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David McK (3557 KP) rated Aladdin (2019) in Movies

Aug 11, 2019 (Updated Dec 28, 2022)  
Aladdin (2019)
Aladdin (2019)
2019 | Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Goy Ritchie's Will Smith starring live-action retelling of the 1992 Disney cartoon: a movie that, believe it or not, is now nearly 30 years old (I can't believe I just typed that).

While this does hew pretty closely to the original, this is not quite the shot-for-shot remake I was expecting (or feared), with Jasmine in particular given far more agency here, and with Will Smith's Genie 'bookending' the entire narrative.

Talking of Will Smith: he had some big shoes to fill and - thankfully - he wisely does not attempt a Robin Williams impersonation, instead making the character more his own (although, of course, he has the same musical numbers to belt out).

On the down side, however, this version of Jafar is far less menacing than the original ...
  
40x40

ClareR (5879 KP) rated The Summer Job in Books

Jul 29, 2022  
The Summer Job
The Summer Job
Lizzy Dent | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Humor & Comedy, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
At first glance, The Summer Job is a light, easy romance, but as I read further I realised there are some real issues in amongst the humour and the “will she or won’t she get caught”.

Elizabeth “Birdy” Finch decides to pretend to be her best friend, Heather Jones, a respected sommelier. I mean, how difficult can it be?! Birdy drinks wine! But as she begins to settle in to the hotel’s restaurant, she realises how much she likes everyone, and really wants to do well for them.

I loved this. It made me laugh, gasp out loud, and I wished that I could give Birdy a good talking to! It amazed me that she could keep up the charade and get herself out of some pretty awkward situations.
It’s a great summer read!
  
Moonfall (2022)
Moonfall (2022)
2022 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Peter Capaldi, Dr Who, 'Kill the moon'

Arthur C Clarke, 'Rendezvous with Rama'

2001: A Space Odyssey.

Any number of Roland Emmerich's own disaster movies.

It might seem odd talking about all those, bit throw them in a blender and the result might be something like this!

I was expecting a traditional end of the world disaster movie - like 2012, say, or Deep Impact, or something along that vein - which the movie does start as, with the moon mysteriously knocked out of it orbit and hence causing all kinds of chaos on good old planet Earth. Roughly about 2/3rds of the way in, though, it completely changes tack, becoming more of a sci-fi spectacle than anything, and closer - perhaps - to one of Emmerich's own most successful films of the mid 90s ...
  
    Tom Loves Angela

    Tom Loves Angela

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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Gail Honeyman | 2017 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.6 (80 Ratings)
Book Rating
Eleanor Oliphant is odd. She speaks like an 80-year-old woman even though she’s only 30, leads a monotonous life and keeps herself to herself. No friends, no family (other than her mother), and no fun.

I got this book because it’s one of those ones that almost everyone is talking about. A lot of the time, I don’t actually like the really popular books, but this one was definitely worth it. It’s funny, mysterious and weird, and such a great read.

The novel follows the changes in Eleanor as she makes her first friend – Raymond, an IT Crowd worthy hilarious character who warms her heart and completely changes her personality.

I loved this because it was so different. I’ve got to admit, I couldn’t stand Eleanor when I first started reading it because I felt she was stuck up and found the whole ‘mummy’ thing creepy, but everything I disliked was explained later in the plot. She also became more likeable as she got closer to Raymond.

There are also multiple little twists throughout the book which kept me gripped the whole way through. It’s been a while since I read a book that had so many unexpected twists and turns in the plot.

It did remind me a lot of a more serious episode of the IT Crowd. Eleanor reminds me of Jen when she’s trying to be formal and Raymond is a definite cross of Roy and Moss. The serious turns, later on, take it away from this idea.

I also don’t think I’ve ever read a novel with an alcoholic main character, either. I feel like it makes Eleanor’s straight-talking narration more unreliable and some parts vague to their meaning.

It’s definitely worth the hype and worth a read.