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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Florida Project (2017) in Movies
Feb 18, 2018
Not Strong Enough To Keep My Attention
THE FLORIDA PROJECT is one of those "slice of life" films, shot on a low budget that doesn't really have a plot but exposes the audience to 2 hours of what it would be like to live the life of someone - usually a disaffected fringe group. There is no real plot, so the film needs to hang itself onto how interesting the characters - and the situation they find themselves - are.
These types of films are not usually my cup of tea, and this film was no exception.
THE FLORIDA PROJECT, conceived, written and directed by Sean Baker (who did a similar-type of film about the transgender community, TANGERINE), is about the community of people living just at the poverty line in the shadow of Walt Disney World. These people are constantly scrambling to earn money to eat and live and to pay rent at one of the seedy, rundown motels boarding just outside "the happiest place on earth".
We see this world through the eyes of Moonee - a "precocious" (I would say farel) youth who lives at one of these hotels with her mother, Halley. Moonee runs wild all day, doing whatever she wants and just 'living her life" while her mother hustles to make ends meet - all under the watchful eye of the motel's Manager, Bobby.
There is no real plot to this film. We just follow Moonee and her pals Scooty, Dicky and Jancey as they go about their day getting into misadventures. 6 year old Brooklyn Prince (in her film debut) stars as Moonee and she is an engaging enough presence, but not nearly strong enough to keep my attention for the entire 2 hours of the film - and that's the issue with this film. It relies heavily on the audience's fascination with this 6 year old and I wasn't fascinated enough to watch her for 2 hours.
Much more interesting to me to watch was another new actress, Bria Vinaite as her mother, Halley. I said she spends the film hustling - and I mean that in every sense of the word. Every interaction with another person is laced with the thought "what can I get out of this". She is always working an angle, looking for the quick score. She was a fascinating character, and I would have preferred that she would be the focus of this story.
Overseeing these two - and the other denizen's of his Motel - is Willem DaFoe playing against type as the kindly, caring Manager, Bobby. DaFoe is nominated for an Oscar for his work in this film - and it is strong work (it's good to see DaFoe with something to sink his teeth into), but is it enough for an Oscar? I don't think so. Much like Mary J. Blige in MUDBOUND, I think it is a very good performance, but I kept waiting for the "Academy Award" scene from him, and it just didn't come.
Ultimately, a labor of love for Sean Baker. It looks like a film that was made on a shoestring budget - and I'm sure that was intentional. The look and feel of this film mimics the circumstance that the characters find themselves in - including some "guerilla" filmmaking at Disney's Magic Kingdom itself. He made the type of film he wanted to make.
It just isn't the kind of film I wanted - or am interested - in seeing.
Letter Grade: C+
5 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
These types of films are not usually my cup of tea, and this film was no exception.
THE FLORIDA PROJECT, conceived, written and directed by Sean Baker (who did a similar-type of film about the transgender community, TANGERINE), is about the community of people living just at the poverty line in the shadow of Walt Disney World. These people are constantly scrambling to earn money to eat and live and to pay rent at one of the seedy, rundown motels boarding just outside "the happiest place on earth".
We see this world through the eyes of Moonee - a "precocious" (I would say farel) youth who lives at one of these hotels with her mother, Halley. Moonee runs wild all day, doing whatever she wants and just 'living her life" while her mother hustles to make ends meet - all under the watchful eye of the motel's Manager, Bobby.
There is no real plot to this film. We just follow Moonee and her pals Scooty, Dicky and Jancey as they go about their day getting into misadventures. 6 year old Brooklyn Prince (in her film debut) stars as Moonee and she is an engaging enough presence, but not nearly strong enough to keep my attention for the entire 2 hours of the film - and that's the issue with this film. It relies heavily on the audience's fascination with this 6 year old and I wasn't fascinated enough to watch her for 2 hours.
Much more interesting to me to watch was another new actress, Bria Vinaite as her mother, Halley. I said she spends the film hustling - and I mean that in every sense of the word. Every interaction with another person is laced with the thought "what can I get out of this". She is always working an angle, looking for the quick score. She was a fascinating character, and I would have preferred that she would be the focus of this story.
Overseeing these two - and the other denizen's of his Motel - is Willem DaFoe playing against type as the kindly, caring Manager, Bobby. DaFoe is nominated for an Oscar for his work in this film - and it is strong work (it's good to see DaFoe with something to sink his teeth into), but is it enough for an Oscar? I don't think so. Much like Mary J. Blige in MUDBOUND, I think it is a very good performance, but I kept waiting for the "Academy Award" scene from him, and it just didn't come.
Ultimately, a labor of love for Sean Baker. It looks like a film that was made on a shoestring budget - and I'm sure that was intentional. The look and feel of this film mimics the circumstance that the characters find themselves in - including some "guerilla" filmmaking at Disney's Magic Kingdom itself. He made the type of film he wanted to make.
It just isn't the kind of film I wanted - or am interested - in seeing.
Letter Grade: C+
5 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Hazel (1853 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Inspired by <i>The Breakfast Club</i>, Karen M. McManus has set the stakes high with her debut novel <i>One of Us is Lying</i>. Taking typical young adult themes and adding a mix of mystery has resulted in a gripping book that intrigues as well as entertains the reader.
Five high school students find themselves in afterschool detention, but only four of them leave alive. Simon Kelleher suffers a fatal allergic reaction after drinking from a cup laced with peanut oil. It is clear that someone intentionally caused Simon’s death, but who, and why? The remaining four students are the immediate suspects, but they all claim to have nothing to do with it.
The main characters are all walking teen movie stereotypes. Bronwyn is a typical geek, getting high marks in all her exams. Cooper, the jock, is destined to become an exceptional baseball player. “Princess” Addy is perfect and popular, looking down on anyone who does not fit in with her social group. And then there is Nate, the drug dealer who is currently on probation for his reckless and capricious behaviour. Naturally, it is Nate that is the most suspect, but as certain secrets come to light, the others begin to look just as guilty.
Simon was known for his gossip app that revealed shaming secrets of students at Bayview High. As the police investigation begins, it is discovered that the four suspects were due to have their failings exposed in the next app update, thus giving them each a motive. However, the four are adamant that they were not involved and are desperate to clear their name. So, simultaneously with the police inquiry, the Bayview Four dedicate their time to unearthing the real culprit.
As the four unlikely friends become closer, romance blossoms and personalities alter, leaving no one unchanged. Gone are the original stereotypes. Despite upsetting circumstances, Bronwyn, Cooper, Addy and Nate are given the chance to discover who they truly are, and not just what society labels them. Putting aside the potential ruination of their futures, Simon’s death has serendipitous results for the suspects, or rather, the victims.
Nothing is given away during the narrative until the closing paragraphs, leaving readers guessing all the way through. Admittedly, I did entertain the thought of true culprit toward the beginning of the story, but McManus throws in so many red herrings and possible motives that the main suspect is constantly changing.
Dealing with themes of drugs, alcoholism, suicide and homosexuality,<i> One of Us is Lying</i> covers far more than a general murder mystery story. Some authors forget about the characters’ lives, only focusing on the plot at hand, however, McManus was far more detailed in the backgrounds of the four students, making it possible to understand and sympathise with each character.
<i>One of Us is Lying</i> shows how unfair the justice system can be, and although the saying is “innocent until proven guilty”, it is not often easy when every little move is judged and analysed by the police.
With a satisfying ending, Karen M. McManus’ introduction to the literary world is a significant taste of potential works to come. With a deep insight into young adult minds, McManus successfully connects with the reader, drawing them into a world that is hard to shake off. <i>One of Us is Lying</i> is definitely a book to look out for.
Inspired by <i>The Breakfast Club</i>, Karen M. McManus has set the stakes high with her debut novel <i>One of Us is Lying</i>. Taking typical young adult themes and adding a mix of mystery has resulted in a gripping book that intrigues as well as entertains the reader.
Five high school students find themselves in afterschool detention, but only four of them leave alive. Simon Kelleher suffers a fatal allergic reaction after drinking from a cup laced with peanut oil. It is clear that someone intentionally caused Simon’s death, but who, and why? The remaining four students are the immediate suspects, but they all claim to have nothing to do with it.
The main characters are all walking teen movie stereotypes. Bronwyn is a typical geek, getting high marks in all her exams. Cooper, the jock, is destined to become an exceptional baseball player. “Princess” Addy is perfect and popular, looking down on anyone who does not fit in with her social group. And then there is Nate, the drug dealer who is currently on probation for his reckless and capricious behaviour. Naturally, it is Nate that is the most suspect, but as certain secrets come to light, the others begin to look just as guilty.
Simon was known for his gossip app that revealed shaming secrets of students at Bayview High. As the police investigation begins, it is discovered that the four suspects were due to have their failings exposed in the next app update, thus giving them each a motive. However, the four are adamant that they were not involved and are desperate to clear their name. So, simultaneously with the police inquiry, the Bayview Four dedicate their time to unearthing the real culprit.
As the four unlikely friends become closer, romance blossoms and personalities alter, leaving no one unchanged. Gone are the original stereotypes. Despite upsetting circumstances, Bronwyn, Cooper, Addy and Nate are given the chance to discover who they truly are, and not just what society labels them. Putting aside the potential ruination of their futures, Simon’s death has serendipitous results for the suspects, or rather, the victims.
Nothing is given away during the narrative until the closing paragraphs, leaving readers guessing all the way through. Admittedly, I did entertain the thought of true culprit toward the beginning of the story, but McManus throws in so many red herrings and possible motives that the main suspect is constantly changing.
Dealing with themes of drugs, alcoholism, suicide and homosexuality,<i> One of Us is Lying</i> covers far more than a general murder mystery story. Some authors forget about the characters’ lives, only focusing on the plot at hand, however, McManus was far more detailed in the backgrounds of the four students, making it possible to understand and sympathise with each character.
<i>One of Us is Lying</i> shows how unfair the justice system can be, and although the saying is “innocent until proven guilty”, it is not often easy when every little move is judged and analysed by the police.
With a satisfying ending, Karen M. McManus’ introduction to the literary world is a significant taste of potential works to come. With a deep insight into young adult minds, McManus successfully connects with the reader, drawing them into a world that is hard to shake off. <i>One of Us is Lying</i> is definitely a book to look out for.
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EmersonRose (320 KP) rated The Blood of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus #5) in Books
Nov 20, 2019
Alert! Before I begin this review, I need to let it be known that in the case of this particular book I may be a little biased, well maybe really biased! This is the tenth book I have read by this author and the last in the second series I have read. It is safe to say I love these books or else I would not have read this many.
Alright, now that that is out of the way, let me begin. This book is called Blood of Olympus, it is the fifth and final book in the Heroes of Olympus series (if you should ever desire to read these book, I would recommend starting with the Percy Jackson, and the Olympians series as this series is a sequel series. The author of this book is a writer by the name of Rick Riordan. This book is a young adult fantasy novel. It is the final chapter of the adventure of a group of seven young adults who happen to be demigods, modern day children of the ancient gods of Greece and Rome. This adventure, like many great adventures, is a race to save the world.
For me, the initial draw of the book was that it is a fantasy novel, which is one of my favorite genres, and its focus is on Greek Mythology, something of an obsession of mine. The mythology in these books may not always satisfy all mythology nerds because they do take liberties in how the myths are presented in order to showcase how they might have changed to fit in the modern day world. The way Riordan chooses to represent mythology is often fairly close to original stories, showing that he spends the time researching the myths, and they are clever, funny, and entertaining.
As I read the books, I found myself drawn to the relationships between the characters, not surprising as characters are a key draw for me in literature. By this point in the series, the relationships became especially interesting because you have known some of the characters for ten books now while others are just in their second or third book appearances. The central characters have grown into a substantial group that each have their own unique backgrounds, personalities, and even mythologies that create intriguing tension and bonds. Their bonds grow stronger as they work through new struggles and adventures with the added drama of them being a group of teenagers, which obviously means that there is a fair bit of romance involved as well.
For me personally to get into a story the most important aspect is to be very invested in61w3pqVMCZL._US230_ the characters. This does not mean I have to like them, but I do need to be completely invested in what happens to them. If the storyteller can do this, then I will most likely binge the entire thing whether book, movie, tv show, comic…. regardless whether or not the story is good or my normal cup of tea. This was definitely an initial draw in me reading this second series because I was already very invested in both Percy and Annabeth’s characters, who are among the main characters in this series and the main characters in the previous series. The majority of the characters in this book did capture my emotional investment, which kept me reading all five books, but there were a few I found lacking. Maybe I am the only one who felt this, but I thought that Riordan didn’t spend enough time on some of the new characters to pull me into their plots. Unfortunately, this is common in stories that feature such a large cast of main characters, had the time on each character been even plot points might not have been as successful and honestly, I might have been annoyed to not spend as much time on my favorites.
I would be lying if I were to say this was my favorite book in this series but I still greatly enjoyed it. Besides my problem with not feeling emotionally invested enough in some of the characters, I really do not have any other complaints about the book. It was successful in finishing this series story arc while having plenty of plot of its own. And it ended wrapping just about everything up so that I was satisfied, but open enough to still want more. If this were a regular series, the leftover cliffhangers would be dreadful! But Riordan writes series that capture over-arching plots but that connect to his other book series in this same world, so an ending like this simply promising more books about these characters in another series.
Overall I liked this book, if young adult fantasy is your genre, then I would definitely suggest looking at these books. They do what I require of my urban fantasy stories, mix magic into our real world enough that a part of me can almost believe it could be possible. Characters, world, and plot flowing together into an engaging story that obviously captured my interest enough to read ten and counting of these novels.
*This was a review I found while cleaning that I write a few years ago. I have since read two more Riordan novels and counting! I love the way Riordan writes and appreciate how he seems to continually grow as a writer, always tackling new issues and allowing his characters to have growth. Annabeth and Percy especially, they are two of my all-time favorite characters. I highly recommend reading his books!
Alright, now that that is out of the way, let me begin. This book is called Blood of Olympus, it is the fifth and final book in the Heroes of Olympus series (if you should ever desire to read these book, I would recommend starting with the Percy Jackson, and the Olympians series as this series is a sequel series. The author of this book is a writer by the name of Rick Riordan. This book is a young adult fantasy novel. It is the final chapter of the adventure of a group of seven young adults who happen to be demigods, modern day children of the ancient gods of Greece and Rome. This adventure, like many great adventures, is a race to save the world.
For me, the initial draw of the book was that it is a fantasy novel, which is one of my favorite genres, and its focus is on Greek Mythology, something of an obsession of mine. The mythology in these books may not always satisfy all mythology nerds because they do take liberties in how the myths are presented in order to showcase how they might have changed to fit in the modern day world. The way Riordan chooses to represent mythology is often fairly close to original stories, showing that he spends the time researching the myths, and they are clever, funny, and entertaining.
As I read the books, I found myself drawn to the relationships between the characters, not surprising as characters are a key draw for me in literature. By this point in the series, the relationships became especially interesting because you have known some of the characters for ten books now while others are just in their second or third book appearances. The central characters have grown into a substantial group that each have their own unique backgrounds, personalities, and even mythologies that create intriguing tension and bonds. Their bonds grow stronger as they work through new struggles and adventures with the added drama of them being a group of teenagers, which obviously means that there is a fair bit of romance involved as well.
For me personally to get into a story the most important aspect is to be very invested in61w3pqVMCZL._US230_ the characters. This does not mean I have to like them, but I do need to be completely invested in what happens to them. If the storyteller can do this, then I will most likely binge the entire thing whether book, movie, tv show, comic…. regardless whether or not the story is good or my normal cup of tea. This was definitely an initial draw in me reading this second series because I was already very invested in both Percy and Annabeth’s characters, who are among the main characters in this series and the main characters in the previous series. The majority of the characters in this book did capture my emotional investment, which kept me reading all five books, but there were a few I found lacking. Maybe I am the only one who felt this, but I thought that Riordan didn’t spend enough time on some of the new characters to pull me into their plots. Unfortunately, this is common in stories that feature such a large cast of main characters, had the time on each character been even plot points might not have been as successful and honestly, I might have been annoyed to not spend as much time on my favorites.
I would be lying if I were to say this was my favorite book in this series but I still greatly enjoyed it. Besides my problem with not feeling emotionally invested enough in some of the characters, I really do not have any other complaints about the book. It was successful in finishing this series story arc while having plenty of plot of its own. And it ended wrapping just about everything up so that I was satisfied, but open enough to still want more. If this were a regular series, the leftover cliffhangers would be dreadful! But Riordan writes series that capture over-arching plots but that connect to his other book series in this same world, so an ending like this simply promising more books about these characters in another series.
Overall I liked this book, if young adult fantasy is your genre, then I would definitely suggest looking at these books. They do what I require of my urban fantasy stories, mix magic into our real world enough that a part of me can almost believe it could be possible. Characters, world, and plot flowing together into an engaging story that obviously captured my interest enough to read ten and counting of these novels.
*This was a review I found while cleaning that I write a few years ago. I have since read two more Riordan novels and counting! I love the way Riordan writes and appreciate how he seems to continually grow as a writer, always tackling new issues and allowing his characters to have growth. Annabeth and Percy especially, they are two of my all-time favorite characters. I highly recommend reading his books!
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Faerie War (Creepy Hollow, #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
I find I actually enjoyed <i>The Faerie War</i> despite its differences to the first two books in the <i>Creepy Hollow</i> series. <b>The third and final book in Violet's story happens approximately a month after the events in <i><a title="The Faerie Prince" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-prince-by-rachel-morgan"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Faerie Prince</a></i>, telling it from both Ryn's and Violet's view.</b>
<i>The Faerie War</i> is... different, per say. Since Violet doesn't have her memories this time around, <b>Morgan seems to write in an entirely different way that I somehow find really weird.</b> Violet isn't the same as she is in the first two books her memories are obviously gone, but <b>I didn't find much of Violet's snarkiness, sass, and sarcasm</b> that I find when I look back to the first books in the series. There are hints of the old Violet, but other than that, <b>Morgan writes in a formal way that makes Violet seem quite distant, aloof, and empty.</b>
<b>Reading from Ryn's view was a little confusing at first.</b> It's completely different from Violet's as his side of the story goes way back when just before the faerie world flips upside down and everything goes straight to hell. <b>It took a while to actually figure out when his story started taking place</b> and how it all worked, but after putting the pieces together, <b>I actually enjoyed Ryn's side of the story.</b>
I was pretty disappointed when we went back to Violet's part, knowing that Violet was going to be just as distant and aloof as she was when we first meet her in the third book. To my delight, she does become a more sassier and has a bit more sarcasm when we meet her once more, which fortunately doesn't make her sound like an empty glass of milk.
<blockquote>Does that mean you agree with me? Youre not angry with me? You think my bony ankle makes a good pillow?</blockquote>
The ending to <i>The Faerie War</i> and Violet's story isn't exactly mind-blowing. <b>Violet's confrontation with Draven seemed to mainly consist of Draven threatening Violet</b> not exactly my cup of tea. <b>I still enjoyed the entire happily ever after aspect, but like with most endings these days... I'm just not feeling it.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-war-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I find I actually enjoyed <i>The Faerie War</i> despite its differences to the first two books in the <i>Creepy Hollow</i> series. <b>The third and final book in Violet's story happens approximately a month after the events in <i><a title="The Faerie Prince" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-prince-by-rachel-morgan"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Faerie Prince</a></i>, telling it from both Ryn's and Violet's view.</b>
<i>The Faerie War</i> is... different, per say. Since Violet doesn't have her memories this time around, <b>Morgan seems to write in an entirely different way that I somehow find really weird.</b> Violet isn't the same as she is in the first two books her memories are obviously gone, but <b>I didn't find much of Violet's snarkiness, sass, and sarcasm</b> that I find when I look back to the first books in the series. There are hints of the old Violet, but other than that, <b>Morgan writes in a formal way that makes Violet seem quite distant, aloof, and empty.</b>
<b>Reading from Ryn's view was a little confusing at first.</b> It's completely different from Violet's as his side of the story goes way back when just before the faerie world flips upside down and everything goes straight to hell. <b>It took a while to actually figure out when his story started taking place</b> and how it all worked, but after putting the pieces together, <b>I actually enjoyed Ryn's side of the story.</b>
I was pretty disappointed when we went back to Violet's part, knowing that Violet was going to be just as distant and aloof as she was when we first meet her in the third book. To my delight, she does become a more sassier and has a bit more sarcasm when we meet her once more, which fortunately doesn't make her sound like an empty glass of milk.
<blockquote>Does that mean you agree with me? Youre not angry with me? You think my bony ankle makes a good pillow?</blockquote>
The ending to <i>The Faerie War</i> and Violet's story isn't exactly mind-blowing. <b>Violet's confrontation with Draven seemed to mainly consist of Draven threatening Violet</b> not exactly my cup of tea. <b>I still enjoyed the entire happily ever after aspect, but like with most endings these days... I'm just not feeling it.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-war-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>