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Sam (74 KP) rated The Hate u Give in Books

Nov 30, 2018  
The Hate u Give
The Hate u Give
Angie Thomas | 2017 | Children
2
8.4 (54 Ratings)
Book Rating
Strong Characterisation, Great Cover (0 more)
Wrong Tone, Bad Examples (0 more)
Problematic
I was so excited to start reading this one. Because of how popular it had been, I'd put off buying it for ages. Waterstones had a special edition in and that was as much of an excuse as I needed to buy it.
It's got five-star reviews everywhere, has won so many awards, and literally, everyone is talking about it. So, of course, it's worth a try.
Only I didn't enjoy it to the point where I got halfway through and couldn't finish it. I wasn't even sure whether to post the review because I know that lots of people will disagree with me over this.
I was so excited for a book to be out that's about police brutality in America towards black teenagers, and was surprised, to begin with, that something as serious as this was in a YA book, but also happy that it was being told to teenagers. It sounded like my ideal book.
But I just couldn't get along with it at all. The whole idea with the book is to show what casual racism is doing to America, but at the same time on every few pages, there's another part talking about how horrible and funny and evil white people are. If a book wants to make a stand against racism, make a stand against it from both sides, not just one. You cannot end racism by calling the other race.
I just found it really one-sided in its battle against racism. I am definitely not saying that the police shooting was right, let me just say that, and Starr has every right to hate the police for shooting her best friend. However, this does not mean that every few pages there needs to be a comment about how awful white people are.
A much healthier focus for the book would have been equality, not switching the racism to the other side in a 'how-do-you-like-it-now' move.

Read the full review at https://ohbookit.blog
  
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Rian Johnson recommended F for Fake (1973) in Movies (curated)

 
F for Fake (1973)
F for Fake (1973)
1973 | Documentary
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"I got four, and there’s one more. It’s a biggie. And again, this is one that’s maybe a little bit of a stretch in terms of it being a con man movie, but I actually don’t think so. It’s F for Fake. If I was numbering these, this might be number one. It’s a movie that’s really hard to define. It’s pretty commonly termed a filmic essay by Orson Welles on the subject of fakery, but it’s a lot more than that. It’s so many things. I don’t even know how to start talking about it. At its essence, it is about what we were just talking about. It’s about the charlatans and fakery and the notion of fake versus real, and the notion of the con versus legitimacy, I guess. And he just digs into that pretty deeply. And also in a way that’s so incredibly entertaining. The way that the movie’s cut, also, you would think that, today with our shorter and shorter attention spans and our notions of fast cutting, you would think that the way that Orson Welles, the style in which he cuts this film, would be easily absorbed by us. But I actually… You know, I have friends of mine who are much, much younger than me. You know, it actually took a second viewing to kind of absorb the film. I mean, it really is still pretty insane, the abstract way that Welles cut this whole thing together and made the whole together work. I feel like he’s absolutely self-aware; that’s part of the act. That’s what’s fun. And that’s why that opening sequence in the train station, you see him putting on that character and very much doing the… You know, I think he’s aware of it. I think he’s also aware that it’s kind of funny, that that’s part of the gag, you know, is pretending to be somebody you’re not, putting that on. Putting on that big cape and that big hat, and being that guy. And, you know, if you’re Orson Welles, you can pull it off."

Source
  
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Tom Jones recommended The Sun Years by Jerry Lee Lewis in Music (curated)

 
The Sun Years by Jerry Lee Lewis
The Sun Years by Jerry Lee Lewis
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"""Whole Lotta Shakin'', was the first time I heard him, in Pontypridd, being played from Freddy Fey's record shop. People used to ask me, because I loved music so much, 'What do you think of this record, what do you think of that record?' When Elvis Presley came out, I said he can't be the only one - a white man being influenced by black music in the South. So when 'Whole Lotta Shakin'' came out, my friends said, 'Is that what you're talking about?' I said, 'That's exactly what I'm talking about!' Another guy, playing piano, similar to what Elvis was doing, but even more syncopated, white and from the South. It was unbelievable to hear that record. Then 'Great Balls Of Fire' followed, and 'High School Confidential' was a great record. When you listen to his records, he always sings up, except towards when he got older and the pressures of life got on him. In the beginning, he was always up, you know the ends of everything came up. Little Richard was pushing the shit out of everything but Jerry Lee, he had his syncopation, it was like he floated. He fell out of favour, because he married his cousin - it was a shame, he was still making great records. There's one called 'Loving Up A Storm' and that's equally good. That's on The Sun Years, they're all there. I saw him live in Cardiff in 1962, and Johnny Kidd and the Pirates were there and they were slick... I thought, 'Shit, how's Jerry Lee going to get over this?', because they closed the first half. He came on, and instead of how Johnny Kidd and the Pirates were very aggressive, Jerry Lee was the opposite, he opened up with 'Move On Down The Line' and the band were like [sings] and he just walked on and was like [gestures] showing us the the chord he was going to play. He just sat down at the piano and - boom - went into it. It was like 'Jesus Christ!' You know, it was smooth, it was slick, it was rock & roll but he wasn't like, screaming - he had a different take on it and yet it was rocking."""

Source
  
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
1994 | Comedy
Terrific, under-rated gem
Coen Brother's films fall into 3 categories for me:

Terrific, well-known films: FARGO, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THE BIG LEBOWSKI

Terrible, overly-indulgent films: HAIL CAESAR, A SERIOUS MAN, BURN AFTER READING

Under-rated gems: BARTON FINK, MILLER'S CROSSING, THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS

And this film, the 1994 homage to 1940's fast-talking comedies THE HUDSUCKER PROXY.

Set in the business world, THE HUDSUCKER PROXY tells the tale of a young, ambitious corporate ladder climber who is taken under the thumb of a conniving business exec who wants to use the young man as a patsy for the business.

Tim Robbins stars as the young, ambitious Norville Barnes who's "gee shucks" demeanor and the faithful belief in those around him anchors this film in a common decency that Robbins exudes in spades. Countering Robbins is a crafty film veteran - Paul Newman as evil, corrupt Corporate Executive Sidney J. Mussburger. Newman was winding down his career at this point, so must have seen something in the script that caught his eye, for Newman has a spark and a spring in his step that shows that the old man "still has it". He plays off of Robbins well and it is a joy to watch this veteran actor work. Equally interesting in this film is Jennifer Jason Leigh who channels her inner Rosalind Russell as fast-talking, hard-pushing reporter (and erstwhile girlfriend of Barnes), Amy Archer.

But this being a Coen Brothers film, this movie is just as strongly about the atmosphere and the dialogue as it is the characters - and what an atmosphere they create. Delivering a strong "1940's Art Deco meets Techno-Punk" theme, the Coens deliver a visually interesting world that is incorporated with intriguing characters.

In other words - it's a Coen Brothers comedy - and one that is well done.

To tell more about the story is to spoil the picture, but realize that this film is well made, well scripted and well acted (if a little slight on story). It is a very entertaining way to spend a few hours.

Letter Grade: A-

8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
Slumber Party Massacre II (1987)
Slumber Party Massacre II (1987)
1987 | Horror
8
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I, and I can't stress this enough, fucking love Slumber Party Massacre II. It may not be as cinematically mature as the first one, but it's 100% more entertaining and batshit crazy.

The lead characters, as per usual, are walking, talking, cliché slasher victims, but much like the first, they benefit from a decent slab of development, and feel like a believable group of friends. One could argue that the amount of times we get to see their band play is a little over the top but it sort of works.
Some of the shooting style is completely bizarre. A lot of characters talking directly to the camera which is a little cringey, but mainly uncomfortable. This style is also adopted for an extended dance sequence about half way through. Honestly, it's all a bit bizarre but kind of in keeping with the sheer absurdity that is eventually thrust upon the audience.

That absurdity is of course, this movies antagonist, simply credited as The Driller Killer. This dude is dressed head to toe in leather, with a rockabilly style quiff, and sports a huge drill as his weapon of choice, that happens to be mounted upon a demonic looking electric guitar, a guitar he likes to rip solos on whilst simultaneously piling up bodies. I can't truly describe how ridulous this villain is, but he's certainly memorable, full of one liners (surely a direct reaction to the popularity of Freddy Krueger), and you guessed it, even gets himself a musical number (whilst still drilling people to death of course)
This completely off the rails approach to the slasher sub genre is what sets the movie apart from a lot of its peers, and is the reason why it's become such a cult classic.

Slumber Party Massacre II is a movie that was never going to win academy awards, and is considered by many to be another trashy slasher. Personally, I think it's a blast. It doesn't take itself too seriously, the killer is low-key hilarious, it has some decent practical gore, and encompasses everything cheesy but magnificent about 80s horror. It deserves unconditional love.
  
Ascendant (The Made Ones Sage #3) by Vicki Stiefel
Ascendant (The Made Ones Sage #3) by Vicki Stiefel
Vicki Stiefel | 2022 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
ASCENDANT is the final in The Made Ones Saga and we have an action-filled climax. And I'm not talking about steamy times, either!

We start where book two finished - Sybi waking up in a glass casket and being rescued by Kes. She has some recovery time during which her sisters visit and talk to her, hoping that will help her come back to them. The overall story arc is also coming to a head, with the Alchemics working hard to destroy Eleutia. The Clans and CastOuts, obviously, don't want this, so they're working just as hard to ensure that doesn't happen.

I liked Sybi and Kes but I didn't feel the connection like I wanted to. There are some pretty big obstacles in their path that seem to 'magically' disappear without much (if any) communication. For me, I felt their relationship got lost slightly in the dramatic conclusion. Most of the time they were together, they were talking or planning what to do next in the war. I'm sure most won't agree with me here, but that is how I felt.

This book also doesn't feel like the ending!!! I was left with multiple questions, so I'm really hoping there is more to come in this world! It would be fantastic to see how they all cope now the Alchemics have been defeated, how they change their world, and what the new generation gets up to. Hints are also given about other pairings, including Alrina, so I would love to know more.

I did think this was a fitting end to the sisters' trilogy, and meeting Mother and Father Tree was brilliant. I found those meetings to be so full of feeling and humour, it brought a huge smile to my face every time!

A great series 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 16, 2022
  
Smith's Corner: Hunter and Holden (The Heartwood Series #6)
Smith's Corner: Hunter and Holden (The Heartwood Series #6)
Jayne Paton | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
SMITH'S CORNER: HUNTER AND HOLDEN is the sixth book in the Heartwood series. I've been waiting for these two for what feels like forever, and you know what they say about expectations... Well, let me tell you now, this was NOT a disappointment!

Hunter and Holden make the perfect couple, each one wanting what the other can offer. Of course, they don't see that straight away, which brings its own difficulties! Hunter, bless him, has wanted Holden for years but didn't do anything about it, thinking Holden was straight. It's only when Holden started acting 'strangely' that Hunter thought there might be something there and took a big risk with his heart. Oh, and how it hurt! Honestly, I wanted to slap both of them upside the head at times but, luckily for me, Coco was there to do it for me.

She is Holden's daughter, straight-talking, no-nonsense and I CAN'T WAIT FOR HER TO MEET SOMEONE!!! And yes, that needs to be in caps. Why? Because not only do I think she'd make whoever it was work for it in the best kind of way, (this girl knows her own worth), but she's also a geek, which I love. Not only that, but I can already see Holden having a breakdown and Hunter talking him off the ledge. Please, Ms Paton, please?!!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the stories in this series up until now, and am so thankful there are more to come. I only hope Monty and Dakota are one of them. I would say though, that Hunter and Holden is my favourite story of the series. Once they got past the angry stage and allowed themselves to feel, it was no-holds-barred and I loved every word.

An absolute corker 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!
May 10, 2022
  
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Action/Adventure, Platform
Goofy sense of humor (1 more)
Very replayable
Vehicle missions (0 more)
The LEGO games how now gotten too complicated with many additional features and challenges that I do not like. Some of the newer LEGO games even have the characters TALKING. What's up with that?

The original LEGO Star Wars games were so much fun. I especially loved the challenges of having to figure out which character you had to use in which situation or if you needed a special helmet to get into a particular area.


The game is still very replayable as you need to both complete the story mode and then go back to each level and find everything hidden within it.


I think one my favorite parts was when you could make the characters dance or a disco ball would show up and everyone would get down.


Also, all ages can enjoy.


I never seemed to do well at the vehicle missions and always died a million times before I completed them. Maybe it was just me.


Very great game!
  
Buffy the Vampire Slayer  - Season 4
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 4
1999 | Horror
The Gentleman (3 more)
Somthing Blue
Hush episode as a whole
Superstar
Riley (0 more)
Knocking on Windows
Whilst there are other series I love over this one, I have to give it a 10 star rating purely because of the episode Hush. Never before has a Tv series pushed the boundaries where a good per cent-age of the show there was no talking. Cine-graphically this episode is on a level above and beyond normal television programming. There are some great preformaces this series in this series in the form of Danny strong as Jonathan in Superstar. Giles turned into a Fyral demon. Buffy and Spike engaged in something Blue. Personally i wasn't a big fan of the initiative story arc or Riley but could see why others did.

"Can't even shout, can't even cry
The Gentlemen are coming by
Looking in windows, knocking on doors
They need to take seven and they might take yours
Can't call to mom, can't say a word
You're gonna die screaming but you won't be heard."