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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated My One and Only (2009) in Movies
Aug 9, 2019
“My One and Only” is the 1950’s story of Anne Deveraux (Renée Zellweger) wife of two-timing Dan Devereaux (Kevin Bacon) who has decided to leave her husband and move to another city in pursuit of a better life. Anne soon learns that the process of enticing men has grown increasing challenging with time and that she now must raise her two sons George (Logan Lerman) and Robbie (Mark Rendell) on the road and on her own or face the defeat of returning to her unfaithful husband.
Beautifully shot, the film immediately sweeps viewers into another time in American history. The use of detailed sets and props, from the varied homes the family lives in to the light powder-blue car, creates a visual dynamic ripe for the telling of this 1950’s gem. Additionally, the use of literature, film, and music throughout “My One and Only” make it a delight to watch even without the somewhat well crafted plot.
As characters go, Zellweger delivers again, this time as the likeably flawed heroine Anne. Yet it was maturely acted roles of Anne’s sons, George and Robbie, stood out as undeniably honestly and direct.
Majority of the plot is solid covering the ups and downs of Anne’s attempts to secure a new home and husband for her family. It was only the rushed and disjointed ending that lessened the caliber of film.
“My One and Only” touches on themes of respect, feminism, aging, and security. A good film overall, filled with laughs and moral realities of the time, I enjoyed getting to know Anne’s family.
A visually strong, well cast film with a less than satisfying ending, “My One and Only” is an entertaining and spirited story of a non-traditional family growing up during a time of change in America.
Beautifully shot, the film immediately sweeps viewers into another time in American history. The use of detailed sets and props, from the varied homes the family lives in to the light powder-blue car, creates a visual dynamic ripe for the telling of this 1950’s gem. Additionally, the use of literature, film, and music throughout “My One and Only” make it a delight to watch even without the somewhat well crafted plot.
As characters go, Zellweger delivers again, this time as the likeably flawed heroine Anne. Yet it was maturely acted roles of Anne’s sons, George and Robbie, stood out as undeniably honestly and direct.
Majority of the plot is solid covering the ups and downs of Anne’s attempts to secure a new home and husband for her family. It was only the rushed and disjointed ending that lessened the caliber of film.
“My One and Only” touches on themes of respect, feminism, aging, and security. A good film overall, filled with laughs and moral realities of the time, I enjoyed getting to know Anne’s family.
A visually strong, well cast film with a less than satisfying ending, “My One and Only” is an entertaining and spirited story of a non-traditional family growing up during a time of change in America.
Merissa (14086 KP) rated Demon Crew (The Wolfborne Saga #5) in Books
Jan 21, 2020
Demon Crew is the fifth book in The Wolfborne Saga and we continue with Zev and Virgo being part of a super-secret government agency... although Zev didn't actually agree to any of it! I admire Zev's resilience and his ability to forgive because I honestly don't think I would be able to do so! There is also a new woman in Zev's life although he's not sure if he actually likes this one as she is dhampir. Needless to say, the action and adventure start immediately and Zev remains the humble hero.
Now, I'm going to admit that I wasn't all that happy about reading this book. Virgo really did me in at the end of the last one and the thought of Zev back in chains did absolutely nothing for me. However, Ms. Alsop has managed to win me over yet again. Not only did I enjoy this book but it has become my favourite (so far) of the series! And yes, I know I've moved that title as I've read through the series, but that should tell you something!!!
As with all the books, this one leaves you on a cliffhanger, wanting more. The world continues to delight with all the action and fights you could ask for. The characters are lifelike and full of sarcasm and wit. The pacing is once again smooth and will keep you turning the pages. I really can't recommend either the book or the series highly enough.
* 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!
Now, I'm going to admit that I wasn't all that happy about reading this book. Virgo really did me in at the end of the last one and the thought of Zev back in chains did absolutely nothing for me. However, Ms. Alsop has managed to win me over yet again. Not only did I enjoy this book but it has become my favourite (so far) of the series! And yes, I know I've moved that title as I've read through the series, but that should tell you something!!!
As with all the books, this one leaves you on a cliffhanger, wanting more. The world continues to delight with all the action and fights you could ask for. The characters are lifelike and full of sarcasm and wit. The pacing is once again smooth and will keep you turning the pages. I really can't recommend either the book or the series highly enough.
* 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!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2609 KP) rated Murder at the Taffy Shop in Books
Apr 2, 2020
Bad Neighbors Become Murder Victims
When Mac Almeida is visiting her parents, who live just down the street in her town of Westham on Cape Cod, she encounters Beverly Ruchart, their neighbor. Beverly is always complaining about something, be it the local soup kitchen or Mac’s parents’ puppy. Two mornings later, Mac finds her friend Gin crouched over Beverly’s dead body. When the police begin to suspect that Gin had something to do with the death, the Mac and the rest of the Cozy Capers, a book group that reads nothing but cozy mysteries, jump into action to clear one of their own. But can Mac piece together the clues everyone is finding?
I enjoyed the first in the series, so I was anxious to get back to visit Mac and her friends again. We do get a lot of characters, but the important characters stand out, and the rest are subtly reintroduced when they appear on the page again, so it is easy to track them. I have to give a special shout out to Mac pet, an African Gray parrot who gave me a couple good laughs. I did have a harder time tracking all the suspects early on, and especially their connections to each other. I suspect that might have been me being distracted by real life, and as I read, I was able to sort everything out. The plot gives us plenty of twists to keep us engaged. The ending was a little abrupt but logical. I enjoy the nods to other cozy series we get here, and as a bonus, we get five recipes at the end of this book for a variety of treats. Cozy lovers will enjoy solving a case along with a cast of characters who love cozies as much as they do.
I enjoyed the first in the series, so I was anxious to get back to visit Mac and her friends again. We do get a lot of characters, but the important characters stand out, and the rest are subtly reintroduced when they appear on the page again, so it is easy to track them. I have to give a special shout out to Mac pet, an African Gray parrot who gave me a couple good laughs. I did have a harder time tracking all the suspects early on, and especially their connections to each other. I suspect that might have been me being distracted by real life, and as I read, I was able to sort everything out. The plot gives us plenty of twists to keep us engaged. The ending was a little abrupt but logical. I enjoy the nods to other cozy series we get here, and as a bonus, we get five recipes at the end of this book for a variety of treats. Cozy lovers will enjoy solving a case along with a cast of characters who love cozies as much as they do.
The Good Bohemian: The Letters of Ida John
Michael Holroyd and Rebecca John
Book
Captivatingly fresh and intimate letters from Augustus John's first wife, Ida, reveal the untold...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2609 KP) rated The Key Lime Crime in Books
Aug 12, 2020
Murder Never Takes a Holiday
The week between Christmas and New Year’s is proving to be very busy for Hayley Snow. In addition to her regular food related articles for local magazine Key Zest, she is also covering the key lime pie contest, which is filled with more tension than Hayley expected. Meanwhile, her new husband, cop Nathan Bransford, is working overtime due to all the visitors on the island for the holiday. So when Nathan’s mother decides to come visit, Hayley finds herself playing hostess for a woman she’s never met before. Even worse, the pair stumble upon one of the pie contestants dead. Has the contest turned deadly? Or is there another motive for murder?
I’m always happy to escape to Key West via the pages of this series, although after reading this I may skip the New Year’s time period when I get to visit in real life. It sounded a little too crowded for me. Still, I loved getting to catch up with the characters, who are always a delight. We got to know one of the regulars much better here, which I really appreciated. The mystery itself could have been stronger, although we did have some good suspects and I was engaged and kept guessing until the end. Plan ahead before you pick up this book – I had to buy a key lime pie I was craving it so much. There isn’t a recipe for the pie at the end (we’ve gotten one in an earlier book), although one of the eight recipes is for a delicious sounding key lime parfait. This is another pleasant trip to Key West that will please the series’ fans.
I’m always happy to escape to Key West via the pages of this series, although after reading this I may skip the New Year’s time period when I get to visit in real life. It sounded a little too crowded for me. Still, I loved getting to catch up with the characters, who are always a delight. We got to know one of the regulars much better here, which I really appreciated. The mystery itself could have been stronger, although we did have some good suspects and I was engaged and kept guessing until the end. Plan ahead before you pick up this book – I had to buy a key lime pie I was craving it so much. There isn’t a recipe for the pie at the end (we’ve gotten one in an earlier book), although one of the eight recipes is for a delicious sounding key lime parfait. This is another pleasant trip to Key West that will please the series’ fans.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2609 KP) rated Claws for Alarm in Books
Aug 17, 2021 (Updated Aug 17, 2021)
Fundraising with Murder
As Maddie James and her family and friends get ready for their first full tourist season with JJ’s House of Purrs open, they are expecting more tourists to stop in because of the publicity that the cat café has been getting. In fact, Jillian Allen is one such tourists who insists on coming almost as soon as she gets to Daybreak Island. When Jillian offers to run a fundraiser, Maddie is thrilled. But a couple of days later, Maddie finds Jillian strangled with the cat leashes that were going to be a party favor at the fundraiser. Who would kill a visitor to the island? Or did Jillian have more local connections than Maddie knew about?
Jillian is a force, and the scenes she is in are very memorable. Once she dies, the mystery is good, although it seems like we get quite a few revelations at the end of the book. Everything makes sense, but it did make the ending feel rushed. As much as Jillian stands out, the rest of the cast are wonderful. Some of the suspects I hope pop back up again in the future, and the regulars are charming. I did find a handful of errors where a character finished their coffee twice in the same scene, or something like that. It was annoying but not too bad. I was more bothered by Maddie’s actions in one scene late in the book. She should not have done what she did. I’ve always loved Daybreak Island, and that didn’t change in this book. It’s a wonderful setting I’d love to visit in real life – between murders, of course. If you are looking to get away cheaply, this is the book to pick up.
Jillian is a force, and the scenes she is in are very memorable. Once she dies, the mystery is good, although it seems like we get quite a few revelations at the end of the book. Everything makes sense, but it did make the ending feel rushed. As much as Jillian stands out, the rest of the cast are wonderful. Some of the suspects I hope pop back up again in the future, and the regulars are charming. I did find a handful of errors where a character finished their coffee twice in the same scene, or something like that. It was annoying but not too bad. I was more bothered by Maddie’s actions in one scene late in the book. She should not have done what she did. I’ve always loved Daybreak Island, and that didn’t change in this book. It’s a wonderful setting I’d love to visit in real life – between murders, of course. If you are looking to get away cheaply, this is the book to pick up.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Molly's Game (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Wordy but entertaining.
You can never accuse Aaron Sorkin of skimping on his words. Sorkin is of course the award-winning writer of “The West Wing” but on the big screen he has also written many classics: “A Few Good Men”; “The Social Network” and “Steve Jobs” for example. Here he also makes his directorial debut in a movie about the true-life turbulent career of Olympic wannabe skier Molly Bloom.
Bloom is played by Jessica Chastain, from films such as “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Miss Sloane” (one of my films of the year last year). Chastain’s roles as an actress are often quite cold and calculating, as suits her demeanour. As such her characters are not often easy to warm to in movies (and as such, my wife is not a fan).
Taking the piste. Molly in her younger ski-centric role.
Here as Molly Bloom she is as equally driven as in “Miss Sloane“, but the drive is learned from her father (Kevin Costner), bullying her to be the best she can be at skiing in a highly competitive family. Forced out of the skiing business (for reasons I won’t spoil), she takes a “gap year” from law school that turns into a “gap life” after she falls into the slightly shady business of running poker nights for LA’s rich elite. It’s here that Chastain’s Bloom is able to show a gentler and more compassionate side, trying to talk some of her clients (who invariably fall in love with her) off the ledge of their gambling addiction.
Chris O’Dowd as one of the punter’s in deep.
Sorkin’s script (based on Molly’s own autobiography, I should add) does a really nice job of cutting backwards and forwards through Molly’s timeline to drill into motivations and her mental state, and in doing so he pulls out an award-winning (or at least Golden-Globe award-nominating) performance from Chastain in the process. Also very effective though is Kevin Costner (“Hidden Figures“, “Man of Steel“), who is quietly building an impressive portfolio of supporting actor roles. Here he rather dials in his “tough and aloof guy” performance until the park bench scene (below) where he surprises in a good way.
Benches with wolves. Kevin Costner impressive as Molly’s hard-line father.
It’s also a blessed relief to find a decent vehicle to showcase the undoubted talents of Britain’s Idris Elba – an actor who has been woefully served by rubbish such as “Bastille Day“, rather lame sequels like “Star Trek: Beyond” or minor roles such as in “Thor: Ragnarok“. Here he can really get his teeth into the role of Molly’s lawyer, with a multi-layered character that reveals a little – but not too much of – his back-story to leave you with intriguing questions.
An indecisive Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) can make his mind up about Molly (Jessica Chastain).
So it’s a good film, but an intelligent watch that mandates your attention. The script is sufficiently dense and wordy that it requires significant concentration: this is not a “park your brain at the door” type of ‘Michael Bay film’. (As such, while it remains a recommended watch, I’m not sure it would be one that would necessarily make my DVD list for repeat watchings).
Michael Cera (centre) as the mysterious but powerful “Player X”; a Hollywood actor, but who is he supposed to be? (Answers on a postcard!).
But again, I must comment on what an amazing year this is turning out to be for women in film. Less #Me-too and more #She-do! Once again, here is a movie where a confident woman is firmly in the driving seat, and while powerful men try to bring her down, it is not them that succeeds. (The studio bill for talent in the past year must be a LOT less than it was the year before! #don’tshootme #topicalhumour #CarrieGracey). #TimesUp.
Bloom is played by Jessica Chastain, from films such as “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Miss Sloane” (one of my films of the year last year). Chastain’s roles as an actress are often quite cold and calculating, as suits her demeanour. As such her characters are not often easy to warm to in movies (and as such, my wife is not a fan).
Taking the piste. Molly in her younger ski-centric role.
Here as Molly Bloom she is as equally driven as in “Miss Sloane“, but the drive is learned from her father (Kevin Costner), bullying her to be the best she can be at skiing in a highly competitive family. Forced out of the skiing business (for reasons I won’t spoil), she takes a “gap year” from law school that turns into a “gap life” after she falls into the slightly shady business of running poker nights for LA’s rich elite. It’s here that Chastain’s Bloom is able to show a gentler and more compassionate side, trying to talk some of her clients (who invariably fall in love with her) off the ledge of their gambling addiction.
Chris O’Dowd as one of the punter’s in deep.
Sorkin’s script (based on Molly’s own autobiography, I should add) does a really nice job of cutting backwards and forwards through Molly’s timeline to drill into motivations and her mental state, and in doing so he pulls out an award-winning (or at least Golden-Globe award-nominating) performance from Chastain in the process. Also very effective though is Kevin Costner (“Hidden Figures“, “Man of Steel“), who is quietly building an impressive portfolio of supporting actor roles. Here he rather dials in his “tough and aloof guy” performance until the park bench scene (below) where he surprises in a good way.
Benches with wolves. Kevin Costner impressive as Molly’s hard-line father.
It’s also a blessed relief to find a decent vehicle to showcase the undoubted talents of Britain’s Idris Elba – an actor who has been woefully served by rubbish such as “Bastille Day“, rather lame sequels like “Star Trek: Beyond” or minor roles such as in “Thor: Ragnarok“. Here he can really get his teeth into the role of Molly’s lawyer, with a multi-layered character that reveals a little – but not too much of – his back-story to leave you with intriguing questions.
An indecisive Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) can make his mind up about Molly (Jessica Chastain).
So it’s a good film, but an intelligent watch that mandates your attention. The script is sufficiently dense and wordy that it requires significant concentration: this is not a “park your brain at the door” type of ‘Michael Bay film’. (As such, while it remains a recommended watch, I’m not sure it would be one that would necessarily make my DVD list for repeat watchings).
Michael Cera (centre) as the mysterious but powerful “Player X”; a Hollywood actor, but who is he supposed to be? (Answers on a postcard!).
But again, I must comment on what an amazing year this is turning out to be for women in film. Less #Me-too and more #She-do! Once again, here is a movie where a confident woman is firmly in the driving seat, and while powerful men try to bring her down, it is not them that succeeds. (The studio bill for talent in the past year must be a LOT less than it was the year before! #don’tshootme #topicalhumour #CarrieGracey). #TimesUp.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) in Movies
Oct 22, 2019 (Updated Oct 22, 2019)
Rule No.1........ Party!
The Peanutbutter Falcon is a heartwarming and charming tale of belonging, ambition and family. I've always loved and admired Shia labeouf and despite all the hate he gets I really do think he is an incredible actor and with how good this movie is I really hope people start to see that. Zak is a person with downs syndrome who escapes from his care home to peruse his dream of becoming a wrestler and upon meeting Shia's character the two form a bond and set of on an adventure together. Seeing these two very different personalities form a friendship is just so beautiful, powerful and endearing with Shia's character tormented/held back by guilt and Zack gottsagen's character desperate to be free to enjoy life, party and be taken seriously. Theres such a great redneck world built here and whilst the film is odd its also so pure with a charming weirdness so realistic you could mistake the film for being a true story. Themes of loss, guilt, motivation, happiness and destiny as well as the line between good and evil. However what I found really interesting was the messages about mental health/learning difficulties/oldage and how we tend to treat people with these conditions like they aren't human too. It even depicts how most people who work in the care industry fail to grasp that these people are just like us and how restricting, patronising and telling them no all the time is inhumane and leads to failing to truly understand them/form a bond with them. Performances are outstanding from both the mains really depicting two different inner struggles and personalities coming together during difficult times thus giving them purpose and hope. Its also stunning to look at too with a perfect soundtrack. If I had to I would liken this movie to Oh brother where art thou and while it does have some great humour it leans more to the serious side most of the time showing us not all families are perfect but no matter how dysfunctional they are the love is no less. Such a lovely film that even made me shed a few tears too.
