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Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Bell Jar in Books

Mar 18, 2020

The Bell Jar

Sylvia Plath | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry

7.4

(23 Ratings)

Book Rating

A worthy classic

The Bell Jar is one of those well known classic books that pretty much everyone has heard of, but yet for me I hadn't a clue what the story was actually about. The story centres around a young woman's mental breakdown and descent into depression, and her subsequent slow path to recovery. It's not in the slightest what I was expected, but this is actually a rather good and worthy classic novel.

I wouldnt say Esther is a particularly endearing protagonist, there's a lot about her tale that doesn't make sense or seems a little lacking but I'm guessing this is because it's meant to represent her rather unhinged state of mind. It can get a little frustrating when things aren't explained properly, but for the most part the plot and story is very interesting and I struggled to put this down. It's well written without being pretentious, and it seems to be a very realistic tale about mental illness. The metaphor of the bell jar itself is a rather wonderful term despite the subject matter and one of the best metaphors I've ever come across in literature, as it's so true.

Overall this is a great classic and whilst it may seem a little dated, it's a really good study on mental health.

Kudos

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Monuments Men (2014) in Movies

Aug 6, 2019

The Monuments Men (2014)

2014 | Action, Drama

5.5

(6 Ratings)

Movie Rating

As children, we all imagine going on a treasure hunt or adventure. In The Monuments Men, we bear witness to one of the greatest treasure hunts in recent history. The Monuments Men is based on the true story of a team of Art Historians and Architects who are tasked by President Roosevelt during WWII with locating and rescuing pieces of art from the Nazis. The challenge for these men is that they are put upon this task to search for these artifacts, many of which are trapped behind enemy lines.

It becomes a race not only to find the pieces but to prevent their destruction at the hands of the German Army under orders of Hitler himself. The film demonstrates that culture and history are vital to civilization’s memory. With a war of this scale, The Monuments Men demonstrates one of the many aspects of humanity that was endangered. It also reminds audiences that there are many stories still be told from the World War II era. The performances of Bill Murray, John Goodman, and Bob Balaban outshine that of George Clooney Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett. Despite this being an all-star cast, it does not detract from the story and the way that it is portrayed on screen. Audiences will find themselves emotionally connected to some of the characters, images, and the overall story.

Kudos

Sarah (7800 KP) rated Quiz in TV

Apr 21, 2020

Quiz

2020 | Drama

9.2

(13 Ratings)

TV Show Rating

Very entertaining

I've grown up watching Who Wants to be a Millionaire although I have to admit the detail behind the Charles Ingram cheating scandal passed me by. I knew of it but that was it, so I found this show to be not only entertaining but informative too.

As far as tv dramas go, this is very entertaining. The 3 episodes are just enough to tell the story without being overly long and the whole scandal itself is an intriguing tale. I never knew the origins of the show or the real detail behind the scandal (like the brother being involved), so I found this to be fascinating and it was very well made. There's a great cast in this too, Matthew Macfayden is wonderful as the almost dim witted Ingram and he's ably supported by the rest of the cast. The star of the show though is definitely Michael Sheen as Chris Tarrant. He's an absolute hoot and looks like he's having so much fun. It's just a shame that he isn't in this more, although understandable considering the story isnt about him.

Overall this is a very entertaining retelling of a true story and whilst the outcome is rather frustrating (as in real life), it's a lot of fun and has a great nostalgic feel.