10s Movie Review - Predestination

Director: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
Genre: Science Fiction
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor

Description: For his final assignment, a top temporal agent (Ethan Hawke) must pursue the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time. The chase turns into a unique, surprising and mind-bending exploration of love, fate identity and time travel taboos.

Review: We meet a top temporal agent who must travel through time for various missions. On his last mission, he must apprehend the criminal who repeatedly outwits him throughout his career.

What would life be like if we could time travel? Could we change the past or adjust the future? The fascination associated with time travel makes it an inspiration for many films. I always enjoy time travel stories. The directing brothers Michael and Peter Spierig came up with “Predestination”, a fascinating film that again highlights time travel. But with a new angle.

1970s New York is gripped by a terrorist named the Fizzle Bomber. The terrorist commits several attacks, but the police cannot catch him. When one of his attacks kills 11000 people, a secret government agency intervenes. Within this organization are agents who can travel through time and try to prevent crime. One of them goes back in time to stop the Fizzle Bomber.

I won’t elaborate too much on the rest of the story, because it’s better to go in with little information. The various plot twists make the film a true puzzle for the viewer. it’s a pretty complex film, without getting difficult to follow.

It’s a science fiction movie, without being set in the future. It’s the time travel element that make it this genre. Ethan Hawke became a favorite of mine over the years, I like almost everything he is in. And I always love his performances. And no matter what genre he plays in, he always manages to captivate me. Sarah Snook is also worth mentioning, she did such a good job in this film.

“Predestination” is one of those films that flew under the radar when it came out. It’s an underrated and overlooked film. I highly enjoyed it.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Grinch

Director: Yarrow Cheney, Scott Mosier
Genre: Animation/ Comedy/ Family
Runtime: 85 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Cameron Seeley, Pharrell Williams, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury

I WATCHED THIS FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 52: A CHRISTMAS MOVIE
 
Description: A grumpy Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch) plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville.

Review: The children’s book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss was published in 1957 and became a classic. It’s about a grumpy green monster, the Grinch, who wants to sabotage Christmas. This third film adaptation (an animation in 1966 and a live-action in 2000) comes from animation studio Illumination (“Despicable Me”) and faithfully follows the book.

You would say that the film doesn’t really add anything, because it’s practically the same. But I really loved this animated version of “The Grinch”. It has a modern tone, which slightly clashes with the original story at times, but that’s all. The classic Christmas story remains irresistible, and the humor, design and voices are very well-done. I think people should appreciate it more.

Rating: 4 / 5

Top 20: Favorite Movies of 2023

 I only had a handful of five-star movies this year. It was an average movie year. But with some real stand-outs. Like every year, I created a list of my favorite films. It’s based on Dutch release dates, so you might see some movies on this list that are originally from 2022, but came out in 2023 in The Netherlands. And you will miss movies, because they will be released in 2024 or I just simply haven’t seen it yet. Since I don’t get to see EVERY film. Here is my list, my 20 favorite films of 2023.
 

20. Knock at the Cabin
If only you make the right choice, the world can be saved from destruction. That is roughly the message of four equally kind of terrifying unannounced visitors who knock on the door of the remote forest couple, where an eight year-old-girl and her two dads are vacationing. They give them an impossible proposition. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, finally back with a strong thriller. I was especially impressed with Dave Bautista’s performance in this film. Based on a book by Paul Tremblay. READ MY FULL REVIEWHERE.
 

19. Babylon
Hollywood, 1926. The stars of silent films are still shining brightly, but a year later, the first talking movie (“The Jazz Singer” by All Jolston) will turn Hollywood relations completely upside down. And end the careers of veteran Jack Conrad and exuberant newcomer Nellie LaRoy. Whirlwind, eighty-million-dollar, more than three-hour spectacle from director Damien Chazelle, who made favorites “La La Land” and “Whiplash”. It’s both a jazzy ode to the magic of cinema and cutting satire on the debauchery of Hollywood. Enchanting and repulsive at the same time. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

18. The Angel Maker
This Danish crime thriller came as a total surprise. We follow Laura, a detective specializing in cyber-crime, who is called back to work after a woman is found dead, holding a memory card. Together with her new partner Jesper, they find a disturbing video of a man killing a naked woman. Scandinavian crime thrillers are known to be dark and raw, and “The Angel Maker” is no exception. It’s very graphic and the ending left me speechless and with my jaw dropping to the floor. Hidden gem. READ MY FULLREVIEW HERE.
 

17. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
After six “Mission: Impossible” films, you would think it’ll be hard to come up with any fresh ideas. As such, the plot of the seventh installment, centered around a runaway AI program, is on the bland side. Fortunately, however, this is offset by the personal mission of leading man Tom Cruise to continually outdo himself. Because yes, there are some matchless stunts and action scenes that will be very memorable. The scene on the train was amazing! Also fine addition of Hayley Atwell as a crafty thief. Not the best in the still ongoing series, but I highly enjoyed it. READ MY FULLREVIEW HERE.
 

16. Saltburn
An Oxford student struggles to fit in with the rest of the students. Until a charming and aristocratic classmate invites him to spend the summer with him and his eccentric family. This film is edgy, raunchy and daring. The most WTF-movie I’ve seen all year. Some scenes make you feel vicariously embarred and uncomfortable. It’s provocative and anything but subtle. I would want to recommend this film, but I don’t know to whom. Because this is not a film for everyone. You are warned. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.  
 

15. A Man Called Otto
Otto is a bitter, grumpy man ever since his wife died. He is done with life, until a new family movies into his street. They see the good in him. Based on the best-selling novel “A Man Called Öve”. Tom Hanks plays the titular Otto and everyone knows how much I love him. Just a very heartwarming movie, a warm hug in movie form. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

14. The Equalizer 3
After quitting his job as an assassin in the service of the government, Robert McCall leaves for Southern Italy. He is trying to live an anonymous, peaceful life, until he sees his new friends being threatened by local crime bosses. He decides to protect his friends by taking on the mafia.  Denzel Washington once again manages to bring out two sides of McCall. A likeable, trustworthy man, but also a cold-blooded killing machine. The tone of this third installment is different from the other two, but it fits the film. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

13. A Haunting in Venice
Kenneth Branagh’s third film based on an Agatha Christie book, and with him as Hercule Poirot. The previous “Murder On the Orient Express” was fine, “Death on the Nile” was simply disappointing. “A Haunting in Venice” is based on the book “Halloween Party” and follows the inspector taking some time of in Venice. When he is invited to a séance, he is there to proof that the medium is a fake. When a death occurs, Poirot has to get back to work, someone in this Venetian house is a murderer. This is my favorite of Branagh’s Hercule Poirot films, simply because it has a different take on the murder story by adding a horror-element to it. Very atmospheric, entertaining and a clever mystery. I don’t really understand why the average rating of this film is so low, I loved it. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.  
 

12. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Through a pipe system under Brooklyn, plumber brothers Mario and Luigi are catapulted into another world. In the process, Mario enters the Mushroom Kingdom of Princess Peach. And Luigi into the dark lava world of King Bowser. Defeating him requires the help of Donkey Kong. The storyline is wafer-thin, but I didn’t care. Its nostalgia, it’s fun, it’s enjoyable and a real rollercoaster ride. And they choose the perfect voice actor for one of the characters. Jack Black is killing it as Bowser. Fun for the entire family, but mostly for the ones who grew up playing the videogames. READ MY FULL REVIEWHERE.
 

11. The Boogeyman
After a strange man invades their home, a psychologist’s daughters are plagued by a shadow monster. The longer their fear of it is denied, the bigger it gets. “The Boogeyman” is loosely based on a short story by Stephen King and it’s one of the best horror movies I have seen in a while. What scares me the most in movies like this is what you don’t see. The makers of “The Boogeyman” understand this perfectly. It’s an inventive supernatural psychological horror film that unfolds slowly but aptly. READ MYFULL REVIEW HERE.
 

10. John Wick: Chapter 4
John Wick finds himself hunted down by yet another group of hitmen as he dares to take on the new leader of crime sect The Table. Is this movie over the top? Yes. Unbelievable? Definitely. But also incredibly energetic and despite the three-hour runtime, not boring for a second. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

9. Missing
Now that you can stay in touch everywhere and everything is trackable, how can you still lose someone? That’s the premise for the all-digital search of 18-year-old June (freat performance by Storm Reid) for her single mother. Who hasn’t come home from her trip to Colombia with her new boyfriend. It’s sounds like a standard missing person thriller, but because we follow it all through the eyes of all sorts of media formats (computers, phones, cameras, etc.) this film is really unique. In 2018 there was “Searching”, which was also a favorite of the year, “Missing” manages to do the same for me. The film has several nice twists, and manages to be surprising. READ MY FULLREVIEW HERE.
 

8. Barbie
Barbie lives in Barbieland, lead by women. Seemingly perfect, but one morning something is off. Barbie believes she needs to leave for the real world to search for answers. There, together with Ken, she discovers that in the real world men are in charge. Which will have major consequences for Barbieland. The film’s many messages (inclusivity, feminism, patriarchy) were clearly important to director Greta Gerwig, which make for an interesting viewing. I think most people went into this film with different expectations. I knew what to expect and loved what the movie had to say. And that monologue by America Ferrara will stay with me forever. READ MY FULLREVIEW HERE.
 

7. Killers of the Flower Moon
In the early 1920s, dozens of members of the Osage tribe were murdered after oil was found on their land. Among the victims were many Osage women, who were remarkably often married to white men. This monumental film adaptation of David Grann’s nonfiction books of the same name is about one such couple: Mollie and Ernest Burkhart. The not too savvy Ernest is a nephew of rancher William hale, who turns out to be the mastermind behind the Osage murders. Director Martin Scorsese descends deep into the soul of capitalist America. And impressively played epic drama. Over 200 minutes long, but they fly by. READ MYFULL REVIEW HERE.
 

6. Asteroid City
As is often the case in Wes Anderson films, several realities intertwine in this one. But the main one takes place in Asteroid City, a remote desert town in the 1950s. there, an alien suddenly lands, which will forever change the lives of a handful of characters currently residing in Asteroid City. Shot in pastel tones, this ode to the misfits, which Anderson packed with well-known actors for whom he wrote a host of delightfully quirky and dryly comic characters. Wes Anderson is one of my favorite directors, I just love his style, it’s so unique and he is like no other. Most people don’t understand my love for Anderson, but “Asteroid City” is just everything I hoped it would be. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

5. EO
Every year there is this one movie on the list that probably no one has seen. This year it’s “EO”. Circus donkey EO is freed by animal activists and meets the many faces of man during a life of adventure. EO serves as a working donkey, is transported, ends up in a horse clinic and in the paradisical garden of an Italian villa. EO dreams of his friend Magda, has nightmares, wanders around a surreal fairytale forest. Pure film poetry by Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski. A film that portrays us humans as being shitty. Conclusion: most people suck. A very important movie that left a lasting impression on me.  READY MY FULL REVIE HERE.
 

4. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Oscar winner “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018) set the bar for animated films exceptionally high. Can this sequel match it? Yes it can! Miles and Gwen go from one universe to another and meet hundreds of new Spider-characters. As a creative person myself, I applaud movies like this. It’s full of creative finds, many different animation styles, this movie is visually mind-blowing. It’s such a unique animation, a new benchmark within the medium. A-MA-ZING! READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

3. Oppenheimer
Impressive biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the ‘father’ of the atomic bomb. From his student days in England in the 1920s, where he learned about Bohr and quantum mechanics, to the secret interrogations in the 1950s, when the celebrated scientist was suspected of communist sympathies. All by pass, but center of gravity is the development, construction and detonation of the atomic bomb in Los Alamos, new Mexico. As always with Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer” has become a visual spectacle , but Nolan also grants us a glimpse into the tormented mind of Oppenheimer himself, who knew that after his invention, the world had changed forever. Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. give memorable and outstanding performances. READ MY FULL REVIEWHERE.
 

2. The Banshees of Inisherin
We meet Pádraic and Colm, two friends on the fictional island of Inisherin. It is 1923 and a civil wat is raging on the mainland, but that is nothing more than the backdrop to the war that will ensue between Pádraic and Colm when Colm cancels the friendship overnight. Pádraic does not understand and refuse to accept Colm’s decision. Even when the latter threatens to cut off his own fingers if Pádraic continues to harass him. By director Martin McDonagh, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, it’s just a wryly comic and tragic as the director’s other movies. And just as good. Love everything about it. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Director James Gunn concludes his trilogy about Marvel’s wackiest superhero team with dignity. The film zooms in on the history of Rocket (my favorite Marvel character), which is a surprisingly grim and emotional story (many tears were shed, and with many tears I mean that I cried like a baby). I knew it as soon as the end credits started rolling: this is my favorite movie of 2023. Not because it’s the best movie.No. Because this series is so dear to my heart and the third installment hit all the right nerves and gave me everything I needed. It’s an important movie for animal rights, showing us how cruel mankind is to them and nature. And that most people are dicks. An emotional rollercoaster: funny, exciting, sad, entertaining as hell. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is my favorite movie of 2023. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 
Honorable mentions: Nyad, Leave the World Behind, The Whale, Creed III, Reptile, The Last Voyage of the Demeter         

Movie Review - Killers of the Flower Moon

Director: Martin Scorsese
Genre: Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 206 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Leonaro DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemmons, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser
 
Description: When oil is discovered in 1920s Oklahoma under Osage Nation land, the Osage people are murdered one by one, until the FBI steps in to unravel the mystery.

Review: As if it were not enough that white immigrants drove out to Native American population, another tragedy occurred during the Interbellum/ Inter War. Oil was found in the state of Oklahoma. Bad luck for the white ‘new’ Americans that this mostly took place on Osage Nation lang, the reservations of the native population. A cruel solutions was found for that, by murdering them for their wealth and oil rights.

Veteran director Martin Scorsese uses nearly three and a half hours to tell this story, based on a book by David Grann. I don’t think many people know of this story and it’s good that Scorsese shines a light on this tragic story. The discovery of oil increased prosperity among Osage tribe. Thus the roles reversed and the white people have to serve them for a change. But the white Americans are not all acceptant of this fact.

One of these people is war veteran Ernest Burkhart. He is flat broke and handicapped by a major abdominal injury, so he can’t do heavy physical work. He knocks on the door of his uncle William Hale, who prefers to be addressed by the nickname King. Hale helps Ernest get a job as a cab driver. One of his regular customers is mollie, from the Osage and she has oil money.. Hale convinces Ernest to marry Mollie. Meanwhile, he sets in motion a plan to eliminate Mollie’s relatives.

Scorsese takes considerable time and invests primarily in the relationship between Ernest and Mollie. She and her sisters also understand what Ernest is about. But their relationship with each other is difficult to put into a sentence. There is indeed mutual love, despite the strong unspoken distrust between the two. Ernest, a rock-solid role by Leonardo DiCaprio, allows himself to be hugely influenced by his uncle, but feigns complete control.

Robert De Niro plays William Hale, who is known in the small town of Fairfax as a benefactor. He gets schools and hospitals built, but in reality turns out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. When stealing money and valuables no longer suffices, he does not shy away from more rigorous measures. In fact, Hale is a classic movie villain, but De Nito manages to put a lot of nuance and shades of gray into his character. Hale is a character that really existed.

Lily Galdstone, who plays Ernest’s wife Mollie, left a deep impression on me. She is a new to me actress and she stands tall between big names like DiCaprio and De Niro.

“Killers of the Flower moon” paints a period picture in an unparalleled way that also shines a different light on many other westerns. It combines drama and crime with historical evens such as the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and the creation of the FBI. Moreover, Scorsese’s camera team captures it beautifully. Over two hundred minutes seems very like, but time flies by. That’s when you know Scorsese did it again, he made yet another movie to proud of.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Top 10: Favorite Books of 2023

My goal for 2023 was to read 30 books, I managed to read 72 books. Of those books, 42 were physical, 30 were audio books. My most read genre was thriller, followed by mystery and horror, and I read most books by Grady Hendrix and Peter Swanson. Of all the books, my average rating was 3,9, which is pretty good.

Here is my top 10 favorite books, that I read in 2023.

10. The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
I never expected to have love this book as much as I did. It’s a crime thriller, where we meet Shea Collings, a receptionist who runs a true crime website at night. When she  sees Beth Greer, she believes she knows her. She was the woman that was the suspect in the Lady Killer Murders in 1977, but she was never convicted. Beth agrees to being interviewed by Shea and  she tries to unravel what really happened in 1977. We follow multiple timelines, with a supernatural. I especially love that first part and never expected to also enjoy that supernatural element as much as I did. The book did something unique, because the major reveal came at the midway point. And somehow I still couldn’t put it down. A very good crime thriller. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.  
 

9. The Appeal by Janice Hallett
The Fairway Players, a local theater group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and with an experimental treatment costing a tremendous sum, their castmates rally to raise the money to give her a chance of survival. But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy, or the good intentions of those involved. This is definitely one of the most unique books I have ever read. At least the format is. This story is fully told in e-mails, text messages, letters, and other media forms. With all the information you’re getting, you need to put the pieces of the puzzle together and investigate the murder. It’s especially fun to see certain situation happen from different perspectives, where each character interprets it different. And you know how it really plays out. I can’t wait to read the other books written by Janice Hallett, because this is right up my alley. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

8. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Millie has hid rock-bottom, losing yet another job and living from her car. Somehow she lands a job as a housemaid for the wealthy Winchester family. Her last chance of a fresh start. But there is something about this family that she can’t quite put her finger on. I thought this was going to be one of those forgettable, throw-away thrillers, something that was readable but average. Boy was I wrong. This book was amazing. It had a plot twist midway through and it had me sitting speechless with my jaw dropped to the floor. This is the perfect book to get you out of a reading slump. I finally know what the hype is about and it’s worthed. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

7. Coraline by Neil Gaimann
Coraline and her family have moved and the day after they did, Coraline decides to do some exploring. She finds a door that is locked and on the other side is only a brick wall. Until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own. Only it’s different. At first, things seem marvelous there. But there’s another mother and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them. They want to exchange her and never let her go. “Coraline” is a spooky middle-grade, a genre that I discovered loving. “Coraline” is such an amazing story, pretty scary at times and I had an illustrated edition. The illustrations were super creepy and totally fit the style of the book. I absolutely ate this book up, I can see myself re-reading this multiple times in the future. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

6. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
We follow four young girls, who are roommates in Idlewild hall, a place for girls whom no one wants, the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good, in 1950s Vermont. One of them mysteriously disappears. In present day, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister’s death. Twenty years ago her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruing of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister’s boyfriend was convicted of murder, Fiona can’t shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case. When she discovers Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But shocking discovery during the renovation will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past. The second book written by Simone St. James on this list. I discover her this year and I really want to read her full backlist. The set-up of the book is similar to “The Book of Cold Cases”: multiple timelines, one in the past, the other in the present, and somehow they are linked. I was hooked from start to finish, this was such a good story. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

5. Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whiskey a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock ‘n roll she loves the most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of needless beauty that makes people do crazy things. Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road. Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that they key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend. The book is told through interviews, where we follow the rise and fall of a band from the 60s. I knew beforehand that I was going to love this book and I was absolutely right about it. It did not disappoint and I really enjoyed reading about the music industry in that time period. I especially loved the way they used the women’s voices. Karen is my favorite character. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

4. Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
Pip is not a detective anymore. With the help of Ravi, she released a true-crime podcast abot the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her. But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie bell and Sal Singh. The police won’t do anything about it. And if they won’t look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town’s dark secrets along the way. And this time everyone is listening. The second book in the “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” series. I finished the series this year and even read the prequel. I absolutely loved the first book, I rated this one 5-stars. It’s just as good, had a new mystery and again many twists and surprises. Pip Fitz-Amobi is one of my all-time favorite female book characters. And this is officially one of the all-time favorite booke series. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

3. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaeledis
Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an indemand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one fo London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Garbiel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word. Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations. “The Silent Patient” is Alex Michaeledis’ debut novel. Last year I read his second book, “The Maidens”, which also made my top 10 that yeat. But this book is far superior. Of all the books on this list, this book had the best twist. A twist I never saw coming and I still think about. It’s one of the best twists I have ever read too. This is such a strong start of his writing career. I really enjoy his writing. And in 2024 he’s coming out with a new novel, that I will most definitely pick up. READ MY FULLREVIEW HERE.  
 

2. The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson
On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kinter. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage that’s going stale and his wife Miranda, who he’s sure is cheating on him. But their games turns a little darker when Td jokes that he could kill Miranda for what she’s done. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, “I’d like to help”. After all, some people are the kinf worth killing, like a lying, stinking, cheating spouse… My introduction to Peter Swanson. This is a twisty book, filled with plot twists and reveals that you never see coming. A devious tale of psychological suspense involving sex, deception, and an accidental encounter that leads to murder. These characters are all so messed up and misleading, just when you think you have it all figured out, it takes another turn. Such a good book. This was my favorite of the year for a very long time. And I would recommend this to every thriller fan. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

1. The Only One Left by Riley Sager
Kit McDeere is assigned to be the caregiver of Lenora Hope, a paralyzed, mute woman who can only use her left arm. Lenora is also the daughter of the family that was murdered in 1929. A murder people believed was committed by her. They never caught the killer, there was no proof that Lenora did it. But everyone is certain she murdered her parents and sister. So does Kit. But she is professional about it takes good care of Lenora. When then only way of communicating is a typewriter, one day Lenora types to Kit that she wants to tell her everything. And Kit wants nothing more then to find out what really went down that faithful night in 1929. Can you believe that the last book I read this year, eventually became my favorite? I’m a big Riley Sager fan. I only have to read one more and I have read all of his books. And I have loved all but one. This has the same vibes as “Lock Every Door” and Home Before Dark”, which happen to be my favorites of his, so when I started reading “The Only One Left”, I knew this was right up my alley. I could not stop reading, I was engaged the entire time and every time I had to put it down, I was looking forward to the moment I could pick it up again. Some really great, unpredictable twists in here, and what a crazy ending. A great on for all the Riley Sager fans! READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
 
Honorable mentions: The Troop by Nick Cutter, Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam, And The There Were None by Agatha Christie, Whispering Pines by Kati Lang & Kati Bartkowski, The Bullet That Missed By Richard Osman, The Enigma of Room 622, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Quiet Tennant by Clémence Michalon

Movie Review - Saltburn

Director: Emerald Fennell
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Thriller
Runtime: 131 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Carey Mulligan, Alison Oliver
 
Description: A student (Barry Keoghan) at Oxford University finds himself drawn into the world of a charming and aristocratic classmate (Jacob Elordi), who invites him to his eccentric family’s sprawling estate for a summer never to be forgotten.

Review: Director Emerald Fennell impressed a few years ago, with the film “Promising Young Woman”. I won several awards. Her new movie “Saltburn” is not for the faint of heart, let me say it’s not for everyone.

While struggling to find his place at Oxford University, student Oliver Quick is drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton. He invites Oliver to Saltburn, the massive beautiful estate of his eccentric family, for a summer to remember.

The film has an unusual style, especially when Oliver is invited along to the Catton family’s eccentric palace. The actor of the two leading men, played by Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi, feels mysterious enough to keep it interesting throughout the film, and at times you’re maddingly unsure where to look. The film has some very edgy scenes that make you feel vicariously embarrassed or uncomfortable. It's provocative, raunchy, raw and anything but subtle. That scene in the bathtub will stay with me forever.

I can’t believe how good Keoghan is in this movie. What a daring, challenging role for him. So well done. “Saltburn” gets a pretty high rating on IMDb, but overall I’ve read a lot of negative reviews. I get why people would not like it, see all of the above. I always love it when a director does something daring, and Fennell succeeded in doing so. Again, praising her for doing something no-standard. “Saltburn” is a really good movie, but not easy to watch and definitely not for everyone.

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - The Only One Left by Riley Sager

Title: The Only One Left
Series: -
Author: Riley Sager
 
Description: The murder of the Hope family shocked the Maine coast one bloody night ins 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old daughter Lenora was responsible, the police where never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, not has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.
 
Its not 1983, and caregiver Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her pervious nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes an can only communicate with Kit by tapping sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer – I want to tell you everything.
 
As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the fate than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth – and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.
 
Review: I’m a big fan of Riley Sager and I have loved all but one book that I have rea by him. My favorites are “Lock Every Door” and “Home Before Dark”, with a more gothic vibe to them. If that’s your thing, and these are also your favorite by this author, “The Only One Left” is right up your alley. Sager most definitely does gothic thriller best.
 
From the first page I was hooked. The atmosphere is set immediately and the setting of Hope’s End is perfect for a thriller. It’s an old, decaying mansion, set on a coastal cliff, far away from everyone. If that doesn’t get peak your interest, this book is not for you. Because this book relies on atmosphere for a big portion of it. Just like Sager did in the aforementioned books with the same gothic vibes.
 
Kit is new in this big house, where she has to take care of Lenora, the woman everyone thinks has killed her entire family when she was seventeen. Kit stays professional, but is still curious and tries to figure out what really happened that night. Kit is not the only staff member, they are also keeping secrets of their own.
 
We follow the story through Kit’s perspective, but also have chapters dedicated to the story that Lenora is typing. The book wouldn’t be a really Riley Sager book if it didn’t have some twists and reveals that you wouldn’t see coming. And most of them are really good, unexpected and surprising. There were two things I kind of predicted, but they weren’t  obvious. And that finale is insane. It is absolutely crazy and I loved it.
 
When I’m excited for a new book by an author I love, I’m always scared to be disappointed. Sager did not let me down, loved every minute of reading this insane thriller. An new all-time favorite and my best book of 2023.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Love Actually

Director: Richard Curtis
Genre: Comedy/ Romance/ Drama
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2003
Starring: Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Laura Linney, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Rowan Atkinson, Martine McCutheon, Martin Freeman, Joanna Page, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel, Ejiofor, Thomas Sangster, Rodrigo Santoro

Description: Follows the lives of several different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.

Review: With “Love Actually”, the directorial debut by Richard Curtis shows that life is full of small moments of love and affection. Me not being a romance girlie, this is one of the few exceptions in the genre that I’m absolutely in love with.

Richard Curtis is mostly know for his screenwriting, having been apart of “Blackadder”, “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill”, among others. “Love Actually” is as smoothly put together as the romcoms for which he alone wrote the screenplay.

The fact that Curtis managed to have the best of the best actors at his disposal also work in his favor. It’s not hard to take them to heart. We follow several storylines in this film, some of them intertwine at some. We meet David, as he arrives on his first day as the Prime Minister, falling in love with Nathalie who is in his staff. Karen is painfully confronted with her husband’s potential adultery. Daniel has just lost his wife and has to deal with his young stepson’s first time being in love. Jamie leaves for France after he finds out his girlfriend is cheating on him with his brother. Here he meets Aurelia, but there is a language barrier. Sarah has been in love Karl for over two years, but because of her sick brother she never lets herself act on it. Jack and Judy meet each other while being movie stand-ins for nude scenes. Old rocker Billy Mack is trying to reach the number one spot with his Christmas song. Mark’s best friend Peter marries Juliet. Juliet feels like Mark doesn’t really like her, finding out that that’s not the reason he never talks to her. And finally Colin, who is sick of British girls and travels to America to find a woman.

Even though not all storylines are equally successful or enjoyable, the complete package is so lovely. This film has high rewatchability and I simply can’t get enough of it. I want to watch it every Christmas. And the ending is very satisfactory as well. Sugar sweet and overly romantic, but for some reason I am totally fine with it here.  

Rating: 5/ 5