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1920 London (2016)
1920 London (2016)
2016 | Horror
7
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Story: 1920 London starts as we meet the Prince Veer (Karwel) and Princess Shivangi (Chopra) living in London, they soon become the latest victim of an evil spirit which takes over Veer’s body, Shivangi must go into her past to find her former lover Jai Singh Gujjar (Joshi) a man that was left banished because of their affair, who has an ability to tackle unwanted spirits.

With the past being placed in the past, Jai comes to figure out how to save Veer and giving Shivangi a peaceful life, only the evil spirit isn’t going to let that happen.

 

Thoughts on 1920 London

 

Characters – Shivangi the princess who has just gotten married, she sees her husband become possessed, which forces her to return to her family for help, with her ex-lover being the only one that could save her husband. Jai Singh is the exorcist that was once the lover of Shivangi, but not being from the royal family means he was once banished for their love. Now he must help her fight an evil spirit, he speciality. Veer is the husband that gets stricken down by the evil spirit that has taken over his body.

Performances – We focus mostly on just the two stars of the movie, Meera Chopra and Sharman Joshi who are both great through the film dealing with the horror, the personal status they are facing and love they both feel.

Story – The story here follows a possession, this is a story I have seen many times, but the different is, I have only ever seen Christian or Jewish religions deal with the spirits, this time we get to see how Hindus treat unwanted spirits. The story does follow the traditional scares, but then here is a twist in the story which explains the possession, one about honour, love and revenge, which does make the story feel fresher, I learnt that this is part of a series of film, but I am confident there isn’t a connection between the previous ones. Most of this is by the books and that is al we want from a horror film.

Horror/Mystery – There are good scare moments in this film, nothing overly original, but they will give the jumps required, the mystery comes from just what the motivation of the evil spirit is to be doing the possessing.

Settings – The film takes the action to London, which I guess is new to the franchise, this is fine even though we spend most of the time in the mansions with no landmarks in the background, with the landmark scenes including the bridges only.

Special Effects – The effects are used well to create the horror moments, like most films the practical is good, but the CGI comes off weak.


Scene of the Movie – The final battle.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – While I understand this is a Bollywood film, the songs lose moments of tension in the film.

Final Thoughts – This is a horror that works for the exorcism genre well, it shows how a different religion reads evil spirits and does battle against them, which is interesting to see and does give us good moments of horror.

 

Overall: Good horror.

https://moviesreview101.com/2018/07/27/abc-film-challenge-world-cinema-1920-london-2016/
  
More Than Just a Pretty Face
More Than Just a Pretty Face
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This is the first book I've read where the main characters are Muslims. It's a good insight into the religion and the various ways people follow it.

So this starts with Danyal. He's not the best in school, but, as quite a few people point out, he's got a pretty face. It's not that he's stupid or anything. He just has other interests in life such as cooking, which he is very good at and wants to become a chef. His father doesn't agree with his career choice and they have several tense conversations. His mother, on the other hand, cannot wait to marry him off to someone who would be good for the family.

I've just struggled to write the above description without giving too much away about this story.

I did enjoy this. Danyal, as I mentioned above, may not be the brightest guy but I really grew to like him. He was quick witted and passionate about what he cared about. His Renaissance Man speech showed that perfectly. History was far from his favourite subject but the Bengal famine became something he wanted to let people know about and he did it in a way that didn't judge so much as inform. Very well thought out.

I also quite liked the romance. It was a very slow burn. They spent quite a lot of time together but mostly as friends. The more time they spent together, laughing, studying and cooking, the more the feelings grew and I was willing them to get together properly, family be damned. It took a long time, though, with other factors getting in the way.

This book was a great insight for those of us who aren't Muslim into what the religion is like and the broad range of ways you can follow it. Sohrab was very invested in the religion, Intezar wasn't following it that much, if at all, and Danyal was like a happy medium.

This was enjoyable but, for me, it was a little too focused on the history and Churchill for the Renaissance Man challenge. I know it was a big part of the plot but History for me, like Danyal, bores me. I wanted more of the romance.
  
HT
How To Succeed in Witchcraft
Aislinn Brophy | 2022 | LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Trigger Warnings: Grooming, prejudice, racism

Shay Johnson is a junior at T.K. Anderson Magical Magnet School and has done everything she possibly can to win the full-ride Brockton Scholarship - her ticket into the university of her dreams. Her only real competition is Ana Alvarez, but Shay also knows if she can impress Mr.B, the drama teacher and head of the scholarship committee, she’ll have an upper leg.

When Mr.B “persuades” Shay into being in the school’s racially diverse musical, in their no-so-diverse school, she agrees, and lands the leading role. But Ana is right behind her playing the second female lead. With the start of rehearsals, Shay realizes Ana isn’t the intense enemy she’s always thought she was… perhaps, she would be a friend, or more?

But when Shay gets asked by Mr.B to do some one-on-one practicing for the musical, she finds herself on the receiving end of Mr.B’s unpleasant and unwanted attention. When Shay learns she’s not the first witch to experience his inappropriate behavior, she must decide if she’ll come forward. But, will speaking out cancel her opportunity for the scholarship - her future?

This book deals with a lot of hard topics: grooming, prejudice, abuse of power, racism. I feel like Aislinn Brophy did a good job in writing the predatory actions that Mr.B was doing with Shay - every time something between them happened, it made my skin crawl.

I did enjoy the enemy-to-lovers storyline; or should I say misunderstandings-to-lovers storyline? It was cute and adorable and nothing drastically changed afterwards (besides more cuteness).

Though the title I feel like the title is a little deceiving, I still liked that magic was a part of the world here, but that magic doesn’t fix everything. Even in a world where you can fly around on brooms and make potions to help you wake up, the world is still far from perfect.

Overall, this is a magic-filled book that dives into where one draws the line on what they will allow to happen in order to get something they’ve worked so hard for their entire life. A good read for the witchy season coming up, but also a good read for the message behind it.

*Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Reads and BookishFirst for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
  
Aquaman (2018)
Aquaman (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
Bad Wigs aside it's really rather good
You could be forgiven for being rather sceptical walking into the cinema to see Aquaman, and it’s easy to see why. An uninspiring set of trailers preceded by the DCEU’s shall we say reluctance to resonate with audiences.

Of course, Wonder Woman was a sterling effort by Patty Jenkins, only hampered by a poor final act and the feeling that the female superhero couldn’t quite shake off the trappings of Zac Snyder’s overarching vision for the DC Extended Universe.

Justice League was a steaming pile of mediocrity and Batman vs Superman was fun if entirely forgettable. Aquaman arrives on the scene with the hopes of Warner Bros. entire franchise on its shoulders. But is it any good?

After the events of Justice League and the defeat of Steppenwolf, Aquaman (Jason Momoa) finds himself caught between a surface world that ravages the sea and the underwater Atlanteans who are ready to revolt. Much like the murky depths of the many oceans the film takes us to, Aquaman is at times, a clouded and muddled blockbuster that lacks the subtle nuances of the MCU, but do you know what, it’s actually really rather good.

As we should have been expecting, Aquaman plays the sensible card when it comes to plot and features numerous references to how we as human beings are destroying our oceans, and this is more than welcome. With the ongoing environmental crisis, the more we plug it in mainstream films, the better.

Jason Momoa takes to the role of Arthur Curry like a duck to water and gets to prove his acting prowess in some of the film’s more poignant moments. Nicole Kidman marks her superhero movie debut as his mother, Queen Atlanna and she looks like she’s having a royally good time. Elsewhere, Amber Heard battles against a truly ghastly wig as Momoa’s love-interest and sidekick – she’s fabulous, wig aside.

The supporting cast is also very strong. We get to see superhero veteran Willem Dafoe having a great time as wise Vulko and Patrick Wilson as Aquaman’s scaly brother, Orm. It’s a cracking cast that bolsters a film that is well-written and enjoyable throughout.

Director James Wan, mastermind of the Saw franchise and director of Furious 7brings his trademark filming style to the superhero blockbuster. There’s some stunning imagery throughout and it’s up there with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom as one of the best-looking films of the year. There’s something delightful to look at lurking in every frame and it’s leagues ahead of anything the DCEU has thrown at us.

The underwater world of Atlantis is brimming with life, albeit of the CGI variety. The neon colour-palate works incredibly well and it feels at times like you’re watching a Star Wars cloud city, but in the depths of the ocean. It’s nicely detailed and very well put together.

For all its flashy special effects and excellent cinematography, it feels wholly unoriginal
The special effects are on the whole, a bit of a mixed bag. The underwater worlds look fab and the sea creatures too have been improved after the critical mauling they received in the trailers. Nevertheless, there are some moments of shaky CGI, normally involving surface dwellers or Atlantean individuals, rather than scenery or creatures. That’s a shame as it distracts from a gorgeous looking film.

When it comes to villainy, both the DCEU and MCU have struggled to create compelling bad guys and unfortunately the same is true here. Yes, Patrick Wilson’s scheming brother is fun to watch, but he feels like a poor man’s Loki and that’s exactly what he is.

Then there’s Black Manta, portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II from The Greatest Showman. Despite being part of one of the film’s best sequences (a fantastically filmed rooftop chase in Italy), he doesn’t get to do a lot and his motives are very Killmonger-esque.

And therein lies the fundamental flaw with Aquaman. For all its flashy special effects and excellent cinematography, it feels wholly unoriginal. From Star Wars to Harry Potter and Thor to Black Panther, elements are borrowed here and there until they make up a film that at 143 minutes is a good 20 minutes too long.

But, it doesn’t take itself too seriously (a problem the DCEU has suffered previously) and Jason Momoa somehow manages to make that Aquaman suit work very well indeed. As far as the DCEU is concerned, this is by far the best film the franchise has put out so far – there’s life in the old dog yet. Aquaman is cheesy, campy fun, and I have to say, I really rather liked it. Just ignore the bad wigs.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/12/13/aquaman-review-bad-wigs-aside-its-really-rather-good/
  
Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)
Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)
2017 | Biography, Crime, Documentary
Great documentary film (7 more)
Netflix
True Story
From family point of view
Real people not actors
Plays the original tapes recorded
Lasts 1hr half
Amazing if like true crime programmes
Not for the people who are anxious or nervous about things (1 more)
Appeals to certain people not for everyone
Abducted in Plain Sight
I sat down on Friday night and watched this documentary. From a dubious position, my wife wanted to watch it and i had doubts.
Was so good. Obviously its not everyones cup of tea but the way the story pans out is amazing. And if it wasnt true story it would be too far-fetched to make up a story like this.
I would seriously recommend this to anybody that likes true life crime movies and programmes.
I feel so sorry for this family and i would never spoiler any film as it would ruin and alter the vision experience you recieve
  
WTF with Marc Maron Podcast
WTF with Marc Maron Podcast
Comedy
10
8.2 (5 Ratings)
Podcast Rating
Top celebrities and newsmakers telling deeply personal stories mixed with impulsive unedited comedy. (0 more)
His shows end before you're done listening to his stellar guests. (0 more)
He gently squeezes the stories out of celebrities that you won't hear anywhere else!
This is a can't miss podcast for anybody into the genre. His guests include top shelf celebrities from Hollywood and music, not to mention Barack Obama himself! He opens the podcast talking about what's going on in his personal life, including his awesome cats, and proceeds to give a very in depth interview to a notable guest. Even when you've heard this guest on other shows, Marc has a gentle way of coaxing the good stuff out of them. His openness about his substance abuse decades ago and the abuse he suffered as a child has a way of telling his guests that it's ok to come clean to me, I've been through it, too. A deeply personal experience and an absolute thrill to listen to.
  
TS
Teak's Second Start (Itayu Lake, #7)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Teak's Second Start tells the story of how Teak, an arctic fox shifter, escapes from his possessive boyfriend, who not only has a wife already, but turns out to be part of the Hunters. Teak moves to Spirit Valley where he hopes his new life can begin. He receives a shock though when not only does he meet his mate, but his ex follows him and soon causes all sorts of trouble.

These Itáyu Lake novellas are the perfect, quick, read for a sunny afternoon. The writing and pace is smooth, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. Although you receive a small benefit to reading the prior books, it in no way affects this story if you haven't. Short, sweet, and sexy. Definitely recommended by me.

* 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!
  
The Code of the Woosters (Jeeves, #7)
The Code of the Woosters (Jeeves, #7)
P.G. Wodehouse | 2000 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I think everyone should have a Jeeves in their life.

This is the one in which Berie Wooster is duped/blackmailed by his 'good and deserving' Aunt Dahlia into travelling and staying at Totleigh Towers, all in pursuit of an 18th century Cow-creamer that she wants her husband to sucessfully purchase (for reasons that are to complicated to go into here), and that sees Bertie's friends Gussie Fink-Nottle, the rev Harold 'stinker' Pinker fall into and out of favour with their respective (and prospective) other half's - one of whom (Madeline Bassett) believes Bertie Wooster to be madly and deeply in love with her.

Throw in the would-be fascist Dictator Roderick Spode, and the fact that Sir Watkyn Bassett (who owns Totleigh Towers) believes Bertie Wooster to be a kleptomaniac, and we have all the necessary ingredients for another convoluted set of scenarios, which only Jeeves is able to unravel to everybody's satisfaction.
  
Deaf Child Crossing
Deaf Child Crossing
Marlee Matlin | 2002 | Children, Young Adult (YA)
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Awful MC
Deaf Child Crossing is a middle grade read that tells the story of two nine year old girls. Megan is deaf, and Cindy is the new girl that just moved in to her neighborhood.
I liked Cindy she was a realistic, and tried her best to be a good friend. Unfortunately Megan was the main focus of the book, and she was awful. I will say she was technically realistic just now very likeable. She treats Cindy horribly through most of the book, but it gets played off because Megan is working through stuff. I know this happens in real life but I hate seeing it in literature. It is not okay to treat people like crap just because you are going through something!
I know this book gets a lot of applause for having a deaf character, but I really feel like there has to be better books available.
  
    Tiny Violin

    Tiny Violin

    Games and Music

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    "Best 99 cents we've ever spent." - Mac|Life New version 1.8! Play the world's smallest violin on...