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Awix (3310 KP) rated Charade (1963) in Movies
Feb 27, 2018 (Updated Feb 27, 2018)
Effervescent Hitchcock pastiche. Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant spar and fall in love while attempting to discover the whereabouts of a stolen fortune; James Coburn and George Kennedy are amongst the killers also taking an interest in the cash.
Film's main plus points are its ingeniously convoluted script, practically guaranteed to keep the viewer guessing, and sparkling dialogue, which Grant and Hepburn put across every bit as well as you would expect. Film also has a touch of grit in the thriller elements, as well. A highly polished piece of escapist entertainment; classy in every department. Almost certainly showing on a video-sharing website near you (Universal mucked up the copyright notice and the film has been in the public domain ever since it was first released).
Film's main plus points are its ingeniously convoluted script, practically guaranteed to keep the viewer guessing, and sparkling dialogue, which Grant and Hepburn put across every bit as well as you would expect. Film also has a touch of grit in the thriller elements, as well. A highly polished piece of escapist entertainment; classy in every department. Almost certainly showing on a video-sharing website near you (Universal mucked up the copyright notice and the film has been in the public domain ever since it was first released).
Awix (3310 KP) rated Them! (1954) in Movies
Feb 19, 2018 (Updated Feb 19, 2018)
Granddaddy of atomic bug movies works incredibly hard to stay credible as a drama; mostly succeeds. Government agents discover giant mutant ants on the rampage; can they contain the threat and keep the secret until the ants can be destroyed? Not quite documentary-style realism, but close enough; hard edged, takes itself impressively seriously.
Notable for featuring some relatively famous faces early in their careers - also for its use of full-scale ant puppets rather than animation or trick photography. Atom-fear angle is underplayed for the most part; this still stands up well as an SF thriller. The climax, with machine guns and flamethrowers battling snapping mandibles and exoskeletal monsters in the sewers under Los Angeles, was surely an influence on Aliens.
Notable for featuring some relatively famous faces early in their careers - also for its use of full-scale ant puppets rather than animation or trick photography. Atom-fear angle is underplayed for the most part; this still stands up well as an SF thriller. The climax, with machine guns and flamethrowers battling snapping mandibles and exoskeletal monsters in the sewers under Los Angeles, was surely an influence on Aliens.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Vertigo (1958) in Movies
Feb 23, 2018
Mesmerising, deeply unconventional thriller about obsession and identity; confused people back in 1958 but is now regularly cited as one of the best movies ever made (possibly with good reason). Cop (Stewart) is obliged to retire due to fear of heights; gets another gig as guardian angel over a troubled young woman (Novak), finds himself falling for her.
The thing about Vertigo is that not very much seems to be happening the first time you watch it, certainly compared to a movie like North by Northwest. But in terms of the structure of the script, which is constantly looping back, foreshadowing, and echoing itself, everything is going on. Great, brave performances from the leads; not afraid to go into some very dark places; technically brilliant (of course).
The thing about Vertigo is that not very much seems to be happening the first time you watch it, certainly compared to a movie like North by Northwest. But in terms of the structure of the script, which is constantly looping back, foreshadowing, and echoing itself, everything is going on. Great, brave performances from the leads; not afraid to go into some very dark places; technically brilliant (of course).
Awix (3310 KP) rated Murder on the Orient Express (2017) in Movies
Feb 12, 2018
Hard to see past the moustache
Nice-looking and competent new version of the Agatha Christie classic, made in the traditional all-star manner. A bit hard to be gripped by the actual murder-mystery plot, but maybe that's because the twist in this story is so famous it barely qualifies as such any more.
Often looks more like a commercial for a luxury railway touring holiday than an actual thriller, but I suppose the production values are part of the appeal of this sort of film. Ken Branagh is arguably just a little bit hammy as a version of Poirot who appears to have some form of ASD, but he has a certain moral authority. Probably won't rock your world but passes the time nicely enough.
Often looks more like a commercial for a luxury railway touring holiday than an actual thriller, but I suppose the production values are part of the appeal of this sort of film. Ken Branagh is arguably just a little bit hammy as a version of Poirot who appears to have some form of ASD, but he has a certain moral authority. Probably won't rock your world but passes the time nicely enough.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Whistle In The Dark in Books
Jul 30, 2018
Promising plot, badly executed
I very badly wanted to like this book, but it was such a struggle. The plot is very promising and intriguing and I was expecting some sort of crime mystery or thriller, but instead of that it was more of an emotional book about mental health. Whilst I have no issue with that, I found main character Jen to be a little frustrating after a while and around half way through the book I was getting very bored. It didn’t feel like the story was getting anywhere quickly and when it did finally reach the end, it was a bit of a disappointment as it was exactly what you could’ve predicted right from the start. Sadly not my kind of story.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Boy (2016) in Movies
Aug 7, 2018
Ridiculous
I was expecting a proper horror film, or at least something vaguely scary, but this was nothing of the sort. The best I can say is that the odd part was creepy, but even those were verging on laughable. The whole plot is just silly and they could've done so much better in making it scarier. It may be classed more of a thriller, but to me it just wasn't what I was expecting. Some of the script is cheesy and so predictable, and the ending was just a bit of a letdown. Its a shame really as Lauren Cohan and Rupert Evans do fairly well and they're both very watchable, they just aren't given decent material to work with.
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated A Fine Year for Murder in Books
Aug 30, 2018
Lauren Carr has brought you another thriller of a story. A Fine Year for Murder is a doozy of a mystery and gut wrenching. No has any ideas that Jessica as seen a family be murdered. When Dallas Walker start talking about a case that see is investing the case called Pine Creek Massacre.
I loved the story and the way it was laid out. Jessica is dealing with nightmares, and things get more intense when something happens to young girls. What is triggering her nightmares? It a book you can not put down once you start to read it. All of Lauren Carr books are like that. She makes you want more and leaves to read her next book.
I loved the story and the way it was laid out. Jessica is dealing with nightmares, and things get more intense when something happens to young girls. What is triggering her nightmares? It a book you can not put down once you start to read it. All of Lauren Carr books are like that. She makes you want more and leaves to read her next book.
Erika (17788 KP) rated A Simple Favor (2018) in Movies
Sep 15, 2018 (Updated Sep 15, 2018)
Warning: This is an outright comedy
Before I read any reviews on this film, I thought it was a thriller, and the trailer sold it as a sort of Gone-Girl-Girl-on-the-Train-esque film. Then I read one review, which warned that it was comedy, and the comedic elements outweighed everything else.
Anna Kendrick's character is slightly insufferable for me in the beginning, the 'mommy vlogger', but she was a perfect contract to Blake Lively's character. Henry Golding was great, and I didn't mind looking at him for nearly 2 hours.
The end was bananas, and not in a particularly good way, because it was messy. On the bright side, this is the first Paul Feig movie I'll be able to watch again.
Anna Kendrick's character is slightly insufferable for me in the beginning, the 'mommy vlogger', but she was a perfect contract to Blake Lively's character. Henry Golding was great, and I didn't mind looking at him for nearly 2 hours.
The end was bananas, and not in a particularly good way, because it was messy. On the bright side, this is the first Paul Feig movie I'll be able to watch again.
MoMoBookDiary (20 KP) rated House. Tree. Person. in Books
Oct 1, 2018
I eagerly recommend Catriona McPherson’s “House. Tree. Person.” as an intriguing 4 star read.
I do enjoy reading Catriona McPherson’s books based in the Galloway region and enjoy following the characters journey’s between the towns that my family spoke of during my childhood.
This book is a good paced thriller filled with so much suspense you just don’t know what the twist is until the very end (or at least I didn’t).
This book was an easy, yet engrossing, read and had me hooked early on. The author tells the backstory at the perfect pace to ensure the reader turns page after page.
Thanks to Catriona McPherson, Midnight Ink and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this engrossing suspense novel.
I do enjoy reading Catriona McPherson’s books based in the Galloway region and enjoy following the characters journey’s between the towns that my family spoke of during my childhood.
This book is a good paced thriller filled with so much suspense you just don’t know what the twist is until the very end (or at least I didn’t).
This book was an easy, yet engrossing, read and had me hooked early on. The author tells the backstory at the perfect pace to ensure the reader turns page after page.
Thanks to Catriona McPherson, Midnight Ink and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this engrossing suspense novel.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Dead Zone (1983) in Movies
Oct 6, 2018
David Cronenberg tackles Stephen King
After a nearly fatal car crash which send him into a coma for 5 years, former teacher Christopher Walken must try and rebuild his life while dealing with the discovery of his new "power" to see into the someone's future just by touching their hand.
His assists several townspeople before running into power-hungry politician Martin Sheen.
Early film from director David Cronenberg still holds up as a decent thriller. The "visions" are interesting as always people are not what they seem on the surface. Intriguing developments keep you entertained the entire time as you watch to see how things play out.
You are definitely hoping certain characters get what's coming to them.
His assists several townspeople before running into power-hungry politician Martin Sheen.
Early film from director David Cronenberg still holds up as a decent thriller. The "visions" are interesting as always people are not what they seem on the surface. Intriguing developments keep you entertained the entire time as you watch to see how things play out.
You are definitely hoping certain characters get what's coming to them.
Sarah (126 KP) Jul 19, 2018