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Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion
Book
Alain de Botton's Religion for Atheists looks at the God debate with fresh eyes All of us, whether...
The Creative Writing Workbook
Book
IMPROVE YOUR CREATIVE WRITING WITH THIS PRACTICAL, LEARNING FOCUSED WORKBOOK. Are you inspired to...
It's Murder, My Son (Mac Faraday Mystery #1)
10.0
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“An exciting mystery with plenty of intriguing and enigmatic characters, It's Murder, My Son...
Murder Audiobook Ebook Kindle Murder Mystery Mystery
Merissa (13303 KP) rated Professional Distance (Thorne and Dash #1) in Books
May 20, 2023
This is the first story of Thorne and 'Dash', and I will tell you now that I can't wait for book 2! That being said, this book is complete in and of itself, so it will be interesting to see where their story takes them next.
Thorne is 42 years old and a workaholic. Everything is scheduled, even sex, and he has distanced himself from emotion since being badly hurt, and unable to show it. Dash is 22 years old and is working as an escort in order to pay his way through cooking school and become a chef. There is nothing unusual or extraordinary about the basis of this story, but something about how it was written, grabbed me and wouldn't let go!
Thorne can act like an arrogant jerk, and he knows it. Not only will Dash not put up with this behaviour, but he also understands why Thorne is acting this way and knows how to make the situation better. Of course, things aren't plain sailing, and there is the issue of Dash being an escort, as well as twenty years younger than Thorne, to contend with.
What brought this to a 5-star read for me, was the way in which Thorne dealt with his loss and turned his life around. By taking control of his life in a way he wasn't expecting, and laying himself on the line for the one he loves, this is what gave the fifth star from me. I loved the interactions between Dash and Thorne, hot in every sense.
Absolutely recommended by me, and I can't wait for more from Silvia Violet.
* 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!
Jan 24, 2016
Thorne is 42 years old and a workaholic. Everything is scheduled, even sex, and he has distanced himself from emotion since being badly hurt, and unable to show it. Dash is 22 years old and is working as an escort in order to pay his way through cooking school and become a chef. There is nothing unusual or extraordinary about the basis of this story, but something about how it was written, grabbed me and wouldn't let go!
Thorne can act like an arrogant jerk, and he knows it. Not only will Dash not put up with this behaviour, but he also understands why Thorne is acting this way and knows how to make the situation better. Of course, things aren't plain sailing, and there is the issue of Dash being an escort, as well as twenty years younger than Thorne, to contend with.
What brought this to a 5-star read for me, was the way in which Thorne dealt with his loss and turned his life around. By taking control of his life in a way he wasn't expecting, and laying himself on the line for the one he loves, this is what gave the fifth star from me. I loved the interactions between Dash and Thorne, hot in every sense.
Absolutely recommended by me, and I can't wait for more from Silvia Violet.
* 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!
Jan 24, 2016
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated A Certain Wolfish Charm (Westfield Wolves, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Rating:
3.75
Lily is worried about her nephew, Oliver, whom she has raised since he was six. He’s nearly doubled in size, he’s always angry, and she’s never raised a boy before so she has no idea what to think. So she turns to his legal guardian, Simon Westfield the duke of Blackmoor, who has never been involved in the 12-year old’s life except to send money when Lily writes to him. When she finally finds him, he won’t talk to her, won’t listen to her, and won’t help her.
But then Simon seems to realize what the problem is—because he experienced it himself: Oliver is turning into a werewolf—and demands to take Oliver under his control, to help and raise him himself. Lilly refuses to leave her nephew, and finds herself falling for Simon, then engaged to him in order to protect her reputation.
But Simon doesn’t want Lily in his life—though he can’t deny the attraction he has for her—because of the horrible stories of werewolf love going wrong. But how can he keep her away when she’s all he wants?
A Certain Wolfish Charm is book 1 in the series. The other two books center around the other two brothers Westfield, but all three books cover the same period of time.
My favorite thing about the book was the characters. I love the characters, especially the interaction between the three brothers. They love each other quite obviously, but they bicker and argue all the time. one will randomly throw something at another with lethal intents, and the other will duck and go on with life as if it was normal. which, it is. They are always threatening to kill each other, though I doubt they ever would. But let’s just say it’s a good thing werewolves heal fast.
Another thing I liked was the plot. It was simple, no crazy thriller or mystery, It was just a simple romance. But it was compelling, and had enough story to it to keep you reading.
Simon… goodness he’s a passionate one (I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to be that handsome). Lily, at times, seemed dense and silly, especially for not talking out her problems with her husband. And they were both a bit melodramatic at times, but that was rare and it only felt that way because of the sentence structure. With that in mind, the sentences may have changed as I got the ARC for review, not the finished version.
It was a bit difficult to tell if they had accents or not due to the writing. Sometimes it felt like they did, and sometimes it felt like they didn’t and it was a bit annoying. However their voices were all very clear in my head.
The writing was fine, it wasn’t fantastic but it was readable and enjoyable. I don’t particularly like the cover, I think they could have done more werewolfish stuff and less typical romance novel stuff.
A Certain Wolfish Charm was really cute, highly addictive, and fast paced. I can’t wait to read the other two!
Content: Some sex, a little swearing, mention of nudity. no violence.
Recommendation: Ages 18+ for anyone who loves a good werewolf story.
3.75
Lily is worried about her nephew, Oliver, whom she has raised since he was six. He’s nearly doubled in size, he’s always angry, and she’s never raised a boy before so she has no idea what to think. So she turns to his legal guardian, Simon Westfield the duke of Blackmoor, who has never been involved in the 12-year old’s life except to send money when Lily writes to him. When she finally finds him, he won’t talk to her, won’t listen to her, and won’t help her.
But then Simon seems to realize what the problem is—because he experienced it himself: Oliver is turning into a werewolf—and demands to take Oliver under his control, to help and raise him himself. Lilly refuses to leave her nephew, and finds herself falling for Simon, then engaged to him in order to protect her reputation.
But Simon doesn’t want Lily in his life—though he can’t deny the attraction he has for her—because of the horrible stories of werewolf love going wrong. But how can he keep her away when she’s all he wants?
A Certain Wolfish Charm is book 1 in the series. The other two books center around the other two brothers Westfield, but all three books cover the same period of time.
My favorite thing about the book was the characters. I love the characters, especially the interaction between the three brothers. They love each other quite obviously, but they bicker and argue all the time. one will randomly throw something at another with lethal intents, and the other will duck and go on with life as if it was normal. which, it is. They are always threatening to kill each other, though I doubt they ever would. But let’s just say it’s a good thing werewolves heal fast.
Another thing I liked was the plot. It was simple, no crazy thriller or mystery, It was just a simple romance. But it was compelling, and had enough story to it to keep you reading.
Simon… goodness he’s a passionate one (I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to be that handsome). Lily, at times, seemed dense and silly, especially for not talking out her problems with her husband. And they were both a bit melodramatic at times, but that was rare and it only felt that way because of the sentence structure. With that in mind, the sentences may have changed as I got the ARC for review, not the finished version.
It was a bit difficult to tell if they had accents or not due to the writing. Sometimes it felt like they did, and sometimes it felt like they didn’t and it was a bit annoying. However their voices were all very clear in my head.
The writing was fine, it wasn’t fantastic but it was readable and enjoyable. I don’t particularly like the cover, I think they could have done more werewolfish stuff and less typical romance novel stuff.
A Certain Wolfish Charm was really cute, highly addictive, and fast paced. I can’t wait to read the other two!
Content: Some sex, a little swearing, mention of nudity. no violence.
Recommendation: Ages 18+ for anyone who loves a good werewolf story.
Josh Napper (40 KP) rated Spare Parts (2015) in Movies
Jun 12, 2019 (Updated Jun 12, 2019)
Plot
With the help of their high school's newest teacher (George Lopez), four Hispanic students form a robotics club. Although they have no experience, the youths set their sights on a national robotics contest. With $800 and parts scavenged from old cars, they build a robot and compete against reigning champion MIT. Along the way, the students learn not only how to build a robot but something far more important: how to forge bonds that will last a lifetime.
What lessons did you learn from this story (theme/moral)? What do you think others will learn from it?
One man can open eyes, and not just one or two eyes but a whole family, team, school, and community. It's not about where you are that truly matters; it’s about the people you are with here that truly matters. Even if you do not get the results you wanted to have when the final second ticks off the clock, you are, and you will always be a winner. No matter how much success you have on your own you are alone, so do it as a team, that way you are and never will be alone.
To summarize it, I liked the whole thing. The fact that the students and even the teacher faced those odds and still went after what they wanted and felt they could do it.
What group of people would like this movie? Who would you recommend it to? Who would you not recommend it to?
I would gladly recommend it to anyone. However, to break it down into smaller groups, I would recommend it to three groups. 1st of all, I would recommend it to students who are told they can’t do something they really wanna do due to one thing or another because the real-life characters of the movie had to go thru the same exact thing. 2nd of all, I would recommend it to teachers and other staff at school, mainly the high school level, so they could take a lesson from this inspiring movie and turn it into their own way of inspiring their students and to get their classmates to work together to turn their little old ideas and dreams into not just reality but also successes. 3rd of all, I would recommend it to people in general who are down on their knees wanting to watch something that would motivate them to not ever give up on their dreams.
What is your final word on the film: Is it good or bad?
The movie Spare Parts is a fantastic film that deals with real-life events. It is kinda incredible that it is simply another movie that was inspired by a true story. Once you look into what the real-life characters had to go thru– their struggle and their success– I was shocked simply due to the unbelievable amount of pain and struggle leading all up to an ending that saw them not only surprise everyone but also themselves. The actors and the actresses completely make it believable that they are not there themselves because it makes you believe they are really going through the events of the movie.
RATING SYSTEM:
1- crap
2- poor
3- decent
4- even
5- Good
6- Great
7- perfect
I give the movie spare parts a movie rating of 6
With the help of their high school's newest teacher (George Lopez), four Hispanic students form a robotics club. Although they have no experience, the youths set their sights on a national robotics contest. With $800 and parts scavenged from old cars, they build a robot and compete against reigning champion MIT. Along the way, the students learn not only how to build a robot but something far more important: how to forge bonds that will last a lifetime.
What lessons did you learn from this story (theme/moral)? What do you think others will learn from it?
One man can open eyes, and not just one or two eyes but a whole family, team, school, and community. It's not about where you are that truly matters; it’s about the people you are with here that truly matters. Even if you do not get the results you wanted to have when the final second ticks off the clock, you are, and you will always be a winner. No matter how much success you have on your own you are alone, so do it as a team, that way you are and never will be alone.
To summarize it, I liked the whole thing. The fact that the students and even the teacher faced those odds and still went after what they wanted and felt they could do it.
What group of people would like this movie? Who would you recommend it to? Who would you not recommend it to?
I would gladly recommend it to anyone. However, to break it down into smaller groups, I would recommend it to three groups. 1st of all, I would recommend it to students who are told they can’t do something they really wanna do due to one thing or another because the real-life characters of the movie had to go thru the same exact thing. 2nd of all, I would recommend it to teachers and other staff at school, mainly the high school level, so they could take a lesson from this inspiring movie and turn it into their own way of inspiring their students and to get their classmates to work together to turn their little old ideas and dreams into not just reality but also successes. 3rd of all, I would recommend it to people in general who are down on their knees wanting to watch something that would motivate them to not ever give up on their dreams.
What is your final word on the film: Is it good or bad?
The movie Spare Parts is a fantastic film that deals with real-life events. It is kinda incredible that it is simply another movie that was inspired by a true story. Once you look into what the real-life characters had to go thru– their struggle and their success– I was shocked simply due to the unbelievable amount of pain and struggle leading all up to an ending that saw them not only surprise everyone but also themselves. The actors and the actresses completely make it believable that they are not there themselves because it makes you believe they are really going through the events of the movie.
RATING SYSTEM:
1- crap
2- poor
3- decent
4- even
5- Good
6- Great
7- perfect
I give the movie spare parts a movie rating of 6
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Aladdin (2019) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Don't let us down Guy Ritchie
Along with Beauty & The Beast and The Lion King, Aladdin is one of Disney’s most-loved animated films. With Disney’s penchant for remaking their classic cartoons over the last few years, it was always going to be the case that Aladdin was going to be on the cards.
Director Bill Condon’s Beauty & The Beast was an enchanting ride that just fell short of living up to its predecessor and The Jungle Book director Jon Favreau has been tasked with bringing The Lion King back to life in live-action. We’ll find out how he gets on in July.
After Dumbo’s less than stellar performance with both critics and audiences in March, dark clouds were circling around the House of Mouse’s live-action arm. Hoping to inject a shot of hope to this ambitious release schedule was Guy Ritchie’s remake of Aladdin. Things didn’t look good from the marketing with poor CGI and seemingly wooden acting, so what does the finished film end up like?
Young Aladdin (Mena Massoud) embarks on a magical adventure after finding a lamp that releases a wisecracking genie (Will Smith). In his efforts to impress the wonderful Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), Aladdin embarks on a battle between good and evil against the wicked Jafar (Marwan Kenzari).
To look at, this live-action remake is absolutely packed full of colour and excitement, helped in part by Guy Ritchie’s frenetic filming style. Like Tim Burton before him, I was concerned about Ritchie’s appointment as director of this universally adored film, but unlike Burton, Ritchie gets it absolutely spot on. There are some absolutely stunning shot choices dotted throughout and the action is filmed with typical aplomb by a film-maker who has proven himself to be adept in this area.
The music, with original songs and updates of old classics is superb. Will Smith’s take on Friend Like Me is lip-smackingly good and will have you wanting to dance around the aisles, while A Whole New World really takes flight in this new, CGI-enhanced environment. Brand-new song, Speechless, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and sang by Naomi Scott is Let It Go levels of awesome with Scott singing it exquisitely.
Will Smith’s take on Friend Like Me is lip-smackingly good
The special effects are on the whole very good and not as jarring as those in Dumbo. It’s unfortunate then that there are instances in which the green-screen is all too obvious and the CGI all too artificial. This is a shame, as the rest of the picture is extraordinarily well-filmed and feels, for want of a better word, incredibly opulent, dripping in gold hues. Again, Disney tests the limits of CGI and these limits are becoming more and more obvious as film-makers pursue more extravagant sequences.
Elsewhere, the cast is both a highlight and a hindrance. Mena Massoud plays the titular character with a cocky charm that makes this Aladdin very likeable indeed, while Naomi Scott is so much better than the trailers made her look. The film however belongs to Will Smith. He’s a brave man taking on a role that has become synonymous with Robin Williams but he brings depth, charisma and some of that old-fashioned Will Smith charm to the role – it’s the best we’ve seen him in years, even if he is doused in blue CGI for the majority of the film’s runtime.
Unfortunately, this modern reimagining hasn’t got everything right. Marwan Kenzari is severely miscast as Jafar. Bringing absolutely no menace to the role whatsoever, he proves to be a disappointing antagonist and the film’s only major black mark. The clunky CGI can be forgiven but this unfortunate characterisation can’t. Jafar is one of Disney’s best villains and for him to fall flat here is unacceptable.
Nevertheless, poor marketing aside, Aladdin is an absolute blast from start to finish. Well-paced, nicely acted (for the most part) and packed full of stunning music, this live-action remake has proven that Dumbo may have just been a disappointing sidestep in Disney’s ambitious live-action schedule.
That’s two out of the three. Don’t let us down Jon Favreau!
https://moviemetropolis.net/2019/05/22/aladdin-review-dont-let-us-down-guy-ritchie/
Director Bill Condon’s Beauty & The Beast was an enchanting ride that just fell short of living up to its predecessor and The Jungle Book director Jon Favreau has been tasked with bringing The Lion King back to life in live-action. We’ll find out how he gets on in July.
After Dumbo’s less than stellar performance with both critics and audiences in March, dark clouds were circling around the House of Mouse’s live-action arm. Hoping to inject a shot of hope to this ambitious release schedule was Guy Ritchie’s remake of Aladdin. Things didn’t look good from the marketing with poor CGI and seemingly wooden acting, so what does the finished film end up like?
Young Aladdin (Mena Massoud) embarks on a magical adventure after finding a lamp that releases a wisecracking genie (Will Smith). In his efforts to impress the wonderful Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), Aladdin embarks on a battle between good and evil against the wicked Jafar (Marwan Kenzari).
To look at, this live-action remake is absolutely packed full of colour and excitement, helped in part by Guy Ritchie’s frenetic filming style. Like Tim Burton before him, I was concerned about Ritchie’s appointment as director of this universally adored film, but unlike Burton, Ritchie gets it absolutely spot on. There are some absolutely stunning shot choices dotted throughout and the action is filmed with typical aplomb by a film-maker who has proven himself to be adept in this area.
The music, with original songs and updates of old classics is superb. Will Smith’s take on Friend Like Me is lip-smackingly good and will have you wanting to dance around the aisles, while A Whole New World really takes flight in this new, CGI-enhanced environment. Brand-new song, Speechless, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and sang by Naomi Scott is Let It Go levels of awesome with Scott singing it exquisitely.
Will Smith’s take on Friend Like Me is lip-smackingly good
The special effects are on the whole very good and not as jarring as those in Dumbo. It’s unfortunate then that there are instances in which the green-screen is all too obvious and the CGI all too artificial. This is a shame, as the rest of the picture is extraordinarily well-filmed and feels, for want of a better word, incredibly opulent, dripping in gold hues. Again, Disney tests the limits of CGI and these limits are becoming more and more obvious as film-makers pursue more extravagant sequences.
Elsewhere, the cast is both a highlight and a hindrance. Mena Massoud plays the titular character with a cocky charm that makes this Aladdin very likeable indeed, while Naomi Scott is so much better than the trailers made her look. The film however belongs to Will Smith. He’s a brave man taking on a role that has become synonymous with Robin Williams but he brings depth, charisma and some of that old-fashioned Will Smith charm to the role – it’s the best we’ve seen him in years, even if he is doused in blue CGI for the majority of the film’s runtime.
Unfortunately, this modern reimagining hasn’t got everything right. Marwan Kenzari is severely miscast as Jafar. Bringing absolutely no menace to the role whatsoever, he proves to be a disappointing antagonist and the film’s only major black mark. The clunky CGI can be forgiven but this unfortunate characterisation can’t. Jafar is one of Disney’s best villains and for him to fall flat here is unacceptable.
Nevertheless, poor marketing aside, Aladdin is an absolute blast from start to finish. Well-paced, nicely acted (for the most part) and packed full of stunning music, this live-action remake has proven that Dumbo may have just been a disappointing sidestep in Disney’s ambitious live-action schedule.
That’s two out of the three. Don’t let us down Jon Favreau!
https://moviemetropolis.net/2019/05/22/aladdin-review-dont-let-us-down-guy-ritchie/
Kristin (149 KP) rated A Silent Prayer (A Prayer Series #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rania is a regular girl, just trying to get through life in Toronto. Adam is a rich bachelor, spending and sleeping his way through the days. When they cross paths, sparks fly, and Adam realizes he might not mind leaving the single-life behind, once and for all. However, Rania has a scarred past, and it's keeping barriers around her heart. Can these two make it together, or will their differences drive them apart before they even get started?
I enjoyed this book right from the start. I love how the chapters are separated into each point of view, as you get a glimpse from both sides of the coin and how each character is dealing with their new friendship. I feel as though this one quote from the beginning perfectly sums up how you should view this story: "I wonder at the fact that each human has his own story to tell; everyone has a past, a present and a future to look forward to." We travel through the present with both Rania and Adam, and while looking through them towards their possible future, we see that they'll have to relive a past that could tear them apart.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good romance, but note that it's not your typical boy-meets-girl, boy-gets-girl story. This is one where you'll be rooting on both sides, and you get to see what happens when love-at-first-sight meets its match in a strong-willed woman.
4 1/2 stars
Rania is a regular girl, just trying to get through life in Toronto. Adam is a rich bachelor, spending and sleeping his way through the days. When they cross paths, sparks fly, and Adam realizes he might not mind leaving the single-life behind, once and for all. However, Rania has a scarred past, and it's keeping barriers around her heart. Can these two make it together, or will their differences drive them apart before they even get started?
I enjoyed this book right from the start. I love how the chapters are separated into each point of view, as you get a glimpse from both sides of the coin and how each character is dealing with their new friendship. I feel as though this one quote from the beginning perfectly sums up how you should view this story: "I wonder at the fact that each human has his own story to tell; everyone has a past, a present and a future to look forward to." We travel through the present with both Rania and Adam, and while looking through them towards their possible future, we see that they'll have to relive a past that could tear them apart.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good romance, but note that it's not your typical boy-meets-girl, boy-gets-girl story. This is one where you'll be rooting on both sides, and you get to see what happens when love-at-first-sight meets its match in a strong-willed woman.
4 1/2 stars
Merissa (13303 KP) rated Make Me Hunger (Isle of the Forgotten #2) in Books
May 19, 2017
Make Me Hunger (Isle of the Forgotten #2) by Tiffany Roberts
Make Me Hunger is the second book in the Isle of the Forgotten series, and we start with the High Mage giving one of his Justicars a job to do on the quiet. He feels that some of the prisoners have been sent there without proper trial, and wants Amnestria to find out for sure. Along in the group though, as their commander, is the one person who Amnestria has a one night history with! The one person who wants that one night again, even though she isn't interested. The others in the team pick up on this, and try to help her any which way they can. During a fight with some of those who have lost their humanity on the island, Amnestria is separated from the rest of them, and Baltherus comes to her rescue - if you can call cuffing and kidnapping her rescue! Although they both have histories and secrets, they seem to be working things out. It isn't just them on the Island though, and real life has a way of intruding...
After meeting Baltherus in the first book, I was hopeful of him turning out to be an alright guy, but I wasn't sure. Amnestria was a strong and sassy female, whilst also having her vulnerabilities. Together, these two are strong and will fight for each other AND what is right. Their story is very well written, with plenty of feels (figuratively and literally!). The pace is smooth and yet it is full of action in all the right places. There were no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt the reading flow, and this book pretty much read itself as I got lost within the pages. It will be interesting to find out what comes next in The Order, and I would personally love to hear more about our happy couples and how life is treating them. 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!
After meeting Baltherus in the first book, I was hopeful of him turning out to be an alright guy, but I wasn't sure. Amnestria was a strong and sassy female, whilst also having her vulnerabilities. Together, these two are strong and will fight for each other AND what is right. Their story is very well written, with plenty of feels (figuratively and literally!). The pace is smooth and yet it is full of action in all the right places. There were no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt the reading flow, and this book pretty much read itself as I got lost within the pages. It will be interesting to find out what comes next in The Order, and I would personally love to hear more about our happy couples and how life is treating them. 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!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Trumbo (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
What is it that makes, not a great, but even a good biopic? It is certainly no enviable task, trying to condense decades of a person’s life into a mere two hours. Choosing what to keep and what to leave, stringing events together so that they feel as though they are one complete narrative opposed to a series of vignettes. And then there are the inevitable purists who will write off the entire product based on a single detail either left out or composited due to running time or budgetary restrictions. Over the years, I have found myself wrestling with my opinion of Braveheart. Do I enjoy it for its epic qualities, or do I cast it aside as the wretched historical inaccuracies fly in the face of what is one of the most important times in a country’s past?
The answer is simply, and stolen from another great historical epic, are you not entertained? Film can and should be powerful and informative. It can and should influence our thinking and encourage an emotional response, but above all, it should entertain. Trumbo does all of the above, ticks all the necessary boxes on the list of what makes a great biopic and whatever historical inaccuracies lie within be damned. Director Jay Roach, writer John McNamara and an ensemble so good it has to be seen to be believed have made, if not the best biopic of the year (that distinction still stays with Steve Jobs for now), then certainly the most enjoyable.
Where I find myself in reviewing Trumbo is trying not to sound monotonous in singing its high praises. Whether you’re interested in a message or not, because there is a good one in there, it’s a film that demands to be seen just on the strength of the cohesiveness that comes from the writing, the acting and (I still can’t believe I’m about to write this about the man who made all three Austin Powers movies) the directing.
I could prattle on endlessly about how overwhelmingly good this cast is, but the names speak for themselves. Bryan Cranston showcases that he is not just the best thing on television, but also a big-screen powerhouse. Helen Mirren, in her inimitable fashion and with beautiful understatement, is a force to be reckoned with, seething venom and self-righteousness. Louis C.K. finally breaks out of his stand-up comic persona to give a truly heartfelt performance played with surprisingly restrained vulnerability. The chemistry between him and Bryan Cranston will no doubt leave you wanting more. And John Goodman… well, it’s John Goodman. He continues to prove that no matter how small a part he has to play, it will stay with you long after you’ve left the theater. Hands down, and these are only four out of a dozen terrific performances, there hasn’t been an ensemble this stunning since L.A. Confidential.
It should also be mentioned that Michael Stuhlbarg, David James Elliott and Dean O’Gorman, who portray Edward G. Robinson, John Wayne and Kirk Douglas respectively, are unquestionably destined to go down as the unsung heroes of Trumbo. Their efforts, not just to imitate but to fully realize these Hollywood stars of a by-gone era, are a further complement to inspired casting and commitment to honoring the lives of the people portrayed on screen.
In short (and well done for making it this far through monotonous and truly well-deserved praise), if you have to see one film this Thanksgiving season that doesn’t star Tom Hardy as England’s notorious Kray brothers, see Trumbo.
The answer is simply, and stolen from another great historical epic, are you not entertained? Film can and should be powerful and informative. It can and should influence our thinking and encourage an emotional response, but above all, it should entertain. Trumbo does all of the above, ticks all the necessary boxes on the list of what makes a great biopic and whatever historical inaccuracies lie within be damned. Director Jay Roach, writer John McNamara and an ensemble so good it has to be seen to be believed have made, if not the best biopic of the year (that distinction still stays with Steve Jobs for now), then certainly the most enjoyable.
Where I find myself in reviewing Trumbo is trying not to sound monotonous in singing its high praises. Whether you’re interested in a message or not, because there is a good one in there, it’s a film that demands to be seen just on the strength of the cohesiveness that comes from the writing, the acting and (I still can’t believe I’m about to write this about the man who made all three Austin Powers movies) the directing.
I could prattle on endlessly about how overwhelmingly good this cast is, but the names speak for themselves. Bryan Cranston showcases that he is not just the best thing on television, but also a big-screen powerhouse. Helen Mirren, in her inimitable fashion and with beautiful understatement, is a force to be reckoned with, seething venom and self-righteousness. Louis C.K. finally breaks out of his stand-up comic persona to give a truly heartfelt performance played with surprisingly restrained vulnerability. The chemistry between him and Bryan Cranston will no doubt leave you wanting more. And John Goodman… well, it’s John Goodman. He continues to prove that no matter how small a part he has to play, it will stay with you long after you’ve left the theater. Hands down, and these are only four out of a dozen terrific performances, there hasn’t been an ensemble this stunning since L.A. Confidential.
It should also be mentioned that Michael Stuhlbarg, David James Elliott and Dean O’Gorman, who portray Edward G. Robinson, John Wayne and Kirk Douglas respectively, are unquestionably destined to go down as the unsung heroes of Trumbo. Their efforts, not just to imitate but to fully realize these Hollywood stars of a by-gone era, are a further complement to inspired casting and commitment to honoring the lives of the people portrayed on screen.
In short (and well done for making it this far through monotonous and truly well-deserved praise), if you have to see one film this Thanksgiving season that doesn’t star Tom Hardy as England’s notorious Kray brothers, see Trumbo.