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The Soulmate Equation
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Jess Davis is a numbers genius, but when it comes to love she's had to accept there is no magic...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated A Star Is Born (2018) in Movies
Oct 9, 2018
4th time IS the charm
I, like many, rolled my eyes when I heard that Bradley Cooper (of all people) was tabbed to write, direct and star in the 4th film adaptation of A STAR IS BORN. I was not a big fan of the Streisand/Kristofferson version from the 1970's, have vague memories of the Garland/Mason version from the 1950's and never saw the original Gaynor/March version from the 1930's. But when I heard that Lady Gaga was cast in the female lead of this film, I was intrigued and decided to check it out.
And...I'm glad I did as A STAR IS BORN now resides atop my list of BEST PICTURES OF 2018!. The music, acting, directing and story all work well in conjunction with each other to bring this tearjerker new, relevant life for a whole new audience.
For those of you not familiar with the plot, A STAR IS BORN tells the tale of an up and coming performing talent who is taken under the wing of an aging, on the decline, alcoholic superstar performer. We watch her rise and his fall.
In the lead role of Ally, Lady Gaga is outstanding. From her first musical performance to the last, you can clearly see that she has the musical chops, bravura and heart to pull off these scenes and this character. She really brings it here and you are drawn in whenever her character is on-stage, performing. As an actress she is better than "fine". You can see some moments of acting skill and depth, but you do see some of her lack of experience in her acting in some of the quieter scenes. All that said, I will be shocked if she is NOT nominated for an Oscar for this performance - she certainly is going to be nominated (and will probably win) as well for Best Song.
Complimenting her - and holding the screen, and our attention throughout - is Bradley Cooper's performance of Superstar-on-the-decline Jackson Maine. His Country/Rock legend lives up to the billing in voice, musical performance and attitude. This is Cooper's finest performance of his career, nuanced and crushing, drawing us in while simultaneously pushing us away. He is, easily, the front-runner for the Best Actor Oscar.
Complimenting these two are Andrew Dice Clay (interestingly enough) as Ally's father , who brings a multi-faceted character to life. He is star-struck, hopeful, protective and angry - always wishing for the best for his daughter, and protecting her from those that will prey on her. I would say he could be nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but he is not the Best Supporting Actor in this film, not by a long shot.
That Best Support Actor performance belongs to Sam Elliott who plays Cooper's (much) older brother. Cooper and Elliott's characters have a love/hate relationship with deep familial scars. As often happens with Supporting Roles, Elliot's performance shines and then is elevated to another level from one scene late in the film. He'll easily get an Oscar nomination - and will probably, finally, earn the Oscar he deserves.
But this film isn't all about acting. The Direction by Cooper (who will probably be nominated in all 3 categories - acting, writing and directing) is sharp and to the point. He films the musical scenes with skill and doesn't let the camera get too crazy while driving his lens close in to the actor's faces during the quiet scenes, drawing us in to this pair.
And of course, with this type of film, it will hinge on how good the music, and the musical performances, are - and this film delivers the goods in that space. There is memorable song after memorable song, performed strongly by both Cooper and Lady Gaga. They are good separately, but are INCREDIBLE when they perform together.
I cannot say enough good things about this film - it IS that good. Check this film out, you'll be glad you did, and you'll be able to say that you've seen the front-runner for all the OSCARS of 2018.
Letter Grade: A
9 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And...I'm glad I did as A STAR IS BORN now resides atop my list of BEST PICTURES OF 2018!. The music, acting, directing and story all work well in conjunction with each other to bring this tearjerker new, relevant life for a whole new audience.
For those of you not familiar with the plot, A STAR IS BORN tells the tale of an up and coming performing talent who is taken under the wing of an aging, on the decline, alcoholic superstar performer. We watch her rise and his fall.
In the lead role of Ally, Lady Gaga is outstanding. From her first musical performance to the last, you can clearly see that she has the musical chops, bravura and heart to pull off these scenes and this character. She really brings it here and you are drawn in whenever her character is on-stage, performing. As an actress she is better than "fine". You can see some moments of acting skill and depth, but you do see some of her lack of experience in her acting in some of the quieter scenes. All that said, I will be shocked if she is NOT nominated for an Oscar for this performance - she certainly is going to be nominated (and will probably win) as well for Best Song.
Complimenting her - and holding the screen, and our attention throughout - is Bradley Cooper's performance of Superstar-on-the-decline Jackson Maine. His Country/Rock legend lives up to the billing in voice, musical performance and attitude. This is Cooper's finest performance of his career, nuanced and crushing, drawing us in while simultaneously pushing us away. He is, easily, the front-runner for the Best Actor Oscar.
Complimenting these two are Andrew Dice Clay (interestingly enough) as Ally's father , who brings a multi-faceted character to life. He is star-struck, hopeful, protective and angry - always wishing for the best for his daughter, and protecting her from those that will prey on her. I would say he could be nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but he is not the Best Supporting Actor in this film, not by a long shot.
That Best Support Actor performance belongs to Sam Elliott who plays Cooper's (much) older brother. Cooper and Elliott's characters have a love/hate relationship with deep familial scars. As often happens with Supporting Roles, Elliot's performance shines and then is elevated to another level from one scene late in the film. He'll easily get an Oscar nomination - and will probably, finally, earn the Oscar he deserves.
But this film isn't all about acting. The Direction by Cooper (who will probably be nominated in all 3 categories - acting, writing and directing) is sharp and to the point. He films the musical scenes with skill and doesn't let the camera get too crazy while driving his lens close in to the actor's faces during the quiet scenes, drawing us in to this pair.
And of course, with this type of film, it will hinge on how good the music, and the musical performances, are - and this film delivers the goods in that space. There is memorable song after memorable song, performed strongly by both Cooper and Lady Gaga. They are good separately, but are INCREDIBLE when they perform together.
I cannot say enough good things about this film - it IS that good. Check this film out, you'll be glad you did, and you'll be able to say that you've seen the front-runner for all the OSCARS of 2018.
Letter Grade: A
9 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated 22 July (2018) in Movies
Oct 22, 2018 (Updated Oct 22, 2018)
Good Direction (1 more)
Well Acted
An Important, If Terrifying Recent Tragedy
22 July is a Netflix film directed by Paul Greengrass about a brutal 2011 terrorist attack in Oslo.
This film is hard to watch.
I'm a guy that loves gory action flicks and intense horror movies, but something like this is far more disturbing to me. The film is so well made on a technical level, that at some points it actually feels like you are watching the real life massacre play out, which to me felt a little bit too real. Thankfully, I have never been affected by an act of terrorism, nor has anyone that I know, but if I had, I'm not sure how I would feel about someone making a movie like this retelling the trauma that those people went through.
I appreciate that this is an important event in recent history and shouldn't be something that is easily forgotten, but the brutal realism of this film is hard to stomach at times. It really puts you in the shoes of the victims and let's you imagine the terror and crippling fear that they must have felt.
The actor that plays the perpetrator of the attack, Anders Behring Breivik, (played by Anders Danielsen Lie,) has to be commended. He was so believable in the role that I ended up getting really angry every time that he appeared in a scene. I don't even want to know what an actor has to do to get into that headspace, but he put in an absolutely sublime performance as a deplorable scumbag.
The other standout role was Jonas Strand Gravli as Viljar Hanssen, one of the victims of the attack. He is the audience's main conduit into this horrific event and he is brilliant throughout the film.
The main criticism that I have is that we are shown this horrific attack in brutal detail and the aftermath of the event, with no real purpose. I am not sure what the point of this movie was other than to retell a gut wrenching, terrifying story of a real life terrorist attack. I guess, if you were to do some reaching, you could say that the fact that the film has no point echoes the fact that this brutal act of mass violence also had no point and sometimes these horrific things just happen with no real reason.
Overall, this is a very well made movie. It is full of heavy emotions and will make you think about the nature of the human mind. This is if you can get through it though, the movie is very hard to watch and I can see a good amount of folks turning off because they can't handle it, which I can totally understand.
This film is hard to watch.
I'm a guy that loves gory action flicks and intense horror movies, but something like this is far more disturbing to me. The film is so well made on a technical level, that at some points it actually feels like you are watching the real life massacre play out, which to me felt a little bit too real. Thankfully, I have never been affected by an act of terrorism, nor has anyone that I know, but if I had, I'm not sure how I would feel about someone making a movie like this retelling the trauma that those people went through.
I appreciate that this is an important event in recent history and shouldn't be something that is easily forgotten, but the brutal realism of this film is hard to stomach at times. It really puts you in the shoes of the victims and let's you imagine the terror and crippling fear that they must have felt.
The actor that plays the perpetrator of the attack, Anders Behring Breivik, (played by Anders Danielsen Lie,) has to be commended. He was so believable in the role that I ended up getting really angry every time that he appeared in a scene. I don't even want to know what an actor has to do to get into that headspace, but he put in an absolutely sublime performance as a deplorable scumbag.
The other standout role was Jonas Strand Gravli as Viljar Hanssen, one of the victims of the attack. He is the audience's main conduit into this horrific event and he is brilliant throughout the film.
The main criticism that I have is that we are shown this horrific attack in brutal detail and the aftermath of the event, with no real purpose. I am not sure what the point of this movie was other than to retell a gut wrenching, terrifying story of a real life terrorist attack. I guess, if you were to do some reaching, you could say that the fact that the film has no point echoes the fact that this brutal act of mass violence also had no point and sometimes these horrific things just happen with no real reason.
Overall, this is a very well made movie. It is full of heavy emotions and will make you think about the nature of the human mind. This is if you can get through it though, the movie is very hard to watch and I can see a good amount of folks turning off because they can't handle it, which I can totally understand.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Let Her Out (2016) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
Story: Let Her Out starts as we follow Helen (LeVierge) a bike messenger whose only knowledge of her mother is that she died, when Helen is involved in an accident her life is turned upside down, when she starts to see visions and loses time.
After going through scans, Helen learns that she is suffering from vanishing twin syndrome which is leading to the dark space in her mind growing causing all the side effects but just how long can she remain calm before being taken over by her former twin.
Thoughts on Let Her Out
Characters – Helen is a biker messenger that after being involved in an accident starts to lose her mind only to learn that she was one of a twin but now the former one is starting to take over her body and mind. This is a strong character that you can feel is losing her mind through the actions of the movie. Molly is the best friend and roommate that is trying her best to support her through the problems she facing. Ed is Molly’s boyfriend and an extra wedge between the friendship as the descent into madness continues.
Performances – Alanna LeVierge gives us a real mixed bag of a performance, while her descent into the madness comes off good her interactions feel weak for the most part. Nina Kiri is good but doesn’t get enough time to shine. The rest of the cast are fine but don’t get much time either.
Story – The story follows one woman who is about to lose her mind thanks to vanishing twin syndrome. The first half follows the simple idea that things could be going wrong, but the second half goes full blown into that idea where the transformation in character becomes clear. This is a solid idea for a story, while it has been done before this takes things to a bloodier level than before.
Horror – The horror tries to be a mix between a couple of sub-genres, we have the moments of suspense which don’t get used very well at all, but the blood and gore side hits the marks with the final act being the highlight of the film.
Settings – We do have a mix of settings for the film with the one target setting being the motel which is meant to symbolise something to the characters.
Special Effects – The effects are mostly practical, with the final act giving us a wonderful pay off.
Scene of the Movie – The final act.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Some of the dialogue was poor.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror film that gets saved by the final act which will shock, it is a slow burner but does have a strong pay off in the end, even if moments are weak in places.
Overall: Good shock saving horror.
After going through scans, Helen learns that she is suffering from vanishing twin syndrome which is leading to the dark space in her mind growing causing all the side effects but just how long can she remain calm before being taken over by her former twin.
Thoughts on Let Her Out
Characters – Helen is a biker messenger that after being involved in an accident starts to lose her mind only to learn that she was one of a twin but now the former one is starting to take over her body and mind. This is a strong character that you can feel is losing her mind through the actions of the movie. Molly is the best friend and roommate that is trying her best to support her through the problems she facing. Ed is Molly’s boyfriend and an extra wedge between the friendship as the descent into madness continues.
Performances – Alanna LeVierge gives us a real mixed bag of a performance, while her descent into the madness comes off good her interactions feel weak for the most part. Nina Kiri is good but doesn’t get enough time to shine. The rest of the cast are fine but don’t get much time either.
Story – The story follows one woman who is about to lose her mind thanks to vanishing twin syndrome. The first half follows the simple idea that things could be going wrong, but the second half goes full blown into that idea where the transformation in character becomes clear. This is a solid idea for a story, while it has been done before this takes things to a bloodier level than before.
Horror – The horror tries to be a mix between a couple of sub-genres, we have the moments of suspense which don’t get used very well at all, but the blood and gore side hits the marks with the final act being the highlight of the film.
Settings – We do have a mix of settings for the film with the one target setting being the motel which is meant to symbolise something to the characters.
Special Effects – The effects are mostly practical, with the final act giving us a wonderful pay off.
Scene of the Movie – The final act.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Some of the dialogue was poor.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror film that gets saved by the final act which will shock, it is a slow burner but does have a strong pay off in the end, even if moments are weak in places.
Overall: Good shock saving horror.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Dawn at Emberwilde (Treasures of Surrey, #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
★★★☆☆ - "I've been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."
A new story, a new mystery and a new adventure. Dawn at Emberwilde is a charming story of a young woman who is offered a new life. What will she do with the choices laid before her?
"And yet the very sight of her
dislodged his sense of time and space."
- Dawn at Emberwilde
(Location 3620)
About the Book
Isabel Creston has grown up at Fellsworth School, training for a teaching position. Knowing she would someday become a governess. She has resigned to her lot in life, but her spirit wishes to soar free. When an unexpected visitor shows up at Fellsworth School, life as she knew it changed forever. Unknown relatives have been searching for Isabel since the death of her father. They were finally able to track her down and open their home to her. Filled with apprehensions, Isabel and her younger sister, Elizabeth, travel to their new home of Emberwilde. With stories of the Emberwilde Forest being haunted and of her past that differ from her own knowledge, Isabel does not know who or what to believe. When not one, but two men begin to occupy her thoughts, her heart is thrown into a tumult whirlwind. Will she embrace the endearments of Mr. Bradley? Or find comfort in the silent strength of Mr. Galloway? Who is she really? Will she find herself in the forest of Emberwilde?
"The important thing to remember is that no experience is ever wasted. It is being used to fashion you into the person you are meant to be, and to move you to the place where you are supposed to go."
- Dawn at Emberwilde
(Location 3115)
My Thoughts
I have to admit that although I did enjoy the overall story line, I was a bit let down with Dawn at Emberwilde. First of all I was under the impression that this series would have treasures such as gems and jewelry playing a significant role. In the first book (The Curiosity Keeper) we have the mystery of the Bevoy (a giant ruby), which was a thrilling tale! However there is no mystery of that kind in Dawn at Emberwilde. Don't get me wrong though, there is plenty of mystery and devious behavior to make a good story. But of a fashion that I was not quite expecting. I kept waiting for something else into come into play (like a chest of gold). Although, I suppose the treasure itself is supposed to be Isabel Creston. While the outline of this story was good, I felt that the pace could have been a bit quicker. The last 80 pages are full of action and I really couldn't put it down until I finished it. But the first 240 pages or so were not nearly as exciting. This book had a Cinderella feel to it, being a rags to riches type of story. The description of the clothing and styles was extremely detailed. The cover is exceptional, depicting the Emberwilde Forest perfectly! With its sense of haunting and mystery. Recommended if you are looking for a nice book to occupy some down time. These books can stand alone. There was very little reference to The Curiosity Keeper in Dawn at Emberwilde.
I received a free digital copy of The Curiosity Keeper from NetGalley courtesy of Thomas Nelson, Inc. in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
A new story, a new mystery and a new adventure. Dawn at Emberwilde is a charming story of a young woman who is offered a new life. What will she do with the choices laid before her?
"And yet the very sight of her
dislodged his sense of time and space."
- Dawn at Emberwilde
(Location 3620)
About the Book
Isabel Creston has grown up at Fellsworth School, training for a teaching position. Knowing she would someday become a governess. She has resigned to her lot in life, but her spirit wishes to soar free. When an unexpected visitor shows up at Fellsworth School, life as she knew it changed forever. Unknown relatives have been searching for Isabel since the death of her father. They were finally able to track her down and open their home to her. Filled with apprehensions, Isabel and her younger sister, Elizabeth, travel to their new home of Emberwilde. With stories of the Emberwilde Forest being haunted and of her past that differ from her own knowledge, Isabel does not know who or what to believe. When not one, but two men begin to occupy her thoughts, her heart is thrown into a tumult whirlwind. Will she embrace the endearments of Mr. Bradley? Or find comfort in the silent strength of Mr. Galloway? Who is she really? Will she find herself in the forest of Emberwilde?
"The important thing to remember is that no experience is ever wasted. It is being used to fashion you into the person you are meant to be, and to move you to the place where you are supposed to go."
- Dawn at Emberwilde
(Location 3115)
My Thoughts
I have to admit that although I did enjoy the overall story line, I was a bit let down with Dawn at Emberwilde. First of all I was under the impression that this series would have treasures such as gems and jewelry playing a significant role. In the first book (The Curiosity Keeper) we have the mystery of the Bevoy (a giant ruby), which was a thrilling tale! However there is no mystery of that kind in Dawn at Emberwilde. Don't get me wrong though, there is plenty of mystery and devious behavior to make a good story. But of a fashion that I was not quite expecting. I kept waiting for something else into come into play (like a chest of gold). Although, I suppose the treasure itself is supposed to be Isabel Creston. While the outline of this story was good, I felt that the pace could have been a bit quicker. The last 80 pages are full of action and I really couldn't put it down until I finished it. But the first 240 pages or so were not nearly as exciting. This book had a Cinderella feel to it, being a rags to riches type of story. The description of the clothing and styles was extremely detailed. The cover is exceptional, depicting the Emberwilde Forest perfectly! With its sense of haunting and mystery. Recommended if you are looking for a nice book to occupy some down time. These books can stand alone. There was very little reference to The Curiosity Keeper in Dawn at Emberwilde.
I received a free digital copy of The Curiosity Keeper from NetGalley courtesy of Thomas Nelson, Inc. in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Hidden Gold: A True Story of the Holocaust in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
I'm generally not a memoir person. But if I'm going to read a memoir (or even nonfiction), I'll choose anything about the Holocaust (I find that time period sadistically interesting).
<i>Hidden Gold</i> deserves about as much praise as Anne Frank's <i>Diary of a Young Girl</i>. A story set in another part of Europe (Poland) during Hitler's reign, Burakowski tells us her family's survival, hidden away from society in the hopes that they won't be found out.
For two years, the Golds hid with the Lanskis in a small part of a barn in Kolkow, surviving with very little sustenance. During that time, their hope dwindles little by little, but the two families still cling on to their pasts, even if that life will be impossible to get back to after everything blows over.
I loved how Burakowski introduces us to her family and the people that the Golds were involved with, giving us lots of background information on how Leib met Hanna and how the Golds lived their life in the early parts of the war. Burakowski also gives us insight on the growing hypocrisy and horrors among society as Hitler's power and anti-Semitism grew, giving us visuals on how life was like for the Jews back in the late 1930s and early 1940s. We're also shown the inner turmoils going on with those who had good relations with Jews and now having to choose whether or not they should help Jews, or give in to the propaganda.
Shoshana, Hanna's daughter, is extremely admirable. She's willing to go out to the Germans, pretending to be one of them, to buy her family time. She is also willing to risk her life a few times to get her family's money from Pi?czów, and going back again <em>while</em> she felt ill. If I were in her place, I'd probably continue to curl up in a fetal little ball. (Despite the fact I'm considered living in "poverty," I'm pretty much a lucky duckling. Also, being an only child, I'm probably a <em>little</em> spoiled.)
David is perhaps one of those where all the feels will come. Like any little kid, he's full of mischief and mayhem, but going through such a dark time at a really young age, he's extremely brave, confident, and has the most hope for the family getting out alive.
Although most of <i>Hidden Gold</i> is focused on the Gold's survival during Hitler running rampant with the final solution, Burakowski finalizes the story from David's viewpoint with how each of the family members were impacted years later in the future. For those interested in what happened in other parts of Europe or a survival story outside of concentration camps, Ella Burakowski's <i>Hidden Gold</i> makes a fantastic contribution depicting the horrors of the Holocaust.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-hidden-gold-by-ella-burakowski/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I'm generally not a memoir person. But if I'm going to read a memoir (or even nonfiction), I'll choose anything about the Holocaust (I find that time period sadistically interesting).
<i>Hidden Gold</i> deserves about as much praise as Anne Frank's <i>Diary of a Young Girl</i>. A story set in another part of Europe (Poland) during Hitler's reign, Burakowski tells us her family's survival, hidden away from society in the hopes that they won't be found out.
For two years, the Golds hid with the Lanskis in a small part of a barn in Kolkow, surviving with very little sustenance. During that time, their hope dwindles little by little, but the two families still cling on to their pasts, even if that life will be impossible to get back to after everything blows over.
I loved how Burakowski introduces us to her family and the people that the Golds were involved with, giving us lots of background information on how Leib met Hanna and how the Golds lived their life in the early parts of the war. Burakowski also gives us insight on the growing hypocrisy and horrors among society as Hitler's power and anti-Semitism grew, giving us visuals on how life was like for the Jews back in the late 1930s and early 1940s. We're also shown the inner turmoils going on with those who had good relations with Jews and now having to choose whether or not they should help Jews, or give in to the propaganda.
Shoshana, Hanna's daughter, is extremely admirable. She's willing to go out to the Germans, pretending to be one of them, to buy her family time. She is also willing to risk her life a few times to get her family's money from Pi?czów, and going back again <em>while</em> she felt ill. If I were in her place, I'd probably continue to curl up in a fetal little ball. (Despite the fact I'm considered living in "poverty," I'm pretty much a lucky duckling. Also, being an only child, I'm probably a <em>little</em> spoiled.)
David is perhaps one of those where all the feels will come. Like any little kid, he's full of mischief and mayhem, but going through such a dark time at a really young age, he's extremely brave, confident, and has the most hope for the family getting out alive.
Although most of <i>Hidden Gold</i> is focused on the Gold's survival during Hitler running rampant with the final solution, Burakowski finalizes the story from David's viewpoint with how each of the family members were impacted years later in the future. For those interested in what happened in other parts of Europe or a survival story outside of concentration camps, Ella Burakowski's <i>Hidden Gold</i> makes a fantastic contribution depicting the horrors of the Holocaust.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-hidden-gold-by-ella-burakowski/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Darren (1599 KP) rated Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Alice Through the Looking Glass starts as Alice (Wasikowska) returns from one of her voyages around the world only to find her dreams of seeing the world have been taken from her. Escaping the real world Wonderland calls Alice back with Queen Mirana (Hathaway) and the rest of the characters need Alice to bring the Hatter (Depp) back to his senses after he falls through memories of his loss.
Alice must travel back through time to save the Hatter’ family and bring him back to his colourful ways. Alice finds herself having to go to Time (Cohen) himself to find a way to save the Hatter where she finds herself coming across an old foe Iracebeth (Carter) who wants to use time to control the kingdoms regaining her crown.
Alice Through the Looking Glass does what Oz the Great and Powerful and Wicked have done to The Wizard of Oz by making us want to sympathise with the villainous characters by showing us how they got driven into evil ways because of the bad decisions by the good one. The travel through time works because it does explain certain moments from the story like why Hatter and co have been waiting so long for the tea party. In the end this just tries slightly too much to not bring any new villainous threat to the world to show Alice the important lesson in the real life she is living.
Actor Review
Johnny Depp: Hatter Tarrant Hightopp has gone into a deep depression when he learns to remember the fate of his family, Alice is trying to go through his past to stop this event so we get to meet Hatter as he was younger and struggling to decide whether to follow in his father’s footsteps. Johnny continues his streak of quirky roles but does get over shadowed by Mia.
Mia Wasikowska: Alice is now an adventurer who travels the world only to return home and find her future gone and being forced to give up her dreams. When she returns to Wonderland she must battle the forces of time to save her old friend Hatter and learn to accept her own changes in her life. Mia is good in this role but it is strange seeing an older version of Alice.
Helena Bonham Carter: Iracebeth is the evil queen who lost her crown in the first film, she wants to use time to change the past keeping her power over the kingdoms, but this time we learn about what drove her to be the way she is. Helena continues her blatant rip off performance from Queenie in Blackadder.
Anne Hathaway: Mirana is the good queen of the kingdom who asks Alice to help the Hatter only for us to learn about her younger ways. Anne is very basic in this supporting performance where she doesn’t get much to work with.
Support Cast: Alice Through the Looking Glass has a big supporting cast with Sacha Baron Cohen shining as Time itself chasing Alice down through time.
Director Review: James Bobin – James gives us a solid sequel but seems to mix Oz the Great and Powerful with time travel.
Adventure: Alice Through the Looking Glass does put Alice on an adventure she could only dream of through time itself.
Family: Alice Through the Looking Glass does feel slightly too dark for the youngest members of family to enjoy.
Fantasy: Alice Through the Looking Glass builds on the fantasy world created on the first outing looking deeper into the backstory of the characters involved.
Settings: Alice Through the Looking Glass brings us back to the Wonderland location with the inclusion of the time warehouse location.
Special Effects: Alice Through the Looking Glass is a film you can almost feel the green screen behind the actors.
Suggestion: Alice Through the Looking Glass is only one to try really I don’t think it is one that is that special. (Try It)
Best Part: Time is a good character.
Worst Part: Just feels like a copy of Oz the Great and the Powerful with time travel.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $170 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 53 Minutes
Tagline: This spring, it’s time for a little madness.
Overall: Simple sequel that offers nothing new to the overall Wonderland world.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/06/23/alice-through-the-looking-glass-2016/
Alice must travel back through time to save the Hatter’ family and bring him back to his colourful ways. Alice finds herself having to go to Time (Cohen) himself to find a way to save the Hatter where she finds herself coming across an old foe Iracebeth (Carter) who wants to use time to control the kingdoms regaining her crown.
Alice Through the Looking Glass does what Oz the Great and Powerful and Wicked have done to The Wizard of Oz by making us want to sympathise with the villainous characters by showing us how they got driven into evil ways because of the bad decisions by the good one. The travel through time works because it does explain certain moments from the story like why Hatter and co have been waiting so long for the tea party. In the end this just tries slightly too much to not bring any new villainous threat to the world to show Alice the important lesson in the real life she is living.
Actor Review
Johnny Depp: Hatter Tarrant Hightopp has gone into a deep depression when he learns to remember the fate of his family, Alice is trying to go through his past to stop this event so we get to meet Hatter as he was younger and struggling to decide whether to follow in his father’s footsteps. Johnny continues his streak of quirky roles but does get over shadowed by Mia.
Mia Wasikowska: Alice is now an adventurer who travels the world only to return home and find her future gone and being forced to give up her dreams. When she returns to Wonderland she must battle the forces of time to save her old friend Hatter and learn to accept her own changes in her life. Mia is good in this role but it is strange seeing an older version of Alice.
Helena Bonham Carter: Iracebeth is the evil queen who lost her crown in the first film, she wants to use time to change the past keeping her power over the kingdoms, but this time we learn about what drove her to be the way she is. Helena continues her blatant rip off performance from Queenie in Blackadder.
Anne Hathaway: Mirana is the good queen of the kingdom who asks Alice to help the Hatter only for us to learn about her younger ways. Anne is very basic in this supporting performance where she doesn’t get much to work with.
Support Cast: Alice Through the Looking Glass has a big supporting cast with Sacha Baron Cohen shining as Time itself chasing Alice down through time.
Director Review: James Bobin – James gives us a solid sequel but seems to mix Oz the Great and Powerful with time travel.
Adventure: Alice Through the Looking Glass does put Alice on an adventure she could only dream of through time itself.
Family: Alice Through the Looking Glass does feel slightly too dark for the youngest members of family to enjoy.
Fantasy: Alice Through the Looking Glass builds on the fantasy world created on the first outing looking deeper into the backstory of the characters involved.
Settings: Alice Through the Looking Glass brings us back to the Wonderland location with the inclusion of the time warehouse location.
Special Effects: Alice Through the Looking Glass is a film you can almost feel the green screen behind the actors.
Suggestion: Alice Through the Looking Glass is only one to try really I don’t think it is one that is that special. (Try It)
Best Part: Time is a good character.
Worst Part: Just feels like a copy of Oz the Great and the Powerful with time travel.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $170 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 53 Minutes
Tagline: This spring, it’s time for a little madness.
Overall: Simple sequel that offers nothing new to the overall Wonderland world.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/06/23/alice-through-the-looking-glass-2016/
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Merissa (11958 KP) rated Of Land and Sky (Wraidd Elfennol #3) in Books
Dec 21, 2017
Of Land and Sky (Wraidd Elfennol #3) by Morgan Sheppard
Of Land and Sky is the third book in the Wraidd Elfennol series, and it starts approximately sixty years after Water Weaver.
The world of Wraidd Elfennol has been in balance since the original Chosen went on their quest, but now new Chosen of Earth and Air have been announced. Bran and Rhosyn don't get on very well to begin with, but they have to learn to work together. With their Partners ever ready with words of wisdom, we stay with them as they bring the trees back to life.
This is a very different book to Water Weaver - more introverted. I wasn't sure how this would turn out, but I'm really pleased with the results. There are many lessons in this book if you choose to see them, from family to love.
Fair warning though - this book had me sobbing towards the end. I knew it would happen, but that didn't lessen the impact in any way!
A brilliant addition to the series, and definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements fora review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The world of Wraidd Elfennol has been in balance since the original Chosen went on their quest, but now new Chosen of Earth and Air have been announced. Bran and Rhosyn don't get on very well to begin with, but they have to learn to work together. With their Partners ever ready with words of wisdom, we stay with them as they bring the trees back to life.
This is a very different book to Water Weaver - more introverted. I wasn't sure how this would turn out, but I'm really pleased with the results. There are many lessons in this book if you choose to see them, from family to love.
Fair warning though - this book had me sobbing towards the end. I knew it would happen, but that didn't lessen the impact in any way!
A brilliant addition to the series, and definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements fora review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!