-em attitude and how she thinks outside the box if she thinks it will help her boys. Both of these know how to communicate and the book is so much better for not having oodles of misunderstandings and hurt feelings caused by not speaking to each other!!!
This story made me smile and laugh out loud. I adored the scene with Luc, Lexi, and Noah! Those babies sure know how to run a parent ragged!
Oh, and fair warning - if you're like me, you just might need a Kleenex to help you through the last part of the book. I will admit to tears streaming down my face during the epilogue, and I'm not ashamed!
Absolutely fantastic, and highly recommended by me.
** 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!
Aug 31, 2021
Oliver was the Captain of the Breakers. Yes, he'd made mistakes along the way, but he had the respect of his teammates and the management team. But then one foul tackle and he's out. A shattered leg and an infection that won't go leaves him with a prosthetic and his dreams on ice are gone.
A year later and he's back, although not as he would wish to be. He finds himself attracted to Hazel and immediately works on making her his own. Of course, Hazel isn't prepared to just sit there and take it. Trust me, she makes her own stands too. Together, these two are sappy, hot, and crazy for each other.
I read this book in one sitting - simply unable to put it down. I really respected and admired Oliver's way of thinking, which helped him move forward after such a devastating thing happened to him. He hadn't had it easy but, with his mindset, he was able to make the best of a bad situation. Hazel is simply stunning. I loved her go-get-em attitude and how she thinks outside the box if she thinks it will help her boys. Both of these know how to communicate and the book is so much better for not having oodles of misunderstandings and hurt feelings caused by not speaking to each other!!!
This story made me smile and laugh out loud. I adored the scene with Luc, Lexi, and Noah! Those babies sure know how to run a parent ragged!
Oh, and fair warning - if you're like me, you just might need a Kleenex to help you through the last part of the book. I will admit to tears streaming down my face during the epilogue, and I'm not ashamed!
Absolutely fantastic, and highly recommended by me.
** 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!
Aug 31, 2021
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Intern (2015) in Movies
Jun 6, 2018
In a word...charming
Like most of you, I did not make it to the movie theaters in September, 2015 to catch the Nancy Meyers "fish-out-of-water" comedy THE INTERN about a 70-ish man (Robert DeNiro) who goes to work at an Internet Start-up company headed by a a driven Millennial (Anne Hathaway). It seemed that this film was just going to be another Robert DeNiro phone-it-in "paycheck" comedy and not worth our time.
Boy, was I wrong.
In a word, I would call this film...charming. Hathaway is charming, the other workers and Interns at the start-up are charming and DeNiro (believe it or not) is the most charming of all.
Starring as Ben - a widower who is just withering away with inactivity and boredom who decides to go back to work - DeNiro shows he "still has it". His Ben is a strong character, as nuanced as one can be in this type of film and...yes...EXTREMELY charming. DeNiro most definitely is NOT phoning this one in - he gives it a very good effort (maybe not A+, but...) and it shows. He is on screen for almost every scene and holds our attention throughout.
Proving to be a worthy partner in this film is Anne Hathaway's driven Internet sensation, Jules. She spars with DeNiro throughout and the two make a fun pairing.
Also joining in on the fun is Rene Russo as a masseuse (and love interest for DeNiro and Andrew Rannels as Jules' ass't. But it is the trio of Adam Devine, Zack Pearlman and Jason Orley that almost steals this film as 3 knuckleheads that work with - and are mentored by - DeNiro's Yoda-like Intern. I almost would have preferred to see a film about these 4.
Nothing in this film is revolutionary or new and Director/Writer Meyers keeps it that way. It's like pulling on an old, comfortable sweater or a really well worn-in pair of shoes. It won't win any awards, but it is fun..and, yes...charming just the same.
THE INTERN is now streaming on NETFLIX and AMAZON PRIME, if you are looking for a...I'll say it one more time...charming...way to spend an evening - look no further than here.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Boy, was I wrong.
In a word, I would call this film...charming. Hathaway is charming, the other workers and Interns at the start-up are charming and DeNiro (believe it or not) is the most charming of all.
Starring as Ben - a widower who is just withering away with inactivity and boredom who decides to go back to work - DeNiro shows he "still has it". His Ben is a strong character, as nuanced as one can be in this type of film and...yes...EXTREMELY charming. DeNiro most definitely is NOT phoning this one in - he gives it a very good effort (maybe not A+, but...) and it shows. He is on screen for almost every scene and holds our attention throughout.
Proving to be a worthy partner in this film is Anne Hathaway's driven Internet sensation, Jules. She spars with DeNiro throughout and the two make a fun pairing.
Also joining in on the fun is Rene Russo as a masseuse (and love interest for DeNiro and Andrew Rannels as Jules' ass't. But it is the trio of Adam Devine, Zack Pearlman and Jason Orley that almost steals this film as 3 knuckleheads that work with - and are mentored by - DeNiro's Yoda-like Intern. I almost would have preferred to see a film about these 4.
Nothing in this film is revolutionary or new and Director/Writer Meyers keeps it that way. It's like pulling on an old, comfortable sweater or a really well worn-in pair of shoes. It won't win any awards, but it is fun..and, yes...charming just the same.
THE INTERN is now streaming on NETFLIX and AMAZON PRIME, if you are looking for a...I'll say it one more time...charming...way to spend an evening - look no further than here.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Eighth Grade (2018) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
Eighth Grade was quite difficult for me to watch. I absolutely hate watching things that are awkward, and if one word sums up this film it's "awkward". I'm throwing it in the pool with talk shows and reality TV in all their cringy glory. Between those awkward moments we do thankfully see some nicer moments.
Kayla is trying to navigate the move from eighth grade to high school, the perils of friends and enemies, and how to get noticed by the right people. Like many of us have done she tries stepping out of her comfort zone with varying degrees of success. But every one of those steps helps her learn something about herself and life, things that she hopes future Kayla will remember when life seems tough.
I'm just going to skip over the things I didn't like about the movie because honestly, it's all mainly issues to do with the awkwardness I've already mentioned.
Kayla's dad is probably my favourite character in this, he is involved in some of the scenes I didn't like but overall he brings a lot of heart to the film. When he makes his speech at Kayla towards the end it's a genuinely moving moment and it brought a tear to my eye. One of the only things that I came away wondering was where was mum, she's mentioned but I don't think anything is specifically mentioned apart from "she left". Part of me thinks it's frustrating, but there was no real way to bring it up out of context.
There's nothing particularly wrong with the film, the acting was fine and although the script was frustrating it was accurate to what was trying to be achieved. This is definitely not for me though. Partly for the awkward reason and partly because I don't entirely enjoy watching films that involve things I could, or have, done myself.
What you should do
It's not one that' I'd recommend for the obvious reason above. It does seem to be liked by lots of people though so it's probably one that's worth checking out when it goes to streaming services.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I not sure there's actually anything from this I'd like to take home with me... I don't need any more angsty teen in my life.
Kayla is trying to navigate the move from eighth grade to high school, the perils of friends and enemies, and how to get noticed by the right people. Like many of us have done she tries stepping out of her comfort zone with varying degrees of success. But every one of those steps helps her learn something about herself and life, things that she hopes future Kayla will remember when life seems tough.
I'm just going to skip over the things I didn't like about the movie because honestly, it's all mainly issues to do with the awkwardness I've already mentioned.
Kayla's dad is probably my favourite character in this, he is involved in some of the scenes I didn't like but overall he brings a lot of heart to the film. When he makes his speech at Kayla towards the end it's a genuinely moving moment and it brought a tear to my eye. One of the only things that I came away wondering was where was mum, she's mentioned but I don't think anything is specifically mentioned apart from "she left". Part of me thinks it's frustrating, but there was no real way to bring it up out of context.
There's nothing particularly wrong with the film, the acting was fine and although the script was frustrating it was accurate to what was trying to be achieved. This is definitely not for me though. Partly for the awkward reason and partly because I don't entirely enjoy watching films that involve things I could, or have, done myself.
What you should do
It's not one that' I'd recommend for the obvious reason above. It does seem to be liked by lots of people though so it's probably one that's worth checking out when it goes to streaming services.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I not sure there's actually anything from this I'd like to take home with me... I don't need any more angsty teen in my life.
Lowri Catryn (229 KP) rated Playstation 4 in Tech
Jan 23, 2020
Software (2 more)
Design
Easy to use
Controller battery charge is poor (2 more)
Overheat easily
Playstation Plus expensive
Sleek design, great software
The playstation 4 was not cheap when it first appeared on the shelves, but it was a must have for most people, including me. The fashionable sleek design with the black panels against the blue light and touchpad controllers made it look incredibly stylish for a games console. Playstation Plus membership is unfortunately quite expensive, and the memory is poor on the console... having to download the game software to be able to play it.. not many different games can be played, depending on your memory. Simple to navigate and also the choice of installing applications. The touchpad controllers made it much easier to navigate on a keyboard, with quicker typing. The playstation allows you to connect with fellow players all around the world, and make new friends. The fact that there is an option for headphones and microphones is both positive and negative. It's great to communicate with others, however can lead to verbal abuse which is quite unsettling when gaming with trolls. The playstation consoles have always been my favourite and never will I change to an XBox, which is lumpy, ugly etc. The use of other applications such as YouTube and netflix on the playstation is amazing for people who do not have smart TVs or access to streaming sticks. Recently Playstation allowed players to change their username (a long and very much awaited change for users! Breathing a sigh of relief to get rid of cringy usernames, or usernames that included their ex lovers). However again, Playstation want to make money however they can... if you messed up the opportunity with the game tag change, you were only allowed one free opportunity so you had to consider wisely. Otherwise Playstation would charge you to change your game tag once more (slightly unfair I think!) A year ago I bought the PS4 VR headset.. exciting at first but a lumpy headset which is connected via cable (would have been much more effective to have had this wireless! Such as the controllers).. at first there is motion sickness, but you soon get the hang of it. Again a great selection of games, however quite pricey!
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The signature program of the nonprofit, Advancing the Interests of Animals (AIA), is its weekly,...