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The Whisper Man
The Whisper Man
Alex North | 2019 | Crime, Thriller
7
7.6 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
Spine chilling atmosphere set up (1 more)
Jake the cool if spooky kid
Not much mystery in the crime (1 more)
Poor police characters
If you leave a door half open, soon you'll hear the whispers spoken.......
This book got off to a great start with a really creepy feeling to it. A spooky kids rhyme will always get the chills going.

Jake and his father Tom are struggling with life after the death of Jake’s mum and a fresh start in a new house doesn't lead to the new start Tom hopes for when Jake continues to keep saying freaky stuff and knowing things he couldn’t possibly know. There is a very supernatural feel to the beginning of this book that is well done, and how that is wrapped up is also well dealt with.

However I felt the crime plot let this book down, the killer was obvious to me as soon as they were vaguely mentioned but the police detective Amanda Beck just seemed flat out incompetent. I nearly screamed out loud at her when she gave herself the proverbial pat on the back for a job well done. Staying up all night because a kid has gone missing does not in itself make you a good cop - doing some good old style investigating that actually gets results does.

I liked the complex relationship between Jake and Tom but a lot of the other characters left much to be desired for me. Reformed alcoholic cop Pete Willis; haunted by his past felt like a character I have read/ seen a hundred times before. And the reporter with morals seemed a stretch.

All in all I’d recommend coming to this book for the chills but don’t expect the crime mystery to knock your socks off.
  
Blinded by the Light (2019)
Blinded by the Light (2019)
2019 | Biography, Comedy, Drama
Based on a true story, Blinded by the Light follows the life of Javed, a down-on-his-luck Pakistani teenager living in Great Britain in the 1980s, who is in a social stranglehold by his strict father. He just wants to live a life like any other kid his age, and hang out with his friends, and go to parties, and maybe even meet a girl, but his overbearing dad has other expectations and plans for him. Being that they’re minorities in a foreign country in a time of racism, Javed’s father wants him to keep his head down and put his family first and foremost. That means living the life his father chooses for him, and not being able to live the life he desires. Feeling trapped by his circumstances, Javed’s bleak outlook becomes changed completely after he makes a new friend at school who introduces him to the music of the All-American legend, Bruce Springsteen.

One stormy night, fueled by his frustrations with his family, Javed turns to the cassette tapes he borrowed from his friend, and listens to “The Boss” for the very first time. It’s an instantly cathartic and unforgettably life-changing experience. The words speak to him in a way that no song ever has before. The lyrics speak of his ambitions and know his struggles and pain. It’s as if suddenly through the songs of Springsteen, Javed has found his voice and a guiding light. He’s instantly transformed by it, and is given a purpose and a passion to pursue it. For him, the music is the spark to light the fire to his ambitions; to leave his small town, to escape poverty, to resist his father’s oppression, to live on his own accord, to become a writer, and to feed his hungry heart.

As a writer and a lover of Springsteen myself, I connected with Blinded by the Light on a profoundly personal level. Springsteen’s music has spoken to me in a similar fashion as it does to Javed in the film. While I’m not the super fan that he is, I like to think we all have comparable experiences with certain musical artists who resonate with us deep in our souls. Bruce’s music in particular speaks to the common man, and it rallies against the injustices of the world in the pursuit of the American dream. I can’t think of a single musician that I personally find to be more motivational than him. It is my hope that people will watch this movie, particularly those who are unfamiliar with the music of Bruce Springsteen, and they’ll have a reaction to it much like Javed in this movie.

It goes without saying that the soundtrack in Blinded by the Light is fantastic. It has a nice mix of classic hits as well as some lesser known Springsteen songs, including some live versions, and they’re all put to good use here. Out of all of the recent movies inspired by real-life musicians, including Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, and Yesterday, Blinded by the Light is by far my personal favorite. There are no poor cover songs nor bad lip synching to be found here. What you get is 100% The Boss. In a few parts, the movie even breaks out into full-on dancing musical numbers. While they’re a little cheesy and even feel a bit out of place, I found that they remained true to the music and were simply too much fun not to enjoy.

Director Gurinder Chadha does a fine job crafting Javed’s story and all of its complexities while also paying homage to The Boss. The movie explores our innate desire for freedom and finding ourselves, while also exposing the sacrifices we often must make in life for those we love. The film additionally explores social issues of the era, including political turmoil, fascist movements, and racism, which Javed faces first-hand as a Pakistani in England, and which unfortunately still feel uncomfortably relevant today. Javed is played by Viveik Kalra in his motion-picture debut, and he is immensely likable and relatable in his performance. The cast as a whole is pretty good, with the standouts being Hayley Atwell as Javed’s teacher, Ms. Clay, who encourages him to continue with his writing, as well as Kulvinder Ghir, who plays Javed’s controlling father. I also liked Aaron Phagura as Roops, Javed’s loyal Bruce-Springsteen-cassette-tape-sharing friend. We all could use more friends like him!
Overall, Blinded by the Light is a loving tribute to the music of Bruce Springsteen, but more than anything, it’s an emotional, identifiable, and uplifting tale about reaching for your dreams. The struggles that Javed faces resonate brilliantly with the messages of the music, and his story is an inspiring one worth hearing. Springsteen fans in particular definitely won’t want to miss this movie, but I think regardless of your interest or familiarity with Springsteen and his music, you’re likely to find something to enjoy here. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll even walk out of the theater as a fan.
  
The Congress (2014)
The Congress (2014)
2014 | Animation, Sci-Fi
Restored my belief in the power of movies, one of the most fulfilling cinematic experiences I've ever had and probably will ever have in my lifetime. Not trying to undersell how structureless this is, but it gets a free pass for how rigorously committed to the mindfuck it is - it just wouldn't have worked out even a fraction as well with any sort of form. I spent the better part of this with my jaw frozen in the dropped position, it's been so long since I've truly been blown away and couldn't believe what I was watching actually got made. Part personal, quasi-documentary character study of a real life actress; part actually good "Black Mirror" episode about the evolution of idolization; part 50s cartoon nightmare; part acid trip; part "holy shit my tears are crying" drama. Can't even begin to justifiably describe how good this film looks in words, essential viewing - can only be believed by first having seen. Robin Wright and Harvey Keitel give megaperformances to match the boundless ambition - 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘈𝘵𝘭𝘢𝘴 can't even compare. A nebulous, meditative, and bracingly surreal slideshow of future-fantasy and riffs on what the future could bring with a refreshing lack of pretention and cynicism for once (though I'm sure I stand alone in thinking that) that's never anything less than beautiful. Never wanted to let go, never has some variation of "your past is dead" been said so despondently. And what a fucking A-class score.
  
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Merissa (11961 KP) rated The Trespassing of Souls (Seb Thomas #1) in Books

Apr 29, 2018 (Updated May 31, 2023)  
The Trespassing of Souls (Seb Thomas #1)
The Trespassing of Souls (Seb Thomas #1)
M.S.C. Barnes | 2015 | Children, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Trespassing of Souls (Seb Thomas #1) by M.S.C. Barnes
This book is simply amazing! To be honest, from the synopsis, I was expecting something a bit light-hearted, nothing to be taken too seriously. Instead, what I found between the pages, was an incredible, in-depth, and intriguing tale that just so happens to have children as some of the main characters. It is in no way limited to children or young adults though, as it deals with the serious subject of souls, trespassing souls, good and evil, what happens after life, and the Soul Drop.

I was in complete agreement with Seb when he was frustrated with the teachers and the lack of information. Although I could understand Alice's explanation about learning to walk, talk and eat, I could also completely empathise with Seb's point of view!

With a complete range of exceptional characters, a well-woven story with many layers to it, and action throughout, I absolutely loved this story and didn't want it to finish. I would highly recommend it to ANYONE who enjoys epic fantasy. As for me, I'm really hoping that there will be a follow-up!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 31, 2016
  
Rookie Privateer (Privateer Tales #1)
Rookie Privateer (Privateer Tales #1)
Jamie McFarlane | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you are looking for a good space adventure. Rookie Privateer is one for those young adults to teens. It about a group of kids. Well one teen that is looking for his future. He is currently stuck working with his father. He know not much to making money.

He seem to attract attention when something happens when he with is friends. What happens then goes not to be an adventure for him and his friend. Liam want freedom will get it? His friend Nick is set up for life. They are becoming Earth Mars Citizens. Someone or something is attacking their home. Will Liam reach the stars or will he not. He and Nick will they find out what the real world has to offer. Things begin to change and it changes them as well.

Find out how this book end. The authors does really well on the plot of this story. It bring you along for the ride. I could not stop reading and wanted more. What will happen to Nick James and Liam Hoffen? I hope to find out more by reading the next book. I just got to find out when it will be out. Great for teens and young adult readers. If you are into space or thrillers this really good for you as well.
  
96 Minutes (2012)
96 Minutes (2012)
2012 | Drama, Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Story: 96 Minutes starts by introducing us to all the characters involved, we have Lena (Serratos) a young woman questioning her relationship choice, Raymond (Martin) working hard at school and a job for Duane (Oyelowo), Kevin (Trautmann) an angry young man who doesn’t enjoy his life where his mother has caused problems, Dre (Ross) a young man that is finally achieving his grades but won’t leave his past behind him and Carley (Snow) a student that is studying law. All of this is leads to a carjacking gone wrong.

The carjacking includes an injured Lena being cared for by Carley after Kevin gets into the mind-set of trying to impress the local gang that Dre gets dragged into supporting his friend.

96 Minutes is a drama thriller that shows the effects of one wrong moment in life, we see how these four people are trying to start something in their lives but when they clash each person’s life will be changed. The film shows how the four characters are average everyday people that shows us how easily anyone could fall into the events. The story does bounce between showing us the normal lives of our characters and the carjacking which shows the character’s mind-sets are through each situation. This is a very powerful drama that is very good to watch.

 

Actor Review

 

Brittany Snow: Carley is the law student that is about to graduate but without her father seeing the important part of her life. She finds herself on the wrong end of a carjacking where she must tend to the wounds Lena has received. Brittany showed she can pull off a serious role to go against her more commercial roles.carley

Christian Serratos: Lena is a fellow student that is having an awful day when she discovers her boyfriend is seeing someone else, she then wrecks her car and just wanting to go home she finds herself injured during a carjacking. Christian is great in this role even with half of the film she finds herself injured.

J Michael Trautmann: Kevin is an angry young man who lives with his constantly abused mother while trying to impress the local gang. He is good friends with Dre who tries to calm him down but this only leads to him jacking Carley’s car putting Dre’s future at risk too. J is also great in this role showing how easily young men can be pushed into committing crimes.

Evan Ross: Dre is a young man from the wrong neighbourhood who has achieved something by graduating and wants to show Kevin the future he could one day have. He ends up being the driver in the carjacking but wants to do the right thing. Evan gives us a great performance where he shines through.dre

Support Cast: 96 Minutes has a supporting cast that really works well with our main four characters.

Director Review: Aimee Lagos – Aimee gives us a powerful drama that keeps us on edge wondering what is happens next.

 

Thriller: 96 Minutes keeps us wondering what will happen to our characters next as the story unfolds.

Settings: 96 Minutes shows the two worlds clashing with two boys coming from the wrong side of town trying to make their own future while the girls show where the next stage will be.

Suggestion: 96 Minutes is one I think everyone should watch at least once. (Watch)

 

Best Part: Performances are brilliant.

Worst Part: Jumping between the two sometimes comes off confusing.

 

Believability: Inspired by true events.

Chances of Tears: No

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

 

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 33 Minutes

Tagline: Out of options. Out of control. Out of time.

 

Overall: Brilliant drama that really sucks you in to see one life changing events.

https://moviesreview101.com/2016/05/31/96-minutes-2011/
  
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Gaz Coombes recommended Africa Basil by Jorge in Music (curated)

 
Africa Basil by Jorge
Africa Basil by Jorge
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I was reading a David Byrne interview and he was talking about Jorge Ben and this album and he talked about this track, 'Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu', and he loved the groove of it. I think it was about the time he was working with Brian Eno on My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts and there's a track called 'Regiment', for which he admitted he took the groove from that Jorge Ben track. And I loved My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts so I then tracked down África Brasil, explored it and loved it. It's weird - I want to give it more credit than it being just a party album or a dinner party album or a tour bus aftershow album, because it is more than that, but that's how I've always listened to it. It's a real go-to record for any kind of little party that I might have but musically it's not in any kind of box. It makes me feel good and I think that combination of South American and African music makes you realise that there's more to it. It has a real gravitas and weight behind it. There's a real importance about this record. Have I explored these rhythms? It's a tricky one. Supergrass did a few times. Something like 'Kiss Of Life' explored a kind of Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club/Jorge Ben vibe but you have to be careful as well; music shouldn't have any boundaries, but you have to be aware of what school you're from. You know, I don't think I'd make a particularly good rap album but I fucking love listening to it. But it's totally different listening to it. I have this view that, just because it feels great and it's fun to play, it doesn't mean that anybody wants to hear you play that. There has to be a point when you have a look at what you're good at and how the music can speak in the right way. It's a real fine line between being yourself and satisfying your pleasures but being aware that not everybody will want to hear that. But I'll tell you what - while I wasn't necessarily going for those kinds of beats from Jorge Ben and records like that, it was more the sounds and the approach and the rhythmic ideas that I was playing around with in the studio and looping a lot of stuff. I was sampling stuff from around the studio and playing beats on weird objects and then looping it. 'Oscillate' on Matador came from this little loop box that I've got and a lot of that was inspired by the vibe of African percussion and sounds and you can hear the room and the air around it. I can't be proficient in that world but I can take different elements from it that I appreciate sonically."

Source
  
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Erika (17788 KP) rated The Current War (2017) in Movies

Oct 29, 2019 (Updated Oct 29, 2019)  
The Current War (2017)
The Current War (2017)
2017 | Biography, Drama, History
I believe I have finally reached Benedict Cumberbatch fatigue; all I asked myself during the entire movie was... No other actor could have played Edison? No one else?
First, this movie was supposed to come out in 2017, but was held up because of something to do with Weinstein. This movie hit theaters in the US this past Friday as The Current War - The Director's Cut.
Well, the director didn't cut out enough, in my opinion. It was one of the longest hour and 41 minute movies of my life. Cumberbatch's Alan Turing, sorry, Thomas Edison, was fine. My main issue with the film was that, I didn't know what the point was, it just kept going. I found out at the end, the point was who was going to light The World's Fair in Chicago. That probably should have been introduced a little bit earlier in the film.
I was mostly looking forward to Nicholas Hoult's Tesla. The movie needed more Tesla, and probably shouldn't have sidelined him for the majority of the movie. Shannon's Westinghouse and Macfayden's JP Morgan were both good too.
If anything comes out of this movie's release, hopefully it's that people stop thinking we use the current Edison used.