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Animal Kingdom (2010)
Animal Kingdom (2010)
2010 | International, Drama
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"This movie is still my favorite movie of last year, and I think I have to name it because I just thought it was an extraordinary film and I still think about it a lot. I saw it in the theater and it really hit me like a ton of bricks. I think he’s a really extraordinary director, David Michôd. Ben Mendelsohn and Jackie Weaver — every single performance in that I was so impressed with, but in particular just the direction. That’s a director that I appreciate the sense that he allows his actors to just act and have these really quiet moments, and he really just created this world — the atmosphere of that movie was amazing. For a first film, too. The way that he was able to create a level of tension with actors not really saying much or doing much, it was just what he did with the camera. There are not a lot of films where you can just appreciate the camerawork and what a significant aspect of the whole film it is. It was perfectly curated."

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Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress, #1)
Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress, #1)
Gena Showalter | 2006 | Romance
6
5.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hmm...

Well I loved this at the beginning. Mia was kick-arse, as were the rest of her team. I was interested in what was going on with the murders and finding out who was behind it...

I also loved the little glimpses we got at the start of Kyrin. He sounded equally seductive and bad-arse--which is a great combination.

I can't say I understood Mia's need to attack him all the time...but I guess she has some anger issues regarding aliens.

The murder plot became less interesting throughout the book as I just wanted to concentrate on the sexual tension between our main characters. There were some pretty steamy scenes between them...but also not enough for my liking.

There was a shock thrown in, which did surprise me.

The thing that stopped this from having four stars was the ending. I can't say I enjoyed it that much. It seemed to resolve itself far too quickly and I can't say I felt Mia's emotions at the time.
  
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972)
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972)
1972 | Drama, Romance
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"What I love most about this film is its scale, its claustrophobic shots, its intensely glamorous women coming in and out of a single room, and its acute exploration of a single woman’s downfall. We’re seeing a pattern here in these movies; I struggle with anxiety, I struggle with depression, I often feel crazy dealing with my own emotions and the emotions of others, and I am continually fascinated by cinematic representations of women dealing with the same things. Petra von Kant scrapes at the bottom of what it means to be a woman, what it means to be a successful woman, what it means to be a woman in love and have all of these things and yet feel worthless. It’s also about a life in fashion, which is something that I’ve lived. There’s just a tension in that film between interiority and exteriority, embodied so well by those hyper-stylized shots and the cinematography. The film articulates a very specifically feminine kind of anguish that Fassbinder captures so well."

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The Heartbreak Kid (2007)
The Heartbreak Kid (2007)
2007 | Comedy, Drama, Romance
4.4 (5 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"I think it’s one of the funniest movies ever made. I think Charles Grodin is hugely underrated as a comedic actor. I think he’s brilliant. Jeannie Berlin who recently got a lot of attention again because of Kenneth Lonergan’s movie Margaret is amazing in this movie — she was actually nominated for an Oscar for it. Cybill Shepherd is great. I just love it, I love how what a s— the central character is, he’s really totally selfish and also really confused, in a great way. I also love that a lot of the comedy typically in movies like this, with sort of high concept plots, the comedy and the drama are driven by the central character lying to the people around them. But weirdly in The Heartbreak Kid, most of the drama comes from him telling the truth, he’s sort of excessively honest and straight forward, and it still manages to complicate these situations and cause a lot of tension and hurt feelings, but I just love Elaine May, I like all of her movies."

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Dead Man's Grave (DS Max Craigie #1)
Dead Man's Grave (DS Max Craigie #1)
Neil Lancaster | 2021 | Crime, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
One of the best books I have read this year and one of the best in this genre I have read for a very long time!

I have never read anything by Neil Lancaster before but the blurb sounded right up my street so gave it a punt and I'm so glad I did because what a brilliant start to a series.

Max is a very interesting character with a strong back story which most definitely adds to the story as a whole. There are some dark moments interspersed with lighter times and I particularly like the relationship Max has with his boss, Ross, and colleague, Janie, which felt authentic.

What can I say ... brilliant characters, gripping story line, excellent pace, full of tension and action featuring historical feuds, revenge, dirty coppers, gangsters and all set in beautiful Scotland ... just a fantastic book all round really and I can't wait for the next instalment.

Thank you HQ Digital and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
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Hazel (2934 KP) rated Savage (Ravaged World Trilogy #3) in Books

Oct 6, 2019 (Updated Oct 6, 2019)  
Savage (Ravaged World Trilogy #3)
Savage (Ravaged World Trilogy #3)
Iain Rob Wright | 2014 | Horror, Thriller
8
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the third book in the trilogy with Sea Sick and Ravage being the first two; although a trilogy, you don't need to read them all as they work equally well as standalone stories.

Savage is more than your typical zombie apocalypse story, it doesn't focus on the zombies and the usual eating-fest that accompanies such stories, it is more about the survivors and their quest to remain human both literally and figuratively.

I have to say that I enjoyed this trilogy and found Savage neatly finishes the series with satisfaction although not without some losses on the way! There aren't many books that make my eyes leak and I certainly didn't expect a horror/zombie book to do this but Savage did! I think it's because the author creates characters so well you get attached to them and when one of them is killed, it affects you ... well it did me anyway when one particular character met their end.

Well written, excellent characters, perfect setting, great pace and plenty of tension makes this a great read.
  
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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Jaws (1975) in Movies

Aug 9, 2020  
Jaws (1975)
Jaws (1975)
1975 | Thriller
A deserving classic
Jaws is a film I've seen many years ago but haven't in quite a while, and it really is the classic it's made out to be.

Watching it now it is does admittedly look a little dated. But I think this is part of the film's charm. The shark is hilarious and yet still pretty scary at the same time, and for an animatronic it is very good for the time it was made. It does remind me a lot of the Jaws ride at Universal Studios as the animatronics are virtually identical. The score is rightly infamous and really builds the tension and suspense in those underwater scenes. There is some dodgy acting (although Dreyfuss and Scheider are brilliant) and it does feel like it's drawn out a little at times. However despite this there's a reason why no other shark film released to date has managed to live up to the renown and success of Jaws. This is without a doubt a classic - i just wish they hadn't gotten rid of the ride at Universal!
  
The Devil You Know
The Devil You Know
Emma Kavanagh | 2020 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have read a couple of books by Emma Kavanagh - Hidden and The Missing Hours - that I have enjoyed but, unfortunately, not this one quite as much.

Having said that, I found the plot was different and interesting, the twists and turns were great and kept me guessing, wrongly most of the time, and the sense of tension was good. The characters were ok but no one really stood out for me and I felt they were a little unforgettable and I found the descriptive writing style became a tad tedious and I admit to skim-reading some parts. This is what let it down for me in the end - I got a little bored but persevered and so pleased I did because the ending was great.

I may not have enjoyed this book quite as much as I would have liked but it certainly will not put me off reading Emma's books in the future.

Thank you Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.